A Glimmer of Hope

Time Off day 

The night had been long and brutal for Dino. Sitting alone in his darkened room, the first rays of sunlight slipping through the curtains went unnoticed as he curled into himself, his mind racing with the same toxic thoughts that had plagued him all night. He hadn't slept, too caught up in the loop of negative thinking. They don't need me.

That thought replayed like a broken record. His brothers — they were strong, skilled, and cool. Each of them was irreplaceable in their roles, and yet here he was, constantly feeling like a burden. He was nothing more than the youngest, not their real brother, and certainly not someone they couldn't live without. Another hacker could easily take his place. Maybe someone more competent, someone who didn't mess up.

He had failed to protect the family on more than one occasion. The guilt ate at him. He wasn't special. He wasn't irreplaceable. Why would they care? He hadn't eaten, hadn't slept, and now, the sun had risen on a new day that didn't feel like it belonged to him.

A knock on his door snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. Dino froze, his heart hammering in his chest. It was Wonwoo calling him down for breakfast. His voice was as casual as ever, as if Dino's entire world wasn't crashing down around him.

"Coming," Dino murmured.

He forced himself to get up, freshen up quickly, and make his way downstairs. The dining room was quiet, but his brothers were all seated, the table already filled with food. Dino slipped into his seat, directly opposite Hansol, who seemed more interested in his fork than the actual food, occasionally taking bites without much thought.

Jun spoke first, updating everyone on his plans for the day. "I'll be heading to the movies and doing some shopping at the mall later," he said, his voice light. It sounded like any other day for him.

Hansol, in his usual detached tone, mentioned he'd be at a nearby club, and Wonwoo immediately offered to go with him for safety, not that Hansol seemed to mind.

Seungcheol, as always, kept things business-focused. "Hoshi and I will be attending a meeting and taking care of some other things," he said.

There was a pause, and all eyes turned to Dino. He had barely touched his food, absently pushing it around his plate.

Hoshi broke the silence. "What about you, Dino? Where are you headed today?"

Dino looked up, meeting Hoshi's gaze for a second before quickly looking away. He felt small under their eyes. He didn't want to go anywhere. He didn't want to exist, not in their world or his.

"I don't want to go out," he said quietly, almost as if he were asking for permission.

Seungcheol's sharp gaze landed on him, piercing and cold. His voice was as firm as ever. "Don't come back until seven in the evening."

Dino's heart sank. Don't come back. The words echoed in his head. It felt like confirmation of his worst fear — they didn't want him around. He was being abandoned. He swallowed his fear, too terrified to argue or ask for an explanation. He simply nodded and muttered, "I'll go for a walk."

He excused himself from the table as quickly as possible, practically fleeing the suffocating atmosphere of the dining room. Tears stung his eyes, but he blinked them away before they could spill over. The last thing he wanted was to cry in front of them. Stepping outside, he felt a tear slip down his face as he started walking aimlessly through the streets. The mansion was far behind him now, and he didn't care where he ended up. He just wanted to disappear.

Meanwhile, back in the mansion, the room fell into an awkward silence after Dino left. Jun and Hansol left soon after, followed by Wonwoo.

The maid came in to clear the plates, and Seungcheol and Hoshi were left at the table. Hoshi's gaze drifted to Dino's untouched plate, his brow furrowing in concern. "He didn't eat," he muttered.

Seungcheol glanced at the plate but said nothing. His expression was unreadable, and without a word, he stood and headed toward the meeting room, leaving Hoshi behind.

Hoshi clenched his jaw, watching Seungcheol's retreating back. A deep, simmering anger bubbled inside him. How can he be so indifferent? It wasn't the first time Seungcheol had acted this way, and it always left Hoshi feeling like he was the only one who truly cared about the younger ones. Sometimes, it felt like Seungcheol only saw them as tools, assets to his empire. If Hoshi didn't know Seungcheol better, he would've believed that the man had no feelings at all.

His gaze flicked back to Dino's plate. He sighed, trying to understand Seungcheol's way of handling things, but every day it got harder. He hated the cold silence, the way Seungcheol let Dino's struggles go unnoticed. If things didn't change soon, Hoshi feared Dino might break under the pressure.

With a heavy sigh, Hoshi followed Seungcheol into the meeting room. He couldn't shake the image of Dino sitting alone at the table, barely touching his food. That kid needed help—more help than Seungcheol was willing to give.

Dino's feet carried him to a place he hadn't expected — an amusement park. It was a place full of smiles and laughter, things that seemed foreign to him. Families, couples, and friends wandered around, their joy only deepening the pit in Dino's stomach.

