a/n: hi everyone! it’s been a while! sorry this took so long; i’m taking summer classes and can’t find the time to write ;;
the reader’s brother is unnamed (though it feels like it’s donghun). also, for the sake of the fic, the reader + eunsuh will be honorary members of the maknae line, and it’ll take place in a school!au (because i just finished the last of my midterms and i want to sleep)
on another note, this is the 10th finished request! here’s to many more to come \o/
enjoy!
pairing: kim sehyoon x reader; maknae line friendship (i need more byeongchan material??)
genre: fluff
summary: there’s only so much one person can handle. for you, all it takes is a smile.
word count: 2109
i’m open for requests!
You’re six when you fall in love.
Literally, because you come up the bright idea of climbing the tallest tree in the playground despite the fact that your older brother had specifically told you to “not drag anyone into anything dangerous” while he and his friends do their own thing. In your defense, you’re the one making trouble.
(And okay. Maybe, just maybe, you were spurned on by Byeongkwan’s dare because he was convinced that you were scared of heights and you wanted to prove him wrong.)
So despite Yuchan’s protests and Eunsuh’s horror, you scale up the tree as fast as your grubby little hands could muster. Byeongkwan’s impressed--that’s all that matters--so when you’ve triumphantly reached one of the higher branches, it almost doesn’t register in your head that you’ve lost your balance until you’re staring at the sky instead of your friends.
There’s a gasp. Eunsuh screams. You don’t even close your eyes because oh look, that cloud’s shaped like a crab.
But instead of the excruciating pain you expect to feel once your oh-so-weak child body hits rock bottom, you feel a jostle in your shoulders and your knees. And then you see a face in front of you. It’s Eunsuh’s brother, Kim Sehyoon. His features set with worry as he asks, “Are you okay?”
Maybe it’s because of the adrenaline, but your heart’s beating much faster than it was a second ago. So you nod dumbly.
When he smiles in relief, you think you’re still falling.
Later, after your brother fusses and gives you a timeout (you’re just sitting on a bench within his sight--he’s too soft to give you an actual punishment), holding Byeongkwan’s hand to stop him from crying any more in guilt, you watch Sehyoon dribble past your brother to net a two-pointer. Leaning over to Eunsuh, you say, “Your brother’s cool.”
She beams in response.
That day marks the start of your puppy love.
Except it turns out to not be a simple crush and decides to become a decade-long-and-then-some unrequited love that makes you want to bang your head in misery.
“I mean, it could be worse,” Yuchan muses. “He could be dating someone else.”
Looking up from your trigonometry practice questions, you shoot him a weary gaze.
Byeongkwan steals one of your pens. “Has it ever occurred to you that this pining nonsense could’ve been all avoided if you just confessed to him?”
On the other side of the table, Eunsuh smiles. “You’re putting too much faith in [Y/N].”
“That’s because my faith’s been absorbed by the rest of you.” With a groan, you bury your face in your textbook. “Why are we suddenly talking about this? I thought we were studying for exams.”
“I don’t understand this question,” Yuchan mutters.
“What I don’t understand,” Byeongkwan says to you, “is why you won’t ask him to tutor you. He’s literally downstairs. It’s the perfect chance.”
“Hush!” You survey the room, frantic. “We don’t speak of him in this house.”
Eunsuh hums. “That’s actually a good idea. My brother would be more than willing to help.”
You narrow your eyes. “I said hush. I’m doing my best to pretend my feelings don’t exist at the moment because a) I’ve got a hundred other problems, mainly finals; b) he’s hot and I’m not; c) I turn into a bumbling fool whenever I think of him; d) all of the above.”
“When in doubt, always answer c),” Byeongkwan says.
Yuchan pouts. “Guys? Help? Please?”
“Why can’t the two of you be like Chan?” You turn to help him answer the problem. “Sorry, sweetheart. Let me look at it.”
Eunsuh sighs as you work out the math equation. “If only you could call Sehyoon-oppa that.”
You glare at her. “Don’t you have better things to do?”
“Yes, actually.” She twirls her pen. “You know what we should do? We should give each other a prize.”
Byeongkwan perks up. “A prize?”
“Yeah, like, for motivation for studying. If I pass all my exams, someone has to buy that cute dress I’ve been eyeing for weeks.”
You think. “That...does sound like one of your more reasonable ideas as of late.”
She ignores your comment. “So? How about it?”
A knock on the door interrupts your answer. Peeking his head into the room, Sehyoon holds each of your gazes for a moment. As if on cue, your heart starts racing. You like to think he looked at you the longest.
“I brought some snacks for everyone,” he says, lifting up a tray full of food. “How’s goes the studying?”
You start to say “great” just as Yuchan says, “Hyung! I need help!”
“With what?” He lets himself in. Chan scoots over to make some space, and interestingly enough, the space is right next to you.
Chan smiles at you. You hiss.
Traitor.
Sehyoon’s leg touches yours as he sits down. You feel your neck burn. Eunsuh giggles, Byeongkwan smirks, Chan’s babbling to the side, and it takes all of your willpower not to chuck your calculator at them.
Blood rushing in your ears, you barely concentrate on the book in front of you. Letters and numbers turn into garbage, and now you’re only listening to what he has to say. Substitute this, multiply that... You don’t think you could ever get tired of listening to his voice.
Caught up in your thoughts, you screech when Eunsuh nudges your foot under the table.
Sehyoon looks over, curious, and you send him an awkward smile before turning away. Your mouth is dry and your skin is all hot, and everything’s just as dizzying as it was when you fell from that tree all those years ago.
Standing up, you say “I’m going to get some water” before you rush downstairs.
As rest your head on the kitchen counter, you slap your cheeks. “Oh my god, [Y/N],” you muttered. “Why are you like this?” More than ten years of a stupid crush and you still get butterflies as if it was the first time. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Finals! Think about finals! This wasn’t the time to be flustered about Sehyoon!
You take a few minutes to compose yourself. Gulping down three glasses, you’re about to pour a fourth when someone says, “[Y/N]?”
You choke.
Sehyoon rubs his neck, sheepish. “Sorry. You were taking long, so the others sent me to find you.”
Curse them. “I’m fine. But thank you.”
“I marked the important sections that you should study for. Work on them with the others.” He turns to leave. But at the last second, he looks back and says, “Good luck on your exams.”
Those words are better than any lucky charm in the world. Before you can stop yourself, you blurt out, “If I pass everything, will you do something for me?”
You slap your mouth, eyes wide as you realize what you just did. Sehyoon blinks. “What is it?”
