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Adore U || csc

TITLE: Adore U

PAIRING: Choi Seungcheol x Reader

TAGS: Gym AU, Fluff, Strangers to Lovers, Oblivious/Obvious, Only One Bed Trope, An Attempt at Comedy

WARNINGS: Explicit Language, Smut (18+, MDNI, specific warnings are at the end of the post), Mentions of Alcohol, MC is a pathology resident (histopath you are my worst enemy), MC is shy/quiet (it’s always the quiet ones—), Author has an unhealthy relationship with Cheol’s biceps, Author really really really likes jjajangmyeon (and it shows in her fics LMAO), Seungcheol x The Beach Comeback, Alcohol, Brief Weight mentions

WC: 24.9k

SUMMARY: Choi Seungcheol thinks it’s time to finally settle down, but after numerous failed dates, he’s starting to think that he might not find the one. However, a chance encounter with a shy, pretty stranger has him quickly realizing that maybe he was just looking too far. What a shame all his advances seem to be flying over your head.

A/N: Set in the same universe as Pretty U, but no need to read that to understand this. There is literally zero angst in this (I’m so sorry angst girlies).

“Thanks for dinner. Call me whenever or when we’re up for date number two, okay?” The woman—Seungcheol can’t even remember her name—presses a kiss on his cheek as she gets out of his car, and Seungcheol only gives her a smile that he hopes looks genuine. Sad to say that Seungcheol probably would not be calling her whenever or ever, really.

She’s nice, pretty, a model slash influencer that any man with functioning eyes would fight for to have on their arm. There’s no denying that she’s beautiful, but that’s as far as Seungcheol would go in terms of compliments. They didn’t have chemistry. How could they when Jisoo? Jiwoo?—the woman only seemed interested in getting to know the depth of Seungcheol’s pockets rather than the depth of his character and the complexity of who he was?

Date two would not be happening at all.

It’s another failure, and if Seungcheol wasn’t so determined to finally do things right, he probably would’ve headed to the closest bar or club to pick up some pretty woman that had trouble in her eyes and commitment out of sight. Unfortunately, Seungcheol’s days of fucking around are over, and the need for something genuine was greater than the desire for fleeting comfort.

Seungcheol would have to settle for the next best thing to get the frustration out of his system: the gym.

It’s a good thing Mingyu invited him for a pull day session today because Seungcheol was ready to go heavy—

The screen of Seuncheol’s phone lights up, and he’s quick to read the message, hands still on the wheel and stick. The last thing he needed was to get arrested for distracted driving after a shitty date with a woman who only saw him as a walking ATM machine.

[Mingyu]: Hyung I can’t make it today [Mingyu]: Boyfriend duties :P

Asshole, Seungcheol thinks as he processes the words. Of course Kim Mingyu, loverboy of the century, was going to ditch Seungcheol without a second thought when forced to choose between his best friend and his girlfriend. Seungcheol gets it, he’d do the same, but fuck was the timing shit.

Seungcheol takes advantage of the red light. It’s still illegal, but at least he feels a little less unethical than he would if he had whipped his phone out mid-drive.

[Seungcheol]: I hope your muscles shrink [Mingyu]: Boyfriend duties keep my muscles big [Mingyu]: Not that you’d know ㅋㅋ [Seungcheol]: 🖕🖕🖕

Seungcheol doesn’t bother texting after that, choosing to focus all his attention on driving as fast as he can—within speed limits—to C&K Fitness Center before it closes. It’s not that big of a concern considering that he and Mingyu owned the gym, but he didn’t want to keep the employees behind later than usual.

When Seungcheol arrives at C&K Fitness Center, he’s quick to get the bag he keeps in the backseat before practically stomping his way into the gym. Youngmi, the ever-lovely (she’s a menace, really) receptionist he and Mingyu hired, is quick to snort at the poorly-concealed scowl on Seungcheol’s face.

“I’m guessing the date didn’t go well?” Youngmi says, and there’s a mix of pity and amusement in her tone that had Seungcheol’s frown deepening.

“Do you really not know anyone?” Seungcheol practically begs. Maybe he needed to stop getting his male friends to connect him with women. Maybe he’d be more successful if a woman was the one doing the matchmaking.

“All the women I know are looking for women too,” Youngmi shrugs. “You aren’t exactly their type.”

“Damn it,” Seungcheol groans as he runs a hand frustratedly through his hair. “Thanks anyway.”

“I’ll let you know if my girlfriend knows anyone, boss,” Youngmi waves as Seungcheol heads to the changing rooms.

“Thanks,” Seungcheol sighs, defeated.

The gym is relatively empty, with only two or three moving bodies scattered through the wide expanse of rubber and metal. Relief settles in Seungcheol’s form knowing that he was likely to be tapped for help today. Don’t get him wrong, he liked helping people, but he was already having a shitty day, and the only thing he wanted to do was lift until the burn of his muscles were greater than the frustration in his veins.

Seungcheol grabs a resistance band for his warm-up, eyes trained on his form in the mirror as he stretches the band as far as he can. Once he wraps up with that, he follows it up with a few more stretches before heading to the lat pulldown machine.

The burn is great. Seungcheol can feel the way his muscles relax and contract with every pull of the handles, and some part of him feels like the day is less of a failure with how well he’s lifting the weight close to his PR. To an outsider, he probably looks insane rawdogging his lifts with nothing but the hum of the AC and the low volume of the gym music to keep him occupied, but he doesn’t really mind.

Who hurt you? Is probably what they’d ask if Seungcheol didn’t look so intimidating.

With a huff, Seungcheol sets the weight down for a short break. This was one of Seungcheol’s favorite parts whenever he was working out: the silence and the burn after a set well done. Who cares if Mingyu’s out being lovey dovey with his girlfriend? Seungcheol was lifting so much heavier than that slacker now. It’s the envy speaking, Seungcheol knows, but can you really blame him when all Mingyu ever posts about is how fucking lovesick he was while Seungcheol remained painfully single—

“Excuse me?” The soft voice coupled by a light tap on his shoulder is quick to snap Seungcheol out from his thoughts.

Quickly, he looks to the side, an accommodating smile plastered onto his face to replace the scowl he was previously sporting.

“Yes?” Seungcheol asks, and when his eyes take the person in, his brain is quick to start firing signals for an emergency response. All the little workers in his head were probably scrambling to get their shit together while Seungcheol tried to keep a nonchalant facade.

The woman in front of him is familiar enough to have been someone he probably constantly sees from the corner of his eye, but there’s a sense of unfamiliarity in Seungcheol that tells him that he probably never took the time to fully look at her. He’s starting to think that maybe he should have done it sooner because wow—

She looks nice.

(Seungcheol wasn’t the best at articulating his words when it came to women that interested him, so please do forgive him).

“Is it okay if you spot me? I’m kind of trying to go heavier today,” You say, a little shy, a little uncertain, and Seungcheol would be lying if he said that it wasn’t stirring something awake inside him. “It’s totally fine if you can’t—“

“No, I’d love to help,” Seungcheol smiles in a way that he hopes is reassuring as he stands from the pulldown machine. “What exercise?”

“Bench press,” You reply as you begin walking towards where you’ve set up the bar and the plates on the rack of a bench. “It’s push day today.”

“Nice,” Seungcheol comments casually, and he resists the urge to cringe. Nice? Really? That’s the best he can say? “Do you lift here often?”

“MWF,” You reply politely with a smile, and Seungcheol can’t help but wonder why he hasn’t taken the time to talk to you before. He’s sure he’s talked to everyone here at least once. “Mingyu and his girlfriend usually spot me, but they aren’t here today.”

Of course that asshole knew you. That extrovert loved getting to know people.

“They’re on a date,” Seungcheol says as he steps behind the bar, watching with curious eyes as you sit on the bench and lay down. “I never caught your name, by the way.”

“It’s Y/N,” You smile at him from where you’re lying down, and Seungcheol swears there was a light tickle in his chest when you did it. Was he palpitating right now? Is that what was happening? “You’re Seungcheol, right? Mingyu talks a lot about you.”

“Mingyu talks a lot is enough of a sentence,” Seungcheol snorts, and something akin to pride blooms in his chest when you laugh. “Just call me Cheol, Seungcheol is too formal.”

“If you say so,” You reply as you adjust your grip in the bar. Seungcheol helps you unrack it before stepping back to give you the space to do your lift. “My life is in your hands.”

Seungcheol finds himself chuckling at your words, eyes never tearing from your form as you lift and bring the bar down to your chest. “I’ve got you, don’t worry.”

Your first first few reps are effortless, and Seungcheol almost feels like you don’t actually need him around. You’re doing well all on your own. Not wanting to feel useless, Seungcheol decides to just cheer you on. “Nice form, that’s it.”

The corners of your lips tug into a soft smile, and it’s one that Seungcheol is quick to reflect with a grin of his own. This is the other part of the gym that Seungcheol likes, the community, the instant click with strangers over shared hobbies.

It’s around your eighth rep that Seungcheol notices the slight quiver in your arms, and he’s quick to take a tiny step forward. You’re doing fine, but Seungcheol knew it was better to be safe than sorry.

“Come on, push—that’s it,” Seungcheol beams with pride when you make it through a particularly shaky set. “You got one more in you. Get that bar down.”

“I don’t,” You complain, but you don’t rerack the bar.

Seungcheol shakes his head. “You do, come on.”

And Seuncheol’s right because you’re able to do one more rep, albeit with gritted teeth and shaky limbs.

“I told you you had one more,” Seungcheol says smugly as he helps you rack the bar. When you sit up, Seungcheol raises a hand, and you’re quick to give him a high five and a thanks. Seungcheol has to will himself to ignore the buzzing in his palm. “How many more sets do you have?”

“That’s my last for today,” You reply before bringing the opening of your bottle to your lips, throat bobbing up and down quickly at the speed you were downing the water.

Seungcheol can’t help but feel a teeny tiny bit—extremely—disappointed that your interaction would have to be cut short.

“Fair, it is getting late,” Seungcheol says as he looks at the clock on the wall that reads 8:00 PM, two hours from closing. Seungcheol’s itching to ask what time you usually drop by, but he feels like that’s too forward of a question for someone you just met. “I’ll see you around then. I’d be happy to spot you again.”

“Thanks, Cheol,” Your smile is reserved, but it’s there. “I’ll get going. Happy lifting.”

“Thanks, Y/N,” Seungcheol says, and he can’t help but feel like the name rolls a little too well off his tongue.

Why the fuck had he not seen you before?

The first thing Seungcheol does when he gets home isn’t to eat his post-workout meal and to shower right after like he usually does. He breaks routine by pulling out his phone and texting Mingyu who’s probably sleeping or…getting cardio done.

Seungcheol has a feeling it’s the latter, but he doesn’t give a shit.

[Seungcheol]: When is Y/N at the gym?

Simple and straight to the point, Seungcheol was too old for dancing around.

The reply is immediate.

[Mingyu]: L/N Y/N? [Mingyu]: Why are you suddenly asking me [Mingyu]: Unless… [Seungcheol]: You know why I’m asking so just answer [Mingyu]: ㅋㅋㅋ [Mingyu]: It’s just a little unexpected considering your type [Mingyu]: Let me ask the gf, she knows Y/N’s schedule better

Seungcheol waits, fingers tapping impatiently at the wood of his dining table as he stares at the three dots popping up and disappearing on his screen.

[Mingyu]: 6-8 pm MW, 7-9 pm on F [Mingyu]: It’s an estimate though

Seungcheol commits all of it to memory. He doesn’t know why he’s so interested, but he doesn’t really have anything to lose so why the hell not? You’re pretty, and it wouldn’t hurt trying to get to know the people in his gym. Plus, it could just be a fleeting interest, so it’s not really that deep. It’ll probably be gone in a few days, and Seungcheol may just find himself with a new friend.

(Sure, tell yourself that, the voice in his head practically taunts.)

[Seungcheol]: Thanks [Mingyu]: No prob hyung [Mingyu]: She’s really nice so don’t be too rough [Seungcheol]: ?? [Mingyu]: I meant your personality [Mingyu]: But that too ig ;) [Seungcheol]: Freak [Mingyu]: The pot calling the kettle black </3 [Mingyu]: Gtg hyung, boyfriend duties [Mingyu]: Hoping you relate soon ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Seungcheol doesn’t even bother dignifying Mingyu’s teasing remark with a response. He loves that man like a brother, but sometimes he just wanted to throttle him. Which is, honestly, accurate for sibling relationships, but Seungcheol doesn’t dwell on it.

He had something else to think about.

In the following week, Seungcheol goes to the gym for seven days straight. It’s something that leaves Youngmi puzzled and Mingyu giving him a knowing, teasing look every time their eyes meet. Only Mingyu knew Seungcheol’s agenda of wanting to cross paths with you.

However, Seungcheol doesn’t approach you, he just observes. It’s a little creepy, Seungcheol thinks, but in his defense, he was just curious. He’s learnt from Mingyu that you’ve been lifting at the gym for almost a year, so it was a little odd that he never fully registered your presence. The longer Seungcheol observed, however, the more he realized why your paths never fully crossed.

You’re quiet, unassuming. You clean the equipment before and after every use, stack the plates dutifully like you were getting paid for it, and you only ever talk when someone else initiates conversation. Nine times out of 10, it’s either Mingyu or his girlfriend. The other one out of 10 is just other gymgoers asking if you’re almost done with the equipment or polite, short-lived conversations.

It’s cute, Seungcheol thinks, the way you seem to be in your own world. It’s become part of his routine to covertly watch your form bustling around in the gym as you go through your sets. For someone so quiet, your facial expressions surely had a lot to say, and Seungcheol finds that his favorite expression is the one you sport whenever you’re deep in thought while calculating the total weight of the plates, brows furrowed and pout light.

It’s a good thing you haven’t caught on to the way Seungcheol stares at you from across the gym.

Contrary to his initial belief, Seungcheol’s interest does not die after a few days. The itch, the need to get to know you persists even after one week has passed, and Seungcheol decides that he’s done enough staring and wondering from afar.

Seungcheol knows what he wants, and what he wants is you.

—

Fridays are for leg days.

It’s something you’ve had to learn painfully after doing one leg day session on a Monday and spending the rest of the week feeling like you just got run over by a truck. It’s still a bad idea, considering that you spent your weekends walking or jogging, but it was better than going to the lab with aching legs. Hunching over the microscope almost the entire day was an occupational hazard you did not want to aggravate with a poorly-timed workout.

Honestly, this gym thing wasn’t even supposed to be serious, but somehow you found yourself grinding your way through it anyway. When people ask you why you suddenly had an interest in the gym, you’re quick to tell them that muscles are good for longevity. You don’t tell them that you may have seen a really, really, really handsome guy with the most scrumptious biceps walk into the gym, prompting you to go back to said gym to sign up for a membership just to see him again.

You’d be setting feminism back by hundreds of years by saying that out loud.

What kind of self-respecting woman with a successful career in pathology would sign up for an expensive gym membership just to get a glimpse of a guy she doesn’t even know? You would. You did.

It’s embarrassing, but you don’t really regret it. Throughout the months you’ve been lifting at C&K, you’ve met many wonderful people, and not to be presumptuous, but you’ve definitely started feeling and looking a lot more toned after working your ass off. If you were going to the gym just to see a man, then you might as well just get hot and healthy in the process. You had eye candy and are becoming eye candy, so it’s a win-win in your book.

What you didn’t expect was to actually interact with your gym crush.

You had resigned to just admiring Seungcheol from afar. He was less talkative compared to the other owner, more reserved. Exactly your type. He has a quiet confidence, and despite the way he keeps to himself most days, there’s an unmistakable domineering energy rolling off his form in waves that has you mentally giggling and kicking your feet.

