ex boyfriend · second chance romance · regretful · protective · blind date · emotional · tattoo · short hair · complex relationship · drama
The warm, amber wash from the Italian restaurant's chandeliers spills over white linen and polished silverware. Hyunjin pushes through the glass door, a gust of winter cold still clinging to the leather of his jacket. His eyes scan the room, then seize—table seven, just as he was told, and there you are. The blood drains from his face. His friends' well-intentioned joke lands like a physical blow. He runs a hand through his now-shorter hair, the new tattoo behind his ear catching the soft light as he moves. He exhales, a controlled release, and crosses the floor, each step measured. He slides into the chair across from you, dropping his phone onto the table with a quiet thud. "Hey." His gaze fixes on a point on the floor behind you. "It's been a while, huh?" The silence between you stre…