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@headlinerkwan
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on repeat: habit - seventeen
svt, txt, p1h, xdh, en-
please do not copy my work in any way, if you wish to translate my work please ask for permission beforehand.
campfire - [teaser]
pairing: boo seungkwan x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, slow burn!! frenemies to lovers, summer camp counselors, childhood friends, angst, fluff, seungkwan and reader are chaotic evil, whole friendship group is lowkey dumb, ft. BSS, Chan, Twice's Jihyo and Dahyun.
summary: returning to your old summer camp, this time as a counselor, you're surprised to find your childhood frenemy Seungkwan has also come back. you're less surprised to find that he hasn't changed one bit.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, suggestive, college student immaturity & badddd communicating - MDNI
teaser wc: 600
fic wc: 4.5k+
〰 taglist is open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
a/n: surprise! i'm alive :o i started writing this over spring break but i'm a master of procrastination so... yeah. anyway, i hope you like this snippet - full fic coming soon!!
The wooden stool screeches painstakingly as you drag it out from underneath the countertop. You carry it over to the far wall of the mess hall, dodging the obstacle course of freshly painted signs and tools that lay scattered across the floor. Climbing up, a roll of tape dangling from your teeth, you cautiously lean on the wall to stabilize yourself before shifting a large ‘Welcome Campers!’ sign up and over your head.
The tape rips easily
The door slams shut behind you, making you flinch - your feet teetering on the chair as you turn around in search of the culprit. The stool tips underneath you and you barely manage to catch yourself from eating shit as the banner crashes onto your head.
“Easy there, cowboy!” A smug chuckle shoots at you from the entrance as you scramble your way out from underneath the bundle of paper smothering you.
Huffing the hair out of your face, you can’t say you’re overjoyed to greet the face ahead of you. “What are you doing here Seungkwan?”
“Needed a bit of entertainment. I knew I could count on you.” The man retorts, his eyebrow raised accompanying the signature smirk that had long sent angry fire ants through your veins. You scoff, sending a middle finger his way before turning away and placing the tape between your teeth as you return to your decorating.
“Rude.” he states, feigning hurt as he saunters over to you, resting his hands on the base of your stool, his dark tee highlighting the flex of his biceps as he looks up at you.
“What?” you ask, not bothering to face him as your arms stretch across the wall to fix the banner.
“What?” He repeats, mimicking your tone.
“I thought you were busy with your hot girl summer.”
“Got bored.” he hums.
“And it’s soooo much better at our middle-school summer camp!” You remark sarcastically.
‘Hey! Spring break has nothing on Quartz Creek! Plus I was worried you’d be lonely.”
It warrants a scoff from you before you bite back, “Trust me, I’ll be more than fine without you.”
He ignores you, removing his weight from the seat with a flashy spin, “Shotgun bottom bunk!”.
You roll your eyes, choking down the verbal venom burning in your throat, reminding yourself to protect your peace. A tense beat of silence and you think you’re finally rid of him until his head pokes back around the door frame, “Might want to straighten that up before the kids arrive”, and you can practically hear the evil smile plastered across his face as he heads towards the staff cabin.
Stepping back, taking in your hard work thirty minutes later, you find yourself caught in a riptide of nostalgia. You were twelve years old the first time you stepped onto the Quartz Creek campgrounds. As an awkward, anxious tween, you were basically a walking (hardly talking) stereotype. You could say the same for the friends you had made by the end of the summer, and the enemies. Seungkwan had made terrorising you his mission for the season. He was a year older, slim and athletic, in clothes he was clearly meant to grow into. However sweet he had looked drowning in his oversized t-shirts with a bright smile had quickly been forgotten as his relentlessly competitive personality and tendency to be a sore-loser revealed itself.
For four summers, he was inescapable and by the age of 14, you had reluctantly accepted his position in your friend group, even finding him likeable at times. Fine. You thought. He was gonna be there with the sole purpose of pushing your buttons but at least you were with your favorite people and at least you had learnt to fight back.
campfire - [teaser]
pairing: boo seungkwan x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, slow burn!! frenemies to lovers, summer camp counselors, childhood friends, angst, fluff, seungkwan and reader are chaotic evil, whole friendship group is lowkey dumb, ft. BSS, Chan, Twice's Jihyo and Dahyun.
summary: returning to your old summer camp, this time as a counselor, you're surprised to find your childhood frenemy Seungkwan has also come back. you're less surprised to find that he hasn't changed one bit.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, suggestive, college student immaturity & badddd communicating - MDNI
teaser wc: 600
fic wc: 4.5k+
〰 taglist is open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
a/n: surprise! i'm alive :o i started writing this over spring break but i'm a master of procrastination so... yeah. anyway, i hope you like this snippet - full fic coming soon!!
The wooden stool screeches painstakingly as you drag it out from underneath the countertop. You carry it over to the far wall of the mess hall, dodging the obstacle course of freshly painted signs and tools that lay scattered across the floor. Climbing up, a roll of tape dangling from your teeth, you cautiously lean on the wall to stabilize yourself before shifting a large ‘Welcome Campers!’ sign up and over your head.
The tape rips easily
The door slams shut behind you, making you flinch - your feet teetering on the chair as you turn around in search of the culprit. The stool tips underneath you and you barely manage to catch yourself from eating shit as the banner crashes onto your head.
“Easy there, cowboy!” A smug chuckle shoots at you from the entrance as you scramble your way out from underneath the bundle of paper smothering you.
Huffing the hair out of your face, you can’t say you’re overjoyed to greet the face ahead of you. “What are you doing here Seungkwan?”
“Needed a bit of entertainment. I knew I could count on you.” The man retorts, his eyebrow raised accompanying the signature smirk that had long sent angry fire ants through your veins. You scoff, sending a middle finger his way before turning away and placing the tape between your teeth as you return to your decorating.
“Rude.” he states, feigning hurt as he saunters over to you, resting his hands on the base of your stool, his dark tee highlighting the flex of his biceps as he looks up at you.
“What?” you ask, not bothering to face him as your arms stretch across the wall to fix the banner.
“What?” He repeats, mimicking your tone.
“I thought you were busy with your hot girl summer.”
“Got bored.” he hums.
“And it’s soooo much better at our middle-school summer camp!” You remark sarcastically.
‘Hey! Spring break has nothing on Quartz Creek! Plus I was worried you’d be lonely.”
It warrants a scoff from you before you bite back, “Trust me, I’ll be more than fine without you.”
He ignores you, removing his weight from the seat with a flashy spin, “Shotgun bottom bunk!”.
You roll your eyes, choking down the verbal venom burning in your throat, reminding yourself to protect your peace. A tense beat of silence and you think you’re finally rid of him until his head pokes back around the door frame, “Might want to straighten that up before the kids arrive”, and you can practically hear the evil smile plastered across his face as he heads towards the staff cabin.
Stepping back, taking in your hard work thirty minutes later, you find yourself caught in a riptide of nostalgia. You were twelve years old the first time you stepped onto the Quartz Creek campgrounds. As an awkward, anxious tween, you were basically a walking (hardly talking) stereotype. You could say the same for the friends you had made by the end of the summer, and the enemies. Seungkwan had made terrorising you his mission for the season. He was a year older, slim and athletic, in clothes he was clearly meant to grow into. However sweet he had looked drowning in his oversized t-shirts with a bright smile had quickly been forgotten as his relentlessly competitive personality and tendency to be a sore-loser revealed itself.
For four summers, he was inescapable and by the age of 14, you had reluctantly accepted his position in your friend group, even finding him likeable at times. Fine. You thought. He was gonna be there with the sole purpose of pushing your buttons but at least you were with your favorite people and at least you had learnt to fight back.
for now - c.sc
pairing - bestfriend!seungcheol x gn!reader
genre - nonidol!au, kinda college au (but no actual uni), f2l, fluff, comfort, knightinshiningarmour!seungcheol, reader and seungcheol are whipped for each other but too dumb to realise.
summary - the lines within yours and seungcheol's friendship become even more blurry when he steps in to help when you need it most.
featuring - svt members (hoshi, seungkwan, the8, dino etc.)
warnings - reader has a panic attack, profanity, discussions of mental health
wc: 1.8k - read part two here!!
a/n - this is my first fic so uhhh yeah but i hope you like it ^^ inspired by the song 'for now' by leith ross <3
taglist - open!! comment or send an ask to be added ✩
You had always loved the days in late spring. The days spent with your friends lounging about, strolling around your university town, feeling the warm sun and a gentle breeze across your face as you talk about nothing and everything.
When you first arrived at uni you had never felt so overwhelmed, so small, so lonely, and lost. That was until, during your second week, you met Soonyoung and Seungkwan in the library - all three of you searching for the same book on the beat poets - and they managed to rope you into their chaotic world and friendship group. You couldn’t complain though, you loved your friends, and through their antics you had even met your best friend Seungcheol.
Your best friend.
That was all.
Nothing more, nothing less.
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
It was a Wednesday evening, in the middle of exam season, when your phone began to light up with texts from the group chat.
Soonyoung: THE FAIR’S IN TOWN!!!
Soonyoung: THE FAIR!!!
Minghao: Okay… and?
Soonyoung: CAN WE GO PLS CAN WE GO PLS PLS PLS
Seungkwan: if you stop spamming the gc I’ll think about it
Soonyoung: ^.^ PPRETTY PLEASE
Seungcheol: WHY ARE YOU YELLING !?
Soonyoung: FAIR!!!
Y/N: Ngl guys some of us are DYING trying to get through exams
Seungcheol: they’re right some of us are DYING
Minghao: Seungcheol don’t act like you weren’t getting excited
Soonyoung: Y/N PLEASE COME IT WONT BE FUN WITHOUT YOU
Seungkwan: woww… i see how it is
Putting your phone down, you turn back to your laptop screen, staring at the blank document that you had been trying to fill for three hours. A deep sigh escapes your mouth, you’re getting nowhere and you know it. Maybe today just isn’t the day.
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
That’s how you find yourself standing outside the gates of the fair at 9pm, your friends huddled in a big group just ahead of you.
Seungcheol, is the first to notice your arrival, because of course he is, as he runs towards you, you can’t help but mirror the grin spread across his face and the light in his eyes.
“Y/N! God I’m so glad you’re here”
“Hi Cheol” you reply softly, a sweet smile forming on your lips. He looks angelic under the light of the sunset, pink and orange hues. His eyes capture yours and you can feel your face begin to heat up as you’re broken out of your trance.
“I-” you begin to explain yourself but your words get trapped in your throat as he grabs ur hand and pulls you through the crowd.
“Come on! They’re gonna go on the ferris wheel without us!” He yells as you run past the food stalls and fair games.
When you arrive at the ferris wheel, you are immediately surrounded by twelve more of your friends, all eager to express their excitement.
“Oh my god Y/N!”Chan calls from the front of the queue, “Look! Quick!” he has a small dinosaur toy he’s been waiting to show you all day. Sensing his excitement, you surge forward, letting go of Seungcheol’s hand, to meet your friend.
If only you had turned around for one second, you would’ve noticed how Seungcheol’s face dropped as your hand left his, how it chased to follow yours but you were too far away, how he turned around to Seungkwan and Seokmin in a failed attempt to forget the feelings that had just washed over him. But you didn’t see any of that. You were too busy appeasing Chan as he flaunted around with his dinosaur toy.
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
A few carnival rides later, you started feeling drained and hazy and with the others complaining about their empty stomachs, you all decided to walk around and see what goods the fair had to offer.
Chatting with Seokmin and Mingyu as you browsed the rows of games and food, you couldn’t help but feel Seungcheol’s eyes on you. His gaze followed you whilst you debated snacks or laughed at each other's jokes. It was annoying, you told yourself, it was distracting you from your time with your friends. But, why?
Maybe that was the annoying part. The hold he had over you, the magnetism that drew you to each other. Unspoken confessions blowing in the wind each time he held your hand or brushed a piece of hair behind your ear.
Unspoken confessions that would fade away every time the nature of your relationship was questioned by one of your friends, “We’re just friends” he’d say almost instantly. The words a cold dagger in your heart, twisting and confusing you over and over.
All of Seungcheol’s unspoken actions screamed love, attraction, warmth, boyfriend . And yet, his words said something else, things that sent you crashing back down to Earth in a split second.
Like right now when he shattered your internal monologue, feigning annoyance “why are you staring at me?”
“You started it!”
“Oh my god!” dramatically throwing his hands over his mouth, “You’re obsessed!”
“Nuh uh!” you respond, your cheeks heating up softly “you WISH I was”
You both laugh as he gently nudges your shoulder before Seokmin not-so-slyly squeezes himself between the two of you and Seungcheol’s name is being called by Soonyoung. He smiles sweetly as he goes to join Soonyoung, his gaze still set on you, his dimples highlighted by the warm evening light.
God, he must be an angel.
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
The sun had set behind the trees and you had started to feel the cold a bit more so you decided to set off on your own in search of a hot drink.
It was only then, once you had split from the group that you became aware of just how crowded the fair had become. There were people surrounding you everywhere that you looked, your head dizzy from the rides and the blaring music and bright lights began to make you feel panicky.
Shoulder’s bumping into you constantly, joyous screams echoing in your ears, bright lights blinding you as you attempt to navigate the fairground.
You could feel it now. Your heart pounding, chest tight, your legs began to shake and your head spun.
You searched around frantically, looking for a familiar face, anyone, to find you. To save you.
Your eyes locked with his through the crowd. Tears welling as you tried to reach him. Your mouth opened to call out to Seungcheol but you couldn’t quite manage above a whisper.
His eyes locked with yours through the crowd, and immediately he knew. Tears welling in your eyes, he knew. He knew that you needed him. What else could he do but push his way through the mob to reach you, to hold you, to make everything okay?
It was you after all, there was no one else like you
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
You couldn’t breathe, the fresh air had grown stale, and the masses of people seemed to be closing in on you. You were frozen.
And then you felt it.
Two warm hands reaching for you, saving you, his arms wrapping around you, protecting you.
His hand reached for your head pulling you close to his chest, as he moved the both of you to a quieter area.
He sits you down on a bench near the edge of the fairground, letting go for just a second. But it’s enough. Enough to welcome back the cold, the noise, the people, the panic.
Your breath is shallow as he pulls you close, as he strokes your hair and mutters softly to you.
“It’s okay, you’re okay Y/N. It’s gonna be okay, I’ll make it okay”
You cry quietly against his chest and he holds you tighter.
“It's just you and me, just Y/N and Seungcheol”
Seungcheol. Your Seungcheol. Your Seungcheol was here with you and it was going to be okay.
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
After ten minutes, your breath was beginning to slow, your hums getting louder as Seungcheol sang to you quietly.
You were still pressed tightly together, his arms strong around your back as you relaxed into him.
“Cheol…” you said gently.
“What’s up Y/Nnie”
“I want to go home”
He lifts his head up to look at you, loosening his grip on you only slightly
“Let’s go home then, yeah?”
“No” you reply, “I want to go home home”
For a minute he looked at you shocked, ‘home home’ was well over a five hour drive away.
“Home home” he repeats quizzically.
“Please” you whisper sleepily, your eyes fighting to stay open through your exhaustion.
Seungcheol sighs looking down at you as you melt against his chest, eyes fluttering closed, He smiles softly.
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
Headlights stream into the car as Seungcheol drives down the near deserted roads. The clock reads 2:13 and the radio gently plays. The volume is low and his movements are slow in an effort not to wake you.
A truck blares its horn in the distance.
“Shit.” he mutters to himself as you stir in the passenger seat. He refuses to wake you. Not when you look so peaceful. Not when rest is the only thing you want right now. And he’ll do anything to give you what you want
Another car horn sounds and there’s nothing to stop you from waking up.
☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ
Opening your eyes, there is only one word that can describe how you’re feeling, confusion.
You look down to find a hand holding yours, your best friend’s hand, your best friend who is quietly driving you somewhere. Wait…where the fuck are you going?
“Cheol?” you say, voice still laced with sleep.
“Y/N! You’re awake! Did I wake you? Sorry I really tried to stay quiet for you, you were so peaceful and-”
Shaking your head, you cut him off “No Cheol, you didn’t wake me, it’s just uh… where are we going?”
“I’m taking you home” he replies sweetly.
Confused, you assess your surroundings “But this isn’t the way back to my-”
“Home home” he clarifies.
You’re in disbelief as you scan his face for any sign of hijinks or amusement. But there was nothing. Nothing but that gentle smile you loved so much.
“Wh-why?”
“Because you asked me to” He says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, squeezing your hand softly three times.
You sit back in the seat, watching as the trees pass by the window and lights stream in and out. His words echo in your brain ‘because you asked me to’. In a comfortable silence you thought about the events at the fairground, the anxiety still haunting your brain even after your rescue. Your heart felt heavy, like you were outside of reality, the only thing grounding you was him. His hand in yours, his smile, his warmth.
‘Because you asked me to’
a/n: might write a part two (?) im not sure, lmk what you think and if you'd like one ⭑.ᐟ
taglist: @caaaptaaainamericaaa @gyuguys
younger & dumber - l.ch
pairing: lee chan x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, f2l, fluff, highly suggestive
summary: a weekend trip reunites you with your longtime best friend and brings back feelings you had long buried.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, highly suggestive - MDNI!!!
wc: 2.9k
a/n: sorry for the delay i got super busy but i hope you enjoy it!! lmk what you think ₊ ⊹₍ᐢᐢ₎
〰 requests and taglist open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
You watch the snow fall gently outside as you curl up in the back of the bus, ready for the long journey ahead of you. A trip into the countryside is usually something that you dread, knowing that a barrage of invasive questions from distant relatives that you hardly remember the name of. But this time you’d be met by some of your best friends, summoned by Jiwon for a Lunar New Year celebration. She called last week, excited about the airbnb that she had impulsively booked, pleading with you to take the 5 hour long journey and, being in your final year of university, you were thinking up excuses until she said the magic word.
Chan.
You and Chan had been best friends for years, having met in middle school and being pretty much attached at the hip all through highschool. One slight issue. You were sorta, kinda, in love with him (a bit) and it was torturous, you hated it. You hated it because you were best friends, because every time you saw him you had to fight to ignore all the ways he made you feel, because you never wanted to lose him.
The bus tires squeal against the banks of snow filling the parking lot, the noise of the engine stilling wakes you from your sleep and you heave your bag off of the vehicle in a groggy haze.
Your friend Eloise wastes no time in running towards you to capture you in a tight hug, “Y/N! My god I missed you, how long has it been? 8 months or something? We’re gonna have so much fun this weekend!” She squeals, excitable as ever.
Once she releases you from her grip, you respond with a calm “Hi Eloise.” as she drags you by the arm to her car. You spend the twenty minute journey to the AirBnB listening as she rambles enthusiastically about the house and the food and the view - oh my god you’re going to love the view.
Eloise was right, of course, the house was amazing and the view was even better, looking out on a secluded winter lake, the icy chill cleansed your soul as soon as you stepped out of the car.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
Jiwon and the rest of your friends greeted you warmly as soon as you made it through the back door. She must’ve noticed your eyes scanning the room for him to no avail.
“Your bedroom is the third door on the left once you go up the stairs.” She says, sensing your need for a few quiet minutes to settle in. As you head up the stairs you hear your name being called.
Turning around, Jiwon catches your eye and whispers “He’ll be here in an hour or so”, you smile sheepishly as she winks, taunting you with her inclination to play cupid.
You ignore it, hiding your relief and excitement as you trudge up the stairs and head straight towards a warm shower.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
The water is hot and refreshing, cleansing you of all the grime you’ve collected on your journey, relaxing your muscles, calming your brain.
Grabbing comfy clothes out of your suitcase, you listen contentedly to the sound of laughter and happiness coming from downstairs.
Click.
Creak.
The door swings open and you duck behind the bed, only half-dressed.
“Oh shit, sorry, wrong room.”
You know that voice. Chan?
“Chan!” you exclaim, running out from behind the bed to wrap your arms around him.
He chuckles at the impact, lifting you off the ground slightly as he hugs you.
“Hi Angel”
“Hi Channie.” you muffle against his t-shirt.
“You’re…wet.” He notes awkwardly.
You let go of him immediately, redness creeping onto your cheeks as you panickedly pull a t-shirt over your head, an embarrassing reality swallowing you whole.
“I just got out of the shower.” you explain timidly.
He laughs again, “It’s okay, I was the one who, uh, barged in.”
You smile as he begins to close the door, “Oh! Eloise wants everyone downstairs in 30 minutes for the party”
An exasperated sigh escapes you and you catch his giggles echoing down the hallway as he walks away.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
Half an hour later, you’re crowded around a table with all of your closest friends, laughing and shouting, and smiling and it is so so lovely.
Chan is there, by your side, laughing with you, drinking with you, smiling with you, as you play every nostalgic game you can think of and sing along to all of your favorite 2000s songs.
There are moments when you catch each other’s eyes and everything goes quiet as you count the stars in his eyes before he turns away and your stomach drops. There are moments where his hand finds your leg like it’s the most natural thing in the world and he mindlessly caresses your skin like it’s nothing, like it doesn’t send your head spinning. Then, there are moments when he mentions some potential love interest, or an ex, or a fling and you remember just how different the two of you are when it comes to love.
The fuckboy and the hopeless romantic.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
As the night wears on, everyone else seems to float away. Despite the drunken chaos surrounding you at all angles, it feels like it's just you and Chan reminiscing on the past, catching up with the present, fantasising about the future and everything in between.
You find yourself in the kitchen tidying up together, messily slow dancing and humming to the music, his hands foreign but familiar as they rest on your waist and you’re smiling, in love with the domesticity of it all.
After a moment, you return to cleaning, his hands enveloped in soap suds when he clears his throat.
“You know,” he begins, a slight tipsiness in his voice, “I used to have a crush on you.”
You freeze, almost letting the dirty cup your holding fall to the floor.
“Used to? Damn…” you reply (half) jokingly.
He playfully jabs you in the side, a low giggle echoing through the room.
“I mean, who didn’t have crushes in highschool?” you say, playing it off as if his passing comment hasn’t turned your world upside down.
“Right, exactly”
“And look at you, I don’t think I’ve seen you single since Freshman year!” Oh God, how you wish your mouth would stop moving.
You fall into a heavy silence after that, and you can’t help but kick yourself and overthink as you dry the dishes.
Amongst the clatter of plates and Chan’s subconscious humming, you hear Jiwon call to you from outside “It’s 11:58, c’mon!”
You had almost forgotten why you were here with your friends, with him - You’ll put it all out of your mind tonight, you’re not going to let your pathetic pining ruin your new year. That is until, Chan appears before you resting a dish cloth in your hands but not letting it go.
“There’s a reason no-one stuck around,” he says in a low voice, gazing at you with soft eyes, “None of them were you.”
He smiles quietly and leaves you in the kitchen, clutching onto his dish rag, your heart feels like it's going to run away as you watch him effortlessly laughing and talking with your friends.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
“3…2…1!!” The sky fills with the bright lights of fireworks as your friends celebrate in a blur of hugs and kisses and “恭喜发财”. In that moment, your body feels light and you smile peacefully as the sky explodes into color and the music washes over you.
Soonyoung, full of excitement and energy as always, leaps suddenly into the pool with a warrior yell, shortly followed by Eloise and Jiwon.
You cackle as they initiate a drunken water fight, Chan coming into view as he whips off his t-shirt before cannonballing into the water, a wide smile on his face as he emerges from the surface.
He smiles at you with his arms resting on the poolside, water lapping as your friends play behind him. You’re aware that your best friend has a good physique, he’s worked hard for it but, like this, under the moonlight with water droplets highlighting every muscle, you think he might be a Greek god. He nods his head, asking you to join him, pouting when you shake your head. You know that he knows how much that pout melts you, makes you putty in his hands and soon enough you find yourself sitting at the pool’s edge.
Ten minutes later, your friends have tired themselves out, Jiwon nagging them to come inside and warm up with her, leaving Chan quite literally swimming laps around you. You sit happily as the wind blows softly against your face, not noticing his gaze on you as he wades over, pushing his wet hair back.
“Aren’t you gonna come in?” He asks, reaching over to take your hands in his, playing with them as he pleads
“You’re crazy for even suggesting that.”
“Am I now?” He retorts, a mischievous smirk appearing on his face.
With a splash and a shriek, you’re submerged in the water, Chan still gripping your hand as you swim to the surface, feigning anger as he laughs. He brings you close to him and his infectious laughter breaks your facade. He reaches out and moves the hair out of your face, his hand grazes your cheek and you immediately feel the air leave your lungs, your face heat up, And, of course, because you’re a genius you react the way any normal person would - by throwing yourself back under the water.
You shut your eyes tight, letting the water cover you and taking a moment to feel every ripple that crashes against your body. There’s hope in you, you’re not sure where it came from but, there’s hope that the water will ground you, wake you up, that maybe when you open your eyes you’ll know what to do, you’ll stop acting like an idiot.
After a beat, you open them slowly, letting the chlorine burn your eyes as you adjust your vision to find him treading water across from you, The pool lights bathing him in ethereal blue light, his cheeks puffed up like a hamster as he looks at you with a soft curiosity. You return his gaze, lost in him and, for the first time since you’ve arrived at the house, your brain is quiet.
With broad strokes, he swims towards you, his hands finding your waist, bubbles flying up to the surface as he scans your eyes for something, anything.
Breaking the water’s surface, he stays attached to you, “Why do you keep running away?”
You scoff, breaking eye contact as you fight to contain an eye-roll. You seriously can’t believe him, does he think he’s funny? Does he think you’re still sixteen? Does he think you’re a lovesick puppy? As much as your heart thumps when he’s close to you, when he holds your hand, when he looks at you like that, you’re not just another one of his playthings. You refuse to be.
“What?” he asks innocently.
Feeling the buzz of the alcohol combined with your exhaustion, you place a hand on his chest, ignorant of his pounding heart, gently pushing yourselves apart. “Goodnight Channie.”
