Okubyou na Yubisaki

When a tragic traffic accident claims the life of his older brother Isao, Hashibami finds his world quietly upended. To everyone around him, he puts on a composed front, insisting the loss means little to him—but beneath that indifferent mask, the wound cuts deep, and the grief he refuses to acknowledge continues to fester. Then he meets Ashino, a charming fellow student whose presence is impossible to ignore. What begins as an ordinary encounter takes an unsettling turn when Hashibami discovers that Ashino shares an unexplained bond with his late brother. Suddenly, the other boy's presence feels anything but coincidental. Who exactly was Ashino to Isao, and why does the mere hint of their connection stir such turmoil within Hashibami? As the mystery deepens, he is forced to confront not only the truth of the bond between Ashino and Isao, but also the aching emotions he has tried so hard to bury. This volume also includes two additional stories, "Pure" and "Living in the Water."