ℳ⋆.˚

leader of jo nation

[ikigaijo]

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[ikigaijo]

ꫂ᭪݁ stay unprofessional - jo ᭝ ᨳଓ ՟

ꨄ︎ warnings : white collar jojo, office setting, kissing, skinship, slight angst if you squint, jo is desperate 🤤, forbidden love - lowercase intended.

ꨄ︎ word count : 1.9k

ꨄ︎ author's note : something quick whilst i work on the harua fic! i LOVE ceo!jo. ty izzy for this glorious idea. he looked so good in the grandslam video so of course i made that the banner. it fits the business vibe, ok? he’s so yummy. anyways, all support is appreciated, and i hope u enjoy jokitties 🪽

ִֶָ. ..𓂃currently playing: art deco - lana del rey ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐

⠀⠀ ⠀ ⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ 朝倉穣ᰍ໋ ۫   ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𖦹⠀ 𓈒 読む⸝⸝ ⟡ 

the first day at your new job, secretary for the ceo of yx technology, was daunting. waking up on monday was daunting, the drive there was daunting. everything about your new job was daunting. even the ceo.

standing in the reception, waiting to be called up by your new employer, your hands shook with nerves. you couldn’t go home now, you were here. your job was important.

“excuse me, ma’am. are you the new hire?” a man called out as he approached you, his tall, sleek presence intimidating. you stand up immediately, nodding.

“i- yes, that’s me.” you stuttered. your nerves were at their peak.

the man smiled, offering his hand to you.

“great. i’m asakura jo, we spoke on the phone. i’ll be your boss starting from today. it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” his voice was incredibly sweet. he was so soft spoken for a man of such power. you shook his hand, his grip was firm. 

“it’s nice to meet you too, sir.”

“let’s start with a tour, shall we?

---

after showing you around the large building, explaining different departments and locations, jo guided you to your desk, which was practically next door to his office.

“this is your stop. i promise you’ll fit right in with our team.” he said, a slim hand squeezing your shoulder. “if you’ve got any worries, come to me, alright? i’ve got you.”

“yes, sir. i will.”

jo smiled, his hand dropping from your shoulder into the pocket of his blazer.

“great. i’ll let you get settled.”

you had nothing to worry about. your boss was a total sweetheart.

---

over the next few weeks, you slowly became familiar with the office, your coworkers, the overall vibe of the company. the job and it’s tasks were challenging, but you managed. jo seemed pleased with your work too. 

he was so sweet to you. he’d make you a cup of coffee every morning, dropping it off at your desk on the way to his. 

“i insist,” he’d say when you felt bad. “the ceo can do things for his employees too.”

jo would give you that warm, welcoming smile each time you’d make conversation, too. it was the highlight of your day, honestly.

it was easy to grow comfortable with your boss. conversations were easygoing, light-hearted, jo’s voice always holding that same soft tone. he’d ask how your day went, if you ate lunch, how your family were doing. every word that came from him made you smile. maybe you were easily swooned, or maybe asakura jo was just a good boss.

---

it was a slow build up. you didn’t notice it at first. but when you did, you couldn’t not notice. 

jo was staring at you. constantly. and every time you’d glance over, your eyes catching his, he’d turn away quickly, busying himself with paperwork or the buttons on the printer. his ears would be bright red every time. it was cute, to say the least. 

you’d always found your boss attractive. that wasn’t something you were going to deny. asakura jo was insanely handsome, and you were sure he knew it, too - but his newfound staring problem made you wonder. did he feel the same attraction to you? was that why he was always staring, being so nice, blushing when you make eye contact?

enough, you’d scold yourself. that’s your boss you’re talking about.

you had to stay professional. you weren’t about to lose your job barely 2 months in. not at a company this successful.

---

late friday evening, you were working over time due to a surge in sells, your schedule packed, meetings to enter into the system, data to report. the office was quiet, maybe four other people were still there. four including jo. he was in his office, door wide open, wide enough that you could see him in your peripheral vision. not like you were staring.

the only sounds in the building were the muffled hum of the air conditioning and the tapping of keyboards.

drying your hands on your skirt, you were just leaving the bathroom when jo called your name.

“sorry to bother you. i know you’re busy.” he apologised, his adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “i need to speak with you in my office… about your report.”

a rush of nerves swept through you. were you in trouble? was the report not good enough?

“oh, um… yes, of course sir.”

“follow me.”

the walk to his office was short, but it felt like a lifetime. you didn’t know what to expect. jo opened the door, offering for you to enter first. you muttered a quiet ‘thank you’, and walked in. he followed behind, pulling the door shut. you swear you heard the lock click.

before you could get another word out, jo’s large hands found your waist, pinning you against the door. you gasped, but it was swallowed by his lips as they crashed against yours.

his kiss was hungry, ravenous, the way his mouth moved against yours was nothing short of desperate. your shock was quickly replaced with a feeling of warmth, the familiar sensation you got whenever you were in jo’s vicinity. only this time, it was charged with pure erotic heat. this was nothing like the jo you thought you knew. the sounds he made were filthy, his hands sliding down your body, finding their way to the curve of your ass. the touch made you nervous and excited all at once.

“sir, we shouldn’t-”

“shh… let me taste you.” jo mumbled into your mouth, his tongue sliding against yours. “please.”

the kiss only lasted a few more seconds before you pushed him off of you. jo stared at you, eyes glazed over, chest rising and falling rapidly as he caught his breath. his lips were slightly swollen, glistening. there was a red flush that spread across his ears and cheeks, all the way to the base of his throat.

“i-i have to go.” 

that was all you said, as you fixed your skirt and unlocked the door. you left the office no more than 5 minutes later.

---

during the weekend after the incident, you’d hoped that maybe jo forgot about what happened. that it was just a spur of the moment kind of thing. but you were wrong. completely wrong.

you could tell jo was thinking about it. the eye contact lasted far longer than it did before, his eyes holding a certain kind of heat that you saw that friday evening too. you didn’t miss the way his gaze lingered on your body as you walked across the office. it was constant. a constant, obvious reminder that what happened wasn’t a dream. it was real. terrifyingly real.

unbeknownst to you, jo was going insane over what had happened that friday night. over how your lips had felt pressed against his. about the quiet sound you’d let out when his hands touched you. he swore he could still taste your cherry lipgloss. everything about you made him spiral.

it hurt when you rushed out, pushed him away. that wasn’t what jo wanted to happen. he was worried. but he wasn’t oblivious, either - he knew you were avoiding him.

---

it took him 3 days to build up the courage to pull you aside into his office once more. you were hesitant, but eventually agreed.

“listen, y/n…i crossed a boundary last week. a serious boundary.” he started, adjusting his tie. “i just wanted to apologise.”

you took a single step forward, nodding for him to continue.

“i’m extremely sorry. it was stupid, i wasn’t thinking straight. it won’t happen agai-”

he didn’t get to finish his apology before your lips crashed against his. now it was you who wasn’t thinking straight. your hands slid up his chest, cupping the sides of his neck. jo let out a high-pitched sound, his hands grazing your hips. your tongue swiped across the opening of his mouth once, twice, before you pulled back.

“i’m sorry i ran away.” you whispered, forehead pressed against his. “i was afraid. i didn’t want to get in trouble, or risk losing my job.”

jo whined, trying to attach his mouth on yours. the hands on his neck pushed him back gently.

“i thought i had enticed you or something. it felt unprofessional. it felt… wrong. but now i don’t know what to think.”

“you don’t have to.” jo responded, his voice breathless. “don’t worry, sweetheart. i’ve got you. it’ll be our little secret, okay?”

that was all it took. you were an easy woman to convince.

---

after the two of you agreed on your arrangement, the secrets began. the excitement you felt of sneaking around with jo was magnificent. the thrill was electric. the risk was inviting. jo pulling you into the break room to make out, all messy and rushed, walking back out as unsuspiciously as you could. his slim hands finding your hip as he passed you by the printer, a quick wink as he leaves. the flirty texts, asking you to come to his office when the office started to empty out. 

no one ever found out about you and jo, which allowed you to slip into a familiarity of secrecy. it was tiring at times, but as long as you were with jo, you didn’t mind.

what the two of you had was perfect. but a part of you desperately wanted something more. 

---

another late shift, the sun already set, and you were in jo’s office again. you were draped over his lap, legs on either side of his hips, his mouth on your neck. he loved leaving marks just below your shirt collar, a tease at exposure.

“jojo,” you called out, your hands buried in his dark hair. he hummed into your skin, urging you to continue. “i wanna talk about this. about… about us.”

his lips stopped at your words. he pulled back, his sharp eyes meeting yours. 

“i’m listening. what do you want to talk about exactly?”

you swallowed, surprisingly nervous. jo could sense it, his hand squeezing your waist in silent reassurance.

“i just want to know where this is going. if it’s even going anywhere. i’m just… i don’t want to be a work wife or something. just something for you to use when you’re in the office.”

the way jo’s head shook was instant, his expression firm.

“no, my love. that’s not what this is at all. my feelings for you are much deeper than that.” he pressed a small kiss to your cheek. “trust me, i’ve loved the thrill of sneaking around, having a secret just between the two of us. but i don’t want this to be something temporary. i want to be able to show my adoration for you without restrictions. without the fear of being caught or frowned on.”

“me too. i really want that.”

“i’m glad we’re on the same page, my love, really.” another kiss, this time on your jawline. “let me take you out. properly. i’ll book a reservation at the nice restaurant downtown. you won’t have to worry about a thing, okay? i’ll take responsibility for whatever happens.”

“you will?”

“of course i will. anything for you.”

you smiled. jo smiled back.

“now, when do you want that reservation? friday or saturday night?”

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[eu1joo]

— making me blush | byun euijoo

synopsis | the only thing worse than kissing euijoo while wearing your stickiest lipgloss was not kissing her at all.

details | fem!euijoo x female!reader, fluff, yearning, tension, flirting, mutual pining, first kiss, GIRLS KISSING, slightly suggestive material but nothing explicit, reader has experience with makeup, cursing, playful banter, redundant use of makeup terminology, there are only so many words for lipstick, lowercase intended

wc | 4.3k

from the author | MY FEMTEAM DEBUT !!!! 1/3 wishes granted for @yuyuppie

“quit blinking”

“quit stabbing my eye.”

she sank her head deeper into the pillow in an attempt to escape your deadly weapon, which was just an old eyeshadow brush. it was frayed from years of use but still soft enough to use on your best friend’s precious eyes. you dipped into a muted, very loved light brown eyeshadow, packed neatly into a very loved palette, and you swirled it over euijoo’s fluttering, very loved eyes. 

