SUMMARY: When your professor hires you to tutor that odd boy in your Chemistry class for extra credit — plus it’s your job!
DISCLAIMERS: hello. reader is a smarty pants sweetiepie. very respectful. very communicative. jongseob is a loser chud. Just picture a boof discord mod who’s failing all his classes yeah idk i also strayed away kinda idk ITS LOWK A MESS JUST DEAL.
NOTES: Hello. this is my comeback. Everyone i am sorry for the one month hiatus, June was just the busiest month of my life and i was Urrrgsgshshshs whatever. i still have hella work and stuff but OK IM HERE.
💌 mika’s message! HELLOOOOO NEW YORK. ok sorry idk this was kinda all over the place. i’m rusty. i’m a chud. i’m sorry. JUDT DEAL OKAY IM SORRY I WAS GONE FOR SO LONG IM OVERSTIMULATED AS FICK IM OVERSRIMULATWD AS FICK KM LVERSTIMUYKAYWD AS FICK ok sorry. ily all. thank u for waiting if u were waiting for me. ur deeply appreciated. and thank u sm for 900 followers :’) ITS DEEPLT APPRECIATED .
By the time the table began to clear, you muttered a quick thank you to both Shota’s parents, offering a small and polite smile, but not staying long enough for it to turn into conversation.
The second you excused yourself, you slipped away from the table a little too quickly and it definitely didn’t go unnoticed.
Haerin’s eyes followed you immediately, her attention drifting from whatever Keeho and Theo were talking about. She watched you disappear down the hallway, her expression neutral, but there was a glint that Dohoon read easily.
He kept his eyes on her, already reading exactly what she was about to do, so the second she pushed her chair back, the boy stood up too, quick enough to catch up to her before she got far.
“Haerin — come on,” He muttered under his breath, reaching out just enough to lightly catch her wrist.
She stopped, turning to look at him. “Hm?”
“Give it a minute,” He said quietly, glancing toward the hallway you’d just gone down. “Not right now.”
“Dohoon,” She whispered back, already pulling her hand away. “I’m not just gonna sit around.”
“I’m sure she had her reasons,” He pushed, keeping his voice low enough that no one else at the table would pick up on it.
“What are you doing?,” She furrowed her eyebrows. “She didn’t even tell you either by the way! You found out through Shota!”
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he glanced down the hallway again. “…But you and I both know how she is when it comes to stuff like this,” He argued, but soft to try and reason with her.
Haerin paused just for a second. Her expression shifted slightly. She was considering it.
But then she spoke again. “I’m her best friend,” She said simply. “I know about it now, and she can’t control that anymore. I just wanna talk to her.”
Dohoon stared at her for a beat before sighing. “Okay, fine,” He muttered. “But you can’t ambush her like this.”
“I’m not gonna ambush her,” She said, already walking away.
“You literally are—” He cut himself off, following after her. By the time they reached the door, Haerin had already slowed her pace, her hand hovering to knock a second longer than expected.
“See?” He murmured. “I don’t even think you know how to start.”
She shot him a look. “I’ll figure it out.”
He glanced at the door, then back at her. “…How about you let her talk first.”
Haerin took a breath, but inevitably nodded. “Yeah, sure okay.”
So with that, she finally knocked and inside, you had barely made it back to the bed.
You were closing your eyes, refusing to even touch your phone while everything from dinner replayed a little too clearly in your head. You were lingering on the fact you could barely focus on anything other than him sitting across from you, and it all felt louder now that you were alone.
But the knock pulled you out of it almost immediately.
You turned your head toward the door, already having a feeling of who it was. “Come in,” You called, your voice soft.
Haerin stepped in first, Dohoon close behind her — and the second you saw both of them, your stomach dropped slightly.
Yeah … okay…
“Can I talk to you?” Haerin asked, her tone careful but still direct, as if she was trying not to come on too strong but couldn’t help it.
You felt your chest tighten in a millisecond.
Okay there was no way she actually knew, right? Intak had assured you that Jongseob wouldn’t say anything, especially not to new people in his life.
So this had to be about something else… right?
Your behavior, maybe. The way that you’ve been acting the last two days could be a possibility .. That was at least believable.
Then again… maybe not.
But! If this was already coming up and if they were already here to talk, then maybe this was your chance to just say it yourself.
You considered for a moment to just speak up on your own terms instead of letting it turn into something awkward later, so you pushed yourself up and sat upright. You looked between them, your thoughts finally settling into something a little more clear.
Yeah. This might actually work in your favor.
“Okay — actually, yeah,” You took a breath, cutting through them before they could keep going. “I need to talk to you guys too.”
That stopped them completely. Haerin and Dohoon both went quiet, exchanging a quick look, like they hadn’t expected that.
Dohoon shifted slightly. “Okay..” He hummed. “Yeah, you go first,” He said. Haerin nodded, though her eyes stayed on you, searching your face for something. “Mhm.”
“Okay.” You swallowed before ripping the bandaid off completely.
Girl just do it..
“I kissed Jongseob.”
The second those words left your mouth, you shut your eyes — waiting for impact. But, to YOUR surprise, neither of them said a word… nor did they move.
Eventually, Haerin let out a small laugh, her hand coming up to her mouth like she hadn’t expected to react like that. Dohoon exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly, like something had just been confirmed.
You blinked at them before speaking again, thinking that it might ease the tension more? “Haerin, I was going to tell you literally last night, I swear.” You said quickly. “You were just asleep.”
She shared another look with Dohoon before nodding at you. “Is that all?”
You frowned. “Sorry, am I missing something—?”
Dohoon thinned his lips before giggling, likely from the tension he was able to sense. “…We already know.”
You stared at them, a scoffed laugh of disbelief following after. “…wait, what?”
Haerin raised her hand quickly, indicating that she was going to speak. “Okay I actually just found out, so I don’t really know anything,” She said calmly, but her eyes flicked back to you, playfully narrowing slightly. “Which is no thanks to you, by the way.”
You blinked, still trying to catch up. “I swe—I—“ You stuttered. “I swear on my life I was going to tell you—“
“I know,” Your best friend stepped closer, dropping onto the bed beside you like this wasn’t even up for debate.
You processed everything for a moment, your head slightly spilling. “How did you even—“
“Dohoon told me.” She explained.
“Who the hell told—“
He cut you off. “Shota.”
Okay so that loser did tell Shota. Whatever, as expected. You told your brother anyways.
“Just know you have a lot of explaining to do,” Haerin sighed, her tone shifting into something lighter, teasing now. “And I hope you know I’m holding this over your head for at least the next year.”
You let out a quiet laugh, the tightness in your chest loosening just a little as you glanced at her. It had gone so much better than you let yourself believe this scenario would go.
For the last 48 hours, you spent convincing yourself that waiting would only make things worse and that you were somehow making a bigger mess by not saying anything sooner.
But all you really did was sit in your own head and let it spiral. You exhaled softly, shaking your head to yourself.
Clearly, you had been overthinking it the entire time.
“Are you not mad?” You tested the waters.
Haerin rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. “I was for like ten minutes.” She waved it off. “I trust that you wanted to tell me. I know how you get.”
“…Can I hug you?” You asked, already leaning toward her slightly with a sigh.
Your best friend didn’t hesitate. “Duh?,” She said, already opening her arms.
You leaned into her almost immediately, wrapping your arms around her as you let out a long breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding.
She hugged you back just as tightly, one hand coming up to rub your back in a familiar, grounding way that made everything feel a little less overwhelming.
