Chapter 5: Rooftop Promises
The afternoon sun hung low, painting the sky in strokes of orange and crimson. After class, the girl tugged lightly at his sleeve and whispered,
"Come with me."
Before he could question her, she led him up the narrow stairway that wound its way to the rooftop of the school. The city stretched endlessly beyond them, rooftops glittering under the dying light. The wind brushed against their faces, carrying a freedom he hadn't felt in years.
They sat near the edge, their legs dangling. For a while, they said nothing, letting the silence breathe between them. Then the girl turned to him, her eyes steady.
"Why are you so weak?" she asked softly. "Why don't you fight back? You could stand up for yourself, but you don't. Why?"
The boy's gaze dropped to the ground. His hands tightened into fists, as if clutching ghosts.
"My mother…" his voice broke slightly. "She trained me. She wanted me to know how to protect myself. She was strong. She taught me everything about fighting. But after she died, everything changed. I was alone. No one… no one was there to support me anymore."
His shoulders trembled, but he did not cry. The weight of loneliness pressed into every word.
The girl's expression softened. She shifted closer and rested her hand on his arm. "You're not alone anymore," she said gently. "Not while I'm here."
For the first time in a long while, warmth crept into his chest. He looked at her, and something in her gaze told him she understood pain too deeply to lie.
And then, slowly, she began to share her own story.
"I used to have a good life too," she said, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow. "My parents loved me more than anything. But then… they both died in a car accident. Suddenly, everything was gone. My relatives… they took everything, all the property, all the inheritance. But one relative—just one—took me in. She didn't have much, she struggled every single day, but she gave me a home. And I help her however I can."
The boy's chest tightened as he listened. Their stories were different, yet the emptiness was the same. Loss had carved them both hollow.
But the rooftop, the sunset, and the shared confessions seemed to stitch the hollowness with threads of understanding.
A laugh broke through the heaviness, small and uncertain at first. Then another. Soon, they were smiling—really smiling. Teasing words tumbled between them, and for once, the weight of grief lifted just enough to let joy breathe.
The girl's eyes sparkled with mischief as she nudged him.
"You know… you should teach me what your mother taught you. All that training, all those moves. If I learn, maybe I'll finally stop these bullies myself."
The boy blinked, then chuckled. "You? Training with me?"
"Why not?" she grinned. "Don't underestimate me."
His smile softened into something almost tender. "Fine. We'll meet here, every day after school. I'll teach you. Lesson by lesson."
She straightened proudly. "Deal. From now on, I'm your student."
And just like that, a promise was sealed under the fading sky.
For the boy, it wasn't just about teaching her. It was about finding himself again—through her laughter, her courage, and the fire in her eyes.
For the girl, it wasn't just about learning how to fight. It was about building strength together, step by step, until both of them could stand taller than their shadows.
And from that day forward, their friendship grew into something unshakable—born from scars, but destined to be stronger than pain.