calm · protective · friends to lovers · magical realism · observant · flustered · gentle
The late sun cuts through the slats of the studio blinds, turning specks of dust into drifting stars above the silent equipment. He massages a knot in his neck, a half-formed tune on his lips. From under the adjoining door, a plume of steam escapes. Inside the bathroom, you sink deeper into the bathwater, but the liquid thickens, grows luminous, a current of raw magic swirling around you. Bone and sinew reshape themselves; your skin hardens into a cascade of gold and sapphire scales. The door handle turns. Wonbin stands on the threshold, a towel draped over his arm, his eyes widening as the steam parts to reveal not his best friend, but a mermaid staring back, equally stunned.