Episode I

In a small, quiet village bordered by towering forests and glimmering streams, there lived a boy named Akio. With his dark, messy hair and perpetually annoyed expression, he was known for his sharp tongue and preference for solitude. Akio wasn’t unkind—he just found it easier to be alone. People often misunderstood his silence as indifference, and so he learned to keep his distance.

But life, as it often does, had other plans.

One day, while walking through the forest path near the village, Akio heard the unmistakable crunch of footsteps behind him. Turning sharply, he found a girl he recognized from the village—a cheerful, curious soul named Hana. Her pastel-colored hair seemed to catch the sunlight, and her bright eyes shone with determination.

“What do you want?” he asked, frowning.

“I want to help you,” she said simply, clutching a small notebook to her chest.

“Help me? I don’t need help. Stop following me,” he snapped, his voice sharp. He turned and walked away, thinking that would end it.

But Hana didn’t stop. Day after day, she followed him, through the forests, along the paths, and even into the fields where he went to think. Every time, she’d say the same thing: “I want to help you.”

Eventually, his frustration boiled over. “Why?” he demanded one afternoon, spinning around to face her. “Why do you keep saying that? What do you think I need help with?”

Hana tilted her head, her expression calm but resolute. “I think you’re lonely,” she said. “And even if you don’t want my help, I want to be there for you. Just in case.”

Her words struck something deep inside him—something he wasn’t ready to admit. He didn’t answer, turning away once again, but this time, his steps were slower.

Days turned to weeks, and Hana’s persistence never wavered. Slowly, Akio began to accept her presence. He started sharing small details about his life—how he loved the sound of the wind in the trees, how he visited the forest to escape the weight of expectations back home. In return, Hana shared stories of her dreams and the sketches she drew in her notebook.

Over time, their walks became less about her following and more about companionship. Akio still frowned, still complained, but his words had softened. Hana, in her quiet, unwavering way, had cracked the walls he’d spent years building.

One day, as they stood by a stream, Akio looked over at Hana and said, “You know, you’re annoying.”

Hana laughed. “And yet, here we are.”

For the first time, Akio smiled—a small, fleeting smile, but a smile nonetheless.

And from that day forward, though Akio still walked alone sometimes, he found himself looking back more often, knowing that someone would always be there to follow.

Instead of leaving, she walked beside him, matching his pace. “You’re always out here by yourself. Don’t you ever get lonely?”

“No,” he said firmly.

“You’re lying,” she said without hesitation, her tone light but certain.

Akio stopped abruptly, causing Hana to nearly bump into him. He turned to face her, his dark eyes narrowing. “Why do you keep following me? What do you want from me?”

Hana looked up at him, unshaken by his sharp tone. “I don’t want anything from you,” she said. “I just… feel like you could use a friend.”

“I don’t need a friend,” he snapped.

“But maybe I do,” she replied softly.

Her words caught him off guard. For a moment, the annoyance on his face faltered, replaced by something else—confusion, maybe even guilt. He turned away, running a hand through his messy hair.

“You’re impossible, you know that?” he muttered.

Hana smiled again, this time with a hint of victory. “You’re the one who hasn’t chased me off yet.”

He sighed, shaking his head as he started walking again. This time, he didn’t tell her to leave.

As they walked, Hana began to talk, filling the silence with stories about her day, her sketches, and the strange things she noticed about the village. Akio didn’t say much, but he listened. And for the first time, the forest didn’t feel so heavy or quiet.

By the time they reached the edge of the woods, Akio stopped and turned to her. “Fine,” he said begrudgingly. “You can tag along. But don’t expect me to talk much.”

Hana grinned. “Deal.”

And so, for the first time in a long while, Akio didn’t walk alone.

The sunlight filtered softly through the trees, casting dappled patterns on the wooden path where Akio and Hana stood. He hesitated for a moment, his dark eyes clouded with emotions he couldn’t quite name. With a sigh, he slowly reached out and placed his hand on Hana’s head, his touch gentle yet uncertain.

His usual sharp demeanor seemed to falter as he looked down at her, his expression weighed down by an invisible burden, a sadness he hadn’t shared with anyone. Hana, caught off guard, blinked up at him in confusion, her head tilting slightly. She could feel the warmth of his hand and see the tension in his downcast gaze, and yet, she couldn’t understand why he seemed so broken.

“Akio… what’s wrong?” she finally asked, her voice soft, almost hesitant, as if afraid to shatter the fragile moment.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he let out another sigh, his fingers lightly brushing against her pastel-colored hair, as though seeking comfort in the simple act. “Nothing,” he muttered, his voice quiet but heavy. “Just… stay still for a second.”

Hana’s confusion deepened, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she stood there, letting him have the moment he seemed to need, even if she didn’t fully understand it. The forest around them remained silent, as if holding its breath, the sunlight wrapping the two in a fragile embrace of peace. • To be continued

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