Iced Americano is bitter at first and cold enough to wake you up, simple enough to become a habit, and somehow exactly what you need when everything feels too far from home. It’s late-night walks, quiet laughter, fingers hidden inside the pocket of his hoodie, and a first love that tastes a little sharper when goodbye gets too close...
A/N: Bar Menu isn’t a series in the traditional sense. Each drink is its own moment, its own mood. You don’t have to read them all, just the ones that find you 🖤
Pairing: Seunghyun (T.O.P) x Reader
Word Count: 3,052 | oneshot
Pick up another drink HERE.
You’ve only been in Seoul for your study stay for two weeks, and you’ve already managed to embarrass yourself so many times that you’re honestly grateful no one here really knows you. At least you’ll be going back home for the holidays. You’ve always had a talent for attracting awkward situations, and your current stay in Korea is living proof. Take right now, for example… After two weeks, convenience store food has become an unbearable, monotonous routine, so you decided to finally eat at an actual restaurant. That turned out to be a huge mistake…
Thankfully, the Korean BBQ restaurant is almost empty when the staff brings an unbelievably large amount of meat to your table on a rolling cart, turns on the grill, and calmly walks away. You sit there with your hands in your lap, regretting the fact that you didn’t just stick to your usual convenience store sandwich.
You turn your head toward the table next to you, where a low, amused laugh comes from. Three guys around your age are sitting there, clearly having the time of their lives watching you and the mountain of meat in front of you. If they weren’t here, you’d probably get up and run, but that doesn’t seem like a very dignified strategy.
“You must be really hungry,” a voice behind you says in broken English. You turn around and see a boy heading toward those little mockers at the next table. Before he reaches them, he stops by yours, as if he wants to make you feel even more self-conscious than you already do.
“I am really hungry,” you mumble, trying to ease the weight of your shame and defend yourself with at least some dignity. It has the opposite effect, though, because an even louder burst of laughter comes from the next table.
“I thought so, because otherwise you definitely wouldn’t have ordered a portion for four,” the boy remarks, standing beside you with his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his loose jeans. You desperately lift your eyes to him, and only now do you realize how handsome he is. Unlike his friends, he isn’t laughing. He’s looking at you with almost no trace of emotion, and somehow that’s even worse than if he openly mocked you.
“Oh my god…” you whine desperately, hiding your burning face in your hands because it’s the only thing you’re capable of right now. Embarrassing yourself in front of a gorgeous guy is just another thing to cross off your bucket list in Korea. After only two weeks here, you have to admit you’re checking things off at an alarming speed.
“Relax, we got this,” the boy says, clicking his tongue as he looks over at his friends. “Hey! What are you waiting for? Get your asses over to this table.”
That’s pretty much what your first meeting with Jiyong, Daesung, Youngbae, and… Seunghyun looks like. These four quickly become the anchor you look forward to every single day, and you practically run to them the moment your classes end. The boys are trainees, and their grueling daily schedule filled with constant practice seems completely unreal to you. Still, they almost always manage to carve out at least a tiny window of time to spend with you. You’re unbelievably grateful for that, because they’re the only friends you’ve managed to make in Korea, and thanks to them, you don’t feel quite so lonely here. Each of them is completely different, which suits you perfectly. And Seunghyun? To him, you’ll forever be “the girl who was really hungry,” and he loves teasing you about it far too much…
Today, however, your “bucket list” doesn’t contain any embarrassing or funny stories. It only holds the heavy, gray blanket of homesickness that falls over you the moment you wake up. The first few weeks have flown by, the initial excitement of being in a new country has faded, and reality hits you with full force. You miss your mom, your dad, your friends... Most of all, you miss speaking a language you don’t have to think about, a language where you don’t have to carefully translate the meaning of every single word before opening your mouth.
That’s exactly why you’re now standing in the middle of a busy Seoul street, clutching a postcard with a photo of Namsan Tower in your hand. The postcard has such kitschy, loud colors that it almost makes you physically sick, but you’re sure your parents will like it. In order to send it, however, you first have to find a post office. According to your online map, you should be standing right in front of one, but instead, you’re staring desperately into the window of an electronics store. You turn the map in every possible direction, and you feel like you’re about to burst into tears.
“Are you hungry again and looking for a restaurant?” Seunghyun’s deep, velvet voice sounds behind you. He’s wearing a huge black hoodie, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his loose jeans.
Your heart jumps, but a lump immediately settles in your throat. “No,” you breathe, and because of the tears gathering in your eyes, your voice sounds weaker than you want it to. “I’m looking for a post office…. But this stupid map claims the post office sells televisions.”
Seunghyun smiles faintly, looks at your phone screen, and then shifts his gaze to your face. His dark eyes study you with that typical unreadable expression of his, but when he notices the glassiness in your eyes, concern flickers through them.
“The branch that used to be here is closed. The next one is a few blocks away,” he says calmly and nudges your shoulder lightly. “Come on, I’ll walk you there.”
You walk side by side through busy Seoul, and you can barely keep up with his long strides. When, after ten minutes, you finally step into a small, hidden post office branch, panic immediately takes hold of you. An older woman with a strict expression is sitting behind the counter. The moment you try to hand her the kitschy postcard, she launches into rapid, irritated-sounding Korean. You don’t understand a single word she says, and she frowns at you tiredly, tapping her fingers against the desk. In that moment, the last tiny bit of courage drains out of you. You feel like you’re going to cry right there under the weight of all that homesickness.
Before you can stammer out a single word, Seunghyun takes a step in front of you and completely shields you from the unfriendly clerk with his broad shoulders. He speaks to her in a calm, deep voice. You just watch his sharp profile in fascination. Under the influence of his calmness, the woman immediately softens, nods, and takes the postcard. Seunghyun pulls a few coins from his pocket to pay for the stamp.
“No, I’ll pay for it!” you blurt out, fumbling through your wallet in confusion.
“It’s already done, let’s go,” he mutters, gently catching your elbow and leading you back outside into the fresh air. Sometimes his calmness, almost coldness, honestly scares you a little, especially when you’re alone with him.
When you step back onto the street, you let out a tired breath. “Thank you so much. You saved me. Will I see you tomorrow after your training?”
But Seunghyun doesn’t move and he doesn’t react to your words at all. He just shoves his hands deep into the pockets of his loose jeans and looks down at you. “I’m free now, and you obviously miss home and need cheering up, don’t you, Big Hunger?”
He doesn’t wait for your protest. He turns around and jerks his head for you to follow him. He leads you to the small, neon-lit window of a hidden café. “Two iced Americanos,” he orders in his deep voice, and a moment later, he presses an icy plastic cup into your hands. You look at the dark liquid with ice cubes, then back at him.
“Iced Americano,” he explains seriously, even though you haven’t asked a single question. “It’s the Korean cure for every problem you’ll ever have in this country. Drink.”
You take a sip of the bitter, icy drink, and the cold rushes through your whole body, as if it’s pulling you out of that gray lethargy. You look at him and give him your first genuine smile of the entire day. “It’s terribly bitter, but it helps.”
In that moment, Seunghyun smiles faintly for the first time. It’s only the smallest movement of his lips, but his eyes warm in a way that makes your chest feel strangely full. “Told you. I don’t want you crying here. Then you’d get even hungrier, and I’d have to drag you to BBQ again.”
***
From that night on, everything changes. Wandering through nighttime streets becomes your ritual. SeungHyun takes you into the hidden corners of Samcheong-dong, where traditional houses stand next to modern galleries.
“Where are we even going?” you ask one evening when he leads you into an alley so narrow that you have to walk close beside each other. “I feel like people don’t even live here.”
“They do,” Seunghyun mutters, glancing at you from the corner of his eye. “But they’re asleep. Seoul is prettiest here. No noise, just old rooftops and the sky.”
“It’s magical here,” you admit quietly, and he only hums in quiet satisfaction.
You discover that beneath that mask of a tough, silent boy, he hides an incredible sense of humor. He doesn’t laugh as loudly as Jiyong, but whenever you say something funny, he buries his face in his hood and his shoulders shake with deep, muffled laughter.
One evening, you buy small cups of watermelon ice cream and sit down on a bench in a quiet park not far from the YG Entertainment building. Seunghyun starts helping you with Korean, which you’re required to take at university. He patiently goes through your notebooks with you, teaches you the correct pronunciation, and corrects your grammar mistakes.
“Try reading this,” he says, pointing his long finger at one line. You take a breath and, with maximum concentration, manage to get the sentence out. SeungHyun stares at you for a moment with an absolutely stone-cold face.
“Was it that bad?” you ask miserably.
“Yeah, I can’t understand you at all…but we’ll practice,” he says with complete calm, though his eyes sparkle wildly with amusement.
“That’s not fair! All your vowels sound the same!” you grumble, offendedly stabbing your spoon into your ice cream.
“Not like that,” he corrects you quietly. He places his large, warm palm over yours to stop you from eating. Your heart starts pounding wildly. Seunghyun doesn’t pull his hand away. Instead, he slowly turns your palm upward, studies your fingers for a moment, and then firmly laces his fingers with yours. He looks deep into your eyes.
“You have to open your mouth more when you say it. I’ll show you again.”
From that night on, you no longer walk together any other way than hand in hand. Every time, he hides your joined hands inside the huge, warm pocket of his hoodie.
One afternoon, he even takes you straight to the training center. You sit on the floor in the corner of the mirrored practice room, holding your iced Americano in both hands, watching the boys train, or rather, mostly watching Seunghyun...
The room smells faintly of sweat, floor cleaner, and the coffee you brought with you. The music is loud enough to vibrate in your ribs, and every sharp step of their sneakers against the floor echoes off the mirrored walls. You try to look casual, like being in this room is completely normal and not something you’ll probably remember for the rest of your life, but your eyes keep finding him in the reflection…
The boys are practicing a new choreography, and Seunghyun, who sometimes looks during training as if the whole concept of dancing personally offends him, is suddenly trying suspiciously hard. Every movement is done at one hundred percent. He keeps the rhythm, doesn’t deliberately mess up the choreography, and even when Jiyong calls for them to start again from the top, Seunghyun only exhales through his nose and takes his place without complaining. You press your lips together to hide your smile behind the rim of your plastic cup.
Of course, Jiyong notices, Jiyong always notices.
When the music cuts off, the boys collapse tiredly onto the floor. Youngbae falls onto his back and covers his face with his arm, Daesung sits down with a dramatic groan, and Jiyong braces his hands on his knees, breathing hard. Then he looks at Seunghyun first, then at you sitting in the corner, and then back at Youngbae with a grin slowly spreading across his face.
“Do you see this?” Jiyong stage-whispers loudly enough for the entire room to hear. “Our fan should sit here every time, otherwise we’ll never turn him into a dancer.”
Daesung immediately starts choking on his laughter, bending forward and pressing a hand over his mouth. Youngbae lifts his head from the floor and looks at Seunghyun with fake seriousness. “No, he’s right. This is the cleanest run you’ve done all week.”
“Maybe all month,” Daesung adds, still laughing.
Seunghyun gives them such a murderous look that you have to bite the inside of your cheek to keep from laughing out loud. His ears, however, betray him almost immediately, turning slightly red under the dark strands of his hair.
“I was dancing normally,” he mutters.
“No, you were showing off,” Jiyong says instantly, pointing at him. “There’s a difference.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You absolutely were,” Youngbae agrees, sitting up now, far too pleased with himself.
Daesung looks between you and Seunghyun, his eyes shining with mischief. “Y/N, please come again tomorrow. For the sake of the group.”
“Don’t listen to them,” Seunghyun says.
“I’m not saying anything,” you answer, still smiling.
“You’re smiling.”
“I’m drinking my coffee….”
“You’re smiling into your coffee...”
Jiyong makes a delighted noise somewhere behind him, and Daesung nearly falls over again. Seunghyun ignores them all, walks over to where you’re sitting, and crouches down in front of you. He reaches for your iced Americano without asking, takes one sip through the straw, makes a face at the watered-down bitterness, and hands it back to you.
“You’re distracting,” he mutters so quietly that only you can hear him.
Your fingers tighten around the cup. “Is that a bad thing?”
For a moment, he only looks at you. His dark eyes are still unreadable, but something warm hides beneath the surface.
“No,” he says at last. “Just annoying…” And somehow, from him, it sounds almost like a confession.
***
Your first kiss happens a few days later. He’s walking you back to your dorms, and you hide from a sudden spring rain beneath a small awning in a dark, tucked-away alley. You’re standing with your back to him when he gently takes your shoulders and turns you around to face him.
“You’ll get soaked,” he whispers, his eyes dropping to your lips.
“I don’t mind,” you breathe, unable to catch your breath. “I like rain.”
“I don’t,” he murmurs in his deep voice and takes that final step toward you, until your chests are almost touching. “But right now, I don’t mind it.” He gently pulls you closer by your waist and supports your jaw with his other hand. He’s so unbelievably close. Both of you are shy, tense in the silence and the falling drops around you. When his soft lips finally touch yours, the world around you stops. The kiss is gentle, but beneath that cool surface of the iced coffee you drank a while ago, it’s unbelievably warm.
