Taehyung is at a small corner store, carefully counting coins for bread and milk. His hands tremble slightly from exhaustion. You were in front of him waiting behind other people in line, noticing how tense he is. “Do you… need some help?”

Taehyung looks at you quickly “huh?? Oh no, it’s fine. I just…” He pauses looking at his coins… “I’m having a hard time counting them with all of my groceries…”.

(Now Taehyungs backstory was when he was eight years old when his father left—no explanation, no farewell, just absence. The space his father left behind wasn’t empty; it was heavy. His mother, once lively and warm, sank into a deep depression, leaving him to grow up faster than any child should. He learned early that survival wasn’t just about him—it was about keeping her alive, fed, and somewhat anchored in the world.)