The interview // Choi Seungcheol
summary; you and Seungcheol have been a public couple on the media, both of you big artists, him being the leader of the group named Seventeen. Things have been a little rough lately due to lack of communication. You're invited to talk on a podcast about your recent achievements, but when your personal life is mentioned as a topic, you get bitter, and you don't manage to hide it. But how about the consequences?
Y/n x Seungcheol of Seventeen, genre: angst, frustration and unfairness with a hint of fluff in the end.
Word Count; 4,476 (oopsie)
note; it took me months to finish this (mostly because of loss of inspiration, so you might notice inconsistency), but it's nothing special. Although you might like it :) I'd love to see comments! thank you for your support on my Beomgyu one-shot <3 smoochies โก
it's been a while i've felt like shit. it's been a while i've felt more welcome to talk to the wall than talking to Seungcheol.
talking to Seungcheol seemed so hard for some reason. all we've been doing is fighting or ignoring each other. and that would be okay, if we didn't have each other's house keys.
it is hard to maintain a relationship that happened to go public, when none of you planned it. both me and Seungcheol being public figures really sat bad, especially with his constant need of privacy.
but it is hard. we can't just not leave the house.
that's mostly the reason we've been fighting.
i return back to his apartment, where we had a silent agreement to meet everyday after work. my body and mind exhausted from all the work i've put in the studio. frustration seeping through my body, because of the disagreements i've had with the rest of my colleagues. concern, pain, fatigue, everything coming together, creating this unpleasant expression on my face. i know i seem cold.
but he just sits there. slumped on his couch. eyes fixed on the familiar black box. he cares enough to say "hey, how's work?", but not enough to ask about how I am. so i just shrug my shoulders and walk past him.
that's my life with my 'oh-so-wanted' boyfriend.
starved from love, from affection, from tenderness, from touch.
he hasn't touched me in god knows how long. all i get are dead kisses.
the repetition of each day made me feel angry, frustrated, pained, disappointed. made me feel like i was not worthy of him.
and the worst thing is that i cannot communicate my thoughts with the person i love.
he seems so stressed with his upcoming tour, that giving him one more reason to yell will only break him.
so i suffered in silence.
last week's fight was interesting.
a photo of us shopping together started making its way around social media. Seungcheol hated social media. and we both looked quite miserable in the photos, but i don't know if he noticed.
he yelled at me for not being careful enough.
apparently, i was the reason they saw us and they took those fucking pictures. like i enjoy being on strangers' camera rolls.
i cried so hard and he didn't even try to comfort me.
he didn't try to reach out.
he wouldn't even touch my hand by mistake.
so fed up of not feeling desired by the only person i loved..
the week passed, the same circle repeating itself.
i started going back to my house after work. Seungcheol didn't even try to ask why. he only said "i get that you might need space".
I am the one who needs the space?
i didn't even argue back. i knew where this was going and i felt like i was finally ready.
today, i had an interview.
nothing huge, just a small podcast. friendly podcast.
i wore comfortable clothes and hid my fatigue behind foundation and blush. i was okay with pretending like everything was fine.
it only broke my heart that people assumed "i am the happiest i've ever been". because people can only make assumptions. people only see the pictures. people only see the smiles, the kisses. or even the fatigue. but, "oh, everything is okay, she's got her man".
but what about Seuncheol?
people saw that he was stressed. people saw that he's probably not happy. people really had the audacity to say "i'm not good enough for him"!
like, fuck they know? they know nothing
and he never said anything. he never addressed those comments.
because he believes that "what people say are bullshit"
but it sounded more like i'm not worth a small clarification.
i grabbed my keys and phone, closed my door and headed to the podcast set up.
everything was really friendly.
Alex, a familiar face of mine, would host the show.
i've happened to meet her before, at after-parties and gatherings, so we had talked before. everything was comfortable.
the podcast started shortly after and the talk was great. we also had a drink and a girls' talk that actually helped me take my mind off of my stress.
at one point, she turned to look at me when i sipped a little of my drink.
