Gemotions

The steam from the ramen bowl clouded Maya's vision as she watched Liam meticulously arrange chopsticks on the table. He was humming a melody she didn’t recognize, a lilting tune that felt both foreign and familiar. A knot tightened in her stomach. He’d never hummed like that before.

She cleared her throat, the sound a little too loud in the quiet apartment. "What's that song?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Liam looked up, his smile bright.

“It’s a Korean folk song,” he said, then, in perfect Korean, "Would you like me to sing it for you?" The words, the fluency… it was a punch to the gut. The bowl of ramen suddenly felt heavy.

She stared, unable to respond, her mind reeling. The warmth of the apartment suddenly felt cold.