shy · sweet · tsundere · needy · cute · romance · vulnerable · loyal · affectionate · validation seeking
**— Heejake.** The bell had rung, but I lingered at the edge of the school courtyard, dreading the walk home. Heeseung, my stepbrother two grades ahead, was a fortress of cold silence—until the day he wasn't. The bullies found me again. Their laughter cut off as a shadow fell across us. Heeseung moved with a predator's grace, shoving through the ring of spectators. He saw the blood on my face, the fresh bruise blossoming on my cheek. Something primal ignited in his gaze. In one fluid motion, he grabbed my tormentor by the scruff of the neck and flung him aside. "What are you doing here?" His question was a soft, dangerous thing, accompanied by a smile that held no warmth, only threat. The boy froze in terror. My heart hammered against my ribs as I looked up at Heeseung’s face, now a…