A minute later, you’ve almost reached your bedroom, wet footsteps marking your path when you hear his gentle whisper.
“Angel.”
You turn and face him because, no matter how much you want to seem cool and collected, he’s still your Chan.
“Did I do something wrong? Did I read you wrong?” he asks, moving closer so that you have no choice but to look up to meet his eyes. His eyes, slightly red from the chlorine, but still deep and full of stars.
“You’re fine Chan, I’m sorry. I’m just tired” You reply with a soft smile as you reach up to unstick a wet strand of hair to his forehead.
“About earlier…”
“Ease up on the joking around about that and, yeah.” you interrupt him, a shake in your voice appearing just from thinking about it.
“Joking around? With you? Never.” he responds smugly. You raise a sarcastic eyebrow.
“Ok, not never but,” His hands rest casually around your waist, “Not about this, not about us. I meant what I said. And I tried to ignore it and I tried to fill the hole that you left, and I should’ve told you in seventh grade, or junior year, or college,” you’re silent as his mouth moves faster than this his brain, his gaze so wide it feels like you’re being swallowed whole, “having you in my arms today, I don’t want to go back to how it was before. I’ll be by your side as long as you want me and I’ll show you everyday if it’ll help you believe me.”
“Chan?” You interrupt softly, lifting your hand to cup his face. You lift your pinky finger towards him, “Promise?”
His finger joins with yours in agreement. His arm still wrapped around you, pulling you closer with a giddy smile that tells you nothing could bring him down right now. You gaze at him with an immovable grin, watching the swirls of passion dance around his dark eyes.
You melt as his lips find yours - gentle, deliberate, new, and familiar. Sparks run through you with every touch, every breath, every. single. thing.
This is the fairytale first kiss you’d imagined when you were a kid.
Your fingers run through his dark hair as he pulls you even closer, groaning into you when you tug gently. There’s something about the way he holds you, kisses you, that shows just how much he knows you, how much he cares for you, how he’d do anything for you. A fire roars inside of you, one that is both calmed and fueled by everything you and Chan have been and whatever you could be.
“Ahem.”
oh. shitttt. fuck. fuck. fuck.
You turn slowly to face whoever’s caught you, both of your eyes wide and panicked but glued to the floor. Looking up with lips pressed in an awkward smile you find a smug, curious Minghao. His hand moves to cover his mouth and you and Chan open your mouths, preparing to explain how it wasn’t what it looked like (it was). But, before a word can leave either of you, he shakes his head frantically, signalling to you to shut the fuck up.
You shoot him back a quizzical look before Minghao begins to mime locking his lips and throwing away an invisible key as he turns on his heels and returns downstairs.
Chan turns around, you meet each other with the same expression - half shocked, half amused.
“You owe him one.” you remark, still processing the last ten minutes of your life.
He snorts, “You owe him one.”
You sigh in agreement and proceed to stand in a ‘what-now’ silence, your gaze shifting between him and the ground as you fiddle with your still damp t-shirt.
“Well, uh, goodnight!” Chan says abruptly before placing a swift peck on your cheek and practically sprinting into his room.
Ok. Cool. Yeah. Your relationship with your best friend has been flipped on its head and it feels like the rest of your life might follow but you’re definitely going to be able to sleep right now. (what the fuck?)
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
The house is quiet as you curl up in bed under the veil of your phone screen’s light. You stare blankly switching from Instagram to Twitter and back to Instagram, being met with the same buffering sign. Huh, maybe the house does have a downfall, the shit internet connection stopping you from doom scrolling your way through insomnia.
[02:07] Chan: Still awake?
[[02:07] Y/N: How’d you know….
[02:07] Chan: You hate sleeping in unfamiliar places dude
[02:08] Y/N: Dude ur so obsessed with me
[Read 02:08]
You set your phone down, rolling onto your side, hoping that sleep will catch up with you soon.
A few minutes later your bedroom door opens slowly, the light from the hallway illuminating his soft smile before he quietly shuts it behind him. You murmur a sleepy “hi” as he shuffles under the comforter, pulling you close so your head is resting on his chest. You can feel his heart thumping through the soft fabric of his t-shirt as you lie in a comfortable silence, his hand gently scratching your back and an electrical warmth hums between the two of you. Slowly, you move upwards until your head rests next to his on the pillow.
When your lips meet this time it’s different, it’s lazy but full of yearning, overwhelming yet not enough and there’s nothing that could tear you away from each other.
Your clothes have been long deserted on the floor, Chan towering over you, careful not to put too much weight on you as he leans down to place gentle kisses along your collarbone.
His hands tracing your body, lingering whispers of desire, heavy breaths mingling with sweat and fingers tangled in hair. You move against each other like ocean waves, your mind focused on nothing but him as he muffles your moans with desperate kisses and mumbles of praise in your ear.
“Y’know we should probably talk about…us” he whispers between heavy breaths.
You chase his lips and hum in agreement, “Tomorrow. Now I just need you Chan.” you whine in a way that’ll definitely embarrass you in the morning, “Please.”
“You’ve got me angel. I’m all yours.”
taglist: @reiofsuns2001
younger & dumber - [teaser]
pairing: lee chan x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, f2l, fluff
summary: a weekend trip reunites you with your longtime best friend and brings back feelings you had long buried.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, suggestive
teaser wc: 700
fic wc: 2k+
〰 taglist is open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
a/n: im back!! this was meant to be published a while ago but i got busy :( hopefully i can publish the full fic in the next week (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)
lmk what you think!!
You watch the snow fall gently outside as you curl up in the back of the bus, ready for the long journey ahead of you. A trip into the countryside is usually something that you dread, knowing that a barrage of invasive questions from distant relatives that you hardly remember the name of. But this time you’d be met by some of your best friends, summoned by Jiwon for a Lunar New Year celebration. She called last week, excited about the airbnb that she had impulsively booked, pleading with you to take the 5 hour long journey and, being in your final year of university, you were thinking up excuses until she said the magic word.
Chan.
You and Chan had been best friends for years, having met in middle school and being pretty much attached at the hip all through highschool. One slight issue. You were sorta, kinda, in love with him (a bit) and it was torturous, you hated it. You hated it because you were best friends, because every time you saw him you had to fight to ignore all the ways he made you feel, because you never wanted to lose him.
The bus tires squeal against the banks of snow filling the parking lot, the noise of the engine stilling wakes you from your sleep and you heave your bag off of the vehicle in a groggy haze.
Your friend Eloise wastes no time in running towards you to capture you in a tight hug, “Y/N! My god I missed you, how long has it been? 8 months or something? We’re gonna have so much fun this weekend!” She squeals, excitable as ever.
Once she releases you from her grip, you respond with a calm “Hi Eloise.” as she drags you by the arm to her car. You spend the twenty minute journey to the AirBnB listening as she rambles enthusiastically about the house and the food and the view - oh my god you’re going to love the view.
Eloise was right, of course, the house was amazing and the view was even better, looking out on a secluded winter lake, the icy chill cleansed your soul as soon as you stepped out of the car.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
Jiwon and the rest of your friends greeted you warmly as soon as you made it through the back door. She must’ve noticed your eyes scanning the room for him to no avail.
“Your bedroom is the third door on the left once you go up the stairs.” She says, sensing your need for a few quiet minutes to settle in. As you head up the stairs you hear your name being called.
Turning around, Jiwon catches your eye and whispers “He’ll be here in an hour or so”, you smile sheepishly as she winks, taunting you with her inclination to play cupid.
You ignore it, hiding your relief and excitement as you trudge up the stairs and head straight towards a warm shower.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
The water is hot and refreshing, cleansing you of all the grime you’ve collected on your journey, relaxing your muscles, calming your brain.
Grabbing comfy clothes out of your suitcase, you listen contentedly to the sound of laughter and happiness coming from downstairs.
Click.
Creak.
The door swings open and you duck behind the bed, only half-dressed.
“Oh shit, sorry, wrong room.”
You know that voice. Chan?
“Chan!” you exclaim, running out from behind the bed to wrap your arms around him.
He chuckles at the impact, lifting you off the ground slightly as he hugs you.
“Hi Angel”
“Hi Channie.” you muffle against his t-shirt.
“You’re…wet.” He notes awkwardly.
You let go of him immediately, redness creeping onto your cheeks as you panickedly pull a t-shirt over your head, an embarrassing reality swallowing you whole.
“I just got out of the shower.” you explain timidly.
He laughs again, “It’s okay, I was the one who, uh, barged in.”
You smile as he begins to close the door, “Oh! Eloise wants everyone downstairs in 30 minutes for the party”
An exasperated sigh escapes you and you catch his giggles echoing down the hallway as he walks away.
coming soon :3
younger & dumber - [teaser]
pairing: lee chan x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, f2l, fluff
summary: a weekend trip reunites you with your longtime best friend and brings back feelings you had long buried.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, suggestive
teaser wc: 700
fic wc: 2k+
〰 taglist is open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
a/n: im back!! this was meant to be published a while ago but i got busy :( hopefully i can publish the full fic in the next week (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)
lmk what you think!!
You watch the snow fall gently outside as you curl up in the back of the bus, ready for the long journey ahead of you. A trip into the countryside is usually something that you dread, knowing that a barrage of invasive questions from distant relatives that you hardly remember the name of. But this time you’d be met by some of your best friends, summoned by Jiwon for a Lunar New Year celebration. She called last week, excited about the airbnb that she had impulsively booked, pleading with you to take the 5 hour long journey and, being in your final year of university, you were thinking up excuses until she said the magic word.
Chan.
You and Chan had been best friends for years, having met in middle school and being pretty much attached at the hip all through highschool. One slight issue. You were sorta, kinda, in love with him (a bit) and it was torturous, you hated it. You hated it because you were best friends, because every time you saw him you had to fight to ignore all the ways he made you feel, because you never wanted to lose him.
The bus tires squeal against the banks of snow filling the parking lot, the noise of the engine stilling wakes you from your sleep and you heave your bag off of the vehicle in a groggy haze.
Your friend Eloise wastes no time in running towards you to capture you in a tight hug, “Y/N! My god I missed you, how long has it been? 8 months or something? We’re gonna have so much fun this weekend!” She squeals, excitable as ever.
Once she releases you from her grip, you respond with a calm “Hi Eloise.” as she drags you by the arm to her car. You spend the twenty minute journey to the AirBnB listening as she rambles enthusiastically about the house and the food and the view - oh my god you’re going to love the view.
Eloise was right, of course, the house was amazing and the view was even better, looking out on a secluded winter lake, the icy chill cleansed your soul as soon as you stepped out of the car.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
Jiwon and the rest of your friends greeted you warmly as soon as you made it through the back door. She must’ve noticed your eyes scanning the room for him to no avail.
“Your bedroom is the third door on the left once you go up the stairs.” She says, sensing your need for a few quiet minutes to settle in. As you head up the stairs you hear your name being called.
Turning around, Jiwon catches your eye and whispers “He’ll be here in an hour or so”, you smile sheepishly as she winks, taunting you with her inclination to play cupid.
You ignore it, hiding your relief and excitement as you trudge up the stairs and head straight towards a warm shower.
⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
The water is hot and refreshing, cleansing you of all the grime you’ve collected on your journey, relaxing your muscles, calming your brain.
Grabbing comfy clothes out of your suitcase, you listen contentedly to the sound of laughter and happiness coming from downstairs.
Click.
Creak.
The door swings open and you duck behind the bed, only half-dressed.
“Oh shit, sorry, wrong room.”
You know that voice. Chan?
“Chan!” you exclaim, running out from behind the bed to wrap your arms around him.
He chuckles at the impact, lifting you off the ground slightly as he hugs you.
“Hi Angel”
“Hi Channie.” you muffle against his t-shirt.
“You’re…wet.” He notes awkwardly.
You let go of him immediately, redness creeping onto your cheeks as you panickedly pull a t-shirt over your head, an embarrassing reality swallowing you whole.
“I just got out of the shower.” you explain timidly.
He laughs again, “It’s okay, I was the one who, uh, barged in.”
You smile as he begins to close the door, “Oh! Eloise wants everyone downstairs in 30 minutes for the party”
An exasperated sigh escapes you and you catch his giggles echoing down the hallway as he walks away.
hi everyone! sorry i've been so inactive, i've been super ill the last two months but i'm almost fully recovered so hopefully i can start writing again! i've got a couple ideas and unfinished pieces that hopefully i can get started on later today ~
thank you for being patient and sorry again! ᰔ ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ
dandelions - l.sm
pairing: lee seokmin x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, estranged friends, childhood best friends to lovers, fluff, pining, protective seokmin, flashbacks
summary: when you start your new job, an unexpected face reenters your life sending you down memory lane.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, etc.,
fic wc: 8.8k
a/n: icb i actually finished writing this, it was harddd. i love seokmin he's so kind and caring so i had to write him ᵕ̈ lmk what you think!! ִ ࣪𖤐
〰 requests and taglist open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
The early autumn sun creeps in through your bedroom window casting a golden veil over you as you stay curled up under the sheets. It’s one of those mornings where the weight of sleep is too heavy to lift - not that you want to. You’re blissfully unaware of your alarm ringing repeatedly and your cat prancing all over the bed.
Thump
“Ow?” you groan, still half asleep.
Opening your eyes, your vision is blocked by a pillow, freshly resting above your head.
“What the fuck?” you continue, looking around to find your roommate, Mingyu, in the doorway.
“Get up, you’re gonna be late.” he nags.
Right, today is your first day at your dream job, the thing you’ve been working towards since you were fifteen.
“Ugh, why do you always have to be right?” you ask Mingyu as you quite literally roll out of bed.
“Can’t help it, sorry” he teases, “There’s coffee in the pot!” he says as he walks away, leaving you to get ready for the day.
Whilst your commute on the Subway is stuffy and dreary, the building of your new workplace is, to put it simply, breathtaking. It is light and open with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the entire city. The interior is no different, large open spaces with unique and colorful accents to break up the fresh white.
Across from the entrance, a man not too much older than you sits behind the receptionist desk. He has long, bleached hair, dark eyes and soft, angelic features - he’s pretty that’s for sure.
“Hi, um, I need to pick up my ID card?” you say, in a half question, half statement.
He puts down the pen that he had previously been spinning idly between his fingers.
“First day?”
You nod.
“I’m Jeonghan, welcome to hell.” he says with a childish giggle and innocent smile as if he didn’t just refer to your new job as the ninth circle.
“Y/N.” you reply. He spins around on his desk chair, hands wandering as searches for your ID.
“Aha!” he exclaims, waving the card in the air triumphantly.
With that, he stands up and makes his way over to you, “Without further ado, I shall show you the way.” he says theatrically, gesturing in the direction of the elevator,
Stepping out onto the fourth floor you are welcomed into a hopeful environment, an open office space, bright and refreshing but personal at the same time. There is a ping-pong table in one corner, a whiteboard of gag drawings and reminders, a darts board on the wall and the employees around you are chatting quietly amongst themselves, relaxed and smiling.
“Yoon Jeonghan!” someone yells from across the room, “Please tell me you weren’t playing receptionist again.”
Jeonghan maintains a playful smile but his eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights, give him away. The other man’s gaze is fixed only on Jeonghan as he walks over, “Your meeting starts in…” he checks his watch, “Now, go go go!”
“Thank you! My savior!” Jeonghan calls back to him as he scurries out of the office leaving you, standing next to a stranger, speechless.
“So he’s not the-”
“He works in PR, sometimes he just does shit like that, I don't know why.” the man clarifies.
“Ahh, okay” you respond, still puzzled.
“I’m Joshua.” he says after a beat, “You’re new…?”
“Yeah, I’m Y/N, nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, you’re joining the… graphics team?” He guesses.
“Bingo.”
“I say team, you’re more of a duo, we’re kind of understaffed right now but don’t worry, the other guy’s super talented. Just, y’know, try to get along. He’s kind of… the reason you’re only a duo.”
You laugh, “No worries, I like a challenge plus, I’m a people person.”
“For now, anyways,” Joshua mumbles light heartedly, “I’ll show you to your desk.
You follow Joshua towards the back of the office and into a cosy little corner. Your desk is right next to a large window providing you with great lighting and an even better view. This is it, exactly how you imagined during all those sleepless nights working hard. You think you’ll be happy here.
“Do you have your drawing pad and keyboard?” you nod eagerly, “Great, there’s a bunch of spare charges and cables by the front if you need any. Um, what’s next… Oh! Your ‘team’!”.
He turns to the desk next to you. In the chair sits a man with dark, soft hair which falls gently over his face as his eyes focus intently on the computer monitor in front of him. Joshua taps his shoulder, prompting him to remove his headphones and shift his attention onto you.
“This is Seokmin.” Joshua states.
Your breath hitches in your throat as his dark eyes settle on you in a fleeting moment that you never thought would happen again, especially not here.
Lee Seokmin.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
You’ve loved drawing and art since you were little. You would draw anywhere you could; at school, at the dinner table, in the car, at the playground, wherever.
You have a vivid memory of lying, stomach down, in the playground at seven years old. You were focused entirely on perfecting your drawing of the dandelion in front of you, crayons were splayed across your ‘work area’, your tongue poking slyly out of your mouth in concentration.
This moment, of course, was ruined by the thing you hated most at that age (more than eggplant), boys. A rugby ball charged unmercifully towards you, crushing flowers as it went before landing, bullseye, on your drawing. It brings an army of mud with it, splattering far and wide and knocking the majority of your crayon into the long grass,
When the owners of the ball approached you they didn’t say a word about the destruction they’ve caused instead, taking the ball and returning to the game, leaving you to stare with blurry eyes at your wasted hard work.
One boy, though, doesn’t follow the rest of the group. Instead, he towers above you, observing for a minute, before getting onto his hands and knees to rescue your crayons from the lawn.
“They’re playing without you.” You mumble, suddenly overcome with shyness.
He continues, retrieving your crayons, now with an infectious grin on his face, “That’s okay, I don’t really like that game anyways.”
After a moment of quiet, his hand extends out in front of you, “I’m Seokmin. What’s your name?” He asks, still wearing a goofy grin.
Taken off guard, your hand meets his and you shake it, just like you had watched your Dad do with ‘important businessmen’. You give him your name and his smile shines on you like the sun, and for the first time in your seven-year-old life, you are blushing.
“Hmm…” he ponders for a second, “I like it.”
Even now, you remember how strange you had found that comment, how you thought about it for days after - I mean, who was he to decide if your name was good or not? He was the same age as you, what did he know that you didn’t?
That day, Seokmin came into your life just as quickly as he left, the teacher announcing the end of recess and suddenly you’re watching as he hops and skips to his classroom before you get the chance to thank him for helping you. You didn’t know it then but, you would come to think of that day as one of the best days of your life. The day you found your own ray of sunshine. The day you find your vitamin. Your best friend. Your soulmate. Your Seokmin.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
Once Joshua leaves, the air is thick with tension and a decades worth of unspoken words. It is cold; solemn, almost. You exchange a few small words between you, mostly well-wishes for the other’s parents and siblings - polite catch-up at most before he, almost instantaneously, is sucked back into his work, fingers tapping away at the keyboard, eyes fixed on the monitor, headphones on.
You work comfortably deep into the afternoon, he remains glued in that position. Even as others bustle around him on their way to eat or attend meetings, he stays put. You don’t think you’ve seen him this still since he was scolded by your middle school Maths teacher for not doing his homework. (After that, you always let him copy yours if he forgot again.)
Suddenly, Jeonghan’s face pops up from behind your computer monitor. You smile inquisitively, genuinely charmed by the man.
“Did you eat?” he asks. You look down at the time to find that it’s already three p.m, that you had been subconsciously waiting for a cue from Seokmin to go and eat , the way that you used to.
You shake your head, “Come on, I’ll introduce you to some fabulous people.” Jeonghan offers before his head ducks away from your computer.
You laugh quietly, trying your best not to distract Seokmin as you run across the office to catch up with your new friend who is already prancing giddily towards the cafeteria.
“There’s my princess!” a voice rings from the canteen counter as you enter behind a giggling Jeonghan. You watch as he greets a group of four men, all of them immediately jumping into easy conversation.
“Oh! I have a new friend to introduce you to.” he says, ushering you over. “Okay,” he begins “this is Y/N , it’s their first day - be nice. Y/N, meet Minghao, Hoshi, Dino, and you’ve already met Shua.”
You nod politely and smile, feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the new things happening around you.
“C’mon, let's get you some food.” Dino says, letting you take his place in the queue,
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
Whichever slop your school was serving that day, splatters onto your tray as you move along the counter absentmindedly, all your attention being funnelled into Seokmin and his retelling of his chaotic maths class. It’s your last week at middle school and you’ve been placing an emphasis on this summer being ‘the best summer of your life’, your fourteen year-old self begging for the fantasy of adulthood that you had crafted throughout your childhood.
Seokmin smiles smugly at you as the lunch lady loads extra fries onto his plate, she clearly has a soft spot for him - a sentiment that, apparently, does not carry over to you. You trail behind your bestfriend, with a pathetic serving of fries as you reach your regular table and prepare to spend your lunch talking and joking around (and sharing whatever gossip you’d overheard in the halls) , the way that you do everyday. And, just like every other day, Seokmin shares his fries with you, despite his teasing.
“Next year….” you begin, he catches your gaze with soft eyes that tell you he’s listening, “We’ll still be us right? I don’t want things to change because of highschool. We’ll still be friends?” you finish blurting out.
“Always, Dandelion.” he replies, with the sweet nickname reserved only for his use before nodding his gently and looking down at the table coyly, “We’ll always be us, I promise.”
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
Over lunch, you learn a lot about your new workplace. Hoshi and Jeonghan are more than happy to catch you up on the office drama and share any new developments with the rest of the group. They also tell you about a work dinner at the end of the week, and thank god, the do’s and don’ts for any (common) situations that might occur at said event, (apparently Seungcheol is an excitable drunk.)
After finishing your meal, the six of you return to the office. As you're leaving, though, you spot some takeout containers and immediately think of Seokmin and his tendency to get grumpy when he’s hungry. You sigh, your heart and mind falling gladly into old patterns, “go ahead, I’ll be there in a bit.” you call out to the group as you turn back towards the cafeteria.
With an assortment of food in your hand, you walk confidently in the direction of yours and Seokmin’s desks and… he’s not there. Where did he go? He literally hasn’t moved all day and now he disappears, leaving you to stand around like a lost idiot?
“He’s in a meeting.” someone mutters ahead of you.
“Ah, ok.” you reply, offering Minghao an awkward smile.
“It’ll probably run late, I wouldn’t bother waiting around” he adds.
“Oh I wasn’t gonna… thank you.” you resign, to which he nods happily and returns to his own desk. You place the food on Seokmin’s desk, not knowing what else to do with it, and follow suit.
Despite your will to be productive, you find your attention drifting back to the lunchbox. You haven’t seen each other in almost ten years, is this weird? Does he still like the same food? What if he hates it? What if he hates you?
Okay. Calm down. It’s just Seokmin, your Minnie, the boy you caught bugs with when you were little.
You resolve to write a post-it note, at least then he’ll know it’s not poisoned. You write about four different notes before settling on a simple ‘Eat Me’, sticking it atop of the container and quieting your mind just enough.
The next day, you come into the office, hungry and sleep deprived, to find his desk empty again. You try not to think anything of it, that is until you find a sticky note on your desk. A simple ‘Thank you’ is written atop of a small box of cookies. The cookies you ate every morning in highschool. He remembers. He hardly even speaks to you but he remembers.
What the fuck does that mean?
It does mean something, right?
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
If the best day of your life was the day you met Seokmin, the worst day of your life would be the day he left.
You’re fifteen, standing in the unusually quiet hallways of your highschool, waiting for your best friend to finish his class so that you can walk home together. Over the past few months, something has shifted between you, maybe it was just teenage hormones but suddenly, you couldn’t take your eyes off of him, dazed by his bright smile, his sharp features, his fluffy hair, lost in how pretty Seokmin was (the same Seokmin you ruthlessly wedgied throughout your childhood.) Suddenly, everytime he hugged you, your stomach filled with butterflies and your cheeks flushed and yet you didn’t want to let go. But it was probably just hormones… no big deal.
He’s off when you’re walking home, concerningly quiet and, despite your prying he insists he’s fine, that he’ll tell you later.
“So Seungmin’s having a party on Saturday and I’m begging you to come, please?” you ask.
“I can’t.” He states quietly.
“Pleaseee, you know I can’t live without you!” you reply, lacing your fingers with his and swinging playfully in an attempt to cheer him up.
“I won’t be here.”
“Huh?”
“I’m leaving, Dad’s job- fuck I was going to tell you its just…” he runs his hands through his hair as you look at each other with tear-filled eyes. “It’s just,” he continues “It’s you, It’s fucking you, I don’t want to leave you… ever.”
You offer a comforting smile, deciding he’s more important than the sadness running through you right now.
“It’s okay!” you reply with a joyous tone, hoping it will cover up your tears and the way that your voice falters everytime you meet his eyes. “We’ve still got time! When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night?”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” he says through tears and you don’t think you’ve ever seen him go so long without smiling.
“Hey, hey,” you caress his cheek gently, wiping away his tears, “we’ll still see each other a lot, we can visit each other, right?”
He nods.
“Promise?” you ask.
“Promise.” he mumbles before pulling you into a bittersweet hug.
“I’ll come see you before we leave, okay?” he says.
“Please.” you reply, still finding sanctuary, nuzzled against his chest.
The next day you wake up early, checking your phone repeatedly for a text from him but nothing. You try to do homework but you don’t even want to focus. You try to watch a film but miss half of it as your mind overthinks and distracts you.
It’s 2PM, no texts.
At 4PM, you call him, no answer.
You sit in your room and wait for him, for a text, a call, a knock on the door, anything.
6PM, still nothing.
8:30PM, you’re still waiting.
9PM, you’ll give it another hour.
