Daniel Park sat on the hard wooden floor of his new dorm room in Seoul, the single dim light over his desk casting long shadows across the peeling wall. He hugged his knees to his chest and stared at the cracked ceiling, heart pounding. Around him, the city's distant hum felt like a reminder of how alone he was. He had grown up in a poor single‐parent household and been mercilessly bullied for his weight
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. All his life he had been the punching bag, the easy target. Every insult and push from classmates had taught him he was worthless and ugly. After one final humiliating fight at his old school, his mother had scraped together enough to transfer him to this new school – hoping for a fresh start
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. But the fresh start had turned into a fresh nightmare. Daniel had left his hometown expecting something better, and now he only felt broken and terrified in this cold, unfamiliar room.
He remembered the first day at Jae Won High School as though it had been a nightmare made flesh. In the bright schoolyard, Zack Lee, a notorious bully, had squared off against him. Daniel had hoped for at least a fair fight, but Zack had crushed those hopes instantly. Daniel's arms and chest throbbed at the memory of Zack's booted foot connecting with his ribs. The sneers of onlookers stung deeper than the pain; someone even filmed it on a phone and laughed as Daniel fell. By the time he reached his room that night, video of his defeat was already spreading through social media, a cruel joke at his expense
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. He had sobbed himself to sleep on the worn mattress, tears dampening his tattered uniform. Each night's pillow was another reminder of how truly alone he felt
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.
A cold draft seeped under the door, making the little sleeping area shiver. Daniel pulled the thin quilt tighter around himself. His head throbbed and his stomach felt hollow, like all the warmth had been sucked out of him. Why was he even here, in the middle of a city filled with monsters? So many monsters, a new, unfamiliar voice hissed in his mind, calm and distant. They surround you, Daniel. They all want to hurt you. Daniel's eyes snapped open. He pressed his palms to his temples, trying to quiet the echo of that voice. It wasn't his own voice; it was colder, harder – almost detached. Listen, the voice continued, you know what happens if you stay weak.
He swallowed hard. Another thought emerged almost simultaneously, smoother, softer – like the whisper of silk across his skin. It felt almost warm by comparison. You don't have to stay small and forgotten, this second voice purred inside his head. Daniel's heart skipped. Imagine it, Danny: money, respect… girls like Mary Kim hanging on your arm. Daniel flinched at the name. Mary Kim – he had heard about her in passing at school – a tall, striking girl with bleached blonde hair and dark eyes. Rumor had it she used to be an undefeated judo champion nicknamed the "Empress of Two Seconds," because she could throw an opponent to the ground in the blink of an eye
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. Even thinking about Mary made Daniel flush; he had never had a girlfriend, not even a friend who flirted back. He pushed the thought aside, not wanting to believe that kind of life was possible for him.
Stop. Don't think about them, the cold voice cut in firmly. It was sharp, precise – sounding a lot like a trained soldier. They will only hurt you again. Daniel squeezed his eyes shut against the swirl of voices. The cold voice was steady now, calm as winter water. You remember Logan, it reminded him. Logan Lee, who called him "Pikachu" at his old school because of his chubby cheeks
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. Logan, Zack, all of them have fun watching you break. You almost let them kill you today on that playground. Daniel bit his lip. The blood taste on his teeth was from him hitting the pavement, not from fighting back. The voice didn't judge; it stated facts with quiet cruelty.
A bubbling heat rose in Daniel's chest – part anger, part fear. A third thought echoed unexpectedly: "Stop crying," it said softly. He could almost see this voice as another person in the shadows of his room: tall, shoulders broad under a dark jacket, eyes glinting with a strange light. This persona – whatever it was – had a measured, unblinking calm about it. "Stop crying," it whispered to him, voice cold as a gun barrel. They deserve it for making you feel weak. Daniel felt his fingers clench into fists. He hated thinking like this, hated that the voice was even partly right. Part of him wanted to shout back, No, I'm just scared!
But the second, silkier voice wasn't done. It swept in like perfume, smooth and tantalizing. Why hide here in the dark, Danny? it cooed, using the nickname he had before. You could be out there… The words lingered. …touch her hand, feel her smile when she looks at you. Daniel's cheeks flamed. She would look at him, of course not – she was way out of his league. But the thought had put something in motion. You could," the silky voice continued, "be the one everyone turns to. Just walk out that door, stand up tall. Then see what they do. Daniel's muscles twitched. The other voice had a sharp baritone: These fantasies won't save you. They'll only make the fall that much harder.
Breathing raggedly, Daniel rocked against the wall. Inside him, a tense silence fell. The two voices – one hard as steel, the other velvet-smooth – seemed to stare each other down in the darkness of his mind. I'm not…I'm not who they think, Daniel finally murmured to the empty room. I'm still me… The walls felt too close. He was still just a chubby, scared kid. But something had shifted. The cold voice had planted a seed of anger he didn't know he had. The silky voice had planted a seed of longing he didn't know he felt. Daniel touched his nose, wiping away dried tears. Neither voice would leave him alone.
Somewhere in that strange twilight between sleep and wakefulness, Daniel nodded to himself. Fine, he seemed to decide. I'll stay me. But we'll see. Even as he spoke the thought, the voices flared brighter, each tasting victory. Good, the steel-strong voice growled. Now get up, gear up. Prepare. They'll come again. Yes, purred the velvet voice. And next time, Danny, next time you'll be ready for them. And maybe… they'll be the ones asking your name. Daniel closed his eyes, heart hammering. He was still himself, trembling and scared – but he knew now he wasn't entirely alone in his head. They both were there with him, ruthless and charming. And as the city lights outside flickered through the blinds, Daniel Park felt something like determination flicker inside him.