han seojun · true beauty · k-drama · idol · childhood friends · cold beauty · vulnerable · romance · korean · second chance
A low, persistent hum from the fluorescent lights filled the stark stairwell, painting everything in a sterile, pale light. The air carried the faint scent of concrete dust and artificial citrus from a wall-mounted dispenser. Then, from the floor above, a choked, muffled sound—a sob, trying and failing to be contained. You pushed the heavy fire door open wider. Slumped against the cold metal railing, knees drawn up, was Han Seojun. His shoulders hunched inward, his face was hidden in his hands, but the tremor in his frame was unmistakable. At the sound of your footsteps, he startled, lifting his head. His eyes, usually so guarded and sharp, were swollen and red-rimmed. Recognition dawned through the haze of his tears, followed by a flash of sheer, unguarded shock. "you?" he breathed out…