Kondou Aiko has liked the same boy since fifth grade. But ever since the summer he found out, she was determined to hide her admiration and simply love him from a distance. But when things involving Hatori Taiki, the boy she likes, starts to involve her too, would she be able to keep that promise? This is for the romantics out there! ~*~ Author's Note: I wanted to try the "cellphone novel" writing style, so these are all very short chapters. This is also somewhat based on a true story but adapted to a japanese setting. Of course, it caters to the shoujo genre so some of it were romanticized or were changed. But most of it stay true, especially the characters. ~*~ Inspired by Ao Haru Ride.

"Ikigai is the secret to a long and happy life." Uemura Hansuke has lived his life never wanting to get out of bed for anything. The 18 year old boy lives a fairly simple life. He's in his third year of senior high school now, he has a part-time job to pay for rent, he lives in an apartment alone, he had friends but like most things, they came and went, and his mother still keeps in touch with him, reminding him every day to go find his own ikigai. He's never found his ikigai. Not one thing ever came close to motivating him to get out of bed in the morning. He's accepted the fact that he'll never find the secret to a happy and long life. He didn't believe in ikigais anymore. At least, he thought he didn't. [ slow updates! ]

「 Can you teach me how to be happy? 」 Fujiwara Ao has been living the past nineteen years of his life in ease. Born with the ideal background and blessed with enough talent, that's what most of the people presume. In their eyes, he was simply nothing more but a rich, unsociable, and self-centered person. But what they don't know, however, is that the truth is farther than expected. In reality, Ao has been abandoned. Suffering from a personal tragedy that until now continues to haunt him, he was shunned by his family and left on his own. Ever since then, he learns to separate himself from others. As each day passes in a monotonous cycle, Ao finds no more warmth nor color to his world. Then one day, Hashimoto Rie enters his life. Stubborn, eccentric and enigmatic, Rie ends up pulling Ao to her side and urges him to see through an invisible kaleidoscope that alters his perception of the world entirely. And like that, everything has changed. But change... doesn't necessarily mean that it's always for the best. Or...? - - - - - • cell phone novel • #26 in general fiction ; #13 in short story • completed ; edited