AN: Dress Coded is officially finished... I want to thank everyone who enjoyed this fic!! My account has grown so much whilst writing it and I appreciate every single one of you!! Thank you for reading and I hope you stick around to see what else I have planned <33
i really wish kori and dick got together in the comics. like he was gonna marry her but he cheated on her. im so sad he did that. kori did not deserve that. she's an angel.
I just got dress coded in my college, and the whole time I wanted to laugh when they looked so worried about what I was wearing. Like how are my bare shoulders worrying you people so much!
I GOT DRESS CODED AND I AM SOOOO FREAKING MAD. No, my shoulders were not exposed. No, my skirt was not too short. I was wearing wolf ears and a tail. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE DRESS CODE ABOUT WOLF EARS IR TAILS AND I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. I get that the ears could be "headgear" but I have literally worn them to school before AND I was using them to keep back my hair. So I had to stuff my things in my locker and my confidence has been striped. How is your day so far?
Y/n looks at their friends confused as they get into the backseat of Bahiyyih’s (brother’s) car. “Good morning to you guys too?” Y/n asks, eying the group suspiciously. “Are you sad again?” Eunchae asks, giving Y/n a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Um… not any more than usual?” Y/n is beyond confused.
“You’re dressed like a normal person.” Hikaru points out. “It’s gross.” Y/n screws their face up at her words, mildly offended at the comment. “Did you forget today's dress code protest?” Bahiyyih asks, causing Y/n to shrug. “No, I’m just not gonna do it.”
The three friends gasp at this. Y/n not participating in a protest? Something must be truly wrong. “Look, it’s not that big of a deal, okay? I know Jungwon’s probably gonna be super stressed out because everyone’s protesting and I don’t want to add to that.” Y/n mumbles, the end of their sentence trailing off.
“And what if Jungwon participates in the protest?” Hikaru asks. Y/n deadpans at this, a gentle roll of the eyes showing they are not taking their friend seriously. “This is Jungwon we’re talking about. He follows rules and does what he’s told - protesting doesn’t fit into either of those things.” Y/n states. “I don’t know… maybe he’ll surprise you.” Eunchae smiles.
The school halls are filled with students from all walks of life - banning together to protest the dress code. Some keep it more simple, with extra jewellery or mildly-graphic shirts whilst others show up in jaw-dropping outfits, breaking the dress code in more ways than imaginable.
Y/n gets a few stares as they make their way down the hallway - most likely due to their lack of protest. Given the spectacles Y/n has put on throughout the year so far - not seeing them participate is certainly a shock. Although Y/n is technically still breaking the dress code (they can’t give up their ripped jeans) it’s not the outfit people were expecting.
“This is what you get for being a simp.” Hikaru whispers, earning an eye roll and jab to the side from Y/n. “You’re acting like I don’t love the attention.” Y/n whispers back snidely. Hikaru goes to reply with another sarcastic comment but gets distracted by the sound of Bahiyyih calling out to Wonyoung and Ricky.
“You guys all look so cute! Wait, you aren’t protesting Y/n?” Wonyoung asks, her attention turning to Y/n and their outfit. “Y/n’s trying to be a goody-two-shoes to impress Jungwon.” Eunchae says, nudging her friend playfully. “I’m not doing it to impress him.” Y/n rolls their eyes. “I just don’t want to stress him out more than he already is, and participating in the protest would do that… no offence.”
“Wait, but Jungwon’s the one who-” Ricky is immediately cut off as Wonyoung slams her hand over his mouth. “Jungwon is probably stressing his poor little heart out. Maybe you could go talk to him, Y/n?” Wonyoung says, a stark contrast between her harsh glare at Ricky and her gentle smile at Y/n. “Uh… yeah, okay? Let me know how the protest goes.” Y/n says, waving goodbye to their friends before taking off down the hallway.
“You’re such an idiot sometimes.” Wonyoung immediately scolds as soon as Y/n is out of sight. “I’m sorry, I forgot they don’t know Jungwon planned this.” Ricky states, defensively. “You just need to stop talking in general.” Hikaru rolls her eyes. “Sorry, it’s not my fault I'm so talkative and charming.” Ricky smirks - letting out a yelp as Hikaru slaps his chest.
Y/n thought they knew exactly where Jungwon would be - but as they look around the library confused they see no sight of him. “Um… excuse me ma’am but have you seen Jungwon at all?” Y/n asks the librarian, who immediately lets out a sigh as their eyes scan Y/n up and down.
“Nice to see you’re finally cleaning up your act… but I better not see you two skipping class in here again.” She warns. Y/n nods obediently and the librarian points towards the far tables, where Y/n and Jungwon commonly sit. Y/n’s brows furrow - didn’t they check there?
Y/n thanks the librarian before making their way towards the back of the library. Only one student is sitting there, with their back to Y/n. The bright red hair throws them off for a second but as their eyes land on the schoolbag next to their feet - they immediately recognise a familiar cat keychain.
