Pairing: Park Chanyeol x afab reader
Genre: Strangers to Lovers, Romance, Fluff
Word count: 5235
Summary: Getting back into the dating scene is tough and no one you've come across on these God-forsaken apps have caught your attention. But when one finally does, despite the fact there's an undeniable spark between the two of you and the amount of not-a-date coffee runs you've been on together, you're still too afraid to go on an official first date with him.
Author's note: Happy birthday to my one & only! đ
Thank you to my beloved for always proof reading my work and making sure my tenses match up! This story is an idea Iâve had for a long time after being inspired by a comment from a Reddit thread. I started it a while ago and gave up on it multiple times but Iâm proud that I managed to pull through and finish it. I hope you can enjoy đ Feedback is always very appreciated! And if you do like it, please consider sharing it too đ
Itâs been quite a while since you were last in a relationship, your previous one had you sworn off the entire male species so you could heal your wounds and work on yourself. Of course you were a grown woman with needs and had the occasional short-lived fling here and there but now your desires had grown to something deeper and beyond bedroom activities. You began to miss having that intimate bond with a special someone. Just having another person to run silly errands with, have late night conversations about deep topics or nothing in particular, someone to marathon a tv show or try a new recipe with.
Loneliness gets to everyone, sooner or later.
You donât want to actively, desperately seek out a partner but you have to start somewhere. And with some slightly aggressive persuasion from your friends, and your own deep dive internet research where you had found a convincing number of success stories, you decide to sign up for some dating apps. Because apparently âthatâs how everyone meets these days!â
Now, you expected to come across some weirdos and creeps, of course, men who send one liners ranging from awfully cheesy to downright disrespectful or those who ask for your snapchat straight away because thatâs where they prefer to chat, the latter being an immediate red flag to you. It wasnât all bad however, some managed to hold some decent conversation and banter, but none that gave you that spark of interest, merely candidates for a nice chat. Proving just as much when you had agreed to a first date with some that would either be embarrassingly awkward or just lacking any chemistry whatsoever. With some even feeling entitled to some sort of exchange just because âthey had done the gentlemanly thing of paying for your meal.â Ugh. Over time, the hope you had to find your special someone through dating apps had waned significantly.
Enough that you almost gave up. Almost.
Itâs near the end of an entirely too long work day when you receive the notification, the vibration making your eyes avert their gaze from the computer screen to the now lit screen of your phone. You notice the dating app icon, alerting you to a new match. Not feeling too giddy, you return to your work when another buzz of your phone steals your attention once again. Seeing that this time it's a message, you pick up your phone curious to see what this new match has opened with. Another pickup line? Would it be ridiculously corny or something icky? Maybe it would be the standard âhello beautiful, how are you?â which was pleasant, yes, but also boring.
Instead, your eyes widen a smidgen and you sit up a little straighter. The outer corners of your lips quirk up just the slightest.
[Chanyeol]: i need to know - how do you feel about aceâs death?
Youâre thinking of your reply when another message pops up.
[Chanyeol]: iâm sorry if that was random ^^â i just noticed the one piece flag and figurines in the background of one of your photos and got excited!
Wait. What? You quickly navigate back to one of your profile and notice on the 3rd image that the little nerd corner in your room had indeed been caught in one of your chosen selfies. How did you miss that? Ugh. Oh well. You also take the opportunity to tap through to his profile and refresh your memory. Damn. Heâs hot. You think to yourself. Not wanting to make him wait too long, you shake your head of the thought and return to the chat screen.
[You]: hi chanyeol! itâs alright lol tbh i didnât even notice they were in the pic. but to answer your question - i bawled like a baby.
It doesnât take long for him to reply, and that fact alone widens the small smile that had crept onto your features.
A few dozen messages are exchanged back and forth before you look up and notice that everyone in the office has already left except for the usual suspects that liked to linger and try to earn some overtime. You look at the time and realise you could have left 35 minutes ago. Where the hell did the time go? Moving past the initial confusion, you quickly collect your belongings, heading out the building and towards the subway station.
Youâre a little embarrassed to admit but you almost missed your stop. Cause? Being way too engrossed in a conversation with a man you didnât even know 2 hours ago, discussing other events from what you now know is both of your favourite anime. You manage to walk home in record time, mindlessly throwing your things on one end of the sofa, plopping yourself down on the other and pulling your phone out to read his recent reply.
Itâs only when you hear the rumble of your own stomach that you peel your eyes away from your phone screen and realise the sun has long set and you still haven't eaten a thing. Deciding it's too late to cook, and definitely not because youâre too lazy, you settle on ordering a pizza. You note the arrival time and think itâs just enough for you to hop into the shower and wash away the exhaustion the work week has given you. Turning on the water and tapping out yet another reply before you place your phone on the vanity and step inside the glass cubicle.
If you didnât realise how much trouble you were in when you missed dinner (which was a first for you) or when you found yourself constantly glancing over at your phone screen to see if he had replied yet with ears hyper aware of the app notification alert tone any time you had to close your eyes or turn away, you definitely realise it now as you stare at the dark screen of your phone and your flustered reflection stares back at you.
Upon exiting the shower and drying your hands just enough to use your phone without dragging water droplets across the screen, you realise why there was no lighting up of the screen or notification melody sounding from your phone speaker â your phone battery was flat. What did you expect though? With the countless hours you had spent messaging back and forth, screen basically constantly lit. You quickly wrap a towel around yourself and rush to your bedside, plugging in the charger and waiting for the dark screen to light up with the logo and come back to life.
Itâs in this moment that you think maybe you need to chill, afraid that you could be coming on too strong. Although, heâs reciprocating your energy too, right? Maybe, just maybe, he is just as into you as you are to him? The thought causes a fuzzy, warm, fluttering feeling in your stomach but is interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell, signalling your saviour and grace, the food delivery driver, has arrived.
As you settle down in front of the tv and turn on your comfort Netflix show that serves no purpose other than background noise to make you feel less alone, you absentmindedly shove the food into your mouth in between tapping out reply after reply. Eventually, you wash up and move to a comfier location. Snuggling into your plush sheets and chatting like lovesick teenagers until your eyes struggle to stay open and you wish eachother goodnights and sweet dreams.
-
You and Chanyeol continue texting each other about anything and everything throughout the day for the two weeks, exchanging social media accounts somewhere in between. You quickly find out that Chanyeol is an avid Snapchat user but in the cutest way. He would snap you things he encounters during his day â pretty flowers, the sky, cute animals, etc. â because âit makes me smile so I hope it makes you smile too.â
There was a particular snap that made your stomach hurt so much from laughing the first time you had seen it, a cheesy grin on your face anytime you recall it. Chanyeol was filming a snap of some cute goslings heâd spotted by a lake, only to be running away frantically screaming moments later because the daddy goose was chasing him away from its babies.
Every now and then you send him a gif of a goose when he gets a little smart with you.
One night, he asks if he can call you because his hands are a little tired from playing the guitar all day (Yeah, guitar. Heâs a musician. That writes his own songs. These facts combined with his looks make you wonder if heâs real and if youâre being catfished), and you hesitantly agree. You hate the sound of your own voice and youâre afraid he might find it off-putting but the desire to listen to his voice trumps your insecurities in the end. Itâs a decision you donât regret. Heâs such a great conversationalist that you completely forget how nervous you are in no time and the first phone call lasts til some hours of the AM.
Youâre not sure when you fall asleep but you blame the comfiness of your bed and the velvet-like sound of his voice â smooth, deep and comforting. You think he may have been in the middle of telling you a childhood memory, his voice soft because of how late it was and the fondness of the story.
As you wait in line the next morning for the much needed coffee, you unlock your phone and type out a good morning text to Chanyeol, apologising for falling asleep and promising to make it up to him somehow. You also open Snapchat to snap him your current view of the coffee shop, caption wishing you could buy him a cup of coffee too to atone for your sins. You faintly hear the Snapchat notification sounding from somewhere behind you but you donât think much of it until you hear it coming from your own phone some moments later, swiping it open to see what it could be.
You stare at your screen wondering why the floor looks so familiar and what heâs playing at when another snap comes through.
And now you definitely know why you could recognise the flooring. Because itâs the exact same view in front of you. Only his point of view was from a little further back and included you in the frane. Caption stating: someone who owes me coffee! And a sticker of an arrow pointing at your figure.
You spin around abruptly and itâs definitely hard to miss his tall stature, let alone the brightest grin youâve ever seen on a human being currently being flashed at you. You give him a shy wave and he makes his way across the coffee shop to stand beside you. You quickly glance down at your outfit, mentally kicking yourself for choosing convenience over style and subtly try to brush the knots out of your hair with your fingers.
âFancy meeting you here.â you can practically hear the smile in his voice and this fact is only confirmed when you literally have to look up to see him, if it was even possible for him to be smiling any bigger than he was before.
âIt is..considering Iâm here everyday and Iâm sure Iâd remember seeing you here.â you said, raising an eyebrow.
âI just moved here recently so Iâm trying to find a new coffee spot⊠and I think I just found it.â
The way heâs looking at you brings the heat to your cheeks and youâre praying to the heavens that itâs not too obvious. You chance a peek at him and luckily heâs no longer looking at you, instead his gaze facing forward as it reads over the menu above the counter. You also notice that the huge grin is gone and is replaced with a tight lipped smile and a deep dimple. Taking advantage of the opportunity that he is seemingly, momentarily distracted by the menu options, you take in his handsome visuals. And the fact that he is actually here with you in person, quickly erasing all thoughts of you possibly being catfished because you thought he was just too good to be true.
Eventually, he makes up his mind and heads up to the counter to order an iced americano. You both sit down to enjoy your beverages and some conversation about what the day ahead entails for you before you have to head off to work. Chanyeol offers to drive you but you kindly refuse him, letting him know you actually enjoy the short walk thatâs only a few blocks down. He juts his bottom lip out in a pout but nods. You canât help but laugh at him as you wave goodbye.
As the weeks go by, you fall into a routine with Chanyeol. Meeting him for coffee in the mornings, where sometimes he would drive you if you were carrying some heavy items or heâd walk with you if he wasnât in a rush that day, texting on and off throughout the day and talking on the phone before bedtime had advanced to video calls instead.
You had grown so comfortable with him that it was easy to share your thoughts without worrying he would judge you, whether it would be a random idea you had or just something you had come across during your day. He would either laugh about it with you or indulge in the thought with you. The comfort only made you become more smitten with him, especially since he seems to be reciprocating your every move. It never felt like you were doing too much or too little and that things were heading in a nice direction.
-
[Chanyeol :)]: hypothetically, how would you feel if i asked you on a date?
Usually, Chanyeolâs texts make your stomach flutter in a good way but this question, albeit hypothetical, has you feeling a little unwell. Your previous encounters with other matches on the very same app you met Chanyeol on had left you with a bad taste whenever it came to first dates. And you know you could be honest with Chanyeol and tell him exactly that but you just have to come up with a way to do so without making him think that you think he would be another one of those guys.
Typing and backspacing over and over again, you decide itâs too easy to misunderstand over text and if you video call him then youâll end up giving into his pout. Paired with the kicked puppy look he pulls off so well? You stand no chance. So you opt for a phone call, itâs the safest option, middle ground of the other two.
He picks up the phone almost immediately.
âHey! Is everything alright?â
âEverything is great. I, uh, just thought itâd be better to tell you this over the phone instead of texting youâŠâ
âOh,â he replied, coming to a realisation, âoh. Did I- Crap. Did I misunderstand something? I mean, I just thought that we- I thought you felt the same way so I- Fuck. Shit, sorry.â
âNo, no no!â â you interject to bring a stop to his flustered rambling â âI do. I thought it was quite obvious but I do feel the same way.â You can feel the rosey hue blooming on the apples of your cheeks. Thank God this wasnât a video call. Good choice Y/N. âItâs just that I had some bad experiences with first dates before I met you. Some of the guys justâŠwerenât that nice during or even after the date. And donât get me wrong! I know youâre nothing like them but the fact that itâs a first date just makes me extra nervous is all. I mean, Iâd like to, eventually, with you. Iâm just a little scared that I might screw something up, kinda, I guess.â
You take a deep breath and slap your forehead when you realise the mess of words you had just spewed out in the span of 10 seconds.
âWow, so articulate Y/N. Dammit I knew I shouldâve just stuck with texting.â you mutter to yourself.
You hear a deep, throaty chuckle from him that distracts you from your self depricating thoughts.
âPhew!â â he exclaims dramatically â âHad me worried for a sec there. But thank you for explaining it to me. And phone call was definitely the right choice so donât worry.â â laughing at you again â âI get it! Really! No pressure whatsoever.â
âThank you for being so understanding.â
âOf course. But you shouldnât have to thank me for it, isnât it the bare minimum? Anyways, have you eaten yet?â
Damn, this guy is just so smooth with the way he steers the conversation in another direction and just ever so charming with his words and understanding nature.
-
Itâs Saturday afternoon and after a productive day of cleaning your apartment from the mess youâve created and neglected during the week, you sit down to enjoy some moments of peace in your now tidy space and contemplate your options for the rest of the evening. Closing your eyes and leaning your head back against the comfy cushions on your sofa.
A buzz and ding of your phone from its place on your coffee table has a smile etching its way onto your face and you sit up, reaching for it to see the name of exactly who you thought it would be on your screen.
[Chanyeol<3]: are you busy rn?
[You]: hm not rn no. whatâs up?
[Chanyeol<3]: i was just about to run some errands but donât feel like going solo. care to bless me with your company?
[You]: i mean, i donât see how that would be blessing you but sure, iâd love to join you :)
[Chanyeol<3]: cool! iâll pick you up soon?
[You]: sure. see you in a bit!
Shoot! You race to the bathroom, looking into the mirror and assess your mess of a situation right now. Thereâs no time for a shower so you opt to put your hair up into a bun for now and reach for some makeup to attempt a no-makeup makeup look, just enough to tidy yourself up and look clean and fresh.
Itâs just errands right? Youâd look silly if you dress up too much. You need something comfortable. Something functional but cute still. You end up in a loose tshirt tucked into a nice pair of jeans that just so happen to make your butt look good.
Your timing is perfect, slipping your sneakers on just as Chanyeol texts you that heâs outside, grabbing your bag and heading downstairs to meet him.
As youâre walking out the lobby, you can already see him across the street. Heâs leaning against this huge silver SUV. Heâs dressed in jeans and a hoodie but the scene looks like something out of a magazine with his tall physique, handsome face and styled hair. Itâs probably a thought you have too often but itâs something you donât think you could ever move past.
He looks up when he hears the doors of the building close as you exit and he stands up straighter, greeting you with a warm smile and a frantic wave of his hand.
âHi!â he says as soon as youâve crossed the street and close enough that he doesnât need to raise his voice to be heard.
âHey!â you return his smile, âOh my gosh your car is HUGE! But I guess it needs to be for you to fit inside comfortably.â
He chuckles at your comment and it eases your nerves a little. He opens the door for you like a true gentleman and you climb inside, buckling yourself in as he rounds the front of the car to the drivers side.
âReady?â he asks, turning to you with an award winning grin.
You nod happily and he turns the engine on, pulling away from the curb and towards his destination. You try to ask him where but he says youâll see when you get there. Chanyeol turns on the radio but keeps the volume at a minimum so you can still speak comfortably to eachother.
Soon enough, he turns into the underground parking lot of a shopping mall complex and parks his car.
âWhat do you need to do here?â you ask him once youâre both inside the elevator taking you up to the chosen level.
âJust wait a little longer, little miss impatient. Youâll see.â
He laughs when you huff and pout your lips.
Chanyeol leads the way but you notice his long legs allow him longer strides that force you to quicken your step a little just to keep up with him. He seems to notice this though and slows himself down to a pace that's good for you both.
âSo, you remember that candy you were telling me about last time? The one you said your grandma used to buy for you when you little and you canât find anymore?â
You nod slowly, quirking a brow and tilting your head, wondering where heâs going with this.
âI found out this place here sells them!â
He stops as he says this and points to a small candy shop. Inside, you can see that there are walls and shelves lined with various types of candies and snacks. It seems heâs scoped out this place prior to taking you here because he takes you to the exact place theyâre kept in the store.
Your eyes grow wide when you spot the familiar packaging of your childhood favourite and you canât help the tears forming at your waterline.
Grabbing yourself a few packs of that specific candy, you and Chanyeol browse through the rest of the store, selecting a few more before you both make your way to the counter to pay for your chosen goods.
Chanyeol reaches for his wallet but you stop him, firmly insisting that he allow you to pay for his and your things to thank him for bringing you here and finding something that is so important to you. He sees the look of determination in your eyes and decides not to challenge you. He needs to pick his battles wisely if he wants the rest of the evening to pan out the way he intends it to.
Leaving the store and following Chanyeol to his next errand location, you canât help but feel touched by the fact that he remembered something you had told him in passing over the phone and also managed to find you the exact thing you talked about too.
Youâre pulled out of your thoughts by the sound of Chanyeolâs laughter and you look up to realise heâs stopped walking, now watching you and chuckling as his shoulders bounce up and down.
âWhat?â
âI should be asking you that. Whatâs got you so deep in thought?â
âNothing!â you quickly say, sounding way too defensive for your own good.
He hums, letting you know he didnât really believe you but isnât going to question you any further.
âWell, while you were too busy thinking about ânothing,â I was trying to ask if you wanted to see this movie with me?â â he points over to a poster on the wall and you realise youâve stopped in front of the cinema â âI didnât realise it was out already! Iâve been looking forward to it.â
Itâs been a while since youâve seen a movie in an actual cinema, considering everything is just so accessible online these days. The movie heâs asking you to watch with him is an action comedy, it canât be too bad right? You seem to have the same taste with most things so far.
âI mean, if you donât want to. Itâs okay, I just thought we could watch it together since weâre both here right now.â
He sees the gears in your head cranking and heâs hoping he didnât overstep by asking you, the last thing he wants is for you to feel uncomfortable around him. His nervousness shows by the way heâs unable to stand still, shifting from one foot to another and scratching the back of his neck.
âNo, no, Iâd love to watch it with you! Itâs been so long since Iâve been to an actual cinema too. I think itâll be fun!â
A toothy grin immediately appears on his features, eyes bright and sparkly with excitement.
âAwesome! Iâll go get the tickets and something from the candy bar too. Any requests?â
âMaybe just a drink? I think we have plenty of things to snack on.â you laugh, pointing to the bag heâs holding.
He nods in agreement and quickly scurries off to buy some tickets.
