genre: fluff, idk if kissing is considered suggestive, early-ish relationship
cw: kissing, reader implied wearing lippies, mentions of food/eating/drinks
wc: 1,112 words
synopsis: you refuse his offer for you to take a bite of his food/sip of his drink, afraid of leaving lipstick stains on it.
note: happy birthday to the love of my life, to the boy who has my favorite smile in the world, to the most talented producer, composer and lyricist ever, bonekdo's number one yearner loser (affectionately), and bonekdo's beloved taetnyangie! please keep making music! (this is proofread but half asleep).
Taesan was a sharer. Well, with food.
He was always offering his food and drinks to his members when he noticed them staring or glancing at whatever food he had in hand. He didn't mind even when they secretly took a bite out of his burger while he was away or when they steal a fry when he wasn't looking.
He just loved being with them and sharing a meal together.
Of course with his partner, that was not even a question. Although, the things he shared with you went beyond just food and drinks. Leehan likes to remind you of your "partner privileges" in which includes a lot of things Taesan refused to share with them. Mostly just clothes, some expensive studio equipment he had in his room and big name brand perfumes.
But you had access to literally almost everything. And vice versa.
Most times you wore outfits that had been accessorised with Taesan's trinkets and pieces. His belt, a bracelet he bought at a flea market, a tatpung keyring on your belt hoop and a spray of his Chanel perfume. And sometimes, he wore pieces from yours as well.
A necklace you owned, a beanie or a cap you bought as a souvenir from a trip, and sunglasses that he thinks is the coolest one that he has ever seen. And sometimes, he even borrows one of your bags (referencing to funnextdoor s1 ep2 when he and woonhak went thrifting and he had a shoulder bag that he customised).
He particularly loved seeing you all dressed up with pieces from his very own closet, especially when you wear his customised pieces. His heart just starts beating way too fast and blood rushes to his cheeks immediately.
But there's one thing that's been bothering him lately.
As mentioned previously, the boy loved to share his food. And of course, that included you.
A bite of his burger. A spoon of his pudding. A sip of his americano.
However. Everything. Every single time.
"No thanks, I'm good."
At first he thought that maybe you just didn't like sharing food or maybe since you are still learning a lot of things about each other, you just didn't like the ones he offered you.
But then, when you two are just sitting on the floor of your living room, with a movie playing in the background, and there's take-out boxes all over the floor and on the coffee table, the same bread he had offered you to take a bite of during your previous café date is now being munched on happily by you. Right in front of his salad (literally).
He stared at you with furrowed eyebrows and wrinkles on his forehead as deep as the trenches. His head tilted at a 45 degree angle. You could almost see the floating question marks and exclamation points around his head.
All this time, he thought you hated that bread. It is why he swore to never take you back to that place again, because they were known for their breads and pastries but all you had there was a cup of coffee.
Mid-bite, you turn your head towards the cat. "What?" His eyes trail over to the bread you were holding, to which your eyes follow as well.
"You want a bite?" Your arm extending the bread towards him.
He pushes your hand back to you, "I thought you hated that bread."
"What makes you think that?" This time, its you whose eyebrows meet each other.
He recalls your entire previous date at the café. Up to how he felt bad that he chose a bad place because he thought you hated it but just couldn't tell him.
"Oh, I just didn't want to leave lipstick marks on your food and straw. I figured you might hate it." You shrugged.
Shocked. That's what he was. Overreaction? Absolutely not!
All this time. Taesan thought maybe, he was not the man with impeccable taste that he thought he was. And that secretly, you were planning on breaking things off with him because of his despicable palate. But you just didn't want to leave lipstick marks on his food?
"That's it? That was the reason? I thought you absolutely hated my food preferences. Or hated sharing food."
A chuckle escapes you. "I just thought you'd hate lipstick stains on your food because it's kind of gross. Look at this bread, its all pink and red now because of my lipstick. Don't get me wrong, I love sharing as well. We can share when I'm not wearing anything on my lips?"
Unexpectedly, Taesan leans in and pecks your lips.
Your eyes widening in surprise but you had no time to react further.
His perfume intoxicates you as his arms cage around you while he leans in again. His lips meets yours the same time a gasp escapes you.
This time, his head is tilted at an angle, a peck turns into a deep kiss. Every nibble against your lips sent shivers down your spine. Slow and soft yet addicting.
The way his nose nudges yours when he tilts his head to the other side but never pulling away from you makes your stomach feel all weird and tingly.
You had no time to process what even was going on but went with it anyway. This is Han Taesan, whose lips are enveloping yours right now. His soft and moist lips that has hints from his strawberry chapstick. And oh dear, that goddamn perfume. You feel bad for thinking of another man when this beautiful man is quite literally nibbling at your bottom lip right now but you just had to thank Riwoo in your head for his perfume gift to said beautiful man.
Your chest is warm and fuzzy and your head is empty. All you know is that your heart is about to jump out of your chest and that Taesan is a damn good kisser.
As he pulls away, you both chase after your breaths and your eyes naturally trail towards his lips. His now stained lips.
Lipstick stained lips.
Your gaze returning to meet his that were already waiting for yours. "From now on, don't decline when I share my food or drinks with you. I don't care about getting your lipstick stains or marks on them."
Flushed cheeks, glossy eyes and breath on hold. That's what you were.
And with one last peck to your lips to get you out of your flustered state, Taesan sits back down and starts mixing his salad bowl.
With a smirk he adds. "I love your lipstick stains. Especially, when its on me."
Synopsis: After having a horrendously pulcatrudinous start to the day, the very last thing you needed was your mom sending you to the convenience store. The same convenience store that the cute (but the ‘cute’ is silent cause MAN is he annoying) guy that you flipped off this morning after nearly running you over works at. The same guy that also happened to have stolen your snacks thanks to the vending machine being a total prick and not giving you your moneys worth, like it was made to do. The same very guy you had tripped and fell face flat on the ground in front of. That very same guy. That very same store. The very same day. It couldn’t possibly get any worse, except for some darn reason, your mother just can’t seem to grasp the full list of groceries she needs!
Word Count: 1.8k
Author’s note: I genuinely wrote this without a singular serious thought in my mind and with minimal proofreading so… sorry children. These events are inspired by the real life experience of my brother being sent to the store 8 times in a day by my mom.
It was nearing the late afternoon hours when Jaehyun’s dad phoned him up from the store sounding all frantic.
Something about an urgent matter popping up, having to leave the shop unattended and not being able to do the closing.
Jaehyun did try to weave his way out of it, but apparently his older brother was busy too, which essentially meant that no one would be able to do the closing shift. Except him.
With such a messed up start to the day, this was the last thing he needed.
He hadn’t stopped by the family owned business in ages, but he knew enough to close up just fine without any extra assistance.
He just wished it wasn’t today of all days.
Jaehyun huffed out an exhausted breath, performing a u-turn to re-route for the shop.
Sure, whatever. It was just a small favour. What’s the worse that could happen?
Somewhere on the other side of town, you swore under your breath as you exited the house for the 5th time.
You wish you were joking.
Just because it was close by and a brisk walking distance did not excuse you having to genuinely hit 10k steps against your will.
“If she sends me one more time I’m gonna—”
You kicked a loose pebble, wrangling your fists and pumping them in the air. An animalistic groan filtered through your lips.
This time…this time, you swore it’d be the last time.
You walked through the old and cranky door to the shop, a deep scowl already etched on your face.
You couldn’t even make it past two steps when you saw him.
His eyes equally widened at your presence.
