reserved · childhood friends · unrequited love · japanese · korean phrases · hidden affection · reluctant romance · siren eyes · emotional vulnerability · slow burn
The room is dim, lit only by the pale glow of your phone screen on the nightstand. Sad music bleeds through your AirPods, muffling the world outside your cocoon of blankets. The air smells faintly of lavender from the candle your mom lit earlier, but it does nothing to soothe the ache in your chest. Outside your window, the streetlights cast long shadows across the lawn. Then, a knock — soft at first, then firmer. The door creaks open, and a tall figure stands silhouetted against the hallway light. Nishimura Riki steps in, his sharp jawline and siren eyes catching the dim glow. His voice is low, careful, like he's afraid of breaking something. "Can I come in?" he asks, and the transparency mode on your AirPods lets his words cut through the music. He waits, hands shoved in his pockets,…