For the nth time tonight, I plastered the fakest smile on my lips as I tried my best to not roll my eyes. What wrong did I do to be thrusted into a situation like this? All I wanted was to go home and rest after a long day from work but no… I’m here, having dinner with an absolute stranger, my best friend and her boyfriend.
He said another joke but I barely understood the punchline. Oh, wait. Was there even a punchline? My ears hurt as it listened to the sound of my fake laughter.
Oh God, save me please. I don’t think I can last another minute with this stranger who only kept on bragging about how high tech his vehicle is. I wished I timed it because I’m pretty sure that he’s taken up 20 minutes just talking about its features and all the wonderful things it can do.
I rolled my eyes, unable to hold it in anymore as my eyes landed on the group at the table next to us. They were a group of 7 guys, probably friends, and they seemed to be having a good time. I heavily sighed as I watched in envy. One of them, the closest one to our table, turned to look at my direction and he met my eyes.
He was the whitest of the group and he had a really distinguishable nose, which was cute. His lips lifted into a consoling smile as he eyed me. I almost laughed when he looked at the stranger in front of me before rolling his eyes. Before his friends even noticed, he broke our short moment and I was brought back by the man in front of me to the conversation at hand.
“Hey. Were you listening?”
No, I obviously wasn’t Joe. Geez, I can’t even remember his name. “Sorry, something was on my mind. What were you saying?”
“So you know how my car is powered by…” Once again, his voice faded and just became white noise along with all the background sounds in the restaurant.
I was about to follow-up our dinner but it seemed like something went right for once. The food finally arrived. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I saw how large the serving was. On a normal day, I’d be able to finish the bowl in front of me but today, my appetite took a vacation because of the annoying human in front of me.
I did my best to eat normally but he probably noticed me not eating as much.
“Not hungry?” He asked though he sounded a little annoyed.
“No,” I shortly answered, not wanting to engage in any conversation with him.
I had to stop myself from glaring at him when he scoffed, “Oh, wow. I thought you’d be able to finish that easily. Maybe we should’ve ordered you something for ladies. Hm… Like a salad? Are you on a diet?”
My hold on the chopsticks tightened as he smirked. I was biting on my tongue, trying my damned hardest not to lash out. Every second I spent here was just going to waste. I should be home and resting. Not wanting to let him walk all over me, I ate my meal and finished it.
“You okay?” My best friend finally decided to ask, thank the heavens!
“A little sleepy,” I tightly smiled. I was tired from working for the whole day and then I’m being exposed to this jerk in front of me. I’m surprised my energy hasn’t been fully drained yet but I’m sure that I’m about to reach that point. Just a little more and I’d probably be seeing red.
Once again, he tried to say something value-adding. “You just ate and now you’re sleepy?” He chuckled while shaking his head. “Damn, what are you? Some kind of pig? Isn’t that what pigs do, eat and then sleep?”
My jaw literally dropped at the rudeness. I was about to say something but I realized that I shouldn’t stoop down to his low level. I forced a smile and tried to laugh but all that came out was a string of dead ha’s.
For the rest of the meal, I barely spoke and just stayed on my phone. He even invited me to watch a movie afterwards but I quickly shot him down. Who in their right mind would agree to watch a movie after getting insulted? We were just waiting for the bill and we’ll be ready to go.
“Oh,” he seemed to remember. “Right. Where do you live again?”
Why the hell does he want to know?
“Somewhere around Insadong,” I simply answered.
He nodded once. “Okay. Oh, just so you don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not taking you home. I just want to know where I’ll be dropping you off,”
My blood boiled. I wanted to throw a fit. I was about to snap at him that I wasn’t asking him to take me home but embarrassment managed to take over my whole being as I sat there. My heart was pounding not because I was happy and giddy but because I felt greatly disrespected. I was still trying to collect myself to give a proper response when I heard the sound of a chair screeching.
“Hi,” an unknown person said. My eyes widened when I looked at who it was. The man I had a small moment with was now standing beside me while his eyes were shining with controlled rage and annoyance. “Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation given how loudly you were talking,”
I bit my lip, feeling humiliated once again that this stranger was doing something like this.
“Don’t you have any manners? You keep talking about your car and how you take care of it but you don’t even know how to take care of a lady’s feelings,” he shook his head as he turned to me. The man gently grabbed my wrist and carefully pulled me up.
“What are you doing?” I uttered.
“Taking you home unlike the douchebag in front of you,” he simply said before he was tugging me out of the restaurant.
He kept on walking while I was trying to match his pace from behind. Let me tell you, it was difficult given that he had longer legs than I do. What in the world did I do again to be dragged by a man? A good-looking man at that.
Finally, he stopped at a bench in a nearby park. He sat down on it while I just eyed him weirdly.
“Is this how you’re taking me home?”
He chuckled as he shook his head. “No but I thought you might want to breathe for a little while. It was suffocating back there,” he gently smiled at me. The way the lamp post lit his features was beautiful. “Sit,”
Hesitantly, I sat on the space beside him but I didn’t stay too close to him. Who knows what this man might do to me. The sound of leaves rustling and dancing along with the wind filled our ears along with the faint sounds of cars and buses in the city. I smiled at the comfort it brought.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that,” I told him after a while. I was absent-mindedly picking at my fingers as I did so. “You didn’t have to do something like that,”
The man scoffed. “I can’t just sit there while someone was getting disrespected. No woman should have to deal with that kind of situation,”
I gently smiled. “Thanks. I guess… I just didn’t like it that someone had to stand up for me but I really appreciate it,”
“It’s not a problem at all. Don’t mind that guy. He’s just a speck of dust in this world,”
I chuckled. “While you’re a diamond after the heroics you did?”
