5/100 Ways To Say I Love You
Pairing: Daniel x OC (Yoo Seonha)
Genre: Fluff, Light Comedy
Prompt: “I’ll walk you home.”
Words: 3523
A/N: So I was supposed to start on some form of Medical Student AU featuring Daniel and my very own OCs, but for some strange reason, the plot bunnies are just not coming to me when I really need them to. :( And besides, I still have quite a number of fanfictions that I have yet to complete, and I do intend to complete those first, especially when I have had a clear idea on how I wish to get around those ideas. However, I will probably be writing oneshots like these for the story so you guys could still have something to look forward to. :) Also, I am a mere 8 followers away from a 1000 and I cannot express how grateful I am for all of you. :) I hope all of you would have a great day ahead and happy reading! ^^
“Oh my goodness, are you going to wear that on a date with all that makeup on your face? Really?” Yoojung’s eyes widened as she tousled her hair with a towel, “Nobody goes on a date dressed in a campus t-shirt, denim shorts and Superstars. He even told you to ‘dress nicely’.”
“B-but… I like it though? And besides, it’s comfortable.” I responded, only to be greeted with an expression of shock and horror from my social blogger of a roommate.
“Well, I don’t.” She deadpanned back.
Without even sparing a second glance, she began to pack her small and black leather haversack, before speaking once again, “Open the drawers below my bed. I’m positive you’ll find something you like. You’re going on a date, Seonha-yah, not a sleepover with Netflix.”
She sounded serious and so I did, opening them only to see an entire collection of clothing that could probably be used at any season at any time. As expected from a blogger who probably had tons of stuff sponsored for her, she had an entire range, ranging from clothes that could be sweet and girly, to those for a tomboy and to bring out a girl’s inner rocker chic.
“Tell me if you can’t match them well, I’ll help you out.” She said, leaning against the ladder of her bed with her arms folded, and I was truly clueless, hence she only shook her head and chuckled at the blank expression that I wore.
She was quick in her choice of clothing, and I was soon handed a white t-shirt and what looked like a pair of dungarees in denim material, except that this had a skirt as its bottom, and with a cute wide chest pocket. Luckily, she knew my tastes well enough to know that I did not like clothes which were too flattering, and I was relieved that she had handed me one with the look of a skater skirt instead.
“Here, try this. I think it’ll suit you.” She paused for a moment as I took her clothes and thought for a bit, before saying in a more confident and blunt tone, “No, anything’s better than your sleepwear now.”
I could only laugh at how straightforward she was, and there was no way one could take offence to her statements. She never bothered to sugarcoat her statements, preferring to be as real and genuine as possible, and that was probably what everyone liked about her. Sure, she was popular and probably had a mini fanclub in each faculty, but if one did not know that, she could be easily mistaken as your typical girl-next-door too (except that she was way more outspoken than the ordinary).
After struggling to find out how her outfit worked for a solid 10 minutes, I had finally stepped out of the bathroom, hands adjusting the hem of my skirt and pulling it down with the fear that it was way too short for me.
“Finally!!” Yoojung looked up, wearing her shoes and tying up the laces of her Rockports, “Stop doing that and be ladylike and confident for once. Here’s some accessories I found; a simple gold plated necklace, gold plated minimalistic and geometric earrings as well as a red leather wrist band to add a pop of colour.”
“T-thanks Yoojung,” I replied, and she smiled similarly to Daniel, a boxy smile with their eyes turning into little crescent moons, “By the way, you look nice.”
“Same to you!” She winked and was all ready to head out the door, before leaving with a sing-song voice, “Be safe, use protection when necessary and don’t keep your boyfriend waiting!”
“Finally,” my boyfriend said in between huffs and puffs, “training’s over and we can finally go have a good meal and enjoy the rest of the night while it’s still young. Thanks for waiting up babe.”
“I-it’s no problem at all. Yoojung’s out anyway so I figured that since we were going out tonight, I might as well wait for you to be done with training so that it’ll be easier for you too.” I replied and he only flashed me his signature boxy smile with eyes that turned into crescent moons and showing me his 2 bunny teeth in the front.
“Anyway, I need to get changed and washed up so would you mind looking after my things for a while while I’m at it?” And I waved him off, nodding, only for him to shoot back a heart with his hands as he ran off in a jiffy to the male’s changing room closest to the rugby field.