10:15PM, just a bit longer.
By midnight, you’ve fallen asleep at the foot of your bed, your hand still clutching your phone, just in case.
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As the week continues, Seokmin remains cautious around you. He’s kind, as always, but not in his unique Seokmin way. There is almost an anxiety that emerges whenever you’re around each other. The air is thick with tension, with unspoken words and fading memories, broken promises and old patterns.
He only speaks to you about work. You tell yourself that it’s progress, at least he’s actually talking to you, even if you’re itching for more. It’s a strange feeling seeing him now, a mixing pot of conflicting emotions churning inside of you. Surely you should be upset with him but you’re not. Not when all the love you’ve held for your best friend is just as strong even after a decade.
You find it strange to watch him in a work environment; so mature and professional and yet, when you look at him you can still see the remnants of the giggling boy you know so well beneath the surface. Neither of you are teenagers anymore and you have to remind yourself that no matter how well he grew up, and he grew up very well, things had changed and there was nothing that you could do about it.
On Friday morning, he’s late to work, a rare occasion. He runs into the office breathlessly, visibly flustered.
“You okay?” you ask, when he arrives at your shared corner of the office, endeared by his red cheeks and bright eyes.
“Yeah, just overslept.”
You nod in response, letting him organise himself.
“Oh! Um,” he hands you a coffee from the cafe down the street, “to celebrate the end of your first week.”
You’re taken aback by the gesture, especially by the name written on the side of the cup: ‘Dandy’.
And that’s when you know you’re well and truly fucked, doomed to have Seokmin in your heart and on your mind for the rest of your life.
You wonder if he knows what he’s doing or if he’s just being a nice coworker, a friend. It’s the proud grin on his face that he attempts to hide from you as he saunters over to his desk that tells you that maybe he does know.
As time passes, you’ve begun to see more of the Seokmin you loved through your childhood. The passion returns to his eyes, shining like stardust, he says your name softly again, less hesitantly, like he’s remembered who you are but, most importantly he was smiling. The toothy grin that makes you melt and captivates you in an instant. And you think that maybe, even if the both of you refuse to say it, he knows.
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“Excited for tonight?” Jeonghan whispers as he mischievously skirts around your desk in an attempt to look busy without actually working.
You turn to face him, an eyebrow raised, “Tonight?”
“Dinner? Work dinner? Drinks?”
“Oh! Yep, excited, yes.”
…You weren’t exactly excited. In fact, up until thirty seconds ago, you had been drafting a text to your friends about an impromptu game night but, you guess that’s off the table.
“I’ll text you the address!” Jeonghan yells as he’s dragged back to work by Minghao.
His directions lead you to a cosy pub-restaurant hidden away in the suburbs. You stand across the road, watching from afar and hyping yourself up for the night. It’s weird honestly, usually you love being social but tonight the nerves running through you feel like a swarm of bees in your veins, your fingers bouncing back and forth as you shift from one foot to the other.
Okay, get your shit together, it's just a couple of beers with your work friends.
Slowly but surely, you walk towards the pub. That is until you lose your balance on the loose paving, your feet disappearing from underneath you and suddenly your body meets the sidewalk, great.
“Dandy! Dandy, are you okay?”
Of course he’s here, just your luck. You sit up as Seokmin jogs over to you, your face hot with embarrassment.
“Yeah.” you mumble, slightly disoriented, “I just wasn’t looking where I was walking. Where did you come from?”
You don’t dare to make eye contact with him, even as he crouches down next to you, clearly concerned.
“I just got here, just in time I guess.”
“Mhm, my hero.”
“C’mon, let's get you to the bench.”
With your weight resting against him, you hobble to a nearby bench where he sits you down before returning to crouch next to you. Your eyes remain firmly glued to your newest enemy (yes, the sidewalk.) You hear him tut as he examines your injuries and you have to take a deep breath to calm your growing embarrassment.
“Okay,” he hums as a plan seemingly forms in his head, “step one.”
You feel a tugging on your foot, looking down to watch the top of his head as he firmly ties your shoelace. He lifts his head, looking up at you, his eyes sparkling under the moonlight, soft and sweet, with a comforting smile. You find yourself smiling back and in those few silent seconds, it’s like time has stopped. It’s just you and him and it’s good, you’re good. In those few silent seconds, there’s no heartbreak, no anger, no guilt, no yearning. In the few silent seconds when your eyes meet it’s as if your past melts away, it’s just the two of you as you are and you don’t need to say anything. All of the times that you’ve wanted to scream at him, cry, and laugh have all faded away - your eyes meet and you understand, he understands.
“Oh shit, your hand.” he says, suddenly searching through his jacket pockets.
Your hand is grazed from the fall, bruised at worst, maybe it’ll scab a bit but, no big deal. You hear him rustling around with some packaging and draw your attention away from your palm to find him peeling open a bandaid.
“You just carry those around with you?”
“Habit. I’ve been doing it since I was 9.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because you’re the clumsiest person I’ve ever met.” he explains, flashing you another smile and a cheeky wink. You laugh quietly as the tension melts away.
Nothing lasts forever though, the tension returns soon after but this time, it’s different. Your giggles are cut short when he gently caresses your hand, moving it further under the street lights. He applies the band aid gently, his touch, although light, sends sparks through you. Flattening the bandage flush against your skin, you let out a quiet wince as he brushes against your graze,
“Sorry.” He says, guilt tainting his usually bright tone.
“It’s okay,” you smile, “Thank you, really.”
You take his hands and help him up and off of the floor. He smiles, timidly this time.
“I’ll buy you a pint, come on.” you say, finally reaching the pub entrance.
Any anxiety you had been feeling earlier had been swiftly knocked out of you by the pavement, it wasn’t as if you had much dignity left to lose anyway.
The pub is mesmerising, old beer bottles crafted into chandeliers, good music underlying happy chatter and dim lighting, providing a cosy and intimate atmosphere. It’s busy inside but not overwhelmingly so, just enough to keep the energy high.,
Dino waves you over to the table, a pint waiting for you in his hand. You skip over happily, your heart feeling light.
“I thought our Seokmin wasn’t going to come tonight?” Hoshi says to the man behind you, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
“Oh…uh yeah changed my mind but I can leave if you want.” He stammers.
The table erupts in response, all of your coworkers welcoming Seokmin (somewhat aggressively). He looks over at you apprehensively, nervous eyes seeking confirmation.
You smile gently, “Stay, Min. I promised you a drink.”
He nods shyly, taking a seat across from you at the table. You chat openly with your new coworkers, as eager to learn more about them as they are to learn about you. You glance at him briefly every so often, only to find that he’s already looking at you. Even when he’s deep in conversation with someone else, his eyes float over to you, his finger drawing lazy circles on the rim of his glass, his dark eyes finding yours through his shelter of wavy hair.
When the food arrives he is quick to reach across to your plate and pick the eggplant out of your meal, remembering your dislike for it. You exchange awkward smiles as he piles the vegetable onto his own plate, a silent acknowledgment of your past.
At some point in the night, the conversation becomes nostalgic, reminiscing on your teen years - a dangerous path for you.
“No no no!” Jeonghan objects, “Karaoke is essential for Wednesday’s, it's literally the sole reason I finished High School.”
“You have to go on Fridays. That’s what we did,” Seokmin points to you, “It’s a celebration.”
Your eyes widen at his casual mention of your old pastimes. For some reason you had assumed that yours and Seokmin’s history was something that neither of you should discuss.
“We?” Joshua asks, “Did you two know each other?”
“Uh, we were friends…growing up” you explain, looking over at Seokmin for approval. He nods, his lips pressed together almost apologetically.
“What the fuck happened to make you act like strangers then?” Hoshi pipes up.
“Nothing, he just uh, moved away.” you attempt to make it sound as positive as possible, to hide the way it left you heartbroken because, he wasn’t just your friend, he was your soulmate.
“Huh, weird, okay.”
“Why is that weird?” you ask, slightly defensive.
“No, no I just thought there was gonna be more than that, some young love shit or something.”
You laugh off his comment, “You’re too dramatic for your own good.”
As midnight nears, the group begins to split off, most heading home, some continuing the party elsewhere. Your coworkers leave one by one until you’re left at the table with Minghao, Jeonghan and Seokmin. Whilst you nurse your last drink quietly, you listen to Seokmin charm the other two about a new project and find yourself smiling to yourself. You’re still amazed by his sweet talking and comforted to find that maybe he hasn’t changed as much as you had thought.
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One month later, you can confidently say that you and Seokmin are friends again. Even if you both steer clear of your past, at least you have him in your life to laugh with again.
It’s a boring Wednesday when Joshua calls the both of you into a meeting room. You’re confused, did you miss a memo? Were you meant to be having a meeting right now? Did you do something wrong?
“Okay so,” Joshua begins, “We have a slight issue and I’m gonna need you two to help fix it?”
You and Seokmin turn to each other, equally puzzled.
“We need someone to represent us for the expo in Jeju. It’s just two days, one night, you’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
Seokmin lets out a frustrated sigh, “We don’t work in marketing though?”
“Marketing is uh… tied down right now so, it's you.”
“Does it have to be us?”
Ouch.
“You two are the best option, you know what you’re doing plus, you’ll look good in pictures.” Joshua says, buttering you up. “Please, I’ll owe you.”
You look at Seokmin, nodding at him once. You’re happy to go, it's Jeju for God’s sake. You’re slightly offended that he doesn’t seem excited, it’s hard to feel like you’re not the reason behind his hesitation even after all the progress you’ve made.
“Fine. Yeah okay, we’ll go.”
“Thank you! Thank you, I owe you big time!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
You practically run out of the office that night, eager to get home and pack. Once you open your front door, you speed past a now baffled Mingyu and head to your room.
With your suitcase open on your bed, you begin to pick out outfits for the trip, carefully folding your formal clothes and carelessly throwing in the rest.
“Are you… going somewhere?” Mingyu asks, standing in your doorway.
“Work trip. I’m going to Jeju with Seokmin for a couple days, it’s last minute but-”
“Seokmin? Seokmin, childhood best friend turned coworker? Seokmin who ghosted you? Seokmin, the one that got away, Seokmin?”
“I mean, I wouldn’t say ‘the one that got away’ but yes, that Seokmin.”
“Oh you have to keep me updated on everything” Your roommate says excitedly.
“You’re weird.” You joke, attempting to brush him off.
“Pleaseee.” He replies, grinning giddily, his hands clasped together.
“Okay” you say with a sigh, how can he be so excited about a trip he’s not even going on?
“Yippee!” Mingyu squeals, leaving your room with a hop in his step whilst you watch, laughing loudly.
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The next morning, you arrive at the airport to find Seokmin waiting for you outside. He is leant against a pillar, earphones in and clearly captivated by something on his phone. You walk up to him smiling, standing in front of him and bending down to bring your face into his line of sight, separating him from his phone.
“Hi” you say softly, he only hums back, looking up from his phone briefly to check the flight board.
“Are you okay…?” you ask hesitantly, concerned by the return of his cold behavior.
“Yeah, sorry, just didn’t sleep well.”
You nod, offering a sympathetic smile, “Should we go?”
“Right, yeah.” He slips his phone into his pocket and grabs his suitcase.
Just as you begin your walk towards your gate, his hand brushes yours, sending butterflies to your stomach. You look up at him to confirm that it was probably an accident. But, that’s not what you find. Instead, he’s already looking at you with a small awkward smile. You raise an eyebrow at him, silently asking what he wants.
“Your suitcase.”
“Oh.”
You take your hand off of the handle slowly. The bar is swiftly covered by his hand, wrapping around the handle wordlessly. He returns his gaze to the path ahead of you, walking confidently ahead and leaving you to trail behind, speechless. Every signal he sends confuses you more, all of them so different from the last you wish you had the balls to just grab him by the collar and ask him what he’s thinking.
When you arrive at the hotel, you’re in awe. You don’t think you’ve ever seen a hotel so fancy, let alone had the chance to stay in one. The building is surrounded by flowers and orange trees like a canopy to protect you from reality. The sun shines down on you gently as the sound of waves hitting the rocks from afar fills your ears. You take a deep breath and smile to yourself, suddenly at peace in this quiet moment. That is until, Seokmin enters your line of view, strolling towards the entrance with both of your suitcases in hand and you remember why you’re here.
“Hi, can we check in? The booking should be under the name ‘Hong’”
“No worries! Let me grab your information, are you here for the expo?”
Seokmin hums in response, watching as your eyes scan the lobby, taking in its grandeur.
“Alright! There’ll be a mixer for representatives at 8pm, just pop back down here to collect your free drink tickets.” The clerk says, handing Seokmin a room key with a smile.
“Thanks” Seokmin says, turning to leave before pausing, “Sorry, is there… only one room?”
“Um, let me double check.” the clerk returns to the computer, “Only one room booked under Hong.” She clarifies.
“Alright, no worries, thank you!” The two of you head towards the elevator in a comfortable silence.
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Opening the hotel room door, the two of you share a sigh of relief at the sight of two beds. Whilst it was true the two of you had grown closer over the past two months, you weren’t exactly ready to recreate your middle school sleepovers.
You claim the bed by the window quickly, flopping down onto it excitedly as he watches from afar. You turn your head, grinning at him as you sink into the mattress.
He laughs at your childishness quietly, “I’m gonna jump in the shower, if that’s okay?”
“Go ahead!” you reply, reaching for your phone, ready to scroll mindlessly.
Out of the corner of your eye, you watch as he runs his hand slowly through his hair, gaze fixed on his open suitcase. You’ve forgotten, after all of these years, just how gorgeous he is. How majestic he looks without even trying.
You return to your phone, slightly embarrassed by just how intently you had been watching him. Upon reflection, your eyes should’ve stayed on your screen but of course, you have zero self-control. Time seems to slow when your gaze shifts back to Seokmin who is in the midst of lifting his t-shirt up over his head.
Okay, Yeah. These feelings definitely aren’t just platonic.
He clears his throat, his t-shirt now bunched up in his hands and his eyes on you. You’ve been caught, shit. You can feel your face heat up instantly as you mutter an embarrassed apology and turn onto your side, away from him. You hear him chuckle under his breath whilst he continues to rummage through his suitcase. Any attempts to distract yourself fail completely, feeling your heart beat rapidly as you stare widely at the blank wall in front of you in pure disbelief.
An exhale of relief escapes you once you hear the shower turn on and his ethereal vocals leak through the bathroom door.
“Dandy, wake up”
You groan and roll over to find Seokmin sitting on the edge of your bed, a hand gently stroking your hair. He looks heavenly in a white button up and a loose tie, hair curly and still slightly damp.
“What time is it?” you hum, still in a sleepy daze.
“Um… 7:58?” he responds, guiltily.
“PM? Why didn’t you wake me up? You say, shooting up from the bed immediately and scrambling to find an outfit and fix your bedhead.
“You looked like you needed it.”
“Thanks for the compliment” you laugh.
“Not like that ugh.” he groans, bickering playfully.
Hurriedly trying to fasten your bracelet, you swear incoherently as it drops to the floor again. Picking it back up and wrapping it around your wrist again, his warm hands cover yours as he appears in front of you and begins to fiddle with the clasp.
“Hold still.”
You look up at him, his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration as his hand moves down to gently angle your wrist towards him.
“There.” He says, satisfied, looking back up to meet your eyes.
You thank him with bated breath, your hands still resting in his, electricity humming between you. “We’re gonna be late.”
“Right, yes. Lets- lets go.” he replies, hiding his hands abruptly in his trouser pockets and heading to the door.
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The hotel bar is dimly lit and filled with a crowd of people dressed in near identical outfits. You both head towards the bar, sensing already that you’ll need a couple of drinks to get through the evening.
His attention is drawn away from you as soon as the cold of the pint glass meets your palm.
“Leo!” He calls to a man across the room, “Old friend, be right back, don’t do anything I wouldn’t.” he whispers to you with a reassuring grin.
His space next to you is filled almost immediately by a guy you’ve never seen before who introduces himself as Haru. He offers to buy you a drink to which you decline, showing him your still full beer glass. He initiates small talk that leaves your focus wandering around the room. He’s clearly trying to flirt and you’re clearly not interested.
After a gruelling half an hour, you shoot Seokmin a desperate ‘save me’ look and thank God that he’s played enough mafia games to connect the dots.
It sends shivers through you when he appears behind you, his arm gently slipping around your waist, “Who’s this?” Seokmin asks, looking down at you with loving eyes. Your heart beats rapidly as you speak, flustered by his affection.
“This is uh…Haru.”
“Ah nice to meet you Haru.” He says, offering out his hand.
The man looks visibly frustrated by Seokmin’s interruption, denying his handshake, “And who are you?” he asks.
“Their boyfriend.” Seokmin replies, moving his hand from your waist to hold your hand and squeezing it gently, hoping you’ll play along even through your shock.
You look down at your intertwined fingers and smile, even if he’s just rescuing you, even if it’s all pretend, you feel your heart grow happier and your stomach fluttering.
Haru walks away, setting his sights on a new target and finally leaving you alone.
You thank Seokmin coyly, slightly embarrassed that you needed his help just to shut down a conversation.
“Should we get some fresh air?” he asks.
“Mm,” you hum, “Let me get a refill first.”
The both of you trail back to the bar, empty glasses in hand, his hand in yours slowly becoming the most natural thing in the world.
You hardly notice that you’re still interlinked when you reach the hotel garden, staking your claim on a patch of grass that overlooks the sea. You close your eyes and envelope yourself in the ocean breeze and sounds of the rolling waves and distant seagulls, revelling in the fresh air and calmness that washes over you now that you’ve escaped the crowded hotel bar.
“Dandy?”
You open your eyes to find Seokmin sat close by your side holding out a napkin and pen. His eyes are sparkling in the moonlight, swirls of passion and kindness drawing you in. He calls you quietly, softly, as if you’d fade away if he’s too loud. He must be utterly unaware of the way he makes you feel, the way he’s made you feel since you were teenagers.
You raise a questioning eyebrow at him, unsure of what he wants from you.
“ Here.”
“Huh?”
“You never finished your drawing.” he pauses, “The dandelions. When we were, what? Seven or eight?”
“Seven.”
“You should finish it… if you want to.” He hands you the napkin and points to your left where you find two lone dandelions standing strong, persistent against the wind.
You smile. A smile so wide your jaw starts to hurt. A smile so strong that you can’t quell it - not that you want to. It’s true that this moment, sat beside your best friend, after all these years, drawing under the moonlight is the moment when you feel happiness, the most content.
This is your ‘this is it’ moment.
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You're delicately cross-hatching the stem when he breaks the silence.
“I- uh, I’m…”
You break your focus to turn to him, he’s looking down at his hands which are busy carefully dissecting a fallen leaf.
“Hm?”
“I’m sorry. I was a bad friend to you. That day. I shouldn’t have left. Especially not without saying goodbye. It was the stupidest thing that I’ve ever done. I just couldn’t bring myself to let you go. I was a selfish idiot and I’m sorry. There was so much I wanted to tell you but I was a coward and I hurt you… it hurt me too. Fuck.”
You listen intently, nodding along and slipping your hand into his as his breath grows shaky. His words are full of heart-breaking guilt and, as he speaks, you want nothing more than to take all of his pain away,
“Minnie.” you begin, “You were never a bad friend, you weren’t a coward. You were sixteen. We were kids, of course we’re going to do dumb things and be scared because that’s what kids do. But it’s okay because now, we’re here and we can make up for lost time and be us again.”
“Us?”
“Do you have a problem with that?” you ask, jokingly.
He laughs, “No I quite like it, actually.”
It’s then that it hits you. Just how much you’ve missed this, him. His laugh is bright, the kind that colors your world, makes the birds sing louder, the sun shine brighter. Hearing it again, you feel a warmth run through you, relief and happiness, you’re back.
“What’s the gossip then?” you ask, nudging him playfully.
“The gossip?”
“The things you were going to tell me all those years ago..”
“Oh. Uh. Later maybe. Get on with your drawing.”
“Oh, real.” You reply, turning back to your napkin, his eyes following you gently.
“Oh shit. My beer!” you exclaim as you watch the pint glass topple over onto the grass.You lie back, exasperated.
Seokmin laughs again, watching as your hair meets the lawn, “Clumsy as ever.”
You look at him with an aggressive look, one that says you’ll kill him if he keeps laughing at your misfortune.
“I’ll get you another.”
You smile and thank him sweetly as he stands up and walks back towards the hotel, leaving you staring up at the night sky, memorising each glowing star that hangs above you with a smile that you think might never leave.
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“C’mon Dandelion, let's get you to bed.” He says gently, offering you his hand to pull you up off of the grass.
It’s been a few hours since you wandered outside and you’ve had a bit too much to drink. You make grabby hands at Seokmin, willing him to sit back down beside you, not wanting your evening to end just yet,
“Noooo please, it’s so pretty out here! Look at the stars, they’re so pretty!”
He looks down at you, soft eyes, biting down on his lip in order to stifle any laughter that might emerge because of your drunken state
“Pretty, yes. But, you’ll catch a cold if you stay here any longer!”
He threads his arm around your waist, helping you to stand up and making sure you’ll stay that way.
“You too.” you slur, “Pretty,”
He laughs at your drunken vulnerability, fully aware of just how much tonight is going to haunt you once you sober up.
“Thanks, you too.”
You hum happily, “What did you want to say before you left?”
“Don’t worry about that, I’ll tell you when you’re a bit more…awake.”
“Hey! I’m fucking awake right now!”
He laughs quietly and you fall into a comfortable quiet as you trudge through the garden and into the hotel.
“You know I was going to tell you something too.”
“Is that so?” He asks as you lean into him, his hand combing through your hair as you adorn a smitten smile.
“Mhm! You were always so unaware though,” Your smile becomes a grumpy frown that’s more fitting for a sulky toddler.
He watches as you continue blabbering.
“You only ever saw me as your friend, do you know how frustrating that was? You were so clueless, I guess I was too but still! I just had to watch you everyday be all pretty and when I finally think I have any courage you just leave? Kind of rude, I say.”
He laughs quietly to himself, endeared.
“Ok, let's get you to sleep, now.” He says, opening the door to your hotel room.
Once inside you clumsily flop down onto your bed, kicking off your shoes and melting into the mattress. Seokmin follows behind, careful to stop you from injuring yourself or the furniture.
“Sleepy?”
You give a peaceful hum in response as he lifts the blanket up and lets it fall gently over you. He smiles again fondly, watching your eyelids flutter as you fight the urge to sleep.
“Alright, goodnight.” Seokin says gently as he turns off the lamp.
“Min.” you call suddenly, watching him move towards the bathroom.
“Dandy.”
“Don’t leave.” you plead, a quiver in your voice that you’re unaware of, “Please.”
“We’re literally sharing this room, don’t worry.”
“Stay with me… please?” you repeat.
He walks back over to your bedside, stroking your hair affectionately, “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”
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The next morning, you’re awoken by the sun beating down on you through the window and the alarm sounding from across the room that makes your ears ache.
“Mingyu…” you mumble to yourself in a hungover daze, “turn it off.”
When the alarm continues to sound, you force yourself to open your eyes, the sunlight making your head throb to no end. You groan and familiarise yourself with your surroundings.
Right. Not in your apartment. You’re in a hotel on a work trip.
Christ, you’re this hungover on a work trip?
A heaviness on your left hand prevents you from sitting up. Rolling over to investigate, you find a sleeping Seokmin on the floor with only a pillow and thin blanket. His hand is in yours, stretched up into the air to meet you as he grumbles in his dreams.
A smile spreads uncontrollably across your face, your heart melting at the sight and, for a moment, your hangover dissolves away, leaving only love in your eyes.
But nothing lasts forever. Soon enough your headache evolves into a strong thump like there’s a rock rattling around in your brain and you begin to piece together everything that happened the night before.
Jesus..
You flop yourself back down onto the mattress with a frustrated groan. If there’s one thing you’re good at, it’s embarrassing yourself. Why the fuck did you say all that? God, he probably thinks you’re insane or a loser or just plain dumb to ramble on the way that you did.
At this moment, there’s only one thing you’re completely sure of, you need to get out of this hotel room before Seokmin wakes up.
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As the door shuts, you lean back against the wall and sink down to the floor, your head in your hands.
For fucks sake.
At least one positive thing has come out of your stupidity, you’ve discovered your hidden talent for sneaking out of a tiny hotel room.
Walking down to the hotel lobby, you’re greeted by the same smiley clerk from the morning before.
“Rough night?” she asks as you pass by on your way to breakfast.
You smile politely and nod whilst she continues, “Where’s your boyfriend?”
“Oh he’s not- he’s still asleep.” you reply, flushed cheeks as you fail to escape the previous night.
She nods and returns her focus to her work, letting you seek the cup of coffee you so badly desire,
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To your relief, you don’t see Seokmin until later in the day once you’ve been stuffed in a crowded room. Everyone around you is preparing to pitch a product they’re clearly tired of seeing on a daily basis. As soon as he walks through the door, his eyes search the room for you. You are trapped in a laborious conversation about investment when you feel his hand on your arm, tugging your attention away.
Looking up at him, his eyes search yours for answers about your disappearance and it's then that you realize that when you’d ran away without explanation, you’d done the one thing that, last night, you’d sworn you would never do.
“Fuck, Seokmin I-”
Your apology is cut short as he pulls you into a tight embrace, your cheeks burning as his arms wrap around you in the midst of the crowded room.
“It’s okay.” He says under his breath, lifting a hand up to gently stroke your hair before pulling away from you. You exchange solemn, knowing smiles.
“We’ll talk later?”
You nod shyly, nerves rising inside of you at the prospect.
“Right,” he continues, “should we… get to work?”
You both look around the room and observe the bustling displays of capitalism around you.
“Good idea.” you smile.
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“So, last night…” Seokmin begins, pushing food around his plate.
You smile with embarrassment as your eyes fall to your own plate. Here we go.
