rich heirs!jeong jaehyun x reader (original character)
angst, slowburn
6,174 words
summary: Reality came crashing in like a cruel reminder. Jaehyun didn't reach her door that night. And she gave up, with the truth still foldedânever spoken, never set free. Here you are watching Jaehyun's world crumble and him stitching it back together, piece by piece.
warning: Suicide attempt and mental issues. All names, characters, and events in this story are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
make sure you read part. 1 before continuing.
--
2 weeks before the wedding;
the night she walked away.
He tried. He ran everywhere. Thought she could be at their favorite bar. Maybe in their midnight cafe.
But noâhe couldn't find her.
Because that night, she was the first one disappearing from his radar.
They took her first.
So he went back. The apartment was dark, save for the glow of the city spilling through Jaehyunâs windows. The skyline blinkedâhospitals, offices, blinking towers that once meant legacy. Now? They felt like chains.
He sat on the edge of his bed, hands shaking, heart like a drum inside his chest. The document folders still lay scattered across the floorâthe evidence (Y/n) had found. The betrayal he hadnât meant. The war his father declared behind his back.
He hadnât meant to hurt her. But he had. And the next weekâshe would marry Callum.
Unless he stopped it.
Jaehyun grabbed his coat from the back of the chair, snatched his passport off the nightstand, and slipped on his old trainers. No bodyguards. No staff. He needed no one to know.
The city streets were quiet, dim under yellow streetlights. He hailed a cab near the convenience store where he used to meet her.
His mind repeated one thing:
Iâm not letting her go through that alone.
2:52 AM
The cab pulled up just two blocks away from the Grand Palais. He had it stop early to avoid being spotted.
He walked fast.
Hood up.
Pulse rising.
And thenâ
they were already there.
Three black-suited men stepped out from the shadows. One placed a hand on Jaehyunâs shoulder. âMr. Jeong, come with us.â No hostility. Just practiced, cold instruction.
Jaehyun froze. His eyes narrowed. And then, the car door opened. His father sat inside, legs crossed and face unreadable.
His father exhaled through his nose, tone sharp and quiet.
âYou disappoint me.â
âIâm going to her.â
âNo. Youâre not.â
Jaehyun took a step back. Another. One of the men moved in.
âIâm not your pawn. Iâm not like you!â
âYouâre worse,â his father snapped. âYouâre weak. Iâve spent decades building our empire, and you would throw it away for a girl who doesnât know her place.â
âSheâs not yours to talk about!â
âShe was promised to Wright. Sheâll be his wife by tomorrow, and you will be thousands of miles away, far from the mess youâve made.â
Jaehyun lunged, fists clenched, but two guards grabbed his arms. He shoutedâfought them. But the third was already raising the needle.
âYouâre not destroying everything for some girl,â his father spat.
And thenâ
Darkness.
--
A few hours before the wedding;
â Bridal Suite, Grand Palais Hotel
2:03 AM
The room was too quiet. Not the peaceful kind. The kind of quiet that echoed. The kind of quiet that hurt. (Y/n) sat on the edge of the bed in her ivory slip, her veil folded beside her like a napkin no one would ever use. Her fingers trembled around a teacup that had gone cold hours ago.
The city outside sparkled like it was celebrating. But inside the bridal suite, she was unraveling.
The dress was hanging by the window. Pressed. Immaculate. Cursed. It wasnât hers. Not really. It belonged to the woman she was supposed to become. The bride of a future she never chose.
Callum had been gone since the rehearsal dinner.
Her mother had checked in earlier to âensure she wasnât having a meltdown.â Her father left behind a voice message, sharp and cold:
âSmile. Get through tomorrow. Then do whatever you want.â
Except⌠she wouldnât have anything after tomorrow. Not her name. Not her dreams. Not Jaehyun. Her fingers hovered over her phone.
His contact lit up on the screen. But her calls wouldnât go through. Her messages never delivered. Her last one was simple.
Typed. Never sent:
you:
âAre you still coming?â
Because a part of her still believed he would. A part of her clung to the idea that maybeâjust maybeâheâd break through the guards. Push through the doors. Stand in front of her like a storm and say, âRun. With me. Now.â But the clock ticked. And nothing came.
2:46 AM
She stared at herself in the mirror.
No makeup.
No jewelry.
Just a girl with swollen eyes and a heart she couldnât carry anymore.
âIâm tired,â she whispered.
Not to anyone.
Not to the room.
Just to the reflection that no longer looked like her.
âIâm so tired.â
Tired of smiling when her insides were breaking.
Tired of waiting.
Tired of fighting systems that never bent.
Tired of pretending that one more week wouldnât crush her completely.
3:19 AM
She opened the window.
The air was cold.
But she welcomed it.
Let it chill her lungs.
Let it numb the ache.
In the distance, she imagined a plane.
His plane.
But she couldnât tell if it was real.
Or just another hope taking off without her.
4:11 AM
She unfolded her veil slowly.
Lifted it gently from across the bed.
Not like surrenderâbut like goodbye.
Not the kind she wanted to write.
But the kind the world wrote for her.
One final look in the mirror.
She didnât see herself.
Just a girl who tried.
And a future that never opened its door.
She whispered Jaehyunâs nameâjust onceâ
Like a lullaby.
Like a curse.
Like a wish too heavy to hold anymore.
Then, she stepped barefoot into the silence.
And the world would wake up
to find a dress without a bride,
a wedding without a heart,
and a love story left unfinished.
She sat beneath the ceiling lamp.
Looking up at it.
It was old. Beautiful. Hung low, with antique brass and crystal shards. The kind decorators pick for weddings because it photographs well.
But to (Y/n)âit felt like the only thing in the room that was real.
It hung like her hope, barely holding on.
She wrapped the long wedding veil in her lap, fingers trembling.
And then, she whispered, âJaehyun⌠please.â
But the knock never came.
4:15 AM
She finally stood barefoot on the chair. The silk fabric trailed behind her like a river. She wasnât angry anymore, just⌠quiet and peaceful. Like a song that ended before its last verse. She tied the veilâsoftly, methodically. Took one last look at the room. At the place where no one saved her.
And thenâ
with eyes swollen and heart silent, she stepped forward.
Everything slowed.
No one heard the sound of the lamp breaking.
But the walls did.
The air no longer moved. The silk veil had tightened against her neck. Her feet no longer reached the floor. The weight of her heart drifted upward.
But her mindâ
her mind ran.
In those final 15 seconds, she didnât see the headlines. Not the chandeliers. Not her fatherâs empire. Not the ceiling.
She saw him.
15 seconds left; the light dimmed around the edges of her vision. Her lungs begged. Her body shook. But in her head, a vision:
Jaehyun was standing under a summer sun, in Vienna,
hair messy, sleeves rolled, laughing at her poorly folded paper cranes.
That rich, deep laughâboyish, warm, unguarded. She sees him.
âYou really made this look like a broken bat,â he teased.
And she laughed tooâbecause she had never felt more alive than in that exact moment.
No cameras.
No fathers.
No locked doors.
Just his smile.
Just his voice.
Just the version of her that was free.
10 seconds left; she saw the night they kissed in the back of the taxi.
He was laughing so hard from something she had saidâhis eyes scrunched, his dimples deep, his breath mint and wine-sweet as he pulled her in, grinning:
âSorry,â he murmured.
She blinked up at him, dazed. âAre you?â
He grinned, slightly flushed. âNot even a little.â
She smiled.
âGood.â
5 seconds; she saw his laugh again. This time, in the rain, when they ran barefoot through a narrow cobbled street in London, her heels in her hand, his coat over her shoulders. The romantic night when they freed themselves from expectations and duties for once, or maybe twice.
âYouâre insane,â he had said.
âSo are you.â
And they had stood under a streetlamp, dripping wet, foreheads pressed togetherâ
breathing in each otherâs freedom.
2 seconds; now she saw Jaehyun, lying beside her on a creaky twin bed. One hand on her stomach, the other under his head.
âIâm trying,â he had whispered.
âIâll break every chain for you.â
And she believed him.
Even now.
Even with no breath left.
Because as the world tiltedâ
as darkness flooded the edgesâ
as silence became the only thing holding her upâ
She died hearing his laugh.
And for one tiny second,
She smiled.
Because in the final flicker,
before the world gave outâ
She wasnât in a hotel room.
She wasnât in a cage.
She wasnât a bride.
She was his.
For one last second. His, and only his.
--
3.15 PM; Vienna International Airport
Seonho:
âSheâs gone.â
âThey found her in the bridal suite.â
When his phone buzzed, the message came like a hammer.
Jaehyun dropped his phone. He stared as if he refused to blink, the words might rearrange themselves into something else.
His hands trembled.
His breath caught.
No.
It couldnât be.
He was so close.
He was just about to book a ticket back after escaping his personal guard from earlier.
His father had tightened security, but heâd found a holeâthrough an old contact in Singapore. A plane seat was waiting. His escape was planned.
He just needed hours.
Just one more night.
She promised sheâd wait.
She promised sheâd hold on.
He didnât even grab his shoes.
He bolted barefoot through the quiet Vienna flatâ
Tripping over open suitcases, scattering his phone, his wallet and passportâ
Grabbing only his coat and his desperation.
The concierge yelled as he tore through the lobby.
But Jaehyun didnât hear anything except the thundering in his chest.
He didnât have a ticket yet. He didnât care.
He ran barefoot through the cold tile, ignoring stares, security warnings, shouts in German.
He didnât even realize he was sobbing until his vision blurred.
His lungs burned, but his heart howled.
âSheâs waiting,â he kept muttering under his breath. Tears welled up, though he tried to fight them back.
âSheâs waitingâshe promisedâshe said she would wait.â
He reached the counter.
Slammed his ID.
Begged. Pleaded. Paid extra.
The agent looked uneasy. âYouâll miss boarding. And⌠sir, are you alright?â
He nodded violently.
No words could explain what he was trying to outrun.
The gate was far. He ran. Blood smeared on the heel of his left foot from where heâd cut it on something at the curb. But he didnât stop.
He couldnât. Because he had to make it in time. He had to see her. He had to believe it was just a rumor, a lie, a cruel jokeâ
She wouldnât do that.
Not without telling him goodbye.
Not without their last moment.
Not without his last chance to explain that he hadn't meant to hurt her, that he couldn't live without her.
He whispered her name like a prayer.
--
Nobody saw it.
Not her mother, busy selecting floral patterns.
Not her father, focused on politics and deals.
Not the stylists, who smiled politely as they powdered her cheeks.
Not the staff, trained to serveânot see.
But he did.
Jaehyun.
He always noticed the way her silence changed.
Not peaceful. Not shy.
Just⌠withdrawn, like someone sinking with a smile on their lips.
Sometimes she would look at her reflection like she wasnât sure she was still in it. Sometimes sheâd pick at her food, not out of habitâbut punishment.
And when she cried quietlyâhe never asked âwhatâs wrong.â
He held her hand, pressed a kiss to her temple, and whispered:
âYouâre precious to me. You know that, right?â
Because she didnât.
Not always.
And he knew the fight she waged in her own mind.
He saw the shadows.
The almost moments.
Once, in the parking lot, when she sat too long in the driverâs seat.
Another time, at the rooftop of his building, where the wind pulled at her sleeves more than she did.
He never told anyone.
Not because he wanted to hide itâ
but because she trusted him.
And he promised heâd always be there when it got heavy.
But that promise was why he ran that night.
He wasnât going to beg for forgiveness just because of the business plan. He was going to save her.
The thought of her alone, in that suite, thinking she was unwantedâ
it made him sick. It made him move.
And then, somewhere between Seoul and Vienna,
between that hotel door and the sedation dripâhe failed her.
Not because he didnât care. But because he knew⌠and still couldnât get to her in time.
Thatâs what destroyed him most. Not just her loss, but the knowing. The helpless knowing that he could have saved her, if only they'd let him knock.
--
He landed to silence. No one greeted him. No press. No family. Just cold air and the too-clean sound of arrivals echoing off polished walls.
He ignored his phone and everything but the taxi driver he just found at the arrival.
âTake me to the hotelâ, he rasped. âNow.â
3:39 PM â Grand Palais
The doors opened and Jaehyun stepped out, dizzy and pale, bleeding again through the heel of his sock. He limped through the lobby, heart hammering against ribs like a trapped bird.
People stared. Security recognized him. But no one moved.
Like they all knewâ
And didnât have the heart to stop him.
He pushed through the fourth-floor corridor. Past the room where they had once dreamed of escaping. Past the corner sheâd whispered âI love youâ in. To the suite with the white ribbon on the door.
Room 417.
He opened it.
The scent hit first.
Faded jasmine. Dust.
And something heavier.
The veil still hung crooked on the ceiling lamp.
The one she had chosen herself. And beneath it was a single shoe lying on its side. Abandoned.
He staggered in. Hands shaking. Knees ready to buckle. And then he saw the note, smeared with red lipstick.
Written in rushed, uneven script on the full-length mirror.
"I waited. I swear I waited. I just forgot how to breathe."
Jaehyun collapsed. He didnât scream. Didnât curse. He simply sat in the middle of the room, head in his hands, rocking slowlyâwhispering into the silence.
âI was coming. I was coming. I was coming.â
But time didnât wait.
Not for boys who broke free too late.
Not for girls who learned too young that escape was a myth.
Not for lovers who thought love could outlast power.
The world kept spinning.
And (Y/n)âthe girl who once danced barefoot in his shirt, who once smoked on the balcony with a fire in her eyesâwas now a ghost in ivory.
That was when he broke.
â(Y/n)!!â
It wasnât just a screamâ
it was a rupture.
The sound that came out of him didnât sound human.
It was torn from somewhere far beneath ribs and reason.
A noise that blistered in his throat and scraped raw through his teeth,
wild and primal, like grief being set on fire.
Jaehyun's eyesâonce soft, once full of so much restrained graceâwere now scarlet, bloodshot to the rims, tears streaming unblinking down his cheeks, eyes wide and mad with loss.
His pupils shrank, flickering.
The veins on his neck and temple bulged as if his pulse was trying to claw out of him. His jaw clenched so tightly it clicked, then trembledâhis breath heaving like a man drowning in air.
âShe waited for meâSHE WAITED!â
âI was comingâI was on my wayâ(Y/n)!!!â
He surged forward, but the guards pinned him backâ
arms like anchors, but not strong enough to cage a heart that was shattering live in front of them.
His knees buckled.
The weight of the world, of too late, crashed down.
He dropped.
Not gracefullyâ
but like glass collapsing onto concrete.
His hands scraped the floor first, then the side of his face.
The veins in his arms throbbed as he twisted, trying to crawlâ
toward the door. Toward her.
He thrashed.
He hit.
He clawed.
His fists smashed into the carpet, into the marble edge of the suite, into his own chest.
âI was gonna marry herâI had the ringâI had everythingâshe was gonna wear white for meâŚâ
His voice collapsed into sobs so raw they burned through his ribs.
Every breath came in jerks, sharp and useless.
His face was twistedâred, wet, unrecognizable.
Anger.
Sorrow.
Regret.
Self-hatred.
All trying to exist in one manâs chest and failing.
He bit down on his own knuckles at one pointâ
trying to stop the scream building again.
He couldnât.
His motherâshakingâreached out. âJaehyunâŚâ
But he didnât see her.
Didnât feel the trembling of her hands or the whispered prayers falling from her lips. His eyes darted again to the door, the one they wouldnât let him open.
He lunged.
The guards caught him again.
âSheâs still thereâLET ME SEE HER!!â
He roaredâ
a final explosion that ripped straight through his vocal cords.
And thenâthe sting.
A needle, jammed into the back of his shoulder.
He blinked.
Everything swam.
The hallway tilted.
The door blurred.
But he was still whisperingâ
Through his bloodied lips,
through his clenched teeth,
as he was dragged backwards like a war casualty:
âShe waitedâŚâ
âShe waitedâŚâ
âShe waited for meâŚâ
And thenâ
darkness.
Gangnam, 2:03 AM â Three Days After the Funeral
The city pulsed on without her. But he didnât.
He stood barefoot in Apgujeong Rodeoâa place once buzzing with polished heels and champagne laughsânow brought to stillness by the sight of a man unraveling under luxury lights.
His shirt, soaked in cold sweat, flapped open in the wind.
His eyes were bloodshot, rimmed in red, pupils pin-prick wide as if trying to see her in every flickering reflection.
He paced back and forth in front of glossy storefront windows,
his breath fogging the glass as he whispered to themâ
âCheck the mirrorâplease⌠sheâs still writing.â
âI saw her. She was thereâher finger moved.â
âSheâs talking to me. Donât clean itâplease donât wipe her away!â
A small crowd gathered.
Most stared.
A few filmed.
One man laughed nervously.
Another asked, âIsnât thatâŚ?â
Someone offered him a bottle of water.
He didnât blink.
Didnât notice the shaking in his hands or the tremor in his voice.
Thirty minutes later, two police officers and a medical team arrived.
The headlines would later read âFormer Jeong Group Heir Found in Distressed State.â
But they didnât know the truth.
They didnât know this was the second time his soul had died.
They sedated him againâ
but this time, they didnât take him to his penthouse, or to the Jeong estate.
They took him to a private clinic so far away, in Tuscany. A quiet place. Remote. This time, Jaehyun didnât protest. He had nothing left to resist with.
--
One Month Later â Tuscany
Soft Tuscan light filtered through the shuttersâthin, pale stripes across the parquet floor. There were no ticking clocks. No clinical coldness. Just aged wood, an open window, and two chairs across from each other.
Jaehyun sat in one of them, unmoving.
His posture was elegant still, instinctively dignified, but there was a slump in his shouldersâsubtle but permanent. Like gravity had grown heavier on him than on anyone else in the world.
He didnât look at the doctor.
Didnât look at anything, really.
His gaze was fixed downward, toward his knees, as if words might be hiding there.
Dr. Belliniâa soft-spoken man in his sixties, with olive-toned skin and eyes that had seen too many kinds of sorrowâsat across from him with a notebook in his lap, untouched.
He didnât start with a question.
He started with silence.
The kind that lets pain come out if it wants to.
After a full minute, the doctor finally spoke.
Warm. Italian-accented English. Unthreatening.
âCan I call you Jaehyun?â
No answer. Only a blink.
âDo you know where you are?â
Silence.
âYou arrived three nights ago. Do you remember?â
Still nothing.
The doctor didnât flinch.
Heâd seen grief bury deeper than memory.
ThenâfinallyâJaehyun moved.
Not much.
Just a shift of his hand, fingers briefly twitching against the edge of the chair. And then, in a voice that sounded like it had traveled through smoke, âShe waited.â
Dr. Belliniâs pen hovered.
âShe⌠waited for you?â
A nod. Barely.
Then Jaehyun spoke again, more to the wall than the man.
âI was going to her. I was late. They took me. I fought them. Butââ
He swallowed hard. The rest of the sentence disappeared somewhere in his throat. âI shouldâve gotten there.â
The doctor leaned forward slightly.
âWhat do you believe wouldâve happened if you had?â
Silence.
Then Jaehyun laughed. A dry, hollow sound.
Not humor. Not irony. Just⌠disbelief.
âSheâd still be alive.â
Dr. Bellini paused, then asked gently:
âWhat tells you that?â
Jaehyun looked up for the first time.
And in his eyesâ
Redness. Veins. Sleepless agony.
But also something else.
Certainty.
âBecause I was the only one who saw it coming.â
Another breath.
âAnd they didnât let me stop it.â
A long pause followed.
A sparrow chirped on the windowsill outside. Wind rustled through the cypress trees.
Dr. Bellini didnât write. Not yet.
He simply said, âWhat youâre feeling⌠itâs called survivorâs guilt.â
But Jaehyun didnât flinch at the words. He just repeated softly, almost like prayer, âShe waited for meâŚâ
And finally, âAnd I failed her.â His voice cracked.
"Patient is not unreachable. He is deeply fragmented but anchored by memory. There is love, not madness, at the core of this crisis.
He has not lost his mindâ
He has lost his world.
Therapy must not push.
It must waitâas she once waited for him."
Signed,
Dr. Alessandro Bellini
Lead Psychiatrist, St. Araceli Sanatorium
The days passed like fog. He did not scream anymore. Nor did he cry.
He simply existedâquietly and in fragments. He rose when the nurses asked. He sat in the sun when gently led. He swallowed the pills they gave him without protest.
But he did not speak again. He did not look anyone in the eye.
He did not eat more than a few obligatory bites.
The staff noted he was compliant but distant.
âMr. Jeong, how are you feeling today?â
Silence.
âWould you like to write something?â
A shake of the head.
âWould you like music?â
No response.
The only thing he seemed to respond to was light.
He spent hours by the window in his room, forehead leaned to the glass, watching the olive trees sway.
And sometimesâ
just sometimesâ
he would mouth her name.
But then, his mind takes overâstaging its own show during a 13-hour sleep.
...They finally registered their marriage and had an officiant conduct a simple ceremony, surrounded by close friends in an intimate celebration.
âNow weâre real,â she whispered.
He kissed her temple.
âWe were always real. We just finally have a piece of paper that says the worldâs caught up.â
And that night, under the glow of fairy lights and the hush of crickets, two people who had once been born into chaos finally chose something simple; each other, forever, no drama. Just yes.
And when he wokeâ
he cried.
He pulled his knees to his chest, rocking. Grief came back with knivesâworse than before. Because now, he knew what heâd lost. Not just her. But what they couldâve had.
That dream wasnât a message. It wasnât a sign. It was a wishâhis last, most sacred wish.
She was supposed to open that door.
She was supposed to run with him.
They were supposed to live somewhere small, far from names, power, fathers, curses.
The dream gave it all back. But dreams are cruel, especially when reality came crashing in when he woke up. But dreams are not cruel forever.
A month and a half later
Again, he dreamedâbut this one clung tighter, whispered louder, and felt just a heartbeat away from real.
It wasnât vivid.
It wasnât dramatic.
It was her.
Just (Y/n), barefoot in a sunlit kitchen.
A soft white dress swaying around her knees.
She was humming. Her hair slightly damp, cheeks flushed like sheâd just come in from the rain.
She turned to himâ
smiled.
âYouâre so thin, love.â
She cupped his face gently, the way she used to.
âAre you punishing yourself again?â
He tried to speak but his throat caught.
Tears welled, but she brushed them away with the pad of her thumb.
âYou kept your promise,â she whispered.
âYou came. Just late. But I still felt it.â
She held his hand and guided him to a table.
There was bread. Soup. Wine.
She took a spoonful and raised it to his lips like they were back in the world that couldâve been.
âEat,â she said softly.
âSo Iâll know youâre still trying. So Iâll know you havenât let go of the part of me that lived inside you.â
He took the spoon.
He ate.
In the dreamâhe swallowed without pain for the first time in weeks.
He woke up with tears soaking his pillow. Silently at first. No gasping. Just tears, falling so slowly, so quietly, they glistened like dew on his lashes before sliding into the corner of his mouth.
And then, the shaking began. Shoulders tight, back curled.
One hand clutching the blanket like a child lost in a storm. He didnât scream. Didnât sob loudly. Just wept, raw and honest, the way people do when they finally have nothing left to pretend for.
The nurse froze.
She had been told not to expect much. Not from him. Not after what happened in Gangnam. Not after the incident outside the hotel.
She took a cautious step closer.
âMr. JeongâŚ?â
But he didnât answer her. He was staringâthrough the window.
Out at the orange sky. And then he whispered. Raspy. Barely audible.
âShe asked me to eat.â
The nurse blinked.
âIâm sorryâŚ?â
He turned to look at her, eyes red, hollow, butâsomehowâclearer.
âShe told me⌠in the dream.â
âShe said I had to eat.â
âShe said thatâs how I could still love her.â
The nurse swallowed hard, unsure if she was supposed to document that.
But then, his hand moved.
A slow lift. Trembling fingers pointed toward the breakfast tray near the window, untouched for nearly two weeks.
And then, one wordâ
âPlease.â
That was all.
She blinked. Startled. Then nodded, quickly moving to warm up the food.
Behind her, Jaehyun sat up on his own.
No fanfare.
No strength.
But will.
He reached for the spoon with shaking hands and lifted a bite to his mouth. One spoon. Then another. Chewing like it hurt, like his body had to remember how to keep going.
But he did.
Because she asked.
And from that day on, he ate.
Not much. Not fast.
But a little more each morning.
Because nowâ
it was the only way left to love her.
A week later; she came again in his sleep.
This time, she didnât speak right away. She was sitting under an olive tree. The light was golden. Warm.
He sat beside her, neither saying anything for a long time. Then she turned and leaned her head on his shoulder.
âYouâre doing better,â she whispered.
âIâm proud of you.â
His voice trembled. âI still see you in everything.â
She smiled.
âThatâs because I never left, Jaehyun.â
And before he could ask where she was going,
before he could beg her to stayâ
She kissed his temple, and said,
âKeep going, love. Iâll wait. I'll wait for you, forever.â
Jaehyun began waking up with purpose again.
Not much. Just enough.
Heâd open the window. Let the cold air brush his skin. He started drinking tea she used to like. Set out two mugs. Always two.
He took a few steps outsideâjust to the end of the garden. To the bench that faced the ivy-covered wall. Every morning, heâd sit there, hoping to find her in the hush of the wind.
He never called it recovery.
He called it⌠keeping his promise.
To live. To still see the sea. To breathe, even when it hurt.
As he walked back to his ward in the west wing, the corner of his eyes caught some familiar faces on TV. He looked up.
Breaking News: Calum Wright and Chairman Kim Arrested
The headlines flashed across every screen in the nation.
âBREAKING: Calum Wright and Chairman Kim Arrested for Money Laundering & Corruption.â
Inside a dimly lit interrogation room, the illusion of power finally shattered.
Calum Wright sat pale and grim, his once-polished demeanor stripped to sweat and stammering silence. Gone were the slick suits and smug arroganceâthe carefully curated image of Seoulâs most eligible international fiancĂŠ.
Beside him: Mr. Kim, her father.
Handcuffed. Expression unreadable.
But to the world watching, that cold blankness looked a lot like guilt.
Jaehyun watched as he walked into the communal room.
The screen was muted, but he didnât need sound.
He recognized the courtroom. The chains. The flash of disgrace in Calumâs eyes.
He watched until the video cut to (Y/n)âs name.
âShe knew,â he murmured.
He had always wondered why she stayed quiet in those final days.
Why she didnât scream. Or run.
Now he understood.
She was protecting something.
Even if she had no strength left to save herself.
And he smiled.
Not because he was healed.
But because justice had finally arrived.
Even if it came too late to bring her backâ
it would carry her truth.
And that was enough to carry him.
A month later.
A new therapist came to visit him once a week.
She didnât ask about the tabloids. She asked about her.
And thatâs how he opened up.
He spoke of her smile. Her strange love for pouring milk before cereal. Her habit of humming unconsciously when anxious. The way her fingers shook when she was trying to stay strong.
Every sketch he drew was for her.
By the sixth session, he showed one to the therapist:
(Y/n) sitting on a bench, hand reaching toward the light.
She had no faceâbut he whispered, âYou know itâs her, right?â
The therapist nodded.
Five months later.
She had once told him, âYou shouldâve been a pianist in another life.â
And for the first time in months, he touched the keys again.
One note. Then two.
Chords, broken and unsure.
Thenâ
a melody she used to hum in the car.
He cried the first time he played it all the way through.
But he played it again the next morning.
And again.
The clinic opened the door so patients could listen.
They didnât know the song.
But they knew what it felt like:
grief being gently combed into beauty.
--
They came in black cars, of course.
Both of them, lined like shadows outside the clinicâs gatesâ
polished, impersonal, loaded with pride.
His mother stepped out first.
Quiet. Nervous hands clutching her purse.
She hadnât been allowed to visit during the first three months, but she had begged. Pleaded.
And now, finally⌠they were here.
To see their son.
Jaehyun never left his room.
The nurses gently knocked.
âMr. Jeong, your parents are in the visitor lounge.â
No response.
One nurse leaned in, hopeful.
âYour mother brought homecooked meals. She said you always liked it on hard days.â
Still nothing.
Inside, Jaehyun sat by the windowâsketching (Y/n)âs profile from memory. Her smile. The soft tilt of her jaw. The same portrait heâd drawn twenty-eight times.
The paper trembled as he traced her name below it. Not for them to see. Not this time.
He spoke softlyâhis voice hoarse but sure, âTell them to go.â
His motherâs hands curled tighter in her lap. She blinked fast, trying to understand. The doctor gave her a look of quiet pity.
âHeâs⌠not ready. He doesnât talk to anyone, really. Except her.â
Mr. Jeong scoffed. âSheâs dead. Sheâs not coming back. He needs to grow up and return to the business.â
The doctor stood a little straighter. âNo, Mr. Jeong. He doesnât need the business. He needs space. And time.â His father rose, angry, unmoved. But his mother lingered, eyes teary.
âJust give him this,â she whispered, handing over a sealed envelopeâ
a family photo from before everything fell apart. The nurse brought it to him, placed it gently on the table beside his sketchbook.
Jaehyun never opened it.
He just stared at the photo for a while, then placed it inside his drawer.
Untouched. Quiet.
Like everything else that no longer mattered.
He said only once, to Seonho, his former assistantâover a rare, brief phone call weeks later.
âI donât hate them.
I just donât want their world anymore.
The only thing that felt real in it⌠is gone.â
And so, the visits stopped.
Not out of anger.
Not out of revenge.
But because he already chose who heâd belong to,
and it wasnât his father empire anymore.
It was her.
And whatever came after.
He let the year dissolve like sugar in teaâquiet, hidden beneath warmth. When he left the sanatorium, it was as if heâd simply stepped out for air. No press. No trace. Only a sealed request: tell them nothingâlet them keep their version of me.
