"Hey, Isaac!" Levi called up from the foot of the old tree. "Are you coming down?"
Isaac lifted his head. For a brief moment, a smile flickered across his face, as if he had been waiting for that very voice. Then he closed his book on art history, absentmindedly ran his fingers over the cover, and slipped it into his worn satchel. Carefully, he slid down from the branch. The movement seemed unusually sluggish—each motion appeared to cost him more effort than usual, and when his feet touched the ground, his expression tightened almost imperceptibly. The marks from the previous day still ran deep.
Levi didn't miss it. He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze scanning Isaac's body with scrutiny.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing," Isaac replied too quickly, avoiding his eyes.
Levi snorted softly. "That doesn't look like nothing."
For a moment, silence settled between them. Isaac let his shoulders drop, as if the effort of hiding it only made him more tired.
"I ran into Emil and the others yesterday," he finally admitted. "And… I wasn't fast enough to get away."
Levi's expression hardened. For a moment he said nothing, but his jaw visibly tensed before he muttered a quiet curse.
"Those little assholes…," he growled. "The second I'm gone for a day, they think they can do whatever they want."
Isaac glanced at him curiously, but looked away again in the same instant. He wanted to ask Levi where he had been the day before—but he didn't quite dare.
Of course, Levi noticed the look.
"What is it?"
Isaac hesitated. He bit his lower lip, wrestled with himself for a moment, then looked up again.
"I… I was just wondering if you forgot about our plans yesterday," he said quietly.
"Yesterday…?" Levi thought for a moment. Then he grimaced. "Oh—I got detention for swiping food from the kitchen. They made me clean."
Then he slapped a hand over his face. The gesture was a bit exaggerated, but it was also very typical of Levi.
"Oh right! It was your birthday yesterday! Sorry, I completely forgot!"
Isaac immediately raised his hands in embarrassment. "It's not a big deal! Really!"
Levi looked at him skeptically. "You sure? We were supposed to celebrate together. Go get ice cream and all that."
Isaac shrugged, a tentative smile returning. "We could go today. If you want."
And he meant it that way. It didn't bother him that Levi had forgotten his birthday. Madame Rose's punishments were notorious—anyone who ended up with her was too exhausted by evening to form a clear thought. Isaac had seen it often enough, how the others would do nothing but collapse into bed afterward.
He really wouldn't have wanted to trade places.
But Levi grimaced again.
"I'd like to," he said, shifting from one foot to the other, "but I have to go back to Madame Rose in a minute."
Isaac blinked in surprise. "You have to go back to her?"
Levi nodded, visibly annoyed, his shoulders slumping. "And it was just a loaf of bread and some salami," he began, then his mouth twisted into a crooked grin. "Okay… maybe a few cookies too. And some ham sausage. And cheese. And maaaaybe I also took a bit of milk."
Isaac couldn't help laughing. It was somehow obvious he hadn't gotten away with all that unnoticed.
"Hey, don't laugh!" Levi protested, ruffling his hair until it stuck out in all directions. "She gave me a whole week for that!"
Isaac tried to smooth his hair back into some kind of order while his smile slowly faded. "Should I help you?" he asked cautiously.
Levi immediately shook his head. "Forget it. If anyone helps me, she'll just tack on another week."
"Oh…" Isaac lowered his gaze. His fingers fidgeted with the strap of his bag. "Then… I guess we won't see each other again until next week?"
"Unfortunately," Levi said with a sigh. For a moment, he seemed unusually serious. "Just take care of yourself, okay? Don't let them catch you again." He paused briefly, then added, "And if I survive this, we'll go get ice cream afterward. Promise."
Isaac nodded. "Mm."
His voice sounded quieter than he had intended.
Levi ruffled his hair one last time and grinned broadly, as if everything wasn't so bad. "See you next week!"
Then he turned and ran off without looking back.
Isaac remained alone beneath the tree. The rustling of the leaves above him suddenly sounded louder than before.
Levi must really be tired, thanks to Madame Rose. He hadn't even wished Isaac a happy birthday afterward.
___
The days passed more slowly than Isaac was used to.
At first, it was just that one week. But after that, something kept coming up. Levi had extra chores, was sick, or got pulled into things by others. Sometimes Isaac only saw him briefly from a distance; sometimes not at all for days.