Even when we had been together for slightly more than 4 months now, he still managed to get me with his romantic antics through all these small, yet meaningful, gestures. In retrospect, he only needed to smile and I would soon feel my heart palpitating against my chest, unknowingly holding my breath in the process as I remained lovestruck.
The feeling was a little strange when I first felt something for the soon-to-be Korea University’s School of Medicine Valedictorian and Rugby captain. It got me stuck in a state of sleepless nights, a whole load of distractions and simply just questions on why I would feel such a way. When he spoke to other girls, my chest ached a little at their exchange and I could only watch from afar. Indeed, it was probably a given that he was going to be extremely popular among the female population with his intelligent and charismatic demeanour. Me? I guess you could just call me your typical girl-next-door and Busan High’s signature Wallflower.
“Seonha-yah, what’s keeping you up so late? You keep shifting around in your sleep. What’s bothering you?”
“Uh… Nothing much really, just another one of those sleepless nights, I guess…”
“Sure sure, keep saying that and I can promise you that you’ll fall asleep in Mr Park’s class tomorrow. So why not just let it go? You can trust me. I might be a social blogger, but that does not mean I go around being THE gossip girl.”
“Yoojung-ah, do I look stressed, sick or am I close to dying from a heart attack soon? Can you give me a diagnosis? My heart’s beating way too fast for it’s own good and I’m neither in pain, or feel like I’m going to pass out. In fact, it’s as if I have butterflies in my stomach too, with their wings brushing against the walls —“
“That’s love, Seonha. You’re in love.”
“And how would you possibly… know that?”
“Please, nobody comes back so happy after a study session, even if you have learnt plenty of things. And besides, I’ve definitely noticed Daniel and you in the library, at least twice a week, and after that, head off to the convenience store nearby. It gets even better when I see the both of you hanging out in Hongdae and sharing a take-away bingsoo together. Honey, if that ain’t love, only God would know what it was then.”
“Are you stalking me? How would you know all these anyway?”
“Why would I even want to intrude onto someone’s date? And besides, I wasn’t stalking, I’m just incredibly and phenomenally observant. Ask Daniel, he’ll tell you the truth.”
And true enough, Yoojung was probably right when Daniel confessed his feelings another 4 months after that conversation on one fateful night under a sky full of stars. He was extremely sweet when it happened, assuring me that he sought no help from Jisung this time around, and instead went by his own research and some tips from Yoojung. Indeed, it was truly a night to remember with Daniel’s written confession letter, handmade desserts and good music, coupled with the clear weather which allowed for stargazing.
I felt my lips curl up at the thought, until I was snapped back to reality by a familiar voice, which turned out to be Bae Jinyoung; the boy who nearly threw a set of succulents at me and also the one who had the cutest crush on Yoojung, my best friend.
“Uh… Hi, I just wanted to ask… Is Yoojung still on campus?” He asked meekly, and I shook my head, explaining that she was already out and about catching up with a friend in the streets of Dongdaemun.
“O-oh… It’s okay then. I’ll… see you around.”
With a small smile and a sigh, he arranged the things in his monochrome coloured duffle bag and left the stadium without sparing me a second glance. Sadly, I could not help but feel a sense of hopelessness for him. Yoojung was extremely popular among the student body, among both genders alike, and she held a reputation for rejecting love letters and confessions politely back in high school. Daniel said that there was no particular reason why she did so, but he later added that Yoojung was a strong and independent woman. She was capable of anything, and hence probably saw no need to get into a relationship so quickly.
Strange… She was able to decipher all the signs of love though.
“Earth to Seonha?” And I snapped out of my reverie once again, only to be faced with a smiley faced Daniel, dressed in a white tank top, a denim shirt as the to, acid washed jeans and ending it off with a pair of white Converse.
“What were you thinking about anyway? You seemed a little… lost.” He said, curiosity laced in his voice as he shoved all his dirty clothes into his bag.
“No, I was just thinking of the good ol’ days. Nevertheless, great training today. You did well.” I replied and shot him a thumbs-up in the process. With that, he only slung his bag across his shoulders and placed an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close and kissed me softly on the forehead.
