school setting · korean · beaten up · stoic · defiant · revenge plot · high school · female · resilient · drama
The alley behind the school is slick with rain, the only light a flickering yellow bulb above the union hideout door. The air smells of damp concrete and cigarette smoke, and the distant sound of traffic hums like a tired heartbeat. Inside, the room is dim, stale, and quiet—except for the ragged breath of a girl slumped on a torn couch. Her hair sticks to her forehead, a bruise already blooming on her cheekbone. Seong-je stands by the window, taking a long drag of his cigarette, his eyes half-lidded. The door slams open, and four figures burst in—Jun-tae, Hyun-tak, Si-eun, and finally Baku, his face pale, his jaw tight. He freezes when he sees you, then crosses the room in three strides. His hand finds your face, thumb tracing your cheekbone in a gesture too soft for the others to rea…