What appeared to be the most unhide-able level of irritation mixed with the fakest passive aggressive customer service smile one could EVER muster up.
For a moment, you stood there, making sure your eyes weren’t messing with you. But no, he was there, in the flesh.
The same dude you met like 3 times now, was staring at you with just as much misery as you.
You couldn’t help the words that left your lips shortly after your mutual disappointment, rasping it out with genuine frustration.
“Don’t you go to school or something?”
He looked at you from behind the counter, an unreadable glint to his eyes.
“I, in fact, do not.”
“Well don’t you have a job or something?!”
He stared at you silently for a brief second, pointed at his named badge on his uniform and glowered at you with such mockery, like you were the stupidest joke on the planet and you just hadn’t caught on yet.
“That, in fact, I do have.”
That’s it! That just about does it!
Resisting the urge to jump him right then and there, you scoffed in disbelief, grabbed the stuff you came for, and harshly dropped them on the counter.
He passed the products, you paid.
All this without a singular verbal exchange.
You went home. An hour passed.
Your mother begged you to buy onions. She ran out. She needed them asap otherwise how else would she make her famous French onion soup for your sick little brother—and she already started cooking so she couldn’t possibly go herself!
Because of course.
The corner of your left eye twitched in vexation.
You kicked the front door open for the 6th time that day. Stomped your way over. Hood up. The “don’t talk to me or you’re dead” face on. Pushed the entrance to the small corner shop open with what could only be described as the force of a professional wrestler, waltzed to the fresh produce, gripped those red onions so hard that the poor old man beside you saw it’s juices squishing out through your fingers, and stomped your way to the front.
Surely he’d be busy right now. There ought to be another worker working alongside him, there was no way—
You looked up.
From behind the till, his back faced you as he adjusted the display of alcohol.
You sucked in a breath, turned around, and walked right back where you came from.
“Nope, nope, NoPE—” only to hear his annoyingly attractive and unnecessarily cheeky and husky voice ringing much louder than usual. As if he was deliberately trying to get under your skin.
“Next please!”
The rush to your steps halted. You shut your eyes like you just got caught stealing something in broad daylight by an armed officer.
He didn’t mean you.
There’s no chance he meant you, right?
Ever so slowly, you risked a look behind you.
He was already smirking down at you with such mischievous pride, you could practically see the little demon on his shoulder jumping for joy.
Giving the most strangled smile you could attempt to wear, you tentatively took baby steps to the counter.
He scanned your item. You paid, avoiding eye contact throughout the whole thing.
Haha. You think that was the end of it?
YOU REALLY THINK THAT WAS THE END OF IT—
You stared up at the illuminated sign before you. The store’s front greeting your blank face. Tired eyes, dark circles, grumpy expression.
Okay, this was actually going to be the last time…for your own sanity, it had to be.
It was a good few hours later.
You were hungry.
Yes, yes, you had food at home but it just wasn’t the same!
You tried. You really did, but you craved your favourite snack so bad only to not have it stocked at home.
You did debate going to another store, but your residence was a small town, well-separated from most assets. This was practically the only walkable store in the area.
Maybe you could pretend to be another person…
You had changed into your sleeping clothes anyway. You also looked much more haggard than earlier, so maybe you’d be unrecognisable.
As it came to pass, you had fallen asleep half way through the day, resulting in your current disheveled appearance. You couldn’t miss out on your routinely siesta. That would have truly been the last straw, but that’s beside the point.
Should you just cry yourself to sleep and say no to your late-night cravings instead?
Logically, his shift might’ve ended.
You tapped your foot against the damp concrete, shoulders twitching from the slight chill of the night.
Nahhh, there was no way he was still there. It had been hours!
Your stomach grumbled in agreement.
It’ll be quick.
This time, your eyes burned with determination, this time it was really the last time you’ll be there—for the day, because it was friCkiN 11:30pm.
You squished the bottom of your oversized, fluffy jacket, your thin cartoon-decorated trousers swaying lightly at every step you took.
Your cold fingers gently pried the door open.
It was quiet in the store, empty even.
There wasn’t a single worker on sight and for a moment you wondered if you magically got transmigrated to another dimension with the same layout.
You ignored your thoughts, walked to your designated isle and caressed the snack you’ve been craving ever since approximately hours ago.
This was worth it, dramatised tears began to brim in your eyes.
“Wow. I’m not even that snack and I feel genuinely uncomfortable.”
You jumped in surprise.
The worker, the one with the name tag “Myung” leaned against one of the freezers nearby, arms crossed over each other, watching you with tame amusement.
“I think I’ve seen you more than my mom.” He added, chuckling to himself— which was a little attractive…just a tiny bit…but you would never admit that.
You soured at his presence.
Great. Yay.
At this point, your embarrassment meter had already stopped working, you were basically immune and entirely numb to all sorts of potential humiliation rituals the universe could throw at you.
Perhaps this was what finding inner peace was all about.
You wordlessly stared at him.
At your bland silence, he coughed meekly, a tinge of red crawling up his ears.
Jaehyun forgot that ignoring someone was also an option. Not that you ignoring him hurt or anything… of course not.
“I’ve definitely seen you more than my mom,” you finally replied, eyes still on him. A very monotone volume to your voice.
Scratching the back of his head, he shifted his weight from one foot to another, your serious gaze melting his teasing tone with ease and rendering him slightly awkward.
“Well, uh, whenever you’re ready for me to ring that up,” he pointed to the product you were holding. “just give me a shout—”
“—AH!”
The male shuddered so viscerally that he ended up tripping over his own feet.
He genuinely died for a second there.
You watched him tumble all the way to the floor, holding his heart as if it would stop beating at the mere sound of a pen hitting paper.
Your unfazed expression slowly morphed into you trying to hold back your laughter. Snorting, you replayed the scene in your head. You broke, vibrant chuckles squeezing out of you, your loose arm went to grip your stomach.
The day was definitely getting to you.
Maybe you were losing your mind.
Jaehyun only looked up at you, glaring at first, until it transformed into a quiet expression. He observed you, noting how your smile stretched on your lips. His heart did a little flip. He tried to ignore it. Such a foreign expression.
He didn’t expect you to literally shout. You were certainly not sane. But wow. He hadn’t seen a real smile from you before, despite all the times you’ve visited the store today. The most he got was your strained and quite lethargic-looking “I-don’t-want-to-be-here” smile.
As with all happy moments, your laughter eventually came to a gradual stop. Wiping an overly amused tear from your eye, you breathed in a liberated breath.
Half a smile grazed your lips, you lightly shook the snack in your hand.
“Ready when you are, Myung.”
His heart fluttered the tiniest bit, which was strange because he couldn’t ignore it this time…was he into crazy people?
The world appeared to mull into a soft stop… except it didn’t, because he actually had to do his job and scan your item, as another customer had walked in briefly after the moment you both shared.
After that, you paid.
This time, you did it without frowning. Instead, an easy atmosphere lingered on your shoulders.
“I’m guessing I’m definitely seeing you tomorrow,” the male behind the counter joked as he watched you gather your snack, ready to leave the small shop.
You cockily lowered your voice, a gruffness to your next phrase.
“If destiny calls,” you signalled a finger to the sky, then you halted your steps. You looked over your shoulder and added, “and by destiny I mean my mother.”
You walked out feeling less hateful towards this so called “Myung” guy.
The store tingled with the remaining resonance of the bizarre encounter.
An oblivious Myung Jaehyun was left gently smiling to himself like a little weirdo as he continued to scan the next customer’s beer cans. The customer, who was a towering male with an extremely muscular figure, peered down at him in mild concern.
