At Amanogawa Prefectural High, Hanabi Yasuoka is the perfect honor student everyone admires—but beneath her flawless smile lies a secret she's carried for years: she's in love with her homeroom teacher, Narumi Kanei, the gentle "big brother" who tutored her as a lonely child and promised to wait for her.
Mugi Awaya is the quiet, beautiful boy every girl wants—but the one he truly loves is a teacher who will never look his way.
When these two classmates discover each other's forbidden feelings,
Scum's Wish: The Secret Love That Never Was - The Three Promises of the Fake Couple, The Last Night
The light slanting through the classroom window crept slowly across the desks.
Yasuoka Hanabi sat with the edge of a handout pinched between her fingertips, staring out the window. The cherry trees in the schoolyard had gone fully green, their deep leaves swaying in the wind. A week had passed since the day she cried on that riverbank.
(Since that thing with Sanae.)
Something tightened deep in her chest. Sanae's tears, her trembling voice, and that soft—yet somehow painful—sensation. Every time she remembered, she felt as though she'd become something filthy.
But at school, she had to smile.
She had to be Yasuoka Hanabi, the perfect honor student.
"Hanabi, did you hear? They say Minagawa-sensei's playing piano at next month's music recital."
Mito leaned forward from the seat behind her, eyes glittering with curiosity behind her glasses.
" Is that so? Minagawa-sensei is a wonderful pianist, after all."
Hanabi curved the corners of her mouth into a smile. The muscles in her cheeks twitched, just slightly.
"Right, right? That teacher's gorgeous and plays piano too—it's just not fair."
" Hee hee, it really isn't."
Nodding along, Hanabi was thinking about something else entirely.
(Minagawa Akane.)
Just thinking the name turned her stomach cold. That woman's smile. That woman's voice. That woman's fingertips. All of it was destroying the things Hanabi held dear.
(She sees right through me—everything about my brother.)
(And about Mugi, too.)
(Everything I am.)
"Hanabi, you okay? You're spacing out again."
" Huh? Oh—sorry. I was just thinking about something."
"Is it about Mugi-kun?"
Mito grinned and nudged her with an elbow.
" N-no, it's not. Why would you think that?"
"Because you and Mugi-kun are the best-matched couple in this whole school. If anything's going on, you know I'm here to listen, right?"
" Oh, stop—thank you. But really, there's nothing."
Hanabi laughed it off.
Best-matched.
Today, those words stung more than they should have.
A fake couple.
We've promised never to fall for each other.
We've promised to break up if either of our real loves comes true.
We've promised to accept each other's physical needs, no matter when.
Our relationship rests on those three promises.
And yet.
Lately, whenever she thought about Mugi, something stirred restlessly in her chest.
What is this?
It's supposed to be fake.
We're not supposed to fall in love.
—Kiiin, koon, kaan, koon.
The first bell rang.
Hanabi let out a small breath and faced forward.
Another day begins.
Another day for the perfect honor student.
After school.
Hanabi pulled out her phone and opened her messaging app.
A single message from Awaya Mugi waited for her.
"Can you make it to Milpas today?"
A short, curt message.
But it was a little unusual for Mugi to be the one inviting her.
Hanabi rested her finger on the screen and typed a reply.
"Sure. The usual time."
Send.
The read receipt appeared immediately.
It stayed on read. No reply came.
(Is Mugi thinking about something too?)
Hanabi slipped her phone into her bag.
She left the classroom and headed for the shoe lockers.
The hallway overflowed with students on their way to club activities.
"Hanabi, heading home?"
Ayumi came trotting up behind her.
" Yeah. I've got a little something to take care of today."
"I see. Well, see you tomorrow, then."
" Yeah. See you tomorrow."
She waved to Ayumi and changed into her shoes.
Outside, the scent of early summer hung in the air.
A lukewarm breeze stirred the hem of her skirt.
She passed through the school gate and walked the road toward the station.
Walking along the Amanooka River embankment, that day came flooding back.
Sanae's confession.
Sanae, clinging to her, crying.
"Am I not good enough?"
