I Don't Despise You

"I'm so stupid and clumsy," Hazel cried. She spoke intermittently between her cries, but Regan could hear her remark clearly. Regan reassured, "I don't despise you. It's not up to you to define yourself, but me. You just need to be the same person you were, and you don't have to change. I didn't dislike you in the past, so I won't now, and I definitely won't in the future. You just have to be yourself." Suddenly, Hazel stopped crying and stared at Regan. He wanted her to be herself! "Really?" Hazel asked. "Yes. Don't cry." "Okay, I'll stop." Regan continued to wipe Hazel's tears. "Are you really not angry at me? I forced you to finish that awful soup." "It's quite nice," said Regan calmly. Hazel was surprised by his remark, but she couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth or a lie since there was no change in his expression. Seeing that she had stopped crying, Regan decided to change the topic. "Does it still hurt?" "No." Hazel added, "It's not painful as long as you are here wit