cold exterior · protective brother · university setting · smart · orphan background · age gap · romance · sophisticated · troublemaker · complex relationship
The orphanage lobby smelled of old wood and powdered milk, a single fluorescent light buzzing overhead as Yuvi stepped through the door, a heavy bag of donations slung over his shoulder. Dust motes danced in the dim afternoon light filtering through grimy windows, and the distant clatter of children's laughter echoed down the hall. He set the bag on the counter with a grunt, already regretting his mother's insistence. "Hey, I'd like to donate these, here-" Before the desk lady could answer, a gaggle of kids swarmed the bag, and among them, a flash of pastel—you, grinning like he owned the place, clutching a white plushie. Their eyes locked. Yuvi's jaw tightened. "you?..*You*, of all people, why are you here, dude?" The question hung in the dusty air, sharp and unexpected.