‘What you said about… you know-”
“I’m sorry, I was drunk and I didn’t know what I was saying, and I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Your attempt at damage control has turned you into nothing less than a rambling mess.
“No, please don’t apologise I just-”
“Here’s your bill sir.” The waiter seems to appear out of nowhere and you both immediately fall silent.
Seokmin pays the bill quickly, despite your opposition that he buys you dinner after all of the chaos you’ve caused.
You can see his mind racing a mile a minute as you walk lazily back to the hotel. The silence stays with you, a shadow clinging to you under the moonlight.
The air is thick with tension as everything unsaid hangs around you, your half finished conversation replaying over and over again in torturous thought. And yet, you still can’t manage to tear your eyes away from him, his presence alone sending you into a pining spiral.
The elevator hums as you stand shoulder to shoulder and finally, after half an hour, he breaks the silence.
“Do you believe in that thing?” he mumbles.
“Hm?”
“Y’know, drunk words are sober thoughts?”
A small laugh leaves your mouth and you thank god that the elevator reaches your floor, giving you a bit more time to contemplate how to answer him.
Once you enter the hotel room, Seokmin turns to you, taking your bag and placing it on the chair in the corner.
“Well?” he asks, “Are drunk words sober thoughts?”
Your face grows hot as he smiles sweetly and steps closer.
“I- I guess, yeah.” You whisper, your heart feels like it's about to burst out of your chest.
“Good. So do I.”
Oh.
Oh.
He nears even closer until you’re sandwiched between him and the wall.
“Min…” you mumble, breathless.
“Tell me to stop and I will.”
But you don’t move a muscle. Of course you don’t. It’s him for god’s sake. Your Seokmin, finally yours again.
His breathing is heavy as he inches closer, his hands now resting on your waist until you’re forced to move your neck to look at him, smiling. His lips brush hesitantly against yours, you are both so aware of how much weight the next action will have on your relationship, with every touch there’s a shaking sense of nerves and longing.
His kiss is gentle and sweet, cautious. His hand cups your face sweetly, as if he’s scared that he'll break you. Electricity surges through the air, sparking between you as you lean into him
Being wrapped up in his arms as you are right now, his lips on yours, the world melts away. All the anxiety and fear you’ve ever felt is gone, your past is forgotten - its just you and him. Everything has changed and yet, with him it’s the same, you’re a teenager again and nothing could take you away from one another.
You come to a slow, breathless and dazed. He traps you in a warm embrace, his heart beat pushing against your shirt.
“You haven’t left my mind since that first day. I’ve loved you everyday, even when we were apart. I’m sorry for making you wait, I just- I just need you now,” he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck, mumbling soft kisses as he talks, “If you’ll have me.”
“Min.” You say softly, lifting his head up so you can see him in all of his ethereal beauty, “It’s you and me always, don’t forget that.”
A smile of relief appears on his face as he looks down at you through sparkling eyes. He spins you around excitedly, smiling wide and laughing loud, like a puppy chasing its tail.
“Finally, my Dandy!!”
You giggle as you spin, completely enamoured by the man before you.
His face is bright and happy. He is Seokmin again, your Seokmin.
taglist: @m3gum1s @peachytokki @tahanan-at-puso @yaebbinnie @coffeewwithdrawlheadaches @ateez-atiny380 @lovrehani @cherrylita @reiofsuns2001 @alonelystarfish
dandelions - l.sm
pairing: lee seokmin x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, estranged friends, childhood best friends to lovers, fluff, pining, protective seokmin, flashbacks
summary: when you start your new job, an unexpected face reenters your life sending you down memory lane.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, etc.,
fic wc: 8.8k
a/n: icb i actually finished writing this, it was harddd. i love seokmin he's so kind and caring so i had to write him ᵕ̈ lmk what you think!! ִ ࣪𖤐
〰 requests and taglist open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
The early autumn sun creeps in through your bedroom window casting a golden veil over you as you stay curled up under the sheets. It’s one of those mornings where the weight of sleep is too heavy to lift - not that you want to. You’re blissfully unaware of your alarm ringing repeatedly and your cat prancing all over the bed.
Thump
“Ow?” you groan, still half asleep.
Opening your eyes, your vision is blocked by a pillow, freshly resting above your head.
“What the fuck?” you continue, looking around to find your roommate, Mingyu, in the doorway.
“Get up, you’re gonna be late.” he nags.
Right, today is your first day at your dream job, the thing you’ve been working towards since you were fifteen.
“Ugh, why do you always have to be right?” you ask Mingyu as you quite literally roll out of bed.
“Can’t help it, sorry” he teases, “There’s coffee in the pot!” he says as he walks away, leaving you to get ready for the day.
Whilst your commute on the Subway is stuffy and dreary, the building of your new workplace is, to put it simply, breathtaking. It is light and open with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the entire city. The interior is no different, large open spaces with unique and colorful accents to break up the fresh white.
Across from the entrance, a man not too much older than you sits behind the receptionist desk. He has long, bleached hair, dark eyes and soft, angelic features - he’s pretty that’s for sure.
“Hi, um, I need to pick up my ID card?” you say, in a half question, half statement.
He puts down the pen that he had previously been spinning idly between his fingers.
“First day?”
You nod.
“I’m Jeonghan, welcome to hell.” he says with a childish giggle and innocent smile as if he didn’t just refer to your new job as the ninth circle.
“Y/N.” you reply. He spins around on his desk chair, hands wandering as searches for your ID.
“Aha!” he exclaims, waving the card in the air triumphantly.
With that, he stands up and makes his way over to you, “Without further ado, I shall show you the way.” he says theatrically, gesturing in the direction of the elevator,
Stepping out onto the fourth floor you are welcomed into a hopeful environment, an open office space, bright and refreshing but personal at the same time. There is a ping-pong table in one corner, a whiteboard of gag drawings and reminders, a darts board on the wall and the employees around you are chatting quietly amongst themselves, relaxed and smiling.
“Yoon Jeonghan!” someone yells from across the room, “Please tell me you weren’t playing receptionist again.”
Jeonghan maintains a playful smile but his eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights, give him away. The other man’s gaze is fixed only on Jeonghan as he walks over, “Your meeting starts in…” he checks his watch, “Now, go go go!”
“Thank you! My savior!” Jeonghan calls back to him as he scurries out of the office leaving you, standing next to a stranger, speechless.
“So he’s not the-”
“He works in PR, sometimes he just does shit like that, I don't know why.” the man clarifies.
“Ahh, okay” you respond, still puzzled.
“I’m Joshua.” he says after a beat, “You’re new…?”
“Yeah, I’m Y/N, nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, you’re joining the… graphics team?” He guesses.
“Bingo.”
“I say team, you’re more of a duo, we’re kind of understaffed right now but don’t worry, the other guy’s super talented. Just, y’know, try to get along. He’s kind of… the reason you’re only a duo.”
You laugh, “No worries, I like a challenge plus, I’m a people person.”
“For now, anyways,” Joshua mumbles light heartedly, “I’ll show you to your desk.
You follow Joshua towards the back of the office and into a cosy little corner. Your desk is right next to a large window providing you with great lighting and an even better view. This is it, exactly how you imagined during all those sleepless nights working hard. You think you’ll be happy here.
“Do you have your drawing pad and keyboard?” you nod eagerly, “Great, there’s a bunch of spare charges and cables by the front if you need any. Um, what’s next… Oh! Your ‘team’!”.
He turns to the desk next to you. In the chair sits a man with dark, soft hair which falls gently over his face as his eyes focus intently on the computer monitor in front of him. Joshua taps his shoulder, prompting him to remove his headphones and shift his attention onto you.
“This is Seokmin.” Joshua states.
Your breath hitches in your throat as his dark eyes settle on you in a fleeting moment that you never thought would happen again, especially not here.
Lee Seokmin.
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You’ve loved drawing and art since you were little. You would draw anywhere you could; at school, at the dinner table, in the car, at the playground, wherever.
You have a vivid memory of lying, stomach down, in the playground at seven years old. You were focused entirely on perfecting your drawing of the dandelion in front of you, crayons were splayed across your ‘work area’, your tongue poking slyly out of your mouth in concentration.
This moment, of course, was ruined by the thing you hated most at that age (more than eggplant), boys. A rugby ball charged unmercifully towards you, crushing flowers as it went before landing, bullseye, on your drawing. It brings an army of mud with it, splattering far and wide and knocking the majority of your crayon into the long grass,
When the owners of the ball approached you they didn’t say a word about the destruction they’ve caused instead, taking the ball and returning to the game, leaving you to stare with blurry eyes at your wasted hard work.
One boy, though, doesn’t follow the rest of the group. Instead, he towers above you, observing for a minute, before getting onto his hands and knees to rescue your crayons from the lawn.
“They’re playing without you.” You mumble, suddenly overcome with shyness.
He continues, retrieving your crayons, now with an infectious grin on his face, “That’s okay, I don’t really like that game anyways.”
After a moment of quiet, his hand extends out in front of you, “I’m Seokmin. What’s your name?” He asks, still wearing a goofy grin.
Taken off guard, your hand meets his and you shake it, just like you had watched your Dad do with ‘important businessmen’. You give him your name and his smile shines on you like the sun, and for the first time in your seven-year-old life, you are blushing.
“Hmm…” he ponders for a second, “I like it.”
Even now, you remember how strange you had found that comment, how you thought about it for days after - I mean, who was he to decide if your name was good or not? He was the same age as you, what did he know that you didn’t?
That day, Seokmin came into your life just as quickly as he left, the teacher announcing the end of recess and suddenly you’re watching as he hops and skips to his classroom before you get the chance to thank him for helping you. You didn’t know it then but, you would come to think of that day as one of the best days of your life. The day you found your own ray of sunshine. The day you find your vitamin. Your best friend. Your soulmate. Your Seokmin.
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Once Joshua leaves, the air is thick with tension and a decades worth of unspoken words. It is cold; solemn, almost. You exchange a few small words between you, mostly well-wishes for the other’s parents and siblings - polite catch-up at most before he, almost instantaneously, is sucked back into his work, fingers tapping away at the keyboard, eyes fixed on the monitor, headphones on.
You work comfortably deep into the afternoon, he remains glued in that position. Even as others bustle around him on their way to eat or attend meetings, he stays put. You don’t think you’ve seen him this still since he was scolded by your middle school Maths teacher for not doing his homework. (After that, you always let him copy yours if he forgot again.)
Suddenly, Jeonghan’s face pops up from behind your computer monitor. You smile inquisitively, genuinely charmed by the man.
“Did you eat?” he asks. You look down at the time to find that it’s already three p.m, that you had been subconsciously waiting for a cue from Seokmin to go and eat , the way that you used to.
You shake your head, “Come on, I’ll introduce you to some fabulous people.” Jeonghan offers before his head ducks away from your computer.
You laugh quietly, trying your best not to distract Seokmin as you run across the office to catch up with your new friend who is already prancing giddily towards the cafeteria.
“There’s my princess!” a voice rings from the canteen counter as you enter behind a giggling Jeonghan. You watch as he greets a group of four men, all of them immediately jumping into easy conversation.
“Oh! I have a new friend to introduce you to.” he says, ushering you over. “Okay,” he begins “this is Y/N , it’s their first day - be nice. Y/N, meet Minghao, Hoshi, Dino, and you’ve already met Shua.”
You nod politely and smile, feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the new things happening around you.
“C’mon, let's get you some food.” Dino says, letting you take his place in the queue,
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Whichever slop your school was serving that day, splatters onto your tray as you move along the counter absentmindedly, all your attention being funnelled into Seokmin and his retelling of his chaotic maths class. It’s your last week at middle school and you’ve been placing an emphasis on this summer being ‘the best summer of your life’, your fourteen year-old self begging for the fantasy of adulthood that you had crafted throughout your childhood.
Seokmin smiles smugly at you as the lunch lady loads extra fries onto his plate, she clearly has a soft spot for him - a sentiment that, apparently, does not carry over to you. You trail behind your bestfriend, with a pathetic serving of fries as you reach your regular table and prepare to spend your lunch talking and joking around (and sharing whatever gossip you’d overheard in the halls) , the way that you do everyday. And, just like every other day, Seokmin shares his fries with you, despite his teasing.
“Next year….” you begin, he catches your gaze with soft eyes that tell you he’s listening, “We’ll still be us right? I don’t want things to change because of highschool. We’ll still be friends?” you finish blurting out.
“Always, Dandelion.” he replies, with the sweet nickname reserved only for his use before nodding his gently and looking down at the table coyly, “We’ll always be us, I promise.”
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Over lunch, you learn a lot about your new workplace. Hoshi and Jeonghan are more than happy to catch you up on the office drama and share any new developments with the rest of the group. They also tell you about a work dinner at the end of the week, and thank god, the do’s and don’ts for any (common) situations that might occur at said event, (apparently Seungcheol is an excitable drunk.)
After finishing your meal, the six of you return to the office. As you're leaving, though, you spot some takeout containers and immediately think of Seokmin and his tendency to get grumpy when he’s hungry. You sigh, your heart and mind falling gladly into old patterns, “go ahead, I’ll be there in a bit.” you call out to the group as you turn back towards the cafeteria.
With an assortment of food in your hand, you walk confidently in the direction of yours and Seokmin’s desks and… he’s not there. Where did he go? He literally hasn’t moved all day and now he disappears, leaving you to stand around like a lost idiot?
“He’s in a meeting.” someone mutters ahead of you.
“Ah, ok.” you reply, offering Minghao an awkward smile.
“It’ll probably run late, I wouldn’t bother waiting around” he adds.
“Oh I wasn’t gonna… thank you.” you resign, to which he nods happily and returns to his own desk. You place the food on Seokmin’s desk, not knowing what else to do with it, and follow suit.
Despite your will to be productive, you find your attention drifting back to the lunchbox. You haven’t seen each other in almost ten years, is this weird? Does he still like the same food? What if he hates it? What if he hates you?
Okay. Calm down. It’s just Seokmin, your Minnie, the boy you caught bugs with when you were little.
You resolve to write a post-it note, at least then he’ll know it’s not poisoned. You write about four different notes before settling on a simple ‘Eat Me’, sticking it atop of the container and quieting your mind just enough.
The next day, you come into the office, hungry and sleep deprived, to find his desk empty again. You try not to think anything of it, that is until you find a sticky note on your desk. A simple ‘Thank you’ is written atop of a small box of cookies. The cookies you ate every morning in highschool. He remembers. He hardly even speaks to you but he remembers.
What the fuck does that mean?
It does mean something, right?
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If the best day of your life was the day you met Seokmin, the worst day of your life would be the day he left.
You’re fifteen, standing in the unusually quiet hallways of your highschool, waiting for your best friend to finish his class so that you can walk home together. Over the past few months, something has shifted between you, maybe it was just teenage hormones but suddenly, you couldn’t take your eyes off of him, dazed by his bright smile, his sharp features, his fluffy hair, lost in how pretty Seokmin was (the same Seokmin you ruthlessly wedgied throughout your childhood.) Suddenly, everytime he hugged you, your stomach filled with butterflies and your cheeks flushed and yet you didn’t want to let go. But it was probably just hormones… no big deal.
He’s off when you’re walking home, concerningly quiet and, despite your prying he insists he’s fine, that he’ll tell you later.
“So Seungmin’s having a party on Saturday and I’m begging you to come, please?” you ask.
“I can’t.” He states quietly.
“Pleaseee, you know I can’t live without you!” you reply, lacing your fingers with his and swinging playfully in an attempt to cheer him up.
“I won’t be here.”
“Huh?”
“I’m leaving, Dad’s job- fuck I was going to tell you its just…” he runs his hands through his hair as you look at each other with tear-filled eyes. “It’s just,” he continues “It’s you, It’s fucking you, I don’t want to leave you… ever.”
You offer a comforting smile, deciding he’s more important than the sadness running through you right now.
“It’s okay!” you reply with a joyous tone, hoping it will cover up your tears and the way that your voice falters everytime you meet his eyes. “We’ve still got time! When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night?”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” he says through tears and you don’t think you’ve ever seen him go so long without smiling.
“Hey, hey,” you caress his cheek gently, wiping away his tears, “we’ll still see each other a lot, we can visit each other, right?”
He nods.
“Promise?” you ask.
“Promise.” he mumbles before pulling you into a bittersweet hug.
“I’ll come see you before we leave, okay?” he says.
“Please.” you reply, still finding sanctuary, nuzzled against his chest.
The next day you wake up early, checking your phone repeatedly for a text from him but nothing. You try to do homework but you don’t even want to focus. You try to watch a film but miss half of it as your mind overthinks and distracts you.
It’s 2PM, no texts.
At 4PM, you call him, no answer.
You sit in your room and wait for him, for a text, a call, a knock on the door, anything.
6PM, still nothing.
8:30PM, you’re still waiting.
9PM, you’ll give it another hour.
10:15PM, just a bit longer.
By midnight, you’ve fallen asleep at the foot of your bed, your hand still clutching your phone, just in case.
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As the week continues, Seokmin remains cautious around you. He’s kind, as always, but not in his unique Seokmin way. There is almost an anxiety that emerges whenever you’re around each other. The air is thick with tension, with unspoken words and fading memories, broken promises and old patterns.
He only speaks to you about work. You tell yourself that it’s progress, at least he’s actually talking to you, even if you’re itching for more. It’s a strange feeling seeing him now, a mixing pot of conflicting emotions churning inside of you. Surely you should be upset with him but you’re not. Not when all the love you’ve held for your best friend is just as strong even after a decade.
You find it strange to watch him in a work environment; so mature and professional and yet, when you look at him you can still see the remnants of the giggling boy you know so well beneath the surface. Neither of you are teenagers anymore and you have to remind yourself that no matter how well he grew up, and he grew up very well, things had changed and there was nothing that you could do about it.
On Friday morning, he’s late to work, a rare occasion. He runs into the office breathlessly, visibly flustered.
“You okay?” you ask, when he arrives at your shared corner of the office, endeared by his red cheeks and bright eyes.
“Yeah, just overslept.”
You nod in response, letting him organise himself.
“Oh! Um,” he hands you a coffee from the cafe down the street, “to celebrate the end of your first week.”
You’re taken aback by the gesture, especially by the name written on the side of the cup: ‘Dandy’.
And that’s when you know you’re well and truly fucked, doomed to have Seokmin in your heart and on your mind for the rest of your life.
You wonder if he knows what he’s doing or if he’s just being a nice coworker, a friend. It’s the proud grin on his face that he attempts to hide from you as he saunters over to his desk that tells you that maybe he does know.
As time passes, you’ve begun to see more of the Seokmin you loved through your childhood. The passion returns to his eyes, shining like stardust, he says your name softly again, less hesitantly, like he’s remembered who you are but, most importantly he was smiling. The toothy grin that makes you melt and captivates you in an instant. And you think that maybe, even if the both of you refuse to say it, he knows.
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“Excited for tonight?” Jeonghan whispers as he mischievously skirts around your desk in an attempt to look busy without actually working.
You turn to face him, an eyebrow raised, “Tonight?”
“Dinner? Work dinner? Drinks?”
“Oh! Yep, excited, yes.”
…You weren’t exactly excited. In fact, up until thirty seconds ago, you had been drafting a text to your friends about an impromptu game night but, you guess that’s off the table.
“I’ll text you the address!” Jeonghan yells as he’s dragged back to work by Minghao.
His directions lead you to a cosy pub-restaurant hidden away in the suburbs. You stand across the road, watching from afar and hyping yourself up for the night. It’s weird honestly, usually you love being social but tonight the nerves running through you feel like a swarm of bees in your veins, your fingers bouncing back and forth as you shift from one foot to the other.
Okay, get your shit together, it's just a couple of beers with your work friends.
Slowly but surely, you walk towards the pub. That is until you lose your balance on the loose paving, your feet disappearing from underneath you and suddenly your body meets the sidewalk, great.
“Dandy! Dandy, are you okay?”
Of course he’s here, just your luck. You sit up as Seokmin jogs over to you, your face hot with embarrassment.
“Yeah.” you mumble, slightly disoriented, “I just wasn’t looking where I was walking. Where did you come from?”
You don’t dare to make eye contact with him, even as he crouches down next to you, clearly concerned.
“I just got here, just in time I guess.”
“Mhm, my hero.”
“C’mon, let's get you to the bench.”
With your weight resting against him, you hobble to a nearby bench where he sits you down before returning to crouch next to you. Your eyes remain firmly glued to your newest enemy (yes, the sidewalk.) You hear him tut as he examines your injuries and you have to take a deep breath to calm your growing embarrassment.
“Okay,” he hums as a plan seemingly forms in his head, “step one.”
You feel a tugging on your foot, looking down to watch the top of his head as he firmly ties your shoelace. He lifts his head, looking up at you, his eyes sparkling under the moonlight, soft and sweet, with a comforting smile. You find yourself smiling back and in those few silent seconds, it’s like time has stopped. It’s just you and him and it’s good, you’re good. In those few silent seconds, there’s no heartbreak, no anger, no guilt, no yearning. In the few silent seconds when your eyes meet it’s as if your past melts away, it’s just the two of you as you are and you don’t need to say anything. All of the times that you’ve wanted to scream at him, cry, and laugh have all faded away - your eyes meet and you understand, he understands.
“Oh shit, your hand.” he says, suddenly searching through his jacket pockets.
Your hand is grazed from the fall, bruised at worst, maybe it’ll scab a bit but, no big deal. You hear him rustling around with some packaging and draw your attention away from your palm to find him peeling open a bandaid.
“You just carry those around with you?”
“Habit. I’ve been doing it since I was 9.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because you’re the clumsiest person I’ve ever met.” he explains, flashing you another smile and a cheeky wink. You laugh quietly as the tension melts away.
Nothing lasts forever though, the tension returns soon after but this time, it’s different. Your giggles are cut short when he gently caresses your hand, moving it further under the street lights. He applies the band aid gently, his touch, although light, sends sparks through you. Flattening the bandage flush against your skin, you let out a quiet wince as he brushes against your graze,
“Sorry.” He says, guilt tainting his usually bright tone.
“It’s okay,” you smile, “Thank you, really.”
You take his hands and help him up and off of the floor. He smiles, timidly this time.
“I’ll buy you a pint, come on.” you say, finally reaching the pub entrance.
Any anxiety you had been feeling earlier had been swiftly knocked out of you by the pavement, it wasn’t as if you had much dignity left to lose anyway.
The pub is mesmerising, old beer bottles crafted into chandeliers, good music underlying happy chatter and dim lighting, providing a cosy and intimate atmosphere. It’s busy inside but not overwhelmingly so, just enough to keep the energy high.,
Dino waves you over to the table, a pint waiting for you in his hand. You skip over happily, your heart feeling light.
“I thought our Seokmin wasn’t going to come tonight?” Hoshi says to the man behind you, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
“Oh…uh yeah changed my mind but I can leave if you want.” He stammers.
The table erupts in response, all of your coworkers welcoming Seokmin (somewhat aggressively). He looks over at you apprehensively, nervous eyes seeking confirmation.
You smile gently, “Stay, Min. I promised you a drink.”
He nods shyly, taking a seat across from you at the table. You chat openly with your new coworkers, as eager to learn more about them as they are to learn about you. You glance at him briefly every so often, only to find that he’s already looking at you. Even when he’s deep in conversation with someone else, his eyes float over to you, his finger drawing lazy circles on the rim of his glass, his dark eyes finding yours through his shelter of wavy hair.
When the food arrives he is quick to reach across to your plate and pick the eggplant out of your meal, remembering your dislike for it. You exchange awkward smiles as he piles the vegetable onto his own plate, a silent acknowledgment of your past.
At some point in the night, the conversation becomes nostalgic, reminiscing on your teen years - a dangerous path for you.
“No no no!” Jeonghan objects, “Karaoke is essential for Wednesday’s, it's literally the sole reason I finished High School.”
“You have to go on Fridays. That’s what we did,” Seokmin points to you, “It’s a celebration.”
Your eyes widen at his casual mention of your old pastimes. For some reason you had assumed that yours and Seokmin’s history was something that neither of you should discuss.
“We?” Joshua asks, “Did you two know each other?”
“Uh, we were friends…growing up” you explain, looking over at Seokmin for approval. He nods, his lips pressed together almost apologetically.
“What the fuck happened to make you act like strangers then?” Hoshi pipes up.
“Nothing, he just uh, moved away.” you attempt to make it sound as positive as possible, to hide the way it left you heartbroken because, he wasn’t just your friend, he was your soulmate.
“Huh, weird, okay.”
“Why is that weird?” you ask, slightly defensive.
“No, no I just thought there was gonna be more than that, some young love shit or something.”
You laugh off his comment, “You’re too dramatic for your own good.”
As midnight nears, the group begins to split off, most heading home, some continuing the party elsewhere. Your coworkers leave one by one until you’re left at the table with Minghao, Jeonghan and Seokmin. Whilst you nurse your last drink quietly, you listen to Seokmin charm the other two about a new project and find yourself smiling to yourself. You’re still amazed by his sweet talking and comforted to find that maybe he hasn’t changed as much as you had thought.
-⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
One month later, you can confidently say that you and Seokmin are friends again. Even if you both steer clear of your past, at least you have him in your life to laugh with again.
It’s a boring Wednesday when Joshua calls the both of you into a meeting room. You’re confused, did you miss a memo? Were you meant to be having a meeting right now? Did you do something wrong?
“Okay so,” Joshua begins, “We have a slight issue and I’m gonna need you two to help fix it?”
You and Seokmin turn to each other, equally puzzled.
“We need someone to represent us for the expo in Jeju. It’s just two days, one night, you’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
Seokmin lets out a frustrated sigh, “We don’t work in marketing though?”
“Marketing is uh… tied down right now so, it's you.”
“Does it have to be us?”
Ouch.
“You two are the best option, you know what you’re doing plus, you’ll look good in pictures.” Joshua says, buttering you up. “Please, I’ll owe you.”
