FILLING IN THE BLANKS ⋆.𐙚 ̊ AKH
ꗏyn // You loved attending gatherings with your mom since you were a kid, mostly because of one girl you hit it off with since the beginning. However, since she got a boyfriend, it’s rare to see her. Now you’re thinking if it’s even worth it to waste time at these home parties. Your mind quickly changes when her younger brother randomly starts a conversation with you about Sudoku.
SHORTLY .ᐟ Keonho wanted to get to know you since he could remember, but he wasn’t sure if you were even aware of his existence. When he notices you playing Sudoku, Keonho gets an idea of how to make you notice him.
PAIRING .ᐟ ahn keonho x f!reader (ft. cortis martin&seonghyeon illit wonhee bnd woonhak h2h stella lngshot louis?)
CONTAINS .ᐟ acquantaines2lovers family friends dynamic slowburn romance wonhee&keonho are siblings martin&stella are cousins reader is 09 down bad keonho school au profanity
WORD COUNT .ᐟ 5.8k (582O)
𝒫laylist .ᐟ chosen—blood orange&caroline polachek, sometimes memory fails me sometimes—everyone asked about you, the thrill of loneliness—hana stretton, it had to be you—frank sinatra, all i need—radiohead, lover, you should’ve come over—jeff buckley, be my angel—mazzy star, sometimes—faye webster damned—miguel
ᝰ note .ᐟ ITS HEREEEE FINALLYYYYY!!!! i genuinely loved writing this fic !! this was heavily inspired by those things i find attractive slideshows on tt LMAOO but i really hope you guys enjoy this <333 btw this was based on my last situationship LOL it ended back in may so idc it was just for fun but it’s still a lil bit awkward bcs we’re in the same friend group (FAMILY FRIENDS 😭😭) the wc turned out to be way less than I expected but the situationship was like 1.5 months long so 🤔🤔 not a lot to write about in comparison w/fluoroscent adolescent (situationship was 1.5 years long) cortis masterlist .ᐟ
YOU DON’T REMEMBER the first time you went to meet your parents’ friends. Only vague fragments cloud your mind sometimes. But you do remember that talking with Wonhee was as easy as getting a paper scratch.
Your talks were never forced: they included pointless school gossip and deepest secrets you didn't dare to share with anyone but her.
At some point in your life, you went to a family friend's functions just to talk to her. Unfortunately, it is not like that anymore.
Ever since Wonhee started talking with a guy from her grade, she slowly stopped coming with her family, texting you a quick apology and promising you'll talk at school.
You understand her; high school romance becomes a priority in your life as soon as it appears in your life. The feelings you've never experienced really mess up your senses. At least, that's what you think. Are you trying to excuse her? You don't really know.
But you know that these gatherings become more and more boring.
Sure, Martin's and Stella's cousin's antics are still comical, and Woonhak’s college stories make you wonder what will happen next, but it is not the same.
As you sit on the couch at Stella's house, you wonder if you should come here the next time or just study for the next quiz in biology. If you are going to spend time doing something you don't particularly enjoy, at least you should do something productive.
With this thought in mind, you take your phone to open the sudoku app. It's a little hobby you developed to pass your time with use. It's just the right difficulty too–hard enough to not make you bored, but easy enough that you are not stuck on the same puzzle for the next week. The rest of the group went out to get drinks while your favorite place is still open. You made Woonhak remember your exact order a few years ago because you were too lazy to wake up from your nap, so you are not worried about being thirsty.
Putting numbers into the grid, you don't notice how the couch dips under the weight beside you. You don't feel the pair of curious eyes follow your fingers until the person speaks up.
“You know how to play sudoku?” a captivated voice suddenly breaks the silence.
When you divert your attention from your phone to the person beside you, you are surprised by the distance between you. Not close enough to make you uncomfortable, but definitely enough to be able to see the moles on his face.
