❝ Stay away part 2 ❞ – Kim Juhoon
This is the part 2, click here for part 1
A/n's note: sorry guys it took so long for this final part. It took me while since i had gone for vacations to my hometown and there was no net there so i couldn’t post it but Hope you guys like it :3
Tw/cw: bullying, physical violence, knife injury, mentions of death, mild injury & lots of swearing
Two weeks had passed since that day, yet Juhoon remained stubbornly unaffected by your warnings.
He still found you in the hallways, greeting you with a small nod or a quiet “hey” no matter how much you tried to avoid him. You didn’t share any classes, which helped, but lunch breaks were impossible to escape. Somehow, he always managed to appear.
You were sitting in a quiet, overgrown corner right behind the old gym. Very few students knew about it. A stray calico cat you’d secretly been taking care of for weeks came running the moment she saw you, purring loudly as she rubbed against your legs.
This place was supposed to be your little sanctuary.
“Why are you here?” you asked, narrowing your eyes at Juhoon.
He stood a few steps away, looking far too innocent for someone who had clearly followed you. In his hand was a strawberry milkshake, your favorite.
“I was looking for Martin,” he said nonchalantly, as if he had simply wandered here by accident.
“Well, he’s not here,” you replied flatly, sitting down on the old wooden bench. Almost immediately, the cat jumped up beside you, purring like a tiny engine and curling into your lap. “Aww, where were you yesterday, hm?” you cooed softly, stroking her soft fur.
The cat melted under your touch, eyes half-closed in bliss.
You felt a shift in the air as Juhoon walked closer and sat on the other end of the bench. Without a word, he placed the strawberry milkshake on the bench between you two — an obvious offering. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he reached over and gently petted the cat.
The little traitor immediately abandoned your lap and moved toward him, rubbing her head against his hand with happy purrs.
“Aren’t you supposed to be looking for Martin?” you asked, eyes still fixed on the cat.
“In a while,” Juhoon murmured, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he scratched behind the cat’s ears. “How can I ignore such a cute cat?”
The cat purred even louder and flopped onto her back between you two, clearly enjoying the attention from both sides. You frowned when the cat completely ignored you in favor of him. Your eyes drifted up to Juhoon’s face.
He looked… annoyingly cute like this. The gentle expression, the way his dark eyes softened while watching the cat. You quickly looked away, annoyed at your own thoughts.
“You’re really persistent, you know that?” you muttered, finally reaching for the strawberry milkshake. The cold cup felt nice against your warm palm.
Juhoon glanced at you, that faint, knowing smile still playing on his lips. “I’ve been told.”
The cat meowed happily, now stretched out and claiming both of your laps at once. For a moment, neither of you spoke. You took a sip of the milkshake. Sweet strawberry flavor filled your mouth.
“…Thanks,” you said quietly, almost reluctantly.
Juhoon didn’t tease you. He simply nodded, still gently stroking the cat’s fur, looking perfectly content to sit there with you in your secret little corner.
“Choco really likes you, huh?” you commented, watching the way the cat was shamelessly demanding pets from him.
Juhoon’s head snapped up toward you, surprised. “Choco?”
“Yeah, that’s her name,” you said, taking another sip of the strawberry milkshake. The sweetness helped hide the small smile threatening to break through.
A soft, amused expression crossed his face. “My turtle’s name is Choco too.”
You nearly choked on your drink. “You have a turtle?!”
“Two turtles, actually,” he corrected, looking genuinely entertained by your reaction. “Martin doesn’t know. He’d probably make fun of me for months.”
You stared at him in disbelief, a genuine laugh slipping out before you could stop it. Juhoon went still for a second, just watching you. His eyes softened, and he let out a quiet, content sigh, the corners of his lips curving into a gentle smile.
“Damn… what other secrets are you hiding?” you asked, still chuckling as you leaned back against the bench.
Juhoon shrugged, still gently stroking Choco’s back as she purred loudly between you two. “Guess you’ll have to stick around if you want to find out.”
The way he said it made your stomach do a little flip. You looked away quickly, pretending to be very interested in the milkshake again, but you could feel his gaze lingering on you. He looked… happy. Like getting you to laugh, even just a little, had made his entire day.
However, the peaceful moment didn’t last long.
A loud metallic bang suddenly echoed from behind the gym, startling both of you. Choco hissed and bolted off the bench, disappearing into the bushes. You and Juhoon turned toward the noise at the same time.
