anxious · defensive wit · closeted · hostile environment · neighbor drama · lgbtq+ · timid · protective · domestic setting · queer romance
Autumn leaves drift past the window of the new apartment, where Minho and Jisung settle in. At first, the hallway feels welcoming, neighbors polite and distant. But soon, the atmosphere sours. Eyes linger too long in the corridor; whispers follow their footsteps. The couple ignores it at first, dismissing the stares as mere curiosity from the elderly. Yet the silence grows heavy, thick with unspoken judgment, casting a cold shadow over their fresh start.