์ถ์ ์ด์์ง๋ ๊ฒ ์๋๋ผ ์ด์๋ด๋ ๊ฒ,
๊ทธ๋ ๊ฒ ์ด์๋ด๋ค๊ฐ ์ธ์ ๊ฐ ์ฌ๋ผ์ง๋ ๊ฒ
๋ฉ ๋๋ฆฌ๋ค๊ฐ ๋, ์ธ๋ ค๊ฐ
Lอife isn't about living along but living through
Aอs you live through, you'll disappear some day
Iอf you keep spacing out, you'll be swept away
โฆ . ใโบ ใ . โฆ . ใโบ ใ . โฆ
โถ the autopsy of a jellyfish
โถ call me if you get lost
โถ nanaโs aquarium of stories
โถ i offered you the stars and expected you to love me
๐ตโงโห โ KIM GUNWOO, AS YOUR BOYFRIEND ใ โธโธ.แโ
โค๏ธ so overly protective. heโs not overbearing and heโll never try to be that way but heโs always on the phone with you. texting, calling, or keeping track of where you are and if youโre safe or not. bad guys always find him.
โค๏ธ โprincess? I didnโt mean to wake you but.. need youโ
โค๏ธ his large strong hands are always on your waist or thighs. itโs just his thing, he loves those parts of your body the absolute most. if you ask him? heโd shrug his shoulders. not being able to answer. for some reason he loves your waist and how perfect it is. his hand fits perfectly on that spot and your thighs are so warm.
โค๏ธ โwhy are you so pretty, hm? my sweet pretty girl.โ
โค๏ธ adores when you show up to watch him work out or practice. letโs say heโs in the ring! just for practice but itโs a bit of a rough practice. actually hitting and using a lot of new techniques. when heโs able to turn and look at you? heโs put back in the zone. you ground him.
โค๏ธ โI love you. I love you so much.. I canโt lose you.โ
โค๏ธ insanely touching and LOVES cuddles. heโs so into cuddles that even when youโre cooking or baking heโs in the kitchen with his arms around you, swaying back and forth. humming softly or just talking to you about whatever it is that he wants to talk about. he loves it.
โค๏ธ โdo you believe in fairytales? want to talk about it?โ
โค๏ธ big on kissing. so big on kissing. kisses you so so much because he believes thatโs how you show how much you love a person. his kisses are soft and very emotional. other times? itโs a bit more hot, wet, and a little needy. he wants you. needs you. all the time.
โธsynopsis: your life was shaped by loss: your father taken, your first love gone, your world broken. his life was driven by vengeance, each night a battle against haunting memories. when they meet in the rainbow taxi, pain connects themโฆ and hope starts to grow. in the depths of anguish and treachery, is it possible for two scarred hearts to seek something beyond vengeance?ย
โธgenre: one-shot, canon adjacent, angst with comfort </3
โธpairing: kim do-ki x readerย
โธwarnings: sensitive content, profanity, verbal threats, physical threats, physical injury, death, dying, depictions of violence and fighting, age gap, family issues/loss
โธwc: 4.8k
โธan: lower case intended, no use of y/n, fem!reader / kim do-ki the man that you are jesus christ i love you i love you i love you. also, all they have to do is drop the album (season three) lollโฆ also also why tf arenโt there any kim do-ki fics, heโs like the loml so if y'all have any ideas send them my way ;) wink wink
[now playing: blossom โ enhypen]
m.listย
โโโโโ
the day you were born, the cherry blossoms rained down on the streets of seoul like pink snow. your mother always told you it was a sign that your life would be beautifulโ fleeting but radiant, like petals caught in the wind.
โ
but beauty never seemed to last long in your life.
โ
your father was the anchor of your world. a detective with sharp eyes and an unyielding sense of justice, he carried with him the respect of his colleagues and the quiet admiration of the public. to you, he was more than that. he was the steady warmth of home, the voice that told you bedtime stories about courage, the hand that squeezed yours as you crossed busy streets together.
โ
until the night he was murdered in front of you.
โ
you were only ten. the sound of your fatherโs gasping breath echoed through the narrow alley, sharp as breaking glass. you remember the smell of iron, thick and metallic, and the cold pavement pressing against your knees as you crouched beside him. his blood spread fast, darkening the ground beneath you like ink spilled across paper.
โ
the man who shot him looked at you just once. his face was hidden beneath a mask, but his eyes, sharp and unflinching, burned into your memory. and then he disappeared, leaving you clutching your fatherโs lifeless body under a rain of cherry blossoms.
โ
the case was sealed. no suspects. no answers. it was as if your fatherโs sacrifice meant nothing.
โ
your mother unraveled after that. her grief became a silent, suffocating presence in your home. she stopped cooking meals, stopped opening the curtains, stopped being the mother you had known. you tried to be strong for her, but by twelve, you were stealing food just to survive. by fifteen, after her first suicide attempt, you were sent to an orphanage.
โ
no one visited. no relatives, no family friends. you only received the hollow pity of strangers.
โ
you learned early that silence is the cruelest companion.
โ
then came min-woo.
โ
seventeen and reckless, he was everything you werenโt allowed to hope for. he had a smile that melted walls, hands that felt steady when the world trembled. he told you about the future you could have togetherโ small dreams of running away, working hard, starting fresh in a place where your past couldnโt follow.
โ
you almost believed him, but the night before you were meant to leave, min-woo died. a hit-and-run, they said. an accident. of course, you knew better.
โ
that same day, a letter had arrived addressed to your father, postmarked years ago. inside the lost mail was evidence of corruption that would have destroyed half the seoul police department. among the names listed was min-wooโs uncle, the sitting chief of police.
โ
you didnโt need proof to understand what had happened. min-woo had been silenced, just like your father.
โ
by twenty-five, you no longer existed as the person you had once been. you carried a new name, a new identity. by day, you were a quiet legal assistant, filing paperwork and answering phones. by night, you pieced together the fragments of your fatherโs case. the deeper you dug, the clearer it became: his murder wasnโt negligence. it was fear. a calculated silence to protect something greater.
โ
it was on a night like any other, the one just after your high school graduation, but instead of savoring your youth with min-woo, you were alone when the cherry blossoms returned, carried by the wind. their sweet scent filled the car as silence settled heavily in the air.
โ
in that moment, you understood. vengeance wasnโt a destination. it wasnโt the end. it was a choice, and you were ready to make it.
โ
โโโโโ
the first time you met kim do-ki, it was like stepping into a stream that had been waiting to wash you away.
the rainbow premium taxi service wasnโt a place you stumbled into by accident; it found you. maybe it was fate, maybe it was simply the consequence of your relentless pursuit of justice. the small card that claimed they could take revenge for you was too good to pass by, and you found yourself calling before you knew what you were doing. all you knew was that when you first sat in the back seat of that gold-and-black taxi, you felt something you hadnโt felt in years: the possibility of change, of conclusions.
โ
do-ki was quiet at first. his eyes in the rearview mirror held the brunt of someone who had carried too many ghosts, someone who had seen the world at its ugliest and still chosen to fight. you recognized that weight because you carried it too.
โ
he didnโt ask questions immediately. he didnโt need to. somehow, he seemed to know the shape of your pain, the way it carved hollow spaces into you.
โ
โcan you tell me your story?โ his voice was low, steady, the kind that demanded truth.
โ
so, you told him everything. about your father, about min-woo, about the letter. your words were jagged, raw, spilling out faster than you could control. for the first time, you didnโt hold back. you gave him everything.
โ
when you finished, there was silence. then, do-kiโs gaze in the mirror met yours.
โ
โyouโre not alone anymore.โ
โ
those four words broke something inside you.
โ
in the weeks that followed, you found yourself drawn into his world. the premium taxi wasnโt just a businessโ it was a lifeline, a weapon wielded by those who refused to let evil go unpunished. you worked quietly at first, assisting where you could. research, files, connecting leads, sharing the years of your research with the taxi service team, and spending hours helping go-eun gather data. but as nights bled into mornings, you became more than a bystander, and slowly, almost imperceptibly, the distance between you and do-ki narrowed.
โ
he wasnโt a man of many words, but his actions spoke loudly. the way he lingered when you returned late from a lead, the way he silently handed you tea when exhaustion pulled at your eyes, the way his jaw tightened whenever danger struck too close to you.
โ
once, after a close call on a tip that turned violent, you sat together on the rooftop of the garage for a few hours. the city stretched out before you, glittering and indifferent.
