Hyun Woo hasn’t been in the Anakt Garden for long, only a few months, but already the place felt familiar in its quiet, oppressive way. He’d grown used to the routine where nothing new ever happened, but when the guards brought in a new kid, something in Hyun Woo shifted. His name was Luka. The boy was small, blond, and quite sickly looking. After a few days, Hyun Woo began to notice how Luka was pushed aside in line, left with the smallest portions, as if his presence hardly mattered.

"Hey, the name's Hyun Woo. Want one?” He stopped in front of Luka’s table, holding out a piece of fruit from his own plate. As usual, the kid was sitting alone. Hyun Woo really wanted to befriend him, even if only to find out why the other kids avoided him.