He bought a small farmhouse in Tuscany with a single olive tree in the front. She once said, âI want to grow old somewhere where the sky looks like honey.â
He planted lavender under the windows, and hung her sketch above the fireplace. Locals knew him only as Mr. Jeongâthe quiet Korean man who buys too many candles and never misses the sunrise.
He wrote in the mornings. He painted in the afternoons. And every night, he left a chair across from him at the dinner table.
On what wouldâve been her 26th birthday, he stood beneath the olive tree at sunrise. He whispered:
âIâm still here.
Iâm not whole.
But Iâm not lost anymore.â
âI carry you.
In silence.
In music.
In everything I survive.â
And then he placed a single veil-white rose at the base of the tree.
Jaehyun didnât move on. He moved with her. In sketches. In dreams. In soft-spoken days spent planting what the world once buried.
And when asked, years later, by a local child who peeked into his studio.
âMister, whoâs the pretty girl in all your drawings?â
He smiled.
Touched his chest, just above his heart.
âSheâs the reason I still wake up.â
At long lastâfourteen years, fourteen winters, fourteen aching waitsâthe day arrived, wrapped in the soft gold of a happy ending. The day heâd dreamed, begged, and bled for.
It was quiet.
The sun had just begun slipping through the sheer curtains, brushing golden light against the creaky wooden floors of the small farmhouse. The olive tree outside rustled softly in the breeze, leaves whispering secrets to the wind.
Inside, everything was in its place.
His sketchbook, open beside the bed.
Two cups of teaâone untouched.
A piano key softly pressed down by a falling lavender petal.
Jaehyun lay still in bed, one hand resting over his chest, where he had once tucked his last sketch of her.
A gentle expression on his face.
Like heâd just seen someone familiar.
Like he had finally exhaled.
The doctor would later say: heart failure in his sleep.
But those who knew himâreally knew himâunderstood better.
He had simply followed her.
At last.
Somewhere not of this world; a sky that felt like home.
The air was soft, like music on skin. The stars above blinked like city lights in a memory too far away to chase. He stood barefoot under that olive tree again.
Only this timeâshe was there. Wearing white again. But not a gown. Not grief. Just peace. She smiled. Not sad. Not wistful. Just⌠full. Her eyes were bright. Her hands steady.
âYouâre late,â she teased gently.
He laughedâhoarse, boyish.The laugh he lost when he lost her.
Then, without a word, he stepped forward and hugged her. Tightly. The way he didnât get to. The way he had longed to, for twenty years.
She held him back. Firm. Real. Unshakable.
And thenâthe music started. Soft. Familiar.
That same melody he played alone for years. Only this time, it was surrounding themâfloating through golden air.
She held out her hand.
He took it.
And under skies that never rained, on ground that never broke, they slow danced. Kissed like time had surrendered, bowed out, gone quiet.
No veils.
No ceilings.
No goodbyes.
Just him.
And her.
Foreverâas it always shouldâve been.
The End.
writer's note:
I truly appreciate every reblog, comment, and message youâve sent about my work. Writing both of these stories took an emotional toll on me, and I poured a lot of heart into them, so your support means the world.
Iâm sorry if updates take a while; thank you for being patient with me. I hope you enjoy my other works too.
Please stay healthy, stay safe,
and take care of yourselves always.
Lots of love,
jaefluenza xo
hii ik u prolly havent checked ur masterlist in a while but do u mind deleting/removing taeils stories? sorry its js rly uncomfortable and weird to see that. have a great day!!
hi!!! omg yesss thank you so much for reminding me. yes trueee i havenât checked my masterlist in sooo soo long because i mainly focused on writing with jaehyun characters only :( i got so many things to fix on this page sooo thanks for the reminder! will definitely remove anything related to him.
Hi! May I know when you will be able to release the 2nd part of your recent jaehyun au? Thank you!
Hellooooo! Thank you for asking. I have the draft ready but I might need more time to finish writing the whole thing. Please wait until the end of Sunday this week :)
rich heirs!jeong jaehyun x reader (original character)
angst, slowburn, everything that makes you weep
13.300 words (one hell of a ride, huh?)
summary: an unexpected night of wine, laughter, and a kiss in the back of a taxi ignites a forbidden connection. behind closed doors, they begin a secret romanceâeach longing to escape the burden of legacy and fate. but love, in their world, is a dangerous game.
--
Tonight was supposed to be just another endless galaâtailored tuxedos, overcooked speeches, too much wine and far too little sincerity.
But as Jaehyun sat two tables away from his father, half-listening to a logistics minister speak about trade reform, his attention wavered. Something tugged at his focus like a thread slowly unraveling the nightâs dull tapestry.
Her.
She wasnât flashy. She wasnât even smiling. Head slightly lowered, her eyes flicked to her plate occasionally like she was counting rice grains for comfort. Not once did she engage with the over-loud laughter or the shallow flattery that bounced across her table.
Two seconds. Then five. Ten. Jaehyunâs gaze lingered.
âWhoâs that?â he leaned slightly toward his fatherâs secretary, barely masking his curiosity.
The secretary followed his line of sight. âAh. Thatâs Miss (Y/n) Kim. Engaged to Mr. Callum Wright.â
Callum?
Jaehyunâs brows twitched.
Callum Wright. Of all people. His old dormmate from Cambridgeâthe one with the sharp suits and dull humor, the trust fund baby who thought misogyny was charisma. Jaehyun could still remember the way Callum used to joke about women like they were punchlines.
He shifted in his seat, suddenly colder.
And yet there she wasâCallumâs fiancĂŠeâso clearly disinterested in everything around her. Not out of arrogance, no. There was something else. A quiet restraint. Like she was pretending to belong.
He watched her again. This time more carefully. Her left hand rested on her lap, absent of jewelry. Her fork moved, but she barely ate. When Callum leaned over to whisper something, she flinchedâbarely, but Jaehyun caught it. A subtle pull back of her shoulders. As if her body knew something she was too polite to say.
Jaehyun exhaled.
His father nudged him. âWhatâs got you looking like that?â
Jaehyun blinked and looked away. âNothing. Just an old friend,â he replied. But it wasnât Callum he meant. It was her.
Callumâs voice rose above the clink of cutlery.
âAnd she thinks Nietzsche was a romantic. Can you believe that?â he laughed, loud and sharp, practically elbowing the man next to him. âI told her, darling, no man who says âwhat doesnât kill you makes you strongerâ has ever dated you.â
The table erupted in awkward laughter, a few stifled, a few loud enough to mask discomfort.
Except hers.
She lifted her wine glass, lips pressing into the gentlest smileâa performance, and a good one. She let the joke pass without a single twitch in her posture. Then, placing the glass down, she stood.
âExcuse me,â she said softly, so calmly it almost sliced through the tension like silk. She didnât wait for Callumâs response. She just walked.
Jaehyun sat back, eyes narrowing slightly. He wasnât sure what bothered him moreâCallumâs insufferable condescension or the way she handled it with such poised silence, like sheâd been trained to endure embarrassment her whole life.
He rose a few minutes later, murmuring something about a phone call to his father. No one noticedâexcept maybe his fatherâs secretary, who gave him a look. But said nothing.
He spotted her on the far side of the marble hall, just past the long curtains that draped over the glass doors.
The balcony was dimly lit, open to the warm summer air. And there she was.
She stood there alone, arms crossed, her pale dress catching the moonlight. She lit a cigarette with steady fingers, exhaled slowly, and closed her eyes for a momentâas if she needed this breath more than anything else.
âYou know thatâs going to kill you,â Jaehyun said, stepping out onto the balcony.
She didnât flinch.
âMaybe,â she said. âBut at least it doesnât talk.â
A beat. Then she turned her head, meeting his eyes for the first time that night. âYouâre⌠Jeong Jaehyun, right? Chairman Jeongâs son.â
He nodded slowly. âAnd youâre Callum Wrightâs fiancĂŠe.â
She gave a short, bitter laugh and took another drag.
âUnfortunately.â
He leaned against the railing beside her, watching the city lights stretch like a sea of gold beneath them. âI didnât expect to see him tonight. Or you. Though I guess that was the point.â
Her shoulders dropped, a small sign of weariness.
âYou knew him in Cambridge?â
âUnfortunately,â Jaehyun echoed, smirking. âHe still thinks degrading women is a form of humor, I see.â
She didnât reply. âI used to think I could fix that,â she murmured.
Silence settled between them. Not awkward. Not heavy. Just⌠honest.
He glanced at her. âYou deserve better than to be the butt of someoneâs punchline.â
She turned slightly, really looking at him now.
And Jaehyun⌠felt it. That quiet in her eyes. That storm behind the calm. This wasnât going to be another predictable gala after all.
She took another slow drag, the glow of the cigarette briefly lighting the fine bones of her face. When she exhaled, it wasnât just smokeâit was something deeper. Tiredness. Disappointment wrapped in elegance.
âNice to meet you, Jeong,â she said, tone clipped but not impolite. Her eyes didnât soften. âBut I donât need pity.â
Jaehyun let out a breath, half a chuckle. âThatâs good,â he replied, unfazed. âBecause Iâm not offering any.â
She turned her head slightly, an eyebrow raised.
He continued, calm and measured, âIâve just seen enough women shrink in rooms like these. Laugh along. Stay seated. You didnât. Thatâs rare.â
She held his gaze for a moment, then glanced back out at the skyline. Her voice was quieter this time.
âLeaving a table doesnât mean I win anything, Jeong.â
âNo,â he said. âBut it means you still know when to walk away.â
That got a real smile. Barely there, but unmistakable.
The wind tugged lightly at her hair. She tucked a strand behind her ear, the cigarette now forgotten between her fingers.
âDo you always follow strangers out of rooms?â she asked, almost teasing.
âOnly when they look like theyâre pretending not to break.â
She stared at him.
And something shifted. Not trust. Not yet. But a small dent in the wall sheâd so carefully built.
âI wasnât pretending,â she finally said. âIâm just good at breaking quietly.â
Another silence passed between them. This one different. Warmer. Quieter. Like a secret the stars were letting them borrow.
Then Jaehyun said, âStill. For what itâs worth, Nietzsche was a romantic.â
That drew a soft laugh from her lips. Genuine this time. It surprised even her.
She glanced at him sideways. âYou might be the first person in this building tonight with actual thoughts.â
He shrugged lightly. âComes with reading books instead of company reports.â
She stubbed her cigarette against the marble ledge, letting it die in silence.
When she looked at him again, the wind caught her hair just enough to make her seem a little freer.
âGoodnight, Jeong Jaehyun.â
He watched her goâhead high, back straight.
And for the first time all evening, Jaehyun wasnât just thinking about deals or names or family expectations.
He was thinking about her.
A woman with smoke in her lungs and quiet storms in her eyes.
--
The valet entrance was dimly litâjust enough for the gleam of polished cars and scuffed heels to glint under amber lamps. Most guests had long left the gala, but Callum and (Y/n) stood near the curb, mid-argument. Again.
"I said Iâll get a car myself, Callum," She snapped, stepping back from his reach.
âYouâre being ridiculous,â he hissed, voice laced with booze and bruised ego. âAlways making a scene. No wonder peopleââ
âIâm not making a scene. Iâm trying to leave before you embarrass me further.â
Callumâs jaw clenched. He stepped closer, voice dropping to something darker. âYou think youâre some kind of saint? You think just because you can quote philosophy, youâre better than me?â
When she didnât respond, his hand twitched. Raised. Not high, but just enough to say I could.
Thatâs when the voice came.
âHey, Wright! Fancy seeing you here.â
Callum froze.
Her eyes flicked past his shoulderâand softened.
Jaehyun was leaning casually against a parked black car behind them, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone. But his posture was deceptive. His tone wasnât friendly.
Callum turned, schooling his face into a grin. âJeong. Still lurking around the fringes of galas, I see?â
Jaehyunâs smile didnât reach his eyes. âHard to lurk when youâre the heir to the building the gala was held in.â
That shut Callum up, if only for a second.
Jaehyun slowly walked over, his gaze never leaving (Y/n)âchecking her, scanning for tremors, for hurt. She didnât say anything, but her eyes lingered on him a beat too long. Enough for him to see it. The flicker of fear she'd just buried.
âI didnât know you were into vintage temper tantrums,â Jaehyun said, his voice laced with cold amusement. âThey donât really suit you.â
Callum chuckled tightly, shoving his hands in his pockets. âItâs a relationship. We argue. You wouldnât understand.â
Jaehyun stopped in front of them.
âOh, I understand arguing,â he said. âI just draw the line at fear.â
The weight of his words dropped heavy.
Callum looked at his fiancĂŠe then, clearly unnerved. âWhat, you running to your new savior now?â
She didnât answer. She didnât have to.
Jaehyun turned to her gently. âWould you like a ride home, Miss Kim?â
She hesitated. But only for a moment. âYes.â
Callum stepped forward, â(Y/n)ââ
Jaehyun turned slightly, his voice like ice now. âTry raising your hand again. See what happens.â
The silence cracked like thunder.
She stepped around Callum, chin lifted, heels clicking as she moved beside Jaehyun without a glance back. When she got in the car and the door shut, Jaehyun didnât follow right away.
He stared at Callum one last time, jaw tight. âYour jokes were always trash. But this? This is a new low.â
And with that, he walked to the driverâs side, slid in, and drove her away. The city passed by in streaks of light.
Inside the car, silence reigned. Then, softly, she said, âYou didnât have to.â
Jaehyun kept his eyes on the road. âI wanted to.â
And for the first time in a long, long while⌠She believed someone meant it.
The car rolled to a gentle stop in front of a quiet, tucked-away building downtownâa place that didnât scream luxury, but whispered exclusivity. No velvet ropes, no flashy signs. Just a narrow brass plaque on the door that read VIOLET HOUR.
She glanced out the window, unsure. âThis isnât my apartment.â
Jaehyun looked over at her. His expression unreadable, but calm. âItâs not.â
A pause. Thenâ
âWould you have a sip of wine with me? Just one. I have a place. Quiet. No Callum. No noise.â
(Y/n) blinked.
He wasnât pushing. Just⌠offering.
She considered him for a moment. And then, maybe because the night already broke all the rules, maybe because she was tired of going home to silenceâor worse, himâshe nodded.
Inside, the bar was dimly lit, tucked behind velvet curtains and shelves lined with old books. The air smelled like aged oak and violet gin. A jazz trio played softly in the corner. And at the very back was a table reserved under âJ. Jeongââof course it was.
âI come here when I donât want to be anyone,â Jaehyun said as he held her chair out. âNo heirs. No cameras. Just good music and older wine.â
She settled in, eyeing the space like she wasnât sure how real it was. âDo you bring women here often?â
He smiled faintly. âNo. Just myself. And the occasional ghost of a good decision.â
She smirked. âThatâs poetic.â
âI try,â he said, lifting a hand to the bartender. âRed or white?â
âRed,â she replied, then quickly added, âDry.â
He nodded in approval. âGood choice.â
A few minutes later, two glasses of aged Bordeaux were placed between them.
They clinked glasses softly.
âTo surviving galas,â he offered.
(Y/n) tilted her head. âTo escaping them.â
They sipped.
And for the first time that night, she wasnât guarding her every word.
âSo,â she asked, swirling her wine gently, âwhat were you doing watching me at dinner?â
Jaehyun leaned back, glass in hand, eyes steady on hers.
âYou looked like someone who needed someone to see her,â he said simply.
Her fingers stilled on the stem of the glass.
âYou always talk like that?â
He smiled, slow and unhurried. âOnly when I mean it.â
She looked down, then looked back at himâmore curious now than guarded.
Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the warmth of a stranger who didnât feel like one.
But she found herself asking, âAnd what do you see now?â
Jaehyun met her gaze, long and deep.
âA woman who deserves more than what sheâs settling for.â
The jazz hummed. The wine warmed her fingertips. And (Y/n), for the first time in years, forgot what settling even felt like.
The wine crept into their veins like warm inkâslow and smooth, softening edges, blurring hesitations.
By the time they stumbled out of Violet Hour, the city had thinned. Midnight wind curled gently around them as they stood on the curb, his coat draped over her shoulders.
âYou canât possibly walk in those heels,â Jaehyun said, grinning, as she tripped slightly over a crack in the pavement.
âIâm floating,â She defended herself, squinting dramatically at the sidewalk. âThereâs a difference.â
He laughed, then raised his hand to hail a taxi. A yellow cab pulled up like fate answering a dare.
They slid into the backseat, her body leaning toward his, knees brushing.
âWhere to?â the driver asked.
She opened her mouth, but Jaehyun beat her to it. âJust drive for a bit. Weâll give the address later.â
The driver shrugged and pulled off.
Inside the cab, the lights of the city flickered through the window, gold spilling across her face. She turned to him, tipsy and untamed, her laughter still caught on her lips.
âYou really ordered wine like you were naming your firstborn,â she teased, poking his arm lightly. âYou said â2009 Saint-Ămilionâ like it was a love confession.â
âThat was a love confession,â Jaehyun said with mock seriousness. âTo fermented greatness.â
She giggled, leaning her head back against the seat. âGod, youâre so different from how I imagined youâd be.â
He looked at her, curious. âAnd how did you imagine me?â
âI donât know. Cold. Bored. Born in a boardroom.â
Jaehyun smiled, quiet for a beat. âYou bring out something lighter.â
She turned her head, eyes meeting his in the dark.
Neither of them was laughing now.
The taxi rolled over a smooth patch of road, quiet.
His hand was close. She didnât move away.
And then it happened. A pauseâone beat too long, one look too deep. Then, with a breath barely shared, Jaehyun leaned in.
Their lips met in a slow, quiet kiss that tasted like red wine and curiosity, like something they werenât supposed to touch but couldnât help reaching for. It was gentle at first, unsure. Then deeper, as if the space between them had always been meant to disappear.
Her fingers lightly curled around the lapel of his coat, holding on just enough to not feel like she was falling.
When they pulled apart, the only sound was their breath mingling, and the hum of tires on asphalt. Jaehyun rested his forehead against hers.
âSorry,â he murmured.
She blinked up at him, dazed. âAre you?â
He grinned, slightly flushed. âNot even a little.â
She smiled.
âGood.â
Outside, the city kept spinning. But in the backseat of that taxi, it finally felt like something had stoppedâjust long enough for something unexpected to begin.
The taxi slowed in front of a quiet, upscale apartment building tucked behind rows of sleeping trees. The streetlight cast a soft amber glow over the sidewalk as Jaehyun looked out the window, then back at her.
âThis is me,â (Y/n) whispered, voice low, like she didnât want to admit it.
Their laughter from moments ago still lingered faintly in the airâfading like the warmth of the wine on their cheeks. The kiss hovered between them, a line neither of them had expected to cross, yet neither regretted.
Jaehyun leaned forward, signaling the driver to stop.
She hesitated. Her hand hovered at the door handle, but she turned to face him one last time. The buzz of the night still hummed in her skin, but her eyes were soberer nowâtoo clear, too aware.
âYouâre not coming up,â she said, more like a statement than a question.
Jaehyun shook his head slowly. âNo. Youâve had enough noise for one night.â
She smiled softly at that. The kind of smile that held something unspoken. Gratitude. Tension. Maybe even disappointment. Or relief.
âThank you for the ride,â she said.
âFor the wine?â he asked, a playful tilt to his head.
âAnd that,â she said, eyes flicking briefly to his lips.
A silence settled. Not awkward. Just⌠filled with the weight of everything they didnât say.
Then she opened the door and stepped out, the night breeze tousling her hair gently as she pulled his coat tighter around her.
Before closing the door, she leaned down.
âGoodnight, Jeong.â
He gave her a half-smile, hand resting against the seat where her warmth still lingered.
âGoodnight, Miss Kim.â
The door shut with a soft click.
She didnât look back as she walked toward the lobby. Didnât need to.
And Jaehyun⌠sat still for a moment before tapping the driverâs shoulder.
âTake me home.â
As the taxi pulled away from the curb and swallowed him back into the city night, Jaehyun leaned his head against the window, lips brushing into a quiet smile.
Whatever that wasâit had just begun.
--
(Y/n) stirred awake to golden light spilling through her curtains, cutting soft lines across the bedsheets. She blinked slowly, the ceiling unfamiliar for a moment before reality returned like a slow tide.
Last night.
The wine.
The bar.
His voice.
That kiss in the back of the taxi.
Her hand moved to her lips almost instinctivelyâhalf in disbelief, half to feel if it had really happened.
She groaned, turning to bury her face into the pillow.
âWhat were you thinking,â she whispered to herself.
It wasnât like her. She didnât kiss strangers. She didnât linger in bars past midnight. And she definitely didnât fall for warm eyes and subtle wit over a bottle of Saint-Ămilion.
But then again, he wasnât a stranger, was he?
Not anymore. And maybe that was the problem.
Across town, Jaehyun stood by the window of his penthouse, freshly showered, shirt half-buttoned, coffee cooling untouched in his hand.
The skyline spread before him, glass and light and quiet Sunday hazeâbut his mind wasnât on business, or the brunch his mother scheduled with some ambassadorâs daughter.
His mind was back thereâin that cab, in that kiss, in the soft way sheâd said goodnight without looking back.
He hadnât meant for it to happen.
He hadnât planned any of it.
But her laughterâunfiltered, slightly wine-blurredâhad felt like a thread tugging loose something inside him. And that kissâŚ
It was supposed to be harmless. But the way her fingers had curled around his coat? That had ruined him.
His phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
He opened it.
Unknown:
Did you leave your coat on purpose, Jeong? Or was it your way of claiming a second nightcap?
He stared at the screen for a momentâthen smiled.
Wide. Quiet. Defeated.
And typed back.
Jaehyun:
Depends. Did you hold onto it for warmth⌠or for me?
Send.
He walked back to his coffee, finally taking a sip, as across town, she laughed softly into her phone. And neither of them could quite believe how much they were already in it.
The memory came back to her like a scentâsubtle, warm, and out of nowhere.
She had just rested her head against the cold window in the back of the taxi, the wine making her thoughts soft and slow. Somewhere between the fading glow of the city lights and the hush between their shared laughter, sheâd hugged herself against the creeping chill.
Then she felt it.
A shift beside her. The rustle of wool. And suddenly, Jaehyunâs coat was draped over her shoulders.
She turned her head slightly, eyes meeting his in the cabâs dim light. He didnât say anythingâdidnât offer some suave line, didnât wait for praise. Just⌠reached over, adjusted the lapel gently, and leaned back.
Like it was the most natural thing in the world to take care of her.
She remembered how big it felt on her. How warm. How he smelled like cedar wood and something clean. How her fingers had curled into the collar without thinkingâholding it like a fragile secret she wasnât ready to let go of.
And when the taxi stopped in front of her apartment, he didnât ask for it back.
He just watched her step out wearing it, like it belonged to her more than it ever did to him.
She sat up in bed now, that same coat hanging over her vanity chair like it had been waiting to be noticed.
Her eyes lingered on it for a long time. He hadnât said a word about it when they said goodnight. Hadnât asked. Hadnât hinted.
Which only made her wonder moreâ
Had he meant to leave it?
Or had he known she would?
And somehow⌠that made it harder to breathe.
The sound of the front door slamming made (Y/n) jolt upright in bed.
She didnât even have time to reach for the coat beforeâ
â(Y/n)!â Callumâs voice tore through the apartment, heavy with rage.
Her bedroom door burst open without warning.
There he stoodâjaw clenched, eyes wild, still in yesterdayâs dress shirt with the collar undone and buttons half-missing, as if he hadnât slept.
Her heart jumped to her throat, but she forced her voice steady.
âYou canât just barge inââ
âYou left me,â he spat, stepping closer. âYou walked out like a selfish little brat in the middle of everything!â
âI walked out before you raised your hand again,â she snapped, standing up, not bothering to hide the anger in her voice. âI warned you, Callum.â
He ignored her, his eyes flicking around the room until they landedâon the coat.
Jaehyunâs coat.
Hanging delicately over her vanity, still smelling like last night. Still whispering everything unspoken between her and another man.
Callumâs expression darkened instantly.
âWhat the hell is that?â he growled, pointing.
(Y/n) stepped between him and the coat. âItâs not yours. And donât you dareââ
âYou left with him.â He laughed, bitter and broken. âJesus, (Y/n). I knew it. I knew there was something off. You flirted with him all night like a bored housewife looking for trouble.â
She didnât flinch. Not this time.
âHe noticed me. Thatâs all it took to feel like I was worth something last night.â
His nostrils flared. âSo what? You sleep with him now, is that it? You going to run off and be Mrs. Heir of the Year?â
Her voice turned icy. âNothing happened. Not that itâs any of your business anymore.â
Callum took a threatening step forward. âOh, itâs still my business until this ring comes off.â
She didnât move. âThen take it.â
She slid the ring from her finger and placed it flat on the table.
Silence hung in the air like smoke. Thick. Unbearable.
He stared at itâthen at her. And for the first time, he looked small.
Weak. Exposed.
âYouâll regret this,â he muttered, voice lower now. But it wasnât a threatâit was desperation. âHe wonât want someone like you in the end. They never do.â
She stared at him. Her voice was soft, but ironclad.
âThen Iâll take that chance.â
He lingered for a second longer, eyes hard.
And then he turned and leftâdoor slamming shut behind him like a final punctuation mark on something she shouldâve ended long ago.
She stood there, alone. Shaken. Quiet. Then slowly, she walked to the vanity chair and pulled Jaehyunâs coat into her arms. And for the first time in months, she didnât feel cold.
The Jeong household was always quiet in the morningâelegant, controlled, like everything else in their carefully curated rich people world.
But today, it was different.
Jaehyun walked down the grand staircase with a slight bounce in his step, sleeves rolled up casually, hair still a little tousled from sleep. He was hummingâhummingâa melody under his breath as he scrolled through his phone, a half-smile lingering on his lips like he was replaying a private joke in his head.
His mother, seated in the sunlit dining room with her tea and the business section of the paper folded neatly beside her, didnât even look up at first.
Until he poured orange juice instead of black coffee.
Until he greeted the maid with an actual âGood morning,â instead of his usual distracted nod.
Until he sat down andâsmiledâwithout any prompting.
Thatâs when Mrs. Jeong slowly lowered her newspaper.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. âYouâre⌠chirpy.â
Jaehyun looked up from his phone. âHm?â
âSmiling. Humming. Drinking orange juice like youâve never tasted bitterness in your life.â She set her teacup down. âThat only happens when you're hiding something.â
He chuckled. âMaybe Iâm just in a good mood.â
âYou havenât been in a âgood moodâ since your Harvard acceptance letter.â
âCambridge.â
âExactly.â She squinted at him. âWho is she?â
Jaehyun frozeâjust for a beatâbut then took a sip of his juice, like he wasnât at all caught off guard.
âThereâs no âshe.ââ
His mother leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand.
âYouâre humming, Jaehyun. At eight in the morning. Thatâs either love or psychosis, and frankly, I know your father's genes. Soâwho is she?â
He rolled his eyes but couldnât hide the grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth. âItâs not what you think.â
âSo there is someone.â
He gave in with a breathy laugh, leaning back in his chair. âLetâs just say⌠sheâs not someone youâd expect.â
Mrs. Jeong raised a perfectly arched brow. âOh dear. Not a politicianâs daughter, then.â
âNo.â
âNot an heiress?â
He shook his head.
âNot someone whoâll say yes to our usual background checks?â
His grin widened. âDefinitely not.â
Mrs. Jeong sat back, eyes thoughtful now. âWell, well. How refreshing.â
Jaehyun locked his phone and pocketed it, standing up and kissing her cheek.
âIâll be out for a bit.â
âTell her I said good morning,â his mother said casually.
He paused, amused. âI never said Iâd see her.â
âYou didnât have to,â she replied, sipping her tea again. âYouâre wearing that smile, darling. The kind your father only ever wears when heâs closing billion-dollar deals⌠or when he sees me in diamonds.â
Jaehyun laughed and walked off, already pulling out his phone.
And the first thing he did? Text her.
Jaehyun:
You still have my coat. I was thinking of trading it back⌠for breakfast.Or lunch. Or just another excuse to see you.
9:43 AM â Busy Heart of Seoul
Somewhere between the relentless buzz of traffic and the lull of weekend cafĂŠs, a table waited tucked under a striped awning in a little corner of Samcheong-dongâcasual, pretty, nothing like the high-rise towers they both came from.
(Y/n) arrived first, Jaehyunâs coat folded neatly over her arm. Sunglasses perched on her nose, hair pulled back in a soft twist. She wore a white shirt half-tucked into light jeansâeffortlessly simple. Her fingers tapped her phone like she wasnât checking the time every other second.
Untilâ
âMiss Kim.â His voice.
She looked up.
There he was, slipping through the tables with that lazy sort of grace. Crisp linen shirt, a hand casually in his pocket, the other carrying two coffees he mustâve picked up on the way.
âI wasnât sure if you drink americanos or flat whites,â he said, setting both cups down. âSo I brought both. Judge me later.â
She tried to hide her smile. âA little early for charm, donât you think?â
âItâs brunch,â he replied, sliding into the chair across from her. âThe hour of unapologetic charm and poor decisions.â
She chuckled, finally relaxing. He glanced at the coat draped over her chair.
âSo you did hold onto it for me.â
She arched a brow. âYou left it on me. I assumed it came with conditions.â
âOnly one,â he said, picking up his cup. âYouâd have to see me again.â
A pause. The way her lips parted slightly, like she hadnât expected him to say it out loud.