“Jungwon?” Y/n asks, unsure. The student turns around at the sudden voice - and Y/n immediately recognises him. After all, no one has ever looked at them the way Jungwon does. “...hi.” Jungwon says, biting his lip nervously. Y/n continues to look at him with wide eyes, their gaze locked on his fluorescent strawberry locks.
“...do you like it?”
Like it? He has the audacity to sit there, smiling innocently as if he doesn't look like the hottest new anime character and then ask if Y/n likes it?
“Are you serious right now? Won, you look amazing.” Y/n exclaims in disbelief, pouting slightly as someone a few tables down shushes them. They don’t look to see who the person is - their eyes are busy fixating on Jungwon’s hair. How badly they want to reach out and touch the fiery strands.
As Jungwon suddenly stands, Y/n’s gaze flickers to the rest of his outfit. He’s wearing baggy distressed jeans - covered in rips and pins and cute little doodles. They hang slightly low on his hips, exposing the band of his boxers. The pants are paired with a loose graphic tank top which, as Jungwon stretches his arms slightly, Y/n immediately notices is mildly cropped. All things that the dress code certainly does not allow.
Y/n is rendered speechless, which doesn’t happen very often. Jungwon almost laughs at the shocked, slightly dazed expression on their face. He takes a few steps forward until he and Y/n are standing face to face.
“I’ll take amazing.” Jungwon smiles. Y/n’s face is screwed up with confusion, as their eyes dart between Jungwon’s hair and his outfit. “I’m... so confused… you’re doing the protest?” Y/n asks, causing Jungwon to chuckle slightly. “Y/n… I started the protest.”
Now Y/n has officially short-circuited. Jungwon - the guy who messaged them all those months ago, asking them to follow the dress code; the guy who watched them get detention over and over again for breaking said dress code is standing in front of them with bright red hair and an outfit that doesn’t follow a single dress code rule. Is it some kind of alternate universe?
Meanwhile, Jungwon is eating this up. He expected some sort of reaction (a small part of him was hoping Y/n would immediately leap into his arms but that’s just the delusions talking) and this is certainly a reaction.
“I see you’re not participating.” Jungwon points out, gesturing to Y/n’s outfit. His gaze is playful and Y/n bashfully moves to wrap their (Jungwon’s) jacket tighter around their body. “I didn’t know you were the one who planned all this and… thought it was gonna stress you out… so I didn’t do it.” Y/n mumbles, their voice trailing off. “Cute.” Jungwon smiles, taking note of the subtle blush that spreads across Y/n’s cheeks.
“Why are you protesting? I thought you were okay with the dress code?” Y/n asks, changing the topic. “Well, yeah but you aren’t… you’ve done so much for me Y/n and I wanted to do something for you in return. Something to show that I care about you.” Jungwon says, causing Y/n’s heart to flutter slightly. “You did it… for me?” Y/n asks, an unfamiliar tone in their voice. Jungwon nods wordlessly, his eyes widening as Y/n’s fill up with tears.
“But I was so bad to you. I basically used you and now you’re just giving me what I wanted. What about you? What do you get from this?” Y/n asks, sniffing in an attempt to stop the tears from rolling down their cheeks. Jungwon’s heart clenches at the sight and he immediately reaches forwards to pull Y/n into his arms.
“You weren’t bad to me. You made a mistake, yeah. And it hurt but it also taught us both a lot. I can see, even from your reaction right now, how guilty you are and that shows me you’re different now. I forgive you, Y/n.” Jungwon whispers against Y/n’s head, having to physically hold himself back from pressing gentle pecks to follow his words. “And I’m not just doing this for you, it’s for everyone. There’s nothing wrong with breaking some of the rules, I learnt that from a certain someone.” Jungwon smiles, causing Y/n to giggle slightly against his chest.
Y/n pulls back slightly to look at Jungwon’s face, glancing at his hair and outfit once more in the process. “So… bad boy Jungwon is here to stay?” Y/n asks, causing Jungwon to laugh. “I’d hardly call this bad boy… more like slightly less uptight Jungwon.” Y/n playfully scoffs at this, finally bringing their hands up to brush through Jungwon’s hair. “I don’t know… dyed hair, ripped jeans… what will the teachers think?” Y/n asks sarcastically, squealing slightly as Jungwon pinches their waist. “I don’t care what they think.” He mumbles, pulling Y/n even closer so their faces are only inches apart.
The two fall silent as they stare into each other's eyes. It’s similar to how they were a few nights ago, at Jungwon’s house. Although this time the atmosphere isn’t stiff or awkward. It’s comfortable - like this is exactly where they’re supposed to be.