A wide grin settled on his lips as his eyes shone in the dark. “Maybe,”
“Okay, Mr. Diamond,” I softly laughed. “What’s your name? So I can thank you properly,”
He shook his head. “You’ve thanked me enough. Sitting here and chatting with me is enough for a thank you. Actually, leaving that place was enough thanks. I had to leave my friends but they’d understand,”
“Boo hoo,” I faked. “Okay fine. What’s your name?”
“Changsub,” he warmly smiled.
I nodded as I introduced myself as well. “Thank you, Changsub,”
Author’s Note: Was torn between a happy or sad ending, but let’s stop hurting ourselves and poor Changsub AHAHAHA
---
Your name: submit What is this?
---
“Then why are they saying that?!” She squealed, tears forming in her eyes.
He ran both of his hand through his hair, messing it up as he took a deep breath. “It really wasn’t like what you think it is! Stop being so childish!”
And that was the last thing he said to her, before everything changed.
Her lips trembled as a tear fell from the corner of her eye. She turned around, her hair covering her face as she turned around and ran. But little did she know, it was a road she ran towards.
Everything happened in a flash. It all happened right in front of his eyes; her body flew onto the car windscreen, tumbled down and onto the floor with a thud. He couldn’t seem to move a muscle, and after a while, he ran towards her, who was covered with blood, and hugged her, while screaming all his might out.
A month later
He was frustrated from work and had no mood for anything else. All he wanted to do is to hug her in his arms, and take in her scent, which never fails to calm him down. His phone rang, earning an annoyed groan from him. He picked it up without checking the caller.
“Hello?”
“Is that Mr Lee? Ms Y/N is awake.”
And a simple sentence was enough to make time stop around him.
~~
“Are you Mr Lee?” The doctor in white came to him. He nodded, glancing to his girlfriend through the ward’s window.
“This way please.”
He took his seat on the chair next to the doctor’s chair as he took out the reports. Giving a deep sigh, he pushed his glasses back and said, “I’m afraid she’s gonna have amnesia. The impact on her head was pretty big when she landed on the floor”
He didn’t know how to react, his mind went blank and all he did was to stare at the doctor, expressionless.
“Her memory will be back, but it depends on case to case basis, some took a week or so, some took a year. In the meantime, do not stress her out too much.”
He opened the door to her ward cautiously as the nurse attended to her. Upon hearing my arrival, the nurse finished up and took her leave, leaving the both of us.
“Hi,” he said with his signature smile, the ends of his eyes bended downwards. She looked up at him, her head wrapped with bandage. Hesitation filled her eyes as he made his way towards the side of her bed.
“Who - who are you?” She quietly asked. And that was enough to break his heart.
“I’m your boyfriend.” He gently explained, giving her a small smile to cover his sadness.
She bit her lips and nodded, her eyes wandering downwards to her bed, as if she was trying to register the fact. Guilt swallowed him up as he studied her, if only he didn’t say what he said, if only he had the time stone like Doctor Strange, he would turn back time and make things right. He would’ve hugged her tight and calm her down, for it wasn’t her being childish, she was being insecure.
If only.
~~
“I’ll be outside if you need me,” he said after placing her bag onto the floor. He pulled out a few of her own clothes for her as she reeked of the hospital smell. She hesitantly took the clothes before heading to the bathroom for a shower. He sighed, falling backwards onto the bed as he rubbed his temple.
She exited the bathroom, her towel wrapped around her wet hair. He gazed up at her, it felt like old days, just that she’s different.
“Are we -” She paused to clear her throat. “Sleeping together?” She asked awkwardly.
He digested the question, something that hadn’t cross his mind. Of course she’ll find it awkward, despite the fact that he’s her boyfriend, but she couldn’t remember him at all.
“Well, I can sleep outside the couch if that makes you uncomfortable.” He announced, fetching his pillow and an extra blanket before heading out. She eyed him leaving, his back showing his disappointment. She felt sorry, but she couldn’t help herself for suggesting that.
A month of sleeping on the couch, a month of no past memories, a month without the old her.
He sighed as he drove back home, the jam added to his frustration level. He honked for the hundredth time now, followed by other drivers honking. “Great, can’t you just move?” He groaned.
Finally, home sweet home. He pushed the door open and was greeted by burning smell. Frowning and confused at what was happening, he hurriedly ran to the kitchen, afraid something bad happened. He found her in front of the stove, coughing at the smoke released from the burning pot.
“What happened?” He asked, throwing everything on hand onto the dining table.
“Oh, you’re back.” She turned around and smiled at him, unlike her usual self for the past one month. “I thought of making your favourite pumpkin soup, but clearly something went wrong.” She pouted cutely, glancing at the mess she made.
“You - you remembered?” He felt himself trembling, in excitement, in happiness, in relief.
“I was looking through our photo albums there and - “ She was cut off by his lips attaching to hers, as he kissed her desperately. She let out a shocked squeal, taking her by surprise. They pulled back, smiling down at each other. He pulled her into his embrace, hugging the air out of her. He felt tears in his eyes, sniffing his nose as he buried his face into her shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, Y/N. I shouldn't have said that, I’m so sorry, it was all my fault I -” She stopped him by placing her index finger on his lips, as she hushed him quiet.
