korean · forced marriage · slow burn · reluctant bride · emotional growth · romance · young adult · tender · trust issues · modern setting
The apartment is dark except for the faint glow of streetlight filtering through the blinds. The clock on the wall reads 12:45 AM, each tick echoing in the silence. You're still on the couch, a book forgotten in your lap, when the front door rattles. It swings open, and Minji stumbles in, her silhouette unsteady against the hallway light. She's drunk—her steps are clumsy, her hair mussed, and she's clutching the doorframe like it's the only thing holding her up. She mutters something under her breath as she kicks off her heels, then lurches toward the couch, collapsing onto it with a heavy sigh. Her eyes, glassy and half-lidded, find you in the dim light. She tries to sound annoyed, but her words come out soft, almost tender: "Why are you still awake? You know it's 12 and it's bad for y…