DARKNESS.NOTHING BUT THAT ENDLESS BLACK VOID AGAIN. NO BEGINNING, NO END. NO LIGHT, NO SHAPE. JUST HIM—FLOATING, SUSPENDED, SUFFOCATING IN AN EMPTINESS THAT FELT LIKE FOREVER.
(SFX: LOW RUMBLING HISS… WIND HOWLING IN THE DISTANCE…)
SIYUN CURLED HIS KNEES CLOSER TO HIS CHEST, STARING INTO THE ABYSS AS THOUGH HE MIGHT FIND ANSWERS THERE. HIS BREATH SHUDDERED OUT, SHAKY AND UNEVEN, ECHOING BACK INTO NOTHING.
HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?
A THOUSAND VOICES WHISPERED IN HIS HEAD.
(SFX: ECHOING TAUNTS, LAUGHTER OVERLAPPING, VOICES SNICKERING, WORDS LIKE BROKEN GLASS…)
"CREEP.""DISGUSTING.""STALKER.""WE KNEW IT."
THEY CLUNG TO HIS SKIN LIKE THORNS, DIGGING DEEPER THE MORE HE TRIED TO SHAKE THEM OFF.
HE WANTED TO SCREAM, TO RIP HIS VOICE OUT OF HIS OWN CHEST AND HURL IT INTO THE VOID—BUT IN THIS DARKNESS, HIS VOICE NEVER ECHOED BACK. ONLY SILENCE ANSWERED.
AND YET—EVEN THAT SILENCE… HURT LESS THAN THE MEMORY OF HANA'S EYES.
THE SLIGHT DOUBT, THE HESITATION IN HER GAZE.
IT WAS ENOUGH TO BREAK HIM.
(SFX: BUZZZZZZZ—THE SHRILL HUM OF FLUORESCENT LIGHTS CRACKLES TO LIFE!)
SIYUN JOLTED AWAKE.
HIS FOREHEAD WAS PRESSED AGAINST THE COLD SURFACE OF HIS DESK. HIS EYES BLINKED RAPIDLY, ADJUSTING TO THE BRIGHT WHITE REALITY OF THE CLASSROOM.
(SFX: CHAIRS SCRAPING… PENS CLICKING… STUDENTS CHATTERING IN WAVES… A BURST OF LAUGHTER RINGS ACROSS THE ROOM…)
THE WORLD MOVED ON AROUND HIM. A WORLD THAT NO LONGER INCLUDED HIM.
HE SAT BY THE WINDOW, THIRD ROW FROM THE BACK. THE SUNLIGHT FILTERED THROUGH, ILLUMINATING DUST PARTICLES THAT FLOATED IN THE AIR LIKE LITTLE GHOSTS—DRIFTING, AIMLESS, JUST LIKE HIM.
HIS DESK WAS TOO NEAT. PERFECTLY ALIGNED. AS IF THAT FRAGILE ORDER WAS THE ONLY THING HE COULD CONTROL WHILE EVERYTHING ELSE SLIPPED AWAY.
AND THEN—
(SFX: LIGHT LAUGHTER. A GIRL'S VOICE. RINGING CLEAR LIKE BELLS.)
HANA.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, SHE STOOD NEAR THE BOARD WITH TWO FRIENDS, SMILING, GIGGLING, TALKING ABOUT THE LATEST DRAMA EPISODE. HER HAND COVERED HER MOUTH AS SHE GIGGLED, EYES SHINING.
THAT CURVE OF HER SMILE—ONCE, IT HAD BEEN HIS SALVATION.
NOW, IT FELT LIKE A KNIFE.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SHE'D LAUGHED LIKE THAT WITH HIM?
(SFX: PEN SNAPS—CRACK!!)
SIYUN LOOKED DOWN, REALIZING HE'D BEEN GRIPPING HIS PEN SO TIGHT IT NEARLY BROKE IN HALF.
HIS HEART TWISTED. NOT WITH HATRED. NOT EVEN WITH ANGER. BUT WITH PURE, CRUSHING FEAR.
FEAR THAT HE WAS ALREADY FADING FROM HER WORLD.
THAT EVENING—
(SFX: DOOR SLIDING OPEN—CLACK!)
