•Enamoured By Fictional Men•

Hannah • 22 • INFJ

[karmacharmeleon18]

Mingi: *headbutts the camera on purpose*

Mingi: "Ow!"

[mingiatz]

After another soul-draining day at her corporate HR job, Y/N stumbles into a small underground bar to escape the exhaustion swallowing her whole. There she meets Yunho, a magnetic guitarist from a famous rock band and spends one unforgettable night wandering through the city with a stranger who makes her feel alive again.

What begins as a reckless decision slowly turns into something neither of them expected: a place to breathe.

Pairing: Jeong Yunho × Reader (Y/N)

Tropes: Rockstar AU, Strangers to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Late Night City Romance, Found Family, Emotional Healing, Soft Slow Burn, Falling in Love Before Realizing It

Genre: Romance, Slice of Life, Drama, Emotional/Character Driven, Contemporary AU, Slow Burn

Featuring: Ateez as Yunhos Band Mates or Friends, Y/ns Childhood friend

Main Masterlist | Yunhos Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

This is Part 4

For a few seconds after Y/N disappeared behind the apartment door, Yunho genuinely could not move.

Rain tapped softly against the hood of the car beside him while cold night air settled damp against his skin.

The building entrance stayed closed.

And somehow that silence felt louder than anything else.

Yunho stared at the glass door like maybe she would suddenly come back out again.

Maybe she would realize she overreacted. Maybe she would laugh awkwardly and tell him she was just overwhelmed. Maybe he should go after her.

The thought hit instantly.

Go upstairs. Knock on her door.

Tell her again that none of it mattered to him.

That he liked her exactly as she was. That he had not felt this connected to someone in years.

His body even shifted slightly toward the entrance before he stopped himself.

Because another thought followed immediately after.

Would that actually help?

Or would it just overwhelm her more?

Y/N already looked terrified standing there crying in front of him.

Not scared of him. Scared of everything surrounding him.

And Yunho understood that better than she probably realized.

People always talked about fame like it only brought good things.

Opportunities. Money. Attention.

They rarely talked about what it did to relationships.

How every interaction eventually became distorted somehow.

People projected versions onto him constantly. Some saw fantasy. Others saw status. Some only saw headlines and crowds and numbers.

Y/N had met him before any of that.

She met him sweaty behind a bar with a missing lighter and stupid jokes.

And tonight she finally saw the gap between that Yunho and the version the world recognized.

No wonder she got overwhelmed.

Still…

The image of tears in her eyes while saying I don’t know if I can manage something like this again made something ache sharply in his chest.

Again.

That word stayed with him.

Because whatever happened before him clearly hurt her deeply enough that now she expected disappointment before anything even began.

Yunho leaned heavily back against the car with a quiet curse. “Fuck.”

He dragged both hands through his damp hair before finally climbing back inside the car.

The engine stayed off.

Yunho rested his forehead briefly against the steering wheel and closed his eyes.

Everything replayed instantly anyway.

Y/N laughing earlier that afternoon with powdered sugar on her mouth. The way she relaxed when he kissed her hand outside the amusement park. Her coworkers staring at her like she did not belong beside him.

And worst of all, the way she looked at him near the end.

Like she already believed losing him would hurt too much.

Yunho exhaled slowly through his nose.

He should text her.

No.

Call her maybe.

No.

Give her space.

God.

He hated this.

Eventually he started the car again mostly because sitting outside her apartment spiraling for another hour would become deeply pathetic.

The drive back to Moonlight Room blurred together.

Rain grew heavier halfway there, streaking against the windshield while city lights reflected gold and red across wet streets.

Usually driving calmed him. Tonight his thoughts kept circling the same questions endlessly.

Should he have stopped her harder?

Should he have let her walk away so easily?

Was she already regretting everything?

The thought physically hurt.

By the time Yunho parked behind the bar, exhaustion sat heavy in his bones.

The familiar neon sign glowed dimly against the rain outside.

Tonight the bar was closed to the public. Just their people inside.

Sometimes after long schedules they gathered there anyway. Played music. Drank. Helped Wooyoung and Seonghwa clean or test new drinks.

Usually those nights relaxed Yunho.

Tonight he already wanted to leave again before even walking in.

The second he stepped inside, warmth and noise hit him immediately.

Music played softly through speakers while laughter echoed somewhere near the booths. Seonghwa polished glasses behind the counter while Wooyoung argued loudly with San over something involving tequila and “creative freedom.”

Mingi spotted Yunho first. “Oh!” He pointed dramatically. “The lover boy returns.”

Several heads immediately turned.

Yunho already knew where this was going.

Wooyoung gasped loudly. “How was the date with the woman of your dreams?”

San nearly fell sideways across the booth grinning. “Did you kiss?”

“Wait no,” Wooyoung interrupted. “Did you cry?”

“Why would he cry?” Yeosang asked flatly.

“Because he’s emotionally invested.”

“That’s fair.”

Usually Yunho would have laughed. Usually he would have shoved Wooyoung dramatically and complained while secretly enjoying the teasing.

Tonight he just forced a weak smile instead. “It was fine.”

Silence flickered briefly.

Because everyone immediately noticed the problem.

Hongjoong looked up first from his drink. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“You look miserable,” Jongho pointed out bluntly.

“I’m tired.”

“No.” San narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Something happened.”

Yunho shrugged out of his damp jacket and headed toward the counter instead. “Seriously, it’s fine.”

Nobody believed him.

Wooyoung appeared beside him almost instantly. “That was the saddest ‘it’s fine’ I’ve ever heard.”

Yunho rubbed tiredly at his face. “I just don’t really want to talk right now.”

“Oh no,” Mingi muttered dramatically from behind him. “It’s bad bad.”

“What did you do?” Yeosang asked.

“Why does everyone assume I did something?”

“Because you’re emotionally impulsive,” Hongjoong answered immediately.

“That’s offensive.”

“It’s accurate.”

Seonghwa quietly slid a drink toward Yunho across the counter. “You wanna sit?”

Yunho nodded once gratefully.

The others followed immediately of course. Like emotional vultures.

San practically climbed across the booth. “Did she reject you?”

“No.”

“Did you reject her?”

“No.”

“Did you accidentally tell her you loved her?”

“What? No!”

“Then what happened?”

Questions kept coming from every direction. Too fast. Too loud.

And normally Yunho would have handled it fine.

But Y/N crying kept replaying behind his eyes every few seconds.

The sound of her voice shaking. The way she looked genuinely scared.

And suddenly everyone pushing at him felt unbearable.

“Can you all just leave it alone for a second?” he snapped suddenly.

Silence crashed instantly across the booth. Yunho immediately regretted the sharpness in his voice.

Wooyoung blinked. San leaned back slightly. Even Mingi looked surprised.

Yunho exhaled harshly through his nose before rubbing a hand over his face again.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered quietly. “I just…” He shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Nobody spoke for a second afterward.

Then Hongjoong nodded once. “Okay.”

The conversation shifted awkwardly after that.

Nobody pushed again.

Still, Yunho barely heard most of it.

His thoughts stayed somewhere else entirely.

Hours passed slowly afterward.

Eventually San and Wooyoung started arguing over music again loudly enough to shake the entire room. Yeosang disappeared onto the patio with Seonghwa for cigarettes. Hongjoong answered work calls in the corner looking exhausted already.

Yunho slipped away quietly toward the small stage area near the back of the bar.

The room there stayed dimly lit except for scattered overhead lights reflecting softly across instruments.

His guitar already rested near one of the stools. Without thinking too much, Yunho picked it up. The familiar weight settled comfortably against him immediately.

Playing usually helped organize his thoughts. Or at least drown them out.

Tonight music came easier than words. Soft chords filled the empty bar while rain tapped quietly against windows outside.

Yunho stared down at the notebook resting open beside him. Lyrics already covered half the page.

Most unfinished. Most obviously about Y/N.

About girls who looked sad while laughing. About lakes under moonlight. About wanting someone enough to become terrified of losing them immediately.

Pathetic honestly.

Still, he kept writing anyway.

At some point footsteps approached quietly behind him.

Yunho didn’t look up immediately.

Only when Mingi settled beside him on the stage steps without speaking. For a while Mingi just listened quietly while Yunho played absentmindedly.

“You wanna tell me what happened?”

His voice sounded different now.

Not teasing. Not pushing.

Just… caring.

Yunho stared down at the guitar strings for a second longer before sighing softly. “She got scared.”

Mingi stayed quiet beside him.

So Yunho continued slowly. “She said she doesn’t know if she can handle…” He gestured vaguely around himself. “All of this.”

“The fame stuff?”

“Yeah.”

Rain continued softly outside while Yunho explained everything.

The coworkers. The comments. Y/N trying to pull her hand away. The way she looked smaller afterward no matter how hard he tried making her laugh again.

And finally the car ride.

Her crying. The way she kept talking like she wasn’t enough for him.

By the time he finished, his chest felt hollow again.

Mingi sat quietly processing it all.

Then eventually he leaned back against the stage step with a slow sigh. “Damn.”

“Yeah.”

For a second neither spoke.

Then Mingi rubbed lightly at his jaw thoughtfully. “I get why you’re upset,” he admitted carefully. “But honestly?” He glanced sideways toward Yunho. “I kinda get her too.”

Yunho looked over immediately.

Mingi lifted both hands slightly. “Not saying she’s right. Just…” He shrugged. “Think about it from her perspective.”

Yunho looked away again toward the guitar.

“She met you as just Yunho.”

The sentence landed quietly between them.

Not Jeong Yunho from Ateez.

Not the celebrity version everyone recognized instantly. Just him.

Mingi continued softly. “She didn’t know who you were at first. That’s probably why she relaxed around you so fast.”

Yunho remembered the first night instantly. Y/N laughing at his missing lighter. Calling him dramatic.

Looking at him without hesitation or expectation. No fame involved.

Just them.

“And then suddenly,” Mingi continued, “she sees the other side of it.”

The attention. People talking over her to get to him.

Yunho’s chest tightened again.

Mingi leaned forward resting his forearms against his knees. “You told us yourself she’s already insecure.” He glanced toward Yunho carefully. “And honestly? She sounds like someone whose trust you actually gotta earn.”

The sentence made Yunho blink slightly.

Because it felt painfully accurate.

Y/N did not open easily. Even the first night together, she kept overthinking every conversation at first.

And yet somehow she still followed him into the city anyway. Still trusted him enough to spend the night with him. Still let herself become vulnerable.

Mingi snorted softly beside him. “It still surprises me she even went with you that first night honestly.”

“That’s rude.”

“You know what I mean.”

Yunho did.

Because objectively?

Y/N should have been more cautious.

Instead she trusted him almost instinctively before even knowing who he was. And maybe that made tonight hurt worse too.

Because now she suddenly saw all the reasons not to.

Mingi nudged Yunho lightly with his shoulder. “I don’t think she pushed you away because she doesn’t like you.”

Yunho stared quietly at the notebook beside him. “She literally said she likes me.”

“There you go.”

“She still left.”

“Because she’s scared.”

Silence settled softly around them afterward.

Then Mingi smiled slightly. “You know,” he admitted, “I’m actually rooting for you.”

Yunho looked over.

Mingi shrugged. “You haven’t looked this genuinely happy in forever.”

The words hit unexpectedly hard.

Because they were true. Even Hongjoong mentioned it earlier that week.

Yunho laughed easier after meeting Y/N.

Smiled more. Seemed lighter somehow.

And all of it happened because one exhausted office worker walked into a random bar after work looking like she needed saving from adulthood.

Mingi looked toward the guitar resting against Yunho’s lap.

“So don’t give up yet.”

Yunho exhaled quietly. “You really think there’s still a chance?”

“I think,” Mingi said slowly, “that if something feels special this quickly, it’s probably worth fighting for.”

The sentence settled deep in Yunho’s chest.

Outside, rain continued falling softly over the city.

And for the first time since Y/N closed the door in front of him earlier that night, Yunho felt something besides helplessness.

Hope maybe.

Fragile. But there.

One week. Seven entire days.

Yunho knew because he counted every single one.

At first he tried being reasonable about it.

Y/N needed space. That was fair.

The night outside her apartment had been emotional for both of them. She cried. He pushed. Everything became messy and overwhelming.

So Yunho gave her time.

One day.

Then two.

Then four.

Now an entire week had passed.

No texts. No calls. Nothing.

And slowly, against his will, the thought started sinking in deeper every day.

Maybe she really was done with him. Maybe the silence itself was the answer.

Yunho sighed heavily from the couch in the recording studio before checking his phone again.

Still nothing.

No notifications except group chats and management reminders.

The screen reflected faintly against his tired face before he dropped the phone dramatically onto his chest again.

Across the studio, San’s voice blasted through the speakers mid-recording while Hongjoong adjusted controls behind the mixing desk.

Mingi glanced over from his chair immediately. “There he goes again.”

“I heard that,” Yunho muttered without moving.

“You were sighing like a divorced father.”

“That’s because he’s heartbroken,” San announced through the studio microphone before laughing at his own joke.

“Focus on recording,” Hongjoong shouted back immediately.

“I contain multitudes.”

The studio lights felt too bright today.

Or maybe Yunho just barely slept again.

Most nights this week ended the same way. Lying awake in bed staring at old messages from Y/N.

The messages physically ruined him now.

Because afterward came silence. Total silence.

Yunho dragged a hand over his face tiredly before checking his phone again despite knowing better.

Still nothing.

Mingi watched him for another second before speaking carefully. “She still hasn’t texted?”

Yunho shook his head once against the couch cushion. “Nope.”

“Maybe she’s busy,” San offered weakly through the microphone.

“San,” Hongjoong said flatly, “nobody is too busy for one text during an entire week.”

“Let me be optimistic.”

Yunho laughed softly despite himself. Weak.

But real enough that the others visibly relaxed slightly.

Because honestly?

This week had been rough. Not dramatic movie rough. Just quietly miserable.

Everything kept reminding him of her.

Coffee shops. Train stations. Rain at night.

Even the stupid claw machine plushie sitting on the shelf beside his desk at home because apparently Y/N forgot it in his car after the amusement park.

Yunho stared at the studio ceiling blankly. “She’s ghosting me, isn’t she?”

Three immediate reactions hit him at once.

“No.”

“Probably not.”

“You’re spiraling.”

Yunho groaned quietly. “I’m serious.”

Mingi leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. “She doesn’t seem like the ghosting type.”

“She literally vanished.”

“She told you she was scared,” Hongjoong pointed out calmly without looking away from the mixing desk. “That’s different.”

Yunho knew that. Logically.

Emotionally, however, his brain kept producing worst-case scenarios every two hours.

Maybe she regretted ever meeting him. Maybe she met someone normal instead.

The last thought made something ugly twist immediately in his chest. Pathetic.

Yunho sat up slowly from the couch before grabbing his phone again. “I should text her.”

“Then do it,” San answered immediately.

“But what if that’s overstepping?”

Three heads turned toward him.

Yunho rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. “She asked for space.”

“She never actually said that,” Mingi pointed out.

“She kinda implied it.”

Hongjoong finally looked up from the console then. “Yunho.”

“Hm?”

“You’ve spent seven days staring at your phone like a Victorian widow.”

“That feels dramatic.”

“It’s accurate.”

San nodded immediately. “You sigh every thirty minutes.”

“Yesterday you stared at rain for like twenty minutes straight,” Mingi added helpfully.

“That was unrelated.”

“It absolutely wasn’t.”

Unfortunately true.

Yunho dropped back against the couch again with another sigh. “I just don’t wanna make things worse.”

The room quieted slightly after that.

Because underneath all the jokes, the others knew him well enough to understand what this actually meant.

Yunho rarely got attached this fast anymore. Rarely let people affect him this deeply. And now one week of silence already had him looking permanently exhausted.

Mingi leaned forward slightly. “You know what I honestly think?”

Yunho looked over tiredly.

“I think she’s probably overthinking herself into another dimension.”

The sentence startled a laugh out of him.

Mostly because it sounded painfully accurate. Y/N absolutely seemed like the type to spiral herself into emotional isolation.

Hongjoong nodded thoughtfully too. “She probably thinks she’s protecting you.”

That part hurt more. Because maybe she genuinely believed walking away would make his life easier.

Meanwhile Yunho had spent the entire week writing songs about her.

Actual loser behavior.

San suddenly leaned back dramatically inside the recording booth. “You know what this studio session needs?”

“No,” Hongjoong answered immediately.

“A love song.”

Silence.

Then Mingi burst into laughter. “Oh my god.”

Yunho already knew where this was going. “No.”

“Yes,” San insisted brightly. “The people yearn for emotional devastation.”

“The people need you to finish your recording first,” Hongjoong replied.

But Mingi already looked deeply entertained now.

“Oh, Yunho has like twenty of those.”

Traitor.

San gasped dramatically through the microphone. “You wrote songs about her?”

“I write songs about everything.”

“Not like this,” Mingi corrected smugly.

Hongjoong slowly turned toward Yunho now too.

Interest immediately visible. “Wait.”

Yunho groaned quietly. “No.”

“Play one.”

“Absolutely not.”

“You’re literally an artist,” San shouted. “Suffer publicly.”

“I hate all of you.”

“Play the song.”

Yunho crossed his arms stubbornly against his chest. “No.”

Unfortunately that only encouraged them.

Mingi physically got up from his chair. “Oh, now we definitely need to hear it.”

“You’re being annoying on purpose.”

“Yes.”

Hongjoong leaned back against the console thoughtfully. “Honestly? We do need something emotional for the setlist.”

Yunho stared at him in betrayal. “You too?”

“You write best when you’re miserable.”

“That’s offensive.”

“That’s accurate,” three voices answered immediately.

Yunho buried his face in his hands briefly.

Because the worst part?

They were probably right.

This entire week had poured directly into music whether he wanted it to or not.

At some point around three in the morning two days earlier, he wrote an entire chorus about wanting someone so badly that silence itself started hurting physically.

Embarrassing.

Deeply embarrassing.

Still…

Slowly, reluctantly, Yunho reached toward the notebook resting beside the couch.

Immediate chaos erupted.

“Oh my god.”

“He’s doing it.”

“Wait, I’m emotionally preparing.”

“Shut up,” Yunho muttered.

The teasing quieted almost instantly once he actually picked up the guitar resting nearby though.

Because now they knew he was serious.

The studio settled into softer silence while Yunho adjusted the instrument against himself.

For a second he hesitated. Then his fingers moved automatically across the strings.

The melody came quietly at first.

Soft. Melancholy.

The room changed almost immediately.

Even San stopped moving around inside the recording booth.

Yunho looked down at the guitar while singing softly.

Not performing. Just… feeling it.

Lyrics spilled out rougher than usual.

About neon lights reflected in lake water. About girls who apologized for existing too loudly in the wrong spaces. About wanting to chase someone even while knowing they’d run first. And somewhere halfway through the second verse, Yunho accidentally forgot everyone else sat in the room.

Because suddenly all he could see was Y/N again.

Laughing at the arcade. Crying outside her apartment. Looking at him like she wanted him too much already.

His chest tightened painfully mid-chorus anyway.

Still, he kept singing.

The final line faded softly into silence afterward.

No one spoke immediately.

Yunho stared down at the guitar awkwardly.

Then finally:

“…Holy shit,” San whispered.

Yunho looked up. All three of them stared at him.

Hongjoong leaned slowly back against the mixing desk like he needed a second to process.

Mingi blinked once. “Okay,” he said carefully. “That was insane.”

Yunho rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck immediately. “It’s unfinished.”

“We’re putting that in the setlist.”

Yunho looked horrified. “What?”

“We absolutely are,” Hongjoong agreed immediately.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“It’s too personal.”

“That’s literally why it works,” San argued.

Yunho groaned dramatically and dropped backward against the couch again. “I regret sharing anything with you people.”

Mingi laughed loudly. “No actually, that chorus physically hurt me.”

“That bridge was disgusting,” San added. “Like emotionally.”

Hongjoong already grabbed a notebook. “We’re keeping it.”

Yunho stared at the ceiling again while the others immediately started discussing arrangements around him.

Somewhere underneath the embarrassment, warmth flickered softly in his chest too.

Because despite everything else, singing about Y/N made her feel close again somehow. Even if she still refused to answer him.

Hours later, after finally finishing the studio session, Yunho returned home exhausted.

The apartment greeted him with familiar silence.

Usually he appreciated quiet after schedules.

Tonight it just felt empty.

He dropped his keys onto the kitchen counter before immediately pulling out his phone again.

Still nothing.

Yunho groaned softly and collapsed onto the couch.

Okay.

Enough.

He needed to text her.

Obviously.

The others were right.

Seven days without contact already bordered on ridiculous.

Still…

What the hell was he supposed to say?

Hey, are you still emotionally spiraling?

Miss me?

Sorry you think you’re not enough for me even though you absolutely are?

Yunho opened their chat anyway. The blinking cursor mocked him instantly.

He typed. Deleted.

Typed again. Deleted again.

Eventually the message box only contained:

hey

Pathetic.

Yunho dropped the phone onto his face dramatically.

“This is impossible.”

The apartment remained deeply unhelpful. After another ten minutes of suffering, he sat up again determined.

Okay.

Simple honesty.

That usually worked best with Y/N anyway.

He typed again slowly.

I know you probably need time but I miss talking to you

Yunho stared at the sentence.

Then deleted it immediately.

Too intense.

Or maybe not intense enough.

God.

He hated texting.

Another attempt.

Are you okay?

Delete.

Thinking about you.

Delete.

Eventually he threw the phone onto the couch hard enough that it bounced slightly.

“Nope.”

He stood abruptly and paced toward the kitchen instead.

Water. He needed water.

Or alcohol.

Or emotional stability.

Unfortunately the apartment seemed fresh out of all three.

Yunho leaned heavily against the kitchen counter staring toward the rain outside his windows.

Because of course it was raining again. Everything about Y/N somehow involved rain now.

Rain outside the bar. Rain after the amusement park. Rain outside her apartment while she cried.

His chest tightened immediately at the memory.

Maybe texting really wasn’t enough. Maybe this entire situation became too fragile for carefully worded messages.

Y/N overthought texts already. He knew that much about her.

If he sent the wrong thing, she would probably reread it fifty times and convince herself he secretly meant something else entirely.