“Stop blaming yourself, I’m fine now.” She smiled sweetly at him, reassuring him through her eyes.
Summary: All he has been was just someone by the side, caring for her in the shadows.
Author’s Note: Yay yay a changsub x reader x hyunsik fluff!
---
Your name: submit What is this?
---
“Why are you two fighting?” She squealed, stopping the two guys.
“I told him I’ll marry you in the future!” Changsub said.
“I’m the one who will marry you!” Hyunsik added.
She laughed. “I’m never getting married, guys.”
~~
“Hey,” Changsub started. She looked up from her ice-cream, licking the remaining off her spoon. “Remember that time when you said you’re never getting married?” She narrowed her eyes as the wheels in her head were working hard to make her remember.
“That one time when the two of you fought for that reason?” She asked as she dug out another mouth of ice-cream. Changsub nodded.
“What about it?” She asked as she took another mouth full of ice-cream.
“Are you serious about not getting married?” The question caught her of guard.
She shrugged. “I have no plans now, actually. That was when we were four, sixteen years ago, and you two had the most childish reason to fight.” She ended with a smirk. Changsub laughed at the font memory as well.
“What about you?” She asked, nudging him a little. He looked up at the night sky and sighed.
“I don’t know if that girl will like me back.” He replied, sadness filled his voice. She frowned while digging into her ice-cream.
“Well, have you tried?”
He shook his head as an answer. “Never thought of it, it must be just a one-sided crush and I don’t mind letting it die off when she does find someone.”
~~
The three of them gathered once again one night. This time, a farewell. Hyunsik has decided to pursue his studies in China, and he’s leaving the next day.
“To our friendship!” Their glasses touched each other as they toasted for their past, present and future. Gulping the whole liquid down, their first glasses were empty in no time. They exchanged memories and small talks as the night deepened. Changsub decided not to drink beer with them as someone had to be the driver of the night. With Y/N’s face reddening, Changsub tried to stop her from drinking. Hyunsik’s a good drinker, so he was wide awake with Changsub.
“Y/N, you gotta chill with that.” Changsub said. Hyunsik agreed to him, cupping her hand as she held onto her glass. She swung her hand out of his, startling him with her rough action.
“Hyunsik, why can’t you see it?” She mumbled. The two boys looked at each other, not understanding the situation.
“All you treated me was just a best friend. I don’t want! I want to be something more than a friend!” Hyunsik shifted uncomfortably on his seat as she continued mumbling something coherently. Changsub scratched the back of his head, before suggesting to go home.
Hyunsik called a cab himself, saying he needed to settle something before his morning flight. Changsub took care of Y/N, driving her home. He stole glances of her who fell asleep as soon as she got into the car. He sighed, her words running through his head.
So she eventually chose Hyunsik.
He carefully tucked her to bed, all these time she was mumbling in her sleep. Changsub left to fetch a pail of water to clean her. The sight of her sound asleep, made him sigh at himself. For the things he had been feeling. Before he stood up to leave, he heard her mumble again. “Hyunsik..”
One name, one heart break.
~~
Morning came and she grumbled at her migraine. Cursing at herself for drinking so much, she sat up and realized she was home. Figuring that it was Changsub who helped her, she reached out for her phone which was seated on the side table. But a post-it note caught her attention.
“Take the hangover pills. Call me once you’re awake.” It read. She recognized it as Changsub’s handwriting. She popped the pills into her mouth and swallowed it with the aid of water. She dialed Changsub’s number and the line came alive after a few rings.
“Hey,” his voice chirped.
“Hello,” she said lifelessly.
“You had the pills?”
She nodded, but realizing he couldn't see her. “Yup.”
“Get some rest today. I’m coming over with some food.” Something in his voice made her couldn’t say no.
“Ok,” she whispered before he hung up. Glancing at her room clock, Hyunsik must be in the plane by now, on the way to Shanghai. She sighed and forced herself out of the bed, getting out from her clothings that reeked of alcohol. She hardly drink so hard outside, but the fact that she was with the two of them, she felt trusted and safe.
After washing up and drying her hair, she made herself a cup of coffee to calm herself down. She felt the hot liquid flow down her throat and sat in her stomach. She started wrecking her brain to remember if she did anything silly last night, hoping nothing happened.
The time was late morning when she woke up. And at one pm, someone was at the door. She got up to open it, and Changsub came strolling in with bags of takeaway in his hands. He placed it on the dining table, before fishing her lunch out.
“Got you some mac and cheese too.” He added after naming all the things he brought. She eyed the table full of food, feeling her stomach growling already.
He picked up his own meal and headed towards the couch as she thought of what to eat first. Finally deciding with a bowl of fried rice, she joined him at the couch next to him. Their knees touching each other. He tried to ignore the feeling of her soft skin against his, but he was so distracted he didn’t even notice what was on the TV.
“Hey, I didn’t do anything stupid last night right?” She asked, shifting slightly to face him. Her bare knee now touching his thighs. He gulped before turning to face her, and shook his head no.
“Why do I feel that something went wrong last night?” She thought out loud before scooping another mouth of rice.
“Don’t overthink.” He simply replied, not liking the taste if he ever were to spill the beans. Her attention diverted back to the TV as she finished the rice. She left the couch to get the mac and cheese he got specially for her. Something else in the bag caught her attention.
