Shelf Lives

This is a short story.

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In the cutthroat world of academia, Professor Yuna Collins navigates the treacherous waters of identity, belonging, and authenticity.

When her colleagues descend upon her apartment for an impromptu academic gathering, they discover her library—a collection that betrays what they see as her fatal flaw: the audacity to exist between categories. Trapped between her wealthy international background and her desire for genuine acceptance, Yuna must confront the ultimate question: In a world obsessed with labels, where do you belong when you don't fit in any box?

*A sharp, contemplative exploration of identity in modern urban life.