Yunho sighed heavily before grabbing his phone again.

Still no message from her.

And suddenly the idea settled into place quietly but firmly.

He needed to see her.

Not text. Not call.

Actually see her.

The realization hit so clearly that his body moved before he could overthink it again.

Yunho grabbed his keys from the counter immediately.

Then froze halfway toward the door.

Was this insane? Possibly.

Would Y/N think he completely lost his mind?

Also possible.

Still…

The thought of spending another week waiting silently while she convinced herself they should stay apart felt worse.

Much worse.

Yunho shoved his phone and wallet into his jacket pockets before heading for the door again.

Rain waited outside. Cold night air rushed against him immediately as he locked the apartment behind himself.

His heart beat strangely hard while heading toward the parking garage.

Not nervous exactly. Determined maybe.

Because somewhere between a random bar conversation and a lake at four in the morning, Y/N had become important enough that silence no longer felt acceptable. And Yunho wasn’t ready to lose something that felt this special without fighting for it first.

By the time Yunho parked outside Y/N’s apartment building, rain had softened into a light drizzle.

The city looked blurred beneath wet streetlights.

Quiet. Almost sleepy.

His hands stayed resting against the steering wheel while the engine hummed softly underneath him.

And suddenly all the confidence from twenty minutes ago disappeared completely.

What the hell was he actually doing?

Yunho leaned back slowly into the driver’s seat while staring toward Y/N’s building entrance.

Most windows were dark now except for a few scattered lights higher up.

Maybe she was asleep already. Maybe she didn’t want to see him at all. Maybe showing up unannounced after a week of silence would only overwhelm her more.

The thought made him exhale heavily through his nose.

“Great,” he muttered quietly to himself. “Now I’m the creepy guy outside her apartment.”

Rain tapped softly against the windshield.

Yunho stayed where he was.

Just thinking. Or overthinking maybe.

Because honestly, part of him still felt scared too.

Not of rejection exactly. More of hearing Y/N say out loud that this really was over before it ever properly started.

His phone rested in the cupholder beside him.

Still empty. No messages.

Yunho rubbed tiredly at his face before glancing back toward the building again.

One week. One entire week without her voice.

Without her terrible nervous laughs or the way she overexplained things when anxious.

God. He missed her.

The radio played quietly in the background, mostly ignored until the station host suddenly started talking louder.

“And next up,” the host announced brightly, “one of the biggest tracks dominating charts this month…”

Yunho already knew what was coming before the instrumental even started. “Oh, come on.”

Their song flooded through the speakers immediately.

His own voice filled the car seconds later alongside San’s.

Usually hearing their music unexpectedly felt surreal in a fun way. Tonight it made his stomach twist instead. Because suddenly he saw everything through Y/N’s eyes again.

Not Yunho sitting nervously in a car debating whether to ring her doorbell.

Jeong Yunho.

The celebrity. The performer people screamed for. The version of him impossible to separate from the rest now.

Y/N’s words echoed painfully clear in his head.

Your career is part of you too. Your fans matter. They’d be disappointed.

Yunho stared down at his hands silently while the song continued playing around him.

Maybe she was right.

Not about being boring. Never that.

But about how complicated this could become.

He had lived inside fame long enough to understand the ugly parts too.

The scrutiny. The judgment. The way strangers suddenly believed they owned pieces of your personal life.

Y/N already looked overwhelmed after one interaction with coworkers.

What would happen if things became public someday?

Would she hate it? Would it crush her slowly?

The thought alone made guilt flicker uneasily in his chest.

Maybe loving him really would become exhausting eventually.

Outside, rain streaked softly down the windshield while the chorus played quietly through the car speakers.

Yunho listened to his own voice for another few seconds before suddenly laughing softly under his breath.

Because this was ridiculous. All of it.

He was sitting here convincing himself to walk away from someone he cared about because the world might become difficult.

Meanwhile Y/N already spent her entire life carrying things alone.

Work. Expectations. Insecurities people clearly fed into constantly.

And instead of standing beside her through it, he almost turned the car around because he got scared too.

“No,” Yunho muttered quietly.

The word settled something firmly inside his chest.

Because yes, he was famous. Yes, his life was messy and public and complicated. But he was also still just a man sitting in a car at midnight missing a girl.

A girl who laughed like she forgot how beautiful she sounded doing it. A girl who cried because she genuinely thought she wasn’t enough for him.

And Yunho absolutely refused to let her believe that without fighting harder first.

The realization hit cleanly. Enough that suddenly his nerves quieted slightly too.

He turned off the radio.

The sudden silence felt sharp.

Then Yunho grabbed his keys and stepped out into the rain before he could overthink himself out of it again.

Cold air hit instantly. The drizzle dampened his hoodie while he crossed toward the apartment entrance.

Each step made his heartbeat louder.

Yunho shoved his hands into his pockets while entering the building.

Warm air greeted him inside along with faint fluorescent lighting. The elevator ride felt unbearably slow.

His reflection stared back at him from the metal doors.

Tired eyes. Messy dark hair. Nervous energy practically radiating from him.

“You’ve performed in stadiums,” he muttered under his breath. “Get it together.”

Unfortunately his heart ignored that advice entirely.

By the time he reached Y/N’s floor, his pulse already hammered painfully hard against his ribs.

The hallway looked quiet.

Yunho stopped outside her apartment door for a long second.

Okay.

Last chance to leave. Last chance to pretend he never came here.

His brain immediately supplied worst-case scenarios again.

Maybe she’d be angry. Maybe she’d cry again. Maybe she’d ask him to leave.

Still…

Yunho lifted his hand anyway.

Then rang the bell.

Silence followed immediately afterward.

Heavy enough that Yunho suddenly became hyperaware of every sound in the hallway.

His own breathing. The distant elevator hum somewhere below. Rain against windows far away.

For one horrible second he genuinely thought she might not answer.

Then footsteps.

Yunho straightened instinctively.

The lock clicked. And suddenly the door opened.

Y/N stood there staring at him in complete shock.

Soft oversized sweater. Bare face. Hair slightly messy like she had been lying down before answering.

Beautiful. Painfully beautiful.

For a second neither of them spoke.

Y/N blinked slowly. “…Yunho?”

His chest tightened immediately hearing her say his name again after a week of silence.

And standing there in front of her, watching surprise and nervousness flicker across her face all at once, Yunho realized one thing with absolute certainty.

He was not leaving until he fixed this.

Y/N had been miserable for an entire week.

Not dramatic movie miserable. Just quietly, constantly miserable.

The kind that settled heavy beneath her ribs no matter what she did.

Work became worse because now every quiet moment left too much room for thinking. She caught herself staring at her phone during lunch breaks hoping for messages she simultaneously felt too guilty to answer.

At night it became unbearable.

Because every single thing reminded her of Yunho somehow.

Rain against windows. Coffee shops. Late-night train rides.

Even the stupid oversized hoodie he left at her apartment after the amusement park sat folded carefully over the back of her chair because she could not bring herself to wash away the smell of him yet.

Pathetic honestly.

Yuna thought so too.

Not in a cruel way.

More in the deeply exasperated best-friend way. “You’re spiraling again.”

Y/N groaned softly from where she laid half-dead across the couch.

The apartment smelled faintly like takeout and vanilla candles while quiet music played from the radio nearby.

Outside, rain tapped softly against windows again.

Of course it was raining. Everything involving Yunho apparently required dramatic weather now.

Yuna sat cross-legged on the floor eating fries directly from the container while watching Y/N carefully.

“You haven’t stopped sighing for like twenty minutes.”

“I’m suffering.”

“You’re self-inflicting suffering.”

“That’s even worse.”

Yuna snorted softly.

Y/N pulled the blanket higher over her face dramatically. The last week replayed endlessly in her head no matter how hard she tried distracting herself.

Especially the look on Yunho’s face when she walked away from him.

God.

That alone made guilt twist violently in her chest.

Because the truth was painfully simple.

She missed him. A lot.

More than she should after such a short time.

Y/N stared blankly toward the ceiling. “I feel stupid.”

Yuna looked up immediately.

“There she is.”

“What?”

“The emotional honesty.”

Y/N sighed heavily again before finally sitting up slightly on the couch. “I handled everything horribly.”

“You were overwhelmed.”

“I still handled it horribly.”

Yuna stayed quiet while Y/N rubbed tiredly at her face.

“Who cries in front of someone because they’re too famous?” she muttered weakly. “That’s genuinely embarrassing.”

“It’s not embarrassing.”

“It absolutely is.”

“No.” Yuna pointed a fry dramatically toward her. “It’s anxiety.”

Y/N laughed softly under her breath. Unfortunately true.

Still, shame sat ugly inside her chest anyway.

Because now that the panic settled slightly after a week, everything seemed clearer in retrospect.

Yunho never once made her feel lesser. Not once.

If anything, he spent the entire time trying to pull her closer while she kept pushing herself away first.

Y/N swallowed lightly. “I really like him.”

The confession came quietly. Still heavy enough that Yuna’s expression softened immediately.

“I know.”

“No, like…” Y/N looked down toward her hands. “I really, really like him.”

That part scared her too.

Because nothing about this felt casual anymore.

Yuna leaned back against the couch thoughtfully. “Then why are you acting like he’s impossible to love?”

Y/N blinked. “What?”

“You keep talking about him like he’s some unreachable thing.”

“Well…”

“He’s famous,” Yuna interrupted immediately. “Not a god.”

Easy for her to say.

Y/N groaned quietly again. “You didn’t see how people reacted.”

“I don’t need to.” Yuna shrugged slightly. “People are weird about celebrities.”

“It’s more than that.”

Yuna looked at her carefully for a second.

Then sighed softly. “You know you’ve always done this, right?”

Y/N frowned slightly. “Done what?”

“This.” Yuna gestured vaguely toward her entire miserable existence currently wrapped in blankets. “Thinking you’re not enough whenever someone seems better than you in some way.”

The words hit harder than expected. Y/N looked away immediately.

“Which is complete nonsense by the way,” Yuna continued firmly.

“It’s not nonsense.”

“It absolutely is.”

Y/N laughed weakly under her breath. “Easy for you to say.”

“No, listen to me.” Yuna shifted closer slightly. “You did this in university too.”

Y/N already knew where this was going. “Oh my god.”

“The teaching assistant asked you out once and you spent three weeks convinced he pitied you.”

“He wore loafers.”

“That means nothing.”

“He looked emotionally stable.”

Yuna stared at her flatly. “You hear yourself, right?”

Y/N buried part of her face back into the blanket.

Unfortunately Yuna kept going.

“And your ex?”

Immediately Y/N tensed slightly.

Yuna noticed but continued more gently. “You spent that entire relationship trying to become smaller so he wouldn’t leave.”

Silence settled heavily after that.

Because unfortunately…That was true too.

Y/N stared quietly toward the rain outside the windows.

Her ex always seemed shinier somehow.

More social. More ambitious. More certain.

Eventually Y/N started feeling like something dull beside him.

And by the end she apologized constantly just for needing reassurance at all.

Maybe that was why Yunho terrified her so much now.

Because the feelings already ran deeper than she expected.

And losing something this good later would absolutely destroy her.

Yuna nudged her sock-covered foot lightly. “You know what I think?”

Y/N hummed quietly.

“I think you met someone who actually sees you properly for once.” Yuna smiled faintly. “And that scares the hell out of you.”

Y/N looked down again without answering. Because maybe that was true too.

The radio played softly in the background while silence settled more comfortably afterward.

Then suddenly the station host spoke louder between songs.

“And next up,” the host announced brightly, “one of the biggest tracks dominating charts this month…”

Y/N immediately froze.

Yuna noticed instantly. “Oh?”

Then the music started.

Yunho’s voice filled the apartment seconds later.

Warm. Smooth.

Familiar enough now that Y/N’s chest physically tightened hearing it unexpectedly.

Yuna looked deeply entertained immediately. “There’s your man.”

“He’s not my man.”

“You cried over him.”

“That’s unrelated.”

“It’s absolutely related.”

Y/N tried glaring but failed miserably once Yunho’s verse started.

God. His voice really was unfairly beautiful.

And somehow hearing it through apartment speakers instead of headphones made the reality of who he was hit all over again.

Not just Yunho. Ateez’s Yunho.

The man millions listened to.

Yuna leaned dramatically back against the couch. “Okay no, I get it.”

Y/N frowned slightly. “What?”

“If someone sang to me sounding like that?” Yuna placed a hand dramatically over her chest. “I’d listen to them all day long too.”

Heat immediately rose into Y/N’s face. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m right.”

The song continued softly through the apartment.

And despite all the anxiety still sitting inside her chest, warmth slipped through too.

Because under everything else…

She missed him.

His laugh. The way he flicked her forehead whenever she spiraled too hard. The softness in his voice whenever he said her name.

Y/N stared blankly at the rain outside again while Yunho’s voice continued through the speakers.

Then suddenly:

Ding dong.

Both women looked toward the apartment door immediately.

Yuna blinked.

“Oh thank god. Food’s here.”

Right.

They ordered takeout earlier.

Y/N sighed softly before finally untangling herself from the couch blanket.

“I’ll get it.”

“Tell them I love them.”

“You would say that to every delivery driver.”

“Food is important.”

Y/N laughed quietly while heading toward the apartment entrance.

The radio still played softly behind her.

Yunho’s voice followed faintly through the hallway while she unlocked the door.

For some reason her stomach twisted suddenly.

Maybe because she spent the last hour thinking about him nonstop. Maybe because hearing his voice still lingering in the apartment made missing him feel sharper again.

Y/N pulled the door open distractedly.

Then froze completely.

Yunho stood there.

Dark hoodie damp from rain. Hair messy and slightly wet. Breathing faintly uneven like he came upstairs too quickly.

Y/N genuinely forgot how to function for a second.

Shock slammed through her entire body so hard she just stared. “…Yunho?”

He looked almost equally startled seeing her immediately.

Like maybe he expected more time before the confrontation actually happened.

For one painfully awkward second neither moved.

Then suddenly Yunho started talking.

Fast. Very fast.

“Okay hi,” he blurted immediately. “I know showing up here is probably insane and maybe slightly creepy but I couldn’t figure out what to text you and then I kept overthinking everything and honestly I just really needed to see you.”

Y/N blinked rapidly. Rainwater still dripped lightly from his hoodie sleeves onto the hallway floor.

Meanwhile Yunho continued rambling before she could respond.

“And I know you’re scared,” he said quickly. “I get that. I do. But I need you to understand something because I don’t think I explained it properly before.”

His chest rose unevenly beneath the hoodie like he had rehearsed this in his head the entire drive here.

Y/N stayed completely frozen in the doorway listening. Yunho ran a hand anxiously through his damp hair.

“I don’t care about any of that stuff,” he continued softly now. “The fame. The attention. What random people think.” His eyes locked onto hers intensely. “I care about you.”

The words hit her so hard she physically forgot how to breathe for a second.

Inside the apartment, Yuna suddenly made a very loud choking sound from the living room.

Neither noticed. Or maybe both ignored it.

Because Yunho kept looking directly at Y/N like the rest of the world disappeared entirely.

“I care about being with you,” he admitted quietly. “Talking to you. Making you laugh.” His mouth twitched slightly. “Watching you pretend you’re not competitive before losing games dramatically.”

Heat rushed painfully into Y/N’s face immediately.

“And I know this probably sounds insane because we haven’t known each other that long,” Yunho continued, voice rougher now, “but I genuinely feel like something about this is important.”

Y/N’s chest hurt.

Because he sounded so sincere. So open.

And somehow that made everything inside her unravel more.

Yunho swallowed once before speaking again. “I want to know you more.”

The hallway suddenly felt too small around them.

“I want more mornings with you,” he admitted softly. “More nights wandering around the city. More stupid conversations about office birthday parties and claw machines and lakes.”

Tears already burned painfully behind Y/N’s eyes again.

Not from fear this time. From how deeply he meant every word.

Yunho stepped one tiny bit closer. Rain dampened the edges of his hair while he looked at her almost helplessly now.

“And honestly?” His voice lowered slightly. “I think I’m starting to fall in love with you.”

Silence crashed instantly through Y/N’s entire body.

The confession settled somewhere deep and terrifying inside her chest.

Because the worst part? Some part of her already felt the same.

Behind her, sudden loud movement exploded from the living room.

“Okay!” Yuna shouted dramatically while appearing around the corner holding both their takeout drinks. “I’m gonna leave you two alone before I witness something emotionally devastating.”

Y/N nearly died instantly. “Yuna!”

Yuna winked shamelessly toward her.

Then directly at Yunho too. “Don’t waste this,” she informed him seriously before grabbing her coat from the chair nearby.

Y/N stared at her in betrayal. “You’re abandoning me.”

“You’re welcome.”

Then before Y/N could physically stop her, Yuna slipped past them both through the doorway.

While leaving, she leaned briefly toward Y/N’s ear. “He literally came in the rain to confess. If you fumble this, I’ll haunt you.”

Then she disappeared down the hallway.

Silence returned immediately afterward.

Y/N slowly looked back toward Yunho.

Yunho looked equally mortified now that his emotional speech apparently had an audience.

“I forgot other people exist sometimes,” he muttered weakly.

A laugh escaped Y/N unexpectedly.

The sound visibly relaxed him slightly.

For a second they just stood there staring at each other awkwardly in the apartment doorway.

Rain continued softly outside.

The radio still played faintly somewhere behind them.

And suddenly Yunho looked nervous. Actually nervous.

The realization alone melted something inside Y/N completely.

Because this beautiful impossible person really stood outside her apartment looking terrified she might reject him again.

Y/N swallowed softly before stepping slightly aside from the doorway.

“You…” She laughed weakly again trying to steady herself. “You can come inside.”

Relief flashed visibly across Yunho’s face so quickly it almost hurt to witness.

Then quietly, carefully, he stepped into her apartment.

And somehow that single moment already felt like the beginning of something important.

The second the apartment door closed behind Yunho, Y/N suddenly became painfully aware of everything around her.

The blanket still thrown messily across the couch. The half-finished tea on the coffee table.

The stack of work folders near the kitchen counter she forgot to put away.

The tiny apartment itself.

Too small. Too cramped. Too ordinary.

Y/N’s chest tightened immediately.

Because suddenly she imagined what his world probably looked like instead.

Luxury apartments. Designer furniture. Huge windows overlooking the city.

Places that looked polished and expensive and worthy of someone like him.

Meanwhile her apartment looked lived in.

Warm maybe. But undeniably small.

Y/N rubbed awkwardly at her hands while Yunho quietly slipped off his damp shoes near the entrance.

“You can just…” She gestured vaguely toward nowhere. “Sit wherever.”

Excellent. Very normal sentence.

Yunho looked up toward her immediately, still slightly damp from the rain, dark hair falling messily over his forehead.

And somehow that only made her more nervous.

“Oh my god,” she blurted suddenly. “Do you want tea?”

Yunho blinked once. “What?”

“Or coffee. Or water.” She immediately started moving toward the kitchen. “I have ramen too if you’re hungry and there’s leftover takeout but it’s probably cold now and—”

“Y/N.”

She stopped immediately.

Yunho crossed the small apartment space in two quiet steps before gently catching her hand.

Warm fingers wrapped softly around hers.

Then his thumb caressed slowly across her knuckles once.

The tiny gesture nearly unraveled her instantly.

Y/N looked down at their hands instead of his face because suddenly breathing felt difficult again.

“I only want to talk to you,” Yunho said quietly.

The softness in his voice made her chest ache.

Y/N swallowed lightly.

“You don’t need to panic.”

“I’m not panicking.”

“You offered me ramen like you’re being held hostage.”

Heat immediately rushed into her cheeks.

Yunho smiled faintly.

There it was again. That soft expression that always made him seem more like just Yunho than the celebrity version everyone else saw.

His thumb brushed across her hand again gently.

“You’re overthinking right now,” he said quietly.

Y/N looked away instantly. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Caught. Again.

Yunho tilted his head slightly trying to meet her eyes. “You’re thinking about how your apartment looks to me.”

Silence.

Because unfortunately that was exactly what she had been thinking.

Y/N laughed weakly under her breath. “You’re really annoying.”

“And I’m right.”

Unfortunately true.

Yunho stepped slightly closer then. “Y/N.”

The way he said her name so gently made her finally look up.

And immediately regret it.

Because he was looking at her so warmly that tears almost embarrassingly threatened again.

“I don’t care how big your apartment is.”

His voice stayed calm. Certain.

“And honestly?” His mouth curved softly upward. “It feels like you.”

The sentence hit somewhere deep inside her chest.

Yunho squeezed her hand lightly before guiding her toward the couch.

“Come sit.”

For once, Y/N let herself be led without arguing.

They settled beside each other on the couch quietly.

Close enough that their knees brushed lightly.

The apartment suddenly felt too small in a completely different way now.

Not embarrassing.,Intimate.

Rain continued softly outside while the radio still played faintly from the kitchen.

Y/N stared down at her hands folded nervously in her lap while Yunho looked at her for a second longer before speaking.

“This week sucked.”

The honesty startled a soft laugh out of her immediately.

Yunho smiled slightly at the sound.

“I’m serious,” he continued. “I kept checking my phone like an idiot every five minutes.”

Guilt twisted sharply inside her chest.,“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize yet.” He leaned back slightly into the couch. “I wanna explain properly first.”

Y/N nodded quietly.

Yunho rubbed his palms lightly against his jeans before continuing.

“I haven’t felt a connection this strong with someone in a really long time.”

His voice softened slightly afterward. “Honestly maybe ever.”

Y/N’s breath caught immediately.

Yunho looked down briefly before laughing softly under his breath.

“You make me nervous enough that I wrote like six love songs this week.”

“What?”

He groaned quietly. “Don’t focus on that part.”

Heat rushed into her face instantly.

Yunho smiled weakly before continuing more seriously.,“When I’m with you, things feel…” He searched briefly for words. “Easy.”

The word settled softly between them.

“Not because everything is perfect,” he clarified quickly. “You overthink. I overtalk. We’re both kinda disasters emotionally.” That made her laugh quietly again. “But being around you feels real.”

Y/N looked down quickly before he noticed how much those words affected her.

Too late probably.

Yunho shifted slightly closer on the couch.

