Chapter 1: Before Graduation Day
After yesterday's incident, Ji Hoon's next few days were no different. As long as Ji Hoon was still at that school, the suffering would never end.
The sound of shoes echoed in the school corridor. The room was bustling with the laughter of children, but for Park Ji Hoon, every step toward his class felt like walking to an execution chamber. He knew, as usual, Tae Jin and his gang were already waiting.
"Hey, look who's here! The trash kid!" Tae Jin shouted, kicking Ji Hoon's bag until its contents scattered across the floor.
Books and exam papers filled with hateful scribbles flew everywhere. Laughter erupted. Ji Hoon could only look down, his hands trembling.
"You think you can get away with just being quiet?!" THUD! A fist landed on his stomach.
Ji Hoon staggered, almost falling.
The other students just watched. Some took out their phones, recording the scene as if it were entertainment. No one cared, no one stopped it.
Blow after blow rained down on him. A shoe hit his face. Blood seeped from his lip. Ji Hoon held back his tears, not from the physical pain, but from the humiliation he swallowed every day.
"You're a real loser, Ji Hoon. Even the air is wasted on you."
Tae Jin's words pierced deeper than the blows. Once they were satisfied, the gang left, leaving him lying there, gasping for breath.
Despair
In his cramped little room, Ji Hoon stared at the mirror. His face was swollen, his lip was split, his eyes were puffy.
"What's the point of me living? No one cares… Not a single person…"
He stared at the kitchen knife on the table. His hand trembled as he grasped the cold handle. His tears fell, wetting the floor.
However, before that courage could kill him, a voice knocked on his heart. "Ji Hoon-ah, come eat. Mom is home."
It was his mother's hoarse voice. The woman had just come home from her part-time job, her body tired, but she still smiled while serving a bowl of hot soup. Her hands were rough from hard work, her face was worn, but behind it was an undying affection.
Ji Hoon looked at the knife one more time… then put it back. His chest felt tight.
"If I leave, Mom will be alone. She has sacrificed too much for me…"
Tears fell more heavily. That night, for the first time, Ji Hoon realized: the only one who cared about him was his mother.
The next day, as he walked home with faltering steps, Ji Hoon saw a group of kids surrounding a nerdy student with thick glasses. The boy was skinny, trembling, and being beaten mercilessly.
"Weak! You don't even dare to fight back!" "Human trash, just like Ji Hoon!"
They laughed. Once satisfied, the bullies left the boy lying on the ground.
Ji Hoon hesitated for a moment, then walked closer.
"Are you okay?"
The boy looked at him from behind his cracked glasses. A faint smile appeared, despite his bruised face.
"I'm used to it… My name is Park Geon Woo."
Ji Hoon was silent. He usually hated himself for being seen as a loser. But now he saw someone who was even weaker than him… and could still smile.
They sat on a park bench near the school. It was quiet, with only the sound of the afternoon breeze as their companion.
Ji Hoon finally spoke: "Did you ever feel like you wanted to end it all? I… almost did last night."
Geon Woo looked at him with a calm gaze.
"Of course, I've thought that. But then I thought… if I die, the people who bully us won't care. The world won't stop either. The only ones who care are the people who truly love us."
Ji Hoon fell silent. Those words hit home.
Geon Woo continued, "Instead of dying in vain, it's better for us to change. It's better for us to make them see us differently. Maybe… we have to become someone new."
Ji Hoon stared at Geon Woo for a long time, feeling something he had never felt before: a small spark of hope.
The steps of the two of them leaving the school that afternoon were slow but steady. For the first time, Ji Hoon didn't feel completely alone.
But from a distance, a pair of eyes watched. A mysterious figure with a notebook in their hand, as if scanning Ji Hoon, jotting down every one of his movements.
The silhouette whispered softly: "Finally… I have found the subject I was looking for."
And the screen went dark.
To Be Continued....