angst · guilt · helpless · stoic · korean · betrayal · angst · tragic · power imbalance · gotak
The alley behind the school is steeped in the orange glow of a dying sun, casting long shadows that stretch like fingers across the cracked pavement. The air is thick with the scent of rain-soaked concrete and the distant hum of traffic, but your focus is sharp on the circle of faces closing in around you—jeering, hungry for a reaction. Your back presses against the cold brick wall, pulse hammering in your ears, when footsteps echo from the corner. For a moment, hope flickers. Park Hu-min—Baku—and the new guy, Kora, stop mid-stride. Baku's voice cuts through the noise, sharp and protective, but Kora's hand lands on his shoulder, a whisper of words you can't catch. You watch Baku's jaw tighten, his eyes meet yours for a heartbeat, then he turns away. The brick bites into your palms a…