“I need you to understand something though.”

She looked up again slowly.

“The person you met behind that bar?” His eyes stayed locked gently onto hers. “That’s me.”

Emotion tightened painfully in her throat immediately.

“Not some fake version,” he continued softly. “Not a character.”

Y/N listened silently while rain tapped softly against the windows around them.

“I know the famous part looks overwhelming,” Yunho admitted. “And sometimes honestly it is.” He smiled faintly without humor. “But it doesn’t change who I actually am.”

The conviction in his voice made something inside her slowly loosen.

“I’m still the same guy who lost his mind over a shark-cat plushie,” he continued gently. “The same guy who lied about freezing lake water.”

“You absolutely did lie.”

“I stand by it.”

Y/N laughed softly despite herself.

Yunho’s expression warmed immediately at the sound.

“There she is.”

Heat rose lightly into her cheeks again.

Yunho reached for her hand once more, intertwining their fingers carefully this time.

“And if your biggest fear is things becoming public someday…” He shrugged slightly. “I’ve had relationships before.”

Y/N blinked slightly. “You have?”

“Y/N.” He laughed quietly. “I’m twenty-seven.”

Right.

That made sense.

Still, hearing it out loud weirdly made him feel more human again.

“Some were public,” he continued calmly. “Some weren’t.” His thumb brushed slowly against her hand. “And honestly? Fans usually just want us to be happy.”

Y/N looked doubtful immediately.

Yunho noticed. “I’m serious.”

“But what about the crazy people online?”

“Oh, those exist.” He sighed dramatically. “Unfortunately.”

That startled another laugh from her.

“But there are ways to keep things private too,” he continued more gently. “Ways to protect what matters.”

What matters. The wording alone made her chest ache.

Yunho looked at her quietly afterward.

Openly.

Like he genuinely wanted her to understand every single word. “I like you,” he said softly.

“I want to keep seeing you.” His fingers tightened slightly around hers. “If you want that too.”

Silence settled softly around them afterward.

Y/N stared down at their joined hands in her lap.

And somehow that terrified her almost more than before.

Because Yunho kept giving her opportunities to run.

And she kept wanting to stay instead.

Y/N swallowed lightly.

Then quietly: “Do you really want someone like me?”

The second the words left her mouth, Yunho’s expression changed.

Not annoyed. Sad.

Like hearing her talk about herself that way physically hurt him.

Slowly, carefully, he lifted one hand toward her face.

Warm fingers brushing softly along her cheek before tilting her head upward gently.

Y/N’s breath caught immediately.

“Someone like you?” he repeated quietly.

She looked away instinctively.

Yunho guided her face back gently again.

“No,” he murmured. “Look at me.”

Y/N forced herself to.

And immediately melted slightly seeing the softness in his expression.

“When I look at you,” Yunho said quietly, “I see someone who cares deeply about people even when they don’t deserve it.”

Emotion tightened painfully in her chest.

“I see someone funny.” His mouth curved softly upward. “Someone who makes every room feel warmer once she relaxes enough to stop apologizing for existing.”

Tears already threatened again.

Yunho brushed his thumb gently beneath one eye before they could fall.

“I see someone strong enough to keep going even while exhausted all the time.”

The tenderness in his voice nearly destroyed her.

“And honestly?” He smiled faintly. “I think you’re beautiful.”

Y/N’s breath shook softly.

“Especially when you laugh,” he added quietly. “Or when you get competitive over games even though you suck at them.”

That made her laugh through the tears immediately.

“There she is,” Yunho whispered again.

His forehead rested lightly against hers afterward.

“I don’t want someone else,” he murmured softly. “I want you.”

The sentence shattered the last fragile wall inside her completely.

Because god. She wanted him too.

Y/N closed her eyes briefly before whispering shakily:

“I like you too.”

Yunho’s breath caught softly.

“And…” She laughed weakly through remaining tears. “I wanna try this.”

For one second Yunho simply stared at her.

Like he genuinely needed to make sure he heard correctly.

Then relief spread so visibly across his face that it physically hurt to witness.

“Yeah?”

Y/N nodded softly.

And that was apparently enough to completely destroy whatever patience remained inside him.

Yunho kissed her instantly.

Warm mouth crashing against hers hard enough to steal the breath directly from her lungs.

Y/N gasped softly into the kiss before melting immediately toward him.

His hands slid instinctively to her waist pulling her closer against him on the couch while she grabbed desperately at the front of his hoodie.

The kiss turned deeper fast.

A week of missing each other and overthinking and emotional tension pouring directly into it.

Yunho kissed like he had been holding himself back for days.

Maybe he had.

His fingers tightened against her waist while Y/N climbed halfway into his lap without fully realizing it.

Their mouths moved desperately against each other.

Yunho groaned softly when she kissed him back harder and the sound alone made heat rush violently through her body.

His hand slid upward along her back carefully beneath the fabric of her sweater.

Warm skin. Gentle touch.

Y/N’s fingers tangled into his damp hair instinctively while kissing him deeper.

The apartment disappeared around them completely.

Only Yunho remained.

His mouth warm against hers.

The softness of his hoodie beneath her hands.

The way he kept kissing her like she was something precious he almost lost.

Eventually they broke apart only because breathing became necessary.

Both breathing unevenly now.

Yunho rested his forehead against hers again while one hand remained carefully at her waist.

“You have no idea,” he whispered breathlessly, “how long I wanted to do that again.”

Y/N laughed softly, still dizzy.

“Probably one week.”

Yunho smiled against her mouth before kissing her once more.

Slower this time.

And for the first time since meeting him, Y/N let herself stop thinking long enough to simply feel happy.

Main Masterlist | Yunhos Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Taglist: @ninjakitty15 @dalsuwaha @starmee-lodurrson @luviebears @darjeelinglemontea @ffenjoyerdazme @moonlitcelestial @livonianmaia @m00njinnie @tinycloudz @whoreforjongho @shrimpwoo @soso59love-blog @armycarat2612 @yunhospinkyring @okiedokiespookie @lunaryoongie @firstdivisiongirl @autumnrainsings @meowmeeps @scoutyy @goblin-pop @hope122598 @sunnysidesins @hohongstiny @strawberrymars98 @a-muse-of-sorts @yunhzack @sugalarity @joongsbabydoll

[cryingoveryunho]

summary: after a long day of schedules, yunho comes home expecting a quiet night and accidentally ends up watching aquamarine with you.

pairings: jeong yunho x f!reader ౨ৎ

genre: fluff, comfort, domestic, established relationship, slice of life, light humor, etc..

warnings: none, sleepy yunho, light teasing, reader can’t dance <33

coy’s note: first yuyu fic on this blog who cheered!! 😋 i rewatched aquamarine a few days ago and forgot how nostalgic it feels. i used to watch this movie all the time with my younger cousins during sleepovers growing up, so this fic was very much born from missing those memories:) **lowercase IS intentional

moodboard 🫧

───────────୨ৎ───────────

the apartment had gone quiet hours ago. not the lonely kind. the familiar kind.

the kind that came after dinner dishes had been put away, laundry folded, and the rest of the night finally belonged to you.

the living room sat dim except for the lamp beside the couch and the soft glow of the tv.

you’d long since changed into pajamas, one of yunho’s old t-shirts hanging loose over sleep shorts, blanket draped across your legs as you sank deeper into the cushions.

aquamarine played softly in front of you.

it had started as a random decision. mostly nostalgia. partly comfort.

you’d just gotten to the part where aquamarine first appeared when you heard it.

keys.

the familiar jingle from the other side of the door, followed by the soft click of it unlocking.

you smiled to yourself before you could stop it.

right on time.

the door opened. closed. shoes kicked off.

then somewhere near the entryway, a muffled groan.

poor thing.

you could practically hear the exhaustion. a minute later, footsteps shuffled down the hall. slower than usual.

dragging just a little. and then:

“…baby?”

you turned toward the sound. yunho stood there looking exactly how you expected him to. tired.

hair messy in that way that meant he’d probably run his hands through it a hundred times without realizing. hoodie slightly wrinkled. eyes heavy like the day had settled into them and refused to leave.

“there you are,” he said, quieter than usual.

you lifted an eyebrow. “we’re you expecting someone else?”

“honestly,” he glanced around the apartment. “could’ve sworn i lived with a ghost.”

you snorted. “a ghost who does your laundry?”

“a very responsible ghost.” his smile came easy. small. sleepy. familiar.

and, annoyingly, it softened something in your chest immediately.

without much thought, he crossed the room and leaned down, pressing an absentminded kiss to your shoulder before glancing toward the tv.

“what’re you watching?”

“a movie.”

he gave you a look. “wow. very descriptive.”

you grinned. “aquamarine.”

that got him to pause. “…what’s that?”

you blinked. slowly turned your head. “you don’t know aquamarine?”

“should i?”

“the mermaid movie?”

he stared. “the what movie?”

“the mermaid movie.”

“why is there a mermaid movie?”

a laugh slipped out before you could help it. “because it’s literally about a mermaid, yunho.”

“that explains very little.”

“okay, rude.”

he only shrugged, far too amused with himself.

you settled back into the couch a little more, blanket shifting around your legs.

“it’s nostalgic,” you explained. “i used to watch it all the time with my younger cousins during sleepovers.”

the memory alone pulled a small smile from you.

“but honestly?” you glanced back toward the screen. “i think people don’t give it enough credit.”

his attention shifted from the tv to you instead.

listening. the way he always did.

“it’s not just some girly movie about a mermaid,” you said. “it’s about friendship too. growing up. love in a really simple way.”

you hesitated for a second. “it’s actually way better than people think it is.”

for a moment, he didn’t answer. just looked at you.

something quieter settling into his expression.

“that’s cute,” he said finally.

you narrowed your eyes immediately. “don’t start.”

“i’m serious.”

“you’re being suspiciously nice.”

he huffed a tired laugh. “too exhausted to argue.”

that got a smile out of you despite yourself.

then, like his body had made the decision before his brain caught up, yunho sighed.

long. heavy.

the kind of sigh that came from a day that had taken too much out of him.

before you could say anything, he lowered himself onto the couch beside you.

or, more accurately, partially onto you.

“yunho,” you laughed as his shoulder bumped yours.

“m’tired.”

“i can tell.”

he ignored you completely.

already shifting until he stretched across the couch, head eventually settling into your lap like it belonged there.

honestly? it kind of did.

his cheek pressed lightly against your thigh as he got comfortable.

like this had quietly become his favorite place to land after long days.

“long day?”

a hum.

“that bad?”

“three practices,” he muttered. “interviews. filming.”

you winced. “that sounds awful.”

“it was.” his eyes slipped shut.

then quieter:

“missed you.”

your fingers paused for half a second before finding their way into his hair.

“you saw me this morning.”

“still counts.”

that pulled a small smile from you before you could stop it. “missed you too.”

because somehow, no matter how ordinary the day had been, coming home always felt like this with him.

like something inside the apartment settled. like the night softened once he was there.

your fingers moved through his hair slowly. carefully.

and the effect was immediate. a quiet breath left him. his shoulders easing little by little beneath your touch.

“you okay?” you asked softly.

“better now.”

your hand shifted, lightly scratching at his scalp. he melted further into your lap without even pretending otherwise.

a few quiet minutes passed like that. the movie playing softly. the lamp glowing beside you.

his breathing evening out little by little. then suddenly:

a small nudge against your thigh.

your brows lifted. “…did you just headbutt me?”

“…no.”

“you absolutely did.”

“i moved.”

“you moved directly into my hand.”

silence.

then quieter:

“…keep going.”

a laugh slipped out of you. “thought so.”

you resumed scratching lightly through his hair, fingertips brushing gently near the nape of his neck.

after a second, his hand lazily reached up, resting your wrist for a moment before absentmindedly turning his head just enough to press a tired kiss against the inside of your palm.

like he hadn’t even thought about doing it. like the affection with you had become instinct.

“you’re clingy.” you murmured.

“mhm.”

not even denying it.

the movie continued.

and before long, somewhere between teasing and commentary and sleepy silence, yunho stopped pretending he wasn’t invested.

even if he’d never admit it.

⚓︎ ⚓︎ ⚓︎

the credits rolled quietly across the screen. neither of you moved.

the apartment had settled into that sleepy kind of silence that only seemed to exist late at night, when everything outside slowed and the world narrowed into something smaller.

just this. the couch. the lamp beside you.

yunho still stretched comfortably across your lap like he hadn’t spent the last hour pretending he wasn’t at a little invested in a movie about a mermaid.

his eyes lingered on the tv for another second before he huffed softly through his nose. “so…”

you glanced down at him. “so?”

“that wasn’t terrible.”

your grin came instantly. “oh my god.”

“what?”

“you liked aquamarine.”

“i didn’t say all that.”

“you knew raymond’s name.”

his eyes shut briefly, like he regretted speaking at all. “that happened one time.”

“mhm.”

“and against my will.”

“sureee.”

your fingers scratched lightly at the back of his head, earning a small shift closer against your lap.

then after a moment:

“the bandaid scene was nice though.”

your expression softened. “the raymond one?”

he nodded once. “the dramatic fence jump was a little much.”

you laughed. “it was very dramatic.”

“like.. unnecessarily dramatic.”

“that’s part of the charm.”

a sleepy smile tugged at his mouth.

“but the bandaid thing,” he said, shrugging slightly, “that part was nice.”

you looked back toward the darkened tv for a second.

“i always liked that scene.”

“because of the fence jumping?”

“okay, maybe a little.”

he smiled at that.

“but mostly because…” you tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear, “he noticed she got hurt and just helped.”

the memory played back easily.

aquamarine falling off the bike.

raymond seeing it happen.

immediately rushing outside like the world was ending.

jumping over the fence for dramatic effect.

then kneeling beside her like nothing else mattered.

“he didn’t make it weird,” you said quietly. “he just wanted to make sure she was okay.”

yunho stayed quiet. listening.

“it’s actually why i started carrying bandaids.”

that got his attention. his head tilted back slightly. “you carry bandaids?”

“in my bag.”

“since when?”

“forever,” you shrugged. “what if someone gets hurt?”

“someone?”

you hesitated for exactly half a second. “…you.”

the look he gave you made warmth creep up your neck immediately.

“well,” you added quickly, “not just you.”

“but mostly me.”

“no comment.”

his lips twitched. “thats really sweet.”

you nudged his shoulder lightly. “i just think it’s nice to be prepared.”

the conversation drifted after that. easy. unhurried. the kind of back and forth that always came naturally with him.

until eventually, the tv dimmed into silence. for a while, neither of you said much.

yunho stayed exactly where he was, eyes growing heavier while your fingers absentmindedly traced through his hair.

then, quietly, you reached for your phone beside you.

the movement alone made him glance up. “…what’re you doing?”

“…nothing.”

that answer immediately made him suspicious.

you carefully lifted his head from your lap before standing.

instantly, confusion crossed his face. more confusion when you had turned back toward him. phone in hand. the other stretched toward him.

yunho blinked up at you, hair messy from laying there too much. still looking adorably lost.

then the music started. soft guitar. familiar.

island in the sun by weezer.

recognition flickered across his face almost instantly.

“…wait.”

suddenly, embarrassment crept up to your neck.

maybe this sounded cuter in your head.

still, you held your hand out anyway. ❝ may i have this dance?❞

for a second, he just looked at you. caught somewhere between confusion and amusement.

then a quiet laugh slipped out before he instinctively lifted his hand to cover part of his mouth, eyes crinkling at the corners. “there’s no one else here.”

you narrowed your eyes. “yunho.”

“what?” he said, smile lingering behind his hand. “just checking.”

“you’re annoying.”

“you like me.”

unfortunately.

your hand stayed awkwardly extended while a terrible realization hit you.

this man literally danced for a living. meanwhile, you absolutely did not.

“you can say no,” you said quickly. “i know this is kind of embarrassing and definitely less cute than i imagined and i cannot dance anywhere near your level so—”

he reached for your hand. “c’mere.”

“you don’t have to if you’re tired.”

his thumb brushed lightly over your knuckles. ❝baby, ❞ he said softly, ❝of course i’m gonna dance with you. ❞

something about the softness in his voice made the embarrassment settle, if only a little.

and at first? it was objectively bad.

you stepped the wrong direction almost immediately.

“ow.”

“oh my god, sorry.”

“you stepped on my foot.”

“i said sorry!”

a laugh escaped both of you. that kind that came easy. familiar.

eventually, the joking settled. the movement slowed. until neither of you were dancing anymore. just swaying.

his fingers loosely threaded through yours while his other hand rested at your waist.

not holding too tightly. just there. steady. easy.

your joined hands rested loosely between you while your head tipped lightly against his shoulder.

close enough to hear his quiet breaths over the music.

after a while, you tilted your head back slightly. “if you were a merman, what color tail would you have?”

he looked down immediately. “…you’re serious?”

“very.”

he actually thought about it.

then:

“blue.”

your smile came easy. “blue?”

“mhm.”

“that feels right.”

“yeah?”

“you look good in blue.”

something softened in his expression. small. fond.

“what about you?”

“green.”

he nodded once. “yeah.”

you blinked. “yeah?”

“that feels right too.”

“what does that mean?”

he shrugged lightly. “don’t know.”

a beat.

“just feels like you.”

that landed softer than expected. for a little while, neither of you said much. just swayed. slow. unhurried.

until another thought crossed your mind. “wait.”

“hmm?”

you tipped your head back. “do you think those starfish earrings would look cute on me?”

his brows lifted immediately. “the talking ones?”

“mhm.” you pretended to think. “i feel like they’d either be really cute or really ugly.”

a sleepy smile tugged at his mouth. “pretty sure they’d look good on you.”

you studied him for a second. like you were genuinely considering something. “…i don’t know.”

his brow lifted. “no?”

you tilted your head slightly. “i think you could pull them off.”

that earned a laugh. “me?”

“yes.”

his hand shifted lightly at your waist, thumb brushing absentmindedly against the fabric of your shirt.

“yeah?” he asked quietly.

something about the way he said it made warmth creep up your neck again.

still, you matched his energy. leaning closer until your mouth hovered near his ear.

quiet. playful. like sharing a secret.

“yunho is so handsome.”

immediately, he huffed softly. “…don’t start.”

you ignored him. same teasing whisper. “yunho is really, really good at dancing.”

“okay,” he muttered, smile impossible to hide now, “that one’s definitely biased.”

“yunho is very good at valorant.”

that got a real laugh out of him. “absolutely not.”

“yes.” you swayed once before continuing.

“i think yunho looks really adorable when he pouts.”

that one got him. you saw it immediately. the tiny pause. the way his shoulders shook with a quiet laugh.

“you’re embarrassing me.”

“good.”

“mean.”

“and yet you’re still standing here.”

he shook his head, fond despite himself.

but when you spoke again, your voice softened. less teasing now. more honest.

“i love how your smile alone can brighten up any room you walk into.”

the teasing slowly faded from his expression. something quieter settling there instead.

“i love how hardworking and passionate you are too,” you murmured. “whether it’s idol stuff or acting or honestly anything. you care so much.”

his gaze flickered towards you. quieter now. more attentive.

“and…” your voice softened again, “i really admire how comforting your presence is.”

his eyes met yours properly then.

“to me,” you said softly. “and to your members too. i think people feel really safe around you.”

for a second, he didn’t say anything.

just looked at you. quiet. a little shy.

like he didn’t fully know what to do with being seen that clearly.

then a soft breath of laughter left him. small. embarrassed.

“you can’t just say things like that.”

your brows pulled together. “why not?”

a tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “because,” he muttered, quieter now, “you make me shy.”

“you? shy?”

“don’t even.”

“i thought you were supposed to be the confident one.”

he only shook his head once before lifting your joined hands, absentmindedly brushing a soft kiss against your knuckles.

like he needed a second to recover. “keep going, though.”

you laughed softly. “greedy.”

“a little.” his smile stayed small. shy around the edges. for a second, neither of you said much.

just swayed. slow. comfortable.

the song humming softly through the apartment.

then, quietly, he dipped his head just enough to press a lingering kiss against your forehead.

unhurried. the kind that felt more like affection than habit.

like a thank you.

like i heard everything you said.

your nose scrunched a little. “was that supposed to distract me?”

“maybe,” he said, not even pretending to deny it.

“didn’t work.”

“worth trying.”

the song drifted quietly around the apartment, nearing its end.

then, after a pause:

“i think i liked it more because you liked it.”

your heart did something embarrassingly immediate. “the movie?”

he nodded once. “you looked happy watching it.”

simple. matter-of-fact. like that explained everything. and somehow, it kind of did.

without really thinking, you leaned a little closer. “thanks for watching it with me,” you murmured.

his hand squeezed yours lightly. “thanks for asking.”

a beat.

then, quieter like the words slipped out before he could stop them. “i think i just like more when they’re with you.”

before you could recover from that, he dipped his head just enough to press a sleepy kiss near your shoulder.

soft. lingering. the kind that felt absentminded in the best way.

by the time the song faded, neither of you had really stopped swaying.

© cryingoveryunho , 2026

[fudamnshi]

”time heals all wounds” WRONG. it merely allows for infection.. it is Too late for me

[kangsyeosang]

[atiny-for-life]

"What's wrong with us?" "Something is happening"

Masterlist

Throughout the concept trailer, we see the members go through a series of emotions which seem to be tearing them apart as a group.

Seonghwa looks pissed off, Wooyoung sad, Jongho first detached then frustrated, and Hongjoong deeply anxious.

And all the while, Sopro is acting up each time we cut to it trapped in its glass case. Though it's not the Sopro we know - it's not red but black, grainy, like sand, as it changes shape until it hardens back into a cube and cracks, revealing a red light shining from within.

After a sequence of Yunho dressed in red, something seems to freak Hongjoong out bad enough to make him cover his ears and curl into himself, which is when we cut back to Sopro as it does this:

Before this sequence plays (I have no clue if these squares mean something, unfortunately, but the morse code behind it sounds to me like "-....-" which would just translate to a "-"? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!):

Following this signal from Sopro, Yunho and Mingi start fighting, which Hongjoong eventually breaks up:

Meanwhile, Wooyoung opens a drawer which contains a red light-

-and as distorted whispers fill our ears and a warning siren plays, we see the members being scanned by red light until Wooyoung looks toward Yeosang and seems to make a choice:

While this isn't one-to-one what happened in the 'Golden Hour: Part 2' diary entries, it does seem to rhyme with its documented events: the members are drifting apart, an argument takes place, Wooyoung starts feeling sad and desperate to the point where he uses Sopro to bring his members back together so they can be happy again.

