Sunny Summer || Park Jihoon
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Type: Angst/Fluff
Word Count: 4.7K (Lol, I got really carried away)
Warning: Cursing, mature-ish themes (lol, not really) [Not Edited]
Description: You’ve matured since the last time Jihoon saw you … and he’s not the only one who’s noticed
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Honestly, the thought of spending every summer in Jeju with your family wasn’t exactly ideal. You wanted to spend the summer with your friends, not on an island where you knew almost no one. Still, you had one saving grace: Park Jihoon. The Park family was close friends with your own, so they had been staying at the same beach house with you since you were seven years old. Jihoon was the same age as you, so you naturally became close friends.
Your families both lived in Seoul, but you never really hung out with Jihoon unless it was some holiday or celebration and his family was over. As you senior year came to an end, you realized you hadn’t seen Jihoon at all since that summer. It wasn’t surprising, though, since you were both busy with studying for entrance exams and whatnot.
“He’s going to be so surprised with how beautiful you’ve become,” your mother smiled as your plane landed in Jeju, stroking your hair lovingly.
You blushed, feeling embarrassed by the compliment. “It’s not like I’ve changed that much,” you told her.
That wasn’t necessarily true, however, you were just being humble. In all honesty, puberty did finally hit and it was kind to you. The boyish figure you once had finally had some shape to it. Your chest was still on the flatter side, but you couldn’t have it all. Your braces were also removed and your now straight smile was beautiful. It was the little things that changed that made you look even prettier.
Your heart pounded like a drum as you neared the familiar beach house, which was basically your second home at that point. At first, you hadn’t anticipated anything, but, after your mother’s comment, you were wondering if this summer would be different.
“You’re here!” Mrs. Park shouted as she rushed down the sandy steps of the beach house and to your mother, tightly hugging her. “Jihoon! Hurry to help with bags!”
Your own father hugged Mrs. Park and then Mr. Park, who was chuckling at how excited his wife was. “She’s been waiting at the window for you guys,” he informed you all, making you smile fondly.
Mrs. Park turned to you. “Look how much you’ve grown in the past year! You’re even more gorgeous, Y/N!”
Again, you blushed as you thanked her but politely said you looked the same. You watched as Jihoon appeared and they disappeared, always leaving the two of you to unload the rental car. “What happened to your face?” Jihoon asked as he opened the trunk.
You scowled, already knowing this summer would be like every other one. “Gee, thanks for that confidence boost,” you said, rolling your eyes.
He smiled and shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. You just look different.” He inspected you and you felt like a bug under a microscope. “You got your braces off, huh?”
Nodding, you flashed him a smile. “You did, too. You look good.” The two of you embraced tightly before turning to the bags. “Are Junkyu and Yoonbin here yet?”
He nodded. “Yoonbin got here two days ago and Junkyu last night,” he informed you. “There’s a party on the beach thrown by some college kids and Yoonbin managed to get us an invite.”
“Sounds cool,” you said, but you weren’t sure how you felt. You had never been to a college party or any party for that matter. You liked to stay in bed where it was warm and safe, eating snacks and watching movies. Still, maybe you might like the party scene.
After unloading everything and putting the bags in your respective rooms, you put your swimsuit on, some shorts and a tank top, and then joined Jihoon downstairs to meet Junkyu and Yoonbin for a swim.
“What happened to you?” Junkyu asked, his eyebrows furrowing the moment he laid eyes on you.
You scoffed in disbelief, “Did I get so ugly over the span of one year?”
Yoonbin smiled. “I think he’s talking about that giant bruise on your knee,” he commented.
“No, I’m talking about how my little brother, Y/N, is now my sister,” Junkyu said. “When did you get a figure?”
You shoved him aside, going to set your towel down. “Shut up,” you huffed.
“Wait, who called you ugly?” Yoonbin asked.
Junkyu nodded. “Yeah! I’ll fight him for you!”
You glanced at Jihoon. “I didn’t call you ugly!” he exclaimed. “I just couldn’t figure out what about you changed.”