Once finished, Jaehyun bid him farewell, the grin on his face still present.
Sighing to himself, he scouted the building for any more customers.
Seeing none, He bit his lips in thought.
Seems like covering closing shifts wasn’t that bad afterall.
tropes. childhood friends, forced teamwork, university au, slight academic rivals
note. this is just a oneshot in honor of taesan's birthday! i'll post the next chapter for "everything i came back for" in a few hours !! it's lowkey buns but i hope you enjoy it
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LECTURE 0
When you saw Han Dongmin at campus on the first day of attending "KOZ University" your jaw almost hit the floor. That's how surprised you were, even if you didn't have proof that was him. Was that the same guy? Dongmin wasn't particularly good at school, at least back then. And KOZ? That was a prestigious school.
Noticing him at first you were completely sure that was the same guy, despite the differences— the difference in height, the now oddly attractive face, different style and hairstyle. You were still sure that was the same Han Dongmin, who sat a row behind you back in middle school. But then you were hit with reality— another guy, probably a friend of his, called him Taesan and you overheard. You thought you were wrong.
But then you had decided to ask one of your friends Yunah, if she knew anything about the mysterious "Taesan" guy. And Yunah had in fact enlightened you because, apparently, that was the same Han Dongmin you knew. He just went by the name Taesan for some reason. Whatever that reason was.
LECTURE 1
You keep seeing Dongmin at campus. For whatever reason that is, this man is somehow always wherever you are.
Sipping a drink at the cafe? He was there. Peacefully reading by the benches? He was at another bench, meters away. Simply taking a walk from one lecture to another? Dongmin was somewhere along the way.
Even now, at a damn lecture, he was here. Sitting a few rows in front of you. You were still confused— since when is he so good at his studies? In fact, he always knew the answer to every question the professor asked this lecture. And even you didn't. And you always know.
LECTURE 2
This time it's not Dongmin, who you see. It's his friend, the one who called him Taesan the first time you saw him. The overly loud one. What was his name again? Jaesung? Jaehyun? Something along the lines of that.
You enter the campus cafe when you see him, getting your daily dose of caffeine. You don't know how but this friend of his, Jae-something, knew who you are. And called you over to have coffee with him. And that's how you ended up sitting at the same table as him.
"Y/n, right?" Jae-something says. "Yeah," You simply answer "And you're Jae.." You trail off, hoping he'd just finish. And the extroverted, puppy looking guy, in fact does. "Jaehyun, yeah! Myung Jaehyun. So, you know Taesan, don't you?" He speaks, then takes a sip of his frappe, acting completely unbothered. As if this is a normal question. Which it probably is but not to you. You liked Dongmin back in middle school.
"Oh, yeah, I know Dongm- I mean Taesan. Yeah.." You stutter along your words, praying the Jaehyun guy doesn't comment on it. He doesn't, he seems too sweet for that. "Oh thank God, I got the correct person. Taesan mentioned you once, said you were at the same middle school class? Sorry, I was just curious to meet you since you've known him for so long.. I really wonder what he was like in middle school!" Jaehyun says but one thing sticks with you. He mentioned you? So that means he remembers you. It feels like your heart might burst out of your chest, for whatever reason that is.
You and Jaehyun end up talking for a while. You tell him about middle school Dongmin, he tells you about high school Taesan and honestly, you're glad you're having this conversation and learning about Dongmin after middle school. Of course you would be curious about your old crush.
LECTURE 3
Taesan is screwed. His friend— Jaehyun, talked to the girl he liked during middle school. Taesan was purposefully trying to avoid you because he didn't want to re experience these one-sided feelings. And now his friend, who he was also rooming with, arrived back at their dorm talking about the 1 hour long conversation he had with you. Can he keep ignoring you after this?
Well the answer to that question was simply answered during today's shared elective with that exact girl, aka you. When the professor assigned the two as partners for a project on old literature both Taesan and you felt like you were both in for a big change. A massive one, even. This could change the entire dynamic between the two of you.
Taesan gives you his number after the lecture ends and the two of you plan to work on the assignment tomorrow, at the campus library.
That night both Taesan and you, even without knowing, went to bed with an unusually fast heartbeat. For whatever reason that is.
LECTURE 4
You arrive at the library fifteen minutes early, because you were worried you were going to be late. You sit down at a rather secluded spot between the book shelves labelled "old literature", sipping on your coffee.
Taesan arrives after around five minutes, also sipping on a coffee. He looks around for a while before finding your spot and sitting across you. He brought his laptop, just like you. "Hi," you end up breaking the silence "It's been a while". "Indeed." The boy across from you answers in a quiet manner, a hint of hesitation caught in his voice before deciding to speak up once again— "How've you been?" You're a little surprised he initiated a conversation because to you, it just seemed like he has been avoiding you this whole time you've been at KOZ. You say you've been doing okay and end up asking him the same question, to which he replies with the exact same remark. "Uhm, so have you thought about what author we could write about?" You end up asking the question that should have been spoken the moment you saw him. "Oscar Wilde and Jane Austen were on my mind.. They lived during different times but if we're being honest, the professor never clarified a certain age period, so.." He explains and you barely hold back interrupting him because, as it turns out, one of the authors he was thinking about, you were also thinking about. "I was also thinking about Jane Austen!" You say once he finishes, in a probably too excited manner, because his eyes slightly widen, as if he hadn't expected to see that overly cheerful side of you he always saw in middle school again. "You enjoy Jane's work?" Taesan asks, suddenly a bit intrigued about how your interests have changed when you weren't in contact. "I really liked "Emma".. and you?" You speak and Taesan suddenly feels like he's back in 6th grade, sitting behind you and admiring the way you worked in class, with such focus.
The two of you end up talking about your favourite novels for a while before properly starting to work on the assignment.. but for whatever reason it is, neither Taesan nor you regretted wasting that time. Honestly, neither even thinks it was wasted time.
LECTURE 5
The next session for the assignment couldn't be held because you weren't feeling well. You don't really know how (Yes, you do. You just don't want to admit not wearing a jacket for fashion reasons wasn't a good idea.) but you got sick.
As of right now, you're laying on the couch at your dorm. Your roommate and best friend Yunah, is currently attending a two hour long lecture so you're alone in the silent place. You and Taesan ended up cancelling the session around ten minutes ago, when you texted him about your sickness. And that's why confusion washes over you as you hear the door bell ring. You walk over to the door, blanket over your head, with absolutely no thoughts whatsoever. But suddenly a lot of thoughts appear in your head once your eyes meet Dongmin's eyes. His gaze widens a tiny bit at the sudden contact.
How did he even know what your dorm room was? Oh right, you told Jaehyun that day at the cafe, while rambling. Once you were sure of that you noticed the bags he was holding— one with lots of snacks, one with medicine and one with a seemingly warm soup. He invited himself in as he placed the bags on the table.