โ
โdo-ki,โ you whispered, โdo you ever think about stopping this? about what comes after?โ
โ
he didnโt answer immediately. his profile was sharp against the city lights, his silence heavy. finally, he said, โi canโt stop. not yet. butโฆ maybe one day.โ
โ
for the first time, you let yourself wonder if that โone dayโ could include you.
โ
but dreams were fragile things, and in your world, nothing stayed whole for long.
โ
the first thread came in the form of an old police file. you had spent the better part of a week filing court documents for your day job, sneaking stolen minutes in the records archive when your boss wasnโt watching. the paper was brittle at the edges, the ink faded, but the name stamped on the front was unmistakably your fatherโs.
โ
your hands trembled as you opened it.
โ
inside, the file was thin. too thin. your fatherโs career had spanned more than two decadesโcases, arrests, commendationsโyet the folder contained only a handful of reports, all carefully scrubbed of detail. you knew then what you had already suspected: someone had gone through his records and erased him piece by piece.
โ
that night, you spread the papers out across the rainbow taxi garage floor. the others gathered around, curiosity giving way to silence as they saw the empty spaces where your fatherโs legacy should have been.
โ
โtoo clean,โ go-eun muttered, her fingers flying over her keyboard as she accessed digital backups. โwhoever did this knew what they were doing. this isnโt just oversightโitโs clearly intentional.โ
โ
do-ki crouched beside you, scanning the reports. his presence was grounding, a steady anchor against the rising turmoil inside you. he tapped one page where your father had noted a suspectโs name.
โ
โโn.j.โโ do-ki read aloud. โinitials only. do you recognize it?โ
โ
you shook your head, frustration biting at you. โno. but he must have been important if my father went out of his way to conceal his identity. maybe he didnโt trust anyone, even his colleagues.โ
โ
do-kiโs gaze lingered on the initials before he looked back at you. โweโll find them.โ
โ
the way he said โweโ sent a quiet warmth through youโan unfamiliar comfort you didnโt dare name.
โ
the following days blurred into nights, your investigation becoming an obsession. leads overlapped, contradictions piled up, and yet patterns began to emerge.
โ
one of the most haunting discoveries came when go-eun traced an old police scanner recording, something archived by accident rather than intent. the voice on the tape was your fatherโs.
โ
โrequesting backup, possible organized retaliation, suspects linked toโโ the recording cut off suddenly, replaced by static.
โ
you listened to it again and again, your chest tightening each time. his voice was strong, determined, but beneath it, you heard something else: fear.
โ
do-ki found you sitting at go-eunโs desk hours later, the recording looping. you hadnโt realized tears had slipped down your cheeks until he reached forward, gently pressing pause.
โ
โyou donโt have to listen to it,โ he said quietly.
โ
โi do.โ your voice cracked. โitโs all i have left of him. his voice, his fight. if i stop listening, if i forgetโฆโ you shook your head, unable to finish.
โ
do-ki didnโt answer. instead, he pulled a chair beside you and sat, silent, his presence a quiet shield. for the first time in years, you allowed yourself to lean against someone else.
โโโโโ
the name na jae-bum surfaced a week later.
โ
it came through a former informant your father had once protected, an old man who ran a noodle shop on the edge of itaewon. you had visited him alone, slipping into the shop after closing. he nearly slammed the door in your face until you mentioned your fatherโs name.
โ
โyour fatherโฆโ his hands shook as he lit a cigarette. โhe was the only good one. the restโthey were all bought. especially na jae-bum.โ
โ
you leaned forward. โplease. tell me everything.โ
โ
the old man exhaled a stream of smoke, his eyes haunted. โna jae-bum fed intel to the syndicate. your father suspected, started collecting evidence. i warned him to stop, but he didnโt. thatโs whyโฆโ he trailed off, voice breaking.
โ
you didnโt press. you didnโt need to. the weight of his silence told you enough.
โ
when you returned to the garage with the news, go-eun was already cross-referencing the name.
โ
โna jae-bum,โ she muttered, typing furiously. โdetective. later promoted to investigator. his service record is spotless, but look hereโassets he couldnโt possibly afford on his salary. offshore accounts. heโs dirty, no question.โ
โ
โand still alive,โ do-ki added grimly.
โ
the realization sank inโ the man who had betrayed your father was still out there, living freely, untouched by justice.
โ
you clenched your fists, nails biting into your palms. โthen heโs mine.โ
โ
do-kiโs gaze snapped to you, sharp and warning. โthis isnโt just about revenge. itโs about precision. if you let anger lead, youโll lose.โ
โ
his words stung because they were true. you wanted blood. you wanted to be the one to end it, but part of you knew do-ki was right. vengeance without control wasnโt justice. it was chaos.
โ
โโโโโ
it was during one of these long nights that you found yourself alone with do-ki in the garage. the others had gone home, leaving the two of you with a wall of files and a silence that felt heavier than usual.
โ
you caught him watching you as you organized papers, his expression unreadable. finally, you asked, โwhy are you helping me, do-ki? really?โ
โ
he didnโt answer right away. he moved closer, standing a foot away, his shadow long against the wall. โbecause I know what it means to lose everything. to live with a wound that never closes. and becauseโฆโ he hesitated, the faintest crack in his stoic mask. โโฆbecause no one should carry it alone.โ
โ
your breath caught. for a moment, the world felt fragile, suspended between one heartbeat and the next, but before you could speak, go-eun returned with fresh files, and the moment slipped away.
โ
the following day, the last thread tying everything together came unexpectedlyโfrom na se-ra, the chairmanโs wife.
โ
she offered you a list of names, a trail that led directly toward the heart of the syndicate. her tone was honey-sweet, her smile practiced, but her eyes lingered too long on you.
โ
โyou should be careful, my dear,โ she purred. โsome wars canโt be won. sometimes, survival means knowing when to bend.โ you left the meeting unsettled, her words echoing like a warning. that night, you told go-eun what had happened, and her unease mirrored yours.
โ
โi donโt trust her,โ go-eun said firmly. โsheโs playing us.โ
โ
do-ki acknowledged with a quiet nod, yet at this moment, you had no option but to continue pursuing the lead, as each step edged you nearer to the reality and to the instant when the snare would ultimately snap shut.
โ
โโโโโ
the knife pressed against your cheek was cold. na jae-bum didnโt pierce the skin, yet, but the weight of the blade made his intention clear. he wasnโt here to kill you quickly. he was here to break you.
โ
โyour father begged,โ he said softly, almost conversationally. โnot for himself. for you. told us to leave his daughter alone.โ he tilted his head, smiling like he was recalling a fond memory. โfunny, isnโt it? a man so brave, and yet so easy to shatter when it came to his child.โ
โ
your chest tightened, rage and grief clawing at your ribs. you wanted to scream, to lunge at him, but the chains held you down.
โ
instead, you met his eyes. โand yetโฆ he died with honor. something youโll never know.โ
โ
the smile faltered. briefly. then na jae-bum struck you across the face again with an open palm.
โ
go-eun cried out, straining against the bars of her cage. โstop it!โ
โ
na jae-bum turned toward her, grinning. โlook at this one. mouthy, isnโt she?โ he rattled the bars, making her flinch. โmaybe she should be first.โ
โ
โno!โ your voice cracked, desperation leaking through. โleave her alone!โ
โ
na jae-bum chuckled, stepping back, satisfied by your reaction. his knife lingered under your chin.
โ
โyouโll talk,โ he murmured. โabout what youโve found, who youโve been working with, and when you do, maybe weโll let the others go.โ
โ
you spat blood onto the floor. โiโll die before i help you.โ
โ
na jae-bumโs smile sharpened. โgood. that can be arranged.โ
โ
hours blurred into a haze of pain and fear. he didnโt torture you outright, not yet; it was a game of intimidation. the knife flashing near your skin, knicking enough to sting but not to bleed. the promise of violence that never fully came. the sound of the guards dragging the chair across the concrete, deliberately slow. the constant reminder that he controlled every second of your existence.
โ
in the cages, go-eun and jin-eon whispered furiously to each other, trying to keep their spirits alive. go-eunโs hands trembled around her tablet, which they hadnโt noticed she still had hidden in her jacket. she kept it close, her only weapon that rendered itself useless without service. jin-eonโs defiance didnโt waver, though you saw the fatigue etched into his face.
