Summary: You know what you're doing is wrong, but it just feels too good to stop.
Genre: smut, mini-series
Pairing: Seungcheol x afab!stylist!reader
Warnings: smut, explicit language, penetrative sex, unprotected sex (don't do this), dacryphilia(?), semi-public sex, creampie, spanking, mean dom!Cheol, hair pulling, lemme know if I missed anything!
Rating: mature
Word count: 552
Note: This is a longer drabble of this thot. @brownsugarbaybee I have a feeling you'll enjoy this.
Thank you to @tomodachiii and @c-oupsie for helping me with the ending, and sorry for suddenly attacking you both.
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Quiet Baby | Kneel Baby | Louder Baby | Now Baby
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This is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong.
Chants in your head as Cheol continues to pound into you from behind. But fuck, it feels so good. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes back and let a few moans escape.
“Shhh, quiet baby don’t want anyone to hear us now, do we?” He whispers in your ear as his hand snakes up your body to cover your mouth.
It’s true. You don’t want anyone to hear you cause you’re not in a private space right now; you’re in one of Seventeen’s assigned dressing rooms. How did this happen? You think to yourself. You were just supposed to do your job as a stylist and help him get his stage outfit on, and yet here you are, getting dicked down by him instead. Sensing your brain drifting, he starts pounding into you harder, making you let out a muffled squeal against his hand.
“I thought I asked you to be quiet, baby, don’t make me choke you now,” he tauntingly whispers. You can’t see him, but you just know he has a smirk painting his face. You let out a sound of protest, but the sound of moaning quickly replaced it.
“What was that baby?” He snickers as he continues to wreck you.
You try to respond, but your brain has melted and is consumed by him; he just feels so good, stretching you out and filling you up. You suddenly felt a smack against your ass, making you gasp against his hand. He rubs his hand over the spot to soothe it before smacking it again harder. The cycle repeats until salty tears stream down your face, streaking your makeup. You felt a sudden tug on your hair, causing your head to tilt back and allowing Seungcheol to look at your tear-streaked face.
“Fuck, you look so good fucked out like this,” he chuckles against your ear, “I’m the only one who can make you feel this way, right baby?” You weakly nod against his hold and let out a pitiful whimper, making him snicker at your pathetic state. You feel his thrusts getting sloppy.
“Shit, I’m close,” he grunts. “Cum with me, baby. Cum all over my cock like the good little whore you are,” he growls, his hot breath against your ear. You cum around him, hard, almost passing out due to the intensity of the orgasm.
“Gonna stuff you full of my cum. Gonna fill you up,” he rambles as he continues to pound into you, making you whine from overstimulation. With a deep, guttural moan, he buries himself inside you and cums in you, filling you up to the brim. Your body trembles under him as he continues to ride his orgasm out.
He pulls out of you and then pulls your panties back up, making you cringe at how they stick to your skin. He turns you around and looks satisfied at your ruined state. He cups your cheek and gently caresses it, the stark opposite of how he treated you just seconds before. He leans in, lips almost touching yours.
“Better keep my cum in you till I get back; I’ll make sure to fuck it back into you later,” he whispers huskily before leaving you alone and fucked out in the dressing room.
pairing: husband!mingyu x gn!reader genre: drabble, hurt/comfort, some fluff warning(s): mentions of food, mean coworkers word count: 0.9k
summary: your husband seems to be feeling down, but you can’t seem to figure out why.
Your husband’s being awfully quiet tonight.
He’d come back home a few hours ago, saying nothing other than a soft “Hi” in reply to your enthusiastic greeting, and immediately went to take a shower without smothering you in hugs and kisses.
Which is incredibly unusual, considering his tendency to start telling you anything and everything about his day the moment he walks through the front door to your shared apartment despite having told you almost everything through text already (to your endearment). Coupled with the fact that today was his first day at his new job, you fully expected Mingyu to have many things to recount from his day at work and the welcome dinner afterwards.
Leaning against the kitchen counter, you try to recall the events of the day as you scroll through your text history with your husband, but come up short. Your eyes gloss over the last few texts he’d sent you as you purse your lips together in thought.
my gyu: i’m going to the welcome dinner now!! [18:01]
my gyu: i’m so excited :) can’t wait to tell u all abt it!! [18:01]
you: so excited for u!! have fun bb <3 [18:02]
you: how’s the dinner? [20:12]
The realisation that your husband never replied to your text hits you only now, and you’re met with the sudden urge to check up on him.
You pocket your phone, brows furrowed as you shuffle through the apartment and into your bedroom, only to be met with Mingyu’s back as he lies down on the side of the bed further away from the door.
If your suspicions are correct, your husband is most definitely not sleeping.
Something must’ve happened at the welcome dinner.
You creep towards Mingyu, climbing onto your side of the bed and engulfing your husband in a back hug immediately. Mingyu tenses for a split second before resting his hands on your arms.
“Is everything okay?” your voice is soft, and you plant a kiss on the back of Mingyu’s neck while waiting patiently for a response. Mingyu hums weakly in affirmation.
Silence ensues as you don’t probe him further, deciding to give him time to process things.
Your husband sits up and turns around to face you after a while, and you smile at him while following suit, hoping to give him some of your energy.
“I went to the welcome dinner earlier…” Mingyu begins as you nod, reaching out to hold his hands in yours as you rub circles on the back of his hands.
“They said it was company tradition to diss the newcomer, so that’s what they did once we got a few drinks in,” you raise an eyebrow at Mingyu’s words, but make no move to interrupt him. “The jabs were funny at first, but some of them started talking about my lisp and imitating it, and I just didn’t find it funny anymore. I didn’t say anything, company tradition and all, and I feel stupid for even feeling upset when they were just joking and—”
“It’s not a joke if it’s making you upset, baby,” you can’t take it anymore, deciding to cut him off while squeezing his hands tighter. “Your feelings are valid, and they shouldn’t have made fun of you like that. Not then, and not ever.”
Mingyu’s eyes start glistening, a result of him tearing up at your words. “But if- if this is a running tradition, then the others would have been able to handle the disses. I’m just- sensitive for no reason, right?”
You detach one of your hands from your husband’s to cup his cheek, a deep frown etched on your face.
“Baby,” you begin, slowly picking and choosing your words in your head, “You’re not being sensitive, you’re allowed to feel upset about this. This… ‘tradition’ is already very questionable in the first place, and I’m really sorry you had to go through that. It just doesn’t sit right with me to have people literally insult and make fun of you and for you to have to be fine with it. You can feel upset. In fact, you should feel upset, because there’s literally no world where such behaviour should be condoned.”
Mingyu leans into your touch, letting the first tear fall from his left eye. Your heart aches so much, and you pull Mingyu into your embrace, where sobs start racking his body as he buries his face into your neck.