The person behind the questioning voice was Keonho–Wonhee’s younger brother. He was the same age as you, although you can't say that the two of you are close.
Actually, you barely even talk to him. You know he's in the same friend group as Martin and that he is a swimmer. That's all. Pretty weird, as you and his sister are almost inseparable.
After a second of silence after his question, you give him a slight nod, followed by your own query. “You don't?”
“Nah, I never really bothered to learn,” Keonho answers as he pulls out his phone from his sweatpants’ pockets, opening some social media.
You ponder for a moment before asking, “Do you want me to teach you?”
You never really bothered to get close to him. You greeted him at school and made small talk when you were in the same vicinity–that was enough for you. Thus, you are not sure what made you propose something like a lesson in sudoku.
Keonho seemed surprised at your offer, but quickly agreed, “Sure, if it's not hard for you.”
“No, not at all.”
Your assurance gave him the confidence to move closer to you so he could see the screen clearly. You didn't mind it; actually, you lay back so it was more comfortable for both of you.
Starting a new level on the easy difficulty, you started explaining the basic technique of Sudoku.
“Basically, there can only be one digit in each square, row, and column. you check each of them for a specific digit and decide where the missing one should be,” you explain slowly, showing him what you mean with your fingers.
“So, if there’s a 2 in these upper rows, then the third one should be in the bottom one?”
“Exactly, you're a fast learner.”
Keonho grins at your compliment, eyes curving into crescents. “Maybe you're just a great teacher.”
His praise makes you laugh. You hand your phone to him. “Let's check how amazing of a teacher I am.”
“Ah, I don't think I am at that level yet.” he shakes his head, but the smile doesn't leave his face. I still need the teacher’s guidance.”
“Just try, ask me if you have any questions.”
Keonho doesn't answer and just leans back with your phone in his hand.
Time passes as he asks you if a number goes into that spot every minute. You watch as he completes his first sudoku puzzle ever.
When he understood the fundamentals of the game, he started asking questions and telling you stories from his life: Martin getting scammed, his upcoming swimming competition, and even how Wonhee is barely home these days.
“She is either at school, hanging out with her friends, or talking with that guy of hers. " You know anything about it?” Keonho rambles, finishing his 6th square. When he asks you about Wonhee, he pauses slightly and glances at you.
Your attention was focused on the screen before, but as you catch his gaze, you start to think about the question. Do you know anything about Wonhee’s situationship?
“I think he might ask her out soon.”
“Really? Well, if that happens, she will stop bothering me about it,” he chuckles, going back to the game.
You snickered at this, letting him lead the conversation again.
“Finally…” Keonho breathes out while handing you your phone back; the bold phrase ‘completed’ is shown on the screen.
You pocket the device and sit up slightly, “Good job.”
Keonho closes his eyes and mutters some words of gratitude. At first, you thought he was tired, but you were proven wrong when he rose the next second. He seemed jittery, cracking his knuckles while looking back at you every second or so.
“You—” he pauses, cracks his knuckles again. “I mean, are you gonna be here next weekend?” he stutters while struggling to maintain eye contact.
His sudden question caught you off guard as you never had a proper interaction before tonight, and, well, you rarely miss these hangouts. It's not that you minded the question—it just surprised you. In all these years of knowing each other, you'd never gone beyond some small talk. Why would he care now?
“I mean, yeah. Why wouldn't I?” He looks away as if to think about your response. “Wonhee won't probably come, so I thought you know?”
Oh.
You hadn't expected him to notice that you were pretty bored without her. It made something small flutter in your chest, something that you quickly pushed down. You didn't want him to think that she's the only reason you come here. He's not wrong, you admit to yourself, but that's not something I want to say out loud.
“I'm pretty bummed that she doesn't hang out with us anymore, but it's alright. I'm still having fun with the rest.”
Keonho raises an eyebrow, sending you a funny look. He clearly doesn't believe you.
