Pairing: Boyfriend! Hoetaek x Biochemist! GF Reader
Warnings: Fingering, bathtub sex, unprotected sex (implied)
Word Count: 632
Being a biochemist wasn’t easy, but you also felt that it was not as intense as everyone had warned going into it. Most had attempted to scare you off from such a path, something you were glad you hadn’t given into now that you had found your calling and established yourself in a career. There was someone who has never done such a thing though, your boyfriend, Hoetaek. He was more than supportive, he was awe-struck. Whenever you would discuss things he looked at you as if you had hung the stars themselves. Well, until he snapped and made out with you passionately until he got you into his bed for a long night.
Despite your love for your job, today had not been a good day. Things had not gone according to plan, and now you felt as though you were bringing work home because you couldn’t get your mind off what happened. Hoetaek noticed as he came over and massaged your shoulders, kissing your cheek as he looked over one of them.
“Long day at work, baby? " he asks, despite knowing you well enough to know the answer already.
“Yeah, the compound that we added didn’t encourage the cells to break down any contaminants. In fact, the water was worse when we tested it after and I have absolutely no idea why. Those cells are already predisposed to clear things out, so why it got worse instead of better makes no sense.” You whine before huffing as you look at the papers in front of you, having done so for so long that it was all starting to blur together at this point.
“You’re so sexy when you talk about that stuff.” Hoetaek’s voice has dropped a couple of octaves now, but you’re shaking your head.
“None of that, I need to figure this out.” You counter trying to shake him off but to no avail.
“Baby that sexy brain of yours is running so fast it's frying. You need to step away long enough to let it cool off.” Hoetaek immediately says back, but you’re not giving in yet, despite leaning into his touch a little now.
“You’re just saying that cause you want me.” Your argument makes him chuckle.
“Not entirely, when have I ever steered you wrong baby? You know I’ve got my own smarts about some things and you’re one of them.” Hoetaek insists and it is enough as you hum and let him help you to stand, “Now come on let's help you relax.”
Hoetaek draws a bath and helps you undress before you’re both getting in. He massages your back some under the hot water before settling you against his chest. His hands carefully work on every muscle before drifting elsewhere. Two of his fingers slipped between your legs to rub soft circles into your clit. Hoetaek hums when he feels you melt.
“There you go baby, just stop thinking for a little bit.” He kisses your neck as his fingers dip lower to slip inside, his thumb taking over on your clit. You’re shifting some as you feel him getting hard between your bodies, “Calm down baby, you’re still thinking too much let me do that.”
Usually, that would be a challenge for you, but as his fingers pressed against your sweet spot and coaxed you up and over the edge it seemed to come naturally. Hoetaek’s praise only furthers the haze in your mind. His hands gripping your hips, thumbs rubbing circles to ground you until he feels you’re starting to think too much again. Then he’s lifting you onto his cock for the start of a very long night. After which you never doubted him again considering the solution was clear as day the next time you picked up those papers.
Summary: The two times you kissed Hui before you knew who he was, and the few that followed.
Oneshot
Word Count: 4,782
Fluff, Non-idol au, College au, Strangers to Lovers, & Older Brother’s Best Friend au
TW: Drinking, Food Mentions
Hoetaek (Hui) X Reader
[Features! “Hui’s Younger Brother! Joo” Otherwise known as: (Y/n)’s best friend and roommate]
[A/n: In reality, Hui is the younger brother, and I don’t actually know Hui’s brother’s name. And yes, his name is Joo because the first Lee I thought of was Jooheon. Not based on Jooheon at all though. Inspired by: ‘Whui Is Me’ Concept #3 & #4 was originally inspired by Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy by Queen, but nothing came about from it.]
------
The first time you laid eyes on him, you were at a disco-themed club. He had a silver suit on and a large collared shirt. His strawberry-cream hair stood out to you in the midst of the crowd. You couldn’t see anyone else as he glided around the LED squares. He caught you staring and winked. And for the first time in a long time, you were flabbergasted.
Maybe it was the amount of liquid confidence you drank. But you danced up to him and asked if he'd like to dance with you. He smiled, and soon you were in each other’s arms and spinning around to the songs together. It took another song before you asked if you could kiss him, and he nodded. When you pulled away, you both were blushing red, but he initiated the second kiss as you two slowly rocked back and forth.
When the night ended, and you parted ways, you realized you never caught his name, too caught up in the feeling of having his lips on yours. You sighed as you got into bed, and your roommate, who was still up, asked, “So, how was the disco?” You shook your head, “It was magical. Yet, I never learned his name.” He laughs, “Damn, you should have.” He looks at the time, “Shit, how long did you make out with him?” You look at the time and see it’s three in the morning, “I thought you were going to be home at one!” You laugh, “Did you base your sleep schedule on when I returned?” He huffs, “Yes, usually you have two drinks and come home.” You shake your head, “Yeah, but that was before I saw him.” He sighs, “Did you at least get his number?” You pout, “No.” He shakes his head at you, “And you say I’m hopeless.” You sigh, “You have me there.”
You throw yourself onto your bed, and he follows suit, throwing himself on his own, “Did you end up going on a date today?” He nods, “Yeah, it was successful.” You pout, “Fucker.” He laughs, “But I didn’t make any bases.” You do a little fist bump in the air, “I win!” He rolls his eyes, “At least I know her name.” You shrug, get under the covers, and go, “Whatever, good night, Joo.” “Good night, (Y/n).”
---
The second time you met him, you still didn’t know he was your best friend’s older brother. You watch as his band performs at your college’s packed bar. His strawberry-cream hair still drawing you to him. But hearing his singing voice and watching as his fingers glide across the fretboard of his guitar had you enraptured. You just had to know more.
When his band leaves the stage, you return to drinking and conversing with the people around you. You're asking for a second drink. When someone asks sweetly, “Is this seat taken?” You turn your head to see him again and shake your head no, and he sits beside you. You still can't believe he came up to you, but come up with, “I didn’t know you could sing?” He grins, “It’s my major!” You laugh, and he finally tells you his name, “I forgot to introduce myself the last time we were with each other, but I’m Hoetaek, but almost everyone calls me Hui.” You grin and introduce yourself, and he says, “That’s a beautiful name.” You blush and thank him.
You talked more than you had kissed, but you still couldn’t get enough of him. He left you starstruck. You wanted to know everything and more about him, like what his favorite songs were and his favorite kind of weather. You went back home, and your best friend was already fast asleep, having learned his lesson from last time. His name should have rang a bell, but you still couldn’t place where you’d heard his name before as you fell asleep.
You didn’t register it until you were brushing your teeth in the morning. You gasped as you brushed your teeth, “Hoetaek?” You rushed to your roommate’s photo frames, toothbrush still in your mouth. And there they stood at the beach together. Your best friend was disgruntled in the photo while Hui was smiling wildly. You clutch your shirt, not believing the coincidence. You drag your feet back and finish brushing your teeth. “No fucking way.” You had always heard about his older brother, the absolute dork, and here you were, making out with the said dork. For a dork, he certainly knew how to kiss. You went to class and shook off the thought. He probably didn’t even know you were best friends with his little brother. Just like how you didn’t realize he was your best friend's older brother.
---
The next time you saw him, you were sitting with Joo on a blanket, studying on the campus grounds, when he came up. “Hey, did you get mom’s text?” Joo blinked at him before quickly grabbing his phone and looking, “Oh, she wants us this home this weekend?” He nods, “Yeah.” Joo asks, “Are you going to go?” Hui shrugs, “I have band practice.” You tune them out, fantasizing about what it would be like to kiss him again. You shook your head at those thoughts because he's supposed to be Joo's dorky older brother. But you couldn't help it.
Joo interrupts your thoughts, “Oh, (Y/n).” You look at him, and he says, “I never introduced you to Hoetaek. Hui this (Y/n), and (Y/n), this is Hui.” His cheeks were red as he smiled at you and shook your hand, “It’s nice to meet you again.” You blushed as you shook his, “Yeah. I didn’t realize you were Joo’s older brother.” He laughs, “I didn’t realize you were his best friend.” Joo goes, “Ahem,” and you both immediately detach. Joo crosses his arms, “How do you two know each other?” You scramble to find an answer, and Hui says, “We met at the disco club two weeks ago.” Joo nods, “You could have told me you two knew each other.” You shake your head, “We didn’t realize who the other was.” He nods, and Hui gets up from the blanket, “I have to walk to class now, but I’ll pick you up on Friday night.” Joo nods, and when he is far enough away. Joo goes, “Tell me everything.”
You blushed, “I um, I didn’t realize he was your dorky older brother. Firstly, he was an amazing dancer. And I… may have ended up exchanging a few kisses with him.” He groans, “Ew… He was the whole reason your night was magical?” You nod, and he squints, “Nothing further?” You shake your head, “Unless you consider that we met at his gig a week ago, too…” His jaw drops, “Holy fuck. You two left out a major detail…” You blush and hide your head in your hands, “I know.” He shakes his head, “I’ve always thought of you as my sibling, but you didn’t have to make it official.” You whine, “I know.” And he goes, “Again, you know he’s not cool unless he's in his element.” You pull your hands away, “You’ve said that, but I’ve met him in his element, and god he’s…” He deadpans, “I do not need to know.” You smirk and tease, “Are you sure? I thought you loved hearing the details?” He rolls his eyes, “Yes, I’m sure. I do not need to know whether or not he’s a good kisser.” You smirk, “He is.” He sighs, shaking his head, “Anyways… Do you like him?” You look down at your hands, “I think so.” He smiles, “Well, when are you gonna make a move?” You blush, “Joo...” And he goes, “Well, now that I have the opportunity for you to become my sibling officially. I want this process to speed up a little faster.” You roll your eyes and go back to studying.
As you’re finishing your homework, you hear Joo say, “Hey, Mom!” You hear her sweet voice over the phone, “Oh, honey, I was wondering when you would get my text!” You look at him to see the smirk gracing his lips, “I was wondering, (Y/n) has nowhere to go this weekend… Can they come too?” You glare at him. And you hear her go, “Oh, of course, we love having (Y/n) over!” He tells her sweetly, “Thanks, mom!” And she asks, “Anything else, honey?” “No, we'll see you this weekend. Love you.” “Love you more!” When he hangs up, “You little-!” You tackle him immediately, and he cackles as you tickle him, “You brat!” He laughs even harder, “You’ll thank me later.” You roll off of him and finish your homework, refusing to talk to him. “I thought you loved my parents?” He asks with a pout, “I love them. You, however? Not so much.” He shakes his head, “If you say so.” You sigh, and you both walk back to your dorm room together.
---
You don’t see him again until Joo opens the door and lets you in behind him. You kick off your shoes and turn to look towards the living room to see him sitting there playing guitar. If you didn't have no way back to the college, you would have taken your belongings and ran for the hills. Why is he already here? You thought you'd at least have an hour before you had to face the music. Your brain is unraveling fast, and you do everything to lie low.
But with Joo talking to you in the hall, it was enough to be spotted by him. You gulp as he stops strumming and waves to you, and you wave back. Joo turns at that, and he smiles, “Hui! You’re home!” He grins at his brother as he gets up and hugs him. Joo whines about his hug but accepts it anyway, “I thought you were going to be late because of your band practice?” Hui shakes his head, “No, I told them I was heading home for the weekend.” Joo hums and tries to wiggle out of the hug, and Hui whines, “I thought you were happy to see me!” And Joo goes, “I was!” And he mutters, “Until you kept hugging me.” Hui laughs before he lets him go, and you both awkwardly smile at each other before he goes back to his guitar.