Perhaps what happened to A-World's Ateez back then also happened to E-World's Ateez, which would mean this concept trailer takes place pre-'Adrenaline'. And if so, this comeback might just give us an explanation as to why Sopro looked the way it did in the 'Adrenaline' music video (all deformed, spiky, and restless).

Side-note: This does make me wonder if the Sopro who shattered at the start of 'Adrenaline' was A-World's Sopro and the warped-looking one who shattered at the end E-World's. And if that's the case: rest in peace, baby bird - you had a really hard life (and I doubt E-World's had it any better).

Mayhaps we'll then also learn if the destruction of Sopro has lasting consequences, given how powerful it is.

Another thing to consider: with both Sopros now gone, A-World's Ateez will have to track down E-World's Cromer if they ever want to be able to move on to another world or return back home.

[mingiatz]

After another soul-draining day at her corporate HR job, Y/N stumbles into a small underground bar to escape the exhaustion swallowing her whole. There she meets Yunho, a magnetic guitarist from a famous rock band and spends one unforgettable night wandering through the city with a stranger who makes her feel alive again.

What begins as a reckless decision slowly turns into something neither of them expected: a place to breathe.

Pairing: Jeong Yunho × Reader (Y/N)

Tropes: Rockstar AU, Strangers to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Late Night City Romance, Found Family, Emotional Healing, Soft Slow Burn, Falling in Love Before Realizing It

Genre: Romance, Slice of Life, Drama, Emotional/Character Driven, Contemporary AU, Slow Burn

Featuring: Ateez as Yunhos Band Mates or Friends, Y/ns Childhood friend

Main Masterlist | Yunhos Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

This is Part 2

Sneaking out of the bar turned out to be far more complicated than Y/N expected. Mostly because Wooyoung apparently noticed everything.

The second Yunho opened the patio door and motioned for her to follow quietly, Y/N immediately saw Seonghwa behind the counter wiping glasses while Wooyoung leaned beside him mid-conversation.

Or at least pretending to have a conversation. Because the moment Wooyoung spotted them slipping through the hallway, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Then widened dramatically. “Oh my god,” he mouthed.

Yunho reacted instantly. He pointed at Wooyoung threateningly before pressing a finger to his lips.

Wooyoung looked personally delighted by this development. Seonghwa glanced up too, following Wooyoung’s stare toward them. Unlike Wooyoung, his reaction was smaller. Just a slight lift of his eyebrows before amusement flickered briefly across his face.

Y/N felt absurdly like a teenager sneaking out past curfew.

“This feels illegal,” she whispered.

“It kinda does,” Yunho admitted quietly.

They slipped past the crowded dance floor carefully, staying close to the wall while people remained distracted by music and drinks and conversations.

Near the exit, Yunho grabbed two black baseball caps hanging from hooks beside the door.

He shoved one toward her.

Y/N blinked. “Why do you have emergency hats?”

“I don’t know. They just appear around me.”

“That’s concerning.”

“Wear it.”

She pulled the cap onto her head while Yunho tugged the second low over his own face.

The action changed him strangely fast.

He was still far too recognizable up close. But combined with the dim lighting and the crowd, he suddenly blended in easier. Before she could think harder about it, Yunho grabbed her wrist lightly.

“Move quickly before Wooyoung starts screaming.”

“What?”

Too late.

From somewhere behind them came a dramatically muffled voice.

“USE PROTECTIOOOON.”

Y/N nearly choked.

Several people turned immediately.

Yunho looked genuinely horrified. “Jung Wooyoung,” he shouted back in disbelief.

Seonghwa’s laughter echoed behind them while Yunho dragged Y/N through the exit before anyone else could react.

The cold night air hit instantly.

The door slammed shut behind them. For two seconds both stood there silently.

Then Y/N burst into laughter so hard she doubled over slightly.

“Oh my god.”

Yunho covered his face with one hand.

“I’m never speaking to him again.”

“He’s insane.”

“He gets worse after midnight.”

“That’s terrifying.”

“I know.”

She laughed again while they started walking down the sidewalk.

The city felt entirely different now.

Earlier it had seemed distant through train windows and office exhaustion. Now everything looked brighter somehow. Neon signs reflected against wet pavement. Cars rushed through intersections. Groups of strangers spilled out from restaurants and bars laughing loudly into the night.

Y/N shoved her hands deeper into the pockets of Yunho’s oversized jacket.

“You know,” she said eventually, “if I get murdered tonight, this entire situation would sound deeply suspicious to police.”

Yunho looked offended. “Excuse you.”

“You’re literally a stranger I met in a bar.”

“A charming stranger.”

“Debatable.”

“I’m wounded.”

“You’ll survive.”

He grinned slightly beneath the brim of his cap. “Probably.”

For a while they just walked.

No destination yet. No real plan.

Just moving through the city beneath streetlights while conversations drifted naturally between silence and random topics.

It surprised Y/N how easy talking to him remained.

Usually she became self-conscious around strangers eventually. Conversations started replaying in her head while they happened. She worried about sounding awkward or oversharing or saying the wrong thing.

But with Yunho, things kept slipping out naturally before she could filter them.

Which was both freeing and slightly terrifying.

At one point he told her about accidentally setting off a fire alarm in a hotel room trying to make instant ramen.

At another she admitted she once cried during a group presentation in university because her PowerPoint deleted itself ten minutes beforehand.

“You cried publicly?” Yunho asked in delight.

“I was stressed.”

“That’s incredible.”

“You’re mean.”

“I’m impressed actually.”

She rolled her eyes while they waited at a crosswalk.

The pedestrian light reflected red against damp streets.

Yunho glanced sideways at her then. “You think before every sentence.”

Y/N blinked slightly. “What?”

“You pause.” He demonstrated vaguely with one hand. “‘Should I say this? Is this weird? Am I oversharing?’”

She stared at him. “That’s horrifyingly specific.”

“Like I said, I notice things.”

“You really do.”

The crosswalk light changed. They started moving again with the crowd. Y/N tried not to think about how accurately he had read her.

Unfortunately, she had always been like that.

Even as a kid.

Every thought examined before speaking. Every reaction softened carefully.

University had helped for a while. She remembered becoming louder there somehow. More impulsive. More certain of herself.

Then adulthood happened. Corporate life happened.

Now she felt like every version of herself had been filed down into something more manageable.

Yunho nudged her shoulder lightly when she went quiet. “You’re doing it again.”

“What?”

“Thinking too much.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” He looked ahead casually. “You can talk freely with me.”

The words settled softly somewhere beneath her ribs.

Yet strangely difficult to believe immediately.

Y/N looked down briefly at the sidewalk while they walked.

“I used to be less…” She searched for the word. “Careful.”

“What changed?”

She laughed quietly under her breath. “Everything?”

“That sounds depressing.”

“It is.”

“But?”

Y/N hesitated.

There it was again. That instinctive pause before speaking.

Only this time she noticed it herself too.

Yunho waited patiently beside her without interrupting.

And somehow that patience made honesty easier. “When I started university,” she said slowly, “I genuinely thought I’d change things.”

He glanced toward her quietly. “In HR?”

She nodded. “I know it sounds stupid.”

“It doesn’t.”

“It kinda does.”

Her breath fogged faintly in the cold air. “I had this whole picture in my head.” A small smile tugged briefly at her mouth. “Helping people get better opportunities. Creating healthier workplaces. Making sure employees actually felt valued.”

“That sounds nice actually.”

“Yeah.” She laughed softly. “Turns out corporations love pretending they care about people while actively destroying them.”

Yunho snorted quietly.

“That tracks.”

“I used to argue with professors about ethical work environments.” She shook her head slightly at the memory. “Like genuinely passionate arguments too. I thought if enough people cared, things could improve.”

“And now?”

Y/N looked ahead at the city lights. “Now I spend entire days making PowerPoint presentations about employee satisfaction while half my department looks dead inside.”

The words came out lighter than the feeling behind them.

Because the truth hurt more than she wanted to admit.

It wasn’t just disappointment. It was grief almost.

Grief for the version of herself that once believed work could feel meaningful. That once believed adulthood would feel bigger than this.

“I think the worst part,” she admitted quietly, “is that I kept telling myself things would improve eventually.”

Yunho listened silently beside her.

“No job is perfect,” she continued. “So I thought maybe I just needed more experience. Or a promotion. Or better coworkers.” She swallowed lightly. “But lately I keep waking up already tired.”

That confession felt more vulnerable than she expected. Embarrassingly vulnerable actually.

Y/N looked away quickly afterward. “I sound depressing.”

“You sound burnt out.”

The immediate certainty in his voice made something tighten unexpectedly in her chest.

Not because he pitied her. Because he understood.

Yunho shoved his hands deeper into his pockets while they walked another few steps.

“I get what you mean though.”

She glanced toward him. “You do?”

“Yeah.”

That surprised her more than it should have. Because objectively she knew nothing about his life. Only that he played in a band and apparently had fans intense enough to nearly combust upon seeing him.

Still, he looked so effortless. Like he belonged completely inside his own life.

Yunho noticed her expression immediately. “You thought I was about to give some inspirational speech, didn’t you?”

“A little.”

“That sounds exhausting.”

She smiled faintly. “So what do you mean then?”

For a moment he stayed quiet.

Then he exhaled softly through his nose.

“I love music,” he said simply. “I love performing. I love the band.” A small smile appeared briefly. “And honestly, I love the guys. They’re basically family at this point.”

The affection in his voice returned again while talking about them.

Y/N found herself smiling slightly at it. “But?” she asked gently.

Yunho glanced upward toward the dark skyline above them.

“Sometimes it gets too loud.”

The answer came quietly.

“What does that mean?”

He shrugged one shoulder slightly. “People constantly wanting things from you. Expectations. Pressure.” His mouth curved faintly without humor. “Feeling like one mistake suddenly matters to millions of strangers.”

Y/N slowed slightly without realizing it. Millions?

“You weren’t kidding about being famous.”

Yunho laughed softly. “I told you already.”

“No, you told me your band had fans. That’s different.”

“It’s kinda the same thing.”

“It absolutely is not.”

He grinned slightly at her reaction.

“How famous are we talking exactly?”

“Depends.”

“On?”

“How embarrassing you want this conversation to become.”

“That sounds threatening.”

“A little.”

They stopped briefly near a convenience store glowing brightly against the dark street.

A group of teenagers spilled out laughing loudly with bags full of snacks.

Yunho waited until they passed before answering.

“Our band’s Ateez.”

Y/N repeated the name slowly in her head again.

Still nothing.

Which honestly felt increasingly ridiculous at this point.

“I really don’t know you guys.”

“You’ve made that painfully clear.”

“Sorry.”

He laughed quietly. “It’s fine.”

“No, but seriously.” She looked at him carefully. “How famous?”

Yunho scratched lightly at the back of his neck.

“We have around…” He named a number casually.

Y/N stopped walking entirely. “What?”

He repeated it.

Her jaw nearly dropped. “That’s monthly streams?”

“Uh. Yeah.”

“That’s insane.”

Yunho immediately looked amused by her reaction.

“No wonder those girls nearly fainted.”

“They weren’t that bad.”

“One of them looked seconds away from cardiac arrest.”

“She survived.”

“I’m actually concerned now.” Y/N stared at him again. “Wait. Like world tours famous?”

“Kinda.”

“You’ve been on world tours?”

“Yeah.”

“And award shows?”

“Some.”

“And people recognize you internationally?”

Yunho’s grin widened slowly while she continued spiraling.

“Oh my god.”

“You’re taking this surprisingly hard.”

“Because you don’t seem famous!”

That made him laugh properly. Bright and warm beneath the city lights.

“What does famous even look like?”

“I don’t know.” She gestured vaguely toward him. “More annoying maybe.”

He looked deeply offended. “Excuse you.”

“I mean it nicely.”

“That sounded incredibly rude.”

“You know what I mean.”

Yunho shook his head, still laughing softly.

Then he glanced toward her sideways beneath the brim of his cap.

“I actually like that you said that.”

“What?”

“That I don’t seem famous.”

Something softer slipped briefly into his expression again.

“Most people act weird after they recognize me.”

Y/N looked at him thoughtfully. “You seem normal.”

“That’s because I am normal.”

“You literally perform for millions of people.”

“And?”

“And that’s objectively not normal.”

“Fair.”

They continued walking after that, slower now.

The city had thinned slightly as it grew later. Fewer cars. Quieter sidewalks. Storefronts closing one by one beneath glowing signs.

Y/N kept stealing occasional glances at him now.

Not because he suddenly seemed different after learning the truth. Oddly enough, he didn’t.

If anything, the idea of him being globally famous clashed strangely with how casually he walked beside her talking about instant ramen and dumb college stories.

Maybe that was why she believed him when he said the pressure became overwhelming sometimes.

Because underneath everything else, he still just felt human.

They turned another corner.

Then Y/N stopped abruptly. Bright neon lights glowed ahead beneath a massive sign.

ARCADE PLANET.

Rows of flashing machines were visible through the windows. Music spilled faintly onto the sidewalk every time the entrance doors opened.

Yunho followed her gaze immediately. “Oh my god.”

“What?”

“You’ve never been to an arcade, have you?”

She blinked. “How did you know that?”

“Your face.”

“What about my face?”

“You look curious but deeply intimidated.”

“I am not intimidated.”

“You absolutely are.”

Y/N looked back toward the building.

Truthfully, she had always wanted to go to one growing up.

But arcades had seemed like things other people did.

Cooler people. People with groups of friends and easy confidence and enough money to waste on games. Not awkward teenagers who spent most lunch breaks studying in libraries.

“I just never had a reason to go,” she muttered.

Yunho looked genuinely scandalized. “That’s tragic.”

“It’s not tragic.”

“It’s deeply tragic.”

“You’re overreacting.”

“No.” He pointed dramatically toward the glowing entrance. “We’re fixing this immediately.”

Y/N laughed softly. “You sound way too excited.”

“I love arcades.”

“That somehow makes perfect sense.”

“Come on.”

Before she could protest further, Yunho grabbed her wrist lightly and started pulling her toward the entrance.

Warm neon light spilled across the sidewalk ahead of them. And for the first time in longer than she could remember, Y/N followed something impulsive without stopping herself first.

The arcade was loud in the best possible way.

Not overwhelming like the office.

Lights flashed from every direction in bright blues, pinks, reds, and golds. Old game music blended with electronic sound effects and bursts of laughter from crowded machines. Somewhere near the back, someone yelled loudly in triumph while another person groaned in defeat.

Warm air smelled faintly like sugar, popcorn, and cheap plastic.

Y/N stopped just inside the entrance, staring around properly.“This place is insane.”

Yunho looked deeply pleased by her reaction.

“You really never came to one before?”

“Not unless you count mobile games.”

“That’s actually sad.”

“You’ve said that about three different things tonight.”

“Because your childhood sounds deprived.”

“My childhood was fine.”

“Wrong.” He pointed toward a basketball machine nearby. “You’ve simply never experienced greatness.”

Y/N laughed softly while he dragged her further inside.

It felt strange being here in office clothes. Around them, most people wore hoodies or oversized jackets or casual date-night outfits. Meanwhile she still looked like she had escaped a late-night business meeting.

Yet somehow she no longer cared as much. Maybe because Yunho looked equally ridiculous with his baseball cap pulled low while trying very hard not to get recognized. Or maybe because the entire night already felt disconnected from reality anyway.

Yunho exchanged bills for coins while Y/N wandered beside him looking around curiously.

“You’re way too excited,” she observed.

“I’m competitive.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

“It is.”

He handed her a handful of coins. “Prepare to lose.”

“Excuse you?”

“You’ll understand soon.”

Unfortunately, he was right.

The first game was basketball.

Y/N lost horribly. Not even close.

Yunho somehow made nearly every shot while she struggled to aim properly fast enough before the timer ended.

“This machine hates me,” she complained while the screen displayed her humiliating score.

“No,” Yunho said smugly. “You’re just weak.”

“I want you to know I genuinely dislike you right now.”

“That’s okay.” He grinned brightly. “I’m still winning.”

The second game involved racing motorcycles. Yunho won again.

The third was air hockey. Yunho won again.

The fourth was a rhythm game she did not even fully understand. Yunho somehow still won again.

By the fifth loss, Y/N had officially reached her limit.

“This is rigged,” she declared while crossing her arms.

Yunho looked delighted. “You’re pouting.”

“I am not.”

“You absolutely are.”

“I just think you’re suspiciously good at everything.”

“That sounds like jealousy.”

“That sounds like narcissism.”

He laughed loudly enough that a few nearby people glanced over briefly.

Y/N noticed him subtly lowering his cap afterward.

Even while relaxed, some part of him remained aware of being recognized. Still, the awareness disappeared quickly again once he looked back at her.

“You know,” he said thoughtfully, “you’re taking these losses surprisingly personally.”

“Because I thought I’d at least win once.”

“You nearly beat me at air hockey.”

“I lost by twelve points.”

“That’s basically victory.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet you continue spending time with me.”

“Unfortunately.”

Yunho grinned again before suddenly looking around the arcade thoughtfully.

“What?”

“You need a consolation prize.”

“I don’t need a consolation prize.”

“You do. Your spirit looks crushed.”

“My spirit is fine.”

“Debatable.”

Before she could argue further, he grabbed her wrist lightly again and started guiding her through rows of flashing machines.

The claw machine section glowed brightest in the entire arcade.

Dozens lined the walls packed with plushies, figures, candy, and random prizes. Neon lights reflected across the glass while electronic music chimed softly from different machines.

Y/N slowed almost immediately. “Oh my god.”

“What?”

She stepped toward one machine instinctively.

Inside sat rows of plushies dressed in tiny shark hoodies.

Mofusand cats.

One in particular rested near the front pressed against the glass. Grey and fluffy with a tiny blue shark hood slightly crooked over ist head.

Cute enough to physically hurt.

Yunho noticed her expression instantly. “There it is.”

“What?”

“The face again.”

She glanced toward him. “What face?”

“The one where you see something you like but immediately decide you shouldn’t ask for it.”

Y/N frowned slightly. “That’s oddly specific.”

He looked through the machine thoughtfully.

“You want that one?”

“No.”

The answer came too quickly.

Yunho raised an eyebrow immediately. “You literally stopped walking for it.”

“It’s just cute.”

“So you do want it.”

Y/N crossed her arms lightly. “It’s probably impossible to win anyway.”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

“Yunho.”

“Wait here.”

Before she could stop him, he disappeared toward the coin machine nearby.

Y/N stared after him in disbelief.

Two minutes later he returned carrying enough coins to financially ruin someone.

“Oh my god.”

“What?”

“That’s way too many.”

“You underestimate my determination.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“Correct.”

He crouched slightly in front of the claw machine while feeding coins into it.

Y/N watched with growing amusement. “You know,” she said, “if you lose all your money trying to get a shark cat plushie, that’s entirely on you.”

“I’m literally a professional.”

“At claw machines?”

“At winning.”

“That’s unfortunately confident.”

The first try failed immediately.

The claw barely grabbed the plushie before dropping it again.

Yunho narrowed his eyes at the machine. “Okay.”

“It’s okay,” Y/N laughed softly. “You don’t have to get it.”

“No.” He cracked his knuckles dramatically. “Now it’s personal.”

The second try failed too. Then the third. By the fifth attempt, Y/N had to physically cover her mouth to stop laughing too loudly.

“This is painful to watch.”

“The machine is cheating.”

“Sure.”

“It is.”

“You’re losing to a stuffed cat.”

“Temporary setback.”

People passing nearby had started glancing over occasionally.

Mostly because Yunho looked absurdly intense about this.

At one point he leaned closer to the glass like he was trying to psychologically intimidate the machine itself.

Y/N laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. “You’re insane.”

“I’m focused.”

“That plushie does not fear you.”

“It should.”

The seventh try almost worked.

The plushie lifted halfway before slipping loose again at the last second.

Yunho stared in betrayal.

Y/N burst into laughter again. “Oh no. That one hurt your feelings.”

“I was emotionally invested.”

“You’re fighting for your life against a toy.”

“I can still win.”

By the tenth try, Y/N finally touched his arm lightly. “Seriously, it’s okay.”

Yunho glanced toward her.

“You already spent enough coins.”

“I’m committed now.”

“You don’t need to buy me things.”

Something softer crossed his expression briefly then. “It’s not about buying something.”

Before she could answer, he turned back toward the machine with renewed determination.

The claw lowered again.

Grabbed the plushie. Lifted.

For one horrible second it looked ready to fall again.

Then finally dropped cleanly into the prize slot.

Yunho shot upward immediately.

“Oh my god.”

“You did not just celebrate like you won the Olympics.”

“I absolutely did.”

Y/N laughed helplessly while he grabbed the plushie triumphantly from the slot below.

The tiny shark cat looked ridiculously soft beneath the arcade lights.

Yunho turned toward her with the biggest grin she had seen from him all night.

“Victory.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I know.”

He stepped closer before gently placing the plushie into her arms.

The soft fur brushed against her fingers immediately.

Embarrassingly enough, it genuinely made her happy.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said quietly.

“I know.”

His eyes flicked briefly between her and the plushie before he smiled slightly.

“It resembles you.”

Y/N blinked. “What?”

“You’re both cute.”

Heat rushed into her face so fast it physically hurt.

Yunho looked entirely too pleased by her reaction.

“You did that on purpose.”

“Maybe.”

“You’re horrible.”

“You’re blushing.”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

Unfortunately true.

Y/N looked down quickly at the plushie to avoid his grin.

The stupid thing was adorable.

And somehow that made the moment worse.

Because no one had flirted with her this openly in a long time.

Not without ulterior motives or awkward dating apps or forced office charm.

Yunho simply seemed to enjoy making her flustered. Which was deeply unfair considering how attractive he already was.

“You’re smiling at it,” he observed smugly.

“I’m not.”

“You literally are.”

She hugged the plushie slightly closer out of spite. “Mind your business.”