-
You both emerge from the dark movie theatre just under 2 hours later feeling a little closer than you did when you went in.
It was a great movie, it had a balance of suspenseful moments, scenes that made you laugh and a not-so-heavy-romance-but-just-enough plot thrown in. Truly something for everyone.
It was also the first time you had sat so closely with Chanyeol. Close enough that you could smell his cologne wafting to your nose and holy shit did he smell absolutely delicious. He would nudge you during the funny scenes as he laughed. Although the two of you had started off leaving a respectable distance, somewhere during the movie you had both managed to scoot closer to each other. Your thigh resting comfortably against his, upper arms touching too.
You both opened some of the snacks you had bought earlier to try and looked to each other for reactions, most of them were so good and the others not so much, making you both scrunch your face at eachother and quickly wrap the packet up and placing it back into the bag to reach for another instead.
Walking back to the car together, you discuss the happenings of the movie youâve both just watched and end up quoting the same lines to eachother. His eyes are now in a semi permanent crescent moon position from all the laughing, a vast difference to his usual rounded full-moon-esque eyes that look like they contain galaxies within them. You wonder if his cheeks hurt from smiling as much as yours do.
You have learnt that Chanyeol laughs with his entire body, whether it be the not so subtle shaking of his shoulders, loud echoing claps from his huge hands, slapping his own body (usually thighs) or whatever furniture is within range or just folding over and holding himself. You wouldnât put it behind him to regularly end up on the floor dying from a laughing fit too. The thought is endearing, the fact that heâs just so happy it vibrates through his entire being this way.
All that laughing must have depleted his body of energy because the moment you settle into the car and buckle up your seatbelts, you hear a huge extended rumbling sound coming from, what you can safely assume by the way he quickly clutches his abdomen, is his stomach.
Chanyeols ears grow bright red and he smiles at you sheepishly.
âUm, would you like to go get some food?â he says, scratching the back of his neck. A nervous habit of his that youâve manage to pick up on. âSince weâre already together right now and itâs basically dinner time..â he trails off.
âSure, why not. Since weâre conveniently together right now and I donât think your stomach can wait any longer.â you tease.
âHey!â he puts on a pretend offended look. âIs there anything in particular you want to eat? Anything youâre craving?â
âHmm,â you purse your bottom lip and roll your eyes around in thought, ânot really. I donât mind what we eat.â
âDo you like ramen? Thereâs this spot I really like and itâs close by.â
âI love it! Letâs go there.â
Feeling pleased with himself that you so happily accept his suggestion for dinner and invite to join him for yet another thing, Chanyeol knows he definitely canât wipe the grin off his face even if his cheeks are definitely feeling sore from smiling so much. He just hopes youâre enjoying yourself when spending time with him as much as he was with you.
Just like he said, the ramen restaurant was indeed close by and you arrive there in less than 10 minutes and a few turns along the way.
Itâs a cosy little, hole in the wall type place that you wouldnât have noticed in passing. Chanyeol swears this place has the best ramen heâs tasted outside of Japan, telling you to trust his judgement because he apparently travels there pretty often and has had his fair share of authentic Japanese cuisine.
You enter the small restaurant and are immediately greeted by the chef behind the counter, bowing and welcoming you inside and showing you to some seats. After perusing the menu and putting your order in, its not long before your steaming hot bowl of ramen arrives and you thank the chef for the food.
Picking up your spoon, you dip it inside the broth to scoop up some of the deliciousness to taste. The rich flavour immediately hits your senses and it tastes even better than it smells and looks.
âSo?â Chanyeol asks, excited to hear your verdict.
âIt really is so good!â
âYay! Iâm glad you like it.â
Chanyeolâs own bowl of ramen arrives immediately after and he follows your actions of thanking the chef before digging into the food, slurping up the broth and noodles.
Having ordered a smaller serving and receiving your food before Chanyeol, you end up finishing before he does and you allow yourself some silent moments to reflect on the past few hours youâve spent with him.
You donât think youâve been this happy in a long time. And you canât remember the last time youâve felt this comfortable around someone new either. Could you really call him someone new though? After the amount of time youâve spent texting together and on calls, coffee meetups in the morningsâŠyouâve definitely entered some sort of situationship with him. Any doubts you had about whether he felt the same way you did about him had dissipated. Any inklings of wonder you had whether he felt it to the intensity you did had gone too. Because just as much as you love spending time with him, he seems to want your company the same also.
Maybe you are ready. More than you had previously thought. Just scared, maybe.
âA penny for your thoughts?â Chanyeol asks, derailing your train of thought.
âI was just thinkingâŠhypothetically, maybe I am ready to go on that date.â
The smile he gives you is impish. Itâs not the bright, happy kind of smile you were expecting. Itâs the mischievous kind, like when a little kid knows a silly secret or something. It makes you squint your eyes at him, questioning his motives.
âWhat?â
âWell, actually, we kinda did already go on that hypothetical date.â
Youâre wondering what in the hell heâs on about when it clicks. What dat- Oh. Oh. A movie and dinner. The classic, run of the mill date.
You canât even be mad. Itâs too smart. He tricked you into going on a first date with him.
Pairing: Park Chanyeol x F.Reader
Genre: fluff, suggestive
Word count: 988
Summary: You welcome Chanyeol home from his military service with a game.
Warnings: mentions of shooting and bullets (NERF guns and foam bullets!), strip tease
Author's Note: This is SO late but life got busy around the time Chanyeol was discharged and then I fell into a not so good headspace that I am still crawling my way out of. I am still slowly, but surely, working on something for his birthday too so hopefully that one will come out in time! Please enjoy this belated piece. Are we all excited for PCY1!? I firmly believe that will cure everything đ
548 days. 548 days he had been gone. 548 days had finally passed and today is the day he is finally coming home.
Okay, maybe youâre being a little dramatic. You were lucky times had changed and enlisted soldiers could now access to their phones while serving, off duty of course. Not to mention the multiple vacation times he had earned where he could come home for a couple days here and there. But now, the difference is that he wonât have to leave again. Now he will be home for good, no more teary goodbyes and promises of âIâll see you soon, okay?â
You had planned with his family, his parents and grandparents would go to to pick him up from the discharge site and then they would meet his sister and her husband for a nice lunch. He was a little upset upon hearing that you wouldnât be joining them but you made some suggestions about your inability to keep your hands off him while heâs in uniform and, well, he couldnât complain about that. Heâs well aware of how handsome and manly he looks in his full uniform - the camo print suit, the special warrior and sergeant rank badges, the beret, the black lace up boots - and the effect it had on you.
-
Stepping through the threshold of the apartment, he is completely expecting you to greet him on the spot but is instead met with complete stillness and silence, not even the pitter patter or yippity yap of the dogs speedily rounding the corner.
Taking off his boots and dropping his bag, he makes his way further into the living space where he finds an unusual sight, an array of NERF guns with a handwritten note above them.
Welcome home, Special Warrior SERGEANT Park Chanyeol of the 9th Infantry Division, White Horse Unit!
A smug smile spreads across his features reading the way you address him.
You may have proven your skills on the field but I have yet to witness them with my own eyes. Show me youâre worthy of the title you have been given and the praise you have received. Your success will be rewarded accordingly.
CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON
If there was anything Chanyeol loved, it was a challenge. And with the added promise of a reward? From you? His competitive, passionate fire is set ablaze.
Picking up his gun of choice and checking itâs loaded, he straps on a belt with extra ammunition before scoping the room and figuring out where you could be hiding. He dives dramatically and tumbles across the space, appearing directly in front of your hiding spot behind the sofa. Exactly like you had anticipated, allowing you to shower him in foam bullets before making your speedy getaway. You hear his throaty chuckle as you quickly run down the hallway to your next planned location. Because of course you had to have a game plan when going up against Chanyeol. The man might come off as a playful, goofy giant but when it comes to winning, he puts his big brain energy to good use. But you know him well enough to be able to predict his movements, maybe just as much as he knows yours which makes this an interesting battle indeed.
The next half hour or so is filled with giggles, crashes into the wall and furniture, loud footsteps running and multitudes of flying bullets coating the floorspace of the apartment. âTil eventually, a strong arm rounds your waist and pulls you in as you sneakily try to pass the doorway of your bedroom, having lost track of where he had gone.
Youâre thrown onto the bed and quickly pinned down by him straddling your hips and holding your wrists above your head, staring down at you with hungry eyes.
âEnough with the games, baby. Whereâs my reward?â
âRight here, Sergeant.â you say sweetly, puckering your lips.
Chanyeol own lips quirk up in a smirk, lowering himself to you for a kiss.
But before he knows it, the moment he loosens his hold on your wrist you lock your hands around his own and roll him over so youâre now looking down at him triumphantly, sitting on top of his hips. Chanyeol is looking up at you with wide eyes, blinking like a fool trying to process what the hell had just happened.
âHm,â you tap a finger on your lips questioningly, âmaybe youâre not so worthy of your title after all.â
âHey! Thatâs not fair! I was caught off guard! You were already just about to give me my reward! I want my re-â
He stops mid-protest when he sees you peeling off your t-shirt to reveal a lacy black bra. Jaw dropping, eyes mesmerised and tracing over the sight of your skin being exposed to him. His hands move with a mind of their own, reaching up to touch you but you quickly slap them away.
You slowly stand up to your full height above him, turning around and looking back at him over your shoulder as you tuck your thumbs inside the waistband of your shorts and slide them down your legs, making sure that you bend over at the waist to give him a full view of his reward.
When you decide youâve given him enough time to appreciate your assets, you turn back around and assume your previous position. Although now, there was a growing bulge beneath you, a clear answer to your next question.
âIs this reward to your liking, Sergeant Park Chanyeol?â You speak his name breathily, emphasising each word.
He nods rapidly, before reclaiming his cool, growling and grabbing at you. Chanyeol flips you back over so youâre beneath him and brings his face close to yours, enough that you can feel the heat of his breath but not enough for your lips to touch.
âO H  S W E E T  S E R E N I T Y  â  word count 23,611. minors dni.
a fic by @ouvuoââ, writing also at @pcysprincessââ. accessible on ao3.Â
part of @myeoning-callââââs crimson aurora hotel collaboration, accessible here.
can you believe i began this in july, and itâs ending now?! this fic has become my dear and my darling â iâm actually dismayed to finish it, but all good things must come to an end ( massages with a happy ending ) as fate goes. i apologize for the months-long wait â i am in law school now and spend my days writing far less entertaining things, so i would like to convey my deep gratitude for the patience and excitement maintained. so please, then! get to reading, here it is â oh sweet serenity!
Warnings: Swearing, kissing, mentions of âthe deedâ but nothing graphic
Word Count: 9.3k
Summary: Whoâs the boss? You are! Or at least, you had been until he showed up. For the past month, youâd busted your sous-chef butt to keep the hotel restaurant afloat after the head chef abruptly up and quit. Now, the managerâs brought in a friend, celebrity chef Do Kyungsoo, to lead the kitchen. With Kyungsoo wanting to run things his way, will tensions flame into something more?Â
A/N: Oh my gosh, I finally finished! This is my longest fic to date, as part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel and Spa Collab. Buckle up for ~10k, folks! ! hope you enjoy it! Please re-blog so that others can find and interact with this post easier. Thanks a million!
P.S. Iâm planning to write some filthy epilogues for anyone interested!
P.S. GIFS and pictures do not belong to me, so credit should go to the original owners. (theonly-vagina-kyungsoo-will-fuk
~*~
âFeeling a little tense today, boss?âÂ
You glanced up briefly from your pork cutlets to find Hyun-min staring at you, elbows on the counter in a manner youâd told him you donât enjoy. As the chef de partie in charge of the meat station, a classmate from culinary school, and a long-time friend, he was entirely too perceptive for your liking. This quality was exceptionally beneficial in the workplace, but not so much when you were trying to squash your anger in the name of professionalism.Â
âNo, what makes you think that?â you responded, lying through your teeth.Â
Hyun-min flashed you a cheshire cat grin, feigning nonchalance. âOh, I donât knowâŠmaybe because our new boss shows up tomorrow? THE WORLD FAMOUS CELEBRITY CHEF DO KYUNGSOO?!â
âWhoâs side are you on anyway?â you mumbled as Hyun-min squealed in excitement.Â
âYours, of course. But I canât help it. The manâs a legendâhelming a three-starred Michelin restaurant when he was under the age of 25 and heâs model-hot?!â
 He fanned himself dramatically with a copy of tonightâs menu.Â
No one needed to tell you how talented Do Kyungsoo was. His accomplishments spoke for themselvesâthe book deals, the television shows, the James Beard awards, and yesâthe coveted Michelin stars. You'd watched him on TV before and couldnât deny that heâs goodâokay, amazingly good, with a great knack for flavor. Heâs been listed in more than one â30 Under 30â article. Was it fair to be blessed with that level of both talent and looks?! Furthermore, you wondered why someone like him, whoâs been the executive chef of many, many famous restaurants would come here. Perhaps, Manager Kim had more connections than you knew.Â
Itâs been several months since Head Chef Maurice abruptly departed. Many chefs have been interested in replacing him, but Manager Kim wasnât satisfied with any of them, which left you, the sous-chef, to fill in the gaps.
Rather than sticking to one type of cuisine, you introduced fusion dishes, which have been very well-received. You were happy, guests were happy, and Mr. Kim seemed happyâŠso happy that you thought he might give you the promotion you always dreamed of. After five years of toiling away at this restaurant youâd thought maybe, just maybe this was your time. You felt blindsided at the news of Do Kyungsooâs arrival not even two days ago, which left you with no time to process anything beyond anger.Â
âIâm fine,â you said tightly, grabbing your meat hammer. âAbsolutely.â Pound. â100%.â Pound. âTotally.â Pound. âFine.â Pound. Pound. Pound. Pound.Â
âUh-huh, sure,â Hyun-min sayid, narrowing his eyes in obvious doubt. âYou can lie all you want, honeyâŠbut donât take it out on my poor, innocent pork cutlets. Theyâre supposed to be thinly pressed, not hacked to pieces!â
He quickly grabbed the tray of meat and moved it protectively out of the way, like you were a wild animal he couldnât trust not to strike once his back was turned.Â
You flushed in embarrassment at your lack of composure, still incredibly on edge. Since you werenât allowed to mete out your frustrations on the schnitzel, youâd need to seek out other avenues. Fortunately, your friend at the front desk was only too happy to help, and before you knew it, you were face down on a massage table, tension draining from your limbs under the masterful hands of the Crimson Auroraâs best masseuse.
~*~
Not 20 minutes into your lavender-induced stupor, a knock sounded at the door. Jongin told you to wait and slipped out the door, returning to quietly inform you that a certain Do Kyungsoo had arrived and ârequired your immediate attention.âÂ
As you dressed, you could feel your stomach twisting into knots as you made your way to the kitchen. Standing outside the kitchen doors, the absence of clanging pans, furious chopping, and loud, boisterous voices was your first clue that something was amiss. Through the window, you could see the kitchen staff positioned in a line, as though awaiting military inspection from their commanding officer. Do Kyungsoo stood in front of them, looking every bit the formidable chef he was rumored to be in his immaculate black chefâs coat.Â
Taking a deep breath, you pushed the door open, crossing the threshold that usually felt so familiar, yet was now completely alien. You put on your best âwelcomeâ smile and stepped into the lionâs den. The noise from the squeaky doors drew the manâs attention and he turned to look at you.
Coming forward, you bowed in greeting. âHello, my name is ____. Iâm the sous-chef here. My apologies for being late, I was just informed of your arrival.â
Kyungsoo sized you up from head to toe, noting your messy hair, untucked shirt, and overall lack of polish. Not what heâd expect from his supposed second-in-command. What type of serious chef got a massage during the work day? If he were any of his former employers, youâd be given your notice immediately. The restaurant world was an unforgiving place, but Kyungsoo knew the dangers of being too quick to judge, so your skills in the kitchen had better impress.Â
You shuffled past Chef Do to stand beside Hyun-min, painfully aware that the former probably definitely knew exactly where you were. You might not be happy that he was here, but youâd never want your professionalism to be questioned over such a matter. Tonight he wanted to observe and see how the kitchen works and this dinner was your chance to wow him, to prove to Chef Do that you knew what you were doing. Youâd worked your butt off covering for Chef Maurice and done a good job, goddammit!Â
With renewed vigor, you threw yourself into preparing tonightâs special, your team working hard alongside you to pull out the stops, all while under Chef Doâs watchful eye. It was unnerving to feel his gaze on you, judging your every move during prep workâchoice of ingredients, knife work, organizationâand you could tell everyone else in the room was feeling the same tension. If Hyun-min was an open book, then this man was the definition of a book wrapped in chains with a lock and key, his expression never changing, making it frustratingly impossible to know his thoughts.Â
Kyungsoo circled the kitchen, observing each and every moving part, noting both what he liked and things that needed to change. People had always told Kyungsoo that he was hard to read. His agent was always telling him he needed to âemoteâ better and give more fan service to the camera when he was filming shows. Kyungsoo disagreedâit wasnât that he hid his emotions, he just didnât see the point in pretending to be something he wasnât.
Cooking was serious businessâraw and real, both chaotic and orderly at the same time.Â
During filming for his various television shows, he missed the sights and sounds of the organized chaos around himâorders coming left and right, a flurry of quick hands pushing dishes through the window, and the joyful calm of the knife in his hand as he rhythmically chopped vegetables.Â
By the time the first ticket came through, you and your team were in the groove and you were forever thankful for muscle memory. The donkkaseu was perfectâgolden and crunchy from the panko crumbs and slightly spicy from the red pepper flakes. It went down on a brioche bun, topped with kimchi coleslaw, and accompanied by a creamy gamja salad. Running a clean cloth around the edge of the plate, you rang the bell, literally sending your heart and soul out of the kitchen on a platter.Â
Ashley, longtime waitress and confidant, gave you a thumbs up through the window and you breathed a sigh of relief. Throughout the night, customer reactions were generally positive and you fielded the odd complaint of âthe fish is dryâ or âI asked for the steak mediumâ with ease.Â
10:00 came and went and the kitchen closed down to its nighttime snack menu, serving a selection of Korean favorites like pajeon, tteokbokki, stir-fried squid, and cheese corn to be paired with a menu of creative cocktails. This brainchild of yourâs and Taeminâs, the hotel bartender, had worked to draw in guests coming back from shows and concerts and attracted pedestrians from the outside looking for an elevated bar experience.Â
An hour later, the kitchen was clean and the prep for tomorrow was done. You thanked the team for their hard work and sent them home, with you and Hyun-min remaining to fulfill the last-minute orders. You could see Chef Do in his office through the open door, scribbling furiously, no doubt making sure to take down every little mistake made during tonightâs service. You cringed, knowing there would be a debrief sooner rather than later, but pledged to defend yourself and your team, should the need arise. Everything ran smoothly tonight and you were proud of the job youâd done, though not immune to the fact that there was always room for improvement.Â
Hyun-min rang the bell and Ashley came to retrieve an order, a secretive smile on her face, which could mean only one thing: gossip.Â
âAm I going to have to ask or are you just going to tell me?â you asked, giving her a pointed look before handing over the plate of cheesy rice cakes.Â
âFine, twist my arm if you must.âÂ
Ashley beckoned you and Hyun-min over and leaned in close, as though she was about to divulge top-secret information.Â
âChanyeolâs getting lucky tonightâŠsent a drink to a girl and now heâs laying on the moves.â
âHot piano guy?â you clarified, watching as Hyunmin hung his head and groaned. âSorry, Hyun-min, I guess that ship has sunk.âÂ
âWhy are all the available men in this place taken?â he whined. âFirst hot, ice king Sehun, now tall drink of water, Chanyeol?!âÂ
You patted his arm in sympathy and silent agreement. Despite the fact that the Crimson Aurora Hotel seemed to employ a mysterious amount of above-average looking men, neither of you had been able to make a love connection.Â
That might be for the best, you mused.
