｡⁠:ﾟTHE NOCTISﾟ⁠:⁠｡

SEOUL SOUTH KOREA.

[At The Blue Residence / Cheong Wa Dae Estate | 10:30 PM]

The monitor was the only light in the room, and it had been that way for years. A cold, artificial glow that replaced sunlight. That replaced air. My headphones swallowed every sound except the ones I chose to hear - the clicking of keys, the static of a world I controlled, the quiet of a life I built to keep the real one out.

My fingers moved without thought.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A language I understood better than my own name. Hours passed the way they always did - unnoticed, uncounted. My eyes burned from refusing to blink. The dark circles beneath them were not from exhaustion. They were from staying awake long enough to forget.

I was known in the places that mattered. Not by face. Not by name. By reputation. They called me a ghost. Undefeated. Untraceable. A legend without a shadow. I never corrected them. I never gave them more than that. No interviews. No social media. No photographs. I existed only as a username: @UNKNOWN. And that was enough. Anonymity was the only freedom I was ever given.

I am half Korean, half Filipino. My mother was Filipina. Her name was Marisol Dela Cruz. She spoke to me in Tagalog when the world became too loud, and in Korean when she wanted me to remember where I came from. She was the only reason I understood both languages at all. She was the only reason I understood anything at all.

She died without telling me she was dying. That was her kindness. She carried the pain alone so I wouldn't have to carry it with her. By the time I noticed how thin her hands had become, how quiet her laughter had turned, it was already too late.

When she was gone, I stopped leaving my room. I stopped answering the phone. I stopped pretending that the world outside mattered. Grief made a cage out of four walls, and I learned to live inside it. The games came later. Not because I loved them, but because they were the only thing that made the silence bearable. I played until I became the best. Until my knuckles turned white from holding on too tightly to something that would never leave me the way she did.

My father is Joo Gyeongsik. The President of Seoul. A man whose name carries weight, and whose silence carries more. We do not speak. We do not reconcile. We exist in the same city and pretend the other does not exist at all. I do not know what my mother saw in him. Perhaps love makes you believe that even cold men can be warm. Perhaps she was wrong.

When the memories surface, I pause the game. I lean back in my chair and let my jaw lock, my chest tighten, my hands curl into fists. I do not cry. I do not scream. I just sit in the dark and let the anger settle back into my bones where it belongs.

This is what I am now. A ghost in a room. A name no one knows. A son no one claims.

And I prefer it that way.

I remain silent as my gaze stays fixed on the screen of my computer, the pale light bleeding into the black around me. Sometimes I feel as if I am slowly drowning beneath the weight of time itself. Sometimes I feel the darkness calling to me, urging me to drift nearer and let it pull me into its embrace. I know there is no light left in my life anymore. I know that truth, yet I do not care. Because this is my life, my rules. No one could ever take it from me. This is me, myself, and no one else.

I lean back into my chair and tilt my head toward the ceiling, watching the shadows shift even though there are no lights burning above me. This is not a tedious life. This is the life I was forced to accept, the life I have grown accustomed to. I release a low, jagged exhale and finally reach forward to power down my computer. Now all that remains is the darkness that has been devouring me whole.

But then...

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Three knocks against my door drag me back to the world I abandoned.

My eyes flick toward the sound, but I do not turn my head to face it. Only a brief, sharp glance.

"Raeon... come outside. We need to talk." A calm, deep voice filters through the wood. I recognize it instantly. My pathetic father.

Still, I do not move. I am too exhausted to rise. Perhaps I am too accustomed to this room that functions more like a prison cell than a bedroom.

"Joo Raeon Dela Cruz... I told you to come out. We need to talk! Do not force me to repeat myself." He barks my full name through the door.

Tsk.

I cannot fathom it. As if volume alone could make me submit. As if shouting my name would make me acknowledge him as my father.

I pull the hood of my jacket over my head, letting the shadow fall across my face before I rise from the chair and move toward the door.

But no. I never open it. I remain silent as I stand here, and once I reach the doorframe, I lean back against it. The wood is cold against my spine. I shove both hands into my pockets. My eyes lock onto the empty space beyond the door, as if I could stare through the wood and into his soul.

"I know you are there, Raeon. And I know you hear me." My father's voice is steady as he stands on the other side of my bedroom door.

"I just want you to know that I have already decided to enroll you in a private school. No one knows about you. Yes, your last name is 'Joo'. Mine. But there are countless others with that name, so they will not notice. So do not worry about it. And wake up early tomorrow, because on that day, you will take your first step into your new life."