After that night, it’s as if a dam breaks, and there’s no way back. During every meeting after that, in every free second, in every shadow of nighttime Seoul, you search for each other’s lips. The kisses are no longer just shy. They become urgent, long, and deep. Your goodbyes in front of your dorm stretch into dozens of minutes. Seunghyun presses you against the wall, gently runs his fingers through your hair, strokes your back, and every time he pulls away for even a second, one quiet half-breathed sigh from you is enough to make him kiss you again, as if he never wants to let you go.
“I already miss you, even though you’re standing right in front of me,” he whispers into your ear one evening while holding you tightly and hiding you from the wind inside his huge hoodie.
“I’m right here,” you smile and pressing yourself closer to him.
“That’s not enough,” he murmurs. “I never thought some girl would make me run away from training early.” These quiet, honest confessions rarely fall from him, but that only makes them carry even more weight, and you’re well aware of that.
Mid-June arrives with merciless speed, and with it comes your inevitable flight home for the holidays. You spend your last evening on your bench in the park, holding cups of iced Americano that taste a little more bitter than usual this time. For the last time, you wander through those alleys where every corner reminds you of some moment you shared.
“I’ll write to you every day,” Seunghyun says in his deep, firm voice, his thumb stroking the back of your hand as he holds it tightly inside his pocket. “Even if I’m about to collapse from training.”
You look at him, tears shining in your eyes, the same tears you’ve been fighting back the whole time. “And after the holidays? When you debut in August? You’ll be famous, Seunghyun and I’m scared I’ll come back and everything will be different….”
He doesn’t let you finish. Instead, he presses his index finger to your lips, forcing you to stop talking, and then he kisses you long and sweetly. That kiss carries a promise that doesn’t need words. When he finally pulls away, he rests his forehead against yours and looks into your eyes for a long moment.
“We’ll stay in touch, Big Hunger,” he whispers against your lips. “And after the holidays, I’ll be waiting for you here. I swear…”
I love debut!seunghyun and how soft he is and I’d give anything for this to be a miniseries in itself but I’m excited for all the other drink orders to come 🤎
Summary: You and Jiyong have been best friends your whole lives. When you start seeing someone else Jiyong’s jealousy gets the best of him.
Word Count: 3.5k
Warnings: 18+, MDNI., unprotected sex, accidental cheating (you’ll see), jealousy, Jiyong acting like g-dragon, friends to lovers
Author’s Note: Let’s not talk about how long it took me to get back into celebration fics. To whoever requested this one, thank you! I love a good made era request. Thank you all for sticking with me as I navigate my brain. 1K Celebration Event!
Jiyong had been your best friend for as long as you could remember. He’d always been there since you were little kids. You’d watched him debut at 6 and grow up in the industry and were so incredibly proud of his success.
With that success came sacrifice though and unfortunately for you, Jiyong didn’t have the time to spend with you as much anymore. You still talked all the time, the visits were just few and far between.
Jiyong had left for MADE tour a few months ago and you tried to keep up between texts and FaceTime calls, but the time zones and your work schedules made it hard to talk every day. You missed him, you always did when he was gone. Your friend Jian had taken you out from drinks to take your mind off how much you missed Jiyong when you ran smack dab into a pretty handsome banker at the bar - Minho. You’d hit it off immediately, Jian leaving you two at one point.
You’d been steadily dating Minho for three months and the worst part was that Jiyong didn’t even know. He knew you were going out at night, but not with a guy he didn’t know. It was best to just not let him worry when he was away. He’d always met the guys you dated - not that there were many.
You were busy working away, reading the lines on a new artist's contract when your phone buzzed. You’d always giggled with Jiyong in the past about working for the enemy - Big Hit Entertainment and he would always complain about how he wished he had you looking out for him at YG. You sat your pen down next to the line you’d been reading and picked up your phone, expecting Minho. A wide smile spread across your face when you saw it was from Jiyong.
Guess who’s home!
Iye?
He’s been at your place for the past three months?
Oh, so he didn’t pack up and trek across Seoul to his actual house? Damn. I guess he’s not as special as I thought.
Y/N.
Oppa.
Why do you have to ruin it?
Because it’s fun when you pout. Welcome home, Ji. How long are you here?
A week and then we head to New York.
So fancy.
Can we grab dinner tonight? I miss you, or whatever.
No, I can’t.
The phone buzzed and you sighed when you realized Jiyong had switched the conversation to face time.
“Jiyong, Oppa, I’m at work.” You moved the phone around to show off your office space, thankfully your door was shut.
“Why can’t you go to dinner?” His eyes scanned your face looking for signs of illness or injury, finding none.
“I have a date tonight.” Jiyong’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“His name is Minho. I met him the night you left. We go out every Friday.” Jiyong blinked, his heart sinking.
“Bring him to dinner then? I’d love to meet him and I miss you.” He was practically begging and you sighed.
“I’ll ask him and I’ll let you know. I have to go.” You blew him a kiss and ended the call.
Minho knew about Jiyong, of course he did. Everyone who knew you knew he was your best friend. It would’ve been weird to hide it from him. You sat for a second rubbing your temples before picking your phone back up.
Change of plans. Jiyong is in town and I’d love for you to meet him. See you tonight!
∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘
This wasn’t exactly how Jiyong had planned to spend his first night home. He’d wanted to tell you how he felt for months before he’d left for tour. Daesung had thought it would be a bad idea to lay it on you and leave so now that he was home for a few days, he thought tonight would be the perfect night. He hadn’t expected you to meet someone while he was gone.
You guys had always danced around the subject of being something more but he knew you felt it too. Or maybe he’d just imagined the spark, the pull, the way you looked at him when you thought he wasn’t watching you. That was the problem though, he was always watching you. How could he not? You were always more than a best friend to him.
He had missed you though. Especially now with how sure he was about his feelings, every night was his own personal hell driving him further away from you. But with that distance also meant he’d been a day closer to seeing your face again. So if that meant he had to go to dinner and watch you be in love with someone else, he’d do it. He’d torture himself a million times over as long as it meant he got to see you. And if you were happy? That was everything.
You arrived for dinner first, heading straight there from work. You were nervous for the guys to meet, excited to see Jiyong, and of course you always looked forward to seeing Minho. Minho arrived shortly after you and you stood up to greet him.
“Hi baby!” You grinned, stepping up on your tiptoes to kiss him. He was a solid foot taller than you.
“Hey!” He grinned, pulling you back in for another guess. “Where is this famous Jiyong?” He looked around the establishment with a laugh.
“He’ll be here soon.” You shrugged as you sat back down.
“Oh sure, celebrities and their need to be fashionably late.” He grinned as he sat down next to you.
“He’s not like that.”
“Sure.”
Jiyong watched the exchange from the doorway, eyes slanted in a glare. Minho seemed like a typical frat boy, something he thought you’d both grown out of. And the jokes about him being late? He was just observing. He was always observing. Needed to know what he was walking into before he got there. But sure, he’d let Minho think he was an asshole celebrity.
“Sorry I’m late.” Jiyong slid into the seat across from you, sunglasses still on his face. “There was a mob outside. Someone must’ve tipped off the vips that I’d be here.” He smirked, leaning back in his seat. “Had to wait for them to clear out since I’m here without security.” Lies. All lies. Jaeho was seated a few tables behind you, just out of eye sight and there were no fans waiting for Jiyong.
“No Jaeho?” You frowned, not liking that he put his safety at risk to see you.
“Nah. Gave him the night off. He works so hard, you know? I’m kind of a big deal.” You raised a brow and Jiyong grinned, turning his attention to Minho. “You must be the new guy. Nice to meet you. I’m, well, you know who I am.”
“Right. I’m Minho.”
Jiyong nodded, looking less than interested. Happily turning his attention to the waitress who appeared a few minutes later. He ordered a round of drinks for everyone and drummed his hand on the table.
“Since when do you drink Rosé?” You raised a brow at him.
“I don’t.” He shrugged, lifting his glass to his lips as it appeared on the table. “But it’s your favorite.”
“I thought you liked cosmos?”
“Her favorite cocktail, yes. But this dinner. It would look tacky to drink cocktails when the wine here pairs well with everything.” He raised a brow. “But if you want something stronger, be my guest.”
“Wine is fine.” Minho’s jaw was tight as he placed an arm around you.
You looked between the two men, leaning into Minho’s touch. What had gotten into Ji? He never acted this way. Hated using his social status as an excuse even. And you’d defended his character just for him to act like this?
Jiyong watched as you snuggled in closer to Minho, his grip tightening on his wine glass. Minho wasn’t right for you, he could just tell. And not because he knew he was right for you, but because he knew you. He knew what you liked. Knew what you found funny, what interested you. Minho was none of those things.
Dinner was awkward to say the least, Jiyong spent most of his time reminding Minho that he was G-Dragon even going so far as to answer a work call at the table. You glared at him until he finally hung up but the damage was done. Minho wasn’t impressed, and you knew that.
“I have an early day tomorrow, I should get going.”
Minho stood and Jiyong barely acknowledged him as he moved to exit. You threw your napkin down on the table, gave Jiyong a pointed glare and ran off after Minho.
“I thought we were going back to my place after this?” You frowned when you caught up to Minho. “And you didn’t say bye?”
“I didn’t want to get between you and your boyfriend.” Minho gestured back to the table and you turned to Jiyong. He’d taken his sunglasses off, his green bangs dangling in front of his eyes as he watched you.
“He’s not-“
“Save it, Y/N. I’m tired. The last thing I want to do is go to your place and see the shrine of fucking G-Dragon.” His voice was laced with hate.
“What are you talking about?” Your voice rose an octave higher.
“Everywhere you look in there it’s pictures of the two of you, print outs of BigBang and his success, too. It’s embarrassing how much you idolize him.”
“He’s my best friend.” Your voice was even higher now. “I’m proud of him. I don’t idolize him.”
“Whatever. He’s an ass and I want no part of it. You should really reconsider your friendships with people.” He sighed. “Call me when he’s done.”
He turned and left. You stood there, mouth open in shock for longer then necessary before turning and storming back to Jiyong. That’s when you noticed him, Jaeho sitting a few tables away, you could feel the anger rising inside of you. Minho had all but broken up with you at a dinner that was supposed to be fun. What the fuck was Jiyong’s problem.
“What the fuck?!” Jiyong’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected you to be this mad.
“What?”
“Why did you act like that around Minho? That’s not you!”
“I don’t know. He just seemed like a shmuck.” He shrugged. “You can do better.”
“I can do better?” You snorted as you leaned down to grab your bag. “Fuck off.”
You didn’t want his apology. You turned around and headed towards the exit waving at Jaeho as you went. You realized once you were outside you didn’t want to chase after Minho, either. Sure, Jiyong had been a prick at dinner but he wasn’t a bad guy and if Minho couldn’t see that then he didn’t deserve to be hanging around you. And to dump you over the way your friend behaved? As if you could control Jiyong? Well, Minho could fuck off too.
You slammed your front door behind you once you were safely back home and plopped down on the couch. Your phone had buzzed nonstop since you left the restaurant, numerous missed calls and texts from Jiyong. Nothing from Minho. Guess that was that then - it really was over with Minho. You tried to feel anything, but the truth was you were glad.
Minho had been a nice guy, sure but you’d felt it since the first date - he wasn’t right for you. You tried to make it work, though, because the person you wanted you couldn’t have. It had been wrong and apparently the blow up had been three months in the making. You flung your phone down on the coffee table and sighed as you looked around your apartment.
Maybe there’d been some, okay, a lot of truth behind what Minho had said. Your apartment was covered in memories of you and Jiyong over the years. To an outsider it did look like you were an obsessive fan, but that’s not what it was. You loved Jiyong, you were proud of his successes and you cherished the memories you had with him. That was all. A knock at your door broke your thoughts and you sighed.
“Sorry, Mrs. Lee! I’ll be more quiet next time.” You called out, assuming your uptight neighbor had heard the door slam.
“Y/N, please.” Jiyong’s voice rang out from the other side of the door.
You sighed and stood up, making your way slowly to the front door. You opened it just a crack, long enough to look at him before opening it fully and walking away from him, back to the couch.
“Why are you here?”
“To apologize.”
“What was that tonight? I was so excited for you to meet Minho and he dumped me for hanging out with you!” Jiyong crossed the room, moving to stand in front of you.
“I’m sorry. I overheard what he said and I just reacted. He was stupid to dump you over my actions. But for him to just leave you at dinner when you did nothing wrong tells me everything I need to know about the guy.”
“Yeah. Well. You still shouldn’t have acted that way. That’s not you.”
You looked up at him and chewed on your bottom lip. It was hard to stay mad at him when you’d spent every day the past three months missing him. And when he was standing there looking so cute and innocent with his green hair.
“The green suits you.” He smirked.
“I meant what I said though about you deserving better.” He lowered himself on the couch next to you.
“Yeah? Maybe I’m just not cut out for relationships.” You shrugged, turning your gaze from him. You strongly suspected you’d keep chasing the wrong guys until the one you wanted - who was sitting right next to you realized he wanted you too.
