The afternoon sun reflected softly across the river.
Little Miki Senji (6 years old) carefully carried a small wooden bucket toward the riverbank.
She was still very young—too young to understand why her older brother rarely spoke to her anymore.
She crouched beside the water and began filling the bucket.
Then—
"Hey, look."
Miki froze.
Three older children stood behind her.
One of them grinned.
"It's that weird Senji girl."
Miki slowly turned around.
"H-Hello…"
The tallest boy stepped forward.
"What are you doing here?"
"I-I came to get water…"
"Then go somewhere else."
Miki lowered her head.
"I-I'm sorry…"
The children laughed.
"Look at her."
"She can't even talk properly."
"Maybe she thinks crying will make someone come save her."
One of them kicked her bucket.
It rolled across the dirt, spilling water everywhere.
Miki's eyes widened.
"Please… don't…"
The boy shoved her.
Miki fell onto the ground.
"Ow…"
She quickly pushed herself upright, tears forming in her eyes.
"Stop…"
The children laughed again.
"What are you going to do about it?"
Miki's hands trembled.
She wanted to fight back.
She wanted to tell them to leave her alone.
But she was scared.
She couldn't.
---
High above them, hidden among the branches of a nearby tree, Kawaki watched.
His expression was cold.
His younger sister was being bullied.
His body moved slightly forward.
His fingers tightened around the branch.
Go down there.
Every instinct inside him screamed at him to protect her.
But then another voice surfaced.
Why should you?
His mother's face flashed through his mind.
The day she died.
The pain.
The emptiness.
And the thought that had poisoned Kawaki's heart for years.
She took Mother away from me.
Kawaki's jaw tightened.
His body wanted to move.
His heart refused.
He looked away.
"...No."
Below him, one of the bullies grabbed Miki by the arm.
"Come on. Cry."
Miki squeezed her eyes shut.
"Please…"
Then—
"HEY!"
Everyone stopped.
A young boy came running down the path.
Messy black hair.
Small frame.
Determined eyes.
Sieg Pendragon.
"Leave her alone!"
The bullies turned around.
"Who are you?"
Sieg stepped between them and Miki.
"I said leave her alone!"
One of the boys laughed.
"What are you going to do?"
Sieg clenched his fists.
"I'll fight you!"
Miki stared at him.
"Sieg…?"
Sieg looked over his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Miki!"
He grinned.
"I've got you!"
The bullies laughed.
"You?"
"You don't even have magic!"
Sieg's expression didn't change.
"So?"
The biggest boy punched him.
THUD!
Sieg fell backward.
Miki gasped.
"Sieg"
Sieg slowly pushed himself back up.
"I'm… okay."
The boy punched him again.
Then another kicked him.
Sieg tried to protect himself, but he was still only a child.
He had no magic yet.
No awakened affinity.
Nothing supernatural to rely on.
Only his determination.
"Why won't you stay down?!"
Sieg wiped blood from his lip.
"Because…"
He stood again.
"She didn't do anything to you."
Another punch knocked him to the ground.
The bullies finally grew bored.
"Whatever."
"Let's go."
As they walked away, one of them looked back.
"Magicless idiot."
The others laughed.
Then they disappeared down the path.
Silence returned to the riverbank.
---
Miki immediately ran to Sieg.
She knelt beside him.
"Sieg"
She looked at his bruised face and scraped arms.
"You're hurt…"
Sieg opened one eye.
Then smiled.
"I'm okay."
"You're not okay…"
Miki's voice trembled.
Sieg slowly sat up.
"See?"
He gave her a small grin.
"I'm still alive."
Miki's eyes filled with tears.
"Why did you do that?"
Sieg looked at her.
"Because they were hurting you."
"But… you got hurt too."
Sieg shrugged.
"So?"
He stood up, though his legs wobbled slightly.
"If you're ever in trouble again…"
He pointed at himself proudly.
"I'll protect you."
Miki stared at him.
"Really?
Sieg smiled.
"yeah i promise."
Miki quietly nodded.
"Okay…"
She looked down.
"Thank you, Sieg."
Sieg's smile widened.
"Anytime" But you know..... you're weird but it doesn't matter though i like you just the way you are (He says with a genuine smile)
Miki cheeks blushed a bit
He turned around and started walking down the path.
After a few steps, he turned around.
"Bye, Miki!"
He waved.
Miki gave him a small wave.
"Bye…"
Sieg continued down the path.
Sieg murmured "aww mehn Auntie Lily is going to be pissed i came home late i have to hurry.
Miki watched him disappear.
---
From the branches above, Kawaki had witnessed everything.
He had watched Miki being bullied.
He had watched his own body desperately want to jump down.
He had watched another child do what he refused to do.
And that child had been beaten for it.
Kawaki remained silent.
His eyes followed Sieg until he disappeared from view.
Then he looked down at Miki.
She was still standing beside the river, holding her empty bucket.
For a moment, something inside Kawaki twisted.
He almost climbed down.
Almost.
But the resentment returned.
The memory of his mother.
The pain.
The anger.
He turned away from the river.
His expression hardened.
"...How disappointing."
And without another word, Kawaki disappeared into the trees.