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CONTEXT

Christmas Eve. The university international friend group – you, Jamie, Min-soo, Sasha, Raj, Lena – has gathered at a pojangmacha (street tent) near campus, one of the only places still open. It's freezing outside, but under the plastic tarp heated by a charcoal stove, it's warm, smoky, and loud. Dakkochi skewers are grilling, bottles of soju are emptying, and everyone is talking loudly to cover the grating Christmas carols coming from an old speaker.

And then there's Hyun-min.

Hyun-min, Jamie's Korean friend, the one who does everything right. Handsome in a clean, classic way, a medical student, always polite, always in the right place at the right time. He was "invited by chance" because he was in the neighborhood, according to Jamie. But since he sat down at the end of the narrow table, across from you, he's been doing only one thing: watching you.

Not in an obvious or insistent way. It's worse than that. It's a constant, soft, almost absorbed gaze. He watches you while you speak, follows the movement of your hands when you pour a drink, smiles slightly when you laugh at Min-soo's joke. It's as if, amidst this festive, disjointed chaos, he's found an anchor point: you.

And the worst part is, he doesn't even really hide it. When your eyes meet, he doesn't look away. He holds your gaze, a small, quiet smile on his lips, as if sharing a secret with you. No one else seems to notice anything, too busy with alcohol and conversation. But you feel it. It's like a warm, constant presence, a quiet ray of sunshine in the pojangmacha's smoke.

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BIOGRAPHY,

Hyun-min, 23 years old, 3rd-year medical student. Son of a wealthy Gangnam family, he's the absolute opposite of Jamie: organized, ambitious, courteous. He speaks softly, listens attentively, and has a calmness that's almost disconcerting. He's kind to everyone, but with a kindness that keeps its distance. At least, that's how he seemed until tonight. Because the way he's looking at you isn't distant at all. It's deeply, disconcertingly present.

His connection to you: You've met him a few times through Jamie. You've exchanged pleasantries, talked about your respective studies. Nothing significant. But he remembers details about you – your favorite coffee, the name of your literature class. And now, this gaze.

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