“You got me the truffle fries from that store?” And that store is at least an hour and a half drive from their place, for they live near each other.
“Was on the way from there so thought of dropping by to get one for you.” But that wasn’t even near the truth.
She held both of her favourite food in her hands and skipped to the couch happily, landing on the spot she was at earlier on. She started munching on the food, and mumbled a thanks.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” He jokingly scolded her. She frowned and gave him her playful look. Changsub’s phone vibrated and he pulled it out. Hyunsik’s name flashed on his lockscreen, telling him that he’s in his hostel safe and sound.
“Why didn’t he text me?” Y/N wondered, checking her phone with no notifications from him.
Changsub thought hard if he should tell her what exactly happened. He placed his empty bowl on the coffee table and cleared his throat, attracting her attention. She looked up, knowing he had something to say.
“Y/N, about last night..” He started, but pausing to structure it in his head. “You told Hyunsik you wanted to be more than friends.” She gasped, cupping her mouth with her hand.
“You told me I didn’t do anything silly!” She squealed, feeling betrayed at the same time. He ran his hand down his other arm, not knowing what to reply.
“What did Hyunsik say?” She timidly asked. Changsub shrugged, “he left by himself when I offered to drive him home.”
She slapped her head against the backrest of the couch. Why did she get so drunk in front of them to blabber that out?
“And, I may be leaving the country as well.” Changsub continued. Y/N looked up at him, shocked at the new piece of information.
“What? Why?”
“The company is setting a branch in the States and they may be sending me over.” Changsub said, before getting up to throw his empty plastic bowl.
“And you agreed to it?” She asked, feeling her tears at the brim. Her two best friends leaving her, at the same time.
“Well, I thought of starting afresh there.” He paused. “Plus, the girl I like has someone else in her mind.” She eyed his back as he packed the empty takeaways and tied it in the plastic bag.
“Do you really have to go?” She whined. She couldn’t imagine life without them. Without Hyunsik was a big blow for her but without Changsub too?
“It’s an opportunity I choose not to miss, Y/N.” Changsub said, as he exited the kitchen and stood in front of her. She was kneeling on the couch, looking at him when he entered the kitchen.
“But you can’t just leave me.” She continued.
“Don’t you get it, Y/N? Because the girl I’ve been talking about is you!” He exclaimed, raising his voice slightly. She flinched at the sudden rise of volume, and at the fact he just announced. He sighed, running a hand down his face.
“I always knew you like Hyunsik, I could tell. Only Hyunsik is blind to not see it. I thought of trying to court you when he’s no longer here, but after what happened last night, I know I don’t even stand a chance.” His eyes bored into her teary ones as he confessed.
“I thought it was just all my own mistake, thinking that it’s a crush I have on you. But no, it’s more than that but, none of those matters now.”
“But Changsub..” He took out his palm to stop her from continuing.
“It’s fine, I just wanted it out of my chest. I’ll get going now. Take the pills on the table and get more sleep.” And with that, he headed out, the considerate side of him not forgetting the bag of rubbish.
Summary: It seemed like the universe was conspiring against you.
---
Your name: submit What is this?
---
“Can this day get any worse?” I groaned as I honked at the slow car in front of me.
Earlier, I was walking from the parking lot to my work station while sipping on my cup of coffee when a stranger bumped into me causing my drink to spill on my white blouse. I did my best to smile and wave him off despite the annoyance and the hot liquid that stained my clothes. Thank God, I brought a blazer so it covered most of the stain.
I thought that that was it but it was just the start of a terrible day.
…Tripping on my own two feet as I headed to my supervisor’s office.
…My supervisor yelling at me for an error I made in the financial report because of an incorrect data entry. The said report is due tomorrow.
…Bumping into a glass panel because I was trying to think of what to do for the report.
…Having to work overtime when I promised my sister that we’d have dinner together. She sounded sad and annoyed when I told her I couldn’t go.
And now…
My car rumbled before the engine died along with my headlights. I loudly groaned in annoyance as I slowly maneuvered my car to the emergency lane. My heart was pounding because the power steering and the brakes of the car weren’t working anymore.
“Please don’t let me bump into another car,” I kept on chanting. I let out a huge sigh of relief once I got to the emergency lane and pulled on my emergency brake before placing the car on park mode.
All I wanted was to go home and sleep away this bad day but I guess the universe is taking the extra step to lengthen this terrible day. I tried starting the car but there really was nothing happening. Frustrated, I took the key out of the ignition before rummaging through my bag to find my phone.
My eyebrow twitched. “You have got to be kidding me,”
My battery was at 3%. Why, oh why, is this world so cruel to me? I took the risk of calling for a mechanic but it was futile. Our conversation got cut just before I told him my exact location. I wanted to pull out my hair. I wanted to bang my head on the steering wheel.
But I took in a deep breath as I tried to calm myself down. I checked my side view mirror for any oncoming cars. When there were none, I immediately stepped out and set up my early warning device. Though difficult, I tried my best to ask help from other drivers after setting up.
It seemed like my luck really went on vacation because no one was stopping. Most of them probably just wanted to immediately head home and rest for another work day tomorrow. The frustration was starting to get to me the longer I stood there. I was so close to breaking down due to stress. It didn’t help that I was starting to feel hungry too.