“Um.” You were going to kill Eunsuh for putting the idea in your head. “A-anything? It doesn’t matter? Nothing big. It’s just...it’d be good motivation to study harder when you have a goal, you know. Yeah. That’s it.”
Silence. If only the world could swallow you whole.
You laugh. “You know what, that was a stupid idea--”
“No, I’ll do it.” He pauses. “Can I think of what I’ll do?”
“Yeah. Sure. Surprise me.”
“Great. You better do well then.”
“Yeah.” God, what are you saying? You swear you always act like an idiot when he’s around. “Yeah.”
When you brush past him to go back to Eunsuh’s room, he ruffles your hair and you’re sporting a hard blush.
Later, Byeongkwan asks why you’re so red.
You tell him to shut up.
Sitting around your living room table, you look solemnly at the envelopes in front of you. Eunsuh chews her lip. Byeongkwan sets his jaw. Yuchan runs through his hair once, twice. No one says a word.
“If you stare any longer, you’re going to burn holes into the mahogany.”
That’s your brother, who along with Sehyoon, are the only calm people in the group. Yuchan breaks down.
“Hyung,” he says, “I think I failed math!”
“Oh hush.” Your brother pulls on Chan’s folder. "How about this? Sehyoon and I will look through all your grades and break the news. I know none of you failed.”
“I blanked out on the second half of the literature exam,” Eunsuh mutters, burying her head in her hands.
“Nonsense. That’s your anxiety talking.”
“Then my anxiety’s right!”
Sehyoon takes Eunsuh’s envelope, as well as yours. Your eyes shoot up to look at him, and he sends you a reassuring smile. “I hope you like your present.”
Your heart patters. “You have too much faith in me.”
“You have too little faith in yourself.”
On three, he and your brother pull out the paper.
You shut your eyes.
A couple of things happen at once:
1. Yuchan shrieks.
2. You feel a hand cover your eyes.
3. Eunsuh grips your arm so tightly you think it’s lost its ciruclation.
4. Byeongkwan and your brother laugh, one more hysterically than the other.
5. You register someone’s lips peck yours.
Then your brother says, “You all passed.”
And just like that, you can see again.
Yuchan is flabbergasted. “Seriously?”
Your brother nods.
There’s a moment of silence before Chan stands up, arms wide as he screams, “YES!”
Before you know it, you’re pulled up and hugged and spun around. Chan knocks the wind out of your lungs but you couldn’t care less because the blush on Sehyoon’s face is enough to distract you. It’s faint, and he’s trying his best to keep his lips still but his dorky smile can’t be contained, and you’re burning up because wait what--did he--was that--oh my god what just happened.
You don’t have much time to dwell on it because Chan throws you over his shoulder and starts charging to the front door, Byeongkwan and Eunsuh trailing right behind him like it’s a stampede.
Like this, mid-air and staring at Sehyoon and grinning so widely you can’t feel your cheeks, you fall in love all over again.
Bonus:
As the four of you go outside for a celebratory cheer, your brother claps sarcastically. “That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”
“Not a word from you,” Sehyoon mutters. But he can’t wipe off the smile on his face.
“Ahhh, I feel as if a heavy burden was just lifted from my soul.”
“Did it have to be here? Everyone was watching. It was embarrassing.”
“You would’ve chickened out otherwise.”
“Please be quiet.”
“I’m still marking today down as your anniversary.” Your brother chuckles. “Promise me it won’t take you ten years to ask [Y/N] out on a date, yeah?”
i’ll be taking a short break in light of the recent news in toronto; while i’m thankful no one i knew was hurt, i might need a few days before my head clears. i’ve been feeling upset about the whole thing and it’s bleeding into my writing.
my heart goes out to all those affected. stay safe.
I’d also like to thank you for that Sehyoon scenario. I’ve been recovering from terrible anxiety and depression for about 2 years now, but I still have moments like those described in your writing. Getting to imagine Sehyoon being there to comfort me, really brought me so much happiness I can’t even explain. Thank you for your endless amazing writings, and thank you for loving a.c.e ❤️❤️
that’s great to hear! recovery is a lifelong process, and i’m happy that it’s been easier for you these past few years. i’m very proud of you, and i’m sure sehyoon would be too!
thank you so much for sharing your story, and thank you for reading my work ❤
Thank you very much for making that Sehyoon au. Honestly it made me emotional and made me realize things and I'm thankfull for that. To be honest y/n character and their thoughts etc is the same as me/mine and I was so shocked bc it was like reading about myself. Also thank you for choosing Sehyoon bc he is really a special person in my life who i really love and admire, I cant even explain my thoughts and feelings about him. My whole body shaking right now but its ok. Once more, thank you❤
you’re very welcome, anon!
and you’re not alone! i myself have social anxiety, so y/n’s actions and feelings are what i feel and think at my lowest times. i’m also super glad about your realizations; thoughts can be overwhelming sometimes, but it’s wonderful to remember that other people think much better of us than we may think of ourselves.
i chose sehyoon because sehyoon (and as much as i love my son park junhee, i feel the need to give the other members some spotlight).
but if anyone wants an angsty jun fic you can always send in a request!
warning: contains a panic attack and descriptions of anxiety/depression.
this is also slightly!au, in the fact that a.c.e doesn’t live in dorms.
please enjoy!
p.s. i listened to 5tar (incompletion) while writing most of this because the lyrics hit me right at home c‘:
pairing: kim sehyoon x reader
genre: angst, fluff
summary: worthless, you thought. beautiful, he said.
word count: 3354
i’m open for requests!
Ducking your head as you passed by a crowd of strangers, you fiddled with the ends of your grocery bag. A simple trip to the supermarket wasn’t supposed to be this nerve-wracking, but your neighbour bumped into you this morning and started up a short conversation, your boss yelled at you at work, and you held up the cashier because you made a mistake about what you wanted to buy.
Idiot, you could hear them. Judging stares, upturned sneers. Can’t even buy things properly.
Stop being an inconvenience.
Get out of here!
This is ridiculous.
You were trembling by the time you exited the store.
As you made your way down the street, a loud honk echoed through the air. It made you jump. There was chatter everywhere, laughter that you couldn’t place. Were they laughing at you?
You’re an embarrassment.
What a joke.
At least you’re useful for something.
Shaking your head, you began to walk away as fast as you could.
You just wanted to go home.
Except you couldn’t. Because you didn’t have your keys.
You searched through your pockets–twice, thrice. They were there before; you locked the door when you went out.
Slumping in front of your door, you struggled to control your breathing. You could tell your landlord about it, ask for the spare key. But you began to shake as sharp gasps racked through your body.