“What? It's true.” Martins and Stella's fights are enough to make me stay,” you defend yourself, crossing your arms. He snorts at that, shaking his head with a soft laugh, “pfft, alright, whatever you say.”
Before you could even prove Keonho wrong, the others arrived with the drinks. The peaceful bubble you’d been in was popped by Woonhak’s loud entrance, followed by martin’s and stella’s bickering.
“Did we miss anything?” Woonhak asks, while handing you your usual drink and then settling onto the armrest across from you.
Keonho glanced at you, a small smile creeping onto his face. “Nothing much.”
You caught his eye and found the urge to roll your eyes. ‘Nothing much,’ he says. Like you didn’t just spend thirty minutes teaching him how to solve a puzzle.
The rest of the evening goes on as usual—cousins’ petty arguments, Woonhak’s complaint about finals, the comforting presence of childhood friends.
But tonight, Keonho’s presence felt different. You weren’t sitting next to each other anymore, but you paid attention now. When he laughed at something Martin said, you found yourself smiling too.
When it was time to leave, you grabbed your hoodie and headed for the door, where your mom was waiting for you outside.
“Hey.”
You turned around. Keonho was standing a few feet away, putting on his hoodie.
“Thanks for teaching me.”
“You’re welcome,” you said, surprised by how genuine he sounded.
He nodded, “Then, I’ll see you soon.”
It wasn’t a question; it was something he had already decided. And you subconsciously allowed it.
“Yeah,” you said quietly. “See you soon.”
THE NEXT MORNING, your sleep was disturbed by the call from your mom.
Shuffling in your bed, you stretch out your hand to grab your phone from the bedside stand. Randomly tapping in hopes of picking up the call, you bring it to your ear.
“Hello?”
“[name], do you have any plans today?”
Before answering, you go through your weekly plans in your head, trying to remember if you had anything today. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Do you want to have breakfast with my friends and me? Stella and the others are here too!”
“Yeah, sure,” you answer without thinking it through.
“Wonhee is not here; her brother is though! " We’ll be in the cafe near our house,” she mentions. “Come quick!”
Your mom hung up the phone before you could even answer. That made you get up from the bed to start getting ready.
You washed your face and brushed your teeth, dressed up in a comfortable outfit, and just did your mascara for the makeup. It’s not like you had a lot of time on your hands.
The cafe wasn’t even a ten-minute walk from your house, but still you found yourself walking faster, getting excited about a simple breakfast.
When you pushed through the door, the strong smell of coffee and pastries hit you immediately. Your mom’s laugh rang out from the corner table, and you spotted her waving at you enthusiastically.
“Over here!”
She was seated with two other women—Mrs. Park and Mrs. Kim—Martin’s and Stella’s moms. The table was filled with toasts, omelets, fruits, and steaming cups of coffee. Stella and Martin were squeezed on one side, arguing over the last croissant.
And then there was Keonho.
He was sitting at the end of the table, scrolling through his phone, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. He was dressed in a simple blue hoodie, hair slightly messy. he looked up to look at you, and that sight made you feel something strange in your stomach. For a second, his expression shifted—surprise, then something softer, a small smile tugging at his lips.
You looked away quickly.
“[name]!” Stella called out, finally noticing you. She waved you over, gesturing to an empty seat. “Come sit! We saved you a spot.”
The empty seat was next to Keonho.
You swallowed and made your way over, sliding into the chair next to him.
“Morning,” he said quietly, just loud enough for you to hear.
“Morning,” you replied, suddenly very interested in the menu.
Your mom, of course, noticed nothing. “[Name], Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Park haven’t been able to talk to you in so long; they’ve been asking about you!”
The next few minutes were filled with polite talks, your mom's friends commenting on how much you’d grown and how they remember when you were just a toddler. You answered automatically, nodding at the right moments, but the awareness kept drifting to the person next to you.
