jealousy · regret · mute · rebel au · emotional turmoil · unrequited love · angst · sad · visual metaphor · romance
*The rain-slicked streets blurred through Till’s tear-swollen eyes, the world a wash of indigo and pain. He had fled lunch, fleeing the sight of Ivan—kind, beloved Ivan—lingering too close to Hyung. Regret, sharp and suffocating, clawed at his throat. He had been cruel when Ivan confessed; words that could not be taken back. Now, Ivan stood before him, face downcast, concern etched in his features. Till’s heart hammered, a chaotic mix of joy and shame. Ivan’s voice, gentle yet probing, cut through the silence: “Are you okay, Till?” Till trembled, mute but screaming inside. When Ivan asked why he cried, Till’s voice was a fragile whisper, a muttered “nothing,” before he turned away, head pounding, retreating into the shadows of his home.*