The bell rang, sharp and unforgiving, echoing through the grounds of Kosei High. For most, it was the start of another ordinary school day. But for Jin, it marked the beginning of another battle a war he fought silently, every day, against the world around him.
Jin shuffled through the school gates, shoulders hunched and eyes glued to the ground. The crowd around him seemed to part, not out of respect, but disgust. He was the stain they pretended not to see, the target of cruel whispers and mocking stares.
"That's Jin tae-hyun, right?"
"Yeah, the punching bag."
"Haruki had him crying last week. Pathetic."
The words cut deep, even though he pretended not to hear them. Jin's fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. He didn't stop walking. Stopping meant acknowledging them. Acknowledging them meant giving them power. And Jin refused to give them that satisfaction even if every step felt like dragging chains across concrete.
Class offered no sanctuary. It never did.
Jin sat in the farthest corner of the room, hoping the shadows might swallow him whole. The teacher's voice droned on, but it was drowned out by the snickers and whispers of his classmates. Then came a paper ball, landing squarely on his desk. He ignored it. Another followed, and then another.
"Hey, Jin," came a voice from behind Riku Aoki, Haruki's ever-loyal lapdog. "Why don't you solve that problem on the board? Or are you too scared your knees will give out?"
Laughter rippled through the room. Jin stared down at his notebook, gripping his pencil so tightly it nearly snapped.
"Enough!" the teacher barked, her sharp tone silencing the room. But the damage was done. The smirks, the sideways glances they lingered, a reminder that he was always under their spotlight, always the joke.
Lunch break was his only reprieve. Or so he'd thought.
Jin found his usual spot on the rooftop, leaning against the rusted railing as he unwrapped the bento his sister, Yumi, had lovingly prepared. The smell of rice and pickled vegetables offered a momentary comfort a fragile reminder that someone in the world still cared.
"Jin!"
The voice made him freeze. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Haruki and his gang strolled onto the rooftop like predators closing in on their prey. Haruki's grin was equal parts amusement and malice.
"What do you want?" Jin asked, his voice steady, though his hands trembled.
Haruki smirked. "Just thought we'd check on our favorite loser. You looked so lonely up here."
Before Jin could react, Haruki snatched the bento from his hands and casually dumped its contents onto the concrete.
"Oops," he said, feigning innocence. "My bad."
Jin's stomach churned. Anger bubbled up inside him, but he pushed it down. He'd learned the hard way that fighting back only made things worse.
"You're pathetic," Haruki spat, leaning in close. "Weaklings like you don't belong here. Don't forget that."
The first punch landed squarely in Jin's stomach, stealing the air from his lungs. The next hit his ribs. He crumpled to the ground as Haruki's gang joined in, their laughter echoing in his ears.
By the time the closing bell rang, Jin was a shell of himself. He limped home, his bruises hidden beneath his uniform, his head bowed low.
When he reached the tiny apartment he shared with Yumi, she was waiting at the door. Her cheerful smile faltered the moment she saw him.
"Jin…" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Did they…?"
"It's nothing," Jin replied, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Just some idiots messing around."
Yumi wasn't convinced. She grabbed the first aid kit and guided him to the couch, her hands gentle but firm as she cleaned his wounds.
"You can't keep letting them do this to you," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Why don't you report them? The school? The police? Or should I come to school with you"
Jin shook his head, his gaze distant. "It only makes things worse."
Her hands stilled, and for a moment, the room was silent.
"You shouldn't have to go through this," she whispered.
Jin wanted to tell her that it wasn't just the bullying. the relentless torment of school all felt like chains dragging him down. But he didn't. He couldn't.
Instead, he muttered, "I'll be fine," knowing it was a lie.
That night, as Jin lay in bed staring at the ceiling, a thought crept into his mind.
How much longer could he endure this?
He clenched his fists, the echoes of laughter and fists still fresh in his mind.
Someday, he vowed. Someday, this would all change. They wouldn't laugh forever. And when that day came, he won't let anyone experience what he is experiencing
For now, he was just Jin, the weakling, the punching bag.
But storms always start silently. And Jin's was brewing.