Life Reversal ~ I Was Cheated On and Falsely Accused, but Now the Most Beautiful Girl in the School Is Getting Close to Me ~ Volume 2 Prologue

Prologue

—Night of September 7th - Ichijou Ai’s Perspective──

Sunday is drawing to a close.After my date with Senpai ended, I found myself sighing in my suddenly empty room. The blissful time was over, and a wave of loneliness washed over me in its wake, reminding me just how weak I really am.I hate being alone. I yearn for a family, for a return to those happy days. It’s why I cherish the warmth of Kitchen Aono so much, why I wish I could stay with everyone forever. But that time is as fleeting as Cinderella’s ball; when the clock strikes midnight, it all vanishes.And I am thrown back into reality.But my sigh wasn’t just born from loneliness. I was also replaying what happened earlier—something I’d done with incredible boldness, completely on impulse. A small pang of regret hit me as I basked in the day’s afterglow on my sofa, even as I told myself I didn’t regret it one bit.Perhaps it was from all the walking, or maybe from the exhaustion of doing something so out of character, but I began to doze off, clutching a stuffed animal. Holding it felt as if he were still here with me.Slowly, I drifted into the world of dreams.It was a dream I’d had so many times before that I recognized it instantly. The dream of the day I lost my mother.My parents had what you would call a marriage of convenience. My father hailed from a powerful, emerging conglomerate, while my mother was from a distinguished, old-world family. It was an invaluable match for both houses; my father’s side gained the prestige they craved, along with my mother’s influential connections, while my mother’s clan hoped my brilliant father would revive their family’s fortunes. Normally, such an arrangement would result in a cold, loveless partnership. If that had been the case, I never would have found myself on that rooftop.But they were also childhood friends, and from my mother’s stories, I believe they were each other’s first love. Their arranged marriage was a happy one. I know because whenever my mother spoke of my father, her face would soften into that of a young girl in love. Now that I’ve finally fallen in love myself, I think I probably wear the same expression.I was raised with an abundance of love from them both; that is a truth I can never deny. Those lost days remain etched in my heart, a warm and comforting memory. My parents were busy, but I never once felt lonely.From elementary school, I attended a prestigious private academy in the city. The harder I applied myself to my studies and sports, the more they praised me. My father’s work kept him away from home often, but he was a kind man who always made time for his family, never missing a parent-teacher conference or a sports day.I pull out the family album tucked away on my bookshelf. In every photograph, I’m smiling. In most, my parents’ joyful faces are captured alongside mine. Each one is a precious, irreplaceable memory.But two years ago, on that day, I lost everything. My mother and I were caught in an accident.We were supposed to be leaving on a trip.The three of us had planned to go as a family, but an urgent work matter forced my father to cancel at the last minute. The news left me in a bit of a shock, and I couldn’t bring myself to get ready on time, which delayed our departure.That was the mistake. If only I had been ready sooner… if only I had been more understanding of my father’s situation… the outcome would surely have been different.Uncharacteristically, my mother was the one driving that day. It was meant to be a happy family outing, so we hadn’t arranged for a chauffeur. I had been looking forward to this trip for so long. My father planned to finish his work and join us as soon as he could, so there had been no reason for me to be so upset. Why was I…“Ai, are you feeling better now?” my mother asked teasingly.

“I’m okay,” I replied. “Just a little shocked.”

“You know your father,” she said with a smile. “He’ll wrap up his work in no time and make it up to us.”

“You’re right.”

Logically, I understood. My father’s work was demanding, and sudden schedule changes were common. I also knew he was brilliant enough to handle any unexpected task quickly. We would only be traveling separately for a short while.Looking back now, after losing everything, it all seems so trivial. It should have been nothing more than an amusing anecdote from a happy family vacation.After that, my mood lifted, and we chatted idly in the car. I never once doubted that this happiness would last forever. And yet…The car entered a tunnel. And that’s where fate took a cruel turn.A deafening roar erupted from within the tunnel, and a violent impact plunged my world into darkness. I heard the shriek of brakes, followed by the sickening crunch of metal as cars collided, the sounds echoing horribly in the confined space.I must have lost consciousness for a moment. When I came to, a wall of rubble was directly in front of me. Dazed, I looked around, trying to understand if we’d been in an accident. My mother’s pained gasps for air reached my ears. Through the shattered rear window, I could see the extent of the disaster. The tunnel had collapsed.The driver’s seat was half-crushed by debris. A terrifying amount of blood was flowing from my mother’s lower body where the wreckage had pierced her, and her face was contorted in agony.“Ah, Mom, are you okay?”

Unable to process the scene before me, all I could manage was a terrified cry as I grabbed her shoulder, tears streaming down my face.“Ai, are you hurt?” she asked, her voice strained. Even in her agony, her first thought was for me. She was desperately trying to smile, to keep me from worrying.

“I’m okay, but Mom…”“I see… I’m glad,” she whispered, her relief genuine.

She paid no mind to her own injuries, her focus solely on me. In her eyes, I saw a flicker of resignation, but it was overshadowed by the profound affection of a mother relieved that her daughter was safe. It was only much later, in the calm of hindsight, that I realized she must have known she wasn’t going to survive.Words failed me. I could only repeat her name over and over.“Mom… Mom, Mom.”

