CHAPTER TWO: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

His first day in school after the accident effected him badly, especially between his friends, who now abandoned him, assuming he won't be able to buy his food anymore, and he'll go and ask them for some.

But poor Han, his intentions were innocent.

He'd still go and hang out with them but he wouldn't talk or ask them for+- money or food, that'd be rude of him and that's what his parents taught him, "never ask for anyone's help..."

They taught him to be nice, sweet, helpful to all who needs help without asking for anything in return.

Easy task, but not with the current surrounding where everyone already knew about his condition and started to assume some nonsense or even start weird rumors, like that time he helped a student with lifting some boxes to their club. When he left, some students saw him leave the room with food in hand.

Or even the time when the old lady in the cafeteria gave him extra food when she found out he forgot his bento, or when they saw him walk with some bad boys on the way home. And many more other misunderstandings.

That's how his first year ended. Nothing but struggles because of everyone. Students did nothing but bring up some useless gossips and ruin his first year and the rest to come.

Thanks to those weird rumors, older students took the chance to bully someone and use them for some stuff, usually shady, or simple quests like doing their homeworks, or bringing food to the roof.

Their expectations were a nerd tiny boy wearing glasses like those in stories or movies they've watched, a kid they can easily bully. To their surprise, Han Beom was average height but still shorter than them, he had porcelain skin that'd make you stare for long hours waiting its color to change to pink, red or even orange. His skin was more than enough to make them notice his existence.

He didn't have the charming face girls would drool after but his jawline saved him, it was fine a bit and gave him potentials for better version in the future. His black hair wasn't too long but wasn't too short either, it was hiding his neck, ears and forehead successfully, it almost hid his brown with honey flavor eyes.

Looking at him from afar can make you assume he's nothing but a third wheel in a romance story, it was all because of his timid and weak steps he takes when he's around anyone.

Anyone sees them together would assume the elders are hanging with him to teach him how to become stronger and more dependent. What they don't know, the so called nice students would punch him saying it was a joke or they want to teach him how to become stronger and predict any attack by other "hyungs" from other schools, but Han Beom knew their true colors the moment he entered their roof.

They were sitting in a circle with cigarettes in hands and some beer cans. He was curious to know if one day he'd be like them but he didn't want to either. it's not because he's a good boy but because of his fear from the future and what it has in hands for him.

After parting with his "hyungs", he'd walk on the road with no lines. His mind would be full of any way to gain money and help his parents and himself. A way to live better, and to prepare for his father's surgical "he needs to walk again... For mother... And me." He'd mumble before gritting his teeth.

It's said, at the end of every dark tunnel there would always be a light to a better world, a better life!

Han Beom believed in those words, and still does! For him, it's his motto about life, where there is dark, there will always be light.

His belief lasted for too long until he met the elders in his school and interacted with them long enough to know what is the light and what is the dark in the REAL world, the one he wasn't part of for real until then.

Questions like, "is it good to keep going in silence?" "Shouldn't I do something?" "Who can I depend on?" On a daily base, they lasted, leaving the little boy more and more frustrated not knowing what to do. Happily, this issue didn't last for too long, because at the beginning of his second year, the light finally came and knocked out the dark from his life.

"You ok buddy?" A shadow in front of him asked.

When he rose his head, he was faced by a young man who seems to be in university. He had light brown hair and dark brown eyes, his skin seems to be tanned giving him special glitter. The young man stared back at Han before a smile made its way to his face. His light brown strands waved with the wind revealing his whole face.

'Pretty', was the first word to creep into his mind. Han Beom lowered his head embarrassed from thinking that about a man, but a giggle forced him to rise his head. He saw the very same man glowing while laughing at him.

"I'm gonna admit. You're kinda cute haha" he said making Han blush and lower his head again. The young man sat beside him. After he released a heavy and long sigh, he turned to look at Han Beom and in a low voice he asked, "how are you now?" Han flinched and turned to look at the stranger when he was faced with another question and warm expression, "are you feeling better? Or do you wanna talk about it?"

"Ah" was the last he said before waves of tears started to flow.

"Oh my God! Why are you crying?! I'm sorry, was it because of me?! Please stop...."