“God, you’re so dramatic,” She mumbled, but there was no bite to it.
“You’re my best friend forever,” You muttered into her shoulder — getting stupidly sappy.
“Unfortunately,” She replied. You glanced over at Dohoon, who was leaning against the wall, watching the two of you with a faint, amused expression.
“Ddoi—” You opened one arm toward him in invitation. “This includes you too. You’re also my best friend forever.”
He blinked, caught off guard for half a second before letting out a quiet scoff. “Oh, I’m not hungry,” He said, shaking his head slightly.
“Get over here.” Haerin added, already reaching out to pull him in.
The three of you ended up in an awkward, half-formed hug, Dohoon clearly tolerating it more than participating, but not pulling away either.
“You guys are my best friends.” You sighed, laughing.
Dohoon snickered. “Yeah, your best friends who you clearly keep things from.” He mocked, earning a smack in the head from Haerin.
“Too soon,” She muttered, barely sparing him a glance.
You let out a small laugh, the tension in your chest easing just a little as the moment softened, and the three of you naturally pulled apart.
Haerin dropped back onto the bed beside you. “Now, start talking,” She wasted no time.
You groaned to yourself, letting your head drop forward for a second before sitting back properly. “I don’t even know where to start,” You admitted, dragging a hand through your hair.
“Start with why you didn’t say anything in the first place,” She quirked a bro.
You hesitated for a second, actually thinking about it this time before your face twisted slightly in embarrassment. “I don’t know… I was lowkey humiliated,” You admitted.
Dohoon immediately burst into laughter, pointing at Haerin like he’d just won something. “What did I say?!” He exclaimed, clapping once in excitement. “I literally said that word for word, I know you too well!”
Haerin glared at him, pinching at the air. “Tone it down.” She warned him before turning her attention back to you. “Continue.”
“I honestly didn’t know what to do after it happened. Like at all. I thought if I just… ignored it for a bit and acted like nothing happened, it would make things less awkward.”
Haerin’s brows lifted slightly. “Okay… and what did we learn..?” She asked.
You let out a small, defeated laugh. “That it obviously didn’t work.”
Dohoon snorted quietly at that, shaking his head.
“I was thinking if I didn’t make it a big deal, then maybe it wouldn’t turn into one. But then it lowkey just… got worse. And then he started avoiding me too… or at least I think he is.. and then it just got weird.”
“And who set that system up…” Haerin pointed out.
“I know,” You sighed, dropping your head again. “I know.”
There was a brief pause before Dohoon shifted where he stood, his expression a little more thoughtful now.
“… I think you should just talk to him,” He said.
You looked at him immediately. “Dohoon—”
“No, seriously,” He continued, not backing off this time. “You’re both just guessing what the other person is thinking and then reacting to that. That’s why it got like this in the first place.”
You frowned slightly, but you didn’t interrupt.
“You don’t actually know how he feels,” He added. “And he clearly doesn’t know how you feel either.”
Haerin smirked to herself, folding her arms. “Oh, he got you…”
You looked between them, your hesitation obvious now. “I don’t know,” You said, quieter this time.
Dohoon shrugged lightly. “You never know unless you actually say something.” A small pause settled after that, the weight of it sitting heavier than you wanted it to.
“And if it goes bad… then at least you’ll know,” He added.
You exhaled slowly, your gaze dropping for a second as you thought about it. Yeah, you hated that he made sense.
“Get your guy.” Haerin sighed, making you cringe.
You shook your head, your fingers fidgeting slightly in your lap as the thought actually started to settle in. “I’m terrified,” You admitted, more honestly this time.
That was all it took. Your best friends didn’t even need to say anything else, they just looked at each other, and something silently passed between them.
“Okay,” Haerin said, pushing herself off the bed in one smooth motion, brushing her hands off like she was done entertaining this conversation. “Get up.”
You blinked at her. “…What?”
“We’re not doing this,” She said simply.
Dohoon pushed himself off the wall at the same time, already moving toward the door. “Yeah, if we keep talking about it, you’re just gonna overthink it again.”
“I’m not—” You started, sitting up straighter.
“You are,” He cut in, glancing back at you briefly. “You’ve been doing it for two days.”
“That’s—” You stopped, because… okay, yeah maybe.
Dohoon, fuck you.
Haerin reached for your wrist, tugging lightly. “Come on.”
You stared at her for a second longer than necessary, then at Dohoon, who was already holding the door open like this was happening whether you liked it or not.
“…You guys are so annoying,” You muttered, but you were already letting her pull you to your feet.
Haerin grinned, the sound already giving herself away before she even spoke. “You know what else is annoying?”
You turned your head toward her immediately, narrowing your eyes. “Don’t.”
She only smiled wider, clearly not planning on stopping. “Keeping things from your best friends…”
You let out a soft groan.
“Yeah.” She snickered easily. “Whatever. You’ll thank us later for this.”
“I will not—”
“You will.”
And just like that, you were being dragged out of the room before you could come up with a better excuse. The hallway felt quieter than before, most of the noise now concentrated somewhere deeper in the house.
Your steps slowed almost immediately the second you were out in the hall, your eyes flicking around instinctively like you weren’t entirely sure what you were looking for, or if you even wanted to find it.
“Okay — wait,” You said under your breath, pulling your arm back slightly. “Where is he?”
Dohoon shrugged. “I don’t know. Somewhere.”
So helpful, thank you.
Haerin glanced down the opposite end of the hallway. “Check out there first.”
You nodded once, even though your stomach had already started feeling weird again. And no it was not your stomach ache, it was nerves.
“You got this. We’ve got your back — from right here,” Haerin said, giving you a light push as if that alone would send you on your way.
You stalled for half a second, feet rooted to the floor as your stomach flipped, your thoughts scrambling for one last excuse to stay put. But there wasn’t one…. at least, not a good one.
So you took a slow breath, steadying yourself as Dohoon’s words replayed in your head, louder now that you didn’t have anything else to hide behind.
You could do this.
When you walked into the living area, you were met with a few of the guys lounging around with low conversation, but the second your eyes scanned the room, he wasn’t there.
Your chest tightened slightly. You glanced toward the kitchen next, then the hallway leading toward more rooms, your pace slowing as your uncertainty crept back in.
What if he wasn’t even— “Hey.” You turned at the sound of your name.
Intak, for fucks sake.
He was coming down the hallway, one hand rubbing the back of his neck like he’d just come from helping clean up or got pulled into something random.
“…What are you doing?” He asked, already suspicious.
You hesitated for half a second. “Have you seen Jongseob?” You asked.
His brows lifted slightly and that alone said enough.
“Yeah,” He said slowly, like he was trying not to make it obvious he was reading into this. “He’s outside. Somewhere in the garden.”
Your heart dropped and sped up at the same time. Intak’s eyes lingered on you for a second longer, like he wanted to ask something — but didn’t.
Instead, he just nodded his head slightly toward the back. “…Go,” Hs said.
You swallowed before nodding. “Thanks.”
You didn’t wait for anything else, already turning and heading toward the sliding door, your steps a little faster now and your thoughts catching up all at once.
The garden was quiet. The sounds from inside softened into a distant hum that barely reached where you stood. The air felt cooler out here, settling against your skin in a way that made everything feel sharper.
You slowed as you stepped onto the stone path, your eyes adjusting to the dim light.
And then you saw him.
Jongseob was standing near the edge of the garden, one hand resting against the wooden railing as he looked out into the dark. There wasn’t much to see, just outlines of trees and the faint glow of nearby lights, but he was still.
