The streets were empty.
A black-haired boy wandered aimlessly beneath the dim glow of streetlights, his face blank, indifferent—like someone who had forgotten what he was searching for.
He looked exhausted.
Like a man lost at sea for too long, drifting with nothing but hope that land might appear someday.
Or like a child who had wandered too far from home… and no longer remembered the way back.
He walked without direction.
Without purpose.
Then—
He nearly collided with an orange-haired high school boy.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Just a second.
Yet something heavy settled in the black-haired boy's chest.
Time froze.
The black-haired boy stopped and turned back instinctively.
But the orange-haired boy was already gone.
As if he had never been there at all.
And—
That was the moment when the purpose of one life began…
and another silently came to an end.
---
Inside the school, the orange-haired boy entered his classroom.
His bright hair stood in sharp contrast to his empty expression.
The room buzzed with chatter, laughter, and gossip—but none of it reached him.
Ryan's eyes passed straight through everything.
He walked in without interest.
Without curiosity.
Without emotion.
He took his seat.
Beside him sat a white-haired girl with her hair tied in a ponytail.
Juliet.
An extroverted, charming girl with a warm personality. Popular. Friendly. Someone who could make friends without trying.
And someone who, for reasons unknown, always tried to get closer to Ryan.
She smiled brightly.
"Hey, what's up?"
Ryan barely reacted.
"Oh… hi, Juliet."
Juliet's smile wavered slightly, a faint frown forming on her forehead.
Same response… as always.
---
When the school day ended, students poured out of the building, heading home like usual.
But the day wasn't as quiet as it seemed for Ryan.
Juliet was packing her bag when she heard noise outside.
Raised voices.
A familiar tension.
Her heart sank.
Again…
As usual, she saw the same group of bullies cornering Ryan.
It wasn't the first time.
And like always—
She rushed in.
"Hey! Stop beating him up! Why do you guys always bully him? Leave him alone!"
The bullies didn't even flinch.
The leader sneered, stepping closer.
"Who do you think you are?"
His voice was mocking, confident.
No one else was around.
What could a girl possibly do?
But Juliet didn't step back.
Her eyes burned with anger.
She had no intention of retreating.
The bullies shoved her aside and moved toward Ryan.
Juliet immediately got back up and stood in front of him, spreading her arms wide—shielding him with her body.
Fear trembled in her eyes.
But she didn't move.
"I'm not going to let you bully him."
Ryan watched her silently.
Annoyance.
Gratitude.
Both tangled together.
The bully leader stared at Juliet's unwavering gaze.
Then he laughed.
"Tch."
The group walked away, laughing loudly.
Juliet finally exhaled.
"Ahh… I was so scared," she muttered.
---
Ryan's voice snapped coldly.
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop meddling in my affairs?"
His words cut deep.
Juliet flinched but tried to reason with him.
"But why do you let them bully you? They always beat you up—I can't stand it. I told you before, we can tell Damian and he'll—"
Ryan's eyes hardened.
"Shut up."
His tone froze the air.
"Don't you dare tell him. I'm fine. This doesn't bother me. It's helping me."
Juliet blinked, confused.
Helping…?
Her voice trembled.
"Ahh… I wish I was stronger. So I could fight those bad guys instead of just shouting and watching helplessly."
Ryan laughed softly.
Not amused.
Disgusted.
"That's what I hate most about some people."
His eyes were empty.
"All they do is cry and imagine things. They talk big, say inspiring words to motivate themselves… but never act."
His voice sharpened.
"They live in their delusional world. People like that are losers. They don't even have the courage to make their words come true."
Those eyes—
Eyes that had cried too much.
Eyes that had seen something so painful that the light inside them had dried up.
Ryan turned and walked away.
Juliet stood frozen.
His words pierced her chest.
She wanted to argue.
To scream.
To tell him she wasn't a loser.
Her mouth opened—
Then closed.
Because deep down…
She wasn't sure anymore.
---
From a distance, the black-haired boy watched everything.
Every word.
Every expression.
Every silence.
This wasn't just a scene.
It was something else entirely.
He sat down heavily on the ground, clutching his chest, breathing hard.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Shock.
Emotion.
Recognition.
He felt it—
Something he had been searching for his entire life.
Something he had struggled endlessly to understand.
Something beyond words.
He recalled his own life.
The pain.
The emptiness.
The wandering.
And then—
The words escaped his lips, barely audible yet filled with absolute conviction.
"I… found it."