ยฐโง๐ซงโ.เณเฟ*:๏ฝฅONE LESS LONELY GIRL โ AHN KEONHO
Best Part (feat. H.E.R.) by Daniel Caesar is playing ๐โชโ.
SUMMARY After a painful breakup with your boyfriend, a new guy unexpectedly enters your life, offering comfort, attention, and maybe something more as he helps you heal from heartbreak.
FEATURING CORTIS, (H2H) Stella, Juun, Ian
GENRE social media au, written parts, strangers to friends to lovers, fluff, crack, angst
WARNINGS not proofread, not my first language, lowkey cringe and cheesy at the end but i couldn't do any better sorry...
masterlist | previous next
you close your luggage with a soft thud before letting out a quiet sigh. tomorrow morning, youโll leave jeju. somehow, the realization feels strange.
this trip turned out so much better than you expected it to.
you got to spend time with your friends, laugh until your stomach hurt, stay awake far too late every night, and see places youโd only ever looked at online before.ย
somewhere along the way, things stopped feeling so heavy all the time. or maybe they just became complicated in a different way.
you sit at the edge of your bed for a moment, staring absentmindedly at your suitcase.
because somehow, between beach walks, late-night convenience store runs and awkward conversations in dark hotel hallways, you realized something you probably shouldโve noticed earlier.
you like keonho. really like him. and honestly, the realization still feels ridiculous.
you still canโt fully believe how everything happened.
how you met because of your breakup with sean. how keonho started hanging around you only because he wanted to cheer you up. how the two of you got close unexpectedly. how things became awkward. how he distanced himself. how you missed him so badly it physically hurt sometimes.
and now somehow, you ended up here. liking your best friend.
your chest tightens slightly at the thought.
the worst part is that you genuinely never meant for this to happen. and even now, you still have no idea how keonho actually feels about you.
maybe you misunderstood everything. maybe the distance between you two messed with your head more than you realized. maybe you only started wanting him more once he became harder to reach.
you hate that thought immediately because it doesnโt feel true. nothing about this feels temporary anymore.
your thoughts drift back to your conversation with sean yesterday evening.
you were sitting beside him by the beach, the sound of waves crashing softly against the shore as the sunset slowly disappeared into the ocean. the air smelled like salt and cold wind.
โi can tell how you look at keonho,โ he said suddenly.
you nearly choked on your drink.
โwhat?โ you stared at him immediately. โhow do i look at him?โ
sean smiled faintly to himself, gaze fixed somewhere ahead toward the water.
โlike he could solve all your problems just by standing next to you.โ
your face burned instantly.
โyn,โ he said gently. โi know you.โ
that alone almost made you emotional already. he glanced at you briefly before continuing.
the words hit harder hearing them out loud from someone else. especially from sean.
your chest tightened painfully. because suddenly it became real. not just some passing thought you could ignore. not confusion. not attachment. not loneliness after a breakup. real.
before you could stop yourself, tears burned at your eyes, and of course seonghyeon noticed immediately.
โwait,โ he turned toward you so fast it almost startled you. โyn? did i say something wrong?โ
you shook your head quickly, embarrassed already.
your voice cracked. immediately, seanโs expression softened.
he reached for your shoulders gently, forcing you to actually look at him instead of hiding your face.
his eyebrows pulled together instantly.
another tear slipped down before you could stop it.
โbecause i like him,โ you admitted quietly. โi like keonho. i really do.โ
your voice broke halfway through the sentence. mortifying.
you covered your face immediately with both hands, but seonghyeon gently pulled them away before you could hide completely. your hands stayed trapped in his instead. and somehow, despite everything, he was smiling at you. softly. fondly.
โyn,โ he sighed quietly. โstop crying.โ
you laughed weakly through tears. โi canโt.โ
โyes you can.โ he wiped beneath your eyes gently with his thumb.
โthereโs literally nothing to cry about.โ
โbut i feel bad,โ you admitted shakily. โi feel like i shouldnโt like him.โ
you swallowed hard. โbut i do.โ
the confession felt terrifyingly honest.
for a second, sean just looked at you. then he pulled you into a hug without hesitation. warm. familiar. safe. his hand moved slowly up and down your back comfortingly while the ocean waves crashed quietly nearby.
โyouโve always been like this,โ he murmured.
you frowned slightly against his shoulder. โlike what?โ
โcaring more about everyone else than yourself.โ
his voice was gentle. not bitter, not angry. honest.
he leaned back slightly afterward so he could look at you properly again.
โyn, weโre not together anymore.โ
you looked down guiltily anyway.