“T-thank you,” your husband manages between sobs, and you squeeze him tighter around you. “You’re always so good to me.”
As a people-centric person, Mingyu tends to put others’ concerns and well-being first, often disregarding himself and his own feelings that it eventually culminates into him feeling miserable. Even then, however, he puts up a front as much as he can, and it breaks your heart every time you see him like this. You’re determined to remind him that he’s loved, and that his feelings, just like anyone else’s, matters.
The next few minutes or so are spent in each other’s arms as you encourage Mingyu to cry his heart out, and it’s a while later when he’s calmed down, head on your chest as you both lie down and get ready to retire for the night.
“I love you,” Mingyu whispers, tilting his head up to kiss your jaw. “I should quit my job, shouldn’t I?”
You smile, pulling him tighter against your chest. “I love you, too, baby. I’ll support you in whatever you choose to do.”
“And baby? There’s nothing funny about your lisp. If anything, I think it’s really cute.”
Mingyu beams at you in response, and you swear his goofy grin could light up the whole world.
You’re never letting him go.
a/n: kind of… inspired by the latest gose episode (class president part 2)
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taglist (send an ask to be added!): @slytherinshua @weird-bookworm @viscade @pepperonidk @belladaises @tastymintchocolate @chanceonceli @hrts4hanniehae @wantmatthew @moonkyeom @coupstatu
SYNOPSIS. in which playful flirting between you and your roommate has always been the norm, but how does that help with how you really feel towards him?
PAIRING. kim mingyu x gn!reader (ft. seokmin)
GENRE. fluff, humour?, roommates (and prob idiots) to lovers
WARNINGS. cursing, slightly suggestive, just... flirting?, reader is shorter than him, mingyu is shirtless, reader is referred as "princess" once, mentioned that reader is wearing makeup, reader dislikes pizza for the sake of plot sorry to my pizza lovers HAHAHA, reader is gender neutral but they briefly compare themselves to another girl, kissing
WORD COUNT. 5.2k
requested by anon: Hii, I wanna request a Mingyu fic where him and reader are roomies and they’re very lovey dovey ig but “jokingly”. But then reader is like trying to go on dates and stuff and Mingyus jealous💀 idk man
notes: this was actually a random request that i started months ago and suddenly decided i wanted to finish RIGHT NOW when i was scrolling thru drafts. no idea if the anon who sent this remembers this but um... yeah ! lowk turned out a bit of a mess i think this plot sounded better in my head, enjoy nonetheless :')
You like to think that being roommates with Kim Mingyu is both a blessing and a curse.
You used to believe that having your very first roommate straight up abandon you at the very beginning of the semester was something you could pull off with, because you'd rather be living alone than living with someone you can hardly vibe with. It worked for a while, until the housing department paired you with Kim Mingyu: tall, obnoxiously handsome, ridiculously muscular for seriously no goddamn reason at all, annoyingly charming, and a goofy smile that could light up a room.
Any person would probably kill to be in your place right now, but sometimes you think you'd rather trade places with the pigeons outside your window. Mingyu wasn't a bad roommate𑁋far from it, actually. He kept the apartment spotless, never hogged the bathroom, and even cooks mean late-night ramen whenever you both are drowning in deadlines.
But the problem was, Mingyu was also excruciatingly touchy. Not in a creepy way, but more like a human koala bear who couldn't seem to function without some form of physical contact. Whether it was ruffling your hair as you walked past him, casually draping his arm over your shoulder while watching a movie together, or sneaking up behind you to give you a surprise bear hug while you cooked, there was a line between friendly and... something more.
It was comfortable, almost too comfortable. You told yourself it was just a roommate thing, just a Mingyu thing𑁋that you were both really good friends who happened to be a little more affectionate than most. But you seriously want to smack his head sometimes. And maybe your own too, even if you secretly like the attention. Because deep down, you know there's nothing casual about the way you feel about Mingyu.
But lately, for God's sake, you don't know how much more you can handle.
"Need any help with that?" Mingyu's voice snatches your attention from your aimless stirring of some cookie dough, and your eyes nearly bulge out of your skull.
Here he is. Kim Mingyu in all his glory𑁋shirtless with a towel in-hand dabbing at his dripping strands of hair, his tan skin glistening with droplets of water from the shower. You try your best to keep your gaze focused on the cookie dough in front of you, trying to ignore the way his damp hair sticks to his forehead and how the sight of his abs are practically boring into your soul, but that's easier said than done.
Your throat tightens, and you let out a cough.
"Yeah, um...." You let your eyes drift down to the plain-looking batter of cookie dough in front of you. "Can you grab some chocolate chips from the pantry?"
Mingyu just raises a brow, throwing the towel over his shoulder. "Sure thing, princess."
You feel your cheeks burn unpleasantly at the playful nickname, and you mutter a quick thanks as he saunters past, the scent of his shampoo trailing behind him. You focus back on stirring, trying to ignore the pounding in your chest and the way your fingers fumble against the spoon.
He returns with a bag of chocolate, and as he leans over to pour some into the bowl, your arms brushing lightly. A jolt shoots through you, and you almost drop the spoon. He pauses, eyes meeting yours for a fraction of a second, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them before you get yourself back to mixing the dough again.
"Here, let me help you," Mingyu offers, his hand brushing against yours as he reaches over to try to grab the spoon from your grasp. You can practically feel the warmth of his body radiating through his bare arm.
You let out a scoff, trying to ignore the heat creeping up your neck. "I can handle it, Gyu."
He just chuckles, and the sound seems to send shivers down your spine.
"Nonsense," he insists adamantly, tone playful but there's a pinch of softness in there too. "Two hands are twice as fast, right?"
You roll your eyes in slight annoyance, but a small smile tugs at your lips nonetheless.
"More like twice as messy." Yet you end up surrendering the spoon to him anyway, because simply saying no to him is a strenuous thing to do over anything else. His hand meets yours halfway, fingers touching against your knuckles as he snatches the whisk from your hands.
The heat from his hand lingers even after he pulls away, and you find yourself unable to tear your gaze from him, mesmerised by the way his biceps flex, the way his hair falls in messy dark strands across his forehead, the way his lips curve as he focuses on whisking in a way that's both infuriating and endearing.
But amidst this, you can't help but feel the nagging feeling settling at the pit of your stomach.
"So, what's the occasion?" Mingyu's voice interrupts your thoughts, pulling you back to reality.
You blink, momentarily caught off guard by the question. "Huh?"
Mingyu chuckles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I mean, you don't usually bake cookies on a random Wednesday night. Is there something special going on?"
You swallow, feeling your mind draw a blank, trying to come up with a nonchalant answer. "Oh, you know... just felt like baking."
