Elian Dizon's feet hit the pavement hard as he rushed through the crowded streets, his chest tight with worry. Marco, his childhood friend and the closest thing to family he had, had been hurt badly in a gang fight. Elian didn't know the details, but none of that mattered now. His only concern was getting to Marco.

The sound of sirens filled the air as he rounded the corner toward the hospital. The familiar rush of panic mixed with a sharp need to protect his friend spurred him forward. Marco wasn't just another guy; he was his brother in all but blood, someone who had always been there for him.

"Hang in there, Marco," Elian muttered, ignoring the burn in his lungs as he ran.

He shoved the hospital doors open, the sterile air stinging his senses. At the front desk, a nurse barely glanced up as he blurted out Marco's name. After a brief exchange, she directed him to the right room. His sneakers squeaked against the polished linoleum floors as he sprinted down the hall.

When he reached the room, he paused at the door, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Inside, Marco was sitting up in bed, a bandage wrapped around his head and bruises decorating his face. Relief washed over Elian.

"You're alive," Elian said, stepping into the room with a grin.

Marco smirked, wincing slightly as he shifted. "Told you I'm indestructible."

Elian rolled his eyes, though he couldn't stop the smile tugging at his lips. For the next few minutes, they exchanged banter, the tension in Elian's chest easing with every word. Marco was safe, and that was all that mattered.

After making sure Marco had everything he needed, Elian left the room to grab some food. His stomach growled in protest it had been a long, draining day.

As he walked through the quiet corridors, a soft sound caught his attention. Near a waiting area by the windows, a woman sat hunched over, crying into her hands. Standing beside her was a teenage boy, his hands in his pockets, his expression unnervingly calm. Something about the way he stood there, staring at the woman in silence, made Elian pause.

Without overthinking, he approached casually, his natural curiosity piqued.

"Is that your mom?" he asked, his tone light.

The boy turned his head toward Elian, his eyes dull and unreadable. After a moment, he gave a small nod. "Yeah."

Elian glanced at the woman again, who was starting to compose herself. "Is she okay?"

"She's just tired," the boy replied, his voice low and almost emotionless. There was no warmth, no concern just a flat statement.

Elian raised an eyebrow but decided not to push. "Well, you should stick by her. She probably needs you right now."

The boy didn't respond, his gaze drifting back to the woman. Elian lingered for a moment before giving a small shrug. "Take care, man." He walked away, dismissing the encounter as just another odd moment in a stressful day.

He grabbed a snack from the vending machine and found a bench nearby. As he checked his phone, a message from Marco lit up the screen.

"Still here, bro?"

"Yeah, I'll come back later," Elian texted back, his thoughts already drifting to how he'd tease Marco about getting into trouble again.

---

The next evening, on his way home from university, Elian took a shortcut through a quiet street near a local high school. The chill in the air made him shove his hands into his jacket pockets. He was still replaying Marco's vague explanation of the fight when a commotion ahead snapped him out of his thoughts.

A group of teenagers stood in a circle, jeering at someone on the ground. Elian's jaw tightened. He didn't go looking for trouble, but he couldn't stand by when he saw something like this.

As he approached, the group turned to look at him, their laughter faltering. Elian pushed through, his sharp glare silencing them. On the ground was a boy, his uniform dirty and his hair disheveled.

It took Elian a second to recognize him it was the same boy from the hospital, the one standing silently beside the crying woman.

"Seriously?" Elian said, directing his words at the bullies. "You guys have nothing better to do?"

One of them scoffed. "Who the hell are you?"

"Someone you don't wanna mess with," Elian replied evenly, his confident stance daring them to try.

The tension held for a moment before the group backed off, muttering insults as they left. Elian crouched down beside the boy. "You again," he said, offering a hand. "You alright?"

The boy stood up without taking Elian's hand, brushing off the dirt on his uniform. His face was as blank as it had been in the hospital. "I'm fine."

Elian frowned. "You're not gonna say thanks?"

"Why? I didn't ask for help," the boy replied flatly.

Elian blinked, caught off guard by the response. "Okay, wow. You're welcome, I guess."

The boy shrugged. "It's nothing new."

"What's nothing new? Getting beat up?" Elian asked, his frustration bubbling. "You can't just let people walk all over you."

The boy's eyes met his, cold and detached. "Why not? It doesn't matter."

Elian opened his mouth to argue but stopped when he noticed something unsettling. The boy's words weren't defensive they were indifferent, like he truly didn't care.

"What's your name?" Elian asked after a pause.

"Rei," the boy said simply.

"Elian," he replied, though Rei didn't seem interested. "Look, Rei, maybe you're used to this, but it's not okay. You've gotta stand up for yourself."

Rei didn't answer, just gave a small nod before walking away.

Elian stared after him, his irritation giving way to confusion.

---

For the next four days, Elian kept finding Rei in the same situation, cornered by bullies. Each time, Elian intervened, scaring them off. By the fourth day, his patience was gone.

When Rei turned to leave after the latest incident, Elian grabbed his arm. "Alright, that's it. What's your deal?"

Rei stared at him, unfazed. "What do you mean?"

"Why do you keep letting this happen?" Elian demanded. "Are you trying to make a hobby out of getting beat up?"

Rei tilted his head slightly. "It doesn't bother me."

Elian let go of Rei's arm, staring at him in disbelief. "What's wrong with you? You can't just let people treat you like trash!"

"It doesn't matter," Rei said, his voice calm. "I don't feel it."

Elian frowned. "Feel what?"

"Pain. Fear. It's just... not there."

Elian's anger faded, replaced by confusion "What…?"

Rei shrugged, pulling away.

"That's just how I am." Without another word, he walked off, leaving Elian standing there, questions swirling in his mind.