“I really miss you, Y/n.” Jungwon whispers, his breath gently blowing against Y/n’s skin. His eyes flicker between their eyes and their lips, completely unsure of where to look. “I miss you too.” Y/n whispers back, lowering their hands from his hair to rest securely around the nape of Jungwon’s neck. Y/n can practically see the sense of relief fill Jungwon’s eyes, as his body completely relaxes against theirs. Jungwon leans forward to press his forehead against Y/n’s, his eyes closing for a few moments of bliss before opening again.
“Do you… think we could date for real this time?” Jungwon asks, his eyes full of hope as they stare directly into Y/n’s. It’s almost overwhelming, their closeness. Every sense, every thought, every feeling solely focused on each other - as if nothing and no one else exists in this moment. Y/n takes a second to process Jungwon’s words, their heart and brain working rapidly rushing around to form some kind of response. As the words get stuck in their throat, Y/n resorts to an enthusiastic nod of the head, a quiet whispered “please” following soon after.
That one word was all it took for Jungwon’s eyes to flutter shut, a staggered breath escaping his lips as they stretch out into a dimpled smile. He moves to gently nuzzle his nose against Y/n’s, their lips ghosting over each other’s ever so slightly. They both know what is about to happen but there’s no rush, allowing themselves time to experience being together again. Finally, a few simple words escape Jungwon’s lips before they are fully engulfed by Y/n’s.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
And he does. And it’s electric. Their mouths move together perfectly in sync, fitting like two pieces of a puzzle - as cheesy as it sounds. No amount of proximity is close enough as they pull each other closer and closer as if they won’t be happy until every inch of skin isn’t being touched.
It’s only when their cheesy grins get far too wide to hold back, that the kissing stops. Jungwon switches to pressing gentle pecks against every part of Y/n’s face. Their moment of bliss is quickly interrupted by the sound of the bell ringing, causing Jungwon to pull away slightly.
“Skip class to makeout?” Y/n asks, smirking. “When I said it’s okay to break some rules, that’s not what I meant.” Jungwon fake scolds. “I was just kidding. You’re not the only one who’s changing, I haven’t skipped class in weeks.” Y/n smiles. “Well… let’s not fall back into old habits then.” Jungwon says, leaning down to press one final kiss against Y/n’s lips before grabbing their hand and going to walk them to their class.
“Did you see Mr Jeon is wearing ripped jeans?”
“Wait, what? Like for the protest?”
“I guess so… kind of cool for a teacher to back us up.”
The intense conversation at the lunch table is cut short as Jungwon and Y/n approach, hand in hand. Bahiyyih spots them first, her eyes widening as she notices their intertwining fingers and she immediately points towards the two.
“You’re holding hands!” She exclaims, causing the rest of the group to turn and look at the couple. All hell breaks loose when their eyes land on the couple - you’d think the pair were celebrities with the way their friends are acting.
“I always knew you two would work things out.” Niki smiles innocently, earning a few confused looks from the group. “You put vomit emojis every time we mentioned Y/n for like, weeks.” Jongseob points out, causing Niki to wave him off nonchalantly. “Doesn’t sound like something I’d do.”
“Wait, so are you two like… dating, dating?” Eunchae asks, her eyes filled with hope. Y/n and Jungwon look at each other for a moment before nodding, causing the group to erupt into a fit of cheers.
“I think they’re more excited than we are.” Y/n mumbles, quiet enough that only Jungwon can hear. “Perks of being the only relationship in the group.” Jungwon replies, his voice purposefully louder to gain the attention of his friends.
“Hey! I could get a girlfriend if I wanted one!”
“As if anyone would want to date you.”
Sighing, Jungwon turns his attention fully to Y/n. “I don’t know if I can deal with this right now… wanna hang out in the library?” He asks “God, yes.” Y/n sighs, reaching to grab a fry off Bahiyyih’s plate. “We’re gonna go, I’ll see you in calc.” They say. “So, it’s back to you ditching us for your boyfriend?” Hikaru teases. “Only sometimes.” Y/n replies before walking out of the cafeteria with Jungwon.
“People are staring at us.” Jungwon comments, as the two walk through the halls. “Probably because your hair looks like a firetruck.” Y/n jokes, causing Jungwon to look at them with a deadpan expression. “I thought you liked my hair…” He mumbles. “I do! But you can’t deny that it sticks out.” Y/n reasons.
As the two turn around the corner towards the library, they are stopped by Mr Jeon walking down the hallway. “I was wondering when I would run into you two.” He says, his eyes subtly flickering to their intertwined hands. “We need to discuss some things… could you meet me in my classroom? I just have to drop off this printing to Mr Kim.”
“Of course, we’ll head there right now.” Jungwon smiles, bowing goodbye to Mr Jeon before dragging Y/n down the hall. “Are we in trouble?” Y/n asks, causing Jungwon to shrug. “I’ve never gotten in trouble with Mr Jeon before. But he is the teacher in charge of the student council so… it’s probably something to do with the dress code.” He says. He notices the nervous look on Y/n’s face and squeezes their hand reassuringly. “It’s gonna be fine… you’re not even really breaking the dress code so if anything, you’ll just watch me get yelled at.”
