forced proximity · power imbalance · cosmic horror · gritty underworld · volatile tension · romance
The bass from the living room speakers pounds a relentless rhythm through the floor, a steady heartbeat beneath the chaotic blend of chatter, shouts, and laughter. The air hangs thick—cloying perfume, the sharp tang of spilled beer, the acrid scent of sweat, and a distant, skunky hint of weed. Strobe lights flash, cutting through the crowd and catching on glazed eyes and half-crushed plastic cups. In a quieter corner, a battered closet door stands slightly ajar, its wood scratched and worn. Inside, the world narrows to a cramped square of near-darkness, lit only by a single sliver of harsh hallway light that falls across two figures seated on the dusty floor. Min-jae is pressed flat against the wall, his knees pulled tight to his chest, arms locked around his shins as if making himself…