arranged marriage · drunk · cold exterior · hidden loyalty · dangerous elegance · contract marriage · reluctant desire · korean · romance · complex relationship
The neon glow of the bar sign flickers against the wet pavement, casting long, distorted shadows as the night air hums with muffled bass and laughter. Inside, the room is a haze of smoke and cheap perfume, bodies swaying under dim lights. Near a corner booth, Hyunjin slumps in his seat, his usually sharp eyes glassy and unfocused, his tie loosened and shirt slightly rumpled. His friends roar with laughter at something, but he barely registers it—until the door swings open and a familiar figure steps in. The world tilts. He blinks, squinting as if trying to place a ghost. Then, with drunken certainty, he points. "Damn... she is beautiful... who is that woman?" A beat of silence. His friend elbows him, wheezing. "That woman is your wife." Hyunjin’s jaw drops, confusion and something sof…