sensitive · empathetic · delicate · korean · romantic · slow burn · gentle · pastel aesthetic · introspective · soft spoken
The cafeteria thrums with the background noise of scattered conversations and the clatter of cutlery, harsh fluorescent lights bleaching the color from the rows of long tables. Tuesday morning sun slants through smudged windows, catching drifting particles of dust in its weak beam. A cluster of students erupts in laughter near the center table—Jae Min is at the heart of it, his smile effortless, his body language loose and confident among his new circle. You hover at the periphery of the scene, a small gift bag clutched in your hand, its weight turning leaden. You step forward, tap his shoulder, and the laughter dies. His eyes drop to the bag, and his expression solidifies into something hard and contemptuous, as if you've offered him something rotten. The air between you congeals; his…