You worked long hours and not everyone was understanding about the amount of time and effort it took to do what you do. Your last boyfriend had complained that you worked too much, were too focused on the restaurant and not enough on him or your relationship. In hindsight, heâd been rightâyou had put the job firstâbut honestly, he hadnât supported you in the way you neededâalways making comments about you needing to âget a real jobâ like his. You wanted and deserved someone who not only believed in you, but understood your drive and passion for creation and innovation.Â
Ashley grabbed the plate from the pass and turned on her heels, throwing an âIâll keep you updatedâ over her shoulder.Â
With the last order of the night complete, you closed down the kitchen, hanging up your apron on the hook before turning off the lights. The glow from the office drew your eye, but the now-closed door dissuaded you from further investigation. Slinging your bag over your shoulder, you pushed through the kitchen doors and made your way to the place your night usually ended: the bar.Â
You slid onto a bar top stool, feeling relaxed for the first time today. The red bubble pendant lights, reminiscent of magma, cast a crimson glow over the space. At this hour, the place was mostly deserted, save a lone businessman in one of the alcoves. Seeing no sign of Chanyeol, you assumed heâd retired for the evening with his new lady friend.Â
Without asking, Taemin placed your drink of choice in front of you and you took a sip, enjoying the burst of fruity flavor on your tongue. He left you to your thoughts, but not before leaving you a bowl of spiced nuts and prawn crackers to snack on. You closed your eyes, letting the jazzy music wash over you, appreciating this time to decompress.Â
âMay I join you?âÂ
The request, accompanied by a gentle tap on the shoulder startled you practically out of your chair. Chef Do stood before you, dressed in jeans and a simple black t-shirt, looking remarkably less intimidating than just an hour previous. Considering the two of you hadnât started off on the right foot, you couldnât imagine what he wanted to talk about.Â
When you gave a hesitant nod, Kyungsoo took a seat next to you. Mindful of first impressions and the work he had to do tomorrow, he asked for water when the bartender came to take his order. You were quiet next to him, so he tried to break the ice.
âService went well todayâŠYou did well today, _____.âÂ
You froze mid-swallow, sputtering as liquid went down the wrong way.Â
âWas that the wrong thing to say?â he wondered.Â
âNo,â you confirmed, trying to keep your tone as even as possible. âJust not what I was expecting.â
Kyungsoo managed to stifle a smile.âWhat were you expecting then?â
What had you been expecting?
A jerk who thought he walked on air, someone who ordered others around without deigning to lend a hand, thatâs what. It would be easier to hate someone like that, easier to let your anger simmer under the surface. Honestly, you werenât sure what to do with the person who was currently in front of you. You munched on the prawn cracker, grateful for the crunch, crunch that filled the silence.Â
Kyungsoo lifted a brow at your obvious avoidance of the question. He chose to artfully change the topic. Eyeing up the prawn crackers, he asked you to share, taking a second to lift it to his nose and inspect the outside before putting it in his mouth.
âEven fry, consistent cuts, crisp texture. Where do you source these from? They remind me of the ones my grandmother used to make.â
âActually, all the bar snacks are made in-house,â you informed him, pride filling you as you spoke.
You explained that youâd been trialing the homemade snacks and late-night bar menu in hopes of attracting new customers, ones who appreciated quality food and alcohol.Â
âNot what you were expecting?â you responded cheekily.
âNot exactly,â he returned, smiling genuinely at your response.Â
âAnd the response has been good?â he asked, a hint of skepticism as he peered around the now-deserted room.
You grinned behind your hand. âThereâs a concert venue down that street that should be getting out in aboutââ, you checked your watch, ââfifteen minutes. This placeâll be packed soon with people looking to wind down from their music high. I usually try to be out of here by then, but youâre welcome to stick around and see the chaos for yourself.â
You downed the rest of your drink and pulled cash from your wallet, which Taemin warded away with a firm shake of his head and an âon the houseâ. You bowed your head in appreciation and stuck a couple bills into the tip jar.
âJust friends trying to support friends,â you said, smiling sweetly at Taeminâs look of censure.Â
You looked over to see that Chef Do had finished his water and put his coat on. You bid each other goodnight and then you were off to the subway station, ready to get home to your apartment, take a well-deserved shower and watch some mindless TV.Â
Sitting at home, wrapped up in a blanket, you flipped through TV channels searching for something to watch, not that there was anything decent to watch this late anyway. You turned to a cooking channel that was your usual standby and came face-to-face once again, with your new boss, but this time he was whipping someoneâs butt in a battle for the best beef bourguignon. He won, of course, but on these types of shows it seemed like he always did.Â
You thought back to your day, which to your surprise, wasnât as bad as you imagined it might be. This morning youâd been angryâangry that Chef Do was coming, angry with Manager Kim for not giving you a promotion, and in all honesty, angry with yourself for not being good enough yet.
Now, those emotions felt flimsy and fragile, slipping through your fingers like air, and as much as you tried to hold on, away they went. Resentment might remain, sure, but a burgeoning respect had started to well inside you, one that recognized talent for talent and appreciated a dry sense of humorâŠand something else too, that you donât want to name just yet. With that in mind, you clicked the television off, tuning the man out of your living room and out of your lifeâat least until tomorrow.
~*~
Morning came and Kyungsoo felt hungover, despite having nothing but water at the bar last night. He knew it would be a long day at the restaurant, so he filled up on some breakfast and plain coffee. His phone rang and he saw his agentâs number flashing on the screen. He was tempted to ignore the call, but knew sheâd just keep calling back if he didn't pick up.Â
âHowâs my rockstar chef today?â his agent, Nina, drawled in her Texas accent.
âFine, Nina, justââ
âPerfect,â she interrupted. âListen babe, I know this whole âhead chefâ thing wasnât exactly your first choice, but Kim Junmyeon is a good friend and I owed him a favor. Think of it like a little mini-vacation.â
It was obvious that Nina had never worked in the kitchen because no one, no one whoâd ever worked in a restaurant kitchen would refer to it as a âvacationâ.Â
âListen sugar, Iâm working on lining up another show for you. The network is thrilled with ratings for your last series and theyâre clamoring for more.â
âBut Nina, I donât want toââ
âYeah, you donât want to stay at the hotel for too long. I know, I know. Nina will get you out of there soon, donât you worry.â
âThatâs not what I was going toââ
âListen, Kyungsoo, my Starbucks is here so Iâve got to run. Mwah!â
Kyungsoo didnât even have time to say anything before she was gone. He wasnât surprisedâNina ran a mile a minute and he was absolutely certain the woman was made up of 90% caffeine. Sheâd been his agent for years, since the beginning, when heâd been a simple link cook with a dream.Â
It would be fair to say he never expected things to go this farâthe crowds, the book deals, the shows, the fameâeverything. All he ever wanted was to share his cooking with the world, maybe even own his own farm-to-table restaurant, so truth be told, he was excited at the prospect of settling down for a little while and making his mark on the Ink & Pepper.Â
When heâd been approached about the opportunity six months ago, the Ink & Pepper had seemed like a restaurant with uninspired food and little direction, and needing some massive changes. Heâd come prepared to wipe the slate clean of anything or anyone weighing down the placeâemployees, concepts, menus, whatever it took. Upon arrival, heâd been shocked to find the kitchen in pretty decent working order. Provisions were well-organized, stations were clean, and the staff worked cohesively.Â
Not at all what he expected.
He knew it came down to you, the sous-chef masquerading as the one in charge. The sous-chef who got massages during the work day. He hadnât thought much of you when you walked in looking like youâd just woken up from a three-hour nap; however, youâd quickly proved him wrongâexecuting and expediting dishes flawlessly.Â
From the beginning, it was obvious you were used to being top dog and he wondered how youâd take to following his orders. He smiled, fondly thinking of the days he himself had been filled with bright ideas and loads of sass-not so different from you.Â
With a little time left before he had to be at the restaurant, he took his two puppies out for a walk before dropping them off at daycare. Leaving his car behind, Kyungsoo strolled through the neighborhood, making note of the small, tucked-away restaurants that he wanted to try (and maybe own) someday.Â
He was stopped by several older ladies who asked for his autograph and was happy to oblige. Two signed napkins and many selfies later, he was zooming through the streets on his way to the Crimson Aurora.
The kitchen was in full swing by the time he walked through the doors and he was greeted by the sound of clanging pots, sizzling pans, and steam, which halted to a whisper. Gazes followed him as he walked to his office and stowed his things. He called the team together and went over his notes from the previous evening. Once he made it clear that he wasnât firing anybody, the staff visibly relaxedâŠwell maybe except you.Â
You frowned several times while he was talking, most notably when he mentioned that menus would solely focus on classic, French cuisine. Interesting. You must prefer a different style of food, and he made a note to ask you about that later. You also cringed when he critiqued the cook on the lamb chops from last night. Not debatable, in his opinion, it was medium or bust.Â
After he finished, he pulled several staff members to go over the grocery order for next week, when his menu went into effect. He had relationships with some of the top vendors in the city and he wanted to make sure the restaurant had access to the best ingredients possible. He hadnât had time to go over the new menu with you, but he was excited to roll it out next week.Â
The day flew byâdiners came and went, food left the kitchen and empty plates came backâand soon the moon was high in the sky. The kitchen lights dimmed, and from his office he could see the staff heading out for the night, leaving you and Hyun-min behind to finish up.
The spicy, sweet smell of tteokbokki filled his nose, making his mouth water. He remembered the tteokbokki his mother used to make him growing up, with plenty of fish cakes and sliced eggs.Â
During culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu, he lived in Paris, adopting the lifestyle and the cuisine. Fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, yogurt, meat, and fishâa delicious and nutritious diet, but very different from the food he ate growing up.Â
From his vantage point, he could hear bits and pieces of your conversation with Hyun-minâa bad experience on a blind date, the latest episode of The Bachelor, and Hyun-minâs cat giving him the cold shoulder. Kyungsoo didnât have any use for idle gossip, so ended up tuning out most of it anyway, at least until he got a late-night call from New York. By the time he was done, the kitchen was deserted. Curious, made his way to the bar, and sure enough, there you were, sitting in your usual spot. Without thinking too hard, he slid into the seat next to you and ordered his new usual.Â
~*~
Three months later
âJust water will do tonight, Taemin.â
You knew who spoke without even having to look. Chef Doâs voice was distinctâdeep and rich like melting chocolate, one that carried perfectly in a room (or kitchen). Water again tonight, it seemed. It made sense, Chef DoâKyungsoo, as heâd told you to call him off-the-clock, seemed like a water kind of guy.Â
âDo you drink anything else besides water?â
âDo you drink anything besides passion fruit cocktails, ___?â Kyungsoo shot back playfully, sliding into the seat next to you.Â
âIâll have you know these are passion fruit mocktails, Kyungsoo. In my old-age, I canât handle alcohol on a weekday like I could in my youth.âÂ
You were over-exaggerating a little bit, considering you werenât even 30, but bouncing back seemed harder these days, especially when you had the responsibility of being up for work just hours later.Â
Looking over at Kyungsoo, you lifted an eyebrow. âWhatâs your excuse?â
Kyungsoo shrugged. âI just drink water, nothing else. Itâs veryâŠhydrating.âÂ
He winced, clearly aware of how obvious that answer was.Â
You nodded awkwardly before reaching into your bag and pulling out a glass container. Youâd learned that Kyungsoo was a sucker for snack foods, so this ought to do the trick. Oddly enough, this had kind of become your nightly routine for the past few months: cook your butt off all day and hole up at the bar with your boss at night. Hyun-min had joined you a couple of times, but dubbed it âboringâ since it didnât involve soju, spandex, and getting down at the club.Â
âYou want some kimbap? Nothing fancy, just some beef rolls and a couple of tuna.âÂ
You handed over the container for Kyungsooâs inspection. Someone once said âyou eat with your eyes firstâ, and you found that was especially true for chefs. Your kimbaps looked pretty good, the veggies were cut consistently, the egg was yellow and soft, and the roll was tight. Not as good as your momâs, but decent.
Kyungsoo cautiously took one and popped it in his mouth. You offered him more and the two of you ate in silence.
Kyungsoo chewed thoughtfully before asking: âWhen do you have time to make these things? The rice seems really fresh, so obviously these werenât made yesterday.â
âWe usually keep some ingredients on-hand for staff in case they get hungry. I make them right before we leaveâŠyouâre usually on the phone when I do.â
Kyungsoo let out a big sigh, massaging his temples.Â
âItâs my agent, Nina. She lives in New York, so thereâs a bit of a time difference.â
âHow do you do it all?â you wondered aloud. âBalance running a restaurant and a television career at the same time?âÂ
Kyungsoo chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.Â
âTruth is, I donât. Itâs always one or the other. If Iâm filming a show, Iâm gone from work for weeks or months at a time. My agent is always pushing me to do more shows and appearances, but if I do, it takes me away from being in the kitchen. Even now sheâs pushing me to judge some big competition show in Europe.â
It was surprising to hear this from him. He seemed like such a natural on television, born to be on screen. You would have never guessed he felt any other way, but here he was, wanting the simple basics of cheffing.Â
â...but youâve worked at some of the best restaurants in the worldâŠall those Michelin starsâŠâ
âBut are they truly mine?â he mused. âSomeone elseâs visionâŠsomeone elseâs kitchenâŠnot mineâŠâ
Getting a Michelin star always seemed like a pipe dream, so much so you never gave them more than a passing thought. But pondering it now, you realized he was right: Michelin stars were given out to restaurants with outstanding cooking, in terms of ingredients, flavor, technique and consistency over time. While the chef might be the vehicle to gaining those stars, the stars stayed, even if the chef moved on to other places.
 âWell, technically this place is yours now, right?â you said, trying to lighten the mood.Â
Kyungsoo smiled softly. âYeahâŠI guess youâre right. A place of my own to finally do as I wishâŠ.â
Though youâd slowly come to accept the reality of working under Kyungsoo, your chest still tightened at his words. A place of my own.Â
â...and what about you?â he continued. âYou must have a dream too.â
When you sheepishly admitted to having a similar dream, understanding lit his eyes.Â
âAh, so thatâs why youâve been so morose about the menus lately.â
âI have not been moroseâ, you grumbled as Kyungsoo shot you a look of mock disbelief. âI havenât! Disappointed is the word I would use.â
Kyungsoo scratched his chin thoughtfully. âHave you ever thought about working somewhere else? Thereâs got to be hundreds of places that would see the value in your skills.â
âI mean, sure, Iâve thought about it here and there, but the Ink & Pepper was the place I first got my start and the people there are like family. Iâm not sure I could leave. It just feels right, you know?â
Kyungsoo nodded in understanding, at the same time knowing opportunities would be more ripe if you looked beyond the small boutique hotel restaurant. Plenty of talented chefs never made it further than being someone elseâs underling and he didnât want that to happen to you. Kyungsoo knew many of the top people in the industry and if he put a word in with the right people, maybe youâdâŠ
Taemin chose that moment to interrupt, saying the bar was closing, and checking your watch, you realized you and Kyungsoo had never stayed this late before. You meandered down the sidewalk, silently making your way towards the bus stop, together but alone in your thoughts. Kyungsoo dropped you off at your stop and you watched his back as he slowly walked away.
âAre you going to do it?âÂ
You were loud enough that Kyungsoo turned back, his brows furrowed in confusion.Â
âThe show, I mean. Are you going to do it?â
Kyungsooâs eyes filled with understanding, as he came to a stop a few feet from you.Â
âIâm not sure,â he admitted. âWhy? Just waiting for me to go so you can take back your crown?â
âHardly.â you huffed, scowling at the mischief you saw in his eyes.
âThen youâll miss me?â he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.Â
You rolled your eyes. âAgain, hardly.âÂ
He stepped closer. âThatâs a shame, because Iâd miss you, ___â, he said quietly.
You turned towards him, ready to deliver another biting comeback, when you saw he was serious.Â
âYou what?â
âYou heard me. I said Iâd miss you.âÂ
Dazed, you sucked in a breath, trying to process what you just heard. It was quiet around you, and you realized Kyungsoo was waiting for you to speak. Words needed to be formulated into sentences, but unfortunately your brain was jumbled up like a plate of scrambled eggs.Â
Kyungsoo stepped closer, and all you could see were his eyes, jet-black against the night sky. He lifted his hand to your face, running his thumb across your cheek in a gentle caress. You opened your mouth to speak, but no words came out, as though your brain was unable to process anything but the ripples of electricity running through your body and the warmth of his skin against yours in the cool night air.Â
In your peripheral, you heard the squeal of the bus as it angled into your stop. The doors hummed as they opened and several people got off, no doubt ready to hit the town. You needed to get on that bus, but to do that, youâd have to break away.Â
Kyungsoo reached up to clasp your face with both hands, drawing your gaze back to him, no doubt sensing your imminent withdrawal.
