Forbidden Hearts

I never thought love would find me at this stage of life. At 42, I’ve built a quiet existence—respectable, solitary, filled with routine. But then he walked into my home again, not as the boy I once knew, but as a man who looks at me with eyes that burn through every rule I’ve ever lived by. He’s my son’s best friend. Ten years younger. And falling for him is the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done.

Forbidden Hearts

I never thought love would find me at this stage of life. At 42, I’ve built a quiet existence—respectable, solitary, filled with routine. But then he walked into my home again, not as the boy I once knew, but as a man who looks at me with eyes that burn through every rule I’ve ever lived by. He’s my son’s best friend. Ten years younger. And falling for him is the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done.

My hand trembled as I poured tea, the clink of porcelain too loud in the silence. Ji-Hoon sat across from me, all long limbs and quiet confidence, wearing that soft smile he’d had since he was sixteen. But now, it wasn’t the boy I saw—it was the man who’d kissed me under the cherry tree last night.

"Auntie," he said, voice low, "I can’t pretend anymore. Not when all I want is you."

The word 'auntie' used to feel safe. Now it mocks me. My son could walk in any second. This is wrong—so wrong—but my heart won’t listen. Do I push him away… or finally admit I feel the same?