“you asked me to, remember?” you taunted, dipping the brush back into the pigment, and euijoo took the opportunity to shove your shoulder as you leaned back down over her. with your weight settled low on her hips, you felt her stomach tighten with stifled laughter. the movement only made her situation more dangerous, made the brush in your hand unstable and the loose powder on the tip of it scatter on the roundest parts of her cheeks. 

“i asked you to do my makeup,” she mumbled, and she flinched, creasing the skin around her eyes as she squeezed them shut in short bursts, “not give me a black eye.” 

“like the one you’re gonna have when i beat you for wasting my expensive products?” 

euijoo cracked one eye open, tentatively checking your expression and gauging the sincerity of your threat, only to find your brows raised with pure amusement. in fact, you were smiling, like it didn’t bother you at all that she had you try three different foundations because the first two felt too sticky. they were all sticky, meant to stick to your skin all day long, but you gladly wiped the tint away with a cotton pad, silently musing over the way her natural skin looked better than any of the gunk you were about to layer over it. she had the perfect natural complexion, and you loved making her laugh because you got to see it a bit brighter, a bit louder. 

“you could have used the cheap stuff,” euijoo argued with a sigh, shifting her posture beneath you, “i just wanted you to make me look pretty.” 

she said it like it was nothing: make me look pretty. like you were a wizard with a staff or a genie in a lamp and she had just swiped her hand over the worn bronze edge of your prison. if that were the case, it was the kind of demand that would’ve resulted in hundreds of workarounds to make happen. you hesitated to press the brush into the fold of her eyelid; her hair was fanned out over the pillow, scrunching up with every flinch and laugh, and her lips were slightly downturned in a pout, naturally, as nothing was ever good enough for her. she had to have control of the music in the car, she demanded extra butter on her popcorn when you would spend an entire day movie hopping at the cinema, and she had to be prettier.

the words fell from your lips, casually, softly, “you’re always pretty.” 

and though you continued the same as before, the cautious graze of the brush’s fibers on the delicate skin of her eye, the infamous battle of trapping her sweeping lashes in the eyelash curler without somebody bleeding out on the bed, and the light pressure of the powder puff on her forehead to seal in all of your hard work, it felt different, disturbed, like you had flipped the light on or taken the first breath in the middle of a tunnel, your lungs concave in your chest. euijoo was less relaxed, too, if it were even possible. she didn’t flinch when you rolled the mascara through her unfairly long lashes, and she kept her eyebrows relaxed as you dragged a pencil over the tails of them, despite her incessant joking earlier in the night that she was going to wiggle them like worms just to get under your skin. as if she wasn’t already there. 

you dusted the finishing touches of powder over the curves of her cheeks, reluctant to dull her glow but necessary to preserve the work of the last hour. she did look pretty– you’d be lying if you said she didn’t. but she looked so different; the dark brown and pink shadow sank her round, glossy eyes into the even, somewhat lifeless complexion your foundation gave her. and as she opened her eyes, you noticed the smoky pigment on her lashline made her dark brown irises even richer. it was as if they were swirling, like frothy, hot coffee in a handmade ceramic mug. you didn’t even realize you were staring, eyes adjusting to this new version of your best friend that you, unexpectedly, didn’t exactly recognize. until she smiled. 

“all done?” euijoo asked, raising her eyebrows and visibly recoiling at the feeling of the hairs gelled in place, “can i see?” 

“all done,” you confirmed and leaned back to grab your mirror from behind you. you felt euijoo’s hand slide up the back of your leg, holding you in place as you craned your body haphazardly. it was typical of her to keep you upright–  she was always your shoulder to lean on, physically and emotionally– but, now, your stomach tightened, and not just to engage your core and keep you from sliding all the way off the bed. no, it flipped. it was like opening a bottle of soda from the most aggressive vending machine and twisting the cap off, slow, the wet hiss of the pressure a warning and a temptation. 

the mirror was heavy in your hands as you held it, blocking your face and perfectly centering hers in the reflective glass. you peered over the top, watching her tongue poke out of her mouth as she examined the textures of the products on her face, the precise layering of color on her eyes, and the intensity of it all. euijoo glanced once, quickly, at your focused stare, your mouth slightly agape and hidden behind the mirror, and fought a smile. you cleared your throat, adjusting your position on her lap, if only just to get her to drop her hands from your legs, to stop the goosebumps from pinching your arms and the butterflies’ unwavering beating against your stomach, your chest, all the way to your throat. there was no doubt that she could hear them as you asked, “do you like it?” 

you didn’t miss the way her eyes lingered on you as she answered, “yeah.” euijoo reached up, then, and wrapped her fingers around one of your wrists, angling the mirror downward, bringing it a little closer. she furrowed her newly penciled-in brows for just a second, lips pulled to one side contemplatively, like she were solving a puzzle or counting tablespoons of sifted flour. she poked her cheek with one finger, “i’m not sure about this, though.” 

“what?” you dropped the mirror, leaning closer. did you smudge the mascara under her eye? did you forget to wipe away the fallout from the eyeshadow? 

“all the blush,” she admitted in a hushed voice, clearly regretful to be criticizing your work, “its… a bit much.” 

your faces were so close, closer than they had been before when you were packing shades of tan against her honey-toned canvas. you breathed a laugh at her innocent, guilty expression, and she laughed, too, just happy that you weren’t upset. one thing you were completely certain of was that you could never be upset with her. throughout your years of friendship, euijoo had been racking up a list of lines to be crossed. she had accidentally signed you up for an automatically renewing subscription service for bales of organically grown hay when you lived in an apartment and had, not only no need for multiple bales of hay every month, but no space for multiple bales of hay. your couch still smelled like straw. euijoo had invited your exes to parties by sending the invite text to everyone in her contacts, but she only had your exes’ numbers because she signed them up, too, for the hay bale subscription. after she realized how powerfully inconvenient it was to have an abundance of alfalfa. but at the end of every day, it was euijoo on facetime with you, decompressing after a shitty day at work, making cheap noodles on the stove and fanning the smoke detector after burning them, too invested in your conversation to notice the smoke rolling over the pan. 

the blush was prominent. it was a saturated peach, pink on the edges and flushing so evenly across her cheekbones and nose that you almost didn’t realize it was also on her ears, melting down her neck and onto her chest. and it only got brighter, or darker, rather, under your study. you had thought about what shade to use on her as you were gathering your products. before you had even began, you pondered a cherry red, a blistering pink, or a light wash of coral, all of which would have looked gorgeous on her. but after her dilemma with the feeling of the product on her skin, you had decided to skip out on the color. you could always add it on after the fact, if she asked for it. you broke the news carefully, “you’re not wearing blush.” 

“liar,” euijoo sat up slightly, craning her neck to the pile of makeup next to your perpendicular bodies and sifting through the palettes and compacts, searching for a brush with red bristles. the color was flaming bright on her ears, now, the skin there unmuddled by concealers and powders. she reached for the mirror again, “what’s this, then?” 

“that’s all you, juju,” you teased, earning another shove from her as she forced the mirror back in your hands. she reached up to cover her face, a habit you secretly adored, but stopped just short of making contact with her face, like she remembered she was about to touch paint that hadn't yet dried. she balled her hands into fists instead, containing her frustration or embarrassment or some combination of the two that only happens when you’ve been found out. like she had cheated in a game of cards and still lost. you continued, less teasing and more explanatory, “i didn’t use blush or lip color because i didn’t know if you’d like it.” 

you reached behind you again, and there was her hand on your leg, steady and warm. you felt that same warmth blooming in your chest and wondered how far it would spread before she noticed. how much could your hand shake as you blended the color seamlessly into her skin, blending even when the lines are blurred to perfection just to quiet your racing thoughts? you assumed your feelings for euijoo had fizzled out to nothing after all this time, but there had been a muffled voice you’d grown accustomed to ignoring deep, deep down. it sounded like it was drowning and its mouth had just sank below the water’s surface, whatever message it had been trying to send you reduced to helpless splashes and erupting bubbles. now that you were drowning, too, you could hear it clearly; now that you were pinning her to your bed with your hips and tilting her face like a doll with your fingertips on her chin, you could hear it louder than ever. 

you picked up the three lip colors you were considering for her, similar tones as the blushes but with different finishes. you selected a matte burgundy, a satin pink, and a gloss with coral undertones, all of which sat behind you untouched until now. you dangled them in front of euijoo’s still flushed face, opening each bottle and pulling the applicator out with a suctioned pop! that made her smile each time, her brows raising higher with each option. taking the dusty pink one, she held it up to your lips, comparing the colors. she frowned slightly, “i want whatever you have on.” 

you felt your breath catch as euijoo’s finger dragged, lightly, over your bottom lip. you gulped, tongue darting out instinctively as soon as she dropped her hand back to her chest and started flipping the lipstick bottle in her grasp. your lips were shiny with spit, no doubt, from having your lip tucked between your teeth in concentration. they were probably red for that reason, too. giving you a bitten, ruby hue that was impossible to recreate with product. just-kissed lips, euijoo would taunt you when you would send her selfies after your past successful dates. you laughed the tightness in your chest away, “i’m not wearing any lipstick,” you deflected, tapping the bottle in her hands, “i like this one, though.” 

“okay,” euijoo said, reluctance dripping off each syllable. she reached for the mirror, “can i try it?” 

she rarely wore makeup, and when she did, it was concealer on a pimple or some mascara if the occasion called for it. she loved lip balm, though, and took pride in her collection of flavors. it was more frequent for euijoo to match the flavor of her lips to her outfit rather than the color. neutrals called for coconut or vanilla whereas cool toned blues or greens were to be worn alongside blackberry or watermelon. even if no one knew but her, she would coordinate with clear, non-tinted lip balm. she made the mistake once of applying a strawberry balm that had the most pigmented sheen you’d ever witnessed in a chapstick, applying it in messy circles and overshooting her lipline by a mile. so, when you nodded, you expected much worse from her application of the pink, creamy lipstick. 

she focused in the mirror, pulling her plush lips taut and gliding the applicator along the expanse of pink flesh. carefully, euijoo traced the edges of her lips, dancing along the sharp line you’d created with the concealer earlier; the bottom lip was smooth, but the top lip posed a new challenge as she tackled the curve of her cupid’s bow. it took everything for you to not reach forward and confiscate the wand from her, to not just do it yourself. you had looked at her lips a thousand times– surely you could do it with your eyes closed. but you didn’t. you let euijoo press her lips together, a finality in any lip product application. she flinched slightly in surprise at the way her lips adhered to each other, the satin finish leaving them slightly tacky. she put on an exaggerated pout in the mirror, angling her head dramatically, “how’d i do?” 

