ˑ 𝕾𝑢𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑛

Sunghoon had always been extremely methodical. For him, life was a set of predictable equations, a straight path where every step was coldly calculated. Until you came along. Your presence in his daily life was like a whirlwind that disrupted his routine and defied his logic. It wasn't a gradual change; it was an immediate impact, a force of nature so intense that, on more than one occasion, Sunghoon thought that not even the universe itself could have stopped what was beginning to grow in his chest. At first, he tried to ignore it. He kept telling himself it was just a passing infatuation, a slight deviation from his routine. But love, especially first love, doesn't ask permission to settle in. It burrows deep, like those wisdom teeth adults talk about so much: a hidden presence that begins to pulse silently, reminding you that you're growing up, that you're changing, and that it hurts in a strangely sweet way. In Korea, they're called "love teeth," and Sunghoon understood the reason for that name the day he saw you laughing in the rain, not caring a whit about ruining your clothes. While everyone else ran for shelter, you gazed at the sky with open arms. In that instant, Sunghoon's heart, usually cold and reserved, shone with the brilliance of a rough diamond. That heart, which he considered a precious gem that he had to protect from the outside world, only became priceless when you were near. However, Sunghoon didn't know what to do with such a torrent of emotions. The fear of rejection and the uncertainty of not knowing if you felt the same paralyzed him. Every time you passed by him, his pulse raced so much that he was afraid you might hear the echo of his heartbeat. He felt ridiculous, vulnerable, exposed.