CHAPTER 12- The mentality of a widow. Part 2.

Bullying is a serious problem ... I think so... According to my investigations, it is a problem.

I shouldn't worry about that. If someone tries to tease or mess with me, I won't keep quiet. I will defend myself, no matter what gender or age the person is.

And if I see someone being bullied, I honestly wouldn't care. As long as it doesn't affect me, I shouldn't care.

Why should I care what happens to other people? I should only care what happens to me.

A thought that people would consider cruel, but I don't care.

"Please help Sylphie!"

Ah, Yuki. I'm sorry, but I don't want to.

"Fufu. Not bad. With this I will be able to buy that nice keychain that I saw in the mall."

Three girls are bothering Sylphie on the roof of the school.

They took her money... And Sylphie is crying.

Honestly, I still don't care.

If I help her, she will not mature. She must learn to defend herself and not always depend on others.

"Stop crying!"

She was slapped in the face... Wow. Girls are too scary.

I don't think I want to get a girlfriend after all.

"Please, you must help her, Saik! Do not stay without doing anything!"

It's not my problem, it's hers. She must solve it on her own. It does not affect me at all.

"If you don't help her, Noel won't help you study!"

He and I have a deal, and he must keep it.

I help him with his ex-wife's problem and he helps me study.

His daughter is not in that deal.

"And if you don't help her, I'll never help you cheat!"

—... "Ah, okay."

It already affected me, I must intervene.

I still need Yuki's help.

The door was open, so I only walked towards them with normal steps.

"Girls, return the money, please. Stealing is illegal."

I'm a bit of a hypocrite, I've done worse ... Bah, it doesn't matter.

"Eh? Why?"

"What will you do if we don't want to?"

"Hit us?"

This school is elite, that is, it is for intelligent or rich people.

They don't look smart, they surely are rich.

They only take money from Sylphie to humiliate her ... Ah, pathetic.

"What will I do? Mmm... Yes. I think I'll hit you."

One of them got too close to me.

"I want to see you try ...!"

I didn't let her finish speaking and I hit her hard in the stomach, knocking the air out of her and she fell to her knees.

"Is it enough?"

"Ninda!"

The other two girls helped her to her feet and I yawned.

"Last warning, return the money."

I raised my fist.

"Or do you want to solve it with violence?"

"I-it won't be necessary!"

One of them put the money on the floor.

"Is that all, Sylphie?"

—... "Y-yes..."

She's saying the truth. Well, my work is done.

"Oh, by the way. If you try to take advantage of Sylphie, you could lose a tooth or two."

"Y-you're crazy."

"Let's go."

The three girls left and I stretched out my arms.

Ah... I wanted to avoid this, but Yuki won't leave me in peace if I don't help Sylphie.

Now I have to solve this problem.

Ah. What laziness.

"I’m hungry."

I walked away from Sylphie, sat down on the floor, and started eating my food.

"You were amazing, Saik! I knew you were great! You hit a girl without hesitation!"

... Isn't it normal to hit a girl?

I never cared about the gender of my enemies, I always hit them regardless of gender or age.

Isn't it normal in this city for a man to hit a woman?

Then I investigate.

"It smells delicious! Give me, give me!"

Yuki closed her eyes and opened her mouth.

Do you really want me to feed you?

It is not my duty to do so.

She has hands, she can eat on her own... Ah...

I now remembered... I think it is normal for the older brother to feed his younger sister when the mother is busy.

Yuki considers me her older brother, that's why she wants me to feed her ... Human nature is weird.

Sylphie's collecting her money, she's not looking at me.

I took a meatball and popped it into Yuki's mouth.

"Hmmmmmh! Delicious, Saik! You got amazing cooking!"

"Thank you."

I think I've gotten used to talking quietly.

"T-thank you very much for ... helping me."

I looked up and looked at Sylphie.

If I want Yuki to continue helping me, I must help Sylphie.

