After I Picked up a Notebook Filled With Intense Emotions, the Girls Started Acting Strange - Chapter 1

The term devotion literally means “to devote oneself to one thing.”

It’s the same in love. You believe in the person you love, never look back, and keep moving forward.

People call it sincerity or pure-hearted love. To others, it might even look beautiful.

So yes, being devoted can be called a virtue.

But as they say, love is blind.

And I, Shiomi Yuu, was once so blinded by love that I couldn’t see anything else.

The girl I thought loved me was in someone else’s arms.

The person I believed I connected with had feelings for another man.

In that instant, it felt like I woke up from a dream.

My “devotion” was shattered into pieces.

That’s when I realized that devotion can be a virtue, but it can also be a curse or even a poison.

The stronger your feelings are, the greater the pain when they’re lost.

Devotion makes “like” purer.

But when something becomes too pure, it can turn toxic. I learned that the hard way.

And the reason I’m talking about that painful lesson now is because of the notebook sitting in front of me.

“How to make him mine and mine alone.”

A notebook filled with heavy, no, “devotion” obsession.

The problem is… I don’t know who it belongs to. Or rather, I can’t tell anymore.

A black-haired, gentle girl who cared for her childhood friend.

A flashy, golden-haired gal at the top of the school’s social ladder.

And a silver-haired beauty so cold no one dared get close.

Any one of them could be the owner.

Each of them seemed to have strong feelings for the same guy.

And somehow, I ended up listening to their love troubles… helping them chase after those feelings.

But I can’t help but wonder… When devotion goes too far… Can it still be called love? Or does it become poison instead…

◆

“What’s this notebook?”

Night.

I was about to start my homework when I noticed an unfamiliar notebook in my bag.

It looked like an ordinary campus notebook. Dark blue cover.

I use the same kind of notebook myself, but mine are in lighter pastel colors. I definitely don’t own one in this color.

On the cover, the word “Ethics” was written.

It was one of the elective classes added in our second year.

I also take that class, but my notebook looks different, and I’d already checked that mine was still in my bag.

“Did I accidentally take someone else’s home?”

On the back was a single letter ‘S’. Probably the owner’s initials.

It seemed like a normal school notebook.

I opened it, thinking I could find out whose it was.

“How to make him mine and mine alone.”

I quickly shut it.

Okay, this was a dangerous notebook.

…Wait, no. Hold on.

It was only one page. Just a title written neatly in the middle.

Maybe I was overreacting.

Still… something about it felt off.

Especially the handwriting. It was so cold, almost mechanical, like it lacked any human warmth.

Feeling uneasy but curious, I turned another page to try to figure out who owned it. And then,

“This is…!”

What was written inside showed an obsession so deep, it could only be called abnormal.

◇

He belongs to me.

He was born for me and me alone.

If he smiles at anyone else, it’s a mistake.

If he talks to someone else, it’s meaningless.

He only needs to look at me.

He only needs to think about me.

He only needs to love me.

For that, I can throw everything away.

Friends, family, even my future.

If I have to, I’ll tie him down.

If I have to, I’ll break him.

As long as he stays by my side.

If he ever tries to run from me… I’ll make sure he can’t.

Because only I can make him happy.

Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.

:

:

:

I’ll never let anyone else have him.

◇

Nope.

Not even the “logic” from Ethics.

Well… in a way, it really did make me question my morals.

This was a cursed object. A top-class, dangerous one.

No, seriously. This was not a class notebook.

And “How to make him mine and mine alone”. There weren’t even any methods written inside!

It was just page after page of overwhelming emotion. That’s all.

The page I had open now was filled with the same kind of writing.

From corner to corner, packed so tightly it almost radiated madness.

But what really stood out was a line written at the bottom right corner of the page.

─If my love isn’t returned… then I’ll die with him. No matter what. Absolutely. By any means necessary. And in the next life, we’ll be together again. Because this is fate.

“…”

Terrifying. Already terrifying. I’m scared to even meet whoever wrote this. That level of determination is just too much.

I was so freaked out I couldn’t even bring myself to turn the next page.

“What do I even do with this…”

I don’t have a license to handle dangerous materials.

Feeling a bit of cold sweat on my back, I stared at this cursed thing that somehow ended up in my hands.

