Borrowed Time | Short Story Smuts

In a war-ravaged city where bullets fly faster than words, Staff Sergeant Taehyung Kim fights to survive after being separated from his unit during a disastrous raid. Hardened by years of combat, Taehyung's focus is on regrouping and completing his mission-until he crosses paths with Kataleya, a civilian woman whose terrified eyes betray her inexperience with the violence that has become Taehyung's daily life.

Kataleya is far removed from the horrors of war, with little knowledge of how to navigate the crumbling world around her. With only her instincts to rely on, she is caught in the crossfire, desperate for safety. Her quiet strength and vulnerability stir something in Taehyung-something he thought was long buried beneath his soldier's armor.

The unlikely pair is forced to rely on each other, despite the barriers of language and culture that separate them. As they struggle to communicate and survive, moments of tenderness and connection begin to blossom amid the chaos. Kataleya's quiet resilience and Taehyung's unwavering determination forge a bond neither of them anticipated.

In the midst of danger, their worlds collide-one shaped by war, the other by a desperate hope for peace. Together, they must navigate the ruins of a world turned upside down, finding solace and love in the most unexpected of places. But with enemies on all sides, no guarantee of survival, and on borrowed time, they must risk everything for a chance at a future. Knowing that even in the darkest of times, love can light the way.