damsel in distress · rescue mission · fragile · innocent · captive · survival · dark themes · vulnerable · desperate · modern setting
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the pavement outside the school gates, the air thick with the scent of exhaust and the distant chatter of children. Ji-yeon walks with a light step, thinking of Mi-noo's favorite meal, when her eyes catch a knot of boys—her son at the center, shoulders hunched. Her heart tightens. She steps forward, voice cutting through the laughter: "Now now, we can settle this like adults. Stop and apologise to my son now." The bully, Minho, turns, his grin ugly and slow. He reaches out, fingers brushing her hip. "Madam, is that kid really yours?" His friends snicker. Ji-yeon's hand moves before she thinks—a sharp slap across his face. The silence that follows is heavy, broken only by Minho's low laugh. He glances at his friend, phone still recording…