Before the Bomb Detonates
"Love isn't a gentle wave. It is an all-consuming fire."
Kento has been hopelessly in love with Aiko since they were children in the quiet, traditional streets of Kyoto. His love is not a sweet fairytale; it is a chaotic, desperate obsession. He would break his own bones just to see her smile. But to Aiko, he is just an overwhelming boy she keeps running away from.
When Aiko leaves for Tokyo, Kento puts his entire life on hold. For eight long years, he waits for her, chasing a ghost while ignoring the true love standing right next to him.
But when Aiko finally returns, she breaks his heart into pieces. She is in love with someone else—a rebellious student activist named Daichi. Desperate to marry him, she begs Kento to help her trick her traditional parents. Hurt and blinded by sudden, toxic jealousy, Kento snaps. He betrays her secrets, triggering a chain of violence that ends in Daichi’s tragic death.
Crushed by horrific guilt, Kento leaves everything behind and flees to the cold, fast-paced streets of Tokyo. He joins Aiko’s activist movement as a nameless volunteer, quietly accepting her cruel, abusive treatment as his rightful punishment. He does not want her forgiveness; he only wants to bleed for his sins.
But destiny plays a twisted game. Kento’s raw, street-smart passion accidentally turns him into the celebrated face of the movement, overshadowing the memory of the man he killed. Unable to bear his rising fame, Aiko plots the ultimate revenge: a planned bomb attack to take his life.
Kento discovers the trap before the rally. He knows she wants him dead. Yet, he steps onto the stage anyway, unprotected and at peace.
Because for Kento, dying by her hand is the only true way to atone.
A Question for the Reader
If you had to choose between a peaceful life with someone who loves you, or burning your entire world down to ashes just to be a shadow in the life of the one you adore... would you still step onto that stage, knowing the bomb is about to detonate?