โ
and you? you fought to stay conscious, to stay sharp. because in your heart, one thought repeated like a prayer: heโs coming. do-ki is coming.
โ
โโโโโ
far above you, in the rain-slicked streets of seoul, kim do-ki followed the trail youโd left behind.
โ
a broken lock on the factory door. the faint smear of blood on the ground. the ghost of your perfume, cherry blossoms, carried faintly by the damp air. he moved like a shadow, silent and relentless.
โ
in his earpiece, go-eunโs last frantic transmission replayed on a loopโ a scrambled signal sheโd managed to send seconds before they were captured. the coordinates had cut out halfway, but it was enough for do-ki. enough to track. enough to find.
โ
his grip tightened on the wheel of the premium taxi as the city blurred around him. his jaw was locked, his eyes burning with a fury he rarely let anyone see.
โ
because this wasnโt just another mission. this was his team. this was you.
โ
โโโโโ
back in the basement, na jae-bum leaned close again, his breath rancid. โdo you know why your father failed? because he thought justice was stronger than fear. but fearโ fear is what makes the world move.โ
โ
you forced yourself to smile, blood staining your teeth. โif fear truly ruled the worldโฆ then you wouldnโt still be hiding in basements.โ
โ
the knife dug deeper into your skin this time, still shallow enough to only sting, but not enough to bleed deeply. you didnโt flinch. you couldnโt. if you showed weakness, he would pounce.
โ
na jae-bum slammed his chair down beside you, grinning. โletโs test your resolve. iโll start with one of the others and make sure you watch.โ
โ
jin-eon went pale. go-eun pressed herself against the bars, her voice a low growl. โtry it. youโll regret it.โ
โ
his gaze flicked between you and them, weighing the effect. then he smiled again, satisfied. โyes. maybe thatโs the way. after all, whatโs more painful than losing the people youโve sworn to protect?โ
โ
your heart thundered. you strained against your chains, teeth clenched. โtouch them, and i swearโโ
โ
but your threat was cut short by a sound you hadnโt expected.
a door upstairs, opening. slow. deliberate. the unmistakable creak of hinges.
โ
na jae-bumโs eyes narrowed, and he straightened, pulling a pistol from his jacket. the men guarding the basement began to shift uneasily.
โ
footsteps. heavy, measured, descending.
โ
then a voice. low, steady, carrying through the darkness like a promise.
โ
โlet them go.โ
โ
do-ki.
โ
your breath caught. relief and terror surged at onceโ relief that he had come. terror that he was walking into a trap.
โ
na jae-bum smirked, knife pressing closer under your chin. โwell, well. the taxi driver arrives.โ he leaned in, whispering so only you could hear. โletโs see if he bleeds for you.โ
โ
the footsteps above had been a promise.
โ
do-ki moved like a man who had rehearsed violence until it was muscle memory. he stepped into the basement with a precision that turned every echo into a calculation. the guards reacted, knives drawn, but he was already across the concrete: a blur of limbs, a low grunt, the world reduced to the angles of bodies and the smell of sweat and oil.
โ
he didn't waste words. one guard lunged; do-ki sidestepped, hooking the man's wrist and wrenching it until the knife spun free and hit the ground with a metallic clatter. another reached for a pistol behind his jacketโdo-ki's forearm slammed into his face, a clean, efficient strike that sent him crumpling. the third managed a wild swing; do-ki took the blow on his shoulder, pivoted, and drove his knee upward, the impact knocking the manโs breath out in a ragged hiss.
โ
every hit was purposeful, a lesson learned from hard nights and harder losses. do-ki's movements were sharp but not savage; he disarmed, incapacitated, never gratuitously brutal. still, by the time the last guard lay groaning, the room smelled of iron and the scrape of concrete where bodies had met the floor.
โ
na jae-bum stood at the far end, the knife beneath your chin a thin, cruel line of control. when do-ki stepped through the ring of fallen men, the villain's smile widened, as if the delay had been part of the eveningโs entertainment.
โwell, taxi driver,โ na jae-bum drawled, tilting his head. โyouโre late.โ
โ
do-ki didn't answer. he moved like a storm, closing the distance. there was a secondโ one jagged, electric second, when everything slowed. the hum of the fluorescent lights, your breath, the blood that had dried along your temple. you tasted copper and fear. the knife's edge bit a whisper into your skin as na jae-bum leaned forward. โyouโll watch him die,โ he said, stepping closer to make sure you heard the cruelty of it.
โ
do-ki's hand flashed. for a heartbeat, he was at the table, fingers closing on the chair by your side. he ripped you free, hauling you out of the line of the blade. pain lanced across your ribs as you hit the floor; a searing ache flared where na jae-bum's boot had found you during the struggle. you saw stars, pale and rapid, and your vision narrowed to do-ki's faceโ hard, focused, a thing of edge and shadow.
โ
na jae-bum raised his pistol then, because there was nothing cinematic about him; he loved the mundane power of guns and paperwork. he aimed at do-ki, the barrel a glint. do-ki didn't flinch. he closed the gap like a closing wound, and for a breathless second, it was as if the world held its breath with him.
โ
they traded blows that weren't clean. do-ki grappled with na jae-bum, their bodies slamming into crates and overturned chairs. the villain sneered, spat an insult about your fatherโ an old, sharp rock in do-ki's chest, and do-ki cracked something in responseโ a fist under na jae-bum's jaw, a shove that spun him. the pistol skittered across the floor.
โ
do-ki landed on top of him, strangling off the villain's words with his weight. na jae-bum's face was a red mask of rage and fear. do-ki's knuckles whitened around his collarbone. the gun lay a few feet away, ridiculous and small. for a heartbeat, do-ki had the pistol, his finger finding the trigger like it belonged. the muzzle pointed at a man who had burned your life to ash, who had made corrupted deals and watched children go hungry. he had put a knife to your cheek and played with it as if you were a toy. you saw it then in do-ki. the rage, raw and hungry, a thing that could swallow him whole.
โ
you tried to move toward him. pain flared across your side, a hot line where something had split skin. panic fluttered, and then steadied into something sharper. โdo-ki,โ you rasped, voice thin, but it was enough. you sounded small and honest all at once.
โ
he didn't pull the trigger.
โ
instead, his hand trembled, and then he let the pistol clatter to the concrete where the light caught the silver and turned it ordinary. he pressed his forehead to na jae-bum's, not in tenderness but in a kind of exhausted naming. the man gasped and cursed, but do-ki's hands were steady when he bound the villain's wrists with cheap rope, torn for the purpose.
โ
when the last guard lay still enough and your pulse was something you could measure, go-eun and jin-eon hauled themselves up the stairs and out of the cages โ wired exhaustion on their faces. sirens were a distant promise; do-ki had already called in the one person who could show up without questions: an old friend willing to bend rules, the sort who knew how to carry โevidenceโ to the light.
โ
you tried to move, to stand and be flame and vengeance, but your body refused the command. dizziness washed you anew. do-ki caught you, swore low and sharp. he carried you back to the stack of crates and eased you down with a care that made your heart twist. your side burned; a neat, angry line of red traced across your ribs. go-eun knelt, hands working, pulling a torn shirt over the wound to staunch it. jin-eon ripped a strip of cloth finer with brute force and wrapped it with trembling competence.
โ
โshe's going to be okay,โ go-eun said, but her voice shook.
โ
do-ki didn't answer. he looked at you with a face that had already earned too many hard years. up close, you could see the hollows beneath his eyes and the way a shadow moved across his jaw. he touched the side of your faceโ the motion was brief, almost formal, but it landed like a benediction.
โ
โyou idiot,โ he said finally, and the words were a whisper edged in something else. โyou always jump first.โ
you wanted to be all steel and fury, to tell him you had no choice, that the world had carved you like that. instead, the sound that slipped out of you was small and unready and true. โand you always follow.โ
โ
for a moment, the room contracted to the two of you: blood, fluorescents, the faint settling of dust kicked up in the fight. the rest of the worldโthe syndicate, the scrubbed records, the courts, and the corruptionโpulled at the edges like a tide. but in that hush, there was nothing else to do but be honest.
