Sweet Home imagines

silent solidarities- Fluff, Pyeon Sang-wook

word count: 1,774

warnings: mentions of self-harm, lots of mentions of self-harm scars, mentions of suicide and past suicidal tendencies, a little bit of comfort at the end

If there was one thing you learned from your stay in the green home, it was that everyone had something going on in their lives. The problems varied. It could be considered something low on the scale, such as not being able to afford an extra pack of their favorite treat. On the other hand, it could be something much more serious. Financial issues, mental health issues... the list could go on. Either way, it didn't matter. No matter the seriousness of the issue, if it negatively affected somebody, it was worth taking a look at.

You liked to help people with their problems. Maybe—just maybe—it was because you understood the struggle of not having anyone to rely on. Feeling like you're alone with no one to turn to. Thinking your issues were a burden, something that was up to you to carry by yourself and only yourself.

The few residents that remained in the green home thought that you were a beacon of hope. You were someone that they could vent their frustrations to when needed. You were a great listener, they all agreed on that. You were always so understanding and positive, it was almost like you weren't even close to experiencing the stress that they did.

You helped with dinner, you did daily check-ups on those that would welcome them, and most importantly of all, you were a friend to anybody who needed one. And that was why you couldn't leave Sangwook alone at dinner for the second week in a row.

Most of the other residents didn't want to be around him. He was intimidating—you could understand that. It was natural to be scared after watching a man brutally murder another man with nothing but a hammer. Despite these common fears among the group, you knew he wasn't as bad as they presumed. Call it a hunch.

Initially, you were only going to bring him his dinner and move along. He wasn't one for talking and you didn't want to make him uncomfortable. It was a surprise to many when he decided to show up and get his own dinner for once. You gave him a friendly smile and served up the food as he straggled behind the rest of the line.

Everything was going smoothly. At least, it was. A single comment was what made him turn around and go to his normal spot. Away from everyone else. Alone.

"Look at those scars, isn't he aware that they can scare people?"

The comment came from one of the residents. Son Hyein, to be exact. She had a knack for gossiping and could never keep her mouth sealed when it mattered most. You had to resist the urge to roll your eyes, and were about to go on with cleaning up the meal like normal.

But as you glanced up at Sangwook, you saw how his head tilted towards the ground. His feet were dragging just a little more than they usually were, and his shoulders were just a tad too tense. You were sure that people made comments about his scars before. They were such a prominent feature, after all. But that doesn't mean that the occasional comment can't get into his head.

You sighed softly, turning to Yuri and letting her know that you wouldn't be able to help her clean up today. She thanked you for letting her know, and before you knew it, you were out the door. Following in Sangwook's exact footsteps.

It didn't take you long to find him. He was in his usual spot as you had predicted. Back leaning against the wall, his tray of food resting next to him. His head was down and his hair was covering his face. If you looked closely enough, you could almost see his eyebrows pinched together and his lips twitching downward.

You kept your footsteps as quiet as possible until you reached the spot next to him, sliding down the side of the wall. The only thing keeping your shoulders apart was the tray of food between you.