THE WARM SCENT OF KIMCHI STEW RUSHED OUT TO GREET HIM.
"I'M HOME," SIYUN CALLED, HIS VOICE SOFT—AND SWALLOWED QUICKLY BY THE COMFORT OF THE HOUSE.
HIS MOTHER PEEKED OUT FROM THE KITCHEN, APRON TIED, HER FACE WARM WITH A FAMILIAR SMILE.
"WELCOME BACK, SIYUN. YOU'RE HOME LATE AGAIN."
"YEAH. CLUB ACTIVITIES RAN LONG," HE LIED CASUALLY, MASKING THE TRUTH—THAT HE'D DELAYED HIS RETURN JUST TO AVOID THE STARES, THE WHISPERS.
"WASH YOUR HANDS. DINNER'S ALMOST READY."
(SFX: FOOTSTEPS—PATTER PATTER!!)
A SMALL VOICE BURST INTO THE HALLWAY.
"OPPA!! YOU'RE HOME!"
MINJI, HIS LITTLE SISTER, BOUNDED FORWARD, HAIR STILL MESSY FROM HER NAP. SHE GRABBED HIS ARM, CLINGING LIKE A MAGNET.
"YOU'RE LATE TODAY! GUESS WHAT? HANA-UNNIE CAME AFTER SCHOOL!"
SIYUN'S CHEST LOCKED. "…OH, DID SHE?"
"MM-HM! WE PLAYED PUZZLES, AND SHE HELPED ME WITH MATH! YOU SHOULD'VE JOINED US, OPPA!" MINJI'S EYES SHINED LIKE STARS.
SIYUN'S SMILE CAME, BUT IT FELT LIKE SHARDS OF GLASS AGAINST HIS FACE. HE PATTED HER HEAD. "SOUNDS FUN. NEXT TIME, MAYBE."
"PROMISE?"
"PROMISE."
(SFX: FAINT THUNDER ROLLING IN THE DISTANCE…)
BUT INSIDE, A STORM BREWED.
HANA WAS STILL CLOSE TO MINJI. STILL LAUGHING IN HIS HOUSE. STILL EXISTING IN THE SPACES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIS.
YET WHEN HER EYES MET HIS LATELY… THERE WAS DISTANCE. DOUBT.
WHY?
THE NEXT MORNING.
(SFX: SHOES SCUFFING AGAINST THE FLOOR… LOCKERS SLAMMING SHUT… THE HUM OF STUDENTS CHATTERING LOUDLY…)
SIYUN DRAGGED HIMSELF INTO CLASS.
AND THERE HE WAS.
THE TRANSFER STUDENT.
THE WOLF.
LEANING AGAINST A DESK, SURROUNDED BY LAUGHTER AND ATTENTION. HIS VOICE WAS SILKY, HIS SMILE EFFORTLESS, HIS PRESENCE MAGNETIC. PEOPLE NATURALLY GRAVITATED TO HIM.
AND THEN—
HIS EYES FLICKED TO SIYUN.
(SFX: SILENCE. HEART THUD—THUD—THUD!!)
JUST A MOMENT. JUST A FLICKER.
BUT ENOUGH.
A SHARP GRIN CURVED HIS LIPS—SO SUBTLE, SO QUICK, NO ONE ELSE SAW.
ONLY SIYUN.
A GRIN THAT SAID: I OWN THIS STAGE. AND YOU? YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SHADOW.
SIYUN'S GAZE DROPPED TO THE FLOOR, BUT THE BURN IN HIS CHEST REMAINED.
HE KNOWS. HE KNOWS HE'S WINNING.
LUNCH BREAK.
THE ROOFTOP.
HIS SAFE PLACE. OR—WHAT USED TO BE.
(SFX: WIND RUSHING ACROSS THE EDGE, DISTANT CARS HONKING BELOW, CITY NOISE FAR AWAY…)
SIYUN SAT ALONE, KNEES HUGGED CLOSE. A HALF-EATEN CONVENIENCE STORE SANDWICH IN HIS HAND, TASTELESS IN HIS MOUTH.
THIS USED TO BE WHERE HE ESCAPED THE WORLD. WHERE HE AND HANA SHARED MOMENTS AWAY FROM THE NOISE.
