#k radio!

[ikeu05]

“omg will you do lush life with me?” nishimura riki | smau one-shot

where all your bsf does is throw you off requested by @wonuziex

masterlist prompt list bsf! riki x fem! reader. fluff & crack. childhood friends! au. friends to lovers! au. profanities. gas tanks cos riki farts HAHHSHSH (i'm not a 7th grader i swear). use of 'good boy'. pics are not mine.

@jaysguitarstring @wenomakiluvr @amatariki @dyitpink @wonzzziezzzz @ezekiel-bublz @rairaiblog @1-itsneverthatserious-1 @yuyita-rosier @haechansbbg @jakeznii @xoenhalover @dolluvsyun @luhvletters @baekmiyaa @hollxe1 @unintentionalbee @ikeuheartz @luvchaew @heelovesmeknot @kirakun @shhh1233728 @weepingsweep @tinyteezer @firstclassjaylee @dazeymazey11 @lovenha7 @simjaeyunlvrclub @zoe1love @wonietree @wonuziex @seyoungiesleeps @ori2ari

ikeu05, 2026.

[misojunnie]

DELICATE ─ psh. ☆

does love ever cross the line?

# genre: rich kid!enemy!sunghoon x fem!reader, forbidden love, enemies to lovers, slow burn, family feud, non idol au

# warnings: substances, lots of pining/angst, cursing, insults, mature jokes, implied sex, I have no idea how businesses work plz don’t roast me

# featuring: sunghoon & enha! + le sserafim

# playlist: delicate by taylor swift, take care by beach house, love by kendrick lamar, babydoll by dominic fike, hurts so good by astrid s

# a/n: hello all! been a long time :,( my life has taken several turns since I started this account, and I've been so preoccupied with my own bs that running this blog is becoming harder than ever... hence my little disappearing act. but I don't want to disappoint u guys! this fic was supposed to be released several months but it completely slipped my mind :( I decided to log in once again to finally let you all see it! I hope you like it and I hope to be back again soon 💓 much love to all my dedicated readers and I appreciate you all more than you know!

# word count: 13.2k

# taglist: @lovialy @minniejenseo @powerpuffstuts @mnxnii @idkdykilr @ionlyreadforfanfics @heelovesmeknot @100520s @simjyunnie @scrumptiousloser @eneiyri @pinkkami @milkycloudtyg @enhypenlovre @pinkkami @m3chigo @saythenameseventeen178 @desistay @capri-cuntz.@taerifin @ohmykwonsoonyoung @vixensss

# unable to tag: @hohohobo

this was written upon anon request; check it out here!

when your father’s company cratered after a faulty business deal, a vendetta was formed between your family and the biggest export company in south korea. but that rivalry begins to falter when you fall in love with the ceo’s son.

[more under the cut!]

You hated the business world. 

It was ruthless. Bloodless. It had no heart and no compassion. It taught you that humans were created to tear their own kind apart; it was a dog eat dog world.

A couple years ago, your family’s company went bankrupt, and you blamed it all on the Park Company. Fine, maybe your father held some culpability for throwing his business away in a deal that was obviously so faulty. But naivete and malice were entirely different things altogether; one was mostly harmless. The other? Not so much.

The Park Company was the most ruthless corporation in the business world. Working in any kind of business guaranteed running into them sooner or later. And now, not only had they run your business into the ground, they owned over ¾ of your company’s wealth in stock. Not that it was worth much anyway.

Well, it turns out fixing your father’s mistake was a little harder than you thought. Reviving a company from the dead was difficult, especially when public opinion wasn’t exactly favorable. So you made the riskiest decision yet; to start from scratch. You invested all your family’s ruined fortune on establishing your dream hotel. Even if it was the last thing you did, you would have more than a ruined corporation as your legacy.

With ten cents to your name and a pipe dream, you managed to create what would later be the most successful hotel chain in South Korea. Your wealth grew, and so did your reputation. Some praised you for making such a comeback, some degraded you for your family’s mistakes. And it definitely didn’t help that your father became a raging drunkard after his failure, raving the streets like a maniac. You even considered having him taken out just so he’d stop damaging your reputation, but you decided against it. To you, it didn’t matter. Your success was your only concern.

Destroying your life was all in a day’s work for the Parks. They were so obscenely powerful, that losing a mere company like yours was like losing an eyelash. Meaningless. You were nothing to them.

You hated them with a vengeance. They didn’t even know your name.

Or so you thought.

☆☆☆

Awards banquets were Sunghoon’s least favorite part of being in business. Forget the ruthlessness and backstabbing, dressing up in a suit and pretending to be successful blew all that warfare out of the water.

“It’s too tight.”

“It’s fine. You’ll be fine. Just stop complaining.”

“I’m not kidding, Jake. Loosen it or I’ll kill you.” Jake sighed, tugging on the navy blue tie until it was hanging loosely around Sunghoon’s neck, a stark and messy contrast to his crisp black suit and neat button up.

“Jesus Christ. After fifteen years, you’d think you’d know how to tie a tie.” Jake said, shaking his head as his best friend checked his hair in the mirror. 

“Are you sure we have to go to this thing tonight?” Sunghoon huffed, brushing a stray piece of hair into place.

“Don’t be stupid. You’ve been going to these galas since you were six, and dragging me along with you.” Jake scoffed, pushing Sunghoon’s head from behind and ruining his hairstyle yet again, the latter glaring at him.

Jake Sim, heir to the Sim corporation. An airplane manufacturing company that was this close to going under when the Parks took pity and bought nearly all their stock. These days, their company was worth next to nothing, but young Sunghoon took Jake under his wing, and there was no escaping now, to his chagrin. Though they’d never admit it, they had grown very fond of each other.

“You love it.” Sunghoon teased, tearing his eyes away from the mirror after checking his hair a last time. “God, I can’t believe we’re still having these idiotic galas. Everyone just knows they’re a coverup for big corporations to distract from the fact that they’re abusing their poor workers.”

“Nobody cares these days. Put a bow on anything and the media will eat it up.” Jake said, adjusting his tie before slapping his friend on the shoulder. “Ready to ruin some lives? Destroy some young futures?”

“Not funny.” Sunghoon warned, pointing his finger at Jake while trying to tug on his shoes with the other hand. “You know how much I hate the company.”

“Say that as much as you want, but you’re still wearing shoes bought with your daddy’s blood money.” Sunghoon huffed.

“Hm...I suppose you’re right.” he said, putting his hands on his hips.

“C’mon, let’s get you to the ball, Prince Charming.” Jake dragged Sunghoon out of the room by the wrist, locking it behind him, Sunghoon in tow.

Sunghoon sighed. God, how he hated his life. A legacy built on deception, and nothing he could do about it. Him and Jake made their way to the elevators, his dull eyes disappearing behind the closing doors.

He didn’t belong anywhere. Certainly not here.

☆☆☆

On the other side of the city, you were having an entirely different conversation.

“Take that off, Chae.” you said, biting into an apple. Your red lipstick bled into the fruit as you stared judgingly at Chaewon’s enormous diamond necklace.

“But it’s so pretty.” she crossed her arms, but you gave her a stern glance and she turned around to change with a roll of her eyes. “And you, put that out.” you swatted at Jay’s hand, a lit cigarette perched between his two fingers, roiling smoke spilling from the top. “You’re gonna make my new dress smell like smoke.”

“Jeez, what’s got your panties in a twist?” Jay asked, putting out his cigarette on the corner of the coffee table, which made you frown. “No need to stress. You’ve done this business routine a million times over.”

“I’m just nervous, I guess.” you said, hands fidgeting in your lap.

“I thought you didn’t care what the Parks thought about you.”

“I don’t.” you said firmly, tongue poking into the flesh of your left cheek. “I just want things to go smoothly, that’s all.”

“So you’re not gonna stand up to those fuckers that ruined your life? No protest?” Jay asked, resting his chin on his hand. “You always wanted to take them down.”

“Of course I do. But tonight’s not the night.” you sighed, rubbing your forehead, smudging your foundation and cursing when you realized what you had done. “I just want to be put together, just for one night.”

“Well you certainly look the part, honey.” he said, eyes trailing over your floor length red gown. “You’re a proper businesswoman.”

“I hope so.” you laughed.

“You’re gonna kill it. I know it for a fact.” Jay said, pressing a kiss to your cheek before standing. “Now let’s get you to this ball.” You grinned up at him, getting to your feet and brushing the dust off your skirt with determination.

“Let’s show these people who the Queen company is.”

☆☆☆

When the email stated “an intimate gathering”, you didn’t exactly expect nearly 300 people crammed into a dancing hall. The building was bursting at the seams to hold all the milling guests as they sipped on champagne and dined on fine food, laughing boisterously, teeth chattering. You hid your mouth behind the rim of your glass. You didn’t want to talk to a single person tonight.

Across the room, Sunghoon was doing the same. He had just about enough of the noise, and was considering running to the bathroom to hide when his father clapped him on the back and engaged him in a conversation he didn’t care about.

You wished you could escape.

He wished he could escape.

You stood, leaving your empty glass on the tray of a passing waiter as you walked around the crowded hall, searching the crowd for anything of interest. Your eyes landed on the desserts, and you beelined for the table of sugary treats, hoping to at least find a bit of solace in them, head down as you avoided the public eye.

Your hand bumped into another’s when you reached for the tiramisu.

“Oh, excuse me.” he said softly. He was beautiful. Dark eyes, silken hair and pink lips. His posture was straight as a ruler, shoulders back and a kind look on his face. It was almost too cliche, running into this beautiful stranger. 

If only you didn’t know who he was.

You turned to look at him, eyes meeting. “It’s you.” you said, and he stiffened at the sight of your face. “I was wondering when we would meet.”

Sunghoon wasn’t expecting the daughter of the Queen Company to be so beautiful. Sure, he had seen pictures, but they had never done you justice. And putting a face to the name was suddenly making him dizzy.

“Hello.” he said politely, avoiding your eyes as he gulped, throat dry. “I’m Park Sunghoon. Son of the Park company president.”

“Oh, I know who you are.” you waved him off. “No need for introductions between us. Time is valuable, let’s not waste it.”

“And patience is a virtue, so let’s make time.” Sunghoon said, smiling a tight lipped smile with his hands behind his back.

You looked at him skeptically. You didn’t think it was possible for Sunghoon to be more of a prick than you expected him to be, but he had somehow done it.

“Y/n Y/l/n,” you said, holding out your hand for a handshake. “President of the Queen company.” Rather than shaking your hand, Sunghoon bowed his head, his lips brushing over your knuckles as he held your hand, pressing a chaste kiss to it.

“Charmed.” he said, and your brows raised instinctively.

“I’m sure.” you scoffed, pulling your hand away and rubbing it on the side of your dress in disgust. Sunghoon’s eye twitched. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m rather busy.”

“With what, buzzing around the dessert table?”

“With running a business.” you snapped, turning on your heel and walking away as fast as you could. Sunghoon watched, listening to the faint clicking of your off-brand heels against the marble floor, shaking his head the moment you were out of sight.

He totally fucked that up.

“Jesus, that guy is more of an asshole than I thought.” you huffed, taking your assigned seat and placing the desserts you had gathered on the table, Chaewon excitedly reaching for a mango pudding.

“What, is that even possible?” Jay asked, sparking up another cigarette. You swatted the lighter out of his hand, and he scowled.

“Apparently so.” you sighed, leaning back in your chair and crossing your arms. You couldn’t wait for this night to end. You could feel eyes on you from all sides, judging, watching your next move. Waiting for you to fuck up, waiting for you to make a mistake or a rash decision they could broadcast to the media.

“I think we started off of on the wrong foot.” you heard a voice say from behind you, and you craned your neck to meet the eyes of Park Sunghoon, yet again. Those damn dark eyes. Swimming with emotion.

“I think there’s a reason for that.” you responded sharply, quick as a whip.

“Let’s start over. What do you say?” he grinned, leaning his head down until he was at your level, ignoring the stares he received from your friends.

“I say I’d rather die than become acquainted with you. Sorry.” you said very unapologetically, pleased with the put-out expression on his face.

“Well,” he said, straightening up and adjusting his jacket indignantly. “Doesn’t someone have an enormous chip on her shoulder.” Your smug expression crashed, morphing into a scowl. “Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Y/l/n.” With that, he stalked away, nose turned up and an unpleasant look on his face.

“Stupid piece of shit.” Jay said, sparking up his cigarette with the lighter he retrieved from the floor. You didn’t try to stop him, just stewing in your own displeasure. You couldn’t believe that audacious bastard. Was he aware that his family was the sole reason for the ‘enormous chip on your shoulder’?

You tried not to let it get to you, and quickly gave up. Suddenly, this was feeling all too real, and you got to your feet, brushing off your dress, bunching it in your hands. You felt like you were going to throw up.

“Bathroom.” you mumbled, pushing your way past to get to the exit.

☆☆☆

If you didn’t know better, you’d think Park Sunghoon’s spirit was haunting you on purpose. The only thing convincing you otherwise was the fact that he was alive and well –to your chagrin.

You sat, fuming from your office as his snotty face stared at you from a newly mounted billboard across the street, a wide smile on his face as he endorsed some brand of cologne. So not only was he a scumbag businessman, now he was some kind of model? It turned your stomach to think about it.

“I want that billboard down, now.” you grumbled, dropping your head onto your desk in despair as Jay watched you with amusement.

“I can get someone to set it on fire, if you want.”

“Not necessary, but I appreciate the thought.” you said, standing and pacing around the room restlessly. “We need to take them down.” Jay snorted, taking a seat in one of your office chairs, twirling around comfortably.

“What, take down the biggest corporation in the country? It’s not as easy as it seems, honey.” You glared at him, continuing to pace. “Look, don’t get me wrong. I wholeheartedly support your ventures to destroy Park Sunghoon, but don’t you think your fury is a bit misplaced? His father is the one that destroyed your company.”

“Evil by association.” you waved him off. “Plus, he’s rude.”

“Can’t disagree with that.” Jay took a long drag. You hadn’t even noticed that he lit a cigarette, and you rolled your eyes at him.

“You seriously need to stop smoking.”

“I’ll stop when you stop seeking vengeance.”

“...Touche.”

☆☆☆

You seriously needed a vacation from work. After five 16 hour shifts, the exhaustion was beginning to set in. You couldn’t even remember the last time you went out with friends. A couple of years ago, there wasn’t a weekend where you, Jay and Chaewon weren’t in some hole in the wall drinking until you forgot your failures. But ever since your company took off, you didn’t have time for that behavior. But that didn’t mean you didn’t enjoy a good dive bar now and then.

You snuck through the entrance of your favorite dive bar on the East side of the city, your slip skirt waving in the wind as you nodded to the security. This was the only bar in South Korea that wouldn’t sell you out to the papers, and besides that, they made a damn good Manhattan.

There were less than 10 people in the whole place, an odd couple here or there and some folks in need of a pick-me-up. You took a seat in the middle of the bar, your usual seat at the end taken by a sodden boy with a big hood that covered his face.

“Hey, Won.” you greeted the bartender as he wiped his hands with a towel, smiling at your entrance.

“Hey, y/n.” he said, throwing the towel over his shoulder. You heard the man beside you stir. “Manhattan?”

“You know it.” Jungwon reached for a bottle of whiskey, expertly mixing and measuring like it was muscle memory, finishing your cocktail with a flourish and sliding it over the counter. You had gone to high school with Jungwon and Sunoo, the two men who owned the bar, and had been friends ever since. You trusted them.

“How’s the business?” he asked, leaning with his elbows resting on the marble. “Saw you on the news the other day. Said you stormed out of the Park’s gala.”

You sighed, “Yeah. It’s been a tough week.”

“I hear that,” he said, straightening up with a grin. “You’ll get through it, stronger than ever. You always do.” you smiled, pressing the rim of the glass to your lips.

“Thanks, Won.”

“No problem. Just kick those greedy bitches in the ass for me.” That elicited a chuckle from you, Jungwon smiling upon hearing your laugh. “I’ll go get Sunny. I’m sure he’ll wanna say hi.”

“I’d love that.” you said gratefully, watching as Jungwon weaved around the back of the bar and into the back room. You looked down, sipping your drink, lost in thought.

“What are you doing here?” A grating, angry voice interrupted your haze. You turned to the boy sitting beside you, and it felt like you lost your buzz in an instant.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” you said, staring into the dark eyes of your nemesis yet again, this time foggy with drunkeness. “You seriously had to find the one place where I could escape your face?” he asked bitterly, taking another swig of his vodka soda.

“My face? There’s a sixty foot billboard of your face outside my window.” you grumbled, and he snorted gracelessly. You could tell by his hoodie being pulled forward and his bangs covering most of his face that he was trying to hide, just like you. “I’ve been going to this bar for four years.”

“Lucky you. I just found it last week.” he took another sip. You suddenly felt silly sitting multiple stools away from him, but you’d be damned before moving closer. “This is the only place that won’t sell me out to the press,” he sighed. “And their bartender is pretty damn good.” You observed the four empty glasses sitting beside him, the way he was slurring his words. Clearly he had come here for the same reason you had.

“Won’s a pro.” you said, averting your eyes. The Sunghoon before you was throwing you off. He had humanity, and you hated it. It gave you a reason to hate him a little less than before.

Jungwon emerged from the back, a bright faced brunette in tow. Grateful for the excuse to end the conversation with Sunghoon, you leapt out of your seat and rounded the bar to pull the man into a hug.

“Hey, Sunny!” you said brightly, and he grinned.

“I didn’t get a hug.” Jungwon rolled his eyes, reaching for a bottle of tequila to complete another order.

“How’ve you been?” Sunoo asked, releasing you to get a good look at your face. “Wow, it’s been awhile since you’ve been in here. You look all adult-like.” You scoffed, brushing him off. “Where’s Jay and Chae? I haven’t seen them in months.”

“I didn’t tell them I was coming.” you admitted.

“Ah, one of those nights?” he asked, and you nodded. “You busy working? I’ve seen you in the news, the company’s looking good.” Sunghoon snorted from beside you, and you resisted the urge to glare.

“Pretty busy, yeah. The business world is a battlefield right now.” you said with a pointed look at the man beside you who slammed his glass down on the counter.

“Another.” he muttered, and Jungwon looked him up and down skeptically.

“I think you’re done for the night. I’ve gotta cut you off.” Won said decisively, and Sunghoon looked up at him with glassy eyes.

“Fuck, whatever.” he said, getting up from his seat and drunkenly stumbling, tripping as he dismounted from the stool, using the counter to steady himself.

“He doesn’t look so good.” Sunoo said quietly, and you watched him, poking your tongue into the flesh of your cheek in confliction.

“You need help?” Jungwon said, ready to assist as he clapped a hand on Sunghoon’s shoulder, but the older boy shook him off frustratedly.

“I’m fine, get your hands off of me.” he stuttered, swiping at him.

“Hey, I’m just trying to help.” Jungwon said defensively, shaking his head as Sunghoon tried, failing, to make his way to the door. You huffed, setting your drink down and abandoning the last sip as you made your way to him.

“Hey, stop being an idiot. Let’s get you a taxi.” you chastised, and he scowled.

“I don’t want help from you.” Sunghoon mumbled, and you rolled your eyes.

“You’re drunk, Sunghoon. It’d be a nightmare if the news caught you wandering on the street.” That made him think, and he begrudgingly wrapped an arm around your shoulders, refusing to speak.

“You need help?” Sunoo called after you, and you waved back at him.

“Don’t worry, I know him. Put the Manhattan on my tab.”

“It’s on the house, angel. Get home safe.” Jungwon said, and you sent him a grateful wave as you attempted to get Sunghoon out the door, shutting it behind you.

“Why are you doing this?” Sunghoon said, almost incoherent. “You could’ve sold me out to the press. To get your revenge.” You pondered his question, then shrugged.

“I can’t say I don’t want to.” you admitted. “But you’re vulnerable right now. I know what it feels like to be blindsided when you’re defenseless. I wouldn’t do that to anyone. Clearly not even my worst enemy.” Sunghoon snorted.

“You’re a good person.” he mumbled, his eyes practically closed with the weight of his exhaustion and intoxication.

“Take notes.” you chuckled as you texted your driver, simultaneously attempting to get Sunghoon over to a bench. “I called a car for you, so just sit tight.” You both sat in silence, staring into the dark city, breath fogging in the air.

“I am sorry, y’know.” Sunghoon said, nose and cheeks red from the cold air. “About what my father did. I never would have condoned it if I had the power to stop him.” You stared at him blankly, before the corners of your lips turned up.

“Thanks. You must really be drunk.” He chuckled in response.

“Yeah, maybe.” He shook his head.

“Y’know, Sunghoon,” you started. “I hope you run the company the way you think it should be run. Stand up for yourself.” He didn’t respond to that, just staring at the floor, twiddling his thumbs. 

“Yeah,” he said after a moment. “I think I will.” A car pulled up to the curb, and you sighed in relief. Sunghoon stood up, insisting he was fine when you tried to help.

“Goodbye, Sunghoon.” He looked back at you in silence, before nodding.

“Get home safe.” And with that, he shut the door of the car, the engine rumbling as he turned the corner and disappeared into the night.

☆☆☆

Park Sunghoon was an idiot. And he was finally beginning to accept it.

He woke up with a pounding headache, grimacing and gripping his forehead in pain. It felt like there was an 80 decibel bass pounding his head, and he blamed it all on the vodka soda. And you, of course. You were making his head spin.

He stumbled out of bed, attempting to shove his feet into the slippers next to his bed, confused to find that they were pink and at least three sizes too small.

“Morning, sunshine.” a feminine voice called, and Sunghoon was beginning to realize that this wasn’t his home at all. He froze as a beautiful young woman stepped out from the bathroom, a lush robe wrapped around her body. “Feeling sober?”

“How did I get here?” Sunghoon asked, dropping back onto the bed as the woman snickered, reaching into her closet.

“You were on the floor whining and crying outside the office building. I took you home when the press got wind of your theatrics. Remind me to get a key to your apartment copied if you’re gonna keep acting like this.”

“You don’t need a key, Yunjin. Don’t be stupid.” Sunghoon rubbed his head, frustrated. He didn’t even remember going to the office in the first place, much less being picked up by her; aka the daughter of his father’s closest business partner, aka the woman he was predicted to wed if all things went his family’s way.

He wasn’t partial to the idea. Neither was she.

“A thank you would be nice.” Yunjin rolled her eyes, emerging from the closet fully dressed, already on the phone and pulling on a pair of high heels. “Now get out of my apartment. I have to get to work.” She tossed him a key and a fresh tee shirt from her closet. “Get dressed and lock up when you’re done.”

“Got it.” Sunghoon said, rubbing his eyes and pulling the tee shirt over his head. Yunjin looked back at him, tongue poking into her cheek.

“My mother still wants me to marry you, y’know.”

“Well she and my mother have that in common.” He rolled his eyes. She frowned.

“You’re too careless, Sunghoon.” The door shut, and Sunghoon was left to think about her words. His mind raced as he recalled the night before.

Your kindness.

Your smile.

How he apologized and didn’t think twice.

He shook his head, shuffling to the kitchen and opening the fridge, the cold tile pressing against his feet. Maybe he was too careless.

☆☆☆

The room felt stuffy, and so did your nose. You wondered if you were catching a cold, or if you were just allergic to business dinners.

“Hey, y/n.” Jake said, taking a seat beside you. You wiped your nose, flashing him a tight smile.

“Hey.” you replied, looking at your lap. Jake was one of the rare people you respected, and part of that was due to his company’s failure, like yours. He had built it back up to its former glory, but remained humble. You didn’t mind him. He was sweet.

“You seem bored.” he said, watching as you stared at the floor, clearly ambivalent toward what was happening around you.

“Astute observation.” you chuckled under your breath.

“I get it. These dinners can seem like a chore.” he said, picking up his wine glass by the stem. “Trust me, I’ve been going to them since I was six.”

“Lucky you.” you snickered. “Why do you even bother?” “Sunghoon always drags me here one way or another.” Your mood visibly dampened at the mention of his name, and you took a sip of your wine, hiding your mouth behind the lip of your glass. “How are things between you two?”

“If he dropped dead, I wouldn’t cry at his funeral.” you cleared your throat.

“But you wouldn’t cheer either?” Jake grinned, and you rolled your eyes.

“Whatever.”

“Baby steps.” he laughed, and you failed to suppress a smile. “I’m happy nonetheless. It’s nice to see you get along.” You wiped your nose again.

“That’s a stretch.” you scoffed. As if summoned to disprove you, the presence of Park Sunghoon suddenly entered your view, his hands tucked into his pockets. You couldn’t help but notice how nice he looked when his hair was pushed back.

“Mind if I borrow the lady for a moment?” he cleared his throat and Jake stood, flashing you a knowing look when Sunghoon wasn’t watching.

“Point taken.” you grumbled, as Jake snickered to himself, making himself busy on the other side of the room. After a moment of hesitation, Sunghoon took his seat.

“Hi.” he said slowly, and you nodded in acknowledgement. The energy was painfully awkward. “Um, I just wanted to say sorry about the other night. I haven’t really gotten a chance to contact you or anything, but I am sorry, and I should’ve called-”

“It’s fine.” you said tightly, shaking your head. “It happens.”

“Not to me.” he said defensively. “Look, I only apologize once in a blue moon, so just let it happen.” That elicited a chuckle from you.

“Alright. I accept your apology.” you said amusedly, and he let out a sigh of relief. You watched him blow a piece of hair out of his face, his lips parting for a moment to let out a breath. You averted your eyes when he caught you staring. He truly was beautiful.

Sunghoon’s thoughts were similar at the moment. While you avoided his gaze, he watched the way your eyelashes batted, pushing a strand of hair out of your face.

“I gotta go.” Sunghoon cleared his throat, and you nodded, eager for his exit. “Um. I’ll see you around, I guess.”

“Don’t sound so excited.” you said sardonically, and he rolled his eyes as he got up, giving you a dramatic bow as he walked away and towards another table. You watched him leave, eyes following his graceful figure and the way he smiled.

“You want to fuck him so bad.”

“Ew, Chae!” you yelped at the sudden interruption, waving off the smug girl leaning on your shoulder. “No way. Me and him? No, never. Don’t be silly.”

“Whatever you say.” she shrugged, taking his seat as she sipped on her third glass of red wine. “But the eyes don’t lie.” You glared up at her.

“I seriously hate you.”

☆☆☆

Three clinks of a wine glass, and your attention was at the front of the room. Sunghoon seemed to be giving a speech, and you brought your eyes to the stage. When you realized he was already looking at you, an unfamiliar feeling flooded your stomach. It felt something like dread.

“Welcome, everybody.” Sunghoon said, smiling warmly into the crowd, met with applause and good natured whoops. His father, however, was looking at him like he had just killed his cat, leading you to believe he wasn’t intended to make this speech.

And you were right. Sunghoon’s heart was pounding in his chest as he stared into the hordes, some faces familiar, some not.

“I’d like to thank you all for being here today.” Sunghoon said. “And I’d like to make a toast to the company and all of its potential. All it has accomplished, and all it will continue to accomplish.” The clinking of glasses resounded through the room as your frown deepened, your arms crossing over your chest. “And I would like to say, as the heir to the Park legacy, that I will try my hardest to steer this company towards kindness.” he said, with a fleeting glance towards you. “And so, cheers to the Park company. And cheers to ushering in a new era of ethical business.” The crowd, while mildly confused, burst into applause, their glasses rattling, champagne and wine alike spilling over the rims as people took celebratory gulps.

You shook your head, picking up the hem of your dress as you stood, walking to the exit with a smile on your face.

You sat on the steps outside the building, your knees pressed to your chest as you took a long drag of your cigarette. You told yourself you would quit, but something was itching at you that you couldn’t quite scratch, and nicotine seemed to do the trick momentarily. You were yearning for some peace.

“Flighty, aren’t you?” An amused voice said, the sound of light footsteps preceding it. You turned around, exhaling when you saw Sunghoon’s face towering over you, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

“Nice speech.” you said, ignoring his comment.

“You mean that?”

“I do, actually.” Sunghoon chuckled, seating himself beside you with a grunt. “I didn’t say you could sit with me.”

“I don’t need your permission.” Sunghoon scoffed, folding his knees. You glared at him, but didn’t protest, taking another drag. “Put that out. I hate smoke.”

“I don’t need your permission.” you mocked him.

“Touche.” he said, resting his chin on his knees. “I suppose the both of us are equally headstrong.”

“Trust me, I’m more stubborn.” you laughed, ashing your cigarette and watching the sparks hit the floor. After a moment, you stubbed it out against the bottom of your shoe, rubbing the dark ash off with your thumb. Sunghoon noticed, but said nothing.

“I meant what I said in my speech, y’know. It wasn’t just to impress you.” you snorted at that. “I mean it! I do want to reform the company.”

“That’s admirable.” you nodded. “I’m glad to see my words had an effect.”

“Me too. See? I’ve only spent a couple days with you and I’m already becoming a better person.” Both of you went silent at his words, his eyes widening as he realized what he said. But he didn’t take it back, the two of you staring, searching through each other's eyes. You hesitated to say something, but there was no hesitation when he reached out for you, your lips colliding as he kissed you.

His hand ghosted across the back of your neck, resting at your nape, making the hairs rise. Your skin felt like it was on fire as he tilted his head, pulling you closer, one of his hands resting on your waist, his thumb rubbing over the fabric of your dress. After a breathless moment, you pulled away. Both of you stared at each other in silence, panting to regain your breath, hungry for more, but hesitating.

After a second, Sunghoon’s swollen lips split into a grin, and he began to laugh, leaning back on his hands as he snickered. You heaved out a sigh, but you couldn’t hold back the smile on your face.

“You are so fucking annoying.”

☆☆☆

You now had Park Sunghoon’s number. It had been three days since you kissed, and you hadn’t yet texted him. You wondered if he assumed you would.

But you didn’t have time to worry about that now. You had work to do.

“Jay, I need you to run a diagnostic on the hotel website and check for errors. And Chaewon, please call Mr. Choi, for the millionth time, and request some new cleaners. We need three dozen rooms cleaned before 10:0o pm.” you said, flipping through a checklist. You had been buzzing around your office drinking coffee and handling busy work since 4 am. It was sufficient to say that you were in business mode. “And both of you, be quick about it. I have a million more tasks to take care of.”

“Okay, Mom.” Jay rolled his eyes, getting out of his seat on the couch and you sent him a quick glare. “Since when have you taken anything seriously?”

“If you haven’t noticed, I have a business to run these days.” you said facetiously, and Jay placed an apologetic kiss on your cheek before running out of the door. “You too, Chae.” She shut her laptop, sending you a quick salute.

The minute the room was empty, you dropped onto your chair, letting your head loll backwards, closing your eyes. The minute you opened them, you were confronted with the enormous, cheesy grin of Park Sunghoon facing you from the billboard across the street. You huffed, getting to your feet and tugging down the blinds with a frown.

You could not get him out of your head.

As you sat in silence, stewing with rage at the fact that Sunghoon, of all people, was occupying your headspace, your landline rang, the little light flashing green as the phone vibrated. You picked it up with a sigh.

“Y/n speaking.”

“Why haven’t you called?” You froze, slamming the phone down and hanging up as quickly as your hands would move. That infuriating, smug voice, you’d recognize it anywhere. You stared at the phone blankly until it began to ring again, and after a moment of reluctance, you picked it up again. “What exactly is your problem?”

“How’d you get my number?” you said exhaustedly, spinning in your chair and getting tangled in the phone cord.

“I called your secretary.” you internally cursed Chaewon, letting out a deep breath through your nose. “I gave you my number so you’d text, you know.”

“I’m busy.”

“I’m busy too. I still found the time to call.”

“I wish you wouldn’t have.” you quipped. “What, you wanna see me?” You could hear him chuckle from the other end.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Vice prez told me you’ve been waiting on upper management’s approval for your budget. I’m here to take care of it.”

“Oh.” you replied embarrassedly, crossing your arms.

“Aw, don’t sound so disappointed, sweetheart.” he tutted. “We’re sending a representative over tonight to discuss business.”

“I’m assuming that’s you.” you said, and he hummed in response. “I look forward to it. And by the way, we aren’t close enough for pet names.” You hung up without allowing him time for a reply, taking a moment to collect yourself before you straightened your jacket and got back to work, a deep frown on your face.

Sunghoon, on the other end, was grinning like a fool.

☆☆☆

Three knocks resounded from your door, and you looked up from your laptop for the first time in hours, cracking your neck in the process. Rubbing the back of your neck, you called out into the empty room.

“Come in!” you said, and Chaewon’s head peeked through the door, her black bob swishing as she walked inside, her pink heels clicking against the floor.

“Park Sunghoon is here to see you.” she said, and you sighed, looking down once again. “He’s in the lobby. Says he’s getting impatient.”

“Let him in.” you waved her off, and she nodded. “Oh, and Chae? Give out my number one more time, and you’re so fired.” She grinned coyly, blowing you a kiss as she slipped through the door. You rolled your eyes. You were beginning to wonder if you had a single competent employee in your entire company.

It didn’t take long for Sunghoon to find your office. It felt like the air chilled when he walked through the door.

“Hey,” he said warmly in greeting, his hands tucked into his pockets. He looked incredibly handsome in his tailored gray suit. You slapped yourself on the forehead internally, shifting in your chair uncomfortably. You were acting like an idiot.

“Hi.” you said tightly, straightening a pile of papers. He dropped onto the couch, kicking his feet up on the table. “Make yourself at home.” you said sarcastically.

He grinned, “Let’s talk business, sweetheart.”

“Remember what I said about the pet names?” you reminded him, getting up from your desk and slipping into the chair across from him.

“Aw, c’mon. Loosen up,” he urged you, leaning forward in his seat. “Now, whaddya got for me?” You looked down at the stack of papers in your hand.

“Well, due to necessary improvements, budget has increased this year. We’re in the process of funding a new computer system, and we’ll definitely need more support if we want to expand the branch in Seongbuk-gu. So, I’d say we’re looking at a couple hundred thousand, minimum.” you explained, sorting through your files.

“Boring.” Sunghoon mimed a yawn, standing up and walking to the makeshift bar on your side panel, unscrewing a bottle of whiskey.

“Can you please take this seriously?” you asked exasperatedly.

“I am,” he said defensively, pouring a sizable glass of whiskey. “I’m more of a vodka guy myself. I’ll have someone go on a grocery run next week and get you stocked.”

“Sunghoon.” you deadpanned, and he rolled his eyes.

“Aw, c’mon y/n. Aren’t I supposed to be the uptight one, and you the free willed?”

“You seem free willed enough for the two of us.” you grumbled.

“Alright,” he said, moving to sit back down on the couch. “I have a confession to make.” You stared at him expectantly. “Management approved the budget. I sent off the form yesterday and it was done by 9:00 am this morning.” You raised a brow.

“So…”

“So I came here just to see you, yes.” You smirked, and he groaned in annoyance before you even had a chance to respond.

“I fucking knew it!” you laughed, and he took a sip of his drink. “Park Sunghoon, you are a player.”

“Whatever.” he sassed, standing back up to refill his glass. “Promise to call me next time, and I won’t have to make any surprise visits.”

“I can’t make any promises.” you grinned. “But you can make me a drink.” He looked at you for a moment before chuckling, pouring a second glass of whiskey with a splash of sweet vermouth and bitters for a makeshift Manhattan.

“There’s no cherry, but I did my best.” he said, handing it to you.

“You remembered.” you said warmly, and he nodded. You took a sip. It was a bit too sweet for your taste, but you didn’t mind. You were smiling so brightly, he was itching with the urge to kiss your cheek, so he did. Your smile fell as you rubbed your cheek, Sunghoon avoiding eye contact with you as he sat back down.

You sat across from each other in momentary silence. The window was open, and the night air brushed against your cheeks. Sunghoon’s nose was pink from the cold.

“Do you like me, Sunghoon?” you asked, breaking the silence. He stared.

