(1) Traumatic past [1]

In the dim light of the monitor, a man scrolled through the comments of his novel. His eyes grew dimmer as if his soul was being eaten by the second.

[Why!? Just why, Author-nim? It was going so well but you ruined it all!]

[Another author-san decided to destroy his novel.]

[Do you know how I feel right now? It's like I was playing a game, enjoying and grinding with immense satisfaction. When I reached the level where I could challenge the top players, I found that my account was erased the very next day! That too, was done by a family member I love! Tell me, what am I supposed to do!]

[The MC was nerfed for no reason, I'm quitting this novel.]

When the monthly views presented themselves, the man nervously bit his nails with a pensive look.

'With just this much, I won't be able to even afford food for the next month! With how petty this platform is, all I can afford is to pay the rent for this month...'

Just as the man was wondering if he should sell some organs of his body, his mobile began ringing loudly.

[Bitch]

The caller's name made the man scowl. After hesitating with a pensive look, he accepted the call with a heavy heart.

Click~

"Son...Where have you been throughout the past few weeks? I called several time, but received no response...."

The careful words chosen by his mother to not appear as if she was invasive, further made the man or Veren feel like his heart was being clutched by someone.

"Sorry, Mom. I'm busy right now, I just returned from a vacation. I will call back after I tidy up my place."

"A-alright, Veren...Take care."

The awkward air stifled Veren, cutting the call, he rushed to the basin with a pale face.

Blargh!

Veren uncontrollably vomited every last substance present in his stomach.

"Haa....haa...haaa.Tch!" Veren hastily cleaned up his face and the basin.

Memory that Veren wanted to forget rose — refusing to stop haunting him. It was a trauma that could not be erased even in the flow of time.

.....

Things were the same as far as Veren could remember.

From childhood, his father and mother were in the worst of relations. Bickering every day was one thing, but violence was what left the deepest mark on Veren's mind.

His father with his strong physique would beat up his mother. It could be at any time, when drunk, when in a bad mood, or when dissatisfied with her.

An impulsive act that held no kind of pattern at all. Which made it all the more frightening to the young Veren.

Whenever Veren tried to stop his father, he wasn't spared a single glance. Either being kicked away or getting his forelock burned with a cigarette.

The pain he experienced when cigarette ashes fell on his eyes was still vivid.

At that time, Veren was 6 years old. He couldn't do anything, he saw his mother being beaten up helplessly while his body was spasming from pain.

Sometimes it would end with a few punches, but there were situations when his father would drag his mother to the bedroom and lock the door.

'I'm sorry...I'm sorry...' Veren's eyes were filled with tears. He hugged his stomach, knowing he would sleep hungry another day.

Veren's father was a normal technician, making enough to at least run the family.

Or that was the case until the time for Veren to start attending the school came.

Being raised in an abusive environment, Veren's atmosphere couldn't get anymore gloomier. He stood out from the crowd with his ashen expression riddled with darkness.

No classmate ever approached him, straying clean from him — as if he were a plague.

There were a few innocent kids who tried approaching, running off not long after seeing Veren's dark eyes.

Without experiencing much interaction from a tender age, Veren had second-to-none communication skills.

Having to pay Veren's school fees, which was a huge chunk of his salary, his father was in a foul mood every day.

The time for the result of Veren's exam came. His father attended the Parent-teacher meeting with an annoyed face.

"His grades are almost bordering on failing marks. We hope as a father you will give some of your time to your son. And, we have received some complaints that Veren is too gloomy."

"Parents are hesitating to send their children to the same class as him. We hope you take care of your son, they need a lot of attention at this age...."

The teacher's long speech brought a red glint in his father's eyes that Veren had never seen before.

However, he knew one thing, he would remember what those eyes meant for the rest of his life.

Veren's father brought a thin pole with a hollow interior.

"...You garbage! Why the fuck do you think I'm raising you?!" For the first time, His father's rage aimed at him instead of his mother.

Veren curled up on the ground, protecting his head, groaning pitifully at the torture.

His eyes met with his mother, who stood at the entrance of the kitchen. He beggingly looked at her to be saved.

However...His mother turned away while biting her lips.

He was betrayed...

That day, something within Veren had snapped, that could never be mended ever.

Veren's father swung the pole only at places that could be hidden by clothes.

Veren's skin got swollen all over his back, blood stains were visible to the eyes. His father at last sees Veren not having the power to scream anymore and stops. Walking away after spitting at the ground.

Veren closed his eyes, and muffled crying noises rang out in the room. His relief wasn't a long-lived one though.

Hence after,

His father began beating him whenever Veren's attitude wasn't to his liking or the exam results were unsatisfactory. This pushed him to an extreme level.

In the study room which was a small compartment, Veren banged his head on the table.

His eyes were dull and his face was filled with struggle.

No matter how much effort he put in, Veren's result never crossed the above-average grade. It was like a curse that followed him everywhere.

This was his limit, Veren had no talent that could be worth mentioning. But that was what his father hated the most.

'If only I could study better...' Veren gritted his teeth.

He studied not only in fear but also hope — that one day he could leave this house and make a living by himself.

He turned 12 this year, but nothing had changed from his childhood. He would be beaten every day and then ignored for the rest of the day.

The only difference in his daily lifestyle was that — he had a small sister now. The interaction between them was bland externally, but Veren treated such small interactions as something precious.

Having turned 12 years old, Veren was added to a normal mid-grade school.

But...Veren didn't know that his life was on a trail to experience something horrible again.