âI have my car here, ____.â Kyungsoo murmured, his deep voice making you feel tingly. âLet me take you home.âÂ
With the bus driver looking your way, you only had a few seconds to make a choice. You knew what you should doâget on the bus and go home to your apartment aloneâbut here you were, contemplating being alone with a manâyour boss you might add! â a man youâd never thought about in a romantic way until nowâŠ
Are you sure? a voice inside you countered. Youâve never thought of him in any other way? Never fantasized about him caging you against the door of the walk-in? Not once imagined what was under the tight, black chefâs coat he wears everyday?Â
You sucked in a breath as your brain acknowledged what your heart had known for a while now. Kyungsoo occupied your thoughts during the day (and night) more than youâd like to admit, and before you could remind yourself this was a bad idea, you found yourself blushing and nodding.Â
You took the arm he offered, and soon you were cruising through the city street. Leaning back against the expensive leather seats, you could feel a deep tiredness settle into your bones. You fought to stay awake, but as the carâs warmth drifted over you and soft jazz filled your ears, you were soon lulled into dreamland, as Kyungsooâs car sped towards your destination.Â
~*~
Kyungsoo eased to a stop in front of your apartment, happy you had agreed to let him take you home. This was too far from the hotel for you to travel alone. Heâd definitely be dropping you off on a regular basis, now that he knew. Not only would it satisfy his concern for your safety, but selfishly, it would also fill his need for you.Â
Looking over, he smiled to see you dozing next to him. Turned towards him in sleep, he admired your features in the soft glow of the streetlights. It was so different to see this side of you, so relaxed and sereneâa stark contrast to the fast-paced, tenacious dynamite you were in the kitchen.Â
You murmured in your sleep and his gaze was drawn to your lips and he wondered what they felt like. His hand hovered inches over lips and he longed to run his thumb across your cupidâs bow.Â
His plan was foiled by the blare of a car alarm two blocks down, causing you to startle awake.Â
âKyungsoo! How long have we been sitting here? Why didnât you wake me?â you admonished, playfully swatting him on the shoulder.Â
Truthfully, heâd enjoyed watching you sleep, just being near you was enough to make his heart flutter. But as usual, Kyungsoo played things closer to the vest, not wanting you to know how much you affected him.Â
âShould I have carried you up the stairs then, like a gallant knight aiding a fair lady?â
You made a retching sound in your throat. âNo, absolutely not. Besidesââ you say, your gaze flickering up and down his body, âI have doubts that youâd even be able to get me to the door.âÂ
Kyungsoo knew it was a joke, but it didnât stop him from bristling at your words.Â
âAh, thatâs where youâd be wrong, ____. You see I lift.â
You quirked a brow in his direction, amusement sparkling in your eyes. âYeah, lift pans, maybe.âÂ
âTry me,â he challenged.Â
âOkay, youâre on. A piggyback ride all the way up to my apartment. Oh and did I mention I live on the 4th floor?â you added, bursting with glee.Â
Looking out the window at your tall apartment building, Kyungsoo found himself regretting his rash words just a bit. He did go to the gym, he hadnât been lying about that, it was a necessity in his line of work to keep his stamina up. However, heâd never carried an adult human more than a couple of yards at any given time. Puffing up his chest, he knew heâd make it even if it killed him, he had a lady to impress, afterall.Â
When Kyungsoo bent down and ushered you on, you hesitantly stepped forward to get into position, sliding your arms around his neck. Up close, the pleasing scent of forest teased your senses and you had to stop yourself from pressing your face into his neck and inhaling the musky scent.
Kyungsoo lifted you with surprising ease, wasting no time before starting the long ascent up the winding staircase. As he climbed and climbed, Kyungsooâs breathing quickened and you could tell he was getting winded. His palms were scalding through your pants and you could feel the warmth of him seeping into your skin. When you finally reached your apartment door, Kyungsoo sounded like he was running a marathon.Â
âAlright. Here. We Are. I Win.â Kyungsoo said, taking a long breath between each word.Â
You held your hands up in defeat. âOkay, okay, I surrender. I was wrong.âÂ
Being wrong had never, ever felt so right.Â
Kyungsoo gently set you back on your feet, before turning to face you.Â
âSo whatâs my prize?â
âYour what?â
âMy prize, ____. You challenged me, I won, therefore itâs only fair to receive appropriate compensation.âÂ
âAnd whatâs your idea of âappropriate compensationâ?âÂ
You knew what you wanted him to say, what you wanted him to do. The moment at the bus stop had teased your senses, and now, all you could think about is what it would feel like to have his lips against yours, his strong arms pressing you tight against his body.Â
Kyungsoo detected the hint of flirtation in your voice and it chafed against his conscience. Up until now, heâd been able to keep up the light-hearted conversation, continue to play the game, both now and at work, while burning on the inside. The angel on his shoulder told him this was a bad idea, that no good could come from kissing an employee, but the devil on his other whispered about how good it would feel to finally have your lips against his own.
Before he knew it, his body made the choice for him, wanting satisfaction and tired of this constant state of denial. His arms shot out, encircling your waist and pulling you tight against his body. Your eyes widened, narrowing on his lips, and he took that as an invitation to seal his mouth against yours.Â
Sinking into Kyungsooâs warmth, your hands wound around his neck to secure him closer. You sighed into his mouth, tilting your head to the side, squealing at the feel of his tongue teasing your lower lip. Your hands found their way into Kyungsooâs silky hair, and you tugged him closer, groaning as he sucked your tongue between his lips. The sound of heavy breathing filled the quiet hallway and you wanted nothing more than for him to slide you up the wall and take you out of your misery.Â
Kyungsooâs attention drifted to your neck, allowing you a moment of reprieve to catch your breath. Soft lips moved from your collarbone to just below your ear, alternating between gentle kisses and soft flicks of tongue. Kyungsoo paused to blow lightly on your skin, still wet from his previous care. You shivered at the sudden hot-cold sensation, clutching Kyungsooâs head closer in a silent bid for more.Â
Footsteps echoed in the hallway and the sound of male voices drew closer. You knew those voices: Hyun-min and his posse on the way back from a wild night out.
Forced from your lust-induced haze, you regrettably tore away from Kyungsooâs lips. Kyungsooâs stark look of confusion quickly faded as he realized the situation you were about to be in. Shoving the key into the lock, you pushed open the door, pulling Kyungsoo inside in the nick of time.Â
As the voices outside faded, you breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing you needed was Hyun-min finding you pressed up against your boss as he sucked on your neck. Not because heâd object, but simply because heâd never let you live it down.Â
In the darkened apartment, it was quiet, save for the sounds of late-night traffic drifting through the window and Kyungsoo breathing beside you. Pins and needles ran up and down your spine, your entire body titillated by the sounds of Kyungsooâs movements in the darkness. Wanting more.
Kyungsoo whispered your name. Yes or no? he silently asked.
When you didnât respond, he slid his hand along the wall, fumbling for the lightswitch, as if that would bring the answers he sought.Â
You had only seconds to make a decision.Â
Yes or no?Â
A split second decision. You clapped your hand over his, preventing him from flipping the switch. In the darkness, the sweet spell remained, unbroken by obtrusive light. And in the dark, consequences be damned.Â
Reaching out, you grabbed Kyungsooâs hand, softly tugging him further into your apartment.
Kyungsoo dropped the knife, running his fingers through his hair. Getting on the line usually helped clear his thoughts, but not today. No matter what he tried, his thoughts drifted back to you. Itâd been dark when he woke in your bed, so dark his eyelids had practically begged for more sleep. It had been so tempting to wrap you tightly in his arms and remain.
But he had left.Â
It wasnât his style to leave without a word, but heâd been unsure of where you stood. He felt regret with how things had endedâyou deserved to wake to a frittata and fresh coffee in bed, not to cold sheets and an empty apartment.Â
The back of his neck heated in shame. Heâd slept with an employee. This was basic work ethics 101âdo not engage in sexual relations with staff members. Cocky it would never happen, heâd let his guard down around you. How could heâ
âSomething bothering you, Chef?â Hyun-min asked, startling Kyungsoo from his thoughts.Â
Kyungoo attempted nonchalance. âNo. Why would you think that?â
âMaybe because youâre practically pulverizing the vegetables,â Hyun-min said gesturing knowingly to the cutting board. âUnless gazpacho is now on the menu?âÂ
Kyungsoo looked down to see finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, cut too small for the fresh salad heâd intended to make.Â
Hyun-min loaded the remaining vegetables on a tray, carting them away before any further damage could be done. âI swear, you and _____ have it out for my station,â he muttered as he walked away.Â
Cut off from his distraction, he was grateful for once when his phone rang.Â
âHello, Nina,â he greeted, closing himself into his office for what would no doubt be a lengthy conversation.Â
âHey, doll. How are ya?âÂ
âWell, actually Ninaââ
âGreat, glad to hear it. ListenâNina came through for you, love. Youâre out.â
Kyungsoo frowned. âWhat do you mean, Nina?â
Nina sighed, talking slowly as if she were explaining it to a toddler. âI mean youâre out of that little restaurant, babe. The network called and the competition show in Europe is a âgoâ. They want you there in two days.âÂ
Kyungsoo sucked in a breath, trying to digest what heâd just heard. Two days? Nowhere near enough time to tie up loose endsâboth with the restaurant and with you.Â
âTwo days, Nina? Thatâsââ
âI know, love. Itâs an eternity, but what can I do? You have a flight to London tonight, so pack a bag and head to the airport. Iâm sending the tickets to your email now.âÂ
âThank you, Nina, but Iââ
âNo problem, kiddo. Ninaâs here for you. Oops, Bobbyâs here, gotta run. Talk soon, mwah!â
Before he could get a word in edgewise, the call dropped and she was gone. Kyungsoo vowed to himself that heâd get a new agent when this was all over, someone who actually let him finish sentences once in a while. Or let him have a vacation. Do anything that wasnât on a schedule.Â
By the time heâd packed up his office, the rest of the staff had filtered in, prepping for the long day ahead. A soft knock sounded at the door, drawing his attention. You slipped inside, shutting the door behind you, a look of determination on your face. You turned, walking to stand in front of him with your arms crossed.Â
âI have something I want to talk to you about, Chef Do.â you announced, the use of his formal title not lost on him.Â
He gestured for you to sit, but you remained firmly where you were.Â
âWhy did you leave like that?â you whispered, voice low in the off chance anyone was listening outside. âYou just left..no note..no textâŠno nothing. Did it not mean anything to you?â
Your voice cracked at the end, betraying the hurt youâd promised to keep hidden.Â
Kyungsoo sighed, running his hands over his face. âNo, ____, of course not. But Iâm your boss. I crossed a line last nightââ
âWe crossed a line last night,â you corrected, hurt turning into anger at the insinuation heâd somehow taken advantage of you. âI remember being very much in control last night, Kyungsoo.â Â
Watching the hurt blossom in your eyes, Kyungsoo wanted nothing more than to take you in his arms, assure you that last night had been special, a night heâd never forget.Â
His phone dinged and he looked down to see an email from his agent, with the tickets for his flight. He had a flight out of here to London tonight and the timing couldnât have been worse.Â
Fuming with righteous indignation, you looked around Kyungsooâs office, for the first time noting its emptiness. Where pages and pages of notes had dominated its walls, now stood bare. Stacks of cookbooks were packed neatly into brown boxes sitting on the floor. Your heart squeezed at the realization: he was leaving. But why? Surely it couldnât be because of last nightâŠ
âSoâŠthatâs it? Youâre leavingâŠjust like that?â you said in disbelief. âWas it because of last night?â
Kyungsoo flinched, not liking the hurt in your voice. âNoâŠno absolutely not. My agent called me this morningâŠthe show is on, _____. Theyâre expecting me in London the day after tomorrowâŠI have a flight out tonight.â
A roaring noise filled your ears and a tightness filled your chest. What did you say to that? âCongratulationsâ? âDonât goâ? âWhat about usâ? It all seemed lame in the moment. One thing was sure, however: you wouldnât be that girl. The girl who simped over a celebrity one-night stand, who expected more when it was never anything beyond casual.Â
âCongratulations, Kyungsoo,â you said, a wistful smile on your face. âIâm sure itâll be amazing.â
â____, about us, Iââ
Your eyes started to feel hot. âNo, Kyungsoo, donât worry about it. I know we were just caught up in the moment last night.â
âBut I reallyââ
You shook your head to keep the tears at bay, backing towards the door. âYou donât owe me any kind of explanation, Kyungsoo, I get it. Waking up alone was enough of a clue, so you donât have to say anything else.â
âWaitââ
âGoodbye, Kyungsoo. I hope you get everything you wanted.âÂ
You slipped quickly out of the office, not stopping at Kyungsooâs continued protests. You didnât want to hear what he had to say. No, it would gut you to hear you were just some hook-up. Better to avoid and save your heart the pain.
Your feet carried through the kitchen and out the door just as tears started to fall. The scent of starch and detergent fumes engulfed you as you fled to the laundry room, the best place at the Crimson Aurora for some good old-fashioned privacy. You stayed there, hidden, not brave enough to face him at the very end. The loud whir of the industrial laundry machines washed out the sound of your tears and then and there you vowed to cleanse your heart of him, like removing a stain from a white sheet.Â
~*~
Three months later.Â
It still felt weird. Sitting in the office, that is. Your new office. It almost didnât seem realâso much so you had to pinch yourself to prove it wasnât a dream. But there it was, written on a shiny, gold desk plate: _____ ________, Head Chef.
You looked out into the bustling kitchen, filled with activity as the staffâyour staffâworked hard during dinner rush. Making your dishes. In your kitchen. You still couldnât believe you were here. Thinking back to that day three months ago, youâd never have guessed what life could bring.Â
After hiding out in the laundry as long as humanly possible, you had trudged back to the land of the living, hoping to make it through dinner service so you could go home and have a good old-fashioned ice-cream cry.Â
Hyun-min had practically jumped on you when you walked through the kitchen doors, peppering you with questions. Where was Chef Do going? Why were you crying? So many questions it made your head spin. The phone had rung, and youâd been relieved, for once, to be summoned to Manager Kimâs office.Â
Being the amazing friend that he was, Hyun-min had insisted you celebrate after hearing the news. Youâd gone out with the kitchen staff that night, dressed to the nines, but without your heart really in it. You felt conflictedâyou finally had it, the dream job you always wanted, but it came at the expense of losing somethingâor someone.Â
Kyungsooâs new television show had started airing, but you couldnât bring yourself to watch, not willing to be tortured by what you couldnât have. Luckily, your work kept you busy, at least during the day. It was nights that were harder. You couldnât escape him, even in your own damn apartment. The stairs, the door, the bedâall reminders of that one unforgettable night before the rug was pulled out from under you.Â
A knock on the door disturbed your thoughts and you looked up to see Hyun-min hovering in the doorway, a peculiar expression on his face.Â
âUm, boss? Thereâs a customer out front whoâd like to speak to youâŠsomething about overcooked lamb chopsâŠâ
âYou offered to re-make it, Iâm assuming?â
Hyun-min nodded. âYeah, but they said they wanted to talk to you specifically.â
Telling him youâd be right there, you reluctantly got up from your chair and donned your starched, white chefâs coat. Dealing with a picky customer wasnât out of the ordinary, but your threshold for dealing with complaints today was at an all-time low.Â
âTable 4â, Hyun-min called as you headed through the kitchen and out the doors into the dining room.Â
Walking through the busy dining room, you dodged waitstaff and waded through customers, fresh from a matinee musical performance. You approached Table 4 from behind, where a lone male figure was seated.Â
Taking a deep breath and pasting your âthe customer is always rightâ smile on your face, you prayed a little sweet talking and a comped glass of wine would be enough to smooth this situation over.Â
âExcuse meââÂ
Dark brown eyes turned toward you, full lips that you were intimately familiar with parted into a smile.
Kyungsoo.Â
You rubbed your eyes, making sure you werenât just seeing things, that he was really there. What was he doing here? It didnât make sense. Heâd blown into your life, set it on fire, then breezed out, never to be heard from again. In the three months heâd been gone, you hadnât heard from him once.Â
â_____,â he breathed. âI heard you got the head chef job, so I came as soon as I got back from London. I missed youââ
Hearing his voice, your resolve wavered. You cleared your throat, striving to take control of the situation. You were a professional, the chef in charge now, and you wouldnât let your feelings get the better of you, gosh darn it!
âHello, sir, I heard from my kitchen staff that you were unhappy with a dish we prepared for you. May I ask what the issue is?â
Kyungsooâs smile slipped from his face, as though he was surprised, almost disappointed at your reaction.Â
Kyungsoo leaned forward, making sure no one could hear him but you. âCan we talkâŠprivately?âÂ
As Kyungsoo led you into an empty office, he felt a hint of unease. Heâd pictured your reunion much differently. In his imaginings, you were overjoyed at the surprise of seeing him, smiling widely before pulling him close for an embraceâthe embrace heâd imagined everyday during those long, lonely weeks in Europe. He understood, but it stung all the same.Â
Once inside, he walked towards the window, stopping to look out into the bright moonlight, trying to gather his thoughts. You stayed a respectful distance away, looking wary, as though you were about to bolt out the door.Â
You waited for Kyungsoo to speakâŠand waitedâŠbut he only continued to look out the window. âLook, Kyungsoo, what is it? Iâve got to head back to work soon.âÂ
Kyungsoo turned towards you, silhouetted in moonlight, his eyes dark as the sky behind him.Â
âI missed you,____. So much. Everyday.â
You snorted. âSure, Kyungsoo. You missed me. So much so you called me all of zero times. Or did I just miss all those calls and texts you sent me?âÂ
Kyungsoo shifted between his feet. âI know I messed up, _____. I shouldnât have just left like that, you deserved better than that.âÂ
âYeah, youâre right, Kyungsoo. I did deserve better. You just left without any explanation.âÂ
Kyungsoo started to speak, but you kept going.Â
âIâm not talking about leaving for Europe, Kyungsoo. I understood that part, you had an opportunity and took it. But that morning, you just left my apartment, no note, no explanation, nothing, after weââ you cut off, not wanting to say it aloud.Â
Crossing to you, Kyungsoo gripped your shoulders. âIâm sorry, _____. That morning, it killed me to leave. I wanted to make it so good for you, but I was scared.â
You watched as Kyungsoo worried his lower lip. âScared of what?â you breathed.