With an expression of both love and acceptance, she shook her head gently, her face serene as if she had already made peace with her death. With the last of her strength, she raised her left hand and stroked my head. Her body was growing colder. I trembled, fear gripping me as I felt her life slipping away.“Ai, don’t worry about me… just get out of here. There might be a fire… The rescue team will be here soon… I’m sure of it…”

“I can’t just leave you and run away! I’ll wait with you.”

Her body grew colder still. I squeezed her hand desperately.“Please… You… have to be… happy…”

Watching her struggle to speak, I collapsed onto her shoulder, sobbing. She must have been in so much pain, and I’m sure she said other things to me, but I was in too deep of a shock to remember. Her breathing grew faint. Smoke began to seep into the car.A fire had started. At this rate… I had to get help. “I’ll go get help right away, okay?” I told her, somehow managing to scramble out of the car.My mother didn’t say another word.Outside, the tunnel was a scene from hell. A truck was completely buried under rubble. I saw a man and a woman getting out of a car behind ours.“Please, help! My mom is in that car… The driver’s seat is pinned, and she can’t move…”

The man’s eyes widened in horror as he looked at our car. In retrospect, it’s obvious why. A massive piece of debris had crushed the driver’s side; nothing could be done by hand. He shook his head grimly.The young woman rushed to my side and hugged me.“You need to get out of here now, or you’ll be…”

She grabbed my hand and started to pull me away.“No, I’m staying here! Let me go!”

But no matter how much I screamed, the couple wouldn’t let go. My memories from that point are a blur. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital bed. It was there that my father told me my mother had passed away.And then I remembered—our car had stopped at a slight angle. I finally understood. She had slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel, trying to shield my seat from the collapsing debris.If only I hadn’t been late…If only I hadn’t been in the car…If only I had stayed with her…Maybe I could have changed our fate. Maybe my mother would still be here. Consumed by regret, guilt, and loss, all I could do was apologize to my father, who had rushed to my side. It was all my fault.“Dad, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Because of me, Mom… Mom is…” I choked out, breaking down into tears. My father remained silent.

I was hospitalized and couldn’t even attend her funeral. I had burdened my father with everything, even though he must have been in just as much pain.From that day on, my life shattered. My father changed. Drowning in his grief, he buried himself in his work and rarely came home. The kind man I knew became cold, treating people as if they were mere objects.The accident also triggered a wave of harassment. I’d always stood out, so perhaps my classmates had been jealous. My “miraculous survival” made me famous, turning me into the sole target for their pent-up malice.They were polite to my face, but behind my back, they spread rumors, calling me a heartless demon who had sacrificed her own mother to live. It escalated to anonymous calls, someone mimicking my mother’s voice. “It hurts… help me… why didn’t you save me?” they’d taunt. My mother would never say such things. I knew that, but the calls still carved deeper and deeper wounds into my heart.Stunned, I would just stand there, phone in hand, as the calls kept coming.After graduating from middle school, I moved to a new town where no one knew me. My father, seeming to want distance from me, didn’t come. I only grew more isolated. The harassing calls stopped, but I had already lost everything.I should have died with her that day. I hated myself for that traitorous thought, for betraying the mother who had fought to save me. If I had stayed, would I have been spared this hell? Would I not have to suffer like this? I want to see my mother again. If I died, would my father finally forgive me?I think that despair is what led me to the rooftop. But there, I met him. He saved me from hell.We were supposed to be trapped in the depths of despair together, but he brought me into the light. “Thank you for saving me,” he told me. But I was the one who was saved. He gave me a place to belong, reminded me of human warmth, and taught me the joy of falling in love.How could I not fall for him? In the end, it was Senpai who rewrote my nightmare.

※

My smartphone rang, pulling me from the dream. I woke with tears in my eyes, clutching the stuffed animal I’d been holding in place of Senpai. It was my salvation. Usually, after that dream, my heart aches with loneliness and guilt, and all I want is to die…

Looking at the stuffed animal’s face, I remembered the impulsive kiss I’d given him, and a flush of embarrassment and guilt washed over me. But it was enough to keep me from spiraling into the nightmare’s dark aftermath.

Maybe he’s even saving me now, pulling me back from the edge of hell.

Just thinking of him made my heart feel lighter. My mother’s last words echoed in my mind.

‘Please. You… have to be… happy.’

That’s right. That’s what she wanted for me. So I have to be happy. For so long, I hadn’t realized it—or perhaps I hadn’t allowed myself to. But he helped me see it. Thanks to Eiji-senpai, I feel like the nightmare is being overwritten. The scars won’t disappear, but I won’t let anyone twist my mother’s final wish. He made me realize how foolish I was to nearly throw away the life she gave me.

Thank you, Senpai.Thank you, Mom.And thank you, me, for holding on.

“I want to see you… We just saw each other, but I already miss you. I wonder if this is happiness. Hey, Mom?”

I glanced at my phone. A string of messages from Senpai had arrived over the last hour. I quickly called him.My heart already felt a little warmer.

