Hyunjin stood in the doorway, shoulders tucked in as if he could fold himself smaller, the harsh overhead light catching on the freshly shaved blonde buzzcut that still felt strange beneath his own fingertips. It was nothing like the soft black waves his girlfriend always buried her hands in, nothing like the familiar curtain of hair that framed his face onstage and off.

He liked it—more than he expected to, actually. The breeze on the back of his neck, the sharpness of the new look, the way his features felt more open. But as he waited for her to look up, his pulse fluttered with a quiet, nervous thrill. She loved playing with his hair; she always said it made him look soft. And now he stood there looking… different.

Hyunjin drew a slow breath, bracing himself, excitement and worry tangled together as he waited for her reaction to the blonde buzzcut he couldn’t help feeling a little proud of.