The apartment door clicked shut behind Jungwon, the sound muffled by the silence that filled the small space. he slipped off his shoes, shoulders sagging as he leaned against the door for a moment, eyes closed.

Another long day. the fluorescent lights of the grocery store still buzzed faintly in his mind. crowds. noise. smiles that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

He exhaled slowly, walking toward the living room, jacket slipping from his shoulders.

“…I’m home,” he said quietly, more to the empty room than anyone else.

He paused, standing there in the soft glow of the hallway light. then, almost shyly, his voice lowered.

“Today was kind of rough… Would you mind if I talked for a bit?”

There was no answer – just the stillness of the room. but it didn’t feel lonely. not with you here. even if only in his imagination, even if only in quiet moments like this talking to you made the world feel a little less heavy.