Hyoman and his three friends emerged from the corner, smirking like they’d just found their favorite prey. The same guy who had cut your face last time was grinning wide, twirling a small knife between his fingers.
“Look what we have here,” Hyoman drawled, tilting his head. “The murderer… cozying up with the quiet kid”
“So he was lying that day in the art room,” the knife guy added with a nasty smirk. “Guess she’s got one protector now”
You glanced at Juhoon. His jaw was clenched, and though he tried to hide it, you could see the nervousness in his eyes. Still, he stood up first, stepping in front of you protectively.
“Leave us alone,” Juhoon said firmly, his voice steady despite the situation.
“Juhoon—” You grabbed the back of his shirt, heart racing.
“Aww, look at him protecting his girl,” one of the guys mocked, laughing. He stepped closer, cracking his knuckles. “How touching.”
“Move if you don’t want to get hurt,” the knife guy warned Juhoon, eyes dark. When he didn’t budge, he grabbed Juhoon by the collar and threw him to the side. Juhoon crashed hard into the ground with a pained grunt.
You tried to run to him, but the broad guy immediately blocked your path. Rage and fear boiled over. You snatched the half-full strawberry milkshake cup from the bench and slammed it straight into his face with all your strength.
“Bitch—!” he roared, stumbling back as sticky liquid splashed everywhere.
You didn’t waste the opening. You grabbed his arm, twisted it sharply behind his back, and yanked hard, just like you’d practiced with your old friend suho. He howled in pain.
But before you could do more, another pair of hands grabbed you roughly from behind. He fisted your hair and yanked your head back painfully. You hissed, kicking and struggling, but his grip was tight.
“Still got that nasty attitude, huh?” he growled into your ear, breath hot and disgusting. “Let’s fix that pretty face again.”
Your eyes darted desperately toward Juhoon, who was already pushing himself up off the ground, blood trickling from a fresh cut on his lip, eyes burning with anger.
You twisted and struggled, but the two guys easily overpowered you. With a harsh shove, they slammed you down onto the ground. Gravel and dirt scraped painfully against your cheek as one of them pinned your shoulders down with his full weight.
“Fuck— get off me!” you yelled, thrashing wildly beneath him.
On the side, Hyoman leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, watching the whole scene with a sick, amused smirk like he was enjoying a show.
Juhoon, who had just pushed himself up from the ground, froze for a split second. Pure rage flooded his usually calm eyes as he watched them pin you down. His gaze darted frantically around the area until it landed on an empty glass bottle near the trash bins.
Without hesitation, he snatched it up.
You kept fighting, kicking your legs desperately, but the guy on top of you only laughed. The knife-wielding bastard crouched beside your face, slowly dragging the cold blade across your cheek — not cutting you yet, just teasing.
“Should I give you a matching scar?” he whispered, voice low and venomous. “Make it look symmetrical this time…”
A shiver of real fear ran down your spine. You tried not to show it, but your breathing became ragged. You kicked harder, snarling, “Don’t you fucking dare—”
“Relax, darling,” he cooed, pressing the blade lightly against your skin. “It won’t hurt for long—”
A sickening crack cut him off.
The guy let out a pained groan and collapsed sideways onto the ground, shards of glass scattering around him. You looked up, breathing hard.
Juhoon stood there, chest heaving, the broken remains of the bottle still clenched tightly in his hand. His knuckles were white. A few drops of blood ran down his fingers.
“Ju—!” you started, relief flashing through you.
But before you could finish, Hyoman moved like lightning. He kicked Juhoon hard in the stomach, sending him crashing backward into the wall with a heavy thud. Juhoon gasped, curling in on himself as the air was knocked out of his lungs.
At the same time, the broad-shouldered guy tackled you again, slamming your back against the ground. Pain exploded across your spine. He grabbed your wrists and pinned them above your head, his face twisted with anger.
“You little bitch,” he growled, face inches from yours. “You’re gonna regret that.”
Your eyes darted desperately toward Juhoon, who was struggling to get up, one arm wrapped around his stomach. Blood was dripping from his hand where the broken glass had cut him.
You couldn’t let it happen again. You couldn’t watch another person get hurt because of you. The memory of Suho flashed violently through your mind.
Suho…I’m sorry. Im getting into another fight..im sorry.