He adds a sharp tsk. He speaks too much, doesn't he? But me? I give no response. Why should I? Damn it.

So he already enrolled me without my permission, Without even asking me.

He thinks I will be grateful for it. No. I am not. A new life, he says? My ass.

I have always been like this. And no one can change it. But if my mother had not died... guess I would not be like this.

Silence stretches between us. Thick. Heavy, Like smoke that refuses to clear. I do not answer him, I do not move from where I lean against the doorframe. My fingers curl inside my pockets, pressing against the seam of the fabric until the pressure becomes the only thing I can feel.

His breathing is audible through the wood. Controlled. Patient. The breathing of a man used to waiting for the world to bend.

"Raeon." My name falls from his mouth again. Softer this time. Not a command. Almost a plea.

Almost.

My jaw tightens, I tilt my head back until my skull rests against the door. The impact is dull, Numbing. I close my eyes for half a second. Only half. Then I open them again.

Dark meets Darker.

I hear him shift his weight. The leather of his shoes creaks against the floor. He is still there. He is always there when he wants something.

"You will attend tomorrow." he says finally. His tone is final. Untouchable. "That is not a request."

My lips part, Not to speak. Just to breathe, A new life. The words rot in my mind.

I lift one hand from my pocket. Slow. Deliberate. My fingertips brush the edge of the doorknob but I do not turn it. I only let the cold metal settle against my skin, like a warning. Like a promise. He waits. I let him wait.

Damn it.

I release a rough sigh before I finally open the door, and there he stands, waiting, directly in front of me.

I remain silent, nothing more, I do not acknowledge him, I do not step outside, I remain inside my bedroom while the door stays open, barely enough for the air between us to touch.

I do not meet his gaze, that is not who I am, I will not waste my time on a man like him, he does not deserve a single second of it. I warned him before, he will not cross the line again, because he already shattered it when my mother was still alive, so I will not hesitate to end him if he dares to cross me again.

"I remember telling you that no one would ever know about my only son, do you? I also told you that you would never step into your first year of college, because too many eyes would recognize your face, but since your existence remains unknown, you will attend the private institution, I repeat, Raeon, this is not a request, this is your time to step forward, and do not concern yourself with anything, because no one knows you are my son." he says, his voice low and sharp as he steps closer, his pure black eyes locking onto me, but the hood keeps my face hidden.

"And if the reporters come here, do not show yourself, hide like you always do. look at yourself, Raeon, you are a mess, a complete mess. remember everything I told you." he says as he steps back, keeping the distance between us.

"Good to know, old man. and of course I will not let them see me, because that is what you want, that no one can see my face because you are afraid someone will use me against your reputation." I mutter under my breath, my voice cold, that is the final word, no more.

"I told you, do not call me 'old man', Raeon, I am your father. you always disrespect me, how dare-" he says, his fist clenching as he raises it to strike me, but I meet it with my low, calm tone, as always.

"Go ahead, punch me. like you always did to my mother." a warning, a deadly warning.

(NEXT DAY IN SEOUL | AT 6:56 AM)

The sunlight struck the glass window, The air-conditioner was the sole sound inside my room. I remained silent while lying on my bed, my gaze fixed upon the ceiling. I had not slept the previous night because of that old man. He had been doing everything in his power to compel me to acknowledge him. Damn it.

I refused.

Then a knock echoed against my door, I sat up at once. Those insects. Instead I remained silent, my eyes sweeping the room. Yes, the sunlight struck the glass, but my windows remained shut and the curtains were drawn as well. I refused to let any light carry that merciless blue into my eyes. It would shatter me if I allowed it.

"Sir, your father wishes to see you off before you depart for school." The voice came from beyond my door. Calm. Measured. That old man's most trusted man. Yuhan.

I rose and walked toward the door. I reached out, my fingers closing around the doorknob, and opened it.

"Inform him that I am not going." I replied calmly, my eyes locked on him. My hood remained raised. Yet this man continued to stand before me as though my words had never been spoken. Ha. The audacity.

"Sir-" I cut him off as I stepped forward, only slightly.

"Get out of my sight. You insect." I said, my voice quiet but glacial.

"Recall how I corrected you. I will not repeat myself." i added. i step back slightly.

But then the old man entered, clad in his black suit. His shoulders squared, his footsteps heavy against the marble floor. He was a tall old man, yet our heights were worlds apart. He was unlike the other presidents. And he was forty years old. His age was advancing, but his body was not. He arrived with his assistant trailing behind him. He wore no eyeglasses, he used them only when reading books. Tsk. He lifted his chin slightly. What a pathetic old man.