âUs. What we did. I was your boss, ____. No matter how much I wanted you, I was disappointed in myself. Then, when I was in Europe, I wondered if youâd even want to hear from me. I was your boss and I took advantage of you, I worried you felt you had no choiceââÂ
You put your pointer finger against his lips, cutting him off before he could finish what he was going to say.Â
âKyungsoo, I appreciate the concern, but Iâm not a baby. I chose to invite you in, I chose to let you kiss me. For godâs sake, we were stone cold sober, so itâs not like we can even blame the alcohol. You didnât force me to do anything, okay?â
He nodded and you removed your finger from his lips.Â
âFor what itâs worth, I thought you deserved a frittata. If I could do that night over, Iâd have made you the most delicious breakfast youâd ever had and served it to you in bed.âÂ
âWellâŠI guess next time, Iâll be holding you to that, then.âÂ
Kyungsoo looked up, his mouth forming an âoâ. âNext time?â he whispered.Â
âYeah, next time,â you said, a small smile lighting up your face.Â
Kyungsoo slid his hands from your shoulders to cup your cheeks. âSoâŠyou forgive me?â he said, hopefully.Â
âYeah, I forgive you. You made some dumb decisions, but hey, at least youâre still cute.â
Kyungsoo pinched your cheeks in revenge, immediately stroking the reddened skin to soothe the burn.Â
âSo, what are you going to do now that youâre back?â you asked, turning serious again.Â
âI actually leased a restaurant just a few streets over,â he said sheepishly. âI finally did it, got my own place.â
âSoâŠyou were really here to check out the competition, eh?â you said, shooting him a grin. âWhat did you think?â
Moving his hands to your waist, Kyungsoo pulled you against him, your faces just inches apart.Â
âThe lamb chops were a little overdone,â he said with a wink.Â
You scoffed. âShut up, Kyungsoo. Donât you have anything better to do with those lips? Like kissing me, perhaps?âÂ
âMuch better,â he said, joining your mouths together at last.Â
As your lips clashed, you soaked in the feeling of being in Kyungsooâs arms again. You certainly hadnât expected today to end this way. That Kyungso was here to stay was even more of a surprise, in a restaurant of his own not four blocks away. Once again, you were competitors, though this time on equal footing.Â
As they said, âkeep your friends close and enemies closer,â and this enemy, youâd enjoy keeping very, very close.Â
~*~
Thank you so much for reading Flames of Attraction! I hope you enjoyed it and if you did, please re-blog for others to find! And please support the other amazing creators on the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa project. @myeoning-call @leewalberg @yourkeeperoftherunners @taem-min @ouvuo @dreamylittlesugarcube @jxstadaydreamer @xiubaek-13 @yourkeeperoftherunners @ninibears-erigom and @sojuri
While your friends thought it was worth making passes at the hot female lifeguard, your mind was preoccupied with the disaster of a wedding you were in town for. Chances were unlikely that youâd see her outside of the hotel youâre staying at, but what are the odds of you being seated next to the very lifeguard at said wedding?
Her job is glamorized all the time, but the reason why she took up the job has a deeper meaning.
đ Lifeguard!AU x Hotel Guest!AU
đ Pairing: Lifeguard!Yoo Jimin (aespa Karina) Ă Reader (Any gender), feat. Uchinaga Aeri (aespa Giselle), Jeon Somi, Pool Boy!Sehun (EXO Sehun)  Â
đ Genre: PG-13Â
đ Warnings: Language, Lifeguard duties, Gossip, Mention of a dead sibling, Unpopular wedding, Guests disapproving of wedding, Mention of bad boyfriends, Mention of young kids bullying another kid
đ Notes: All of the characters and storyline are fictional. The sister mentioned in this story is different from Karinaâs real life sister. The couple getting married is slightly inspired by a friendâs relative who rushed their wedding, despite the families disapproving.
đK-Pop Masterlistđ  đEXO Masterlistđ
                                                              âââââ
âAre you there yet?â
âHang on Mom,â you replied before opening the door on your rideshareâs car. You held the phone away from your ear as you thanked the driver.
The driver placed your suitcase on the curb and told you to enjoy your trip. You stepped around the car and lifted the handle on your suitcase, while your free hand brought the phone up to your ear again.
âSorry I was thanking the driver. I made it to the hotel,â you shared as you headed to the entrance.
âYou know me, mothers worry about their kids, even when theyâre olderâ she replied. âSo whoâs getting married again?â
You paused at the entrance to the hotel and moved off to the side to continue your conversation with your mom. You let go of the handle on your suitcase so you could hike your personal carry-on bag higher on your shoulder.
There was a pause on the other end and your mom asked if you were close to Andi or something.
âNot really Mom,â you said, âItâsâŠkind of a long story and I wanna settle in after a long flight.â
âFair enough,â your mom replied. âThanks for the update. Try to have fun at the wedding, okay?â
âIâll try,â you promised before hanging up. You pulled up your reservation on your e-mail app and retrieved your suitcase, prepared to make your way to the front desk to check-in.
đ Hotel!AUÂ
đ Pairing: Multifandom x Reader  Â
đ Genre: đ (When indicated)
âHowâs work?â You asked as you helped Junmyeon remove his very stiff suit blazer.
âItâs a lot.â He huffed trying to remove his tie frustratingly.
You gently removed his hands to do it yourself. âI know, but thatâs the business. I know you can. I believe in you Junmyeon.â
âAll the people that we need to hire for the expansion, the rebranding⊠How am I going to get all this done in time?â Junmyeon pouted making eye contact with you when he was finally tie-free.
Alright kids, listen up because @staff have pulled off a corker of a hot mess and have decided to add "Community Labels". I guess they've decided we can't be trusted to add our own warnings and people can't make sensible choices with what they engage with.
But why does it matter to me?
Tumblr have made labels AN OPT IN SITUATION which means every single blog here is automatically set to hide any triggering content
If you want to continue to be able to access and read fanfiction PLEASE go into your settings and click "show" on at least the "Mature" and "Sexual Themes" labels!!
ALSO IOS USERS: there's an extra fun "Hide additional content" bit just to really try and block us from any hopes of success. Make sure you opt out of that too otherwise I think content will be blocked on the mobile app!
Attached to this post are screenshots from my settings so you guys know what to look for. I could only find it on my desktop settings and not on the mobile app (for now at least)
[I feel like I should add I don't want to sound like I'm pressuring anyone... if you don't want to see certain content obviously keep it hidden and protect yourselves BUT this post is mainly targeted at the horny little gremlins I write for who will be suddenly deeply confused when their smut supply is cut off]
Part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa collaboration
Genre: Hotel AU, eventual smut.
Pairing: Night Manager Baekhyun x Hotel Guest Reader
Word Count: 3,932
Warnings: Christmas tree innuendo? Roleplay if you squint. Nothing really for this chapter, its mostly an intro to their characters.
A/N: I hope you enjoy this. There will be 3 parts to this short fic. I wanted to break it up a bit rather than drop a 15k monster on all of you.
You checked your booking information one last time before leaving for the airport. Youâd gotten ready too early, a trait your mother had ingrained into your subconscious, at least you werenât as extreme as her - sheâd be at the airport 8 hours before the flight boarded, you were only a couple of hours ahead of schedule. Still not quite believing that you were off on an all expenses paid trip to Seoul, you shut the door behind you and rolled your suitcase towards the taxi that had just pulled up in front of your building. When youâd topped the sales board for most insurance policies in your branch last year you had been gifted a $100 voucher for dinner so it had come as a huge surprise that this year instead of a gift voucher, you received an envelope through the internal mailing system that contained a plane ticket, a 5 night hotel booking confirmation and details of a one day meeting that you were to attend on behalf of the company.Â
After confirming that the trip was indeed real and not some sort of joke youâd looked the hotel up online and it was fancy with a capital F. You just knew youâd look out of place there. The Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa was a top tier, very expensive, luxury hotel. You had this image of all of the guests in their designer clothes, nary a hair out of place. Your personal style did not scream âI have lots of moneyâ, not that you cared. You liked your style, it wasnât bad, it would just stick out like a sore thumb in a place like that.Â
The hotel had recently been renovated. Youâd spent a decent portion of your flight to Seoul reading up on the new and improved Crimson Aurora. They offered a wide range of services, more than youâd seen on any hotel list that youâd stayed at before: 24 hr room service, on-site pool, spa, sauna, gym with personal trainer, yoga sessions, cocktail bar, celebrity chef, top of the line security, tour guides, live music. The list went on. Surely they were offering too much? How many employees did it have? It would have to be a lot to accommodate all of those services.Â
You were due to arrive late at night, checking in around 11:30pm due to your flight times. You had been given instructions from one of the very helpful receptionists on how to contact the night manager once you arrived so that he could check you in and see you to your room. While the taxi from the airport took you to your destination you rang the number youâd been provided with. After two rings the night manager answered.Â
âCrimson Aurora Hotel & Spa, Night Manager Baekhyun speaking. How may I be of assistance to you this evening?â His voice was soothing, the tone of it comforting. It made you feel like you were speaking to an old friend which kind of startled you.
Pulling your mind from the odd tangent it was headed down Do I know him? Surely not right? But his voiceâŠit feels familiar⊠âOh hi, I was told by one of the daytime receptionists to call this number when I was on my way to the hotel. Iâm in the taxi from the airport right now.â
âAre you checking in for a stay with us?â He asked.
âYes. I got stuck with a late flight. Christmas in July and all that. The driver says weâll be arriving in about 15 minutes. Can you let me in once I arrive so I can check in? Iâm sorry to be arriving so late at night.â You apologised. You knew that check in had technically finished hours ago but youâd specially organised the late check in after realising at the airport that your flight was delayed.
âItâs a very busy time for tourists, that's for sure.â He replied, not at all fussed by your late arrival. âMaâam if you could provide me with your booking reference Iâll have most of the check in process completed by the time you arrive.â He said kindly.
âOk great. My booking reference is CHS-01004099.â You replied.
âThank you maâam. Iâm just bringing the booking up now.â He hummed softly as he pulled up your booking information. The sound was pleasant to your ears but was not doing anything to help keep you awake. âYouâre going to be spending a week with us. On behalf of Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa I hope you enjoy your stay.â You could hear the smile as he spoke. âNow when you arrive, walk up to the glass doors and press the white button on the left hand door frame. That will notify me of your arrival and I will come out to assist you with your bags and finalise the check in process.â He stated.
You nodded, then realised that duh, you were on the phone so he couldnât see you, and spoke. âThank you. See you soon then.â You hung up, stifling a yawn as you made sure you had all of your bags ready for when you pulled up to the hotel.Â
***
âOk you are all set,â He smiled warmly at you as he handed you your room key. âIâll have Jinki, our bellboy, bring your bags up to your room in a moment. Youâll need to use the room key to access floors above the restaurant level, which is level 3. On behalf of the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa Iâd like to welcome you and hope that your stay is everything you wish it to be.â He guided you through the hotel lobby and stood with you while you waited for one of the three elevators to arrive.Â
You donât know what you expected the night manager to look like but it sure as well wasnât what had greeted you when you had arrived. In head to toe black his ash blonde hair stood out almost as much as his incredibly warm smile. Heâd greeted you and helped you inside, his ring clad fingers taking your bags from you as you followed him to the reception desk. It had been difficult not to just stare at him, there was no denying that this night manager was handsome. If heâd noticed your lingering gaze on his face and the few too many undone buttons of his shirt, he made no comments about it. Maybe it was the jet lag setting in or maybe it was just him but you continually found yourself stealing glances at him during the entire check in process. Baekhyun had remained a consummate professional so either you weren't staring as much as you thought or he was ignoring it.Â
He grinned and waved after you stepped into the elevator. "Sleep well. Just call the front desk if anything in your room isn't right." You nodded in thanks, a small smile creeping onto your face.
The bed in the room was so incredibly comfortable that as soon as your head hit the pillow you fell asleep. You didn't even hear the knock at the door when the bellboy arrived with your bags, nor the way he quietly opened the door and placed them just inside before leaving. The long flight coupled with the huge comfortable bed meant that you slept a lot longer than you had planned. You managed to wake up right before breakfast had finished for the day. One hurried shower later you arrived at the restaurant just before the breakfast buffet closed. Youâd read about this buffet on the flight over and the way it had been described made it a must on your ever growing list of things to see and experience while you were here.Â
The review youâd read had been correct, if anything it had undersold on just how unbelievably good the food was. Every single thing that you had off that buffet was delicious to the point that the food was making you mad. Whoever theyâd hired as the chef and kitchen staff were worth every cent, possibly more.
Once you finished eating you took yourself on a tour around the hotel grounds, past the gym where you saw a few people taking a class with a very enthusiastic instructor, the pool; manned by a seemingly disinterested pool boy, the massage parlour; which was manned by one overconfident man who winked at you as you wandered by, the yoga studio where a class had just finished, the beautiful gardens and a second restaurant spot. You found your way back to the main area of the hotel and passed through the bar lounge and games area before you came to a stop in the lobby. The hotel was beautiful and whoever had redecorated had done an amazing job. You had read in the information pack that the Kim Kibum (better known in the art world as Key) was the mastermind behind the interior decorating.
The rest of your day was not very busy. You took yourself on a tour around Seoul, taking in all of the sites, doing some shopping and eating some local foods. Tomorrow would be the day of your actual meeting so you worked out the building that you had to go to and the most efficient route between it and the hotel. You went back to your room to look over the schedule for the day as well as key points and topics to be covered. Most of it was boring pseudo sales crap but you made sure to read all of it, not wanting to be under prepared. You are an excellent sales person but you also like to be prepared for these sorts of things, not wanting anyone to surprise you and make you look like a fool.
***
Baekhyun POVÂ
âYah Junmyeon! When are you gonna hire more staff? I can't keep doing this on my own every single night. There's too many jobs, too many guests and I'm the only one apart from Jinki who works the night shift.â He half whined down the phone at his friend and boss. He was tired. Tired of demanding shifts with little to no thanks. He needed at least one more staff member and one more security officer before his job could become smoother. He also needed the damn bartender and the musician to start already. He was being run ragged and if the issue didnât resolve itself soon, heâd be in danger of burning out.
Ever since the refurbishment of the hotel Junmyeon had been busy searching for and hiring new staff. He only wanted the best - he had a vision of what his hotel could be and this was his chance to get it right. So far he had hired a world class celebrity chef, an incredibly attractive pool boy, a masseuse who was good at his job but would steal your heart, a flashy bartender and a new musician. However, not all of these hires had commenced work yet. Some were still in mandatory training and others werenât due to start until August. He couldnât have pulled this difficult period without his events coordinator who was a true lifesaver almost as much as Baekhyun was. Junmyeon truly didn't know how he would have continued to run the hotel without Baekhyun's help. He was willing to do a shift that no one else wanted to, giving up his nights to cater to the whims of tired, grumpy, drunk and handsy elite guests. He was always available to work, was never sick and Junmyeon was pretty sure he hadnât had a day off in at least three months. It was something he wanted to change but it would have to wait until after the Christmas in July period because he couldnât trust anyone else to keep up the charade to children in the night when Santa was concerned.
âSoon Baek, Iâm interviewing more candidates today.â He sighed, the pressure to get his staffing issue solved quickly weighing down on him. âIâm doing my best to find more staff to cover the nights and weâve got others starting next month. Weâve just got to get through July.â Junmyeon couldnât risk hiring the wrong people so his screening process was lengthy and demanding.Â
âI know you are hyung. Itâs just been a lot this past week. Christmas in July has made my shifts incredibly busy and while Iâm amazing, arguably the best night manager there ever was or ever will be, Iâm only one man.â He said.
âYou know how much I value you Baek. Iâm going to find you the staff you need but I canât rush it. Weâve gotta trust the process.â He paused. âIâve gotta go, the first candidate for the day has arrived.â
Baekhyun hung up and continued his journey to his room. One of the perks of being Night Manager was a suite on the eastern side of the hotel. His suite was lovely, heâd done his best (much to the chagrin of Key) to make it feel like home. He accepted all of these shifts, as well as the title of Night Manager, because he loved working for the hotel. He considered Junmyeon to be one of his closest friends, he didnât even mind that his close friend was his boss.Â
He loved his job, he just wished that he didn't have to wear so many hats at the moment to please the guests that they had. As it was newly refurbished they were trying to bring in new clientele and in order to do that it had to seem like the hotel was fully staffed at all times including the night shift so not only was he night manager but he was everyone else during the hours of 10 until 6. To say that this was exhausting and kind of boring in the beginning was not an understatement but he turned it into a game to keep it interesting for him.
Behind the reception area where no one could see he had a coat rack full of the other uniforms that staff would wear to fulfil their various roles and when it was called for he did a very quick costume change, disappearing and reappearing as someone new. For him the most fun was when he impersonated the staff that werenât there.
Most of the guests were so full of themselves or the business that they were there for that they didn't really pay much attention to the staff as long as the staff member was good at their job and present so Baekhyun had gotten away with his ruse for quite some time. He had it down to a fine art. Until you. You saw him and he didnât know how to feel about that. At first he was scared that youâd make a complaint to the hotel about him, but you seemed to enjoy watching him play his many roles. He wasnât sure why the thought of that thrilled him as much as it did.
It had been quite some time since a guest had stared at him the way you did, as though you were transfixed by him. He was used to people looking through him, just seeing a staff member that they needed for something, which was fine with him, but you looked at him. That first night when you checked in he hadnât had time to change back into the suit he wore for his main role. Heâd been serving drinks at the bar right up until you buzzed the front door. He hadnât missed the way that your eyes kept drifting to his lips, chest, hands, and thighs. It felt good to be looked at like that, as someone desirable, but he kept quiet about it. He didnât want to make you embarrassed as he was pretty sure you werenât aware of how unsubtle you were being after having been in transit for most of the day. He hoped heâd get to know you better during the course of the week.Â
***
Your POV
After two days at the hotel youâd come to know a few things. 1. During the day, the place was bustling with both guests and staff. 2. At night, it was still bustling with guests but the staff⊠well the staff seemed to just be Baekhyun and Jinki. 3. Baekhyun denied this vehemently.Â
The first night after your arrival you headed down to see the Christmas tree in the main lobby and grab a drink at the bar, maybe even listen to the dulcet tones of their newly hired pianist. You saw Baekhyun at the reception desk, giving him a small wave as you passed by. He smiled and waved back as he continued to assist the couple in front of him with directions.
