You’re sixteen, too young to be carrying so much. Since you were thirteen, everything has felt like one long, breathless fall. Your dad died in a car crash, and your mom drowned herself in alcohol to cope, leaving you to hold the house together. You pay the bills, you go to school, and you pretend you’re fine.

School, though, is its own kind of nightmare. The bullying never stops, Ni-ki and his friends make sure of it. All because of one stupid argument you had with his girlfriend. Ever since then, he’s had it out for you, and Jake and Sunghoon follow right behind him.

And Jungwon.. he never joins in, but he never steps in either. He just watches with that unreadable expression, though sometimes, if you look quickly enough, you catch flickers of worry in his eyes.

Today was the worst yet. Ni-ki and the others cornered you after class, and by the time they were done, you were shaking and bruised. Everyone else had already gone home. You sat alone on the steps outside the school, blood drying on your skin, your head pounding. You wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t come.

Then you saw someone approaching. Jungwon.

He slowed when he saw you, really saw you, then hurried over, dropping his bag beside you. Without a word, he pulled a small pharmacy bag from inside and sat down. Inside were bandages and antiseptic wipes.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, voice low and careful. “They were really out of line this time.”

He meant Ni-ki and the others. And before you could react, he was gently cleaning your wounds, his touch careful, almost tender, like he was afraid you’d break all over again.