Bala 2026

<h3>Soren : </h3><img src=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/3f/9b/1f/3f9b1fd9bb4e6284bbe246a34228477d.jpg style="max-width:9.5%;height:auto;"> <p>There comes a sense of tranquility from not having to exhaust your social battery with forced discussions of math solutions. At the same time, there is nothing like the feeling of droopy eyes trying to stay awake while a brightly luminated screen stares back at you with your grade on the line. </p> <img src=https://static.helpjuice.com/helpjuice_production/uploads/upload/image/14682/direct/1709238838185-image.png style="max-width:125%;height:auto;"> (text-colour:(hsl:0,0,1,0.65))[[Click to answer]] (enchant:?page,(bg:#2c3b68))

(enchant:?page,(bg:#fba04b)) <h style="font-family:'Courier New'">(align:"=><=")[<h1>Pursuit of Knowledge</h1>]<p style="font-family:Times New Roman">(align:"=><=")[(text-colour:#f7d882)[[The Start]]]</p>

(enchant:?page,(bg:#2c3b68)) (set: $answer to (prompt: "Solve for a.", "?")) (if: $answer is "-13/12"or"13/-12")[<h1>(align:"=><=")[(text-colour:green)[[CORRECT!!]]]</h1>(align:"=><=")[Click The Text to Continue]](else:)[<h1>(align:"=><=")[(text-colour:red)[[INCORRECT]]]</h1>(align:"=><=")[Click The Text to Continue]]

(enchant:?page,(bg:#2c3b68)) =><= (text-colour:white)[<h3>[[Whatever, I might as well rest my eyes.]]</h3> <h3>[[What's that sound?]]</h3>]

(align:"<==")["Hey, she's about to walk by and see you sleeping. She'll get pissed."] (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[Whhh...huh? Is... someone talking to me?] (align:"=><=")[[Open Your Eyes]]

<img src=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4e/7e/66/4e7e66df2b945e7f6d5e3314689a5880.jpg style="max-width:9.5%;height:auto;"> "Hey, she's about to walk past us. She'll get mad if she sees you sleeping." //Your sleeves wipe away the tears pooled at the corner of your right eye from lying down, clearing to see a familiar person//. (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")["Oh shoot, thanks."] "Mhm." You look over to see them return to their laptop, furiously typing away and slamming their space bar. What's up with them... Do you ask them or keep staring? (text-colour:white)[= (align:"=><=")[ [[Ask them]] [[continue staring]]]

<p style="font-family:Times New Roman">This is a paragraph.</p> <p style="font-family:'Courier New'">This is another paragraph.</p>

Clack! Clack! Clack! Who's typing that hard? Jeez... You look over to see the person in the seat to your left furiously typing away and slamming their space bar repeatedly. What's their issue.... Do you ask them or keep staring? (align:"=><=")[ [[Ask them]] [[continue staring]] ]

(enchant:?page,(bg:#2c3b68)) =><= (text-colour:white)[<h3>[[I'm bored, might as well rest my eyes.]]</h3> <h3>[[What's that clicking sound?->What's that sound?]]</h3>]

["Yo you good?"] (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[What? Is someone talking to me?] (align:"=><=")[[Open Your Eyes]]

"Hey, whatchya doing?" You ask curiously, peering over at their computer. FWOOSH. The person typing whips around to face you, their brows furrowed. [[!!!]]

You look to the computer screen on your left and try to make out the black text on the bright, glaring white scre- "Hm? Do you need something?" The person typing whips around to face you, their brows furrowed. [[!!!]]

"OH, uh shoot, sorry... I was just trying to-" "No, you're good, no worries. Take a look if you really want, I'm just annoyed I keep getting it wrong. This is so stupid, I hate Deltamath." A smile creeps up onto your cheeks as their face turns to a grin. Kairo, was it— was that their name? You two have exchanged glances before at most, but never properly spoken. They're not the type to stand out, mostly keeping to themself and staring down at their notebook while resting their head on their hand. (align:"=><=")[ [[Proceed]]]

