People say that love helps us to open up as individuals. It is a bright feeling that inspires us to do good deeds and mercy. Love is a light in the darkness, a hope that gives meaning to our lives and gives us the strength to overcome difficulties. It is the fuel that nourishes our essence and gives it energy for growth and development. They say that love cannot motivate a person to commit evil deeds, because true feeling always fills us with kindness and compassion.

It looks like something went wrong if I emerged, shedding light on the dark sides of love. I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, and I'm the most important one.

I stare at the shackles binding my wrists. Along this long journey, I have not escaped encountering pain, which I have already become so familiar with. This is incomparable to what I have experienced in my history. Sometimes the emotional pain is so intense that the physical pain ceases to be felt.

The only thing I couldn't get used to was the uncomfortable position. The cage was too cramped, limiting my movements. During those thirty-six hours, I couldn't even move, and my body went numb. And a terrible smell from a sweaty body... I cringed. Damn it! It's unbearable. I nervously gnaw my fingernail, trying to distract myself from such thoughts.

-Hey, someone, let me out of there!

My screams echoed throughout the room. It seemed that no one heard me, and it seemed that I was alone here. Or could be they deliberately did not want to hear me, letting me know that I did not exist? The feeling of heaviness in my chest did not let me go, and when when my carriage left the tunnel, I looked through the crack and saw that the city that surrounded me was not like the cities I had seen - there was no ruins and were not lying everywhere corpses.

And I felt that this was the beginning of my adventure.

----

- Oh, oh, oh, it hurts, it really hurts...

- Wait, there's not much left.

The nurse abruptly pulled the needle out of the neck of the young man, who was moaning in pain.

- Well done, Patrick. You are the first brave man who came to my office.

- The others felt a little uneasy when you said that we were going to have injections now. I decided to support everyone.

- All children are afraid of injections like fire, because they've read all sorts of children's books and now they think it's painful and unpleasant.

- But it's really like that.

Patrick smiled.

- The first batch is usually the most painful, but don't think that now we will give you such huge injections. The remaining doses are three times less, and over time you will realize that this pain is more like a mosquito bite.

-I believe you.

-That's great. Then call the others. I don't want to delay the queue, because we're already behind schedule.

Patrick, confused, hurriedly got up from his chair and got tangled in his shoelaces, falling.

-Oh, Patrick. Are you okay?

The nurse laughed.

-Oh my God, you never change. Need some help?

- No, thanks, I can handle it myself. I'm sorry for the delay, I'll call the others now.

- Take your time.

- Come on in, who's next!

-Patrick, are you okay?

- Patrick, how painful is it for you, rate it on a scale of ten.

- Disperse, everyone! Patrick, are you really crying? It's just a an injection, and you're crying like a girl. How gentle you are.

—N-no, it's not like that! You're completely wrong in your opinion of me! - Patrick's voice was trembling with excitement, and tears glistened in his eyes.

—Ahah, did you hear what that crybaby said? - Minato laughed, raising his eyebrows with a mocking smile. — Personally, I'm not. He seems to have forgotten how to speak from shock!

-Minato, since you're so brave, why don't you follow Patrick? - Miku said, clenching her hands into fists, trying to keep her composure. — It doesn't hurt at all, and injections are just childish fears!

— Miku, let go!- He exclaimed, averting his gaze to hide his confusion.

-Chickened out? - She asked with a smirk, cocking her head to the side. — Well, which one of you is a girl now?

-I'm sorry, I forgot something in the hallway,- he muttered sheepishly, avoiding her gaze.

-Oh, of course, I take your word for it, - she replied sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest. - Come on, let's go, I can even hold your hand if you want.

—No, Miku, don't, I'll do it myself, he said urgently, although there was panic in his voice.

—No, you're coming with me right now! — She said decisively.

—Okay, then we'll do it together,— he agreed, lifting his chin.

-Someone stop this audacious creature! She's holding me hostage! — he exclaimed, trying to give his words a joking tone.

-Darling, you will become my hostage as soon as I close this door,- she said with a smirk, causing him to have a mixed feeling of fear and admiration.

