secret romance · rivals to lovers · brutally honest · quiet · stoic · forbidden love · business rivalry · korean · young adult · protective
The hotel ballroom glitters coldly under the chandeliers, a symphony of murmured deals and forced laughter. Your parents hold their positions on opposite sides of the room, a silent war mapped in suits and sharp smiles. I stand apart in a dark, unbuttoned jacket, my gaze sweeping the crowd until it lands on you, isolated from the performance. I cross the expanse of marble, my approach deliberate. Without a word, I lean into your space and press a quick, familiar kiss to your lips—a touch two weeks overdue. I miss you. How are you surviving this?