From the begining he was made to believe that something was wrong with him by his peers. In kindergarten they often pointed at him while he was all by himself at the corner because nobody agreed to play with the little yeolie. At first it was not that big. Little boy he was but so brave and strong, and his omma always said, air quote, her little yeolie is the best boy. It was enough to keep him assured that nothing bad would happen, that the kind unnie at the kindergarten would always play with him anyway. If only he knew.
time moved on. And so did Chanyeol's. Now Chanyeol's a little over six and started elementary school. He was jumping gleefully on his way to first day of school. School---- the thought made him giddy. He was still a little boy. The little yeolie fearing nothing. Will I get a pretty unnie to play with me? Omma said school is fun. His thoughts weaved of innocence couldn't find the constant prejudice against him. He was bubbling amd enthusiastic when he introduced himself to the class. Nothing. Nobody applauded for him unlike when they did for others. May be I did something wrong. A little over the introduction, he felt he was all alone. Everyone talked to each other except to him. May be I'm not trying hard. Throwing himself into the conversation turned more painful than he could handle --- flatly ignored, snickered upon, and accidentally finding out "that yeol guy is a creep" militated his withering mental strength. That night he found himself bawling against his omma's chest, his little hands desperately seeking her comfort. His omma being the kind person she was assured him that it'll get better. Se kissed him good night while he laid upon her lap, his head caressed lovingly by his sweet omma.
Next day came. He went to school. Only to find it got worse. "Bastard" --- he couldn't make out the word nor he understood anything but the way those haunting laughter threw at his way, he knew it was bad. He was not that dumb. All alone, again the day was spent like that but this time little yeolie braved up and made no approach to talk with any other kids.
He cried, his pitiful face buried in his omma's chest, hiccuping and tears rolling down his cheeks, and choked out "what's bastard?". The way his omma's body trembled was enough to say 'don't ask again'.
He didn't go to school the next day, more like, his omma didn't allow him to. The next day. The next day. Months went by. And it's a whole year.
'Omma's going to take yeolie to a better place.' One day she whispered lovingly, hugging little yeolie. He was happy. 'Really?'
They moved to Seoul, he found after three days since they arrived at the new place, a small apartment in the downtown part of the city. Two small bedrooms, a living slash kitchen room combined. Little yeolie didn't say it but he was happy to get away, away from the bad kids. He prayed desperately that night for nice kids.
His wish didn't come true.
His accent was weird. First day of school and he was humiliated already. His ears are so big like elephants. omo!! he's human right? Third period and he was on the verge of tears. His mind supplying 'I'm my omma's angel'. He looks like a joker. Lunch and he couldn't take it anymore. He cried pathetically in front of many. And they had the audacity to be amused at his pain.
But he didn't tell his omma that night like he did before. He didn't cry. I'm a big boy. Yeolie will be nice so omma can do her best. Though his omma knew something was wrong. She coaxed to get him spill but he didn't. 'I played too much so I'm tired' and went to sleep in his own room which he hadn't been using for the past few days since they moved in. It bugged her but she couldn't do anything feeling hopeless.
This cycle went on for days to months and it was completely a year when he couldn't handle anymore. The day his omma found him on the hospital bed lying weak and barely alive. Interrogated, he barely provided the uneventful day's worth but that was enough to have him throwing a crying fit by the end.
That was the last day he went to school. The last day he ever stepped out of his home alone. His omma made sure he got the education. Home tutored by herself after she came home from work. He was a quick learner so it didn't take much for him to study all by himself. For few days around the year, a women would come and he'd give tests. His omma had sheltered him too well from the world.
This kept going on. He would never leave the house. His windows rarely opened. He'd sit by the small balcony of his omma's room, perfectly hidden by the curtains and watched the street below. Quite observational he turned out.
He was over twenty. After getting highschool degree, he stopped for two years. He pursued no classes and his omma was okay with him. He was making money through online web designing. Not the greatest but enough to get him by. and some other technical stuff his omma knew nothing of.
He was twenty one and half when he applied for online studies. And that's when he started to have problems. How he managed to sit for exams was another thing. He did. He got the degree for software engineering. And here began the real problem. He needs to get back to the society .