-I got it, I'm coming, - Minato said with obvious reluctance, entering the medical room.

-That would have been the case from the beginning, - one of the guys said with a slight grin.

The laughter of the group echoed through the room, creating a light atmosphere, but Minato, feeling that he was being laughed at, resentfully closed the door behind him. His angry footsteps could be heard from the hallway, and the other boys pressed against the door, trying to eavesdrop on what was going on.

-Do you hear that? - One of them asked in a whisper, pressing his ear to the door.

-Yes, - the second answered, trying not to smile.

-Are you sure it won't hurt? - Minato spoke with a nervous intonation, his voice trembling with anticipation.

-Just a little bit, - the nurse replied confidently, smiling at Minato.

-No, I don't believe you,- Minato snaps, resisting the proximity to the table with all her might.

-Sit down! - The nurse insists, looking at him patiently.

- No! - He growled, stepping back.

— I said, sit down! - She said it sternly, but there was still a note of understanding in her voice.

—Oh, no, no, - he said. Minato exclaimed, straightening his shoulders and trying to look more confident than he really felt.

In the hallway, his friends exchanged glances, barely able to contain their laughter. They knew that Minato had always disliked injections, and this moment when his self-confidence cracked was a funny sight.

-Imagine that an injection is just a mosquito injection, - one of them muttered through the door.

Minato looked at the nurse in panic, expecting the pressure to drop, but she just took the injection and smiled.

-Just a little prick, Minato. And you can leave with the sweets.

-He really screams worse than a girl, - one of the observers chuckled softly, genuinely amused by Minato's reaction.

-What a fool he is, - said another, shaking his head.

Meanwhile, while the others were cheerfully discussing Minato's "exploits," the calmest member of the group, Kyo, was busy with something else entirely. He was sitting in the corner of the hallway, bent over his notebook. His pencil slides quickly over the paper, outlining the details of the drawing. Kyo focused on the latest edits, occasionally looking up from his work to take a look at what was happening in the medical room.

— Hi, Kyo! - Someone from the group called out to him. - Don't you want to hear him scream?

Kyo just grinned and went back to his drawing.

—Yes, it's funny, - he replied, without taking his eyes off the paper. - But I'd rather mind my own business.

The most ordinary scene in the medical room was turning into a real comedy, and Kyo wasn't going to miss it. He knew that when it was all over, his friends would gather in class again, and then his art could inspire them to a new wave of jokes.

-Wait a minute, - one of the guys said, coming closer to Kyo. - Do you really think he'll survive this?

-He'll survive, - Kyo replied confidently, adding the finishing touches to his drawing. — The main thing is that he does not lose consciousness from fear!

— Is there a new drawing again? - Asagi asked with interest, sitting down next to Kio.

-Yes...-He smiled a little sheepishly.

-What is it? - She continued, leaning closer to examine the details.

-I do not know, - said Kyo honestly, tracing the paper with a pencil.

-How can you draw something you don't know? - The girl raised her eyebrows in surprise, not believing her ears.

Kyo chuckled, sensing her genuine interest.

— Well, yes. This is a problem. I haven't named my masterpiece yet, but when I'm done, I'll definitely show it to you and you'll come up with a name for it.

-Really? - Her eyes were shining with surprise.

The girl looked away in embarrassment, blushing slightly with joy and intrigue.

-Promise? - she asked frankly, smiling dreamily.

Kyo was about to reply when another classmate snatched the paper from him, and he flinched in confusion.

-Wait, it's not over yet! - he exclaimed, trying to snatch the drawing from her.

—But I need to know what's painted here,— she giggled, coloring the black-and-white sheet with vivid emotions.

Kyo couldn't help but laugh when he saw the joyful expression on her face.

—Okay, okay, don't tear it up! — he said, rubbing his forehead. — This is my masterpiece, not nonsense!

Now several classmates gathered around and watched with interest.

— Yes, who knows what he painted! — One of them remarked laughing. - If only we could pull his tongue.

And then the attention of the whole group returned to Minato, who was still protesting in the medical room at that time.

