( 宇凡 ) ① FLUFF! • romantic comedy • university au • slow burn • friends to lovers • you × James • kissing • mutual pining • tooth-rotting fluff • word count :
━━━ in which,, you spend months trying to get over your ridiculous crush on James, but your matchmaker friends push you directly into an orbit he is already failing to hide his feelings from.
☆now playing - from the start | Laufrey
miu's thoughts ✦ heyy! Another part from the playlist series of cortis. If you like my work don't forget to follow and support
You blamed Juhoon.
Entirely.
One hundred percent.
Because if Juhoon hadn't insisted that everyone attend the university spring festival together, none of this would've happened.
You wouldn't currently be standing beneath a pink festival archway, clutching a lemonade and trying not to stare at James.
Again.
"You've been looking at him for three minutes."
You nearly inhaled your drink.
Across from you, your best friend Minseo looked utterly unimpressed.
"I have not."
"You absolutely have."
"I was looking at the food truck."
"The food truck is behind him."
"..."
Minseo snorted.
"Exactly."
Heat rushed to your face.
Unfortunately, she wasn't wrong.
James stood several meters away with Martin and Keonho, laughing about something. His dark hair fell into his eyes when he tilted his head back. He looked annoyingly good doing absolutely nothing.
You hated that.
Not him.
Just... the effect he had on you.
The problem was that your crush on James wasn't new.
It wasn't sudden.
It wasn't dramatic.
It had quietly settled into your life months ago.
Like sunshine sneaking through curtains.
Like a song you accidentally played so many times it became your favorite.
And now you were stuck.
Because James was your friend.
Your very attractive friend.
Your very attractive friend who occasionally smiled at you and made your brain stop functioning.
"You should tell him."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I enjoy maintaining what little dignity I have left."
Minseo rolled her eyes.
Before she could respond, another voice appeared.
"Tell who what?"
You froze.
James.
Of course.
James.
He stepped beside you carrying two skewers from a food stall.
His eyes moved between you and Minseo.
Minseo grinned.
Traitor.
"Nothing."
James narrowed his eyes.
"That sounded suspicious."
"Everything sounds suspicious when you're nosy."
"I'm not nosy."
"You absolutely are."
"I prefer observant."
You laughed despite yourself.
James smiled.
And there it was.
That stupid feeling.
Like your heart had suddenly remembered how to sprint.
—
Your friend group was a disaster.
An actual disaster.
Somewhere between the ferris wheel and the game booths, everyone split into smaller groups.
Except it didn't feel accidental.
Not when Juhoon kept finding excuses to disappear.
Not when Seonghyeon suddenly remembered he needed to buy snacks.
Not when Martin and Keonho vanished together claiming they were conducting "important research."
"Research on what?" you had asked.
"Festival corn dogs."
You had never heard a worse lie.
Which left you.
And James.
Alone.
Suspiciously alone.
"They're doing this on purpose."
James glanced around.
"They're definitely doing this on purpose."
"Thank goodness."
You blinked.
"What?"
He looked genuinely relieved.
"What?"
"You looked like you were about to run away."
"I was not."
"You were."
"I was considering it."
James laughed.
The sound made your stomach flip.
"Good. Because I wanted to spend time with you."
Your steps faltered.
He didn't seem to realize what he'd said.
Or maybe he did.
His ears looked slightly red.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
They walked through rows of colorful booths together.
For a while, conversation came naturally.
Classes.
Friends.
Music.
Random complaints about university life.
It was easy.
It was always easy with James.
That was part of the problem.
Being around him felt so natural that sometimes you forgot how dangerous your feelings were.
Until moments like this.
Moments where he reached for your wrist to stop you from getting bumped by a crowd.
Moments where his hand lingered slightly longer than necessary.
Moments where he looked at you like you were the most interesting person in the world.
"You know," James said suddenly.
"Hm?"
"I think you're avoiding something."
You nearly choked.
"What?"
"That guy."
"What guy?"
"The guy you like."
The lemonade almost left your body.
Your soul certainly did.
"What?"
James looked far too pleased.
"You have one."
"I do not."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
You groaned.
"Why are you like this?"
"Because I'm right."
He smiled.
Then paused.
His expression softened.
"Is he nice?"
Your heart squeezed.
Because somehow that sounded genuine.
Like he actually cared.
"Yeah."
"Good."
"He makes me nervous."
James looked down.
"So he matters."
You swallowed.
More than you know.
—
By sunset, things somehow became worse.
Or better.
Depending on perspective.
The group reunited near the ferris wheel.
Immediately, the plotting began.
You could practically see it happening.
The exchanged glances.
The suspicious whispers.
The absolutely terrible acting.
"We bought seven tickets."
Martin looked at the stack.
"Wait."
"There are six of us."
"Exactly."
Everyone stared.
Martin stared back.
"You are all so stupid."
Keonho burst out laughing.
Seonghyeon nearly dropped his drink.
Juhoon looked deeply disappointed.
Their plan had lasted approximately three seconds.
The result remained the same.
You ended up sharing a ferris wheel cabin with James.
Of course.
The universe hated you.
The ride slowly rose above the festival lights.
Below, the city glowed gold.
For a while, neither of you spoke.
Then James quietly said—
"Can I ask you something?"
You nodded.
"The guy you like."
Your soul prepared for impact.
"What about him?"
"Have you told him?"
"No."
"Why not?"
You looked out the window.
Because I'm terrified.
Because I don't want to lose him.
Because it's you.
"I don't know."
James nodded slowly.
Then he surprised you.
"I think he probably likes you too."
Your head snapped toward him.
"What?"
"I mean it."
"You don't even know who it is."
"Don't need to."
His smile was small.
Almost nervous.
"I've seen the way people look at you."
The air shifted.
Something changed.
Your pulse quickened.
"James..."
He looked at you.
And suddenly neither of you seemed interested in the festival anymore.
Only each other.
Only this.
Only the impossible thing hanging between you.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
His gaze held yours.
Because he was looking at you exactly the way you looked at him.
And for the first time—
You understood.
Oh.
Oh.
The realization hit like fireworks.
You weren't the only one.
You never had been.
—
The moment the ride ended, neither of you moved.
The attendant had to ask twice before you remembered to leave.
Outside, the others watched from a distance.
Far too interested.
Minseo was literally holding popcorn.
You made a mental note to strangle her later.
James noticed too.
"They're unbelievable."
"They really are."
"But."
He hesitated.
"Maybe I should thank them."
Your heartbeat stumbled.
"Why?"
James stepped closer.
Close enough that you could see the nervousness he tried to hide.
Close enough that your breath caught.
"Because otherwise I probably wouldn't have said anything."
Your voice came out soft.
"Said what?"
His laugh was quiet.
Disbelieving.
"You really don't know?"
Maybe you did.
Maybe you wanted to hear it.
The distance between you disappeared one inch at a time.
"You've liked me this whole time."
Not a question.
A realization.
James smiled.
"Yeah."
The world felt suddenly brighter.
"You idiot."
"I know."
"You absolute idiot."
"I know."
"You could've told me."
"So could you."
Fair.
Very fair.
You laughed.
Then laughed harder.
Because months of worrying suddenly felt ridiculous.
James laughed too.
Relief shining through every expression.
And before you could overthink it—
You reached forward and kissed his cheek.
A quick peck.
Soft.
Warm.
The reaction was immediate.
James froze.
Completely.
Then turned red.
Bright red.
"Oh."
You grinned.
"Oh?"
His hand found yours.
"Oh."
"You look shocked."
"I am shocked."
"Why?"
"Because I've been imagining doing that for months."
You nearly dropped dead.
"Months?"
"Months."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Your face burned.
"Well."
"Well."
You leaned closer.
This time, James met you halfway.
The kiss was soft.
Sweet.
Everything first kisses should be.
Not dramatic.
Not perfect.
Just real.
The kind that left both people smiling before it even ended.
When you pulled apart, James rested his forehead against yours.
Neither of you spoke for a moment.