Those words echoed deep in her ears.
Hanabi quickened her pace, just slightly.
She didn't want to remember—but she remembered anyway.
The warmth of Sanae's hand.
The scent of Sanae's hair.
The taste of Sanae's tears.
(I betrayed Sanae.)
(I couldn't stay just friends with her.)
(I never should have done that.)
But in that moment, she had wanted to cling to someone.
Anyone would have done.
She had wanted warmth.
And this was the result.
Hanabi bit her lip.
She reached the station and boarded the train.
She got off two stops later at Kagamigawa Station and headed for the Sanrio shopping street.
Before dusk, the arcade bustled with shoppers.
The greengrocer's stand displayed bright red tomatoes.
The savory smell of grilled fish drifted from the fishmonger's.
Hanabi wove her way between them.
Soon, a familiar signboard came into view.
Café Milpas.
She pushed open the old wooden door, and a bell jingled.
"Welcome."
The owner, Ooba Mamoru, looked up from behind the counter. A man in his sixties with short-cropped white hair. He was the master of this shop, famous for his discretion.
" Hello."
Hanabi gave a small bow and glanced at the usual window seat.
Mugi was already there.
Pale skin, smooth hair.
Bathed in the evening sun pouring through the window, his profile looked startlingly beautiful.
Hanabi stopped in her tracks for just a moment.
(Why is my heart racing like this?)
(He's my fake boyfriend.)
Hanabi took a small breath and sat down across from Mugi.
" Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No, I just got here myself."
Mugi glanced at her, coffee cup still in hand.
"Want something to drink?"
" Yeah, iced tea."
When Hanabi answered, Mugi called toward the counter: "One iced tea."
"Coming right up."
She heard Mamoru dropping ice into a glass.
Hanabi traced her finger along the menu on the table.
She didn't really need to look at it.
She just needed to keep her hands moving—the silence frightened her.
"Hanabi."
Mugi said her name quietly.
" What?"
"Nothing, really. ...You seem tired."
" Do I?"
"You do."
Mugi took a sip of coffee.
Hanabi stared at her own palm.
(Tired, huh.)
(If I said I wasn't, it'd be a lie.)
(Sanae. Minagawa-sensei. My brother.)
(I'm carrying all of it, and it's crushing me.)
" ...Aren't you tired, Mugi?"
At her question, Mugi's brow shifted, just slightly.
"Who knows."
" 'Who knows'?"
"I don't really understand it myself."
Mugi looked out the window.
The figures of people passing through the arcade streamed past the glass.
Hanabi followed his gaze outside.
The evening sun stretched the shadows of the buildings long.
" Hey, Mugi."
Hanabi spun the coaster on the table with her finger as she spoke.
" Are we really okay like this?"
The moment the words left her mouth, her heart leaped.
(Why did I say that just now?)
(I wasn't planning to ask.)
Mugi's hand set down the coffee cup.
A small clink.
Mugi was silent.
He was facing her, but their eyes didn't meet.
He was trying to say something, searching for the words.
But he couldn't find them.
That was the look on his face.
Silence piled up between them.
The iced tea glass sweated, forming a ring of water on the table.
(He can't answer.)
(Mugi's the same as me.)
(He feels something off about this relationship too.)
That was how Hanabi read Mugi's silence.
It's supposed to be fake.
We're not supposed to fall for each other.
And yet, right now, we can't hide what we really feel.
We want to hide it, but we can't hide it completely.
That kind of air was definitely there.
"...Sorry. That was a weird thing to ask."
Hanabi forced a smile.
" Forget it."
"No."
Mugi spoke.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Hanabi lifted her head.
Mugi's eyes were looking straight at her.
Whether we're okay like this."
"...You too?"
"Yeah."
Mugi nodded shortly.
He said nothing more.
But with just that, something deep in Hanabi's chest grew gently warm.
(Mugi was thinking the same thing.)
(It's supposed to be fake, but we're agonizing over the same thing.)
That made her happy.
Happy—and yet it hurt.
Because this relationship is a lie.