âWell,â she said softly. âHere I am.â
The waitress came by, and they orderedâeggs for him, ricotta toast for her, and something sweet to share, after too much smiling and âjust pick one then.â
The city moved around them in a blur of footsteps and horns and chatter. But inside their little bubble, the pace slowed. Conversation flowed like they'd done this before. Like it was familiar. Easy. Strange.
He asked about her workâshe barely answered. She asked about his familyâhe hesitated, then told her stories that werenât in any news article.
Halfway through the meal, she looked up at him, fingers curled around her coffee cup.
âYouâre not what I expected.â
âLet me guess,â he said, brushing croissant crumbs from his sleeve, âcold, controlled, probably soulless?â
âI was going to say... rehearsed.â
He smiled. âAnd now?â
âStill a little rehearsed,â she said. âBut you improvise better than I thought.â
He laughed.
They lingered. Long after their plates were cleared, long after the staff began wiping down other tables. Neither moved. Like the moment might vanish if either stood.
Finally, he leaned forward.
âSo⌠can I see you again?â
She tilted her head, lips curling into something dangerous and amused.
âYou already are.â
Jaehyun grinned, heart thudding louder than he'd like to admit.
The city roared around them. And stillâ
She was the only sound he could hear.
--
The mood shifted days laterâquickly, sharply. Like a sudden drop in temperature before a storm.
(Y/n) had just come home from a quiet lunch with Jaehyun, her cheeks still warm from the way heâd tucked her hair behind her ear like he meant it. Her phone buzzed before she could even kick off her shoes.
Dad:
We need to talk.Now.
She didnât like texts like that.
That night, the Kim residence was colder than usualâdespite the summer air hanging heavy outside the windows. The family gathered in the formal sitting room, where serious conversations had always happened. Not in bedrooms. Not over meals. Here. Among portraits and imported silence.
(Y/n) stood facing her father, her mother seated quietly on the velvet sofa, eyes darting from her husbandâs clenched fists to her daughterâs defiant stance.
He barely looked up. âWhat did you do to Callum Wright?â
The air thinned.
She blinked. âI left him.â
âYou humiliated him.â
âI left quietly. Itâs not my fault if heââ
âWell, heâs making it your fault,â Mr. Kim said sharply, tossing a document onto the table. âWright Holdings pulled out of the Busan logistics joint project. Said our team suddenly 'lacks professional integrity.â Heâs hinting at legal friction. Heâs stalling payments to the suppliers to cause noise. Petty, intentional, and very, very public.â
Her stomach dropped.
She stepped forward, reading the email. Sure enoughâCallumâs name, laced with vague threats dressed in polished corporate language.
âHeâs trying to blackmail you,â she muttered. âHeâs using your company to punish me.â
Mr. Kim leaned back, breathing hard through his nose.
âI warned you about him. I tolerated the engagement for business. And now itâs costing me everything I built.â
Her jaw tightened. âThen let me fix it.â
Her father scoffed bitterly. âHow? By going back to him? Or running to your secret boyfriend and asking for favors?â
The words stung.
Mr. Kim set his glass down with a sharp clink.
âI know about Jeong Jaehyun.â
Her breath caught, but she didnât move. âHow?â
He scoffed. âThe world watches chaebol heirs like hawks, (Y/n). You think I wouldnât hear about you leaving a gala with him? Or that he sent you flowers at your office the next day?â
Her face flushedârage, not shame. âSo youâve been spying on me.â
âIâve been protecting my company!â he snapped. âOur name. Our reputation. And youârunning around Seoul like a little girl caught in a daydream with the son of our competitorââ
âHeâs notââ
âHeâs exactly that!â her father thundered. âAnd worse, his existence gives Callum every excuse he needs to destroy what weâve built. The Wrights are petty. Powerful. And now theyâre furious.â
Mrs. Kim finally spoke. Softly. âYour father already met with Callumâs side. Theyâre willing to resume the contract⌠but under one condition.â
(Y/n) turned slowly.
âNo.â
Mr. Kim didnât blink. âYes.â
âI said no.â
âYou will go through with the arrangement. The engagement stands. The wedding will be private, swift, and diplomatic.â
âYou canât force me into a marriage to save your ego and call it business.â
Her father stood, his voice low now. Dangerous.
âYou donât understand what this family risks. This company is our life. Your brothersâ futures. Your motherâs security. Do you think Jaehyun will marry you and take on our debts if this falls apart?â
She stared at him.
Something in her chest cracked. Quietly. Like frost underfoot.
And when she spoke, her voice was even.
âSo youâd sell me to a man whoâs raised his hand to me just to keep your empire alive?â
Her mother looked down. Her fatherâs jaw flexed, but he said nothing.
She stepped back.
Tears threatened, but none fell. She wouldnât give them that.
âIâm not a business deal, Appa.â
And she turned to leave.
But just before she reached the door, his voice called after her.
âIf you walk out now⌠you are no longer a Kim in my house.â
She paused only a second.
Then kept walking.
And for the first time in her life, the name (Y/n) Kim sounded nothing like home.
--
The silence came suddenly. No warning. No soft fade-out. Just a wall.
One night, Jaehyun sent her a picture of a cafĂŠ that looked like the one they joked about opening somedayâhalf-serious, half-silly, full of plans that werenât quite real yet.
No reply.
The next morning, he texted again.
Jaehyun:
Lunch? I found a place that makes ricotta toast better than ours. Impossible, I know.
Still nothing.
By evening, he called. It rang four times. Then voicemail.
The next day?
Delivered.
But not read. He tried again.
Jaehyun:Did something happen?Are you okay?
Nothing.
Three days passed.
Four.
His messages turned shorter. Less playful. More desperate.
Jaehyun:
(Y/n).Just tell me youâre okay. Please.
Silence.
He scrolled through their old texts. Her voice lived there stillâlight, teasing, real.
âYouâre not as rehearsed as I thought.â
âThen Iâll take that chance.â
What changed?
What happened?
She wouldnât just vanish. Not her.
Unless someone made her.
Unless someone forced her to.
His eyes darkened.
His mother had warned him. âYouâre smiling. That only means two thingsâlove or trouble.â
Now both had arrived. And Jaehyun, for all his charm, power, and calm, had never felt so helpless.
But he knew one thing for sure. If she wouldnât come to himâ
Heâd go to her.
The charity luxury bazaar was held in a grand hotel ballroom in Gangnamâwalls draped in cream silk, golden chandeliers glinting over tables adorned with limited-edition designer items, curated perfumes, and exclusive art. Seoulâs elite milled about with practiced elegance, champagne flutes in hand, auction paddles tucked under their arms.
Jaehyun was barely paying attention.
He hadnât planned to be here. He rarely attended bazaars like this unless dragged by his mother or forced by shareholders.
But the moment he walked through the entrance, he felt her.
Not heard. Not seen.
Felt.
Then he saw her.
Across the room, at a table for silent jewelry bids, stood (Y/n).
Hair tied in a simple black ribbon. Long navy dress hugging her frame. Her movements elegant, restrained. Her faceâneutral. Cool. Almost unreadable. Almost.
But he knew her too well.
She was pretending.
And she hadnât noticed him yet.
His chest tightened.
He made his way toward her slowly, carefully, threading through the crowd until they were just a few steps apart. Her back was to him, her attention on a vintage sapphire choker. She tilted her head slightlyâgraceful, composed.
And thenâ
âDidnât think Iâd find you beside something that steals the spotlight.â
She froze.
Her hand faltered ever so slightly above the bid card.
She turned, slowly, forcing her face into something neutralâpolished, poised.
âJaehyun,â she said. Like it didnât ache to say it. âDidnât expect you here.â
âI could say the same.â
âYour familyâs hosting the wine booth. Of course youâre here.â
He stared at her. Searching. Studying.
âYou stopped replying.â
Her eyes flicked away. âIâve been busy.â
âThatâs not a reason. Thatâs a strategy.â
She drew in a breath, jaw tightening.
â(Y/n),â he said, softer now, âwhy?â
People brushed past them in silk and scent, but their corner of the room suddenly felt carved out of time.
She turned back to the display, avoiding his eyes. âBecause I canât afford to see you.â
âIs someone stopping you?â
Silence.
â(Y/n). Is it your father? Is itââ
âYes.â Her voice broke through like glass.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. âTalk to me. I can help. You know I canââ
She turned to him now, eyes glossy, face trembling despite her best efforts.
âYou think I want this? That I chose silence over you?â
âThen why?â
âBecause if I kept talking to you, JaehyunâŚâ her voice cracked, âI wouldnât stop. I wouldâve run to you, begged you to take me away, thrown away every plan, every dutyâeverything my family built.â
âAnd thatâs wrong?â
âIn their world, yes.â She swallowed. âIn their world, Iâm a bargaining chip. And youâre the competition.â
He looked at herâtruly lookedâand saw the war behind her eyes.
âYouâre not theirs to trade.â
âNo,â she said quietly. âBut theyâre still my family.â
He didnât reach for her hand. Not here. Not now. But his voice dropped to something only she could hear.
âIâll fight for you. You know that, donât you?â
She blinked away tears. âIâm afraid⌠Iâll let you.â
A silence.
Then, through the hum of luxury and politeness, a woman called her nameâMrs. Wright, a lady from a British import firm, gesturing politely from across the room.
(Y/n) turned to Jaehyun one last time.
âI have to go.â
Later, at 6 p.m., all his texts were finally marked as readâfollowed by a few short, tightly packed reply bubbles.
(Y/n):
Thereâs a coffee shop in Sinsadong.
Sunday. 3 PM.
I donât know what Iâll choose yet. But I want to see you⌠before I forget how.
--
Sunday â 2:56 PM â Sinsadong
The little cafĂŠ sat at the corner of a quiet street, bathed in soft July light. It wasnât grand or exclusiveâjust a narrow space with floor-to-ceiling windows, a row of books by the counter, and coffee that smelled like memory.
Jaehyun arrived early.
Of course he did.
Heâd been sitting at the corner booth for twenty minutes, one hand nursing an untouched espresso, the other tapping lightly against the wood grain of the table. His watch ticked. Every time the door chimed, he looked up.
But it wasnât her.
Not yet.
He reread her note for the third time, now slightly crumpled in his pocket. âI want to see you⌠before I forget how.â
It killed him.
The fact that she even thought sheâd need to forget.
Thenâ
The bell above the door rang.
She stepped in.
Hair tucked neatly behind her ears, long cream coat unbuttoned over a soft navy dress. No jewelry this time. Just her.
Real. Tired. Beautiful.
Their eyes met instantly. And the world quieted.
She walked toward him slowly, like every step was its own decision.
He stood up.
She didnât speak until she sat down across from him.
âI almost didnât come,â she said softly, setting her hands on the table. âI got out of the car twice.â
Jaehyun smiled faintly. âI came an hour early. Thought about leaving every ten minutes.â
They both laughed. Gently. Carefully. Like theyâd forgotten how.
âI feel like I owe you a thousand explanations,â she whispered.
âYou donât owe me anything, (Y/n).â
âI do,â she said, firmer this time. âI left you in the dark. On purpose. And thatâs not who I am. Not with you.â
He was quiet for a moment. Then he asked, âSo why did you come?â
She hesitated.
Then said, âBecause I still want you to fight for me.â
Her voice shook.
âI told you I was afraid Iâd let you. But the truth is⌠I already have. Every time I donât answer you, it hurts. Every time I pretend I donât know you, it feels like Iâm betraying something real. Something ours.â
Jaehyunâs jaw clenched as he fought the urge to reach across the table and pull her in. But he let her speak.
âMy familyâs already preparing for the engagement announcement. My father told me to smile when it happens, and to act like nothingâs wrong. But Iâm not made for this, Jaehyun. I wasnât built to belong to someone I donât love.â
He looked at her then, eyes dark with something steady.
âI wonât let them take you.â
Her throat tightened. âThey already are.â
âNo,â he said, voice firm now. âTheyâre bluffing with fear. You said yes to meeting me. That means thereâs still a choice.â
She swallowed hard. âSo what do I do?â
Jaehyun leaned forward, lowering his voice.
âWe do this carefully. Quietly. My lawyersâour family lawyersâthey can review your fatherâs contract with the Wrights. We look for pressure points. You donât have to go back into that house alone. I wonât let you.â
She looked at him like she hadnât heard the word we in years.
âBut if this goes public,â she whispered, âtheyâll destroy you too.â
âIâve faced worse,â he replied calmly. âBoardrooms are just battlefields with better tailoring.â
She almost smiled.
Almost.
He reached across the table thenâgentlyâand placed his hand over hers.
Warm. Steady. Like home.
âNo more running, (Y/n)â
She nodded, barely, eyes glimmering.
âOkay.â
And in that quiet corner cafĂŠ, while the world spun outside and fate clawed at the edges of their peace, they chose something terrifyingâ
Each other.
They started low-key, hidden, careful, quietâbut every stolen moment felt louder than anything in their public lives.
She kept her head down. At galas, she walked beside Callum with the right smile. In photos, she wore the ring her father wanted the world to see. To the world, she was the composed fiancĂŠe of the British heir, the dutiful daughter of a family driven by legacy.
But after the flashbulbs dimmed and the applause faded, she slipped into back doors, late-night taxis, and elevator shafts that opened straight into Jaehyunâs penthouseâher true refuge.
They didnât talk about the danger.
They just⌠were.
9:42 PM, Jaehyunâs apartment
(Y/n) padded barefoot into the kitchen in his oversized shirt, hair slightly damp from the shower. Jaehyun leaned on the counter, sleeves rolled up, plating takeout dumplings like they were fine cuisine.
She stole a slice of pickled radish. He gave her a look. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
âYour idea of dinner is always three hours late,â she said.
âMy idea of love is always worth waiting for,â he replied.
She snorted. âYou rehearsed that, didnât you?â
âA little.â He smiled, handing her chopsticks.
Sometimes they slow danced in the living room without music. Sometimes she cried silently into his shoulder after a press conference with Callum. Sometimes they sat on his balcony in silence, watching the city below, knowing that no one really saw them.
2:11 AM, her locked dressing room after a fashion charity event
She leaned against the vanity, scrolling through Jaehyunâs text.
Jaehyun:
Room 804. Key in the drawer. Iâm waiting. Donât sleep angry tonight.
(You):
Canât. Iâm in a cage.
Jaehyun:
Then Iâll stay awake in mine too.
She smiled. It was sad. But real.
During the day, she played along. She attended brunches with Callum and politely pretended not to flinch when his hand touched hers. Her father praised her publicly for being âmature, patient, and poised.â
But every weekend, every off-script moment, was his.
Jaehyun and (Y/n) moved through the shadows of Seoul like they were building something sacred in secret. Dinner in disguised cafĂŠs. Hikes at dawn. Phone calls with the screen dimmed low.
She told him once, while wrapped in his sheets, âYouâre the only place I donât have to act.â
He kissed her shoulder and whispered, âThen stay here a little longer.â
But they both knew time was a luxury they didnât control.
The world was ticking.
Callum was watching.
And her father was planning.
But in the stolen in-between, they were real.
And free.
Tuesday, 11:17 PM, Callumâs gala at a luxury hotel ballroom
She stood beside Callum, surrounded by CEOs and diplomats, smiling when prompted. Her wrist was looped loosely in his arm, and from a distance, they looked like the perfect couple.
But Callum leaned in and muttered, âTry not to look so bored, darling. Theyâre here to see a future Mrs. Wright, not a deflated prop.â
She swallowed her glare. Instead, she excused herself for some âfresh air.â
Upstairs, two floors above the party, in the executive suite heâd secretly booked just for her, Jaehyun waited.
She walked in without knocking.
He looked up from the couch, his tie loose, hands resting on his lap. He said nothing. Just watched her walk across the room, pull the pins from her hair, and finallyâbreathe.
Then she leaned her forehead to his chest and whispered, âTell me Iâm not crazy.â
Jaehyunâs arms wrapped around her.
âYouâre not crazy.â
âYouâre not trapped.â
âYouâre here. With me.â
They didnât kiss right away. Just stood there, hearts syncing in a room they didnât belong to.
Until her lips found hisâquiet, needy, desperateâthe kind that only happens when you know you have to leave again soon.
Friday, 1:09 AM, Jaehyunâs car, parked on a hilltop overlooking the Han River
âI wish we could just⌠disappear,â She murmured, curled under his coat in the passenger seat. âStart somewhere new. Change our names. Open a bookstore in some village where no one cares about heirs and daughters and deals.â
He chuckled gently, brushing his thumb along her knuckles. âIâd be a terrible bookseller.â
âYouâd charm the old ladies,â she smiled. âSell out the poetry shelf every week.â
âAnd you?â
âIâd bake muffins and ignore gossip.â
Jaehyun looked over at her.
âIâd go anywhere with you,â he said.
She blinked fast.
âStop that.â
âStop what?â
âTalking like this isnât going to kill me when it ends.â
He didnât answer.
Just pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers one by one, like each one could hold onto time.
Sundays, when they pretended to be real
They had rituals. Small, quiet, hidden rituals.
She left a lipstick mark on his teacup on purpose. He made her playlists that only played offline. They shared a Google calendar labeled âBoard Meetingâ but filled with fake brunch reservations only they knew.
Jaehyun:
âBoard meeting rescheduled. My office. Bring your face.â
(You):
âYour office doesnât have a bed.â
Jaehyun:
âIt does now.â
Sometimes they met in bookstores. Or laundromats. Sometimes in the back row of a quiet cinema, wearing masks and hats like fugitives.
They didnât post.
Didnât take selfies.
Didnât speak of âsomeday.â
But every time they metâŚ
âŚit felt like home.
But reality kept knocking. Louder every week. Callum grew suspicious. Possessive. Harsher. Mr. Kim started mentioning a wedding timeline.
And (Y/n)âShe grew quieter at public events. More distant at home. More alive when she was with Jaehyun.
And he could feel it. She was unraveling in both worlds. One that demanded obedience. And one where she was finally herself.
And he knewâTheir bubble couldnât stay hidden forever.
But until it poppedâŚThey would steal every second like it was gold.
It began with a call from her fatherâs assistant. Short. Chilling.
âMr. Kim would like you home for dinner. No excuses.â
That night, the dining room felt tighter than usual. No candles, no wine, just the weight of what was coming.
She sat straight as ever, silent between spoonfuls of guk. Her mother avoided her gaze. Her father? Calm. Too calm. Then he set his spoon down and spoke.
âThe Wrights have agreed to an earlier timeline. Callumâs side wants the wedding this autumn. Before the fiscal quarter ends.â
Her chopsticks paused mid-air.
ââŚthis autumn?â
âAs in three months.â
She stared at him. âThat wasnât the plan.â
Her father nodded slowly. âIt wasnât. But itâs what they want now. And weâdonât say no to the Wrights right now.â
She turned to her mother. âYou knew?â
Her motherâs lips were pressed into a thin line. âWeâre trying to protect whatâs left of our legacy.â
âThis isnât a legacy. Itâs a prison sentence.â
Mr. Kim narrowed his eyes. âDonât make this emotional. Itâs business. Youâre not being soldâyouâre being secured. The press already favors this match. Callum has influence. Resources. If we lose himââ
âThen let me go.â Her voice cracked. âLet me out of this.â
Her father stood, slow and cold.
âI gave you time. I let you disappear with your little secret boyfriend behind closed doors, hoping it was just your rebellion passing through.â
She went still. Ice ran down her spine.
He knew.
Mr. Kim stepped closer.
âI had you followed, (Y/n). Iâve seen the late-night visits. The cafĂŠ meetings. The messages. Jaehyun Jeong is not the solution. Heâs our competitorâs son. And worse, heâs sentimental. Thatâs dangerous.â
âCallum raised his hand to me,â she said quietly.
âAnd he apologized. And hasnât done it again, has he?â her father snapped. âYou think marriage is about love? Itâs about alignment. Strategy. Power. This is how the world works, (Y/n).â
She stood up, shaking. âThen I want no part of your world.â
But he just looked at her with sharp, cruel disappointment.
âYou donât have a choice anymore. Youâve been indulged too long.â
That night, Callum sent a message.
Callum:
Heard the good news? Autumn in Seoul.
Better get your dress ready.
Iâll be a good husband. Just donât make me work for your smile, darling. Youâre not that charming.
She didnât reply.
She just sat on her balcony, in the dark, holding her phone.
Typing.
Deleting.
Typing again.
Finally, she sent one message to Jaehyun.
(You):
I think the clockâs ticking faster now.
I donât know what to do.
But Iâm scared.
And within minutes, it lit up.
Jaehyun:
Then letâs burn the clock.
Just say when. Iâll be there.
We end this.
--
Two weeks before the wedding
The rain was soft that afternoonâjust a whisper against the windows of Jaehyunâs penthouse. (Y/n) had spent the whole morning curled on his couch in one of his hoodies, sipping honey tea, head heavy with the decision sheâd already made:
She was going to fight for them.
Burn every plan her father made. Cancel the wedding. Choose love over legacy.
For once, she would run toward something, not away.
Jaehyun was in the shower, and she was looking for his charger. That was all. Just a charger.
But his work laptop was open. Folders scattered on the desk. Charts. Names. Documents. Something about an internal family restructuring⌠and thereâone tab still open.
Curious, she glanced at it. Her eyes landed on the headline:
Strategic Acquisition Plan: Phase II â Domestic Market Consolidation
She scrolled.
And saw it.
Target: Kim Industries
Subnote: âUndercapitalized. High debt-to-income. Current vulnerability post-Wright pullout. Predicted collapse with correct media pressure and phased divestment of suppliers.â
She blinked. What�
She scrolled further. Jaehyunâs own name signed at the bottom of the executive recommendation. Dated just two weeks ago.
âAggressive moves within next quarter. Full buyout possible within 6â9 months. Objective: Market sweep and erasure of former rival influence.â
She went completely still.
Her breath stopped.
Something inside herâa thin, shaking thread of hopeâsnapped.
Was this just⌠business?
Was she just a pawn in his war? Like Callum said?
Her fingers hovered over the trackpad.
There were notes. Attachments. Cold, clinical language. Graphs showing her fatherâs company crumbling like an inconvenient pillar in the path of Jeong Empire expansion.
Her fatherâs voice rang in her memoryâ
âJaehyun Jeong is not the solution. Heâs sentimental. Thatâs dangerous.â
Was he?
She stepped back from the desk like it had burned her.
(Y/n) stared out the window. The rain hadnât stopped. But something in her had.
And from the bathroom, Jaehyun called outâ
âBaby, did you find it?â
She didnât answer. She couldnât. Her body was still there. But her trust had already left. So, she left without a sound.
No slammed doors. No angry words. Only the quiet shuffle of her feet on marble floors, and the whisper of a hoodie slipping off her shoulders, folded gently on the couch where she had once felt safe.
She didnât take her bag. Just her phone. Just her breath. Barely held in. Barely hers anymore. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the elevator button. Not from rageâBut from grief. Not the kind that screams. The kind that drowns silently.
She didnât look back. Didnât wait for him to notice the air sheâd left behind. Didnât care if he saw the tears in her eyes as she walked out into the rain. The world blurredâNot from the downpour, But from the ache behind her lashes.
Her love, the escape, the heartbeat sheâd clung to in secretâ
It had plans. It had bullet points and projections. It had targets.
And her fatherâs name wasnât just on that list. It was the list.
Everything she had fought to protect, he had quietly plotted to dismantle. And whether it was calculated coincidence or merciless timingâto her, it felt like betrayal.
So she kept walking.
And walking.
One hand clutching her coat to her chest,
The other wiping at the tears that finally won.
Not because she stopped loving him.
But because she still did.
The rain didnât let up. It soaked her sleeves. Her shoes. Her spirit. (Y/n) didnât know where she was walkingâonly that she had to walk. Had to keep moving before the pain fully caught her. Before the memories caught up.
Of Jaehyun brushing his thumb over her cheek when she was too tired to speak.
Of him whispering "Stay here a little longer."
Of that cafĂŠ in Sinsadong, where theyâd made a world no one else could touch.
It was all unraveling now. Not because he didnât love herâshe knew he did. But because love wasnât clean. And Jaehyun wasnât just the boy who kissed her forehead in quiet. He was also the son of a business empire. He was raised to conquer. Even if it meant stepping over the world she came from.
Back in the room, Jaehyun noticed immediately.
The silence.The stillness. The way the air shifted the second he stepped out of the shower.
â(Y/n)?â he called, towel drying his hair, voice casual at first.
No answer.
He walked into the living room, still damp, expecting her to be curled up where he left her.
Empty.
No coat. No scarf. No shoes by the door.
Just the hoodie she had worn. Neatly folded.
Like a final act of grace.
His eyes narrowed. His heart dropped.
He scanned the roomâhis desk. His folders.
Then it hit him.
Oh God.
He lunged toward his laptop.
And there it was.
The open tab.
The war plan.
Her fatherâs name.
The cold-blooded summary.
Everything exposed. Everything wrong.
His chest tightened.
Not with guiltâheâd kept his familyâs interests close. Always.
But with fear.
Because he had never wanted to hurt her. And yetâŚ
He ran.
Meanwhile, she sat in a quiet train station.
Her wet coat draped over her lap. Her hair stuck to her cheeks. Her phone, heavy in her palm, lit up again.
Jaehyun:
(Y/n), please. Talk to me.I didnât mean for you to find it like that.Itâs not what it looks like. Let me explain. Let meâ
She turned the screen off.
Her body shook, but she held it in.
Tears, rage, griefâevery emotion bottled so tight it felt like her ribs might snap.
Because he wasnât just Jaehyun. He was Jeong Jaehyun. The heir. The strategist. The man who made plans.
And sheâshe was never just a girl in his arms. She had always been part of the board. Even if he didnât mean to, Heâd made her a chess piece in a war she never agreed to play.
Jaehyun stood in the parking garage, car keys shaking in his hand.
Rain soaking his shirt. His heart pounding. He didn't care about the acquisition. Not anymore. Not if it meant losing her.
And he whispered into the dark,
"I was going to choose you over everythingâŚ"
"Why didnât you let me explain?"
But she was already gone. And all he had left was her silence.
--
The days that followed felt like a waking funeral.
(Y/n) went silent.
No more secret meetings. No more messages. No glances across crowded rooms or lipstick stains on borrowed teacups.
She became a porcelain version of herselfâpoised, perfect, untouchable. (Y/n) Kim, the bride-to-be. The symbol of alliance between empires.
But up close, the cracks were obvious.
Her eyes were dull. Empty in the mornings. Red and swollen in the evenings when she thought no one was watching. Her makeup team started arriving earlier, whispering softly among themselves. Her mother grew more distant. Her father grew more controlling.
Callum, however, was thriving.
Smug, satisfied, victorious.
The tighter the ring fit on her finger, the looser his leash became. And still, she said nothing. Did nothing. Only followed the schedule: fitting, press interviews, venue inspections, a pre-wedding magazine cover shoot where she smiled like a ghost.
And meanwhileâ
Jaehyun was losing his mind.
At first, he texted. Called. Waited outside her apartment. Sent notes through mutual friends.
Nothing.
Then his numbers were blocked.
His assistant was informedâpolitely, officiallyâthat Mr. Jeong was no longer permitted near any Kim family event, nor would any of his representatives be welcome at the ceremony.
Even his private security clearance to her neighborhood was revoked.
Every door slammed shut.
He called her stylist. Her florist. Her driver.
No one answered.
He showed up at her bridal boutique in person. But her mother stepped out instead, perfectly poised, and met him at the door.
âYou need to stop this,â she said coolly.
âI need to see her.â
âYouâve seen enough.â
âSheâs not well.â
âShe will be,â her mother replied. âAfter the wedding, when this storm passes.â
âYouâre marrying her off like sheâs a headline,â Jaehyun hissed. âYouâre killing her.â
Mrs. Kimâs eyes flickered, and for just a secondâjust a secondâthe mask cracked. A mother flickered through.
But then she straightened.
âAnd youâre breaking her in a different way. She loved you. You turned her world upside down. And now she has to live with the pieces.â
Then she turned and walked back inside.
And Jaehyunâpowerful, brilliant Jaehyunâstood outside, soaked in the cold of early fall, fists clenched and helpless.
Inside, (Y/n) stared out the bridal suite window, unaware of the scene below.
Or maybe not unaware. Just too numb to react.
Because love wasn't safe anymore. And betrayal had left its fingerprints on the only place she'd ever felt free.
Four days before the wedding.
(Y/n) stood on the raised platform in her final gown fittingâdressed in white satin and silence. Seamstresses circled her, pinning and smoothing, chirping about veils and sleeve lengths like she was a doll, not a person.
She barely heard them.
All she saw was the mirror in front of her.
And the stranger staring back.
Eyes tired. Skin pale. The lace at her collarbone looked like a chain.
Her mother entered a few minutes later, complimenting the fit, reminding her to smile for the rehearsal dinner tomorrow.
âIâll try,â she murmured.
âDonât try,â her mother replied without missing a beat. âDo.â
Meanwhile, Jaehyun sat in his fatherâs office.
Behind him, Seoul glittered. In front of him, Chairman Jeongâcalm, sharp, exact.
âI thought I raised a strategist,â his father said coldly, ânot a poet.â
âI never planned for her to be part of it,â Jaehyun said through clenched teeth. âYou put your emotions where your mind shouldâve been,â the chairman snapped. âWe donât lose deals over women.â
âIâm not losing her like this.â
âShe left you, Jaehyun. She's not coming back.â
Silence.
Then, âIâm going to that wedding.â
His father raised a brow. âTo crash it?â
âTo remind her of who she was before she became a weapon.â
Chairman Jeong exhaled, leaned back in his chair. âYou walk into that ceremony, and you start a war.â
Jaehyun stood.
âThen I hope theyâre ready.â
Wedding Eve.
The ballroom was filled with chandeliers, imported roses, and tension so thick it tasted metallic.