God, you want that.

Unfortunately, you aren’t the kind of woman who puts herself out there. The only thing you can do is sit and watch while other prettier, more confident women walk up to Seungcheol and make their intentions clear, with some of them even successfully scoring a date. You envied their confidence, really. It’s something you’ve always wished you had. While weren’t a total social recluse, you also wouldn’t go out of your way to seek interaction.

Tapping Seungcheol for help had been a fluke. You were desperate to finish strong, and he just so happened to be the closest person available. However, you liked to think that it was your way of challenging yourself to go out of your comfort zone.

Thankfully, the interaction went well, and even now, as you’re setting up the bar for squats, you’re still replaying the conversation in your head in HD, the memory so clear it’s almost as if it just happened yesterday. Who cares if that was the only time you ever talked to him after nearly a year of pining from afar? You were expecting not to talk to him at all until your paths permanently diverged, so one conversation is honestly already an achievement—

“Leg day?”

You jolt in surprise, your grip on the 10 kg plate slacking dangerously. There’s no mistaking who that voice belonged to.

Thankfully, Seungcheol’s reflexes are quick, and he’s able to grab the plate from your hands and push it through the bar. “Easy there, you might hurt yourself.”

“Sorry, you surprised me,” You reply, face flushed from the embarrassment flooding your veins. “But yeah, it’s leg day.”

“Need a spotter?” Seungcheol asks with a smile as he loads the other 10 kg plate on the other side of the bar. It’s unfair how good he looked. The singlet he’s wearing gives you a perfect view of the way his biceps bulge and flex as he adjusts the plate.

“If you don’t mind,” You reply shyly as you position yourself behind the bar. Having a spotter is a little useless considering the fact that the squat rack had spotter arms, but you weren’t about to complain. “Are you sure I’m not disturbing you?”

“Not at all,” Seungcheol waves your concerns off before walking to stand behind you. “How many reps?”

He’s close, close enough for you to feel the light tickle of his breath on your nape. Seungcheol’s eyes bore into yours through the mirror, patiently waiting for a response, and it’s taking everything in you not to roll on the floor and scream your head off from the giddy feeling in your chest.

“This is the last for squats so I’m doing it to failure,” You reply as you step underneath the bar. “Once again, my life is in your hands.”

Seungcheol grins as he gets into position a step or two behind where you are. “Don’t bother worrying when I’m around.”

Fuck, that was so hot? Is this how down bad you’ve become? Basic human decency was getting you going? Seriously?

The 20 kg bar coupled with the numerous plates you’ve stacked onto it is heavy. It’s manageable, but you know that you’re probably going to start struggling after 4-5 reps of this weight. Slowly, you inhale as you squat, core bracing once you’re all the way down and exhaling slowly as you go back up. One down.

You continue, repeating the motions with proper form and breathing as Seungcheol stays closely behind you, legs bent and hands hovering near the bar as he watches you with full attention. Suddenly, your eyes meet his in the mirror, and he’s quick to speak, “Nice form, good breathing.”

You can’t help but feel accomplished.

“That’s it, perfect,” Seungcheol continues praising you as you go through your squats, and honestly, it’s a big help considering the fact that you probably would’ve tapped out two reps ago. “One more rep.”

“I can’t,” You breathe out shakily, hands tightening around the bar as you try to go for another squat. “Too heavy.”

“You can,” Seungcheol says, eyes staring straight into your soul like he’s challenging you to retort. “Come on, give me one more.”

Your mind was definitely not in the gutter. No, not at all! You were definitely not etching the memory of his voice and his words into your brain for future use in a wholly different context. Definitely not.

(Liar.)

Miraculously, you push through one more rep, and Seungcheol has a victorious grin on his face as he helps you rack the bar. Briefly, your arms brush, and it takes everything in you not to squeal and giggle like a schoolgirl.

“Good job,” Seungcheol says, putting his hand up. You’re quick to give him a high-five like you did last time, and god, you’d be lying if the innocent slap of skin against skin didn’t send your heart into a frenzy. Was this going to be a thing? Were you going to keep giving each other high-fives until you can get him to give you a high-five somewhere else—

“Thanks for the spot,” You reply, pushing the thoughts from your head before they become more unhinged. You needed to end this conversation soon before you made a fool of yourself. “I’ll get to my next—“

“What’s your next exercise?” Seungcheol asks, taking a step forward when you move to walk away. It seems like the conversation was not going to be over soon.

You’re short-circuiting, unused to all the attention he’s suddenly giving you. “Leg press.”

“Nice, I was going to do that too,” Seungcheol says. “Wanna take turns?”

“Sure,” You nod. Oh god, you weren’t going to escape him anytime soon, huh? The thought both excited and terrified you.

Seungcheol accompanies you for the rest of your workout, the two of you taking turns on the machines or doing the exercises in sync. It’s filled with lighthearted conversation, Seungcheol giving you a few tips and tricks while helping you out with your form on some of the more challenging exercises.

By the end of it, you think that you may have just gained a new gym buddy.

“Nice workout,” Seungcheol says with a pat to your back before taking a swig of water from his bottle. The touch is light, fleeting, but it sends a zap straight through your body that has you straightening up and avoiding Seungcheol’s gaze. “I might have to keep doing leg days with you from now on.”

“You liked my workout that much?” You ask jokingly before drinking from your own bottle.

“What can I say, it’s efficient,” Seungcheol says with a boyishly handsome grin that has your breath hitching. From this close, you have a clear view of the way his dimples dip, and it’s taking everything in you not to squish his face between your hands and coo.

“You’re free to join me, if you want to,” You suggest, composed, polite, a stark contrast to the way your brain is currently going through an emergency response protocol.

“Nice. I was scared you wouldn’t offer, and I’d have to say goodbye to my gains” Seungcheol jokes. “Wait, let me give you my number. I think I have paper here somewhere, just a sec…”

Seungcheol pats himself before rummaging through his pockets. You don’t know what overcomes you, but you’re thankful for the boost of confidence it gave that had you pulling out your phone and handing it to him.

“Just type it in,” You say with a small smile, hoping that the calm facade doesn’t give your nerves away.

Seungcheol takes your phone and types his number. After that, he returns it to you with a grin, “Text or call me whenever. I’d be more than happy to share a few workout tips or answer any questions.”

“Any?” You ask jokingly as you look at the new contact on your phone. ‘Cheol’, it’s just one word but it’s enough to make your brain buffer. It isn’t hitting you now, but you have a feeling that once it does, you would have a hard time getting back up.

“Any,” Seungcheol emphasizes with a smile and a look you can’t quite decipher. The tone, the gaze, it’s all too much, and it has your heart stuttering in your chest. “Get home safely, okay?”

“I will,” You nod before pocketing your phone. “I’ll see you next time, Cheol.”

“Looking forward to it,” Seungcheol replies with a pat to your back, an action that has your heart racing no matter how many times he does it.

Fuck, he was treating you like a bro! You shouldn’t be getting giddy over such an innocent, platonic touch, but you can’t help it. Bros before hoes they say, but you’d like to give a new perspective by saying that maybe bros can become your hoes—

Okay, pause. Breathe.

When you get to your apartment, your mind is still reeling and your heart is still racing. The high from your little couple’s—wow, you’re delusional—workout session seemed to have such a long half-life that even now, you were still buzzing and grinning like an idiot.

You’re unable to stop yourself from plopping onto the couch and squealing into the pillow like a schoolgirl while you kick your feet aggressively. It’s insane how much that man affected you. He was out here being a great business owner by connecting with his clients, and you’re out here imagining your first date, your wedding, your honeymoon—hell, even your retirement—with him.

Boosted by the memory of Seungcheol’s friendly words and casual touches, you’re quick to whip out your phone and start constructing a text message.

Hey, just got home—

No, not that. He probably doesn’t care about that. You weren’t a girlfriend updating her boyfriend. You’re an acquaintance slash gym buddy that just happened to have a well-constructed leg day routine.

Had fun today—

No, yikes. It sounded a little too much like you were thanking him for a date. Seungcheol might catch on to how delusional you are if you sent that.

[Y/N]: It’s Y/N. Thanks for joining my workout today.

Formal and damn-near transactional, it was informative and personal while still keeping a boundary.

You nearly drop your phone when a reply pops up instantly, and you have to stop and physically pinch yourself to make sure that you weren’t dreaming or hallucinating all of it.

[Cheol]: Anytime :)

Fuck, even the way he texted was handsome. That was seriously unfair.

[Cheol]: Are you home already? [Y/N]: Yes. You? [Cheol]: Good to hear [Cheol]: Yeah, I am. Just making dinner. [Cheol]: sent a photo

Holy fucking shit, was any of this even real?

The photo is innocent. It’s a picture of a frying pan and scrambled eggs on it, but that’s not what you’re looking at. No, definitely not that. Because apart from the eggs, the oil, and the steel, the photo also shows you a clear view of Seungcheol’s forearm as he holds the pan.

Damn it. God damn it—

You scream into the pillow before composing yourself and typing out a reply. Whatever unholy thoughts you had regarding the firm expanse of his forearm were pushed aside in favor being a normal, functioning member of society.

[Y/N]: Looks good! [Cheol]: It tastes even better :) [Cheol]: Have you eaten?

You were not going to survive this. You were not going to be able to pull yourself out of the trenches that Seungcheol pushed you into. You were staying here indefinitely.

[Y/N]: I haven’t, but I’ll get to it soon. [Cheol]: Get to it then. [Cheol]: You need fuel for muscle-building :) [Y/N]: Okay, Mr. Gym Expert. [Y/N]: Make sure to eat slowly, it’s better for you. [Y/N]: Eat well.

Eat well? Eat well? Is that really the best you can say? You had zero flirting skills, and it was showing. You almost regret being so caught up in your academics because now you were paying for it.

[Cheol]: Thanks, I will. [Cheol]: Good night, Y/N :)

Fuck, you couldn’t wait for Friday so that you finally had an excuse to talk to Seungcheol again.

Thankfully, you didn’t have to wait until Friday because the moment you step foot into the gym on Monday evening, Choi Seungcheol is already greeting you with a bright smile and a high-five.

“What’s your split today?” Seungcheol asks, trailing after you as you walk to the more open part of the gym to do your upper body stretches.

“Pull day,” You reply as you grab one of the resistance bands hung on the wall. You don’t miss the way Seungcheol grabs a band of his own.

“Damn, I’m doing push today,” Seungcheol says, and you note that there’s a slight edge of disappointment in his tone as he says it. “Just tap me if you need help, okay?”

“Sure,” You nod with a smile. “I can spot as well if you need me to, but I don’t think I’ll be much help.”

Seungcheol chuckles as he pulls the band taut across his chest before pulling it across his back. “Any help is better than no help, so I might just take you up on that offer.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” You joke as you hang the band on the wall again. “Good luck on your workout. Fighting.”

“You too,” Seungcheol smiles, and you walk off to the pulldown machine before the conversation can progress further.

Some part of you is a little disappointed that Seungcheol didn’t join your workout for today, but you’re also thankful because you don’t think you can handle the sight of him doing pulldowns in a sleeveless shirt. You’d have to start gnawing on the steel of the bars or have someone muzzle you just to cope.

You’re able to go through all four of your pull day exercises before Seungcheol approaches you with a light tap on your shoulder while you’re in the middle of drinking your water. “Can you spot me?”

Quickly, you close your bottle and nod. “Sure, what exercise?”

“Bench press,” Seungcheol replies, and the memory of your first encounter quickly surfaces in your mind. “My life is in your hands.”

You snort at his lack of originality before matching his grin with one of your own, “I’ve got you, don’t worry.”

Turns out, Seungcheol doesn’t even need you. He powers through his sets like a machine, and you’re starting to wonder if he’s made of steel underneath that fair skin of his. He huffs and grunts with every heavy lift, and honestly, you’re glad he doesn’t actually need your help because you’re extremely distracted by the sight and sound of him. The only time you ever truly involve yourself is when Seungcheol is reracking the bar, and it scares you every time because damn, even with Seungcheol lifting it, you could clearly feel the pull of gravity on those weights.

“Thanks for spotting,” Seungcheol says as he stands up from the bench, and you’re quick to help him remove the plates and set them aside.

“That was all you,” You reply with a shrug before taking another plate. “I didn’t do much.”

“Hey, you’re good at helping me rack,” Seungcheol says with a smile and a nudge to your shoulder with his, an action that had you short-circuiting from the sensation of his bare arm against your bare arm. “Are you done with your workout?”

What Victorian Era shit was this? Why were you so flustered by casual touch? What’s next? Would ankles start freaking you out too?

“Yes,” You nod as you put away the final plate. “I’ll go ahead—“

“Wanna grab dinner?” Seungcheol suddenly cuts you off, a hopeful look in his eyes as he asks. “My treat. To thank you for spotting.”

All the mini-you’s running around in your nervous system HQ are panicking as they rifle through the files in your head. You didn’t have a protocol for this, didn’t have an emergency plan. Despite your delusions, not once did you ever think of how the hell you’d respond if ever Choi Seungcheol asked you to hang out.

“No need!” You quickly say, waving your hands and shaking your head. “It’s nothing, I swear. I didn’t even do anything—“

“I insist,” Seungcheol says. Suddenly, and a little unfairly, he pouts, and your mind is quick to blank. “Please?”

What the fuck?

Who the fuck would be able to resist that?! Seungcheol is attractive, you know that, but in your eyes, he’s always been that manly, dreamy Adonis so this pout—this heartaching, devastatingly adorable pout was definitely not something you expected. It’s so unexpected that you don’t even realize that you’re already nodding.

“Fine,” You say before you can even stop yourself. “But I’m paying for my food.”

Seungcheol opens his mouth like he’s going to argue, but he’s quick to shut it. “Okay.”

After the two of you change into cleaner clothes, Seungcheol leads you to a sleek BMW, and even with your little knowledge of your cars, you know that this particular model didn’t come in a price point that was affordable to the general population.

Fuck, maybe you were in the wrong business.

Like a gentleman, Seungcheol walks ahead of you to open the passenger door, and it’s something that has you thanking him softly before settling inside. It’s clear that Seungcheol took good care of the luxurious hunk of metal. You couldn’t spot scratches or dust anywhere in the exterior or the interior.

“Nice car,” You comment when Seungcheol settles in the driver’s seat.

“Thanks, I got it last year,” Seungcheol says before starting the engine and backing out of the parking spot. “Do you like cars?”

“Not really,” You reply, eyes trained on the way Seungcheol steers the wheel with one hand while the other hand held onto your seat. “I don’t drive anyway, so it’s impractical to get a car.”

“Why not?” Seungcheol asks, removing his hand from the seat to move the stick. “Never learned?”

“I have a license,” You clarify. “But driving’s too stressful.”

“Ah,” Seungcheol nods before a teasing grin makes its way onto his face as he drives. “Nothing wrong with being a passenger princess.”

You nearly choke on your spit at his words. “Yah, it’s not my fault people on the road are insane.”

“You’ve got a point,” Seungcheol nods with a laugh. “How do you get around then?”

“I commute,” You reply, eyes trained on the red and white lights in front of you as Seungcheol drives through the city’s busy road. “It can get crowded, but it’s still less stressful.”

“Your boyfriend doesn’t drive you around?” Seungcheol asks casually, eyes locked onto the road like he didn’t just send you spiraling with one question.

What?

A look of disbelief settles onto your face, and you’re quick to clarify, “I don’t have a boyfriend. What gave you that idea?”

“Just assumed, sorry,” Seungcheol replies apologetically, but you can see the slowly-growing grin on his face. “Do you like jjajangmyeon?”

The conversation is quick to shift at Seungcheol’s sudden question. You’re thankful for it because you’re not really sure how the conversation would go if Seungcheol decided to pry about your love life.