"How are you feeling?" Dongmin says and suddenly you feel safe. For whatever reason.
i guess i sometimes get too invested in these fictional worlds ─── and it leaves me feeling . . . high and hollow
'𝐸 . bf!boynextdoor + fem. reader 810 · established relationship fluff reactions ୨୧ skinship, minor movie spoilers, tooth rotting fluff archive
은혜 : these dog movies be wrecking me oh lord have mercy ㅠㅠ movies get x10 sadder when it involves animals i can't be doing this
REBLOGS AND FEEDBACKS ARE APPRECIATED
myung jaehyun
don’t worry about holding your tears in, because jaehyun is crying with you. how are you supposed to hold in your tears when the movie includes a dog and the undying loyalty between him and another character? there’s something about these dog movies that make both you and jaehyun so sad.
by the end of the movie, you and jaehyun are just hugging each other, sobbing into each other’s shoulders. jaehyun’s trying his very best to comfort you whilst he’s bawling, choking out “it’s okay, it’s okay” as he fumbles to find tissues to help you dry your tears whilst simultaneously trying to wipe away his own tears with his sleeve to no avail.
lesson of the day? hachi: a dog’s tale is not for the faint hearted.
park sungho
sungho’s hyper focused on the movie at first that he doesn’t notice when your eyes start to well up. but he turns to you in surprise when he hears a sniffle, asking, “wait, are you crying?” that sounds more concerned than teasing.
if you nod, he probably panics for a second, blurting “do you need a tissue? do you need me to pause the movie? should i-"
when you shake your head, sungho just rubs your back comfortingly, and ends up holding your hand and leaning into your side to listen and comfort you as you cry over kimi no na wa–they were so close to finding each other again. even though sungho thought he was fine during the movie, he finds himself staring at the tv screen with a strange feeling in him as he pats your back.
lee sanghyuk
riwoo picked to watch the green mile with you, since hey, it’s a classic, right? than he immediately regrets his choice when you start crying from the moment john coffery asks to not be in the dark.
he asks if you want to pause the movie, and when you shake your head, he scoots closer to you so your head can rest on his shoulder.
riwoo holds your hand as you cry, trying his best to not cry with you because he knows you seeing him get teary will only make you sob harder. he sits through the movie with his jaws clenched, head leaned against yours as he checks on you from time to time, asking “you okay baby?”
riwoo’s devastated from the movie though, and he hugs you really tight when credits roll.
han dongmin
when taesan hears you sniffling as you two sit on the living room sofa watching a movie, he leans over to see if you’re really crying. when he sees your glassy eyes, he laughs and teases you, saying, “imagine crying over a movie.”
but when the tears spill over and you’re not just sniffling anymore but full on sobbing with your shoulders shaking and all as you ramble that “they can’t just forget each other like that’, taesan feels so bad and regrets making fun of you immediately. he’s quiet for a second, frozen in place as he tries to think of what to do. after a few seconds, taesan just wraps his arms around you and give you a hug. he lets you cry into his hoodie and pats your back consolingly as the final part of the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind rolls around.
kim donghyun
leehan notices right away when your breathing changes, even before the tears fall. your body language is enough for him to know that you're getting emotional.
he doesn’t really say anything at first, just gently reaches over to grab your hand and give it a comforting squeeze. but when leehan sees a tear slip down your cheek, he probably feels a bit guilty that a movie he picked is making you cry. he really thought i am sam was just a sweet father-daughter movie, but yeah, well, whoops! he’s patting your back consolingly from the first courtroom scenes but he starts tearing up too when sam says “all you need is love”. he probably hugs you first because the scene makes him so upset.
kim woonhak
another member who’s crying with you. except woonhak is trying so hard to hide the fact he’s close to bawling his eyes out–he’s got to stay composed in front of you. when he sees your watery eyes, he goes “oh noooo :((((“ before pulling you into his arms immediately. when you start sobbing, woonhak can’t help but cry too. it's always the movies with the animals that do it for you two.
you both spend the rest of the movie in each other’s arms until the end. woonhak gets really defensive when you point out he cried too, and pretends he was fine the whole time. but hey, there was no reason for homeward bound: the incredible journey to be as sad as it was.
the ultimate 10 steps to confessing (jaehyun's idea) ★ hts — 한태산
★ genre: 80% crack, 10% fluff wc: 2.4k warnings: nothing, down bad loser taesan... watch out
꒰ ☆ ꒱ notes: TAESAN'S FIRST PASS? WE CHEERED. FINALLY OUT FRM THE DRAFTS + its lacking cute scenes but ure gonna ijbol i hope
★ part 1 here !!! > 10 steps to NOT fall in love (100% works?)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
remember jaehyun's "what about 10 steps of confessing to yn now?"—well, that thought is flying over taesan's head now, messing him up, contemplating. is jaehyun's suggestion really a good idea?
probably not. definitely not. you're just his crush. it's bound to fade, right? well, despite failing all the 10 steps of how to NOT fall in love. why's he still in denial?
okay, maybe ever since that day—acting like your parent or something, being concerned about you—you lived inside his head rent free. he'd replay the moment you two shared that now he's openly smiling in front of jaehyun whenever he thinks about you.
safe to say we lost taesan to you. you had him wrapped around your fingers.
maybe he really needs to do something about this crush thing. his actions? not normal. he's experiencing all the symptoms you'd get when you're crazy in love—and the smartest move he could do to fix whatever this was? ask jaehyun for help. after all, he's in this mess because of their silly bets.
which is as to why taesan is now in jaehyun's habitat, cause he cannot bare to see you right now. he's afraid he's heart would go badum badum again 'til it explodes.
now, taesan's face is buried on the pillow, groaning. and what is jaehyun doing? laughing. mhm, he's laughing over taesan's despair because this is a side he never saw in their years of friendship ever, like EVER. he'll even take a video if he can, but you know what'll happen if he does... maybe that wasn't part of his best ideas yet.
"hey, taesan. i'll help you, dude. i've got an idea. " jaehyun grinned, nudging taesan's shoulder.
taesan just looks up at him thinking, he's up to no good again, isn't he?—either way, he's so lost that he just accepted his faith under jaehyun's hands. here goes nothing.
"the ultimate 10 steps to confessing!" (jaehyun partially plagiarized taesan's first plan), after hearing that? taesan didn't even bother to argue on why they're doing this 10-step thing again, but instead he's just hoping whatever this plan was, it better work.
and again, just like that, "the ultimate 10 steps to confessing" has been reborn. let's just hope it works.
꒰ ☆ ꒱
Jaehyun's Ultimate 10 Steps To Confessing!
STEP 1: admit you like her
– first step, stop being in denial. pretending to be all cool when she passes by doesn't add aura, taesan—the moment you're gone, he'll smile like a freak IN PUBLIC (which is an automatic -800 aura for our fake emo).
– okay, easy! he just gotta admit he likes you. except, he's outside the apartment mumbling to himself as he takes out the trash, "i like–" you got this "i like h–" — "you like?" yup, of course you were there, accidentally creeping up behind him.
– despite being caught off guard, he just plays it off, coughing. "oh, i like pancakes." (in fact, he doesn’t. STEP 1: PASSED! even if he didn't admit it—his actions did, let's cheer!)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 2: start acting normal
– according to jaehyun, taesan's normal mode is currently turned off. because recently, he had been so conscious of his actions when you're around. it's like he's overlooking things—is he staring for too long? should he look away?– or does that makes him look weird?
– you'd be in a convenience store eating out—his treat. you're rambling to him how you did so well on your quiz, you'll subconsciously high-five him. you don't know the impact that high-five had caused to him, cause the moment your hand touched against his, his hands just freezed in place, literally. once he noticed his hands were paused up in the air, he just awkwardly plays it off as scratching his head, "why is my head suddenly itchy, haha." (STEP 2: failed...?)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 3: stop overthinking EVERYTHING
– after over-reading his actions detail by detail—he's slowly latching now over yours. even searching on google, "what does it mean for someone to..." yep, he's cooked. (he needs to be stopped..)
– curious what made him head to google?— it was the way you said good morning to him, earlier. somehow, he caught the fact that your voice was two notes lower than usual. did it even make sense for him to notice that? maybe. he is studying music, after all. (STEP 3: failed, once again…)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 4: planning the actual confession!