You shouldn’t have gone outside.
That would’ve saved us the trouble.
Can’t you do anything right?
You didn’t know anymore.
Your heart hurt. Eyes stung. Cold sweat ran through your skin, shivers worsening, and your throat–god, you couldn’t breathe.
You felt like you were going to die.
Good riddance.
“Oh! Isn’t that your neighbour?”
Panic heightened. Turning your back against the voice, you tried to stop your wheezing and shut your eyes. Was someone there? You didn’t want them to see you. Maybe they’ll leave if you ignored them.
But when you felt a hand on your arm, you flinched and let out a sob.
“Sorry…! Are you okay?”
Not that I care.
You hugged yourself, stifling the shudders. But your hands continued to shake and your legs were starting to give away. With a gasp, you felt someone stand in front of you.
“Hey, I’m going to take you somewhere to sit. Is that okay?”
You nodded, continuing to gasp as warm hands led you to a walk. You didn’t know what was happening, but soon, you could register carpet under your feet.
“Careful, there’s a table in front of you.” The voice continued to coax you as you made your way through the floor. “Could someone get a glass of water?”
When you stopped, they gently held your shoulder. “Sit. There’s a chair.” And as you sat down, they weaved their fingers through yours and forced your nails away from your skin. “We’re alright.”
We’re alright.
Alright?
“Hyung.”
At the other voice, you hunched over. More people?
“Thank you.” The hands slipped away from yours, and you felt cold glass. There was pressure on your lap. “Sorry, but is it alright if I don’t see you to the door?”
For a while, all you could hear was your heavy gulps. But then the ticking of the clock reached you. Then the hum of the exhaust. Your breathing began to even out, heart calming down within your chest.
As the terror dissipated, humiliation took its place, and you kept your eyes shut because you didn’t want to see the person in front of you.
Seconds, minutes. When their feet brushed yours, you gathered up the courage to open your eyes. There was a tissue box in front of you, and you used it to dab away the tears. As your vision cleared, you realized you were talking to your neighbour. He was sitting on the floor, cross-legged and watching. A small frown was on his lips.
Guilt gnawed you. He must be angry. “I’m sorry.”
He softened. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
You took a sip of water. You were still wearing your shoes, you noticed. You must have dirtied the carpet. “I’m sorry.”
“Shh.”
Why was he being so nice? You struggled to hold back another sob. “I’m sorry.” Stop crying, you told yourself. Stop bothering him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
He sat beside you and rubbed your back. “It’s okay.”
You repeated it under your breath, a mantra as you clung to a rhythm. The clock. The circles on your back. It’s okay, I’m sorry, it’s okay.
“What did you buy?” he asked, motioning to your plastic bag. You didn’t realize it was on the table until now.
“...Groceries.”
He nodded. “Did you eat dinner yet?”
You shook your head.
“I have some leftovers from what my friends brought.” He offered you a hand. “Let’s get you something to eat.”
Following him to the kitchen, you noticed there were plates stacked in the sink. The table was wiped down and clean.
You bit your cheek. “Did I make them leave?”
“No. They were already planning to go.”
He placed a styrofoam box on the table and left the kitchen. Hesitant, you surveyed the room. It was small and tidy, with a layout just like your own. But the tiny differences–the reminders on the fridge, the unfamiliar brands of silverware–reminded you that you weren’t home.
You began to eat as he returned with a stack of papers. When he took the chair in front of you, you winced.
“You don’t have to treat me like a guest,” you mumbled.
“It’s fine. I like the company.”
The two of you sat in silence.
“I’m Kim Sehyoon,” he said.
You’d be rude not to reply. “[L/N] [Y/N].”
“[L/N] [Y/N]?” A pause. “I always wanted to know your name.”
He was staring at his papers, but there was a faint smile on his lips. Flustered, you went back to eating.
You were picking the last bits of food in the styrofoam when you glanced back at him. He was engrossed in his work, brows furrowed as he scribbled word after word on his papers. You didn’t want to bother him.
But staying here was probably a bigger bother. So you said, “Excuse me?”
He looked up.
“I’m done.” You gulped. After barging into his house like this, you wanted to at least do something in return. “I’ll leave once I wash the dishes.”
“You can leave them. I’ll do it.”
“Please. I, um, insist.”
That was smile of his was nice, you thought. You couldn’t help but think it was fake. “Okay. If you want to.”
You were hyperaware of how weird this situation was. The hairs on the back of your neck prickled. Was Sehyoon staring at you? Was he waiting for you to make a mistake?
You should’ve left when I told you to.
Can’t you read social cues?
You tweaked the faucet just enough for a small stream of water to come out, scrubbing as quietly as you could, and placed the dishes on the drying rack with slow movements. You cringed when it clanged with the rest of the plates.
“Excuse me again...” Interrupting his work twice in the span of five minutes was a sure-fire way of making you feel terrible. “But I’ll be going now.”
“Mm.” Sehyoon didn’t seem to mind your constant disruptions. “I’ll see you to your door then,” he said, moving to stand.
“Th-that won’t be necessary!” He blinked. You looked at the ground. “I lost my keys today, so, um, I’ll be heading to the landlord first.”
“Ah.”
But he stood up anyway, following as you retrieved your bag and made your way to the exit. When he opened the door for you, you wanted to curse yourself for your social ineptness.
“G-good night,” you said, bowing low. “And thank you for your hospitality.”
His eyes were soft as he echoed, “Good night.”
The door clicked shut.
Whether it was a wave of the hand or a quick hello, Sehyoon made it a point to greet you every time you met. It was never a conversation–simple pleasantries that didn’t take long. But he was patient and understanding, and he always had the handsomest smiles. Against your better judgment, you began to grow comfortable around him.
It was nice to call him a friend.
Your heart twittered.
Or maybe…
Oh please. Why would anyone like you, let alone Kim Sehyoon?
Sighing, you made your way back to your apartment. But as you made it to the top of the stairs, you saw someone familiar.
“Sehyoon?”
He was overlooking the hallway railings. His eyes crinkled as he turned to face you. “[Y/N].”
“H-hi.”
“Hi.”
Silence fell. Your face heated up. Glancing to the side, you tried to keep the conversation going. “What were you looking at?”
He shrugged. “I saw you walking home and decided to stay around to say hi.”
“...You were waiting for me?”
“Mm.”
Your stomach turned warm and tingly. “Really?”
He nodded, shifting back to stare at the streets. You took it as a cue to leave.
But as you were about to unlock your door, you looked over your shoulder. To your utmost embarrassment, Sehyoon was doing the same.