Neither needed to.
Eventually he brushed a small kiss against your forehead.
Then another against your temple.
Making you laugh.
"Greedy."
"You started it."
"I kissed your cheek."
"You escalated."
"You kissed me back."
"Exactly."
His grin returned.
Dangerous.
Affectionate.
Entirely unfair.
Then he gently pressed a kiss beneath your jaw.
Quick.
Playful.
Enough to make your breath catch.
"James."
"Hm?"
"Our friends are watching."
He glanced over.
The group immediately pretended not to be watching.
Poorly.
Very poorly.
Juhoon was looking at the sky.
Martin was examining a lamp post.
Keonho was laughing into his sleeve.
Seonghyeon looked seconds away from collapsing.
Minseo gave you a thumbs-up.
You wanted to disappear.
James looked delighted.
"Should we make them suffer?"
"How?"
His answer was another kiss.
Brief.
Sweet.
Directly on your lips.
Across the plaza, Martin nearly fell over.
Success.
—
Later that night, everyone ended up at a small restaurant.
The teasing was relentless.
Absolutely relentless.
"So."
Keonho smiled.
"No."
"So."
"No."
"When's the wedding?"
"KEONHO."
The table erupted into laughter.
James sat beside you, entirely unhelpful.
Every few minutes his shoulder bumped yours.
Every few minutes he smiled.
Every few minutes you remembered that this was real.
At one point Juhoon sighed dramatically.
"I can't believe we spent months setting this up."
"Months?" you repeated.
James looked equally horrified.
"Months?"
Seonghyeon nodded.
"Yes."
Martin pointed at both of you.
"You were both disasters."
"You literally liked each other from the start."
Silence.
Then collective agreement.
Everyone nodded.
Every single person.
You stared.
James stared.
"You all knew?"
"Obviously."
Minseo laughed.
"You two were the only people who didn't."
The realization was embarrassing.
And somehow comforting.
Because maybe the story had never been about finally falling in love.
Maybe it was about finally noticing something that had been there all along.
The way James always saved you a seat.
The way he remembered every tiny detail.
The way he looked for you in every room.
The way your day automatically improved when he appeared.
From the start.
Always from the start.
As everyone continued arguing around the table, James quietly took your hand beneath it.
His thumb brushed over your knuckles.
Gentle.
Steady.
Certain.
When you looked at him, he smiled.
Not nervous anymore.
Not uncertain.
Just happy.
And somehow, for the first time in months, your heart wasn't racing because of what might happen.
It was racing because it finally had.
The beginning you'd been waiting for wasn't ahead of you.
It had started long ago.
You simply hadn't realized you were already living it.
( 정원 ) ① ANGST! • comfort • grief • healing • romance • you × Yang Jungwon • crying • suicidal thoughts • emotional themes • word count : 1625
━━━ in which,, drowning in loneliness and guilt after your father's death, Jungwon stays beside you beneath a sky full of stars, reminding you that grief is something survived together
☆now playing - circles | seventeen
miu's thoughts ✦ heyy! So here I'm with a angst and comfort/healing fic inspired by my life, hope this helps to comfort you if you have ever experienced something like this. If you like my work don't forget to follow and support<33
The house had never been this quiet before.
Not even at three in the morning.
Not even during storms.
Not even when everyone was asleep.
This silence was different.
It wasn't peaceful.
It wasn't comforting.
It was the kind of silence that sat on your chest and made it hard to breathe.
Your father's slippers still sat beside the front door.
His favorite mug still rested on the kitchen counter.
His jacket still hung behind the dining chair because nobody had the strength to move it.
Every corner of the house was filled with him.
And yet he was nowhere.
You stared blankly at the ceiling from your bedroom floor.
The funeral had ended days ago.
Visitors had stopped coming.
The flowers had begun to wilt.
Life was continuing for everyone else.
But yours had stopped.
A text notification lit up your phone.
Jungwon.
Have you eaten?
You stared at the message.
You couldn't remember the last thing you ate.
You couldn't remember much of anything.
Another message arrived.
I'm outside.
Your chest tightened.
He had been doing this every day.
Showing up.
Waiting.
Staying.
Even when you barely spoke.
Even when you ignored him.
Even when all you did was cry.
Slowly, you stood and walked downstairs.
The living room lights were on.
Your mother sat surrounded by boxes.
Stacks of papers.
Photo albums.
Documents.
Your father's belongings.
Her shoulders looked smaller than you remembered.
She hadn't slept properly in days.
Neither had you.
You tried walking past quietly.
"Where are you going?"
Her voice sounded exhausted.
"Outside."
"Again?"
You froze.
Something in her tone made your stomach sink.
She rubbed her face.
"You spend all day staring into space."
The words hit harder than they should have.
"I don't know what you want me to do."
"Neither do I."
Her voice cracked.
Then suddenly it became sharper.
Louder.
More frustrated.
"Your father is gone!"
You flinched.
The room fell silent.
Her breathing became uneven.
"You think I'm not hurting too?" she asked.
"You think I can stop because you're sad?"
Tears instantly filled your eyes.
"I didn't say that."
"But you're disappearing."
Her hands trembled.
"I'm sorting hospital bills. Insurance forms. Messages. His emails. Everything."
She gestured helplessly toward the boxes.
"And every day you're locked in your room."
The guilt already living inside you twisted deeper.
"I know."
"No."
Her voice broke.
"You don't."
Then came the sentence neither of you meant.
The sentence born from exhaustion.
From grief.
From pain.
"You aren't the only one who lost him."
It felt like a knife.
Your eyes widened.
Her expression changed immediately.
Regret.
Horror.
But the damage was done.
You turned and rushed out before she could stop you.
Before she could apologize.
Before you started crying in front of her.
Again.
──
The night air felt cold.
The garden behind your house was quiet.
The grass brushed against your shoes as you walked aimlessly.
Then you saw him.
Jungwon.
Waiting exactly where he always waited.
Under the large tree near the edge of the garden.
The moment he saw your face, concern filled his eyes.
"What happened?"
You tried speaking.
Instead, a sob escaped.
And suddenly everything collapsed.
You were crying before you reached him.
Crying before you could explain.
Before you could think.
Jungwon immediately stood and wrapped his arms around you.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing rushed.
Just steady.
Safe.
His embrace tightened as you buried your face against his chest.
"I can't do this anymore."
Your voice shook violently.
"I can't."
His hand moved through your hair.
"I'm here."
"I can't breathe in that house."
Another sob escaped.
"Everything reminds me of him."
Jungwon didn't interrupt.
He never interrupted.
He simply listened.
And somehow that made everything hurt less.
You cried until your throat ached.
Until there were no words left.
Until the sky above became blurry.
Finally, he guided you toward the blanket he had spread on the grass.
The two of you sat side by side.
Looking up.
The stars were scattered across the darkness.
Tiny lights.
Far away.
Yet somehow still visible.
For several minutes neither of you spoke.
The silence felt different from the one inside your house.
This silence wasn't empty.
It was shared.
Eventually your voice broke it.
"I killed him."
Jungwon's head immediately turned.
"No."
"I did."
"You didn't."
"If I had called him sooner—"
"You didn't kill him."
"If I noticed something was wrong—"
"You didn't kill him."
Tears rolled down your cheeks.
"He would've been alive."
Jungwon's expression softened.
Painfully soft.
Like he knew exactly how much those thoughts were hurting you.
"You loved him."
The words were quiet.
"But what if love wasn't enough?"
His eyes glistened.
"Then nothing would've ever been enough."
You looked away.
Because part of you still refused to believe it.
The guilt felt easier to carry than the truth.
The truth was terrifying.
The truth was that terrible things happened.
Sometimes without warning.
Sometimes without reason.
Sometimes to people who deserved more time.
Jungwon gently reached for your hand.
His thumb brushed across your knuckles.
"Your father loved you."
You swallowed hard.
"Then why did he leave?"
A broken whisper.
The question of a grieving daughter.
Not a logical one.
A wounded one.
