Ǥσℓ∂ɛи Ɔℓσƨɛт Ħσвι☀️

girl that is obsessed with her bed,her phone and k-dramas

[domjaehyun]

the boy is mine (l.dh) — part one

PAIRING. haechan x fem!reader (also jeno x reader) GENRES. smut, angst WORD COUNT. 19k CONTENTS. infidelity, alcohol & weed consumption (MC is a non-smoker if that matters to you), explicit smut (dirty talk, fingering, finger sucking, oral (receiving), rimming (receiving), groping/frottage, marking, spit play, (brief) ear play, breast play, creampies/unprotected sex (if you explicitly need me, a stranger on the internet, to tell you not to fuck raw, you are not responsible enough to be reading this. move along now), snowballing, public sex, car sex, riding, bratty dom-leaning switch!haechan, bratty sub-leaning switch!reader, sweet dom!jeno, face riding, handjob, overstimulation (receiving), praise kink (receiving), light degradation kink (giving), mating press, morning sex) NOTES. welcome back to meeeeeeee!!! i hope you enjoy this fic because i worked very hard on it!! please leave feedback if you liked it :) i would also greatly appreciate tips if you really liked it :3 THANK YOU LIKE THE HUUUUUGEST THANK YOU TO BRI (@jalitepng) FOR BETA READING THIS BIG OL FIC :D PLAYLIST. the boy is mine - ariana grande // fantasize - ariana grande (unreleased) // lowkey (feat. erykah badu) - teyana taylor // agora hills - doja cat // pussy is mine - miguel // softest touch - khalid // cut - tori kelly // seatbelt - josh levi // often - doja cat // surrender - nbdy

how can it be you and me? might be meant to be, can’t unsee it but i don’t wanna cause no scene i’m usually so unproblematic, so independent, tell me why ‘cause the boy is mine.

You suppose your fate was sealed from the beginning. 

Even as you’re riding in the passenger seat of Yunjin’s car as she speeds down the freeway, your heart filled with a relief and fulfillment you haven’t had for the past six months, you can’t help but feel like something’s… lacking.

“So, spill,” you hear Seulgi pipe up from the backseat. “How many little British boy hearts did you break on your little Oxford trip?”

“Who says I broke any hearts?!” you exclaim with an incredulous laugh, and everyone in the car turns and gives you the same unimpressed look. “Oh, that was creepy. Did y’all plan that?”

“You were gone for six whole months and you want us to believe you got up to no romantic shenanigans? Hm?” Seulgi asks, narrowing her eyes at you, and you narrow yours right back.

“I didn’t break any hearts!” you defend yourself, and Chaewon sighs.

“Did you stow away a cute British boy in your carry-on?” she asks, and you make a face.

“Certainly not.” 

“Then there’s a broken heart floating around in Oxford as we speak!” Chaewon insists, and you scowl.

“Let me out right here.” you mutter, turning to open the door on the freeway, laughing as the other inhabitants of the car gasp and shriek in alarm. “I’m joking!” 

“You’re crazy, that's what you are.” Yunjin clarifies, and you giggle.

“I was having a laugh.” you say unapologetically. “Anyway, I didn’t really get up to too much in Oxford, really. I was focused on studying, I guess.”

“Oh, lame!” Seulgi boos, and you roll your eyes.

“I’m here now, though, so the hot girl spring and summer can commence!” you say happily, and your friends cheer. 

“Winter just texted asking if we got you off the plane okay,” Chaewon announces, and you shake your head.

“Tell her my seatbelt got stuck and wouldn’t let me out and so they took me back to England.” you suggest, and Yunjin snickers.

“Tell her the pilot got confused and took her to the wrong New York. If she asks what other New York, just be like, ‘the other one?’” she adds on, and Chaewon snorts.

“You’re both terrible.” she laughs as she types in a response.

“What’d you tell her?” Seulgi asks.

“That she got held back for getting her bag searched and they found five kilos of cocaine. So they took her out back and made her snort all of it as punishment and now she’s running amok in the city like Cocaine Bear. She’ll beat us back to the house.” 

“And we’re terrible?!” you exclaim indignantly.

“Well, yes.” Chaewon replies calmly. “Mine is obviously a lie.”

“Wh— My seatbelt getting stuck isn’t an obvious lie?” you splutter. 

“Well, that could actually happen!” she defends, and you blink at her incredulously.

“I didn’t expect the lesbian to forget that scissors exist.”

Chaewon’s jaw drops and she jabs a finger in your direction. “Homophobe!” She turns to Seulgi for support, but Seulgi just shakes her head.

“You’re alone in this one, Chae,” Seulgi giggles. “I laughed, I’m sorry.”

“Man, this is some bullshit.” Chaewon grumbles. “You’re supposed to have my back! We’re… we’re sapphic sistren!”

“You actually did not just say that.” Seulgi marvels. “Sapphic sistren is crazy.”

“I had to pull the gay card to win.” Chaewon says with a shrug. “I’m not sorry.”

“Can we get back on topic, please?” Yunjin laughs incredulously. “Jesus, it’s like if you put squirrels on a podcast.”

“We should make a podcast, actually.” Seulgi suggests, and you nod.

“We could call it ‘That’s Nuts,’” you say excitedly.

Chaewon snorts. “I’m in.”

Yunjin beeps her horn loudly, garnering all of your attention as you all jump in surprise. “We’re outside all spring and summer, right?”

“Well, after work, yeah.” you agree, and she smiles, nodding.

“I don’t want to hear you missed out on a fun fling or opportunity because you were busy working.” Yunjin jabs her finger at you accusingly, and your hands fly up defensively.

“In my defense, doing my job is way less risky than taking chances romantically.”

“Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?” Yunjin complains. “Live, girl!”  

“There are gonna be cute guys at the party, obviously. So I will live!” you insist, and Yunjin nods.

“That’s more like it.”

Returning to your thoughts for a moment, it dawns on you that romantic excitement is exactly what you’re lacking. You want to love; you want to love someone and be loved by that someone and for that love to be something beautiful and consuming, and you’re not sure how much longer you’re going to have to wait. 

You’re in the middle of making a mental pact with yourself to be just a bit more daring, a tad more forward and bold when it comes to love, when Seulgi and Chaewon laugh loudly at something on one of their phones, snapping you out of your internal monologue, and you shift in your seat, turning to face them.

“I can’t believe you guys left your whole apartment unattended during a house party just to welcome me home,” you sniff dramatically, and Seulgi snorts.

“Anything for you, my friend.” she replies with a playful crinkle of her nose, and you reach out to pinch it lightly.

“Besides, it’s not like it’s completely unattended! Winter’s there.” Chaewon points out, and you raise your eyebrows skeptically.

“Right… what is her non-confrontational ass gonna do if something goes wrong?” you ask, and Seulgi winces.

“Good point. Maybe step on it, Yunjin.” 

“I’m already going twenty over the speed limit!” she exclaims defensively.

“You’re not even exaggerating,” Chaewon half-gasps, half-laughs as she leans forward to look at the speedometer. “We might make it there quicker, but we might not make it there safely.”

“We are here for a good time!” Yunjin yells, whipping her hair around excitedly. “Not a long time!”

“Deeply concerning words coming from our driver.” Seulgi snickers quietly, and you nod, turning back to sit in your seat properly. “So…”

You peer at her through the rearview mirror curiously. “So?”

“I’m just imagining Jeno’s reaction when he sees you again for the first time.” She shrugs with a faint teasing smile, and you can feel your cheeks warming as a small smile starts to tug at your lips.

Jeno’s had a thing for you for the past… year and a half—at least, that you’re aware of—and you won’t lie, he’s definitely easy on the eyes and a sweetheart to top it all off. Before you went away to Oxford, you two had built up a bit of a flirtationship that neither of you tried to push further because of your study abroad trip you had planned.

Now, however, you’re back, and you’re admittedly excited to see if it leads to something worthwhile. 

“He’ll probably do that little crescent-eyed smile he always does when you spare him a crumb of attention.” Chaewon supplies as you’re lost in thought, and you roll your eyes as Yunjin nods knowingly.

“I’m willing to bet he’s gonna try to be glued to your side all night.” she adds, and you sigh loudly and dramatically.

“You guys are really something else, you know that?”

“You love it!” Chaewon says confidently, and you can’t help but smile fondly, nodding in agreement.

“I kinda do.”

Yunjin spares you a sideways glance that lingers for suspiciously long on your frame, and you raise an eyebrow.

“My eyes are up here.” you joke, waving a hand in her line of sight, “and, more importantly, the road is over there.” She chuckles and relents, refocusing her attention on the road, but she has that telltale look on her face that usually means she has something on her mind. “What are you thinking about?”

“Well—not that I’m judging at all, because, you know… live your life, girl.” Yunjin pipes up, and you turn to look at her, curiously awaiting the rest of her thought. “But are you gonna wear that to the party?”

You look down at your comfortable sweats and hoodie, perfect airport attire, and look back up at Yunjin with a playful frown. “What, is this not cute enough?”

“Well…” she trails off, and Seulgi pops her head forward between the front two car seats.

“No! It’s not a good enough outfit! You’re the guest of honor at your own welcome home party, and you have to come harder than some cozy gray sweats with a hole by the ankle.” Seulgi scolds, and you roll your eyes with an amused smile.

“Obviously I’m not going to wear this to the party, girl.” you laugh, and Seulgi sighs in relief. “I was just messing with you.”

“Well, cut it out! You know I’m gullible.” She frowns, and you reach into the backseat to pat her hand comfortingly.

“All the more reason to mess with you, my love.” you reply with a deceptively innocent smile. “Anyway, when we get back home, I have to shower and freshen up and change into my actual outfit. I also have to sort out the presents I brought back for everyone and make sure Jeno’s cake is still in good shape.”

“I still can’t believe you baked him a cake,” Chaewon marvels. “It’s giving domestic. Housewife, even.”

“Martha Stewart found jobless,” Seulgi adds, and you snort.

“I know this is his favorite type of cake, so I just… thought I’d make it for him.” you mumble quietly with a small, dismissive shrug.

“That is very cute to me,” Yunjin says reassuringly before punching the horn roughly and making the rest of the three of you jump in surprise. “Stupid fucker doesn’t know how to use his turn signal?!”

“Yunjin, calm down,” you advise, patting her knee gently.

“I am calm,” she replies, her tone level, and you pull your hand back, still eying her suspiciously. Sure enough, as she drives by the driver that failed to use his turn signal, she rolls her window down and yells out a string of expletives that makes Chaewon gasp in horror.

As Yunjin rolls her window back up and turns the radio up, you sit back and smile, thinking about how happy you are to be back at home.

You get home an entire eight minutes before your initial ETA, making Yunjin grin proudly when you make the announcement. 

After your friends help you bring your luggage up to your apartment, you go into the bathroom to freshen up. After the extensive process that was showering, brushing your teeth, reapplying your skincare and makeup, and applying lotion and getting dressed, you emerge, fresh-faced and victorious, into your living room where your friends lie sprawled on your couch as they wait for you. The only eyesore about your appearance is the large sack you’re carrying of presents you brought back for your friends.

“I’m ready!” you chirp happily, and Yunjin is the first to look up from her phone at you, eyes taking in your casual and comfortable yet cute attire before she nods appreciatively.

“It’s giving Santa Claus,” Seulgi chuckles, gesturing at your large bag slung over your shoulder.

“Ho, ho, ho,” you drawl with an amused roll of your eyes.  

“Stop it, Seulgi,” Chaewon scolds before focusing her gaze on you. “You look cute! Bet you-know-who’s gonna be all over you.” she says with a teasing grin, and you roll your eyes despite smiling before you set the bag down and set about getting out your gifts for your friends that are present.

You hand Yunjin a wrapped box of gorgeous shoes from an England-exclusive boutique and she sets about unwrapping it, her eyes widening with excitement as she reveals the present inside.

“Holy shit?” she gasps, gaping at the shoes. “These are perfect!”

“They’re so you,” you agree with a proud nod. “I saw them one day through a window while I was walking down the street and had to stop in and get them for you.”

“My turn, my turn!” Chaewon exclaims eagerly, bouncing in place as you root through your large sack and pull out a small wrapped box, which you hand to Chaewon carefully. She squeals in excitement once she’s opened the present, leaping up and engulfing you in a tight hug. “My perfume! I thought they discontinued it!”

“They stopped selling it in the States, but I managed to track down a store that still had some in stock, so I got you a couple—y’know, so you wouldn’t run out.” you say, smiling, and she beams at you.

“You’re the best.” she says seriously, looking you directly in the eyes to drive home her sincerity.

“I try,” you reply with a nonchalant shrug before reaching into the bag once more and pulling out one last present for Seulgi, wiggling the box at her invitingly. 

“For moi?” she asks with feigned surprise, a hand to her chest.

“Indeed,” you confirm with a grin, and she sits forward, taking the gift from your hand and opening it up.

“Oh, my God.” she exhales in shock, staring down at the designer earrings and bracelet set. “These look expensive as fuck.”

“They kinda were,” you admit sheepishly. “All of your gifts were a pretty penny, actually, but you guys definitely deserve them. Those really spoke to me, and I thought they’d look gorgeous on you.”

“Thank you, my love,” Seulgi coos affectionately, standing up to engulf you in a hug. Yunjin and Chaewon join in a brief moment after, the four of you hugging tightly for a lingering, blissful moment.

“You’re all very welcome. Are we ready to go now?” you say, changing the subject with ease even as your voice is muffled into Seulgi’s shoulder, and Seulgi pulls back immediately with an emphatic nod. 

“Ready as ever! Our fridge has snacks that are calling to me from over here.”

“You’re such a drama queen.” you scoff in amusement as you all head to your front door and file out after each other.

“Must have gotten it from hanging out around you.” she replies with playfully narrowed eyes in your direction.

“Oh, really?” you challenge, biting back a laugh, and she nods, puffing out her chest comically as she chest-bumps you on purpose. “Assaulting me in the middle of my apartment complex is actually wild and unheard of, and you will be hearing from my attorney.”

“Bring it on, baby!” she urges, and Yunjin rolls her eyes in poorly concealed amusement as you two start to giggle at your antics, the sounds of mirth ringing out in the lobby as you exit the elevator.

“You two are so strange,” she remarks in wonder. “But later for that. Onto more pressing matters!”

“Such as?” you question, holding the door open for Chaewon to follow behind you into the street. 

“How long will it take us to get from our house to yours?” Yunjin asks, pulling out her phone to search for it, but Chaewon seems to be one step ahead, already focused on her phone screen.

“The travel time from here to our house,” she announces loudly, squinting at her phone momentarily, “is roughly twenty minutes.” You all stand around Yunjin’s car at your respective doors, waiting for Yunjin to unlock the car so you can get in.

“Hm, yeah? Why so long?” Yunjin asks curiously as she moves to look over Chaewon’s shoulder. “Traffic, huh? …I bet I can shave that time down to fifteen minutes.” Her eyes glint with excitement as she presses her car door remote, the sudden and loud beep-beep of the doors unlocking making you and Seulgi flinch for a moment.

“Dear Lord, help us all,” Seulgi mumbles as you all climb into Yunjin’s car, strapping in before she peels out of her parking space and zooms into the night. 

True to her word, Yunjin precariously shaves six minutes off your travel time and you pull up to Chaewon’s and Seulgi’s apartment earlier than anticipated, exhilarated and pumped full of adrenaline. 

“Are you excited to be back at La Casa Payasa?” Seulgi asks with a smile, and you nod with a relieved sigh.

“It’s just like I remember it.” you hum fondly as you head up to their door and bring your fist to the door, only getting to knock once before the door swings open and Mark throws himself at you for a hug.

You catch him with a surprised laugh, stumbling back from the impact slightly but returning the tight hug nonetheless. He tucks his face into your neck and mumbles something that you can’t hear, prompting you to pull back slightly.

“I didn’t hear a word you said,” you chuckle, and he pulls back as well so you can see his bright smile.

“I missed you so much,” he repeats, and you coo fondly, pulling him back into the hug. 

“I missed you, too!” you chirp warmly, squeezing him in the hug for good measure. When you two pull apart, Chenle’s standing beside Mark and grinning at you. “Hey, Chenle!” 

“Hey, stranger,” he teases, pulling you into a hug of his own. “Long time, huh? Let’s hear that British accent you developed over there.”

“I don’t know what you’re on about,” you reply in your best British impression, and he bursts out laughing.

“Man, that’s good stuff,” he chuckles with a shake of his head. “We missed you over here!” he complains, moving to swat you on the arm. “Don’t leave again.”

“I’ll do my best to stick around.” you assure him, and he smiles and nods, content.

“Now what’s with this big ass bag you’re carrying, huh? Did you stow away some British goodies for us?” Chenle asks curiously, pinching the fabric of the sack over your shoulder. 

“Something like that,” you say slowly before you set it down and reach inside, handing Chenle and Mark their respective gifts. As they open them, Mark being considerably more careful than Chenle, you wait, hands clasped behind your back and rocking back and forth on your heels.

“How the hell did you get a signed Steph Curry jersey?” Chenle questions, baffled and thrilled, and you shrug with a secretive smile.

“I have my ways.”

“Never mind that—how did you get Frank Ocean himself to sign this album?” Mark asks, downright bewildered, and you shrug again.

“Ways that I have… that are mine.”

“You’re so silly, but this is amazing,” Chenle laughs, hugging you. “Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome,” you lilt sweetly, and Mark looks up from the Frank Ocean vinyl again to meet your inquisitive gaze with wide, awestruck eyes.

“You’re incredible. Genuinely.” he stammers, and you smile widely as he pulls you into a hug as well once Chenle’s released you. 

“I do my best,” you reply happily.

“Wait, also, how was your flight? Anything crazy happen?” Chenle asks curiously, and you pause as you think back.

“Actually, yeah; these two guys got into a verbal argument and then one of ‘em was like, ‘I’ll beat everyone’s ass right now!’ Which, objectively, is a crazy thing to say, but crazier to insist when you’re in a metal contraption thousands of feet in the air.” you start explaining, and Chenle’s eyes widen.

“No way,” he mumbles. “Then what?”

“Then he started threatening the flight crew, and I’m pretty sure he got placed on the no-fly list.” you finish with a solemn nod, and Mark gasps.

“I could never imagine never being able to fly again.” he mutters in awe, and you nod in agreement. 

“I know, right? He had it coming, though.” you say, and they shrug, nodding in agreement.

“I guess so,” Mark agrees before his face lights up as he seems to remember something. “Hey, where’s Jeno? He’s been waiting for you to show up.”

“I think he’s with Winter and Haechan right now,” Chenle answers, and you scrunch your face up in confusion.

“Who’s Haechan?” you ask, baffled, before it dawns on you. “Oh, wait, that’s Winter’s new boyfriend?” you ask, and they nod. “I see… well, can’t wait to meet him, I guess.” You shrug indifferently, now craning your head to look around for Jeno. 

You spot him before he spots you, the male standing alone texting on his phone by the couch. As if he can sense you looking, he looks up and his eyes lock on yours a moment later, his entire face brightening up as he starts to make his way over to where you’re standing.

By the time he’s where you are, you’re both sporting excited yet shy smiles as he opens his arms for a hug and you step into it. His arms drop to your waist and you wrap yours around his middle as he squeezes you gently.

“Hey,” he mumbles into the embrace, a smile audible in his voice.

“Hey, there.” you greet.

“Welcome back.”

“Good to be back,” you reply with a little grin.

“Did you have a good flight?” he asks curiously, and you nod.

“Minus a crazy guy on the plane, but it all ended fine,” you assure him, and he looks momentarily bewildered but manages to rein in his reaction.

“That’s good, I think… what seat did you get?” he questions, leaving you somewhat touched by his thoughtful questions. 

“I got a window seat,” you answer with a smile, and he nods in approval. 

“I love a good window seat,” he hums. “Did you watch a movie or nap or something?”

“I napped for a bit, yeah,” you chuckle, suddenly remembering how you’d had a bit of drool dried on your cheek earlier. Subconsciously wiping at the spot, you smile up at him casually. “I’m still a little tired, though.”

He frowns sympathetically before a little hopeful smile appears on his face. “Well, I hope you’re not too tired, because I wanted to give you something.” 

Your eyes widen. “You got me something?” 

He nods shyly. “I got you something. It’s in my car, though, and I parked kinda far, so I have to go get it. Come find me later when I come back so I can give it to you.”

“You got it,” you say with a smile. “I’ll come find you for sure. I actually have something for you, too, so we can trade.”

“Oh, no way! You’re the best.” He beams, squeezing your waist, at which point you realize you two never let go from the hug. Your cheeks on fire, you withdraw your arms from his middle and he does the same to you with an amused chuckle.

“I’m actually gonna go grab something from the kitchen,” you say, jerking a thumb in the direction of the hallway. “You want anything?”

“Nah, I’m good. I’m gonna run to the bathroom, actually.” he answers, and you nod before you two go your separate ways. You turn back at the sound of your name to see Jeno looking at you with a soft gaze and an even softer smile that makes you feel like you’re a giggly school girl all over again.

“It’s really good to have you back. It really wasn’t the same without you. Seeing all your Instagram stories gave me a crazy sense of FOMO, and our little phone calls here and there really made me miss you even more,” he says sincerely, and you place a hand over your heart, touched.

“I’m really happy to be back,” you assure him. “I missed you.” His brows flick upwards in surprise at your somewhat bold admission, and you blink twice in mild alarm before continuing in a slight rush with, “I—well, like, I missed you, and Yunjin, and Chae—I missed you all, y’know? The story posts were so you wouldn’t forget about little ol’ me. I loved our phone calls, but it’s so much better getting to talk to you in person.”

He laughs lightheartedly and nods, waving you off reassuringly. “I get you. Go get yourself some snacks! We didn’t stock up on your favorites for some random people to eat it all up before you get any.”

“Copy that,” you say with an emphatic nod, saluting him jokingly before heading to the kitchen.

As you’re making your way to the snacks, you catch the eye of a very handsome stranger leaning against the wall in your hallway talking to one of your friends from work. To your surprise, he doesn’t look away from you as you approach, even going so far as to turn his head as you walk by to keep staring at you. 

You’re not sure if you’re more intrigued by him than by the challenge he’s posed, but you keep eye contact until you get to your kitchen and round the corner to find yourself a snack.

Moments after you’ve entered the room, you feel someone enter behind you, a smile coming to your lips as you realize who it most likely is.

When you turn to face the newcomer, he’s standing surprisingly close to you, his eyes scanning your face with an intrigue and intensity that leaves both of you a little breathless. 

“Hi.” the handsome stranger says as his lips curl into a grin. 

“Hi, there,” you echo, smiling back at him. ”Did you follow me in here?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was fate?”

You pretend to think about it. “By the way you watched me walk in here… no.”

He chuckles. “Fair. I had to ask you a question.”

“Luckily for you, I love questions.” you hum, placing both hands on the counter behind you and leaning against it in a silent invitation not only to ask his question, but also to approach.

Thankfully for you, he does both, stepping closer with a small chuckle and asking, “I was wondering if you believe in love at first sight.”

“Oh, brother—” you start to laugh, and he joins you before waving his hands to get you to stop.

“Hear me out!”

“My listening ears are on,” you reply with a smile and coy tilt of your head that definitely doesn’t go unnoticed, based on the way his already probing gaze intensifies.

“Do you?” he asks again, and you think about it for a moment.

“Not really,” you admit, letting out a small giggle at the disapproving look he gives you. “But maybe I can be convinced.”

He smiles widely, looking so bright that it truly dazzles you before continuing on to say, “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Why?” you ask. “Do you?”

“I don’t think I did,” he answers carefully, “until I saw you just now.”

“Oh, brother!” you burst out laughing—half from surprise and half from being flustered by how surprisingly sincere he sounded. In your attempt to recover from your outburst, you catch a glimpse of him to see that he’s gazing at you openly with a fond look in his eyes. “You are really something, you know that?”

He steps closer to you with a heat in his eyes, a glowing ember of intensity burning as he asks, “Something good or something bad?”

You shrug playfully and lean closer, wanting him nearer to you. “Jury’s still out on that part.”

He chuckles and wets his lips before his gaze drops to yours. “Can I present some new evidence?” he murmurs, and you tilt your head to the side as you pretend to think it over. “Has anyone ever told you that it’s really cute when you do that?”

“Of course,” you snicker. “Why do you think I do it?”

“So you’re turning up the charm right now, but you don’t believe in love at first sight?” he asks with a raised eyebrow. 

“Is it love at first sight or attraction, sir?”

He grins and steps even closer, dangerously close to touching you. “So you’re attracted to me.”

You look around, confused. “Now who said all that?” 

“You just did.”

”I most certainly did not.”

He half-scoffs, half-laughs in disbelief and points at you accusingly. “I heard you.”