— Wow, wow! Kyo, you've outdone yourself. Even now I won't be able to guess who is depicted here, - one of the classmates exclaimed, looking at the drawing in disbelief.

Two more classmates joined her, politely nudging each other.:

—Mm, is that the girl with the wolf ears? It's strange, I've never seen anything like it, - one suggested, squinting.

-I think it's a big gray wolf! — another one noted enthusiastically.

And then she playfully attacked her friend, while she was kicking and trying to escape from the embrace.

— Nooo... Not again! Please don't let it be it! I won't be able to sleep at night...- Hana was sobbing.

— Well, that's enough already. Carmen, you know that Hana is afraid of wolves,- someone from the group said, laughing.

-That's why I'm teasing her, - Carmen replied with a grin.

Hana continued, raising her hands in a defensive gesture, as if trying to push away an invisible monster.

-You should stop doing that. And you, Tori, give the drawing to Kyo immediately! With that, - Asagi snatched the paper from the girl's fragile hands.

-Asagi, are you serious? I'm not done yet! - Tori tried to return the drawing, but Asagi was adamant.

— It couldn't be more serious. Here you go, Kyo. And don't let anyone touch your stuff without permission, - Asagi said, handing the drawing back to Kyo.

Kyo nodded curtly, his face showing mixed feelings — gratitude to Asagi and confusion that his work was once again the subject of controversy.

Tori sighed heavily, sinking to the floor as if she had lost all interest in what was happening.

—Well, that's it. She always ruins all the fun.... Kyo's masterpieces always arouse our keen interest, it's hard to stop when you have such a beautiful painting in front of you. I want to admire her forever, - she was genuinely upset.

— You can do it from the outside. And with your reputation, you shouldn't come closer than two meters to Kyo, - Asagi replied calmly, to which everyone else just laughed.

— Asagi, you're a pest, I can't see anything! - Tori demanded again.

-That's great,— Asagi replied calmly.

-Wh-what? - Tori asked angrily, her eyes wide with surprise.

The group smiled again, and Kyo, watching these twists and turns, just shook his head, not quite understanding how such madness could arise from his simple drawing.

Minato approached Kyo, who was deep in thought, carefully studying his drawing.

—Kyo, Nurse Hinata wants you to be her next patient, - he said, pulling his friend away from his contemplation.

—Okay, - Kyo replied, confused, once again immersed in the details of her work.

-Don't worry, Kyo, Asagi will look after your drawing. — The girl stretched out her hand to the drawing, when suddenly someone pushed her away.

It was Minato, who hastily snatched the drawing from her and hugged it to himself.

—?! - exclaimed Asagi in surprise.

—No, Kyo, let me take care of your drawing. These women are too emotional to care for such a treasure. They'll just tear up your painting, - Minato said with a serious look, as if his words were wise.

-What? Who did you call women? — the girl was indignant, crossing her arms over her chest.

-Aren't you a woman? Mm, what is it? - Minato bent down, peering at the drawing.

When he got a little closer, he started laughing.

-What kind of scribble? — he demonstrated his indifference to art.

Kyo, feeling that his words were causing laughter, stepped aside, remaining at a loss. He just watched as the head bully in the class made fun of his work.

-Let's talk about your screams in Hinata's nurse's office, - he suggested, trying to steer the conversation to another topic.

-I wasn't shouting at all! We had a nice chat with her while you were all looking at this girl's children's drawing, - Minato continued calmly.

-Kyo's a guy, unlike you, dude, - one of the classmates chimed in, trying to cheer Kyo up.

—Yeah, and drawing is all girly stuff, - Minato interjected.

-You're just jealous that Kyo draws better than you, - Asagi said, raising an offended eyebrow.

-You're all jealous of me because, unlike you fools, I was flirting with nurse Hinata. I even touched her breasts. Hehe, - Minato remarked smugly, clearly proud of himself.

— No, that's not true! - Several voices shouted in unison, not believing him.

- This is a blatant lie! - Someone added, laughing.

- How would you know if you weren't there? Oh, you should have heard Nurse Hinata moaning. How her angelic voice called my name, - Minato continued, clearly enjoying his fantasy.

