Story


The Summer You Were There begins following Shizuku, a highschooler, who is on the brink of suicide and plans to kill herself once she finishes her novel. While on her way to discard the draft, she bumps into popular student Kaori and drops it, which leads to Kaori taking it and promising she'll return it the next day.

Upon meeting to return the draft, Kaori begs to read more of Shizuku's work, and considering the circumstances this throws a wrench in her plans. While Shizuku tries to deny her, saying she doesn't have any inspiration for the romance novel Kaori asks for, the other girl strikes a deal with her -- for the rest of the summer, they will 'date', so Shizuku has material for another story.

While Shizuku is reluctant, she soon settles into a routine and becomes familiar with Kaori, who showers her with appreciation and gifts. Shizuku, self loathing, tries to put a stop to this and confesses something; Shizuku had bullied a sick classmate, Ruri, badly in 5th grade believing that she had been doing the right thing in being 'honest'.

Now, five years later, Shizuku is still punishing herself. Kaori, who knew of the event before Shizuku told her, appeals to her -- if she can, forgive and be forgiven, but if she can't be forgiven, she can't just keep living like this. She needs for forgive herself. Kaori offers to help Shizuku apologize to Ruri.

Eventually they meet with Ruri, who's brought a friend of her own to the meeting. The apology is not received well -- In an attempt to keep her friend Seri's wild temper under control, Kaori asks Ruri to have a one on one conversation with Shizuku and drags Seri away.

Ruri asks what Shizuku wants her to say. That it's okay? Of course Shizuku doesn't want to just be forgiven. Ruri continues about how she didn't even want to come meet that day - the only reason she did was for Kaori. All she wants is to be left alone. Shizuku, spiralling, manages to admit that all she wanted was to convey how she felt. No matter what, she was able to find the courage and use the opportunity that Kaori had given her and apologize. She thanks Ruri for coming to listen, and Ruri wonders if she'd always been that way.

As she thanks the other two one final time, and turns to leave, Shizuku is just in time to see Kaori collapse to the ground.

It's revealed Kaori is ill with an unnamed respiratory problem, one that is taking her life. Suggesting they 'break up', Kaori is revealed to be deeply afraid of not being able to help others. To repay her for all she'd done, Shizuku decides she'll write a novel for Kaori to read: a romance novel about themselves. Shizuku also realizes her feelings -- she's in love with Kaori.



Kaori eventually is cleared for a single day outside of the hospital, the beginning of which she deigns to spend with Shizuku, Ruri, and Seri. Shizuku wonders if the others would be having a better time without her. When Kaori sends Shizuku and Ruri off by themselves Ruri admits that she wanted to talk, and asks if they can just start over - maybe not as friends, but at least acquaintances.


After Ruri and Seri leave, the two go for a date at the same aquarium where Shizuku first divulged her secret. Shizuku mentions to Kaori that they should visit the aquarium again soon. The mention of the future seems to break something in Kaori - she starts shaking, and Shizuku has to wheel her out. Away from the crowd, Kaori admits something:


Some weeks later, Shizuku gets a call from Seri -- it's bad. Kaori's in an emergency operation, and they don't know if she'll make it through. Even if she does, she won't have much time remaining.









In a split second decision, Shizuku decides to change the end of the story from a sad ending to a happy one, but she struggles with the final line. The day after, Kaori wakes up. She has a wish - to finish reading the novel.
That night, Shizuku finishes the final chapter. The final line, a confession - "I love you."
Late that night, Kaori responds simply: "Me too".

Shizuku falls asleep wondering what she and Kaori will say to each other the next day.


Shizuku doesn't attend the funeral in a bid to avoid reality. When she eventually sees the memorial alter set up for Kaori at her home she realizes, as much as she tries to run from it Kaori is dead. Shiori, Kaori's younger sister, pulls her away and hands her a letter and a book - a diary - saying that her sister wanted it to go to Shizuku. Within the diary is a record of her perspective of the entire summer.

In the letter, Kaori tells of the actual first time she met Shizuku - in 5th grade. She'd helped Kaori grab a book from a shelf, and told her she looked cute without her glasses - an interaction Shizuku didn't even remember - and from then on became her hero, being headstrong while Kaori was shy. They 'met' again, when Kaori was in some of her darkest times in the hospital and she happened upon a web novel, titled Girl Lover's Suicide. Once she realized who had written it, she was too scared to admit it in fear it would change Shizuku's view of Kaori.

Finally, the letter reveals that Kaori wanted them to be a real couple. She never admitted it because she didn't want Shizuku to follow her in suicide. She also has one last request - for Shizuku to keep living as long as she can. The message ends with "I love you too."



Shizuku finds resolve in herself to be proof that Kaori was there.

END