Prologue

An abandoned factory closed off to the public. The cold glow of red and green siren lights pierced the darkness in all directions.

“Out of the way! I said, get the fuck out of the way!”

“Be careful! I know we're in a hurry, but!”

Two paramedics holding a stretcher rushed into the back of an ambulance. A boy was lying on the stretcher with his limp, bloodied hands dangling off the side. With the exception of his mouth, which was obscured by an oxygen mask, everything from his bare skin to his school uniform was covered in blood. Two ambulances and one patrol car. As the boy was carried into the ambulance, two police officers watched in silent disgust.

*Static*

The two radios in their hands simultaneously rang out an alarm.

– Six male students, two female students. Repeat. Six male students and two female students. Requesting suspect confirmation

*Static*

– …ccording to eyewitness reports. All agree, eight suspects wearing the Nun'Gwang Middle School uniform. The suspects are from Nun'Gwang Middle School.

– Confirmation of Nun'Gwang Middle School. Uniforms have been confirmed.

“Middle Schoolers? Fuckin' wet-behind-the-ears little brats?”

“Goddammit! Fucking shitheads! For real!!”

“They went way too far this time. It's beyond any level of school violence I've seen before. The kid's almost dead, barely hanging on. “

“We should leave before this area gets swarmed. And notify the hospital in advance.”

“What are the parents going to do? I'm sure this is really gonna stir up the news.”

“Ha. I bet.”

The two officers exchanged sighs and swears as they listened to the situation unfold through their radios. Despite their vast exposure to all sorts of violence and suffering, they couldn't help the anger that bubbled up from within, which was accompanied by a strong urge to throw away the radios in their hands.

I woke up to a feeling of overwhelming pressure as if I was being compressed into a box too small for my body. My vision was unfocused and blurry. As I slowly blinked to clear my eyes, someone gently grabbed my hand.

“Se-young.”

Who is that?

An unfamiliar woman's face came into view.

“Are you awake? It's your aunt.”

My… Aunt…? The one who married and moved overseas…?

I couldn't think straight. The more I gained awareness, the more pain I felt surge from every inch of my body. I didn't even have enough strength to swallow the stagnant saliva in my mouth. Can you imagine that type of feeling? I couldn't find the energy to open my mouth and speak. Every breath in and out of my nose was like a stab in the neck and a punch to the chest.

*Wheeze*

As the pain flared, doctors and nurses swarmed in, and the doctors called other doctors and the nurses called other nurses. The pain only eased after eight repeated injections. The sweet numbness came at the price of clarity as my consciousness faded once again.

“Sir… is Se-young going to wake up again?”

“I administered a sedative. He's fine.“

“But he just woke up. And now he's out of it again.”

“Please don't worry. He's going to be ok. Didn't I tell you he would wake up today?”

“I'm sorry. It's just that, he was in a coma for nine months, so it's been worries piled on more worries…”

     What? 

           Coma?

My vision was fading, but my heart began to feel a pounding sensation.

… Nine months? 

               …For nine months?

However, my mind had already departed from the station of consciousness and slipped quietly into the darkness.