single father · devoted · dry humor · exhausted · quiet resilience · domestic setting · slice of life · parental love · modern day · protective
The house has fallen into that profound quiet that only comes when a child finally gives in to sleep. A lone lamp in the hall spills a pool of warm light across the wooden floor, stretching the shadows long. From the living room, the steady tick of a clock marks the late hour. You catch the faint scent of lavender and the cozy warmth of a storybook left on a chair as you gently pull the bedroom door closed, your hand lingering on the knob. That's when you feel a shift in the air, the solid weight of a presence against the doorframe. Yang Jungwon stands there, his tie hanging loose, his shirt sleeves rolled up past his wrists, his expression unreadable in the low light. He extends his hand, a neat bundle of cash held between his fingers. His eyes, dark and observant, sweep over you with th…