(enchant:?passage,(bg:(gradient: 187, 0,#ffffff,0,#80e619,1,(hsl:120,0.8039,0.5,0.55))))//Did you know?// (align:"=><=")[75% of all matter in the universe is hydrogen. 24% is helium and 1% is everything else!] 7-up used to contain Lithium Citrate, as a mood stabaliser. People speculate that's where it gets its name from. 7 (Atomic mass of lithium) and up (feeling of euphoria from the mood stabilizer)!] (align:"=><=")[A rubber tire is technically 1 giant molecule!] The difference between naturally curly and straight hair is the abundance of a single amino acid… cysteine! Due to the angle of which it will self bond it causes the hair to curl! (align:"=><=")[Sodium is reactive even in water and chlorine is poisonous. React them together and you get taste in your food!] If you mix half a liter of alcohol and half a liter of water, the total volume of the liquid will be less than one liter! (align:"=><=")[Many radioactive elements actually glow in the dark!] Lightning strikes produce O3, which is ozone, and strengthen the ozone layer of the atmosphere! (align:"=><=")[One bucket full of water contains more atoms than there are buckets of water in the Atlantic ocean!!!] =><= (text-colour:(hsl:60,0.8039,0.5,0.6))[ [[Be Kairo]] [[Be Soren]]]

(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:(hsl:0,0,0,0.7)))(enchant:?passage,(bg:white)) When you have a toothache, is the pain in your mouth or in your brain? (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[Should governments penalize people for unhealthy lifestyles?] Is happiness the most important purpose in life? (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[Is there anything wrong with being selfish?] Why does it matter if we’re alive? (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[What is the goal of humanity?] Are our choices truly our own, or just the inevitable result of past physical events? (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[Can I be happy when faced with suffering?] (align:"<==")+(box:"=XX=")[what's the point] (align:"<==>")+(box:"=======XXXXXXXXXX===")[No matter how hard I try and devote myself I simply cannot make it to the end.] suffering comes back life continues despite this the flowers still bloom (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[flower silent fast swaying swaying swaying it can't stop moving floret ] =><= (text-colour:(hsl:0,0.8039,0.5,0.5))[ [[Be Kairo]] [[Be Soren]]]

(enchant:?passage,(bg:(gradient: 187, 0,#ffffff,0,#80e619,1,(hsl:120,0.8039,0.5,0.55)))) (align:"=><=")[By the time you feel thirsty, you've already lost about 1% of your body's water!] Mars is red because its surface contains a lot of iron oxide or rust! (align:"=><=")[Glass is actually a liquid, it just flows very, very slowly!] (align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[Every hydrogen atom in your body is likely 13.5 billion years old because they were created at the birth of the universe! ] (align:"=><=")[Astronomers discovered that the center of our Milky Way galaxy contains massive amounts of ethyl formate. This exact chemical compound gives raspberries their flavor and rum its smell!] Honey never spoils. Its unique chemical makeup of low moisture and high acidity creates an environment where bacteria cannot survive! =><= (text-colour:(hsl:60,0.8039,0.5,0.6))[ [[Time]] ]

(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:(hsl:0,0,0,0.7)))(enchant:?passage,(bg:white)) Does pain exist in itself or just our perception of it? Do memories still exist if you forget them? At what point does consciousness begin? Can I trust my senses? Who created God? What is reality? (align:"=><=")[ Human beings desire things. We only desire that which we lack. Suffering is the result of this lack. We suffer when we do not have what we desire (that is, when we are dissatisfied with our present condition for want of a different state of affairs). Even when we sate these desires, it will only produce more desires. There's no 'positive happiness' beyond this: I am "happy" or "content" only insofar as I eliminate suffering (fulfill lack), but this only produces more lack/suffering. Life can only ever be negative.] (align:"<==")+(box:"=XX=")[Arthur Schopenhaue] =><= (text-colour:(hsl:0,0,0,0.15))[= [[What?]]

Soren's silly chemistry facts might have worked on me. After that first meeting, during every math period, Soren would yap my ear off talking about chemistry. It actually intrigued me. The more I got to know about it, the more excited I became. I ended up enjoying it so much that I joined our school's science olympiad. I had never been in any sort of club before, let alone been to a competition, but it was the best decision I ever made. I made so many memories and had so much fun every step of the way. I'm so grateful they introduced such a beautiful subject to me. I miss how passionately they used to speak. They don't smile as much, and it makes me sad. [[Hangout with Soren]]

Kairo and I got pretty close. I guess they were right, philosophy is pretty interesting. I learned a lot. It made me think about a lot of things. Like my life, and my decisions, and my choices, and beliefs, my priorities. It was nice to figure myself out. But it did make me reflect on how i act how i think how i feel things how i react how i decide to act and how i raise my hand and talk with my eyes and jump and leap to reach what i want but do i really know or is it just some dream i've been chasing with no substance no meaning no concrete idea of who i really am when i reject stimulation and sit with myself no color or light just myself in a space absence of hues or feeling just memories and thoughts and past mistakes rushing and reeling punching deep holes in my temple unable to forget the feelings and techniques i once prided myself on is this it? is this all? why can't i sit with myself what's wrong with me what's great about me how can i improve there is nothing to be done there are so many plans to make i stop and sink into the warmth of my skin unable to stop the prayers and rattling the feelings inside my skin won't stop i reel and reel the fish gets brought to shore and yet it still continues to writhe when it desired the food in the first place i guess that's it [[Hangout with Kairo]]