“That’s my child now too.”

“That sentence made me uncomfortable.”

He laughed brightly again.

The sound followed them as they wandered through the arcade afterward.

Y/N still lost most games. Though at some point Yunho started letting her win occasionally so obviously that she became offended again.

“You missed that on purpose.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You literally stared at the target and shot the opposite direction.”

“Maybe I panicked.”

“You’re terrible at lying.”

By the time they finally stepped back outside, cold air hit her flushed face sharply enough to wake her up again.

The city looked quieter now.

Not asleep. Just slower.

Y/N checked her phone briefly out of habit before immediately regretting it.

2:11 a.m.

“How is it already that late?”

Yunho glanced over. “You sound disappointed.”

“No, just confused.”

“Time moves weird at night.”

She smiled faintly at that.

The plushie remained tucked beneath her arm while they walked.

Yunho noticed. “You’re really attached already.”

“She’s been through a lot.”

“She?”

“Obviously.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets while they wandered down another street.

Then abruptly stopped walking.

Y/N nearly bumped into him. “What?”

Yunho looked completely serious. “I’m starving.”

“That serious huh?”

“I could eat an entire person.”

“That’s concerning.”

“Come on.”

Before she could ask further, he grabbed her wrist again and started pulling her toward the subway entrance nearby.

“Where are we going?”

“Food.”

“That explains nothing.”

“It’s more fun this way.”

The train ride felt oddly peaceful.

Most passengers at this hour looked exhausted or half asleep. A couple sat together silently sharing earbuds near the opposite door. Someone in business clothes snored lightly against the window.

Y/N rested her chin briefly against the plushie while Yunho sat beside her scrolling through something on his phone.

At one point he suddenly tilted the screen toward her. A picture of Wooyoung asleep face-first on a table.

Y/N laughed immediately. “He looks dead.”

“He drank too much at Hongjoong’s birthday last year.”

“You just keep pictures like that?”

“I have worse.” He grinned proudly.

The train eventually carried them closer toward the river.

By the time they emerged outside again, colder wind swept across the streets carrying the smell of water and food stalls nearby.

The Han River stretched dark beneath glowing city lights.

Street vendors lined sections of the walkway despite the late hour. Steam curled upward from grills and soup pots while small groups of people crowded around plastic tables eating and drinking beneath overhead lights.

Y/N stopped briefly just taking it in.

Everything tonight kept feeling strangely cinematic.

Like one of those memories people romanticized years later.

Yunho guided her toward one vendor already greeting him warmly.

“You come here often?” she asked.

“Sometimes after schedules.”

The owner handed them menus immediately.

Y/N barely finished reading before Yunho ordered enough food for four people.

“That’s too much.”

“You’ll thank me later.”

Unfortunately, he was right again.

The bulgogi arrived first sizzling hot and smelling incredible. Then kimchi stew rich enough to warm her entire body instantly.

A few drinks followed afterward. Then a few more.

At some point Y/N stopped feeling the cold entirely.

The world softened pleasantly around the edges instead.

Not drunk exactly. Just warm. Relaxed.

Yunho sat across from her with flushed cheeks and messy hair escaping beneath his cap while stealing pieces of meat from her plate dramatically.

“You ordered enough to feed a village.”

“And yet you’re still eating it.”

“Fair.”

She laughed quietly before taking another sip of her drink.

The river shimmered beyond them beneath city lights.

People nearby talked loudly between bursts of laughter.

Everything felt distant in the nicest way.

Yunho rested his chin against his hand while watching her.

“What?”

“You look happier.”

The words slipped softly into the night air.

Y/N looked down briefly at her food. Maybe she did.

For once her chest did not feel tight. For once she was not thinking about emails or deadlines or tomorrow morning.

Just this moment.

This strange beautiful impulsive night.

“When I was little,” she said suddenly, “my dad used to take me to this lake outside the city.”

Yunho looked at her quietly.

“We’d go really early in the morning before it got crowded.” A small smile tugged at her mouth. “I used to think it was the biggest lake in the world.”

“What changed?”

“I grew up.”She laughed softly.“It was beautiful though.” She stirred her spoon slowly through the stew. “There was this tiny dock where we used to sit for hours. My dad would fish and I’d draw things in this little notebook.”

The memory rose vividly enough to ache slightly.

Cold morning air. Birds over the water. Her father laughing while she complained about tangled fishing lines.

Yunho watched her carefully. “You miss it.”

“Yeah.”

“Then why haven’t you gone back?”

Y/N hesitated briefly. Because there was no good answer.

“Life, I guess.”

Work. Exhaustion. Growing older.

Somewhere along the way she kept thinking there would be time later. And suddenly years had passed.

Yunho leaned back slightly in his chair.

“That’s a terrible reason.”

“I know.”

Silence settled comfortably for a second.

Then Yunho’s eyes brightened slightly. “Perfect.”

Y/N frowned. “That tone again.”

“We’re going.”

“To the lake?”

“Obviously.”

She stared at him. “Right now?”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s almost three in the morning.”

“Exactly.”

“That explained nothing.”

Yunho was already standing. “Come on.”

Y/N laughed helplessly while he paid for the food despite her protests.

The cold air hit them again once they stepped away from the vendor.

Yunho walked beside her while she hugged the plushie beneath one arm and tried not to laugh at how absurd her life had become in the last few hours.

At midnight she had been answering work emails mentally on a train. Now she was tipsy beside a famous musician heading toward a childhood lake at three in the morning carrying a shark cat plushie.

Objectively insane. And yet she had not felt this alive in years.

The train ride toward the lake was quieter this time. Mostly empty.

Y/N sat beside the window while city lights blurred past outside.

Yunho leaned comfortably back in his seat across from her, watching her more than his phone now.

“You know,” he said eventually, “I’m having fun today.”

The honesty in his voice made her look up immediately.

“You say that like you expected not to.”

“No.” He smiled slightly. “I just didn’t realize how much I needed a normal night.”

Y/N looked at him thoughtfully. Normal.

That word sounded strange coming from someone with millions of listeners.

Still, she understood what he meant.

No schedules. No expectations. No pretending.

Just wandering through the city talking about random things until morning arrived.

Yunho checked his phone briefly then blinked. “Oh wow.”

“What?”

“It’s already three.”

Y/N stared too.

3:07 a.m.

“How does that even happen?”

“See?” He looked unfairly pleased. “Good nights move fast.”

And for once, Y/N found herself hoping this one would slow down instead.

By the time they reached the lake, the sky had started shifting toward that strange hour between night and morning.

Not sunrise yet. But close enough that the darkness no longer felt endless.

The station nearby was almost empty when they stepped off the train. Their footsteps echoed softly along the quiet platform while cold air drifted through the open space.

Y/N walked slightly ahead now, leading the way from memory alone.

It had been years. Still, her body remembered the route instinctively.

The narrow road curving past sleeping houses. The old convenience store near the crossing. The small path disappearing between rows of trees further ahead.

Yunho followed beside her quietly, hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket while she carried the plushie tucked beneath one arm.

The city noise faded more with every step.

Soon there was only wind moving through branches overhead and the distant sound of water somewhere ahead.

Y/N slowed automatically once the lake finally came into view through the trees.

And even after all these years, her chest tightened at the sight of it.

Moonlight stretched silver across the water. The lake lay perfectly still beneath the night sky, surrounded by dark trees and empty docks weathered softly with age. The world reflected across the surface almost clearly enough to look unreal.

Beautiful in that quiet aching way only places from childhood could be.

Beside her, Yunho stopped walking completely. “Whoa.”

The sound escaped him softly enough that Y/N looked over immediately.

He was staring openly at the lake. Actually stunned.

“It’s…” He blinked once slowly. “Holy shit.”

Y/N smiled before she could stop herself.

Something warm spread through her chest at his expression. “Told you.”

“No, you absolutely undersold this place.”

Moonlight brushed softly across his face while he looked around. For once he seemed genuinely speechless.

Which honestly felt like an achievement.

Y/N watched him instead of the lake for a second.

The slight wonder in his expression. The looseness in his shoulders. The way he looked younger somehow away from flashing lights and crowded streets.

“You really used to come here as a kid?” he asked quietly.

“Every summer.”

“That’s insane.” He looked back toward the water again. “I think I’d become a poet if I grew up around this.”

She laughed softly.

“It’s true.”

They walked further down toward the dock slowly.

Old wooden boards creaked beneath their steps while the water moved gently below.

Y/N remembered being small enough that her father used to hold her hand crossing this exact dock because she was terrified of falling in.

Now it looked smaller than she remembered. But somehow more beautiful too.

At the end of the dock, they sat beside each other with their feet dangling above the dark water.

Cold air brushed against her damp hair from earlier while silence settled comfortably between them again.

Y/N pulled her knees slightly closer to her chest.

For a while neither spoke.

They simply sat there beneath the moonlight listening to water shift softly against wood below them.

Then Yunho leaned back on his hands. “I get why you missed this place.”

She glanced toward him. “Yeah?”

“It feels…” He searched briefly for words. “Far away from everything.”

Y/N looked back toward the lake. “That’s why my dad liked it.”

“You were close with him?”

The question softened her immediately. “Very.”

A small smile touched her mouth. “He used to wake me up ridiculously early during summer break and I’d pretend to complain the entire drive here.”

“But you secretly liked it.”

“I loved it.”

The memory rose vividly enough to ache slightly. The smell of coffee in the car. Her father humming quietly to old songs on the radio. Drawing badly in her notebook while sunlight reflected across the lake.

Yunho listened quietly beside her.

“You know,” she admitted after a moment, “I think this is one of the last places where I remember feeling completely happy as a kid.”

He turned slightly toward her then.

Moonlight caught faintly against his eyes.

“That’s a heavy sentence.”

Y/N laughed softly under her breath. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” His voice stayed gentle. “I just mean…” He looked out toward the water again. “You sound like someone who misses her old self a little.”

The words hit harder than she expected.

Because that was exactly it.

Missing herself. The version that painted and laughed easier and believed life would become something bigger.

Y/N swallowed lightly before speaking again. “You always say things like that?”

“What?”

“Things that accidentally emotionally devastate people.”

Yunho grinned slightly. “Only on special occasions.”

She rolled her eyes softly.

Then glanced toward him again.

Unfortunately that turned out to be a mistake.

Because now she noticed properly how unfairly attractive he looked sitting there beneath the moonlight.

The dark hair falling messily over his forehead. The oversized hoodie slightly slipping at the collarbone. The silver rings glinting faintly whenever he moved his hands. And worst of all, the softness in his expression while looking at the lake.

Y/N looked away quickly. Too late.

“I caught that.”

Her stomach immediately dropped. “What?”

Yunho looked entirely too amused. “You keep staring at me.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You absolutely do.”

Heat climbed straight into her face.

The worst part was that denying it sounded ridiculous because she absolutely had been staring.

Twice. Maybe more.

Yunho shifted slightly closer along the dock. “You think I’m handsome.”

“I literally never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“Oh my god.”

He laughed quietly at her obvious embarrassment. Moonlight reflected across the water behind him while he watched her with growing amusement.

“You’re blushing again.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“And yet here you are.”

Y/N groaned softly and covered part of her face with one hand. “This is deeply humiliating.”

“For you maybe.”

“You enjoy this way too much.”

“A little.” His grin widened.

And annoyingly enough, that only made him look prettier.

Y/N immediately looked away again toward the lake.

Unfortunately Yunho noticed that too. “Oh, she’s shy now.”

“I’m leaving.”

“No you’re not.”

“You’re making fun of me.”

“You were staring at me like I’m in a romance movie.”

“I was not.”

“You kinda were.”

Y/N wanted to argue.

Instead she made the mistake of looking back at him again.

Yunho was already watching her.

Close now. Much closer than before.

The teasing in his expression softened slightly around the edges.

Something quieter slipping underneath it.

Y/N’s breath caught unexpectedly. Because suddenly she became very aware of everything.

The cold night air. The sound of water below them.

How close his knee rested beside hers on the dock. How pretty he looked beneath moonlight.

Yunho tilted his head slightly while studying her face.

Then slowly, gently, he reached toward her.

Y/N froze immediately.

His fingers brushed softly against her jaw before guiding her face slightly closer toward his.

Warm skin. Careful touch.

Her heart slammed hard enough that she felt it everywhere.

Yunho leaned in.

Closer. Close enough now that she could feel his breath slightly against her skin.

Y/N’s stomach flipped violently.

Oh my god. He was going to kiss her.

The realization hit all at once. And stupidly enough, some reckless part of her wanted him to.

His eyes flicked briefly toward her mouth.

Then suddenly a smirk appeared. “What do you think about swimming?”

Y/N blinked. “What?”

Before she could process further, Yunho pulled back completely and stood from the dock.

She stared at him in disbelief. “You cannot be serious.”

“I’m completely serious.”

“At four in the morning?”

“Best time for it.”

“That’s psychopath behavior.”

Yunho only laughed while tugging his hoodie over his head casually.

Y/N’s brain stopped functioning for approximately three seconds.

Because underneath the hoodie was broad shoulders and damp dark hair and very unfair muscle definition beneath moonlight.

This man was genuinely dangerous to her sanity.

“You’re staring again,” he said smugly.

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

He kicked off his shoes next before turning toward the water.

“Yunho, that lake is freezing.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I absolutely know that.”

“Wrong.”

And before she could continue arguing, he jumped.

Water splashed loudly beneath the moonlit dock.

Y/N rushed slightly closer immediately.

“You’re insane!”

Yunho resurfaced seconds later pushing wet hair back from his forehead while laughing.

“The water’s actually warm!”

“You’re lying.”

“I swear!”

He drifted backward slightly in the shallow water below the dock.

Moonlight reflected across the wet skin of his shoulders while he looked up at her grinning like an idiot.

“Come in!”

“Absolutely not.”

“You already came all this way.”

“I also value survival.”

“It’s nice!”

“You’re literally shivering.”

“I’m not.”

He absolutely was.

Y/N laughed softly while hugging the plushie closer against herself.

Then paused.

Because despite herself… It looked fun.

Stupid. Reckless. Childish.

But fun.

Yunho noticed the hesitation instantly. “There it is.”

“What?”

“You’re considering it.”

“No, I’m considering how quickly hypothermia kills people.”

“Coward.”

Her jaw dropped immediately. “Excuse you?”

“You heard me.”

“You’re literally manipulating me.”

“It’s working though.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes down at him.

Then sighed dramatically. “This is your fault.”

“Correct.”

She carefully placed the plushie safely on the dock beside her first.

Then stood slowly.

Yunho watched very openly while she tugged off her shoes.

Then her sweater.

Then paused.

Self-consciousness hit all at once.

The cold air suddenly felt sharper against her bare skin.

Yunho noticed the hesitation immediately.

But unlike earlier, he didn’t tease her this time.

He just watched quietly from the water.

Patient.

Y/N swallowed lightly before finally pulling off the rest of her clothes down to her underwear and tank top.

The moonlight suddenly felt far too bright.

Especially with Yunho staring at her like that.

His expression had changed completely now.

Gone was the teasing grin.

Now he simply looked…Distracted.

Y/N crossed her arms instinctively. “What?”

Yunho blinked once like he had been caught. “Nothing.”

“That sounded suspicious.”

“You’re pretty.”

The words came out so casually that her brain nearly short-circuited.

Before she could respond, embarrassment took over completely and she jumped into the lake immediately.

Instant regret.

The freezing water hit her hard enough to rip a gasp from her throat.

“Oh my god!”

Yunho burst into laughter instantly.

“You liar!”

“It’s not that bad!”

“It’s freezing!”

Y/N splashed water violently toward him while shivering.

“You actual asshole!”

Yunho laughed harder while shielding himself badly from the water she threw at him.

Moonlight reflected across the lake around them while his laughter echoed through the quiet night.

Y/N could not remember the last time she had acted like this.

Then suddenly Yunho moved closer through the shallow water.

Much closer.

The laughter between them softened slightly.

Y/N’s breath caught again as his hands settled carefully against her hips beneath the water.

Warm skin despite the cold lake.

He looked down at her for a second.

Wet hair falling over his forehead. Eyes softer now beneath moonlight.

“You look pretty like this,” he said quietly.

Y/N’s pulse stumbled immediately. “What?”

“Soaking wet. Smiling.” His thumbs brushed lightly against her hips. “Actually enjoying yourself.”

The words settled somewhere deep inside her chest.

Because he looked at her like he genuinely meant it.

No teasing now. Just honesty.

Water moved softly around them while the world suddenly became very still.

Yunho leaned down slowly afterward.

This time without stopping.

His lips met hers gently at first.

Y/N’s entire body went still from shock before melting almost instantly into the kiss.

He kissed her carefully. Like he was trying to savor it.

One hand sliding slightly higher against her waist while the other remained steady at her hip.

The lake disappeared around her completely.

There was only him.

His mouth warm against hers despite the freezing water. His breath catching slightly when she kissed him back harder.

Her fingers instinctively gripping lightly against his shoulders.

When he finally pulled away, both of them stayed close enough that she could still feel his breath against her lips.

Yunho smiled slightly then. Soft. Almost disbelieving.

“I wanted to do that the entire evening.”

Sunlight and birds chirping was the first thing Yunho noticed.

Soft morning light slipping through thin hotel curtains in pale gold streaks across the bed.

For a few quiet seconds he stayed still beneath the blankets, eyes half closed while his brain slowly caught up with consciousness.

His body felt heavy in that pleasant way exhaustion sometimes did after a genuinely good night.

Then memory returned all at once.

The lake.

Cold water.

Y/N laughing while splashing him after realizing he lied about the temperature.

The way she kissed him back.

Skin on skin when they found a hotel room.

A slow smile spread across his face before he even opened his eyes fully.

Holy shit. Last night had actually happened.

Not a schedule. Not another crowded afterparty with people trying to impress him. Not cameras or interviews or management breathing down his neck.

Just wandering through the city with a girl who looked at him like he was normal.

Yunho rubbed tiredly at his face before finally turning slightly toward the other side of the bed.

Empty.

The smile faltered a little. The sheets beside him had already gone cold.

For a second he simply stared at the empty space beside him while sleep still clung foggy around his thoughts.

Then he pushed himself up slowly.

The small twenty-four-hour hotel room looked exactly like he remembered. Clothes abandoned carelessly across the floor. His hoodie hanging from the chair near the window. Y/N’s empty drink cup sitting forgotten on the bedside table.

But no Y/N.

He glanced toward the bathroom automatically. Empty too.

Yunho leaned back against the headboard with a quiet sigh. “Right,” he muttered to himself.

Of course she left. It was morning.

Well, technically almost afternoon judging by the sunlight.

And unlike him, Y/N actually had a normal job to go to.

The thought made him smile faintly again despite the disappointment curling annoyingly in his chest.

He could practically imagine her panic after waking up late. Cursing at the time.

Trying to fix her hair while half asleep.

Probably apologizing to no one while rushing out the door.

Cute.

He stared at the empty bed beside him a second longer than necessary.

Something about waking up alone after last night felt weirdly disappointing. Not because he expected anything dramatic.

Just because somewhere between convenience store drinks, claw machine battles, and kissing in freezing lake water, he had gotten attached to her presence beside him.

Dangerously fast honestly.

Yunho dropped back against the pillows with a groan before grabbing his phone from the nightstand.

His notifications looked horrifying as usual.

Messages from management. Missed calls from San. Approximately forty-seven unread texts from group chats.

One message from Wooyoung simply reading: did u die or get married

Yunho snorted softly.

Then immediately opened his messages again searching for Y/N’s contact.

Nothing.

His smile vanished instantly. A horrible realization settled slowly into place.

They never exchanged numbers.

Yunho stared blankly at his phone.

Then sat upright properly. “No way.”

He checked again anyway.

Instagram. Messages. Contacts.

Nothing.

Because apparently sometime between making out in a lake and ending up tangled together in a cheap hotel room at sunrise, both of them had completely forgotten basic human logic.

“Oh my god.”

Yunho dragged both hands down his face aggressively.

“How did I actually manage that?”

The memory became painfully clear now.

After the lake they had wandered half asleep through quiet streets until the cold became unbearable. Then they found the hotel mostly because neither wanted the night to end yet. But one led to another and they did more things than talking.

After thez talked more there too.

About random things. Favorite movies. Childhood fears. The weirdest foods they ever ate.

At one point Y/N fell asleep halfway through explaining why office birthday celebrations felt emotionally dystopian.

And Yunho remembered lying there beside her thinking that he genuinely could listen to her speak forever.

Yet somehow he never asked for her number.

Actual idiot behavior.

He groaned loudly into his hands. “Unbelievable.”

For a brief insane second he considered running back to the lake.

Or the train station. Or her office.

Except he had absolutely no idea where she worked beyond “corporate misery.”

Yunho collapsed backward dramatically onto the mattress again.

He knew thousands of people. Performed in sold-out arenas. Had managers, assistants, security teams.

And somehow he lost the one girl who genuinely made him feel normal because he forgot to ask for her phone number.

Pathetic.

Eventually he forced himself out of bed.

The hotel mirror revealed exactly what he expected.

Messy hair sticking up in every direction. Faint bruised shadows beneath his eyes. Lips slightly swollen from kissing.

He stared at himself for a second before laughing quietly under his breath.

He looked happier than he had in months.

That realization hit unexpectedly hard.

Usually after nights out he woke up drained. Social battery dead. Already dreading schedules and cameras and expectations waiting outside.

Today felt different.

Lighter somehow.

Even with the frustration twisting in his chest now.

Yunho showered quickly before pulling on yesterday’s clothes again. His hoodie still smelled faintly like lake water and Y/N’s perfume.

That absolutely did not help his mood.

By the time he left the hotel, the city had fully woken.

Cars crowded intersections. People hurried through sidewalks carrying coffees and briefcases. The normal rhythm of daytime life had returned.

Yunho shoved his hands deeper into his pockets while walking back toward the bar.

Sleep deprivation finally started catching up slightly now.

Still, his brain refused to shut up.

Everywhere he looked reminded him of last night.

Convenience stores. Train stations. Streetlights reflecting against wet pavement.

He kept thinking about Y/N laughing. About the way she looked sitting at the lake staring at the water like she had rediscovered something she thought she lost. About how naturally she fit beside him.

