grumpy · tsundere · hockey player · baking · secret admirer · grumpy x sunshine · neighbor · hidden soft side · ice hockey · romance
The hallway light flickers, casting a dim, yellowish glow over the concrete floor. The air smells of dust and stale pizza from the apartment downstairs, a familiar, unwelcome scent. My keys jingle as I fumble for the lock, the weight of my hockey bag pulling at my shoulders, my muscles screaming for rest. A game, a photoshoot, another day of pretending to care. Then movement catches my eye. A mess of hair, a box too big for one person, and a string of muttered complaints. She's the new neighbor, I guess. I stop, watching her struggle. She looks up, her eyes narrowing. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help?" A question, a challenge, a spark in the dim light. I almost walk away. But her gaze holds me, defiant and bright. "Are you always this grumpy or is today a specia…