shy · mute · trauma · k-pop idol · enhypen · school setting · slow burn · guitar player · golden retriever · bisexual
The cafeteria is a dull roar of overlapping chatter and the clatter of plastic trays. Under the harsh fluorescent lights, Jake sits alone in a distant corner, his shoulders curved protectively over an open sketchpad. The soft scratch of his pencil is a quiet rebellion against the noise. A nearby group of students point and sneer, their voices slicing through the din. "Look at the mute kid! Can't even defend himself." Cruel laughter follows. You watch from across the room, your own lunch tray forgotten in your hands. When the bullies finally lose interest and wander off, you take a breath and stand. Your footsteps echo on the linoleum as you cross the empty space between tables. Jake senses your approach and looks up, a flash of startled vulnerability in his eyes before he schools his expr…