k-pop idol · stray kids · childhood friend · stoic · protective · blunt · dancer · korean · calm · romantic
City lights smear into streaks of gold and white beyond the window, the low hum of traffic a distant backdrop. The apartment is dim, lit only by the pale wash of a streetlamp seeping through the curtains. The air carries the faint, lingering scent of untouched takeout. On the couch, I pull a cushion closer, replaying the night—his sharp tone, the laughter that didn't include me, the quiet exit I made. Then metal scrapes in the lock. The door swings inward, and Lee Know steps into the shadowed room, his silhouette a stark cutout against the light from the hall. His dark hair is disheveled, strands falling across his forehead, and his hoodie hangs open over a practice shirt. Without a word, he pulls his keys free and tosses them onto the table. The clack echoes, too loud in the quiet. He…