“I love jjajangmyeon, actually,” You reply, suddenly excited. You hadn’t eaten it in a while, but god, you could practically taste the sauce on your tongue and feel the noodles between your teeth the moment Seungcheol mentioned it. “Are we getting jjajangmyeon?”

“Yeah,” Seungcheol nods. “There are other dishes, but they’re known for their jjajangmyeon.”

“All the exercise I did is going down the drain,” You sigh, but it’s really not that big of a deal. Diets with extreme restrictions aren’t sustainable anyway.

Seungcheol only laughs. “Just think of it as bulking.”

“You are so right,” You reply with a grin.

When the two of you arrive, the place is fairly busy. There are a few empty tables, but there’s more than enough people in the tiny restaurant to breathe life and bring noise into the space. It’s casual, friendly, and the farthest thing from intimate.

Aw.

Seungcheol lines up, eyes scanning through the menu plastered up on the wall before turning to look at you, “What do you want?”

His voice is being drowned out, but you’ve done enough lip-reading and ear-straining to understand the words.

“Just jjajangmyeon, please,” You reply, and Seungcheol furrows his brows before taking a step closer.

In a way that’s bad for your heart, Seungcheol brings you closer to him with a hand on your back before leaning down to let you speak straight into his ear. “Sorry, it’s a little noisy. What did you say you wanted?”

“Jjajangmyeon,” You manage to say despite feeling like your heart was about to jump out of your throat from Seungcheol’s proximity, his touch. “I’ll have the jjajangmyeon.”

“Anything else?” Seungcheol asks, turning his head slightly to look you in the eye. His gaze flickers, you’re not sure to where, but it does. “Their chicken is good.”

"Too heavy,” You shake your head, and before you can stop yourself, you continue, “Maybe next time.”

Wow! That was really presumptuous of you to think that this whole dinner situation was going to repeat itself. Good job, you’ve embarrassed yourself yet again.

“Okay, next time then,” Seungcheol nods, and it makes you feel a little less embarrassed about your little slip-up. “Wanna go get a table while I order?”

“Sure,” You reply, and walk off to find an empty table for two. You find that breathing is easier now that Seungcheol wasn’t making your chest feel all funny and ticklish.

Thankfully, the rest of dinner passes by in a lighter fashion. Most of your conversations circled around asking questions back and forth about each other’s lives. Seungcheol, despite your reserved first impression of him, is a great conversationalist, and it’s something that has your guard crumbling down.

“Aw, she’s so cute!” You coo as Seungcheol shows you a picture of his family’s dog on his phone, an adorable Coton de Tulear wearing a pretty pink bow on her head. “Wait, so why is her name Kkuma?”

“I was on a diet when we got her,” Seungcheol says, eyes fond as he scrolls through his album full of the cute little ball of fluff. “Do you wanna meet her? She usually stays with my brother, but he takes her when he comes over.”

“I would love to,” You reply, swiping through Seungcheol’s album to see more of Kkuma and her pretty bows. “Just say the word.”

Most people would consider you reserved, quiet, but the people closest to you would probably beg to differ. It takes a while to get you comfortable, but once you are, you’re suddenly the world’s biggest extrovert, your mouth running itself to talk about every single topic under the sun until the person in front of you just begs you to shut up before their ears bleed. Seungcheol doesn't do that though. He listens, shares, and his openness to whatever conversation you throw his way has your chest blooming with gratitude.

“No way,” Seungcheol shakes his head with a disbelieving laugh after listening to your take. “Pull day is so much better than push day.”

“It is so not,” You’re quick to argue. “I can barely sleep after pull day because my back hurts so much.”

“The ache is satisfying though,” Seungcheol argues back. “I like doing pull days.”

Your eyes flicker to the way his biceps strain against the sleeves of his shirt, and you’re quick to roll your eyes playfully, “I can tell.”

Seungcheol only grins before flexing an arm in a manner that has you crashing out internally, “Good. I work hard for these.”

In return, you listen just as well. You keep your ears peeled and your expressions animated, making sure to hang onto every word and ask whatever burning question you had whenever Seungcheol would share bits and pieces about himself and his interests.

“You’re a League player?” You’re trying to keep your tone as non-judgmental as you can, but you have a feeling that you’re failing because Seungcheol is quick to laugh.

“What’s wrong with that?” Seungcheol asks with an amused smile.

“Nothing they’re just…” You think of all your gamer friends, your cousins, and safe to say that there’s only one thing they have in common when they’re playing the game. “They’ve got a lot of rage.”

“Oh they do,” Seungcheol nods, laughing. “Do you like playing games?”

“Played COD once,” You reply with a shrug, “Mobile and PC.”

“You act like people there don’t have just as much rage,” Seungcheol says, one thick brow raised in question. “Didn’t think you’d be into that.”

“I’m into a lot of things—“ It’s late when you notice the innuendo in your words and the teasing expression on Seungcheol’s face, and you’re quick to pause and purse your lips when you realize what you just said. “I did not mean it like that.”

Seungcheol only laughs, hands raised in defeat when you throw a feeble glare his way. “Nothing wrong with that.”

The two of you get so caught up in conversation that by the time you pause your talking, the restaurant is almost empty. That same emptiness is what prompts the two of you to quickly finish your food and rush out of the establishment with sheepish smiles and apologetic glances.

“Where do you live?” Seungcheol asks as he taps on the screen to open the navigation app.

“You can just drop me off at the station,” You reply, a little embarrassed. “It’s late already.”

“Exactly, it’s late,” Seungcheol says it like he’s scolding you, and honestly? You’re not even upset. If anything, you’re feeling a little…Hot. “I’m not letting you go on your own when it’s this late.”

“Sir, yes sir,” You say jokingly as you type in your address. “Sorry for troubling you.”

“You’re not,” Seungcheol says, his smile a little tight as he shifts in the driver’s seat. “I live in the same area, so it’s not even out of the way.”

Oh? That was unexpected. Surely you would’ve noticed if someone this handsome lived in your area, but then again, you barely go out of your apartment unless you’re going to jog, work, or go to the gym.

The drive, much like the little dinner date—you know you’re delusional—you had, is full of casual conversation. It’s a little strange how comfortable you are around him, but you liked to think that maybe it was because you spent practically a year just admiring him from afar. If anything, the question you should be asking is why he seemed comfortable around you. You don’t dwell on it though, too happy about the situation to wonder about the logistics and the technicalities of it all.

When you reach your apartment, you’re quick to unbuckle your seat and sling your bag on your shoulder. “Thanks for bringing me home.”

“I invited you, it’s the least I can do,” Seungcheol replies with a smile. “I’ll try to bring you home earlier next time.”

Next time? You’re not sure if he’s teasing you for your slip-up earlier or being genuine, but you don’t really mind. You liked the sound of next time.

“Good night, Cheol,” You say as you open the car door and step out.

“Good night, Y/N,” Seungcheol replies before you gently close the door.

Seungcheol’s car remains parked on the road as you walk to the door of your apartment. It’s only when you've shut the door behind you that you hear his car come to life as he drives off.

It’s a little sweet, you think. Choi Seungcheol must be one hell of a boyfriend if he treated his friends with this much thoughtfulness. Honestly speaking, you’re a little jealous of the woman that would be getting that treatment, but it isn’t your place. You’re just a woman with a crush at her big age without the courage to seize what you want in fear of rejection.

You’d rather live with the what if’s than be rejected outright, honestly. The what if’s left room for uncertainty, and uncertainty left room for hope. Rejection, on the other hand, has finality. It doesn’t give hope the space to blossom, and honestly, you’d rather live with regret than without hope.

Regret haunts, but hopelessness halts.

However, you don’t let yourself simmer in the thoughts any longer than you already have. You still had work tomorrow, and the more time you spent thinking, the less time you’d have for sleeping. That alone is enough to have you showering quickly and settling into bed.

You’re in the middle of setting your alarm when you get hit with the sudden reminder that you didn’t pay for your half of the meal. It’s late, but you’d rather be rude than be called a freeloader.

Quickly, you whip out your phone and type out a message to Seungcheol.

[Y/N]: I forgot to pay earlier. [Y/N]: What’s your account number?

You don’t expect him to reply given how late it is, but at least you’ve put out your intention to pay—

[Cheol]: I was hoping you wouldn’t remember [Cheol]: No need to pay, it’s my treat :) [Y/N]: I said I’d pay though. [Y/N]: I’ll ask Mingyu for your details if you don’t tell me [Cheol]: Good luck prying it out of him ㅋㅋ [Cheol]: It’s my treat, just accept it :( [Y/N]: Fine, but let me pay next time. [Cheol]: No promises :) [Cheol]: Go to sleep, you still have work tomorrow. [Y/N]: You’re right, but I will be reopening this argument in the future. [Y/N]: Night, Cheol. [Cheol]: Good night :)

—

Choi Seungcheol is seriously fucked.

He’s staring at the screen of his phone, rereading your conversation with the stupidest smile on his face, and he doesn’t even know he’s doing it until he feels the ache settle into his cheeks.

Seungcheol has only known you for around two weeks, but he’s out here hanging out with you and talking to you like he’s known you for years. It’s insane how at ease he feels around you. There’s just something about how unassuming, kind, and witty you are that has him hooked, has him hanging onto every word and craving more. It’s made worse by the fact that you’re just so…

Beautiful.

From the gleam of your eye to the curves of your lips, Seungcheol thinks that you’re the kind of beauty that stops time. It’s the kind that has him double-taking, the kind that lures you with a force that only gets stronger the longer you stare.

The worst part of it is that you didn’t seem to be aware of your effect.

You smile, laugh, and speak with a clumsy sort of grace that has Seungcheol’s heart skipping beats and doing cartwheels. He feels like he’s 17 and falling in love for the first time again, and it’s so odd because even that didn’t feel like this.

It’ll wear off, is what he tells himself as he sets his phone on the nightstand. It’s not like he doesn’t want to be into you. He does, he really does, and he probably really is into you, but he wants to be sure.

Because once he started, he knew there would be no going back.

The next time Seungcheol sees you, it’s Wednesday, and just like Monday, he’s constantly hovering around you like a pesky fly. Even when the two of you have different workout splits, Seungcheol somehow still finds a way to be close to you by choosing the equipment closest to the one you’re using and spending his break between sets talking to you.

It’s exhilarating.

It’s so exhilarating that when you leave, Seungcheol feels like he’s dropping from a high so steep to a crash so deep. He can only sit on the bench, hunched over as he tries to compose himself. Fuck, what were you doing to him?

You were being kind and polite, acting the way a person should in a friendship that was still blooming, and Seungcheol was over here wondering what it would be like to hold your hand and take you on dates by the Han River while he hand-fed you pizza slices.

Yeah, he’s fucking delusional. He knows.

“You’re so obvious, hyung,” Mingyu says as he approaches Seungcheol with a smug grin. “If I had known you’d be this whipped for her, I would’ve introduced you guys sooner.”

“Why didn’t you?” Seungcheol asks with a frown.

“Didn’t think you’d be into her,” Mingyu shrugs as he bends down and steals Seungcheol’s water bottle before taking a long sip that has Seungcheol’s frown deepening. “Clearly, I assumed wrong.”

Seungcheol takes his bottle back and asks, “Do you think she knows?”

“Nope,” Mingyu replies quickly. “Though I’m surprised she hasn’t caught on.”

Seungcheol knows he’s going to regret asking this, but fuck, he really needed to know, “Do you think I have a chance?”

Mingyu blinks once, twice, thrice, staring at Seungcheol incredulously before he starts laughing his ass off like it's the funniest thing he’s heard in years.

“Dude, holy shit—“ Mingyu’s words cut off into a wheeze before he speaks again, “Hyung, you’re so screwed, I’m already telling you. Oh my god, is this what I was like before? Big fucking yikes god damn—“

“Yah, just answer the question,” Seungcheol says, his patience with Mingyu slowly getting thinner by the second.

Mingyu is quick to compose himself when he catches sight of the glare Seungcheol’s sending his way. He coughs, hitting his chest and clearing his throat before he replies, “You do, I think. You two are practically eye-fucking each other anyway—“

“Yah, Kim Mingyu, watch your mouth,” Seungcheol warns, jaw clenching, and the taller man only raises his arms in surrender. “I don’t want to rush this.”

“Good call,” Mingyu nods. “Good luck to her though. You’re too much to handle sometimes.”

“Damn fucking right I am,” Seungcheol grins.

Mingyu quickly pulls a face of disgust in response, “You’re disgusting.”

“Like you’re any better?” Seungcheol scoffs, brow raised.

“Didn’t say I was.” Mingyu only shrugs with a grin. “Good luck, hyung. Just tell me if you need a wingman.”

“Thanks,” Seungcheol snorts before hitting Mingyu with his towel. “Now stop chatting and finish your set before you lose all your muscles.”

—

Routines are both a blessing and a curse, you think.

You’ve been talking to Seungcheol for three months now, and he’s integrated himself into your life so well that it feels like he’s always been there. Mondays and Wednesdays were spent doing your own workouts and talking to each other during your breaks. Fridays, on the other hand, were spent doing leg days together and getting dinner right after. You like Fridays.

Another addition to your existing routine is Seungcheol driving you home after every gym session. He had insisted on taking you home during a particularly rainy Wednesday night, and the rest was history. It stresses you out sometimes because you can’t help but feel like you’re bothering him, but Seungcheol is always quick to tell you that he really, really doesn’t mind. The man even saying that it puts him at ease knowing that you got home safe.

How sweet (You were going to combust).

A more concerning addition, one you both love and loathe, is befriending a few of Seungcheol’s friends. You had met them during a Friday night dinner with Seungcheol, and they were all so nice and accommodating that it was easy to get comfortable around them.

Jeonghan could be mischievous, but he’s a great listener that cares for the people around him. Joshua’s the perfect gentleman until you get to know him a little too well and realize that there’s more to him than what meets the eye (in a good way, you swear!). You like talking to them, but you absolutely loathed the change because it made being delusional a little too easy. Encounters with them felt less like a hangout with friends and more of a ‘getting-to-know-your-boyfriend’s-friends’ session.

It’s not good for your overactive imagination.

The most devastating addition to your routine, however, is the constant texting. On the days you don’t see each other, the mornings before you meet at the gym, the nights after you go to the gym, and the weekends you spend apart, you and Seungcheol are constantly conversing on numerous platforms. It has reached a point where he’s talking to you about gym stuff on your Kakao and while simultaneously discussing the reels you sent him on Instagram. Choi Seungcheol takes up so much space in your world that you’re scared of the void he’ll leave if—when?—the two of you part ways.

The only way you were getting out of this lovestruck trench was if Seungcheol fell in love with you and pulled you out of it to prance into the sun and live happily ever after or if he broke your heart and buried you six feet under that trench.

You are so screwed.

“Y/N, just the person I wanted to see,” comes the frazzled voice of Wen Junhui, your classmate from med school and one of your closest friends. “I’ve got bad news.”

Your first instinct is to look at the clock. It’s 5:00 PM, you’re just waiting for the last few samples to come in, but something about Jun’s expression and words tells you that you aren’t leaving the hospital anytime soon.

“How bad?” You ask, cautiously eyeing Jun as he fidgets and shifts from one foot to the other. “Jun, it’s a Friday, please tell me it’s not that bad.”

“The new lab tech may or may not have dropped a few samples,” Jun says with an apologetic smile that does nothing to ease you. “She’s already making the new slides, but Dr. Na wants all of them read today, so…”

“Stabbing me with a scalpel would’ve been kinder,” You say as you slack against your chair, defeat weighing you down like a sack of rocks. “How long until she’s done?”

“An hour?” Jun says sheepishly. “She didn’t mean to. She’s already on it.”

