He fell asleep that night with a rare, genuine smile on his face. For the first time in what felt like forever, he didn’t fall asleep feeling empty. Instead, he felt hopeful.

The moment he woke up, his first instinct was to grab his phone. His heart pounded as he quickly navigated to the post, needing to confirm that it had been real and not just a dream.

What he saw filled him with joy.

Not only was the post still there, but it had gained a significant amount of likes and engagements overnight. Hundreds of people had resonated with it, just like he had. He scrolled through the replies, watching as more and more people poured out their emotions in the comment section, sharing their struggles, their gratitude, and their admiration for Lonelygirl4556’s words.

A surge of warmth spread through him as he tapped on her profile. He noticed that her follower count had started to climb.

She deserves this.

Without hesitation, he hit the follow button.

Before putting his phone down, he made a quick decision. He wanted to personally reach out to Lonelygirl4556—to let her know how much her words had meant to him.

Gamerboy115:

[I really liked your poem. It resonated with me because it’s exactly what I’m going through in my own life. I’m just glad that someone out there is able to understand what I’m really going through. Thanks again for writing that poem. Hope to see more of them…]

After sending the message, John placed his phone on his desk and let out a deep breath.

His heart felt lighter.

For the first time in a long while, he felt like he had something to look forward to.

*****

John's newfound happiness didn't go unnoticed.

At breakfast, his mother almost dropped her coffee mug when she saw him eating with an actual smile on his face. Normally, he either wore a frown or skipped breakfast altogether.

However, he didn't say anything to her

When he arrived at school—on time for the first time in forever—his homeroom teacher, Mr. Everworth, who had been prepared to scold him for being late again, was so surprised that he momentarily forgot what he was supposed to say.

And during lunch, his friends definitely noticed.

During lunch break, John sat under the giant tree in the courtyard with his friends—Ivan, Joseph, and Rachel. He was unusually quiet, but not in his usual brooding way. Instead, he kept glancing at his phone, his expression soft and unreadable.

Ivan waved a hand in front of him.

Ivan: Hey…earth to John. 

John blinked, snapping out of his trance. 

John: Huh, what?

Joseph: Dude, what's up with you? You’ve been staring at your phone all lunch break. What’s got you so hooked?

Ivan: More like he’s been smiling all day.

John tilted his head.

John: I have? 

Joseph and Ivan exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.

Joseph: Yeah bro. You've been grinning like an idiot. Did something good happen?

John’s fingers hovered over his phone screen as he reread the Twibbler post that had moved him so deeply the night before. His smile softened.

John: Yeah, something did. 

Rachel, who had been watching the exchange quietly, smiled softly as well. Seeing John genuinely happy for once warmed her heart.

Ivan: Now Rachel's smiling too! What the hell? Is there a smiling pandemic going on?

Rachel: No, idiot. I'm just happy that John's happy (pauses) . He's been in the dumps for a while now. If you guys hadn’t noticed… But now, I’m just glad to see him like this again.

They fell silent for a moment.

Ivan looked at Joseph. Joseph looked at Rachel.

Then, as if on cue, they all broke into grins and laughter.

And just like that, whether they realized it or not, they had all caught the so-called “smiling pandemic.

However, beneath Joseph’s smile, there was a flicker of something else. Something sad.

No one noticed.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. The students groaned as they slowly made their way back to class.

But to their luck, the teachers and staff were suddenly called into an emergency meeting, giving the students unexpected free time.

As the rest of the class chattered away, John found himself pulling out his phone, his heart skipping a beat when he saw his Twibbler notifications.

His message had been marked as seen.

But there was no reply.

John frowned, scratching the back of his head.

John: Why? Maybe she's busy?

He sighed, staring at his phone screen, wondering what she was up to at that very moment.

****

In a quiet hospital room, Kana sat frozen, staring at the message notification on her phone.

Her heart pounded.

She reread the words over and over again.

Gamerboy115: 

[I really liked your poem. It resonated with me because it’s exactly what I’m going through in my own life. I’m just glad that someone out there is able to understand what I’m really going through. Thanks again for writing that poem. Hope to see more of them…]

She reread the words over and over again, feeling a rush of emotions she couldn’t quite name.

Someone had reached out to her.

Someone understood her.

Her heart swelled with happiness… but then, a new problem arose.

Kana: (nervously) How do I reply to this? 

Her fingers trembled slightly.

She had spent the entire morning replying to comments—350 comments, to be exact. Yet, none of them had made her this nervous.

This was the first direct message she had received since her post had gone viral.

And she had no idea how to respond.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes.

Nineteen.

Kana let out a frustrated groan, rubbing her temples, practically feeling steam rise from her head.

Kana: Why is this so hard?

Finally, after much internal debate, she typed a response.

Lonelygirl4556:

[Thank you so much! I promise to continue doing my best!]