You stood in front of the large tree in awe. Youâd never seen a Christmas tree of this magnitude before. It was lit up, well like a Christmas tree, the red and gold baubles accenting the green of the tree beautifully. It was a lot grander than your small tree at home. Granted, yours was a real tree and you had to keep it alive (something you wouldnât say you were excelling at but the thing wasnât dead).Â
âIâll give you a drink voucher if you can spot my favourite decoration.â His voice startled you. You turned to your left and found Baekhyun grinning as he stood next to you. âSorry, I thought youâd have heard me walking over. You must have really been immersed in the tree.â
You nodded. âYeah, Iâve never seen one this big before.â He laughed. âItâs huge! Who has a Christmas tree thatâs at least three storeys high and isnât amazed by it?!â
He shrugged. âI guess Iâm just used to it. I see it every day so its size doesnât distract me.â He fought the urge to wink as he spoke. âAnyway, my offer for a drink voucher stands. You just have to find my favourite decoration. Iâll give you one chance per day.â The distinct ring of the bell at the front desk sounded and he sighed. âIâll be back. Go get up close and personal with it.âÂ
Not one to pass up a free anything, you moved closer to the tree as Baekhyun went about doing his job. At first glance youâd only focused on the red and gold baubles but the longer you looked, the more decorations you noticed. There were ornaments spread across the entire tree. You spotted a candy cane, a nutcracker, various glittery pine cones, some snowmen, some varied Santa ornaments, and angel or two, a range of coloured balls with odd symbols on them, random animals with vaguely Christmas themed objects; like the corgi with a snowglobe.Â
You decided to pick the European gnome style Santa ornament, with his hat covering all of his face except for his nose and beard but when you turned around, Baekhyun was nowhere to be seen. You decided to go to the bar, figuring youâd see him on your way back to the elevator when you were ready to return to your room for the night.
***
âWhy are you everywhere?â You asked, pointedly.
The bartender, who was without a shadow of a doubt, Baekhyun replied. âI donât know what you mean.â
You narrowed your eyes at him. âYou served me a drink then disappeared, only to suddenly be over at the piano accompanying the jazz singer whoâs here tonight, and now youâre back serving drinks.âÂ
âYouâre mistaken.â He gestured to the tag on his shirt. âIâm Taemin, as you can see from my name badge and the pianist is Chanyeol. Weâve got similar hairstyles so I could understand why you might confuse the two of us.â He pointed at his attire. âBut as you can see, Iâm wearing completely different clothing. Maybe you need your eyes checked. We staff arenât all the same, you know.â He smirked as he shook a cocktail for another guest, expertly adding little flourishes as he worked. You were not convinced. This man tending the bar, as far as you were concerned, was Baekhyun and he was doing a terrible job of convincing you otherwise. Maybe the other guests didnât notice him the way you did but you had memorised the features of his face, and apparently some other features as well.
You leant forward on the bar counter. âYou both look alarmingly similar to the night managerâŠâÂ
He chuckled as he shook his head at you in disbelief. âSo our CEO has a type. How is that our fault?â
âBaekhyunâŠâ You started.
He tutted at you as he moved to stand directly in front of you, only the bar counter separating the two of you. âI might have to cut you off little lady, I just said my name was Taemin. How could you get that so wrong?â He tilted his head, a mischievous glint in his eye. It felt like a challenge, one you were willing to play along with for now.
âMy apologies, er Taemin was it?â He nodded, happy that you were playing along. âYour drinks must be stronger than I anticipated. You see I was talking with the aforementioned Night Manager before I came in here. He offered me a free drink voucher if I could guess his favourite decoration on the Christmas tree.â
He leant forward on the bar, his closeness almost distracting you. âDid you guess correctly?â He asked, a knowing smile forming on his face.
You shook your head, pouting. âNo. He was nowhere to be seen when I was ready to make my first guess.â
âAh, he is a busy man.â Not-Baekhyun offered. âIâm sure youâll see him before you return to your room.
You sighed. âTrue, but I wanted to make my guess. I really stared at that huge, girthy tree for so long and got so close to it to inspect all of the details.âÂ
He cleared his throat. âNow I donât think Iâve ever heard someone describe the Christmas tree like that before.âÂ
Before you could continue your innuendo another guest arrived at the bar which demanded Not-Baekhyunâs attention. He offered you a slight shrug as he turned to focus on the guestâs order. You couldnât say that you minded though, you enjoyed watching him tend the bar. He was remarkably good at it, flipping bottles and providing easy banter. You werenât sure why he was pretending to be someone else, changing his shirt, jacket and sometimes his hair wasnât enough to fool you. Clearly it worked for the other guests as youâd spotted quite a few people who youâd seen speaking with him at the front desk not even take a second glance at him as they ordered their drinks.
The whole bit with the size of the tree? Youâd picked up on his suggestive yet playful tone when heâd first mentioned it. You were here for a few more days and there was absolutely no harm in flirting with the very attractive man who seemed to be doing everyoneâs jobs. He seemed interested so even if nothing came of it, you could both have your fun until you left.
As you sipped your drink, a devious little plan formed in your mind. One that would achieve a few goals for you. It would catch him out on pretending to be others and explore the extent of the wardrobe options he had on hand. If it went really well, then you both just might get to have a very Merry ChristmasâŠin July.
A/N: Thanks for reading and enjoying this collab. Please donât forget to check the other writers out @myeoning-call @leewalberg @yourkeeperoftherunners @taem-min @ouvuo @dreamylittlesugarcube @jxstadaydreamer and @sojuri
GENRES ||Â Best Friends to Lovers AU, Bartender!Taemin, Humour
SUMMARY ||Â After your last relationship failed, you turned towards your best friend, Taemin, for comfort. Only that he too was hiding something, something he could not disclose unless he wanted to become your ex too.
Or, in which Lee Taemin tries not to sour up his status as a best friend.
COLLAB || Part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel and Spa collab by @myeoning-callâ. Thank you for letting me take part in this collab! Check out the other authors here!
WORD COUNT || 3.1k
A/N || Finally writing something so long please bear with me if it isnât the best TT
WARNINGS || Mentions of breakup
TAGLIST || @shrutiajitâ @exoxobsessionâ @nctisthecityâ @woo-minhee02â @semanticbiasâ @buttviâ @vllxchorâ @stayinzencityâ @watsonparkerâ @joepomonerofâ @imdamnconfusedâ @ahtisa02â @moonchilddficsâ @spacebyunsâ @xavi-in-kpoplandâ @midnightmoiâ @whatudoingâ @fifty-shades-of-mischeifâ @softmark1999â @myluv-yeonjunâ @cara-18â @ongshimiâ @xuxibelleâ @soobin-choisâ @yerimezzyâ @trashlord-007â (If you want to be added to my taglists, fill in this form)
âWhat are you doing here again?â
The woman in question just smiled at him as she sat on the stool opposite him, causing him to sigh. It wasnât that he was irritated by her because no way the woman across from him could ever irritate him, but rather, he was worried about her. Worried about what would become of her if she kept on living like this.
âCan I not visit my best friend?â She asked.
âYou arenât visiting me. Youâve booked for overnight again, havenât you?â He grumbled, getting ready to make her drink.
âAh, Lee Taemin. You know me so well.â
He ignored the sarcasm in her voice and continued with his work. Of course, he knew her well. He was her best friend, and that position came with the heavy responsibility of having to know almost everything about the said person.Â
âWhat do you want?â
âThe usual, of course.â
âNo I mean, what do you want from me?â He asked, placing her drink in front of her.Â
Thank you @myeoning-call for letting me self indulge with this.
Word count: 10K
Summary: You have to abruptly end your much needed holidays at the request of your Manager, Kim Junmyeon and to return to work. Luckily the VIP you need to assist makes it up for all the inconveniences caused by his unexpected arrival.
âJunmyeon NO! You said you donât need me for two weeks! Itâs not fair!â You cried, kicking the sheets off.
âVan, please! I beg you. I BEG! I WILL owe you forever!"Â
"JunâŠI know I said you can call me but I havenât had time off in a year!â You argued, trying to change your bossâs mind.
Junmyeon was the ideal manager, but you two being friends made things complicated, at least for you, being unable to refuse him every time.Â
âPlease Van! You are the only one who could deal with this. Baek is covering far too many roles and Iâm afraid heâll soon crack under pressure. You know I wouldnât call you back from your holiday, but this is an old friend of mine and youâre the only one I trust to handle this!â
âSeeâŠthis is the problem Jun. You need to start making some new friends.â You whined, already decided to return to Seoul.Â
Whatever is it you might need to make your stay complete, Night Manager Byun Baekhyun can provide. He'll even dress the part.
Baekhyun is overworked. He needs more staff between the hours of 10pm and 6am but until Junmyeon is satisfied with a candidate, Baekhyun is left to fulfil every possible role. Concierge, room service attendant, bartender, pianist, doctor, hell - even Santa Claus.
Night Manager Baekhyun x Guest Reader
Part 1 (coming soon)
Part 2 (coming soon)
Part 3 (coming soon)
Part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa collaboration with @myeoning-call.
đ Friends & Lovers đ
đ Genre: fluff đ
đ Warnings: brief mentions of alcohol đ
đ Hotel Manager!AU x VIP!AU Female Reader x Jazz Musician!AU x Event Coordinator!AU đ
àź Hotel!AUÂ
àź Pairing: Multifandom x Reader  Â
àź Genre: đ (When indicated)
âHowâs work?â You asked as you helped Junmyeon remove his very s
Thank you @myeoning-call for giving me a chance to take part in your big project.
Word count: 1K+
Summary: You are preparing your wedding when a former lover shows up. After clearing things out you continue being friends and witness him becoming happy as well.
đ Hotel!AUÂ
đ Pairing: Multifandom x Reader  Â
đ Genre: đ (When indicated)
âHowâs work?â You asked as you helped Junmyeon remove his very stiff suit blazer.
âItâs a lot.â He huffed trying to remove his tie frustratingly.
You gently removed his hands to do it yourself. âI know, but thatâs the business. I know you can. I believe in you Junmyeon.â
âAll the people that we need to hire for the expansion, the rebranding⊠How am I going to get all this done in time?â Junmyeon pouted making eye contact with you when he was finally tie-free.
Part of @myeoning-call's Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa Collab
Pairing: Park Chanyeol x F.Reader
AU: Pianist!Interior Designer!Chanyeol x Hotel Guest!Reader
Genre: Fluff, Slowburn, Smut. PLEASE DNI IF MINOR.
Word count: 10.2k words
Summary: Girl needs break. Girl books hotel weekend to treat herself. Girl checks into hotel. Girl spots handsome guy. Handsome guy catches girl staring. And the rest is history.
Warnings: brief mentions of anxiety/anxious thoughts/situations, explicit language, explicit sexual content (spanking, dirty talk, slight dom/sir Chanyeol, marking, biting, teasing, edging, breast play, nipple play, begging, vaginal fingering, oral (male receiving), unprotected sex (be safe!), cum eating).
Author's Note: Hello everyone! It's been a while. I've been working on this one for a while and it's my longest story yet so please show it some love (reblogs are graciously encouraged) đ Thank you to @myeoning-call for setting this up, this was fun and definitely gave me some motivation to write again! đ And a special thank you to @ouvuo for keeping me motivated and giving me advice along the way đ Please remember to check out the stories already posted by other members of the collab, there are a few mentions in this story related to the other EXO members, and keep an eye out for future additions!
Life was beginning to drain you, the same routine day in, day out. Long days of work and weekends dedicated to familial and social commitments leaving you with no time for yourself. Looking through your calendar, you notice an empty weekend with nothing scheduled and decide to take that opportunity to mark it off as your very own self care weekend. Some quality time to do whatever you want and however you want, all by yourself.
You settle on booking yourself a nice suite at a fancy hotel youâve seen frequently mentioned online lately, the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa. Something about new owners that have improved the hotel vastly, not that they didnât have an already impeccable reputation prior. Opting to book a fancier suite for yourself for the occasion, you look forward to it and begin to make a mental checklist of what you will need to bring. Youâre not quite sure why, maybe it was the fact that this was the first time you will have ever done anything like this, and entirely alone too, but you feel a sort of nervousness at what this weekend could bring you, in a good kind of way.
â«~
A few weeks pass by agonisingly slow. Was it because time always seemed to slow down when you were excited for something? Like the night before an excursion at school, the last hour of the working day or the promise to catch up with an old friend the next day. But it didnât matter anymore because the day you had been patiently waiting for is finally here. Time for you to be all about you. You happily leave work, a giddy smile on your face and a little hop in your step, get into your car and head towards the hotel.
Managing to navigate the discreet entrance to the underground carpark, you find yourself a convenient spot near the elevators, pulling your well packed bags out the trunk and head to the reception to check in. You are greeted by the friendly staff at the reception and give them your details. Once you confirm everything, you give them a few moments to check over your arrangements, turning around and taking in the magnificent lobby. The high ceilings, the beautiful chandelier, the tasteful decoration and furniture choices.Â
Your eyes drift across the room until something, or rather someone, who catches your eye. Off to the side, two men are engaged in conversation. The one you facing you is shorter, dark hair and a fancy suit. Classically handsome. He looks like he could be someone important, although the conversation they are having must be friendly and casual, telling by the way his eyes are crinkled into little half moons as he laughs. The one that really catches your attention though has broad, bouncing shoulders which belong to the taller man opposite him as he laughed along, his loud yet monotone hahaha echoing the room. Now usually, you wouldnât look twice at a persons ears, however, with his back facing you, you notice the oddly horizontal angle of the tops of his ears, almost comical, yoda-like, and a smile stretches across your face at the sight.Â
Just as your luck would have it, this was the exact moment he turns around and you catch a glimpse of his strikingly handsome face. His big, beautiful eyes. His big, beautiful eyes that are looking right at you. His big, beautiful eyes that had just caught you smiling at him and his big, beautiful eyes that could now see the embarrassed look quickly taking over your features. Shit. Your cheeks immediately flush beet red and you quickly avert your gaze back towards the reception desk, trying to act as nonchalant as possible.
You donât catch the smirk on his face after you turn away.
Thankfully the receptionist hands you the keycard and you scurry to the elevator that will take you up to your escape. Literally. In more ways that one right now.
When you finally reach your room and step inside, you are immediately taken away by the view of the city and horizon, courtesy of the floor to ceiling windows. Dropping your bags beside the bed, you admire the scenic sunset before turning around to take a proper look at the room. The peachy sunset glow making the plush bedding looking extra inviting, inciting you to do a little run and jump, landing on the cushy blankets and pillows. As you give in to the drooping of your eyes, you can feel yourself starting to drift off to sleep. Deciding you can allow yourself the pleasure of having a nap before finding something to eat.
â«~
Stretching your arms and legs, you wake up feeling relaxed and refreshed. However, the feeling is short-lived when you open your eyes and realise how dark the sky has gotten. And as if right on queue, your stomach grumbles to remind you that you are yet to have dinner. A quick internet search shows that the restaurant of the hotel is still open, albeit only for another hour or so, and you start to mentally prepare yourself for your first solo dining experience in an upscale restaurant, already feeling the anxiety starting to bubble up inside of you.
Not having much time to waste, you quickly touch up your makeup from the work day, slip on a simple but nice black dress and take the elevator down to the level the restaurant is located. You are shown to a table on the side and promptly order a cocktail to calm your nerves as you wait for your food, already knowing what dish you had wanted to order because you had scoured the menu online beforehand.
Youâve already sipped over half your drink but the jitters were still ever present in your veins, so you avoid looking around at other restaurant patrons in case you could see their eyes judging you for being alone in a nice place like this. Social anxiety is a wonderful thing, isnât it?Â
Suddenly you heard a familiar tune being played beautifully on the piano in a way that instantly eased your nerves, calming the storm that was swirling inside your head. It had been a while since you had heard River Flows In You but it was always one of your favourites, and you could recognise it in a heartbeat.
It takes you a few moments, relishing in the new calm the melody brought to you before you turn to the black grand piano situated on the small platform in the corner of the room and youâre not sure why you hadnât noticed earlier when you entered the restaurant but there he was, the tall, handsome stranger from yesterday. You know the one, the one with the cute elf-like ears, the broad shoulders and the big, beautiful eyes. Yeah, that one. There he is sitting on the piano bench as his hands glide effortlessly back and forth across the black and white keys, fingers expertly playing each note in the correct order with the utmost perfect timing.
Possibly the most beautiful sight you had ever seen and it was safe to say, you are completely entranced. So much so that you hadnât noticed the song had ended and another had begun playing til you snap out of your little haze and notice that history has once more repeated itself and you find yourself being watched by those big, beautiful eyes. Again. But this time, they are accompanied by a deep dimple beside a side smile that has you once more blushing furiously and looking elsewhere from the humiliation of being caught. Again.
â«~
Somehow, you have successfully made it through your meal with as minimal contact as possible. Or so you believe anyway. It was incredibly hard for your gaze to not mindlessly drift over towards his direction. You werenât entirely sure if he did notice your not so subtle glances or not, considering the smile and dimple were present each time, but you are thankful he chose to focus his eyes on the music sheets in front of him instead.Â
Deciding you arenât quite ready to head back to your room yet, you wander over to the luxurious looking bar lounge that is also equipped with a beautiful view of the city lights, ordering yourself a drink and taking a seat beside the window so you could admire the sight.
Just as you finish your drink and are about you raise your hand to order another, there is one already being placed onto the small table in front of you. You look up at the waitress with a puzzled look on your face. She gives you a friendly smile and nods her head over towards the bar, telling you the handsome guy over there had bought this for you. You follow the direction of her nod and your eyes once again land on the tall, handsome, piano playing stranger with big, beautiful eyes, a deep dimple and a smile that could easily change from being sweet to smug in the 2 seconds.
He raises his glass at you and you fumble to pick yours up, raising it in return to cheers with him from across the room. You nod him a quick thank you and he flashes you a grin, perfect teeth visible from the distance between you both. A similar smile grows across your own features, your reaction seems to please his ego and he gives you a quick wink before turning back to the bar.
Not long after, you are interrupted from your thoughts by someone clearing their throat beside you.
âWould it be alright if I join you?â
A little stunned by his handsome looks up close, you forget to reply, making him think maybe he had misunderstood the situation.
âIâm sorry, I just noticed you were alone and wondered if you would like some company, is all. If youâd rather be al-â
âNo! No. Of course, Iâd love for you to join me.â You quickly spoke, hands gesturing to the seat opposite your own.
He huffs a huge sigh of relief before taking a seat and scans his eyes across the well-lit horizon outside and turns his gaze to you. It doesnât take too long for the awkwardness to settle in, realising that between all the exchanged glances and smiles, the two of you had never spoken to each other before.
âSo what brings you here?â
âI loved the song you played earlier!â
Both spoken simultaneously in an attempt to break the ice which brings you both to laugh at the silliness of the situation. He holds his glass up to cheers with you, the alcohol definitely helping you both alleviate your nerves.
You clear your throat and lean back in your seat, placing your drink back down on the table and you canât help but notice his eyes following your every move. Almost as if he is as mesmerised by you as are by him. Is he really? Or is the alcohol making you feel confident? Either way, you decide to just enjoy the feeling.
