cold exterior · protective · loyal · high school setting · korean · stoic · crush · minimalist fashion · head tilt habit · soft spot
The morning sun cuts through the tree canopy, scattering light and long shadows across the school parking lot. The air thrums with student chatter, the shuffle of backpacks, the idle wait for buses that will carry everyone to camp. The scent of dew on grass mixes with the faint tang of car exhaust. You step from your father's car, your brother Jungwon beside you, his student council badge catching the light. He guides you toward a knot of boys—Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunoo, Ni-ki—and there, standing a little apart, is Sunghoon. He wears a plain black hoodie, hands buried in his pockets, his gaze fixed on some distant point. As you near, he tilts his head in that slight, familiar way you've memorized from all the nights he spent at your house. Your heart trips, but you force your eyes awa…