-Shut up! - Asagi shouted, clearly tired of his chatter.

-I can't take this anymore, - she gasped, clenching her fists in exasperation.

—Hehe, I told you you were jealous of me, - Minato summed up smugly, clearly not realizing that he had become the object of ridicule.

Kyo, who was left without his drawing, only smiled slightly, watching this comedy, while the class was filled with streams of laughter.

Timeskip:

Kyo walked down the corridor, clutching the ruined drawing tightly in his hands. Looking at the stains left by Minato, he hated himself. He took a deep breath, realizing how much effort he would have to spend to fix it. Thinking about exactly what he had done gave weight to his steps, and deep down he hoped that soon he would be able to put it all behind him and immerse himself in silence, where he could really focus.

Soon he will leave the walls of the school and go outside, where he can feel his bare feet touching the grass. This painting gave him hope — to connect with nature, feel the fresh air and lock all unnecessary thoughts in a drawer, close and lock it securely. He dreamed of moments of peace when nothing would stop him from drawing inspiration and taking a break from the turbulent school world.

"They say there is nothing more valuable in the world than friendship," he thought. He wondered if that was really the case.

"If you don't have any friends, can you be considered a real person? Friends, as an immutable truth, complement us, protect us from selfishness and give rise to a desire to help and share".

From an early age, he learned to share toys, feelings, and secrets.

"But what if you let down those who are dear to you? What's the point of friendship if others suffer because of your mistakes?"

Thoughts full of doubts assailed him, and he could not find answers to them. These questions tormented him in the same way as when he was a child, when he dared to ask adults about love - about what kind of feeling it was. They just laughed, threw up their hands, called him a stupid simpleton. "You'll figure it out soon enough," they said. "Let fate do your dirty work for you. Through suffering and experience, understanding will come."

However, with each passing year, Kyo felt that the more he looked for answers, the fewer he had left. He didn't look for them from others. It was as if in this world of true friendship there was some kind of forbidden fruit, around which only dark figures circled, laughing, but not offering anything more meaningful.

"I don't even know what else to say," he thought, heading for the exit. He breathed in the fresh air, feeling his mind clear with each breath. For a moment, it seemed to him that all his worries were dissolving into the silence of nature.

But still one thought remained: "Where are the answers to all the questions?" He kept walking, trying to find his place in this world, while his feet softly stepped on the grass, and the wind gently ruffled his hair. Nature could probably tell you more than all the adults put together.

But nature was also silent, hiding the secrets of this world behind it.

Since then, I haven't asked other people any questions. And I no longer thought about the answers to my own. Until I met her. This day has changed my life. I will never forget the pain I saw in her blue eyes then. Her pleas for help were ignored by everyone around her. The handcuffs bound her hands so tightly that she couldn't move them, and pressed down on her skin so that her palms were literally covered in blood. And she walked, breathing heavily, as if she had been plowing in the field for several days and nights in a row. There were bruises under her eyes, and she was staggering as if she was going to faint. I had to do something!

But I couldn't... I was afraid of my peers - their harsh, sidelong glances and ridicule.

As a child, they often ridiculed my every step, and if I did something wrong, my existence was ignored. Their voices sounded in my head like a broken record, dipping me in the shadow of the past: "Did he share the candy with that girl again? What a fool! Doesn't he see that he is being used?", "Why did you help old woman get across the road? Do you think that if she is old, can't do it on her own? Her only 60 years old, and this is still youth. Isn't it noticeable? You want recognition, right? So that adults understands what a good boy you are, since you help others? How pathetic you are!". I clutched my head before I heard a voice. It could have created a lot of things around me...

-Come on, let's go, - one of the guards commanded. But... That day I realized how wrong I was...

When the wolf girl refused to go, he roughly hit her on the head with a gun, and when she fell, he began to kick her in the stomach, the rest of the guards made fun of her too and laughed. A what? Does an adult show violence to someone who is younger? Is cruelty inherent not only in children and passes with the age of adulthood? I looked in the direction of some of the adults who were not far from here, in the hope that everything will be explained to me. But they just watched these and hurriedly departed, trying not to help whom they considered a monster. Well, at least someone behaved like an adult, and did not show violence to a teenager ... Wait up... Did I call it a teenager? I looked at her again. Wow, wait, what? What is it? And what was she guilty of?