Still… even though the contents were disturbing, one thing was clear. The writer truly loved someone with everything they had.

That was something I once had too.

And if I were in this person’s place, I’d definitely be desperate to find this notebook if I lost it.

“I decided.”

There was only one thing to do. Find the owner and return it.

Quietly. Secretly. Because honestly, I was scared out of my mind.

The reason was obvious.

“Whoever wrote this isn’t normal.”

If the owner ever found out I’d read it… and if their love didn’t come true… I had a bad feeling I’d be dragged down with them.

If I could return it safely, I’d quietly wish them luck from the shadows. That would be my small way of making up for accidentally taking it and reading it.

Besides… I was curious. What happens to feelings this pure… when they go too far? Maybe, just maybe, seeing it play out would remind me of something I’d lost long ago.

And if possible… I hoped no one would get hurt.

◆

There weren’t many students who took the elective Ethics class.

And if someone had lost their notebook, they’d definitely be searching for it like crazy.

Plus, there was that initial on the back cover “S.”

That made things simple.

If I could just figure out who owned it, I could secretly slip it back into their desk later.

At least, that’s what I thought.

“Wait a second… There aren’t any girls in that class.”

The next day.

That thought suddenly hit me after I arrived at school.

I took Ethics too, but in my class, none of the girls had chosen it.

It wasn’t a popular subject anyway, mostly because the teacher had a scary-looking face. Honestly, they didn’t look like someone who should be teaching “Ethics.”

Still, that left me with one problem. An Ethics notebook with no known owner.

It was starting to feel like a horror story.

Judging by the handwriting and content, it had to be a girl’s notebook…

“So, whose notebook is this supposed to be?”

Hoping to find some clue, I came to school earlier than usual. But when I entered the classroom, I saw someone already there.

A girl was looking around her desk, searching frantically for something. She’s suspicious. Way too suspicious.

“…Sena-san?”

“—Ah!”

She jumped like she’d been caught doing something wrong.

Sena Mizuki-san, the girl who transferred to our school near the end of last year.

Her long, glossy black hair flowed straight down her back, shining as the soft morning sunlight poured through the classroom window. Her sharp, calm eyes and well-defined features gave her a quiet, elegant beauty.

When she first transferred in, she was the talk of the school because of her looks. Now, that attention had faded a bit, but she still stood out.

“Shi-Shiomi-kun? What are you doing here so early?”

“Ah, nothing much. What about Sena-san?”

“Me? I’m just… looking for a notebook.”

“—!”

When I heard the word notebook, my shoulders trembled.

…Sena(S)-san.

No way. Could this notebook really belong to her? That beautiful and pure-looking girl… owning that cursed notebook?

The gap between the sweet-looking girl in front of me and the creepy words written inside that notebook was too much for my brain to handle.

No, calm down. There’s no proof it’s hers yet.

“Uh, by the way, what kind of notebook is it?”

“Eh? Umm… well, you know… ethics, maybe?”

She looked away awkwardly.

Yeah. That’s it. It’s hers.

I could’ve pointed out, “We don’t even have ethics class,” but I didn’t.

If she’s really the one who wrote that notebook, saying the wrong thing could get me killed.

Better to play it safe. I’ll just pretend I don’t know and secretly put it back on her desk later.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t seen it.”

“Really…? Okay, thank you.”

I felt a little guilty for lying, but I went back to my seat and put my bag down.

“Oh, I forgot to say something.”

“Huh?”

“If you ever find it, don’t open it. Never, ever, EVER open it.”

“—!”

Her obsidian eyes stared straight into mine. There was a madness behind that calm gaze, the same kind of madness I felt from the pages of that notebook. I couldn’t say a single word.

“Oh, good morning!”

Just as I was trying to come up with a reply, other students walked into the classroom. Sena-san greeted them, and our conversation ended there.

…If she finds out I looked inside, I’m probably dead.

──────────

Afterword

This is my new series for GA.

It’s a type of romantic comedy I haven’t really written before with karma-style revenge, a strong yandere element, and a bit of a mystery vibe. I’ll do my best, so I hope you’ll enjoy it!

(It’s already about 70% finished.)

If you like it, please give it a follow, leave a star, or drop a comment of support!