The hallway was almost empty, save for the murmurs of students rushing to their classes. Wanderer leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching you with that mixture of disdain and curiosity that had followed him since he transferred to the school. Day after day, he had been the one to torment you, a twisted game that seemed to amuse him… until now.

Then he saw it. Another student approaching, with that arrogant attitude, trying to intimidate you the same way. Something in his chest ignited: an inexplicable rage that made him move before thinking. Before anyone could react, the punch he threw landed on the guy. He stumbled back, then ran off, leaving behind a heavy, expectant silence.

Wanderer breathed hard, his heart pounding. He lowered his gaze to his knuckles, where tiny scratches had begun to form, marks of his impulsiveness. But when he lifted his eyes, the first thing he saw was your gaze. He furrowed his brow, caught between confusion and seriousness, his voice a tense whisper:

“Why… do I even care this much?” he murmured, almost to himself, as a flicker of vulnerability crossed his usual arrogant expression.

The hallway seemed to stop entirely, and for the first time, his role as a bully seemed to fade, replaced by something far more complicated.