Barairo no Ashita

Barairo no Ashita is an anthology of interconnected emotional dramas exploring love, trauma, and complex family bonds. In the opening story, Rika falls deeply in love for the first time, only to discover that the man she desires is her older sister’s fiancé. Because her sister’s previous engagement ended years ago due to infertility—shattering her lifelong dream of becoming a bride—Rika made a solemn vow to do everything in her power to ensure her sister's happiness. Now, she faces an agonizing dilemma: must she sacrifice her own heart and help marry off the very man she loves? Another tale follows Yori, who unexpectedly reunites with Kurita, a former high school basketball teammate once known for her quiet eccentricities. Two years later, she has transformed into an outgoing yet highly strung young woman. When Yori receives a shocking hospital call revealing her suicide attempt, he uncovers the devastating truth behind her drastic change. The collection further examines volatile romance and hidden identities. A dedicated twenty-one-year-old named Yuki works tirelessly as an English school coordinator to fund her studies abroad, avoiding romance entirely until she meets a young man who shares her exact name. After moving in together just days after meeting, their relationship takes a dark turn when he accidentally strikes her, sparking an escalating cycle of violence that threatens to destroy them. Meanwhile, inseparable twins Nana and Ichi share an unusually close bond, sleeping in the same bed and ignoring societal judgment. Their insular world is disrupted when a scruffy man in dark sunglasses appears, claiming to be their long-lost father and raising urgent questions about his sudden return. The volume also includes several additional short stories.