She is a shy and lonely girl.

She has low self-esteem... Depression?

Considering her past, it is very likely.

She was a victim of bullying and her mother is an alcoholic.

It is obvious that she has problems.

How to help such a person? Honestly, I don't know... But as always, I'm going to improvise.

"You’re welcome. I hate people who take advantage of others."

Although, to be honest, I don't care.

“T-thank you for your help.”

—... "You're welcome."

She thanked me again ... She's shaking a little and looking away.

She wants to say something else, but she doesn't dare.

Mmm... I think I have a theory.

Noel told me that his daughter has no friends and does not dare to socialize.

Most likely, she wants me to be her friend ... I guess.

She is a lonely girl, but her father told me that she wants to have friends.

Making friends will be a big step for her.

If I want her self-esteem to improve, I must get her to consider me a friend.

"I guess we're both the same, right?"

"T-the same?"

"I mean to be lonely. We had no luck on the first day of school and we were excluded... In my case, it was because I was lazy to socialize. Were you lucky? Did you make any friends yesterday?"

—... "No... I had no luck."

"I see... In order not to fail with a teacher, we must socialize, because there are always team projects... Or at least that's how it was in my previous school... Would you like to be my friend? I don't have any friends."

—...

She was silent for a few seconds.

That is a long silence ... But I can feel her nervousness just by looking at her.

"Y-Yes... T-thank you."

—... "Wow... This is the first time I have a friend... And what do friends do?"

"I-I guess ... Eat together?"

"I see... It makes sense... Would you like to eat with me?"

Sylphie nodded and sat down next to me.

Judging from her food, she is very good at cooking.

I doubt her mother did it ... She learned to be independent at a very young age ... I must admit that it is something admirable.

"Saik ... Congratulations! You got a new friend!"

Although I don't consider Sylphie a friend.

I only do this so that Yuki doesn't threaten not to help me.

And if Sylphie considers me a friend, Yuki will stop bothering me with the stupid idea of making friends.

"S-Saik ... D-do you want some?"

... Wow... She offered me some of her food.

She must have tried very hard to say it.

She wants to thank me for helping her ... To be honest, I don't like to eat other people's food, but I have to.

"Yes. Thank you."

I took some vegetables.

I didn't take any meat so I didn't look hungry.

Now I must do the same.

"Do you want my meatballs?"

"Y-Yes... T-thank you."

She took one and ate it.

"Wow... I-it's delicious. Your mother cooks very well."

—... "I cooked it myself."

"Oh... You cook very well. W-who taught you? Your mother?"

—... "No... My mother died... And my father too ... I live alone. I had to learn to cook. It took me a lot of work and effort, but I managed to learn to cook very well. Although I still get lazy getting up early to prepare my food. Being a lazy boy has its disadvantages."

—... "I-I'm sorry... I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"Eh? Why?"

"I didn't want you ... to feel sad."

"Eh? Ah, don't worry, I don't feel sad. I'm over the deaths of my parents. My parents would feel sad if I live my sad life. To honor their memories, what I must do is enjoy the life they gave me. Living in the past would not let us enjoy the present. Don't you agree?"

—... "Not thinking about the past ...? Yes... You're right."

After that, we started talking about what we like to do and what we don't like.

Talking to her made me realize her personality and her way of thinking.

And thanks to that, I already know what I'll do with her mother.

Sylphie is a good person, kind and sincere.

She reminds me of Yuki, only Yuki is more energetic and Sylphie is calmer.

We have a lot in common... I guess being her friend won't be as bad as I thought, but I have to make sure she's not dependent on me.

I must help her to improve her self-esteem and to be able to survive without my help.

I won't always be able to help her ... I should clarify that.

•

•

The break time is over.

"We must go back to the classroom."

"Y-yes."

It was a good breakthrough with Sylphie.

Yuki will stop bothering me for a while, so I'm satisfied.