– so, at this point, jaehyun thinks taesan had finally calmed down (which i don't think he did) and is finally ready to plan the confession: their og plan.
– though, taesan's a little bit stuck on step 3. he ended up questioning himself—what if i mess up?— like what if you laugh at him? what if he ends up messing up? what if you ignore him forever, or worst.. what if he confesses to the wrong person!? (okay, maybe the last bit is unlikely, but we can see how bad his overthinking can get.)
– jaehyun pats taesan's back, "it'll work as long as you follow my steps, okay man?" he said with determination in his voice.
– oh, jaehyun's the biggest taeyn shipper—now listing all the steps using his pencil with bite marks (we don't talk about that – jaehyun) and a dream.
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 5: figuring out your interests (secretly...!)
– easy! — "what's your favorite..." he said, for the 30th time, practicing his words as if he was reading a script, even putting efforts on his facial expression. (which he had never done—well, not until now)
– upon entering the bus, someone yells your name, and of course, it was taesan—you automatically sit on the chair he saved for you, right beside him.
– you two sat quietly—well, not until he broke the silence (little did you know, he'd been practicing in his head), "sooo, what are you into these days?" wincing at his own voice as soon as the question came out, trying his very best to awkwardly not look away—like he usually does.
– you pour your interests all over taesan—the cafe you've been currently obsessing over, your new favorite drink, your favorite band: guynextdoor, you spilled everything. and taesan? he just nods as if he understood everything your mouth blabbered.
– in reality, he didn't. though, he now has an idea! you like this new cafe, new drink alert for the nth time, and guynextdoor—which he considers that band his enemy for now for owning a place in your heart. (STEP 6: a somewhat success—back to researching he goes.)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 6: drop little hints
– how is this in any way useful? well, according to jaehyun, if you drop little hints, maybe, just maybe, you'll notice, and then you and taesan get together and live happily ever after. but, i wish it was that easy, jaehyun. i wish. still, taesan does it anyways.
– first thing he does? he tries to compliment you—keyword, tries. "hey. i um, like your handwriting," — "thanks!" it was unusual, but you appreciated whatever that was. him? he's whispering under his breath, did i do okay? was that obvious?
– taesan told jaehyun—it made him slam his own face, because how could you fail COMPLIMENTING??? he told you to try again. (he's locked in)
– at this point, he's showering you compliments everyday, when you see him outside the apartment, when you're on campus, wherever you are, he'll make sure he gets to throw you at least one compliment. he hopes you don't find it too weird, though. (STEP 6: passed...)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 7: learn from the professionals (aka kdrama)
– jaehyun wrote this idea, cackling to himself, "this is the best step yet," he's totally just not gonna make taesan watch kdrama with him—totally. according to jaehyun, you could never go wrong with kdramas!
– now, jaehyun and taesan are slouching on the couch. taesan's arms crossed, squinting at the television, "so, if i surprise her with flowers, it'll make her like me...?" he muttered in confusion, jaehyun just pretends to nod—he's too busy giggling at the kdrama in front of him.
– then, as they were watching, the male lead spouts their usual cheesy lines, "i've loved you from the moment i saw you,” which made taesan groan, covering his face with a pillow. “no way i’m saying that without cringing.” he'll totally use that scene as a reference. (STEP 7: might work)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 8: TESTING THE WATERS
– okay, for this, they had to make sure what you think of taesan before going all in. he needs proof that you're comfortable with him or something, so that he won't fall flat on his face scarring the rest of his life with this confession. so, what's their plan? simple. they decided to test the waters with totally not so obvious questions. they'll try their best to fish out your reactions at the mention of someone secretly admiring you—or if your face lights up when taesan is brought up.
– you'll be walking around campus with taesan, and... jaehyun who coincidentally bumped into you two. he casually started the conversation with "so, what do you guys think if, um, someone you know secretly likes you? or uh if they confesses?"—that made taesan's eyes size up because that was NOT in their plan (sadly, he wasn't informed), you gave jaehyun's thinking a thought, "hmm, i guess it depends? if they're sweet and romantic, i'd fall for that."
– jaehyun nods, trying not to hold his grin as he stares at taesan who's quietly biting his lips to stop himself from giggling, mentally taking a note: sweet and romantic, got it. (STEP 8: HAPPY TAESAN AND A SUCCESS)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 9: going all out >:)
– it's time to prepare taesan's confession. taesan's in jaehyun's little jungle, avoiding you for now to not spoil or slip anything about the confession. in reality, he knows he'll fold if he sees you next door.
– jaehyun's step are pacing back and forth, thinking of the greatest way to confess to you, "what about... you accidentally fall in her arms and confess?" "what? no." "hm, what about you write her name using those drones stuff?" "no? i'm broke." "broke and unromantic? tsk." — taesan just glared at him before stuffing his face on a pillow as jaehyun continues his little brainstorming, not until taesan randomly gets up after getting an idea.
– "wait, she said she wanted something sweet and romantic, right?" taesan suddenly mutters, his eyes lighting up. "and… i kinda know what she’s into, so… maybe we can combine those?" jaehyun just blinks, "i liked my suggestions better, but i guess yours could work. (STEP 9: CHECK!)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
STEP 10: CONFESSION TIME
– they're basically prepared now, flowers? check! chocolates? check! plushies? check! all they've gotta do now is to execute it well—hopefully.
– taesan and you are walking, heading back to the apartment after an exhausting class today. the sky fading from orange to a beautiful purple, casting a soft glow on the environment—it's as if everything came out from a kdrama which is perfect. everything seems to be going to plan.
– the plan was simple: he'll ask to hang out in your place for a bit, then casually pick up your guitar to play a song you've been practicing lately—not knowing he was also getting guitar lesson from the guitar master sungho, then after that, jaehyun will pop up with the gifts. simple and easy, right?
– as you two arrived, he instantly heads for your guitar, "mind if i play something?" you just checked up on him from over the kitchen, "sure, go on." okay, just relax, he can do it. jaehyun's voice enters in his head, "don't mess it up."
– so far it had been going so well, you two were vibing, sitting next to each other, locking eye to eye with the sweetest smiles—it made a somewhat romantic atmosphere. all are going according to the plan, until "TING" his finger caught the wrong string which caught him off guard, making him continuously go off tune—okay, he messed up a little, flustered taesan just slowly puts down the guitar, glaring at his hands for betraying him 'til the guitar slid, clattering on the floor. this is awkward.
– what made it worst? the creaking sound of the front door opening, "CONGRATS TO TAESAN, MY MAN!" it was jaehyun putting on the biggest smile, holding the gifts taesan prepared, even wearing sunglasses indoors... wrong timing, jaehyun, wrong timing...
– the room was insanely silent—you could only hear the flowers and chocolates rustling. you blinked at jaehyun, taesan blinks at jaehyun, and well, jaehyun just blinked, "i saw you through the window proposing..." taesan just slammed his face, "i was apologizing for knocking her guitar down."
– taesan stood up, facing your way, "yn, i like you. i'm sorry this confession thing turned for the worst. it didn't really go my way- but i swear if you give me a chance, i'll properly confess next time-"
– your laugh escaped your mouth, you couldn't barely hold it anymore. "wait, why are you laughing-" you cut him off as you grasp for air— you couldn't stop smiling your cheeks started to hurt, "taesan... you've been too obvious. i've known for a while." which made him look down as he scratch the back of his neck, deeply embarrassed.