You flushed, hands shaking as you fiddled around with the lock. “Sorry. It’s just–I wanted to thank you. For being here. I appreciate it. So thank you.”
Silence.
You didn’t wait to hear his response.
You began to see him on the balcony more often. Not every day–no, you realized he had better things to do than idle around and talk with you–but it was often enough to keep the butterflies in your stomach.
And it was often enough for you to recognize if he was having a bad day.
When he had greeted you this morning with a stifled yawn and an exhausted smile, you couldn’t keep the worry from crinkling your eyebrows.
“Tired?” you asked quietly.
He nodded. “I’ve been busy.”
“Thank you for all your hard work...”
“Thanks,” he said, eyes shining. It made you happy to know you had that effect on him.
Looking back at it now, that wasn’t a justified reason to buy him a few energy drinks.
As you trudged up the stairs, you were half-relieved and half-disappointed to see an empty balcony. But it was for the best. And least this time, you could do something without letting your stuttering screw up everything.
You placed the bag in front of his door with a short note that said ‘for you.’ Then, as you entered your apartment, you wondered if he’d know it was from you.
Or if he ever saw them at all.
Someone else could take them.
The janitor?
You didn’t know how long the drinks would be sitting there for.
Do energy drinks taste good when warm?
You should’ve bought an ice pack.
Or you should’ve knocked on his door.
But if you did and he was resting, then it’d be a stupid reason to bother him. You weren’t even sure if he liked energy drinks.
Then: god, you were stupid to try and cheer him up.
Mind your own business, [Y/N].
The best charity you can give is leaving me alone.
Trying to buy favours, are you? Well, it isn’t working.
You shook your head and prepared your dinner.
But after an hour of arguing with yourself, you decided to grab the bag before he could see it.
The bag was gone.
Instead, it was by Sehyoon’s feet, as he drank a can and stared into the night sky. You couldn’t see his expression–his back was towards you–but you heard him sigh and it was gentle, like the smiles he had when he saw you.
Your chest hurt.
Staring at your bedroom ceiling, you found a pattern of bumps that vaguely resembled a squid. You groaned.
After thinking things through, you concluded that you enjoyed Sehyoon’s company.
But you weren’t even friends. Because even though it was all fine and dandy to have a crush on your neighbour, you were practically strangers.
Past the disaster you made when you were in his house, you had yet to have a conversation with him that spanned longer than five minutes, or one that wasn’t about the weather and passing pleasantries.
And, you thought with a frown, someone like him was probably dating someone else. There was no way someone as wonderful as him was single.
In other words: you didn’t have a chance.
You’re a charity case, [Y/N]. And that’s all you’ll ever be.
You covered your eyes. “I know.”
Some nights, you couldn’t fall asleep. Your eyes were exhausted but your mind was racing, little anxieties leading to other thoughts.
Missing a work deadline (because you couldn’t bring yourself to do the work).
Checking the mailbox (because you haven’t checked it in a while).
Cleaning your house (because you’ve been too tired to do so).
Declining an invitation to a coworker’s party (because you were afraid).
Kim Sehyoon.
(Because you needed a distraction).
You got out of bed and went outside.
The streets were nearly empty, lights flickering as the wayward car drove by. The night stretched on, covered in darkness. The miles disappeared into themselves.
If you disappear now, no one would notice.
No one would look.
No one would care.
You rubbed your head, frustrated. “Shut up.”
You know it’s true.
Admit it.
No one cares.
No one cares.
No one cares.
You wanted to cry.
Worthless.
Stupid.
Goddamn invalid.
Covering your mouth, you stopped a sob.
Aw, look. The crybaby appears.
As if whining will help.
Che, can’t do a single thing right.
Stop bothering everyone around you.
You’re better off gone.
Better off–
“[Y/N]?”
You jumped and quickly rubbed your eyes. Sehyoon was by the stairs, sporting a confused look.
“Why are you awake?” he asked. “It’s almost one in the morning.”
You willed your voice to sound strong. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“Had to do something for work.” He came closer. You shifted your gaze away. “You?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” you muttered.
“I see.”
Though he fell silent, he stayed beside you, elbow almost brushing against yours.
You looked at him, surprised. “Aren’t you tired? You should go inside...”
He smiled. “Didn’t I tell you once that I liked your company?”
You stared.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. It’s nice to–[Y/N]?” He sounded alarmed. “What’s wrong?”
“H-huh?” You felt something wet roll down your cheeks. Reaching up to touch your face, you realized they were tears. “Oh.”
“Was it something I said?” He wiped them away. It made you cry harder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”
You shook your head.“It’s not you. It’s just...”
“It’s just...?”
You shut your eyes. “I hate myself.”
His hands stilled.
“I’m worthless. You’re amazing. All I do is waste your time.”
“[Y/N].”
Shut up.
Your laugh sounded watery. “See? I’m doing it again. Sorry for bothering you.”
As you made a move to go back to your apartment, he held your wrists. You jumped.
“I’ve never thought of you as a bother,” he said. “You don’t have to believe me. But will you listen to what I have to say?”
You stayed quiet.
He took a deep breath. “You make me feel things. Good things,” he added quickly, “that I’ve never felt before.”
Trying to meet his eyes, your gaze landed on your intertwined hands. “You’re just saying that.”
“No. It’s true. Even before I knew all of this–more of you,” he clarified, “I was always happy whenever you greeted me.” He sent you a wry smile. “Some days, I wait by the balcony and hope I’ll run into you.”
Your vision turned blurry.
“You’re kind. And strong. And beautiful.” He let go of your wrists, drawing closer to wipe away your tears again. “And I talk to you because I want to know you. Not because I’m forcing myself. I’m awkward too. I get nervous and I don’t know what to say because I don’t want you to think I’m a fool. And admitting this is horrible, but I’m a coward that had to watch you break down before I could be honest with myself.”
You sniffled. “That’s the most you’ve ever said in five minutes.”
He laughed. You seized the courage to place your hands on his, keeping them on your cheeks, and his face softened into a sweet smile.
“If we’re being honest,” you whispered, “my heart speeds up at the slightest worry. But you make it speed up in a different way.”
Then you cringed because you probably misinterpreted what he said. You’re just friends. Friends. There’s no way he’d like you like that–
You froze when you felt his lips pressed against yours. It was short and chaste, but you stared at him wide-eyed when he drew back.
“[Y/N]?”
“...Sehyoon?”
“I always wanted to do that.”
You blinked quickly. Your eyes were wet again, for reasons that made your heart light. “I-I’m going to ask a lot of questions. And have a lot of doubts. About this. About you. About everything.”
