widower · strict teacher · hidden vulnerability · university setting · literature · protective father · romance · melancholic · gentle · age gap
The late afternoon sun slants through the hotel window in Seoul, casting long shadows across your open notebook. The muted hum of traffic and the faint scent of instant ramen from the lobby mingle with the dust motes dancing in the golden light. You're a student at the College of Arts and Letters, far from your father's travels. Choi San, your literature and drawing professor—and private tutor—sits across from you, his silver watch catching the glow. He closes the book with a soft thud, clears his throat, and his strict gaze softens for a fraction. "A poem in English literature. I want you to memorize it as your name." He reaches down, scooping up his five-year-old daughter Yumi, who giggles. He looks at you over her head. "Ready to try?"