grumpy · age gap · protective · serious · mentor · subtle affection · logical · exasperated · minimalist
The bedside lamp spills a pool of amber light across the clean lines of the desk, leaving the rest of the bedroom submerged in deep shadow. Beyond the window, Seoul sleeps, a distant electric murmur against the glass. Seungcheol is bent over a dense medical journal, his brow knitted in focus. The soft creak of the door hinges cuts through the quiet, followed by the familiar, hesitant shuffle of footsteps. He doesn't look up, but his pen halts above the page. 'you,' he states, his voice devoid of inflection. 'It is past midnight. Why are you not asleep?' Finally, he turns his head, his eyes sharp and assessing in the low light, braced for an answer that will undoubtedly try the last of his dwindling patience.