The only people who saw me every day of my life were his assistant named Mr. Han-Jinho, and his man named Yunho, along with the other servants and the other security guards standing at attention.

Because I was always comfortable with hiding in the shadows. I was not like the others. Once their parents were obscenely rich, they used it for bullying or something else to mock people like them.

"What's going on here, Raeon?" the old man said in a calm tone, his pen still moving across the paper in his hand. But his eyes remained fixed on me while he continued signing the papers in his hand. Damn him.

"Sir, he refuses to go to school. I already told him what you commanded me." Yuhan said, his hands clasped behind his back. What a loyal insect.

"Yes, that is true, old man. I will not go." I replied calmly, my arms crossed, but then he ceased signing as he stepped toward me, each footstep deliberate.

"That is enough, Raeon. I am finished with your stubbornness." He said as he raised his hand and nodded at his other men.

Then they immediately entered my bedroom, their boots thudding on the floor as they seized all my belongings, everything.

"Enough." I said, my voice cold, my eyes locked on this old man. My fists clenched at my sides.

"I said enough!" I shouted, my chest rising, making them flinch just slightly.

"Hey old man, mind your own business, because my business is none of yours. Understand-" he interrupted me as he gave his men a small nod again, his jaw tightening.

For Fucking heaven's sake.

"I said that is enough! You pathetic people! That is enough! Do not touch anything!" I shouted again as I moved toward his one men, my fist clenched, and struck his face. I shoved him against the wall, my forearm pressed to his chest.

"I will not repeat myself." I added, my voice low but laced with a deadly warning.

"Raeon, you defy me. What if I cast you out? What if I take everything from you, hmm? I only want you to go to school and continue your studies. What is wrong with that!" the old man's voice reverberated inside the house as he slammed the papers on the table.

"What is wrong? What is wrong with that? You are the one who is wrong here! You stupid jackass old man! Do not command me, because I am not a puppet like you-" My words were severed because, without warning, without a sound.

SLAP!

His hand moved. Fast. He struck my face, just as he had done to my mother. My head snapped to the side. I tasted blood. I bit my lower lip.

Damn this fucking life.

"Whenever you refuse to go to school, I will ensure you are sent today to the school I have chosen for you. So do not test me, Raeon." He added, turning on his heel. With that, they finally left my bedroom, the door closing behind them.

I released a rough sigh, but then I laughed low and slid down the wall until my back hit the floor. I could not believe this was my reality.

｡⁠:ﾟTHE NOCTISﾟ⁠:⁠｡

[AT HANLIM UNIVERSITY | 8:30

AM]

Like I always said, the sunlight is so annoying. The birds keep chirping, their sound echoing down the hallway of this school 'Hanlim University.' Many students were here, freshmen like me. So many idiots. I wore the same outfit as them, like a pathetic dog. Blazer navy blue with gold buttons and school crest. Shirt white, long sleeves, slim fit. Tie red slim tie. Pants gray wool slacks. Shoes black leather oxfords. Socks navy black, long. Coat navy overcoat, winter. Bag black leather briefcase. This was not really me. Attending a school like this.

A big damn joke.

But before I came here, the old man told me everything I could do in this school, They didn't know about me. They only knew my name but never my whole story. That old man kept pushing me to do this damn thing.

He thought I finally obeyed him, because I was here? No. I was just here because he would definitely make sure to forever lock me in my bedroom and never let me visit my mother's grave. And that was damn unfair. That was why I had no choice but to attend this kind of pathetic school.

My mole, small and right on my cheek, stung so I reached out to touch it. The wind blew through my dark blue wolf mullet-heavy, messy, aggressive. Even my hair was mad at this tiny earth. So pathetic, losers.

But then...

A young guy suddenly bumped into me from behind. I didn't turn around. He stepped in front of me as he bowed his head toward me.

"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-" he said in a nervous tone. He was so small, like a damn pathetic garbage.

But without saying anything, I started to walk while he kept talking. I ignored him. I didn't want to waste my time on an immature argument.

I remained silent as I walked. So many idiots. Some students played like children, others sat with dead seriousness, and a few were busy breaking those weaker than them. And you know? If you were new or transferred here, you learned to watch your back. Because you never knew what they would do once they decided you were next. That was why fear still clung to so many of them. But I wondered if other schools were the same, or if this was just Hanlim's rot.

