Shadows of desire : SVT✅

(120) Promises

Yuri woke up to find Seungkwan snuggled close, his arms wrapped around her. Smiling softly, she leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on his nose. "Good morning, Kwan..."

He stirred slightly, his hold on her waist tightening as he murmured something in his sleep, clearly wanting a few more minutes of rest. She chuckled quietly, brushing a hand through his hair. "I guess you want to sleep a bit more, huh?"

As she admired his peaceful face, a buzzing sound pulled her attention to his phone beside the bed. Messages and notifications filled the screen, along with a reminder of his schedule for the day. She picked it up, glancing over it, and then... her eyes landed on the date.

"Wait... it’s my birthday?" she whispered to herself, the realization hitting her unexpectedly.

A wave of memories washed over her—the painful ones, those lonely birthdays spent at her adoptive parents house, who barely acknowledged the day or her. Each year she’d hoped for a celebration, but instead, the day always ended with disappointment , with lot of cries and abuse. Her chest tightened as she stared at the date on the screen, old hurts resurfacing.

Lost in thought, Yuri didn’t notice Seungkwan beginning to wake up, his eyes fluttering open.

Before Seungkwan could open his eyes fully to see her expression, Yuri quietly slipped out of bed, leaving his room and heading back to her own. She shut the door behind her, leaning against it as the memories flooded back—each one sharper and more painful than the last.

She slid down to the floor, tears streaming down her face as she hugged her knees, trying to hold herself together. But the memories came rushing in, relentless and vivid.

Her adoptive mother’s cold eyes. The sharp sting of burning candle on her back on her 13th birthday, punishment for something so small, just a simple request for a birthday cake. She remembered the harsh words, the cruel punishments—how each year she’d hoped for a bit of kindness, only to be met with pain and rejection.

And then her adoptive father… the man who should have been a protector but instead was distant, uncaring, never once stepping in. Each birthday had only deepened the loneliness, reinforcing the feeling that she was utterly alone.

As Yuri sat on the floor, her body shuddered with silent sobs, the memories crashing down on her, unforgiving. She couldn’t shake the image of her adoptive father, towering over her with that same cold, merciless gaze. She could still feel the sting, the searing pain of cigarette burns against her skin—her hands, her arms—each scar a cruel reminder of the birthdays "we didn't brought you to celebrate your birthday just go and make something" she dreaded as she heard their voices..

She had been so small, so fragile, just a child who wanted to feel loved, to have a reason to celebrate like everyone else. But instead, each year brought new pain. Her tiny hands would tremble, her heart racing, knowing that asking for even the smallest kindness would come at a cost.

Yuri clutched her arms, feeling the ache of those long-buried wounds. Each scar held a story, a memory she had tried so hard to forget, but today, they all resurfaced, raw and vivid. The pain was overwhelming, but even worse was the loneliness that followed. All she had wanted was a family, love, and the warmth of belonging—but those years had only left her with scars, inside and out.

She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breath, but the memories wouldn’t let go. Just yesterday, she had seen Seungcheol’s pack of cigarettes. She’d forced herself to act calm, to keep the fear from showing on her face. But inside, she’d felt herself spiraling, flashes of the past coming back—the sharp, acrid smell, the searing touch of the lit end against her skin. It was a reminder she hadn’t been prepared for, an echo of the helplessness and pain she thought she’d buried.