“That’s fine.” He knocked his forehead against yours. And there, just like that, standing by the balcony under the moonlight, your thoughts disappeared into the distance. “Ask away.”
a/n: the first headcanon request!! i finished this as fast as i could to let everyone know that i do these too c:
the amount of research i did for this was crazy though
enjoy!
credit goes to all the gif makers for all their hard work ❤
i’m open for requests!
Park Junhee
(Acts all professional because he wants to impress you with how good he leads. Gets embarrassed when anything remotely suggestive pops up because oh god where was he touching you?)
Practice with Junhee was going smoothly. He was a great teacher, parsing instructions into simple and easy steps. But as you got to the more intimate parts of the dance, he started to trip up.
“Jun, come closer.” His hands were on your waist, but the distance between the two of you was awkward at best. “We can’t do the next move if you’re that far away.”
“Right–but–I mean–”
You sighed, pulling him in. The grip on your waist tightened as his chest touched your back. Jun seemed to freeze.
“You don’t know how to do this?” you asked, laughing. “Guess it’s my turn to teach you. Here, just–” you adjusted his fingers so they laid on your stomach. “–support me while I dip.”
You spouted out the move: lean, arch, twist, switch. All the while, he stood there in discomfort. It was like he didn’t know where to put his hands.
You thought it was endearing. “Hey, Jun?”
He snapped out of his stupor. “Y-yeah?”
“Did you hear anything I just said?”
“Um, yeah. I, uh. I got it. Yeah.”
You laughed. “Good! Then let’s try it again.”
Over time, he grew more confident, touching you where he needed to and guiding you effortlessly. Before you knew it, you had almost mastered the dance; with a little tweaks here and there, it would be perfect for the stage.
Done with practice, you went over to take a swig of water. But you felt Jun tap your shoulder, gingerly. Your heart fluttered.
“[Y/N],” he said, and that shy grin of his made you smile, “can I talk to you for a second? I still have a few questions about the routine...”
Lee Donghun
(Completely “oblivious” to the fact that he has zero chill. Also makes random commentary about the dance moves, just to make you flustered.)
That gaze he was giving you was intense and he didn’t even realize.
Donghun made quite the impression, you admitted. He had a big stage presence, able to draw you in with just one look into his eyes. Charisma was the one thing he needed for this to work and he wore it well.
Too well.
Too well to the point that you couldn’t focus on what was happening next.
“You’re tickling me,” he said, as your fingers walked across his collarbone. When he grabbed your hand, your breathing hitched. “And I make you stop with a glare because I don’t like being tickled.”
You shifted your eyes away. “Are you actually ticklish?” you said, trying to change the subject.
“Depends where.” He leaned in, lips brushing your ear. The low whispers made you shiver. “But since you refuse to stop when I say no, I break out of your grip and slide past you.”
Chaa. As he did the next move, you stared at him dumbfoundedly, a telltale blush on your face.
He frowned. “[Y/N]? Why did you stop?”
“I just...needed to think things through again.” You rubbed your cheeks, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “I forgot what I needed to do.”
“You look red. Maybe we should take a break.”
But of course he would. “No, no. Let’s get this over with.”
“Tired of me already?”
“I should be asking you the same thing.”
“Me? Tired of you?” That look of his was making you warm. “Never.”
Kim Sehyoon
(Teases you like there’s no tomorrow. Lingers his touches for as long as he can. Pushes your buttons on purpose, even if he’s not exactly trying to.)
If there was one thing you learned about Kim Sehyoon, it was that him and body rolls made a deadly combination. As you watched him do the solo dance of the routine, you couldn’t help but be impressed at how easy he made it seem.
But if there was one thing that annoyed you, it was that stupid. Habit. Of biting. His lips.
Or running his hands through hair.
Or giving you sideways glances.
The way he moved drove you crazy.
You wanted to fan your face but that would be too obvious. So instead, you kept taking sips from your water bottle until it was time for you to join him.
His hands held onto your hips, seamlessly moving from his solo to the duet. You danced by the book, moving as appropriate and keeping to the rhythm. On the other hand, his touches seemed to linger as long as they could: on your shoulders, the small of your back, trailing down to the side of your thighs...
It was as if time was slowing down. You swore he could feel how loud your heart was crashing into your ribs.
When the dance was over and your limbs disentangled from his, you were breathing heavier than you should’ve been.
“[Y/N],” he said. “You’re really good at this.”
The compliment made you blush. “You too,” you mumbled.
Understatement of the year.
“Can we start again from the top?” God, even his voice made you weak. And the faint smile on his lips (the ones he kept biting) was enough to turn you to putty.
“...Sure, I’d like that.”
Kim Byeongkwan
(Tries to make this the least embarrassing it could be–for you and him. Lightens up the atmosphere with bad jokes because if it gets any more serious than it already is, he doesn’t know what he’ll do.)
Standing in front of him, you had your fingers splayed against his neck. You could feel him gulp.
“My heart’s beating really fast right now,” he said, chuckling nervously. “Don’t do anything weird, [Y/N].”
“Weird?”
“Like–” He covered your hands, wrapping them around, and made a choking noise. “–this. You could catch me off-guard and strangle me.”
You laughed. “I’m not going to murder you.”
“That’s what they always say before they go for the kill.”
You laughed again, nudging him in reassurance. “Come on, I have better things to do than clean up a crime scene.”
“Such as?”
You ran your hands down his stomach, crouching down and arching up as you moved your body flushed against his arm. “Actually practising.”
“Oh! That’s a good idea.” The way he said it told you he thought it was anything but. “I have an equally good idea though: how about we take a break and eat out somewhere. I know a place that has great food.”
You rose a brow. “Is this your way of asking me out?”
He rubbed the back of his head, a telltale blush on his cheeks. “I like talking to you.”
Your lips quirked upwards. That was sweet. “I’ll take you up on that later. But for now–” You put your hands back on his neck. “–I’ll try not to strangle you before our date.”
Kang Yuchan
(Switches from cutie maknae to bad boy in 0.1 seconds. One moment, he’s an overzealous beagle. In the next, he’s pulling smooth moves.)
“[Y/N], [Y/N]! Is this how you do it?” Yuchan was reenacting your half of the dance, hands on his hips as he did a catwalk. His thrusts were on-point, popping his hips to the beat of the music.
You were impressed. “Yep, that’s it!” You giggled. “Are you sure you’re not the backup dancer? Maybe I should be the one to lead.”
Though it was a joke, his expression darkened as he strode towards you. His arms caught yours, spinning you around into a low dip. Your heart got caught in your throat.