“Whoah,” he chuckled nervously, slender fingers toying with the rim of his cup. “You get straight to the point, huh?” You didn’t respond. “Let’s not talk about it.” You thought for a minute, before nodding, folding your knees and resting your chin on them.

“I’m okay with that.”

☆☆☆

Surprisingly enough, your friendship with Park Sunghoon was persistent if nothing else. In front of the press you still acted like enemies—you both agreed it was better for your respective companies if nobody knew you had become unlikely companions. But behind closed doors, you would smile when you saw him entering a room, and he would call you on a late night after a hard day of work.

Tonight was one of those nights. 

You tore your eyes away from your phone lighting up the black night, ringing on the table. You and Jay were sitting on the fire escape of your apartment complex, passing a lit cigarette back and forth and watching the smoke disappear into the evening sky. You could see all of Seoul from the penthouse.

“You gonna answer that?” Jay asked smugly, taking a long drag as he watched you stare at your phone in conflict. You turned it over.

“Nope.” you said, reaching for the cigarette and taking a drag until you felt lightheaded. “I don’t have time for him tonight.”

“You seem to be spending a lot of time together lately.” Jay replied, and you glared at him. “Hey, I’m not poking fun. I’m genuinely curious.” You turned away, staring at the glimmering skyline. “You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?”

“No.” you brought the cig to your lips again. “No, I haven’t.”

“Then what is it?” “...I don’t know.” you admitted. Watching the cigarette burn into ashes in your unmoving hand, Jay began to light his own. “I used to hate him so much, Jay. And now, he’s something completely different than what I thought. He’s a good person.” you turned to look at the boy sitting beside you.

“I know,” he affirmed. “I know.”

“So,” you said, remembering your cigarette and ashing it on the railing, watching the gray ash fall to the ground several stories below. “What now?” Jay took a drag.

“I think that’s for you to decide, y/n. I think you’ve earned the right to let go.” His words touched you. Had you finally worked hard enough to look past those who had wronged you? You had achieved everything you dreamed of, and more.

Were you finally more than your own vengeance?

You didn’t respond, only grabbing your phone and wrapping your jacket a little tighter around your body to protect yourself from the cold breeze.

“I think I’m gonna call him.” you announced, and Jay chuckled.

“I had a feeling,” he said, stretching. “I’m gonna head home. See you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow.” you said, watching as Jay walked out the door, giving you a little salute before shutting it behind him. You sighed, staring at your phone.

3 Missed Calls From Park Sunghoon.

You hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button, letting your phone rest on your lap as it rang. He picked up on the second ring.

“Hey.” his muffled voice said through the phone.

“Hey.” you responded.

“I’m outside.” Your eyes widened, and you immediately ran to the edge of the fire escape, peering down to the entrance of your apartment building. Surely enough, there he was, his back resting against the wall, polished shoes tapping against the concrete.

“How long have you been waiting for?” you called, and he looked up, his face barely a speck from so high up.

“Not long.” he responded.

“How’d you know I’d answer?” you could barely make out his grin in the dark.

“You always do.” you rolled your eyes, retreating inside and tugging on a pair of flats. You took the elevator down, and when you entered the lobby, Sunghoon’s solemn face was the first thing you saw. His nose and cheeks were tinted red from the cold, and his hair was messy from the wind. You smiled, tucking your hands into your pockets.

“You wanna come upstairs?” you asked. “I’ll make tea.”

“Tea sounds nice.” he said quietly, smiling as he followed you to the elevator.

This was the first time Sunghoon had seen your apartment, and he was fascinated to say the least. As you fussed over the boiling water and choosing the right tea, he toyed with the perfumes on your coffee table, running his hands along your brown leather couch and smelling the fresh flowers you kept in glass vases. He was enchanted by this little space you had created for yourself. His apartment was just a bachelor pad, filled with expensive furniture and lacking life.

“I like your apartment.” he said, staring at a print of Marilyn Monroe that you kept on your wall. “It’s stylish.”

“Thanks. You want jasmine or oolong?”

“Jasmine, please. And bring a shot of vodka with it.” You snorted, pulling out two tea bags and pouring two shots, bringing them to the coffee table.

“So, what brings you to my side of the city?” you asked.

“I had a hard day.” Sunghoon knocked back the shot of vodka, wiping his lips. “Thanks. I needed that.”

“You’re welcome.” you said, throwing back your shot and setting the small glass cup on the table. You didn’t want to think of the implications of Sunghoon coming over in the middle of the night without any warning. It made your head hurt.

“I’m finding that, as of late,” Sunghoon began. “That you have a somewhat calming presence in my life.” You froze. “Lately I’ve been under a lot of stress, with remodeling the company and everything. My father’s been giving me hell about my new policies. I don’t think he likes my idea of ‘ethical new business’.” He let out a large exhale. “At the end of the day, you’re really the only one who understands me.” He smiled bittersweetly. “And, well, I’m grateful for your company lately. Spending time with you has been the only thing keeping me sane. It’s hard to imagine that we ever hated each other.”

You couldn’t think of a single thing to say. You felt like your heart was rising in your throat, and you cleared it, attempting to collect yourself. Sunghoon chuckled, looking at the floor with red cheeks.

“Is it cool that I said all that?” he said after a moment of silence. “Cause I know that it’s delicate.”

“Y’know, I used to hate you more than anyone in the world.” you laughed gently. “But I agree with you. These days, you’re the only thing keeping me sane.” Sunghoon gazed at you, but you were looking into your cup of tea. “And yeah, it’s delicate. But I don’t really care what anyone thinks but you.” You met his eyes. Those damn dark eyes. Swimming with emotion. And they were trained quite blatantly on your lips.

Before you could register it, he was reaching for your face, his rough palm caressing the soft skin of your cheek, pulling you into his embrace as he kissed you gently, his other hand on your waist.

You had kissed before, but nothing had felt as intimate as the moment you were sharing now. Those past kisses had been a fleeting moment, an impulse decision, but now Sunghoon was kissing you like you were the only thing in the universe, like you were all that mattered. His grip on your waist was bruising, as though he was afraid you’d disappear if he let go. You felt drunk on love and vodka, shifting yourself onto his lap as you tangled your hands in his hair. You were both breathless, hearts racing as you held each other tightly, losing yourselves in the taste of each other’s lips.

Sunghoon pulled away, his lips splitting into a smug smile as he tucked a piece of hair behind your ear, your lips red and swollen as you attempted to catch your breath.

“Remember when you asked if I liked you?” he asked, hands trailing over your bare thighs, eyes trained on the way your eyes twinkled under the dim lighting and the thin tank top you were wearing underneath your jacket. “Well, I think I have my answer now.” you licked your lips, before grinning.

“You’re an asshole, Sunghoon.”

“Then I’m really lucky you like me.”

☆☆☆

You woke up to two things; Sunghoon’s face, and the sound of yelling.

His eyes were closed, his full lips slightly parted as he let out gentle snores, his dark hair sticking up. As much as you wanted to admire the way the morning light hit his skin, you stood up and walked to your balcony, peeking outside.

You yelped, slamming your glass doors shut as you ran inside, pulling on a pair of sweats, simultaneously shaking Sunghoon awake.

“Sunghoon, get up. The paparazzi are here.” you said frantically, attempting to retrieve a shirt from your closet when a pair of strong arms pulled you back into bed.

“Five more minutes.” he groaned from under the covers, and you fought back a smile, attempting to pry his grip off of you. His hands made their way to the straps of your bra, pulling and letting it snap back onto your skin. “Lace, huh? I didn’t notice.”

“I’m not kidding, get up.” you said, pushing him off of you and running to your closet to grab the top half of your tracksuit, pulling it over your head.

“What’s the rush?” he said, finally sitting up, ears perking when he heard the loud voices coming from outside. Peering out the window, his eyes widening.

“Oh shit,” he cursed, getting to his feet and hurriedly pulling on his shirt. “How’d they find us?” You shook your head, biting your lip as you thought about what to do.

“Not sure, but we should try to preserve our image.” you grabbed a snapback from your nightstand, putting it on his head to cover his face. “You go out the back, I’ll curse them out and keep ‘em distracted.”

“What happened to preserving your image?” he snorted, buckling his belt.

“Well, my reputation’s never been worse.” you said, tapping him on the nose. “So you must like me for me.” He smiled, pressing a chaste kiss to your lips.

“Mm, I do.” he said, before tugging on his shoes. He blew you a kiss before running out your front door, shutting it behind him, making sure it didn’t slam. You watched him leave, your fingers tracing where he had kissed you, and you smiled for a moment before collecting yourself.

“Hey!” you yelled, stomping towards the paparazzi stationed outside the lobby of your apartment. They immediately whirled in your direction, cameras flashing as they all fought to get their questions out. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Ms. Y/l/n!” a reporter yelled. “Are you aware of the rising scandal between you and Park Sunghoon?” You scrunched up your nose.

“Park Sunghoon?” you repeated in disgust.

“Sunghoon was reported to have arrived at your home at midnight last night! Do you have anything to say to these accusations?”

“Do I have anything to say?” you scoffed. “You must be mistaken. Park Sunghoon is a pig, just like the rest of his family. I hope the media understands that I do not, and never will, have anything to do with a pompous asshole like him.” The paparazzi erupted into questions and flashing cameras, but you turned on your heel and sashayed back inside, waving them off as the sliding doors closed behind you, drowning out the noise.

On your face you wore a grimace.

☆☆☆

A newspaper slammed onto Sunghoon’s desk, his drowsy eyes snapping open at the sound. “‘Park Sunghoon is a pig, just like the rest of his family!’ States Queen Corporation’s CEO After Being Accused of an Illicit Affair with the Park Company’s Son”, stated the title. Sunghoon smiled momentarily, but his amused expression dropped when he saw the furious face of his father towering over him.

“Would you like to explain this?” he asked, his tone deceptively calm. Sunghoon was smart enough to know that meant he was enraged.

“Um, is there anything to explain?” Sunghoon said timidly. “She said it herself, we’re not involved.” Sunghoon’s father rubbed his temples.

“Well, obviously, Sunghoon. I’d hope you’re smart enough to not get involved with the one woman who could ruin our company.” Sunghoon winced internally. “We must do something about this issue. Y/n is the only threat to our company.”

“Surely she’ll leave us alone if we don’t encroach upon her business.” he attempted to reason, but his father looked at him as though he had gone insane.

“Absolutely not. We’ll have to speed up your engagement to Huh Yunjin.” Sunghoon leapt out of his seat.

“Father, you can’t be serious!” he said in disbelief.

“I won’t hear any complaints. The Huhs own the largest company in Korea, second to ourselves, and we can’t afford to make an enemy out of them. Merging our companies will give us total dominion over the business world.” his father said with finality. “Not to mention their only heir is a woman. We’ll control their company through you.” Sunghoon bit his lip.

“But I don’t want to marry her.” His father shook his head.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.”

☆☆☆

A newspaper slammed onto your desk.

“Park Sunghoon, a pig? A likely story.” Jay snorted, slipping into the seat across from you. You rubbed the sleep out of your eyes, picking up the newspaper. “Late night, huh? So it must be true.”

“Shut up.” you said, but you couldn’t hold back the smile on your face. “Guess I went a little overboard, but it makes for a good story.” Jay raised his brows at you, taking a sip of his coffee. “Will you stop looking at me like that?”

“I think you’ve got a little crush.” He said in a sing-song voice. You snorted.

“I’m a grown woman, Jay. Us hooking up doesn’t mean I have feelings for him.” Jay shrugged.

“Say whatever you want, but it’s obvious that you like Park Sunghoon. There’s no denying it.” You were about to respond when your phone rang, and you shooed Jay out of your office as he mimed kissing childishly.

“Hello?” you asked, and a familiar voice responded.

“A pig, huh? A pompous asshole?” Sunghoon spoke smugly.

“I did what I had to do.” you shrugged, spinning in your office chair.

“Mm, sure.” he said, holding his phone to his ear with his shoulder as he jotted down notes. “Well, Ms. Y/l/n, I’m calling to let you know that the Parks are throwing a very exclusive fundraising gala tomorrow, and there’s an empty seat for a certain CEO if she’s so inclined.” you snorted.

“Oh, really? And would your family like to see me there?” “A little trouble would do them some good. Plus, I want to see you.” You blushed on the other side of the phone, covering your mouth with your hand. “And I’ve booked a private reservation for two at the shittiest bar on the East side,” he joked. “So?”

You thought for a moment. After your recent statement in the news, walking into a Park gala would be like walking into a den of tigers. But since when had you been afraid of stirring the corporate pot?

“I’ll be there.” you promised, and Sunghoon grinned, tucking a pen between his lips. “I should look for a dress.”

“I’ll have it taken care of.” He twirled his pen. “Just wait for my call.”

“See you tomorrow then.” you grinned.

“See you tomorrow, m’lady.”

☆☆☆

It was three hours and counting until the Parks’ big gala. You stared at the wall ahead of you while Chaewon tried on countless lavish dresses and Jay sorted through piles of patterned ties. Sunghoon had assured you that you could bring your closest friends, but you weren’t certain that his family would appreciate your troupe of misanthropes intruding upon their event.

“Cheetah print, or zebra print?” Chaewon asked you, holding two dresses against her body. You shook your head, biting the nail of your thumb.

“Neither. Pick something nice, Chae.”

“This is nice.” she protested, but put the dresses down and continued to look around. Jay noticed the way you stared vacantly ahead, stressfully chewing your nails, and he set down his ties, scooching in closer.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked cautiously. “Nervous?”

“I couldn’t care less what those people think about me.” you said, and Jay chuckled at your classic behavior.

“Okay, so. What’s wrong?” His eyes held concern as he rubbed his thumb along your arm, and you sighed heavily.

“I do care what he thinks. And that’s the problem.” Jay let out a quiet sound of understanding. “I don’t understand. Why do I even care about him? The only thing on my mind for the past six years has been destroying that family.”

“Y/n,” he began. “You don’t have to punish yourself for forgiving someone.” You stopped biting your nails. “Especially someone with no fault in the situation.”

“But he’s one of them.” you mumbled.

“Does he seem like a good person?” Jay asked. Your eyes made contact for a moment, before you nodded and quickly looked away. “Then that’s all that matters.” You considered his words for a moment, before sighing, folding your hands.

“You’re right, you’re right. Thanks Jay.” 

“I’m always gonna be here for you. Try not to worry.” He patted you lightly on the back as he stood, and you gave him a tight smile. Your eyes were drawn to your bed, snug in the corner of your apartment, a large bag lying on top. Fabric peeked out from beneath the top, a shining sapphire blue. You held your head in your hands.

Trying not to worry was proving to be impossible.

On the other side of the city, Sunghoon was tightening his tie.

“You finally learned how to tie a tie.” Jake snorted, but Sunghoon didn’t laugh. He was staring vacantly out the window and into the horizon, zoned out on the skyline. “Hello? Earth to Sunghoon?”

“What?” Sunghoon snapped out of his trance, whipping around.

“Something on your mind?” Jake tucked his hands into the pockets of his ironed blazer. They were both dressed in their nicest suits in preparation for the night’s events. Sunghoon shook his head.

“I can’t stop thinking about her.” Sunghoon admitted, and Jake grew serious. “This whole time, I feel like I’ve been looking for something deeper than just being the heir to this bullshit company. When I’m with her…I feel like I found something real.” “Sunghoon,” Jake said tenderly. “As of a couple days ago, you’re engaged.” Sunghoon sighed. “You can’t do that to y/n.”

“I don’t want to get married.” Sunghoon said, his voice breaking, which he quickly covered up with a cough. “I don’t want to marry Yunjin, and she definitely doesn’t want to marry me.”

“As sad as it is, you don’t have a choice.” Jake said sympathetically. “I know you’re upset. But just try to keep it together for tonight.”

“Yeah, got it.” Sunghoon scoffed, fidgeting, adjusting his cufflinks. “After 21 years, I’ve become accustomed to putting away my emotions for my father’s benefit.” Jake watched sadly as his best friend adjusted his jacket, shaking his head before exiting his room and striding downstairs to where the gala was taking place.

☆☆☆

Your eyes scanned the luxurious room, full of familiar but unwelcoming faces. Chandeliers were draped from ceilings twenty feet high, crystals glimmering in the golden glow, sending fractals of light spiraling around the room. You were receiving dirty looks from every corner of the ballroom, judgemental whispers echoing. You tried your best to tune it out. Jay stood behind you, glaring back tenfold at every disapproving partygoer, Chaewon oblivious to it all as she enjoyed the decadence.

You needed to find Sunghoon or you would lose your mind.

His face shone from the other side of the room, and when your eyes connected it was like the rest of the world fell away. His warm, brown eyes captivated you as he quickly left whatever conversation he was a part of, weaving through the crowd to get to you. He was breathless by the time he made it through the sea of people.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey.” you responded unsteadily, looking over your shoulder to see his father watching you with a fierce glare. “Sunghoon, I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“Since when have you cared what everyone else thinks?” he said with a bittersweet grin, and you chuckled, some of the tension relieved. “C’mon, I’ll show you the dance floor.” He tugged on your hand, whisking you away. You attempted to hide your face as you left with him.

Jake watched you leave, sipping gin from a crystal glass. Jay approached his side, picking up a bottle and emptying its contents into the largest glass he could find.

“They’re so fucked.” Jake said without thinking.

“I don’t know,” Jay said, taking a swig. “They seem like they really love each other. Who says love doesn’t conquer all?” “The business world.” Jake chuckled, looking at his reflection in the bottom of his glass. “I just hope he lets her down easy.”

“What do you mean?” When Jake looked up, Jay was staring at him inquisitively, brows furrowed. Jake’s face dropped, his heart in his throat.

“He hasn’t told her yet?” Jake asked hesitantly. Jay’s grip on his drink tightened. The two men stared at each other in silence, the tension palpable.

“...Told her what?”

☆☆☆

Sunghoon closed the towering, intricate wooden doors behind you as you entered the ballroom. Ceilings made of mirrors caused the light to bounce around the room like stars, and you watched, breathless. The smooth floor was slick under your stiletto heels.

“It’s beautiful.” you said, and Sunghoon watched you with a smile.

“A dance, m’lady?” he asked, offering his gloved hand to you. You took it with a grin, and he pulled you into his arms.

The two of you swayed, rocking back and forth in each other’s arms as he attempted to guide you in a waltz. You were uncoordinated, and you both giggled as you tripped over your feet. His thumb rubbed across your hand as he counted out the steps for you. There was no music playing, but you could both feel the rhythm in your head, like a grand orchestra was conducting a song just for you.

When you were alone, your head was suddenly clear. The stress from earlier melted away as he gazed into your eyes, and you rested your head on his shoulder, the two of you twirling as he hummed a song under his breath.

“You’re improving,” he joked. He was right, you were no longer tripping and stumbling. You had gained a sense of the rhythm, following his lead gracefully. He extended his hand, prompting you to spin, and you did.

“I have a good teacher.” you laughed, watching your gown twirl. The dress that Sunghoon had bought you was beautiful, trailing against the ground, the crystal detailing lighting up underneath the dappled golden light. Only then did you notice the sapphire shade of his tie, and how it perfectly matched your dress. “Let’s hope the press doesn’t get wind of our fashion faux pas.” you joked, gesturing to your matching attire.

“To be honest, I don’t really care.” he said, and his honesty made you gulp.

This was all too real for you. Your feelings for him were ripping you from the inside out, and you felt too nervous to speak. The feeling in your stomach was more akin to wasps than butterflies.

“Y/n.” he said seriously. “You know how I feel about you, don’t you?” He was overcome with guilt. He really didn’t want to do this to you, not now, not when he knew he’d have to break the news soon. It was too soon. His time with you was too short lived, he couldn’t let it go. Not when you were the only person who made him feel complete, the only person who made life feel like it was worth continuing.

“No, I don’t.” you grinned, baiting him to say the words himself, and he chuckled. “Why don’t you explain it to me?”

“Maybe it’s easier without words.” he said, unclasping his hand from yours so he could trace his fingers along your cheek. 

He dipped his head to kiss you, and your hands were tangled in his hair as he held you tightly. There was something desperate about the way he kissed you, holding you like you might slip through his fingers if he loosened his grip. The two of you kissed fervently, full of convolution and mixed emotions. He pulled away from you for a moment, but only for long enough to whisper,

“I love you.” You pulled away from him, his gaze intense. You always had a weakness for his eyes. It felt like they held galaxies. The weight of his words sunk upon you, and you opened your mouth to speak.

“I love you too.” you whispered.

☆☆☆

You and Sunghoon had parted ways after your illicit meeting, him fleeing to the front of the room to discuss with his father, you hesitantly retreating to your table. Chaewon was sipping vodka; Jay was nowhere to be seen.

“Everything okay?” she asked immediately, setting down her cup.

“I’m okay.” you assured her, your lips splitting into a bright smile despite your distressed exterior, and she let out a breath of relief, wrapping an arm around the back of your chair when you sat. “I can’t wait to get out of here.”

“Same.” she agreed, taking another swig of her drink. “Though I bet your reason is different than mine.” She sent you a wink, to which you shook your head amusedly.

Your eyes were drawn to Sunghoon, standing onstage with his father. He seemed nervous, and you wanted nothing more than to be standing beside him, but you knew you couldn’t. Not in public, and you were wondering if you two would go public one day.

You would do it the moment he asked, no hesitation. And that scared you.

You picked up a glass sitting on the table that you assumed was Jay’s, taking a large swig. It burned your throat, and you put it down with a wince. Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted a tall and elegant woman standing on stage, honey colored hair curling gracefully on her shoulders. Her floor length golden gown sparkled in the light.

“Welcome, valued guests.” a loud voice and feedback from the microphone snapped you back into reality, and your attention was drawn to the stage, where Sunghoon’s father was speaking with a cheesy, large grin. “Thank you all for attending our fundraising gala, graciously hosted by the Parks. We appreciate all of your generous donations.” he cleared his throat. “And on behalf of my lovely son, we have some news.” You began listening, setting down your cup.

“We are delighted to announce our own Sunghoon’s engagement.”

Your face paled. You felt like the world was crashing down around you, everything muffled. You could vaguely sense that Chaewon was talking to you, but you couldn’t process it. You felt like you were going to throw up.

“Sunghoon and Huh Yunjin of the Huh Company are set to wed in three months, and our companies will officially be merging.” Flashing cameras went off like grenades, the sound filling the room as the woman smiled for the camera, holding onto the arm of the man who told you he loved you. Despite the camera demanding his attention, his eyes were on you. And those beautiful eyes that you loved, they were devoid of feeling.

He stared at you, pale as a ghost, lips parted in silent surprise. The cameras snapped photos of him as he barely breathed, lost in the injured gaze of the woman who loved him. And you stood, striding towards the exit before you could even register what you were doing, ignoring the curious stares you were receiving. All you could see was the exit, the door that would lead you out of here.

The sound of cameras flashing and the hum of gossip silenced as you walked into the night, taking a deep and ragged breath. Tears spilled from your eyes before you could help it, and you swiped your palms over your face, smudging your makeup, sobbing unsteadily.

As Sunghoon watched you stand, he pulled himself away from the tight grip of Yunjin on his arm, eyes trained on your disappearing figure as panic rushed through his head. His father turned back towards him.

“What are you doing?” he asked quietly, urgently, as Sunghoon pushed through the crowds of paparazzi, jumping off the stage and running towards the exit. He burst through the doors, chasing you until he found your weeping figure running away.

“Y/n!” He chased after you. You knew you couldn’t outrun him, so you didn’t try. You just shook your head, turning away from him.

“Fuck off.” you replied harshly, and he grabbed your wrist.

“Please, I’m sorry, let me explain.” he begged.

“Explain?” you snapped. “Sunghoon, you’re engaged. There’s nothing to explain.”

“I don’t want to marry her.” he said desperately. “I never have, and I never will.”

“You told me you loved me,” you sobbed, wiping your eyes with your free hand, and Sunghoon’s eyes burned with tears and the cold wind.

“I do,” he said gently. “I love you more than anything.”

“Then why?” you said. “Why are you getting married?” “...I don’t have a choice. It’s for the company.” he said reluctantly, and you shook your eyes, pulling your wrist out of his grip and wiping your eyes for the last time.

“I can’t believe I thought you were different.” you laughed incredulously. “I thought you were different, but it turns out you’re exactly like your family.”

“Y/n, don’t say that.” he pleaded. “I’m not like them.”

“Yet you do what they say, slaving away for a company that does nothing but hurt people?” He went silent. “I should’ve known from the start that you would hurt me. God, I can’t believe I thought you really cared about me.” “I do.” he insisted, reaching for your hands, but you pulled away. “I care about you, I care about us-”

“There is no ‘us’, Sunghoon!” you yelled. “There never has been! Because you always knew that at the end, you’d leave me the minute someone told you to.” 

“That’s not true, y/n.” he shouted. “Everything we went through, that meant something to me. I meant everything I said, I’d do anything for you! I’d leave the company if you asked me to!” You scoffed.

“You wouldn’t do that for anyone, Sunghoon. You’re too much of a coward.” He didn’t respond, his hands hanging weakly at his sides. He felt numb.

A black car roared to life, approaching from the parking lot. The windows rolled down, and you were comforted to see Jay’s stony face in the driver's seat, Chaewon watching you from the back seat with concern. He nodded to the passenger side.

“Get in.” he said, requiring no explanation. He already knew.

You ran for the car, and Sunghoon came after you. You had one hand on the handle when he caught your wrist in his fingers.

“Please,” he begged, his voice a whisper in the night as his eyes pleaded with you. “Please, don’t leave.” You almost yielded, but instead you removed your hand from his, opening the door and sliding into your seat.

“Go.” you said quietly to Jay, and he accelerated, speeding out of the lot. His hand rested on top of yours, his thumb caressing the back of your hand. You silenced your tears, chin resting on your palm and staring out the window into the city to ignore how much your heart was aching.

☆☆☆

It had been four days since Park Sunghoon told you he was getting married to another woman. It had been three days since you called out of work sick, and two days since you blocked his number after countless missed calls. It had been only one day since you stopped crying yourself to sleep.

You weren’t used to being vulnerable. Since your father ruined both his career and your own, you were used to building up walls around yourself. You were filled with bitter irony that the person who tore those walls down was part of the family that hurt you so badly in the first place.

You felt like an absolute idiot, to say the least.

You flipped through a magazine, your hair up as you lounged in a salon chair. You had just gotten your nails done, and you tried not to smudge the gel as you flipped through pages of jewelry ads and gossip articles. When you stumbled across a promotion for cologne, Sunghoon’s handsome, smiling face decorating the page, you shut it with a sigh.

“Do you have any other magazines?” you asked the woman who came to do your hair, sharp nails gripping at the edges.

You strode down the bustling streets of Seoul, your fur coat clenched tightly around your body, a designer purse held in your free hand. You got plenty of stares as you walked down the street, some admiring, some judgemental. But you had learned not to care. You sighed, your warm breath fogging up the cold daylight, before dissipating.

The sound of screeching static froze you in place, and you turned to look at the towering screens lined up in the window of a store, all glitching. You stopped for a moment, waiting until they regained their sense, switching to a news channel.

An anchorwoman with a bad blowout and a gaudy diamond necklace was pointing very seriously at an image behind her, her other hand wrapped around a stack of papers as she read off a script.

“The business world- is sh-shocked,” she began, her voice skipping as the tvs froze and unfroze in sync. “At the alleged emancipation of Park Sunghoon from his family’s very successful enterprise. Mr. Park made a public statement this morning, claiming that he ‘would not continue to entertain unethical practices, and could not condon the idea of marrying purely for business’. Rumors are, according to inside sources from corporate high society, that he left his company for love.”

You stared quietly at the tv. A million thoughts were rushing through your head, but the majority of them were this;

You needed to find Sunghoon.

☆☆☆

The door to his apartment creaked open, Sunghoon peeking out from behind. His hair was matted to his forehead, sticking up in places, and his typical nice clothing was replaced by a white t-shirt and a pair of baggy sweats. He looked like hell, but it didn’t matter; he looked the most beautiful you’d ever seen him.

“You’re not a coward.” Was the first thing you said when he opened the door.

“I am,” he replied.

“You’re not, and I didn’t mean that. I was scared.”

“You don’t need to explain yourself to me.” he said, shaking his head. “It was all my fault. I fucked up, and I lose the only person I care about in this world because of it.” You stood up a little straighter, clenching your fists.

“At the end of the day, you’re really the only one who understands me.” you said firmly, and he smiled, recognizing his own words. “Sunghoon, I care about you more than I’ve ever cared about anyone. And that’s why I was so afraid of you hurting me.”

“I wish I could take it all back.” Sunghoon said, his hand tracing your cheek, too afraid to make contact. “I wasted so much of my life being complacent. You were the one that taught me to be brave.” You nodded, eyes watery. “I’m sorry that I made you mad.”

“I’m not mad.” you said very unconvincingly, and both of you laughed. 

You wiped your eyes furiously, hands trembling.

“I really do love you, Sunghoon.” you said shakily, and he pulled you into his arms. You melted into his warm embrace, his arms circling your waist, holding you tight. Your touch felt so familiar, and for the first time since you left him, he felt whole again, basking in the glory of your presence. He couldn’t help but kiss you, his finger under your chin as he lifted your face to his, pressing his lips against yours eagerly.

You had forgotten all the things you adored about kissing Sunghoon. The way his hands always held you so tightly, how he always tasted like honey chapstick, and the way he smiled against your lips when you lost your hands in his hair. You were both sick with love, and you were only just beginning to realize that you didn’t need a cure.

“I love you.” he mumbled between kisses, unable to pull away. “I loved you from the start, even when everyone told me not to. Nothing could, and nothing can, stop the way I feel about you.”

“I love you, Sunghoon,” you said, your tears wetting both your face and his. “And I hate you for even considering otherwise.” he chuckled, tapping your nose with his index finger.

“Well, my reputation’s never been worse,” you giggled at your own words being used against you, as he spun you around in his arms. “So you must like me for me.” You pressed a chaste kiss onto his lips with a glowing smile.

“Mm, you’re lucky that I do.”

☆☆☆

[daegall]

☆ unexpected company.

➷ in which the Gods give your boyfriend a shitty past few weeks, and you attempt to make up for it.

pairing: son of poseidon!jeno x daughter of apollo!reader

genre: reverse hurt comfort, fluff, angst, established relationship!AU

warnings: mentions of injuries (i think???)

word count: 2k words

a/n: jumpscare guys omg what the fuck i havent written since christmas 2 years ago LOOOOL um anyways........ comeback ? everyone say thank you jeno bc he is always and will always be my inspiration <3

btw this is basically . pt.2 of late night company so if you wanna go read that for just a little bit of context go crazy!! (you can read it without it tho)

The last few weeks in the infirmary have been busy, buzzing with clumsy teens and kids who carelessly run around in a sparring with someone clearly much stronger than them. You guess they get it from their god parent. As much as you love the infirmary and taking care of people, you're tired. Really tired. However, your (finally official) boyfriend for 2 months has always been there to help you through it.

Jeno Lee is someone you never expected to be so loving, but really, you should have known when he gave up his own team's flag just to go help you fight off Clairise during a capture the flag match. Despite his very busy schedule, Jeno loves to hang out around you, cracking jokes when you tend to crying, injured kids, getting you water when you don't realize you need it, and always attentively listening to you, whether it be a rant of frustration, or just a chat. Your favorite part is when he kisses you and tells you of how good of a job you've done.

As mentioned, Jeno has a very busy schedule. As expected, from a child of one of the big three gods. However, recently it's been… really packed. When Jeno does have the mercy of free time, he's always sleeping. You haven't seen him in two whole weeks. He's never talking to his friends, you never seen him swimming anymore,a nd worst of all? He's not eating. He loves to eat─and he's not eating. This calls for an emergency visit.

If only you had the ability to. You're in charge of the infirmary, however, and can never seem to find a replacement since your siblings always avoid the job and run away. You contemplate running away from your duties. For Jeno. You could send Jaemin to check up on him… no, he'd end up flirting with any girl (or guy!) he sees on the way. Damn Aphrodite kids. Finally, you decide to act on the former thought.

You don't even make it to the door, before you notice a very familiar presence by the door.

Your breath hitches as your eyes meet Jeno's. They look… tired. Nonetheless, you can still sense the love behind them, and it stirs something in you. You feel a small flame light in your heart, as if he's the one that set it on fire. The fire spreads to your feet as you make your way to him, to your fingertips as they reach out for him, and it's as if that fire has radiated on him, because he instantly melts into your touch, his nose bumping into your palm as he sighs out in what you can only make out to be satisfaction.

Despite his happy demeanor, you still can shake off the feeling of worry that stirs within you, noticing how his shoulders are tense─how he limps as you escort him towards a bed, how exhausted he looks. You wonder if this is how he felt when he saw you that night, on his dock, crying. If so, you'd never want him to feel this way ever again.

"I was just about to come to you, you know," You laugh softly, as you take a seat next to him and grab his hand in yours. It's warm, you've missed how warm it was.

Jeno's fingers instinctively curl between yours, and you feel the callouses of his fingertips on your skin, and it's oddly comforting. His head leans against yours, and he's strangely touchy, as if you were his battery source─like sunlight to a sunflower. "Oh? You were going to sneak out for me?"

You roll your eyes fondly. "I'd do anything for you."

"I know,"

And when his lips press against your temple, its you who melts this time, transforming into a giggly, grinning mess.

"I've missed you, you know,"

Jeno knows. He hopes you know that he's missed you even more. He's missed you every time he sees a band aid, he missed you every time someone made a lame joke, he saw you in every sunrise and sunset, he missed you when he gazed into water─which happens a lot, as a child of Poseidon. If he could, he'd abandon all these missions─what the hell are camp counselors thinking anyway, sending a kid off to beat the largest, most hazardous of creatures? He guesses that's the price of having power.

Jeno doesn't want power, however. He wants you. If power is in the way of him seeing you, he'd rather give it all away to the first person who asked, he'd give everything away for you.

"I've missed you too, baby,"

Your eyes tear away from your connected hands, trailing up to meet his own. They're longing and earnest. You smile, in hopes to comfort him.

It works, it always works. Jeno grins back, his other hand reaching up to brush your hair from your eyes, tucking it behind your ear. He notices a small chunk of your hair is shorter than others, and thinks back to the letter you sent him, the one where you ranted out of frustration when your siblings pranked you during your sleep and cut your hair. He smiles.

"Tell me about your missions," You mumble, encouraging him to fill you in on everything you missed out.

"Well… I kicked ass. Got my ass kicked. End of story?"

Jeno yelps and laughs when you punch at his shoulder. "Fine, fine, it was… fun,"

"Really? But isn't it scary to be doing that all alone?"

In an instant, Jeno's face changes. Alone. He's been feeling that lately.

"uh… yeah, you could say that."

You notice the way his lips curl down, how his brows just furrow slightly. It tugs on your heart.

You squeeze his hand gently, head dipping down to chase his gaze. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Jeno's lips curl back into a smile, and though its weaker than before, it's still there. "Nothing, just a little tired." You nod at his words, processing and attempting to dissect his intentions. "…okay, do you wanna rest here? I can watch over you,"

At your pure intentions and even purer heart, Jeno melts, pulling you closer with a shake of his head. "No need, just want to be here, with you. No longer alone…"

"Hey," You give him a look. He knows that look. You've caught him red-handed. "I'm here for you, you know that. Tell me what's wrong…"

Jeno cracks almost instantly. He could never be dishonest when it comes to you─he could never hurt you. "I just… I was so lonely on those missions. Yeah, I was out at sea, and sure I did talk to my dad a few times but it's… it's not the same as camp, you know? Where you could spar endlessly just for fun, where every meal was full of laughter and not some cold, prepacked plate of literal shit. Where fighting never had me thinking that this could be my last fight."