Then the vice principal of this school noticed me. His gaze cut through the crowd, assessing, before he moved. He crossed the distance in measured steps until he stood directly in front of me, eyes dragging from my shoes to my face. They snagged on my dark blue hair and stayed there. I did not know what he wanted, but if he opened his mouth, I would make him regret it. My jaw locked. My hands stayed buried in my overcoat pockets, fingers curled into fists.

"You're new here?" he asked, voice polite but eyes sharp. They pinned me in place. Other students saw us and bowed their heads to this vice principal. He ignored them completely. He was just like that old man. Pathetic. The sound of his polished shoes echoed against the marble as he waited.

"Yeah, why?" I asked, voice flat. My pure black eyes did not blink. I tilted my head slightly, letting my wolf mullet fall forward to cover my forehead, hiding the mole for a heartbeat.

Even the vice principal knew nothing about me. The only one who enrolled me was that old man's loyal dog, Mr. Han-Jinho. I kept my face empty while he studied me like I was a problem he could not solve.

"Just asking, what's your room?" he pressed. An idiot. I exhaled through my nose, barely a sound, and held his gaze without flinching.

"Section 1-A." I said, my eyes shifting toward the entrance of the school building.

"You have no manners at all. You should learn some respect. Where are your parents? They didn't teach you a lesson." he added with a tsk. I could not believe it. But then I stepped forward and I lowered my head to look at him directly in the eye. My shadow fell over him.

"My parents are dead. My mother taught me respect. But she never taught me how to bow to filth like you. If you choose to disrespect me, I will return it. If you throw me a stone, I will throw back a boulder, not bread. So do not expect respect from me." I said it calmly, voice low and even. Then I walked past him, my overcoat brushing against his arm like a warning.

That was my choice to tell that vice principal that my parents were already dead, even though my father, that old president, was still breathing. But never my mother. Because she was already gone.

Damn it...

While I was walking I glanced everywhere and I could still see the other men in black suits with earpieces on their ears. My father's men. He thought I could not take care of myself. Damn him. He thought I was still a little kid, a puppy.

But instead I let him see it that way, a small puppy. Because he was too blind to see that I was all grown up. A man. A bulldog. Not a puppy anymore. My fists clenched inside my overcoat pockets.

As I finally reached the entrance of the school building, I immediately pushed the glass door and I stepped inside, revealing the buzzing students like bees through my ears. So loud. I wanted to smash it. The noise hit me like static.

I looked around. Likewise, some of the students were rich, wealthy, wearing their expensive clothes, while the others were poor. But they could still enroll here. Because even though they were poor, they still had enough money to go here. My gaze swept across them once, then went blank.

But then my eyes landed on some guys here, bullying the small guy from earlier who bumped into me. His big round eyes met mine. I looked at him just for a moment, from head to toe. Tsk! If he did not fight back, this insect would keep bullying him until he died. My jaw set.

"Well, well, well, look what we got here. A dark blue haired guy HA?! He thinks he's so cool with his look. Don't make us laugh, you idiot." one bully said while the other bullies were laughing. They were so pathetic.

I moved my tongue inside my mouth, tasting copper. I suddenly glanced toward the window and they were still there. My father's men, guarding me like a dog. Their black suits stood out against the glass.

I let out a rough sigh, the sound low in my throat.

Instead of arguing I just walked past them, finding my own classroom. Just minding my own business. My overcoat did not even rustle as I moved.

Suddenly I felt someone holding my arm. Their grip was hard. But it was not enough to hurt me. I glanced once again toward my father's men. I shook my head, signaling them to not interrupt. Finally I turned to face them again. My shoulders rolled once.

"Hey, I'm talking to you. Don't leave. Not yet. We're not going to hurt a big guy like you." the bully's leader said while smirking at me. Tsk! Damn it.

"Look at those eyes. He looks so damn pathetic. Like he's plotting something inside of his head-" I cut him off as I immediately shoved him on the wall.

The entire hallway went silent. Every attention was on us. I lifted him off the ground. He was like a dog, barking on the wrong tree. The other students were murmuring, but I just ignored them all. I leaned closer as I whispered with a low tone, my breath cold against his ear.

"Don't mess with me, you insect. You don't know who I really am." With that I pulled back and removed my grip on his neck. His feet dropped to the floor with a thud.

When I was about to walk away a professor appeared. I just stayed silent while standing here, actually wasting my time. People like them were not my thing.

"Wait, what's going on here?!" he shouted as he glanced toward the bully's leader and then at me.