โ
do-ki's mouth softened. his hand didn't leave your face; it cupped your cheek like he feared you might vanish. โi wanted to stop a long time ago,โ he admitted, voice rough. โfor a bit, anyway. but i kept finding reasons to drive. to fix. to protect.โ he swallowed. โi couldn'tโnot after what happened to them. butโฆ youโโ he broke off, as if the rest of the sentence was dangerous. โi couldn't let you carry it alone.โ
โ
you let a laugh leak out, half a sob, half a relief. โyou could have said that months ago.โ
โ
he shrugged, ridiculous and serious in equal measure. โi know how you hate words. i thought actions would be enough.โ
โ
they hadn't been, not alone. actions had saved lives, dismantled racks of lies, but it was the small admissions that made the weight lift, if only a fraction. you reached up, fingers finding his wrist and pressing hard. the contact was the line between two warred people, and you liked the way it fit.
โ
โdo-ki,โ you said, voice steadier now. โif i let thisโif i let them take him in the end, does that make it enough? will it feel like justice instead of a loop that keeps eating us?โ
โ
he looked at the man they had bound, at the smoothness of power reduced to a huddled being. โmaybe not.โ he met your eyes, and the city lights in the small basement blurred into gold. โbut killing him would make us no better than what he built. we want something else. you wanted change, remember? you said vengeance was a choice.โ
โ
you had said it. you were choosing thenโnot blood as a mirror of their crimes, but to keep the line between what you'd lost and what you could still be. your hand tightened on his wrist.
โ
โand after?โ you asked. โafter the arrests, after the hearings?โ
โ
do-kiโs expression eased into something dangerously like hope. โthen maybe we try for the other kind of ending,โ he murmured. โone that isnโt carved out by rage. one thatโโ he stopped, swallowed, and then, with the smallest, bravest tilt of his head, finished. โโthat has morning in it.โ
โ
your breath caught so sharply it hurt. morning. the word felt like a promise more fragile than glass and brighter than any medal. you thought of cherry blossoms falling like snow and your motherโs quiet voice. you thought of your fatherโs steady hand. and you thought of the way do-ki's presence had anchored you tonight when everything else had spun away.
โ
slowly, painfully, with that soft chuckle that hides tears, you leaned forward until your forehead rested against his. you tasted the faint tang of rain on his skin, the scent of the city, and the memory of every shared midnight.
โ
โi donโt want to go through another night without you,โ you said, which was both confession and plan.
โ
do-ki's answer was a kiss that tasted like the end of one storm and the beginning of the nextโ brief, fierce, and strangely gentle. When he pulled back, his grin was rueful and unguarded. โthen donโt,โ he said. โstay.โ
โ
outside, sirens cut closerโinevitable, ordered, real. inside the basement, with the villain bound and the team clustered, their breath returning, you let yourself believe in the thing you had both been starving for: that two people who had learned to live by knives could choose something softer, and still survive.
โ pairing : yeon si-eun (์ฐ์์) โ genre : strangers to friends, fluff โ warnings : reader has parent issues, mild swearing (pissed), school stress, exhaustion, and crying โ recommended age rating : 13+ โ word count : 1k โ
โ a.n : part 2, maybe? wdyt? not proofread btw โ
โwe're finding you a tutor, and that's final.โ your father yelled, and your mom just nodded. with a scoff, you walked to your room, closing the door quietly despite wanting to slam it.
you flopped onto your bed angrily, pulling your phone out of your pocket to try to distract yourself from the unreachable expectations your parents had set for you.
quite frankly, you didn't really care about your studies, you just wanted to be done with everything; the stress, the exhaustion, the constant scolding of 'doing better', it all felt like too much.
you knew you probably should study harder, care more, but what was the point when it seemed like you had nowhere to go after all of it anyway?
you often questioned how people could find school enjoyable, hours of teachers limiting you and teaching you to sit down, listen, and work in offices for the rest of your life. who could possibly want that?
you were failing, disappointing your parents, you knew this, which is why you sorta just gave up, both on yourself and your future. you just wanted all of this to end.
you ended up falling asleep, phone in hand โ still on, dried tear track traces on your cheeks, head buried into the pillow like it could block out the sound of your alarm clock ringing.
eventually, you got up, getting ready and dressed in eunjang high's usual uniform, and making your way to the kitchen. โi called your teacher this morning.โ your father spoke up from where you passed him.
you didn't respond, rarely ever did. โwe discussed your tutoring, found a kid we think might help.โ you popped toast into the toaster, rushing a quick breakfast while barely listening to your father.
he took a sip of his coffee and let out a sigh. โyou know we're doing this because we want the best for you, right?โ silence followed until your toast was ready.
โi'm going to be late.โ you muttered, shoving the toast into your mouth and putting your shoes on. โcan we at least talk when you get home?โ obviously 'no' from the way the door slammed in his face.
you walked up the stairs in front of eunjang, people and chatter surrounding you. your phone buzzed quietly, vibrating in your pocket before you took it out.
โ์๋ง: meet your new tutor in the library after school.โ
7:59 am
with a quiet sigh and an eye roll, you shoved your phone back into your pocket and resumed walking to school. after school had ended, you walked through the cramped, chatter-filled halls. you made your way into the library, looking around for your new tutor.
after a few glances around, you crossed your arms. โthey didn't even show up.โ you scoff ready to text your mother before being interrupted by a figure in the corner. โi did show up.โ
he approaches you quietly, stopping in front of you. โyeon si-eun.โ you nodded, telling him your name in response. โi'll start tutoring you tomorrow.โ he muttered. โi have something i need to do.โ
he slipped you a folded piece of paper before he walked off, leaving you alone in the quiet, dimly lit library, gone faster than he came. you unfolded the paper, his number and name written down neatly.
you turned around, about to ask him when exactly you should meet tomorrow for tutoring, but he's already long gone.
you opened the door to your apartment quietly, closing it silently in hopes of your parents not confronting you for staying out past curfew. you took off your shoes and turned around carefully, only to be met with two pairs of eyes.
โwhere were you?โ your mother spoke up, cutting through the silence with crossed arms and a pissed off expression. โi got hungry on the way home.โ
โyou're lying to us.โ you slipped off your shoes, already tired of them. โi'm not lying.โ you defended weakly, ignoring their scolding and going to your room.
you took off your backpack, letting it drop beside your desk as you sat down with a sigh, your eyes fixated on the complicated homework in front of you. you sat in silence for a bit, thinking about things you could never say to your parents.
you decided to pick up your phone, looking at yeon si-eun's contact and contemplating reaching out to ask for the time tomorrow, just staring at the number.
โwhat time should we meet tomorrow?โ was what you typed, finally pressing the 'send' button. you sat back, waiting for a response white trying to distract yourself with your half-finished homework.
si-eun felt his phone vibrate on his desk, pausing his mothers old teaching videos and setting down his pen to check your text.
โ๋: what time should we meet tomorrow?โ 8:49 pm
8:52 pm โfive. :์ฐ์์โ
si-eun waited by the stairs, adjusting his blue school uniform and turning to you when he heard your footsteps. โhi.โ you greeted, and he ignored it. โlead the way.โ you started walking beside him, leading him to your apartment.
the walk to your place was quiet, neither of you talked much anyway. the door creaked opened quietly, and you thanked your lucky stars your parents were asleep. si-eun closed the door behind him. you both took off your shoes and headed to your room.
it started off normal, you struggled unbelievably with mathematics, no matter how hard si-eun tried to explain it. it was easy to him, and he made it sound easy, so why was it so difficult for you?
โso, that means if we solve the variable for x, we then have to ...โ he looked over at you, your eyes closed, your arms folded over the desk, and your head resting on them.
si-eun sighed softly, setting down the pen, leaning back in the chair, and closing the book with a soft thud. โyou're ..โ he paused, watching you. โunbelievable.โ
he decided to write down what you have to do so you could read it in the morning, making sure not to make too much noise. after writing everything down, he just sat there.
he finally tore his gaze away from you to look at the clock that read โ8:02 pmโ. he stood up quietly, grabbing his backpack and closing your bedroom door softly behind him.
