Everyone at school thinks Milo is brave. Teachers say he’s confident, classmates say he’s fearless, and parents point at him with approving nods as if he’s a walking example of How to Be a Proper Little Mouse.

But Milo himself… knows the truth.

He’s not brave.

Not exactly.

He’s just the one who talks when both of them are too shy to talk.

The one who steps forward because someone has to.

The one who answers questions meant for “the two boys,” while Eli quietly melts into his seat, grateful and relieved.

Milo does all of this not because he loves attention — he actually doesn’t.

He does it because he sees Eli’s tiny shoulders tense up every time someone calls on them. And Milo, with his soft heart, simply cannot allow his friend to suffer.

So he steps up.

He speaks.

He becomes the “brave one.”

And whenever the teacher nods approvingly, Milo glances to the side to check on his friend… and there Eli sits, with pink-tipped ears and a small, grateful smile that makes the whole act worth it.

Is Milo brave?

Yes — but not because he’s loud.

He’s brave because he shares his courage with someone who needs it.