It was an August evening.
Little Kai was only 7 years old.
That day, Kai was very excited because he was about to go to a classmate's birthday party.
"So, my little prince is going to a party, huh?" His mother said with a chuckle, adjusting the collar of his outfit.
"Yes!!!" The little Kai replied in a very happy tone, throwing himself into his mother's arms, seeking affection. "I love you, Mom!!" He exclaimed, clinging to her.
Haruka warmly embraced him and gently stroked his head, laughing along with him.
Kai's happiness was so contagious that even his mother couldn't help but laugh with him.
The bond between the two had always been very strong, and every time Haruka looked into her beloved son's eyes, she felt as if all the struggles she had gone through to have him never existed.
All the pain she had experienced to bring him into the world seemed to vanish every time she looked into his eyes.
Despite her importance in the business world as the CEO and head of her family's company, she had always found enough time to dedicate to her son.
She had never let him lack anything, whether in terms of affection or material things.
But because of this, Kai had grown up in a sort of bubble, a world that was completely different and idyllic compared to reality.
He attended elite private schools, went on expensive trips, and lived in a world far removed from the "normal" one, unaware of how it truly worked.
However, it must also be said that Kai was never a spoiled child.
He almost never asked for anything, except to have friends.
"Alright… I think you're ready now." Haruka said, giving Kai's outfit some final adjustments.
"Hehe…" Kai giggled.
Then, Haruka stood up and took her son's hand to guide him to their car.
That day, unfortunately, Kai's father was locked in his study, finishing writing chapters for his novel, so he couldn't join them.
They walked cheerfully towards the car, and after getting in, they headed to the location of the party, accompanied by their private driver.
The journey wasn't too long, but not short either.
Kai was truly euphoric about going to a party with so many other children.
He kept repeating how happy he was to see his friends.
During that period, he had grown especially close to a girl named Emi Fujimoto. But she wasn't at this party.
When they arrived, two of his closest friends were waiting for him.
As they stepped out of the car, Haruka walked with a smile on her face towards the venue where the birthday party was being held.
She also carried a gift in her other hand.
For some strange reason, all the people present were looking at Haruka and Kai with a strange expression, as if they had seen an alien.
All eyes were fixed on Kai and his mother.
They knew exactly who that woman was and wondered why she had shown up in person at a party for "ordinary people."
In fact, this event was the birthday party of Hiro, one of Kai's dearest friends, whom he had met by chance during a vacation.
Along with him was his sister Hana, who was also very close to Kai.
Haruka was perfectly aware of the disdainful looks from the people around her, who considered her "different," but at the same time, she did her best to ignore everyone, so as not to make Kai uncomfortable.
When they entered the venue, Kai was immediately greeted by Hiro and Hana, who ran towards him.
Haruka, on the other hand, was greeted by both parents of Kai's friends.
They were cordial and sincere people.
They always minded their own business and never bothered anyone.
"Hiro!! Happy birthday!!" Kai said in a very happy tone.
"Kai!! Thanks!!!" Hiro replied, giving him a high-five.
These were the only glimpses of normalcy that Kai had seen.
To him, the world was all roses and sunshine.
"Kai, aren't you forgetting something?" Haruka said, addressing her son.
Kai turned towards his mother and saw the gift she was holding.
"Oh! The present for Hiro." He said, taking it from her hands.
"Good boy! Now, go give it to him." Haruka said, patting his head.
Then, Kai took the present and handed it to Hiro.
Hiro didn't hesitate to open it, and when he saw it, his eyes sparkled with joy: it was an exclusive action figure of Alex, the protagonist of "The Tale of a Vampire Slayer." One of Hiro's favorite things.
He was on the verge of tears from happiness.
He hugged Kai and shouted, "Thank you!!!"
Hana also had a similar reaction, though deep inside she felt a slight jealousy because she, too, wanted attention from Kai.
The action figure that had been gifted was of high quality and also very expensive.
The people around them looked with disdain at Hiro's happiness.
"I figured she'd throw all that money away on a toy… instead of helping someone in need."
"What won't she do to be the center of attention…"
"Is she trying to feel superior to us?!"
These were the thoughts of the people around them, while they greeted and spoke to Haruka as if nothing had happened.
The only real and sincere things that evening were nothing more than the innocence and happiness of those children, who were all playing cheerfully together.
Fortunately, the party continued.
Haruka spoke a lot with the parents of the other children while Kai played.
Everyone spoke to her in a falsely friendly manner.
Some even asked for favors or jobs.
Haruka was used to this kind of thing, but deep down, it pained her slightly.
It was as if they didn't see her as a human being.
As the party drew to a close, everyone sang "Happy Birthday!" to Hiro, marking the end of the celebration.
After taking some photos and eating the cake, Hiro and Hana said their goodbyes to Kai, who had to leave.
Kai wished he could live like this forever, with his friends.
He and his mother got back into the car and headed home.
During the drive, Kai kept asking if he could see Hiro and Hana more often.
Haruka only kept saying things like "don't worry" , "we'll see" or "we'll find a solution…" to calm his feelings.
Haruka perfectly knew that it wasn't easy.
Being the son of two wealthy and important people, Kai had always been seen as "different" by everyone…
That evening, as he lay in bed, Kai began to think about many things.
He wanted to see his friends more often.
And from that moment on, a small sense of sadness began to grow inside him.
He started to feel alone…
His mind raced with thoughts of the day's events.
For the first time, he noticed the difference between his world and that of his friends.
The stares, the whispers… they were new to him.
He didn't quite understand why people looked at his mother and him the way they did, but it made him uncomfortable.
"Why do they see us like that?" Kai wondered, staring at the ceiling.
His room, filled with toys and luxuries, suddenly felt too big, too empty.
He wanted to see Hiro and Hana every day, to play with them without feeling different.
"But why can't I?" he whispered to himself.
The weight of that unspoken difference settled in his young heart.
He hugged his pillow tightly, longing for the simplicity and joy he felt with his friends.
As sleep began to take him, Kai resolved that one day, he would make sure that he could be with his friends whenever he wanted, without any barriers.
But until then, a small seed of loneliness had been planted, one that would grow with time.