CM Chapter 45

Chapter 45 – Last Time

Chapter 2, Part 10.1

Novel Title: ひとりじめ (Completely Mine)

Author：椎崎 夕 (Shiizaki You)

Illustrator：小山田 あみ (Oyamada Ami)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 細川 湊 (Hosokawa Minato -MC) & 荻原 浩志 (Ogiwara Koushi -ML)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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Three days later, Minato went to the hospital to return the cane. It was refreshing to be sent off with a “thank you” instead of a “take care.”

“There’s quite a crowd. …Where do you want to go?”

“There was a café with a blue pointed roof near the station we passed on the way here. How about there?”

“Sounds good. Let’s go there.”

Minato nodded easily in response to Ogiwara, and they headed out the front entrance of the hospital. As they made their way toward the parking lot, Minato checked again.

“By the way, is your work okay? It’s already past ten.”

“I’ve already contacted them, so it’s fine. What about you, Minato-sensei? Are you okay with the time?”

“I’m fine. I’ve calculated it.”

While exchanging words, they got into the car and merged onto the main road. Ogiwara, driving, seemed unusually in a good mood, despite that it was typical for a weekday morning with plenty of cars on the road. Minato, watching out the windshield, felt the clarity of the cloudless blue sky push him forward, grounding him.

Minato had made up his mind to settle everything today.

This morning, as soon as he got up, Minato had packed up his things, and Ogiwara said nothing but simply watched him. It was as though the overprotectiveness he had shown before had vanished. Ogiwara agreed to stop by a convenience store at Minato’s request and helped him carry out his luggage.

Before Ogiwara could end things between them first, Minato had intended to settle things himself. Without doing so, he knew it would just repeat what happened ten years ago.

―――If you want, would you like to have breakfast on the way back from the hospital? I’ll treat you as thanks.

So, after leaving his luggage in the car and returning, Minato casually brought it up. Ogiwara seemed surprised by the invitation, blinking for a moment before laughing and nodding.

The smile that reminded Minato of ten years ago, one without any shadow, made his chest ache. He crushed that feeling and told himself that today, everything would end.

The café they arrived at was small, but the breakfast menu was plentiful and offered multiple options. As they ate, Minato consciously tried to maintain the usual atmosphere. Ogiwara’s expression remained calm. His gaze, which occasionally rested on Minato, including his voice, held no tension.

Minato couldn’t help but wish things could stay like this, but it felt both unnecessarily long and, at the same time, too quick until they finished their meal.

While drinking coffee after breakfast, a brief silence settled between them. Timing it, Minato spoke up with an “Um,” and at nearly the same moment, Ogiwara seemed to be about to say something as well. They both fell silent, exchanging glances, and Ogiwara silently gestured for him to continue.

“I wanted to properly thank you, Ogiwara-kun. I’m really sorry for all the trouble I caused because of my injury. You’ve been a big help. I truly appreciate it.”

At first, Ogiwara stared in surprise, and then, perhaps sensing something off, he slightly furrowed his eyebrows. Minato wanted to watch that expression for as long as he could, knowing this was the last time.

“I… I want today to be the last time we meet.”

“…Huh?” Ogiwara froze, his movements halting as if in shock. Minato, watching him closely, continued in a businesslike tone.

“Now that the injury has healed, I no longer need any rides. I’ll be returning to my apartment, and I don’t want you coming to mine again, Ogiwara-kun.”

“…What’s this? Isn’t this too sudden?”

“But I’ve made up my mind. I’ve blocked your number and email, and I’ve changed the locks to my apartment. I have no intention of meeting you again.” Minato spoke firmly, and Ogiwara narrowed his eyes. The expression he showed was the same emotionless one he had whenever he became truly angry.

“Don’t decide things on your own. I haven’t said I’m tired of you yet. Or do you think my right knee and future are that cheap in your eyes, Minato-sensei?”

The words that were thrown at him brought nothing but dry disappointment. He realized, without a doubt, that he was nothing more than a convenient distraction, a toy to pass the time. 

Despite the sharp pain in his heart, he found himself accepting this outcome. His mind was blank, but he knew exactly what to say next, as if there was a script in front of him.

“I’ve never thought it was cheap. That’s why I’ve prepared compensation.”

“What?” Ogiwara, who had been expressionless, furrowed his eyebrows even more and looked at Minato.

“I had a friend look into the going rate for it. Since I can’t pay it all at once, I’ll settle in installments, but I’ve brought as much as I could gather.” Minato slid the prepared envelope right in front of Ogiwara. Watching his stunned reaction, Minato added: “I’ll deposit the rest later. Please send me the payment details to the tutoring center by mail. Once I know the correct amount for the compensation, I’ll send it in an envelope to the return address. If you’re not satisfied with the amount, we can renegotiate.”

“Wait! This is too sudden!”

“I want to settle things properly. If the injury from ten years ago is what started this, then even more so, I want to finish it and end this relationship. I’m willing to add extra for the delay in dealing with it.”

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*Translator’s Note: Way to go, Minato! -K

Next update: 2026.09.09

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