Your hand moved on instinct. You yanked the metal hairclip from your hair and stabbed it hard into the arm of the guy pinning you down — once, twice, three times. He screamed in pain, grip loosening immediately. You shoved him off with all your strength, and he collapsed to the ground, writhing and clutching his bleeding arm.
The other guy was still down, groaning from the glass shards embedded in his side.
Breathing heavily, you turned toward Hyoman. For the first time, real fear flickered across his face as he slowly backed away.
“Fine you win,” he stammered, hands raised. “Just let me go.”
“You wanted this,” you growled, stepping forward and grabbing his collar roughly. “You asked for it.”
“Please—” His voice cracked. “Ill just leave you alone—”
You didn’t listen. You pulled your fist back and punched him square in the face, just like he had done to Juhoon. The impact sent him staggering backward before he crumpled to the ground with a pained grunt. Your knuckles throbbed. Your shoulder burned. Every muscle screamed from the struggle. But none of that mattered.
A soft groan pulled your attention.
You spun around and rushed to him, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through your body. He was leaning heavily against the wall, face pale, breathing shallow. Blood dripped steadily from the deep cuts on his hand where he’d smashed the bottle.
“Shit… Juhoon, I’m so sorry—” Your voice cracked as you reached him. You gently slipped one arm under his, supporting most of his weight. “Your bleeding… We need to get you to the infirmary right now.”
“It’s… it’s fine,” he murmured weakly, trying to straighten up. “I’ll be okay. You’re hurt too—”
“Shut up,” you cut him off, voice trembling with guilt and leftover adrenaline. “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t—”
Juhoon leaned more of his weight on you, his uninjured hand lightly gripping your shoulder for support. His dark eyes met yours, tired but still soft.
“You protected me,” he whispered, a faint, pained smile tugging at his bloody lip. “I should be thanking you.”
Tears stung the corners of your eyes. You quickly looked away, focusing on helping him walk. Nothing else mattered right now more than Juhoon.
“Does it hurt…?” you asked softly, carefully wrapping the bandage around his injured hand. Your fingers were gentle, but every small movement still made him tense.
Juhoon made a brief face, lips pressing into a thin line, before quickly smoothing it back into his usual poker face. “Not at all.”
“Liar,” you muttered, shooting him a glare as you secured the last part of the bandage. “You’re terrible at hiding pain.”
You finished tying the bandage and were about to pull away when your eyes drifted to his bruised lip. The dried blood there looked painful, split and swollen. A fresh wave of guilt twisted in your chest.
“What’s wrong?” Juhoon asked, noticing how you’d gone still.
You didn’t answer. Instead, you stood up and started rummaging through the nurse’s drawers. After a few seconds, your face lit up when you found the ointment that you were looking for.
“Sit still,” you told him, returning to stand between his legs.
Surprisingly, Juhoon obeyed without protest, looking up at you like a quiet puppy. You gently tilted his chin up with your fingers and dabbed a cotton pad on the cut first, cleaning away the dried blood. Then you squeezed a small amount of ointment onto your fingertip and began applying it with feather-light touches.
Juhoon winced slightly at first, but quickly relaxed. While you focused on treating him, his dark eyes betrayed him. They kept drifting from your focused eyes, down to your lips, then to the small cut on your own cheek, and back to your lips again. His gaze lingered longer each time.
You finished applying the ointment and started to pull back, but Juhoon’s hand suddenly moved. He gently caught your wrist, his touch warm and hesitant, pulling you just a little closer.
“Juhoon… what—” you started, breath catching.
He didn’t say anything. Instead, he took the tube of ointment from your hand. With the same gentleness you had shown him, he dabbed some onto his finger and reached up to apply it to the shallow cut on your cheek. His thumb brushed lightly against your skin as he spread the cream, sending tiny sparks through you. His eyes met yours again, this time without looking away. The air between you thickened with unspoken tension. His gaze dropped to your lips once more, staying there longer than before.
“Thanks for saving me...i hope you're okay too,” he whispered, voice low.
Your heart raced wildly as Juhoon’s thumb gently stroked the area just below the cut on your cheek.
You could only manage a small smile, too flustered to speak properly. It was meant to reassure him that you were fine, but your trembling hand probably gave you away.
Juhoon didn’t smile. Instead, he slowly leaned in closer. The distance between you shrank until you could feel the warmth of his breath brushing against your lips. Your heart skipped hard, then hammered even faster. The infirmary suddenly felt too quiet, too small, too warm.
“Juhoon…” you whispered, barely audible.