Keonho wasn’t saying much. he was focused on his talk with Martin while stirring his coffee. When your mom asked him about school, he answered politely, and you found yourself listening more intently than you’d like to admit.
“Do you have a girlfriend, Keonho?” Mrs. Kim asked suddenly, her voice calm with a slight teasing tone.
You almost choked on your drink.
Keonho laughed softly, shaking his head. “No, ma’am, just focused on swimming at the moment.”
“What a shame,” Mrs. Kim sighed dramatically. “You’re such a handsome boy.”
Stella groaned, “Mom, please—“
The table dissolved into laughter, and you found yourself laughing too. You risked a glance at Keonho, and he caught your eye, rolling his own in a silent can you believe this?
You bit your lip to keep from smiling too much.
Everything is normal, you tried telling yourself, despite the beating of your heart saying otherwise.
After breakfast, your mom and her friends decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. “You kids stay safe and have fun,” she said, already pulling on her jacket.
Stella groaned. “We’re not kids, Mom.”
“You’ll always be kids to me. Come on, ladies!”
The moms left in a bustle of laughter and goodbyes, leaving the four of you at the table. Martin leaned back in his chair, stretching.
“So…what do we do now?”
You looked around the table. Stella was scrolling through her phone, and Keonho was finishing his coffee. You silently thought about what you could do.
“Let’s go to the playground across the street,” Stella broke the silence, putting her phone in her pocket.
Martin cracked a smile at her suggestion, “What are we? kids?”
“I mean, your aunt said that you’ll always be one to her.”
“Keonho, shut your mouth.”
You giggled at the interaction.
The playground was small, but well-kept—a few swings, a slide, and a bench that looked like it had seen better days. Stella immediately claimed the swings, pumping her legs to get as high as possible. Martin sat on the bench, scrolling on his phone, occasionally looking up to mock her.
You found yourself standing near the slide, not sure what to do with yourself.
“You okay?”
You turned. Keonho was standing a few feet away, hands in his hoodie pocket, watching you with a curious expression.
“Yeah,” you said, still a little bit awkward. “Just…not sure what to do.”
He nodded towards the bench. “Martin is gonna be on that thing for a while. Stella’s probably going to convince us to get on the swings eventually.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
He grinned. “Depends on who’s pushing.”
Before you could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. he pulled it out, looked at the notification, and his expression changed to a more relaxed one.
“Sorry,” he said, tapping out a quick reply. “Just a friend.”
“No worries.”
He pocketed the phone and looked at you again. “Seonghyeon. Martin and I have known him for a while. We were supposed to study later, but he’s trying to back out.”
You blinked. “Seonghyeon?”
“Yeah, you know him?”
“he’s in my class,” you said, surprised. “We are actually seatmates.”
Keonho’s eyebrows rose. “Small world”
“Apparently.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I owe you a thank you then; your notes helped us both a lot last semester.”
“I’m glad,” you laughed, tension in your shoulders easing, “did he give you a copy?”
“Nope, we shared them when we studied. He kept complaining about how much information we had to memorize.”
“Sounds like him.”
Stella’s voice cut through the air. “Are you two going to stand there talking, or are you going to push me?”
Keonho looked at you, playful glint in his eyes, “Duty calls.”
“Don’t push her too hard,” Martin called from the bench. “She will throw up.”
“I will not!”
You laughed as Keonho walked over to the swings and gave it a half-hearted push that made Stella shriek. Martin was laughing now, too, and you found yourself smiling.
This is nice, really nice.
The hangout went well. With time, you joined Stella on the swings, and Martin told a funny story about a time when he and his friend Juhoon played basketball.
When you all went home, the sun was already behind the horizon. You said your goodbyes. You’re all gonna meet again tomorrow at school anyway.
And that was something Keonho was not sure about.
When he walked in home, he could hear his parents chatting in the kitchen and his sister laughing in her room.
