A BAD PERSON

Noah arrived in front of "kaisel" high school, where he had agreed to meet Luo Yan before they leave for Nova University. Leaning against the wall under a tree that shielded him from the scorching sun, he placed his bag on the ground. He waited in silence, observing the movements of people around him to pass the time and fight off his boredom—the speeding cars, the bustling pedestrians, the glances cast in his direction, the changing traffic lights, the birds landing on the tree above him, the chatter of those nearby, the noise of traffic, the laughter and smiles of people.

Then, he felt someone approaching. Turning around, he saw an old classmate walking toward him—Liam Grave. Liam stopped in front of Noah.

"...Liam?" Noah said, surprised to see a former schoolmate. Guilt and anxiety were written all over Liam's face.

"N-Noah... I..." Liam stammered, unable to find the words. He had been the cause of Noah's suffering in school and now felt ashamed to face him. He seemed to want to say something to lighten the weight on his heart.

Noah looked at Liam in confusion, but beneath his innocent expression, he had no real desire to see or speak to him. Why would he? The harassment, the physical and verbal bullying, the humiliation, and the feeling of weakness—seeing an old classmate only resurfaced those emotions. Fear, anger, sadness, inferiority, and resentment all mixed within him, emotions he despised and never wanted to feel again.

"T-There's something I need to say...!" Liam's voice wavered with anxiety and shame. He seemed terrified, perhaps knowing that no matter how much he apologized, Noah would likely never forgive him.

Noah remained silent, anticipating what Liam would say, but he kept his mask of confusion and innocence.

"...I-I don't even know how to begin, b-but recently, I've felt guilty. I finally realized that I—I made your life miserable by pretending to be your friend. I—I was the one who encouraged everyone to bully you just so I could look like a hero when I stepped in to 'help' you. I—I even knew about the assassination attempt on you, b-but I couldn't stop it or warn you. I—I didn't stop Blake even when he went too far, even though I had the power to do so. I—I never genuinely helped you. Like everyone else, I thought you were worthless just because you had no skill. I—I truly apologize! I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for all the suffering I caused you. I don't expect forgiveness, but I just wanted to get this off my chest and apologize sincerely before you leave!"

Liam bowed his head deeply, his voice trembling with raw guilt and self-loathing. His apology was genuine, coming straight from the heart. The sight of him bowing to Noah attracted the attention of those nearby. Noah's eyes widened in surprise at Liam's sincerity.

"He's... apologizing to me? After being the reason for my suffering in school... he dares to apologize? Why are you doing this...? You don't really feel guilty, do you? Don't mess with me. If you apologize, then who am I supposed to hate? Who am I supposed to blame for everything that happened to me?!"

Noah thought to himself in silence, feeling conflicting emotions. He was angry at Liam for being the cause of his suffering, but at the same time, he felt a small amount of pity. Even if Liam had faked their friendship, the loneliness that consumed Noah had lessened, making him believe—however briefly—that he had finally found a friend.

Noah's eyes darkened, devoid of life, as a different thought crossed his mind.

"...There's no need to apologize. Honestly, I never hated you," Noah said in a calm tone, though it carried layers of unspoken emotions.

Liam raised his head, stunned. Noah seemed sincere in his words. Liam's pupils dilated, his eyes trembling as he looked at Noah, who stood there with a calm expression. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"W-What do you mean you never hated me? I—I made everyone bully you! You must have hated me at some point!" Liam said, his voice unsteady, struggling to piece himself together.

"I never hated anyone from our school. And I never hated you, either. I never sought revenge. Yes, you're all right—I am worthless. And I was just trying to live my life..." Noah said, giving a faint, empty smile while shaking his head slowly.

"N-No, you can't say that! P-Please, don't say something like that a-again—!" Liam panicked as the weight of his actions crashed down on him like a thunderbolt. For the first time, he fully realized that he had ruined someone's life. Terror, anxiety, and guilt flooded him as he broke into a cold sweat. He reached toward Noah, desperate to apologize again, desperate for Noah to hate him instead of forgive him.

Just then, Luo Yan stepped between them, grabbing Liam's wrist before he could reach Noah. Liam flinched, startled—he hadn't even noticed her presence or her approach. He hadn't even heard her footsteps. Her crimson eyes glowed as she stared him down.