“Thanks for coming babe. Come on, let’s go for the date that you rightfully deserve after working so hard for the past few months.”
And with that, we took the bus to Garosu-gil, also known as one of Daniel’s favourite places in the city of Seoul.
Despite the limited amount of time that we had with one another, it was definitely time well spent in the high-end street of Garosu-gil. Indeed, it was still located in the bustling area of Gangnam, but this street was surprisingly peaceful and quiet. Furthermore, with the beautiful fairy lights that dangled from the trees for aesthetic’s sake alone, it was not surprising for this place to have an aura of magic and fantasy.
I was not one to step out very much, and this was especially so for the areas meant for the affluent and privileged, hence, this area was a breath of fresh air as I took in the sights of luxury boutiques, decent looking bars and quaint cafes that seemed to line the street endlessly. As we held hands and made our way down the street to the eating place that Daniel had recommended, he began to tell me of all the places he used to either hang out or study in.
“Dunkin Donuts was my favourite place to study. Not only do they have fantastic donuts, but a great selection of drinks and the ambience is extremely conducive.” He explained, and as we walked down a little more, he continued, “This was Yoojung’s favourite, Coffee Chu. I can safely say that they are the best churros to ever exist in Korea and they also have the best hot chocolate too!”
“Does she get sponsored for those though?” I asked, plainly out of curiosity and I meant no harm or spite.
“Of course! In fact, if you brought her here with us, she’s the walking celebrity around. Even the young baristas at Coffee Chu are willing to give her free coffee for her to write about, and I suppose it’s self-explanatory for one to talk about how the place did after her ONE SNS post.”
I laughed at his tone of light sarcasm, and he could not help but laugh too, before we realised that we had already reached the restaurant that Daniel had recommended. Surprisingly, after taking a quick glance at their menu, many of the things were pretty affordable, with stews costing 10,000 won to 13,000 won. In addition, there was also the hot stone bibimbap which, at most, went up to 18,000 won. In such an area meant for the high society, this place was truly a steal.
“Are you gawking at all the prices?” Daniel asked, eyes not leaving the menu as he flipped it to see what their specials were, “I was like that too when I came here, but thanks to certain insiders, if you know this place well, there’s a high chance you’ll have access too to all these secret hiding places that no one ever talks about.”
“Good evening sir! Welcome to Mr Kim’s Korean Cuisine! Would you like to get seated to a table for 2?” An enthusiastic waiter asked, all ready to escort us into the hanok-inspired restaurant.
“Yes please.” Daniel replied with a small smile and the waiter nodded, “Follow me please. Menus will be ready at the tables so no worries. I assure you that all the dishes we serve are of top notch quality and excellence. All of the ingredients, from the vegetables to the beef, are all made in Korea. I’ll be back when you are ready to order!”
After a scrumptious meal of jjajjangmyeon and Daniel’s warm spicy tofu stew, we headed out again into the cool night. We had no plan in mind, only making sure that we had full use of the limited time we had. Hence, we decided to walk the other direction on the other side of the road to admire the buildings and street lights which illuminated the night.
It was relatively breezy, and it was just comforting to take in a deep breath of the cool air. The moon was nestled comfortably among the stars and its light was probably bright to filter through the leaves of the trees, giving the ground an ethereal glow too. If I had a camera (and an eye for photography like Yoojung), there was a likely chance that I would have spent the next few moments capturing the perfect shot.
“Aigoo… You have sauce all over your lips. Here, stop moving and let me wipe them off for you.”
And with that, he stopped me in my tracks, using a napkin that he had in his pocket to wipe the corners of my lips gently and threw the tissue paper away, before taking my hand and interlocking our fingers together.
“You know, I would have kissed your lips, but then again, jjajjangmyeon is not exactly date food, is it?”
I only seethed at him the moment he said that, and he responded with a playful grin, and that was also the time when we had finally reached the outsides of the Hangang Park. It was relatively quiet, with the occasional few joggers and cyclists, who passed us every few minutes or so; not too frequently.
However, Daniel’s attention was soon caught up by bright lights just a stone’s throw away. There were warm fairy lights hanging from the trees, like the ones that lined Garosu-gil, as well as little tents which had red and white striped roofs. Furthermore, there was also the faint sound of music and its rhythm; in fact, it was all the current top hits as of now.