On the days without him, everything felt heavier. Time dragged, and even the familiar places seemed emptier, as if they had lost a part of themselves. When Levi was there, everything became easier—brighter, more alive, almost as if the world gained color for a moment.
Isaac tried to avoid Emil and his friends as best he could, yet their attacks on him became more frequent and more severe.
He couldn't avoid all of them.
They always seemed to know exactly where he was, and his hiding places grew fewer and fewer until he was forced to find new ones. But they found him there too, and before long, Isaac only had peace on the days when Levi was with him.
Then winter came.
With the cold, Levi actually started showing up more often again. The first snow fell, settling like a thin, quiet blanket over everything, and for a moment it seemed as if things might still turn out for the better.
But something had changed.
Isaac couldn't say exactly when it had started. Maybe gradually, over the course of weeks. Maybe he had simply noticed it too late.
Levi was different.
When they sat side by side, he often seemed absent, as if part of him was somewhere else entirely. His responses came delayed or were shorter than Isaac was used to. Sometimes Isaac had to ask a question twice before Levi reacted at all.
And even then, he didn't always really listen.
His answers became half-hearted, and at times it felt to Isaac as though Levi wasn't truly hearing him anymore.
More than once, it seemed to Isaac as if Levi was drifting away from him—and would soon leave him behind like all the others. He had never thought it would come to that, and he still desperately hoped Levi would remain his friend.
He was afraid of losing him.
He didn't want to—and couldn't—simply give up his only friend, so he tried to grow closer to him again. Isaac constantly thought about how he could make him happy. He stole food from the kitchen and brought Levi the things he liked. They went to places Levi enjoyed, and Isaac did whatever Levi found entertaining.
So the days passed until Levi seemed to have a change of heart and began treating Isaac as he had before. He apologized for being so distant and said that, with Christmas approaching, he had been thinking a lot about his deceased family.
Isaac felt guilty for being so selfish, for thinking only of his own fears. He had completely forgotten that Levi was suffering from the loss of his family. He couldn't bring himself to apologize, so instead he simply wrapped his arms around Levi.
He had never hugged anyone before and didn't even know if Levi would want that. But when Levi hugged him back, he felt safer than he ever had in his life.
Levi was the most important person in the world to him, and he wanted him to be happy.
But then came the day that would change his life completely.
It was snowing heavily, and the world outside the orphanage was covered in white. Everything seemed to stand still. Time moved more slowly, and the scene looked like a still painting. Levi had invited Isaac to a small snowball fight and told him to meet behind the orphanage. But when Isaac arrived and blew into his hands to warm his fingers, Levi was nowhere to be seen.
A bad feeling stirred inside him.
"Wow. I almost didn't see you in all this snow, you damn ghost."
Isaac flinched.
He knew that voice.
Slowly, he turned around.
Emil stood a few steps away, a mocking grin on his face. Beside him was a lanky boy who snickered quietly.
"If it weren't for those disgusting red eyes of his," the boy said, "I probably would've just run him over."
Emil shrugged indifferently. "Go ahead. No one cares anyway."
The boy didn't need to be told twice. He bent down, scooped up some snow, quickly formed a ball—and threw it.
The hit came hard and sudden.
Isaac felt something strike his temple. A sharp pain exploded in his head, making him stagger back a step.
Startled, he reached for the spot. His fingers immediately came away wet.
When he held them up in front of him, he saw it.
Blood.
His stomach tightened.
A stone. The boy had actually pressed a stone into the snowball.
Emil raised an eyebrow and looked at him as if it were hardly worth mentioning.
"Wow," he said mockingly. "Not even now you fight back?"
He crouched down, scooped up some snow himself, and began to shape it slowly. Deliberately. Almost demonstratively.
Then he tossed the ball lightly into the air and caught it again.
Isaac's gaze fixed on it.
Was there something hidden inside that one too?
His heart started beating faster. He didn't want to find out.
Not under any circumstances.
"GO!" Emil suddenly shouted, grinning widely. "He said we're allowed to really let loose today!"
Isaac froze, even though everything in him screamed to keep running.
"Who allowed you to do anything?" he asked, his voice more uncertain than he would have liked.
Emil's grin widened, almost satisfied. Isaac got no answer.
Instead, the snowball flew.
It hit him hard in the shoulder, making him flinch. Before the pain could fully set in, Isaac saw the other children bending down at the same time, gathering snow, shaping it.
