Ijimeru Nara Watashi No Karada Ni Shite! [Editor's Choice]

My feet moved before my mind caught up. I stepped between them—the pack of hyenas and their prey—and said the words that had lived in my chest since seventh grade.

The hallway stretched endlessly, fluorescent lights humming like trapped flies. At the far end, a smaller figure was cornered—backpack straps pulled, glasses askew, laughter like broken glass echoing off the lockers. ijimeru nara watashi no karada ni shite!

Not because I want to hurt. But because some things are heavier than pain. Like watching someone fall when you could have stood in their place. This piece is a fictional meditation on the themes of self-sacrifice, protection, and the complex psychology of bullying. The Japanese phrase, while striking, is not a common idiom but rather a dramatic expression used in certain manga, anime, or personal narratives. My feet moved before my mind caught up