Your steps faltered for a second, because now that you’d found him.. this felt a lot more real than it did in your head.
You almost turned back actually.
But your foot shifted slightly against the gravel, the sound just loud enough for him to turn and his eyes found you immediately. There was a brief pause since he likely hadn’t expected this, but then he straightened.
“…Hi?” He spoke, a little unsure, as if he was testing the waters more than anything.
You swallowed, your nerves catching up to you as you closed the rest of the distance between you, forcing yourself not to hesitate this time.
“Hey,” You replied, quieter than you intended.
He didn’t answer right away. He just looked at you while he kept his gaze steady. Then he let out a small breath and pushed himself off the railing.
“Oh,” He said, tilting his head slightly. “So you are talking to me?”
You stopped a few steps away from him, your fingers curling slightly at your sides. “Okay. To be fair, you haven’t really been talking to me either.”
He let out a quiet scoff, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe you were even saying that. “Come on,” He muttered. “You and I both know it’s because you were avoiding me.”
“I wasn’t avoiding you,” You shot back, even though it came out too quickly to sound convincing.
He gave you a look. “Okay,” He said slowly, like he was trying to stay patient but was already losing it. “Then what would you call it? Because every time I was in the same vicinity as you, you found a way to not be.”
Your jaw tightened. “That’s not—” You started, then stopped, your words catching when you realized you didn’t have anything solid to follow it up with.
He exhaled through his nose, dragging a hand over the back of his neck before looking at you again. “You kissed me,” He started, more plainly now, less reactive and more confused than anything. “And then you acted like it didn’t happen. What was I supposed to do with that…?”
His words hit you harder than you wanted it to. “I didn’t mean for it be like that,” You said, quieter now. “I just needed a minute.”
He sighed, his bros lifting slightly. “Okay well.. It’s been two days.”
You swallowed, your fingers tightening at your sides. “Look — I didn’t want to say anything and make it worse if I got it wrong.”
That made him pause for a moment, his expression shifting as he turned fully toward you. “…This whole time I’ve been trying to figure out what it meant for you.”
Your eyes flicked up to his. “You could’ve asked me,” You sighed.
He held your gaze for a moment, something unreadable passing through his expression before it settled into something more honest. “How?” He asked. “You haven’t even been able to look at me.”
The embarrassment came faster than anything logical you could’ve said. “Jongseob—“ Your voice was still tense but it was quieter now. “You think I planned that? I didn’t even think before I did it.”
“Yeah,” He said, nodding once. “I could tell.”
You shot him a look. “That’s not funny.”
“I’m not joking,” He replied. “I’m saying you didn’t give me anything after that. You just… ran away.”
You looked away, your jaw tightening, because he wasn’t wrong. “At some point I started to believe you just didn’t care,” You admitted, softer now, the frustration shifting into something heavier. “Because you didn’t try either.”
“I didn’t want to ignore you,” He said, his voice steady now, less reactive. “But, I backed off because you were avoiding me and I wanted to give you that space.”
That made your chest tighten in a way you weren’t expecting. And it lowkey made everything feel worse.
“Then I started to assume you regretted it,” He added, quieter this time and you looked back at him immediately.
“I didn’t.” The words came out before you could stop them, firm and immediate.
He looked at you again, but longer this time, something shifting in his expression as the tension between you changed shape.
“Then why did you act like that?” He asked.
You swallowed, your thoughts tangling over themselves. “Because I was embarrassed of myself!” You admitted, the honesty coming out in pieces. “I didn’t know what it meant for you, and I didn’t want to face it if it wasn’t mutual.”
Jongseob let out a quiet breath, something close to disbelief slipping into it. “You thought it wasn’t mutual?” He sighed. “Of course, it was mutual!” There was no frustration in his voice, but instead it was pure confusion.
“I thought I was making it pretty clear I had an interest in you?”
Bro, what.
You froze. Unsure if you even heard him correctly.
He ran a hand through his hair, stepping closer. “Why did you even think otherwise?”
“I don’t—“ You stopped, realizing you lowkey sounded like a broken record. “I don’t know!” Your words came quicker now. “I didn’t say anything, and then you didn’t say anything, and the time just passed like that, and I was just stuck in my own head trying to figure out if I completely misread everything.”
He opened his mouth, like he was about to respond, but you didn’t give him the chance.
“Because I’ve liked you for such a long time,” You continued, the confession slipping out like it had been sitting there for years. “Longer than I should have honestly, because it’s embarrassing. Ever since we were kids! — and I never said anything because I didn’t think it mattered since we never even talked that much growing up, and I didn’t think it was ever going to turn into something more.”
You shook your head slightly, almost at yourself. Your rambling never ending.
“And then the other night happened, and I didn’t even think. I just did it. And the second it happened, I realized how insane that probably looked, because my whole life I felt like you thought of me as nothing, like I was just that one random girl in your class, or Intak’s little sister who was always around—“
Your voice caught for a second, but you pushed through it anyway.
“So yes, I wasn’t sure how it landed,” You continued. “I didn’t know what you were thinking, and then you kissed me back, and that somehow made it crazier because then I really didn’t know what it meant, and I didn’t know how to come back from that without—“
The space between you had closed without you realizing it. His hand came up, not abrupt or forceful, but enough to steady you and stop you from spiraling any further into your own thoughts.
And without another word, he kissed you.
It cut through everything. Your rambling, overthinking, and the spiral you had worked yourself into, but it all stopped the second his lips met yours, your breath catching as your mind went completely quiet for the first time since this started.
Your hand came up instinctively, gripping lightly at his sleeve, holding him there and not pulling away.
When he pulled back, it wasn’t far. You were still close enough to feel his breath.
Jesus fuck.
“Sorry,” He murmured, a quiet, amused note slipping into his voice. “I just really needed you to be quiet.”
A soft laugh followed, and it only made the heat rush to your face faster, your instinct being to hide it as you pressed your face into his sweatshirt, hoping he wouldn’t notice just how flustered you’d gotten.
Okay, right, so this was real? Got it.
“I’ve never thought you were nothing,” He said, his voice low and steady, like he needed you to understand that first and foremost. “I promise you, the kiss meant way more to me than you think.” He continued, causing you to pull back and look into his eyes.
You stared at him, your chest rising and falling faster now, your thoughts struggling to catch up.
“And for the record,” He sighed, his voice now quieter than before, “I’ve wanted to do that again since you did it the first time.”
Something in your chest loosened at that. Or maybe tightened.. you couldn’t really tell the difference anymore.
But when he leaned in again, you didn’t hesitate.
This time, his kiss wasn’t rushed, and it wasn’t uncertain. It felt more intentional and neither of you were second-guessing it anymore. Your hand shifted slightly against him, holding onto him without thinking or pulling away. Your body had already decided this was where you were supposed to be.
When he pulled back again, he pulled like he didn’t really want to. You just stood there, close enough to feel each other’s breath, the silence between you no longer tense.
“So, lesson of the day — I think you’re really bad at talking things out,” He murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
You let out a quiet breath, something between a laugh and a sigh. “You kinda are too. Don’t lie.”
Jongseob huffed softly at that, pinching your hip and shaking his head just slightly, but he didn’t move away. “We both know that’s not true.” He sighed.
“K, maybe not an even 50/50, but what about 25/75?” You quirked a brow, trying to bargain your way out of it.
He let out a genuine laugh, smiling down at you. You tried to hold his gaze, but it didn’t last long. Your eyes dropped after a second while your fingers fidgeted lightly with the fabric of his sleeves.
