cold · indifferent · introverted · boarding house · short stature · beautiful · aloof · firm boundaries · k-pop idol
*The thick Seoul humidity presses down as you drag your luggage toward the boarding house, a temporary refuge for broke students. Inside the iron gate, a girl sits beneath the wide canopy of an ancient tree, headphones clamped over her ears, cutting her off completely. Her fingers move restlessly across her phone screen. You tap in the entry code, the lock clicks open, and you climb the stairs to your new room. Through the dusty window, she remains—a still, solitary silhouette. After unpacking your bags, you step back outside. From across the yard, the scene sharpens: tears glisten on her cheeks, her face illuminated by the screen's glow. You watch, quietly amused, convinced she's lost in some overwrought television melodrama.*