Jungwon squeezed your hand.
"He didn't choose to stop loving you."
Fresh tears filled your eyes.
"He wouldn't want this."
"This?"
"The way you're punishing yourself."
You stared at the stars.
The tears kept falling.
"I don't know how to stop."
"I know."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I know."
──
The wind moved through the trees.
Somewhere in the distance a dog barked.
The world continued spinning.
Even though yours had shattered.
Jungwon shifted closer.
Not enough to overwhelm.
Just enough that your shoulders touched.
You leaned into him automatically.
Tired.
So tired.
"You know something?"
"What?"
"I was scared today."
Your heart clenched.
"Why?"
He looked down at your intertwined hands.
"Because when you stopped answering my messages..."
His voice wavered.
"...I wondered if you were alone with those thoughts."
You knew exactly what thoughts he meant.
The ones that whispered during sleepless nights.
The ones that said nothing would ever feel okay again.
The ones that asked whether continuing was worth it.
Shame flooded your chest.
"I didn't..."
He nodded.
"I know."
Then softly:
"But I still got scared."
For a moment neither of you spoke.
Then you leaned forward and pressed your forehead against his shoulder.
"I don't want to die."
The confession emerged quietly.
Raw.
Honest.
"I just don't want to hurt anymore."
Jungwon's eyes immediately filled with tears.
"I know."
His arm wrapped around you.
Holding you closer.
"And those aren't the same thing."
You began crying again.
Not because you were sad.
Because somebody understood.
There was a difference.
A huge difference.
And for the first time in days someone had seen it.
──
Minutes passed.
Maybe longer.
You weren't sure.
At some point Jungwon gently lifted your chin.
His thumb brushed away tears from beneath your eyes.
"You don't have to carry all of this alone."
You looked at him.
The boy who kept showing up.
The boy who sat through your silence.
The boy who never demanded that you heal faster.
The boy who loved you.
Even like this.
Especially like this.
"You deserve better than me right now."
His eyebrows immediately furrowed.
"Don't say that."
"It's true."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Firm.
Certain.
"No."
Your chest tightened.
Jungwon leaned forward and pressed a kiss to your forehead.
Gentle.
Lingering.
The kind that felt like a promise.
Then another to your cheek.
Warm.
Careful.
As if you were something precious.
His hand rested against the side of your face.
"You are grieving."
A kiss near the corner of your eye.
"You are hurting."
Another against your other cheek.
"You are not a burden."
Fresh tears slipped down your face.
Jungwon moved closer.
Close enough that you could feel his heartbeat.
Then he pressed a soft kiss against your neck.
Not passionate.
Not demanding.
Just comforting.
An anchor.
A reminder that you were here.
Alive.
Loved.
His forehead rested against yours afterward.
"I am not going anywhere."
The words cracked something inside you.
Something heavy.
Something you had been holding alone.
Before you could stop yourself, you closed the distance.
Your lips met his.
Softly.
A trembling kiss.
Filled with grief.
Love.
Relief.
When he kissed you back, it felt like being allowed to breathe.
Not because the pain disappeared.
But because you weren't carrying it alone anymore.
When the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against yours once more.
The two of you stayed there beneath the stars.
Breathing.
Existing.
Surviving.
Together.
──
Later, the garden gate creaked open.
You looked up.
Your mother stood there.
The porch light illuminated her tired face.
For a second nobody moved.
Then she slowly approached.
Tears already in her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Your throat tightened.
"I didn't mean what I said."
She looked devastated.
"I was angry."
Another tear slipped down her cheek.
"Not at you."
Silence.
Then she whispered:
"I miss him too."
The words shattered whatever remained between you.
You stood and hugged her.
Immediately.
Without hesitation.
The two of you cried together.
Not because everything was fixed.
Not because grief was over.
But because neither of you had to face it alone anymore.
Jungwon quietly remained beside you.
A steady presence.
A constant one.
The stars continued shining overhead.
Distant.
Small.
Yet still bright enough to reach the earth.
And for the first time since your father's death, you realized something.
Maybe healing wasn't forgetting.
Maybe healing wasn't moving on.
Maybe healing was learning how to carry love after loss.
( 김주훈 ) ① INDIE! • college au • slowburn • indie romance • comfort • reader × Kim Juhoon • kissing • emotional vulnerability • late-night intimacy • wordcount : 1705
━━━in which,, Kim Juhoon keeps loving you quietly, gently, carefully—until one rainy night, he finally gathers the courage to ask the only question that has mattered all along.
☆ now playing - sawaal | Abhijeet Srivastava & Siddharth Bhosle
miu's thoughts ✦ Heyy! So recently I'm obsessed with this song and like this song gives the vibe "she fell first he fell harder" so this story is based on that only with the dreamy vibes of this song! You can listen the song(my recommendation). If you like my work don't forget to follow and support<33
The first time you notice Kim Juhoon properly, he’s laughing.
Not the loud kind of laugh meant for attention. His is quieter—head tilted back slightly, shoulders shaking, eyes disappearing into soft crescents while his friends talk over each other in the convenience store aisle.
You only look up because the rain outside has gotten louder.
Then you see him.
Grey hoodie. Damp hair falling into his eyes. Fingers curled around a can of coffee.
Warm.
That’s the first word your mind chooses for him.
Warm.
He notices you staring for half a second too long.
Instead of making it awkward, he smiles.
Small. Polite. Shy around the edges.
You look away first.
Outside, the rain continues washing the city silver.
—
The second time you meet him, he’s standing under the broken shelter near campus with you while everyone else runs across the road screaming about puddles.
“You’re not going?” he asks.
You glance at the storm. “I’d rather survive.”
That makes him laugh again.
There’s something unfair about how easy he is to talk to.
Juhoon isn’t the type to dominate conversations. He listens more than he speaks, nodding along carefully like every word deserves attention. Sometimes he pushes his wet hair back absentmindedly while looking at you, and every single thought in your head disappears.
“You always carry books around?” he asks.
You look down at the novels pressed against your chest. “Emotional support.”
“Cute.”
The word slips out naturally from him.
Like breathing.
Your stomach flips embarrassingly fast.
Rainwater drips from the edge of the shelter roof. Somewhere nearby, someone’s playing music from their phone—soft acoustic guitar floating through the storm.
Juhoon glances sideways at you.
“You’re cold.”
“I’m okay.”
“You’re shivering.”
Before you can protest, he steps closer and gently pulls one side of his hoodie open.
“Come here.”
“What?”
“So dramatic,” he mutters, smiling. “I’m sharing warmth, not proposing.”
Still, your heartbeat stumbles when you move beside him beneath the oversized hoodie space he creates between you both.
You can smell fabric softener.
Coffee.
Rain.
Him.
Your shoulders brush.
Then stay touching.
Neither of you moves away.
—
After that, Juhoon starts appearing everywhere in your life naturally.
Like he’d always belonged there.
He waits outside your lectures pretending he “just happened to be nearby.” He steals your fries but buys you desserts afterward because he feels guilty. He sends voice messages at 2 a.m. instead of texts because he says your sleepy voice deserves proper replies.
And slowly, terrifyingly, he becomes your favorite part of every day.
The problem with Juhoon is that he’s affectionate without realizing how dangerous it is.
He fixes your scarf absentmindedly while talking.
Places his hand on your lower back while guiding you through crowded streets.
Leans too close when showing you videos on his phone.
Looks at you too softly.
One evening, you’re sitting on the rooftop staircase behind campus while the sunset melts gold into the buildings.
Juhoon is beside you eating instant ramen from the cup.
“You’re staring again,” he says.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“You’re conceited.”
“You think I’m pretty.”
The confidence in his voice makes you choke on your drink.
He grins immediately.
“There it is.”
You glare at him while he laughs quietly.
God.
You’re doomed.
The wind blows strands of hair across your face, and before you can move them away, Juhoon reaches over carefully.
His fingertips brush your cheek.
Slowly, he tucks the strands behind your ear.
The world becomes painfully still.
