Summary: You didn’t think hiding Baekhyun’s orange juice would lead to being the center of the group’s attention. Oops. Now you can see firsthand the desire they’ve hidden for you since day one.
“Call me Bacon one more time. Let’s see what happens.”
Chapters:
One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine / Ten
Hi!! I don’t know if the blurb requests are still open, but if they are, could you write something about jealous Junmyeon?
yours • kjm [req]
pairing: junmyeon x f!reader
genre: fluff & angst
warnings: none
junmyeon doesn't get jealous.
he's never been the jealous type, and never had a problem with his girlfriends have male friends, or bringing his girlfriends around his bandmates. he never felt like he had to worry that she'd be whisked away—to put it plainly, junmyeon just never had to worry.
but watching the way you keep laughing at everything baekhyun is saying, the way you throw your head back and let out one of his favorite sounds in the entire world, is starting to turn him green. junmyeon doesn't miss the way baekhyuns eyes linger on your neck, your lips, and sometimes dance down to the exposed part of your chest. junmyeon tried to write it off as a casualty, as an accident. perhaps he was envisioning it, seeing something that wasn't there. but then baekhyun did it again, and again, and junmyeon decided he was tired of it.
"okay, that's enough," junmyeon tries to make his voice sound light, but its everything but. your laughter dies down and you look over at him with concern, eyes wide.
"you okay?" you ask quietly, a hand on his leg. junmyeon softens at your touch and nods, leaning over and placing a kiss on your cheek. you smile and turn back to baekhyun nearly immediately, and your boyfriend deflates against you. okay, maybe he has a jealous bone, but its not like its an everyday thing! you call jongin "your baby", and he doesn't even bat an eye—everybody knows that's different.
junmyeon sets his jaw and aggressively takes a bite of his food, chewing with too much vigor and intensity for the average person. you laugh again, at a joke that junmyeon misses, and he rolls his eyes, unable to stop himself. "it wasn't that funny," he hisses, pulling the attention of both you and baekhyun.
you frown over at your boyfriend, confused with his sudden behavior. "what's up with you?" you ask, fully turning away from baekhyun. junmyeon's adams apple bobs up and down and he looks away from you and mutters 'nothing'. you press your lips together and cross your arms over your midsection. "its something. what's the matter?" you press again, eyes boring holes into the side of his face.
"i'm ready to go," he says, the look in his eye saying enough. you open your mouth to protest, but close it when you see the look on his face. you sigh through your nose and mumble 'alright', before standing up and slinging your jacket over your arms.
"you're leaving?" baekhyun asks, looking up at you and darting his eyes between you and junmyeon. you give him a convincing, tight lipped smile.
"yeah, myeon isn't feeling well," you say, glancing around at the rest of his bandmates. jongdae snorts and you glance over at him, but junmyeon is already shooting him daggers. you furrow your eyebrows, feeling completely left out of an inside joke or something.
junmyeon practically drags you out of the restaurant, and once you get outside you pull yourself from his grasp. he looks over at you, hurt flashing across his face and disappearing in an instant. you frown, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but you don't say anything because he doesn't, and just get into the car.
the first five minutes of the ride are silent, until junmyeon says "damnit!" and whips the car around.
"what is it?" you ask, holding onto your seatbelt.
"i left my laptop at the dorms," he groans, blowing out a breath. since they've been preparing for a comeback, he's been spending quite a bit of time there compared to the house you two share.
"oh," you say, looking over at him. junmyeon worries his bottom lip in a way that can't be because of a forgotten laptop. "myeonnie, talk to me. whats wrong?" he ignores you and you scoff, shaking your head and turning towards the window. if he wanted to be cold to you, you could do the same.
pulling up to the dorm building, you almost stay in the car but decide to go in with him at the last second. no matter how frustrating he is being, you are going to get him to talk.
you follow junmyeon into the dorms and he immediately heads to the kitchen in search of his laptop. you glance around and snort when you spot it wedged between the couch cushions. "i found it," you announce, pulling it from in between the couch. junmyeon thanks you as he comes back into the living room and reaches for the device, but you pull it away. "talk to me."
"y/n, can you not?" he grumbles, running a hand through his hair. you scowl at him and drop your arms down in defeat, barely holding the laptop in between your fingers.
"why are you being so mean, junmyeon! what did i do?" you ask, having reached your limits.
"its not you," he says and you scoff, shaking your head. you shove the laptop into his hands and turn to walk out of the dorm. "baby, wait." he grabs onto your hand and you yank away from him.
"stop it, junmyeon! i obviously did something, or you'd talk to me," you say, crossing your arms over your chest. it pains junmyeon to see you like this, and he doesn't like that you keep using his first name to refer to him.
“it’s not you, baby,” he says, reaching for you once more, but you step back from him. junmyeon cringes and drops the laptop onto the couch cushion. “it’s not you… it’s just, was baekhyun really that funny?”
“what?”
junmyeon drags a hand over his face. “you were laughing at his jokes all night; a lot of them weren’t funny,” you stare at him in shock, an incredulous look on your face as you try to figure out what it all means. “and he kept looking at you, and you kept laughing. i mean seriously, y/n, is he really that funny?" junmyeon asks.
you scoff. "you're jealous—over baekhyun!" you exclaim, ready to burst out laughing because its just... absurd. sure, you like baekhyun, but not like that, not in the slightest. he has good qualities, but they aren't qualities you want. junmyeon has everything you need.
junmyeon sighs and looks away, but his cheeks flush beet red, all the way up to his ears. you bite back a smile and close the gap between the two of you, wrapping your arms around his midsection and resting your chin on his chest. your boyfriend looks down at you and moves hair out of your face. “i’m sorry,” he murmurs, gently brushing your hair back.
you hum and slip your hands up the back of his shirt, softly rubbing your hands up and down his back. “i love you,” he tries, and your face cracks into a smile.
“i love you too,” he gives you a soft kiss, holding onto the sides of your face. “you know, you’re kinda cute when you’re jealous.” you say when you pull apart, grinning up at him.
junmyeon only blushes deeper and hides his embarrassment by putting his lips on yours once more.
⤑ pairing: suho / kim junmyeon x reader (ft. minseok)
⤑ genre: angst, moving away au, non-idol au
⤑ prompt: 7. "You think this will make me stay?" + 28. "He already boarded the plane. We're too late."
⤑ warnings: none
⤑ word count: 1.4k (junnie posted pics from ny and i just had to, the timing of the request was too good (☆ω☆) )
The room was shrouded in an uncomfortable silence, the weight of unspoken words heavy in the air. Your gaze bore into Junmyeon, anger and hurt brimming in the pools of your eyes. A week before his flight, he had dropped the bombshell—his promotion was taking him overseas, far away from you. What made matters worse was that he hadn't breathed a word about it until you stumbled upon the contract, carelessly left in plain sight.
The initial rage that had coursed through you upon learning of his decision had slowly given way to a deep, gnawing hurt, a profound sense of betrayal that seemed impossible to ignore. Throughout your relationship, you had been Junmyeon's greatest cheerleader, the one who had always encouraged him to pursue his dreams and ambitions, the one who had vowed to stand by his side through thick and thin. Yet, here he was, keeping this monumental decision from you, as if your relationship was inconsequential.
"You think this will make me stay?" you hissed, your voice dripping with bitterness as you gestured toward the papers spread across the table. Among them lay the damning contract, the inked agreement that would catapult Junmyeon into an international position.
Junmyeon stood before you guilty but resolute. He had been offered a higher position, one that came with prestige and a substantial salary increase. It was an opportunity that could propel his career to new heights, but it came with a huge price—distance. Junmyeon's new job would be in New York, thousands of miles away from Seoul—from you.
But what had hurt the most was that he hadn't told you. He had kept it a secret as if sharing his dreams with you would jeopardize your relationship.
Junmyeon looked down and swallowed hard, unable to meet your accusatory gaze. He had known this conversation would be painful, but he hadn't expected it to cut so deep.
"It's not about making you stay, ___," Junmyeon had replied, his voice tinged with regret. "I just... I didn't know how to tell you. I thought you'd be angry."
And angry you were. You scoffed, your anger flaring up again. "And you couldn't tell me about it? Until I discovered these papers and pieced them together myself? Were you planning to break the news to me when you were about to board the damn plane then?!"
Your words were sharp and laced with frustration, mirroring the churning turmoil within you. You had always believed in open communication, in sharing your dreams and fears as a couple. But Junmyeon's silence had left you feeling isolated and excluded, as though he had been concealing a secret that would inevitably change the course of your relationship.
He winced at your tone, realizing the gravity of his omission. He sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair in frustration. "I didn't want to worry you, ___. I thought I could handle it on my own."
Tears welled up in your eyes as you struggled to process the news. You weren't angry that Junmyeon was pursuing his career; no, you were upset that he hadn't trusted you enough to share his aspirations with you.
"Handle it on your own?" your voice quivered with anger and disappointment. "It's not like I would've stopped you. I would've supported you, Junmyeon. But I guess you didn't trust me enough to tell me."
Junmyeon's silence was deafening, his remorse evident in his downcast gaze.
As the days passed and arguments between you two grew more bitter, you began to realize that your anger was, at its core, a manifestation of the pain you felt from being left behind, as if Junmyeon had decided his future without you. It made you feel insignificant and powerless.
On the day of his impending flight, the hours ticked away like a ticking time bomb. Your anger had dwindled into a dull, aching sadness, weighed down by the inevitability of Junmyeon's departure. Deep down, you understood that you had to let go of your resentment if you wanted to bid him a proper farewell. You were genuinely proud of Junmyeon for pursuing his dreams, and you couldn't bear to let him go without expressing your unwavering support, even if it meant the painful prospect of being apart.
Just when you were grappling with your decision, your phone rang, jolting you out of your contemplation. Minseok's voice crackled with concern on the other end of the line. "Are you going to see Junmyeon off?"
Minseok was Junmyeon's best friend and he had always been a mediator between them. His inquiry pushed you to confront the decision you had been wavering on. The realization that Junmyeon's flight was scheduled to depart in less than an hour snapped you into action.
With a resolute nod, though Minseok couldn't see it over the phone, you finally made up your mind. "Can you pick me up?"
Minutes later, Minseok arrived at your doorstep, his car idling at the curb. You jumped into the vehicle, your heart racing as you and Minseok sped toward the airport. Time was slipping away and you had to catch Junmyeon before he boarded the plane.
As you approached the bustling airport, your thoughts raced. You had rehearsed what you would say a thousand times in your mind, practicing words of support and encouragement. In your mind's eye, you crafted the perfect goodbye speech, one that would convey your unwavering love and belief in Junmyeon's dreams. You had even mustered the courage to promise that you'd make the long-distance relationship work, no matter how challenging it might be.
But as you and Minseok rushed through the terminal, scanning the sea of travelers at the crowded departure gate, a disheartening realization washed over you—Junmyeon was nowhere in sight. You knew his flight was soon and time was running out. You attempted to quell the persistent doubts that had haunted you throughout the week—the fear that he might be leaving for good, that your love was slipping through your fingers like water.
Panic set in as the announcement echoed through the terminal, a chilling reminder of the dwindling moments. "Last call for flight EX085 to New York. All passengers should proceed to gate J22 immediately."
Your heart plunged into your stomach, a sinking feeling of desperation seizing you. Ignoring Minseok's protests, who cautioned that you weren't allowed to access the gate without a ticket, you defied the odds. Your determination to see Junmyeon one last time, to say goodbye properly, to let him know that you understood, even if it hurt, drove you forward. With every step, the seconds stretched into eternities as you maneuvered through the throngs of travelers.
Breathless and disheveled, you finally reached gate J22, only to be met with the sight of closed doors. The gate had been sealed shut, the plane preparing to taxi onto the runway.
A profound sense of loss and helplessness engulfed you. The reality of the situation descended upon you like a heavy shroud and your heart shattered into a million pieces. You had missed him. Junmyeon was on that plane, flying away from you, and there was nothing you could do to stop it.
As tears blurred your vision, you stepped back from the gate, watching in despair as the aircraft began to move. In that agonizing moment, you knew that this was the price of ambition, the cost of chasing dreams, and deep down, you knew you couldn't hold it against Junmyeon.
As you made your way through the bustling airport, Minseok, in a hopeful tone, inquired whether you had managed to catch a glimpse of Junmyeon.
"He already boarded the plane. We're too late," you replied, your voice laden with defeat.
You felt your world crumble around you. It wasn't fair. You had mustered the courage to chase after Junmyeon, to shed the anger and resentments that had plagued you, but it seemed that he had slipped through your grasp, leaving you with nothing but aching regret and a heavy heart.
Tears began to stream down your face, a relentless cascade of emotions that you couldn't control. Frustrated, you attempted to wipe them away with the back of your hand, but they persisted, mingling with the pain that had taken residence in your heart.
Surrounded by the echoing airport announcements, you stood there, acutely aware of the vast emptiness of the terminal. Fate had other plans, one that had sent Junmyeon soaring toward his dreams while leaving you behind, clutching a shattered promise of a future together.
summary: joy has come to your kingdom of oceansforte. your prince, junmyeon, is betrothed to the princess of avilux, and the wedding is quickly approaching. while the kingdom rejoices, you, his knight, are secretly in shambles; your dedication to your prince is not simply out of duty, but out of love as well. but as you begin to unravel secrets of the royal court—hidden alliances, forbidden romances, and a deadly plot against your kingdom—you steel your resolve: you must keep junmyeon safe no matter what, even at the cost of being ripped away from his side forever.
pairing: prince!junmyeon x knight!reader
warnings: fem pronouns for reader, language, “period typical” sexism (even though this isnt rlly historical but yall know what i mean—sebastian is the in-world equivalent of an andrew tate fanboy), toxic masculinity, so much jealousy, junmyeon (and all of the kim bros) has/have daddy issues, the exos are younger than they are irl, implied underage drinking in a flashback, classism, y/n has impostor syndrome, handling of weapons, mentions of food
genre: fantasy!au, royalty!au, childhood friends to lovers, angst, a mix of unrequited love and mutual pining
word count: 17.2k
chapter playlist: red velvet - in my dreams // abba - when you danced with me // the oh hellos - soldier, poet, king // abba - fernando // series playlist
a/n: OH BOY did this take me a hot minute. i’m not the biggest fan of this chapter, but please trust the process—although i do love the way the members interact with y/n and each other when they’re not yelling at each other. also happy chanyeol came-home-yesterday-day <3
fic masterlist / main masterlist
CHAPTER TWO: ANDANTE
The blooming patch of rose bushes they were currently in front of reminded you of them. You seemed to be more the single lotus floating in the garden pond, which was wilting. It seemed to be mocking you.
While they had been walking through the royal garden for almost an hour, they’d been standing in front of those bushes for a few minutes now. As much as you wanted to distract yourself and think of something else, somewhere else, you knew that focusing on them and your surroundings was paramount.
“So… all of this will become mine once we’re married?” She sounded awestruck, breathless almost. “And I could change whatever I’d like?”
Your eyes trailed across the garden, but you could still hear the smile in Junmyeon’s voice. “It’s royal tradition, dating back to Queen Boram of House Do—first queen of Oceansforte. She gifted this space to her husband as a wedding gift, and their son did the same when he married his wife. Every heir to the throne has since gifted the garden to their spouse as a wedding gift ever since. When we marry, you’ll be able to do whatever you’d like with this space.”
“It’s beautiful as it is,” Mariana murmured, “I don’t know what I’d do with it.”
Your eyes landed on them as Junmyeon sighed wistfully, not taking his eyes off of her. “It is beautiful, isn’t it?”
As his friend, you almost wanted to laugh, to playfully gag and poke fun at him. He looked like a lovestruck moron. As his knight, you hated to admit it, but you were happy for him. He had been so angry and worried that this union would be painful and awkward, and the two of them had clicked into place immediately, like gears with grooves cut perfectly to fit each other.
As far as these past few days had gone, Mariana had given you no reason to hate her. You felt bad for your feelings toward her when she seemed to think you were amazing, if her behavior towards you were any indication.
When she spoke to you, she seemed kind enough, soft-spoken. She was a bit shocked when Junmyeon had introduced you as his knight, the member of the royal guard assigned to him. She’d seemed to regard you with wonder.
“Forgive my gawking,” She’d said after a curtsy, “In Avilux, women are not allowed into the military, much less the royal guard. It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Y/N.”
“No offense taken, your royal highness,” You’d told her, “And believe me, I can assure you I am more than honored to serve.”
But still, as someone in love? You couldn’t find it in you to hate her, but you did resent her. Jealousy bubbled in your stomach whenever he offered her his arm, even more so when she linked hers around his. Every laugh, hushed whisper, prolonged stare seemed to build up an invisible wall between him and you, and you weren’t sure how to break through it—you were hesitant to even try.
It wouldn’t bode well to meddle in their affairs.
“Still, you could do whatever you’d wish. Say, I don’t know…” Junmyeon turned his head to you. “Y/N, what would you add to the garden if you could?”
You blinked, unsure of what to say. Doing your best to ignore the implication of the question, you offered the princess a small smile. “In truth, my prince, I have so many fond memories in this garden, there’s practically nothing I’d change.”
“Fond memories?” Mariana’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, do tell, Lady Y/N! You must.”
You managed a small smile. “Oh, they’re mostly of me and the other members of the noble houses play fighting when we were children. I believe I was exceptionally skilled when it came to knocking your betrothed off his feet with toy swords.”
Junmyeon’s ears grew red at the reminder, and Mariana’s head tilted curiously. “So you both grew up together?”
“I lived in the castle from a young age.”
Junmyeon nodded. “Y/N is nobility as well. Our mothers were very close. And Y/N’s father was also a member of the royal guard, so his family was allowed to move into the castle.”
She seemed quite impressed. “Continuing on your father’s legacy, I presume?”
Your smile grew. “I would hope so. My father served as the king’s ward, and captain of the royal guard until he retired last year. His highness’s brother has taken the helm, but I would still hope to serve as Junmyeon’s personal guard when he becomes king.”
Mariana nodded. “Lady Y/N, my admiration for you seems to grow by the day. Are you as good with an iron sword as you were with the toy sword?”
Junmyeon stepped toward you, and she followed. “I’d say she’s even better. Y/N has always been the best at dueling amongst our friends. She’s a pro.”
“Amazing. You must teach me once I’ve moved in. Oh, Father never allowed me to learn—”
“And with good reason,” Another voice said from across the garden. The three of you turned to face Prince Sebastian, who was walking toward your trio.
While you didn’t dislike Mariana, you detested her brother. Sebastian was haughty, entitled, clearly spoiled as the heir to the Aviluxian throne. Still, out of duty and respect, you managed a bow when he got close enough.
He raised an eyebrow at your gesture. It was clear he didn’t like you, either. “Father was right. Women should not handle such objects.”
Junmyeon cleared his throat awkwardly. “Your highness. What brings you here?”
“I was in this wing of the castle when a servant informed me it was time for dinner. I decided to tell the both of you since I was so close already.”
“Thank you, brother,” Mariana said, “But it would do you well to respect the customs of this nation. Just because Lady Y/N would be deemed unfit back home does not mean she’s unfit everywhere. She’s a perfectly capable fighter. Dare I say, an extremely skilled one.”
Your chest warmed at Mariana’s defense, but it waned when Sebastian bit back a scoff. “Honestly, with a woman holding the weapon it’s a miracle His Royal Highness has not been killed yet. Still, I would love to see her try to convince me.”
You looked at the other two, wondering if they would say something. Mariana was red in the face, as though she were holding back a few colorful insults for her brother. Junmyeon was looking simply at the ground, not meeting yours or Sebastian’s eyes. You let out a soft tsk, before letting out a quick sigh.
“I would love to convince you, your royal highness.” You flashed him a smile that was cordial enough, but likely didn’t reach your eyes. “It’s a shame you and your family are leaving in the morning. I would have loved to invite you to spar with me.”
The prince’s smile grew, but you didn’t find it comforting. “During our next visit to the kingdom, then. I accept, Lady Y/N.”
You bit down on your tongue to avoid saying anything snarky, and maintained your smile. “Very well, then. Thank you.” Your eyes turned to Junmyeon and Mariana. “I shall take my leave then, your highnesses. I hope the rest of your evening is as lovely as this past day has been.”
The princess offered a curtsy in respect, and Junmyeon nodded. “Thank you, Y/N. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
You wordlessly watched them leave the garden, discussing something you didn’t quite pick up. When they were gone, you heaved a deep sigh, shoulders slumping, before heading off in the opposite direction, towards your own quarters.
Throughout the past week, as always, you were tasked with guarding Junmyeon. This was, of course, not as enjoyable with Princess Mariana around.
The three of you had gone for a stroll in the Common, a large public space filled with gardens, fountains and swaths of land for all to enjoy. You watched them from behind, a member of Mariana’s royal guard in front.