“Hey, no.” Jiyong reached out, cupping your face and gently turning you to look at him. “Any guy would be lucky to have you. I know I would.” Your eyes widened in confusion. “I know it’s not fair to lay this on you right after the events of the night but if I don’t say it now I never will. I’m in love with you. I was planning on telling you tonight but then you sprung Minho on me. My actions were purely out of jealousy and I am sorry that I hurt you.” You blinked, it was finally happening. All those years of avoiding feelings had finally reason to the surface and you weren’t surprised when you blurted out your own feelings.
“I’m in love with you too.”
Jiyong leaned in, his lips pressing against yours. It was sweet, gentle, everything a first kiss should be. Your hands moved to tangle in his jacket and you pulled him closer as you deepened the kiss. You had years of lost time to make up for and you weren’t about to settle for gentle.
His tongue darted out and you moaned as your tongue massaged against his. You needed more. You crawled into his lap closing the little bit of distance that has been left between you. His arms moved down your back, resting on your hips and you jerked against his touch.
“Jagi.” He panted, breaking the kiss when air became a necessity.
“Bedroom.” You whispered.
You needed him. Jiyong rested his forehead against yours, his eyes searching yours for any sign of hesitation. When he found none, he moved to stand, your legs wrapping around him. His lips reconnected with yours as he walked you to your room and you made quick work of removing his jacket, his shirt and had just started unbuttoning his jeans when he plopped you down on the bed. He hovered over you, a cocky grin on his face.
“Slow down Jagiya. We’ve got all night.” He teased, his hips brushing into yours. You could feel how hard he was and you needed him inside you.
“We can go slow later.” You whined, your fingers undoing the fly of his pants and he laughed before swooping down to kiss you again.
“You’re crazy.”
“Crazy for you.” You smirked.
Jiyong took his time removing your clothes one by one, his lips trailing down your body. He’d waited years to get a taste of you and even if you didn’t want to take your time, he did. You deserved to be worshiped for the goddess you were. He removed your panties and practically licked his lips when he saw how wet you were. His tongue darted out, licking a long stripe from your entrance to your clit and you let out a moan.
His eyes looked up to meet yours and you moved your hand to tangle in his hair. His tongue swirled around your clit and your eyes fluttered closed, enjoying the pure bliss of this moment. Jiyong inserted a finger, darting it in and out of you quickly as his tongue lapped up your slick. You were perfect. He worked you close to the edge before removing his fingers and rocking back to his knees.
“Ji, please.” You moaned.
“Please what, Jagi?”
“Need you.” Your hand moved to his cock and you pumped him quickly.
He hovered back over you, aligned himself at your entrance and pushed into you slowly until he bottomed out. He stayed like that for a minute, allowing your body to adjust to him before he began moving in and out of you slowly. You fit together like completing a puzzle but of course you did. He’d known for a long while that you were perfect for each other.
Your back arched, taking him deeper with each thrust as your hips moved to meet his. Your legs locked around his waist and you moaned with each movement. Jiyong’s hand entwined with yours, your matching tattoos perfectly aligned as he raised your hand over your head, locking it in place.
His lips never left yours as he continued to move inside of you, each thrust hitting you just right. You were dizzy with want, need, and mostly love. He let go of your hand to slip a finger between you. Rubbing small circles on your clit as he continued his movements.
He worked you right into an orgasm and you came moaning his name. He followed shortly after you, releasing inside of you. This was what people talked about when they talked about perfect sex. It had never been this way before and you knew it was because nobody else had ever been right for you. Not like Jiyong.
He rolled off you, curling you into his side and placed a gentle kiss to your lips. “I love you.” He whispered.
“I love you too.”
You spent the rest of the night, curled up together taking turns exploring each other's bodies. You took note of the new tattoos he’d gotten since the last time you saw him. You didn’t remember falling asleep, but you smiled as the warmth of the sun poked in through the blinds, snuggling in closer to Jiyong.
“Morning.” He whispered as he kissed your hair.
“Morning.” You buried yourself further into his chest.
You could get used to waking up like this. You frowned at the thought that by this time next week he’d be in New York, but didn’t let the sadness last long. You weren’t going to let him leaving ruin a perfectly good week.
You climbed out of bed, Jiyong’s arms wrapped around you as you made your way to the kitchen. You’d never cooked naked before - but considering the night you’d had, you weren’t sure clothes would be a necessity today. Jiyong kissed your shoulder as you prepared breakfast. He pulled you into his lap as you both ate, clearly not wanting any distance between you both either.
Your phone buzzed at some point during the day but you didn’t bother to check it until much later in the evening. You had both put on clothes and had decided to redo the dinner from last night. This time it was a romantic setting for just the two of you. Somehow it felt normal, like every dinner you’d ever had together had led you to this point. You looked at the text and let out a snort. Jiyong raising a brow.
“I guess we’re cheaters.” You shrugged, showing him the text.
Sorry about last night. Jiyong’s a little intimidating and I had no right to blow up on you like that. Dinner tonight to apologize?
I think you were right about a lot of things last night, Minho. We’re just not good together. Wish you the best.
You almost felt bad, but you really had thought he’d broken up with you the night before. It wasn’t like it mattered now, you were with the person you’d always wanted to be with. The person you got matching smiley face tattoos with on your birthday. The person who took up all the free time you had. You were exactly where you were supposed to be.
So if that meant he had to go to dinner and watch you be in love with someone else, he’d do it. He’d torture himself a million times over as long as it meant he got to see you. And if you were happy? That was everything.
Hey no why we gotta do all that and rip me to shreds in the process? 🥺😭
I accept that you made up for it with the smut and the love confession and the happy ending so I GUESS I LOVE IT AND YOU.
.ᐟ. ✦ SUMMARY: being a lifelong t.o.p fan, you could've never expected how one simple unboxing video would lead to one of the best days of your life.
.ᐟ. ✦ WARNINGS: swearing, kissing. just a lot of fluff.
.ᐟ. ✦ WC: 2.1k
.ᐟ . ✦AUTHORS NOTE: hi hi! i know its been like... 2 weeks almost since i posted a fic (maybe, idk ive lost count) but here we are!! i tried to add a lil smau in here instead of typing it out. this is just a bunch of fluff and seunghyun being seunghyun. enjoy <3
The internet was a scary place.
There was a ninety percent chance that if you posted something, you'd get hate from someone regardless of what the content was. Even if you were posting about how much you loved puppies, there'd be someone out there that would have an issue with it. People were brave on the internet often saying things they wouldn't say in real life. That was why you had to be careful with the way you worded things and the things you posted. Regardless, that had never deterred you. No matter how many comments you got about being a fangirl, how insane you were for the amount of money you spent on the things you loved, it never stopped you. There would be people out there that liked what you posted and you chose to focus on those. There was no room for negativity in your life. That wasn't to say that it didn't bother you because it did. Some days, you had to step away for the sake of your own mental health.
The worst of it came when you had posted your unboxing video of T.O.P's new album. You had been a fan of his for years, supporting him through everything he had gone through. Nothing would change your support for him but seeing the comments on your latest video had made you turn off your phone and focus on real life for a little bit. The comments ranged from calling you crazy to straight up being insulting of your appearance. People could be cruel. These people didn't know you. Why should you be shamed for doing something you enjoyed?
So, with your phone off, you spent the day with your friends, completely forgetting about the online world just for a little bit.
You could never have expected what you logged back on to the next day.
Logging back into Instagram, you were flooded with hundreds of notifications. With your brow furrowed, you scrolled through them wondering what had happened while you'd been gone. Usually, you got a good amount of notifications but this many? It was unusual. Then, you saw it. The one notification that popped out to you.
Choi Seunghyun himself had reposted your unboxing video on his story.
Your heart was pounding as you looked at the notification. This couldn't be real, right? You were dreaming. There was no way he had noticed you and your silly little video. It only got better because as you moved to press over to your DM's, you saw that you also had a message from him. Since when did he message fans? You were sure he had stopped doing that years ago. So, you had to make sure it was actually him so you didn't get your hopes up. But, as you pressed on his profile and saw that checkmark to signal it was an official account, you couldn't help but let that giddiness flow through you. This was real. He had messaged you.
You sat there frozen, phone held in your hand as you read the messages over and over again. You're beautiful. The urge to scream into your pillow was so strong but you tried to remain cool, calm and collected as you shakily typed a reply back.
And, that's how it went for weeks. You exchanged messages, talking about anything and everything. The more you got to know him, the more you saw him as a real person and not a celebrity. It changed your whole outlook. He was just a normal guy who had been thrust into the spotlight as a teenager. He was kind, funny and always took the time to get to know you. It was refreshing. Most of the guys you talked to always seemed way more into themselves than anything else but not Seunghyun. Now, you had a crush on Seunghyun as a person, not as a celebrity. Each time a notification popped up from him on your phone, you replied straight away. Maybe it was desperate, maybe he thought you were insane but you couldn't help it. His messages were the best part of your day. You hadn't told anyone -- this was just between the two of you. Your own little world where nobody else could interrupt.
As more time passed, you moved from DM's to voice calls. The first time you had heard his voice talking directly to you, your heart had almost threatened to beat out of your chest. Despite his deep voice, he was so soft spoken. His little chuckles after he told a joke were seared into your memory, the way he would always listen to what you had to say no matter how mundane it was meant so much to you.
"Would it be too forward of me to ask if you wanted to meet up?" Seunghyun asked one night as you lay in bed, phone to your ear as you spoke to him. The phone call had already been going on for two hours.
"Really? You want to?" You asked trying to hide the surprise in your voice. You had figured this was just an online thing -- one that you would cherish for the rest of your life.
"Yeah. You've treated me like a normal person from the second we started talking. I think it would be cool to actually hang out," he paused, a nervous silence filling the void before he spoke again. "Unless you don't want to. That's okay."
You cut him off quickly. "No, no! I do. Just tell me when and where and I'll be there."
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
The when was two days later and the where? Han River. It was your favourite spot in the city and apparently Seunghyun’s too so it seemed like the perfect place to meet up. The initial moment you had seen each other had been awkward. Neither of you knew whether to hug, shake hands or just smile at each other. You’d settled for a side hug, the contact immediately sending shivers down your spine. Once that was out of the way, things got easier. It was like you were back on the phone, talking about everything and anything just now in person. To get used to being around each other, he had suggested taking a stroll along the river which you had happily agreed to. The more time you spent with each other, the more comfortable you got. His hand kept brushing against yours as you walked. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself. How was this real? Was it some elaborate fever dream you’d wake up from soon? There was no way you were this lucky.
“What’s going on in that head of yours? I can see the gears moving. Don’t go thinking too hard now,” Seunghyun teased, bumping you lightly with his shoulder.
“Shutup,” you laughed. “Just thinking about how surreal this is.”
“Live up to your expectations or should I just bow out right now?” He grinned. The butterflies in your stomach were doing backflips, the dimples in his cheeks making him even more beautiful if that was even possible.
“Yeah, wow, you’re awful. Worst day of my life,” you sighed dramatically, earning a laugh from Seunghyun.
“So you don’t want to go ride on one of the swan boats?”
“Wait, I take it back. Let’s go.”
You barely had time to register what was happening when you felt Seunghyun take your hand in his, lacing your fingers together. Your heart thudded against your chest, too lost in the feeling of his skin against yours to notice he was paying for a ticket to the swan boats then the next he was helping you get into one. He had decided to take the drivers seat which in hindsight you probably should’ve known was a bad idea but you were too lost in your own thoughts to even register what was going on. This whole day felt like a daydream. But, no. It was real. He was right next to you, grinning at you as he steered the swan boat into the water.
You had been on the water for about ten minutes, Seunghyun’s laughs like music to your ears every time he swerved to not hit another boat. There had been a few near misses, you gripping on to your seat for dear life but hearing the unbridled joy coming from him made it all worthwhile. Knowing his history and everything he had been through, to know that you were here with him making him this happy? There were no words to describe how amazing it felt. This man deserved nothing but happiness and if you could even be a small part of that then you were happy.
“Oh, fuck, that was a close one,” he let out a puff of breath, a laugh following as he swerved to not hit a boat with a family on it.
“I see now why you never got a driving license," you teased.
“Smartass,” he shook his head, that beautiful smile on his face as he turned to look at you, taking his eyes off the water. “I’ll have you know I’m just too good to be on the roads. That’s why I don’t have a license."
“Or they know you’re insane and decided it was safer for the world if they didn’t let you loose in the streets of Seoul.”
He leaned over, taking one of his hands off the wheel to teasingly poke you in the side. “Keep talking shit and I’ll make you regret it.”
“Oh, I’m so scared,” you laughed.
Then, suddenly, the boat jerked, colliding with another one in front of you. Without warning, it tipped to the side and before you had a chance to grab hold and save yourself, you fell out into the water. Seunghyun toppled out into the water too, the boat now empty as the two of you laughed, swimming to get back on to dry land. Thankfully you were close enough to the edge of the river that you didn’t have to swim for long, finally pulling yourself back up onto the river bank. Now soaking wet, you got to your feet but you couldn’t stop laughing as you watched Seunghyun get back to his feet. His hair was flat to his head, dripping water but he still looked beautiful. Meanwhile, you were sure you looked like a drowned rat but you didn’t care.