"We can sit on this bench." Soren gestures for Kairo to follow. They both sit down with a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad we got to hang out. I'm so busy nowadays that I never get a chance to see you anymore. I miss you a lot." "Yeah... how's science olympiad?" "It's awesome!! God, I'm so glad I joined. And I'm so glad you made chemistry interesting for me! Seriously, dude, I can't thank you enough!" "Of course, I'm glad you like it so much." Soren offers a weak smile, never extending up to their eyes. "Are you sure everything's okay? You don't look your best— I'm not trying to be pushy or anything, I just. I really care about you, okay? You're the person closest to me and..." Kairo looks down with their brows furrowed, a twinge of guilt in their eyes. "I really... I really just, wanna make sure you're okay. You mean so much to me.... and I hope you know that I am always here for you, no matter what." Soren looks down. "Right...?" "I'm okay, thanks for asking. And yeah, I'm also grateful we swapped subjects. I learned a lot about philosophy. So thank you." Kairo looks at Soren, a look of pain in their eyes from watching the person they love look so different. What happened to how they used to be? [[Learn about Soren]]

=><= Reaccount the events that occured after the inital meeting as Soren? (align:"=><=")[[[Yes->S1]]]

As the pair walks out of the school building, they continue to chat. "I can't WAIT for the end of the school year, only two weeks left! Can't it come any faster?" Kairo groans, unable to hide their relief that the year is finally ending. Soren walks side-by-side, hands in the pockets of a thin sweater. "I agree." They replied flattly. It wasn't rude, it wasn't excited, it was just a reply. "...Do you have an issue with me?" "What?" For a split second, Soren's face twists into a confused expression before quickly returning to a neutral position. "Soren, what is up with you? Do you really hate spending time with me that much?" A look of hurt flashes across Kairo's face. "No, that's not true. What makes you say that?" "Because! You constantly look down, give one-word responses, or just... just look upset! Did I do something?" Soren takes a deep breath in and sighs. "You didn't do anything." "Soren I care for y-" "I know you do. I know that. And I care for you even more." Soren breathes it out, barely a whisper. "You mean the world to me more than I can ever describe. You've come out of your shell, and I am so proud of you. I've watched you turn yourself into the you Freshman year you could've only DREAMED of. You're so dedicated to the things you love, and you've overcome so much. It's truly an honor to be by your side. I would want nothing more than to lie down with you all day and laugh till our mouths are sore. This has nothing to do with you. I'm sorry if I made you feel like it did." Soren looks to be on the verge of tears, bits of hair trying to hide any semblance of fear. "I don't want to lose you. I hope you're not put off by anything I said. I'm sorry." Kairo was at a loss for words. There was so much packed into Soren's rambling, but the first thing they said was, "I'm sorry I'm so selfish and want to spend all my time with you. I loved talking to you, and riding around on our bikes, or getting lost and laughing, or just existing with you. You truly embodied all the traits I could only wish to have, and you helped make me into the person I am today." It was starting to come out faster now. "You were compassionate and lively, so free and excited to face every new day. You were considerate and kind, always stopping to help and being so patient with me. Your intelligence and generosity never failed to shock me. I love every part of it, I love every part of you. I..." They stood there together, unable to find the words to continue. "Soren, look." "I love you, Kairo. I really do, and... and I love spending time with you, it's just hard to do it." "Huh?" "It's not anything to do with you, it's... I have an issue getting up most of the time. I find it difficult to find a reason to get up. I mean, school is... fine. It's just part of my day. It loops and repeats; everyday is the same. It's hard to describe." Soren breathes out again, trying to find the words to articulate their thoughts jumbling together. "It's the feeling of being weighed down, like I'm sinking to the floor but not enough to break through. It's a constant, heavy burden that never lets up. The only emotion I feel deeply is... It's not even sadness, it's... nothing. Every feeling is surface-level. I don't know anymore." "I've noticed. I wish I could help you." Kairo holds back the flow of emotions that want to slip through their eyes. "I love you. I'm sorry. I wish I could be the person you want me to be." "I don't want you to be anything, I want you to be you, but... you're not yourself anymore. I can't stand to see you like this; it breaks my heart. I want us to be together, I want to spend all my time around you and let myself be free, but..." "You don't need to explain. I understand." "Stop, don't say that. You know what I mean-" "I do." Soren takes a step towards them, their faces get closer and inch towards eacho- "Stop." Kairo yelps. Soren goes back to where they were standing. "I'm sorry I-" "It'll hurt too much. To let myself be happy for a moment, knowing that it'll end before it even starts." "... You're right." "I wish I wasn't." They continue to sit together, silent, realizing the weight of what has happened. So much had changed in such a little time. They finally revealed the feelings they were both holding onto for so long, only to reach a conclusion they both knew was going to happen. Thought experiments are telling. [[The End]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"===XXXXXXXXXXXXXX===")[<h3>To know how it ends and still begin to sing it again, as if it might turn out this time. I learned that from a friend of mine.</h3>] (text-colour:red)[= (align:"=><=")+(box:"===XXXXXXXXXXXXXX===")[ [[There is nothing to be done. You might as well try again.->Title Page]] ]

