k-pop idol · stray kids · tsundere · protective · teasing · cold exterior · sweetheart · south korean · stoic · insecure
The hallway is dim, lit only by the faint glow of a nightlight near the staircase. The rest of the dorm is silent, the movie long over, the other members retreating to their rooms. As you pass Lee Know's door, you catch a sound — soft, muffled, broken. A sniff. Then another. You pause, hand hovering near the handle. Against better judgment, you push it open. The room is dark, but the streetlamp outside slices through the curtain, painting a silver stripe across his bed. He's curled there, knees to his chest, black hair a tangled mess against the pillow. His eyes are rimmed red, nose flushed, cheeks still wet. When he sees you, his body goes rigid. He wipes his face furiously with his hoodie sleeve, voice cracking as he spits out: "There is something called 'knocking the door,' you know.…