“not too bad,” you said, truthfully, although you gingerly extended your arm and placed your thumb under the shadow of her bottom lip. with barely any pressure at all, you swiped your nail along the edge of her lip, dragging all the way to the corner and cleaning up her messy application. euijoo melted into your touch, her mouth slightly open, lip slack under the pull of your finger. absentmindedly, you wiped the excess lipstick on the side of your bed, clearing your throat as she stared, dazed. you shifted the vibe, quickly, tossing the mirror onto the comforter bunched up next to the two of you. “it looks better on me, though,” you teased, lifting your leg to slide off of her, finally finished with the task at hand, which was to do your best friend’s makeup and none of the intimate touching or staring you’d caught yourself in. 

but euijoo’s fingers tightened around the back of your leg, keeping you in place as her other hand mirrored the gesture, feathering her nails up your skin. you didn’t mean to look as shocked as you did, lips parting and the skeleton of a gasp slipping down your throat, but euijoo looked just as surprised if not more. her chest heaved noticeably beneath you, fingers drawing circles on your calves. she narrowed her eyes, pupils blown wide against the dark brown smoky shadow you packed under her lashes. she looked intense, far different from the euijoo who tried to do a flip two hours prior and almost broke your lamp because she didn’t realize she was that close to your nightstand. or that she was incapable of doing a flip. you would have placed a bet, though, that she would have looked just as intense if you wiped all the makeup off. her eyes were that sharp, burning hot, like holding an ice cube for too long. the moment right before your flesh goes numb and you can’t feel the damage anymore– a perpetual limbo between feeling everything and nothing, a fever. 

“i don’t think i’ve seen you wear this color before,” euijoo spoke like she wasn’t burning holes into you everywhere your bodies were connected, “i would have noticed.” 

“then you need to pay more attention,”.you laughed, but she didn’t, “i wear it all the time.” 

“when?” 

it sounded more like a demand than a question, but you struggled to answer it nonetheless. you wore a lot of different lipsticks, as one does, but this one was one of your favorites. the tone complimented your skin, and you liked the finish more than the matte colors in your collection. it wasn’t transfer proof, so you didn’t wear it on dates or anywhere you knew you’d have a drink or a meal. it was an activity color, so you guessed, “um, last week? when we went to that craft fair.” 

“wrong,” euijoo breathed, “you wore a gloss. your hair kept getting caught in it.” 

“then, the movies,” you shrugged, “i dont know why it matters so much.”

“because you’re not wearing it with me,” euijoo relaxed into the pillow beneath her again, but her hands wandered further up your legs, over your knees, teasing the lower half of your thighs, “and that means something.” 

it did mean something; you just didn’t know euijoo had caught onto your code. you always wore lipgloss around her, which had been the only thing keeping you from this exact situation several times before. you had a strict no kissing policy when wearing lip gloss; it was messy, sticky, and ruined your makeup without fail every time. so when euijoo would invite you to hang out, you coated your lips in a gooey shimmer. you could flirt with her all you wanted, play it off as friendly banter, but it would never go further than that. you didn’t know if she would even allow it to go further, and that, the prospect of demolishing such a perfect friendship, scared you more than ruining your makeup. to ruin your friendship and your flawless base at the same time would have been a major low for you.

you didnt know what to do with your hands, no longer holding the mirror, no longer holding a brush. now, euijoo was the artist, painting your skin with heat, with chills, like a master of the elements– she contorted your being like clay. she always had. 

“euijoo…” you sighed, attempting to brush away the embarrassment. somehow, she knew your feelings before you did. usually, she was good at that, though; she anticipated your sadness, keeping a bag of your favorite snacks on her counter in case you had a rough night and needed a pick-me-up, and she knew all your tells for when you were about to explode from anger, even over the little things. 

“can you do something for me?” she asked, ignoring every tell you were showing. you nodded despite yourself. you hoped she would tell you to stand up and let her feel the lower half of her body again, or that she would ask you if you wanted to order something to eat. anything that might signal to you that she was more oblivious than you assumed. she reached over into the pile of makeup and picked up the peach-toned lipgloss. “put this on?” 

she watched as you worked from muscle memory, no mirror needed. the gloss was thick, shiny but not shimmery, just clear and syrupy and a the rim of a glass’ worst nightmare. it accentuated the plumpness of your lips like a spyglass, reflecting the warm light of your bedroom. surely, euijoo could see herself in it as she stared at you from below, her eyelids still heavy. you lightly rubbed your lips together and twisted the lid closed. your brows raised, silently asking euijoo if she was satisfied with her request. 

but she wasn’t finished, as was typically the case with her.

“can you do something else for me?” euijoo’s voice shook, barely noticeable over the sound of your heartbeat in your ears as her hands slid up your thighs and settled on the curve of your hips. you breathed deeply, once, and nodded again. she craned her neck up to you, and her freshly rose-colored lips grazed your sticky, peach ones, “kiss me?”  

it was like one of the unthinkable ultimatums they gave the heroes of action movies, only instead of saving one man or an entire city, you had to preserve the perfect application of your lip gloss or kiss your best friend, whom you had been silently and helplessly in love with for years. decisions, decisions. you imagined this moment a dozen times, and every time it was you initiating it, making the first move and taking her breath away. one scenario was sweet in a traditional, rom-com way, hands held over an expensive meal, one kiss stolen quickly under harsh restaurant lighting; another placed the two of you in a haunted house with your fingers interlocked, moments shared in strobing flashes, gasping through the burn of artificial fog; one scenario even took place at the aforementioned craft fair, where one vendor was drawing live portraits and the hypothetical, self-induced idea of kissing euijoo for fifteen minutes straight, holding back laughter as it became incredibly awkward, made you so nervous that you nearly fainted. you blamed it on the unusual warmth of the evening and the excess of sugarly lemonade, then, but the same could not be said for right now. there was in fact no lemonade, only the sweet scent of euijoo’s perfume wafting from the heat of her chest as she lingered in the space between you. 

the only thing worse than kissing euijoo while wearing your stickiest lipgloss was not kissing her at all.

your stomach flipped and urged you forward, until the gap was closed and your lips were on hers. euijoo sighed, quietly, almost with relief like she didn’t think you were going to oblige, like there existed any version of you that would deny her anything. her hands bunched up the sides of your tshirt, pulling you closer, while yours found either side of her newly painted face. the powder made the plush skin in the hollows of her cheeks undeniably soft; the pad of your thumb glided over it like silk on silk, like twisting in rich sheets. the weight of her lips on yours was unlike anything you had imagined. your scenarios failed to account for the addictive yield of her lips against yours, the way she folded so easily. 

it was only one kiss, one to start or end it all, and when you finally pulled back, you felt your skin crawl at the way your lips refused to part from hers. it was like your body was rejecting your wishes, keeping the two of you anchored together. you peeled away from the kiss, lips heavy with the mixture of product; your gloss swirled with euijoo’s pink lipstick and left traces of each other on your mouths, traces of each other on your hearts, too. 

tentatively, you dipped your lips back to down to hers, leaning her back until euijoo was flat on the pillow again. your kiss pushed her deeper into the cushion, her lips slotting perfectly between yours. you didn’t care about the gloss anymore, how it was undoubtedly smeared and collecting in the corners of your mouth. all you could taste was the waxy, bitter paste of the lipstick with the faintest hint of euijoo’s lip balm at the tail end. she was the first taste of a ripe peach on the verge of spoiling, almost too sweet. euijoo kept you flush to her, so close that her chest grated against yours with every heavy breath that fanned over your face, every gasp between open-mouthed kisses. beside you, the pile of makeup tins and brushes clanked and clattered as they rolled closer to the dip in the mattress that cradled your bodies, burning with excitement, with the spontaneous revelation of feelings long suppressed. not just by you but euijoo, too, her tongue swiping over the sticky substance on your lips to slip into your mouth. 

it was the weight lifted off your chest, the pulling of the drainplug that had left the voice in your head submerged for so long, to be kissing her, to be in love with her. maybe you’d tell her that, soon. maybe you’d tell her that in a few moments. but for now, you disconnected your mouth from hers, leaving her gasping and confused, just for a second, as you turned to your never-ending pile of makeup supplies. euijoo sat up on her elbows, concerned, “what’s wrong?” 

you turned back with a cotton pad, a bottle of makeup remover, and a determined expression, which turned soft at the sight of her downturned eyebrows. lipstick was fucking everywhere. you doused the little white circle and swiped it across your mouth, erasing all traces of the goop that you’d began to almost associate with euijoo by how often you wore it with her, afraid of falling victim to your feelings. you wiped and wiped until your lips were totally bare, completely natural and sensitive. 

“nothing’s wrong, juju,” you cooed, dousing another cotton pad with remover and bringing it to her lips. you ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her beautiful, flushed face, “i’m gonna wipe this shit off so that i can kiss you and actually feel it.” 

and maybe after, you’ll tell her you’ve loved her for an embarrassingly long time. 

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

@cheolscherries1812 @jungwonsgff @heesoulnotes @kjjupilled @xionvlog

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[ikigaijo]

ꫂ᭪݁ stay unprofessional - jo ᭝ ᨳଓ ՟

ꨄ︎ warnings : white collar jojo, office setting, kissing, skinship, slight angst if you squint, jo is desperate 🤤, forbidden love - lowercase intended.

