INK AND SHADOWS [???]

(TW! Self-harm,Suicide)

Hara sat quietly on the bench, the cool night air brushing against her skin.

She wasn't sure what to expect from Heeseung's story, but she braced herself, sensing that what he was about to share would weigh heavy on her heart.

Heeseung leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze fixed on the ground. He took a deep breath before starting.

"I'm an orphan," he said, his voice low and steady.

"My mom raised me on her own. I never knew my father, and honestly, I didn't care. She was everything to me."

Hara stayed silent, letting him speak at his own pace.

"She got sick when I was fifteen," he continued, his tone thick with emotion.

"We didn't have money for proper treatment, and she just... faded away. One day, she was gone, and I was left alone. No relatives wanted me. I was just a burden to them."

Heeseung's hands tightened into fists. "I hated myself for being born. For being alive while she wasn't. I thought... what was the point?"

Hara felt her chest tighten. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come.

"When I got sent to the orphanage, I thought my life was over," he said.

"But that's where I met Rara."

He smiled faintly at the mention of her name, his expression softening.

"She was older than me—four years older, to be exact. But from the moment we met, she treated me like I was her little brother. She was my anchor. My everything. We were like family... no, we were family."

Hara nodded slightly, understanding now why Heeseung and Rara seemed so close.

"When she graduated, she worked her ass off to get us out of that place," he said, his voice filled with admiration.

"She found a tiny apartment for us and made sure we had food on the table. She became my mom, my sister, my best friend—everything I had left in this world."

Heeseung paused, his eyes clouding over.

"But it wasn't enough for me. I was so lost back then. I couldn't see a future for myself. I felt like... I was just dragging her down. Those were the worst days of my life."

Hara glanced at his wrist, where the faint scars still lingered, a painful reminder of his past.

"I tried to end it more times than I can count," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I thought I was doing her a favor by disappearing. But every time, Rara was there. She always found me, always stopped me. She'd cry and beg me to stay. She told me I wasn't a burden. That she needed me as much as I needed her."

His voice cracked, and he took a moment to steady himself.

"One night, I almost succeeded. I was so close to leaving everything behind. But when I woke up in the hospital, I saw her there, crying like the world was ending. And I realized... I couldn't do that to her. She's my reason to stay alive. She always has been."

Hara swallowed the lump in her throat. She hadn't expected Heeseung to be so raw, so vulnerable.

"She's in love with Jungkook, you know," he said suddenly, a bitter smile tugging at his lips.

"I've known for a while now. And yeah, it hurts like hell. But if she's happy, that's all that matters to me. Seeing her smile... that's my heaven. That's my comfort."

Hara's heart ached for him. She could see the pain in his eyes, the way his love for Rara was both his strength and his burden.

"Now," Heeseung said, leaning back against the bench, "I'm trying to figure out my own life. I want to stay alive. For her, sure, but also for me. I want to find something I love, something worth living for."

He turned to Hara, his expression unreadable.

"That's why I got the semicolon tattoo. It's a reminder that my story isn't over yet. That I can keep going, no matter how hard it gets."

Hara felt a wave of emotions crash over her. She didn't know what to say, but she knew she didn't need to.

She reached out, placing a hand on his arm gently.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"For telling me."

Heeseung looked at her, his lips curving into a small, genuine smile.

"Thanks for listening, nerdy girl."

They sat in silence for a while, the night wrapping around them like a blanket.

And for the first time, Hara saw a side of Heeseung that she hadn't before—a side that was broken but healing, vulnerable yet strong.

And in that moment, she realized that everyone carried their own scars, their own stories. Even her.