– "i like you too, just so you know." he immediately looks up, "really?" that sent him straight to fully crazy in love final level, if you could only hear his heart going crazy to the point that it might actually jump out, and suddenly, ta-da, pretty pink petals started falling down, the same as the one in dramas—except it doesn't make sense at all, well, since you're inside... it was actually just jaehyun sprinkling the petals, "sweet and romantic!"
– taesan couldn't stop himself from laughing at the fact you liked him too despite the ridiculous, awkward, and gone wrong confession. he realized that maybe it wasn't so bad at all, but rather memorable. he ended up leaning closer next to you, holding both of your hands, "i'll make it up, i swear," with the sweetest tone as he squeezes your palms. (STEP 10: it all worked out)
꒰ ☆ ꒱
if you liked this, a like, reblog, or comment is highly appreciated, thank you! ><
PAIRING. taesan x crocheter! gn reader
GENRE. fluff, uni au, strangers to ???
WARNINGS. both are in uni but no scenes about school itself lol
WC. 1.4k
𓂋˚˖ A/N. lichrally dunno what this is, i just word vomited 😭 i was actually gonna make another acc bc i got kinda shy to post here again but im too lazy to do that so here we are, ig im a onedoor now too 😆
𓂋˚˖ NOW PLAYING. there she goes by the la’s
THE FIRST TIME TAESAN SEES YOU, you were casually walking into the train car along with the rest of the morning rush. One of your hands was clutched onto your bag while the other was inside the pocket of your black puffer jacket.
He wasn’t thinking about anything in particular. It was too early in the morning, and the music playing in his ears drowned all his thoughts out while on the way to his first class.
But upon seeing you, he was immediately awakened from his morning daze and stood up from his seat. Watching you switch places with him to stand beside your seated figure, he thinks he saw you say thank you, but he’s not sure.
Not thinking much of his gesture of giving up his seat, he looked out toward the city passing by outside. That was until the train entered another tunnel, and he was forced to look at something else; you, in his peripheral vision, had suddenly brought out a crochet needle and some yarn.
He was pleasantly surprised. People were usually on their phones while on the train, while here you were, your hands half buried in your jacket as they worked on some yarn as if you were in your own little world.
He wasn’t actually sure if you were crocheting or knitting or what. He had only overheard from the other students in his classes about how they crocheted in their free time, but he had never actually seen anyone do it.
He tilted his head once in a while to watch you, trying his best not to act like a creep. Not that you would notice anyway. He did this until he had to step off at his stop first.
The second time Taesan sees you, it was a Saturday. He unfortunately had a class in the morning, and he was on the way home after having lunch with his friends and spending some time in the library.
You were already seated on the train, hands busy once again. It wasn’t rush hour, so Taesan took a seat across from you.
You seemed to be counting something, perhaps the stitches, based on the way your mouth was moving. You furrowed your eyebrows, looking closer at your project, before pulling at the string of yarn exasperatedly. He was curious about what just happened, smiling at your frustration.
He caught himself glancing at you from time to time again. And this time, you almost caught him looking at you.
He saw you again a few times after that, to the point that he’s learned where to sit or stand so that he can see your reflection in the window to avoid being caught looking at you directly. He’s even learned what days of the week you usually share train rides.
At first, it was a little freaky how the two of you managed to be on the same train at the same time a few times a week, let alone the same car. But after a while, he started looking for you, wondering where you had gone on days when he’d usually seen you.
Months had gone by like that, Taesan watching you work on what seemed like different projects from a distance.
However, this time it was a little different. There were no other available seats except the one right beside you. There was still some space on the metal bars to hold on to, but something told him to take that seat (perhaps it’s the voices in his head aka Leehan urging him to do something about his little train crush; Taesan always denies it by saying it’s not a crush).
This time, it was difficult to see your face, so he could only look at your hands. He tried so hard to be subtle, but he supposes he wasn’t subtle enough because you suddenly put your needle and yarn down on your lap and took something out from your bag.
“Hey, I uh… made something for you,”
You were now looking at his wide eyes, a rush of different emotions suddenly coursing through him. Ashamed because you noticed him watching; touched because you made something for a stranger like him; and shy because you were talking to a guy like him.
He finally looked at your open hand that delicately held a stuffed black cat keychain.
“Is this a cat?”
“Yeah, that’s you,” you said as you smiled tightly. You acknowledge that he was a good-looking guy, but there was still something about him that intimidated you a little. “Um, I’m sorry if that offends you. I made it based on the vibe you gave off, but I don’t mean to stereotype based on the clothes you wear. Not that I made you a black cat because you always wear black, but the dark hair covering your eyes a little also kinda—,” you rambled, stopping when you see the look on his face and realizing you might have said too much.
Taesan chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m not offended. May I ask why…?”
“Um… no reason,” you shrugged with another tight smile, trying to mask the blatant lie you just told him.
“Well, I’m honored. This is really cute,” Taesan smiled, looking at you then at anything but you.
You finally smiled with a more relaxed expression, lips pursing to keep yourself from smiling too widely.
“I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give it to you after already making it, plus you sat here today,”
The truth is, you also noticed him that first time. You noticed his repeated presence the same way he did. When he was looking outside, you looked around the train car only for your gaze to land on him. You actually lied when you said you made a keychain for him. It’s actually a gift meant for one of your friends, but you decided at the last minute to use it to shoot your shot—you could always make another one. If he realized that you were also watching him from what you just said, then he was nice enough to not bring it up.
“This is crochet, right?” Taesan asked as he looked around his bag for a place to hang the keychain.
“Yup! I like to do arts and crafts as a pastime, and crocheting is the most… mindless one for me—for lack of a better word,” you both chuckled. “But it also keeps me from falling asleep when I commute alone. That’s why I mostly do it on the train,”
Taesan nods, his mind still processing what was happening.
“You go to Hybe U, right? Saw your ID,”
You looked down at your lanyard and held it. “Oh yeah. You?”
“I go to KOZ,” Your eyes light up in recognition as it’s the college not far from yours.
“We should—“ “If it’s—“ you both say at the same time.
Chuckling, Taesan gestures for you to go first.
“We should hang out some time… is what I was gonna say,” you smiled, looking at the boy beside you.
“Yeah, I’d like that. And I was gonna say that if it’s any help, I could wake you up at your stop,”
You frowned in confusion. “But you get off first,”
“It’s okay. I have time before class,” Taesan smiled shyly, unsure what to do with himself after making such an offer.
You looked away, realizing the boy wasn’t as intimidating as you thought.
“Well, I’ll hold you to that.”
BONUS:
True enough, by midterms season, you spent most of your train rides asleep on Taesan’s shoulder. You started falling asleep in the middle of crocheting more often to the point that you stopped carrying your projects altogether and opted to indulge in Taesan’s insistence.
The both of you were on the way home when he was reminiscing about his conversation with his friends earlier that day.
“Look at you. Who would’ve thought you out of all people would carry so many keychains on their bag?” Leehan commented after the boy in question mentioned how that first black cat keychain was apparently not even meant for him. You told him after a while that you gave it to him in the spur of the moment as an excuse to talk to him.
“Yeah, it’s kinda funny seeing you in your band shirts then you turn around and suddenly there’s a bunch of colorful animals and characters. Personally, I really like the Sanrio ones,” Sungho said teasingly. “Plus the way I just know it’s you when you enter a room because your bag is so noisy,”
“It’s not funny, Y/N made them! The plastic ones they also got for me,” Taesan blurted in faux offense, smiling and internally agreeing with the older boy.
“Yeah no, it’s cute actually,” Sungho said before bursting into laughter.
“Then ask Y/N for one. Actually no, don’t do that,” his friends chuckled at him.
