I’d heard about the snowball effect before, but I never truly understood it until I took my first step out of my comfort zone.

All it took was getting an anonymous pen pal named Daldust—someone I could express myself to without the pressure of their opinions or judgments. Someone who could pull me out of reality and become a friend, despite my social anxiety. Before I knew it, the snowball had started rolling.

Little did I know I would encounter my long-time crush and neighbour, along with his ever-present, enigmatic flatmate. Elijah rekindled in me a confidence I’d lost long ago, while Moon Hee reached the deepest parts of my soul.

A few months ago, spending time with them and my best friend, Elisa, would have terrified me. Now, I long for it—for the late-night gatherings in our flat, the weekend trips, and the comfort I never received from my family.

Then, the one event that changed my life five years ago resurfaced, causing all the snow I’d picked up along the way to collapse on me. What would have crushed me when I felt lonely now showed me that the people around me were the ones giving me the strength to continue.

My pen pal had opened my heart to let others in, but before I discovered his true identity, he'd already taken it over.

Modern Pen Pals is a contemporary romance with strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, love triangle, found family, pen pals, mental health representation, open-door spice, and multicultural romance (British x Korean) tropes.