โand just in case you forgot,โ he continued lightly, โiโm the one who broke up with you.โ
despite yourself, a laugh escaped you. sean grinned immediately after hearing it.
โthere you go. finally.โ
you wiped at your face embarrassedly.
โno,โ he interrupted softly. โthis time, you should think about yourself first.โ
the wind moved softly through both your hair.
โthatโs what iโd want for you.โ
your chest ached painfully at how kind he was being. and somehow that only made you cry harder.
โoh my god,โ sean groaned dramatically. โwhy are you crying even more?โ
he laughed loudly at that, and eventually you found yourself laughing too. the tension in your chest slowly loosened little by little.
โplus,โ sean added after a moment, โiโm pretty sure keonho likes you too.โ
โplease,โ he scoffed lightly. โthat guy looks at you like you hung the moon.โ
you stared at him in horror.
โdonโt say things like that.โ
โand youโre oblivious.โ
you shoved his shoulder weakly. he laughed before lightly punching yours back.
โhey,โ he added suddenly. โyou liked me once too, remember?โ
you both smiled a little at that. nostalgic. soft. not painful anymore. just something that happened. something important once.
โiโll try talking some sense into him,โ sean said eventually.
your eyes widened immediately. โabsolutely not.โ
โrelax. i wonโt embarrass you too much.โ
you groaned while covering your face again.
โthank you, though,โ you mumbled eventually.
his expression softened slightly. he squeezed your hand once before letting go.
the loud clunk of a vending machine pulls you back into the present. you blink slowly.
right. the hotel hallway. you crouch down slightly to grab your green tea from the bottom compartment.
your head still feels full of thoughts. full of keonho.
your heart almost stops. you turn around so quickly you nearly drop your drink.
keonho is standing several feet away in the hallway, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. safe distance, like heโs still careful around you even after things got better between you both again.
your chest tightens immediately at the sight of him. because somehow, after realizing your feelings, even looking at him feels different now.
his hair falls perfectly around his face, slightly messy like he kept running his hands through it. the oversized hoodie and sweatpants heโs wearing should look basic. instead, on him, they somehow donโt. you hate that you notice things like that now.
โkeonho,โ you answer quietly.
he nods once toward the vending machine beverage in your hands.
โfinished packing already?โ
silence settles briefly between you both.
he shifts his weight slightly before speaking again.
โyou wanna go on a walk with me?โ
your heart stumbles so suddenly it almost annoys you. every logical thought inside your head immediately tells you no. go back to your room. go to sleep. stop making this worse for yourself. because now that you know you like him, every little thing feels dangerous somehow. the way he looks at you. the way your chest reacts whenever heโs close. the way just hearing his voice unexpectedly makes your whole body feel warm. but despite all that, you still nod slowly.
โyeah,โ you answer quietly. โokay.โ
something soft flickers briefly across his expression.
a few minutes later, the two of you are walking along the beach again. the night air is colder now than it was yesterday, wind brushing softly against your skin and making the waves crash harder against the shore.
the beach is nearly empty at this hour, only a few distant figures walk near the water farther down the shoreline, their voices getting swallowed by the sound of the ocean.
you and keonho walk side by side quietly, your shoes sinking slightly into the sand with every step.
for a while, neither of you says much. honestly, youโre grateful for it, because your thoughts already feel loud enough.ย
youโre hyperaware of everything tonight. the sound of his breathing beside you. the occasional brush of his sleeve against yours when your shoulders drift too close. the way moonlight catches against the side of his face every time he glances toward the water.
it feels unfair, honestly. how can someone look this good while doing absolutely nothing?
โyouโre quiet,โ keonho says eventually.
you blink, getting pulled out of your thoughts.
โyeah, but i asked first.โ
you sigh lightly. โiโm just tired.โ
you look at him immediately.
heโs smiling slightly. small enough that you almost miss it. your chest tightens painfully.ย
โokay,โ you mumble. โmaybe iโm thinking.โ
you shrug instead. โnothing important.โ
keonho hums softly beside you, like he knows youโre lying but wonโt push.
the wind picks up suddenly, making you pull your sleeves further over your hands instinctively.
without saying anything, keonho slows down slightly to walk closer toward the side facing the ocean wind, shielding you from it a little.
the gesture is so small you almost think you imagined it. but your chest reacts instantly anyway.
you stare ahead at the waves, trying not to think too much about it.
โi donโt wanna leave tomorrow,โ you admit quietly after a while.
you glance toward him briefly.