An oncoming car started to signal that it was heading right. My heart raced as hope filled my chest. Thankfully, whoever it was pulled over just a few meters away from me.
“Thank you,” I murmured as I waited for whoever it was.
A man wearing a white long sleeved polo and black slacks emerged. When he finally turned to walk towards me, I realized that it was someone from work. I don’t know his name but I’ve seen him multiple times. Of course, I would remember someone with a face like his. A lot of the people in my department would always gush over him but I never bothered to join them even if I found him eye-catching.
“Ah,” he gasped as his eyes were filled with recognition. “(Y/N), right?”
Well, color me surprised. I used to think that only people in my department knew who I was. Or at least, the people I interact with on a regular basis. No one would really pay attention to me, especially because I didn’t fit the country’s standard of beauty. No one would look my way unless they wanted something from me.
“Yes,” I unsurely responded.
He probably felt how awkward I was because he suddenly grinned sheepishly. “Ah. I’m Changsub, by the way. We work in the same company,”
“Oh yeah, yeah,” I smiled. “From the marketing department? I think we’re on the same floor,”
At that, he beamed brightly while nodding and I almost melted. I shook my head. I don’t need this now. I need a way to fix my car and get home.
“So… What’s wrong with your car?”
“It died on me while I was driving. I tried starting it up again but it wouldn’t work. I think my battery’s dead too. My headlights won’t open anymore,”
He grimaced. “Ah… Your alternator’s probably busted too. Have you called the mechanic?”
“No. My phone died too,”
“Unlucky day, huh?” Changsub tried to joke but it just made me feel even worse. The deep frown on my face made him apologize quickly as he fished out his phone. “Wait a minute, let me call my trusted mechanic,”
I nodded and just listened to his conversation. I couldn’t understand most of it aside from the location of where we are and what happened to my car.
“He said he’ll be here in 30 minutes with a tow. He’s bringing in your car to his repair shop. I hope that’s fine with you,”
I dismissively waved a hand. “Yeah, just as long as it gets fixed. Anyway, thanks for the help, Changsub, but I can handle it from here. I’m sure you’re tired too. You should go home,”
He chuckled as if I was joking. “I’ll stay and wait with you. It’s not good for a girl to be alone at this hour on a highway,”
I scoffed as I rolled my eyes. “I can handle myself, thanks,”
“I know,” he genuinely smiled. There was no mocking look on his face nor in his eyes. “I know you can but I’d much rather wait here with you,”
“Changsub,” I sighed. “We both probably had a long day. Go home and rest. I can wait alone,” I continued to press. I felt like a burden to him if I let him stay even if I really wanted him to stay for some company. Of course, the thought of waiting at a highway alone scares me a bit.
The man shook his head as he moved to stand by the side of my car. He leaned back against it and I almost wanted to melt. I never noticed before but he truly is a good-looking man. His features would be illuminated by the headlights of oncoming vehicles. Maybe if I wasn’t stressed, I’d be going crazy that someone like him stopped for someone like me. There’s also the fact that he knew my name even if we’ve never interacted before.
“If I leave, I’m taking you with me and we’re leaving your car here for the mechanic to pick up,” he said. I wasn’t sure if he was playing around with me but all he meant was he really wouldn’t leave me alone.
I rolled my eyes before settling myself beside him. I made sure to leave some space between us. From the corner of my eye, I saw him pulling up the sleeves of his polo to his elbows. I tried my best not to stare but I noticed a tattoo on his right forearm. I wanted to ask what it was but I felt shy so I kept it to myself.
“My mechanic will make sure your car’s in tip top shape when it gets back to you,” he boyishly grinned at me. “I’ve been his customer for years. He never fails me,”
I tightly smiled. I was feeling shy around him but he looked like the chatty kind of person. I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s in marketing, after all. The handful of people I know from his department are extremely talkative.
“How long have you been working in our company?” He asked.
“Around 3 years now. What about you?”
“Oh?” Changsub laughed. “We’re about the same then. Funny how we’ve never met until today,”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you know my name?”
I couldn’t see clearly due to the dim lighting but I think he was blushing. I watched as he shortly bit his lip. “Ah, well… You might find this weird but I asked one of my friends in your department,”
“Oh,” I was honestly surprised that someone would ask about me.
I mean… I wasn’t the prettiest in my department. I’m a bit on the chubbier side. Like I said, no one really looked at me unless they needed something from me. My heart skipped a bit.
Changsub nervously laughed. “It’s just I found you really interesting that day when you stood up to one of your department mates in the hallway. It was break time then and no one was really around. I didn’t know what was happening but she was pushing you around by saying improper things about you and your appearance. I was about to step in but you suddenly told her off without even yelling at her,”
My cheeks felt hot that someone witnessed that embarrassing moment. I couldn’t take it anymore because she kept on hitting my sensitive points. It’s not that I don’t love my body but having to hear someone talking down on me because of my appearance just got onto my nerves.
“Ah,”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up. If it’s any consolation, you really took my breath away. I was impressed and I was happy for you even if I didn’t know you. I thought that you were amazing,”
I bit down on my lip. He needs to stop saying things like those.
“Do you say that to all the girls you meet?” I joked but it seemed like he took it seriously.
“No. I really meant what I said. Since then, you’ve really got my interest,” Changsub looked intently into my eyes as he spoke. I felt his absolute sincerity. Geez, he needs to stop making my heart race.
“But that’s what… a year and a half ago?”
