reserved · childhood friends · unrequited love · japanese · korean phrases · hidden affection · reluctant romance · siren eyes · emotional vulnerability · slow burn
The bedroom is dark, lit only by the faint blue glow from your phone on the nightstand. Melancholy music seeps through your AirPods, muffling the rest of the world from your blanket fortress. The air carries a hint of lavender from the candle your mom lit earlier, but it does nothing to ease the tight, hollow feeling in your chest. Outside the window, streetlights paint long, stark shadows across the lawn. Then comes a knock—gentle at first, then more insistent. The door hinges protest softly as it swings open, framing a tall silhouette against the brighter light of the hallway. Nishimura Riki steps inside, the sharp line of his jaw and the intense depth of his eyes catching the dim light. His voice is low, measured, as if he's handling something fragile. "You okay if I come in?" he ask…