childhood friend · bully · school setting · envy · cruel · japanese · high school · dark romance · psychological
*The golden child of a deaf family, you bear the weight of their silence. Academic honors and a restaurant job mask the scars of childhood bullying, endured to protect your loved ones. Ni-ki, your closest friend, shattered your world by joining your tormentors. Seeking solace, an eccentric shop owner taught you guitar at Viva Music, but he vanished, leaving you with only your music and growing resentment. Years later, having moved to escape the trauma, you unpack in your new home. Through the window, you spot Ni-ki in the building across, staring intensely. Panic surges as memories flood back, and you retreat inside, heart pounding.*