Mingyu just scoffs, clearly not buying your words. "Come on, Y/N. You're a terrible liar."
God, how can he always see right through you? Does he have some sort of sixth sense? And yet, even despite the discomfort of being so transparent, there's a strange sense of comfort in knowing that Mingyu can see you for who you truly are, except for the one thing you want him to notice about you.
"Fine." You give in, running a slightly frustrated hand through your hair. "It's... Seokmin."
For just a single, most miniscule moment, Mingyu pauses.
"Seokmin?"
You swear you can feel your feet sinking into quicksand. "The guy from my history class, remember? He... uh, I asked him out the other day."
Mingyu's whisking slows down as he processes your words, and you can see a flicker of something in his eyes. But before you can dwell on it further, he masks it with a faint smirk.
"You asked him out?" he asks, as if still trying to wrap his head around it.
"Yeah, I..." You seriously want to sew your mouth shut right now. "I thought I would, um, you know... put myself out there for once."
You watch as Mingyu throws another handful of chocolate chips into the batter, a little more forcefully this time, the clatter against the metal bowl echoing in the sudden silence. You find yourself unable to tear your gaze away from the way his jaw clenches and unclenches.
"So," he continues, seemingly unfazed. "what did he say?"
You hesitate, watching as his hands work the dough, mind whirling with confusion and caution.
"He... um, he said yes."
"Huh," Mingyu murmurs, tone teasing. "And here I thought I was the only one who got to enjoy your company."
His words jab at your heart, a pang of guilt twisting around in your stomach, but you try to brush it off with a forced chuckle.
"You know you're irreplaceable, Gyu."
Mingyu's gaze flickers to yours, and for a moment, you catch a glimpse of... something in his eyes. But before you can decipher it, he offers you a tight-lipped smile, the kind that doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"Right," he replies casually. "I'm glad you think so."
Mingyu is wearing one of your hoodies.
Sure, you've worn a couple hoodies and sweatshirts that he has given to you out of practicality as they were really oversized and comfortable. But here, in the middle of your kitchen, highlighted under the warm glow of the overhead light and the aroma of cooked ramen, seeing Mingyu draped in your favourite oversized, white hoodie felt awfully intimate, and it brings that overwhelming flutter to your chest.
"Hey," he greets you when you walk in. "How was the date?"
You can still hardly believe what you're seeing right now, gaze staring at the way the fabric seems to cling at this broad frame, and your own lips doesn't seem to be functioning correctly.
"It was, uh... it was good," You manage to stammer out, feeling heat creep up your cheeks and forcing your gaze away from the way Mingyu rolls up his sleeves. "He liked the cookies."
"He liked the cookies?" Mingyu raises an amused brow, leaning against the counter with a casual ease that throws your already flustered mind into further disarray.
You shrug, feeling like your burying yourself down into an inescapable hole. "Yeah, he did. We, uh, had a meal at the park, talked for a while, the usual stuff, you know."
Some silence stretches between you, filled with the soft sizzle of the ramen and the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. You watch the way Mingyu twirls the noodles around a pair of chopsticks, before shutting off the heat of the stove.
"Are you wearing my hoodie?" You ask as he's taking a sip of the soup, the question tumbling out of your mouth before you can stop it. "I swear I've been looking for that one for ages."
Mingyu looks down at himself as if he remembering what he's wearing, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips, and he scratches the back of his neck in a gesture that's so uniquely him𑁋it makes your heart ache.
"I... forgot to do my laundry, and it was the first thing I could find," he admits, then takes a sip of the ramen, eyes meeting yours briefly before dropping back down to the bowl. "Looks comfy on me, though, doesn't it?"
He wasn't wrong. It usually engulfed you, but it hung loosely on Mingyu's bigger frame, the sleeves pushed up past his elbows to reveal his strong forearms.
"Well," You say, clearing your throat. "I wouldn't mind having it back, actually. It's my favourite."
"Yeah?" he tests playfully, raising a mischievous eyebrow. "I don't know, it looks pretty good on me."
You watch as he flexes his arm playfully, making the fabric of the hoodie stretch across his bicep. You can't help but let out a small, choked laugh, feeling a warmth bloom in your chest despite yourself.
"Oh, come on," You fret, trying to keep your voice light. "You got plenty of hoodies, dude."
But Mingyu just takes another casual sip of his ramen, his expression calm.
"Maybe," he says finally. "But this one smells good. It smells like you."
You freeze up. It smells... like me? Well, obviously, it fucking does𑁋
"Just bring it back to me when you're done with it," You say almost lamely, unsure if you wanted to laugh or flee to your room and hide.
"I mean, if you want it so bad I can take it off right no𑁋"
"No! Don't do that. Oh my gosh," You shoot a glare towards him, pursing your lips together tightly at the sight of him reaching for the ends of the hoodie like he was actually about to take it off... right in front of you. "You know what? I'm tired. Goodnight."
You're already marching off to your room in the middle of Mingyu bringing another mouthful of ramen into his mouth.
"Hey!" he calls out to you, nearly spitting out noodles in the process. "Where's my goodnight hug?"
You freeze at that in the middle of your doorway. Seriously, are you really in this deep to the point that you've made it a habit to hug each other before going to bed?
You hardly register Mingyu coming up from behind once you turn around to see him. His mouth is drooped into a pout, eyes half-lidded as he gazes at you expectantly. It’s ridiculous how effortlessly adorable he looks, and your need to be annoyed at him falters each passing second.
"Fine," You relent, stepping forward to give him a very brief, obligatory hug. But the moment you feel his strong arms wrap around you even more, you know it’s not going to be a quick one.
Mingyu’s warmth seeps through the layers of your clothes and down to your core, and you find yourself relaxing against him, as if it was a natural response for your body to do. He squeezes you a little tighter, letting his chin resting lightly on top of your head. A low sigh escapes him.
"Goodnight, Y/N."
You close your eyes, only for a moment, letting yourself relinquish the way he holds you. It feels like everything you’ve been trying to ignore𑁋all laid bare in the simple act of a hug.
"Goodnight, Gyu."
He pulls back slightly, just enough to look down at you, the features to his face softer than you’ve ever seen it. For a moment, you think he might say something more, because his lips seem to attempt at forming a word, yet nothing comes out. But then he simply smiles, and the seconds finally pass.
"Sleep well," he says quietly, releasing you reluctantly, and giving you a gentle pat on the head before heading back to the kitchen.
You have your next date with Seokmin a week later.
You told Mingyu ahead of time as well, and he reacted the same way as last time𑁋nonchalant, playful, a pinch of tease, an averted gaze down towards his phone, and simply bidding you with a have a good time. It was hard to tell if he was genuinely unbothered or if he was just playing it cool, and the thought sort of irked you the entire day.
