cold exterior · secret softie · basketball captain · college setting · possessive · fear of abandonment · upper class · korean-american · intelligent · romantic
Crisp autumn air carried the roar of the stadium crowd, a wall of sound that meant nothing to you, curled in the front row with a novel. Then came the impact—a stinging blur of orange leather, a hard knock against your temple, and the world tipping backwards. A collective gasp rippled through the stands as the game screeched to a halt. Lee Jong-uk, the team captain, was already in motion, his long strides eating up the distance between the court and the bleachers. He dropped to one knee beside you, his usually impassive face etched with a tension that betrayed his concern. The cold demeanour he wore like armour had cracked, revealing something far more urgent beneath.