She hesitated for a moment before pressing send.

*****

John sat slouched at his desk, lazily flicking his fingers across his phone screen as he played Train Surfers, trying to beat his own high score. The chatter of students filled the classroom, blending into background noise as his focus remained on his game.

Then, a sudden notification popped up.

Lonelygirl4556 has replied!

His heart skipped a beat.

Without hesitation, he exited the game—completely abandoning his progress—and rushed to open Twibbler. His fingers trembled with anticipation as he tapped on his messages. He had spent hours hoping for a response, playing out different scenarios in his head about what she might say.

And then, there it was:

Lonelygirl4556: 

[Thank you so much! I promise to continue doing my best!]

John stared at the message, blinking a few times.

He wasn’t sure what he had expected—something longer, maybe? More personal? His excitement deflated slightly, but he shook his head.

Then, he reminded himself that he had set his expectations too high.

John: (to himself) She replied. That’s what matters.

He quickly tapped on the reaction button and sent a thumbs-up emoji before placing his phone face-down on his desk, exhaling deeply.

Yet, despite the minor disappointment, he still couldn’t help but smile.

****

Kana sat cross-legged on her hospital bed, gripping her phone with both hands. She stared at the message she had just sent, her heart thumping anxiously.

Did that sound okay? Was it too short?

Her thoughts spiraled, but then she saw the notification pop up—Gamerboy115 had reacted with a thumbs-up emoji.

A wave of relief washed over her as she leaned back against her pillows.

Kana: (to herself) At least he doesn’t think I’m a snob.

Just then, the door to her ward creaked open and Jane walked in with a warm smile.

Jane: There's my favorite person! 

Kana’s eyes lit up. 

Kana: Ms Jane! 

Without thinking, she jumped off her bed and rushed to embrace the woman who had been by her side. Jane chuckled, stroking Kana’s soft brown hair as she hugged her back.

Jane teased.

Jane: I guess someone was missing me. 

Kana pulled away and grinned. 

Kana: The other nurse told me you went home to see your mom. Is she okay?

Jane: She’s doing much better now. Just needed to check up on her.” 

She paused, tilting her head playfully. 

Jane: But enough about me—I heard from the nurses that you were smiling all through today’s checkup. That’s not like you. So, what happened?

Kana: Yes. Here, look at this.

Kana beamed as she sat back down on her bed and grabbed her phone.

She held up the screen, showing Jane the Twibbler post that had unexpectedly gained traction overnight.

Jane’s eyes widened as she took in the number of likes, comments, and reposts.

Jane: Kana… this is amazing!!

Kana nodded eagerly.

Kana: You were right, Ms. Jane. Posting my poems online was the best thing to do. I was so nervous at first, but now… I feel like I’ve finally taken a step forward.

Jane’s expression softened.

Jane: So… what are you going to do now?

Kana hesitated for a moment. The weight of that question lingered in the air.

She thought back to the conversation she had with Jane yesterday, to the words of Dr. Kennedy when he had handed her the phone on her 18th birthday.

Taking a deep breath, she clenched her fists and said with conviction… 

Kana: I'm going to do it. 

Jane: Do what? 

Kana: “I want to believe that there’s a reason why I’m good at writing poems. Maybe… maybe it’s my destiny to reach out to others through my words. To let people know they’re not alone.

Jane was taken aback. This wasn’t the same girl who had once sat in this very room, convinced that her life had no meaning.

Kana looked down at her phone, then back at Jane, her expression unwavering.

Kana: I’m going to keep writing. I’m going to keep sharing my poems. And I’m going to make sure that what I leave behind will be something people remember me for.

Jane’s throat tightened. She felt an unfamiliar pressure behind her eyes—a mixture of pride and sorrow.

For so long, she had watched Kana struggle. She had watched this girl battle emotions that no child should ever have to endure. But now, for the first time, Kana was choosing to fight back.

Jane reached out, resting her hand gently on Kana’s shoulder.

Jane: Then I’ll be with you every step of the way.

Kana smiled, a genuine, warm smile.

Kana: Right. .

****

Meanwhile at the entrance of Kana's ward, a tall figure stood just outside, hidden in the shadows near the doorframe.

Dr. Kennedy remained still, listening to the conversation unfolding inside.

He didn’t need to see Kana’s face to know what expression she was wearing.

He could hear it in her voice—the determination, the fire that had been missing for so long.

Slowly, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his phone. His gaze fell upon Kana’s Twibbler post, the same one that had touched so many hearts.

Without hesitation, he tapped the follow button.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he whispered to himself, 

Dr Kennedy: I guess getting her that phone was the best decision I ever made.

Then, placing his phone back into his coat, he turned on his heel and walked down the hallway, his mind already set on what needed to be done next.

Dr Kennedy: Now, it’s time for me to play my part.