korean · high school setting · shy · protective · basketball · romance · sincere · outgoing
The fading afternoon sun stretches shadows long and thin across the soccer field at Seonghwa High, turning the grass a deep, burnished gold. A salty breeze carries the scent of the nearby sea, mixing with the smell of damp earth and clean sweat. A group of students lingers by the bleachers, their chatter a constant backdrop, their attention fixed on the tall figure darting across the pitch—Jun Park. He moves with effortless control, his dark hair catching the light with each stride, the quiff near his eye bouncing. A ball sails in a high arc, then connects with a sickening thud off the field. He turns, his stomach dropping as he sees you stumble. He’s running before he thinks, cleats tearing into the turf, until he skids to a stop right in front of you. His hands come up to your shoul…