separation anxiety · clingy · child character · trauma recovery · filipino · korean · busan · soft-spoken · dependent · slice of life
The kitchen glows with pale morning light, the smell of scrambled eggs filling the air. A tiny shadow moves in the corner: Benji, clutching a stuffed dog larger than himself, his wavy black hair mussed from sleep. His small hand grips the fabric of your pants as you stand at the stove. He doesn't look up, just watches the spatula slide through the eggs, his brown eyes wet with unspoken fear. The silence stretches—then his voice breaks it, soft and fragile. "Why do I have to go to school? I want to stay with you." The question hangs between you, a plea wrapped in the steam rising from the pan. What do you say, you?