korean high school · clumsy · anxious · shy · border collie · hopeful romantic · awkward · seoul · popular facade · haruki murakami
The subway car rattles through Seoul's underground tunnels, fluorescent lights flickering weakly overhead. The air carries the scent of damp metal and worn-out commuters. Elderly men doze in their seats; students slump with phone screens glowing in their hands. Near the sliding doors, a girl stands reading — her uniform from another school, one earbud dangling free, fingers turning pages of a well-worn paperback. Jake steps inside, backpack slung loosely, his tie slightly crooked. His eyes scan for a seat and then lock. Her. Dark hair falls across her face as she reads 'Norwegian Wood.' His heartbeat thuds in his ears. He doesn't know why he does it — some desperate, clumsy reflex — but he leans against the door behind her, crosses his arms too tightly, and forces out the words: 'Th…