Dangerous thoughts honestly.

Because Yunho did not do attachment easily anymore.

Not real attachment.

Too many people approached him already wanting something.

Fame complicated everything. Even casual conversations often carried expectations underneath them once people recognized him.

But Y/N…

Y/N looked at him like he was just a guy dragging her into arcades at three in the morning.

And maybe that was exactly why he could not stop thinking about her.

The familiar neon sign of the bar appeared eventually down the street.

Moonlight Room looked quieter during daytime. Less alive somehow. Still, music already drifted faintly from inside when Yunho pushed open the door.

The second he entered, six heads turned toward him immediately.

“Oh my god,” Wooyoung shouted loud enough to echo through the mostly empty bar. “The whore returns.”

Yunho flipped him off instantly.

Seonghwa laughed from behind the counter while polishing glasses.

“You look terrible,” Hongjoong observed from one of the booths.

“That’s because he got no sleep,” San announced proudly.

“Jealousy is ugly on you,” Yunho muttered while walking further inside.

Mingi leaned dramatically across the booth table. “So?” he demanded immediately. “What happened?”

Yunho dropped into the empty seat beside Jongho with a tired groan. “Nothing.”

Seven voices yelled at once. “Liar.”

“Bullshit.”

“You literally disappeared.”

“You kissed her didn’t you?”

Yunho nearly choked.

Yeosang looked entirely too pleased with himself.

“Oh my god,” Yunho muttered. “How do you know that?”

“You never did something like that with any women you dated.”

“That could mean anything.”

“It really couldn’t,” Jongho said flatly.

The entire booth burst into laughter.

Yunho rubbed his face tiredly while Wooyoung dramatically slid into the seat across from him.

“So.” Wooyoung grinned. “Corporate girl.”

Yunho felt himself smiling automatically before he could stop it.

Unfortunately everyone noticed immediately. The reaction around the table became instant chaos.

“Oh he’s gone,” San declared.

“Look at his face,” Mingi wheezed.

“That’s disgusting actually,” Hongjoong added.

Yunho shoved him lightly.

“Shut up.”

“No wait,” Wooyoung interrupted dramatically. “You actually like her.”

Yunho opened his mouth automatically to deny it.

Then paused.

Because honestly? Yeah. He did.

Way more than he probably should after one night.

The realization sat strangely easy in his chest though.

So instead of denying it, he leaned back against the booth and shrugged slightly.

“I had fun.”

The teasing quieted a little at that.

Yunho looked down briefly at the table while smiling to himself.

“She’s funny,” he admitted. “And smart.” His grin widened slightly at the memory. “She gets embarrassed really easily when you flirt with her.”

“Oh my god,” Wooyoung whispered dramatically. “He’s giggling internally.”

“I am not.”

“You absolutely are.”

“She sounds nice,” Seonghwa said more gently from beside the counter.

“She is.”

Yunho meant it immediately. Not just nice.

Real. The kind of real he rarely encountered lately.

Hongjoong studied him carefully from across the booth.

“So what’s the issue then?”

Yunho frowned slightly. “What?”

“You clearly like her.” Hongjoong gestured vaguely. “So call her again.”

The entire table nodded like this was painfully obvious.

Yunho stared at them silently. Then looked away.

Immediately suspicious silence fell.

Wooyoung narrowed his eyes. “What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Yunho.”

He rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. “We maybe forgot something.”

San blinked once. “What.”

Yunho groaned quietly already knowing what was coming.

“We forgot to exchange contact information.”

Silence. Absolute silence.

Then the entire booth exploded.

Mingi physically fell sideways laughing.

Wooyoung slammed both hands against the table in disbelief. “You absolute idiot!”

Hongjoong looked genuinely horrified. “No way.”

“She left and you didn’t even get her number?”

“I forgot!”

“How do you forget that?” San yelled.

“I don’t know!”

Yeosang leaned back calmly shaking his head. “This might actually be the dumbest thing you’ve ever done.”

“That’s saying a lot,” Jongho added.

Seonghwa looked moments away from crying laughing behind the counter.

Yunho buried his face in his hands while chaos continued around him.

“You spent the entire night flirting with her,” Wooyoung shouted. “You literally vanished together like a romance movie.”

“And then forgot the most important part,” Mingi wheezed.

Hongjoong pointed accusingly. “This is why you’d never survive without us.”

“I’m aware.”

“No actually,” San interrupted. “This is genuinely tragic.”

Yunho groaned louder. Because the worst part?

They were right. Completely right.

And judging by the way his chest already felt strangely empty without her around, he really needed to find Y/N again somehow.

Main Masterlist | Yunhos Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Taglist: @ninjakitty15 @dalsuwaha @starmee-lodurrson @luviebears @darjeelinglemontea @ffenjoyerdazme @moonlitcelestial @livonianmaia @m00njinnie @tinycloudz @whoreforjongho @shrimpwoo @soso59love-blog @armycarat2612 @yunhospinkyring @okiedokiespookie @lunaryoongie @firstdivisiongirl @autumnrainsings @meowmeeps @scoutyy @goblin-pop @hope122598 @sunnysidesins @hohongstiny @strawberrymars98 @a-muse-of-sorts @yunhzack

[kpopdiva89]

Making It Up to You

The first sign that something was going wrong should’ve been the way Mingi was smiling.

Not his usual soft, slightly chaotic grin that made fans laugh along even when he wasn’t trying. No—this one had edges. Sharp, excited, a little too aware of the chat scrolling by on the livestream screen.

You noticed it immediately from the couch behind him, curled up with your knees tucked under a blanket you had no business needing in the middle of his dorm living room.

“You’re doing great,” you mouthed at him quietly, holding up a thumbs-up.

Mingi nodded enthusiastically… then leaned a little too far toward the mic.

That should’ve been your second warning.

“Okay, okay,” he said into the camera, voice bright. “Before we continue, I have something important to tell everyone.”

You frowned.

He wasn’t supposed to have anything important. This was just a casual livestream—him talking nonsense, reading comments, occasionally getting roasted by fans. You were just there because he’d begged you to keep him company.

The chat exploded immediately.

WHAT?? IMPORTANT??

MINGI DID YOU BREAK SOMETHING

IS THIS A COMEBACK SPOILER???

You slowly sat up.

“Mingi,” you whispered. “What are you doing?”

He ignored you completely.

“So,” he continued, clasping his hands dramatically, “you all think I’m the embarrassing one in my friend group, right?”

A pause.

A grin.

“That’s not true. Because I have a friend who—”

Your stomach dropped.

“No,” you said immediately, sharper this time.

He looked over his shoulder at you.

And smiled like a traitor.

“—once tried to microwave metal because she thought it would ‘warm up faster if it was shiny.’”

Silence.

Then chaos.

The chat detonated.

NO WAY

MINGI EXPOSED HER 😭

MICROWAVE METAL??

I NEED CONTEXT

IS THIS REAL

You had already launched yourself off the couch.

“Mingi!” you hissed. “Shut up!”

He was laughing now, full-on wheezing, completely unbothered.

“It gets worse!” he said, pointing at you like he was narrating a documentary. “She also—”

You tackled him.

Well. You tried to.

He caught you mid-fall with one arm, still laughing, microphone squealing as it picked up both your voices.

“Stop!” you groaned, half mortified, half furious. “Turn it off!”

“I can’t!” he said through laughter. “It’s live!”

That was the moment you realized your life was over.

The clip went viral within an hour.

Of course it did.

By the time you got home that night, your phone had already become unusable. Messages, screenshots, edits of the clip, fans joking about “microwave girl” like it was your official identity now.

You lay face-first on your bed.

“This is how I die,” you muttered into your pillow. “Socially.”

Your phone buzzed again.

Mingi.

You ignored it.

It buzzed again.

And again.

And again.

Finally, you picked up.

“What,” you said flatly.

There was a pause on the other end.

“…I’m sorry.”

You sat up slightly.

Mingi’s voice was softer than usual. No teasing. No laughter.

“I didn’t think it would blow up like that,” he admitted. “I thought it was just funny. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“You literally broadcast my worst moment to millions of people.”

“I know,” he said quickly. “I know. I messed up.”

Silence stretched between you.

Then, quieter:

“I feel really bad.”

You exhaled slowly, rubbing your face.

“I hate you a little right now,” you admitted.

“I deserve that.”

Another pause.

“…Can I fix it?”

You hesitated.

“That depends,” you said. “Can you erase the internet?”

“No.”

“Then no.”

He groaned.

The next day, he showed up at your door.

You opened it in pajamas, hair a mess, still emotionally recovering.

Mingi stood there holding a paper bag and looking unusually serious.

Inside the bag: snacks. Too many snacks.

“I brought offerings,” he said.

You stared at him.

“I’m not bribing you,” he added quickly. “It’s… apology fuel.”

You sighed and stepped aside.

“Come in before someone recognizes you.”

He entered quietly, unusually subdued.

For a few minutes, neither of you spoke. He sat on the floor beside your coffee table, carefully placing snacks in a neat row like that would somehow fix what he did.

Finally, you broke the silence.

“You know I’m never living that down, right?”

He winced.

“I know.”

“My cousin texted me.”

He froze. “Oh no.”

“She asked if I’m really ‘microwave girl.’”

He buried his face in his hands.

“I’m sorry,” he groaned again. “I didn’t think before I spoke. I was trying to be funny and it just—” He gestured vaguely. “Exploded.”

You watched him for a moment.

He looked genuinely miserable. Not performative, not exaggerated. Just… guilty.

That softened something in your chest despite yourself.

“You’re kind of an idiot,” you said.

“I know.”

A beat.

“…A loud idiot,” you added.

He peeked at you through his fingers. “Still mad?”

You considered it.

“Yes,” you said. “But less murderous now.”

He sighed in relief. “Progress.”

The apology tour began after that.

Not in a dramatic way—just Mingi, trying.

Day two: he brought you coffee exactly the way you liked it without asking.

Day three: he tried to “counter-embarrass himself” by telling his fans a story about him falling off a stage prop during rehearsal. It worked… slightly.

Day four: he showed up with a list.

You squinted at it. “What is that?”

“My redemption plan,” he said proudly.

“Why is it color-coded?”

“Because I’m serious about this.”

You read the first line.

Step 1: Public apology stream

“No.”

He crossed it out immediately.

“Okay.”

Step 2: Make up a new embarrassing story about myself

You looked at him.

He looked back, hopeful.

“That doesn’t help me,” you said.

“…It helps me.”

You sighed.

“Keep going.”

By the fifth day, something had shifted.

The incident was still everywhere—clips, jokes, edits—but the sting of it had dulled. Partly because the internet moved fast. Mostly because Mingi refused to let it sit without balance.

He talked about you constantly, but never in a way that gave away too much. Always redirecting attention onto himself, always making himself the punchline instead.

He even went on another livestream and, unprompted, said:

“By the way, I once tried to cook pasta without water.”

The chat had never recovered.

And yet, he still showed up at your place afterward, tired but hopeful.

“You don’t have to keep doing this,” you told him one evening, as you both sat on the floor eating takeout.

He shrugged.

“I want to.”

“Why?”

He paused, then leaned his head back against the couch.

“Because I hate the idea that I made you feel small,” he said simply.

That made you quiet.

Mingi glanced at you sideways.

“You’re not small,” he added quickly. “You’re just… unfortunately now associated with microwaves.”

Despite yourself, you snorted.

“Thanks.”

He smiled a little.

A softer one this time.

A week later, you were back on his couch again, scrolling through your phone while he practiced something on his laptop.

“Hey,” he said suddenly.

You hummed.

“I have a question.”

“Dangerous.”

He ignored that.

“Are we okay?”

You looked at him.

He looked… nervous. In a way you didn’t often see.

Like he was afraid the answer might actually matter more than he wanted it to.

You thought about it.

About the embarrassment. The internet. The messages.

About the fact that he had spent an entire week trying—clumsily, persistently—to make it right.

Then you sighed.

“We’re okay,” you said. “But if you ever expose me like that again, I’m leaking your childhood photos.”

His eyes widened.

“Fair.”

A pause.

Then he grinned.

“…Do you actually have them?”

You smiled slowly.

“Oh, Mingi.”

That was enough answer.

He groaned.

And for the first time since the livestream, the laugh that followed didn’t feel like damage control.

It just felt normal.

[kpopdiva89]

You’re On

You didn’t think it would become a problem.

Honestly, it had started as a throwaway comment—something casual, something light, something meant to exist and die within the same five seconds.

“You know,” you’d said, leaning back on the studio couch while ATEEZ waited for their next schedule segment to be set up, “I could probably beat San in, like, anything if I actually tried.”

It wasn’t even aimed at him directly. It was more general, conversational, a joke tossed into the air like confetti.

Unfortunately, San heard it.

And worse—he processed it.

There was a pause. A shift in energy so subtle you almost missed it. Then San slowly turned his head toward you, eyes narrowing like he was recalculating every life decision that led to this moment.

“…What did you say?”

You blinked. “It was a joke.”

San straightened immediately. “No, repeat it. Exactly.”

You hesitated. “I said I could probably beat you in anything if I tried?”

The room went quiet in that very specific way it only does when someone in the group senses entertainment is about to be replaced by chaos.

Hongjoong looked up from his phone. Seonghwa sighed like he already knew where this was going. Wooyoung visibly lit up like someone had just pressed a “start drama” button.

San, meanwhile, pointed at you.

“You’re on.”

“…I’m sorry?”

“You challenged me,” he said seriously. “I accept.”

“That wasn’t a challenge, that was—”

“A declaration of war,” Wooyoung supplied immediately.

“It absolutely was not,” you said.

San stood up.

That was your first mistake—assuming this would stay contained.

Because the moment he stood up, he transformed. Not physically. Not dramatically. But in intent. Like something in him had locked onto a mission objective labeled prove superiority immediately.

“I choose the competition format,” San said.

“I didn’t agree to—”

“Too late.”

Hongjoong pinched the bridge of his nose. “San, we have schedules.”

“This is schedule,” San said firmly.

Seonghwa muttered, “We’re doomed.”

The first “competition” was announced that evening.

You were sitting in the dorm kitchen, eating cereal, when San walked in holding a whiteboard.

A whiteboard.

He placed it on the table with the seriousness of someone entering a courtroom.

“I have prepared categories,” he said.

You stared at him. “You… made a spreadsheet?”

“It’s not a spreadsheet, it’s a fairness system.”

“It’s laminated.”

“Yes.”

You looked around slowly, hoping someone would intervene.

No one did.

Wooyoung was already sitting on the counter like a gremlin watching television. Mingi had popcorn. Yeosang looked mildly concerned but also curious. Jongho looked like he was deciding whether to stop this or let it become educational.

San tapped the board.

“Category one: reaction time.”

You blinked. “Reaction time to what?”

He smiled. “That’s the test.”

You were not prepared for the “test” to involve Wooyoung throwing a slipper across the room without warning.

You also were not prepared for San to immediately shout “NOW!” like this was the Olympics.

You yelped, flinched dramatically, and ducked.

San caught it mid-air.

Silence.

He slowly turned toward you, expression unreadable.

“…One point,” he said.

“That’s not how reaction time works,” you protested.

“It is now.”

Wooyoung applauded like a sports commentator. “San leads 1–0!”

“I didn’t agree to scoring!”

“You agreed when you made the challenge,” San said.

“I DIDN’T MAKE A CHALLENGE!”

He ignored you.

That was the second mistake.

The next morning, you woke up to a knock on your door.

It was San.

He was holding flashcards.

You stared at him from the doorway. “It’s 7 AM.”

“Perfect cognitive peak,” he said.

“I’m not doing math at 7 AM.”

“This is part of the competition.”

“There is no competition.”

San held up a card.

“What is 37 times 14?”

You squinted. “Why would I—”

“GO.”

You sighed and did it in your head. “518.”

San paused.

Checked his card.

Looked back at you.

“…Correct.”

He wrote something down.

“You’re keeping score in your head,” you realized.

“Yes.”

“That’s unhealthy.”

“It’s strategic.”

It escalated quickly after that.

Too quickly.

By day three, the dorm had been rearranged into what San called “neutral testing grounds,” which mostly meant he had cleared space in the living room and dragged in random objects like a man preparing for gladiatorial combat.

“This is ridiculous,” you said, standing barefoot on the carpet.

San was stretching.

“Flexibility matters.”

“For what?”

“Victory.”

Wooyoung was officiating again. “First to touch the ceiling wins!”

“There is no ceiling challenge,” you said.

“There is now,” San said calmly.

You looked up at the ceiling.

Then at him.

“…You’re insane.”

“Focused,” he corrected.

The challenge: jump and touch the ceiling.

San went first.

Of course he did.

He jumped effortlessly, fingertips grazing the surface.

He landed cleanly like it was nothing.

You stared.

“That’s illegal,” you said.

“It’s physical conditioning,” Jongho said from the side, sipping water like a disappointed coach.

“Why are you supporting this?”

“I’m not. I’m observing failure trajectories.”

You ignored him.

Your turn.

You jumped.

You did not touch the ceiling.

You did, however, land awkwardly and nearly fall into the couch.

San nodded once.

“One point.”

“I hate you.”

“You’re competitive,” he said.

“I am not—”

“You started it.”

You opened your mouth.

Closed it.

Because technically, in the most annoying possible way, he wasn’t wrong.

You started noticing it wasn’t just competitions anymore.

It was everything.

San would time how fast you answered questions.

He’d challenge you to drink water faster.

He’d race you to the elevator.

He once tried to “evaluate your spatial awareness” by tossing random objects and watching your reflexes.

Hongjoong eventually stepped in.

“This has gone too far,” he said.

San nodded seriously. “Agreed. We need standardized rules.”

“That is not what I meant.”

But by then it was too late.

Because San had committed.

Fully.

Deeply.

Obnoxiously.

The cooking competition was where things truly broke.

You had insisted on making dinner to prove a point.

San immediately countered with, “I will also cook.”

You should’ve known.

You should’ve stopped there.

Instead, you said, “Fine. Let’s see who’s better.”

Wooyoung screamed in excitement like a man witnessing history.

Mingi started recording.

Seonghwa quietly left the kitchen.

Jongho brought a chair.

San tied on an apron.

You regretted everything.

The challenge: fried rice.

Simple. Easy. Safe.

Until San started measuring rice grains like he was conducting a science experiment.

“You’re insane,” you said again.

“You’re distracted,” he replied.

“I am not distracted.”

“You just burned your onions.”

You looked down.

The onions were, in fact, burning.

“That’s— that’s intentional flavor,” you lied.

San didn’t respond.

He just… looked at his pan.

Then at yours.

Then quietly said, “I’ve already finished plating.”

You froze.

“What?”

He turned his plate around.

It was… annoyingly perfect.

Garnished.

Balanced.

Beautiful.

Wooyoung gasped. “He’s winning.”

“I hate this,” you said.

San smiled slightly.

It was not a kind smile.

It was a competitive smile.

You tasted your food.

It was fine.

San’s was better.

You refused to admit it.

Jongho, however, did not hesitate.

“San wins,” he said immediately.

“Traitor,” you muttered.

You thought it would stop at physical challenges.

You were wrong.

San had escalated.

Now it was memory games.

Reaction storytelling.

Emotional recall tests.

At one point, he asked, “What did you eat for breakfast three days ago?”

You stared at him.

“Why would I remember that?”

He wrote something down.

“You forgot.”

“That’s normal!”

“Not for a competitor.”

“I’m not—”

“You are.”

Wooyoung whispered loudly, “He’s breaking her psychologically.”

“I’m not breaking anything,” San said. “I’m optimizing performance.”

“You sound like a villain,” you told him.

“I sound like a winner.”

That was when you realized something unsettling.

He wasn’t joking anymore.

He genuinely believed this was a competition that mattered.

You attempted to avoid him.

You really did.

You hid in your room.

He knocked.

You didn’t answer.

He left.

Victory.

Five minutes later, he slid a note under your door.

New challenge: endurance. How long can you avoid me before you lose focus?

You stared at it.

“You’re unbelievable,” you muttered.

You ignored it.

For three hours.

Then another note arrived.

Current time: 3 hours 14 minutes. You are improving.

You threw the note across the room.

It happened in the practice room.

You were exhausted.

Truly exhausted.

Not physically from competitions anymore, but mentally from San existing as a relentless scoreboard.

He was stretching again.

Of course he was stretching.

You dropped onto the floor.

“I’m done,” you said.

San looked over. “Done what?”

“This. Whatever this is.”

He tilted his head. “The competition?”

“There is no competition.”

He paused.

For the first time, actually paused.

Then said, “You’re forfeiting?”

You sat up. “Yes. I forfeit. You win. Congratulations. Please stop.”

Silence.

The kind that felt heavier than usual.

San didn’t move immediately.

Then he slowly sat down across from you.

“…Why?” he asked.

You blinked. “Because it’s exhausting.”

A longer pause.

“…Was I too intense?”

“Yes.”

“…Too competitive?”

“Yes.”

He looked down at his hands.

That was new.

“I thought you were enjoying it,” he said.

“I was joking,” you replied.

San was quiet for a long moment.

Then, very softly: “I don’t always know when you’re joking.”

That stopped you.

Because underneath all the chaos, all the scoring, all the ridiculous competitions…

That part was real.

You exhaled slowly.

“San.”

He looked up.

“I like you. I like everyone. But I am not competing with you. I’m not trying to beat you at life.”

He blinked.

“…Then why did you challenge me?”

“I didn’t.”

Another pause.

Then, very slowly, he leaned back like the weight of the realization had physically hit him.

“Oh.”

From the side, Wooyoung whispered, “He built a whole system for nothing.”

San groaned.

Not loudly.

But deeply.

“I made spreadsheets,” he said.

You laughed despite yourself.

“That’s your takeaway?”

“I laminated them.”

The next day, the whiteboard was gone.

So were the flashcards.

San did not propose any new competitions.

Instead, he appeared in the kitchen while you were making tea.

“…Can I help?” he asked cautiously.

You raised a brow. “With what? There’s no competition.”

“I know,” he said quickly. “Just… help.”

You slid him a mug.

He took it like it was fragile peace.

A moment passed.

Then he added, quietly, “You still would’ve won reaction time.”

You sighed.

“San.”