"so, um, i just.. i wanted to ask a few things, i know you don't really talk about your personal life, and that's why the questions are quite.. generic? you know.. of course, you can tell me to stop"
i felt some concern wash over me, as to what the consequences of this conversation could be. but i shrugged it off with a soft chuckle as i fixed my posture, leaning a little closer to the microphone.
"no, don't worry about it, shoot"
she smiled and read the notes of her phone, taking a quick sip of her drink as well.
''so, what is it like to be in a relationship?"
she looked at me with a small smile.
and all i could do was huff, trying to find an adequate answer.
i leaned back to the microphone.
Alex shot an eyebrow up in surprise.
"really? why, girl? is it hard for two great artists to live up to everyone's expectations?''
she chuckled and i just shook my head in thought.
i tried to put my thoughts in a row. it's hard to express everything i feel to someone after being so.. alone.
but i felt frustrated and fed up at the moment.
i fidgeted a little on my seat.
"i don't know.. it's not like there are no hardships in a relationship anyway.. it's just.. you can't find a way out of a hardship without communication, or respect. or understanding. there are many elements that have to balance out the hardships of a relationship, you know? at least that's how i view it"
i shrugged, my implication clear.
she nodded and looked at her phone shortly.
"that is really interesting, but everything can work out with love and patience"
i nodded, my smile a little bitter
"i guess.. i can't really tell you"
she tried to play it off with a small chuckle and i forced a smile
"i know you guys don't talk about your relationship, and privacy request is respected. but, not even posting moments on social media.. that's amazing. i actually admire that. it shows how strong your bond can be."
i chuckled, bitterness lingering on my laugh.
"not really. i wouldn't mind posting a picture or two. privacy is very much needed, but it's not like we have something to hide, or something to be so private about.. anyway, i really don't think it's that serious. but everyone has their own point of view."
she nodded, not wanting to pry on the matter, since she noticed my uneasiness.
she read of her notes again.
"does he inspire you to write?'
the question felt like a stab to the heart.
i couldn't say 'he used to'
and i couldn't say 'no' either
but i didn't want to lie.
i took a deep breath, trying to collect my words. i leaned on the microphone one more time.
"i don't really get inspired by real people.. mostly fictional characters, fictional situations.. nothing real. i used to find material from real life but.. i guess, my style changed"
i shrugged and forced a chuckle, trying to shake the feeling off.
Alex nodded and put a smile on her face.
"alright then, let's move on.."
i let out a breath i didn't even know i was holding. i took a sip of my drink, feeling quite relieved that we moved on from that topic.
the rest of the podcast went great, but i was tired and i couldn't wait for it to end.
as soon as we were done, i shook hands with Alex, she informed me about the slight editing she wanted to do, she thanked me and i thanked her back. she said that the episode would be out by the end of the week. i smiled and thanked her for having me. and i left.
i returned to my miserable apartment. the silence defeaning.
i hadn't seen Seungcheol in a week, but he didn't really seem to care.
i just left my shoes and coat next to the couch. i had lost my appetite completely.
i sat on the couch and took my phone in my hand.
i checked some of my messages and i saw Seungcheol's name among the notifications.
'Hey, is everything okay'
not how I am. not if I am okay.
he really didn't give a damn about me.
i texted back a 'fine, no worries' and threw my phone at the end of the couch.
the only thing that comforted me was the sound of my own crying.
i hugged my arms around me and fell back on the couch. i was lost. i needed navigation. and he couldn't fucking give it to me.
i headed back to my car after a long exhausting session at the studio. once i fastened my seatbelt, i grabbed my phone to check on some missed calls. a notification came in, saying that my podcast with Alex was out. i smiled excitedly, and turned it on to listen on my way back home. i texted her shortly and i threw my phone next to my driver's seat. i just concentrated on the road, the podcast being a pleasant background sound.
the drive back home was short, sadly. i just picked up my stuff, my phone still playing the podcast, as i walked back to my door.
i walked in, throwing my stuff on the couch, taking off my shoes and running to the kitchen, to grab some water.
when i walked in, i saw Seungcheol leaned against the counter, arms crossed on his chest, expression serious to mad.
my whole face went white when i saw him.