“I don’t think,” he murmured, lips ghosting over your own, “the leader should be shorter than their partner.”
You stared at him, mouth hanging open at his sudden change in demeanor. His eyes bore into yours, half-lidded and hazy, and you could see a hint of his tongue peeking out from behind his teeth.
If you leaned up, you could even kiss him...
Then he grinned, righting you up and keeping you at arm’s length. The only thing you could do was blink.
What just happened?
“But I think it’ll be fun to try!” He took on your starting position, sitting on the floor, with one leg crossed over the other. “Why don’t we give it a go, [Y/N]?”
If his stare made butterflies appear in your stomach, his smile caused them to do somersaults.
“You know what?” you said. “I think you might be right about who should be the leader.”
a/n: here’s part 3 of the a.c.e father!au series. maybe i should just finish it off and write for byeongkwan and chan too?
enjoy! ❤
pairing: kim sehyoon x reader
genre: domestic, fluff, slight angst (very, very slight)
summary: he was definitely his father’s son.
word count: 545
i’m open for requests!
When you walked into your bedroom, laundry basket in tow, you did a double take. “Kim Sehyoon, what are you doing with my son?”
Swaddled in a blanket was a sleeping baby. Beside the crib was a grown man sitting cross-legged in silence.
Sehyoon turned towards you. “I’m staring at him.”
“Why?”
“...Because he’s cute?”
You blinked. Then you shook your head. “Help me fold the laundry please.”
He stood up without another word, sitting beside you on the bed to start on one of the shirts. But he kept glancing back at the crib. A small frown was on his face.
You studied him for a moment. “What’s wrong?”
He snapped back to his task. “Nothing.”
You rose an eyebrow.
“Okay. There’s something. But it’s silly.”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” you promised.
He seemed to deflate. “It’s just--he said his first word a week ago.”
“Yeah.” It happened during feeding time, a soft ‘mama’ coming from your son’s lips. After that, he wouldn’t stop saying it. ‘Maa’ this, ‘maa’ that; it was like his favourite syllable.
“Well, you know. He still hasn’t called for me.”
He cringed in admittance. Realization dawned upon you and you bumped your shoulder against his. “He’ll say it when he’s ready.”
“I know,” Sehyoon said, a bit glummer than before. “But sometimes, I think he’ll never be.”
You thought about it. “Do you remember how long it took for you to tell me you loved me?”
He flushed, then nodded.
“Four months into dating, it took the combined effort of all of your group members, you got the words wrong…”
“I love you,” he mumbled.
You smiled. “And now you never stop.” Placing your hand on his, you continued, “He’s just like you, you know. Once he says it, not a single hour will go by without a ‘papa’.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
As if on cue, you heard a soft ‘maa’ come from the crib. You looked at your son, who had sat up and was staring through the bars.
Your husband deflated. You kissed his cheek.
But as you began to cradle the baby in your arms, he looked at Sehyoon and said, “Maa.”
Sehyoon did a double take.
“Maa,” he said. He stretched out his hand in Sehyoon’s direction. “Maa.”
“Oh?” You giggled in realization.
Sehyoon had a mystified look as you placed your son in his arms, eyes widening as the baby cooed and settled into his chest.
You returned to folding clothes. “See? He’s just like his father.”
A slow smile grew on his face, and he nuzzled the top of his son’s head. “I love you.”
school got a bit crazy in the last month and a half, especially with a major mood dive near the end of the semester that didn’t go so well (yikes). i didn’t want to say i was off on a hiatus because i thought it’d ease up soon, but it certainly didn’t. next time, if i think i’ll be gone for more than two weeks, i’ll make an admin notice c:
i’ve been binge-writing requests and a few of them will be uploaded in the next little while (in fact, one will be out after this post). it’s going to be a whole slew of sehyoon!
but after some deliberation, i figured that the other part, the cop!au, that was something i could do. i tried making it as suggestive as possible, but it might not be what you’re looking for?
to future requesters: in light of this, i decided to give the ‘tension’ tag a spin. that still means no smut, but if you want to send in anything that dances between the t and m ratings, then i’m all game (because i had a field day with the amount of legal terms i turned into innuendos, lol)
i hope you like it!
p.s. cop!donghun has zero chill.
p.p.s. cheers to the birthday boy! \o/
pairing: lee donghun x reader
genre: tension
summary: stealing is illegal.
word count: 651
i’m open for requests!
You had a habit of taking Donghun’s stuff. But in your defense, it was convenient; at any point in time, he had exactly what you needed. Work space filled with paper? There’d be a spare paperclip on the edge of his desk. Forgot your shades on a sunny day? He had an extra inside his dashboard.
Now, as you wrote a ticket for improper parking you took the pen that was tucked away in his uniform vest.
“‘Blocking driveway or access,’” you muttered, checking the boxes that applied. “Let’s see--license plate, permit number… Hey, remind me what the date is?”
No answer.
Looking up from the ticket, you shot Donghun an irritated look. He was just staring at you, elbow propped up on the hood of the car.
You glared at him, fishing out your phone to check the date. As you scribbled it down and tucked the ticket into the windshield wipers, he left you to head back inside the police car.
You heard the door slam shut behind him.
What the hell?
As you settled into shotgun, you turned to him and said, “Well someone’s temperamental today.”
He rose an eyebrow, darting to the pen then back to your face. He plucked it from your fingers, clicking his tongue as he put it back into his pocket. “Do you know how many pens I’ve lost because of you? What kind of cop doesn’t bring their own?”
You crossed your arms. But he was right. You took his things on a regular basis, and sometimes--just sometimes--you had the gall to misplace them. Still, more often than not, you gave them back after you were done.
“You’ve never complained before,” you said. “Why now?”
He bridged the gap between you. His breath tickled your lips and you tried to lean back, but his arms trapped you between the seat. The look in his eyes had your heart crashing into your chest.
“Stealing,” he said, “is illegal.”
Then he licked his lips. You grew warm. Fine. Two could play that game.
You placed a hand on his shoulder, hold loose but enough to feel the muscles under his clothes. “So what? Are you going to arrest me?”
“No.” His voice was deep, husky. It made your spine shiver. “But with all the charges against you, you’re going to have to pay a heavy restitution.”
“And what would the victim like to ask for?”
“Who knows.” He leaned back into his seat, smirking. The sudden distance made you cold. “What do you think? Do you have any ideas?”
It was your turn to draw closer. “I have one.”
“Oh?”
“I have a bail price.” You spoke into the corner of his mouth, pressing light kisses on his jawline and neck. “Would you be willing to hear me out?”
