She Said I Was Special, But Not Someone She Could Love

“You are someone precious to me. But you’re not a romantic interest.” Twenty-six-year-old Takumi Aizawa confessed his feelings to Mizuki Minase, a twenty-one-year-old university student, only to be rejected with those very words. Even so, their relationship didn’t come to an end. Whenever Mizuki was in trouble, felt anxious, or just needed someone to confide in, Takumi was always the one she relied on. Yet, the person Mizuki had fallen in love with was another man. Every time things went wrong with her new boyfriend, she would run to Takumi. Once she found comfort and peace of mind, she would return to her boyfriend’s side all over again. To Mizuki, Takumi was “more precious than anyone else.” Even so, he was never an option for romance. At first, Takumi tried to convince himself that he was fine with it. If I can stay by the side of the person I love. If I can be the one she leans on. If maybe, just maybe, she’ll choose me one day. But as this dynamic dragged on, he was forced to realize the truth: Being relied on is not the same as being loved. And so, rather than growing to hate Mizuki, Takumi began choosing to give up on her while still holding onto his love. A man who is relied on more than anyone, yet destined never to be number one. A woman who feels most secure with him, yet can never view him as a partner. A slightly bittersweet romance story depicting two people drifting apart in the space between “precious” and “love.” — Description from novelcodex.orgFull novel: She Said I Was Special, But Not Someone She Could Love — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