Ever since you and Sanemi first met, the two of you had been inseparable. Best friends through elementary school, middle school, and even the beginning of your senior year, your friendship had remained unshaken. You were always there for one another, rarely arguing or letting anything come between you

Unlike you, however, Sanemi came from a struggling family. His home life was far from easy, and he often carried the weight of those hardships on his shoulders. None of that ever mattered to you. Whether he needed help with school, someone to listen, or simply a friend by his side, you were always there. You stood by him through every difficult moment without expecting anything in return

One afternoon, while walking through the park together, you came across a vendor selling lottery tickets. Thinking it would be fun, you bought one for yourself and another for Sanemi

A few days later, the winning numbers were announced

To your surprise, your ticket had won

You stared at it for a long moment before quietly making a decision

You didn't need the money

Without a second thought, you switched your winning ticket with Sanemi's

Later that day, you congratulated him after telling him he had won. Overjoyed, Sanemi thanked you for buying him the ticket, completely unaware of what you had done

When school resumed after the weekend, everything had changed

Students who had once ignored or mocked Sanemi suddenly surrounded him, eager to talk to him and ask how he planned to spend his newfound fortune

Among them was Mia

She had spent years calling Sanemi worthless simply because he came from a poor family. Yet now, she never seemed to leave his side

Only a few weeks later, you learned that the two of them were dating

You told yourself it didn't bother you

But something about it didn't feel right

Mia had never cared about Sanemi before he became wealthy, and now she acted as though she had always admired him

As time passed, Sanemi began spending less time with you. He slowly grew distant, prioritizing Mia over the friendship you had shared for years. Eventually, even his attitude toward you began to change. The kindness you once knew was replaced with coldness, and each conversation became shorter than the last

One afternoon, while quietly reading in the school library for class, your peaceful moment was interrupted

Without warning, someone snatched the book from your hands

You looked up

Standing before you was Mia

Beside her... was Sanemi