was this going to be smut? yes did it stay that way? no
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THE CARS engine clicked softly as it cooled, the silence inside the vehicle thick. Jungwon's hands lingered on the steering wheel, gripping it just a little too tightly. The laughter spilling from the house carried faintly in the air, mingling with the warm glow of the porch lights.
It should've felt inviting, but to him, it felt suffocating.
"Ready?" Hyunjae asked, her tone light as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
He turned to her, forcing a small smile onto his lips. "Yeah." It came out weaker than he intended.
Hyunjae studied him for a moment, her gaze soft but steady, before reaching over to squeeze his hand.
"We'll get through it together."
Jungwon nodded, but as he stepped out of the car, the weight of expectation settled on his shoulders like it always did.
Inside, Hyunjae slipped seamlessly into the rhythm of his family. Her laugh rang out as his younger cousins tackled her legs, babbling about the toys they'd brought to show her. His mom wrapped her in a warm hug, pulling her in like she belonged there, more than he ever felt he did.
Jungwon hung back near the doorway, shrugging off his coat slowly to give himself something to do. The chatter and noise of the gathering buzzed around him, but he couldn't shake the growing ache in his chest.
"She's a natural, huh?" one of his aunts said as she passed, casting him a teasing glance. "You could learn a thing or two from her."
Her words stung more than they should have. Jungwon forced a laugh, nodding absently, but his nails bit into the palms of his hands. He flexed his fingers discreetly, willing himself to let go.
Jungwon had lost track of how many smiles he'd faked tonight. Each time someone called his name, he'd turn and plaster one on, the muscles in his face aching from the effort.
"Red, huh?" his grandmother said when he stopped by her chair. Her voice cut through the noise around them like a blade. "What's wrong with black? You looked so much better before."
He swallowed the lump rising in his throat. "It's just for work, Halmoni," he said softly, keeping his tone light. "Something new."
She scoffed, her wrinkled hand waving dismissively. "You always say it's for work. What kind of job makes you change yourself so much? You don't look like family anymore."
The words hit him square in the chest, but he nodded, lowering his gaze.
"I'll keep that in mind," he murmured, his nails digging into his palms again. The sting grounded him, but it wasn't enough to dull the familiar ache blooming in his chest.
From across the room, he spotted Hyunjae sitting cross-legged on the floor with a group of kids. She was laughing, her hands deftly untangling a string of beads for his youngest cousin.
