(On a rainy day, the sun lay hidden behind wounded clouds…

  Rain streamed down like tears, and the cold whispered with the echoes of a restless soul.)

  “It’s been raining for a while now… I wonder what’s causing it,” Giyo murmured, gazing out the classroom window.

  “Winter is approaching,” Pan replied calmly. “But the constant rain and the absence of sunlight are unusual. Even I can’t quite grasp the reason.”

  Giyo remained by the window as the students chatted noisily before the teacher’s return. His friends were deep in conversation about training and future battles—but one girl sat in silence.

  Petra.

  He walked over and sat beside her.

  “Hey… um, Petra. What’s wrong? You’re always so quiet.”

  She flinched slightly at his sudden presence. “Ah—Giyo… I… well…”

  “You don’t have to say anything if it makes you uncomfortable,” he said gently.

  “N-no! It’s okay…” She looked down at her hands. A faint smile curved her lips, and her words drifted into the cold air like pale mist. “I’m just… very shy. You all talk so much and seem so close. Sometimes I wonder how we became such good friends in such a short time.”

  Giyo chuckled softly. “Yeah, we really did become a tight group, huh? But you don’t need to force yourself. You’re shy, sure—but I kind of like that about you. You hide your strength behind silence. I think that’s admirable.”

  Her cheeks flushed at his words. The small smile lingered as she stood and offered him her hand.

  “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

  Giyo took her hand, and together they left the classroom. They walked through the quiet, chilly hallways, climbed the stairs toward the upper floors, and eventually reached the rooftop.

  The cold outside was harsher, but Petra kept walking until she reached the railing, looking down at the town below.

  “Look,” she said softly. “The houses are all lit up… everyone looks protected from the cold.”

  “Petra… why did you bring me here? Is there a reason?”

  “Not really,” she admitted. “I feel calm up here. No noise. No people. No problems…”

  She clutched the hem of her blouse.

  “But even with all this calm… I still don’t feel okay.”

  Giyo watched her carefully, studying her expression.

  “Petra… I—”

  “You’re curious, aren’t you?” she interrupted quietly. “You want to know why I was the only one who failed the academy’s psychological test.”

  She kept her gaze forward.

  “It’s frustrating being the only one who doesn’t have the same strength as everyone else. I tried my best… but in the end, I lost to my greatest fear.”

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  “What’s your greatest fear?” Giyo asked.

  She turned to look into his dark eyes.

  “My greatest fear? …Maybe it’s my appearance. Maybe it’s my shyness. Or maybe it’s being weak.”

  He couldn’t respond. The words caught in his throat.

  She smiled faintly, turning her attention back to the glowing houses below. But her expression slowly grew troubled.

  “I don’t blame you,” she continued. “You’re so strong… I wish I were like you, Giyo. Your looks, your personality, your body… you’re normal. Unlike me. I’m a freak.”

  “Do you really want to be like me?” Giyo asked quietly. “To go through everything I went through to get here? Are you sure?”

  “Of course,” she replied. “You dress so well. Your family probably doesn’t struggle financially. You must have everything I never had.”

  He suddenly gripped her shoulder, making her flinch and meet his eyes.

  There were no tears yet—but his sadness was unmistakable.

  “You have no idea how foolish that sounds,” he said. “I’m not like our friends.”

  He crossed his arms, stepping back slightly.

  “Do you have time to hear my story?”

  She nodded.

  Tears began to gather in his eyes as he forced the words out.

  “I was born into a noble family. Everyone treated me kindly… so kindly that sometimes I couldn’t tell if their affection was real.

  “My father was one of the Captains. He was incredibly strong—he could defeat colossal beasts.

  “My mother was a princess. Beautiful. Highly respected among the nobles.

  “My siblings were serious and used to tease me, but back then… I didn’t really mind.”

  His gaze drifted into the distance as snow slowly began to fall from the sky.

  “On my seventh birthday, my father promised me a gift. But he said he would give it to me after completing a mission… He never came back.”

  His voice trembled.

  “My mother was devastated. And then she started blaming me—saying I had brought misfortune upon our family.”

  He ran a hand along his body, tracing faint spiral scars hidden beneath his clothes, then tugged lightly at his black hair.

  “I don’t look like either of them. I was called a mistake. And yet… my father was the only one who truly loved me.”

  Tears finally streamed down his cheeks.

  “So… do you still want to live what I lived?”

  Petra stood frozen in silence. Shame flickered across both their faces.

  She clasped her hands together and bowed deeply.

  “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t know you carried something like that.”

  He gently held her arm. “It’s okay. Let’s just… forget it.”

  She shook her head.

  “No. I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you why I couldn’t awaken during the psychological test.”

  She inhaled shakily.

  “I’m not human.”

  She gave a hollow laugh.

  “It’s funny, right? My large hands. My body bigger than yours. My muscles visible even under simple clothes… and yet… you’re not afraid.”

  “My parents aren’t alive anymore. They looked just like me.

  “One day, just like this, we were in the forest gathering firewood. They asked me to collect the remaining pine branches while they went ahead.

  “Then I heard a scream.”

  Her voice cracked.

  “I ran back home, dropping the wood behind. And when I arrived… I saw it with my own eyes.”

  She trembled.

  “A hooded man holding a strange hammer. Lightning crackled from his hands. He tried to kill me.”

  “I ran. I cried. I ran without looking back… In the end, the snow covered me completely, and I somehow escaped that murderer.”

  Silence fell.

  Petra’s tears streamed down her face, her sobs trapped painfully in her throat.

  Giyo stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

  The sudden embrace caught her off guard. She looked up at him, confused, tears still falling.

  “Your past is even harsher than mine,” he said softly. “I’m not here to compare pain… but I know one thing—you’re going to become stronger.”

  He smiled faintly.

  “My father dreamed that I’d become a Captain someday. But I only liked flowers… and taking care of animals. Somehow, I ended up here.”

  Petra wiped her tears and let out a small laugh. “I used to hunt with my father. He always said that one day I’d become the greatest hunter in the world.”

  “Petra… our paths will cross with our dreams someday. And I don’t care that you’re not human. I accept you for who you are.”

  She stared at him.

  “You accept me? Even if I’m a monster? Even if I’m strange? Even if I’m too strong for an ordinary child?”

  “Yes,” he answered without hesitation. “I accept you. Because you’re my friend. And friends help each other—even in their darkest moments.”

  She broke down completely, throwing herself into his arms. The force of her hug nearly knocked the air out of him, but after a moment, she let go—smiling through her tears.

  “Giyo… I’ll follow you until I find my true dream. If you ever need me—if I can ever help you reach your goals—please call me.”

  He laughed warmly.

  “I promise.”