A fake relationship, and yet we're sharing real worries.
That contradiction tangled Hanabi's heart into knots.
That was when it happened.
Jingle-jingle—the bell rang, and the shop door opened.
Hanabi looked up reflexively.
And froze.
"Well, what a coincidence."
Minagawa Akane stood there.
A pale beige cardigan draped over her shoulders, a white dress.
The image of the music teacher—pure, lovely, beloved by everyone.
But her eyes alone were not smiling.
" Hanabi-chan, Mugi-chan. On a lovely date?"
As she spoke, Akane approached their table.
" Hello, Minagawa-sensei."
Hanabi reflexively put on her honor-student smile.
" ...Hello."
Mugi was visibly shaken.
The hand holding his coffee cup trembled faintly.
(Mugi still loves Minagawa-sensei.)
(It's written all over his face.)
Hanabi looked at Mugi's profile, and her chest pricked with pain.
Akane stood beside Hanabi, bent down, and brought her face close to her ear.
" The other day, I went to a music shop with Kanei-sensei."
Hanabi's heart gave a violent leap.
" It was so much fun. He looked so happy in front of the piano."
Akane's voice was quiet, sweet, and laced with poison—just loud enough for Hanabi alone.
" We even promised to go to a concert together next time."
Hanabi's fingertips went cold.
(My brother and Minagawa-sensei.)
(Going to a music shop, promising to go to a concert.)
(I didn't want to hear that.)
The smile drained from Hanabi's face.
She could feel her own expression changing.
" ...Is that so."
Hanabi desperately kept her voice steady.
" Yes. It was wonderful."
Akane smiled in satisfaction, then moved to Mugi's side.
" Mugi-chan, you seem down lately."
Akane sat down beside Mugi and placed a hand on his shoulder.
" If something's wrong, you can talk to me. I'm your teacher, after all."
Akane's white fingers stroked Mugi's shoulder, slowly.
Mugi's body stiffened.
But he couldn't shake off her hand.
Hanabi could do nothing but watch.
Her stomach twisted with pain.
(Mugi, push her away.)
(You hate that hand, don't you?)
(So why?)
When Akane noticed Hanabi's gaze, she smiled brightly.
" Hanabi-chan, if you ever have troubles, tell me anytime, all right?"
That smile was gentle as an angel's.
Which was exactly why it was terrifying.
" Well then, I'll be going. Sorry to intrude."
Akane stood, waved to them both, and left the shop.
Jingle-jingle—the bell rang, terribly loud.
After Akane left.
A heavy silence settled back between them.
Different from the earlier silence, when they'd been probing each other's true feelings.
Something more bitter, more suffocating.
Hanabi gripped her iced tea glass with both hands.
Cold.
The chill spread from her fingertips through her body.
(Minagawa-sensei knows.)
(That I'm in love with my brother.)
(That's why she said all that on purpose.)
Hanabi bit her lip.
"...Hanabi."
Mugi spoke, barely above a whisper.
" ...What?"
"Maybe I've been fooling myself this whole time."
Hanabi looked at Mugi's face.
Mugi was staring at the coffee cup on the table.
"Maybe I was only seeing Minagawa-sensei the way I wanted to."
Mugi's voice was small, hoarse.
"Maybe I've just been forcing my own ideal onto her—the image of my middle school tutor, all this time."
Hanabi couldn't say anything.
She could only gaze at his profile.
(Mugi's trying to reexamine his feelings for Minagawa-sensei.)
(He's starting to doubt the person he's loved all this time.)
How painful that must be for him.
Hanabi couldn't even imagine.
"...Hanabi."
Mugi turned toward her.
"What do you think about Kanei-sensei?"
Hanabi's heart gave a heavy thud.
(My brother.)
(What do I think about my brother?)
Hanabi pressed a hand to her chest.
(I love him.)
(I love him so much.)
(But is that really love?)
(Ever since I was little, I've called him 'big brother' and leaned on him.)
(Isn't it just an extension of that—me thinking I love him?)
Narumi's smile floated into Hanabi's mind.
Narumi, who played with her when
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