Chapter 2 – A Chance Encounter
Days like this had become all too familiar. I tried asking for help—from teachers, police, even adults—but they all turned a blind eye. Even my own parents sometimes dismissed me, thinking I was lying or being overly sensitive. It felt like the world wanted to crush me, piece by piece.
I sat beneath a sakura tree in the schoolyard, petals falling gently around me. I hugged my knees and breathed slowly. I was exhausted. I wanted to give up. The burden was too heavy for me alone. Yet, somewhere deep inside, I still wanted to live. I still wanted friends. I still wanted to feel even a little warmth, like any other human.
Then, he appeared.
A young man, tall and athletic, with a sharp yet gentle gaze that seemed to see straight into my heart. My pulse quickened. I struggled to keep calm.
He looked at me for a moment, then took out a small notebook and wrote, "Hey… are you okay?"
I hesitated, then wrote back, "I… I'm exhausted. Everyone ignores me."
He read it carefully, a faint smile forming on his lips, and wrote again, "I understand. I can help you, but you have to trust me."
I looked down, unsure, yet something about his words… sincere, and inexplicably warm… made my heart ache in a strange, comforting way. I scribbled, "Why do you care?"
He stared at me, serious. "Because I know that kind of pain. You don't have to bear it alone."
For the first time since I was born, I felt truly seen. Tears welled up in my eyes—not tears of despair, but of relief.
From that moment, I began communicating with him every day, even if only through writing. He introduced himself as Ryuzaki, a champion MMA fighter and top athlete, though weak in academics. Yet beneath his strength, he understood the suffering of others and was always there for me.
Day by day, his presence began to change me. I no longer felt alone. The world no longer felt impossibly heavy. With him, I began to learn what trust and courage truly meant, even for someone like me.
And under the gentle fall of sakura petals, I realized—this new friendship might just be the start of a life I never thought I could have. I am still fragile. I am still afraid. But now, there is hope. And that alone is enough to make me feel alive.
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