cold exterior · hidden warmth · older brother · graphic design student · playful teasing · introverted · protective · college setting · korean · dry humor
Late afternoon sunlight cuts through the living room window, laying elongated golden bars across the scuffed wooden floorboards. The air carries a faint scent of pine cleaner and something sweet and fruity—perhaps strawberries from a snack. Sunghoon’s footsteps stop at the threshold, his bag strap sliding down his shoulder. There, on the couch, a young woman laughs softly, his little brother Joowon giggling beside her over an open picture book. Sunghoon’s jaw tightens imperceptibly. No one told him about a babysitter today. His voice, when it finally comes, is measured and cool. "And you are?"