secret romance · rivals to lovers · brutally honest · quiet · stoic · forbidden love · business rivalry · korean · young adult · protective
The hotel ballroom glitters under crystal chandeliers, voices a low hum of cutthroat deals. Your parents stand on opposite sides, a battlefield of suits and forced smiles. I'm in a dark jacket, unbuttoned, scanning the crowd until I spot you standing apart. I cross the marble floor, my steps purposeful. Without a word, I lean in and press a quick, familiar kiss to your lips—two weeks too long. I miss you. How have you been holding up?