He stopped just inches away, eyes half-lidded, gaze dropping to your lips. The world seemed to freeze.Your lips parted, but no words came out.Before you could answer you both heard a loud bang.
“I HEARD YOU GOT INTO A FIGHT, JU—!”
Martin burst through the door like a hurricane, voice loud and frantic. He froze mid-step the second he saw the two of you, Juhoon’s hand was still gently cupping your cheek.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Martin’s eyes widened as he took in the scene. “Wait— what the hell?!”
Juhoon slowly pulled back, but not before shooting his best friend a sharp, annoyed glare. His ears had turned bright red. You, on the other hand, felt like your entire face was on fire as you stepped back quickly, heart still pounding.
“Nothing… She saved me,” Juhoon said quietly as he walked over to Martin.
Martin’s eyes widened in disbelief. He immediately started fussing over his friend — grabbing Juhoon’s chin to inspect the bruised lip, then checking the freshly bandaged hand.
“You’re such an idiot, dude!” he scolded, smacking the back of Juhoon’s neck. “What the hell were you thinking, going up against Hyoman’s whole crew? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Juhoon winced at the smack but let out a soft chuckle, clearly amused by Martin’s over-the-top reaction. He rubbed the back of his neck with a small, pained smile.
Martin’s gaze then shifted to you. His expression was a mix of gratitude and lingering suspicion. He was clearly upset that Juhoon had gotten dragged into your mess, yet he couldn’t fully ignore that you’d helped his bestfriend.
“Since when did you two become so close?” Martin asked, his tone cautious.
“We aren’t—” you started quickly, cheeks heating up.
“Sometime back,” Juhoon cut you off smoothly.
“I see…” Martin muttered, eyeing you with clear suspicion. The awkward tension in the room grew thicker.
After a beat of uncomfortable silence, Martin tried to lighten the mood. “Anyway… after school, kebab?”
“Again?” Juhoon side-eyed him.
“Pleaseee,” Martin begged, clasping his hands together dramatically. “I’ve been craving it all week.”
You stood there awkwardly, feeling completely out of place. You quietly picked up your bag, ready to slip out of the infirmary, when Juhoon’s voice stopped you.
Martin immediately protested, “Hey, you can’t just—”
“Ow!” Martin clutched his shoulder where Juhoon had sharply jabbed him to shut up.
You hesitated at the door. “I’ll pass.”
Juhoon looked at you, a shy but sincere expression softening his usual poker face. He scratched the side of his neck awkwardly. “Come,” he said, voice quieter now. “I want to treat you… for saving me.”
He gave Martin a hopeful look.
Martin sighed dramatically, rubbing the spot where Juhoon had jabbed him. After a few seconds, he scratched the back of his neck, looking a little embarrassed. “Yeah… I wouldn’t mind having you there either,” he admitted, though it sounded slightly forced. “If you want to come, that is.”
You stood frozen, caught off guard by both of their sudden invitations. Juhoon’s soft, hopeful eyes were fixed on you, while Martin tried (and failed) to hide his reluctance behind an awkward smile.
“I’ll come,” you said after a long pause.
And just like that, everything began to change.
Since that day, you slowly started hanging out with Juhoon and Martin more often. The kebab outing turned out surprisingly fun. Martin, who had once looked at you with suspicion, gradually warmed up. He still teased you sometimes, but there was no longer any real hostility behind it.
One afternoon, you ended up taking them to the hospital where Suho had been staying for months. The sterile smell of the corridor hit you hard the moment you stepped inside. When you saw Suho lying unconscious in the hospital bed, tubes connected to his body, something inside you shattered. You broke down completely in front of them.
Juhoon didn’t say anything. He simply pulled you into his arms, letting you cry against his chest while gently rubbing your back. Martin stood awkwardly nearby, but his presence was comforting too. That day, something shifted between you and Juhoon. The walls you had built around yourself started cracking, and he slipped through them.
From then on, the two of you grew even closer.
Juhoon’s care was never loud or obvious. It was in the small things like leaving a strawberry milkshake on your desk when he knew you’d had a rough morning, walking on the side closer to the road when you were together, or silently standing up for you whenever people whispered rumors behind your back.
He never hesitated to defend you. Even when it got him hurt and you hated it. Every single time. It reminded you too much of Suho. The fear that Juhoon would suffer the same fate haunted you constantly.