He pauses for a moment, breathing in deep breaths, but you wait for him. You know when to talk, and now is not the time. Instead, you rub up and down comfortingly at his back, something he's always loved. You feel his breathing slow, and his muscles relax. Then, he continues.

"Nobody understands me. I'm the only Big Three child here, and I hate it. I hate that I'm the only one who doesn't get to join bonfire nights, I hate that I'm the only one that has to constantly live in fear of constant death, I hate that I can't love you the loudest─just to keep you safe! God, I hate that I can't give you everything… to tell you the truth… I hated it out there. I hated every second in solitude, I hated how my thoughts raced for no reason, and how I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, and how empty I felt. I know I'm an introvert, and I love my personal time, but out there… I wasn't alone. I felt like death was creeping up on me, keeping me company. I didn't want death's company─I wanted your company. I missed you, Y/N… so much… and it killed me to know that you missed me too."

Your heart shatters at his words, and the glassy look in his eye, indicating his tears. Your palms envelop his cheeks, despite his tight grip, and you gently direct him to look down at you. "You're here now, aren't you? I'm here, with you," You start with a shaky breath. "and don't you dare say you don't give me everything. You give me everything and more. You'd give me the whole universe and still think it's too little, Jeno," You laugh airily, squeezing his cheeks fondly. "and even though you were away, I always felt loved. You don't need to be here physically for me to know, you know, that how much I trust you. So trust in me too, please. Trust that I'm satisfied, trust that I can take care of myself and that I want you to love me without any fears because we shouldn't have to have fears. Let go, you uptight man, and live! There might not be a lot of people out there who get exactly what you're going through, but people will relate on some level. People are just like that, empathizing and loving. Don't hate who you are, please, because you'd be hating something that I love, something I know is always worth my time and attention and something I will never give up on. Okay?"

Jeno stares at you, his eyes glossy with a tint of red on the outer corners of his eyes. He still looks handsome. He's always handsome. His hand are on your waist, his thumbs rubbing gently over the material of your t-shirt, gently tugging you towards him.

"…shit, did I ramble? Was I too fast? Do I need to say it all again? Gods─um, you give me everything, and more, and I trust you, and I─"

Jeno shuts you up effectively, nudging away your hands holding at his face to dip his head down and connect his lips with yours. They're salty with tears, and so soft, moving gently against yours as you reciprocate the kiss, your hands finding comfort in his hair. He kisses you with yearning, and he thinks that if you came just a millimeter closer, you'd feel the ache of his heart and his craving for you. Your comfort, your hugs, kisses, your smile and your gentle touches, your appreciative glances, your love. He craves your love, and now that he has it, he won't ever let go.

He makes it clear as he chases your lips when you pull away in what is, in his opinion, way too fast, gently maneuvering you closer to him, your chests pressed together and arms wrapped around one another. You wouldn't be surprised if your heart reached out and merged with his.

When Jeno does pull way, it's only to shower your face with kisses and hug you even tighter.

"I'm always here for you, Jen,"

"I know, baby."

You grin, taking his hand in yours as you gaze into his eyes. "Stay the night? I've missed your cuddles."

Jeno's nose bumps against yours as he nods, his smile mirroring yours. "Never wanted anything more."

As you lay in an infirmary bed, wrapped in Jeno's arms, you realize that Jeno has already given you the universe. The warmth you identified as a flame of adoration in your heart has grown into a sun, and Jeno's orbiting around that sun, keeping you loved and cared for. Much like how he is your moon, and you are the tide, constantly gravitating towards him. You like this universe he's gifted you.

[yyunari]

LOVE DIVE ! - nishimura riki smau

(BEING REWRITTEN!)

SYNOPSIS . y/n l/n is excited when she gets accepted into belift high’s dance team— that is, until she finds out her ex-boyfriend from japan is on it as well. she only remembers nishimura riki as two things, narcissistic and over confident in himself. and when they meet again after so many years, y/n finds that not much has changed. but when riki needs help with his footwork, y/n offers to give him some of her ballet expertise on the condition that riki would leave her alone forever. though after spending so much time together, how could she possibly stay away?

GENRE . exes to lovers au, high school au, fluff, angst

PAIRING . nishimura riki x fem! reader

WARNINGS . cursing, angst, niki is an asshole Sawry……

STATUS . being rewritten

NOTES . y/n is from japan but ethnicity isn’t ever specified ^_^

&& gfx credits to @byeolhyesisi !! byu ur so talented it looks so good :((((

TAGLIST . TAGLIST 3 OPEN ! send an ask ! requests through replying to this post and dm will be accepted, but it would be preferable if you sent them through ask as it’s easier for me to keep track of them ! <33

profiles ! ❨ 1 . 2 . 3 ❩

001 - …

002 - …

003 - …

004 - …

005 - …

PERMANENT TAGLIST . @muhwaa @yizhoutv @ja4hyvn @maiwon @koakyuu @carayat @one16core @enhacolor @acciomylove @soobin-chois @moaengenesworld @en-boyz @msxflower @ohmy-fandoms @yunki4evr @dinosdance @centheodd

[crispy-chan]

A Song of Ice and Fire

❝ they say the crimson king is as ruthless as the freezing winters of your land...❞

𓏲 PAIRING. prince!minho x princess!reader (ft. guard!jisung x reader)

𓏲 GENRE. fluff, angst; royalty!au, fire-bender!minho & ice-bender!reader, historical drama, action, romance, love triangle/forbidden romance, arranged marriage!au, subzero!au

𓏲 WORD COUNT. 35k

𓏲 WARNINGS. language, mild violence, minho is a jerk at first, cliche asf, mildly suggestive, a brief allusion to assault (but it's stopped before anything happens), blood, injuries and tending to them (i am not a doctor), food, mentions of war and famines, poison, mentions of death, reader gets carried around and has hair that can be put in a ponytail, petnames, includes the rest of skz as various people (TV-14)

𓏲 SUMMARY. when you agreed to marry the prince of the crimson clan in order to sign a peace treaty, it feels like your entire life is crumbling down in front of your eyes. forced to move to another kingdom, you're afraid of being shackled in a loveless marriage. minho's reputation precedes him, and the stories you've heard aren't exactly great. yet the seemingly perfect kingdom has many secrets, along with a dark history that goes beyond anything you would've imagined...

𓏲 A/N.  ot related to GoT at all!! just liked the title lol. inspired by the webtoon subZero. this is just a flaming pile of garbage lmfao - i started this fic back in july but i only got like 1k before i gave up. then, i recently picked this story back up since i didn't want to give up on it. a lot of effort went into this, but i recognize that this story isn't perfect. i came to a realization of how much i despise my writing style while i was writing this :<. i'm a tad bit afraid that only like two people will read lol but oh well, we shall see :) on a lighter note, i really hope you enjoy and please don't forget to lmk your thoughts as i'll literally jump with joy :> side note: the reader comes from the azure clan but the royal guard is caled the cerulean guard.

𓏲 SPECIAL THANKS TO. @luvseos for beta reading the prologue-ish part, tysm!! (also, i'm so so sorry i am not able to tag you so i assume you deactivated :( ) @hyuukais and @kurosism for going over the first part of the fic! thank you guys a lot and i really appreciate all of your nice comments and suggestions <3 big thanks to @sw1mmingfoolz for reading through the first part! thank you for all your sweet comments :> and @celestialgyu​ for going through the entirety of this. I was nearly gonna start crying in the dms tysm <3 @seung-scrittore oh my god leo you are a savior for going through this entire monster!! thank you! i can't stress it enough how grateful i am <33 i really appreciate it :< also sorry for having to correct shitty typos and my malfunctioning grammar lmfao @chaninfused furat thank you for listening to my rambles as i was losing it on main lol. it was really nice and helpful talking to you, especially as your (self proclaimed) no 1 stan lol. also shout out to your arab prince! minho cause i'm still on the agenda and i can't deny i thought of him while writing this. go read danse macabre  for some quality prince!minho (and great plot) @choihaiyun for the amazing banner idea/creation <3

MASTERLIST

The night was coated in inky darkness, thunder rumbling outside your window.

It was a cold winter night, heavy snow coating your entire kingdom like a blanket. Loud arguments echoed through the room, various voices from both sides unable to reach an agreement.

You weren't surprised—it was a tough decision to make on your part, or rather, on your uncle's part. The men from the Crimson clan appeared in your kingdom a few days ago with an unexpected offer: a peace treaty. After many years of war, your entire kingdom was in ruins and it came to no one's surprise that your uncle jumped at the opportunity to finally end the conflict that had been going on for over a century.

That was, however, before he had heard the details of said treaty, and after finding out what the last requirement was, he was about to turn it down at lightning speed.

That's when you suddenly stood up, dusting the imaginary specks of dust from your finest gown—the one you were ordered to wear tonight.

“Enough!” you shouted over the loud voices in the room.

Everyone, both your people and the people of the Crimson clan, immediately turned their heads towards you in surprise, not expecting such an outburst from the crown princess. You'd been silent the entire meeting, choosing to keep quiet and let them talk, but you'd had enough. Everybody was speaking over you, arguing over your future like it was some sort of commodity; nobody even bothered to ask you what you wanted.

Taking a deep breath, you finally whispered, “I agree to the marriage.”

. ˚✧・* •

flashback

“A little bit tighter,” you said to Mina, your maid, who was tightening your dress from the back.

It was currently almost five o'clock and you had a meeting with some officials from the Crimson clan in about fifteen minutes.

To your utter surprise, it was them who first reached out to you on forming an alliance. The war had been going on for over a hundred years and your clan was on the brink of extinction.

Pushed back from the mainland, most of your colonies and settlements now laid offshore on secluded islands in the north.

Your once prosperous nation was now a shell of its former self, ridden with poverty, famine, and death.

To put it simply, the Crimson clan massacred your entire nation and left it in ruins.

Every day, you awoke to the howling of hungry citizens who were freezing in their little cabins with nothing to eat, nothing to do. The war had left its imprint on your nation and if you didn’tdo anything soon, nothing would be left of the once prosperous clan.

You fiddled with your sleeve nervously as you walked down the hallway, both Chan and Jisung right behind you. This was a major meeting and they'd rather be found dead than not accompany you on such an important day. The three of you had been through so much growing up side by side, and they were the only people you could consider friends.

Sweat was beginning to line your forehead as you nervously stopped in front of the grand entrance.

Jisung immediately rushed to hold the door open for you and you offered him a grateful nod, taking a deep breath before you entered the den of lions.

Lifting up your dress slightly, you bowed down to the visitors before taking a seat by your uncle.

Ever since your father died in the war, he was the one to temporarily rule the kingdom until a new ruler would arise. Despite his rather meek and quiet nature, he tried his best to be a strong and dependable leader for your people. Unlike your father, however, he was never a good strategist so he left most of the tactical details to Chan—captain of the Cerulean guard and his right-hand man.

The thin cushion you were sitting on proved to be rather uncomfortable after a full hour. During this time, Felix—the general and minister of foreign affairs (and the crown prince's cousin)—unrolled a scroll handed to him by one of his servants. The fiery red emblem of the Crimson clan shone on the creamy piece of parchment, making you feel even more stressed than you thought was possible.

As his slim fingers worked to crack the seal, you could feel your breath hitch in your throat. This tiny piece of paper would determine your future, along with the future of your entire kingdom.

And despite the Crimson guard arriving with words of peace, you couldn't help but stay alert. You felt uneasy as you watched the cunning man's lips tug into a smirk, reading the terms and conditions.

“Lastly, due to the unusual grounds for the treaty, the royal court requires that the Crown Princess is to be wed to Crown Prince Minho, effective immediately.”

. ˚✧・* •

A thick silence engulfed the three of you as you sat in the carriage, too stunned to speak. Or at least you were. The consequences of your words weighed down on you like a heavy blanket, enveloping you in darkness from which you felt as if there was no way out.

Turning your head to your two most loyal men (and friends, of course), you couldn't help but notice how tense they were. Chan, always one to put others before himself, tried to mask the unease but you saw it clear as day in his eyes.

He was afraid.

Meanwhile, Jisung didn't even bother to hide his emotions. A scowl was painted across his pretty lips as his hands clenched into fists. He was staring out the window, almost as if he didn't want you to see the burning rage in his eyes.

A sigh left your parted lips as you fixed your gaze on the village you were passing by. All the people seemed to be happy, the roads were clean and flowers blossomed from every little garden. It only reminded you of how little your people back home had.

You felt a pang of guilt in your heart.

I failed my kingdom.

You weren't able to protect your land. It was a sad realization, but it was the truth. It was the reason you had agreed to be shipped off to Crown Prince Minho as an appeasement gift in the first place. It hurt your pride, there was no doubt about that, but it was your duty.

Not because you were a brave princess ready to do anything for her kingdom. The thought of fleeing came across your mind several times, however, there was a bitter reason why you never even considered it an option.

You had nowhere to go.

Your entire land had been occupied by the Crimson Guard for over two decades now. Not to mention that anywhere you'd go, you'd still be recognized as the Crown Princess of the Azure clan. There were probably hundreds of people who wanted you gone, and if you ever set foot in the neighboring kingdom without an official treaty, you were as good as dead.

You've heard lots of things about Prince Minho.

And honestly, they weren't that great. Quite the contrary—the word around was that he was an unimaginable brute, bitter from the loss of his older brother whom he loved dearly. You winced at the thought of having to meet the man.

You've never met him personally—not many people have—but stories of his staggering beauty traveled to your kingdom too. They say his eyes are as sharp and cunning as those of a dragon and that if you look into them for too long, you'll get burned.

Clenching your hands by your side, you sighed, perching your head against the glass as the demons of sleep slowly overtook you.

. ˚✧・* •

“Y/N, wake up!” you heard a hushed whisper as someone lightly shook your body. “Y/N!”

With a gasp, you shot up, hurriedly looking from side to side. “It's okay, Princess, it's just us,” Jisung murmured in a low voice, the voice he used only when talking to you. As the familiar tone reverberated in your head, you released the breath you were holding, placing your hand on your chest to calm your erratic heartbeat.

“S-Sorry, Ji… just another nightmare…”

“Don't worry, I'm here,” his hand slid down your cheek to your shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. “I won't let anything happen to you.”

Jisung's serious tone made Chan snort, shaking his head at the two of you and the obliviousness you both possessed. The boy looked at you with adoration and love, like you held the Milky Way in your eyes, while you never said anything, presumably not realizing how deep his feelings for you ran.

Or perhaps, Chan had it all wrong and you loved him back… he couldn't be sure, however, that would be even worse. The three of you were about to enter the Crimson palace, the land of the enemy, to offer a treaty. Your entire land's future relied on how well the deal would go, how merciful would the Crown Prince be. There was no way in hell Jisung would knowingly risk the future of your country by getting chummy with you, who was supposed to be wed to him, the Prince, as an “appeasement gift” of sorts.

Chan never really understood the whole royalty schtick.

Sure, he was a royal guard (the captain, in fact) and it was his duty to protect the Princess, but when he was a young teen who just started out at the academy, he had no idea of the inner workings of the palace.

He wasn't aware of all the things that were done behind the curtains, all the hushed deals, and secret affairs. However, most of all, he never would've expected to see you, the little girl whom he knew since she could walk on her own two feet (or rather waddle, to be precise), be wed to someone like Prince Minho.

Nevertheless, the man couldn't help but scoff, a small smile appearing on his lips, despite his best attempt to hide it.

Ever since he was a little boy, Jisung had this sense of duty and obligation to protect you. He was closer to your age than him, so it was natural that the two of you were closer with each other than you ever were with him. Or perhaps it was too natural.

With a light thud, the door to your carriage opened, and a young guard held out his hand for you to take. Ignoring the glare Jisung shot the poor boy, you gladly accepted his hand, slipping your gloved palm into his and walking down the steps till your feet were securely on the ground.

Upon stepping down, you were immediately taken aback. The Crimson Palace was simply divine. The humongous building extended as far as the eye could see, offering a horizontal view of the ancient-looking (but well kept) structure. Despite wanting to appear proper and lady-like, you couldn't prevent your jaw from dropping in awe.

“This is… wow,” you whispered, tongue darting to moisten your lips.

Your throat suddenly felt very dry.

It was then that you noticed how warm the climate was. The surcoat with the traditional fox-fur lining began to feel heavy on your shoulders and you realized that for the first time in years, you actually felt warm outside.

“Hey, hey,” a soft voice murmured in your ear, tugging on your sleeve. “Do you think it's him?”

You didn't have to even ask who Jisung was talking about. A cloud of worry washed over you as you immediately straightened your posture, expecting the Prince to appear from behind the swarm of guards to welcome you.

You were left disappointed though, as the person who emerged from the crown wasn't the Prince. Rather, the man that came forward was one you recognized immediately.

He was the one who came to your kingdom prior to your arrival. Felix was his name, if you recalled correctly. The pleasant smile he showed you when he was in your homeland was gone and instead replaced with a sour expression that did nothing but show his distaste for you.

Nibbling on your bottom lip, you clenched your hands in worry, momentarily allowing your gaze to drop down.

“Why's he the one greeting you?” Jisung spat out, standing in front of you protectively as if attempting to shield you with his own body. Chan too stepped in front of the two of you, hand immediately reaching for the sword by his side as if preparing for the worst.

“Where is the Prince?” he spat out lowly, his voice audibly dropping an octave. Usually, this would result in the opponents quivering in their boots. Chan could be a scary man when he wanted to and he wasn't afraid to unleash his more deadly side if it meant he would adhere to his duties.

Alas, it seemed like this trick wasn't enough to scare the Crimson soldiers.

A mere chuckle left general Felix's lips as he gestured for the men around him to disperse. Once the soldiers weren't coming directly at you, Chan stepped away with a sigh, recognizing that you were no longer in imminent danger.

Unlike Chan, however, Jisung never left the spot in front of you, his hand still protectively wrapped around your waist. The glare he was giving the Crimson Land's general was pretty intense if you'd take into account that the man was several ranks higher than him and could obliterate the three of you with a single snap of his fingers.

“Jisung!” Chan whisper-shouted from next to you, tugging his younger friend's sleeve. “Stop it.”

The boy shot another nasty glare, this time in his captain's direction, making his eyes widen. Chan was about to yank him from his position when suddenly, your voice rang through the air, clear as day.

“Jisung! I appreciate your concerns, however, I need to meet with the officials of the Crimson Land. Don't forget that we're the guests setting foot in a foreign kingdom.” Your eyes met over his shoulder. Then, with a softened tone, you continued, “I'm gonna be okay, don't worry.”

Maybe it was the strong imploration in your eyes, but Chan suspected that it was more likely the fact that you gently placed your palm on his shoulders that made the young boy step back. It wasn't the first time that the young lieutenant got into a fit and had to be coaxed by you to get back in line.

As a seasoned general of the army, Felix was quite impressed by your commanding tone and by how you managed to convince what seemed like a typical low-rank brat into listening to reason. Nevertheless, he didn't let it show, instead, focused on you—the future Princess of the Crimson Land.

Right?… wrong.

“What is the meaning of this, General?” Chan suddenly spoke up, confused as to why the Prince wasn't already here greeting you and welcoming you to the palace as was customary. You may come from a poorer land than his, but still, you were a princess.

His future wife for god's sake.

“The nerve of this man,” he growled under his breath, clenching his fists. “Where is His Highness? Shouldn't he be here welcoming the Princess?”

From the tone his voice took, you could tell that Chan was losing his patience. You tried to calm him the same way you would Jisung. Unfortunately, you did not have that effect on him. Chan simply shook your hand off but took a deep breath, calming his heartbeat.

“Sadly, the Prince could not join us now. He had some other important duties he had to tend to. Fear not, His Highness's schedule has been cleared for the evening. He and the Princess may meet in the latter hours of the day.”

“What other duties could he have that are more important than meeting the Princess?!” Jisung scoffed, folding his hands over his chest to show his distaste. He bit the inside of his cheek in annoyance, sending another glare to the General. The man looked quite… young for his age, and Jisung couldn't help but realize that he must be really skilled to have earned the general's title in his early twenties. Hell, the man looked like he was younger than Chan!

“Now,” Felix continued, “I believe it is my duty to show the Princess around the palace.”

. ˚✧・* •

You would think that Felix was relishing in the way you cowered as you were made to follow him around the palace. Behind every corner, crook, and cabinet, there were at least half a dozen of maids or other palace staff gossiping about you.

“I heard that she begged for His Highness to marry her! She's only after his fortune ”

“Supposedly, she stole food from the food supply, letting her own people go hungry!”

“They say she has an awful temper and hits her own maids!”

“Don't mind them,” he rumbled, his deep voice sending chills down your spine. “It's just idle gossip. They don't have anything else to talk about.”

‘Yeah sure,’ you thought. As if he wasn't smirking at the prospect of your humiliation. He had all the power to order them to stop, yet he let the rumors spread like wildfire instead, leaving you to walk over the scorching trail of embarrassment.

Wrapping your arms around yourself, almost as if trying to create a shield between you and their hurtful words, you let out a muffled whimper.

“H-How did these rumors even spread? I never did anything of this sort…”

The General smirked, his head turning away from you as he gazed at the lush gardens of the palace. “That, Princess, I wonder too…”

. ˚✧・* •

The clock struck seven when the maids were tightening your dress. It had been almost three hours since you'd arrived at the palace. General Felix took you on a lengthy tour of the kingdom's grounds and showed you to your chambers.

Despite feeling sad and lonely, there was no denying how beautiful the Crimson Land was. From the majestic palm trees lining the path to the main gate to the Palace itself, you were still in awe.

How could a building look so beautiful, like it was taken straight from The Tales From the Thousand and One Nights?

You wondered if the Prince was beautiful too… it was no secret that Lee Minho was considered one of the most attractive princes to have graced the face of Earth. The tales of his beauty and intellect reached even the most secluded corners of the Azure Land. Yet these whispers shared amongst the people were also filled with anecdotes of his cruelty and apathy.

You knew more than to believe baseless rumors spread by servants, but the story of his older brother's brutal death was one that everyone knew by heart. It was supposedly this tragic event that caused the Prince's heart to turn into ice…

A loud knock could be heard as the maids secured the last hairpin into your hair.

“Come in,” you stated, praying that your voice wasn't quivering. You fiddled with the hems of your delicately sewn sleeves, attempting to keep the anxiety at bay.

A young man, somewhere around your age, entered the chambers with an unrolled piece of parchment. “The General request your presence in ten minutes. He will accompany you to meet His Highness.”

The way he addressed you informally wasn't lost on you, yet you didn't even find it in you to bother getting angry. Instead, you nodded, gathering the heaps of your skirts before standing up.

You followed the boy into the upper floor of the palace, immediately noticing the sudden change in setting. Although never too pressed on luxury and the way your sleeping quarters looked, it was pretty hard to miss how much more lavish and decorated this floor was. Despite this sudden discovery, you tried to stop the inevitable train of thought that you were building up to.

Perhaps you were kept on the other floor for… security reasons.

Yeah… it was bullshit… you knew. And since you were already self-conscious enough about the deal, it made it even worse.

‘Don't dwell on it, Y/N,’ you whispered to yourself as you were strolling down the hall. ‘There's nothing you can do…’

Swiftly, one of the mahogany doors burst open, General Felix walking out of the room clad in his finest robes. His platinum hair was slicked back and held up by a single hairpin, giving him a more mature and aged look. He gave you his signature smirk (one that promised no good), nodding to the man who brought you and dismissing him promptly.

“Follow me, Princess.”

Hoping to keep up with the General's fast pace, you sped up slightly, the heels of your expensive crystal shoes clicking against the marble floor.

Suddenly, the man stilled, his steps coming to a halt. You squeaked, almost bumping into him, but luckily, you managed to stop right before making contact with his body, dodging the first of many bullets that were to come at you.

“His Majesty is in the last chamber on your left. No need to knock, you can simply walk straight in. He has been anticipating you for the entire evening.”

Taking a deep breath, you start walking towards the door, unclenching your hands that were balled into fists. ‘This is it,’ you thought. ‘I'm finally going to meet the Prince… my future husband.’

Even simply hearing the word itself made you unconsciously shudder, unsure of how to feel about this.

The dark, oak doors to His Majesties chambers were rather plain, you noticed. Unlike the Generals', there were no golden plaques or anything lavish that would point to the crown Prince living there.

You couldn't decide if that was a good sign or not.

Heeding general Felix's advice, you reach for the door handle. Fingers tightly gripping at the cold metal, you felt chills run down your spine as you opened the door, walking straight into a lavishly decorated room.

The shelves were filled with artifacts and scrolls, some of them looking more than two hundred years old. A thick aroma of rose and patchouli wafted through your nostrils, attacking your senses. A loud cough tore from your throat as you covered your mouth in hopes of blocking any more of the scent. It felt like you just inhaled a bottle of the most precious bath oils.

Taking a few more steps, you found yourself standing in front of a silk curtain. Looking back, maybe you should've realized that the entire setting was rather… unusual. Later that evening, you would curse yourself for not realizing sooner.

You blamed it on the giddiness from meeting the Prince, or perhaps it was a morbid sort of curiosity that led you to tug at the curtain which revealed…

The crown Prince changing?!?!

A gasp left your parted lips, alerting him of your immediate presence. You were met with a handsome man in his early twenties, clad in form-fitting trousers and a shirt half pulled over his torso. His toned chest gleamed back on you, lingering droplets of water gliding down the smooth planes of pale skin.

A loud cough made you jerk, realizing that you were staring at the Prince who was currently half-naked.

The Prince.

When that last bit sunk in, you yelped, hastily covering your eyes to block your view of the man.

“I-I… I'm-m sorry, Your Highness. I d-didn't mean to—”

Pulling down his silk shirt, the Prince's lips were tugged into a tight line as he watched you fumble with your words, arms crossing over his chest. Though he managed to conceal it, your intrusion managed to throw him off. A smirk appeared at the corner of his lips when he spotted how flustered you were.

Sensing that you weren't going to finish your sentence anytime soon, Minho waited for a couple of seconds, just to make sure, before he started walking away, completely ignoring your presence—as if you weren't even there.

You almost cowered under his menacing aura.

As you watched the back of your future husband turn on you, a sudden pang in your chest made you do the unthinkable: you reached out and grabbed his arm.

The way he stopped in his tracks made your heart beat like crazy, and for a second, you almost forgot how to breathe.

After what felt like an eternity, his lips finally parted as he uttered a sentence that would haunt you for the coming days.

“Let go.”

. ˚✧・* •

After the rather embarrassing encounter with Prince Minho, you ran out of the room in tears, barely managing to hold in your sobs. Out of all the ways you could've met him for the first time, you had to walk in on him while he was changing (courtesy of general Felix—that man really must hate your guts).

Since you heard all the horrible rumors about him, you had hoped you could at least make a good first impression. Hell, even decent would be fine. Well, as always, fate throws fortune, but not everyone catches.

The way you're running down the hall feels most improper.

You're holding your robes high, so as not to trip over them, and waterfalls of tears are streaming down your face. Perhaps you were overreacting… no—scratch that—you were overreacting, no doubt.

You couldn't find proper reasoning for this onslaught of emotions. Was it caused by all the recent stress surrounding the engagement? Or perhaps the fact that you were anticipating this moment, imagining in your head how this exact meeting would go.

Wiping the tears from your face with the back of your hand, you sobbed.

“Why… w-why me?”

As you turned around the corner, you were too preoccupied with your current situation to pay attention to your surroundings. You didn't notice the person walking ahead until it was too late.

“Ouch!” you whimpered when you bumped into a sturdy chest, rough hands reaching to steady you at your waist. “You okay?”

Raising your head slowly, you stood up upright, coming face to face with Jisung. His sparkling orbs scanned over your face, taking in the redness of your eyes and your tear-soaked cheeks.

He looked as if he was going to say something, yet instead, he bit down on his lip, holding in whatever angry exclamation that was forming at the tip of his tongue. He shouldn't raise his voice… not when you were so visibly shaken.

“What's the matter, Princess?”

His voice was laced with concern, perhaps a smidgen of anger, and it almost made you choke on your sobs. Your fingers deftly gripped onto the sleeves of his coat as you tried to calm your breathing. His arms felt so warm and inviting that you almost wanted to burry yourself into his chest and forget about everything that just happened.

Carefully peeling your eyes from the ground, you gazed into his, blinking away the tears as you shook your head, letting him know you didn't want to talk about it. Instead, you lurched forward, whispering, “please… just hold me.”

Jisung almost felt his heart snap when he heard you utter those words, holding onto his last bits of restraint like a man thrown overboard would onto a wooden plank. Bending over, the young lieutenant slid his hands under your knees picking you up bridal style.

“Let's go somewhere more private.”

. ˚✧・* •

Turns out that the Crimson Palace offered plenty of nooks and crannies perfect for late-night talks.

“Please… stop it, Jisung. It's embarrassing…” you whined, swatting his hand away. He had been pestering you for the past few minutes to tell him what happened. After he scooped you up into his arms and carried you to the east wing of the palace, Jisung spent almost an hour simply holding you close, rubbing soothing circles on your lower back and caressing your hair.

His comforting touch allowed you to calm down and unwind, an effect he's had you since childhood.

“We've known each other since we were kids,” he exclaimed. “Whatever it is, I won't think you're embarrassing. Plus, I need to find whoever hurt you and give them a piece of my mind!”

You stifled a chuckle. “Geez, good luck with that. I heard that the Prince is an excellent swordsman.”

Jisung spluttered, eyes bulging out of his skull. “The Prince made you cry?! Goddamn, does he have no shame? I'm going to—”

Before he could even finish the sentence, you cut in with a shy giggle, placing your palm on his shoulder. “It's okay, Ji. honestly, I can't even blame him. You know… it was me who walked in on him while he was changing. He must've been just as taken aback as I was,” you sighed.

“Still—” Jisung whined, a pout appearing on his lips, “—he had no business being so mean to you. And that snake Felix!” he exclaimed, anger returning to his tone. “What's his deal?”

A few minutes passed, the two of you sitting on the balcony and enjoying the sunset as the golden hues mixed with the pink ones, creating a wonderful pallet on the sky. Jisung's arm slowly progressed from being propped against the cold marble to securing its (rightful, in his opinion) position around your waist, pulling you closer to his side.

Inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne, you let your aching body relax, almost melting into his hold. His warm, protective hold, the only one that reminded you of how a mother would hold her child. You always felt safe in his arms.

A sudden ache in your stomach made you realize how hungry you were. Your lips curled into a pout as you exhaled, making Jisung turn around. “You're hungry?”

“Jisung—” you dragged out the last syllable of his name in a teasing way, just like you did when you two were kids. “How could you tell? I was just thinking about getting something to eat.”

The boy chuckled, glancing down before gazing back into your eyes. “I've known you for ages, Princess. I know the face you make when you're hungry, when you're tired, when you're annoyed. I was practically raised to guard you and make sure you're satisfied at all times.”

His tone took a rather nostalgic sound and you swallowed thickly at all the fond memories you've shared with him. “I suppose that's true. Nobody understands me like you do, Jisung.”

“Right? The two of us are perfect for each other!”

Suddenly, your throat felt oddly dry. You were perfectly aware of what Jisung was getting at with this statement, his true intentions clear as the sky on a summer night. And perhaps it was fate that brought you together yet again as Jisung gazed into your eyes, a loving smile across his lips.

Then, quickly, as if he was afraid he would lose the courage, he leaned down and pressed his lips against yours. It all happened in a flash, Jisung's arms wrapping around you and pulling you close, your hands sliding into his hair, gripping onto the locks tightly—as if your life depended on it.

Your head was spinning, the air around you heavy, and the only thing you could pay attention to was Jisungs warm lips molding against yours. It was almost like the world around you stopped spinning, everything—including your surroundings—forgotten in favor of the man in front of you.

It was intoxicating, addicting, heated—like a hot summer evening—and you melted into his embrace like the tip of an iceberg fighting against the last rays of the Sun.

Suddenly, a loud clank could be heard, one akin to someone dropping a heavy object. You and Jisung immediately separated from each other, fear written in both of your eyes. His palm pressed against his mouth, fingers caressing his lips as if he still couldn't believe what he was done.

“Shit!” he whispered. “What have we done?”

This was wrong. Everything that just happened was wrong. How could you have allowed him to kiss you? If anyone saw you, you were done for…

“Y-Y/N–” Jisung stuttered, tears materializing at the corners of his eyes. “I'm s-so sorry… I swear I didn't mean to—I have no idea what came over me–”

“–Jisung,” you cut in, realizing that he was about to spiral. Jisung always put up this tough persona, pretending that he was okay and nothing bothered him, but over the years, you've learned to tell when he was in one of those moods. Push and pull, like the tides of the ocean, your understanding of each other was a two-way street, reliant on how the two of you experienced the presence of the other.

“What happened right now was certainly…” you took a deep breath, just a step too close to freaking out. “Improper. Neither of us should have engaged in such acts. As such, we should never ever speak of it, understood?”

You peered at him from under your lashes, hoping to coax more than just an empty stare from him. Luckily, the boy swallowed thickly, but nonetheless nodded, focusing his entire attention on you.

“That's not to say though that I didn't enjoy the kiss.” You grabbed his hand in yours, shyly looking away. “There's a reason I reciprocated, Jisung. Make no mistake.”

The look he gave you was almost as painful as the expression he made when he first heard that you would be moving away. Like a man starved of his deepest, darkest desires. By telling him that you felt these feelings, these tender emotions reserved for people in love, you were letting him know that although he scored in the first alley (by winning your love), there were other circumstances that would prevent the two of you from taking your relationship anywhere further.

He would have to watch you wed, not to mention he would have to be present during the ceremony. And that's not to say that he wasn't capable of being happy for you—he was, but there was a small seed of doubt that was planted in his mind before you even left your kingdom.

Would you be truly happy?

Or rather, would Prince Minho make you happy?

The tales and rumors that surrounded the… cold-hearted nature of the Prince were known to all. In the back of his mind, Jisung had already performed an assessed judgment of Minho and his entire persona. And he came to a very simple conclusion.

That bastard did not deserve you.

A sudden fluttery motion materialized in the corner of his eye—you were waving your hand in front of him, hoping to catch his attention.

“We should go.” The words fell from his mouth in a quick breath as he shot up, grabbing your hand and running towards the direction of your bed chambers.

“Wait, Jisung!” You exclaimed, trying to shake off his much too powerful grip on your wrist. It was no use—as a trained guard, he was leaps stronger than you and your pleas fell on deaf ears. “Calm down, please.”

“I can't, Y/N. I'm sorry, I've dishonored you. It's my duty to bring you to your chambers as quickly as possible—that's the least I can do.”

A choked sob leaves your throat. But you know that he's right—all that's left for you to do is pray that no one saw you. Relaxing into his grip, you allow the lieutenant to walk you in front of your door.

“Goodnight, Princess,” he whispered, giving you a forced smile that didn't reach his eyes.

“Goodnight, Ji…”

. ˚✧・* •

“What were you thinking?!”

Chan's voice rang loud and clear, cutting through the crisp morning air. The Captain measured his subordinate with a bewildered glare, fumes almost seeping from the top of his head.

When he saw the way Jisung nervously fiddled with the hem of his shirt, eyes cast downwards, something tugged at his heartstrings, making his gaze soften.

“Jisung,” his tone was now calmer and quieter, barely above a whisper. “Why did you do that?”

The younger boy snorted, “Out of all the things you could've asked me, I never expected you would ask that.”

Chan raised his perfectly shaped eyebrow. “You're not gonna say anything? I expected you would have at least a proper excuse.” When Jisung stayed silent, he sighed, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, “Why did you kiss her?”

“You know the answer to that just as well as I do. Don't make me say it out loud…”

He sounded broken, like some higher power sucked all the life out of him, leaving only a shell of his former being behind. And Chan hated it. He hated how things had to pan out. He hated himself for not realizing that something like that was bound to happen.

He watched the two of you grow up, side by side. Like two peas in a pod. Jisung and Y/N. the princess and her guard. The two of you spent all your free time together, getting into all sorts of trouble. Chan wanted to kick himself for not putting an end to this fairytale love story before it got out of hand.

