Draft:Narratage

Narratage is a Japanese romance novel written by Rio Shimamoto. A film adaptation was released on October 7, 2017.

Summary

Protagonist Izumi Kudo is soon to be married to a coworker, but memories of unrequited love live in her heart. She goes with her fiancé to tour their new home. On their way back, Izumi recalls a man she spent time with during high school.

The story goes back to when Izumi was a sophomore University student. She receives a sudden phone call from her former club advisor Takashi Hayama. Mr. Hayama informs Izumi that since the theater club currently has few members, it will be difficult to perform their upcoming play. He has contacted alumni members to see if they would help with the play. Izumi, her former high school classmate Hirofumi Kurokawa, as well as his university friend Reiji Ono, decide to help Hayama out. Once a week they would practice at the high school. Izumi is happy to see Mr. Hayama and slowly tries to get close to him again.

As a third-year high school student, Izumi was bullied by her classmates. Only Mr. Hayama stood up for her and because of this, she falls in love with him. Though new to the school, Mr. Hayama was concerned for Izumi. He invites her to join the theater club which he advises. In addition, he often lent her books and DVDs which brought them closer. Though once married, Hayama is now divorced due to his ex-wife and mother having a poor relationship. Izumi becomes a source of comfort to Mr. Hayama, and he eventually kisses her after her graduation ceremony. But the two never end up dating.

One day after rehearsal, Ono asks Izumi to enter a relationship with him but Izumi declines, as she expresses, she still has feelings for Hayama. Izumi's feelings for Hayama begin to grow. However, she discovers that Hayama and his wife never got divorced but were only living separately. Shocked by this discovery, she starts avoiding Hayama.

After the theater club's performance, Ono invites Izumi to his family's home in the countryside. There Izumi relaxes and unwinds her mind. Ono attempts to ask Izumi out again and she agrees to go steady with him, drawn to his kindness. Despite Izumi and Ono’s relationship being sibling-like, their relationship goes smoothly. Izumi's former high school classmate Shio was aware Izumi had feelings for Hayama and supported her.

Meanwhile, being aware that Izumi has feelings for Hayama, Ono cannot control his jealousy. He secretly reads her notebook and begins to doubt her relationship with Hayama. Ono and Izumi's relationship starts to fall apart. Ono forcibly has sex with Izumi. Izumi suddenly receives a call that Yuzuko Tsukamoto, a junior member of the drama club attempted suicide by jumping off a bridge. Izumi and Ono head to the hospital together, where they run into Hayama, creating an uneasy atmosphere. After leaving the hospital, Izumi suddenly decides to break up with Ono directly. Ono is reluctant to believe her and attempts to make her change her mind, but she is fixed on her decision.

Iuzmi heads back to Hayama and finds him blaming himself for being unable to stop Yuzuko from hurting herself. Hayama tells Izumi that she is dear to him and loves her. But he has decided that he wants to see his wife and make up with her. Accepting her wish, they promise to live in happiness apart from each other. They go their separate ways.

After graduating from university, Izumi met a friend of Hayama through her job. He says that he recognizes her and tells her about a conversation he had with Hayama a few years ago.