The people that passed by all seemed to do the same thing: they would spot Junmyeon, their eyes would widen, and as he and Mariana passed by, they would offer bows and curtsies, and give pleasantries to the prince and princess. And when they saw you, they would grin and greet you as well.
Of course, the kingdom knew that the royal family of Avilux was visiting. They still didn’t know the pretense of the visit, as it had only been publicly announced that it was a diplomatic visit and not the initial planning stages of a royal wedding.
You watched as the two of them spoke softly to each other, occasionally laughing. You were grateful you had to focus more on your surroundings than them. It gave you the ability to push away your questions. What was so funny? Why were they acting like they’d known each other their entire lives?
“Your highness!” A voice called out to Junmyeon and immediately your head snapped to the direction of the sound. A woman was walking slowly towards your small cohort, a little girl in tow. The both of them had their heads perched down, and while you didn’t register them as an immediate threat, you didn’t lower your guard completely. They could be in disguise, they could be a distraction.
“Good afternoon, Miss,” Junmyeon said, giving a friendly smile. He looked down at the little girl, who was hiding behind the woman’s skirts.
“Hello,” He murmured gently. Her eyes widened and she gasped when he acknowledged her, burying her face into the fabric. She couldn’t have been older than five.
“Brigitte,” The woman chastised softly, “Don’t be rude. One day, this man will be king. Be kind and greet him.”
He laughed gently. “It’s no problem, Miss…?”
“Treegrove,” The girl’s mother said, “My name is Elisa Treegrove. This is my daughter, Brigitte.”
“Miss Treegrove. There’s no need for all of that! Not with me. I would, however, ask that you extend such a pleasantry to the Princess.”
Elisa Treegrove curtsied deeply, and Brigitte copied her with the clumsiness of a five year old. Watching the interaction, you thought the little girl seemed quite sweet. The girl and her mother introduced themselves to Mariana and she smiled, kneeling to shake little Brigitte’s hand.
“Hello, Brigitte,” She said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Thank you,” Brigitte murmured, “...You’re very pretty.”
“I think you’re even prettier,” Mariana answered, “Your hair looks very nice today.”
Brigitte smiled bashfully, reaching up to tug at one of her braids. She seemed to not know what to say next, eyes looking at Mariana, then Mariana’s guard, Junmyeon, her mother.
And then her eyes landed on you, and her smile turned into the widest grin you’d ever seen on a child.
“Lady Y/N!” She exclaimed, letting go of her mother’s hand to run up to you. Your eyes widened. You hadn’t been expecting her reaction. You looked up at the people in front of you, who obviously felt the same way. Mariana’s eyes were wide. Junmyeon looked very amused. Miss Treegrove was openly gawking.
“I’m going to be just like you when I’m big!” Brigitte proclaimed, jumping up and down. “I’m going to be strong and brave and I’ll protect the kingdom, just like you!”
That made you smile, and you kneeled. You bristled at the thought of speaking, but smiled nonetheless. “Going to be?”
She nodded, and you shook your head. “If you’re ready to protect your home, you already are.”
Brigitte smiled, big eyes sparkling. “Th-thank you,” She said finally. You flashed one final smile at her, before nodding at Miss Treegrove.
“I think your mother needs to get going,” You told her, before offering her a small bow, “I’ll see you again someday, Lady Brigitte. Hopefully, it’ll be the day you go into training.”
She nodded, seemingly mystified, before walking back to her mother. Miss Treegrove gave a final goodbye, saying she had to leave to visit a sick relative, and both Junmyeon and Mariana bid her farewell.
Mariana looked surprised once they were gone. “I had… no idea you were so popular, Lady Y/N,” She said genuinely. You shrugged.
“The people love Y/N,” Junmyeon explained, “Her father as well. He wasn’t born into nobility but was knighted by my grandfather, so he’s seen as a sort of bridge between the common people and the crown.”
“I wouldn’t say they love me,” You muttered, “That’s a bit much.”
“You’re very admirable.” Mariana straightened her posture. “I have no trouble believing that the people of Oceansforte… care for you so much.”
Junmyeon put his hand on her upper back, trying to get her to keep walking again. He’d already turned his back to you when he began to speak again. “And I have no trouble believing that my people will grow to care for you just as much.”
Heading up to your quarters now, you rolled your head on your shoulders. Yes, standing up all day left your lower back stiff as all hell. However, this particular week you seemed to have been tenser than usual.
When you awoke in the mornings, your jaw would hurt. You only realized one day after sitting down and forcing your body to relax that you’d been clenching your jaw the entire time. Which meant you had to have been grinding your teeth in your sleep. When you’d asked Minseok, he’d answered with another question.
“Well, are you particularly stressed?”
You’d gnawed on the inside of your cheek. “Having to protect Junmyeon along with a member of a foreign royal family is not exactly the most stress-free of tasks.”
He nodded, but didn’t ask whether it was due to the responsibility or the emotional taxation. Either way, he knew it was both.
Junmyeon hadn’t made it easy, either. To a degree, you were slightly frustrated at him. Within the palace grounds, him and Mariana had made several attempts to ditch you, be it by slowly drifting away when you crossed with another member of the royal guard and stopped to chat, or tiptoeing quietly away from you in the castle library, or even riding a bit too fast when he showed her the palace’s private beach.
You knew you’d have to speak to him on it once you managed to get some alone time. The whole week had been hectic. Between visits to the Aviluxian consulate, private meetings planning for the wedding, or even things as simple as Junmyeon showing Mariana the Common, you felt like you’d barely had time to breathe during the past week.
Once you’d trudged up the stairs and had found yourself within your quarters, you began the long and grueling task of taking off your armor.
This was nowhere near as formal as the armor worn for major ceremonies, like military events or royal weddings. Even before you’d realized your feelings for Junmyeon you’d dreaded the idea of his wedding—the silver armor was large, clunky, and much too flashy, paired with excessive fabric and a ridiculous red cape. You hated the idea.
You much preferred the slightly less formal version, like you’d worn the day the Salazares had arrived, as well as all week in their company. Even better was the middle ground between the two, worn very, very rarely, on the nights where members of the royal guard were invited to take a night off and enjoy the company of the royal family and other noblemen. You’d be wearing that on the night of the engagement.
Removing the pieces on your own was hard. Your arms reached for the clasps of the armor, fumbling and eventually flaring in discomfort when you held them in place for too long.
Each clasp served as a reminder: you are alone. Completely and utterly alone.
“So he challenged you to a duel?” The tall man’s voice wavered as his sword clashed with yours, two days after your agreement with Sebastian.
“Precisely.” You sidestepped, thrusting your sword in the direction of his torso. He barely dodged, letting out a rough, “oomph,” as he did.
“Is he a fool?” Called another voice, leaning back in his chair while watching you and Chanyeol spar. “You’ll chop his balls off with your sword before he can even whip it out.”
“‘Before he can even whip it out’ sounds so very wrong, Baekhyun,” Sehun muttered, not looking up from his book.
You stepped back from Chanyeol, but stumbled on your final step. You tumbled onto the ground, landing on your butt and somehow still managing to hold onto your sword. He grinned down at you, walking towards you at an almost leisurely pace. The air of the small courtyard was hot, leaving your chest heaving.
“I’m not sure, Y/N. I mean, if you can’t beat me, maybe Prince Sebastian does have a ch—agh!”
You caught him off guard, using your feet to kick at the side of his shin. He lost his balance, tumbling to the ground with you. You took the time of him falling to pull yourself up onto your knees, effectively straddling his chest as you knocked his sword out of his hand. You held your own up to his throat.
“If Sebastian Salazar is anywhere near as prideful as you, Park Chanyeol, then I can assure you he doesn’t.”
Chanyeol scowled, before tapping the floor twice—the sign that he was conceding. You’d won this round, and now you could gloat and watch him pout all day. You stood, offering out your hand for him. Apparently, he wasn’t that prideful. Although his scowl deepened at the sight of your hand, he still took it anyway.
When you both stood, you were met with applause. And if it were just Baekhyun, some guffawing as well.
“That was lovely,” He said, “Do it again!”
“Do what?” You stretched, moving your neck back and forth to loosen the joints. “Spar, or humble our good friend even further?”
“He could use some humbling,” Jongin muttered, “Bedding all of the women in Boram’s Bay fawning over him hasn’t done his ego many favors.”
"I do not bed all of the women in Boram's Bay!" Chanyeol cried in protest.
"That's true," Yixing agreed, "Give him some credit."
Chanyeol's face brightened. "Thank you, Yi—"
"He doesn't bed the married ones, right, Chanyeol?"
Something in Yixing’s tone didn’t sound quite right.
Chanyeol crossed his arms in indignation, rolling his eyes. But you couldn’t deny the redness of his ears. Before you could ask any questions, Jongdae spoke.
“You know who else could use some humbling?” He huffed, crossing his arms. “Prince Sebastian.”
You nodded, wagging your finger in agreement at the suggestion. “He’s an ass, that one.”
“Junmyeon,” Baekhyun muttered, taking a sip of water, “You’ve been awfully quiet.”
You wiped the sweat off of your brow, turning your gaze towards your prince. He was sitting in the seat across from Sehun, next to Jongdae and Yixing. His arms were crossed as he flashed Sehun a disapproving look.
“I cannot simply speak ill of my future brother-in-law, much less the future leader of an allied nation,” He said uncomfortably.
“Oh, please,” Jongdae scoffed, “We know you can’t stand him! Especially not when you know what he thinks of Y/N!”
Junmyeon huffed. “I disagree with him deeply, yes. But for propriety’s sake, I can’t bring myself to offend him. Father would skin me alive if I did.”
You let out an internal sigh. Yes, Junmyeon was the future king. But would it have been so bad if he’d just slapped Sebastian around a little? Even better, give you his approval as future king and let you slap Sebastian around a little?
But in all seriousness, it hurt. Even disregarding your affections toward him. The fact that he didn't see fit to defend a childhood friend, when it was quite literally your life's work to defend him, felt like a slap to the face.
“How lovely of you to defend me, Myeon,” You muttered pointedly. Chanyeol raised his eyebrows and gave you a sideways glance. Jongin let out an awkward cough. Sehun finally looked up from his book, glasses glinting in the sun. He looked expectantly at Junmyeon, who flashed you a quizzical look.
“Y/N, I—”
“I can understand you not wanting to curse the man or anything of the sort. But you were there when he made those comments. Every time I was in a room with him, he’d say something, and where were you but burying your head in the sand? You wouldn’t even look at me—”
“It would be inappropriate to intervene. If you were to—”
“Has anyone been to the new tavern down in Fairview?” Baekhyun said, trying and failing miserably to diffuse the situation, “I've heard their chicken is lovely—”
“If this is how you’ll practice diplomacy as king, then you’d concede everything to everyone else and leave nothing for us. He disrespected not only me, but also you and your father by implying that your judgment is wrong, and our entire country for letting a woman take the oath of knighthood. Quite frankly, my prince, I find it infuriating that you would stand aside and let a foreign prince do all of that, simply for the sake of propriety.”
You spat out the last word, crossing your arms. When you finished your rant, it was as if all of the air was sucked out of the room. Everyone was staring either at you or Junmyeon, whose face was unreadable.
You realized almost immediately you’d spoken a bit too harshly. You shouldn’t have said anything about him being king or how he’d rule the country. That simply made everything after your point moot.
You looked around the table, everyone's faces now awkward. No one dared to challenge you, but no one dared to say anything to your prince. Scoffing, you turned away.
"Y/N," Chanyeol said, "Wait—"
You tossed the wooden practice sword into the storage bucket, and promptly left the courtyard.
When you were gone, everyone turned to Junmyeon. He refused to meet anyone’s eyes.
"Well, you can't blame her." Jongin elbowed Jongdae at his words, but the older prince flashed him a nasty look. "What!? She does have a point, Junmyeon."
"Even if she was a bit crass," Yixing agreed, "Y/N made a fair point. Him insulting our way of living is undermining the sovereignty of what will soon be your own kingdom."
Junmyeon heaved a sigh. "I can't just—"
"Can't just tell a foreign prince to fuck off, we get it,” Sehun muttered, “But you should have found a way to put a stop to it the second it started.”
“Sehun!” Kyungsoo frowned at him. “Don’t say it like that.”
“I’m right,” Sehun insisted, “And all of you know it.”
Junmyeon got up from the table. “I’ll see you all some other time,” He said emotionlessly, “I have other matters to attend to.”
And then there were seven left sitting around the table, one standing a few feet away.
“So…” Chanyeol coughed, trying desperately to change the subject, “Baekhyun, you said there was a new tavern in Fairview?”
You were undoing the clasps in your armor again when you heard a knock on your bedroom door. With a huff, you turned your head. “Who’s there?”
“A jackass,” Junmyeon’s voice said, muffled from behind the door, “That’s who.”
You sighed, standing. Your armor was hanging haphazardly off of your chest, half of it still clasped together. Swinging the door open, you met his eyes with a glare. “What? If you want me to apologize—”
“No.” He shook his head. “May I come in?”
You stepped to the side, silently answering his question. When you closed the door, you turned to face him.
“I should be the one apologizing to you,” Junmyeon mumbled quietly. “You’re right. He’s disrespecting our customs and our way of life. The next time he does that, I’ll put a stop to it. If our families are to merge, he should learn to respect my culture as I respect his. A-and even worse—he’s disrespecting one of my closest friends, and one of the greatest warriors this kingdom has ever seen.”
You huffed, trying to reach for another one of the clasps. “Now you’re pushing it.”
“I’m right on this one. You simply refuse to admit it.”
Smiling sadly, you shook your head. “Fine. Apology accepted... I should apologize as well. I shouldn’t have said that thing about how you’ll be king. I know how worried you are about it and I just… let it slip. I didn’t really mean it. I’m sorry.”
He nodded in acceptance, before tilting his head as he noticed your leather breastplate. His lips quirked up timidly. “Do you want help?”
You slumped with a pout. “Yes, please.”
You held your hair out of the way as he undid the remaining clasps. Here, standing so close to you, in the hidden air of your bedroom, was Junmyeon. In this proximity, you could feel his breath against your neck. You just knew that if you were to turn and look at his face, you’d see his eyebrows furrowed in concentration and lips pursed into a small frown.
You swallowed, wondering what would happen in any other lifetime. Where neither of you were bound by royal duty or sworn fealty to the crown. Where social ladders and caste laws didn’t exist, and arranged marriages were not something in store for either of you.
Would things have been different? Would you still have been as devoted to Junmyeon as you were now?
You knew the answer to the second question was yes. In every life, every death, every universe, every breath and promise, it was all for Junmyeon.
But you weren’t so sure if he felt the same.
When all of the clasps were undone, you opened your wardrobe and stored it carefully inside. Once you were done, you turned to him.
“You’re my closest friend,” You admitted, “If I’m quite honest, I’m scared things will change once you’re married and you’ve become king.”
He looked down, before sitting on your bed. “Things will change,” He said, “It would be improper of me as a wedded man to be so close and informal with you, an unmarried woman. Besides… I—you’ve heard the whispers.”
The whispers. The royal court loved a good story, whether it was real or not. Rumors that you and Junmyeon had fallen into bed together at least once, because of how close the two of you were. That you were secret lovers, that any second now despite the laws, Junmyeon would publicly proclaim his love for you.
And if all of those were fake… most of them at least believed that the two of you were deeply, madly in love, but simply too afraid to admit it to each other.
“Yes,” You mumbled, not meeting his eyes. “...All completely ridiculous.”
He laughed nervously. “Precisely. You understand. So… Daresay, our relationship will have to become more formal.”
“I understand. We’re grown now. No more… no more playing around.”
He nodded sadly. “Y/N, no matter what happens, I’ll always cherish you as my close friend. Everything you do for me and for my family, for the crown… don’t think it goes unnoticed. I was born with the privilege that I would always have someone willing to give their life to keep me safe. Every day, I’m grateful that it’s you.”
“I took an oath, Myeon. For king and country. I intend to keep it.”
You sat down next to him and leaned your head against his shoulder. Your eyes fluttered shut, and you sighed. Knowing that soon, it wouldn’t be appropriate to be in such proximity to him.
The two of you sat there quietly, for god knows how long. You wondered if the silence said everything you wanted to say.
The week before the Salazares returned to Boram’s Bay, the 12 Nights Festival began. The weeks prior to that were filled with Junmyeon and Mariana exchanging letters as fast as the messenger birds could deliver them. You escorting Junmyeon around the city so that he could attend preparations for the festival. And at least twice a week, crying yourself to sleep.
The idea of everything changing so quickly was daunting. Already, Junmyeon was beginning to distance himself from you. He joked less, and seemed more serious. When you were with your friends, things felt more or less the same. With them, you caught him acting more genuinely. He allowed all of you to make fun of him and of each other.
He seemed relaxed. He seemed himself.
Other times, he was stern. Serious. The times you cracked jokes he would let out one of those exhales through the nose that let you know he found it amusing, but not enough to actually laugh.
Already, more pressure was being placed on his shoulders. You would stand by when Junmyeon sat in on audiences between the king and his subjects, listening to their requests and issues and how King Ilseong would negotiate to facilitate a solution.
By the time the first day of the festival rolled around, he seemed exhausted, dead on his feet. You wondered how he managed.
“How do you do it?” You asked him the day before the festival began, while you were walking him back to his quarters after one of these audiences. “You look like the next strong breeze will knock you down.”
He smiled, face turning warm. “If I’m being honest, it’s the thought that by this time next week, Mariana will be back. She said she’s bringing even more people for us to meet. Her cousin Cesar and her ladies-in-waiting. I’m excited—I can’t wait to see her.”
You gave him a tight lipped smile that likely didn’t quite reach your eyes. “That’s very sweet. You seem quite taken with her.”
Junmyeon nodded, grinning. “She is… exceptionally charming. You don’t understand, Y/N… One night, after you were dismissed, we stayed up for hours, just speaking. She’s brilliant. Easily one of the most intelligent women I’ve ever met. I-if we could talk about it, we did. It felt as if—as if—”
You watched him fumble with his words. The so elegant, composed crown prince of Oceansforte, left speechless by one woman. You couldn’t believe it. Oh, how the mighty fall.
The 12 Nights Festival rolled around, and you welcomed it with open arms. It was easily your favorite time of the year. Summer was hitting its peak, the streets were lively and bustling. The festival made it just that much better.
The Festival included parades around the country, parties and speeches, all at night, to commemorate the 12 Nights Siege which the founders of Oceansforte had survived some 406 years ago.
Every night a new celebration was held. Speeches were held at different places throughout the country, parties were thrown, every night the streets of Boram’s Bay were lit up with dancing, singing and street markets. Everything around you was lit up beautifully, and was a huge reminder as to why you did what you did.
You loved your home. Nothing could beat it, and although it had its flaws, it was ingrained in you. Always had been, always would be.
The night before Mariana returned, two days before the end of the festival, three people planned to address the people of Boram’s Bay from a balcony while the rest of the royal family watched from the side. You were to stand guard the entire time, pointedly watching the crowd piled into the Queensquare.
A few minutes before the door was set to be opened, everyone stood in front of the door, speaking with each other. You were stood with Jongin and Junmyeon.
“Are you nervous?” Jongin said, to which Junmyeon shrugged.
“It’s nothing I haven’t done before. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
You looked him up and down. He was clad in the colors of House Kim: a black, ceremonial military suit, with a red sash over his shoulder and chest. Gold tassels decorated his shoulders, the buttons on the coat embellished with House Kim’s coat of arms. All very nice, except for one detail.
“Your crest is upside down,” You murmured, stepping closer to adjust it.
He chuckled, studying your face. The proximity made your face feel hot. “It’s so heavy. It does that sometimes. Drives me mad.”
Jongin bit back a smile. “Are you sure that’s the only thing?”
You sent Jongin a vicious glare, but he simply smiled in return. Another painfully obvious reminder that everyone you were close to just knew—but somehow, Junmyeon was none the wiser.
You knew this, because then Junmyeon said, “Well, this coat does feel a bit loose. Maybe I’ll have Cora tighten it around the waist.”
Now that the pin was straightened, you pushed it slightly against his chest to ensure it was pinned properly, before smiling. Out of the corner of your eye, you noted King Ilseong approaching your small group, Minseok following behind him.
You cleared your throat, stepping away. “There you go, Junmyeon. Hopefully that should be all set.”
“Thank you, Y/N. I d—”
“It would do both of you good to keep your distance,” The King interrupted, sending you a particularly nasty glance. You took another step back, shame pooling in your gut. “Especially you, Lady Y/N. An unmarried woman of your stature—”
Your head ducked to look at the ground. Suddenly, the room was dead silent.