ꨄ︎ word count : 1.9k

ꨄ︎ author's note : something quick whilst i work on the harua fic! i LOVE ceo!jo. ty izzy for this glorious idea. he looked so good in the grandslam video so of course i made that the banner. it fits the business vibe, ok? he’s so yummy. anyways, all support is appreciated, and i hope u enjoy jokitties 🪽

ִֶָ. ..𓂃currently playing: art deco - lana del rey ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐

⠀⠀ ⠀ ⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ 朝倉穣ᰍ໋ ۫   ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𖦹⠀ 𓈒 読む⸝⸝ ⟡ 

the first day at your new job, secretary for the ceo of yx technology, was daunting. waking up on monday was daunting, the drive there was daunting. everything about your new job was daunting. even the ceo.

standing in the reception, waiting to be called up by your new employer, your hands shook with nerves. you couldn’t go home now, you were here. your job was important.

“excuse me, ma’am. are you the new hire?” a man called out as he approached you, his tall, sleek presence intimidating. you stand up immediately, nodding.

“i- yes, that’s me.” you stuttered. your nerves were at their peak.

the man smiled, offering his hand to you.

“great. i’m asakura jo, we spoke on the phone. i’ll be your boss starting from today. it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” his voice was incredibly sweet. he was so soft spoken for a man of such power. you shook his hand, his grip was firm. 

“it’s nice to meet you too, sir.”

“let’s start with a tour, shall we?

---

after showing you around the large building, explaining different departments and locations, jo guided you to your desk, which was practically next door to his office.

“this is your stop. i promise you’ll fit right in with our team.” he said, a slim hand squeezing your shoulder. “if you’ve got any worries, come to me, alright? i’ve got you.”

“yes, sir. i will.”

jo smiled, his hand dropping from your shoulder into the pocket of his blazer.

“great. i’ll let you get settled.”

you had nothing to worry about. your boss was a total sweetheart.

---

over the next few weeks, you slowly became familiar with the office, your coworkers, the overall vibe of the company. the job and it’s tasks were challenging, but you managed. jo seemed pleased with your work too. 

he was so sweet to you. he’d make you a cup of coffee every morning, dropping it off at your desk on the way to his. 

“i insist,” he’d say when you felt bad. “the ceo can do things for his employees too.”

jo would give you that warm, welcoming smile each time you’d make conversation, too. it was the highlight of your day, honestly.

it was easy to grow comfortable with your boss. conversations were easygoing, light-hearted, jo’s voice always holding that same soft tone. he’d ask how your day went, if you ate lunch, how your family were doing. every word that came from him made you smile. maybe you were easily swooned, or maybe asakura jo was just a good boss.

---

it was a slow build up. you didn’t notice it at first. but when you did, you couldn’t not notice. 

jo was staring at you. constantly. and every time you’d glance over, your eyes catching his, he’d turn away quickly, busying himself with paperwork or the buttons on the printer. his ears would be bright red every time. it was cute, to say the least. 

you’d always found your boss attractive. that wasn’t something you were going to deny. asakura jo was insanely handsome, and you were sure he knew it, too - but his newfound staring problem made you wonder. did he feel the same attraction to you? was that why he was always staring, being so nice, blushing when you make eye contact?

enough, you’d scold yourself. that’s your boss you’re talking about.

you had to stay professional. you weren’t about to lose your job barely 2 months in. not at a company this successful.

---

late friday evening, you were working over time due to a surge in sells, your schedule packed, meetings to enter into the system, data to report. the office was quiet, maybe four other people were still there. four including jo. he was in his office, door wide open, wide enough that you could see him in your peripheral vision. not like you were staring.

the only sounds in the building were the muffled hum of the air conditioning and the tapping of keyboards.

drying your hands on your skirt, you were just leaving the bathroom when jo called your name.

“sorry to bother you. i know you’re busy.” he apologised, his adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “i need to speak with you in my office… about your report.”

a rush of nerves swept through you. were you in trouble? was the report not good enough?

“oh, um… yes, of course sir.”

“follow me.”

the walk to his office was short, but it felt like a lifetime. you didn’t know what to expect. jo opened the door, offering for you to enter first. you muttered a quiet ‘thank you’, and walked in. he followed behind, pulling the door shut. you swear you heard the lock click.

before you could get another word out, jo’s large hands found your waist, pinning you against the door. you gasped, but it was swallowed by his lips as they crashed against yours.

his kiss was hungry, ravenous, the way his mouth moved against yours was nothing short of desperate. your shock was quickly replaced with a feeling of warmth, the familiar sensation you got whenever you were in jo’s vicinity. only this time, it was charged with pure erotic heat. this was nothing like the jo you thought you knew. the sounds he made were filthy, his hands sliding down your body, finding their way to the curve of your ass. the touch made you nervous and excited all at once.

“sir, we shouldn’t-”

“shh… let me taste you.” jo mumbled into your mouth, his tongue sliding against yours. “please.”

the kiss only lasted a few more seconds before you pushed him off of you. jo stared at you, eyes glazed over, chest rising and falling rapidly as he caught his breath. his lips were slightly swollen, glistening. there was a red flush that spread across his ears and cheeks, all the way to the base of his throat.

“i-i have to go.” 

that was all you said, as you fixed your skirt and unlocked the door. you left the office no more than 5 minutes later.

---

during the weekend after the incident, you’d hoped that maybe jo forgot about what happened. that it was just a spur of the moment kind of thing. but you were wrong. completely wrong.

you could tell jo was thinking about it. the eye contact lasted far longer than it did before, his eyes holding a certain kind of heat that you saw that friday evening too. you didn’t miss the way his gaze lingered on your body as you walked across the office. it was constant. a constant, obvious reminder that what happened wasn’t a dream. it was real. terrifyingly real.

unbeknownst to you, jo was going insane over what had happened that friday night. over how your lips had felt pressed against his. about the quiet sound you’d let out when his hands touched you. he swore he could still taste your cherry lipgloss. everything about you made him spiral.

it hurt when you rushed out, pushed him away. that wasn’t what jo wanted to happen. he was worried. but he wasn’t oblivious, either - he knew you were avoiding him.

---

it took him 3 days to build up the courage to pull you aside into his office once more. you were hesitant, but eventually agreed.

“listen, y/n…i crossed a boundary last week. a serious boundary.” he started, adjusting his tie. “i just wanted to apologise.”

you took a single step forward, nodding for him to continue.

“i’m extremely sorry. it was stupid, i wasn’t thinking straight. it won’t happen agai-”

he didn’t get to finish his apology before your lips crashed against his. now it was you who wasn’t thinking straight. your hands slid up his chest, cupping the sides of his neck. jo let out a high-pitched sound, his hands grazing your hips. your tongue swiped across the opening of his mouth once, twice, before you pulled back.

“i’m sorry i ran away.” you whispered, forehead pressed against his. “i was afraid. i didn’t want to get in trouble, or risk losing my job.”

jo whined, trying to attach his mouth on yours. the hands on his neck pushed him back gently.

“i thought i had enticed you or something. it felt unprofessional. it felt… wrong. but now i don’t know what to think.”

“you don’t have to.” jo responded, his voice breathless. “don’t worry, sweetheart. i’ve got you. it’ll be our little secret, okay?”

that was all it took. you were an easy woman to convince.

---

after the two of you agreed on your arrangement, the secrets began. the excitement you felt of sneaking around with jo was magnificent. the thrill was electric. the risk was inviting. jo pulling you into the break room to make out, all messy and rushed, walking back out as unsuspiciously as you could. his slim hands finding your hip as he passed you by the printer, a quick wink as he leaves. the flirty texts, asking you to come to his office when the office started to empty out. 

no one ever found out about you and jo, which allowed you to slip into a familiarity of secrecy. it was tiring at times, but as long as you were with jo, you didn’t mind.

what the two of you had was perfect. but a part of you desperately wanted something more. 

---

another late shift, the sun already set, and you were in jo’s office again. you were draped over his lap, legs on either side of his hips, his mouth on your neck. he loved leaving marks just below your shirt collar, a tease at exposure.

“jojo,” you called out, your hands buried in his dark hair. he hummed into your skin, urging you to continue. “i wanna talk about this. about… about us.”

his lips stopped at your words. he pulled back, his sharp eyes meeting yours. 

“i’m listening. what do you want to talk about exactly?”

you swallowed, surprisingly nervous. jo could sense it, his hand squeezing your waist in silent reassurance.

“i just want to know where this is going. if it’s even going anywhere. i’m just… i don’t want to be a work wife or something. just something for you to use when you’re in the office.”

the way jo’s head shook was instant, his expression firm.

“no, my love. that’s not what this is at all. my feelings for you are much deeper than that.” he pressed a small kiss to your cheek. “trust me, i’ve loved the thrill of sneaking around, having a secret just between the two of us. but i don’t want this to be something temporary. i want to be able to show my adoration for you without restrictions. without the fear of being caught or frowned on.”

“me too. i really want that.”

“i’m glad we’re on the same page, my love, really.” another kiss, this time on your jawline. “let me take you out. properly. i’ll book a reservation at the nice restaurant downtown. you won’t have to worry about a thing, okay? i’ll take responsibility for whatever happens.”

“you will?”

“of course i will. anything for you.”

you smiled. jo smiled back.

“now, when do you want that reservation? friday or saturday night?”

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[ikigaijo]

jo fic coming in 3 hours !! (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) ♡

[smidare]

💬 。 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ taki's four unsuccessful confessions throughout the years.