His eyes flicker to your lips for the briefest moment.
Then back up.
You stop breathing.
Juhoon swallows.
“You’re really pretty too,” he says softly.
Not teasing this time.
Real.
The sunset suddenly feels too warm.
—
The first kiss happens accidentally.
At least that’s what both of you pretend.
You’re in his apartment during another stormy evening, sitting cross-legged on the floor while helping him organize polaroids scattered around his room.
His lamp casts everything in warm amber.
Outside, thunder rumbles softly.
“You look good in this one,” you say, holding up a photo.
Juhoon crawls closer to see it, shoulder bumping yours.
“You only picked it because you took it.”
“Well, obviously my photography skills are incredible.”
“You blurred half my face.”
“It’s artistic.”
“You’re annoying.”
“You like me.”
He opens his mouth immediately to reply.
Then pauses.
The teasing disappears from his expression.
The air changes quietly.
Your fingers are still holding the polaroid between both of you.
Neither lets go.
Juhoon looks at you the way people look at rain through windows late at night—gentle, thoughtful, aching a little.
“You have no idea,” he murmurs.
Your heartbeat stutters.
“Juhoon—”
He kisses you before courage leaves him.
Softly.
So softly.
Like he’s asking permission.
His hand rises carefully to your cheek while his lips press against yours once, hesitant and warm and devastatingly tender.
Then he pulls back immediately.
Eyes wide.
Breathing uneven.
“Sorry,” he whispers instantly. “I just—”
You kiss him back before he can finish.
This time he melts into it completely.
One hand slides around your waist, pulling you closer against him while your fingers clutch his hoodie. His lips move slowly against yours like he’s savoring something precious.
No rush.
No desperation.
Just warmth.
The kind that settles into your chest forever.
When you finally part, Juhoon rests his forehead against yours.
Both of you smiling breathlessly.
“You kissed me back,” he says quietly, sounding genuinely shocked.
“You looked sad when you apologized.”
“I thought I ruined everything.”
“You idiot.”
He laughs softly at that.
Then presses another kiss to your lips.
Short.
Sweet.
Followed by one on your cheek.
Another near your jaw.
Until you’re laughing too, trying to push him away while he hides his smile against your neck.
“You’re clingy now.”
“This is your fault.”
“How?”
“You’re lovable.”
Your entire face burns.
Juhoon notices immediately and grins against your skin before placing one last gentle kiss below your ear.
The feeling lingers for hours.
—
Dating Juhoon feels strangely quiet.
Not boring.
Never boring.
Just intimate in the smallest ways.
Like him warming your hands inside his pockets during winter walks.
Or resting his chin on your shoulder while you study.
Or kissing your forehead absentmindedly whenever you complain too much.
He’s especially affectionate when sleepy.
You discover this after movie nights when he gets tired enough to become honest.
“Come closer,” he mumbles one night from your spot beside him on the couch.
“You’re already hugging me.”
“Closer anyway.”
You laugh but move against him properly, legs tangled beneath blankets.
Immediately, he sighs happily and presses his face into your neck.
“Comfortable?”
“Mhm.”
A few moments pass quietly.
Then—
“I think I liked you from the convenience store.”
Your heart skips.
“The first day?”
“You looked pretty holding those books.”
“That’s your reason?”
“And you looked lonely.”
The words hit unexpectedly hard.
Juhoon lifts his head slightly, eyes softer now.
“I wanted to make you smile.”
You stare at him.
At the sincerity written all over his face.
Sometimes Juhoon loves like he doesn’t know how to do it halfway.
Slowly, he leans in and kisses the corner of your mouth.
Then your cheek.
Then your forehead.
Each one softer than the last.
“I like this,” he whispers.
“What?”
“You with me.”
Something inside your chest aches painfully.
Because suddenly you understand the song hidden inside him all this time.
The carefulness.
The quiet affection.
The way he always loved you like something fragile and important.
As if losing you would ruin him.
—
The fight happens because of fear.
Not anger.
You overhear someone asking Juhoon if you two are dating.
And instead of answering immediately, he hesitates.
Just for two seconds.
But two seconds is enough.
Afterward, you avoid him all evening.
By midnight, rain is falling again when he finally catches your wrist outside your apartment building.
“Talk to me.”
“You hesitated.”
Juhoon looks confused at first.
Then realization crashes over his face.
“Oh.”
“You didn’t want people knowing.”
“No—”
“It’s okay, Juhoon.”
“It’s literally not okay.”
Rain dampens both your clothes while passing cars hiss against wet streets.
Juhoon runs frustrated fingers through his hair.
“You think I’m hiding you?”
“You didn’t answer.”
“Because I panicked.”
“Why?”
He stares at you helplessly for a long moment.
Then steps closer.
“You know what scares me the most?”
The rain clings to his eyelashes.
You stay silent.
Juhoon’s voice softens.
“That one day you’ll realize someone else could love you better.”
Your chest tightens painfully.
“So when people ask about us…” He exhales shakily. “I get scared if I say it out loud too proudly, the universe will take you away.”
You blink at him.
Completely stunned.
“That’s stupid.”
“I know.”
“You’re actually ridiculous.”
“I know that too.”
Rainwater drips from his jaw while he looks at you with that same vulnerable expression from the night he first kissed you.
Then, quieter—
“But I love you so much it terrifies me sometimes.”
The world goes silent.
Only rain exists now.
Rain.
And Juhoon.
You step forward first this time.
Your hands grab his hoodie as you pull him down into a kiss.
Immediate.
Certain.
Juhoon exhales against your mouth like relief itself before kissing you back deeply, carefully, one hand cradling your face while the other wraps around your waist.
Warm despite the storm.
When you part, he rests his forehead against yours again.
His favorite habit.
“I have a question,” he whispers.
You smile softly. “What?”
His thumb brushes your cheek.
“Can I love you openly now?”
The question settles between you both tenderly.
Not dramatic.
Not grand.
Just honest.
Just him.
Your eyes sting unexpectedly.
“You already do.”
For a second Juhoon simply looks at you.
Then his entire expression breaks into the softest smile you’ve ever seen.
He kisses your forehead once.
Your left cheek.
Right cheek.
Tip of your nose.
Finally your lips again—slow and lingering beneath the rain while the city glows gold around you.
And somehow, standing there in the storm wrapped in Juhoon’s arms, you realize love was never loud for him.
━━━ in which,, a rainy winter night and marshmallow hot chocolate turn your carefully hidden, unsaid feelings into a confession neither of you can keep secret anymore.
☆ now playing - winter bear | V (BTS)
miu's thoughts ✦ Heyy! So here's the part two, hope you enjoy it. If you like my work don't forget to follow and support<33
part 1 | part 2
It started with hot chocolate.
Again.
Which, honestly, should have told you everything.
Three months had passed since the staircase incident, yet somehow you still found yourself inside Ravenclaw Tower more often than your own common room.
At first, you told yourself it was accidental.
You just happened to run into Seonghyeon after classes.
You just happened to end up studying near him in the library.
You just happened to learn the exact evenings he liked sitting near the Astronomy Tower windows when it rained.
Completely accidental.
Unfortunately, your friends were not stupid.
“You’re in love with him,” your roommate announced one evening while you were pretending to read.
You nearly dropped your book.
“I am not.”
“You smile at walls now.”
“I do not.”
“You walked into a suit of armor yesterday because Ravenclaw boy waved at you.”
“…That armor attacked me first.”
She stared at you flatly.
“Merlin... you’re hopeless.”
Maybe you were.
Because every time Seonghyeon looked at you with that soft little smile, your thoughts completely dissolved into static.
And the worst part?
You were almost certain he felt the same way.
Almost.
Which was terrifying.
Because if you were wrong, you would lose this— whatever this warm, fragile thing between you had become.
And you didn’t want to lose it.
Not even a little.
—
The first snowfall arrived quietly across Hogwarts.
By December, the castle windows frosted silver each morning, and the corridors smelled permanently of cinnamon candles and pinewood.
