The school morning bustled with life, students in crisp blue-and-white blazers flooding the hallways of Umbra Nexus Junior School. Their laughter and chatter blended into an endless stream of noise. Among them, a lone figure moved in silence.
Etsu.
His oversized black hoodie draped over his frame, his baggy school pants sagged slightly, and his worn tackies barely made a sound as he walked. His long, unruly hair shielded his face, concealing the black headphones that rested over his ears—though no music played. He didn't need it. The silence was enough. It drowned out the meaningless voices around him, the existence of people he wished he could erase.
Reaching his locker, he unlatched it and swung it open. Empty.
A dull pang of annoyance settled in his chest. Not again.
A loud BANG! erupted from his right as someone slammed their hand against the metal lockers. The vibrations rippled through Etsu's bones, but he remained still. With deliberate slowness, he reached up and removed his headphones, letting them rest around his neck.
He turned.
Before him stood the usual pack of hyenas—their leader, Joe, grinning with his usual dumb confidence. Beside him, the other goons snickered, their eyes gleaming with the excitement of the torment to come. But Etsu's gaze only lingered on them for a moment.
Then, he saw her.
Sophia.
She stood just behind the group, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line. Her golden hair fell neatly over her shoulders, and her blue eyes—eyes as clear as the sky—watched him with an unreadable expression. She always stood there, never laughing, never stopping them either.
Etsu looked away instantly. His chest tightened, his heartbeat quickened. His eyes darted to the ground, searching for something—anything—to anchor him. That's when he saw them.
His books. Torn. Scattered. Some pages stomped into the dirt-covered tiles.
The tightness in his chest evaporated.
Slowly, he knelt down and reached for the thickest book in the pile.
Just as his fingers brushed the cover, a heavy boot pressed against the back of his neck, forcing his head down.
Laughter erupted from the group.
Etsu exhaled slowly, fingers tightening around the book.
Then, without warning—
He pushed against the pressure.
Joe, caught off guard, stumbled backward. In a single fluid motion, Etsu shot up, grabbed Joe's tie, and yanked him forward. The bully's cocky grin twisted into shock as his face met the hard spine of Etsu's book.
A sickening CRACK! echoed through the hallway.
Joe's body jerked violently before he crumpled to the floor, hands clutching his now-bloodied mouth. A thick, broken tooth skidded across the floor.
Silence swallowed the hallway.
Etsu stood over him, panting softly, his lips curling into a small, twisted smile.
Satisfaction.
But it wasn't enough.
No.
He needed more.
Etsu stepped forward, ready to mount Joe and finish what he started—
A pair of strong arms yanked him back. Teachers swarmed in, dragging him away. Etsu didn't resist. His grin faded, his breath steadied. His gaze drifted upward, searching—until he found Sophia.
She wasn't looking at Joe.
She was looking at him.
For the first time, her lips parted, and her brows furrowed—not in disgust. Not in fear. But confusion.
Etsu tilted his head slightly.
Then the doors to the principal's office slammed shut behind him.
The scent of old wood and stale coffee filled the office. Etsu sat slumped in a chair, his hoodie still hanging loosely over his frame, his hands resting in his lap—bruised from the earlier impact.
Across from him, Joe's parents sat stiffly, their faces red with anger. His mother clutched a tissue in one hand, her nails digging into the armrest, while his father leaned forward, his jaw clenched.
Behind them, Etsu's mother sat, arms crossed, her expensive jewelry glinting under the fluorescent light. She had yet to say a word.
At the center of it all, the principal sighed heavily, rubbing his temples.
"This is the third time this semester, Etsu." His voice carried the weight of exhaustion. "This behavior is completely unacceptable. Joe's parents are considering pressing charges, and—"
Etsu wasn't listening.
His gaze was fixed on the window behind the principal.
Beyond the neatly trimmed school grounds, past the security fences, lay a forest.
A dark, forbidden forest.
And hidden within it—
A cave.
A place where the world was silent.
A place where he didn't have to exist.
A place that called to him.
Etsu's fingers twitched slightly.
Maybe tonight…
Maybe tonight he'd finally go inside.
The car ride home was silent except for the woman's voice cutting through the air like a sharp blade.
"You have any idea how embarrassing that was for me?!" she snapped, gripping the steering wheel. "Beating that boy like some thug! What the hell were you thinking, Etsu?"
Etsu didn't answer. His bruised hand rested on his lap, fingers slightly curled. The dry blood on his knuckles belonged to Joe, and he could still feel it. He imagined how it would've felt if he hadn't stopped. If he had gone further—if he had crushed Joe's skull under his weight. Would Sophia have been afraid of him? Or would she have finally seen him?
The thought made his breath slow. His mother's voice blurred into the background. His heartbeat echoed in his head.
"...Just like your father."
His eyes flicked up.
His mother noticed. Her lips pressed together, a moment of hesitation breaking through her anger. His gaze was cold—too cold. The car stopped in the driveway, and she quickly stepped out.
Inside the house, the rant continued.
Etsu ignored her, stepping into his room and closing the door behind him. His world shrank to the quiet, muffled hum of his mind. He sat at his desk, running a finger over the bruises on his knuckles. His black oversized hoodie lay on the bed like a discarded shadow.
The door slammed open.
"You think you can just walk away from me?!"
Etsu didn't turn around.
"You're just like him," she spat, venom thick in her words. "Your dad was a fucking psychopath. And you took his fucking genes and decided to walk his crazy path!"
Etsu's fingers twitched. His breathing slowed again.
"It's this fucking hoodie that's corrupting you!" she growled. She moved toward the bed, reaching for it.
Her hand never made it.
Etsu grabbed her wrist, his grip vice-like. He stood up slowly, towering over her, his dark hair casting a shadow over his eyes. His stare was empty, unreadable. But beneath it, something stirred.
Murderous intent.
Her breath hitched.
"Don't you dare look at me with your father's crazy eyes!" she whispered, trying to pull away.
Etsu let go.
She staggered back, rage masking her fear. Without thinking, she grabbed the thick curtains by the window and yanked them down.
Sunlight burst into the room, coating everything in gold and orange.
Etsu didn't move. His gaze locked onto something in the distance.
The cave.
The world around him melted away. His mother's shouting, the torn fabric in her hands, the wreckage of his room—it all became noise. Background noise.
His body didn't react when she shook him, demanding his attention. His mind was already somewhere else.
She gave up with a frustrated scream and stormed out.
Etsu stood there, eyes never leaving the cave.