“Father.” Minseok’s voice was gentle. “I think that’s enough. There’s no need to be so—”
“I don’t think it is, Minseok. Junmyeon hardly knows the meaning of enough.” He faced both you and Junmyeon. “You two are to stand within an arms’ distance. L/N, remember your place. Junmyeon will be your king. Not your little—”
“Minseok was right, that is enough. You will address Lady Y/N with the respect she deserves and the title she earned fairly,” Junmyeon hissed, stepping in front of you. “After everything her and her father have done for you and this kingdom, I believe she’s entitled to it.”
King Ilseong took a deep breath, and took a step towards his son. “You are my son, and I am the King. If there is anyone who deserves respect, it is m—”
You sidestepped Junmyeon to place yourself between them both and faced the King. “My deepest apologies, Your Majesty.”
Dropping to one knee, you looked at his shoes, not wanting to meet his eyes. “I have overstepped. It will not happen again.”
“Y/N,” Junmyeon said, “You don’t have to—”
“If the King feels I am out of turn, then I have acted out of turn,” You insisted, looking up at him. You turned back to the king. “It will not happen again, my King.”
The King looked down at you. He hummed in approval. “I care about you, Lady Y/N. Junmyeon is correct, both you and your father have served the kingdom greatly. But the law is the law—your House remains Unvalidated, and Junmyeon’s engagement is soon to be announced. Be very, very careful with your behavior. Your House’s reputation depends on it.”
You clenched your jaw at the mention of your House. Your father had worked hard to get your House instated, and you weren’t about to ruin all of his hard work.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” You answered, voice small. “I will do what is right.”
When you stood again, you moved to join the ranks of the Royal Guard. You were hyper aware of everyone’s eyes on you, the King’s outburst having drawn their attention to you.
Minseok stood next to you. You focused on taking a few deep breaths, hoping to calm your nerves. During that time, everyone else lined up into their positions, and a few moments later, the servants opened the doors, and you poured out before the Royal Family did.
The Queensquare was relatively small—but it was beautiful. Tonight, it was decorated with banners and triangular flags along the lampposts, flower arrangements placed in windows and above doorways.
The first to speak was Kyungsoo. Although not a direct descendant of Queen Boram, he was still the heir to House Do, and his house still received tribute during the festival. He was dressed in the colors of his house, a white and gold military uniform with the crest of his house, a dragon holding a sword embroidered into his chest. His hair was slicked back, and his eyes glittered with pride.
“I thank the people of Oceansforte for holding my family in such high regard, even if the reign of the Do dynasty ended 212 years ago. That you still place your trust in us. We are a people strong in courage. I believe if she were alive today, Queen Boram would be greatly proud of the nation we have grown to become.”
He smiled at the applause, the cheering. “Our nation celebrates over 400 years of independence after over 800 years of Aviluxian rule, and some 88 years of rule under Paimonsvale. Here’s to double that, triple that, many dynasties more!”
The crowd in the Queensquare below erupted into even more applause and cheers of agreement. He waved at a few of the people, before stepping to the side. Junmyeon took his place at the center of the balcony.
He looked breathtaking, and there was only so much you could do to let loose the quietest heartfelt sigh. Next to you, another guard, Jaehyun, raised one of his eyebrows at you.
“My people! People of my father, and of my grandfather, and of his father before him. We live in an ever-changing nation,” He said, somehow managing to project his voice over the crowd. “Customs change, people change. In the past year, our kingdom has lost much. The difficult harvest season, flooding in Grathport and its surrounding area… the loss of our queen.”
The air turned melancholy, and Junmyeon’s eyes turned downcast for a second. It wasn’t every day that anyone in the royal family mentioned the passing of Queen Yerin. The illness that took her had been sudden, and within less than two weeks she was gone.
“Kings and queens… they come and go. One day I shall rise to the throne. I shall remain there for as long as I am physically and mentally capable, and as long as the people will have me. But this kingdom…”
He spread his arms, smiling as he gestured back at the Queensquare. “This kingdom will, if the gods have it, stand forever. Even if the gods disagree, we will fight until the end! We have carved out our destiny for as long as this kingdom has been an independent, sovereign nation. Let us continue to do so, and let us prosper!”
Everyone in the Queensquare cheered, and his smile grew even bigger.
“Long live the nation!” He declared.
Long live the nation!”
You raised an eyebrow. You knew this speech in and out—you’d watched him practice, day in and day out. This was new.
“Long live the people!”
“Long live the people!”
Where was this going? Or so you thought for the next few seconds, until Junmyeon roared, so loudly even you could hear the strain in his voice;
“LONG LIVE THE KING!”
“LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Even after all your training to keep your face still, you found it incredibly hard to hold back the gasp in the back of your throat. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched Jongin and Minseok’s eyes snap in their brother’s direction.
For most, this would be a show of loyalty and love to his father. To those who knew, especially when this was unplanned?
Long live the king—the longer his father lived, the longer he could put off his duty as heir. The sarcasm couldn’t be missed.
And yet… was this because of what had just happened? You forced the thought away. It was too much to think of everything and ignore the crowd in front of you.
The Queensquare’s reply was so loud it was deafening even from atop the balcony. Junmyeon grinned, expression nothing short of ecstatic at the response—sarcastic in intention. Your heart skipped a beat, but your gut felt like it was made of lead. When he stepped away a moment later, you noticed the sweat on his brow.
This isn’t going to end well, you thought.
He stepped to the side, his father stalking up to the center of the balcony. Junmyeon exchanged a glance with his father, whose thin-lipped smile gave you no pause that he was secretly fuming.
“My father wishes to address his subjects,” Junmyeon declared, “Thank you, my people. Let us all rejoice!”
He stepped to the side, and King Ilseong stood at the center. He held out his hands, quieting the crowd. Once the silence had died down, he began to speak again.
The king’s speech was a bit longer than Junmyeon’s. He went on about his duty to the kingdom, the people’s duty to their nation. You zoned out, eyes scanning over the courtyard. There in the distance, towards the back of the crowd, you saw a familiar face.
Or at least, you were rather sure it was a familiar face—from here, it was a bit hard to tell. Your memory was a bit fuzzy, but the blonde mop of curls was distinctive of little Brigitte Treegrove.
She’d climbed up onto an oil lamppost, and was watching the king speak with wide eyes. Every few seconds she’d turn to say something to a man you hadn’t seen before.
He didn’t look like the girl’s father, but you tried to pay it no mind—maybe he was, maybe he was a close family friend, maybe it was none of your business. But you didn’t like the way his eyes would change every time he looked up at the balcony. When he looked at Brigitte, his eyes were warm and kind. But the second he turned, eyes settling on Junmyeon, his gaze turned smug… hungry.
You didn’t know how you knew he was looking at Junmyeon at this distance. But you just knew.
It alarmed you so much you kept your eyes trained on him the entire time. Towards the end of the speech, he looked over Junmyeon one last time, and then… his eyes landed on you.
For a moment that seemed to last an eternity, you locked eyes. His gaze didn’t falter, and from here, his smirk seemed to grow. Your face remained stoic, and he broke away a few seconds later.
As the king concluded his speech, the man gently tapped on Brigitte’s shoulder. She looked at him and jumped off of her place on the lamppost into his arms. The Queensquare erupted into cheers and applause, but the two of them headed down the dark street behind them.
You forced yourself to focus. There had to be some logical explanation to it. But you couldn’t shake the strange feeling brewing in your gut.
Next to you, Jaehyun straightened. You mirrored his movements, recognizing this as the sign to escort the royal family back inside. The guards entered last, and the doors shut with a final boom.
“Everyone who is not a personal guard to members of the royal family, you are dismissed.” King Ilseong’s voice was dripping with disdain. His eyes softened when his eyes landed on Kyungsoo.
“Kyungsoo, my boy,” He said, voice softer, “Thank you. Tell your mother I bid her well.”
“Of course, your highness. Thank you for having me.”
When everyone else had been ushered out of the room, King Ilseong snapped his head at Junmyeon’s direction.
“You fool of a prince,” He seethed, “Why would you even—“
“Is it such a crime to wish my father a long life?” Junmyeon asked, “Especially after so soon after losing my mother?”
The King’s eyes flashed in anger. “How dare you. You know what you said, you know what you meant by it.”
Jongdae huffed. “Could both of you calm down and stop being such—”
Jongin crossed his arms. “Jongdae—”
“Yes,” Junmyeon answered, glaring at his father, “I know what I said. So do you, and so does everyone else in this room, now. The people outside, down in the Queensquare do not. And they likely never will. What they see is completely different from what you or I would, father. I don’t know why you can’t recognize that.”
The king scowled, before glancing around the room. He took a deep breath, before looking back at his second oldest son. “Perhaps it is good that I live long. Then your disgraceful rule will be a smaller stain on our nation’s history. Your disrespect tonight tells me everything I need to know about how you will rule once I am gone.”
He stormed out of the room, Minseok following after him. He was staring at his father with great disdain.
The doors slammed shut, and Junmyeon shook his head. “Horrible old man,” He muttered, gnawing on his cheek.
“I don’t know what Mother ever saw in him,” Jongdae grumbled.
“Enough,” Jongin snapped. “This is supposed to be a happy night, but no. Apparently no one in this family knows how to behave. Not him, prideful bastard,” He jabbed a finger at the door, “Not you, you nosy buffoon,” He pointed at Jongdae, “And certainly not you,” He scowled as he pointed at Junmyeon, “With your—your theatrics. And you all call me the childish one.”
There was a beat of silence, and then suddenly both Jongdae and Junmyeon were in his face, cussing him out. This had happened before—House Kim was a prideful one, and none of the men in the Royal Family were good at knowing when to back down.
So you did what you usually did when this happened: You, Jaehyun and Sicheng placed yourselves in between the siblings, each of you hoping to separate your assigned sibling from the fray. Your eyes met Junmyeon as you stepped in front of him, and you felt terrible; his voice was angry, but his eyes were misty. Once you got closer, you could tell his lip was wobbling slightly.
You looked at Jaehyun, who raised an eyebrow in question. With Minseok gone, you were in charge. You nodded, silently answering his question. With difficulty, you maneuvered the brothers away from each other. Sicheng pulled Jongin out into the hallway, Jaehyun pulled Jongdae into a room adjacent to the one you were in, and you kept Junmyeon inside of the room.
Once the other two were gone, all of the fight seemed to leave him. He crossed his arms, shaking his head.
“Don’t listen to him,” You said.
“Who?” He asked, giving you a sad smile, “My father or my brothers?”
You shrugged. “Whoever bothered you the most. Come, I’ll take you to your quarters.”
He agreed wordlessly, letting you pull him out of the room. Sicheng and Jongin were gone, hopefully in the other direction.
“I… would like to ask,” You said a few moments later, “Why did you say it?”
Junmyeon was silent, before sighing. “I’m… not quite sure. I think I just… wanted to make him angry. It was immature of me, I know.”
“Is it because of what he said about me?”
He said nothing, but his silence told you everything you needed to know
You looked at him. “Junmyeon…”
“I know, I know.” He shook his head. “I’m turning 24 soon. I’m grown. But all of this, it—it’s stressful. It’s bad enough that his ego takes up the entire space in the room… I don’t need him insulting the people I care about.”
With a soft tsk, you huffed. “I can take him reminding me of my ‘place’. People did it all the time when I was still an active member of the court.”
“Still,” He grumbled. “It’s humiliating. He did it in front of everyone to shame you.”
You didn’t tell him you didn’t disagree.
The two of you walked in silence for a few minutes. You tried to focus not stepping on the cracks in the stones beneath you to try and avoid telling him that he was right. There was no need to possibly fuel any drama between the King and the Crown Prince.
“Remember when we were younger?” You asked, voice quieter. “When everything didn’t seem as… set in stone?”
You thought of all of the times you chased each other with wooden swords through his mother’s garden, of running away from parties to look for rooms with enough couches for all of you to sleep on because Yixing was tired and he was too afraid to sleep alone and insisted all of you come with him. You were all so young, so naïve.
All of that was gone now.
He laughed softly, nodding. “I do. I definitely do. I… there are so many things I would have done differently, knowing now.”
“Like what?”
His smile grew sad, before glancing at you. “I would have… hugged my mother more. She used to nag, saying that once I got older I stopped hugging her or kissing her like I did when I was a boy. A-and she was right. I stopped because Father would… say things. You know how he is.”
You hummed. Junmyeon’s father was a good king. But he wasn’t a good father. He tried to keep up the appearances in front of the greater courts. But in smaller, more personal circles… He was less than inclined.
“I… I don’t think it’ll do you well to continue dwelling on what-ifs, my prince.”
“What-ifs are all I’ve been thinking about as of late, my lady.”
You swallowed at the title. You knew he was just poking fun at how you addressed him, but… the sound of him calling you his lady. You liked it, a little too much.
You smiled at him, hoping the heat of your cheeks wasn’t too evident in the dimly lit corridor.
“What other what-ifs have been plaguing you, then?”
“Do you remember when we snuck out to that tavern in Allunya?”
Your eyes widened. Yes, you remembered Allunya.
You and Junmyeon were 19. It was late summer. On a trip for some Allunyan duke’s wedding, the ten of you had snuck out of the keep and into a village tavern. You’d drank common ale for the first time, and you’d all danced until your feet cramped. It was one of the best nights of your life… and the same night you realized your feelings for Junmyeon.
“How could I forget? Baekhyun drank so much he threw up on the horse on the way back.”
Junmyeon threw his head back, letting out a laugh—a real laugh, not one that felt forced or fake entirely. “Well, it was his first time—I don’t blame him. But… that was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. I would have asked you all to do it more often if I’d known we wouldn’t get caught.”
“We were two day’s travel away from Boram’s Bay,” You countered, “I feel we would have gotten recognized if we did that here.”
“Maybe,” He said with a nod, “But I remember dancing with you and never wanting it to end.”
You froze for a second, before swallowing the lump in your throat.
“...Oh? Is that so?”
He laughed, shrugging. “For the first time ever, I’d never felt so free. I felt lighter than a feather. I—just for a moment, I had no… responsibilities. I didn’t know Minseok didn’t want to be king yet. Hell, I didn’t even feel like a prince at all. I felt like… well, like a boy, who was out having fun with his friends.”
The swirling in your stomach came to an abrupt stop. Of course that was why.
“Oh. Yes, I can imagine.”
His eyes were warm as he recalled the memory. You wondered how he’d have reacted that night if…
“Junmyeon.” Your voice was shaky, and not because of the staircase you were going up.
He raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”
“I—” You thought of the implications of it all. If he didn’t reciprocate, he’d treat you differently. You’d lose him even sooner than you were bracing for.
But if he did…
Then what? You had three months until the wedding. Mariana was likely already in Oceansforte, set to arrive in the morning. When you reached the top of the stairs, you gave him a tight-lipped smile.
“I just think… Tonight, you don’t feel that good. But by this time tomorrow, you’ll be with Mariana and I think you’ll feel a lot better. Don’t dwell on the past, my prince. The future will come before you know it, and… I think it’ll suit you.”
He was silent until you reached his door. “I… Thank you, Y/N. I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for you.”
“You’d probably be in the infirmary,” You joked, “Jongdae packs a pretty punch.”
He chuckled, rolling his eyes. “I mean it. You’re the greatest friend I could ask for.”
You smiled, ignoring the small stab in your chest at the word friend. “You would do the same. Now, go get some rest. Your beloved will be here in a few hours.”
He grinned. “I intend to. I’m exhausted.”
You watched him enter his chambers, eyes warm. But your face fell the second he was gone, and you turned away without looking back.
That night, you dreamed of Allunya.
The music from the live band—which consisted of a fiddler, a drummer and two singers playing a mandolin and a fiddle respectively—was heartful and cheery, with just a touch of melancholy. They sang of winning battles with friends, spotting former lovers with their new lovers, and old lovers reuniting after years of being apart.
The ale was going to everyone’s head. Chanyeol and Baekhyun were play-fighting, Kyungsoo watching and drunkenly laughing as they did. Jongin was dozing off at the table. Everyone else was either drinking or dancing, but you and Junmyeon were dancing together.
You were drunk, so by no means were you two the most graceful couple dancing. But despite being so unaware of your surroundings and everything else going on around you, you seemed so fixated on Junmyeon’s face. He was laughing along with you as you got every step wrong and stepped on each other’s feet.
“Mother would be distraught if she—” He hiccupped, “—saw me now. All those years of ballroom dancing classes done away with a few pints…”
“I’d like to see her try to do the Allunyan Four-Step after three pints of ale, Myeonnie,” You slurred, “I d-don’t think it’d go too well for her—ah!”
You stepped back, slipping on something someone had spilled onto the floor. Your eyes clenched shut, hoping any bruises you’d get wouldn’t be visible to your parents. But a moment later, a hand caught your waist and another the back of your neck.
When he caught you, you were met face to face with him. Your lips parted. Under the warm lights of the tavern’s fireplace and lanterns, you could make out a bright shade of pink spread across his cheeks. The ale had clearly gotten to him. He looked so…
“Pretty,” You mumbled as he helped you stand.
“What?” He asked, “I didn’t hear you. ‘S too loud.”
“I said, ‘that scared me’,” You answered, a little too quickly.
He stepped even closer, gripping your waist. You swallowed at the proximity—your chests were touching now.
“I-I don’t think the Allunyan Four-Step is danced so close.”
He shook his head, eyes hooded. “I don’t care about the Allunyan Four-Step.”
You gasped when he led you through the crowd, dancing as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Your boots were sticky with spilled ale and other mystery substances spilled on the floor, and you had to lift your skirts with one hand to ensure they wouldn’t get dirtied or that you wouldn’t trip over them. Your free hand fastened itself around his neck for leverage, and the two of you went about skipping—stomping?—about the dance floor.
Some of the older couples stopped to watch and laugh, but not maliciously. You could tell they were happy to see two young persons, so cheerful and carefree and in love—
You stumbled again, but you caught your balance before anything could happen. In love? Where had that come from?
Junmyeon simply laughed, tossing his head back. Your face softened at his expression. He looked so… beautiful.
You dropped your skirts, reaching to cup Junmyeon’s cheek. He seemed a bit startled, but relaxed into your touch a few moments later. He grinned at you, and you matched his expression. Just a pair of young, drunken fools, laughing and dancing, holding each other tighter… faces leaning forward…
Your eyes fluttered shut. You almost felt alarmed at how right it felt. At this proximity, you could feel his breath fanning your cheek.
Until a split second later, when Chanyeol drunkenly yelled, loud enough for it to echo across the tavern, “That’s not true, you stump-sized bastard!”
You both jumped in each other’s grips, and when you opened your eyes, an alarmed gaze met yours.
“Time to go?” Suddenly, Junmyeon sounded a lot more sober.
“I think so,” You said without hesitating. A moment later, Baekhyun slurred, “I’m just—calling it as I see it!”
He tugged you toward the table by the hand. You ripped your hand out of his. Not just to hold Baekhyun back from Chanyeol. Suddenly, your hand felt like it was on fire.
You jolted awake in your bed. Swallowing dryly, your eyes fluttered shut again. Your hand came up to your forehead, rubbing away the cold sweat that had accumulated while you slept.
“Fuck,” You croaked.
As the envoy of three carriages and three wagons rolled up to the main entrance of the castle, you stood at attention. Parallel to you stood Minseok, who was eyeing the rest of his family nervously. You weren’t sure what had happened in the hours after you left. All you knew was that Jongin seemed to have calmed down, now eyeing Junmyeon, Jongdae and his father nervously.
There was no time for the dramatics—now was the time to concentrate on the task at hand. One of the carriages opened, a guard stepping out and announcing the Aviluxian royal family and their company.
From the first carriage emerged King Adriano. When the other two opened, Sebastian and another young man emerged from one, and Mariana and three young women emerged from another.
The servants took to unloading the carriage, and the Aviluxian guests walked up the castle steps to meet the royal family. They greeted each other with bows and curtsies, King Adriano and King Ilseong embracing briefly.
“Adriano, welcome back.”
“A pleasure to return,” The King said, “I bring more company.”
“Yes, I see,” King Ilseong answered, “Come, enter, let’s force the pleasantries out of the heat.”
Prince Sebastian laughed softly. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, this is nothing in comparison to summer in the Aviluxian desert.”
He nodded, “Yes, I suppose you’re correct. Still, you’ve traveled far, I assume you’re all tired.”
Your group of guards escorted the large group inside. Mariana turned her head to look at the guards, and when she saw you, she grinned in greeting. You acknowledged her with a small smile and quick nod of the head.
Once the gates were shut, she could no longer contain herself. She practically threw herself at Junmyeon with a quaint laugh, who embraced her with a face that looked like he was in heaven.
“I’ve missed you,” She said.
Junmyeon pulled away. “As h-have I.”
“You’ve grown so fond of each other,” King Adriano said, “It warms the heart.”
The two nodded, but said nothing further. You took a deep breath—this is going to be a long, long week.