You were hurrying down the hallway toward Charms class when someone caught your wrist gently.
Warm fingers.
You turned immediately.
Seonghyeon.
Your heart betrayed you instantly.
“Hi,” he said softly.
His breath fogged slightly in the cold air between you.
You noticed he wasn’t wearing gloves despite winter settling harshly outside.
“Your hands are freezing,” you complained automatically.
“You say that every day.”
“Because they’re always cold every day.”
You grabbed his hands without thinking, rubbing warmth back into his fingers.
The second you realized what you were doing, embarrassment crashed into you violently.
“Merlin,” you muttered. “Ignore me.”
But Seonghyeon didn’t pull away.
If anything, his hands curled slightly against yours.
His expression softened in a way that made your chest ache.
“I don’t mind,” he said quietly.
The hallway suddenly felt much too small.
Too warm.
Too full of him.
Students brushed past both of you, laughing loudly somewhere nearby, but the moment stayed strangely still.
Seonghyeon looked down at your intertwined hands for a second before speaking again.
“Walk with me?”
You nodded immediately.
Of course you did.
—
The snow outside turned the castle grounds pale gold beneath the morning sunlight.
You and Seonghyeon walked slowly through the quieter corridors, shoulders brushing occasionally beneath layers of winter sweaters.
Comfortable.
That word followed him everywhere somehow.
Comfortable silences.
Comfortable smiles.
Comfortable warmth.
You’d never met someone who made existing feel softer.
“You’re staring again,” he said suddenly.
You groaned dramatically.
“You always notice.”
“You’re not subtle.”
“That sounds judgmental.”
“It’s observational.”
“You Ravenclaws are insufferable.”
“And yet you keep visiting Ravenclaw Tower.”
You smiled despite yourself.
Seonghyeon glanced sideways at you then, eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.
Pretty.
Still pretty.
Dangerously pretty.
“You’re doing it again,” he murmured.
“What?”
“That look.”
“What look?”
“Like you’re thinking too hard.”
Your heartbeat stumbled.
“Maybe I am.”
His gaze lingered on you for half a second longer than usual.
And suddenly the air between you felt different.
Not uncomfortable.
Just… heavier somehow.
Like both of you were standing at the edge of something neither of you knew how to say aloud.
—
That evening, another storm arrived.
Not violent like the first one.
Gentler.
Rain tapped softly against the castle windows while wind drifted through the corridors like quiet music.
And somehow, without discussing it beforehand, both of you ended up back near the moving staircases.
The exact same landing.
You stared at it for a moment before laughing softly.
“No way.”
Seonghyeon smiled beside you.
“You’re not trapped this time, at least.”
“Debatable.”
“You’re being dramatic again.”
“I almost died here.”
“You were mildly inconvenienced.”
“You’re so mean to me.”
“You keep surviving, unfortunately.”
You gasped.
Then laughed anyway.
The staircase shifted slowly beneath the dim lantern light, creaking softly as thunder rolled somewhere far away.
For a moment, neither of you moved.
Rainlight reflected faintly across Seonghyeon’s face.
His hair looked softer tonight, slightly messy from the damp weather outside.
You wanted to touch it.
That realization hit you so suddenly you nearly stopped breathing.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
You blinked.
“Yeah.”
“You went silent.”
“I’m thinking.”
“That usually worries me.”
You rolled your eyes lightly before leaning against the railing.
The castle felt quieter tonight.
Softer.
Like the entire world had dimmed into candlelight and rain.
Seonghyeon moved beside you slowly, close enough for your sleeves to brush together.
“You know,” he said after a moment, “I’m glad you got stuck here that night.”
You looked toward him immediately.
“You are?”
He nodded once.
“If you hadn’t, we probably never would’ve talked.”
Something warm unfolded slowly inside your chest.
“I would’ve talked to you eventually.”
“Really?”
“Maybe after months of emotional suffering.”
That made him laugh softly.
Your favorite sound.
Always your favorite sound.
“I think,” you continued carefully, “I liked you a little the first night we met.”
Seonghyeon went very still beside you.
Rain tapped quietly against nearby windows.
Your pulse suddenly felt unbearably loud.
“You did?” he asked softly.
You nodded once, embarrassed.
“You gave me hot chocolate with marshmallows. That changes people.”
A smile spread slowly across his face.
Small.
Fond.
Warm enough to melt winter itself.
“I liked you that night too,” he admitted quietly.
Your breath caught.
The storm outside seemed to disappear entirely for one suspended second.
“You did?”
“You fell asleep on my shoulder.”
“That was not my fault.”
“You were cute.”
You stared at him in shock.
“You think I’m cute?”
Seonghyeon looked suddenly shy after saying it aloud.
Which somehow made him even prettier.
“You’re impossible,” he muttered quietly.
The distance between you had become dangerously small now.
One step.
Maybe less.
You could feel warmth radiating from him even through your sweater sleeves.
Your heart hammered painfully against your ribs.
And Seonghyeon was looking at you like he could hear it.
“You know,” he said softly, “I’ve wanted to do something for a while.”
Your throat went dry.
“What?”
His gaze dropped briefly to your lips before lifting again.
Oh.
Oh.
The realization spread through you slowly, warmly, like sinking into blankets after standing in snow.
“You can,” you whispered before losing courage.
Seonghyeon hesitated only slightly before lifting one hand carefully toward your face.
Gentle.
Always gentle with you.
His fingers brushed lightly against your cheek, warm despite the cold weather.
Then he leaned closer.
Slow enough for you to pull away.
Soft enough to make your chest ache.
His lips touched yours carefully.
Sweet.
Warm.
A kiss that felt less like fireworks and more like coming home somewhere safe.
Like hot chocolate melting slowly.
Like winter nights beneath blankets.
Like warmth returning to cold hands.
You kissed him back immediately.
Seonghyeon smiled softly against your lips for half a second before kissing you again, slightly deeper this time but still impossibly tender.
No rush.
No urgency.
Just warmth.
When he finally pulled away, your forehead rested lightly against his.
Neither of you spoke.
Mostly because both of you were smiling too hard to function properly.
“Well,” you whispered eventually.
“Well,” he echoed softly.
“You kissed me.”
“I did.”
“You’re very calm about this.”
“I’m trying to be.”
You laughed quietly before hiding your face briefly against his shoulder.
Seonghyeon’s arms wrapped around you naturally after that, pulling you gently closer beneath the cold castle air.
And somehow, standing there with him felt exactly right.
Like every moving staircase inside Hogwarts had finally led somewhere good.
“I really like you,” he murmured softly against your hair.
Warmth flooded your chest instantly.
“I really like you too.”
The rain outside softened further.
Seonghyeon leaned back slightly just to look at you again.
Then he kissed your forehead.
Careful.
Lingering.
The kind of kiss that said something words couldn’t.
Your heart nearly melted on the spot.
“That’s unfairly sweet,” you informed him.
“You’re complaining?”
“A little.”
He smiled before pressing another tiny kiss against your cheek this time.
You stared at him in disbelief.
“Oh, you’re dangerous now.”
“You started this.”
“I absolutely did not.”
“You gave me emotional attachment issues.”
You laughed so hard you nearly lost balance again.
Immediately, Seonghyeon’s hands tightened carefully around your waist to steady you.
“You okay?”
“You ask me that a lot.”
“You fall a lot.”
“Rude.”
His smile softened again.
Then quieter—
“I just worry about you.”
That nearly hurt to hear.
Not painfully.
Just tenderly.
Because nobody had ever said it like that before.
Like caring about you was natural.
Easy.
Like loving you wouldn’t be difficult at all.
Your hands curled gently into the sleeves of his sweater.
“You make me feel safe,” you admitted quietly.
Seonghyeon looked at you for a long moment after that.
Then he kissed you again.
Slowly.
Softly.
Like he was trying to memorize the feeling.
The castle around you blurred into candlelight and rain and warmth.
Nothing else mattered very much.
Not exams.
Not house rivalries.
Not the cold.
