Unused variables from superclass

Unused variables from superclass

class ABC {
private int[] variable;
public int[] getVariable() {
return variable;
}
public ABC() {
variable = new int[123456];
}
}
class DEF extends ABC {
public int[] getVariable() {
return new int[0];
}
}
variable is used in ABC, but completely unused and needless in DEF. But I
can't see any proper way to prevent creating this big array in DEF,
because always some constructor of superclass has to be executed. I see
only one, inelegant way: new, "fake" constructor for ABC:
protected ABC(boolean whatever) {}
Then in DEF I can write:
public DEF() {
super(true);
}
and it works - variable isn't initialized.
But, my question is - can I solve this more properly?
Maybe if variable is unused, compiler automatically deletes her? It's
quite often situation, when such feature could be useful.