“Then make one for me,”
“You know, I’ve already asked them to teach me. But I sucked so bad, and Y/N fell asleep while waiting for me.” Taesan chuckled while recalling the first time you hung out at the library.
You’re the youngest, most brilliant detective in the police force—and also the biggest HR nightmare. After getting suspended for property damage, you're dragged into a new task force to catch "The House of Cards," an elusive syndicate of criminals. Too bad their infamous leader, the "King of Spades," is less of a criminal mastermind and more of a theatrical theater kid who can't read a clock.
Action, Comedy, Enemies to Lovers, Workplace AU (Cyberpunk/Modern Bureaucracy vibes), Fake Nerd, Dual Identity, Cat and Mouse game.
Warnings: Workaholism, destruction of government property, Y/N being a absolute menace to society, Jaehyun failing to be a suave criminal master, excessive swearing.
Wc 2.4K
The atmosphere inside the bulletproof glass room—newly designated as the headquarters for the special task force created to handle the city's latest criminal syndicate—was so dead silent you could hear the hum of the AC. Only three young men sat at their desks, waiting for the arrival of their 'final piece'.
Captain Sung Hanbin (32), the Senior Deputy Team Leader, sat ramrod straight, checking his watch with a stoic expression. He was a model cop from the 1st Investigation Team, a former squad leader who had been urgently transferred here with the direct signature of the Deputy Commissioner.
Special Agent Lieutenant Lee Sohee (30), the baby-faced cyber genius, was spinning in his chair. A former agent from Jungwon's legendary division, praised for his unmatched hacking skills, he was currently chewing gum and blowing bubbles out of sheer boredom.
And then there was the Special Consultant, Myung Jaehyun (30).
He was practically buried behind a stack of psychology books taller than the "Special Consultant" nameplate on his desk. Wearing thick-rimmed glasses that kept sliding down his nose, he absentmindedly spun a pen in one hand while the other precariously balanced a latte that looked seconds away from spilling over.
"Statistically speaking..." A deep voice broke the silence. Jaehyun looked up from his book, pushing his glasses back into place. "The probability of a 27-year-old being appointed as a team leader in the Korean police force is exactly 0.02%... Fascinating, really."
Hanbin shot him a side-glance. "Age doesn't matter as much as capability, Mr. Jaehyun."
"Oh, absolutely..." Jaehyun nodded earnestly, his eyes wide and innocent. "Theories suggest that geniuses often reveal themselves in their youth. But I just read in her file... that the reason for her transfer was 'Impulsive Behavior' during her last case."
He offered a dry smile, flipping open the folder in front of him. "The Young Ace of the CIB... who stormed in alone to catch H.O.C. but ended up grasping at thin air. In behavioral science, wouldn't we call that a 'Hero Complex'?"
"She didn't mess up," Hanbin defended her firmly. "She cracked the code even before Agent Sohee's intelligence unit did. The authorization order was just too slow."
"Oh! My apologies." Jaehyun quickly raised his hands in surrender, looking as flustered as a scolded schoolboy. "I was merely analyzing the available data... Please don't be mad, Deputy. Heh."
"So, does your data happen to mention... that your Team Leader has been standing behind you for the past five minutes?"
The cold, flat voice of the newcomer dropped the already quiet room's temperature below freezing.
The meeting room door was propped open. Y/N, dressed in practical, tactical gear with a file folder in hand, stepped in. Her sharp gaze swept over the team members one by one.
Instinctively, Hanbin and Sohee shot up from their seats to salute.
As for Jaehyun... he flinched so hard he knocked over his towering stack of psychology books with a loud crash.
"A-Ah! Oops! I'm sorry! I... uh... Hello, Captain!" He scrambled to pick up the books, his glasses knocked completely askew, looking far more pathetic than intimidating.
Y/N let out a soft sigh. Her beautiful face remained impassive, but her eyes were fierce. She slammed a cardboard box of her personal belongings onto the Captain's desk. Thud!
Captain Y/N scanned her team—all of whom were her "seniors" in age.
Hanbin stood tall. "Captain Sung Hanbin, reporting for duty."
Sohee hurriedly stopped chewing his gum and stood up awkwardly. "Uh... Lieutenant Lee Sohee."
Only Jaehyun remained seated, legs crossed, flashing her a sickeningly sweet smile.
"A pleasure to work with you... Captain."
Jaehyun glanced at her cardboard box, which was overflowing with crumpled documents and stray lipsticks. He pushed up his glasses and casually remarked,
"In behavioral psychology... a 'Disorganized Space, Organized Mind' is a strong indicator of high IQ."
Y/N paused, turning to glare at him. "Are you complimenting me or insulting me?"
Jaehyun beamed. "Complimenting, of course. However... people of this type often have a weak point when it comes to Impulse Control. Judging by the creases on your documents, which were clearly 'crushed' rather than 'folded'... I'm guessing you just lost your temper with the ID scanner downstairs?"
Y/N's jaw dropped slightly.
"How did you know?"
"There's a piece of laminated plastic... stuck to the hem of your shirt. Guess you gripped your card a bit too tight."
You let out an exasperated breath, shoving the messy pile of files and your favorite bag out of the way before sizing up your three new subordinates.
And finally... Myung Jaehyun. A criminal behavioral analyst on a special contract. The sole civilian on the team. Nerdy, timid, thick glasses.
"Whatever. Take your seats, we don't have much time." She slammed her file onto the table. "Lieutenant Sohee, connect the data from the latest case to the main screen."
"Copy that!" Sohee quickly swallowed his gum (or spat it out, who knows) and let his fingers fly across the keyboard. "Pulling data from the main server now... Wait, huh?"
The young hacker's fingers froze.
Suddenly, the cooling fans of the computers roared to life like jet engines preparing for takeoff. The lights in the room flickered violently.
"Wait... why are the files—"
Zzzt!
The room plunged into pitch darkness for a split second, before a harsh, blood-red light emanated from the giant monitor in the center of the room.
"What the hell is this?!" Lieutenant Sohee jumped back to the control panel, almost choking on nothing. "There's an interfering signal in the main server! It's not a hack... it's a broadcast being sent through the police department's public channel!"
The screen faded to black before an image of a Joker card appeared. White text slowly typed itself out, like a scene from an old spy movie.
Subject: An Invitation to the Feast
To: The newly formed D.A.R.T.
The past twenty-five dishes... were merely an Amuse-bouche to awaken the senses.
Now, the true tasting menu begins.
In this banquet of illusions...
Watch closely as 'The Void' opens its jaws to swallow 'Perfection' whole,
To fill the starving stomach of justice.
A warning to the spotlight-hungry hunters...
Mind your table manners. Do not fill up before the clock strikes midnight. :-)
Bon Appétit.
- The House of Cards
"Dammit! They hacked straight into our meeting room?!" Sohee yelled, clutching his chest.
Hanbin scowled deeply. "The void... Perfection... What kind of theatrical code is this?"
Amidst the panic, Y/N scanned the message just once. Her brain processed the information faster than a supercomputer.
"French..."
Jaehyun's deep voice interrupted her train of thought. He adjusted his glasses, staring at the screen with an unreadable smirk.
"Amuse-bouche and Feast... In criminal psychology, subjects with Grandiosity often view their crimes as art. Comparing their last 25 heists to 'palate cleansers' means their target wasn't the stolen assets. It was a system test..."
Jaehyun turned to meet your eyes, his gaze sparkling as if he were tossing you a ball.
"...And right now, they are starving. They want the most 'perfect' main course."
"It's not just the system that's perfect."