You look at Seokmin, nodding at him once. You’re happy to go, it's Jeju for God’s sake. You’re slightly offended that he doesn’t seem excited, it’s hard to feel like you’re not the reason behind his hesitation even after all the progress you’ve made.
“Fine. Yeah okay, we’ll go.”
“Thank you! Thank you, I owe you big time!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
You practically run out of the office that night, eager to get home and pack. Once you open your front door, you speed past a now baffled Mingyu and head to your room.
With your suitcase open on your bed, you begin to pick out outfits for the trip, carefully folding your formal clothes and carelessly throwing in the rest.
“Are you… going somewhere?” Mingyu asks, standing in your doorway.
“Work trip. I’m going to Jeju with Seokmin for a couple days, it’s last minute but-”
“Seokmin? Seokmin, childhood best friend turned coworker? Seokmin who ghosted you? Seokmin, the one that got away, Seokmin?”
“I mean, I wouldn’t say ‘the one that got away’ but yes, that Seokmin.”
“Oh you have to keep me updated on everything” Your roommate says excitedly.
“You’re weird.” You joke, attempting to brush him off.
“Pleaseee.” He replies, grinning giddily, his hands clasped together.
“Okay” you say with a sigh, how can he be so excited about a trip he’s not even going on?
“Yippee!” Mingyu squeals, leaving your room with a hop in his step whilst you watch, laughing loudly.
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The next morning, you arrive at the airport to find Seokmin waiting for you outside. He is leant against a pillar, earphones in and clearly captivated by something on his phone. You walk up to him smiling, standing in front of him and bending down to bring your face into his line of sight, separating him from his phone.
“Hi” you say softly, he only hums back, looking up from his phone briefly to check the flight board.
“Are you okay…?” you ask hesitantly, concerned by the return of his cold behavior.
“Yeah, sorry, just didn’t sleep well.”
You nod, offering a sympathetic smile, “Should we go?”
“Right, yeah.” He slips his phone into his pocket and grabs his suitcase.
Just as you begin your walk towards your gate, his hand brushes yours, sending butterflies to your stomach. You look up at him to confirm that it was probably an accident. But, that’s not what you find. Instead, he’s already looking at you with a small awkward smile. You raise an eyebrow at him, silently asking what he wants.
“Your suitcase.”
“Oh.”
You take your hand off of the handle slowly. The bar is swiftly covered by his hand, wrapping around the handle wordlessly. He returns his gaze to the path ahead of you, walking confidently ahead and leaving you to trail behind, speechless. Every signal he sends confuses you more, all of them so different from the last you wish you had the balls to just grab him by the collar and ask him what he’s thinking.
When you arrive at the hotel, you’re in awe. You don’t think you’ve ever seen a hotel so fancy, let alone had the chance to stay in one. The building is surrounded by flowers and orange trees like a canopy to protect you from reality. The sun shines down on you gently as the sound of waves hitting the rocks from afar fills your ears. You take a deep breath and smile to yourself, suddenly at peace in this quiet moment. That is until, Seokmin enters your line of view, strolling towards the entrance with both of your suitcases in hand and you remember why you’re here.
“Hi, can we check in? The booking should be under the name ‘Hong’”
“No worries! Let me grab your information, are you here for the expo?”
Seokmin hums in response, watching as your eyes scan the lobby, taking in its grandeur.
“Alright! There’ll be a mixer for representatives at 8pm, just pop back down here to collect your free drink tickets.” The clerk says, handing Seokmin a room key with a smile.
“Thanks” Seokmin says, turning to leave before pausing, “Sorry, is there… only one room?”
“Um, let me double check.” the clerk returns to the computer, “Only one room booked under Hong.” She clarifies.
“Alright, no worries, thank you!” The two of you head towards the elevator in a comfortable silence.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
Opening the hotel room door, the two of you share a sigh of relief at the sight of two beds. Whilst it was true the two of you had grown closer over the past two months, you weren’t exactly ready to recreate your middle school sleepovers.
You claim the bed by the window quickly, flopping down onto it excitedly as he watches from afar. You turn your head, grinning at him as you sink into the mattress.
He laughs at your childishness quietly, “I’m gonna jump in the shower, if that’s okay?”
“Go ahead!” you reply, reaching for your phone, ready to scroll mindlessly.
Out of the corner of your eye, you watch as he runs his hand slowly through his hair, gaze fixed on his open suitcase. You’ve forgotten, after all of these years, just how gorgeous he is. How majestic he looks without even trying.
You return to your phone, slightly embarrassed by just how intently you had been watching him. Upon reflection, your eyes should’ve stayed on your screen but of course, you have zero self-control. Time seems to slow when your gaze shifts back to Seokmin who is in the midst of lifting his t-shirt up over his head.
Okay, Yeah. These feelings definitely aren’t just platonic.
He clears his throat, his t-shirt now bunched up in his hands and his eyes on you. You’ve been caught, shit. You can feel your face heat up instantly as you mutter an embarrassed apology and turn onto your side, away from him. You hear him chuckle under his breath whilst he continues to rummage through his suitcase. Any attempts to distract yourself fail completely, feeling your heart beat rapidly as you stare widely at the blank wall in front of you in pure disbelief.
An exhale of relief escapes you once you hear the shower turn on and his ethereal vocals leak through the bathroom door.
“Dandy, wake up”
You groan and roll over to find Seokmin sitting on the edge of your bed, a hand gently stroking your hair. He looks heavenly in a white button up and a loose tie, hair curly and still slightly damp.
“What time is it?” you hum, still in a sleepy daze.
“Um… 7:58?” he responds, guiltily.
“PM? Why didn’t you wake me up? You say, shooting up from the bed immediately and scrambling to find an outfit and fix your bedhead.
“You looked like you needed it.”
“Thanks for the compliment” you laugh.
“Not like that ugh.” he groans, bickering playfully.
Hurriedly trying to fasten your bracelet, you swear incoherently as it drops to the floor again. Picking it back up and wrapping it around your wrist again, his warm hands cover yours as he appears in front of you and begins to fiddle with the clasp.
“Hold still.”
You look up at him, his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration as his hand moves down to gently angle your wrist towards him.
“There.” He says, satisfied, looking back up to meet your eyes.
You thank him with bated breath, your hands still resting in his, electricity humming between you. “We’re gonna be late.”
“Right, yes. Lets- lets go.” he replies, hiding his hands abruptly in his trouser pockets and heading to the door.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
The hotel bar is dimly lit and filled with a crowd of people dressed in near identical outfits. You both head towards the bar, sensing already that you’ll need a couple of drinks to get through the evening.
His attention is drawn away from you as soon as the cold of the pint glass meets your palm.
“Leo!” He calls to a man across the room, “Old friend, be right back, don’t do anything I wouldn’t.” he whispers to you with a reassuring grin.
His space next to you is filled almost immediately by a guy you’ve never seen before who introduces himself as Haru. He offers to buy you a drink to which you decline, showing him your still full beer glass. He initiates small talk that leaves your focus wandering around the room. He’s clearly trying to flirt and you’re clearly not interested.
After a gruelling half an hour, you shoot Seokmin a desperate ‘save me’ look and thank God that he’s played enough mafia games to connect the dots.
It sends shivers through you when he appears behind you, his arm gently slipping around your waist, “Who’s this?” Seokmin asks, looking down at you with loving eyes. Your heart beats rapidly as you speak, flustered by his affection.
“This is uh…Haru.”
“Ah nice to meet you Haru.” He says, offering out his hand.
The man looks visibly frustrated by Seokmin’s interruption, denying his handshake, “And who are you?” he asks.
“Their boyfriend.” Seokmin replies, moving his hand from your waist to hold your hand and squeezing it gently, hoping you’ll play along even through your shock.
You look down at your intertwined fingers and smile, even if he’s just rescuing you, even if it’s all pretend, you feel your heart grow happier and your stomach fluttering.
Haru walks away, setting his sights on a new target and finally leaving you alone.
You thank Seokmin coyly, slightly embarrassed that you needed his help just to shut down a conversation.
“Should we get some fresh air?” he asks.
“Mm,” you hum, “Let me get a refill first.”
The both of you trail back to the bar, empty glasses in hand, his hand in yours slowly becoming the most natural thing in the world.
You hardly notice that you’re still interlinked when you reach the hotel garden, staking your claim on a patch of grass that overlooks the sea. You close your eyes and envelope yourself in the ocean breeze and sounds of the rolling waves and distant seagulls, revelling in the fresh air and calmness that washes over you now that you’ve escaped the crowded hotel bar.
“Dandy?”
You open your eyes to find Seokmin sat close by your side holding out a napkin and pen. His eyes are sparkling in the moonlight, swirls of passion and kindness drawing you in. He calls you quietly, softly, as if you’d fade away if he’s too loud. He must be utterly unaware of the way he makes you feel, the way he’s made you feel since you were teenagers.
You raise a questioning eyebrow at him, unsure of what he wants from you.
“ Here.”
“Huh?”
“You never finished your drawing.” he pauses, “The dandelions. When we were, what? Seven or eight?”
“Seven.”
“You should finish it… if you want to.” He hands you the napkin and points to your left where you find two lone dandelions standing strong, persistent against the wind.
You smile. A smile so wide your jaw starts to hurt. A smile so strong that you can’t quell it - not that you want to. It’s true that this moment, sat beside your best friend, after all these years, drawing under the moonlight is the moment when you feel happiness, the most content.
This is your ‘this is it’ moment.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
You're delicately cross-hatching the stem when he breaks the silence.
“I- uh, I’m…”
You break your focus to turn to him, he’s looking down at his hands which are busy carefully dissecting a fallen leaf.
“Hm?”
“I’m sorry. I was a bad friend to you. That day. I shouldn’t have left. Especially not without saying goodbye. It was the stupidest thing that I’ve ever done. I just couldn’t bring myself to let you go. I was a selfish idiot and I’m sorry. There was so much I wanted to tell you but I was a coward and I hurt you… it hurt me too. Fuck.”
You listen intently, nodding along and slipping your hand into his as his breath grows shaky. His words are full of heart-breaking guilt and, as he speaks, you want nothing more than to take all of his pain away,
“Minnie.” you begin, “You were never a bad friend, you weren’t a coward. You were sixteen. We were kids, of course we’re going to do dumb things and be scared because that’s what kids do. But it’s okay because now, we’re here and we can make up for lost time and be us again.”
“Us?”
“Do you have a problem with that?” you ask, jokingly.
He laughs, “No I quite like it, actually.”
It’s then that it hits you. Just how much you’ve missed this, him. His laugh is bright, the kind that colors your world, makes the birds sing louder, the sun shine brighter. Hearing it again, you feel a warmth run through you, relief and happiness, you’re back.
“What’s the gossip then?” you ask, nudging him playfully.
“The gossip?”
“The things you were going to tell me all those years ago..”
“Oh. Uh. Later maybe. Get on with your drawing.”
“Oh, real.” You reply, turning back to your napkin, his eyes following you gently.
“Oh shit. My beer!” you exclaim as you watch the pint glass topple over onto the grass.You lie back, exasperated.
Seokmin laughs again, watching as your hair meets the lawn, “Clumsy as ever.”
You look at him with an aggressive look, one that says you’ll kill him if he keeps laughing at your misfortune.
“I’ll get you another.”
You smile and thank him sweetly as he stands up and walks back towards the hotel, leaving you staring up at the night sky, memorising each glowing star that hangs above you with a smile that you think might never leave.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
“C’mon Dandelion, let's get you to bed.” He says gently, offering you his hand to pull you up off of the grass.
It’s been a few hours since you wandered outside and you’ve had a bit too much to drink. You make grabby hands at Seokmin, willing him to sit back down beside you, not wanting your evening to end just yet,
“Noooo please, it’s so pretty out here! Look at the stars, they’re so pretty!”
He looks down at you, soft eyes, biting down on his lip in order to stifle any laughter that might emerge because of your drunken state
“Pretty, yes. But, you’ll catch a cold if you stay here any longer!”
He threads his arm around your waist, helping you to stand up and making sure you’ll stay that way.
“You too.” you slur, “Pretty,”
He laughs at your drunken vulnerability, fully aware of just how much tonight is going to haunt you once you sober up.
“Thanks, you too.”
You hum happily, “What did you want to say before you left?”
“Don’t worry about that, I’ll tell you when you’re a bit more…awake.”
“Hey! I’m fucking awake right now!”
He laughs quietly and you fall into a comfortable quiet as you trudge through the garden and into the hotel.
“You know I was going to tell you something too.”
“Is that so?” He asks as you lean into him, his hand combing through your hair as you adorn a smitten smile.
“Mhm! You were always so unaware though,” Your smile becomes a grumpy frown that’s more fitting for a sulky toddler.
He watches as you continue blabbering.
“You only ever saw me as your friend, do you know how frustrating that was? You were so clueless, I guess I was too but still! I just had to watch you everyday be all pretty and when I finally think I have any courage you just leave? Kind of rude, I say.”
He laughs quietly to himself, endeared.
“Ok, let's get you to sleep, now.” He says, opening the door to your hotel room.
Once inside you clumsily flop down onto your bed, kicking off your shoes and melting into the mattress. Seokmin follows behind, careful to stop you from injuring yourself or the furniture.
“Sleepy?”
You give a peaceful hum in response as he lifts the blanket up and lets it fall gently over you. He smiles again fondly, watching your eyelids flutter as you fight the urge to sleep.
“Alright, goodnight.” Seokin says gently as he turns off the lamp.
“Min.” you call suddenly, watching him move towards the bathroom.
“Dandy.”
“Don’t leave.” you plead, a quiver in your voice that you’re unaware of, “Please.”
“We’re literally sharing this room, don’t worry.”
“Stay with me… please?” you repeat.
He walks back over to your bedside, stroking your hair affectionately, “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
The next morning, you’re awoken by the sun beating down on you through the window and the alarm sounding from across the room that makes your ears ache.
“Mingyu…” you mumble to yourself in a hungover daze, “turn it off.”
When the alarm continues to sound, you force yourself to open your eyes, the sunlight making your head throb to no end. You groan and familiarise yourself with your surroundings.
Right. Not in your apartment. You’re in a hotel on a work trip.
Christ, you’re this hungover on a work trip?
A heaviness on your left hand prevents you from sitting up. Rolling over to investigate, you find a sleeping Seokmin on the floor with only a pillow and thin blanket. His hand is in yours, stretched up into the air to meet you as he grumbles in his dreams.
A smile spreads uncontrollably across your face, your heart melting at the sight and, for a moment, your hangover dissolves away, leaving only love in your eyes.
But nothing lasts forever. Soon enough your headache evolves into a strong thump like there’s a rock rattling around in your brain and you begin to piece together everything that happened the night before.
Jesus..
You flop yourself back down onto the mattress with a frustrated groan. If there’s one thing you’re good at, it’s embarrassing yourself. Why the fuck did you say all that? God, he probably thinks you’re insane or a loser or just plain dumb to ramble on the way that you did.
At this moment, there’s only one thing you’re completely sure of, you need to get out of this hotel room before Seokmin wakes up.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
As the door shuts, you lean back against the wall and sink down to the floor, your head in your hands.
For fucks sake.
At least one positive thing has come out of your stupidity, you’ve discovered your hidden talent for sneaking out of a tiny hotel room.
Walking down to the hotel lobby, you’re greeted by the same smiley clerk from the morning before.
“Rough night?” she asks as you pass by on your way to breakfast.
You smile politely and nod whilst she continues, “Where’s your boyfriend?”
“Oh he’s not- he’s still asleep.” you reply, flushed cheeks as you fail to escape the previous night.
She nods and returns her focus to her work, letting you seek the cup of coffee you so badly desire,
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
To your relief, you don’t see Seokmin until later in the day once you’ve been stuffed in a crowded room. Everyone around you is preparing to pitch a product they’re clearly tired of seeing on a daily basis. As soon as he walks through the door, his eyes search the room for you. You are trapped in a laborious conversation about investment when you feel his hand on your arm, tugging your attention away.
Looking up at him, his eyes search yours for answers about your disappearance and it's then that you realize that when you’d ran away without explanation, you’d done the one thing that, last night, you’d sworn you would never do.
“Fuck, Seokmin I-”
Your apology is cut short as he pulls you into a tight embrace, your cheeks burning as his arms wrap around you in the midst of the crowded room.
“It’s okay.” He says under his breath, lifting a hand up to gently stroke your hair before pulling away from you. You exchange solemn, knowing smiles.
“We’ll talk later?”
You nod shyly, nerves rising inside of you at the prospect.
“Right,” he continues, “should we… get to work?”
You both look around the room and observe the bustling displays of capitalism around you.
“Good idea.” you smile.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
“So, last night…” Seokmin begins, pushing food around his plate.
You smile with embarrassment as your eyes fall to your own plate. Here we go.
‘What you said about… you know-”
“I’m sorry, I was drunk and I didn’t know what I was saying, and I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Your attempt at damage control has turned you into nothing less than a rambling mess.
“No, please don’t apologise I just-”
“Here’s your bill sir.” The waiter seems to appear out of nowhere and you both immediately fall silent.
Seokmin pays the bill quickly, despite your opposition that he buys you dinner after all of the chaos you’ve caused.
You can see his mind racing a mile a minute as you walk lazily back to the hotel. The silence stays with you, a shadow clinging to you under the moonlight.
The air is thick with tension as everything unsaid hangs around you, your half finished conversation replaying over and over again in torturous thought. And yet, you still can’t manage to tear your eyes away from him, his presence alone sending you into a pining spiral.
The elevator hums as you stand shoulder to shoulder and finally, after half an hour, he breaks the silence.
“Do you believe in that thing?” he mumbles.
“Hm?”
“Y’know, drunk words are sober thoughts?”
A small laugh leaves your mouth and you thank god that the elevator reaches your floor, giving you a bit more time to contemplate how to answer him.
Once you enter the hotel room, Seokmin turns to you, taking your bag and placing it on the chair in the corner.
“Well?” he asks, “Are drunk words sober thoughts?”
Your face grows hot as he smiles sweetly and steps closer.
“I- I guess, yeah.” You whisper, your heart feels like it's about to burst out of your chest.
“Good. So do I.”
Oh.
Oh.
He nears even closer until you’re sandwiched between him and the wall.
“Min…” you mumble, breathless.
“Tell me to stop and I will.”
But you don’t move a muscle. Of course you don’t. It’s him for god’s sake. Your Seokmin, finally yours again.
His breathing is heavy as he inches closer, his hands now resting on your waist until you’re forced to move your neck to look at him, smiling. His lips brush hesitantly against yours, you are both so aware of how much weight the next action will have on your relationship, with every touch there’s a shaking sense of nerves and longing.
His kiss is gentle and sweet, cautious. His hand cups your face sweetly, as if he’s scared that he'll break you. Electricity surges through the air, sparking between you as you lean into him
Being wrapped up in his arms as you are right now, his lips on yours, the world melts away. All the anxiety and fear you’ve ever felt is gone, your past is forgotten - its just you and him. Everything has changed and yet, with him it’s the same, you’re a teenager again and nothing could take you away from one another.
You come to a slow, breathless and dazed. He traps you in a warm embrace, his heart beat pushing against your shirt.
“You haven’t left my mind since that first day. I’ve loved you everyday, even when we were apart. I’m sorry for making you wait, I just- I just need you now,” he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck, mumbling soft kisses as he talks, “If you’ll have me.”
“Min.” You say softly, lifting his head up so you can see him in all of his ethereal beauty, “It’s you and me always, don’t forget that.”
A smile of relief appears on his face as he looks down at you through sparkling eyes. He spins you around excitedly, smiling wide and laughing loud, like a puppy chasing its tail.
“Finally, my Dandy!!”
You giggle as you spin, completely enamoured by the man before you.
His face is bright and happy. He is Seokmin again, your Seokmin.
taglist: @m3gum1s @peachytokki @tahanan-at-puso @yaebbinnie @coffeewwithdrawlheadaches @ateez-atiny380 @lovrehani @cherrylita @reiofsuns2001 @alonelystarfish
dandelions - [teaser ૮ ․ ․ ྀིა]
pairing: lee seokmin x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, estranged friends, childhood best friends to lovers, fluff, pining, protective seokmin, flashbacks
summary: when you start your new job, an unexpected face reenters your life sending you down memory lane. read the full fic here!
warnings: swearing, alcohol, etc.,
teaser wc: 1.2k
fic wc: 6k+
〰 taglist is open, comment or send an ask to be added 〰
a/n: i gave up on this like three times but kept going because dokyeom. gonna try to. drop the full fic sometime next week.ᐟ.ᐟ I hope you like the teaser ᥫ᭡。
lmk what you think!! ฅᨐฅ
The early autumn sun creeps in through your bedroom window casting a golden veil over you as you stay curled up under the sheets. It’s one of those mornings where the weight of sleep is too heavy to lift - not that you want to. You’re blissfully unaware of your alarm ringing repeatedly and your cat prancing all over the bed.
Thump
“Ow?” you groan, still half asleep.
Opening your eyes, your vision is blocked by a pillow, freshly resting above your head.
“What the fuck?” you continue, looking around to find your roommate, Mingyu, in the doorway.
“Get up, you’re gonna be late.” he nags.
Right, today is your first day at your dream job, the thing you’ve been working towards since you were fifteen.
“Ugh, why do you always have to be right?” you ask Mingyu as you quite literally roll out of bed.
“Can’t help it, sorry” he teases, “There’s coffee in the pot!” he says as he walks away, leaving you to get ready for the day.
Whilst your commute on the Subway is stuffy and dreary, the building of your new workplace is, to put it simply, breathtaking. It is light and open with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the entire city. The interior is no different, large open spaces with unique and colorful accents to break up the fresh white.
Across from the entrance, a man not too much older than you sits behind the receptionist desk. He has long, bleached hair, dark eyes and soft, angelic features - he’s pretty that’s for sure.
“Hi, um, I need to pick up my ID card?” you say, in a half question, half statement.
He puts down the pen that he had previously been spinning idly between his fingers.
“First day?”
You nod.
“I’m Jeonghan, welcome to hell.” he says with a childish giggle and innocent smile as if he didn’t just refer to your new job as the ninth circle.
“Y/N.” you reply. He spins around on his desk chair, hands wandering as searches for your ID.
“Aha!” he exclaims, waving the card in the air triumphantly.
With that, he stands up and makes his way over to you, “Without further ado, I shall show you the way.” he says theatrically, gesturing in the direction of the elevator,
Stepping out onto the fourth floor you are welcomed into a hopeful environment, an open office space, bright and refreshing but personal at the same time. There is a ping-pong table in one corner, a whiteboard of gag drawings and reminders, a darts board on the wall and the employees around you are chatting quietly amongst themselves, relaxed and smiling.
“Yoon Jeonghan!” someone yells from across the room, “Please tell me you weren’t playing receptionist again.”
Jeonghan maintains a playful smile but his eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights, give him away. The other man’s gaze is fixed only on Jeonghan as he walks over, “Your meeting starts in…” he checks his watch, “Now, go go go!”
“Thank you! My savior!” Jeonghan calls back to him as he scurries out of the office leaving you, standing next to a stranger, speechless.
“So he’s not the-”
“He works in PR, sometimes he just does shit like that, I don't know why.” the man clarifies.
“Ahh, okay” you respond, still puzzled.
“I’m Joshua.” he says after a beat, “You’re new…?”
“Yeah, I’m Y/N, nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, you’re joining the… graphics team?” He guesses.
“Bingo.”
“I say team, you’re more of a duo, we’re kind of understaffed right now but don’t worry, the other guy’s super talented. Just, y’know, try to get along. He’s kind of… the reason you’re only a duo.”
You laugh, “No worries, I like a challenge plus, I’m a people person.”
“For now, anyways,” Joshua mumbles light heartedly, “I’ll show you to your desk.
You follow Joshua towards the back of the office and into a cosy little corner. Your desk is right next to a large window providing you with great lighting and an even better view. This is it, exactly how you imagined during all those sleepless nights working hard. You think you’ll be happy here.
“Do you have your drawing pad and keyboard?” you nod eagerly, “Great, there’s a bunch of spare charges and cables by the front if you need any. Um, what’s next… Oh! Your ‘team’!”.
He turns to the desk next to you. In the chair sits a man with dark, soft hair which falls gently over his face as his eyes focus intently on the computer monitor in front of him. Joshua taps his shoulder, prompting him to remove his headphones and shift his attention onto you.
“This is Seokmin.” Joshua states.
Your breath hitches in your throat as his dark eyes settle on you in a fleeting moment that you never thought would happen again, especially not here.
Lee Seokmin.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
You’ve loved drawing and art since you were little. You would draw anywhere you could; at school, at the dinner table, in the car, at the playground, wherever.
You have a vivid memory of lying, stomach down, in the playground at seven years old. You were focused entirely on perfecting your drawing of the dandelion in front of you, crayons were splayed across your ‘work area’, your tongue poking slyly out of your mouth in concentration.
This moment, of course, was ruined by the thing you hated most at that age (more than eggplant), boys. A rugby ball charged unmercifully towards you, crushing flowers as it went before landing, bullseye, on your drawing. It brings an army of mud with it, splattering far and wide and knocking the majority of your crayon into the long grass,
When the owners of the ball approached you they didn’t say a word about the destruction they’ve caused instead, taking the ball and returning to the game, leaving you to stare with blurry eyes at your wasted hard work.
One boy, though, doesn’t follow the rest of the group. Instead, he towers above you, observing for a minute, before getting onto his hands and knees to rescue your crayons from the lawn.
“They’re playing without you.” You mumble, suddenly overcome with shyness.
He continues, retrieving your crayons, now with an infectious grin on his face, “That’s okay, I don’t really like that game anyways.”
After a moment of quiet, his hand extends out in front of you, “I’m Seokmin. What’s your name?” He asks, still wearing a goofy grin.