“I was saying.” King Adriano turned back to King Ilseong. “You remember Mariana and Sebastian. This is my nephew, Cesar. He is second-in-line for the throne after Sebastian.”
Sebastian looked proud at the statement, but Cesar’s face remained passive. “The greatest honor, King Ilseong,” Cesar murmured, bowing again.
“The pleasure is mine,” King Ilseong replied. “Is it your first time in Oceansforte?”
“No, Your Majesty. I’ve been once before but as a boy, to visit a friend of my mother’s on Magpie Island.”
“Magpie Island, yes. A lovely place.”
Prince Cesar nodded in agreement, and then King Adriano introduced Mariana’s ladies-in-waiting and closest friends, Montserrat of the House Cipriano, Isadora of the House Leon and Lisette of the House Peralta. They spoke less, seeming to be the most timid of the Aviluxians.
They were all served lunch, you watching from behind them as you stood guard. Your lower back was beginning to ache from standing up straight for so long. You were forced to watch Junmyeon and Mariana’s every interaction from feet away, and it killed you. They sat next to each other at lunch. Every now and then, one of them would lean over and whisper to each other, then laugh quietly to themselves as if it were the funniest thing in the world.
And oh, how you burned. How you ached to push yourself between the two and demand they let you in on their little jokes. It felt like a stab to the heart every single time.
You forced yourself to focus on the servants instead, and the Aviluxian guards the family had brought along with them.
When that was done, you were dismissed to allow for them to discuss entrances in the ballroom for the celebration tomorrow night.
Minseok caught up to you as you exited the room. He nudged you gently with his shoulder.
“How have you been?”
“As alright as one can be,” You answered. He started to open his mouth and you held up a finger. “I don’t want to talk about it, Min. There are more important things than whatever I have going on in my personal life to think about.”
“Alright,” He conceded. “I won’t say anything.”
“Thank you. Now, who’s coming today?”
“The usual rascals,” Minseok said. “I think everyone wants to meet the only girl that makes Jun nervous.”
You chuckled. “No one’s ever rattled him quite like she does,” You agreed. “The great Prince Junmyeon of House Kim, stuttering because of a girl.”
The two of you waited at the steps of the main entrance, waiting in the meantime.
“You know more than I do,” You murmured, “What happened after the fight last night?”
“I know Jongin and Jun made up,” Minseok answered, crossing his arms. “I doubt anything of the sort happened between the rest of them. Father is… well. You know how he is.”
You nodded, face burning. His words from last night still felt like scratches on your skin.
“Jongdae is just as proud as father is. Junmyeon definitely doesn’t want to bend with either of them. Jongin is more forgiving, at least. More willing to compromise for the sake of the family.”
“And you?” You raised an eyebrow. “I know you were angry last night.”
“You’re my best friend and my second in command. Hearing Father treat you that way made me see red, and reminded me of another reason why I didn’t want to be king. It goes to your head if you’re not the right person. Father was the right person to be king, yes, but not the right person to… be anything else, I suppose. It’s gone to his head and he thinks himself better than anyone in the nation. And because he is king, there’s not much we can do to convince him otherwise.”
You nodded, but didn’t answer. Minseok frowned. “I think you’re the person who’s shown the least amount of emotion regarding the whole thing, even though he was cruel to you. How are you?”
A deep breath left your chest. “I… Sometimes I think I’m used to it. The whispers, the fact that some people think that my House isn’t ever going to actually be Validated. And most of the time I am. But when it’s said to my face like that, and by the king, no less…”
You bit your lip, blinking a few times and trying to ignore the sudden burning in your eyes. With a huff, you faced away from Minseok.
“It hurts. I hate to admit it, but I—it makes me feel so small.”
“You can cry if you want,” He said softly, “I’m not gonna judge you for it.”
You shook your head. “No,” You insisted, voice watery, “I don’t want to.”
Minseok sighed. “Y/N—”
“Please don’t.” You wiped your eyes, leaning against the wall. “I’ll be fine.”
He said nothing, but looked upset at your denial of him. A few moments later, the gates opened, and a carriage rolled past it.
When Baekhyun exited, he strolled towards you both with a grin. It faded when he saw your expressions.
“What’d I do?” He asked with a pout, “I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“Nothing, my friend.” Minseok forced a smile onto his face. “Y/N just has an issue with her emotions.”
Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows. “Is this about Junmyeon again? Gods, woman, I don’t know why you don’t just—”
“Keep your voice down!” You hissed, “Do you want the whole kingdom to know!?”
“Oh, they already do,” Chanyeol said, popping his head out of the carriage. “Junmyeon’s the only idiot who doesn’t.”
You scowled. “All of you vex me so,” You grumbled, “You idiots.”
“What brings the two of you together?”
“I invited Chanyeol for lunch to have a… conversation about some choices he’s been making,” Baekhyun mumbled.
“Do—not—tell them.” Chanyeol made his way to your little trio, staring Baekhyun down.
“Is this about the Allunyan duchess you’re bedding? The married one?” Minseok asked, picking at some dirt underneath his fingernail. He sounded very uninterested in the whole thing.
Your jaw dropped open. “You’re sleeping with a married duchess?”
Chanyeol looked at Minseok as if he was planning on stomping on him. His ears were a bright red. “How did you know?”
Minseok rolled his eyes, before lowering his voice to mimic Chanyeol’s, “The whole kingdom already knows.”
“Not me,” You mumbled, confused at the whole situation. Evidently in your time away from court, it had been very eventful.
“Nor does her husband,” Baekhyun said, as if it were any consolation, “Just… most of the court.”
“Why?” You asked Chanyeol, still in disbelief, “Chanyeol, of all the women to stick your c—”
“It’s complicated,” He insisted, before grumbling, “Her husband’s an ass.”
Another carriage entered the gate, and Chanyeol held up his hand. “Not a word of this to anyone else. Understood?”
“I suppose,” Minseok answered, “Doubt they don’t already know.”
Chanyeol huffed, but said nothing.
As this carriage rolled up to the steps, another entered as well, which was followed by a third. Out came Yixing, Sehun and Kyungsoo, respectively.
When the three of them greeted the group, Yixing looked around all of you. “Everyone looks like they swallowed a lemon.”
“Chanyeol’s just told us all a terrible joke,” You said, glaring at him, “Not funny in the slightest.”
Sehun raised an eyebrow. “Is it the one about the Allunyan du—“
“Oh Sehun.” Chanyeol looked just about ready to strangle him. “Not another word out of you.”
“Gods, you’re right,” Kyungsoo groaned, rolling his eyes, “He’s not funny at all.”
Chanyeol looked as if he wanted to burst into flames then and there, but you all chose to ignore it. You and Minseok led the men to the courtyard, where you’d all agreed to wait for the members of the Royal Families until they were done.
Baekhyun strode next to you as you did, and he offered a sympathetic smile. “You should tell him.”
“I should not tell him,” You said, side-eyeing him, “Not when he’s getting married.”
“You’re thinking of this all wrong.” He shook his head. “You’re thinking that if you tell him he’ll be forced to reject you or accept you—which realistically, isn’t going to happen. Not because he doesn’t like you, but… You know. Because he’s getting married and the law wouldn’t allow you two to be together anyway.”
You gave a deadpan stare. “Thank you Baekhyun. You are so helpful.”
“I don’t mean it like that. I’m willing to bet my money that Jun does love you. But because of the circumstances he can’t give you what you want. Listen, what I’m trying to say is don’t tell him with the intention of giving him your love. Tell him with the intention of letting go of it.”
When you didn’t answer, he took that as his cue to continue. His eyes turned overly wistful, and he put a hand on his chest. Ever the thespian, he began to speak in a bad impression of your voice.
“Junmyeon, I care for you more than a knight should care for the prince she’s been assigned, and more than a best friend should care for their best friend. I’m not expecting anything—you’re engaged, and it wouldn’t be allowed anyway. I simply need to get it off my chest, so that I can heal faster.”
Ignoring his theatrics, you mulled over his words. Did you really even want to heal? You loved Junmyeon and you loved loving him, it was what kept you so dedicated to him. And you weren’t sure what you would do with his rejection, which was inevitable.
“I… I’ll think about it. It doesn’t sound like such a terrible idea.”
You all sat at the long table you’d sat at the last time—when you’d snapped at Junmyeon. That seemed to have been forgotten as you all sat. Minseok leaned against the table, crossing his arms.
“This is a foreign royal family. Not just Princess Mariana, your future queen, and not just Prince Sebastian, the future king of an allied nation—”
“The jackass?” Kyungsoo asked.
“The jackass,” You confirmed.
“—I’d better not hear that word once he’s around,” Minseok snapped, sending both of you a stern glance, “This is also their cousin Prince Cesar and Mariana’s ladies-in-waiting. Those four have nothing to do with any slights we might have against the two. We’re all adults here. We’ve all been brought up properly, no? Please just play nice. Mariana and her ladies will be apart of our circle and the royal court from here on out. Please be welcoming.”
Nodding, you looked around the circle. You sighed upon seeing everyone staring at you, waiting for a response. “Everyone here… knows about how I feel. Do not hold that against her. It is my problem alone and not anyone else’s. She is kind and treats Junmyeon well. I do not want her feeling unwelcome here.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“We wouldn’t dream of it.” Sehun patted your back.
“Well, we did dream of it, but now that you’ve asked us not to, we will not,” Baekhyun said, beaming proudly.
“You’re terrible,” You mumbled, laughing.
“What makes them so terrible now?”
Everyone turned their attention to see Junmyeon arriving with his brothers and the younger members of the Aviluxian envoy. He had his arm around Mariana’s waist.
“Nothing in particular,” You said, standing out of respect, “I just asked them not to embarrass me in front of our guests.”
Your friends around the table stood, offering bows and respect to the newcomers. They offered their seats, opting to stand around the guests. When you stood next to Baekhyun, you noted his shocked face. His eyes were wide, lips parted in awe. You followed his gaze, eyes landing on Montserrat, who was speaking quietly to Mariana, Caterina and Lisette.
Apparently all Oceansforte men look at Aviluxian women like that, you thought, remembering how similar Junmyeon’s face looked to Baekhyun’s. You had to stop yourself from rolling your eyes. Instead, you rolled your shoulders back and stood up straight.
“Esteemed guests,” You began, smiling, “Today, apart from the brothers of House Kim, my friends and I join you. We are all close friends of the princes and the Royal Family. For those of you who have not met me, my name is Lady Y/N, of House L/N. I am Prince Minseok’s second in command for the Royal Guard, and Prince Junmyeon’s personal knight. It is an honor.”
After a bow, you went around introducing your friends. Each one of them offered the same pleasantries: a brief greeting and a bow. When Baekhyun gave his, he kept his eyes trained on Montserrat the entire time. And when she met his eyes, she bloomed a shade of red and looked down to her lap.
When you were all done, Sebastian leaned back in his seat—the one you’d just been sitting in. He smiled smugly, before looking at his sister.
“So, Junmyeon, you’ve invited us to spend the afternoon with your friends. Shall we be partaking in any activities?”
“Oh, I hadn’t had time to actually consider what we’d be doing,” Junmyeon admitted, “I left that mostly to them.”
Kyungsoo raised a finger, smiling at the guests. “Jongin and I were thinking of what to do a few days ago, actually. He made a wonderful suggestion. Since we’re in such a large group, we thought that playing Boram’s Triad would take up the entire afternoon and show the guests a side of our customs.”
You grinned at the idea, and saw Chanyeol and Minseok nodding in approval.
Mariana nodded. “I think we’d love to learn. How do you play—what did you say it was called?”
“It’s called Boram’s Triad. Most people call it S.W.S—Skill-Wits-Strength,” Jongin said.
“Skill-wits-strength?” Cesar asked.
“It’s a set of three games that’s played by eight different teams,” Kyungsoo explained, “The first round eliminates four teams, the second two, and the final round determines the winner. It’s always the same three games in the same order. Archery, to test skill, chess, to test wit, and finally, a sword fight, to test strength. Whichever team wins all three wins the Triad.”
“Isn’t it usually played in teams of three? Each person in the team participates in a different activity?” Junmyeon asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kyungsoo shrugged. “We figured it would be better to play in pairs for the first round and then choose who would play each round better.”
Cesar grinned, nodding. “It sounds like good fun,” He said. “Shall we team up now?”
Jongin nodded. “It’s customary for guests to choose first. Please, choose whomever you’d like.”
Immediately, Mariana stood. She looked excited, which you found endearing. “Junmyeon?”
The prince grinned in agreement. You tried to ignore the clenching in your chest as she strode towards him.
“Well, sister,” Sebastian said, standing from his chair, “All well and good for choosing your beloved, but if you wish to win you must choose strategically. Chanyeol.”
Chanyeol’s head snapped into his direction. He seemed caught off guard, almost surprised that the prince was addressing him. You did your best to resist cackling at his wide eyes.
“Yes?” He asked, voice teetering on uneasiness.
“I’ll play with you. We both seem to be strong, smart men—“
“Strong, maybe,” Baekhyun mumbled next to you, “Smart, I could tell you otherwise.”
You didn’t know what would’ve happened if Chanyeol or Sebastian had heard him, but thankfully that didn’t happen. Instead, Sebastian continued to speak.
“—So I hope we shall win together.”
Chanyeol hesitated. He glanced at Minseok, who raised an eyebrow in a manner that could only be described as threatening. Less than a second later, Chanyeol had put on the fakest smile you’d ever seen him wear, walking towards Sebastian.
“Of course, your royal highness. It’s an honor.”
Cesar opened his mouth, but Montserrat beat him to it. She pointed at—
“Baekhun, that was your name, yes?”
“Baekhyun,” He said gently, “Me, my lady?”
Montserrat nodded happily. “Yes, please.”
He grinned, and the two stood to the side, speaking in hushed tones to each other.
Lisette and Isadora exchanged glances, and Lisette chose first. Her eyes landed on Kyungsoo, who seemed indifferent—but you knew he probably would have preferred to be with Jongin. Isadora chose Yixing. Ever the gentleman, Yixing gave a bow when he was chosen and expressed how flattered he was.
Cesar was the last to choose. He was silent for a moment, but you didn’t have to think too hard on who he’d choose. Not if he was anything like Sebastian, at least.
His eyes landed on Minseok, and you resisted frowning. You would have loved to be able to choose Minseok, but then—
“Lady Y/N?”
All heads snapped in his direction. You blinked.
“Your highness?”
“Mariana has spoken well of you. You seem pragmatic and capable, may I please join you?”
“Why listen to Mariana?” Sebastian scoffed, “Oh, cousin, you should know by now—“
“I’d rather listen to Mariana than to you, cousin.” The fake smile on Cesar’s face did little to hide the disdain for his cousin, and you slapped yourself mentally for holding prejudice against him. Sebastian’s jaw dropped open, as if no one had ever spoken to him like that before. Given that he was the heir to the throne, that was likely true.
Cesar turned back to you, paying Sebastian’s gaping mouth no mind. “If you wish to choose someone else, my lady, I’d take no offense—“
“No,” You insisted, “Not at all. Please, I’d be honored.”
Cesar’s shoulders relaxed, and you heard Sebastian scoff as you stood next to his cousin.
The rest of the selections went by with a breeze. Sehun chose Jongin and Minseok and Jongdae were left with each other.
Jongin was nice enough to ask the servants to prepare a set of four targets, plus bows and arrows for each pair. The targets had ten circles, each circle representing a set of points. They were set up in the field between the castle and the castle’s private beach, where you and your friends would chase each other when you were all children.
“So the way we’ve planned it is every two teams get a target, each team gets four shots total—in turns of two,” Kyungsoo explained once you’d left the courtyard and were in front of the arrows.
“How will we decide turns and who plays against who?” Sehun asked.
“I wrote everyone’s teams down on the way here,” Jongin said, “I’ll just draw them from a cup.”
First up, were Minseok and Jongdae against Yixing and Isadora. Minseok and Jongdae made a formidable pair—Jongdae was fairly skilled, and while Minseok as captain of the Royal Guard was more skilled at close combat, he was decent enough when it came to archery. In the first round, Jongdae scored an 8 and Minseok a 7. In the next one, Jongdae scored a 9, much to Minseok’s delight.
“That’s it!” He said, slapping his younger brother on the back. You laughed from where you were watching, clapping for the loudest prince.
“I take it you and Minseok are close?” Cesar asked curiously.
“I’m his second-in-command, and I’ve been friends with the princes since I was a girl. He’s a good friend.” You nodded, watching Minseok take up the bow. This time, he had a little less luck. He scored a 6—their total added up to 30. He pursed his lips, evidently slightly disappointed.
You cupped your hands around your mouth, so that you’d be heard over the wind and the small distance. “Don’t fret, Min. It was a good shot, it’s just a bit windy.”
He shrugged you off. “It’s fine.”
Next up were Yixing and Isadora. The two of them were evidently a bit awkward around each other, and the minute she picked up the bow, you knew she’d likely never picked one up before. As you watched curiously, Yixing gave her a brief explanation on how to use it, and she was able to score a 3.
You nodded in approval. Without much experience plus the slight wind, it was impressive.
“Is it common for women in Oceansforte to train with weapons like you, Lady Y/N?” Cesar spoke again, leaning towards you. “Please forgive me if I’m intruding. I don’t mean to pry.”
“Not at all, your highness. I’d say it’s a bit more common now, but it wasn’t very commonplace when my father started training me. And please, just Y/N is fine.”
“Likewise—please just call me Cesar. How old were you?”
You thought for a moment, clapping gently when Yixing scored a 5. “I was about 8. When he wasn’t looking after the king and I wasn’t in class or off with my friends, he was teaching me the basics of close combat and the honor code of the Royal Guard.”
“That’s quite admirable,” He said with a nod, “I take it Mariana has told you of our customs back home in Avilux?”
You bristled. “Yes, but I ask that you respect my country’s customs if we do disagree—”
“Disagree? Nonsense. I think it’s perfectly sensible for everyone to at least have a slight idea how to defend themselves.”
You smiled. “There’s a bit more to it than simply self-defense.”
“What do you mean?”
You thought of the looks you got at court when it was announced you’d be joining the Royal Guard, the judging stares, the probing questions. “Plenty of things that frankly, I’m not looking to debate at the moment. Too much of a migraine. If you wish to read on it yourself, there’s a lovely book in the castle library that—”
“Oh! Isadora, do be careful,” Sebastian exclaimed as Isadora misfired, her arrow landing in the grass just below the target, “You’ll take someone’s eye out.”
She said nothing, staring at him expressionlessly. And despite not knowing her at all, you could just tell on the inside she was fuming.
Call it women’s intuition.
Yixing scored a 5, making their score a total of 13. Still, they took it with ease. “I don’t think either of us wanted to sword fight anyway,” He said softly. Isadora laughed, nodding.
“Quite true, my lord.”
The next time Jongin drew names, Baekhyun and Montserrat were placed against Junmyeon and Mariana. It was very apparent that both pairings enjoyed their respective pairs quite well.
Montserrat raised her bow, but instead pointed one of the tips of it towards Mariana, who raised an amused eyebrow.
“With all due respect, your highnesses,” Montserrat said, scrunching her eyes shut in a dramatic manner, “Baekhyun and I are simply much too skilled for either of you to best us.”
“Watch how it’s done, princey.” Baekhyun grinned cheekily at the prince, and suddenly you understood why they liked each other so much.
“I won’t watch then,” Junmyeon said teasingly, “Because whatever you do, I’ll do it better.”
You bit back a laugh. Junmyeon was loads better than Baekhyun had ever been at archery.
“He’s so obnoxious,” You mumbled, softly.
“She’s a menace,” Cesar said at the same time. You both met eyes, before laughing softly together.
You liked Cesar, you decided. He wasn’t rude, nor was he overbearing in order to gain your approval. Plus, he’d told Sebastian off earlier, which had Junmyeon and everyone else here beat in that category so far.
Montserrat fumbled with the bow, which caused Mariana to laugh quietly.
“Your mind games will not work on me this time, my princess,” Montserrat hummed happily. You blinked.
“Mind games?” You asked quietly, glancing at your partner.
Cesar tsked. “Oh, Aviluxian women—especially at court—are exceptionally good at getting into your head. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that being expected to simply sit still and look pretty grows rather boring eventually. My cousin is quite good at it,” He murmured. You raised an eyebrow as he lowered his voice.
“...Sometimes, you don’t even realize she’s there.”
When Montserrat let the arrow fly, you all watched it fly into the 1-point circle. Still, her and Baekhyun squealed as if they’d just struck gold. It was amusing to watch, but it did little to dissuade the sudden uneasiness in your stomach.
A minute later when Baekhyun fired his first shot, his arrow embedded itself into the 7-point circle. He nodded approvingly.
