ASTRID couldn’t help but smile when the other asked his name. After eating almost half of the food container, it’s only now that this boy became interested in who he was. In the other’s eyes, he’s probably not important compared to the food he was eating now.

“I’m Astrid Townsend. You?” he said, good-naturedly.

“Kira. Kiran Hope.”

Astrid reached out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Kiran.”

The other looked at his hand, then, looked at his own hand. He seemed to be hesitating about something. When Astrid saw him about to wipe his hand on his pants as if there’s invisible dirt on it, he simply stretched his hand and gently held the other’s hand.

Kiran seemed to be startled by his action. After the initial shock, the other immediately tried to take his hand back while saying, “M-my hand is too rough.”

Astrid didn’t let go of Kiran’s hand and clasped it even tighter. Because he did feel the callouses on the other’s palm. This was something that’s hardly common in this interstellar era. Because one could just simply buy hand creams that could easily erased those. The fact that this boy couldn’t even afford it spoke volumes about the type of lifestyle he had.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” he said. “It’s a proof of survival. Anyone who would mock you for it clearly couldn’t comprehend such a thing and probably would find it beneath them to even put an effort to understand. Those types of people, their opinion doesn’t matter.” He smiled. “Working hard to live is not shameful. It’s a very admirable thing.”

After that, he let go of the boy’s hand in a very natural manner so as not to make the other feel uncomfortable.

Kiran was speechless at first. This was something he didn’t expect to hear from a stranger. He quickly looked down to avoid the other’s gaze. He picked up the spoon and continued eating. Almost burying his face on the food.

This was the first time someone had told him that his rough hands were not something to be ashamed of. That all the hard work he had put until now was admirable. That the callouses on his hands were proof of his survival.

All his life he had always been discriminated against because he’s a poor orphan who had nothing to his name. He developed a rough personality because of that. Fighting everyone tooth and nails. For every insult they threw at him, he would throw back a thousand times more scathing insult. It’s the only way he knew to fight back. 

It was no different when he arrived here at the capital. No, in fact, it was even worse. The place was simply reeking with wealth. So unlike the planet he grew up in. He was sticking out like a sore thumb. Especially in this Redwood Academy. The fact that he got the first place in the entrance evaluation of the music department made it even worse.

Going to this school had never been something he planned to do. In fact, he didn’t know about this school at all. Even his admission here was just some sort of, well, accident. 

Last year, after turning 18, he had to leave the orphanage because he had already reached the age of ‘adulthood’. He had been looking forward to that since he could remember. 

He wanted to leave the orphanage, start working, earn money, and then help the remaining children staying there. It would be a good if he could also expose the director for his embezzling of funds. But dreams and expectations were often like parallel lines that refused to meet each other. And so, one had to face reality. 

The reality that Kiran had to face was not full of flowers and butterflies and everything glittery. Instead, what he saw and experienced was nothing but ugliness. He already expected that it would be like that. But there’s still a small part of him that wished that it wasn’t. 

Too bad he’s not someone loved by heavens. He could only grit his teeth and do his best to reach his goal. As he always did.

He could only apply for low-income jobs because he’s not qualified to apply for anything higher. So, his only solution to the matter was to work several jobs. Working, barely sleeping, eating cheap nutrient solutions, and saving money – that’s how his life had been for the past year.

It was not until he passed out from overwork two months ago that things changed. And that change brought him to this place, albeit inadvertently. 

Kiran wasn’t sure if he made the right decision by going here and enrolling in this academy. For two weeks since his arrival at the capital and his stay at this academy’s dormitory, he faced other people’s mockery, disgust, and jealousy. Yes, jealousy. 

It was something very novel to him. Because he had never experienced being envied by others. What could they possibly envy about him? But it turned out that he still had something to be envied about. 

Talent. That’s what he had. Something that some of the people in this academy apparently didn’t have.

How laughable, really.

Kiran glanced sideways at the person sitting next to him. After two weeks since his arrival here at the capital, he finally met someone who treated him like a person. He didn’t look at him with disgust. The other even gave him food. And most importantly, he acknowledged his hard work. Even though both of them were practically strangers from each other. 

He looked down and then raised his head to directly look at the other. “Thank you for saying what you said. It… it made me happy to hear it.”

Astrid smiled. “No need for thanks. I only said the truth.” He glanced at the other’s bowl and noticed that it was almost empty. “Do you want more? I still have a lot of food here.”

Kiran glanced at the almost empty bowl in his hand. The corner of his lips turned up unconsciously. He stretched his hand holding the bowl to Astrid.. “Yes, please.”

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