•⠀‎‎  masterlist  ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎‎‎𓋰‎‎  ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎ 2556 wc ───  ᛫ fem!フウマ x fem!r ✶  tooth rotting fluff, universe is aganist poor taki, mentions of vomit, kisses ! . don't copy/translate my work. i only write on tumblr.

you moved to japan in elementary school when your mom got a once-in-a-lifetime job offer. you barely knew any japanese, and the other kids didn’t want to put in the effort with the new foreign girl. they whispered, giggled behind their hands, and left you sitting alone at lunch.

except taki.

he was the loud, bright-eyed boy with messy hair and an easy smile who plopped down next to you on the very first day and offered you half his onigiri even though you couldn’t understand a word he said. he pointed at things, acted things out, and slowly taught you japanese through silly drawings and shared snacks. over time, the language barrier faded, but the friendship never did. you two became inseparable — walking home together, doing homework on each other’s floors, sharing secrets under the neighborhood playground slide.

by the time high school started, that friendship had quietly grown into something much bigger for him. taki had been in love with you since the beginning of freshman year, when you still cheered the loudest for him at every school event, even the ones he pretended weren’t a big deal.

he tried to tell you. five times.

and every single time, the universe had other plans.

attempt #1 – freshman year of high school

valentine’s day. you had stayed up late the night before baking cute cookies shaped like little animals you thought looked like him — a fluffy chick, a round hamster, a happy puppy. you wrapped them in a small box with a handmade card that just said “for my favorite person” in slightly wobbly japanese.

when you gave them to him at lunch, taki’s ears went bright red. he laughed and called you cute for the animal choices, but inside his chest was doing cartwheels.

on white day, he showed up at your locker with a small tin of handmade white chocolates. his older brother k had helped him in the kitchen the night before, but taki had done most of the work himself, carefully shaping each piece. he rubbed the back of his neck, shy. “these are for you. white day tradition… you know?”

you didn’t know. you weren’t japanese, and no one had explained that white day was when the person who received chocolates on valentine’s was supposed to return the feelings. you just beamed, hugged him tight, and said, “you’re the best best friend ever, taki!”

he smiled like it didn’t crack his heart a little. “yeah… best friend.”

attempt #2 – sophomore year of high school

a quiet saturday night at his house. you two were watching a movie on the floor, surrounded by blankets and empty chip bags. halfway through, you fell asleep with your head on his shoulder, breathing soft and steady.

taki froze. the movie kept playing, but all he could focus on was the warmth of you against him. his heart was so loud he was scared it would wake you.

very gently, he brushed a strand of hair from your face and whispered, “i’ve been in love with you for a long time… i don’t know how to say it when you’re awake.”

you stirred a little in your sleep and mumbled something that sounded like his name. he swallowed hard, chickening out the second you shifted closer.

when you woke up twenty minutes later, he just smiled and said, “you drooled on me.”

you laughed and apologized, completely missing the way his eyes lingered on you a second too long.

attempt #3 – junior year of high school

your sweet sixteen. the party downstairs was loud and full of friends, but you and taki had escaped to your bedroom for a breather. you were both sitting on the edge of your bed, fairy lights glowing soft and golden across the walls. the music from downstairs felt far away.

taki’s hands were shaking in his lap. he had practiced this moment for weeks.

“hey… there’s something i’ve wanted to tell you for a really long time,” he started, voice quiet. “since we were kids, actually. since i first sat next to you at lunch and you smiled at me even though you didn’t understand anything i was saying—”

your mom’s voice suddenly called up the stairs. “sweetie! come down, everyone wants to sing to you!”

you groaned, standing up. “rain check? i’m sorry, taki. save the rest for later?”

he forced a bright smile. “yeah. rain check.”

he stayed in your room for a few more minutes after you left, head in his hands, wondering if the universe was actively against him.

attempt #4 – senior year of high school

a house party at a friend’s place. someone suggested spin the bottle, and somehow you and taki ended up in the circle. when the bottle landed on the two of you, everyone cheered.

the kiss was quick and awkward at first—just a soft press of lips because it was a game. but for taki it felt like the world stopped. when you pulled back, your cheeks were pink and you were laughing.

later, when the two of you stepped outside for fresh air, he tried again.

“that kiss…” he said, heart hammering. “it wasn’t just a game for me. i’ve been wanting to do that for years. i’m in lo—.”

you opened your mouth to tell him you didn’t feel well—but the alcohol you’d had earlier finally caught up. you suddenly bent over and vomited right on his shoes.

taki froze for half a second, then immediately held your hair back and rubbed your back. “hey, it’s okay. i’ve got you.”

you were mortified. he spent the rest of the night taking care of you instead of finishing what he wanted to say.

you didn’t even remember what he said in the morning. 

attempt #5 – freshman year of college

it was a random thursday night in october during your sophomore year. takeout boxes from your favorite korean place covered the coffee table. a studio ghibli movie played softly in the background while you two sat on the couch under the same blanket you’d been sharing since high school.

you were picking at the last piece of karaage when you said it, voice casual but thoughtful.

“i’ve been thinking… maybe i should start dating again. like, seriously this time. college is flying by and i don’t want to graduate with zero real romance stories.”

taki went completely still.

“no.”

you turned, confused with chopsticks still in your hand.

he took a breath like he was about to dive into cold water.

“i’ve been in love with you since freshman year of high school,” he said, voice low and steady even though his ears were turning red. “actually… longer than that. since the first onigiri. since i sat next to you at lunch and you smiled at me even though you didn’t understand a single word i said. i tried to tell you on white day. at your sweet sixteen. after that stupid spin-the-bottle game. every single time something got in the way and i let it. because i was terrified that if i said it out loud and you didn’t feel the same, i’d lose the only person who’s ever felt like home.”

he finally looked at you properly. those bright eyes were serious in a way that made your chest ache.

“but i think i might die if i have to go through another 4 years as just your best friend. i love you. not as my best friend. as the person i want to share everything with for the rest of my life. the person i want to sit under the slide with when we’re eighty. i love you.”

you sat there frozen, chopsticks still loosely held between your fingers, the last piece of karaage forgotten on the coffee table. your heart was doing something complicated and loud in your chest.

taki’s ears were bright red. his hands were clenched in the blanket between you like he was physically holding himself back from reaching for you. those bright eyes — the same ones that had found you across a noisy elementary school cafeteria all those years ago — looked terrified and relieved at the same time.

you swallowed.

“…taki.”

your voice came out smaller than you meant it to.

he let out a shaky breath, like he’d been underwater. “i know this is a lot. i know i just dumped years of feelings on you while a ghibli movie is playing in the background like an idiot. but i couldn’t—” his voice cracked a little. “i couldn’t sit here and listen to you talk about dating other people. not when i’ve been in love with you since before i even knew what that word really meant.”

you set the chopsticks down slowly.

all the almosts crashed over you at once.

the white day chocolates. the way he’d looked at you on your sixteenth birthday before your mom called you downstairs. the spin-the-bottle kiss that had felt different and then he’d tried to say something and you’d thrown up on his shoes like the universe’s cruelest punchline. all those nights you’d fallen asleep on his shoulder and woken up to him watching you with something soft and aching in his face that you could never quite name.

you’d always thought it was just taki being taki. he was soft for you. he’d always been. he was just your person. your safe place.

but it had never been just that for him.

and as his confession sunk in—you realized that somewhere in the last year or so… it hadn’t really been just that for you either.

your eyes stung.

“you idiot,” you hit him, but there was no heat to it. only something warm and breaking open. “you absolute idiot. all this time?”

you hit him again, a little harder this time, right in the center of his chest. it was barely more than a tap, but taki still let out a small, startled sound.

“you absolute idiot,” you said again, voice wobbling. “all this time? all these years? you were just… carrying it? by yourself?”

taki caught your wrist gently before you could hit him a third time. his fingers wrapped around yours, warm and a little shaky. he didn’t let go.

“i didn’t want to lose you,” he said quietly. “you were the only person who ever made me feel like i belonged somewhere. if i told you and you didn’t feel the same… i thought i’d ruin the only good thing i had.”

your eyes burned. you looked at him—really looked at him—and saw every version of him at once. the loud, bright-eyed boy who shared his bento boxes at lunch. the teenager who walked you home every single day even if you insisted you could walk alone. the guy who held your hair back when you vomited soju all over his bathroom floor and never once complained about cleaning it up. the one who always, always stayed.

and you saw the exhaustion in his eyes too. the weight he’d been carrying alone for so long.

you surged forward and wrapped your arms around him, burying your face in the crook of his neck. the blanket slipped off your shoulders completely.

“you’re such an idiot,” you mumbled into his hoodie, voice thick. “i would’ve never left. even if i didn’t feel the same way… i still would’ve stayed. you’re my person, taki. you’ve always been my person.”

his arms came around you immediately, tight and desperate, like he was afraid you might disappear if he didn’t hold on properly. you felt him exhale shakily against your hair.

“i know that now,” he whispered. “but back then i was so scared. every time i tried, something happened and i convinced myself it was a sign i should keep my mouth shut.”

you pulled back just enough to look at him. his eyes were glassy. you reached up and brushed his messy hair out of his face with both hands, thumbs lingering on his cheeks.

“no more signs,” you said softly. “no more universe getting in the way. i’m right here. and i’m not going anywhere.”

taki stared at you for a long second, like he was trying to memorize this exact moment. then something in him seemed to finally, fully let go.

he kissed you.

it wasn’t rushed or desperate. it was slow, and deep, and full of every year he’d spent swallowing the words back down. his hands slid into your hair, cradling the back of your head like you were something he’d been terrified of breaking. you kissed him back with the same careful intensity, fingers curling into the front of his hoodie, pulling him closer until there was no space left between you.

when you finally broke apart, both of you were breathing hard. his forehead rested against yours.

“can you say it again,” he murmured, voice rough. “please?”

you smiled, small and a little watery.

“i’m yours, taki. i think i always have been. i just didn’t let myself understand it until you finally stopped letting the universe win.”

he let out a shaky laugh and kissed you again, quicker this time, like he couldn’t help himself. then he pulled you down with him so you were lying on the couch, half on top of him, the blanket tugged back over both of you. your head found its usual place on his chest. his heartbeat was still racing under your ear.

for a while, neither of you spoke. the ghibli movie had long since ended and the menu screen glowed softly in the dark. the takeout containers sat forgotten on the table.

taki’s fingers traced slow, absent patterns on your back through your shirt.

“…do you think the universe was just waiting for you to be ready too?” he asked quietly.

you tilted your head up to look at him. his eyes were soft in the dim light, the same bright eyes that had chosen you on the very first day.

“maybe,” you said. “or maybe it just got tired of watching you suffer through terrible confession attempts.”

taki groaned, but he was smiling. “don’t remind me. the vomit one still haunts me.”

you laughed and pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw.

“i’m sorry i threw up on your shoes.”

“i’m sorry i tried to confess right after you drank half a bottle of soju.”

you both dissolved into quiet laughter, the kind that felt like relief. like something heavy had finally been set down after years of carrying it together without realizing.

eventually the laughter faded into comfortable silence again. taki’s hand found yours under the blanket and laced your fingers together.

“so…” he said after a while, voice lighter than it had been in years. “does this mean i can finally take you on a real date? one where i don’t almost throw up from nerves or get interrupted by your mom?”

you smiled against his chest.

