'Why?' Kasumi's voice trembled. Tears clung to her lashes.
That expression… fragile, confused, hurt. It tightened something deep in my chest.
My lips parted, but nothing came out.
If I said it, everything would end. If I didn't, I would only hurt her more.
Eventually, I gathered enough courage.
'Because you're troublesome.'
The word scraped my throat like broken glass.
'I hate you.'
A lie.
The worst one yet.
You were my first friend in this world.
'I never saw you as a friend.'
You were someone I looked forward to seeing.
'So please leave me alone.'
I forced the words out, each one heavier than the last.
'O-okay.' She wiped her tears with trembling hands. 'If that's how it is…'
Kasumi tilted her head up, trying to stop the tears from falling.
But they slipped out anyway.
'You were my first friend, Di-ran.'
My hands trembled.
'You… you made my life happier.'
I'm sorry.
'I thought we were friends.'
For being weak.
'I thought I mattered to you.'
For being scared.
'I guess… I was the only one who thought those times we spent together meant something.'
'Since you hate me.'
She ripped the bracelet from her wrist.
'I'll leave you alone!'
She shoved it into my hand.
It was still warm. Her sleeves brushed against me.
Then she ran.
No hesitation. No looking back. Just… gone.
Her footsteps fading.
Until…
Silence.
'Sigh.'
I stared at the bracelet in my hand. Her warmth lingered. Yet, now… it was fading.
'This is for the best.'
A warning I couldn't ignore.
I don't belong here.
My powers…
They don't protect. They destroy.
And if she stays near me, she'll get hurt again… worse next time.
So this is for the best.
It has to be.
If I stay away. She'll be safe, she'll smile again, she'll forget me.
Right?
My grip tightened.
'Then why…'
My voice cracked.
Why do I want to run after her?
Why do I want to take it all back?
… Why did I say it at all?
'Damn it!'
*Bang*
My fist slammed into the wall.
'I don't… understand.'
My legs gave out.
I slid down the wall, my back hitting the cold surface.
'Why does this hurt so much?'
My hand pressed against my chest.
My heart pounded… too fast, too loud… like it was trying to break free from my chest.
'It's hard…'
My voice was barely a whisper.
'It's hard… being alone.'
I closed my eyes.
That always worked.
Back then. When things got too loud, too heavy, too much.
So I closed them.
And let everything fade.
Slowly.
Darkness was all I saw.
But it didn't stay empty.
It shifted and took shape.
———————————————-
'Where am I?'
I looked around.
Tall trees crowded together, their branches swallowing the sky. Moonlight filtered through the gaps, spilling pale silver onto the forest floor.
Crickets chirped softly.
The air felt… still.
'There's light.'
A faint orange glow flickered in the distance.
*Crunch*
*Crunch*
Twigs snapped beneath my feet as I moved toward it.
Each step felt familiar.
Like I had walked this path before.
'I've seen this.'
When I reached the source, I froze.
'Is that… me?'
A young man sat by the campfire.
Alone.
Silver armour reflected the firelight, flickering across his blank expression as he stared into the flames.
Younger.
Weaker.
Quieter.
'I remember this.'
I stood there, watching.
'Back when I had nothing.'
Then…
'There you are, hero.'
A voice cut through the night.
A tall, blond elf stepped into the firelight, white-gold armour gleaming softly.
He walked drunkenly toward me.
Chad Prince.
'Why are you alone?'
——————————-
I didn't look at him.
'I prefer it that way.'
*Plop*
He sat beside me anyway.
'Then let me ruin it.'
'Didn't you hear me? I pre—'
'You know hero, it's hard being handsome. All the ladies… they just can't stop clinging onto me. I try to be a loyal husband, but… sigh… it's difficult when they throw themselves onto me.'
'I don't care.'
'I smell a bit of jealousy coming from you, hero.'
He took a sip of alcohol.
'The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it, hero?'
He stared at the moon.
'I said I—'
'One of the reasons I fight is to protect moments like this.'
He smiled.
'I don't care—'
He then pulled out some nuts and began munching on them.
'Tell me… burp… hero.'
He turned toward me.
'Why do you fight?'
I stood up.
'Do you think I want to fight?!'
My voice cracked.
'Every day, I'm told I'm weak! That I'm not enough! That I need to try harder!'
My hands trembled.
'Do you think I like that?! Do you think I like being treated like trash?!'
Silence.
Only the sound of the fire crackling and my breathing filled the space between us.
He watched me.
Still smiling.
'You want some?'
He shook his hand full of nuts.
'…'
'Suit yourself.'
He threw them in his mouth.
'Sorry, what were you yelling about?' He dusted his hands. 'Right… something about why you're still here?'
He briefly looked at me.
'No one forced you to stay.'
