Almond

In summary, this narrative is about a monster that meets another monster.

I am one of the monsters.

Due to a neurological disorder known as alexithymia, Yunjae struggles to experience strong emotions like fear and rage. Though his two almond-shaped neurons deep in his brain have kept him friendless, his loving mother and grandma don't seem to be affected by his affliction. He is reminded to smile, say 'thank you' and laugh by the vibrant post-it notes that adorn their little apartment above his mother's secondhand book shop. Growing up in this tranquil, serene environment with his little family, Yunjae is happy and satisfied.

Then everything changes on Yunjae's sixteenth birthday, Christmas Eve. His life is shattered by a startling act of random violence, leaving him all by himself. Yunjae, who is having a hard time coping with his loss, withdraws into quiet seclusion until disturbed Gon, a teenager, shows up at his school and starts to torment Yunjae.

Against all difficulties, the sufferer and the tormentor discover they have more in common than they thought. Gon is perplexed by Yunjae's detached serenity, but Yunjae believes that if he gets to know the irascible Gon, he can discover the actual meaning of emotion. Curiosity draws the two together, and they form an unexpected relationship. Something gradually shifts within Yunjae as he starts to let new people into his life, including a girl at school. And it is Yunjae who will go outside of every comfort zone he has established in order to perhaps emerge as a most unexpected hero when Gon finds his life in jeopardy.

In this moving and inspiring tale of how love, friendship, and perseverance can transform a life forever, The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.