“Juhoon, just stay quiet next time,” you’d beg him after every incident. “Please. I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”
But Juhoon was stubborn. He would only give you that soft, determined look and say, “I can’t.”
One day, it went too far.
You found him after school near the back staircase, leaning against the wall with a fresh bruise blooming across his cheek and bloody knuckles. His lip was split again. When he saw you, he tried to smile like nothing was wrong, but the pain was clear in his eyes.
A knot in your chest twisted painfully.
“Juhoon, I’ve told you so many times!!” you shouted, voice echoing down the empty staircase. Your hands were trembling at your sides as you stared at the fresh bruise blooming across his cheek and the bloody knuckles on his hand.
Juhoon stepped closer, his expression soft despite the pain etched on his face. “Relax… it’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine, Juhoon!” Your voice cracked with panic and frustration. “You’re hurt again! Why do you keep doing this?!”
He reached out, gently placing his hand on your shoulder, trying to calm you down. But you brushed it off sharply, stepping back.
“I’m sorry y/n…” he whispered, eyes filled with guilt.
“Sorry doesn’t fix anything!” Tears stung your eyes, blurring your vision. You tried to hold them back, but they spilled over anyway, hot and angry. “You know what happened with Suho… I can’t— I won’t watch the same thing happen to you”
Juhoon’s expression softened on hearing that. He looked like he wanted to pull you into his arms, but he held himself back, respecting the space you’d created.
“I know you’re scared,” he said. “But I can’t just stand by and let them talk about you like that. I can’t pretend it doesn’t bother me.”
You shook your head, wiping your tears roughly with the back of your hand. “Then be selfish for once! Stay away. Please, Juhoon… I’m begging you.”
The silence that followed was heavy. He looked truly conflicted between his feelings for you and the fear he was causing you.
“I can’t…” Juhoon replied, his voice cracking with quiet desperation. He stepped closer and gently cupped your face with both hands, his thumbs carefully wiping away the fresh tears that kept slipping down your cheeks. His touch was warm, trembling slightly, like he was afraid you might leave him.
“Why can’t you?” you choked out, your voice breaking even more. The tears wouldn’t stop now. “Why do you keep putting yourself in danger for me?!”
Juhoon didn’t answer right away, just stared at you. Deep down, he knew exactly why. He had liked you since the day you joined. Those feelings had only grown stronger with every passing day but he never confessed. How could he? You were still grieving Suho. He didn’t want to be another burden. He didn’t want to scare you away.
What he didn’t know was that your feelings for him ran much deeper than what you’d ever felt for Suho. Suho had been your best friend, someone you loved like family. But Juhoon… Juhoon made your heart race in a completely different way. That was exactly why losing him terrified you more than anything.
“Say something, Juhoon…” you whispered, your voice barely holding together as you locked eyes with him.
He swallowed hard, thumbs still gently brushing your wet cheeks.
“It’s complicated,” he said softly.
“What is complicated, Juhoon?!” you yelled, frustration and fear exploding out of you. “Just say it! Why can’t you stay away?! Why do you keep getting hurt for someone like me?!”.
His gaze dropped to your lips for a brief second before returning to your tear-filled eyes.
“What if I said something crazy…” Juhoon’s voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible. His thumbs stilled on your cheeks. “Like… I liked you?”
The words hung in the air between you. The second they left his mouth, regret flashed across his face. His eyes widened slightly, like he couldn’t believe he’d actually said it out loud.
“I mean— it’s not like like that,” he rushed out, voice stumbling over itself. “It was just a what if. Not real. I was just saying it hypothetically, you know? Because you kept asking and I didn’t know how to explain—”
Your heart beat increased. The guy you had slowly, terrifyingly fallen for had just confessed. And now he was desperately trying to take it back.
“Juhoon—” you tried to speak, but your voice came out shaky.
He didn’t hear you. Or maybe he was too scared to stop. He stepped back, dropping his hands from your face. His ears were bright red as he continued rambling, avoiding your eyes completely.
“I didn’t mean to make it weird. You’re already dealing with so much and I know Suho was important to you and I’m probably just complicating everything and—”
“Juhoon,” you said again, louder this time.
He finally stopped talking, breathing hard as he stared at the floor.
“You’re unbelievable…” you scoffed softly, a mix of disbelief and warmth flooding your chest as you stared at him.
Juhoon looked puzzled, his bruised cheek making the expression almost endearing. You took a shaky breath, heart beating so hard you could feel it. Before you could overthink it, the words spilled out:
“What if I said something crazy too?” Your voice trembled. “Like… I like you, Juhoon.”
