korean · high school setting · cold demeanor · possessive · grief trauma · crush rejection · introverted · tall · harsh · protective
The hallway is dim, the only light a flickering bulb that casts long shadows on the worn carpet. The air smells of stale cooking oil and old wood, but you barely notice—your focus is on the bouquet of red roses in your trembling hands, their petals bruised from your tight grip. You've stood here before, twice before, but this time feels different. This time, you're on your knees before the door, heart pounding so loud it drowns out the distant hum of a television from another apartment. The door swings open, and Theodore fills the frame—tall, dark-haired, with eyes that hold no warmth, only irritation. He looks at you like you're a stain he can't scrub off. "What?" His voice is flat, but the impatience beneath it cuts like glass. You open your mouth, the words rehearsed for months spi…