After Seokmin dropped you off home, you find yourself standing in front of the door to your place, as if you're trying to laser a hole through it with your eyes. Yet you simply huff a breath, fumble with getting the keys out of your bag and inserting it into the keyhole, before stepping inside.
And the fresh smell of food hits you.
It's really hard to not acknowledge the fact that Mingyu is quite literally a living, breathing chef sleeping in the same apartment as you.
Mingyu turns his head around, noticing you standing in the doorway, and lets his gaze scan over you from head to toe. He could see the bits of extra effort you put into your appearance today that he wasn't able to see earlier as he was out. There was a pink colour that dusted over your cheeks of the blush you probably put, a bit of glimmer to your eyes from some eyeshadow, and your lips glossed with a soft sheen that catches the kitchen light just right.
"Hey," he lets out airily, watching you place your bag on the table. "How was the date?"
You run a hand through your hair. "It was... It was good. Seokmin's really nice. He took me to a pizza place."
Mingyu stills at that for a second, lifting a brow in question. "I thought you don't like pizza."
"Well, yeah, but I said it was fine so𑁋"
"If he was going to take you out on more dates, then he should know what kinds of places you don't like to eat."
"I said I was fine with it, Gyu," You retort a bit harshly, immediately regretting your tone in the silence that instantly engulfs the two of you. "We ended up having a good time anyway."
The sounds of something cooking reverberate throughout your shared place. You watch the way Mingyu stirs something in a large pot with a pair of chopsticks, before taking it out, blowing on it a few times, and taking it into his mouth for a brief taste test.
When he puts the chopsticks back down and kills the heat on the stove, he faces back to you with his hands placed firmly on the counter.
"Did you two do anything else?"
The smell of the food makes your stomach rumble quietly, but you attempt to conceal it with clearing your throat. "What do you mean?"
"Like..." Mingyu motions something with his hands and you could only peer at him quizzically. "Like have you𑁋"
"Are… Are you about to ask me if we kissed?" You nearly want to scoff at that. "Do I look like the kind of person that kisses on the second date?"
Mingyu just laughs, tilting his head to the side slightly. "I don't know. Do you?"
All you do is shrug your shoulders, trying to ignore the warmth creeping up your neck. "Well, no, we didn't kiss. We just... talked."
Mingyu seems to take in your words for a second, before nodding slowly. "Okay. That's... That's good."
The way he says it makes you feel a bit uneasy. You shift your weight from one foot to the other, suddenly acutely aware of how tired you are, both from the evening and from this conversation. Mingyu glances at you again, something apologetic forming in his eyes.
"Sorry," he says quietly. "I didn't mean to pry. I just don't want you to get hurt."
"I know, it's... fine," You reply, though you're not sure if it is. "I'm just tired."
Mingyu gestures over to the pot on the stove. "I made some food if you're hungry."
You walk to the side of the kitchen where he's at, taking a peek inside the pot. "Is it...?"
"Yep!" Mingyu exclaims excitedly and steps up beside you, where you could practically feel his presence lingering right on your skin. "My signature jjajangmyeon. Your favourite."
Your stomach rumbles again, and you swear Mingyu hears it from the way his lips quirk up in a smirk down at you. You almost want to (affectionately) shove that expression off his face, but you don't, because his gaze toward you relaxes when you look back up at him. It's a look that feels familiar, comforting, and slightly intimidating all at once.
You feel your heart clench tightly in your chest.
"I'm starting to think," Seokmin starts, loudly slurping up his cup of boba tea. "that this is a very bad idea."
You grimly shove the straw through the plastic and take a long sip, the flavours from the drink bursting in your mouth as you do so. You hear the loud screech of Seokmin bringing his chair closer to the table.
"I'm starting to think it is too."
Seokmin's eyes widen. "You are?" Then he scoots himself closer to you almost pleadingly. "Does that mean you're gonna tell him?"
"I..." You mentally want to facepalm yourself right now. "I don't know."
"Y/N!"
"I know! I know! I'm a coward!" You bury your face in your arms for a moment, letting out a few muffled groans at the cold surface of the table. "We're literally roommates and it complicates everything! There are times where I feel like there's just something a little... more to us, you know? I mean, do you usually give goodnight hugs to your roommate?"
Seokmin snorts a little at that. "I don't think Minghao would like it if I did that to him."
"Okay, okay. Just𑁋If your roommate wasn't Minghao and someone you liked, would you give them goodnight hugs too?"
You could tell Seokmin is genuinely thinking about the question. His lips purse together in thought, his hand running over the sides of his cup.
"If I liked them, I'd probably find any excuse to be close to them. Like sharing food, doing little favours here and there, wanting to hug them and stuff like that..." Seokmin admits a bit bashfully. "Isn't that what he does to you?"
"Yes, and it's driving me absolutely bonkers. And he... He knows a lot about me, you know? We've had, like, late-night talks and stuff. I've never gotten close with any other person like that. He's just so... ugh!" You glance up at Seokmin with helpless eyes. "Sorry for dragging you into this mess, Seokmin."
Seokmin chuckles lightly. "Hey, I only agreed to be your fake boyfriend because I owed you for saving my grades in class. I didn't realise the extent of how bad this is."
You glare at him playfully at that, lightly swatting him on the arm, but Seokmin just manages to dodge it and swipe your cup of boba tea away from you.
"Okay, but, hypothetically speaking. Let's say he does like you..."
You snatch your drink back and take a long sip, catching a boba pearl between your teeth. "Mhm..."
"And I know the whole point of this was to see if he'll get jealous," Seokmin continues. "but let's say he does like you, wouldn't that mean you're kind of... playing with his feelings?"
Seokmin's words make you pause mid-sip. With the straw between your lips, you contemplate his question as you stare blankly at the swirling boba tea. Playing with Mingyu's feelings𑁋could that really be what you're doing? The whole fake dating plan had started as a test of sorts to see if Mingyu would show any signs of jealousy. But now, as you're sitting here with Seokmin, you're starting to think you might have fucked up a bit. Maybe a lot.
"Because I think from all the details that you told me and how he acts around you," Seokmin pauses and fixes up his posture, looking at you with a lighthearted yet serious expression. "it sounds like he likes you. And if he does, pretending to date me is just going to hurt him. Or confuse him. Or both."
Your mind races with Seokmin's words, and you feel a pang of guilt settling in your chest. "You think so?"
"I think it's pretty obvious, honestly."
"That's not reassuring at all."
"Well, you never know!" Seokmin exclaims. "Look, I'm no love expert. Maybe you two have been pining for each other the entire year but just don't have the guts to say anything about it. And if that's the case, you owe me another free meal, or a few them. You owe me another three free meals!"