“I told you!” You managed to get out between laughs. “This is why you’re not allowed behind a wheel.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he chuckled, raking a hand through his drenched hair. You couldn’t help but stare at him. Unabashedly so. He noticed, of course he did, tilting his head as he raised a brow. “Want a picture or something?”
“You know you called me a smartass earlier? I think you’re the smartass.”
He took a step closer to you, reaching out to tuck a piece of your wet hair behind your ear. “Nah, you’re still the smartass. A beautiful one.”
It was like time froze as his hand slid down your side to grip at your hips, tugging you close enough to him that your chest was pressed up against his. His other hand move to rest on the back of your neck, his lips mere inches from yours. Your breath hitched, hands nervously moving to wrap around his neck. It seemed like he was debating with himself but when you saw him tilt his head, your eyes fluttered shut and then his lips were on yours. It was a soft, slow kiss, his lips moving gently against yours. Your heart was beating in your chest, hard enough you were sure it was going to break through your rib cage at any point. Your hands moved up to tangle in his hair, a small groan passing his lips as he deepened the kiss. Neither of you cared that you were soaking wet, too lost in each other to even forget that you needed air to breathe until he pulled away. Only slightly, though.
“I've wanted to do that since the second I saw you but was too afraid to,” he admitted, his hand now cupping your cheek, his thumb softly running against your skin. “But… seeing you here looking all drenched and adorable, I couldn’t help myself.”
“No complaints from me,” you said breathlessly.
“So, if I do it again, you’ll take back those comments about my driving?”
“Only one way to find out.”
And, so, he kissed you again, smiling as he claimed your lips. You had said it earlier how surreal it felt to be here but this? You could have never expected this and you never wanted this moment to end.
This is just so cute and playful and lowkey somewhat possible with the way that man reposts and likes peoples unboxing vids. I never posted my unboxing but Seunghyun, if you’re reading this, feel free to hit me up whenever. I swear I won’t tell anyone 😌😉😂
I love this. I love SeungHyun. I love YOU, Chrissy 💜
Summary: Youngbae, Soohyuk, and Seunghyun take matters into their own hands after the events of the previous night. When you and Jiyong agree to go to Wolmi on a group date, recreating the events of your first date, will old feelings and memories rise to the surface?
Pairings: G Dragon x f reader, T.O.P x f o/c, Taeyang x Hyorin, Taeyang x f reader (platonic), Soohyuk x f reader (platonic)
Word Count: 5.8k
Warnings: Mentions of Memory loss, aftermath of a fight (swollen/bloody lip), flashback scenes from Y/B and reader, jumping around between Jiyong and Readers POVs, dare I say fluff?
Author’s Note: This chapter introduces the entire friend group of Jiyong and reader. There’s two ships I didn’t mention above because it’s meant to be a bit of a shock for reader when she finds out so you must all find out with her. This chapter kind of sets the tone for how things will flow from here on out. Longer flashback scenes, playing around with povs from other characters (Soohyuk has one coming up that hurts), and of course the jumping around with emotions from Ji and reader. I have been so excited to share this chapter and I hope you all will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The Night We Met Masterlist!
Jiyong tried, or was trying. He really was. Give you space, encourage you when memories would come back. Nobody had ever told him what he was supposed to do when his wife didn’t remember him. He watched you stumble around the house, small things that you used to remember gone. And now after last night, he was just supposed to act like everything was ok when you’d cried in his arms until you fell asleep? Every day was a new form of torture and he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to grin and bear it anymore.
There was a knock at the door and he groaned as he stood up to answer it. He knew you still felt like a stranger here and wouldn’t answer the door. Even when your parents had come over with takeout, you had refused. Jiyong found it incredibly cute and didn’t mind getting the door. He raised a brow when Youngbae greeted him on the other side.
“Youngbae?”
“Jiyong.” He smiled before stepping into the apartment. “Is Y/N home?”
“Come on in.” Jiyong rolled his eyes, closing the door behind them. “She’s in her room, why?”
“I want to talk to her, after I talk to you. Come, sit down.”
“Wow. Thanks for inviting me to sit in my own house!” Jiyong shook his head, but sat down on the couch regardless. “What’s up, Youngbae?”
“We’ve been talking.”
“Who is “we”?”
“Soohyuk, Seunghyun, and myself.” Jiyong instantly saw red at the mention of Seunghyun. The fight was still fresh in his mind.
“About what?”
“A date night.” Jiyong blinked.
“What?”
“You remember how we took you two on that group date to Wolmi?” Youngbae leaned back.
“Like I’d ever forget that.” Jiyong frowned, that night held so much meaning to him.
“We think we need to repeat that night.”
“I don’t know Youngbae, do you think that’s a good idea?”
∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘
Youngbae entered Seunghyun’s kitchen, Soohyuk on his heels. Everything was a disaster and it needed to be fixed. Now. What happened tonight couldn’t happen again. Seunghyun leaned against the counter, his sleeves rolled up. His girlfriend, Mina stood off to the side, an annoyed expression on her face.
“I’m sorry, this won’t take long.” Youngbae promised. “We need to talk.”
“I apologized to him already.” Mina scoffed and Seunghyun shot her a bewildered look.
“I still think it’s ridiculous you two are fighting.” She shrugged, leaning against the wall. Youngbae smirked.
“Jiyong is going through it more than the rest of us.” Soohyuk’s deep calm voice rang out, causing everyone to turn to face him. “Y/N is convinced this is some kind of sick joke. We need to be kind to him right now. But we also need to give Y/N/ some tough love. This isn’t a joke, it’s her life one she loves very much. I know we all miss her. But we still have her in the ways he doesn’t.” Youngbae nodded.
“So what's the plan then?”
“The answers lie in Wolmi. It held some kind of magic last time that made her realize she was crazy about him. Perhaps it’ll work again.” Soohyuk shrugged.
“How do we convince them though? Jiyong’s too busy pouting to actually help.” Seunghyun rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his wine. Mina swatted his arm.
“Be nice.” She hissed.
“I’ll talk to them.” Youngbae volunteered, he knew Jiyong the best, knew how to handle him and he’d convinced you to go the first time. This was easy.
“God. It really does feel like 2012 all over again.” Seunghyun mumbled.
∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘
“You got married last time.” Youngbae leaned back, crossing his legs. “So yeah. I think it’s a great idea.”
Jiyong leaned back, drumming his fingers on the arm of the couch. That group date at Wolmi was sacred. You’d shared your first kiss there, went back every so often just to stroll through memory lane. How was he supposed to get through a night with all the same people and you, who didn’t even remember the first time you’d been there? This was going to kill him but if it helped you remember even just something small about your relationship he’d do it. He’d do anything for you, no matter how hard it hurt.
“Okay. I’m in. When are we going?”
“Tonight.”
Youngbae stood up before Jiyong could ask anymore questions and headed towards the master suite. It hit him as he made the short walk from the living room to your room that he hadn’t actually seen you in person yet. He’d have to apologize before informing you of the date. He knocked on the door and waited.
∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘
You had been sitting on the bed, phone in hand deciding today was the day. You’d woken up with determination to fix your life, after last night you owed it to yourself and Jiyong to remember. You could no longer lie and pretend this was something it wasn’t. Not when you knew now that you’d shared your deepest secrets and fears with him. The way he’d held you too? That was a man being tortured by how much he loved you.
You looked at your pinned texts, Jiyong, Soohyuk, Youngbae, Mina, Hyroin, Chaerin, Seunghyun, and the family group chat. You’d started easy, the family chat. Your brother had moved to the states, fell in love with an American girl and hadn’t had the funds or time off work to fly home to your bedside.
You’re married, sis. You don’t need me.
Some brother you are.
Tell Jiyong I miss him, and only him.
Kids.
Dad.
Go to bed.
You’d rolled your eyes. The rest of the chat was similar. Everyone giving each other shit in the way that only family could. Your heart ached for how much you missed them.
Chaerin had been next, you were surprised to find her pinned and not the girls group chat. Apparently you had become really close over the last few years. Not as close as you and Mina or Hyorin, but you called her your best friend too. Soohyuk had been replaced by the Bigbang girlfriends, apparently. You had a good giggle at that.
There were tons of unpinned texts in your messages, names you didn’t recognize. You had Jiyong’s family in there but you hadn’t returned their texts, you didn’t remember them. You clicked on Seunghyun’s name just as there was a knock on the door. You sighed and scratched your head putting the phone down and headed to the door.
“Youngbae?” He pulled you into a tight hug and you returned it.
Your eyes welled with tears as he held you. You hadn’t realized how much you’d missed him until he was standing in front of you. Jiyong watched from his spot on the couch, his jaw tight before he turned away.
“I’m sorry.” Youngbae whispered into your hair and you just squeezed him tighter.
“It’s ok, you’re here now.” Youngbae released you and you looked up to see his eyes filled with unshed tears.
You stepped aside to let him into the room, the door closing behind him and you both wiped at your eyes. A giggle escaping your lips. You hadn’t cried seeing anyone else, leave it to Youngbae to draw the raw emotions out of you. He always seemed to know when you needed him.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and cleared his throat. You took your previous spot, legs curling up to your chest as you looked at him. He still looked the same, you were thankful for that.
“So why are you here?” You finally asked when the silence got to be too much.
“Oh.” Youngbae turned to face you, a smirk on his face. “You’re going out tonight. With all of us and Jiyong.”
“What? Who’s all of us?”
“Bigbang! The girls, Soohyuk.” You bit your lip and shook your head.
“No.”
“Yes.” Youngbae laughed. “I will drag you there myself if I have to.”
“Why do I have to go?”
“Because sitting here, rotting away in a room you don’t remember isn’t going to jog any memories.” He held up his hand when he saw you about to cut him off. “I know more than you think. Wow you remembered your stove doesn’t work, that Iye likes his left ear scratched. Congratulations. Try remembering the rest of your life.”
“Youngbae.” You snapped, arms folded. “I am trying.”
“Are you, or are you refusing to accept the truth and punishing the person who loves you the most?” Your eyes closed and you hung your head in shame.
“I’m trying now.”
“Great. Get ready then. We rented the park for this evening. Jiyong will be taking you there as if this is a date. No ifs ands or buts about it.” He stood up, headed to the door and turned to you. “Give him a chance, Y/N. You’re his entire world. And you feel exactly the same about him.”
“Okay.” Your voice was small and you bit your bottom lip to keep from crying as he left the room.
You watched Youngbae wave goodbye to Jiyong before leaving the apartment and sighed as you stepped out into the room.
“Hi.” You suddenly felt shy, you hadn’t spoken all morning, not since last night.
“Hi.” He instantly perked up, as if his body couldn’t help but respond to you this way every time he saw you.
“How’s your lip?” Jiyong shrugged, his tongue darting out to trace his wound. Your eye tracked the movement and you blinked. Apparently that memory was still fresh in your mind.
“I’ll be okay.” He shrugged again, his eyes staying on yours. He noticed you staring, he noticed everything about you.
You moved closer to him, your hand shaky as you reached out and cupped his cheek, your eyes close to his lip. It was bruised but otherwise it would be okay. Your heart raced in your chest at the closeness and you felt Ji lean into your touch. It was barely noticeable and once he realized he stopped, you dropped your arm back to your side.
“You should ice it again before we go out tonight. It might help with the swelling.”
“Yes nurse Kwon.” He smirked and you froze. That was the first time you’d heard yourself called that, since the accident. “I’m sorry.” You shook your head.
“It’s fine, honestly.” You offered him a tight smile. “It’s true, isn’t it? I mean, I’m no nurse but I am your wife.” His eyes widened and he relaxed against the couch.
“Yeah, you are.” He nodded.
“I’m going to get some ice and then get ready for our date.”
You spent the rest of the afternoon confused about the way you were suddenly starting to feel around Jiyong. That memory of you two in his office had really done something to your brain and you couldn’t get the idea of kissing him out of your head.
As the day seeped into night, you got ready for your date. Suddenly feeling very nervous about seeing all your friends and Soohyuk’s girlfriend. Jiyong greeted you outside the door, flowers in hand and you blushed - actually blushed. You took them from him and moved to the kitchen, stopping and staring.
“You ok, Jagi?”
“Vase?”
“Oh! Right.” Jiyong frowned and moved around the kitchen, pulling a vase out from the bottom cabinet.
“Thank you.” You smiled, taking the vase from him. You arranged the flowers neatly before placing them on the counter. “They’re beautiful.”
“Just like you.” He couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to.
You blushed again before heading to the door. Jiyong’s muscle memory took over and his hand rested on the small of your back as he guided you down the hallway. You didn’t jerk away from his touch for once and he kept it there during the elevator ride.
Ever the gentleman, he opened the car door for you before hopping into the drivers seat. The cool air had greeted you when you stepped off the elevator and you were suddenly regretting your outfit choice. Jiyong was in jeans and a jacket, maybe you should’ve brought a jacket too.
