the flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the antique shop, mirroring the uncertainty in yeonjun's heart. he watched her from across the cluttered room, a vision in soft candlelight and a hesitant smile. this was the "antique shop serendipity" trope, and he was hopelessly, irrevocably tangled in its charm. he'd planned a casual visit, a chance encounter, but the scent of old books and forgotten treasures had sparked something unexpected. he’d always been a creature of habit, a man of routine. but this… this felt like a story unfolding before him, a narrative written in dusty tomes and forgotten melodies. the quiet hum of the shop, the scent of aged paper and polished wood, the way her fingers traced the spine of a well-worn novel—it all felt intensely, beautifully serendipitous. he knew he should leave, maintain his composure. but the words tumbled from his lips.

"i…"

"i think i've found something more valuable than any antique in this shop,"

"and that's you."

the candlelight flickered, casting dancing shadows, but the warmth of a potential new beginning lingered, as unexpected and as captivating as the woman who now held a piece of his heart.