He nodded. “I’m working on it.”

You bumped his shoulder lightly.

“Good.”

From the doorway, Wooyoung whispered, “He’s malfunctioning.”

San didn’t even look up.

“I heard that.”

And somehow, for the first time in a week…

He wasn’t trying to win.

[lemondrop-sunrise]

aka

[hnjowlf]

LOVE SHOULD BE FUN

PAIRING: fem!reader x seonghwa

CONTAINS: pure fluff

SUMMARY: a short compilation of you and seonghwa's playful and chaotic relationship plus a never-ending teasing from him

AUTHOR’S NOTES: i lowkey YEARN for park seonghwa 🙏🙏 okay so this was inspired by a trend i saw on tiktok! i reccomend you to listen to "shape of my heart" by backstreet boys while reading this 🤭☘️

MASTERLIST

The apartment is quiet, the soft glow of moonlight spilling into the living room. Outside, the city hummed gently, and bustling crowds contrasting the quietness. You were home alone, waiting for Seonghwa's arrival, and played your favorite song through the speakers, completely absorbed in the music.

Barefoot in the living room, you twirled and swayed, singing along, with your hair loose and messy. You didn't care if your neighbor saw you through the window dancing alone; you felt like the room was dancing with you.

The front door clicks open. Seonghwa just got back from practice, with a tired expression, he expected some peace and quiet, yet he's greeted with something the opposite of that.

There you were. His favorite girl. Dancing as if the world is yours, your lips mouthing to a song you love.

He couldn't help but smile, leaning against the doorway. "...Wow," he chuckled. What a sight for sore eyes, he thought.

You didn't notice his presence. He sets his bag down and quietly steps closer to you.

You turned around, freezing in your spot, "Oh! You're home already? I-I didn't hear you come in!"

"Really? You didn't?" he teases, "...I mean, you're mesmerizing."

You tried to hide your blush, "... I was just dancing," you scratched the back of your neck, awkwardly.

"Well, don't stop because of me now," he grabs your hand. "Come on, I'll join you, my love."

You gasped, half-laughing, "No, you can't eve-"

"Watch me!" he interrupts you, suddenly, you were dancing with him. It was awkward at first, bumping into each other's shoulders, laughing every time you stumbled into his feet. He twirled you around until it got a little too fast, and you nearly lost your balance. Luckily, he caught you just in time, pulling you closer by the waist.

"I missed this," he said softly between laughs.

"Me too, we look like complete idiots," you look up at him.

He smiled down at you, "Perfect idiots."

What once was a quiet apartment is now turning into a world of music, laughter, and chaos–somehow it still feels like the most romantic thing in the world.

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

Valentine’s Day means spending the day with the person you love the most, doing any kind of activities you can imagine. This time, Seonghwa came up with an idea to bake some heart-shaped cookies as a date. At first, you thought it would be romantic; however, it didn’t go as you expected. 

You were mixing the batter–butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Now you only need the sifted flour and a few chocolate chips. “You’re not helping,” you said, glancing at Seonghwa.

“Well, I’m actually supervising you,” he said, holding a bag of chocolate chips and munching on a few. “Just making sure you got every ingredient right.”

You only rolled your eyes, focusing on the batter once again. “Can you pass me the flour?”

He hummed in response, handing you the sifted flour. You reached for the flour, tapping the spoon against the bowl, just enough for a bit of it to drift onto his sleeve.

He looks down slowly, “That was on purpose, huh?”

“No, it wasn’t.” You tried to hold your laugh.

“You’re smiling, my love.”

“I am no-” Your words are cut off by his sudden antic. Before you even know it, he flicks flour at your face. Now your face is dusted with a soft cloud of flour. “You did not just-”

“You started it.” He steps closer and tosses a little more flour. He quickly tries to escape from you, turning and running away. You laugh, grabbing a handful of flour and throwing it back while chasing him. “Come here!” 

The kitchen fills with laughter as it echoes all over the room. Suddenly, the cookies are forgotten, replaced by a chaotic mess of dodging, laughing, and trying to get the last hit.

In the end, you trapped him, as you were about to move past him, he caught your wrist, and in the middle of pulling away, you lost your balance, and both of you fell to the ground.

He landed first, and you fell on top of him, laughing, one hand braced against his chest.

“This is your fault,” he said, breathless.

You smack his chest softly, in disbelief, “Say you surrender!”

Seonghwa paused, then exhaled, giving in. “I surrender, there, are you satisfied?” 

You shrugged, teasing him, “I don’t know, something’s missing,” you pout slightly, hinting that you want a kiss from him. 

Seonghwa gently cupped your face, his thumbs softly tracing your cheekbones. He leaned in slowly, pressing his lips against yours. His kiss was desperate yet tender, the kind he yearned for; it was soft and filled with passion that made you melt against him. You closed your eyes, and he noticed how completely you gave in to the kiss. He smiled into the kiss, deepened it just slightly, and was careful.

You lightly pulled away from the kiss, resting your head against his chest, “Can we stay like this for a while?”

“Of course, whatever you want, my love,” he replied, throwing his arms around your body, wrapping you closer to him as his fingertips delicately trace your back.

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

The weather was quite chilly outside, the type of weather that’s not too warm nor too cold. However, as the night goes by, the temperature suddenly drops. Seonghwa asked you out for dinner since you haven’t been on a date with him for such a long time due to his busy schedule.

“Are you ready?” Seonghwa asked as he grabbed his favorite black coat from the trench coat near the door. 

“Mhm,” you mumbled while nodding your head as a response. You wore a black silk dress with a black pashmina wrapping your neck, not too tightly. Nevertheless, Seonghwa noticed you didn’t bring your coat.

“Bring your coat.” His voice was calm but with a slight firmness to make it sound less like a suggestion.

You were fixing your hair using the reflection from the glass door. “No, it’s fine.” You continued to fix your dress, turning to face him.

“It’s cold outside.” He adds while he kisses your forehead.

You sighed, “...well, it’s not that cold.”

Seonghwa shrugged, “Alright, if you say so, then.” He grabbed the handle and opened the door, letting you step out first. “Trust me, I’ll live.” You smiled in confidence.

He exhales a quiet laugh, “Yeah,” he says under his breath while smirking, “We’ll see about that.” Eventually, he shuts the door.

Several hours go by, and the night has settled in deeper. The wind starts to get breezy as the cold weather slowly seeps in through the thin fabric of your dress. After the romantic date you had, you were walking side by side with him toward the parking lot as your footsteps were quiet against the pavement.

You tried to ignore the coldness hitting your skin gently, then your fingers curled slightly. You slowly crossed your arm, your posture tightening as the wind slips through again.

Seongwha notices every inch of how your body reacts. His hands are tucked comfortably into his coat pockets. “My love, are you okay?” he asks. 

You only nodded, praying to god that any minute now you’d be near the car. 

Suddenly, a breezy wind cuts through the space between the buildings. Your body reacts instantly, a shiver running through your body before you can even stop it.

“You’re shaking,” He slows his steps just slightly, “come here.”

You stopped in your tracks, “What are you doing?”

“Just trust me–come here.” He continued.

You followed his instructions, Seonghwa softly opened his coat, gently guiding you by pulling your waist into the open coat until you’re closer to his body. He pulls the coat closed around both of you. Arms wrapping loosely to keep it in place. The warmth hits you instantly. “Told you should’ve brought a coat.” He smirked.

You let out a breath, already feeling annoyed. “Don’t even start,” giving him a slight death stare. You let your cheek rest on his cheek, your forehead just under his chin. “...this is weird,” you murmured.

“You’re not complaining about it,” he says, adjusting the coat. “Let’s get you home quickly, okay? I’ll make you a warm cup of tea,” he leaned back a bit while brushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

You were freezing and too tired to talk, hence you responded with a nod.

curated by @hnjowlf

[karmacharmeleon18]

Woo fixing Mingi's hair, Mingi hugging him as a thanks and absolutely engulfing him, Woo's hands automatically going to Mingi's ass

🥹 that's his Mingi-Mangi

[from-izzy]

LOVESICK | ATEEZ JEONG YUNHO

"Like I said, I am warm-" you smack his chest before he could finish.

pairing » ateez jeong yunho x fem!reader

trope/au » non-idol au, established relationship au

genre » fluff with a hint of hurt/comfort

word count » 3241

warnings (lmk if i missed anything!) » sickness, kissing, ...they're lovesick, not proofread

navi/masterlist!! 🤍 ateez masterlist

I DIDN'T REALISE I NEVER POSTED THIS ONE AND THAT I WAS I DIDN'T POST LAST MONTH 😭😭 hope you enjoy this one as i try my best to post a longer yunho fic 🤭

"Y/N! Thank goodness!" Mrs Jeong immediately embraces you, not waiting for you to shake off any snow on your outfit. "Thank you so much for coming."

"Of course. I wasn't doing anything important anyway, so thank you for calling me." You're not lying about that. You didn't think that preparing for tomorrow's blind date was important, at least not more important than Yunho.

The woman called you a few minutes ago, asking you to come over and take care of his bedridden son. From Yunho's insane schedule, you couldn't say that you didn't know this wasn't going to come. You warned him through text messages to dress warmly and to drink hot beverages against the cold weather. Your best friend said that he would do all those things, but given how you're here now, you wonder how much of it was actually true.

"I really have to run to the hospital now. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"No, please. It's okay!" You reassure her. As you hang your winter coat, you retrieve hers. "I hope everything is okay at the hospital. Drive safety, Auntie."

She's already halfway out the front door as you finish your greetings, but she turns back with a kind smile on her face. "Let me know if Yunho brings you real trouble. I'll smack him awake when I get home."

You shake your head playfully, watching her start the engine and driving away with a waving arm out the window. The front door closes with a reassuring click. Scanning the house, you clean the slight mess in the kitchen before checking up on Yunho. Besides, if you want to cook a hearty meal for him, it would be good to work in a cleaner space.

Across the hall, where the feverish boy lies under his blanket, he stirs awake at the mumbled engine. Yunho's eyelids feel especially heavy, and so does his back as he attempts to sit on his bed. The only light source was from the slightest crack on the bottom of his bedroom door, and despite that, his eyes squinted as if the room were on fire.

The poor boy pouts and sniffs before throwing his legs to the side of the bed to aim for the kitchen. He could tell that whoever is in the space is trying to keep their noises down as much as possible, and he smiles weakly at the consideration. He slides his feet across the wooden floor until he catches your familiar back on the sink.

His eyes are now better adjusted to the light, taking in the view in front of him: his childhood best friend, whom he has been in love with for so long, cleaning the familiar bowls and cutlery of his dinner from an hour ago. You hum lightly, shoulders swaying gently side to side to a rhythm. Yunho leans against the wall, eyes closing in relaxation to your voice. He could slumber back asleep at your singing, and the weakened state of his body only welcomed your tune even more.

"Yunho?" His name from your lips came as a calm whisper, but your frowning lips say otherwise. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"You abandon the sink to skip towards him.

The boy shakes his head. "Did my mum call you here?"

"The hospital needed her urgently, and she was worried about leaving you alone, so she called me." As soon as you finish, your concerned look is replaced with a disapproving one. Your arms crossed against your chest, and an eyebrow rises. "Did you really keep yourself warm like you supposedly said you would on text?"

"Well, technically, the fact is that now I am warm so-"

"Yunho!" You exclaim. "I'm serious! Stop joking around! Your boss overworks you, and you don't know when you take breaks yourself. You wake up early and voluntarily stay towards the end to help your team members, which is fine, but not at the expense of your own health! Then I get texts from you," you whip your phone out, waiting for this moment:

golden puppy

don't be mad but

i got sick :((

BUT IT'S NOT SERIOUS OR ANYTHING

IT'S JUST A FEVER AND COLD AND COUGH

I'LL BE FINE SOON I PROMISE :((

"And mind you, that was four days ago, and the fact that your mum wouldn't leave you alone means that you're not at all better yet! Yunho, I told you to-"

Your rant is interrupted when Yunho can no longer keep his lips together. A snort came out from him, and if it's not the situation, you would've made fun of him. Realising his mistake, Yunho slaps a hand to his mouth, blinking innocently at you.

You roll your eyes, arms rising in exasperation. "I can't believe you. You're sick and all you're gonna do is laugh?"

"No, no," he puts his hands together, head hanging low. "I'm sorry. It seemed like I worried you a lot. I really did try to take care of myself…"

You exhale at his apology, knowing well that there's nothing much that you can do now. The prevention stage was a failure, and now you need to focus on helping Yunho recover as fast as possible.

You reach for his forehead against the back of your palm, your lips turning down at the temperature. "You're still really warm, Yun."

"Like I said, I am warm-" you smack his chest before he could finish.

"Go back to your room and sleep, you giant puppy." You uusher him out of the room by his shoulders and turn him around to the direction of his bedroom. Yunho didn't push against you, secretly needing you for energy anyway.

As soon as you turn the doorknob open, you can tell he's been living in there for the past week. The curtains are slightly opened, possibly to let a relaxing amount of sun in during daylight, but he never got to put away his laundry properly into his closet. There's a half-empty cup of water on his bedside table, and you could tell he fell asleep while gaming with his phone on his bed. You're reminded of Yunho's condition when he coughs beside you, hunching over as you pat his back with a knit between your eyebrows.

"Okay, come on," you guide him to the bed, making sure he slowly sits on the bed. You found his medicine checklist for the day, seeing that he hasn't checked off one after dinner. You wanted to scold him, but backed down when he looked over at you apologetically. You pop the aluminium cover of the medicine, dropping the pill into his palm. "Here," you kneel next to him and pass him the glass. "No, finish it," you tilt the cup back to his lips.

Yunho sighs in relief, regarding a soft smile. You brush his bangs to the side of his face calmly. He relaxes to your touch, reaching for your other free hand to hold. In the act, he pulls you closer and slots you between his legs. He rests his head on your chest, indulging himself in your familiar scent.

"Did I worry you that much?" He mumbles.

You hum, "You always make me worry."

"Yeah?" He pulls away slightly to see you properly, mischief written all over his eyes, "Are you worried about me, or are you worried about how no one can pick you up if you're in trouble?"

"Hey! I'm very capable of taking care of myself."

Yunho tilts his head in contemplation. "Tell me that again when you miss your bus."

"Shut up!" You ruffle his hair in laughter, whilst he tries to grab hold of you. "Fine then, next time I won't call you and you can explain to my mum why I would arrive home later than I should be!"

Yunho chuckles, "As if you wouldn't call me!"

The room blossoms with laughter until Yunho clears the itch down his throat. Your bottom lip juts, eyes looking over his pale face. "Alright, let's get you resting, okay?"

Stubbornly, he shakes his head and resorts to hiding his face in your chest. Without notice, an arm slithers to the back of your knees, and his other supports you back. You yelp as Yunho places you onto his lap and buries his face in the crook of your neck.

"Yunho?"

He inhales, "You should go before you get sick." But even though it's his suggestion, he only held you tighter. His thumb soothes the side of your knee, and you swear your heart skipped a beat or two. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course," you acknowledge. "You know I always would."

You're reminded of what you were doing before rushing over to Yunho's house. Your potential dresses for the date were all over the bed, and you were passing through your makeup bag aimlessly when none of the outfits felt fitting. You sent some of the pictures to Mingi, who was the one to set you up in the first place, but the man didn't offer much help. To be honest, Yunho would've been better for this kind of advice, but other than the fact that he's under the weather, you were scared of what he would say to you.

When Mingi rushed to tell you about the blind date excitedly, Yunho was next to you. He was silent throughout the whole time Mingi was filling you in on the details: about how he was showing a group picture with you in it, about how Mingi told his friend you're single, and that Mingi would let him know if you would be down for the date. You hesitated at first, and you stole a glance at Yunho, who stared off into the distance. He didn't tell you not to go, but he didn't encourage you either. All he did was playfully nudge you by the shoulder and indifferently say, "Well, whatever you choose to do, I support you." And for some reason, that should've comforted you, knowing that your best friend would always reliably support you. But as much as he's your best friend, he's someone that you love more than just friends, and his 'encouragement' hurt more than ever.

As if he read your mind, Yunho comments tiredly, "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

Unconsciously, you grip onto his arm, "I guess? I don't know this guy other than he's Mingi's friend."

"I'm Mingi's friend too." The comment was supposed to be kept in his head.

"I know…?" You furrow your eyebrows.

"So, you're only going because it's Mingi's friend?" He completely pulls away from you this time. His eyes lost the glimmer from the light moments a few minutes ago, and he looks into your orbs delicately. "Are you really going tomorrow?"

"Well, I have no reason not to go," you gulp.

Yunho's shoulders visibly slump, and he nods defeatedly, "I see."

The hand on your back moves to pat your head. Whilst Yunho already looks away, you couldn't help but keep your eyes on his side profile. Your eyes trace his cheekbones to the slope of his nose. The way his lips slightly parted as he breathed warmly against your skin. You had to forcefully turn your head away.

"Let me know if you need me to pick you up after."

You shake your head. "I doubt you'll be better by tomorrow."

"But if you ask me to, I would do it regardless."

Tell me not to go, you wanted to tell him. You want him to tell you that the date isn't worth it. That the date won't be fun. That he's sick and that you should take care of him instead. You wanted him to tell you to stay the night, so that you'll have a better excuse of coming to the date late or better yet, to not show up at all.

"Okay," is the reply you settled on. You will yourself to look at him one last time before walking away for him to rest. Yunho looks back at you when you poke his moles. "They're cute."

"I remember that time you said that you wanted to bite me because they looked like chocolate chips."

"I was a kid and I was craving chocolates!" You try to reason.

"And then you almost burnt the house down trying to bake some."

"We almost burnt the house down. Don't leave yourself out of the situation!"

You finally hop out of his embrace, already missing the stability that Yunho gave. But you knew that if you didn't, Yunho would never get the rest that he needed. Understanding you, Yunho finally lies down whilst you tuck him in.

"I'll be here until your mum comes back. I'm just in the living room if you need anything."

"Alright."

Making sure he's tucked in, you finally lift yourself off the bed. "Sweet dreams."

Your intentions to leave the room were so that he could rest, but your absence only made Yunho toss and turn around the bed. His mind wanders to how your hand could be interlaced with someone else. How you might tell him about your life stories, and if he would come up in the conversation. If you would fall in love with him, the same way that he's fallen in love with you all these years. And if he told you now, would you not go? Would you stay with him to make sure he would recover properly? Or would saying anything only make you turn away and never look back? He couldn't imagine losing you over a petty confession, but could he deal with the consequences of a possible successful date that you go to that's not with him?

"No," he concluded. "I can't deal with it."

Deciding that reason alone is enough, he kicks his blanket away and yanks his door open. If you left, he would've known since he wasn't asleep, but if you did, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop you properly. At the approaching footsteps, you swirl your head back to see Yunho behind the couch. His face is slightly flushed, and he hurries over to the other side to face you properly.

"I'm in love with someone." Yunho gulps as you blink at him wordlessly.

"O-Okay?" You stutter despite the sharp pain against your chest. "Who? Do I know her?"

"Y-Yeah, I'll tell you after your date tomorrow." With that, he begins walking away.

You raised an eyebrow, taken aback at the response. "You're telling me all that, but you're not telling me the full story?"

"R-Right, no. You're right, uhm," Yunho fidgets in his spot. His fingers push against each other, eyes wandering around everywhere but you. It's probably a good call for you too because you're unsure of how to face him after the information drop.

Eventually, seeing the troubled boy, you could only smile somberly. You've been prepared for this moment your whole life. The way that your eyes aren't welling up is a miracle. Pushing your feelings away, you shuffle closer to him, landing a soft touch on his forearm. The boy widens his eyes at the hug you offer. The pats on his broad back is slow, and unknowing of your heavy emotions, he found reassurance in them.

"Yun, we can talk about this later, you know?"

"No, we can't," he shakes his head. "Because what if you fall in love tomorrow?"

"I doubt it, but we can still talk about your love life even if I do-"

Yunho pulls away, a firm hold on your shoulders. "Don't go tomorrow. Please don't fall in love with someone other than me."

Your eyes widen and with the stunned look at your face, Yunho contemplates laughing his words away. But the thought of losing you made him gulp his nervousness away. The hands on your shoulders slide to your hands, holding them gently. His gaze settles upon you, taking in the way your lips have parted.

"I know it's unfair to say this, but I just can't see the girl I've been head over heels with fall in love with someone she's met in a day." Yunho's voice grows quieter with each word, but had no intention from stopping. "If you want to go, I won't stop you. You know I'll always support you," he chuckles timidly. "But I wish you wouldn't go…I wish you would selfishly just stay with me. Y/N, I-" he exhales, "I've always only seen you. I've always loved you as a friend, but more than that for the longest time."

You didn't mean to stumble back at that moment, and Yunho steps forward to break a potential fall. But he retracts in the last second, scared that you needed space. He looks down to the silly pattern of his socks, lips trapped between his teeth in defeat.

"I'm sorry if this made you uncomfortable," he begins again. "I'll just…" he throws a thumb behind him, beginning to walk away. It's when he turns away that you stop him, an arm around his middle and your cheek against his back. "Y-Y/N?"

You shake your head, figuring out the words that you want to say. "I didn't mean to back away at that moment, Yun. I-I'm just shocked that you like me in that way."

Yunho just looks at your intertwined hands. "You don't have to answer. And if you don't feel the same way, we can still be friends-"

"I don't want to be friends, Yunho."

Something in Yunho breaks apart. His chest pangs in hurt, and he has to suppress the growing tears. When you let him go, he had to force every muscle within him to move. You step infront of him before he could do so, pressing a sure kiss onto his chin. Mirroring your previous look, his eyes widen, the tips of his fingers touching where your lips were on his skin.

"I love you more than friends, Yunho."

He spent no time in getting your presence closer to him, cradling you into him. Your head to his chest while a hand combs through your hair. His other arm supporting your lower body to slightly lift you so that he could press a tender kiss to your forehead.

Disbelief washes over him, "Y-You're not joking, right?"

Your eyebrow raises, "What can I do to convince you?"

