Last year, I had lived as a minimalist. Only doing necessary things and nothing more. I hadn't even celebrated my birthday last year. I had gotten used to this lifestyle. This time I didn't even leave my house during the vacations. But now, Maya enrolled into the same high school as me. She could have easily live the same routine as me but she didn't have a bike to travel to the bus stop. But that wasn't my problem. Until my parents projected that problem onto me. 

“Give her a ride at least till the bus stop.” 

“You don't want her to walk all the way, do you?” 

“This much won't hurt you right.” 

“You don't have to talk to her if you don't want.” 

The nagging never stopped. Maya could easily get a new cycle. But I knew it would be useless trying to talk about this to my parents. I knew that they weren't doing this for Maya or their friendship with Mr. And Ms. Das. Maya wasn't the hopeless one...I was. My parents wanted me to start socializing a little. But what they didn't consider was that I didn't. I wouldn't exactly say I was happy like this, but I wasn't sad either. I knew that this was not just me living like this for my friend's sake. But in fact, I was protecting myself from ever getting hurt again. But I don't know why I didn't put up a fight this time. Maybe I was starting to get tired of this life. Humans are really funny NPCs. They are hard-wired to seek out a state of peace and tranquility. But the moment they have a taste of it, they start dying. They can't live without interacting with others, be it man or beast. And maybe, now I was ready for that change. 

     On the first day of the second year of high-school, I had to take a little detour for the first time in an entire year. I stopped by her house, and she wasn't ready yet. I may have wanted change, but I also didn't. That part took over for a moment and I started to pedal again. But she shouted from her window for me to wait for just two minutes. Why should I have listened to her? But I did. 

I let out a sigh and my feet reached the ground. She practically came out running after more than 10 minutes.  

     I had a perfect record last year. But I probably was going to be late for the first day this year. I was grinding my teeth and folds formed on my forehead.  

“Sorry. I forgot we had to leave so early. I still had my alarm from schooldays on.”, she said as she came out stuffing her lunchbox into her bag. She freaked a little when she saw the look on my face. 

“Get on and hold tight.”, I said while my teeth still gritted against each other. 

This was the most emotion I had expressed since the last year. I usually pedaled at a lower speed but today, I was going faster than ever. I was half standing up and Maya almost fell off once or twice...or maybe more times. I wasn't really paying any attention to her. I could already see the bus reach the bus-stop from far away. I was going to have to ride all the way to next town today... and with extra baggage on top of it. 

“Jump off when I slow the cycle.” 

From what I knew, Maya wasn't a frail girl. She was quite brave and didn't hesitate to jump right off when I reached the store.  

“Just throw the bike there. I'll get it. You go to the bus.”, the shopkeeper told me. 

We rushed into the bus quickly.  

“I waited for you kid. You always ride this bus, so I thought maybe you were late.” 

I let out a little nervous chuckle. It was true after all. Even on holidays I would leave home early so that I wouldn't have to deal with my parents. 

We sat on the last seat, and I had my bus pass punched. I swear I shouldn't have sat down before because she sat right beside me. I should have waited for her to take a seat and then decided where I should go. I spent the rest of the day as I always did. I scooted away from her. I glanced at her and saw her saddened face. I may have come about as rude, but my social reputation wasn't really something I needed to care about. In fact, it would be better if she started disliking me. The best outcome would be if she would stop hitchhiking behind me.  After the bus stopped, we made our way to the high school. She went off to her Welcome ceremony and I went back to my class. I was a bit late than usual, so I gave off an extra unpleasant aura than usual today. But the rest of my day wasn't much different. Except that in the last class, I was unusually sleepy. I never had felt so much fatigue. I tried to stay up but some force was stopping me from doing so. Before I knew, I had dozed off.  

     I was woken by the bell and quickly packed my  bag. I waited for everyone else to leave and then walked out. I tried to find my extra-luggage's classroom, but it was already empty. I didn't have her number. I thought I should wait by the gates instead of searching for her. I waited for more than 15 minutes. She was definitely the laziest person I knew. Who would take so much time to find their way even if they were lost. 