She stood on the balcony of her suite, overlooking the rehearsal dinner as Callum entertained guests below. She clutched the railing, chest tight. A sea of people was cheering for something she was no longer part of.
She heard a knock.
A soft knock. Three taps. Familiar.
Her heart nearly stopped. She turned. But it was only a staff member, delivering her wedding shoes. White. Elegant. Cold.
And when the door shut again, she let herself finally break. Tears rolled silently. Down her cheeks, down her dress.
She whispered to no one, âI miss him.â Not just Jaehyun. Herself.
The version of her that had dreams, coffee dates, wind in her hair and poetry in her heart. The version that rebelled.
She missed that girl.
And she didnât know if sheâd ever see her again.
But across the cityâin the stillness of his apartmentâJaehyun packed one suit.
Not for business. For battle.
Because in less than 24 hours, sheâd be walking toward a man who never deserved her. And if no one else would stop itâ
He would.
Five hours before the wedding. 3:02 AM.
The suite was silent. The flowers were fresh. The veil was steamed. The dress hung like a verdict.
But (Y/n) couldnât sleep. She sat on the edge of the bed in her robe, bare feet on the carpet, heart thudding so loud it echoed in her ears. Every tick of the wall clock was a countdown. Every blink, a whisper of, "This is it. This is it. This is it."
And thenâ
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Soft. Urgent. Impossible.
Her head jerked up.
No one should be knocking now. Not her mother. Not her planner. Not anyone. She moved toward the door slowly, quietly. Pressed her eye to the peephole.
Her breath caught.
Jaehyun.
Dressed in black. Rain in his hair. Wild eyes. He held up a key card like some poor thief in a suit. (Y/n) hesitated. Then opened the doorâjust a crack.
âWhat are you doing here?â
He exhaled, like seeing her physically hurt. âI couldnât let the sun rise without trying. Without telling you everything.â
Her voice was barely a whisper. âHow did you even get in?â
âI stole a card,â he said. âBribed the valet. Lied to your security. I donât care.â
She opened the door just a little more, one hand gripping the handle like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
âJaehyunâŚâ
âI never meant to hurt you,â he said immediately. âThat fileâthat planâI didnât make it to destroy you. I didnât even know your fatherâs company was still on it. It was oldâapproved by my board before us.â
Her eyes glistened, but her face stayed stone.
âI was going to remove it. I swear to you. The minute I knew you were in my life, I started undoing everything. But I was slow. I was careful. And I lost you before I could finish.â
âYou couldâve told me.â
âI was trying to protect you.â
She shook her head, eyes burning. âDonât you dare say that.â
Jaehyunâs throat tightened.
Thenâhe sank.
Right there, in the hallway of her bridal suite, on the marbled floorâŚ
He dropped to his knees.
âIâm not asking you to forgive me tonight,â he said, voice trembling. âIâm asking you to remember who we were. What we had. What we still have if you want it.â
She stared down at him.
The man who had taught her freedom.
The man who broke her without trying.
And yet, she still felt her heart throb at the sight of him. On his knees. Begging like a sinner at the altar.
âI would burn everything for you,â he said. âI already have. I pulled the deal. My father threatened to cut me off. I said fine. The plan is dead. I donât care about the company. I only care about you.â
Silence.
She dropped her gaze, lips trembling.
âYou think love can fix everything, Jaehyun,â she whispered.
âNo,â he said. âBut it makes the fight worth it.â
Tears finally fell.
And she hated that she still loved him this much.
âIâm getting married in five hours,â she said, almost choking on it.
âThen run with me in four.â His eyes never left hers. âIâll wait. Even if it means watching you walk down that aisle. Iâll wait until the last second for you to choose us.â
And then he stood up. Stepped back. Pressed her hand softly before walking away. âJust open the door,â he said, âif you still remember who you are without them.â
And thenâhe was gone. Leaving her alone. With a choice.
A clock. And a heart still beating for him.
4 hours later. One hour before the wedding. 11:00 AM.
The bridal waiting room was brightâtoo bright.
Gold trimmings, soft floral wallpaper, and large mirrors reflected her a thousand times over. A princess in a white hanbok-draped wedding gown. Hair flawless. Skin porcelain. Smile⌠absent.
She sat stiffly on the cream velvet bench, bouquet limp in her hands. Her shoulders were heavy with everything.
People kept coming in. Extended relatives, shareholders, family friends. Each one with a phone. A smile.
She nodded. Numb. Distant. Like a doll in a case.
They sat beside her. Took pictures. Laughed. Left.
One after another.
Her mother poked in occasionally, adjusting the lace. âPull yourself together, people are watching.â Her father paced the hallway with pride. âFinally, our family is aligning with real power.â
But she didnât hear them.
Not really.
Her hands trembled slightly in her lap. Her heart beat fastâbut not for him. Not for Callum. Not for the gold. Not for the flash. Not for this illusion.
She kept checking the door. Every few seconds. Half-hoping it would open again. Half-dreading it might.
Thenâ
The door did creak slightly. Just a bridesmaid.
âTen minutes, Miss Kim,â she said. âMake sure your veilâs ready.â
Ten minutes. She couldnât breathe.
Outside the hall, music was being tuned. Chairs filled with silk and diamonds. Callum was probably checking his hair, smug and confident, certain he had won.
She looked at herself in the mirror. So many people had fought to make her look like a bride. But no one had asked if she felt like one.
And thatâ
Thatâs when her gaze dropped to the drawer beneath the vanity.
The one the hotel had labeled âemergency supplies.â
She opened it with shaking hands.
Inside: safety pins. Perfume. Band-aids. A pen.
And a hotel notepad.
She blinked.
Thenâslowlyâpicked up the pen. And began to write. Not long. Not perfect. Just real.
"I'm sorry. I can't marry someone I donât love. Iâm done being traded. Iâm choosing me."
She folded it. Stood. Her knees nearly gave out from the rush of adrenaline. But her heartâwas finally hers again.
She took one last look in the mirror. Pulled off the veil. Dropped it onto the floor. And walked toward the back exit. Not as a runaway bride. But as a woman finally waking up.
--
11:17 AM.
The string quartet outside played something elegant. Light chatter filled the grand wedding hall. Rows of guests sat waiting, sipping champagne, unaware that the bride had vanished like breath on glass.
Inside, Callum stood at the altar. Hands folded. Jaw tight. He was smirking just a littleânot for love. For victory.
He leaned toward the wedding planner, already annoyed. âWhere the hell is she?â
Back in the bridal room, a bridesmaid opened the door only to find the bench empty. The veil abandoned. The bouquet slightly wilted. The notepad, sealed with trembling pen, sitting like a bomb.
A scream followed.
Staff panicked. Calls were made. Her mother cried out, âCheck the restroom! Check the stairwell!â Her father demanded the exits be sealed.
But it was too late.
11:34 AM. Seoul back streets.
She, the bride, ran.
Wedding dress bunched in her arms, lace dragging against concrete. Sneakersâborrowed from a stylistâscuffed and soaked. Her lungs burned. Her chest felt cracked open. Her heart beat like thunder.
But she was free.
And she had one place to go.
Meanwhile, Jaehyun sat in his parked car across the Han River.
He hadn't gone home. Hadn't changed clothes. Hadnât moved since he left her door 4 hours ago.
He stared at the clock. 11:39 AM.
Five minutes past ceremony time. He whispered into the silence, âCome on, (Y/n)âŚâ
His phone buzzed. Unknown number. He froze, then picked it up.
âWhere are you?â
Her voice. Breathless. Real.
He blinked fast, disoriented. â(Y/n)â? Are youâ?â
âIâm in a cab,â she panted. âIâI ran. I left. I donât know what I just did but I left.â
Silence on his end. Then, âYouâre insane,â he breathed.
âI know.â
âWhere are you going?â
âTo you.â
He didnât even respond. He just turned the ignition and drove.
And thenâthere she was.
Wedding dress half destroyed. Makeup smudged. Heart in her eyes.
They stared at each other.
And he walked to her slowly, step by step, like she might vanish if he moved too fast.
When they were just inches apart, she whispered, âYou waited.â
Jaehyun smiledâheartbreaking and full. âYou came.â
Then her hands reached for his collar, and his arms wrapped around her waist, and they crashed into a kiss.
Not a fairytale.
Not a scene.
A collision of two broken, desperate hearts that chose each other anyway.
People on the street slowed to stare. But neither of them cared. Not anymore. They had lost everythingâPower. Approval. Control. And they had found each other. She leaned her forehead against his.
âI donât have a plan,â she said softly.
âGood,â Jaehyun whispered. âBecause I burned mine for you.â
And under Seoulâs noon sun, with the chaos they left behind, they smiled for the first timeânot in secret. But for real.
--
They left the cafĂŠ after an hour, Jaehyun giving his jacket to cover her gown as they slipped into a rented car with tinted windows. He drove without saying where, one hand always on the wheel, the other reaching for hers every now and then, like he needed to feel she was still there.
He took her up a hill, away from the city, toward a small modern house tucked between trees and sky.
A house with no name.
No photos.
Just peace.
âWhose is this?â she asked softly, stepping into the quiet.
âOurs,â he said. âI bought it last year. Never told anyone. I didnât know why then. I think I do now.â
She turned toward him. âJaehyunâŚâ
âI canât give you a throne,â he said. âI canât promise you wonât lose more before you heal. But I can promise thisâfreedom. No press. No company. No war. Just you, me, and time.â
Silence.
Then she exhaled, took a few steps forward, and wrapped her arms around his middle. âI think Iâd like to stay here a while.â
He kissed the top of her head.
âYou can stay forever.â
And with it, peace.
No headlines, no invitations, no staged photoshoots. Just quiet mornings in thick sweaters and mismatched socks, with her sipping warm tea beside frosted windows, her cheek resting against Jaehyunâs shoulder as he scrolled through a book of Korean poetry he once bought and never openedâuntil now.
And while her father refused to speak publicly, sources whispered that Kim Industries was bleeding slowlyâleft fragile after the broken alliance with the Wrights. Callum had returned to London, bruised pride and all, leaking bitterness in high society circles.
Meanwhile, Jaehyun was officially removed from several boards under his fatherâs control. Heâd stepped down willingly, leaving behind a legacy not worth holding onto without her.
Endings. Beautiful ones.
After months of living off-the-grid, Jaehyun sat at their small kitchen table one afternoonâsunlight streaming in, laptop open beside a half-eaten bowl of doenjang jjigaeâand finally let himself dream again.
Not for a boardroom.
Not for his father.
Not for the Jung family name.
But for himself.
And for the future he was building with her.
He called it "Funnel 1912."
A clean, modern business funnel system tailored for small businesses and independent creatives. A platform that focused on authenticity, minimalism, and scalable brand storytelling.
She had laughed when he told her the name. âThat sounds like a warship.â
He grinned. âItâs the date my great-grandfather opened his first noodle cart. A legacyâbut mine now.â
She helped him design the UI. Clean layouts, intuitive tools, no corporate fluff.
Funnel 1912 offered smart e-commerce integration, real-time analytics, and built-in brand voice templates.
It wasnât just another startupâ
It was a rebellion dressed in white space and code.
It quietly launched in beta across local business networks. Artists. CafĂŠ owners. Small brands tired of being swallowed by giant platforms.
And slowlyâ
It took off.
Not because of hype.
But because it worked.
It became the tool for dreamers who didnât want to sell their souls to grow.
Jaehyun worked on it from a small study in the back of their houseâsurrounded by sketches, code drafts, books, and post-it notes from her that read things like:
âDonât forget to stretch.ââThe soy milk expired three days ago pls donât die.ââYouâre brilliant.â
He wasnât a rich heir anymore. He was something more dangerous. A man who had lost everything the world thought he neededâand found everything he actually wanted.
Summer crept in quietly.
Thick, slow evenings hummed with cicadas and the scent of her favorite sandalwood candle. Their small homeâhalf wood, half glassâwas wrapped in stillness, like the world had paused just for them.
That night, the lights were dim. The windows were open. The curtains swayed with the warm wind. And inside, there was only them.
She had just stepped out of the shower, damp hair falling over her shoulders, one of Jaehyunâs old white button-ups barely hanging on her frame. She padded barefoot into the living room where he sat on the floor, working late againâlaptop open, notes scattered, glasses low on his nose.
She leaned down, wordlessly, and kissed the top of his head.
He looked up slowly, eyes softening the moment they met hers.
âYou smell like rain,â he murmured, brushing her thigh lightly with his fingers.
She hummed. âYou smell like overworked genius.â
He chuckled, closing the laptop with one hand, the other resting on her hip. âI canât think straight when you wear that.â
âItâs your shirt.â
âItâs my weakness.â
She straddled him without a word.
The quiet between them wasnât awkward. It was familiar. Sacred. Safe.
The kind of silence that had been earned.
Jaehyun let his hands trail up her thighs, slow, reverent.
He kissed her collarbone like he was reading a poem thereâ
Soft, slow, patient.
Like time didnât matter.
âYou left a wedding for me,â he whispered against her skin.
She smiled, tugging his glasses off. âI left a life for me. You just happened to be the best part of what came next.â
And thenâthey let everything else fall away.
The past. The politics. The pain.
Because in that room, with only the sound of the wind and their breathing, they remembered what love looked likeâwhen no one was watching.
His hands on her waist. Her breath hitching as he kissed lower. The way she whispered his name like a promise. It wasnât rushed. It wasnât wild. It was slow. Certain.
Like two people choosing each other again.
And again.
And again.
Until the only thing left was warmth, tangled limbs, and Jaehyun brushing damp hair from her forehead with his thumb, whispering,
âStill the best decision Iâve ever made.â
And her, half-asleep against his chest, whispered back,
âStill the safest place Iâve ever landed.â
They finally registered their marriage and had an officiant conduct a simple ceremony, surrounded by close friends in an intimate celebration.
âNow weâre real,â she whispered.
He kissed her temple.
âWe were always real. We just finally have a piece of paper that says the worldâs caught up.â
And that night, under the glow of fairy lights and the hush of crickets, two people who had once been born into chaos finally chose something simple; each other, forever, no drama. Just yes.
A memory he holds onto dearly,
just before Jaehyun wakes up.
--
The walls were too white.
The air too quiet.
No clocks ticked hereâtime didnât pass in this place. It just sat.
Jaehyun hadnât spoken in eight days.
Before that, heâd screamed.
The night they dragged him off the street in Gangnam barefoot, shaking, begging strangers to "check the mirrorâsheâs still writing."
He fought the staff.
Tried to run.
Collapsed outside the old hotel, whispering her name into the pavement until his voice bled out.
Nowâhe sat in silence. Motionless in a padded room, thin sweater clinging to his bones, bandages wrapped around both hands (heâd clawed through glass trying to find her reflection in a mirror that wasnât there).
The doctors called it a psychotic break.
But to him, it wasnât that.
It was grief refusing to be buried.
It was the echo of a promise broken by time.
What had happened?
10.15 a.m. The day of the wedding.
It was raining.
Not the cinematic kindâ
Not dramatic thunder or mournful drizzleâ
But quiet, grey rain. Soft enough to muffle footsteps. Heavy enough to drown secrets.
The ballroom was set. Rows of cream orchids curved like broken halos. Gold-rimmed name cards. A menu hand-pressed in French.
And in the center, an altar no one would ever reach.
The staff had been whispering for a week.
The bride hadnât been seen. No rehearsal. No hair trials. No laughter.
Just locked doors. Strict instructions. Silence.
They had assumed it was nerves. Or tradition. Or power.
Until someone knocked on the bridal suite that morningâand no one answered.
It was the youngest staff girl who opened it. Barely nineteen. Too young to understand death. Old enough to feel it before she even saw it.
The room was still. No music. No scent. No bride.
And thenâshe looked up.
The white veil swayed first. A fragile echo, twisting gently from the ceiling lampâtangled in a torn cord, no longer meant for light.
The dress was untouched. But the girl inside itâgone. Her bare feet hung inches above the marble floor. A single heel tipped sideways under the vanity.
She stumbled backward, hitting the edge of the vanity, shattering a bottle of perfume.
âHelp!â she choked out, throat raw. âSomeoneâsheâshe'sââ
âyou didnât mean it⌠but all it took was just the longing look on his eyes for you to realize; you missed him too.â
-ËËâ- - - - - - - âĄâ
The club pulsed with lifeâneon lights flashing, music thundering through the air. You swayed on the crowded dance floor, a cocktail glass loosely gripped in your hand. Your friends cheered you on, laughing as you twirled around, inhibitions completely long forgotten.
âOne more drink!â someone shouted, and you giggled, stumbling toward the bar. The world spun, but in a fun, dizzying way that made everything seem brighter, louder, and just a little more reckless.
You turned, leaning back against the bar to scan the crowd, eyes catching on a tall figure near the edge of the dance floor. His face was blurred by the haze of alcohol and lights, but something about him seemed⌠familiar. Your heart skipped a beat, though you couldnât quite place why.
He looked your way, and your eyes locked.
Without thinking, you pushed off the bar and walked toward him. Your movements were fluid, mind foggy, but one thought blazed clear: heâs gorgeous.
âHi,â you said, voice louder than usual to compete with the music.
He raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a smirk. âHi.â
There was something in his toneâa teasing familiarity that tickled the edges of your memoryâbut you ignored it. Before you could second-guess yourself, you reached up, cupping his face, and kissed him.
It wasnât a soft, hesitant kiss. It was bold, fueled by liquid courage and the heady rush of the moment. The stranger froze for a fraction of a second, then kissed you back, his hands lightly resting on your waist.
The world seemed to tilt, the music fading into the background. For a moment, it felt⌠right.
But then he pulled away, his lips hovering near yours as he whispered, â(Y/n)?â
Your eyes shot open, the sound of your name slicing through the drunken haze. You blinked, staring up at him. The neon lights painted his face in shifting colors, but now, with him this close, you definitely couldnât mistake him.
âJaehyun?â you breathed, voice barely audible over the music.
His expression was unreadable, a mix of shock, amusement, and something deeper you couldnât quite name. âI thought you recognized me,â he said, his tone teasing, but his eyes betrayed something more intense.
Your hands flew to your mouth, cheeks burning. âOh my God. I didnâtâI wasnâtââ
He chuckled, though there was an edge to it. âDidnât expect to run into you here. And definitely not like this.â
You stepped back, suddenly hyper-aware of the people around you and the fact that your ex-boyfriendâthe ex-boyfriendâhad just kissed you back.
âI need⌠I need to go,â you stammered, spinning on your heel.
â(Y/n), wait.â Jaehyun grabbed your wrist gently, his touch sending an electric jolt through your body. âItâs been a while. Can we talk?â
You turned to face him, your heart pounding. âTalk? Now?â
He smiled softly, the kind of smile that used to make your knees weak. âMaybe after youâve had some water first.â
You hesitated, torn between the urge to run and the pull of old feelings you thought youâd buried. âFine. But just to talk,â you said, trying to sound firm despite the wobble in your voice.
Jaehyun nodded, his hand lingering on your wrist for a moment longer before letting go. As he led you to a quieter corner of the club, you couldnât help but wonder if this accidental kiss was the universeâs cruel jokeâor its way of reopening a door you thought was forever closed.
-ËËâ- - - - - - - âĄâ
He found a quieter corner tucked away from the blaring speakers and the crush of bodies on the dance floor. You sank into a booth, Jaehyun sitting across from you. A waiter appeared with water, and Jaehyun handed you a glass.
âDrink,â he said, his voice gentle but firm.
You gulped the water down, grateful for the coolness that cleared some of the fog in your head. You set the glass down, but your hands wouldnât stop fidgetingâtwisting the rim, picking at a napkin, avoiding his gaze.
âI didnât mean to kiss you,â you blurted, breaking the heavy silence between the both of you.
Jaehyun leaned back, his eyes studying you like he always didâcalm, calculated, as if he could see right through you. âI figured as much. But it still happened.â
You looked up at him, the soft lighting of the booth casting shadows across his sharp features. âWhat are you even doing here?â
âSame reason as you, I guess,â he said, shrugging. âNeeded a break. Didnât expect to run into⌠someone I used to know.â
You winced at his phrasing. âSomeone you used to know?â you repeated, voice tinged with hurt.
Jaehyunâs expression softened. âThatâs not what I meant, (Y/n).â He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. âYou were never just someone to me. You know that.â
The weight of his words hung in the air, and for a moment, you forgot where you both were.
You sighed, breaking eye contact. âWe broke up for a reason, Jaehyun.â
âAnd Iâve regretted it every day since,â he said, his voice low but steady.
Your heart stuttered. You hadnât expected that.
âDonât,â You whispered, shaking your head. âYou donât get to say that now. Not after everything.â
He reached out, his hand brushing yours lightly before you pulled away. âI know I hurt you. I know I wasnât⌠enough for you back then. But seeing you tonight, (Y/n)âŚâ He paused, his jaw tightening. âIt made me realize I still care about you. A lot.â
Your chest ached, the sincerity in his voice cutting through you like a knife. But you couldnât afford to go down this road again.
âWeâre not the same people anymore,â you said, voice trembling.
âMaybe not,â Jaehyun admitted. âBut that doesnât mean we canât start over.â
You laughed bitterly. âYou make it sound so easy.â
âItâs not,â he said firmly. âBut maybe itâs worth it. Maybe youâre worth it.â
The words hung in the air, heavy with possibility and pain. You stared at him, mind racing. Part of you wanted to walk away, to leave the past where it belonged. But another partâa stubborn, reckless partâcouldnât help but wonder if this was fate giving you both another chance.
âI need time,â you finally said, voice barely above a whisper.
Jaehyun nodded, his gaze never leaving yours. âI can give you that. As long as you promise not to disappear on me again.â
You looked away, lips pressing into a thin line. âNo promises, Jaehyun.â
But even as you said it, you couldnât shake the feeling that tonight was the start of something you werenât ready to name.
-ËËâ- - - - - - - âĄâ
The walk back to your apartment was quiet at first, the city buzzing softly around them. The cool night air brushed against your flushed skin, grounding you slightly. Jaehyun walked beside you, his hands tucked into his pockets, his strides calm and unhurried.
âYou didnât have to walk me home,â you said, breaking the silence.
âI wanted to,â Jaehyun replied simply, glancing down at you.
Your heart did an uneasy flip. The streets felt emptier than they were, the world narrowing to just the two of you. Every now and then, your arms brushed, and each time sent a spark shooting through your already fragile resolve.
As moments passed after Jaehyun walked you inside your apartment building, you paused in front of the entrance, hesitating. You fished your keys from your bag, hands shaking slightly. âThanks for⌠tonight, I guess,â you said awkwardly, avoiding his gaze.
Jaehyun chuckled softly. âWhat are you thanking me for? Walking you home after you kissed me in a club?â
Your cheeks burned. âYou didnât have to say it like that.â
He stepped closer, his presence warm despite the cool night. âWhy not? Itâs the truth.â
You looked up at him, your annoyance melting into something softer. His gaze was steady, intense, and far too familiar.
âJaehyunââ you started, but the words caught in your throat as he reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face.
âCan I come in?â he asked, his voice low.
Your breath hitched. The air between you grew heavy, and yourbmind raced with a hundred reasons why this was a bad idea. But when you looked into his eyes, you saw the same longing that mirrored your own.
Without answering, you turned and unlocked the door, pushing it open and stepping inside. You glanced over your shoulder, catching Jaehyunâs hesitant expression. âAre you coming or not?â
He followed you in, the door clicking shut behind him.
Inside, your apartment was dimly lit and quiet, the faint hum of the fridge being the only sound. You set your keys on the counter, your back turned on him. You could feel his presence behind you, his closeness magnetic.
âYou really didnât have to walk me home,â you repeated, more to fill the silence than anything.
âI know,â he said softly, his voice closer now.
You turned around, only to find him mere inches away. Your breath hitched as his gaze captured yours, a blend of hesitation and longing flickering within.
âJaehyunâŚâ
Before you could say anything else, he closed the distance between you two, cupping your face in his hands and kissing you. This time, it wasnât a drunken mistake or a spur-of-the-moment impulse. It was deliberate, slow, and full of unspoken emotions that had been buried for far too long.
Your hands found their way to his shirt, clutching the fabric as you kissed him back. The world outside the apartment ceased to exist as Jaehyun pressed you gently against the counter, his lips trailing from your mouth to your jawline.
âAre you sure about this?â he murmured against your skin, his breath warm and uneven.
You pulled back slightly, gaze meeting his. For a moment, you wavered, torn between the past and the present, between caution and desire. But as your eyes met his, all you could sense was the heavy silence of unspoken words and the emotions you had kept locked away until this moment.
âYes,â you whispered, voice trembling but certain.
Jaehyun exhaled sharply, relief and hunger flashing across his face before he kissed you again, this time with a fervor that left no room for doubt.
The rest of the night blurred into a haze of intertwined bodies, murmured apologies, and rekindled closeness. By the time he laid you gently on your bed, the city outside stirred to life, but within the apartment, it felt like the dawn of a second chance.
-ËËâ- - - - - - - âĄâ
You lay on your side, back turned to Jaehyun, staring at the faint glow of the city lights filtering through the curtains. The room was quiet except for the sound of both you and Jaehyunâs breathing, uneven and heavy in the aftermath of what had just happened.
You clutched the blanket closer, mind racing. What had you just done? You could still feel his touch, his lips, the weight of his presence lingering like a ghost you couldnât shake.
Behind you, Jaehyun shifted, propping himself up on one elbow. His fingers ghosted over your shoulder, hesitant at first, before he let them rest there.
â(Y/n),â he said softly, his voice a low murmur that sent a shiver down your spine.
You didnât respond, lips pressing into a thin line as you squeezed your eyes shut. You didnât quite trust yourself to speak, not yet.
He sighed, his breath warm against the back of your neck. âI miss you.â
The words hit you like a blow, the weight of them sinking deep into your chest. Your eyes opened, and for a moment, you just stared at the wall, heart pounding.
âDonât,â you whispered, voice breaking slightly.
âDonât what?â he asked, his tone gentle but insistent.
âDonât say things like that,â you said, turning to face him. Your eyes searched his, looking for somethingâanythingâthat would make this easier.
Jaehyun looked at you, his expression raw and unguarded. âWhy not? Itâs the truth.â
You shook your head, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes. âBecause it doesnât change anything. We broke up for a reason, Jaehyun. Saying you miss me doesnât fix what happened.â
âI know,â he said quietly, his hand reaching out to brush a tear from your cheek. âBut it doesnât mean I stopped feeling it.â
His touch was soft, comforting, and it made your heart ache even more. You closed your eyes, letting out a shaky breath. âWhy now? Why tonight?â
You hesitated, subtly aware of his hand still resting on your cheek. âBecause seeing you again brought back everything I tried to bury. And kissing youâŚâ His voice faltered, thick with emotion. âIt made me realize I never truly let go.â
Your chest tightened, and you bit your lip to keep from breaking down completely. âI donât know if I can do this again,â you admitted, voice barely audible.
Jaehyun leaned closer, resting his forehead against yours. âIâm not asking for anything right now, (Y/n). I just⌠I needed you to know how I feel. That I never stopped caring about you.â
A tear slipped down your cheek, and you let it fall, too tired to wipe it away. âI missed you, too,â you confessed, the words tumbling out before you could stop them.
Jaehyunâs breath hitched, and he pulled you into his arms, holding you as if he were afraid you might disappear. You let yourself sink into the embrace, walls crumbling piece by piece as you clung to him in the quiet stillness of the night.
characters: jeong jaehyun x reader, jungwoo, taeyong, mark, winter, giselle
3,890 words
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The sky above the mountain was a deep, clear blue when two hiking groups set out on their journey. The sun beamed down on the verdant trails, promising a day filled with adventure. Little did they know, the mountain had other plans.
Jaehyun, Taeyong, Jungwoo, and Mark were the epitome of camaraderie as they led the charge up the trail. These four were seasoned hikers, their banter and laughter ringing out like a steady drumbeat as they navigated the rough terrain.
Not far behind them was you, Giselle, and Winter. The three of you were no strangers to adventure, having tackled trails from the rugged to the serene. But today, something felt differentâthere was an edge to the air that none of you could quite place.
âWe should catch up with the boys,â Winter suggested, glancing back at you and Giselle as you paused at a scenic overlook. âItâll be fun to hike together, donât you think?â
Giselle smiled mischievously, âOr maybe we just want to hear more of their ridiculous stories. Markâs got a new one about Taeyong and a goat, apparently.â
You chuckled, rolling your eyes. âIâm sure thatâs exactly what we need on this hike. Besides, I think theyâre trying to outpace us.â
The three of you pushed on, determined to close the gap. The trail wound through dense forests, each step a rhythm in the heartbeat of the mountain. The air was crisp, the scent of pine mingling with the earthy aroma of the soil beneath your boots. But as you climbed higher, the trees thickened, and the sky became less visible through the canopy.
Unbeknownst to any of you, dark clouds were gathering in the distance.
Jaehyun slowed his pace, allowing the others to walk ahead. Something about the shifting wind didnât sit right with him. He paused, scanning the horizon, noticing the ominous clouds creeping over the peaks.
Taeyong caught Jaehyunâs gaze. âWhatâs up, man? You see something?â
âYeah,â Jaehyun replied, his brow furrowing. âWeather looks like itâs about to turn. We should be careful.â
Mark, ever the optimist, laughed. âItâs just a few clouds. Weâve handled worse.â
Jungwoo shrugged, but Jaehyunâs unease lingered. The group continued on, their conversation growing quieter as the sky began to darken.
By the time your group caught up with them, the first rumbles of thunder echoed through the mountains. You could feel the change in the air, a tension building with every step. The lighthearted atmosphere from earlier was replaced by a collective sense of unease.