You both give a quick hello to his parents before dragging your bags up the stairs to Joo’s room. As you walk to his door, you can’t get the sight of Hui out of your head. The memories of kissing him play in the back of your mind, ruining your resolve of a peaceful weekend. Joo and you take time to set up your air mattress, and he giggles, “You sure you want to sleep in my room?” You gasp, “It is my best friend privilege!” He smirks, “Yeah, but don’t you wish to sleep next to your crush?” You squint, “Oh, so that's how it is.” He smirks, “I’m teasing you forever for falling for my brother.” You groan, “I should have never told you!” He smirks, “But you couldn’t keep a secret like that from your best friend and roommate, could you?” You groan again, “I’d try.” He continues smirking, “I’d find out anyway.” You sigh, “I’m starting to see how you’re the little brother.” He pouts, “Hey, that was mean.” You roll your eyes, and with the mattress finally filled, you cap it as he unplugs the blower, and you both head downstairs.
When you reach the kitchen, their dad looks away from the pot he's stirring, “Oh, (Y/n)! Have you ever met our eldest, Hui?” Hui, who is currently wearing an apron and cracking eggs, causing your heart to burst into a million pieces. You smile, scrubbing the heart-melting moment from your mind, “Yeah, we’ve met.” Hui turns around and smiles at you. His dad grins, “How did you two meet? I know how you met Joo. You both are roommates.” You turn red as his dad flips the vegetables in the pan, and Joo nudges you to say something. And you go, “We met at a disco night.” His dad gasps, “You know disco?” You laugh as you nod, “Yeah, I love it.” He sighs in relief, “Ahh good, you can move in forever if you’d like.” You cackle, and Joo goes, “Where’s Ma?” And Hui says, “Back in the garden.” Joo grins, “Okay, later!”
He exits the kitchen, and you’re still standing in front of the island. Hui asks, “You’re not joining him?” You shake your head, “I know better than to leave when food is about to be served.” Hui laughs, and his dad asks, “Can you get the plates out?” You nod, walk around the island, open the first cabinet, and pull out five plates. You set them out, head to the silverware drawer, and grab utensils for everyone. They finish what they’re making as you get a seat for yourself as you do. Their dad comes over, “I’m sorry I would have gotten that out sooner! I forgot you were coming.” You shrug, “It’s okay, Mr. Lee. It’s just a chair.” He pouts, “But you’re our guest.” You shake your head, “It’s okay.” And he sighs, “Okay.”
Hui comes over, and you ask, “When did you get here?” He looks at the clock, “About an hour and a half before you two.” You nod, and he places his dish in the middle while his dad calls for the other two to come in for dinner. Your heart is hammering out of your chest, but you try to be cool about it. He opens his mouth to say something. And before he can get a syllable out, the rest of his family returns. Joo sits beside you, and Hui sits across from both of you. You speak minimally throughout the dinner, just focused on eating and trying not to think about the man across from you.
---
While Joo snores peacefully on his bed, all cuddled up, you can’t help but roll to your side again. Even after begging to whatever’s up there, you’ll fall asleep. You can’t. You sigh as you get up, deciding to get a glass of water. You fill up your glass, drink a few sips, and head back towards Joo’s room. You hear music coming from the basement with nothing better to do. You decide to investigate. You shut the door behind you and start walking down the steps.
And that’s where you see him again. He’s playing guitar along to the radio and humming the tune. He hears your footsteps as you come down the creaky old wood and looks back at you, and you ask, “Do you mind if I join you?” He shakes his head no, and you come in further, and he goes, “I come down here when everyone’s sleeping, so I don’t wake them up.” You nod, and he gestures for you to sit beside him, “Can’t sleep?” You softly tell him no as you sit down next to him. It felt awkward to be alone with him again. Because the last time you were perfect strangers making out in a bar. And now you were in an odd dynamic of him being the older brother to your best friend. Not knowing what to say, you sit there and listen to him play along to the radio.
As the next song starts, he grins, “I haven’t heard this since I was in high school.” He starts playing along effortlessly, and you smile, “It’s Led Zeppelin.” He smiles, “Dazed and Confused.” As the song nears its end, he asks, “Did Joo invite you?” You scrunch your nose, “No, rather, he asked his mom to let me come over in front of me.” He hums, “He’s always been an odd one.” You laugh, “What about you? You never skip band practice.” He smiles, “I finally had a reason too.” You blink at him, and he says, “I heard you were staying here.” You blush, and he asks, “Do you always stay here on breaks?” You nod, “Yeah, ever since I’ve become best friends with Joo.” He nods, “Interesting.” After a moment, you ask, “Do you remember the first time we met?” He smiles, “I couldn’t forget it.” You blush, “Me neither.” He asks softly, “Is that why you can’t sleep?” You hum, “Something along those lines.”
He stops playing and puts his guitar on its stand. He turns towards you, “Is it because my brother is your best friend?” You tilt your head, “Well, no.” He waits for you to continue, “It’s more so the fact that we’re under the same roof.” He holds his hand out to you, and you carefully take it in yours, and you ask, “Is it weird because I’m your little brother’s best friend?” He shakes his head, “No. But maybe it's a little awkward that we’re in my parent's house, though.” You laugh, “Yeah.” He smiles and squeezes your hand, “It kinda reminds me of being a teenager again.” And the two of you laugh.
The radio starts playing a slow song by Smokey Robison, “Would you like to dance with me?” You smile, “I’d love to.” He pulls you up, and you both sway to the music, but instead of kissing, you talk. You ask, “Is it true that you’re out of your element outside of music?” He blushes, “Yeah. If you met me in the florist shop I work at, I would have shriveled up and asked Hyunggu to run the cash register.” You laugh as you softly tell him, “I would have still found you dreamy.” His cheeks are red as he asks, “Really?” You smile, “Yeah.”
He twists you under the recessed lightning, and you two giggle as you spin around. You can’t help but get lost in his eyes and wonder what it would be like to kiss him again. You ask softly, “Would it be bad to say I really want to kiss you right now?” He giggles as he says, “No, I want to kiss you too.” You tangle your fingers in his hair as you place your lips on his, and he reciprocates. You both slowly sway to the song as you kiss. When you both pull away, he leans his forehead on yours, and you play with his pink locks. He looks into your eyes and asks, “Would you want to get breakfast with me tomorrow? Like as a date?” You can’t help but grin as you tell him, “Yes.” He kisses you again, and you both giggle into it.
When the song ends, you sit back on the couch closer than before. You both stay up the whole night talking. As the clock reaches five in the morning, you yawn. And he smiles, “You should probably head upstairs to bed.” You yawn again and agree, “Yeah.” You get up off the couch before looking at him again, “I can’t wait for our date.” He smiles, “I can’t wait either.” You hear him yawn as you round the couch to the stairs, “Good night, Hui.” He smiles, “Good night, (Y/n).” You head upstairs, open the door, walk to the kitchen, clean your empty glass, and head to bed. When you finally rest your head on your pillow, you fall asleep.
You wake up to Joo loudly stretching, “Dude. You’re so loud.” He rolls his eyes before he stares at you, “You weren’t here when I rolled over at one in the morning.” You look at everything but him, “I got a glass of water.” He hums, “Is that why you weren’t back until 5 am?” You sigh, “Nothing can get past you, can it?” He laughs before he asks, “So?” You sigh, “I just wanted to investigate where the music was coming from.” He leans his chin on his hand, “Yeah?” You blush, “And then we danced and talked until then.” He tilts his head, “Did you not confess?” You smile as you move the blanket away, “Something better.”
He gasps in horror, “Not underneath my roof!!” You shake your head, “No! That’s not what I meant! And this is your parent’s roof!” He cackles, “So, what is it?” You smile, “We kissed a few times throughout the night, and he asked me to go to breakfast with him.” He gasps, “Omg?! We have to get you dressed nicely!” He pulls you up fast, and you both dig through your travel bag and find something nice to wear. “Okay, go to the bathroom! If he comes up before you’re ready. I’ll distract him.” You laugh and high-five him, “Thanks, Joo!” You rush into the bathroom and freshen up, and you hear outside Hui coming up the stairs.
Joo asks, “So, was it you or (Y/n) that asked first?” Hui blushes as he rubs the back of his neck, “Well, we were dancing in my room, and they asked if it was bad if they wanted to kiss me. And I told them ‘No,’ that I wanted to kiss them too.” And Joo goes, “And?” Hui turns bright red as he says, “They kissed me first.” Joo smirks, “That’s my best friend!” Hui laughs, “Then I asked them to go to breakfast with me.” Joo claps his hand on his shoulder, “You know, for being a musical nerd, I didn’t know you had it in you. But man, I can’t be prouder.” Hui wrinkles his nose, “Ouch. But thanks. So, how did your date last week go?” Joo nods before telling him.
The two talk for a few more minutes before you return from the bathroom. Joo leaves you two to head downstairs to the kitchen and sits at the table as his parents make coffee. His mom asks, “Are (Y/n) and Hui joining us?” He shakes his head no, “You’ll see.” They both draw their attention to the stairs, waiting for the two of you to appear.
In the quiet hallway, you tell him softly, “I like your black and white striped sweater.” He grins as he tells you that he likes your outfit. After another beat of silence, Hui asks if you’d like to hold hands on the way cause the diner is just a block away, and you smile as you agree. You walk down the stairs hand in hand, and his parents gasp as Joo grins. They whisper and ask him, “Oh, they’re going on a date?” He nods, “Yeah!” You walk over, and both bid them goodbye, and Hui tells them where you’re going before leaving.
---
His dad smiles, “So, do you have all the details?” And Joo grins as if shining an apple on his shirt. He blows his hand and wipes it on his shirt, “Of course I do. They’re my brother and best friend couple.” He tells them how you two met at his gig, and his dad says, “We knew that, though.” He smirks, “Did you know the two kissed?” His parents gasped, “No, did they know each other then?” He shakes his head, “They didn’t know until after they met at his gig.” He shares a few more details before his mom asks, “How did they end up going on a date then if neither of them confessed to their feelings?” He smirks as he gets to rat them out, “They were in his room last night, and they danced to classic rock songs. And Hui finally confessed.” His mom grins, “Oh, that’s so sweet.”
---
You walk hand in hand down the block, swinging your arms, talking about various things. You open the door for you two, and you both walk in and sit down across from each other at a table for two behind the interior wall. You look at Hui, admiring him as you wait for your waiter, his black beret making him look even cuter than before. You smirk, “Loverboy? Is that true?” He blushes as he remembers the branding on his hat, “For you, yeah.” You blush and look down, “Hui…” He grins, his cheeks red as he lifts your chin and winks, “You’re cute when you’re blushing.” You shake your head, “You’re cuter.” He pulls his finger away as the waiter comes over, hands you each a menu, and asks what you'd like to drink. You tell him, and he comes back shortly with the drinks and gives you time to figure out what you want for breakfast.
He returns and gets your orders before putting them in the kitchen. Hui puts his left hand up on the table, and you smile as you catch onto what he means and place your left hand against his before interlocking your fingers. He grins and moves your hands back and forth happily, and you can’t help but grin and squeeze his hand in yours. He asks you questions about yourself, and you ask them back after answering. You smile as you realize you’re learning more about Hoetaek, the kind and silly, than Hui, the older musical nerd in the family. And you can’t help but feel endeared.
The waiter brings your food, and your hands part to eat. He makes you laugh as whipped cream coats his lips, and he laughs as you get some on your nose. He licks his lips, and before you wipe the whipped cream from your nose, he grabs his napkin and swipes his napkin over your nose. “All better.” You shake your head and smile, and he’s grinning right back.
You finish up your breakfast, and before he has a chance to pay, you do. And he pouts, “But I asked you out on this date. I should have paid.” You wink, “There’s always next time.” He gasps before he grins, “You’re right.” He wraps his arm around your waist, and you smile as you do the same, wrapping your arm around his. You grin, and as you walk through town, he softly hums along to the songs playing, and you can’t help but smile and do the same. You both walk-in time at each other’s pace, strolling around before heading back to his house.
