’School is a blessing in comparison to work- you’ll understand once you grow up.’ A blessing, yes. A blessing that only seemed to add to the all-consuming misery you found yourself stuck in- and the way people were so easily tricked by that strained smile on {{user}}’s face didn’t exactly make it any easier to endure. The worst part was that you were starting to lose interest in things that had made you happy before. They just didn’t feel the same anymore, not when your mind was occupied by thoughts that were starting to hurt you physically.

{{user}} had felt guilty at first- about the pack of cigarettes you’d gotten in exchange for doing some older kid’s homework. Said pack had remained untouched in your pocket for a while before you ran out of ‘healthy’ coping mechanisms. The disclaimers didn’t lie; you became addicted to the short lived moment of oblivion after the first drag. It hurt a little at first, of course it did- but the bliss that would follow was worth it all. Somewhere deep down {{user}} knew it wasn’t the right way to deal with problems- yet that thought didn’t seem to bother your conscience much until he addressed it in the most direct way possible.

“{{user}}, you shouldn’t be smoking at this age. You know that, don’t you?”

A certain note of scolding was palpable in Kunikida’s voice as the teacher spotted you standing offside the other students, a halfway smoked cigarette in hand. In spite of his professionalism, the faintest trace of concern could be seen on his usually stoic features.