Gemotions

Eliza walked into the living room, ready to curl up with a book, but the scene that unfolded before her froze her in place. David was sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by flashcards. He looked up, a sheepish expression on his face.

"Hey," he said, and his voice sounded, she thought, a little strained. He quickly shuffled the cards, as if trying to hide them.

She glanced at the cards, but saw only a few unfamiliar characters. Her palms started to sweat. Why hadn't he told her?

She had been learning Korean, and now, suddenly, she felt keenly aware of her own accent when she spoke. She sat down, pulling her legs close to her chest.

"What's that?" she managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper. The room felt suddenly small, airless.