Letting out a laugh, you jumped up to your feet and threw an arm around him. “I know, I know! I just like to give you a hard time,” you teased. “Now, let’s get in the water. It’s so hot out.”
As you removed your shirt and shorts, you watched the boys rush into the water. Every year before, you had worn a one-piece swimsuit. That year, however, you wore your first bikini. With your new figure, your friend had somehow convinced you to show it off. You felt slightly self-conscious, but you knew you just had to fake it until you make it.
After some swimming and goofing off, you finally decided you wanted to dry off and enjoy the warm sun. The boys agreed but already planned on playing some volleyball with a beach ball in a little bit.
“Yeah, I fell down the stairs because I was so excited after finding out I got accepted into one of my top three universities,” you told Yoonbin, explaining why your knee was bruised. “I’m just glad I didn’t break it.”
He laughed, “I’m surprised you didn’t.”
“I’ll have the whole house to myself for two nights, so we can have our own mini party,” Junkyu said to Jihoon. You didn’t hear the whole conversation because you and Yoonbin had just tuned in.
You looked at Jihoon. “You’re gonna leave me alone for two nights with just our parents?” you asked him.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Junkyu cut him off. “You can come, too. I don’t think your parents would mind. What would even happen?”
Yoonbin nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we’re all like siblings,” he added.
“Good point. I’ll ask, but I’m sure they’ll be fine with it,” you said. Your eyes wandered towards three guys passing by. Your jaw just about dropped. “That guy is so hot.”
They looked to see who you were drooling over. “Yugyeom-hyung?” Jihoon questioned. “The guy we’ve known since we were kids?”
You shook your head, “No, the one in the middle.”
“His name is Eunwoo, this summer’s heartthrob,” Junkyu told you. “All the girls are talking about him and he just got here.”
Eunwoo looked over, seeing you staring. He sent you a sweet smile before turning away. “Well, you’ve certainly got his attention,” Yoonbin smirked, standing up to go play volleyball.
“I’m in love,” you said. “What I wouldn’t give to have even just two minutes in heaven with him.”
You felt something hit your head. It didn’t hurt, but sometimes you liked to be dramatic. “Ouch! What the heck?!”
Jihoon looked at you as he picked up the beach ball he had just hit you with. “Stop drooling over him and come play,” he said.
Scowling, you stood up and joined Junkyu on the other side of the net.
♡♡♡♡
“Hurry up, Y/N! Before I’m old!” Jihoon called to you somewhat jokingly, waiting on the porch of the beach house.
You hurriedly slipped your bracelet onto your wrist before jogging down the stairs. “Well, don’t you look gorgeous,” your mother smiled, lovingly smoothing down your hair.
You were wearing a skirt and top set. They were both red with white flowers on them. The top was a crop top with sleeves that wrapped around your upper arm, showing off both your stomach and shoulders. You had bought it on a whim hoping it would look good and maybe you could try and find a style that you really liked. Hopefully your mother was right and you looked gorgeous.
“Watch after Jihoon, yeah? Now that you guys can drink, he thinks he’s a pro,” Mrs. Park snickered.
Smiling, you nodded. “Of course,” you told her. “I’m not planning on drinking much or at all in order to keep an eye on the three of them.”
“That’s my girl,” your mother smiled. You quickly put your sandals on and then joined Jihoon outside.
He looked at you and stopped swaying, inspecting you. It felt like he stared at you forever until he finally said, “You look nice, now let’s go before Junkyu gets impatient.”
You nodded, joining his side as you walked down the beach and to the house. Honestly, you weren’t sure whose house or party it was, but you didn’t really care.
“That’s a cute outfit,” a girl told you. You were pretty sure her name was Herin.
“Thanks,” you said, smiling at her. She ended up spending a lot of the night with you and the boys. It turned out it was her first summer there, just a whim on her parent’s end.