โi think this was my favorite school trip.โ
keonho smiles faintly to himself. โeven with almost getting caught during the alcohol incident?โ
you let out an offended laugh immediately. โexcuse you? i was trying to get our drinks back.โ
โby screaming in the hallway after curfew?โ
โyou were being loud.โ
his laugh is quiet, warmer than the air around you.
it fades back into silence, but it doesnโt feel empty.
every accidental brush of your hands feels louder than conversation. every time he looks at you, you notice.
you donโt know if he notices too.
โcan i ask you something?โ you say suddenly.
he glances at you. โdepends.โ
โthatโs not reassuring.โ
you hesitate. โwhy did you ask me to hang outโฆ after my breakup?โ
โwe barely knew each other,โ you say. โbut you justโฆ showed up.โ
he looks ahead for a moment, ocean crashing beside you.
โyou looked sad,โ he says finally. simple. direct.
he exhales softly. โi donโt know. i just kept noticing you.โ
he pauses, then adds, quieter, โthen i talked to you, and you wereโฆ easy to be around.โ
you stare down at the sand.
you swallow. โyou make it sound simple.โ
he glances at you. โwasnโt it?โ
it isnโt anymore. and judging by the way he looks away after, maybe he feels that too.
the wind gets sharper, but you barely feel it now.
you donโt know how long it takes before you glance at him again, but this time, heโs already looking at you.
not by accident, not briefly. already there.
you freeze slightly. he notices.
โwhat?โ you ask quietly.
you nod slowly, but your chest tightens anyway.
โyou know,โ you mumble after a while, mostly to distract yourself, โi really thought you hated me for a second back then.โ
he turns immediately. โwhat?โ
โwhen you started avoiding me,โ you say, trying to sound light. it doesnโt work.
his expression changes. โyou didnโt do anything wrong.โ
silence falls again, heavier this time.
you walk closer to the shoreline. the water pulls back and returns. steady and cold.
you feel strangely calm beside him.
you stop walking. watch a wave break.
โi think this trip fixed a lot of things,โ you say.
โiโm glad things are normal again.โ
the words land differently than you expect.
he lets out a breath. โnothing.โ
he runs a hand through his hair, then looks at you. and he looks tired in a way you havenโt seen before. not phisically, but rather emotionally.
โi donโt think things ever went back to normal for me,โ he says.
he almost laughs, but thereโs no humor in it.
โwhen we started hanging outโฆ i thought i was just helping you.โ
his voice stays even. controlled, like heโs rehearsed it alone.
โyou were hurting. and i just wanted to make it easier for you.โ
you remember it clearly. him showing up. him staying. him distracting you without making it obvious.
โthen it stopped feeling simple.โ your chest tightens. โand that pissed me off,โ he admits.
โbecause it wasnโt supposed to happen.โ
a pause. โyou were my friend.โ
friend. past tense in the air even if he doesnโt say it.
โyou still are,โ you say quickly.
he looks at you then. and itโs too honest. โthatโs the problem.โ
he shakes his head slightly.
โwhen i stepped backโฆ i thought it would fix it.โ
โit didnโt.โ he looks at you again, fully now. โit got worse.โ
silence. your body feels too still.
โi tried to be normal,โ he says quietly. โi really did.โ his voice drops. โbut i donโt think i can be normal around you.โ
just your name. and it hits harder than everything before it.
you manage a reply. โwhy are you saying it like that?โ
โi didnโt plan this.โ
he laughs once, small and tired.
a pause. then, quieter, โyou.โ
your breath stops completely. for a second, everything inside you goes still in a way that feels almost unreal, like your brain refuses to process what it just heard properly.
you stare at him. he doesnโt take it back. he doesnโt fix it. he just looks at you like heโs already past the point of pretending.
the ocean keeps moving like nothing is happening at all.
โyouโve been acting weird for weeks,โ you whisper.
he nods. โyeah.โ no denial.
โso what is it?โ you ask.
something in him shifts. like he finally stops holding it back.
โi tried to stop it,โ he says.
his hand lifts slightly between you, then drops. โwhatever this is when iโm with you.โ
โi donโt think i can do the friend thing properly,โ he adds. โnot because i donโt care about you,โ he says quickly.
then softer, โbecause i care too much.โ
silence crashes between you.
you donโt know what to do with it. with him. with yourself.
โso what now?โ you ask.
he shakes his head. โi donโt know.โ
โi just canโt pretend i donโt feel anything anymore.โ
your voice barely works. โwhen did it get like this?โ
โafter i tried to stop it.โ
your chest tightens painfully. of course. because it was never sudden. never simple.
you look down again, swallowing hard, trying to organize thoughts that refuse to stay still.
when you speak again, itโs quieter.
