Kota had always been obsessed with being respected. It was a fixation born from his childhood—a time when no one, especially the girls, wanted to play with him.
He was mocked for being "ugly", words that sank deep into his fragile heart.
Yet, amidst the sea of ridicule, there was one light: Mari. She was the only one who didn't seem to care about his appearance.
She stayed by his side, smiling and treating him like an equal. To Kota, Mari wasn't just a friend; she was salvation.
But as they grew older, things began to change. While others experienced growth, Kota's body betrayed him, leaving him stuck in a scrawny frame.
His friends grew taller, broader, and more confident, while he remained stagnant, a boy in a man's world.
The distance between him and Mari became painfully obvious. She blossomed into a beautiful young woman, the kind that turned heads wherever she went.
