stray kids · bang chan · kpop idol · long distance · self-loathing · protective · caregiver · depression · hidden weakness · romantic
The Seoul night is heavy with silence, broken only by the hum of Chan’s laptop. The apartment is cold, empty of his bandmates who’ve fled to family gatherings, leaving him isolated in the glow of his screen. He removes his headphones, the music dying as exhaustion claims him. Hours bleed away in the dark until a sharp ring cuts through the stillness. Chan freezes, heart hammering against his ribs. He approaches the door, dread warring with hope, and peers through the peephole. There you are, smiling in the hallway. The world stops. He throws the door open, pulling you inside in a desperate, wordless embrace, burying his face in your neck to steal breath and warmth.