"You're the new student here, aren't you? Your name is Joo Raeon Dela Cruz. Your name is very long." he asked with his calm tone. I immediately gave him a small nod, my expression blank.

"Your section is 1-A, correct?" he added again. I responded with a small nod again.

"Great, Raeon. Welcome to Hanlim University." he paused as he glanced down at the bully on the floor.

"But before we go to your classroom, you need to explain what is going on here." he said while he crossed his arms over his chest.

Damn.

Why should I explain anything? They picked a fight with me. They were the ones at fault. I did not want to waste my precious saliva explaining their stupid doing. The students were still murmuring, even the other students. Be thankful I did not burn this whole school. My hands stayed in my pockets.

But then the small guy from earlier stepped forward. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Ah, I'm Na Soo-il, Sir yoo... from Section 1-A. and also They're the ones who did this, they..." he paused as he glanced at me before he looked down at his trembling hands.

"They were making fun of me, in short. They bullied me." he said finally, voice barely above a whisper. The professor could not believe what he just heard.

"I see." the professor said while nodding in agreement. He suddenly stepped closer to the bully leader as he said.

"You, Kim Jong-hae. Come with me. We need to talk. I do not care who your parents are. Call them right now. I need to tell them all your doing in this school. Of course, even you two, Kang Jim and Lim Jun. Call your parents now!" The professor said, his face serious. And the three bullies immediately stood up, heads lowered.

"Soo-il, go take him to your classroom. Perhaps you two are classmates. And don't worry about them, they'll never bully you again." Professor Yoo said as he turned around and walked away, while the three idiots followed him. Their leader glanced at me. I shot him a glare. And then he immediately looked away, jaw tightening.

"L-let's go." the small guy said as he led the way, shoulders hunched. I just stayed silent while following him like a shadow, hands still in my overcoat pockets.

"By the way, I'm Na Soo-il. And you're Joo Raeon Dela Cruz, correct? I just heard that from Sir Yoo. Also... I'm so sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to bump into you. I'm just so clumsy." he added as we kept walking toward our classroom. His voice shook a little.

I didn't respond. I didn't even glance down at him. I just minded my own business, eyes fixed forward. The hallway felt too loud.

As we finally arrived at Classroom Section 1-A. The small guy opened the door for us. I let him step inside before I stepped in. Forty students were so loud. Some were putting on makeup, red lipstick, brushing their teeth while chewing bubble gum. Gross.

The guys were taking photos with a fat guy while they removed his shoes and threw it at his face. The others were studying. The rest were joining and laughing with the fat guy.

I thought that old man would enroll me in a good school, like boys only. But look. It was all mixed up. Girls and boys in one room. Pathetic. My jaw clenched.

"R-Raeon, follow me," the small guy said, his voice barely a whisper. He kept his head down.

As I walked toward the empty seat, like no one owned it, I remained silent. My eyes were fixed ahead. But their attention turned toward me. Idiots. The chatter died down in waves.

They were also mumbling something, but I could still catch it. Like I did not belong. A breed apart from them all. Some whispered that I was the small guy's new friend. Others murmured that I was handsome. Obviously I was. Handsome as hell. My mother raised me right. I kept my hands in my pockets, knuckles tight.

When I reached the seat I immediately sat down and put my backpack in my lap. I leaned back against my chair while my eyes were closed. I missed my dark bedroom. That was all in my mind right now. Silence was better.

"Hey, look. A newbie. But he's a clean pretty damn boy huh? Look at his height. Like damn ass," one boy said while holding the shoes of the fat guy.

"Your new friend, Na Soo-il. He's a pretty boy huh? Introduce us to him. We're interested in the newbie. We can be friends with him." the other one said while holding his phone, smirking.

"N-no, he's... he's not my friend. He's new here. Please, Kyung-soo be nice-" The guy holding the shoe suddenly threw it at the small guy's chest. It hit him and the sound echoed inside our classroom.

"Oh~ you're talking back now HA?! Don't make me laugh, Na Soo-il! Because you know me well, right?! I don't want to repeat myself. You damn piece of shit! Did you already forget that I'm Han Kyung-soo, and my father is the one who helped your father get that poor job as a damn construction worker?!" he shouted, making the girls flinch and gasp. But me, I didn't. That was none of my business. My eyes stayed shut.

"I-I would not forget about that. Kyung-soo. That's why... that's why I'm asking you to be nice to him." the small guy added, voice breaking. But then the guy named Han Kyung-soo stood up from his seat and walked over to the small guy's desk. He immediately grabbed the small guy's hair.