“You heard wrong, I guess,” you reply with a nonchalant shrug before patting his chest twice. Your phone buzzes in your back pocket and you both hesitate, neither of you wanting to exit the intimate moment. However, when it buzzes a second time, then a third, you decide to give up and pull your phone from your pocket to check it.

jeno [23:04] hey i’m back

jeno [23:04] i have your surprise :)

jeno [23:05] let me know where to find you

You lock your phone and look up at the handsome stranger with a small frown. “Anyway, this was great, but I have to go find someone.”

He frowns deeply and catches your hand as it leaves his chest, lacing his fingers with yours and looking up at you. “Do you actually have to leave or am I making you nervous?”

“I told my friend I’d find him later, and it’s officially later,” you explain truthfully, and he seems to hear the sincerity in your voice, because he relaxes visibly. “Maybe I’ll find you after?” you offer, and he perks up, gently squeezing your hand.

“I’d like that.”

“Can I get a name? So I know who I’m looking for later?” you ask.

He smiles, shaking his head. “I’ll tell you when you find me later.”

You pout, and he smiles fondly at you. “I guess.” you relent, grabbing the soda and snacks you came to get off of the counter and heading towards the kitchen exit. “See you later?”

He nods resolutely. “See you later.” 

You exit the kitchen with a small smile that threatens to take over your whole face if you don’t calm your spirits as you begin your second search of the night for Jeno. 

After grabbing the presents you got for him from where you’d stashed them in Chaewon’s room, it doesn’t take you long at all to find him, the male still lingering by the entrance when you spot him. You sneak around a small group of people and pop up beside him, making him jolt in surprise and clutch his chest.

“Hi,” you giggle, and Jeno slumps with relief when his eyes lock on you, a warm smile coming to his face.

“Hey,” he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

“So… how do you want to do this?” you ask curiously. “I can go first if you want?”

“No, I want to go first for sure,” he replies with a sureness in his voice that leaves you a little surprised and mildly impressed.

You gesture for him to start, still holding your present for him behind your back, and he retrieves two small, rectangular boxes from inside his jacket pocket. 

“That looks expensive,” you say worriedly, and he chuckles fondly before waving a hand dismissively.

“It wasn’t too bad, don’t worry.” he replies reassuringly as he hands you the small boxes.

You gesture awkwardly with your hands still behind your back, trying your best to indicate that your hands are currently out of commission, and his eyes light up with understanding before he’s gingerly opening one of the navy blue boxes.

You gasp once you’ve peered into the box, your eyes wide as you look up at him in surprise. ”Jeno.”

“Is it too much? Oh, God, you hate it. I’m sorry–” he starts to worry aloud.

“Wait—Jeno—”

“I can take it back, maybe, and you can pick out something you’d like more—”

“Jeno?”

“I should have thought it through more carefully—”

”Jeno!” your voice is gentle in tone but loud enough to catch his attention, his worried eyes locking in on yours. “Please relax.”

“Sorry,” he mumbles embarrassedly, looking down at the floor.

“I was going to say that I genuinely love them. The necklace and the earrings are stunning, and they’re exactly my style.” you say sincerely, in awe as you stare down at the beautiful pieces of jewelry Jeno bought you. The necklace is a silver choker, a paperclip-like link type chain with a diamond-encrusted butterfly in the center. The earrings are matching silver hoops with butterflies adorned along the rings of metal, and your jaw drops slightly as you take in the beauty of Jeno’s present.

“You really like it?” he asks excitedly, a hint of worry still in his voice, but when you nod, his brows unfurrow and he smiles widely, relieved. “I saw the set and it reminded me of you. It’s beautiful, classy, and fun.” 

You can’t help but smile. “You think I’m classy and fun?”

“Of course,” he answers instantly, and your smile widens as you step closer to him curiously.

“You think I’m beautiful?” you ask with your eyebrows raised, and Jeno visibly swallows.

“I do,” he bashfully agrees, and you coo fondly, wanting nothing more than to set his present down and wrap him in a tight hug. “I really do.” 

“Jeno,” you tease playfully, “I’m kinda dying to know what’s in the other box.”

“Oh, yeah!” he exclaims, closing the first box and opening the second as he explains, “I just got them in gold and silver because I know you tend to wear both depending on your mood and your outfit, so I gave you options.”

“Jeno, that is so thoughtful.” you gush appreciatively, and he blushes immediately, cheeks pinking along with the tips of his ears. “I absolutely love them,” you say gratefully, a warm smile curling your lips.

“Thank God,” he sighs with a laugh that you join him in.

“Okay, so… don’t know how I’m gonna top that,” you joke, “but it’s my turn now.”

“You have my undivided attention,” he assures you, and you can’t help but bat your lashes at him slightly.

“I like the idea of that.” you say flirtatiously, and he chuckles, shaking his head in amusement. “Okay, here, we’ll trade and you’ll open.”

“Deal,” he agrees, swapping presents with you. You watch nervously as he unties the ribbon on the white box and lifts the lid. “This looks delicious, holy shit.”

“I made it myself,” you say carefully. 

He looks up at you in surprise. “From scratch?”

You nod. “From scratch.”

“That’s amazing,” Jeno marvels. “Isn’t Victoria sponge cake hard to make?”

“Baking is only hard if you can’t follow instructions.” you say with a resolute nod, and Jeno snickers.

“I never thought of you as a rule-follower, if I’m being honest,” he admits.

You shrug. “Rules and instructions are very different to me, but I can be very obedient when I want to be.”

Jeno pauses at that, eyeing you suspiciously. “Oh, yeah? Like when?”

“In the bedroom.” you answer without hesitation, smiling in amusement as Jeno’s eyes widen slightly.

“You never gave off ‘obedient,’ y’know.” Jeno informs you.

“If I can tell you know what you’re doing, I’ll listen to you.” you reply with a nonchalant shrug.

“Yeah? Would you listen to me?” Jeno asks, voice quieter and, if you’re not mistaken, lower than before. There’s a suggestive edge to his voice, playful and flirtatious, but in the way that very much indicates that he’d stop joking in a minute if you were into it.

“Depends,” you answer, smiling up at him. “Do you know what you’re doing in there?”

His responding chuckle is significantly deeper than the ones before it, the sound undeniably attractive as he regards you carefully. “Absolutely.”

“Is that so?” you muse softly, watching him intently. “And I’m supposed to go off of your word?”

“You don’t trust me?” he asks, raising an eyebrow, and you shrug.

“I just tend to learn better from experience.” you reply with a small flirtatious smile that threatens to overtake your whole face.

“Maybe we can arrange that.” he says with a playful grin.

“I’ll keep my schedule open.” you say with a curt nod, and he snorts in amusement.

“Perfect.” he agrees before focusing his attention on the smaller box in his arms. He sets the cake box down on the table by the entryway and unwraps the other, cube-shaped box, his eyes widening with excitement when its contents are revealed to him.

“No way!” he gasps, turning the Big Ben snow globe this way and that. 

“I remembered you have a snow globe collection and I thought I could help you add to it.” you explain, and Jeno looks up at you, eyes bright.

“You’re amazing. Thank you so much.” he gushes happily, and you beam at him before waving him off.

“Of course, Jeno. I just wanted you to know I was thinking about you while I was gone.” you say sweetly, and he grins before opening his arms for a hug, 

You step into his embrace readily and wrap your arms around his middle, the two of you squeezing each other tightly. When you pull back slightly, you realize Jeno still hasn’t let you go, his arms still securely wrapped around your waist. 

“I really missed you, y’know.” Jeno says softly, and your heart warms.

“I missed you too, Jeno. It’s good to be back.” you echo, and he smiles before gently releasing you, his reluctance apparent in the way his fingers linger as they pull away from you. “Oh!” you say, remembering something out of nowhere. “I actually still have to give Winter her present, so I’m gonna track her down and do that.”

“Oh, of course, yeah, go for it. Thank you again—I’m gonna demolish this cake later.” Jeno says, finishing his sentence in a conspiratorial whisper, and you giggle.

“I’m glad. I’ll see you in a bit, yeah?” You reach up and pinch his chin gently, smiling wider when his blush from earlier returns in full force.

Jeno nods shyly, and you release him before venturing further into the party in search of Winter.

Finally spotting Winter across the room on her phone, you cross the living room and tap her shoulder from behind, smiling widely when she turns around.

“Hey!” she greets excitedly, wrapping you in a hug. You two rock from side to side for a moment, hearts full, before you release each other. “What’s up?”

“I just wanted to give you your present,” you say with a small shrug and a smile, and her eyes widen. “It’s nothing crazy!” you warn her, waving your hands dismissively, and she shrugs, reaching out for the gift bag in your hand with opening and closing fists.

“I wanna see! Can I see, please?” Winter pleads, and you give in with a fond laugh, handing over the gift bag. 

You wait with bated breath as she opens the present, her eyes softening fondly as she gazes down at the stuffed plushie in her hand.

“It’s so cute! How’d you even find a desert fox plushie?” she asks, in awe as she turns it this way and that.

“I had it commissioned from a toy store boutique only in England,” you explain, and she smiles widely, wrapping you in another tight hug.

“Thank you so much,” she gushes, pulling back from the embrace to clutch her plushie to her chest tightly. “I gotta come up with a name for you, little guy!”

“You do that,” you laugh, moving a stray curl out of her face. “I’m gonna keep making my way through the party.”

“Okay,” she sing-songs. “See you later!”

“See you, babe!” you chirp, waving goodbye before heading back the way you came, deciding to take a detour into the kitchen for more snacks.

You’re barely in there for five minutes, munching happily on salty and sweet snacks alike, before you exit and run almost directly into the chest of someone; the only thing stopping the collision are their quick reflexes as they steady you in place.

“Sorry!” you apologize, stepping back and looking up to your victim before you stop short and a pleased smile curls your lips.

“Hey, you. Was wondering where you’d run off to.” the handsome stranger from earlier says, smiling at you.

“Oh, y’know. Making the rounds, saying hi to everyone. It is my party, after all.” you reply with a secretive smile, and he steps closer with raised eyebrows of intrigue.

“Is that so?” he asks, and you nod, stepping a bit closer to hear him better. 

“Mm, yeah,” you hum. “You know what’s weird?”

“What is it?” 

“This party is for me, and yet there are people here I’ve never met before,” you muse. “Like you.”

“Maybe it’s a sign you're meant to get to know me.” he suggests with a wry grin, and you roll your eyes with a laugh.

“Good one.” you reply playfully. “So what should we do to get to know each other?” you ask with a playful lilt and feigned curiosity.

“Mm, you could start by telling me more about yourself.” he replies, and you raise your brows.

“‘Myself’ is a very broad topic,” you point out, and he snorts. “Be more specific.”

“Fair, fair.” he agrees with a chuckle. “What are…” he trails off thoughtfully before he perks up again, “your love languages?”

“I feel like this is an unfair advantage sort of question,” you reply with a small pout. (You do not miss the way his gaze softens fondly. Or the way it drops to your lips.) “So, I’ll only answer if you do, too.”

“That’s fair,” he agrees with a smile. “You first, though.”

“Mine are,” you say as you try to recall what the quiz results said the last time you took it, “acts of service, physical touch, and quality time. What about you?”

“Wait, let’s unpack yours first—”

“No, you say yours, then we’ll unpack mine. Fess up, bucko.” you press, poking him gently in the chest.

He laughs at your poke and mini outburst before obliging. “Physical touch,” he murmurs, leaning into your space and smirking slightly when you half-step, half-stumble back, “words of affirmation,” he straightens up and gestures between the two of you casually with a cheeky grin before finishing with, “and quality time.”

“You’re so smooth,” you gush sarcastically, and he snickers.

“Why, thank you. I’d say I try, but then I’d be lying.” 

You shoot him a look. “Don’t push it.”

Holding his hands up in surrender, he shrugs. “My bad.”

“As long as you know.” you reply with a sweet smile, and his gaze softens. “What?”

“You’ve got a beautiful smile, you know that?” he murmurs, and your cheeks warm. 

“Thanks,” you mumble bashfully, and he coos fondly at you. 

“So cute,” he fawns.

You glower at him. “I’m out of here,” you mutter, undeniably flustered and embarrassed about it. 

“Aw, come back, cutie—” he slips his fingers around your wrist gently and tugs you closer, smiling when there’s virtually no resistance from your end. “I didn’t mean to make you all nervous,” he apologizes with a playful, teasing lilt that tells you he might not actually be all that sorry. 

Turning your nose up, you look away from him even as his hand slips down to let his thumb stroke gently at the back of your hand. At your small intake of breath, he smiles and tugs you even closer—dangerously close, actually—before moving to wrap his hand around the small of your back.

It’s almost as if the Fates themselves decided to intervene, the divine timing is that impeccable.

His phone pings, and he frowns before pulling it out of his back pocket and checking the screen. His face falls visibly and so drastically that it actually hurts you to see for a moment, leading you to avert your gaze politely.

His hand slowly retreats from its original path, and you’re shocked to find that you’re a bit disappointed. 

“Do me a small favor? Schedule some time for me later before your busy, busy party ends? I’ll be back.” he says hopefully, squeezing your hand gently before shooting you an apologetic smile and turning to weave between a couple of people before disappearing into the hallway.

You try not to look as disappointed as you feel, but apparently you fail because Seulgi’s by your side moments later from out of virtually nowhere.

“I saw you pouting from all the way across the room,” she chuckles fondly as she strokes your back gently. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not pouting,” you mumble, and Seulgi raises an eyebrow.

“Tell that to your bottom lip,” she points out, and you tuck it back in with an air of defeat. “Exactly. Now what’s wrong?”

“I was talking to this really cute guy earlier,” you admit with a slowly deepening frown, “but he had to leave really suddenly.”

Seulgi makes a sympathetic hum. “Did you get his name?”

“No!” you complain, and she nods in understanding.

“Well, even if he had to leave, he might come to another party in the future—because he clearly knows someone here, you know?” 

“What’s wrong?” Chaewon asks, a tipsy Winter in tow.

“How do you know something’s wrong?” you ask, confused. 

“You’re pouting,” Chaewon points out, and you splutter, bewildered. 

“I’m not!” you exclaim defensively, and Winter winces sympathetically.

“You are.” she confirms, reaching out and unceremoniously poking your bottom lip before giggling to herself.

“She’s mad her party crush pulled a Cinderella and dipped on her,” Seulgi explains.

“Ah,” Chaewon and Winter both say sympathetically.

“That sucks,” Winter sighs. “Speaking of cute guys disappearing—has anyone seen my boyfriend anywhere?”

“What’s he wearing?” you ask, and Winter moves to answer before Chaewon unknowingly cuts her off. 

“It’s so weird that you and Haechan have been at this party for so long and have yet to run into each other.” Chaewon marvels aloud, and you shrug casually.

“I probably walked by him or something and just didn’t know,” you brush it off, and Chaewon nods thoughtfully.

“Walked by who and didn’t know?” Yunjin asks from behind you, and when you turn to face her, she frowns. “Why are you pouting?”

“Mother of God—” you huff, crossing your arms, and Yunjin winces.

“Jeez, tough crowd.” she chuckles. “Walked by who and didn’t know?” she presses.

“Haechan,” you explain, and her brows furrow together in confusion, but she doesn’t say anything.

“Oh,” is all she says after a moment. “Wait, can you, um, come help me with something in the bathroom?” she asks you, eyes concerningly piercing.

“Sure,” you mumble, definitely confused but picking up on her sense of urgency. 

“We’ll be right back,” Yunjin explains, tugging you away. “Roommate problems!” she calls over her shoulder, and you grimace to really sell the direness of the situation.

You let her tug you into the bathroom towards the back of the apartment by Seulgi’s and Chaewon’s bedrooms, and she sits you down on the toilet before taking a deep breath.

“I don’t exactly know how to tell you this, but I was trying to find you earlier before this spiraled out of control.” she starts. 

“You’re scaring me,” you complain, and she shushes you as she unlocks her phone and starts searching for something. 

“You did meet Haechan, actually, but I have a feeling no one told you that you met Haechan.” Yunjin says finally, and you think back to the very small amount of people you met for the first time today, pondering over who it might be before Yunjin turns her phone to show you the screen, and— 

“Fuck.” you mumble hoarsely, and Yunjin nods slightly before closing her phone on the screen she’s just showed you of a photo of your friend group, presumably from when you were abroad, where Winter is sitting happily on the lap of— “that’s the stranger I was talking to.” you say sadly. “My party crush.”

“Did he ever say his name?” she asks, and you think back, growing increasingly more irritated when you realize—

“No,” you mutter bitterly, “he must have conveniently forgotten to share that part.”

“Can I say something?” Yunjin says carefully, and you nod solemnly. “I saw you two staring at each other before he followed you into the kitchen.” Your blood runs cold, and it must show on your face, because she quickly adds, “I’m not mad at you, and I’m not going to tell anyone. I’m just gonna warn you, because that staring contest was intense, and I don’t know what happened in that kitchen—I don’t want to!” she says suddenly, putting her hand up to silence you as you move to speak before slowly continuing with, “I just know none of that can happen in front of Winter, so it shouldn’t happen at all.”

“Agreed.” you sigh sadly. “Yeah. I mean, I’m pissed as hell, and I might maim him the next time I see him, but other than that, I guess I’m fine.”

“I mean. yeah. Definitely agree with maiming him, actually.” she agrees after a moment of thought. “Just do something subtle and easy to explain away.”

You smile at her, your spirits lifted slightly. “You’re the best.” 

“Love you, girl.” she says sincerely, bending down to hug you before helping you to your feet. “I got your back.”

You head back out there with no pout in sight, only a deceptive smile as you plan your revenge.

It’s not long before the not-so-mysterious stranger comes back around, by which time you’ve fully worked yourself up into a huff about the situation once more, crossing your arms, leaning against the wall, and eyeing him disapprovingly as he approaches.

“Why so serious?” he jokes, and you raise an eyebrow.

“At what point were you going to tell me you’re dating Winter?” you ask, deciding to get right to the point, and he freezes, shock on his face. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry,” he says immediately. 

“For what?” you test him, and he frowns deeply.

“For hiding that from you.” he sighs, and you huff as he continues, “I just really wanted to get to know you, and I felt like I had to hide that because you knowing would ruin it!”

You look at him with an eyebrow raised pointedly. “And what would you call this?” 

His frown turns to a petulant pout. “Ruined?” he asks.

“Ding, ding, ding,” you say sarcastically before turning to leave.

“Wait, I’m— I’m really sorry,” he pleads, catching your hand before you can slip away. “Can we start over a little bit?”

“How are we gonna start over a little bit?” you ask skeptically, and he stands up straighter, tugging you a bit closer before smiling hopefully and releasing your hand to wave in greeting. 

“Hi, I’m Haechan, Winter’s boyfriend,” he introduces himself as he offers his hand to shake. As you take it, he gently urges you closer with a testing tug before adding, “and I think you’re beautiful.”

“Haechan!” you whisper, half-laughing in surprise, and he shrugs with a sheepish grin.

“Figured I’d lay all my cards out on the table this time.”

“Kinda ballsy, no?” you raise your eyebrows, crossing your arms, and he chuckles.

“I’m a pretty ballsy guy.” 

You eye him up and down before tilting your head to the side and saying, “I’m sure.”

“So am I forgiven?” he asks hopefully. 

“For now,” you reply after a moment of thinking, and continue at the sight of his excited smile, “but I’m watching you.”

“I’d be upset if you weren’t.” he murmurs, and you roll your eyes with a laugh.

It doesn’t take long for your one-sided animosity to dissipate as you and Haechan manage to fall into a normal enough conversation about your activities in Oxford. At one point, the familiar but unpleasant smell of weed filters into your senses, making you subconsciously wrinkle your nose in distaste. 

Haechan raises an eyebrow, amused. “You alright?”

“You don’t smell that?” you ask, and he sniffs the air before he chuckles.

“I’m guessing you’re not much of a smoker?” he speculates.

You shake your head, tipping your head back to swallow the rest of your drink. “Definitely not.” You lick your lips to clean up the remnants of your drink, and barely stifle the laugh that bubbles up when you notice Haechan watching your mouth with both entirely rapt attention and a slightly dazed expression. “See something you like?”

“Sure do,” he breathes, and you yelp, swatting his arm lightly. “You asked!”

“As a joke!”

“Well, sorry for failing to read the room properly. I was a little, um, distracted.”

“Haechan.”

“Hm?”

“Stop staring at my lips.” 

“What if I don’t?” he asks, stepping closer to you slowly. “Hm?”

“You’re awfully bold for a guy who’s dating one of my friends.” you murmur back, and he shrugs, smiling flirtatiously.

“I know what I want.” he answers casually, and the resolve in his voice takes you by surprise, leaving you to swallow a growing lump in your throat.

“I’m, uh,” you stammer, looking around for something, anything, that can save you from his intense attention. “I’m gonna go see if they want snacks,” you finally answer pathetically, and he doesn’t buy it for a minute, a smug grin curling his lips before he nods, seemingly complying.

He waits for you to move past him, staying perfectly still and therefore forcing you to squeeze between him and the counter, and head towards the living room before he’s so close behind you that he’s practically on you and only then does he reply, a smile audible in his voice as he murmurs, “Let’s go, then.”

“Hi, my dear friends. Are we having a good time?” you ask as you re-enter the living room and scan over each of your friends, all sitting in a circle with Yunjin’s infamous hot pink bong placed carefully in her lap. The party continues on around them, people only sparing cursory glances at the very occupied couch and nearby seating of Seulgi’s and Chaewon’s living room, but you couldn’t care less about the other guests, instead focusing your attention on your seven cross-faded friends. 

Yunjin, ever the lightweight, looks up at you with red-rimmed, half-lidded eyes and a dopey smile. “Never better.” 

“I actually just want to say that I missed you so much,” Chaewon sniffles, hurriedly wiping away a tear before looking up at you earnestly. “I’m so happy you’re back.”

“I missed you, too!” you reply, touched, and she sniffles loudly, the tip of her nose pinking in that signature way that lets you know more tears are en route whether she likes it or not.

“I’m not gonna lie, yo,” Mark mumbles, rubbing a hand over his face and looking over at you. “I’m about to be starving.”

“‘About to be starving’ is crazy, actually.” you snicker, and Mark joins in your laughter, his laugh bubbling up inside of him almost uncontrollably.

“Well, you know how it goes; we smoke, we get high, we get the munchies.” Mark explains, and you nod in understanding. 

“Mark… I went to England for a study abroad program… not to get a lobotomy.” you say slowly, and he snorts loudly in surprise and amusement. “I remember what happens when y’all get high.” you remind him, and he lifts his hands up in surrender, nodding back at you with a grin. “Do you guys want food from the deli down the block?”

“Yes!” The resounding chorus of assent from all your high friends actually takes you by surprise, sending you stepping back in shock only to stumble directly into Haechan’s chest. He steadies you instantly, hands gripping your shoulders securely, and quietly double-checks with you to make sure you’re actually sturdy before releasing you. 

You hate that you found his touch comforting for even a second, trying your best internally to squash the initial attraction you had to him as you attempt to focus on the task at hand.

“Okay, sounds good to me. Can y’all just type your names and what you want in my Notes app?” you ask, unlocking your phone, opening the Notes app, and passing your phone to Yunjin. As your phone makes its way around the circle, you turn slightly to face Haechan, who’s already watching you with an unnerving level of intensity.

“Haechan, why don’t you go with her?” Seulgi suggests, completely missing the warning glare you send her way. “She can’t carry all of that by herself.”

“Yeah, sure, no problem.” he agrees easily, and you purse your lips for a moment, breathing in deeply before turning fully so you’re face-to-face with Haechan. “Looks like we’re gonna spend some more one-on-one time together.” he says with a secretive smile, and you swallow hard, not knowing what to expect from this little excursion.

Your phone eventually makes its way back to you and you look over the orders before putting your phone in your back pocket and heading to grab your coat, Haechan following diligently behind you.

“Okay, we’ll be back soon! Try to hang in there, guys.” you announce, stepping out of the apartment and holding the door open for Haechan, who exits and shuts it behind himself.

As you two make your way down the hall to the elevator, he speeds up slightly so he’s walking in front of you before turning fully around to face you, taking smooth backwards strides down the hall.

“Can I help you with something?” you ask, confused, and he shakes his head with a smile.

“Don’t mind me.” he replies, and you snort in amusement. 

“Kinda hard not to mind you when you seem hellbent on staring holes into my face.” you mutter as you press the elevator button.

“Not my fault you’re nice to look at.” he defends himself, and you look over at him instantly, shock written all over your face. “What’s wrong? Surely you’ve heard that about yourself before.”

“I sure have,” you agree readily, sighing in relief when the elevator door opens. Stepping in, you add, “I just haven’t heard it from the mouth of my friend’s boyfriend.”

