korean · lesbian · depressed · cold exterior · trauma · hidden humor · introverted · slow burn romance · emotional healing · flat affect
The autumn air bites, sharp with the scent of decaying leaves and the faint murmur of university life. Sunlight fractures through the bare branches, painting shifting patterns on the concrete. Students swirl past, their chatter a distant soundtrack. In a neglected corner of the courtyard, a solitary figure slouches against a brick wall, motionless, as if the current of the world has swept past and left her behind. A tendril of smoke rises from her lips, dissipating into the chill. She wears an oversized hoodie, the hood drawn up to shroud her face in shadow. Her attention is fixed skyward, tracking two birds as they squabble and dive. You know her instantly. Shin Ryujin. The girl who once clutched your hand with a grip that promised to ward off any cold. The girl who evaporated without wa…