If Wen Junhui wasn’t so enamored by that lab tech, you swear you would’ve been freaking out more. Mistakes are expected especially when everyone is overworked, but this day has been dragging on for far too long. You feel bad for her, but you can’t help but feel bad for you too.

“You better sit down and help me with all of that,” You frown. However, your phone suddenly buzzing on the desk and lighting up with a familiar name is quick to put a smile on your face.

Jun gives you a knowing look when he sees your face light up, “Is that him?”

“Yes,” You’re quick to reply.

“I’ll be off then,” Jun teases as he starts walking back to the lab. “I better be invited to the wedding.”

“Only if you invite me to your wedding with you-know-who,” You tease, and you internally celebrate when you see the tips of Jun’s ears turn pink.

“I don’t like her!”

“Sure, you don’t,” You snort, waving Jun’s flustered form off before focusing on your phone.

[Cheol]: What do you want for dinner? [Cheol]: Just so I know if I’m going light or heavy for the pre-workout ㅋㅋㅋ

Damn it, you weren’t lifting today.

[Y/N]: I’m not lifting today, sorry. :( [Y/N]: There’s a problem with the samples, so I have to work overtime to fix them. [Cheol]: No need to apologize. That must suck :((( [Cheol]: What time do you get off? [Y/N]: Not sure, probably late. [Y/N]: I’ll be there next week, I swear !! [Cheol]: I’m counting on that :) [Cheol]: Good luck with the samples

The rest of your rotation flies by in shades of pinks and purples as you read and interpret the samples like a machine. However, your efficiency is still nothing in the face of multiple samples, and by the time you finish, it’s 9:00 PM.

You quickly send your reports to Dr. Na, and after that, you’re quick to change out of your scrubs into something more comfortable. Wen Junhui, as usual, stays behind and only gives you a thumbs up as you leave.

Finally free, you think.

Your back hurts and your head is aching, but at least you had the entire day tomorrow to rest. The thought of a quick dinner followed by a cold shower and a soft bed is the only thing powering you as you walk out of the hospital and into the street—

Is that…?

Are you hallucinating?

There’s a familiar car parked on the side of the road, and when your eyes drag across the length of it, you’re quick to realize that there’s an equally familiar form leaning against the car as he scrolls through his phone.

You think it’s a little unfair how effortlessly handsome Seungcheol looks when you’re standing a few meters away from him looking like a drowned rat.

Why was he here?

Almost as if he could sense you, Seungcheol looks up from his phone, and when his eyes land on your shocked form, he’s quick to give you that bright, dimpled, gummy smile that feels like Cupid’s arrows piercing straight through the ventricles of your heart. All the exhaustion in your body is pushed away as a blooming warmth takes its place.

“Hey,” Seungcheol says as he jogs over to you. “Are you done with your shift?”

“Yeah,” You nod, still in disbelief. “Wait, why are you here?”

“Felt like it,” Seungcheol says with a grin like it answers anything. It doesn’t. It just raises more questions. “Have you eaten?”

“No,” You answer as you follow Seungcheol to his car. “How did you know what time I was getting off?”

“I didn’t,” Seungcheol says with a shrug as he opened the passenger door. “I got here at around 8 and just waited.”

Before you can even get embarrassed and complain to Seungcheol about how he didn’t have to do all of this, he’s already shutting your door and walking to the driver’s seat.

“What do you want to eat?” Seungcheol asks as he fixes his seatbelt and shifts the stick.

“Chicken? Up to you, I’m not really craving anything specific,” You reply, still not able to believe that everything happening was real.

“Chicken it is,” Seungcheol smiles before stepping on the gas and heading off to the closest chicken place he knows.

Seungcheol’s passenger seat isn’t unfamiliar to you. You’ve sat in this same spot so many times that you could probably call it yours. However, the context was never like this. The situation felt too intimate, too personal.

Maybe you were being delusional, maybe you weren’t, but something about this had your heart racing and your words failing because god—

You needed this.

After a long day where you had no one to count on but yourself, having Seungcheol meeting you at the end of it with a smile and the promise of stability was a relief. It’s unfair because he’s treating you so well to the point that you think you might just have a chance, that he might be doing all of this because he likes you too—

But you refuse to be that delusional.

Choi Seungcheol is driving you insane, and he isn’t even aware of it.

—

Yoon Jeonghan is having the time of his life.

“It’s been five months,” Seungcheol complains, running a hand through his hair exasperatedly as he nurses a glass of beer. “Five months, and she still hasn’t caught on.”

Mingyu’s eyeing Seungcheol with the same kind of amusement that Jeonghan has in his gaze. It’s not often—it’s the first time, in fact—that they get to see Seungcheol this hung over a girl. It’s always been just one night’s and a few months of on and off with Seungcheol, so to see him pining this long and this badly was a treat.

Jeonghan could be recording all of this if Seungcheol’s eyes weren’t so sharp.

“Have you tried confessing?” Jeonghan says before taking a sip from his glass.

“He hasn’t,” Mingyu scoffs into his own glass. “He’s doing everything but confess.”

Seungcheol shoots a glare towards the taller man before taking another swig from his glass. Frustrated, he wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand before speaking, “I don’t want to scare her off.”

“Yeah, well at this rate you’re going to make her lose interest,” Jeonghan says with a roll of his eyes. “Actions speak louder than words, but Y/N doesn’t really seem like the type to assume things without evidence—“

“What other evidence does she need?” Seungcheol sulks, form deflating. “Am I not being obvious enough?”

“Nope,” Mingyu says. “Talked to the missus, and she said that Y/N thinks you’re just being friendly.”

Jeonghan almost chokes on his beer at that.

So it was that bad, huh?

He thinks Seungcheol’s being a coward by not confessing, but he also understands why Seungcheol hasn’t told you. Seungcheol probably didn’t want to seem like he was befriending you just to date you. That was sleazy, and Jeonghan knows that’s the last impression that Seungcheol wants to give you.

What Jeonghan doesn’t understand is how you still think that Seungcheol’s just being friendly. Surely, you’re suspecting? Surely, you know? Because Jeonghan’s an outsider to this all but even he knows that Seungcheol isn’t just being friendly. He’s absolutely sure that everyone who has had the misfortune of being around Seungcheol while you’re in the room will say that Seungcheol is head over fucking heels in love with your oblivious self.

Seungcheol either looked like he wanted to devote the rest of his life to worshipping the ground you walked on or to take you on the closest surface for everyone to see because the need, the longing, was just too much to leave be. The tension that hangs in the air is always thick when you and Seungcheol are in a single room, and it’s so heavy that Jeonghan has to excuse himself from time to time just to get a break from all the heated looks and longing glances the two of you unknowingly exchange.

And it’s not even one sided! Jeonghan has only known you for a few months, but he knows that you see Seungcheol as more than a friend. You wouldn’t be smiling at the man like he was your entire world if you didn’t. It’s stupid. All of it is extremely, unbelievably stupid. Seungcheol’s clearly into you, and Jeonghan thinks you’re into him too, so why did all of it have to be so difficult?

You’re both cowards, that’s why.

Jeonghan ought to lock the two of you in a room until you fuck the tension out of your systems, really. If only to save him from the torment of watching the two of you pine like idiots.

“You know she’s into you, right?” Jeonghan suddenly asks. “You know that, right? Right?”

“I don’t want to assume,” Seungcheol grumbles. “But kinda?”

“Wow, you’re both idiots,” Jeonghan complains. “Since when were you this much of a coward?”

“Yeah, hyung,” Mingyu agrees. “What happened to knowing what you want and doing everything to get it? Since when did you beat around the bush?”

“Since I found something I can’t lose,” Seungcheol says, and the two find themselves silenced.

Well.

Damn.

The air is heavy with Seungcheol’s words. No one knows what to say, so they just let the weight linger. It’s not something they can fix, not something they can address. The only thing they can do is ask for another bucket and pray for the best—

“She texted,” Seungcheol grins.

And just like that, the air gets lighter.

Mingyu and Jeonghan look at each other with knowing looks and teasing grins, relief evident in their forms as the tension clears. Meanwhile, Seungcheol remains blissfully unaware of it all, too busy texting you back with the biggest, dumbest, lovestruck smile on his face.

God damn you had this man whipped.

—

It’s leg day again.

“Are you free next week?” Seungcheol asks as he takes the 10 kg plate from you and loads it onto the bar. After that, he’s quick to hand you one barbell clamp while he squats down and secures the other.

“Yup,” You nod as you bend down and put the clamp through the bar. “Dr. Na wanted us to enjoy the long weekend. Why?”

“Jeonghan and the others are planning a roadtrip to Busan,” Seungcheol answers, and despite the casual look on his face, you can still spot the excitement that lingers on the edges of his words. “Wanna come?”

You’re torn. On one hand, you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity of going on a trip with Seungcheol. The idea of it has the delusional, head over heels part of you screaming that this might just be the final push you need to become something more with the man that you’ve been admiring for so long. On the other hand, you don’t want to impose. The logical, rejection-fearing side of you doesn’t want to be faced with the possibility that Seungcheol might not reciprocate your feelings and that he’s just being polite by inviting you.

“Oh, you should come, Y/N!” Mingyu’s girlfriend is quick to interject in the conversation, and Mingyu who’s following closely behind looks like he’s going to say the same thing. “Please? Save me from these men, my god, I don’t want to be the only woman there.”

Well shit, you can’t argue with that.

But you argue anyway. “I don’t really want to impose.”

“You’re not!” She quickly replies, and Mingyu is quick to nod behind her.

“Dude, you really aren’t,” Mingyu adds. “The more the merrier.”

“They’re right, Y/N,” Seungcheol says, and you can see the beginnings of a pout on his face. You’re going to lose this argument, you can already tell. “Please?”

“Fine,” You give in, and Mingyu’s girlfriend is quick to cheer and pull you into her arms as she rambles about going bikini shopping and drinking by the beach.

Seungcheol grins like he just won something.

When you get home, you find that you’ve already been added to a group chat called ‘Haeundae Hotties’, and you scroll back far enough to find out that it was Jeonghan who had made it and renamed it.

Relief washes over your body when you realize that you’ve met and talked to everyone in this groupchat. You wouldn’t have to go through the awkward phase of introducing yourself and getting to know other people while trying to enjoy the long weekend.

The rest of the night is spent planning and discussing the more logistical part of the little beach-slash-road trip. Jeonghan was assigned to find a hotel, Mingyu and his girlfriend were tasked with finding the best local food spots, Joshua was assigned to look for activities, and you and Seungcheol were assigned to sort out the logistics of traveling.

It’s exciting. A little nerve-wracking, but exciting. You weren’t always the adventurous kind despite the longing in your bones to explore. The lack of time and opportunity always held you back, and now that you had both, you were brimming with excitement. A week from now, you’d be in Busan with Seungcheol and his friends, people that you now consider your friends too.

You can’t wait.

—

Kim Mingyu thinks you’re it for his hyung.

You’re the girl, the endgame. The one that would ruin Choi Seungcheol for everyone else that came after you—if there would be any—and the one that would probably give Mingyu and Seungcheol liver disease if ever you broke the latter’s heart. He doesn’t think he’s seen his hyung so soft, so gentle, so in love.

Don’t get him wrong, Choi Seungcheol isn’t a rough, brash, mannerless asshole. He’s just… Indifferent. With the few serious and many casual relationships Choi Seungcheol has had, he has always been respectful, reliable. Mingyu’s sure many girls have looked at this man and thought that they were going to spend forever with him—

But Kim Mingyu thinks this is the first time that he’s seen Choi Seungcheol have that look instead.

Even from the backseat, hidden in the shadows of the early morning, Kim Mingyu could practically see the hearts in Seungcheol’s eyes and hear the honey dripping from his tone as he speaks to you. Mingyu is almost tempted to shake his girlfriend awake just to coo about how cute you and Seungcheol were being.

(He doesn’t, he knows that there are consequences.)

When the first half of the drive is done, Mingyu and his girlfriend are quick to switch with you and Seungcheol, and it’s taking everything in Mingyu not to grin and wiggle his eyebrows at Seungcheol through the rearview mirror. Instead, he exchanges knowing looks with his equally amused girlfriend, away from your and Seungcheol’s line of sight.

The rest of the drive is silent, and Mingyu gets so lost in the lull of it all that he doesn’t notice what’s going on in the back. Luckily, his girlfriend—he’s glad she’s just as nosy—is quick to nudge him and discreetly point to the back with a grin.

Mingyu’s eyes are quick to flicker to the rearview mirror, and what he sees has him wanting to kick his feet and pull out his phone to take a pic.

You’re fast asleep on Seungcheol’s shoulder, and the man looks like he’s turned into stone. Mingyu wonders if his hyung was even breathing at this point with how still he was being. Every once in a while, there’ll be a bump in the road, and Mingyu has to stop himself from giggling like a schoolgirl watching a drama after school when Seungcheol raises a sturdy arm to keep your head pressed against his shoulder.

Smooth little shit.

(Mingyu makes sure to drive over every road bump he can find.)

Mingyu catches Seungcheol’s questioning gaze and raised brow in the rearview mirror, and Mingyu only grins and wiggles his brow in suggestion. Seungcheol rolls his eyes, but there’s a poorly concealed grin on his lips as he keeps your form stable against him—

Click.

The shutter sound of a camera rings softly through the air, and Mingyu’s girlfriend is quick to say ‘oops’ and pocket her phone. Mingyu only gives her a high-five and asks her to send it to him while Seungcheol glares, his hand now pressed over your ear as he hisses at the two to stop giggling before you wake up from the noise.

Kim Mingyu could not wait to put that picture on a slideshow and present said slideshow at a reception where he would be raising a glass in a toast to your and Seungcheol’s forever.

This may just be the start, but Mingyu can already see the end.

—

Choi Seungcheol knows Yoon Jeonghan like the back of his hand.

That’s why when Jeonghan leaves the reception desk and walks across the length of the hotel lobby with a look too apologetic to be sincere, Seungcheol knows something is definitely up.

“There’s a problem with the booking and the hotel’s full so they could only book us three rooms,” Jeonghan sighs, heavy, exaggerated, and Seungcheol’s trying to figure out where the sly man is going with his little theatre act. “It’s enough to accommodate the group, but we’ll have to share.”

“Oh, shucks,” Joshua’s sigh and word choice is equally artificial, practiced, and that’s how Seungcheol knows that it isn’t just Jeonghan who was part of whatever scheme that just took place. “But it’s not that bad? We can room together, Mingyu’s—well, we know where Mingyu’s rooming, and Y/N and Cheol can just share the other room. Problem solved.”

Ah.

Fuck.

“You guys can have whatever room arrangement you want as long as I stay with my baby,” Mingyu says with a lovesick grin as he drapes himself over his girlfriend who looked like she was having the time of her life at the events taking place. The look she gives Jeonghan is too aware, too sly to have been a coincidence.

It’s then that Seungcheol realizes that everyone—save for you and him—was in on this, plotting and scheming like criminals behind your backs.

Assholes.

“Are you fine rooming with Cheol?” Jeonghan asks you, and it’s taking everything Seungcheol not to swear at him. He knows Jeonghan’s behind this room mix-up, but he has nothing to prove it. He’s willing to bet his entire life that this wasn’t the hotel’s fault, and that it was a deliberate move by Yoon et al. to force proximity between you and Seungcheol. It’s a good thing you haven’t caught on, but Seungcheol thinks these fucking idiots are going to ruin everything for him at this rate—

“Yeah, I don’t mind,” You nod with a smile before turning to Seungcheol. He can tell that you’re trying to be cool about it all despite the tinge of apprehension in your gaze. “Are you okay with it though?”

Fuck yes, is what Seungcheol wants to say, but he knows it isn’t appropriate so he only nods with a smile that he hopes is reassuring. “Of course.”