※

──Eiji Aono’s Perspective──

I sent a message to Ichijou-san a while ago to thank her for the date, but she hasn’t replied. Maybe she’s in the bath or already asleep.I’d planned on just going to bed if she didn’t reply, but the afterglow from earlier lingered, leaving my eyes wide open. At this rate, sleep seemed a distant prospect.“That kiss… just thinking about it makes my heart pound.”

Saying it aloud didn’t help; it only made it harder to calm down. I never expected to be ambushed like that by the Ichijou-san. It was completely at odds with her reputation as the unbreachable beauty who turned down every confession. But while she might be unapproachable to others, the unique circumstances of our meeting meant I’d never seen her that way.When she’s with me, she always has a happy smile on her face. She’s always acted for my sake, regardless of the risk to herself. Why would she go so far for me, especially after I’d been betrayed by my best friend and my childhood friend, Miyuki?My smartphone rang. Finally, a reply. I’d been anxiously watching my message remain unread, half-convinced she’d fallen asleep but still worried. Overjoyed, I glanced at the screen, only to see it was an incoming call. For high schoolers, a phone call is a much bigger deal than a text. I took a deep breath before answering.“Ah, Ichijou here. Senpai, sorry for calling so late. Do you have a minute?”“Yeah, I’m free.”

“I’m sorry. I sort of dozed off, so I didn’t see your message until now. I wanted to apologize.”“No, it was nothing important, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

That was a lie. Seeing it unread had worried me quite a bit.“Also, I wanted to tell you directly. Today’s date was really fun. Oh, and… I’m sorry for doing something so strange all of a sudden. Were you surprised?”The way she emphasized “date” and deliberately avoided the word “kiss” was so like her.“I had a lot of fun on our date too. But yeah, that definitely surprised me.”

“I know, right? I don’t even know what came over me. But you know, Senpai?”“Hm?”

“That was the first time I’ve kissed anyone who wasn’t family.”Hearing her state it so plainly made my heart feel like it would stop. The word “kiss” sent it hammering in my chest. The unusual intimacy of a phone call made the distance between us feel smaller, as if I could almost feel her breath on my ear.“It was for me too.”

She sounded delighted on the other end of the line. I was betrayed before I even made my move on Miyuki, and it nearly shattered my faith in people. I never imagined I would get this close to a girl I’d only just met. In a way, it felt like a miracle, a chain of coincidences leading to this moment. Could this be fate? As much as I hesitate to label it with such a simple word, a part of me can’t help but feel happy about it.“Heeh, so it was a first for both of us, then.”Her tone was more childish than usual. It was an interesting and endearing side to her, a stark contrast to the pure, almost unapproachable girl she usually appeared to be.“That’s right.”

I replied coolly, as if to get back at her for teasing me, and a sweet sigh tickled my ear.“I’m glad. That way, it’ll be a memory we both cherish for a lifetime, right?”A memory for a lifetime, huh. The thought was strangely moving. If we hadn’t met on that rooftop, I might be dead. The fact that we’re both here, walking the same path, truly is a miracle. And now, our relationship is slowly deepening. How could I not be happy?And on a simpler level, it made me happy to hear her say she wouldn’t forget me. To hear that from her was an honor.“You’re amazing, Senpai. No matter how tough things get, you always keep moving forward.”Her sudden praise made me blush. But I hadn’t done it alone. If she hadn’t been there, I might have died. Even if I’d survived, I would still be suffering in that hell of bullying—a fate worse than death.Having gone through it myself, I think I understand the pain that drives some students to take their own lives.“That’s only because you were there, Ichijou-san…”

“Even so. I was just the catalyst. You were the one who chose to move forward. You talked to your family and asked for help. Others came to your aid because of who you are. You did what I couldn’t do. For that, I respect you.”I knew she was talking about the day she tried to die. Was she holding it all in, worrying alone until she reached a breaking point? I’d sensed she was estranged from her family, but she had always been vague about it. Should I press the issue? I don’t think she’s ready to talk about it yet, still weighed down by the regret of not being able to ask for help herself. If I had been there for her back then, could I have changed things? It’s a pointless thought, but I can’t help but wonder. For now, all I can do is be there for her.I should trust her and wait.“Until I met you, I think I was always wary of others. But you were different. You saved me, without a second thought. That’s why you’re special to me.”It sounded almost like a confession of love. Or maybe it was. We haven’t known each other long, but a deep bond, like that of comrades-in-arms, has formed between us. It feels like something deeper than love. At the very least, we are the pillars supporting each other’s lives.“Thank you.”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you. Thank you for finding me that day.”We continued our slow conversation, each of us affirming just how much the other meant.

※

──Ichijou Ai’s Perspective──

After we hung up, I lay down on the sofa. We’d been on the phone for over an hour without realizing it, the space between us filled with a sweet, gentle atmosphere. The dark afterglow of my nightmare had vanished completely.All that remained in the room were the hopeful fragments of a girl in love.“Why is it so hard to just say ‘I love you’?”

No one answered my whisper. But I know that if my mother were here, she would have been happy for me.

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