Year 1933
A ten-year-old boy rode his bicycle quickly through the narrow streets of the town, his school bag bouncing lightly against his back as he pedaled faster than necessary.
His name was Oliver.
Unlike the man he would become years later, he looked like any other child—small, energetic, and full of simple expectations from the world.
Today, he was excited.
There was going to be a new transfer student in his class, and for some reason, he had been thinking about it since the previous evening. He imagined the new student might become his friend, someone new, someone different from the others.
But things rarely go the way we plan.
Oliver reached the school in a hurry, parked his bicycle carelessly near the stand, and sprinted toward his classroom. When he entered, the teacher hadn't arrived yet.
A group of boys waved at him from the back of the class.
Oliver walked toward them.
"What's up, Jacob?" Oliver said, trying to sound casual.
Jacob, who was clearly the leader of the group, leaned back in his chair and smirked.
"Hey, man. How you doing? And yeah… yesterday, your football performance sucked, you know."
Oliver scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Sorry, man. Yesterday just wasn't my day."
Jacob laughed loudly.
"Yeah, maybe your mom didn't train you yesterday!" he joked.
The others burst into laughter.
Oliver forced a laugh as well.
But he didn't find it funny.
Not even a little.
The joke had hurt him, but he had learned something over the past few months—it was smarter to laugh with them than to stand against them. If he didn't laugh, he would become the joke.
So he laughed.
Then he quietly went and sat at his desk, waiting for class to begin.
He had only been with Jacob and his group for a few months. They were popular, loud, confident—and sometimes cruel. They bullied weaker students, mocked those who were different, and did things they considered "cool."
Oliver wasn't like them.
He liked reading about law, medicine, and human behavior—things that other children found boring or strange. But he never talked about it. If Jacob's group found out, he would become their next target.
And that was his greatest fear.
So he adapted.
He laughed when they laughed.
He bullied when they bullied.
He cursed when they cursed.
He did things he didn't want to do—just to survive.
Because he knew the price of not belonging.
And he was too afraid to pay it.
⸻
A few minutes later, the teacher entered the classroom.
"Good morning, students," he said.
Most of the class stood up and greeted him.
Jacob and his friends didn't stand.
Oliver didn't stand either.
Even though he wanted to.
The teacher placed his books on the desk and looked around the class.
"Before we start today's lesson," he said, "I want you all to meet someone."
Oliver immediately became alert.
This must be the transfer student.
Jacob and his friends, however, continued whispering and laughing among themselves.
The teacher turned toward the door.
"Come in."
The classroom door slowly opened.
A girl walked in.
She looked different from everyone else—her long black hair tied neatly in a ponytail, her dark eyes quiet and observant. There was something gentle and shy about the way she walked.
To Oliver, in that moment, she looked unbelievably beautiful.
He couldn't explain why.
She stopped in front of the class and spoke in a soft, nervous voice.
"H-Hello everyone… My name is Yui Ale—"
She didn't get to finish.
"Booo!" Jacob shouted suddenly.
"What a Chinese! Boo! Why did you come here, you bug eaters? I heard Chinese people are dumb!"
The class erupted into laughter.
The teacher immediately slammed his hand on the desk.
"Silence! That is enough!"
But the damage was already done.
The girl—Yui—stood frozen in front of the class, her hands slightly trembling.
Then Jacob and his friends slowly turned their heads toward Oliver.
They didn't say anything.
They didn't need to.
Oliver understood.
They were waiting for him.
His chest tightened.
His hands felt cold.
His mind started racing.
If I don't say anything… they will turn on me.
If I defend her… I'm finished.
If I stay silent… I become their target.
Fear began crawling inside him like something alive.
He didn't want to do it.
He didn't want to hurt her.
He was already angry at Jacob and the others.
But fear was stronger than anger.
Fear was stronger than kindness.
Fear was stronger than courage.
So Oliver opened his mouth and said the words he would remember for the rest of his life.
"Such a filthy Chinese… stay away from Germany."
The classroom went quiet for a moment.
The teacher immediately shouted at him as well, ordering him to be silent.
Behind him, Jacob was smiling.
But Oliver wasn't looking at Jacob.
He was looking at the girl.
Tears had formed in her eyes.
She didn't say anything.
She didn't shout.
She didn't argue.
She just stood there, trying not to cry in front of everyone.
And in that moment, Oliver felt something inside his chest collapse.
The guilt he felt at that moment was immeasurable.
He wanted to stand up.
He wanted to apologize.
He wanted to tell everyone to shut up.
He wanted to tell her he didn't mean it.
But fear held him still.
Fear wrapped around his throat like a hand and didn't let him speak.
So he did the only thing he had been doing for months.
He stayed silent.
And that silence would follow him for the rest of his life.
Later that same day, after school ended, Oliver took his bicycle and began riding back home.