“I’m not going to yell at you.”
Jungwon and Y/n visibly relax at his words, causing Mr Jeon to chuckle slightly. “We do need to talk about the dress code, though… more specifically, the protest.” Mr Jeon continues. “Since Jungwon was kind enough to email me about this in advance, I wasn’t blindsided by today’s events. And Y/n, I understand that you had nothing to do with this but, given your past involvement I hope you can see the importance of your inclusion in this discussion.”
Mr Jeon is certainly a teacher - even his speaking mannerisms show that. Y/n can’t tell if he’s practised this statement or if this is just the way his brain forms sentences. In all honesty, half of the words went in one ear and out the other, so they just nod along silently and hope that they didn’t just agree to something insane.
“Good. Now, Jungwon. You know I have great trust in you as our student council president and I know you wouldn’t do something to this extreme if you didn’t believe it would benefit the students at our school. With that being said, if you are not clear about what it is you want changed, the change will not happen.” Jungwon nods at Mr Jeon’s words. “I know that completely getting rid of the dress code is unrealistic but there are a handful of the rules that the students believe are unfair - those are the ones we would like changed.” Jungwon says. “I sent an online form to those who are participating in the protest to ask what rules they disagree with, then I was planning on making a presentation and taking it to the school board.”
Mr Jeon’s eyes light up at Jungwon’s preparation and planning. “We have a school board meeting this Friday after school, I would be more than happy to support you with this.” Mr Jeon smiles. Jungwon turns to look at Y/n, who just looks back with a slightly confused expression. They’re still not 100% sure why they’re here. “Okay… I guess I’ll start preparing then.” Jungwon says, smiling slightly as he feels Y/n squeeze his hand reassuringly. He’s got this.
As soon as Y/n’s final message comes through on Jungwon’s phone, the realisation of what just happened starts to settle into his brain. He promised himself he would never even speak to Y/n again, and yet here he is inviting them over to his house…
Holy shit. He just invited Y/n to his house. What the hell has he done?
Y/n hasn't come over since they first started dating… well "dating". Even then, they were only over for like 5 minutes and Jungwon had a mass panic-clean before they arrived. It’s a habit he’s picked up over the years whenever someone comes over, even if he knows they won’t care about a little mess. Jungwon knows Y/n especially won’t care, but that doesn’t stop him from quickly wiping down every surface of the house, making sure not a single spec of dust can be found.
The sudden sound of the doorbell causes Jungwon to jump slightly. It takes a second for his brain to register the fact that Y/n has, in fact, arrived. As soon as he fully comprehends this thought, he rushes down the stairs towards the front door - pausing to quickly check his reflection in the hallway mirror.
Jungwon’s not sure what to expect when he opens the door. It’s not like he had much time to prepare himself for Y/n’s arrival (and the time he did have was spent aggressively vacuuming the living room.) But he certainly wasn’t prepared for the instant flutter to the heart he felt at the sight of Y/n, standing at his doorstep in what appears to be their coziest outfit - pyjama pants, a cropped singlet and most importantly, his jacket.
“Hi.” Y/n smiles, trying not to laugh at the way Jungwon stares at them with wide eyes - as if he didn’t know they were coming. The atmosphere between the two is a little awkward, naturally, due to recent events and it takes Jungwon’s brain a few seconds to process the fact that Y/n actually spoke to him.
“Oh, hey. Come in.” Jungwon awkwardly laughs, stepping aside to allow space for Y/n to walk past him and into the house. He watches as Y/n slips off their shoes and takes a quick look around the room before turning back to Jungwon.
It’s quiet for a moment as the two stand in the entranceway of Jungwon’s home. “Did you clean for me?” Y/n asks, causing Jungwon’s face to immediately heat up. “I was… uh… already cleaning when we were texting so…” Jungwon lies. Y/n doesn’t believe him for a second but chooses not to pry any further. “Where did you want to work?” Y/n changes the topic, causing Jungwon’s eyes to widen.
That’s right… Y/n is over to help him do homework. He had been so focused on the fact that they were coming over that he forgot the reason why. “Um… my computer is in my room… if that’s okay?” He mumbles, absentmindedly pointing towards the stairs. Once Y/n agrees, they quietly follow Jungwon up to his room.
Y/n pauses in the middle of Jungwon’s room as he makes himself comfortable at his desk. Are they supposed to sit on his bed? They assume so, given the fact that there are no other chairs… but do they just sit without asking? Noticing their hesitation, Jungwon spins in his chair to look at them. “Oh… you can sit wherever you want.” He mumbles, aimlessly gesturing around the room. Smiling, Y/n makes themself comfortable on Jungwon’s bed.
From where they’re sitting, they get a pretty clear view of Jungwon’s screen. He already has his English work open but judging by the two short paragraphs Y/n can see, it looks like Jungwon still has a long way to go. “Uh… I’ll just… start this.” Jungwon says, pointing at his computer. Y/n nods, a little too enthusiastically. “Of course, let me know if you need anything.”