     After another five minutes, I was convinced something was wrong. No matter how clumsy a person is, any teacher could help her find the way out. I didn't know if I should ask anyone for help. It felt like I hadn't talked to strangers in forever. The people were walking right in front of me. But they felt so distant. No one even knew her. Could I really describe how she looks? People will laugh at me. They will harm me. They won't hit me, but they will be harming me with their words.  

     At that moment, a thought crossed my head. ‘Let's go. This guy isn't any fun. He doesn't even cry when I shoved him to the floor.’ These words echoed in my head repeatedly. I wasn't a fun enough target. But that was because I was boring. So, a person who was my opposite would be the perfect target. I didn't consider Maya a friend good enough for me to run to her aid. But what kind of Main Character would I be if I couldn't help her. What kind of Main Character would feel good if he saved his friends only to project them with the sadness of losing their close ones.  

     I ran through the hallways peeping inside every class. Some students were still there in the clubrooms, but I didn't pay them any attention. Barging through every room, my knees felt weak. Deep down, I knew that she wasn't being bullied. It was that game again. “Lethia!!! I'll stop that cursed world.” It had taken another person I knew. I was right to cut off my ties with people. If I had stayed alone like always, no one would have to disappear again. But this time I had made a mistake. Just like back then, I had passed out. Though last time was inside Lethia. I knew it would be useless to ask anyone about her. These NPCs would've forgotten by now. 

     Just like last time, class after class ("house after house") I searched for her ("I searched for them"). Even though I knew the outcome. Even when I knew she was gone forever ("Even though I knew they would never return"). 

Tears started rolling down my eyes when I opened yet another door... and there she was. It was probably just another clubroom. I ran towards her and hugged her tightly. 

“Thank God. I thought you would go away too. I thought you would disappear too. I will protect you. I will protect everyone. I will not let that world take anymore from ours.”, I was so absorbed in my tears and overwhelming sense of relief that I couldn't even compose myself. 

She wasn't sure what to do but she hugged me back, knowing that I needed it right now. 

“It's okay. It's all okay now. I am not sure why you think I'd disappear, but I won't. I'm here with you.” 

This was the second time I remember that I had cried so much that I needed someone to comfort me. 

“Dude. That guy is in my class, and he totally had a nightmare. The professor dismissed us early but he was still sleeping. Must've been a nasty dream if it has the most robotic guy in class crying.” 

I had realized that there were other people around us. I had started coming to senses, but I was still crying in her arms. 

“I think it's something to do with his past. Last year, when he joined, our supervisor told us that he had been asking about someone. Something must have happened to his close friends that made him so reserved.” It was a voice I had heard before. I had started to calm down and the blur in my eyes lessened. 

“Vice-president?”, I asked, wiping my tears off. 

“*sigh*It's president now. ‘President’ graduated this year so I took the position.” 

“Wait. So, are you joining the occult club Maya?” 

“Y- Yes. I am a fan of fantasy stories.”, she answered sheepishly. 

“Dude but you sure are a player. Who would've thought you would be with a first-”  

Before he could finish, the president smacked his head hard. “Read the mood. And don't you worry John. None of us is going to disappear. We may go away but we will always be there if you need us.” 

“I don't even kno-” *smack* “Hey I was gonna say I'll still be there if he needed me.” 

     I smiled a little at their interaction. I thought I had gotten numb to these feelings. My parents and teachers had said these cheesy lines to me many times. But somehow, they felt a lot warmer right now. I don't know why it had this effect but since it did, it gave my hopeful side a push. I felt a little color in my grey world. I still held onto the feeling that all those people were NPCs. But maybe it wasn't so bad being with them. I started to realize that the hero wouldn't be a hero if all those unimportant characters didn't exist. That day, I understood another view of the importance of each life for the second time. Just like a drop of color falling into the absolute color black, these people had broken into my tranquil world and started to create a less dark shade together. The darkness would still be there but divided throughout the ugly blend of colors. And if more darkness would come, these NPCs would give the color he needs to be strong.