Montserrat, again with Baekhyun’s help, lifted her bow and aimed towards the arrow, arm shaking slightly with exertion. She took a deep breath, and Baekhyun leaned in to whisper something into her ear. She glanced at him, smiled, and the next thing you knew, the arrow landed in the 3-point circle.
They both celebrated accordingly, making you smile. As much as Baekhyun—and by extension, the rest of your friends—could get on your nerves, you really did care about them. Seeing him happy made you happy, even more so when he was playing up his antics.
Baekhyun scored a 9 this time, causing him to flex his muscles, despite them being covered by his several layers of linen. When you looked around the group, you saw your friends laughing at his dramatics. Mariana and her other ladies-in-waiting seemed amused, but Sebastian looked to be rather unamused by the display.
Their final number of points was 19. Neither of them really seemed to care.
“At the end of the day,” Montserrat said happily, “I’m content to just learn new customs and meet the members of Mariana’s future court. All good fun.”
“I’m glad you feel that way, Montserrat,” Mariana answered as she and Junmyeon stepped up to their spot, “But as much as you love fun, I love to win.”
Everyone chuckled. You thought back to what Cesar said, wondering how much of it was true.
He’s second-in-line for the throne, you thought, probably just resentful that his cousins are more likely to rule nations than he is.
Junmyeon was up first, and my, what an impressive archer he was. He rolled his head on his neck, before holding his bow up in a way that showed: he knew what he was doing. From his stance, to his steady breathing, to the unadulterated confidence rolling off of him in that moment. He nocked an arrow against the bow, and aimed, before letting go.
You watched as the arrow, almost effortlessly, landed in the center of the target. A seemingly perfect bullseye—the first 10 of the game. A stunned silence engulfed the Aviluxians for a brief moment, while the rest of you erupted into applause. To your small circle, it was nothing new. A second later, your guests joined you in applause.
“Perfect as always, Jun!” Yixing spoke loudly over the wind. “I’m glad Isadora and I weren’t up against you, it would have made our loss look even worse. Good thing it was just Jongdae and Minseok.”
“Hey!” Jongdae’s head snapped to glare at Yixing, but Yixing paid him no mind.
Junmyeon shook his head, laughing as he did so.
He handed the bow off to Mariana. When he approached her to help her into her stance, she shook her head. “I think I know how to do it, I want to try on my own.”
“Are you sure?” Junmyeon asked, to which Mariana nodded.
She straightened her posture, grabbing an arrow before nocking it into the bow. She furrowed her brows in concentration, and you leaned your head forward to watch in concentration. While you weren’t the best, you knew the basics. Just from simple observation, Mariana seemed to have learned them all. Her stance was right, she was holding the bow correctly.
And when the arrow landed in the 7-point ring, dangerously close to the border of the 8-point, you realized she might have learned even more than the basics.
Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. She seemed equally as stunned, but proud nonetheless. When she turned to Junmyeon, he was beaming. The group erupted into applause.
“Lovely, milady!” Isadora exclaimed.
“You’re a natural, princess,” Montserrat said.
Your eyes spared Sebastian a glance. He was applauding, but he seemed disinterested. He was probably thinking something along the lines of beginner’s luck.
Junmyeon took his turn again, and to no one’s surprise, he shot a 9. Everyone applauded politely, but you’d be lying if you didn’t acknowledge the slight disappointment in your prince’s eyes.
When Mariana took the bow from his hands, she took her stance again. Cesar seemed to share your curiosity.
“Now we find out,” He murmured in a deep raspy tone, leaning closer towards you, “Is she a natural, or is she just lucky?”
You raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. This was the first time you actually took his appearance in. He was about the same height as Junmyeon. His dark hair was on the longer side. He had a complexion similar to that of his cousins, but his eyes were a piercing hazel green. And unlike Sebastian, who kept a closely shaven face, Cesar sported well-maintained stubble.
Suddenly, he felt too close, and you took a step back with an uneasy chuckle. “Your cousin is smart,” You said, voice resolute. “I don’t doubt her talents.”
Your eyes shifted back to the couple, and you stiffened when you realized Junmyeon had been carefully studying your interaction. You locked eyes with him, expression unreadable.
A second later, when the arrow landed, it scored Mariana an 8. Junmyeon’s eyes snapped to his betrothed, and he plastered a smile onto his face as she grew excited.
Your shoulders relaxed. “The princess is a natural,” You mused, smiling nonchalantly at Cesar, “I expected nothing less.”
Together, the pair had 34 points, easily leaving Baekhyun and Montserrat in the dust. This meant that they’d advance onto the next round, and that left four more teams to compete.
The next names that Jongin drew were Chanyeol and Sebastian, up against Kyungsoo and Lisette. Mariana and Junmyeon made their way next to you. Montserrat and Baekhyun stood further behind, murmuring excitedly to each other about anything and everything.
Kyungsoo and Lisette’s turn was slightly embarrassing to watch. While it was evident that none of the Aviluxian ladies had ever handled weaponry, Lisette was much more anxious about the idea of handling sharp objects, which made you want to look away from the interaction as Kyungsoo, who was by no means the warmest person ever, did his best to reassure her.
“Cesar,” Mariana murmured, leaning her head past Junmyeon, “Can I speak to you?”
The prince blinked, before nodding and standing next to his cousin. You nudged Junmyeon. “She was amazing,” You said quietly with a smile. He grinned.
“A total natural. Even I was shocked.”
There was a quick lull in your conversation as Lisette shot, her arrow landing not even halfway to the target. She didn’t seem to be enjoying herself at all, practically tossing it to Kyungsoo as if it were burning her.
Kyungsoo sighed, before looking at Lisette and saying something too quiet for anyone else to hear. He turned to Jongin after she answered.
“I’ll be shooting for her ladyship,” He declared. No one seemed to protest.
Until he fired once—ten points. Twice—ten points.
Sebastian raised a hand, “I don’t think this is completely fair—”
“Sebastian, be quiet!” Mariana hissed.
“Just let him do it,” Chanyeol groaned, causing Sebastian to glare.
Kyungsoo let the arrow fly a third time, and to no one’s surprise, he landed the arrow into the already crowded bullseye a final time. 30 total. The group was left in stunned silence, but it was moreso the Aviluxians.
He turned to Lisette with a smug smile. “I do hope you’re good at chess. I don’t think you’d be the best in a sword fight.”
Lisette, who evidently hadn’t been expecting Kyungsoo to be so good, was silent. A moment later, her mouth fell open, before beginning to laugh.
“I-I am not the best,” She said eventually, “But I will do what I can.”
And when the pair stepped to the side, the two whose turn it was meant to be were left. One looked incredibly bored, the other was red in the face.
“Would you like to take the first shot, your highness?” Chanyeol asked, sounding ready to end it all.
“I…” Sebastian bit back a scoff. But after a moment, his glare faded and was replaced with his signature smirk. “Yes. Of course.”
The prince immediately rolled his shoulders back before taking his position. From the get-go, it was evident that the prince had been trained well. He seemed even more confident than Junmyeon, but that didn’t surprise you one bit.
He kept his eyes trained on the target, furrowing his eyebrows in focus. His fingers tightened around the bow, before…
thwap!
A perfect 10. If his head weren’t so far up his ass, you’d have commended him. But since it was, your compliment would have been muffled and he probably wouldn’t have heard you at all.
Still, his expression grew even more smug. “That is how that’s done.”
He traded off with Chanyeol, who took his stance calmly. Nothing to prove and his desire for competition seemed rather dim, which was strange for Chanyeol. You wondered if he thought Sebastian was bad enough. He probably did.
Chanyeol lifted his bow towards the target, and you watched him take a deep breath, correcting his posture. The initial discomfort in his stance and gaze cleared into an expression of focus, stretching the hand holding the arrow, pulling the arrow taut, until…
“Ah-choo!”
The loudest, fakest sneeze you’d ever heard Sehun sneeze seemed to echo across the open field, causing Chanyeol to gasp in surprise, body jolting. He let the arrow fly—although probably not on purpose—and it landed dangerously close to the 5-point circle, but still in the 6-point range.
Next to you, Junmyeon stiffened, and you pursed your lips, but it was futile. Both of you erupted into giggles. You hid your laughter by hiding your face behind Junmyeon’s shoulder, and he leaned closer to you to do something similar.
Chanyeol’s eyes grew wide, and he turned to Sehun. “You little—”
“What?” Sehun asked, trying and failing to hold back a grin, “It’s allergy season. Do forgive me, Lord Park.”
Chanyeol sighed, and briefly looked as if he was considering murder. Both you and Junmyeon took deep breaths, trying to hold back another round of laughter. But before he could say anything, Sebastian broke out into raucous laughter.
“Sehun, my friend,” He said, causing Sehun’s smug grin to fade, “You are too funny for your own good. You’ll make Chanyeol’s head explode, I fear.”
Sebastian took the arrow, and managed to score another ten—his smug grin was just as unbearable at the death glare Chanyeol was giving Sehun. A few moments later Chanyeol scored a 9, but not before mouthing something in Sehun’s direction. You couldn’t make out exactly what he’d said, but it was safe to assume that it was something vulgar, because Sehun rolled his eyes mockingly.
With totals of 35 against 30, Sebastian and Chanyeol advanced onto the next round.
That left Sehun and Jongin, against you and Cesar.
Jongin and Sehun went first, for which you were grateful. As much as you loved the two youngest of the group, they could be a bit of a bumbling pair—which was exactly what you needed to calm your nerves before your turn.
“Nervous?” Junmyeon asked, sensing your anxiousness. You shrugged.
“I’ve never been the best at archery,” You mumbled, “You know that very well.”
“I do.” He nodded, watching Sehun splutter as he missed his first shot, arrow lodging itself several feet behind the target.
Behind him, Chanyeol roared with laughter. Kyungsoo sidestepped him to avoid being his during his flailing laugh. Sebastian didn’t, jumping in alarm when the taller man slapped his shoulder. He looked at your friend as if he had gone mad.
“Do you want tips so you don’t end up like that?” Junmyeon asked, and you nodded urgently.
“Yes, please.” You watched as Jongin aimed, fired, and scored a 5. “I’ll probably end up more like that, but as long as I’m not making a fool of myself like Sehun.”
Junmyeon hummed in response. “Alright. What I’d recommend—”
“Junmyeon, my darling,” Mariana called. Junmyeon whipped his head in her direction. She and Cesar were walking back towards you.
“Yes, my angel?” He asked once she was by his side, and you let out a quiet sigh at how quickly she had his attention. As she pulled him slowly away from you, Sehun scored a 4, much to Chanyeol’s amusement.
“How are you at chess?” She asked, and Junmyeon shrugged.
“I’m not the best. I was going to suggest that you play.”
Cesar’s arm brushed against yours, and you turned your head in his direction. “Are you ready?”
You sighed gently. “I mean—”
Thwap! Your heads snapped in the direction of the target. You felt your hands suddenly grow clammy when you saw it embedded in the 7-point mark.
It’s not that you were afraid you wouldn’t beat Sehun and Jongin. Cesar seemed calm enough, which gave you the impression he was better than both of them. You were mostly just nervous about making yourself look bad. If you looked bad, maybe they’d think you weren’t worthy. Maybe you’d be cast aside, and then what?
“Lady Y/N,” Cesar said, snapping you out of your thoughts. Your eyes widened at the realization that Sehun was holding the bow in your direction. There were several eyes on you. Sehun looked like he was gearing up to snap his fingers in your face just to be annoying.
“My apologies.” You smiled nervously, shaking your head. “I was thinking about something I needed to talk to Minseok about later.”
Minseok raised an eyebrow, and in that moment you remembered the man you’d seen last night. In the spur of the moment, you’d pulled that out of your ass. But you were right. Even if it was nothing, you wanted to at least let him know you’d seen something strange.
“I’ll speak to you later. It can wait.”
Cesar took the bow from Sehun, and you watched him take his stance. He puffed his chest out, stretching his shoulders. Pulling an arrow out from the quiver, he took a different stance from the rest of those that had stood before him. He stood with his back facing away from you as he nocked the arrow.
“You’re left handed?” You asked.
Cesar glanced at you for a moment, before giving a single nod. “Yes, milady. My father tried to have it corrected, my mother insisted I be left alone.”
He didn’t seem bothered by your interruption, and a second later he let the arrow fly. You stood in shocked silence as it landed perfectly at 10. When he handed you the bow, you felt a bead of sweat forming on your forehead.
“Oh, your highness, how am I supposed to follow that?” You chuckled nervously.
He shook his head. “Oh, you’ll be fine.”
You gripped the bow the best way you remembered, and put an arrow into the groove of the wood. Clearing your throat, you did your best to stand the way you knew. Your hand was definitely sweatier than it should have been. You were breathing through your mouth—gods, why did you have to think about breathing? Now you were thinking about breathing instead of the proper way to pull the string back. How many fingers? Were you supporting it right?
In your peripheral vision, you saw Mariana whisper something to Junmyeon, lifting her hand to cover his ear. Junmyeon bit back a smile, but did exhale through his nostrils and look down.
They’re talking about you, you know, a little voice said in your mind.
It couldn’t be true. You knew Junmyeon would never laugh at you, never allow anyone to disrespect you so blatantly… right? Right? Your hand trembled, and the arrow flew. You frowned watching it land in the 3-point circle. 13 points so far, in comparison to Sehun and Jongin’s 20. With Cesar’s help, you would easily pass them. But it wasn’t about that.
Your heart sank, and you sighed. Behind you, a deep voice laughed.
“Prince Junmyeon,” Sebastian gasped between laughter, “You let that defend you!?”
“It’s the wind,” You muttered, too quiet for anyone to hear.
“Oh, come on, now, cousin,” Cesar said as you handed him the bow. “Don’t be that way.”
You looked down, ashamed. Rubbing your palms against your pants to dry them, Sebastian began to speak again before he was interrupted by Junmyeon.
“With all due respect, your royal highness, I must agree. Lady Y/N is my friend. I would appreciate it if you did not treat her so callously.”
Your head snapped up to look at Junmyeon, who flashed you a sympathetic smile. Mariana nodded furiously in agreement. “Quite right, Junmyeon. Sebastian, it would do our family well if you did not treat my future husband’s closest guard and friend the way you do.”
Sebastian scoffed, but said nothing further.
“And besides, Sebastian.” Cesar drew the bowstring back. “Just because you are the better archer, absolutely does not mean…”
He let the arrow fly, once more landing in the 10-point circle. Cesar smiled, before turning to his cousin. “...That her ladyship will not best you when you duel later.”
Cesar handed you the bow. “Would you like help?”
You offered a small smile. “A few tips would be nice, Cesar. Thank you.”
He watched you stand, and handed you an arrow. A few moments later, he stepped behind you. You took a deep breath. Mariana and Junmyeon weren’t talking about you, you thought, now that you were calmer, otherwise they would have laughed with Sebastian. You can do this. No one’s laughing at you. No one that matters, anyway.
“Here, your posture should be a bit straighter,” Cesar murmured into your ear, correcting the curve of your back by putting his hand on your lower back and pushing gently. His deep voice and accent along with his touch left goosebumps wherever he went. “Draw the bowstring back to your lip. Raise your elbow a little. No, no, not that high. Like this…”
He took your elbow, lowering it gently. Cesar stepped back, before crossing his arms and smiling proudly. “There. Go ahead.”
You took one last deep breath, before letting the arrow fly. The second it flew, you closed your eyes out of fear. What if you messed it up again? What if you embarrassed yourself even further, what if this time your friends didn’t defend you—
“That’s it!” Chanyeol roared.
“I told you!” Cesar exclaimed.
“Amazing, Y/N!” Minseok yelled.
“Dammit, why did we have to go up against them,” Sehun grumbled.
Your eyes flew open at the applause erupting around you. Everyone except Sebastian was clapping. After looking around, your eyes landed on the target. There, just below Cesar’s two bullseye shots, was your own arrow. Yes, a 3 followed by a 9 was by no means as impressive as the two consecutive 10s your partner had pulled off. But after the rush of emotions…
“I knew she could do it,” You heard Junmyeon say. A smile bloomed on your face. When you glanced at him, he didn’t meet your gaze. He was too busy staring at Cesar, at your proximity.
You turned to the prince who had helped you. He was grinning.
Genre: Idolverse
Pairing: Kim Junmyeon (Suho) x reader
Warnings: Smut. Angst, and then more angst.
Authors Note: This is it, the final chapter of a story I am so completely humbled to have been able to write. This story means so much to me and has truly helped me grow as a person in so many ways. I hope that by the end of this, it has helped you, too, in some way. Junmyeon deserves the world and I wish I could thank him enough for being my muse. Thank you for reading.
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Words: 15k.
Panic.
Absolute panic is the only way your brain can comprehend the raw energy bouncing around in your gut. Feelings of elation and terror swirling inside the confines of your organs, their chemicals mixing to create something bubbling and new, growing rapidly inside of you so thick and uncomfortable you feel as though you may burst.
With your arrival home, you slam the door too harshly, sliding down against the sturdy, cool weight of it and grasp your head in your hands.
Head between your knees, your brain gently reminds you, a message in the form of a memory of Junmyeon the last time he said these words to you, present for the last attack. Saying ‘I love you’, no less from him, was the last thing you would expect to trigger one, but that was the irony of having panic attacks; sometimes you never know.
You concentrate intently, calming your breath enough to listen for the sound of your watch, reliably ticking away there on your wrist. It is one reason you prefer to wear an analog one, other than your preferences for their history. Tck, tck, tck, tck, rhythmically you listen, breathing deeply over the span of three seconds, releasing carbon dioxide in the following three. Over and over until your heart is beating normally again. Softly, automatic and easily ignored within the safety of your ribs.
Then, to clarify and accept, you admit the thought into the quiet space of your apartment.
“I love you, Junmyeon.”
Reflexively, your fingertips raise to shield your lips, hovering a centimeter away. Your heart beats a little faster with the admission but is easily pacified without much effort. A smile grows on your lips behind them, amusement consuming the panic and coloring your cheeks in a blush for only inanimate objects to see. It feels silly to look around your apartment, knowing there is no one to hear your confession.
The following morning you can’t say you feel less terrified of it, your acceptance of the thoughts and ability to keep moving forward derailed somewhere as your mind raced into the future instead of sleeping.
Conscious thoughts considered at first all of the possibilities as you had settled for sleep. Good things. Things like a confirmation of his feelings, a mirror of your own, and further ahead such as living together full time and eventually, hopefully a union of your love with matching golden bands on your fourth fingers, or a child you could only hope would have his cheeks and a head full of fluffy black hair. To growing older together and doing whatever pleased you so long as you were together.
No doubt your brain decided, all of those beautiful moments were hopes planted without seeds, and you were stuck to watch a barren field grow nothing at all over time. Your fears and anxiety began to take them all away one by one, these hopes for the future you might never have at all, pulled backward through time like you were falling through a nightmare. Forced to see a life of fulfillment and love only to slip back through those times to relive the same life without any of the joy.
You awoke this morning, barely able to call it waking at all, full of heartache. Your chest felt so heavy you even skipped your lecture and called out of work. Upon hearing of your absence Soohyun even offered to bring you something to help you feel better, assuming you were sick. No texts that required an answer came from Junmyeon, either. Only one bidding you to sleep well.
When you ignored Soohyun’s text and the second day produced the same results from you, his persistence became annoying. You were perfectly malcontent there on your couch in the same pajamas you wore yesterday, and perhaps the day before, too. With hair unwashed, sagging in the bun atop your head and a three-hour old mug of half-drank black coffee in your hands. There on your couch you scrutinized every aspect of your life and felt nothing at all.
Soohyun let himself in of course, as he always did when he felt it was necessary. You knew by the sound of the keys outside of the door and the weighty footfalls of his frame it was him. The one person you trusted to see every ugly facet of you because although he was extremely dear to you, he is not the one that makes you feel like his existence is your tether to the world, and therefore, not as scary to face.
He says nothing at all. Uncomfortably in the silence, you listen to him close the door, toe off his shoes, and set something in a plastic grocery bag on the counter. He opens your refrigerator and pops the lid on something. You remain silent still, listening to the domesticity of him opening cupboards in your kitchen and the sound of noodles being stirred and plated. The sounds toy with your head, recalling memories of another man doing the same thing, but vivid imagery came with those memories.
The sound of the plate gently clacking against the microwave platter and the door closing, buttons beeping and whirring. Stuck in your memory of him, you whip your head around, too enticing to see if it’s really your lover standing in your kitchen and looking back at you with a smile and his arms folded across the thickness of his warm chest. If this is all just a dream.
The reality is half the same, the setting, but the way you do not find Junmyeon’s eyes or smile, but Soohyun’s face full of surprise but also worry rip the air from your lungs with a sob.
