Library | Soogyu

Chapter 1

"Mom! Why did you leave me alone with them?" Soobin's voice cracked under the starry night sky, its serene calm contrasting sharply with his turmoil. His gaze fixated on the brightest star, tears tracing down his cheeks, staining them a rosy pink after an hour of inconsolable weeping.

"I wish you had taken me with you to meet Dad. It feels like my body is here, but my soul left long ago. It's unbearable," Soobin poured out his heart, his voice trembling with sorrow.

Eleven years had passed since his real father succumbed to cancer when Soobin was just nine. In an effort to provide him with paternal care, his grandparents orchestrated his mother's marriage to a widower, Soobin's stepfather, who had a younger son named Jayhoon. Initially resistant to sharing his mother, Soobin eventually warmed to Jayhoon as they grew closer over time.

However, life wasn't kind to Soobin. His mother was diagnosed with a worsening heart condition, a growing hole threatening her life at any moment. As her health deteriorated, his stepfather and even young Jayhoon distanced themselves from Soobin, leaving him deeply saddened by their detachment.

Months later, as his mother's condition reached a critical stage, Soobin found himself spending more time in hospital corridors than at home. With their savings depleted by medical bills, his pleas for financial help from his stepfather fell on deaf ears. Determined to support his ailing mother, Soobin juggled school with part-time jobs at convenience stores and bakeries.

By fifteen, Soobin had matured beyond his years, balancing school with work to make ends meet. One fateful evening, returning from work with a bag of bread and cupcakes-his mother's favorite-he entered the hospital to chaos. Nurses rushed past him, urgently calling for a doctor. Exhausted, he leaned against the doorframe of his mother's room, watching helplessly as medical efforts failed, and the monitor's incessant beeping silenced into a haunting flatline.

With his mother's passing, Soobin felt adrift, his once vibrant spirit dimmed to a mere existence. Taken in by his grandparents, they showered him with love, attempting to fill the void left by his mother's absence. Gradually, Soobin adjusted to this new life, finding solace in their care and support.

Yet, misfortune seemed to shadow Soobin. Within eighteen months, he lost his last remaining family. Feeling abandoned by fate, he reluctantly moved in with his indifferent stepfather and stepbrother, compelled to plead for even basic necessities like school fees. Prohibited from working, he clung to two possessions: a cherished radio, a gift from his mother that offered fleeting happiness through music, and a cell phone, a lifeline from his grandparents.

Now, Soobin faced the daunting task of funding his college education. However, with his stepfather's restrictions on part-time work, he felt trapped. Desperate, he turned to the one person left in his life-Choi Yeonjun, his step-uncle's son and long-time confidant. Though their interactions had waned since Yeonjun's departure for dance training, Soobin hesitated to burden him with his troubles, often responding with a brief "yes" whenever Yeonjun reached out, asking if he was okay.

Long story short, Soobin found immense joy and comfort in Yeonjun's company.

"Soobin hesitated, contemplating whether to reach out to Yeonjun for help. 'Should I ask him for help?' he pondered, clutching his phone tightly. 'No, no, no! He's struggling too,' he muttered to himself, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

Meanwhile, Yeonjun faced his own challenges in Seoul, the bustling capital city. Following his father's passing two years ago, he took on the responsibility of supporting himself and his mother, who had moved in with him. Unaware of Soobin's hardships and his uncle's treatment, Yeonjun juggled his dance training with a job as a dance teacher at a local school.

Lost in his thoughts, Soobin's phone buzzed with a new message.

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