โi thought i was the only one whoโฆโ
you stop. donโt finish it. keonho watches you carefully.
your fingers curl tighter. your voice barely holds.
โwho started feeling like this.โ
he exhales, almost disbelieving.
he steps slightly closer. not enough to trap you. just enough that everything changes.
โyou really think i didnโt feel anything?โ
your chest tightens hard.
he shakes his head slightly, like he canโt believe this is finally being said out loud.
โi tried to keep it simple,โ he says. โbut it wasnโt simple for me either.โ
the silence after is different.
you finally look at him fully again. and heโs already looking at you like heโs been waiting for you to do that.
your breath shakes slightly.
โi like you, yn,โ he says.
no hesitation. just truth.
something in your chest finally breaks open in a good way. you heart stutters hard.
you smile a little. โi like you too, keonho.โ
the ocean crashes louder behind you.
he lets out a breath like heโs been holding it for weeks.
โi thought iโd never hear you say that that,โ he admits.
โyou thought wrong,โ you say softly.
you both stare at each other for a second too long, like neither of you knows what comes next but neither of you wants to step away.
he steps closer, gently cupping your face. and he kisses you. soft. careful. real. you close the distance without thinking.
the wind moves around you, the ocean steady behind it all.
and for the first time, everything feels quiet in the right way.
โit was sean, wasnโt it?โ you ask softly after pulling away.
keonho laughs under his breath, forehead still resting lightly against yours.
โyeah,โ he admits. โhe basically threatened me.โ
โbut iโm glad he did,โ he says, looking at you now instead of the ocean. โotherwise i wouldnโt have you.โ
your chest tightens instantly.
you raise an eyebrow, trying to ignore how warm your face suddenly feels.
โwho says you have me?โ
keonho gasps dramatically. โhey. iโm offended.โ
you laugh immediately. โiโm kidding.โ
โwow,โ he mutters, shaking his head. โthat was cruel.โ
he narrows his eyes at you, but heโs smiling too much for it to look convincing.
then his expression softens again as he glances toward the water.
โthe moon is beautiful tonight, isnโt it?โ
you smile to yourself before looking up.
โyeah,โ you say quietly. โit is.โ
keonho stays quiet for a second after that, watching you with something soft and nervous hidden in his expression. then, he laughs quietly to himself, like heโs suddenly realized something.
he rubs the back of his neck once, almost embarrassed now.
โi just confessed to you, kissed you, and somehow skipped an important step.โ
you laugh softly. โthat does seem slightly concerning.โ
โright?โ he says. โterrible process, honestly.โ
you shake your head, smiling.
then his expression turns more serious again. gentler.
the way he says your name still affects you immediately.
he takes a small breath. โwould you be my girlfriend?โ
your heart melts on the spot.
you stare at him for half a second before laughing softly in disbelief.
โyouโre asking me now?โ
โyes,โ he says defensively. โproperly.โ
โafter the emotional breakdown and beach confession?โ
โiโm trying my best here.โ
you smile so hard your cheeks hurt.
โokay,โ you whisper. โyes.โ
the relief on his face is immediate.
keonho grins so suddenly it almost catches you off guard.
โokay, good,โ he says quietly. โbecause i really like calling you mine already.โ
your face burns instantly.
โkeonho,โ you mumble, trying to hide your smile. โyouโre so cringe.โ
he looks completely unbothered.
โyet you still like me.โ
you groan quietly. โsee? this is exactly what i mean.โ
he laughs, arms still loosely around your waist.
โi feel like youโre using it against me,โ you accuse.
you stare at him in disbelief. โwow.โ
โyou said yes already,โ he says with a shrug. โnothing you can do now.โ
you narrow your eyes. โi can still walk away.โ
he immediately pulls you closer before you can even pretend to move.
he only laughs before pulling you closer again, kissing you underneath the moonlight while the ocean crashes softly behind you both.
and finally, for the first time in a long while, everything feels easy again.
TAGLIST @cokewithcameron @ges1ca @lunaryoongie @aphantassia @mitsubal0ver @seriluvsya @crescentmoonnn @strawbcrryjam @enha4cortis @katelynluvsniki @sese-blurbs @starlightsooha @httpsm4tcha @saffy26jade @wonniiz @goatedwiththesaucedotcom @boochanx3 @loverkiiller @ivyzhangg @maaeeeee @louiscoree @cortisean @miles4eva @hrts4riwoo
note omgggg we r finally here!! i hope this doesnโt feel too rushed ughh i wanted to give them a nice slow burn trope ๐ค