“yeah,” you whispered. “i’d really like that.”

he squeezed your hand.

“good. because i’ve been planning our first date in my head since we were fifteen.”

you closed your eyes, letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the warmth of the blanket settle over you. for the first time in a long time, everything felt exactly the way it was supposed to be.

© 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗲 2026ㅤ ❤︎ㅤ 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 & 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱! 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: i'm yearning. thats all. i just want to taki to be my highschool sweetheart. curse my guardian for not moving us to japan in 2008 !

𝗌𝖿𝗐 𝗍𝖺𝗀𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍 open . . . . .   @ikigaijo @blueuijoo @0wisewisdoom @d3adg1rlie @yudaism @sh1n3-4h4na @starl0stt @yeonyeonbun @vickiluvsjo  @ampiesworld @whoisgwyn @zzniya  @simplyscrewed @meowieshibal @1014b @deerhuntings @tokunodoll @pendragonfaye @natthefreak @sailorinthesie @rikusqirl @mitsuyas-version @freetobeey @xukeiko @livelaughloveseventeen @berrysoft7 @gummiiiee @radxdga @hhoneylix @pageraf @guliexe @fumaid @yandere-stories @jpow345 @itzhbu𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

[slytherinshua]

bias wall game !

-> show off some of your biases!

(thank you for the tag @page-yerin <3)

tagging @lexeees @reisdoll @blue-jisungs @hollyoongs @seokminfilm @nonononranghaee

in order: gyehyeon (verivery), yuto (onf), taehyun (txt), hwiyoung (sf9), yuma k maki (&team), changkyun (monsta x), wonsang (lucy), kyungmin (tws), jaehee (nct wish)

[seokminfilm]

YAY thank you for the tag zanna! what sucks is that most of my biases have left their groups (in this year ALONE) 😭 that is NOT stopping me from adding them though!!

in order: vernon, dk (svt - ults), martin (cortis), keeho (p1h), hueningkai (txt), maki (&team), hongjoong, yunho (ateez), heeseung (ex-enha), ricky (ex-zb1, and2ble), mark lee (ex-nct, soloist)

tagging @yumangel @parkersroses @realmofclouds @reisdoll and any others who want to join!!

[yumangel]

tysm for the tag lyr!! rlly showing off my versatility here when it comes to companies (sarcasm) but yeah.

in order!! sungho (bnd), ohyul (lngshot), juhoon (cortis), seungkwan (svt), yuma (&team), taki (&team), v (bts), taehyun (txt), jungwon (enhypen)

tags: @nichozzystuffs @minhosimthings @makizdoll @smidare @7yataki @mxriitaesz @myungmyng + anyone who wants to join !!

[smidare]

in order!! taki (&team), ni-ki (enhypen), sakuya (nct wish), mark & haechan (nct), k (&team), anton (riize), soobin (txt), fuma (&team), soul (p1harmony)

tags: @fumaid @ikigaijo @solairemelo @odetolune @okamitenshi @kvegawari @yumanohime @7yataki + anyone who wants to join !!

[yumanohime]

in order - yuma (&team), nicholas (&team), riku (nct wish), sungchan anton (riize), giselle (aespa), jay (enhypen), hyein (njz), liz (ive), keonho (cortis)

female idols included because i genuinely couldn't think of 9 different boy groups..... LOL

tags : @fumaid @n1conekoz @iluvujo @misuse-ohh @wanyangii @kvegawari @hwadulce no pressure~ anyone else that wants to join!!!

[wanyangii]

❤︎ in order ⸝⸝ wonyoung — ive , yuma — &team , giselle — aespa , nicholas — &team , yuta — nct , sakuya — nct , jisung — nct , ten — nct , yunjin — le sserafim.

hehe tyy for inviting me to this ~ i wonder if there is a theme in my biases . . . tags ♡ @withallmy-heart @junifi3d @jyuugoyasmine @sunmoonnie @fumaid @fumasannn @makizdoll @ikigaijo @okamitenshi @hwadulce @tako-takiiii @kvegawari @7yataki @yumeowz , sorry if i retag anyone + feel free to join if you aren’t tagged . . .՞⸝⸝. .⸝⸝՞݂˳ഒ ! ! !

[ikigaijo]

ty for the tags everyone!! this is super cute okok ^-^

♡ in order : anton (riize), seongil (82major), mackiah (ampers&one), giselle (aespa), jo (&team), sullyoon (nmixx), jiung (p1harmony), james (cortis), jay & ni-ki (enhypen) ♡

i think all of my moots have already done it but just in case : @stxrrymarsz @eu1joo @yukiglow @yuuniversezx @deersui @fumaid @byudai

[ikigaijo]

since the harua fic is gonna take a couple more days i’m writing the ceo!jo x secretary!reader fic in the mean time

yes jo will be a desperate loser. and what.

[eu1joo]

me the bad bitch i pulled by being weird

[ikigaijo]

hey google why is jo naked at weverse con

[ikigaijo]

ꫂ᭪݁ affianced - euijoo ᭝ ᨳଓ ՟

ꨄ︎ warnings : none! just heartfelt fluff ♡

ꨄ︎ word count : 700 (roughly)

ꨄ︎ author's note : this idea came to me through divine intervention and i had to write it down immediately. feel like this might be the cutest fic i've written. for my lovely mona, who is actually married to juju already. all support is appreciated, hope u enjoy jokitties 🪽

ִֶָ..𓂃currently playing: everyone adores you - matt maltese ࣪ ִ🪽་༘࿐

⠀⠀ ⠀ ⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ 변의주ᰍ໋ ۫   ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𖦹⠀ 𓈒 読む⸝⸝ ⟡ 

“okay, sweetheart, close your eyes.” euijoo murmured against your cheek before pulling back, a small giggle escaping from your lips as your eyelids fluttered shut. you could hear him move next to you, the blanket beneath you rustling with the motion.

the gentle breeze brushed itself through your hair, the cool evening air sending a shiver up your spine. as you sat there with your eyes shut tight, euijoo’s soft hand finding your face, your mind is sent back to the beginning. back to when everything began.

---

all those years ago, you had met euijoo in high school - painfully awkward interactions, terrible haircuts, even worse outfits. he had approached you during the school’s annual prom, both of you stood awkwardly to the side, no date to dance with.

“hey, uh, i’m euijoo. you probably already know that,” he said, his hands adjusting the blazer he wore. “you… you here alone too?”

you nodded, fixing your hair as you glanced at him.

“i know you. and yeah, i’m here alone too.”

your eyes didn’t miss the brief frown that flickered across his face. it was quickly replaced with a sheepish grin, his hand extended to you.

“well, um… wanna dance with me?” euijoo asked, sounding hopeful. you took his hand gratefully.

“of course i would.”

what blossomed from that fateful prom night was a beautiful relationship. both of you were unfamiliar with what love looked like, but it somehow felt natural when you were together, like finding a missing puzzle piece after searching for so long. you’d shared nervous touches, ‘accidental’ brushes of hands, pinkies linking as you walked to class together. sometimes, if euijoo felt brave, he’d cup your face in his hands, pressing a kiss to your forehead when he walked you home.

“see you tomorrow.” he’d whisper into your skin, cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink that you found utterly adorable.

you always loved how warm his hands felt on your cheeks.

---

“are you listening?” euijoo’s voice pulled you back into the present moment. you cleared your throat, nodding, your eyes still shut.

“yeah, i’m listening.”

“okay, good.”

a beat of silence passed, the sounds of the ocean calmly crashing against the shore being the only noise you could hear for a moment. then he continued.

“ever since the day i first spoke to you, at that stupid school dance… i’ve been sure of my feelings for you.” euijoo’s voice wavered ever so slightly. “and i’ve tried my best to show you every single day how undeniably in love i am.”

that familiar buzz of emotion hit you, tears already building up on your waterline.

“open your eyes, sweetheart.”

slowly, your eyes opened, adjusting to the light before focusing on what was in front of you - euijoo, on one knee, his big brown eyes full of love as he looked at you.

“oh, euijoo…” you whispered, the hot tears falling before you could say anything more.

“this has been on my mind for a while, i’m pretty nervous.” euijoo chuckled quietly, clearing his throat before fishing for something in his pocket. “my love for you can’t be expressed with the words of any language. you make me the happiest man on earth, and i’m so proud to be yours.”

pulling out a small box, he flips it open, revealing a beautiful ring, a diamond center stone, with encrusted gems along the band. you’d only ever dreamt of a ring as perfect as this.

“my love, will you marry me?”

time felt like it stopped when those words fell from his lips - the words you’d been waiting for since the day you met. 

“yes, baby. yes.”

sliding the ring over your finger, euijoo let out a heavy sigh of relief, his eyes watery as he admired you. he pulled you into his chest, his arms wrapping around you. quiet sobs escaped both of you and euijoo, your face buried in his shoulder. everything about the moment felt unreal.

“i love you so much, euijoo.”

“i love you so much more.”

