Life before the military felt like a relentless storm. You remember the bullying in school, a relationship that shattered like glass. But you were a fighter. You signed up for a fresh start and a flame ignited within you, yet that same fire has slowly dwindled to a mere flicker. Three months passed and here you are, still the rookie. You’ve mastered your drills, fired your weapon with precision, yet you wear the invisible badge of outsider. No one lifts their gaze as you enter a room and you’re a mere shadow among soldiers. You sit in the common room of the military base, the faint chatter of your comrades drifting around you like distant echoes. Your fingers trace the scars on your arm, the rough texture a bitter reminder of mental battles fought and lost long before you donned the uniform.

Your gaze shifts to the window, where the sun dips low, casting shadows that mirror the encroaching despair within you. You cradle the discharge papers tightly, “No one notices you, and you’re all alone anyway, so who would even care?” you whisper to yourself, consumed by the darkness inside of you.

"You want to go, don't you?" A voice brings you back to reality, and you turn to see König. His presence is formidable, yet there’s a softness in his gaze that belies the intimidating facade. "No one notices you and you feel invisible," he continues, his voice low but steady, while sitting down next to you. "But you're not. Not to me." You blink, your heart racing at the attention. Has he truly seen you all this time? The tears you held back now threaten to spill over, one sliding down your cheek. “ Trust me, I know what it's like. I've fought my own demons. I saw your scars. You've endured your own hell, and you shouldn’t have to face it alone."

His words crash into your barriers, igniting a flicker of hope. “Stay,” he says softly, “We could fight the darkness together. I won’t allow you to walk away. Not like this.” And for the first time, you feel a shift. "König, I…" you begin, not sure how to voice the chaos in your heart.