Another thought raced through his mind. “Did anyone see you?”

The way Jisung avoided his gaze made it perfectly clear.

. ˚✧・* •

The next morning, you woke up to the birds chirping outside your window. The view from your chamber was so idyllic you almost forgot the events of yesterday evening.

Slipping from under the covers, a loud pounding in your head made you stumble as you whimpered, steadying your hand against the wall. For the first time in months, you placed your hand against your head, closing your eyes as the ice began to cool you down.

You hated using your powers.

They reminded you of all the horrid events in your life, all the things you wanted to leave behind. Yet for some reason, you only felt relief. Like the familiar feeling of ice crystals seeping from the tips of your fingers reminded you of the few happy memories you shared with your parents.

Paddling towards the heavy door, you pushed it open, peeping down the nearly empty hallway. Suddenly, the smell of freshly baked rolls and the sweetest fruit wafted through your nose, making you sigh in delight. It had been ages since you last ate, and the loud grumble of your stomach made you realize that fetching some breakfast wouldn't be so bad after all…

You followed the delicious scent of food down one of the more secluded halls until you reached a heavy mahogany door. The sight made you shudder as you remembered yesterday's events. Luckily for you, the Prince was likely dining in the main dining room, and not in the small, hidden corner of the east wing. Using all your strength, you pushed against the door.

And curse your luck cause once again, you ended up face to face with Prince Minho.

Sweat broke out on your forehead as you took a step back, ready to run out the door and disappear.

“Good morning, Princess,” the General's voice drawled, making your skin crawl. The smirk painted across his lips made you want to throw up, remembering how he purposefully made you walk in on Minho just so that you'd leave a bad impression.

“M-Morning. I'm really s-sorry, I didn't mean to i-interrupt—”

“—nonsense. You're not interrupting, am I right, Your Majesty?”

Minho scowled, redirecting his attention back to the vegetable omelet that lay in front of him.

“I should probably go–” you whispered, reaching for the door handle. The air in the room was thick and heavy, weighing down on you uncomfortably.

“Stay. I'm sure the Prince would like to hear about your first day in his kingdom. Right?” Felix nudged the man, feigning innocence.

“Whatever, Lee. I'll be leaving soon, anyway.”

The general looked back at you, flashing you a bright smile. “It's settled then. Please help yourself.”

Metaphorically backed into a corner, there was nothing left for you to do, other than accept his (insincere) offer. A sigh escaped your lips as you sat down, smoothing the hem of your silk nightgown, suddenly feeling insecure. Had you known that you would dine with him, you would've dressed more appropriately.

“So, Y/N, do you mind telling us how your first day went?” Felix piped while gracefully cutting his pancakes into manageable pieces and dipping them in honey. You couldn't help but notice the dangerous glint in his eyes, a shiver running down your spine.

“It went rather well, although, I didn't really get to explore much of the palace.” You proclaimed, bitting down on a piece of fresh fruit. “I was hoping I could get to go outside and see the villagers too—you know—to get acquainted with the people.”

A smug smile appeared on Felix's face as he pretended that you piqued his interest. “Well, I'm sure that you got to explore other things last night, am I right?”

Your brow shot up, not understanding what he was getting at when suddenly, it hit you. The color drained from your face as you put together two and two, realizing what he meant. Felix noticed the sudden change of attitude, smiling proudly as he took yet another jab at you.

When you make no efforts to explain, he continued, “I am curious though, where did you go after meeting His Majesty?”

The heat rose to your cheeks as you stumbled to answer him without saying anything suspicious.

“I-I was looking for the way back to my bed chambers, but due to my limited knowledge of the palace, I got lost.”

Another snicker. “And did someone, perhaps help you find your way?”

“Y-Yeah… I met one of my guards and he escorted me back to my room.”

“I see. You must be really grateful to have met him, Princess. So grateful that you—”

“Enough!”

Minho's voice sounded much too irritated as he cut his General off before he managed to say anything else. A shiver ran down your spine as you realized what this meant. He knew. He knew exactly what happened between the two of you and he wasn't happy about it.

“Felix, I think we should allow the Princess some privacy. The meeting starts in fifteen minutes.”

You allowed yourself to nervously peer at Minho through your lashes, instantly regretting your decision. When your eyes met, there was so much anger and hostility in them that you shuddered.

“It was very nice talking to you,” Felix winked as he and the Prince walked out, leaving you to drown in your sorrows.

The sound of the door slamming echoed in your head.

. ˚✧・* •

The branches fluttered in the wind, flapping from one side to another, guided by the howling air. You sat perched on one of the benches deep in the gardens, hidden from view.

For the past few days, you roamed around the palace, trying your best to stay hidden from Prince Minho and Jisung.

Steering clear of the Prince proved to be a rather easy task—there was no reason for you to want to spend time with him and vice versa. But avoiding Jisung… that ended up being a lot more difficult than you initially anticipated.

Not that the two of you crossed paths that often, rather, it was the strong pang of guilt in your heart whenever you passed him. Whether he was sparring, practicing, or patrolling the palace grounds with Chan, your heart would break at the sight of the dark circles under his eyes and the generally lifeless energy he exuded.

Little by little, the loneliness slowly got to you, devouring you like a deadly plague until nothing was left. The darkness consumed you in its entirety, and with no one to turn to, you felt like it was you against the world.

The dark clouds in the sky were a perfect visualization of how you currently felt.

Speaking of clouds, you could tell that a storm was coming, thunder beginning to rumble in the background. There was no use sitting like a duck and getting wet.

Gathering the hefty skirts of your azure robe, you stood up, dusting off the dirt from your hands. A heavy raindrop fell from the sky, splattering against your skin. With a sigh, you picked up your pace, running towards the main gate.

. ˚✧・* •

You learned that spending hours at the library isn't something one can just stop doing.

Well, to be fair, there wasn't much for you to do, other than burying your nose in a book, but it still brought back many cherished memories from your childhood. Before the accident. Before all your troubles. Back when your biggest concern was when the sequel of your favorite series would arrive.

The action itself held no real value to you, but it was the idea it represented. It allowed you to pretend that you were just another person in academia, studying to make something of yourself. There was no pressure to be perfect, to marry, to listen to your husband.

It was just you and the bulky, leather-bound tomes. The scrolls made out of quality parchment that smelled like home. Just you and the scent of fresh ink.

The book that was currently perched up on your lap was rather interesting.

“The Crimson Clan; Tales from the Depths and Crevices of the Most Prosperous Nation”

Despite its somewhat… jarring name, the contents of it were rather straightforward and simple. Everything you'd possibly want to know about your new homeland was in here. The foundation, history, and rebirth of this thriving land—all were explained in the most thorough of details.

You even found yourself smiling while reading through the chapter on festivities and celebrations. It stirred something within you, to know that these people were fortunate enough to have so much to celebrate.

Ignoring the slight pang of jealousy in your heart—one caused by the unfortunate circumstances of your war-stricken, poverty-afflicted nation—it allowed you to feel something you haven't felt in a long time.

Something dangerous... Hope.

An emotion you had long given up on after seeing your land in ruins and your people in pain. You cursed yourself for allowing something that could threaten the alliance to even happen.

It seemed like there was no chance for the Crown prince to love you—which hurt you more than you admitted to yourself—but it didn't matter. Marriage out of love was rare anyway. So in hopes of preserving the deal, you decided that you would try your best to win the favor of Lee Minho.

Sans love, romance, or affection.

You would make sure that you'd see this treaty to the end.

. ˚✧・* •

The wind tonight was light and breezy, like a whiff of fresh peonies on a spring morning.

After many days of locking yourself in the library, your joints were aching, leading you to believe that you deserved a bit of a break.

You spent the better half of the week reading through many volumes of the ‘The Crimson Clan’ series, learning everything there was to know about your new homeland. It was certainly difficult, more difficult than you first imagined it to be, but after hours spent cramped in the corner of the library, things were starting to look up.

The unfamiliar words and phrases were starting to clear up, having read them enough times to learn their true meanings. The unusual ways of the nation inked on the pages were beginning to make sense after you understood a little bit of how they were thinking, and the festivals and celebrations were becoming more comprehensible as you read of their origins.

You even kept a small notebook by your side at all times, jotting down the new words you've learned and organizing your thoughts and opinions.

A loud growl of your stomach made panic, looking around in fear that someone saw you. It was rather stupid—there was no one around—but the dread of someone seeing you in such an… unladylike state made you tremble.

Fortunately—just as you predicted—no one was around to witness the embarrassing sounds of your stomach. And maybe this was a sign that you should take a break, and perhaps, get something small to eat.

There's a light bounce to your step as you walk down the empty halls, humming a tune you heard the royal quartet play. The birds were chirping and the weather was lovely—making you suddenly regret that you spent the past days holed up in the library.

“What do you think you're doing?!”

The loud scream had you stopping in your tracks. What was going on?

“I-I'm s-so sorry. I-I was told to c-collect a-all the laundry. P-Please, don't p-punish me,” Came the answer in a much quieter voice.

Turning around the corner, you found a small group of people crowded around two; a servant and a guard. Immediately, you could tell that the guard was threatening the young girl, as she was backed into a corner, eyes wide as a laundry basket lay discarded by her feet.

“How dare you go through my drawers without permission?” he barked, ears turning red in fury. The girl only took a step back, quivering as she realized she hit the wall. “I won't let this slide!”

“Enough!”

All eyes were on you as you walked up to the guard, fuming. “What do you think you're doing?”

“Y-Your Majesty—” he stuttered, anger slowly dissipating, “I was only chastising this, this foolish maid for going through my room!”

You shook your head. “There's no reason for you to yell at her like that for such a simple mistake. You could've explained what she did wrong without scaring her like that.”

You gestured for the girl to come to you, sanding in front of her protectively. Giving her a smile, you remarked, “If he ever gives you any trouble, come to me immediately.”

The man's face turned beet red in embarrassment as he looked down at his feet. “And you, if I ever hear that you're bothering her, you'll be on laundry duty for the next week!”

There was a loud chorus of laughter that followed and the people around you slowly started to scatter, leaving only you and the young maid. She looked to be a few years younger than you.

“T-Thank you, Your Majesty,” she bowed, shyly looking away.

“It's okay. Assholes have to be put in their place, right?”

She didn't laugh.

Embarrassed by your little joke not landing well, you reached out to gently pat her hair. “What's your name?”

“Yuna.”

She was still shaken up, you could tell by her closed-off stance. “Well, Yuna, I think you were very brave today. I'm really sorry you had to go through this, please don't hesitate to reach out to me if anything like that happens again.”

With a wave of your hand, you saw her off, smiling widely as you walked down the hall.

. ˚✧・* •

“Your Majesty—” you ignored the calls of the young servant, wiping the sweat off your forehead. “I'm fine, don't worry.”

“Please, Your Majesty… you've done nothing else than reorganize these scrolls for the past few days! You have to rest…”

“No, I'm fine, don't worry. I'm glad to be of some use.”

You moved another section of scrolls and loose leaves of parchment down on the floor, wiping down the shelf with a wet rag. After making sure the surface was perfectly clean, you picked up the scrolls, reorganizing them on the shelves by date and topic.

While doing so, you've also managed to learn more about the kingdom, familiarizing yourself with its history. These ancient scrolls provided you with much more information than the books you read.

The afternoon sun was shining down on you through the large, open windows. The light cotton blinds were no longer enough to protect you from its wrath.

“Maybe it really is time for a break,” You mumbled, dizziness slowly taking over you. You wiped down your forehead with a wetted cloth, swiping over your face and cooling yourself down.

You've been in here for… seven hours already…

. ˚✧・* •

“What?!” The Crown Prince shouted, slamming his fist on the table. His eyes were sharp and focused, glaring down at the poor messenger that was quivering in his boots.

“I'm afraid t-that's all I know, Your Majesty. We've been told that a rebel group has infiltrated our lands. We're currently awaiting more information regarding the size of the group and how far they've reached.”

A long, drawn-out sigh escaped the Prince's mouth as he slumped back in his seat, rubbing his temples. The palace was already in chaos after the arrival of the Crown Princess, and this was slowly becoming more than he could handle.

The messenger scurried away after being dismissed.

Before the Prince could even take a breath, another knock on the door made him roll his eyes.

“Come in!”

“Your Majesty,” the old man bowed. Minho immediately glanced up after recognizing him as the man he appointed to watch over you. “Has there been any development?”

The man, face aged by war, pressed his lips into a thin line before pulling out a piece of parchment. His fingers deftly worked to undo the knot on the string, sighing when the parchment finally unrolled.

“There haven't been any interesting sightings of Her Majesty. Every day, she wakes up and eats breakfast before walking to the library. There, she reads through an impressive amount of chapters on the history of our land, takes some notes, and walks back to her chambers where she orders a light dinner.”

The old man paused, looking the Prince in the eye before continuing, “Recently, she has been spotted going to the ancient scroll room instead of the library. A servant told me that she insist on cleaning the room and reorganizing all the scrolls.”

Minho cut the man off, “—Who has she been ordering to clean the room?”

“No one. She insists on doing everything herself, Your Majesty.”

The Prince audibly groaned at the revelation. After what happened, he had wished for you to give him a reason to hate you, but so far, you'd given him none. Instead, you made guilt blossom in his chest by behaving like a responsible future queen a king could only wish for.

So far, you've kept to yourself and educated yourself on the kingdom's history and its traditions. You didn't abuse your power and outright refused help unless it was absolutely necessary.

Running a hand through his hair, he questioned, “Were there any, uh, any incidents? Anything unusual?”

“No, Your Majesty. Her Majesty hasn't done anything out of the ordinary. Although—”

“—although what?” he immediately latched onto his words, ears perked in interest.

“I've had several accounts from servants and other palace staff that Her Majesty got into a quarrel with one of the guards.”

Minho was hanging on his lips, listening intently. He ran a hand through his hair, sipping from his goblet.

“It appears that the guard was verbally harassing one of the new maids. Her Majesty was just around the corner so she stepped in, putting an end to the fight and telling the guard off.”

Minho felt like banging his head against the wall.

Why were you so kind? So perfect? It gave him a headache just thinking about all the things you've done since you arrived. He was hoping that during this period of separation, he would catch you doing something improper, something that would give him a reason to cancel the treaty and subsequently, cancel your engagement, thus annulling your arranged marriage.

But so far, all you've done was for the benefit of others. You have proved yourself to be a kind and intelligent person, which were exactly the traits he would've been looking for in his future Queen.

When he realized that the old man was still standing by his desk, he cleared his throat, “You can go now, thank you.”

Bowing, the man hurriedly walked out of the room, leaving the Prince to drown in his sorrows, consumed by guilt.

. ˚✧・* •

Later that evening, you found yourself in your bed chamber after a long day. Your muscles were aching from standing on a ladder and cleaning all day. Upon entering through the door, something rather strange caught your attention.

There, on your bed, lay a beautiful red gown with golden stitching. Your eyes bulged out of your skull as you took in the gorgeous article of clothing. It was the prettiest dress you've ever seen.

As you took a step closer to admire the garment, you noticed a small folded piece of paper attached to the front of the dress. Skillfully, you pull it out and unfold it, scanning over the message written in neat cursive.

Dear Princess Y/N,

I know we haven't gotten off on the right foot, and I'm aware that I too am partially to blame for that. It has been brought to my attention that you spend every day in the library reading or cleaning the scroll room. As such, I was hoping I could invite you to a proper dinner (hence the dress ;).

When you are free, please stop by my chambers. I would love to arrange a proper date with you.

Sincerely, Lee Minho

. ˚✧・* •

Your heart was beating loudly as you stopped in front of the heavy doors. The handle was platted in gold and the wood was carved with beautiful ornaments, reminding you of the front gate of the palace. You gently pick up the metallic ring and bang it against the door.

“Come in,” Came the muffled reply.

As you nervously walk into the room, you feel like your skin is on fire. Fear clouds your eyes as you worry about the unknown. How would he react once he saw you?

When you found the ruby dress in your chambers, it felt like your heart did a 180. Touched by the kind gesture, you almost allowed yourself to fantasize about all the what-ifs. What if Lee Minho actually cared for you? What if he wanted to spend time with you? These questions were running through your mind like a whirlwind, further confusing your already unstable heart.

When the Prince comes into view, you almost felt the blood freeze in your veins. Clad in a fitting robe with gold fastenings, accentuating his broad shoulders and impeccable physique, you couldn't help but swoon at his beauty.

His trimmed locks were parted in the middle, framing his handsome face. Against the pale complexion of his skin, his rich, chocolate eyes stood out, peering at you with an intensity that brings Chan's infamous glare to shame.

Too busy nervously fiddling with the hem of your skirt, you didn't notice the way his gentle smile fell, turning into a frown.

You were anxious.

Not only that—to Minho's dismay, you looked like you haven't slept in days. The circles under your eyes were prominent, and the way your muscles tensed made his heart shatter.

“Have you been sleeping well?”

The question caught you off guard, but not as much as the soft tone of his voice. He sounded almost…. Concerned?

Your eyes fluttered, giving away just how much you needed some shut-eye as you whispered, “Not really, Your Majesty…”

He expected you to elaborate, but you didn't, leaving him unsure of what his next steps should be.

“You can call me Minho,” he paused, letting the words sink in. When they did, your eyes parted wide, taken off guard by something that should've been so insignificant but held so much significance to you.

‘You can call me Minho’

That sentence played over in your head like a mantra. “Minho,” you breathed out, barely above a whisper. The name was so known, yet still seemed so unfamiliar. It rolled off of your tongue with strange, child-like anticipation. Like it held something deeper.

The Prince smiled upon hearing you call him by his first name. Like honey, it sounded so sweet when said by you.

“Due to our predicament, I think it would be rather foolish for us to stay exceedingly formal with each other, don't you agree?”

Your heart was beating loudly against your ribcage as you squeaked, “You can call me Y/N, too.”

“Great,” he smiled, “I'm glad we're on the same page, love.”

The heat rushing to your cheeks almost made you want to hide your face in embarrassment. Minho chuckled at the adorable sight, fighting the urge to reach out and pat your hair. His smile only grew when you carefully glanced at him from under your lashes.

“I'll arrange for Seungmin, our healer, to come to visit you,” he muttered, scribbling something down on a piece of parchment. “I'm sure he can recommend something for you to sleep better, perhaps some herbal tea…”

The two of you talked for a few more minutes. The Prince kept asking you questions regarding your schedule, what you did during the day, and if you had any idea what caused your sleep problems. You tried to answer him to the best of your abilities, occasionally staring off into space as you wondered what caused him to make such a 180 personality-wise.

Placing the parchment into a drawer and slamming it shut, Minho faced you, giving you his full attention. A coy smile played on his lips when he remarked, “About dinner… does next Friday sound good?”

. ˚✧・* •

Anger.

That's all that was on Felix's mind as he strolled down the hall, trying to get away from Minho's chambers. He was sick, sick to his stomach from the conversation he just overheard.

‘Love.’

He wanted to barf. What did you do to cause Minho to behave like that? The general barely recognized his longtime friend in that short conversation between the two of you that he eavesdropped on. Why was he so smitten? Did you manage to seduce him?

It truly wasn't like him to behave like that, Felix concluded, and he was gonna make sure he helped his friend see the light again.

. ˚✧・* •

Your shoulders scraped against the wall as you leaned on it, breathing in to catch your breath. The air suddenly felt thick and heavy as you struggled to calm your nerves. Maybe you should really catch a break?

But there was still so much for you to do… the piles upon piles of books, scrolls, and other artifacts were hard evidence of that.

And much to your dismay, you still haven't been sleeping well, meaning that the exhaustion was slowly getting to you. Your limbs were aching and your entire body felt rather stiff.

“Damn it,” you groaned, sliding down the wall till you were sitting on the freezing marble floor.

“Your Majesty.” A sudden knock echoed through the room, your eyes immediately shooting up towards the door. “Come in,” you reply.

A young girl came scurrying inside the room with a golden tray. She placed it on the table, positioning the tea kettle and the teacup next to a small pile of paper.

“This is the herb tea sent by head healer Seungmin as per His Majesties request.”

“Oh, right. Thank you so much!” you beamed, shooting up and walking towards the table. The maid poured a generous amount of the liquid into the cup, handing it to you with a slight bow.

“Thank you. You may go now.”

Bringing the porcelain cup to your lips, you inhaled the fresh, fruity scent, sighing at how pleasant it smelled. With a relaxed smile playing on your lips, you sipped the warm beverage, enjoying how it heated you from the inside, leaving behind a tingling sensation.

While reading about the kingdom, you noticed that a lot of the authors mentioned the complicated system of the land's foreign trade policy. Despite the fact that you read many books on the topic, it quickly became quite obvious that they only touched the surface of the complex system.

That's why you decided to schedule a meeting with one of the advisors of the royal court, a man named Hwang Hyunjin. You've heard many things about him, from his socialite, flirty nature to his love for pies.

It's the reason were in the kitchen, apron tied tightly around your waist as you sifted the dry ingredients into a bowl. After that, you cracked a few eggs into the mixture, stirring it till you had a dough-like consistency.

All and all, it took you about an hour till the pie was finally in the oven. Wiping the sweat off your forehead with the back of your hand, you smiled at the sight of your creation. It may have not been the nicest looking pie you've laid your eyes on, but you were proud nonetheless.

Once it was done, you pulled it out with a pair of oven mitts. Excitement washed over you—it smelled exquisite—and you were ready to present it to the self-proclaimed pie man of the city.

. ˚✧・* •

The wind was light and breezy, tousling his hair as he stood on the balcony, bending down over the railing. From the corner of his eye, he saw you, walking through the garden in your outdoor cloak, smiling from ear to ear. In your hand, you held a box, and he could only guess what was inside.

Jeongin—one of the guards you've befriended during your stay—greeted you with a tip of his hat as you passed the gate. You grinned at him in return, commenting on something that made the boy visibly blush, looking away shyly.

Despite only watching you from afar, Minho couldn't help but smile softly. Every day, his heart seemed to yearn for you more than before.

And Lee Minho was a man of principles… he followed his heart.

. ˚✧・* •

The night had fallen. In the sky, countless stars were shimmering like scattered moondust and glimmering like lost beacons of hope.

The meeting with Hyunjin went rather well if you could say, and you left his house feeling like you've learned a lot. Despite his flirty nature, he seemed to have known that there was a certain line he shouldn't cross, given that you were to be wed to the Prince, so he only allowed himself to occasionally wink at you, gloating over the bashful smiles you gave him.

“You make a lovely baker, Princess,” he complimented, eating another spoonful of the pie. You smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of your neck. “Thank you.”

Once you arrived back at the palace, you slipped into your silk nightgown, sighing at the cool sensation that spread over your body. You weren't used to such fine materials, your kingdom being way too poor for such luxuries, but it seems like the Crimson clan had enough money on their hands to afford these expensive items.

You asked one of the maids to bring you some boiling water. Once she arrived, you pulled out the sachet of Seungmin's herbal tea and prepared the beverage.

You drank it while watching the stars from your balcony. The air was chilly and cool, the wind fanning your cheeks. As you sipped the drink, you couldn't help but feel drowsy, like you were about to fall asleep. Your mind felt foggy like it was being put to sleep which alarmed you. You were just fine earlier. What caused this?

You tried to stand up, but you were unable to, instead stumbling over your feet and falling to the ground.

On second thought, the marble floor of the balcony was pretty comfortable, you realized, as your warm cheek pressed onto the cool stone.

. ˚✧・* •

Minho was starting to grow concerned when you didn't answer after the fifth knock. Standing in front of your door impatiently, he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, pondering. Should he come in?

He waited for a couple more seconds, just in case you were walking towards the door, but when nothing happened, he knocked for the final time.

“Y/N, are you okay? I'm coming in!”

Without missing a beat, he rammed his shoulder against the door using all of his strength. After the second try, the hinges finally gave out, the door bursting open and allowing Minho to run in.

“Where are you? Y/N?!”

There was alarm in his voice, and it took all of his willpower not to panic. Your bed was empty, and he noticed how it was made, the blanket neatly folded over the length of the wooden frame. You would always make your bed yourself, the maids would tell him.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he scanned the room, searching for a clue—anything, really—that could hint at your whereabouts.

If something happened to you…

Fuck. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself if something were to happen to you.

And while he was busy muttering all the curses he knew, he caught something from the corner of his eye. A fluttering motion. Turning his head, he noticed the white curtain dancing in the evening breeze. And the curtain was leading from the balcony…

Aha!

He ran to the glass french door, immediately spotting your crumpled-up body on the cold marble. Bit by bit, he felt his heart crack at the sight. What did you deserve to be lying on the ground, passed out like that?

“Y/N,” he cried, kneeling beside you and cradling your face in his hands. He pushed the stray locks of hair out of your face, gently thumbing the apples of your cheeks.

“Oh, Y/N! What happened to you, my love?!”

The desperation in his voice was heavy, and with hooded eyes, he gently slid his hands under your frame, effortlessly lifting you into his arms. He pressed you close to his chest as he walked back inside of your room and laid you on the bed.

. ˚✧・* •

“Will she be okay?”

The healer rolled his eyes at the Prince, applying the soaked cloth on your forehead. It was the fifth time His Majesty had asked, and quite frankly, it was beginning to get on his nerves. Seungmin had just come down from a fever, so he had to step in, covering for his sick friend.

He never would've imagined the Crown Prince to have such a desperate side to him. Misery definitely didn't suit him, he decided. It wasn't a good look on him, or perhaps, it was the fact that it shattered the cold image he had created in his mind of the Prince.

“She likely just passed out due to exhaustion,” he said in a gruff tone, swiping the hair away from your forehead. “Her muscles seem tense and she hasn't been sleeping well.”

“I-I know,” Minho's voice cracked. “I hoped that the herbal tea would help…”

A beat of silence followed. “Well, I think my job here is done, Your Majesty. She should come to in a few hours,” the young healer muttered, grabbing all his belongings. “Call me if anything happens.”

The door thudded, leaving Minho alone with you in the room. The feeling of distraught crept over him, clawing at his heart as he watched you lay peacefully beneath the covers.

It was during times like these that he felt utterly useless. There was nothing he could do, and realistically, he should've accepted that. Yet there was a part of him that yearned to do something, to help you, to relieve the pain.

His heart skipped a beat when he realized something. The two of you hadn't known each other for long enough for him to know how to make you feel better. No, regrettably, he wasn't in possession of such knowledge.

Yet he knew someone who was.

His insides twisted at the thought, almost as if his gut was trying to talk him out of this. Thinking about him only made him remember his short-lived jealous streak—an emotion he didn't want to feel again.

Han Jisung. He didn't like him, far from it, he rather despised the young guard, for multiple reasons. The first one was his loud nature—mere days after the arrival of the Cerulean carriage, he was already the talk of the town. He heard at least a dozen maids giddily chirping about his supposedly gorgeous smile. It didn't help that he joined the sparring club as soon as he could, allowing a large amount of the female population the privilege of oogling his toned physique. He was the center of attention anywhere he went, winning the favor of all the palace staff.

But what irked him the most was undeniably how close he was to you. Minho knew it was childish to foster such jealousy for the guard. Despite his rather surprising self-awareness, he couldn't help but feel a prick of envy whenever he saw him, especially after hearing that the two of you made out in his palace, despite the fact that he was supposed to marry you in the near future.

In spite of all the things he listed in his head, he wasn't blind to the fact that you cared for him deeply. Just as Jisung must've cared for you. But he knew. He knew that this was the one thing he could do for you.

So despite his better judgment and the erratic beating of his heart, Minho headed out of the room in search of a person he never expect to look for in the first place.

. ˚✧・* •

To say that Jisung was confused would be the understatement of the century.

It wasn't every day that the Crown Prince came looking for you, especially if you kissed his future wife.

He entered the empty changing room, leaning his back against the wall with an unreadable expression. Jisung didn't know if he should bow or not. He decided that it would probably be improper not to, so he managed to awkwardly lower his torso, the shirt he was putting on still caught around his shoulders.

Once he was decent, a loud cough from the Prince made him look up. “I need you to follow me.”

When Minho noticed the uncertainty swarming in his eyes, he clarified, “Y/N fainted. I think she could use waking up to a familiar face.”

From then on, it was a blur. Jisung bolted out of the room like thunder, leaving Minho. Not wanting to be left behind, he ran after him, following his trail back to your bed chambers. His heart finally shattered as he watched the young guard disappear inside, the door slamming shut behind him.

. ˚✧・* •

Ever since you awoke to Jisung besides you, your heart felt just a little bit lighter. Despite the constant workload you inflicted upon yourself, there was still a void in your chest, left behind after the two of you practically cut off any sort of interactions.

It had been weird at first, but to be fair, the weirdness, or so to speak, had begun when Jisung, your best friend and guard—had kissed you, right inside the palace of your future husband.

It came as a surprise to you how easily the two of you had glossed over the initial awkwardness.

“Wait– sit down, Y/N. You shouldn't be overexerting yourself,” his hand on your shoulder pushed you back down into the covers.

“Oh please,” you groaned, “I'm fine now. I must've gotten a bit light-headed, you know, from the change of air pressure and all.”

Jisung snorted, “We both know that's bullshit, Princess.” Then he took on a much softer tone, “But even if you're feeling better now, you still should rest.”

You tsked, but in the end, you complied. You knew he meant well and you didn't want to worry him anymore. Instead, your palm reached over to his, gently encasing his hand in yours.

“I know that it's hard, but we must address the elephant in the room, Ji…”

You could feel him tense, eyes glancing anywhere but at you. He opened his mouth to say something, yet nothing came out, allowing the pregnant silence to envelop you. When he finally gathered his thoughts, he glanced back at you, an apologetic smile on his lips.

“I'm sorry, Y/N. I know I never should've done that,” his hand gripped tightly onto yours. You carefully watched his face, only to realize—to your unease—that he started crying. There were tears streaming down his face, leaving faint trails of moisture that glimmered under the light. You watched in horror as the sobs wracked through him, muffled sounds leaving his parted lips.

And the only thing you could do was gently rub his back, blinking to suppress any tears gathering at the corners of your eyes.

“Ji—” you whispered, but Jisung cut off. “—I-I'm really s-sorry. I know I've caused you a lot of pain,” he sniffled, looking away in embarrassment. “It's hard for me to f-follow boundaries without overstepping them—especially since the line between us has always been s-so blurred—but I clearly went too far.” Another sniffle. “A-And this time, m-my reckless actions had dire consequences…”

And the dam broke.

Tears were now streaming down your face like a waterfall, staining your cheeks as you whimpered, “Sungie, please…”

He understood your silent plea, hand reaching out to grab yours, intertwining your fingers together. “I'm so s-sorry,” he sniveled onto the top of your head as you buried your face in the crook of his neck. “Sungie…”

After a couple of minutes of enjoying the warmth of his embrace, you pulled away from his chest. “T-This is probably the most we've ever apologized to each other,” you sniffed, a small smile appearing at the corners of your lips.

“Y-Yeah,” Jisung whispered, running his thumb down your cheek, wiping away the moisture. “My pride usually got the better of me…”

A pleasant silence settled in the air as you watched Jisung, eyes carefully following the way his facial expressions changed. He seemed unsure of himself, something you weren't necessarily used to which made you frown.

Glancing at you, Jisung noticed how intently you were watching. Grasping your hand, he worried his lower lips between his teeth before muttering, “I think Minho likes you.”

“Jisung,” your eyebrows shot up, unsure of what to make of this statement, which sounded more like a prank than anything, “what are you saying?”

A small pout appeared on his lips when he realized you didn't believe him. “I-I—”

“—Yeah?” you implored impatiently, a sudden wave of giddiness washing over you. “Why do you think that?”

“As much as I hate that snobby bastard, I couldn't help but notice that he seems to care for you all of a sudden,” Jisung muttered under his breath, unable to look you in the eyes. “He's the one who brought me here — he came running to me like a madman just to tell me that you fainted.”

“Why would that be unusual though? What if he just wanted someone else to wait with me? He probably didn't want to deal with me—” you pointed out hurriedly, not buying the whole schtick.

“S'cause he said something about you ‘wanting to wake up to a familiar face’ or whatever... Awfully cheesy, I know,” he chuckled, fidgeting with his fingers, “but he really seemed worried about you. His clothes were all disheveled and his hair was messy… he probably stayed by your side for at least a few hours.”

Your eyes widened, heat rushing to your cheeks making you look away in embarrassment. This was all it took for you to feel like a lovestruck teenager once again. Your heart was beating inside your chest at the mere possibility of him actually caring for you.

“I should probably go—now that you're up,” Jisung stood up, dusting off his leather pants. His expression turned into a hard mask of unreadability as he walked off. “Sleep well, Sungie,” you managed to call after him before you heard the door slam shut.

The steady beating of his heart contrasted with the tears trailing down his cheeks as your last words echoed in his head.

And just like a mother hen has to part with her little ones, Jisung parted with you.

This was the end of the two of you ever sharing anything other than a platonic relationship, and with a heavy heart, he acknowledged that it was time for him to move on.

This time, for good.

. ˚✧・* •

“Minho!” you called, running down the hall in hopes of catching up to the Prince. It was past breakfast, and you were walking towards the main gate when you spotted the handsome man strolling through the corridors of the palace.

Briskly, the Prince turned around after hearing his name being called, mouth stretching into a grin when he realized it was you who was calling him.

“Good morning, Princess. How are you? I hope you're well-rested after yesterday's events.”

You rubbed your eyes tiredly, stifling a yawn, “Yeah, pretty good! I'm just tired and achy but other than that, I'm perfectly fine,” you flashed him a smile.

You couldn't help but notice how his smile froze, a worried expression painting his face. “Are you alright? Should I call the head healer to make you some brew—”

“—No! It's fine,” you interrupted, not wanting him to needlessly worry. “Really, I'll be okay.”

A heavy silence engulfed you as you stood in front of the Prince, pondering over how you were going to thank him for yesterday. Finally, after a long series of deep breaths, you turned to him.

“By the way, um, I wanted to thank you for… you know… what you did yesterday.”

“What do you mean?” he inquired, placing his hand on your arm. “Oh, you know,” the heat rushed to your cheeks, making you look away shyly. “You were the one that found me, right? Jisung told me that you stayed with me for over an hour before you brought him to me…”

“Oh…”

You missed the way the apples of his cheeks turned a shade of pink, fumbling with the hem of your sleeve. “Well… I'll have to go now,” you whispered, your words barely audible. Before you could overthink your actions (which would inevitably lead to you chickening out), you leaned closer to him, pressing a quick kiss to the curve of his jaw.

“Goodbye, Minho,” you waved with newfound confidence, crinkling your eyes. Minho could only watch as your figure disappeared around the corner.

He hadn't felt so euphoric in ages.

. ˚✧・* •

“Hmm,” your foot tapped against the ground, hands on your hips as you chewed at the nib of your pen, scanning the market. At first sight, the place reminded you of everything that your own kingdom wasn't. It was lively and crowded, and there were so many goods you didn't know in which direction to look.

Truly a feast for the eyes, you noted.

But despite that, you knew that the Crimson land, just like any other land, had to have its own set of issues.

Issues that you soon discovered ran a bit deeper than you originally had anticipated. After countless short ‘interviews’ (if you could even call them that) with the local citizens and villagers, you found out that there was a reoccurring pattern of corrupt, lesser-powerful royals in charge of the adjoining regions under the Crimson rule abusing their powers.

“Count Choi raises the taxes by a little bit every year,” an elderly woman complained, lowering her voice as a string of colorful curses rang from her lips. Frustration could be seen in her angry gaze—you could tell how powerless she felt.

A middle-aged man, similarly to her, shared how Viscount Kim suspended the stream from the river to the well, cutting off their immediate water supply.

“It's nearly impossible to reach His Majesty in any way. Or at least since the…” he immediately paused, looking around in fear of being overheard. “...Since his brother died in the war,” he whispered urgently, shaking his head.

