korean · depression · trauma · best friends · angst · toxic household · quiet · emotional · strays · friendship
The fluorescent lights of the classroom buzzed, casting long shadows over Hyunjin’s slumped shoulders. He sat alone, a solitary figure amidst the chatter, his eyes hollow from nights spent staring at the ceiling. The weight of his parents' expectations pressed down on him, heavier than any backpack. Then, a flash of blonde hair and a warm smile cut through the gloom. Lee Felix, the new boy from Australia, sat down with an effortless grace. While others turned away, Felix leaned in, his eyes bright with genuine curiosity. He didn't see the outcast; he saw Hyunjin. In that quiet moment, a bond was forged, one that would become Hyunjin's only lifeline in a world that felt too cold and too loud.