It’s awkward. Y/n knows it. Jungwon knows it. The sound of Jungwon’s fingers slowly hitting his keyboard is all that fills the silent room. Every few minutes, his eyes dart to where he can see Y/n in the reflection of his computer screen. They seem to be doing their own homework, with some sort of textbook open in their lap.
It’s weird to be in Y/n’s presence and yet have them sit so far away… Jungwon doesn’t like it. Glancing back at his work, he sees that he’s only written about 3 sentences since Y/n arrived. This isn’t working.
Sighing, Jungwon glances at Y/n once more. They’re not paying attention to him, too busy engrossed in whatever information their textbook is supplying. This is not how these “study sessions” used to go. Typically, the two would be sat side-by-side in the library - so close that their knees would touch. Jungwon’s focus would shift between his work and Y/n, whilst Y/n’s stayed completely on him. They’d rest their head on his shoulder, reading what he was writing and pointing out the occasional error. Sometimes, Jungwon would purposefully ignore a typo, just to see the teasing smile on Y/n’s lips when they pointed it out to him. He misses that.
Jungwon suddenly stands from his position at the desk - gaining Y/n’s attention as he does so. He unplugs his laptop and walks towards the bed. “The chair was hurting my back.” He lies, moving to sit next to Y/n. “Oh, okay. We can swap, then.” Y/n smiles, going to get up and move to the desk. Before they can move off the bed, Jungwon quickly grabs Y/n’s hand, pausing Y/n’s movements.
“Wait!... I mean… you don’t have to move.” Jungwon stammers out. It sounded a little more desperate than intended. “I’m trying to set boundaries, Jungwon… isn’t this what you want?” Y/n asks. It’s quiet for a moment as Jungwon processes their words. “I don’t know what I want.” Jungwon sighs. “I thought I wanted to never talk to you again but… I guess I was wrong. Then I thought we could just be friends but… I was wrong about that too.”
Y/n can’t help but roll their eyes at Jungwon’s words as they pull their hand out of his grip. Is this some sort of payback for the whole dress code thing? Stringing them along and giving them false hope? How are they supposed to figure out what to do if Jungwon himself keeps pushing and pulling them back and forth?
“Why did you invite me here?” Y/n asks, refusing to turn around and face him. Jungwon sighs again. “I want things to go back to how they were.” Y/n scoffs at this. “You know that can’t happen, Jungwon. Not after what I did to you.” Now it’s Jungwon’s turn to roll his eyes, as he turns Y/n around to face him.
“I don’t care about what you did to me. Maybe I deserved it. You were right about the dress code, everyone was. I should’ve helped you change it from the start but… I was too uptight and selfish to do it.” Jungwon frowns.
“Maybe uptight but I wouldn't say selfish… and maybe I could’ve been a little less… on your case… about the whole dress code thing.” Y/n mumbles awkwardly. Looking back, there are a lot of things they could have done differently with Jungwon. Not calling him pathetic (among other things) being one of them. “Honestly, I kinda needed that… I was a lot less tense when we were… you know…” Jungwon trails off.
Together.
Y/n smiles. “I get that… I mean, I got in a lot less trouble when we were…”
Together.
The two look at each other for a moment. Y/n can practically feel the way their heart jumps as Jungwon’s eyes flicker to their lips. How badly, they want to just step forward and press them against his in a gentle kiss. It’s been a while since they’ve kissed Jungwon, they’ve almost forgotten how it feels.
Coughing awkwardly, Jungwon takes a step back and Y/n feels their heart shatter ever-so-slightly. “I should do my work.” Jungwon mumbles, settling back into his position on the bed. “Right.” Y/n smiles but they don’t move. “Um… can you… sit with me?” Jungwon asks; his eyes nervous and sensing rejection. Y/n bites their lip and nods slightly before moving to sit up right next to Jungwon on the bed. They don’t relax into it like Jungwon does - far too nervous to do so. Instead, they keep a respectable distance from Jungwon and focus on their own homework.
Even with the small amount of space still between them, Jungwon feels much better than he did before. He knows that Y/n is still holding back from him - something that he is partially grateful for. He can tell how hard they are trying to be “just friends” and the thought puts a small smile on his face. It makes him think that this whole forgiving Y/n thing might be a lot easier than he originally thought.
Meanwhile, Y/n is battling with their own thoughts. They have no right to be upset at Jungwon for not forgiving them right away, but the way he sets boundaries and then stares at them like he’s going to kiss them is definitely confusing. Once again, Y/n has no right to be upset. They hurt him in so many ways, that the fact they are even in his room right now is a miracle. So Y/n will accept any closeness to Jungwon - no matter how confusing it may be.
