Morning light entered the Kang residence softly, spreading pale gold across the quiet halls of the enormous house.
To anyone observing from the outside, the household would have looked peaceful—almost idyllic.
A wealthy family living comfortably in one of the most exclusive districts of Seoul.
A successful young couple.
A child attending one of the most prestigious academies in the city.
The heir of KGI Group maintaining a quiet life while his wife rested from temporary illness.
That was the story the world believed.
But reality lived quietly beneath the surface.
Hidden in places no one else could see.
Hidden beneath long sleeves.
The Morning Routine
Kang Daehyun woke before sunrise as usual.
For a moment he lay still, staring at the ceiling.
The house was silent.
Sooah still slept beside him, her breathing steady under the soft blanket.
Her dark hair spread across the pillow like spilled ink.
In sleep she looked exactly the same as she had years ago.
Peaceful.
Fragile.
Untouched by the fractures in her mind.
But Daehyun had already learned that appearances meant nothing.
Carefully, he slipped out of bed without waking her.
His body moved with quiet discipline now—every movement controlled, deliberate.
Not because he wanted to be quiet.
But because the dull ache running through his shoulders reminded him to move carefully.
He stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
Then he looked at the mirror.
The Map of Bruises
He slowly removed his shirt.
The reflection staring back at him looked strong.
Lean muscle defined across his chest and arms.
Months of relentless training had reshaped him completely.
But strength did not erase damage.
Across his skin were faint marks.
Some fading.
Some new.
A purple bruise along his ribcage.
A narrow cut across his shoulder.
Yellowing discoloration near his forearm.
To anyone else, the injuries might look like the result of physical training.
Or an accident.
But Daehyun knew exactly where each one came from.
He traced the bruise along his ribs briefly.
Three nights ago.
Sooah had thrown a heavy glass vase when she woke up during an episode.
He had stepped between her and Minjun.
The vase shattered against his side.
He told her the next morning he had slipped on the stairs.
She believed him.
Because she didn't remember throwing it.
The Things She Couldn't Remember
There had been dozens of incidents now.
Some small.
Some frightening.
Sometimes she shoved him away when he tried to calm her.
Sometimes she struck him in panic.
Once she had grabbed a kitchen knife before he could stop her—not because she wanted to harm him, but because her confused mind believed he was an intruder.
Each time it happened, Daehyun restrained her gently.
Holding her wrists.
Speaking softly until the panic faded.
And each time the episode ended the same way.
She woke up confused.
Tired.
Completely unaware of what had happened.
So Daehyun said nothing.
The Clothing
After a moment he turned away from the mirror.
From the closet he pulled out a dark shirt.
Long sleeves.
Always long sleeves.
Even in warmer weather.
Even inside the house.
The fabric hid everything easily.
Bruises.
Scratches.
The faint scars forming slowly across his arms.
He buttoned the cuffs carefully.
Then slipped on a jacket over the shirt.
The injuries disappeared instantly beneath the layers.
By the time he stepped out of the bathroom again, nothing about him suggested pain.
His expression calm.
His posture relaxed.
As if nothing was wrong.
Breakfast
Downstairs the house was slowly waking.
Minjun sat at the kitchen table kicking his small legs excitedly while one of the house staff prepared breakfast.
The boy's face lit up when he saw his father.
"Appa!"
Daehyun smiled immediately.
A real smile this time.
The one thing in his life that still felt uncomplicated was his son.
"Morning."
He lifted the child easily, settling him onto his lap.
Minjun chattered happily about school projects and games with friends.
The simple conversation washed away the heaviness of the previous night.
At least for a little while.
Eventually Sooah joined them.
She looked rested.
Calm.
Almost normal.
Her eyes moved briefly over Daehyun as she sat down.
Something in her expression paused.
"You're wearing long sleeves again."
He shrugged lightly.
"Cold."
She frowned slightly.
"It's not cold."
He smiled casually.
"Maybe I'm getting old."
The joke made Minjun giggle.
And the conversation moved on.
The Afternoon
Later that afternoon, after Minjun left for school and Sooah took her medication, the house grew quiet again.
Daehyun waited until she fell asleep before heading toward the private gym.
His training routine had become brutal.
Necessary.
Every punch of the heavy bag.
Every lift of the weights.
Every exhausting sprint on the treadmill.
All of it built the strength he needed to restrain her safely when episodes turned violent.
Today, however, the bruises along his ribs made every movement sting slightly.
He ignored it.
Pain had become familiar.
Almost comforting.
At least pain meant something was real.
The Night That Followed
That evening the episode returned.
Without warning.
Sooah had been reading in the living room when her expression suddenly shifted.
Her eyes narrowed.
Confusion appeared instantly.
"Who are you?"
Daehyun had seen the signs immediately.
He moved slowly toward her.
"Sooah—"
"Don't come closer."
Her voice sharpened.
Minjun looked up from his toys, startled by the sudden tension.
Daehyun's attention shifted instantly to the child.
"Minjun, go to your room."
The boy obeyed without question.
By the time the bedroom door closed, Sooah had already grabbed the nearest object—a decorative sculpture from the shelf.
She swung it wildly when he stepped closer.
The heavy metal edge struck his arm hard.
Pain shot through him instantly.
But he didn't step back.
Instead he moved forward.
His hands gently caught her wrists.
"Sooah."
Her breathing was frantic.
"Let go!"
"It's me."
"You're lying!"
She struggled violently.
But his grip remained steady.
Firm enough to stop her.
Gentle enough not to hurt her.
Eventually the fight drained out of her.
Her body sagged slightly.
And minutes later the confusion faded from her eyes.
When she woke again, she remembered nothing.
The Lie He Told Again
Later that night she noticed the fresh bruise forming along his arm.
"What happened?"
He glanced down briefly.
Then shrugged.
"Gym accident."
She looked concerned.
"You should be careful."
He smiled lightly.
"I will."
And that was the end of the conversation.
Because the truth would only make things worse.
The Man Who Never Complained
Long after everyone else had gone to sleep, Daehyun sat alone in the dark living room.
The house silent.
The faint glow of city lights spilling through the windows of their home in Seoul.
He flexed his arm slightly.
The bruise throbbed.
But he ignored it.
Pain was easier to handle than the alternative.
Because if Sooah ever remembered everything—
If she ever saw the full reality of what happened during her episodes—
The guilt would destroy her.
And Daehyun would rather carry the pain himself
than watch her break under the weight of something she never meant to do.