Chapter Text
He remembered the day he first saw the outside of the research institute. It was snowing that day. Everything his gaze fell upon was white, making it the most intense memory he could not forget, even if he wanted to. Since it was the first time he had ever seen snow, the coldness touching his bare feet became the primary symbol of his memory of it.
He walked aimlessly down an unfamiliar path. With the whole world white, he couldn't even think about which path was the right one. Eventually, he arrived at a residential area where he met the Harrington couple. Steve hesitated, then looked them straight in the eye and mumbled.
“Mom, Dad. It’s me. Steven.”
His eyes were calm. The Harringtons, who had been wary of a stranger, momentarily lost their focus and looked dazed, then their faces transformed into those of loving parents.
The Harringtons guided him inside their home. They harbored no doubts about him—a man with a shaved head, wearing a surgical gown, and with a tattoo of the number 7 on his wrist. They treated his wounds and gave him the name Harrington.
Steve became the son of the Harringtons and came to live in Hawkins. He learned everything from scratch. Cutting a steak, introducing himself as Steven, conversing with people—everything was difficult for Steve. Until he entered middle school, he was accompanied by a tutor assigned by the Harringtons. After middle school, it was discovered that he had good athletic abilities.
So, as soon as he entered high school, he joined various sports clubs. He participated in everything that involved physical activity, such as basketball and swimming. Naturally, his athletic performance was excellent, and he won awards in competitions both large and small.
To perfectly embody the role of Harrington's son, Steve even dated a girlfriend named Nancy Wheeler and climbed to the highest possible position in school, ensuring that everyone knew the name Harrington.
But that was as far as it went. Starting on November 8, 1983, everything began to go wrong.