𝙊𝙧𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢

𝑶𝒓𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 (4)

"Ah, Kou-chan. I remember this photograph! It was the first time you climbed a tree, right?" Asked Nana in an excited tone.

I who was doing my homework sitting on my desk turned to her who pointed towards the picture for me to see. I observed said picture for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess," I answered while remembering the past.

It felt so distant now.

"Hehe, you didn't know how to climb a tree yet you went up it because I wanted to eat persimmons. And I took this picture with the camera that you always carried around." Nana said giggling.

"Well, you love ripe persimmons so I had little choice. I'm just glad I didn't fall." I said sighing.

Actually, I wasn't good with heights though I didn't have a phobia. But at that time, seeing Nana's glittering eyes when she was looking at the sweet fruits hanging from the tree compelled me to try.

Would she look at me with the same eyes if I could get her those fruits? That was probably what I thought.

"Yeah, me too. I didn't think that it was your first time with the confidence you showed me. I only found out later when you couldn't get down due to fear." Saying that Nana laughed.

I felt embarrassed thinking of that time I tried to play cool in front of the girl I like which backfired much to my despair.

Let's change the topic.

"T-that was a long time ago! Just leave it be!"

"Hehe, okay okay." Nana said and turned to the wall which had no vacant space as it was covered with photos from top to bottom, some photos overlapping the others.

Photos of her, Nana.

Hey, I wasn't some creepy stalker, okay? I didn't hang those pictures without her permission.

Well, at least she gave me her approval after she saw those photos.....

Seriously, I wasn't crazy. Maybe?
But if there was one thing I was crazy about, it was her.

After Nana died, I shut myself in my room for countless days with these pictures being the only means of my comfort. I was too horrified to face the truth.

That hadn't gotten any better yet. Even now I thought I was hallucinating.

I looked at Nana's back who was gazing at the photos intently.
Was this Nana just a fragment of my imagination?

I didn't know. I was too afraid to ask, even myself. This solace I was getting by deluding myself in this ecstatic fantasy, I didn't want to let it go.

I was just a pathetic coward who didn't deserve Nana's sweet love.

And the murderer who took her life.....