Just this.
Just him.
Eventually, Seonghyeon rested his forehead lightly against yours again, smiling softly.
“Come with me?” he asked quietly.
“Where?”
“Hot chocolate.”
“With marshmallows?”
“Obviously.”
You grinned immediately.
“Okay.”
Hand in hand, both of you walked away from the moving staircases together while rain continued falling gently beyond the castle windows.
━━━ in which,, a stranded night on a moving staircase turns a sudden thunderstorm into the soft, unexpected beginning of your story.
☆ now playing - Until I Found You | Stephen Sanchez
miu's thoughts ✦ heyy! so here I'm with another storyyy ^_^ I have planned to make a part two of this story so stay tuneddd<33
part 1 ┆ part 2
The storm arrived just after dinner.
Rain battered against the tall castle windows hard enough to make the glass tremble, and thunder rolled above Hogwarts like a warning. Most students hurried back to their common rooms before curfew, cloaks pulled tightly around themselves as the wind howled through open corridors.
Unfortunately for you, your sense of direction inside Hogwarts was still absolutely terrible.
You stood near the fourth-floor staircase landing with a frustrated sigh, clutching your books against your chest while staring at the moving staircases shifting in every possible direction except the one you needed.
“Merlin” you muttered. “Fantastic. Love this school.”
One staircase jerked suddenly to the left just as you stepped onto it.
Your stomach dropped.
The stairs lurched violently beneath your feet, pulling away from the landing before you could step back. A startled noise escaped you as the staircase began moving somewhere completely unfamiliar.
“Wait— no, no, no—”
Thunder cracked overhead.
The staircase shuddered again before stopping halfway between floors with an awful grinding sound.
You froze.
The gap between the staircase and the nearest landing was too wide to jump across safely. Below you was a dizzying drop of moving staircases twisting through the castle like a maze.
Rain blew through an open window nearby, cold droplets hitting your face.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
You tried not to panic.
Really, you tried.
But the staircase swayed every few seconds, and the storm outside only made everything feel louder somehow. Colder. Lonelier.
Then footsteps echoed through the corridor above you.
You looked up immediately.
A boy appeared near the landing overhead, dark hair slightly damp from the rain and a Ravenclaw scarf loosely wrapped around his neck. He stopped the second he noticed you stranded in the middle of nowhere.
For a moment, neither of you spoke.
Then he blinked slowly.
“…How did you even get stuck there?”
You stared at him in disbelief.
“That’s your first question?”
His lips twitched slightly, like he was trying not to smile.
“You don’t look injured, so yes.”
You narrowed your eyes.
“Well, excuse me for getting kidnapped by architecture.”
That earned a quiet laugh.
Not loud. Not dramatic.
Just soft enough to warm the cold air around you.
The boy stepped closer to the edge of the landing, carefully observing the moving staircases below.
“You shouldn’t move too much,” he said after a moment. “That staircase has been unstable since last winter.”
You looked down immediately.
“Unstable?”
“…I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
“You think?”
He smiled properly then, and it caught you off guard a little.
Pretty.
That was the first thought that crossed your mind.
Not intimidating-pretty or arrogant-pretty. Just warm. The kind of face that looked gentle even under flickering storm light.
“I’m Seonghyeon,” he said. “And before you ask, no, I’m not leaving you here.”
“I wasn’t going to ask.”
“You looked like you were about to.”
You huffed quietly, pulling your cloak tighter around yourself as another gust of cold wind swept through the corridor.
The rain had soaked through your sleeves by now.
Seonghyeon noticed immediately.
“You’re freezing.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re shivering.”
“I can do both.”
That made him laugh again.
He disappeared from the landing for a second before returning moments later with his scarf in hand.
“Catch.”
You barely managed to grab it before it fell.
The scarf was warm.
Not just physically warm — it smelled faintly like old books and cinnamon tea and something comforting you couldn’t quite explain.
You wrapped it around your neck carefully.
“…Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
The thunder softened for a moment, leaving only the sound of rain tapping against castle windows.
Seonghyeon crouched near the edge of the landing, studying the staircase mechanism carefully.
“I think if I can get the upper staircase to shift closer, you’ll be able to climb across.”
“You think?”
“You’re really attached to repeating my words.”
“I’m stressed.”
“That’s fair.”
He moved toward another staircase, pushing against the railing until the entire structure groaned loudly.
You watched nervously.
“Please don’t die trying to save me,” you called out.
“I’ll do my best.”
“That doesn’t sound reassuring at all.”
The staircase shifted slightly closer.
Not enough.
Seonghyeon frowned softly before trying again.
Rainlight flickered across his face every time lightning flashed outside. His sleeves were rolled slightly past his wrists now, hair falling messily over his forehead as he focused.
You shouldn’t have noticed that.
You definitely shouldn’t have noticed his hands.
Or how calm his voice stayed despite everything.
But you did.
“You’re a Gryffindor, right?” he asked suddenly while adjusting the staircase again.
“How can you tell?”
“You sound like one.”
You gasped dramatically.
“That’s offensive.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means you’re loud.”
You stared at him.
Then he added quietly—
“But not in a bad way.”
Something about the way he said it made your chest feel strangely warm.
The staircase finally locked into place with a loud clunk.
Seonghyeon looked up immediately.
“Okay,” he said softly. “Come here slowly.”
You hesitated near the edge.
The gap still looked terrifying.
“I hate this.”
“You won’t fall.”
“You sound very confident for someone who just called the staircase unstable.”
His expression softened slightly.
Then he held out his hand.
And for some reason, that felt safer than the castle itself.
“You won’t fall,” he repeated gently.
You swallowed before stepping forward carefully.
The staircase creaked beneath your feet.
Another step.
Then another.
Your hand slipped slightly against the damp railing.
Before panic could settle in, Seonghyeon caught your wrist immediately.
Warm fingers.
Steady grip.
“It’s okay,” he murmured.
The softness in his voice settled your nerves embarrassingly fast.
You stepped across the gap at last, stumbling slightly toward him.
Seonghyeon caught you before you could lose balance completely.
For one brief second, you were pressed against him.
Warmth.
Rain and old parchment and the faint scent of peppermint.
His hand rested carefully against your back, grounding you without pulling you closer than necessary.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
You nodded too fast.
“Yep.”
“You nearly died.”
“Okay, dramatic.”
“You almost fell three floors.”
“Still dramatic.”
His smile appeared again.
Small.
Fond, somehow.
Thunder rolled outside once more.
You looked toward the nearest window where rain blurred the entire castle grounds silver-blue beneath the night sky.
“…I missed curfew,” you said weakly.
“You definitely missed curfew.”
“Wonderful.”
Seonghyeon glanced at you for a second before speaking again.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“The Ravenclaw common room has the closest fireplace.”
You blinked.
“You’re inviting a Gryffindor into Ravenclaw Tower?”
“You look like you’re about to turn into ice.”
“That’s kind of romantic.”
“That wasn’t my intention.”
But his ears turned slightly pink anyway.
—
The Ravenclaw common room was quieter than you expected.
Warm candlelight glowed softly against curved bookshelves and tall windows overlooking the storm outside. The room smelled faintly like parchment, cedarwood, and hot chocolate.
Actual hot chocolate, apparently.
Because Seonghyeon handed you a steaming mug the second you sat near the fireplace.
“There,” he said quietly. “Drink that before you freeze.”
You wrapped your hands around the mug gratefully.
Tiny marshmallows floated near the top.
“You put marshmallows in it?”
He looked mildly offended.
“Obviously.”
You smiled before taking a sip.
Warmth spread through your chest almost instantly.
“…Okay,” you admitted. “This is amazing.”
“I know.”
“You sound very proud of yourself.”
“I am.”
The fire crackled softly between moments of silence.
Not awkward silence.
Comfortable silence.
The kind that settled naturally.
You watched rain slide down the windows while Seonghyeon sat across from you reading through a book he’d abandoned halfway earlier.
“You really read during thunderstorms?” you asked.
