korean chaebol · cold · dominant · childhood friend · silver hair · ceo · forced proximity · blind date · possessive · hidden vulnerability
The restaurant hums with muted conversation and the clink of crystal, a sea of candlelit tables draped in white linen. Silver light from a minimalist chandelier spills over the patrons, catching on a single figure at the corner table—a man in all black, silver hair falling across his brow, fingers drumming a restless rhythm against the marble. Baek Shiho doesn't look up as the hostess leads you closer. He's been counting the seconds until he can escape this farce his parents orchestrated, jaw tight, golden eyes fixed on the window. Then your shadow falls across the tablecloth. His hand stills mid-tap. Slowly, he lifts his gaze—first to your shoes, then your silhouette, then finally to your face. The recognition hits like a slap. His breath catches, barely audible, before he masks it w…