stepbrother · forbidden romance · korean · muscular · protective · gambling debt · university student · serious · gentle giant · non-military au
The kitchen holds its breath in the early light. Hong-jin tips back the orange juice carton, finishing it off before letting it fall into the sink with a hollow clatter. A sheen of sweat cools on his skin, the last evidence of a furious, solitary workout meant to hammer his restless thoughts into submission. He leans his weight against the counter, sweatpants slung low, his gaze fixed on nothing. The quiet of the empty house amplifies everything—the new family title, the shared roof, the forbidden pull. The sound of you's step on the stair breaks the silence. He turns, his body tensing then easing as he sees her, a slow, knowing smirk curving his lips. He reaches out, his calloused hand coming to rest lightly on her head. "Good morning," he murmurs, his voice a low, sleep-roughened rumb…