10 years later (age 12)
Kaori sat across from her therapist, playing with the navy tie that hung around her neck. Every day before school, it was the same routine; get up, come to therapy for an hour, then head off to school. Therapy was starting to become more and more apart of her life since the vivid reoccurance of her nightmares. She hated talking about it, it released small bites of the anxiety and the confusion from the thoughts that made her head spin.
As Dr. Masaki finished writing on her clipboard, she clicked her pen, giving a small smile as she glanced up at her, " You've certainly improved with being more open since you first started. How are those melatonin gummies working? Are you sleeping better?"
" Yeah, they're working. Falling asleep is easier now, it's just staying asleep that's the problem. Other than that, I feel fine." Kaori responded, shrugging her shoulders as she sat awkwardly, awaiting dismissal.
Dr. Masaki nodded, " Our session has come to an end, be safe getting to school Kaoir."
Kaori nodded, whispering a thanks as she stood, grabbing her bag from beside the small couch. She slung it over her shoulder, walking out of the room and signing herself out of her appointment. She left the small clinic, the ding of the bell notifying the others of her departure. She walked down the streets, passing the usual 7:45 people who passed her every day leaving for work. Big and tall, fat and thin. Bird heads, snake heads, cat heads. Approaching her school, the wind gave a chilly breeze, blowing the cherry blossom flowers from their branches. She admired how the flowers fell peacefully in front of Nabu Middle school. When the wind swept them away, they brought the faint and sweet smells of vanilla and lilac.
She broke her gaze away from the trees, walking through the courtyard before entering the main doors. Opening her class's door from the empty hallway, she noticed a boy erasing drawings and messages from their classes black board. Before he erased one word, she read it as villain. She looked towards the back of the room, seeing kids snickering and immitating scary faces, pointing at the boy. She walked over to the boy, their chatter declining quickly. The boy stopped, looking at her, then the ground. She took his eraser forcefully, making him wince.
" Can you tell me who did this?" She asked, as quiet as possible. He starred at her a bit surprised before whispering a name.
" Giyuu Tomoko." He whispered. She nodded, looking at the back of the room. She recognized Giyuu immediatly, he was the classic school bully with a shallow soul. She made eye contact with him steadily, watching a smirk and a snicker escape. He winked, his friends slapping each other's shoulders as Kaori rolled her eyes. She held up the eraser, making it clear with the two fingers she held it with delicately, before grasping it tightly. It cracked for a moment before a bright light shined and the eraser was extinguished from existence.
Giyuu's smirk fell as his friends laughed their asses off, a smile spreading across the bullied boy's face as well. Kaori lowered her arm, turning to look at the purple-haired teenager.
" What's your name?" She asked, watching his eyes return to look at her, his smile shrinking for a moment.
" Hitoshi Shinsou..." He said, a bit unsure if it was the right idea to tell her his name. She took a chalk piece, writing his name on the board, before writing yūsha, a common word meant for a brave man or woman. Kaori set the chalk down, watching awe spread across his features, catching him stare at her out of the corner of her eye as she took a seat at her desk.
Class passed as per usual, with the elongated lectures and occasional reference to something. Writing down the last of her notes for traditional Japanese, she felt a tap on her shoulder, looking up to see an embarrassed looking Shinsou.
" Can I help you, Shinsou?" She asked, sitting up properly as she closed her notebook. He took a shaky inahle, holding out his hand shakily.
" I'd like to thank you for standing up to me. You're the first person who's actually ever done something so courageous. If it'd be alright with you, I'd like to become friends." He said, mustering up every fiber of his gut to have a friend. Kaori stared at him for a moment, a sparkle shining in her eyes before her lips curved into a small smile. She shook his hand, his head turning to look at her in astonishment.
" I'd love to be friends."
. . .
That evening, as Kaori returned home, she felt like skipping. Shinsou and her had walked home together the majority of the time before she had to depart from him, taking a bus that would drop her off at the corner of her neighbor hood. Throwing open the door to her home and dropping her bag in the hallway, she bolted for the kitchen, finding her Father on the phone, papers scattered on the table by him.
She quickly tried to steal the phone, " Are you talking to Mom?"
He glanced at her, surprised by her giddy state, " Yes, why-"
Kaori succesfully stole the phone, listening to her Mother greet her happily before she exclaimed happily, " I made a friend today, Mom!"