When you reach the front door, he asks, “So, when we head back tomorrow. Will you attend my gig as my special guest?” You grin, “I’d love to.” He smiles and kisses your cheek before unlocking the door and letting you in first. Joo sits on the couch, watching TV. He looks at you two, “So how was it?” You blush, “It was nice.” And Hui goes, “I’m glad I got the courage to ask.” Hui asks, “You don’t mind if we’re together for the rest of the day?” Joo shakes his head, “Nah, I hang out with you two too much. I need some alone time, too.” You cackle, “As if you aren't texting people twenty-four-seven in there.” He rolls his eyes, “Yeah, but it’s hard to text people when someone is talking about how handsome my brother is.” You gasp, “Mean!”
He cackles, “Yeah.” Before he shoos you two away, “Go have fun. You can tell me all about your date later!” You both smile, and he leads you to the basement door, “What do you say to me, you, and my favorite records?” You grin, “Well, considering your taste in music… Hell yeah.” He smiles, and you both walk down the stairs. And you dance and talk until its dinner time.
“We organized it so it’s more comfortable for us to eat!” His dad says all cheerily, and he has you sit at the end of the table while Hui is on one side and Joo is on the other, and he happily sits across from his wife. You immediately say, “You didn’t have to.” And he shakes his head, “I was going to do this the other day, but I didn’t get time to.” The five of you laugh, and underneath the table, Hui holds your hand, rubbing his thumb against the back of your hand, and you can’t help but smile as you eat.
Joo talks about all the shenanigans he was getting up to in sports and English studies. And the dates he's recently been on, while Hui talks about his music and band. And you tell them about your field of study. Their parents talk about their jobs and their neighbors. You can’t help but feel at home in the Lee’s house with your boyfriend, your best friend, and their parents. And yeah, you did end up thanking Joo for inviting you to his parent's house after finding out you liked Hui.
-genre: angst, smut, rococo au, the progress of love???
-words: 7k words
-warnings: a bit of yelling,
-a/n: This one was in the works for a while. I might release a part two... if it goes well, and maybe separate endings. I just wanted to put something out there. I'm still active I swear!!! Thank you all for support!!
>>Masterlist
Rococo is an art style, a lifestyle. Organically shaped and covered in gold and pastel colors. Putting an innocent tone over paintings that aren’t so innocent, for tea rooms where women gossip. The high life of the French.
You sat in the tea room with the other ladies. You had on your best fake smile. You were the youngest out of all of them. Recently, you married the high priest. It was arranged, of course, but he was quite handsome. His name was Kang Hyunngu. Unlike your husband, you grew up in a noble lifestyle. He climbed his way to the top.
You hummed at one of the lady’s comments. You weren’t listening to what she was saying. You were staring at the paintings around the room. One caught your eye, a picture of naked figures on the sea with putti above them.
“I see you like the painting I added to my collection.” She smiled at you. Her name was…. You could not seem to remember her first name. But her last name stuck out to you. You were still new to this group. Learning all of their names would take time.
“Ah yes, Mrs. Beaumont. What is the name of the painting?” You gained the attention of the ladies in the room. Most of them didn’t have an eye for art. You knew of some that would have their maids.
“The Triumph of Venus by Francious Boucher.” She let out a slight smile while sipping her tea. You nodded back to her and let the conversation move elsewhere.
.
The piece stuck with you throughout the day. It could be because of the erotic nature of the painting. She had planned a day to go to the academy to look at the new pieces. You took care of most of the finances in the relationship. It was the only task that you had that wasn’t mundane.
When you went to his office, he barely looked at you when the two of you were talking about taking over the finances. He replied with one word and pointed at the finance books. You didn’t know him too well at that time. He didn’t know you too well either.
You picked up the books and looked back at him. He hadn’t looked up from his papers to see you out. It seemed that he did not have even a bit of interest in you. You didn’t talk to him much after you left his office that day. The two of you had never sat down and had a proper conversation. With you, he was reserved and you were the same with him. Neither of you would open up.
.
You had been home since the meeting at the Beaumonts' place. You were going over the spending for the month, what was in savings, and what were the allowances. You were in your own office, like a hermit. Most days you wouldn’t dare to come out ‘til supper. There was no reason to stroll, but now you wanted to explore art galleries. You were looking down at the finance book, how much money should be put away for artwork? How much did it cost to be a patron?
You could send a letter to some ladies, but you know how judgemental they are. You could ask your head maid to do some digging on others. You were reading about the art world, trying to get as much information as possible.
You had been alone for a while when someone entered the room. You didn’t pay it too much attention at first until a shadow had loomed over you. You looked up to meet the eyes of your husband.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you this late in my office?” You gave him a smile reaching out your hand. He took it and placed a small kiss. It was a flirty gesture you made at him, but a large smile reciprocated it.
“I hope you will be this public for our upcoming ball.” You raised your eyebrows at his words. Hyunggu wasn’t a social type of person.
“A ball? Us? We barely attend others, and you want me to host?” You added a bit of a playful tone in your voice even though the matter was serious. Your fake concern was seen, but not spoken on. Although it was true, you did not attend many balls when the two of you married. People didn’t see you and Hyunngy together outside in public often. This would be a first.
“I was hoping for a change. I want to present our name as something grand. I am sure you can handle hosting”
You hummed for a bit. “I can handle hosting and planning, but can you handle all the aristocrats? They can be quite annoying.” No matter how much you wanted to add to a pet name, you held yourself back. He hadn’t gone that far with you, and you wouldn’t with him.
“I can’t wait to see how you pull it together. It is in a month. That should give you enough time.” He gave you one final smile before he left the room. He didn’t prolong the conversation, but you wanted him to. The conversation was a bit longer, and you thought you had kept the mood up. So why didn’t Hyunggu talk to you for just a little while longer? He seriously drove you crazy.
.
You were busy the rest of the week trying to design some theme for your home and party. You were still hung up on the artistic style of rococo and decided to go with that as a theme. It was a new and upcoming style. It would make the two of you seem more stylish than you gave off. And you had to budget the whole ball plus the gowns. To you– that was the most important part of the event. It would probably cost more than the catering and cake.
You knew one thing for certain, you were going to be locked inside your office for the rest of the day.
.
The ball rolled around, and you were exhausted from all the planning. You had your maids help her get ready, the dress, the makeup, the hair. There was a sense of pride when you walked downstairs and saw the array of flowers and colors of pastels. Some of the paintings that you ordered have come and were displayed.
Your husband walked up to you, “It looks amazing such as you do.” You smiled. You felt flattered.
“Thank you.”
You sat on a couch sipping tea while watching your husband converse with others. It was a big party with a large guest list. You thought that you were in over your head inviting people that were of a higher class than you. Especially this one noble family. Their son was best friends with the prince. You didn’t expect them to arrive, but it still was a way to get your name out there.
Your made rushed to you whispering in your ear that they had arrived. You jolted up, the excitement was too much. You followed the maid to where. You were too stunned to speak just follow. It felt like there was no possible way that this man could be in your house right now.
You walked up to him, still beaming with excitement. “Nice to meet you, Mr Lee. Thank you for coming to my event tonight.” When you looked up at him you could feel your heart beating faster. He had a sweet puppy-like face and was too handsome. Now you were glad he came to your event.
“Now that I’ve met you, I can say that I’ve come for a good cause.” He reached out his hand to your own slowly bending down to kiss it without making eye contact. There was heat in your cheeks. “Why don’t you show me around your lovely home?” There was a look in his eye, something of interest.
.
You showed him around your house, ending up in your private library on a couch. The two of you were laughing. You had to say, he got some good conversation out of you. The more you two drank, the more handsy Hui had gotten. His hands hovering above your own and his eyes rarely broke contact with your own. You sucked in a breath before you took another sip of champagne. It had already been late when Hui arrived at the party, heavens knows what time it is now.
The two of you were still in deep conversation when your maid slipped into the room looking a bit nervous. She tapped you on the shoulder. “Erm… I just wanted to (warn) tell you that your husband has been looking for you and is headed to the library. Most of the guests have left by now.”
You brushed it off waving your hand in the air, “It’s probably about the clean-up and what to do next.” You had a smile on your face with a pink tint on your cheeks. It was Hyunggu and he didn’t talk much to you. He only spoke business because, technically, you were part of his business image.
“Oh dear, does that mean I have to part ways with you already? I thought we were just getting started,” Hui added as he snuck his hand under your own and laid a kiss upon it once more. He had an enamored look in his eyes now like he got a taste of what he was looking for.
The made to you two was once again a ghost, and nothing else existed but the sound of your voices and the heat between your bodies. The only thing that would break the trance would be two hands on your shoulders. Surprised, you looked behind you to find Hyunggu. “Oh, Dear! You have to meet my new friend. He says my home is lovely and–”
“I'm sure our home is lovely, you designed it after all, but shouldn’t I be the one to talk business with the man, I am the husband.” He didn’t leave much room for you to respond, tightening his grip on your shoulders. You spoke no more.
“Ah, we should soon. Let’s make a date where I can come over again.” Hui had a smug look that anyone could mistake for liquor. But the way that Hui made a quick glance at you, made your heart skip a beat.
“You’re right. Tonight has already gone too far. I’ll walk you to the door.” Hui stood up and you watched him. Hyunggu had finally lifted his harsh grip from your shoulders. You stood up as well, but the men were already half out of the door. Hui looked back at you and gave you a wink with a soft smile.
.
You had returned to your room undressing, bathing, dressing, and slipping into bed with a book. Hui gave you a recommendation from your library, and you promised to read it. You had walked around the library with Hui before sitting down and talking. Hui was an observer, the way he watched you talk, and the way he examined the room. While the two of you walked around the book collection, he suddenly pulled out a book and gave it to you. You smiled to yourself holding the book to your chest. There was a knock at your door that interrupted your flashback– or shall I say daydream. “Come in.” You said in a soft voice to the person on the other side of the door.
Hyunggu opened it, only now you were able to see his eyes. Angry, almost, but for a reason that you don’t know. You only turned to him to see who walked into your room, then turned back to your book.
Your husband bored you and to you, whatever he was going to say would not make it any better, so you went back to your book. You heard him sigh, maybe it was the stress from hosting such a huge party. You flipped the page.
“Do you have any shame?” Hyunggu said in a slightly irritated voice. It was clear he was trying to hold himself back, but the venom slipped through the cracks.
“What?” You said now putting your book aside. You looked directly at him.
“You disappear for half of the night into some secluded room, and you don’t think people will talk. Especially with that man’s ties with the prince?!” There was urgency in Hyunggu’s voice. He ran his hands through his hair. He was still angry, now you looked at him, analyzing him. He hadn’t changed from his attire from the part. He looked like he had been sweaty. You were sure it had been some time since Hyunggu walked Hui out the front door. So what had he been doing since then?
Either way, he was coming for you, almost accusing you of adultery. Sure, you didn’t like Hyunggu as a husband, but you did have some respect for the man. “So this is about image? Because if it is–”
“It’s not about image it’s about the fact that my WIFE was gone half of the night and I didn’t even have an answer as to where you were. God, I had to ask your maid for an idea. The event went well if people weren’t asking for your appearance half of the damn time.”
“You don’t like me by your side if you mind me reminding you.”
“And when I did seem to find you when everyone else was gone, you were with a man. A man? What do you think about how he thinks of me now? So oblivious that I can allow my wife to slip away? “ He didn’t even hear your statement. He was ignoring you just blabbering on and then he got to the part about Hui’s glances. “He was looking you up and down undressing you with his eyes. In my house! He was thinking of undressing YOU. IN. MY. HOUSE.”
“Have you been drinking, Hyunggu?” You said without giving too much thought to what was coming out of your mouth. You were starting to become concerned.
“THATS NOT IMPORTANT.” Hyunggu was pacing around the room now. He was in over his head angry. A part of you was scared. This normally quiet man of your husband was now yelling in your bedroom.
