THE HEART SYSTEM : A WORLD OF LOVE MISSIONS
°Chubby Baby°⁴
Arien sat alone at the table, his gaze fixated on his food.
He tried to ignore the stares and whispers of the other students around him, but it was hard. He could hear the occasional snicker or comment about his weight, and he felt the familiar sting of shame in his chest.
He pushed his food around on his plate, not really having an appetite anymore.
He glanced over to Zyran's table, where the bully was surrounded by his friends and laughing loudly.
A part of him longed to be a part of that, to be included and accepted by the popular kids. But he knew that it was a mere fantasy...
Arien [MC]
💭 Why can't I just be normal?
Arien [MC]
💭 Why do I have to be the butt of everyone's jokes?...
Arien [MC]
💭 It's not fair... I'm not even that bad looking, right?
Arien [MC]
💭 But all they see is my fat body. I wish I could just disappear....
As Arien's thoughts spiraled deeper into misery, he found himself turning to a familiar comfort: food.
He mindlessly shoved more food into his mouth, drowning out his negative emotions with each bite.
Lunette, who was studying psychology, picked up on Arien's behavior again.
？？？
Hey, guys, look. (whispers)
？？？
That's a clear sign of emotional eating right there. (speaks quietly while gesturing towards Arien)
？？？
(nods) Yeah, you're right.
？？？
He's using food as a coping mechanism to deal with his emotional distress...
Lunette gathered her courage and stood up, determination in her eyes.
？？？
I'm going to go talk to him.
？？？
(shoots them a stern glance)
？？？
Yes, seriously. He looks like he needs a friend right now.
Lunette glanced at the other person, waiting for his response.
He seemed thoughtful for a moment before nodding, a reassuring smile on his face.
？？？
Yeah, go for it. I think it's a good idea.
With his encouragement, Lunette took a deep breath and approached Arien's table.
She noticed his slumped shoulders and tear-filled eyes, and her heart ached for him.
？？？
Hey. (says softly, sitting down across from him)
Arien [MC]
(looks up in surprise, not expecting someone to actually want to talk to him)
He tried to hide his vulnerability, but his red, puffy eyes gave him away.
Arien [MC]
Uh, sure... (mumbled awkwardly)
Lunette
I'm Lunette, by the way.
Lunette
I'm a senior, and I saw you sitting here alone. I thought I'd come over and say hi.
Arien [MC]
(fidgeting awkwardly, not used to being spoken to so nicely)
Arien [MC]
Oh, uh... I'm Arien. I'm in my second year...(mumbles, avoiding her gaze)
Lunette
Nice to meet you, Arien. (warmly)
A few beats of awkward silence passed before Lunette decided to break the ice with a simple question.
Lunette
So, how come you're sitting alone? No friends to eat with?...
Arien [MC]
(looked down at his food) No, I... I don't really have many friends...
Lunette
Well, maybe I can change that.
Lunette
You see, I'm a pretty great friend, so I bet we'll get along just fine.
Lunette
Unless, of course, you don't want to be friends. (teasing slightly)
Arien's eyes widened slightly in surprise at Lunette's friendly tone.
He definitely hadn't expected the popular senior to want to be his friend.
Arien [MC]
Wait, really?
(a mixture of disbelief and hope in his voice)
Lunette
(chuckled lightly) Of course, really.
Lunette
Contrary to popular belief, I don't only befriend cool people with the best fashion and the perfect social status.
Lunette
I befriend people whose company I enjoy, and honestly, something about you tells me we'll get along just fine.
Arien's face lit up with a small but genuine smile.
Arien [MC]
I... I don't know what to say...
(a bit overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events)
Zyran had been watching from a distance, his sharp eyes taking in the scene between Lunette and Arien.
Seeing the senior girl sitting and talking willingly with the fat loser had caught him off guard.
Zyran
(gritted his teeth and strutted over to Arien's table, a smirk on his face)
Zyran
Oh, look who it is. Fatty finally got a friend.
(tone was dripping with mockery)
Arien tensed up immediately, his previous joy replaced by fear.
Arien [MC]
(avoided Zyran's gaze, hunching his shoulders in an attempt to make himself smaller)
Lunette, however, was not intimidated by Zyran's presence.
Lunette
(raised an eyebrow at his comment and turned to look at him)
Lunette
And what exactly is that supposed to mean?
(her voice cool and collected)
Zyran
(sneered at Lunette's response)
Zyran
What it means is that he's a fat loser who nobody wants to be friends with.
Zyran
And now you're sitting here, trying to be noble and inclusive, but let's be real~
Zyran
He's a nobody, and you're just wasting your time.
Arien's face burned with shame as Zyran's harsh words stung his already fragile ego.
He wanted to say something, to defend himself, but his fear and insecurity held him back.
He could feel Lunette's gaze on him, waiting for him to respond
With the bell ringing and most students filing out of the cafeteria, Zyran turned to leave, shooting one final jab at Arien.
Zyran
Yeah, good luck making friends, fatty.
Zyran
You'll need it, because as long as I'm around, nobody'll want to be seen with you.
Arien [MC]
(Hung his head, feeling the weight of Zyran's words settle heavily on his shoulders as he watched Zyran walk away)
He knew that the bully's words were intended to cut deep, and they had done their job.
Lunette
(noticed Arien's dejected expression and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder)
Lunette
Hey, don't listen to Zyran.
Lunette
He's just a bully who gets some sick pleasure out of putting others down.
The person, overhearing the conversation, chimed in firmly.
？？？
Before we soothe his feelings, he needs to stand up for himself first.
？？？
Otherwise, he'll always look like an easy target to bullies like Zyran.
Arien [MC]
💭 Senior Orion!!!
![Arien [MC]](https://up-pic.mangatoon.mobi/contribute/fiction/8983324/avatar/50587568/1722235024922.jpeg-s200webp?sign=34f9235b235cafbd7341ea58fab0a736&t=68a73e46)
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