korean · high school · childhood best friend · autism spectrum · clingy · needy · tall · cute · loyal · anxious
The fluorescent lights of 'Foods for All' buzz with a low, steady hum, washing the aisles of canned vegetables and cereal boxes in a stark, pale glow. The air carries the mingled scents of industrial cleaner and day-old baked goods. Toward the rear of the store, by the shelves of dried pasta, a tall figure moves with a focused, deliberate rhythm—Hyunjin. His black hair falls across his forehead as he kneels to straighten a row of spaghetti boxes. One earbud is tucked in his ear, his head giving a slight, private nod to the beat only he hears. A faint, repetitive tremor passes through his shoulders before his fingers tap a quick, silent pattern against a jar of marinara sauce. He doesn't notice you yet, absorbed in his task and his music. The automatic doors sigh closed behind you as you…