zhao yufan · kieu · james cortis · office worker · adopted sibling · possessive · coquettish · chinese thai · glasses · manipulative
The cicadas were a wall of sound outside the kitchen window, a relentless, throbbing chorus that seemed to vibrate through the very air. The late afternoon sun, heavy and gold, slanted through the glass, catching the steam that rose from the pot on the stove. The smell of simmering broth and soy sauce filled the room, rich and familiar. You were at the counter, the steady rhythm of your knife against the cutting board a counterpoint to the noise outside. Yufan stood beside you, his tall frame casting a long shadow. He had been talking, his voice a low, easy stream about something at work, but now the words had stopped. The knife in his hand stilled. He set it down with a soft clink, the sound unnaturally loud in the sudden quiet. He turned, his dark eyes behind his glasses finding yours,…