Pairing: choi san x f!reader
Tags: idol!san, tutor!reader, fluff, slowburn (?)
Note: I don’t know why but I can’t stop thinking about this, so here we are. I really tried my best to do this. Also, this is my first time posting something that I made so I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction and DOES NOT represent the written member in any way
It has been exactly 6 months since San has been meeting with an English tutor to… well teach him English. In honesty, he doesn’t really need one at this point. He converses well, he understands the language and some might say he is becoming fluent. I mean, that’s what he said when a friend of him encouraged him to meet the tutor. “I’m good man, there’s really no point on doing that, plus, I can teach myself.” He shrugged. His friend, still not giving up just looked at him and smiled, “San, seriously, the tutor is good! Look, why don’t you just try it? Just once? I swear, the person is really nice. You two might get along.” The friend kept nodding his head, trying to convince him to just do it, San being the nice person he is eventually gave in. What could go wrong, right? There’s no harm in trying it out.
“Oooh… San, you going somewhere?” Wooyoung sang as he lay on his friends’ bed, watching him get ready, San didn’t pay him any attention as he gathered his things getting ready to leave. “Wait… where’s my phone…” San sighed to himself trying to look for his missing phone, a few minutes has passed, he’s still looking for his phone and his friend being unhelpful as he is continued laying in bed watching his friend. “Seriously dude, why are you here?” Annoyed, San threw the blanket over Wooyoung continuing his search then he heard a notification. “You know, just looking at you makes me feel sorry” Wooyoung stood up, “Oh, by the way, your girlfriend texted.” and threw San’s phone on the bed before he left the room. “What girlfriend are you talking about…”
New Message from ‘Lily (English Tutor)’
‘Hey, San! Sorry for the late heads-up but I don’t think we can meet today. My apartments electricity went out and I don’t think I could let a big shot idol like you come and study and be uncomfortable. Let’s meet next week, alright?’
“Your date got cancelled, huh?” Wooyoung asked in a teasing manner, San just glared at him and looked back at his phone re-reading the text he got. “Too bad, if only she could come over and continue the session at your place.” Wooyoung, again, teased San enjoying himself as he watches his friend stand in the middle of his room.
Too bad, if only she could come over and continue the session at your place
Then he looked up, his face bright as if he just came up with this brilliant idea, he looked at his friend smiling, his mouth smirking. “Oh no, no, no, no” Wooyoung shakes his head, reading Sans mind. On the other hand, San is nodding and smiling he suddenly went to Wooyoung’s room and took the guys jacket and threw it at him. “Seriously? You’re throwing me out? IN MY OWN HOME?!” he gasped dramatically. “Don’t blame me, it was your idea. So, get out now or stay in your room.” San replied as if what he said is a no brainer. “Fine. I’ll stay in my room.” Defeated, he dragged himself back to his room. “Thanks man, I really appreciate it. Just don’t interrupt us for 3 hours.” San replied. “3 HOURS?! WHAT DO YOU EVEN DO FOR 3 HOURS?! YOU GUYS ARE FREAKS!”
2:45 PM and there was a knock at the door. San immediately got up and answered it, there she was, Lily. She looked up at him and smiled.
At first it was sweet, then it got awkward. “Oh! I- uhm… come in!” Lily, finding San’s awkwardness amusing just giggled at him and entered the apartment.
“What happened, are you okay?”
“Yeah… why is there a head on the door?”
There he was, Wooyoung with his head peaking outside his bedroom door looking at San and Lily. “Hi, I’m Wooyoung. I’m not allowed outside my room or San will beat me up” Wooyoung said slyly trying to embarrass his friend. “Don’t mind him, he’s always like that. If he doesn’t get attention from someone he’ll die.” San shook his head trying to guide Lily in the kitchen for their study session.
An hour has passed and San is doing some English exercise while Lily watches him. “You guys seems really close, with the way you talk with each other… the floating head?” She asked, as her eyes wanders through the kitchen and out to the living room. “Oh yeah, all eight of us are.” San absentmindedly answered continuing what he was doing. “But you guys are closer, is that right?” San nodded. “Oh, we are. We even showered together once.” Wooyoung answered unannounced. Lily amused, laughed while San is still looking at Wooyoung trying to choke him with his eyes. “You’re not supposed to be here, Woo.” San sighed, Wooyoung shrugged and went straight into the refrigerator to get some food and then left. “He seems nice” Lily stated, her eyes following Wooyoung as he enters his bedroom. “He is, he’s just a pain in the ass sometimes–oh, I think you could check this now.” San answered as he hands his notebook intended for English learning to Lily. As she was checking San’s notebook, he finally got to look at her. Her jet-black hair that fits her face, her full cheeks and the tattoos sticking out of her collarbone to her neck. “Uhm, hello? Are you going to answer me or are you just going to stare at my face?”