“That’s settled then,” Jeonghan says as he hands the keycards out: one to Joshua, one to Mingyu’s girlfriend, and one to you. “Go get settled first then we’ll have lunch at 12 before going out.”

And with that, everyone splits ways.

“Shall we?” You smile at Seungcheol, and despite his initial annoyance at the entire situation, he finds himself relaxing the moment he catches your gaze.

With a smile, Seungcheol takes your bag and slings it on his shoulder alongside his before speaking, “Lead the way then.”

The walk to the room is light, carefree, and Seungcheol thinks that maybe he was worrying for nothing. You seemed fine with it, so why wouldn’t he be? Plus, it’s not like you two are going to be sharing the same bed. Jeonghan’s not that insane. The most you’d have to do is share a room and a bathroom, and the only thing he had to worry about was making sure that you felt safe sharing a space with him—

Oh fuck no.

The door to your hotel room swings open, and what Seungcheol sees has him taking back that statement about Jeonghan not being that insane because it turns out that Jeonghan is that insane.

There’s only one bed.

He was going to strangle each and every single one of his friends the moment this vacation was over.

“Oh,” You say, and Seungcheol thinks the gravity of the situation is starting to dawn on you.

Seungcheol, ever the gentleman, is quick to try and alleviate the situation, “I can sleep on the couch—“

“Cheol, I don’t think you’re going to fit in there,” You shake your head. “I’ll take the couch—“

“No, it looks uncomfortable,” Seungcheol shakes his head. “I’ll take it—“

“Let’s just share the bed,” You say firmly, and Seungcheol doesn’t bother arguing because he may be a gentleman, but he’s also just a man so head over heels in love that he’ll seize whatever opportunity he can to be beside you. “The bed’s big enough anyway.”

“Are you sure? Mingyu says I snore loudly,” Seungcheol says jokingly, offering you a way out in case you changed your mind in that split second. He may be an opportunistic asshole, but he still had a shred of his morals left untouched by his need to have you all for himself.

You don’t take it, only laughing at his words before plopping onto the couch beside the window that puts the ocean into view. “I’ll just have to fall asleep before you.”

Seungcheol only laughs, setting the bags down and shutting the door before plopping beside you on the couch. “I’ll make sure to stay awake until then.”

“Good.”

—

The universe is testing you, you can feel it.

First, the long drive. You had spent the first half of the drive talking Seungcheol’s ear off to keep him awake throughout the early morning. The second half was spent off in dreamland, and it’s only when you woke up that you realized that you had turned Seungcheol into your personal pillow while he kept an arm around your head to keep it from falling forward. The contact had you flustered—and imagining a few other scenarios that involved his arm around your head in a wholly different context—but Seungcheol looked casual, like it was just another day of saving distressed damsels for him.

Second, the hotel room. You had swung the door open expecting two single beds, at the very least, only to be met with the sight of a king-sized bed. Thank the heavens it was king-sized because you don’t really know how sane you can stay if you had to sleep even closer to Seungcheol. Even the slightest, most innocent brush of skin had you freaking out and internally screaming, you’re not sure if you can handle accidental cuddling—

Ok, maybe you were being too delusional, but still! The chances of it happening are low but never zero.

Third and lastly, is the entire trip to the city after lunch. Choi Seungcheol was acting like the world’s finest gentleman. He was out promptly pulling chairs for you, gently guiding you by the waist, softly asking for your input, dutifully taking nice pictures, and endlessly bombarding you with other different acts of service that had Mingyu’s doting actions for his girlfriend pale in comparison. And that isn’t how it’s supposed to be because Mingyu is practically married to her while you and Seungcheol are just friends.

Choi Seungcheol needed to stop being so frustratingly attentive before you took his friendly actions the wrong way.

(Or maybe you were just being delusional?)

And now, you’re here, drying your hair and going through your night routine as slowly as you can to avoid facing Seungcheol and the inevitable only-one-bed trope the universe decided to throw your way like some sick joke to kick your already down bad self lower into the ground.

When you get out of the bathroom, Seungcheol’s lounging on the couch, lying on his side with one hand propping his head up as he goes through reels on his feed.

“Bathroom’s free,” You say as you plop onto the bed and take a look at how much battery your phone accumulated while you were bathing. You’re trying to look casual as you do it, but the delusional part of your brain can’t help but point out that this felt a little too much like a honeymoon or a one-night stand—

The door to the bathroom shuts, and you let out a heavy breath that you didn’t know you were holding. You’re overreacting, you know, and you almost envy the way Seungcheol’s being so cool about it all.

You argue that it’s because he isn’t in love with you the way you are with him. He doesn’t have to worry about his heart skipping beats or his mind racing endlessly. He doesn’t have to feel all the feelings you do because he isn’t in love with you. Maybe that’s why he’s being so casual. Maybe you don’t even register as someone worth dating. Maybe you were just another bro to him.

Damn it.

Seungcheol’s shower is unfairly quick, and you find yourself pretending to scroll through your phone like this is the most normal thing in the world. Your phone isn’t upside down, is it? No, it’s not, thankfully. That would be embarrassing.

Seungcheol takes the space beside you, and it’s taking everything in you not to blurt out something—even if it’ll come out a little awkward—just to dispel the tension in the air.

“What are you watching?” Seungcheol, thankfully, is the one to speak up first, scooting closer to you on the bed to watch the videos on your phone.

“Instagram reels,” You reply, slightly angling the phone to give Seungcheol a better view.

It’s oddly domestic, but you don’t say it out loud.

The rest of the evening passes by like that: you and Seungcheol going through the reels in your feed like 10-year olds ruining their attention span with unsupervised screentime. The tension is gone, and in its place is a calm air that gives your heart the space to flutter and race whenever a hearty chuckle or a light snicker leaves Seungcheol’s form.

You hate the way it makes you feel all funny.

Eventually, the early morning drive and the exhaustion from the day catches up to you, and you find yourself fighting to keep your eyes peeled as you hold your phone up to go through a few more videos.

“Sleepy?” Seungcheol asks softly from beside you.

“A little,” You reply before a yawn treacherously leaves your mouth. “Okay maybe not just a little.”

“Sleep then,” Seungcheol says. “No one’s holding you at gunpoint to stay awake.”

“But the reels,” You pout softly. Seungcheol could probably just whip his own phone out, but you enjoyed watching the reels on your phone together. Sleeping meant letting that moment die, and you’re not sure if it’s something you can bring back to life.

“Sleep, Y/N,” Seungcheol says as he takes your phone, shuts it, and reaches over you to place it on your nightstand, something that has the expanse of his torso hovering dangerously close to your own from above. He grins down at you as he withdraws into the space you’ve mentally designated as his. “There. No more phone for you, miss.”

You only match his playful energy with a pout, hoping with every fiber of your being that it conceals the way your heart is threatening to break free from his proximity. “Killjoy.”

“Mhm, you bet,” Seungcheol only affirms you before chuckling. “Sleep before I do or else you’ll have to put up with my snoring.”

“Fine,” You huff out petulantly before turning your back to him. “Night Cheol.”

“Night, Y/N,” Seungcheol replies, and you hear the sheets shift for a few seconds before it pauses, the silence taking over.

Despite the rapid beating of your heart, it only takes a few minutes before you’re pulled into a deep sleep by the exhaustion from the day’s events.

—

Choi Seungcheol is going through the toughest test of self-restraint.

You’re fast asleep, clinging onto him like he’s nothing more than a pillow for your comfort, and Seungcheol is hyperaware of every sliver of skin and cloth of yours that touches him.

Even breathing feels impossible.

Seungcheol is flattered that you feel comfortable enough to be knocked out cold this quickly, but fuck, why did you have to be this adorable while sleeping? Your softened features, your parted lips, your curled body—all of it had this protective urge taking over Seungcheol’s form. Every single fiber of his being is practically aching to take you into his arms and protect you from the imaginary dangers of the night broken by nothing but the moonlight streaming from the window.

The only downside to it all is that Seungcheol can’t seem to hold onto you despite the way you’ve pressed the entirety of your front to his side, with your leg even going as far as slinging itself across his thigh like it’s nothing more than a bolster. Surely this was punishment, to have everything you wanted being dangled—tighly pressed—in front of you and not being able to do anything other than lie still like a log.

Puppies, sunshine, clouds, flowers, grandmas—Choi Seungcheol is trying to think of every neutral thing he can to distract him from the softness caging his arms and the plush pressed against the muscle of his thigh. He’s a gentleman, he swears! But he is also just a man, and it’s not his fault that his physiology was weak to your magnetism. Hell, even your smile was enough to have him chubbing up like a hormonal freak from time-to-time so this? This was nitric oxide straight to the fucking shaft—

You shift, hand now pressed onto Seungcheol’s chest as your unconscious body nuzzles deeper into him like it’s where you belong.

Seungcheol’s heart pounds harder, and briefly, he wonders if the strength of its beating is strong enough to be felt by your unconscious form. He hopes it is, no matter how illogical. It beats that way for you, so it’s only right that you know.

Soon, Seungcheol thinks to himself as he finds his heart swelling with warmth and affection as he traces your face with a gaze nothing short of adoration. With a soft touch, he brushes a strand of your hair away from your forehead. It’s the only thing he allows himself to do, but he thinks even that single, intentional brush of skin against skin is enough to temporarily satiate the ache in his soul that longs for the entirety of your being.

Rejection suddenly seemed meaningless when placed beside the need to love you out loud.

—

When you wake up, Seungcheol is already awake.

He’s lying on his back, eyes trained onto the screen of his phone as he scrolls through it with one hand. His other hand is—

Oh my god, you have his other arm hostaged.

You’re quick to scoot away, eyes wide open as apologies spill from your lips, “Cheol, I am so sorry—“

Seungcheol only snorts before pulling you back until you’re closer than before, cheek now pressed against his shoulder as he wraps an arm around you, “I don’t mind. The guys do it a lot anyway.”

The guys?

Well, damn. Now, you’re not sure if you’re going to be relieved, embarrassed, or offended. It’s great that he’s taking it in stride, but did you really not have an effect on him? Were you seriously getting homie-zoned right now? Choi Seungcheol had an entire woman pressed up against him, and he’s lying there like it’s just another sleepover with the bros.

The hell?

“Look,” Seungcheol is snickering as he shows you another meme, and you have to admit that it is funny, but you’re too annoyed at your lack of effect on him to give him anything greater than an amused roll of your eyes.

The rest of the morning continues like that, the two of you bundled up like homies—fuck you, Cheol, you think—while scrolling through Seungcheol’s feed. However, when the clock strikes 8:00, the two of you are quick to part and prepare for the little trip to the beach planned for that morning.

Frustrated and feeling a little rejected from the morning’s events, you enter the bathroom and quickly change into the white bikini you bought while shopping with Mingyu’s girlfriend before wearing a cute linen dress to cover it up. Fuck the tankini sitting in your bag, you were a woman on a mission. You don’t mind if you register as hoe in Seungcheol’s mind as long as you didn’t register as homie.

How annoying.

When you get out of the bathroom, Seungcheol is already adding the final touch to his outfit: a yellow cap that made his biceps shift and bulge as he adjusted it on his head.

Maybe you should just say fuck it and strip in front of him. Let’s see if he’ll still have the gall to unknowingly bro-zone you then.

“Ready to go?“ Seungcheol turns to you, pausing when his eyes land on you. The look on his face is unreadable as his eyes look you up and down. “You look… Nice.”

“Thanks,” is what you say in reply. It’s not a victory, but it isn’t a loss either, so you take it. “Now let’s go get breakfast. I wanna swim while it’s still not that hot.”

“Ma’am, yes Ma’am.”

—

Rest in peace, Choi Seungcheol.

It’s the only thing running through Jeonghan’s head as he watches the morning unfold from where’s sitting on the beach towel.

The day already started out… Charged. Everyone in the little vacationer group felt the air shift the moment you and Seungcheol joined them for breakfast, and Jeonghan briefly debated asking if the two of you finally fucked it out. However, based on the way Seungcheol still kept his touches light and fleeting, and the way his jaw seemed to clench when you so much as brush against him, Jeonghan realizes that you guys probably didn’t… But you’re definitely close to it.

It all gets worse the moment the little group goes to the beach, and you—poor, obliviously pretty you—were quick to garner attention that Jeonghan thinks is very much warranted given the way your little dress looked on you. He has eyes, Jeonghan likes to think he can say that much. He can’t say it out loud though, unless he wanted to deal with a bitchy Seungcheol.

At first, Seungcheol had been fine, watching over you from afar and scowling at whatever prick that felt worthy enough to be within a two-meter radius of you. However, it became a different story the moment you shimmied out of your dress and started playing the water.

Jeonghan has to resist the urge to cackle like a madman when he sees Seungcheol subtly adjust his swim shorts before power-walking over to where you’re being engaged in friendly conversation by a random man that was blind to the 178-cm lump of muscle and anger issues that was hovering around you like an overprotective guard dog.

“Should we just lock them in a room?” Joshua asks from beside Jeonghan, watching as Seungcheol puts a possessive hand on your bare waist as he talks to the ballsy dude that dared to even look at you.

“Isn’t that kind of what we did with the rooms?” Jeonghan snorts. “I’m surprised they’re still not together.”

“Technically, they aren’t locked in the room,” Joshua replies. “I meant more like a fuck-or-die scenario.”

“You’re insane for that,” Jeonghan laughs as he imagines locking the door and refusing to open it until you and Seungcheol confess your obvious feelings to each other… Or until you did something else. “Not a bad idea, though.”

“What are we talking about?” Mingyu suddenly appears with his girlfriend by his side, the two dripping after a little frolicking in the seawater. He turns to look at where Jeonghan and Joshua are focused, and he’s met by the sight of you digging holes with Seungcheol for your little sandcastle while the man looked like he wanted to be digging his fingers into a completely different hole.

How the fuck can you not see it? Feel it?

“Thinking if we should just lock them into a room until they confess,” Jeonghan replies before sipping on his drink. He’s honestly impressed at Seungcheol’s tenacity. If the woman he liked was bouncing around like that in a cute little two-piece while other men leered like the sleazy douchebags they are, he’d be dragging her into the closest secluded space, confess, and pray to the heavens that it leads to something more.

“What about flirting with her?” Mingyu suggests, and Jeonghan and Joshua are quick to look at him incredulously while his girlfriend only rolls her eyes.

“Bro, are you trying to get us killed?” Joshua asks, face scrunched up in disbelief. “Look at him.”

And they all do. Seungcheol is literally glaring at any man that dares to linger around you, not that there were many considering how offensive his energy felt. If looks could kill, this beach would become a graveyard. The look on his face only softens when you address him, bossing him around as you continue to point at different areas for Seungcheol to dig into.

Seungcheol, ever the lovesick fool, only nods and gets to work, eyes rounding out with a desire for praise and approval as he presents his handiwork.

“Whipped bastard,” Jeonghan snickers when he watches the way Seungcheol practically deflates when you shake your head in what seemed to be disapproval at the little hole that Seungcheol dug.

“Wanna bet on how long after this trip he’ll confess?" Mingyu suggests with a grin. “I’m betting a week.”

“Too long,” Jeonghan shakes his head. “I say a day.”

“You all believe in him too much,” Joshua snorts. “Two weeks.”

“Is no one betting on months?” Mingyu’s girlfriend asks, and the no that comes from the three men is unanimous. They knew Seungcheol like the back of their hand, and with how whipped the man was, they’d say that the confession is long overdue.

“How much are we betting?” Jeonghan asks.

“50,000 won,” Joshua quickly replies. “From each of the losers.”

“Damn, can I change my answer?” Mingyu suddenly says as he suddenly realizes the gravity of the stakes.

