TBZ losing a member, not getting paid, having to plan and finance everything they’re doing, fighting a court case and on TOP of all this managing to still put out content for fans is a testament to how much they like not only what they’re doing but also their fans. I hope they win the case, I hope they get to do what they want and I hope they get a happy ending. If there’s anything this past year has shown us is that they’re willing to put in the effort to keep going even if all the cards are against them and I feel lucky to be a fan of theirs (Even though I stopped posting tbz content last year) because I’ve never seen people so dedicated and giving towards their fans. I hope all of you support them through this tough part of their careers cause I sure as hell am gonna 😋
pairing » the boyz choi chanhee (new) x fem!reader
trope/au » strangers to (implied) lovers in the future, non-idol au, summer break/holiday au
genre » very fluffy meet-cute, shy chanhee who adores you from afar, changmin is lwk the real mvp in this story, chanhee is (kinda) whipped for you, you're kind of whipped too
word count; estimated reading time » 1408; ~5 mins
warnings (lmk if i missed anything!) » none!
navi/masterlist!! 🤍 the boyz masterlist
happy old day @sanaxo-o ! just a little something because i did tell you i was writing for your boy. thank you to @itsbeeble for some speedy proofreading too 🥰
Well, this has been an interesting summer break.
First, your friends have decided to book a surprise getaway. They say it’s for you who have been working hard on your priorities, but they just can’t admit that they wanted a reason to reward themselves too; you hope someday they will be able to reward themselves without guilt because they’ve worked hard too. You decided to spare the recurring lecture for later.
Because right now, you’re in a billiard competition.
Don’t ask how you got here. Your friends wanted to play on the resort’s beach, but you weren’t feeling like soaking yourself in salt water and washing the sand off your body after. Whilst your friends splashed water at each other, you took better cover from the sun in the nearby bar. Sitting in the chair yourself didn’t seem very vacation-like, but the fruit drink in your hand is as refreshing as the summer wind; so is the blonde man playing billiard right now taking your attention.
“I missed because of you, Ji Changmin! Be quiet for a second!” Seeing his cheeks flare red at whatever the boy beside him decided to whisper to him. True to his words, the white ball didn’t travel far due to his missed aim, which his friend celebrated.
You’re amused by the shine of his blonde hair from the overhead light. His side profile is beautiful, and you find the scowl on his face to be adorable. The way his jaw fell at his friend clearing and winning the game is priceless, and the loser slaps a couple of dollar notes into the winner’s hand. You are about to tear your eyes away when you realise you’ve been staring for too long when the blonde’s eyes meet yours unexpectedly. Your eyes widen in surprise, head ducking down and finger playing with your straw as if nothing happened.
If you could become invisible right now, you would. The heat spreads throughout your cheeks, and despite the fan cooling the room, sweat accumulates around your forehead. You’re certain that the tapping growing louder by each second isn’t because of your feet nervously tapping the floor after being caught.
Just as you expected, it wasn’t.
“Hi?”
“I’m sorry-” But when you raised your head, it wasn’t the blonde-haired boy that you were expecting. “I’m Changmin, and that’s my friend Chanhee,” pointing at the sulking boy trying to practice by himself. “I saw that you were looking over at him. Are you interested in him?”
“What?” Bewildered at the straightforward question. “Why does it matter to you?”
“Oh, nothing,” Changmin shrugs with a smirk on his face. “Don’t take this the wrong way but we have actually bumped into each other a few times. Well, without the bumping part. Mind if I take a seat as I explain?”
Intrigued, you welcome the seat next to you. “Well, we checked in on the same day yesterday, and Chanhee was just looking at you.”
“Your room number is circled over here, and you’re on the third floor. Enjoy your stay!” Changmin extends his regards to the worker before turning over to Chanhee next to him. “Let’s go.”
But Chanhee is in another headspace, looking over to a distance, or rather to a girl laughing with the rest of her friends. Changmin takes Chanhee’s dazed state to his advantage, leaning over to snicker at the little smile he’s putting on because you lost rock, paper, scissors and had to pay for the taxi drive to the hotel.