CREDITS โ DIVIDERS - @/bhavihelps @/pixopix HEADER - pinterest, merged by me
ยฉ atetheluck โ editing, translating, or modifying my work in any way, shape, or form will result in immediate blockage. do not use my work for ai training, reposting without consent isn't tolerant.
pairing: theo x reader
warnings: none, maybe slight minuscule angst, theo referred to as taeyang, not proof read
synopsis: you're up late working and theo just wants to be with you.
wc: ~630
a/n: short and sweet fluff cus i wrote too much smut in one sitting and felt the need to cleanse.. also guys i'm out of requests anyone wanna send one.... ๐ or maybe i could write the million that r sitting in my inbox ok sorry
you were up late working, again. there was a big task at work that you had to finish, which also meant you couldn't sleepโor pay attention to your manchild of a boyfriend.
it was past midnight when taeyang woke up to an empty bed. he checked the clock and groaned, missing you and knowing you were up working.
you were completely lost in your laptop and piles of paperwork on the dining table. taeyang slugged up to you and took a seat next to you. you didn't even notice his presence until you heard the chair pull out, and that hurt him. when you barely spared him a glance, that hurt him more.
he hated seeing you overwork yourself like this, and he especially hated when you disregarded him. he knew you had work and he loved that you were passionate, but seeing what it did to you and how you treated him was the worst.
"baby." he said softly, only getting a hum in response. "baby." he dragged the word out into a whine. you looked at him hoping it might cheer you up, but it only saddened you. his exhaustion was written all over his face, but he fought his sleep so he could be with you.
you already don't see each other much with his busy schedule, and with things getting hectic at your own work it only made things harder.
"can you come back to bed?" he asked, his words slightly slurred.
your eyebrows knit. "i can't, i have to finish this tonight."
"tonight has already passed. it's like three in the morning." he kinda had a point, but it didn't make your statement less true.
"taeyang." you frowned.
"yeah, i know." he sighed. you both knew you weren't gonna stop until you finished. "can i at least get a kiss?" he pouted.
"how can i say no to that?" you leaned in and left a peck on his forehead.
"you missed." he said.
"missed what?" your question was answered by his lips meeting yours with a soft peck. "you're lucky you're cute." you giggled. he pulled away and lazily smiled at you, his eyes starting to close.
he crossed his arms on the table and laid his head down, okay with uncomfortable sleep as long as he was with you. under the table his foot rested atop yours, a silent reminder that he was thereโfor you, and because he just had to be touching you.
another hour passed, then another, but you finally finished what had to be done. you closed your laptop, stretched, and let out a deep sigh. you looked beside you to see taeyang passed out with his head in his arms.
"tae," you cooed, your hand gently squeezing his shoulder until he woke up. he lifted his head and squinted at you. he was too cute, you couldn't stop yourself from pinching his cheeks. he whined and dropped his head back into arms.
"come on, let's go to bed." you held his arm and basically had to drag him into bed. you weren't able to go to the bathroom or anything before he settled his entire weight on top of you. "taeyang." you laughed.
"just getting comfy." he said, tightening his arms around you and resting his head on your chest. your hands subconsciously found his hair, playing with the strands and gently scratching his scalpโmuch to his liking.
"'m so tired." he mumbled, leaning into your touch.
"go to sleep." you whispered.
"you're not gonna leave me to go work, are you?" he asked, tugging at your heart.
"no tae. i'm here." you pressed a kiss to the top of his head. he hummed and babbled something incoherent before drifting off, you following shortly after.
can i request a whc headcanons with readers watching horror with whc
whc headcanon :: watching horror movies with them แฏโ
characters included: yeon sieun, ahn suho, kang wooyoung, go hyuntak, park humin, geum seongje, na baekjin, x reader
synopsis: watching horror movies with your boyfriend.
warnings: fluff, might be ooc
word count: 997
author's note: muamua thank you for the request!
โถ ์ฐ์์ :: yeon sieun
he only agrees to watch the horror movie because you asked. if it were up to him, heโd much rather spend the night reading or studying.
he sits next to you with that usual calm, unreadable expression, as if heโs preparing to analyze a lecture instead of a movie.
instead of getting scared, he studies the movie like itโs a puzzle.
he notices the background music change before a jumpscare happens and thought, โsomethingโs about to happen.โ
the scare happens exactly two seconds later.
he doesnโt even flinch. just blinks once.
if you get startled and grab his sleeve, he pauses for a second. you can almost see the gears turning in his head before he just lets you keep holding onto him.
he subtly lowers the volume during really tense scenes without mentioning it, mostly so you donโt get frightened by the sudden loud noises.
if you hide your face in his shoulder heโll awkwardly say, โitโs just practical effects, make ups, and editing.โ
but he doesnโt move away from you.
afterward he ends up googling why people enjoy horror movies and the psychology behind fear out of curiosity.
โถ ์์ํธ :: ahn suho
heโs the one who suggests watching a horror movie in the first place because he thinks itโll be fun.
he sprawls comfortably on the couch like heโs about to watch a comedy instead of something scary.
throughout the entire movie he keeps making comments. (i bet you, he would be loud and chatty)
โwhy would you go into the basement? thatโs literally the worst decision you could make.โ
he laughs at dumb characters and rolls his eyes when they split up.
the moment you grab his arm because something scared you, his whole attitude shifts.
he stops joking for a second and glances at you.
then he casually pulls you a little closer like itโs no big deal.
when a sudden jumpscare happens he definitely flinches.
immediately pretends he didnโt.
โthat wasnโt even scary.โ
if the movie ends up being too intense for you, heโll sigh dramatically and switch it to something lighter.
โถ ๊ฐ์ฐ์ :: kang wooyoung
the type to loudly claim horror movies are stupid and not scary at all.
โitโs just fake blood and bad acting.โ
he leans back with his arms on the couch and looks like heโs challenging the movie to scare him.
the first loud jumpscare makes his shoulders twitch slightly โ that you noticed.
โi didnโt move," he defensively said,
he starts teasing you if you react to anything scary, calling you dramatic or overly sensitive.
but if you cling to his arm or hide behind him he suddenly gets smug.
he sits up straighter like heโs now the official protector.
starts insulting the ghost or monster on screen like it can hear him.
โcome out then. letโs see what youโve got.โ
might prank you before or during bedtime.
โถ ๊ณ ํํ :: go hyuntak
gets way too invested in the movie.
from the first ten minutes heโs already yelling at the characters.
โdonโt open the door! are you stupid?!โ
he leans forward like heโs personally involved in the situation.
when a jumpscare happens he jerks back slightly.
immediately gets annoyed afterward.
โthatโs a cheap scare.โ
if you scream suddenly he panics for a second because he thinks something actually happened.
then he awkwardly asks if youโre okay.
afterward he insists he wasnโt scared at all.
but later when walking down a dark hallway he definitely checks behind him.
โถ ๋ฐํ๋ฏผ :: park humin
turns the whole thing into a proper movie night.
snacks, drinks, comfortable blankets, everything.
heโs actually excited because he thinks horror movies are fun to watch with other people.
when you get scared he immediately reassures you.
โitโs okay, itโs okay. itโs just a movie.โ
heโll let you hide behind his shoulder or grab onto him during intense scenes.
when a sudden jumpscare and scream happens in the movie, he screams as well โ even higher than yours.
then laughs at himself afterward.
if youโre genuinely scared heโs the first one to suggest changing the movie to something lighter.
your comfort matters more than finishing the film. (that was an excuse, he was genuinely scared and wanted to act tough.)
in the end, you watched slam dunk instead.
โถ ๊ธ์ฑ์ :: geum seongje
watches horror movies purely for entertainment.
he sits there with a lazy posture, chin resting on his hand, eyes fixed on the screen.
when the movie shows something gruesome he actually smiles โ which is slightly (?) concerning.
he doesnโt react to jumpscares at all. instead, he watches your reaction.
if you flinch or hide your face he tilts his head with curiosity.
โthat scared you?โ
teases you a lot because of it.
sometimes he pauses the movie at the creepiest possible frame just to mess with you.
just like wooyoung, might prank you before or during bed time.
โถ ๋๋ฐฑ์ง :: na baekjin
good luck convincing this one. he would definitely reject your movie invitation.
but, let's say you managed to convince him:
he normally doesnโt bother with movies, but if you ask him heโll sit down and watch one with you.
the entire time he remains completely calm and silent.
his eyes stay on the screen, analyzing the plot like itโs some sort of strategic scenario.
summary: In which a deaf girl meets an overly persistent boy at a convenience store.
type: one-shot, fluff
authorโs note: this is my first one-shot! Hope u like it! โก
~
You werenโt very sure why others disliked deaf people, you were just like them; but you couldnโt hear, you couldnโt communicate with your voice and, you had to use sign language.