âLooks like weâre in for a storm,â you remarked, drawing closer to Jaehyun. His expression was serious, his eyes fixed on the clouds that now dominated the sky.
âYeah,â he nodded, his voice steady. âWe should think about finding some shelter soon, just in case it gets bad.â
Winter glanced around nervously. âDo you think weâll make it back down before it hits?â
Giselle looked up at the sky, biting her lip. âMaybe, but itâs a long way back. We could be caught in the middle of it.â
Just then, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the trees, sending a shiver down your spine. The storm was coming fast, too fast. The six of you exchanged glances, silently agreeing that the best course of action was to keep moving, but at a quicker pace.
As you continued up the mountain, the storm descended. What began as a drizzle quickly turned into a downpour, the rain relentless as it soaked through your clothes. The wind howled through the trees, making it hard to hear anything but the stormâs fury.
It wasnât long before the trail became treacherous, the ground turning into a slick, muddy mess. The once steady rhythm of your steps faltered as each of you struggled to keep your footing. And then, as if to emphasize the mountainâs power, a bolt of lightning cracked through the sky, followed by a deafening boom of thunder.
Panic set in as the realization hit: you were all in serious danger. The storm was far worse than anyone had anticipated, and the trail was quickly becoming impassable.
âWe need to find cover!â Jaehyun shouted over the wind, his voice barely audible. âWe canât stay out in this!â
The group scrambled to find shelter, eyes darting through the rain-slicked trees. But in the chaos, it was hard to stay together. The rain obscured your vision, the storm disorienting, and in the confusion, you were separated from the others.
You looked around frantically, trying to locate your friends, but the storm was too strong. The rain pounded down, the wind whipping your hair into your face. You couldnât see more than a few feet in front of you.
Then, out of the corner of your eye, you saw a figure moving through the trees. You called out, and when they turned toward you, you recognized Jaehyun. Relief washed over you as he made his way toward you, his expression mirroring your own concern.
âWe got separated from the others,â he shouted over the storm. âWe need to find some kind of shelter until this passes!â
You nodded, trusting him to lead the way. The two of you pushed forward through the storm, your hearts pounding in your chests as you searched for anything that could provide some cover. The storm was relentless, the wind so strong it felt like it could knock you off your feet at any moment.
After what felt like an eternity, Jaehyun spotted a small cave nestled into the side of the mountain. He grabbed your hand, pulling you toward it. You stumbled inside, grateful for the temporary respite from the storm.
ËËđ˘Ö´ŕťđË.â°ď¸ââď¸
The cave was small, but it was dry, and that was all that mattered. You collapsed against the wall, catching your breath as Jaehyun crouched beside you, his gaze still wary.
âAre you okay?â he asked, his voice softer now that you were out of the storm.
You nodded, though your heart was still racing. âYeah⌠Iâm okay. Just⌠I didnât expect it to get this bad.â
âNeither did I,â he admitted, running a hand through his wet hair. âBut weâll be okay here for now. We just need to wait it out.â
The storm raged outside, the wind howling like a wild beast. You could hear the rain hammering against the rocks, the occasional rumble of thunder echoing through the cave. But in here, it was almost peacefulâsafe, even.
As the adrenaline from the escape began to fade, you became more aware of your surroundings. The cave was dark, the only light coming from the occasional flash of lightning outside. You could feel the chill seeping into your bones, your wet clothes clinging to your skin.
Jaehyun noticed your shivering and immediately shrugged off his jacket, offering it to you. âHere, take this. Itâs not much, but itâs better than nothing.â
You hesitated for a moment, but the cold was too much to bear. âThanks,â you murmured, accepting the jacket and wrapping it around yourself. It was warm, carrying the faint scent of pine and something distinctly Jaehyun. It helped, but the cold wasnât the only thing making you shiver.
There was a tension between the two of you now, a silent understanding that you were alone together, isolated from the rest of the world by the storm. The cave, small as it was, felt intimate, and you couldnât ignore the way your heart skipped a beat when Jaehyunâs gaze lingered on you a little too long.
To break the silence, you forced a smile. âWell, this is one way to make a hike memorable.â
Jaehyun chuckled, his smile easing some of the tension. âYeah, not exactly what I had in mind when I signed up for this, but I guess weâre getting the full experience.â
âSurviving in the wilderness with just our wits and whatever we can scrounge up?â you teased. âI feel like weâre in one of those survival reality shows.â
Jaehyun grinned, his dimples appearing. âExcept without the camera crew. Weâre on our own here.â
The storm raged on, but the conversation brought a sense of normalcy to the situation. Jaehyunâs presence was comforting, his calm demeanor grounding you. Even as the wind howled and the rain pelted the cave entrance, you felt a little less afraid knowing he was there with you.
After a while, the conversation died down, and the two of you sat in companionable silence, listening to the storm outside. Your mind began to wander, thoughts drifting back to the rest of your group. You couldnât help but worry about them, hoping they had found shelter as well.
Jaehyun seemed to sense your concern. âTheyâll be okay,â he said softly, as if reading your thoughts. âTaeyong, Jungwoo, Mark⌠theyâre all experienced. And your friends are tough too.â
You nodded, but the worry lingered. âI know. Itâs just⌠this storm came out of nowhere. Iâve never seen anything like it.â
âMe neither,â he agreed, his voice thoughtful. âBut storms like this can blow over quickly. Hopefully, itâll be gone by morning, and we can find the others.â
His optimism was infectious, and you found yourself hoping he was right. For now, though, there was nothing to do but wait.
As the storm continued its relentless assault outside, you and Jaehyun both realized that spending the night in the cave was inevitable. The temperature was dropping, and the cold, damp air was beginning to gnaw at your bones.
Jaehyun, always practical, decided it was time to do something about it. He reached for his backpack, which had somehow remained mostly dry, and began rummaging through it.
âLetâs get a fire going,â he said, his tone determined. âWeâll need it to stay warm through the night.â
You nodded in agreement, though you werenât sure how he planned to start a fire in such conditions. The rain had soaked everything, and it seemed impossible to find anything dry enough to use as kindling.
But Jaehyun seemed undeterred. He pulled out a compact, waterproof case from his bag and opened it to reveal an array of survival tools. There was a small hatchet, a flint striker, and even a few packets of tinder.
âWow,â you remarked, impressed. âYou came prepared.â
Jaehyun chuckled, glancing up at you with a grin. âIâve done a few hikes like this before. It pays to be ready for anything.â
As he began to arrange a small pile of tinder and sticks, you knelt down beside him, eager to help. âWhat can I do?â
âHere,â he handed you the flint striker, showing you how to use it. âTry getting a spark going while I find some more dry wood.â
You took the striker, feeling the cool metal in your hand, and began striking it against the flint. It took a few tries, but eventually, a spark caught on the tinder, and you blew on it gently, encouraging the small flame.
Jaehyun returned with more wood, which he carefully placed around the growing fire. The flames crackled to life, filling the cave with warmth and a soft, flickering light. You both sat back, watching as the fire grew stronger, casting long shadows on the cave walls.
âNot bad,â Jaehyun complimented, smiling at you. âYouâre a natural.â
You smiled back, feeling a sense of accomplishment. âIâve always been good at following instructions.â
The warmth from the fire was a welcome relief, and you could already feel the chill fading from your bones. You both moved closer to the fire, sitting side by side as the flames danced between you.
For a while, the two of you sat in comfortable silence, the fire providing a sense of security in the midst of the storm. The flames flickered, casting a warm glow on Jaehyunâs face, highlighting the thoughtful expression in his eyes. There was something different about this momentâsomething that felt more personal, more intimate.
You shifted slightly, feeling the need to break the silence. âYou know, Iâve been thinking about our first year in college together. Remember that time we both got detention?â
Jaehyun chuckled, the sound rich and warm. âHow could I forget? We were both late to Professor Kimâs class.â
You laughed, the memory bringing a smile to your face. âYeah, we thought we could sneak in without anyone noticing. But then the door creaked, and everyone turned to stare at us. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment.â
Jaehyun shook his head, still smiling. âAnd then Professor Kim decided to make an example of us. Detention for both of usâright after class. I remember you were so mad.â
âI was,â you admitted, shaking your head at the memory. âBut it turned out to be one of the best detentions ever. We spent the whole hour just talking about random stuff. I learned so much about you that day.â
âLike what?â Jaehyun asked, his tone playful, but there was a genuine curiosity in his eyes.
âLike how you canât stand the sound of people chewing with their mouths open,â you teased, earning a laugh from him. âOr how you have a secret talent for drawing, even though you never show your sketches to anyone.â
Jaehyun smiled, his gaze softening as he looked at you. âAnd I learned that youâre a night owl who survives on coffee and late-night study sessions. And that youâre one of the most stubborn people Iâve ever met.â
You pretended to be offended, but the warmth in his voice made it impossible not to smile. âHey, stubbornness can be a good thing. Itâs what gets me through those tough classes.â
âItâs one of the things I like about you,â Jaehyun said, his voice dropping to a more serious tone.
Your breath caught in your throat at his words. The fire crackled between you, but the atmosphere had shifted, the lighthearted conversation giving way to something deeper.
âJaehyunâŚâ you began, but he cut you off, his gaze intense.
âThereâs something Iâve been meaning to tell you,â he said, his voice low and sincere. âIâve liked you for a while now. I just⌠I never found the right moment to say it.â
His confession hung in the air, the weight of it making your heart race. You had always sensed there was something more between you two, but hearing him say it out loud made it realâtangible.
âI slowed down my pace earlier on the trail,â he continued, his eyes never leaving yours. âI wanted to be near you, to make sure you were okay. I kept an eye on you and the girls because I care about you. And when the storm hit⌠all I could think about was finding you.â
The vulnerability in his voice, the honesty in his words, made your heart ache in the best possible way. You reached out, your hand finding his in the flickering firelight.
You could feel Jaehyunâs gaze on you, his eyes warm and intense as they traced your features. The way he looked at you made your heart race, and despite the warmth of the fire, you felt a different kind of heat rising within you.
âJaehyun,â you whispered, your voice barely audible over the crackle of the fire.
He leaned closer, his breath warm against your skin. âYeah?â
For a moment, you hesitated, your heart pounding in your chest. But the look in his eyes, the way he was so close you could feel the heat radiating from him, made you brave.
You reached up and gently placed your hand on the side of his face, feeling the warmth of his skin under your fingertips. You could see his breath hitch, his gaze flickering down to your lips. The tension between you was palpable now, a magnetic pull drawing you closer together.
âCan IâŚ?â you began, but Jaehyun didnât let you finish.
He closed the distance between you, his lips meeting yours in a soft, tentative kiss. It was gentle at first, a question in the way he kissed you, as if he was giving you a chance to pull away if this wasnât what you wanted. But when you responded, pressing back into the kiss with equal tenderness, it was like a dam broke.
Jaehyunâs hand came up to cup the back of your head, his fingers threading through your hair as he deepened the kiss. His lips were warm and soft, moving against yours with a sweetness that made your heart swell. The world outside ceased to exist; there was only the two of you, the warmth of the fire, and the feeling of Jaehyunâs lips on yours.
The kiss was slow, unhurried, filled with the emotions that had been building up between you for so long. You could feel everything he was trying to say in the way he kissed youâthe longing, the care, the affection that he hadnât been able to put into words until now.
When you finally broke apart, both of you were breathing heavily, your foreheads resting against each otherâs as you tried to catch your breath. You could see the way Jaehyunâs chest rose and fell rapidly, the same way yours did, and the sight made you smile.
âWow,â you whispered, your voice still a little breathless.
Jaehyun chuckled softly, his thumb brushing over your cheek in a tender gesture. âYeah⌠wow.â
For a moment, you just looked at each other, the firelight reflecting in his eyes, making them look even warmer than usual. His smile was soft, his dimples appearing as he looked at you with an expression that made your heart flutter.
âIâve wanted to do that for a long time,â Jaehyun admitted, his voice low and filled with emotion. âBut I never knew if you felt the same way.â
You smiled, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth. âI did⌠I do. Iâve liked you for so long, Jaehyun. I just didnât know how to tell you.â
He sighed softly, pulling you closer so that you were nestled against his chest. âI guess we were both too afraid to say anything. But Iâm glad we finally did.â
You nodded, feeling the steady beat of his heart under your ear. It was comforting, grounding you in the reality of the moment. This was realâJaehyunâs feelings, your own, the warmth of his arms around you. It was all real, and it made you feel like you were exactly where you were meant to be.
For a while, you stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, the warmth of the fire and the intimacy of the moment making everything else fade away. The storm outside was still fierce, but inside the cave, with Jaehyun by your side, it felt like nothing could touch you.
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The next morning, the storm had finally passed, leaving the forest drenched and glistening under the pale morning sun. The air was crisp and fresh, the sky a clear, brilliant blue that felt like a promise of better things to come. The birds were singing again, and the world seemed to have come back to life after the chaos of the previous night.
You and Jaehyun had slept in short shifts, keeping the fire going and listening for any signs of the storm easing. As dawn broke, you both packed up what little you had taken out, dousing the remnants of the fire with water from Jaehyunâs canteen.
Despite the trials of the night, you felt lighter, a warm glow in your chest from everything that had happened between you and Jaehyun. There was a new kind of closeness now, a bond forged in the heart of the storm and sealed with the gentle kisses you had shared.
âReady to head back?â Jaehyun asked, shouldering his backpack and giving you a reassuring smile.
You nodded, smiling back. âReady. Letâs go find the others.â
The hike back to the base camp was much easier now that the storm had passed. The trail was muddy, and the ground was slick in places, but with Jaehyun by your side, it felt like a walk in the park. You both moved quickly, eager to reunite with your friends and let them know you were safe.
It didnât take long before you started seeing signs of other hikersâmuddy footprints, a few discarded wrappers, and the sound of distant voices.
âOver here!â a voice called, and you turned to see Winter waving frantically from the edge of the camp. Giselle and the boysâTaeyong, Jungwoo, and Markâwere with her, all of them looking a little worse for wear but otherwise unharmed.
âThere you are!â Giselle shouted, rushing over to pull you into a tight hug. âWe were so worried when we got separated!â
âWeâre okay,â you reassured her, hugging her back just as tightly. âJaehyun found me, and we took shelter in a cave. What about you guys?â
âOnce the storm hit, we all hunkered down in our tents,â Taeyong explained, walking over with a relieved grin. âWe stayed put until morning. But when we realized you and Jaehyun werenât with us, we started to worry.â
Mark smirked, glancing between you and Jaehyun. âLooks like you two had quite the adventure.â
You felt a blush creep up your cheeks, but before you could respond, Winterâs eyes widened as she seemed to piece something together. âWait a minuteâare you twoâŚ?â
Jaehyun, ever composed, wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close with a grin. âYeah, weâre together now.â
There was a moment of stunned silence, and then the camp erupted into cheers and laughter. Jungwoo clapped Jaehyun on the back, a wide grin on his face. âAbout time, man! Weâve all been waiting for this to happen.â
Giselleâs eyes sparkled with mischief as she nudged you. âSo, a stormy night in a cave, huh? Sounds like the perfect setup for romance.â
You laughed, shaking your head at her teasing. âIt was⌠unexpected, but it brought us closer. We finally admitted how we feel about each other.â
âAnd now theyâre officially a couple!â Winter cheered, clapping her hands in excitement. âThis trip really was a success in more ways than one.â
Taeyong, always the leader, stepped forward with a proud smile. âWell, Iâd say this hiking trip turned out to be quite the matchmaking adventure. Who knew a storm could bring two people together like this?â
Mark grinned, slinging an arm around Taeyongâs shoulders. âMaybe next time we should plan for a storm on purpose. Might help more of us find our soulmates.â
The group burst into laughter at Markâs suggestion, the mood light and celebratory. It was clear that everyone was relieved to be back together and safe, and the fact that you and Jaehyun had finally confessed to each other was the icing on the cake.
As the group gathered their gear and prepared to head back home, Mark couldnât resist one last comment. âSo, how are we going to top this on our next trip? Itâs going to be hard to beat a stormy night romance.â
Jaehyun chuckled, squeezing your hand. âI think weâll just have to wait and see what happens. But no matter what, Iâm just glad weâre all safe and that I got to be with someone special.â
You smiled up at him, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. âMe too. This was definitely a trip to remember.â
He was the type of person whose presence could light up a room without him even trying. His smile was warm, his voice gentle, and there was something about him that drew people in. He was kind, patient, and generous in ways that made him seem almost otherworldly. Everyone who knew him admired him, and I was no exception.
My life had always been one of quiet contentment. I was the sort of person who avoided conflict, preferring instead to keep the peace and offer a helping hand where I could. My friends often described me as wise beyond my years, always ready with advice or a comforting word. I liked to think of myself as someone who gave more than they took, finding joy in the happiness of others.
But Jaehyun was different. He stirred something in me that I couldnât quite understand, something I had never felt before. It wasnât just admiration or respect; it was a deep, unyielding desire. I wanted him in a way that was almost overwhelming, a way that made me feel both exhilarated and ashamed.
It started innocently enough. I would visit his cafĂŠ every morning, a ritual that had become as essential to me as breathing. The smell of coffee, the taste of a freshly baked croissant, and the sound of Jaehyunâs voice as he greeted me by nameâall of it combined to create a sanctuary from the world outside.
âGood morning,â he would say with that smile that could melt glaciers, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners.
âGood morning, Jaehyun,â I would reply, trying to keep my voice steady, trying not to let him see the effect he had on me.
We would talk about everything and nothingâbooks we were reading, music we were listening to, the weather. It was all so ordinary, yet every moment felt charged with an undercurrent of something more, something unsaid.
Then there was the way he would look at me, sometimes lingering just a moment longer than necessary. It was in those moments that I would wonder if he felt it too, this strange pull between us. But then I would rememberâJaehyun had a girlfriend. She was beautiful, kind, and from what I could tell, she made him happy. The way he talked about her, with a softness in his voice and a light in his eyes, made it clear that he loved her.
But that didnât stop the desire from growing inside me, a desire that I tried to bury, but it always found its way back to the surface.
One evening, I found myself alone in the cafĂŠ, long after the last customer had left. The soft hum of jazz music played in the background as I sat at my usual table, lost in thought. Jaehyun was behind the counter, cleaning up for the night, his movements slow and deliberate. The light was dim, casting long shadows across the room, and the air was heavy with the scent of coffee and something elseâsomething bittersweet.
âDo you need anything else?â Jaehyunâs voice broke the silence, gentle and considerate as always.
I looked up, meeting his gaze. There was a softness in his eyes, a warmth that made my heart ache.
âNo, Iâm fine,â I said, forcing a smile. âJust enjoying the peace and quiet.â
He nodded, but instead of going back to his work, he walked over to my table and sat down across from me. I could feel my pulse quicken, the air between us thick with unspoken words.
âIs everything okay?â he asked, concern lacing his tone.
I hesitated, unsure of what to say. How could I tell him that the reason I was sitting here, long after everyone else had left, was because I didnât want to leave? Because I wanted to be near him, to bask in the warmth of his presence for just a little longer?
âIâm fine,â I lied, offering him another smile that didnât quite reach my eyes.
He studied me for a moment, his gaze piercing in a way that made me feel like he could see right through me, see all the desires and longings I had tried so hard to hide.
âYou know,â he began, his voice soft, âyou donât have to pretend with me. If somethingâs bothering you, you can talk to me.â
I wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. Here he was, offering me comfort, being the kind, generous person he always was, and all I could think about was how much I wanted him. How much I wanted to reach across the table, take his hand in mine, and tell him everything.
But I couldnât do that. I couldnât be that person who ruined something so pure, something so good.
So instead, I shook my head. âIâm just tired,â I said. âItâs been a long day.â
He didnât push further, just nodded and offered me that same gentle smile that always made my heart skip a beat.
â･đŚšÂ°âË･â
As the days passed, I tried to keep my distance. I would still visit the cafĂŠ, but I would leave as soon as I had my coffee, not allowing myself to linger. But it was impossible to avoid Jaehyun completely. He was always there, always kind, always making me feel things I didnât want to feel.
Then came the night that changed everything.
It was late, and the sky was dark, heavy with the promise of rain. I was walking home from the bookstore, the cool air a welcome relief from the thoughts that had been swirling in my mind all day. As I rounded the corner, I saw Jaehyun standing outside the cafĂŠ, his hands shoved into his pockets, his head tilted back as he looked up at the sky.
Something about the sight of him standing there, so serene, so beautiful, made me stop in my tracks. I felt a wave of emotion wash over meâlonging, desire, and something deeper, something I couldnât quite name.
Before I could think better of it, I found myself walking towards him, my heart pounding in my chest.
âJaehyun,â I called out, my voice sounding strange to my own ears.
He turned, his expression softening when he saw me. âHey,â he said, his voice warm and inviting.
For a moment, we just stood there, the silence between us filled with the sound of the wind rustling through the trees and the distant rumble of thunder.
âI⌠I donât know how to say this,â I began, my voice trembling. âBut I need to tell you something.â
He watched me, his gaze steady, as if he already knew what I was going to say.
âI⌠I care about you,â I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. âMore than I should. More than I want to.â
For a moment, there was only silence. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, about to fall into the unknown.
Then, Jaehyun took a step towards me, closing the distance between us. He reached out, gently taking my hand in his, and I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through me.
âI care about you too,â he said, his voice barely above a whisper. âMore than I should.â
My breath caught in my throat as I looked up at him, the world around us fading away until there was only him, only this moment.
âBut I canâtâŚâ he began, his voice filled with regret. âI canât do this. I have someone, and I canât hurt her. I wonât.â
I nodded, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. I had known this would be the outcome, had known it from the moment I first realized my feelings for him. But hearing the words still felt like a knife twisting in my heart.
âI understand,â I whispered, pulling my hand away from his. âI just⌠I needed you to know.â
He nodded, his expression one of deep sadness. âIâm glad you told me,â he said. âBut I donât want to lose you. Our friendship means a lot to me.â
âI wonât go anywhere,â I promised, even though I knew it would be hard, even though I knew that staying would mean living with this ache in my heart.
âThank you,â he said softly.
We stood there for a few moments longer, the silence between us filled with unspoken words and unfulfilled desires. Then, without another word, I turned and walked away, my footsteps echoing in the quiet night.
As I made my way home, the first drops of rain began to fall, mingling with the tears that I could no longer hold back. I had always prided myself on being wise, on making the right choices, on putting others before myself. But in that moment, I felt anything but wise. I felt raw, exposed, and vulnerable in a way that I had never felt before.
But despite the pain, there was a strange sense of relief in having finally spoken my truth. For so long, I had kept my feelings hidden, locked away where they couldnât hurt anyone. But now, even though the outcome wasnât what I had hoped for, I felt a sense of peace in having been honest with myself and with Jaehyun.
â･đŚšÂ°âË･â
The days that followed were difficult. I still visited the cafĂŠ, but the dynamic between Jaehyun and me had shifted in subtle but undeniable ways. There was a carefulness in our interactions now, a mutual understanding of the line we could never cross. Our conversations, once so easy and free-flowing, were now laced with a delicate tension. Every smile, every lingering glance carried the weight of what had been confessed and what could never be.
Jaehyun was still the same warm, generous person he had always been, but there was a sadness in his eyes now, a shadow that hadnât been there before. It hurt to see it, knowing that I had played a part in dimming the light that he so effortlessly radiated.
But I kept my promiseâI didnât go anywhere. I continued to show up at the cafĂŠ, day after day, because as much as it hurt, being away from him hurt more. I told myself that I could handle it, that I could be content with the friendship we shared, even if it meant swallowing down the longing that never seemed to go away.
And for a while, I managed. We fell into a new rhythm, one that was careful and considerate, but also tinged with the unspoken. The moments of silence between us grew longer, more comfortable, as if we were both trying to find a way to reconcile what was with what could never be.
But the desire I felt for Jaehyun, the deep, unyielding want, was still there, lurking beneath the surface. It was a quiet ache, one that I carried with me everywhere I went. I would see him, standing behind the counter, his smile lighting up the room, and I would feel itâa pang of longing so sharp it took my breath away.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky turned shades of pink and orange, I found myself alone in the cafĂŠ once again. The last customers had left, and it was just Jaehyun and me, the soft strains of music playing in the background. He was wiping down the counters, his movements slow and methodical.
I sat at my usual table, staring down at the empty cup in front of me, the weight of everything pressing down on my shoulders. I had thought I could manage, that I could keep my feelings in check, but the more time I spent with Jaehyun, the harder it became. Every smile, every kind word, every touch of his hand as he passed me my coffeeâit all added to the weight, making it harder and harder to breathe.
âI think I need to take a break,â I said suddenly, my voice breaking the silence.
Jaehyun looked up, surprise flashing across his face. âA break?â he repeated, setting down the cloth he had been using. âFrom the cafĂŠ?â
I nodded, unable to meet his gaze. âI just⌠I need some time to figure things out.â
There was a long pause, the air between us heavy with the words we werenât saying.
âI understand,â Jaehyun said softly, and when I finally looked up at him, there was that same sadness in his eyes, the same shadow that I had come to know so well. âIâll miss you, though. This place wonât be the same without you.â
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I couldnât breathe. The thought of not seeing him every day, of not hearing his voice, not feeling the warmth of his presenceâit was almost unbearable. But I knew that staying, that continuing to pretend everything was okay, would only make things worse.
âIâll miss you too,â I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. âBut I think itâs what I need to do.â
Jaehyun nodded, his expression one of understanding, but also of pain. âIâll be here when youâre ready,â he said, his voice gentle. âWhenever that is.â
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The lump in my throat was too big, the emotions too close to the surface. I stood up, my movements slow and reluctant, as if my body was resisting what my mind knew had to be done.
As I reached the door, I hesitated, my hand hovering over the handle. I wanted to turn back, to look at him one last time, to hold onto this moment for just a little longer. But I knew that if I did, I might never be able to leave. And I was awfully right.
As I stood at the door, debating whether I should turn back to say something more, the weight of all my unresolved emotions became unbearable. Without fully thinking it through, I found myself walking back toward Jaehyun. He was still there, behind the counter, his gaze following my every movement with a mix of curiosity and concern.
âJaehyun,â I whispered, my voice trembling.
âYes?â His voice was soft, encouraging, but also laced with a hint of something I couldnât quite decipherâhope, maybe, or perhaps apprehension.
My heart was pounding so loudly in my chest that it drowned out every rational thought. Before I knew what I was doing, I reached out, gently cupping his face in my hands. His skin was warm beneath my touch, his breath hitching as he looked at me with those deep, dark eyes that had haunted my thoughts for so long.
âWaitââ he started, but the words caught in his throat as I leaned in closer, my lips brushing against his in the lightest, most hesitant kisses.
For a moment, time seemed to stop. The world outside the cafĂŠ faded away, leaving just the two of us, suspended in a bubble of quiet intensity. The kiss was soft, and tentative, as if we were both afraid to push too far, to let the moment slip away.
Jaehyunâs hands came up to my waist, his touch hesitant and unsure. There was a second of hesitation, a moment where I could feel him battling with himself. But then, as if something inside him gave way, he kissed me back. His lips moved against mine with a gentle urgency, a tenderness that made my heart swell with something I could only describe as pure, unfiltered emotion.
The kiss deepened, our breaths mingling as the world outside ceased to exist. There was no past, no future, just this momentâjust us. My fingers threaded through his hair, pulling him closer as if I could fuse us together, as if this kiss could make everything right, even if just for a moment.
Jaehyunâs lips moved against mine with a hunger I hadnât expected, and a thrill of triumph shot through me. He wanted thisâwanted meâjust as much as I wanted him.
In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the consequences, not the boundaries we were shattering, not the people we were betraying. All that existed was the heat of his body pressed against mine, the way his hands roamed my back, pulling me closer, as if he couldnât bear to let go.
I could feel his heart pounding against my chest, matching the wild rhythm of my own, and a sense of power surged through me. Jaehyun, the man I had admired from afar for so long, the man who was always so composed, so careful, was unraveling beneath my touch. And I was the one who had brought him to this point, the one who had made him forget everything else, if only for a moment.
We pulled apart, just enough to catch our breath, our foreheads resting against each otherâs. His eyes were dark, filled with an intensity I had never seen before, and it sent a shiver down my spine.
âJaehyunâŚâ I whispered, but I didnât know what else to say. Everything I feltâeverything we both feltâwas too overwhelming for words.
He didnât respond, not with words. Instead, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me again, deeper this time, as if he were trying to pour all the things he couldnât say into that kiss. And I let him, losing myself in the taste of him, in the way he made me feel like I was the only thing that mattered in the world.
âMmmh,â a soft sound escapes my lips before I can stop it.
My hands tangled in his hair, tugging him closer as I pressed my body against his, feeling the heat of him through our clothes. I wanted moreâneeded moreâand the fact that he was giving it to me without hesitation, without regret, only made me crave him even more.
I could feel the tension in his muscles, the way he was holding back, as if he were afraid that if he let go, if he gave in completely, there would be no turning back. But I didnât want him to hold back. I wanted all of him, every part of him, and I wanted him to know that I wasnât afraid of what that meant.
âDonât stop,â I murmured against his lips, my voice low and breathless. âPlease donât stop.â
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes searching mine as if he were looking for any sign of hesitation, any hint that I might regret this later. But there was none. I knew exactly what I was doing, and I wasnât going to back down now.
âAre you sure?â he asked, his voice rough, strained, like he was barely holding himself together.
In response, I kissed him again, hard and unyielding, letting him feel exactly how sure I was. And that was all the encouragement he needed. With a low groan, he lifted me onto the counter, his hands sliding down to grip my thighs as he pressed himself against me once more.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer as our kisses grew more frantic, more desperate. It was as if all the pent-up tension, all the unspoken desires, were finally being unleashed, and there was no stopping it now. And I didnât want to stop it. I wanted to let it consume us both.