His house was quite far from the school, so he usually took the road that ran along the river. It was a quiet road, with long stretches where no one walked and no carts passed. There was a small bridge along the way, and Oliver often slowed down there just to look at the water flowing beneath.
But today, he did not look at the river.
Today, his mind was somewhere else.
He kept riding, but the events of the morning kept replaying in his head again and again—the classroom, the laughter, the insults, and the tears in Yui's eyes.
His chest felt heavy.
"I-it's not my fault…" he muttered to himself while riding. "I just did what was better for me… anyone would have done the same… It's her fault for coming here looking like that… Yeah… it's not my fault. I don't need to worry about anything."
He kept repeating excuses, trying to convince himself, trying to push the guilt away.
But the more he spoke, the less he believed his own words.
His face twisted into strange expressions as he argued with himself, trying desperately to justify what he had done.
By the time he reached the bridge, his thoughts were still a mess.
As he began crossing it, he noticed something ahead—about fifty meters away, on the road connected to the other side of the bridge.
A group of boys stood in a circle.
He slowed down slightly.
Then he recognized them.
Jacob and his friends.
They hadn't noticed him yet. They were shouting and laughing loudly, all of them gathered around something in the middle of the circle.
Oliver's first instinct was to ignore them and continue riding. His mind was already in chaos; he didn't want any more trouble.
But curiosity made him look again.
And then he saw.
Yui.
She stood in the middle of the circle, surrounded by them.
Oliver's eyes widened instantly.
His breathing became uneven.
He didn't need to hear what they were saying.
He didn't need to understand the situation.
He already knew.
They were bullying her.
His hands tightened on the bicycle handles.
For a moment, he just stood there.
Frozen.
Then suddenly, he got back on the bicycle and started riding again—faster this time.
He didn't go toward them.
He rode away.
He didn't want to get involved.
He didn't want to bully her again.
He didn't want more guilt.
He didn't want trouble.
He didn't want Jacob to turn on him.
But deep inside, there was another truth—
He also didn't want to be silent again.
But his mind didn't work at that moment.
He didn't think.
He didn't decide.
He just ran.
He rode faster and faster, as if he was trying to escape something chasing him.
But no matter how fast he rode, the image of Yui standing alone in that circle followed him.
By the time he reached home, his hands were shaking.
He went straight to his room, locked the door, and sat on the floor.
He was scared.
Very scared.
He didn't even fully understand why.
He wanted to save her.
He really wanted to.
But he couldn't even save himself.
So he just sat there, drowning in guilt.
⸻
The next day, he forced himself to go to school like nothing had happened. He spent the entire morning convincing himself again that it wasn't his fault, that he couldn't do anything, that it was better to stay out of trouble.
But throughout the entire school day, he couldn't stop looking at Yui.
He didn't talk to her.
He didn't go near her.
He just watched her from his seat.
He didn't even know why he was staring.
Maybe to make sure she was okay.
Maybe because of guilt.
Maybe because he wanted to say something but didn't know how.
Or maybe for a reason he didn't understand yet.
⸻
In the last period, as the teacher was finishing the lecture, Yui suddenly looked up.
Their eyes met.
Oliver immediately looked away, his face heating up with embarrassment and panic.
But after a few seconds, he looked toward her again.
She was still looking at him.
Their eyes met once more.
And then—
She smiled.
It was a small smile.
Gentle.
Kind.
Oliver had never seen her smile before.
To him, in that moment, it felt like he had just seen the most beautiful thing in his entire life.
And that was the moment he realized something.
He was in love with that girl.
The guilt inside him still existed, heavy and painful, but at that moment, another emotion appeared beside it.
Love.
⸻
When the school day ended and students began leaving the classroom, Oliver was still lost in his thoughts.
But as he stepped outside, someone grabbed his shoulder.
It was Jacob.
"Hey, man," Jacob said with a grin. "You missed the show yesterday. Don't worry, you'll be the VIP today. Let's go."
Then Jacob looked past Oliver and shouted,
"You too!"
Oliver turned.
Jacob was looking at Yui.
At that moment, Oliver understood what was about to happen.
And he also understood that what was waiting for him next…
…was nothing but pure despair.
Oliver didn't want to go with them.
But it wasn't like he had a choice.
So he stood up quietly and began walking with Jacob and the others. They joked and laughed among themselves, pushing each other, talking loudly like nothing in the world mattered.
But Oliver didn't laugh this time.
His mind was somewhere else.
She smiled at me…
Why did she smile at me?
Doesn't she hate me?
I thought she would hate me…
I insulted her… I ran away yesterday… I didn't help her…
Why didn't I help her? Why? Why?
Please… no more guilt…
Hate me… please hate me… I don't deserve kindness…
His thoughts kept spiraling, faster and faster, until he felt like his head would explode.
Soon they reached the same place as yesterday—the road near the bridge, the quiet place where no one came.
Yui was already there.
Standing alone.
As they approached, Jacob clapped Oliver on the shoulder and grinned.