Taken off guard, your hand meets his and you shake it, just like you had watched your Dad do with ‘important businessmen’. You give him your name and his smile shines on you like the sun, and for the first time in your seven-year-old life, you are blushing.
“Hmm…” he ponders for a second, “I like it.”
Even now, you remember how strange you had found that comment, how you thought about it for days after - I mean, who was he to decide if your name was good or not? He was the same age as you, what did he know that you didn’t?
That day, Seokmin came into your life just as quickly as he left, the teacher announcing the end of recess and suddenly you’re watching as he hops and skips to his classroom before you get the chance to thank him for helping you. You didn’t know it then but, you would come to think of that day as one of the best days of your life. The day you found your own ray of sunshine. The day you find your vitamin. Your best friend. Your soulmate. Your Seokmin.
sorry for being ia - new fic coming soon !! ʕ ◦`꒳´◦ʔ
‘ i love you, i’m sorry ’ | boo sk
synopsis: the age old curse, falling in love with your best friend (and trying to convince yourself you aren’t) pairing: seungkwan x gn!reader genre/s: non-idol au, pure angst, one-shot (?) smau
listen to: i love you, i’m sorry - gracie abrams
from reese, with love
been a while since i wrote, might be rusty buuuuuut this song had a hold on me that i couldn’t resist aaaaa who knows maybe pt 2,, let me know if you want one! hahaha hope you’re all well :)
idk if ur requests are open but i can't stop thinking about dog dad s.coups 🧍♂️🧍♂️
snap shoot - c.sc
pairing: seungcheol x gn!reader
genre: dogdad!seungcheol, established relationship, pure fluff, one shot
summary: coming home after a long day of work to find your boyfriend in his peak dog dad form.
warnings: none (i think)
wc: 450
a/n: omg anon!! i love dog dad s.coups more than anything, thank you for the request! ᡣ𐭩
“Thanks for the ride!” you say to your colleague as he pulls up in front of your apartment building. You make sure to wait for the car to drive away before you let out a deep sigh, releasing all of the stress that had built up throughout the workday. It was almost 9:30pm by the time that you stepped out of the office. That was the worst part about being a translator, you had decided early on, time zones keeping you chained to your desk.
It’s okay, you remind yourself, the work week is over and you’re finally able to shut off your brain.
“Cheol?” you call out once you open your door, dropping your keys on the kitchen island. There’s no response, you try again, “Seungcheollll?” you sing, wandering into the living room in search of your boyfriend. Nope, not in there.
You’re exhausted, having given up hope of a hug from Seungcheol, you head into the bedroom, ready to crash.
And… there he is… scrunched up on the floor…?
“Cheol? What on earth…” you say, truly puzzled by the man.
“I can’t get the right angle.” He replies through gritted teeth, moving slightly to reveal Kkuma, perfectly dolled up, sitting with her tongue flopped out of her mouth.
You laugh, the absurdity of the situation fascinating you.
“Babe it’s not funny, look how cute she is!”
“You’re right,” you respond, clearing your throat, “this is serious.”
You crouch down behind Seungcheol, peering over his shoulder to get a good look at the camera’s viewfinder.
“Okay, left a bit,” you begin directing, “move down… okay right a smidge.”
Perfect.
“Don't. Move. A. Muscle.”
“Kkuma! Look over here! That’s it, look at your Dad! Oh, so cute, good girl!” You begin cooing at Kkuma, directing her attention to the camera, as the shutter clicks repeatedly.
He looks at the camera, admiring his work.
“How is it?” you ask, your arms resting around him as you watch the dog from over his shoulder.
‘Look!” He squeals, turning around to show you.
The fast movement almost knocks you over but he’s quick to catch you, his face reddening with embarrassment.
You laugh at his clumsiness as his arm wraps tightly around you, “I’m sorry” he whines dramatically.
“I’ll guess… I’ll let it slide just this once.” you tease.
He leans in closer, placing a tender kiss on your lips, and you melt like you always do.
Breaking apart, you smile sweetly, “So… are you gonna show me the photos?”
something new - j.ww
pairing: jeon wonwoo x gn!reader
genre: university!au, e2l, academic rivals to lovers, featuring svt as your friend group, angst, fluff, suggestive - MDNI!!
summary: you and wonwoo have been rivals since the first day you met, everything he did irritated you to no end, and yet, you couldn't escape him and, at a certain point, maybe you didn't want to.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, no one knows how to communicate lol, kissing, suggestive
wc: 5.7k
a/n: wonwoo academic rival bc i love him being all nerdy n shit. i really enjoyed writing this so let me know what you think + if you have any requests for some new fics!! ฅ ฅ
You stare down at your paper, illegible and scattered with doodles and a sharp exhale falls from your lips. Tapping your pen against the table, you wonder how the hell you’re going to pass this surprise exam - a surprise for you at least, apparently telling you must have slipped everyone else’s mind. Someone taps your shoulder lightly, bringing you out of your spiral. You turn to meet the eyes of the stranger sat beside you, his jet black hair is pushed roughly out of his face, allowing you to see his soft dark eyes peer down at you.
You raise a questioning eyebrow at him, clueless as to why he would be trying to get your attention in the middle of an exam. He mouths the word ‘pen’ in response, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his eyes looking at you with pure desperation. Looking at his desk, you notice the pen next to his hand is broken. You turn away briefly and watch as he lets out a breath of relief and adorns a grateful smile once you appear with a spare pen for him to use.
It seems like the bell rings almost immediately once you return your focus to your exam paper - shit. Now you’re definitely not passing. The bell sounds vaguely familiar as it continues to ricochet through you, you rack your brain trying to remember where you’ve heard the sound before… oh, it’s your alarm clock. Oh! It’s your alarm clock!
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
Your eyes snap open as you sit up in bed to turn off the irritating tune that your clock had been emitting for god knows how long. It was the first day of the semester, of course you had woken up twenty minutes behind schedule after a cliche ‘first-day-of-school’ dream, what else could you expect?
Arriving at your first class of the day, you find your friend Seungkwan sat strategically in the corner of the semester hall - just far away enough to avoid the risk of being called upon by the professor. You take a seat next to Seungkwan and listen as he begins to rant about his commute. You and Seungkwan have been friends since Freshman year after getting paired up for a group project. Originally, you were fearful that you wouldn’t get along, on the surface you were like chalk and cheese, but you find now that Seungkwan balances you out just right. His bold extrovertism has pushed you to be a little less timid, to actually live and, you like to think that you’ve mellowed him about a bit too. You wouldn’t mind listening to Seungkwan talk and joke around all day, that’s when he’s happiest so, naturally, you are too.
Your conversation with Seungkwan comes to stop as both of your attention gets drawn to a loud racket growing a few rows behind you. You follow the noise to find loveable class clowns Soonyoung, Mingyu, and Seokmin.
“Ah, it's just Soonyoung, so anyways…” Seungkwan turns back to his laptop and continues expressing his somewhat irrational love of drive-thrus . You, however, are still watching your classmates, unable to tear your eyes away from one of them, his dark slightly nerdy features captivating you.
“Kwan,” you murmur, “Who’s the guy next to Seokmin?”
Seungkwan hums, satisfied, “I was waiting for you to say something, always so nosy.”
You huff gently, knowing well enough that there’s no point in arguing with him, “So?””
“Jeon Wonwoo. Just transferred for his last year I guess.”
“Huh weird, I could've sworn I’ve seen him before.”
Your friend scoffs jokingly, “In your dreams bro.”
You sigh again, resting your head on the desk sulkily. ‘In your dreams’, Seungkwan’s words echo. Wait… Is he… your head whips around to glance at the mysterious man again. No fucking way… Jeon Wonwoo is literally the guy from your dreams.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
If you had known back then how much you would grow to dislike Wonwoo, you never would have commented on his good looks that first day but, you guess you can’t really blame yourself for not knowing how much of a dick he was. Since you had met, you had tried, maybe too hard, to figure out what you had done to make him treat you the way that he did. Over the weeks you have watched him form bonds with everyone in your class - especially your friends, and you saw how his smile fell and laughter stopped as soon as you made your presence known. It was if you had physically attacked him, the way that his eyes immediately dropped to the floor once you came into view. The thing that annoyed you the most about Jeon Wonwoo though, more than the unexplained icing out, was his brain.
You don’t like to brag but you pride yourself on your intelligence, especially in academia. You had worked hard to reach the place you were in now, throwing away your teenage years in favor of ensuring a happy and successful future for yourself. Because of this, you work hard to make sure you’re at the top of the list whenever your exam results are released - improving upon yourself and being the best of the best, that’s what you strive for. So of course, it came as an infuriating shock when Wonwoo knocked you out of the top spot, that smug look on his face and the glimmer in his eyes as he walked past you that day was something you couldn’t get out of your head. No matter how hard you tried, day and night, the only thing on your mind was Wonwoo and how to beat him.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
“Ok, what can you tell me about Wonwoo?” you are sitting in your campus cafe, your best friend Seungkwan sits across from you as you mindlessly stir your coffee.
“Why do you always assume I have information on everyone?”
“Because you always do, my favorite gossip.” you reply, buttering him up in hope he’ll give you something, anything.
“What’s your business with him anyways? Oh…” he gasps “you have a little campus crush don’t you? That’s why you’re so off around him.”
“Don’t go spreading false information, Boo Seungkwan, he’s the one who gets cold and quiet when I’m around. Besides, no sleeping with the enemy.”
“He’s the enemy now? Hot.”
You scoff gently at his comment, rolling your eyes “Just tell me what you know”, you say laughing.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
As time goes on, nothing much changes between you and Wonwoo. He becomes a fixture within your friendship group with the boys taking him under their wing and as he begins to pop up in more areas of your life, you learn more about him. You learn about his love for video games and cats, you learn he’s a great listener but can speak for the country when he’s passionate about something. You learn he’s funny and even smarter than you thought. It’s annoying that you could imagine actually being friends with him if he was just nice, you admit you might be able to understand the crowd of girls that follow him around aimlessly if he wasn’t such an asshole. Because, despite him joining your friendship group and you - unwillingly - spending more time around him, he still acted so coldly towards you, no matter how nice you were to him, he never faltered.
“Split into groups of six, no more, no less and create a presentation applying your chosen theorem to the 21st century.” your professor orders. Immediately the students around you begin to migrate around the room, collecting friends for the group project. You turn to your left to find that Seungkwan is already clambering over the seats behind you to reach Seokmin, Mingyu, Soonyoung and Wonwoo - all four of them cheering on his show of athleticism.
“Quickly guys! Come on!” the professor calls out from the front of the class. You look around to realise that you’ve waited a bit too long to choose a group for yourself. That’s when you hear your name being called and turn to find Mingyu reaching his hand out to you with that cheesy grin you just couldn’t say no to.
“We need the class nerd on our team, c’mon!” Soonyoung calls out to you from above.
“We already have Wonwoo though?” Seungkwan remarks with a mischievous smirk. You quickly shoot him a stern, irritated look as his smile is broken by Seokmin elbowing him in the ribs for a reason you can’t quite figure out.
A few days later, you and your friends (and Wonwoo) decide to meet at the library to brainstorm for your project. You arrive first with Seokmin and Mingyu and find a table just big enough for the six of you. Soonyoung trails along not long after and the four of you play some quiet games whilst waiting for Seungkwan and Wonwoo to arrive. You note that one of the two empty seats is positioned directly across for you whilst the other is out of view. The solution is clear, Seungkwan will sit across from you, at least then you’ll be able to focus on the assignment.
Once the pair arrive, you attempt to signal to Kwan, strong eye contact asking him to take the chair opposite you.
“Won, which seat do you want?” He asks the other boy, and you can’t hold back the sigh that escapes as your plan crumbles before you
“I’ll take this one, the lighting’s better.” Wonwoo replies, making brief eye contact with you before pulling out the chair with a shy smirk on his face.
…what was that about? And when did he get so cocky?
Soonyoung clears his throat, breaking the awkward silence that suddenly fell over the group and you thank God that he’s here to take the attention off of your exchange with Wonwoo and prompt you to actually start working on the project.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
Soon enough, you find yourself in a quiet bar across town on a Thursday night. Following your friends’ advice you decide to accept your coworker’s invitation to grab drinks. You tell yourself why not? He’s nice enough, attractive and funny, sometimes anyways. Plus you haven’t got much else going on in the love department - no harm, no foul.
After half an hour or so of pleasant small talk, you leave the booth and head towards the bar to order another drink. As you trudge across the sticky floor you are stopped in your tracks as a man steps in front of you, blocking you from reaching your destination.
“Excuse me,” you begin, attempting to manoeuvre around him.
“You shouldn’t be with him.” the man says.
“Excuse me?” you repeat, this time in disbelief.
“You heard me.” he says, quieter this time. You lift your head to get a proper look at the stranger’s face.
“Of course you’re here.” you scoff. You push past him, shaking your head as you reach the bar. He follows, not giving up.
“You don’t suit each other.”
You laugh, God, he’s so infuriating, who does he think he is?
“Oh please, Wonwoo, like you know the slightest thing about me.”
“Actually I-”
Just then your ‘date’ appears, “Is everything ok?” He asks with a slightly concerned look.
“Yeah! Just a… classmate.” A false happiness lines your voice.
“Come on, let's head back to the table.” you say, turning your back on Wonwoo who watches on with a solemn expression.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
Not long after that, you find yourself at the library with your friends almost every day, grinding to get your project completed. You and Wonwoo haven’t spoken about the night at the bar, not that he speaks to you usually anyways. Instead though, you begin to catch him looking at you more and more often, his gaze burning into you, making you heat up and, most importantly distracting you from your work.
“What’s going on with you and Wonwoo then?” Seungkwan asks one day whilst you do a snack run for the rest of the group.
“What?” you reply, stopping where you are, astonished.
“Just saying, he can’t keep his eyes off of you.”
“He’s trying to sabotage me or something.”
“...Why would he do that? Y’know we’re graded as a group right?” He says, baffled.
“Whatever.” you reply, turning into the next aisle, fed up of even thinking about Wonwoo, never mind talking about the man.
Returning to your friends, they circle you like vultures, picking out they’re snacks. It’s a chaotic free for all and you’re left with a candy bar and some chips. Wonwoo stands patiently whilst the others rob you blind so, once the others return to their seats you approach him quietly, avoiding eye contact and place the chips in front of him. He mutters a small “thank you” and smiles gratefully, watching again as you return to your work. Now he’s just being weird, you think to yourself. You can’t help but be curious about what he’s plotting.
At the end of the study session, the boys decide to head to the bar to reward themselves.
“Y/N, you coming?” Mingyu asks.
“I’m good, thanks though!” you reply with a soft smile, finding a quiet night watching Netflix to be a bit more appealing today.
Your friends leave before you, saying goodbye whilst you pack up your stuff. As you shove your laptop into your bag, you can feel someone’s eyes on you and your face begins to heat up at your suspicion.
“Wonwoo! Hurry up!” you hear Soonyoung whine.
“Right, sorry.”
You look up just quick enough to catch him turning away from you and running to meet with the rest of the group.
Huh, weird.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
That weekend, your phone buzzes with a string of texts from Mingyu.
Mingyu: Wanna come over and play video games?
Mingyu: (Say yes)
Mingyu: Pleaseee, I’m so bored :)
You’ve worked fucking hard recently and couldn’t think of a better way to end the week than by playing nostalgic video games with one of your closest friends
Y/N: Don't even WORRY, I’m omw
You respond quickly, pulling a bleach-stained hoodie on and heading for the door.
You’re sat on the floor next to Mingyu in front of his TV. The room is dead silent, spare some trash talk from the both of you as you channel all of your focus on Mario Kart. As a result, neither of you notice Wonwoo coming in to watch your fierce competition.
You swear you see your life flash before your eyes when he, watching the screen intently, mumbles “Be careful. Blue shell coming your way.”
His sudden words do nothing but scare the living shit out of you and make you crash into a wall.
“Oh my god,” you exclaim, heart beating rapidly after his jumpscare, “What the fuck are you doing here?”
He looks at you blankly, taken aback by your overreaction, “Oh…uh… I live here.”
You turn to Mingyu who confirms with his lips pressed together in an awkward smile.
“Oh. Sorry. You just scared me a bit, my bad.”
He chuckles quietly in response before walking over to the kitchen and leaving the two of you to finish your race (which you still win, despite Wonwoo’s meddling.) A handful of races later, Mingyu’s phone buzzes, ushering him to go and collect the takeout you had ordered. Standing up, he grabs his jacket and keys but doesn’t dare leave before messing with you more than he already has.
“Wonwoo?” He calls with a mischievous grin, “Come play instead of me whilst I go get the food!”
Wonwoo hums a response as he moves to sit down next to you whilst you shoot death glares at your friend, who simply mouths ‘be nice’ before slamming the door behind him.
He picks up Mingyu’s controller and hovers over ‘Wario’s Gold Mine’.
“What are you doing?”
He looks at you, confused “Uh… choosing the best map?”
You laugh, “No no, my poor Wonwoo. This is the best map.” You take the remote from him and select ‘Koopa Cape’.
“Ooh, you’re so wrong.” he replies playfully.
“I’m never wrong.”
“That’s true.”
You catch yourself smiling as the race starts. Maybe you are wrong, maybe he’s not so bad.
“Oh my god, hit me with a shell again, I swear to god Jeon Wonwoo.” you exclaim as he surpasses you for the fourth time. He laughs, nudging you gently.
“I didn’t know you were such a sore loser.”
You look at him, forgetting about the game, “You don't know anything about me.” you say, under your breath. He turns to you, concerned.
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
Turning back to the screen, you find that Wonwoo has stolen first place from you - again.
“Fuck.” you mutter, refocusing on the race, watching as a proud smile creeps onto Wonwoo’s face.
“Wow, Y/N actually lost for once!” Mingyu declares as he returns with the food, “I guess we finally found your match.”
“Shut up.” you bark back, rolling your eyes and leaning back against the couch. Wonwoo mutters a ‘good game’ before standing up with a smirk and leaving the room. You scoff at his slight obnoxiousness whilst Mingyu sits down beside you and begins unpacking the food.
“Are you gonna stop sulking and go get some plates?”
“Ugh fineee” you reply jokingly before getting up.
You’re completely lost in the kitchen, opening every cupboard in sight hoping to find some plates and cutlery.
“You good?” a voice calls from behind you. You look up to find Wonwoo leaning against the doorframe, slightly baffled by your snooping.
“Uh…plates?”
“Ah,” he says walking towards you, you step back until you’re caught by the kitchen counter. “Just up here.” he continues, reaching behind you to grab the plates.
He’s so close that, for the first time, you can smell his woody cologne strongly. Your heart speeds up as he places the plates down on the counter behind you, his hands resting on either side, trapping you.
You look up at him, breathless, as he scans your face. You’re silent, drinking him in, your hands fiddling with the hem of your hoodie. He lifts his hand, brushing your hair behind your ear.
“Can I kiss you?” he whispers against your lips.
You can only bring yourself to nod in complete disbelief at the sudden shift between the two of you, the magnetism drawing you together. He moves in closer to you, so close you can feel his eyelashes as they flutter against your skin and his breathing grows slightly heavier.
“Y/N, did you find them?” Mingyu calls from the other room. You’ve never moved away from a person so fast, separating yourself from Wonwoo immediately. You clear your throat, maintaining eye contact with Wonwoo, still flustered.
“Yep sorry! Just grabbing a drink.” Thinking fast, Wonwoo hands you a can of coke.
“Can you grab me one too?” Mingyu shouts.
You both laugh quietly as he hands you another. You nod and smile, leaving him in the kitchen and heading back to your food.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
It’s a week before you see him again, your group's last meeting before the final presentation, a chance for you to go over the final details. The meeting is generally uneventful, everyone finally focused on the task at hand.
“I think if we switch the parts about culture and equity then it would flow better.” Wonwoo suggests.
“Hmm, I agree” you reply nonchalantly because, on this rare occasion, you actually do.
“What the fuck was that?” Seungkwan whispers to you.
“What?”
“You never agree with him.”
“He made a good point.” you shrug, brushing off your friend’s interrogation. Looking up you catch Wonwoo smiling at you, giggling under his breath like a teenager. You have to stifle the smile that begins creeping onto your face as you watch him.
“And that is why we believe that absurdism is an essential mindset to have in order to thrive in the modern day.” Seokmin argues, concluding your group project, finally. The six of you share reassuring nods and smiles, you’ve done your best and you’re happy with it, the rest is out of your hands.
As you exit the assessment room, Soonyoung pipes up, “Drinks, drinks, drinks, drinks, drinks?” He chants pointing at each of you as he does, the group mumbles a variety of agreements.
“Y/N?” Mingyu asks.
“Come on, it’ll be fun, try something new.” Seungkwan whispers.
You look at your friends smiling eagerly as they wait for your response, with an exhale and a nod, you give in, “drinks.”
At the bar, you crowd a small table, each with a drink in hand, talking and laughing about whatever comes to mind. You play games, sharing embarrassing childhood stories and weird facts you never would’ve learnt anywhere else. You are having fun, smiling, peaceful but, something’s off. You can feel it. He’s been quiet all night, barely even looked at you. It was annoying. It was annoying that it annoyed you, a few weeks ago this would have been normal behavior but now, it was different, it upset you, made you feel like you’d done something wrong, made you feel… unwanted.
Being truthful, you weren’t really feeling it tonight. If you had it your way you’d be on your couch right now watching a film. You weren’t gonna go, not until you saw his cheesy grin amongst your friends’, so sweet you could melt. He was the reason you went out tonight. Him, and Seungkwan’s words, you should try something new. You had never felt so overwhelmed by your own feelings, one minute you felt nothing short of hatred for Wonwoo and the next… your heart is fluttering every time your eyes meet.
During your daze, Wonwoo gets up to buy another round for the group, the sound of his chair moving snaps your focus back to the table but he’s already disappeared. You excuse yourself to the restroom, taking the chance to talk to Wonwoo whilst everyone else is distracted. Standing beside him, his eyes are fixed on his phone, reading some kind of article.
“Are you okay?” you ask him, nervous for his answer - you’re not sure what you’ll do either way. He looks up at you, soft dark eyes taking you in. He stands with an unreadable expression for what feels like forever before he finally opens his mouth to reply and then-
“Wonwoo! Come here quickly, settle this bet for us!” Sometimes, you really hate Soonyoung.
He shoots you an apologetic look and then, he’s gone, just like that. All the courage you had built up, wasted on an unanswered question. Fuck this. You grab your jacket, shooting Seungkwan a ‘don’t worry I’ll text you later’ look and head for the door. You’re exhausted, tired of it all, you just want to be in your own bed.
As you walk down the quiet streets, you hear another pair of footsteps catching up to you.
“Are you okay?”
You look at him. You’re irritable and know that you’re probably not going to say the right thing but what the hell.
“So you’re allowed to ask but I’m not?”
“No, that’s not- I… I’m sorry, I never know how to act around you, I never know what to say, I’m always doing the wrong thing but I-”
“Wonwoo.” you interject, “I can’t do this right now. Just… just go back to the bar.”
He doesn't respond, a silent understanding. He doesn’t leave either. He walks alongside you the whole way home, giving you quiet to think, offering you a comforting smile whenever your eyes meet. It breaks your heart just as much as it warms it, that he, despite your outburst, stays by your side when you need someone.
Even if you try to push him away, somehow he knows, he knows that you want him there.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
With the group project over, you don’t see him as often as before, hardly ever when you’re alone. You decide to put him out of your mind for a while, to focus on work and the rest of your assignments. Wonwoo, though, seems to have a habit of sabotaging your plans.
It started off with simpler things, turning up at your work just to place a complicated order, smirking as he watches you struggle with it. Then on exam week, a bag of your favorite snacks appears at your door. On a random Wednesday, he orders a pizza to your apartment. On your birthday, a small cake. And, there’s not a week that goes by where he fails to visit the cafe, you’ve grown to look forward to his bizarre orders and playful teasing.
Once the professor announces the end of the lecture, you grab your laptop and walk towards the door where you’re met with a familiar face.
“Ah, the coffee fairy, what can I do for you today?” you greet him, playfully.
“Can we talk? I’ll walk you home.” he asks, his voice laced with anxiety.
“Okay…” you nod, curious as to why he’s acting this way.
Walking through campus, he clears his throat, “So…” he trails off.
“So?”
“So I don’t really know how to say this. I mean, maybe you already know but I mean… I’m sorry, I’m sorry if I upset you, or hurt you, or made you angry. If you hate me, that’s okay I just-”
“I don’t hate you Wonwoo. Not anymore, anyways.”
He chuckles softly, “Well, I just want you to know that I don’t plan on giving up I… I think this is it for me,”
“It?”
“You. I think you’re it for me. I think it was over for me the moment I saw you.” He takes a deep breath before continuing, “And I’m sorry about everything. Around you, I just, I forget how to act, I can’t think. It’s all just… you.”
As he speaks, your face begins to heat up under his gaze, a smile appearing on your face as you take his hand in yours hesitantly, squeezing it gently. Suddenly, he stops speaking, pausing to think.
“Wait… what do you mean you don’t hate me anymore?” You can only laugh at his question as he pulls you closer to him.
The walk back to your apartment is nice, peaceful even, like this is where you’re meant to be. You turn towards him to say goodbye and thank him for walking so far out of his way. He can’t hide his shyness as he says goodbye, stammering slightly with rosy cheeks. You look at him, hoping for more, but his eyes are fixed to the floor as he blushes. You laugh quietly, finding him incredibly endearing before turning away to enter your apartment.
Suddenly, you feel his hand reach for your arm, “wait.” he says, spinning you back to him.
The action happens so quickly, you’re basically pressed up against him, one of your hands finding his bicep to balance yourself. You look up at him, it’s clear that he’s still nervous but he’s doing his best to play it cool, his hand rests on your lower back as he pulls you even closer. The way he’s looking at you, like you’re the only thing he’s ever known, sends the color to your cheeks and you can feel your heart beating faster by the second.