“But even if we could set up a meeting with him, I highly doubt anyone would be willing to.”

It surprised you to hear just how much his own people feared him. Sure, Minho wasn't exactly the most… hospitable person when you first met him, you wouldn't even go as far as to say that you were friends, but the look of fear in the people's eyes was unmistakable.

As far as you could tell, the people were utterly terrified of him.

Noting down all the new information into your handy journal, you made a mental note to find a way to bring it up with Minho as soon as you could. Perhaps once you two finally managed to have the promised dinner together…

‘Just a few more days’ you realized with glee.

A loud thud almost made you drop your notebook as you realized where you currently were. Coughing awkwardly, you briskly walked over to one of the more secluded stalls, not wanting to stand still in the middle of the busy marketplace crowd.

A sudden smell of freshly baked rolls wafts through the air, making you keen. You turned around over your shoulder in hopes of finding the stall that managed to produce such lavish-smelling treats.

“Hello,” you walked up to the small booth, greeting the elderly lady behind the counter with a smile. In front of you layed pastries of all shapes and sizes, arranged in multiple rows. Almost salivating, you scanned all the treats—you felt like a kid in a candy store. There were so many options and quite frankly, when presented with so many choices, you felt at your wit's end.

“You aren't from here, are you?” she chuckled, wiping her hands into the apron around her waist.

“Oh… can you tell so easily?” you winced, rubbing the back of your neck, heat rushing to your cheeks.

She smiled, “Don't worry about it, sweetheart. It isn't quite often that we see foreigners here and we can usually tell by seeing them shop around.”

“I see. Do you mind if I ask you to recommend me something? There's just so much to choose from and I'm afraid I'd stand here all day if I had to choose,” you giggled bashfully, looking down in embarrassment. It was true though, and with so many choices, you were bound to ponder over something as simple as what you should eat for ages.

“Of course,” she bent down and picked up a large pot. “Jeongin! Bring the sugar dragons!”

Your brow raised upon hearing the familiar name, a smile appearing on your face when you saw the familiar figure come in through the door. The boy looked like he had just rolled out of bed, dressed in what you assumed to be his comfortable clothes. His hair sat messily atop his head, likely uncombed, making him look even more adorable.

“I'm coming!”

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he placed the large container on the counter, pushing the hair out of his face. Only then did he notice you standing in front of him, smirking with your arms crossed over your chest.

“Y-Your M-Majesty–” he stammered, taking a step back. His eyes widened into the size of dinner plates, causing a chuckle to tear through your throat.

“Jeongin,” you cooed, grinning at the sight of your friend (at least you hoped you could consider the boy your friend). A rosy blush rose to his cheeks, dusting them with a soft, peachy hue. Stuttering, he awkwardly attempted to bow as his mother watched, unsure of what to do.

She ended up following suit, lowering her head as a string of apologies left her lips. “It's okay,” you tried to placate the two of them, repeating over and over how you didn't really care for royal greetings anyways.

Moments later, all three of you sat around a small table in the middle of their living room, munching on the little sugar dragon popsicles.

“What are you doing here anyway, Princess?” Jeongin's tone—to your relief—took on a more laid-back quality as he slumped back into his chair.

“Oh, nothing much,” you remarked, noticing how Jeongin's mom was now watching you intently. “I thought I could actually come to see the village myself and meet the people of the land I will soon rule.”

You sipped some freshly squeezed juice jeongin graciously offered you before continuing, “I figured I could ask around and figure out some points of friction,” you gestured towards the market outside the window. “Since I still don't get recognized in public, I figured people would tell me there was something bothering them.”

“That's very nice of you to do,” Jeongin chimed, picking up all the plates from the table. “Did you find out anything interesting?”

“Oh, definitely,” you lean over the table, immediately launching into a detailed explanation…

. ˚✧・* •

A strangle of curses left your lips as you sat on the chair, focusing all of your energy on creating a spark of ice. Your eyes were shut in concentration, brows furrowing at the realization that you likely wouldn't produce any anytime soon.

“What is going on?!” you whisper-shouted under your breath, staring at the tips of your fingers as if that would ever help. You had bumped your head earlier in the morning while preparing some morning tea and to prevent a nasty bruise from appearing on your body, you thought that you could cool the sore spot with some ice.

Except it wasn't working at all. It was like you never had any powers, to begin with, the feeling reminding you way too much of how you felt back when you were a toddler, forced to focus all your energy into manifesting the first slivers of ice.

‘This is bad,’ you realized, beads of sweat forming at the top of your forehead. ‘Really bad.’

The realization of what would happen if it were released to the public that you lost the ability to control your power hit you straight in the face, causing your heartbeat to steadily grow.

There were so many officials and high-standing people in the palace, hungry to find anything as simple as an unrelenting rumor or idle gossip to discredit your position as the future queen of the nation.

And the fact that you couldn't summon your powers would definitely be enough grounds for them to try and annulate the treaty.

The whole point of this marriage was to unite the two kingdoms and create a powerful empire, one that could afford to stay at peace. It was expected that the two of you would produce an heir soon after the marriage, followed by (hopefully) many more children to come, some of which would inherit Minho's fire-bending ability while others would learn how to control ice, like their mother.

And despite the fact that you would never be forced to battle anyone, the information about your sudden ability-loss would certainly make you an easier target as you would be rightfully deemed weaker and more vulnerable.

“Damn it!” you groaned, wiping off the tear that slid down your cheek with the back of your wrist.

‘This wasn't going anywhere,’ you concluded, so you decided that you had to distract yourself asap. Picking up your trusty, leather-bound notebook, you began to flip through the pages until you found the one you were looking for. At the bottom, there was an address scribbled down in smeared ink.

It was the address of the local orphanage.

While talking to one of the villagers, you had found out that there weren't that many teachers in the regions that would teach poorer people. He explained that because of that, some children (especially the orphans) grew up struggling to read, write, or even do simple calculations in their heads.

And since no one really paid any attention to you, slipping out of the palace with two bags filled to the brim with clothes, supplies and some food was the easiest thing in the world.

Damn, maybe the palace should update its security.

. ˚✧・* •

“Hello,” you greeted the children lined up in a row, “I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you.”

“Hello Miss Y/N,” all the kids greeted back in unison, beaming with happiness despite their torn clothes and streaks of dirt on their faces. Your heart clenched at the sight, making a mental note to remember to bring some washing oils next time you came.

The head of the orphanage, Jihyo, welcomed you with open arms, enthralled that she had someone who seemed interested in the well-being of the little kids.

“You know,” she wept, wiping the tears off her face, “It isn't often that we get volunteers here, especially ones that are willing to teach these poor kids some skills that would help them once they become adults.”

You nodded gently in understanding, handing her your handkerchief. “I'm glad to be of service.”

Once you handed her the bags filled with goods, she busted in tears once again, hugging you with so much fervor you were afraid she'd crush your lungs.

After that, she lead you to the room where a small chalkboard hung on the wall of the modestly furnished space.

Setting down your materials on a small table, you grabbed a piece of chalk before writing on the board the contents of today's lesson, underlining it twice.

“Now, who can tell me the alphabet?”

. ˚✧・* •

After the first day of volunteering at the orphanage, you realized that it was something you enjoyed a lot. It gave you a sense of pride and fulfillment, knowing that you were helping these children who had so little, and you told yourself that you would bring the lack of proper funding for these institutions to Minho's attention since you didn't really hold any power yourself as of right now.

Every time you saw them smile as they read a word out loud or calculated something in their head, your heart burst at the sight of their happy cries and cheers.

“Here you go,” you handed the young girl with pigtails the last piece of pie that you bought on the market before coming here, wiping your sticky hands into a towel nearby.

“Thank you,” she chirped, gleefully swallowing down the pastry with a grin. “You have a really nice dress, Miss Y/N,” she suddenly spoke up, staring at your yellow gown in awe. “And you're really pretty and smart too! Just like a princess… I wanna be just like you when I grow up!” she pumped her fist in the air, giggling softly.

“Aww,” you coo, touched by her kind words. “That's so sweet of you to say, Rosie. You're really sweet and pretty too, you know that?” She smiled bashfully as a gentle blush colored her cheeks.

“Do you want me to braid your hair?” you inquired, gently brushing a stray lock from her face. After her furious nod of approval, she grabbed your hand, leading you towards one of the cushions on the floor.

. ˚✧・* •

“There, you go! All done,” you grinned, patting her head after fastening the last of the fancy hair clips you took out from your bun into her braided hair.

“Thank you so much, Y/N,” she turned around to pull you into a hug, “you're the bestest person in the world.”

“Uh-uh,” you tutted, wiggling your finger in front of your face to show your disapproval. “You know that's not true, Rosie. Miss Jihyo has been taking care of you for so long and she's the most caring person I know. She's the bestet person, don't forget that.”

“Ahh, you're right,” her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “She's the bestet person in the world but you're right after her.”

“Thank you, Rosie,” you whispered into the crown of her head, rubbing her back. “And you're the sweetest little girl I know.”

. ˚✧・* •

“Come in,” you muttered against your pillow, too tired to leave the sanctity of your bed and open the door. A loud click could be heard as a tall figure stepped inside your room, shutting the door behind.

“Hey, Y/N…”

You immediately recognize the soft, husky voice, heat rising to your cheeks as you struggled to sit upright with the sheets still tangled between your limbs. “M-Minho! Hi–”

The man chuckled at your distressed state, cooing when you buried your head in your hands in embarrassment. ‘Cute,’ he thought.

“I'm not interrupting you, am I?” he asked, sitting on the edge of your bed. You promptly pulled your legs up to your chest to make more space for him. “N-No, I was just taking a small nap since I didn't sleep well last night.”

“I see,” his brows furrowed, “you're still having trouble sleeping?”

You could feel your heart combust at the question. It was stupid, beyond stupid, and you knew—however—it was like your heart had a mind of its own, completely ignoring your rational thoughts.

“I think I'm still getting used to the new setting, perhaps the change of weather,” you added lamely, fiddling with the hem of your nightgown. Suddenly, Minho scooched closer to you, making you look up.

“I'll go ask Seungmin if he has anything other than the tea that he could give you,” he placed his hand tenderly on your thigh, rubbing the soft flesh with the tips of his fingers. The gesture caused a pleasant shiver to run through you and you sighed. “Thank you.”

The two of you stay like that for a bit longer, enjoying the balmy silence before Minho cleared his throat, catching your attention.

“U-Uh… so, I know we haven't been able to spend much time with each other,” the corners of your mouth twitched, and you were very close to reminding him why the two of you didn't meet.

Upon seeing your expression, his cheeks flush. “I know it's because of me—I'm really sorry we had to cancel our dinner plans—Felix ambushed me with an unplanned meeting so I had to take care of that…” he trailed off, his hand still resting on your supple skin.

“It's okay, Minho. I understand that you have many responsibilities as the future King.”

“Yeah, but that doesn't excuse me canceling so abruptly,” he reasoned. “I was hoping we could have the dinner next Saturday—I've had my entire schedule cleared for the day so we can even go somewhere after we eat.”

The smile you gave him was positively contagious, and he found himself beaming. “Okay, then it's settled.”

. ˚✧・* •

As you're walking down the alley leading to the orphanage, you couldn't help but feel like you're being watched. After turning around multiple times to check if you see anyone trailing behind you, quickening your pace in hopes of losing the person, you still can't shake the eerie feeling.

Jihyo had warned you about walking to the orphanage. She mentioned the army barracks being stationed nearby, as well as a brothel just a few blocks down the neighborhood. It wasn't the ideal place to run a children's home, but due to her limited funding, she had to settle for the less than quintessential location.

“Sometimes, there are drunk men wandering the streets,” she whispered hushedly, looking over her shoulder to make sure none of the kids could hear her. “Please be careful, especially after dusk…”

Her warning echoed in your head, making shivers run down your spine as you scanned your surroundings. As you briskly hiked your dress up in hopes of having more mobility, you heard a sudden thud, panic flooding through your veins.

‘Just a little bit more,’ you thought, sighing in relief as you slung the door to the orphanage open, stepping in and shutting the door behind you.

Immediately, you were swarmed with kids flocking to you, little Rosie reaching to envelop you in a tight hug.

“Hello, Y/N,” they all chirped in unison, some grabbing your dress in attempt to pull you into their study room. “Hey, hey!” you giggled, patting their heads. “Don't worry, I know how eager you are to learn. I'm coming!”

And just like that, you're pulled into their own little world, pointing at the chalkboard as you explain today's topic at hand—multiplication. It's a hard topic to grasp, especially for kids who have never gotten a proper education. The children's ages varied—from as young as four or five to the eldest being in their preteens. And because of the huge age difference, you were forced to tailor your explanations to them depending on which category they fell into.

The youngest bunch was occupied with drawing basic shapes (you sat them at the back of the room and handed them some colored pencils along with a few sheets of paper). The rest of the kids were seated before you, all staring at the board intently as you tried to explain the mathematical operation to the best of your abilities.

“Each bird in the sky has two wings. But if there's three of them, how many wings are there in total?”

Judging by the way they all frowned, you could tell they were deep in thought. It took a few seconds, but finally, one of the girls raised her hand.

“There are six wings, right?”

“Correct!” you beamed, pushing a stray lock of hair behind your ear. Moving over to the board to grab a piece of chalk, you began to draw three birds in total, writing small numbered indexes above each wing.

“See?” you gestured towards the board, “there are six wings in total. Well done, Yujin!”

. ˚✧・* •

“Remind me again, Felix, why are you bothering me in the middle of work?” Minho sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair. His golden crown lay on the table beside him, discarded, as he found it pretentious to wear the ornate piece of gold when he found himself in solitude.

“Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty,” the general snickered, reaching for the paperwork on Minho's desk. In a swift motion, he slammed his hand down on the table, seizing the papers from his hands and placing them on the armchair behind him.

Minho could only scowl at the blatant show of disrespect, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I found out some very interesting information about the Princess.”

Upon hearing that, Minho's ears perked, causing Felix to chuckle. ‘He had become weak,’ he thought, so smitten for that girl.

When he was sure he had his attention, he continued, “A little birdie told me, that the Princess has been sneaking out of the palace quite often.”

Minho's expression faltered for a fraction of a second, but unfortunately, Felix had noticed.

“Why would that be of my concern, Felix? Y/N isn't my possession—I have no interest in controlling her every move. If she feels like taking a breath of fresh air, who am I to stop her?”

“I don't think you're understanding what I'm trying to convey, Your Majesty,” he drawled, smugness radiating off of him in waves. Minho had to hold himself back from decking Felix in the face.

With a groan, he looked him dead in the eye, “then tell me, Felix, what is it that your little spies have found out?”

“She's been sneaking out to the eastern part of the district,” the General noticed how the Prince's throat bobbed. “Almost every day, she leaves in the morning and returns in the evening. Apparently, it's in the area near the barracks and the illegal brothel down on Scarlet street.”

An uncomfortable silence ensued, the only thing that could be heard was the rapid beating of the Prince's heart.

“Oh, and also, one of the servants caught her sneaking into the supply room,” he handed him a report, “there have been things going missing in the past two weeks, and it is starting to affect our scheduled monthly budgeting…”

As Felix watched the gears spinning in Minho's head, he couldn't help but grin wickedly. This was exactly what he had wanted—to plant the seed of doubt in the Prince's mind, allowing in to slowly grow over time until it would eventually take over him.

And you had handed him the perfect means to do so on a silver platter.

“Where do you think she has been going?”

The question slipped from his parted lips in a quiet breath, and Felix couldn't help but admire how calm and collected he sounded. But then, the cracks in his facade slowly started to appear as the corner of his mouth twitched.

And that's when Felix decided to lay the last blow.

“I'm not entirely sure, but I'm betting she's secretly meeting with the loverboy…”

And that's all it took for Minho to storm off, leaving a pleased Felix alone in his office. The Prince's hands were clenched into tight fists, steam practically rising from atop of his head.

‘Stop it!’ his inner voice suddenly commanded, snapping him out of his fit of rage and back into reality. This was you he was talking about. Kind, open-hearted, and diligent Y/N.

What a fool he was, he realized, wanting nothing more than to give himself a smack. There was no need to get unnecessarily angry—he could just go to you and ask you to explain. Especially since that part of the city was very dangerous—perhaps he could just warn you about the potential peril.

After the short pep talk, he finally stood in front of your heavy doors, knocking gently on the dark wood.

He knocked once… Nothing.

Twice… Still no luck.

And when he knocked for the third time without you responding, panic slowly flooded his veins.

You were nowhere to be found.

He searched through your room, turning everything upside down but there was no trace of you.

He knew you were a free spirit but did you always have to worry him so much?

Slamming your bedroom door behind him, he ran down the hall, thinking about where you could have gone. And that's when it hit him—perhaps Felix was truly right about your supposed whereabouts.

Realizing that made shivers run down his spine—he didn't want you anywhere near that street, especially so late at night.

“Fuck it,” he mumbled under his breath, throwing on his overcoat and grabbing the small decorative dagger that hung on the wall. It was his brother's.

After informing one of the servants of where he was headed, he ordered a small group of soldiers to be sent in the same direction in case things truly went south.

“Please, Y/N… be okay.”

. ˚✧・* •

As you stepped outside the orphanage, you cursed at the realization of how late it was. You hadn't planned to stay for so long, but you found yourself helping Jihyo with some chores (and there were so many of them), like washing the laundry, cleaning the living space, and preparing some of the food for tomorrow.

Your mind wandered back to your plans for the upcoming days. The date of your dinner with Minho kept coming closer and closer, which made your heart race. The image of the two of you sitting next to each other, eating some good food and laughing at each other's jokes like a normal engaged couple made the heat rise to your cheeks.

But you couldn't help it—ever since you and Minho had smoothed out the initial misunderstandings between you, you seemed to have fallen for the Prince. Sure, he was cold at first, something that made you keep your distance from him, but you slowly began to realize that there was much more to Lee Minho than meets the eye.

Under his perfect facade, you found him to be a vulnerable man, who was forced to build walls around himself in order to protect his emotions. He loved his brother dearly, and you could tell that his untimely death shook through him like a storm, leaving his soul broken into pieces.

It was just your luck that he seemed to be warming up to you, actually making an effort to interact with you and ask you about your health.

Suddenly, you heard a loud thud, accompanied by some loud voices. Your heart stilled in your chest as you paused, listening intently for any other noises.

You didn't have to wait for long, as a plethora of men's voices echoed through the night, making you realize that they were drunk. Very drunk. Their voices were slurred, sounding like they just got wasted at some bar nearby, but that didn't help to soothe your unease.

Drunk people meant angry people, and you didn't want to risk being in their presence to find out just how angry the men got here.

You began to run straight ahead, hoping that you'd slip by without them even noticing, or at least fast enough so they wouldn't be able to react in any way. You could hear their voices getting closer to you, but alas, you were almost at the end of the street. Hopefully, you'd just take a turn and leave this nasty street behind.

Wrong. What you didn't account for was the light from the only flickered lamp at the beginning of the street getting weaker and weaker. You realized that you had tripped way too late, unable to brace yourself for the fall. A shrill scream left your parted lips, as you cursed yourself for being so damn clumsy.

“What was that?” one of the men grumbled, suddenly sounding perfectly sober. A chorus of mumbles ensued as they all tried to figure out what had just happened. You felt your life wither in front of your eyes as one of the guys pointed in your direction.

You scrambled to your feet, nearly tripping in the process again, but your attempts at getting away were feeble at best. A calloused hand clamped around one of your wrists, pulling you back into a rough body. You wrinkled your nose at the heavy smell of liquor.

“What are you doing here so late at night, pretty girl,” the man slurred, hand reaching to grab your cheek. You had to fight the urge to spit in his face, instead choosing to simply wrinkle your nose in disgust to mask the growing fear coursing through your veins.

“J-Just on a late night stroll… my husband is expecting me home in a few so…” you trailed off, hoping your voice sounded steady enough to convince them. You prayed that the ‘husband’ card would be to your advantage and they'd let you go if you mentioned that you were already with another.

Was it horrible that you had to go to such means? Sure, but at this moment, the only thing you cared for was getting out of here as soon as possible, your pride be damned.

A chorus of oooh's could be heard, followed by boisterous laughter. “You say you have a husband, little one?” the man's grip on your wrists tightened as he ran the rough pad of his thumb down the apple of your cheek. It was now that you realized how powerless you felt without your abilities. You would've kicked his ass if you could just freeze his hands and get out of his grip, but with your current predicament, it wasn't possible

“Well, it seems like your husband really doesn't care about you, little lamb. Especially if he lets you out all alone so late at night.”

The words cut deeper than you expected them to, like someone plunged a knife into your chest, twisting in and rearranging your insides.

“Wait a second!” one of the men in the back shouted, catching the attention of his companions. “She seems familiar…” he trailed off, grabbing your face roughly and moving it to inspect you from different angles.

A few seconds passed, followed by a loud gasp. He dropped your face, mumbling to himself, “i-it's her… it's the Azure Princess for God's sake!”

You winced at his revelation, cursing under your breath. You were hoping they wouldn't recognize you, unable to predict what they would do if they had realized that you were in fact the future Queen. From what you've gathered, your popularity here wasn't exactly what you had been hoping for.

Well, it seems like you would find out soon enough…

“Now well well well,” the man grinned, revealing his rotted teeth as he walked around you like a predator ready to pounce on his prey. “This changes everything, don't you think, sweetheart?”

“It doesn't change the fact that your breath stinks, Smelly,” you spat back, trying to hold in the gagging noises in the back of your throat. The man's face turned beet red, fumes nearly coming out of his ears as the other men tried to stifle their snorts, looking away and masking their laughter with a few awkward coughs.

“Damn, she's feisty,” one of them chimed, quickly shutting up when he noticed their leader's piercing glare.

“It seems like you haven't understood the gravity of your situation, witch.”

When you heard him growl, regret washed over you almost immediately. ‘Stupid, Y/N, stupid!’ you chanted in your head, wincing as you felt his grip on you tighten.

Suddenly, a fluttery motion materialized in the corner of your eye. It was pretty dark, the singular lamp at the end of the street not doing a good job of illuminating the area, but you were positive that you saw something move past you.

“It seems like you aren't realizing the gravity of the situation, you fucking bastard!”

You gasped upon hearing the familiar voice, tears of joy prickling at the corners of your eyes.

“M-Minho,” you croaked, relief washing over you like a tidal wave. You shifted slightly, noticing that the man's grip on your hands had loosened slightly, but not enough for you to break his hold.

Minho stiffened at your hoarse voice, anger flooding through his veins. His arm was currently slung around the man's much broader figure, pressing the tip of his dagger to his jugular. His other hand was extended towards the rest of the group, flames bursting from the tips of his fingers.

The men took a few steps back, clearly frightened by the sudden display of power. They all knew what this had meant since only the royal bloodline possessed the ability to wield fire—the Prince had come to get you.

And by the sound of it, he was livid.

“I'll say it only one more time, you pathetic piece of shit, before I fucking burn you to the ground,” he seethed into his ear, pressing the tip of the blade deeper into the man's skin, a few drops of blood dripping down his hand.

“Let. Her. Go!”

Everything that happened after that was a blur. You could vaguely remember the events that followed Minho's sudden appearance. The bastard who held you didn't want to give up, but after feeling blood trickling down his neck, he unwillingly let go of you, pushing you to the ground with a thud.

He turned around to fight with Minho but he never really stood a chance in the first place, the young Prince blowing a gust of flames in his direction, tearing a shrill scream from his throat. After that, the two sparred for a short while, and despite his smaller stature, Minho had managed to land a fair share of blows on the much larger man.

There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, making it look like he was far gone as he landed a final blow on him, spitting on his wrecked body. You watched the scene with wide eyes, trembling in the chilly, evening air.

Never in your life had you seen a man as angry as Minho was right now.

He was panting, deep, ragged breaths leaving his parted lips as he tucked the dagger behind his belt. Slowly, as if afraid he would scare you, Minho turned around, eyes finding yours.

Upon seeing you shivering on the cold ground, he felt something tug at his heartstrings.

“Princess—” he rasped, wiping his bloodied hand into his leather pants before carefully walking towards you. He crouched beside your figure, running his thumb down your cheek to wipe away the trail of tears that'd fallen.

“You're probably cold, aren't you,” he slid off his coat, gingerly placing it on your shoulders. You accepted the warm garment with a quiet ‘thanks’.

“Everything will be okay,” he whispered, hands sliding under your body and hoisting you up into his arms. You snuggled up into his chest, pressing closer to him in hopes of obtaining some of his body heat.

“Let's get you back,” he bent down to press a chaste kiss to the top of your forehead, smiling gently—a stark contrast to his wrath you witnessed mere minutes ago.

On the way back, once you fell asleep in his arms, Minho allowed himself to let go, unable to keep the strong facade any longer. A few tears trickled down his face as his grip on your form tightened.

‘You must've been so scared,’ he realized in anger. Why were you out so late? Why didn't you protect yourself? From what he had heard, you were quite the powerful ice-bender, and Minho for the love of God couldn't figure out why didn't you try to do anything against the men.

“Your Majesty,” Changbin, the captain of the 1st legion saluted, wincing at the state of his ruler. “I apologize for the delay, we had some troubles during our departure.”

“There's a man lying unconscious a few minutes walking from here. Go and bring him back. I want him sent to the dungeon,”  Minho muttered darkly.

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

. ˚✧・* •

When you awoke to the birds chirping, sunlight was streaming through the flimsy curtains, making you squint. Your head was pounding, a dull, steady ache accompanying the numb pain around your wrists.

A sudden movement made you look down, noticing Minho half-sitting in what looked like an uncomfortable chair, his head and torso lying over your lap. The morning rays of the sun were illuminating his face, like a glow cast gently on him by the angels.

“Minho—” you stirred him awake, tenderly brushing the sweaty locks of hair from his forehead. He mumbled something unintelligible in response, groaning into your duvet. “Hey, hey—wake up.”

With a sudden jerk, he shot up, tiredly rubbing at his eyes as he slowly came to. “Good morning… uh, how are you feeling?”

“Morning,” you responded lamely, scanning his face and spotting the dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he had barely slept all night—which he probably had—but the sight made your heart clench.

“W-Wait a second… morning? How long was I out?”

Upon hearing the panic flaring in your voice, he responded as calmly as he could. “It's okay, don't worry. I, uh, I brought you in yesterday at night so probably about ten hours?”

All the memories of the previous night started to flood back, making you feel dizzy. The world was literally spinning, your head feeling heavy when Minho gently propped you up, helping you find a more comfortable position.

“Go back to sleep, okay?”

And just like that, everything went black.

. ˚✧・* •

“Good afternoon, Princess,” a familiar friendly voice chirped, walking through the ornate doorway. Groaning, you peeled your eyes open, coming face to face with Jeongin, who was holding a tray full of fresh pastries and fruit.

“My mom prepared these for you, they're fresh out of the oven.”

There's a forced cheerfulness in his tone, and you assumed Jeongin was trying to comfort you, not wanting to bring your spirits down.

“Thank you.”

He set the tray on the night table, careful not to hit Minho (whose head was still laying on your lap) with the assortment of treats he brought.

“How long has he been there, do you know?” you suddenly spoke up, keeping your eyes trained on the Prince. You had a suspicion that he hasn't left your side but you were hoping it wasn't true.

“I'm not sure, actually,” Jeongin shrugged, “but I heard that he carried you here all the way. And judging by his appearance, he probably stayed all night with you. He was really worried.”

Glancing up at Jeongin, you tried your hardest to muster up a smile. “Yeah… that sounds like something he would do…”

. ˚✧・* •

It took another few hours for you and Minho to finally talk.

After Jeongin left, you munched on one of the sweet pastries before pulling over the duvet and lying back in your bed. Your hand was gently curled around his hair as you let the exhaustion take over you once again, closing your eyes and welcoming sleep with open arms.

When you awoke, it was already evening, judging by the sun setting behind the windows.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” Minho's raspy voice startled you into a seating position, eyes widening. “Ah, sorry… I, uh, I didn't mean to startle you,” he winced, hand reaching for yours as he gently interlocked your fingers.

“Um, it's okay,” you croaked, “I was just surprised, that's all.”

The uncomfortable silence lingered in the air for a bit longer, making you wince. It felt like you had just gone back to being awkward together, and it pained you so much to be unable to talk to him freely.

You shifted in your seat, your hand gently tugging at Minho's in the process, bringing it closer to your own lap. Your ears perked up when you heard him let out a pained groan, panic immediately flooding your veins. You glanced back at him, noticing the soiled bandages peeking from under his linen blouse.

“Minho!” you exclaimed, hastily reaching for the shirt and gently pulling it away, inspecting his injury. You were met with what looked like a knife wound, sloppily wrapped in plain bandages that were soaked with blood.

“What happened to you? Are you okay?” the questions began to roll off your tongue in a swift manner as you peered at him from under your lashes, distraught.

Minho, visibly taken aback by your concern, merely shrugged. “It must've happened while I fought off that bastard—I think he managed to graze me with his knife…”

“Grazed? Are you kidding me? Minho, this gash looks deep, did you at least get it disinfected?” you exclaimed worriedly. The way he guiltily avoided your gaze answered your question.

“For God's sake,” you groaned, kicking off the blankets and throwing your legs over the edge of the bed. Alarmed, Minho immediately reached to push you back down.

“I'm just going to get the healing kit,” you murmured under your breath, feet padding against the cold, marble floor. Once you returned, you gestured towards the bed.

“Sit down on the bed, you dummy,” you gave him an incredulous look as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I'll clean your wound.”

A soft blush coated Minho's cheeks as he sat down on the bed, nervously tugging at the sleeve of his shirt. You placed the box on the chair he previously occupied, taking out all the items you would need.

Clearing his throat, Minho muttered, “I didn't know you were a healer.”

You smiled gently, preparing an herb decoction in the small washbasin. “I'm not, I just know a thing or two about treating wounds—there was a shortage of healers in our kingdom during the war.”

“Ah,” Minho awkwardly bit his lower lip, evading your gaze. “I see.”

After you were done with the herbs, you turned around to face him, pointing at his shirt. “Can you take it off? I, uh, I need to access your wound to properly wash it.”

“Yeah, of course,” his lips curved into a smile, hands reaching to pull the shirt over his head. If he noticed the heat rising to your cheeks, he didn't mention it, instead basking in the way your gentle hands began running over his torso as you carefully unwrapped the bandages.

After you were done, you placed the soiled gauze on an empty tray. Your cheeks were warm as you took in Minho in all of his—albeit slightly disheveled and injured—glory. Smooth planes of toned, sun-kissed skin that felt like heaven under your fingertips.

He was so… warm.

And you meant that in the most literal way—his body heat was unmatched. Perhaps it was due to the warm nature of fire, or the generally hot lands of the Crimson land, but his soft skin was radiating so much heat.

Not to mention his hair—dark and touseled, so unlike his usually tidy and neat updo. You had to resist the urge to run your hair through his curly locks.

“My eyes are up here, sweetheart.”

You immediately snapped your gaze back up to him, face heating up in embarrassment. “I-I… I wasn't—”

“Weren't what? Staring at me?” he smirked, his ego swelling up after having caught you staring at him for so long. Well, to be fair, it was nice to know that he had a similar effect on you as you did on him. When he noticed how flustered you were, his tone took on a softer edge.

“It's okay, Princess—no need to be embarrassed. After all, we will be soon husband and wife.”

Sadly, his statement only riled you on more as you grabbed your supplies.

“This may sting a little,” it's the only warning you gave him before beginning to gently run the wet cloth over his wound.

“Ah-ah,” he moaned in pain, clutching onto the bedsheets as if his life depended on it. Your eyes widened at the sinful sound, bitting at your lower lip.

“S-Sorry.”

Once you deemed the wound clean enough, you placed your palms against his toned chest, gently pushing him down on the bed.

“Stop it,” you grumbled, pinching his waist once you saw him wiggle his eyebrows suggestively… “It'll be easier for me to properly rinse the wound with the herbs if you're laying down.”

Chuckling, Minho submitted to your wishes, his back making contact with the bed. You kneeled beside him, grabbing a clean cloth before dipping it in the herbal tincture. Once it was completely soaked, you gently wrung it over his wound, wincing as he groaned in pain.

You repeated the process a few more times, until the wound was relatively clean, save for the few streaks of blood on the pinkish flesh.

“ ‘M sorry,” you mumbled quietly, reaching for a small tin. “I'm almost done.”

“It's okay, no need to apologize.”

After that, you applied some sage salve onto the wound and proceeded to tightly bandage it with a new gauze.

“Thank you,” Minho slid up into a seating position, pushing the sweaty hair from his forehead. You could tell that he was still recovering from the stinging sensations, breathing shallowly.

“It's no problem, just make sure to visit the palace physician to make sure everything is alright.”

When he didn't respond, you noticed how tense his shoulders looked. His brows were furrowed, almost as if he was deep in thought and he kept balling his hand into a fist before unclenching it. Seemingly, something was bothering him.

“Are you okay, Minho?” you decided to voice your concerns, nervously biting your lip.

“I–, uh… yeah. Don't worry about it, it's kinda stupid,” he chuckled anxiously, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

“Hey, hey… look at me,” you gently grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up at you. “Your happiness matters just as much as mine. If there's something bothering you, please tell me. Maybe I can help…”

“That's the thing,” he laughed bitterly, “I don't think you can help me with this.”

You peered at him, confused.

“It's just that— I…” the words seemed to get caught in his throat. “Were you with Jisung last night?”

As soon as he uttered the sentence, his head fell into his hands, embarrassed. “No, whatever, you don't have to answer. This is just the jealousy speaking—I shouldn't be concerned about that when your life was in danger yesterday—” he rambled on, clenching his hands into fists—a habit you have picked up on as a sign of stress.

“Minho,” you stroked his cheek with your palm, “Please, just look at me.”

He slowly lifted his head, eyes staring into yours. You noticed the wetness at the corners of his eyes—were those tears? You didn't ask, however, not wanting to put him on the spot. He seemed to struggle with being vulnerable and open with people, so you figured it would be better not to mention it.

“Why would you think I was with Jisung?”

“I don't know,” he grumbled, wiping his eyes. “You seem to like him a lot… and when Felix told me that you were sneaking out to the eastern district, I-I, I just figured you were secretly seeing him, you know… since the barracks are in the east too.”

“Oh Minho,” you thumbed the tear rolling down his cheek, “I didn't even know that the barracks were nearby. I promise that's not what happened. Me and Jisung, um, we talked it out already and there's nothing between us. We haven't actually spoken for ages…”

“I know… I should've known,” he corrected himself, “but I don't want you to cut him off completely, Y/N. I understand that he's someone close to you so please, don't feel like you can't spend any time with him. At least not too much,” he added after a short pause, making you giggle.

“Alright. I appreciate it, Minho.”

Despite Minho initially looking like a weight was lifted off his shoulders, you still felt like something was bothering him. Gently, you nudged him in the side, whispering, “Is that all that was bothering you?”

“Actually,” he breathed out, “it's not. There's so much about you that I don't know. You're such a fucking mystery to me, you know.”

You could hear the frustration in his voice, making the coil in your stomach tighten. Running a hand down his back, you whispered, “what exactly do you want to know?”

“Everything. Like what body wash you use cause it smells fucking amazing,” he grumbled, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips.

“Why thank you,” you giggled, attempting a curtsy in your seating position, “I use the same vanilla body wash I've used for my entire life.”

After a moment, his hand reached out for yours, gently interlocking your fingers.

“If I'm being honest, I still don't understand what exactly happened yesterday. Why were you out so late? Where even were you?”

“I was at the orphanage,” you mumbled quietly.

“Come again?”

“I was at the orphanage,” you repeated, this time louder, looking away in embarrassment. "When I found out in what poor conditions the place was, I decided to come every day and help clean the place and teach the kids how to read and count.”