“Nope,” Jeonghan says cheerfully. “The one with the closest answer wins. “Prepare to lose.”

—

Yoon Jeonghan is the devil in disguise, you think.

He looks like an angel, but the way he was getting everyone to down shots like it’s water is insane. The way he coaxed everyone into playing drinking games in your hotel room—that you unfortunately sucked at—is harmless at first, but it’s quick to turn concerning when you realize just how many bottles you’ve all downed in the process. Despite all that, Jeonghan himself seems to remain sober while everyone else got inebriated.

Seungcheol got the worst of it though, you think. The man had volunteered to drink your penalty shots after a certain point, and with how often you lost, you’re surprised he hasn’t passed out on the floor beside you.

Everyone’s buzzed, some more than others. It’s clear that everyone’s inhibitions are slowly slipping away. Joshua has a faraway look in his eyes as he swirls his bottle before drinking again. Jeonghan is just yapping endlessly. Mingyu and his girlfriend are just all over each other, and you have to pretend not to see the way their hands are hovering dangerously close to places they shouldn’t be, not in a room full of people, at least.

And Seungcheol? Seungcheol’s wasted, you think, his cheek pressed against your shoulder as he drunkenly giggles—he’s gone alright—at something Jeonghan says. You try to ignore the way his hand rests warm upon your bare knee.

“We’ll get going,” Mingyu suddenly says as he gently pulls his girlfriend to her feet. “You guys enjoy though.”

Everyone bids them goodbye with knowing looks. Shortly after that, Joshua and Jeonghan leave as well after cleaning up, leaving you and Seungcheol on the floor of your hotel room with your backs pressed against the side of the bed.

“Are you okay?” You ask Seungcheol in a soft tone as he continues to lean against you, eyes blinking sleepily as he pokes and prods at your knee like it’s the most interesting thing his drunken self has seen. You wonder if he can feel the way your blood thrums beneath your skin. He’s stuck himself to close enough for him to feel it, you think.

“I’m fine,” Seungcheol nods against your shoulder. “You’re finer though.”

The amused snort that leaves you is sudden, ugly, but it only makes Seungcheol’s dopey grin wider while you flushed underneath his gaze.

“Who knew you’d be this smooth when you’re drunk?” You laugh, finding the entire thing all too amusing. Some part of you is tempted to start recording it all just to tease Seungcheol tomorrow. You know he doesn’t mean it, that it’s just the alcohol talking, but it’s funny nonetheless.

(Though some part of you wishes that he actually finds you fine.)

“I’m always smooth,” Seungcheol pouts as he pulls away, hand withdrawing from your knee to point an accusatory finger at you. “You just don’t notice.”

Huh?

The confusion must be clear on your face because the pout on Seungcheol’s face is quick to deepen. “See! Even now, you still don’t.”

“Cheol, what?” You ask, heart racing in anticipation. You’re not dumb. You’ve consumed enough media to know that things like this could transition into drunken heartfelt confessions, but you doubt that it was about to happen to you, of all people.

It doesn’t stop you from hoping, though.

“Y/N, I’ve been flirting with you for months,” Seungcheol complains, frustration clear on his face. “Do you not like me? Because I’ve been making moves on you for a while but none of them seem to be successful—“

“Sorry, what?” You stare at Seungcheol, disbelief and confusion clear. He literally homie-zoned you this morning! What do you mean he was making moves on you for a while? Flirting with you for months? Since when? “Cheol, I don’t understand.”

Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. Because while your instinct told you that you and Seungcheol were constantly toeing the line between friendship and something more, the socially anxious, less confident side of you refused to assume in fear of coming across as arrogant and delusional.

“I like you—hell, I might even be in love with you,” Seungcheol says with certainty, but you know it’s just the alcohol boosting his confidence and fueling his recklessness.

Interested in you, you can accept, but like? Love? You highly doubt it. You’ve been pining after him for a long time, and you’ve seen the confident, straightforward, accomplished, drop dead gorgeous women he’s entertained, and you know that you’re the farthest thing from that. Sure, you aren’t too bad, but you aren’t that great either.

So what reason did Choi Seungcheol have to even spare you a glance?

“Y/N, say something,” Seungcheol says, voice suddenly small as he looks at you with a gaze that looks too desperate to be fake. “Because I think you like me too, but I want to be sure that I’m not making it up and overstepping boundaries—“

“Cheol, you’re drunk,” You cut him off before he can ramble further. Too many things aren’t making sense all at once, and you didn’t need him to add more to the mess in your head. It turns out you weren't as slick as you thought you were, but that’s the least of your concerns when Seungcheol is drunkenly confessing to you and every part of you wishes it was true.

“I am, but I mean it,” Seungcheol practically pleads as he leans in closer, the proximity forcing your heart into overdrive. Gently, he grabs your hand before laying it flat above his chest, hand enveloping yours with warmth as his eyes search your gaze for a sign. “Do you think I can fake that?”

Seungcheol's heart beats underneath your palm, and you find that the force at which it pounds is enough to rival the racing of your own heart. He can’t fake it, you know that, but why you? Why now?

“Cheol,” You know you’re going to regret passing up this opportunity as you speak. “Sober up, then we’ll talk.”

Seungcheol’s grip on your hand wavers, and you’re quick to pull away. You hate the way his gaze falls like he’s hurt, hate the way he purses his lips and nods in understanding while you rise to your feet and go into the bathroom.

“I’ll wash up,” You whisper softly before closing the bathroom door, and Seungcheol only nods.

It’s quiet.

Seungcheol is both too close and too far away.

Your backs are turned to each other, the distance between you on the king-sized bed now suddenly apparent as you confine yourself to the spaces you’ve designated for yourselves. You wonder if sleeping is hard for him the way it is for you, but the silence on his end has you doubting that

Fuck Choi Seungcheol, for tilting your world on its axis and having the audacity to fall asleep peacefully.

Your mind races through the past few months, overthinking and dissecting every interaction you’ve had with the man to try and prove yourself right, but you come up empty. The workouts, the dinners, the late night conversations—all of it point to one obvious direction that you refused to run straight into.

Why the fuck did modern dating have to be so difficult?

Can’t people just confess—

Well, he did confess. If anything, you’re the problem here. You’re the one who refused to believe it, but can anyone really blame you when Choi Seungcheol decided that the best time to confess was when he was clearly intoxicated? No self-respecting—notoriously overthinking—woman would believe that!

It takes a few more hours of your internal monologue before you fall asleep, and even then the sleep is shallow, useless, worthless because you’re waking up the next day with a pounding head and an aching body.

Seungcheol is already up, packing his things quietly on the couch as you sit up on the bed.

Does he remember? You wonder.

You don’t know what you want the answer to be, honestly.

“Oh, you’re up,” Seungcheol says softly as he straightens up and drops the shirt he was folding into the bag.

“About last night—“

“What time do we have to be out?” You cut him off, and you turn your head subtly to avoid seeing the frown that forms on his face. You’re not ready for this, not ready to face the conclusion of the very long period of pining you went through.

Seungcheol doesn’t argue, doesn’t make mention of last night any further than he already has, and you’re thankful for it. “We’re having breakfast at 9 then we leave at 10.”

“Is Mingyu driving? You went pretty hard on the drinks,” You joke, trying to lighten the air as you grab your things from the closet.

“They’re riding with Jeonghan and Shua,” Seungcheol replies, and you’re quick to realize the implications of his words. “And don’t worry about me, I’m already sober.”

Sober up, then we’ll talk.

Your own words haunt you now.

“I can shift, if you’re tired,” You offer.

Seungcheol snorts at that, and it’s the only warning you get before you feel him behind you, warmth radiating from his chest to your back as he reaches into the closet and grabs his jacket. “No need, I know you don’t like driving.”

With that, he withdraws, leaving your heart racing and your body flushing as you try to ignore the lingering sensation of his body against yours.

You were not looking forward to the drive home.

—

Signal 보내, signal 보내

찌릿, 찌릿, 찌릿, 찌릿

난 너를 원해, 난 너를 원해

왜 반응이 없니—

You quickly switch the song. If you had known that your playlist was going to work against you today, you wouldn’t have taken Seungcheol’s offer of taking control of the music.

You have stolen my heart, oh, yeah—

Mentally, you swear as you switch to the next song. Could this day get any worse? You don’t know if you’re imagining it, but you swear Seungcheol looks amused as you try to look for a song that isn’t about love and yearning.

Why the fuck was your playlist like this again?

(You’re a hopeless romantic deep inside, that’s why.)

So if you’re ready (so if you’re ready)

And if you’ll let me (and if you’ll let me)

I wanna see it in motion, in 3D

You won’t regret me—

“Why’d you switch?” Seungcheol pouts as he glances over at you. “I liked that song.”

He’s fucking with you, you can tell.

“I don’t,” You huff. It’s an obvious lie considering the fact that it was your playlist, but it only leaves Seungcheol even more amused as he continues to drive.

Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch

Thought about you way too much, much, much, much, much

Over overthinkin' us, us, us, us, us (ooh-ooh)—

Seungcheol turns the music off, and without missing a beat he speaks. “You really don’t want to talk about last night?”

You’re quiet as you fiddle with your fingers.

You do, you really do, but you’re scared about what it might mean for your friendship. You started this entire thing with no plan of ever getting entangled with Seungcheol, but now you’ve braided and knotted yourself so deeply into this mess that one wrong step may just lead to you hanging your friendship with the man into a noose of your own making.

“It’s fine if you don’t feel the same, Y/N,” Seungcheol shrugs like he’a trying to be cool about it, but you don’t miss the way his knuckles go white from his grip around the wheel. “I’m not going to force you—“

“You’re not,” You shake your head. You’re a coward but you aren’t a liar. “Cheol, look, you’re right about me liking you. You aren’t making that up, but…”

You pause, trying to find the right words.

But what?

But I don’t believe you?

But I don’t think it’ll work out?

But I don’t think I can risk losing all of this for the chance to have all of you?

“Cheol, I’m not your type,” You reason out like an idiot, and it has Seungcheol giving you a questioning look that has you realizing just how immature it sounded. “I’ve liked you even before you knew me, and I’ve seen the girls you talk to in the gym, the ones that manage to score dates with you, and I’m nothing like that—“

“Don’t you think that maybe that’s why?” Seungcheol interrupts before you can spiral further. “You’re nothing like them, you’re right, and I’m glad you aren’t because I like you. I’d say the other word, but I don’t want to scare you off.”

“Not like I can run from a moving car,” You joke, trying to dispel the tension, and Seungcheol smiles. “I just find it hard to believe that you actually like me.”

“Did you really not notice?” Seungcheol asks, eyes flickering between you and the road. “Everyone thought I was being obvious.”

“I thought you were being friendly,” You argue, and Seungcheol is quick to look offended at your words.

“Sorry? Friendly?” Seungcheol spits the word out like it puts a sour taste in his mouth. “Y/N, I pick you up and drive you home. I pay for all our dinners. I literally lose sleep texting you and you—“

Seungcheol laughs in disbelief, “You think I’m being friendly?”

Well, when he put it like that…

“Sorry,” You say sheepishly. “I don’t really… I don’t know what to do with all of this.”

“Accept my feelings and kiss it all better, maybe?” Seungcheol says jokingly. “Kidding, but if you want to, I don’t mind.”

“Can you…” You take a deep breath. Despite every cell in your body screaming at you to take this man into your arms and kiss him senseless, you refused to jump headfirst into a dive where you have no estimate of the fall. “Can you give me time?”

“Of course,” Seungcheol doesn’t miss a second. “I’d wait forever if you asked me to.”

Somehow, that eases you.

One month. You’d give yourself one month to test the waters and the veracity of Seungcheol’s words before coming to a decision.

—

A month is too long, you think.

Ever since Seungcheol’s confession a two weeks ago, you have not known peace. Picking you up and driving you home is no longer an MWF thing, it’s become an everyday routine. Dinners are no longer just Friday night meet-ups, they’ve become spontaneous take-outs to your workplace and home-cooked dinners in your apartment.

You were able to overlook the intention in Seungcheol’s actions then, but you don’t think you can do it now. Not when Seungcheol seemed so hellbent on being anything but friendly to you.

It’s not good for your heart.

And now you’re here, doing another leg day session with Choi Seungcheol who probably only ever started joining these sessions to get to know you.

“How much do you weigh?” Seungcheol asks as he loads a plate onto the bar.

You’re not sure why he’s asking, but you answer him anyway, and Seungcheol is quick to nod, stacking a few more plates until it matches the number you gave.

What?

“What exercise are we doing?” You ask, watching as Seungcheol steps over the bar and sits on the floor.

“Guess,” is the only thing Seungcheol says as he gets under the bar, positions it over his hips, and thrusts to get the bar up.

Oh fuck no.

The bar practically flies as Seungcheol thrusts it, and the way he’s looking at you with a grin tells you that all of this, from the exercise choice to the weight of what he’s lifting, is intentional. You’re not sure what he’s trying to convey, but you sure as hell know that it isn’t harmless with the way he hits you with a wink when he sets the weights down and stands up without a single drop of sweat, “Your turn.”

“Show off,” You mumble. You can hip thrust your own weight, but you usually start with something lower for the warm-up. You don’t remove plates though, refusing to let Seungcheol and his suggestive looks faze you.

“Only for you,” Seungcheol replies as he watches you do your own set.

When you finish what was supposed to be your warm-up set, Seungcheol adds a few more plates, and you’re not going to lie, it was starting to feel less like a workout and more like flirting that was bordering on… You refused to acknowledge it.

Seungcheol thrusts the bar, no sweat, and it has your mind wandering into a less innocent territory. You hate that he looks good even when he’s thrusting a heavy bar, hate that his thighs only look even better from this angle. It has you imagining what it would be like to grip onto them while he—

“You’re up,” Seungcheol says with a brief squeeze to your hip followed by a pat to your back. It’s only then that you realize you’ve been staring into nothingness, lost in your inappropriate thoughts as Seungcheol throws a self-satisfied smirk your way.

Prick.

The rest of your workout continues like that, an unspoken but well-known tension hanging in the air as you and Seungcheol go through the motions of the exercises. By the end of it, you’re sweaty, exhausted, and heaving, and there’s a frustration in your veins that not even the workout could get rid of. If anything, Seungcheol’s casual touches and brushes against you throughout the little leg day session only had you getting more wound up while he gave you those unfairly handsome, teasing grins that had you heart racing and you panties metaphorically falling.

Fuck you, Choi Seungcheol.

“Mingyu wants to go out for drinks tomorrow,” Seungcheol says as he hands you a bottle of water. “Wanna come?”

“What time?” You ask before downing what was left of your water in one go. You hoped the coolness of it would kill the heat in your stomach, but it doesn’t.

“Around 10 PM,” Seungcheol says, and you’re quick to catch on to the fact that it isn’t just going to be a casual hangout over drinks in some bar. “If you go, I’ll go.”

“What if I don’t go?” You ask with a teasing grin. Mingyu’s probably going to sulk and whine if Seungcheol didn’t show up because of you. Somehow, the idea has you feeling powerful.

“Then I won’t,” Seungcheol shrugs. “I’m not really into clubbing that much anymore.”

You wonder what Choi Seungcheol was like in his younger years. He’d probably be a heartbreaker, you think. With a face like that and a charm to match, that man probably had girls hitting on him for the chance of getting that one night.

Somehow the thought both pisses you off and turns you on. Had you been less shy, and had your paths crossed during those days, you probably and unfortunately would have been one of those girls vying for his attention.

Who wouldn’t in the face of a man like that?

“I’ll go,” You reply, and Seungcheol looks surprised.

“Are you sure?” Seungcheol asks, and you can hear the worry lacing his tone. “It’s noisy and crowded, so it might not be up your alley.”

