Home Is Wherever You Are <3
Pairing: Lee Heeseung × fem!reader
Genre: fluff, comfort, friends to lovers, idol au, late night confessions, soft romance
Synopsis: After months of touring with enhypen as temporary staff, you and heeseung slowly become each other’s safe place. somewhere between sleepless bus rides, shared earphones, and songs that sound too much like your feelings, he finally realizes what “home” truly means.
Drabble!
WC: 2.1k!
Inspired by: Highway 1009, Orange Flower, and HOME by ENHYPEN 🎵
🌷ꫝ note: Wrote this while listening to orange flower at 2am and now I physically cannot recover.
The city lights blurred past the bus window like tiny stars falling to earth. You rested your forehead against the cool glass, earphones tucked in, while ENHYPEN’s “Highway 1009” played softly in your ears. The song always made you feel warm and lonely at the same time.
Tonight was different though.
Because two rows ahead of you, asleep with his hoodie over his head, was Lee Heeseung.
Not idol Heeseung.
Not the unreachable star millions screamed for.
Just… Heeseung.
Your best friend.
Or at least, that’s what he called you.
The tour had ended only hours ago, and the members were exhausted after encore rehearsals. The managers had finally let everyone relax during the long overnight drive back to Seoul. Sunghoon and Jay were gaming together quietly, Jungwon was half asleep against Jake’s shoulder, and Ni-ki kept stealing snacks from the front cooler.
Meanwhile, you sat there pretending your heart didn’t race every time Heeseung looked at you.
You were ENGENE staff — technically just a temporary assistant helping with schedules and translations overseas. But somewhere between airport runs, late-night convenience store trips, and helping him practice English lyrics at 2 a.m., Heeseung had become your comfort person.
And maybe you had become his too.
The bus suddenly hit a bump.
Heeseung stirred awake with a groan before lazily turning around in his seat. His messy dark hair fell into his eyes as he blinked at you.
“You’re still awake?” he asked quietly.
You slipped one earphone out. “Could ask you the same thing.”
He smiled sleepily. “Can’t sleep.”
The soft glow from the highway lights painted gold across his face. For a moment, he looked unreal.
Then he stood up and walked over, dropping into the empty seat beside you without asking.
“What are you listening to?”
You hesitated before handing him the earbud.
His eyebrows lifted the second he heard the song.
“‘Highway 1009’?” he laughed softly. “That’s kind of fitting.”
You glanced out at the endless road stretching ahead. “Maybe.”
For a few minutes, neither of you spoke. The quiet felt comfortable instead of awkward. Outside, the rain began tapping lightly against the windows.
Then Heeseung suddenly said, “Do you know what my favorite lyric is?”
You looked at him.
He hummed softly before singing under his breath,
“Even if we wander far away, this road always leads me back home.”
His voice was barely above a whisper, but hearing it this close made your chest ache.
“Home’s a weird word,” he continued. “People think it’s a place. But I think… it can be a person too.”
Your breath caught.
The bus lights dimmed further as everyone settled into sleep. Somewhere near the front, Sunoo muttered something in his dreams, making Jake laugh quietly.
But your entire world narrowed down to Heeseung sitting beside you.
“You know,” he said carefully, “during this tour… whenever things got hard, I kept looking for you first.”
Your heart skipped painfully.
“Heeseung…”
“I mean it.” His eyes met yours, warm and sincere. “Airports, rehearsals, stages… I always felt calmer when you were there.”
The rain outside grew heavier.
He looked nervous now — strangely nervous for someone who performed in front of stadiums without fear.
“You’re kind of like my orange flower.”
You blinked. “Orange flower?”
He smiled shyly. “You know the meaning, right? Finding hope and happiness after enduring difficult times.”
Your throat tightened.
The song in your earphones changed automatically.
“Orange Flower.”
As if the universe itself had perfect timing.
Heeseung laughed softly at the coincidence before looking down at his hands.
“I think I started liking you a long time ago,” he admitted quietly.
Everything inside you stopped.
The road lights streaked across his face while your pulse thundered louder than the music.
“You don’t have to say anything,” he added quickly. “I just… wanted you to know.”
But you were already reaching for his hand.
His eyes widened slightly when your fingers intertwined with his.
“I like you too,” you whispered.
For a second, Heeseung just stared at you like he couldn’t believe it.
Then his smile appeared slowly — soft, bright, and so painfully beautiful that it made your chest hurt.
The kind of smile that felt exactly like coming home.
He squeezed your hand gently before leaning his head against your shoulder.
Outside, the highway stretched endlessly ahead under the rain and city lights.
But for the first time in a long while, neither of you felt lost anymore.
