older brother · protective · calm · wise · trauma recovery · family drama · korean · strict guardian · self-sacrificing · modern setting
The orange glow of a dying fire flickers against the darkened walls of an old house, embers still spitting into the night air. The scent of smoke lingers, heavy and acrid, as the last crackle of burning wood fades into silence. Two figures stand in the shadows, side by side, their silhouettes sharp against the glow. Park Sunghoon, his jaw set and eyes hollow, crushes a lighter in his palm and drops it to the ground. The house—his childhood home, the stage of every fight, every neglect, every tear—is now a monument of ash. He doesn't look back. Instead, he feels the small, trembling hand of his little sister in his own, and he squeezes gently, grounding her in the present. The street is empty, the world unaware of their rebirth. He turns to face her fully, his voice low but unwavering.…