You’re not even sure when you started crying, but the tears continue to blur your vision. “Oh, Y/N.” Soohyun’s cologne fills your senses as he crosses the room to you. He takes the cold coffee cup from your hand, wincing at the stiffness of your fingers as he plucks them gently from the handle, and wraps your wilted frame into his arms. He holds you like this, coaxing out the agony of your bleeding heart.
Minutes pass like this, and after your sobbing has quieted to a sniffled dripping of crystal tears from your lashes, Soohyun sets you back onto the couch cushion, “Care to tell me what’s going on?”
Your knees automatically rise to your chest and your arms find their way around the top of them. The rational part of you knows talking to Soohyun is what you should do, but it doesn’t make it any easier to persuade the chaotic petulance you feel. Your thoughts internalize, eyes fixated on the basket of blankets in the far corner of the living room, fingers rolling a stray thread from your pajamas around and around.
“Y/N, try not to let your head get you all worked up. What’s going on?” your best friend urges, placing the weight of his large palm against your forearm. The action seems to ground you to reality. At least enough to make intentional, purposeful movements.
Your eyes find his looking at you as they always do, with so much pure acceptance. “I love him. Really, Soohyun-“ you pause, brows knitting tightly for emphasis, “Like… I’m really in love with him.”
The smile that he answers you with irritates you minutely, “Ah, I see. Well,” A pauses lapses between you until he thinks of what to ask, “What is it that’s scaring you about that?”
It takes a full ten seconds before you answer, “A lot of things, but mostly because I don’t want to tell him and scare him off. I don’t think I could stomach chancing it just for him to know my feelings, Soo.”
Your best friend draws a breath, nodding. Then he stares at you, “Okay. What else?”
“Aren’t you going to tell me I’m being ridiculous?” you ask, peeking at him.
He laughs a little, “In a minute, but I want to hear it all first. We can work on it all one piece at a time,” he reassures, batting your hand away gently when you take a half-hearted swat at his arm.
“I don’t know what to do, Soohyun,” your throat bobs, constricting the words with anxiety as you admit it. More tears well at the edges of your eyes, and you take a deep breath to calm yourself.
“I’m afraid, even if I tell him and even if he says he loves me back, I keep thinking for how long?” you voice, croaking the words. Another breath, “How long will I feel so happy and lucky but,” another breath, “how long can I take being suspended on a wire like that waiting to fall? It can’t last forever.”
Soohyun coos, even though his expression is sheepish as if he hadn’t meant to slip, “Sorry.”
“I just,” you sigh, wiping at your nose with the back of your hand, which Soohyun reaches to replace with tissues, “I feel like it’ll all go away someday. He will get tired of me or there will be some fight or something and I don’t want to hurt him or lose him. I keep having this nightmare that I’ll wake up one day at he won’t be there. That it’ll be like he never existed at all.
“But you want to love him,” Soohyun confirms softly beside you, gently tugging until you’re sinking down to lean against his arm, no matter how gross your hair might be.
“Yeah.”
He hums briefly, considering, “Are you scared of being alone?”
Truthfully, “Not really. It’s more like I’m afraid to start a life with him, because it’s so hard to go back to being alone if it doesn’t work out. To feeling that kind of heartbreak.”
“What do you mean? Like permanently living together or sharing bank accounts and bills and stuff?” he asks.
“Yeah. Like what if we bought a house together and then he decides ten years from now he doesn’t want to be with me anymore and then it’s too expensive for me to own a house alone so I’d have to sell it and find my own place again and it just gets really tangled. I can’t imagine being able to do anything other than just be heartbroken. How does a person move past someone like him?”
Soohyun’s silent chuckle is given away by his bouncing chest, “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself, but-“
You cut him off, “No, I’m thinking about the future.”
He pokes you in the cheek, “Let me finish, please. What I was going to say, is that I think you’re most afraid of the emotional damage that would cause you. I also think you need to look at this from your own perspective.”
Raising your head, your confusion is evident after his last statement.
“I mean,” he begins, “You’re saying this but what if it isn’t Junmyeon who isn’t happy ten years from now? Have you ever shared a life with someone like that? How do you know if you will be happy or not? And I’m not just talking about a house or bank accounts, Y/N.”
Soohyun squeezes your frame as if to emphasize his point, “I’m talking about personally. Are you going to be okay sharing every aspect of yourself with someone else? If you want him to be that future with you, he will be closer to you than anyone has ever been. He will be the one who knows your deepest and darkest moments. Have you two even talked about all of those important things? What plans do you each have for your lives? Marriage, kids, politics, things like that.”
Both of you pause and Soohyun sighs, “What if you don’t want to be together anymore at some point. How will you handle that? Do you think you’ll stay and be miserable with him if you wanted out?”
“That’s impossible,” you correct.
“Anything is possible, Y/N,” he says quietly.
Shaking your head, you ignore him and lift your head from him with a face full of resolute determination, “I am telling you, that won’t happen.” Saying the words aloud, they feel right and sure as they form on your tongue.
“Okay. Just saying, you never know.” It doesn’t help.
He feels you stiffen at the thought, “But I also think he will be the one who has nothing but acceptance and support for anything you may need. He will be the one you lean on and cling to for the rest of your life.”
Now that thought is something that blooms warmth in your chest and more tears to your eyes, but in a good way this time. You have already experienced that with him. Every obstacle you thought might scare him away he has done nothing but been patient and supportive of you. However, there’s a slight unease with the phrase ‘for the rest of your life’ that tinges the edge of the sweetness with fear.
“Yeah, well,” you comment through the bashfulness, swallowing the anxiety that wants to raise your voice.
He laughs, “You can’t argue with me!”
The dull thud of your fist lightly thumping him on the chest brings you back to square one, unable to quell your worries for long, “But truly, Soohyun, honestly what if he doesn’t love me the way I love him? What if he doesn’t love me enough? I’m not worried about how much I love him.” you sit up suddenly, eyes wide and hands flurried, “I mean, look at him. He’s a celebrity, and a gentleman and too go-“
Soohyun’s hand clamps over your mouth immediately, “Don’t you dare finish that sentence. Stop thinking it in your head, too. Let me tell you something in case you have forgotten,”
He stares at you pointedly to be sure you’ll keep quiet as he slowly removes his hand, “He may be a celebrity but do you remember what happened in those first few times you met with him?”
“A lot of sex,” you comment dryly, and he smiles.
“Well sure, but I remember you telling me so much about not the celebrity but the man with so much love and comfort for others and nothing but bleak loneliness and sadness for himself. About how easily you saw through him and how he told you he struggled with anxiety and his own self-worth. And,” he pauses for emphasis, “How you were there for him every time since you began this relationship. How you have helped him ease his own fears and doubts. Y/N, he needs you, too. More than you think. I think you see through him so easily that you sometimes dismiss his own feelings, even if you don’t mean to.”
It helps. A lot more than you’re willing to accept right now while the anxiety still has hooks deep into you, “Thank you.”
Soohyun smiles at you, “I think you just need to give it some time. Just because you realize you love him,” he makes explosive gestures with his hands, “Like really love him, doesn’t mean you have to go straight into making plans for rings and a mortgage and babies. Take your time, take it slow.”
“Take it slow.” You repeat after him, nodding, lips in a pensive straight line.
_____________________________________________
The following morning you wake feeling refreshed physically. Soohyun made sure you showered and that you slurped down a bowl of japchae and a few pieces of kimbap while he started a load of laundry for you. He made you clip your nails while he made you some tea and painted your toenails for you while you binged a new episode of your favorite show. He even made you take a nap, tossing your weighted blanket over your frame and leaving you to a peaceful slumber, locking the door behind him as he left.
You’re a bit alarmed that you slept all afternoon, evening, and night. Checking your phone, you realize nearly 15 hours had passed. 05:17a, your phone reads, forcing you to hiss at the harsh light when you turn it over to check the time. You don’t have work until 10, but decide you can’t sleep any longer.
Two unread text messages are awaiting you when you open the app. One from Soohyun wishing you a good night and to please call him if you need anything. The second is from Junmyeon, wishing you to sleep well and that he heard from Soohyun not to bother you because you’ve had a rough couple of days. He is worried that you’re so exhausted.
Chewing your lip, you send Soohyun a simple thanks, and decide to see if Junmyeon is free to come over and see you later. You don’t want him to worry too much, and if you’re being honest with yourself, even through the anxiety, you still want to hold him and be near him.
His response comes while you’re at work, just having woken up you assume. He tells you if he can finish recording before midnight he will come over, but stresses that he doesn’t want to keep you awake.
During a quick break, you take a moment to assure him you’ve slept enough and will be wide awake. You don’t forget to add that you would really like to see him.
Work goes by in an easy blur. You splurge on a fancy coffee and an extra shot of espresso to keep you awake on your way to the subway station. There is plenty of time to do some cleaning, make a meal and get a long hot shower. You even have time to wrap up an assignment for your worst class, feeling sour but proud that all of the time you spent unable to sleep, you managed to at least get ahead in a class that was otherwise the bane of your existence.
When eleven thirty rolls around and you haven’t heard from him, you believe he isn’t coming. A very tiny but loud part of your brain says that’s fine and that you were afraid anyway. The bigger, softer and sensitive part of you misses him to such a degree that you sit on the couch wearing one of his hoodies, leaning on your palm and fighting off sleep with only the light of the table lamp beside you for company.
You wake to the sound of the door clicking shut. Blearily, you squeeze your eyes shut at the harsh light from the lamp as you hear someone behind you. With a stiff neck, you turn and crack one eye open to see your favorite person trying his best to stay quiet.
He smiles at you when he notices you’re awake, approaching you as he rounds the couch, draping his palm gently over your hair. “Hey,” he coos quietly, voice tinged with affection. Without much thought, you open your arms to reach for him, and he bends down to you. Still sleepy, it takes your mind a moment to realize he has lifted you into his arms as you pass the bathroom door.
Your body melts into his familiar body with your arms around his shoulders. Burying your face in the crook of his neck, you inhale the faint scent of his cologne, still fragrant enough from this morning. “I missed you,” you mumble against his skin.
“I missed you too, sweetheart.” He murmurs into your hair. He feels you take a deep breath against him, chuckling at the sigh of content that follows. Slowly, he deposits you among your unmade bed linens and pecks your forehead with his lips.
A sound of protest rumbles in your chest, your lower lip falling outward in a pout. “Let me shower and I’ll come to bed,” he says, stripping himself of his sweater and tossing it into your clothes hamper beside the door.
You hum with acquiescence, “What time is it?” Quietly, through your sleep-laden eyes, you watch him with a soft fondness that settles in your chest.
Junmyeon sits at the foot of the bed briefly to peel off his socks and slacks, “Three twenty, sorry I’m so late.” Twisting himself just enough to reach, he kisses your lips.
“It’s okay. I’m just glad to see you.”
He looks at you for a moment with a lopsided grin and thankful eyes. His hand settles over yours in your lap, rubbing his thumb over your skin. Then, his warmth is gone. Your eyes drift shut again while you wait for him.
You’re not sure what kind of sleep spell you are under when he finally crawls into your bed with you, but your body automatically seeks his warmth, asleep but with consciousness floating at the edges. Your boyfriend sighs, wrapping you in his arms and placing his lips in your hair.
Snuggling closer, you let your arm fall over his ribs, settling your face into his naked chest. You mumble again, tongue loose in your spellbound stupor.
When your brain finally makes sense of your words, you freeze, bolting upright as if cold water had been doused down your spine.
Junmyeon groans beside you, already half asleep, “What’s wrong?”
“I-“ you begin, covering your mouth with both hands and staring at him. Heat floods your cheeks, worry turns your bones to steel, “What did I just say?”
He peeks at you with one eye, lips set in a confused line, “What?” He tries to pull you back down to him by the sleeve of the hoodie.
You watch him for a moment longer, realizing he didn’t seem to hear you, “You didn’t hear me?” His slight annoyance at your outburst seems appropriate evidence that he did not in fact hear you at all.
“Was I supposed to? I didn’t hear you say anything,” he confirms.
“No,” you shake your head immediately, running your hand through your hair with a deep breath to calm your beating heart.
“Will you lay down then? I just want to hold you and go to sleep, please.”
His request is simple enough. You do as he asks, but it doesn’t stop you from lying awake for what seemed like the rest of the night. Finally, you fall into unconsciousness somewhere around the time the sun begins to open its eyes, easing into slumber as shapes outside your window begin to take form.
You dream of Junmyeon. You dream of his hands and his voice and the relentless overwhelming feeling of good he gives you. You dream of his lips on your neck and his fingers blazing a fire under your hoodie, crawling up and up and up until his palm gently takes the globe of your breast in his hand and he moans.
Dropping your lips open with a sigh, you can feel your pulse in your core. Your hips seem to roll back of their own accord, body singing without conscious effort in your sleep.
“Fuck, I want to get woken up like this every day,” Junmyeon groans. Confused, you will your body to pause, and snap your eyes open. Oh. Whatever dreams you were having must have manifested physically, grinding yourself into your boyfriend to satiate the need.
You turn your head just slightly, smiling into a kiss your lover steals the moment the opportunity presents itself. His palm has not forgotten where it lays, giving another squeeze and a soft pass of his fingers over your bud. It pulls a moan from your lips, bowing your spine to push your ass harder against his aching erection where it presses between your cheeks. The delicious friction makes you squeeze your thighs together, further surprising you when you realize how slick you are.
“Good morning,” he coos with amusement. You have no time for words- you need him badly, and you need him now. It appears he doesn’t know how wet you are yet, so you show him.
His brows furrow in concern briefly as you remove his hand from your chest beneath the hoodie. The expression morphs into a grin when he realizes what you’re doing while you drag his hand down into your panties. You watch, open-mouthed in anticipation when his face mirrors surprise at the first easy slide of his fingers through your soaked folds.
“Holy shit,” he whispers, biting at his lip when he sinks two into your heat without any warning. He gives you one deep pump and you absolutely keen, feeling like you’ll burst.
“Junmyeon, please,” you beg, falling onto your back the moment he hears your plea, sitting up to find a proper position. He shifts onto his knees quickly and removes his hand from your core. When he lifts his fingers and pulls them apart, you both groan at the thread of your arousal that stretches between them in the sunlight.
Flexing your hips at the loss of contact, your lover pulls his attention back to you, working quickly to pull your hips up onto his thighs. He pulls your leggings down alone, just so he can marvel at the state of your panties. Embarrassment floods your cheeks and you push the hem of the black hoodie down in an attempt to cover yourself.
With what you would call a soft display of possession, Junmyeon makes a sound of warning in his throat, gently pushing your hands away as he confesses, “You have no idea how hot this is.”
“It’s embarrassing,” you whimper back to him. Your body feels hot, too hot. You’ve seldom been this turned on in your life, to the point of tear-inducing hysteria if you don’t find release soon.
He smiles at you, his eyes tearing away from the sight of your mess to look directly at you. “I promise you this is nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re amazing, look at how wet you are.” Junmyeon can’t help himself while he talks, eyes drifting back to your cunt and two fingers petting down your folds over your underwear.
“Don’t need to see it…” you whisper, throwing your arm over your eyes.
He hums, “You’re right. I’m sure you can feel how messy you are.” The two fingers he used earlier find their way beneath the material, pushing it aside to fill you again. “How does it feel, sweetheart?” he asks when you cry out.
“I feel like I’m going to burst,” you moan, unable to keep your hips still, meeting his fingers for every deep thrust.
Your statement peaks some interest in your boyfriend. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, and his thrusts become slower, almost exploratory as he pets them against your walls. The palm of his other hand lays just above your pubic bone, resting the weight of his hand there, but you barely notice. Being filled by something has you reeling in bliss.
A second later, he must find what he’s looking for. His digits set an unexpected pace, spearing you in a delicious tempo. You feel so good, “So fucking good, oh my god Junmyeon, yes!” He’s hitting some spot inside of you that spins that coil in you tighter and tighter until you’re right at the edge.
Then his fingers are gone, but you’re screaming. Your eyes open and Junmyeon groans in awe at the fluid that has suddenly ruptured from you. Just briefly, but even in your pleasure, embarrassment is stronger. You clamp your legs together tightly, whimpering at the electricity that fizzles in every nerve of your body.
“I’m sorry, that was-“ you begin, cut short by the feel of Junmyeon’s lips on yours and his tongue begging for entrance immediately.
He's leaning over you now, fingers deftly yanking your panties down and off. You moan into his mouth when you feel the burning length of his cock lay against your dripping core. His lips leave yours just enough to speak, “Never be sorry. I’m happy I could make you squirt.”
You smack him in the back, “Shut up!” you complain, still embarrassed.
“You are incredible,” he reminds you, hands full of his hips while he pulls his own back precisely enough to tip himself at the perfect angle. You’re well practiced now with each other, able to satisfy efficiently with little to no error.
You’re comfortable to give and take from each other without need for conversation, like now. Junmyeon doesn’t ask if you need him to fill you- he knows. He doesn’t ask how you want it and you don’t ask him if this is okay for him. It’s written plainly between you in the blood heating your faces, the sounds spilling between your sweating bodies, the eager yet affectionate way you’re holding onto parts of each other.
It's clear in the way you let yourself relax back into the mattress with eyes closed and blissed out. In the way he leans protectively over your body with his own, needing to be closer and closer still when he laces his fingers into yours with both hands. In the way your panting moans grow in octave as your orgasm approaches and roars through you as you pull your hands away only to pull him down, flush atop you while you ride it out. It is clear in the way he, too, seems to melt into your frame, even as he tenses and moans salaciously against the column of your throat when his peak follows.
Neither of you say anything for a long moment, catching your breaths together in post coital bliss. You break the moment, feeling sticky and needing to get the bedding in the washing machine as soon as possible.
Junmyeon whines the entire time, refusing to get off of you until you nearly roll him off of the bed completely. Grumbling cutely, he helps you strip the bed and takes the wad of linens from you with a kiss.
He finds you in the bathroom when he’s finished, stripped and waiting for the showerhead’s water to turn warm. You invite him in with you, washing in content. You don’t speak, but your actions are loud. Loving, in these small moments of care for each other.
When you’re finished and dressed and the coffee pot is started, Junmyeon collects your favorite mugs from the shelf and opens your medication, delivering one small pill to your palm with a kiss to your forehead. The affection of it squeezes your heart and drifts a smile across your face at the progress of such an event. Months back, him even knowing these pills existed within your life caused you extreme anxiety.
You watch, reminiscing with a small smile, as he pours your coffee first, always the gentleman, before his own. He trails you back to the bedroom in silent happiness, where coffee mugs are placed on bedside tables and new bedding is waiting to be put on.
Junmyeon helps you remake the bed, pulling you down into the soft thickness of the comforter when you’re finished. He forces you into his arms against your fake, feeble protesting, humming his comfort once you finally give up and settle into his warmth.
Movement beyond the sheer curtain covering the windows catches your attention. “I think it’s snowing,” you murmur, lifting your chin to look at Junmyeon. Your boyfriend turns his head, exposing the expanse of his neck to you, calling you to place a gentle token of affection there with the pink of your lips.
He smiles when he feels your lips against him, but lets you out of his grip to rise from the bed. He picks up his coffee and goes to the window. You join him, curious if you had been right as he moves the curtain with the back of his free hand.
Surely enough, there are soft, chilled tufts of snow drifting by quietly, down to the street below. You watch, smile broadening at the pretty sight. Junmyeon seems to have gone still and quiet, and you turn to look at him with the feeling of his eyes on you.
As if broken from a spell, he blinks at you, cheeks flooding with a delicate pink. He busys himself taking a swig of his coffee and leaning over to place his mug on the dresser beside the window.
“You okay?” you ask, smiling at him with a gentle laugh. Your hand rises to his arm where it still has the curtain raised, and you hear him audibly sigh.
“Y/N,” he whispers, swapping his arms so he can tug you against him. Wrapping your arms around his middle, you accept his needy invitation for cuddling with your face buried in the fabric of the sweatshirt he wears. You’re content, serotonin hydrating your heart with the sound of your name on his lips.
Turning your head, you let it rest against his chest, hearing his heart beat and watching the snow drift from the top to the bottom of your window.
“I love you,” Junmyeon says quietly.
You realize suddenly how fast his heart is beating in his chest, and you’re frozen in a moment of time.
When you lift your head, agonizingly slow, he meets your eyes with a mix of emotions. Some apprehension, curiosity, fear, affection and devotion- all flitting across the galaxy of his dark eyes in a myriad of microseconds.
You feel lightheaded, remembering to breathe. It takes several seconds to swallow and gather the strength to speak. “No, you don’t.”
His brows shove together and the stars in his eyes die a little, confused, “Yes, I do.”
Shaking your head, you break away from his grasp, standing back to look at him. You want nothing more than to run back into his arms and let his words be true. You want to let yourself believe it is that easy.
But you have to protect yourself, you need to have time, “You don’t mean that,” you say with more conviction, refusing to meet his pleading expression.
