A boy of eleven year, fair-skinned and slight of build, ran across the park with laughter trailing behind him. His clothes were a patchwork of vibrant colors, fluttering in the cold breeze as the sun spilled golden warmth across the playground. The air was crisp yet comforting, a perfect balance of chill and glow that made the world feel like a sanctuary.
Alexander's smile was unbroken, radiant as he played with his friends and his sister, savoring every heartbeat as though life itself were a divine Boon.
Four years later, the same boy sat alone in a high school classroom. His frame had withered, his body draped and emotions are unbalanced.
A biography of Alexander the Great lay unopened on his desk, its pages heavy with unfulfilled promise. His eyes, swollen and rimmed with dark circles, stared seeing out of the window.
Each second seemed cursed, each breath a burden.The boy who once see life as bloom now becomes curse for him.
What had happened to this fragile soul? What cruel twists had turned a child's laughter into silence, his joy into despair?
Two years earlier, Alexander's family had moved to a new city, transferred to a new school, unaware that this change would mark the beginning of his downfall for some years.
His first day passed well, but as evening fell - trouble awaited him at the shoe lockers. Six classmates cornered him, their shadows stretching long in the dim light. They snatched the few coins he carried, mocking his helplessness. A girl among them tilted her head, her smile sharp and unsettling.
"He's so cute, don't bully him," she said, before her lips curled into malice. "Pass him a cigarette. Make him smoke."
Alexander resisted, trembling, but six against one was merciless. Just as the cigarette touched his hand, the school janitor appeared. The thugs seized the moment, framing Alexander as the culprit.
Some how Alexander convince the janitor and manage to escape the place and reach home with unease and kept this a secret from his parents.
"If i did not keep this secret then non of the problem happens"
By the next day, the principal had summoned his parents, and Alexander was suspended for a week.
His parents, trusting their child innocence, did not scold him. Yet the punishment rippled outward. The school Alexander transfer is a very prestigious school for rich kids and this incident is no joke for school. This incident news spread like fire and his sister, Haru, bore the weight of his disgrace. Her classmates shunned her, isolating her until bitterness took root. She was too young to understand, too hurt to forgive, and her bond with Alexander began to fracture.
When Alexander returned to school, his smile was gone. The classroom greeted him with silence so sharp it cut deeper than words. During recess, he overheard two students whispering near the washroom.
"It was a perfect plan,". "We can't hit him because of the school laws and violence committee, he look's like moron, we'll make sure he suffers. And anyone who talks to him? We'll ruin them too."
Alexander heard, but only smiled faintly, swallowing his pain as he walked back to class. The bullying continued—not fists, but whispers, isolation, and ridicule. Two months passed, and his confidence eroded until nothing remained.
Then, one afternoon, a senior appeared. He was handsome, dressed in branded shoes and a gold chain, his presence commanding attention. Passing by, he smiled at Alexander before sitting beside him.
Alexander, now an introvert sealed in silence, assumed this was another tormentor. He ignored him. The senior leaned closer.
"Let's see how long you can ignore me," he teased.
He tickled Alexander, but the boy remained unmoved. Days passed, and the senior returned again and again, his persistence unyielding. Finally, after ten days, Alexander broke.
"Why are you doing this!!!" he cried.
That moment marked the beginning of a fragile friendship. The senior's name was Jinte.
Slowly, Alexander's laughter resurfaced, his world brightened, and for a fleeting time, he felt alive again.
One evening, Jinte walked Alexander home. At the gate, they found Haru, her face twisted with anguish. As she saw Alexander laugh and talking, she burst into tears.
"It's all your fault!" she screamed. "Because of you, no one talks to me. They torture me every day!"
Alexander froze, realizing her suffering mirrored his own. He had found solace in Jinte, but Haru had no one. Their bond, already fragile, cracked further.
Jinte stepped forward, his smile carefully masked. He took Haru's hand. "If you don't want to be alone, hang out with us."
"Great idea, Jinte," Alexander said, desperate to mend the rift.
Haru accepted, and the three began spending time together. Slowly, her bitterness softened. Jinte became a regular presence in their home, both of their parents go for work early morning and don't have a clue about their child social life.
Jinte discovering Alexander's love to read books and Haru's passion for games. Their lives seemed to settle into balance.
One day, Jinte suggested, "Haru, let's go to the PC cafe."
"Yes! Let's go!" she replied eagerly.
Alexander shook his head. "I'll pass. I need to visit the library. My last book is finished, and I want to read the biography of Alexander the Great. It's a limited edition, so I need to buy it today. See you later!"
If only he had known what awaited him, he would have never called Jinte a friend. Friendship was the wrong word—it was more like servitude, a constant fear of losing the only person who seemed to care about him.
That night, Alexander returned home with his new book, waiting for Haru and Jinte. Hours passed. His calls went unanswered.
"It's already eight… why aren't they back?" he muttered, anxiety gnawing at him.
He searched the PC cafe, but they weren't there. Then, through a window at a karaoke bar, he glimpsed Jinte. He rushed inside, only to find his worst nightmare: Jinte and two friends assaulting Haru.
Alexander's heart shattered. Rage consumed him. He lunged at Jinte, fists trembling with fury.
Jinte dodged easily, smirking. His kick sent Alexander sprawling. "What's wrong? Did you read too much Alexander the Great?" he started laugh like a devil.
The commotion drew bystanders, forcing Jinte and his accomplices to flee. Alexander cradled Haru, sobbing. "It's my fault… it's my fault… it's my fault!"
Police arrived. Jinte and his friends were arrested, their criminal records exposed. They had preyed on lonely boys and girls, manipulating them into crimes, exploiting their trust. Haru had resisted, and when they turned violent, Alexander's arrival saved her.
The family was shocked and can't sleep for nights. Haru bore deep trauma, but Alexander's scars ran even deeper. So their mother resigned from her job to started take care for them, and the family moved to a new city, enrolling the children in a private school completely free of bullies and with extra care given from teacher. Haru found a loyal friends and began to heal. But Alexander… he stop moving forward like he lost everything. His confidence, his self-respect, even his love for books. Progress eluded him, and the boy who once smiled at life now sat in silence, broken.
Back to the present.