Outsider Syndrome: Everlasting (Bonus Content)

Chapter 1 - "Crescendo"

Using all the intellect I had at that point in time, I came up with an immediate one: "Shii!"

She thought about it.

"That's cute."

No! "W-wait," I said, "let me change it into something more—"

"Nope. I like it."

"Urgh."

She erupted into laughter.

Right then, the bells pealed across the school, signalling the end of lunch. Shii sprinted toward the nearest trash bin to dispose of the empty snack wrapper alongside my soiled snack, before returning to my side. She noticed straightaway.

"Does your leg hurt?"

I bobbed my head as I clambered to my feet. Newfound waterworks tickled the corners of my eyelids. Those bullies had kicked me one too many times. Nonetheless, the pain wasn't entirely unbearable.

I limped at a steady pace in the direction of the school building. Shii shuffled beside me.

"You don't have to walk slower for me," I told her. "Class is starting."

"This isn't for you," she responded, matter-of-factly. "I just move super-duper slow."

"Liar."

"I'm not lying. This is as fast as I can go."

She was insanely stubborn.

"Rin-Rin, can I tell you a secret?" She sent me an ear-wide grin. "This is the first time I've ever talked to anyone in our class."

Following a beat of silence, she shyly fidgeted from foot to foot.

"Is it. . . okay if I talk to you tomorrow too?"

It became crystal clear to me, then. It wasn't that Shii was unapproachable, or tough. She had backbone because she was left no choice but to grow one. Deep down, she didn't want to be left out of circles. She wanted to talk freely and play with others. Yet she bottled it inside because nobody let her voice otherwise.

I took her fragile hand and bobbed my head. "We can talk every day if you want."

"Okay! Let's stay together in the future, too. Forever and ever! I'll protect you from those boys if they pick on you again. I won't let them hurt you."

It was reversed.

I should've been the one to say that. However, clueless to how delicate her heart really was—that she was one who needed somebody to protect her—she continued to shield me. Whenever I was down, whenever I was scared, or excited, she was the one I relied on. I found comfort in having her around. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

To this day, I cherished her kindness. Even now, she gave me courage.

On behalf of others, she could get defensive. Throw a punch or kick; cheer them on genuinely. But toward herself, she was submissive. She received blows, no matter how brutal. She couldn't cheer herself on without withholding some degree of doubt.