“Stare at your face!! He’d rather do that!” Wooyoung yelled from his room.
Damn it, I must have been looking at her for a while. I mean who wouldn’t? She’s that pretty and I won’t look at her?
“Sorry, what was it?” San answered embarrassingly while scratching the back of his neck. “Would it be okay if the work I’ll leave you today is doubled? So you don’t have to do it next time?” Lily asked bringing out some papers from her bag, San nodded at her watching her every move. “Good, I will leave this here with you and I will expect that they will be done by the time we meet again.” San took them and placed them at his room, “You ready to go?” He asked, Lily nodded and right on cue, Wooyoung entered the living room.
“She seems nice.” Wooyoung stated as he was looking at his phone while San and Yunho is seated on both his side. “Who seems nice?” Yunho asked, his eyes still looking at the TV in front of him
Yunho raised his eyebrows and looked at both of his friends back and forth. “Why don’t we do this again, who seems nice?” he asked looking at them intensely. Wooyoung didn’t answer but he looked at San, forcing him to answer. Defeated, San faced Yunho and explained who Lily is. “Wait– why would you need a tutor? Aren’t you good at English now?” Yunho asked San looking very confused. “Don’t ask me, he’s been doing this for six months. I only met her today.” Wooyoung shrugged.
“WHAT?!” San sighed defeatedly then he glared at Wooyoung. “Dude, six months? Are you crazy?”
Yunho, still shocked by what he heard, stood up and left the other two. “I just passed Yunho, why is he muttering ‘six months’ all over again?” Mingi entered looking very worried. As the other members entered, and eventually Yunho, San explained his situation again and it was met with teasing which lasted all night.
“That’s it, we are finally done.” Lily stated as she rearranges the papers that San submitted to her. San looked at the stacked papers beside him while Lily rambles about how far they have come and how great San is as a student. Lily stood up, and Sans eyes followed her. She was tall but not taller than him, they were in her apartment and she was dressed casually. Grey sweatpants paired with a graphic shirt that was made into an off shoulder with her tattoos showing which covered her arms up to her neck,
“Aren’t they cool? They’re patchwork.” Lily beamed as she was flexing her arm, showing her tattoos to San as they took a 30 minutes break from studying. “They are cool, especially in you” Lily laughed and shook her head “A lot of people would disagree with you though, they don’t like ink on a girl”
‘I like them on a girl’ San thought to himself, still looking at her. “Which one is your favorite?” Lily thought deeply before answering him then she shrugged “I don’t think I have one.” He smiled at her then showed his tattoo that matches Wooyoungs, explaining to her why they got it, when they got it and what it simply means. “So… which one is your favorite?” San asked again looking at her. “I told you! I don’t think I have one” She answered crossing her arms but still evident in her face that she’s thinking which one she could pick.
“I know its not mine, but I really like the phoenix with the statement, ‘we shall overcome as we’ve done before’.” San explained, looking at Lily fondly. “I like that one too. I would also pick that.”
“Hey, You alright?” San was interrupted with his reminiscing, Lily was standing in front of him, her hands holding out a drink for San to take. “I really enjoyed our time together, San. You’re probably my favorite student. I’m going to miss you, y’know?” Lily stated. San, drowning on his own thoughts did not answer but nodded.
Why do I feel weird? And sad? What is wrong with me. I can’t believe this, its been six months, almost seven but it felt so short. Did I learn more when she taught me? Sure. Did I enjoy those six months with her? Absolutely. Was I hesitant to go at her when my friend brought up that I should try and get a tutor? Totally. Did I try to mess up and fail some of her test just so she could teach me longer? Maybe. But that’s not the point. Was it enough? I… I don’t know.
New message from Woo (Should be blocked)
‘We don’t have food. Buy some on your way home’
It’s been a month since San finished his private tutoring with Lily, he was stalking her Instagram page, trying to get a new update from her.
