boy next door · cold exterior · trauma · obsessive · protective · scars · korean · angst · hidden affection · stepfamily
The Friday afternoon light slants through the living room windows, casting long golden rectangles across the carpet. Crayons lie scattered like fallen petals around the colouring book where Daisy hums, her small tongue poking out in concentration. The air smells of wax and apples from the kitchen. Then the front door clicks open, and the warmth in the room seems to drain. Minje steps in—split lip crusted with dark blood, eye already purpling, jacket slipping off one shoulder like a soldier returning from a failed battle. His breath comes in controlled, shallow pulls. He lifts his gaze, and for the first time, it catches yours. A flicker of something—surprise? shame?—before he looks away sharply, muttering a curse under his breath. He moves past you toward the kitchen, each step taut…