“I won’t avoid you anymore… Promise..” You spoke after a second, your voice quieter now, more certain.
He looked at you for a moment, probably processing your words, before nodding once more. “Good,” He said simply. “And I’ll make sure of it, because I’m definitely not letting you do that again.”
A small smile tugged at your lips despite everything.
And for the first time since this whole thing started, it didn’t feel complicated as you stood there in his arms, hugging him tightly.
💌 from mika! just straight narrative and no smau omfg bye. CORNNNNBAALALLLLLLSSSS guys i actually. i icked myself out idk Heyyyy SORRY IM IRRITATED WITH THIS IDK LIKE THIS IS KINDA MUMBO JUMBO SLOP TO ME. I AM MY OWN BIGGEST CRITIC AND I COULDNT KEEP LINGERINok im so sorry let me calm down. guys Was this ok. I’m so. ill shut up i’m sorry. i’m scared ur all Thrwinf tomatoes at me Idk. but heeyyyyyyyy. maybe ill be kind real quick!!!! yes!!!! this was awesome sauce!!!!!! Yay!!!! It’s not working. Just whatever ok bye
You headed straight for the shower the moment all of you got back from Disneyland, not bothering to linger or even sit down and have a drink like everyone else did. It was Intak’s birthday after all, and he was definitely going to make others drink a bit in celebration.
Dohoon had already stayed back with Jongseob and Shota, while Haerin chose to stay behind as well. She didn’t question you, instead she just watched you disappear down the hallway and slip into the bathroom, letting you make your own decisions without a second thought.
The water was warm enough to ease the tension in your shoulders, washing away the exhaustion from the day. Your legs ached, your feet sore from walking for hours, and there was still that lingering stickiness from sunscreen and sweat that made you stay under the stream a little longer than necessary.
You ended up taking your sweet time in there, probably hogging all the warm water without even thinking twice about it. You moved through your routine slower than usual, dragging things out where you could because it gave you something to focus on.
By the time you turned the water off, the bathroom had filled with steam, the mirror completely fogged over. You stepped out, dried yourself, and went through the rest of your routine without much thought. You did your skincare, brushed your teeth, and pulled on leggings and a comfortable shirt to sleep in.
Once you finished, you felt put together enough to step back out, so you gathered your things and reached for the door.
You pulled the door open, your heart dropping at the timing of Jongseob slipping into his room across from the bathroom as Keeho walked past, only to stop mid-step.
“Ooo, are you done?” The older boy asked.
Your brow quirked. “I don’t know, let’s ask the audience.” You replied, glancing back into the empty bathroom before bringing your gaze back to Keeho. He was unamused with that.
In your peripheral, Dohoon and Shota had squeezed right behind him, entering the open room Jongseob had walked into, and you sensed his eyes burning onto you.
Can he look away. Like please.
You flicked your eyes at him once. He was still staring.
Fuck OFF.
Without another word, you stepped aside, letting Keeho use the bathroom before you booked it for your room.
You were back in your room, packing your things since you’d all be heading to Saitama the next day. A few minutes later, Haerin slipped in, grabbing her shower essentials before blowing you a quick kiss and heading back out toward the bathroom.
You tried to stay focused, but your thoughts were cut short by a knock at your door. Your heart stilled for a moment, unsure of who it could be, until you heard Intak’s familiar voice call your name.
Upon opening the door, you were met with your brother, just like you expected. He had a faint smile on his face as he lifted a small ziplock baggie between his fingers, giving it a little shake. Inside was a single joint.
“Oppa—” Your brows knitted together. “Where did you even get that?” A disbelieving laugh slipped out right after.
Intak only shrugged, far too nonchalant for your liking. “Some girl gave me a pack at the club the guys and I went to the other night.” He stood up straight and had a look on his face. “Jiung, Taeyang, and I went through most of it, not gonna lie… but I saved this one for us.”
“Boy, I have packing to do.” You decline, but he was persistent.
He dragged your name, playfully rolling his eyes. “Come on, hang out with me…” His eyebrow raised with a dumb goofy smirk. “It’s my birthday….”
You shot him a glare, but the look on his face made it impossible to hold it for long. A laugh slipped out before you could stop it, followed by a quiet sigh. “Fine,” You gave in, shaking your head. “God, you are such a bad influence.”
“Not like mom’s gonna find out,” He snickered, tilting his head slightly, which was his silent way of telling you to follow him.
The airbnb had quieted down by the time you stepped out with him. Intak didn’t say much as he led the way, just pushing open the sliding door to the balcony.
Warm air met you immediately, brushing against your skin in a way that felt grounding after the coolness of the inside air conditioning.
The city stretched out in front of you, lit up in bright neon lights and traffic moving in the distance.
It wasn’t loud out here, just enough noise to remind you that everything else was still going on while this moment felt a little more contained.
You stepped up beside him, resting your hands lightly against the railing.
For a minute, neither of you spoke. And it was very comfortable.
Not everyone got to appreciate something as simple as their sibling’s presence, but you did. No matter how much the two of you argued growing up, over stupid things or over nothing at all, Intak had always been your first best friend, and you knew you’d always be his too.
He let out a quiet breath, rolling his shoulders back before pulling the small joint from its bag. He brought it to his lips, flicking a lighter from his pocket to life and cupping it slightly as he lit the end.
After his first hit, he passed it over to you, a stupid and eager older brother smile already on his face. The kind that practically screamed yes, make bad decisions with me, mom and dad will never know!!!!!
You rolled your eyes, taking it anyway.
You didn’t really do stuff like this unless Intak was the one convincing you. He’d always been your bad influence in the most predictable older brother way, dragging you into things you normally wouldn’t even consider.
It wasn’t like he did it all the time though, he was more of a casual smoker than anything, and back home it wasn’t even easy to get your hands on anything decent. Half the time, whatever he managed to find wasn’t even worth it.
Which, somehow, made this feel even more like a rare occasion you couldn’t say no to.
You exhaled after a hit. “Reminder, I’m a lightweight, so this is mostly all you.” A cough followed after, and Intak laughed.
Guys, it’s been a minute since you’ve done this.
“Remember your first time? When you lowkey threw up.” He brought up the fond memory, causing you to glare at him.
“What do you mean “lowkey’, I did???” You furrowed your eyebrows, mocking your brother as he bursted into giggles.
Intak sighed. “Yeah, I know. I’m still sorry for that.”
You snickered. “It’s fine. That was like, years ago.”
“It was so funny though.”
“Yeah, okay.” You elbowed his side, causing him to wince through more giggles. You really brought out his inner child.
Intak took another hit from the joint before turning around and taking a seat on the little couch that furnished the balcony.
“My feet are actually gone,” He muttered, extending his arm to hand it over to you.
You let out a quiet laugh, taking the joint and sitting beside him. “Literally, I was dead after the second ride.”
“Keeho gave me a piggy back ride at some point.” Intak added. “It was when the group split.”
You snorted, shaking your head as you leaned a little more against the couch cushion. The conversation settled into something easy after that, familiar in a way that made everything else feel a little quieter.
“What was your favorite part today?” You asked, the question coming out a little more sentimental than you meant it to.
He paused for a second, like he was actually thinking about it, before letting out a quiet laugh to himself. “I don’t think you were there for this,” He said, already smiling. “But I was with Taeyang, Kyo, and Jiung, and we all ran off and hid from Seob while he just… kept walking.”
Your heart stopped for a second before you locked in. “Then what happened?”
