The shrill sound of the alarm clock echoed through the small room. Jin Taewon opened his eyes slowly, his entire body aching. The bruises were still fresh, the result of the beating the day before. He sat up in bed, breathing heavily, and stared at his own reflection in the cracked mirror attached to the wall.
His swollen face, the cut on his lip, and the purple marks made it clear what he had been enduring for years. Without thinking much, he took the bandages from the small drawer and began to cover the wounds carefully. Silence filled the room, and only the sound of the adhesive sticking to the skin broke the morbid peace of the morning.
Once he was ready, he went down to the kitchen. His mother, Lee Hana, had already made coffee. She avoided looking at her son, her chest tight with guilt and fear. Jin sat down and began to eat slowly, without saying a word. His mother tried to open her mouth, but the words died in her throat.
When he finished, Jin stood up and, in an unusual gesture, suddenly hugged his mother. It was a firm, heavy hug, as if he were saying everything he couldn't put into words. She felt her son's body shiver slightly.
He walked away without saying anything and walked towards the door.
"Take care, Jin..." Hana whispered, but he had already left.
On the way to school, Jin felt his hands shaking. Not from fear, but from anger. With each step, he remembered the punches, the insults and the mocking look of Kang Doyun. The promise he had made years ago seemed to suffocate his chest like a chain that was too tight.
"Just one more today... just one more day." — he tried to convince himself.
But deep down, he knew that something inside him was about to break.
In the classroom, everything started as usual. The same laughter, the shoving, the dirty jokes. Jin kept his eyes fixed on the desk, trying to ignore it, taking a deep breath to control the explosion that threatened to escape.
Until Doyun crossed the line.
"Hey, Taewon…" the arrogant voice cut through the air. "Is your mother still single? Or have you found another man to warm your bed with?"
The room exploded in laughter. The pretty girls in the corner covered their mouths, trying to hide their evil laughter. Doyun's friends clapped their hands, encouraging him.
Jin felt the veins in his neck bulge. His hands clenched. Something inside him broke.
He stood up.
In a single movement, quick as lightning, he threw his fist straight at Doyun's face. The impact made a dry sound echo through the room. The bully fell backwards, unconscious on the floor before he even realized what had happened.
Silence.
Everyone was still. Doyun's friends widened their eyes, not believing what they saw. The girls stopped laughing. Jin's face was somber, his eyes fixed on the fallen body. A cold, empty look, as if he wanted to kill someone. One of the bullies stepped forward, trying to hide his fear.
"Come on... let's let it go this time..."
he said, forcing a nervous smile. They hurriedly carried their unconscious friend to the infirmary, avoiding looking Jin in the eye. The room remained silent. No one dared to say anything. Jin sat down again. He was breathing hard. His chest rose and fell as if he were carrying the weight of the world.
"It's over. I broke my promise."
But at that moment, he didn't care.