That was enough.
Isaac spun around abruptly and ran.
He ran as fast as he could—only he didn't know where to go.
The snow betrayed his path. Everything was bare, leaving him nowhere to hide. He tried to run toward the entrance of the orphanage, but his way was cut off by a few of the children who belonged to Emil.
They too held snowballs in their hands.
Isaac whirled around, nearly slipping, barely catching himself. His eyes darted frantically over his surroundings—then fixed on the wall.
The hole.
His only chance.
Without hesitation, he rushed toward it, dropped to his knees, and began crawling through. The stones were cold and rough, tearing at his clothes, but he didn't care. Out in the city, he could disappear. Hide somewhere. Wait until it got dark.
Until they gave up.
He was almost through.
Then suddenly a hand closed around his ankle.
Isaac gasped.
"Let go!" he cried in panic.
He clawed forward, searching for something to hold onto, but the snow was too slick. His fingers slid over the frozen ground, finding nothing. Behind him, the grip tightened.
He kicked backward, hitting nothing at first, then something—but it wasn't enough.
Cruel laughter rang out.
"Do you hear him?" Emil called. "The way he squeals? Just like the damn rat he is!"
Isaac's breathing came in sharp bursts. He kicked back even more desperately, but they were slowly, steadily pulling him back through the hole. With the last of his strength, he clung to the wall.
"Here—take my hand!" Levi suddenly shouted.
Isaac looked up and saw the familiar face of his friend. He reached for the offered hand, and quicker than expected, Levi pulled him toward him and helped him to his feet. The grip around his ankle tore away.
Behind them, one of the other boys was already squeezing through the opening.
"Let's get out of here!" Levi said, and took off running.
Isaac needed a moment, then followed him. His legs felt heavy, his breath burned in the icy air, but he forced himself onward. He couldn't stop.
They ran through the streets, past snow-covered houses, over frozen paths. Isaac's lungs ached; every breath cut through his throat like shards of ice.
Finally, Levi turned off abruptly.
Onto the grounds of the old church.
Isaac followed without hesitation. The graveyard lay silent, the headstones jutting crookedly out of the snow, and everywhere there were footprints—crisscrossing, old and new, a chaotic pattern.
Here they could lose their trail. Here Emil and the others wouldn't find them so easily.
Isaac's legs gave out. Between two old gravestones, he sank to his knees, gasping for air. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his throat burned unbearably.
For a moment, he heard nothing but his own breathing.
Then he lifted his head.
But Levi was gone.
"L-Levi?" he asked quietly.
No answer.
"Levi?" this time a little louder.
Nearby, snow crunched.
"Hey, did you hear a voice too?" one of Emil's friends asked close by. "Do you think it was him?"
They laughed mockingly and squeaked like rats as they called out Isaac's name.
Isaac pressed his lips together and moved deeper into the graveyard as quietly as the creaking snow allowed. He hid and kept going until he could no longer hear any voices. Relieved, he sank down against a large gravestone.
Levi was gone.
The others were searching for him.
And he was alone.
For the first time in his life, he hated being alone with all his heart. He wanted Levi to be there with him—to give him the safety and comfort he needed so desperately.
He hunched his shoulders, rubbing his hands, the skin already red and cracked.
"Where are you, Levi…?" he murmured softly.
"Here!" a voice suddenly rang out loudly right beside him.
Isaac flinched, almost stumbling backward. His heart pounded wildly, but when he recognized Levi, he calmed a little. Still, he shot him an annoyed look.
"Don't scare me like that!" Isaac hissed quietly. His heart refused to slow down, threatening to leap out of his chest.
Levi shrugged casually. "Oops."
Something about his tone was off.
Isaac frowned and glanced around. "Are they gone?"
But then he heard footsteps behind him. Startled, he turned around.
They were all there.
The entire group—Emil and the others—surrounding them. This was completely different from before. They had always chased him, but never like this.
Isaac's breath caught.
Slowly, he turned back to Levi.
He was still standing exactly where he had been. Unnervingly calm.
"We have to get out of here, Levi," Isaac said quickly. Panic crept into his voice. "Now."
Levi didn't answer right away.
Then… he laughed.
Quietly at first. Then more clearly.
The laughter spread, was taken up—Emil and the others joined in. It blended together, growing louder, sharper, until it seemed to fill the entire graveyard.
