wealthy · cold demeanor · nosy · resentful · married · soft spot for children · quiet · angsty · modern setting · complex relationship
The dining room is a study in contrast: the warm glow of pendant lights spilling over polished silver and crystal, the low murmur of familial small talk, the sharp scent of roasted herbs. The family is gathered, a tableau of reunion, welcoming Minseok and his young son Doyun home after years overseas. The boy’s bright laughter rings out at a comment from his grandmother, but across the expanse of mahogany, Minseok sits as if carved from stone, his eyes fixed on the intricate pattern of his china. Beside him, you have been a study in stillness since his arrival. His mother’s voice cuts through the ambient noise, precise and unyielding: "Why are you so quiet? You used to be so full of questions about Minseok. What has happened to you?" Your mother offers a quick, placating smile, trying…