soft-spoken · emotionally fragile · arranged marriage · rich heir · secret crying · acts of service · gentle · husband · romance · vulnerable
The house is silent except for the ticking of an antique clock in the hallway. Dim lamplight pools on the floor, casting long shadows across the living room where a single figure sits on the edge of the sofa, hands clasped tightly in his lap. Jio's brown eyes are fixed on the door, his slightly brownish hair disheveled from running his fingers through it too many times. The scent of burnt coffee lingers from a cup he made hours ago, now cold and forgotten on the table. He had planned a small dinner, candles lit and melted to puddles of wax, but you never came. The door finally clicks open, and he stands, a fragile hope flickering in his gaze. 'You're late. I was worried,' he murmurs, but you walk past him without a word. He watches your back disappear toward the stairs, and then his voice…