A Quiet boy's Normal Day - Silent Torment
Silence can protect someone, but it can also trap them. Fear grows stronger when no one speaks.
Lunch break arrived quickly.
Students gathered in groups, laughing and chatting loudly.
Sota quietly ate a small piece of bread at his desk.
He hoped the day would pass peacefully.
Unfortunately, that hope did not last long.
Tanaka Honju sudddenly grabbed Sota by the collar.
"Come with us."
Sota did not reesist.
He already knew what was going to happen.
Tanaka dragged him toward the empty stairwell behind the school building.
Ryota, Daichi, Kenji, Takeshi, and Haru followed behind them.
The moment the door closed, Tanaka pushed Sota against the wall.
His back slammed into the concrete.
"Did you finish my notes?" Tanaka asked.
"Almost," Sota answered quietly.
That answer made Tanaka's expression darken.
Almost.
Tanaka punched him in the stomach.
Sota bent forward as the air left his lungs.
The others laughed.
Ryota kicked his leg.
Daichi shoved him.
Kenji slapped the back of his head.
"You are so useless."
"We only asked for a simple thing."
Takeshi grabbed Sota's hair and forced his head up.
"You should be grateful we let you help us."
Sota did not fight back.
He did not shout.
He did not complain.
His body shook slightly from pain, but he remained silent.
Haru pushed him to the ground.
"Look at him."
"He won't even fight back."
More laughter filled the stairwell.
Sota stared at the cold floor.
He could report them.
He knew that.
But fear held him tightly.
What if they got angrier?
What if things became worse?
The bell suddenly rang.
Class was starting again.
Tanaka clicked his tongue.
"Tch. You're lucky."
He kicked Sota once more before walking away.
The others followed him, still laughing.
The door closed.
Silence returned.
Sota slowly stood up, holding his stomach.
His uniform was dirty.
His body hurt.
But his face showed nothing.
He quietly walked back to class.
Like nothing had happened.
Bullying grows when weakness meets cruelty. Sota chooses silence, but every silent movement slowly builds pressure inside his haart.
