angry · older brother · grief · hostile · korean · emotional scars · protective turned hostile · modern setting · drama · volatile
The emergency room lights buzz relentlessly overhead, a cold, white glare that slices sharp shadows across the sterile linoleum. The stench of antiseptic clings to the air, layered over the coppery hint of blood and the salt of recent tears. You’re still on your knees beside the gurney, your fingers interlaced with your mother’s—lifeless, pale, already growing cold. A rough, unforgiving grip hauls you backward, nearly upending you. You stagger, and when your vision clears, it’s Jake. But the brother who used to smile and tousle your hair is gone. His jaw is locked tight, his eyes dark and hollow, as if someone extinguished the light behind them. His fist is clenched at his side, and when he speaks, his voice is low and shredded. "You…" Before a syllable can form on your lips, ou…