He came in to greet his parents and went straight to his room, taking his phone and scrolling through his contacts.
When he found the right one, he pressed the call button and waited for the person to pick it up, while pacing around the room.
“what’s up, keonho?”
“Seonghyeon, I need your help badly.” Keonho let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“With what?”
“If I see [name] tomorrow at school, what do I do?” Keonho whispered, closing the door to his room.
“[Name]? Did the breakfast go well?” Seonghyeon asked, surprised. Keonho mentioned that he and Martin went to a cafe and you were there, but that was all Seonghyeon knew.
“Yeah, I’d say so. We all hung out after; I literally just came home.”
“damn,” Seonghyeon smirked. “Just say hi as a normal person. don’t make it weird.”
“Yea—“Keonho gulped, “I know, it’s just, what do I do?”
“What the fuck do you mean ‘what do you do’ Keonho?” Seonghyeon sneered. “Just send her a wave or a nod; there’s nothing else to it.”
“Okay, yeah,” Keonho mumbled. “You’re right.”
“I gotta go now, don’t fumble it tomorrow.”
“Mhm,” Keonho acknowledged.
When Seonghyeon hung up, Keonho changed his clothes and went to sleep, hoping that the new week would go well.
MONDAY MORNING came faster than expected.
Keonho had barely slept—his mind kept replaying the cafe, the playgrounds, the way you laughed at Martin’s stories. He'd tossed and turned for hours before finally drifting off.
Now, standing in the hallway in front of his open locker, he felt like he was about to go to the international competition.
Just say hi, don't make it weird. He spotted you at the end of the hallway, chatting with Seonghyeon. You laughed at something he said. Keonho felt his stomach do a weird flip.
okay. Here we go.
He walked towards you, trying to look casual. When you noticed him, you just smiled—a small smile that still made his heart race.
“Morning,” he said, hoping his voice didn't crack.
“Morning,” you replied, still smiling.
And because he didn't know what else to do, he waved. a small, awkward wave that made him want to sink into the ground. Seonghyeon was watching him with barely concealed amusement.
Keonho wanted to die.
But you just laughed—not meanly, never, but warmly, and said: “See you at lunch?”
“Yeah,” he managed. “See you then”
Keonho walked away feeling like he just swam 5 laps in a row.
The week continued like that. Filled with small moments that felt way bigger than they were.
On Tuesday, you passed him in the hallway and greeted him first. He almost forgot to reply.
On Wednesday, you sat with him and Stella at lunch, talking about the upcoming function. Stella complained about having to babysit, and you laughed. He couldn't stop thinking about how nice your laugh sounded.
On Thursday, he found himself texting you about the biology homework. It was a flimsy excuse–he didn't even take biology. But you still responded, and you ended up chatting for an hour about everything.
By Friday, Keonho realized something.
He wasn't just interested anymore.
He was falling.
As for you, the week had been…strange. Not in a bad way.
You couldn't quite put your finger on when things had shifted, but somewhere between awkward hallway greetings and lunchtime conversations, Keonho had become a constant presence in your day. You found yourself noticing him in the crowd, smiling without realizing.
It was ridiculous. You'd known him for years—barely, sure, but still. Why was this different?
Because before, you never really saw him, a small voice in your head whispered. And now, you can't stop.
You pushed the thought away, focusing on your biology notes. But the slight grin on your face wouldn't fade.
THE WEEKEND ARRIVED faster than you expected.
When your mom told you about the hangout at Stella’s house, you felt a flutter of anticipation you couldn't quite explain. You told yourself it was because you'd been bored at the last one—which was true—but a smaller part of you knew the real reason.
You arrived to find the house buzzing with noise. Adults were scattered around the dining room, drinks in hand, laughter filling the air. Stella’s younger cousins were running around the living room, and Martin was trying to escape their grasp.
And then you saw him.
Keonho was standing near the kitchen, talking to Stella’s mom. When he noticed you, his face lit up with a small smile that made your ears go red.