“Took him a couple minutes to realize he was walking alone and heading toward no where.” Intak snickered, reaching for the joint in your hand that you gladly gave back.
“Anything fun for you?” He quirked a brow, and that was a little funnier than anticipated.
You freak, it was starting to hit a bit.
“Today was fun in general.” You sighed, slouching back. “Can’t really think of anything notable.”
Intak went quiet for a beat. “Hm, you were a little quiet today,” He said with honesty.
You shrugged. “Eh. Just tired.”
“Mm,” Intak hummed, not pushing. “Think that’s enough for now.” He cleared his throat after one more hit and put out the joint before storing it away.
Your eyes dropped absentmindedly, catching something new on his hand.
“Nice ring,” You said. “When did you get that?”
He lifted his hand slightly. “Oh—this? Seob got it for me.”
You felt yourself grow hot, quick and sharp, but you did your best to keep your expression neutral.
Although that was a tad bit impossible, considering you were a little intoxicated.
“Ah,” You said, looking back out ahead of you.
A small pause followed. You sensed your brother staring intently into the side of your face before he sat up straight and sighed.
“…Are you and him a thing?”
Your head snapped toward him almost immediately. “What—no??”
He raised his brows, confusion filling his expression. “Oh… so you don’t like him then?”
You squinted, completely lost now. “What are you talking about?”
He tilted his head slightly, studying your reaction. “Or do you?”
You let out a breath, almost laughing but also dragging a hand down your face. “Oppa, what are you even saying right now?”
He shrugged, turning a little more toward you. “I’m just asking.”
“Is this why you wanted to hang out?” You asked, narrowing your eyes playfully. “To interrogate me?”
He blinked, a little thrown off. “No—what? No! Well… honestly kind of. But also we haven’t really spent any time together during this trip, so I figured we could smoke and talk.”
You stared at him. Completely unimpressed and completely mortified.
This fuckhead, oh my god.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before his tone softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to look out for you, alright? That’s it. I just started noticing things and I’ve been curious.”
You didn’t respond right away, so he glanced at you again.
“You can tell me anything,” He added. “I’m not gonna freak out. If something’s going on with you and him, it’s not a big deal.”
Something about that made your chest tighten, because now you had the option and it was right in front of you.
Or you could brush it off… Laugh it off, even. Say no and move on, because that would’ve been easier.
But the words came out before you could stop them.
“You’re a little behind because I’ve literally liked him since we were like five,” You admitted, quieter now, your gaze dropping to the ground.
There was a buzzy feeling jolting through your body, and you hadn’t really paid any attention to it before you remembered why exactly you felt this way. Dang it.
“It’s been annoying me for years, but I just dealt with it because I didn’t think it would ever actually matter.”
Intak went still beside you.
“Then this trip happened,” You continued, the words coming easier now that they’d started. “And things were different from high school. Not even anything extravagant though, just… small stuff. Talking more, being around each other more and we both learned we get along well.” You let out a quiet breath.
“But I ruined it,” You said, almost laughing at yourself, running your hands through your hair, slighting tugging at the ends. “Because I kissed him last night.”
Silence filled the space between you and Intak. You didn’t look at him. You didn’t WANT to look at him or his reaction.
“…Wha?”
You winced slightly, bracing yourself. “Yeah.” A nod from you followed after.
He blinked, clearly trying to process that, before letting out a slow breath and scooting closer. His arm pulled you into a loose side hug. “Well, that sucks.”
You stiffened slightly. “…?? That’s it?” You furrowed your eyebrows. “You’re not mad?”
“Pffft? Why would I be mad,” He scoffed. “Maybe a little grossed out, but not mad.”
You pulled away, your confusion still present. “What’d I do?”
“No, it’s not you,” He said quickly. “It’s Jongseob that’s gross. I would’ve at least hoped you’d get with Shota if you wanted one of my friends.
A small laugh slipped out of you despite everything, and you shoved him lightly. “You’re so annoying.”
He huffed, but didn’t move away right away. “…Well. Did Seob say anything?” Intak asked after a moment.
You grimaced before you shook your head. “I didn’t even give him the chance. I ran off.”
“Checks out.” He muttered.
You rolled your eyes, melting back into the couch with most of your weight now. You were really starting to feel it. “Oppa. It’s so awkward now. I’ve been avoiding him all day, and he’s been avoiding me too, and I don’t even know if that’s because of me or if he just—”
You cut yourself off, but it didn’t matter. The thought was already there.
“And god, I’m such a bad friend,” You continued, the words spilling out faster now. “I’m actively lying to Haerin and Dohoon about it and it’s killing me, and I feel like if I do anything else I’m going to ruin this trip, and I don’t want to take that away from you because that’s so embarrassing and—”
“Wait,” Intak cut in, brows furrowing as he paused you. “Why haven’t you told Haerin?”
You groaned immediately, dragging your hands over your face again. You felt like cheese. “Because I’m embarrassed!”
The word came out louder than you meant it to, but you didn’t care anymore.
You dropped your hands, exhaling. “I’m a little relieved I’ve told someone. Ideally you weren’t my first pick… no offend. But I’m glad to get this off my chest.“ You groaned. “God, it still feels… wrong. I don’t even know how to explain it without sounding insane.”
He watched you for a second, something softer in his expression now.
“Oppa,” You added quickly, pointing at him nearly in a panic, “You cannot tell anyone about this. You have to swear.”
Intak looked at you with wide, almost offended eyes. “Like I even have anyone to tell this to??” He scoffed.
Oh perhaps, Keeho…. Jiung…. Taeyang maybe???
“Pinky swear,” You insisted, holding your finger out between you. This wasn’t negotiable. Not when it came to the two of you—pinky promises were basically the law.
Your brother’s eyes softens at the gesture before he sighed. He now knew the importance of it all. Soon enough, he hooked his pinky with yours, giving it a small shake before exhaling once more. “Okay,” He muttered.
“Your secret is safe with me.”
But after a beat, he spoke again. “…We can laugh about it later on in the future, right?”
“We’re taking it to the grave, Intak,” You groaned, pressing your palms to your face again.
He laughed quietly beside you, shaking his head.
“Okay,” He nodded. “No one else hears about it.”
You peeked at him through your fingers, narrowing your eyes. “I’m serious.”
“I know,” He said, still smiling a little, but maybe it was because he was a tad bit gone. “I won’t say anything.”
You let out a breath, finally lowering your hands, the tension easing just slightly now that it wasn’t sitting entirely in your chest anymore.
“Did you want my brotherly advice though?” He offered, a little too confidently for someone whose eyes were barely staying open.
You scoffed, the sound melting into a quiet laugh. “Oh, I’m good,” You said honestly. “This is kind of something I feel like I need to face on my own. This is my problem.” You paused.
“I also don’t trust any advice you have to give.”
Intak slouched further beside you, your postures slowly mirroring each other without either of you noticing. “Fair,” He mumbled. “I don’t trust my advice either.”
You snorted, leaning your head back against the cushion behind you.
“I at least hope you’re gonna tell Haerin though?” He asked, turning his head slightly toward you.
You exhaled through your nose, thinking harder than you needed to. “Eventually. Maybe when I…” You trailed off, your thoughts lagging behind your words. “Maybe after this… actually?”
Intak lifted his head a little, eyes half-lidded as he nodded slowly, like the idea was taking a second to fully process. “That’s good…” He said, a small smile forming. “That would be good.”
Silence settled between the two of you for a moment, time just felt slow.
“Okay, I think we should go to bed,” You said after a second, your voice quieter now.
