Until July

The voice

"Hello,A-are you Mai," the boy asked softly.

Mai's breath caught in her throat as she turned to him, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Why... why can I see you? Why are you talking to me? You should hate me or at least ignore me like everyone else!"

The boy's smile was gentle, carrying a warmth that seemed to bridge the years between them. "You've forgotten me, haven't you? I'm Yuki. We used to play together at the park when we were children, before you moved away. You might not remember, but you were the only one who ever showed me kindness,when all the other kids would punch and bully me .You stood up for me.Your kinda like my hero "the boy smiled.

Mai's tears began to fall uncontrollably as she listened, the weight of his words settling heavily on her heart. "How... how am I a hero ?"

Yuki's gaze was full of empathy as he continued. "When everyone else turned their backs on me, you reached out. You were my only friend. You treated me like a friend you'd known for years even if it was just our first time talking.  Because of you, I learned that there's still goodness in the world, and that there's something worth holding on to."

Mai sobbed quietly as Yuki gently wiped away her tears. "I didn't know... I didn't realize," she whispered, her voice breaking.

"You did more than you think ,you know," Yuki said softly. "You were my inspiration my whole childhood.You're the reason I didn't give up. You're the Only reason I'm here now."

10 years ago-

---

Yuki sat alone on a swing at the far end of the park, his small frame barely causing the swing to move. His gaze was fixed on the ground, tracing patterns in the dirt with the tip of his shoe. He came here often , but today was different. The laughter of children echoed in the distance, yet it did nothing to ease the tension knotting in his chest.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him, blocking the warm rays of the sun. Yuki looked up to see a group of older boys, four of them, towering over him with smirks plastered across their faces. The leader, a boy with a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, sneered at Yuki.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the leader taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "A little mouse playing all by himself.How pathetic"the boy scoffed.

Yuki's heart pounded in his chest. "I-I'm just sitting here," he stammered, his voice barely audible. "I'm not bothering anyone."

The boy next to the leader, taller and bulkier, reached down and snatched Yuki's hat off his head. "Oh, you're not bothering anyone?" he echoed, his grin widening. "Well, we're bored, so you're gonna entertain us."

The other boys laughed, surrounding Yuki in a tight circle. He tried to stand up, to walk away, but a rough shove from another boy sent him crashing back onto the swing.

"Where do you think you're going, mouse?" the third boy jeered. "We're just getting started."

Yuki's eyes filled with tears. He blinked rapidly, trying to keep them from falling, but the boys' taunts only grew louder, crueler.They kicked him and his fragile legs started to bruise.He felt utterly trapped, the fear clutching his throat, rendering him mute.

Then, through the fog of his terror, Yuki heard a voice—strong, clear, and unafraid.

"Hey! Leave him alone!"

The boys froze and turned as one. Yuki followed their gaze, his eyes widening as he saw a girl standing a few feet away. She was about his age, with a determined set to her jaw and a fire in her eyes that seemed far too intense for someone her size. She marched toward them, her steps confident and unyielding.

The leader of the boys scoffed. "Oh, look, it's his little girlfriend. What're you gonna do, little girl ?"

The girl didn't flinch. She stepped closer, her gaze never wavering. "I said, leave him alone," she repeated, her voice steady. "Or do i need to punch you to make you stop?"

The boys exchanged uncertain glances. The leader's bravado wavered as he looked at her. He wasn't used to being challenged, especially not by someone smaller, someone who wasn't afraid. With a scowl, he threw Yuki's hat to the ground.

The boys laughed.
"Whatever," he muttered, his tone sulky. "We were just messing around."

The boys retreated, their laughter now muted, but they didn't look back. Yuki remained on the swing, his body still trembling with the aftershocks of fear. Slowly, the girl approached him, picking up his hat from the ground. She dusted it off and handed it to him with a gentle smile.

"Here," she said softly. "Are you okay?"

Yuki took the hat with shaking hands, his eyes locked on hers. There was something about the way she looked at him that made him feel happy. He swallowed hard, trying to find his voice.

"Th-thank you," he managed to whisper. "I was really scared."

She sat down on the swing next to him, her presence warm and reassuring. "Those guys are just bullies," she said, her tone casual, as if this kind of bravery was something she did every day. "They're all bark, no bite."

Yuki nodded, still processing everything that had just happened. "I'm Yuki," he said after a moment, his voice still quiet.

"Mai," she replied, swinging her legs slightly. "Nice to meet you, Yuki."

And just like that, the fear that had gripped Yuki began to fade, replaced by a newfound sense of friendship.

---