“Ah, well.” He follows you into the elevator and shrugs with a “what can you do?” type of smile, making you narrow your eyes. “First time for everything, yeah?”

“Yeah…” you reply slowly, regarding him suspiciously. “Let’s try and make that first time the last time, okay?”

“No promises.” he murmurs, a smile audible in his voice. When you look over at him, he winks at you so quickly you almost think you imagined it, and you jolt, making a noise of bewilderment that sounds embarrassingly close to a mix of a squawk or squeak before turning to face forward again.

The weather actually feels quite nice, you realize when you both get outside, a light, cool breeze filtering through the trees, and you and Haechan walk alongside each other for the first two, maybe three minutes in silence before he breaks it.

“Can I ask you a question?” Haechan asks, looking over at you as you two walk to the deli.

“Depends… is it weird?” you return his question with another question, and he chuckles, shaking his head.

“Don’t think so.”

“Okay, then shoot.”

“I noticed your reaction to the smell of the weed smoke earlier,” he recalls, and you hum in acknowledgement. “Do you not smoke?”

“Not at all,” you reply, and he nods in understanding. “I don’t do any drugs.”

“Me either,” he replies, and a mildly surprised smile makes its way to your lips. “Can I ask if you have a reason for never wanting to try anything?”

You’re silent for a moment as you attempt to find the right words to explain yourself and Haechan waits patiently, the two of you walking in a comfortable silence before you break it. “I don’t like the feeling of not being in control of myself.” you say carefully, and he gives you an emphatic nod that piques your curiosity. “You too?”

“Somewhat, yeah, but I was mainly nodding because I completely get it. For me, I don’t like moving any slower than usual or feeling restricted in any way.” 

“That makes perfect sense, too.” you say, giving him a firm, approving nod of your own, and he chuckles quietly. “I’ve always wondered about what it might be like to just… mellow out and calm down, y’know?”

“Definitely,” he agrees. “They usually get so… happy.”

“Exactly! Well, except for when Chaewon starts crying out of nowhere.” you add.

Haechan laughs. “Yeah, I don’t know what that’s about.”

“That’s another thing, too.” you say, starting to feel more comfortable talking about it to someone who understands. “I feel like some drugs—especially, like, weed, LSD, acid, shrooms, and stuff like that—they tend to bring out, like, parts of your subconscious that are typically hidden away.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard about that and I’ve definitely seen it happen,” Haechan says, sounding surprisingly solemn.

“Yeah, so… whatever’s going on under the surface in here,” you say, tapping your temple, “is none of my business.” you finish with a resolute nod, making Haechan snicker. “I will simply continue raw-dogging life on this bitch of an earth.”

“That’s so real.” Haechan says through his laughter, making you smile.

“Thank you!” you chirp. “Also, when you say you don’t like moving slower or feeling restricted, do you mean in a physical or mental sense? Or is it both?”

“Hmm,” Haechan hums thoughtfully. “Definitely both. I just feel like… I would describe myself and my lifestyle as somewhat fast-paced, y’know? Like, not really very sedentary, I’m always on the move, and if I’m high off of, like, weed or something, I feel like all I’d be able to do is… vegetate…  and I hate the thought of that.”

“That’s so real,” you say, echoing Haechan’s earlier statement. “Well, you know, if you want to move faster, there’s always cocaine,” you joke, and he snorts loudly, clearly not expecting your comment. 

“I definitely wouldn’t try cocaine,” he laughs, shaking his head. “I can just imagine my poor mom if I came to visit her one day and I was all strung out and tweaking.”

“Aw, are you a mama’s boy?” you ask teasingly, nudging him with your shoulder.

“Maybe a little bit, yeah,” he admits with a shy smile, and you grin.

“That’s sweet.” you assure him, and he visibly relaxes, laughing with an air of bashfulness. “We’re here, by the way!” you point out, gesturing to the deli less than thirty feet away at the end of the block.

Haechan jogs slightly ahead of you, opening the door and holding it for you to enter.

“Thank you,” you say with a grateful smile as you step inside. The smell of the deli is delicious, the scents of various foods being cooked wafting through the air, and for a moment you half-expect to start floating involuntarily towards the tastiest smelling dish.

“Okay, let’s get these orders in,” you mutter to yourself before making your way over to where the grill cooks are stationed. “Hi, how are you feeling tonight?” you greet politely, exchanging brief pleasantries before continuing on with, “I actually have a pretty big order I’d like to place with sandwiches and sides, but I don’t mind waiting if I have to!”

“Go ahead, miss,” one of the cooks says, and you look down at your phone before starting to read off the orders.

Haechan stands off to the side and watches on as you rattle off the nine different sandwich and side order combos to the cooks, who nod and start to prepare them. When you’re finished, you turn to face Haechan and smile sweetly before leading him towards the drinks and snacks. 

“Okay, can you help me carry these to the front?” you ask Haechan.

“Of course, yeah,” he answers, and you start to hand him various drinks and snacks off of the note everyone wrote in.

“Okay, a raspberry peach Snapple for me… a Redbull for you—wait, Haechan, you like Redbull but you won’t try cocaine…? Seems fake,” you comment, and Haechan lets out a shocked laugh before raising his hands—well, he’s holding a drink in each hand, so fists—in surrender.

“Take it easy on me!” he begs jokingly, and you pretend to think about it before relenting with a smile and continuing to collect the drinks. 

“Mountain Dew for Seulgi… Sprite for Jeno… oop, and a Sprite for Chenle, too… root beer for Winter… blue Gatorade for Mark… Arizona raspberry iced tea for Yunjin, and finally, that XXX Vitamin Water that Chaewon’s always raving about.” You close the refrigerator door with your hip, the two of you carefully carrying your armfuls of beverages to the counter.

“I never got the Vitamin Water hype.” Haechan admits.

“It’s essentially juice, but like water with a splash of juice, maybe two if you’re lucky.” you say. “At least, that’s what I think, but some of them do actually taste pretty good, too.”

“Hm,” he remarks thoughtfully. “I don’t know, I just never got into it.” 

“You got into that Redbull pretty easily though, huh?” you tease, and he laughs, his cheeks pinking ever so slightly, and you’re glad he’s looking away so he can’t see how blatantly you paused to look at him.

“Miss, some of your order is ready!” One of the cooks calls out to you, and you shoot them a thumbs up as they bring two sandwiches and a couple of trays to the counter for you. “Do you want to pay now or when we’re finished preparing everything?”

“Oh, I can pay now! Just let me go get the chips and stuff.” you say before whizzing off to where the snacks are, returning shortly after with Seulgi’s Takis and Chenle’s red Doritos and placing them on the counter triumphantly. 

The worker manning the register rings your stuff up and reads you out the total, to which you respond by pulling out your phone to tap the card reader, but Haechan calls your name before you can complete the transaction, making you look over at him in confusion.

“I got it,” he offers, reaching for the card reader with his own phone only for you to shoot him a funny look and nudge his phone out of the way to finish paying with your own phone. 

“You didn’t have to pay for it, Haechan,” you assure him. “Think of it as the small fee I had to pay for disappearing from the country for about half of a year.”

“Yeah, but I was being a gentleman.” he protests with a frown.

“It’s okay! Be a gentleman to your girlfriend—not me.” you say with expectantly raised brows.

“I’m trying to impress you, though,” he points out, and you roll your eyes.

“Read the room, maybe?” you chuckle, and he scrunches his nose up in distaste. “Something wrong?”

“I’m not much of a reader.” he replies with a dismissive shrug, and you raise your eyebrows.

“I’m a librarian.” you remind him. “My job is literally all about reading.”

“On second thought,” Haechan blurts out, “I literally read every day, all the time.” When you snicker in amusement, he grins and continues with, “I’m being so serious. I’ve read every bottle of shampoo and body wash in my shower front to back!” he presses, and you burst into laughter. 

“You’re ridiculous.” you giggle as you recover from your laughing fit, and he grins shamelessly.

“I made you laugh, though,” he points out with a smug little grin. “So you kinda like it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you lie with a sniff, looking away. 

“You think I’m funny,” he teases, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he gets closer. “And if earlier was any indication, you think I’m attractive.”

“Where are you going with this?” you say with a roll of your eyes.

“You like me.” he replies simply, and you choke on your spit. 

“Two fairly objective observations are not an indication of me liking you.” you splutter indignantly, and Haechan raises his brow.

“Being attractive is objective now?” he asks skeptically, and you glare at him, turning to the row of deli cooks pretending not to be watching your conversation intently.

“Is he a handsome guy?” you ask them, and they all look between each other with confusion and mild discomfort. “Literally no homo. Please relax. Is he a handsome guy or is he an uggo?” you emphasize, and one of them snorts.

“He’s definitely not ugly, no,” one of the cooks pipes up, and they all nod in agreement. “Handsome guy, actually.” 

“Good bone structure,” the cook beside him adds, and you could swear Haechan starts to blush. “Yeah, he’s a good looking dude.”

“Sí, muy guapo.” A cook you can’t even see chimes in, and you and Haechan look at each other, bewildered. 

“How many of you are back there?” Haechan asks as he chuckles nervously.

“No te preocupes, amigo.” the same cook says, still concealed from view. “Eres guapísimo.”

“Thank you, guys.” you reply gratefully before turning to stick your tongue out at Haechan triumphantly.

To your surprise, his gaze darkens. “Do that again.”

“No, I’m good.” you reply immediately, fixing your face and turning away from him. “Little freak.”

“Mm, maybe a little bit.” he hums, and you grimace.

“Yuck.” you mutter, narrowing your eyes in his direction. “Get a grip. As I was saying, me finding you funny or attractive has nothing to do with liking you.”

“Why wouldn’t you, though?” he presses, and you let out an exasperated sigh before turning fully to face him. 

“You have a girlfriend!” you whisper-shout, confused even further by the way he looks at you, smug and unimpressed.

“So that’s the only thing stopping you?” he says slowly, and you pause as you realize what you’ve admitted to.

“It’s the only thing that matters.” you huff with an air of finality, and Haechan just chuckles, stepping closer.

“Not this? Hm? Not how good—no—how right this feels?” he murmurs suggestively, and you shake your head firmly.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” you mutter, and he scoffs in disbelief. 

“Are you really gonna keep playing dumb?” 

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” you sing-song, and he rolls his eyes.

“Sure.” he murmurs, amused. 

Desperate to change the topic, you look around, your eyes landing on the bags of food on the countertop.

“Man, those fries smell so good,” you groan, staring enviously at the bag containing Winter’s order of curly fries.

“Mm, yeah?” Haechan hums, looking from the bag to you. He puts a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture and pops open the plastic container. He pulls out a small handful of Winter’s curly fries, about as much as he can fit between his thumb and forefinger, and grins at you, winking before popping one in his mouth.

He reaches his hand out, offering you one of his stolen goods, and you hesitate for a second before deciding to reach forward and take the proffered curly fry. As you chew it, your eyes roll back into your head in ecstasy, the fried good the perfect amount of salty, crunchy, and warm.

“Thank you,” you say gratefully, and he waves you off dismissively.

“You’re welcome,” he replies. “It’s our little secret, okay?”

“Jeez, I just met you tonight and you’re already trusting me with secrets?” you chuckle, and he shrugs.

“Well, should I not trust you?” he asks curiously, and you shake your head instantly in disagreement. 

“You can trust me, don’t worry.” you assure him, and he smiles widely, nodding slowly in understanding.

“Great.”

“The real question is if I can trust you,” you continue, and he chuckles.

“You can,” he says confidently, and you raise your eyebrows skeptically.

“How do I know I can trust that?” you ask, and he laughs, rolling his eyes slightly as he leans closer to you conspiratorially.

“That’s just a risk you’re gonna have to take.”

“No, thanks. I’m not big on risks.” you admit.

Haechan tilts his head to the side curiously. “You don’t take any risks?”

You pause to think about it, thoughts racing back to earlier when you made the mental pact with yourself to be more daring and take more risks. “Not really, no. Unless you count letting Yunjin drive.”

He snorts. “I’m talking big risks.”

You stare at him blankly. “Have you ever been in the car with Yunjin?”

Chuckling and shaking his head slightly, he says, “I have.”

“It’s pretty risky.”

“I’m talking about different risks, though. Think harder.” he presses. 

You sigh loudly but oblige, thinking about it again. “I guess studying abroad in Oxford felt pretty risky… I was essentially all alone on the other side of the world.”

He shakes his head. “Bigger,” he explains. “I’m talking about something that,” his gaze slowly falls to your lips and he continues, “could go really wrong.” 

It feels like he’s hinting at something, and you’re not sure you want to find out.

“Truthfully, I don’t get why I would take risks like those.” you say with a pensive frown, and he smiles, eyes still trained on your mouth with an unmistakable fascination as he steps closer to you, practically cornering you against the snack rack behind you, and if he hears your squeak of alarm, he chooses not to comment. 

“It’s about the reward,” he murmurs, his tongue slipping out to wet his lips slowly. “People take risks because they think that the reward is worth it in comparison to what could go wrong.”

“Well, I don’t think most risks I can think of off of the top of my head are worth it,” you say with a stumped pout.

“I can think of one I wanna take right now,” he hums softly, reaching up to rest one hand on the rack behind you, and you balk, finally starting to understand what he’s been hinting at.

“I, um, think that might be too risky.” you reply cautiously, and he chuckles quietly.

“I disagree,” he says plainly. “I think it’d be so worth it.” he breathes out, his gentle breath fanning over your lips, the minty scent tempting you more than you’d like to admit. 

“If you try and kiss me right now,” you say quietly, “I will bite your lip until it bleeds.”

He snickers and nods in understanding. “Understood.”

“Is that risk worth it now?” you ask wryly, and he bites back a laugh.

“I don’t know, let me find out.” he says, leaning in closer, and you yelp, pushing his chest reflexively and, when he barely budges, clapping a hand over your mouth and glaring at him as he laughs loudly. “Man, you’re cute.”

“Shut up,” you mutter contritely, moving your hand away when he relents and steps back. “Let’s not ask why I don’t feel comfortable taking risks and ask, instead, why you—” you poke his chest accusingly, “feel so comfortable being so reckless.”

He shrugs nonchalantly, explaining, “I don’t think it’s that I’m reckless—”

“Yeah, right.” you mutter.

He ignores you. “I think it’s that I want to know what it feels like to truly live.” he finishes, and you pause at that, genuinely taking in his words. “Life is too short to be scared to indulge, you know?”

“Well,” you say slowly, thoughtfully, “I guess that makes sense.”

His eyes widen slightly in surprise. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Maybe I could stand to live a little more,” you ponder, noticing the way his eyes drift down to your lips once more and quickly adding, “but that doesn’t mean you can kiss me. I’ll still bite you.”

“Oh, yeah?” he asks softly, teasingly, and you nod. “What if I said I kinda like it a little rough?”

“I’d say you’re in the wrong relationship.” you blurt out before you can stop yourself, and Haechan’s eyes widen as he points at you with a bright, triumphant grin. “I’m joking! I’m joking.”

“I don’t think you are.” he replies smugly.

“Oh, brother.”

“You think I’m in the wrong relationship?” he presses, and you shake your head vehemently, desperately trying to cover your tracks.

“Only because Winter is not a ‘likes it a little rough’ kind of girl,” you explain quickly.

He nods in agreement. “This is true.” he admits, and you relax slightly, glad he gets your point. “So, who would be the right relationship for me, hm?” he teases, and you groan loudly, tipping your head back in exasperation. “Got any ideas?”

“Nope.” you answer flatly. 

He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, leaning closer. “You sure about that?”

“Miss, the rest of your order is ready!” One of the cooks calls out, and you pounce on the interruption eagerly.

“Thank you!” you call back to the cooks before turning to Haechan with a relieved smile. “You know what? We’d better go back before they put out a Missing Persons report for us.” you dodge his taunting question from earlier and carefully remove yourself from your very compromising position, walking towards the counter of the bodega to collect the bags of food. “Are you coming or what?” you huff, attempting to conceal how flustered his previous line of questioning has left you by placing a hand on your hip impatiently.

He shakes his head with a chuckle, but meets you by the door, slipping his fingers in the loops of the numerous bags weighing down your index and middle fingers to relieve you of the burden. He leans forward, opening the door for you and gesturing for you to exit first. “You’re lucky I don’t want to hear any of them complain about their food being cold, because I could do this—” he gestures between the two of you, “all night and then some.”

“That’s great, Casanova,” you drawl, pointing ahead of you down the street towards where you’re heading. “Now walk.”

As you two walk back from the bodega, you can’t help but notice that Haechan’s path keeps veering slightly off-course, the male repeatedly bumping into you as you two walk. 

“You good?” you ask finally after what must be the eighth mini-collision, and Haechan chuckles, albeit somewhat sheepishly as he brings a hand up to rub the back of his neck. “Is there a reason why you keep bumping into me? Are the bags throwing you off-balance or something?”

“Would you, uh, believe me if I said that I just like you and want to be close to you?” he answers, and you stop short, blinking at him impassively which causes him to stop walking as well.

“Bold words for someone with a whole girlfriend back at the party.” you reply with a dismissive snort, and he shrugs.

“I don’t know what it is,” he says as you two slowly fall back into a comfortable pace. “I think we’d be good together.”

“Haechan,” you warn. 

“You fascinate me,” he admits plainly, staring at your face openly. “I wanna get to know you better.”

“Mm, I don’t know about that,” you say apprehensively. 

“I’m gonna learn about you eventually, because I’m not going anywhere.” he replies confidently. “I’m gonna learn everything about you—your hopes, your dreams, your fears—” he leans closer so his breath hits your cheek and continues, “what makes you tick.”

“Well, you wanna know something?” you offer, and he nods instantly, leaning towards you in anticipation. “Something that makes me tick is when guys with girlfriends hit on me very blatantly.”

“Ah, I see,” Haechan remarks thoughtfully. “So I should be more subtle.”

“I—well—no, that’s not really what I meant.”

“Well, what did you mean?”

“Stop saying flirtatious things!” 

“So you want me to stop saying flirtatious things—”

”Yes, that’s quite literally what I just said—”

“—and start doing flirtatious things.”

Your mouth snaps shut and you stare at him incredulously. “Not even remotely what I meant.”

“No, I think that’s what you were hinting at.” 

“You’re unbelievable.”

“You’d better believe it, baby.”

“Calling me ‘baby’ when you have a whole girlfriend is crazy, by the way.”

“Maybe I’m crazy. Did you think about that?”

“Clearly. I’ll let Winter know her boyfriend is actually an escapee from the insane asylum and she’ll just dump you.”

“So you can have me all to yourself… I like it.” He grins, and you open and close your mouth repeatedly, at a loss for words.

“Where are you hearing these things? Haechan, do you often hear things other people don’t?” you ask with patronizing concern, and he bursts out laughing. “It’s not funny, actually! Maybe I will tell Winter after all.”

“She won’t do anything,” he replies through his laughter.

“You’re right.” you agree in disappointment. “Poor girl. She’d probably think she can fix you.”

“I know what could fix me,” he says, fixing you in place with a serious stare.

“Haechan, you’re kinda scaring me.”

“Relax, it’s nothing crazy.”

“You’re not exactly what I’d consider a good judge of what’s crazy or not.”

“I just want your number, God.”

“Oh!” you reply, relieved, and an equally relieved smile appears on his face. “You’re not getting that.”

“Aw, come on!” he whines, leaning on you dramatically. “How am I supposed to get to know you?”

“Through speaking to me in person?”

“So you wanna see me… in person…” he trails off with a suggestive lilt to his voice, wiggling his eyebrows, and you suck your teeth. “If you like me, you can just say that, you know. I won’t tell.”

“You really are crazy.” you marvel, and he grins over at you.

“Is that… intrigue I detect in your voice?” he teases, and you balk.

“No?” you reply a bit too quickly, and his eyes light up.

“You’re intrigued by me!”

“I just wanna know how and where Winter found your crazy ass!”

“So you can go there and get yourself another me?” he replies, and you groan, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Hate to break it to you, princess, but there’s only one of me.”

“Thank God for that.” you mutter under your breath. “So, do you have, like, a mute button or something?”

“I’ll shut up for the rest of the walk back if you give me your number.” he says with a mischievous smile, and you roll your eyes, Haechan’s ever-so-keen eyes noticing your hesitation. “You’re totally thinking about it.”

“I really want you to stop before you get one or both of us in trouble.”

“I will be as quiet as a street rat if you give me your number and don’t block me before I can text you.”

“Damn, how’d you know I was gonna do that?”

“I know the signs of someone playing hard to get.” he says proudly, and you snort.

“I’m not playing hard to get, Haechan. You’re playing hard to get rid of.”

“And I’m gonna play until I win. Now—your number, please.” He smiles dazzlingly at you, pulling out his phone from his back pocket and handing it to you.

You stare at his unlocked phone then at his twinkling, hopeful eyes before sighing in defeat and taking the phone from his hand to enter your number.

“Hell yeah!” Haechan cheers, and you shoot him a judgmental stare.

“Ground rules.” you say plainly, and he nods, instantly attentive. He is cute, you think reluctantly, especially like this as he hangs on your every word like a puppy. “No texting me suggestive photos.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Keep the texts harmless.” you warn him, and he nods in agreement.

“You got it.”

“And don’t call or FaceTime unless it’s an absolute emergency.” you finish, and he scrunches his face up in confusion.

“What if the emergency is that I want to see you or hear your voice?”

“Absolutely bonkers thing to say with a girlfriend, by the way.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I have Instagram… just look at my pictures or something, I don’t know.”

“What if I want to see you right then exactly how you are?”

“That’s too bad.”

“Fine,” he huffs, and you already know this is going to be a bad decision. “What exactly constitutes an emergency?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. If you were injured or in danger or something and no one else was picking up?”

“Okay…” he trails off skeptically.

“Even then, though, I think you should just call emergency services.”

“You’re brutal,” Haechan remarks in awe. “I like it.”

“Watch it!”

“Watching,” he replies smoothly, grinning in your direction, and you turn to face forward quickly, hoping he didn’t catch your smile. “I saw that.”

“You saw nothing.”

“You smiled. You like me—at least a little bit!”

“First you’re hearing things, and now you’re seeing things? Maybe we should get you checked out.”

“…We?” he points out with a sly smirk, and you roll your eyes as you trudge ahead and up to the apartment building, repeatedly (and with an air of impatience) buzzing the intercom to be let in.

“Thank God we’re back.”

“Since when was the museum so damn expensive?” Chenle mutters in awe as he forks over the thirty dollars for the admission fee.

“It’s the price of knowledge,” Yunjin sighs with a shrug as she takes Chenle’s place at the ticket till and hands the attendant three $10 bills.

“Psst,” Haechan whispers to get your attention, and you turn your head slightly to see he’s leaning towards you. “This is enough to radicalize me,” Haechan huffs bitterly before releasing Winter’s hand and stepping forward to pay. You notice with a curious tilt of your head that he’s taken longer than the rest of your friends so far, despite using Apple Pay, but you don’t think much of it until he’s walked away with Winter and it’s your turn at the register, where the attendant hands you a ticket with a smile.

“Oh, I didn’t pay yet—”

“The gentleman before you paid for your ticket,” she explains with a small nod, and you pause, mentally buffering before smiling at the attendant, taking the ticket, and walking to join your group.

When you meet up with them, Haechan already has his eyes trained in your direction, his left eyelid dropping down into a secretive wink before he grins at you. 

“You’re too much,” you mouth at him, walking up beside him to nudge him with your shoulder surreptitiously. He lets out a small chuckle and shrugs as casually as he can before he tickles the palm of your hand with his fingers in a gesture that has you wondering if he plans to hold both your hand and his girlfriend’s. Before the thought can gain much traction, however, the tour guide for your group appears and introduces herself as she passes out museum maps to everyone in your party.

After introducing herself, she takes you through a corridor to the Egyptian art section, walking you by a preserved tomb and detailing funeral processions and Egyptian customs. The guide herself is very engaging and the artwork is fascinating, but you actually came on a mission to see certain wings of the museum. As she walks you through the Egyptian art wing, you consult your map, trying to see if there’s a point coming up where you can casually separate from the group. 

Initially, you were following after the tour guide, but now you’re admittedly starting to fall towards the back of the group due to your lack of interest in this particular time period, when the exhibit at the end of the hallway you just passed catches your eye. 

You look around you to see if anyone in your tour group is around, observing that the coast is clear before you attempt to break off from your group and do your own thing.

“And where are you sneaking off to?” Haechan’s voice appears out of seemingly nowhere, making you gasp as you whip your head around to look at him.

“Why?” you ask, furrowing your brows. “Are you gonna snitch on me for leaving?”

“I’m not snitching,” he promises you, and you relax slightly before he continues with, “I’m coming.”