A sense of satisfaction washed over me as I realized just how much control I had over him in that moment. Jaehyun, who was always so composed, so in control, was completely at my mercy, and the thought made my heart race with exhilaration. I had himâtruly had himâand I wasnât about to let that go.
âIâve wanted this for so long,â I confessed between kisses, my voice trembling with a mixture of passion and triumph. âYou have no idea how much Iâve wanted you, Jaehyun.â
His response was a deep, throaty moan as he trailed kisses down my neck, his hands gripping my waist tightly as if he were afraid I might slip away. âI shouldnât want you like this,â he murmured against my skin, but there was no conviction in his words, only raw, unfiltered need. âBut I do. God, I do.â
The admission sent a thrill of satisfaction through me, and I arched my back, giving him better access as his lips continued their descent, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. I had won. In this moment, he was mine, and I reveled in the power that came with that knowledge.
âThen donât fight it,â I whispered, my voice low and sultry, urging him on. âDonât hold back, Jaehyun. I want all of you.â
â･đŚšÂ°âË･â
The night had blurred into a haze of heated kisses and whispered confessions, a whirlwind of emotions that neither of us had been able to resist. Somewhere between the dim light of the cafĂŠ and the shadows of Jaehyunâs apartment, the world outside had ceased to exist. We had given in completely, surrendering to the desire that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long.
Now, as the first light of dawn filtered through the curtains, I found myself nestled in Jaehyunâs bed, his strong arms wrapped around me. The room was quiet, the only sound the steady rhythm of his breathing and the soft rustle of sheets as he shifted beside me.
Jaehyun was already awake, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as if he were lost in thought. When he noticed me stirring, he turned his attention to me, his expression softening into something unreadable. He reached out, his fingers gently threading through my hair, playing with the silky strands as if he were trying to memorize the feel of them.
âI was unproblematic before I met you,â he murmured, his voice low and filled with a mix of frustration and something deeper, something more tender. âNow, youâve become my problem.â
His words sent a shiver down my spine, but there was no regret in his tone, only acceptance of the undeniable truth we had both tried so hard to ignore. I looked up at him, my heart fluttering at the way his eyes softened when they met mine.
âI could be your little secret, Jaehyun,â I whispered, my voice carrying a hint of mischief, a promise of something forbidden. The idea thrilled meâthe thought of being the one thing he couldnât resist, the one temptation he couldnât walk away from. The truth is, I was never this kind of person either.
He sighed, his fingers still playing with my hair as he considered my words. âYou donât deserve to be a secret,â he said softly, almost as if he were speaking more to himself than to me. âBut I donât know how to let you go.â
I smiled, leaning into his touch as I felt a surge of satisfaction. âThen donât,â I replied simply, my voice laced with confidence. âDonât let me go, Jaehyun. Keep me close, even if itâs just like this.â
His hand stilled in my hair, and he turned to face me fully, his gaze intense, searching. âYou make it sound so easy,â he said, a trace of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. âBut itâs not.â
âNothing worth having is ever easy,â I whispered back, my hand reaching out to trace the lines of his jaw, feeling the rough stubble beneath my fingertips. âBut you know as well as I do that some things are worth the risk.â
Jaehyun closed his eyes, his forehead resting against mine as he let out a deep breath. âYouâre dangerous, you know that?â he said, his voice tinged with both admiration and resignation.
âOnly to you,â I teased, brushing my lips against his in a feather-light kiss.
He let out a low chuckle, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. âI should be pushing you away,â he murmured, his lips grazing my temple. âBut I donât want to.â
âThen donât,â I urged, my voice barely above a whisper. âDonât think about anything else right now. Just let this be what it is.â
Jaehyunâs arms tightened around me, and I could feel the tension in his body slowly melting away as he surrendered to the moment. He kissed me then, soft and slow, as if sealing a promise that only we could understand.
As the morning light grew brighter, the reality of what we had done, of what we were doing, began to creep back in. But in that moment, wrapped up in Jaehyunâs embrace, I didnât care about the consequences. I didnât care about the complications or the secrets we would have to keep.
All that mattered was that he was mine, even if just for now.
But then, my eyes flew wide open at the sound of the door swinging open with a sharp bang. Iâm certain his did too.
âWhat the fuck?!â
â･đŚšÂ°âË･â
epilogue - 3:00 am, 5 hours ago
As we lay there, Jaehyunâs hand absentmindedly traced patterns along my naked arm. There was a calm in the air, but underneath it, I could feel the weight of something unspoken between us. His fingers stilled, and he looked at me with an intensity that made my breath catch.
âThereâs something I need to tell you,â he began, his voice low, almost hesitant. His gaze never left mine, as if he were searching for the right words, or perhaps the courage to speak them.
I stayed quiet, sensing the importance of the moment, my heart pounding in anticipation of what he was about to say.
âI never meant for any of this to happen,â he continued, his eyes softening. âI never meant to feel the way I do about you. It just⌠happened. Slowly, quietly, before I even realized what was going on.â
He paused, his expression a mix of vulnerability and resolve. âAt first, I tried to ignore it. I told myself it was just a fleeting attraction, something that would pass. But the more time we spent together, the harder it became to deny what was happening inside me.â
He shifted slightly, his hand moving to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing softly against my skin. âI started looking forward to seeing you every day. The way youâd smile when you walked into the cafĂŠ, the way youâd laugh at something silly I saidâit all started to mean more to me than I wanted to admit.â
His gaze grew distant for a moment, as if he were reliving the memories he was sharing. âThere were times when youâd be talking to me, and Iâd catch myself staring at you, completely lost in how you made me feel. I tried so hard to keep it a secret, even from myself, but it was impossible. Every little thing about you drew me in deeper.â
I felt a warmth spread through my chest, the truth of his words wrapping around me like a comforting embrace. âWhy didnât you tell me?â I asked softly, though I already knew the answer.
Jaehyun sighed, his hand slipping down to take mine, intertwining our fingers. âBecause I was afraid. Afraid of what it would mean, afraid of what weâd have to face if I admitted it. I didnât want to complicate your lifeâor mine.â
âBut you couldnât help it,â I whispered, a small smile tugging at my lips.
He shook his head, a rueful smile on his own. âNo, I couldnât. The more I tried to distance myself, the more I realized that I couldnât escape it. I couldnât escape you. And the truth is, I didnât want to.â
His thumb stroked the back of my hand as he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. âI fell in love with you in secret, because I didnât know how to do it any other way. You were everything I wasnât supposed to want, but I couldnât stop myself. And now⌠I donât want to hide it anymore.â
Tears welled up in my eyes at his confession, but they were tears of relief, of joy. âJaehyunâŚâ I started, but he gently shushed me, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my forehead.
âI know itâs complicated,â he said quietly, his lips lingering against my skin. âBut I donât care anymore. I donât want to pretend that I donât feel what I feel. I love you, and I want to be with you, no matter what we have to face.â
âWhat about her?â I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper. The question hung in the air, heavy with the weight of reality we both knew we had to face.
Jaehyunâs expression faltered, the light in his eyes dimming as the gravity of the situation settled in. His hand tightened around mine, as if he were afraid to let go, afraid of what my question might mean for us.
He sighed deeply, his gaze drifting away for a moment, lost in thought. When he looked back at me, there was a sadness there, a regret that made my heart ache.
âI donât want to hurt her,â he admitted, his voice filled with a quiet pain. âSheâs been nothing but good to me. But I canât keep pretending that everythingâs the same when itâs not. I canât keep lying to herâor to myself.â
I nodded, understanding the turmoil he must be feeling. It was a difficult situation, one that was bound to leave scars no matter how carefully we navigated it. But we both knew that continuing to live a lie would only make things worse in the end.
âI donât want to be the reason for her pain,â I whispered, my voice tinged with guilt. âBut I also canât change the way I feel about you.â
Jaehyun reached out, his hand cupping my cheek as he looked at me with a tenderness that made my heart ache. âThis isnât your fault,â he said gently. âYou didnât ask for this any more than I did. But I have to be honestâwith her and with myself. I owe her that much.â
There was a long pause, the silence between us heavy with unspoken emotions. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the struggle between his sense of responsibility and the undeniable pull he felt toward me.
âIâll talk to her,â he finally said, his voice steady, though tinged with sadness. âI owe her the truth, even if it hurts. Itâs the only way forward.â
My heart ached for him, for the difficult conversation he was about to face, but I knew he was right. We couldnât build something real on a foundation of lies, no matter how much we wanted to.
âIâm here for you, Jaehyun,â I said softly, reaching out to take his hand in mine. âWhatever happens, Iâm here.â
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşâ⧠; open arms by SZA ft. travis scott
âwhen you do your best, hell, thatâs all you can do. you, me, and anybody else. so they always start talking.â
they were an unlikely pair, at least according to the outside world. people had opinions, as they often do, murmuring about how she was too reserved, too quiet, too damaged. they said he was too good for her, that he could do better, that he was wasting his time on someone who could never fully heal.
but jaehyun didnât care about any of that. he loved her for who she was, not for who the world thought she should be. he saw the strength in her vulnerability, the beauty in her resilience. he admired the way she faced each day, even the hard ones, with a quiet determination that spoke volumes about the person she was.
there were days when people demanded too much of her, bombarding her with endless conversations that left her drained, quiet, and withdrawn. In those moments, her insecurities loomed like heavy shadows, their grip on her all too real. but jaehyun never wavered. he was there to fill the gaps in her tangled thoughts, effortlessly bridging the silence. all that mattered to him was how their days would endâlost in easy chatter, wrapped up in each other, nestled under her favorite fluffy beige blanket, finding solace in the warmth of their shared moments.
she, in turn, found solace in his steadfastness. He was her anchor, the one person who never wavered, never doubted her. with him, she felt safe in a way she hadnât felt in a long time. and in the safety of his love, she began to heal, little by little, the cracks in her heart slowly mending.
their life together was simple. they didnât need grand gestures or extravagant gifts. Instead, they found joy in the small things, the everyday moments that others might overlook. they cooked dinner together every night, a ritual that became sacred in its simplicity. he would chop vegetables while she stirred the pot, their movements synchronized like a dance. they talked about their days, about the little things that had made them smile or the challenges they had faced. and when the meal was ready, they would sit together at their tiny kitchen table, enjoying the food and each otherâs company in comfortable silence or easy conversation.
âso, here comes my 9,978th question: howâs your day?â he asked, his dimples making an appearance alongside that irresistible smile.
she knew heâd askâafter all, it was their unspoken agreement to check in on each otherâs day. âit was good. pretty good,â she replied. âthe kids behaved, and i bravely took on a cockroach today. isnât that impressive?â
he put on an exaggeratedly amazed faceâthe one that always made her chuckleâas he replied, âoh wow! guess thatâs one less task for me, then.â
she twirled her chopsticks, teasingly asking, âand what about you, mr. handsome? did you make all your customers happy today?â of course, he had to dive into the funny stories heâd collected, and just like every evening, their dinner was filled with laughter, lively conversation, and love.
on weekends, they would walk through the park near their apartment, hand in hand, talking about everything and nothing. sometimes they would sit on a bench, watching the world go by, content just to be together. she loved these moments the most, the quiet intimacy of simply being with him, no expectations, no pressure, just the two of them and the world at a distance.
âweâre getting there, i think,â jaehyun mused, a smile tugging at his lips as he gazed out at the panoramic view before them. âwith everything weâve achieved this year, Iâm confident enough to say our dream is within reach, babe.â
âyou mean the house by the beach?â you teased, a soft chuckle escaping your lips. âyou really think itâs possible?â
âyeah, why not?â he turned to you, his eyebrows arching in that reassuring way you loved.
âwhat about your cafĂŠ? iâve always adored your barista life. and wouldnât living by the beach get a bitâŚboring? we can always visit when we need a little ocean breeze, you know.â
ânothingâs boring when i get to live it with you, hun.â ah, that sweet talkâhe always knew just what to say.
he had a way of making even the mundane feel special. he would leave little notes for her to find, simple messages that told her she was loved and appreciated. he made her laugh with his silly antics, like when he would dance around the living room just to see her smile. he brought light into her life in a way that no one else ever had, and for that, she was endlessly grateful.
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
âwhen no oneâs around me, you lost and found me. i was surrounded with open arms. iâm so devoted.â
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
she was the kind of person who carried the weight of her past in her eyes. there was a heaviness in her gaze that spoke of battles fought and wounds still healing. she had known pain, the kind that burrowed deep and left scars, the kind that made her cautious, wary of the world and the people in it.
but jaehyun, with his warm smile and easy laugh, had a way of dissolving the shadows that lingered around her. he was kind in the simplest and purest sense of the word, always ready with a joke to lighten the mood or a comforting word when she needed it most. his presence was like sunlight streaming through a window, illuminating even the darkest corners of her soul. there were days when her past would creep up on her, when the memories would be too much to bear.
âand without him, what would you be?â his words cut like a blade, each one designed to chip away at her confidence. she swore that every time he tried to belittle her like this, she had to hold herself together, fighting not to shatter.
âi wonât let you get into my head, kun,â she shot back, each trembling word feeling like sheâd just dodged a bullet. she knew she had to brace herself for these encounters whenever he was around. kun was always difficult, just like her mom, dad, and everyone else who seemed to weigh her down. in a world where she felt surrounded, there was only one person who could be her sanctuaryâthe one guy sheâd never trade, not even for the stars.
"take that back, you douchebag. how many times do I have to tell you to leave her the hell alone?" jaehyunâs voice thundered from behind, cutting through the tension between you and kun. "this is my town, and if you donât disappear in the next second, I wonât hesitate to call the cops on you. seriously, just fuck off." his words were a roar of pure intimidation, aimed straight at the person she once called her exâthe one who played a role in shaping who she is now.
on those days, jaehyun would hold her close, his arms a refuge from the storm. he didnât try to fix her, didnât tell her to move on or get over it. he simply loved her through it, giving her the space to feel whatever she needed to feel, knowing that she would come back to him when she was ready.
and she always did. no matter how dark things got, she knew that he would be there, waiting for her with open arms and a gentle smile. his love was a constant, a beacon of hope in a world that had once seemed so bleak.
in time, she began to believe in herself the way he believed in her. she started to see herself not as broken, but as someone who had been through hell and survived. she realized that she was stronger than she had ever given herself credit for, and that she deserved the love that he freely gave.
the rain poured down in heavy sheets as she stepped off the bus, the last remnants of her old life dissolving with each drop that hit the pavement. she pulled the hood of her jacket tighter around her face, hoping it would shield her from both the storm and the memories chasing her. the town was unfamiliar, a small coastal escape far from the toxic grip of kun, the man who had held her in a suffocating embrace for far too long.
her suitcase rolled unevenly behind her, its tiny wheels struggling against the cracked sidewalk. the town was quiet, save for the sound of rain slapping against rooftops and the occasional car splashing through puddles. she hadnât planned much, only knowing that she needed to be somewhereâanywhereâaway from him. the air smelled of salt and wet earth, a refreshing change from the stifling city she had left behind.
as she rounded a corner, her heart nearly stopped. standing across the street, partially hidden under an awning, was kun. his presence was unmistakable, his broad shoulders hunched against the rain, scanning the streets as if searching for somethingâor someone. panic surged through her, her pulse quickening as she instinctively ducked into the nearest doorway. her hand fumbled for the handle, desperate to escape his gaze before he could spot her.
the door swung open, and she stumbled inside, her breath coming in ragged gasps. the warmth of the room enveloped her immediately, a stark contrast to the cold dread that had taken root in her chest. she hadnât even looked at where she was; all she knew was that she needed to stay hidden.
the scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods filled the air, calming her just enough to take in her surroundings. it was a cafĂŠ, small and cozy, with soft lighting that cast a golden glow over the wooden tables and cushioned chairs. a few patrons sat scattered about, their conversations low and relaxed, creating a serene bubble that felt worlds away from the chaos sheâd just escaped.
âhey, you okay?â
the voice startled her, and she looked up to see a man standing behind the counter, his expression one of genuine concern. he was tall, with dark hair that fell slightly into his eyes and a warmth in his gaze that made her feel, for the first time in what felt like forever, safe. she nodded quickly, but the tremble in her hands betrayed her.
he glanced out the window, his eyes narrowing slightly as if heâd caught sight of kun too. without another word, he moved from behind the counter and approached her with careful steps, as though she were a frightened animal he didnât want to spook.
âyou donât have to say anything,â he said quietly, âbut if you need a place to sit for a while, youâre welcome here. iâm jaehyun.â
she hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to keep moving, but there was something about jaehyunâs presence that anchored her in place. the cafĂŠ felt like a sanctuary, a place where the outside world couldnât touch her. and right now, she needed that more than anything.
âthank you,â she managed to whisper, her voice barely audible over the pounding rain.
jaehyun offered her a small smile and gestured to a corner table, tucked away from the windows. âtake your time. iâll bring you something warm.â
she moved towards the table, her legs feeling like jelly beneath her. as she sat down, she kept her back to the door, unwilling to risk even a glimpse of the outside world that had tormented her. the tension in her shoulders began to ease as the minutes ticked by, the sound of the rain against the windows slowly fading into the background.
true to his word, jaehyun appeared moments later with a steaming cup of tea and a plate of cookies. he set them down in front of her with a gentle smile. âon the house,â he said before retreating back to the counter, giving her the space she so desperately needed.
she wrapped her hands around the mug, letting its warmth seep into her cold fingers. she hadnât realized how much she needed thisâjust a moment to breathe, to collect herself. the tea was fragrant, a blend of herbs that seemed to calm her nerves with every sip. the cookies were sweet, their buttery softness melting on her tongue. for the first time in days, she felt a small flicker of peace.
âiâm so devoted to you,â she whispered, their legs tangled beneath the weight of the blanket. his left hand gently cradled her, holding her close as if he couldnât bear to lose the warmth of her skin tonight.
âthey say without you, iâm nothing. and theyâre not wrong. i am nothing without you, jaehyun.â
his breath danced across her arms before his lips found the curve of her shoulder, planting a soft kiss there. âand they never said how much luckier I am to have you, my love. theyâll never know, no matter how much I try to tell them.â no one ever warned her that his voice could feel like the warmest embrace.
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
"no matter what come between us, i decided
i'm forever ridin', you're forever guidin'"
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
the ocean stretched out before them, a boundless expanse of shimmering blue that seemed to touch the sky. the waves whispered secrets as they kissed the shore, their rhythm steady and eternal. it was here, in this quiet, secluded place, that jaehyun had built the house, a sanctuary that would hold all the promises he intended to keep.
the house stood on a gentle rise, just beyond the reach of the highest tides. it was a simple structure, modern in design, with large windows that opened up to the sea, allowing the sunlight to pour in and the salty breeze to dance through the rooms. jaehyun had poured his heart into every detail, from the smooth wooden floors to the whitewashed walls, each element chosen with care, a reflection of his love for her.
she stood at the edge of the property now, her feet sinking into the cool sand, her eyes fixed on the horizon. the wind played with her hair, pulling it free from the loose braid she always wore. she looked peaceful, lost in the sound of the waves, the sight of the endless ocean.
jaehyun watched her from the porch, his heart swelling with an emotion so deep, it almost took his breath away. he had loved her for as long as he could remember, a love that had grown and deepened over time, becoming something so powerful, so consuming, that he knew he could never let it go.
he approached her slowly, his steps quiet on the sand. she turned when she heard him, a soft smile lighting up her face. her eyes, those beautiful eyes that held so much warmth and kindness, met his, and for a moment, the world around them faded away, leaving just the two of them standing on the shore, surrounded by the endless sea and sky.
jaehyun reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against hers in a touch so gentle, it sent a shiver down her spine. he held her hand, his grip firm yet tender, and she felt the strength in him, the quiet resolve that had always been a part of who he was.
âi built this for you,â he said, his voice low and steady, the words carrying on the wind. âfor us.â
she looked at the house, then back at him, her eyes searching his, trying to read the emotions that played across his face. âitâs beautiful, jaehyun,â she whispered, her voice filled with awe.
âitâs not just a house,â he continued, his gaze unwavering. âitâs a promise. a promise that nothing and no one will ever come between us. that no matter what happens, weâll always have this place, this sanctuary, a place that we call home.â
he paused, taking a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to say the words that had been on his heart for so long. âi want to spend the rest of my life with you,â he said finally, his voice soft but resolute. âi want to be yours, forever.â
her heart skipped a beat, the magnitude of his words sinking in. she had always known he loved her, but hearing him say it like this, with such conviction, such certainty, made her feel like she was standing on the edge of something vast and wonderful.
âjaehyunâŚâ she began, but he cut her off, resting his warm hand gently over her smaller one.
âlet me finish,â he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. âi know life hasnât always been easy. i know there have been times when weâve both doubted, both feared what the future might hold. but here, in this place, with you, i have no doubts. i have no fears. i only have love. a love that is strong enough to weather any storm, that is deep enough to fill every corner of this house, of our lives.â
he dropped to one knee then, still holding her hand, and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, velvet box. her breath caught in her throat as he opened it, revealing a simple, elegant ring that sparkled in the sunlight.
âiâm asking you to marry me,â he said, his voice trembling slightly with the weight of the moment. âiâm asking you to be my wife, to share this life with me, to build our future together, here in this house, by the sea. iâm asking you to be mine, forever.â
tears filled her eyes, blurring the world around her, but she didnât care. all she could see was jaehyun, the man she loved, the man who had built her a home, a life, a future. she had always known he was the one, but in this moment, she felt it more deeply than ever.
âyes,â she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. âyes, i will marry you. i will be yours, forever.â
he slipped the ring onto her finger, his hands steady despite the emotions coursing through him. then he rose, pulling her into his arms, holding her close as the waves crashed against the shore, as the wind carried their laughter out to sea.
they stood like that for a long time, wrapped in each otherâs arms, feeling the weight of the moment, the enormity of the promise they had just made. and in that moment, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting the world in a golden glow, they knew that they had found something truly special.
this house, this place, would be their sanctuary. a place where they could build their lives together, where they could weather any storm, face any challenge, knowing that they had each other, that their love was strong enough to carry them through.
as the sun set over the ocean, turning the sky into a canvas of pinks and oranges, they stood on the shore, hand in hand, ready to face the future together. the house behind them was more than just a homeâit was a testament to their love, a promise that no matter what, they would always have each other. and in that promise, they found their forever.
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
"drew my favorite color, now you seein' every shade of me"
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
jaehyun had always seen the world in vibrant huesâeach day painted with the rich colors of his cafĂŠ's coffee beans, the bright glint of sunlight filtering through the leaves, and the warm glow of the people he cherished. but nothing compared to the spectrum of shades he saw in her. she was a living canvas, a blend of every color imaginable, and jaehyun treasured every shade she revealed, even the ones that appeared during the darkest times.
one crisp autumn afternoon, the first signs of trouble appeared. jaehyun noticed the faint tinge of sadness in her eyes, a dull grey that contrasted sharply with her vibrant sparkle. something was wrong, though she always managed to brush off his concerns with a gentle smile.
âeverything okay?â jaehyun asked, sliding a cup of tea towards her. he tried to keep his tone light, but worry showed in his eyes.
she accepted the tea with a grateful nod. âitâs just⌠my family,â she said softly, her voice trembling. âtheyâre trying to get in touch, and i donât know why.â
jaehyunâs heart clenched. he had heard the storiesâhow toxic her past was, the constant pressure and judgment from those who should have supported her. it hurt to see her struggling, to see her happiness overshadowed by her familyâs darkness.
âiâm here for you,â he said firmly. âwhatever happens, you donât have to face it alone.â
days passed, and the intensity of her familyâs attempts to reach her grew. unsettling messages and frantic phone calls took their toll. jaehyun could see how her vibrant personality began to dull, replaced by heavy, oppressive colors of stress and anxiety. yet, even in this turmoil, jaehyun remained steadfast. he saw her for all that she wasâthe good, the bad, the beautiful, and the broken.
one evening, as the sky turned a deep indigo and stars began to twinkle, the storm arrived. her family showed up at the cafĂŠ, their presence a harsh splash of black in the otherwise warm and inviting space. they barged in, their eyes sharp and accusatory.
âthere you are,â her mother said, her voice dripping with disdain. âhiding away in this place.â
jaehyun saw the strain on her face, her shoulders hunched as if trying to make herself smaller. he could almost see the colors of her distress mingling with the dark clouds of her familyâs judgment. it was painful, but it reminded him how much she needed him.
âplease leave,â jaehyun said calmly. âshe doesnât want to see you.â
her father, whose presence felt like an oppressive storm cloud, sneered. âand what makes you think you have any say in this?â
jaehyun stepped closer, meeting the manâs gaze steadily. âsheâs found happiness here. you donât have the right to take that away from her.â
the confrontation was tense, each word a brushstroke on a canvas of conflict. but jaehyun stood his ground, unwavering. he wasnât just protecting her; he was embracing every shade of her, including the dark ones.
as her family eventually left, their retreat marked by bitter silence, jaehyun turned to her. she was visibly shaken, tears shimmering in her eyes. he wrapped her in a gentle embrace, feeling her body tremble against his. the embrace was a palette of warm huesâcomforting and protective. it was a sanctuary amidst the chaos.
âiâm sorry you had to go through that,â jaehyun whispered. âbut i need you to know something. no matter how dark the shades get, i will always be here. your colorsâevery single one of themâare beautiful to me.â
she looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the soft light of the cafĂŠ, and managed a small, grateful smile. in that moment, the oppressive darkness seemed to lift just a little, revealing the vibrant, hopeful colors jaehyun cherished so deeply.
in the weeks that followed, the storm slowly abated. jaehyun continued to see every shade of herâevery moment of sadness, every flicker of hope, and every burst of joy. he became her constant, the canvas on which she could express every color of her emotions.
one quiet evening, as they sat together in the cafĂŠâs cozy corner, she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. the room was bathed in the warm glow of fairy lights, casting a golden hue over their surroundings. the shadows of the past still lingered, but they no longer held the same power over her. jaehyun could see her slowly rediscovering the vibrant shades of her spirit, even as she continued to heal.
âthis place,â she said softly, her voice filled with gratitude, âitâs more than just a cafĂŠ. itâs where i found a piece of myself i thought iâd lost.â
jaehyunâs heart swelled with love. he reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. âand youâre more than just a canvas to me. youâre the artist, painting your life with every color imaginable. iâm just here to support you through every shade.â
as they sat together, wrapped in the warmth of their shared moments, jaehyun knew that no matter what shades life threw at them, they would face it together. the darkest hues only made the vibrant colors shine brighter, and in the end, it was her full spectrum of emotions that made her all the more beautiful to him.
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
"locked in for life, on god, no replacin' me
consequences, repercussions, karma keep on changin' me"
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
jaehyun had always imagined that introducing her to his family would be a joyous occasion, a blending of the vibrant world he had built with the people who had shaped his past. he had spoken of her often, his eyes lighting up with affection whenever he mentioned her.
the sun was setting as they arrived at jaehyunâs family home, a charming house nestled on a hill with a panoramic view of the rolling countryside. it was a place where childhood memories were etched into every corner, where laughter and love had always been in abundance.
they were greeted warmly at the door by his parents, their smiles wide and genuine. jaehyunâs mother, with her kind eyes and welcoming embrace, immediately made her feel at ease. âitâs so lovely to finally meet you,â she said, guiding them inside. âjaehyun has told us so much about you.â
his father, with a hearty handshake and a jovial laugh, welcomed her with equal warmth. âweâve been looking forward to this for a long time.â
as they settled into the living room, jaehyunâs siblings joined them, their chatter lively and full of curiosity. everything seemed perfect, a dream come true for jaehyun. but as the evening progressed, the atmosphere began to shift. a subtle tension lingered in the air, an undercurrent of disapproval that seemed to come from some of the relatives who had joined the gathering.
it was jaehyunâs aunt and uncle who first expressed their discomfort. they had heard the rumorsâthe whispers of her past that painted a picture of a woman who had once been married and had left her hometown under tragic circumstances. âso, i hear you left your hometown in quite a hurry,â his aunt said, her eyes narrowing slightly. âwas there something you were trying to escape?â
jaehyunâs heart sank. he could see the glances exchanged among the relatives, the barely concealed judgment in their eyes. she stiffened beside him, her fingers tightening around his. he squeezed her hand reassuringly, his own discomfort turning into determination.
the words stung, but she held her head high, refusing to let their disdain show. jaehyun, however, was visibly agitated. his face was flushed with anger, his protective instincts flaring. âaunt nari, youâve heard a lot of things, but letâs be clear,â jaehyun said, his voice rising. âsheâs not here to be judged or to relive her past. sheâs here because she means a lot to me. if you canât respect that, then maybe you should leave.â
his aunt raised an eyebrow. âbut isnât it true that she left her hometown under less-than-ideal circumstances?â
jaehyunâs face hardened. âyes, itâs true. sheâs faced challenges, but that doesnât define her. sheâs a strong, compassionate person whoâs built a new life with courage and resilience. i will not tolerate anyone treating her poorly or questioning her character.â
the room fell silent, eyes darting between them. she felt the sting of the words but chose to address them with calm dignity.
