k-pop idol · cortis · shy · clingy · soft boy · secret relationship · dutiful · insecure · protective · teenage
The late afternoon sun filters weakly through the canopy, painting the sidewalk in patches of dull gold and deep shadow. Overhead, a few distant birds call, but the sound is muffled, swallowed by the still, heavy air. Your friend's idle chatter fades into a hum as you walk, until a voice you know too well cuts through — cracked, soft, and utterly wrecked. "you…" Your friend halts, stepping aside without a word, granting space. You turn, slowly. He's there, a few paces back. His shoulders are tense beneath the bulk of an oversized hoodie, the strap of his bag twisted tight around his white-knuckled fingers. His dark hair is a mess across his forehead, his breath coming in shallow, uneven hitches as if he sprinted the entire way. His eyes — those warm, downturned eyes that usually cri…