A few days after the short-story contest ended, Rian went back to his usual life. But one thing felt different. His friends had started asking him for help more often—not because they thought Rian was the best, but because they trusted him to come through.
That morning, just as Rian set his bag on the desk, Lila came over carrying several sheets of paper.
“Rian, can I ask you for some help?”
Rian looked at the papers.
“What’s this?”
“A proposal for a class activity. I’m not sure how to organize the explanation section.”
Rian took the papers.
“Let me take a look first.”
Aldi, who was sitting beside him, immediately grinned.
“Wow, now you’re the class consultant.”
Rian laughed.
“Don’t overdo it.”
“You used to want to look like someone who could do everything. Now you’re actually starting to help people.”
Rian shook his head with a smile.
“The difference is, I don’t claim to be an expert anymore.”
“Exactly. That’s what makes it different.”
Rian began helping Lila revise the proposal. He offered a few simple suggestions to make the sentences easier to understand. He didn’t feel like he had to prove that he was smarter. He was just helping as much as he could.
While they were discussing it, Naya arrived with Siska.
“What are you talking about?”
“The activity proposal,” Lila answered.
Naya looked at Rian.
“You’re helping again?”
“Yeah, but I’m just giving my opinion.”
Naya smiled.
“I think that’s one of the things that’s changed the most about you.”
Rian grew curious.
“What?”
“You used to want everyone to know how great you were. Now you help more often without seeking attention.”
Rian fell silent for a moment.
Only then did he realize that other people had noticed the small changes in him too.
However, even though many things had changed for the better, Rian still had one problem.
He still often felt insecure around people he considered more capable than himself.
That became clear when the school held an interclass discussion event. Each class had to send several representatives to share their opinions about ideas for school activities.
Ms. Rina chose Rian, Naya, Aldi, and Kevin as the representatives.
Hearing Kevin’s name made Rian a little nervous.
Kevin was known as a student who was good at speaking. He always seemed confident when expressing his opinions. Rian, on the other hand, still often took too long to think before speaking.
When the first practice session began, Kevin delivered his opinion smoothly.
“We need to create an activity that’s not only entertaining but also beneficial to the other students.”
Everyone paid attention.
When it was Rian’s turn to speak, he went silent for several seconds.
“I…”
He looked at his notes.
“I have a few ideas.”
But before he could continue, his mind went blank.
After practice ended, Rian looked gloomy.
“I guess I haven’t completely changed yet.”
Aldi, sitting beside him, looked puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
“I still get nervous when I meet people who are more confident than me.”
Naya overheard the conversation.
“Rian, changing doesn’t mean all your fear disappears right away.”
“But I thought that once I learned to be confident, I wouldn’t get nervous anymore.”
“That’s not how it works.”
Naya smiled.
“Confident people can get nervous too. The difference is, they still try.”
Rian remembered those words.
He had often assumed that people who looked sure of themselves never felt afraid. But maybe they felt the same way he did; they simply chose to keep moving forward.
The day of the discussion finally arrived.
The school auditorium was filled with representatives from various classes. Some students brought notes, while others had already prepared presentations.
When the Q&A session began, a student from another class asked a fairly difficult question.
“How will you make sure the activity you create can be enjoyed by every student?”
Several people began discussing it.
At first, Rian wanted to stay quiet, but then he remembered everything he had been through.
He didn’t have to give the perfect answer.
He only needed to share his opinion.
“I think the way to do that is by listening to more people,” Rian said.
Everyone looked in his direction.
Rian continued.
“Sometimes we create something based on what we think is good. But other people might not feel the same way. So before deciding on an activity, we need to find out what the students actually need.”
The auditorium grew quieter.
Ms. Rina, sitting at the front, smiled.
Kevin gave a small nod as well.
After the event, Kevin approached Rian.
“Your opinion back there was good.”
Rian was a little surprised.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I usually focus so much on making my answers sound smart that I forget the simple things.”
Rian smiled.
“Even though you looked really confident up there.”
Kevin gave a small laugh.
“That’s just how it looks from the outside.”
Kevin’s words made Rian realize something.
He wasn’t the only one who had pretended to be impressive. Many people hid their nervousness in their own ways.
That afternoon, Rian sat in the school garden with Aldi and Naya.
“I learned something today,” Rian said.
“What?” Aldi asked.
“People who look the most confident aren’t necessarily fearless.”
Naya smiled.
“That’s good.”
“And I also learned that I don’t always have to be the center of attention.”
Aldi nodded.
“Finally.”
“Why?”
“Because back then, whenever you walked into a room, it felt like you wanted every spotlight on you.”
Rian laughed.
“That’s an exaggeration.”
“Not really.”
They laughed together.
The afternoon breeze blew gently, making the school grounds feel peaceful. Rian looked around and felt grateful for everything he had been through.
He used to think he could earn someone’s attention by making himself look perfect.
Now he knew that good relationships grew when someone had the courage to show their true self.
Naya didn’t like Rian because he had pretended to be an expert.
Naya respected Rian because he was willing to change.
And Rian was beginning to understand that being himself didn’t mean he had to stop growing.
By accepting his flaws, he could keep learning to become a better person.