You scoff at that before bringing the straw up to your mouth again, hoping that you could drink away the heat blooming within your face.
"Ugh, I'm getting headache𑁋"
"Isn't that Mingyu right there?"
You nearly spit out your drink at that, swearing you could hear the snap of your neck as you bring your head up to where Seokmin is looking with wide eyes. And low and behold, you spot Mingyu entering inside the boba shop.
He's not alone though; he's with a girl.
You feel your heart drop down to your feet as you watch them approach to the ordering counter. They seem comfortable with one another, even if you can't hear what they're saying, their easy smiles and relaxed body language twisting your insides into knots. Mingyu leans in slightly, saying something that makes the girl laugh, and you can't help but notice how effortlessly he charms her, just like he does with everyone.
A tap lands on your shoulder, and you face away to see Seokmin looking at you with worried eyes.
"Do you want to leave?" he mouths to you quietly.
You glance back toward Mingyu and the girl, and the second you see them turning in your direction, you shift uncomfortably in your seat, the chair letting out an earth-shattering squeak.
And you freeze up.
"Y/N?"
You slowly turn around to see Mingyu and the girl approach the table. The first thing you notice is how pretty she looks, her long, flowing hair showering down her shoulders in soft waves. There's a cheery, whimsical aura that you can sense from her, and that seems to be enough to convince yourself that's the kind of personality that Mingyu likes.
"Hey," Mingyu calls out to you again, a smile to his face once he realises it's really you. Briefly, however, his lips seem to straighten out when he shoots a glance toward Seokmin. "I didn't know the two of you came here for your date."
Seokmin laughs a bit too obviously. "Yeah, man, what a coinc𑁋"
"We were just leaving, actually." You swiftly grab Seokmin by the wrist, tugging him toward you. Then you offer nothing but an unsteady grin. "I'll see you later, Mingyu."
You drag Seokmin out of the shop before hearing whatever Mingyu was saying, your heart pounding like a damn drum in your chest. You don't look back until you're safely outside and a long distance away.
You let go of Seokmin's hand to catch your breath. And when you manage to pick yourself back up, Seokmin's already peering at you with an amused look.
"What was that?" he asks airily, arching up a single brow. "Did you just run away from your roommate?"
"Be quiet," You hiss back at him, attempting to shove him but failing miserably. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Uh-huh, you hear that?" Seokmin taunts annoyingly, tapping his foot on the ground. "That's the sound of jealousy."
You gulp down a lump in your throat. He's right. You are jealous.
"Dammit," You curse to yourself. "The whole fake dating thing... It was stupid. I thought that, maybe, if Mingyu got jealous, it would mean something. But now, seeing him with that girl..."
"It hit you hard."
"Yeah," You finish simply. "It did."
"And so..." Seokmin lightly nudges you with his hip. "what will the answer be?"
You only narrow your eyes at him, and the resigned sigh that you let out afterwards is enough to send Seokmin's excitement into orbit.
"Yes!" He grabs you by the shoulders and shakes you relentlessly. "I'm getting free food!"
Hours pass, and the ache in your chest hasn't eased.
You find yourself melting into the couch, anxiously tugging the ends of your sleeves as you replay the scene over and over back at the boba place. This stupid plan really had backfired on you big time, like a slap to the face, a punch to the gut, a kick to the heart𑁋all in one go.
Every detail from the way Mingyu and that girl walked in together, the ease with which they interacted, and the pang you felt in your chest from how perfect they appeared right next to each other𑁋it all played on a loop in your mind. You knew now that you have to confront your feelings, but the thought of it makes your stomach twist into a pretzel.
There's some random show playing on the TV in front of you, but you could care less at paying attention to it. The apartment is still quiet since Mingyu wasn't back yet, and you could only clench your fists together in a suppressed fit of panic.
"You're an idiot," You scold yourself, closing your eyes tightly. "A complete idiot. How could you be so stupid𑁋"
A rattle at the locks on the door shuts you up, and maybe the world stops spinning too. You feel yourself sink more into the couch out of anticipation.
When the door swings open, Mingyu steps inside, and you hear the rustling sounds of plastic bags. He peers around the apartment for a moment, and when his eyes land on you, he visibly relaxes.
"Y/N?" Even knowing that he's here, his voice still seems to catch you off-guard every single time. "I brought some ice cream for𑁋"
"I'm not dating Seokmin."
The silence that follows is almost suffocating. Mingyu drops the bag of ice cream on top of the kitchen counter, his gaze still not leaving yours. He blinks a few times, as if processing what you just said.
"You're... not?"
You shake your head, a knot forming in your throat. This is it.
"No, Gyu, I'm not dating him," You clarify, tone more serious this time. "We never dated. It was all fake."
All Mingyu does is continue to stand there under the dim lighting of the kitchen light. You can hardly decipher the expression on his face; it was something between confusion and surprise. You try to catch for signs of disappointment, but when he steps a tad bit closer to you, your mind goes a bit haywire.
"Why?" he finally questions after what seems like an eternity.
You take in a deep breath. "I was... I was stupid, okay? I... I thought that if I could make you jealous, it would mean something. That it would mean..." There's a brief pause as you rekindle yourself. "...that you liked me too."
Mingyu's brows furrow slightly in confusion, and you can't tell if the situation is getting worser or not; if the room was getting hotter and your skin was at the point of boiling; if all of this was already tumbling down before your eyes.
"Look, I know we're roommates. But sometimes I think𑁋I feel like there's more to that. We always hug… and flirt, and I..." You purse your lips together as your tongue struggles to grasp the right words. "I like you, okay? I fell for your stupid smile, your stupid hugs, your stupidly good cooking skills. I fell for everything about you. And I couldn't tell you that because I was scared of fucking everything up."
The room seems to hold its breath as you finish speaking. You feel awfully vulnerable right now, like you've laid bare your heart and soul and every single one of your insecurities. Mingyu only remains still, his eyes with surprise. The silence stretches on, and you find yourself gathering your thoughts together as if sensing impending doom.
You let your shoulders slouch in defeat. "It's fine if you don't feel the same way, we could just𑁋"
"I was jealous."
"𑁋pretend all this never happened𑁋what?"
"Of course I was jealous, Y/N." Mingyu runs a hand through his hair, the action all too endearing. "I was stupid too. For not telling you. For not taking the chance when I could. I was jealous when you talked about Seokmin, but I was also a coward for not wanting to screw anything up.”
You could only knit your brows together dazedly, gazing up at him as if he's said a foreign language. "You... were jealous? What about... what about the girl from earlier?"
"She's just a classmate from my English class, and she's interested in one of my other friends. We just happened to cross paths and I offered to grab boba so I could help her with𑁋"
"Shut up," You suddenly say firmly, and Mingyu does immediately, his focused, half-lidded eyes boring down into yours with a look that sends a jump to your stomach. That was all that you need to hear.
