I know…
All of us, as children, make mistakes we regret when we grow older.
But the mistake I made… was one I could never erase.
It happened back when I was still in middle school.
I sat quietly in my classroom that day.
The sunlight from the window felt unusually cold, as if the world itself had turned its back on me.
That was when the teacher called me aside, his expression heavy.
And he told me words that shattered my world.
"My parents… were in a car accident. They didn't survive."
My heartbeat stopped.
From that day on, I had no one left at home. I learned to cook, clean, and take care of myself… like an adult, even though I was just a boy.
I did have friends—people who called themselves that.
But they weren't really there for me.
"Why do you always ask me for money?" I had snapped once.
"You're nothing but a friend in name only."
I thought loneliness was something I could live with.
But I was wrong.
Because that was the moment she appeared.
And everything began to change.
The classroom door slid open. Our teacher clapped his hands to gather attention.
"Students," he said, "today we have a new student joining us."
A hushed wave of whispers spread across the room. Curious eyes turned toward the door.
And then—she walked in.
A timid girl stepped into the room, moving slowly as if every step carried weight.
Her face bore a noticeable scar, burned into her skin, and a strip of cloth covered her eyes.
Gasps and murmurs filled the room.
"W-what happened to her face?"
"Why are her eyes covered like that?"
The girl stood silently in front of the class, her hands trembling at her sides. Then, in a faint but steady voice, she spoke.
"My name is Hotaru… I cannot see."
The classroom fell silent.
Before I could react, I shot up from my seat.
"Are you serious?" I blurted. "You can't see? Or are you just pretending so people will pity you?"
The teacher's voice thundered through the room.
"Itsuki! Sit down this instant! How dare you speak like that to your classmate?"
I froze. Heat flushed my cheeks as the other students stared at me.
The teacher turned back to Hotaru, his tone softening.
"Please, take a seat… Oh, forgive me. I forgot. You cannot see, can you?"
He gently took her hand and guided her to an empty desk. The whispers of the class trailed behind her like shadows.
The lesson began. The teacher's voice carried on, but I could see Hotaru's expression—confused, lost, as though she couldn't follow a single word.
When lunch break arrived, she slowly made her way to a girl sitting near the back.
"Um… excuse me," Hotaru asked softly. "Could you tell me… what the teacher taught today? I can't see the board."
The girl hesitated, then began explaining the chapter bit by bit.
Soon she added something else, lowering her voice.
"Do you see that boy over there? The one with his head down on the desk?"
She pointed toward me.
"His parents passed away a few weeks ago. Since then… he hasn't really spoken to anyone."
Hotaru listened quietly. Inside her thoughts stirred—So that's why… He must be hurting too. But still… they say he yells at people, bullies, makes others cry…
Even so, she decided to approach me.
Slowly, carefully, Hotaru walked toward my desk. Her hands brushed against chairs and desks as she guided herself forward, afraid of falling.
Finally, she stopped in front of me.
"My name is Hotaru," she said. "I just wanted to introduce myself."
I lifted my head. My eyes narrowed at her, cruel words slipping out before I could stop them.
"So what do you expect me to do? You can't even see. Then why were you so eager to stand in front of everyone and introduce yourself?
And that scar on your face… how do you even live with something so ugly? Tell me—what's so fun about being alive with that kind of mark?"
The classroom air grew heavy.
Hotaru didn't reply. She simply smiled faintly, as though my words hadn't pierced her at all.
"…I see," she whispered. "Then I'll be going."
With those words, she turned away, leaving me staring at her back.
And that… was where our story truly began.
✨ End of Chapter 1 – Kizu ni Saita Hikari ✨