âI loved the song you played before, River Flows In You? Itâs one of my favourites. Iâm a big fan of Yiruma.â
His eyes widen a smidge but you definitely caught the motion, paying close attention to him also.
âOh,â he grins, âActually, itâs not a piece I was meant to play but I snuck it in considering the restaurant was much less busy and it seemed like no one was paying attention anyways.â
âIâm glad you did. Itâs been a long time since Iâve heard it. Definitely made me feel a little nostalgic.â
âDo you play too?â
âGosh no! Iâm way too uncoordinated to. I mean, I tried learning but it never really worked out.â you say sheepishly, a little embarrassed at your admission.
âThatâs okay, maybe I can teach you one day, if you want?â
âMaybe.â
The way this man makes you blush like a schoolgirl. When you look back up, you couldâve sworn he had just breathed out âcuteâ ever so quietly.Â
âSo I couldnât help but notice, youâre here alone?â He tilts his head in a puppy-like manner. âI mean, not just tonight but I saw you earlier in the lobby too.â
Oh fuck. He remembers. That means he saw your reaction.
âAh, yeah. I just need a break I guess. You know how life gets sometimes.â
âAlone?â He prods gently.
âMm,â you hum, taking a second to gather your thoughts, âPeople can just be draining every now and then. Itâs always someone needs something, need to be somewhere, have to do this, have to do that. Between work and family and friends, I had no time for myself. So I decided to just give myself a little vacation, you know, put myself first for once?â
You surprise yourself a little, spilling your thoughts and feelings to this man who is essentially a stranger. And, again, maybe itâs the alcohol speaking but something about him makes you feel comfortable and, dare you say, safe.
âI like that,â he gives you a sweet smile filled with proudness, âknowing to prioritise yourself.â
âWhat about you? Youâre here by yourself too.â
âWell I came here for some after work drinks.â You nod at his admission, it made sense after all. âAnd because I noticed this pretty girl that was always by herself, and I felt so intrigued by her, wanting some excuse to talk to her.â
Your eyes round at his statement, his eyes focus on you, confident and smouldering til a thought crosses his mind that makes him hold his hands up in front of him, waving them nervously.
âI just realised how creepy that sounded! I swear thatâs not what I mean. And I promise itâs not something I do often, well, ever.â He barks out in a singular breath, scrambling to save himself. âI mean, when I saw you in the lobby and caught you staring at me, you were just unbelievably cute and since then I caught myself thinking about you, who you were, if you came alone or if you were meeting someone, if Iâd ever see you again, if-,â looking up at you, embarrassed at his own rambling of words and confession of thoughts, âCrap. I screwed this up didnât I?â taking a deep breath before continuing his onslaught of words. âLet me start again. Hi, Iâm Chanyeol. Iâm the pianist here at the Crimson Aurora. I thought you were really cute and Iâd like to get to know you.â
He tries his best and gives you a nervous smile, a shaky breath escapes his lips before he hangs his head in humiliation and defeat.
But then you laugh.
His ears perk up at the melodious sound and he looks up to find you covering your mouth in an attempt to not be too loud. The happy sight makes him burst in his own fit of chuckles.
âDonât worry, I think I have a pretty good creep radar and I definitely donât get that vibe from you. I just didnât know what to say because, well, I thought I was the one with a silly little schoolgirl crush on this ridiculously handsome and talanted man I had only seen twice. I didnât think the feeling was reciprocated.â
He folds his arms and leans forward on the table, right brow quirking upwards, cocky smirk growing on his lips, the confident expression allowing him to surpass handsome and fit the description of hot.
âA crush? I donât remember saying I had a crush.â
Two can play at this game, mirroring his expression and pose, you lean forward, hardening your eyes and challenging his cocky stare.
âNot as directly as I did, no, but you sure described exactly what a crush sounds like.â
The identical expressions on your faces speak more than any words ever could, you reach for your glass and clink it with his, downing the rest and he signals to the waitress to bring two more.
As the night goes on, you converse with him about anything and everything, the drinks and conversation flowing freely.
â«~
Youâre not sure how long you had stayed there with him, drinking and talking the night away, but it is certainly getting quite late and as much as you wish the night could last forever, itâs time to part ways.
Chanyeol insists on walking you up to your room, telling you a pretty girl who had been drinking shouldnât be left alone at this time of night, even if all you had to do was hop into the elevator and travel a number of floors up to reach your destination. He is adamant that he wonât be able to rest if he wasnât sure that you had gotten back safely.
He waves the waitress over and hands her his card to pay for the damage you both did over the course of the night.
âI can take care of myself, you know. I donât need you to be my knight in shining armor or my sugar daddy.â
You are a little surprised at yourself for being so bold with your words. Maybe youâre more drunk than you originally thought, giving yourself a little reminder to keep a little composure despite your intoxication. But the next actions and words from Chanyeol make you believe maybe he is just as drunk as you are, liquid courage flowing through both your veins.
He chuckles with that deep, velvety, sinful voice of his, âOh, I know you can take care of yourself, baby girl, but maybe I want to take care of you, I certainly have the means to.â Shooting you a wink for extra emphasis, once more igniting the heat in your cheeks, and perhaps somewhere else too if you are being completely honest with yourself.
When you stand to leave, your ankle suddenly gives out and makes you stumble. Luckily Chanyeol is there to catch you, a strong arm wraps itself around your waist. But as soon as you regain your balance, his arm disappears just as quickly as it had appeared. He holds out his arm for you to hold onto and you happily oblige, gently wrapping your hand around the inside of his bicep and you can definitely feel the definition of his muscle there.
Clearing his throat with a smug expression on his face, he asks if youâre ready to go and with a smile and nod, he walks you to the elevators, pressing the button and leading you inside when it had arrives.
There is a certain tension inside the elevator, especially since you are pressed snugly against his body and still have a firmer than needed grip on his inner arm considering you could walk just fine now and didnât need the support to stand still and upright. A needy heat is circulating your body and you canât help but glance up at him and through the reflection of the steel walls inside the elevator, attempting to get a read to see if he could possibly be feeling the same way you were. And youâre so focussed on his face, you fail to notice that although his posture seems cool and calm and collected leaning against the metal back wall, his other hand is flexing open and shut as he tries to wipe his sweaty palms against his pants.
Ding! The elevator alerts you to the arrival of your floor and Chanyeol steps out first with you half a step behind him. He turns left, assuming where your room would be and you quickly slide from your hand from his upper arm down to the palm of his hand and tug him the opposite direction, stating your room number.
Chanyeol laughs, doing a slight bow and extends his free hand in a you lead the way manner. He takes things a step further and interlaces his fingers between yours. When you look up at him, he lifts your joined hands and kisses the back of yours, soft lips lingering on your skin as he holds eye contact.
Finally arriving at your door, you turn to face him and itâs a moment where neither of you are ready to let go or say your goodbyes, your hands still holding tightly onto eachothers conveying your feelings.
âWellâŠthis is me.â You say, looking down at your feet and gulping your nervousness down.
A few moments pass and he still hadnât responded, so you look back up at him only to find him staring mindlessly at your face.
âChanyeol?â
He shakes himself out of his daydream.
âOh. Sorry. I just..um,â he glances to the side sheepishly and you can see his Adamâs apple bob in his throat before he looks back to you and says, âCan I kiss you? I really want to kiss you right now.â
âI thought youâd never ask,â you say in a soft whisper before stepping up on your tippy toes to press your lips to his.
It takes him a quarter of a second before he starts to respond, momentarily and happily stunned by your willingness, a warm hand cups your jaw, thumb rubbing your cheek and you can feel him smiling. The cute gesture doesnât last long when his hand travels down and around the nape of your neck and you turn your head to the side, allowing the kiss to deepen. When he parts his lips, you lick into the warm cavern of his mouth, tussling with his tongue and he groans, wrapping his free hand around your waist and pressing you closer to his body. The force makes you stumble backwards into the wall and his fast reflexes react as the hand on your neck quickly places itself on the wall behind your head, softening your landing.
When he starts squeezing at your waist, an involuntary moan creeps its way up your throat, releasing itself from your mouth and itâs this exact moment that he releases his lips from yours, pressing his forehead against your own and breathing heavily, eyes closed as he reels in his eagerly growing desire to ravage you right then and there in the hallway.
âFuck.â he sighs, opening his eyes to look directly into yours, âYouâre going to be the death of me, baby girl.â
He kisses you, sweetly this time with an obvious held back desire, before taking a step back.
âDid you want to come in?â you ask, nodding back at your door.
An airy laugh breezes from his lips. âTrust me, thereâs nothing Iâd love more than to do just that. But Iâve been drinking and I wonât be able to treat you the way you deserve.â Firing another wink at you.Â
Him and his damned winks that have you weak in the knees.
âOh.â You whisper, a little shy and embarrassed for being so forward. After a few beats of silence, you look back up with your best attempt at a confident, unphased face, âWell, I guess Iâll j-â
âWhat I can do right now though, is ask for your number?â
The quirk of the corner of his lip and dimple suggesting he did see your few moments of attempting recomposure. You nod and hold your hand out expectantly, he follows suit and slips his phone out of his pocket, places it into your hand, strategically grazes his fingers along your own as his hand retreats, a subtle touch that did the opposite of quenching your thirst for him in this situation. You quickly type it in and hold it out for him but instead of taking it, he holds his palm open below yours, playful eyes challenging you to mimic his little game of touch. Instead, you harden your own stare and simply drop the phone into his hand, earning a laugh that was too contagious to not incite your own.
He looks at his phone and notices you had left out a specific detail that he was dying to know.
âAnd what will I be saving this number as, hm? You havenât told me your name yet.â
âIâll tell you if you remember in the morning.â
You wink at him and turn around, sliding your access card into the door and stepping in, calmly but rushingly closing it behind you.
Your back immediately hits the door, breathing as you can not believe how bold you were just now.
In between your breaths, you hear his chuckle through the door and, although he had said it softly, it was clear enough for you to hear.
âWhat have I gotten myself into?â He sighs out loud.
A slow few seconds pass before you hear his steps leading away from your door.
â«~
Itâs a new day, arousing from your slumber with a stretch and yawn, you are greeted with the wonderful view of a clear, sunny day which immediately put you in a good mood. Especially since you are feeling so well rested and comfortable, the hotel bedding of much more quality than your own and you make a mental note to replace your own at home. Your thoughts, somehow, travel to the events of the previous evening and the way you had spent it, or rather, who you had spent it with and a fire erupts within you, remembering exactly how daring you were towards him last night, going as far as inviting him to spend the night with you. Someone you had met just that very day too. You roll over and scream into the pillow, kicking your legs in frustration and embarrassment.Â
But, wait.
You arenât being entirely ridiculous because you werenât the only one flirting or getting caught up in the passion and desire because he well and truly flirted back with you, seemingly wanting everything you did as well, just as much as you did. And as the thoughts and memories swirl around in your head, it helps to ease your anxieties. Remembering, aside from the racier moments, just how easy it had been to talk to him, the chit chat and banter never ending. A smile spreads across your lips from the memories.
Reaching for your phone, you can see the usual notifications - weather, various social media apps - but it is the message icon that has all your attention. A message from an unknown number. The preview just long enough to clue you in on who it could possibly be and you quickly tap it open.
Unknown (7:12am): Itâs morning and I still want to know your name, mysterious hotel girl đ
The smile on your face from earlier? Itâs no longer a smile but a huge grin as you tap out you reply.
You (7:52am): Iâll tell you at breakfast, Chanyeol đ
Chanyeol (7:54am): Itâs a date. See you at the buffet in half?
You type out a quick reply and jump up to get ready, going through all the outfits you had brought along with you in your head so you could match your makeup.
Twenty something minutes later, with enough minutes to spare so you can get down to the buffet without being too early, too on time or too late, you check your reflection in the mirror. You opt for a cute, white sundress and a no-makeup makeup look, keeping things light and fresh. After a quick coat of gloss on your lips, you head out to meet Chanyeol.Â
You walk into the breakfast buffet area and look around. You spot Chanyeol sitting at a table by himself, a blue and white striped button up over a white t-shirt and some jeans, hair fluffy and natural. He looks casual and nice. As you walk over, Chanyeol happens to look up and his jaw drops, not expecting you to look the way you do. He quickly picks it up and expands a giant grin across his lips, waving you over.
âHi!â he exclaims, then shyly brings his waving hand around the back of his neck, mumbling at himself to calm down.
âGood morning,â you laugh at him. The dork in front of you is a huge contrast to the suave man you were with last night.
âGood morning indeed. You look very beautiful.â He winks at you.
Ah, there it is. He switches the charm back on. You roll your eyes and take a seat opposite him.
âSo, I believe you owe me something?â He questions with a quirk of his brow.
âOh, do I?â You pout your bottom lip, pretending to look around, wondering what it could possibly be. âWhat have you been calling me this whole time?â
âMystery hotel girl, cute girl from the lobby, pretty girl that blushes when I look at her, so on and so forth. Now, your name? I think Iâve been patient enough.â
You smirk at him.
âMy name is Y/N.â
âHm, Y/N.â He tests the name on his tongue.
Now, youâve never thought much of your name before. You never liked nor disliked it, but, the way he says your name makes you fall in love. With it? With him? Who knows at this point. He gives you butterflies and it makes you feel silly but you crave the feeling, you enjoy it.
âPretty name for a pretty girl.â Another wink that makes you roll your eyes and you both laugh at the cliche line. âNow, I donât know about you, Y/N, but Iâm starving! How about we get some food for ourselves?â
With an enthusiastic nod at the prospect of food, you both head over to scope out the food selection, everything looking extremely appetising and smelling just divine.
Over the course of breakfast, you both engage in conversation and get to know each other more.
âSo, what are your plans for the day?â
âIâm not too sure. I think I might do some shopping, maybe some swimming and a light lunch? I heard raving reviews about the spa here too so I might go for a massage. Lord knows my back could use some relief.â
âOh, I can help you out there. My friend is the spa director and the head masseuse! I can definitely pull some strings for you.â
âThat would be amazing! I saw lots of reviews mentioning his massages! It would be great if I could get an appointment with him.â
âNo, not him!â Chanyeol says, too quickly and too loudly and youâre a little taken back. âI mean,â he clears his throat, âheâs usually quite busy. Iâll see if he can get you in with his next best though and throw in some extra services for you too.â
You laugh at his flustered answer but thereâs no time to dwell on the thought when he asks you if you thereâs anything in particular youâre shopping for.
âI think Iâm going to look for some new bedding actually. And maybe some new decor for my apartment. I donât know, ever since Iâve been at this hotel, everything is decorated so nicely and tastefully, it makes me want to change things up at home too!â
If this were yesterday, you would have been embarrassed at having spoken so much, worried that you maybe said too much or spoke too fast. But not now, youâve grown used to how comfortable Chanyeol makes you feel. Heâs a great conversationalist, listens to what you say and banters appropriately. If anything, it was surprising how he could make you feel at ease in just an instant, even if the winks he sent your way always had you blushing.
âAnyways, enough about me. What about you? Any plans for today?â
âOh, just a few meetings with clients I think.â
âClients?â
âAh, I donât think I ever mentioned. Iâm also a freelance interior designer. Actually, my friend owns this hotel and I helped with the interior designs here when he took over.â He says with a knowing smile. âSo, if you need advice choosing things for your apartment, Iâm happy to offer my services also.â He does a little prince like bow to accompany his offer.
âI might take you up on that offer actually. I feel like thereâs always something missing or something a little out of place when Iâm looking to spruce up my place.â
âAnytime, just shoot me a text and Iâll come to your rescue.â
âYouâre full of charms, arenât you?â You smile at him. âActually, how does an interior designer end up becoming the pianist at a hotel?â
âWell, you know when you finish high school, find something youâre interested in enough to make a career out of it but once you start working, you find that you donât feel quite fulfilled in life? Like thereâs something else you could do that would make you happier.â He looks to see if youâre still listening and finds you patiently watching him. âI made a lot of money being an interior designer but I felt like there was something missing. One day I was at a gathering with friends, celebrating his new hotel ownership and I saw a piano, sat down and started to play. My friend, who owns this hotel and knew about the current dilemma in my life, saw how happy I looked playing and asked if Iâd like to play piano in the restaurant of his hotel. He only wants the best of everything and thatâs why he made the offer to me. And, well, it sounded a lot better than what I was doing at the time. I guess you can relate a little, work becoming draining, so the switch up was nice. So now, I play the piano here most nights and pick up some interior design work here and there.â
It takes you a couple moments to properly process everything heâs just said and he patiently waits, taking a sip of his drink and finishing his food.
âThatâs very brave of you to give up one career and find something else to do that makes you happy. I feel like that sometimes but, I donât know what else I could do.â
âI can help you with that too, if you want. Either way, Iâm sure youâll find something. Donât worry about money, I could take care of you while you soul search.â He winks, invoking the memory of his words and suggestions the night prior.
Now usually, a man suggesting that he could take care of you financially would make you feel sick. Like they thought you werenât capable of looking after yourself. But Chanyeol? You and him had spoken enough about your own lives that you know he knows you are well and truly okay by yourself. And his suggestion comes from a place of wanting to take care of someone out of love and respect, rather than a misogynistic point of view.
âWeâll see.â You smile at him.
You finish your meal and Chanyeol walks you back up to your room, smoothly sliding his hand into yours along the way. He says goodbye with a smile, pressing a sweet, warm kiss to your forehead and a promise of seeing you later.
â«~
As youâre browsing the stores in the nearby shopping mall complex, you keep finding things that would lead your thoughts to Chanyeol. Like a cartoon figurine you thought he could add to the collection that he passionately told you about, a cap or a shirt you think might suit him or just odd little knick knacks that would remind you of him.Â
Youâve given up fighting yourself in the war to not think about him, it was pointless to even try. What is puzzling you is, youâve had crushes before, of course, plenty of them. But youâve never had a crush like this and you didnât think it would be possible at your age. This feels like the teenage kind of crush where theyâre constantly on your mind and the mere thought sends butterflies fluttering around your insides. The kind of crush where your feelings are so intense that it seems a little ridiculous and the way your heart rate picks up every time you see him. And all for a man that youâve known for a barely a day?
But heâs Chanyeol. Heâs tall and heâs handsome and heâs charming, yes, anyone could agree. But heâs also warm and kind and genuine. He makes it hard to not fall for him. Wait, fall for him? Are you getting ahead of yourself here? Isnât it way too early to feel this way? But he makes you feel so safe and comfortable and puts you in an instant ease whenever youâre with him. Even the night before when passions and tensions were at a high, he still managed to keep himself collected enough to not give in because it was the gentlemanly thing to do considering you had both just met and been drinking somewhat heavily.