"fuck! you scared me.. what are you doing here?"
i was so shocked he was in my kitchen, probably more than i should, considering that he is my boyfriend.
he took a deep breath before i heard his voice.
"what the fuck? seriously. you're the one who's shocked here."
i looked around, confused by his words. i shrugged my shoulders.
"i guess.. i don't usually find you hiding in my house.. especially after not seeing you for a whole week.."
he scoffed. he didn't leave me any room for reaction.
"and you haven't even tried to reach out for a whole week.. but i guess, that's okay. relationships don't work without communication, like you said."
his words confused me even more.
i realized that what he quoted were my words on Alex's podcast. Now everything made sense.
i walked a little closer.
''are you seriously mad about this bullshit?''
"bullshit? you say that calling me out is bullshit? telling EVEYONE how you feel, except from me, bullshit?''
my own eyes widened at his words
his lips narrowed down, his madness more visible.
"what do you fucking mean with what? you literally let every fucking idiot know what's going on between us!"
i looked at him in shock before processing to react with a scoff
"are you serious? what, how? by telling people that i'm having hardships in my relationship?"
"you could have told me! me! not everyone! making everyone believe that we suffer!"
my head tilted in pure curiosity.
he looked at me, his fingers running through his hair.
"that's not the point, the point is that you let everyone-"
i couldn't bear to listen so i yelled back
"i thought you didn't give a shit about what everyone thinks! you're such a hypocrite!"
his eyes filled with disappointment.
"you literally implied that i don't love you."
my own eyes filled with anger and hurt.
"what do you fucking mean? you mean to tell me that i'm wrong? that everything is fine? that we don't fight every single time we try to talk? that we communicate just perfectly? that you don't ignore me? that you don't act like i am a stranger? no, i'm sorry, my mistake. you would touch a stranger, even if it was a fucking accident!"
he stayed there, in front of me, his face emotionless. he just heard what i said. or dogded my words, either way, he reacted the same.
"you implied that i don't fucking love you."
at this point, i felt helpless. fed up. rock-bottom. i just shook my head and let my tears slip from my eyes.
"Seungcheol, you don't love me. and i don't care. i have accepted it."
he cracked a hint of emotion, as he lightly flinched
"what are you even saying?"
i wiped my tears quickly.
"that you're a coward. that's what i'm saying."
he took a step closer, tilting his head confused.
"how am I a coward? you're the one who went and told everyone what we're going through! and you didn't even bother to tell ME something!"
i couldn't listen, i couldn't just stand there and listen.
I let out a cynical chuckle.
"and I thought you didn't even bother to watch my interviews.. guess i'm wrong"
"of course I watch your stuff, but even if I didn't want to, everyone has been sending me this stupid podcast since it came out! everyone found a chance to make fun of me!"
i replied with the same anger.
"well, sorry, but you had to take a taste of your own medicine! do you even know what people say about us online?! do you? do you know what it's like to read that I'm not good enough for you, that I don't deserve you? do you even know how everyone fucking praises you, but all of them downgrade me? do you, Seungcheol? I've been living like this for the past 1 year and I never, ever complained to you about it. Because you always kept saying that YOU don't give a fuck about what people say! so fuck you, Cheol!"
my tears were running like a river at this point, but the mad expression on his face was driving me insane. his eyebrows relaxed a bit.
I made a move to leave, not wanting to have another fight. but, something I wouldn't expect, he grabbed my wrist and stopped me.
"no! don't you fucking dare touch me now! I've had enough! enough! you hear me? you're so cheap! you're embarrassed that everyone knows about your relationship not working, but you don't even care enough to fix this mess! fucking coward.."
he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before he grabbed my wrist again.
"I'm not a coward! I'm just.. stressed! really fucking stressed! and I know that you don't care-"
"i don't care? I don't care?! are you stupid?!"
he tightened his grip on my wrist.
"how do you care?! you care and you don't even call me for a week? you care, but you don't tell me what's bothering you? instead, you go and talk about our problems in a podcast?"
i took a deep breath and looked at him, trying to remain calm.
