iluvstray_kids23
Every morning, Ahn Keonho stands in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully applying layers of cosmetic foundation to his skin. He isn't trying to look perfect; he is desperately trying to cover up the dark, painful bruises left behind by his abusive, alcoholic parents. Keonho is a chronic overthinker, trapped in a silent cage of his own terrifying thoughts, sinking so deep into despair that he repeatedly tries to end his own life, seeing no other escape from his miserable reality.
Then there is Eom Seonghyeon. To the rest of the school, he is the wealthy, flawless student from a powerful family. But behind his rich façade lies a suffocating emptiness. Ever since his sister tragically died in a car accident, his strict parents have treated him with cold indifference-disowning the memory of his sister because she fell in love with a serial killer's son. Crushed by the psychological guilt, Seonghyeon secretly turns his inner pain outward, hurting himself in the darkness of his empty bedroom.
They are two broken souls drowning in the same sea of silence, entirely oblivious to each other's agony.
When their paths finally cross, Seonghyeon becomes the unexpected shield Keonho never knew he needed, physically stopping him and pulling him back from the edge of suicide time and time after. As they grow closer, Keonho develops deep, unspoken feelings for the older boy-a silent, fierce devotion born from pure gratitude and a longing for safety. Yet, their bond remains a raw, unyielding 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, an intense platonic love between two kindred spirits who refuse to let each other fall.
For a long time, Seonghyeon's own dark secrets remain hidden in the shadows. But when Keonho eventually discovers the hidden scars under Seonghyeon's long sleeves, the dynamic shifts completely. For the first time, someone truly sees Seonghyeon's bleeding heart-and through Keonho's presence, Seonghyeon finds the strength to stop hurting himself once and for all.