He took off down the street and you shrugged. You wouldn’t be getting on the rides anyway so maybe the chill wouldn’t have a chance to hit you. A few minutes later, Jiyong pulled into the empty parking lot of Wolmi and you blinked, you’d never seen it so empty - not that you remembered anyway.
“You ready?” He turned to face you, the engine shutting off.
“No.” You leaned your head back on the seat, your eyes moving from his to his mouth and you frowned. “Your lip is really swollen, Ji.”
“I’ll be alright. I’ve got this really cute nurse taking care of me.” You snorted and he grinned.
It almost felt like old times, but Jiyong had to remind himself it wasn’t. His hand reached out to squeeze your thigh and your eyes found their way back to his.
“It’s going to be fun. You don’t remember it, but you love this place and I promise everyone will be on their best behavior.” You nodded and undid your seatbelt.
“Lead the way.”
Jiyong grinned, gave your leg another reassuring squeeze and got out of the car. He waited for you before walking over to the large group waiting on you both. You were nervous, until you spotted Mina.
“Hi.” You waved as you approached the large crowd. The group sang out their greetings in return. Soohyuk moved to stand in front of the group, a girl standing next to him. She looked familiar, but you couldn’t quite place it.
“Y/N, I’d like you to meet Dami, my-“ he paused, “girlfriend.” You looked at Dami, she was gorgeous, exactly who you’d imagine Soohyuk with. You could tell by her frown you knew her and just didn’t remember.
“Nice to meet you.” You offered a hand, Dami shook it before looking over at Ji.
“Likewise. Good luck with my brother. I hope he’s not being too annoying.”
“Dami!” Jiyong rolled his eyes.
“Wait, you’re Jiyong’s sister?” Dami nodded and you let out a giggle. “Soohyuk couldn’t get enough of Ji he had to start dating his sister?” You heard a cackle behind Dami and looked up to see Chaerin laughing.
“Personality is still intact. Thank god.”
“I told you, she’s still our Y/N.” Mina cooed and winked at you.
“Come on, stop overwhelming her.” Hyorin stepped in front of the group, an arm wrapping around your shoulder. “Let’s go ride some rides, yeah?”
Jiyong watched as Hyorin and Mina swept you away from the crowd. You had seemed to relax a bit, which was good. He just wished it was him you were being swept away by. Soohyuk patted him on the back before everyone headed into the park.
“You’re eventually going to have to tell her.” Jiyong mumbled as he looked at Soohyuk and his sister.
“I know, I will.”
“She’s not a baby. She deserves to know.”
“We’ll tell her, Ji. Just not tonight.” Dami promised. Jiyong nodded and moved closer to the girls.
One look at you was all it took before his heart sunk into his chest. He could tell you were overwhelmed and trying your best to put on a brave face. The girls were having an animated conversation led by Chaerin. She couldn’t help it, that’s just who she was. Jiyong wedged himself between you and Mina and cleared his throat.
“Mind if I steal my wife?”
“Can’t steal what’s legally yours.” Mina shrugged and turned to face Ji. “What happened to your lip?”
“I told you, I had to clean him up last night!” You sighed. “Did you not believe me?”
“You were talking about me?”
“Seunghyun!” Mina yelled, storming off to her boyfriend.
Jiyong took that opportunity to escort you away from the crowd. His heart practically melted at the fact that somewhere between taking care of him and crying you’d found time to tell Mina about him last night. Maybe you did care more than you were letting on. This gave him the hope he needed to continue on with this night.
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to play some games and then we’re going to ride the disco pang pang.”
“Who’s we?” You raised a brow as Jiyong stopped in front of one of the game stalls.
“The group, us.” He smirked slamming a twenty down on the top of the stall.
“I’m not getting on that thing. I don’t have a death wish.” You folded your arms and Jiyong smirked.
“Tell you what if I win this game you ride all the rides tonight. And if you win, you can sit out.” He held out his hand, the smirk still on his face. “Deal?”
“Deal.” You took his hand, shaking it.
The game was one of those water shooter games and your aim was not great. Something Jiyong knew and used to his advantage. He knew you hated rides, the first time you’d come here you’d ridden everything by sheer force, except the Ferris wheel. Jiyong had managed to get you up there at the end of the night, you shaking next to him as he held you close.
You may have been terrified out of your mind and swore you’d never go back up, but he had successfully distracted you so much that it became your thing. Jiyong knew that once you got on one ride you’d ride everything anyway. So maybe he’d tricked you just this once but it would be worth it.
Once he won for the fifth time you finally admitted defeat, already shaking at the thought of riding anything. You were just about to walk off when Jiyong turned to the attendant.
“I’ll take one of those dolphin plushies.”
“Color?”
“Purple.” The attendant handed him the dolphin and Jiyong turned back to you.
“You like dolphins too?” He shook his head and held it out for you.
“No, but you do.” You took it from him, holding it close.
He held out his hand for you, you hesitated for a second before taking it. He smiled before leading you towards the group. Everyone was in line for the Disco Pang Pang and you sighed as you set your items into the storage locker.
Everyone loaded onto the ride, you found yourself sandwiched between Soohyuk and Jiyong, Mina and Seunghyun were across from you. Mina, to nobody's surprise, was clinging to Seunghyun, his legs wrapped around hers keeping her in place. He smirked at you when he noticed you looking at them and you rolled your eyes.
The ride took off and so did you, immediately losing your footing. A strong arm wrapped around your waist and pulled you back into the seat. You looked up to see Jiyong peering down at you, his face inches from yours.
“I’ve got you baby.” He whispered.
You’d never understood what people meant when they said they had butterflies in their stomach, not until that moment. Your face flushed and you averted your gaze from his as you clutched to him like your life depended on it. You now suddenly understood why he didn’t call you baby very often.
The ride tried to take you again and Jiyong chuckled, positioning you so that he was standing in front of you, one arm on the bar the other on you. It was at that moment he realized what you were wearing. Your wedding band had been attached to a simple gold chain around your neck. He couldn’t help the smile when he saw it. Something had shifted last night, he just didn’t know what. You were wearing your ring and confirming that you were his wife. God, what he wouldn’t give to just be able to kiss you, tell you he loved you right now.
The ride ended and Jiyong let go of you, but only enough to grab your hand, you took it without hesitation this time and followed him off the ride.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” You raised a brow and let out a laugh.
“If you hadn’t been there I would’ve died.”
“I promise, I won’t let anything bad happen to you. Not under my watch.” And you really did believe him when he said that.
The rest of the night was filled with just as much adventure and fun. Mina spent a good ten minutes yelling at Seunghyun before rushing you off to the bathroom for a full debrief on the night so far and how you were feeling. She wasn’t one to coddle, like Soohyuk and was pleased to see you actually seemed to like Jiyong now. You were definitely developing a crush, it was a problem and a little embarrassing.
You shivered at one point and were now the proud owner of Jiyong’s jacket. It smelled like him, another thing to add to your list. He smelled good. And he was walking back over to you, that annoying smirk present on his face.
“You ready?”
“To go? Yeah.” He laughed and shook his head.
“No, silly. The Ferris Wheel.”
“Oh. Yeah, so about that.” He shook his head again, his hand slipping into yours.
“A deal's a deal, Jagi.”
You sighed and followed the group to the Ferris wheel. You were not looking forward to this ride, at all. Unfortunately for you there was no line, no time for you to talk yourself out of it. Dami and Soohyuk got in one car, the rest of the group fizzled out to do other things and you followed Jiyong to your seat.
The ride hadn’t even started yet and you were already shaking. Jiyong threw his arm around you, holding you close. He knew how you got on this ride and unfortunately couldn’t offer up his usual distraction tactics.
“Hey, look at me.” You shook your head, your eyes closing tight as the ride took off. “Y/N.” His hand moved to cup your cheek.
Something about the stillness of his voice, the fact that you could reach out and touch him calmed you enough to open your eyes. You looked at him, his brown eyes staring back at you softly. You were just about to speak when the ride came to a halt.
“Sorry everyone. Technically difficulties. We’ll get you up in the air in no time.” The attendant's voice rang out and you swallowed.
“We’re going to die.” Jiyong’s thumb brushed your cheek and he shook his head.
“I told you, I got you, baby.” His eyes stayed on yours.
“Hey, Y/N!” Soohyuk’s voice boomed from up above. “The seats move.” He chuckled, knowing just how afraid of heights you were.
“Shut up, Soohyuk.” Dami and Jiyong yelled at the same time causing you to laugh.
Jiyong looked back down at you, a small smile spreading across his face. This was good. He just had to keep you distracted, easy. His hand left your face, wrapping around you tightly and he pointed below.
“What’s that?”
You didn’t look. You knew logically you weren’t that far off the ground, but you couldn’t seem to stop being freaked out. You shook in fear and Jiyong rubbed soothing circles on your arm. He was good at this, the comforting thing.
“Come on, look.” You sighed and looked down.
“What? CL dancing?”
“Isn’t that a statue she’s dancing on?” You squinted and let out a giggle.
“Pretty sure that’s Daesung.”
“What?” Jiyong leaned forward to get a closer look, causing the seat to shake. You clung to him. “Sorry, baby.” He stilled his head turning to you.
“It’s okay.” You managed, lamely. Too mesmerized by how handsome he was up close. The freckle on his nose was really charming. You wanted to kiss it. He smirked, like he was reading your mind.
“So that is Daesung. Apparently they make out in public now.” He chuckled.
“Aren’t they dating?”
“How did you know that?”
“Group text chats.”
“Someone’s been going through her phone.” He teased, a sense of pride swelling in him.
“Shut up.” You laughed.
“They don’t usually make out in public. That’s what’s shocking.”
He peered below again, trying to find Seunghyun or Youngbae in the crowd and grinned when he did. His hand squeezed your shoulder and you looked below. The group had clearly caught on to the ride being stopped. Seunghyun and Youngbae dancing to what you assumed was a BigBang song, well, Youngbae was dancing anyway - Seunghyun was trying. Mina was snapping pictures and recording when necessary and Hyorin was laughing.
“How did he manage to make it into the group with those moves?” You giggled, causing Jiyong to laugh.
His laugh was electric and you couldn’t help but stare at him, memorizing the way his eyes closed and his mouth turned up in pure bliss as he laughed.
“He said you helped him practice.”
“I would never.” You laughed.
You looked below again, to see Seunghyun dancing on the actual pirate statue and let out a loud laugh, you head tilting back. Jiyong’s eyes danced with amusement as you laughed. It was almost as if your laughter was the cure for everything as the ride took off again.
Once you reached the top you looked out, you could see the city lights in the distance and you couldn’t help but look out in awe. Seoul was gorgeous, sometimes you forgot that. Up here though, with the city below you it was breathtaking.
“It really is a beautiful view.”
“Yeah, it is.” Jiyong agreed, only he wasn’t looking at the city, his eyes were on you and only you.
Once you were back on solid ground, you said bye to your friends and Jiyong led you back to the car. Tonight had stirred up a lot of emotions for you but one thing was for sure, you definitely had a crush on Jiyong.
The ride home was silent and you took the time to pull out your phone, you had several missed texts from the night. One from Seunghyun in particular you were curious to read, so you clicked his name.
Sorry about hitting Jiyong.
You’re apologizing to the wrong person.
I apologized to him tonight, and last night. I think we’re all good now.
Mina is pissed.
Yeah, yeah. No bed for me tonight. I know. How did it go tonight?
I think I have a crush on him.
Wow, crushing on your husband, how embarrassing.
Shut up.
“Did you have fun tonight?” Jiyong broke the silence once you got back home and you smiled at him.
“I had a great time. Did you?”
“I did.” He nodded and crossed the room to stand in front of you. “I have an early morning so I’m going to get some sleep.” He leaned in, placing a kiss to the top of your head. “Good night, Y/N.”
“Good night, Jiyong.”
You watched him head into the guest room before heading into your own room. Iye was curled up in his usual spot and you smiled fondly at him before opening the night stand to pull out your notebook. That’s when you saw it, the bottom of a polaroid stuck to the table.
You sat the notebook down and picked up the photo, flipping it over. There was Jiyong beaming at the camera, you were kissing his cheek and the heart statue from the amusement park was in the background. It all came flooding back at once.
∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘
You didn’t want to be here, but you’d promised Youngbae. The park was packed and yet somehow the hottest band in Korea was out and about like it didn’t matter. Jiyong had his back to you when you approached the group.
Y/N!” Daesung grinned, pulling you into a hug. You hugged him back your eyes landing on Jiyong.
“Hi, Y/N. It’s good to see you again.” He seemed nervous. You nodded.
“You too.”
“So, what’s first?” Youngbae asked, his arm draped over Hyorin’s shoulder.
“Disco Pang Pang.” Mina said matter of factly. You shot her a look and she smirked before leading the group to the ride.
Maybe you’d end up in Soohyuk’s lap. That wouldn’t be the worst thing, right? The ride took off a few seconds later and so did you. You screamed, deciding your fate for yourself as an arm wrapped around you.
