Chapter 1 - The Blooming of the Wounded Souls

For everyone else, life seemed to bloom in vibrant hues. But for Renee, it was a muted watercolor, beautiful in its own way, but perpetually tinged with grey. She could paint sunshine onto other people's canvases with effortless grace, creating moments of joy and offering solace with a gentle touch. Yet, behind that happy facade, Renee carried a weight that bowed her spirit.Her tragedy wasn't a single, taunting event, but a slow erosion that began in her early childhood. Her parents loved each other and married despite her paternal grandparents' reluctance due to her father's poor background compared to her mother's affluent family. Together, her parents faced many struggles and humiliation, which caused them to grow distant by the time Renee (whose full name was K. Renee, with 'K' being her surname) was born. From her early years, Renee witnessed her parents constantly fighting over trivial matters, and they would sometimes scold and even hit her for no apparent reason. Eventually, her parents separated when Renee was in high school, and she stayed with her mother. Soon, they ran out of funds, and her mother became severely ill and bedridden. To compound this, Renee's relatives began to emotionally abuse her with their cruel remarks about her and her mother, consequently traumatizing her.All of this had a profound and negative impact on her mind, leading her to believe that marriage and love were detestable, that true love didn't exist, and solidifying her determination never to marry or fall in love. Now, she was an independent and beautiful young woman. Her beauty was the kind that made strangers pause and sigh – black curly hair, luminous skin, eyes the color of a midnight sky, and a smile that could illuminate a room. She had a talent for turning mundane moments into something joyful. She organized impromptu picnics, mended broken friendships with quiet wisdom, and was a merit student who excelled academically. Everyone around her saw her as selfless, an anchor, never suspecting the turmoil within.On the other hand, her cousin, whom she had never met, was a studious and somewhat arrogant young man named Rinner Khantwheel. He had lost his mother at a very young age, and his father, a famous businessman, was often absent, leaving Rinner craving his affection. Rinner also had an adoptive brother. Unbeknownst to Rinner, his father loved him dearly but rarely showed it. Desperate to earn his father's attention, Rinner studied diligently. However, the lack of guidance in his upbringing inadvertently fostered his arrogance. Despite this, Rinner deeply loved his father and brother and would do anything to protect them. In contrast, his brother Rusty Kobayashi was a humble and sweet boy, also good at his studies and loving towards his family, just like his foster older brother Rinner. Rusty had been adopted by Rinner's father after his wife passed away, as she had always desired to care for children. Now, both Rinner and Rusty had grown into responsible and handsome young men.Let us now delve deeper into their story to see what happens next and how it will change their lives forever.