“Why?” Wooyoung asked still looking at his friend that’s sprawled out in the living room, his eyes not leaving the phone screen. “Don’t start with me.” Wooyoung looked offended at his response and shook his head, “San, you look ridiculous.” He was met with a pillow that was thrown at him. “Seriously, why are you moping around? You’ve been like this ever since you finished that tutor—Oh.” San sat up and looked at glared at him, “OH MY GOD, YOU’RE LIKE THIS BECAUSE THE TEACHING THING WITH LILY ENDED?!” Wooyoung asked looking very amused with his deduction skills. San didn’t answer but he stood up and went inside his room, before closing his door, he heard Wooyoung calling someone on his phone, his tone shocked but still found a way to laugh. “Dude, you are not going to believe this– “
A few hours later, San is seated in the living room with his friends around him asking him what is going on with him. Before San could answer, Wooyoung took the chance and explained everything to them making San roll his eyes out of annoyance.
“So, do you like her?” Yunho asked, San just stared back at him and shrugged. “I say he does like her.” Mingi piped in. All seven of them argued, deciding for San even though he has not said a word the minute they came in, but he did question himself a few times inside that six- almost seven months. Asking himself why he feel giddy when that reminder on his phone pops out telling him he has to meet Lily, wondering why he even made that reminder. Why he brings her flowers every time they see each other even though the only thing they’ll do is study, he wonders why he even bring a specific flower for her. Why? Because she brought it up one time and now he can’t seem to forget it and now, whenever he sees a that specific flower wherever he goes all he could remember is her? Maybe he does like her, I mean who wouldn’t like her? She’s a great person, great attitude, she’s funny, she’s intelligent, everything about her is great.
Who wouldn’t like her? Everyone she met gets along with her.
“I have to go.” San got up ignoring everyone in the room asking him where he was going.
Her. I have to go to her. I know where she lives. Why not go to her, right?
“Come on…” San whispered to himself pushing the elevator button nonstop. “Come on!” he yelled which gained some staring from other people leaving and entering the building. When he couldn’t wait anymore, he looked for the stairs and ran up the building.
Tired and gasping for air, San finally reached her floor. He wiped the sweat that was visible on his forehead and collected himself before knocking on her door. He knocked.
“She’s not home?” He asked himself as he was about to knock again. He even rang the doorbell, but nothing. He’s been standing there and waiting for almost an hour when another apartment door opened and revealed a woman in her 50s, she walked towards him asking him who he is. “Oh, are you a friend of Lily then?” San nodded, this might be his answer as to why Lily’s not answering her door. Then the woman frowned, “Oh, sweetheart… Lily left. Three weeks ago, to be exact.”
“Did she say when she’s coming back?” San asked, hoping for an answer that won’t shatter his heart. The woman shook her head, as she caressed the young guys’ shoulder and walked away.
Oh, phone! I could contact her phone! I mean it wouldn’t be as romantic as I planned it to be but it should be enough.
“Please, please, please answer…” San, still feeling hopeful while currently being soaked by the rain just stood in the middle of the road waiting for an answer on his hopeful call.
“The phone number you have tried to call is not currently available, please try again later.”
He dialed again, and again but for the fifteenth time, he gave up. With his heart in his sleeves, he walked back home hopeless.
“Hey, you’re back! How did it—San?” Wooyoung greeted him, but his energetic demeanor changed when San came inside, his clothes all wet from the rain. San walked directly to the kitchen after changing from his clothes and pulled out some beer and handed one to his best friend. They sat quietly in their shared apartment for the rest of the night, no words were spoken but Wooyoung understood.
The next morning came, San woke up in the kitchen. “What the hell…” A few bottles of beers are scattered in kitchen floor, Wooyoung was nowhere to be found but the plate of breakfast in the table caught his eye. He ate the food in front of him and checked his phone, he had some unread messages but a video sent to him caught his eye, it’s from Wooyoung and the focus of the camera was San whose face was tomato red, his head bobbing up and down clearly showing how drunk he was. In the background, he could hear Wooyoung laughing at him and teasing him “Wow… you’re really drunk, your face is so red San”
Message from Lily (English tutor) – sent 7 hours ago
‘I got a few missed calls from you earlier. San, are you okay?’
‘Mrs. Choi told me you stopped by at the apartment earlier, is everything all right?’
‘Message me ASAP, okay? I’m a bit worried’
All the headache from drinking last night suddenly went away. All he knew is that he is calling her again. After a few rings she picked up and San couldn’t be relieved.
“San. Hi, so… last night?”
