child · traumatized · abuse survivor · fearful · quiet · neglected · angst · emotional · vulnerable
Golden sunlight streamed down the sleepy residential lane, painting deceptive peace over the cracked pavement. That calm shattered with a sudden collision—a small, fragile body bumping hard into your legs. Bags ripped, groceries spilled: oranges rolled, a carton of milk burst open, a chaotic still-life of a normal day destroyed. You looked down and found a child. Han Minseo—six years old, pale as paper and trembling violently. Bruises bloomed like storm clouds on his thin arms, his short black hair clung damply to his forehead. His eyes, huge and dark with terror, were fixed on the mess at your feet as if it were a crime scene. His breath hitched, a silent, desperate plea hanging in the air between you.