"Alright, Oliver. Our VIP," he said. "She's all yours today. Do whatever you want. Entertain us."
The boys started clapping and cheering.
Oliver looked at Yui.
Those same kind eyes looked back at him.
It felt like those eyes were cutting into his chest.
Inside his head, he kept screaming:
Hate me. Hate me. Punish me.
Jacob laughed and continued talking.
"Yesterday we made a mess of her hair and even tore her clothes, remember? Haha!"
Oliver wanted to grab Jacob by the neck and choke him to death.
But he didn't move.
He didn't have the courage.
His mind was breaking under guilt, fear, anger, and confusion.
And then his mind came to a terrible conclusion.
If she hates me… I won't feel guilty anymore.
Make her hate you.
The air was silent for a moment.
Then Yui spoke in a trembling voice.
"W-why are you people doing this? I didn't do anything wrong… please just let me go…"
Jacob was about to say something, but suddenly Oliver shouted:
"SHUT UP! You are suffering this because you were born for this! Now just endure it, you filth!"
Everyone went silent.
Jacob looked surprised.
So did Yui.
She hadn't expected Oliver to speak like that.
Before she could react, Oliver pushed her into the shallow water near the road. The water wasn't deep, but it soaked her clothes instantly.
Then Oliver picked up stones.
And started throwing them.
One stone hit her arm.
Another hit her shoulder.
Another hit her leg.
The boys behind him cheered loudly like it was a game.
Yui cried, trying to shield herself.
"Please! Please stop! It hurts! Please stop!"
But with every stone Oliver threw, it felt like he was the one being hurt more than her.
Then suddenly Oliver noticed something—a big street dog nearby, watching them. It looked aggressive, growling slightly.
Yui saw the dog too and immediately became terrified.
She froze, unable to move.
And then Oliver did something far worse than anything he had done before.
He picked up a stick and waved it at the dog, provoking it. When the dog moved closer, Oliver threw the stick toward Yui.
The dog ran toward her and jumped near her, barking loudly.
Yui screamed and cried loudly, shaking in fear.
The dog didn't bite her, but she was terrified beyond control.
Jacob suddenly looked uncomfortable.
"Guys… maybe we should leave," he said.
One by one, they started running away.
Oliver ran too.
He didn't look back.
Not even once.
As he ran, only one thought echoed in his mind:
Now she hates me.
⸻
After that day, Jacob and his friends never forced Oliver to bully Yui again.
But they continued bullying her.
At the same place.
At the same time.
Almost every day.
And Oliver saw it many times.
But he ignored it.
Slowly, it became normal.
Slowly, the guilt became quieter.
Slowly, the feelings he once had—guilt, sadness, even love—began to fade.
And time passed.
⸻
Two years later – 1935
Oliver was crossing the bridge again, just like any other day.
He didn't even look toward the other road anymore. He had trained himself not to look.
But that day—
He looked.
And he saw the same scene again.
But something was different.
Yui was on her knees.
There was blood.
Not from a visible wound.
The blood was coming from between her legs.
She was crying, begging, her voice shaking.
"Don't look… please don't look…"
The boys were laughing.
"Eww! That's disgusting!"
"Who does that while getting bullied? Haha!"
Jacob laughed.
"Alright, you can go now."
But she couldn't stand up.
She just kept crying.
And in that moment—
Everything came back to Oliver.
Every memory.
Every insult.
Every stone.
Every tear.
Every moment he ran away.
And then one emotion took over everything else.
Anger.
Pure anger.
Oliver dropped his bicycle and ran toward them.
He took off his jacket and wrapped it around Yui without saying a word.
Jacob looked confused.
"What are you doing, man? What the hell—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Oliver picked up a rock and smashed it into Jacob's head.
Jacob fell immediately.
Oliver didn't stop.
He attacked the others, hitting them, pushing them, throwing stones.
They outnumbered him.
But there was a difference.
The other boys were fighting to defend themselves.
Oliver was fighting to kill.
There was something in his eyes that none of them had ever seen before.
Rage.
Pure rage.
After beating the others, Oliver walked toward Jacob, who was still conscious but barely moving.
Oliver grabbed his neck and started choking him.
Jacob struggled, gasping for air, trying to push Oliver away.
But Oliver didn't stop.
He kept squeezing harder and harder until Jacob's movements became weaker… and weaker… and then he lost consciousness.
Jacob was still breathing.
But he was unconscious.
Oliver stood up slowly, breathing heavily.
Then he turned around and ran.
He didn't look at Yui.
He didn't say anything.
He just ran.
His guilt was still alive.
So was his love.
But at least today—
He had saved something.
He had saved her.
And maybe… he had saved a small part of himself.
⸻
The next day, he found out that Yui had transferred to another school.
When he heard that, he smiled quietly.
At least now, maybe she could be happy.
And that was enough for him.
That day Oliver understood that kindness hurts more than hatred.
Chapter Ends
To be Continued