“Right, I’m sorry about the calls. It must’ve scared you”
“A little… are you okay? Mrs. Choi mentioned that you looked dejected when she saw you. Everything alright?”
“No. Maybe. I… I don’t know”
“Maybe you could tell me?”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it– oh Lily? I have a question”
Is this really appropriate? Ask her for dinner? She’s not even home… I mean she doesn’t know that I know she’s not here. How bad could it be, plus—
“Oh, yes. I… uhm… I was just wondering if you’d like to go out? We could try this restaurant I discovered, some people said their service is great. Or if there are other places you want to go, we can go there its really– “
“San, calm down. Dinner with you would be lovely.”
“But… I’m not in the city right now”
“I’m not… I’m sorry… maybe next time?”
San didn’t bother to answer, but he nodded as if Lily could see him. He ended the phone call and went back to bed.
Another month passed, San is still affected by Lily going away. He was eating cereal and minding his phone when all of a sudden someone burst inside the room, Yunho was pleased to see him and hugged him out of nowhere. It didn’t phase San as he continued to scroll through his phone, Yunho still standing in front of him, smiling ear to ear waiting for San to finally acknowledge him. “What?” Yunho just smiled and dragged another chair beside San, “Seriously, what is wrong with you?” He stood up and placed his dishes in the sink, as he stood up Yunho just followed him still smiling at him. Before he could react, Wooyoung entered and basically did what Yunho did earlier. “Seriously, what is wrong with you people?” San exclaimed looking at the them bewildered by their actions. Finally, Yunho cleared his throat and looked Wooyoung, motioning him to say something first but Wooyoung shakes his head ‘no’ and motioned for Yunho to do it, that’s when he agreed and looked back at the unamused San.
“We have news you will like.” Wooyoung nodded in agreement. They sat San down and told him everything they know, San still shocked from what they said and not totally trusting it, went to his room and got himself cleaned up.
There he is again, back on his track like two months ago. Jongho saw Lily. It’s ridiculous. We saw Lily! We talked to her! Why now and where has she been. A friend of mine heard she went to Japan that day. He started to walk faster, every thought he remembers from what Yunho and Wooyoung said to him earlier made him faster. “Oh, San, is it? You’re here!” San snapped out when he heard Mrs. Choi’s voice, he smiled at her and nodded. “Good luck!” The older women winked and walked away. He stood in front of the door for a few minutes before he could muster every courage he has to knock.
“Hold on!” someone from the inside yelled.
After a few minutes of waiting and standing, the door finally flew open and it revealed her. Finally. “Oh! San!” Lily spoke, tone of shock very evident in her voice. He didn’t say anything, he can’t. His tongue was tied, Lily was right in front of her, fresh out of the bath. Her body was wrapped with a big white towel, same goes for her hair. This is the first time he saw her like this. Usually she wears long pants with either a shirt or a tank top, but now, her skin is showing. Her tanned skin that is wrapped with ink is shown and she couldn’t be prettier. “San, what are you doing here? I don’t tutor you anymore.” Lily asked. “I… I know… I came to see you.” San answered nervously. Lily didn’t answer but confusion is plastered on her face, she motioned for San to come in and made him wait by the living room. “So, why did you come to see me?” San looked at her and sighed. “I think… no. I know… Lily… I like you.” He looked up at her, nervous to meet her eyes and what she might say. Lily looked confused but her gaze softens and sat near San. She placed her hand on top of his and caressed it, “San…”
“I know, I know. But I do. I like you, really.” He held her hand, the other cupping her face his eyes never leaving hers “Lily, I like you. I do. I can’t explain it but I do. I always felt drawn to you, that day I went home from this place. You’ve occupied my mind and somehow it never bothered me. Your presence, the way you talk, the way you laugh, everything that you do has always left a mark on me. It might have taken me a while to understand, but oh was it worth it. I think you coming in to my life was this worlds plan, that no matter where and when, eventually we will meet.” San stopped on his tracks to meet Lily’s eyes, he placed both his hands on her face and cupped it, bringing their forehead together.
“Oh, San, that is the most beautiful thing I’ve heard...” her hands on his neck, gazing at San lovingly, “I feel the same way, you are the embodiment of kindness and I would be a fool to not fall.” She caressed his cheeks and planted a kiss, which made San blush. This made Lily giggle and a silence has settled between them. Its not an awkward silence, no. It’s the silence that you wouldn’t mind, the silence that makes you feel content. “So… Is the dinner you mentioned before still available?”