"Who are you? And what were you trying to do to Noah?" Luo Yan's voice carried a sharp edge of threat and irritation.

Realizing he had been mistaken for someone trying to harm Noah, Liam tried to explain, but Noah spoke first.

"Oh, Luo Yan, let him go... he's my friend," Noah said in an expressionless tone, a faint smile lingering behind his words as he looked into Liam's terrified eyes.

Luo Yan released Liam's wrist and stepped back slightly.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you were his friend. I apologize," she said, her voice uneasy.

Liam stood frozen, his heart pounding in fear. He was completely shaken.

"What's happening?! What do you mean I'm your friend?! That can't be! You hate me! You hate me! Please, hate me!... No, no, stop apologizing to me! Hate me! I don't want your forgiveness! I don't want your pity! I was the reason for your suffering—don't apologize! Stop apologizing! Stop feeling sorry for me! You're supposed to hate me, to never forgive me! You're supposed to seek revenge and destroy my life! If you apologize... then what's the point of my apology?!"

Liam's thoughts spiraled into chaos, his mind racing so fast that his head throbbed in pain. He hadn't wanted forgiveness—he had wanted to be hated. But Noah's empty, lifeless eyes shattered his expectations, shattered his soul. Liam finally realized the gravity of his actions. He had destroyed someone's life just to make himself look good.

Drenched in sweat, he tried to hide his face as he noticed the gazes of people around him. Some were laughing, some whispering. Though they weren't necessarily talking about him, Liam believed they were. The world around him started spinning, the faces of people around him morphing into grotesque, ghostly shapes. Even Noah's appearance changed in his vision—a mass of weeping souls, countless upon countless, crying silently.

"If you two are done, let's go. We're running late," Luo Yan said impatiently.

Noah nodded and followed her toward the bus station, leaving Liam behind. A small, hidden smile crept onto Noah's face, but he quickly covered it with his hand.

Liam stood there, watching their figures fade into the distance.

"No... don't go... I still have more to say. I want to apologize... Come back... please come ba—"

His voice was weak, trembling, barely above a whisper—lost to the wind along with Noah's departure.

After a few minutes, Noah and Luo Yan arrived at the bus station. Luckily, they managed to board one just in time. Noah and Luo Yan got on and sat next to each other after Noah placed his bag on the luggage rack. Noah took the window seat, while Luo Yan sat beside him.

"It will take some time to reach the university—probably a few hours," Luo Yan said.

"H-Hours? That's a bit too long," Noah replied nervously. He could already feel boredom creeping toward him during this trip.

"You could sleep during this time. But before that, what's up with your friend? He seemed a little terrified of something," Luo Yan asked, concerned about Liam and even more worried of the possibility that he is scared of her.

"...I don't know, and I don't really care," Noah said as he looked out the window, observing the greenery of the landscape.

"Isn't he your friend? How can you not care?" Luo Yan asked, puzzled by Noah's coldness and indifference. However, she chose to ignore it for now, as it wasn't really her business, despite her curiosity.

"I don't intend to forgive Liam, but I think I ended up hurting him more than I expected. It was obvious he felt guilty about his actions and genuinely wanted to apologize. He wanted me to hate him and never forgive him, but instead, I did the exact opposite. That made Liam realize that he was "the bad person" from the start. I think I completely broke his spirit… That was fun though," Noah thought to himself in silence, replaying the events with Liam in his mind.

"...I think I'll sleep for now. I didn't get a good rest because of what happened during the special training…" Noah thought as images of his fight with that red orc flashed through his mind. He yawned slightly, covering his mouth, then leaned back against his seat, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep—until he finally did.

Luo Yan turned to her side and noticed that Noah had already fallen asleep.

"H-He falls asleep so fast!" Luo Yan thought to herself, amazed by how quickly Noah had dozed off. At that moment, her eyes fell on his long, dark eyelashes. His jet-black hair was slightly messy over his forehead, and his soft pink lips looked delicate.

For some reason, strange thoughts rushed into Luo Yan's mind, making her blush. She quickly glanced to both sides to check if anyone was watching them, but there was no one. Then, gathering her courage, she slowly moved her hand, letting her fingers brush through Noah's hair slightly before gently pulling his head until it rested on her shoulder.

Her fingers continued to play with his hair as her heartbeat quickened, and an intoxicating smile spread across her lips.