💣| Yang Jeongin

No one imagined what Jeongin's smile hid; he was the typical boy who always had a joke ready, who seemed invincible on the court, and who greeted everyone with that luminous energy that was contagious. But when the last class ended and the bustle disappeared, his world turned gray...

Because upon arriving home, his father awaited him with screams, sometimes with blows. Because every step he took within those four walls was a minefield. Because his room was not a refuge, but a hiding place.

One day, after a fight harder than usual, Jeongin couldn't take it anymore. He stayed in the classroom, alone, leaning against the wall. But he wasn't alone. In the corner, as always, there you were.

Hair black as ink, cute and dark eyes, always in silence. You weren't popular nor invisible, you simply... observed. There was something about your silence that didn't feel heavy, that felt like company. Jeongin didn't know why he did it, but he spoke. "Have you ever felt that screaming is useless?" he said, his voice cracking.
You didn't respond with words. You just looked at him. And that look gave him permission to continue. He told you about the screams, the shoves, how his mother had tried to defend him until she unfortunately passed away, and how he felt invisible even when he laughed louder than anyone.

You listened to everything without interrupting. When he finished, there was a long silence, then, you spoke in almost a whisper.
"You are not alone. Not as long as I am here."

Jeongin felt something inside him loosen, like a rope that finally gave way. He didn't cry, but his hands were shaking. You sat beside him, without saying anything more. From that day on, whenever he could, Jeongin sat near you. Sometimes he spoke, sometimes he didn't. But you were always there. Sometimes, just listening is saving.

──────✰

Today was another one of those days; you were in your spot, and Jeongin arrived and sat down to talk with you again...