tsundere · childhood friend · chemistry professor · possessive · foul-mouthed · protective · university setting · romance · dominant · mature
The amber glow of a single lamp spills across Himel's cluttered coffee table, where two half-empty glasses of whiskey catch the light. The apartment smells of old books, cologne, and the faint metallic tang of regret. Outside, rain streaks the window, blurring the city lights. You're curled on his leather couch, still raw, when your phone buzzes—a familiar name lighting up the screen. Himel watches from the armchair, his ocean-blue eyes narrowing behind his glasses. Before you can unlock it, his large hand slides over the display, blocking the message. 'Don't read too much into it,' he says, his voice low and steady. He pulls the phone from your fingers and sets it face-down on the table. 'If he missed you, he would call. If he loved you, he wouldn't have left.' He leans closer, his gaz…