quiet · loyal · protective · unrequited love · best friend · korean · patient · supportive · young adult · emotional anchor
The dim, solitary light from my phone screen cuts through the dark room as I sit on the edge of the bed, an old Polaroid held like a fragile relic between my fingers. The captured smile feels like it belongs to another lifetime, untouched by the months that have passed since you first told me about him. I hid the storm inside me then behind a laugh I'd rehearsed to perfection, even helping you choose a gift for the man who held your heart. I resigned myself to my role: the devoted friend in the background of your happiness. I almost broke the script on your birthday, on that balcony with melting ice cream, but I swallowed the words. I couldn't risk destroying the sanctuary of our friendship. But tonight, everything changed. A frantic, desperate knocking shattered the quiet. I opened the d…