5 years ago

"Runa-kun!"

11 year old Niki had been trying to find his dear friend, Runa, and now he's found her so he felt relieved.

"Ru..."

Before Niki could finish saying her name out of his plump pink lips, there in his sight he saw his almost 2 years best friend and crush, kissing someone.

Niki was 11. Runa was 10.

Runa kissing someone at such a young age disturbed Niki, but at the same time he wished that he was the one being kissed by Runa.

The boy Runa was kissing finally noticed Niki's presence, parting his lips with the 10 year old girl.

"Do you know him?" The boy asked, making Runa avert her eyes to Niki's figure. He was holding a rose, a rose that was meant to be given to her.

"Hm, no."

That short sentence was enough for 11 year old Niki's heart to break into millions or more pieces. Runa was his first ever friend and crush, so denying her friendship with him hurt his feelings bad. Really bad.

"Get out of here, would ya?" The boy hissed at Niki, making Niki's already looking down gaze turn even sadder, dropping the rose he had on his hand to the ground.

Niki ran off without saying another word, leaving the two youngsters to what they were previously doing.

With tears falling of little Niki's eyes, Niki wandered around, not looking at where his feet was taking him.

Niki's eyes ended up being sore and red from all the crying, sitting down on one of the seasaws of the playground near his house.

"Nobody likes me. I'm so useless.."

Niki remembered all the times he was made fun of. Although his family acknowledged his talent in dancing and is so proud of him, his schoolmates in the past and even at his current grade would often call him a freak for dancing.

Those who said those words were the boys who loved bullying other boys for being unusual. Those boys always had the mindset that 'Dancing is only for girls'.

They made fun of Niki for a lot of things, not just dancing. Niki was also thin, and those boys that made fun of him for not having fat were...fat themselves. Niki was also made fun of by girls, not accepting who he is as a person for some reason.

Niki's experienced teasing and bullying ever since his childhood days. But that was until Runa came.

Runa came to his life when he was 10. Runa was the first friend he ever had. Niki would often stay indoors to avoid getting bullied, but Runa was the one person that convinced him that not everyone in the world was horrible.

Runa helped Niki out of his shy shell, hanged out with him and became inseparable. And in a matter of a few months, the boy grew feelings for her.

Niki was more than grateful for Runa. He can't speak into words how much he appreciated her coming into his life and helped him through his hardships. Runa was also the reason he was able to make other friends!

But as soon as his other 'friends' convinced him to tell them about his little crush on Runa, word got spread and Niki was anxious. Niki got scared.

But when the word got out, he soon realized it would be best to confess to her directly already.

Sure those other 'friends' of his betrayed him, but Runa was different. She wouldn't do that. Right?

But as soon as Niki didn't just get bro-zoned, friend-zoned, but stranger-zoned, 11 year old Niki was heartbroken. He couldn't process that his own first best friend, the most special person in his life, has acted like he was nothing to her.

As Niki was sniffling and his small cries got muffled by his sweater paws that were on his face, another little boy bent down on his knees and tilted his head sideways.

The boy only knew limited Japanese, so he was lucky enough that he knew at least a little.

"Why...are you crying?" The boy asked, making Niki's head lift, his blurry eyes meeting the boy's.

"You can tell me if there's anything bothering you."

Niki didn't get why a stranger was trying to comfort him. Doesn't he look hideous in his eyes? Maybe this guy's just trying to be nice at first, but will bully me afterwards, Niki thought.

Niki cried even more and stood up, running away before the boy could bully him physically and or emotionally.

The boy stood up quickly from startle, looking down to see a bracelet.

"Wait! You forgot your...Hm.." The boy picked the bracelet up, dusting off the sand since it fell on the ground. It was a cute charm bracelet, aside from the fact it was all just between the colors of black, grey and white - The boy sighed and decided to take it home, hopefully seeing the crying boy again tomorrow.

But he didn't.

-

"Runa! Someone's here to see you!"

Runa's mom shouted loudly enough for her daughter to hear from upstairs.

"What do they want?!" 10 year old Runa shouted from upstairs, making her mother sigh.

'Well why don't you find out yourself, Young lady?" Her mother apologized to the visitor who was patiently waiting by the door.

Runa furiously stomped her feet furiously on the stairs from annoyance, rolling her eyes at her mother before opening the door to see a boy.

