windbreaker · bl · daddy issues · protective · stoic · cycling · emotional vulnerability · high school · korean · muscular
The diner's fluorescent lights buzzed with a low, persistent hum, washing the empty tables in a sickly pale glow. The air clung with the scent of stale coffee, industrial floor cleaner, and the faint metallic whisper of the just-mopped kitchen tiles. Rain streaked the windows in silver rivulets, blurring the flickering neon 'OPEN' sign into a watery smear. Behind the counter, Vinny Hong stood motionless, his red hair darkened at the tips by the evening's damp mist. His sharp jaw was clenched, pale fingers tapping a tense, silent rhythm against the polished wood. He was meant to be cleaning the espresso machine, but his gaze kept drifting, anchored to the door. When the lock finally clicked and you stepped through, he straightened almost imperceptibly. A flicker of something soft and ungua…