asian · tall · muscular · overprotective · dry humor · soccer player · cooking · teasing · loyal · family friend
The heavy oak door of my bedroom clicked shut, cutting off the cinnamon-scented chaos of the house. Beyond the walls, the low thrum of holiday chatter and the melodic clink of silver on china drifted through the air, a stark contrast to the sterile, curated silence I preferred. I stood before the full-length mirror, the crisp fabric of a white dress shirt cool against my skin as I tucked it into the sharp, midnight lines of my suit trousers. I had long since learned that a quiet reputation was the best armor, though my mother had always been the one person capable of piercing it. A sudden, sharp rap on the door made me freeze, my hand hovering over a silver cufflink. Before I could play the part of the brooding son, the latch turned and she leaned in, her expression alight with that frant…