At this, Daniel soon broke out into a playful and happy smile, like a child receiving his first ever present for Christmas and wasted no time in dragging me along to see what this carnival had to offer.
After a long and tiring 3 hours spent at the carnival, it was time for us to be heading back to our respective dormitories of Korea University. The night sky was still clear and the stars shined even brighter than before, with the moon still looking as huge as ever.
“Hey… Thanks for the day out tonight.” I said, turning around only to chuckle at Daniel struggling with a huge pink teddy bear that was larger than life. He had won it for me through 3 games of darts, either hitting the board in a bulls-eye or a solid 8-9 points. Perhaps it was because the games master had swooned over the way Daniel carried himself; charismatic and cool, so that was probably the reason why he got the teddy bear so easily.
“Y-yeah, t-thanks for the company too. I hope you enjoyed it. It’s just like the good old days huh? Sometimes, I wished that we had more time with one another; not just in terms of studying but in terms of simply chilling and hanging out like this.”
I nodded in response, because there was no way that I could not agree with his statement. In fact, for a whole list of pragmatic reasons, getting a boyfriend in the second year of university was almost as good as getting a boyfriend in the final year of high school; they were never known to last. Even when Yoojung had found out about our eventual relationship, I could tell that she was worried, but whatever the case, she assured me that Daniel would make it work.
He was inexperienced, sure, but he was someone who viewed love and commitment as the priorities in a relationship. Until now, she was not wrong (and she would not be, especially when she has known him since they were in diapers). Despite his busy schedule with the A-star fast track programme together with his demanding rugby trainings for the upcoming competitions, he never failed to meet me at night just to study in each other’s company. We did not speak much, but that was our way of keeping in touch.
“Is Yoojung home yet?” He asked clearly now, finally strategizing a better way to carry the huge bear.
I whipped out my phone from my pocket to check, only to receive a message from her that she’ll be late.
“Don’t wait up for me! And don’t worry too much, I’m perfectly fine. It’s just that I’ve not seen Youngmin in a while and we just really needed some time to catch up. Hope you’re still safe and I shall not be expecting a baby in 9 months! Love you!”
I could not help but to laugh and shake my head at how blunt she could be, before sending her a quick reply that I was already on my way home and added that there was none of those involved; whatever she was thinking of.
Then a shrill ringtone broke the peaceful silence and I felt my heart jump, turning around just to see Daniel fumble in his pocket for the phone since he got a shock as well.
“Hey Jisung…. Uh… I’m on a date with Seonha now actually…. Yes, yes I get it… I’m on the way back to the dorm and I’ll be there in 10. Relax, I’ve not forgotten… Okay. Okay. Sure, I’ll see you there. Bye.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, making a turn towards the dormitories.
“Jisung called and I forgot to tell you but I have a Daewon reunion with the guys today. I told him I’ll be there in 10, since I need to send you home and stuff —“
“Nah,” I replied, walking towards him and getting the bear out of his hands, “I can go on my own from here. You’ve done quite a bit for me, so it’s only right for you to get your breaks too.”
“But… It’s dark here though and you can’t go defending yourself with this huge teddy bear in your hands?” And he was clearly baffled by my suggestion of walking home on my own.
“Nah, too dangerous. I’ll walk you home.”
“C’mon,” I said, preventing him from walking any further, “If you keep me company for the whole way, you will be late for your gathering and I know how important it is to you. Run along, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow anyway.” And I ended my statement with a smile, hoping to give him some reassurance that I will be okay.
“A-aren’t you going to be lonely though? I mean, Yoojung’s coming home late so what are you going to do till then?”
“Read some notes I guess?” I joked, “And besides, I have cake in the fridge too, a laptop and my phone. Come on, the possibilities are endless so don’t worry too much and believe what I say; I’ll be okay.”
With that, he embraced me in a tight hug with his robust arms, “Thanks babe. I owe you one.” and proceeded to give me a long and comforting kiss on the forehead.
“Okay so… Send me a message when you’ve reached your dorm room so I know that you are safe. Remember, I’m #2 on your speed dial and if you need anything, just give me a call. Good night and see you tomorrow!”
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