“You’ll be there, no?” You ask, and Seungcheol nods. “I think I’ll be fine.”

The smile on Seungcheol’s face is bright.

Fuck, you can’t wait for the month to be over.

—

Choi Seungcheol is too old for this shit.

He’s only 30, it’s not that old, but he’s spent so much of his 20s in this setting that he’s grown desensitized to whatever high it’s meant to bring. He had hoped you would reject the invitation so he could proceed to invite you over to his place for dinner and a movie marathon, but he’ll take what he can get.

It didn’t matter where he was as long as you were around. A shame you still hadn’t arrived really.

You were with Mingyu’s girlfriend, the latter suggesting a quick shopping trip and a makeover session before your little night out with Mingyu, Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Joshua. The latter two were already out and about, chatting up a few strangers here and there, and they seemed to be having fun.

Good for them, but Seungcheol was definitely not having fun, and he thinks Mingyu’s on the same boat.

“Dude, I miss her already,” Mingyu sighs as he sulks deeper into the faux leather of the booth seat. There are a few women throwing sultry gazes his and Seungcheol’s way, but none of them are successful.

“Same,” Seungcheol replies, taking another sip from his drink before frowning. For a place so expensive, their alcohol was shitty. “What time did they say they were coming?”

“They were on the way 20 minutes ago,” Mingyu huffs out, swirling his glass with a bored expression. “Should I call her?”

“No,” Seungcheol says as he whips out his phone. “I’ll call Y/N—“

“Sorry we’re late, we lost track of time,” Mingyu’s girlfriend is the first to approach, and Seungcheol has to resist the urge to roll his eyes when Mingyu stands up straight and takes the woman into his arms with whines of how much he missed her.

Simp—

“Sorry for keeping you guys waiting,” comes your voice, and Seungcheol is quick to lose the right to judge Mingyu because the way he’s puffing his chest out and sending a lovesick grin your way—all without a proper label—is seriously embarrassing.

Good thing he doesn’t give a shit.

Especially not when you look like a figment of Seungcheol’s worst intentions in your little black dress and heels.

Fuck, you were going to kill him.

Seungcheol swallows the lump in his throat as you take the seat beside him. “You look—“

“Nice?” You say teasingly as you pluck the drink from his hand and take a sip. The little wince on your face after tasting it has Seungcheol shaking his head with a laugh and opening a bottle of water for you to take

“I was going to say beautiful,” Seungcheol says as he takes the bottle from you and caps it again. “But if you insist.”

“Your vocabulary improved, at least,” You snort, and Seungcheol only grins.

“My girl’s smart so I gotta keep up,” Seungcheol replies, eyes flickering between your gaze and your lips. He’s not usually this forward, but something about the atmosphere and the look in your eyes has him growing bolder.

“Oh?” You’re quick to match his energy, leaning closer as your finger coming up to toy with the dangling silver around Seungcheol’s neck. The action has your perfectly manicured nail lightly scratching against the notch of his jugular, and Seungcheol would be lying if he said that it had no effect on him. “Does she know she’s your girl?”

Seungcheol only smirks, one hand coming up to boldly rest on your bare knee as he speaks, “A guy can dream.”

“Save the flirting you two, Y/N promised to dance with me,” Mingyu’s girlfriend huffs and Seungcheol is quick to throw a glare at Mingyu’s way.

The man in question only sulks, clearly not happy about it either.

“Oh yeah!” Your mood is quick to shift as you let go of Seungcheol’s chain and stand up to where the other woman is. “Sorry, I’ll be back, I swear.”

“Don’t miss us too much, boys,” Mingyu’s girlfriend says with a wink sent straight to Mingyu’s direction while you give Seungcheol a small wave.

Damn it.

“Well,” Mingyu sighs as he pours himself a bottle. “Fuck this shit, really.”

“Pass me the other bottle,” Seungcheol says in response.

There goes his plans of spending the rest of the night with you.

—

It’s fun.

It’s a little outside of your comfort zone, but it’s fun. A few other girls have joined your little duo, and you’re all having the time of your lives dancing the night away. The thought of nightclubs used to intimidate you, but knowing that Seungcheol was just around the corner had you feeling a little more reckless, a little more carefree.

You and Mingyu’s girlfriend are swaying your hips to the music, giggling and grinding against each other like college girlfriends on a little girls’ night. You feel a little bad for leaving Seungcheol and Mingyu, but you’re sure they’ll find a way to have fun on their own.

“Y/N, so sexy!” Mingyu’s girlfriend cheers with giggles as you sway your hips against hers, and she’s quick to jokingly move and grind with you. “Maybe we should just date each other.”

You laugh at that, “Mingyu’s not going to like that.”

The woman only rolls her eyes with a laugh. “Wanna go back? I think we’ve left them long enough.”

“Yeah,” You’re quick to nod. Your feet were starting to ache, after all, and you’re beginning to think that wearing heels for the aesthetic was not a good choice considering the fact that you were used to moving around in rubber shoes.

She’s quick to lead you out of the crowd, hand secured around your wrist as she heads into the direction of the little booth that Mingyu and Seungcheol paid for to use the entire night.

Your blood is practically buzzing, energized by the crowd and the alcohol in your veins as you giggle and chat with Mingyu’s girlfriend on the way back. The crash after this night is going to be so bad, you can already tell.

It’s a good experience though.

That good mood of yours is quick to disappear when you spot a woman sitting next to Seungcheol.

“Oh god, it’s her,” The woman beside you is quick to frown, annoyance clear on her face as she pauses in her steps to watch the situation play out.

“Who is she?” You ask, eyes locked on the way she seems to be leaning a little too close into Seungcheol’s bubble.

Fuck, is this how you were going to lose him?

“Jiwoo,” Mingyu’s girlfriend replies. “She’s obsessed with Seungcheol, like seriously obsessed.”

You eye her warily, but you don’t miss the way Seungcheol shifts away from her.

“Go get your man, girl,” The woman beside you grins, nudging you forward as Jiwoo raises a hand to squeeze at Seungcheol’s arm, something that has the man quickly grabbing her wrist and pushing it off.

Know what, you will. You’re going to go out there and get your man. Fuck that one month, fuck not fighting for what you want. You weren’t about to let this pushy woman ruin your night and make Seungcheol more uncomfortable than he already is.

You were going to regret this, but you don’t really give a shit.

“Who’s this, babe?” You ask sweetly as you slip beside Seungcheol and wrap one arm around his, the other going straight to lay softly, possessively on his thigh. You don’t miss the way Seungcheol relaxes underneath your touch despite the surprised look on his face.

“An acquaintance,” Seungcheol replies, hand coming up to intertwine with the one you’ve laid on his thigh.

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, Cheol,” The woman giggles, but you can see the frustrated look in her eyes.

“Hi, I’m Jiwoo.”

“Y/N,” You smile sweetly. You were definitely punching above your weight, but fuck, you refused to let this woman get in your way. She reminded you too much of the cliquey girls in high school that pretended to be nice only to spread rumors behind your back. “How’d you guys meet?”

You can feel Seungcheol tense underneath you.

“Oh, we dated,” Jiwoo replies, smug, self-satisfied. “But I’m not trying to start anything, I swear! Seungcheol’s a great guy, after all, so I totally get why you’re dating him.”

“You went on one date,” Mingyu pipes in from the side, and Seungcheol chuckles. “I wouldn’t call that dating, really.”

Jiwoo only looks flustered for a second, her gaze growing sharp as she looks at Mingyu before turning to you and Seungcheol.

“Well, I don’t think your rude friend wants me around so I’ll be off. My number’s still the same in case you—“ Jiwoo looks you up and down, unimpressed as her nice girl facade finally slips, “—want better company.”

With that, she takes her leave, and you have to resist the urge to go after her and give her a piece of your mind.

Fuck, what had gotten into you?

With the threat gone, you move to peel yourself away from Seungcheol, but he doesn’t let you move away, his hand letting go of yours to anchor you onto the seat by your thigh.

The sensation of his rough palm your bare thigh shoots straight to the heat between your legs.

“Babe?” Seungcheol asks, amused.

“You’re lucky I arrived on time,” You huff out, avoiding his gaze, but Seungcheol doesn’t let your gaze stray too far away before he’s grabbing your chin and making you look straight into his eyes.

You’d be lying if you said that the action didn’t get you all hot and bothered.

“Eyes on me, babe,” Seungcheol says, and you’re quick to swallow. “What was that?”

“What was what?” You ask, pretending not to know whatever it was he was alluding to.

“You know what I mean,” Seungcheol says, letting go of your chin to brush a strand of your hair back.

You scoff, “I don’t, actually.”

“Brat,” Seungcheol only clicks his tongue, and you hear Mingyu’s soft whisper of ‘oh shit’ before you’re able to fully register the dark look swirling in Seungcheol’s eyes.

“Mingyu, we’re leaving,” Seungcheol says as he stands up, hand wrapped securely around your wrist. You don’t even have the time to hear Mingyu or girlfriend’s goodbye before Seungcheol’s dragging you out of the nightclub and into a cab.

When the two of you get settled, Seungcheol only asks you one question:

“My place or yours?”

At surface level, it’s an innocent question, but given the context, the history, and the events that just took place, you’re a hundred percent sure that it’s more than just about where you’re spending the night.

Were you finally going to seize what you wanted, or would you continue running away from it?

After more than a year of pining, the answer comes easy, you think.

“Yours.”

Seungcheol is quick to tell the driver, hand gripping and kneading possessively on your thigh throughout the entire ride.

When you arrive, you only get a total of two seconds to take in your surroundings before Seungcheol’s shutting the door of his apartment and pressing you against it.

Quickly, your hands scramble to pull Seungcheol in by the collar, but he resists, hands braced on the door behind you while you stare at him in confusion.

“Y/N, what are we?” Seungcheol asks, gaze deep with an unspoken desperation that bleeds into his tone. “I need to know before we do this because I refuse to do anything halfway with you—“

“Cheol, I’m in love with you,” You breathe out, hands growing tight in their grip like you’re scared your confession might make him run away.

It doesn’t. It only has Seungcheol letting out a shaky breath as he presses his forehead against yours.

“Okay,” Seungcheol says.

“Will you kiss me now?” You huff out a little impatiently as your hands move from his collar to lay flat across his chest.

“Can we—“ Seungcheol chokes on his words for a moment when you dig your nails into him. “Can we not tonight? I don’t think I can stop at just kissing.”

You frown, a little torn. You wanted to respect his wishes, but not when he was only doing it in consideration of you. “Who said we were stopping at just kissing?”

Seungcheol is quick to groan at your words, his hands falling down to your waist as he speaks through a clenched jaw, “Y/N, I’m not kidding. Don’t do this to me. We haven’t even gone on a proper date—“

“Okay, and?” You reply, frown deepening. “Cheol, I’ve wanted you to bend me over since day one, do you really think I still have the patience when we were practically dating anyway—“

Your words are cut off by Seungcheol’s lips pressing against yours, and your mind is quick to blank. This is heaven on earth, you think. The way Seungcheol’s moving his mouth against yours is hungry, desperate, but there’s a sweetness, a devotion to it that even the lust emanating from his body can’t overshadow.

Seungcheol parts your legs with his, and it’s the only warning you get before your body jolts from the sensation of his muscled thigh rubbing against your core.

Fuck, this man should be illegal.

Your lips part in a soft moan, and Seungcheol is quick to slip his tongue inside while one of his hands comes up to cradle the back of your head. You’re powerless like this, mouth left to the onslaught of Seungcheol’s ravenous kiss as he tries to steal whatever remains of your breath.

Seungcheol parts from you, and the loss has you whining, but the man is quick to appease you by pressing kisses onto your neck as he unzips your dress.

Thank the heavens you wore your favorite set: a cute white pair made of lace and sin that never failed to boost your confidence.

The groan that leaves Seungcheol’s throat is quick to have you dripping, your core tingling in anticipation as Seungcheol steps back to take you in.

“Warn a man next time, holy shit,” Seungcheol hisses through clenched teeth before he desperately grabs your waist and starts sucking bruises into the column of your throat.

“Next time?” You ask teasingly, but your shit-eating grin only lasts for a few seconds before it morphs into an ‘o’, an obscene moan leaving your throat when Seungcheol sucks over the lace covering your nipples. “Cheol, fuck!”

Seungcheol remains undeterred, too lost in the haze of finally having you all to himself. It seems like Seungcheol wasn’t happy about the cloth blocking you from his tongue because the next thing you know, he’s pulling the lace down to set your breasts free before he’s wrapping his mouth around a tit and groaning deeply.

A squeal leaves you when Seungcheol nips, but the unfamiliarly pleasurable sensation only has you arching and pressing your chest closer to his face.

“Cheol, please,” You breath out as Seungcheol switches to the other breast, his hands now furiously kneading at your asscheeks like he’s trying to imprint his fingers into your skin.

“Please what?” Seungcheol asks softly when he pulls away. “Use your words, baby.”

“Please fuck me,” You whine, nipples only growing harder as Seungcheol’s warm breath hits the spit smeared all over your chest. “Cheol.”

“Patience, baby, I need to prep you,” Seungcheol says with a kiss to your sternum that goes lower and lower until he’s kneeling on the floor between your legs. It’s one hell of a sight to have this strong, naturally domineering man on both knees as he looks up at you with a gaze nothing short of devotion.

Without breaking eye contact, Seungcheol leans forward until his nose hovers dangerously close to wet patch on your panties

A whine leaves your lips when Seungcheol digs his nose into the damp cloth, inhaling deeply like a fucking a freak with his eyes closed and his brows furrowed in bliss before he drags it up the lace covering your cunt until he reaches your swollen clit.

Your breath hitches when you feel his soft lips press against your clit, the sensation sending sparks up your spine as your stomach pools with a burning, aching desire that rids your brain of all logic and reasoning.

Without warning, you feel Seungcheol tugging at the waistband of your panties, lips trailing a scaldingly lecherous path from your thigh to your knees as he drags your underwear down.

You resist the urge to moan when you see Seungcheol pocketing the lace.

“Cheol, stop teasing,” You whine out, hands tugging impatiently at Seungcheol’s hair as he raises one leg over his shoulder.

“Let me savor you, baby,” Seungcheol appeases you with a kiss to your inner thigh that has you squirming and sighing. “You’re the one who said that eating slowly’s good for me, no?”

You swear there’s a smart remark on the tip of your tongue, but it quickly disappears when Seungcheol drags the warmth of his tongue across the length of your sopping core.

“Cheol, fuck!” You cry out, head throwing itself back against the door as your stomach caves and twists from the way Seungcheol practically devours your cunt. “Shit, that’s so good.”

Moans and whines continue to fall from your lips, tears pricking at your eyes from how overwhelming the sensations were. It’s all too much for someone whose experience only went as far as making out and light groping.

But you’re not about to tell Seungcheol that.

It’s a little embarrassing, you think. Because you may be a whore in theory, but you’re a goddamned virgin when it came down to the practical side. You didn’t really want to scare Seungcheol off with your inexperience.

Your vision goes white as your orgasm hits you like a speeding train. Obscene moans of Seungcheol’s name breaking free from your chest as you ride out your high on the man’s face. The man only groans, eyes rolling back as you coat his tongue with the sweetness of your release—

Fuck, you don’t think you’ve ever made yourself cum like that before.

You rest against the door, legs quivering with nothing but Seungcheol’s grip to keep you standing as he licks the release trailing down your thighs. He’s diligent, tongue chasing every trace and dribble of slick that oozes from your tingling cunt.

“D’you feel good, baby?” Seungcheol asks, pressing a soft kiss against the side of your knee before he’s standing, taking you into his arms, and nosing affectionately at your ear.