“Of course you did,” Minho breathed out in exasperation. “I was so damn stupid—the missing supplies—I should've realized it was something like that. I know how sweet and selfless you are, Y/N, and trust me, it's one of your most magnificent qualities, but for once, just for once, could you have been a little selfish and thought of yourself?”

“What do you mean–”

“I mean that you shouldn't have stayed so long, but most importantly, you should've defended yourself!” he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he ran his other hand through his hair.

“They say that you're one of the most powerful benders from the Azure kingdom, so how come you didn't do anything to fend them off? They should've been small fish compared to you…”

And there it was. Minho had just asked the million-dollar question that you've been trying to avoid for the past few weeks. Your heartbeat quickened as sweat started to gather on your forehead.

“I-I…” you meekly whispered, the words not coming out. Minho noticed the apparent change in demeanor, as well as the way your shoulders began to tremble.

“Hey, it's okay, don't worry. You can tell me anything,” he coaxed you, gently gripping your waist and placing you on his lap. Brushing the hair out of your face, he whispered, “you can lean on me whenever something's bothering you, you know? That's what I'm here for.”

“I lost my p-powers, Minho.”

There… you said it. You uttered the sentence you hoped you would never have to say out loud. You awaited his reaction, the anger, confusion, and frustration that would follow.

Nothing.

Gently peering at him from under your lashes, you found his lips to be curled into a soft smile. Pity, you quickly realized. Oh no, he would break it to you know—the engagement would be broken off, your kingdoms would be at war again, you realized in panic.

“I-I couldn't tell you since I knew how important that aspect was to the royal court. As soon as they find out,” you hiccuped, “they'll formally break off the engagement… and my people… the Azure land c-can't take more war, Minho! We'll be obliterated so please, d-don't—”

“Do you seriously think I would break off the engagement because of that?”

You blinked.

Once.

Twice.

“Seriously, Y/N, I know I acted like a selfish prick at first, but do you really think that lowly of me? That I'd send you back home along with my army hot on your heels just because of that?”

Your eyes were glossy, “I… I don't know,” you admitted after a while, blinking away the tears. “Everything was fine before, but one day, I just couldn't summon them. And I was too scared to tell anyone since the final clause of the treaty is that the two of us marry and produce a powerful heir that should inherit both our abilities…”

Minho blushed furiously at the mention of an heir, the tips of his ears turning beet red. “I, uh, we'll find a cure, don't worry. If I have to, I'll travel with you far and wide to visit every healer in the kingdom.”

His words soothed your fears as you melted in his embrace. “T-Thank you, Min.”

He softened at the nickname. “Don't worry about it, everything will be okay.”

The two of you sat like that for another couple of minutes, Minho rubbing your back as you calm down from the onslaught of emotions. It was a bit embarrassing for you to cry in front of him, but despite the slight distress, you were glad you got those things off your chest.

And it seemed like it was quite a productive conversation for Minho as well. You could tell that it was rare for him to open up as much as he did. He wasn't used to being vulnerable in front of others, especially after his brother's passing.

Later at night, after he had carried you bridal style to your chambers, he told you that the two of you could visit the orphanage together first thing in the morning. After that, he kissed you on the forehead and wished you sweet dreams.

The cool breeze slipping from the open window made you shiver as you tangled your limbs into the sheets. A particular sentence from Minho had stuck with you, something that he said in between his frustrated exclamations of how careless you were.

“Please, Y/N. I was so scared history would repeat itself. I can't lose another one… I can't lose you…”

. ˚✧・* •

“Here you go,” Minho handed you fresh pastry, paying the woman as the two of you strolled through the market. It was pretty early in the morning, the sun still rising, as you walked hand in hand.

“You can't wear this,” you poked him on the shoulder, “everyone will recognize you.”

“So what? You're not really that incognito yourself,” he pointed at your face. “Soon, everyone in the nation will recognize you as my wife, and therefore, their lawful queen.”

“Minho,” you smacked your lips, hiding your embarrassment. “C'mon, let's go.”

The Minho that stood in front of you now looked quite unlike the Minho you were used to from the palace. His hair was dissheveled, the mop of unruly curls sitting atop his head and glimmering more than any crown could.

He was dressed in simple clothing, natural colors, and clean lines, both of which accentuated his sturdy build and the rugged charm he exuded.

You, on the other hand, were dressed in a plain, beige dress that fit around your body snuggly, a thin, leather belt fastened around your waist.

“Wait a second, I have an idea!” Minho exclaimed, tugging at your belt loop to bring you closer to him. His hand gently brushed against your neck, fingertips igniting all the sensitive nerve endings.

He pulled out a beautiful silken scarf, looping it under your hair before tying a knot, bringing your locks into a ponytail. “There, now you'll fit in.”

On your way to the orphanage, Minho acted as your tour guide, pointing at all the noteworthy monuments and retelling you the history of the city like he was a walking textbook. When you pulled out your trusty leather-bound notebook to take some notes, he immediately asked about its contents, and when he jutted his lower lip, you couldn't deny him.

“Well… it's actually just notes I took on the kingdom's history, culture, and the problem areas. I talked to some of the citizens and asked them about possible areas of friction.”

The memories of your amateur interviews came back to mind, heat rising to your cheeks. Minho seemed awfully intrigued, ears piqued in interest.

“I had told myself that I would bring up these issues once we shared some dinner but since that never happened…”

You trailed off solemnly, causing Minho to wince. He knew it wasn't proper of him to flake out like that but the sudden meeting that Felix sprang on him required his immediate presence.

“Anyways,” you turned the page in your notebook, beginning to read off all of your notes, “I was told multiple times that some of the men in power abuse their status. They leverage things like fresh water and raise taxes and there's no one to stop them.”

Minho frowned at the revelation, unsure of what to say. “That's not all,” you continued, looking him in the eye. “Apparently, you're very hard to reach—countless people have tried to set up an audience with you but they were never allowed—and these are only the few that aren't petrified of you.”

“Hmm, I honestly didn't expect that. Most of the internal affairs like requests for an audience go through a couple of people before they reach me—I'll have to ask them about that.”

Once the two of you reached the orphanage, Minho's hand nervously found yours. You could tell he was beginning to feel anxious, so you resorted to caressing his knuckles with your thumb.

“Don't worry, the kids will love you,” you beamed, brushing a curly lock from in front of his eyes. Minho blushed at the affectionate gesture, your hooded gaze unhelpful to the pink blossom on his cheeks.

“If you say so…”

Tapping your knuckle against the unpolished wood, you knocked a few times. When the door opened, Jihyo popped up from behind, grinning upon seeing you.

“Hey, welcome,” she pulled you into a tight hug. Only then did she notice your companion, welcoming him with a wave. “Are you Y/N's husband?” she gushed, holding the door for the two of you to enter. Heat rose to your cheeks at her words, but Minho simply smirked, “Not yet, but we're engaged.”

“Ah, this is so sweet,” she placed her hand in front of her lips, cooing. “Young love—it's so refreshing to see nowadays.”

As soon as you stepped into the cramped living room, a dozen or so kids immediately flocked to you, welcoming you with a smile.

“Hii, Y/N. Did you bring any sweets?”

“N/N, I missed you so much.”

“Who's this man? Why did he come with you?”

You chuckled at their inquiries, gently stroking their heads. “One by one, guys. I have something for you, don't worry, Gyu,” you nodded towards one of the boys who instantly lightened up, grinning from ear to ear.

“Aww, I missed you too, Rosie,” you hugged the pigtailed girl, turning around to face Minho. “And this is… Lino, he's very excited to meet you all—greet him warmly, please!”

Minho flushed at the nickname, barely concealing the smile that was peaking through his scowl. You laughed at the expression he made, the sound still ringing in his ears hours later like the most beautiful melody.

To see you like this, he couldn't get enough of it. He stood by the large glass window, resting his back against it as he watched you from afar, drunk on the sight. Not that looking at you wasn't a blessing in and of itself—far from that, actually.

Minho used to pride himself on being able to resist all things irresistible.

He learned how to accept defeat, and how to deal with things he never thought he would get in life. How to deal with the repercussions of watching people from afar have what he desperately wanted, but never thought he could have.

A normal, domestic life.

It used to ache him so much… after his brother's untimely death, he was faced with more than one cruel occurrence. He would have to be King. and because of that, any sort of life, with just a semblance of normalcy, should've been ruled out. Right?

Wrong… maybe.

The joyful screams and beams of laughter rang through the air as you chased around with the kids, your dress floating around whimsically. Oh how he longed for you to smile like that in his presence, he longed to be the cause for your happiness, just like these little rascals seemed to be.

The last blow to his already fragile and tender heart was when one of the girls jumped into your arms, which resulted in your holding her like one would hold a newborn, rocking her from side to side. He nearly burst at the sight, mind immediately wandering to what your kids would look like.

‘Fuck,’ he thought. It almost felt like you were doing this to him on purpose, trying to rile him up. He dismissed the idea though when you turned around to face him, a wide, innocent smile on your lips.

“C'mon, Min. Come join us, we're gonna play tag in the backyard!”

And just like that, Minho knew there was no going back.

. ˚✧・* •

“Teach him a lesson!” one of the men shouted, earning himself at least a dozen ‘yeah's’ from the gathered crowd. “Show him how it's done here in the Crimson land!”

Ignoring the hollers, Jisung wiped the blood from his busted lip, straightening up as he waited for the General to strike again. Unfortunately for him, the loud noises around him proved to be detrimental to his ability to focus, slowing down his reaction time.

Another round of applause rumbled as Felix managed to land another blow on him, this time hitting him straight in the jaw.

“You're awfully slow today, aren't you,” he remarked, brows shooting up. Jisung shot him a nasty glare, “And you seem awfully chatty. You think you can manage to win this battle by talking me to death?”

His taunt didn't draw out the reaction he wanted, the General not even blinking. “No, but I might beat you into a pulp if you don't step up your game, loverboy.”

Jisung ground his teeth at the taunt, knowing fully well what Felix was getting at. His irritation must've shown, as the most shit-eating grin appeared on the General's lips.

He just hit the nail in the coffin.

“Don't call me that,” he tried his hardest to sound intimidating, but it rather had the opposite effect. “Why shouldn't I? Isn't that who you are—a guard helplessly in love with the Princess? You must know that relationships like these are merely fantasies, right?”

When the lieutenant didn't answer, he continued, still watching his moves with a hawk eye. “Face, it—you'll never get–”

And that was all it took for Jisung to clench his fists

It wasn't for about ten minutes that Felix was declared the official winner of the match as he landed the final blow, punching his opponent in the gut. Jisung was sent flying across the makeshift ring, coughing up a bit of blood.

As he sat on the dirty floor, surrounded by a few dozen men, soldiers and farmers alike, he felt like the ground should swallow him up alive. His cheeks were warm, a soft shade of red blossoming from his neck upwards. Whether it was from the exertion his body went through or the bustling humiliation coursing his veins, he couldn't tell.

Tears welled up in his eyes making him hiccup, his lashes fluttering as Felix delivered the last kick… Before he could splutter out the words to give up, the ground was torn from under his wobbly feet and everything went black.

. ˚✧・* •

“Your Majesty!”

The loud knock wakes you from your peaceful slumber, a tired groan escaping your lips. “Coming,” you muttered, slinging your legs over the edge of the bed.

You paddled on your bare feet towards the wooden door, opening it to come face to face with one of the guards. Immediately, you felt a twinge of embarrassment as you realized that you were only wearing your silken night slip. The guard, however, didn't react in any sort of way, handing you a large rose bouquet wrapped indelicate wrapping paper.

“His Majesty ordered for this to be delivered to you,” he noted, before bowing down and walking away. The heat rose to your cheeks as you stood in the doorway with the large assortment of flowers, startled to the core.

You never would've pegged Minho as the romantic type…

Inside your room, you placed the bouquet on the table, noticing that a small, paper note had been attached to one of the flowers. Your fingers worked gently to unfold it, reading the contents in one go.

For Princess Y/N,

I hope you like them, sweetheart  ♥ can't wait for our dinner tomorrow…

LMH

. ˚✧・* •

Later that day, you and Minho bumped into each other during lunchtime, and he suggested that the two of you grab something from the kitchen and sneak out on the balcony to eat.

“I looked over the issue with Count Choi and Viscount Kim,” he mentioned after swallowing down the last piece of the chicken pie. “Indeed, the two of them had gotten many complaints on how they ruled their regions; I can't believe this hasn't been brought to my attention.” his fists clenched, showing how frustrated he was with the situation.

“There's nothing we can do about that now, Minho. I'm just happy that we found out. It seems like this is a recurring pattern thought…” you trailed off solemnly, gazing at the city.

“Yeah. I'll have to have a little talk with some of the men in the Royal Court—this behavior is unacceptable.”

“It's good to know that you are interested in these things, I can tell that you care.”

Minho looked away, trying not to seem fazed by your words. His hand found its way onto yours, gently enveloping your palm, causing a pleasant shiver to run down your spine.

“I'm also looking into what can be done for the orphanage,” he relaxed his posture, tipping his head towards the blue sky. “So far, it seems that they lack mostly funding, so I'm going over it with the palace accountant—it seems like we'll be able to give them a more than healthy sum every month that should be more than enough to run the place smoothly. They should also be able to afford to employ one or two more people to keep the place running.”

Your smile brightened at the thought of Jiyho having some support, both financial and physical. She worked herself nearly to death, doing everything she could to keep the place going.

“Thank you, Minho,” you whispered, your words barely audible.

The Sun was glimmering, painting the sky in hues of gold. You gazed into the distance, a sense of newfound longing in your heart. “The sky's beautiful, isn't it?” you entwined your hand with his, voicing out your thoughts.

“Not as beautiful as you are,” came his breathless response. Your heartbeat quickened in surprise as you slowly turned around to face him. His lips were gently parted as he gazed at you with an intensity you've never seen before like you held the entire Milky Way in your eyes. Heat rose to your cheeks, your fingers numbly clutching onto the hem of your gown.

“You know you're the smartest, kindest, most stunning woman in the entire kingdom?”

You spluttered, unsure of how to respond to his words. The weight of his compliments hung in the air, an unexplainable tension forming between the two of you. Minho's gaze softened at your bashfulness, hand cupping your face.

“I mean that, you know,” his thumb gently stroked your cheek, causing you to nearly melt from his mere touch. “I know it's been difficult for you to adjust to your new life, but I want you to know that I'm so proud of you.”

A shiver ran down your spine, lashes fluttering at the pretext of what was going to happen next.

“I've been waiting for this for so damn long,” as if on cue, Minho breathed out, his warm breath fanning your cheek. You could almost feel the plush of his oh-so-soft lips on yours, excitement running through your veins.

Yet it seemed like the universe had a personal vendetta against you when you heard the door crash open.

“Your Majesty!” a guard in his early twenties burst in, bowing down.

You instantly jumped away from Minho, flustered from the sudden interruption. On the other hand, Minho's reaction was completely opposite to yours.

“What is it?” he grumbled, a light blush blossoming on his cheeks. Why did this always happen to him?

“We have just received a report that a famine had broken out in the northern villages. The last few caravans sent by Your Majesty had been attacked, resulting in there not being enough resources to keep the people in the area fed.”

A beat of silence followed before any of you spoke, the guard promptly excusing himself and leaving the two of you to wallow in the remains of the depressing statement. Your hand was still holding on to his, so you could feel the way he tensed. His brows were drawn together, lips set in a firm line as he struggled to articulate his thoughts.

“Minho,” you tried to gently call his name, rubbing his back in hopes of soothing his anxieties. You were worried too, but you could tell how much more this affected him, despite his best efforts to hide it.

“Y/N,” he nervously bit down on his lip, “I know we were going to spend some time together—”

“Go,” you reassured him, placing your hand on his shoulder. “I understand that this is a situation of utmost importance.”

His expression relaxed into a smile. “Thank you, I appreciate you being so understanding.”

“Oh please,” you waved him off, “it's nothing. I would gladly accompany you if you'd like, but I fear I would mainly impose…”

“Nonsense,” he held out his hand for you to take, like a true gentleman. “I'd welcome your presence. Besides, it's about time that the officials start getting used to seeing you around—after all—you don't think I'll the only one to decide on all the matters, don't you?” he grinned.

“If that's the case, I'd love to come.”

. ˚✧・* •

The air in the council chambers was as suffocating as the freezing winters of your land.

The room was laid out rather nicely, you presume. A voluminous ornate table at which all the council members gathered, large windows allowing copious amounts of sunlight to stream in through, and elegant paintings of the entire royal bloodline hanging off the walls.

Minho, as the Crown Prince and rightful heir to the throne, occupied the head of the table, and with the crown perched on top of his head, he looked more like the menacing ruler everyone made him out to be. You were sat right by his side, ears piqued as you listened intently to their conversation.

“Councilman Moon,” Minho's voice bounced off the walls, the authoritative edge ever so present. “I don't understand the point you are making. There's a famine breaking out—in what world is that not a priority matter for us to discuss?”

“If I may,” you intervene, gathering the attention of the rest of the councilmembers and Minho himself.

“Of course, Princess,” he spoke softly as if reassuring you with the gentlest of smiles.

“Thank you. So I wanted to follow up on what the Prince had said,” you brought your hands from your lap to the table. “Allowing a famine to spread would be way too risky—especially once it spirals out of control… Trust me, I have seen my Kingdom nearly fall apart due to there not being enough resources,” your brows furrowed at the unpleasant memories. “And that's not to mention that it would be a terrible decision to make, morally speaking.”

One of the men let out a distasteful scoff, and everyone's gazes immediately focused on him.

“Is there something amusing that you'd like to share with the rest of us, councilman Jung?” Minho snarled in his direction.

“Not exactly, Your Majesty. I merely believe that the Princess shouldn't speak on matters she outside of her scope of understanding.”

Before Minho could respond, you cut in. “Why do you believe that I possess no understanding of this topic? I have seen what hunger had done to my people, and I merely want to prevent history from repeating itself here.”

“What do you propose we do then, Your Majesty?” one of the kinder council members spoke up, intrigue lacing his tone.

“Well, first of all, I'd suggest that each caravan carrying supplies is accompanied by a small cell of soldiers that will make sure that no one comes to harm and that the supplies will be safely delivered to their final destination.”

Immediately, councilman Jung interrupted you, fiery gaze piercing through you.

“And where do you suggest we find all these soldiers? Trained men do not grow on trees, Your Majesty.”

“There's plenty of soldiers in the barracks right now, if I'm not mistaken,” you retorted, challenging him. “The war has ended, which means that most of the troops are now back home. Undoubtedly, there should be enough manpower to make sure that basic resources are redistributed in the land, isn't that correct?”

“Indeed, it may appear so, but what if conflict won't cease? The union has not yet been officially consummated, so who's to say what may or may not happen?”

Silence followed, and you were sure that if you tried, you would've heard a pin drop.

“E-Excuse me?” you managed to stutter after a while, frustration and confusion mingling inside of you. “What do you mean by that?”

“Yeah,” Minho cut in angrily, “what do you mean by that, councilman Jung? ‘Cause if I remember correctly, you were the same person that suggested we force the Azure kingdom to surrender since you believed that they would not agree to our terms. But they have, and Princess Y/N seated here beside us is living proof of that.”

“O-Of course, Your Majesty, I didn't mean to—”

“Not to mention that I do not appreciate your accusatory and rude tone. You spoke as if doubting the validity of this union. The official wedding ceremony will be held shortly, but that doesn't give you a reason to spout such denunciatory ies.”

The rest of the council was quiet, everyone holding their breaths as they watched the brawl between the cantankerous councilman and the Prince.

“To bring this meeting to an end, I propose that we go with the Princess' idea. She made many righteous points and I believe that this is the minimum we can do for our entire nation to remain prosperous.” he shot councilman Jung a venomous glare, effectively silencing him.

“And lastly, I would like to add something that should have been obvious in the first place.”

Scanning the room, eyes lingering on each and every one of the men present. “In no way are you to ever disrespect the Princess in such a manner, have I made myself clear?”

“Transparent, Your Majesty.”

. ˚✧・* •

The man ground his teeth, nervously walking around the room with his hand curled in his hair. This wasn't what he wanted to hear on a fine Saturday morning, not at all.

A guard slipped into his room, handing him the folded piece of paper and whispering in his ear. “Everything will go according to plan. He folded under the pressure immediately and agreed to do as you say.”

At least there was some good news.

. ˚✧・* •

The Sun had already begun to set when you started to get ready for your much-anticipated dinner. Despite how excited and giddy you were, the anxiousness stored in the back of your mind prevailed, causing you to stress unnecessarily.

You opted to prepare another cup of fresh tea, the healer having brought another batch. It was an improved recipe, he told you, and before you even took a sip, you could smell the sharp scent of apricots filling your nostrils.

A few isolated petals of a blush pink hue floated amongst the mostly-clear liquid. You downed most of the tea in a long, drawn-out gulp. The loud ticking of the clock reminded you that you were indeed on a time crunch, so you stood up, heading towards your closet to pull out the prized item of clothing.

Placing the red gown against your body, you twirled around like a giggly twelve-year-old, your heart racing at what would become of today's evening. You gently peeled off your simple dress, slipping into the bright-red one. Shivers ran down your spine as the satin made contact with your heated skin, leaving a blissful trail of tranquility.

You tied the bow at the back, tightening the gown at your waist before looking in the mirror, a pleased smile forming on your lips.

All that was left now was to tie your hair into a slightly more intricate updo that you would usually do, followed by a light spritz of your favorite vanilla-scented perfume.

A sudden wave of nausea crashed over you.

You had to bring your back against the wall, inhaling deeply to calm your erratic heartbeat. ‘Everything will be okay,’ you tried to tell yourself, pressing your hands to your cheeks. There was no reason to be worried, but then why was your heart racing like a horse running through a field?

It was one of those… that supposed gut feeling that you've heard, even read of. But you merely ignored it, sliding on a plain, gold bracelet around your wrist that matched the golden hems and stitchings of your dress.

Taking a deep breath, you stepped out of your chambers, both excitement and qualm coursing through your veins.

. ˚✧・* •

The halls were unusually empty, void of the customary liveliness and buzz you had attuned to.

The sleeves of your gown draped over your shoulders comfortably as you walked towards the grand dining room where you were supposed to meet Minho.

You nearly felt on top of the world, so much having changed since you first arrived. It felt like you finally had something to look forward to in this union—perhaps—that you wouldn't be shackled to a loveless marriage as you had previously believed.

The room was just a few more turns away. You could already smell the unmistakable aroma of brassiered chicken and many other southern delicacies.

As the tip of your foot made contact with the ground, you felt like the world was being torn from under your feet. With a quiet gasp, you folded over like a ragdoll, falling limply to the ground. A sudden burst of cramps ramped through you, causing you to convulse on the floor, hoarse cries of pain leaving your dry lips.

Once the sudden rupture of pain came to a stop, you nearly moaned in relief. Sweat lined at your forehead as your hands tried to grasp against the marble floor, attempting to support you into a seating position. But to no avail.

It took approximately a minute or two for the world around you to go pitch black.

. ˚✧・* •

Tick tock.

Minho watched the grandfather clock tick on the wall, brows furrowing at your absence. It was currently six-forty… you were ten minutes late. If it weren't for the dozen or so maids and cooks lining the wall of the dining room, he wouldn't have been as worried as he was now.

‘News traveled fast,’ he recalled, and what other new gossip could there be on a fine Saturday evening if not something as scandalous as the Crown Princess standing up her fiancé.

It was highly unusual for you to be late, that was what struck him first. What's more, it would be nearly unheard of for you to turn up late knowing how important today's dinner was for your image, especially amongst the palace staff.

Adjusting the collar of his crisp white blouse underneath his navy suit, he swallowed thickly, brushing off the nonexistent dust from his pressed pants. The golden fastenings of his jacket clinked, grabbing the attention of the people around him.

He nervously bit down on his lip, ignoring the curious glances from some of the younger maids as he kept his eyes trained on the clock. He knew that there was one more thing on their minds right now, and it was undoubtedly the odd color of his outfit.

It was unusual for a Crimson ruler to adorn the colors of the perceived enemy. He was taking a huge gamble by wearing navy, but he had hoped that the sightings of the two of you each wearing the other nation's colors would stir something within the people.

‘I hope you comes soon,’ he thought, sighing at the sight of the now cold food…

. ˚✧・* •

Jisung was walking down the hall when he suddenly noticed something peeking from around the corner. It was a small tuft of red fabric, or at least it seemed like it from afar.

He began walking briskly towards the spot—it was highly unusual for the palace floors to be littered with anything, having been cleaned multiple times a day. As he was getting closer and closer, he could see more of this supposed ‘piece of cloth’, rather, it was beginning to look more like… an arm?

His eyes widened in surprise, mouth ajar as an unconscious body came into view, limbs twisted under a gorgeous red gown.

“Y/N?!” he cried when he finally recognized you, his insides clenching at the sight. Your lips were parted, a sliver of drool on your cheeks. Nearly instantly (or as quickly as his shocked state allowed him to), he bent down to your level, fingers pressing to your neck to check your pulse.

‘Thank god,’ he thought, feeling the albeit slowed drumming of your heart. His hands slid under your body, hoisting you up with a grunt. His stomach was still aching from having been kicked there repeatedly by the General, but the adrenaline proved to do wonders for him once again as he briskly walked down the hall, heading for your bed chambers.

When he passed a maid, he immediately ordered, “The Princess is unconscious! Go get the palace healer and inform His Majesty about it.”

The girl hastily nodded, running off in what he presumed to be the direction of the infirmary.

. ˚✧・* •

For the nth time in the past few weeks, Minho felt his heart plummet to the depths of the sea. There was a weird buzz in his head, one that drowned out everything else, as the last bits of cohesion exited his body.

He had just been informed that you were taken into the infirmary by Jisung and that he requested for him to come as soon as possible.

When he had hoped there was a solid reason as to why you didn't arrive, this wasn't what he had meant.

Before he even knew it, his legs were carrying him in the direction of your bed chambers, heart erratically pounding against his ribcage. His ears suddenly picked up on what seemed to be an argument between two males. The closer he got to your room, the louder he heard one of them scream while the other begged for him to stop.

What the hell was going on?

His question was answered as soon as he burst through the door, panting, eyes scanning the room. He noticed you lying on the bed, frumpled, with your limbs curled under the sheets. Your face displayed a twisting of emotions, mainly pain, and exhaustion and it looked like you were knee-deep in a living nightmare.

Before he could come up to you and check how you were doing, he noticed something that concerned him highly.

In the corner of the room kneeled Jisung, pressing Seungmin to the floor, rage written all over his face. The healer underneath him thrashed in his hold, begging to be released.

“I'll ask you again: what the fuck did you put in that cup?” he growled in his ear, twisting his arms against his back. Seungmin writhed, bitting down on his lip. “I-I didn't do anything—you must've been mistaken!”

The two of them seems so engrossed in the brawl that they didn't even notice the Prince standing above them, livid.

“What's going on?”

His tone was dripping in authoritativeness, anger licking away at his insides. Both Seungmin and Jisung immediately snapped their heads towards the Prince, the latter spluttering to form a coherent answer.

“I brought Y/N inside and asked for them to call for you and a healer. This guy over here tried sneaking something into her water while I was tending to her.”

Minho's eye twitched as he glanced at Seungmin with newfound anger. “Is that true, Seungmin? Should I expect the palace healer to sneak things into people's drinks now?”

“Y-Your Majesty, I-I was merely…”

“You were merely what, Seungmin? I'm dying to know here,” he replied venomously.

“I-I… okay, I admit I did it, okay?” he suddenly burst out, tears streaming down his cheeks. Both Minho and Jisung watched him, stunned.

“You admit to what?” Jisung grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up until he was facing him directly. “What did you do?”

“I… the General… he,” Seungmin hiccuped, “He threatened me and my family. He said he would make me and my family suffer if I didn't…”

Minho clenched his fists, nearly growling, “What did he tell you to do? Answer me!” All of his attention was on the young healer, rage coursing through him.

“He made me add poison to her tea!”

Silence. If he had tried, he could've heard a pin drop.

Then, all the muscles in his face contorted into a mask of pure fury and disgust. He dug his nails into the palms of his hands, nearly drawing blood as he pushed Jisung away, grabbing the trembling healer and pinning him against the wall.

His stare was icy, venomous, even but what scared Seungmin, even more, was the calmness in his voice when he spoke, “What did you put in her tea?”

“I-I'm not sure… the General just gave me a s-small pouch of flowers and told me to add it to her tea mixture. I r-really don't know, please…” he cowered under his stare, trembling.

His pathetic sobs were interrupted by a loud cough coming from your bed. Minho immediately let go, running towards you as Seungmin's body slumped to the ground, quiet sobs wracking through him.

“Y/N,” he called out for you, gently moving your head to the side so you were facing him. Your cheeks were warm, just like the rest of your body, and you felt unimaginably dizzy like the entire world was spinning around you.

“M-Minho,” you croaked, pupils dilating as you clutched onto his hand like it was your lifebuoy. “I-I feel sick…”

His heart cracked upon hearing your voice… so broken. “I-I…”

Before he could even say anything, something burst through the door, causing him to look up.

Or rather, someone.

“What happened?” Chan panted, directing the question at Jisung, but Minho was the one who answered, bsikly explaining what he had heard from Jisung and the servant.

“The Princess was poisoned?” a higher voice shouted in disbelief, only coming to view as she stepped out from behind Chan, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.

Minho seemed to recognize her from passing, but couldn't exactly place her face. Her hair was swept into a simple bun and she was dressed in a plain dress with an apron, making Minho believe she was one of the maids.

“I-I, uh, if I may, Your Majesty,” she gestured in your general direction, averting the Prince's eyes. “May I have a look? I have some knowledge in toxins and maybe I could…”

“Please,” he cut her off weakly, “Go ahead.”

Yuna crouched down beside you, wiping the sweat off your forehead with her sleeve. “How are you feeling, Your Majesty?”

“Y-Yuna,” you smiled at her, hand reaching to grab hers. “How have you been?”

“I'm sorry, I don't think it's the proper time to discuss this now,” she turned around at the three men behind her. “Please bring me some water and a clean cloth.”

Once Chan handed her the filled washbasin and a rag, she dipped the fabric in the water and placed it over your forehead.

“I'll need you to tell me exactly how you're feeling…”

You began to describe the type of pain you're going through, the nausea, and the pounding of your head. Yuna took notice of the way your pupils dilated, the gears in her head spinning as she tried to figure out what could've caused your poisoning. After all, the first step to finding an antidote was identifying the poison.

Suddenly, she turned around with a jerk, scanning the room. “Do you still have the mug she drank the tea from?”

Jisung immediately sprung up, grabbing two that were on your table and handing them over to the girl.

“It's useless,” Seungmin rasped from the corner of the room, guilt written all over his face. “The General was positive that it would be over once she drank it,” he supplied unhelpfully, ignoring the nasty glares he received.

Despite the healers' words, Yuna looked inside the first mug, frowning when she saw nothing. It was empty. When she began inspecting the second one, a gasp erupted from her throat as she dropped it.

The ceramic mug shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces.

“T-That was a petal from…” she turned around to look at them, all hanging on her lips. “T-The Nerium Oleander…”

Chan frowned darkly, having heard the name somewhere before. “Isn't that the flower they used to poison—”

“Y-Yeah… it's how the Prince of the West was poisoned hundreds of years ago.”

Minho glowered, remembering the story from a passage in his history book. It was the most infamous case of poisoning, something remembered by all. His heart clenched at the thought of you facing the same end.

“I-Isn't there anything you can do?” he pleaded, voice cracking midway as he glanced back at you, tossing and turning in your bed.

“I—” she bit down on her lip, eyebrows furrowing as she racked her brain for a solution.

“I'm not sure about this,” she began, running a hand through her hair, “But I believe I read about garlic having particularly good antitoxins for poisonings such as this one.”

“Whatever you need, tell me… I'll bring it to you,” Minho pleaded.

“Okay. I'll need a few cloves of garlic, some activated charcoal, and a medicine trunk—preferably the one from the main infirmary.”

. ˚✧・* •

An excruciating ten minutes later, Minho returned, panting. He handed Yuna all the things and she immediately got to work, carefully propping you against the headboard. Your head lolled to the side, eyes struggling to stay open.

She added a spoonful of the black powder into a cup of water, thoroughly mixing it. When it all dissolved, she pressed the cup to your lips, gently tipping your head backward. “You have to drink this, Your Majesty.”

In your weakened state, you gulped down the dark liquid, gagging at the nasty texture. Once you finished, Yuna handed you a glass of plain water which you gratefully accepted. “This will make sure you get the full dose,” she explained.

“Now,” she chopped up the garlic into thin pieces, placing it in the mortar with some other herbs, “I'll prepare this paste for you to eat. It won't be tasty, but it should hopefully combat the toxins from the oleander.”

Once finished preparing created the foul-smelling paste, she fed it to you in spoonfuls. You groggily swallowed it down, clutching onto the sheets with newfound vigor. Who knew, maybe you'd even survive this ordeal…

You took the moment to survey the room, finally feeling conscious enough to gather what had exactly gone down. You saw Seungmin crouched in the corner of the room, head in his hands. Chan and Jisung were sitting by the table, both distressed.

Last but not least, Minho was standing, his back propped against the wall. His hair was disheveled, matted locks pressed to his forehead and a singular tear ran down his cheek, causing your heart to shatter.

It took you a few moments to register what he was wearing. The navy suit hugged his body and showed off his built physique, the golden fastenings only adding to the whole visage. It dawned upon you that he'd chosen to wear your nation's colors, just like you would've worn the scarlet dress.

“Minho,” you suddenly croaked, catching the attention of everyone in the room. The Prince's head snapped toward you, eyes watering. He immediately ran to your bed, kneeling beside you as he grabbed your hand in his, gently intertwining your fingers with his.

“How are you feeling?”

A loud cough tore from your throat, promptly providing him with an answer. “Oh, Y/N… everything will be okay, alright? I-I promise…”

Then he turned around, gaze hardening. “Captain,” he looked at Chan, hands clenching into fists. “I want you to go find General Lee and arrest him at once.”

Venom was dripping from his tone, and Chan immediately understood that this wasn't just a question. It was a command.

“Where should I put him, Your Majesty?”

“The dungeon,” he muttered darkly. “I want him locked up with all the criminals he had put behind bars himself.”

Chan saluted, running off to find the General.

Meanwhile, Yuna finished preparing the antidote, a sigh of relief escaping her parted lips. “I'm done, Your Majesty. Quickly, we don't have much time to spare.”

You promptly opened your mouth, allowing her to feed you spoonfuls of the potent mixture. Your gag reflex was activated as soon as the bitter flavor attacked your tastebuds, but knowing what would happen if you refused, you involuntarily swallowed down every last bit.

“Water, p-please,” you whimpered, suddenly feeling like you would throw up. Minho jumped to his feet, filling up the cup from the pitcher and bringing it to your lips. He benevolently tipped the cup, supporting the back of your head with his palm. As you greedily gulped down the liquid, he threaded his fingers between your locks, tenderly massaging your scalp.

“What should we do now?” he asked Yuna, placing the cup on the nightstand. The girl looked at him with wide eyes, nervously twirling a strand of hair between her finger.

“Now… now we wait. If I did everything correctly, the antidote should be contouring the poison. Her Majesty will have to rest for a few days, that's for sure—no exerting her mind or body—but after that, she should make a full recovery. But if I didn't…”

“No,” he cut her off. “Don't say that. I'm sure you did everything that you could and I trust you, alright?”

She smiled weakly. “Thank you.”

“You should go rest up. I'll stay here with Y/N and make sure everything is alright. I'll call for you if anything happens.”

. ˚✧・* •

The following days were some of the hardest moments in Minho's life.

However, the excruciating pain he went through while having to watch you writhe in discomfort didn't compare to the suffering you had to be going through.

