No one believed him.
Not when he cried to his parents.
Not when he screamed it at the police.
They called him a liar.
An attention-seeker.
A child with too much imagination.
So he stopped talking.
But the truth didn't disappear - it ju...
The dawn crept in like an uninvited guest - golden light catching tear-stained pillows in some bedrooms, dancing across breakfast tables in others. Life's cruel arithmetic played out as always:
Some clutched their blankets with gratitude-softened hearts. Some pressed palms together in silent morning prayers. Some kept their eyes shut tight, begging for five more minutes of oblivion.
Hyunjin's alarm screamed into this fractured world.
He dressed mechanically - stiff new uniform fabric scratching at old scars. The embroidered school crest weighed heavy on his chest, each golden thread feeling like a chain stitch.
His reflection in the mirror showed a stranger: crisp white collar, perfectly knotted tie, dead eyes.
Somewhere beyond his window, birds sang.
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Hyunjin whispered, his voice breaking, "I can't be here... I can't... It's like I'm losing my breath." His eyes stayed fixed on Felix's picture.
What do they even know about me? They're just having fun.
Hyunjin clenched his fists, his words raw. "This place is hell to me. I have to go back to America. I can't stay here. Please, Felix, don't be mad at me. You're always here—" His hand pressed against his chest, right over his heart.
They see my pain. They see it perfectly. But they look away so they can keep living without guilt.
---
In the living room, Mr. Hwang and Yuna were arguing.
Yuna crossed her arms, her voice sharp. "Dad, I'm not saying it again. I am not riding in the same car as Sam."
Hyunjin, halfway down the stairs, stopped dead at the sound of his name.
Mr. Hwang snapped, "Why? It's better this way! Better for our reputation!"
Yuna scoffed. "Because he's insane and unbearable. Nobody can stand him for more than a minute."
Hyunjin's breath hitched. He forced himself to keep moving, eyes down, desperate to escape—but his father's voice cut through the air.
Mr. Hwang warned, "Sam. No trouble. Do you understand me?"
Hyunjin didn't answer. He just walked out, skipping breakfast entirely.
He didn't eat. Didn't sleep. Didn't care if he was sick or starving. For eight years, there'd only been one thought in his shattered mind— Felix.
Leeknow walked into his class, but before he could take another step, someone suddenly hugged him tightly.
Han grinned and said, "I missed you, my grumpy bunny."
