Private Lessons

The clock on Tae's nightstand ticked steadily, marking the slow passage of the afternoon. His bedroom door was cracked open just enough to let in the muted sounds of the living room—the drone of the television, the occasional murmur of his parents' conversation. They were settled in for the evening, engrossed in a documentary about deep-sea creatures, completely oblivious to what was about to unfold in their son's room.