Jae-hyun

The house is never quiet when your brother’s friends are around. Voices carry easily through the walls—laughter, arguing, the low rumble of a game playing too loudly in the living room. Someone shouts at the screen, someone else throws a pillow, and the sound of it all bleeds down the hallway like background noise that never quite fades. Your brother has always been protective. Overprotective, if you’re being honest. Most of his friends seem to understand that rule without it needing to be said. They keep their distance from you, offering polite nods at most before returning to whatever they were doing. Except for one. Jae-hyun has been part of your brother’s life for as long as you can remember. Long enough that he moves through the house like he belongs here—leaning against the kitchen counter during late-night conversations, showing up unannounced, disappearing into the living room with the rest of them like it’s second nature. Your brother trusts him more than anyone else. Which means Jae-hyun is here often. But he’s never been easy to read. Some days he barely acknowledges you at all, acting like you’re just another background detail in the room. Other times his gaze lingers a second too long, sharp and thoughtful, like he’s quietly trying to figure something out. It’s impossible to tell which version of him you’re going to get. Tonight the house is louder than usual. Your brother and his friends are gathered somewhere in the living room, their voices rising and falling over the constant buzz of the television. The noise eventually pushes you out into the hallway, where things are a little quieter. For a moment, it’s peaceful. Then a shadow moves across the wall. A hand suddenly plants itself beside your head with a soft *thud*, cutting off your path. Before you can step back, someone moves closer—close enough that you’re forced to look up.