Junkyu’s eyes wandered and spotted Eunwoo standing near the cooler. “Look, Y/N, your boyfriend is here,” he teased.
You looked over, blushing slightly when you saw Eunwoo. “He’s totally yummy,” Herin said.
That made you smile. You could never really talk about guys on a real level with the three boys. “Thank you!” you exclaimed, turning back to look at Eunwoo. “He’s seriously gorgeous.”
Her arm looped with your own, “Come on, let’s go refill our drinks.”
The two of you quickly left, going over to the cooler where Eunwoo was with another tall, handsome boy. He spotted you and Herin before smiling. “Hi,” he spoke, his voice as beautiful and angelic as himself. “You’re Y/N, right?”
The fact that he knew your name made your mind go blank and insides become mush. “Y-yeah,” you managed out, feeling Herin lightly squeeze your arm. You didn’t care if Yugyeom had told him your name, you were just happy he had remembered.
Jihoon watched on with Yoonbin and Junkyu. “What could they possibly be talking about?” Jihoon scoffed. “They probably have nothing in common.”
Yoonbin smirked. “Jihoon, your jealousy is showing,” he said in a sing-song tone. “If you want to date Y/N so badly, then tell her how you feel. You won’t get anywhere by not saying anything.”
That made Junkyu laugh but nod in agreement. Once again, Jihoon scoffed, but much more dramatically as he took another gulp of his beer. “Jealous? No way!”
“Come on, you’ve glared at any guy who stared at Y/N too long. An appreciative glance her way equals a glare from you,” Junkyu said. “Admit it, Y/N finally grew up during senior year and tons of guys have noticed. You’re so used to her always being with you and us, so you’re bothered that she has a thing for that Eunwoo guy and vice-versa.”
Jihoon was upset at the fact that he was so transparent to his two friends and the fact that they were right. He didn’t want to be jealous, but he couldn’t help it. You were practically his best friend and he was so used to having you around him almost at all times. Seeing you making new friends and spreading your wings bothered him because he feared you leave him and he hated that.
You were so caught up in your conversation with Eunwoo that you hadn’t noticed Herin and Mingyu totally hitting it off. Eunwoo was really nice, sweet, and handsome, but he wasn’t very funny. In fact, he was kind of awkward. Still, you enjoyed his company enough and he enjoyed yours, but it was obvious to both of you that things would never turn romantic.
In all that time, you completely forgot about Jihoon, Junkyu, and Yoonbin. You felt really guilty since the summer was for them, but you were sure you’d see them plenty during university and were hoping you guys would start hanging out in Seoul. “I really had a nice time talking with you, but I think I should go find my friends and make sure they’re not doing something stupid,” you told Eunwoo.
He smiled and nodded. “It was nice meeting you, Y/N. I hope we can talk again soon,” he said.
Herin sent you a look, one that clearly asked if you wanted her to go with you. You slightly shook your head, wanting her to spend more time with Mingyu. Without another word or silent communication, you left.
“There you are!” you exclaimed when you finally found Jihoon. He was alone in one of the bedrooms, sitting at the foot of the bed with his arms wrapped around a pillow. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Where are Yoonbin and Junkyu?”
Jihoon didn’t respond right away and you watched his head bob up and down slightly. That was when you realized he was drunk. He reeked of alcohol. “Y/N! There you are!” he exclaimed, his words only slightly slurred, which was surprising.
You giggled but felt bad for not watching out for him and stopping him from drinking too much. “Come on, let’s go find Junkyu and Yoonbin and then get you to bed.”
Grabbing his hands, you struggled to help him to his feet. You threw the pillow back onto the bed and lightly slapped Jihoon’s face to wake him up. “Why didn’t you hang out with me tonight? This is our time, Y/N. All these guys are suddenly talking to you because you’re so hot and you have no time for me.”
Then, without any warning, he kissed you. It wasn’t a long kiss, but longer than expected. When he pulled away, his head fell on your shoulder. “Holy shit,” Yoonbin’s voice said. You hadn’t even noticed him and Junkyu.
