A new friend

Leo walked casually along the familiar village path, enjoying the warm sunlight and peaceful breeze. Though he had come here before with Caden, this was his first time alone — a little taste of freedom. Everything seemed brighter, calmer than his old world. People greeted each other with smiles, and the trees danced gently in the wind.

Just as he turned near the edge of the village, his eyes caught something unusual on a small, grassy hill. A large tree stood at the top, its branches wide like a natural shelter. But beneath it, a few kids—around his age—were ganging up on someone.

A girl.

She looked different—her ears long and pointed, her midnight-black hair catching. An elf. Her dress was simple, and her eyes sharp emerald green full of defiance even though she was clearly outnumbered.

Leo narrowed his eyes.

Are they... bullying her?

One of the boys was shoving her, shouting,

"Give us your horse! You're just a dumb elf! No one will care if you cry!"

The girl shook her head firmly, holding her ground even as they pushed her again.

Leo silently walked up behind them. One of the bullies noticed him and turned.

"Huh? You're new here, aren't you? Get lost, kid, unless you want trouble!"

Leo didn't respond to him. His gaze stayed fixed on the boy holding the girl's arm.

"Please," Leo said calmly, "let her go."

The boy snorted and stepped forward, sizing him up.

"And what if I don't, huh? What are you gonna do about it?"

Leo sighed.

Then — he released it.

A cold, silent aura surged from him like a crashing wave. It wasn't just a chill — it was pressure. A raw, natural force. For a moment, the grass under his feet trembled, and the air seemed heavier. The boys froze in place, their confidence draining as quickly as the color from their faces.

And then, Leo raised a single finger.

Leave her alone.

"This should be enough.".

The boys screamed.

"H-he's crazy!! Run!!"

And just like that, they ran down the hill, tripping over their own feet as they fled.

Leo let his aura dissolve and walked forward, offering a hand to the girl who had fallen to her knees.

"You okay?"

She stared at him — shocked, speechless for a moment — before slowly nodding.

"…Y-yeah."

Leo gave her a soft smile.

"That's good."

The girl stood up slowly, brushing off her skirt. She still seemed a bit cautious, watching Leo with big, curious eyes.

Leo tilted his head. "By the way… what kind of horse were they talking about?"

The girl blinked, then shyly reached behind her back and pulled out a small, fluffy teddy horse — worn out, stitched in places, and clearly loved.

She held it out to Leo with both hands. "This…"

Leo stared at it.

He gently took it from her and looked down at the stuffed animal, completely expressionless.

In his mind

…As expected. Kids will always be kids.

His inner voice was so deadpan, it could've echoed in a void.

He carefully handed the plush back with both hands like it was some ancient relic.

"Here. Take good care of him."

She nodded and hugged it tightly. "Thank you…"

Leo turned to leave, brushing his hands together when suddenly—

"Wait!" she called out.

He paused and looked back.

"Why did you help me?" she asked softly, hugging her teddy horse tightly. "You don't even know me…"

Leo blinked, then smiled faintly. "My dad says… we should help people if they need help. Even if we don't know them."

She stared at him for a second—then her face brightened with a joyful glow.

"Umm… c-can you be my friend?"

Leo's brain short-circuited.

"Huh? Wh–what?"

Her face turned red instantly. "I-It's okay if you don't want to—!!"

Leo panicked a little. "No! I mean—it's okay. We can be friends. Yeah."

Her face lit up like sunshine, sparkling with happiness. "Really?! Yay!!"

Leo scratched the back of his head, awkward but kind of glad.

"I'm Leo," he said, offering a hand.

She looked at it, smiled wide, and shook it.

"I'm Lyra!" she said cheerfully.

Leo gave a small nod. "Nice to meet you… Lyra."

She grinned, still hugging her teddy horse tightly, and skipped beside him as they walked back down the hill together.

As Leo walked back to his home, he couldn't help but smile after the eventful day with Lyra. They had chatted so much, he hadn't even realized how much time had passed. Then, Lyra had asked him why he wasn't scared of her.

Without thinking, Leo answered, "Why should I be scared? You're just like everyone else, just with a few different features."

Lyra looked at him, puzzled. Leo, still unaware of the impact of his words, continued, "But you know... being different isn't a bad thing. You should be happy that you're different from others. It makes you special."

The words came out naturally, and Leo didn't notice how deeply they resonated with her. Lyra's cheeks turned a soft pink, and she looked away, a little flustered. Leo, oblivious to the effect his words had on her, quickly noticed the sun beginning to set.

"Ah, we should get back," Leo muttered, realizing how late it had gotten. He looked down the path they'd just walked. "Wait… Lyra, where's your house?"

Lyra, with a soft laugh, pointed to a house just a little ways off. It wasn't far at all — just a short walk from Leo's house. "I live right there," she said with a smile.

"Oh, thank goodness," Leo said, relieved. "I didn't want to leave you out here alone."

Lyra giggled softly. "It's fine. I can handle it. See you around, Leo!"

Leo waved as they parted ways. He had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time he saw her.

As Leo returned home, he entered the house to find his mom and dad sitting on the couch, both holding cups of tea and chatting. They looked up as he entered, smiling at him.

"Leo, wash your hands first," Selene said warmly. "Then dinner will be ready."

Leo nodded and quickly went to wash his hands, his mind still buzzing with the events of the day — from his training to the encounter with Lyra. It was a peaceful, comforting day, and he couldn't help but feel grateful for it.

After washing his hands, Leo returned to the dining area and sat down at the table. The scent of a home-cooked meal filled the air, making his stomach growl. Selene was already serving the food, and Caden sat beside her, both looking at Leo with curiosity.

Selene smiled and asked, "How was your day, Leo?"

Leo took a bite of food, savoring the taste before answering, "It was great, Mom! I went around the village, and I met this elf girl named Lyra. She was being bullied by some kids, so I helped her out."

Selene raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh? How did that happen?"

Leo continued, telling them the entire story: how he had noticed the bullies, stepped in to defend Lyra, and even helped her with a toy horse. He laughed a bit when he recounted the part about the kids running away in fear when he released his aura.

When he finished, Caden leaned in with a smirk on his face, his hand resting on Leo's shoulder. His voice dropped to a teasing tone as he said, "Aha, so... a girl, huh?"

Leo blinked in confusion, not quite understanding what Caden meant. He looked up at his dad, then back at Selene, who was suppressing a smile.

Leo, still unaware of the teasing, shrugged and said, "She's just a friend, Dad. She was nice. We talked a lot, and I helped her out. That's all."

Caden chuckled, shaking his head. "Sure, sure," he said, grinning. "A friend, huh?"

Selene shot Caden a playful look. "Stop teasing him, Caden. He's just a kid."

Leo, still not fully grasping the situation, just continued eating, his mind drifting back to the fun he'd had with Lyra. He felt a bit embarrassed, but also glad to have made a new friend. The rest of the dinner passed with light conversation and laughter, but Leo couldn't help but feel that something had changed — in a good way.