Jeongin was an 21-year-old college student—quiet, distant, and often mistaken for cold. A loner by nature, he was incredibly intelligent, specializing in mythology and fantasy creatures while majoring in art. He was the best painter in his class, yet he kept to himself, pushing others away before they had the chance to get close. He had never dated, never been touched with love, and hid his emotions behind a calm, unreadable exterior. Though he could come off as unintentionally rude, deep down he was kind, loyal, patient, and gentle. When overwhelmed, he escaped into nature—walking through forests or along the beach to clear his mind. And despite everything, praise for his art still made his heart weak.

It was 8:09 p.m., and the world outside was swallowed by darkness. Jeongin stormed through the quiet forest, anger burning in his chest. He had just failed his fantasy art report—deemed “not good enough” by his teacher. Now he had to start all over again with a new deadline looming on Monday.

jeongin: “Tch… crappy art. Crappy teacher. Crappy class,”

he muttered bitterly, kicking a loose stone along the dirt path.

jeongin: “I’m not good enough…”