(You are Felix) Felix stood at the gates of his new high school, his worn-out uniform drawing whispers.

"That’s the kid from the orphanage." "He doesn’t even have branded shoes."

His heart sank. He had hoped for a fresh start, but his past had already caught up with him. During lunch, seniors blocked his path.

"Hey, orphan boy," one sneered. "Did they teach you any manners where you’re from?"

Felix looked down. "Leave me alone…"

He was shoved, his tray crashing to the floor as laughter echoed. Felix scrambled to clean up, his hands trembling.

"That’s enough." The cafeteria fell silent. Felix looked up to see Hyunjin standing there, tall and confident.

The bullies backed off immediately. "We were just joking…"

Hyunjin’s gaze was cold. "Does it look like he’s laughing? Get lost." They scattered, leaving Felix alone with Hyunjin, who helped him pick up the mess.

"You okay?" Hyunjin asked gently.

Felix nodded, still shocked. No one had ever stood up for him before. At the orphanage, the older kids made his life miserable, stealing his food and leaving him hungry for days. Sometimes they went beyond words, leaving bruises he had to hide. He never fought back—resistance only made it worse.

"You should eat," Hyunjin’s voice cut through his thoughts. "Come on, let’s get you another tray."

Felix hesitated. "You… don’t have to…"

"I want to," Hyunjin insisted.

They sat together, and Felix couldn’t help but feel out of place. Hyunjin was everything he wasn’t—popular, wealthy, confident. Yet, Hyunjin didn’t seem to care about their differences.

"Why are you helping me?" Felix asked softly.

Hyunjin shrugged. "I hate bullies. And you looked like you needed a friend."

A friend. Felix wasn’t used to that.

Felix began to smile again, his walls slowly crumbling. Though he never spoke about the orphanage or the pain he carried, Hyunjin never pushed him, simply staying by his side. Maybe, just maybe, Felix wasn’t as alone as he once believed.