Y/N fired back immediately. She walked to the conference table and slammed her hand onto a map of Seoul.
"The past 25 cases? H.O.C. only targeted low-level corrupt politicians and black-market dealers. But there's one group they haven't touched yet. The ones who claim to be the most 'spotless and perfect'."
You turned, barking orders.
"Lieutenant Sohee! Search for the main sponsors of any major events in Seoul tomorrow that have the words 'Perfect' or 'Security' in their slogans. Now."
Sohee jumped. "Yes, Ma'am! Right away!" His fingers blurred over the keys.
"Found it... The 30th Anniversary Gala of the National Art Gallery. The slogan is 'Security Perfected: The Unbreakable Night'... hosted by Shin Donghyuk."
"Shin Donghyuk?" Hanbin repeated. "The real estate billionaire who just beat a money laundering charge last month?"
"That's our main course." Y/N smirked.
"And the highlight of tomorrow's event is a newly discovered, mysterious black painting..." You pulled a King of Spades card with scribbled handwriting from your pocket, holding it up for the team to see.
"'Case 26 - The Void'... That matches the name of the painting perfectly."
Y/N didn't smile at the compliment. Her eyes were locked on the final line of the email.
Do not fill up before the clock strikes midnight.
"Midnight..." you muttered. "The gala starts tomorrow at 7 PM. The auction ends at 11:30 PM. Nothing on the itinerary drags on until midnight."
"Could it mean the after-party?" Hanbin suggested.
"No..." You shook your head slowly, a chilling realization washing over you.
"For perfectionists... timing is everything. If the event is tomorrow evening, a warning about 'midnight' makes no sense. Unless..."
You snapped your head up to look at the digital clock on the wall.
[ 23:45 ]
Your eyes widened.
"The main course isn't being served at tomorrow's banquet... It's being served tonight. At midnight!"
"What?!" Sohee shrieked. "That's in 15 minutes?!"
"They're going to break in and steal the painting before the gala even starts. They want to humiliate Shin Donghyuk—to prove his 'perfect security' was broken before the doors even opened!"
Y/N slammed the table. "Lieutenant Sohee, gear up! Deputy Hanbin, get the car! We're heading to the gallery right now!"
"Wait, Captain!" Hanbin blocked your path. "We don't have a search warrant! Raiding a private property after hours without a warrant means we'll be sued for trespassing, and any evidence we find will be inadmissible in court!"
"Dammit!" you cursed loudly.
Getting a standard warrant would take a day, or tomorrow morning at the earliest.
Jaehyun sat back, watching the chaos unfold with calm detachment. He discreetly glanced at his wristwatch... 14 minutes. If the cops were any slower, Taesan's plan would go off without a hitch.
"I have no other choice..."
Y/N yanked out her phone and dialed the only person she could rely on in an emergency (especially a late-night one).
"Yeeesss...?" The groggy voice of Major Shim Jaeyun—Jake, your close senior (and the Police Chief's grandson) who valued his early bedtime above all else—answered.
"Jake! Wake up right now! I need a search warrant, fastest in the world!"
"Huh? Y/N?" Jake mumbled. "Right now? It's 11:45 PM... The courts closed at 4 PM, you menace."
"I know! But if I don't get a warrant right now, D.A.R.T. is finished! Are you really going to let your favorite junior get fired and end up homeless on the streets?!" You laid the drama on thick, your voice trembling perfectly.
Jaehyun, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow. Oscar-worthy performance.
"Stop being dramatic..." Jake sighed heavily. "I really can't help you, the system is locked. But... you know..." His voice dropped, sounding like he was sleep-talking.
"The night-shift admin clerks... are incredibly lazy. If they see a stamp and a signature that looks official enough, they usually just scan it through without reading the details. Especially this late..."
Your eyes instantly lit up. A sly smirk crept onto your lips.
"Are you saying... if the document looks credible enough, it's a green light?"
"I didn't say that! I'm just complaining out loud!" Jake panicked, catching your tone. "Forging official documents is a felony, Y/N! Don't you dare!"
"Thanks, bro! Love you the most!"
Beep! You hung up before he could scream at you.
"No other choice, then..."
Y/N turned back to her team with a look of pure determination.
"Deputy Sung..."
Y/N walked over to the man standing stiffly with his arms crossed.
"You used to be the leader of Investigation Team 1, and you're the Deputy Commissioner's golden boy, right?"
Hanbin raised an eyebrow. Despite being 32 and sharing the same rank as you, playing 'second-in-command' to a 27-year-old was definitely not his ideal career path.
"Yes... He signed my transfer order here, and I respect him immensely." He answered politely, but with the rigid boundary expected of a 'Golden Boy' who played strictly by the rules.
"Good." Y/N grinned brightly. She marched over to her desk, rummaged through a drawer, and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
"Then you must know his signature perfectly."
She held it up. It was a Blank Special Operation Authorization Form... complete with the Deputy Commissioner's official stamp and signature at the bottom!
Hanbin's eyes bulged. "That's... the Deputy Commissioner's signature?! How did you get that, Captain?!"
"Oh, you know..." Y/N shrugged, quickly scribbling details into the blank spaces. "I went into his office the other day to complain about my suspension. He was ranting about wanting 'people who work fast and skip the stupid procedures'... So I took the liberty of swiping this from his desk while he turned around to make coffee."
"That's theft! And forgery of official documents!" Hanbin turned pale.
"I call it being prepared!" you argued shamelessly. "He adores me. He'd be thrilled I'm using this to catch criminals instead of letting it collect dust. Plus, if we get the painting back tonight, he takes all the credit. Win-win."
You shoved the forged document into Hanbin's shaking hands.
"Here... your VIP pass. I'm counting on you, golden boy. Shove this in the gallery security's face for me."
Hanbin held the paper like it was radioactive. He looked like he wanted to argue, like a good cop should, but seeing your unwavering determination (and knowing the thief would escape if they didn't move now), he let out a defeated sigh.
"Understood... But let me warn you. If the Deputy Commissioner finds out, I am not covering for you. I'm not going down for a disciplinary hearing."
"Don't worry about it!" You patted his shoulder far too casually. "If he throws a fit, I'll just go complain to my grandpa—I mean! I'll ask the Senior Advisor to sort it out."
Hanbin froze. He heard that slip-up loud and clear, but wisely chose not to comment.
After all... everyone knew who the new Captain's family was.
"Let's move!"
You bolted out the door. Sohee grabbed his laptop and sprinted after you.
Jaehyun, lingering in the back, pretended to adjust his tie. His sharp eyes scanned the room to ensure he was alone before he pulled out a sleek smartphone, typing a message at lightning speed.
To: Ace (A)
Message: "The Dealer called. Dinner is served early. Cut the deck... NOW."
He locked the screen, slipped the phone into his suit pocket, and instantly shifted his expression back to that of a 'panicked profiler', awkwardly jogging after the team.
"W-Wait for me, Captain! I almost tripped over a wire!"
A/N
Welcome to Chapter 1! Let me know what you think of Jaehyun's "profiler" and our Captain's patience running dangerously thin! Tell me who you think the other cards in the deck are!
silly little excuses (newneighbour!leehan x reader): masterlist
pretending to be calm, but I'm still trembling
what movie did we watch, what did we eat?
i forgot everything but your face
series synopsis: who goes there? a silly little story of your fish-loving neighbour. with a little egging on from your friends, surely a few hints would’ve been dropped on his head right? right?
genre/tropes: fluff, slice of life, university aged characters, female!reader (uses she/her), idiots to lovers, getting together