Despite his exhaustion showing in many ways, namely the dark circles under his eyes and his clothes sticking to his sweaty body. All and all, he felt almost disgusting, but he refused to leave you side for more than a few minutes.

After a few days, it was obvious that you would make a recovery. Minho nearly weeped in joy when you suddenly sat up, looking him dead in the eye as you muttered, “You stink.”

He breathed out a short laugh, a light, husky sound that you thought was beautiful.

“How are you feeling?” he then asked, eyes watering as he took in your whole body, relief washing over him.

“I'm fine, just a bit numb,” you answered truthfully, lifting your hand above your head in an attempt to stretch your sore muscles. “Although I am craving some chicken pie…”

Minho chuckled, patting the top of your head with a gentle laugh. “On it!”

It was later that night that you realized how incredibly lucky you were as the two of you each enjoyed a few slices of chicken pie.

. ˚✧・* •

“Please, Minho,” you stubbornly jutted your lower lip, throwing your sock-clad feet in the air as you watched your fiancé button up his blouse. His expression remained stone-cold, but you could already see the cracks in his resolve.

“Why won't you let me come see him? If I'm going to be the Queen, I should at least be able to face my enemies, don't you think?” And in a much quieter tone, you added, “I'd at least want to know what made him hate me enough to try to poison me…”

“Y/N,” Minho sighed, rubbing his temples. “I really don't think it's a good idea for you to see him right now—you're supposed to be resting, remember?”

“I know,” you groaned, “but it's been over a week—I'm fine now, okay? Besides,” you gave a lopsided smirk, “If you don't want me to exert myself, you can always just carry me there…”

Minho blushed at your words, clumsily buttoning the last button up on his shirt. “I, uh, still… I really don't like the idea of you being in the vicinity of that bastard.”

With the way his brows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line, a thought popped up in your head. “By any chance… you didn't,” the words dried in your mouth, “you didn't hurt him, did you?”

The Prince immediately understood what you meant by the word hurt. You were asking him if he had tortured, or perhaps even killed the young General who had dared to commit the highest form of treason. To be fair, Minho had all the prerogative to do as he pleased with him after he'd attempted a hand at the future Queen's life.

A slow, controlled breath left his lips. “No, I didn't. I had thought about it though, don't get me wrong, but I couldn't even bring myself to face him. The two of us grew up together for God's sake.”

You could hear the frustration in his tone as you gently rubbed his back in hopes of soothing his nerves. “But you know what angers me the most?”

Knowing that it was a rhetorical question, you didn't answer, allowing him to continue. “I hate the fact that I didn't see it coming. I noticed that he behaved a bit weird around you, but I chalked it up to him looking out for me, wanting to make sure I marry someone he deemed worthy…”

“Minho, please, don't blame yourself for something that was out of your control. It's no surprise that you didn't see it coming—nobody suspects the people closest to them, that's just how it is.”

“I know,” he released a shaky breath, “But I can't help but feel like I failed you.”

“Oh please,” your hand reached to cup his cheek, “Don't say that. Now let's go, I think there's a General waiting for us to visit.”

“Alright, but you have to promise me one thing, okay?”

You pressed your lips into a thin line, suppressing the smirk that formed at the corners of your mouth. “Sure.”

“Stay behind me at all times, alright? The dungeon's a dangerous place and knowing that you'll be going there without being able to protect yourself makes my skin crawl.”

“Okay,” you breathed out, “I'll stay by your side.”

. ˚✧・* •

The stairs leading to the dungeon were dark and damp, the pungent smell of mold causing your nostrils to flare. Minho was walking in front of you, your hand clasped in his as he carefully guided you down the spiral staircase.

Once you arrived, your eyes flew from one side to the other, taking in the crumbling stone walls.

There were about a dozen or so cells in the dungeon, and only about half of them were occupied. On the far left, you spotted a mop of silver curls, akin to Felix's. You quietly pointed in that direction, whispering, “Is that him?”

“Yeah.”

Slowly but surely, Minho walked up to his old friend, an odd sense of fake confidence to his steps. You trailed behind him, fire in your eyes as you awaited the moment you'd come face to face with the man who plotted your near-murder.

The closer you came, the more your heart plummeted in your chest. The heels of your boots clanked against the cold stone, complimenting the pitter-patter of the water draining down the sewage system.

“General Lee,” Minho spat out venomously, hand reaching to push you behind his body. You nearly rolled your eyes at his protectiveness, but you found it endearing nonetheless.

Felix's head was slumped down, facing the ground as the two of you approached. More than two weeks had passed since his arrest, and the harsh conditions of the dungeon were beginning to take an evident toll on him.

“Felix,” you finacé called again after he didn't respond, worry beginning to show on his face. “Answer me.”

Slowly but surely, the General raised his head, not bothering to straighten his posture that was held down by the shackles holding his wrists above his head. His bloodshot eyes were oddly glassy, a shiver running down your spine once you made eye contact.

“Well well… to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Minho growled, “don't be cheeky with me, Felix. Not after you've committed the highest form of treason.”

The man attempted to raise his hands up in defense, an apologetic smile appearing on his lips when he was stopped mid-way by the bounds on his wrists. “Then why has the royal couple decided to pay me a visit?”

“You should already know by now,” Minho clenched his fists, tearing his gaze from his once close friend, “that I want answers. I want to know what made you do the things you did, Felix?”

The frustration in his tone was evident, and you wished you could just take him from this place. Your earlier need to see Felix face to face diminished into dust.

“You know,” Felix suddenly spoke up, his grave tone echoing in the dimly-lit room, “I've always been jealous of what you had.”

After a short pause, he continued. “The money, the fame, the love… it felt like you had the entire world at your fingertips, while I had to wrestle through all the stages of life with nothing to my name… not even a home to return to.”

“Felix… I-I—”

“No, Your Majesty,” Felix cut him off pointedly. “This isn't just about poor orphaned Felix. No. This about who made me an orphan in the first place!”

To say that Minho was stunned would be a gross understatement. His eyes were filled with confusion as he peered down at the man he once considered his closest friend. The two of them grew up nearly side by side, and if it weren't for Minho’s royal duties kicking in prematurely due to his older brother's death, they likely would've been even closer.

“I-I don't understand… if you hated me so much, why did you pretend to be my friend all your life? Not to mention, why were you after Y/N in the first place? She didn't do anything!”

The tremor in his voice became clearer, something that you noticed when his hands began shaking. “I still don't get it, Felix… you tried to kill her for fucks sake! When she didn't do anything to deserve it…”

Suddenly, he looked straight at you, locking eyes with you as he snarled, something akin to anger and resentment bubbling up in his throat. “Maybe she didn't, but her worthless scummy people definitely did.”

Felix's eyes darkened with an emotion you weren't able to place, and if looks could kill, both you and Minho would be six feet under.

“You know,” he growled, hands jerking in the binds, “our father was a real piece of work.”

“Our? What the hell are you talking about, Felix,” Minho snapped in bewilderment. What was going on? Why was he feeling like he was about to hear something he didn't like?

“He thought he got rid of all of them,” his voice cracked midway, causing your heart to shatter. “B-But my mother managed to run away with me and hide near the northern border.”

Finally finding your voice, you whispered, “A-Are you trying to say that—”

Instead of answering your question, Felix's hands burst into flames, the fiery inferno licking away at the metal cuffs. A maniacal laugh tore from his throat, causing you to freeze in your spot.

The metal binds around his wrists began to melt, silver liquid dripping down on the floor. His eyes were darkened, and frankly, it was the most scared you'd felt in your life. Utterly terrified would fit better.

The General, after having regained footing, walked up to the metal bars, the only thing separating him from you and Minho. A lopsided smirk appeared on his face as he whispered, “didn't realize you had a younger brother, did you, Minho?”

The way he said his name… you could tell it stupified the Prince. His eyes were wide, hands trembling as he stood rooted to his spot, unable to tear his eyes from the sight in front of him. Hearing Felix address him like that sure did a number on him, especially hearing the venom dripping from his tone.

It was like he was talking to a completely different person.

His lips parted, and in a soft breath, he whispered, “Do you know what happened to us after that?”

A gentle shake of the head was enough of an indicator for him to continue. “The Azure soldiers raided the village and killed my mother. I was locked in the basement as she let out her last breath.”

And then, almost instantly, fire erupted in his eyes. He grinned uncontrollably, hand surging forward as a mass of fire, shaped into a sharp dagger cut through the air.

“NO!” you screamed, realizing what he was about to do. Your hand shot forward, grabbing onto your fiancé's tunic, and in a frenzy, you pulled back, both of you falling to the ground.

You winced under his weight, wheezing before you noticed the small burn mark on Minho's cheek. He was dumbfoundedly rubbing at the gash as if he was still processing what had just happened, blood seeping through his fingers.

By now, the guards must have had heard the hubbub as a dozen or so soldiers ran down, bursting through the door and making quick work of restraining the former General.

And what worried you the most was how easily he let them take hold of him. Not once did he attempt to fight back, even though you were positive that he could've obliterated them with his newly-revealed powers. And even without them, General Felix was undoubtedly one of the most feared swordsmen and fighters in the nation.

As two of the guards escorted you and Minho out of the dungeon, you couldn't help but turn around one last time, catching Felix's smug leer.

“This isn't over,” he mouthed with a grin, holding your gaze for a few more seconds before one of the guards rammed his head into the cobblestone.

. ˚✧・* •

The chirping outside the window caused you to stir in your sleep, sighing as you cuddled back into your fiancé's toned chest.

“Are you awake?” his raspy woke you up, a whine escaping your lips. “As a matter of fact, I wasn't…”

A throaty chuckle left his parted lips, a sound you found wholly attractive, but you'd never tell him that. Instead, you pressed yourself closer to him, enjoying the warmth he exuded. It was on days like these that you were grateful that Minho slept shirtless.

After the unpleasant incident with Felix in the dungeons, he insisted on taking an entire week off. It was something that the two of you desperately needed—some alone time to heal from the unsettling experience.

All and all, you were happy Minho had made that choice. The two of you got to spend loads of quality time together, indulging in each other's presence. The mornings were particularly nice, especially when Minho pampered you with kisses, his wolfish hands running all over your body.

“Did you drink your medicine yesterday?” he murmured in your ear.

“Yes, mom,” you rolled your eyes. He had been asking you the exact same question for the past week, making sure you drank the herbal mixture that would revert the toxins from the poisoned tea you had been unknowingly drinking.

A sudden smack echoed through the room.

“Minho,” you cried, rubbing your sore bottom. “That hurt!”

The Prince chuckled, a teasing grip on his lips. “Oops, my bad.”

Turning around, you stared him in the eye, pouting. “You just wanted an excuse to slap my butt, didn't you?”

He huffed in response, “Please, that was just a light tap.”

Despite your best efforts to hide the corners of your mouth lifted up into a smile, “Two can play this game, you know?”

Minho's eyes widened when you reached out your arm and smacked his bum. “Ouch! That's not fair, you hit me a lot harder!”

His whines were cut short as a sudden knock sounded through the room. The both of you stilled, holding in the bursts of laughter. Something like this was always bound to happen at the funniest moments.

“What is it?” Minho called, too lazy to get out of bed. His hand was gently stroking your cheek, a gesture that always made you melt into his touch.

“Your Majesty! The dressmakers will arrive shortly. Where should we house them?”

“Give them one of the larger rooms in the southern wing. You can tell them that Her Majesty will be ready at noon.”

You grasped Minho's hand in yours, entwining your fingers. “The dressmakers?”

“Yeah. I requested the most famous tailor to design your wedding dress. She only works with the highest quality fabrics and is known throughout the kingdom.”

“Minho,” you murmured. “You didn't have to go that far. If it came down to it, I'd marry you in a jute bag if I had to. ”

“Nonsense,” he pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead, heat rising to your face. “I only want the best for my angel.”

“Ever the romantic,” you snorted, pulling him closer. Your nose bumped into his collar bones, inhaling the scent of his musky cologne.

“Only for you, baby.”

After a while, Minho dragged you out of bed, claiming that the two of you needed to go on with your days. You enjoyed a hearty breakfast before you were forced to separate—you heading towards the dressmaker while Minho went to take care of some paperwork.

. ˚✧・* •

“Your Majesty,” the woman, Chaeryoung, greeted you with a curtsy, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. Even at first sight, you could tell that she had impeccable taste. Her gown looked like something straight out of a fairytale causing you to open your mouth in awe.

Clasping her hands together, she chirped, “Let's get you dressed in some of my finished pieces so we can get an idea of what suits you best, alright?”

Two hours and approximately twenty dresses later, you were finally done. The design you two came up with was still in the works, but you've established a few key elements.

Firstly, the dress would be made out of angora silk—the softest and most expensive type of silk there was. Heat rose to your cheeks when Chaeryoung told you, squashing your meek protests.

“I will not tolerate anything less for the Queen's wedding dress.”

Secondly, you decided on the silhouette; a basque, ballgown-like overskirt that flared at the waist with lace trimmings. It was a rather pompous design in your opinion, but Chaeryoung assured you that you would look fantastic. And in a sense, you would be fulfilling your childhood dream of wearing a princess-like gown at your own wedding so without much reluctance, you agreed.

Your hair would be pinned up into a twisted low bun with some scarlet peonies woven in—a simple updo that wouldn't take too much attention off your face. On top of that, you'd adorn a modest, sheer veil with jewels at the hem.

Stretching your arms above your head, you stepped into Minho's bedroom, plopping yourself on the bed. The sheets were infused with his smell, something you had come to love while falling asleep by his side.

. ˚✧・* •

“You know, I never actually brought anyone here,” Minho mused as the two of you walked through the secluded park hand in hand, his warm palm enveloping yours.

“How come?” you piped, looking at him intently, a bright sort of curiosity glimmering in your eyes. The palace gardens were vast, in fact, you figured they could've been bigger than the grounds of your palace back in the Azure land.

His eyes suddenly filled with sorrow, “My brother used to take me here all the time when we were little.”

“Oh,” the word left your lips in a partial breath, immediately feeling guilty for having asked in the first place. “I'm sorry.”

“No, no. Don't be,” Minho responded, “It's okay, don't worry. I'm just happy that I get to spend some time with you. I'm sure my brother would've liked you a lot…”

“You think so?”

His hands dropped to your waist, pulling you into his chest. “I know it.” A teasing smirk appeared on his face as he pinched your side, leaning down and connecting your lips in a heated kiss. Your eyes widened in surprise, but eventually, you melted into his embrace, hands sliding around his neck to tug at the strands of his hair.

“Sweetheart,” he rasped, pulling away in a breathless daze. “I-I… thank you. For everything.”

The sincerity in his eyes almost made your knees buckle, your hand reaching to caress his face. It wasn't usual for Minho to show vulnerability, and you were happy he felt comfortable enough with you to share such personal moments with.

You leaned towards him, pressing your lips to his in a much shorter sweet peck, smiling brightly. “He would've been so proud of you, Min.”

Minho looked puzzled for a second, before a look of understanding spread across his face. Warmth filled his orbs as he leaned down to press a kiss to the curve of your jaw, causing a shiver to run down your spine.

Then, he gently brushed the hair out of your face before he kneeled down on one knee. Taken aback, you lifted your brow, unsure of what he was doing. The light breeze tousled the locks in front of his eyes, the scene beginning to remind you of one straight from a romance novel.

“Y/N,” he began, gazing into your eyes with such intensity it made your head spin. “You know, I never would've expected to fall in love with you,” he spoke softly into the whistling wind, breaking your gaze for a second.

“Our first meeting was surrounded with unpleasant circumstances, but because of that, I feel like I can appreciate the bond we've built even more.”

You nodded wordlessly, silently agreeing with every word he said. A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips before he continued, “And I've come to realize how wonderful of a person you are. Never in the twenty-two years I've been alive have I met someone as kind and selfless as you, not to mention you're a real goddess,” he added with a wink.

“Minho—” you spluttered, feeling bashful under the waterfall of compliments he was issuing you. “I-I, uh, I mean…”

“It's okay,” he pressed his thumb to your lower lip, effectively silencing you. “Let me do all the talking, sweetheart.”

When you nodded timidly, he carried on, “And one afternoon, I realized that I truly wanted to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. I want to wake up by your side every morning and go to sleep next to you every night. I want us to rule the land together and start a family with you.”

His hand dug into his pocket, pulling out a velvet box. He opened it with ease, holding out the delicate ring with a small ruby stone in the middle.

“Y/N, I'm asking you not as the Prince, not as the future King, but as Minho… Lee Minho. Will you marry me?”

You brought your trembling hand to your mouth, swallowing down the lump in your throat. Tears were pricking at the corners of your eyes as you whimpered, “Y-Yes. I'd l-love to…”

A relaxed smile appeared on his lips, previously tense shoulders relaxing as he slipped the wedding band on your ring finger. It fit like a glove. Bringing your hand to his mouth, he pressed a gentle kiss to your knuckles, holding in the joyful screams that chafed at his throat.

You placed your hand onto his cheek, pulling his head up so you could lock lips once again, the warm tears searing your flesh.

And just like that, the two of you enjoyed your last week together before the wedding preparations came in full throttle.

. ˚✧・* •

“Minho, please,” you burst into your now shared bedroom with pleading eyes, “Help me hide!”

“What did you do this time?” your fiancé raised a brow, an amused chuckle escaping his parted lips. He was sprawled across the bed, long legs nearly dangling off the edge of the mattress with a leather-bound book in his hand.

You hated to admit it, but Minho could pull off anything while looking sinfully attractive.

Shutting the door behind you gently, you took a deep breath to steady you heartbeat. After all, you had run all the way from the southern wing. “For your information, I didn't do anything. But they were gonna make me choose what color napkins I want for the reception. Do you hear that? Napkins—”

Minho had to stifle a laugh at the frustration in your tone, sitting up to pull you onto his lap. You fell into his hold with a slight yelp, heat rising to your cheeks at the close proximity.

“How 'bout I make it up to you, baby?”

The blood stilled in your veins at his flirtatious words, immediately feeling yourself curl into a ball at his playful actions. Minho noticed the change instantly, guilt washing over him.

“Hey, hey,” he cupped your cheek, tilting your head upwards until you had no choice but to look at straight at him. His chocolate orbs held nothing but fondness, which helped you relax into his touch. “There's no need to be shy, Princess. I won't do anything that makes you uncomfortable, okay?”

You leaned in closer, resting your head against his chest and inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne. “I'm sorry, I know you'd never do anything like that,” your breath hitched in your throat. “I'm just a bit nervous about the wedding, that's all.”

“Why are you nervous? Are the preparations not going well?”

You shook your head softly, “No, that's not that. I'm just anxious about how the people will think of me as their new Queen…”

“We've been over this a million times,” Minho murmured against the top of your head, gently rubbing your back. “And my initial opinion still stands—they will love you. You're a good person and sooner or later, they'll realize that you have their best intentions at heart.”

“I hope you're right,” you sighed. He responded with a smile, “Don't worry. I know I'm right…”

Then, he leaned down until his lips were ghosting above yours.

“Can I kiss you?”

Afraid that the words wouldn't leave your mouth, you nodded, fluttering your lashes as he sealed your lips with a heated kiss. You felt heat spread all across your body, as if the warmth from his lips was seeping into your every cell. His hands slowly lowered from your waist to your thighs, the pads of his thumbs gently running over the sensitive skin.

It sent electric jolts that went straight to your stomach, warmth pooling at your belly. You pressed yourself closer to him, mewling at the feeling of his nails digging into the soft flesh of your thighs.

After what felt like eternity, Minho disconnected your lips with a groan, lips curling into a teasing grin.

“I think this has been a long day for you. Wanna cuddle before we go to sleep?”

“Yeah,” you yawned, exhaustion slowly taking over you. “I'd love that.”

. ˚✧・* •

The day had finally arrived.

After weeks upon weeks of meticulous and rigorous planning, you were finally about to step out and walk to the altar where your union would be officially sealed, the treaty officially coming into effect.

And despite the fact that you had been preparing for this moment nearly your entire life, your heart felit like it would jump out of your chest with how fast it was beating.

You would be marrying Minho today.

You would become the Queen.

And for some reason, you felt a tug at your chest. Fear and excitement were coursing through you, the stark contrast of emotions swirling inside of you like a tornado.

Your hand dropped to your chest, picking up the shimmering, crystal pendant that Minho gifted you a few days prior.

“Your Majesty,” Yuna's voice sounded through the wooden door, causing you to look up. “You'll be up in a few minutes.”

Taking a deep breath, you mustered all your energy to respond in a calm and collected way. “Of course… I'm coming.”

Stepping out of the dressing room, you readjusted your dress at the waist, smoothing down the nonexistent creases on your robe. The soft silk felt like heaven under your fingertips, and you grinned appreciatively at the delicate lace hems.

“You look absolutely breathtaking, Your Majesty,” Yuna giggled, unable to hold it in. Her hands immediately reached to readjust the red peonies woven into your hair, making sure that everything was in place.

It all went by in a blur; you were suddenly pushed down the aisle, a chorus of cheers and applause ringing through your ears. The velvet carpet crunched under your heels, and to your surprise, you noticed that the edges of the rug were lined with fresh peonies, not unlike the ones in your hair.

It seemed like Minho was really pushing this whole flower aesthetic, and if you were honesty, you were living for it.

When your eyes met, it felt like fireworks erupted in your chest. Minho had impeccable taste, that much you knew, but this was the first time you'd seen him dressed to the nines like this.

A crisp white suit adorned his body, the snug fit merely accentuating his broad shoulders. His russet hair was gelled to the back, revealing his forehead with only a few strands falling from the slick updo.

You nearly gasped when you saw the azure colored pocket square was neatly arranged in his breast pocket, the shade unmistakenly reminding you of your nation's true colors.

Everything went quiet, the screams and the hollers of the people dying out in favor of all the eyes slowly gravitating towards you. You could feel every single pair of orbs on you, a shiver running down your spine. As you walked down the aisle with the large, orchid bouquet in hand, your eyes locked once more. He gently took ahold of your hand, the two of you walking the last steps to the altar together.

“Princess Y/N of the Azure nation, do you take Prince Minho as your lawful husband that you will cherish in sickness and health and promise to stay faithful to for as long as the two of you shall live?”

Inhaling, you responded, loud and clear, “I do.”

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!”

Everyone cheered, throwing their hands in the air as Minho pressed a kiss to your lips. It was short and sweet, yet managed to convey so many emotions, like hope and promise for a better future.

Your finger was now adorned with two rings; the one he proposed with and the simple wedding band that matched his.

Never in your entire life had you felt such a rush of endorphins. Blood was coursing through your veins, the excitement, and the atmosphere filling you with a sense of warmth.

Minho suddenly grabbed your hand, raising it above your head with a smirk. “Do you wanna show them?”

You nodded almost instantly, knowing what he wanted to do. Simultaneously, frozen icicles shot from your hand, bursting through the air as Minho did the same, except it was fire that was bursting from his fingertips.

The crowd started cheering at the showy display of power as loud chants tore from their throats.

“Long live the Queen!”

. ˚✧・* •

Jisung was watching you from the swarm of people, craning his neck to watch you from his seat in the fourth row. Next to him, Chan glanced down at him, clearly worried for his friend as he mumbled, “Are you sure you're okay?”

He nodded in response, refusing to tear his eyes from the scene in front of him. Minho had just kissed you in front of the entire kingdom. He knew he should've been happy for you, especially after seeing that genuine smile on your lips along with the glimmer in your eye.

But Jisung couldn't help himself from feeling a pang of jealousy in his heart as he watched you and Minho's hands connect. Despite knowing that you were now married to another man, he couldn't just let go of his feelings for you.

And as he watched the two of you smile at each other from under your lashes, gazing into each other's eyes like lovestruck fools, Jisung's heart shriveled up in his chest like a decaying flower on a summer evening, blown away by the breeze till nothing was left but dust.

. ˚✧・* •

epilogue:

A maniacal laugh tore from his throat as he perked his ears. He could hear the wedding bells all the way down here.

The freezing temperature no longer affected him, skin having grown numb to it a long time ago, and the damp smell seeped through every thread of his tunic, irreversibly marking it with its unbearable stench.

His eyes glimmered under the moonlight, sharp and cunning as always. He was a calculative man, for sure, and right now, he was weighing out his odds.

Perhaps escaping wouldn't be as hard as he had initially thought…

© May 2022 by crispy-chan — all rights reserved. do not modify, copy, repost, translate or claim as your own.

a/n: my longest piece to date :) I hope you enjoyed and I applaud you for coming so far! please please let me know your thoughts :< it's what keeps me going on here :> also, shout out to the people that can recognise who was based off of who (as in which character from subZero)...

[prettywon]

prettywon presents... SIXTEEN EIGHTY-FIVE

?!#%$ synopsis: You and Riki were the hardest workers on the newspaper staff. Despite this, you two are never to be seen working together. He avoids you and you avoid him, until you're both put up for the task of running the "Love Seekers Column." As the column gains popularity, so do you and Riki, and no good can come from that.

OR You and Riki are forced to work together. Why are his small habits, formerly irritating beyond means, suddenly so charming?

?!#%$ pairing: nonidol!Riki x gn!reader

?!#%$ wc+genre: 6k words of angsty fluff (mainly fluff? we'll see)

?!#%$ warnings: swearing, 4th wall gets broken ??, Riki is asshole

?!#%$ cast: Jake+Riki of enhypen, LOONA+ITZY cameo 😍

?!#%$ a/n: for a collab with @iwonzzi !! so much thought went into this tbh I shed TEARS.

?!#%$ perm+collab taglist: @gloomysunny @candidupped @illiterateliz @jiwlys @soobin-chois @acciomylove @ja4hyvn @vantxx95 @sbnchaos @yizhoutv @nikisgirlfriend — @ayayiiie @dstarsz

ISSUE ONE : Nishimura Riki.

–

YOU typed away on the keyboard, monotone clicks filling the room. The silence was welcomed and all you'd ever wanted while working on the school newspaper. Words came to you naturally, fully enjoying the rare silence you had.

Unfortunately, it was short-lived. Riki burst into the room, saying farewell to his just-as loud friends. He didn't spare you even a glance as he neglected to close the door, per usual, and instead grabbed a Chromebook. It was the same routine you both always followed . He forgets to close the door, you do it for him, he complains his computer is dead, you remind him that he had forgotten to plug it in before leaving yesterday. At least, that's what usually happens.

“Riki, for once could you close the door yourself.” Things like a shut door may seem minor, yes, but were essential if you were to focus. Which is something Riki knew well. “Y/N, for once could you get off my back about every little thing I do?” While his friends call it caring and you wanting him to be well-mannered, he calls it being picky and a perfectionist.

“I wouldn't be ‘on your back’ if you weren't acting like a 5 year old, forgetting the most basic things.” You continued working on the front page of the newspaper, wishing he would stop being petty and just close the door. “It's not that hard, I'm not asking for-”

“Shut up” Riki stood up to close the door, the sound louder than what you expected. “Can’t you let me work for 5 minutes?” He ruffled his hair, sitting down to finish up the page he had been working on.

“Why should I? You never let me work in peace considering all you do is leave a mess for me to clean up.” Your leg bounced at an increasing tempo. You hated him but complaining about him when he was right in front of you felt different from doing it behind his back.

"Who said you had to? It's not like we're dating."

Both of you stopped. You stopped typing, he stopped digging through his backpack in search of a chip bag. Riki had words forming in his head, a desperate explanation as to why he said that. Even a laugh at the very notion of you two dating would work. But he couldn't find anything to say as he slowly thought about the two of you more. Stuck in the same classroom after school nearly everyday, the feelings he held were always a slip of the tongue away.

You cleared your throat and that was enough for the two of you to somewhat agree that what just happened would never see the light of day.

In all honesty, you and Riki had never before talked this much, ever. So as the tension grew, he constantly reminded himself that he hates you and you hate him. That's how your relationship worked, and that's how it will always be.

A short apology was on the edge of your tongue as someone rushed through the door. Jake, whom you liked far more than Riki, had his hands on his knees, “I just had the smartest idea ever.”

***

“What do you mean, love column?” It didn’t seem as if Riki liked the idea, and you could see why. Everybody is already so obsessed with love anyways. Why feed the addiction?

“You know what I mean, it's like The Lonely Hearts column, except we have a little section for love advice as well.” Jake paced around the room, eyes filled with excitement, more excitement than when he had first introduced the idea of a school newspaper.

“Jake, that column is older than my great-grandma. Not to mention there's dating apps out there, they wouldn't be that interested.” You didn't have time for his ideas, the latest issue hadn’t been completed though it was set to be published tomorrow. “But it's simple, people submit descriptions of their ideal type,” Jake paused, choosing his next words carefully, “and you two can choose which one you want to feature.”

“What?” Riki half-shouted, almost dropping the computer he was putting away, “You think Y/N has the kind of experience to be giving other people relationship advice?”

“You want me to work with someone as careless as him?” Your typing slowed as you stared at Jake, tone more aggressive than you intended.

“Look, I know that you two aren't on the best terms,” Riki cut off the older boy, “We aren't on any terms. I'd rather hang out with Mr. Park before working with them.” You nodded dully in agreement.

“You two have the time in your schedules to work on the column, and think about the popularity we would get.” Jake placed his hands on the table before him, trying to get you two to see the bigger picture.

“I'm fine with working on it, but couldn't I do it with you instead?” Ignoring the scoff from Riki, you continued, motivated to spend more time with Jake, “It's just sorting through submissions and coming up with some half-assed romantic advice, right?”

“I would if I could but considering it's February, there's gonna be dozens of submissions and I'll have to be running the club on top of that” Jake sighed, “Not to mention soccer season is coming up, I just can't.”

“Put an ask for submissions in the front page. We'll publish it tomorrow.” Jake glanced in your direction. You did as he asked, hesitating; why did Jake want this so badly?

“I still don't think this is a good idea,” Riki stood up, tired from arguing with you and Jake suddenly showing up with some idea about a love column. Jake seemed confused, and reasonably so, you don't think Riki has ever been so against something before. “The newspaper is already hard to manage as is because of some people.” He glanced your way, which you decided would be better for you to ignore.

“Well that doesn't matter, it's already final. I've asked the principal to make a call for submissions in the morning announcements tomorrow” Jake spoke in a cool tone, not letting Riki’s hot headed tendencies get to him.

“Whatever, I told Heeseung I would hang out with him today,” Riki gathered his stuff, biting the inside of his cheek. “I finished my page, I don't slack off as much as one person might think.”

Jake bid his farewells to Riki and walked over to you, placing a hand on your shoulder, making your palms sweat more than you'd admit. “Please, this'll help stop the newspaper from shutting down.” He held back the second reason why he wanted the column as he gave you a smile and left the room. “Wait, Jake,” you called out to him, turning around slightly.

“Yeah?” He responded, reacting to your voice.

You paused. You considered voicing your complaints about Riki. You could tell Jake absolutely anything in these few moments, and Riki wouldn't be here to rudely interrupt.

“Don't get too stressed about the newspaper, focus on school and soccer, Riki and Ii can handle it.” Jake, nodding in thanks, left the room.

Now it was just you left with a front page waiting to be finished.

***

“Riki, why the hell did you disagree?” Jake caught up with him, knowing that he didn't have plans with Riki. “I didn't want to agree too easily,” he lazily threw away a gum wrapper, “I'm supposed to hate them, remember?”

“Yeah, and I thought we were changing that.” Jake swung his arm over Riki’s shoulder, “I worked my ass off with the principal to let us add that column. You know they're considering cutting us off in terms of funding.” Jake sighed, feeling the gray hairs growing already.

“And like I said, this column will help, people are stupid for love,” Riki said, shrugging off Jake's arm and quickening his pace. “Yeah, like you” Riki scoffed and continued walking without Jake, who was laughing a bit too hard at his own joke.

ISSUE TWO : LOVE SEEKERS COLUMN

—

You biked to school, noticing something odd ass you entered the campus. People were actually interested in the newspaper. Usually only teachers picked it up and the select few students that liked crosswords, but to see so many holding the newsletter? Unheard of.

You put up your bike and found Jake, surrounded by more people than usual. Making your way through the small crowd, you gave Jake a questioning look. “I told you the column was a good idea Y/N, the newspaper’s going to be everywhere!” Jake's happiness couldn't be hidden as he repeated, “Please drop off your submissions for the Love Seekers Column in the box in the front office” to all the curious people in search of a significant other.

Passing through the aforementioned front office, a decent line had formed in front of a small box titled ‘LS Column Submissions Here!’

Before you could make it to the hallway, Yeji approached you. “Y/N, you're with the newspaper right? Do you think you can give some advice on how to know if he's the one?” Yeji walked with you to class, “I'll owe you big time, my parents want me to get into long term relationships, but I can't choose just anyone.”

“I can't do that Yeji, and no offense but we've only talked once.” You gave the girl your sympathy as you entered your biology class, only to find that Riki was in a similar situation as you.

“I'm telling you, I can't just give you the spot in the column,” Riki tried shoving off the hand on his shoulder to no success, “Jake told me that we had to be particular with what we choose.” Yuna, who had been questioning the boy, wasn't hearing a word.

“C'mon Riki, I thought we were like this,” Yuna crossed her index and middle fingers, “Do me a favor this once. Please?”

Since when did Yuna ask others for favors? Guess love really could change people.

“Yuna, Riki made it clear that we'll be choosing the name appearing in the Love Seekers Column ourselves,” You cleared your throat, hating the thought of defending Riki, “it's just Tinder in a newspaper, why bother going through all of this?”

Yuna left her spot next to Riki and grabbed your shoulders, less gently than she intended to. “It's Valentine's day soon.” She emphasized the second word as if you didn't already know, “Not to mention we're almost done with our second year of high school, people are getting desperate for someone to date” Yuna finally let go of your shoulders, sighing like it was obvious.

“Which is why,” Yuna dragged out the last word, a sweet tone enveloping the sentence, “I need to be the one in the column.” You rolled your eyes and tried moving past her to no avail “I’m serious Y/N” she continued her fruitless pleads as you wondered why the hell Riki wasn't here fending her off with you.

Turns out, he had moved to the other side of the classroom, hanging out with his friends and laughing about something. He left you to deal with Yuna’s desperate pleas as he kicked back at whatever he was talking about.

“Yuna, I'm sorry but I can't help you” You finally escaped the suffocating conversation and, ignoring the complaints of the girl, sat down.

You barely had time to unwind when you were approached by another girl, Ryujin. “Hey Y/N, I have some spare change if you're down to let me feature in the newspaper.” You leaned back into your chair, trying your hardest not to snap at the unknowing girl.

“I can't do that, besides it doesn't even matter that much anyways.” You wholeheartedly believed that this was an idiotic idea, and barely believed that Jake was behind it.

“Doesn't matter? Do you know how hard it is to find someone your type that actually goes to your school?” Ryujin gawked at your nonchalant attitude, “You have all the power right now, anyone who gets their submission posted will probably get into a relationship soon after.” She took your hand, successfully catching your full attention.

“You can bribe anyone with the chance of being in the column,” Ryujin emphasized ‘anyone,’ like you didn't grasp the concept, and honestly you really didn't.

“That's exaggerating, it's not that big of a deal.” You shook off her hand as you looked at the board behind her, curious about what you were doing in class again. Ryujin re-entered your line of vision, “You could even offer some girls a date with Jake or Riki, they're some of the most pined after boys in the entire school.” After seeing you laugh, Ryujin lightly hit you,

“I'm serious! I wouldn't be surprised if most of the submissions were just love confessions to them.” Ryujins face was full of everything but playfulness as she continued trying to buy her way into the newspaper, and unbeknownst to you a certain boy was listening in.

Idea after idea formed in his head as he finally realized how he was going to confess.

***

You walked into classroom 168, tired from dealing with people wanting to be in the newspaper all day. “It looks like you've been through hell” Riki was already there, sifting through the submissions. A pen and a ripped piece of paper sat beside him, but you thought nothing of it.

