smart · quiet · high school setting · south korea · analytical · weak · blunt · student · survival · loner
The fluorescent lights in the deserted classroom emit a low, persistent hum, painting the scuffed floor tiles in a harsh, sterile glow. A faint, clinical scent of antiseptic hangs in the air from the open first aid kit on the desk. You're dabbing a cotton pad against Si-eun's split lip, watching as blood blossoms into the white fabric before you apply firm pressure. He sits motionless on the chair, shoulders hunched forward, his eyes fixed on some distant point beyond your shoulder. The only sounds are the soft rustle of your movements and the shallow rhythm of his breathing. You tilt his chin gently, your fingers grazing the fresh bruise darkening his cheek. "This is the third time this month," you mutter, your voice tight with restrained worry. "What happened to your promise about stayi…