Why? Why me? Dino's mind reeled with questions. What did I do wrong? What sin did I commit to deserve this? His brothers, the only family he knew, had all but pushed him away. They could've just ended his misery quickly instead of slowly killing him inside like this.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, high-pitched scream. Dino turned toward the haunted house exit, where he saw children clinging to their parents, crying in horror. The scene triggered something deep inside him. His breathing quickened, heart pounding in his chest as memories he had fought to bury resurfaced — memories of screams, of terror, of blood. His vision blurred, and the world around him started spinning.

He crouched down, gripping his head as the anxiety attack overtook him. The overwhelming panic suffocated him, making it hard to breathe.

Just as the darkness seemed ready to swallow him whole, a voice, gentle and melodic, cut through the noise. "Hey, are you okay, kid?"

Dino looked up, his blurry vision clearing slightly as the voice's soothing tone registered in his mind. His gaze landed on the man in front of him, an ethereal figure with long black hair flowing in the wind. An angel. That was the only way Dino could describe him.

"I... I don't..." Dino stammered, trying to gather his thoughts.

The stranger smiled kindly, his eyes full of concern. "Do you need help getting out of here?"

Dino nodded weakly. "Please, just... take me away from here."

The man helped Dino to his feet, guiding him to a nearby park where they found a bench to sit on. Once seated, the man offered Dino a bottle of water, which he gratefully accepted, taking small sips to calm himself.

"Thank you," Dino whispered, his voice shaky.

The man sat beside him, watching him carefully. "What's your name? How old are you?"

"Dino," he replied quietly. "I'm eighteen."

The man smiled again, this time with a touch of amusement. "I'm Yoon Jeonghan. Nice to meet you, Dino. But why are you here alone? Did you come with friends?"

Dino shook his head, his voice barely audible. "No, I came alone."

Jeonghan's smile faded slightly, sensing something was off. "Why?" he asked gently.

Dino hesitated before answering. "I... I got kicked out of my house. They told me not to come back until seven. I didn't know where to go, so I ended up here."

Jeonghan's expression softened as he saw the pain in Dino's eyes. The boy was clearly suffering, and something about his disheveled appearance and the dark circles under his eyes tugged at Jeonghan's heartstrings. He didn't know Dino, but his maternal instincts kicked in.

"Do you... want a hug?" Jeonghan asked softly, opening his arms in an inviting gesture.

Dino hesitated for only a second before leaning into Jeonghan's embrace. It felt safe. For the first time in what felt like forever, Dino felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he buried his face into Jeonghan's chest, tears silently streaming down his face.

Jeonghan wrapped his arms around him, one hand gently patting Dino's back while the other ran through his hair. "Don't be scared. Everything will be okay," Jeonghan whispered softly, his voice like a balm to Dino's shattered heart.

Dino nodded, though he wasn't sure he believed the words. Still, in Jeonghan's arms, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time — comfort. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, the silence between them filled only by the occasional rustle of leaves or distant laughter from the amusement park.

Jeonghan pulled away first, gently wiping away Dino's tears with his sleeve. "Feel better?"

Dino nodded, sniffling as he tried to regain his composure.

"Good," Jeonghan said with a warm smile. "Now, how about we grab some food? I bet you haven't eaten anything today."

Suddenly, Jeonghan's phone buzzed, and he glanced down to see several missed calls. "Oh no, they've been looking for me." He stood up, ruffling Dino's hair one last time. "I have to go now, but you'll be alright, okay? Go home safely. Remember to eat something."

Before Dino could respond, Jeonghan was running toward the park's entrance, where a boy was waving him over. Dino watched as Jeonghan disappeared into the distance, feeling the warmth of his embrace slip away with him. He checked his watch and realized it was already 7:39—he was late.

Panic surged through him as he sprinted back home, his heart pounding in his chest. He was terrified of what Seungcheol would say. By the time he reached the mansion, it was already 8:10. He pushed open the door, panting heavily as he stepped inside.

Hoshi and Wonwoo both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw him, and even Jun gave a small nod of acknowledgment. But Dino didn't meet anyone's eyes. He quickly mumbled an apology for being late and excused himself to his room, too tired and afraid to face them any longer.

Wonwoo offered to send dinner up to his room, and Dino simply nodded before heading upstairs. He didn't even glance at Seungcheol, who had been watching him the entire time with a look that Dino couldn't quite decipher.

As Dino lay in bed that night, the last person on his mind wasn't Seungcheol or Hoshi. It was Jeonghan. Meeting him had felt like a dream, a brief respite in the nightmare that was his life. For the first time in years, Dino felt like he belonged—if only for a moment. He knew that tomorrow, he would find out everything he could about Jeonghan. The thought brought a small sense of comfort as sleep finally claimed him.

On the other side of the mansion, Seungcheol sat in silence, his mind heavy with unspoken thoughts

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