There's a kind of guilt that doesn't explode all at once…
It just sits quietly in your chest like a stone you can't spit out.
That's how it felt every time I thought of Leo.
Because while I was drifting through my own chaos, trying to survive that blurry "time skip arc," I somehow forgot the one person who never forgot me.
Leo had always been there —
through every breakdown, every messy night, every heavy moment I couldn't handle alone.
But while I was falling,
he was falling too.
Family pressure crushing him, heartbreak messing him up, his whole world shaking —
and I wasn't there.
I didn't even notice.
When the guilt finally hit, it wasn't loud.
It was quiet.
Sharp.
Deep.
Facing him again… man, that was scary.
I kept thinking he'd changed, or he'd be cold, or he'd shut me out.
But when I finally went back…
He didn't even ask where I'd been.
He didn't complain.
He just listened.
I rambled too fast, words shaking, mind all over the place… and then I cracked.
Quietly.
Tears I didn't plan.
A breakdown I couldn't stop.
And Leo —
he handled it like he always did.
With this calmness that made you feel safe without him even trying.
That day, I made a silent promise:
I won't disappear on him again.
---
Weeks passed.
Life settled just a little.
Leo stayed the same old chatterbox.
But before Christmas came, something shifted.
A Small Pause Before the Holidays
One evening, he dragged me out of the house — no warning, no explanation.
We ended up on his rooftop, sitting in the cold wind, eating cheap chips and watching the city lights blink like we were kids again.
We didn't talk much.
But the silence wasn't awkward.
It felt like breathing after holding it too long.
That moment felt like the universe giving us a reset button.
Christmas came — nothing dramatic.
Just our group chilling, laughing, eating way too much snacks.
Somewhere in that warmth, I realized something:
friends don't need perfect timing.
They just need each other.
---
2024 — The Month That Felt Like a Monday
January had absolutely NO vibe.
Just cold mornings and that tired feeling of starting another year.
But then February rolled in.
And everything flipped.
---
The First Day of Grade 10
Me and my gang squeezed into the last bench — our usual throne.
Laughing, messing around, pretending school didn't exist.
Then I zoned out…
like totally spaced out.
My eyes landed on a newcomer.
Weird, because our principal NEVER takes new kids in Grade 10 or 12.
But this year, he took four — two boys, two girls.
And the two girls…
they were old classmates from Grade 7.
Miki — chaotic otaku athlete.
Failed 9th too .
And Shizu —
quiet, smart, soft vibes, someone who used to sit near me.
She walked over with that gentle expression and said,
"Hey, it's you, right? Ken?"
Just the usual boring introductions… but my chest did that stupid little thump thing.
Because yeah, I had a crush on her once.
Maybe I still did — who knows.
Recess came.
We went to the terrace — our classic hideout.
Shizu and Miki joined us, even though I kinda didn't want outsiders in our spot.
So I moved to the side —
my introvert instinct kicks in instantly.
Then…
Shizu followed me.
"Do you mind if I sit beside you?"
I shook my head, but inside?
Maybe I felt something warm.
She sat a little closer than I expected — not too close, just close enough for me to feel her presence.
Her hair moved a little in the wind.
And I swear… for a second, I forgot how to breathe normally.
We started talking, slow and soft.
Her voice still had that calmness I remembered.
When I mentioned failing Grade 9, she laughed and said:
"I failed too… while studying abroad.
And Miki failed as well."
We both burst out laughing like two idiots reconnecting after a lifetime.
Then… the mood shifted.
Not in a dramatic way.
But in that quiet, soft, almost romantic way where you suddenly become aware that the person beside you feels familiar… and different… at the same time.
So I asked,
"So… how's your love life going? You seeing anyone?"
Her face changed for a moment.
Just a tiny expression.
Quick, but deep.
And I caught it instantly —
my psychology activating .
I didn't want to make her uncomfortable, so I switched the topic immediately, pretending I didn't notice.
But the air between us…
yeah, it changed a little.
Warmer.
Closer.
Like we were sitting inside a memory and creating a new one at the same time.
Then she asked me something.
A question from our past.
From Grade 5.
A question that froze me completely…
and shifted EVERYTHING.
But that belongs to Chapter 4.
Oh—
and before readers get confused how I'm still with the same guys after failing?
Simple.
We all decided to fail Grade 9 together.
Brotherhood level: dumb but loyal.
And now…
back to that question from Shizu.
It was the kind that makes your heartbeat skip once…
then twice…
And then—
To be continued…
---