At that moment, one of the walkie talkies let out a bit of white noise. But you continued your ministrations. “Officer Lee? [L/N]?”
Donghun bit back a moan as you nipped his collarbone. “Yes, Chief?”
“There’s a car chase going around in circles. It’s near your area. Help cut them off.”
“Chief--”
The reception cut off. He let out a groan, exasperated this time.
You sat back in your seat, amused. “Looks like I’ll be stealing some of your time later.”
The promise doesn’t slip past him. As he turned the ignition on, he leaned into your ear and said, “I’’ll be stealing much more than that.”
a/n: wow! you all loved father!jun so much! i think children are cute, but the more i write about kids, the less interested i am in taking care of them haha ^^;
thank you so much for requesting! this took on a a funnier tone than jun’s, but i hope you like it nonetheless.
(to the second anon: father!sehyoon will be up soon. stay tuned c:)
pairing: lee donghun x fem!reader
genre: domestic, fluff
summary: carrots are apparently golden.
word count: 689
i’m open for requests!
Strapping his daughter in the high chair, Donghun huffed. It took him a good ten minutes to keep her steady and make sure she wouldn’t fall; and that wasn’t counting the time he had to coax her to sit on it.
“I don’t know who she takes after,” your husband muttered. “Were you like this when you were younger?”
Across the table, you bit back a laugh. You’d been watching him this whole time and the food was getting cold, but this was entertainment at it’s finest. “I know Byeongkwan’s been babysitting her nowadays…”
He looked at you, exasperated. “If you had helped, I’d have very much appreciated it.”
“I think you had it.”
“Gee. Thanks,” he said dryly.
After he took a seat and said grace, the two of you began to eat. And yep, just as you expected, it was cold. But at this point, with dinner postponed half an hour later, you couldn’t complain.
On the other hand, your daughter watched curiously.
Donghun noticed soon after. “Aren’t you going to eat, Little Miss?”
“No,” she declared.
He exchanged looks with you. Then he turned back. “And why not?”
“Because there are carrots.”
“Carrots? But you told me you liked carrots.”
She crossed her chubby little arms. “Mmpf.”
The look of growing horror on his face was too funny to ignore. You shoveled some food in your mouth and tried not to laugh.
“Yes you did,” he said slowly. “Last week, when we were eating, you said: ‘these orange things are yummy!’ Those orange things were carrots.”
She pouted. “Don’t wanna.”
He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Oh no.”
Trying to diffuse the situation, you spoke up. “Now wait just one second, young lady. I’ll have you know that carrots are a very special food. Because of their bright colour, they’re known as the ‘golden vegetable’.”
“Really?” she said.
“That’s what I’ve heard. The workers in the carrot mines worked very hard to bring them to the table. You wouldn’t want to waste their hard work, wouldn’t you?”
“Mmmm.” But she still looked a bit unconvinced.
You glanced at Donghun, grinning. “They also travel in trains,” you added. “Choo choo, incoming carrot!”
Picking up a slice, you drove it over to his mouth. He caught it in between his teeth, shooting you a look of utter confusion. His eyes looked at you in a way that said: “Feed our daughter, not me.”
You grinned wider, scooping up another serving. “Dad has to be fed by Mom, Little Miss.” You shoved another spoonful into his mouth. “Manual train driving--it’s a bit of a chore. But you’re a big girl, aren’t you? Why don’t you show your dad how it’s done?”
“Dad can’t drive trains?”
“Nope. It’s a bit sad.”
She giggled. “But I can! Dad, look! I can!” And to prove her point, she piled some rice and carrots into her spoon, opening her mouth wide to chew them down.
“Yeah. Your dad’s the biggest baby here,” you teased.
“Baby,” she repeated. “A big, big baby!”
He buried his face in his hands and sighed. “I have been abandoned by my own family.”
“We love you,” you corrected.
“Love you,” she echoed.
“You talk as if that fixes everything.” He lifted his head up, exasperated. On his lips was a smile. “But I’m not ashamed to say it works.”
i want you to know that you can and should take all the time you need to write. dont feel any need to rush things especially when u dont have time (since u said ur a uni student and i know how uni is so stressful). just take it easy and slowly and do whatever u want lol im sure everyone is okay with the waiting and will love you no matter what - friends-to-lovers anon
this is such a small blog but i have the most loving of anons c’:
i like keeping myself busy on purpose (thereby juggling 459827 priorities at once; i’m a certified pro juggler, able to–sort of–keep up with the olympics + assignments + fanfics + family responsibilities + my a.c.e sons + coaching someone for an audition + more fanfics + great grades + a good enough sleeping schedule), but thank you so much for the reminder! especially since my it’s the start of my favourite season: midterms.
it’s my first time opening a blog up for requests, so i’m not entirely sure what the exact turnaround time for sending prompts and finishing them is. but if you say it’s okay to take it easy, then i’ll trust you!
have a great day, ftl anon! and to everyone else reading this too ❤
holy shit i cant believe ur having the thoughts on making the friends-to-lovers jun into a full fic i cant believe i love you so much i so so so much loving you right now im crying a lil bit you are an angel srsly an angel is you writer-nim huhu and in case you havent notice haha yes it is i the anon who requested this friends-to-lovers trope and i love you
aww, i love you too! if anything, i should be the one thanking you. your prompt had inspiration hitting me like a truck!
and again! it might take a while before i start it up. but i have such a clear outline of it, it’s not even funny–because i usually write fics with a solid endgame and a murky journey, having a super definite plan of each scene and chapter is surprising.
i’m glad you enjoyed it so much, anon! i hope you like my future works too ^u^
That Junhee friends to lovers was amazing ahh 😁 It made my morning and i'm so soft right now ^♡^ Even though i'm not the requester thank you very much for doing such a good work, hope you'll have an amazing day too❤
thank youuu! writing jun makes me all soft, so it’s great when other people feel the same ^^
have an amazing day too, anon!! and thanks again for stopping by to drop a message; it pumps me up to work harder! ❤
a/n: so many people are requesting for jun! he’s a total joy to write. the ending might seem a bit ambiguous, but there’s enough romance to pass around! \o/
and anon, you wouldn’t believe how many ideas i had for this prompt! it’s definitely something i’ll pick up again in the future; i’ve even started making plans to turn this into a full, multi-chaptered slow burn fic, so you can think of this as a teaser for a later work!
(it might take a while though, because i want to finish the yuchan fic i have first before jumping into a new project. but aaah, the outline is making me excited!)
i hope you like it!
pairing: park junhee x reader
genre: drama, fluff
summary: he confesses over late night dinner.
word count: 1544
i’m open for requests!
