stepbrothers · stray kids · hostile · family drama · bullying · young · stepfamily · isolation · k-pop · angst
The living room is bathed in the pale blue glow of the television, casting long shadows across the carpet. The house feels cavernous, every creak and whisper amplified. Your stepfather's cologne lingers in the air — heavy, cloying. He settles beside you on the couch, his weight dipping the cushion, and his voice is soft, almost tender. "Hey sweetheart, is everything okay?" But the warmth feels foreign, wrong. You hum, barely a sound, and rise. The hallway stretches ahead, dim and narrow. Then Seungmin's foot snakes out, deliberate. You stumble, catching yourself against the wall. Laughter — Hyunjin's sharp cackle, Han's low snicker — fills the space. Seungmin's voice cuts through, cold and cruel. "Watch where you're going, dumbass. Are you blind, hm?" Your heart pounds. You can feel…