At 3:48 AM...

  *There was a teenager walking through the forest... His age was around 16 years old, and his name was "Robin." He was wearing a white, happy smiling mask, which was the opposite of how he was feeling right now. Holding a rope and a pocket knife, he was about to "end his own life"—but then...*

  ??? : Eh~!? Why is there a human out here at this te hour!?

  *Robin was startled by the void then realized that he had already gotten lost in the forest of monsters...*

  ??? : It’s so dark out here. How did you get here, kiddo? Are you lost? You stay at my house and figure things out tomorrow---

  Robin : Thanks, but... no thanks. I’m here to kill myself...

  ??? : W-what did you just say!?

  Robin : You're a monster, aren’t you...? Would you please just kill me already? I don’t want to go baymore...

  ??? : Wait, wait, wait, hold on, kid. There’s o push yourself this way! What happened, kid? Just tell me! Why are you thinking this way?

  Robin : So...

  *They both sit uhe tree where Robin had tied the rope, and they sit in silence for a while... Then, Robin begins to open up and speak from the heart...*

  Robin : When I was a child, I used to live with my peaceful parents... My dad was a very kind person... My mum’s cooking was tasty... Everything was almost perfect...

  His voice cracked as he sobbed behind his mask.

  Robin : "Then... a drunk driver crashed into them. Sob They... they died in that act... And even though I got step-parents afterward, they never cared about me at all. Sniff All they ever cared about was my grades… whether I had A’s or not. But I’ve never been good at studying—I always got F’s and D’s. They insulted me, broke the things I bought with my own money... Sob Never mind... Maybe I really am the bad one here. Just let me die already... I’m nothing but a burden... I don’t deserve kindness."

  The monster listeo Robin’s story with a fused expression, thinking, "What is wrong with this kid?" He didn’t uand how human society worked, but... he couldn’t help feeling sympathy for Robin.

  ??? : ", kiddo... Even if things are bad now, that doesn’t mean you should just end everything like this!"

  Robin was caught off guard. He never expected that someone—or rather, something—would be there for him while he was drowning in sorrow. Even more surprising was that this monster had enough heart to feel sympathy for a human like him. Weren’t monsters supposed to be bloodthirsty creatures that preyed on humans in legends?

  ??? : "Listen, kid... There’s still so much ahead of you. You might get luckier iure! Don’t throw away all your ces just because of what’s happening now!"

  Robin : "...There's a better future for someone like me?"

  ??? : "Of course! Give yourself a ce! Believe me—there’s talent in you, I’m sure of it!"

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  The two sat in silence for a moment, the only sound being Robin's quiet sobs.

  Robin : "...Thank you, sir. What’s your name?"

  ??? : "Oh, I’m Smiley! What about you?"

  Robin : "I’m Robin."

  Smiley : "So, would you like to stay at my house until we figure a way out? It’s getting te."

  Robin : "...Alright."

  Smiley spread his wings.

  Robin : "You have wings!?"

  Smiley : "Of course! My house floats in the air."

  Robin : "...Huh? Oh yeah... Magic."

  Smiley gently held Robin and flew up toward his home

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  [To be tinued]