You stop short and look at him like he’s grown a second head. “You seem to be mistaken.” 

“Definitely not that,” Haechan assures you, and you roll your eyes before quickly turning to leave. He catches up with you easily, making you huff quietly in frustration, and continues to attempt to persuade you, saying, “You need someone with you in case you get lost.”

“Haechan, if I’m with someone and I’m lost, then I’m pretty sure they’re as good as lost too.” you explain slowly, and Haechan pauses to think, leaving you the open opportunity to slip away from him yet again.

He manages to find you yet again, grinning triumphantly when he does, and argues, “I think you should travel with someone—like me—who has a map.”

“Haechan, I am quite literally holding the map they just gave me.” you remind him, and he seems to buffer in real-time, lips parting to form a shocked little “O” shape that is, for all its silliness, stupidly attractive on him.

You’ll give it to him; he’s definitely not lacking in the looks department. 

“Well—haven’t you ever heard of the buddy system? There’s safety in numbers, y’know.” Haechan catches up with you once more as you speed walk down a mostly empty hallway. 

“Oh, my God, fine.” you whisper-yell exasperatedly. “Fine, you can come with me.”

He perks up immediately, smiling brightly and you can see his body relax as you gradually slow your pace into a comfortable stroll so he can fall into stride with you.

“Great,” he says happily. “Where are we going first?”

“Well, I really want to see the Greek sculptures…” you half-say, half-suggest hopefully.

“Okay, sounds great; let’s go!”

“Haechan.” 

“Mhm?”

“Can you walk faster, please? I’m not trying to lose a whole person in the Met.” you complain, stopping in your tracks and turning around to let Haechan catch up to you. The section you’re passing through is packed, the room filled with the din of various animated conversations all overlapping one another.

“Sorry, I’m just taking in all the art in front of me,” he replies, and your expression softens as you remember that this is, in fact, a museum exhibit you’re standing in and not merely a hallway to where you want to go.

“Yeah, the paintings are beautiful,” you agree, and he looks over at you with a confused look.

“Oh—yeah, the paintings are cool, too.” he answers unconvincingly, and you stare at him expressionlessly.

“What were you looking at if not the paintings?” you ask, confused, and he looks you up and down pointedly as if to answer your question. “You’re ridiculous,” you groan, turning to walk away.

“Oh, come on, you can’t blame me! You in that outfit is a goddamn masterpiece.” he defends himself, and you just sigh loudly as you keep walking. 

“Keep up!” you quip, and he catches up to you, leaning down slightly so his lips are by your ear.

“Don’t even get me started on this cute little skirt you’ve got on,” he murmurs suggestively, and an involuntary shudder travels down your spine from the ticklish sensation of his breath on the hair on the back of your neck. “Kinda driving me crazy,” he half-mumbles, half-chuckles.

“It can’t be that hard to drive you crazy,” you point out. “You already live on the corner of Bonkers Boulevard and Delulu Drive.”

“Wow, and you call me a menace?” he snorts in amusement, reaching over to pinch your side in retaliation and laughing when you dance away with a giggle. “Come back, I thought we had to stick together,” he complains.

You roll your eyes but stop just ahead of him, hands placed on your hips as you wait for him to catch up. 

“That’s better,” he finally says when he’s beside you once more. “You know, maybe we should hold hands.” he suggests, smiling wider and nodding vigorously in an attempt to convince you when you look over at him with a “no” already on the tip of your tongue.

“And why would we do that?” you ask, tilting your head to the side in a patronizing act of confusion.

“It’s crowded. What if someone walks between us and you turn to enter an exhibit but I don’t see where you went?” He frowns petulantly, and you scoff dismissively. 

“You can hold my purse,” you offer, holding it out to him.

“How is that gonna help me stay close to you?” he asks with a frown, and you shoot him a look.

“It’ll help me stay close to you,” you clarify. “All my stuff is in there, so I’m not going anywhere that bag’s not going.”

“Hm. I’d rather hold your hand but I guess this will do.” he sighs dramatically, and you snicker.

“Keep wishing.” you reply casually.

“Oh, I will. Got any loose eyelashes I can wish on and blow away?” 

“No.”

“Lucky pennies?”

“I don’t have change. Does the universe take Apple Pay?” you reply in a bored tone, and he snorts loudly in amusement.

“Man, gorgeous and funny,” he sighs contentedly, and it’s your turn to exhale in amusement. “Fine. I’ll wait until 11:11 to make the wish.”

“You know that because you told me what you’re gonna wish for, it’s not gonna come true now, right?” you remind him with a teasing smile, and his eyes widen comically.

“I’ll wish for something different.” he relents, and you can’t help but frown slightly at the crestfallen look on his face. You look around to see if anyone you know is nearby and, seeing no one, let out a defeated yet amused sigh before reaching out and linking your fingers with his. “I knew you liked me,” he remarks with an air of smug satisfaction, and you scowl at him before ripping your fingers from his. 

“...And you’re done.”

“Nope, too late,” he replies with a wide grin as he links his fingers with yours again, either oblivious to the fight you’re putting up or simply unfazed. “We’re locked in now.” he teases, and you raise your brows in a silent challenge. 

“Oh, yeah? Should I call you something cutesy like—oh,” you say, stopping mid-sentence and turning to look at him with a slowly growing mischievous smile. “What was that name Winter called you on the way here?”

“Oh, please don’t.” 

“Was it Snookums?” you think aloud, and he groans, tossing his head back dramatically.

“Please?”

“Cuddlebug?”

“No—”

“Oh!” you exclaim, snapping your fingers and pointing at him. “Pookie Bear.” you say triumphantly, and the grimace on his face is beyond rewarding.

“You don’t have to call me that,” Haechan says hurriedly. “In fact, I’d rather you not—”

“But I love calling you Pookie Bear, Pookie Bear.” you coo affectionately, putting extra emphasis on the embarrassing pet name to leave it dripping with saccharine sweetness.

“You know what’s kind of crazy?” he asks, and you shake your head.

“Besides you? No.”

“Ha, ha.” he drawls. “What’s crazy is that it’s kinda hot the way you say it.” he points out, and you whine loudly in protest. 

“I can’t have anything, man! I get to torment you back for less than two minutes, and your freaky little self likes it?” you gripe under your breath as you pull him towards the large sign indicating the doorway to the beginning of the Greek sculptures exhibit. “We’re here!” you announce happily.

“Anything I should know before we enter this section?” he asks curiously, and you think for a moment before nodding.

“Most, if not all, of these statues have micropenises.” you warn him, and roll your eyes instantly at the immediate amusement on his face. “Keep the dick jokes to a minimum.”

“You got it, princess.” he agrees, nodding cooperatively, and you whirl around to look at him.

“Princess?!”

“You call me Pookie Bear, I call you princess.” he says with a nonchalant shrug, and you narrow your eyes at him in a silent staredown. “It’ll grow on you,” he says confidently as he starts walking into the exhibit.

And as you’re tugged along after him, protesting all the while that “it most certainly will not,” you can’t help but feel like it already has—that is, if the sensation you’re feeling of a lone butterfly fluttering around your stomach has anything to do with it.

“Haechan,” you whisper urgently, shaking your linked hands to get his attention.

He looks over at you curiously, eyebrows raised expectantly, and you point towards a sign in the corridor. “What is it?” he asks. “The café?”

You nod. “I’m hungry.” 

“Honestly, I could eat,” he agrees, and you beam up at him, tugging him towards the entrance to the café.

The café is lovely, with a fairly large selection of ready-to-eat foods, and you and Haechan walk around the tables of food before you spot one in the distance and slip your hand out of his to go check it out. 

No less than a moment after you’ve let go of Haechan, he practically snatches your hand back up, stubbornly linking his fingers with yours once more.

When you shoot him a look, he just stares at you with a challenge in his eyes, daring you to let go again.

“You’re something else.” you laugh, and he shrugs.

“Give a guy a warning next time,” he replies. “I wasn’t ready to let go.”

“Warning: I’m about to let go,” you say patronizingly, and he just shakes his head. “Wh—no? What do you mean, no?”

”No, you’re not.” he says simply.

“I literally am,” you let out a laugh of disbelief before attempting to tug your fingers from his again. “Haechan, quit being a brat!”

“It’s in my DNA,” he replies with a dismissive shrug. “I like holding hands.”

“Hold your own hand, then.” you snicker, and he shakes his head decisively. 

“Like holding your hand better.” he coos fondly, and you roll your eyes. “Just take me with you to check out the food, princess.”

“I’m ignoring that,” you huff, but lead him to the sushi rolls you were staring at nonetheless. “Happy now?”

“Thrilled,” he confirms as he smiles over at you, and you bite down on your lip to hide the smile that threatens to greet him. “What are you gonna get?”

“Nothing crazy,” you muse, picking up a tray and inspecting the rolls inside. “Maybe just this and a drink.”

“Which one’s that?” Haechan asks curiously, peering over your shoulder. 

“California roll,” you answer with a smile before reaching into the refrigerated drink section and grabbing an organic peach soda.

Haechan follows your lead, picking up a sushi roll container and snagging a Dr. Pepper from the drink area before you two make your way to the cashier to pay.

The cashier greets you both with a friendly smile and rings you up first. When you’re about to pay, Haechan grips the back of your cardigan and firmly but gently pulls you away from the counter before tapping his phone to the payment screen.

“You didn’t need to do that,” you huff with a frown, and he just smiles as the receipt comes out.

“I’m a gentleman,” he replies simply as the cashier rings him up, and you snort in amusement.

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” you ask dryly, and he narrows his eyes at you. When it’s his turn to pay, you inch closer to the payment screen in the hopes to return the favor, but Haechan is one step ahead of you, plucking your phone from your hand with ease and pocketing it before tapping his phone to the screen again.

“Yeah, it is,” he replies with a cheery grin, smugness laced in his voice. “Come on, let’s eat.”

You two thank the cashier before heading towards the back of the café, where you sit at the corner table, Haechan sliding in beside you.

“You couldn’t sit over there?” you ask flatly, gesturing to the empty spot in front of you, and he shakes his head with a teasing smile. “Of course not.” you sigh in defeat, instead opening your California roll tray and breaking the wooden chopsticks to start eating. “What’d you get?”

Haechan pauses to look at the label on his container before opening it. “Seaside salmon roll,” he replies, snapping his chopsticks neatly into two before picking up a piece of sushi from the carefully composed roll.

“Ooh, yum,” you say before placing a piece of your own roll into your mouth and chewing, your eyes sliding shut in bliss. “God, that’s good.”

“This sushi tastes like heaven,” Haechan groans happily, and you giggle, your mood lifting with some good food entering your system. 

“Hey,” you say as you pick up your next piece, “I just realized; what if they want to get food after this?” you ask, and he shrugs.

“Either we’re not hungry, or we get something small.” he suggests, and you nod in agreement before eating the next piece of sushi.

“Are you gonna be sneaky and pay for that, too?” you ask, unamused, and he nods proudly. “I can pay for my own food, you know; my librarian job makes decent pay.”

“Yeah, well, I can pay, too. My job definitely pays decently.” Haechan replies stubbornly.

“Oh, yeah? And what do you do?” you question.

“I’m a wine sommelier for a high-end restaurant downtown.” he answers proudly, and you purse your lips in quiet defeat.

“That actually does sound like a decent-paying job.” you admit, and he nods confidently. “Well, hey, did you know they sell wine here?” 

“Oh, yeah?” he asks, looking around for the wine menu and relaxing once you point it out to him. 

“Yep. So tell me, Mr. Sommelier, which wine would go best with my California roll?” you quiz him, and his lips quirk up into a smile.

“What’s the taste like?” he asks, and you pick up a piece and put it on his tray, signaling for him to try it. “Without tasting it, I’d say a nice… light, fruity wine would be good for this.” he suggests before placing the piece of sushi in his mouth. As he chews, his smile widens and he nods in confirmation, adding, “I’d definitely say a nice Pinot Grigio would go great with this. The sweet and light notes of the Pinot Grigio would go really well with the flavors here.”

You’re not going to lie to yourself; it’s a little attractive to see him talk about something he knows so much about. 

“Yeah?” you hum. “What about yours?”

“Oh, Pinot Noir, for sure. It’s sharp enough to match the heaviness of the salmon, but not too sweet where it takes away from the overall flavor.”

You nod, taking in the information and secretly composing yourself as your insides squeal girlishly at his confident explanation.

“That’s pretty cool, Haechan,” you remark, impressed, and he smiles in satisfaction.

“Isn’t it? You know, we should go on a wine tasting date some time.” he suggests, and you shoot him a suspicious side glance.

“A wine tasting what?” you press.

“Did I say date?” Haechan asks with a chuckle, and you nod slowly, still regarding him carefully. “I meant outing. A wine tasting outing.”

“Nice save,” you snort, and he huffs petulantly.

“It’s not my fault,” he defends himself. ‘I was distracted.”

You raise an eyebrow skeptically. “Distracted?” you ask, and he nods firmly.

“Yeah, your little skirt is messing with my head.” Haechan grunts, and you look down at your lap with a bewildered questioning noise.

To be fair, it is a cute skirt; your beige and black plaid pleated skirt was carefully selected from your closet earlier and clearly must have been a flattering choice, given that Haechan literally can’t keep his eyes off of you.

“Then look up and not at my legs, silly.”

“But if I look up, I see—” he starts to complain but stops as he does just that, looking up from his—well, your—lap and trailing off slowly as he gazes at you.

You’re pretty sure you don’t need to hear what he was going to say, because his face reads loud and clear; there’s desire swimming clearly in his gaze and his lips are parted ever so slightly as he spaces out staring back and forth from your lips to your eyes.

“If you look up, you see… my face?” you supply in an attempt to help him regain his sensibility, and his lips part more as he struggles to find the right words. “I mean, yeah, and my shirt? Well, it’s a white tank—like, yeah, it’s a little short, but—and this is just a beige cardigan, so it’s not as distracting if you look up instead—”

“If I look up,” Haechan says carefully, “I see you.”

For a moment, you’re rendered speechless as the implications of his words sink in.

Looking at him again, you realize there’s an awe in his eyes as he watches you, an adoration almost, and the context of him seeing you sets in. His eyes rove over your face with an almost greed, darting around rapidly as he frantically takes in every detail he can manage to commit to memory. 

He’s not looking at you like he’s undressing you, like he’s groping you with a glance; he’s looking at you like you’re one of the seven wonders of the world—like he can’t quite contemplate everything he’s seeing, but he’s damn sure going to try. His gaze caresses you like you’re an antique artifact at the museum that could break if you so much as stare at it too hard.

Observing the way he looks at you is the closest you’ve come yet to understanding how and why the eyes have been referred to as the windows to the soul. His gaze is so open, so vulnerable and wondrous that you have to ponder, for a moment, if this is what it looks like to fall in love.

You push the thought from your head as soon as it emerges, not willing to give it any space in your mind, but you can’t shake the way his gaze completely unravels you. 

He watches you like he can see every complexity of your personality in your pores; like he can see your unspoken words reflected in the gloss on your lips—like your eyes hold the manuscript of your hopes and dreams and he’s about to pore over it, memorizing it down to the letter.

He looks at you like he’s dangerously close to seeing you; you, past your barriers and caution tape; you, with all your intricacies and contradictions; and you, with all the hope and yearning and vulnerability you’ve had since your youth that you’ve been trying to convince everyone is no longer around. 

You’re utterly overwhelmed with all the thoughts swimming in your brain at the moment, and one thought swims up to the forefront, displaying itself loud and clear and unignorable. 

He looks at you like he’s falling in love.

“Haechan, please stop looking at me like that,” you beg in a whisper, scared to speak any louder in case your voice trembles. Something about the intensity of his gaze is beautiful and terrifying all at once, and you’re not ready for him to see you unraveled like this.

Haechan must be able to sense the panic in your voice, your underlying fear of being truly seen and known undoubtedly ringing out in the silence between you two, because he smiles reassuringly and relents, softening the intensity of his gaze until he’s displaying nothing more than mild curiosity and fascination.

“Thanks.” you mutter shyly, averting your gaze to inspect your cuticles in a feeble attempt to act natural.

“No problem. Can I say something, though?” he asks, and you nod, internally bracing yourself. “Have you heard of twin flames?”

“Yeah, isn’t that like soulmates, kinda?” you reply.

something about him was made for somebody like me baby, come over, come over and god knows i’m trying, but there’s just no use in denying

“Kinda,” he says slowly. “Some people call them ‘mirror souls,’” he explains. “Essentially, they’re two people with an intense soul connection that makes them complete when they’re together.”

You pout thoughtfully. “Like two halves of a whole?”

“Something like that, yeah,” he agrees. “The term ‘mirror souls’ is a bit more fitting, because they complement each other; they’re opposites in crucial ways, but in ways that could either ruin things or make them work really well together.”

”Okay,” you say carefully. “Well, thanks for the mini lesson. Why’d you bring that up?”

“I feel drawn to you.” he explains in a rush, almost like he’s been waiting for the opportunity to say it. “Like, I can’t explain it, but when I first met you, I felt—I don’t know—something.”

“I’d wager that the something you felt was just the blood rushing down to your d—” you remark dryly, but he cuts you off, shaking his head. 

“It wasn’t.” he insists. “I felt a connection. And you felt it too—remember?”

“No,” you lie. You remember all too well, actually. 

“You flirted with me.” he reminds you with a triumphant grin, and you frown. 

“That was before I found out you were dating my friend!”

“So the connection magically went away? Hm? The initial attraction you had to me just vanished into thin air?” he presses.

“I locked it in a closet.” you admit. “It can’t come out.”

“Well, unlock it.”

“I have swallowed the key.” you reply stubbornly.

“Well, I’m picking the lock.” he counters, and you gape at him indignantly.

“You can’t do that!”

“And why not?”

“You have a girlfriend.” you remind him, and he has the audacity to scoff and roll his eyes, making you gasp in horror. “Ooh, I’m telling.”

“Who cares about that?” he asks, waving a hand dismissively.

“Um, gee, I would wager that your girlfriend does.” you reply sarcastically. “And you should care, too.”

“All that yapping—”

“I know this boy did not just say I’m yapping—”

“—and you still didn’t say that you care.” he finishes, and you stop short, blinking at him in surprise. “Gotcha.”

“Oh, shut up,” you groan. “I’m not your girlfriend, you know—I don’t have to put up with this.”

“Do you want to be her?” he asks, and you freeze, staring at him incredulously.

“No? I barely know you, and from what I do know, you like stepping out on your girlfriend.”

“False. I don’t like to step out on my girlfriend,” he corrects you, and you roll your eyes. “I just like you.”

“Stop saying that.” you warn.

“I mean it.” he says simply.

“You’re gonna get us in trouble if you keep talking like that.” you reply nervously.

“The risk is so worth it though, don’t you think?” he murmurs conspiratorially, and you stare at him blankly.

”No.” you reply flatly, entirely unamused.

Haechan pouts—somehow handsomely—and nudges you with his shoulder, saying, “Come on… try living a little.” 

“No.”

”You know you want to.” he coaxes, and you grumble unintelligibly under your breath.

”What I want is for you to drop the subject,” you say, batting your lashes at him for the effect. “Pretty please?”

His gaze darkens slightly. “Beg again.”

“I didn’t beg!” you splutter, both indignant and flustered by the shift in the air. “I requested politely.” 

“Well, request politely again. You’re really cute when you do that, you know.”

”And on that note, this conversation is over. Now,” you say slowly, patting your lap and nudging him with your shoulder. “I think we should probably get back. Y’know… before they notice we went missing.”

“I guess you’re right,” Haechan agrees with a reluctant sigh, gathering your and his food containers and standing up. “Lead the way, princess.”

“Don’t call me that,” you whisper loudly, and he grins cheekily as you two make your way to exit the museum café.

“Stop liking it and I’ll stop doing it.” He retorts, stopping in front of you suddenly so you bump into him. 

“Haechan!” you can’t help but laugh at his refreshingly playful nature, and he looks over at you with a twinkle in his eyes. “Has anyone ever told you you’re kind of a brat?”

“Yes, actually.” he replies thoughtfully. “But it takes one to know one.”

You stop short and he turns back to look at you curiously. “Are you calling me a brat?”

“Yes,” he replies easily with a smile. “Yes, I am.” And before you can retaliate, he’s speed walking towards the garbage to throw out your waste, stopping just in front of the exit to wait for you. When you get closer, still staring at him with narrowed eyes, he shoots you a dazzling smile and opens the door, holding it for you.

”Ladies first.”

“Oh, now you’re a gentleman.”

“What do you mean, ‘now?’” Haechan replies, shocked. “I let you sit first, I held the door for you, I threw out your garbage for you and paid—”

“Which you definitely shouldn’t have done, by the way.” you interject, and he stares blankly at you. “Don’t get me wrong, my wallet and I appreciate you greatly, but I was more than capable of paying for myself.”

“It’s okay,” he muses lightheartedly, shrugging. “You can just make it up to me sometime.”

You pause, staring at him suspiciously. “And how would I do that?”

“I’ll come up with something,” he replies with a small secretive smile. 

“I don’t like the sound of that.” you say slowly, and he laughs, throwing his arm around your shoulders goodnaturedly. 

“It won’t be anything drastic,” he assures you. “Just something like… a kiss.”

“A kiss?” you splutter, and he grins, nodding. “You’d better be joking.”

He turns his head towards you, tightening his grip around your neck not enough to be overbearing but just enough to prevent you from turning your face away. “And what if I’m not?” His voice softens as he continues, “Hm?”

A long silence passes between you two—far longer than socially acceptable—during which Haechan stares pointedly at your mouth and you attempt to avoid doing the same. After what feels like ages, you break the tension-laden quiet by clearing your throat and walking forward and out of his embrace.

“You’re dangerous, you know that?” you say over your shoulder, and Haechan chuckles as he catches up to you.

“I do.” he replies simply, and you snort. He leans over, bringing his lips to your ear, and murmurs, “And I think you like it.”

TA DA!!!!! i hope you enjoyed your read! the second part will be up in exactly two weeks! reminder that (only if you’re able) tips are very much appreciated, as is positive feedback! if you’d like to be added to the taglist, just shoot me an ask and please make sure your privacy settings are updated accordingly!

ORRRRRR you could sub to my patreon, where the whole fic is already posted in full!! (

LINKS: KO-FI // VENMO // CASHAPP // AMAZON WISHLIST // (if you’d like to support via paypal, let me know off anon!!)

[emogigi]

clearing the puck!

pairing: hockey player!haechan x fem!reader

genre: a fluffly crackfic w a bit of angst? i guess lol

word count: 1.5k (for now..)

synopsis: you befriend the school’s star hockey player in order to get some votes on your student council campaign, and in return, he asks for praise on your newest journal column to impress some scouts. what a friendly deal, right? …right?

author’s note: hey everyone! this is my first ever fic here and i couldn’t be more excited !! this is just a little wip of what could possibly become my biggest work … just to test the waters lmao if you have any tips PLEASE let me know since i actually hate how this is written! anyways i hope u like this bit! ♡

warning(s): none, for now

"Please stop shaking your legs. You're making the entire table move." Renjun gives you a nasty look, and you roll your eyes. You shake your legs even faster, just to push at his buttons a little harder. "Ugh— Stop that!"

"Maybe if you guys were helping me prepare, I wouldn't be so nervous!" You let out an angry huff as you stared at your computer screen, which was blindingly bright. Why are you still insisting on using light mode? Stupid student council elections and stupid columnist work. What use was it if you couldn't even complete a stupid campaign work?

"Y'know it's no use if you're a loner, right?" Chenle perks up from the other side of the room, his body strewn on a spinning chair as he turns around in your direction. He doesn't even dare to look up from his phone, his thumbs messily pressing against the screen. Was he playing Clash of Clans again? "You kinda have to be popular to gain votes. And, contrary to popular belief, I don’t do miracles.

"What do you mean? I'm popular!" You scoff in disbelief, looking over to Renjun for moral support, but he simply shakes his head. Huang Renjun, you are useless.

"Writing a column for our college journal doesn't make you popular."

You grunt in frustration, dropping your head to your keyboard. You let out a long sigh before slamming both of your hands on the table and looking up. The loud crash startles both boys, and they glance at you with wide eyes. "Fine. What do you suggest?"

Chenle and Renjun look at each other and back at you, and you swear there’s a mischievous glint behind their eyes.

You’re never listening to them again. Especially if it’s fucking freezing outside!

You let out a sigh that quickly transforms into a puff of cold air as you look around, spotting the banner hung up above the building entrance. “66 LEE DONGHYUCK — THE NCIT DINOSAURS STAR CENTER” with his face nicely printed on the side. Inspecting his face, you almost laugh at the stupidity of the plan. Befriending the school’s star hockey player in order to socially thrive. Well, befriending is a strong word. You would be offering him a friendly deal, that’s for sure. And it’s not like he would be leaving empty-handed. It’s a win-win situation.