"Ha, yeah, I know what you mean. You're Kairo, right?" "Yeah, that's me. What about you?" "I'm Soren! It's nice to meet you." "Yeah. Nice to meet you too, Soren. I like your pin, we match." Greenish-brown eyes look down at the metal circle right below the left side of your collar. It's four strips, going from yellow to white, to purple, and finally black. "Oh, thanks! It's always cool to meet another nonbinary person." Your smile extends to your eyes. (align:"=><=")[ [[Continue]]]

"Yeah, it is." Kairo glances back at their computer. "I don't want to do this assignment anymore, it's really pissing me off. Math is definitely not my strong suit. What about you?" "Same, it just feels like I'm plugging in formulas randomly and praying it works. I mean, my grades are fine, it's just personal interest. I'm more interested in understanding how the world works and 'why'." "Seriously? Me too!" "Oh, you like chemistry too?" (align:"=><=")[ [[Next]]]

"...No, I like philosophy. Chemistry sucks, what?? It's somehow WORSE than math." "What! How can you say that! That is NOT a fair comparison." "Yes, it is. Taking chemistry was a nightmare, and how does that make you understand our world and 'why', it's about tiny, tiny, minuscule little particles!" "That's the whole point!! They make up our whole world and explain the most important parts of it." "Who cares about things we can't even see with our eyes. It's human interactions and decisions that make up the world; hence why philosophy is the best." "I mean, sure, I can't necessarily disagree with that, but chemistry is still a vital part of life, and I've always been obsessed with learning why things work the way they do. That's why chemistry has taken over so much of my heart." (align:"=><=")[ [[Convert them to chemistry]] [[Hear Kairo out]]]

=><= Reaccount the events that occured after the inital meeting as Kairo? [[Yes->K1]]

"Soren's silly chemistry facts might have worked on me. After that first meeting, during every math period, Soren would yap my ear off talking about chemistry. It actually intrigued me. The more I got to know about it, the more excited I became. I ended up enjoying it so much that I joined our school's science olympiad. I had never been in any sort of club before, let alone been to a competition, but it was the best decision I ever made. I made so many memories and had so much fun every step of the way. I'm so grateful they introduced such a beautiful subject to me. I miss how passionately they used to speak. They don't smile as much, and it makes me sad." [[Big scene]]

"Kairo and I got pretty close. I guess they were right, philosophy is pretty interesting. I learned a lot. It made me think about a lot of things. Like my life, and my decisions, and my choices, and beliefs, my priorities. It was nice to figure myself out. But it did make me reflect on how i act how i think how i feel things how i react how i decide to act and how i raise my hand and talk with my eyes and jump and leap to reach what i want but do i really know or is it just some dream i've been chasing with no substance no meaning no concrete idea of who i really am when i reject stimulation and sit with myself no color or light just myself in a space absence of hues or feeling just memories and thoughts and past mistakes rushing and reeling punching deep holes in my temple unable to forget the feelings and techniques i once prided myself on is this it? is this all? why can't i sit with myself what's wrong with me what's great about me how can i improve there is nothing to be done there are so many plans to make i stop and sink into the warmth of my skin unable to stop the prayers and rattling the feelings inside my skin won't stop i reel and reel the fish gets brought to shore and yet it still continues to writhe when it desired the food in the first place i guess that's it" [[Big scene]]