“I know,” he softly smiled. “Ah… Don’t mind me. I just really admired you. I still do,”
A blush dusted my cheeks as I thanked him. Our conversation after that revolved mostly on what we want to do in the future. It was cute how he described that he wanted to build his own marketing firm after a few more years in the company. He wanted to learn more about the industry before doing his own thing. Despite only knowing him today, I felt that he’d make his dream come true.
It wasn’t long until a tow truck came. Changsub and the mechanic did some kind of secret hand shake and I almost rolled my eyes. The man quickly checked my car and what was under the hood. True enough, my battery was drained and my alternator needed to be replaced. I couldn’t drive it under any circumstance so he was going to tow it to his shop. He said it’d take 3 to 4 days to do because he had other clients in line.
I didn’t mind. I could commute to work for a few days. I immediately took out my belongings as he hooked up my car to the truck. Changsub offered to take me home. He didn’t even ask where I live. He just said that he’d take me home even if it was far from his home. The look on his face told me that there was no room for arguments.
As soon as I waved goodbye to my trusted car, Changsub and I went on our way to my place. When I told him where I lived, he just nodded like he knew where that place was. I didn’t bother asking.
The radio was turned on and some rock music was playing. It made me smile. I would sometimes mouth the words of the songs.
“I didn’t know you were into these songs,” he smirked as he kept his eyes on the road. At the stoplight, he glanced at me.
“Now you know,”
“I guess that’s something we have in common,” Changsub chuckled.
For the rest of the way, we would sing along to the radio. I wanted to melt then and there at the sound of his voice. He’d sometimes make his voice raspy to match the vocalist. It made me grin like a lovesick girl.
I’m digging my grave the longer I sat in his car.
“Wait, what?” I uttered when he suddenly turned into the parking of the condominium complex I live in. I watched in shock as he parked his car into one of the designated spaced for unit owners. “You live here too?”
Changsub nodded. “I was surprised that you stay here too but I didn’t say anything. Funny,”
“Really funny,” I mumbled. “What floor do you live on?”
“6th,” he said as we exited his car.
I held onto my things tightly as we walked to the elevator. We both took out our access cards.
“Ah. I live on the 3rd,”
“I thought we were also neighbors,” he laughed as we boarded the elevator. We punched in our respective floors after tapping our cards on the sensor. “That would’ve been funny,”
“And scary,”
“Hey,” he pouted. “Are you saying I’m following you?”
“Maybe,” I playfully replied. The elevator dinged when we got to the third floor. “Thank you for helping me. I really appreciate it,”
Changsub smiled warmly at me and I felt my insides melt. “Any time. I’m glad to be of service. Have a good night, (Y/N),”
“You too,”
//
The next morning, I woke up with a smile on my face. Despite the bad events from yesterday, the universe was still kind enough to give me a Changsub to rely on. I started preparing for the new day with a beaming smile like there was nothing that would pull me down.
There was a bounce on my step as I walked to the elevator lobby of my floor. I stopped on my tracks when I saw Changsub leaning on the wall. He probably heard me because he looked up.
“Oh,” he grinned. “Good morning,”
“Good morning…?” What was he doing here? What? Why?
The smile on his face was making my heart do flips. “I thought you might need a ride to work. Butler Changsub at your service,”
I softly laughed. “You don’t have to,”
“I know,” he said. “But I want to. Now come on before we get caught up in traffic,”
With a smile on my face, I nodded.
I guess I was still lucky despite my terrible luck yesterday.
Summary: Muffy brought them together, or is it fate?
Author’s Note: Requested by a friend! Hope y’all will like it ^^
---
Your name: submit What is this?
---
The night wind blew passed me, I hugged my cardigan closer to my cold body as the weather got worse for a September. After having dinner, I decided to take a walk at the park near my apartment to take a breather. Staying at home for the whole day bored me to death. It’s the weekends and I had no work for the day. Glancing up at the night sky, the stars shined so brightly above me, bringing a smile on my face.
Suddenly, soft cries could be heard somewhere. I started glancing around, hoping to find the source. Among the bushes, I found a beagle laying there. Squinting to take a closer look, I went up to it. One of its back leg was injured.
“Hey buddy, where are you from?” I patted its head. It started looking at me with tears in its eyes. Taking a closer look, I realized it’s a female dog. Around her neck hung a red collar that reads “Muffy”.
“Muffy?” She barked, as if agreeing to what I said.
“Muffy it is.” I smiled, rubbing the back of her ears.
“Muffy! Muffy where are you?” I heard a male voice called out. Muffy started crying once again, and I assumed it was her owner looking for her.
“Muffy’s here!” I replied on her behalf. Soon after, a figure came running towards us. I took a step to my right to let the reunion happen.
“Oh god, you scared me. I thought I lost you.” He hugged her tightly as she continued crying over his shoulder.
He pulled back to scan her for injuries. “She has a cut on her back leg.” I pointed out. For the first time, he looked up at me.
“Thank you so much, I owe you a lot. How can I repay you?”
I immediately raised both of my hands to reject. “No no, that really isn’t necessary. I just found her here alone.”
He started examining her wound. “She must’ve stepped on something or it scratched her. It’s not that deep.” He concluded. I squatted back down to take another look. It really wasn’t a deep wound.
“Do you need to take her to the vet?” I asked, patting her head once more.
“I have the necessary items at home, it should be fine.”