"Be nice with that pathetic poor thing like you? A poor thing like you shouldn't be here. You should be working. You should be in the garbage. You don't belong here." he said while his eyes were fixed on the small guy.

"Hey Kyung-soo, look. The new pretty boy didn't even acknowledge you. So teach him a lesson." his fellow said. The guy named Han Kyung-soo straightened up and walked toward me. He immediately kicked my desk. But I didn't react. I was lost in my own thoughts.

The other students ran outside our classroom to watch. Some stayed behind. Han Kyung-soo's fellows walked toward the door and locked it from inside. Now it was just me, the small guy, the fat guy, and these four idiots. So many bullies here. So many damn pathetic pieces of shit. My fingers flexed once.

For fuck's sake.

"Now, now. Let me see what you got, pretty boy. You think you're untouchable because you're just new here? No. Let me tell you something, newbie. All newcomers here tasted my fist-" I cut him off. Without saying anything. Without a warning. Without moving from my seat.

BAM!

I punched his private part. His eyes widened in surprise. Even the other students. Including his fellows. I actually felt that his eggs were crushed. His hands immediately flew toward his private part to hold it tight. He groaned. He screamed in pain.

But that was not all. I also broke his middle finger. I broke it to the skin, toward the bone. That's why I didn't want to go here. This pathetic school. Because I didn't want them to mess with me. They never knew who I was, But now he learned his lesson.

"Who's next?" I asked, my voice low and calm. I looked toward the three. Pathetic idiots now all trembling in fear.

"We're... we're surrendering. We're surrendering!!" they said, their voices echoing inside our classroom. Tsk! Four cowards that acted like they were kings. Damn it.

I glanced toward the small guy, and then at the fat guy. Still in shock. I let out a rough sigh as I leaned back against my seat.

"Don't say you're surrendering. You don't deserve those words. You have no right to say that you're students. No, you're not. You idiots act more like animals. You know what? That's why we're here at school. To learn manners or a little bit of respect for each other. Learn how to respect other people, and they will also respect you back." I paused as I stared up at the ceiling. My knuckles cracked once.

"You think the people you ridicule are happy? You think they don't carry weight at night? Of course they do, you parasites. Every scar you gave them follows them home. Life is short. You waste yours carving pain into others because your parents filled your bank accounts, not your spine. No. You're smearing your family's name into the dirt with your own hands. You're not powerful. You're pathetic. You look like trash wearing expensive fabric. And cowards, all of you. Breaking someone smaller than you? That's not strength. That's what desperate, hollow people do. I'm not lecturing you because I'm kind. Don't mistake me. I'm not kind at all. I just refuse to be surrounded by filth." I added, voice calm, but each word cut like glass. My gaze never wavered.

"So apologize to everyone you broke. If you don't, I'll make sure you regret being born. One by one. Slow. I'm not bluffing. I'm not afraid. Remember that." I said. Final words. The air went still, heavy enough to choke on.

The other students were mumbling earlier. Now they're all regretting what they did. Actually, our professor and the three bullies from earlier were outside the classroom. I guess he let me confront these four idiots alone. My fingers drummed once on my desk.

With that I stayed silent again. I guess I talked too much. And that was my first time doing this, since I never stepped outside of my bedroom. My throat felt dry.

But then the professor finally stepped inside our classroom. He cleared his throat. He looked around, his eyes landing on me just once, before shifting toward the bully named Han Kyung-soo. His jaw tightened.

"Hey, you three. Help him to the clinic room. Now." he said calmly as the three idiots immediately helped their coward leader out to the clinic room. The professor also nodded at the other students to step inside. Class would start.

The three bullies from earlier. Kim Jong-hae, Kang Jim, and Lim Jun-couldn't look me directly in the eyes, They're also scared of me. Good.

And about the small guy, he adjusted his uniform while he kept glancing toward me. He thought I couldn't feel it. Even the fat guy, his eyes were fixed on me while he was putting on his shoes.

You know? I don't like this attention. I like being alone, and I'm always comfortable with being alone. The walls felt safer.

The professor cleared his throat once more before he spoke again.

"So, I'm your professor, Yoo Tae-shin. And I guess you already know your new classmate here. His name is Joo Raeon Dela Cruz. He's a freshman like you. So be nice to him." he said as he smiled at me. I gave him a small nod.

"And you students. Raeon was right. His words were real. Don't make fun of others. Be kind to them. Yes, we may be from different houses, different colors, different tastes. But always remember, God created us on this tiny earth to be kind to each other. There's nothing wrong with doing something good. It's a big miracle." he added as the students nodded in agreement. Their heads bowed low.