“Yes,” He agreed immediately. “That’s good.”
Yet, neither of you moved.
You stared out at the city for a second longer, blinking slower than usual before glancing over at him. “…You’re not moving.”
He frowned slightly, like that realization was new information. “I thought you were moving first.”
“Oppa—” You tried to say it seriously, but the laugh slipped out anyway, soft and sudden, like it caught you off guard more than anything.
He looked at you for a second, then let out a quiet laugh of his own. “Why are you laughing?”
“I don’t know,” You admitted, pressing your lips together like that would help, even as your shoulders started shaking a little.
Okay girl, it wasn’t even that funny.
The two of you stayed on the couch longer than necessary, the quiet laughter coming and going in waves until it finally settled into something softer, something manageable.
At some point, you both managed to pull yourselves together enough to actually get up and head back inside, the movement slow but steady as you slipped back into the dim hallway.
You split off at your doors without much else said, a quiet “goodnight” exchanged before you pushed your door open and stepped back into your room.
Haerin was already in bed.
The room was calm, the lights low, and she was completely curled into the blankets like she hadn’t moved since she got in. You stood there for a second, taking a breath, letting everything from outside catch up to you now that you were alone again.
Alright. You needed to tell her. And you were going to tell her.
You moved quietly, setting your things down before sliding under the covers beside her, careful not to shift too much.
“I need to tell you something,” You said softly.
Nothing.
You waited a second, turning your head toward her.
“Haerin?” You tried again, a little louder this time.
A small snore answered you.
You blinked, staring at the back of her head for a second, your expression flattening.
Oh, come fucking on.
END OF VOLUME TWO!
💌 from mika! srry this was highkey me projecting bc me and my brother are mr & miss giggleshits when we smoke. Anywaysvhiii. this was like so. whatever. im going no where with this anymore and im Stressed and I. okay ill stop. Now what. Guys now what. PLEASE BE KIND TO ME. yeah Sorry lets make fun of the girl who took a risk and put herself out there creatively. FML THATS HOW I FEEL RN ok just vote. bye. mika loves you. ALSO maybe it’s the asian in me but ik reader and intak are like grown ass adults but i still am writing as if their korean mother runs a strict program. Thank U.
There was something comforting about dinner at Shota’s house — His mom had gone all out, the table filled with dishes that were fresh, the air carrying a mix of savory scents that should’ve made you hungrier than you actually felt.
It felt like the kind of environment that made you want to behave and fix your posture, or to be a little more aware of your presence.
Which made it all the more unfortunate that you were embarrassingly late.
By the time you finally made it out of the room, everyone had already settled in, conversations overlapping easily as plates were passed around the table and seats had long since been claimed.
And the only one left — was directly across from him.
Cause of course.
You hesitated for half a second longer than you should have, just enough to clock the arrangement. Intak sat at the head of the table, mirroring Shota’s dad.
Dohoon sat beside Jongseob, already reaching for something on the table, while Haerin was seated across from him and beside your vacant spot, smiling politely at something Shota’s mom had just said.
There was seriously no avoiding it, so you took the seat.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” You muttered under your breath, leaning slightly toward your brother as you settled in. You could feel Jongseob’s gaze on you almost immediately, but you kept your eyes down, focusing on adjusting your place at the table instead.
Intak glanced at you, tilting his head with big eyes and an almost too-innocent look. “His mom insisted on letting you sleep,” He said quietly. “Don’t worry about it.” Then, after a beat, “But how are you feeling?”
You glanced down at the table, taking in the spread of bowls and plates neatly arranged before looking back at him. “Way better, actually.”
You smiled faintly, your stomach giving a small, impatient grumble as you glanced over the rest of the table. There was more than enough to choose from—dishes laid out neatly, everything still warm—but your attention snagged on the stir-fried vegetables with pork sitting just a little too far out of reach.
Right next to him.
Your fingers tightened slightly around your chopsticks as you hesitated, the thought of speaking up feeling unnecessarily daunting.
But you pushed past it anyway, forcing yourself to just get it over with.
“Uh—Jongseob,” You called out, your voice just loud enough to reach him.
You felt Intak pause beside you, his movement stalling mid-bite as he slowly turned his head, eyes widening just slightly like he hadn’t expected you to say his name so casually.
Across the table, Jongseob’s head lifted just as quickly, the motion almost instinctive at the sound of your voice. His attention locked onto you without hesitation, like he’d been waiting for it without even realizing it.
You sucked in a breath before continuing. “Could you pass that.. please?” You asked, nodding subtly toward the dish beside him.
For a second, he didn’t move.
He looked at you for a split second as if he couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t long enough for anyone else to really catch it, but enough that it made your chest tighten slightly under the weight of it.
Then he blinked, like he was snapping himself out of it. “Yeah—” He said quickly, reaching for the dish without hesitation. He passed it across the table toward you, his hand lingering just long enough for you to take it.
“Thanks,” You said quietly, keeping your eyes on the dish as you set it down in front of you.
“Yeah,” He replied just as quietly. And that was it.
Okayyy dokay.
The rest of the table though felt normal. Shota’s parents were warm and attentive as they made sure everyone was eating. The conversation flowed around you in a way that should’ve made it easy to blend in. And you did for the most part!
But you were so painfully hyperaware of where he was, noticing when he reached for something and the way your eyes kept almost meeting before one of you looked away first.
Soon, you reached for the platter of pork skewers at the same time as Jongseob, your hands stopping just short of brushing against each other.
The pause was brief, but noticeable, both of you pulling back slightly like you’d realized it at the exact same moment.
“Oh—” You started quietly.
“You can—” He said at the same time.
You let out a small breath, gesturing toward the plate instead. “You go.”
He shook his head once. “No, it’s fine.”
You didn’t push it any further, just reaching forward again and taking one quickly before sliding the platter in his direction. “Here.”
“Thanks,” He said, a little quieter now.
“Yeah,” You replied, already looking back down at your plate like nothing had happened.
You tried to ignore it, focusing instead on your food— until something else caught your attention.
Beside you, Haerin’s gaze dipped down toward her lap for a second too long before lifting again, her expression smoothing over as she nodded along to the conversation happening around her.
It wasn’t obvious, not enough for anyone else to question it, but it was enough for you to notice.
And then, almost immediately after — Dohoon’s phone lit up beside Jongseob.
He glanced down before looking back up.
Your eyes flicked between the two of them, subtle but intentional now, watching as Haerin’s fingers moved briefly out of sight before she stilled again, her lips pressing together like she was trying not to react.
Dohoon’s attention dipped once more, his expression shifting just slightly before he set his phone down like nothing had happened.
You pressed your lips together, looking back down at your plate to hide it.
Everything was chill… right???
💌 from mika! okay so lowkey didn’t get to write everything what i wanted to BUT HEEEYYYY. i cut it here bc it was gonna be way too long so ill see u guys ch18, ok? Shut up. I’m sorry. i love u…. i didn’t rlly proofread this ok? I’m tired.
The way Kim Jongseob made you feel was nobody’s business. You didn’t even want it to be your business, yet here you were.
It was innocent the way your heart rate skyrocketed at the mere concept of Jongseob’s existence, but it drove you insane.
It embarrassed you actually. You told yourself nobody, let alone a boy, should cause someone to feel this way. But that’s exactly what he did.
You stood in your room as your heart raced, eagerly waiting to either hear Keeho’s loud mouth or a silly laugh from Jiung. But the house felt so quiet, and you were a little terrified.