He greeted your mom first. When she joined the others in the dining room, he turned to face you.
“Hey,” he started. “You made it.”
“Wouldn't miss it,” you said, surprising yourself with how much you meant it.
The evening continued with a loud and chaotic energy in the best way possible. You found yourself gravitating towards Keonho without really meaning to—standing next to him during conversations, laughing a little bit louder at his comments, catching his eye during conversations and sharing a soft smile.
And then, as the night wore on, the adults made an announcement.
“Stella, Martin—we’re going to the convenience store. Be back in thirty minutes. Can you watch Louis?”
You blinked. Louis was Stella’s younger brother—a chubby-cheeked toddler with endless energy.
“Wait, what?” Stella started. “Mom—“
“Thirty minutes! Don’t give him anything sweet!”
And just like that, the adults were gone.
You looked around. The four of you stood in the living room. Louis was sitting on the floor with his toys, and an awkward silence settled over the group.
Stella and Martin exchanged a look.
“We’ll be right back,” Stella said, grabbing her cousin's arm. “We need to get something from upstairs.”
“Stella—“ Keonho started.
“Babysitting! You will be fine!”
And then they were gone too.
You stood there, frozen, watching them disappear. Keonho let out a long sigh beside you.
“Did they just—“
“Leave us alone with a toddler?” You finished. “Yeah, they did.”
Louis looked up at you with big, curious eyes.
And then he burst into a run.
The next twenty minutes were a blur of chasing, laughing, and almost stepping onto toys.
Louis was fast—faster than any toddler you had encountered before. You and Keonho ended up working together to catch him.
At some point, you’d both ended up on the floor with Louis in Keonho’s lap playing with his hoodie strings. You were exhausted, but smiling.
“He’s…a lot,” you smiled, catching your breath.
Keonho laughed, running a hand through his messy hair. “Yeah, but he’s cute.”
“He’s cute when he’s still,” you agreed.
Louis looked between the two of you, his tiny head scrunched in thought. Then he asked a question you’d never see coming.
“Are you two dating?”
You nearly choked. “What?”
“Are you two dating?” He innocently repeated, looking at Keonho expectantly. “Like boyfriend and girlfriend?”
Keonho’s face went red. “No, no—we’re just friends”
“Just friends,” you repeated, nodding your head.
Louis seemed unsatisfied with this answer. He looked at you, then at Keonho, then at you again.
“You look like you’re dating,” he declared and then squirmed off Keonho’s lap to grab his toy car.
You and Keonho stared at each other, both of you frozen.
And then, without thinking, you both burst into nervous laughter.
“Kids,” Keonho muttered, shaking his head.
“Kids,” you agreed, your heart pounding.
Later, when Louis was finally distracted by a cartoon, Keonho noticed your shoelaces were untied.
“Wait,” he knelt down, “You’re going to trip.”
“Keonho, I can—“
But he was already doing it.
He tied your shoelaces carefully, his fingers brushing against your shoe. It was such a small gesture, but the sight of him kneeling there, focused on keeping you safe, made you catch your breath.
When he looked up, his eyes met yours.
And something shifted.
After definitely more than thirty minutes had passed, you were holding Louis. The toddler curled up against your chest, and Keonho was standing close—closer than he usually did. He kept glancing at you, making sure you didn’t bump into anything while walking to the kitchen, his hand hovering near your back without quite touching.
You were so aware of him. Every time he moved, you felt it. Every time he looked at you, you felt it.
You tried telling yourself that he was just being considerate, that you’re both just babysitting, that it’s normal.
But nothing about the way your heart was racing was normal at all.
When the adults returned soon after, Stella and Martin finally came back downstairs. The chaos resumed, and you and Keonho drifted apart.
But he still glanced at you from time to time, like you were the only thing that mattered.