⊹ ࣪ ˖ taglist: @byudai @nichozzystuffs @kwnnies @seanidas @preachersdaughterx @stxrrymarsz @ssosstrange @7yataki @makizdoll @minhosimthings @starshuas @leewayout @xionvlog @deerhuntings @smidare @fumaid

⊹ ࣪ ˖ @berrybittynetwork

[ikigaijo]

3.3k words in and i’m not even half way through

[junifi3d]

fem!&team as your gf ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆

warnings: changes of gender, some explicit content, fem!reader but can be read with gn!reader (no specific characterisation)

a/n: happy pride everyone!! here’s some of my headcanons on our pretty pretty fem!&team as your s/o ૮₍ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა

kei

loves to go cafe hopping with you to try out different types of specialty treats especially if it’s coffee. i’d like to think she’s more of a laidback girlfriend in which she enjoys just spending time with you as you both finish up work related things but together in peaceful silence. would also bring you shopping to splurge and pamper you as she just loves you sm !! goes to perfumeries so she can concoct the perfect perfume that smells like home, one that smells just like you. kisses you slow and with splendour, hard presses of her lips on yours is enough to melt away all her stress and worries as she embraces you with a delighted sigh. definitely the big spoon during cuddle sessions, sometimes sneaking a hand under your shirt to feel your heartbeat beneath her palm. if you were a dedicated runner as she is, would bring you on her runs; taking in the view during early morning runs side by side, talking about nothing and everything when you both rest to catch your breaths. even with sweat pouring down your back, it never beats the view of seeing a gorgeous woman in her element.

fuma

she’s not too good at this couple thing but she cherishes you very much. let’s you hold onto her arm whenever you guys walk anywhere, her gaze filled with nothing but warmth and affection for you. her perfect date idea includes spending time at home with you on her lap, arms circling your waist as she taps away at the console, her chin resting on your shoulder. sometimes she provides commentary to which you respond softly, the warmth surrounding you making you feel safe and comfortable. on the days that both of you feel a bit adventurous, you both get into the car for a well deserved road trip. sometimes you reach sandy beaches with the taste of the sea in the wind whipping both your faces. at times you find yourself surrounded by undisturbed greenery, a blanket of leaves providing enough shade against the harsh sun. but your favourite of all is when fuma parks the car in a beautiful clearing where the stars blink down on you as she touches and kisses you like the world is all yours, even in this tiny frame of time.

nicholas

with nichol as your gf, expect a lot of shopping dates where she buys you the entire store and more if you don’t stop her. she loves dressing up her doll in whatever clothes she can get her pretty little hands on. she’s very cheeky and naughty so i can see her pranking or surprising you a lot in the future; hiding behind closed doors to jumpscare you, avoiding kissing anywhere but your lips or tickling you until tears bloom from your eyes. just harmless sweet pranks that give life into your relationship. she’s also very possessive as in she has to have her hands somewhere on your body just so that everyone can see that you’re already taken by such a hot girl. kisses you like her life depends on it, hands intertwined in your hair and massaging the back of your neck. is very cranky in the morning especially on days you have work where she tries to seduce you to only pay attention to her. there has been times where you had to call in sick or come into work late when she succeeds.

euijoo

dates with her consists of going to dog cafes to pet the doggos and take goofy pictures with them or going on picnics to the park where she helped pack the sandwiches, apologising that she’ll try to practice more to make you a bento one day. is a very cuddly person so expect to have her wrapped around you, her head resting on your chest as soft snores surround the room. she loves listening to your heartbeat, almost unwilling to sleep without the steady, loud beats as her lullaby that sometimes she just drags you to bed just to lie on top of you. soft kisses and gentle touches are reserved just for you, her eyes filled to the brim with warmth and the subtle edges of love. she loves holding your ass whenever you guys kiss, inserting her hands into your back pockets to feel and fondle with them as she brings your bodies closer together. is a provider !! she likes to be someone who you can lean onto, supporting you in whatever you do and provide you for everything you need.

yuma

very mean and whiny gf. her remarks and comments are as sharp as her canines but she always licks the wound with gentleness and apologies in her eyes. i feel like yuma is someone who would dress you up as sexily as she can and bring you to the club just to parade you around like a show pet, kissing you hard and stupid to anyone who dares to lay a hand on what’s hers. game nights are actual battlefields to be won from how competitive the both of you are that she even resort to such petty tactics to decrease your gameplay; surprise kisses to fluster you whenever you’re ahead, pushing you off the couch with her leg and even trying to sit on you during matches (ended with both of your clothes off and the neighbours complaining the next day). she’s a very touchy and needy person, always looping her arms with yours, rubbing against you just like a cat would and even marking you just for fun. kissing her means disappearing from society for more than hour. her kisses are tantalising slow and filled with all her unspoken words. bites your lips so much that people think you got punched in the mouth after a makeout session

jo

even though she’s very shy, she shows her affection to you in simple gestures. intertwining pinkies when you walk side by side, brushing hair out of your face whenever you’re eating, wiping the corner of your mouth because you’re a messy eater. after getting together, you become her silent muse; small sketches of you on cafe napkins, big portraits with you as the centrepiece and journals filled of your side profiles and laughter frozen in time. you’re both weebs by nature so you go to anime cons, artists lanes and many more conventions stuck next to each other. sometimes you both hit up manga cafes to read the latest editions of your favourite jump shounen and quietly giggle at the other’s inside jokes. jo’s kisses are feather light and unsure at first, her lips trembling against yours asking if this is alright. but after you tell her to be more confident in herself, she pours everything in sure presses of lips and slight nips. she’s a hard worker alright when she suddenly kisses you like she’s done it all her life and not your second time kissing each other.

harua

impulse buyer 1 meets impulse buyer 2. both of you should not be left alone anywhere lest you come back with empty wallets and bags filled with trinkets. though you’re not as bad as harua, she loves to buy you anything that reminds her of you; ranging from bangles, silverware and once a secondhand sylvanian family bunny so you could keep in your pocket (you accepted ofc and called it ruru). i’m a firm believer that harua loves buying stickers just to stick them onto your face for any and every occasion then taking pictures of your cute face with them on. when you’re sleeping, while lounging on the sofa and even while you were scolding her just to shut you up as you were stunned by her actions. you just blinked at her before dragging her into the bedroom and locking the door, her giggles audible from inside. kissing her is like kissing an excited bunny, giddy and always breaking it just to giggle against your lips before pulling you in even closer. she’s draping her entire weight onto your shoulders whenever you guys make out which sometimes results in you almost falling backwards while you both are just doubled in laughter after that fiasco.

taki

affectionate puppy alert !! she’s always doing something for you; either opening every door you cross, massaging your shoulders after a long day at work or piggybacking you when you complain your feet hurt before stumbling and almost making the both of you fall. what can i say? she’s just very acts of service coded. life with her is never boring and usually filled with fun and exciting things. going to arcades to show off her crane game skills, going to amusement parks even though she hates all the rides but went anyways to see your smile and chasing each other on the beach, your footprints left behind in the warm sand as shrieks echoed through the breeze. but sometimes, just staying in at home to play video games, watching scary movies that make goosebumps rise on your forearms or playing board games from the top of the closet, your combined laughter filling the living room is something she cherishes too. taki kisses like she’s always impatient even with you in her arms. too much of her jittery energy spilling out before you take over to calm her down with assurance in the form of kisses all over her face and successfully making her giggle, her heart filled fully with love for you.

maki

not embarrassed in the slightest about being seen with you. some people like to talk about how mismatched the both of you are together but she literally does not give a fuck, even being blunt towards the person. loves to bear hug you from behind, resting her head on your shoulders and nuzzling into the crook of your neck. another affectionate puppy !! brings you to broadways and musicals, commenting on each and every performer then trying to imitate them as soon as you both step out from the theatre. long walks in the middle of the night as she tightens her hold on your hand and bringing it into her hoodie pocket, yapping about her day and the latest gossip about her coworkers. teases you a bunch because she knows your reactions are brutal and stroking her ego, always egging you on to bite back. maki is a very straightforward person which translates well into her kisses. she kisses deep and slow, pouring all her love into your throat with her hands on your neck to push your plush lips even more onto hers. she realises that she’s too demanding and pulls away from you right before you grab onto her collar and crash your lips onto hers once more, her smile big and dimples prominent from far away.

🪽sfw: @solairemelo @ikigaijo @rikizglazer1009 @yuuniversezx @7yataki @odetolune @yumangel

if you want to be in the taglist, comment here or send me an ask .☘︎ ݁˖

[yuuniversezx]

⋆.˚🦋༘⋆ 𝓣𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝙟𝙤 ೄྀ

🫧 ~ a poem of mine — 143 words ,, warnings : none !!

gaze pointed softly

those eyes young and forgiving

for he clutches warmth

in the giving palms of his hands.

those same hands mold life

into perceived beauty

like it is not only something raw

but also filled with hope.

hope lands within the art

which he portrays with lines

and careful brush strokes.

his heart precise for detail

even while sheltering a flame

one he shall not blow out

though it flickers and trembles.

it trembles most with nerves

that flare enough to feel

as if he must hurriedly kick it off

by the hare tapping its foot in fear

yet hares aren’t meant to fear

and instead shall leap on

while some lonesome others don't

he will leap someday

for he must wait for his leap

and he must do it patiently so

as the eye of beauty observes him with time.

© yuuniversezx 2026 ❤︎

[ikigaijo]

there might be a drought on my blog for a few days because the harua fic is gonna take me a while…

which also means the announcement will be delayed too T^T apologies!!

[ikigaijo]

ok so i only JUST finished writing the plan for the fic (like a timeline of events)

y’all it’s 2.2k 😭 this is gonna be a longgggg fic i’m sorry

[yumangel]

hidden affection - 宏田力

(2.5k words)

warnings: nothing really! fluff, older brother nicho, maki is sweet asf but also kind of an idiot

a/n: dedicated specifically to kayz bcs that girl is crazy abt maki and i adore her with my whole entire heart ^w^ spent a lil more time on this one (which is to say i didn't write it in one sitting) so i hope it paid off hehe

experiencing a crush was surely a strange endeavour.

it was nonsensical. absurd, even. to have all your thoughts taken over by one person every breathing second, to experience a physical reaction each time their smile flashed before your eyes, each time they greeted you or said goodbye, the so-called ‘butterflies’ erupting in your stomach at each mention of their name or whenever you’d accidentally make eye contact with them across the room. you despised that feeling — that vulnerability of having your entire mood rely on someone’s acknowledgment of you or lack thereof, the way your face heated up each time said acknowledgment actually happened. 

under different circumstances, it would’ve been harmless — just a fleeting feeling meant to pass eventually just like every other thing in life does. under different circumstances, you wouldn’t have paid that much attention to that emotion, wouldn’t have been so incredibly frustrated whenever that familiar ache rose in your chest. but this case was different, special. 

he was special.

maki has been in your life ever since you could remember but not quite in your life, either, courtesy of being your brother’s best friend. it was a double edged sword, his presence — both a blessing and a curse in its own peculiar way. you enjoyed having him around, yet couldn’t help but fluster whenever he’d talk to you directly or whenever you’d be left alone in one room while nicholas went out to grab snacks. you detested the feelings your mind has brought upon you whenever you were near him and yet his presence was a constant in your life you wished would never leave from it. you’d get sulky whenever he came over to hang out with your brother yet deny every possible invitation to spend your time with them, opting for the safety and comfort of your own bedroom instead. 