Suddenly you heard Haerin’s voice. “Yeah, she’s upstairs! I’ll go get her.”
You wanted to fall into a hole or something. It was actually the worst feeling in the world. Why were you so nervous?! It’s just a boy! It’s literally just Jongseob.
Exactly why you were nervous, dang it.
“Hey.” Your thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock. “Intak’s asking for you.” Haerin twisted the door knob and peeked her head in.
You glanced at her with terror in your eyes before whispering, “Is he here…?”
Haerin nodded slowly before inviting herself in completely. “Look.” She closed the distance between you both and placed her hands on your shoulders. “Breathe… and just be normal.” Her voice was steady.
Right. “Be normal.”
As if you haven’t freaking tried that before.
No matter what, your stomach has tightened for no real reason and you cannot form a single thought. The way you suddenly become aware of everything, how you’re sitting, where your hands are, or whether you’re breathing too loud… It’s literally a curse.
You force a nod anyway. “Yeah. Okay. For sure.”
“YN-Ah!” Your brother’s voice shouted through the house, calling out for you.
Haerin snickered as you shut your eyes and took a breath.
“I can hold your hand.” Your best friend offered.
You shake your head. “I’ll be okay.“
Without another word, Haerin nodded and walked towards your bedroom door, motioning for you to follow her, and you did.
The two of you took your time down the stairs, and you were thanking god he wasn’t in visual range the second you walked into the living room.
Keeho and Jiung were slouched along the couch while Intak stood at the kitchen island counter nearby.
“There you are.” Your brother spoke as he spotted you. “Are you okay?”
You nod, walking up to him. “Yeah. Just.. period cramps.” Your period ended last week, liar.
“Aw.” He pouted in sympathy. “You need anything?” He asked softly, plating a bowl of his takeout.
“I’m okay.” You shake your head, returning a smile.
You turn your head, spotting your brother’s friends who were now walking over. “Hi Kyo. Hi Jiung.” You greet the two who smiled, Keeho ruffling your hair as he reached over and snatched a fry from Intak’s plate.
“Where did Seob go?” Jiung asked, shoveling through the takeout bags for presumably his own food. Your heart stuttered at the mention of his name, but Haerin noticed and subtly rubbed your lower back.
Intak chewed with a fist over his mouth before he swallowed. “On the phone.”
“I’m back.” The familiar voice announced, and you froze.
“Oh, I heated your melon-pan in the toaster oven for you.” Keeho said and pointed. “Here, I think it’s done.”
Fuck. FUCK.
You took a deep breath, forcing yourself to act natural while Keeho suddenly attempted to squeeze past you and Haerin before accidentally elbowing the back of your friend’s head in the process.
“Oh my god—I’m so sorry—“ He quickly apologized with a hand over his mouth and eyes filled with horror.
She clutched the back of her head and looked at him like he’d just shot her family dog. You, Intak, and Jiung were no help at all, already doubled over laughing at Keeho.
Haerin forced a smile. “Three days.” Is all she said before walking away in irritation.
“Wha—“ Keeho glanced over at the rest of you in confusion. “Three days—til what?”
“Til you die.” You mumbled before nicking a fry off your brother’s plate.
Jiung laughed out loud again, making fun of Keeho. “Oh that girl can’t stand you.”
Ugh! Yes! This was beautiful. You were acting so natural! Everything was going good! You so got this.
“YN-Ah.”
Andddd, everything’s ruined.
You freeze at the sound of his voice, subconsciously gripping the edge of the counter before you force yourself to turn around.
He stood there casually. A bagged melonpan in one hand, almost reached out toward you, and a warmed up one for himself in the other.
His hair was blonde now. Not the dark black you remember from high school. Strands were falling messily over his forehead like he forgot to fix it. It makes his skin look warmer and makes his eyes look darker.
He looked so unfair.
“Hm?” You force out a hum in attempts to be normal.
“Did you still want this?” He asks, meeting your eyes. But you immediately look anywhere else to avoid eye contact.
There is a slight crack in his voice at the end. Barely noticeable. But you hear it and your brain short-circuits.
For a second, you just stare at it. At his hand..
You shake your head before you realize that wasn’t what you planned on doing. So you nod your head. Then you clear your throat because apparently you have forgotten how to speak.
“Yeah. I mean! Yes. If it’s not… if you’re not…”
He smiled softly at you, “I don’t mind, Intak mentioned earlier that you loved melonpan.”
What the fuck is his problem.
That actually made you want to rip your hat out.
“I can warm it up? For you?” He offered.
You shake your head. “No! No it’s okay.” You said almost too eagerly, your voice cracking a bit. “I got it, don’t worry.”
You just cockblocked yourself lowkey..
The second the words left your mouth, you regretted them immediately.
He paused. Then he nodded. “Okay.”
He handed the bag over, careful not to brush your fingers. But you embarrassingly almost wish he did.
Across the island, Intak laughed at something Jiung says. Normal, loud and painfully unaware.
Jongseob lingers for half a second longer like he might say something else but he stops himself.
Instead, he runs his free hand through his blonde hair, the strands catching in the light, and steps back with a friendly smile.
You let out a quiet breath once he turned away, shutting your eyes in more embarrassment, hoping that when you opened your eyes, this was just a nightmare!
Wasn’t that just perfect! Yay!!!! Now how the hell were you supposed to be within his proximity for almost two weeks in another country!
A moment after, Haerin inserted herself out of no where, placing a hand on your back while you went ahead and heated your sweet treat.
“It couldn’t have been that bad..” She whispered, noticing your tense shoulders.
You shake your head, “I need to be euthanized.”
She laughed. “Okay, let’s just heat your melonpan and we can retreat back to your room. You showed face, you talked to him without seeming like too much of an idiot and that’s all that matters.”
“I was acting like an idiot though..” You said with shame.
“A beautiful idiot!” Haerin said lightheartedly. “But boys are idiots, I’m sure he didn’t even realize.” She continued, looking back to see Intak and Keeho harassing and teasing the boy in question.
“Trust me.” She reassured you.
And you tried your best to believe her.
💌 from mika! oh mama i hated this one badddd. JUST WHATEVER. ITS FINE. i think there’s a couple chapters more before i time skip to japan im still working it out. okay anyways. i love u. pls like comment subscribe 🫰
TAG LIST (open) : @u2jwon @lisie-loves-u @quiiirkiiis2 @nataliasdiary @pxronbeat1 @seonghwaswifeuuuu @seobpaya @cryingwithsparkl3s @jongseobsno1fan @niyareloadedd @maffyy
💌 from mika! DOUBLE UPLOAD.. EEYYUCCKCK i hate doing the smau part with just piwon it actually hurts so bad i cant do it. anyways. jongseob LOSER BUTTASS BOOO but it gets better guys pls trust the process. Endmfxhsgahsjs im so scared im not portraying them good im going crazy. ok bye ill shut up now ily mwah.
Earlier this morning, you woke up to a dull, twisting ache in your stomach that made it hard to even think straight, let alone get out of bed.
And on top of that, you still had a whole pile of packing left to finish — something you could fully blame on Intak for keeping you up and distracting you.
Checking out of the Airbnb you’d all grown oddly attached to over the past few days went smoother than expected, and before you really had the chance to linger on it, all of you were already at the train station, heading to Saitama for a day.
The hour-long train ride was light work. You, Haerin, and Dohoon managed to snag three seats together on one side of the carriage, while Intak and the others ended up a few rows away or scattered. Your stomach ache had mostly eased by then, but it lingered just enough to be annoying, coming and going in waves that kept you from fully relaxing.
