I don't talk.
If I were good at talking, I might be able to interact and have fun with others.
However, I was terrible at it.
I couldn't find the right words to say without offending people.
I also wasn't good at making facial expressions.
No matter how much I practiced, I could only make strange expressions.
As a result, people always misunderstand me.
I always get into trouble because I'm not good at choosing the right words.
And because I wasn't good at making the right facial expressions, people shunned me.
This is all my fault.
So, to make things better, I tried to communicate with them in writing.
Unlike spoken words, written words wouldn't be misheard and would be more visually clear, I thought.
So I tried my best.
I want to have fun like everybody else.
I want to have friends like everybody else.
But once again it didn't work. I guess I still wasn't trying hard enough.
One day I went to see the school I had been transferred to.
I was curious to see what the place was like, since it was the school I would be attending in the future.
But it was far from the train station, so I relied on the map on my phone. But without realizing it, I got lost.
I tried to find the right way on my own and finally arrived at the school as the sun was setting.
I'll try not to get lost next time.
I felt relieved that I had made it to school safely, even though it was quite late.
Just as I was about to go home, it started to snow.
I had to get home soon.
I walked to the train station as fast as I could.
But then I got lost and had no idea where I was.
The dark road had changed its appearance from the day and looked different from before.
I tried to follow the road...
But my tablet won't turn on.
It seems like my tablet is overworked and running out of power.
What should I do? My tablet battery is dead and I can't communicate without it.
I can't ask people on the street for directions. I don't speak...so what am I going to do?
I was confused, really confused.
It was freezing cold and my cold fingers hurt.
"The way to the station is not that way."
These words immediately startled my body.
I hadn't expected someone to talk to me, so my chest was pounding from the sudden tension.
What should I do? I wanted to know. But if I looked back now, he would think I was glaring at him.
I insisted on thinking about it, and as usual, I had trouble doing so.
I looked down at the person's feet and saw a pair of brown shoes. From the pattern on his pants, I knew he was a student from the school I was going to.
But I couldn't say a word. I had to be brave, but I couldn't.
"For now, let me show you the way to the neighborhood. If you're not sure, just follow a step or two behind me."
I was relieved to hear the words of someone who seemed to understand what I was going through, so I followed behind him.
After walking for a while, we came to a well-lit road and reached a place I could recognize.
Then he said to me, "If you've come this far, the rest is just straight ahead. Good luck on the rest of your journey".
He said that and left without waiting for my answer.
It was as if he already knew that I wasn't good at talking...
It happened so fast that I didn't have time to say anything.
I should have said "Thank you".
I sighed and looked up at the sky.
It was a soft and kind voice. I will never forget it.
I promised myself that I would never forget it either.
I finally had something to look forward to in my worrisome school life.
From that day on, I wanted to meet that person again.
If I get a chance to talk to him... yes. I will thank him.
Someday, when I meet him again.
TL: Retallia (JP-ID), Tanaka (ID-EN)
PF & ED: Retallia