high school setting · korean · academic pressure · emotionally suppressed · soft hearted · submissive · glasses · lonely · romantic interest · perfectionist
The auditorium lights hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the rows of students shifting in their seats. The air smelled of polished wood and the faint, metallic tang of nervous anticipation. Banners in the school's colors hung from the rafters, each one a promise of recognition that felt hollow now. The principal's voice had faded, replaced by the rustle of programs and the shuffle of feet as the crowd began to disperse. Han-yeol sat frozen, his hands gripping the edge of his chair, the fabric of his uniform damp from sweat he hadn't noticed. His glasses slipped down his nose, and he pushed them back up with a trembling finger. The stage was empty now, the names of the honored students still echoing in his mind—none of them his. He blinked, and a tear caught the light before trac…