His other hand finds your jaw as he leans his face closer to yours, his breath tickling your lips. His soft, puppy dog eyes search yours for consent, and just like in Mingyu’s kitchen, you can muster up nothing but a nod, your breathing getting shallower with anticipation, hunger.
His lips delicately brush yours, cautious and timid. You kiss him back warmly, he tastes like peppermint and cola, both new and familiar at the same time. He leans into you more, growing more confident as you part your lips, letting him explore you further. You fall into a perfect rhythm with butterflies fluttering throughout you and your grip on the other becoming firmer.
Remembering that you need to breathe, you break away from each other slowly. He rests his forehead against yours, sharing your breathless giggles and smiles of relief.
“Jeon Wonwoo.” you whisper, still in a daze.
“Hmm?” he hums happily.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t hate you anymore.”
“Only pretty sure?” he jokes, feigning upset.
“100% sure.” you correct yourself with a happy grin.
“Good.” he says, pecking you softly and then pressing another kiss against your cheek. “I almost went insane waiting for you to realize.”
“Realize what?”
He pulls you into a warm, strong hug, resting his head on your shoulder before whispering “That it was always you and me.”
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
“What’s going on with Wonwoo?” Seungkwan asks on your way to class two days later.
“What do you mean?”
“Something’s different… he’s brighter.”
“Why would I know anything about it, none of my business” you state, biting your lip to hide your knowing smile.
“Oh come on, don’t act like you haven’t noticed!”
“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Bro, he didn’t stop smiling the entire time he was there, it was weird. He even spoke differently, lighter.”
You hum a manufactured surprised response as your friend continues.
“Maybe he met someone, he always talks about that person he’s liked since he moved here, maybe he finally made a move - i hope so I don’t know how much more of his schoolboy pining I can take.”
Your gaze is glued to the floor as you listen, knowing that you were the reason for all his changes and that he was the reason for all of yours. That he made the world seem new, brighter, happier.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
“Are you okay? We haven’t talked in a few days.” Wonwoo says over the phone.
“I’m sorry, it’s just my thesis, I feel like I’m never gonna leave this apartment again.”
“That’s okay! I get it,” he reassures you, “talk to me about it.”
He listens intently as you babble about your thesis, humming along, asking questions and offering advice. Whilst you explain the block that you’re facing currently, there’s a knock at the door. Getting up from your laptop to answer it, you continue, “And now, I’m not sure where to go next.”
“With me.”
“Huh?”
Opening the door, he’s stood in front of you. His dark hair falling perfectly, as he runs his fingers through it, still holding his phone to his ear with a sweet smile and pride in his eyes.
Hanging up the phone, he clarifies, “take a break, let’s go for dinner.”
And how could you deny such a pretty face?
Walking the streets, he speaks passionately as he shows you his favorite spots around the city and you find yourself just happy to be here with him, to witness his excitement with a cheesy grin that you reserve for only a few people in your life.
“You’re quite the sweet talker, Jeon Wonwoo.” you say, giggling.
“Of course,” he responds proudly, “How else would I get to have you by my side?” With that he pulls you into a hug, his strong arms wrapping around you, swaying playfully from side-to-side and holding you as if you’re all he needs with him right now.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
The elevator dings as the two of you stumble inside, your arms resting on his shoulders. Looking at him with adoration as he turns you gently, reaching his hand out to clumsily press the elevator buttons behind you. You giggle between kisses as you find your balance, clinging onto each other. You hardly notice when the elevator rings again outside your apartment, too busy with your hands tangled in his hair and his palms running across your sides in painstaking seduction.
Then he’s guiding you out of the elevator, hands still firm on your hips and not daring to break away from you for even a second. He slips his hand into yours, taking your keys and mindlessly fumbles to unlock the door.
It takes mere seconds once the door opens for him to slam it shut and have you trapped against the wall, he moves against you sloppily, licking into you with pure hunger and adoration, a tsunami of lust as his groans echo throughout your body.
“Fuck. If you’d just spoken to me on that first day, I would’ve made you mine then and there.” he whispers against your skin, trailing electric kisses down your jaw towards your collarbone.
You laugh in shock, lifting his lips back up towards yours, his cold hands sneaking underneath your shirt as you kiss him back feverishly. “Me? No, you were the one who ignored me.”
“Hmm” he responds breathlessly, turning you around and leading you to your bedroom. Drawn together like magnets, you both stumble across the room, hands and lips battling for the next sweet taste, the next wanting touch.
“Look how far…” his lips find yours again, “just a bit…” and again, “of communication can go” you finally manage to moan out.
“Are you gonna stop talking and be mine now or…?” he whines as you drag against his lips.
You giggle softly as he lifts your arms to rest around his shoulders, pulling you in by the waist before his soft mouth is reunited with yours.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
You could never have imagined that you would come to find a safe space in Wonwoo. That you would eventually know him better than yourself. That the man you loathed, competed against, fought, would be yours. The man whose presence bothered you would soon be the one to hold your hand through good news and bad. That his happiness was your happiness, his sadness, his pride, his love.
You never could have imagined that he would be the one waking you up on Sunday mornings with sweet kisses on your collarbone. That, at night you would be drawing idle patterns on his chest. That even after waking up from your dreams, he’d still be there holding you. That his touch was the only thing you craved, his kisses your favorite greeting, his voice your favorite song. His gaze and gooey brown eyes which used to irritate you to no end, would soon become your lighthouse in the storm. You never could have imagined that you would love Jeon Wonwoo.
taglist: @peachytokki @aidanjoon @mykpopficblog @cheeseburgerjuseyo
something new - j.ww
pairing: jeon wonwoo x gn!reader
genre: university!au, e2l, academic rivals to lovers, featuring svt as your friend group, angst, fluff, suggestive - MDNI!!
summary: you and wonwoo have been rivals since the first day you met, everything he did irritated you to no end, and yet, you couldn't escape him and, at a certain point, maybe you didn't want to.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, no one knows how to communicate lol, kissing, suggestive
wc: 5.7k
a/n: wonwoo academic rival bc i love him being all nerdy n shit. i really enjoyed writing this so let me know what you think + if you have any requests for some new fics!! ฅ ฅ
You stare down at your paper, illegible and scattered with doodles and a sharp exhale falls from your lips. Tapping your pen against the table, you wonder how the hell you’re going to pass this surprise exam - a surprise for you at least, apparently telling you must have slipped everyone else’s mind. Someone taps your shoulder lightly, bringing you out of your spiral. You turn to meet the eyes of the stranger sat beside you, his jet black hair is pushed roughly out of his face, allowing you to see his soft dark eyes peer down at you.
You raise a questioning eyebrow at him, clueless as to why he would be trying to get your attention in the middle of an exam. He mouths the word ‘pen’ in response, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his eyes looking at you with pure desperation. Looking at his desk, you notice the pen next to his hand is broken. You turn away briefly and watch as he lets out a breath of relief and adorns a grateful smile once you appear with a spare pen for him to use.
It seems like the bell rings almost immediately once you return your focus to your exam paper - shit. Now you’re definitely not passing. The bell sounds vaguely familiar as it continues to ricochet through you, you rack your brain trying to remember where you’ve heard the sound before… oh, it’s your alarm clock. Oh! It’s your alarm clock!
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
Your eyes snap open as you sit up in bed to turn off the irritating tune that your clock had been emitting for god knows how long. It was the first day of the semester, of course you had woken up twenty minutes behind schedule after a cliche ‘first-day-of-school’ dream, what else could you expect?
Arriving at your first class of the day, you find your friend Seungkwan sat strategically in the corner of the semester hall - just far away enough to avoid the risk of being called upon by the professor. You take a seat next to Seungkwan and listen as he begins to rant about his commute. You and Seungkwan have been friends since Freshman year after getting paired up for a group project. Originally, you were fearful that you wouldn’t get along, on the surface you were like chalk and cheese, but you find now that Seungkwan balances you out just right. His bold extrovertism has pushed you to be a little less timid, to actually live and, you like to think that you’ve mellowed him about a bit too. You wouldn’t mind listening to Seungkwan talk and joke around all day, that’s when he’s happiest so, naturally, you are too.
Your conversation with Seungkwan comes to stop as both of your attention gets drawn to a loud racket growing a few rows behind you. You follow the noise to find loveable class clowns Soonyoung, Mingyu, and Seokmin.
“Ah, it's just Soonyoung, so anyways…” Seungkwan turns back to his laptop and continues expressing his somewhat irrational love of drive-thrus . You, however, are still watching your classmates, unable to tear your eyes away from one of them, his dark slightly nerdy features captivating you.
“Kwan,” you murmur, “Who’s the guy next to Seokmin?”
Seungkwan hums, satisfied, “I was waiting for you to say something, always so nosy.”
You huff gently, knowing well enough that there’s no point in arguing with him, “So?””
“Jeon Wonwoo. Just transferred for his last year I guess.”
“Huh weird, I could've sworn I’ve seen him before.”
Your friend scoffs jokingly, “In your dreams bro.”
You sigh again, resting your head on the desk sulkily. ‘In your dreams’, Seungkwan’s words echo. Wait… Is he… your head whips around to glance at the mysterious man again. No fucking way… Jeon Wonwoo is literally the guy from your dreams.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
If you had known back then how much you would grow to dislike Wonwoo, you never would have commented on his good looks that first day but, you guess you can’t really blame yourself for not knowing how much of a dick he was. Since you had met, you had tried, maybe too hard, to figure out what you had done to make him treat you the way that he did. Over the weeks you have watched him form bonds with everyone in your class - especially your friends, and you saw how his smile fell and laughter stopped as soon as you made your presence known. It was if you had physically attacked him, the way that his eyes immediately dropped to the floor once you came into view. The thing that annoyed you the most about Jeon Wonwoo though, more than the unexplained icing out, was his brain.
You don’t like to brag but you pride yourself on your intelligence, especially in academia. You had worked hard to reach the place you were in now, throwing away your teenage years in favor of ensuring a happy and successful future for yourself. Because of this, you work hard to make sure you’re at the top of the list whenever your exam results are released - improving upon yourself and being the best of the best, that’s what you strive for. So of course, it came as an infuriating shock when Wonwoo knocked you out of the top spot, that smug look on his face and the glimmer in his eyes as he walked past you that day was something you couldn’t get out of your head. No matter how hard you tried, day and night, the only thing on your mind was Wonwoo and how to beat him.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
“Ok, what can you tell me about Wonwoo?” you are sitting in your campus cafe, your best friend Seungkwan sits across from you as you mindlessly stir your coffee.
“Why do you always assume I have information on everyone?”
“Because you always do, my favorite gossip.” you reply, buttering him up in hope he’ll give you something, anything.
“What’s your business with him anyways? Oh…” he gasps “you have a little campus crush don’t you? That’s why you’re so off around him.”
“Don’t go spreading false information, Boo Seungkwan, he’s the one who gets cold and quiet when I’m around. Besides, no sleeping with the enemy.”
“He’s the enemy now? Hot.”
You scoff gently at his comment, rolling your eyes “Just tell me what you know”, you say laughing.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
As time goes on, nothing much changes between you and Wonwoo. He becomes a fixture within your friendship group with the boys taking him under their wing and as he begins to pop up in more areas of your life, you learn more about him. You learn about his love for video games and cats, you learn he’s a great listener but can speak for the country when he’s passionate about something. You learn he’s funny and even smarter than you thought. It’s annoying that you could imagine actually being friends with him if he was just nice, you admit you might be able to understand the crowd of girls that follow him around aimlessly if he wasn’t such an asshole. Because, despite him joining your friendship group and you - unwillingly - spending more time around him, he still acted so coldly towards you, no matter how nice you were to him, he never faltered.
“Split into groups of six, no more, no less and create a presentation applying your chosen theorem to the 21st century.” your professor orders. Immediately the students around you begin to migrate around the room, collecting friends for the group project. You turn to your left to find that Seungkwan is already clambering over the seats behind you to reach Seokmin, Mingyu, Soonyoung and Wonwoo - all four of them cheering on his show of athleticism.
“Quickly guys! Come on!” the professor calls out from the front of the class. You look around to realise that you’ve waited a bit too long to choose a group for yourself. That’s when you hear your name being called and turn to find Mingyu reaching his hand out to you with that cheesy grin you just couldn’t say no to.
“We need the class nerd on our team, c’mon!” Soonyoung calls out to you from above.
“We already have Wonwoo though?” Seungkwan remarks with a mischievous smirk. You quickly shoot him a stern, irritated look as his smile is broken by Seokmin elbowing him in the ribs for a reason you can’t quite figure out.
A few days later, you and your friends (and Wonwoo) decide to meet at the library to brainstorm for your project. You arrive first with Seokmin and Mingyu and find a table just big enough for the six of you. Soonyoung trails along not long after and the four of you play some quiet games whilst waiting for Seungkwan and Wonwoo to arrive. You note that one of the two empty seats is positioned directly across for you whilst the other is out of view. The solution is clear, Seungkwan will sit across from you, at least then you’ll be able to focus on the assignment.
Once the pair arrive, you attempt to signal to Kwan, strong eye contact asking him to take the chair opposite you.
“Won, which seat do you want?” He asks the other boy, and you can’t hold back the sigh that escapes as your plan crumbles before you
“I’ll take this one, the lighting’s better.” Wonwoo replies, making brief eye contact with you before pulling out the chair with a shy smirk on his face.
…what was that about? And when did he get so cocky?
Soonyoung clears his throat, breaking the awkward silence that suddenly fell over the group and you thank God that he’s here to take the attention off of your exchange with Wonwoo and prompt you to actually start working on the project.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
Soon enough, you find yourself in a quiet bar across town on a Thursday night. Following your friends’ advice you decide to accept your coworker’s invitation to grab drinks. You tell yourself why not? He’s nice enough, attractive and funny, sometimes anyways. Plus you haven’t got much else going on in the love department - no harm, no foul.
After half an hour or so of pleasant small talk, you leave the booth and head towards the bar to order another drink. As you trudge across the sticky floor you are stopped in your tracks as a man steps in front of you, blocking you from reaching your destination.
“Excuse me,” you begin, attempting to manoeuvre around him.
“You shouldn’t be with him.” the man says.
“Excuse me?” you repeat, this time in disbelief.
“You heard me.” he says, quieter this time. You lift your head to get a proper look at the stranger’s face.
“Of course you’re here.” you scoff. You push past him, shaking your head as you reach the bar. He follows, not giving up.
“You don’t suit each other.”
You laugh, God, he’s so infuriating, who does he think he is?
“Oh please, Wonwoo, like you know the slightest thing about me.”
“Actually I-”
Just then your ‘date’ appears, “Is everything ok?” He asks with a slightly concerned look.
“Yeah! Just a… classmate.” A false happiness lines your voice.
“Come on, let's head back to the table.” you say, turning your back on Wonwoo who watches on with a solemn expression.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
Not long after that, you find yourself at the library with your friends almost every day, grinding to get your project completed. You and Wonwoo haven’t spoken about the night at the bar, not that he speaks to you usually anyways. Instead though, you begin to catch him looking at you more and more often, his gaze burning into you, making you heat up and, most importantly distracting you from your work.
“What’s going on with you and Wonwoo then?” Seungkwan asks one day whilst you do a snack run for the rest of the group.
“What?” you reply, stopping where you are, astonished.
“Just saying, he can’t keep his eyes off of you.”
“He’s trying to sabotage me or something.”
“...Why would he do that? Y’know we’re graded as a group right?” He says, baffled.
“Whatever.” you reply, turning into the next aisle, fed up of even thinking about Wonwoo, never mind talking about the man.
Returning to your friends, they circle you like vultures, picking out they’re snacks. It’s a chaotic free for all and you’re left with a candy bar and some chips. Wonwoo stands patiently whilst the others rob you blind so, once the others return to their seats you approach him quietly, avoiding eye contact and place the chips in front of him. He mutters a small “thank you” and smiles gratefully, watching again as you return to your work. Now he’s just being weird, you think to yourself. You can’t help but be curious about what he’s plotting.
At the end of the study session, the boys decide to head to the bar to reward themselves.
“Y/N, you coming?” Mingyu asks.
“I’m good, thanks though!” you reply with a soft smile, finding a quiet night watching Netflix to be a bit more appealing today.
Your friends leave before you, saying goodbye whilst you pack up your stuff. As you shove your laptop into your bag, you can feel someone’s eyes on you and your face begins to heat up at your suspicion.
“Wonwoo! Hurry up!” you hear Soonyoung whine.
“Right, sorry.”
You look up just quick enough to catch him turning away from you and running to meet with the rest of the group.
Huh, weird.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
That weekend, your phone buzzes with a string of texts from Mingyu.
Mingyu: Wanna come over and play video games?
Mingyu: (Say yes)
Mingyu: Pleaseee, I’m so bored :)
You’ve worked fucking hard recently and couldn’t think of a better way to end the week than by playing nostalgic video games with one of your closest friends
Y/N: Don't even WORRY, I’m omw
You respond quickly, pulling a bleach-stained hoodie on and heading for the door.
You’re sat on the floor next to Mingyu in front of his TV. The room is dead silent, spare some trash talk from the both of you as you channel all of your focus on Mario Kart. As a result, neither of you notice Wonwoo coming in to watch your fierce competition.
You swear you see your life flash before your eyes when he, watching the screen intently, mumbles “Be careful. Blue shell coming your way.”
His sudden words do nothing but scare the living shit out of you and make you crash into a wall.
“Oh my god,” you exclaim, heart beating rapidly after his jumpscare, “What the fuck are you doing here?”
He looks at you blankly, taken aback by your overreaction, “Oh…uh… I live here.”
You turn to Mingyu who confirms with his lips pressed together in an awkward smile.
“Oh. Sorry. You just scared me a bit, my bad.”
He chuckles quietly in response before walking over to the kitchen and leaving the two of you to finish your race (which you still win, despite Wonwoo’s meddling.) A handful of races later, Mingyu’s phone buzzes, ushering him to go and collect the takeout you had ordered. Standing up, he grabs his jacket and keys but doesn’t dare leave before messing with you more than he already has.
“Wonwoo?” He calls with a mischievous grin, “Come play instead of me whilst I go get the food!”
Wonwoo hums a response as he moves to sit down next to you whilst you shoot death glares at your friend, who simply mouths ‘be nice’ before slamming the door behind him.
He picks up Mingyu’s controller and hovers over ‘Wario’s Gold Mine’.
“What are you doing?”
He looks at you, confused “Uh… choosing the best map?”
You laugh, “No no, my poor Wonwoo. This is the best map.” You take the remote from him and select ‘Koopa Cape’.
“Ooh, you’re so wrong.” he replies playfully.
“I’m never wrong.”
“That’s true.”
You catch yourself smiling as the race starts. Maybe you are wrong, maybe he’s not so bad.
“Oh my god, hit me with a shell again, I swear to god Jeon Wonwoo.” you exclaim as he surpasses you for the fourth time. He laughs, nudging you gently.
“I didn’t know you were such a sore loser.”
You look at him, forgetting about the game, “You don't know anything about me.” you say, under your breath. He turns to you, concerned.
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
Turning back to the screen, you find that Wonwoo has stolen first place from you - again.
“Fuck.” you mutter, refocusing on the race, watching as a proud smile creeps onto Wonwoo’s face.
“Wow, Y/N actually lost for once!” Mingyu declares as he returns with the food, “I guess we finally found your match.”
“Shut up.” you bark back, rolling your eyes and leaning back against the couch. Wonwoo mutters a ‘good game’ before standing up with a smirk and leaving the room. You scoff at his slight obnoxiousness whilst Mingyu sits down beside you and begins unpacking the food.
“Are you gonna stop sulking and go get some plates?”
“Ugh fineee” you reply jokingly before getting up.
You’re completely lost in the kitchen, opening every cupboard in sight hoping to find some plates and cutlery.
“You good?” a voice calls from behind you. You look up to find Wonwoo leaning against the doorframe, slightly baffled by your snooping.
“Uh…plates?”
“Ah,” he says walking towards you, you step back until you’re caught by the kitchen counter. “Just up here.” he continues, reaching behind you to grab the plates.
He’s so close that, for the first time, you can smell his woody cologne strongly. Your heart speeds up as he places the plates down on the counter behind you, his hands resting on either side, trapping you.
You look up at him, breathless, as he scans your face. You’re silent, drinking him in, your hands fiddling with the hem of your hoodie. He lifts his hand, brushing your hair behind your ear.
“Can I kiss you?” he whispers against your lips.
You can only bring yourself to nod in complete disbelief at the sudden shift between the two of you, the magnetism drawing you together. He moves in closer to you, so close you can feel his eyelashes as they flutter against your skin and his breathing grows slightly heavier.
“Y/N, did you find them?” Mingyu calls from the other room. You’ve never moved away from a person so fast, separating yourself from Wonwoo immediately. You clear your throat, maintaining eye contact with Wonwoo, still flustered.
“Yep sorry! Just grabbing a drink.” Thinking fast, Wonwoo hands you a can of coke.
“Can you grab me one too?” Mingyu shouts.
You both laugh quietly as he hands you another. You nod and smile, leaving him in the kitchen and heading back to your food.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
It’s a week before you see him again, your group's last meeting before the final presentation, a chance for you to go over the final details. The meeting is generally uneventful, everyone finally focused on the task at hand.
“I think if we switch the parts about culture and equity then it would flow better.” Wonwoo suggests.
“Hmm, I agree” you reply nonchalantly because, on this rare occasion, you actually do.
“What the fuck was that?” Seungkwan whispers to you.
“What?”
“You never agree with him.”
“He made a good point.” you shrug, brushing off your friend’s interrogation. Looking up you catch Wonwoo smiling at you, giggling under his breath like a teenager. You have to stifle the smile that begins creeping onto your face as you watch him.
“And that is why we believe that absurdism is an essential mindset to have in order to thrive in the modern day.” Seokmin argues, concluding your group project, finally. The six of you share reassuring nods and smiles, you’ve done your best and you’re happy with it, the rest is out of your hands.
As you exit the assessment room, Soonyoung pipes up, “Drinks, drinks, drinks, drinks, drinks?” He chants pointing at each of you as he does, the group mumbles a variety of agreements.
“Y/N?” Mingyu asks.
“Come on, it’ll be fun, try something new.” Seungkwan whispers.
You look at your friends smiling eagerly as they wait for your response, with an exhale and a nod, you give in, “drinks.”
At the bar, you crowd a small table, each with a drink in hand, talking and laughing about whatever comes to mind. You play games, sharing embarrassing childhood stories and weird facts you never would’ve learnt anywhere else. You are having fun, smiling, peaceful but, something’s off. You can feel it. He’s been quiet all night, barely even looked at you. It was annoying. It was annoying that it annoyed you, a few weeks ago this would have been normal behavior but now, it was different, it upset you, made you feel like you’d done something wrong, made you feel… unwanted.
Being truthful, you weren’t really feeling it tonight. If you had it your way you’d be on your couch right now watching a film. You weren’t gonna go, not until you saw his cheesy grin amongst your friends’, so sweet you could melt. He was the reason you went out tonight. Him, and Seungkwan’s words, you should try something new. You had never felt so overwhelmed by your own feelings, one minute you felt nothing short of hatred for Wonwoo and the next… your heart is fluttering every time your eyes meet.
During your daze, Wonwoo gets up to buy another round for the group, the sound of his chair moving snaps your focus back to the table but he’s already disappeared. You excuse yourself to the restroom, taking the chance to talk to Wonwoo whilst everyone else is distracted. Standing beside him, his eyes are fixed on his phone, reading some kind of article.
“Are you okay?” you ask him, nervous for his answer - you’re not sure what you’ll do either way. He looks up at you, soft dark eyes taking you in. He stands with an unreadable expression for what feels like forever before he finally opens his mouth to reply and then-
“Wonwoo! Come here quickly, settle this bet for us!” Sometimes, you really hate Soonyoung.
He shoots you an apologetic look and then, he’s gone, just like that. All the courage you had built up, wasted on an unanswered question. Fuck this. You grab your jacket, shooting Seungkwan a ‘don’t worry I’ll text you later’ look and head for the door. You’re exhausted, tired of it all, you just want to be in your own bed.
As you walk down the quiet streets, you hear another pair of footsteps catching up to you.
“Are you okay?”
You look at him. You’re irritable and know that you’re probably not going to say the right thing but what the hell.
“So you’re allowed to ask but I’m not?”
“No, that’s not- I… I’m sorry, I never know how to act around you, I never know what to say, I’m always doing the wrong thing but I-”
“Wonwoo.” you interject, “I can’t do this right now. Just… just go back to the bar.”
He doesn't respond, a silent understanding. He doesn’t leave either. He walks alongside you the whole way home, giving you quiet to think, offering you a comforting smile whenever your eyes meet. It breaks your heart just as much as it warms it, that he, despite your outburst, stays by your side when you need someone.
Even if you try to push him away, somehow he knows, he knows that you want him there.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
With the group project over, you don’t see him as often as before, hardly ever when you’re alone. You decide to put him out of your mind for a while, to focus on work and the rest of your assignments. Wonwoo, though, seems to have a habit of sabotaging your plans.
It started off with simpler things, turning up at your work just to place a complicated order, smirking as he watches you struggle with it. Then on exam week, a bag of your favorite snacks appears at your door. On a random Wednesday, he orders a pizza to your apartment. On your birthday, a small cake. And, there’s not a week that goes by where he fails to visit the cafe, you’ve grown to look forward to his bizarre orders and playful teasing.
Once the professor announces the end of the lecture, you grab your laptop and walk towards the door where you’re met with a familiar face.
“Ah, the coffee fairy, what can I do for you today?” you greet him, playfully.
“Can we talk? I’ll walk you home.” he asks, his voice laced with anxiety.
“Okay…” you nod, curious as to why he’s acting this way.
Walking through campus, he clears his throat, “So…” he trails off.