He's practically looming above you. You don't recall how exactly he got closer to you but you have nothing in you to complain. If anything, your feet drag you closer toward him, close enough you're able to smell the faint scent of his cologne and perhaps hear the way his heart is beating just as fast as yours.
With one of your hands, you reach up slowly, letting your fingers toy carefully with the collar of his shirt as you search his eyes for any sign of hesitation. But Mingyu's gaze softens, probably like it always has when he's with you, his breath hitching slightly as your touch lingers on his shirt, curling more into the fabric.
Then your lips tug up into a faint smirk, and you pull him down just slightly.
"Don't make me regret this, Kim Mingyu," is all you say before closing the gap and pressing your mouth against his.
He nearly melts right there at the touch of your lips together, but it doesn’t take him long to be kissing you back with more desperation than you expected. His hands slowly draw down your sides, bringing you even further into his embrace. The briefest contact of the tips of his fingers under your shirt makes you tense.
“I won’t,” he whispers in between kisses. “I won’t.”
summary: in which a petty argument over doughnuts made you fall for your boyfriend harder than ever.
pairing: choi seungcheol x fem!reader
genre: fluff, established relationship
warnings: kisses, nicknames, funny mentions of the word crime and bomb as a joke.
w/c: 1k
nia’s notes: i loved writing this, it was so much fun. can you guys tell i'm craving doughnuts? anyways enjoy this fic!!.
Choi Seungcheol was a force on nature. He was terrifying. His members knew that, the staff knew that, even the fans. But if there was one person, who wasn't scared of Seungcheol, rather Seungcheol being terrified off, it was you.
The previous night, Seungcheol committed a serious crime and since then he was scared shitless of what was going to happen to him. Thankfully, he had left early in the morning, before you had time to figure out what he had done.
But now that it was lunchtime, he expected you to open the fridge in your house, only to find the last doughnut missing. Seungcheol shuddered in his seat as he thought about your reaction, at least he had the rest of the day to figure out how to fix his mistake, or that's what he had thought.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you guys but I invited yn to hang out after lunch, she should be here in around 10 minutes." Seungkwan dropped the bomb on the team and while everyone was happy to see the leader's girlfriend, Seungcheol felt his heart drop. He was done for.
"Why would you do that?!" Seungcheol's sudden shout confused the rest of the members. It was obvious he looked scared.
"Hyung, what did you do?" Dino asked bluntly, making the other snicker and laugh at Seungcheol's feigned offence.
"What makes you think that I did something? I did nothing." Seungcheol was lying straight out of his teeth and it was obvious. Everyone was staring at Seungcheol with a knowing grin, they were sitting in a circle on the floor of their dance studio, eating their lunch.
"We know for a fact, you could never be mad at yn and also you look super guilty right now, it's hilarious." Mingyu chuckled at the oldest's face but stopped when he felt the deadly glare directed his way.
Just as Seungcheol was about to rebut, the door of the dance studio opened and you walked in, smiling at everyone but your boyfriend. "Hi, guys!!" You beamed as you found a spot between Hoshi and Jeonghan to sit down.
Seungcheol almost immediately stood up and walked towards you, needy for your attention and ready to beg for your forgiveness for his grave crimes.
"Sit down." Your tone darkened immediately when you sensed our boyfriend walking towards you—all the smiles and happiness from talking to his teammates aka your friends, had vanished.
"Yes ma'am." Seungcheol turned around without hesitation and went back to his place with zero arguments. He knew he was in the wrong for eating your favourite doughnut which also was the last one in the household. The other boys in the room snickered at their scary leader's fear for his girlfriend.
The rest of the lunch went fairly roughly for Seungcheol. Every time he tried to make eye contact or smile at his girlfriend, you either scowled or rolled your eyes which earned a wince from Seungcheol. And every time, Seungcheol tried to talk to you, one of his members would pull you away for advice or to talk, it was infuriating.
An hour later, Seungcheol's pathetic attempts to make you notice him still failed miserably and it was finally time for you to leave. Just as you were about to leave the room and walk towards the elevator, Seungcheol caught your hand and pulled you to his private studio.
You looked at him expectantly, ready for him to talk. "What?" You crossed your arms and raised your eyebrow.
"I'm sorry baby. I know how much you wanted to eat that doughnut, I shouldn't have eaten it. I'll buy you all the doughnuts you want when we get home. Hmm? Please take pity on your obsessed boyfriend and forgive him." Seungcheol rested his arms on your waist, pulling you closer with each passing second. He raised one hand to move a stray strand of hair away from your face.
Even though you were angry at him, your boyfriend was very loving and attentive, to say the least. "No, I won't forgive you." But you small smile on your lips and your eyes that shone with humility and amusement spoke otherwise.
Seungcheol smiled as he knew he won you over. "Please. Please." He started to sway, taking you with him, and pout while looking at you with puppy eyes. You tried to look disgusted but burst out into laughter when Seungcheol started to do aegyo.
"Ok. Ok. I forgive you if you stop doing that thing you call aegyo, it's weird." You laughed and wrapped your arms around Seungcheol's neck to pull him in.
The both of you smiled and your boyfriend pulled you into a hug. "Thank you for forgiving me. I'll order 5 boxes of doughnuts to the house after you leave." Seungcheol muttered against your neck while your smile only grew.
"Remember, I'm letting you go easy today because you didn't know any better but next time," You pulled away for dramatic effects and became deadly serious. "You'll be sleeping on the couch for a month."
Seungcheol's smile dropped as fear overtook him. "No, you can't do that. I won't be able to sleep at all, you know that." Your boyfriend's voice wobbled at the scenario where he'd actually have to sleep elsewhere.
"Don't eat my food then, idiot." You smiled again, patting your boyfriend on his back.
"Lesson learned, baby." Seungcheol grinned looking at you with hearts in his eyes, which you reciprocated. Seungcheol leaned down to kiss you, and smiled when you kissed him back.
Later that day, you found the promised 5 boxes of doughnuts on your kitchen table and your boyfriend standing in your kitchen, learning the cooking process for your favourite food. You loved Seungcheol, but you fell harder in that moment when he went out of his way to make you happy, you knew you found the right one for you.
pairing - est!relationship wonwoo x reader
genre - tooth-rotting fluff
word count - 264
warnings - nothing
synopsis - "tell me more, i love you."
a/n - HBD TO MY LOVE!!!! he's such a loser in this lmao i love him <3
jeon wonwoo is just so in love with you. in love with the way you get so absorbed into small things. and he doesn't care when his members tease him about it, he'll admit he is a loser for you because he really is.
he loves when you are watching/reading something new and thats all you can talk about for one week. he loves the adorable spark in your eyes when you ramble for hours about a character you particularly like/dislike.