You start to grow tired of your racing thoughts, circling around the same non-issue and decide to just let things progress as they come. Deciding to end the shopping trip and head back to the hotel. You look at the time and notice itâs still a little too early for lunch and youâre not quite hungry yet, still somewhat full from breakfast so you elect to take a dip in the swimming pool.
Luckily you had conveniently packed a small swimming bag so all you have to do is quickly change into your swimsuit, throwing on an oversized shirt as a coverup and you are set to go.
The pool area is breath-taking and when you slide into the water, it is the perfect temperature for today's weather, not too hot and not too cold. Luckily, being in the middle of the day on the weekend, there arenât too many people around and most seem to be enjoying some time alone also, the odd couple here and there. However, the fact that the pool isnât crowded makes a singular person stand out. The one who seems to be the pool boy, telling by his chairs higher position that allows him to see across the entire area, is incredibly handsome. Youâre suddenly caught by his icy glare which sends shivers down your spine and makes you avert your gaze elsewhere.
What is it with this hotel? Was it a job requirement to be good looking? You hadnât yet met the masseuse but a couple of the reviews did mention him being quite a sight for sore eyes.
You spend an adequate amount of time relaxing in the pool before your stomach grumbles and tells you itâs time for lunch so you take that as your queue to exit and go back up to your room. While youâre in the elevator, your phone dings and you see a text from Chanyeol with arrangements for your massage appointment. You exchange a few texts back and forth and he asks if you specifically have any plans for the evening. When you tell him thereâs nothing particular planned, he replies with a, âGreat! Keep it free for me, please? Iâd love to take you out.â and you could practically see him pouting as he waits for a reply.Â
The massage appointment Chanyeol had made for you isnât for another 2 hours which gives you plenty of time to look for something to eat and relax a little, to let the food digest before you had to go.Â
â«~
A knock on your door signals your date's arrival and you quickly give yourself a once over in the mirror, nodding confidently at your choice of a cute red dress before answering the door.
You open the door expecting to see Chanyeol but instead you are greeted with a huge bouquet of flowers, pink lilies with hints of baby breath and some greenery. Youâre absolutely stunned by the beautiful surprise and you donât even realise small tears have formed in your eyes. Itâs been a while since someone has gifted you flowers.
Chanyeol lowers the bouquet smiling but the smile quickly drops when he notices the tears in your eyes.
âOh my god, d-did I do something wrong? Do you hate them?â
âNo, I love them!â You reach out with a hand on his forearm to reassure him. âItâs just been a really long time since someoneâs given me flowers.â
âOh. Well Iâm here now, expect to receive flowers often. You might even get sick of it, develop an allergy or something.â He laughs goofily and you instantly feel smitten at the idea he plans to continue gifting you flowers for the foreseeable future. âAre you ready?â
âYup! Just let me put these somewhere safe and get my bag. Theyâre beautiful, by the way, I havenât said thank you yet.â
You quickly press a kiss to his cheek that leaves him momentarily frozen laughing as you retreat further into your room to get what you needed, double checking you have everything you need before reuniting with Chanyeol at the door.
After closing the door, Chanyeol offers his arm to you and you happily wrap your hand around it as he leads the way. This time, youâre not so subtle about feeling him up. Arenât feelings usually intensified when youâre drunk? Somehow, now when you are sober, his thick muscle feels even bigger and youâre already starting to feel a little warm.
âLooks like someoneâs been working out.â You squeeze his bicep a few times to emphasise your comment.
âI try.â He laughs. That smooth, velvety laugh and his expressions show heâs pleased his efforts have been noticed. What man doesnât like a boost to his ego?
â«~
Chanyeol takes you to the light festival held just a short walk from the hotel. Not too far that you feel tired from walking but you donât think that you wouldâve noticed anyhow, far too much enjoying the chatting with him as you walk.
He suggests maybe checking out the food stalls first before all the good stuff is sold out and you would be able to walk the food off as you explore afterwards and you happily oblige, allowing him to lead the way. It was nice to not have to think or plan ahead for once, having someone else do it for you.
You manage to buy an assortment of food from different stalls before finding an empty table to sit at. As you both dig into the food, you tell him about all the things you saw while shopping today that made you think of him and he makes you promise to go shopping with him sometime and show them to him in person, so he could decide for himself if heâd like them or not. He tells you about his boring meetings all day and how he couldnât focus because he was too excited thinking about where he could take you tonight.Â
After you both finish the food, you decide to follow the paths mapped out by the event coordinators that show you all the exhibits and best photo spots. Chanyeol takes your hand, swinging it along the way excitedly as you begin to walk and it brings the both of you to a fit of giggles.
You find lots of exhibits and displays along the way that completely mesmerise you, each artist's use of lights different and so much more creative than you could ever imagine yourself to be. There is some use of projectors through tunnels that make the walk through very trippy, giving you the feeling of taking hallucinogens before walking through. Others use different light globes and sticks to create abstract art. You take turns with Chanyeol taking photos next to each display and every time you take his phone to see the photos heâs snapped of you, youâre in complete awe.
âSeriously, is there anything youâre not good at!? I wouldnât be surprised if you told me youâre a freelance photographer too.â
âNo,â he laughs, âyou just photograph so well it makes an amateur like me look professional.â
You thought you had moved past the blushing, all the shyness and giddiness having been long gone but it seems Chanyeol always finds a way.
Thereâs an event happening that you find yourselves to be in the perfect viewing point for, a small parade of light creatures walking through the park. You stand to the side of the path to allow them room and for smaller children to move to the front. It seems Chanyeol has the same thought in mind because he stands behind you, wrapping his arms around you and resting his chin on your shoulder.
When you look to the side, his face is close enough that you can feel the warm, soft puffs of his breath. He smiles at you, dimple forming in his cheek and eyes turning to crescents, wrinkling at the outer corners.
âSo the kids can see. And Iâm a little cold. And my big head is getting heavy.â
âI didnât say anything.â
You both laugh and he wraps his arms around you a little tighter. You return your attention to the front and bask in the colourful parade before you.
After the last of the creatures have passed by, you notice everyone else is remaining still rather than dispersing and your keen ear can hear a group standing nearby saying the fireworks would be starting soon. You look to Chanyeol and he mouths âwanna stay?â having heard the same thing you just did and you nod. No longer needing to make way for others to see the path, Chanyeol moves to stand beside you, wrapping an arm around your waist to keep you close.
You think it seems fitting. What kind of light festival would it be if there wasnât a huge display of lights in the sky to end the nights festivities?
Itâs not a long wait til you hear the first booms in the sky signalling the beginning of the performance and the two of you look up along with the crowd around you. A harmony of oohâs and ahhâs follow each crackle, pop and boom of gunpowder in the sky.
When you turn to face Chanyeol, heâs already looking down at you but unlike your previous self, he wasnât shy about being caught.Â
âYou look beautiful tonight, I donât think Iâve told you yet.â
You immediately step up on your toes and hold his face in both your hands, crashing your lips against his. The hand that wasnât already wrapped around your waist braces itself on your hip and pulls you closer. Eventually your hands slip from his face down to his neck, one lands itself on his broad shoulders while the other slides down to his arm, pulling it to wrap tighter around your back. Chanyeol removes his hand from your hip and replaces its position at the nape of your neck, tilting your head to the side so his tongue could gain better access.
The kiss quickly grows heated and only when you hear the clapping of those around you do you both remember that you are in fact still in a public setting and the direction this kiss is heading is probably not appropriate for the eyes of families with children to witness. You part with a chuckle, forehead leaning against eachothers in disbelief.
Itâs obvious now that it was time to head back home. Well, back to your hotel room.
â«~
Keeping your hands off each other was proving to be a very difficult task, especially when you find yourselves alone in the elevator. Quickly pulling yourself apart when the elevator dings before and you painfully realise you havenât arrived at your floor yet. The knowing looks from the other patrons stepping into the elevator because of your heavy panting makes you blush furiously.
Once you finally make it inside your hotel room, you push Chanyeol against the door, slamming it shut and undoing his buttons one by one. The second you reach the last button, he spins you around against the wall and kisses down your neck, choosing to perfect spot to latch his lips onto and suck a deep bruise. His hand rounds your ass, smoothing it over before he gives you a big smack and grabs at your meaty flesh, making you whimper desperately and you can feel his lips pursing into a proud smile as he licks at the mark heâs made.
His hand slides down your thigh and wraps your leg around his waist. This new closeness and angle allowing you to feel his hardening length right where youâre most needy for him and you canât help but rut yourself against him to feel more. Chanyeol grunts and returns the favour, steadily rocking himself into you and by now your desire was so pent up, you swear you could cum just like this.
âFuck,â he breathes out heavily, âY/N, baby, I can feel you pulsing.â
And it wasnât until he said this that you realise exactly just how needy you are. It had been a long time since youâve been with someone and solo activity, although effective, doesnât quite hit the same as being with someone else.
âPlease, need you.â You say to him, looking into his eyes when he lifts his head from its attack on your neck.
âDonât worry, baby, Iâve got you.â
He presses his lips to yours, tongue pushing its way inside your mouth, wrestling with your own. His strong arms easily lift you and carry you over to the bed, laying you down gently as he crawls over you, engulfing your body with his own giant self and his lips seek the salty sweetness of your skin, kissing across your chest. You spread your legs for him and he drops his hips between, continuing to rock into you at a steady pace, careful to not work you up too much because little did you know, Chanyeol has plans for you tonight.Â
Unknowing of said plans, your hands fly down to his belt buckle, the clanking of your hands working feverishly to undo them to get to what you really wanted.
Suddenly Chanyeol halts all actions and skillfully collects both your wrists in one of his large hands and pins them above your head.
âNo, no, baby girl,â he tutts, âlet me take care of you. Donât worry, donât think, just let me do it for you. Okay?â
Heâs looking into your eyes so intensely, you gulp and nod, granting him the permission he needs and he thanks you with a kiss. He lets go of your wrists and you push him to sit up on your knees, your arms reach around your back to pull the zip and you carefully slip the thick straps off one by one. The dress falls off your body to reveal the matching red set you had put on earlier in hopes for tonights events. Chanyeols eyes, which were locked in a heated stare with your own, fall along with your dress and his gaze rakes lustfully over your body.
Chanyeol lunges forward with a growl but you stop him, hands pressing onto the bare skin of his chest.
âOff with these first, please.â You say seductively, looking up at him with your doe eyes. How could he say no?
You push the open shirt off his shoulders and he slides them down his arm and tosses it on the floor as you resume your work on the buckle of his belt, clacking it undone before you pop the button of his jeans open and reach inside, palming his length, much larger than you had originally thought.
He groans and you help him push the rest of his jeans off his thighs. He gently takes your hand off and kisses it while he stands to kick his pants off. Keeping his hold on your hand, Chanyeol sits behind you with his legs on either side of you, pulling you flush against his chest.
Chanyeol had caught on to the way you instantly melt at the feel of his lips working their magic on your neck earlier and chooses to repeat his actions. He places kisses on your skin, starting at the outer corner of your shoulder, travelling inwards, nibbling gently at the junction of your shoulder and neck before he brings his lips upwards to that spot located just behind your jaw. Heâs close enough to your ear that you can hear his voice clearly when he speaks.
âLet me help you relax, hm? Relieve some of that stress,â he emphasises the hiss which sends shivers down your spine, âand tension, hm?â He kisses his way to the other side of your neck, your head following his movement and obediantly rolling to the opposite side of his. His hands caress their way up your thighs, fingertips grazing the sensitive skin of your waist and tummy. âWill you let me, hm? Will you be a good girl for me?â
You couldnât even bring yourself to answer, lost in the feeling as his hands cup the undersides of your clothed breasts and give them a gentle squeeze that makes a pleased sigh escape your lips, your head rolling back to lean on his broad shoulder.
âAnswer me, sweetheart.â He pauses all movements on your body as he asks one last time, âAre you going to be a good girl for me?â
âYes, Sir. Iâll be a good girl for you.â
Chanyeol can feel himself twitching inside his boxers, aching to be inside you.
âSir, hm?â He says with a smirk, placing a kiss on your cheek. âI like that. Now you be a good girl for me, you cum when I tell you to. Okay? Hold it til then.â
âYes, Sir.â
He uses one hand to undo the clasp of your bra, letting it fall off your chest and freeing your breasts and you suck in a deep breath when his hands grab a hold of them, feeling the warmth now that there was nothing in the way. Your hips fidget when he squeezes particularly hard on one side before the other, his lips and tongue working their magic on the skin of your neck. His index fingers reach up and start alternating between flicking your nipple and ever so lightly circling your areolas, expertly making you feel the most pleasurable sensations, body jerking accordingly to his touches.
At this point, your neediness is so built up over the course of the night that youâre so close to cumming and, of course, Chanyeol can sense it with the way youâre whimpering and panting so desperately, body spasming in an almost orgasmic-like state. And just when you feel like youâre about to reach boiling point, he removes his hands from your chest and lowers them, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling back his oral attack to a lesser, sweeter, more gentle kiss placed on your shoulder instead.
âRemember, only when I tell you to. That was a close one, sweetheart.â
Chanyeol holds you close and when he feels your breathing starting to even out a little, his hand moves down between your legs, fingers gently rubbing along your clothed slit. He can definitely feel the wet patch that had grown in your pants, using his middle and ring finger to press it into you and you can feel the sticking and unsticking to your skin.
He keeps one arm wrapped around your middle, holding you close and still. The fingers on his other hand had now found their place on your clit, throbbing and needy for some relief and he partially grants you some, rubbing circles furiously bringing you closer and closer to climax.
Only to cease his actions the moment your hands fly to his thigh and hand, grabbing onto them tightly.
âPlease, Sir, please let me cum now.â
âAw,â he fake sympathises with you, âsuch a good girl for begging so beautifully. But not yet. Just hold on for me.â
He tugs at the waistband of your underwear with one hand while the other taps at your thigh, prompting you to lift yourself up slightly so he could slip your panties off. He does so with minimal effort.
With both hands, he spreads your legs, placing his own over the top of yours to keep them in a locked open position. Using the same two fingers earlier to gather your wetness, he sufficiently coats his fingers in your arousal and begins rubbing at your clit again, circling it at just the right pressure and pace not to cause you pain, knowing how sensitive you must be right now.
He speaks praises directly into your ear, the close proximity making his husky voice sound so much sexier along with his choice of words.
Taking his fingers off your clit, he pushes both digits into your pussy, thrusting mercilessly as even he begins to lose control, moaning along with you at the feeling of your tight walls. He spreads his fingers inside of you, the stretch preparing you for whatâs to come.
âWhat a good girl you are.â He kisses your cheek. âWanna cum now?â
âYes, Sir, please. I want to cum on your cock.â
Chanyeol groans at your words, immediately removing his fingers from you and using the wetness to pump his own cock. He watches as you promptly get up and turn around to face him, bending forward with your ass in the air and taking his cock in your mouth. Your hand wraps around the remainder of his shaft, stroking what you couldnât fit inside your mouth that was sucking diligently for his pleasure. His hand rests on the back of your head as he moans out at your unexpected eagerness to please him, even though he had set out with all intent to make tonight about you.
He allows himself a few more moments of pure bliss before picking you up by your arms, kissing you as he lays you back down. He reaches down and places his tip at your entrance, holding himself up on his other arm so he can see your face the moment he pushes himself inside of you. He can barely keep his eyes open, wanting to mimic the way yours roll back into your head, feeling the way his thickness almost struggles to make its way inside.
Youâre both breathing heavily and Chanyeol takes a moment to gently cup your face and look into your eyes as he begins pulling his cock back out and pushing it back in. You wrap your legs around his waist and he adjusts his position to a more pleasurable angle for you, knowing it was the right one when he feels your pussy death squeeze his cock. His hips begin to piston into the backs of your thighs and the room is echoing with moans, grunts and the slapping of skin on skin.
âGonna cum now, hm?â
Your hands are gripping onto his arms tightly, nails digging into his biceps.
âYes, Sir, gonna cum. Can I cum now? Please?â
His thrusts become harder and youâre about ready to burst.
âCum, NOW. Cum on my fucking cock like a good girl, baby, cum!â
With his permission and command, you do exactly that and you scream out as your body spasms in a white hot pleasure. Chanyeol continues thrusting slowly to help you ride out your orgasm but heâs in a rush of his own.
âFuck, come here.â
You quickly scrawl onto your knees, just in the nick of time as he strokes himself to completion. Stringy spurts of cum coating your lips, dripping inside your mouth and down your face. He places his cock onto your welcoming tongue and you happily take it inside your mouth.
If he had the energy, his eyes would be bulging right out of their sockets right now at the sight of you, messy with his cum on your face and cock in your mouth. He pulls himself out and uses his thumb to collect the remainders of himself, and before he can, you reach for his hand and push his thumb to your lips, licking his digit clean and popping it inside to give it a suck for good measure.
âShit.â He breathes out. âYou are going to be the death of me. I know it.â
You both laugh and he pulls you into his chest as he collapses onto your bed.
âCâmon, letâs quickly wash up first. Donât pass out yet.â He gently suggests, feeling the calmness of your body and sensing you were about to doze off. âIâll help you.â
âWill you stay after?â
âHm, only if you pay for buffet breakfast tomorrow.â He says with a goofy grin. Your eyes may be closed but you can hear the smile in his voice knowing the buffet was complementary for hotel guests. And youâre assuming off the clock employees, not to mention friends of the owner.
âOh? What happened to mister interior designer who makes money and certainly has the means to take care of me?â
Apparently, heâs too tired to audibly laugh out loud but his shoulders have no problem shaking as if he is, rudely bouncing your head along with them.
âI think I just proved I can take care of you in more ways than one, sweetheart.â
Omg that was sublime! So good! Kai having such a bad reputation or better said "good" not wanting her to go for a massage hihihi @ouvuo tsk tsk tsk đđđ
But i loved everything from his moment with Suhito at the lobby to the 'not yet' to the 'now' it was really good đ„ș you made such a good job with out pianist đ
Thank you đ€§
@myeoning-call đč
I can't thank you enough for setting this collab up! đ
Thank you for reading! Chanyeol just makes himself very easy to write for and fall in love with đ„°
Now, look, there is nothing wrong with masseuse!Jongin đ Maybe our leading men feel a certain way about their friend putting his skillful hands and techniques on their love interests đ