โItโs probably very confusing to them, and it takes a lot to learn sign languageโ you thought as you looked at yourself in the mirror,
โonly because people like me canโt hear, others donโt need to treat us like weโre not different, because we are.โ you thought as you looked down, shrugging your shoulders as you started getting ready for school.
You walked slowly as you wandered through your schoolโs hallway, a little smile on your face, you knew it was weird to admit, but you liked being deaf,
to you, looking at the world in silence was the most beautiful thing you could ever experience, it was so peaceful, when the planet is on mute, even the saddest things could look fascinating.
But then, it was also so lonely, being deaf meant also being alone, people would distance themselves from you, thinking that they shouldnโt even botherโ but you donโt blame them,
you had accepted the behavior people around you had, from the ones that ignored you, to the ones that bullied youโ you didnโt even bother caring, what could you ever do about it? Speak up?
But all of it didnโt really affect you, you liked your quiet and calm lifeโ until it wasnโt.
That afternoon, you found yourself at the convenience store, hood of your sweatshirt on, deciding if you should buy the normal ramyeon, or the spicy one,
โThis is a tough decisionโฆโ you furrowed your eyebrows before shrugging your shoulders and taking both of them,
then you walked to the drinkโs aisle, deciding on a drink to buy, โmaybe a fruity drink is better than a coca-colaโ you thought as you bit your lower lip, you surely were taking your time.
Gotak groaned softly, โHow long is he going to take??โ He whispered softly, looking at the person in front of him, who was standing in front of the drinkโs aisle for too long now,
โAll I know is that I want my strawberry milkโ Baku whispered as he stood next to him, huffing lightly,
after noticing that they had been staring at this personโs back for way too long, Baku spoke up,
โDude, can you please hurry? We donโt have all dayโ he raised his voice just enough to be heard butโ
No answer.
โYahโ are you straight-up ignoring us?โ Gotak groaned again, getting a little bit frustrated, just enough to take this person by the shoulder and turning them around.
You gasped as you suddenly got grabbed by the shoulder and turned around, your eyes widening as you noticed these two guys, who looked like they were around your age, staring up and down at you.
Baku and Gotakโs eyes widened a little bit, not expecting a girl, they gulped, but Gotak still spoke up.
โWeโve been waiting for like 4 minutesโ you managed to understand that through lip reading,
When you realized that you had been lost in your thoughts for too long, your cheeks got red from the embarrassment and you bowed before running to the counter, not even grabbing the drink.
It happened to you way too oftenโ losing yourself in your own mute world, and evertime it interfered in someone elseโs life, it was so embarrassing.
Gotak looked at her as she ran to the counter, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion before letting it go, โWhatever, letโs get this strawberry milkโโ,
he stopped in his tracks as he noticed Bakuโs eyes follow the girlโs movements, he looked in awe, โDude, really?โ he deadpanned,
โOh my god Gotakโ sheโs so beautiful!โ He whispered loudly as he placed his hands on Gotak and started shaking him,
โYou literally saw her face for like 3 seconds!โ Gotak groaned, looking at his friend like he just said the stupidest thing in the world,
โBaku always recognizes a pretty face!โ He grinned widely, Gotakโs eye twitched, โWhy are you talking in third person nowโโ he couldnโt even finish before Baku interrupted him,
โOh no! Sheโs getting out! I have to get her number bro!โ and after thatโ Baku was immediately out of the convenience store, leaving Gotak standing there annoyed, but not surprised,
โWhat about your fucking strawberry milk??โ He groaned.
You walked out of the store, still a little embarrassed, โI have to stop doing thatโ, you thought to yourself, but then, you got grabbed by the shoulder again, making you turn around,
it was the guy from before, the other one wasnโt with himโ he started gesturing and talking really fast, you couldnโt even read his lips,
you thought he was scolding you again for making them wait too long, you didnโt want any trouble so you bowed again before running away.
โHey waitโ!โ Baku called after her, he whined in frustration, โI canโt be that ugly rightโฆโ he looked away,
โLet me guessโ Gotak appeared from behind him, two strawberry milk bottles in his hand, โYou got turned down againโ he said with a smirk, ready to make fun of him,
โShe didnโt even say anything she justโ ran awayโฆโ Baku said with a defeated look,
Gotak burst out laughing, โI canโt believe you got rejected like that!!โ He laughed mockingly, โShut up!โ Baku whined.
Days after, you were at the convenience store again, wanting to get some ice cream, you walked to the freezer, placing your hand on the handle to open it,
but your hand bumped with another one who was about to do the same thing,
you turned around, ready to apologize, but your eyes widened as you realized it was the guy who stopped you in front if the store some days ago!
Bakuโs eyes widened, โHey! You again!โ his smile widened, happy to see her again, even though last time was pretty embarrassing for him.
You immediately bowed, cheeks red as you got ready to run away again, but he grabbed your arm, โPlease! I promise I donโt bite!โ He smiled widely,
you managed to read his lips, calming down a little bit, but still very embarrassed, you looked around awkwardly, then you looked up at him,
when he noticed that you had calmed down, he spoke up, โWhat are you getting?โ He beamed softly, you read his lips again,
honestlyโ he looked like a beaten up puppy, he was cute too, and he genuinely looked like he didnโt mean anything bad,
you grabbed the ice cream you wanted and pointed it at him, alternating your gaze from the floor to his face,
he smiled widely, ready to speak up againโ but he talked too fast, you werenโt able to read his lips, so you just didnโt say anything,
he furrowed his eyebrows, tilting his head to the side as he noticed your confusion, โCatโs got your tongue?โ He joked softly,
you were able to understand that, you looked down, then looked up at him and then back down again, sighing softly,
you grabbed your little notebook you had in your pocket, grabbing a pen from the other one, then writing something downโ
โhere goes nothingโ you thought before raising your notebook to him.๏ฟผ
Bakuโs eyes slightly widened, he read the two words written on the notebook:
Iโm deaf
Baku was surprised, and immediately embarrassed for not realizing it that day when he straddled her on the street,
but then,
he couldnโt help it when a smile appeared on his face, โThat means I still have a chance!โ he thought to himself, then softned immediately โI scared her that dayโฆโ.
You immediately looked up at him when he grabbed your notebook and pen, expecting any kind of insult, he wrote something down and then he lifted up the notebook for you to read:
Thatโs lit! I never met a deaf person!
Your eyes widened softly, not expecting a reaction like this, you looked up at him, he had a big smile on his face,
then he wrote something again, your eyes following his movements, then he showed it to you:
Can I have youโre number? Letโs be friends!
You looked back at him, your eyes widening even more, you werenโt used to this kind if interactions, it warmed up your heart.
You grabbed the notebook, writing down something, noticing him shuffle a little bit closer, curious to see what you were writing, when you finished, you lifted the notebook:
Itโs *your, and okay
He smiled even more when he read what it was written, he laughed, shaking his head, his cheeks a little bit warm.
You smiled softly.
That afternoon you and Baku shared your phone numbers, he saved himself as โBaku the great!๐โ on your phone, you saved yourself โY/nโ on his, but he insisted and added a drink can emoji to it, making you a little bit embarrassed meanwhile he laughed about it,
and for the first timeโ someone saw you, but not for being different.
Hii I was thinking if you could write a fic where Baku is dating a shy girl and he tries to put her out there more ? Idk if that makes since. Also I love ur writing !!!
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | PARK HUMIN
dating a literal opposite of you was not on your bingo card.
you met this idiot accidentally when you were heading to lunch by yourself like always. all of a sudden, someone bumped into you badly, making you turn around in shock.
but as you made eye contact with the person who dared to shove into you, his eyes went into an awe expression.
if it wasn't obvious, he just fell in love with you. he started to bow, an adorable blush spreading on his cheeks.
"i sincerely apologise, i didn't plan to shove into a beautiful girl like yourself!"
his antics made you crack a soft smile, revealing a blush of your own.
at that, his smile widened in relief. since that day, baku never left you alone.
every day, he was by your side. he was just too intrigued by your shyness, insisting that he means no harm.
