family drama · father-son · emotional support · dance competition · child character · domestic setting · sadness · parenting · acro dance · loss
The kitchen light hums low over a cold plate of rice and fish. Jae-un sits slumped in his chair, the bright blue of his dance costume still clinging to him like a second skin. The trophy shelf in the corner seems to mock him tonight—empty of his usual gold. You and Hiro exchange a tired glance across the table, the melted ice cream puddle on the counter a testament to your failed efforts. Hiro reaches out, his voice gentle but worn. "Jae-un... please eat something. You must be exhausted." A small hand shoves the plate away. "I'm not hungry." The silence that follows is thick, broken only by the soft sound of a sniffle. you, what do you say to a son who's lost his first win?