“So?”
“So I don’t really know how to say this. I mean, maybe you already know but I mean… I’m sorry, I’m sorry if I upset you, or hurt you, or made you angry. If you hate me, that’s okay I just-”
“I don’t hate you Wonwoo. Not anymore, anyways.”
He chuckles softly, “Well, I just want you to know that I don’t plan on giving up I… I think this is it for me,”
“It?”
“You. I think you’re it for me. I think it was over for me the moment I saw you.” He takes a deep breath before continuing, “And I’m sorry about everything. Around you, I just, I forget how to act, I can’t think. It’s all just… you.”
As he speaks, your face begins to heat up under his gaze, a smile appearing on your face as you take his hand in yours hesitantly, squeezing it gently. Suddenly, he stops speaking, pausing to think.
“Wait… what do you mean you don’t hate me anymore?” You can only laugh at his question as he pulls you closer to him.
The walk back to your apartment is nice, peaceful even, like this is where you’re meant to be. You turn towards him to say goodbye and thank him for walking so far out of his way. He can’t hide his shyness as he says goodbye, stammering slightly with rosy cheeks. You look at him, hoping for more, but his eyes are fixed to the floor as he blushes. You laugh quietly, finding him incredibly endearing before turning away to enter your apartment.
Suddenly, you feel his hand reach for your arm, “wait.” he says, spinning you back to him.
The action happens so quickly, you’re basically pressed up against him, one of your hands finding his bicep to balance yourself. You look up at him, it’s clear that he’s still nervous but he’s doing his best to play it cool, his hand rests on your lower back as he pulls you even closer. The way he’s looking at you, like you’re the only thing he’s ever known, sends the color to your cheeks and you can feel your heart beating faster by the second.
His other hand finds your jaw as he leans his face closer to yours, his breath tickling your lips. His soft, puppy dog eyes search yours for consent, and just like in Mingyu’s kitchen, you can muster up nothing but a nod, your breathing getting shallower with anticipation, hunger.
His lips delicately brush yours, cautious and timid. You kiss him back warmly, he tastes like peppermint and cola, both new and familiar at the same time. He leans into you more, growing more confident as you part your lips, letting him explore you further. You fall into a perfect rhythm with butterflies fluttering throughout you and your grip on the other becoming firmer.
Remembering that you need to breathe, you break away from each other slowly. He rests his forehead against yours, sharing your breathless giggles and smiles of relief.
“Jeon Wonwoo.” you whisper, still in a daze.
“Hmm?” he hums happily.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t hate you anymore.”
“Only pretty sure?” he jokes, feigning upset.
“100% sure.” you correct yourself with a happy grin.
“Good.” he says, pecking you softly and then pressing another kiss against your cheek. “I almost went insane waiting for you to realize.”
“Realize what?”
He pulls you into a warm, strong hug, resting his head on your shoulder before whispering “That it was always you and me.”
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
“What’s going on with Wonwoo?” Seungkwan asks on your way to class two days later.
“What do you mean?”
“Something’s different… he’s brighter.”
“Why would I know anything about it, none of my business” you state, biting your lip to hide your knowing smile.
“Oh come on, don’t act like you haven’t noticed!”
“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Bro, he didn’t stop smiling the entire time he was there, it was weird. He even spoke differently, lighter.”
You hum a manufactured surprised response as your friend continues.
“Maybe he met someone, he always talks about that person he’s liked since he moved here, maybe he finally made a move - i hope so I don’t know how much more of his schoolboy pining I can take.”
Your gaze is glued to the floor as you listen, knowing that you were the reason for all his changes and that he was the reason for all of yours. That he made the world seem new, brighter, happier.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
“Are you okay? We haven’t talked in a few days.” Wonwoo says over the phone.
“I’m sorry, it’s just my thesis, I feel like I’m never gonna leave this apartment again.”
“That’s okay! I get it,” he reassures you, “talk to me about it.”
He listens intently as you babble about your thesis, humming along, asking questions and offering advice. Whilst you explain the block that you’re facing currently, there’s a knock at the door. Getting up from your laptop to answer it, you continue, “And now, I’m not sure where to go next.”
“With me.”
“Huh?”
Opening the door, he’s stood in front of you. His dark hair falling perfectly, as he runs his fingers through it, still holding his phone to his ear with a sweet smile and pride in his eyes.
Hanging up the phone, he clarifies, “take a break, let’s go for dinner.”
And how could you deny such a pretty face?
Walking the streets, he speaks passionately as he shows you his favorite spots around the city and you find yourself just happy to be here with him, to witness his excitement with a cheesy grin that you reserve for only a few people in your life.
“You’re quite the sweet talker, Jeon Wonwoo.” you say, giggling.
“Of course,” he responds proudly, “How else would I get to have you by my side?” With that he pulls you into a hug, his strong arms wrapping around you, swaying playfully from side-to-side and holding you as if you’re all he needs with him right now.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
The elevator dings as the two of you stumble inside, your arms resting on his shoulders. Looking at him with adoration as he turns you gently, reaching his hand out to clumsily press the elevator buttons behind you. You giggle between kisses as you find your balance, clinging onto each other. You hardly notice when the elevator rings again outside your apartment, too busy with your hands tangled in his hair and his palms running across your sides in painstaking seduction.
Then he’s guiding you out of the elevator, hands still firm on your hips and not daring to break away from you for even a second. He slips his hand into yours, taking your keys and mindlessly fumbles to unlock the door.
It takes mere seconds once the door opens for him to slam it shut and have you trapped against the wall, he moves against you sloppily, licking into you with pure hunger and adoration, a tsunami of lust as his groans echo throughout your body.
“Fuck. If you’d just spoken to me on that first day, I would’ve made you mine then and there.” he whispers against your skin, trailing electric kisses down your jaw towards your collarbone.
You laugh in shock, lifting his lips back up towards yours, his cold hands sneaking underneath your shirt as you kiss him back feverishly. “Me? No, you were the one who ignored me.”
“Hmm” he responds breathlessly, turning you around and leading you to your bedroom. Drawn together like magnets, you both stumble across the room, hands and lips battling for the next sweet taste, the next wanting touch.
“Look how far…” his lips find yours again, “just a bit…” and again, “of communication can go” you finally manage to moan out.
“Are you gonna stop talking and be mine now or…?” he whines as you drag against his lips.
You giggle softly as he lifts your arms to rest around his shoulders, pulling you in by the waist before his soft mouth is reunited with yours.
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
You could never have imagined that you would come to find a safe space in Wonwoo. That you would eventually know him better than yourself. That the man you loathed, competed against, fought, would be yours. The man whose presence bothered you would soon be the one to hold your hand through good news and bad. That his happiness was your happiness, his sadness, his pride, his love.
You never could have imagined that he would be the one waking you up on Sunday mornings with sweet kisses on your collarbone. That, at night you would be drawing idle patterns on his chest. That even after waking up from your dreams, he’d still be there holding you. That his touch was the only thing you craved, his kisses your favorite greeting, his voice your favorite song. His gaze and gooey brown eyes which used to irritate you to no end, would soon become your lighthouse in the storm. You never could have imagined that you would love Jeon Wonwoo.
taglist: @peachytokki @aidanjoon @mykpopficblog @cheeseburgerjuseyo
whispered - c.hs
pairing: vernon x gn!reader
genre: nonidol!au, mutual friends to lovers, secret dating, featuring the rest of svt, reader & vernon are whipped for each other, slight comfort, suggestive.
summary: vernon had always been the guy you saw across the room but never spoke to, until you did. who could blame you for keeping your relationship quiet?
warnings: profanity, mental health, alcohol, implied family problems, highly suggestive - MDNI!!
wc: 4.4k
a/n: i hope you guys like this!! i've always loved the secret dating trope and vernon's so sweet sooo. song rec for this fic is leonard cohen - boygenius ₊ ⊹₍ᐢᐢ₎
The night that you met Vernon was ordinary. Or, at least, it was meant to be ordinary. Another party at Jeonghan and Seungkwan’s place, no different from the one they held last Friday - chaotic as always, right? You had seen Vernon around before, it was impossible not to notice him. There was something that drew you to him, something that made you curious. Maybe it was the way his dark eyes sparkled under the low kitchen lights, or how he really didn’t seem to care what was going on around him, focusing only on the music and the drink in his hand.
“Everyone! Listen up!” Seungkwan yells, standing on top of a chair. You lift your head to watch him, catching Vernon’s eyes briefly as you do. “Who’s up for a game of suck and blow?”
As soon as he says that, you know there’s no escaping. Your friend grabs you by the arm, already sensing your hesitation.
“Pleaseee” Lia babbles into your ear, leaning against you “Just this once. One game, then I promise I’ll let you return to your dungeon, come on! It’ll be fun.”
Absent-mindedly, your gaze drifts to Vernon. You stifle a smile whilst you watch Chan and Jeonghan hassle him similarly. You sigh and reply to Lia, “Fine, one game.”
Seungkwan has always been methodical when it comes to games. Everything has to be just right from the set up to the number of players, it’s all a process. You’re standing with your friends, and a few strangers, waiting as Seungkwan creates the ‘perfect’ formation.
“Kwan, hurry up!” Mingyu whines.
“Ugh you don’t get it, fine.” He starts pulling people out, each one of your friends lined up and, like the child that he is, he puts you behind Vernon of course.
He turns to you, adorning an awkward smile before he offers his hand.
“I’m Vernon.”
“Y/N” You say, shaking his hand.
“I know.”
Your eyes widen, he knows?. He turns around, a smug look on his face, chuckling to himself.
The next time you see his face, he’s holding the card to his lips and bending down slightly to meet you. It’s like everything goes quiet once his eyes look into yours, like it’s the first day of your life as he leans in closer, and closer.
And then, he drops the card.
And his lips are on yours. His lips are on yours. Oh shit.
You pull away quickly, your heart fluttering as the party hollers around you.
“And… you two are out!” Seungkwan yells, pointing at the both of you, as if you needed more of a reason to blush.
Keeping your eyes on the floor, embarrassed by your shy smile and red cheeks, you immediately walk towards Lia who, after being sat in front of Chan, had already lost the game.
“I’m gonna go home now.”
“Huh?”
“You said one game, and I’m tired so…”
She sits back in her chair, sighing “Ok, I’ll keep my end of the deal, text me when you get home.”
“Mhm, stay safe, I’ll see you later!”
“Yeah yeah I know.”
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
Stepping out onto the street, you finally feel like you can breathe. The night sky, a gathering of stars to guide you home and the wind blowing gently through your hair.
“We shouldn’t have lost, you know. Seungkwan’s a bad referee.”
Huh? You freeze. Is that…
You turn around to confirm your suspicions and there he is. In the middle of the road, Vernon is stood waiting for you to respond, hoping you’ll respond.
“Huh?”
“That wasn’t a real kiss,” he says, stepping closer to you. His eyes are soft as he scans your face as if he’s trying to memorise every freckle and blemish, “this is.”
He places two fingers under your chin, lifting your face to look at him. His lips crash into yours, he tastes like sweet vanilla and beer, his hands move gently to cup the side of your face. You’re still for a second, still frozen in place until you finally come to your senses and begin kissing him back. His tongue licks over your lips, and you part them in response, leaning into him as his tongue smooths around your mouth, tangling your fingers in his hair as he teases and smiles into you.
Pulling back, he rests his forehead against yours, opening his eyes to look at you with a breathless grin. “Better?” he whispers against your lips and you can’t manage anything but a nod in response.
His hand drops from your face to find your hand, warm and strong. You find yourself speechless as he turns away from you, dragging you along the street as he giggles to himself like a small child, “C’mon, I’ll walk you home”.
You don’t live far from Jeonghan’s apartment, but the walk with Vernon feels almost like a lifetime as you trade anecdotes on your mutual friends and daily lives.
You learn he works at the record store downtown, he’s been friends with Seungkwan since they were teenagers and, just like you, he had been dragged to the party by his friends - your friends.
Between you two, you note at least six times that you had just missed meeting each other at group hangouts, four times that you had seen the other but been too shy to approach them. A multitude of missed chances, all the times you had gone against the strings of fate.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
As you shut the door to your apartment, you can’t help but smile to yourself, thinking back on the last hour.
If you were being honest with yourself, you were… somewhat of a pessimist when it came to romance. The whole dating thing, to be blunt, you had grown sick of. The back and forth, the chasing, the disappointment. You’re not sure you have the energy for more disappointment.
Vernon, though, manages to slip past you somehow. Manages to slip past the walls you’d built over the years. The way he makes you laugh, his heart-shaped smiles, his chestnut hair perfectly framing his face, the way he views the world with a pure curiosity.
Fuck. Tonight might have been the first time in months that your smiles have been real. Tonight your smiles weren’t products of politeness but real, genuine happiness.
God this can’t be good. You’re going soft. You’re letting a man turn you soft.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
Maybe: Vernon [13:12]: I know we JUST saw each other but I can’t stop thinking about that donut place we saw last night.
Your phone vibrates on your desk and you immediately catch yourself smiling. It’s almost embarrassing how he has you giggling at your screen from such a simple message.
Ok. Compose yourself. You still need to respond.
Y/N [13:15]: It’s like you can read my mind.
Vernon [13:16]: I’ll be there in 15.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
“I should tell you something.” You say, walking down the street hand-in-hand with Vernon.
“Out of the blue?”
“Mhm, out of the blue!” You respond, nudging him playfully.
“Go on…”
“I just… I’m not like, ashamed of you. I’m just, I like it like this, just you and me, I like us.”
He chuckles quietly at your sudden candour and timidity.
You hit his arm softly “Bro! I’m being serious.”
“Bro! I know!” He pulls you closer, “It’s nice with you, peaceful, like everything else fades away. I like having you to myself I guesss.”
“Hmm, maybe I should be ashamed of you, I can still change my mind” You say, laughing.
“You couldn’t even if you wanted to”
You respond with a pouty smile, he giggles, his mouth moulding into the heart shape that always manages to melt you.
“Ooo! Wait let’s get ice cream!” He says, his hand leaving yours as he runs to the food stall across the street, still grinning from ear to ear.
You find yourself smiling again. If someone had told you two months ago that you would fall for a film nerd who has the Wikipedia app downloaded onto his phone you might’ve punched them square in the face - and yet, here you are.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
“Cheers!”, your friends call out, clinking their glasses together. All of you are crowded around a small table, you’re sandwiched between Seokmin and Lia who are in the midst of an intense conversation about film adaptations. Vernon is sitting silently at the other end of the table, listening to Chan and Seungkwan rambling on about a lost bet. His eyes meet yours and a quiet smile appears on his face in time with yours.
“Y/N! You’re the literature nerd, can you pleaseee explain the phenomenon that is the 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet” Seokmin says, pulling you away from your silent exchange.
You clear your throat and prepare yourself to give somewhat of a lecture on what you think may be the best modern retelling of Shakespeare.
Almost an hour later, Vernon pipes up, seeking an opportunity. “Anyone want another pint?”
A mumble of yes’s respond as empty glasses are lifted into the air.
“Y/N, mind giving me a hand?” He asks, impressively casually.
“Oh, uh yeah of course.” You say, shooting up from your seat (not so casually).
Standing at the bar waiting for the bartender's attention, Vernon leans over to whisper in your ear, “Should we just… run away?”.
“So tempting Mr. Chwe but I think they might catch on.”
“Hmm I’m not sure, I think they might be too caught up in their own conversations to piece it together.”
“A good point.”
“Wait five minutes, I’ll be outside.” He says assuredly, slyly reaching to squeeze your hand.
And then he’s gone, returning to the table to bid your friends goodbye, glancing at you one last time before he leaves and turns the corner.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
“Finally” He whines jokingly as you exit the bar after escaping the tipsy grasp of your friends.
You laugh, throwing your head back at his dramatics whilst he pulls you in by the waist, placing a chaste kiss on your lips.
“I missed you.” He whispers.
You can’t stop yourself from giggling again, “We’ve literally been together the entire night.”
“Sure, but now you’re all mine.” He replies, pressing soft pecks into your skin.
“Can’t deny that.”
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
Y/N [23:17]: Are you free rn?
Vernon [23:17]: For you? Always.
Y/N [23:19]: Can you come get me?
Vernon [23:21]: Are you ok?
Y/N [23:21]: Yeah, I just need to get out of here
‘Y/N’ shared their location with ‘Vernon’.
The rain is sharp and cold as it falls on you, staring at the puddles forming by your feet. There isn’t a thought in your head as you watch the raindrops fall. Dinner with your family has always brought out the worst in you, always wearing you down, leaving you empty. Your heart is heavy with exhaustion, anger, sadness. Exhaustion.
Then his hand slips into yours. Warm and strong as always.
“Y/N?”
You turn to him, slowly lifting your head to look at him, tears in your eyes. His expression immediately softens, “Come on bub, let me drive you home.” he says, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and opening the car door for you.
“Do you wanna talk about it?”
“I don’t know ‘non, can we not go home yet though? I just need some time to think.”
He nods, starting the engine, “Of course.”
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
The sand falls from the gaps between your fingers, you sit beside Vernon, resting your head on his shoulder and letting the sea’s mist kiss your face.
Vernon is the first to break the silence, “I come here a lot, to think.”
“Mm,” you hum “it’s nice here, quiet.”
He kisses the top of your head and returns his focus to the waves crashing against the rocks.
“Sometimes I feel so out of my depth, like I don’t know if i’m doing the right thing or what the right thing is,” you admit quietly, his hand finds yours to show you he’s listening, “It all just feels so out of my control, like everything’s happening around me and not to me and that’s … not fun.”
He wraps his arms around you, pulling you against his chest, “I know bub, and it’s not like there’s an easy fix. It’s just- you just have to feel it, the sadness, the anger, the happiness, that’s the best way. Just like how some waves pass and others break apart, and some mountains seem impossible to climb, that’s just how it is, even if it’s shit. And when it’s overwhelming, that’s okay too because I’ll come and rescue you, we’ll climb the mountains together.”
There’s a moment of silence before he lifts his pinky finger to yours.
“Promise.” he says softly.
You loop your fingers together and seal it with a shake. The sea air carrying your whispers into the night.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
“Okay, options are ramen or takeout.” He calls from the kitchen.
“Hmm, I think we definitely deserve takeout.”
“How come?”
“For being the power couple of the century, what do you mean?”
His laugh echoes through his apartment, “Brooo, you’re so right I can’t believe I even asked.”
He runs over to you, lazily splayed across his couch, lying on top of you he continues to giggle as he buries his face into your neck.
You love lazy Sundays with Vernon, they had quickly become your escape from reality, a sanctuary for yourself, your happiness and your love.
“What movie are we watching today then ‘non?” You ask sweetly, your hands subconsciously playing with his hair.
“I was thinking… academy award winning classic ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’?”
Ah yes, the film you and Vernon had watched ten times over, the one you would never get sick of, “LETS FUCKING GOOO!!” you yell, excitedly punching the air.
He sits up, looking at you with a cheesy grin, laughing and mirroring your fists, “LETS GO BROO!!”
As much as you love the film, staying focused on it proves to be a struggle - especially with Vernon next to you. You can’t help but watch the intense sparkle in his eyes as he’s entirely consumed by the screen. You find yourself mesmerised by the way he watches and laughs along like it’s the first time.
“It’s hard to focus with your eyes on me” he states abruptly, refusing to tear his eyes away from the TV.
Your cheeks burn red from embarrassment, “Oh, sorry.”
He turns to you then, a blend of concern and mischief on his face, “I didn’t say that I didn’t like it.”
Your eyes widen slightly at his sudden confidence, a part of him that always makes your heart flutter. You don’t even get a chance to respond as his lips capture yours, melting into him as he kisses you passionately, stealing the air from your lungs. One of his hands cups your face gently, a direct juxtaposition from the other which finds its way to your waist, gripping firmly as the two of you move against each other like ocean waves.
Tangling your fingers in his hair, he pulls you onto his lap, moving his lips to suck and nibble at your neck as your breath grows heavy with desire. The moans he releases against your skin echo through you, his hands running up and down your body as you throw your head back, getting hungrier by the minute.
And then he stops.
Huh?
You immediately open your eyes, slightly concerned by the suddenness of his actions, to find his eyes back on the TV whilst his hands continue to fiddle with the hem of your shorts.
“I love this scene.” He whispers, breathless and fascinated.
“Vernonnnn” you whine, throwing yourself back down onto the couch. It’s sweet, honestly, endearing, you find yourself giggling “are you kidding?”
He looks down at you, an innocent smile plastered on his face, his hand still caressing your thigh. He raises a curious eyebrow before breaking into a loud chuckle and leaning back towards you.
“Dude… Of course I’m kidding. I think the film’s gonna have to wait until I’m done with you.” He whispers against your skin, trailing kisses from your lips to your collarbone.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
Five months in, you and Vernon had mastered the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ routine. Even around your friends, you cherished every moment with him, every smile, secret touch, knowing look. Even on bad days, your heart feels lighter with Vernon around.
It’s another chaotic Friday night, just like when you had first met Vernon, except this time your friends hadn’t dragged you to Jeonghan and Seungkwan’s apartment but to their favourite karaoke bar. The table you’re sitting at is littered with empty soju bottles and beer cans, you listen intently to one of Jun’s famous anecdotes as BooSeokSoon serenades your friends loudly.
“How do they still have the energy for that?” Wonwoo asks, astounded as the three men jump around, microphones in hand.
‘They’re machines, you know that.” Minghao replies.
“Mm, you’re right.”
Watching your friends, wrapped up in their own little worlds, you’re almost emotional - so happy to see them having fun, so proud to have watched them grow, and then there’s Vernon of course - maybe it’s the alcohol talking but you’re not sure you’ve felt so happy before.
“We should play a game,” Seungcheol slurs, “Should we play a game? Yeah we should play a game.” You laugh at the conversation he’s having with himself, watching as Vernon, grinning stupidly, walks over to his friends to lead them down from the stage and back to the table. The boys around you cheer for the others as they stumble to their chairs, bowing dramatically to their new ‘fans’. Once the havoc settles down, Mingyu taps his ring against his glass “Ok,” he points his finger, scanning the group before landing on Joshua “Shua, what game are we playing?”
“Uh… 365?” Joshua replies, being met with drunken agreement from the rest.
The time passes quickly as you drink and play. Growing tipsy, you hardly notice the change in Vernon’s demeanour when Soonyoung rests his head on your shoulder. It’s nothing new to you, he’s known to be an affectionate drunk - and a light weight, you’re used to his drunken skinship.
Vernon’s patience is running low as the minutes pass, his leg shaking as he watches Soonyoung cuddle up to you. He stands up from his seat across the table, walking over to your seat and taking your hand, leading you outside. Confused, you look back at your friends as you walk with him, finding them all too drunk to notice you and Vernon’s absence.
“Non? Is everything okay?”
“Can we go home now?” He asks softly with hurt eyes.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“I should be sat over there with you, I just don’t want to watch Soonyoung be all cuddly with the person I love.”
“Non, you know he’s just a sleepy drunk, we can go home if you want-”
Wait.
“The person you love?” you question, your eyes soften as you process his words.
“Oh uh, you, I mean… you.” he breaks eye contact, fidgeting nervously.
“For real?” you smile.
He laughs to himself, “Yeah dude, for real.”
You giggle again, smiling wide and throwing your head back. As you do, his hands cup your face, bringing you back to him matching your grin. You reach up to move a strand of hair out of his hair.
“I like jealous Vernon.” you whisper.
“Shut up.” he says, his lips finding yours in a soft and wanting kiss.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
You’re lying in bed, glowing with sweat, tangled up in your sheets and wrapped in Vernon’s arms. The calmness that washes over you in these moments is immeasurable, the comfort and contentedness you feel is something that you wish would last forever.
There’s a knock on your door and you both shoot up from the bed.
“Y/N, are you home?” Your roommate calls from the other side of the door.
“I thought…” He whispers with wide eyes.
“Yeah… Lia’s not meant to be back until tomorrow” You reply, scrambling to throw some clothes on.
“What do we do?”
“Y/N?” Lia calls again.
You search your room looking for some kind of escape plan before it dawns on you, there was only one option.
You point to the closet.
He shoots you a questioning look.
“I don’t fucking know bro” you whisper, rushing to make yourself somewhat presentable.
You open the door, Vernon finally hidden, “Hey, you’re back early!” you say to Lia, trying your best to hide the fact that there was a man hiding in your closet.
“Yeah, we finished early so I got the train this morning. I was just wondering if you wanted to get lunch later?”
“Sounds good! Give me like 30 minutes?”
“Yep that works for me” Lia says as she disappears into her room.
You shut the door, letting out a deep breath.
“You can come out now.”
Vernon pokes his head out of the closet, scanning the room before stepping out. You stare at each other in silence before bursting into laughter.
“I swear I almost shat the bed!” Vernon says, throwing himself down on the mattress.
“Bro, that was crazy…” you agree, joining him on the bed.
Your laughter slowly fades into a comfortable silence.
“Should we just…” you begin.
“Tell them?” Vernon finishes.
You hum in agreement.
“I mean… why not? As long as you’re with me, I think… I think It’ll be okay.” You speak softly, he’s quiet for a few seconds until he starts peppering kisses all over your face, smiling sweetly against your skin.
· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·
A couple days later, you and Vernon stand in front of the restaurant, you can see your friends chatting inside the building. Your hand is in his, his thumb caressing yours. You look at each other, sharing an anxious but determined look, before nodding and walking towards the door.
When you enter the restaurant, it’s almost comical the way that your friends turn to look at you, their eyes dropping to your interlocked hands.
Anticipative silence fills the room as you exchange looks.
“I FUCKING TOLD YOU GUYS!” Seungkwan yells excitedly, standing up from his chair and pointing an accusatory finger at your friends, inciting a blur of exclamations from the rest of the group.
Vernon looks at you, smiling, before you sit down beside each other and prepare yourself for the abundance of questions coming your way.
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