I could no longer trust anyone.
Haruto Furukawa developed a distrust of humanity during his senior year of high school. Upon entering university, he relocated to an unfamiliar town, as if to escape.
What awaited him there was her warm love.
| Published | Title | # |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/10/31 18:32 | sunset | 46 |
| 2020/10/24 12:33 | spring summer fall winter | 45 |
| 2020/10/23 12:36 | The beginning of summer | 44 |
| 2020/10/22 10:53 | Wish | 43 |
| 2020/10/21 12:19 | smile | 42 |
| 2020/10/20 21:45 | Visit | 41 |
| 2020/10/19 06:49 | change | 40 |
| 2020/10/17 20:19 | determination | 39 |
| 2020/10/16 12:15 | The real thing | 38 |
| 2020/10/14 12:31 | Foreplay | 37 |
This section of the light novel details the protagonist, Haruto's, painful betrayal and subsequent escape, leading to his new life and unexpected encounters.
**Chapter 3-5: Betrayal and Isolation**
The narrative begins with Haruto reminiscing about his high school girlfriend, Akiho, whom he had been dating since freshman year. They were childhood neighbors and close friends. However, in their third year, Akiho started to distance herself. On a day she canceled their date, Haruto wandered the city and coincidentally encountered her at the train station. To his shock, Akiho was holding hands with his childhood best friend, Touma. When confronted, Touma revealed that Akiho had been cheating on Haruto with him for the past year. Akiho offered no denial, confirming the betrayal. Devastated and unable to process his emotions, Haruto returned home and became a recluse, refusing to eat or attend school. His parents, believing Akiho and Touma's fabricated story that Haruto was the one at fault for making Akiho cry, further isolated him. This experience instilled in Haruto a deep distrust of others.
**Chapter 6-8: Planning an Escape**
During the summer, Haruto secretly planned his escape. He decided to pursue living alone and changed his university aspirations to a more challenging one, requiring intense study as a cover. He consulted his homeroom teacher, who deemed his goal ambitious but acknowledged his effort. Haruto dedicated himself to studying, foregoing cram school and limiting his school and home commutes. By the end of the year, he achieved a B-grade prediction for his university entrance exams, pleasing his mother who saw it as an opportunity to get him out of the house. His mother informed him that she would only provide minimal financial support for his independent living, requiring him to earn the rest through part-time jobs, especially with his sister's upcoming high school enrollment. Haruto also studied stocks and FX as a way to prepare for self-sufficiency.
**Chapter 9-13: Independence and a Chance Encounter**
Haruto successfully passed his university entrance exams and was promptly moved out by his mother, who prioritized appearances. He moved to a new city, starting a job sorting packages at a delivery company. He remained distrustful of people and found the mandatory neighbor greetings difficult. He was particularly unable to greet his next-door neighbor. The day before his university entrance ceremony, he went to greet his neighbor, only to be met by Akiho, the last person he wanted to see. The shock caused him to vomit, and he fled back to his apartment, unable to sleep before the ceremony. At the entrance ceremony, he was overwhelmed by club recruitment efforts and, while trying to escape, bumped into Akiho again. She called out to him, and he was apprehended by a club member named Hori. However, a different voice, calling him "Haru-kun," intervened. This person was Natsuki, Akiho's older sister, whom Haruto had mistaken Akiho for. Natsuki, who looked remarkably like Akiho, helped him calm down. Haruto paid Hori and quickly left, relieved it wasn't Akiho.
**Chapter 14-20: University Life and Natsuki's Involvement**
University life was a struggle for Haruto, who was bombarded with club recruitment. He avoided them, but one day, he was recognized by Hori, who, despite his rudeness, invited him to a club event without providing the club's name or activity details. Haruto, who had a part-time job, was annoyed by the assumption of his free time. Meanwhile, Natsuki was trying to contact Haruto. Her mother mentioned that Haruto had become Natsuki's junior at university and warned her to be careful, recounting the story of Haruto's alleged infidelity with Akiho and Touma. Natsuki, upon hearing this, realized the timeline didn't add up with what she had learned from Akiho. She found a photo from two years prior, on Christmas, which contradicted her mother's understanding. Natsuki contacted her mother, who, after seeing the photo, confronted Akiho. Akiho confessed to her affair with Touma and framing Haruto. Her mother, enraged, struck Akiho. Akiho, in her anger, accused her mother of also blaming Haruto and not believing him. She revealed her long-standing feelings for Haruto, stemming from a childhood incident where he prioritized her well-being. She admitted to her subsequent actions being driven by dependency on Touma, who reciprocated her physical desires, rather than genuine love for Haruto. She confessed to deceiving Haruto and Touma into believing she had broken up with Haruto, while secretly continuing both relationships.