“I’ve got you.” Jiyong chuckled.
This wasn’t an ideal situation. You were straddling his lap and his face was mere inches from yours. You could hear the group cat calling behind you. You slipped and Jiyong planted his foot into the ground, his knee holding you in place as his arm stayed wrapped around you.
Your body moving against his and you closed your eyes praying for the ride to be over. Your heart was racing with each movement and you tried to ignore just how much you were enjoying being this close to Jiyong. Your eyes opened as the ride slowed down, neither of you moving once it stopped. You knew you should get off him but instead your arms stayed wrapped around his neck and you leaned in.
“Hey guys, the ride's over.” Seunghyun called as everyone filed out of the ride.
Yep, that did it. You sprang from your spot on Jiyong’s lap and followed the group to the next destination. Your cheeks flushed pink at the fact that you basically just rode Jiyong in front of your friends. If he was embarrassed he didn’t show it.
He kept close to your side after that, sitting next to you on every ride he could manage to get you on. Impressed you at the carnival games, winning against just about everyone even managed to beat you at a few. It was impressive.
As you got to know him throughout the night you realized you’d misjudged him. Youngbae and Soohyuk had been right, he was exactly your type. Maybe more so than you’d ever thought.
He was kind and generous and hadn’t let fame get to his head. He wanted to know you for exactly who you were. He listened when you spoke, had a way of calming you when something freaked you out. You may not like rollercoasters but you did like riding them with Jiyong.
“Let’s ride the Ferris wheel!” Daesung suggested and you groaned.
“What’s wrong?” Jiyong turned to you and you shook your head.
“Nothing.” He didn’t need to know you were afraid of heights.
“Hey, it’s okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. Let’s just try it out? If you hate it you can punch me after.” You laughed. The soothing tone of his voice made you agree.
He held your hand as you stepped onto the ride, sitting down next to you. Everyone else piled into the cars below you, the ride moving up slowly to accommodate everyone. You kept your eyes on your feet as the ride stopped at the top.
“I’m afraid of heights too.” He admitted, causing you to look up at him.
“Really?”
“Yeah, but I have to do a lot of stages from various heights so I’ve grown kind of immune to it. Sometimes I’m still afraid I’m going to fall off. It doesn’t stop me like it stops Seunghyun though.” You smirked at the jab.
“He is a chicken.”
“I can hear you!” Seunghyun’s voice boomed from below and you laughed again.
“I think I might like to make you laugh forever.” Your eyes widened as you looked at Jiyong.
“What?”
“Too cheesy?”
“Nobody has ever liked my laugh that much.”
“It’s cute.”
“Sure.” You rolled your eyes and he smiled a real gummy smile. “I like your smile, if we’re handing out compliments.”
You were on the ground too soon for your liking, Jiyong noticing the disappointment grabbed your hand and led you over to the heart statue.
“Let’s take a picture.” You nodded.
You both smiled up at the camera but before he could take the picture you turned, kissing his cheek. He smiled as the photo was snapped and turned to face you, his lips brushing against yours softly.
You’d never felt an instant spark like that before. Your arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in closer as you deepened the kiss. This was what everyone talked about, wasn’t it? That all consuming feeling of knowing your life was about to change with just one kiss.
Jiyong took you by surprise, and as you both pulled back from the kiss you knew you were a goner. In the course of one night Jiyong had somehow managed to break down a wall, gotten you on two rides, and had you kissing him in public.
“I think I might enjoy kissing you forever.” You mumbled as your forehead rested against his. He let out a laugh, his eyes locking with yours.
“I think I’d be okay with that.”
The rest of the night was filled with stolen moments on dark rides, the two of you not seeming to get enough of each other. He offered to take you home when the night was over and when he walked you to your front door it felt like the most natural thing in the world inviting him in. You weren’t ready for the night to end, to see him go.
You sat there for a minute, the dolphin plush held tightly at your chest as you processed the memory. You really were crazy about him, there was no denying that now. You didn’t know what to do with that memory, so did the only logical thing upi could think of and wrote about it. Your journal becoming your diary of memories and now wants for yourself.
You wanted to kiss Jiyong, see if that spark was still there. You had a feeling it was, though and that somehow scared you more than anything. What if you never fully remembered your life together? Would he still love you if you were this broken fragmented piece of yourself? You laid back on the bed and picked up your phone, opening the girls group chat you had and typed a message. Only your thumb slipped and you actually clicked on Jiyong’s name instead. You didn’t notice as you hit send.
I remember our first date.
Jiyong laid there, reading the text over and over again. He wanted to run to you, find out more. But he knew he should give you space. If you’d wanted to talk about it, you’d come to him. So instead he sent back a heart emoji and put his phone down. His eyes stared up at the ceiling and he realized for the first time since he’d gotten the phone call that you’d been in an accident he could actually breathe again.
Quite possibly my favorite bb series to exist. Are you kidding me?? The slow burn per chapter? The heartbreak that’s perfectly balanced with hints of sweetness from the past and the hope for the future? THE REST OF THE GANG WITH THEIR GIRLS?!
This chapter was so fun and I have so many lines I want to quote but I’d be reposting the entire fic lmfao but this one, this one hurt:
“…Wow you remembered your stove doesn’t work, that Iye likes his left ear scratched. Congratulations. Try remembering the rest of your life..”
Damn YB. But it worked and she had the BEST time at the park. And the final text at the end?? Chefs motherfucking kiss. The door is cracked open and emotions are seeping through. Idk where they’ll go next but I do know that I need it like I need air.
.ᐟ. ✦ SUMMARY: you're getting married and seunghyun, as your best friend, just can't let you go through with it.
.ᐟ. ✦ WARNINGS: angst, fluff.
.ᐟ. ✦ WC: 2.2k
.ᐟ . ✦AUTHORS NOTE: i'm back!! big thanks to t-swizzle for the inspo. i've wanted to write this fic for a long time and originally wanted it to be a series but i think i'll probably write one more part to it and leave it at that <3
Seunghyun shouldn't be here. He really shouldn't. As he stood outside, his eyes focused on the church across the street from him, he felt nauseous. The breakfast he'd eaten earlier that morning was threatening to make a comeback. This was the day he had dreaded since the moment you handed him the invitation. There had been a sliver of hope that you wouldn't go through with the wedding, but he knew you better than that. Even if something was bad for you, you'd always try to make the best of it. Most of the time, you didn't even see it. The way that man treated. The way he would belittle you through backhanded compliments and fake smiles. The way he patronised you and laughed at you whenever you made a mistake was just to make you feel small. The way he would talk down to you, as if he were better than you. Seunghyun saw it all, but you never did. The very few times he had brought it up to you, you had brushed it off, saying it was just a joke, that it wasn't meant in a harmful way. But it was. Seunghyun had watched it happen so many times. You deserved better. You had always deserved better. Why couldn't you see that yourself? Why were you settling for Jeremy? Even his name was awful. There were no redeeming qualities about this man.
How could Seunghyun let you marry him?
Not when he was so completely, irrevocably in love with you.
He felt like he was made of stone with the way his feet couldn't even take one step forward. The second he stepped into that church, he would have to put a smile on his face and act like everything was okay when his heart was shattering into pieces. Not just for himself but for you. The future you had with Jeremy was bleak, he could see it from a mile off. Everyone could but you were blinded by what you thought was love. If only Seunghyun had confessed his feelings to you earlier.
It had been six months ago, one drunken night when you had been hanging out having your weekly get-together. Many bottles of wine had been consumed, the two of you lounging about on Seunghyun's couch. His hand had caught yours, lacing your fingers together. The dopey smile on your face had made his heart flutter. The words had come tumbling from his mouth before he could even think. He had spilled his guts to you, telling you how he had been in love with you for years but never thought he was worthy of you. How he knew it was too late but you needed to know. The words you had said were ones he carried with him through every single day.
"If only you had told me this two years ago. Things might have been a lot different."
He had waited too long and now, he had put a strain on your friendship. Others wouldn't be able to notice but Seunghyun did. You had stopped initiating physical contact with him as much; hugs had gotten less and less. And, the thing that hurt him the most was the pitying look in your eyes every time you looked at him. It was like you felt sorry for him and he hated seeing that coming from you.
Finally, as if braving for his most dangerous adventure yet, he strode forward and allowed his feet to carry him inside the church. Immediately he was greeted by chatter -- friends and family sitting down, getting ready for the ceremony. He knew he had a front row seat; it had been reserved for him the second he had RSVP'd. Even if your relationship had been a little strained from his drunken confession, he was still one of the most important people in your life. You had told him he didn't have to come, he had almost taken that out but he couldn't miss it. Even if it killed him.
Just as he was about to walk down the aisle to find his seat, he was dragged down a hallway by one of your friends, pulling you into the room where you were. You were still getting ready, a white hoodie on your body, your hair pinned up. But, your makeup was done and you looked amazing. He could only imagine how amazing you were going to look the second that dress was on your body.
"You're here!" You exclaimed, a wine glass in your hand as you approached him. "I didn't think you would be."
"I said I'd come, didn't I? Can't miss your big day," he forced the words out, hoping they didn't sound too strained.
You tilted your head, looking like you were on the verge of tears. "I don't know what I did to deserve you but I'm so thankful for you."
Seunghyun put it down to the alcohol because he really, genuinely couldn't remember the last time you had hugged him. Your arms wrapped around his body. For a moment, he stood frozen still, unsure what to do with his own arms but soon enough he wrapped them around you. One arm around your back, one of his hands resting on the back of your head as he held you against his body. His heart was pounding against his chest and he hoped to god you couldn't hear it.
"I'm always going to be here. No matter what happens, okay?" He whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.
You pulled away slightly to look up at him. "Thank you."
"Anything for you."
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Seunghyun had been quickly ushered out of the room after that with your bridesmaids insisting you needed to get ready. Now, he was sitting in his seat, his leg bouncing nervously. Jiyong, who was sitting beside him, patted him on the shoulder. No words needed to be said between the two longtime friends. Jiyong knew his hyung better than anyone. All he could do was be there for him, be the moral support that he needed throughout this day that was no doubt torture for him.
Jeremy stood with his best man and groomsmen cracking some joke that they were all laughing obnoxiously at. Seunghyun clenched his fists in his lap. He didn't hate many people but he hated this guy. He would love nothing more than to walk up there and punch him straight in the face but he resisted. That would only upset you and that was the last thing Seunghyun ever wanted.
"He's not worth it," Jiyong muttered from beside him.
"It'd feel good, though," Seunghyun replied.
Jiyong snorted. "Maybe one day but you have to let me be there to watch. I fucking hate that guy."
"You and I both," Seunghyun sighed.
The music played. The music that signalled you were on your way down the aisle. Seunghyun's whole body froze. He couldn't move, couldn't hear anything but the pounding of his heart against his ribcage. When he finally regained function of his own body, he managed to turn and his breath caught in his throat. You looked beautiful. Stunning. Ethereal. Time stood still in that moment, your eyes catching his. You managed a smile at him but he couldn't return it, frozen in spot as he took in just how incredible you looked. You mouthed the words "you okay?" to him to which he managed to nod his head. As you walked past him, you placed your hand on his shoulder. It was a fleeting touch but it made his whole body come alive. He felt like he was on fire, every nerve ending standing tall.
The marriage officiant started their spiel about eternal love and how marriage was sacred. Seunghyun was barely listening. His ears were buzzing, his leg bouncing faster and faster. His palms were sweaty, it was like he wasn't even in control of his own mind and body anymore. This was too much. Far too much. He couldn't watch this. No, he couldn't let you do this. He shuffled in his seat, Jiyong acutely aware of his best friends every move.
"Calm down," he hissed.
But, Seunghyun wasn't really listening to him. Not when the marriage officiant was about to get to the one part he had been dreading the most, especially now his body wasn't even his own anymore.
"If anyone has any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace," the officiant said and those words came to Seunghyun loud and clear.
"Don't you dare," Jiyong's eyes widened as he noticed Seunghyun starting to move.
But, Jiyong's words fell on deaf ears.
Before Seunghyun could even register what he was doing, he was on his feet. The silence in the room was deafening, everyone's eyes turning to him. It was so quiet you'd be able to hear a pin drop. Seunghyun's eyes were solely focused on you.
"Don't," he said, his voice wavering. "Don't marry him."
"Sit down," Jiyong hissed once again, tugging on Seunghyun's sleeve to get him to sit back down.
"You can't marry him, Y/N. You deserve someone who loves you unconditionally, someone who is always going to show up for you and prove to you everyday how thankful they are to have you in your life. This guy," he pointed at Jeremy. "Doesn't even know how lucky he is. He takes you for granted. But... but, I could be that guy for you. I love you. I have been in love with you for so long. I can't sit here and watch you make a mistake like this. I think... I think you're in love with me too but you're too scared to back out of this because you think you can make anything work and I love that about you but please do not throw your future away like this. You deserve happiness, you deserve the whole world. I could give you that. Just... don't do this, please."
