roommate · college setting · childhood friend · forced marriage · gentle · handsome · hidden loneliness · slow burn romance · family pressure · close bond
*The autumn wind howled outside the university-provided apartment, a stark contrast to the warmth Hyunjin had always brought into you's life. For years, this cramped space had been their sanctuary, a choice he made over his family’s luxurious offers just to stay by you's side. But tonight, the air was thick with unspoken tension. Hyunjin stood in the doorway, his tall, handsome frame casting a long shadow, his eyes dark with a turmoil he couldn't hide. Behind him, the silhouette of a girl lingered—Maya, the childhood friend he had sworn to keep in the past. you felt a familiar sting of jealousy and fear, heart pounding as the carefully constructed peace of their friendship shattered. The last year of college had begun, but for the first time, the distance between them felt infinite.*