They say kindness is the reward of a good heart.
But no one ever tells you how painful it is when that same kindness becomes the reason people walk all over you.
This is the story of a boy who learned to smile... even as he slowly lost himself.
It was barely five in the morning. The sky remained dim, with only a faint hint of dawn creeping over the horizon as the front door of a small house at the end of a quiet street opened.
A teenage boy stepped outside, dressed neatly in his school uniform. He carefully adjusted the strap of his backpack over his shoulder before closing the door behind him.
"Ryuo!"
He turned around.
Standing at the doorway was his mother, holding the lunchbox he had almost forgotten.
"You left this behind."
Ryuo scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.
"Ah... Thanks, Mom."
She walked over and gently straightened his slightly crooked collar.
"Don't rush so much. You're still early."
"Yes, Mom."
Inside the house, his father peeked out while taking a sip of hot coffee.
"Study hard, son!"
Ryuo smiled warmly.
"I will, Dad!"
He waved happily before walking down the quiet street.
The morning was peaceful.
Only the faint chirping of crickets and the cool breeze brushing against his face disturbed the silence.
As he walked farther away from home, the smile on his face slowly faded.
"It's so quiet... It feels nice."
"...Then why do I feel so lonely?"
His school was only a short walk away, so he had grown used to walking there every day.
But today...
Something felt different.
As he walked along the old stone road, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him from behind.
He stopped.
Slowly, he turned around.
Beneath a lonely streetlamp stood the silhouette of a person.
The figure was staring directly at him.
Its face was hidden in darkness.
"..."
Ryuo frowned slightly.
Maybe he was just imagining things.
He turned around and continued walking.
But something urged him to look back one more time.
When he did—
The figure was gone.
"...Huh?"
He looked around.
Nothing.
It was as if the stranger had vanished into thin air.
"...I must be seeing things."
Shaking his head, Ryuo continued toward school.
He didn't know it yet...
But that wouldn't be the last time he saw that mysterious figure.
When he arrived at school, he headed straight to his classroom.
The building was still quiet.
Only a few students had arrived.
He sat in his favorite seat by the window.
From there, he stared at the dark morning sky.
For just a brief moment...
He could forget about reality.
One by one, his classmates entered the room.
They laughed.
They chatted.
They joked with one another.
Yet not a single one of them...
Walked over to him.
One student almost took the empty seat beside Ryuo.
Before he could sit down, a friend called out.
"Sit over here instead."
The student nodded and moved away.
The chair beside Ryuo remained empty.
Just like always.
He smiled quietly to himself.
Maybe...
He was already used to it.
But that silence...
Would soon be shattered by the people who had long since turned his suffering into their favorite pastime.
Within minutes, the classroom was filled with noise.
Some students talked excitedly about their favorite games.
Others copied homework at the last minute, while a few chased each other around the room.
It was a perfectly ordinary morning.
For everyone.
Except Ryuo.
He sat quietly by the window, absentmindedly twirling a pen between his fingers.
The blank page in his notebook remained untouched.
"Hey."
He slowly looked up.
Three boys stood in front of his desk.
Each of them wore a smug grin.
Like stray dogs that had found a new toy to play with.
"Yo, Ryuo."
He offered them a small, polite smile.
"..."
He wasn't surprised.
This happened every single day.
"Give us your money."
Without a word, Ryuo took out his wallet and handed over the money his parents had given him for recess.
He didn't argue.
It was easier this way.
One of the boys snatched the cash and counted it.
"Only a hundred?"
He smirked.
"Looks like your parents really love you."
He tossed the money to one of his friends.
"Drinks are on Ryuo today."
The three of them burst into laughter.
Ryuo thought it was over.
Then the shortest one stepped forward.
He barely reached Ryuo's shoulder.
But despite his size, he was the cruelest of them all—the one who led the bullying.
"You're getting pretty good at handing over your money."
Smack!
A hard slap landed on the back of Ryuo's head.
He lowered his gaze.
The pain stung...
But he didn't complain.
He was used to it.
"When are you going to stop...?"
he whispered softly.
The boys stared at him for a second.
Then they laughed even harder.
"Did you hear that?"
"He wants us to stop!"
"Hahaha!"
"We'll stop..."
The leader leaned closer.
"...when you're dead."
Someone suddenly yanked his backpack.
A notebook fell onto the floor.
Pens and papers scattered across the classroom.
Several students looked over.
A girl looked as if she wanted to stand.
But the student beside her grabbed her arm.
"Leave it."
"We'll be next."
She slowly sat back down.
No one spoke.
No teacher was around.
No one helped.
Ryuo quietly knelt down and picked up his belongings one by one.
Carefully.
Silently.
As though he were the one who had made the mess.
Once everything was back inside his bag, he looked up.
And smiled.
The bullies frowned.
"What are you smiling at?"
One of them raised his fist—
"What's going on over there?"
The classroom door slid open.
Their homeroom teacher had arrived.
The boys immediately backed away.
"Nothing, Ma'am!"
"We were just playing!"
"Take your seats."
They obeyed.
Or at least, they pretended to.
The moment class began, they quietly moved behind Ryuo.
A finger jabbed the back of his head.
Another smack.
Then someone spat across his desk.
The boys chuckled among themselves.
Ryuo remained silent.
He lowered his head and stared at his trembling hands beneath the desk.
He clenched them so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.
Not because he was angry.
But because...
He was getting tired.
Tired of being kind in a world that never returned that kindness.