having him in near vicinity was enough for you to be satisfied while maintaining the safety of not being found out. after all, there was no way you could’ve ever worked out — nicholas would probably rather shave all his hair off than allow you to be romantically involved with any of his friends. whether it was protectiveness or selfishness, you didn’t know, but you knew not to try and piss him off. you thought that when you grow older, it’ll all fade away, and that the crush you had on maki would prove to be nothing more than just that: a crush, a silly emotion not meant to last for longer. but you were wrong, oh so wrong.

it had lingered well into your adulthood, following you like a shadow through middle school, highschool, your graduation all the way until now. and with all this time passing and the feeling still staying as strong as ever, you simply began to accept it.

you kept your distance. you smiled and greeted maki whenever he’d come over then disappeared into your room, made polite small talk when all of you sat down at the dinner table, sat on the other end of the couch whenever nicholas would invite him over for a movie night, insisting that you tag along as well. 

as time passed and you both grew up, you had grown accustomed to the situation, to that feeling gnawing at your heart — to just how frequently you saw him hanging out at your place, always with the same smile on his face he had since you first met him despite being an adult now. you also became better at hiding your affection towards the boy: becoming fluent in the art of pretending, proficient in disappearing out of his sight before he, or worse, your brother, could catch a glimpse of your reddened cheeks. 

yet in this world, nothing stays hidden forever — for even the secrets concealed behind the smartest of deceptions can come to light once the right moment arises. and it just so seemed like your time has ran out. 

maki seemed to notice the confusion painted across your face that evening as you opened the door almost immediately — brows furrowed as you noticed his tall frame, the boy standing on the other side of the entrance with his usual smile and a bag of what you assumed to be snacks in his right hand. you could feel that familiar ache in your heart the moment your eyes met his but decided to ignore it, focusing instead on greeting him politely.

‘can i come in?’ he asked, already moving towards the hall and you let him — moving out of his way just enough for him to be able to walk past you, leaving the door creaked open just slightly. his fingers accidentally brushed yours as he slid inside and you almost shivered at the sudden contact, the remnants of his delicate touch lingering on your body like a reminder, a threat: you can’t keep your feelings from him hidden for forever.

you stayed still in the same spot you stood in when you opened the door and that, along with the fact that you hadn’t in fact closed it, made maki stop in his tracks. his head immediately turned to face you, halfway through taking his shoes off, almost as if awaiting for an explanation as to why you haven’t yet ran up to your room, why he hadn’t heard nicholas from the living room yet. 

‘nicho’s not here today.’ you muttered softly, playing with your fingers in an absentminded manner. ‘i don’t want to sound rude, but, um, why are you here, maki?’

‘oh, i’m just here to play with cali!’ he exclaimed enthusiastically, a little too fast, too… rehearsed. 

‘you came over to hang out with… the dog?’

maki smiled proudly, that signature smile of his which made your knees weak each time you saw it, nodding with vigour as he straightened up his posture.

‘precisely.’

you had no choice but to let him inside — he was maki, after all. 

‘where is nicho anyways?’ he asked, moving deeper inside. he moved around the house as if it was his own — and given the many, many times he had been there, it might’ve as well been his house, too. 

‘he’s at euijoo’s apartment.’ you explained, eyes carefully scanning maki’s movements as he pulled out what seemed to be a packet of dog snacks. he shook the packaging in his hand, the sound of food moving inside of it immediately alarming cali, who ran up to him with pure excitement in her eyes. you couldn’t help but smile at the sight, as you continued explaining your brother’s whereabouts. ‘from what i understood he needed help with moving and assembling some new furniture for his bedroom. either a wardrobe or a bed, i’m not sure.’

maki chuckled as he crouched down, his hands immediately finding cali’s head as he gently petted her, his other hand holding out snacks for her to munch on. 

‘i doubt he’d be much help for euijoo.’ he stated, taking another handful of snacks so that your dog could eat some more. ‘i asked him for help with assembling my desk once — took us six hours and in the end i still had to ask my dad for help.’

‘typical nicho.’ you laughed, kneeling down next to him to play with cali too. ‘my parents never ask him for help with anything handyman related because they know it’ll add at least two hours to the time spent on doing it and will take away a year from their lifespan.’

a comfortable silence took over the kitchen, only sound disrupting it being cali’s panting and crunching as she devoured another batch of snacks from maki’s hand, basking in the attention she was getting from both him and you like a spoiled little kid who finally got what she wanted. maki’s gaze shifted towards you for a second — to the way you smile ever so softly while petting cali, to the way your eyes glimmered with affection each time you looked at her. he couldn’t help but smile himself: a familiar, warm feeling settling in his chest before he looked away, not wanting to be found out. 

after getting a satisfactory amount of snacks from her favorite house guest, cali decided it was her time to nap — settling herself on the couch in the living room, making herself comfortable on her very own ‘throne’ made from blankets and her most treasured toys. both you and maki plopped on opposite sides of her with a soft thump. the tv was already on, displaying a youtube commentary video you were previously watching, currently paused because of maki’s interruption. you reached for the remote, ready to turn the video off and change it to some tv show you could watch with him when maki stopped you — or rather, his hand did. 

maki’s hand gripped your wrist instinctively before you were able to click anything, his grip gentle. both of you froze in your movements — your surprise at the sudden contact evident on your face as you glanced towards him, his own face heating up in embarrassment at his involuntary action. 

‘uh, you don’t have to change it just because i’m here, you know.’ he muttered, trying to explain himself as reasonably as he could without sounding like a moron. the air around you was filled with awkward energy, the type of energy you always avoided with maki by simply slipping upstairs before anything of this sort could happen. ‘i was meaning to watch this video anyways.’ 

‘really?’ you questioned, voice quiet. surprisingly enough, your eyes still didn’t leave his — almost entranced by his gaze on you. ‘didn’t take you as the type to watch commentary content.’

‘i’m too chronically online for my own good, of course i watch commentary content.’ he joked, trying to ease up the atmosphere. you couldn’t help but giggle at his comment, proving his attempt to be successful. 

but then your attention shifted to something else. 

his hands was still on yours, the skin of his fingers wrapped around your wrist hot against your own. not only that, but you didn’t even notice when you had moved closer to him — faces above cali’s sleeping body alarmingly close to one another. maki seemed to notice too, the two of you pulling away at the exact same moment, truly a comical sight. 

and yet the warmth of his touch lingered on your body still, like a reminder of his presence once so close to you. 

the tension in the air loosened up over time — with both you and maki throwing in little comments of your own at the video, the conversation flowing between you two seemingly as natural as breathing. when the video ended, maki urged you to turn on another one about a topic that both of you found interesting: and then another, and another. you didn’t even realise how much time has passed since he first arrived until you heard your phone buzz right next to you, the screen flashing with a message from your brother. 

‘just finished!! we’re going out for drinks now. will probably be home around 3am, unless i end up staying at euijoo’s. don’t miss me too much ;))’

you glanced in maki’s direction, the boy now in the kitchen to retrieve the snacks he had previously brought and forgot about, and sighed deeply. you were genuinely enjoying the time spent with your brother’s best friend — the fact that this singular message has probably brought it to its end made you frown involuntarily, almost on instinct. 

maki sat himself down on the couch once more, a satisfied smile on his face as he opened one pack of chips. he was ready to dig in, hand already reaching for the snack inside, when you stopped him. 

‘nicho’s not coming anytime soon.’ you mumbled, his attention immediately turning towards you. his head tilted slightly, waiting for you to explain — getting said explanation when you showed him the message your brother had sent you just minutes before. 

maki’s smile fell immediately. 

‘oh.’ he whispered.

‘yeah.’ you answered, eyes falling down to the floor. ‘i think that means you should go home now. since, you know, you have no reason to stay here.’

‘can i tell you something?’ maki asked. your question caught him off guard — gaze lifting up to meet his, head tilted to the side just slightly in a sign of confusion. ‘i didn’t come here for your brother.’

‘what?’

‘i came here for you.’ his voice echoed through the living room, the video playing on the tv screen seemingly forgotten, insignificant now. ‘i knew nicholas wouldn’t be here today. i came here because i wanted to see you.’

his words were followed by a wave of silence, and all of a sudden you felt like all of those feelings of affection and longing and fondness crashed into you all at once — with an impressive power almost sweeping you off your feet. you didn’t dare speak, or more so couldn’t bring yourself to do so: unsure of what he meant by it, not wanting to get your hopes up or misunderstand his unfinished statement. 

maki seemed to get the hint of what your quietness meant.

‘i like you- no, i love you. much more than i probably should.’ he continued, his breathing slightly faster than usual, face already heating up at this vulnerable confession. ‘i don’t know whether you feel the same, but i couldn’t hold it inside any longer. i might’ve exploded if i had to hold myself back from saying it for even a day more. i like you — so much so that it aches me whenever i see you smile or hear your laugh, even just when we see each other for the fleeting moment it takes you to open the door for me and disappear upstairs. you don’t have to accept this confession-’

‘maki, i like you too.’ you cut him off mid sentence, before he was even able to spout any nonsense about you turning him down. you couldn't bear to hear him even imply something of that sort — and taken over by a newfound and probably very temporary sense of confidence, you decided not to hold yourself back this time. 

the boy almost gasped in surprise when he noticed you lean in, hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt before pulling him closer and smashing your lips against his. the kiss was messy and imperfect in almost every way — noses bumping, teeth clashing occasionally, neither of you knowing how much energy to give into it or what it should truly look and feel like. but the beauty of this moment rested not in the knowledge you possessed of kissing but rather the intimacy of the act alone: the mutual pining finally let out of its cage and spreading its wings in a beautiful act of affection shared between two people who were surely waiting for this moment for far too long. 

both you and maki managed to get the gist of it eventually — his hands finding your waist, lips moving against one another more harmonically, bodies heating up from the newfound sensation. in that moment, all that truly mattered was you and him: the outside world was merely a muffled sound, a stage for your final act of lifelong longing for maki to finally come to a resolve. 

perm taglist: @nichozzystuffs @woonhakfeet @ivehan @haorangis @choco-scoups @littlegummystar @mxriitaesz @luvkeiiii @ikigaijo

&team taglist: @starshuas @minhosimthings @makizdoll @ricewithjo @deerhuntings @livelaughloveseventeen

networks: @berrybittynetwork

[ikigaijo]

there might be a drought on my blog for a few days because the harua fic is gonna take me a while…

which also means the announcement will be delayed too T^T apologies!!