"True courage is not the absence of fear, but the choice to act despite it. In the face of danger, when the world around you trembles, will you stand firm for those you love, or will fear paralyze you, leaving you to watch as your chance to save them slips away?"

It was a quiet peaceful morning at Manila High School, where the sun seeped through the trees, the air remained breezey, the day dawned crisp and clear. But inside the School, behind the concrete stair, there, a girl sat with

her knees as she sews a stuffed toy, her bruised arms shaking, she contrasted the peaceful atmosphere as her tears had gone dried, her black hair disheveled, her brown eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, the lashes clumped together as if exhausted by the weight of too many tears. The once-bright sparkle had dulled, leaving behind only a glassy emptiness.

"Uh?come on it's been like hours Mika, and you haven't attended a single class" her friend approaches her, patting her back comfortingly.

"A-ah God it's all my fault if only i did something he wouldn't be in the hospital" her once tired eyes starts to burst tears again, she mutters, her voice raw, trembling in sadness remembering her pained friend, the one she caused pain because she was a coward.

"Calm down now, keep out from the sharpie." Lara said cautiously, taking away the needles from Mika carefully. Lara sighed softly, sitting down beside her. "You can't blame yourself for everything, Mika. You weren't the one who hurt him. The ones who did that were the ones who never understood him. The ones who bullied him for what he loved.

Mika glanced up at Lara's words, but the guilt was still heavy on her heart. She didn't know if she could ever forgive herself. She thought back to when she and Nico had first met.

The memories of her childhood with Nico were bright, full of laughter and simple joys. Mika could still remember the first time they sat together, hunched over their sewing kits. Nico had always been a curious soul, often more drawn to colorful threads and patterns than anything else, while Mika was a loud girl, yet she was content with the small moments in life. But one day, as they sat in her living room, Nico picked up a needle and thread, hesitant at first.

"I... I think this would be fun. Can you teach me how to make a flower?" he had asked, his big brown eyes sparkling with excitement.

Mika had smiled, surprised at the request, but happy to share what she loved. From that day on, they spent hours sewing together, creating little projects - flowers, animals, small gifts for their families. It became their thing, something they shared in private, away from the outside world that never seemed to understand them.

As they grew older, their bond only strengthened, but it wasn't without its challenges. High school was a different world. The quiet, supportive group of friends from middle school had splintered, and the bullying started.

It started small - whispers in the hallways, snickers when Nico carried his sewing kit with him, a teasing joke here and there. But it didn't stay small. It grew into something much worse. The bullying wasn't just about his love for sewing; it became about who he was as a person - gentle, kind, and different from the stereotypical "guy" everyone expected him to be. They mocked his creativity, calling him "soft" or "girly," but Nico didn't care at first. It was just noise, background to the world he and Mika created when they were together.

But one day, it wasn't just noise. It was a blow, It's not just physical but it was pure mortification. It was disgusting. They would get Nico to wear the school girl uniform, while they looked down on him.

"You're pathetic, Nico," one of the bullies sneered, standing over him. "No wonder you like that stuff. You're nothing but a joke."

Mika had been right there, just a few steps away. She had seen it all, heard the cruel words, and in that moment, she froze. Fear locked her in place. She didn't step in. She didn't do anything?as always.

And that's why, now, she sat here, consumed by guilt. She wasn't there for him when he needed her the most. And now he was in the hospital, struggling to breathe under the weight of his own pain.

The memories then start to fade. "Mika" Lara's voice cut through the fog of her guilt, "I know you're scared. But Nico needs you now more than ever. Don't let fear win. You're his best friend. You've always been."

As Mika comes to her senses, wiping her tears away. "I?guess your right Lara." she wipes the snot from her nose with her arms.

Lara's face frowns, due to Mika's dishygenic action, but pats her back again looking at her with sympathy.

Mika looked down at her hands, her fingers tracing the fabric of the small patchwork heart she had sewn with Nico when they were younger. It was a little rough around the edges, uneven stitches, but it was theirs. It had been a symbol of their friendship. And now, it was time to finish it.

She stood up slowly, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I... I have to go to him. I can't keep running away from this."

Lara smiled, proud of her. "That's the Mika I know. You're stronger than you think."

Later at noon after school, the sun blazes overhead, casting sharp shadows on the ground. The air feels heavy and still. But Mika didn't care, she just wanted to go visit the hospital, and see Nico again. Nothing else matters right now but him. Mika walks determined, finding a new resolve, not wanting to run away anymore.

Mika walked through the hospital hallways with firm yet shaky steps, the memories of her past with Nico rushing back with each turn. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she wasn't afraid anymore. She had made a choice.

She pushed open the door to his room, the soft beeping of machines filling the silence. Nico lay there, pale and bruised, but still the boy who had once sewn flowers with her. His eyes fluttered open as he heard her footsteps, and he blinked at her in surprise.

"Mika?" His voice was weak, but there was something in it - a question, a longing. "I thought you... you weren't coming."

Mika smiled softly, walking over to his side. She reached out, taking his hand gently in hers, her fingers tracing the worn lines of his palm. "I'm here now. I'm not running away anymore."

He looked up at her, a small, tired smile tugging at his lips. "I never wanted you to leave me. I just... I didn't want to be a burden."

"Never a burden," she whispered. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. But I'm here now, and I'm not leaving. Not now. Not ever."

Together, they sat in silence, the bond they had forged through the years of sewing, of laughter, of tears, stronger than any fear. It was their thread that tied them together, and this time, nothing could break it.

And in that moment, Mika realized that true courage wasn't about never being afraid - it was about acting despite it. With Nico by her side, she knew that whatever came next, they could face it together.

The stitches they had sewn into their friendship would never unravel.