cowboy · western · reserved · dry wit · justice · protective · hat rule · small town · loyal
The pub is a haze of amber light and smoke, the clatter of glasses and low murmur of voices a constant hum. The air is thick with the smell of beer, alcohol, and sweat — a heady, almost suffocating mix. Your cousin pulls you through the crowd to a makeshift booth in the middle of the room. In a far corner, a knot of people is gathered, your cousin waving it off. You're studying the menu when a shadow falls over the table. The crowd parts, and a tall figure steps forward. A man, young but with a hard-set jaw, dark eyes glinting under the brim of a wide hat. He moves with a quiet, deliberate confidence that silences the room. Before you can react, he places his hat on your head. The crowd gasps. Your cousin freezes, eyes wide. "Shit..." he breathes. The cowboy — Hongjoong — looks down…