"N-Niki.." Runa muttered his name, before looking at him up and down.

"What are you doing at my house?" Runa crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

She had very much sass for a 10 year old.

"I-I just wanted to ask s-something.."

"Well make it quick cause I don't want you to be seen in front of my house."

Those words hurt Niki's feelings badly, but pushed it aside and forced his question to roll out of his mouth.

"I-I just wanted to ask why you acted like I was no one.." Niki softly asked Runa, making Runa roll her eyes as she exhales.

"I can't stand the fact that you like me. That's why."

"W-why though.."

"Cause the more I hang out with you, the more people started to distance themselves from me. So I automatically thought you were the problem. If it hurt your feelings, go cry to someone else." Runa scoffed, and it made her look like the worst person ever. Well because she was.

"B-but-"

"If you're not going to say anything anymore, get out. We're not friends anymore starting from today."

Runa slammed her door right at Niki's face, making Niki's whimper from the loud sound. Niki's eyes watered in the matter of seconds, getting out of Runa's front yard before he could fully cry again.

Niki spent about a week not going to school, crying and locked inside his bedroom. His family was genuinely concerned about him. Having a caring family was the only special and good thing he had.

"Niki?" Niki's sister, Konon, knocked on Niki's door, a small frown on her face, concerned about her little brother.

"I'm coming in.."

Niki's bedroom door opened, as Konon sees her little brother crouched, arms wrapped around his legs, his forehead resting on his knees.

"Niki.." Konon mumbled her sibling's name, patting his shoulder softly.

"Mom, dad and I are concerned for you. You haven't been going to school for a week.."

"What's the point in going to school? I won't be able to learn anyways since I'm busy getting bullied by everyone.."

"Niki. Do you really believe those kids? One thing about life is that you have to defend yourself from everything, yes even bullies. Don't believe whatever they said. You're amazing, Niki. You're a great dancer, a good friend, the best brother a sister could have, You're a smart and warm hearted person. You need to stop listening to the negative and start noticing the positive."

Niki listened to every word his older sister said, her small words encouraging him to lift his head up.

"Are you only saying that cause I'm your brother?" Niki asked while sniffling.

"I really mean it Niki. Go show them who's tough, they need to learn about the wrong things they did."

Konon patted Niki's back, giving him a soft and genuine smile before putting the bowl of cheddar soup on his night stand and leaving his bedroom.

Niki leaned his back on his bed's wooden headboard, eyeing his toes and looking out the window, tilting his head at the blue sky.

"Show them who's tough..."

In a matter of time, the words his sister spoke to him gave Niki confidence and boost up his self love. Niki grew and grew, and his family can't be any happier to see Niki grow from the shy introverted sad little boy, to a positive, friendly, tall and confident teenager.

Entering his new high school in another country, specifically Korea, Niki made friends with 5 amazing boys who are 1-3 years older.

Heeseung, the loyal and helpful in giving advice class president, Jay, the attractive funny guy who's in the basketball team, Jake, the math genius and vice president of the student council, Sunghoon, the skating chemistry boy, and Jungwon, the short teacher's pet and part of the journalism club.

Niki was as well known for his good looks, being part of the dancing and basketball club. Although he had somewhat bad grades and had a habit of being tardy, Niki's charming point was his athletic side.

Niki was happy that he was enjoying his high school life. People always said high school is hell, but to him, Niki loved it. He loved that the subjects seemed somewhat interesting, the clubs were much fun, and he had 5 amazing friends that he was very grateful for.

But one day while he was walking to the male's restroom, someone from his school back in Japan recognized him.

"What happened to you and Runa?"

Just hearing that name, the name he had already forgotten, it gave him nightmares. Runa gave him a great, yet horrible childhood. He hated her. So much to the point he could just burst to tears just hearing that hideous name.

And ever since that incident, Niki changed his view on females. Sure, some girls were very kind to him, but he was too traumatized by the girl in his childhood, he wanted to get back by doing what she did.

And so then he started to play with girl's hearts. His friends didn't understand why he did it and even tried to stop him, but Niki always said 'I'll tell you when the right time comes.'

Niki wasn't selfish. He was just too disturbed from his past that gave him bad chills, he decided to take his pain out on other people.

Other people had a tragedy of losing their loved ones and other traumatic pain.

But Niki, his pain was different.

He was blinded by pain from a heartbreak.