MEMORIES RUSHED IN—
HER LAUGH AS SHE STOLE HALF HIS CHOCOLATE BREAD.HER SHOULDER BRUSHING AGAINST HIS WHEN THE WIND GREW COLD.HER EYES, WARM AND BRIGHT, PULLING HIM BACK FROM THE DARK.
(SFX: MEMORY ECHOES—HER VOICE LAUGHING SOFTLY, FADING INTO DISTANT WIND.)
NOW, THOSE MEMORIES FELT LIKE WEIGHTS AROUND HIS NECK.
IF I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE ONE GIVING… WHY IS NO ONE HERE WHEN I NEED THEM?
THAT NIGHT.
(SFX: CLOCK TICKING LOUD… TAP TAP TAP AGAINST HIS DESK… STREETLIGHT BUZZING OUTSIDE THE WINDOW…)
SIYUN LAY ON HIS BED, STARING AT THE CEILING.
HE THOUGHT OF EVERY SACRIFICE.
THE NIGHT HE FINISHED A FRIEND'S PROJECT WHILE THEY SLEPT—ONLY TO HEAR THEM LAUGH AT THE RUMORS ABOUT HIM.THE MONEY HE LENT TO A CLASSMATE "JUST THIS ONCE"—NEVER RETURNED.THE TIMES HE TOOK THE BLAME FOR OTHERS, THINKING MAYBE THEY'D STAY BY HIS SIDE.
HE NEVER COMPLAINED. NEVER ASKED FOR ANYTHING BACK.
BECAUSE MAYBE, JUST MAYBE—IF HE HELPED ENOUGH, SOMEONE WOULD FINALLY SEE HIM.
BUT WHERE WERE THEY NOW?
(SFX: DISTANT LAUGHTER ECHOES IN HIS MIND… WHISPERS…)
ONLY THE STING OF HANA'S UNCERTAIN GAZE REMAINED.
THE WEIGHT CRUSHED HIS CHEST UNTIL EVEN BREATHING FELT LIKE DROWNING.
THE NEXT DAY.
THE HALLWAY.
(SFX: LOCKERS SLAM—VOICES CHATTER—HEELS CLICK AGAINST THE TILE…)
SIYUN TURNED THE CORNER—AND STOPPED.
VOICES. FAMILIAR.
"…ARE YOU SURE SIYUN'S NOT WEIRD? PEOPLE SAY A LOT LATELY," ONE GIRL WHISPERED.
HIS BLOOD RAN COLD.
AND THEN—
HANA'S VOICE. SOFT. HESITANT.
"…I DON'T KNOW."
(SFX: HEARTBEAT POUNDING—LOUD—LOUDER—LOUDER!!)
NOT "NO."NOT "THAT'S NOT TRUE."
JUST—UNCERTAINTY.
THE HALLWAY SPUN. SIYUN PRESSED HIS BACK AGAINST THE WALL, TRYING TO STEADY HIS BREATH.
SO… EVEN YOU… DOUBT ME NOW?
THE PAIN CUT DEEPER THAN A BLADE.
NOT REJECTION. NOT HATRED.
JUST DOUBT.
AND THAT WAS WORSE.
HIS LEGS WOULDN'T MOVE. HIS VOICE WOULDN'T RISE.
INSTEAD, HE WALKED AWAY QUIETLY. EACH STEP LIKE LEAD. EACH STEP TAKING HIM FURTHER INTO THE VOID.
THAT NIGHT.
THE DREAM RETURNED.
(SFX: BLACK VOID HUM… A LOW, ECHOING DRONE…)
SIYUN STOOD IN THE ENDLESS DARKNESS AGAIN.
ALONE.
HIS VOICE TREMBLED, SPILLING INTO THE VOID.
"HOW MUCH LONGER DO I HAVE TO ENDURE THIS? HOW MUCH MORE OF ME DO I HAVE TO SACRIFICE BEFORE SOMEONE… ANYONE… NOTICES?"
(SFX: SILENCE. ONLY HIS OWN WORDS ECHO BACK, FADING, SWALLOWED INTO NOTHING.)
NO ANSWER.
NO LIGHT.
ONLY HIM—AND THE ENDLESS DARK.