Then, he steels his spine, feet planted firmly to the floor, and he sighs in frustration, “Y/N. I. Love. You. It doesn’t mean you have to say it back right now, or at all, or that we have to do something about it. It just felt right to let you know.”
You lower your head and close your eyes as if that will help to do something, although you don’t know what. To stop the thoughts racing in your head or the pounding ache of your heart or the tears welling in your eyes or the fear turning your gut sour. To block out the truth of his words or to just let go.
“I just,“ you try, exhaling deeply, “I think you should leave. I need to think.”
Junmyeon frowns. Of course he is sad, but he does what you ask. His feet move quietly toward the door and you hear him don his shoes and shut the door behind him. He does not slam it, and you almost wish he did. It would make your guilt so much easier if he yelled at you or slammed the door. It would make the echo of his words, said with such blinding genuine care, feel a lot less like a wish whispered down a hollow well.
Later that evening, you’re drunk. Drunk and sad, stumbling around in the snow in the park outside of your apartment building. You deliberately walk through a stick drawing of a heart and two initials, feeling rotten and lost and impulsive.
Your feet carry you to a messier scene. More snow, divided by a plow, sprayed with dirty water from shoes and cars at the edges of the street in ugly clumps that look the way your heart feels.
Annoyance settles over your frown. Your hands are toasty inside of your coat pockets but you have to keep removing one or the other to wipe at your chilled nose. You keep walking, and eventually pass a storefront with industrial steel and wood. It’s the sushi restaurant you went to with Junmyeon back in the spring. Looking up from your parade of snow-kicking, you see one of your favorite parks, with tall iron lamps glowing with their halogen bulbs.
The light casts shadows across the small snow drifts, as if painted black with patterns of bare tree branches. Walking closer, a serene calm possesses your weary bones, calling you to take a seat on one of the benches- a small smile tugging your lips at the sound of the snow crunching under your weight. For the hell of it, you twist slightly, snuggling back into the lofty chill of it.
The flakes fall slowly around you, still watching the shadows dancing across the untouched white. There’s something soothing in the blanket of silence around you- even in the middle of the city. A stolen moment like this at- you check your phone- three forty in the morning.
You let your mind wander, until another presence interferes with your thoughts, unwelcome. Steeling yourself to tell someone off, your head turns slightly to the left to see a tall, skinny man standing under the next lamp with his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets.
Then, he stoops down and collects a handful of snow, packs it into a tight ball, and immediately hurls it at you with half-hearted effort.
“Ow, what the fuck?” you groan aloud, flinching away to shield yourself as he does it a second time, stepping closer.
He sighs, “Don’t even act like that hurt. I could’ve thrown it harder.” You know this voice, watching for confirmation as he shakes the icy snow from his bare hands and pats them on his jeans.
The sharp jawline of none other than Oh Sehun cuts through the shadow, and he is wearing a frown when you finally see his face. He simply stares at you for a long moment before he gives up and his frown deepens, “Fuck it.”
In jeans probably more expensive than what you make in an average shift, he sits down on the snow covered bench beside you, hissing at the cold and wet feeling that surely seeps into his skin.
You say nothing in reply, still enjoying the tingling buzz of alcohol in your veins, and the bite of chill at the tip of your nose. It’s another five or ten minutes before Sehun pipes up, “Care to tell me how you’re feeling right now?”
When you face him, he’s watching you with a mix of apprehension and tenderness. “I’m feeling a lot of things,” you say, sniffling. You elaborate with a kick of your feet through the fluff of snow on the ground, “I’m worried, and scared and happy and disbelieving, to name a few.”
Sehun hums, narrowing his eyes and squaring his jaw, “Do you feel inferior or unworthy? Do you not see how much he loves you?”
Your mouth twists thoughtfully, “I feel like someday I will stop being enough. Someday I will stop being what he needs and loves. It’s happened before, and Sehun I’m-“ you choke, swallowing around the lump, “I’m so irrevocably in love with him that I am terrified of what that moment will feel like.”
“What if that moment never comes?” He watches your face without judgement, and you appreciate him all the more for it.
Clearing your throat, “How can I know it never will? I just need time to work up the courage.”
He nods, “That’s fair, I suppose. As long as you know he is so disgustingly in deep with you.”
His mock discomforted teasing pulls a quiet smile from you, and with it, a yawn.
“Come on, let’s get you home. He wanted to come find you himself, but I didn’t think you’d want to be overwhelmed right now.” He pushes against your shoulder, urging you up, “I’m freezing my ass off out here.”
“Did you track my phone?” you wonder, complying as he takes your shoulders and dusts the snow from your coat with his hands.
He nods, “Come on, I brought the car. Should still be pretty warm.”
_______________________________________
The following two days go by in a blur, and the uncertainty you feel ebbs away from your bones wearily, too exhausted to hang on. You go about your routine, you have to in order to stay afloat. You wake, go to class, go to work, shower, maybe do some homework, and then fall into a barely stable state of unconsciousness for a few hours before you’re up to do it all over again.
In the back of your busy mind, you wonder, almost without feeling, if this is the moment. If now is the time, so soon, that Junmyeon has decided he is bored or you’re not worth this kind of trouble. You chew your lip instead of the end of your pencil, letting it tap against your cheek repeatedly.
What if he is heartbroken by your refusal to accept his confession in the moment because fear made you yank up your walls just as he said the words? What if he has decided to pull his own walls up higher than you’re able to reach. What if this is the end? What if this is just the beginning? What if what if what if, the phrase parades around your thoughts like a vicious merry-go-round. You hate it.
On the table, facing down to not be a distraction, your phone buzzes gently. Luckily, the sound it creates on the wood surface doesn’t disturb the other library patrons attempting to study.
Stretching your back and twisting your tired neck, you pull your coffee closer, taking a sip and reeling at the warmth of it in one hand while you check the notification with the other.
It's your security camera app. A clip of video featuring one fluffy-haired Junmyeon entering your apartment with his key and dropping off a manilla envelope. He lingers briefly beside the kitchen counter, fingers playing with the string of the envelope before he lays it down gingerly. Something seems odd, as if he doesn’t want to leave.
After a few seconds, he looks up to the camera, possibly as if he knows you’re watching, gives a tight-lipped smile, and leaves. It leaves a strange feeling in your gut, normally he texts you when he is dropping something off to you. Perhaps now, since the camera was his idea, he doesn’t need to. You’ll see it from your phone.
You release your lip from your teeth, soothing your tongue over the deep indentations of your teeth. Looking around, the library suddenly feels like an empty cathedral instead of a cozy place of coffee and books. It is the middle of December. Not many students linger this late in the afternoon so close to the holidays.
With a sigh, you accept that your spell of focus and studying is over. Dogearing the page, you pack your bag and head out into the wind and setting sun. You don’t have work this evening, but a bath and a glass of wine to yourself sound like the perfect combination to hope for a restful night’s sleep.
Entering your apartment, you eye the envelope on the counter, right where your boyfriend left it. Part of you wants to open it immediately and sate your curiosity. Part of you is apprehensive. There is a weighted feeling of importance coming from such a mysterious package. Perhaps after your bath and wine, you’ll have a second glass at the counter while you open it. Perhaps the first glass will calm you and give you enough courage to face whatever is inside.
Decidedly, you do just that. Your phone even coos your favorite instrumental playlist from the counter in the bathroom, deliberately out of your reach. The gentle notes of the piano relax you into the warm suds, breathing deeply while you swallow, cheeks full of a simple white zinfandel. The weight of the chilled goblet in your palm feels just as comforting as the cozy swirls of lavender around your nakedness.
Wrapped up in your favorite pajamas and wine refilled, you hold your breath when you reach for the package, swiping it from the counter to open from the comfort of the couch. You set the wine glass on the coffee table with extra care, keying up your anticipation.
Peering inside the envelope, a handful of smaller envelopes peer up at you from inside. Odd, you muse, curiously letting them slide from the manilla onto the coffee table.
There are six pieces, each labeled with a number, otherwise appearing identical.
You take the first in your hands, and open it after another sip of wine. Immediately, you’re met with the familiar sight of Junmyeon’s handwriting. Letters, your mind answers for you. These are all letters. Reading the addressee line, more specifically these are letters he has written to you.
‘Ah… where to begin,’ the first sentence reads.
‘Would you know what I mean if I talked about that feeling you have when you are in someone’s presence and it feels right? Except perhaps a little more? Knowing that in time, you will feel complete while with that someone, but it’s not right away? That feeling of looking forward to building a completeness in your life with that person. That feeling.
I met someone last night who gave me that feeling. That feeling that I immediately knew I would be whole with her someday. At first, it was scary. Altogether so vexing and complex I couldn’t do anything other than feel totally stunned every time she came close. I felt terrible for my behavior in those first few minutes.
The weight of the passage of time pressed against my ribcage the longer we sat at the table, the less of an unknown length to be spent in her presence was so jarring to me it took all of my resolve to pull it together and start a conversation with her.
I’m not usually one who believes in the phrase ‘meant to be’, but I absolutely could not shake the feeling of this woman and the few simple words we shared. I liked everything about her. Beyond the physical, too. The expressions that passed over her face. The fire of her personality and the air of dignity and resolute calm that seemed to carve a home in her bones as she worked. Everything I could assess about her as a person from my seat at the table, I couldn’t look away.
She seemed to understand there was some sort of cosmic interference between us. All of the moments where I knew for a fact she wasn’t watching me, the depth of her eyes would catch me in the act of watching her work. They would settle on me, and sometimes I would be overcome with the weightlessness of space, or what I imagine it would feel like. Vast and unending, and at peace.
We played a sort of game when I realized, with a great complexity of emotion, she knew who I was. It was more than just my name, and that was not something I had anticipated. The way she spoke to me and looked at me, as if by no great feat, I were just myself. Nothing more, nothing less. Not an idol, but a person. I briefly wondered if I knew her from childhood, but could not gather any substantial evidence in my memory.
I did something that I’ve never done in my lifetime. Of my own volition, even. The thought of separating from her without knowing if I would ever see her again was something that I couldn’t accept. As if burned or suffocating. The feeling that causes you to move without thinking to escape discomfort.
I invited her to the hotel we were staying in while our dorms were being moved. Normally, I might consider that a ridiculous notion, one I didn’t think I would ever hold myself to entertain while in this industry. And yet… regardless of our intentions if the answer were yes, I needed to know if there was a mutual itch to scratch, only sated by one another.
Even without the recollection of her presence still so fresh in my mind, my skin, my bones, I think I could remember with perfect clarity how much she was able to move me. To feel as if I could move mountains with my bare hands as long as she kept looking at me.
It's terrifying, and elating.
She fell asleep easily, tucked adorably against my side. I hardly slept, too wound up with thoughts racing across the sky in my mind, seeking constellations to tell stories foretold about she and I. Hoping for more minutes with her. Hoping that minutes would turn into hours, to days, to years…
To a lifetime.
I fell asleep, my mind too exhausted to continue coherent thought. When I woke, she was nowhere to be found. I couldn’t be sure why. Whether it be her own schedule or that we hadn’t detailed what exactly our coupling was supposed to be. All I know was what I am feeling. Sadness, disappointment, even slight shame. Not that what we had done was wrong, but that I couldn’t hold on hard enough to keep her here. I have no way of contacting her, and without knowing her thoughts, I refuse to be the kind of man who shows up where she works. Perhaps she doesn’t want to see me again.
I will go about my routines, wondering whether or not I’d hurt her, whether or not she felt regret. I will spend however long it takes, wondering if I might ever see her again, and feeling a hollowness in my chest I hadn’t know was there all along before I felt her filling that void so perfectly.’
You don’t realize at first that you’re crying by the end of the letter. Tears quietly slip from your eyes, and your hands tremble just enough to make the paper move noticeably, the bottom of it smattered with a few wet drops.
Clutching the page to your chest, you let your head roll back and your lungs inhale a deep breath. Your heart hurts for him, nearly a year ago as these words he has written make themselves known to you. His thoughts and feelings that first night you met last December.
You ignore the question of why he wrote these letters but know exactly the reason why he has given them to you. It feels too easy, too surreal that he knew someday you would question, and he kept these as an investment. Proof of his truth.
Pain aches bitterly in your chest at how you pushed him out a few days ago. At how deeply and complexly he knew right from the start how much you mean to him.
You empty your wine glass in a series of greedy swallows, needing your empty goblet as an excuse to stand up and breathe for a moment. Wiping your eyes, you have an idea and know just where to put these letters.
From the top shelf of your closet, you pull down a small box, running your palm over the black leather with a smile as you place it on the coffee table. You move to the kitchen, returning to the couch seconds later with the half-empty wine bottle.
You open the box and a small smile touches your features when you see the items inside. Not many, yet, but small tokens of memories and affection shared between you and Junmyeon.
The tickets to the museum back in September, four polaroid photos taken on his camera in his room during a visit. The card he wrote you back in October, along with the bloom of a flower from the same day pressed between it. Obscurely and without his knowledge, a balled-up piece of paper with lyrics he wrote for his solo album on. Somehow, he deemed them unworthy, but you love the authenticity of them and his handwriting.
You smile, letting your hand stir a few of the pieces before you set the lid back on it, deciding these letters will join the contents of the box when you’re finished. After pouring yourself another glass and carefully folding the first letter back into its packaging, you open the second.
‘Now it’s April, and somehow, on an errant walk with the peace of my own thoughts, I found you again. At first I hadn’t been sure it was you, or that my eyes were not playing tricks on me. After several minutes of short-circuiting, I was sure it was you on that bench.
I hate to sound overly poetic, but you were too picturesque, as if the sun and all of the spring had been placed there just for you. As if you commanded the very season to flourish around your perpetuating serenity.
Part of me was torn, not wanting to disturb the scene. The greater part was unwavering in my desire to approach you, if not just to have your eyes find mine briefly. I am too selfish to let you go this time, unless you explicitly demand it. Still, I had to steel myself, apprehensive of your intentions that morning.
Luckily, your warmth toward me didn’t waver, and while I wanted to ask outright the questions that so often plagued my mind lately, I refrained. I couldn’t let the joy of the moment be ruined by bitterness.
Your stomach growled, and I remember the comfort of falling into step beside you naturally as we walked. The colors of the season are more vivid in my head, and the sharp contrast of your red dress to the green everywhere did nothing but serve as an excuse for me to look only at you.
While the food was worth the price, my stomach churned uncomfortably with the questions I needed answers to. The same questions I felt coming from you, and the confusion and hurt and desire. When you finally told me it was not a good idea, I felt my heart crack. Looking back, I wasn’t pleased with myself when I hissed out my reply. The pain was too momentous to control. That was the turning point. The conversations that followed as we went out onto the street.
It dawned on me then, that with my own anxiety and shortcomings, you had your own self-doubts. You made it clear that you saw me as the stars, and yourself little more than a spectator of them, out of reach. I realized in that moment how similar we are, and an overwhelming need to know more about you passed through me.
I am always thankful and comforted when I think back on that conversation. The relief I felt when you told me you didn’t regret it and that you wanted me as badly as I wanted you. Still want you, for the record. You defended me from even myself so vehemently, all while fighting the idea of indulging in the moment. Not just for your own benefit, but mine, too.
It was clear how much you worried over thoughts for the future, and the consideration of my feelings and your own thereafter. I’m very thankful, but I’m sure that must be exhausting. I desperately want you in my life, no matter how busy that is, and I am holding my breath in hope that you’ll want me in yours just the same.
The sex… by far, has always been indescribably real. Connecting with you in such a fashion, well, I won’t touch on it, because that isn’t what this is about. Even though I can count our meetings on one hand, this one is my favorite, so far.
Not just because of the sex, but the conversation, and the connection I felt with you through all of the planes of existence. I won’t lie, it was insurmountably frightening the moment you looked at me in the shower. More than my face, or my eyes. It took you one second to permeate the deepest center of my heart, and I could feel the warmth and safety of your soul holding mine. Oh my god, I am so cheesy.
We shared tender thoughts, and with them, pain and suffering. I like to think it was necessary in order to move forward, and I find myself wanting to grow more and more with you. Slowly, if you accept that. I don’t want to rush into things, and I want to understand you better. I want to do this right.
Even in the small, intimate moments while we ate dinner and just laid together, were blissful. I found myself unable to conjure any worries about problems I face, and even the physical manifestation of my anxiety… with you I had no sudden urge to run away and hide it. I had no feeling other than pure acceptance knowing that you were seeing a flaw of mine. You rolled with it, completely and utterly acknowledging of my existence as a person and not just an idol.
Perhaps that is why I feel so strongly so soon, and why I am so cognizant of it, rather than terrified as I should be. When I woke the next morning with your scent and your warmth still beside me, I was happier than I anticipated I would be? That sounds so peculiar, I know, but I was- even with the chaos that soon unraveled thereafter.
Still, wrapped up in new feelings and rushing to meet a schedule, I scolded myself when I left you standing in the elevator lobby without any way to stay in contact. If there are and powers or fates in this life, I am wishing for them to bring us together again. One way or another, I will find you again.’
Immediately, with as much delicacy as you can muster in your need to keep reading, you fold the pages of the second letter back into it’s envelope with a smile on your face. Reading Junmyeon’s thoughts on your meetings was not what you had expected this package to be.
It is a wonderful gift, and one you now know he did for you, even all of those months ago.
The third letter is on a different kind of paper and the ink is blue instead of black, but the differences only make you smile at the possibility that he was still thinking of writing this for you when he might have been somewhere else in the world.
‘Even at thirty-eight thousand feet, I am still thinking of you.’ Reads the first line, and you smile knowing your intuition was spot on.
‘I’m thinking of the third time I saw you. Standing still on the dance floor, with brows furrowed cutely and looking around for something. Until you quickly looked up at me, and I felt heat rise to my cheeks when you smiled.
The way you jumped as if I had shocked you, I felt it too. All night it drove me crazy the way I could feel this tether to you. Even in a space full of others, at the club, in the car, at the karaoke room- there was a strange sense of presence. As if I could see and hear everyone, even participated in conversations, but from underwater? Suddenly I noticed that perhaps that is how my life has been all along, but the moment we would touch would be as if everything around were in such perfect clarity it felt like I was there for the first time. I know that sounds crazy.
It drove me crazy, but I gave you whatever emotion space you wanted. I didn’t push what we were, didn’t try to pressure you into acknowledging the tension between us as more than sexual compatibility. Then, in the darkness of that awful karaoke bar, I broke. I knew Jongdae wasn’t a threat- he has a girlfriend. I knew everything was fine but found myself exiting the room to look for you anyway.
Then, you provoked me and I can’t help but wonder if you wanted me to be the aggressor all along. If you wanted me to be the one to break first and make a claim. I’m not upset about it, really. It worked out in the end, right? Still, the thought of you being with someone else the way you’ve been with me is very painful. Luckily, I was and still am confident in what we have. That it is profound.
The moment you spilled the truth I felt high. Not like a drug high but untouchable nonetheless. Powerfully, cosmically existent in that moment, and all I could do was kiss you. I knew it didn’t mean we had jumped from point A to point Z, but A to B was still progress forward.
I can’t help but smile when I remember the cute, embarrassed way you tried to explain that to Jongin later on. Take no mind- I am not looking to rush into a relationship. I am happy with small steps, and to finally have your contact information.’
You’re smiling and laughing by the end of this letter. You feel a little bit better, and a whole lot more in love with the man who wrote these. Part of you in a little sad at how short this third one is, but he has spoiled you, and you consider his schedule and lack of privacy in writing these.
Quickly, with the woeful glee of having to put down the best book of all time, you rush to relieve your bladder of the wine you’ve consumed this evening. A very small wedge of your consciousness notes the way your mood has shifted for the better at this simple and thoughtful gift. At the confirmations of his feelings and his thoughts that you’ve spent months trying to guess.
You realize that perhaps you were not communicating as openly as you thought you were. A lot of guessing and assuming about one another over the last year makes you feel a little bit silly, but you smile nonetheless at the progress and growth you’ve done.
Situated back on the couch comfortably, you fold the third letter back into it’s envelope with a contented hum, replacing it in your hands with the fourth. This one feels heavier and thicker, with more pages.
‘You are my girlfriend now, as I write this letter.’ He starts, and you can clearly conjure the image of a grin that would be warming his cheeks as he wrote that line.
‘Progress, and good progress at that, feels very fulfilling. Although my schedules keep me from seeing you as often as I would like, I feel satisfied with being able to contact you regularly while I go about my business.
The weeks we have spent getting to know one another, talking and texting and video chatting have been nothing short of a blessing. It makes me realize how much people, myself included, can take this kind of simple connection for granted. I spent some weeks without a way to contact you, so I do my best to be more thankful for it now.