“We never speak of this,” you say and they nod. “Come on, help me get him home.”
It was kind of a struggle, but you guys eventually got him on Junkyu’s back and then home. You were relieved your parents weren’t awake because you didn’t want Jihoon to do something dumb.
Before Jihoon fell asleep, you made him eat something and drink water.
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“I did what?!” Jihoon shrieked, rubbing at his temples right after. His headache had gone down a great deal, but not completely. “No, there’s no way. Did I do anything else?”
Yoonbin nodded, “You called her hot.”
That made him groan and bury his head in his hands. You had gone to get ice cream with Herin and he was sure you were telling her what happened. The two of you had only just met but he could tell you hit it off and finally had a girl to confide in.
“How bad is this? Like, have I made things totally awkward or will Y/N and I be okay?”
Silence took over as the three boys thought about this. “Honestly, I think Y/N just chalked it up to a drunken mistake on your part,” Junkyu confessed. “Knowing Y/N, she’ll pretend it never happened.”
Jihoon didn’t know how he felt about that. On one hand, he wished it had never happened, so pretending it didn’t was the next best thing. On the other, all he wanted to do was talk about it with you. He couldn’t just leave the situation up in the air, could he? This was why he never wanted to confess his feelings to you. When feelings got involved, things only got complicated.
The front door opened and Jihoon wondered if it was your guys’ parents coming back from whatever thing they had planned to do in town. “I’m back!” you called out, shutting the door behind you. You went upstairs and found the three boys in Jihoon’s room. “Feeling better?”
Jihoon swallowed hard as he nodded. Things felt weird but he knew that was only on his end. “How was ice cream with Herin?” Junkyu asked, trying to ease the awkwardness caused by Jihoon.
You sat down next to Jihoon. You were close, closer than he expected. He felt like he couldn’t breathe properly. “Good. We ran into Eunwoo-oppa and Mingyu-oppa. I think Herin and Mingyu-oppa are really hitting it off.”
Oppa? You were calling Eunwoo that already? The two of you just met! Were you really already that close? It made Jihoon feel upset and jealous and he hated that. He didn’t want to be that guy, but he couldn’t help it.
“What about you and Eunwoo?” Yoonbin asked. Jihoon looked at him, wondering why he’d ask that. Was he trying to make Jihoon even more jealous? Or was it just to get some clarity. Maybe both.
You shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s really nice, but I don’t think it’ll go anywhere,” you confessed, making Jihoon feel relieved. You looked at him and then grabbed his chin gently between your thumb and index finger. “Are you sure you’re feeling better? You look flushed.”
Probably because he was. He wasn’t sure how he looked, but he was freaking out on the inside. His heart was beating like a drum and he thought he would combust any second from your touch.
“I-I’m fine, just a little hot,” he finally said, cringing at his word choice.
Nodding slowly, you said, “Okay. Let’s all watch a movie together. I’ll meet you guys down there.”
They watched you leave before Junkyu hit Jihoon’s arm. “Are you trying to make it awkward?!” he exclaimed. “Y/N was acting completely normal but you were acting like you two just met!”
“I know! I’m sorry!” Jihoon exclaimed. “I just can’t help it. Even though I don’t remember the kiss, I still feel like it only made me like her more. Now that I’ve crossed that line of friendship, it’s hard to be just friends.”
Yoonbin sighed, “Then either talk to Y/N or get over it. This summer will be painful if you keep acting this way.”
That night, Jihoon couldn’t sleep. He just laid in bed staring up at his ceiling, listening to the soft, low hum of the fan he had on his dresser. Earlier at dinner, he spazzed out when you got too close to grab some more rice and he ended up spilling soda all over you. He was sure his mother noticed he was acting weird and was thankful she didn’t say anything … yet.
Normal. He just wanted things to be normal again. Checking the clock, he saw that midnight was just a few minutes away. With a smile on his face, he threw his covers off and went to your bedroom. You were sound asleep and he felt guilty waking you up, but only a little.