The moment the words left your mouth, Juhoon’s eyes widened. His legs literally gave out beneath him. He dropped straight down to the floor, back pressed against the wall. He didn’t say anything. He just stared up at you, completely frozen, like he couldn’t process what he’d just heard.
Your concern spiked instantly. “Juhoon?!” You dropped to your knees beside him, hands reaching out to steady him. “Are you okay?! We should get those wounds treated again— your cheek, your—”
You tried to help him stand, grabbing his arm in a panic, but Juhoon gently shook his head. He pushed himself up slowly, using the wall for support, though his legs still looked unsteady.
“I’m okay…” he murmured, voice hoarse. “I just… wasn’t expecting that.”
“Expecting what?” you asked innocently, tilting your head with a small, shy smile.
Juhoon’s voice got stuck in his throat. He stared at you, completely speechless for a moment. His ears and cheeks burned bright red as he struggled to form words.
“Uh…” He looked away quickly, trying to hide his flushed face, but you gently caught his chin and pulled him back toward you.
“Shit … that looks so bad,” you whispered, eyes softening as you traced your gaze over the ugly bruise on his cheek.
Juhoon stayed quiet, doing his best to keep his composure while your fingers were so close to his face. His heart was clearly racing.
Later, the two of you escaped to your secret spot behind the old gym. This quiet little corner no longer belonged to just you. Martin sometimes joined, but now it was only you and Juhoon.
You were sitting side by side on the old wooden bench. Choco had claimed Juhoon’s lap as her personal throne again, purring loudly as she curled up against him. You focused on gently applying bruise cream to his cheek.
But Juhoon wasn’t making it easy.
He kept staring at you intensely. The tension in the air grew thicker with every passing second.
You tried to ignore the way your own heart was fluttering.
Suddenly, Juhoon shifted. His hand moved fast, gently wrapping around your wrist, stopping your movements. The motion startled Choco, who let out a small meow and jumped off his lap, disappearing into the nearby bushes.
“Choco– Juhoon–” you started, turning your head to look at him.Before you could finish, Juhoon leaned in and pressed his lips against yours.
The kiss was softer than you expected. His uninjured hand came up to cradle the side of your neck, thumb brushing lightly against your jaw. The world around you faded away. There was only the gentle press of his lips, the warmth of his skin, and the way your heart felt like it might burst.
When he finally pulled back, both of you were breathing softly. A shy, almost disbelieving smile played on his lips.
“I’ve been wanting to do that” he admitted quietly, voice barely above a whisper.
You let out a breathless little laugh, cheeks burning as you rested your hands on his chest. “You could’ve warned me….”
Juhoon’s smile widened, his thumb still gently stroking your jaw. “Sorry,” he murmured, though he didn’t sound sorry at all. “Couldn’t wait anymore”
“So… are we…?” Juhoon asked softly, his voice hesitant but hopeful as he looked at you. His cheeks were still slightly flushed from the kiss.
You nodded, a shy smile spreading across your face. But before he could say anything else, you quickly added, “This doesn’t mean you get to jump into more fights now. You have to promise me first.”
Juhoon let out a long, dramatic sigh, but his eyes were warm with affection. “Okay, darling.”
Your face instantly burned bright red at the nickname. “Darling?!” You smacked him square in the chest, though there was no real force behind it.
“Ow—” Juhoon fake-cried, clutching his chest like you’d wounded him gravely. The playful grin on his face completely ruined the act.
“Deserved,” you shot back, trying to hide your smile. “That’s for scaring Choco away earlier.”
Just then, soft meowing and approaching footsteps interrupted the moment. You both turned to see Martin walking toward you, cradling a very content Choco in his arms.
“I was coming here to find you guys when this little one came running up to me,” Martin said, gently scratching behind Choco’s ears.
“Aww, Choco, come here~” You reached out and took her from him. The cat immediately started purring loudly in your lap, clearly happy to be back with her favorite people.
While you were busy cuddling Choco, Juhoon suddenly grabbed Martin by the sleeve and pulled him a few steps away. He leaned in and whispered something quickly in his friend’s ear. Martin’s eyes widened dramatically. A second later, he let out a loud, excited scream.
“OH MY GOD— YOU GUYS ARE TOGETHER?!?!” He pointed between you and Juhoon, mouth hanging open. “Juhoon actually got a girlfriend before me?! This is not fair! I’ve been single since birth and you just casually pulled this off?!”