“I think you need to calm down.” You said with a little more urge in your voice. You were ready for him to leave and didn't know how to calm Hyunggu down. He was still walking back and forth when you got up from your bed walking toward him. You cupped his face, “You need to calm down.” You spoke softly to him, looking into his eyes. “Okay?” He looked back in yours before he ripped his face out of your grasp, and stormed out of the room slamming the doors.
You didn’t sleep that night, the book acted as a source of comfort.
.
You had been avoiding meeting hyunggu ever since the incident in your room. Dinner was the only time that you couldn’t escape from him. Neither of you had spoken either. You avoided eye contact from him, or read your book at the dinner table.
You awaited Hui’s return, but perhaps he did not mean it when he said he would visit again. You spent your time in your drawing room, embroidering, reading, painting, and anything to pass the time. Going on strolls in the garden behind your house was your new favorite pastime. It felt more and more empty with every day, and you asked for more flowers and asked for more statues. You needed something more than an empty garden.
You searched for some type of fulfillment for your boredom. You frequented as many teas and balls as you could in hopes of running into Hui again. Especially at balls, since you had met him on your own. It was a new move trying to go to all of the events of the social season since you weren’t that high of a noble. You needed the connections, so you had the ball in the first place, but you didn’t see much of a chance moving up in the ranks.
You did get the attention of many of the lady’s husbands, which got you somewhere in mentioning your husband. Even though you were not interested in Hyunggu as much, you still had to stick by him. Who else was going to support your endeavors in art? You could think of one person but still could not find him anywhere.
.
You were getting ready for another ball you frequented with or without your husband. Sometimes Hyunggu would “tag along” for the connections that were there. This ball in particular, Hyunggu did not fancy it at all. You didn’t hear anything from the staff about him getting ready or wanting to go.
You left your estate feeling free since there wouldn’t be someone’s (hyunggu’s) eyes on you all night. You walked into the ball, the lights were dim creating a sense of ambiance. You wandered about most of the ball. You weren’t much of a dancer, but more of a socialite.
You were laughing with one of the ladies you usually have tea with when someone tapped you on the shoulder. You turned yourself around and met Hui’s eyes. You curtsied to him, and he took your hand again to kiss it. His lips left a small fire burning on your hand for the rest of the night. “I have not seen you in so long.” You smiled up at him. You wanted to say that you missed him, but it felt like too much.
“I am not an easy man to come across.” He had a sly look on his face as if he had won something. He held onto your hand escorting you somewhere more quiet, like before. You could tell he liked his privacy.
“I can tell, you never called when you say you would.” You remarked in a slightly pouty tone. You would not give him too much, not yet at least. “At this point, you are just... teasing” You looked up into his eyes looking for something, and was met with a soft smile.
“I did not think even if I were to call, that your husband would accept it. I am glad you felt the same way I have.” His hands lingered on yours, holding them. The two of you were outside in the garden. The sky was clear and full of stars.
“What feeling do we share?” You asked inching towards him. The moonlight only made him look more dreamy.
“The feeling of something igniting every time your skin touched. The passion.” His hands holding your upper arm. “That is why you were looking for me again, is it not?”
“You looked down at your own hands, “That is why. I do miss your company and our conversation. Which is why I wish you could visit me in my garden. It is empty, almost like my house. Like my heart when you are not next to me.”
He tucked a hair behind your ear as an excuse to hold your face. “Then I will meet you in that garden.” He leaned in to kiss you, and it was soft. You leaned more into him grabbing him by his waist, and he grabbed you by yours in return. You smiled into the kiss, as he ran his hands up into your hair.
He pushed you up against the wall, as the two of you became breathless. His hands were still in your hair tugging at it making the kiss deeper. He pulled away after a few moments trying to catch his breath. “We both can’t continue this here nor today.” Hui was looking down at the ground. His hands were on his hips as he thought of a solution to both of your dilemmas. “I shall have to visit your garden sometime…” Hui said, looking at you with a smile.
“We should get back to the ball now before we are missed.” You replied and linked your arm with his. The two of you walked back to the ball to enjoy the rest of your night dancing and talking with Hui. You enjoyed his company more than Hyunggu’s. You felt like you had known Hui for an entire lifetime.
.
You spent more and more time in the garden. New flowers were blossoming, and your statues came in. There was one you put on a pedestal– an angel. He looked like he was sitting and had a finger in front of his mouth hushing. Two other statues sat on the ground. They were angels, one hugging the other. You smiled to yourself proud of the way you had decorated the garden, but it was missing something. The trees around your garden looked overgrown. The biggest tree had a branch that seemed to curl into itself. You couldn’t put to your mind what you were missing just yet. You walked around more of your garden seeing where else you could put statues. You had a thing for putti, the little devious angles that were found everywhere. It was too cute and fitting for Hyunggu’s job.
You smiled to yourself looking over at your garden one last time. You turned to head back to your estate when your maid ran to you with a letter in her hand. “A.. Letter… from Marquis Lee.” As soon as those words left her mouth you beamed and ran to her to retrieve the letter. Your two dogs barked in the back of her. One was a brown and white cocker spaniel who was perfectly groomed and a Coton de Tulear, who was more energetic. Coco, who was the white puppy, and Ava, who was the brown and white puppy both ran up to you before you could get your hands on the letter. You giggled playing with the puppies, for a moment before making sure to take the letter and shove it into a pocket of your dress for safekeeping. You continued to run around the garden playing fetch with the puppies.
You had been out there for somewhat of an hour when you felt someone’s eyes on you. You turned around to see Hyunngu leaning on a pole of your veranda. He had a soft smile for a moment before he got caught. He made his way towards you, and you called the dogs to your side as you walked to meet up with him. “Did you need my presence?” You said as you curtseyed a little at him.
“No, but you can say it was missed. You are usually inside.” Hyunggu said as he looked around at your backyard. It had changed since the last time he had been back here. It bloomed with your taste and creativity. He allowed himself to smile, admiring what you did to the place. “I think I know what your garden is missing… I shall order it and have it installed.”
“I already have more statues on the way,” you said. You guessed earlier that the garden missed more statues. Your garden needed a story of itself to tell, and to you, statues would fix that.
Hyunggu chuckled a little, “No not that. Something else. Exotic, but I think you will enjoy it.” He nodded to himself before looking down at the two pups following you. “Seems that you liked my wedding gifts as well.” He felt proud of himself with that one.
“I have grown attached to them, yes.” You answered Hyunngu bending down to ruffle Coco’s soft white furr. Dogs were often a gift in marriage as a symbol of loyalty. Given to a woman for the expectation of her loyalty. You knew that and so did he. Coco and Ava were a symbol of what you were meant to be as a woman. Sometimes you loved them but hated them for the reason they were here. “I shall see you at dinner,” you said with a smile and a curtsey to excuse yourself. Once again, you called the dogs after you while heading inside. It was time to read your letter.
And write a new one you would send in secret.
.
You almost fell asleep at your desk with all of the drafts you had written to Hui. You wanted to sound smart and eloquent, but you could not seem to get the right tone down. You groaned in frustration, throwing yourself back in your chair. His words were so sweet and rolled off the page like melting wax with a cherry scent. How could you ever match up with that? How could you make him feel like he’d be melting off of a small piece of paper?
In the back of the garden, there lies a pathway leading to a woman with her angel of a child. Next to her is a pedestal of our own, where our love can grow taller than any tree in my garden. We will make the flora around us bloom continuously.
At the end, you signed your name. You wished to meet him there in that spot, on that same pedestal. You wished to steal another kiss from his soft lips and feel the way he held you. You found yourself with your hands in your hair, soothing it and slightly tugging on it just the way he did. Your hands trailed to your lips, brushing your fingers across them softly. A smile fell upon your lips reminiscing the one kiss you shared with him, that made every fiber of your body burn even a couple of days after. You leaned back in your chair sighing from the satisfaction of your daydream. You stayed like that for moments upon a time, just thinking how it would be if Hui could have courted you. When you were satisfied with the tiny scenarios you opened your eyes. You still needed to seal the letter that sat on your desk. You melted the wax and bored it onto the folded paper before you pressed the wax seal on it. It was your old one– before you were associated with Hyunggu. It was personal and just… you. Just you and him.
You hid the letter you had written for Hui in between a textbook, for safekeeping. The one he wrote you needed a special place in your room. You could go shopping the next day for boxes, but for now, the best place to keep the letter would be close to you. You crawled into bed, taking the letter with you, sliding into the covers, and sliding the letter under your pillow.
.
You sat at the dining table dressed up ready to go get some more writing supplies along with a box for yourself. Something about it just made you feel so giddy about the idea of getting to exchange letters with Hui back and forth. Even though you prefer to speak to him face-to-face letters would have to do. You wouldn’t want Hyunngu to become as frustrated as he was the night of the ball. Nor would Hyunggu ever let Hui set foot on his property. Letters were still personal, but not as intimate.
Hyunggu had been acting differently since the night he came into your room. He had been softer in a way, and trying to connect with you more. He would try and match up the time the two of you had meals, he would try to meet you in the library acting as if he needed a book, and the way he came in the garden the day before. The gift he mentioned, you wondered why he would possibly want to get you a gift and what even was the gift. Hyunggu was still three-quarters of a mystery to you. You broke fast talking with your maid about what stores you wanted to visit, and if there was anything new that you had not seen before.
Hyunggu walked into the room, and you quieted down in front of him. You looked up to see him smiling so early in the morning. He walked up to you to where you were sitting, “I am going to have something being installed today. You are going to be out today, correct?”
You nodded at him replying, “I am.” You took another bite of your food to postpone talking to him. Hyunggu stared down at you a small smile still on his lips. You looked up at him, there was something more that he wanted to say to you or wanted to do. You noticed the way his fingers twitched at the side of him. “So I suppose you better have it installed before I come home. So I should take my time out today.”
.
You hadn’t checked the garden to see what was installed when you came home, not when you received another letter so fast. The rest of the afternoon was sent in your room drafting yet another letter. The day had gone by so fast that by the time you looked outside your window, it was already late at night and there was no use to go outside. Hui had mentioned how he would come by soon to that pedestal and how your love story would grow.
There was a knock at your door in the middle of the night. You had called your maid to come retrieve the letter and have it sent off as soon as possible. Hyunggu peered his head through the door before a sound could come out of your mouth. You coughed a bit slipping the letter under other documents and books. You plastered a fake smile on your face sitting with your legs crossed. You were leaning against your desk wearing only a nightgown. Hyunggu let himself in your room, “You never visited the garden today… Did you catch something while you were out in town?” His head tilted to the side as he walked closer towards you. “You did not eat dinner either. I was worried about you.” Hyunggu’s hand fell upon your cheek and traveled to your chin lifting it.
You cleared your throat once more. “I apologize, when I came home I was feeling too well. I retreated to my room for some rest. I hope you were not offended.” Hyunggu smiled. His hand left your chin and went up to your forehead. His other hand went up to his.
“You do feel a bit warm. Shall I call our physician?” You shook your head slightly. You could not be more of a bother to him, nor did you seek his attention. You used to try everything to get him to look at you. You had suspected that this had something to do with Hui. Ever since Hyunggu found you in the library smiling, laughing, and talking with Hui, something inside Hyunggu flipped. Hyunggu visiting you in the middle of the night is rare. He did visit you a few times on the topic of financial matters, but nothing more than business. “Alright,” He replied letting his hands fall to his side. “But you should rest nonetheless, so you can feel better in the morning. I will be there to break your fast with you as well.” Hyunggu leaned in to kiss your temple before leaving your room.
You felt stunned by the sudden affection from your husband. You touched the place he kissed on your forehead. You bit your lip and called in your maid to give her the letter. Your sentences were short, telling her to send the letter out and that you would spend the entire day outside tomorrow. When she left you could barely fall asleep drumming your fingers in your chest. Your head played back to the kiss on your forehead from Hyunggu, then to the kiss you shared with Hui in the garden.
