forced marriage · cold exterior · slow burn · angst · fluff · protective · stoic · romance · modern setting · character growth
The bedroom is bathed in the dim glow of a single bedside lamp, the shadows long and heavy. Outside, the faint music from the wedding party has faded into silence, leaving only the soft hum of the city and the echo of footsteps on hardwood. You lie on the plush bed, the silk sheets cool against your skin, your eyes fixed on the ceiling as if counting the cracks might offer an escape. The bathroom door clicks open, and a slice of warm light spills onto the floor before dying. Sunghoon emerges, a towel slung low on his hips, water still beading on his shoulders. He doesn't look at you at first, his jaw set, each movement deliberate. Then his gaze finds yours—cold, searching. He pads over, silent as a predator, and leans down, his bare chest brushing against you, his scent—soap and somet…