Chapter Text
Hong Jaeyeol, the second son of H Group by CEO Hong Kyeongyeong. Born into riches and connections to every famous person in the world, so why was he not as well known as his siblings; Hong Kitae, Chairman of Notte World, or Hong Jaehye, rising model and young idol? Was Jaeyeol just shy, or was there something controversial about him that the public shouldn't know?
Star Tears Disease. He developed it after a childhood friend of his was forced to move away. Ashamed that his son looked "weak" and "overdramatic" from having it at 8 years old, his dad would start hiding him from the public, homeschooling him instead. He also got his bodyguard, Sophia Alexander, to "toughen him up".
Being isolated from the world at 8 years old, Jaeyeol would become reserved and aloof, closing himself off from the world by covering his hazy, near-blind eyes due to Star Tears with his bangs and refusing to speak to anyone, since that was the reason why he got heartbroken and why his dad would hate him. He vowed to never speak again.
But fate had never been nice.
His dad would kick him out of the house at 15, being sick of his rebellion and having such a difference in beliefs. Hong Kyeongyeong, a genius that built his company from nothing, and was the prime example of using his head wisely. His son, Jaeyeol did not take on much of his traits. He was emotional, sensitive. Sure, he was smart, but he put his heart on his sleeve, and used his heart to guide his decisions instead. And so, the father and son got along as well as water and oil.
Now, Jaeyeol only had himself and his butler. He had a large penthouse apartment paid for by his brother Kitae, but no family to return to. This was the first time he locked himself from the outside world.
At least he still had his siblings, Kitae and Jaehye right?
Not really.
Aside from the apartment, Kitae would rarely reach out to Jaeyeol, only the occasional text of, “How’s life?” or “Do you need money?”. Jaehye wasn’t that much different. She rarely got the chance to see her second brother, due to her modeling shoots and an upcoming debut in a girl group. The three of them never got the chance to go to malls or restaurants together and bullying the oldest into paying, or have late night bickerings and a special bond over the hatred of a certain teacher in their school.
The Hong children had a strained relationship, that’s all there was to say.
So when Jaeyeol was told he could attend school, he had mixed emotions. Yes, he was finally able to get out of the house and live a normal teenager’s life, even if the school wasn’t the best. All to keep a low profile I guess, according to his dad. But also, being isolated at 8 years old does something to people, and since Jaeyeol had vowed never to speak again, he couldn’t break down the walls in just a few days after years of building and reinforcing them. It was near impossible.
So why, only during the second semester of the school year, did he manage to become friends with practically half the grade and become the closest friend of the infamous, Park Hyeongseok?