Upon arrival, Shota’s family was already waiting at the station, greeting all of you warmly. The boy lit up the second he saw them, the kind of happiness that only came from finally being home after a while.
Now you were all crammed into his family home, somehow making it work for the today and tonight. It was warm, a little overwhelming, but sweet in a way that made it easy to settle into.
You were holed up in the guest room you and Haerin were sharing, courtesy of being the only girls on the trip of course, trying to ignore the lingering ache in your stomach when a knock at the door pulled your attention away.
“Come in—“ You called out from the bed, only for Intak to slide the door open and peak his head in. “Shota’s mom asked me to bring this to you.” He said softly, carefully bringing over a steaming bowl of whatever.
You sat up, cringing at the smell when your brother laughed. “Yeah, I saw what she put in here and you’re not gonna like it one bit.”
“What the hell is in here?” You asked groggily.
Intak bit back a laugh. “She told me specifically not to say! But it should help you feel better.”
You let out a quiet sigh, instinctively holding your breath at the smell before taking the bowl from your brother. It was still warm in your hands, and you could tell he’d already tried to help, blowing on it a few times to cool it down before passing it over.
Intak stayed right where he was, lingering close with his arms loosely crossed, watching you like he already knew you were about to stall. “Come on… drink up.”
“Give me a fucking minute—” You shot him a glare, the bowl still untouched in your hands. He just laughed. “For all I know, this stomach ache could’ve been from that jank weed you made me smoke.”
He rolled his eyes. “Just drink it.” His voice teasing.
Without another thought, you squeezed your eyes shut and forced yourself to take a slow sip. The taste hit almost immediately, and you had to swallow it down before you could even react, your face tightening as your eyes watered.
By the time you looked back up, your lashes were damp, your expression somewhere between disgusted and betrayed, but Intak was laughing.
“God, this shit is awful,” You muttered, your voice hoarse as you tried to shake off the taste.
He dropped down beside you on the edge of the bed, still grinning, completely unbothered. “It can’t even that bad.”
“You’re insane, I know damn well you gagged at the stench when you first smelled it.”
He rolled his eyes, ignoring you before he nudged your knee lightly. “Drink.”
You shot him another look but took another sip anyway, slower this time, already bracing yourself for it.
The room settled after that, quieter now that the initial bickering had passed. The noise from the rest of the house carried faintly through the walls but it all felt far away compared to the small space you were in.
Intak leaned back slightly, resting his weight on his hands as he glanced over at you.
“…So, did you tell Haerin?” He asked casually.
You paused mid-sip, lowering the bowl just slightly. “No,” You said, shaking your head. “I was going to.”
He raised a brow. “What happened?”
You let out a small breath, looking down at the bowl in your hands. “She was already asleep when I got back,” you admitted. “I tried to wake her up, but…” You trailed off, giving him a look. “She was out.”
He huffed out a quiet laugh. “Checks out.”
You nodded, taking another reluctant sip as there was a brief pause. “I told myself I’d do it when we woke up but as you know I woke up dying so…” You stopped, shaking your head slightly. “Didn’t get the chance, clearly.”
Intak watched you for a second, his expression softer now. “…You’re still gonna tell her though, right?” He asked.
You sighed, leaning back slightly against the wall behind you. “Of course,” You said. “I have to… and it needs to be from me, and nobody else.”
Your brother nodded slowly, “Fair enough.”
You hummed quietly, bringing the bowl up again, even though you clearly didn’t want to. “…You better not say anything,” You added, side-eyeing him.
He scoffed. “I already promised you.”
“Yeah, but you’re also annoying.”
He grinned. “You still told me everything.”
You rolled your eyes, but there wasn’t much bite behind it. “…Yeah,” You muttered.
“…Do you think he possibly told Dohoon?”
Intak glanced at you, a curious look. “Highly doubt it. Seob doesn’t open up that quickly with new people.” He shrugged. “Shota though? Very likely.”
You nodded. “Yeah. Makes sense — You think Shota knows about it then?”
Your brother nodded. “I wouldn’t be shocked, is all I has to say about that.” He admitted. “Sorry if that’s not comforting.”
You shake your head. “Nah, it’s fine.” You sighed.
After forcing down the rest of your homemade remedy, which you were fully convinced was shit from a butt, you sat there for a second, trying to recover from it, your face still twisted in disgust as the aftertaste refused to leave.
You set the bowl off to the side with a quiet groan, wiping at your mouth like that would somehow help, while Intak didn’t leave.
He stayed right there, lingering beside you as if he didn’t trust you to just lie down and go to sleep on your own. You shifted under the covers, pulling them up a little higher while you tried to get comfortable, the dull ache in your stomach still hanging around just enough to still be irritating.
“You can go now… lowkey,” You muttered, already closing your eyes.
He didn’t move. Instead, he leaned back slightly against the wall, arms loosely crossed, watching you in that quiet, stubborn way of his.
“I’ll go when you fall asleep,” He said.
You cracked one eye open to glare at him. “You’re so weird.”
“Or a good older brother I don’t know.” He furrowed his brows, shrugging. “Just sleep.”
You let out a small sigh, turning onto your side and adjusting your pillow, trying to ignore both him and the lingering discomfort in your stomach. The room was dim and quiet, the noise from the rest of the house fading into the background again, and for a moment, it almost felt easy to settle.
Almost….
You shifted once, then again, trying to find a position that didn’t make your stomach twist. Intak noticed immediately.
“Still hurts?” He asked.
“Shut up,” You mumbled, pulling the blanket closer.
He huffed quietly but didn’t say anything else.
But, at least having him there made it just a little easier to finally relax, your breathing slowly evened out as your thoughts started to blur at the edges.
💌 from mika! the remedy thing being inspired frm my childhood and whatever tf my baba was cooking up in the kitchen whenever i was sick EEEYUUCCCKK. this was highkey a filler before i got straight into volume three Okay. like This was unnecessary but also necessary bc we had to chill w awk jongseob interactions real quick Okay??????? Okay. anyways have more sweet older brother intak interactions YAY, speaking of which guys check out the smau im gonna start writing for when i finish this one….. pleak → BEST PART!
SUMMARY: Kim Jongseob has always been one of your brother’s closest friends. All your life, he’s made you feel nervous, insane, and completely off balance, but that’s what crushes are supposed to do, right? When Intak convinces you to join him and his friends on his birthday trip to Japan, it seems like a perfect plan! But what should have been a simple vacation quickly turns into a minefield of stolen glances and accidental touches.. now suddenly, everything feels different.
TAG LIST OPEN. WHO IS MOVED PLS LMK. guys im motivated to write pleas epeleplelwlww
this will be a SERIES!!!! & a smau (instagram & messages) Intak!!! LITTLE SISTER reader!!! smirk. NON idol au! brothers best friend! Reader is pining (It makes her feel insane…..) , LOSER!!!!jongseob Who else is shocked???? , She fell first and WAITED, he fell harder tho I think. vacation Yayyyy, FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF, tension so tense u could die maybe. HAERIN from new jeans MENTION!!!! DOHOON from tws MENTION just a lot idk 🫰🫰🫰🫰 Also reader & bffs are carats (#I love u seventeen ) , bc i do what i want
i love 3rd gen. FUCKKK MY LIKFIDE ok sorry anyways shoutout @u2jwon for Inspiting me. Heh. my baddie.
anyways. pls Do comment share subscribe retweet lmk. Ooooo u wanna be.. u wanna be tagged in it sooo bad…
