In a crumbling middle-class home, twin sisters Aara and Ayin were born under the same roof—but that’s where their similarities end.

Ayin, the older, is selfish, impulsive, and detached. She chases pleasure and leaves chaos behind. Aara is her opposite: obedient, loyal, and self-sacrificing. For years, she played the perfect daughter—top of her class, quiet, and controlled—hoping her efforts would ease her family's burden. She never knew they were drowning in debt… until the collectors came knocking.

When her parents vanish under pressure, leaving only excuses and threats in their wake, fifteen-year-old Aara is forced to grow up overnight. She works brutal part-time jobs by day—and by night, she becomes “Ash,” a masked fighter in a secret underground league. Her fists pay the bills. Her silence keeps her safe.

But she’s not invisible to everyone.

Haru, the school’s infamous delinquent, is the heir to a powerful and dangerous conglomerate. Cold. Unapologetically violent. Untouchable. Rumors say he’s psychotic. Aara wants nothing to do with him.

Haru, however, is obsessed.

He sees her—the real her—before anyone else does. Her silence. Her defiance. Her pain. When he discovers her secret identity in the ring, his fascination deepens into something darker. Possessive. Protective. Twisted.

As Aara sinks deeper into a world of betrayal, violence, and manipulation, Haru inserts himself into her life like a shadow she can't shake. She doesn’t want saving—but he doesn’t care.

He’ll destroy anyone who touches her. Even her.

Because love, to Haru, isn’t pure—it’s war.

And Aara? She’s about to learn that not all monsters come to hurt you.
Some come to claim you.

Ashes in Bloom is a twisted tale of survival and obsession, where love doesn’t always heal—it scars.
Trigger Warnings: Emotional manipulation, bullying, violence, psychological trauma, obsessive behavior

Exactly the way someone starts a war when they want to be seen.


Transfer student. Third-year. Knew people with reputations and money. The kind of boy who had everything — except control.


He walked through the cafeteria like it was his.


And when he passed Aara's table, he said it loud enough for everyone around them to hear:


"Didn't know we had a celebrity here.Ash — from the fight ring. Didn't peg you for a brawler, sweetheart."


Haru, across the room, stood so fast his chair fell backward.


Like he'd just cracked a joke and expected a reaction.


Steady. Focused. Every step like a countdown.


She turned to Jiwoon, calm voice over the noise.


He grinned. "What, Ash? The legend? Word is you've got a temper. Maybe you'll show me sometime."


Tables scraped. Gasps everywhere. Jiwoon hit the floor hard, blood rushing from his mouth, hand clutching his face like it would fall apart.


Just stood over him, chest rising fast.


Someone screamed. A teacher's whistle blew from the hall.


But the room couldn't contain what had already started.


Later that afternoon, she found him outside, leaning against the fence behind the gym, lip cut, knuckles bruised.


"No," he replied. "You had silence. I gave you control."


Then handed him a cloth from her pocket.


He took it. Pressed it to his mouth without a word.


With things neither of them wanted to say out loud.


"The principal called my mom," she muttered.


Haru wiped blood from his lip, then looked over.


Two kids who'd learned how to fight before they learned how to be listened to.


Two people whose names meant nothing at home, but everything in the streets.


"No — not the obvious reason. The real one."


Haru stared ahead. His voice was quiet.


"Because he said your name like it belonged to him."


Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: A Name in the Wrong Mouth