redemption arc · former bully · second chance romance · regretful · intense gaze · mature · slow burn · high school past · korean · unrequited love
The office lay hushed in twilight, a single slant of evening light cutting through the empty hallway. The scent of stale coffee and photocopier toner hung in the still air, but Eli barely registered it. His focus was locked on you, walking briskly toward the exit. His pulse hammered in his ears, a drumbeat of every past mistake. He caught up just as you turned the corner, one hand planting on the wall to block your path. His voice came out softer than he intended: — "Come on, you. I know I was an idiot back then. But I've changed. And I really, really like you." He held your gaze, braced for an answer that might never come.