"oh yeah, and he had the audacity to say-" you rambled, as he watched you from beside smiling proudly. no, he didn't get a single clue about what you were saying but they way you spoke about it with stars practically in your eyes was enough. he didn't have to understand.
"mhm.. thats crazy, how could he?" wonwoo remarked, simply playing along with whatever you have been talking about. it must've been the new manga that he bought for you after you mentioned about how much you wanted a new one.
"yeah right? literal red flag-" you go on, no stop to your words. and he just listens patiently, he loves this. he loves the hoodie you put on today, he loves your pretty face, loves your voice, he really could be content with doing this for the rest of his life.
and he listens, he listens till you get tired and your eyes subconsciously close, head resting on his shoulder. he smiles softly, looking at you as if you hanged up the stars. and in his humble opinion, you did.
"not again." you groan, turning around to face yourself with yet another problem: your boyfriend is missing.
if you had a dime for every time you lost seungcheol in your 3 years of dating, you would be filthy rich. how a person could be so bad at directions is beyond you, but nevertheless, you still love him all the same.
you attempt to jump a little, trying to see if you can at least spot his bright red hair he sported recently (you urged him to dye it under the guise of saying you missed his cherry hair, but in reality, it was just to help you find him in large crowds), but to no avail, you could only see heads of brown and black hair, with a couple of hats here and there.
"OH MY-"
you jolt as you felt someone poke your waist, whipping your head around to face the culprit, and you're met with seungcheol's face, adorning a cheeky smirk as his flaming red hair softly falls over his forehead.
"i thought i lost you, princess," he pouts, pulling out something from behind him. you scowl at him, your eyes catching a glimpse of what looked like a keychain, and any thoughts of scolding him immediately wash away as you realize what he was holding.
your eyes widen as seungcheol dangles the little pochacco keychain in front of you, the character looking like it was jumping in the air, with a green wristband saying 'pochacco' on it. he hands it to you, kissing your temple as he guides you to walk forward, his arm coming down to rest on your side.
"i saw you admiring it, but you didn't say anything to me. so i just decided to buy it last minute." seungcheol smiles down at you, feigning hurt at the fact that you didn't take advantage of how much money he's willing to spend on you (aka the love of his life).
you immediately intertwine your fingers with his, bringing his hand up to peck it softly as a silent 'thank you', and seungcheol hums, softly squeezing your hand in response.
synopsis: yn ln is a well-known influencer talking about who talks bout love & how to get over heartbreak/rejection based off her past experience. since her first year in GOSE university as a sociology/psychology major, she’s had a crush on Joshua Hong. This did not go unnoticed by her classmate—academic rival, Yoon Jeonghan, who pledges to help her date his best friend. But what happens when the matchmaker begins to fall for the one he’s supposed to matchmaker? And what if his best friend reveals something that would ruin everything that developed between him and yn?
YN leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her desk like a seasoned late-night host who definitely had her life together and had never once cried into a tub of chocolate ice cream at 2:13am while rewatching old messages.
“Alright,” she said smoothly, brushing an invisible speck of dust off her sleeve. “Let’s talk about heartbreak.”
Her room was perfectly curated in that effortless way that actually required approximately three hours of moving things two centimetres to the left.
Soft lamp glow? Check.
Plant that she watered twice a week and spoke to encouragingly? Check.
Neutrals with a pop of sage green? Obviously.
She tilted her head just enough for the light to catch her cheekbone.
Professional.
Composed.
Dangerously persuasive.
“So,” she continued, clasping her hands together, “if someone rejects you… or ghosts you… or suddenly ‘needs to focus on themselves’ right after you emotionally invest—first of all?”
She smiled sweetly.
“That’s embarrassing for them.”
Beat.
Then she lifted a finger.
“Rule number one: rejection is not a reflection of your worth. It’s a reflection of their inability to recognise a spectacular opportunity.”
A pause for dramatic effect.
She had mastered the pause.
“You are not hard to love. You are not too much. You are simply offering champagne to someone who only drinks tap water.”
She let that settle.
Somewhere in the future, comments would explode.
queen behaviour
say it louder
tap water is CRAZY
YN leaned closer.
“Now rule number two — and this one is important — stop romanticising people who do the bare minimum.”
Her expression sharpened slightly.
“If the bar is on the floor and they still manage to trip over it, that is not someone you cry over. That is someone you block.”
She snapped her fingers once.
Clean.
Efficient.
Therapeutic.
“Heartbreak feels catastrophic because we attach meaning to it. But really? It’s just emotional withdrawal. Your brain got used to a dopamine source, and now it’s throwing a tantrum.”
She smiled again.
Sympathetic.
Understanding.
Mildly savage.
“You don’t need closure. You need perspective.”
She reached over and tapped the camera lightly.
“And perspective is this: the right person will not make you question whether you matter.”
A small inhale.
Then, softer—
“You shouldn’t have to audition for someone who already sees you.”
Silence filled the room for half a second.
Perfect.
She ended with a reassuring nod.
“You’re going to be okay. I promise.”
Click.
Recording stopped.
Immediately, she collapsed backwards into her chair.
“…I deserve an award,” she muttered to the ceiling.
Because delivering emotional wisdom was exhausting.
Her phone buzzed almost instantly.
Upload successful.
She grinned.
Another video for the masses.
Another reminder that she, YN — sociology and psychology double major, heartbreak whisperer, reluctant campus micro-celebrity — absolutely knew what she was talking about.
Her stomach growled.
Right.
Food.
Also class.
Preferably in that order, but the universe was cruel.
She shoved her laptop into her bag, grabbed a protein bar she would forget to eat, and bolted out the door.
--
The campus buzzed with mid-morning energy — bicycles whizzing past, conversations stacking on top of each other, someone laughing too loudly at something that definitely was not that funny.
YN weaved through it all with practised ease.
Until she saw him.
Joshua Hong.
Standing near the entrance to the social sciences building.
Sunlight practically framed him like the universe itself had hired a lighting crew.
He was laughing at something his friend said, head tipped back slightly, eyes crinkling.
And YN—
Stopped.
Functionally.
Emotionally.
Spiritually.
Crush status: terminal.
Her brain, usually a powerhouse of analysis and rationality, shut down like someone had pulled the emergency plug.
Look at him.
Just look.
Tall without being intimidating.
Warm without trying.
The kind of smile that made you feel like you’d just been handed a blanket fresh from the dryer.
She had liked him since first year orientation.
It had begun innocently.
A shared pen.
A group discussion.
One time he remembered her preferred coffee order.
Which was honestly a dangerous level of attentiveness.
