"I think I'm going to stay a bit longer to work on the new choreo."
Wonwoo sighed at her, "You've been here since early this morning and it's close to midnight, you need to sleep."
Yexi waved him off, "I won't stay too long. I'll take a Kakao Taxi back."
"Fine, just text me before you leave okay?"
Yexi gave him a mock salute causing him to ruffle her hair before turning to leave and joining the other members that were most likely piling into the vans to head back home. Once he was out of the practice room Yexi walked over to the sound system and restarted the music before running back to her place in front of the mirror.
She continued to run through the choreography multiple times until she was panting and practically dripping sweat. She walked over to her bag and grabbed a small towel to wipe her face while trying to catch her breath. She grabbed her phone and looked at the time only to be surprised that hours had passed and she hadn't even realized it. She knew she should probably wrap things up and debated on running through it a few more times but before she could restart the music from her phone it began to ring. She disconnected it from the sound system and looked at the screen. Jungkook's name appeared and Yexi swiped the phone to answer.
"Hey, loser."
"Hey, Mingyu said you were still at the company...is that true?"
"Yeah, I wanted to go over some of the choreo for a bit longer."
"Well pack up and come to the parking garage."
"Why?" She asked already walking over to pack up her stuff to get ready to leave.
"Because I have a surprise, now get your shit and come down."
Yexi rolled her eyes, "Fine. I'm on my way." She slipped the bag over her shoulder and made sure to turn off the lights in the practice room.
"Perfect I'll wait by the elevator for you." Yexi gave a noise of agreement and ended the call before walking down the hall to the elevators.
She had her finger above the button when the elevator doors opened to reveal a tired-looking Yeonjun, "Oh! Yeonjun-ah" she gave him a small smile, "I didn't realize anyone else was still here."
The boy smiled brightly, "Hey Noona, yeah we have a comeback coming up so we're practically sleeping in the practice rooms right now."
"Have you guys eaten?" Yeonjun shook his head causing Yexi to click her tongue at him, "How about I order you guys something before I leave? That way I know you've eaten."
Yeonjun shook his head, "No no no, you've already done that once before. I promise we'll eat."
Yexi looked him in the eyes, "You better. Don't disappoint me Yeonjun-ah." she pressed the elevator button again to open the doors before stepping inside, "tell the other boys good luck for me."
"Goodnight Noona!" he called out to her as the elevator doors closed.
Her phone started ringing and she looked down to see Jungkook's name and sighed, "He's so impatient" she mumbled to herself before hitting the answer button and bringing it to her ear, "Yesss?"
"Did you get trapped by the facial recognition software again?"
Yexi laughed, "No. I ran into Yeonjun on my way down and wanted to make sure they had at least eaten."
"Aww, what a good sunbae."
"Better than you." she quipped causing him to scoff, "don't you scoff at me. I'll go back upstairs." While her threat was only half-hearted she smiled when she heard Jungkook backtracking and begging her to still come. The elevator doors opened to reveal Jungkook and he sagged in relief seeing her there.
"Yexi, my favorite person ever." he wrapped her in a punishing hug causing her to start slapping his back so she could breathe.
She stepped back once he let go, "It's hard to believe that when you try to kill me. We get it Gguk you work out." He shot her his most charming grin causing her to roll her eyes at him, "So what did you want to show me."
"Oh! Right!" he walked behind her and put his hands over her eyes, "No peeking."
"If I get hit by a car I'm naming you as an accomplice just so you know."
"Your trust in me is heartwarming." he deadpanned causing her to stifle a giggle. He carefully guided her forward for a bit before turning her to face the left, "Okay, ready?"
She nodded and he pulled his hands away to reveal a motorcycle. She blinked a few times before turning to him, "Please tell me this isn't yours."
"Of course it is!" he gave her an excited smile, "Now get on. I'll take you home."
Yexi started laughing, "Oh hell no. I'm not getting on that death trap with you."
Jungkook frowned causing Yexi to feel the tiniest bit guilty of her kinda sorta joke, "You don't trust me?"
"Oh, I trust you, just not on that."
"We've been friends for six years and you don't trust me enough to not crash? Like I would risk this face if I thought there was even a chance that we would crash." he rolled his eyes at her.
"So I'm supposed to feel at ease now because you wouldn't risk fucking your face up? It's already questionable." He glared at her causing her to laugh, "Fine. You realize if Coups Oppa finds out about this I'll be lectured, right?"
Jungkook shrugged, "Not my problem."