Jungwon lets out a small groan, leaning his head back and hitting it against the wall a few times. This gains the attention of Y/n, who looks at him with concern. “Are you okay?” Y/n asks, quickly slipping their hand between Jungwon’s head and the wall - cushioning the impact. Their eyes widen as soon as Jungwon’s soft strands touch their skin, and they immediately pull their hand back. God dammit, Y/n. Think before you act.
As Y/n’s brain begins to spiral over the small touch, Jungwon repeats the minuscule moment over and over again in his. He misses Y/n’s touch, they used to play with his hair a lot. “I’ve just been reading the same part over and over again.” Jungwon whines slightly.
Y/n isn’t exactly sure what to do. Jungwon invited them over to help him study, help him focus. They know what they used to do in these situations but… that’s not exactly an option given their current relationship.
“You’ve got writer's block.” Y/n states simply, causing Jungwon’s eyes to snap from the computer screen to Y/n’s. “How did you know?” He asks, earning a smug shrug from Y/n. “I just know you like that.” Y/n jokes. “Also, you haven’t written anything in like, 10 minutes.” They add, making Jungwon sigh.
“I don’t know what else to write.” He mumbles, eyes closing slightly as Y/n’s hand comes up to play with his hair. “Well, staring at the page isn’t going to help.” Y/n mumbles, gently nudging their nose against Jungwon’s jaw.
Jungwon anxiously looks around the library - checking for any teachers or students who are paying attention to them. Seeing that the coast is clear, Jungwon immediately slips his hand down to wrap around Y/n's waist, turning to face them.
“Think I need to take a break.” He whispers, nuzzling his nose against Y/n’s. “Well… I have an idea for that…” Y/n smirks. They look up at him with playful eyes and bring their other hand to hook around the back of Junwon’s neck - pulling him closer until their lips are gently pressed together.
Yeah… Y/n definitely can’t do that. So instead, they settled for sitting cross-legged next to Jungwon, watching him cautiously as he shoves his head in his hands. “Do you need to take a break? You can finish this tomorrow, Jungwon.” Y/n says gently, frowning slightly as Jungwon shakes his head in his hands. “That’ll push back history… which will push back maths… which will mean I fail my maths test… which will mean I fail the class… which will mean I don’t graduate.” Jungwon mumbles out.
Realistically, none of that is going to happen. The worst that will happen is Jungwon will have to pull a few all-nighters and end up acing the test anyway. But Jungwon’s not much of a realist.
“Okay, Won. Let’s just focus on today, hmm?” Y/n asks, moving closer so that they can see Jungwon’s laptop screen. “It’s only 7 pm… you’ve still got 5 hours left of the day. And look, you’ve almost written 1000 words!” Y/n says, pointing at the screen happily. Jungwon slowly lifts his head up to look at where Y/n is pointing. “Oh.” He mumbles, looking at the screen confused. Since when did he write so much? Last he checked, he was still on the second paragraph.
“See? You’re freaking out over nothing, babe.” Y/n says, the term of endearment slipping so naturally from their lips, that they almost didn’t realise they had said it. But judging by the way Y/n’s eyes widen, they definitely realise what they said. Jungwon’s eyes widen momentarily as well, but he tries to act as normal as possible - anything to not scare Y/n away.
“I guess I could take a break… when do you have to get home?” Jungwon asks, taking note of the time. “I don’t have a curfew, I told my parents I’d be at a friend’s till late.” Y/n shrugs. Jungwon nods at this, part of him relieved that Y/n doesn’t have to go home anytime soon. “Did you uh… wanna watch a movie or something? Then I’ll finish my work afterwards.” Jungwon offers. Y/n nods wordlessly as Jungwon begins to set up his laptop.
…
Are they supposed to move closer? Y/n can’t remember the last time they watched a movie with someone that didn’t involve cuddling in some way. Since that is something Y/n definitely doesn’t want to do, they’re currently in a dilemma.
Once everything is set up, Jungwon turns to look at Y/n. His eyes are almost hopeful, as he looks at them. Y/n can tell what he’s asking without him even opening his mouth. Sending a gentle smile towards him, Y/n moves to sit next to Jungwon - their legs touching slightly. Jungwon places the laptop on both of their laps before leaning back into the pillows he strategically placed. Noticing the way he gets comfy, Y/n decides to relax a little as well, as they turn their attention towards the movie that’s beginning to play.
Y/n still can’t remember the last time they watched a movie with someone that didn’t involve cuddling. As they feel themself begin to drift off, they realise that their head has fallen to Jungwon’s shoulder. Their body tenses slightly at the contact but slowly relaxes once they realise that Jungwon isn’t pulling away.
This is fine. Friends cuddle all the time. Except Y/n can’t help the way their heartbeat quickens at Jungwon’s familiar scent. They’ve always loved cuddling with him - the warmth of his body contrasting the coolness of their own. The way their head can lay perfectly indented in the crook of Jungwon’s neck, almost as if the spot was made just for them.