Juhoon rubbed the back of his neck, looking equal parts embarrassed and amused. “Martin, calm down—”
“No! This is huge!” Martin dramatically clutched his chest. “I need details. When? How? Did you finally stop being a coward and confess? And you—” he turned to you with a playful grin, “—you actually said yes to this idiot?”
You buried your face slightly in Choco’s fur, laughing softly as your cheeks stayed warm. Juhoon just shook his head, but the soft, happy smile on his face didn’t fade.
Just then, your phone started ringing loudly, cutting through the peaceful moment. You glanced at the screen and your face immediately dropped. Both Martin and Juhoon noticed the sudden shift in your expression.
Your hands began to shake as you answered the call, pressing the phone tightly to your ear. “Hello…?”
The voice on the other end spoke. With every word, your eyes slowly widened. Your breath caught in your throat. No way..You hung up the call with trembling fingers.
Juhoon immediately rushed forward and knelt down in front of you, worry etched deeply into his features. “What happened?” he asked urgently, gently cupping your face with both hands.
“Suho…” your voice shook in disbelief.
Juhoon’s face fell, his heart clearly sinking as he prepared for bad news. Martin, who had been playfully teasing just seconds ago, also went completely still, his usual bright energy vanishing as he watched you anxiously.
“He’s awake…” you whispered, a tear rolled down your face “He’s out of his coma, Juhoon. Suho’s awake…”
For a moment, pure silence hung in the air. Then, overwhelming relief crashed over you. A shaky, tearful smile broke across your lips even as you continued crying. “I’m so happy right now… I can’t believe it.”
Juhoon’s eyes softened with a mixture of relief. Without a second thought, he pulled you into his arms, wrapping you in a tight, protective hug. He held you close against his chest, one hand gently cradling the back of your head while the other rubbed soothing circles on your back.
“That’s amazing,” he whispered into your hair, his voice thick with genuine happiness for you. “I’m so glad. You’ve been waiting for this for so long.”
Martin stood there for a second, processing everything, before a wide, relieved grin spread across his face. “Holy shit— he’s really awake?!” He let out a loud, joyful laugh and ruffled your hair affectionately. “That’s the best news ever! Suho’s a fighter, just like you said.”
You buried your face deeper into Juhoon’s shoulder, crying and laughing at the same time. The relief was so intense it almost hurt. All those months of guilt, fear, and waiting had finally paid off.
Juhoon didn’t let go. He held you even tighter, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head. “It’s okay to cry,” he murmured gently. “I’m right here.”
Martin crouched down beside the two of you, still smiling brightly but now more softly. “We should go visit him soon. All three of us. I’ll even bring the kebabs this time.”
“Enough with the kebabs, Martin,” Juhoon whined, burying his face in your shoulder dramatically.
“HEY! He will like it!” Martin protested loudly. “Kebabs are a celebration food!”
You burst out laughing, the sound bright and full of relief. The joy bubbling inside you felt almost overwhelming...This all felt like a dream.
You slowly pulled back from Juhoon’s hug and looked up at him. His eyes were soft, filled with quiet happiness for you. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, lingering there for a moment. Then he carefully tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear.
“Let’s go when you’re ready,” he said softly. “There’s no rush.”
“Suho’s gonna love this,” Martin grinned, holding up his phone as he snapped another photo of the two of you.
“Martin!” you yelped, standing up with Juhoon. You tried to whack his arm, but he dodged away laughing.
“Yah! I look ugly right now, delete that! I’ll actually beat you up, stop!” you complained, chasing after him while still laughing.
“Okay, okay!” Martin surrendered, backing away with his hands up, though he was still grinning like an idiot. “But I’m keeping at least one. Memories, you know?”
You shook your head, still smiling as you returned to Juhoon’s side. He slipped his arm around your waist and pulled you close, pressing another soft kiss to your temple.
For the first time in a long time, everything felt like it was falling into place. Suho was awake. You had friends who teased you, supported you, and stood by you. And you had Juhoon, a caring boy who refused to leave your side no matter what.
You looked up at him, heart full. “Thank you… for everything.”
Juhoon just smiled and rested his forehead against yours. “We’re in this together now.”
In the background, Martin was already planning the surprise visit menu out loud, Choco had returned to her spot on the bench, and the golden afternoon light filtered gently through the leaves.
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