âmy past is a part of who i am,â she said, her voice steady despite the tension. âbut it doesnât define me. everyone has a history, and iâve worked hard to move forward and build a new life.â
jaehyun stepped closer, his support evident. âsheâs here with me because sheâs someone special. i care about her deeply, and i wonât stand for her being judged based on rumors.â
his mother, sensing the growing discomfort, approached with a warm smile. âweâre all here to welcome her, and itâs important to remember that everyone deserves respect and kindness.â
the tension in the air was palpable, but jaehyunâs stance had made an impact. his uncle and aunt exchanged uncomfortable glances before muttering their apologies and retreating to a corner of the yard. the atmosphere slowly began to warm again, though the sting of the earlier comments lingered.
jaehyun turned to her, his eyes filled with concern. âiâm so sorry about that. i didnât realize how bad it would get.â
she shook her head, her smile trembling but genuine. âitâs not your fault. i know everyone has their own opinions, but itâs hard to ignore the hurtful ones.â
he pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly. âi want you to know that iâm here for you. no matter what anyone says, youâre important to me. i wonât let them make you feel less than you are.â
as they left the gathering, jaehyunâs hand found hers once more, their fingers intertwined. the drive back was quiet, but the weight of the dayâs events settled between them with a mix of resolve and tenderness.
âiâm proud of you,â she said softly. âit means a lot to know you stood up for me like that.â
jaehyunâs eyes softened. âiâd do it again in a heartbeat. you deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. and iâm going to make sure you get that, no matter what.â
the ocean breeze danced through her hair, lifting it lightly as they walked onto the porch. jaehyunâs fingers brushed against her cheek, and he leaned in, capturing her lips in a tender kiss. the kiss was gentle at first, but as the warmth between them grew, so did the intensity.
the kiss deepened, growing more urgent as the warmth between them ignited. the ocean breeze seemed to dance along with their embrace, carrying the sound of their kiss over the rhythmic waves.
their breaths quickened, and the kiss became more insistent. jaehyunâs lips traced a path along her jawline, his touch sending shivers down her spine. she leaned into his touch, her fingers tangling in his hair, holding him close.
âletâs go inside,â jaehyun murmured against her ear, his voice husky and filled with longing.
she nodded, her pulse racing as they moved inside the house.
jaehyun guided her to the living room, his hands never leaving her. the room was softly lit, the glow of the lamps casting a warm light on their faces. the curtains fluttered slightly, allowing the distant sound of the ocean to drift in, a calming counterpoint to the heat of the moment.
as they stood in the center of the room, jaehyunâs lips found hers again, his kisses becoming more fervent. she responded eagerly, her fingers tracing the contours of his face. he guided her to the couch, his hands never leaving her. his hands roamed over her body, exploring every curve with a reverent touch. she responded with equal enthusiasm, her hands exploring his chest, feeling the firm strength beneath his clothes. their kisses grew more urgent, the desire between them palpable and electrifying.
they paused for a moment, their foreheads resting together, breaths mingling in the warm, dim light. jaehyun looked into her eyes, his expression a mix of love and desire. âi want you,â he said softly, his voice filled with sincerity.
she smiled, her heart swelling with affection and longing. âi want you too,â she replied, her voice a breathy whisper.
jaehyunâs lips captured hers again, and so the night wore on, their connection growing stronger with each passing moment. the world outside was forgotten, replaced by the electric bond they shared. the sound of the waves, once a distant melody, now became a comforting reminder of the beautiful night they were experiencing together.
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
"Through the ups and downs and all the heat
Take a turn and tell you what it be"
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
she was alone in the bathroom, staring at the small white stick in her hand. the world seemed to pause as she processed the two pink lines that confirmed what she had feared. her heart raced, a frantic drumbeat in her chest that threatened to drown out everything else. she sank to the floor, the cool tiles pressing against her as tears blurred her vision.
the realization of being pregnant hit her like a tidal wave. her mind raced through the list of all the reasons she wasnât ready for thisâher past traumas, the insecurities, the overwhelming weight of becoming a mother. she had always imagined a different path for herself, one free from the shadows of her former life. and now, with this news, everything felt out of control.
her hands trembled as she clutched the pregnancy test, a sob escaping her lips. it wasnât just fear; it was a deep-seated panic. could she be a good mother? would her past haunt this new life? questions swirled in her mind, each one more daunting than the last.
she heard the front door open and jaehyunâs familiar footsteps approaching. her breath hitched, a mix of relief and dread. she wanted to tell him, but the thought of his reaction made her heart ache. she wasnât sure how to face him, or how to face this future she hadnât planned for.
jaehyunâs voice, warm and soothing, called out from the hallway. âhey, are you okay? i thought i heard you cry.â
she tried to compose herself, but her voice cracked as she responded. âiâIâm in the bathroom.â
she heard him stop outside the door, his footsteps hesitant. âdo you want me to come in?â
the simple question broke something inside her. she pulled herself up, her face wet with tears. âyes, please.â
jaehyun gently opened the door, his eyes softening with concern as he saw her sitting on the floor, the test clutched in her hand. his expression shifted from confusion to worry as he knelt beside her. âwhatâs wrong?â
she couldnât find the words, only the image of the test and the overwhelming fear it represented. âiâjaehyun, iâm pregnant.â
his eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his surprise with a tender look. he took the test from her shaking hands and studied it for a moment. the silence was heavy, filled with the unspoken fears and uncertainties that hung between them.
âhey,â jaehyun said softly, placing the test aside and pulling her into a comforting embrace. âitâs okay. weâll figure this out together.â
she buried her face in his shoulder, her sobs muffled against him. âiâm so scared. i donât know if iâm ready for this. my past⌠everything just feels like itâs coming back to haunt me.â
jaehyun stroked her hair gently, his voice a soothing balm. âi know this is overwhelming. but youâre not alone in this. weâve faced tough things before, and weâll face this together.â
she pulled back slightly, her eyes red and wet. âwhat if iâm not a good mother? what if i mess this up?â
jaehyun cupped her face in his hands, his gaze steady and full of love. âyou are stronger than you know. we donât have to have all the answers right now. what matters is that weâre in this together. youâre going to be an amazing mother because you care so deeply. and iâll be right by your side through it all.â
his words were a balm to her frayed nerves, a reminder that she wasnât alone. she let out a deep breath, her fears slowly melting away under the warmth of his support. âi donât know what iâd do without you.â
jaehyun leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. âyou donât have to. iâm here, every step of the way.â
they sat together on the bathroom floor, wrapped in each otherâs arms. the weight of her fears was still present, but it was now shared with someone who loved her unconditionally. as the initial shock began to fade, she felt a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.
jaehyunâs unwavering support became her anchor. he attended appointments with her, held her hand through the sleepless nights, and made sure she felt loved and valued.
he had always been a man of calm resolve, but the moment he learned they were expecting a child, a new spark ignited within him. his days became filled with a quiet excitement, a growing anticipation that colored his every thought.
it started with small thingsâhe found himself daydreaming about future diaper changes, late-night feedings, and the first steps of their child. each time he thought about it, a smile crept across his face, his heart swelling with a mix of joy and wonder. he began to imagine their babyâs tiny fingers wrapped around his own, their laughter filling the house, and the warmth of family moments.
jaehyunâs excitement grew as he prepared for the arrival of their child. he eagerly researched everything from parenting tips to the best baby products. he was a constant source of encouragement for her, his enthusiasm evident in every conversation. when they talked about their baby, his eyes lit up, his voice filled with a genuine excitement that was impossible to miss.
one evening, as they sat together on the porch, jaehyun turned to her with a beaming smile. âi canât wait to be a dad,â he said, his voice full of warmth. âi keep picturing all the little things weâll do together. iâve even started thinking about what kind of stories iâll read to our baby.â
her heart swelled at his words, seeing his genuine joy and commitment. he reached over, gently placing his hand on her growing belly, and closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the connection. âiâm so excited for this new chapter,â he said softly. âi know it wonât always be easy, but iâm ready for it. i want to be there for every moment, every milestone.â
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
"i gotta let you go, i must
but you're the only one that's holdin' me down"
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
when the time finally came to go to the hospital, jaehyun rushed to get the car ready. he helped her into the vehicle, his hands gentle yet firm, making sure she was as comfortable as possible. the drive was a blur, the city lights streaking past as they made their way to the hospital. she squeezed his hand, trying to ground herself amidst the chaos of the contractions.
once they arrived, the medical team moved swiftly, their voices calm and professional as they guided her to the delivery room. jaehyun stayed by her side, his presence a steady anchor in the storm of emotions. the room was filled with the hum of medical equipment and the murmur of nurses as they prepared for the delivery. she could see the concern in their eyes, but she drew strength from jaehyunâs unwavering support.
the labor was grueling, each contraction feeling like a mountain she had to climb. she fought through the pain, pushing with all her strength, her body trembling with effort. time seemed to stretch on endlessly, the hours blurring together in a haze of exhaustion and determination. she was fighting for both herself and the baby, her body and mind pushed to their limits.
when the final push came, it was the culmination of everything she had been through. she gave it everything she had, her body straining with the effort, her breath coming in ragged gasps. and then, amidst the pain and fatigue, she heard the cry of their babyâa sound so sweet, it made all the struggle worth it.
jaehyunâs eyes filled with tears as he looked at their newborn, his heart swelling with pride and love. he leaned down to kiss her forehead, his voice trembling with emotion. âyou did it,â he said softly. âwe did it.â
she managed a tired smile, her body collapsing against the pillows as the exhaustion took over. but even in her weariness, there was a deep sense of accomplishment and joy. the baby was placed in her arms, a tiny, perfect bundle that made all the pain and struggle fade into the background.
however, there was a shift in the atmosphereâa sense of urgency as the doctors and nurses moved with quickened steps. the monitors began to beep more erratically, their sounds piercing through the haze of pain.
her breaths came in sharp, pained gasps as the medical staff worked around her. jaehyun was at her side, his grip on her hand firm and unyielding, his eyes never leaving her face. âweâre losing her,â one of the nurses said, her voice urgent. the words cut through the room like a knife, and jaehyunâs heart sank. he looked at her, his eyes wide with fear. she was pale, her breaths shallow and uneven. it was clear that something was seriously wrong.
his mind raced, his heart pounding in his chest. he had never felt so helpless. âstay with me,â he pleaded softly, squeezing her hand. âyouâre strong. you can do this.â
her eyes fluttered open briefly, meeting his with a look of sheer exhaustion and fear. the life that had once been vibrant in them was now dimmed, and it tore at his heart. the seconds felt like hours as he watched, helpless, as the medical team fought to save her.
the pain she was enduring seemed to reach a new, unbearable level. her body tensed, and the room seemed to close in around them. jaehyun could barely breathe, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. he tried to focus on her, to give her strength through his presence, but the fear of losing her was overwhelming.
âplease, donât leave me,â he whispered, his voice trembling. âwe need you. our baby needs you.â
jaehyunâs heart ached as he watched her fight against the encroaching darkness, his own tears blurring his vision. after what felt like an eternity, one of the doctors approached him, a look of cautious relief on her face. âweâve managed to stabilize her,â she said, her voice calm but serious. âit was a close call, but sheâs going to be okay.â
tears filled jaehyunâs eyes as he looked at the doctor, his relief mingled with an intense gratitude. he turned back to her, his heart aching at the sight of her pale, exhausted face. âyouâre okay,â he whispered, his voice cracking. âyou did it.â
she managed a weak smile, her hand squeezing his in a gesture of reassurance. the journey had been perilous, but they had come through it together.
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
"'cause you're the only one that's holdin' me down"
âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşââ§
in the end, it didnât matter what anyone else thought. all that mattered was that they had each other, that they loved each other in a way that was true and honest and unwavering. and in that love, they found everything they needed to be happy.
their story wasnât a fairytale, but it was real, and that made it all the more beautiful. they had each other, and that was enough.
Are you ever gonna write a part 2 for "Don't leave"? That's my favorite one and you can't just leave me hanging like that!!!
Iâm really really sorry for keeping you waiting.. hereâs the post of the part 2.
You Never Know â Hendery (ft. Lucas)
Hello! Do you have any plans or continuing âdonât leaveâ with hendery? đĽşđĽş
aw iâm sorry for keeping you waiting 𼺠okay so hereâs another part
Hello! Do you have any plans or continuing âdonât leaveâ with hendery? đĽşđĽş
aw iâm sorry for keeping you waiting 𼺠okay so hereâs another part of âdonât leaveâ with hendery.
hereâs part 1 !
You Never Know â Hendery (ft. Lucas)
You never come out of the house. You keep the house clean everyday, while at the same time taking care of everything on your own. Your pregnancy does not being a good help either, your backache starts to happen often as you belly bulge along with the growth of your baby.
You wait for Hendery everyday. You hope heâd come back some day, even though the light of that little dream started to blink off. Heâs the father of your child after all, but he only needs to know.
And, of course, you canât really keep your sanity well without any help. Lucas, his friend, has been helping you secretly since you told him that Dery left the house. You wanted him to not let everyone know about him and your pregnancy. He was so angry when he knew that youâre pregnant, but when you told him that it is no oneâs fault that he had no clue, he promised to help you with anything and he has been keeping his promise until now.
Like, now. âOh, hi baby, this is uncle Lucas speaking, again.â He chuckled, as he knelt in front of your belly to communicate with the tiny thing inside. âYour mom was being naughty again by not drinking her vitamin pills, I guess you should punish her by kicking your tiny legs.â
You punched his shoulder lightly, lips pouting after you heard him planning some evil things with your baby. âDonât teach bad things to my baby.â âYouâre the one teaching bad things, Y/n. Take your vitamins everyday, now Iâm starting to get tired telling you every single day.â He ranted. âDonât be, youâre all I have, Xuxi.â
His eyes softened at your words, the sadness comes in like a wave in his chest along with the anger for his stupid friend for leaving you alone with his baby. âI know, Iâm all you have.â
.
.
.
His anger continued every single day, actually, since he meets him almost twenty four seven for being in the same workplace. Hendery may not know why Lucas keeps on drifting away from him and their friends but when he does, he will probably regrets his life choices like a mad man.
But what does actually anger him is... this kind of conversation at the office.
âYou know what, our afterparty will be even bigger this time. They actually invited some girls!â The boys excitedly talked about the company afterparty tonight. âNah, bro. Iâm not interested.â Hendery smiled cockily. Lucas narrowed his eyebrows five meters in front with his back facing them.
âDamn, whatâs going on here? So Mr. Wong has a girl to keep his loyalty to?â One of them asked.
âYeah, I got a hot date later.â
Still dealing with the printer, Lucas canât help but to feel upset about the news. His hand curled up into a ball and heâs ready to punch his old friend to oblivion but no, he canât do that.
âSo youâre not going?â âYeah Iâm going, but Iâll probably leave early.â
âWhat about you Lucas? Will you attend?â Hendery asked a little bit louder for Lucas to hear. Lucas turned his head a little bit, eyes cold making the guys with Hendery shiver in fear. âOh, Iâm not the one who play around with girls, Mr. Wong. I might not have the time to do so. I got an appointment with someone more important, actually.â
Hendery rolled his eyes in annoyance. âMr. Wong? So weâre doing formalities now huh?â
The other friends hum in awkwardness, ended up telling Hendery that they will catch up with some work before the finishing hours start. After they leave both of them alone, Hendery tilted his head in confusion. âWhatâs actually up with you, Lucas? You have been pretty away lately and I donât think the problem is me. But if you have something against me, you should just tell me, bud, no need to be so petty like some schoolgirls like this.â
Lucas holds his entire emotions, trying to keep his composure as well as he hoped. âListen, when I said I donât have time for some bullshits, I really do, Hendery. So please cut it out and keep the crap all to yourself, cause Iâm not hearing any single of it again.â He spit out.
.
.
.
Not gonna lie, the way Lucas acts around him has been bothering him the most. They were the best of friends in the previous times, and now Lucas doesnât even join the office afterparty. He doesnât know why, but heâs going to find out.
That night, instead of going to the event, he goes to where Lucas would go. Driving a few meters from his friends car, Hendery canât help but to wonder, isnât this the route to his abandoned ex-girlfriendâs house? Is he dating her now?
A lot of questions are turning into a big bubble in his head but before he got the chance to solve the puzzle, Lucas gets off his car.
âHey! Look, baby! Uncle Xuxi is coming!â He heard your voice very clearly, but the sight which makes his eyes pop out... is your belly.
âWhat the freaking heck?!â Hendery bursted out of his car, running angrily to the front porch of the house.
Your eyes widened in shock as the one and only father of your baby showed up unexpectedly like this.
âHave you been walking away from me and our friends because youâre hiding something and it is the fact that you get my ex-girlfriend pregnant?!â He asked, eyes full of rage and disbelief.
âHendery...â you mumbled.
âOh, believe me, Hendery. You have nothing against me! And so do I! Now that you already see whatâs going on, take care of your own shit and thank me later!â The bubble in his chest finally bursted and Lucas went out of the house.
âW-what exactly is going on here...?â Hendery mumbled.
You sighed. âHendery, heâs not my boyfriend, and... heâs not the father of my child either.â
Hendery blinked, âS-so whoâs the f-father?â
âThe person who just stepped on my front porch right now, looking so... angry?â you bit your lips, feeling nervous that you had just told him and wondering how he will react.
âWhat?â His gaze soften at the sight of you fiddling with your fingers nervously, and now that he knows the truth, guilt starts to trip over his body. âI..â he stuttered.
âWait, Hendery.â you hold onto his hand, preventing him to leave even though he doesnât even have the thoughts of running away again just like what he did in the past. âAre you going to leave again? N-now that you found out...â
âCause Iâd rather not telling you all these things and keep trying to live well all by myself than you leaving again-â
Thatâs when he knew what to do. He grabbed your waist, not too hard cus he didnât want to hurt the baby, and pulled you closer to put his lips on yours.
You froze. This... is what you wanted! Finally you got the answer and you canât believe that all you needed to do was coming clean to him about the baby. Your tears fall down through the kiss, and as soon as heâs aware of that, he pulled out.
âY/n... Iâm, Iâm sorry that I left you, alone with our baby. I.. I canât believe I made such big fatal mistake by leaving you alone and now, Iâm not sure if I deserve you.â He looked down on the floor, feeling so guilty.
You try to reassure him, âBaby,â his eyes shake when you called him that. âAll you gotta do is stay.â
And he ended up staying for you and your little one.
đ fluff, overseas student!characters and more fluff!!!
đ youtuber!jung jaehyun x reader
đ warning: i didnât proofread this :(
Hey! Itâs been so long since I write on this platform. I hope you guys still like my work cause Iâve been working hard to get the desire to write again. Things has been rough for me mentally that makes me kinda lost the feeling of writing. But I decide to write again, yay! Oh and this work was inspired by an admirable travel vlog by Valspire Family where he went on a roadtrip with a stranger. Iâll put the link to the video at the very end of this work. Hope you like it, and Iâm sorry that itâs not gender-neutral but you can use your own imagine from this one i guess :) love yâall.
Jaehyun swam through his e-mails. Okay, no more AdSense pouring in... He wondered. It seems like he needs to create a new content. So, Jung Jaehyun right here is a travel youtuber, where he often travels from place to place, all by himself. He loves traveling. He did it even before he discovered a whole new thing called YouTube. Yeah, that time, he travels by the help of his parents. As an abroad student, he relied a lot on his parents back in their hometown. So he saved some money to travel from close places to places before he eventually wanted to travel overseas as well. Jaehyun learned that he canât keep using his pocket money to travel forever, he needs to look for a better way.
So when his friends told him to start a YouTube channel, he didnât even hesitate. As luck sides with him, he started to look through his old memory card where he put all of his videos and photos of his traveling journey. He was so glad that he kept all of them, even though he would reminisce on how he almost drop his camera on a cliff while doing a cheap vlog. Jaehyun uploaded the videos that he edited at 2 am, after doing the assignment he got from college. Such a model student, indeed... And guess what? People love him! His first video got 10,000 views and 167 comments about how he captured the moment beautifully. He even gained 450 new subscribers on his first day of being YouTuber.
Now, after two months of uploading his old local travel videos, he gained more than 23,000 subscribers and thousands and thousands of views, he finally gained independent money from all the ad-sense he received from his videos. So, heâs ready for a new level of adventure, of course, on his own. âWhere would I go....?â
He dives through the mailbox again as he only looks randomly at the screen, and suddenly a notification pops up to his surprise. âY/n (surname)?â He clicked the new e-mail right away, unbothered to look at the subject line first.
âHey, do you want to go on a roadtrip with me, I guess? this my number, 0xxxxxxxxx text me đ¤â
âHoly shi-â Jaehyun almost cursed before he closes his mouth, shocked by the new thing he discovered on the Macbook screen. A stranger, asking him to go on a roadtrip? Wait, is this real? Well, it has been one of his goals to travel with a stranger, but when he actually goes through it, his head feels like falling into the floor.
He typed the number on the dial pad and add the new contact on his phone. He clicked the message app but before heâs even able to type what heâd want to say, his hand shakes in nervousness. I mean, this isnât the first time heâs talking to a stranger. He has several moments where he needs to ask some other students he doesnât know because he has to finish the group project given, but this one feels so different. The thought of going with someone you donât know if itâs a he or she, spending time with them in the coldness of the night, holding hands with them when you reach the top of an abandoned tower, or holding on an urge to kiss them when it gets too warm in the car... Well, Jaehyun is now thinking so hard when he doesnât need to. âOkay, okay, letâs get this done. Ask her whatâs up and youâre done,â He reassured himself.
âHey, itâs me Jaehyun. I saw your mail. Whatâs up?â Sent.
âOkay, okay. Thatâs good, you did it. Now letâs just eat some chips before they actually reply-â A familiar notification pops up and he canât push his head away from his phone anymore.
âOmg hi! That was such a fast response! Thank you so much for texting me, Iâm such a fan! Uh anyway, iâm (y/n). I want to know if youâre interested to go to the national flower festival with me which is happening in 10 days and if weâre heading there by a van it will be a 4 days travel and we still have 5 days to prepare and tour around the city.â
âFantastic. Sure. So when do we meet tho?â
âTomorrow, I guess?â
âSure. See ya!â
âSo, what makes you so excited today, Mr. Jung? Iâve never seen you this cheerful around college since the first day of your youtuber life.â Johnny chirped at the young man. âIâll be meeting someone new today,â he replied. Johnny rubbed his ears together to listen more carefully simply because he doesnât believe that his friendâs gonna meet, possibly a new girl?
âI donât know, john. They could be a he or a she. They only sent me a mail.â
Later that evening, Jaehyun finds himself waiting in the restaurant where she told him to meet up. He glanced at his watch as he waits patiently and he naturally feels like heâs going on a blind date. He holds himself not to order anything until the personâs arrived.
âOh my god, it has been only 15 minutes but why do I start to feel like Iâve been scammed?â Almost a minute after he said that, a cheerful young lady walked towards his table and asked, âJaehyun Jung, am I right?â Damn. This is real. âUh yeah. Hi! Nice to finally meet you, (Y/n.)â He nervously reach out his hand for a shake and she gladly shakes his hand in return.Â
âSo, guess we now have to set some plan, do we?â Jaehyun said. Afterall, suggesting a plan making seems to be a meaningless idea because when the girl explained the route plan to the festival, he only got mesmerized, lost in her excited eyes. âHey, are you listening?â Her gentle accent got him right back into his senses and he only laugh while scratching his nape awkwardly. âWoah, I canât believe a famous travel youtuber like you arenât that prepared for a kinda long roadtrip like this. Are you even experienced?â She teased him a smile.
âHey, thatâs mean,â he pouted. âIâm ready, more than ever, if you would know. But, well, this traveling with stranger thingy is kind of new to me so... bare with me, please?â
She smirked, âHell yeah. Itâs my first time, too.â
The two then decided to go buy the things they would need in the van. (Y/n) was the one to rent the van and it was decided when the two agreed that they can only afford an old small camper van fit for two people to sleep in the back seats. So they got almost everything such as blankets, sleeping bags, some little decorations to set the mood, and of course, some snacks and beverages. âIâm surprised that you hate redbulls.â Jaehyun teased the younger lady.Â
âDude, me being overly happy doesnât mean that I drink redbulls... I only drink eight shots of coffee.â
âDamn, that makes sense, too,â he replied with a cheeky smile.
On the first day of a long drive through so many lonely highways, things werenât going awkward, thank goodness. She comfortably talks to him like heâs an old friend, and he only replies with grins and smiles. Itâs all good, until things got deeper as the sun emerges down the ground.
âAlright, let me set my other camera before we grab dinner.â Jaehyun shot up from his camping chair to the van after he set the campfire to warm them both. âSure, indie boy.â
âStop calling me that.â
âBut you are.. an indie boy.â
âOkay, you wonât stop calling me that, huh?â
(Y/n) put her hand under her chin, looking blankly at the fire, reflecting so hard about how she actually starts to enjoy this trip, when she only meet him yesterday. âHey, what makes you look so serious like that?â The man sat back on his chair after he successfully brought her back into her senses real quick.Â
âNuh-uh, do you really want me to think out loud?â âOh, no thanks. Now I regret for worrying.â She chuckled lightly.Â
âYou know what, when I told you that Iâm a fan of your channel, I really meant it. Iâve been a subscriber since you only have, uhm, from what I remember, 242 subscribers, I guess? And fun fact, Iâm actually in the same major as you but you wonât notice me, anyway. Iâm too quiet.â Jaehyun nearly drop his foldable cup when he heard that. âWhat? Seriously? Youâre in the same college- no, same major as me? How could I- Oh donât worry, I also am way too quiet for my own being. I donât really make a lot of friends at college. No one really knows who I am if itâs not for my public channel.â
âI can see that you have such a nice personality. I always love how you expressed your hidden feelings through your vlogs. Theyâre beautiful.â
âIs that a way to say that Iâm pretty?â He winked. âOh come on, (Y/n). Just diss me like youâve been doing for the past two days of us knowing each other better.â Again, she laughs.
âDo you know whatâs the coolest thing ever in this trip?â She asked. âWhat is it?â
âIt is how I made one significant rule in this trip, that is... to not fall in love with each other.â And somehow, Jaehyun lost his smile for awhile. âOh, really? Well, itâs not quite hard,â he faked a smirk. âYouâre mean.â
âHuh, actually, what makes you think that?â He asked sheepishly. He doesnât want her to catch whatâs happening, like how he actually doesnât really agree with the âsignificantâ rule. âI donât know. Itâs just, my actual purpose of this trip was just to... you know, gain a friend. And that friend turns out to be you! And falling in love means youâre going to lose someone at the end and I hate to lose a friend I just gained from this trip.â
âAh... that makes sense. But love doesnât always goes into an end, Y/n.â
âIt does,â she smiled with a visible hint of pain, and Jaehyun hates that. âI had the experience. Iâm not trying to act like a sad bitch or something, but falling in love sucks. It means youâre ready for a freaking goodbye and farewell.â
He was going to say something but she cuts him up by getting off her chair, possibly ready to cook instant ramen for dinner. âAlright, my stomachâs grumbling. Iâm boiling the water, and you, mister, help me open up the packs, please?â And when he looked at her pair of watery eyes, he decided not to say something and replied with a smile. âYes, maam.â
The night gets colder and now both the youngsters are heading to bedâ the back uncovered seats in the van. âSo, this is where weâre going to sleep. As you can see, (Y/n) over here is alread inside her sleeping bag. This is going to be such a great sleepover, I guess?â He snickered. âDonât lie, Jung. Iâm gonna put a bug inside your bag tonight when youâre asleep.â
He turned the camera off and lay down beside her sleeping bag, dropping more blankets around him to cover his body better. âThis is our first sleep, you know?â
âThatâs true. We might wake up like dead.â She said something gibberish after that along with a yawn. âItâs getting hot in here.â She added. (Y/n) wriggled out of her sleeping bag to get more cool air but Jaehyun only looked at her with a weird look. âIâm curling my body into a ball like a caterpillar and you said itâs getting hotter? Youâre unbelievable.â
âYou clearly havenât found yourself getting stuck in a snowstorm in Everest, have you?â âI am not that experienced yet. Have you either?â âNah, I would die.â âGosh.â
Jaehyun keeps his glances trained at the younger lady, wanting so much to feel the warmth of her body next to him, to warm him- or maybe each other. âAre you sure youâre not cold?â He asked. âYeah, Iâm getting comfortable- not really, actually. Urgh, what am I talking about...â
He chuckled. âCome here. Thereâs only both of us here, so practically, I am your heater. Besides, it kinda sucks that we cannot afford a van that has a cool heater inside. Uhm.. what I mean is.. do you want to cuddle?â
(Y/n) turned her body to face him. She actually shifted closer but Jaehyun caught the signs that she actually doesnât want to show her consent. âCome here,â he said gently. âB-but, what about the rule?â
âCutie, we cuddling doesnât mean that weâre falling in love. We only need warmth.â Jaehyun put his arm around her without hesitance and she accepted his secure arms. She found herself getting sleepier than ever and now the screen in her sight went black. Jaehyun smiled at the peaceful sight, and he carressed her cheeks gently, not wanting to wake her up, as he says, âNow Iâm actually glad that we get this non-heater van. I can become your warmth everytime.â That night, he slept with a smile plestered on his face.
The sun rises on sight better than yesterday as it prisms over the medium-sized windows of the van and light starts to fill in the narrow space, replacing the coldness. She wakes up first, feeling the ray hits her face warmly. Oh my, itâs already morning...
As cliche as it looks like, when she wants to get up she could feel a pair of strong arms securing themselves around her body. Well, sheâs not that stupid to not realize whoâs the owner, the only guy she has been with over the past few days. She wanted to wriggle out of his arms, but her brain failed to command her body when the heart does what it wants. And it gets what it wants.
(Y/n) feels something different when sheâs about two centimeters away from his face, and it surely feels so different when it comes to only seeing him through her iPad screen. But she doesnât get it. Why is he... so gorgeous? She was about to stare longer but then he opens his eyes beautifully. âWhy are you staring at me?â She flinched, not because she was shocked when he woke up, well actually thatâs one of the reason, but, actually, because of his raspy morning voice. They sound kind of.. angelic.
