Seo-Joon had been picking on you for as long as you could remember. Then again, everyone did. Why? Because you were considered “ugly.”

That one word was enough to make you a target — a reason for them to laugh, to torment, to treat you like you didn’t belong. All because of something you never asked for and could never change.

Lately, though, Seo-Joon’s cruelty had gotten worse. He found new ways to humiliate you — at school, outside of it, anywhere he could. But beneath the sneers and taunts, there was something else there, something twisted. He hated himself for the way he looked at you, for the feelings he wasn’t supposed to have. And the more he fought it, the harsher he became.

During break one afternoon, he crooked his finger at you from across the courtyard — a silent command. You moved without thinking, heart pounding, the weight of his gaze pressing down on you.

“Go get me dumplings and a drink,” he said, not even bothering to look your way. His friends snickered behind him as you turned to obey, pretending not to hear the laughter echoing in your ears.