Adrian didn't think the anger would stay.
He thought it would be a one-time thing.
Something that happened, then disappeared.
But it didn't.
It wasn't always there.
It didn't control him.
But it showed up when something felt wrong.
And this time—
He didn't try to hide it.
—
The next day at school, Adrian didn't avoid the boy from before.
He noticed him during class.
Saw him laughing with his friends.
Acting like nothing had happened.
Adrian didn't feel the same tightness in his chest like before.
No fear.
Just awareness.
He sat down, opened his notebook, and focused on his work.
But when the teacher said, "Same pairs as yesterday," the boy walked over again.
"You didn't mess it up," he said casually as he sat down. "So I guess we're good."
Adrian looked at him.
Not angry.
Not calm either.
Just steady.
"…Don't talk like that again."
The boy blinked.
"…Like what?"
"Like I'm slow," Adrian said.
The boy shrugged.
"I was just saying—"
"I know what you were saying," Adrian cut in, his voice still even. "Just don't say it again."
There was no hesitation this time.
No second guessing.
The boy studied him for a second.
Then raised his hands slightly.
"Alright. Fine."
That was it.
No argument.
No fight.
Just clear.
Adrian looked back down at his paper and started working.
And for the first time—
He didn't feel like he had to prove anything.
—
At lunch, Alessio noticed again.
"You look different," he said.
Adrian shrugged.
"…I handled it."
"Handled what?"
"The same guy," Adrian said. "I told him to stop again."
Alessio nodded slightly.
"And?"
Adrian took a bite of his food.
"…He listened."
Alessio leaned back.
"Good."
Adrian glanced at him.
"…It felt easy."
"That's how it's supposed to feel."
Adrian frowned slightly.
"…It didn't before."
"I know."
Adrian looked down at his tray.
"…I think I understand the difference now."
Alessio didn't ask him to explain.
But Adrian did anyway.
"…Before, when someone said something like that, I felt like I had to fix it. Like I had to do better so they wouldn't say it again."
He paused.
"…Now I just tell them to stop."
Alessio nodded.
"Yeah."
Adrian continued quietly,
"…It's not my job to prove them wrong."
Alessio looked at him.
"That's right."
Adrian didn't smile.
But he didn't look unsure either.
—
After school, Adrian didn't go straight to the car.
He stopped near the gate, watching people leave.
Alessio stood beside him.
"You coming?" he asked.
"…Yeah," Adrian said, but he didn't move immediately.
"What?"
Adrian hesitated.
"…I don't feel as tired anymore."
Alessio frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"After school," Adrian said. "Before, I used to feel drained. Like everything was too much."
Alessio nodded.
"And now?"
Adrian thought about it.
"…Now it's just school."
Alessio looked at him for a second.
"That's good."
Adrian nodded.
"…Yeah."
—
Back at the mansion, Adrian didn't just sit quietly.
He actually joined a conversation.
It wasn't planned.
It just happened.
Nico was talking about something on TV, complaining about a character making bad decisions.
"That doesn't make sense," Nico said. "Why would he do that?"
Adrian looked at the screen for a second.
"…Maybe he didn't know what else to do."
Nico paused and looked at him.
"…You're defending him?"
Adrian shrugged.
"…I'm just saying. People don't always think clearly."
Dante smirked.
"Look at him, analyzing things now."
Adrian didn't react to the tone.
"…It's obvious."
Nico shook his head slightly.
"Still a bad decision."
Adrian didn't argue.
But he stayed in the conversation.
That was new.
—
Later that evening, Marco called him into the study again.
Adrian walked in without hesitation this time.
"You wanted to see me?"
Marco nodded.
"Sit."
Adrian sat down across from him.
"You seem more stable," Marco said.
Adrian frowned slightly.
"…What does that mean?"
"You're reacting less," Marco explained. "Or rather, you're reacting differently."
Adrian leaned back slightly.
"…I think I understand things better."
"Explain."
Adrian thought for a moment.
"…When something happens, I don't feel like I'm there anymore."
Marco watched him carefully.
"Where?"
Adrian hesitated.
"…Before."
Marco nodded slowly.
"And now?"
"…Now I know I'm here," Adrian said. "Even if my body reacts first."
Marco didn't interrupt.
Adrian continued,
"…And I can stop it. Not immediately. But I can."
Marco leaned back slightly.
"That's progress."
Adrian nodded.
"…It doesn't feel like a big thing."
"It is," Marco said.
Adrian didn't argue.
—
That night, Adrian stayed in his room again.
He didn't feel the need to leave.
He sat at his desk with his notebook open.
He looked at everything he had written so far.
The names.
The memories.
The small notes.
Then he added something new.
I'm not scared the same way anymore
He paused.
Then added—
I can speak
He stared at the words for a long time.
They felt true.
Not perfect.
But true.
—
When he lay down that night, he didn't think about the bad memories first.
He thought about the day.
About what he said.
About how he reacted.
About the fact that he didn't stay quiet.
"…I didn't hide," he said quietly.
That mattered more than he expected.
Because for a long time—
That's all he did.
Hide.
Stay quiet.
Wait.
But now—
He wasn't doing that anymore.
And even though the past wasn't gone—
Even though there were still things he hadn't remembered yet—
Adrian knew something for sure.
He wasn't that same person anymore.
Not the one who stayed silent.
Not the one who just accepted everything.
He turned onto his side, closing his eyes slowly.
"…I'm different now."
And this time—
It didn't feel strange to say it.
It felt right.