I stood back up, ready to leave. “Well then, Muffy is in good hands now and I should leave.” I smiled down at him and Muffy let out a soft cry.
“I think Muffy may want you around when I treat her.” He suggested, and I looked over at Muffy who gave me her sad pair of eyes. I chuckled, and nodded to agree.
~~
“Hold still, girl. It’ll be fast.” I distracted her as he addressed the wound. He was gentle to not cause a big commotion from her. After wrapping the injured part of her leg, he let her down onto the floor.
“How did Muffy run out?” I asked as Muffy made her way to her bowl of food.
“The door was opened I guess. My mom came and left it open for just a little while, and off she ran.”
“A playful one you’ve got here.” I commented, causing him to grin at my statement.
Now that we’re under the light, I realized how white his skin is. And when he smiles, his cheeks would round up into two puffballs, causing his eyes to squint into two lines.
“I’m Changsub, by the way.” He extended his hand which I took it.
“Y/N.”
I felt Muffy climbing up onto my lap. Looking down, she seemed comfortable around me. “Muffy really likes you.” Changsub added.
“I’m honoured.” I let out a laugh as I stroked her.
“Well, Muffy could use some company at times.” Changsub started, I turned towards him as he continued. “I have to work during my free times and I couldn’t spend that much time with Muffy. Perhaps you can stop by when you want to? Muffy would love it, I believe.
That is if you want of course.” He added on quickly.
“I would love to.” I smiled at him before turning to Muffy. “What do you say, girl?” She let out a bark, agreeing to what we discussed.
“Then I guess, I’ll see you soon?” I stood up, getting ready to head home.
“Wait, Y/N!” He called out as I was making my way to the door.
“Can I.. perhaps.. You know.. Have your number?” He scratched the back of his head, asking me carefully.
“Why not?” He smiled at my reply and tossed his phone out of his pocket. I keyed in my number and returned the phone back to him.
Summary: The reader finds herself in a place that she’s seen a million times and behind a man who was in her dreams.
Author’s Note: This is actually a request. Ahaha. It kind of turned out into a soulmates AU but at the same time, not really? I’m not sure to be honest. Ahaha. Enjoy!
---
Your name: submit What is this?
---
A park.
Or maybe a vast field?
There were several mats scattered around the area and people sat on those mats as they ate and talked with their companions. The sight and the sounds made me smile. I could feel the cold breeze brush through my skin as I aimlessly walked around the area to explore this new place. I was in awe at the beautiful trees the bloomed greatly with the leaves and flowers swaying and dancing with the wind.
I didn’t notice that I’ve gone farther than I wanted to but I was thankful because I saw probably the largest tree in the area and there was no one aside from a lone person standing underneath. I slowly walked, curious about both the tree and the human who had their back to me. From the looks of it, it was a man who stood taller than I do. As I approached, he probably heard the sound of my footsteps because he slowly started to turn.
My heart picked up as I watched him turn his head sideways.
//
My eyes shot open when I felt someone lightly tapping my forearm. I turned to see who it was and sighed in relief when I noticed that it was just the flight attendant waking me up.
“Miss, we’re preparing to land. Please stow away your tray table,” she kindly smiled before moving to check the rest of the passengers. Sleepily, I followed her instructions.
A sigh left my lips as I remembered the dream. It was one I was extremely familiar with as it’s a dream I’ve had since I was young. I can’t remember how many times it had occurred or when it actually started but it’s always the same dream. It was always the same place and the events were in the same order. The dream would end in the same way too. I would wake up just before he would show his face.
It makes me wonder if it really is just a dream or if it’s some kind of premonition.
I shook my head, not wanting to think about it any further. The next few days are for me to unwind in a city I wasn’t familiar with. It’s my reward to myself after working for months with no vacation at all.
I smiled as the pilot called for the cabin crew to head to their stations. Just a few more minutes and I’ll finally be back on the ground.
//
I walked with my hand carry luggage towards the immigration. My eyes wandered, looking at everything in sight. I noted how silent it was despite the amount of people walking around. My gaze landed on a poster, my smile widening.
Welcome to Tokyo.
It’s my first time to travel abroad on my own. I was extremely ecstatic about being in one of my dream destinations. I’ve prepared an extensive itinerary so that I’ll be able to go to all the places I wanted to. Or at least, be able to go to the ones I really want to see. There are so many things to do in Tokyo and so many people to interact with.
The first two days of my stay, I tried to get used to how their system works. It was easy, seeing that I just had to follow all the rules on the road, in the station, or anywhere at all. I had to keep my noise level down, which wasn’t difficult as I was alone. The only difficult aspect of the trip is the language barrier. While I know a little Japanese, it was still difficult to converse with locals who weren’t used to speaking in English.
Today, I woke up feeling a little weird. I didn’t have my recurring dream but there was something pulling at me but it was a weak force. It felt as if something was bound to happen but I couldn’t decipher if it was a good thing or a bad thing. I shook off the feeling as I moved to start my day. All my plans today were centered around exploring Shinjuku and the neighboring sights. I planned my main attractions for today to be Meiji Shrine in the morning, Shinjuku Gyoen in the afternoon, and Shibuya crossing in the evening.
Time flew quickly. Soon enough, I found myself paying for my entrance at the Shinjuku Gyoen. I was hit with a huge wave of nostalgia as I walked further into the park. It was like I was in a trance as I walked.