You sucked in a deep breath between your teeth before walking straight into the ice rink. You could hear shouting and the sound of the puck sliding neatly across the ice. It didn’t even take you long to notice your target. You watched him for a while. He’s obviously a natural, every move purposeful and graceful. No wonder he was the team’s star.

You quickly look away when you notice yourself staring. Shit.

Figuring it would be better to just wait until practice was over, you hopped on the grandstands, next to a group of 3 girls that you recognized from around the campus. They were wearing the team’s classic red and blue jersey with a big “66” plastered at the front.

You jumped in your seat with their hysterical screaming, quickly turning your head back to the rink. Donghyuck was planted by the fence, looking up at the benches, winking and flashing his infamous cocky smirk at the girls. You could swear that his gaze lingered on yours for a while, but you shook your head, dismissing the thought. As he finally moved away, the girl sitting directly next to you still shook her arms to get his attention.

Practice went by surprisingly fast, much to your dismay. The coach whistled and next thing you notice, the team was already off the ice. Everyone around patted Donghyuck on the back and sang praise at the boy, who just grinned. A slightly taller, and what appeared older guy, swiftly threw his arm around Donghyuck’s shoulder, revealing the back of his jersey. “MARK, 2”. You couldn’t distinctly understand what they were saying but you could only assume that he was teasing the blonde, the way Donghyuck seemed to sulk at his words. As Mark started pushing Donghyuck to walk away to the locker room, you panic, afraid to miss your shot to talk to the blonde.

“LEE DONGHYUCK!” Your shout reverberates all throughout the rink. Your survival instincts really took over this one. Good work on first impressions! You feel your cheeks heat up as all eyes are now on you. You both stare at each other with wide eyes. How you wished you could just dig the biggest hole on the ground to hide yourself forever.

“Uh, yes?” He asks reluctantly, looking around as if he wasn’t the only Lee Donghyuck there. “Can I help you?”

“Uhm— Yes! I need to talk to you.” You internally curse at yourself for stuttering so much. “Alone. If— If that’s alright.”

Mark, who still stood next to his friend, looks over at him. Donghyuck nods at the rest of the team and gives off some kind of excuse, sending them on their way. They reluctantly walk away, leaving you both alone by the grandstands.

You feel your stomach turn as you watch him approach you, practice bag messily thrown over his shoulder.

“What’s up?” He’s rather calm for someone who just got shouted at by a complete stranger.

You gulp. Is this really a good idea? He notices your hesitation and raises his eyebrows, gesturing for you to talk.

“Well— This is going to sound really weird… But we need to be friends from now on.”

He freezes in his spot, obviously taken aback by your offer. He looks at you with a confused frown until something clicks in his head. His pursed lips curve into a smile and he scoffs at you. “Look, I get it if you have a crush on me, but you’re horrible at this.”

What? You quickly wave your hands dismissively in front of him, shaking your head. “That’s not it!”

“Then what is it?”

You sigh and stare back at him, shit-eating smirk plastered on his face. Well, you asked for it, Lee Donghyuck.

“As you probably don’t know, the student council elections are coming up and I’m running for president. The problem is that, according to my friends, I’m not “popular” enough to get voted on. And since you’re probably the most popular person in this school, if I become friends with you, I’ll be popular by association, which means I might actually have a shot at the elections. Obviously, I know that this is a weird request but we can make some sort of deal — If you’re up for it.” After a completely venting (and probably rapping) at him, Donghyuck stares at you dumbfounded. Great, now you scared him.

Seeing the look on his face, a wave of failure washes over you and suddenly you’re rethinking everything. You knew this was a stupid plan for the start. Oh, Huang Renjun. You were going to kill him! You have embarrassed yourself astronomically and now you could say goodbye to your dear presidential spot—

“Okay.”

Okay? “Okay?”

“Sure. Why not?” You look at him with a mixture of disbelief and confusion and he just shrugs. “Plus, you said that we could make a deal.” Of course. He was only interested because he was getting something out of it. You’re a smart man, Lee Donghyuck.

“Yeah— sure. Do you have anything in mind?” He seems to stop for a moment, briefing on what to say. You look at him impatiently, tapping your fingers rhythmically against your arm.

“You write a column for the school’s journal, right? Isn’t it something like… “Like It Is”? Yeah, that’s it.”

“How did you— Whatever. What do you need?” His smirk grows bigger as he stares back at you.

“We have a few NHL scouts coming over for the playoffs.” He crosses his arms. “To add up to my amazing playing skills, I need you to write a column about me. Y’know, to impress them.”

“And what makes you think that they’ll listen to me?”

“Because you actually write things as they are.” He sniffs. “You have an honest reputation around the school. They’ll believe you.” You ponder.

“Well, I–” Donghyuck quickly turns around as someone calls out his name.

“As much as I would love to continue our lovely convo, I have to go. Lovely seeing you, (---).” He prepares to walk away but quickly turns back. “You have my Insta, right?” You simply nod in response and he smiles, finally walking to the locker room.

“Bye bye, my sweetheart!”

“Wait, Donghyuck— That’s not—!”

Before you can say anything, you’re all alone in the rink.

[twicesonce]

TWICE for Spotify Music

[jaemsljn]

Snow on Concrete | LHC

SUMMARY: You and Donghyuck had been on bad terms for many years now, even though you share a friend group. Your opinion of him is thrown of its axis, however, when you pull his name for Secret Santa. It seems your friend group had finally gotten sick of the tension between the two of you. Can you both get over your pride for the sake of Christmas? Or does it run too deep?

A/N: this is part of a series of fics I’m going to release leading up to Christmas!! I’m very excited its gonna be each nct dream member in a different christmas/winter scenario.. and I’m going to post a prompt list so you can request for other non dream members as well!! I hope you guys enjoy!!

PAIRING: haechan x gn!reader

WORD COUNT: 7121

GENRE: kinda angsty? enemies to lovers vibes, fluff at the end

WARNINGS: cursing, mark refers to reader as man and dude but that’s just bc it’s mark reader isn’t actually gendered, mentions your grandma passing in childhood, I think that’s it let me know if I missed anything!

You weren’t quite sure the exact moment your years of not quite silent dislike for Donghyuck began, all you know is that it’s been lingering in the air for what seems like forever now. It didn’t help that you shared a friend group, meaning you had little to no chance of avoiding him.

You tried to like the boy, you really did. There was just something about how cocky he was, that stupid smirk he was always wearing, the color of his dumb eyes, and the way his voice sounded like a melody everytime he spoke that made you annoyed by his presence.

Keep reading

[here4kpopfics]

Feeling in Chaos - Summer | JJK

Pairing: Jungkook x (f)reader

Genre: drama, angst

AU: art college!au, friends to lovers, best friend’s brother,

Wordcount: 6,094

Summary: Summer is supposed to be fun. It's the last summer before you and Ryujin graduate, so you have to make the best of it. Except the world had other plans.

Warnings:  Language. Toxic relationships. Cheating. Reader's a stubborn fool and self sabotages herself. Mental health. Character death. Implied smut. Alcohol. Blood.

Rating: M / 18+ 

AN: It's finally here! The first chapter! I started working on this story a month ago. It's absolutely wild that the first chapter is finally here. Again, and I'm going to be annoying about this, this is going to be heavy. Especially the end of this chapter. But going forward, the main characters will not be loveable at times. Hell, even here y/n is kind of frustrating. But I think that's what makes everyone human. No character is perfect and lovable, and nothing really shows the worst sides of someone like a tragedy. So for the millionth time, you're warned this story is going to be a lot.

And of course, as always, thank you to the perfection that is @here2bbtstrash for beta-reading/editing this series. I love you 😘

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and as usual, please leave feedback. Either with a reblog or send me an ask. It’s greatly appreciated. 💜

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You loved the summer for two reasons. For one, you loved that you weren’t at school and didn’t have to think about it for three months. Free of discussing art, discussing color theories, and sounding pretentious as all hell for every assignment. Free of painting unless you wanted to. It was like a painting detox. You didn’t touch a brush or a drop of paint the whole summer so that when you got back to school, it was like rediscovering it all over again. 

The other reason was that you and your three favorite people of all time got to cause chaos all summer long. Trips to the beach, hiking in the mountains, camping in empty fields to see the stars. Days at the mall going shop to shop and showing all the things you wanted to buy, but buying nothing. Summer meant picnics in the park, lazy days at either apartment playing video games or marathoning movies or tv shows, or going from club to club, getting wasted and spending the next morning hungover while whoever was the designated driver made breakfast. 

This summer was different, though. This was the last summer before the final year of college for you and your best friend, Ryujin. It was also the second to last summer for both of your brothers, Kai and Jungkook. Ryujin already had a job lined up after graduation, you were still working, helping with different artists and different curators, hoping something would land you an offer at a museum at some point. Your brother Kai was already working his dream job even though he was in his junior year of college. And Ryujin’s brother Jungkook was building up his photography portfolio, shooting for some important magazines and websites. 

Things were looking good for the sQuad as Jungkook and Kai lovingly called it. You and Ryujin hated the term, but allowed it because it made them giggle every time. So the four of you were determined to spend as much time together this summer before life made keeping your group together more difficult. Which meant having to cram fun into thirteen weeks together. 

The first week, the four of you went camping. The second week, you spent the weekend at the beach. The third week was clubbing all weekend. The fourth you were just relaxing at each other's apartments when not working. The fifth, you went to an amusement park. And the sixth, you were back to just spending time with one another at home. Which is where you’re at now.

You’re all currently laying around in the living room of your apartment that you share with Ryujin. She’s cuddled up next to Kai. Jungkook’s head is currently resting on your lap as you’re all watching Iron Man for what feels like the tenth time this week. You’re mindlessly playing with his hair when you get a text message from your current girlfriend, Jihyo. 

“Ugh,” is your only response as you read the text, putting the phone down on the back of the couch. All three heads turn to look at you, knowing they don’t have to ask what’s wrong. You’re going to tell them anyway. 

“Does anyone want to go to that new club tonight? Jihyo said we’re going apparently. But I’m sure if she can get us in, she can get y’all in...” The last sentence earns a scoff from all three of them. “What?”

Ryujin sighs. “Y/n, we love you very much. But Jihyo sucks and hates us. Trust me when I say she is not even going to try to get us in. Don’t even bother asking her. Also isn’t that club like an hour away? Getting a ride home would be such a bitch.”

“Why wouldn’t she try?” You stare at your phone where you had already asked her about getting them in, wishing you could unsend it. “And she doesn’t hate you. I haven’t even brought her into the group yet…” 

“She didn’t want to be a part of any of our group adventures this weekend, even after we offered. And we already know what she’s like from what you’ve told us,” Kai interjects, pulling Ryujin closer to him. “Everything you’ve said about her just sounds like a shitty person, y/n.” 

You pout. “She’s not that bad…”

“She sounds like Mark.” 

You look down at the guy cuddled into your lap. He’s not looking at you, face buried in the pillow on your legs, but you know the expression he’s making. It's the same one he makes every time Mark is mentioned. Jaw clenched, face heating up, eyes seeing red. He’s reliving the moment you had a small bruise on your cheek and your heart in pieces while sitting on the sidewalk waiting for help. 

You huff, running your fingers through Jungkook’s hair in an attempt to calm him down. “She does not sound like Mark. Not once has she tried to lay her hands on me like that, nor has she ever yelled at me or cheated on me in the two months we’ve been dating. I think y’all are just being extra judgy.” 

Jungkook scoffs, swatting your hand away and getting up. “You choose to be oblivious to the way people treat you and it’s exhausting.” 

You don’t have time to reply before he’s stomping upstairs and slamming the door to Ryujin’s room. 

The couple on the couch say nothing about the way your expression drops and stay completely silent as you stare in the direction of your hands in your lap, eyes darting between nothing. 

You’re processing, you do it all the time in stressful situations. You stay still, mentally leave the room, and instead of discussing your thoughts and feelings, you overanalyze them internally, focusing on the negative feelings before compartmentalizing them in the very back of your mind so you don’t ever feel them again.

It feels like hours of you being checked out mentally, but it’s really only been a few brief moments before you come back, looking at your brother and the love of his life. You put on a pained smile, about to speak when your phone goes off again. You pick it up and sigh as you read it. 

“Jihyo said she can’t get you guys in… so I guess I shouldn’t have offered. Sorry. I’m going to go get ready.” You mumble through your words, standing up and sniffling to prevent any tears from escaping. 

“Y/n… you don’t have to go.” Ryujin’s voice pops up hesitantly as you approach the stairs. You shake your head, grumbling “Yeah I do” and head to your room. 

Ryujin sighs, laying her head back on the couch as Kai runs his hands up and down her arms. “Let them work it out, Ry. It’s not fair to them and you know you’re being hypocritical.”

She lifts her head just enough to narrow her eyes at him at the hypocrite remark before laying her head back down. 

“…I know. It’s just… he’s going to hurt her somehow. I just feel it. He’s going to hurt her and it’s going to damage the group.”

“More than it is now? More than she’s hurting herself by being with these people? Remember that while she’s your best friend, she’s my sister, and it’s killing me watching her do this when the one she really wants and needs just had his head on her lap and wants and needs her just as badly.”

“You’re right… I’ll talk to Jungkook…” she mumbles, rubbing her hands across her face in frustration. 

It’s two hours later, you’re in the bathroom finishing up your makeup and trying to figure out what to wear. You feel nauseous, but not from being sick or eating something bad. It’s that strange intuition nausea that’s always followed by something bad. You had it before you failed a big exam. You had it before going to a concert that was canceled mid-show because the artist passed out. You had it the night you confronted Mark. But you’re determined to prove your group wrong and have a good night with your girlfriend. 

You’re struggling with the dress that you were reluctant to buy because of the price, but Jihyo told you to get it anyway so she could show you off. The zipper is just above the very center of your back, making it difficult to reach it and zip it up. You’re about to give up when there’s a gentle knock on the door. You hold the front of the dress close to your chest as you open the door, shocked to see Jungkook looking nervous. 

“Hey, y/n… can we talk? It’s kind of important…” His eyes dart everywhere that’s not near you, trying so hard not to look at the way your breasts are being pressed up against your chest by your hand. 

“Yeah, come in. I need help with this anyway.” You step aside, letting him into your room, shutting the door behind him. “Can you zip me up? I can’t reach the stupid zipper.” 

You turn your back to him and he is so thankful you can’t see the way his cheeks redden at the sight of your bare back. He mumbles something that sounds like “okay” and stands behind you, one hand holding the fabric together, knuckles brushing your skin, and the other holding the zipper and pulling up. He lets go of the zipper at the top and hooks the pieces of fabric together, fingers lingering for a moment before he forces himself to step back. He swears you have goosebumps or were just as nervous too.

“Thank you…” you say softly, turning to face him but being stopped by his big hands grasping your arms. 

“Don’t go out tonight,” he mumbles. 

“I'm sorry, what?”

“Jihyo’s cheating on you.”

You force his hands off you and properly face him, your eyes flashing between confusion, pain, sadness, and finally anger. 

“Pick your next words carefully, Jungkook. I already told you she’s not like Mark. She’s good.”

He shakes his head, eyes on the floor. “When she came over last week. She didn’t know I was here. So while you were in the shower, she was on the phone with some girl, Momo, I think, and talking about when they’d see each other next.” His eyes flit up to yours before taking a breath and continuing. 

“She mentioned the club you’re going to tonight, y/n. And I think they’re meeting up tonight and you just… you shouldn’t go. She’s going to hurt you.”

Now you’re shaking your head, taking a step back from one of your best friends. “No. You’re wrong or you’re lying. She… she wouldn’t do that, Jungkook, okay? She’s not like that. She said she loves me.” 

It’s at that last sentence his eyes that were steady on yours widen, and now he’s taking two steps forward, trapping you against the wall but still giving you the smallest amount of space to escape. 

“She doesn’t love you, y/n. That’s just what you want to hear. You’re so desperate to be loved by literally anyone except the one that actually does love you, that you’re willing to go through these delusions with these horrible toxic people over and over and over again. How long are you going to torture yourself like this? Until it kills you? Until you no longer feel anything? What is it gonna take?”

There’s a stabbing pain in your chest, reminiscent of when you would see Jungkook with Ji-eun and when he tried to talk to you at his graduation party. That feeling you’ve told yourself a million times you can’t feel, that you’re not allowed to feel. You try to look away from him, anywhere else, but before you can find something else to look at, a hand is on your cheek. He guides your face to stay with him, eyes locked. 

“Please. Stop doing this to yourself,” he whispers, his thumb brushing against your cheek bone, and you can feel the tears ready to escape. But what you’re not expecting was him having the same issue. Why is he about to cry? He’s not the one hurting. He rests his forehead against yours, as if answering your silent thoughts. “Stop doing this to me.” His plea is almost a whisper. 

He doesn’t know what he’s saying. He doesn’t know you do this to yourself for him. For him to find someone else and realize how horrible you are. 

“Leave.” 

He pulls his face away from you, face painted in hurt and confusion. You force yourself to look away while you ruin one of the few good things you have in life. 

“What?”

“I’m not doing anything except trying to get ready to go be with my girlfriend, Jungkook. She’s not cheating on me, she loves me and I love her. I’m sorry you seem to have an issue with it, but don’t come in here lying to me about something you have no idea about. Just because you couldn’t figure it out with Ji-eun… that doesn’t mean all relationships are doomed to fail.” You spew your venomous words, eyes locked on his chest. 

Your mind is screaming at you to apologize, take it back. Tell him you’re an idiot, that he’s right. Jihyo is horrible. You feel nothing but less than a piece of trash when you’re with her. But you’re stubborn. So you stand there, stiff as a board, and refuse to see the pain on his face or the tears slowly falling. 

His hand drops from your face, jaw clenched, as he takes one step back, staring down at you. The words you said don’t match your body language and he knows that. You look like you’re trying to make yourself look as small as possible. He knows you don’t mean anything you’re saying. He should step forward again, take you in his arms, and tell you everything he’s wanted to tell you since you were kids. He should stay by your side and support you through your successes and comfort you through your failures like he wants to. But he’s just as stubborn as you are. So he takes another step back. 

“Don’t call me when she breaks your heart tonight. Don’t call me when the next one does too. I can’t do this anymore, I can’t watch you do this to yourself over and over. I’m done.” He turns and walks out your room, slamming the door on his way out, causing you to flinch. 

You remain where you stood, hearing Ryujin and Kai talking to Jungkook, but unable to understand anything said. It’s not until the front door slams and you hear footsteps approaching your bedroom door that you force yourself to your bathroom, grabbing tissues and trying to hide any evidence of the tears streaming down your face. You barely have anything fixed by the time Ryujin’s opening your door without knocking, rushing over to you in a heartbeat when her eyes meet yours in the mirror.

“What happened?” 

You shake your head, moving to sit on the toilet.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“What did my brother say to you, y/n?” 

“Please. Ry. I don’t… just help me get ready for Jihyo, please? She’ll be here in twenty minutes. I don’t want to deal with this right now. Please, Ry?” You look up at her, tears still streaming down your face, hands ripping the tissues in your hands apart. 

She sighs, nodding as she heads to your room for a moment, returning with your favorite stuffed animal that Jungkook and Kai had to work together to win at the fair when you were around seventeen. She takes the tissues out of your hand, replacing them with the stuffed tiger you affectionately named Bubba, and lays out the makeup needed to fix what your tears had ruined. 

“You will tell me at some point, though, right?” she whispers, reapplying your foundation, trying to blend it in with what you had already put on. 

“... Yeah, I will. I promise.” You quickly pinky promise with her and the both of you laugh softly. You take a deep, shaky breath, trying to suppress another round of tears, choosing instead to clutch Bubba closer to you. 

Exactly twenty minutes later, Jihyo is knocking on your front door and you’re rushing to get it before Ryujin or Kai. When you open it, you’re met with your girlfriend, looking absolutely stunning, typing away on her phone. You shake away Jungkook’s previous words and force a smile. 

“Hey, babe! You look great. I just need to get my wallet and phone and we should be good to go.” She finally looks up at you, disinterested. 

“You’re not ready yet?” She looks you up and down, “and that’s what you’re wearing?” 

“Oh. Well, yeah. It’s all I had on such short notice.” You flatten your hands to smooth down your dress. 

“I told you about it two weeks ago. Not my fault you ignored my texts.” 

“You didn’t… you didn’t text me.”

“…Are you calling me a liar?” She raises an eyebrow and you quickly shake your head. 

“No, of course not. I probably just missed it. I would never ignore your texts, Ji, you know that. Let me just grab my stuff.” 

You rush to grab your stuff, knocking on Ryujin’s door to let her know you’re leaving and make your way out the front door with Jihyo. 

The entire Uber ride to the club, Jihyo’s on her phone, smiling at it like it’s the best thing in existence. You feel stupid, but you try to sneak glances to see what she’s doing, or rather who she’s smiling at, but she’s got that damn privacy screen protector on. So from your angle, it just looks like she’s staring at a black screen. You give up rather quickly, deciding to feed into the delusion Jungkook said you created, and you choose to believe she’s just texting a friend. Just a friend. 

“Are we meeting anyone there? Or is it just us tonight?” You twist your phone around over and over in your hands, hating the silence. She doesn’t respond, giggling at her phone some more. “Ji?”

“Oh my god, what?” Her expression is no longer the happy giggling one she gave to her phone or gave you last month. It’s the look of annoyance, it’s almost disgust. You feel your stomach drop and flinch slightly at the way she speaks.

“...I was just wondering if we’re meeting up with anyone.”

She scoffs. “Of course we are, y/n. Why else would we be going?” 

I should’ve stayed home.

“I don’t know… maybe it was a date. We’re girlfriends, girlfriends go on dates… I just thought maybe…”

“You think too much, y/n. You should stop doing that. It’s annoying.”

“...Oh …okay.” Her gaze goes back to her phone and you accidentally make eye contact with the driver through the rear view mirror, he gives you a sad smile and you give one back before staring out the window, trying to contain the urge to cry or throw yourself out of the car to get out of this situation. 

You continue to stay silent when you get to the club, putting on a fake smile as you quietly follow the woman you call your girlfriend as she greets all of her friends, some you’ve met once, most you’ve never met. There’s one girl, though, she introduces herself as Momo and your stomach drops a little. Jihyo hugs Momo, too long for your liking, but you say nothing out of fear of being yelled at. 

Once inside the club, you watch as they all walk off to a VIP table. You can immediately tell there’s no room for you as they start filing in, and when it gets to be your turn to get in, Jihyo looks at you like you’re taking too long to figure it out. Momo offers her lap to your girlfriend, who grins and takes the new seat, letting you awkwardly slide in next to them. 

It’s as if the world is moving around you and you’re just staring at the condensation on the ice bucket holding the bottle of expensive champagne. You already know that Jihyo is going to try to get you to help pay for it, even though you haven’t had a drop of alcohol in your system yet. Everyone is talking, laughing, making out, mingling with one another and you’re there. You notice movement under the table next to you and when you glance down, you want to throw up.

Neither are really facing you. Some of the group have dispersed to gather more alcohol or dance, so there’s no reason for Jihyo to still be on Momo’s lap. But still she sits there as you watch Momo’s hands sliding up Jihyo’s thighs, slipping under her dress. You know exactly where this is going once your girlfriend’s head falls back onto Momo’s shoulder and she lets out a moan. You know that moan. That’s the moan she makes when you curl your fingers inside her and make her come. Her head turns to the side and your eyes land on hers. She’s… smiling? Your mouth opens and you quickly scramble to get up, grabbing your stuff and accidentally knocking over a glass, not caring that it shatters to pieces on the floor, and you make your way to the bathroom. 

You wade through the crowd of people, find the hallway with the bathroom, and lock yourself in a stall. You break out your phone and go to the name you always go to when you feel your heart cracking. 

Y/N (12:08am): I’m sorry. 

The delivered message quickly changes to read and you see the three dots appear and disappear over and over before finally nothing. By this point, tears are streaming down your face and you don’t know what else to do. You sit there, panicking to yourself, when you hear the bathroom door open and the voice you never want to hear again calling your name. 

“Y/n, stop being dramatic and get out here. I don’t have the patience for this.”

You use the toilet paper to dab away your tears and unlock the stall. She’s leaning against the counter, arms crossed against her chest and head tilted to the side in annoyance. 

“What’s wrong now?”

You narrow your eyes at her, feeling a boost of confidence in your anger.

“What’s wrong? Ji, what’s wrong is you about to be fingered in front of me, your girlfriend, and not giving a fucking shit about it. That’s what’s wrong.”

