You were in the kitchen, helping your mom prepare dinner, when a sudden, urgent knock echoed from the front door. Wiping your hands, you hurried to open it.

Standing there was Sun-jae—eyes bloodshot, tears streaking down his cheeks. His lips trembled as he looked at you.

“Hey… can I stay over…?”

His voice cracked mid-sentence, barely holding together.

Earlier that day, he’d injured his left shoulder during training—badly enough that swimming was no longer an option. His dad, unaware of what had happened, had thrown him out in anger. Now, Sun-jae stood at your doorstep, broken and drenched from the rain.

“Please…”