In the last few weeks, it has felt like war with ourselves and what we could be, and I sincerely apologize if I ever seemed frustrated at you- I am not, and never was. You have always been right to be cautious and you are so considerate of my feelings and then your own, even if the consideration isn’t a good one. It doesn’t matter now, and I can’t say I am regretful that we spent time weighing those things out.
It may seem silly or superstitious but I feel like our relationship is deeper and we have a better understanding of what we are to one another now that we have been through that together. Had we rushed into it without more concern, I might be wary of how strong we are.
I was embarrassed when I called to tell you about the incident with the interviewer in the States. There was a lot happening and I was not sure on what was going to come of us yet. I was very surprised by how strong the repulsion to lie about us felt, and I failed to keep it off of my face and out of my professional life. Looking back, especially after calling you, I am sorry if it caused you any panic.
I had a long discussion with the managers and Mr. Lee when I got back, but it was after I had talked to Jongdae on the plane about it, and he gave me a lot of good advice on how to deal with it publicly. Please do not misunderstand or have doubts about what I told you- I was never pressured or given an ultimatum about you.
I told them that being with or without you was not negotiable before it even began. Typically, I am not the one to speak up in such a momentous conversation, but I have only ever been so sure about something twice in my life. First, about being a singer, and second, about being with you.
In the end, I was told it would only be a problem if the behavior continued. Eventually, we would have to go public, but I am free to keep my private life as such so long as I can maintain my idol publicity separately. Still, I needed some space from the familiarity and constant reminder of stress. I left, without telling anyone where I was going or for how long, to blow off steam.
The shock was pleasant when you told me you were accepting of a relationship. I was happy and thought perhaps you had talked about it to Soohyun, the same way I talk to Sehun. Those two are ridiculous. It helped melt the stress I’d been feeling with work.
My feet carried me to your apartment anyway, now that I knew how to get there. Even if I wanted to refrain or resist, I knew you, in any form, would be the balm of relief I needed. I was prepared to hold you and talk and just let your presence ease away the anxiety. The last thing I was expecting was the gift of news you wanted more.
I had been back and forth with it in my own head, whether or not I should have even told you. Since the beginning of our perpetual theories concerning the start of a relationship, I knew there was something you were not telling me. Don’t take it the wrong way- I don’t hold it against you, and I don’t expect you to tell me everything right away. Earning enough trust and comfort with me to tell me when you’re ready is enough.
That is not the reason I didn’t want to say anything at first. More that you seemed… tense or stressed about your own internal deliberating. I’ve seen first-hand, you’re the type to put others before yourself, so I didn’t want to burden you with that. It felt like taking advantage of you to do so.
Then, with the simple confession of wanting this, of wanting me, and wanting me with you, it changed. I trusted you enough to let you in. You wanted to help me, and I am incredibly grateful. You’ve always wanted to help me, and I would be a blind fool if I ever considered that were not a priority for you, even from day one.
By the end of the conversation, I felt more connected with you than I ever had before. I’m certain, at least in some sense, that was a bonus in the way you helped me relieve that stress. The way you took care of me, so to speak.
Even the sex that followed seemed to have more weight or meaning. That it was more than just sex? When we settled into your bed I had a moment of realization that it was the first night I was sleeping in your bed with you, and that we were in a relationship. I was so exhausted, but I tried my best to remember every detail of your space. Although the way I woke up wasn’t that pleasant, I slept the best I had in weeks. I think I owe that to you.
What happened thereafter, I know we’ve talked about it at length and that you’re okay, but I feel like part of your love language are words of affirmation. With that in mind, I will say again that you will never have to be sorry for struggling.
I understand, at least to some extent, what you’ve been through. It makes my heart ache to know you’ve been through a similar pain to mine and the perpetual, vicious cycle of hate and doubt and fear within your own head.
When I think about it, you amaze me. Having been through that, and perhaps to people outside of you and I, you might appear mysterious or standoffish. Sehun’s words, not mine, but only at first I assure you. I realize it is how you greet the unknown parts of the world, to protect yourself.
But then to get to know the caring and tender way you hold those close to you. Be it myself, Soohyun or even now Sehun and the rest of my members. The way you talk about memories of your Father. It fills me with such relief and that feels selfish and wrong. To be thankful that even after all you’ve been through, and to understand it so completely, that you still love.
I understand it so well how you’ve guarded yourself and it takes work to peel back the walls layer by layer to let someone else care about you the way you care about your people. I will never push you, but please, please know I am working as hard as I can to gently peel back those layers and to earn enough trust to let me love you the way you deserve, even if you might not think you do.
I know that there will be days where you look at the world as if everything is hateful and ugly, and I understand that I might not be able to help you. I really do, but I will never judge you for that. I will encourage you to continue with therapy and taking your medication and to love the world and to let it love you back. Hopefully, one by one, those instances of hate are less and less, replaced by better ones.
I will protect you with everything I have and I am scared, too. Afraid that one day when the glimmer of idol life dies and I’m not in the spotlight, that everyone who has ever looked at me with adoration will turn away. That the name Junmyeon will never shine the way Suho does. I know I am not perfect. I never have been and I never will be, and that’s okay.
It took me a long time to get through that, with therapy and my own medication. There was a lot of unhappiness and innate anxiety in understanding that when I am retired and finished, I will not be alone. That there will be other people, eight specifically, going through the same thing, right there beside me. Hopefully you will be, too.
I remember the bliss of the rest of that morning. The pure, natural contempt to be in your apartment with you, such a place that has you so deeply instilled in every piece I never wanted to leave the safety of it.’
You feel a lump, but don’t let the tears fall from this letter. Looking back on Junmyeon’s last words to you, you wonder if somewhere within this letter is the time he first decided he loved you. He didn’t explicitly write it, but the way he wrote it gives you a sense that it was somewhere in these words.
The fifth letter begins with the echo of a phrase you remember hearing him say the first time you woke up with him in his bed.
‘I’m happy.
More specifically, I am happy with you. As worried as I was about having you over to the dorm for anything at all, I am pleased how much you fit into that space with grace and ease. Looking back, my worries were baseless. Every challenge I think you’re facing with me and my schedules and my members, you accept them and seem to move through them all without issue.
It's relieving to be able to let you share even this part of myself. I know it has been something we’ve been back and forth on since we met, but I had been scared of the idea of sharing a part of Suho for once, instead of Junmyeon.
Not that I doubted you- simply that I was uncomfortable, and not ready. With a sudden clarity it makes perfect sense why you were not keen on me being in your space, either. I’m happy we’ve moved past those fears.
All of my members accept you, if you couldn’t tell. I have to take care of them, too. I couldn’t be selfish in inviting you into a home that is not only mine without considering their opinions. Even the members that weren’t present were on board with my invitation and happy for us to be where we are.
Somewhere in this last week, I think I realized I love you. I’m not sure when, but somewhere between finally going to your apartment and today, I know it. I’m making a promise to both you and myself that I will tell you in person for the first time. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us if it is any other way first, and I know you enough now to be sure I’ll probably be the one who says it first.
I don’t even know if I’ll ever give you these letters, or when really they became less of a journal and more of a letter of confession. You can probably tell by the well-worn pages that I’ve read these several times by now. You might laugh if I ever tell you how many times I re-wrote them, too.
Y/N, my sweetheart, I can’t even begin to describe how fond I am of you. Please tell me if I ever become overbearing or suffocating in my love for you. Were it not for the reprimanding I’d get, or the fact that we would have to go public (something I never want to put you through), I would shout it from the rooftop and scream it during every ending comment I make, on every stage in every part of the world.’
The fifth letter might be short, but it is sweet and you feel a bigger pang of guilt at having pushed him out knowing how much he loves you, now more than ever. You desperately want to call him. To have him back here in your arms and to tell him you’re sorry and confirm exactly how he feels is the same.
Instead, you tell yourself to calm down, and read the last letter. It’s getting later, but you know he will still be awake when you’re finished and there is absolutely no way in hell you’ll be able to sleep without him tonight. So you quell your racing heart with a simple text. It doesn’t give anything away, and you hope you won’t have to wait long after you finish reading the last for him to show up at your door.
‘Please come over.’
You can’t hit send fast enough, and settle right in to reading the final letter.
‘This letter is a little different, because I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to write individual ones. I’m doing my best to remember the last few months with you and all of the memories we’ve made. I worry I’ll forget them if I don’t write them down soon enough, and I don’t know when these will ever make their way to you.
I’ll give you all of the ones I’ve written so far once I think you’re ready to read them. I have a feeling a day will come when I tell you how I feel, and you’ll hide. I won’t be upset with you or judge you, I know it’s terrifying, and I think having these letters will be helpful. Perhaps once you see how well-worn some are, and how clearly I’m recalling the moments, you’ll know I’ve written them all with you in mind. How I am always thinking of you. How I love you.
For weeks it has been hard not to tell you how I feel every time I open my mouth in your presence. Some moments smaller or bigger than others, but none any less meaningful than the one before it. I think my favorite, of all the adventures we’ve had over the summer, is dinner.
The way you described summer and the magic of it- I don’t think you realized how much of that magic came from you. As if your smile were the spell that kept the world from falling asunder. Maybe it was because it was so close to the moment I first realized my feelings for you, only a week later, but it doesn’t matter.
I enjoyed the museum a lot, too. More than a typical museum, the fun that we shared, even when things went a little sideways was still full of care and laughter. I don’t know if you could feel the culmination of my feelings brimming over in the rain later that day, or in the way I held you as if you were the world. I hope you felt it.
Sometimes I was nervous when I would reach home with my bag and realize there was something else I left back at your place. Not that I minded, but I didn’t want you to feel like I did it intentionally or that I was invading your space. In hindsight it seems to have been perfectly natural, and I remember how shy you were to give me a key to your apartment.
That surprising gift was unexpected, but one I keep close. I don’t know how many times I’ve thanked you for letting me have one and letting me be there whenever I want to. I hope you don’t mind if I thank you once more, honestly. You may not know this, but more than just for spending time with you- it is a safe place for me.
It’s somewhere I can go and don’t have to hide and I can get away from the members and the constant reminder of the never-ending chaos of idolism. I can sleep and it is silent and if I’m lucky, you eventually appear beside me and I sleep better than I ever do at home.
I can remember your fear leading up to Halloween about meeting other people at the company and being in the presence of new people as my girlfriend. I can also remember the taste of you right before that party, but I don’t want to have any… issues, while I’m writing this in the dance studio, so I won’t write about it.
We’re working on choreography for some of the new tracks and brushing up on old favorites today. It’s never been a question I thought to ask you, but I’m curious what song is your favorite. I have a feeling, knowing the way you react to me as my alter ego, if Obsession is the answer.
Things are going well with promotions. Perhaps I’ve complained a little too loudly about not getting to see you as often to our staff, but I was so shocked when you showed up to our stage yesterday! It was very thoughtful of them to invite you, and I was impressed none of the members got wind of it.
What happened thereafter backstage… I hope you understand how much you mean to me and that I never wanted to pressure you like that. We were pushing boundaries all over the place, and while I was admittedly nervous at first to engage in sexual play with you while in that role, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I did it for you. It was all about you, and I can’t help but feel like I overstepped and perhaps instilled some doubts about us in you. Please know that was never my intention and I just as connected with you as I always do. I was, and still am thrilled to know you only want me. We both know I can be a bit jealous and possessive, so hearing that was delightful.
However, I meant what I said- if it is mutual, I’m okay with it. Healthy, even, to have a little bit of adventure. Please don’t feel guilty about it, it kept me excited too. It’s good for us to talk about all kinds of things, even hard to swallow topics. I’m proud to be able to communicate openly with you, and I think it makes us stronger.’
You sigh, sad to see an end to his thoughts on paper, but feeling a sense of relief at his sentiments about your latest shenanigans, just days ago. Checking your phone, it appears that Junmyeon has read your message, but not responded yet, and you worry if he will or if he is upset.
No, that can’t be right. Exactly as his letter has said, he knew a time would come that you would need to have some sort of evidence of his love when he finally told you. This is precisely what you needed him to say, and that he could already tell, even those months ago, that you might need this kind of investment to understand the truth is another piece of his love on its own.
This collection of his feelings is so warm and whole that it brings more tears to the brim of your eyes, and you’re faced with the absolute truth that there’s no way he is upset with you. He was strategically waiting for you to return his feelings and the idea that you shoved him out makes the tears fall.
You’re surprised to hear when the door opens and closes behind you, and when you turn around to face him, knowing it is him, he only gives you a dazzling smile as he slips off his shoes.
Your boyfriend. Your Junmyeon, the one who, as crazy as that may seem, loves you as much as you love him. Gingerly, you set the last letter down, noticing it is still clutched in your fingers.
“Hi, sweetheart.” He greets you from the entry.
Marveling at him, you’re not convinced he is even real and standing here in your home looking like everything you’ve ever wanted and everything you’ll ever need.
He grins, with the apples of his cheeks dusted rose from the cold sitting high and warm on his face. His eyes crinkle with mirth and he whispers, “That good, huh? No words?”
You want to punch him for it, but perhaps softly, with your mouth. It doesn’t register for several seconds that you’ve been holding your breath, until you let it out and drag in fresh oxygen.
It's enough to spur you into action, bounding from the couch and into his arms, uncaring if your tears stain his scarf. He doesn’t seem to mind, either, by the way he adjust so your arms wrap around him from inside of his unzipped coat.
“Are you alright now?” he wonders aloud, not exactly looking for an answer but curiously chirping nonetheless because he wants the verbal confirmation that you are in fact, just fine.
When you look up at him from the warmth of his sweatshirt and scarf with eyes full of magic, he is lost and in love all over again, until finally you say what he knows.
“I love you.” You announce proudly to him, and the immediate gratification you feel melts any tension from your shoulders. His expression morphs into unbridled happiness, curling his lips into his mouth and scrunching his brows together as if the words were the sweetest thing he has ever heard.
“Say it again,” he demands, “I’m selfish and I want to hear you say it again.”
You smile, “I love you, Junmyeon.”
He absolutely giggles. The pure glee that captures him as you step back with barely concealed impatience while shrugs off his coat and scarf is infectious, or maybe it’s the light and joyous sound of his laughter.
In seconds he has scooped you into his arms and kisses you. You can feel his heart pounding right out of his chest where you’re pressed against it. When he breaks for air, he asks you, “Did you like them?”
Setting you down on the couch, you refuse to part from him when he gets comfortable, crawling back into his lap and holding his face in your hands. Just to look at him and make sure he is actually here, you let the warmth of your hands flood his skin and he smiles up at you as if you the only thing in the universe worth looking at.
There’s no rush to make it more than what it is, and you realize you haven’t answered his question. “I am beyond words to explain how much they mean to me.” You look behind you briefly to see them on the coffee table.
“And,” you begin, moving some of his hair from his eyes, “I am so sorry.”
His brows furrow together immediately, trying to hush your apology, but you press a finger to his lips before he can do more than groan in disapproval.
“I mean it, let me apologize,” you coax. Only when he has settled do you remove your finger from his lips, tickled by his constant puckering to hiss it.
“It took me reading these letters to finally learn that all this time you’ve done nothing but look out for me. You have always been there for me, taking all of my doubts in stride with a calm confidence I sometimes took as shallow or lukewarm feelings, and for that I am so sorry.”
“In these letters you’ve told me about your own anxieties and fears, and I want to assure you the way you’ve always done for me by saying I will never turn away from you.” You hold his face again, gently cupping his cheeks and smiling sadly at the cute way his cheeks squish his face, “Ever.”
You kiss his puckered lips and continue, “I am sorry I ever doubted you, even if you tell me I don’t need to be. It doesn’t feel fair that while I had all of these issues, you were there with nothing but faith, proclaiming with a profound clarity that we would both make it out on the other side, even if I couldn’t see it.”
“Stop it,” he fusses gently.
“No,” you poke the end of his nose and continue, “So I want you to know how sorry I am and that I promise you when I say I am in love with you- I mean it.”
He smiles, “Can I talk now?”
Grinning in return, you nod.
“I didn’t write those letters to make you feel bad about yourself for having doubts or fears. It’s normal, and I didn’t always have just blind faith. I had my own doubts about how much you felt our connection and how deep your feelings for me were.”
He rewards your silent attention with a quick, chaste kiss. “The answer is probably not, but do you know how protective your head is of your heart?” His hand rises to prod at your forehead gently. He explains further, “All of the defense it has created to keep you safe so you don’t get hurt again is not a bad thing. I just had to be patient, steady and sure about my feelings towards you. I knew you would figure it out.”
“Looking back over the last year at the progress we’ve made, at least to me, has really made us stronger. Look at how far we’ve come, Y/N. Not just as individuals, but together. I don’t know if it looks the same as mine, but I imagine the colors of your world feel a lot richer with me in them, right?”
He looks at your eyes for confirmation, and you nod, “It’s the same for me, too. You make me a better person, and I love you. The good and the bad and the sad and that’s okay. Relationships don’t have to be just good stuff all of the time. There is so much more complexity involved, but we’re supposed to be in it together.”
“I know that now.” You affirm, laying your head on his shoulder and snuggling further into him.
“Good.” He whispers, kissing your forehead. Already, you want to reread the letters.
After a few silent moments pass between you listening to the sound of quiet happiness, you lift your head from his neck to look at him.
“Can I tell you something?” you wonder aloud, letting your fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck.
He looks up at you and hums, “You’re going to tell me anyway, aren’t you?”
It pulls a smile to your lips as you nod, ensuring you have his full attention. Remembering the contents of the letters, you have to tease him as you admit, “My god you’re cheesy!”
You’re now sure the sound of your mutual laughter is one of your favorites. It takes a minute for both of you to quell, settling into a pile of happiness. Once more, for good measure, you feel the urge to tell him again.
Taking his cheeks in your hands again, you dip your head until your forehead rests on his and a kiss is granted to his lips. “I love you.”
End.
Suho-reader [it has angst and mentions of alcohol, non idol + adulthood] 628 words
The bitterness of the whiskey burns my tongue when I sip my cup. My eyes are static looking from the other side of the room to Suho, my boyfriend. He looks fancy with his expensive suit and golden rings, his hair is all pulled back, he looks like a prince.
But it’s not his looks that caught my attention this evening. The woman by his side who is making him smile like he owns the world is the cause of my stare. I don’t feel jealousy about them, I should feel, but it’s been a while since me and Suho are not the same as we used to be.
I’m happy for him that his tech company is now one of the biggest ones in the world. I helped him with my publicity company to build a reputation. But over these last eight months our relationship became a marketing thing, the famous heir and his girlfriend trying to launch an almost impossible technology. But we did it.
We have grown a lot, and this growth showed itself between us, making us apart.
I watch as the woman's hands find his shoulder while she throws her head back and laughs. She is pretty, he knows it.
I finish my drink and put it above some expensive piece of furniture. Xiumin is saying something to me while I start to move in the direction of the big doors of the ball room, but I don’t have the strength to pretend that I care.
My business here has finished, we helped each other, we grew with each other. Now it’s time to go.
The street is cold when I step in the sideway with my thin sequin dress, the only thing I have with me is my cell phone. I cross my arms and start to walk home, I take my time to enjoy the beginning of the autumn in New York. Late night taxis, drunk people falling near stairs and loneliness like me.
I am three blocks away when a black Jaguar stops by my side, I’m not frightened because I know this is Suho’s car. He steps out of it looking worried.
“What are you doing here?”
“I just came to breathe fresh air.” I give him an apologetic smile and he exhales looking around.
“The streets are dangerous.”
“You should go back.” I spat right away and his eyes widened at my tone.
“What happened?”
“Don’t you see?” I question him back and he shakes his head.
“See? What?”
“We're done, Suho. It’s over.”
I see him stumbling on his feet, my heart aches but it’s not a big pain. Is just the feeling that something that made me feel good came to its end. Suho nods his head looking down, he raises his head, appeased. We still liked each other, but the love we were supposed to feel had died long ago.
“Indeed. We are done.”
I give him a sad smile and a nod of head. Years dating to end like that, in a dark and cold street of New York.
“I’ll see you around.” I say and begin walking with my front still looking at Suho.
“Be careful.” His tone is loud enough for me to hear it. I nod again and blink one eye at him.
“I will.”
I turn my back to Suho and my thoughts are filled with happy moments of us. I don’t turn back to him, and I don’t try to reach him when I get home. What is done is done, we are supposed to grow and change in relationships, and that has happened to us. We grew, we changed, we broke up. No harsh feelings or deception, just the feeling of a chapter that ended in our life.
Life never goes as planned, when she was younger she always imagined as reaches her mid twenties she would be married with kids. Instead she’s stuck at home helping take care of an sick grandmother and still desperately searching for her fathers approval. The only thing in her life that makes her feel normal is Junmyeon.
♡ status: on going
♡ genre: non idol au, romance, angst, smut
♡ pairing: Kim Junmyeon x reader
♡ warnings: sexual content, cussing, crying and lots of emotions.
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