"Kiss me," he replies. "Not on my lips because you might get sick but just kiss me again-"

You didn't listen to his worries. If you got sick, then you could stay in with him; given your parents would let you out the house. So, you tiptoed as you gently nudge his nose with yours and hugged his bottom lips with yours. Yunho melts, his shoulders relaxing and chest full of love. The corner of his lips rises, only fueling the intimacy of the moment.

"Now, couldn't you guys have waited until after Yunho is healthy?" The introduction of the new voice is teasing but the only thing breaking apart is the kiss. "Okay, Yunho, sleep," his mother points deeper in the house. "Y/N, there's mouthwash in the bathroom for you to use."

"Mum!"

He hates being sick because it would always keep him away from you. And, now that he's had a taste of your sweet lips, he can't risk another sickness. He's too lovesick for you. And that's the only 'sickness' he could approve of.

navi/masterlist!! 🤍 ateez masterlist

join/remove from the taglist here » @eighteez-net @k-films @kflixnet @k-vanity @starlit-network @blossomnet @pirateeznet @k-records @haneul-and-clouds @svzllts @chanheescafe @ffenjoyerdazme @wooyoungqueen @stxrrywoo @redemptions @minkieater @moooonandroses

[from-izzy]

LOVESICK | ATEEZ JEONG YUNHO

"Like I said, I am warm-" you smack his chest before he could finish.

pairing » ateez jeong yunho x fem!reader

trope/au » non-idol au, established relationship au

genre » fluff with a hint of hurt/comfort

word count » 3241

warnings (lmk if i missed anything!) » sickness, kissing, ...they're lovesick, not proofread

navi/masterlist!! 🤍 ateez masterlist

I DIDN'T REALISE I NEVER POSTED THIS ONE AND THAT I WAS I DIDN'T POST LAST MONTH 😭😭 hope you enjoy this one as i try my best to post a longer yunho fic 🤭

"Y/N! Thank goodness!" Mrs Jeong immediately embraces you, not waiting for you to shake off any snow on your outfit. "Thank you so much for coming."

"Of course. I wasn't doing anything important anyway, so thank you for calling me." You're not lying about that. You didn't think that preparing for tomorrow's blind date was important, at least not more important than Yunho.

The woman called you a few minutes ago, asking you to come over and take care of his bedridden son. From Yunho's insane schedule, you couldn't say that you didn't know this wasn't going to come. You warned him through text messages to dress warmly and to drink hot beverages against the cold weather. Your best friend said that he would do all those things, but given how you're here now, you wonder how much of it was actually true.

"I really have to run to the hospital now. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"No, please. It's okay!" You reassure her. As you hang your winter coat, you retrieve hers. "I hope everything is okay at the hospital. Drive safety, Auntie."

She's already halfway out the front door as you finish your greetings, but she turns back with a kind smile on her face. "Let me know if Yunho brings you real trouble. I'll smack him awake when I get home."

You shake your head playfully, watching her start the engine and driving away with a waving arm out the window. The front door closes with a reassuring click. Scanning the house, you clean the slight mess in the kitchen before checking up on Yunho. Besides, if you want to cook a hearty meal for him, it would be good to work in a cleaner space.

Across the hall, where the feverish boy lies under his blanket, he stirs awake at the mumbled engine. Yunho's eyelids feel especially heavy, and so does his back as he attempts to sit on his bed. The only light source was from the slightest crack on the bottom of his bedroom door, and despite that, his eyes squinted as if the room were on fire.

The poor boy pouts and sniffs before throwing his legs to the side of the bed to aim for the kitchen. He could tell that whoever is in the space is trying to keep their noises down as much as possible, and he smiles weakly at the consideration. He slides his feet across the wooden floor until he catches your familiar back on the sink.

His eyes are now better adjusted to the light, taking in the view in front of him: his childhood best friend, whom he has been in love with for so long, cleaning the familiar bowls and cutlery of his dinner from an hour ago. You hum lightly, shoulders swaying gently side to side to a rhythm. Yunho leans against the wall, eyes closing in relaxation to your voice. He could slumber back asleep at your singing, and the weakened state of his body only welcomed your tune even more.

"Yunho?" His name from your lips came as a calm whisper, but your frowning lips say otherwise. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"You abandon the sink to skip towards him.

The boy shakes his head. "Did my mum call you here?"

"The hospital needed her urgently, and she was worried about leaving you alone, so she called me." As soon as you finish, your concerned look is replaced with a disapproving one. Your arms crossed against your chest, and an eyebrow rises. "Did you really keep yourself warm like you supposedly said you would on text?"

"Well, technically, the fact is that now I am warm so-"

"Yunho!" You exclaim. "I'm serious! Stop joking around! Your boss overworks you, and you don't know when you take breaks yourself. You wake up early and voluntarily stay towards the end to help your team members, which is fine, but not at the expense of your own health! Then I get texts from you," you whip your phone out, waiting for this moment:

golden puppy

don't be mad but

i got sick :((

BUT IT'S NOT SERIOUS OR ANYTHING

IT'S JUST A FEVER AND COLD AND COUGH

I'LL BE FINE SOON I PROMISE :((

"And mind you, that was four days ago, and the fact that your mum wouldn't leave you alone means that you're not at all better yet! Yunho, I told you to-"

Your rant is interrupted when Yunho can no longer keep his lips together. A snort came out from him, and if it's not the situation, you would've made fun of him. Realising his mistake, Yunho slaps a hand to his mouth, blinking innocently at you.

You roll your eyes, arms rising in exasperation. "I can't believe you. You're sick and all you're gonna do is laugh?"

"No, no," he puts his hands together, head hanging low. "I'm sorry. It seemed like I worried you a lot. I really did try to take care of myself…"

You exhale at his apology, knowing well that there's nothing much that you can do now. The prevention stage was a failure, and now you need to focus on helping Yunho recover as fast as possible.

You reach for his forehead against the back of your palm, your lips turning down at the temperature. "You're still really warm, Yun."

"Like I said, I am warm-" you smack his chest before he could finish.

"Go back to your room and sleep, you giant puppy." You uusher him out of the room by his shoulders and turn him around to the direction of his bedroom. Yunho didn't push against you, secretly needing you for energy anyway.

As soon as you turn the doorknob open, you can tell he's been living in there for the past week. The curtains are slightly opened, possibly to let a relaxing amount of sun in during daylight, but he never got to put away his laundry properly into his closet. There's a half-empty cup of water on his bedside table, and you could tell he fell asleep while gaming with his phone on his bed. You're reminded of Yunho's condition when he coughs beside you, hunching over as you pat his back with a knit between your eyebrows.

"Okay, come on," you guide him to the bed, making sure he slowly sits on the bed. You found his medicine checklist for the day, seeing that he hasn't checked off one after dinner. You wanted to scold him, but backed down when he looked over at you apologetically. You pop the aluminium cover of the medicine, dropping the pill into his palm. "Here," you kneel next to him and pass him the glass. "No, finish it," you tilt the cup back to his lips.

Yunho sighs in relief, regarding a soft smile. You brush his bangs to the side of his face calmly. He relaxes to your touch, reaching for your other free hand to hold. In the act, he pulls you closer and slots you between his legs. He rests his head on your chest, indulging himself in your familiar scent.

"Did I worry you that much?" He mumbles.

You hum, "You always make me worry."

"Yeah?" He pulls away slightly to see you properly, mischief written all over his eyes, "Are you worried about me, or are you worried about how no one can pick you up if you're in trouble?"

"Hey! I'm very capable of taking care of myself."

Yunho tilts his head in contemplation. "Tell me that again when you miss your bus."

"Shut up!" You ruffle his hair in laughter, whilst he tries to grab hold of you. "Fine then, next time I won't call you and you can explain to my mum why I would arrive home later than I should be!"

Yunho chuckles, "As if you wouldn't call me!"

The room blossoms with laughter until Yunho clears the itch down his throat. Your bottom lip juts, eyes looking over his pale face. "Alright, let's get you resting, okay?"

Stubbornly, he shakes his head and resorts to hiding his face in your chest. Without notice, an arm slithers to the back of your knees, and his other supports you back. You yelp as Yunho places you onto his lap and buries his face in the crook of your neck.

"Yunho?"

He inhales, "You should go before you get sick." But even though it's his suggestion, he only held you tighter. His thumb soothes the side of your knee, and you swear your heart skipped a beat or two. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course," you acknowledge. "You know I always would."

You're reminded of what you were doing before rushing over to Yunho's house. Your potential dresses for the date were all over the bed, and you were passing through your makeup bag aimlessly when none of the outfits felt fitting. You sent some of the pictures to Mingi, who was the one to set you up in the first place, but the man didn't offer much help. To be honest, Yunho would've been better for this kind of advice, but other than the fact that he's under the weather, you were scared of what he would say to you.

When Mingi rushed to tell you about the blind date excitedly, Yunho was next to you. He was silent throughout the whole time Mingi was filling you in on the details: about how he was showing a group picture with you in it, about how Mingi told his friend you're single, and that Mingi would let him know if you would be down for the date. You hesitated at first, and you stole a glance at Yunho, who stared off into the distance. He didn't tell you not to go, but he didn't encourage you either. All he did was playfully nudge you by the shoulder and indifferently say, "Well, whatever you choose to do, I support you." And for some reason, that should've comforted you, knowing that your best friend would always reliably support you. But as much as he's your best friend, he's someone that you love more than just friends, and his 'encouragement' hurt more than ever.

As if he read your mind, Yunho comments tiredly, "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

Unconsciously, you grip onto his arm, "I guess? I don't know this guy other than he's Mingi's friend."

"I'm Mingi's friend too." The comment was supposed to be kept in his head.

"I know…?" You furrow your eyebrows.

"So, you're only going because it's Mingi's friend?" He completely pulls away from you this time. His eyes lost the glimmer from the light moments a few minutes ago, and he looks into your orbs delicately. "Are you really going tomorrow?"

"Well, I have no reason not to go," you gulp.

Yunho's shoulders visibly slump, and he nods defeatedly, "I see."

The hand on your back moves to pat your head. Whilst Yunho already looks away, you couldn't help but keep your eyes on his side profile. Your eyes trace his cheekbones to the slope of his nose. The way his lips slightly parted as he breathed warmly against your skin. You had to forcefully turn your head away.

"Let me know if you need me to pick you up after."

You shake your head. "I doubt you'll be better by tomorrow."

"But if you ask me to, I would do it regardless."

Tell me not to go, you wanted to tell him. You want him to tell you that the date isn't worth it. That the date won't be fun. That he's sick and that you should take care of him instead. You wanted him to tell you to stay the night, so that you'll have a better excuse of coming to the date late or better yet, to not show up at all.

"Okay," is the reply you settled on. You will yourself to look at him one last time before walking away for him to rest. Yunho looks back at you when you poke his moles. "They're cute."

"I remember that time you said that you wanted to bite me because they looked like chocolate chips."

"I was a kid and I was craving chocolates!" You try to reason.

"And then you almost burnt the house down trying to bake some."

"We almost burnt the house down. Don't leave yourself out of the situation!"

You finally hop out of his embrace, already missing the stability that Yunho gave. But you knew that if you didn't, Yunho would never get the rest that he needed. Understanding you, Yunho finally lies down whilst you tuck him in.

"I'll be here until your mum comes back. I'm just in the living room if you need anything."

"Alright."

Making sure he's tucked in, you finally lift yourself off the bed. "Sweet dreams."

Your intentions to leave the room were so that he could rest, but your absence only made Yunho toss and turn around the bed. His mind wanders to how your hand could be interlaced with someone else. How you might tell him about your life stories, and if he would come up in the conversation. If you would fall in love with him, the same way that he's fallen in love with you all these years. And if he told you now, would you not go? Would you stay with him to make sure he would recover properly? Or would saying anything only make you turn away and never look back? He couldn't imagine losing you over a petty confession, but could he deal with the consequences of a possible successful date that you go to that's not with him?

"No," he concluded. "I can't deal with it."

Deciding that reason alone is enough, he kicks his blanket away and yanks his door open. If you left, he would've known since he wasn't asleep, but if you did, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop you properly. At the approaching footsteps, you swirl your head back to see Yunho behind the couch. His face is slightly flushed, and he hurries over to the other side to face you properly.

"I'm in love with someone." Yunho gulps as you blink at him wordlessly.

"O-Okay?" You stutter despite the sharp pain against your chest. "Who? Do I know her?"

"Y-Yeah, I'll tell you after your date tomorrow." With that, he begins walking away.

You raised an eyebrow, taken aback at the response. "You're telling me all that, but you're not telling me the full story?"

"R-Right, no. You're right, uhm," Yunho fidgets in his spot. His fingers push against each other, eyes wandering around everywhere but you. It's probably a good call for you too because you're unsure of how to face him after the information drop.

Eventually, seeing the troubled boy, you could only smile somberly. You've been prepared for this moment your whole life. The way that your eyes aren't welling up is a miracle. Pushing your feelings away, you shuffle closer to him, landing a soft touch on his forearm. The boy widens his eyes at the hug you offer. The pats on his broad back is slow, and unknowing of your heavy emotions, he found reassurance in them.

"Yun, we can talk about this later, you know?"

"No, we can't," he shakes his head. "Because what if you fall in love tomorrow?"

"I doubt it, but we can still talk about your love life even if I do-"

Yunho pulls away, a firm hold on your shoulders. "Don't go tomorrow. Please don't fall in love with someone other than me."

Your eyes widen and with the stunned look at your face, Yunho contemplates laughing his words away. But the thought of losing you made him gulp his nervousness away. The hands on your shoulders slide to your hands, holding them gently. His gaze settles upon you, taking in the way your lips have parted.

"I know it's unfair to say this, but I just can't see the girl I've been head over heels with fall in love with someone she's met in a day." Yunho's voice grows quieter with each word, but had no intention from stopping. "If you want to go, I won't stop you. You know I'll always support you," he chuckles timidly. "But I wish you wouldn't go…I wish you would selfishly just stay with me. Y/N, I-" he exhales, "I've always only seen you. I've always loved you as a friend, but more than that for the longest time."

You didn't mean to stumble back at that moment, and Yunho steps forward to break a potential fall. But he retracts in the last second, scared that you needed space. He looks down to the silly pattern of his socks, lips trapped between his teeth in defeat.

"I'm sorry if this made you uncomfortable," he begins again. "I'll just…" he throws a thumb behind him, beginning to walk away. It's when he turns away that you stop him, an arm around his middle and your cheek against his back. "Y-Y/N?"

You shake your head, figuring out the words that you want to say. "I didn't mean to back away at that moment, Yun. I-I'm just shocked that you like me in that way."

Yunho just looks at your intertwined hands. "You don't have to answer. And if you don't feel the same way, we can still be friends-"

"I don't want to be friends, Yunho."

Something in Yunho breaks apart. His chest pangs in hurt, and he has to suppress the growing tears. When you let him go, he had to force every muscle within him to move. You step infront of him before he could do so, pressing a sure kiss onto his chin. Mirroring your previous look, his eyes widen, the tips of his fingers touching where your lips were on his skin.

"I love you more than friends, Yunho."

He spent no time in getting your presence closer to him, cradling you into him. Your head to his chest while a hand combs through your hair. His other arm supporting your lower body to slightly lift you so that he could press a tender kiss to your forehead.

Disbelief washes over him, "Y-You're not joking, right?"

Your eyebrow raises, "What can I do to convince you?"

"Kiss me," he replies. "Not on my lips because you might get sick but just kiss me again-"

You didn't listen to his worries. If you got sick, then you could stay in with him; given your parents would let you out the house. So, you tiptoed as you gently nudge his nose with yours and hugged his bottom lips with yours. Yunho melts, his shoulders relaxing and chest full of love. The corner of his lips rises, only fueling the intimacy of the moment.

"Now, couldn't you guys have waited until after Yunho is healthy?" The introduction of the new voice is teasing but the only thing breaking apart is the kiss. "Okay, Yunho, sleep," his mother points deeper in the house. "Y/N, there's mouthwash in the bathroom for you to use."

"Mum!"

He hates being sick because it would always keep him away from you. And, now that he's had a taste of your sweet lips, he can't risk another sickness. He's too lovesick for you. And that's the only 'sickness' he could approve of.

navi/masterlist!! 🤍 ateez masterlist

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[mairewrites]

episode 1 of wanteez: ateez goes to school! 🥰🎒👟🫶

episode 47 of wanteez: ateez discovers several body bags in the basement of the bounty hunter cannibal lair

[cryingoveryunho]

summary: for once, nothing is waiting for him—no schedules, no expectations, no rush. just you, right next to him, and a morning that feels like it could last forever.

pairings: kim hongjoong x f!reader ౨ৎ

genre: fluff, established relationship..

coy’s note: first post on this blog.. i’m lowk nervous posting this but also really excited 😭😭 i hope this makes you smile even just a little! also are there any junny listeners here?!?! this was HEAVILY inspired by sweet release and i swearrrr i had it on repeat the whole time writing this. **lowercase IS intentional

───────────୨ৎ───────────

morning comes quietly.

not all at once—just slowly, light slipping through the curtains in thin lines, settling across the room like it’s not in a rush to be noticed.

for once, neither are you.

you wake up before him.

you don’t move right away. just blink a couple times, letting everything come into focus—and then you see him.

hongjoong, still asleep, facing you, closer than you remember falling asleep.

his hair’s a mess. not styled, not fixed—just soft and falling wherever it wants. his face is relaxed too, no tension, no tightness around his eyes or his mouth like there usually is.

no expectations, no one to lead, no weight sitting on his shoulders.

just… him.

you don’t think you get to see this version of him very often.

so you let yourself look.

a little longer than you probably should.

you’re wide awake.. and he’s right there.

the thought sits heavy and light at the same time, like you don’t quite believe it.

on second thought.. i don’t think this is real.

your gaze softens without you meaning to.

you’re just too good for me.

your hand lifts before you can overthink it, fingers brushing gently across his forehead, pushing a loose strand of hair away.

he stirs.

just a little.

you freeze instantly, holding your breath, watching for any sign that he’s waking up.

a second passes.

then another.

nothing.

his breathing evens out again, steady and quiet.

you let out a small breath, relaxing again, a tiny smile pulling at your lips.

❝ …my pretty boy, ❞ you mumble under your breath, barely audible.

you glance away right after, like saying it out loud somehow makes it more real.

“…are you done staring? ”

your head snaps back so fast it almost hurts.

he’s looking at you.

eyes half open, voice still rough from sleep, but there’s a hint of a smile there.

“you were awake?” you whisper, immediately embarrassed.

“mhm,” he hums. “for a bit.”

you groan softly, dropping your forehead against his chest for a second. “that’s so embarrassing.”

a quiet laugh leaves him, low and warm, and his arms comes around you without hesitation, pulling you in like it’s automatic.

you settle there, head resting against him, listening to his breathing, feeling his hand rest against your waist.

it’s quiet again.

comfortable.

“i missed you,” you say, softer this time, almost like you’re saying it more to the moment than to him.

but he hears you anyway.

he always does.

there’s a pause before he presses a gentle kiss to your forehead.

❝ i missed you more, baby. ❞

you tilt your head up to look at him, and he’s already looking down at you, eyes a little clearer now.

you stay there for another second, maybe longer than you should, just looking at him.

you don’t really want to move.

but the thought slips in away—quiet, unavoidable.

“we should probably eat,” you mumble softly “before it gets late. ”

he groans immediately, arms tightening around you like he can keep you there just by holding on.

“stay,” he murmurs.

“i will,” you say quietly. “after.”

it takes a second, but you manage to slip out of his hold anyway.

the room feels colder without him.

you grab one of his hoodies on the way out, pulling it over your head. the sleeves fall past your hands, the fabric soft and familiar.

you don’t miss the way he’s watching you now.

“rest,” you tell him, glancing back. " joongie. you need it. ”

“i am resting.”

“you’re staring.”

“…same thing.”

you roll your eyes, smiling, and lean down just enough to press a quick kiss to his lips.

“stay,” you repeat, a little softer this time.

he sighs, but doesn’t argue again.

you take that as a win.

───────────୨ৎ───────────

the kitchen is quiet when you walk in.

you fall into it easily—mixing batter, heating the pan. moving around without really thinking about it.

it’s simple.

easy.

such a sweet release.

you haven’t had this in awhile. time that doesn’t feel borrowed. time that doesn’t feel like it’s already running out.

you’re focused enough that you don’t hear him.

not until you feel his arms wrap around your waist.

you flinch a little, breath catching, before relaxing when his chin settles against your shoulder.

“sorry,” he murmurs softly. "smells good.”

you lean back into him without thinking, one of your hands coming up to rest over his.

your fingers trace lightly along his arm, slow and absentminded—

the way his hands hold you there, steady at your waist…

the feeling settles warm in your chest.

behind you, his hold tightens just a little, like he’s grounding himself there, like he doesn’t want to move.

i keep running, i keep seepin’ out..

you turn off the stove, setting the pan aside before turning in his arms.

your hands come up to his neck, fingers slipping into his hair again, softer this time.

fix me to the time you barely have…

because that’s what this is.

time you don’t get often.

time you wish would last longer than it ever does.

his hands stay at your waist, steady, warm.

i’ll keep on loving.. keep on giving.

it doesn’t feel like a promise you have to think about.

it just.. is.

you don’t even realize how close you are until his grip shifts slightly—

and then he leans in first.

the kiss is slow. easy. like there’s nowhere else he needs to be.

you melt into it without thinking, fingers curling slightly in his hair as his hold on you steadies.

it lingers.

it always does.

you smile a little into it, and he notices—of course he does—pulling you just a little closer.

like he’s not ready to let go.

like he doesn’t want to.

when you finally pull back, it’s only enough to breathe, your forehead resting lightly against his.

neither of you moves right away.

just.. stays there.

“food’s gonna get cold,” you murmur quietly.

he lets out a soft huff of laughter, thumb brushing lightly along your cheek, eyes still on you.

“then i guess,” he says, voice low, still a little rough, “we shouldn’t let it.”

but he doesn’t move.

not yet.

instead, he leans in again—slower this time, softer—pressing one more kiss to your lips, like he’s taking his time with it.

like he’s trying to remember it.

and for now—

that’s enough.

[odetoficton]

My shadow of adoration 🖤

My love for this little guy is eternal; He's got no thoughts going on in his mind, leaves only space for love

Bonus photos of my Valen below the cut, fangs and all!