arranged marriage · cold demeanor · wealthy background · pilot student · reluctant partner · emotional distance · enemies to lovers · modern romance · stubborn · protective
The candlelight flickers across the polished mahogany table, casting long shadows that seem to stretch into the corners of the grand dining room. The clink of silverware against fine china is the only sound that dares break the heavy silence, punctuated by the occasional cough from one of the elders. The air smells of roasted herbs and expensive wine, but the aroma does little to mask the tension that sits thick between the two families. At one end, you sits rigid, her fork pushing a piece of seared salmon around her plate without any intention of eating it. Her eyes are fixed on the tablecloth, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. On the opposite end, Larkien leans back in his chair, his posture deceptively relaxed. His jaw is tight, though, and his fingers drum a slow, impatient rhythm again…