THE NEXT WEEK, everything went as usual, except you found yourself having lunch with Stella, Martin, and Keonho a lot more often than before.
Sometimes Wonhee joined you, but not for a long time. She would sit down, greet you, talk about her plans, and say bye. Earlier, it would upset you that she stopped hanging out with you, but things have changed.
You don’t seem to rely on her as much anymore. Spending time with others on the weekends greatly impacted your interactions at school. You could easily strike up a conversation with Stella or laugh at Martin’s jokes without worrying about how you sound.
And for Keonho…It was both easy and complicated at the same time.
One day, he found you sitting in the library after school.
“Hey,” he said, sliding into the seat in front of you. “I need your help with something.”
You looked up from your textbook, surprised to see him. “With what?”
“Math,” he winced, taking out a crumpled worksheet from his bag. “I know it’s not your subject, but I’m desperate. Stella’s not helpful and Martin’s worse.”
You laughed, “You came to me for math help?”
“Seonghyeon said you’re patient,” he said, and there was almost a shyness in how he said it. “And that you’re smart.”
The compliment caught you off guard. You felt warmth creep up your neck.
“I’m… not great at math,” you sighed. “But I can try.”
“That’s all I ask.”
That session was awkward. You both were hyper-aware of each other. The textbooks in front of you acted as shields. Every time your hands brushed against each other, both of you would quickly retrieve them and laugh nervously.
But thankfully, as time passed, the tension eased. He asked questions, and you answered. You worked through problems together, and when he got one right, he grinned at you like he’d won a prize.
“See?” you said. “You’re a fast learner.”
“I have a good teacher,” he replied, and the way he said it gave you déjà vu.
After that, sessions became a part of your routine. Every Tuesday and Thursday, you’d meet to be in the library after school. He would show you his homework, and you would work through it together, the hour passing faster than it should.
Keonho started bringing snacks. First, it was just a bag of gummies, then a sandwich, then a coffee when you mentioned you were tired.
“You know, you don’t have to do that?” you asked when he set the cup down in front of you.
“Yeah,” he replied, shrugging. “I want to.”
And there’s that.
After a particularly long session, you had to prepare for his quiz, Keonho packed up his things and looked at you.
“Are you hungry?”
You blinked. “What?”
“I’m starving,” he admitted. “And there’s a place nearby. Really good food, I go there after practices sometimes.”
You hesitated at first. It felt like it would blur the line between you two more. But isn’t the line already blurry?
“Okay,” you said. “Let me pack up.”
The cafe was small and cozy, tucked away on a side street you never noticed. You sat across from each other in a booth, and the conversation flowed easily—no awkward pauses, no more overthinking. It felt right.
After you were done with the food, Keonho insisted on paying.
“Keonho, you don’t have to—“
“I want to,” He said, cutting you off. “Consider it as a thank you for all this tutoring.”
You opened your mouth to argue, but he just smiled. And the words just died in your throat.
“Fine,” you said. “But the next time, it’s on me”
His smile widened. “Next time?”
Your eyebrows shot up, face turning red. “I mean—if there is a next time, if you’d like it.”
“I’d love it,” he said softly.
AFTER DINNER, you decided to take a walk along the curbside.
The evening cool air hit against your skin, making you slightly shiver. Keonho was walking close to you, close enough that your shoulders almost brushed.
And then, without a warning, he reached out.
His hand reached out to your face, brushing against your cheek to fix your hair, tucking a stray strand behind your ear.
It was such a small gesture. Such an ordinary thing. So why did it feel like the world turned upside down?
“You had something in your hair,” he said, voice barely above a whisper.
“Oh,” you managed to reply. “Thanks.”
You looked at him as you continued walking. Your heart skipped once.
Then twice.
You forgot whatever you’d been about to say, too caught up in the warmth that lingered where his fingers brushed your skin.
In that moment, something clicked.
Oh my god, you thought, your heart pounding so loud you were sure he could hear it. Oh my god, I like him.