“I like thunderstorms.”
“You’re insane.”
“They’re calming.”
“They sound like the sky is falling apart.”
He looked up then.
“Maybe that’s why I like them.”
Something about that answer lingered quietly in your chest.
You studied him for a moment longer.
The way the firelight softened his features. The way his sleeves covered part of his hands. The concentration in his eyes when he read.
Pretty.
Again.
Dangerously pretty.
“You keep staring,” he said without looking up from his book.
You nearly choked on your drink.
“I was not—”
“You were.”
“You’re annoying.”
“And yet you’re still here.”
You opened your mouth before realizing he had a point.
Unfortunately.
The storm outside grew heavier as the night deepened.
At some point, you moved closer to the fireplace without realizing it. Seonghyeon eventually sat beside you instead of across from you, quietly handing you another blanket after noticing you shiver again.
“Thanks.”
“You say thank you a lot.”
“You saved my life.”
“You were stranded on stairs, not fighting dragons.”
“Still traumatic.”
He laughed softly again.
You decided very quickly that his laugh might become your favorite sound.
Hours passed before either of you noticed.
The fire burned lower.
The castle grew quieter.
Outside, rain continued falling endlessly against the windows.
“You know,” you murmured sleepily, “this is probably the nicest detention-worthy night I’ve had.”
Seonghyeon glanced toward you.
“You get detention often?”
“…Maybe.”
“That explains a lot.”
You rolled your eyes before leaning back against the couch.
Your shoulder brushed his accidentally.
Neither of you moved away.
Warmth spread slowly through the quiet space between you.
“You’re different than I expected,” you admitted softly.
“How so?”
“I thought Ravenclaws were all intimidating geniuses.”
“And?”
“And you’re just… nice.”
Seonghyeon looked oddly shy at that.
“You say that like it’s surprising.”
“It kind of is.”
“You’re impossible.”
“But lovable?”
He looked at you then.
Really looked at you.
The firelight reflected softly in his eyes, warm amber against the storm-dark room.
“…Maybe,” he said quietly.
Your heartbeat stumbled embarrassingly hard.
Neither of you spoke after that.
Not because the silence became awkward.
Because it suddenly felt too full.
Too careful.
Too soft.
Eventually, your head tipped sideways against his shoulder without thinking.
You expected him to tense.
He didn’t.
Seonghyeon only adjusted the blanket slightly around you before murmuring—
“You should sleep for a bit.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll stay.”
Something about those two words wrapped around your chest gently.
I’ll stay.
Safe.
Warm.
Like hot chocolate on rainy nights.
Like marshmallows melting slowly.
Like the beginning of something neither of you understood yet.
And somewhere between the sound of rain and the warmth of his shoulder beneath your cheek —
( 안건호 ) ① FLUFF! • teen romance • slice of life • secret letters au • friends to lovers • you × Ahn Keonho • kissing • emotional vulnerability • mild jealousy • wordcount : 2246
━━━ in which,, one folded page goes missing from your notebook, and suddenly, the feelings you swore you would keep hidden are laying completely open right in front of him.
☆now playing – paper hearts | tori kelly
miu's thoughts ✦ heyy! So it's my first time writing in Tumblr, hope you like my work, nd I'm a Wattpad writer (jwkhvzz). If you like my work follow nd support<3
The first letter had started on a Tuesday night.
Not because you were heartbroken. Not because you were dramatic. Mostly because you couldn’t sleep, and because your feelings for Keonho had become too big to carry around quietly.
You wrote it half-curled under your blanket while rain tapped softly against your window.
I think you ruin songs for me.
Every love song sounds like you now.
You stared at the words for a long time afterward, face warm in the dark. Then you folded the paper twice, slipped it into an old shoebox under your bed, and told yourself it didn’t matter.
It wasn’t like you planned to give it to him.
You and Keonho were friends. Close enough to share hoodies and fries and playlists. Close enough that he walked you home after evening cram classes without making it feel like a big deal.
But still friends.
And maybe that was why writing letters felt safer than saying things aloud.
Because letters stayed hidden.
At least, they were supposed to.
—
“You’re smiling at your phone again.”
You looked up from your desk to see your friend grinning knowingly from across the classroom.
“I’m literally not.”
“You literally are.”
Before you could defend yourself, someone dropped into the seat beside you with enough energy to shake the desk slightly.
“Good morning,” Keonho said brightly.
Your stomach betrayed you instantly.
He looked unfairly soft today. Dark hair falling over his forehead, hoodie sleeves covering half his hands, eyes still sleepy from waking up too early. There was always something warm about him, something comfortable. Like sunlight through curtains.
“You look tired,” you muttered.
“So do you.”
“I was studying.”
“I was gaming.”
You snorted.
“Yeah, that sounds more believable.”
He grinned lazily before reaching over to steal the strawberry milk from your desk.
“Hey.”
“You weren’t drinking it.”
“I was going to.”
“But you didn’t.”
Keonho took a sip anyway, eyes sparkling mischievously over the carton. You tried not to stare at the way his lips pressed against the straw.
Failed horribly.
“You’re staring,” he said casually.
Your soul nearly left your body.
“I’m not.”
“Mhm.”
He sounded amused, not smug. That somehow made it worse.
Then the teacher walked in, saving you from complete humiliation.
Barely.
—
The problem with liking Keonho was that he made everything feel important without trying.
The way he always waited for you before leaving class.
The way he remembered tiny details, like how you hated grape-flavored candy or how you always got cold hands during winter.
The way he listened.
Really listened.
Sometimes he looked at you so attentively that it made your chest ache.
Which was exactly why the letters existed.
Because feelings that overwhelming needed somewhere to go.
So you kept writing them.
I think my favorite version of you is when you laugh so hard you can’t breathe properly.
I think if you asked me to follow you anywhere, I would.
I wonder what your first kiss will feel like.
That last one made you slam the notebook shut immediately afterward.
You buried your face in your pillow.
This was getting dangerous.
—
Friday afternoon arrived wrapped in pale sunlight and spring wind.
You were sitting on the grass behind the school gym while Keonho practiced guitar nearby. Not seriously. Just absentminded strumming while humming under his breath.
“You know,” you said, “you only know three songs.”
“That’s not true.”
“It absolutely is.”
He gasped dramatically. “You wound me.”
“You’ve played the same chorus six times.”
“Because it sounds good.”
“It sounds unfinished.”
Keonho laughed quietly.
The sound settled warmly into your chest.
You watched his fingers move over the strings for a moment before looking away quickly. There was something painfully intimate about observing people you liked doing ordinary things.
“You’re quiet today,” he said after a while.
“I’m always quiet.”
“No.” He shook his head lightly. “Not with me.”
The words caught you off guard.
Keonho glanced at you then, eyes softer than usual. Wind lifted strands of his hair gently across his forehead.
You looked down at your hands.
“You notice weird things.”
“I notice you.”
Your heart stopped.
Actually stopped.
Then restarted violently.
Thankfully, Keonho looked completely unaware of the effect he had on people.
He leaned back against the tree behind him, closing one eye against the sunlight.
“You know what I think?” he murmured.
“What?”
“I think you keep things to yourself too much.”
You swallowed.
If only he knew.
—
The letter disappeared three days later.
You noticed immediately because the folded paper sticking out from your literature notebook was suddenly gone.
Your entire body went cold.
No.
No no no.
You emptied your bag onto your bed, panic rising fast and ugly in your throat. Pens, chargers, crumpled receipts, lip balm.
No letter.
Your breathing turned shallow.
Because it wasn’t just any letter.
It was the worst one.
The most honest one.
I think I could love you forever and still feel shy around you.
You wanted to die.
There was only one place it could’ve fallen out.
School.
Which meant anyone could’ve found it.
Your mind spiraled through horrifying possibilities all night.
By morning, you were exhausted.
And terrified.
—
Keonho was weirdly quiet the next day.
Not distant exactly. Just thoughtful.
He kept glancing at you during lunch like he wanted to say something, then changing his mind.