âWake up, letâs see the sunrise.â She finally wriggles out of his arms and goes to open the door. The cool breeze started to hit her lightly, almost makes her flying aesthetically, as she wished that she could wake up breathing this kind of air every morning. âWell, I didnât know the sun could look this pretty, and we paid for nothing at all.â Jaehyun stood behind her while doing some stretches because his arms were stuck cuddling her last night, not something he could complain about, though.
âGet your camera out, bud. This will definitely get you hundred thousands of view, Iâm sure.â
They ended up playing under the warming sun around the van, the camera only watching them. It feels like they are owning the world and she feels so wonderful. She feels so blessed, and it amazes her that she could have this happening with a complete stranger, a young man that starts to fill in her empty insides. She was reassured that impossible things could happen.
âSo where are we heading now?â Jaehyun put the camera on the dashboard while he stole a glance at the driver besides him. âWeâre passing a small city near here and weâre gonna walk around to see if thereâs anything fun to visit.â (Y/n) was so glad that sheâs the one driving, otherwise she wouldnât have any other reason for not looking back at his eyes.
âOr maybe we can just rely on Google.â Jaehyun added. âNah, thatâs just not fun. We still have 14 hours of free times before we have to catch up to the festival.â
âSo, yeap. I think weâre being super rebellious right now, slowing down our trip, or maybe (Y/n) right here loves to stay longer with me- Ouch!â
They drove past the yellowish trees and even though itâs in the middle of the day when the sunâs supposed to be up right above the van, the yellowish sky around them doesnât support the cool breeze Jaehyun feels whenever he put his hand out of the window.
âOkay, Iâm trying to wake myself up! Ready?â Jaehyun chuckled before he wobbles his head lightly, preparing himself to press the play button. The girl nodded excitedly, trying a little bit hard to not get so excited because sheâs driving. Jaehyun pressed the button and the rock and roll song starts to fill in the car. She laughed at how he vibes so hard to the song, and honestly, she never had anything like this. Chilling past the long highway with yellow trees and the hidden sun makes the whole day so calming. She truly feels so blessed.
âHey, look!â Jaehyun pointed at a petite tea shop across the street when they both walked around the small city to take a break. The little shop looks very nice with a cute vintage look interior which is visible from the outside. âDo you want to have some tea, like the british?â
âNah, we should just take some pictures there. Iâm going to go get redbulls.â âSeriously?â
After nearly four hours of driving, the both of them finally comes to the hours of the sunset. They pulled over and set the camera to the angle where they can get better view of them chilling under the sunset, or maybe just playing around the van like they did in the morning.
âYou know what, I think itâs gonna be pretty cool if we climbed on top of the car and pose to get some footages?â Jaehyun suggested. âAre you crazy? We canât scratch the car, otherwise we will get charged,â she argued.
âNah, who the hell cares? Itâs not like they will bother themselves by checking all over the car. Come on, Iâm gonna go first.â Jaehyun climbed through the back of the van and she only laughed as a response. Sometimes, heâs unbearable.
âOkay, you should climb up now.â Jaehyun reached out both of his hands to help her get to the top of the van, and when she did, she didnât regret doing his suggestions at all cause, the view is so goddamn pretty. âWoah,â she murmured. They both sat down and try to enjoy the view despite the less time that they have right now.
âWhat made you want to go on a roadtrip with a stranger?â Jaehyun asked. âUm, Iâve taken a semester off this year, and I donât really have any friends at the moment to spend time with, so... decided I could go out and gain some randomly.â She chuckled bitterly. âI wanted to do something fun. I wanted to go on a roadtrip, but thatâs not very fun alone. So I was like, who is the most spontaneous person I can think of... and so I asked you.â
Jaehyun laughed with his whole heart. âItâs really crazy.â His dimples are showing through and she swears, they are driving her crazy. âAnd you followed through!â
Jaehyun encouraged himself to look at her, this time with deeply moved eyes, and he now realizes that he really admires her young and free figure. âSo, are we friends now?â She asked.
When she turned at him, there she goes, with those pair of eyes, looking through his eyes in return. Jaehyun flinched, shocked by how mesmerized he is by her every movement. Like how her hair moves along with the evening breeze, and how her eyelids stutter beautifully, also how her lips turned into a little smile when she opened her mouth. And he smiled back, âYes, we are.â
Three days have passed and now they are gonna arrive at the city which is the final destination where the national flower festival will be held, how amazing is that. They visited random cities while taking a break, grabbing lunch at a motel in the middle of nowhere, and stopping by at midnight just to lay down on the empty big road to see the stars.Â
As strangers, both of them have been going through a lot of things together, only in a few days. Though the âsignificantâ rule was not so forgotten throughout the trip, they canât help but feel flattered by each other. The young man, who has been broken inside, admitted deeply inside that she had never experienced anything like what she has been doing with the complete stranger, and neither does the young man.Â
Jaehyun knows that she is straight up serious about what she said. It was that one significant rule that keeps him held back, to not fall in love with each other. It kinds of frustrating him that he couldnât touch her like his brain told him to. He respected her without a doubt, and breaking or hurting her would be the least thing he ever wanted during this trip.
The most ironic thing Jaehyun has ever think of is, how his main goal of this trip was to gain a friend. Now he doesnât want to be just friends. He wishes for more than that. He fell in love with her.
âI canât believe it! Weâre almost there! I canât wait to see all the beautiful flowers!â She holds the camera up to his face as he drives to the final destination in the city. âDo you really like flowers that much?â He asked.
âYeah, theyâre beautiful, calming, and entertaining. Whenever I pick one, I always got reminded that wherever you are and whatever youâre being, you can still look pretty and graceful. I mean, sometimes people step on some petite flowers on the street but that doesnât mean theyâll look uglier and unworthy.â
âThatâs true. I mean, look at you, still shining even though your surroundings are dark.â He instinctively moved his fingers to the side of her face, gently brushing her hair aside and she only stuttered nervously.
âJaehyun,â she faintly murmured. âOkay okay, I know that you have made the one significant rule in this trip and I want you to know how much I respect you for that. Iâm also very glad that Iâm able to gain a friend like you but... during this trip,â he sighed. âI canât help but think about you... more than I think I should do.â
She keeps her mouth close, not knowing how to respond to the sudden confession. Itâs not like she didnât expect this to happen, anyway. When it comes to the first time she saw him at the cafe, her insides turn upside down. However she kept it in her heart that she signed up for this not to look for a boyfriend or someone to sleep with, but a friend.
âWhat if I do the same too?â She replied with her consciousness. With that one sentence, Jaehyun steps on the brake so hard that their things in the back almost sprung themselves to the front and (Y/n) cursed. âWhat the heck, are you trying to get us dead?!â
âShit, Iâm sorry,â he said breathlessly before pulling over in the middle of the long road. âGosh, what did you say earlier?â
âI said, are you trying to get us dead?â
âNo, the other one before that,â he pleaded.
âHuh? W-what if I do the same too?â She tilts her head.
âSo youâre saying... that you like me too? No, thatâs too soon. Are you thinking of me too?â
She canât help but chuckle when she saw his eyes grew big with excitement and... a little bit of expectation. âYeah,â she replied. Thereâs a long silence after that and doubt starts to grow inside her heart but then... âSo, can I?â
âWhat-â
He immediately attached his lips to hers, heart pounding so hard that it feels like heâs going to die because of the thrill. For the girl, his lips taste like... excitement? Happiness, and perhaps love?
A few people that she thought would give her sunshine and happiness actually have never been anything like this. Sheâs actually glad that his kiss made her close her eyes to the feel. No matter how much she keeps saying it, never in a way that it gets her bored to say no one has ever made her experience something like this. Kissing in the middle of nowhere, under the burning rays of sun, nothing other than the camera witnessing whatâs happening between the two of them and it really, really feels like they are owning the world.
Nice. Now theyâre in a motel near the festival as tomorrow is the exact time they would open the gate to all the flowers collected from all over the world. (Y/n) loves flower so much that she decided to check into a motel that has a flower pattern on its wall.
âYou canât just choose this one just because they have a flower pattern on the roomâs wall! The review is just so-so!â Jaehyun complained.
âHey, didnât you say that wherever I go, youâll go, and wherever Iâll be, youâll be?â
âBut I wonât be at the same place as you if itâs not guaranteed that they donât have any bugs at all.â
Booking a room for two which has a twin bed, both of them entered the room, though Jaehyun had to insist to book a room with a queen bed, but failed miserably.
âIâm going to shower first.â (Y/n) goes to prepare her bathing kit and of course, her clothes. âYeah, sure.â
While she showers, the man wondered if he should officially ask her out, since she said sheâs gonna transfer schools soon which means that he might not seeing her again after the roadtrip so maybe an official relationship will make it easier for him to contact her often.
âShould I really do it, like, tonight? I donât think I should,â he kept the promise ring he bought yesterday at a little jewelry shop when they stopped for a restroom break.Â
Before they went to sleep, they spare some time to get a little cute footage for Jaehyunâs travel vlog. âSo this is my bed, and that oneâs (Y/n)âs bed. I chose this one because itâs quite far from the bathroom since I hate bugs. But you know, I donât really trust her with keeping me from bugs and- Okay! Okay! Iâm sorry donât hit me with the pillow!â
âPffftt! Pillow fight!!â
âNo! Donât- my camera!â
A goddamn eyecontact. Hands tangled against each other, eyes both stuttered in shock, as the girl with the pillow accidentaly fell on him. Jaehyunâs free hand instinctively hold her to prevent her from getting hurt, though his brain listens better to his heart, as he feels his heart pounding like crazy against her body.
âIâm... sorry.â âThatâs okay.â
âDo you want to sleep with me tonight?â He asked, and later that night, the idea of booking a twin bed room seemed to be a meaningless idea, either.
âSo everyone, here we are today aaat... not the exact final location we wanted to go to at the first place, let me tell you the story. When we checked out from the flower pattern motel we immediately leave to the national flower festival which was supposed to be held just 15 kilometers from where we stayed the other night, aaaand guess what?â he paused and you can hear her faint laugh in the background. âYeah, there is no festival at all. HAHAHAHHAHAAA- Ouch stop hitting me! Are you that embarrassed?â
âThat was what happened, everyone. It turned out that the festival was held at December 16, 2019 and before we started this roadtrip, she read only the date and the month, wow. How can you be so cute and stupid at the same time... I am sooo mad!â
âWell, they put the year 2019 sooo small and my minus eyes couldnât see it- stop giving me that look!â
âOkay, so because miss (Y/n) over here was quite angry that-â âReally angry.â âOkay, she was really really angry for not being able to see the flowers so, I decided to take her to somewhere as an alternative destination. Am I being too good for you?â
âYes, you are,â she replied with a smile. âStop paying attention to the flowers! Iâm also here, yo,â he pleaded, somehow nervously. âWhy-â
âAnd this is why I kept insisting to take you to a place with lots of flowers... to pick one among all the pretty petals out here, the prettiest petal Iâve ever seen. So, be mine, please?â
the end of video.
a/n: thank you for reading. honestly, I didnât know whether to post this one cause itâs really been a long time since I write and it really worried me about how much you guys will like it... also, iâm really really sorry for those who put a request into my ask box since I havenât completed all of them, like trust me, it worries me every single day bcs I feel like I have a debt to pay lol but donât worry, I promise you I will complete all the requests but please give me a lot of time! once again, big thanks from me.xoxo
Valspire Family - I Went on a Roadtrip with a Stranger
No Jaehyun, you did not put up a fight at all. You sure know how to tug on the heartstrings, and it was very clever of you to combine the ideas together, even though I didn't get my fluffy ending T-T Thank you so much for writing my request, your writing is just <3
Oh my god đ¨ Iâm sorry I didnât get that you requested for a fluffy ending đ My bad! Iâll make it for you in the future if you requested! Thank you so much for the feed back đ
Thank you for opening up your request box! Can I request Jaehyun + 7 & 8 (angst)? Maybe you can set it at university? Thank you again!
Hi! Thank you for requesting! I see you made another good request as well! Thank you for the ideas, so I will combine the two into one shot and I hope that will be okay with you <3
And bro i swear angst 7,8 are pretty famous theyâre all over my submission box đĽşđ
(Angst)
7. âIâm not her.â
8. âYour parents didnât fancy the idea of us.â
(Suggestive)
3. âNow I know Aphrodite is real.â
4. âYour dress kinds of making my knees go weak.â
8. âTrust me, baby.â
word count: 2,529 words
âHave you know that the famous Jung Jaehyun is about to get engaged with the also famous Rosèanne Park? Damn, they look good together.â
âI just heard that! But look, I also heard that he already has a girlfriend. But is she truly his girlfriend though?â
âProbably just a hook-up, bruh. Thereâs no way anyone is as gorgeous as Rosè anyway. Sheâs probably just one of those girls he fucked every weekend.â
Sigh. This is getting heavy. You knew this would come, anyway. Being Jaehyunâs girlfriend has been a pain in the ass but you still dealt with it anyway. Itâs been six months of dating him and you canât help but falling into his charms more than you did at first.
That Rosèanne girl, you knew her. Well who wouldnât know her? Known widely as the famous pretty youtuber on college since her high school days, she became the heartthrob for both boys and girls in college. Sometimes, people who donât come from your university would come just to see her walking around to school or just to follow her around to ask for pictures.
Your boyfriend himself, is unfortunately one of her close friends, and you just found out two weeks ago. But you just didnât mind. As long as he gives you love and affection like he usually does, you donât mind.
But the thing is, Jaehyun somehow made an agreement that he will not be known as your boyfriend until heâs ready. And you agreed, you agreed to whatever heâd say. Thatâs how much you love him, but it somehow ended up you feeling like youâre just being one of the girls that went for his pants.
He always promises you that he will introduce you to everyone one day, but you have no high hopes. Jaehyun is a heartthrob, every girls except the nerds in college would fall into their knees if he looks at them in the eyes. So you just simply think if everybody knows that youâre in a relationship with the famous guy, you would be a dead meat. So staying lowkey was probably a good idea.
But not now. God, it hurts every time you hear them talking about how your boyfriend and that famous girl are good together. It hurts every time they would telling each other information about how they saw the allegedly enganged couple hang together in a cafe. You tried hard to believe that itâs not real, but youâre too afraid to ask him, scared that he will get mad at your trust-issues.
Well, it turns out that itâs true.
âWhat is this, Jae?â You handed him your phone as the screen shows a news of him, the famous businessmanâs son, being engaged to another rich heir, Rosèanne Park.
He looks at it for a minute, and you swear you could see a little bit of horror in his eyes. âAnswer me. Oh, do I not deserve an answer?â
âItâs not like that.â He massaged the bridge of his nose, looking frustrated. âSo?â
âItâs true that my parents arranged me to date her, so that it will be beneficial for both our company and theirs. I didnât agree, but I didnât try hard enough yet.â He looks at you with indescribable look and you just frown in anxiety, starting to scared to lose him.
âNo, you wonât lose me. I love you, kay?â As if he can read your mind, he answered nonchalantly, as if they were automatically out of his mouth to reassure you.
âJaehyun, did you even tell them that you have a girlfriend?â âI did.â âAnd what did they say?â
âThey didnât care.â
His words stabbed you in the heart. They havenât even met you yet.
âYour parents didnât fancy the idea of us.â You uttered with an invisible frown.
âDonât worry, okay? Iâll take care of this. Will you be strong for me?â He put his hand in yours and give it a tight squeeze, his sweet dimples slightly putting you at ease. You nod, without knowing what would happen in the future.
A week later, Jaehyun informed you that he will be hanging with her more often for clouts and that you donât have to be jealous because itâs just nothing but something fake. But still, you worry.
Every walk to campus is heavy, as you would stare at him and her with a hint of sadness, unlike everyone who literally rooted for them. None of your friends know that youâre the secret girlfriend of Jung Jaehyun because you committed to him that you both wonât tell anyone about this relationship so your friends also talking about them really hurts you to the core.
And then come the most despicable event for you, the prom night. You simply hate it because the unnecessary euphoria of looking for hot dresses, or girls judging each otherâs dress. But that doesnât mean that you wouldnât come, anyway.
You came with your friends, after being informed that your boyfriend will come with his alleged fiancĂŠe. It hurts, indeed, to see your loved one going with someone whoâs not you. But what can you do anyway?
Hugged in a skimpy black dress, bought by the help of your reliable friends, you walked into the huge grand hotel hall with a fake smile.
âThere you are, y/n. Looking like a snack!â One of your guy friends exclaimed in excitement, and you just spin around to flex your dress more for the fun and everyone laughed. Everything was fun and games and you forgot your pinch of heartbreak when you mingle with your friend, until a guy comes in your direction.
Nah, heâs not your Jaehyun. But this guy has been frankly declaring his feelings for you, and your friends know that. You canât just accept him and date him because oh, someone wouldnât like that obviously. âHey. You look good tonight,â he smiled at you. You smiled back at him, regretting that his kindness will never get returned, as your feelings only belong to the one and only Jung Jaehyun.
âThank you. You look nice as well.â Twenty minutes later, he ended up being by your side, getting you food and beverage, until you feel a hot stare directed to you from a distance.
You turn your shoulder to look at the source of the ambiguous vibe, and they turned out to be the pair of eyes you usually see at night. You smiled lightly before tilting your head in confusion when his flat expression didnât change. âWhatâs wrong?â You mouthed, and he immediately mouths back in response.
âFollow me.â
You ended up being in the elevator to his hotel room after following him out of the grand hall.
âHaving fun with that guy?â He broke the killing silence while keeping his hand in yours while you both almost reached the floor where his room belongs. âWith who?â
âActing innocent now are we?â You swear his smirk could kill your shaking body right away. âI donât understand. That Eunwoo guy? Heâs nobody.â Your pupils shake in nervousness when he turned at you. âReally? Then why did I find him putting his nasty hand around my girlfriend at the party?â
You rolled your eyes, âHe didnât know I have a boyfriend. Nobody knows.â
âWow, didnât know you acting bratty could tingle something in me like this.â He drags you closer by pulling his hands on your waist as you can smell his deadly cologne. âJ-jaehyun,â you muttered.
âYour dress kinds of making my knees go weak, baby.â He murmured against your neck. You moan a little when he pressed a wet kiss into your sensitive skin but then the elevator door opened and unfortunately, no one was there.
Jaehyun keeps his body close to you as he pulls you into the second door in the hallway. âCome in, baby. I just want to spend some time alone with you,â he smiled as he takes off his coat and you gladly put your arms around his neck for a kiss.
After making himself half naked just in front of the bathroom door in the huge hotel suite, he drags you to the bed and you immediately squeal in excitement. Before he was able to feel your body more intimately, you asked him a quick question. âJaehyun, are you having fun with her tonight?â
His face changed from lust into a frown, why would you ask something like this when he was just about to mark you his. âWhat are we getting at this time?â
âNo, I just have to make sure that youâre still all mine tonight despite the amount of attention you both got from everyone.â
Jaehyun smiled slightly at the sound of your desperate phrases before giving your cheek a light kiss as he secures you beneath him, between his muscular arms. âTrust me, baby.â
He played with the end of your dress before confessing a warm and fuzzy sentence, âIâm all yours.â
After spending time on marking each other and giving each other the ultimate love you both thrive for, he spared a few minutes to cuddle you and feel you longer in his arms. He kisses your hair and his mouth continues to trail on your forehead and then your nose and goes to your lips. You giggle at the feeling and somehow the moment makes you feel loved even though you know that this utterly feels just like a dream.
âWe have to make it before the announcement, though. I need to know whoâs gonna be the king of prom.â
âOf course itâs gonna be you.â You smiled against his lips as he gives you a not-so-last kiss to end the magical moment. He helped you wear your dress before putting on his own outfit. You checked yourself in the mirror for the last time and he only glanced from a distance.
âNow I know Aphrodite is real.â
âAnd Iâm glad you decided not to rip my dress apart, or ruin my make up.â You chuckled. He hugged you from behind, immediately giving your neck some kisses, before murmuring against your skin, âYouâre so beautiful.â
âAnd the prom King of the night is... Jung Jaehyun!â The MC declared and everyone cheer for him loudly. âAnd weâre also, of course, going to have the prom Queen of the night which is... Rosèanne Park! What a perfect pair!â
Your eyes follow the steps of the crowned prom queen as she walks so gracefully to the stage, going excitedly to your boyfriendâs side. You canât help but imagine if youâre the one up there, hand linked to him perfectly, everyone rooting for you both, and how he proudly has you by his side, and that bubble of imagination hurts you more than the things that you went through even though you were being intimate with him just about twenty minutes ago.
Eunwoo walked to your side, nudge your blank figure and you came back to earth. âHm?â
âItâd be really nice if you were the prom queen,â he flashed you his gummy smile and you responded with a bitter smile. I think so too.
âAnd Iâm the king.â He continued coyly. âOh...â you muttered, not expecting him to actually say that but you canât really blame him.
A week after the party, you keep reaching out for Jaehyun, but heâs always absent. His presence becomes a dream to you, which something that you think of at night to become a dream, so that you will meet him through the night. His face is everywhere, along with the pretty girl he was engaged with. It hurts, and it hurts even more when you can do nothing about it.
He sees you lesser and lesser every week, he doesnât even look in your way, his focus stays on her. You want to be confused, but you still believe on everything he had said, that he will take care of this and probably, do something that you expect him to do.
But after becoming a silent for almost eight months of being his girlfriend, youâve had enough. It almost feels like youâre nothing but a stranger to him. Was he that busy to even text you?
âJaehyun, we need to talk.â He narrowed his eyes to you when everyone stare at you both, after you boldly approached him in public, gaining attention from everyone who was there. Rosèanne gave him a nod as she knew whatâs going on, and leaves his side immediately to walk to her friends.
âWhat is it?â He gives you a cold look, probably mad because you talk to him out of the agreement, but you just donât care. âNot here, somewhere private.â
So you ended up being at the back of the library of the campus as he pushed his hair back in frustration. âWhy the fuck did you have to pull such a scene like that?! Thatâs fucking dangerous!â
âWhatâs dangerous, Jaehyun? I only approached you just like any other human being, not as your actual girlfriend if you forgot already.â He groans, âYes! But not in front of Rosè and all those people! Are you mad? Did you forget our agreement?â And you laugh bitterly, âOh, am I the mistress now?â
His face changed when you uttered the mattered fact. âI swear, y/n, thatâs not the case.â
âYes it is, Jaehyun. Unfortunately, Iâm not her. Iâm not someone who brings you benefits as much as she does. Hell, I canât even compare myself to her. Donât you think so, Jae?â
You donât want it to be cliche by crying in front of him as you tried your best to hold the threatening tears to fall but you failed. You wiped them harshly before Jaehyun even tried to reach out his hand to do it for you. âNever ever I have, Jaehyun, to try to hurt you behind your back. I didnât expect anything out of you, but at least please clear things up for me.â
Unexpectedly, he spilled his tears. Heâs crying, and the sight broke your heart even more.
âNow, I only became the girl you fucked in the weekend, just like what everyone talked about.â
He shakes his head in denial, âNo, baby. No, thatâs just fucked up wrong. I.. I love you, okay. The night when I first met you, I feel it. I know that itâs fucking real when I want you. P-please.â
âBut things change, right? I know youâre gonna do your best in everything, Jaehyun, even without me. That girl is the best choice for you. Iâll be fine on my own, and itâs okay if we canât be just friends. That will help me to move on real quick.â
Jaehyun watched your back disappeared that day, and from that he never heard about you ever again. Heâd watch with heavy heart when youâre around with your friends, even though his fiancĂŠe is also around. He regrets everything, but just like you canât do anything, heâs pretty much the same. Maybe you both were not meant to be, or did he even put up a fight for you and the relationship? He didnât, and he just realized that.
hi can i request a angst where jaehyun and his s/o is an architect will live korea to pursue their dreams while also jaehyun focuses on his idol career
5. âi will support you even though iâm far awayâ
2. âi cant let us fade awayâ + âyouâre the best part of my lifeâ
Hi! Thank you for requesting! This idea is brilliant that I immediately write them down đ Ooh and this will be 85% fluff and 15% angst Iâm sorry đĽş
(Angst)
5. âI will support you even though Iâm far away.â
2. âI canât let us fade away.â
(Fluff)
1. âYouâre the best part of my life.â
word count: 1,2k words
You looked down at the envelope in your hand. The things written on the paper will change your life forever. You werenât ready to open it, but not gonna lie, you really waited long enough to know the result of your hard work.
You open the lid nervously, taking out the white official paper inside before unfolding the paper to see whatâs written on it.
âDear Ms. Y/l/n,
I am delighted to inform you that the Committee on Admission has admitted you to the class of 2021.â
You squeals in happiness when you finished reading the first sentence of the letter. âMom! Iâm admitted!!!â You run out of your room to your mom whoâs cooking in the kitchen.
After a mini celebration with your family, you went back to your room, looking back at the letter, feeling proud. Sketching buildings and houses have been something youâre good at, and one of the reasons why is because of your desire to build a dream house for your family to live in. You want your family to live comfortably and happy, with your own design.
While you daydream about whatâs going to happen in your upcoming life chapters, a notification pops up from your phone. You peeked into it to see who texted you and you smiled. Itâs him.
Jaehyun <3: Hey, are you free for a date night?
You: âHey baby! Yes, Iâm free and I have something to tell you ~
Jaehyun <3: Iâm excited! Iâll pick you up at 11, love. See you later ~
âI miss you so much!â Jaehyun hugged you so tight that you have to hold your breath with a smile drawn on your face. âStop, I canât breath!â
âOops, sorry. I canât help it.â He puts his hands back on the steering wheel and you leaned forward to give him a kiss. After all, you both can only date in his car to avoid getting caught by paparazzi and being careful not to hurt his fans.
Now that his car is parked in the middle of the park, he leaned closer to you while playing with your hand, squeezing it a little bit and your cheeks
âSo, what is the thing you want to tell me, hm?â He asked.
You sighed. You were actually afraid that this might not end well because pursuing your dream job means leaving him and that you will be miles away from him without being able to come back home often.
âWell, the thing is... this.â You take out the letter you brought along to show him nervously, a small smile drawn on your face while expecting his reaction.
âHm?â Jaehyun opened the letter you passed to him and a minute after he read the first paragraph, his eyes lit up in happiness. âBaby, you got admitted!â Before you got to reply he engulfed you in a hug again, slightly moving your body along with him in excitement. âY-youâre happy?â You asked, voice muffled by being pressed to the crook of his neck.
âOf course! I know this means a lot to you. Going to this university is a dream and now youâre going for it! Iâm so happy for you.â
For a moment, you feel like all the worries you have been thinking of were useless. Of course, he would be supporting and happy for you and stuff, but the fact that you both are going to be far away from each other still bothers your mind.
âThank you for kindly supporting me, hon, but this means Iâm going to be far far away from you.â You uttered sadly and he quickly sighed.
âI know. Remember when you first told me that youâre applying and I whined and told you Iâm gonna be so sad if you got admitted? I am now. I feel like, youâre already going even though youâre still here with me and your departure will be in like two months?â
You canât help but feel sad at what he said. A drop of tears slip out of your eye and you quickly wiped it off your cheeks and he immediately panicked. âOh no, I made you cry! Iâm sorry! This waas supposed to be a happy moment for you but I ruined it! Shit, Iâm a terrible boyfriend,â he ranted.
âNo, Jae. Youâre the best part of my life. Youâre not a terrible boyfriend. I love you, a lot.â
His look soften when you confessed just like that. He pats your back lovingly while you try to wipe the wetness on your cheeks. âItâs okay, we shall make sure that we will cherish every moment left to make up all the time weâll be away from each other.â
He runs his fingers through your hair, brushing them against your hair to feel your beauty longer than he usually does. You smiled while keeping the eye contact before speaking out to him, âI will support you even though Iâm far away. I will always be your number one fan, Jae.â
âI know it, I know for sure. Weâll keep in touch, right?â
You nod, and when you both hug it makes you sadder than it was already been that you cried on his hoodie that night, feeling sad and happy all mixed together, with him by your side.
The last two months ended with you two spending time more often than usual. His manager made it possible and he was being considerate enough to make his schedule worked for both of you to hang out. He meets you after his drama filming and often offers you to help you preparing your things before you move. Everything was going well and for a short moment, it made you forget that youâll actually be leaving your family and loved one in a few hours.
Jaehyun stayed by your side before you have to check-in. He waited next to your family while you talked to your other family and friends, him being covered in a mask and a hat. He promised himself not to cry on the day when he would send you to the airport, but he thinks heâs going to fail. And heâs right.
âAw, look at him, heâs already crying!â One of your family points up at him and he immediately wiped out the tears, embarrassed that your family gets to see him cry.
You smile bitterly as you approach him to give him a tight hug. He hugs you tighter, inhaling your scent before heâs going to miss your presence in the time beings. âIâm going to miss you, for real.â He mumbled against your hair, feeling a little bit relieved when your family left you both to give more privacy.
âBelieve me, Iâm going to miss you too, more than what you can imagine. Promise me to always work hard and achieve what you dream of, Jaehyun. Weâre going to support each other, right?â
He nodded, as he rubs his hands against your back lovingly, before the announcement played on the background, reminding you of how little time you got before actually leaving the country to pursue your big dream.
âI canât believe you already have to leave,â he sniffles. You laugh in tears, âYes, I have to, by now. Stay healthy, baby. Iâll call you when I arrive.â
âGoodbye, love.â You waved to him as you drag your carrier with heavy steps, entering the other side while making sure you still see his figure through the transparent automatic slide door until he vanished completely out of your sight.