She rolls her eyes. “Y/n, baby, how serious did you think this was? Like, honestly? DId you really think this was going to go past fucking each other? You’ve seen you, right? You’re great in bed, babe, I’ll give you that. But I’m not going to run around screaming you’re my girlfriend.”

You’re too stunned to even begin to process her words. “What?”

“Also, your little elitist group or whatever never liked me to begin with, so why should this even continue? I was going to end things like later tonight, but fuck, if you wanna do it now, then fine. I’m with Momo now. Get home safely or whatever.” She fires off, leaving you in the bathroom.

You stand there, frozen, as her words play over and over again, but at the same time, so do Jungkook’s. 

She sounds like Mark. 

She doesn’t love you. 

She’s going to hurt you.

Your heart is pounding in your chest, you can hear it in your ears and you’re shaking, pulling your phone out again. Still no response. You press call. No answer. You call again. No answer. Again, nothing. Again, still nothing. Again, straight to voicemail. 

Don’t call me when she breaks your heart tonight… I’m done.

“No. No no no no no.” Your heart is going to burst. You’re too hot. You’re sweating. Everything stinks and it’s too dark but it’s also too bright. It’s loud but too silent. You force yourself out of the bathroom and barge your way through the club until you can escape to the outside. You check the Uber app, but there’s no one around and you need to get home immediately, and the trains are done for tonight. You can’t call Ryujin, she’ll just say she told you so. So you call Kai, who answers on the first ring. 

“Noona, what happened?”

“Please… come get me.” You try to speak loudly enough but your heart hurts too much that your lungs feel like they’re failing you.

“I’m already on the way. Are you inside or outside?”

“Outside.”

“Stay by the security guard, noona. We’ll be there in ten minutes, okay?”

“Okay.” You sniffle. “‘We?’” Your heart races, did he change his mind? Is he on his way with your brother?

“Ry didn’t want me driving this late alone.”

“Oh.”

“Hang tight, okay?”

“Thank you, Kai…” You both hang up, and you scurry over to the security guard and ask if you can wait for your ride near him. He nods, bringing out his stool he wasn’t using and lets you sit in the shadows while you wait. 

Eight minutes later, Kai’s car is pulling up alongside the club and Ry is jumping out of the car in a baggy sweater and sweatpants. You’re so busy handing the stool back to the guard, bowing to him in gratitude, that you didn’t notice her running to you, wrapping her arms around your shoulders and head in the tightest hug she can muster at almost one in the morning. 

Her comfort allows the floodgates to open, and you sob into her, or rather Kai’s, sweater. 

“It’s okay, love. It’s okay. Let’s get you home and I’ll make you something and we can all cuddle on the couch with a good movie, okay?” You nod into her shoulder as she guides you back to the car, letting you get into the passenger’s seat and sitting behind you. Your brother leans over the center console, wrapping his arms around you, kissing the top of your head.

“Let’s go home, noona. You’ll be okay.” He waits for you both to get situated, seat belts on and everything, before he finally pulls away. The first twenty minutes of the drive are silent except for the occasional sniffle through your soft cries. Kai had grabbed your hand at some point, giving you reassuring squeezes after every sniffle. He looked through the rear view mirror to see Ryujin asleep.

“You want to talk about it?” he whispers after another sniffle. You shake your head, using one of the many napkins he kept stored in his car for emergencies to wipe the tears and snot from your face. 

“There’s nothing to talk about. It’s the same thing, time and time again. I fall in love too easily and people use it against me, shattering my heart in the end. Except this time, Jungkook wants nothing to do with me.”

“Y/n…” You lift the hand not in his to cut him off.

“But he’ll come back… he has to. It’s the sQuad, right? He can’t just abandon that?”

He tentatively nods, sad eyes on the road. You both remain silent for a moment.

“It’ll always be the four of us after you get married, right?” You look at him, eyes slightly widening, darting between the rear view mirror showing Ryujin asleep and the road ahead. “You’re not going to abandon your big sister and best friend just because you’ve got it all figured out with a perfect job, wife, eventual kids, and all that?” He chuckles, causing a small smile to form on your sad face.

“Of course not. You both mean the world to me, even if Jungkook can be a bit of an ass.” You nod in agreement, lips pressed together.

“Good. Because if Koo’s gonna go back and forth on if we’re friends, then I need someone to be my rock.”

“He’s not going back and forth, y/n. You know that’s not it.” He takes a quick glance at you when he reaches the stop light, squeezing your hand.

“...I know.”

“You two need to figure it out… I know Ry told him she’s not really a fan of the idea of you two, but it’s kind of causing tension in the group.” Your eyes narrow at him, taking a second to see if your best friend was still asleep or not. She was.

“What do you mean Ry’s not a fan? Told him what?” 

“I can’t, sis… I promised. You just have to talk to them.” 

You groan, leaning back into the seat. You’re two blocks away from the house. One more major crossing, so you could just stay silent, but talking is better than silence. “So when are you going to do it?” 

“Do what?” 

“Ask her. You have the ring already, right? Where is it? Is it the top right of the bottom drawer like every guy does?”

“...Shut up.”

“Oh my god, Kai. You’re so predictable. She’s gonna find it if she hasn’t already.”

“I’m sure she knows. I think she opened a new tab on my laptop with the ring she wanted. So I’m pretty sure she has an idea.”

“Of course she does. She’s my super smart bestie.” You grin and he rolls his eyes, but there’s a grin there too. 

“The day after Christmas. After all the presents are handed out, and it’s calmer, no running around trying to make everyone happy. When it’s just us, the snow, some hot chocolate, and a tree with the only present under it being the ring. That’s when I’m going to ask.”

You smile. It’s a sad smile, but it’s a smile. You love their relationship so much. That’s all you’ve ever wanted, a relationship like theirs. When you can look at one another and say “yes, this is the person I want to be with for the rest of my life” and actually mean it.

“You guys are cute,” you mutter, playing with his hand, looking over at him as he presses the gas when the light turns green. 

But all you see is white.

All you hear is a honk followed by screeching tires, your screaming of Kai’s name, and a loud crunch.

Then darkness. So much darkness. It’s too quiet, too dark, you can’t see, hear, or feel anything. It feels like the darkness is beginning to be all you know now. Until you hear someone screaming your name. 

You open your eyes. Your head is against the window that’s now shattered. The airbag is deflating in front of you. 

The voice is still screaming, but you ignore it. You look down.

His hand is still in yours, but there’s blood.

No.

You look at the driver’s seat. His head is slumped forward. He’s not moving.

No.

Ryujin’s being pulled out of the back seat by paramedics. She’s the one screaming. Your eyes stay on your brother.

No. Move, please. Please move. 

You grip his hand tighter. 

“...Kai? Kai, wake up. Kai.” Your voice grows panicked. You remove the seatbelt and scream in pain as you get on your knees to reach over to him. 

“Kai, you need to wake up. The paramedics need to help you.”

Please don’t leave me.

“Kai…”

You feel hands on your back. It’s the paramedics. They’re trying to get you to an ambulance. 

They’re just doing their job. 

You scream, still holding onto his hand that’s still not responding.

“KAI! WAKE UP!” you scream at the top of your lungs, vision blurry. 

“Ma’am, we need to get you checked out, we’ll get him next.” One of the paramedics is trying his best to allow you to make the choice to get out. But you’re not moving. You grab Kai’s shoulder. His lifeless body slumps to your side and you scream out more, hugging him. 

“Please. Please, wake up. Ry needs you. Jungkook, too… me… Kai, I need you. You can’t leave me. Please. I can’t do this without you. Please, wake up. Come on, Kai, just open your eyes and tell me you’re okay.” You’re sobbing, not even sure if any of the words you’re saying are even words. He just needs to wake up.

The paramedic finally leans into the car and grabs you as gently as he can in case of any injuries, but forceful enough to let you know you’re getting taken out of the damaged car. 

That doesn’t stop you from fighting back. 

“NO! That’s my brother! I need to wake him up! You can’t take him away from me!” You try to kick your feet, but the paramedic is stronger than you and also not potentially injured like you are. He pulls you out of the car, forcing you to watch as you let go of your brother’s hand and it just drops on the passenger seat as you scream his name. 

He carries you to the nearest ambulance, where a stretcher is waiting for you. He sits you up so he can start identifying any injuries and your eyes roam the scene to the other ambulance where Ryujin isn’t on a stretcher, but instead sitting in the back with a blanket around her while they check on her. 

There’s a small crowd forming nearby. And a man sitting on the sidewalk, hands behind his back in handcuffs, looking drunk and confused. This is his fault, you can feel it. Your eyes finally land back on the car and stay there. Two other paramedics walk by and you hear “two survived; one injured, the other minor, driver DOA.” 

You don’t even know what you feel anymore. Your heart is shattered but you feel numb, devoid of anything now. Your eyes stay locked on the car as the paramedics begin removing your brother, one laying a stretcher on the ground and placing a sheet over his lifeless body once he’s out. 

“Y/n!” 

You turn your head to see Jungkook running to you, Ryujin following slowly behind. Her eyes are red and wide with shock. Jungkook looks scrambled, not sure if he should hug you or not. Instead he grabs your hand, the same one that just had to let go of your brother’s. You stay silent.

“Are you okay?” You don’t respond, just staring at the paramedics tending to your brother. They’re lifting the stretcher, bringing it to the ambulance Ryujin was being tended to. She’s now by your side, eyes trained on the same thing as you. Jungkook turns to see what you’re staring at and you're pretty sure you hear his heart crack.

“No. That’s not…”

Your only response is to squeeze his hand. He looks back at the both of you. You slowly nod once, eyes filling up with more tears for the nth time in just a few hours, but you don’t notice, still watching what the paramedics are doing. 

Ryujin tries to hold it together, but that doesn’t stop the tears from escaping. Jungkook wraps his free arm around his older sister, and she clutches onto his sides, her face buried in his chest. He looks down at you, tears now escaping from his eyes. You’re void of anything. Emotions, thoughts, your desire to exist, anything and everything is gone from your face. Just a hardened expression, not moving.

That stupid ability to speak without speaking between you and Jungkook is what makes him squeeze your hand tighter. Although you’re completely still and silent, you’re still in the car screaming at Kai to wake up. Jungkook can hear your screams and sobs as you sit there. 

When the paramedics decide you need to go to the hospital for some scans, Ryujin offers to come with you in the ambulance since she was asleep and only sustained minor injuries, her heart and world shattering in an instant not being listed on the report. 

She and Jungkook switch roles on who’s holding your hand. He wraps his arms around you, whispering that it’s going to be okay, you both know it to be a complete lie. He kisses your forehead before they load you up into the ambulance, Ryujin by your side but unable to look at you. Jungkook follows the ambulance to the hospital from his car.

You don’t know where they take your brother. You only know that you’ll never hold his hand again. 

AN: how we doing? 🥲 Again, just another warning this isn't going to be happy. all the characters are going to be a mess and i cannot stress enough about how it might get triggering for some people. I'll do more in depth trigger warnings for Fall. and there will be a lot, it's going to be a stupid long chapter.

also I love Jihyo with all my everything, it hurt to make her a cheating bitch. just wanted to put that out there.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed (considering). Feel free to leave thoughts and opinions in my ask. ily. 💜

[here4kpopfics]

Taglist: @chryblossomjjk @highly-functioning-mitochondria @reliablemitten @joonsytip @jungkook-oppa97 @moonleeai @parkinglot-nights @landl7xoxo @goldenclosethobi @ashslytheringoddess @quarter-life-crisis2

*if you’re name is in bold, it means I can’t tag you. If you are a silent reader, or don't post or reblog on your blog, the tagging feature will not work. Tumblr won't let you tag people who are not considered "active users"*

[btsgotjams27-deactivated2025020]

// fOoL fOr YoU ~ jjk | 3

→ title: fOoL fOr YoU 3

→ pairing: jungkook x f!reader

→ word count: 5.7k

→ rating: pg-13

→ genre/au: fluff, light angst | college!au, fake dating!au, strangers to friends to lovers

→ warnings: language, light touching(?), sexual innuendos, long hair yoongi shows up for a like a split second, jungkook is a sweetheart, mild jealously, flirting, this is just a very sweet chapter

→ summary: Jungkook wants to go to another party, but you have other things in mind.

→ a/n: i'm in shambles after writing this chapter. honestly, i think i included too much lol. also, i'm a california babe at heart, so yeah, you'll see why :) but anywho, i hope you all enjoy this sweet, fluffy chapter. 💜 Any feedback, reblogs, asks are so appreciated.

[ SERIES MASTERLIST ] prev | next

The following day was hell. You told yourself never to get drunk again. One of the dumbest things you've done in your life. And all for what? What did it even prove? Probably nothing. Jieun likely didn't think anything of you after last night. She was right. You could barely hold your liquor.

Rubbing your temples, you groaned at the ache pounding inside your head. It felt like someone was stomping around all night with no intention of stopping.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," a chipper voice echoed, making your head throb even more.

Ugh–what time is it? And the voice wasn't Lyla. You peeked your eyes open to see Jungkook, causing you to groan again. What was he doing here again, and how did he get in?

"Can't get enough of me, huh?" Looking down, realizing you were in the same clothes from the night before, and you didn't have a bra on - instead, you noticed it on your chair.

Oh god–what did you do? And who took off your bra? Did you? Did Jungkook? At least it was a cute bra.

You rubbed your face, noticing the black on your hand when you pulled away. Fuck–you didn't wash your face either? You groaned again, pulling your duvet to cover your face, embarrassed that Jungkook saw you at your worst.

Jungkook laughed, "Mm. That's exactly the reason why I'm here." He tried pulling the duvet, but you gripped it tightly, not wanting to let go. "No, but there's a party tonight, and you're coming with me."

"Another party? We just went to one." You whined, pulling the cover down, scowling at his demand. The last one was a disaster, and if Jieun was going to be there, you didn't want another round with her - fighting with his ex was not part of the deal.

"That was yesterday," he said casually before making himself comfortable by the foot of your bed, gesturing for you to lift your feet to place on top of his thighs.

You stared blankly at the cute boy who suddenly became very comfortable enough to sit on your bed, starting to massage your feet. You quickly retreated from his grasp. "I have to study today. Sorry, Jungkook, you'll have to go alone."

With only a few weeks left of the semester, your world literature final wasn't going to ace itself.

Jungkook wavered in his thoughts for a moment, then turned to you. "What if I help you study, and then you go with me to the party? It's a win-win for everyone."

He really wasn't going to let this go, huh? Did he want another repeat of last night? "You know, there are other ways to have fun besides drinking and partying."

Jungkook gasped dramatically, holding his hand to his chest. "There is? Like what?"

"Skip the party and find out."

Jungkook was intrigued, and you could see it on his face. It looked like he was going to say something, but you interrupted his thought– "Study first, then we'll have fun."

You glared at Jungkook while flipping through your index cards. What was the point of him joining you and helping if all he was going to do was sleep? So, you kicked him in the shin underneath the table.

"Wha–what's happening?" He asked, poking his head up, all sleepy-eyed.

"Wake up, Jungkook! I thought you were going to help me study," you whisper-yelled at him. He mumbled something, but you couldn't understand him. "If you're just gonna sleep, then just go to the party. I'll see you whenever," you fussed, packing up your laptop and books.

So much for being a friend. Did he not know the first thing about what friends do for each other? This exam was worth twenty percent of your grade, and you wouldn't let some stupid boy hold you back.

"Hold on–sorry, I'm up. I'm up," Jungkook perked up, trying to grab your arm, but you were already down the aisle to put the book back.

"It's fine," you wave him off as he follows you. "I'll just go back to my dorm to study." You shook your head. You didn't know what you were thinking, asking Jungkook for help or even to be your friend. It was stupid, really - wishful thinking.

While facing the row of art history books, you set your bag down next to you, on your tiptoes, trying to reach for the second row from the top, and the stupid books would move for you to put back the book. Jungkook tried to take the book and help you, but you stubbornly refused. Looking around, you grabbed a step stool, trying again to put this book back.

"Lemme help you, come on."

You ignored him, tippy towing, fingers barely grazing the edge of the books. But you finally pushed the book through a spot, relieved that you didn't need Jungkook's help.

Tugging your shirt down, you faced Jungkook, ready to step off the stool, but lost your footing, landing in his arms, causing a ruckus as the stool crashed into a row of books.

"Clumsy much?" He teased, helping you stand on your feet.

You scowled at him. "Look, Jungkook–if you don't want to be my friend, then whatever. Our deal is over; it's that simple."

You wouldn't waste time putting work into a friendship if he didn't care about his end of the deal.

"Hey–" He held your arm, making your turn to him. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm just not used to this whole friendship thing. Jieun and I never really had that–we were never really friends."

You huffed. It wasn't surprising to hear Jungkook say that–girls were probably ready to jump his bones at any second. Some part of you also felt pity. Maybe Jungkook just didn't know how to be a friend to a girl. Not everything had to end in sex–it was never your goal, even though you've daydreamed about it.

"Forget about the party–it's dumb anyway. What do you need help with? I'm here, and I'm game for whatever you need."

"It's fine, Jungkook. I'm gonna go back to my dorm and study."

"Hey–I meant what I said about being your friend. Come on…"

You sighed, not giving him an answer. He was free to do whatever he wanted, and you weren't going to dictate what he should or shouldn't do.

Jungkook was unsure what you wanted from him since you didn't respond. So he followed you as you left the library, heading back to your dorm. You were a few steps ahead of him, and you'd glance back to see if he was still following you.

Turning around, you halted in your tracks. "Jungkook–just–please stop." You weren't sure why you were getting so worked up. Over what? Because Jungkook didn't want to be your friend? You thought he'd at least try his best. Your deal hasn't gone on for long, and he couldn't keep his end of the bargain. Did guys that look like Jungkook just not know how to be friends with girls or something?

He took a step towards you. His frame towering over yours. The familiar fresh scent of his body wash mixed with his cologne started to become a sense of comfort when he was close. You were deterred from his gaze when he softly called your name.

"Can you look at me, please?"

A beat passed before you did as he asked. You peered into his dark brown eyes, your heart beating faster when you saw him darting from your eyes to your lips. You let out a sigh, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for falling asleep and not helping you like I said I would. Can you please let me make it up to you?"

You glared at the cute boy. "Can we skip the party? I'm not looking to get wasted again."

He chuckled. "We'll do anything you want."

"Anything?" You cocked your eyebrow.

Jungkook's lips drew into a pout as he hummed. He wondered what you had planned and what it would involve.

Since Jungkook said he was up for anything, you couldn't help but indulge in some self-care, especially after a drunken night. Your skin would gladly thank you for this. You told Jungkook that he couldn't complain or whine about anything you had him do tonight.

Light conversations led the two of you to talk about your favorite movies.

"You've never seen The Breakfast Club? It's a cult classic," you asked with your mouth agape. Who hasn't watched this film? You were baffled by his non-existent knowledge of pop culture or at least good pop culture.

Jungkook shrugged. "Nope. Never cared for those kinds of movies," he said while carefully taking out the sheet mask from its shiny silver package. He pulled it apart, placing it on his face, smoothing it out.

"Oh my god–" You gasped in disbelief. "We're watching this movie right now," you fussed, pushing yourself off the bed to find the tv remote.

He groaned in frustration as he lay against your pillows. "It's late, and I'm probably gonna fall asleep."

You chuckled at his panda face sheet mask as he whined. You already made him paint your nails, and you his, but the night was not over. This was payback for your previous drunken night. "If you fall asleep during this movie, I'll punch you in the balls," you threatened.

He narrowed his eyes at you, grinning, "If you want to touch them, just tell me."

Here he goes again, using your crush on him to flirt. Your eyes widened, balling your hand into a fist, raising your arm, getting ready to legit punch him in the groin. Jungkook quickly blocked his goods in case you weren't joking around.

"Told you, you were different. Other girls would have jumped at the chance to touch them," he said slyly, grabbing a pillow from behind and placing it next to him. He shifted his position, spreading his legs. "I'm just saying–they're yours for the grabbing," he laughed.

Two could play that game, you thought. Stepping closer, crawling between his legs, kneeling in front of him, your gaze turns dark. He visibly gulps when your hands gently caress his thighs, inching closer to his ever-so-lightly growing arousal. "Don't flatter yourself, Jungkook," you flirted back at him.

Your comment elicited a half-smile as he looked away, then back at you. Feisty, he thought. "We gonna watch this movie or what?"

Throughout the night, you'd glance at Jungkook to see if he was enjoying himself. It looked like he was mainly indulging in the snacks. You rolled your eyes at his continuous munching. How much can a guy eat, you thought.

Surprisingly, Jungkook didn't complain during the film. He'd stop to make a comment or laugh, but apart from that, there were no protests.

The final scene came on with John on the field, fist in the air, and the infamous ending credit song, Don't You Forget About Me, by the Simple Minds.

Jungkook found it cute when he found you humming along, wondering how many times you've seen this film. Was it your comfort film? What was it that you liked so much about it? The characters? The romance?

Clicking the TV off, you turned to face Jungkook. "'Kay–question for you."

He shifted himself, mirroring you. "Go for it."

"Who do you want to be in the film?" It was a question you asked everyone who watched this film with you. You loved it because it gave you a small glimpse into who they were.

"Easy–John."

You chuckled. Of course, he did. "And why's that?"

"He's carefree, doesn't give a shit about what others think about him."

You wondered if that's how Jungkook was rebelling - by getting a full sleeve and piercings. Bet it didn't go over well with his coach, especially the piercings on his eyebrow and lip.

"And who is the character that represents you the most?"

"Andrew."

It was the obvious answer. Jungkook's a wrestler, so it was easy to relate to him. You'd heard through the grapevine that he transferred in on a scholarship and were sure he felt all the same pressures as Andrew. You couldn't imagine the things Jungkook's had to go through. 

"Do you sometimes wish you weren't a wrestler?" You couldn't help asking. You knew there was more to him that just being a jock.

He contemplated the question, softly drumming your mattress. "Yes and no. I love wrestling. I'm great at it, but I just wished my dad wasn't such an ass about it, you know? Whenever he talks to me about it, it takes the fun out of it, and I just get stressed. I guess that's why it's always easier to just fuck and avoid talking about real life."

You speculated he was referring to Jieun and his previous relationships. "Is that why you don't know how to be friends with me? Cause all you do is fuck around?"

Jungkook chuckled. "We're not fucking around right now, are we? So I guess I'll say I'm doing a pretty good job of being your friend."

You had to give him that. He was sweet for doing everything you asked of him tonight. The whole night turned out to be a lot of fun.

"And what about you, huh? Who do you want to be, and who are you really?"

You answered this many times, and your answer has never changed. "I want to be Claire, but I'm Brian."

"You wanna be a princess?" Jungkook wouldn't have pegged you as a princess type, considering you didn't like that pet name.

"No, not necessarily. Sometimes, I just want to be seen–not all the time. I don't want attention on me 24/7. But I don't know, and I just want to be noticed." You weren't demanding that guys were waiting on you hand and foot, but maybe just once in a while, it would be nice to be wanted.

Jungkook hummed, wavering over your answer. "It's not all it's cut out to be, you know? Being popular - kind of annoying, sometimes."

You chuckled, "Are you implying that you're popular?"

"Yeah, so popular I have to get a fake girlfriend just to fend off all the girls trying to get with me," he said sarcastically.

"Why is that, by the way? You're just okay looking," you teased, gently throwing a pillow at him.

Jungkook scoffed, knowing you were joking. "Yah–next time, you can go and ask someone else to hold your hand." He threw the pillow back at you, but you caught it in time.

"Yah–next time, you can go ask one of those hyenas outside your door. I'm sure they'd be asking for much more than just being friends with you," you huffed in annoyance, crossing your arms. He'll never let the hand-holding thing down, will he?

"Well, regardless–I'm glad you asked me to hold your hand, and I'm glad I asked you to be my fake girlfriend. It's kind of nice having someone to talk to, you know? So, I'm glad we're friends," Jungkook said as his gaze softened.

"Don't tell me; you'll get all sappy on me now, Jungkook. We've had good banter with one another," you quipped back.

He shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle. He wondered if this is how you downplayed when someone was showing you kindness and compassion.

"So, I should probably get back to my dorm. It's getting late."

Quickly, you checked the time on your phone. It was a little past midnight, and even though you didn't have classes tomorrow, you needed every minute to study, so it was time to call it a night.

"Yeah, right, of course," you smiled. "I'm sure you have things to do and have to wake up early."

Jungkook crawled off your bed, grabbed his backpack, and slipped on his shoes before heading to the door, and you followed closely. He opened the door, stepping through the threshold. He turned around to give a small wave and say goodbye before he went on his way.

A minor ache in your heart surprised you while you watched him walk away, just a few hours together, and a part of you wished he could stay longer. You hoped he would look back again, but he didn't, so you stepped back into your room, thinking about the fun night the two of you had.