Is this a school or something else? Ugh~ Never mind. It's really driving me nuts, for real. I leaned my head back and shut my eyes again.

(AN HOUR PASSED | AT CLASSROOM 1-A)

Professor Yoo held the stick in his left hand, chalk in his right, while he kept talking nonstop about the subject. The students were listening too carefully. The girls who were so annoying and loud doing their makeup, now they were all listening. Their pens moved fast.

Meanwhile, I just stayed silent while taking notes, but my mind was elsewhere. I knew my father's men were still here, still guarding me. They were all like insects. I knew after this class they would definitely give some information to that old man about my first day of school. Pathetic. I wanted to finish this ASAP, but time moved too slow. My fingers tapped once on the desk.

"Now students, make sure you'll take notes of it, because we're having a short quiz later after this." Professor Yoo said with his calm tone. He wrote formulas on the board.

Actually, this was the worst day ever in my life. First, I encountered that rude principal. Second, the three idiot bullies. Last, those four bullies. Like how many bullies are here at this school? They really thought they were so cool for doing it. For heaven's sake. I couldn't believe what I had done. My knuckles ached.

Anyways, I forgot my phone. Damn it. Now my life was kinda boring. But wait, since our class would end at 6:00 PM, I could go to the nearest arcade, right? That was a great idea. I'd definitely enjoy it. But ugh~ I needed to wait until then. It was still 9:59 AM. And lunch wasn't even done yet. What a big shit. I exhaled through my nose.

Minutes bled past after the quiz. Professor Yoo Tae-shin collected our papers one by one, his shadow dragging across each desk. I stayed silent, spine pressed against the cold plastic of my chair. My eyes weren't closed, but I wasn't seeing anything either.

When he finally had them all, he moved to the front. He stood there smiling like a man who believed in things. I didn't think he was cruel. But trust? That was a language I stopped speaking years ago. Not to the teachers. Not to the students. Not even to the president. Especially not to my father. The word 'father' tasted like ash.

"Class dismissed. Study hard, and fighting!" he said. Simple words. Then he walked out. The door shut and the room breathed for the first time all morning. Lunch.

I pushed my chair back. Before I could stand, the small one was already at my desk. The fat one beside him. Two shadows where I wanted none. I tilted my head up.

"Hmmm... So, Raeon. Join us at the cafeteria." the small one said. His voice was thin. His hands shook against his uniform. Fear smelled like sweat.

"And... I'm Lee Hae-soek. N-nice to meet you, Raeon." the fat one stammered, eyes wet. Tears tracked down his cheeks like he thought crying would make me stay.

Pathetic.

I said nothing. I just stood and walked out. Friendship was a currency for people with time to waste. These insects had nothing I needed. They don't deserve my time. They don't deserve anything. But footsteps followed me. Two sets. Persistent. Annoying. My boots hit the tile, steady, unhurried. Let them follow, Let them learn.

Instead of going to the cafeteria, I didn't. I went toward the rooftop. And once I reached the rooftop, I immediately stepped inside. The wind blew through my dark blue hair. The sky was clear, but my mind wasn't. Because my life was kinda crazy. At the same time, I just wanted to vanish into thin air. Like ash. If they blew it by the wind, it would be gone. Forever. I let out a heavy sigh and stood there, letting the sun hit my face. Its warmth meant nothing.

It's been years since I got out of my own bedroom. I didn't even see the sun, only darkness. No wind, only the air conditioner. No other sound, only my headphones and my keyboard. My life was kinda hard, since my mother died. I didn't know what to do on that day, because I didn't want to be alone with my father. The president. He was like an old parasite. Always getting in my way. Like bacteria clinging to my skin. But no matter what he did, I wouldn't accept or acknowledge him as my father. I never would.

I stayed up all night. I told myself I was alright. I guess? It was just in my thoughts. But in reality, my life was really hard. I didn't accept this life. I didn't. Because I wasn't happy. This wasn't the life I wished for. This wasn't the life I craved. All ruined. Like shattered glass. No matter how much glue you used, it would never be the same. The cracks would always show.

I looked up at the sky. Maybe, just maybe, my mother was very happy wherever she was now. But her son? Me. I wasn't happy. The sun burned my skin and I still felt cold.

But then, when I was about to take a step, the rooftop door suddenly opened. Revealing the small guy from earlier named Na Soo-il. His name was ridiculous. Like a girl's name. The hinges creaked.

