Childhood Friend

Ariemil was in the hospital, still unconscious after undergoing surgery.

The air smelled of antiseptic, and the place was filled with kind-hearted people—nurses, doctors, and patients. A world so different from the one he came from.

When he finally opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a girl sitting beside his bed.

At first, his vision was blurry. But when he blinked a few times and looked at her face properly—his breath hitched.

He knew her.

It was her.

His childhood friend.

Ariemil’s body stiffened. His mind couldn’t process what he was seeing.

No… this can’t be real…

His father had told him she was dead.

That he had killed her.

But she was right here.

Alive.

Looking at him with eyes full of warmth.

Ariemil stared at her, disbelief clouding his eyes. His voice trembled as he spoke,

“Lysha… is that you?”

The girl in front of him—Lysha—smiled warmly, but tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Yes... it's me, Oda... sniff... I'm so sorry for that day... I let your father take you away... I lied to you..."

Her sobs grew louder, her body shaking with guilt.

Ariemil slowly reached for her hands, squeezing them gently. His voice was soft but firm.

“It’s not your fault… That day, I was too weak… I let my guard down…”

Then, without hesitation, he pulled Lysha into a hug.

Lysha burst into tears again, crying like a child.

“Waaaah! I made you feel bad about meeee…”

Ariemil sighed and patted her head.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to cry anymore.”

From that day onward, Lysha visited Ariemil every day. She cared for him deeply, always making sure he was okay.

Day after day, Ariemil slowly recovered.

Until one day, when he was finally well enough to walk, he made a request to the police.

"I want to see my father," he said.

"Before his execution."

Ariemil walked into the prison with a calm expression, glancing left and right. The air was filled with a foul stench, the sound of endless screaming, and dried blood covering the floor. Finally, he found his father’s cell.

Ariemil stared at his father, who was sitting in the filthy jail. With a creepy yet calm voice, he asked,

"Father… are you okay in this prison?"

His father trembled in fear, his face frozen, his eyes wide with shock and terror. He screamed,

"AAARGHH!! WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"

Once again, Ariemil answered with a calm yet chilling tone,

"Why am I here, you ask? Well… I just wanted to see your face filled with fear… for the last time."

At that moment, the execution guards entered the cell. As they approached his father, Ariemil turned and walked away, a sinister smirk forming on his lips as his father let out his final scream.

"AAARGHH!!!"

After that, Ariemil returned to the hospital. As he was about to pull the door open, he saw Lysha standing in front of him with an angry face but a smile. She spoke, "Where did you go just now, Oda?"

Ariemil remained silent and simply followed what Lysha said.

Lysha continued, "You cannot leave this room for a week!"

And so, Ariemil stayed in the hospital for a week. Lysha always fed him healthy food. She didn’t know that Ariemil had already fully recovered, but he played along because he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

After all, he had always been hurt—in his heart, his mind, and his body—because of the trauma from his past.

Suddenly, Lysha put the food into his mouth and said, "You must eat so you can recover quickly."

Ariemil answered in a calm voice, "Okay..."

Lysha smiled happily and said, "Hehe, that's my Oda!"

After Lysha left, Ariemil started thinking about her.

"Why is she doing this? Why does she care so much about me? Maybe she has a plan to betray me... What if she does betray me someday, just like my family did? What if this is just an act to make me fall into her trap...?"

Ariemil bit his nails, anxiety filling his mind. Fear lingered in his eyes, still trapped in his trauma, with the scars on his body serving as a reminder of his past.

Ariemil couldn't sleep until morning because he was still trapped in his trauma. Then, Lysha opened the door, energy radiating from her body, and said, "Good morning, Oda!!"

Ariemil just stared at her with his tired, dark-circled eyes. Lysha was shocked and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"HA HA HA HA!!! Oda, wha—pfft—what happened to your eyes? HAHA!!"

Ariemil answered in an annoyed tone, "I couldn't sleep all night..."

Lysha, now concerned, asked him again, "Why?"

Ariemil replied, "I... It's nothing. I just couldn't sleep."

Lysha frowned, a mix of worry and frustration in her voice. "Is something on your mind? You can talk to me! Don't let it consume you! ...Or are you still thinking about your father?"

Ariemil remained silent before finally giving her a small nod.

Lysha couldn't help but hug him.

Ariemil was surprised, but slowly, his anxiety began to fade away. With that warmth, he finally managed to sleep, while Lysha simply smiled at him gently.

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