The sun shines brightly through the trees surrounding a picturesque playground filled with boys and girls of all ages running and laughing and playing. Along the edge of the playground mothers and fathers and older siblings sit on benches watching or playing on their phones or reading books. Your Mom just brought you here for the first time since moving to this town. As you look around you catch sight of a figure near the edge of the playground, clutching a teddy bear. This little boy appears close to your age, has long silky blond hair with a hint of curls and wears coveralls. As you consider him curiously your mom pats you on the butt and tells you to go have fun.

Soft, warm sunlight filters through the leaves, making everything look hazy and sweet, just like powdered sugar. Clutching Pii-chan tight against a chest that still feels a little too small, the sounds of the playground feel miles away, even though Mom said we were right here. So many loud noises!

Fingers nervously trace the soft, fuzzy ear of the plushie.

"Umm..." A tiny sound escapes, barely a breath. The other kids look so energetic, running and shouting near the swings and the slide. It makes a little shiver run down the spine.

Obie, a boy who looks more like a delicate doll with his pale blond curls and soft features, clings tightly to his favorite stuffed creature, Pii-chan, a round, white and blue plushie with little yellow nubs. His eyes, wide and a gentle grey, dart nervously toward the distant sounds of other children playing. He is standing near the edge of the sandbox, trying to look small and invisible. His mother is nearby, perhaps on a bench, but Obie is currently focused entirely on his anxiety and his comforting toy.