The pure emotion in his voice had you frozen in place, you could see the way his hands were shaking, the way he had choked up on those last few words. He hadn't taken his eyes off you once. His words rang through your ears, settling somewhere deep inside you.
"Get this loser out of here!" Jeremy bellowed.
"I'm going," Seunghyun said with as much courage as he could muster, focusing his attention back on you. "Whatever decision you make, I support you but... do not marry this guy."
With that, he scrambled to leave the church with a speed you had never seen from him before. Knowing him, you knew he'd probably be beating himself up about this whole thing. He wasn't the type of person who would do something like this if he didn't mean it. That was what resonated with you the most. Seunghyun hated being perceived outside of his music career so standing up and spilling his feelings like that in front of hundreds of people had taken courage. It was why you were taking everything he had said seriously. All the times he had talked to you about the things Jeremy had done, the way he treated you flashed through your mind.
"Now, where were we?" Jeremy smiled, trying to forget that whole outburst had even happened.
But, you weren't listening to him. Your eyes were still looking at where Seunghyun had walked off.
He was right.
He was right and it had taken you too long to realise.
"I can't do this," you whispered. You felt sick to your stomach but you couldn't marry someone who was wrong for you. Why hadn't you listened before? Why had you let it get this far?
Despite the pleas from Jeremy, you picked the skirts of your dress up and ran as fast as you could back up the aisle and out of the church doors. You gasped for breath as the fresh air hit you, your heart was hammering against your chest so hard you felt like it was about to break out. With frantic eyes, you looked around trying to see if Seunghyun was still around and then you saw him leaning against the wall of the church, hands on his knees as he took in deep breaths.
Your footsteps caught his attention, the noise of your heels clicking against the pavement drawing his head up. His eyes widened. He hadn't expected you to follow him.
"What are you doing?" He asked, panicked.
"Not getting married," you laughed nervously as you took a step closer to him.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
"I ruined your big day," he looked back down at the ground, his guilt eating away at him.
"I think you just saved it actually," you said softly, lifting his chin up with your fingers so he'd look at you. Those beautiful brown eyes of his meeting yours once again. "Thank you."
"Are you sure?" He asked. It was quiet, almost a whisper but you could see the faint hint of a smile threatening to break out.
"Yes. Now, get me out of here before they try to drag me back in there," you laughed nervously, holding your hand out for him to take.
There was no hesitation. His hand instantly took yours as he laced your fingers together, a soft smile on his face. "Where to?"
.ᐟ. ✦ SUMMARY: seunghyun spends the night looking after you before he has to leave for a week.
.ᐟ. ✦ WARNINGS: nada! just a lot of fluff.
.ᐟ. ✦ WC: 1.7k
.ᐟ . ✦AUTHORS NOTE: i've really tried to go for a slow burnish thing here. just two people getting to know each other and slowly fall in love y'know so hopefully its paying off. the last chapters have been so heavy but this one is fluff central!!
FLOWER ROAD MASTERLIST
PEACH ROSES – a sense of heartfelt sincerity, quiet romance and appreciation. Their warm, understated tones reflect gratitude, making them a perfect symbol of the deep, unspoken understanding that binds two souls together.
“Here we go! One large pepperoni pizza and some Pocari Sweat. We’ll get rid of that migraine in no time,” Seunghyun said with a smile as he stepped into your apartment. He caught sight of you, laying on your couch, blanket wrapped tightly around you. The lights were dim, your face buried deep into the blankets with just your eyes peeping out over at him.
“Thank you,” you said, your words muffled by the blanket. “It’s probably the lights in the store. I don’t know how I managed to make it through the day. This is hell. Keeping my eyes open is like living torture right now.”
Seunghyun placed the pizza and drinks down on the coffee table, frowning as he looked at you. “Have you taken anything? Let me get you a cold compress.”
He wasted no time, heading towards your bathroom. There was a washcloth by the sink so he made sure to get the water nice and cold, soaking the cloth in it, wringing it out a little before he brought it out to you. He motioned for you to lift your head up. Once you did, he sidled in where your head had previously been, sitting down and gently resting your head in his lap. The cold cloth was laid across your forehead, a sigh of relief passing through your lips at the contact.
“You didn’t have to do that but to answer your question, yes, I took something about an hour ago,” you replied, getting yourself comfortable again.
“Okay so, you take more in three hours if it’s still this bad.”
“Yes, doctor Choi.”
He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that made you smile despite the pain you were in. Migraines were no joke but when you had someone like Seunghyun taking care of you, it eased things just a little bit. He didn’t have to spend his time sitting here with you when you weren’t the greatest company but he did anyway. Words would never be enough to explain how grateful you were for him.
It had been a few weeks since the night you had told him everything about your dad and life…. and since the awkward kiss. Neither of you had brought it up; acting like it hadn’t even happened like you’d wanted. Seunghyun, however, couldn’t stop thinking about it. That brief press of your soft lips against his replayed over and over in his mind ever since. He couldn’t forget how it felt even if it had barely been seconds of contact. He longed to feel it again, get a proper taste of you but he was too scared to in case he scared you off. Most of his time was spent with you after you had finished work apart from the days he had rehearsals or studio time with the boys. His friends had noticed the change in him. How he would spend ages on his phone, smiling as he texted you. He seemed more at ease, more like himself. Ever since he had met you and broke up with Nina, he finally felt free. Like he could truly be the person he was meant to be. There was nothing holding him back now from seeking his own happiness apart from his own fears.
“Just rest, I’ll be right here.” He couldn’t help himself as he stroked your hair gently, his fingers running across your scalp. He knew he was doing something right when you sighed, your eyes closing shut.
“That feels nice,” you spoke quietly.
“Good.” That was all he said as he watched you drift off.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
When you awoke three hours later, the room was darker, the only light coming from the TV that Seunghyun must have turned on when you were sleeping. As you blinked your eyes open, you noticed the pizza had been opened, two slices eaten. Seunghyun must’ve gotten hungry at some point deciding to treat himself to a few bites but he hadn’t left his position on the couch. He had stayed right where he had been like he’d promised.
“Hey there, sleeping beauty,” he grinned at you, tearing his eyes away from the TV. “Feeling any better?”
“Yeah, a little,” you yawned. Sitting up finally, you stretched your arms out, picking up one of the bottles of Pocari Sweat. It felt so refreshing after your nap. Your head was still pounding but it wasn’t making you feel sick anymore. You eyed the pizza on the table, Seunghyun noticing, nodding his head towards it.
“You should eat. Might help,” he spoke through his own bite of the slice he had in his hand.
So, you grabbed a slice, taking a small bite. It was cold but good. You hadn’t eaten all day so you knew you had to take it easy so you limited yourself to one slice for now. The rest would save for tomorrow if Seunghyun didn’t eat it all. You wouldn’t mind if he did, he paid for it all anyway. You had offered him some money for it but he had turned it down saying it was all on him. The two of you sat, talking comfortably while you watched whatever show Seunghyun had turned on. You weren’t really paying much attention to it, too engrossed in the conversation. Every word that came out of Seunghyun’s mouth was so interesting. He was so intelligent but at the same time he could tell the dumbest joke, making you laugh so hard.
“You’ve never told me what your favourite flower is. You run a flower shop and you’ve sold me many roses but… what’s your actual favourite?” Seunghyun asked. His arm was resting on the back of the couch, his body turned to face you.
“Roses actually. Peach, to be precise. They’re so soft and their meaning is so beautiful.”
“Tell me more.” That was the thing about Seunghyun, he always seemed genuinely interested whenever you spoke. He wasn’t half assing it and just agreeing with you. He asked questions like he really wanted to get to know you. It was refreshing.
“Well, they’re usually a symbol of appreciation and feelings. You know, when you have a crush on someone and you want to tell them without really telling them? I think that’s so beautiful. Flowers can be used to express your feelings without words.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty beautiful.”
His smile sent butterflies flying wild in your stomach. It was so warm, the dimples in his cheek showing fully when he was smiling genuinely. It made him look even more handsome if that was possible. It was hard not to like Choi Seunghyun. Everything about him was so perfect. Though, you were sure if you ever said that to him he would disagree wholeheartedly. From the talks you’d had with him, you’d grown to know that he was very self conscious, he didn’t think highly of himself. You could relate to that. You understood the feeling so completely.
“I’m gonna be gone for a week after tomorrow,” he blurted out. It was like he’d been holding the words in all night, too scared to say them.
“Oh?” You tried not to sound disappointed but you couldn’t help it.
“We have a few shows in Japan. I’d love to bring you along but I know you have the store to look after,” he frowned.
“It’s okay. You go kill it in Japan and I’ll be right here waiting for you to come back.”
“Just remember I’m only a phone call or text away, okay?” He spoke softly, placing his hand gently on top of yours.
And that would be all you’d be able to think about the entire time he was gone.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
The week had gone by so slowly. Tortuously. Seunghyun had called you every day whether that was a voice call or a facetime call – he always made sure he talked to you. But, it wasn’t the same as seeing him in person and having him right beside you. It was true what they said: distance really did make the heart grow fonder. You had missed him more than you’d even care to admit. Not hearing his silly jokes or having him show up on your doorstep with pizza had been sorely missed. You had embarrassingly counted the days down until he returned. Thankfully, he’d be back tomorrow. Just one more day.
You were closing up the shop, checking on the orders for tomorrow to make sure you knew what to prepare when you woke up. As you walked over to close the blinds on the windows, there was a tapping on the door. Your brows furrowed in confusion, cautious steps taken as you moved to open the door.
Your breath caught in your throat as you saw Seunghyun standing there. Black hoodie, glasses on his face and his hair a stylish mess like he’d just hopped right off a flight and straight here. But, the thing you noticed the most was the bouquet of peach roses he held out for you.
“Don’t hate me too much for not buying them from you. Wanted to surprise you,” he held the roses out for you. As you took them, your fingers brushed his sending sparks flying through your whole body.
“I thought you didn’t come back until tomorrow!” You said in disbelief.
“Like I said, I wanted to surprise you and… I wanted to do this.”
He took a step forward, one hand reaching out to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing softly across your cheekbone. He leaned in, his lips meeting yours in a soft, slow kiss. You placed your hand on his bicep, the other still firmly gripping the roses as your lips moved against his. It was dizzying, intoxicating. The way he tasted of his blueberry vape and something uniquely him. Slowly, he pulled back, a smile on that beautiful face of his. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” you whispered.
“Go on a date with me? A real date.” His heart was beating hard against his chest. The possibility that you might turn him down at the forefront of his mind but with the way you were looking at him with those soft eyes, he didn’t have anything to worry about.
“I’d love to.”
“Meet me here tomorrow at 7pm,” he moved his lips up to press a kiss against your forehead before he left, leaving you standing there with a full heart and a smile that you’d be wearing for the rest of the night.
A/N: two fics in one day? Probably just drained myself and will disappear til the fall again lmfao But as promised, I needed to get this one out because I’ve missed these two so much and I hope you love them as much as I do 😊
Pairing: Choi Seunghyun x Fem!Reader
Word Count: 2.3k
Trigger Warnings: fluff and that’s about it
Seunghyun sat on the couch as his nose was powdered, one leg bouncing faintly. To the untrained eye, the idol looked poised and relaxed. Y/N, however, could see the apprehension in her husband’s posture. She knew how excited he was to speak with the fan call winners, and how badly he wanted to make a good impression on the people who had stayed by his side over the last few years.
Y/N walked up to Seunghyun once the makeup artist was done, moving to stand in front of him. He looked up at her with a smile, hands settling on her hips as she reached up to adjust a strand of his hair.
“You excited?” Y/N asked kindly. Seunghyun shrugged one shoulder, a small smile tugging at his lips as his glasses rested delicately on his nose. Y/N couldn’t contain the sudden wave of cute aggression and tapped the tip of his nose with her finger. He scrunched his nose and squeezed her waist in retaliation.
“You’re gonna do great, T.O.P. You always do,” she said softly, moving to cup his face gently before pressing a chaste kiss on Seunghyun’s forehead. She would have kissed him properly, but they were technically working. And Y/N was ever the professional.
“I love you,” Seunghyun murmured, eyes closing as he breathed in the familiar scent of Y/N’s perfume.
“Ditto baby,” she said back with a smile before stepping back as Seunghyun stood. Y/N dusted off the nonexistent dust on his shoulders and chest, using any excuse to touch him while beaming up at him.
“Okay, this is easy. You already survived a whole fan meet and that went swimmingly. These lucky 20 are so excited to get to talk to you,” she instructed as Seunghyun moved to the table where the IPad was set up.
“Honestly, I’m more excited to meet them. I owe them so much,” he admitted, his deep voice cracking slightly. He cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses before taking a seat. The two assistants tasked with running the event came up to the couple, smiling brightly.
“Okay sir, so the whole thing is very simple really. We’ll go in order of the names listed here on this sheet. It states the country and chosen spoken language. We are happy to translate as there are a few Japanese, English and Thai speaking winners,” the woman stated. Seunghyun nodded, looked at the list of names provided.
“I might need some help with the Thai but I’ve been practicing my English and Japanese over the last few years,” Seunghyun affirmed, giving Y/N a smirk. She used to tease him about how her English and Japanese were better than his. Now it was time for him to put it to the test.