"do you understand that it's easier to talk to the wall than it is talking to you?"
he swallowed down my words.
i was on the verge of a mental breakdown, feeling like this conversation is the repetition of pointless yelling and arguments that were better understood by a wall.
i just shook my head, my expression full of disappointment.
"Seungcheol, i can't do this anymore."
his expression softened and he let go of my wrist, pulling his own hand back hesitantly.
i sighed softly, not able to hold back anymore. it was now or never. and i, unlike him, was not a coward. it was time to finally do it.
"it's not working... it can't.. it can't work... between us.."
my expectations were simple. him getting sad and disappointed or him not even caring enough to have a reaction. i surely not expected him to get mad at me, like he did.
"and you call me a coward?"
i looked at him confused. i didn't even find the chance to talk before he interrupted me.
"you're telling me that it's easier to talk to a wall, you go all out about me in a podcast, you don't text, you don't call, you don't care. and now you're breaking up with me? so, you actually don't love me."
i heard his words carefully before rolling my eyes in frustration, my reaction getting him more mad and he threw his hands in the air.
"love is not enough to hold a whole relationship up, okay-"
he yelled back, interrupting me.
"bullshit! and you know it! i love you, and i don't care if you can't see it, i care that i feel it though!"
my eyes widened slightly in shock but i managed to yell back.
"why don't you touch me?! why do you ignore me?! what have i done to you, how can you say that you love me?!"
he looked at me, his eyes mirroring the same frustration as mine did. but there was something else. the frustration was not towards me, it was towards himself.
"I don't know! i don't know! i don't know..."
his voice softened at the last 'i don't know', and i remained silent since he seemed to have a lot more to say. he let out a small sigh.
"I've been really really really stressed. really stressed. we're on the verge of canceling a world tour, our manager keeps telling us that he wants to quit, and we've lost a lot of money because of a merch company that happened to be frauds."
my mouth opened in shock at his confession.
Seungcheol never told me about any of these.
i was trying to find a reaction but i couldn't find it. so he talked instead.
"and you breaking up with me is the cherry on top. i know that i can't defend myself, and i won't sound pathetic enough to beg you to stay. if you want to leave me, it's fine. for you. i can't tie you down anyway."
his voice came out small, weak, pathetic, like he was scared to be perceived.
i managed to get my voice out.
"why didn't you say anything?"
he looked into my eyes, dead serious as he quoted me.
"do you understand that it's easier to talk to the wall than it is talking to you?"
i clenched my jaw, feeling anger instead of sympathy building up. i hit his chest, without thinking much, but he didn't even flinch. his eyes simply pierced through me.
"you're not capable of even admitting that you need me? really? i hate you!"
i felt fed up with my own self, pathetic with how miserable i was and felt. i was sad. my whole life was sad. i built a whole career that seemed to be drowning me. and my words didn't even shake his poker face.
tears streamed down my face and i couldn't control my sobs. even if i sounded pathetic, at least i was honest to my feelings.
i knew i was the reason we couldn't communicate now that we found a chance, but i was feeling too depressed to even try it.
there had been many chances in the past, and since nothing worked, this wouldn't work either. i simply cried.
he looked down for a moment, the straight line of his lips unwavering. he took a deep breath, sighing softly through his nose. i put a few strands of my hair behind my ear, while my tears were falling down like a waterfall.
i wiped as many as i could.
i knew that nothing could shake or top the tension my three simple words just created.
or at least that's what i thought, before he grabbed my chin and he kissed me.
my crying eyes opened in shock, his hand holding my lips close as his other arm creeped around me, pulling me into his embrace. the shock wouldn't let me kiss back, and i felt like he used my vulnerability to his advantage.
i felt frustrated, confused, and i pulled my head back since he held me close by my waist, trapping my hands on his chest, the feeling both new and familiar.
