# Chapter 4 : The Heavy Load
I gave Kaito a quick nod and waved just one finger at Akira. That was all the energy I had left for socializing.
As soon as I left the university, the atmosphere changed.
Back on campus, I could pretend my life was quiet and easy. But my walk home was a heavy reminder of the truth.
I came from a simple, middle-class family. To me, that meant a lot of worry and not much money.
When I walked into our small apartment, the air felt tight.
My need for peace wasn't just me being antisocial; it was me needing to save energy.
My dad worked extremely hard, constantly fighting against mounting debt. My mom was just as busy, always working late shifts.
I didn't see them much, but when I did, the tiredness in their eyes hit me hard.
I never talked about this side of my life with anyone. Not Kaito, and definitely not the loud, cheerful Akira.
This was my private problem. I knew I was their only son, and their expectations and the family's problems weighed on me all the time.
I felt proud of my dad's hard work, but also terribly sad for both my parents.
I had to succeed, and I had to do it fast. My main goal in life was to take this heavy load off their backs and finally give them a good life.
I went straight to my room. I collapsed onto my bed, feeling the weight of the pressure. What am I supposed to do first?
After about twenty minutes of staring at the Book, I knew I had to study. But first, a quick, pointless break.
I grabbed my phone and opened Otogram. Just the usual noise—people showing off food or vacation photos.
I was about to put it down when I saw something interesting.
It was a new profile. The profile picture was just a blurry photo of a girl. You couldn't tell much about her, only that she had dark hair.
Out of pure curiosity, I checked her followers. And there he was: Akira Hayama was following her.
Suddenly, I remembered the way Akira had smiled earlier—that too-wide, knowing smirk.
It wasn't just a friendly wave. He was already planning something.
This blurry girl, this unknown factor, was connected to Akira.
And that meant one thing for sure: my simple, peaceful life was about to get complicated. ___________________________________________ Everyone carries invisible battles. If you were Hiki, what would you do now?