His words were gentle.
'You could've left a long time ago.'
I didn't answer… because I couldn't… because I didn't know.
'B-because…'
The words came out weak.
'Because people are depending on me.'
'This world… depends on me.'
'And why do you care?' He smiled.
'Because God chose me! So I have to!'
'And why do you have to?'
'Why do you keep asking "why"?!'
I snapped.
'I don't know, okay?!'
'Do you think I wanted this?!'
'Do you think I wanted to be a hero?!'
I dropped back onto the log and pulled my knees to my chest.
'I just… want to know why.'
My voice was barely a whisper.
'Why me?'
*Drip*
Tears fell onto my arms.
'I'm weak… I can't even swing a sword properly…'
'I'm slow… it takes me forever to learn magic…'
My vision blurred.
'There are so many people better than me.'
'So why… out of everyone…'
'Why did God choose me?'
'…'
He rested his hand on my shoulder.
Warm.
Steady.
For a moment, he said nothing.
'Hey, hero… you reckon God made a mistake? Choosing you?'
I stared into the fire.
'…Yes.'
My voice felt hollow.
'He chose the wrong person.'
He nudged me, so I glanced up.
'Well, your answer is a mistake… terrible answer. With a mindset like yours, now wonder you're still a virgin.' He laughed.
Leaning back, he eyed the flames.
'We stayed… because of you.'
I blinked.
'If we truly believed you weren't meant for this. We would've prayed to God to send you back a long time ago.' He took another sip of alcohol.
'Then why—'
'Why are we hard on you?' He raised an eyebrow. 'Why do we train you? Push you?'
He looked at me.
'Believe it or not, hero, but… we don't hate you.'
'It's because we care about you. We believe in you.'
He patted my back.
'We believe…'
'That one day… you'll save us, save this world.'
'And maybe even more.'
My eyes widened.
'But there are people better than me—'
He shook his head,
'Hero...'
He looked up at the stars.
'If this world needed strength… God would've chosen someone stronger.'
'If this world needed brilliance, God would've chosen someone smarter.'
'Yet… he chose you.'
He looked back at me.
'So then… why did God choose you?'
'…'
'Go on, ' he nudged me. 'Take a guess.'
I hesitated.
'… I don't know.'
He smiled.
'What do you think a hero is?'
'Someone strong.' I muttered. 'Someone smart.'
'Maybe,' he said. 'But I disagree.'
The fire crackled between us.
'A hero…'
'… is someone people look at… and find the strength to keep going.'
'God didn't choose you because of your strength.'
He pointed to my arms.
'Or your intelligence.'
He tapped my head.
'Then what did he choose you for?'
He then pressed his hand over my heart.
'He chose you because of this.'
My breath hitched.
'You never gave up.'
'No matter how many times you were knocked down. You stood back up.'
'Today…'
'When the village was attacked.'
'Even when you were outmatched.'
'You didn't run.'
My vision blurred.
'I was scared.'
'Of course you were,' he laughed. 'Who wouldn't be, surrounded like that?'
'But that's what makes you a hero.
Not strength. Not talent.
But your heart.'
'Strength can turn cruel. Intelligence can be corrupted.'
'But an unyielding spirit… will always stand for what's right.'
He stretched his hand toward the moon.
'You think this world needs power? If it did… we wouldn't need you.'
'But…'
He brought his hand down and placed it on my shoulder.
'What this world needs, hero… is hope.'
He pointed at me.
'And you… you are hope.'
'Sniff.'
My chest tightened.
Tears spilled uncontrollably.
'There there.'
He pulled me into an embrace.
'You can cry.'
That was all it took.
'WAAAH—!'
I couldn't hold it in anymore.
'I'm scared!'
'I know.' He patted.
'I'm scared I'll fail!'
He held me tighter.
'Fear isn't weakness, hero.'
'It shows you what matters. If you had nothing to lose… you wouldn't feel fear at all.'
I clenched his armour.
'B-but… what if I'm not enough? What if I—'
He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes.
'You don't have to be.'
A small smile.
'That's what we're for.'
'The mage. The priest. The thief.'
'We're a party.'
My breath trembled.
'We stand together.'
He smiled gently.
'Hero…'
'You're not alone.'
———————————————-
My eyes opened.
Warm light filled the room.
Sunset.
'I forgot.'
I let out a small laugh.
Reaching into my inventory, I pulled out one of the thief's inventions.
A photo.
All of us.
Together.
Smiling.
Fighting.
'I am never alone.'
I closed my eyes.
Exhaling, I stood up.
Stepping into the principal's office, the thugs lay unconscious and the principal sat at his desk.
'I'm here for Kasumi's bag.'
He nodded shyly.
I picked it up with a firm grip.
'I won't run anymore.'