he simply replied before pulling me back into a kiss, a hundred times more passionate than the first one. it was the first time in months that he kissed me with so much emotion. i could feel it. i could feel that he meant it. his other arm wrapped around me as well and he held me close, months after our last hug. and his embrace was so warm and nostalgic. my mind drifted to the memories of our first dates and my lips started moving against his, by instict.
my hands gently tugged on his shirt, the tears in my eyes stopping.
and i hadn't felt warm like this since forever.
he kissed me with so much meaning and passion, like i would disappear if he'd let go..
after a moment, his lips moved to my jawline, placing gentle kisses along the line of it towards the spot below my ear. he placed soft kisses on my neck and his hands moved up and down my back, touching me gently. re-exploring me.
my breath became a little heavier as my mind traveled with his touch. the feeling was so new, yet so familiar to me.
i wasn't sure of what to say, how to talk.
he touched me after god knows how long.
i heard his voice, his breath tingling my neck.
he simply said, but i didn't have an answer. not an an argument. he placed soft kisses on my neck, his hands traveling down my body.
"i need you so bad.. i need all of you.. in my life, forever, and right now.."
he whispered, sending chills down my spine. i haven't heard him talk like that, probably never.
"i need you right now, i love you.. i love you so much.."
he kissed my lips, his words felt like heavy prayers.
i looked into his eyes, feeling the vulnerability reaching the ceiling.
he kissed my face gently, placing a strand of hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek.
"you're the only tranquilizer i'll ever need.. i'm so sorry for never seeing it.."
he kissed my lips gently again.
i was so lost that words wouldn't even dare to come out my mouth.
but he didn't expect anything from me. he simply poured his heart out, like he hadn't done in months.
"i've been so stressed out and closed off that i didn't realize what i was doing to the only person that could help me."
his hands explored my body like he was searching for undiscovered spots.
my mouth formed a soft pout, my eyes glistening.
he pressed another soft kiss on my pout.
"baby, i'm sorry. i love you. and i'm a dick that doesn't deserve you. and i know it. i'll respect your choice to leave me."
he pressed a kiss on my cheek like a final goodbye and he softly unwrapped his arms from my body, but my hands grabbed them, almost like an instict, and i wrapped them around me again.
i kissed his lips a little more aggressively than expected by the both of us actually, and my hands cupped his cheeks. he kissed me back, without restraints.
my hands ran through his hair, softly tugging on his locks.
i broke the kiss for a breath and i talked.
he nodded quickly, feeling breathless.
i kissed him again and i mumbled against his lips
he moved his lips with more hunger as he repeated
i pulled back briefly, my chest carrying my heavy breaths, my fingers tracing the softness of his hair, his skin, leaving fire to their wake. my eyes locked in his.
i shook my head gently, processing the overwhelming emotion in my heart. i finally managed to express it.
"i love you, but you hurt me so bad"
i saw his face twisting with guilt. i knew he wasn't in a better position with all the stress he carried, but Seungcheol never meant harm. he was always a good guy. that doesn't justify his actions and i knew that, but i felt every crumb of love for him resurrecting, just because of his touch.
he spoke softly, his hands gripping on my skin.
"i'm so sorry.. i'm so so sorry.. i'll respect it if you want to leave me.."
i covered his mouth quickly, his eyes looking into mine with surpise. i sniffled softly before talking.
"i won't leave, you idiot"
he pulled my hand down, his expression more surprised and confused.
i sniffled again, a hint of smile that hasn't appeared on my face in months made its way on my lips.
"because i've made a mental promise to myself. i'm always by your side when you need me."
his expression turned into a melted one, his lips finding my cheek and leaving a couple of soft, loving kisses.
"i love you. i'm so sorry.''
he spoke softly, resting his forehead in mine.
i sighed softly through my nose, my emotions twirling inside of me like crazy.
i added, and i closed my eyes.
at that time, everything felt a little more sure than usual. i clinged to that hint of hope he expressed through his words of affirmation.
my hand caressed his back softly.
why does every relationship have to go through a rough patch that leaves a part of you dead right after? you know it won't be the same. the only thing that gives you hope is the love inside you that can't die down. and i felt it, in his hug. i felt a little more sure.