..
The next morning felt brighter than the rest. You would find a surprise in the garden, and hopefully have a surprise visit from your so-called lover. The day was quiet and bright with a subtle breeze flowing through an open window. You had eaten with Hyunggu earlier that morning, and you could still not get over how he smiled at you. He held your hand and walked you to the garden that bright morning.
He showed you the swing, tied by a thick rope into the three. It was gold with a velvet seat. It almost looked like a throne he got only for you. Hyunggu had lifted you from your waist to sit you in the swing. He held his hands in yours gripping the rope and pulling you back on the swing. He pushed the two of you forward. It felt like a moment that could be frozen and displayed for eternity. The way you flew through the air was a different type of magic. The sound of his laughter rang in your ears. He sounded so pure, so childlike. It was different from the way you knew him before. Everything had changed so fast in such little time. You two stayed in that moment that could have been taken out of a fairytale before a butler called him into the house to work on some matters. He caught the swing to slow it down so you could get off. He helped you off, holding your hand and giving it a peck before bidding you adieu.
A pinch of guilt was felt in your stomach, the feeling that you betrayed Hyunggu. Even though your vows weren’t genuine, they still existed. You strolled through the garden, fingertips grazing the blooming petals around you. The way Hyunggu kissed you by your hand, took you aback to the way Hui kissed your hand. And soon enough, you were thinking of the way he kissed your lips. Flashes of scenes of the past two to three weeks ran through your mind. You sat and thought on a ledge of a wall. You closed your eyes to feel the breeze and the way the sun made parts of your skin tingle and warm. The sun felt like there was a second embrace hugging you and comforting you through your thoughts. The warmth helped with the loneliness that you felt, till the warmth was gone and you were cast in a shadow.
You opened your eyes slowly, slightly afraid of what your eyes would meet as soon as they were introduced to the outside world. Hui whispered softly, “I know this wasn’t the place we were supposed to meet, but I hope you don’t mind.” You smiled and scooted over patting a seat for Hui to sit.
“I don’t mind at all. I am grateful you saved me from loneliness on this beautiful day.” You laid your head on his shoulder, your smile growing by the seconds. The two of you were deep in the garden of your estate, hidden by the numerous flowers around you. The sweet aroma of the flora filled the two of you with romance. Hui had an arm around you, and his other holding your hand. “I read the book you recommended to me.” You said in a soft whisper.
“Do you think I have good taste?” The arm over your shoulder drew circles on your forearm. The two of you were looking ahead as if there was nowhere else to look, nothing else to do, and nothing more to say.
“I think we both know the answer to that question”. You laughed a little, letting your eyes crease, relaxing and acting naturally with Hui. You turned your head to look at him and gave him a small peck on his cheek. The creases on the corner of his eyes soon mirrored your own. He leaned down trying to give you a proper kiss. Being playful, you quickly switched out your lips for a flower before running off. You threw the flower to the side once Hui realized what was touching his lips. You were on your feet, running around the garden while Hui sprung off of his seat behind you to chase you. The sounds of your giggles filled the air as Hui continued to catch up with you. He tackled you into a patch of grass, he nuzzled into your neck starting to peck you. Hui attacked you with kisses all over your face and neck while you squealed trying to escape him.
The rest of the day went by quickly with mostly chatting, soft touches, and short kisses. It was a fever dream, an idea that you could escape your marriage in your magical garden. You had dinner with Hyunggu that night barely looking up to meet his face. There was guilt that beat the smile off of your face. You stared down at your food, watching it slowly get cold. You also couldn’t bring yourself to hold the fork to your mouth, not in his presence. “Was there something I did that was wrong today? I’m sorry that I could not stay outside with you. And because of that interruption, I have some news for you. I will have to leave the estate for some business out of state for a while– I shouldn’t be too long. Three weeks to a month.” You looked at him blankly, not knowing what to say. “I know this is a lot and sudden.”
There was nothing you could think to say to him. Guilt began to fill your mouth, trying to force its way out. “It is, I hope it goes well.” A nice quick reply would do for now. You didn’t mind him being gone when he was barely there initially. Only just recently did he start making an appearance in your life. Still, Hyunggu had the title of your husband, and that was enough to make you feel a bit of guilt.
.
By the next day, Hyunngu was packed up and gone from the estate. You made the most of the time having the place to yourself. More talks in the garden lead to talks in the library and many things behind closed doors. Carelessness filled your head as you let Hui inside your room, for a break from the sun. Really, it was so that you wouldn’t sweat under the layers of clothing when he touched you. You could be free from worry, and clothing. Hui held your face kissing you with passion he had not shown you before. He had nothing to hide anymore, not his passion for you. You held his shoulders for support as he kissed down to your neck trying to pry open your bodice. You helped him take off your dress, smiling and giggling with him. Hui took care of himself as you got comfortable on the bed. Who knew sex could be so fun when you add a bit of passion and the joy of eating the forbidden fruit? Hui’s lips were on you in an instant, his hand on your thigh soothing it. He made room for himself in between your legs, while his kisses trailed down your body. He worshiped you, every inch of your skin was left on fire after his kisses. When his face reached your heat he looked up at you. Hui’s eyes were glistening by the candlelight. “May I, my dear?”, he asked licking his lips.
“You may,” was all you needed to say before his lips were attached to your clit lapping and kissing like he wasn’t going to be able to do this again. His hands squeezed at your thighs, to keep you from closing in on him. His breath was hot against your cunt, as he gasped for air. You moaned as you felt his tongue enter you. You grasped his hair, whimpering as he sped up this pace. You were so close to your release, holding onto your sheets for dear life as your legs shook. You came with a screech, closing your legs around Hui’s head. He continued to lap up your cum, rubbing his thumb on your inner thigh. Your breathing was heavy as you ran your hand through your hair.
Hui detached himself from you, only to kiss you. He was murmuring something you couldn’t hear. You could feel Hui’s hard against your thigh. You helped guide him towards your entrance, needy for what more pleasure he would bring you. He pushed in with a deep kiss on your lips. He was slow at first so you could get used to him. He pulled back to look at you, and you stared at him with all of your combined beauty. You pulled him into a kiss with such passion urging him to quicken his pace. Hui bit at your lip pulling it while he quickened his pace. You could feel him drawing near as he began to let out moans of pleasure. You kissed his neck biting it and sucking at it trying to draw him closer. Hui came with a shaky moan, falling on top of you and leaving small kisses. The rest of the afternoon was a blur.
.
You had been so caught up in your new love affair, that Hyunggu was coming home sooner than expected. The house seemed buzzing, with gossip about the past week and preparations. You tried to control as much of the gossip as you could. It was bad that you only felt guilty after the fact that you had done something. Your maid had come with a letter from Hui, and you rushed to put it in a chest that you kept. This whole ordeal made you nervous, even though you had put yourself in a hole. You barely loved Hyunggu, so what was this sinking feeling in your chest?
You waited in your room for Hyunggu to arrive home. You cross-stitched until there was a knock at your bedroom door. You opened it to see Hui smiling back at you looking a bit frantic. You hadn’t read the letter he sent you earlier. Moments later you heard the commotion of unpacking in the house.
Genre - Rivals to lovers, Hui being Hui, two musicians that wanna be THE musician idk
Synopsis - In the bustling halls of Cube University, two students stood as stark contrasts to one another, destined to be forever entangled in a web of fierce competition and heated rivalry. As the charming overachiever, Lee Hoe Taek clashed with the quiet classmate who always matched his grades, Y/N, their paths continually intersected in a clash of creativity, spirit, and conflicting emotions. Yet, beneath the surface of their animosity, an electric current of undeniable attraction pulsed, threatening to unravel the walls they had built around their hearts. Amidst the chaos of their shared ambition, these college rivals would soon discover that the thin line dividing love and hate had never been more tantalizingly blurred.
Your eyes can't break away from the email you received from your professor. He had sent out the pairings for the full-year assignment for your music production course, worth 40% of your final grade, and your partner was the one person in class you hate the most.
Lee Hoe Taek.
You frantically type back a response, asking to have a different partner, making up a million excuses as to why you need to have anyone else other than him. You begin reading through the assignment, trying not to smash your head on your keyboard.
'Produce a 12 song album with songs of varying styles. No outside sources (vocals, live instruments, samples). One song to be finished at the end of each month, submitted to me to use as a progress tracker.'
For. Fucks. Sake.
As your teacher responds saying theres no way to switch, you bury your head in your hands, greiving for all the time youre going to have to spend with HIM.
Hoe Taek has been a thorn in your side since you started at this University. He was always one step ahead of you in class, even last year when he got a band from his old high school to perform his song live at their years prom, record it, and submit it for an assignment based around audience reaction. Whereas you just had a recording of your group of friends reacting to your song sat around your computer.
But while he could show off in popularity, your grades always battled intensely. Even when you both got an A, Hoe Taek would always check the exact point total, just to see who 'won', as he claims. You never cared for such pointless competition, but the way he acted to smug with you just burned a fire within you.
You snap out of your rage-filled trance to a knock on your dorm room door. As you pull it open, you're greeted with your dorm-neighbour and best friend, Yuto Adachi. You smile at him weakly.
"Hey," you mumble, leaning your head against the door and looking down with a sigh.
"Hey, woah.. you okay?" He responds, immediately worried by your demeanour. He bends down to meet your eyes jokingly, trying to gauge your mood.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. What's up?" You force a smile again, not wanting him to be concerned.
"Me and a couple others are going for a grocery run, do you want to come? Or do you want me to pick you up anything?" You look around your room for your phone.
"Uh, yeah, I'll send you twenty bucks, I need more pasta, and um... shit what do I need..." you trail off, trying to visualise your shelf in the fridge.
"Hey, it's okay, I'll have a look before we go, I'll text you, okay?" He says with a huffed laugh, still showing worry about what has you so frazzled. Nevertheless, he leaves you to your own devices.
~~~
The next day, before your first class of the year, you arrived early, beginning to plan for your year long project, by yourself. As you're typing away, your headphones suddenly get pulled off your head, falling to rest around your neck. You huff, knowing what's about to happen.
"Hey, loser," Hoe Taek greets, planting himself in the seat next to you. You groan and put your headphones back on your ears.
"Leave me alone, asshole," you say, going back to typing. This time he just moves one of your headphone cuffs off, placing it behind your ear.
"Don't be like that~ it'll be a long year if this is how we're going to be~" he coos, getting his own stuff out of his bag.
"Oh, don't you worry, I'm planning on killing myself very soon so you can stay away from me," you say with an innocent smile. He rolls his eyes, as he begins typing on his own laptop.
"Don't talk like that, Y/N," he says seriously, "you'd miss me far too much, hm?" He diverts back into his teasing. You hold back a laugh.
"You wish, dumbass."
~~~
Hoe Taek, or Hui, as he asked you to call him while you were working together, was setting himself up in the recording booth. You had both finished composing the music for your first song, and writing the lyrics, so all that was left was to record.
"I'll start now, okayyy?~" He calls out on the mic, you respond with a quick "yes", and begin recording, starting the backing track.
As much as he annoys you, bothers you, embarrasses you, and makes you feel like shit, his voice is beautiful. You end up staring at him through the recording room camera as he sings, resting your head on your hand.
"Yo, Y/N!" you hear from behind you, snapping you out of your trance, you spin around in your chair to see Yuto, leaning in the doorway, smirking at you.
"What are you doing~?" he singsongs, looking between you and the camera feed.
"Nothing," you say spinning back around, "I'll play it again, okay?" You say through the mic to Hui, he puts a thumbs up to the camera and you set him off again. Yuto walks over to you on the desk, bracing his arms on the back of your chair, leaning over your head.