Ever since then, her feelings had grown steadily, like a houseplant she absolutely should have pruned but instead watered aggressively.
Did he know?
Probably not.
Hopefully not.
Dear universe, please not.
She started walking again.
Forward.
Toward the building.
Toward Joshua.
Tow—
Oh.
Oh no.
He was looking at her.
Abort mission.
Too late.
He stepped forward just as she reached the glass doors and pulled one open.
For her.
He smiled.
Actually smiled.
Not polite-smiled.
Not stranger-smiled.
Warm-smiled.
“Morning.”
Her brain disconnected from her body.
“Hi,” she croaked.
Excellent.
Strong.
Charismatic.
She stepped through the doorway—
—and immediately walked straight toward the adjacent glass panel.
THUNK.
Not full impact.
But enough.
Enough that time itself seemed to pause out of second-hand embarrassment.
Joshua’s eyes widened.
“Whoa— careful.”
His hand hovered near her elbow, not quite touching.
Concern radiated off him.
Concern.
For her.
She wanted to dissolve into the floor.
“I meant to do that,” she said quickly.
He blinked.
“…You meant to walk into the glass?”
“Yes.”
A beat.
“Testing structural integrity.”
Why.
Why would she say that.
Joshua’s mouth twitched.
He was trying not to laugh.
Which was somehow worse than if he just had.
“Well,” he said gently, “it seems structurally sound.”
She nodded, pretending this was a perfectly normal exchange between two psychologically stable adults.
“Good. Excellent. Love that.”
She speed-walked inside before her dignity could suffer further casualties.
Behind her, Joshua chuckled softly.
It echoed.
Repeatedly.
In her soul.
She pressed a hand to her face.
Recover. Recover. Recover.
You are an influencer who gives advice to thousands.
You cannot perish because a boy held a door.
She made it halfway down the corridor before a voice drifted lazily from behind her.
“Well.”
Slow.
Amused.
Dangerous.
“I’ve seen many mating rituals in my life, but headbutting architecture is a new one.”
YN froze.
She did not need to turn around to know who it was.
Yoon Jeonghan.
Academic rival.
Professional menace.
Owner of the most irritatingly observant brain on campus.
She turned anyway.
He leaned against the wall like he’d been there for hours purely to witness her humiliation.
Arms crossed.
Eyes sparkling with delight.
“You saw nothing,” she said.
“Oh, I saw everything.”
He pushed off the wall and fell into step beside her.
“On a scale from one to catastrophic, how would you rate that performance?”
“It was a demonstration,” she snapped.
“Of?”
“What not to do.”
“Ah,” he nodded thoughtfully. “Educational. Very public service of you.”
She quickened her pace.
He matched it effortlessly.
Annoying.
“Tell me,” he went on, “is this strategy part of your broader romantic plan, or was today a special event?”
“I do not have a romantic plan.”
“You walked into a wall because he smiled.”
“That is a gross misinterpretation of events.”
“You’re right,” he said. “The wall walked into you.”
She stopped abruptly.
“So help me, if you repeat this to anyone—”
“Relax,” he said lightly. “I value this too much to share. Premium entertainment should be savoured.”
She glared.
He smiled wider.
Curse his symmetrical face.
They resumed walking.
Students streamed around them, but Jeonghan remained laser-focused.
Then he tilted his head, studying her with unsettling precision.
“You realise,” he said casually, “you stare at him like he’s the last helicopter out of a zombie apocalypse.”
She inhaled wrong.
Air went somewhere it absolutely should not.
She coughed violently.
Jeonghan waited.
Patient.
Smug.
When she could finally breathe again, she wheezed, “I do not.”
“You do.”
“I don’t!”
“You track his movements like a wildlife documentary narrator.”
“I do no such thing!”
“If I handed you binoculars, would you thank me?”
She made a strangled noise.
“Why are you like this?”
“Observant?”
“Insufferable.”
“Synonyms,” he said cheerfully.
She narrowed her eyes.
“And why, exactly, are you monitoring where I look?”
“Psychology major,” he replied smoothly. “Human behaviour fascinates me.”
“You’re a menace.”
“I prefer ‘scholar.’”
She groaned.
They reached the lecture hall.
Students filtered inside.
Jeonghan held the door open this time.
She hesitated.
He lifted a brow.
“Go on. It’s safe. I checked for glass.”
She contemplated violence.
Instead, she walked in with as much dignity as possible.
Which was not much.
They took their usual seats — opposite ends of the same row, because neither would surrender the superior viewing angle of the lecturer’s slides.
Rivalry was about principles.
She pulled out her notebook.
He did the same.
A silent competition began immediately.
Who wrote faster.
Who asked sharper questions.
Who would inevitably score higher.
Halfway through the lecture, she risked a glance sideways.
Jeonghan was already looking at her.
He smiled lazily.
She scowled and looked away.
Focus.
Notes.
Cognitive frameworks.
Attachment theory.
Do not think about Joshua.
Do not think about how he smelled faintly like cedar.
Do not—
A folded piece of paper landed beside her notebook.
She stared at it.
Slowly opened it.
Inside:
step one: stop concussing yourself in front of your crush
Her pen pressed so hard into the paper she nearly tore it.
She scribbled back.
step one for YOU: mind your business
The reply came seconds later.
my business is human tragedy. yours is unfolding beautifully
She kicked his chair.
He did not even flinch.
Infuriating.
When class ended, she stuffed her things into her bag with unnecessary aggression.
Jeonghan stretched leisurely.
“Lunch?” he asked.
“With you? I’d rather walk into another wall.”
“Don’t tempt fate.”
She slung her bag over her shoulder.
Then paused.
Joshua stood near the front, chatting with someone.
Her gaze betrayed her.
Just for a second.
Jeonghan saw.
Of course he saw.
He always saw.
Something flickered behind his eyes then — quick, unreadable — before amusement returned.
He looked back at her.
Then, very casually, he said:
“You know… I could help you.”
She frowned.
“With what?”
He tilted his head toward Joshua.
“With that.”
Her stomach flipped.
“Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“Because you would sabotage me for sport.”
He considered this.
“…Fifty percent true.”
She turned to leave.
He caught up easily.
“I’m serious,” he said. “You like him. He’s oblivious. It’s inefficient.”
“I do not need your help.”
“You walked into a window.”
“That was unrelated!”
He studied her a moment longer.
Then smiled slowly.
Strategically.
“Oh,” he said, almost to himself.
“This is going to be fun.”
She stopped again.
“Excuse me?”
He met her gaze, something sharp and knowing settling into place.
And just like that, the air shifted.
Rivalry sparked brighter.
Challenge accepted.
a/n: sry for the lack of updates. hope this alm 2000 word chpt makes up for it