“Yes,” You breathe out, arms wrapping loosely around Seungcheol’s neck as he continues to press featherlight kisses all over your neck in an attempt to coax you down from your high and back to earth. “I don’t think I’ve ever cum like that.”

You feel Seungcheol’s lips morph into a grin against your jaw. “No one’s ever eaten you out that good, hm? Just me?”

“No one’s ever eaten me out, period,” You say jokingly, but you’re quick to realize your mistake when Seungcheol looks at you incredulously.

“You’re telling me that no one’s taken the time to eat you out?” Seungcheol sounds offended as he says it, brows furrowed in disbelief. “What kind of boys have you been going around with?”

“You’re the first,” You confess softly, hoping that he doesn’t hear. You might as well just get it over with. If your inexperience was going to scare Seungcheol off, then maybe he just wasn’t the one.

However, the way Seungcheol tenses up at your words tells you that he did hear you.

“Like,” Seungcheol stares at you with a look you can’t quite decipher. “Like kissing or what—“

“I’ve kissed before,” You’re quick to explain. “But this—I’ve never… I’ve never gone beyond making out.”

“Fuck,” Seungcheol looks like his world is crashing down. “I am so sorry holy shit. Y/N, you should’ve told me.”

Seungcheol continues to panic. “I would have been so much gentler if you told me—“

“What if I don’t want gentle?” You mumble, but the way Seungcheol stares at you with a dark look is enough for you to know that he heard you. Feeling a little more brave, you continue. “What if I want you to be rough with me?”

Fuck you and your horny brain, you’re probably biting off more than you can chew.

Seungcheol looks conflicted, looks like he’s fighting an internal battle where one side is clearly losing by a landslide. “Y/N, you don’t know what you’re asking for.”

Boldly, you press a kiss against Seungcheol’s throat that has his breath hitching and his lids fluttering shut, “Then show me.”

—

Choi Seungcheol needs to invest in a leash and a muzzle after this because holy shit—

He doesn’t think he’s ever tasted something as sweet or touched something as soft. You’re liquid ambrosia, and Seungcheol almost feels unworthy to have all of you to himself, but he's not going to let that stop him. He had no plans of getting his mouth or hands off you anytime soon.

The only way your friends or family would ever get to you was if they knocked Seungcheol out cold and locked him into a cage because the possessiveness, the hunger, the desire—none of it would allow him to leave your side anytime soon.

Especially not after what you just said to him.

Seungcheol can see the worry in your eyes as he lays his hard cock on your stomach. He gets it, he really does, but fuck, he’d be lying if he said it didn’t have him getting harder, practically bursting at the seams as his tip leaks precum all over your navel.

Fuck he was going to ruin you for everyone that came after him. Not that he’d ever let that happen. He’d die before he let anyone get a taste, hell even a whiff of your sweet cunt.

You’re his just as much as he’s yours, and he’s going to make sure that you’re addicted to every aspect of him. He’s going to love you so good and fuck you so well that you’re never going to think of anyone else.

“Are you sure you want this?” Seungcheol gives you a final way out because while he may be aching to fuck you brainless, he’s still very very very much in love with you, and hurting you or forcing you into something you didn’t want was the last thing he’d ever do. You nod, but Seungcheol refuses to take that. “Say it, baby.”

“Yes, but…” Your eyes flicker between the heavy cock on your stomach and Seungcheol’s gaze that’s torn between worried and ravenous. “Will it fit?”

It’s a valid concern, and Seungcheol should probably be more worried, but hearing the question fall so sweetly, so innocently from your soft lips had Seungcheol wanting to say fuck it and move to corrupting the ever-loving shit out of you as he ploughs through your unsullied insides with his cock.

Fuck, he’s disgusting.

(You had a way of bringing out the best and worst in him)

“We’ll take it slow, baby,” Seungcheol says with a tender kiss to your forehead like he isn’t fantasizing of the many different ways he could take your innocence in his bed. The idea of being the first to take you, to taint you, was something that had all reason leaving his body. His love for you being the final line of defense in the battle against his debauched desires. “We can stop at any time, okay? Just tell me.”

And he means it because Seungcheol may be a freak, but this freak just so happened to be in love with you.

When you nod, Seungcheol presses a quick peck to your lips before he’s sliding his cock through your folds to coat himself in your slick. He’s glad he coaxed three orgasms from your prior to this. He probably wouldn’t be able to stick even just the head in if he didn’t.

“Fuck, baby, easy there,” Seungcheol hisses when he slides the head of his cock in. He’s waited for this, fantasized about it even. Only the universe knows how many times he’s bent you over and fucked you on every surface know to man in his head. Regardless, no part of his imagination was ever truly enough to prepare him for the way you felt around his cock. “Relax for me.”

“I am, but you’re too big,” You whine, nails digging into Seungcheol’s shoulders as he slips more of his cock into you.

“I know, baby, I’m sorry,” Seungcheol tries his hardest to make the apology sincere as he presses kisses against your tear-stained cheek, but he’s too focused on trying not to cum too soon. It’s a dangerous game, considering that he was bare in your cunt, but Seungcheol’s a weak man when it comes to you, so if you say that bare is fine then bare is, indeed, fine. He can always just pull out.

Though he wonders what it would be like to fuck you full until your pussy oozes white, but Seungcheol doesn’t dwell on it because he might just bust in your cunt at the mental image.

“Can I move?” Seungcheol asks, and when you nod, he decides to just slide all the way in. He was just going to prolong the agony for the two of you if he slid it inch-by-inch.

The groan that leaves Seungcheol syncs with the obscene squeal of his name that leaves you when he buries cock inside you to the hilt, and it takes everything in Seungcheol not to start fucking in and out of you like an animal.

It’s hot, it’s tight, and Seungcheol doesn’t think he’s ever felt a pussy this fucking good. You're wrapped tight around him, your tiny opening stretched thin on the circumference of his cock in a way that has Seungcheol groaning and digging his fingers into the sheets to ground himself to reality.

Seungcheol knows he’s going to ruin you, and he feels so bad about it because he knows he’s going to enjoy every single second of it.

—

You’re no longer being fucked for pleasure, you think.

Seungcheol’s just fucking you to prove a point.

You’ve already cum twice, once on your back and the other on your side. Now, you’re on all fours, cunt loudly squelching from the sloppy way Seungcheol’s driving the mix of your release and his precum into the deepest crevices of your walls.

It’s so much deeper like this.

“Is this still friendly to you, baby?” Seungcheol hisses through gritted teeth as he fucks you from behind, nails digging crescents into your hips to make you meet his brutal thrusts. “Do you still think this is friendly?”

“No!” You cry out, cheek pressed against Seungcheol’s sheets as the man continues to pound you mercilessly. “Fuck, I thought we were over that—“

“Just making it clear,” Seungcheol says, leaning down until his lips are brushing against the shell of your ear. “Can’t have you thinking that I’m just a friend when I’m fucking you bare, no?”

The filth of Seungcheol’s words has you clenching, your brows furrowing and your eyes rolling back as depraved moans fall from your parted lips.

“Answer, baby,” Seungcheol says darkly with a harsh thrust that has you jolting and whining. “Am I your friend?”

“No—hng—you’re not,” You’re surprised that you can still reply considering the mushy state of your head from Seungcheol’s toe-curling strokes. “N-Not a friend.”

“What am I then, baby, hm?” Seungcheol asks, pressing a featherlight kiss against the back of your ear before he nips it. “Come on, baby. No better time to make it official than when I’m fucking you full, no?”

“My boyfriend—fuck—Cheol!”

“Good girl,” Seungcheol groans in approval. “Then its fiancé, then husband—fuck, you’re clenching, baby. Do you like the sound of that, hm?”

Fuck yes, you do, but you can only give him a nod. It was difficult to speak when Seungcheol was fucking every coherent thought out of you.

You know it’s a little early to be even thinking about all of that when you just made it official a few seconds ago, but you trust this man with your life.

And you honestly don’t mind spending the rest of it with him.

“Fuck, you’re getting tighter,” Seungcheol hisses when he feels his thrusts hampered by the tight cling of your cunt. “Are you close, baby?”

“Yes!” You manage to gasp out through moans. “Cheol, please, I’m so close—“

Seungcheol’s thrusts pause, and you’re quick to whine in frustration. You were so close! Sure, you’ve cum twice on his cock, but fuck, it’s so unfair that Seungcheol would work you this close to your high only to cruelly rip it away from you at the last second.

“Say you’re mine, and I’ll let you cum,” Seungcheol whispers against your ear as he gives you slow, shallow thrusts that do nothing to quell your frustration. “You wanna cum, right? Say it.”

“I’m yours,” You whine out in frustration, the sheets crumpling under your hold as you try to fuck yourself back onto Seungcheol’s cock. “Fuck, Cheol, I’ve always been yours so just let me cum—Shit!”

Seungcheol’s thrusts are rough, but they’re methodical. His tip is repeatedly digging into that spot that has you seeing stars, electricity firing each of your nerves as you try to keep up with Seungcheol’s brutal fucking.

“Cum for me,” Seungcheol groans out against your ear. “Come on, you’ve been so good for me, baby. Let go.”

It’s the only thing you need before you’re sent straight into your fourth orgasm of the night, white dots bursting beneath your lids as your lips part into a silent scream.

Seungcheol doesn’t stop even when you’re boneless on the bed, and you don’t tell him to. He’s fucked three orgasms out of you with his cock, and you think that letting him chase his release with your pliant body is the least you can do for him.

“I’m so close, shit,” Seungcheol hisses, thrusts picking up speed.

“Cum, Cheol,” You manage to breathe out, hand intertwining with Seungcheol’s on the bed where he’s bracing himself. “Cum all over me, please.“

Your cunt is suddenly empty as Seungcheol swears and flips you onto your back. You’re glad he did it because it gives you a perfect view of him pumping his cock desperately with his thick brows furrowed. It’s hot, he’s hot, the way his muscles shift and clench with every pump has you squirming and whining, and it’s taking everything in you not to line him up with your used cunt just to get him to cum inside.

When Seungcheol cums, it’s one hell of a sight. His handsome face morphs into an expression so blissed out as ropes of white spill all over your thighs, with some spilling dangerously close to your opening.

For a moment, neither of you speak as Seungcheol lies down beside you, pulling you close into his strong arms until you’re lying on top of him.

“Are you okay?” Seungcheol asks, tenderly rubbing your back up and down like he didn’t just give you the most mind-blowing orgasms you’ve ever experienced in your entire life.

“More than okay,” You giggle, pressing a kiss to his chin as you reach up and press away the furrow between his brows. “Stop worrying, I’m fine.”

“I didn’t mean to get that rough, sorry,” Seungcheol says, arms tightening around you. “Give me a second, and I’ll clean you up.”

Apparently, cleaning up was another way of saying that Seungcheol was going to lick you clean of his cum until there’s nothing but his spit and another wave of your release all over your cunt.

The orgasm takes all the energy left in you, and by the end of it, you’re teetering dangerously close to oblivion, unable to register anything other than the sensation of Seungcheol slipping into bed behind you.

“Sleep,” Seungcheol murmurs against your hair as he wraps his arm around your waist. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Good night, Cheol,” You whisper in reply.

“Good night, Y/N.”

—

Choi Seungcheol has never spent his mornings like this.

You’re fast asleep beside him, hair messed up, lips parted, and the only thing he can think about is how much he adores you.

You’re probably dreaming, and Seungcheol—despite having his eyes wide open—is too. He dreams of more mornings like this, dreams of rubbing soothing circles into your bare waist as he coaxes you awake with soft kisses all over your face, your neck, your shoulders. Seungcheol dreams of more nights with you, ones where he makes hard, sweet love to you just so he has an excuse to pamper you right after (not that he really needed the excuse). Seungcheol dreams of days, weeks, years, and forever by your side, and every cell in his body screams that it’s right.

Seungcheol has chased otherworldly highs, but he dreams of the mundane by your side.

He dreams of his morning coffee placed beside your tea, dreams of his shoes set beside yours, dreams of things in doubles, in duos, in pairs that screamed you and him. Seungcheol dreams of doing groceries with you, dreams about the way his usually quiet girlfriend would boss him around about where and when to push the cart while he grins like a lovesick fool. Seungcheol dreams of laundry days, dreams of throwing his and your clothes into the wash while he cuddles with you on the couch. Seungcheol dreams of the hardest days with you, dreams of the moments where things are so difficult that he’ll want nothing more than to pull you close and never let go.

Seungcheol dreams of the dullest of things, but they shine bright because of your presence in every single one.

“What time is it?” You ask softly before yawning and stretching, and though Seungcheol’s been awake, he thinks it’s only now that he’s beginning his day.

“7:32,” Seungcheol says, and when you shoot up straight, he’s quick to laugh and drag you back onto the bed. “It’s Sunday, baby.”

At his words, you’re quick to relax, falling back and letting out a relieved sigh. Seungcheol takes it as an opportunity to cuddle, head falling onto your chest as he wraps his arms around you.

“Yah, you’re heavy,” You complain, but your arms wrap around him anyway, fingers carding through his hair affectionately with an occasional scratch through Seungcheol’s scalp.

He might just fall asleep again—

“Yah, why’d you stop?” Seungcheol pouts, looking up from your chest as he grabs your hand to put it on his head.

The grin on your face tells him it’s intentional.

“You want it?” You ask, and Seungcheol is painfully reminded of all the ways he made you beg last night. “Say it then.”

“Brat,” Seungcheol huffs out before biting onto your chest softly, an action that you yelping and slapping at his shoulder with a pout. He only chuckles.

“No scratches for you,” You huff out, and Seungcheol only sulks, cheeks puffing out as he lays his head back on your chest.

However, it only takes a few seconds before he caves.

“Please?” Seungcheol suddenly mumbles out, eyes rounding and lips jutting out in his most pitiful pout. Fuck his pride, fuck his little tough guy persona. He was going to get cuddles and scratches through pouts and sulks, and he was going to enjoy it. “I like it when you scratch my head.”

You’re caught off guard, Seungcheol can tell, not actually expecting him to do all of that.

What Seungcheol doesn’t expect is the way you coo and take his face into your hands, “Oh my god, why are you so cute, that’s not fair!”

It’s the only warning Seungcheol gets before he’s rolled onto his back and showered with your kisses all over his face.

Seungcheol thinks he could die like this. You on top of him, smothering him with soft kisses and coos about how adorable he’s being while he giggles—yes, a grown man giggling—and complains about how ticklish your lips are.

This is it, Seungcheol thinks.

You’re forever to him.

A/N: This wasn’t supposed to have smut but my hand slipped oops

Specific Smut Warnings: Oral (f receiving), Corruption Kink, Size Kink, Loss of Virginity (tis a social construct), Unprotected sex (are we even surprised atp, don’t do it btw), Pulling Out (that isn’t birth control by the way, that’s breeding— *gets shot*), Mild Dacryphilia, MC is a brat in the making (one !! day !! soyongdorigyu !! will !! write !! about !! brat !! tamer !! cheol !!)

🔹General Taglist: @floraoleander, @wonu13, @socialsymphonies, @limeliner, @joepomonerof, @xxxhanasoni-blog, @bruhmoonlight, @nahyuckism, @enchantingbarbariansublime, @haaruki, @daisyyquakee, @hrtsformark, @sakusaskrma, @septemberskies, @lyche3soju, @eyeshasimps, @imjustchubby, @mari-maris-things, @picheolout, @sankriin, @tranquillitysoul, @amturners, @kyoongchannie, @alohacrispyrn, @jaja-salute, @woozilovespinkunderwear, @wonwooslefttiddie, @starmint-s, @dontmindme-readingsmutsonly, @hanniehaeo, @cherrylovescheol, @gyuguys, @codeinebelle, @amingo046

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