Yexi turned around and started to walk away, "I changed my mind I'm not going."
Jungkook rushed over to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her, pinning her arms to her side, "Pleaseeee Yex."
"Fine. Let me text tweedle-dee to let him know I'm leaving since I promised I would."
She felt him nod his head, "Okay."
Yexi waited a moment before sighing, "Gguk You have to let go of me first."
"Oh, right! Sorry." He dropped his hold on her.
"I'm gonna murder him and they'll never find his body," Yexi mumbled to herself while slipping her phone back into her pocket. She turned to see Jungkook waiting on her with a helmet in his hands.
"Ready?" she could see him practically vibrating with excitement.
"You've driven this with someone on the back before right?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yes. You're not the first one Yex, now come here and let me put this on you." He gestured to the helmet in his hands. Yexi took a deep breath before closing the distance between them. Jungkook pulled the ponytail holder gently out of her hair before lifting the helmet and sliding it over her head. "Is it snug? It's not too tight?" Yexi shook her head, "Good." he smiled. He took the chin strap and easily looped it and pulled it to where the helmet wouldn't move around.
"How do I look?" she posed.
"Like a badass. This helmet is essentially yours. I almost got you one with attached cat ears but figured it was probably best to just get a normal one in case anyone else might need to borrow it." Jungkook grabbed his own helmet from the handlebars and slipped it on. He quickly secured it under his chin before swinging his leg over the bike to straddle it. "Make sure your bag is across your body before you get on."
Yexi slipped the bag strap over the helmet so the strap was now running across her body. Jungkook held out his hand and she grabbed it before hesitating. "Just step on the peg down by your foot and swing your leg over, kind of like you were getting on a horse." Yexi did as he instructed but yelped when she felt the bike lean a little. "You're fine. I've got it." Yexi tried again and felt relief when her butt was finally resting against the seat.
Jungkook turned the key and the bike roared to life, "Where do I hold on? I don't wanna fall off." she rushed out.
He reached back and grabbed her arm and wrapped it around his body. Yexi instantly wrapped her arms around him tightly, "Not so tight." he laughed. She eased up on her grip and he kicked the kickstand back up, "Let's go!" Yexi yelped when the bike lurched forward before smoothly making its way out of the parking garage.
As the two drove through Gangnam Yexi started to feel her body relaxing and if she was honest with herself she would admit that there was something freeing riding on the back of a motorcycle. Despite joking around with Jungkook she knew deep down that if they were to wreck for any reason that Jungkook would protect her to the best of his ability even if it meant he got hurt, so it allowed her to truly enjoy the ride on the way to the dorm. On the few times, she did get anxious from cars getting too close for comfort he would make sure to put distance and give her arms that were gripped tightly around him a comforting pat before putting both hands back on the handlebars.
Yexi was surprised that she actually felt mildly disappointed when they arrived at her dorm building. Jungkook pulled into a parking spot and killed the engine before holding his hand out for her to take so he could help her dismount. She didn't struggle to get off as much as she had gotten on. He put down the Kickstand before dismounting himself and pulling the helmet off and ruffling his hair before motioning Yexi forward so he could help her take hers off, "So what did you think?" he asked once her head slipped free.
"I begrudgingly admit that I liked it more than I thought I would." Jungkook beamed and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Yexi's ringtone. She pulled her cell from her pocket and her eyebrows shot up at the name that appeared. She held out a finger to Jungkook before answering.
" Hello?"
" Yexi?" a deep voice asked.
"Hey, Chanyeol." At the sound of the name Jungkook's eyebrows furrowed. As far as he knew the two hadn't talked in a few years so he wasn't sure If this was a new occurrence or if they'd been talking for a bit. "What's up? I thought you were still doing your mandatory service."
"I was only recently discharged, but I called because I wanted to see if you have any plans tomorrow?"
"Just practice I think but it shouldn't be an all-day thing, why?"
"Can we meet up? I wanna talk to you about something."
She nodded to herself, "Yeah sure, I'll text you the times I'll be free."
"Sounds good. See you tomorrow."
"Bye!" Yexi slid the phone back into her pocket.
"Since when did you start talking to Chanyeol again?" his tone wasn't accusatory, just confused.
"Since this phone call I guess" she shrugged, "He wants to meet up to talk about something."
"What does he want to talk about?" He carefully leaned against his motorcycle.