Before they know it, Y/n’s drifting off to sleep. Possibly the best sleep they’ve had in a while. Jungwon bites his lip in an attempt to stop a grin from spreading across his face. God, how he’s missed the feeling of Y/n cuddled up against him.
Once he’s sure that Y/n is fast asleep, Jungwon pauses the movie and switches back to his homework tab. With the weight of Y/n’s head on his shoulder, Jungwon suddenly feels more determined than ever. The words flow out of him so much easier, his fingers dancing along the keys of his laptop so much quicker. It’s as if having Y/n with him, like this, just makes him so much better.
Jungwon doesn’t think he’s finished a piece of homework so quickly. With Y/n still fast asleep on his shoulder, he takes the time to fully appreciate the moment. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever get to be with Y/n like this again, so he has to savour the feeling of their body pressed up against his.
He adjusts the pillow behind him slightly before moving to gently rest his head on top of Y/n’s. They stir for a moment, nuzzling their head further into his neck and mumbling a short sigh before drifting off once more.
As he begins to fall into a slumber himself, Jungwon can’t help but notice the fuzzy feeling in his heart. He doesn’t know what exactly is going to happen between the two when they wake up, but that can be tomorrow’s problem. Because, god, does he want this to never end.
There's nothing worse than waking up with a sore neck. Y/n learns this the hard way as they nuzzle further into their pillow, letting out a small whine of discomfort as the movement causes the muscles in their neck to spasm.
Shifting slightly again, they try to get more comfortable. Has their pillow always been this hard? They swore their parents got them a new one last month.
Suddenly it clicks… they were at Jungwon's last night. That makes more sense, Jungwon has shitty pillows. Their thoughts are interrupted by the feeling of something moving next to them, shifting their own position in the process. Opening their eyes in annoyance, Y/n suddenly realises exactly what has happened. Jungwon doesn't have shitty pillows, he is a shitty pillow.
Sitting up quickly, Y/n almost blacks out at the sudden rush of blood to their head. They look at Jungwon, who appears to still be asleep, with wide eyes. No wonder their neck is so sore, they were using Jungwon as a human pillow!
Noticing the sudden lack of warmth, Jungwon rolls over and attempts to pull Y/n back towards him. "Jungwon." Y/n whispers, gently pushing his hands away. He mumbles something incoherent and laces his fingers with theirs. "Jungwon, we have to get ready for school." Y/n sighs, making no move to separate their hands.
Jungwon's eyes slowly flutter open as he takes in his surroundings. His gaze lands on his and Y/n's intertwined fingers and he immediately freezes. Neither of them say anything, opting to just stare at their hands.
"Sorry." Jungwon mumbles, reluctantly pulling away from Y/n's grasp. "It's okay." They reply, biting their lip nervously. "Did I make you uncomfortable?" Jungwon asks, smiling slightly as Y/n immediately shakes their head. "No… well sleeping against your wall made me uncomfortable but… you didn't." Y/n points out, causing Jungwon to laugh. "Sorry… you fell asleep during the movie and I didn't want to wake you up." He says. He’s blushing slightly and Y/n can’t help but smile at the sight. "It's alright, I'll just be complaining about my neck all day."
The atmosphere is… weird. It’s not as awkward as it was last night but it’s not the most comfortable thing either. It’s almost as if they’re both unsure of how to act, waiting for the other to confirm what is and isn’t okay. It’s obvious that there are still lingering feelings… are they supposed to act like there isn’t? Are they supposed to pretend that they can be friends when deep down they both know it’s more than that? Neither wants to act out of fear of messing it up again, leaving them in an awkward middle ground. Both Y/n and Jungwon are completely unsure of where to go from here.
Jungwon has never wanted to skip school more in his life. He hates it; the sympathetic looks he gets as he walks through the halls, the hushed whispers from eager onlookers wondering just what happened between him and Y/n. If being in a relationship in high school was bad, publicly breaking up is much worse.
It doesn’t help that Y/n is now seemingly back to normal - leaving people to believe that they were the one who dumped him. Although it is technically true… if only they knew the reason. Jungwon would never tell them though; he’s not one for gossip. And despite how much Y/n hurt him, he would never do something like that to them.
Seeing Y/n back to their normal sarcastic self is strange. Jungwon can’t lie, he did slightly enjoy seeing Y/n moping around school. No teasing, no over-the-top outfits. Just Y/n, in Jungwon’s jacket, feeling the exact same way that he did. It almost tricked him into thinking they were just as sad as he is. Almost.
“Hey, Prez!”
Jungwon pulls out one of his earbuds, turning towards the call of his nickname. There, stands Wonyoung and Ricky - smiling happily at him. “Oh… hey guys.” He replies. “We were gonna head to the library after school because Y/n and Bahiyyih have a project to work on. Is there any council work you need us to do?” Wonyoung asks happily. She quickly notices the way Jungwon’s body momentarily tenses at the mention of Y/n.