**Chapter 21-27: Natsuki's Investigation and Haruto's Resistance**
Natsuki, determined to uncover the truth, discovered that Akiho had lied about the timeline of her relationship with Touma. She confronted Haruto, showing him the incriminating Christmas photo. Haruto, still deeply hurt and distrustful, was initially resistant, but Natsuki persisted, offering him choices and urging him to move forward. She revealed her own past experience of being deceived by a married man, emphasizing that everyone gets hurt and that trust is difficult but necessary. She encouraged Haruto to not let past betrayals define him and suggested they eat together. Haruto, though hesitant, agreed to exchange contact information and have dinner with Natsuki. During their meal, Natsuki playfully enforced a "yellow card" system for using honorifics, turning it into a "shopping date" obligation. She also expressed her desire to improve her cooking and sought Haruto's feedback.
**Chapter 28-34: A Tentative Step Forward**
Natsuki continued to invite Haruto for meals, using his part-time job schedule as an excuse to push for their interactions. She insisted on cooking for him, framing it as a way to improve her skills and for him to provide honest feedback. Haruto, despite his reservations and lingering distrust, found himself gradually accepting her invitations. Natsuki's persistence and genuine desire to help him overcome his past trauma began to chip away at his defenses. She shared her own struggles with deception and heartbreak, drawing parallels to his situation and encouraging him to look forward. Their interactions, though initially awkward, started to build a fragile foundation of trust. Natsuki's playful yet determined approach, combined with her understanding of Haruto's pain, slowly began to open him up.
 | Kakuyomu https://kakuyomu.jp › works Haruto Furukawa lost faith in people during his third year of high school. He fled to a strange place to attend university. What awaited him there... |
 | Become a Novelist https://ncode.syosetu.com › ... Because You Were There. Author: yuzuhiro. I Can't Trust Anyone. Haruto Furukawa (Furukawa Haruto) lost faith in people during his third year of high school. He fled to college and discovered that he had no idea what to do. |
| Become a Novelist https://mypage.syosetu.com › ... Because You Were Here · Series: 46 Episodes, Real World [Romance], R15, Contains Cruelty. Last updated: October 31, 2020. Weekends at the Cafe · Series: 2 Episodes, Real World... |
 | Everystar https://estar.jp › Love 22 Oct 2020 — Synopsis. Haruto Furukawa lost faith in people during his third year of high school. He fled to a strange place to attend university. |
| Kakuyomu https://kakuyomu.jp › users › yuz... Updated May 4, 2022. That day, I lost all trust in anyone. You saved me. Because you were there. ☆2,463. Romance. Completed 53 chapters. Updated May 31, 2021. When I was born... |
 | X https://twitter.com › status yuzuhiro · @yuzuhiro0609 · https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3181gm/ "Because You Were There" has been updated! #narou #narouN3181GM #Narou. Translate post. 3:42 AM · ... |
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| Kakuyomu https://kakuyomu.jp › episodes 29 May 2025 — Although she says it's not a romantic relationship, she's at an age where it wouldn't be strange for her to be in a serious relationship. "There's a demand for twintails up until high school age..." |
| X https://x.com › status yuzuhiro profile. yuzuhiro. yuzuhiro0609. Sep 11. ncode.syosetu.com/n3181gm/ "Because You Were There" has been updated! $narou $narouN3181GM$ Narou. 0. 1. 3. 0. |
| Everystar https://estar.jp › users › novels 22 Oct 2020 — Because of you. That day, I lost all trust in anyone. You saved me. yuzuhiro. Updated October 22, 2020. Romance. On hiatus. Contains extreme language. 43 minutes (25,470 characters)... |