Unbeknownst to you, he did take one more look, just catching a glimpse of your bunny slippers returning to your room. He would have loved to stay, but he didn't want to overstep any boundaries as a friend.

The following day, bright and early, eight o'clock to be exact - Jungkook closed the door to his car, and in hand was a bag of chocolate croissants and a drink tray of hot coffee. He was accustomed to getting up at dawn because of his rigorous wrestling training. Since the season was over, it was like clockwork for his body, naturally waking up on its own. He figured he should be a good friend/fake boyfriend and bring you a treat to start your day.

When he knocked on your door, to his surprise, it wasn't you that answered. "Namjoon-hyung?"

"Oh–hey, JK," he answered with a low, hoarse voice, holding the door ajar. "Are you looking for your girlfriend?"

Jungkook peered in to see Lyla snuggled under her duvet. "Yeah, I am, actually. She's not here?"

"Nah, man. She left early this morning and had to study or whatever."

Jungkook lifted his backpack onto his shoulder, making sure he didn't spill the coffee or drop the croissants. "Did she say where she was gonna be?"

Lyla popped her bed head up, peering at Jungkook with sleepy eyes. "She's at the coffeehouse, on the second floor by the window, and you'll find her tucked in a corner."

He acknowledged Lyla's answer with thanks before leaving the two lovebirds. Never in a million years would he have pictured Namjoon and Lyla together. Good for them, he thought, and everyone deserves to find someone they can have fun with.

It was still early on campus; hardly anyone was up except those who were doing the walk of shame, hungover, or studying. Jungkook noticed a few girls and one guy clearly doing the walk of shame across campus back to their rooms. He slightly chuckled at the sight.

When he approached the coffeehouse and glanced up at the glass window, he spotted you sitting by yourself, intensely writing, eyes darting back and forth from your textbook and notebook. He found you rather endearing, being all consumed with studying. He'd never been around someone so overzealous about school before.

Right as he was going to take a step, he noticed someone stealing your attention. He didn't recognize the person, but he'd soon find out. Jungkook quickened his efforts, desperate to find you and this mystery man. He stopped as soon as you were in his view - he'd never seen you so smiley, giggly, almost unrecognizable. The man diverting your attention sported an oversized white tee, dark slacks, and sandals. His hands ran through his long dark locks while showing off a gummy smile, which you reciprocated warmly.

You peered away from Yoongi when you spotted Jungkook with a drink tray and a pastry bag. You knitted your eyebrows in confusion, "Jungkook? What are you doing here?"

Jungkook steadily made his way over to you and this mystery man. "Hey–Just wanted to bring you some breakfast," he informed you, holding up the bag and coffee.

"Um, thank you. You really didn't have to," you said with a bashful smile, "Oh–Jungkook, this is Yoongi. Yoongi, Jungkook."

Before your little crush on Jungkook, you had eyes for Min Yoongi - the philosophy TA. He was always willing to go out of his way to help you ace the class, and your crush lasted for a long time before Jungkook came crashing in.

The two men in front of you nodded at each other, standing around awkwardly, waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Um—Jungkook is my boyfriend," you muttered quickly under your breath, rubbing the back of your neck.

"Boyfriend, hmm? Good for you, sweetheart."

You shook your head at the pet name. "Don't you have better places to be, Yoongi?"

"I do, actually," he smiled, saluting you before leaving. "Later, sweetheart."

Jungkook sat across from you, setting down the pastry bag and drink tray. "Do you like him or something?" Jungkook asked casually, trying not to sound protective.

You chuckled. Was he jealous of Min Yoongi? "And if I did?"

Jungkook shrugged. "That's cool, I guess." Technically, the two of you weren't dating, so he had no right to be jealous. He didn't think you'd be into guys who looked like Yoongi and didn't know what kind of guys you liked besides your crush on him.

It was hard to suppress the smile trying to escape. "Are you jealous?"

He pointed to himself. "Pfft–Me? Jealous? Of what?" Jungkook was number one in the western wrestling conference divisions, the top of his class, and had a massive line of girls waiting for him. There was nothing to be jealous of.

"Yoongi's probably more interested in you than he is in me," you said simply, wavering your pen between your fingers.

He knitted his brows in confusion, then realized what you meant. "Oh…"

"It's cute that you're jealous."

"Am not."

You hummed mmhm, sending a smirk before returning to your studies.

"Didn't know if you ate yet, so I brought some pastries and coffee–even though it looks like you already had coffee," he said, pointing at the two empty mugs sitting on the window sill.

You may have gone a bit overboard with two lattes before eight o'clock. "I'm starving," you said, setting your pen down and, with grabby hands, snatching the bag. You groaned in delight when you opened it. The fresh smell of a warm croissant filled your nostrils. "My favorite," you explained, taking a bite of the flaky chocolate croissant. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm here to help you study."

He was adamant about this whole being friends thing, wasn't he? A small part of you wanted to be a smartass but decided against it.

"Oh–thanks," you mumbled indistinctly.

Jungkook turned his ear to you. "I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you. What did you say?" He teased, and he just wanted to hear you repeat it.

You sighed, annoyed with him. "I said, thank you."

A few hours went by, and to your surprise, Jungkook stayed by your side, studiously helping with no complaints or whining whatsoever.

"Do you have a hair tie?" Jungkook asked as he kept combing his hand through his hair, but it kept falling back into his eyes.

You perked up from having your nose in your textbook for the last hour. Your eyes wandered, wondering if you had an extra hair tie. Grabbing your bag, you shuffled around for your beauty bag, pulling out a simple black hair tie.

"Here."

Jungkook held his hand out. He was just glad you had something, and he just needed his hair out of his face. His sad attempt to tie up his fringe was utterly tragic, and you couldn't stand it anymore. 

Screeching the chair from under you, you waved your hand, telling him to give you the hair tie. "Come 'mere." He did as you asked, leaning his head towards you. Swiftly and quickly, you tied his hair into a little sprout, making him look adorable.

He straightened, running his palm against the small flower blossoming on his head. Jungkook mumbled thanks before returning to the flashcards.

You sighed when you sat back down. The two of you had already spent all morning and lunch studying, and your brain was hurting. You glanced at Jungkook as he continued to scribble away. "Hey–let's go do something fun. I need a break."

Jungkook peered up, setting down his pen. "What do you have in mind?"

"Wanna try the world's biggest corn dog?"

"Okay, what the hell is this? And why is it so fucking big?"

You didn't take Jungkook to be one to complain about the food. You'd seen him eat some ridiculous things before. "It's the world's biggest corn dog for a reason!"

You'd been watching one too many TikToks when you came across this one, and it was too intriguing not to try, especially when it was in the same city the two of you were in.

Jungkook insisted on sharing, and after bickering for five minutes, you finally gave in. When your order number was called, your jaw dropped. Holy shit—good thing Jungkook convinced you to share. The corn dog was as big as your arm.

"Aren't you glad you didn't get your own?"

You rolled your eyes. "Don't eat all of it!" You cried when he took the biggest bite, and he held it away from you, taking another mouthful before finishing what was in his mouth. "Jungkook," you whined. You were really looking forward to that corn dog.

He laughed when you playfully smacked his back. Goddamn, was this man pure muscle or something? You bet your hand hurt more than the slap against his back.

Half of the corn dog was gone when he turned around to face you. "Oh my god. You owe me another one!"

Jungkook was ridiculous, so you stepped on the back of his calf, causing him to plunge forward. "Yah–okay, okay," he chimed, finding his balance again. "You're so violent." He finally handed you the corn dog.

"Don't mess with a hangry woman," you chirped back, taking a bite of the crisp cornmeal batter and juicy sausage. You were never one to care for corn dogs, but this one was delicious.

California nights were some of your favorite things, especially watching the sunset at the beach. It became a place of comfort when life became demanding.

You made Jungkook buy you a plate of nachos - the kind with space cheese, not the real stuff melted on top, with a heaping spoonful of jalapenos to top it off. Jungkook commented, saying he's never seen a girl eat so much but was glad you didn't care about stuffing your face in front of him.

"I love food. We were put on this earth to enjoy food."

Jungkook chuckled. He was glad that you were comfortable being yourself around him because most girls weren't. He felt as though they were always putting up a front because, well…he was Jeon Jungkook.

After walking along the beach for a bit, chit-chatting here and there. You saw a bonfire pit that opened up and suggested doing this one last thing before the night ended. The night sky was too picturesque to pass up stargazing.

Neither of you was prepared for the beach. With no chairs or blankets - the two of you settled for digging your toes into the sand.

The afternoon with Jungkook was nice - being outside school helped you get to know him better. Like other young adults your age, he was like them, trying his best.

The two of you began talking about your friends, and he asked about you and Lyla. Then, to your surprise, you discovered that Jimin was his best friend. You'd only known that Jieun and Jimin slept together, but you didn't know Jungkook's role.

"I'm sorry they did that to you. It's a pretty shitty thing to do."

Jungkook shrugged. "It's whatever. It just sucks to lose a friend, you know?" He said as he made a pile of sand in front of him.

You nodded in agreement. "It's hard for me to open up to girls, so the ones that I am close with. I'm gonna be loyal to them for the rest of my life. So, I couldn't imagine if someone did something like that to me, and it would suck for sure."

He flashed a bunny smile and nose scrunch, trying to ease the pain of his past relationships. "So, tell me, what is a friend to you?"

Since you only asked him to be a friend, he wanted to know what you were looking for, and maybe when he was brave enough, he'd ask what you look for in a significant other.

You sat with your toes in the warm sand, the heat from the fire burning brightly, making your skin glow. The two of you sat in silence while you collected your thoughts, thinking about a good answer for Jungkook.

"A friend is…someone who listens, doesn't judge you, calls you out when you're out of line, and somehow makes everything all right," you answered him with a shrug. "I don't know. At least that's what a friend is to me, and it's different for everyone."

Jungkook acknowledged your response. "Seems simple enough. I can do that," he smiled, showing off his bunny teeth - his smile was always a weakness of yours, and him being so close, smelling his cotton body wash, was driving you insane.

He's never had too many friends that were girls because they always turned into more than friendship fairly quickly. He's had guy friends, but it was hard to open up to them sometimes. The only person he could ever really confide in was Namjoon. So, he appreciated that the two of you were friends first. To be honest, it was just nice to sit and talk.

"You wanna go touch the water?"

"You just wanna do everything today, huh?"

"Yeah, kinda," you softly chuckled.

Jungkook stood up, brushing the sand off of him, holding his hand for you to take. You were close to just slapping it away, but you resisted and, instead, decided to play nice since he's been nothing but sweet to you today.

So, you took his warm hand in yours, and he quickly whirled you up from your sitting position, making you dash with him towards the water.

The waves crawled gently near your feet, foaming ocean water bubbles inching their way to you. When you looked over, Jungkook had already pulled his hoodie over his head, and his shirt was next.

"What are you doing?" You exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Going in. You said you wanted to touch the water."

"No, no, no…touch it, like with my feet, not immerse my whole body in it." You had a feeling someway, somehow, he was going to convince you to go in.

And there Jungkook was, half naked, ready to take the plunge. He glared at you, holding out his hand. "We came all this way, and you're not gonna go in? Come on, we'll go together." His puppy eyes didn't help the situation.

You dipped your toe in, and it wasn't unbearable, but once you came back out, you knew you'd regret it. "Ugh–fine!" You complained, grabbing his hand.

"On the count of three. One…two…three–"

The two of you ran forward together. As the two of you were about to hit the oncoming wave, Jungkook stopped, letting you freefall into the wave - the freezing salt water washing over you. You stood there, mouth agape when you realize what he did - hair and clothes all wet.

When you turned around, you screamed his name, making him clap and laugh. "I'm really going to kick you in the balls now! C'mere!" You shouted at him, running towards him with full force. He whipped back and forth to dodge you before you caught his ankle with your foot, causing him to tumble, and you landed on top of him.

You playfully hit him in the chest a few times, grumbling at his trickery. He gripped onto your waist, squeezing it until you calmed down. His gaze softened as he pulled you closer to his chest, your breathing slowing down after whining and complaining. Jungkook giggled at the sight of you and wondered if you were always like this. He removed a strand of wet hair falling out of place, tucking it carefully behind your ear, observing every detail of your face.

"Sorry, I lied," he whispered, eyes darting back and forth between your eyes and mouth.

You rolled your eyes, then made your wet hair fall down, lightly dragging it across his face. "Now you're wet too," you uttered before pushing yourself off him.

Your clothes were soaked, so Jungkook offered his hoodie to you as he slipped his shirt back on. You took it with no remorse. It was freezing after being drenched by the ocean water - thanks to Jungkook.

Jungkook walked you to the lobby of your dorm hall. You expected him to walk you all the way to the door, but when you turned around, he was a little ways away, so you walked back to him.

If he walked you to the door, who knew what he would've done - staying out in the open was a safer option. Seeing you drowning in his hoodie didn't help his thoughts one bit.

"Thanks for today," you glanced at him, toying with the string on his hoodie.

The corners of his mouth curved into a smile. "Anytime. Have a good night." The urge to lean in for a kiss was strong, so he quickly turned his feet, heading for the door - trying his best not to break your rules.

When you opened the door to your room, you were immediately greeted by Lyla, sitting on her bed, closing her book in her lap. "Hi, bestie. Where were you all day? Hmm?"

You bit down on your bottom lip so hard, trying to quash the stupid smile trying to escape. "Err–out with Jungkook."

She placed her book on the desk next to her. "You are so head over heels in love with Jeon Jungkook," Lyla teased while crawling under her covers.

"I–I am not," you huffed, "We had a fun time at the beach, that's all."

When you slipped off his hoodie, his scent lingered on your skin. You needed to shower and wash the salt off you, but you also wanted nothing more than to let Jeon Jungkook linger on for a bit longer than needed. And that's when you knew you were in big trouble - just a few days with him, and you were letting yourself fall for him. Fuck.

[here4kpopfics]

Feeling in Chaos - Intro | JJK

Pairing: Jungkook x (f)reader

Genre: angst, drama though nothing much in this intro

AU: art college!au, friends to lovers, best friend’s sister, 

Wordcount: 2,099

Summary: Introduction to the main characters of the series.

Warnings: Mentions of cheating, abuse, and toxic relationships. The lightest warnings for this series. Please read the Author Notes before and after.

Rating: M / 18+ for the series, maybe pg15 for the intro?

AN: A few things to mention before and another note after this chapter. This is not a happy story. This is a story that deals heavily with the different ways of processing grief and how detrimental it can be not just to the person grieving, but to the people around them. There will be a lot of focus on post traumatic stress disorder as well as the depression and anxieties that come with it. In no way am I going to try to romanticize or treat this subject lightly. I also need to stress that not a single person deals with trauma the same way as another person. Everyone goes through it differently. Please keep an open mind about that. That said, every chapter will have a normal warnings list, a smut warning (if any happen in the chapter) and a specific trigger warning that I will put in bold. If you are sensitive to any of these subjects, don’t read.

As usual, thank you to the beautiful @here2bbtstrash for agreeing to be the beta-reader/editor of my trash grammar for this series. I love you 😘

If you would like to be added to the Taglist: Click Here

and as usual, please leave feedback. Either with a reblog or send me an ask. It’s greatly appreciated. 💜

Series Masterlist | Masterlist | AskBox | Coffee?

You met Jeon Ryujin on the playground when you were both four years old. You were using chalk and drawing with the different colors; nothing in particular, but it looked like you had planned it and been working on it for days. Ryujin asked if she could join you and you nodded, ignoring her company until you saw her drawing patterns on an outfit. You don’t remember what happened after that but you two became inseparable.

It was baffling how much you two had in common. Your birthdays were a day apart in the same year. You were both born in the same hospital, both around the same time of day. You both had brothers a year younger. You had Kai and she had Jungkook. 

Keep reading

[mintykin]

❗AVOID THESE PEDOPHILES AT ALL COSTS! ❗

I was scrolling through Tumblr and came across a post of KNOWN PEDOPHILES ON TUMBLR (many of which have or want to rape actual children/minors)

THERE ARE ACTUAL PEDOPHILES ON TUMBLR TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MINORS ON TUMBLR

PLEASE SIGNAL BOOST THIS LIST AND KEEP OUR MINORS SAFE

[kya-kawaii]

☆ Reblogging the version not invaded by pedophiles/pedophile apologists ☆

[ijustlikegayporntoomuch]

Lets fucking roast this shit out of em guys!

[mintykin]

Just gonna say this again.

DO NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM INTERACT WITH THEM. JUST BLOCK/REPORT.

[girl-in-the-tardis]

# REBLOG TO SAVE A LIFE!!!!

[julie-the-memedealer]

Keep away from these people. If you receive a message, don’t talk to them, don’t insult them, just block them and report. #KEEPMINORSSAFE

[dozywallflower]

Stay safe, guys!

[yourethebestthingiveseen]

IMPORTANT!!

[0hi0is0nfire-deactivated2020041]

🅱️e safe 🅱️itches

[aberrantemotion]

TIME TO SPOIL ENDGAME FOR THESE FUCKS THEN REPORT THEM!

[fucktgisshitok-blog]

😡😡😡😡 disgusting motherfuckers

[amidalas-girlfriend-deactivated]

REBLOG TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. I DONT WANT ANYONE ELSETO GO THROUGH THE SHIT THAT PEDOPHILES GIVE. BLOCK AND REPORT THOSE DISGUSTING PRICKS.

[taeyohonic]

stolen dances | chap. III

summary: sometimes supporting the person you love is the hardest challenge you’ll ever face.

pairing: jeon jungkook x fem!reader

rating: m

warning: swearing

additional tags: f2l, ceo!jungkook, bestfriend!jungkook, shrink!yoongi, my best friend’s wedding meets 27 dresses (if the boss/secretary couple had happened), angst-y

words: 1300

links: prologue, chap. I, chap. II, chap. III, chap. IV

note: lower case letters intended

Keep reading

[gukieoppa]

not again teaser

➢ summary: he wanted a challenge, a good, innocent fuck, so why did his heart race at the sight of her?

➢ genre: romance, following angst and fluff, (as of now) no nsfw planned, college au

➢ pairing: fuckboy!jungkook x reader

➢ warning: n/a

➢ note: first series of this blog. just a warning, my updates won’t be hella fast depending on what i’m writing. i still go to school and i have a sport, so my time is quite limited. this is unedited, sorry

◇ ◇ ◇

Jungkook, the infamous fraternity boy known for his ways with women, had grown a soft spot, specifically for a special girl. Never did she once give him a single glance nor hum of acknowledgement. She always stood out of the crowd of people eyeing him. 

Jungkook was handsome, charming, and the “sex god” of the university. He knew all of this, though, which was why he was always so cocky.

He walked across campus with his chin high and shoulders broad. The leather of his jacket shone under the bright sun; his dark cap blocked the light from getting into his eyes, tips of his brunette hair sticking out. At the corner of his eye, he saw a girl wearing a blue sweater paired with a white tennis skirt, hair down, holding a stack of textbooks in her arms. Recognizing her familiar face, he jogged over to her.

“Hey, those look heavy. Wouldn’t want your pretty arms to get tired,” he smirked, grabbing the books from the girl.

The girl looked at him with her Y/E/C eyes, “Do I know you?”

Though this shocked him, Jungkook continued, “I guess not. I’m Jungkook.”

She eyed him suspiciously, “Jungkook? As in Jeon Jungkook?”

“Ah, so you do know me,” a grin played on his lips.

“Mm, indeed I do, but I haven’t heard many good things about you, unless it’s about,” she cringed, “your late night escapades.”

He chuckled at her adorably scrunched nose, “So you’ve heard.” Jungkook began to walk forward, her books still in his arms, giving her no other choice than to follow along. 

“Um, where are we going?” She asked, eyes focused on her textbooks.

“I don’t know. Where were you going earlier?” He looked back at her, connecting their gazes.

Her breath hitched.

“The library,” she replied, shyly looking away, hair covering her rose-tinted cheeks. 

He smirked at the shy girl, taking pride in the effect he had on her. Her figure looked adorable as she stood there, twirling a strand of her hair with her finger. 

Jungkook felt something he’d only felt once, and he was afraid. He never thought he would feel it again. For years, he was able to avoid developing this feeling.

Unknowingly, he was blatantly staring at the girl ahead of him, making her feel small.

“Um, Jungkook?” She finally spoke.

He broke from his trance and gave the girl a stiff smile, “Hm?”

“Are you alright? You looked,” she thought for an appropriate word, “kind of sick for a moment.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he tried to seem as relaxed as he could, “I just remembered that I had something to do.”

“Oh, that’s fine. I’ll just head to the library myself,” she smiled sweetly.

The brunette-haired boy felt his heart racing.

“R-Right. Sorry I couldn’t help you carry these books,” he gently placed the heavy stack of books in her arms.

“It’s not a problem. Besides, my arms need the workout,” she giggled.

He chuckled along, silently hoping he would see her again.

“Well, I should get going,” she sighed, “Got lots to study.” She looked up at the tall boy, “It was nice talking to you, Jungkook. I’ll see you around.”

With one last smile, she began to slowly make her way to the library. Unbeknownst to her, though, was the boy staring at her shrinking figure. With each step she took away from him, his heart leaped to follow, but before he did anything rash, he reminded himself of the dangers. Glancing at the Y/H/C haired girl once more, he turned away, going back to his usual resolve. Running, once again, away from love.

[voidswan-recs-deactivated202309]

JJK.

𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 - Jungkook knew he will always get what he wants, no matter what. When a new student transfers to their school, Hoseok convinced that he can never get her to fall in love with him. Jungkook took it as a challenge and a bet was placed. It all starts to get complicated when Jungkook starts to fall in love with the girl he supposed break.

𝓹𝓪𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 - Fuck Boy! Jungkook x Reader.

𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼/𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓼 - College AU, A lot of toxic masculinity, Asshole! Jungkook, Sexism, Explicit Language.

𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽 - 5.6k

Jungkook and the rest of his friends sat calmly on top of the grass, some of them were doing their school work, some were eating and some were mindlessly enjoying the breezy air. They were a handful, usually, people would only have a few best friends–keep their circle small, but not them. They were the star of the campus, every time they walked in the halls, wherever the hung out, people would admire them, stare at them, sometimes in envy even. Some of them thought it was childish to act like high-school students and put them in the stereotype they were in but the others, they enjoyed it. They enjoyed their popularity, the attention they are getting. It made them feel superior in some ways. They were in different majors in college, which people were glad they didn’t pick the same thing for the seven of them–it would be hectic.

Keep reading

[gukslut]

Rattled | JJK {Masterlist + Posting Schedule}

Chapter One - Posted March 6th, 2020

Chapter Two - Posted March 20th, 2020

Chapter Three - Friday April 3rd, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. EST

Chapter Four - Friday April 17th, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. EST

Chapter Five - Friday May 1st, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. EST 

Chapter Six - Friday May 15th, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. EST

Chapter Seven - Friday May 29th, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. EST

Chapter Eight - Friday June 12th, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. EST

Epilogue - Friday June 26th, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. EST

{This post will become my Rattled Masterlist once chapter one is posted on Friday 3/6/20. For now, check out the teaser posted HERE!}

{banner by @stutterfly}

[yeojaa]

SUGAR HIGH, chapter i. (w. JJK)

You’re not entirely sure when it happened, though you’d come to terms with it. You’d counted the days, waiting for the inevitable. You’d truly thought you’d be okay, but by the broken, half-beating thing in your chest - you knew you’d never really been prepared.

alt summary.  You thought you’d known real love and maybe you had - it just wasn’t with who you thought.

———-

pairing.  jeon jungkook.  mentions/involvement of ot7.

tags.  angst, break up, post-break up, comfort, OT7, slow burn, friendship, moving on, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, emotional bagge, fluff, canon compliant, jeon jungkook is bad at feelings, jeon jungkook is a good friend, jeon jungkook is a sweetheart. 

rating.  general (for now?)

word count.  ~2000

——————–

chapter 1.  This Is Not a Love Song

“Endings are never easy and rarely are they simple.  But when the person you once loved feels more like a stranger, isn’t it better you say goodbye?  You’re not quite sure.“

——————–

Had it been days?  Weeks?  Months?

You truly tried to remember, to recall what the feeling of his hands felt like, the soft ache of his voice in the early morning.  You tried to piece together the memory of his I love you’s and attempted to recall whether the emptiness had always felt like this - suffocating.  

Had his stare always been so lackluster?  You’d sworn you could’ve once been swept up in the depths of his emotion, happy to sink beneath the tumultuous waves.  You would’ve died happy, curled around the treasure that you’d found there within the cavern of his chest.  You’d found a home in him – or so you thought.

You wondered idly whether it was normal for this to happen, for love to settle into half-baked embers.  Perhaps this was just how things were.  Perhaps the intensity of your love - like a kerosene rag soaked in gasoline - had skewed your perspective.  Maybe this was okay.  (Not great, but okay.)  