"So you're doing okay with all this, then? If you're looking at him with such heart eyes." Your eyes go wide, looking up at him from your chair.
"What the fuck do you mean?! EW." Yuto looks down at you, eyebrow raised.
"Oh, yeah? So you're saying you hate that man singing that love song right now?" He gestures to the camera feed, and you glance over to see Hui smiling genuinely as his voice fills your ears.
Yuto moves and sits on your desk, hands resting next to his thighs.
“No, look, telling myself that I hate him is the only way I can ground myself, because I know if I admit I’ve fallen for them, then I will only hurt myself. I know he would never like me like that, he's hated me since the day we both started here.” You didn't want to admit that, since you've felt some form of attraction to Hui ever since you met, but you're convinced he only sees you as an obstacle, so you've pushed your feelings far enough down that he could never tell.
“So, you’re going to continue to pretend to hate him, even though, deep down, you know that’s the opposite of what you really feel?” Yuto questions, not moving from his spot on your desk. You simply nod.
"And then you'll come back to the dorms every day and ramble on about him for ages?" he continues, as if he's trying to egg you on.
"I do not!"
"Do so."
“He's the biggest fucking asshole known to mankind, so why the hell would I ever let his stupid face and stupid smile and stupid laugh and stupid everything consume my brain on a daily basis?” You spit, then go wide eyed, realising what you said. You cover your mouth, not expecting your feelings to re-emerge like that. Yuto simply smiles and hops down from your desk, kissing the crown of your head before leaving, calling out that he's ordering pizza to your dorms tonight. Shaking your head to return focus, you begin editing Hui's recording.
"I'll play it back for you, okay?" You say, your voice ever so slightly softer than before. Hui smiles and nods, listening intently to his own voice. He nods along with the beat, as do you.
As the incomplete song wraps up, Hui claps a couple times before taking off the headphones. "Your turn, loser." He says through the mic, heading out of the booth.
~~~
You're hanging out at the campus baseball field, working on your assignment while Yuto's practising with his team. You and Hui had finished 4 songs already, one month ahead of your professors guide. You were beginning to compose your fifth, looking through the concept notes you had both talked about. You hear a cheer come from the field and look down to see one of Yuto's team mates running after the baseball, looking at the base plate to see Yuto holding a bat. You smile to yourself, proud of your best friend. Looking back down to your laptop, you listen through what you have so far. Your eyebrows furrow, and you can't tell if you like it or not. You end up texting Hui the file -
"Hey, I can't tell if I like this, what do u think"
"where are u? I'll come work on it w u"
"bball field"
"coming loser xo"
You feel your heart flutter, and lightly slap your cheeks, as if you were telling yourself off. You clear your throat as you continue trying to work on the song.
After about 15 minutes, while you were engrossed in working, your headphones get pushed off your head once again, telling you Hui was here.
"Hey, loser." You both say in unison, your tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Aww, do I say that too much?" He teases, sitting down next to you. You unplug you headphones, shoving them in your bag.
"Yes. Yes, you fucking do." You sigh out, shoving your laptop onto his thighs. You rest your head on your hand and watch the baseball practise as Hui listens to what you've worked on.
"Can I change some stuff?" He asks, and you just wave him off with a "yeah, whatever". You see him looking at you from the corner of your eye, as he pushes your laptop screen down a bit.
"Y/N, what's going on?" you look over at him, and he genuinely looks upset.
"Hm? Nothing, just frustrated, with the song." You mumble, looking back towards your friend on the field. Hui looks down at your laptop, then back at you.
"You really hate doing this with me, don't you.." He almost whispers, and you can't tell if he was actually asking you, so you don't answer. He stays quiet, working on your laptop while you watch Yuto.
"How's your high school band friends?" You ask, growing more uncomfortable in the silence.
"Oh? They're good, you remember them?" He asks, surprised.
"How could I forget the video that showed me up for that assignment last year?" You laugh half-heartedly, twiddling your thumbs. The typing stops.
"Hey~ I didn't do that.." He whines, looking at you again. You face him too.
"Course you did, you have done for every assignment, because for some reason you despise me being just as good at this course as you." You say bluntly. His lips ever so faintly curl into a smile.
"Did my stupid face and stupid smile and stupid laugh and stupid everything make you think I hate you?" He smirks, looking back down at the laptop to avoid your eyes. Your eyebrows furrow, not clocking on to what he meant.
Until you remember.
"How, how did you?"
"I heard it all on the microphone feed that day we were recording the first song."
"But I wasn't pressing... the button..." your eyes drift down to the field.
You motherfucker, Yuto.
Hui gives you your laptop back, pressing play for you to listen through what he had changed.
As the song finishes playing, Hui tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. Your cheeks flush red straight away. You glance over to him and he's looking out at the field.
"Just because we're rivals, Y/N, doesn't mean I don't like you. You challenge me the way no one else can. I actually, really do like you," he rubs the back of his neck, "hearing you tell Yuto about your feelings made me realise I have been harsher on you than I meant." He admits, leaning back on the stalls.
You're frozen, stunned. Did he? Just confess to you? No, no surely not. No way.
You feel a hand hold your chin, and turn you to face him. Your faces are inches apart.
"Stop overthinking, Y/N. I like you, okay?" He smiles, looking down at your lips. You're breathing shakily, and you nod ever so slightly. He sighs in relief and places his lips on yours. His hands hold your cheeks gently, as if he's worried anything could hurt you. It's short, it's sweet. He pulls away, pushing another strand of hair out of your face.
"Hey, here's an idea. When we graduate, lets produce songs together, for real." He suggests, smiling brightly. You return said smile.
"I'd like that. Let's finish this very important assignment before we go planning stuff like that, huh?"
"Whatever, loser." He teases, pushing your shoulder gently. You laugh softly.
After a year of working hard, you both get given an A+ for your album you both decided to title "Losers", a special set at your university's showcase,
↳ jinho: helping him with a cover of a song for youtube and it’d be a pretty romantic song maybe ed sheeran thinking out loud or john legend or maybe something else like eyes, nose, lips and you wouldn’t realize that he got you singing. i don't think he'd post it and just want to save it for the two of you to rewatch. it wouldn’t matter to him if you were an amazing singer or not, just being able to share that moment with you would be enough for him. so, it would probably become a tradition where you'd rewatch the cover for every wedding anniversary, and maybe you would cover more songs together each time as a little segment on his youtube channel and the members would text him and tease him about it every time lol
↳ hui: i get the feeling that he would bring you to a really nice yet underrated restaurant where smooth jazz is played and people are allowed to go onstage and perform a song. both of you would have the biggest smiles on your faces because the date would be reminiscent of your first one. you'd end the date off with really good wine and of course, hui would go onstage and sing (he'd claim it as practice for your big day) and would leave the audience stunned by his amazing vocals. on the drive home, his hand would never leave yours and he'd probably fidget with your engagement ring with a huge smile on his face.
↳ hongseok: your "date" would be so sweet and domestic because hongseok just gives me homey vibes. like, you'd both go to the grocery store to get ingredients for dinner and a dessert you both like. idk it would be the cutest thing and then you'd head back home and he'd start cooking while you worked on the dessert and you'd definitely catch him staring at you every few minutes with a goofy smile on his face and he'd wiggle his eyebrows playfully. you'd step away for a second to back-hug him and hongseok would smile to himself before he'd turn around to kiss you and he'd pull away to say something really cheesy but it would still put a smile on your face.
↳ yeo one: i think changgu would plan the cutest little picnic in the park for both of you. he'd pack some of your favorite foods and snacks and would even get you flowers or something. it would be the cutest thing and he'd take a flower and put it behind your ear and you'd do the same to him and then you'd go back and forth about who's the prettiest lol then the two of you would lie down and cloud gaze. idk i can see a really adorable dog running over to the two of you and it would really like changgu and it would be such a cute moment that would lead you to discuss the possibility of adopting a dog after the wedding. once the sun would start to settle below the horizon, you'd head home and would probably spend the rest of the day watching a show or movie.
↳ shinwon: both of you would agree on going to a spa and maybe a little shopping. i could definitely see him goofing around with you while in the sauna by making weird faces and telling you funny stories. then, he'd have you rest your head on his shoulder and he'd smile to himself. then, he'd tell you about how he was so nervous to propose to you. after a few minutes he'd realize that you weren't talking only to find you asleep. so, he'd make sure that you would be comfortable and would relax too. i think he'd love to spoil his s/o so he'd really enjoy going to the spa with you and it'd be a nice break from all of the wedding prep. on the way home, you'd both decide on ordering in bc neither of you would want to cook after being at the spa.
↳ yanan: he'd wake up extra early to get your favorite breakfast foods and coffee. when he'd make it back to your apartment he'd be met with you half asleep on the couch and would quickly put everything down to cuddle with you for a few minutes and then you'd eat breakfast together. afterward, the two of you would get ready to go and yanan wouldn't tell you but it would all make sense later. so, the two of you would go to multiple places throughout the city and you were thankful that they wouldn't be too far and at each stop, you and yanan would talk about what happened at each, like, one place was where he took you for your first date and another would be where you both said you loved each other for the first time. looking back on all of the memories would make both of your hearts feel so full.
↳ yuto: i think you'd go to an aquarium or botanical garden and it would be on a day when it wouldn't be so busy and the two of you could goof around and take funny pictures of each other imitating the animals. throughout the date, you'd both feel like little kids on a field trip again. both of you would stop every few minutes to stare at something you'd find interesting and the look on your faces at that moment would be so adorable and you'd have to capture the moments. after that, you would go get something to eat and then walk back to your apartment. on the walk, you'd both reminisce about how you met, your first date, and how he proposed to you.
↳ kino: i feel like hyunggu would go all out but it would still be a pretty laid-back date idk if that makes sense but he'd sign you up for a couples' dancing class where you'd learn how to tango and it would be so romantic and fun, even if you're not much of a dancer. after that, you'd go back home to shower and then he'd take you out to a really nice restaurant for dinner. the two of you would be so impressed with your meals but the highlight of your would be getting ice cream or your favorite dessert from your favorite place but then on your way back home it'd start raining and you'd have to wait it out inside a nearby cafe with steaming cups of tea. the whole situation would be pretty funny to both of you and it'd make for a nice moment to look back on.
↳ wooseok: being the youngest, i don't think he'd plan everything out and would just go with the flow. so, i think wooseok would also enjoy a night in with you as your date, especially if it would be a rainy day. he'd go and get your favorite snacks and drinks the day before and would surprise you with everything. the two of you would spend the day watching movies, playing video games, and just enjoying the calm before your wedding day. somehow, you'd end up talking about some of your embarrassing moments early on in your relationship and neither of you would be able to stop laughing and maybe you'd each go through your camera roll and it'd be a really cute moment for both of you.
this is a gentle ask for Hui in deep subspace, bonus points for tears and maybe even moving into aftercare?
I almost apologized for how short this was before remembering it was a drabble.... still, I'm sorry :( I get so nervous when writing Hui nowadays bcs people used to say I wrote him well lol
Warnings: subspace (selective mutism), tears
He's shaking, face flushed and eyes glassy, looking at nothing. Tears litter his cheeks, make insistent tracks down his face and collect in his collarbones. You taste them on your tongue as you kiss reverently at his face, run your fingers through his hair before letting them dance a light slide across Hui’s jawline, thumb caressing his cheek, smoothing underneath his eye and across the bridge of his nose.
"I'm here, Hwitaek. What do you need?"
Sometimes he doesn't say anything in response, just looks at you with a wide, open gaze - this is one of those times, his lips parting and then shutting like the words were stolen from him before he could utter them. You can see the steadily mounting fear in his eyes, the discomfort at being cognizant but either not knowing how to verbalize how he felt or not being able to.
"Sweetheart -" You're quick to interject, draw his attention back to you. "I'm going to go get you something to drink, and when I get back we can start cleaning you up. Because, honestly Hwitaek, you are a beautiful mess right now. Is that alright?"