"I'm not sure, he didn't say. He just asked if I had some free time tomorrow." Jungkook looked deep in thought and while normally Yexi would stay to continue the conversation she was utterly exhausted and wanted to go upstairs and crash. "I should probably head up, I'm exhausted and I am dying to just shower and sleep."
Her voice snapped Jungkook out of whatever he was thinking about, "Alright. Call me tomorrow and tell me what he wanted to meet you about."
"Alright you nosy bastard." she laughed. "Drive back safe and text me when you get there."
Jungkook gave her a two-finger salute and put his helmet on before straddling the bike and driving off with a quick wave. Once he was out of sight Yexi turned around and headed toward the elevator. She sighed in relief when the elevator reached her floor and she dragged her feet in exhaustion all the way to the front door. Once the passcode was entered and she pushed open the door she came face to face with Mingyu sitting on the couch watching TV.
"Well if it isn't my little daredevil." he grinned.
"If I wasn't so exhausted I would kick your ass." she threatened.
he laughed, "You better not let Hyung find out."
She pointed at him with a glare, "If I go down I'm taking you with me. I'll tell him that you're the one that told Gguk that I was still at the company and that you knew he was coming to take me home on his bike. Just try me, you overgrown man-child."
They got closer after battling the facial recognition in the new HYBE building together
Got a lot closer after the Game Caterers episodes for HYBE
Seventeen also knows about his crush on Yexi due to Soobin letting it slip when he met with Seungkwan
They are more than acquaintances but not quite truly friends yet but Yeonjun wants to become closer and Yexi does to.
Jung Jaehyun
He's so far gone in his crush he doubts he'll ever get out of it
Is hesitant to say anything because he doesn't want to mess with the group dynamic the '97 liners have
Bought her a Cartier bracelet for her 20th birthday
The NCT China line tease him about his crush any time she comes up
A lot of people thought they were dating because of the sexual tension after they both owned up to finding each other attractive after a night of drinking
Jiao was always somewhat possessive of Yexi and didn't trust her since they went to different schools
The two fought a lot due to his jealousy
Seeing that the two were toxic Jackson got involved after a particularly bad fight between them that looked like it could get physical.
Jackson told Yexi she wasn't allowed to see him anymore. It caused a huge fight between Yexi and Jackson.
After Jackson pointed out that she saw the relationship as normal because that was what she witnessed with her parents but he refuses to watch her be in the same type of relationship.
The relationship with Jiao changed the way Yexi approached relationships in the future.
Xiao Bai / Brian Xiao (2010 - 2011)
Went to the same International School in China
He's the one who asked her out but she denied him for months, but he continued to chase her and show her how much he liked her.
Her first love
Her mom and Jackson were hesitant in letting her date again but Bai ended up showing them he was different from Jiao and won her mom and Jackson over.
Ended up becoming close friends with Jackson as the two were the same age.
He showed her what a good relationship should be like
The only reason they ended it was because she was spending more time at the dance studio and was debating on following Jackson to Korea. He didn't want to make her choose between her dreams and him so he let her go and supported her decisions.
The two stayed friends and he used to text her congratulations for Seventeen's achievements.
When they would have tour stops in Hong Kong she always set a ticket aside for him.
They slowly lost contact over the years and when Yexi kept having to change her number eventually all contact stopped.
Park Chanyeol (2016-2017)
Met during the recording of Goblin OST 'Stay With Me'
Never made things official but stayed in the talking stage for ~6 months
They ended things amicably and on good terms, still consider each other as close friends
The 5 year age difference made Chanyeol hesitant to persue anything with Yexi in the beginning
It took a lot of convincing on Yexi's side due to the 95, 96, and 97 line being semi against them being together, especially 95 line. 95 and some of 96 line never fully approved of the 'relationship'
Had intense chemistry and truly cared for each other
When they do occasionally meet up they pretty much pick up where they left off and flirt the entire time
Neither wanted to end things but due to increasing schedules for both and the fact that they both experienced anxiety over people finding out since there was a big age gap and Yexi was still considered a rookie
BREAKING: Seventeen's Yexi and EXO's Chanyeol caught on Cafe date.
Chanyeol of EXO and Yexi of Seventeen met up at a Cafe in Gangnam earlier today where the two stayed for almost 3 hours. Chanyeol was seen walking Yexi back to her vehicle before leaving himself. We've reached out to each party's respective labels for comment but have yet to respond.
Yexi and Chanyeol met back in 2017 when recording the OST "Stay With Me" for the successful k-drama Goblin. The song went on to become a massive success following its release. The drama can be watched on Viki as well as other streaming platforms.
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