It made your nerves even worse.
Finally, after classes ended, he stopped you outside the gates.
“Can we walk?”
You blinked.
“We always walk.”
“I mean… just us.”
Your stomach dropped.
“Oh.”
The evening air felt cool against your burning face as you followed him down the familiar sidewalk. Cars hummed quietly past. Somewhere nearby, someone was playing music from an apartment window.
Keonho shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket.
“You lost something recently?”
Your soul ascended.
“What?”
“A paper.” He looked ahead carefully. “Folded up.”
You almost tripped over absolutely nothing.
“You found it?”
His ears were pink.
That was somehow worse.
“I didn’t mean to read it at first,” he said quickly. “I just saw your name and—”
“Oh my god.”
“I only read part of it.”
“Oh my god.”
“I’m sorry.”
You covered your face with both hands instantly.
Humiliation crashed over you in violent waves.
“I’m moving countries,” you muttered into your palms. “Immediately.”
Keonho let out a startled laugh.
“You’re not.”
“I actually am. I can’t look at you ever again.”
“That seems extreme.”
“You read it.”
“You wrote it.”
You groaned miserably.
There was a brief silence before Keonho spoke again, quieter this time.
“Was it true?”
Your hands slowly lowered.
“What?”
“The things in the letter.”
You stared at him.
His expression wasn’t teasing anymore. It was careful. Nervous, even.
Your chest tightened painfully.
“You already know the answer,” you whispered.
Keonho stopped walking.
So did you.
Traffic lights glowed softly at the end of the street, painting gold across the pavement. Wind moved gently through the trees overhead.
For a second, neither of you spoke.
Then Keonho rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and laughed under his breath.
“I’ve liked you for so long,” he admitted quietly. “I genuinely thought I was going insane reading that letter.”
Your brain completely malfunctioned.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“No, I need you to repeat it actually.”
He looked down, smiling shyly.
“I like you.”
Your heart felt too big for your ribs.
“You… like me.”
“Mhm.”
“Like-like me?”
Keonho burst out laughing.
“There’s no way you just said like-like.”
“I’m in shock.”
“You’re cute when you’re shocked.”
“That’s not helping.”
He stepped closer then.
Not enough to touch.
Just enough that your breathing became impossible.
The world suddenly felt very small around the two of you.
“You know,” he said softly, “I always wondered if you’d ever notice.”
“Notice what?”
“The way I look at you.”
Your pulse stumbled.
Because you had noticed.
That was the problem.
Every glance from him felt too warm. Too lingering.
You just never believed it could mean anything.
“You’re terrible at hiding feelings,” he continued.
You stared at him incredulously.
“I literally wrote secret letters instead of confessing.”
“Yeah, but you blush every time I get close to you.”
Your face heated instantly.
Keonho smiled triumphantly. “See?”
“You’re annoying.”
“You like me anyway.”
Unfortunately true.
—
The first time he kissed your forehead happened accidentally.
Or maybe not accidentally.
You were sitting together at the bus stop afterward, shoulders brushing lightly while sharing earbuds.
Neither of you had officially defined whatever this was yet.
But something had changed.
Everything felt softer now.
Closer.
Keonho was scrolling through songs on his phone while you rested your head briefly against his shoulder, exhaustion creeping in after the emotionally catastrophic day.
Then you felt it.
Warm lips against your forehead.
Gentle.
Quick.
Your breath caught instantly.
Keonho froze too, like he hadn’t expected himself to do it either.
When you looked up, he seemed flustered for the first time all evening.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“…why are you apologizing?”
“I don’t know.”
You stared at each other for one long second before laughing simultaneously.
The tension dissolved immediately.
Still, your heart wouldn’t calm down afterward.
Because no one had ever kissed you like that before.
Like something precious.
—
Dating Keonho happened quietly.
No dramatic confession. No official announcement.
Just gradual closeness until one day everyone around you started treating it as obvious.
He held your hand naturally now.
Texted you goodnight every evening.
Stole your hair ties and kept forgetting to return them.
Sometimes he’d lean against you during lunch break, sleepy and warm, while you pretended your heartbeat wasn’t going insane.
It felt gentle.
Easy.
Like falling asleep during long car rides.
And somehow, despite all the affection between you, the actual first kiss still hadn’t happened.
Not properly.
There had been forehead kisses. Cheek kisses. Tiny lingering pecks near the corner of your mouth that made your brain short-circuit.
But never fully.
You weren’t sure why.
Maybe both of you were nervous.
Maybe neither wanted to ruin the sweetness of waiting.
Still, the tension was definitely there.
Especially moments like this one.
“You’re staring again,” Keonho murmured from across your bedroom floor.
You snapped out of your thoughts.
He was helping you organize notes for exams, though mostly he’d been distracting you for the last hour.
“I wasn’t staring.”
“You definitely were.”
“You’re so confident for no reason.”
He grinned lazily before leaning closer.
Your stomach flipped immediately.
“You know what I think?” he said softly.
“What?”
“I think you wanna kiss me.”
You choked on air.
Keonho laughed so hard he nearly fell sideways.
“You’re evil,” you accused weakly.
“But am I wrong?”
You opened your mouth.
Closed it again.
Because unfortunately, he wasn’t wrong at all.
The room suddenly felt warmer.
Outside your window, rain tapped softly against the glass. Your lamp cast everything in honey-colored light.
Keonho’s expression softened slightly as he looked at you.
“You don’t have to be nervous with me,” he said quietly.
Your chest ached unexpectedly.
“I know.”
He reached over then, fingers brushing gently against your wrist.
The touch felt impossibly tender.
“You trust me?” he asked.
Always.
Too much.
You nodded once.
Keonho’s thumb stroked lightly across your hand before he leaned closer again, slower this time. Giving you every chance to pull away.
You could hear your own heartbeat.
Could feel his breath near yours.
Then he paused.
Foreheads touching lightly.
Warm.
Careful.
“You’re really pretty,” he whispered suddenly.
Your heart melted on the spot.
“Keonho,” you breathed.
“Mhm?”
“Kiss me before I combust.”
He laughed softly against your skin.
Then finally—
Finally—
His lips met yours.
Gentle first.
Almost hesitant.
Like he was trying to memorize the feeling instead of rushing it.
Your eyes fluttered shut instantly.
Warmth bloomed through your entire body the second he kissed you back properly, one hand lifting carefully to cup your cheek.
It wasn’t dramatic.
Wasn’t overwhelming.
Just soft and sweet and achingly sincere.
The kind of kiss that made everything else disappear quietly around it.
Keonho kissed like he cared.
Like he wanted you to feel safe.
When he pulled back slightly, your forehead stayed pressed against his.
Both of you smiling a little breathlessly.
“There,” he murmured softly.
“There?”
“Your first kiss.”
Your stomach flipped violently.
“You remembered that?”
“You told me once during lunch in seventh grade.”
You stared at him in disbelief.
“You remember things from seventh grade?”
“You’re surprised?”
Honestly, no.
That was the thing about Keonho.
He paid attention in ways that mattered.
Before you could answer, he leaned in again and pressed another kiss against your lips.
Shorter this time.
Sweeter somehow.
Then another against your cheek.
Then your forehead.
You laughed quietly, overwhelmed by affection.
“What was that for?”
“Making up for lost time.”
Your face hurt from smiling.
“You’re so cheesy.”
“And you adore me.”
Unfortunately, again, true.
Keonho brushed his thumb gently beneath your eye, gaze impossibly warm.
“I think,” he said quietly, “you’re my favorite person.”
Something in your chest folded softly around the words.
No one had ever loved you this gently before.
You leaned forward first this time, kissing him carefully once more.
He smiled against your lips.
Outside, rain continued falling softly through the evening.
Inside, wrapped in warm light and tangled feelings and the quiet sound of Keonho laughing softly between kisses, everything felt unbearably tender.
Like the beginning of something you’d keep close forever.
kianamaiart
dailybridgerton
yousharknotpass
titsay
ellievsbear