"i promise i don't bite! unless you're into that kind of stuff," he joked, laughing at his own words. but when he saw your uncomfortable expression, his laughter faded quickly. "sorry, that was totally weird."
and yet, you managed to fall for this big idiot.
even if you two were the complete opposites, you still felt like he understood you so well. your personalities complimented each other, making you compatible right away.
this guy lost his mind with cuteness aggression when you actually confessed first - voice low, cheeks a lot redder than usual - it just made him wanting to squeeze you into his embrace and never let you go.
that's what he did anyway. no one could stop him.
when you were alone with him, everything felt a lot easier for you. he never hesitated to talk for you, taking the lead in anything (not before getting your approval, of course).
after all, he was a natural leader. he didn't mind it. actually, he loved doing it for you.
he knew how anxious you could get, already used to it. it never bothered him, he was happy to be there for you.
what he adored the most about you was the way your eyes keeps looking away at the intense eye contact, or the way you catch onto his hand when you feel nervous or anxious in public.
he thrives in the feeling of protecting something precious as yourself.
but sometimes, hanging out with his friends was... a lot.
you got introduced to them in the beginning of your relationship with humin, but as he got carried away with them, you sometimes felt very left out.
you never commented on it, glad that your boyfriend is having fun with his friends.
he himself sometimes doesn't notice it either, too focused on cracking jokes and making people laugh.
you usually stood at the back or was on your phone, secretly hoping to get noticed.
nothing.
sometimes, you thought about it a lot. sometimes, you just hated your very introverted nature.
you wished to speak freely with anyone about anything, just like your boyfriend.
why was it so easy for him? what did he have that you lacked?
...
on a sunny weekend, you found yourself watching the guys play some basketball at the court.
they were clearly having fun, all of them cracking jokes and smiling. even sieun shown a small lift of his lips.
of course you got invited to also play but you declined, sending them to have their own fun.
you didn't even notice yourself zoning out all of a sudden, thinking about nothing particular.
the guys ran to the bleachers, plopping down on the bench as they reached for their water.
the faint smell of sweat intensified when your boyfriend found his place right next to you. you weren't grossed out by it, you found it a bit comforting in a way.
as he chugged on his water, he then hummed at you to get your attention.
"whatcha thinking about?" he asked, pointing out your moment of zoning out.
you shrugged, still hugging your knees. you felt his eyes still observing you. he clearly was thinking about something.
"you know what?" he began speaking again, standing up. "let's play ball. 1 v 1," he announced, grinning.
you looked up at him, your expression a bit confused. that was clearly way out of your comfort zone, and he was aware.
"come on, you can't be sulking around me!" humin announced loudly, still waiting for you to stand up. "let's go. baku will distract you."
your friend next to you, gotak, grimaced at the sight. "why are you talking in third person...?"
humin of course ignored his words, getting a hold of your wrist as he lifted you up.
"c'mon, princess! off you go!" he cheered as he led you onto the basketball court.
in the end, you had a good time. you loved that your boyfriend was always aware of your presence, making you feel seen.
โ noteโ โ โ :โ โ it's been marinating for so long, and i still don't feel like it's good enough. unfortunately, this is my blog and i can post it even if its bad. it's kinda related to my first baku oneshot (also my first post!!) that i posted here. crying baku. luv it. im posting this at 12am so im not checking this before i post it. gnight yall
ส(๏ฝกห แต ห )ษ for my beloved โฅ๏ธ [ @soovues ]
you waited inside the warm room anxiously. you checked your phone every few minutes, checking the time as you waited for him to come home. you were particularly grateful his father was around at this moment, because it would've only been harder for you had he been here.
you had even finished cleaning his room, putting away the cups and making his bed. and now all you could do was wait.
when you left your house earlier today, you knew exactly what you were going to do. you strengthened your resolve because you couldn't do this any longer. you couldn't look him in the eye and hide everything you were doing when he wasn't looking. or rather, you couldn't keep lying.
as you heard the door open in the distance, you instinctively stood up. though you couldn't see him, you knew he was taking his shoes off and hurrying to the bathroom to wash his face and hands before he saw you. you didn't have to see him to know what he was doing.
once the faucet turned off, humin entered the room with a huge grin on his face as he embraced you in a tight hug. you cherished his touch for what would probably be the last time and hugged him back, fingers caressing his back gently.
as he pulled away, he smiled at you brightly, but you could see the look in his eyes. he was nervous, anxious even. perhaps the way you texted him, 'we need to talk', did the damage, but humin knew either way that something was wrong. and you weren't sure how he'd take it. you were still fidgeting with the sleeves of your cardigan as you sat down next to him on his bed.
"so, that thing you mentioned earlier," humin began, "what did you want to talk about?"
you swallowed hard, as you mentally prepared yourself to explain the situation to him. so you began talking, right from the very start.
a few weeks ago, the union successfully took over your school, seowon high school. naturally, the bullies were thrilled to find out. everyone was aware that the union paid well, that is, if you play your cards right. the existing school violence that didn't usually affect you suddenly became overwhelming. anyone who kept to themselves immediately became a target. and then phones started going missing, and people would come back to their class only to find out that their money had been stolen.
when this became a daily occurrence, you knew you had to do something. you had already gotten your money stolen a few times, but things were gradually escalating within the school. luckily, you managed to find out exactly who had been taking your money and ended up in a confrontation outside of school. you had hoped to avoid this, but before you knew it, you were already throwing hands with a girl. both of you got pretty fucked up, but she had more people, so you were obviously on the more fucked side.
but you got lucky, very lucky. a man happened to see the whole thing. before her friends could give it another shot, he interrupted, "a one v four doesn't seem quite fair, does it?"
the girls stopped before they could throw another punch, as he walked into the alley, a cigarette lit between his lips, "your leader has already given up. do you really think you stand a chance?" he sighed, flicking the cigarette butt onto the ground and crushing it beneath his feet, "get going. continue this another time, hm?"
you recognised him from the glasses and the bright orange jacket and everything baku had told you about him. geum seongje. na baekjin's right-hand man and the psycho who'd beat people to a pulp if they dared to look at him for more than three seconds. he waved his hand at the girls, and they helped their leader up and headed out. if they wished to continue in the union, they'd better not piss him off.
he watched quietly as you got up slowly, limping slightly after you took a hit to your leg. "you're pretty good."
when you stayed silent, he chuckled, "well, when it comes to defending yourself, that is. that won't be very effective in a fight. you need to be able to land a hit in a fight, just defending isn't enough."
"what do you want?"
he smiled widely, "i was hoping you'd ask. you see, we think you'd make a good fit for the union."
you threw your backpack over your shoulder and stared him down for a moment, "do you know who i am?"
seongje nodded, "i do. you're dating baku, right?" he scoffed, glancing at the blood on your knee, "does it matter?"
"if you know that, why would you want me to join the union?"
"the same reason baekjin wants baku to join the union," he said, stepping closer, "besides, aren't you tired of having to be careful around your classmates every day? you could be the one they walk on eggshells around, if you join the union."
you scoffed, "you have to be completely out of your mind to think i'd ever do that."
"i guess. either way, if you change your mind, let me know."
"i won't."
"we'll see about that." seongje walked away, leaving you alone.
as you walked home, you found yourself thinking about what he said earlier. joining the union didn't sound so bad, but if baku was strongly against it, he must have a good reason. you had been subject to his monologues about how he regretted teaching baekjin, his childhood friend, how to fight. he only wanted the boy to learn how to defend himself. but he had made a mistake.
even though you saw him that day, you didn't tell him anything about what happened. not about the fight or about seongje. you knew he could sense something was wrong, but he didn't push it when you kept insisting it was nothing.
though he didn't believe you, he let it be.
and for a while, you thought you'd be alright. that you could just keep defending yourself against bullies, but the final straw came when you received a call from the hospital, only to find out one of your closest friends had been hospitalised due to a head injury. you rushed to the hospital as soon as you could and found your friend on a bed, barely holding on. the doctors went on about how they got lucky, but you didn't care anymore, even when your friend told you not to do anything stupid.
usually, you wouldn't lose it even in the face of this situation. but your patience had already been running low. the next thing you know is you're straddling mihee kang in an alleyway and punching her face until you broke her nose and gave her a black eye. you'd had enough of it. her dummies had to drag you away from her to stop you.
as you headed home, you made a decision. you dialled his number and heard his voice come through the other end, "did you change your mind?"
"yeah. fuck it. i'll join your stupid union."
and thus, here you were. hiding everything from baku had been hard enough, as he noticed the injuries, but you remained adamant on avoiding explaining things. you realized you had been more irritable than usual and would snap at him even if it wasn't that serious. but not anymore. you couldn't keep lying to him when you knew he could see the bandages on your body and the marks on your face. you couldn't lie to him anymore.
you waited, holding his hands in yours as you waited for him to say something, anything. but he didn't. he stayed quiet, staring at the floor. you gently rubbed your thumb across the back of his hand, something you'd do often to comfort him. but he didn't react.
he refused to look up at you as he spoke, "why didn't you tell me?"
his eyes seemed unreadable as he finally looked up, "if you were in pain, if you were suffering, you should've told me!"
