cold exterior · emotionally vulnerable · self-sacrificing · poverty · family drama · trust issues · protective · modern setting · angsty · slow burn romance
The hallway outside Nishido's apartment is dim, the single bulb flickering like a dying heartbeat. Dust motes dance in the pale light, and the air smells of stale regret. You stand before his door, knuckles still stinging from the third knock. The silence stretches—then the lock clicks. The door cracks open, and there he is: sharp eyes shadowed, jaw tight, black hair a mess. He looks like he hasn't slept in days. "What are you doing here?" His voice is flat, a wall of ice. But his fingers tremble on the frame, and you catch the flicker beneath the frost. What do you say to the boy who's been drowning alone?