He flushes at your comment but nods (and it's not like you were lying either, his body is a mess of sweat and lubricant and cum, now with tears added into the mix.)
It takes you less than a minute but he reaches for you the instant you enter the room again, pulls you against him and completely disregards the glass in your hand. You laugh softly and allow him as much skin to skin contact as he wants, dropping a kiss to the top of his head.
"I'm back now. You're safe, and so loved. You know that, right?"
You're not expecting anything other than a head nod, but he murmurs the softest "yes" against your side, one word filled with infinite trust.
genre/s ↠ fluff, angst, heartbreak, friends to lovers au!, childhood friend!hui, neighbour!hui, pining, infidelity, featuring hongseok, smut, soft dom!hui, overstimulation, petting, v intimate and loving sex, virgin!reader, virgin!hui.
description ↠ he meant a lot to you, as something more than just friends, and so watching him date someone else was world-shattering. despite everything that happened between you both, in the end, he was there for you.
warning/s ↠ lots of heartbreak, difficult emotions, tears, jealousy and angst, suggestive themes, hongseok cheats on the reader, unprotected sex, hui is dangerously sweet ;-;
a/n ↠ as I began to write this fic, I started falling deeply in love with it. I wanted to write something sad, and yet something that showed off Hui’s softness. what came out of it is perhaps the most beautiful relationship I've written. although, I feel like I have to apologise, dear anon, because I realised you requested minor pining/jealousy, and I feel like this is pretty major. I hope you enjoy this regardless~
requested by anon
-
It was a humid summer’s day when you first met Lee Hoetaek.
You were at the age of attending primary school, and you had followed your mother into the front yard, as children often do. You were sitting on the grass watching her tend to the garden.
“Hey!”
You turned your head to find whoever had called out to you, meeting eyes with a young boy peering at you through the fence separating your house and your neighbour’s.
He had the brightest, biggest grin you had ever seen. Beneath his attention, you quickly grew shy, managing a smile and a small wave.
A friendship blossomed between you and your neighbour, especially once you learned each other’s name and discovered you were of the same age. You learned to associate him with those nostalgic summer afternoons when the sky was a brilliant shade of royal blue, afternoons in which you would run bare-footed with him across the blistering bitumen roads.
Hoetaek was something special, a source of warmth in your life. He would always hold your hand, always greeting you with overwhelming excitement and that impossibly large smile.
One evening, as you both laid on the dry grass of his front yard, watching as puffs of cottony clouds drifted by, he took your hand and intertwined his fingers with yours, turning on his side to stare at you directly.
“I’d like to be friends with you forever, (F/n),” Hoetaek said with surprising maturity, “is that okay?”
You thought it was quite silly that he was asking for permission. You had already assumed that was going to happen because, at that age, you did not have a firm grasp of what forever meant, except that it sounded incredible with him.
“Isn’t that obvious?” You replied with a grin.
That was the first time Hoetaek had made your heart flutter, though you would not realise that until years later.
The memories of primary school seemed to fade and evanesce the moment you began to attend high school. Hoetaek changed, although not in a bad way. He mellowed out, losing much of that goofy glint in his eyes. But there were still shards of his younger self left behind.
Hoetaek was still physically and verbally affectionate. He frequently reminded you that he loved you, and you had memorised how he felt to embrace. As a result, you often dealt with questions asking if you were dating him, much to your embarrassment.
And every day without fail, you left and returned home with Hoetaek at your side. You had only rare moments without him, and in those moments, you were plagued by thoughts of him.
One evening, it clicked.
Hoetaek had accompanied you to your front gate, the sun setting against your backs. Marmalade light painted his tan skin, catching in his tresses of raven hair. The moment you turned to face him, to bid him goodbye, he called to you, “I love you, (F/n)!” And you realised it.
You were in love with him.
It cascaded over you like a warm shower. Everything began to glow vivid colours, streaking together like a rainbow. Hoetaek’s pleasant smile as he sent you off was suddenly the most beautiful smile on this planet.
Everything changed from that day onwards.
Every small gesture he initiated, every slight touch, made you startled and flustered. You could hide it, for now, but your feelings were veiled thinly, and that veil would soon be torn, and then he would know. He understood you well, after all. Better than you understood yourself.
And eventually, he noticed. Just like you dreaded.
You were seated close to each other in the schoolyard, sharing your lunch break, when Hoetaek rested his head upon your shoulder. He had caught you off guard, and it had stunned you. You went rigid beneath him.
Hoetaek lifted his head, peering at you blankly, surprise gradually seeping onto his expression.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong? Do you … not want me to do that?”
“Sorry,” you hastily responded, feigning a smile through your nerves, “I didn’t mean to flinch.”
Hoetaek’s thought process reflected on his face. He silently realised something - that he should not touch you so casually. That it was wrong. That your relationship, under his control, had grown inappropriate for mere friends.
None of this was true, but your reaction had whispered these anxieties into his ear, and soon he was corrupt with doubt.
Distance began to grow like unwanted weeds between you both without the physical closeness. It was tragic; it made you feel ill. Seeing Hoetaek less frequently made the world turn grey. You wept the first morning he did not wait for you at your front gate.
Hoetaek was afraid, afraid of feeling you freeze beneath him again out of what he thought was discomfort. And you were afraid of him discovering your true feelings for him, and so you would only watch as he was swept away from you like he was being carried away by the tide.
One day, months later, he came to you, and your hopes rose upon seeing his wide grin once more. Was he coming back to you?
“I met this girl, Seungyeon,” he began, and dread settled into the crooks of your body like cold snow, “I finally asked her out today, and she said yes! Do you want to meet her?”
No, you thought, that’s the last thing I would like to do. You had to wrestle back tears, biting your bottom lip urgently just to shock you out of your deep despair. It barely worked, and even then, you were masking to hide the remainders.
“I’m happy for you, ‘Taek. I’ll meet her.”
It was a somewhat bitter smile that you left him with, and he acted as if he did not notice it. Perhaps he did see it but was not saying anything.
Perhaps he was already absorbed in his girlfriend.
The latter soon revealed itself to be the truth. You would meet Seungyeon, a girl who seemed perfectly nice and yet you hated her with all of your being.
You had to observe them. Hoetaek treated her the same way he had treated you. He would hold her hand, kiss her knuckles, draw her closer to him to share his warmth with her. Watching them made you feel like throwing up. You could feel the blood rushing from your face to your churning stomach, and you quickly excused yourself.
You stumbled through the empty school corridors as if intoxicated. Your legs were swiftly bleeding strength, and before you reached the bathroom, you collapsed onto the cold floor and began to cry.
“Are you okay?”
Amidst the fog of your depression came a gentle voice, a subtle hand on your shoulder. You looked up, knowing you were a mess, but it was too late to hide it now.
A boy was leaning over you; his eyebrows scrunched with concern. He offered you a hand, and you took it.
Hongseok was like a bandaid, temporarily covering up a wound that bled endlessly. He knew that was his purpose and dutifully performed it for reasons you could not understand.
You could not definitively recall when you first started dating him. Perhaps it was when he first took you in his arms or when he first kissed away your tears.
Years passed by.
You and Hoetaek took separate paths because you could no longer emotionally withstand being on the same path as him. Although Hongseok eased the pain, there was a constant feeling as if you were incomplete. Hongseok knew it, too, but he was kind enough to stay.
It was your final year of high school. Each of you had grown into adults, although you were yet to adjust to it. Your emotions surrounding your ex-best friend were hardly as jagged as when you were younger, but they were still a sore point.
One morning you rose for classes, dressed lazily and clasping a thermos of hot coffee between your fingers, as you had done so since the beginning of your frantic senior year. You opened the front door to greet the cold morning - instead meeting a familiar gaze.
“Hoetaek…?”
“(F/n),” Hoetaek managed a small smile upon hearing his name from your lips, “I-I broke up with Seungyeon. Last week. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I realised something wasn’t right. I missed you.”
He looked fatigued, dark half-moons beneath his eyes, his face fraught with anxiety. You could not help but match his worried expression, frowning out of concern, forgetting that you were heartbroken over him.
You tried to return his smile, although due to the mood, it came out crooked, “I missed you too, ‘Taek.”
“I mean, I missed you. I missed your smile. You’re the reason that I broke up with Seungyeon.”
Upon hearing those words, it felt as if your world came crashing around you. The castle you had built to protect your hidden feelings crumbled to dust, leaving you bare and vulnerable. You were unsure what expression you were currently making, but it was certainly bittersweet. All of a sudden, your love for Hongseok seemed small and naive.
“‘Taek…I-I’m sorry, I’m seeing Hongseok.”
Hoetaek tried to force a smile, but it disintegrated into sobs. It was the most pained look you had ever seen him make, a terrible, regret-filled expression that made tears burn in your own eyes. You could only wrap him in your arms and embrace him tightly.
“I’m sorry,” you repeated, and in a whirlwind of movement, he tore away from you and disappeared back through your front gate as if to save himself further embarrassment, and you could only watch his retreating back.
You stood frozen for a moment, trying to sort through what seemed like an immense storm of emotions and discovering you were unable to. Instead, you forced yourself to walk to school, all the whilst distracted by your thoughts.
Hoetaek was seared into your mind. That desperation, that rampant exhaustion that doused him from head to toe, the tears that paved a way down his cheeks. He was suffering, and the only way to relieve him was to go to him as more than a friend. However, after all these years he had spent at your side, it would be cruel to betray Hongseok like that.
You immediately found Hongseok, and to his credit, he knew something was wrong within moments.
You were honest with him as you cried on his shoulder, ignoring the sound of the school bell.
“I’m confused,” you mumbled, and Hongseok smiled, unbothered, “I know.”
You were wrought with guilt. You loved Hongseok, but that was nothing compared to how you loved Hoetaek. Your love for Hoetaek was as large as the universe, stretching further than you could describe with words.
Hongseok had known that the moment he had met you, and so the end of your relationship was inevitable.
It came only a few months later.
You were traversing the campus, searching for him to bid him a final goodbye before the weekend began. You turned a corner, and there he was. With another girl.
His face was angled away from you as he tucked hair behind her ear, leaning forwards and kissing her.
“Hongseok?”
He jolted away from her, turning to face you, guilt leaking over his features.
“(F/n), I…” he seemed to be struggling for words, so you concluded things for him, “I guess it’s over, isn’t it?”
Hongseok breathed for a moment, hesitating, chewing on his cheek.
“You know it never really started, don’t you? This relationship was just a distraction for you from Hoetaek.”
You somehow arrived home despite hardly remembering the walk.
His words should have stung. They were true and biting, and yet you felt nothing. Not even shock or sadness. Like a cut that should have bled, but didn't.
You simply left, not even shedding a tear for the unfortunate ending of a five-year relationship.
For a while, you simply drifted, numb and cold. Without Hongseok, you had to face things with Hoetaek. You could no longer pretend to ignore the matter with the forced pretence that you were already with someone. Because of that realisation, you left home the moment the sun set.
You wandered over to Hoetaek’s house. The same place it had been almost a decade earlier when you had first become acquainted with him.
You hesitated for just a moment before knocking. Hoetaek emerged, wearing sweatpants and a loose t-shirt. His hair was soft and bouncy, as if he had showered just hours earlier. He scanned you, his surprise melting into concern.
“(F/n)? Are you okay?”
You didn't know how to answer that, your mouth opening and closing as you searched for a response. Hoetaek smiled, soothing your hollow distress.
“Come in,” He offered, “it’s just me home.”
He led you through his house. It looked hardly different from when you were last here, and the familiarity put you at ease. He had you sit on the sofa before reclining in the armchair nearby. For a while, there was only silence as he stared at you, attempting to decipher your endless sea of emotions.
