Reflections

The cafeteria was bustling with the usual chatter of students, but as always, the girl found herself sitting alone at the far corner, away from the noise. She had come to accept her place here, the empty space around her a sign of her isolation. But that didn't make it any easier to bear.

A group of girls—usually the popular ones—walked by, glancing over at her with the usual sneers. They began whispering, their voices carrying just loud enough for her to hear.

"Did you see her again today? Just sitting there like some weirdo." One of them said, her voice dripping with disdain.

Another girl chuckled. "Is she trying to hide from the world or just prove she's not part of it?"

The girl curled in on herself, trying to make herself as small as possible, hoping they would leave her alone. It didn't work. They started making their way toward her table.

"Hey, freak," one of the girls called out. "Is this your kingdom? Or are you waiting for someone to join you in your little fantasy world?"

Before the girl could react, a voice called out from the other side of the cafeteria.

"Hey, leave her alone," the Kaito's voice rang clear through the noise. His calm tone contrasted sharply with the tension in the air.

The girls stopped in their tracks, surprised by the sudden intervention. Kaito, with his easygoing smile, walked over to the table, his eyes never leaving the girls.

"I don't think she needs your company right now," he said, standing next to the girl. His body language was casual, but there was a firmness to his words that made the girls hesitate.

One of the girls sneered. "And who are you? Her protector?" she scoffed.

The boy shrugged, unfazed. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

The girls exchanged glances, clearly unsure how to respond to his calmness. After a moment, they turned and walked away, muttering under their breath.

As the Kaito sat down beside her, Maya couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. It was the first time someone had stood up for her. She opened her mouth to thank him but stopped herself, unsure of how to express her gratitude.

"You okay?" the Kaito asked, looking at her with an easy smile.

She nodded, but her voice was small. "Why did you do that? You didn't have to."

He chuckled lightly. "I don't like bullies," he said simply, as if that explained everything.

---

The rest of the day passed with an awkward, yet warm, quietness between them. In their shared class, they began working together on a group project. Kaito was focused, but every now and then, he'd glance over at the girl, noticing her hesitation in speaking up.

"Is this your first time doing something like this?" he asked, his voice gentle.

She nodded. "Yeah, I've never really worked with anyone before."

He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. It's not too hard. Just take it one step at a time." He showed her a diagram he was working on. "We can split the tasks if you want. You're good with details, right?"

She hesitated but eventually nodded. "I guess I am."

As they worked, the conversation turned light and easy. They talked about small things—what music they liked, what movies they were into—but nothing too deep. For the first time in a long while, the girl found herself feeling somewhat at ease. The boy's calm demeanor made everything feel manageable.

"Thanks for helping me with this," she said quietly, glancing at him with a small smile.

"No problem," he replied. "We're a team, right?"

---

After school, the two of them walked together, the sky already starting to shift toward evening. The girl felt a strange sense of calm walking beside him, but there was still a curiosity burning in her. The boy had shared little about himself, and she couldn't help but wonder why he had transferred to this school.

"Hey," she began hesitantly, "why did you transfer here? I mean, you're clearly good at making friends, so what happened?"

The boy's gaze shifted slightly, and for the first time, there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes. He sighed, his tone still light but with a hint of something else.

"I used to play soccer," he began, his voice thoughtful. "I was on a team, and we were in a big tournament. The game was tied, and I was the last line of defense. If I could stop the ball, we'd win. But I wasn't fast enough, and the ball went past me and into the goal."

He paused, taking a breath, as if the memory was still fresh.

"The whole school hated me after that. They said I cost us the game. I started getting hate notes, people calling me weak and slow. And one day, a few of the guys—those who liked to bully—cornered me in the hall. They beat me up pretty bad."

The girl's heart sank, and she looked at him in disbelief. "That's horrible."

He nodded. "Yeah. But it was in the past. People move on, right?"

The girl was silent for a long moment, processing everything he had just said. "But how are you so... calm about it? I don't get it. If I were you, I'd probably be angry or... I don't know, upset."

He smiled softly. "I guess I realized a long time ago that holding on to anger doesn't help. People make mistakes, and sometimes, things just don't go the way you want them to. But that doesn't mean it defines you. It's just part of the story."

The girl frowned. "But you still went through all that pain. How do you just... let it go?"

The boy slowed his pace and looked at her, his eyes serious now. "It's not about forgetting the pain—it's about learning from it. We've all got scars, right? And those scars are proof that we've been through something, but they don't have to control us.

You don't have to be defined by the bad things that happen to you. You can decide who you want to be, no matter what others think."

He paused, offering her a gentle smile. "And you, you've got your own scars. But you're still here. That's pretty strong, don't you think?"

The girl didn't respond immediately. His words sank in deeper than she expected, and for a moment, she found herself thinking about the bullying she'd faced. She had always let it define her—let it control how she saw herself. But now... she wasn't so sure.

"Yeah," she finally said, a small smile creeping onto her face. "I guess you're right."

The boy gave her a warm look, and for the first time, she truly felt understood.