Something inside Isaac broke. Slowly, he began to understand.
"Before what exactly happens?" Levi finally asked, amused.
Isaac stared at him. "W-what…?"
Levi took a step toward him. Isaac instinctively stepped back.
The way Levi looked at him was the same as Emil and his damn friends.
A terrible feeling settled in his chest.
No… no, no, no…
Isaac's breath faltered. Something inside him fought with all its strength against what was unfolding before his eyes—as if his mind were trying to push reality away before it fully took shape.
"L-Levi… come on… we should go…" he said softly, almost pleading.
But even as he spoke, he already knew those words no longer meant anything.
Levi wasn't going to help him this time.
"No one's going anywhere," Levi replied calmly.
His gaze was fixed on Isaac—unmoving, cold. He no longer looked at him like a friend, but like something beneath him. Something without value. Isaac felt a shiver run down his spine. That look cut straight through him, made his blood run cold.
"You have no idea how glad I am to finally end this charade," Levi continued, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "All that time I had to pretend to be your friend… honestly, it was exhausting."
Mocking laughter rippled through the group.
Levi grimaced in disgust.
"You are, by far, the most boring and ugliest person I've ever met."
The words hit Isaac like a blow. His teeth began to chatter—not just from the cold. His stomach twisted, dizziness washing over him.
"W-what… what is that supposed to mean?!" he managed, but his voice had no steadiness left.
That couldn't be true.
This was a joke. A cruel, over-the-top joke.
Levi would laugh any second now, tell him he'd fallen for it—
Levi only raised an eyebrow.
"That it was damn entertaining to watch you cling to me more and more," he said, laughing openly. "Damn, it started as just a bet, but I really wanted to see how much you'd lower your guard around me. I almost feel bad that you like me so much."
His tone was mocking, exaggerated—every gesture underlining how ridiculous he found Isaac.
Isaac looked away. His lips pressed tightly together, but it didn't help. Tears were already burning in his eyes. He felt… exposed. Humiliated.
Stupid.
He hadn't noticed anything. For over a year he had followed him, trusted him, clung to him like—
Like an idiot.
His hand clenched into a fist. A single tear slipped free and ran silently down his cheek.
"So… you were lying the whole time?" he asked, his voice breaking.
Levi made a face of disgust.
"Stop crying. It's pathetic."
Without looking at Isaac again, he held out his hand to Emil.
"Did you bring it?"
"Of course," Emil replied with a grin, placing something into his hand.
A knife.
Isaac's eyes widened. His gaze locked onto it, unable to look away. The metal looked dull in the pale winter light, yet disturbingly real.
Instinctively, he stepped back. Then another step. His breathing grew frantic.
Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind.
Isaac gasped, trying to tear free, but the grip was too strong. Two of them held him, forcing his arms back.
"W-what are you going to do?!" he cried in panic.
He kicked, twisted, tried desperately to break loose—but it was useless. He didn't have the strength.
Levi stood in front of him. The knife in his hand, an expression on his face Isaac no longer recognized. He gave him an amused look, as if he were observing an interesting experiment—nothing more.
"I've always wanted to know what else about you is abnormal," he said with a grin. "Let's start with your blood."
He stepped closer.
The knife rose and rested coldly against Isaac's throat. The blade was ice-cold on his skin. Isaac swallowed reflexively, regretted it instantly, and stared at Levi in panic.
Levi's lips slowly curled.
"Oh yes… I like that expression much better," he murmured, satisfied.
"Uh…," Emil interjected uncertainly. "I thought you just wanted to scare him."
Levi's gaze snapped briefly toward him.
"If it's too much for you, then piss off, you damn wimp," Levi hissed.
Emil grimaced but didn't step back. "Seriously, Levi. I had fun messing with him, but… I'm out if you're planning to kill him."
Levi let out an annoyed sound. Without taking his eyes off Isaac, he pressed the knife harder against his skin.
"Stop annoying me," he snapped at Emil.
A sharp pain shot through Isaac's neck. The blade cut.
Isaac gasped softly, unable to move. Something warm ran down his skin, tracing a thin line along his throat. The cold air made him immediately aware of what it was.
Blood.
"L-Levi, you—" Emil stammered.
"SHUT UP ALREADY!" Levi roared.
His hand moved—uncontrolled, impatient. The blade slid across Isaac's skin without care, cutting deeper and deeper into his flesh.
