Sometimes, a laugh is not just a laugh…
but a memory carved deep into the heart, before we even realize its worth.
Before everything changed,
before silence became heavier than words,
there were simple days… filled with laughter, innocence, and hearts that had yet to understand loss.
Chapter Seven: My Arch-Enemy
At the beginning of the second week, Soren decided to walk Lyra to her school and escort her to her classroom so he wouldn't feel too much longing for her.
When they entered the school, Soren looked ahead and saw his arch-enemy… the stairs.
Lyra's classroom was on the second floor. Soren looked at the stairs and said to himself:
"Don't embarrass me today."
They went upstairs together until they reached the classroom. He walked her inside, then left. Lyra stood by the window, watching him as he walked away.
Soren was wearing his hat, chest raised, head slightly lowered to make himself look more mysterious and cool. The yard was full of girls, and he wanted to walk down with full dignity.
He placed his foot on the first step…
But it was slightly wet.
In a single second—
He was at the top… then at the bottom.
He didn't realize what had happened until he found himself on the ground.
Lyra, who saw everything from the window, burst out laughing and was kicked out of the class because of it.
Silence filled the place for a moment…
Then suddenly, Soren laughed at himself.
His dignity turned into a complete joke.
He didn't let anyone see his face and made what could be called a "tactical retreat."
But—
"Pffft!"
That was just the sound of dust as he ran away at full speed.
He returned to his school only to find that the class had already started. Waiting for him was… the math teacher.
The most hated teacher by Soren.
There was an old grudge between them, as the teacher had once kicked him out of class and forced him to stand outside on one leg.
Soren stood outside the classroom, looking up at the sky…
And he could see Lyra's smile in it.
The punishment didn't feel so bad anymore.
Time passed without him noticing… but sleepiness started to take over.
He thought:
"I'll just close my eyes… for a moment."
Then he fell asleep… while standing.
He didn't feel anything until a classmate shook him hard:
"Soren! Soren!"
Soren said sleepily:
"Mom… just five more minutes…"
His classmate slapped him and said:
"You idiot! I'm not your mom! Get up, the school day is over!"
Soren looked around in shock:
"What?!"
There were no students left in the school.
"Oh no… I said I'd only close my eyes!"
He ran out of the school, and on the way, he found Lyra heading toward his school.
When she saw him, she said worriedly:
"Where were you? I was worried about you."
He replied simply:
"I was sleeping."
She looked at him in confusion:
"How can you sleep while you're in class?"
He said:
"I didn't sleep in class… I slept outside, while standing."
Lyra looked at him… then laughed:
"Are you a tree? Sleeping while standing?"
He said:
"I didn't mean to sleep… I just said I'd close my eyes."
She said:
"Clearly, you don't know yourself."
Then she said:
"Come with me, I want to buy some clothes."
He said:
"Alright, let's go."
They walked together, but sleepiness took over Soren again…
So he fell asleep while walking.
Lyra kept talking to him, thinking he was listening.
After a long conversation, she turned to him…
And found him completely asleep.
She smiled mischievously and said:
"Well then… if you're not listening…"
She took out a pen from her bag and started drawing on his face.
When they arrived, she woke him up and said:
"Wait for me here."
Soren stood there waiting, and everyone who passed by him started laughing.
He didn't understand why…
Until he touched his face.
Ink… and drawings all over it.
He quickly started wiping his face.
Lyra came out, looked at him, and said:
"Why did you ruin my artwork?"
He looked at her and said:
"So you're the one who did this to me?!"
She said:
"This is your punishment."
He asked in confusion:
"Punishment? For what?"
She said:
"I was talking to you… and you were asleep the whole time."
He said:
"I was… asleep?"
She said:
"Yes."
Only then did Soren realize that he had been asleep the entire time.
At the end of the day, each of them returned to their home.
Soren lay his head on the bed…
And fell asleep.
…Dreaming of Lyra.
The day ended like any ordinary day…
quietly, without warning.
But what Soren didn't realize…
was that some silent endings
are the beginning of something that can never be fixed.