- Help, please! - she shouted, but no one wanted to hear her, and I hurried to leave after the adults, just not to see this sight, from which the heart was squeezed. If she was chained, then it was necessary, perhaps it was her fault, but... Something was definitely wrong here! There was a strange feeling in my chest that made me think back to my days in elementary school.

Once I was a fighter for justice - protecting children from bullying and fighting bullies, it seemed that I was doing a good job - helping victims and preventing bullies from wreaking havoc...

But...

"Sensei, Kyo attacked me for no reason and hit me"

"Yeah, He often watches over us after school and mocks us. He even threatened to kill us."

"Look, he even strangled me!"

"This is not true! He made these bruises for himself!"

"Shut up, Kyo. From now on, you will go to the corrective class, and we will take care of your behavior." Adults have always been non-confrontational people and tried to hush everything up as soon as possible, but children were evil, always trying to hurt someone. That is why I respected adults, because they were more honest than children...Although, with rare exceptions, maybe some of the children were adequate?

Do you think someone of children helped me then?

"I'm sorry, Kyo. What they say is true."

"But we both know that they mocked you!"

"No, what are you talking about? You kept us in fear all the time and forced to do terrible things! Please stay away from us. I hope the corrective class will benefit you."

"Heard, you're not Robin Hood?"

"This boy beat up children he hated, and shifted all the blame on others in his crimes." And then I realized that although adults do not always do the right thing, they at least try to somehow make up for conflicts, but the world of children is like another universe.

In this children world, it is not worth helping each other - you will be easily put up and will not even say thank you. Everyone thinks about their own benefit, and there is no place for good. Even if someone extends a hand to you, It means that these people have their own views on you.

Children here don't like your good deeds, considering it an insult to their dignity and a recognition of their weakness in front of this world, but when you refuse their request, for some reason, they also begin to hate you, as if you are their number one enemy. At least, that's what I thought until that moment.

This world was strange and incomprehensible to me, but to her it was apparently cruel and painful. And then the world seemed to turn upside down when I saw what was happening then...I saw the other side of the coin...She was beaten, her hair was torn, her hands were stepped on and twisted. What happened to their faces? Did they take pleasure in bullying? They looked like children I knew. And this frightened me, I did not understand what was happening and wanted to leave here as soon as possible, just to quickly forget the nightmare that I saw.

-Hey, please help me! - Suddenly the wolf girl screamed, and I stopped for a while, but did not give the impression that I heard her and continued walking. Her screams of pain sounded in my head, but nevertheless I could not give all a reason to poison me, I did not want to plunge again into the events of the past, where because of my good deeds everyone I knew turned away from me.

Deuce! Why is my heart aching and beating in my chest, as if from despair, as if asking me to stop and come to my senses - did I make the right decision? How groundless are my fears?

- At least you don't leave, please! - She said in a voice full of plea for help, and when I turned around, I saw an ocean of pain in her eyes, which came out along with the tears that washed over her eyes.

-Do you really think that at least someone will help you? - The head guard said with a sneer, clutching her hair in his hands and tearing it.

I wonder who she is? Who does she remind me of? Suddenly it dawned on me—that girl from my drawings. It was her. I finally met her side by side. And now I need to ask her something. But fear still clouded my eyes and I was afraid to come to the rescue.

But the girl kept stretching her hands to me and asking for help as if I was her only salvation from this difficult situation. Although, it was.

I stood alone with my fear and tried to resist it, but it blocked my way with a smirk and did not let me go further.

"You don't want to be an outcast like before? A bad boy for everyone? She will somehow cope without you!" - it whispered to me threateningly.

"Just surrender to me and nothing will happen." I stepped back, feeling fear grip me. I didn't know what to do. I was stuck between elections, but the only thing I knew was that any one of them would have consequences.

What will Kyo do, will he follow the lead of fear or help a mysterious stranger?