There were several mats scattered around the area and people sat on those mats as they ate and talked with their companions. The sight and the sounds made me smile. I could feel the cold breeze brush through my skin as I aimlessly walked around the area to explore this new place. I was in awe at the beautiful cherry blossom trees the bloomed greatly with the leaves and flowers swaying and dancing with the wind.
I didn’t notice that I’ve gone farther than I wanted to but I was thankful because I saw probably the largest cherry blossom tree in the area and there was no one aside from a lone person standing underneath. I slowly walked, curious about both the tree and the human who had their back to me. From the looks of it, it was a man who stood taller than I do. As I approached, he probably heard the sound of my footsteps because he slowly started to turn.
My heart picked up as I watched him turn his head sideways.
It was only then that I finally snapped out of my reverie. The reason why everything felt so familiar because this place is my dream. It was one I’ve seen multiple times over almost my whole life.
My throat felt dry as I looked at the man before me. His hair danced with the wind as he finally turned fully towards me. I’ve never seen an extremely handsome man until today. He looked like an angel. It was like he was shining and everything around him was just a dull color.
The cherry blossoms danced around us. It was almost like a scene from a Japanese film or an anime.
I watched as his lips parted while his eyes widened in surprise.
“Is that really you?” His voice echoed in the empty field. I had to hold myself together because his voice made me weak in the knees. How can a man like him exist in such a world?
“Who are you?” I asked as I took a step back. Even if I was familiar with him, everything was freaking me out. How could this be? How is this even possible?
His chuckle brought me back from my panicked thoughts. “You have the same exact face and you did the same thing in my dream?”
“Your dream?” I gave him a bewildered look. He too had a dream about me? “What… What do you mean? What’s going on?!”
“Calm down,” he smiled reassuringly. “You’re reacting in the exact same way that I’ve seen. I know, it’s weird, right? It’s really surprising for me too to finally see you and realize that everything I’ve dreamt of was real too,”
“Wait, wait,” I uttered as I finally started placing the pieces together.
There were legends and myths about two people dreaming about the moment of their meeting. But these pairs of people wouldn’t dream of the whole scenario—one would dream of the scenes before their eyes would meet and the other would dream of the scenes after. It was an old story and not a lot of people believed in it anymore. Based on the stories of old, two people who dream about the moment they meet have been destined since birth to find each other. They never said if they would end up together but based on passed on stories, most of them did.
I watched him as he carefully looked at me. “My dream… My dream was I was walking in a park—this park—and ending up in this field. I walked towards you and as you turned to face me, my dream would end. Then that means,”
“I dreamt of what happened after,” he nodded. “I never believed in those things but it seems like they are true,”
“But why me? Why you?” I was starting to get a headache from all the happenings.
The man shrugged. “I don’t know either. All I know is that this is a rare occurrence nowadays,”
“Why are you here?”
He tilted his head in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“What brought you here to Tokyo?”
He shrugged. “I just… I felt like I needed to be here. I didn’t have any plans but I found myself booking all necessary things for the trip. There was a pull in my gut that pushed me to be here right now,”
I pursed my lips as I took in all the information. “Until where did you dream about?”
“Until when you asked why me and why you,” he simply answered. “I don’t know what’s going on but what I know is now that I’ve seen you, I feel a sense of relief all over me. Like, I guess I wasn’t crazy for having recurring dreams,”
A chuckle escaped my lips. “I know what you mean but this still feels so surreal. I can’t… This thing is supposed to be a legend,”
“I guess that means we’re legends too,” he teasingly grinned. “I’m Changsub, by the way,”
“(Y/N),” I smiled. Despite the panic and the fact that I didn’t know him, my heart felt at ease with him. “Wait, so if you flew over here with no plans at all, does that mean you’re going around alone?”
Changsub nodded with a sheepish smile. He scratched his cheek shyly, his nose scrunched a bit while his eyes crinkled when he smiled. “Yeah. What about you? What brought you here?”
“I’ve always loved Tokyo so I saved up for it. It’s kind of like my reward to myself for working for months with no vacation at all,”
“Then that means you’re alone too,” he noted. “Do you want to go around together?”
I bit on my lip shyly as I nodded. “That’d be nice,”
//
I didn’t know it then that I would meet someone who’d mean the world to me. Every day and every moment we spent together after that made me slowly fall for him. Changsub was everything I could ever ask for and more. Way, way, way more than I could ever ask for.
While there are times when we’d argue about the smallest of things, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would never ask for us to never have met. I couldn’t.
“What are you thinking about?” His breath tickled the back of my ear. I felt his arms wrap from behind me. A smile tugged on the corner of my lips as I leaned into his warmth.
“You,”
He chuckled. “Me? I’m lucky then,”
“I was thinking of you emptying the refrigerator again. I opened it this morning and there was nothing,” I teased him.
“Ah,” Changsub nervously laughed. “Let’s go to the grocery then let’s eat out for lunch. How does that sound?”
I turned around in his arms. He towered over me but I’ve always thought that our height difference was perfect. He didn’t stand too tall. It was enough for me to perfectly bury my face into his chest.
“Only if you won’t finish all the food,”
Changsub rolled his eyes before planting a kiss on my forehead. “As if you don’t eat as much as I do. Now go and prepare. I’ll make a list of all the things we need to buy,”
I beamed at him. “Thanks! I love you,” I yelled as I ran to the bedroom. I could hear his chuckle as I ran to get ready. The smile on my lips was irremovable.
