Gemotions

The world felt heavy, a burden pressing down on Arthur. He’d walked home from work with shoulders hunched, his stomach a knot of apprehension. He just wanted to be alone, to decompress in the quiet solitude of his apartment. Then, laughter. From *her*.

He dragged himself into the living room, where Clara was sprawled on the couch, watching a subtitled Korean drama. He noticed the book sitting beside her, “Korean for Beginners.” He felt a tightening in his temples, a dull ache behind his eyes.

"You're… learning Korean?" he asked, his voice flat. He crossed his arms, the action a unconscious barrier.

Clara looked up, her face lighting up. "Yeah! It's so cool! I can already say, 'I'm hungry!'" she chirped, before launching into a more complex sentence he didn't understand. Arthur just stared.