"i couldn't, baku. i thought i could handle it on my own. i didn't want to drag you into my mess."
he scoffed, "your mess? baekjin sent seongje after you because of me. if this is anybody's mess, it's mine."
you sighed, letting your eyes fall to your lap, "i just.. i wasn't sure what to do. i didn't want to add on to your problems, and i really wanted to handle it myself. i don't want to rely on you to protect me."
"i am not asking you to let me protect you," he said, his voice slightly agitated, "i am asking you to rely on me. if things get hard, just let me handle it for you."
picking up on the agitation in his voice, you scoffed. you weren't sure what you were thinking anymore. your head felt like chaos but you didn't stop. even when you knew you should've, you didn't. even when you wanted to.
"and what? should i rely on you every time things get hard? everytime i feel i can't do it, i should just give up and turn to you? do i seem that fragile and naive to you?" you stood up as baku followed, "i don't want to live my life relying on others for everything."
"i am just saying, " he held your wrist, as he pulled you back to sit down and knelt in front of you, "i don't want you to suffer alone. i am not questioning what you can or can't do. all i am saying is asking for help doesn't make you weak."
maybe he was right. maybe you should've turned back from your decision, but you were too agitated. too irritable. too scared.
"perhaps you're right. but i can't be with you knowing that i lied to you and went against everything you believe in. it's too heavy on my conscience."
baku felt a lump in his throat, his voice barely a whisper as he moved closer towards you, in hopes he had misheard, "what? what do you mean?"
"i am saying that," you swallowed, trying to ignore the look in his eyes as you spoke, "i think we should break up."
"what?"
"i think we should break up," you pursed your lips, trying your best to hold back the tears threatening to spill over, "i can't do this anymore. i can't leave the union, you know how it is."
"no," he whispered to himself more than you as he slowly began to panic, "no, no,no. y/n, listen to me. we'll figure it out, alright? i'll talk to baekjin, and i am sure i can talk him out of itโ"
"no," you saw the way his eyes brimmed with tears, "it's either you or me. and this is a decision i made. the only one responsible for it is me."
at this point, baku had tears streaming down his face as he tightly held your hands in his own trembling hands, "please. you don't understand. we can fix this."
"no, we can't," you looked away, "there's nothing to fix, baku. i just can't pretend like everything is fine when it's not. i can't keep lying to you and smiling at you when my entire body hurts. i can't do this. i can't be with you."
"then don't. just lie to me, scream at me โ anything. just stay with me, hmm?" he spoke, his voice choking on his tears. his knees ached from kneeling on the cold, hard floor, but it felt like nothing compared to the ache in his heart. his voice rang in your ears, and yet your resolve remained unshaken.
you stood up, "no, humin-ah. there's no reason for me to stay. and none for you to hold onto me."
he held your hand tightly, so tight his knuckles turned white. he was afraid that if he lets go of you now, you might disappear. he shook his head. it didn't matter what you said to him. his resolve was strong, but his hope was withering away. he wasn't sure how tightly he had to hold you to keep you from leaving.
"i can't let go. i won't let go. if you've made your decision, then i have made mine." he says, swallowing down the lump in his throat.
you reached out to him and gently brushed your thumb against his cheek. you wiped away the tears staining his face. he was a sniffling, sobbing mess. your heartstrings tugged within your chest at the face of the boy you've only ever seen smile at you. it made you wonder how many times he cried this way, with no one to give him a shoulder. how many times had you missed this sight?
you freed your hand from his grip and cupped his face, and leaned in, "are you going to keep crying this way? you need to stop, humin-ah. you look pathetic, you know?"
even though your words hit hard, baku didn't care about being pathetic. he didn't care if he seemed pathetic. he didn't care if you humiliated him or stepped on him. he didn't care if you insulted him or called him all the names in the book. he could let it all slide if it meant you'd stay.
"please.." he felt short of breath, "please don't do this."
"oh but it's already done," you patted his cheek, gently wiping away a tear that slid down his face, "we're done, baku. take care, hmm?"
you stood up straight, looking ahead at the mirror across from you. your reflection stared back with glossy eyes, and your fingers ached to touch him again, to pull him in your embrace and tell him you won't go. but you will.
baku didn't try to stop you anymore, as if he had already accepted your decision. he only cried silently, his head fallen and his gaze glued to the floor. he didn't dare to say another word. all he did was hope that perhaps for a moment, you would reconsider.
instead you left the room with quick, long strides, not daring once to turn back. even though you could still hear him breaking down, you couldn't walk back inside or take your words back. you couldn't take it back. no matter how badly you wanted to. and he knew it was final.
you walked out of the front door, closing the door behind you as your back pressed against the door. you held your hand to your mouth as you finally let your emotions drift freely. your heart raced within your ribcage, and each breath served as a reminder that you had lost the one person you adored the most in the world. you could only regret and grieve a relationship you ended.
your heart sank as you looked down from the apartment complex. your eyes met another sharp pair of eyes, and by the look on your face, na baekjin could tell you had been obedient.
hii, could you write about Do Seong-mok realizing he's in love with the reader?
I love your writing, have a great day! <3
There you go love <3
Guard Duty
โฎ Summary : Request above โ
โฎ Contains : Fluff, only fluff
โฎ Pairing : Seongmok x reader
โฎ Word Count : 0.6K
For a man like Do Seongmok, the word "love" doesn't exist in his vocabulary. His world is built on structural integrity, absolute silence, and the unwavering shadow of Baekjin Na. He is a pillar of the Union, a human fortress who functions on logic and physical dominance.
But then there was you, this tiny, sharp-tongued anomaly who treated his lethal reputation like a minor inconvenience.
The realization didn't come in a grand explosion. It was a slow, heavy erosion of his defenses.
It started with the way he watched you from his usual post behind Baekjin. Usually, his eyes scanned the room for threats, but lately, they kept snagging on you. You were sitting on a crate in the corner of the warehouse, swinging your legs and blowing a bubble with your gum while the most dangerous men in the city discussed territory.
You looked up, caught his stare, and didn't look away. Instead, you gave him a slow, mocking salute with two fingers and went back to your phone.
Seongmok felt a strange, tight pressure in his chest. Anyone else would have lowered their head. You just challenged him without saying a word.
The turning point happened on a night when the air was biting cold. The Union was closing up a deal, and you were waiting near the exit, shivering slightly in your thin jacket but still wearing that expression that refused to admit you were uncomfortable.
Seongmok walked past you, his massive frame radiating heat. He stopped, his shadow engulfing you. Without a word, he began unzipping his heavy, black Union-issue jacket.
"I don't need it," you snapped, crossing your arms over your chest. "Keep your giant coat, Seongmok. Iโm fine."
He didn't argue. He never argued. He simply draped the jacket over your shoulders, the weight of it nearly knocking you off balance. It smelled like him, cold air and faint traces of gym chalk.
"Wear it," he rumbled. It wasn't a suggestion; it was a command, but the edge of it was blunted by something uncharacteristically soft.
You looked up at him, your mouth opening to deliver a biting retort, but the words died in your throat. For the first time, you saw past the "Right Hand Man" persona. His eyes weren't blank. They were focused on you with a terrifying, singular intensity that made your heart skip a beat.
It hit him three days later. He was back in the gym, hitting the bag with a rhythm that felt off. He kept thinking about the way you looked in his jacket, how small you were, yet how much space you occupied in his mind.
He realized he wasn't protecting you because Baekjin ordered it. He wasn't watching you because you were a "variable."
He was doing it because the thought of anyone else upsetting that defiant spark in your eyes made his blood turn to ice. He realized he liked the way you talked back to him. He liked that you were the only person in the world who wasn't afraid to stand in his shadow.
He stopped mid-punch, his gloved hand resting against the swaying bag. The silence of the gym felt louder than usual.
I'm in trouble, he thought, his chest heaving.
It wasn't a soft, poetic feeling. For Seongmok, realizing he loved you felt like a heavy weight being added to his shoulders, a new responsibility, a new vulnerability, and a new reason to fight. He wasn't just Baekjinโs right hand anymore.