You were still numb as you finally responded, “yeah but, I don’t even feel that upset about it. He’s dating another girl, I think; I caught them together.”
Hoetaek furrowed his brow.
“You don’t feel upset about it?”
“I…no. It’s like I was waiting for something to happen, for an excuse to end the relationship.”
You erupted into tears unexpectedly. You did not even know why you did, but they were burning and almost relieving.
Before you knew it, Hoetaek had stood and guided you into his arms. It was just like the old days when you would trip and graze a knee, and he would hold you. Except now, the reason behind your tears was far more complex, and his embrace was secure and adult.
It did not take long for you to stop crying, but you refused to let go, and so did Hoetaek. When he finally withdrew, he hovered over you, his palm smoothing over your cheek. You recognised that look in his eyes but were suddenly too flustered to register it, not until he finally bridged the gap between you.
It was as if the world had collided with you when Hoetaek finally kissed you.
Nothing mattered anymore. Hongseok’s infidelity, your broken heart, the years that you had suffered watching Hoetaek date someone else. All of that felt a lifetime away as you kissed him.
Things quickly grew heated, which was unsurprising. It was a hot and dizzying kiss, overflowing with desperation. Hoetaek straddled your hips, pressing you against the back of the couch. You were both breathless when he stopped, staring at you through these dark, syrupy irises, pupils blown with lust and passion.
“Can I take you to bed?” He asked. There was no hesitation, no wavering of his confidence. He knew your answer before you gave it.
“Please,” you gasped, “I need you.”
Hoetaek drew his arms around you, carrying you to bed with your legs crossed behind his back. You clung to him tightly, your heart fluttering. He had always made you feel like a princess.
He laid you across his mattress carefully, as if you were fragile. You had been in his bedroom many times, but today there was something different in the air. It gave everything this surreal haze, thick and electric against your skin.
Hoetaek kneeled over you and removed his shirt, tossing it onto his bedroom floor. You took a moment to admire the ruts of his abs, obviously staring at his beautiful olive skin and his deep collarbones.
“‘Taek,” you mumbled, overwhelmed all of a sudden with shyness.
“Shush,” he replied, caging you between his arms, “let me make you feel good.”
Hoetaek kissed you again, slowly warming you up once more. His palms left your face, feeling over your waist, boldly grasping past your breasts and ending up between your legs. He pinched your inner thigh, a wordless warning that that was where he was headed with his intentions.
“Can I?” He broached the question politely, knowing it would cross a line that neither of you could return from. You nodded, swallowing nervously.
Hoetaek observed your face as he sunk his hand beneath the waistband of your shorts, finally making contact with your pussy, his fingers ghosting over the crest of your folds. You gasped and buried your teeth in your bottom lip.
“Wow, you’re pretty,” Hoetaek murmured, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. He slowly rolled his fingertip against your clit, maintaining eye contact the entire time.
“Does that feel good?” He hummed, although it was clear that it did. You were already raising your back from the mattress.
“It feels amazing,” you groaned, reaching up and intertwining your fingers with his hair, dragging him back down into a kiss and flitting your tongue across his lips. Hoetaek grinned, returning the favour.
He tasted sweet, utilising the sheer power of his kiss to eat up the noises that were swelling up in your chest. He was intensifying, losing the gentle grace he initially had treated you with. Soon his fingers were firm and fast, rubbing tight circles that shocked you with pleasure.
“‘Taek, I’m close,” you breathed. Hoetaek interlaced his fingers with yours, holding your hand as you came. Waves of pleasure washed over you, made easier to handle by the fluttering kisses he trailed across your jaw.
Surprisingly, he did not relent.
“Hoetaek, th-that’s-,” you hiccuped a sob of pleasure, realising you were hurtling towards a second orgasm, and he was adamant on bringing you there.
“Do it for me again, (F/n), come for me again. I know you can do it.”
And that you did, cumming far harder than the first time, writhing beneath Hoetaek. Beneath the buzzing of your ears, you could hear him chuckling softly.
“Do you want to keep going?” You heard him ask, your eyes fluttering open to catch a glimpse of his beautiful smile. The orgasm had overloaded your bloodstream with endorphins, amplifying that feeling of love and endearment.
“Of course,” you answered, “I want to feel you inside me.”
“Okay. Stand up with me.”
Hoetaek offered you a hand paired with a warm grin, helping you onto your feet. You stood shakily, still reeling from the overstimulation. He held you close, his arms slung around your waist.
“Take this off,” he tugged at your shirt, and you simpered shyly, pulling your t-shirt over your head. Hoetaek reached around and unclasped your bra as well, letting it slip away, revealing the peaks of your breasts.
Hoetaek remained wordless, but his face told you everything. Encouraged by the awe that painted his features, you dropped your shorts and your underwear onto the carpet, baring yourself in your entirety to the man you so dearly loved.
Now you reached for Hoetaek’s pants, glancing up at him for permission. He smiled keenly at you, and so you dragged the sweats down his legs. You made embarrassed eye contact with his cock, straining against the confines of his grey boxers, before removing those as well.
Hoetaek looked glorious, made of stretches of tan skin, toned muscles, and sharp edges. The evening light filtered through his bedroom blinds, colouring him a shade of warm orange. Last of all, but certainly not least, was his cock. Lengthy rather than girthy, but not lacking thickness either, with a soft, pearly pink tip that glistened in the light.
You realised you were holding your breath, releasing it in a heavy sigh.
“‘Taek, you’re gorgeous,” you mumbled dazedly, mesmerised. He could pursue a career as a male model, you thought.
He laughed, his fingers trickling down your bare collarbones, pinching your nipples teasingly, “I could say the same thing to you.”
Hoetaek rested his hands on your hips, and you kissed him. It was intimate, your nude bodies brushing against one another’s, warm even whilst bare of clothing. He pushed you back down horizontally on his bedding, raising your thighs at a ninety-degree angle. His cock rested on your lower belly.
“Are you ready?” He hummed, swirling his thumb over the tip of his cock in a circular motion.
You were more than ready; you were desperate. You needed him. The walls of your pussy were aching with emptiness.
“Please.”
Hoetaek nodded, his chest rising and falling erratically as his nerves began to sink in. As he aligned himself with your entrance, his hand was trembling, and so you reached down and assisted him.
Slowly, carefully, he pushed inside of you.
“Ah!” You both exclaimed simultaneously, and Hoetaek panicked visibly, “are you okay? Did that hurt?”
Hoetaek drew back his hips and worked his cock in and out of you, slowly, measuredly increasing his pace. It felt incredible, and you had to lean against him, wanting him deeper inside of you.
You shook your head feverishly.
“No, please, fuck me, ‘Taek.”
As he fucked you faster, the effort was discernable on his face. Sweat was gathering on his forehead in glassy beads, rolling down his face and catching in his fringe. He furrowed his brow, groaning with each thrust. He started to become rough, pleasure shocking through your core and across your skin.
“Hoetaek,” you pleaded, reaching for him for support. He found your hands, “I know, sweetheart. I’m getting close.”
His grip on your hands grew iron-like, his breathing coming out ragged, and so was yours; you wanted him to cum, to throw his head back and release a desperate cry.
And finally, he did, in precisely the same way you had just been fantasising about, pulling out of you all at once and spurting strings of hot semen all over your stomach.
You just stared at each other, somewhat out of disbelief. Finally, Hoetaek broke the short silence, laughing sheepishly.
“I wasn’t too rough, was I?”
“Mm, I liked it,” you smiled.
Hoetaek laughed again, this time freely, the pleasant sound bouncing around the still room, and he leaned over you to kiss you - uncaring that he was currently grazing against the mess he had made on your chest.
“Do you want to have a shower together?” He inquired; a silly question, really. He hardly needed to ask.
You locked your fingers with his, submersed in a strange and fuzzy nostalgic feeling as if you had been dating him for years and this was just another evening together.
And really, things were the same as before, but also different. This was where you were always supposed to end up with Hoetaek, with or without Seungyeon and Hongseok as distractions along the way.
You pressed a kiss to his cheek, replying whilst dizzied with unlimited enthusiasm for the future to come, “yeah. Let’s go.”
congratulations on making it to Hui's route! here is the end (or the beginning!) of your story <3
MASTERLIST/OVERVIEW/SUMMARY
In mid-November, Hui spots you trudging to class through the snow. You do your best to walk quickly while also not slipping, and his heart races as he worries you'll fall at any moment a lot like how he's fallen for you.
"This won't do," he says with a frown, pulling up towards you.
He rolls down the window and smiles at you.
"Hop in!" he says.
You're glad to see him but shake your head, finding your luck so absurd.
-
"Didn't you agree that I could give you a ride whenever we were heading to campus together?" Hui asked you.
"I knowww but I was in such a rush that I didn't even think about that," you say, pouting sadly at your friend.
Hui pats your hand with a reassuring smile and starts driving towards campus. Every so often, his eyes shift towards you. He pretends to look into the side mirror that's on your side, but he's really just stealing glances at you. The snow particles hugging your face, your red lips and your tired eyes... everything looks so cute to him. You're so cute in Hui's eyes. He knows if he told you this, you'd say he's lying, but it's true.
You're one notice every time someone is staring at you, and of course you notice the way Hui looks at you. When you call him out for it, he giggles and blushes.
"Can I be honest?" he asks you.
You nod, urging him to continue.
"You're... you look... really cute right now," he says, a huge smile on his face.
His smile is contagious and you find yourself giggling along with him. Why are his words making you feel so shy?
You don't know how to respond, so you just mumble a 'thanks', although it comes out shaky because your heart is racing.
"I'm surprised you didn't try to fight me and say I'm lying," Hui says.
You stay silent again, knowing he's right. That's what you'd usually do... so why aren't you doing that? Why aren't you acting the way you usually do?
Suddenly, Hui gets an idea. He's been wanting to show you something for a while, and he thinks there's no better time than now.
"[y/n], do you see that CD on your side?" he asks.
"Yeah!"
"Could you pop it into the CD player," he asks.
When you comply, you start to hear a familiar voice oozing through the car's speakers.
"Hui... that's your voice?"
He nods, smiling and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat. You listen intently to the lyrics and find him expressing his love for a childhood friend, singing about how he loves them but doesn't want to ruin the friendship.
You wonder if this is a personal song for Hui... does he have a childhood friend you didn't know about? Is he in love with them? It makes you sad and you don't know why.
Nonetheless, once it's over, you shower Hui with so much praise that he blushes deeply.
"That was so good! I could feel every emotion, Hui, unlike ever before. It's like you were really feeling this one," you say, your voice shaky.
"That's cause I was," Hui responds, and you look at him in shock.
"That song was about you, [y/n]," he continues, and your heart starts to race again.
So the childhood friend you were feeling jealous of was you? You start to laugh until you realize... Is he about to confess? What do I do? What do I say? You panic.
"It's been a while now, [y/n], since I've liked you. I'm sorry I only found the courage to say it now. This song is actually quite old, too," Hui explains.
As you remain silent, Hui panics slightly.
"[y/n]? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm just... processing... It feels like our friendship is evolving into something much deeper and I'm taking it all in," you say.
"Something... deeper?" Hui asks.
"Yeah... from friends to lovers," you say, chuckling at the way you've just said a trope name out loud.
"I like the sound of that," Hui says, smiling.
"So... are we dating now?" you ask him.
He smiles, tightly gripping the steering wheel.
"Only if you like me, too," he says.
"I like you, Hui. I do," you confess, making Hui bite his lip and suppress a huge grin.
"Well then... what more could I want?" he asks you.
"Maybe you would want to unlock the car doors? I'm running late to my class!" you say.
Hui apologizes and fumbles with the car door, trying to find the button to unlock the doors. Once he does, he waves goodbye to you as you rush off, running with a skip in your step. Hui keeps watching to make sure you don't fall, reaching for his phone to ask you if you want him to drive you home later, too.
