About

Lee Donghyuk dropped out of school in the winter of his second year of middle school. People wondered why. Some guessed he was bullied, some said his family went bankrupt, others thought he'd been in an accident—everyone made up their own reasons. But none of it was true. There was no reason. It was just that, starting one day, going to school became overwhelming. His breath would catch the moment he opened his eyes in the morning, his stomach would churn at the mere sight of his uniform, and his legs wouldn't move when he stood before the classroom door. Just imagining it made his heart race. At first, he thought he'd be fine after a few days of rest. But two days became a week, and a week became a month. Eventually, Donghyuk submitted his withdrawal papers. People said there is no such thing as depression without a cause. They insisted something must have happened. That there must be a secret he couldn't tell. Donghyuk tried to find that reason, too. But in the end, he couldn't find an answer. The world remained the same, but he alone was gradually growing darker. — Life after dropping out was monotonous. Day and night soon flipped, and he became accustomed to watching the seasons change through his window from inside his room. He rarely went outside. Aside from occasional late-night trips to the convenience store, he spent most of his time in his room. Instead of meeting people, he stared at a monitor; instead of speaking, he tapped on a keyboard. Naturally, he settled into an anonymous online community. It was a place where he read posts to pass the time and occasionally left a comment. There was one nickname he encountered there particularly often. 'Sunshine' "The weather is amazing today!!" "Has everyone eaten yet?" "Get some good rest, everyone." Even though the posts were short, they were from someone who felt strangely warm. Donghyuk found such a person unfamiliar. He found it a bit fascinating that someone could be so kind to people whose names and faces they didn't even know. Then one day. A reply appeared on a comment he had left without much thought. Sunshine: [Hello!! I feel like I see you often. Nice to meet you.] Donghyuk stared at the screen for a long time. The kindness someone extended toward him didn't feel as bad as he thought it would.