“Y/N, wake up,” he said softly, shaking you gently. You woke up fairly quickly.
Rubbing at your eyes, you whined, “What are you doing?”
“Come on, let’s go for a midnight swim.”
That made you smile. A midnight swim was a tradition for you and Jihoon. The first midnight swim always occurred within the first week of summer to mark its official start. Midnight swims were sacred for the two of you because they were just yours. No parents, no Junkyu, and no Yoonbin. It was your time with each other, so it was special.
“Okay, let me just change.”
He shook his head as you climbed out of bed. “No time! We’ll just swim in our clothes!” he exclaimed in a hushed tone. Without another word, he grabbed your hand and pulled you along with him.
The two of you were panting slightly as you stood on the beach near the water. The night was quiet and no one else was out, which was kind of surprising. “Um, Jihoon?” you questioned, finally able to get a word in. He hummed in response, his eyes taking in the waves in the moonlight. “I’m not wearing pants.”
His eyes immediately went to your legs, realizing you were only in a T-shirt and underwear. “Sorry!” he exclaimed, peeling his eyes away. “I shouldn’t have just pulled you out of there like that or looked at you.”
That made you giggle and he was kind of confused. “It’s fine. It was basically an invitation for you to look.”
“Well, we can just swim in our underwear? It’s like swimwear anyway.”
You both knew that wasn’t completely true. Underwear was more intimate than swimwear, which was why they were called “intimates”. Still, you didn’t say anything and nodded instead. Jihoon was quick to strip and remove his shirt and sweatpants. He waited nervously as you removed your shirt.
“You can look at me, Jihoon. I won’t think you’re a pervert or anything,” you said. He nodded and looked at you, trying his best to not check you out. You held out your hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
He took your hand and then the two of you ran into the water. For the next half hour or so, you just swam and talked. Things felt normal for the first time all day. Maybe things didn’t have to return to normal, though. Things had changed, clearly, but maybe it wasn’t bad. Maybe things could change to a new kind of normal.
“Summer has officially begun,” Jihoon grunted softly as he sat down on the porch of the house. Content smiles were on both of your faces.
You sighed happily. “I thought it was going to be like any other summer, but it feels different. It feels like something big will happen.”
You sounded wistful; like you hoped it would be different. “Are you talking about the kiss?”
Jihoon couldn’t believe he blurted that out. All he wanted to do was disappear, but he couldn’t. “That kiss didn’t mean anything, Jihoon. I mean, you were just drunk and upset,” you said. “We can’t like each other, either, right? We just wouldn’t work. I mean, me with you?”
What was that supposed to mean? “Yeah, you’re right. We wouldn’t work,” Jihoon said, getting worked up because he was upset. “I’m not good enough for you, right? I can’t compare to Eunwoo. He’s gorgeous, tall, and x, y, and z. Why would you want me when you could have him?”
You opened your mouth to talk, but Jihoon was already storming inside.
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“Where’s Jihoon?” your mother asked, joining you on the porch the next afternoon.
You shrugged, “Probably with Junkyu or Yoonbin. I don’t know.”
She sat down next to you. “Interesting.”
Letting out a small sigh, you bookmarked your page and set your book down. It was obvious your mother knew something was going on between you and Jihoon and wanted answers. “We got into a fight last night, okay?”
Clearly, you were upset. “What happened? Come on, vent to Momma,” she said, making you smile a bit.
“At that party the other night, he got really drunk and kissed me. I was gonna act like it hadn’t happened for the rest of my life since I thought it was just a drunken kiss, but I think it meant more to Jihoon than I thought,” you confessed to her. “He brought it up last night and then stormed off looking upset. I was just flustered and couldn’t stop talking, so I think there was some misunderstanding. I’ve tried to clear things up, but he’s avoiding me, ignoring my calls and texts, and even hangs up Yoonbin and Junkyu’s phones when I call them.”
