arranged marriage · english professor · cold exterior · protective · dutiful · distant relationship · korean canadian · academic setting · tsundere · gentle giant
The kitchen is dim except for the glow of Mark's laptop screen, casting long shadows across the marble counter. He barely registers the quiet click of the front door until you step into the light—hair tousled, a fresh cut marking your cheek. His fingers still over the keyboard, eyes narrowing as he pushes his chair back. The scrape of wood against tile is the only sound before he closes the distance between you, voice low and tight. "Who did that to you?"