"Kaito, why do you build such walls?"
Leo asked frankly. On the rooftop during lunch break, the four had gathered.
Kaito averted his gaze. "I'm not building walls."
"You are," Sora said quietly. "You always deflect with jokes. Never say what's true."
"Whatever I talk about is my business," Kaito answered defensively.
Hiyori gently intervened. "Kaito, you're defending right now."
"Defending?"
"Becoming aggressive or changing topics to protect yourself. Defense mechanisms in psychology."
Kaito fell silent for a moment.
Leo continued. "We're not enemies. Why do you need to defend?"
"...I don't know," Kaito said softly. "But I'm scared to open my heart."
Sora empathized. "I'm scared too. But Kaito, yours feels especially strong."
Hiyori began to explain. "People with excessive self-defense often have past wounds."
Kaito reacted. "Wounds?"
"Betrayed by someone you trusted. Used when you showed weakness. Such experiences."
Kaito's expression clouded.
Leo asked quietly, "What happened?"
After a long silence, Kaito began to talk. "In middle school, I was betrayed by someone I thought was my best friend."
"How?" Sora gently prompted.
"I told him a secret, and he spread it to the whole class. I was laughed at."
Hiyori nodded. "That must have been painful."
"After that, I couldn't trust anyone. I became afraid to tell the truth."
Leo showed understanding. "So you defend. To never be hurt again."
"But," Sora said, "isn't that lonely?"
Kaito admitted, "It is lonely. Very lonely."
Hiyori explained. "Excessive defense provides safety in the short term. But in the long term, it prevents true connection."
"I want connection, but I'm scared," Kaito voiced the contradiction.
Leo proposed, "Then try in small steps."
"How?"
"Tell us just one true thing."
Kaito hesitated. "What?"
Sora encouraged, "Anything. Even something small."
Kaito took a deep breath. "...Actually, I can't sleep every night. From anxiety."
Silence fell. But no one laughed.
Hiyori said quietly, "Thank you for telling us."
Leo continued, "I also get anxious at night sometimes."
Sora added, "Me too. About the future and stuff."
Kaito was surprised. "You all too?"
"Everyone carries something," Hiyori smiled. "There's no perfect person."
Kaito's shoulders felt a bit lighter.
Leo explained. "Defense mechanisms aren't bad. Sometimes they're necessary."
"But," Hiyori continued, "if you're always defending at maximum, you get tired and lonely."
Sora asked, "How can we find balance?"
"Identify safe relationships," Hiyori answered. "You don't need to open your heart to everyone. But try opening it to a trustworthy few."
Kaito looked at Leo and the others. "Can I trust you guys?"
Leo answered seriously, "We're not perfect. But we have no intention of betraying you."
Sora nodded. "I'll protect your secrets too, Kaito."
Hiyori added, "Trust is built gradually. You don't need to open everything at once."
Kaito thought. "Then, can I talk a bit more?"
"Of course," all three answered.
Kaito slowly began to talk. The wall of defense lowered, just a little.
Hiyori said finally, "Excessive self-defense is adaptation from the past. But now might be a different situation."
Kaito nodded. "I was trapped in the past."
Leo smiled. "From now, you can create new experiences."
Sora added, "You can accumulate experiences of not being betrayed too."
Kaito truly smiled for the first time. The armor of defense couldn't be completely removed yet. But little by little, the courage to open his heart began to sprout.
Trust involves risk. But without taking that risk, connection can't be born.
Today, Kaito took a small step forward.