After an exhausting day at work, all you wanted to do was go home and sleep. At times like these, you really wished teleportation was real; your feet were too tired to move by themselves, and every step felt like you were trudging through mud.
Somehow, one way or another, you made it back to the comfort of your own couch. You kicked off your shoes, wiggling your toes as you laid back into the cushions. The relief was instantaneous.
“Haaah,” you sighed. “What would I give to have a nice cool bath…”
Massaging your legs, you decided to start running the water as soon as the knots in your muscles disappeared.
Alas, fate was not so kind.
You heard a soft beep from withing your bag and groaned, stretching over to fish out your phone. Maybe it was spam. You hoped it was. You didn’t want to deal with anyone right now.
Scanning the ID, you almost dropped your phone in surprise. Your frown faded away.
On the lockscreen was the name ‘Park Ocean’.
“Jun?” you said. You hadn’t heard from him in a while. Exhaustion forgotten, a slow smile crept up on your lips as you checked what he said.
‘I’m free next Sunday afternoon.’
You typed out a response. ‘And I’m disappointed it took my best friend four days to answer my question, but I’ll live.’
He replied soon after. He was probably on a break. ‘Sorry. My schedule was tentative until now.’
‘Kkk, I was joking. I understand. I’m not free on Sunday though.’
‘The only other time I’m not busy is now. Can I come crash?’
Now? You looked at the time. It was seven forty-five. ‘You don’t have an early day tomorrow?’
‘I can hang around for a bit. I haven’t seen you in a while and I miss you.’
“Smooth talker,” you muttered. But you knew you were blushing. ‘Ya, missed you too.’
‘So I’ll see you in half an hour?’
‘I guess I could postpone my bath for you…’
‘Thanks. See you soon.’
Sending an ‘OK!’ sticker, you placed your phone face down on the table. Then you let out a loud sigh before shaking your head.
“He makes me feel like a kid,” you breathed out.
Staring at your phone, you willed your heart not to speed up. But Jun was always good at giving you butterflies. Even in pre-debut days, when he talked about his dreams and you promised to support him for as long as he wanted you to.
With nerves in your veins, you still yawned. You couldn’t deny how tired you were. Maybe if you closed your eyes for a few minutes…
As you settled back into the couch, you let your thoughts drift over to your best friend.
He was a nice idea to dream about.
The smell of food wasn’t what you expected to wake up to.
Wait.
Food?
Sitting straight, you blinked at the blanket laid over your lap. That wasn’t there before. It took you a moment to realize what was happening.
“Hey.” Opposite from you was Jun, eating with one of your plates. He was practically done, picking up the last bits of rice with his chopsticks. “I’m guessing you had a long day today?”
He nods at your work outfit, wrinkled in your sleep. You flushed. “Oh. Sorry. I probably look terrible right now.”
“You don’t, trust me.” That made you happy. “Did you eat yet?”
You shook your head. Then you paused. “Wait a moment. I swear I locked the door when I came home. How did you get in?”
He shrugged. “Your spare key? In one of the flowerpots?”
“But I--” You told him that fact ages ago, back when you first got your apartment. He never had to use the spare--you were always ready to receive him when he came over. He remembered that?
“You’re too good to me,” you muttered.
“Hm?”
“Nothing. Just talking to myself. How long have you been sitting there for?”
“Not long,” he replied. Discreetly, you glanced at the wall clock. It was a bit past nine. But you didn’t call him out on it.
He pushed a styrofoam cup towards you. Popping open the cover, appreciation spread through your chest. It was soup, and he got you your favourite toppings. “So you watched me sleep instead?” you said. “That’s cute.”
“To be fair, you’re the only thing worth watching around here.”
You sipped the cup in distraction, making sure your voice was even. “Careful there, Junnie. You’re veering into creepy territory.”
He blinked. “It’s an honest confession.”
“Right. And I’m glad I’m not the one who has to manage damage control because of your flirting…”
You hid a frown. Even you had to admit his group’s rising popularity. You kept up with their news, you knew how people were starting to notice their talents. You wouldn’t be surprised if Junhee was already stringing hearts along--yours included.
It made you jealous, the thought of other people fawning for his attention, of his already divided attention further splitting into separate priorities, of you being in a different category as his...significant other.
But you smothered them with a shake of your head.
He mumbled something under his breath.
You blinked. “Sorry, what was that?”
“Nothing. I was talking to myself.” He shot you a look, pensive. “Like you were, earlier.”
“Oh, are we playing this game?” Putting the soup aside, you crossed your arms. “Fine then. I’m in. Start sharing.”
“You start,” he offered.
You made a face. “And to your left you will see Park Junhee, a gentleman.”
He laughed.
You sighed. “To be honest, I’m a bit sad that you don’t have as much time for me as you did before.” You shrugged, staring at the table. “But I get it. You’re busy. I’m just glad you remember me sometimes, is all.”
“How could I ever forget you?” It was a whisper, half baffled and half gentle. “I think about you every day.”
You raised your head. He was smiling softly. “You do?”
“[Y/N],” he said, “you can’t be damage control if all you do is make it worse.”
…Oh.
Oh.
“Oh,” you breathed out.
“I’ve liked you for a while now,” he confessed, and it was like the wind got knocked out of your lungs. “Ever since I realized why it hurt to think of you.” He gulped. “That’s why I pushed to see you today, actually, because I don’t know how long it’ll be before our schedules coincide again. All I do know is that I’d go crazy if I didn’t see you soon.”
The two of you stared at each other, neither saying a word. Then he cringed. “Sorry, I made this all awkward. I’ll see myself out.”
As he stood up, you snapped out of your reverie and scrambled after him, grabbing his hand. “Hey, I still have one more confession to make.”
“You don’t have to force yourself--”
“I like you too.”
He froze.
“So, um, yeah.” You released his hand. “You didn’t make it awkward.” The silence was a bit discomforting though. “And you can stay for a while longer, if you’d like.”
The last thing you expected was a hug. But when his arms wrapped around your back, you relaxed and did the same. You stood there, rocking back and forth, and you wouldn’t have minded if the world ended right then and there.
“As much as I’d love to,” he said, “I have to get back to the dorms.”
“Okay.” But neither of you were letting go.
“I’ll come back. As soon as I get free time, we can talk. Properly.”
“Properly,” you promised.
“Will you miss me?” he asked.
“I always do.” You could feel him smile into your skin. “But I’ve been waiting for you forever. A bit more won’t hurt.”