“Perfect. The two of us will be here to help move you along through the calls. There will be about 20 in total, about two minutes or so each so while you sign the album you can answer any questions they have,” said the second production assistant.
“Actually, about that, can I sign the albums at the end of the event? Since I only have about a minute or so per person, I want to make sure I’m giving everyone my full attention,” Seunghyun said with determination. Y/N beamed proudly. She hadn’t even thought of that herself. Seunghyun really did cherish his fans and he wanted each person to feel like they had his full undivided attention.
God, she loved him.
The two assistants nodded to one another, seeing no issue with his proposal.
“Yeah that works. We’re ready to get started if you’re ready? Sadly the calls are on a rolling basis so I’ll be here covering the camera and muting the mic in between fans. If for whatever reason you need a break please let us know at any time.”
Seunghyun nodded, clearing his throat once more as the bounce in his leg returned. He looked at Y/N who stood off to the side behind the setup, phone in hand as she snapped a quick pic of him. Giving him a wink of reassurance, Seunghyun steeled his nerves and looked at the crew beside him.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
The first few calls went smoothly. Seunghyun was a natural, his charisma and excitement to speak to each individual person shone through and it was obvious that the fans appreciated every second. The way he took the time to pronounce everyone’s name as correctly as he could, how he happily honored requests and posed with exaggerated aegyo. He thanked everyone for taking the time to talk to him and for supporting his album.
The fans praised him for his comeback, telling him how loved he was and how thankful they were that he had returned to music. Fans even asked interesting questions and showed off their dedicated fan art to him and Seunghyun cherished every second. These were his people and he adored them with his whole being. As Y/N watched this from her spot on the couch, she could help but feel her love for her husband soar. He had come so far and endured so much, so for him to finally get the love and recognition he deserved back was more than enough to make the woman tear up. Halfway through the event Seunghyun took a quick break, stepping out only to come back after a short while in a new outfit.
“Did you just do a quick outfit change?” Y/N teased. Seunghyun rolled his eyes playfully, stuffing his hands in the hoodie pocket.
“It was getting chilly,” he said with a shrug.
“Mmhm. You could’ve just asked someone to turn off the AC,” she teased. Seunghyun sat back down and took a sip of his coffee, eyebrow raised at his wife.
“Does me wearing a hoodie bother you?” He said sarcastically.
“No, sassy. I just think it’s cute that you’re trying to impress your fans. What did you call them again, ‘Top Sex’?” She teased with a giggle. Seunghyun groaned and closed his eyes.
“I knew you were gonna say something the second it came out of my mouth,” he whined.
“But I didn’t say a single thing,” Y/N snickered, sitting up from her spot on the couch. Seunghyun made a face at his wife once more.
“You don’t have to. I can read your mind from across the universe,” he said, the cheesy statement making everyone in the room chuckle.
“You’re so gross,” Y/N teased lovingly.
“You love it. Now shush, back to my fans I go.”
The rest of the calls continued without a hitch and everyone was truly having the best time of their lives.
But Y/N wouldn’t be Y/N if she didn’t have a little trick up her sleeve. She was still Seunghyun’s PR/media manager after all and she needed footage to post on the socials for those who didn’t get a chance to win a fan call. She coordinated with the two assistants present that the last and final call would be from her, and stood up to step out of the room. Seunghyun was deep into a call that he barely noticed Y/N slipping away.
“Okay sir this is the last call, a lucky fan got added on last minute so sadly we don’t have a name but we don’t think that’ll be an issue,” the production assistant said with a smile. Seunghyun nodded slowly, ready to apologize to the fan for not knowing their name when a familiar face popped up on the iPad screen.
Seunghyun immediately barked out a laugh at the sight of his wife waving.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Oppa! Hi! I just wanted to come on here and tell you that I’m your biggest fan,” Y/N said matter of factly.
“Why thank you very much, I really appreciate that,” Seunghyun giggled, his smile beaming.
“I have a random question for you though,” Y/N said with a straight face, a look that Seunghyun knew could only spell trouble.
“Yeah? Well go on, ask away.”
“Do you have any plans for your 40th birthday?”
“Me??”
“Yeah you”
“No, I’m 38”
“Mmm sounds like 40 to me”
“You’re literally six months older than me, if anyone is closer to 40 it’s you”
“It’s okay grandpa, there’s no need to get defensive”
“Keep it up, princess”
“Or what?”
Seunghyun giggled, actually giggled, and it truly felt the first time in a long time that Y/N could see the silly sparkle in his eyes so openly.
“Okay fine, one last question”
“I somehow doubt that”
Y/N made a face and Seunghyun smiled brightly.
“Are you happy?”
Seunghyun’s smile softened and he nodded.
“Yeah. I’m very happy”
Y/N loved the sound of the sincerity in his voice. After years of self-loathing and uncertainty, Seunghyun had finally found himself again. Music had become his escape from the cruelty life had dealt him. He said it time and time again, had it not been for Y/N’s constant and unwaivering support, he wasn’t sure he would have made it through the darkness.
It was refreshing for the world to finally see him the way he deserved to be seen once more.
“Good. I’m happy you’re happy,” Y/N smiled back at her husband through the camera.
Seunghyun nodded and blushed lightly, having never gotten used to being praised.
“Also, you look hot as fuck in those glasses and that hoodie, so I’m gonna need you to wrap this up and come back here,” she added. Seunghyun’s eyes widened and a snort could be heard by his assistant. Y/N laughed at his expression and Seunghyun couldn’t help but smirk back.
“You’re something else,” he berated softly as she continued to laugh.
“Okay okay I’m done. Give us a little pose for the screenshots,” she said while holding up a peace sign. Seunghyun raised both hands up and added in a kissy face by pursing his lips.
“The fans are gonna eat this up,” Y/N singsonged.
“Enough from you. I’ll be done in a bit,” Seunghyun said with a smile, giving her a small wave as if she wasn’t literally in the room next door.
“Okay, love you”
Seunghyun brought a hand up to his lips and give them a kiss before waving back and smiling sweetly as the live cut off. Y/N sighed to herself happily.
They had lived through some of the best and worst moments of their lives together but one thing was certain. Seunghyun had Y/N. And Y/N had Seunghyun. And no matter what came next, that would never change.
Summary: As Seunghyun spirals under the weight of his own fears and self destruction, he convinces himself that pushing you away is the only way to save you from him. But love has never known when to let go.
Pairing: Choi Seunghyun x Fem!Reader
Trigger Warnings: angst, heartbreak, Seunghyun being his own biggest enemy
A/N: This is the first fic I’ve written since last Halloween and while I was initially inspired to write fluff (which will come eventually, I promise) I started typing this and couldn’t stop. This is the first of a 3 part series. I hope you enjoy x
For the last hour, you’d managed to convince yourself dinner was going smoothly. The jokes came easily, the drinks even easier. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, this was the standard Friday night dinner with your boyfriend and friends. If you focused hard enough on the chill of your dessert against your tongue, you could almost pretend things between you and Seunghyun weren’t rotting beneath the surface.
“You’re always around,” Seunghyun muttered. “Don’t you ever get tired of being so clingy?”
Your hand stopped, the spoon of bingsu frozen halfway to your mouth. Everyone else at the table quieted down at the sudden outburst. Seunghyun took another sip of his wine, his stare focused on the plate before him. Your hand lowered, your appetite vanishing as heat crept up your neck.
“Seunghyun, what the fuck?”
Ji’s voice cut through the silence sharply. He was used to watching Seunghyun self destruct but he would be damned if he allowed the older man to be disrespectful to you of all people.
“Watch your tone,” Seunghyun warned, playing the older brother card. His voice had deepened after his third glass of wine, the husky sound making him sound more menacing than he actually was. Jiyong’s eyes hardened.
“I will when you show some respect. If you can’t handle your alcohol, I’m cutting you off,” the younger man said.
“This was supposed to be a members only dinner, why the hell is she here then?”
Your heart cracked further at Seunghyun’s question. He had never been this aggressive with his…recent and sudden dislike towards you. You had been happy and in love for the last year of your relationship. Or so you thought. You weren’t sure what he was to you, not anymore.
Youngbae reached over to place a hand on your thigh under the table, being the one closest to you.
“We all want her here, she’s part of the team. What we don’t understand is when YOU stopped wanting her here,” Ji argued back, wanting to get to the root of the problem. You stiffened, not wanting to hear what you suspected all along: Seunghyun had gotten tired of you. He had obviously just wanted to get rid of you, but you had a foolish thought that if you stuck around he’d learn to love you again. That you were worthy of love.
You cleared your throat.
“It’s fine, I was done with my dessert anyway. I just remembered I have to meet up with the girls for a little spa night back at the hotel,” you said with a small smile on your face. You stood up, pulling your wallet out. Immediately, two different voices sounded.
“Don’t you dare try to pay for your meal.”
“Put that wallet away, are you crazy?”
Daesung reached forward and grabbed your wallet before Ji had a chance to. He stuffed it under his thigh, slapping your hand away as you tried to reach for it.
“Nope, you can get this back later when we get back to the hotel,” he berated softly with a smile, and you were thankful for the distraction. You chuckled lightly and sighed.
Seunghyun rolled his eyes and swirled the wine around his glass, keeping his gaze fixed downward. He knew better than to look at you right now. Because if he looked at you, really looked at you, he’d take it all back. Hurting you had never been part of the plan. But it seemed to be the only way you got the message. You didn’t deserve to drown alongside him. You deserved so much more than he could ever offer.
But you refuse to listen whenever he told you that, so he had no choice but to resort to pushing you away. Maybe humiliation would finally accomplish what honesty couldn’t.
——————
It wasn’t always like this.
There was a time when the two of you existed in each other’s orbit so completely that being apart felt unnatural. He looked at you as if you hung the moon and you thought life was brighter with him in it. You were the kind of couple that people envied after spending a few hours in your presence.
An example of that? You visiting Seunghyun at the recording studio. You were about six months into the relationship and life was perfect. You stopped by as requested by Seunghyun; he wanted to take you out for lunch but knew he’d need you to help get him out of the studio mindset. You had no problem picking him up. This wasn’t the first time a studio visit resulted in you having the best time with the rest of the guys.
You were greeted by chaos the second you opened the studio doors. Daesung was in the booth, recording his part of song. Youngbae sat on one of the rolling chairs, spinning around as he read the lyrics over. Jiyong coached Daesung as he sang, making the younger man repeat the verse.
And then there was Seunghyun.
Your smile widened the moment you spotted him sprawled across the studio couch, attention halfheartedly fixed on his phone. You gave a quick bow to the studio manager, greeting everyone kindly before closing the door behind you slowly, not wanting to disrupt the flow.
Seunghyun’s gaze lifted, standing immediately as he spotted you. Making his way over to you, you couldn’t help but smile at the warmth in his eyes as he looked at you. He leaned down, pecking your lips gently before grabbing your hand and bringing you back to the couch he was seated on.
“Thanks for coming baby, we’re almost done. One more set of harmonies and we should be good to go,” Seunghyun apologized, his voice wrapping around you like warm honey.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” you said sweetly, leaning in and bumping your nose with his. It was mushy, but you couldn’t help it. Seunghyun made you feel like a school girl. He reciprocated, pecking you once more before sinking further into the couch with his arm around you. He whispered something to you, something you scoffed at before snuggling closer. Forgetting your surroundings for a second, you placed your hand on his abdomen, tickling him gently in retaliation to his teasing comments. Seunghyun grabbed your hand swiftly, murmuring in your ear as you both giggled softly.
The affection probably looked sickening to anyone watching, but none of the guys seemed to mind. They were happy their hyung found someone who made him happy.
Daesung noticed you the moment he stepped out of the booth. He bound over to you like a golden retriever, hopping onto the couch beside you and making you laugh. You both easily jumped into conversation as Seunghyun watched, his arm still comfortably around your shoulders.
He loved watching you slip so effortlessly into his life, as though you’d always belonged there. You were easy going, someone so wholesome that it was impossible not to love you. And Seunghyun loved you.
More deeply than he’d ever loved before.
It terrified him, the way he would do anything for you. Some nights, he caught himself waiting for you to realize you deserved someone softer. Someone steadier. Someone untouched by the uglier parts of him. His life was chaotic, unpredictable. He had admirers and he had haters. He didn’t want to subject you to the spotlight and therefore kept things private. You understood it was for your safety and his peace of mind, but Seunghyun couldn’t wrap his mind around you being so understanding. All his ex lovers were furious when he tried to explain why he couldn’t show them off at events or on social media. But you never once complained. You simply adjusted yourself around every sharp edge he exposed to you until loving him became second nature.
In the depths of Seunghyun’s mind, he knew his thoughts were ridiculous. But they were drowned out by the much louder and darker internal monologue. The voice that told him he would never equate to the man you thought him to be. But when he looked back at you, seeing the way your eyes sparkled as you laughed with his brothers and the way you looked at him so sincerely, he managed to silence those thoughts for a little while longer.
