Haemang-dong, a shantytown at the edge of Seoul, soaked in damp air. Kim Daehyun, a lifelong resident of this place, is here.

"Fuck, seriously..."

He mutters a curse under his breath, running a hand roughly through his hair before clenching his fist. It has been five years since he escaped his father's gaze. Five years. If he counted how he survived, how he managed to eat, or if he ever slept in warmth during that time, the instances would be few and far between.

And even now.

With the beep of the old digital lock opening, he leans one hand against the wall as he enters, taking off his outer layer and hanging it carelessly in the closet. He then steps into the cramped bathroom right next to the entrance and stares into a small, scratched-up mirror. Reflected there is himself, with lifeless eyes. A version of himself that can never get better.

"..."

Just then, the sound of footsteps comes from outside. At this hour, there shouldn't be any drunks or anyone else passing by.