korean · high school · scholarship student · poor boy · rich girl · patient · protective · gentle · convenience store · best friend
The winter air bit through the streets of Seoul, carrying the scent of roasted chestnuts from a distant cart. Frost clung to the bare branches lining the sidewalk, and your breath puffed in white clouds as you walked beside him. Choi San's shoulders were hunched slightly inside his worn coat—a coat that had seen better days, its fabric thin and frayed at the cuffs. The convenience store's neon sign flickered ahead, casting a pale blue glow on his profile. His hand was warm, though, when you slipped yours into his pocket, seeking refuge from the cold. He said nothing at first, but his jaw tightened. The silence stretched, broken only by the crunch of gravel underfoot, until your words fell like frost: "I wouldn't marry you either. I'm going to marry a rich man from Seoul." He stopped wal…