shudo

Summary:

Sora Nagi, a boy with black hair and eyes, lives a life of isolation, burdened by depression, social anxiety, and trust issues due to painful past experiences. He stays at home most days, only leaving for school and returning to his secluded world. Trusting no one, he keeps his emotions locked away, navigating his days with little connection to anyone.

Everything changes the day he accidentally bumps into Nanako Shimuya at school. Nanako, with her own struggles related to her parents, doesn’t fit the mold of Sora’s usual interactions. At first, their meeting is unremarkable, but as their paths cross more, they begin to form an unexpected bond.

From strangers to friends, then to something more, Sora and Nanako help each other confront their personal demons. Together, they explore the complexities of healing, trust, and love, slowly discovering that maybe, just maybe, they don’t have to face their battles alone.

Will their deepening connection be enough to overcome the struggles in their lives, or will their pasts pull them apart?

A World Beyond My Window

Sora barely spoke to anyone the next day.

The rumors hadn't died down. If anything, they had spread further. The whispers followed him through the hallways, slipping into his ears no matter how hard he tried to shut them out.

At lunch, he sat alone, his appetite completely gone. His hands gripped the edges of his desk, his mind racing. He could feel the weight of the stares, the judgment in their eyes.

He knew this feeling too well. It was the same feeling from before—when the people he thought he could trust had turned on him.

Why did he let himself believe this time would be different?

Nanako hadn't talked to him much that morning. Maybe she was avoiding him too. Maybe she was realizing that being around him would only bring her trouble.

The thought made his chest tighten.

When the final bell rang, he didn't wait. He grabbed his bag and rushed out of the classroom before anyone could stop him.

The sky was a dull shade of gray as he walked home, the wind biting against his skin. His head was heavy, his body numb.

By the time he reached his room, he felt like he was suffocating.

He collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. The silence of his room wrapped around him, familiar and crushing. His thoughts spiraled, dragging him deeper into the darkness he had tried so hard to escape.

Was it because he thought, for a moment, that he wasn't alone? That maybe, just maybe, someone understood him?

He turned onto his side, curling up as he tried to shut his mind off. But sleep wouldn't come.

A soft vibration broke the silence. His phone.

For a long moment, he just stared at it. He didn't want to see what was on the screen—more messages, more gossip, more reminders that he didn't belong.

But when he finally reached for it, his breath caught in his throat.

The words were simple, but in that moment, they meant everything.

He hesitated, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He wanted to tell her no, that he wasn't okay, that he felt like he was drowning.

But instead, he locked his phone and turned onto his back, staring at the ceiling once more.

And yet… he didn't want to lose it either.

Chapter 4: Drowning in Silence