She smiled, soothingly stroking your hair. “He’s just upset. Give him time to cool off and I’m sure he’ll be open to talking again. Jihoon could never stay mad at you.” You nodded, hoping she was right. “The more important thing is if you like Jihoon back. From what I can tell, he likes you but is jealous of other guys, especially Eunwoo.”
You had no idea how she knew about Eunwoo and could only assume she had eavesdropped when you were on the phone with Herin earlier. “Eunwoo is nice and everything, but he’s a little dull and awkward. I really like Jihoon. He’s like my best friend. He understands me so well and everything about him is great. I think I’ve always liked him but I’ve wanted things to stay normal.”
“Well, sometimes normal has to change and become a new normal. Don’t let ideas like that keep you from being happy, sweetie,” she told you. She made a really good point.
You smiled at her, “Thanks, Mom. I really needed this.”
“Of course, kiddo.”
She went back inside and you picked your book back up, feeling better than you had all day.
That evening, you had been so prepared to talk to Jihoon, but he didn’t come home. You had forgotten Junkyu was going to have his house to himself, so Jihoon was staying over along with Yoonbin. Junkyu had invited you, but you felt awkward to just show up after a whole day of avoiding each other. You decided to just stay at home with all the parents. It was weird since Jihoon and you were almost always together, but it really helped you to realize just how much Jihoon meant to you.
You couldn’t sleep that night. It was so weird that the whole day passed without you and Jihoon talking. It made you feel weird and unsettled. Instead of just laying in bed, you went downstairs for ice cream. When you got down there, you just about had a heart attack when you saw Jihoon sitting at the table.
“What are you doing here?!” you exclaimed in a hushed tone, a hand over your pounding heart. “I almost peed my pants!”
That made the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. “I couldn’t sleep, so I left Junkyu’s,” he told you. You nodded, feeling awkward. “Okay, that’s not the complete truth. I felt really guilty for ignoring you all day and couldn’t sleep. I came here to talk to you, but I chickened out and have been sitting here trying to give myself the confidence for the past 10 minutes.”
“You didn’t have to chicken out. I’ve been trying to talk to you all day.”
He nodded. “I know, but I was hurt and upset.”
“That’s why I was trying to talk to you. It was a misunderstanding, Jihoon. I was just talking without thinking because I like you, too. Eunwoo-oppa is just a friend. He may be good looking and stuff, but he doesn’t begin to compare to you,” you confessed. “You’re my best friend, Jihoon, and you’ll always be my number one. I never told you this because I was afraid of things changing, but I shouldn’t be. Change is good and that’s how a new normal can come about.”
He finally cracked a smile. “God, I’m an idiot,” he said softly. He was going to say something else but shut his mouth when you used your finger to angle his head and kiss him.
It was awkward since he was sitting and you were standing, but he was quick to pull you down onto his lap. The kiss spoke more than actual words. You knew he wanted you and vice-versa. You guys loved each other and didn’t have to be afraid anymore. The kiss was filled with passion as your lips moved in sync and tongues explored. It probably wouldn’t have escalated from there, but you would never know. The kiss was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a camera. You turned and saw both of your mother’s.
Letting out a small yelp, you threw yourself off Jihoon. In the process, you tripped over your own foot and fell on your back. “You guys are so embarrassing!” Jihoon cried out as he quickly helped you up.
“Hey! Let us be happy!” his mother exclaimed. “Do you know how long we’ve waited for this? We’ve been wanting you two to end up together since you were kids.”
You sighed. “You got your wish, happy?” you asked. They nodded and you shook your head slightly. “We’re going to bed, now, so goodnight.”
All of you went to your respective rooms. You pecked Jihoon’s lips one last time before turning to go to your room. Jihoon grabbed your wrist and spun you around, crashing his lips onto your own. Once again, you got distracted and lost in the kiss.
“Sleep well, Y/N,” he said softly as you went to your room, making your insides melt.
You both shut your doors and let out dreamy sighs before climbing into bed, ready for whatever the rest of the summer had in store for you guys.