“Sorry… I should’ve asked if you were comfortable with us hanging out with them.” She mumbles, causing Jungwon to scratch the back of his neck sheepishly. “Why? It’s not like I control who you hang out with.” He laughs. “Well yeah but… we don’t wanna make you uncomfortable or anything.” She continues, earning an assertive nod from Ricky to back her up.
“Guys, you’re allowed to be friends with whoever you want. It’s not like we got divorced and you’re picking your favourite parent.” Jungwon says. “Kinda feels like it…” Ricky mumbles, immediately getting a “shut up” nudge from Wonyoung.
“Okay, well was there anything you needed us to do? Or just, work that you want us to take off your hands?” Wonyoung asks hopefully. Jungwon pauses to think for a moment. He can’t remember the last time someone offered to do something for him. It’s usually the other way round, him doing favours for everyone who asks, no matter how overloaded he becomes.
Jungwon has a lot on his plate. Not even just with council stuff - his own work as well, let alone the whole Y/n issue that he’s dealing with. Despite all this, he shows a polite smile and shakes his head. “Thanks but I’ve got it all covered. I’d hate to put extra pressure on you guys. I’ll let you know if anything else comes up, though.” He smiles.
Wonyoung and Ricky go to reply but Jungwon quickly spins on his heels, mumbling something about getting to class before walking off down the hallway. Sending each other a worried look, the two make their way back to Y/n and the rest of the group.
“He said he had everything covered.” Ricky shrugs, earning a sigh from Y/n. “That’s bullshit. Last week he was literally crying about how stressed he is.” They mumble, defeated. “Thanks for trying though.” Y/n adds, smiling when Wonyoung gently squeezes their shoulder. “I think maybe you should talk to him. If you’re worried about him, this could be a great way to get him to open up again.” She suggests. “I’ll think about it…” Y/n sighs.
Finding Jungwon is a very simple task for Y/n. With all the time they spent with him over the last couple of months, they know his schedule as if it were their own. So it’s no surprise to find him in Mr Jeon’s empty classroom just before final period is about to start.
Letting out a sigh, Y/n gently knocks on the open door - gaining the attention of the council president. Jungwon’s head shoots up, his eyes immediately widening as they land on Y/n.
“Sorry… Do you need to use this space? I’ll move.” Jungwon blurts out, rushing to collect his things. “I came to talk to you.” Y/n says, their words immediately halting Jungwon’s movements. It’s silent for a moment as Jungwon tries to think of any excuse to get out of this situation. “We don’t have to… I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” Jungwon stutters out, avoiding eye contact.
Sighing, Y/n walks into the room and moves to lean against Mr Jeon’s desk. They considered sitting in the seat next to Jungwon but figured that proximity would likely scare him off. “We don’t have to talk about us if you don’t want to, but I’m here to talk about you.” Jungwon awkwardly laughs at this - he’s never been the best at confrontation. “What about me?” He asks, eyes quickly flickering to glance at Y/n’s expression before moving back to stare at his book.
“Wonyoung and Ricky offered to take over some of the council work so that you’re not overwhelmed and you turned them down… why?” Y/n’s words cause Jungwon’s entire body to tense, as he looks up at them with a confused expression. “How do you know about that?” He asks.
Now it’s Y/n’s turn to be nervous, as they begin to fiddle with the sleeve of their jacket. Well, Jungwon’s jacket. “I may have… told them that you were working really hard and that I was worried about you… and suggested that they try to help where they can.” Y/n mumbles out. With Y/n’s confession, the room falls quiet for a few moments before Jungwon speaks:
“Did I ask you to do that?”
Y/n’s head snaps up at his words, looking at him confused. “I… Jungwon, I did it because I’m worried. Besides, you know I don’t do as I’m asked.” “Do I know that? I barely know you at all, Y/n.” Jungwon bites back.
For the first time in a while, Y/n is rendered speechless. “I’m fine, okay? And I definitely don’t need you worrying about me or interfering with my life. Just leave me alone, Y/n.” Jungwon sighs, picking up his remaining things and shoving them into his bag.
“Jungwon, wait!” Y/n calls out as he goes to move past them. “It doesn’t have to be me, okay? It can be Wonyoung or Ricky, even Niki, Shota, Jongseob, anybody. Just please… let someone help you. You said you told me things that you’d never told anyone else… even if I’m not in your life anymore, knowing what I know about you… I want to do something. Even if it’s through other people. Just let me help.” Y/n says, almost desperately.
Jungwon pauses slightly at their words before shaking his head slightly. “You don’t know me, Y/n. And I definitely don’t need your help.” Jungwon speaks before walking out of the classroom.
The situation is almost identical to the one just a week ago, although this time, Y/n is the one left in the classroom as they watch Jungwon walk away. They don’t want to cry, knowing that they deserve every bit of the way Jungwon is treating them. Still, they can’t help the salty tear that slowly slips down their cheek. They have no idea how to fix this.