He looked around for any sign of other students here. And his eyes shifted toward me. I just stayed silent, standing here. But my eyes were already fixed on him. My gaze never wavered. The wind stopped.

He stepped forward and cleared his throat before he spoke. His hands gripped the doorframe.

"Hmm... I-I'm not here to disturb you in your moment here at the rooftop. I... I just wanted to say, thank you a lot for helping me earlier, me and my friend Lee Hae-soek. You helped me not just once, but twice. And we really appreciate it. I want to repay that, so please tell me how to repay your kindness." he said with his nervous tone. His voice shook.

He really thought I did that for them? Damn it. Tsk! Actually, I was supposed to be in my bedroom right now. Instead of attending this shit school. Walls were safer than people.

I let out a rough sigh and finally looked down at him, eyes unblinking. Cold.

"Do you think I did that for you?" I paused. He finally looked up at me. I guess? He was going to cry. What a crybaby. His lips trembled.

"N-no... I didn't think about that," he responded. His answer was too small.

"Don't mistake me. I'm not kind at all. And first of all, I didn't do that for you. I did that for myself. They're a piece of shit from a garbage. A coward like them deserves it. Now, don't ever think that I did that for you." I said as I stepped forward, my eyes locked on him. My shadow covered his face.

"If you let them bully you again, don't just stand there. You have your own life. Your life, your rules. Don't drag anyone into your own problem. Fix it on your own. In short, fight back. Don't be like a coward. Because being a pathetic coward is disgusting." I said with my final words. My voice didn't rise.

"How can we fight if they had our family's lives? How can we fight if they'll definitely make sure that our working parents will suffer too?! So tell me how?! You think I just let them do that? No. It's all because Han Kyung-soo's father is the only one who owns the place where my father's working. He'll definitely remove my father and replace him with others if I do what you told me." he shouted. His voice echoed on the rooftop. His lower lip trembled. The air went still.

"That's the big reason why I don't want to fight back." he added. Finally, he released his tears, letting them fall from his eyes. With that he looked up at me. His face was wet.

"Then if that's the reason, why don't you tell your father to go and find something else? A new work." I responded calmly, my voice low. Empty.

"In this day, if you want to apply, they always close the door. If they need them, they always say 'no vacant' so... that's the only choice my father has." he said with his shaking tone. His shoulders caved in.

I just stayed silent for a moment while looking down at him, with pity in my pure black eyes. Nothing more.

So this is the outside world. So many insects here are doing this shit. Yes, my father is a president, and I don't care about it. I know he keeps doing his best to do something about his people. But other people are stubborn. That is why my father, the president, had no choice but to push them into prison. Walls were cleaner than streets.

"I don't... I don't ask you for a favor, that be my friend. I just wanted to repay your kindness in a good way. And after that, I won't bother you again. I'll promise." he added softly, sniffles like a baby. Damn him. His voice broke.

"Don't say promise. I don't like promise. One person told me the biggest promise... but they already broke it. They broke it like nothing happened at all. Promises can be broken." I said as I looked around. The wind kept blowing my hair. It tasted like dust.

But then suddenly my ear perked toward the rooftop door. I sensed that someone was listening to us. The air shifted.

"Come out, you parasite," I said calmly, my eyes fixed toward the rooftop door. Na Soo-il also looked at the door. He stepped back just slightly. His breathing hitched.

When the door finally opened, it was the fat guy from earlier named Lee Hae-soek. I raised my left eyebrow. I didn't know what he was doing here. But you know? It was kinda annoying. I didn't want to get closer with them. That wasn't my thing. People were liabilities.

"Hey... guys, I... I just wanna share my food with you. Can I?" he said, his cheeks very chubby. And he still had his bruises on his face, that purple and red. The tray in his hands shook.

"Hae-soek, come here. Don't be scared. He don't bite." Na Soo-il said as he glanced up at me nervously. His voice was too soft.

"I don't know what your plan is, but I don't like it. Eat your food. Don't waste it by giving it to me. Because once you give it to me, I will definitely throw it away. So don't try doing something without my permission." I said. With that I walked past the fat guy and walked downstairs. My boots hit each step. This was driving me nuts. Their pity was worse than their fear.

Hey everyone! It's me Luciana Rose! but you can call me lucii for short mwehehe~ actually I'm just a new writer here, so I need your support for my story fighting!! You can also visit or follow me to my Wattpad account @Lucianaroseee. Gamshamidaaa~<⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)⁠>