“Pretty girl, isn’t she?” Changmin breaks Chanhee’s bubble, and the latter is flustered. “Let’s say hi-”
“No! We’re not doing any of that!”
You laugh at that, remembering losing your bet as the rest made fun of you for it. “It was an unexpected loss on this trip’s budget for sure.”
“Well, maybe not so because you got Mr Choi Chanhee over there to notice you.” You didn’t know how to answer the smiley boy, only chuckling in response as your eyes fell on the boy playing by himself. “Do you play?”
“Kind of,” you shrug. “I’ve played before, but I’m not a pro or anything like that.”
That answer seems to be good enough for Changmin as he hollers to Chanhee from his seat, “Dude! You got a new competitor that wants to play with you! She said she wants to bet on something!”
“Wha-Hey!” Changmin didn’t spare you a single moment in the say, ushering you along to the pool table with your drink in his hand. “Come on!” You swore that you only followed him to get your drink back. It was just that. You swear it’s just that. It’s just for your drink- “I wanted to know her name but she wouldn’t tell me, but then she said that if you beat her, she’ll tell me!”
“What-”
Chanhee’s eyes widened at the sight of the girl that he’d been entranced with since yesterday. Looking at you closer, with better light, he takes in every detail of your face. Your eyes that he got lost in, your nose guiding his attention down to your lips. He gulps at you being within his reach, and he gulps, clenching the pool cue close to his chest.
“I’m sorry for my friend. Please just ignore him-”
You notice Changmin stepping behind the apologising boy, waving his hand around to ignore what his friend is saying and encouraging you to play along with him. This is absolutely crazy, and Changmin is absolutely living for the moment. Seeing you all frozen in front of Chanhee’s words, Changmin decides to get his final words by clamping his hand to his friend’s mouth.
“Oh, just play with her, will you?!”
Seeing the two being rowdy is the remedy for you. This is what the trip is about after all: to relax and have fun. Plus, it’s not a bad idea to play along since you don’t see how this will hurt anyone, and if Changmin is being honest with his cute little story about Chanhee, then you don’t mind showing him that you’re interested too. You walk over to pick up a spare cue stick, leaving the two boys behind for a while to argue behind you.
“You’re crazy!” Chanhee whispers while head-locking Changmin.
“Oh, just shut up and have fun! I know you think she’s pretty!”
“Of course, she’s pretty! She’s gorgeous-”
“So play with her and bet something else if you win!”
“Like what? A date? This isn’t a movie!”
“Anything can be a movie if you want it to be.” Changmin seems proud of the slightly confusing line, but it doesn’t faze his best friend anymore after all these years. “Besides, if you win, you at least get her name.”
“And if I lose?”
“Then maybe she’ll ask you on a date,” the boy shrugs with an innocent look in his eyes. “Just play!”
Chanhee is pushed away, his hands grabbing on the pool table to steady himself. He let out a sigh of relief at the potential accident and was about to turn to shout at the chuckling boy until you called out.
“Um,” you call out softly. “Should we play?”
Chanhee looks over to the table, seeing all the balls already in the triangle starting shape in the game. You extend your hand as a gesture of welcoming him to take the first move, but to your surprise, the boy doesn’t. Instead, he adjusts his stick on the floor, looking over at you intently with a soft smile.
“So, I guess I’m playing for your name. What are you playing for?”
True. Usually in a competition, a reward for winning would motivate you. You hum in contemplation, “Well, I already know your name, so I guess not for the same thing. But maybe, if you’re free tomorrow, we could explore around together?”
Chanhee had to fight the way the corner of his lips was rising at that. “Looks like either way, I win.”
“What was that?”
“Nothing,” he shakes his head. “But wouldn’t it be weird if you win and then I don’t get to know your name?”
“Well, maybe you should win then.”
Choi Chanhee doesn’t usually like to lose. After all, whenever he loses in something, everyone else rejoices, but maybe this time, losing doesn’t seem like a bad thing after all. Playing to win or playing to lose, he’s already a winner with you being near him right now.