After walking you home, Keonho came back and lay down on his bed.
Staring at the ceiling, he replayed all shared moments with you. he couldn’t stop thinking about how you’d taught him math and sudoku, how you’d smile at his attempts at being funny, or how shy you were when he complimented you from time to time.
And how you’d looked at him when he tucked your hair earlier.
He might’ve just kissed you right then and there, could’ve just blurted everything that has been on his mind.
As Keonho continues to stare down at the ceiling, he realizes that he has fallen for you before he even properly knew you. The quiet energy you radiated captured his attention too easily.
But now, these feelings were impossible to ignore.
He had no idea what to do about them.
THE NEW WEEKEND meant the new family friends' hangout.
This time, it was at Martin’s house. The backyard was filled with adults, the smell of barbecue hanging in the air. Martin and Stella were already bickering about music, and Woonhak escaped to somewhere quieter to finish his college assignment.
Keonho was there too.
He spotted you the moment you walked in, his face breaking into the same smile that always made your heart do a flip. You tried to play it cool, acting like you didn’t completely change how you viewed him a couple of days ago.
The evening passed as usual, in blurs of small talk and laughter.
“We’re out of soda,” Martin suddenly announced after searching the mini fridge.
“Again?” Stella sighed. “Martin, I told you to get more.”
“I’ll go buy some,” Keonho said, chuckling.
“Can you grab some chips too?” Woonhak called out.
“Got it.”
He slipped his phone into his pocket before turning to you.
“Come keep me company?” He asked, eyes glimmering under the shining stars.
You looked around. Everyone was already in their own world.
“Yeah,” you said, walking to the fence. “Let’s go.”
The walk to the store was quick, but it felt longer. It was filled with quiet small talk about mundane things—school, hangout, both of you even mentioned Louis.
The store itself was small and brightly lit. Keonho grabbed a few bottles of soda from the fridge, while you grabbed a bag of chips for Woonhak. When you went to pay, Keonho reached out and handed his card to the cashier before you could even pull out your wallet.
You looked at him with a pout, hinting that he didn’t have to pay.
As he took back his card, he chuckled. “It’s okay, I’ll make Martin pay me back.”
You laughed, shaking your head. “Whatever.”
Both of you walked out the door, and you were again met with the night’s cool air. As you were walking back, the silence engulfed your space. The only noise interrupting the quiet atmosphere was the sound of your footsteps and a distant hum of traffic.
You almost reached the house when Keonho suddenly stopped.
You turned to look at him, confused. “What’s wrong?”
He put the grocery bags on the street, walking towards you.
“Nothing's wrong,” he said quietly. “I just,” he swallowed.
He looked at you like he was trying to memorize your face. Then looked away.
“Keonho?” You stepped closer to check on him.
He looked back at you, and there was something extremely vulnerable in his eyes. Something genuine.
“I wanted to ask you,” he confessed. “And it might sound sudden, but—“
He took a step closer. The distance between the two of you was almost nonexistent. He was close enough that you could feel his breath.
“Can I kiss you?”
For a moment, the world stopped.
You were processing his question while he was starting to feel nervous in front of you.
Instead of answering, you brought your hands to cup his face—and then you were standing on your tiptoes before you could overthink it. Keonho immediately placed his hands on your waist, his gaze flickering to your lips for the briefest second before finding your eyes again.
Neither of you could remember who was the first one to close the distance.
The kiss was tentative at first, as though you were both afraid the slight movement might shatter the moment.
When neither of you pulled away, it deepened naturally. It became more gentle, more careful; like you both were discovering something you needed.
When you finally pulled away, you were both breathing a little heavier. Keonho’s hands wrapped around your middle, his head falling into your neck.
And you stood there, under the stars, holding him.
The world kept moving; the night was still young.
And somehow, with him in your arms, it felt like it was just the beginning of everything.
@k-records
