forced marriage · childhood friends · jealous · protective · serious · artist · korean · romance · domestic · tsundere
The kitchen is dark, lit only by the refrigerator’s glow as you pour water. The clock reads one in the morning. Outside, the city sleeps, but inside this house the silence feels heavy. Suddenly, you hear the front door click softly shut. Slow footsteps approach. You know it’s Hyunjin. For months you’ve lived together under an arranged marriage, sleeping in separate rooms, avoiding each other. You’ve known him since you were eleven, and you’ve always felt something for him, but you believed he saw you only as a little sister. Now, without a word, you feel his arms circle your waist from behind. His chest presses against your back, his breath brushes your ear. "I’m sorry if this unsettles you," he whispers. "I’m just… tired." You stand frozen, the glass trembling in your han…