Levi didn't seem to notice. He didn't pull the knife away. Irritated, he pressed it even closer against Isaac's throat, driving it further in. The pain was almost unbearable.
Isaac held his breath, not daring to speak or move. His entire body trembled.
Was he going to die?
Tears continued to stream uncontrollably down his cheeks. Full of fear, he looked up at the one he had seen as his family, his hero. He could feel the warm blood running down his neck. His legs shook so violently he could barely stand—only the two behind him kept him upright.
Isaac sobbed.
He didn't want to die yet. There was still so much he wanted to experience, to discover.
Suddenly, Levi's irritated gaze shifted back to Isaac. There was nothing but hatred in his eyes.
"You're so damn disgusting," Levi growled, which only made Isaac cry harder. "The world doesn't need you, Isaac."
Then Levi pulled the blade across his throat in a firm, decisive motion.
"Shit!" someone behind him cursed.
In the next moment, the boys let him go.
Isaac collapsed forward, barely staying on his feet.
"Have you completely lost your mind?!" Emil shouted, now openly frightened. "I'm out! I want nothing to do with this!"
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and ran.
His friends followed him.
One by one, they backed away—muttering, cursing—until only their footsteps in the snow remained. First hurried, then fading into the distance.
Isaac pressed both hands against his throat, as if he could simply hold the blood back.
In vain.
It seeped through his fingers—warm, unstoppable. Every drop drained a bit more of his strength.
His arms gave out. He toppled forward and hit the snow hard. The cold immediately bit through his clothes, but it was nothing compared to the burning pain in his throat.
It hurt. It hurt so endlessly. His vision blurred.
Footsteps approached him.
"Wow, and I thought your blood would be just as disgusting and white as your hair," Levi laughed.
A quiet, cold laugh followed.
Isaac lifted his head slightly. It took more strength than it should have. His eyes searched for Levi and found him standing there, blurred. Panic still had him in its grip. His body felt heavy, чужд—as if it no longer fully obeyed him.
"Why…?" he managed. It was barely more than a whisper.
Levi shrugged.
"Something to pass the time," he said simply. "You were useful against the boredom." He tilted his head slightly, studying Isaac. "You weren't worth much, but… a bet is a bet."
Suddenly, a burning anger surged through Isaac, spreading through his entire body. If only the wound would close…
His gaze stayed fixed on Levi, who was now looking at him in shock.
Isaac's throat burned unbearably hot where the wound was. His fingertips tingled, as if going numb and vibrating with energy at the same time. His vision flickered. A single thought forced itself to the forefront.
If he died… then Levi wouldn't walk away unscathed.
Not after he had used him. Pretended closeness. Shown him what it felt like not to be alone—only to tear it all away again.
For the past year and a half, Levi had apparently taken great pleasure in the fact that Isaac had trusted him, had followed him around like a puppy.
How often had he laughed at Isaac?
How often had he mocked him behind his back?
Isaac staggered to his feet. Slowly, with heavy steps, he walked toward Levi. Levi backed away, eyes wide. He seemed afraid.
Good.
Isaac raised his hand, reaching out toward him.
A strange sensation ran through him—as if he could do more than just reach. As if something inside him was breaking open, something he didn't understand but instinctively wanted to use.
As if he could take the air from him. Without touching him.
Levi stumbled back a step.
But before anything could happen, Isaac's strength collapsed.
As suddenly as it had come. His body gave way. He fell forward, hitting the snow again—this time without catching himself.
Everything grew dull. Distant.
Levi was over him immediately.
His voice broke, full of anger, full of something Isaac could no longer place. Words rained down on him—insults, curses—accompanied by kicks.
Isaac barely felt them anymore.
The air wouldn't come. His body no longer responded properly. Everything felt far away, unreal.
Exhausted, he closed his eyes. He couldn't fight anymore.
It was over.
Levi ran off as well. Isaac heard voices, but couldn't make out a single word.
Now that Emil and the others were gone, the silence of the snow surrounded him, and somehow a strange sense of peace took hold.
Maybe he would have more luck in the next life.
Levi had betrayed him. The pain of knowing that his only friend had deceived him weighed heavier than the pain in his throat. The cold seeped into his bones. He regretted his end.
"If only I had never trusted him…" Isaac whispered softly before the darkness closed in around him and he was lost to nothingness.