“Soomi-ah, are you okay?”

The concern tore you from your reverie, snapping you back to reality.

Something like a smile arranges itself on your face - but he can tell it’s strained.  There’s too much weight in the jut of your bottom lip, tension hugging the curve of your small jaw.  He sees it - or the lack thereof - in your eyes, the warmth of your amusement hardly reaching the honeyed depths.  

Though he’s miles away, connected only by the quickest connection the hotel can muster, he wonders what your hands look like.  Would they be coiled together, knuckles blown white?

“I’m fine, Jungkook-ah.”  Your expression falters, dips just barely, before returning in full force.  Laughter sounds in what’s meant to be reassurance and you breath in sharply through your nose, willing the sudden wetness from your eyes.  You silently thank yourself for having gotten talked into a haircut earlier this week, the softened strands at your crown casting a safety net across your features.

“You don’t seem fine.”

It’s not accusatory - only concerned.  

What did you do to deserve someone like him?

There’s another inhale, this time masked beneath a quiet clearing of your throat.  Could you lie to him?  Did you even have reason to?  He was your best friend (and you were one of his seven).  You knew you could tell him anything.

And so you did.

“I think… things are over.  Or they’re going to be over.  I don’t really know.  It’s like I’m all alone.”  You’re rambling, tripping over your own words in your haste to get them all out before they’re steeled once again behind the cage of your teeth.  "I mean, I know I’m not. I have you. I have Minji and Yejin and… everyone else, but he feels so far away.“

You want to explain how you’d thought you’d be together for- no, not ever, but a long time.  You thought you’d have years ahead of you, two puzzle pieces haphazardly thrown together that somehow worked despite the awkward edges.  

You thought you’d loved enough for the both of you.

"We haven’t spoken in days.”  This draws a noise of surprise from the figure on the screen, whose arms fold neatly over his drawn-up legs, bottom lip bruised under the ministrations of his teeth.  He says nothing more though - simply nods and continues to listen.

“It’s like I’m living with a roommate.  A really, really quiet roommate.”

“I wish mine were quiet.”  You know he’s trying to cheer you up and it works - a flutter of laughter dropping off your tongue.  

Then silence returns, filling the spaces you don’t know how to, and he sees more than hears the way you squeeze your fingers in your lap.  You’ve always done this - some sort of defense mechanism in place to prevent you from feeling too much.  You’d adopted it from him, honestly, so he couldn’t fault you.  When you spent so much time with someone, you were bound to steal the best and worst of them.

“I’m here for you,”  he finally breaks the quiet, leaning forward in his chair, head cocking to the side in that way you love so much.  "I’ll be home next Wednesday and we can figure things out together.“

His words carry weight to them, as if he could anchor you there with him, keeping you from drifting under the current of your sadness.  And maybe he can.

"Okay.”  

——————–

You’d promised you would let him know if anything changed, wiggled your pinky finger at him through the FaceTime screen as he’d done the same.  He’d laughed when you’d rolled your eyes, aware that deep down these little things were what helped get you through the harder days.

You’d lied - but you were sure this was for the best.  After all, he was busy.  It came with the territory of being an idol.

He didn’t have time for all of your little problems.

(He did - you knew he did.  He’d drop the world if it meant anything to you.)  

So you packed your things with the help of Minji, carefully tucking clothes into boxes and stripping all indications of you from the slate grey walls.  You smoothed the faded pink fur of your Cooky plush against your cheek, breathing in the familiar scent - a mixture of his cologne and something distinctly him.

Across the room, Minji hums as she slips yet another pair of shoes into a box.  "Do you really need this many?“  

You tear your attention from the handful of stuffed animals on the edge of the bed, Cooky still snuggled happily in the crook of your elbow.  A hand flies to your throat, feigned affront evident in the width of your stare and garbled gasp.  "Of course I do.  What else will I wear when…”

There are a pair of Converse staring you down, what was once pure as snow now a muddy off-white.  They’re identical to the other pair in Minji’s hands, though significantly more dirty.

“I wore those to DisneySEA!  Namjoon-oppa nearly broke my ankle in them.  I can’t throw them away!”

You were a dreamer, a romanticist, someone who held onto everything from ticket stubs to sticky notes.  You kept every stuffed animal you won (or was won for you).  You never threw away anything so long as they held some sort of sentimental value.  Even if it hurt, you held onto it.

Minji had noticed this when you packed up the photos of you and Seunghoon, meticulously arranging the frames within the brown box.  She would’ve thrown them against the wall and left it for him to clean up, if it had been up to her.

She knew not to push you, though.  She knew this was hard enough already.

“Okay, okay,” she relents with a pronounced roll of her eyes, hands none-too-gently shoving the second pair of sneakers away.  "But you seriously have too much stuff.  I’ve put away at least fifteen white shirts and they all looked the exact same!“

You say nothing in response, a small little smile quirking the edge of your mouth as you tape the box closed, inspecting your handiwork.

"Yah - I’m serious!  We’re roping the boys in and Marie Kondo-ing your apartment.”

“Good luck with that.  Kookie will vote to keep all the shirts.”  After all, it was his fault.  Another habit borrowed from your best friend - collecting a million plain tee shirts.  "And none of the other boys will care enough to make me toss them.“

Behind your back, Minji scowls albeit playfully and tosses a pair of fluffy white slippers at your head. "You’re the worst.”

“And you love it,” you singsong back, setting the slippers in question back into the box she’s working on.

“I do.”

——————–

“I’m sorry.”  

You’re not quite sure why you’re apologizing, why the words trickle off your tongue like tears.  You’d meant to stray strong, to bury the sadness among the cobwebs and forget about them.  You believed you’d be able to ignore the gaping, Seunghoon-shaped hole in your chest.

He’s sitting by the front door, ankle resting casually against his knee.  Fingers curl together and you fight the desire to interrogate him - ask him why he seems so unaffected.

(You know the answer.)

Still, you can’t help but feel what you imagine is the second breaking of your heart.

What you’d thought would be a golden happily ever after is anything but, sunshine giving way to a dull Sunday afternoon and rain that comes heavy enough to drown you.  

“It happens.”  The words are like a jagged edge, slipping between your rattling rib cage and slotting itself exactly where your heart shudders.  The way he meets your gaze, stares right through you, is like a twist of his hand, and you momentarily forget how to breathe.  How could this be so easy for him?

In, out.  Just in and out.

You stand feeling small in the massive doorway, hands balled into fists at your side.  You can feel Minji’s eyes on your back as she waits by the car.  You know if she made any indication, she’d be there in a moment, gathering you up in her arms and whisking you away.

But you need to do this by yourself - for yourself.

When you turn away from him, from his half-empty expression, you can feel the remnants of his love buried beneath your skin.  They’re little splinters of better memories, of rose-coloured glass.  You know they’ll leave scars.

“Goodbye,” you muster up the courage to murmur the words before you’re gone, taking the steps as quickly as you can.

You try not to wish, to hope - but you do anyway.  Just one sign this is tearing him apart like it is you.

He says nothing.

You’ve made the right choice.

——————–

In your old bed, with your old sheets, you drift.  You’re not sure what time it is or when you last ate, but you remember.

You remembered coffee after you’d left what was no longer your home, wrapped up in the comforting embrace of your friend.  You’d felt the way she’d come apart alongside you, holding you as you’d cried yourself hoarse in the parking lot.

You remembered the way she and Yejin had appeared on your doorstep the next night, an assortment of goodies carried between three bags.  Among other things, they’d brought pickled radish and mandu and a giant bottle of your favourite lemon tea.  They’d hugged you when you’d started sobbing quietly, shoulders curved inwards as you attempted to stifle the noise.  (They’d regretted choosing a romcom to watch.)

You remembered last night when Jungkook had called, clearly concerned by the lack of response to his adorable selca and short video of Jimin wrestling a half-asleep Taehyung.  He’d sounded tired and you could tell by the way he exhaled and the rustle of blankets that he was settling in for the night.

You’d felt bad, guilt gnawing at the column of your throat, when you told him you were fine.  "I’m just tired,“ you’d murmured, cheek pressed to the cool silk of your pillowcase.  You’d tried to still your breathing, regulate the ache that weighed in your chest.  He always knew when you were lying.

"Me too,” Jungkook had returned with a yawn.  You’d imagined his big doe-eyes in the dark, the little mole beneath his lip in full view as he pouted.  Such a little bunny.

“Then hang up.”

You hadn’t meant it as dismissively as you’re sure it had come across but you’d certainly felt it when he exhaled, the sound amplified within the quiet of his room and the cocoon of his blankets.

“I just wanted to check up on you.”  He’d spoken softly, as if he was the one hurting you, and your vision had blurred.  The heaviness on your shoulders had twisted and turned, coloured this time by shame, sinking into your spine and drawing you deeper into your bed.  

You were such an asshole.

“I’m sorry, Kookie.”  

He’d hummed in response and then you’d drifted into silence - the quiet bringing comfort in the still night.  You’d continued to lie there, un-moving, phone screen a dimmed light as you thanked your lucky stars for someone like him.  

When his breathing had evened out, you’d remained on the line until sleep came calling.  Only now could you happily drift beneath sandman’s dust, finding solace in your best friend on the other line.  "Thank you.“

——————–

notes.   thank you for reading! this is my first fic in… forever, and i haven’t written anything in about 3-4 years. please bear with me on this journey.  i was inspired by the incredible people on this site (and AO3, where I’m @makotako) and couldn’t help jumping in. i wasn’t really sure what this story would be like, so i apologize if it’s a bit all over the place. this is largely based off of (recent) personal experience, so i’m hoping i’ve conveyed all my emotion the best i can. lauv’s "who” really inspired me to put everything into words and honestly, listening to the song on repeat (and screeching about JK and jimin) was the easiest task in the world. i would really appreciate any and all feedback. <3

[rebelwhodoesntknow]

You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, now in quarantine

[ughseoks]

novaturient | jjk

» pairing; prince!jungkook x reader | platonic!ot6 x reader

» genre; fantasy!au / royalty!au / fluff & angst

» word count; 24 total chapters, word count unknown

» warnings; warnings will be posted at the beginning of each individual chapter to avoid spoilers.

» series masterlist     ↳ link will be posted 03.25.20

✩ main masterlist ✩

» summary; 

『 A cheerful commoner living in the kingdom of Tanbarun, you work diligently as a pharmacist at your herbal shop in the center of town. Your life changes drastically when you are noticed by the entitled prince, Kim Seokjin, because of your rare red hair. Unwilling to give up your freedom to become his concubine, you escape into the forest of a neighboring country, Clarines. By a twist of fate, you meet Jeon Jungkook, the second prince of Clarines, and his two guards. After saving you from Prince Seokjin’s clutches, they offer you a fresh start in their kingdom, where your story has only just begun. 』

✩ this series is heavily based on the plot of the anime Akagami no Shirayukihime. if you are confused and/or curious, you can watch this video to get a general idea of what this series will be like! ✩

» character profiles      ↳ coming 03.25.20

〖 chapter one coming 03.28.20 〗

[btssunnyboy]

Partners In Crime - Jeon Jungkook Part 1

You had a vendetta, and this was your chance. You were gonna prove yourself, but now you got another person to worry about.

Word Count - 3,131

Warning - Undercover Agent! AU, profanity and mentions of drinking.

Masterlist

Also I’m back after a few months break I’m so sorry, but hopefully I’ll be back with a lot more updates!!!

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"I absolutely refuse! I'm more then qualified to handle this mission on my own."

The words slipped pasted your lips quicker then you intended. Venom laced through every word, as you stared stared at your higher up. His eyes threatened to roll back in his head ; agitation clearly visible through his stressed state. He released a heavy breath, while pinching the bridge of his nose. His hands form together into bone crushingly tight fist.

"L/n! Work with me! You need a partner for this assignment and he's the perfect coverup!" Mr. Jones ushered out as his eyes glanced cautiously at the clock. The small ticks that erupted from the small machine filling the tense silence that was floating in the air. His leg shook wildly in return in made the floorboards squeak underneath the shaky weight.

"I've been working Jackson Wang's case for over six months! His banquet is my shot to prove I'm worthy of my spot on this team!" You bellowed, comic stream bursting from your ears. Your face was red from embarrassment, disappointment and most importantly anger. Pure, boiling, hot anger seeping through every crevice of your body. This was chance to prove that you weren't a rookie anymore! This was a chance to live up to what you father used to be on this force.

"You've shown your worth more then enough times to be about of my department, but this is a mission that requires back up. It's too dangerous even for you." Mr. Jones sighed once more when he noticed your posture. Stick straight back, with clenched hands and jaw. You were passed the state of furious, and he knew hell was about to rain down. "Can I at least tell you his name."

"Of course it's a guy."

"His name is Jeon Jungkook. He's one of the top residents we have, and he's moving up through the ranks remarkably well." The sickly sweet comment rolled off of his tongue with such ease. It disgusted you down to your core. You didn't need a partner to handle Jackson Wang. You've dealt with his accomplices, and you sure as hell can take a guy like him on. "Now would you please stop making a big scene."

On one hand Mr. Jones had a point. Your reaction was starting to take the form of a five year old who just got told no to a brand new toy. You were overreacting, but with a good reason to back it up. This was your main chance ; you didn't want to be shadowed by some partner who would take all the credit. This was your shot, and you desperately needed it. Your worth in this department now rests on the hands of someone called Jeon Jungkook.

Before you mouth could open to add more snarky comment chief's door swung open. I'm walked a man who was almost your age, but maybe a bit older. His big doe eyes held so much innocence ; you almost pity the man who decided to work in a job like this. A job that requires you to be deceiving in every way, a job that tests your limits, and a job that puts your life in danger every time you walk out those doors. Being undercover has it's downfalls, and it may corrupt a sweet guy like him.

"This is your partner. Jeon Jungkook meet L/n Y/n."

"It's a pleasure to meet you! I've actually heard so much about you!" He beamed while staring softly at you. His hand was extended, and your whole body was hesitant to even shake his hand. He noticed the delay, and awkwardly pulled his hand away, and rubbed the nape of his neck. "It's gonna be an honor working with you."

You stayed silent through the entire exchange. The way his smile dropped ever so slightly, but the gleam never left his eyes. His stare was now directed towards the chief. Desperately trying to get the train moving along, and bolt as fast as he could out those glass doors. The chief gave a sudden scoff, before he started making his point clear.

"Jeon I'm sorry for this unprofessional like matter coming from one of our finest, but you two need to work together." The message was supposed to be loud and clear. Both of you were supposed to understand that this mission is going to take every once of willpower from the both of you. "This is his case file, learn it, live it, and then catch it."

Sharp nods left the both of you, as you reached for your file. Flipping through what felt like miles of charges against him. Things been drug charges, third degree battery, and many, many more. This just goes to prove that money will get your dumbass out of any situation. This man has ruined lives, and here he is still allowed to roam the streets without a care in the fucking world.

"Jesus Christ how can this guy live with himself?" Jungkook mumbled while pulling his chair out. His eyes scanned each charge, and loudly showed his disapproval. His scoff filled the small room, as if practically reverberated throughout. "What do you think about all of this?"

His question lingered in the air, as a response was settled onto your tongue. It was searing in your mouth, begging to have the cool air hit it and diminish the intensity of it. Instead you stayed silent. Letting your eyes linger on the file, even though you knew everything about this man. His motives, his relationship, his goddamn childhood. You knew it all, and a personal vendetta was pushing you towards getting this bastard in jail. Him and his stupid connections ruined your life, and you're never going to forget that.

"I know this isn't exactly your idea type of mission, but I'm just here to help." Jungkook softly said as he pulled his chair to the front of your desk. His famous doe eyes staring so softly into yours. They had a gleam that looked like a whole universe was settled underneath his cornea. His smile was still on his face, as if you silence wasn't affecting him at all. He didn't seem to care, as he continued on this conversation. "We still need to think of a plan to catch him."

He wasn't wrong. This whole mission still needed to be planned out step by step. And all you've got so far is the fact he's in town for the week, and once he leaves this area your team's jurisdiction will be useful no more. It has to be you, and your partner who take him down. The mere thought of him leaving made your hands clench in anger once more. Your knuckles going white from the harsh grip, and you could already fill your nails tearing the skin of your palms. His eyes glanced down at your hands, and he took it as his sign to leave.

"You don't have to go." Your voice was so soft he almost didn't hear it. This was a drastic change from your demeanor back in the chief's office. You tightly shut your eyes, and wished you'd just kept your mouth shut. He was just about to leave, and you could've been alone to make a plan layout. This could've be done all by yourself, but something made you want him. Something made it hard to see him go. "Like you said we need a plan."

"Y-yeah! A plan if were gonna catch him we need to make sure that he's caught in the act. I figured the only reason why he's never be truly admitted to jail is that he's never been see doing these things. Someone else always manages to take the fault." Jungkook stammered, as he pulled out his laptop. His eyes scanning every detail of the records he's looking at. Different people each lined up with charge that some how correspond with Jackson Wang's charges. They go down for him, and he just leaves them there. What a sicko.

You nodded your head in understanding. He would get charged and then everything would be dropped. Only for another man to take the place, and as they said coincidental at the time. This plan needs two brains working together, a different perspective is exactly what this mission needs. Yet you still can't bring yourself to accept that. It was stupid sitting here in a mood just because you have to have a partner

"We have less then a week to catch up so Jeon Jungkook. What's our first move." You sighed as you leaned back in your seat. A curt nod came from him as he typed away on his computer, original doe soft eyes were pressed in harsh glares. His min was set on finding an answer, and it looked like he was set on finding one fast.

"His banquet, like we've mentioned before is our only shot there's no other way. The only problem is that we need an invitation." Jungkook grumbled as he slammed his laptop shut. He knew this was a big opportunity, and now he can't do anything about it.

"I've got that covered, before Bailey's incident she's was assigned this case and already acquired two tickets. Now this is our last shot bring him back home. Do I make myself clear?"  The chief spoke loudly. Making sure this was getting through both of your heads.

"Crystal."

"You're both two of the youngest on this team, make this count. And be careful, Jackson Wang is many things, but he's not a fool. One slip up and this whole operation goes down."

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"So we have to look like a couple at this party." Jungkook sighed as he fixed the blazer that settled onto his broad shoulders. The sleek looking material complimented his body in an extraordinary way. He was actually looking the part of a wealthy business man, and that's exactly the cover up that was needed. "We still have a few days, maybe we should actually go on a date."

Your eyebrows shot up in a questionable look. Your head tilted to the side as well. The emerald dress in your hands suddenly worth a lot more attention then the dashing man in front of you. It felt stupid to get to know him considering after this mission you planned on never talking to him again. Hell you planned on staying quiet throughout the whole night at the banquet. Get in, get him and get the hell out. It wasn't supposed to be a bonding experience.

"Come on, I'm not that bad." He commented again, as he shrugged off the sleek material. He somehow looked even better without that jacket. His white button down shirt cling to his biceps, making him even more appealing. That same smile he always wore still graced his face. Almost like it was the only permanent expression he had. "I mean I'd like to get to know you considering we're gonna be on the same team after this."

You dreaded it when he spoke that sentence. You truly didn't mind him it's just, getting close to someone in this business has its consequences. Consequences that take every ounce of happiness in you, and rip it to shreds. You've gone through them enough to know just how terrible they actually are. You didn't want to experience that pain again, and Jungkook sure wasn't worth going through that guy wrenching pain once more. But you never know what could happen in the span of a week. Once more you stayed locked onto the target of the silky emerald dress in front of you.

"I just wanna make sure you're okay with being around me. If we have to look like a couple we're gonna have to be touching in some way to make it more believable. Maybe just tell me some lies, or say I love you. It's gonna be fake anyways."

The way he spoke so nonchalantly physically hurt your heart. It was so stupid to let those few words effect you in such a big way. You were gonna ditch him so you had no right to upset about this.

"Let's get take-out and go to my place tonight. This better be worth my night."

"Of course it's gonna be."

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It was a silent ride to your little apartment. The cars passing by providing only little bit of noise in the long car ride. You could tell he was itching to start a conversation based on the way his hand kept twitching. His eyes would shoot from the road back to your sleepy form. He just wanted to get to know you, and he's usually a talk active person. But he's scared he's gonna mess up things if he even speaks a word. He's worried that if he breathes the wrong way you're gonna complain even more. 

"Up here at the left." You said in a groggy tone, and rubbed the sleep from your eyes. A small yawn passing through once again. You honestly don't know if you're awake enough to even make it to your apartment door. But there is a hot takeout box in your lap, and it’s been a long day. Besides Lucy was definitely awake, and she’s always happy too see you. Well most of the time she is. Your keys wiggled in the lock as you tried to open the door. The sound of keys slapping against the concrete woke you up only slightly.

“Here let me do it.” He spoke softly as he took the keys from your weak grip. His hands softly guiding the takeout from yours. “If you want to reschedule it’s fine.”

“No it’s fine, when need this bonding experience anyways. Besides I think Lucy has already taken a liking to you.” You laughed lightly as the calico cat immediately rubbed her head against his jean clad legs. A soft purr erupting from her. The freaking cat loves him, but hisses at anyone else. “Well hello there.”

That little heifer has the audacity to love up on him, and completely ignore you. You’re the one who fills her green bowl, gives her half the food on your plate. And she goes to the stranger that smells like mint and chocolate.

“I swear she’s usually in a mood.” You commented, as you tossed your coat on the back of the couch. As Jungkook sat down she immediately made her nest on his lap. Like you said before, that little heifer. “Okay now lets start talking.”

“Okay, what’s your favorite tv show.” He softly said as he shoveled the noodles in his mouth. His eyes never leaving yours once more, as if he truly wanted to know. He’s actually taking this hang out session seriously.

“I’ve really been getting into body of proof recently, that was reason why I wanted to be a medical examiner at the start of my career.” You smiled at the memory. Your mom done everything in her power to put you on the right track. She was always worried you’d get chocked up dealing with dead bodies like that, but she was more worried you’d get caught in between a murderer and a victim. Like your new job was any better.

“Why didn’t you continue with that?” His question was innocent as all get outs. But it still hurt to even think about the reason why you dropped it from your worries all together.

“That a personal question for another time.” You sighed as you wiped the corners of your mouth. Your eyes staying down casted towards the hardwood floors. When you noticed how Lucy’s food bowl was empty you took that as your chance to leave. Slowly searching through your kitchen cabinets looking for favorite chicken meal.

“Oh, okay. I didn’t realize, that it was like that.”

“You couldn’t have know, it’s fine how about we move onto the next topic.”

He sucked in air through his teeth as he raked his mind for another topic. The air was tense, and that was the last thing he wanted. He cleared his throat, as he lightly stroked Lucy’s head. She dug her head further into his hand ; trying to appreciate the warmth that he was giving her.

“Look I’m sorry I keep making everything so difficult. I’m not trying too it’s just in this job I’m scared to open up. It’s gotten me in some trouble, and that almost took me out.” You confessed as you popped open the cat food. Hearing her small paws tapping against the hardwood floors once more. You wiped your hands off on your jeans, and turned to face him fully. His head was tilted in the way yours does, and his eyes held that curious gleam once more.

“I understand that to an extent, but we’re just talking right now nothing bad is gonna happen.” He smiled as he pushed himself up off the couch. Leaning down with a huff he sat beside of you and watched at Lucy lapped up the food that was left in her plate. As soon as she was done she moved towards the man behind her. She happily rubbed her small head underneath his chin.

“Lucy seems pretty content with you, maybe that’s a good sign.” You half smiled as you twirled her soft tail around you index finger. Successfully gaining her attention, as your little baby licked at the tips of your fingers. “How about we put in a random movie, and go from there.”

He smiled widely as he rushed towards the small component underneath the tv. His eyes gleaming happily as he traced the spine of each dvd. Before his eyes settled onto the marvel section. His hands grasped the dozens of DVD’s and sprawled the across the floor. Ranging from Captain American to the one and only Endgame. A small chuckled passed through his lips as he held up one of the Iron Man disc.

“We can bond over one of my favorite movies.”

“I’ll get drinks.” You smiled as you raced towards your cabinets once. Pulling out the wine from the back corner. The beautiful blue bottle shinning underneath the soft lights of your kitchen. Pulling out two wine glasses you jumped onto the couch beside of him.

“I’m ready whenever you are.” He tipped his glass towards you with a suggestive smile. His eyes lingering towards the alcohol in your hands.

“Okay then let’s play the infamous twenty-one questions.” You spoke as you poured the wine and let it flow into the glasses. Watching as the foam started to settle. Taking a sip, and letting the cool liquid soothe you throat. “What made you want to go undercover.”

“Let’s get ready for a story.”

[kookhope]

where is his modelling contract