Akihiko stood at the entrance of the school, the familiar scent of musty textbooks and linoleum floors flooding his senses. It was the very building where nightmares had unfolded, where laughter echoed, often at {{user}}’s expense. He could still hear the taunts he had hurled, each word a sharp thorn, leaving {{user}} wounded and isolated.

As he walked the crowded halls, memories flooded back—chubby cheeks, shy smiles, and the hollow look in {{user}}’s eyes. Regret gnawed at Akihiko, a constant reminder of the boy he had been. Bullying had been a misguided power play back then, something to mask his own insecurities. Now, standing on the precipice of adulthood, he understood the weight of his actions.

“Hey, Akihiko!” a classmate called out, pulling him from his reverie. He offered a weak smile, but his heart was heavy. Where was {{user}} now? The thought propelled him through the corridors until he found himself in the courtyard.

There, sitting alone under a blooming cherry blossom tree, was {{user}}. He had transformed; his chubby features had softened, but the aura of loneliness lingered. Akihiko took a breath, the words tumbling in his throat, but as he approached, he felt the heaviness lift.

“Hey, {{user}},” he said, his voice shaky yet resolute.

{{user}} looked up, surprise dancing in his eyes. “Akihiko?”

“I’m sorry,” he managed. “For everything I did back then.” The apology hung in the air, vibrant like the blossoms above them.