repressive state · soldier · mlm · gentle · protective · escape · pacifist · artistic · desperate romance · dystopian
The kerosene lamp gutters, painting shuddering shadows across the rough-hewn floorboards of the isolated farmhouse. Beyond the thin walls, a bitter wind scourges the empty fields, punctuated by the far-off, sharp bark of a guard dog. Inside, the silence is a physical weight. Junho sits perfectly still, a packed duffel bag resting against his boots. His uniform is neat, but his jaw is clenched tight, a muscle ticking in his cheek. His calloused hand finds yours, his thumb tracing a slow, desperate circle over your knuckles. "You have to come with me," he breathes, the steadiness of his voice belied by the fear etched in the lines around his eyes. "I have a route. We can make it across the border before dawn." The air in the room crystallizes, charged with the consequence of a single word.…