Chapter 1" Small sparkle in dark "
Hello, my name is Ji-a. I’m sixteen, soon to be seventeen. This story… it’s about me.
Right now, I’m at school. For most people, school is just a building, a place to learn and laugh. For me, it’s a living hell. Every corner, every classroom, feels like a trap I can’t escape. My classmates see me as nothing more than a servant. They call me whenever they want something to eat, giving me orders as if I exist only to serve them. Not everyone is cruel, though. My deskmate, Min-jae, is a quiet boy who ignores me entirely, pretending I don’t exist.
But there are four classmates who make my life unbearable. They bully me relentlessly. Sometimes it’s verbal, sometimes it’s physical. Every day, it feels like the world is crushing me. I often wish I could just disappear, vanish from this life entirely.
And yet… even in the darkness, there is a small spark. That spark is my friend, my secret first love, Enwoo. He’s my senior, and we’ve been friends since I was nine years old. He was the first person to laugh with me, to stay by my side when I needed someone. For me, he is everything. He doesn’t know how I feel about him, and I don’t have the courage to tell him. Just seeing him makes my cheeks burn red. Even at school, he treats me like a little kid, but I secretly treasure every moment.
The girls who have crushes on him despise me. They bully me just because I’m close to Enwoo. I don’t know why. I don’t know what my fault is. Maybe it’s because I’m weak. I can’t tell anyone. Over time, the bullying has become routine, a grim part of every day.
When I go home, life feels a little lighter. My four brothers are my sanctuary. They are my world. I want to tell you more about them because without them, I don’t know how I would survive.
My oldest brother, Woonjae, isn’t my blood, but he is more than a brother. He treats me like I’m his own, loves me like I’m a part of himself, and would give anything for me and my siblings. After our parents died, he left his studies and started working to support us. My second oldest brother, Woon-shik, fights with himself and with the world. He’s gay, and he struggles with shame and fear, but he never lets that stop him from earning for us. I am closer to him than anyone, and I see how hard he battles every day to keep his pain hidden.
Then there’s Woon-dae, my blood brother. He studies and works at the same time, carrying so many responsibilities. He wants to make our older brothers proud. He and Enwoo are best friends, which brings small happiness to my life.
Enwoo often visits our home. He always eats my ice cream and teases me like a little kid, and somehow, that childish nature—the laughter, the kindness—makes me fall more in love with him every day.
I almost forgot to introduce No-bara, my best friend. We first met online, but now she lives near me and has joined my school. She always says that kindness isn’t enough to make someone fall in love, but I know better. Sometimes, someone’s kindness is all you need to fall head over heels.
Even though my life is filled with pain and loneliness, there are moments that make me feel alive—my brothers’ love, Enwoo’s laughter, No-bara’s friendship. They are my small sparks in the dark, my reason to keep going. And maybe, just maybe, they are the reason I can still believe that happiness is possible, even in a world that feels so cruel.
To be honest, I don’t want No-bara to come to my school. I’m afraid she might get hurt, bullied just like I do. Whenever we meet, I pretend that I’m fine, smiling and laughing, because I can’t bear the thought of her being sad because of me. She’s stubborn, fierce, and strong in her own way—if she knew what I go through, she would probably storm the school and punish everyone herself.
But I know her too well. In front of the bullies, even she can feel small and powerless. That’s why I hide my pain, pretending, so that our time together is always light, safe, and happy. I feel so lucky to have friends like her—friends who care, who understand, and who make life feel a little less lonely.
It’s not just No-bara. My family… my brothers are my anchors in this storm. Their love, their protection, their silent sacrifices—they are the reason I can keep going. Even in a world that often feels cruel, my brothers and friends are my sparks of light. They are my reason to smile, to fight, and to believe that even in darkness, there is warmth.
(Hope you like this )
