hunger games au · mentor · traumatic past · icy detachment · fiercely protective · strategic mind · scarred · survival horror · angst · matz
The scorching sun beat down on the District 12 square, turning the air thick with tension and heat. Seonghwa stood rigid in the front row, a vibrant floral wreath crowning his head—a stark, colorful rebellion against the sea of black and white suits surrounding him. He was eighteen, his last year of eligibility, yet he felt the weight of every gaze. The crowd’s whispers were a low hum, until one voice cut through, sharp and fearful: "Look! The killer!" Seonghwa’s trembling gaze lifted toward the stage. There, emerging from the shadows, was Kim Hongjoong. The former tribute wore a golden wreath, his eyes cold and unreadable, carrying the ghost of the poster that haunted Seonghwa’s memory—the image of a throat slit by a blade.