“Wouldn't you like to know,” scoffing, you took off your backpack and rolled your shoulders, allowing them to relax after a long day, “you're the one that left me to deal with them. Always running away like an idiot”

“Yeah well I'm not the one that's exhausted after talking to one person” Riki spun around in the swivel chair he was in, facing you, “I actually have a life.” He placed down the submission he was holding and picked up another, laughing.

“Look, this person said that their type was you,” drawing your attention, Riki noticed the hint of joy in your eyes. He didn't even say who it was from yet. Why were you so happy? When he saw you walking towards him, he ripped up the submission. “Of course, we won't be putting that into our newspaper. It was probably just a dare anyways.”

Stopping momentarily, you cleared your throat and sat in the chair next to him. It probably was a dare anyways, he just loved rubbing salt into every wound didn't he. Picking up a slip of paper from the box, you read it out loud.

“Tall guy that plays sports, has good humor and isn't too possessive” humming, you read the back of the paper “oh, this was Yuna's submission.”

“Let's just pick a random one and get this part over with, and do you have to read it out loud?” Riki continued without a care for your response “I'm mainly worried about the advice part, we both know I'm more experienced but Jake would never trust me to write something like that.”

Once again, he continued. It was one of the many traits you hated about him, he never gave you a chance to be nice towards him. If he let you speak you could've proposed him giving the advice and you writing it down; but he spoke before you could interject. This wasn't the first time, on various occasions you have tried being polite by throwing away his leftover chip bags, cleaning the classroom after he leaves, etc.

But not only does he ignore your efforts, but he acts like your kindness is your fault. You vividly remember the time he loudly called you “his servant” when talking to his friends, making sure the entire class could hear. You were doing things for people for weeks after that.

“Seriously, why did Jake trust you to work on this column” Riki laughed, ever so clearly at you than with you, “you're hopeless, have you ever even had someone confess to you before today? Not to mention it was anonymous” he continued smiling, picking at random pieces of paper.

“Honestly, not only do you lack self confidence but so do the people you attract. How pathetic.”

Your hand made contact with his face, something you've wanted to do for months. Of course you didn't expect to be crying while doing it, but that was a minor detail. Violently using your sleeve to stop the tears, you took a deep breath.

“You think I want to work with you? I haven't talked to you for the past 4 months for a reason.” You stood up, eyes red and stinging. “And honestly, I hate you. I hate how you're in the one club I like at school, how you always leave your shit around for me to clean up, how you always talk about me and never with me,” You took a shaky breath as you walked across the room to pick up your bag, “I hate everything about you and honestly, I'd rather move countries than be with you”

You left the classroom, bag in hand as you pulled out some change to buy a snack on the way home as a desperate grab for comfort. Riki was about to call out your name, but knows he won't be able to repair what he's done so quickly. He picked up the pieces of paper he ripped up, and gently put them together. They read, ‘My ideal type is you, Y/N’ just like he mentioned before. But if you carefully flipped the torn paper over it, you'd see something else.

Thank you for always keeping me in line, Riki

ISSUE THREE: Jake Sim

—

Riki was worried. Not only was two days ago the first time you had left classroom 168 before him, but yesterday was the first time you ever missed working on the newspaper on purpose. Or so he thought.

“What do you mean Y/N worked on the paper yesterday?” Riki stopped walking next to Jake, who had a strawberry milk in hand. “Y/N said they came by in the morning to work on it, they finished all of their pages so they're good for this week” Jake tossed the milk carton, eyeing Riki. “You're mad at me aren't you.” he continued, hands in his pockets.

“Of course I am, how am I going to fix my mistake if I can't even see Y/N?” Riki rushed to match the pace of the older boy.

“Riki, I already helped you out by setting up the column,” Jake sighed, stopping in front of his classroom, “this was your opportunity to tell them, you messed it up not me.”

“At least try and get them to be in the same room as me, please?”

“... sure”

***

Jake ruffled his hair as he stepped into the classroom, which you also happened to be in. He sat next to you like he always did, and pondered how he should go about asking you about Riki.

Jake started speaking before he knew what he was going to say.

“So…” he trailed off, not preparing what he was going to say next.

“So..?” you raised an eyebrow, laughing at the boy's awkward posture.

Y/N totally thinks I'm the male lead in this. I should probably change that, right?

“Why'd you stop by in the morning yesterday? I thought you hated waking up early.” Regret was quick to settle in, as he saw your face flushed in a shade of light pink. He didn't even realize that he remembered such an insignificant fact about you.

I made it worse?!

“Well I guess you could say me and Riki got into a small argument,” you propped your chin up with your palm, “he was being an asshole so I just left. And to be honest I don't really want to see him again.”

“Well, you can't be in the classroom in the mornings anymore,” Jake started lying, coming up with anything to get you two together, “It's being used for.. tutoring starting today. And you're kinda aggressive when you type so it would be distracting.. maybe?”

“You're such a bad liar Jake, I'm not going to spend time with Riki if that's what you're planning.” You raised an eyebrow, aware of the boy's tactics. Of course you had no clue why Jake wanted you and Riki to be together.

“Oh..” Jake turned away, leaving you to bask in your success. Until tomorrow, that is.

And so Jake found himself being trailed by Riki once again as he entered his classroom. “Make sure you actually do something this time you stupid furry” Riki called out from the end of the hallway, causing some weird looks as Jake hurriedly ran into the classroom. Of course, not before shouting “Yeah but you owe me ice cream after school” to his love sick peer.

Dodging a few kids running around the classroom, he made his way to his desk. “Morning, Y/N” You turned to the boy's voice, smiling and waving like you usually did. Now was the perfect time to set Jake's plan into action.

“Oh, I forgot I had to ask you something, did you finish the love advice part of the LS Column? I didn't see it when you handed me your work yesterday.” Jake looked at your notebook, and watched as you broke the lead of your mechanical pencil.

“Shit, I totally forgot about that, I'll work on it after school today.” You closed your notebook, getting ready for class, “I'll finish it before Riki gets there. Whatever you were trying to do yesterday isn't going to happen.”

“Great! How about we get some ice cream after?” When he saw you eagerly agree, he couldn't help but hold a bit of guilt. But after all, Riki just said he wanted to be in the same room as you, he never specified that it had to be classroom 168.

***

Riki patiently waited for Jake at the ice cream place. At least, he thought he was waiting for Jake.

You rushed to the ice cream shop after finishing at the school, eager to spend some time with your more-than-little crush; Sim Jake. This was the first time Jake had ever initiated a hangout between you two so you were beyond excited.

Riki checked his phone, the message read as follows:

Sim Furry

Hey, so uh.. you're gonna be getting ice cream with y/n instead of me! THIS IS THE LAST THING I'M DOING FOR YOU. I'm not pushing this along any further. I WANT TO GRADUATE IN PEACE!!

Looking at his phone in alarm, he glanced back up to see you walk in. Fuck. This was not the plan Riki had in mind. He didn't have a plan, he was going to come up with something with Jake over ice cream.

Clearing his throat, he took out one of his airpods, the faint sound of pose by loona playing in the background as he approached you. “Why is someone like you here? It's not like you have a date or anything..” Riki bit his lip, noticing how you ignored him.

“I do actually, I'm supposed to meet up with Jake here” you replied, knowing it was a lie. Well, half-lie. You were supposed to hang out with Jake, but you're 99% sure you were the only one that considered it a date.

Jake Sim that asshole.

“I was actually supposed to hang out with Jake here too.” Riki decided playing dumb was the best choice, and honestly it was the only choice.

“Oh”

“Yeah”

You two stood in front of each other for a moment, the eye contact making Riki’s palms sweat and his ears embarrassingly red.

“Order for Riki?” The cashier called out for the boy, and he turned for 5 seconds to get his beloved double scoop chocolate cookie dough ice cream.

“Wait, why are you leaving?” Riki rushed to be at your side “I uh, bought too much ice cream and Jake would be mad if I left you alone after he stood us both up”

And I got two spoons on purpose so we could share.

“Thanks for offering the ice cream but I'd rather not spend time with you.” You turned back on your heels and you were nearly at the door when Riki tapped your shoulder.

Strange, didn't your heart only race when Jake did that?

“I don't want to be seen with you either, but like I said Jake wouldn't like it if I left you alone.” Riki offered you a spoon, which you hesitatingly took.

“Fine, but I'm only doing this for the free ice cream.”

***

Riki happily walked to the park with you, though clearly you didn't feel the same. “About yesterday, I'm sorry about what I said,” Riki started, nibbling on his spoon, “I was completely out of line and deserved to be hit by you.”

“You did deserve that, but I doubt you actually think that.” Of course, you don't buy the apology. Riki had always treated you horribly, why would this time be any different? “Thanks for saying sorry I guess, but let's just accept the fact that we'll never be anything more than peers.” You halfheartedly said, not thinking much of it.

Those words cut through Riki like no other. Not even friends? His heart ached and his happiness was all but present as you two reached the park. “Yeah, sure.”

You two found a bench to sit on, you sitting further away from Riki than needed. “So uh, are you still mad at me?” Riki held the cup of half-eaten ice cream in his hands, glancing at you occasionally. “You called me pathetic.” You not-so gently reminded him.

“Yeah I don't really have an excuse for that,” Riki bounced his leg nervously, “I just wanted you to know that I'm not some total jerk that always makes fun of you.” Riki chose his words very carefully, making sure that he kept his semi-long term crush on you under wraps.

“But you are a total jerk that always makes fun of me,” You responded, “remember when you told everyone that I had a crush on Sunghoon even though I had never even talked to him before?”

The boy recalled the exact memory you were referencing, wincing at his past cruelty. “Yeah I'm sorry about that too..”

“Are you really Riki?” you stood up, brushing your pants off, “Thanks for your consideration, really, but I'll head home now.” with a turn, you headed towards your neighborhood, but once again Riki tapped on your shoulder.

“Let me walk you home at least, it's getting cold anyways” He silently offered you his jacket, and ignored the leaps his heart did when you saw you hesitatingly put it on.

The walk home was awkwardly silent, but you appreciated the gesture, even if it was by the one guy you hated. You walked on the side of the sidewalk facing away from the street, hands in the pockets of Riki’s jacket. Riki coughed, doing anything in a desperate attempt to fill the silence.

“Feel free to keep the jacket.” Riki said once you reached your house after an embarrassingly long walk. “I'll throw it away then” You said without hesitation, and without saying goodbye you walked into your house.

You bolted upstairs to your room and threw Riki’s jacket off, landing on your chair. You jumped onto your bed as you hugged your pillows. You looked through your window and saw Riki walking away. Why did your face feel so hot when you saw him smile?

ISSUE FOUR: A Crush.. on Riki?!?!

—

You tapped your pencil on the desk, it was the next day and you sat next to Jake. Ignoring his supposedly indirect glances in your direction, you found it strange how his sudden interest in you didn't make your heart race like it had so many times before in the past. Your mind had been filled with Riki since the ice cream ‘date’, but it couldn't be because you liked him, right?

You two had just walked to the park and talked for a bit. That's it. Even though you two were mistaken as a couple once or twice, that was all it was, a misunderstanding. Even if the silence was nice and you wished you stayed with him for 20 minutes more, it's only because he offered you free ice cream. He only did that to apologize for his behavior, and you knew better than to shamelessly accept the aforementioned apology.

“Hey, Jake.” You stopped pondering and turned to face the boy. Worry filled your mind when the butterflies you used to feel whenever you looked at Jake disappeared.

“Yes?” He replied, a little too quickly, “Is it about Riki? Are you two getting along? Tell me everything that happened yesterday.” He shot out question after question, and your suspicions were confirmed.

“So you did set that up!” You sat up straight, still surprised that the golden retriever-like boy could pull off something like that. “Yes.. why?” Jake started, “Did nothing happen? Damn that kid.”

Your heart skipped a beat, “Was something supposed to happen?” you leaned towards Jake, curiosity apparent. “Well yeah he was supposed to-” He loudly cleared his throat, “Anyways did you do the English homework?” He laughed when you responded with a groan. Your doubts were confirmed when once again, butterflies didn't erupt in your stomach at the sound of his laughter.

You found yourself in bed that evening, thinking about Jake, and feeling nothing, and then thinking about Riki and feeling your heart race. You looked at his jacket resting on your chair, and remembered the walk home you had together. You buried your head in your pillow, searching for your phone.

—

YOU: Jake are you up?

JAKIE: OFC DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO TALK ABOUT?

YOU: I swear to god you cannot tell anyone

JAKIE: OF COURSE!!!!!

YOU: I think I like Riki

JAKIE: SECOND MALE LEAD CURSE IS GONE LET'S GOOOO

YOU: What.

JAKIE: Nothing <3

YOU: okay r u just gonna say that and not help me.

JAKIE: bro why do you need my help you see him everyday when y'all work on the newspaper just talk to him then

YOU: hmm.. no!

JAKIE: THE FUCK YOJ MEAN NO?!?!???

YOU: He hates me remember 😂😂

JAKIE: I wouldn't be saur sure abt that one .. anywayz!

YOU: huh

JAKIE: just act like you do around me after school tmr LOLZ

YOU: I have no reason to be there tho like I finished everything

JAKIE: Riki has been procrastinating on choosing a submission for the love seekers column go help him or something GOOD NIGHT

YOU: WHAT?

YOU: JAKE

YOU: HELLO??

—

***

And that's how you found yourself in classroom 168 the next afternoon, nervously looking at the door to see if Riki was going to walk in.

As if on queue, Riki barged in like he always did. He was ecstatic to see you in the room, the past two days were incredibly dull without you. Tossing his backpack to the left, he glanced at you, wondering if he should close the door. Deciding that would be a too obvious notion towards his affection for you, he acted against it.

“I thought you finished everything already” Riki asked, sitting on the other side of the room as per usual. “I did, but we still need to pick which submission is going into the paper this week.” Standing up, you walked to the other side of the room.

And so the next 20 minutes were spent with Riki, laughing at people's type and holding eye contact with each other for a second too long.

“This person said they wanted a person that would wear cat ears” you pointed out, laughter heard from both you and Riki as smiles filled the air. “That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, cat ears?” Riki tossed the paper out before picking up a random paper. He blushed a light shade of pink before hiding the paper away.

“What was on that one?” You raised an eyebrow at him before reaching for the paper still in his hand, “C'mon give it, was it a declaration of love or something?” You reached over, completely focused on grabbing the slip of paper. Riki, needless to say, was focused on other things.

Like one, how you were trying to grab the other love confession he submitted, two, how you smelled like coffee milk. And three, how you were inches away from him, making his face redder than ever.

“It's nothing really,” Riki tried maneuvering the paper so it would be out of your reach but he only made matters worse. He accidentally revealed the back, which read ‘I’ve always loved you, from Riki’

Dramatically gasping, you hid the bitterness resting in the pit of your stomach, of which you would later find out to be jealousy. “You like someone? Who is it you asshole” you said, reaching even further.

The chair Riki was sitting in tipped over, and unsurprisingly, you landed on top of him. You saw the black fabric of his hoodie as you wondered, is his heart supposed to be beating this fast? No, the real question was is your heart supposed to be beating this fast?

While Riki was distracted, you glanced at the sheet of paper that put you two in this very situation. It was clearly written by a shaking hand, but you could vividly see the words scribbled on.

‘I know I've been annoying to you for months, but I don't want to pretend that I hate you anymore. This is sort of embarrassing but I've liked you since our first year here, and I joined the yearbook club because you did.’

No name was mentioned, but you didn't need one to know who he was talking about. “Riki” you said, barely above a whisper. The boy in question felt his heart pounding within his ribcage, he knew that you knew and that he was either going to hate today or love it.

Gently grabbing his chin, lifting it slightly, the boy melted under your touch. “Is this.. okay?” You mumbled, glancing at his lips, leaning in just enough to send Riki insane. “Yeah, it's okay” he barely formed the sentence, stuttering and pausing between words. Your noses were aligned, you could feel each other's breath as you ran your hand in his hair. Riki felt his heartbeat over everything, over the sound of the athletes talking in the hallway, over the air conditioning, everything.

Two years of stealing glances at you, two years of talking about you because you were all he thought about, two years of wanting your hands intertwined, he endured acting like he hated you for this moment.

Well maybe not at this exact moment.

Jake ran into the room through the open door, courtesy of Nishimura Riki, to see both of you, mere centimeters away from a kiss. “Oh… sorry, bad time, I'll just uhm..” Jake silently backed out of the room, closing the door.

You burst into laughter, hiding your face in Riki’s shoulders as he wrapped his hands around you, hand resting gently on the back of your neck. You made eye contact with him once again and lightly hit the boy, “Why don't you ever close the door?” Riki laughed along with you, a chorus of melodies neither of you could get tired of before he finally planted a kiss on your cheek.

You stood up, using a chair for support as you then pulled Riki up. You fixed your hair, he tried cooling down his burning face.

“Does this mean we're..”

“A walking enemies to lovers cliche? Yes.”

Riki blinked a few times at your response, “I was going to say a couple but I think I like the sound of lovers better” he smiled, picking up the tipped over chair as his eyes landed on the basket of papers still on the table.

“Shit, we still don't know which submission to put for the Love Seekers Column.”

[gyuwrites]

♪ 02:27AM — YOON JEONGHAN

starring…jeonghan x gn!reader | villian × hero!au

genre...romance, fluff, comedy? a bit angst

warnings…small angst at the end

w.c...0.3k

ratings...sfw

a.n...100 followers special! i had to make this a special because i just LOVE LOVE LOVE villian and hero aus.

"okay okay, I'm coming. stop banging the door, it's going to break."

"who knocks on people's door during midnight when you're supposed to be in bed?" jeonghan grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he stumbled his way to get the door.

"again?" jeonghan wasn't wide awake but he knew who was at his front doorway, he knew it all too well. it was you, the ol' "scary" villian everyone projects you to be.

"what do you mean, again? excuse you, this was only the...2...4...6...well counting this one so 7..well the 7th time i came to your doorstep so don't be dramatic." you spoke and jeonghan sighed in disbelief, dragging his face with his palm.

"mhm, so what brings you here? at my doorstep?"

"i need...what i need is..help"

"yeah, I'll wait for the magic word as you bleed."

"fine, please." you scoffed at him and he laughed at you. pretty sure no one can laugh at you but for some reason, you didn't mind his laughing.

"come on in, madam" he looked at you cheekily and pushed his face hard. you sat on the sofa, still in pain at that as you waited for jeonghan to get the first aid kit

"here. a cup of black coffee like usual?"

"with milk today because im craving for milk"

"what are you? a toddler?" he joked around as he made your coffee. you rolled your eyes and continued patching up your wound.

just in time, jeonghan handed you your coffee. "so, I'd like to know a few things, two things to be exact." jeonghan uttered as he crossed his arms.

"what?"

"why were you wounded and why did you come here."

"I'm not telling you the first part but the latter, you do realise you're the only one who doesn't try to kill me even when I'm literally in front of you, right?" you looked away and stared at the window.

"there wasn't a reason to."

jeonghan sighed as he stood up, looking awfully upset but you didn't know why. he walked to the door of his room but stopped there.

"you know, today could've been marked as our 1 year anniversary if you never left."

unedited -- wrote this at 2am tyvm

[lovelyminnieee]

Labels - L.D.H

Pairing: business heir!haechan x ceo!female reader

Genre: Fluff, Smut, slow burn (sort of?)

Content: arranged marriage, strangers to lovers, first time sex, LGBTQ mentions (nothing extream), choking, clitorial stimuation, degrading, praising, boob play, monster cock Haechan, nicknames, mentions of mastrubation, spit (if you squint), fingering, vaginal penetration (let me know if I missed anything)

Words: 19.6 K (I got carried away T_T)

Notes: Hi. so, uh, clearly, I got carried away. I didn’t think it’d be this much when I started, but you know here we are. Also, both characters, Haechan and Y/n have thoughts which I’ve given in different fonts.

This would be Haechan

This would be Y/n.

Do enjoy whatever I have rushed since I am in a rush. I have exams so let me just before I disappear. ——————————————————————————————————

“No, no, no, no mom, mom, listen–” you stare at her face boldly, spitting each word out.

“I. Am. Not. Getting. Married.” you spoke each word, storming out of the living room.

They wanted you to get married to someone you don’t even know. All of all, they want you to get married. You’ve only just started your own company, you have a long future ahead. You’re most definitely not looking forward to ruining that by getting married.

You shut the door to your room, careful to shut it without sound. You’ve already pissed your mom off , if she hears you banging doors, she’s going to come at you.

They wanted you to get married to the son of the Lee household for family, relational and business relationship building with them. You haven’t even seen the said son from the family, asking to marry him was a stretch.

Small knocks sound on your door and you whip your head up, ander subdued.

“Come in,” you mumble, and your dad steps in through the door, smiling gently.

“Hi cupcake, is everything okay? Your mother won’t talk to me,” he says, sitting down beside you. You lean your head on his shoulder, a sigh leaving your lips.

“She wants me to get married to the son of the Lee’s,” you mumble, and your dad sighs. There’s something in that sigh that says there’s a lot of trouble.

“Have–” he pauses, closing his eyes. It was hard for him to ask of you, especially knowing that you didn’t like the idea.

“Have you considered it?” you lift your head from his shoulders, and stare at him. You weren’t expecting him to say that, he was your everything.

“D-dad, I said I don’t like the idea of it,” you mention, and your dad nods and sighs. There has to be something wrong because that’s the third time he’s sighed in almost ten minutes.

“Our company is drowning, and so is our power in the community. If we need to keep this luxury, we need someone with a lot of power to join us, and help us out of this ditch. The Lee family is the only ones that have reached out to us so far, and they’re quite more powerful than they seem. The Lee family has been in the family business for more than 50 years, passed down from their great grandfathers. Think about it, cupcake. We need this right now. I hate having you married at this age, I really don't want to see my daughter live in a house with a man she doesn’t love. But we don’t have much of a choice. We’re running out of options. I don’t want to see you leave this house, really,” when you look at him, his eyes are glossy.

“I know you’re a good kid, and that you’ve started a company of your own, but I promise you, I won’t let any of the Lee’s stand in your way of running your business. You’re my intelligent daughter, I know you’ll make a good decision.” he finishes, wiping his tears with a smile. Your dad stares at you for a second or two, and then places a soft warm kiss on your forehead before getting up with a little difficulty, and leaving through the door.

You think. Your worries were about your career, your husband or his family stopping you from working. You’ve heard plenty of those cases before, your company is so important to you.

But your family business was struggling, you’d overheard a few conversations to know how bad. You want to fall in love, get married, and maybe, if your situations allow it, have a child or two. But are you ready to sacrifice your love life to save your family business?

You’re not sure.

After a bath and three cups of coffee, you might finally have your answer. You walk downstairs and try to find your mother in this enormous house, looking around and calling for her. It’d be a shame if this house would have to go.

“Mom,” you call from the counter of the open kitchen, and your mom turns around. For the first time in a few nights, you notice how tired she really looks.

“Yes?”

“I’ll agree to the marriage.” you mumble out. You said what you said and now you can’t go back on your word, so you wonder what you’ve thrown yourself into.

“You’ll- you’ll agree to the marriage with the Lee’s?” your mom’s eyes are wide.

“Yeah,” you mumble and your mother wraps you in a tight hug, her eyes grow glossy.

“You understand how big of a sacrifice this is? You’ve just saved your whole family business, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you,” she kisses your forehead, and you smile.

“It’s for you guys, and Jungwoo. He’ll be the one taking the company next, it’ll be hard for him to manage the company when it’s treasury is empty.” you hug back your mother, kissing her cheek. You’ve always been close with your mother, but your personalities clash often and you guys argue over small things. Nevertheless, she’s your mother.

You hope everything will turn out fine, although you’re a little worried about the stranger you’re going to marry. ——————————————————————————————

You groan as you stare at the dress your mom has sent you. Your dad has planned a dinner with the Lee family, and you’re expecting to see the man you’re going to marry. You’re nervous, and somewhat excited to see what kind of a person you’ll be marrying.

The dress is so revealing, and you can see a little bit of your cleavage. The back was sewn with some strings, ending in a bow right above your ass. The dress was classy, but revealing. You were going to a dinner, not a fucking club.

A note had been delivered with it, written by your mother.

Wear the dress at all costs, love you -mom

You read it out, a sigh following. Your make-up artist and hairdresser will be here in a few, you need to get dressed by then.

You pull on the dress and stare at yourself in the full mirror, surprised. You look smoking hot, and with your hair and makeup done, you’re sure you’d look mindblowing. Maybe your mom had a point.

Your hairdresser and makeup artist do their magic, and by the time you’re down the stairs, you look absolutely gorgeous.

“You look damn good,” Jungwoo compliments and you smile cheekily, replying with a finger gun.

“Wow, you really look like a princess now. You look gorgeous, sweetheart.” your dad compliments, holding out his arm.

“May I lead you, my princess?” you giggle before you hook your hands with his, walking with him. You might be grown and promised to a man, but you’re still your dad’s little princess. ——————————————————————————————

You’re nervous as you step out of the car, your stomach doing cartwheels. You hope he’s at least good looking.

You breathe out one last time before striding in confidently behind your family into the restaurant. You’ve been here so many times before, the private suite here is booked for the meeting and you’re sure of it. Although it is a 7 star michelin restaurant, you’ve always come here growing up, so it doesn’t really make it special anymore.

“Are they already here?” you whisper to your mother, who nods. All that question does is add to your anxiety.

“Hello, Mr. Lee.” your father greets the man, and the man greets him back. He’s old, but you’re 100% sure he looked like a Greek god when he was young. Mr. Lee leads you through a set of doors, and to a certain door at the end of the hallway. He twists the door knob open and smiles, settling on the chair.

You can see a woman, and two sophisticated men already settled on the table. You assume one of the boys is his brother, and the moment your eyes fall on one of the boys, you’re bewitched. His face is perfect, and he has the prettiest eyes and lips you’ve seen. He’s capable of attracting attention just with his looks, because the navy blue suit he had dressed in was mind blowing.

He tilts his head towards you out of respect, and you return the gesture. He’s gorgeous.

“Hi Donghyuck, it’s been a while hasn’t it?” your father stretches a hand, and the boy takes it with a small smile.

“It has been, Mr. Seo,” he replies casually.

So Lee Donghyuck is his name.

Donghyuck on the other hand, was mesmerised by you. You looked absolutely stunning in his eyes, he couldn’t help but stare. Your features were so perfect in his eyes, your dress freely flowed behind you. Your lips look so pink and soft and pretty, he finds it a feature he’s the most attracted to. Only when Mr. Seo spoke did he finally look away from you.

“It’s nice to meet again after a long time, Mr. Seo,”

“Likewise, Mr. Lee,”

You can’t bring yourself to focus on the conversation your parents were having when such a beautiful, totally-your-type guy was sitting before you. Him, however, seemed focused on the conversation, stealing little glances throughout the dinner.

“When will we be deciding the wedding dates?” your mother asks, and Donghyuck seems to suck in a sharp breath.

He probably hates getting married to me. With a face like that, I must not be that attractive to him.

Your heart sinks a little at your thoughts, and you lose focus at any and all conversation. You look down at your plate and poke at your food, occasionally placing some bits into your mouth.

“Y/n? Y/n, do you agree?” you look up, confused. All eight of the people in the room are staring at you, and you feel your cheeks heat up in an unrealistic colour of red. You hope it doesn't show through your makeup.

You just stare at them, hoping someone repeats. Your mother smiles with frustration, repeating the question.

“Do you agree with the wedding date being the 29th of next month?”

Your mind goes through your schedule, and you don’t find anything scheduled for that day.

“Yes, o-ofcourse. I find myself free on that day,” you smile, and the family seems to return to the conversation they were holding.

You glance at Donghyuck and a smile slips onto his face before he hides it with the poker face he wore all dinner.

“I think we should let the kids talk, what do you think?” Donghyuck’s father speaks, and you both lift your head at the same time, staring at him. What the hell were you going to talk about? This was your first time seeing him.

But everyone seems to collectively agree that this was a good idea. Mr. Lee shoots Donghyuck a look, and it looks like the boy mentally groans before getting up, and smiling sweetly at you, waiting for you to get up. You do get up, and he takes your hand softly in his before leading you out of the door into a balcony that was located right next to the room you were in.

The view is beautiful, just as gorgeous as the man beside you.

“I’m Lee Donghyuck, and you are?”

“Seo Y/n. Did you agree to all this?” you ask first. You’re curious about the man, but that can wait.

“Yeah, sort of. I had to, I'm the heir to dad’s company.” he replies, a sigh slips out of his pretty lips. It comes out as a cloud of ice due to the cold atmosphere.

“I have my own company, a clothing line. It was introduced on the Paris runway,” you say, and he nods, eyes fixed in the distance.

“I’m familiar, Aphelion, am I right?” He surprises you with his knowledge. He probably did his research on you.

You stare at him with curious eyes, a smile lingering on your face. He looks at you, and then he laughs, shaking his head. You have to admit it, he’s got the smoothest voice, and the prettiest laugh.

“No, no, I didn’t do research on you. I-I was personally there, in Paris. I have to say, they did catch my eyes.” he nods, tucking his hands into his coat pockets.

It was freezing, goddammit.

You shiver a little because of the weather, and he seems to notice it. He contemplates something for a second, and then takes off his jacket. He puts it over your bare shoulders, covering your shoulders.

“Oh- you didn’t have to, I’m not-” you start mumbling but he cuts you off.

“Don’t lie, I saw you shiver,” he says. His eyes seemed like it never fell on you. He hasn’t made proper eye contact from the moment you stepped into the balcony, not even when he handed you his jacket. He looks quiet, peaceful as he stares at the bustling city below him.

He wouldn’t look at me because he isn’t attracted to me. He hates the sight of me, he gave me his jacket because he was polite enough to take care of a woman.

Your heart sunk again. Sometimes, you wish you could just be confident with yourself. You wish you didn’t overthink this much. You wish you could be confident with who you are, and what you look like. You wish you could be a little bit taller, a little thinner, a little more defined. You hate your thoughts so much.

You look at Donghyuck, and stare at him. He’s perfect, he has no job dealing with someone like you.

He looks at you, and you look away, too emotional to stare at him.

“What do I call you, Ms. Seo?” he asks, and you look up at him.

“Uh, you can call me Y/n,” you reply, clearing your throat. He stares for a little with narrowed eyes, and looks away.

“What do I call you, Mr. Lee?”

“You can call me Donghyuck, Hyuck, or Haechan.” he replies casually.

He has such a pretty name.

“Ah, okay. Why Haechan?” you inquire, curious about the cute nickname.

“Well, 해 (Hae) means “Sun” and 찬 (Chan) means “Full”,” he says. His cheeks and the tip of his nose are cheeky red, making him seem so much more admirable.

“Full Sun?” you ask, smiling.

“Hmm, dad gave it to me when I was five,” he smiles softly, and then it disappears.

You think that’s interesting, because you can’t see a trace of the said Sun anywhere. He looks cold and gentle to you, you’re not sure where that came from.

You hum in response, lost in your thoughts.

“Do you want to live married?” he asks, and it catches you off guard. That’s the first real question besides your name he’s asked.

“I could live married, but if that gets in the way of my profession, no, I don’t want to. I value my company more than whatever this is—” you make a gesture between you two “—I’m doing this for my family. I love my family too much to save myself only while all of us drown. My dad asked me for my consent with tears in his eyes, that was the first time I’d seen him cry in years. A little sacrifice wouldn’t hurt.” you swallow hard after you answer, and you look at Haechan. He looks hurt for a moment by the answer before he puts on a serious expression, humming to your answer.

Did you see that right? You’re probably just losing it from having just a glass of champagne. Your alcohol tolerance is shit.

“Me either. I was forced into it, at least your dad asked for consent,” he chuckles bitterly. You feel bad for a second, so you think how you can make this agreement free for him and you.

And you come up with a terrible idea.

“What do you say we live separate lives?” you blurt out, thinking. Your brain was working at high speed.

A confused sound emits from Haechan.

“What do you say we live separate lives, like we never got married. We could pretend we’re roommates, and when our parents are over, we could pretend to be in-love.” you suggest.

You said this with complete knowledge that it was a terrible idea, and you know you’re going to regret this later.

Haechan’s interest piques greatly, thinking of the deal over and over in his head. It doesn’t sound bad to him, maybe it could work out.

Maybe you’ll be a new friend too.

“Okay.”

You turn to look at him with a bright smile.

“Deal?” you stretch your hand, and he takes it, a cheeky lingering smile on his lips.

“Deal.” ——————————————————————————————

“Did you have fun?” Mr. Lee asks as you two walk into the room, Haechan’s jacket back on him. You’d returned it on the way, thanking him for risking the cold to give you the jacket. He’d brushed it off with a smile, which still lingered on his lips.

“Looks like you had fun,” your dad comments, and you feel your brother’s crazy stare on you. He’s smiling at you weirdly, like you and Haechan fucked on the first meet.

You only glare at him since all eyes are on you and Haechan, and you swear to yourself that once you reach home, you’ll kick the life out of him.

“The wedding date is on the 29th of next month, make sure both of your schedules are clear by then, we’ll plan the rest out as it goes, don’t stress yourselves too much with it, yeah?” Mr. Lee gets up, and the rest of the family does too.

You’ve learned all their names, but you decided you’d address his parents as Mr and Mrs. Lee. His brother’s name is Lee Minhyung, and he’s a little hyper active, you can see it. He’s just as handsome as Haechan though, and they look like best friends more than brothers. Although his name is Minhyung, Haechan said he likes to be addressed as Mark more. Haechan looks more like his father, with his jaw shape and nose and somewhere by the forehead, and Mark looks more like his mother with the big doe eyes and the smile. Either way, you’ve met everyone and you want to go home too; you’re glad they got up first.

“We should get going by now, it’s getting late. Thank you so much for sitting down with us,” he says.

“No, no, I should thank you for sitting down with us. I hope we’ll get together well in the future, I’ll see you soon,” your father stands up and shakes Mr. Lee’s hand, and you see Haechan shoot you one last smile before he leaves through the door.

It’s the kind of smile that leaves you flustered, the kind of smile that makes you want to stare at him, the kind of smile that makes you want to be the reason for it.

God forsaken, you had done what you had, you can’t have feelings for him. ——————————————————————————————

|Hc Hey

You stare at the text Haechan had left you. You were in the car with your brother next to you, mom and dad in front talking about something.

|Y/n Heyy

|Hc Think dad and mom r gnna hire wedding planners

Wedding planners seem like a much easier option. Maybe you’ll get the wedding you’ve always wanted.

|Y/n It sounds easier planning like tht

|Hc Hmm whats ur dream wedding?

You really think. What’s your dream wedding? Maybe a simple wedding, nothing too grand.

|Y/n Uh nothing too grand tbh. a simple wedding would do

Haechan stared at the message, surprised. You looked like you’d want everything to be grand, he didn’t expect your answer to be so down to earth.

|Hc Thats nice. i havent rly thought of it Although i did want to get married with someone i’m familiar with. May b we can be frnds

That sentence makes you smile. “What’re you smiling at?” your brother asks, staring at you with a curious smile. When you don’t answer, he attempts to peek into your phone.

“Don’t frikin do that again, asshole,” you push his face away, hiding your phone.

“Ouch, fuck, where did that much grip come from?” He rubs his forehead. You stick your tongue out, rolling your eyes. How much ever you love your brother, he’ll always be a pain in the asshole.

“You’re texting Donghyuck, aren’t you?” he asks, surprised.

“Yeah, what about it?” you ask, typing back a reply.

|y/n Maybe, id like that :)

“Maybe you should leave some things to talk about after marriage, you know?” Jungwoo comments, smiling. You shoot him a dirty look, punching his arm.

“Mom, she keeps punching me,” he whines, and your mom turns around to glare at you.

“I didn’t even do anything,” you justify yourself, scoffing.

Jungwoo sticks his tongue out at you, and you have a strong urge to ruin his face that you have to hold back. You huff, looking back at the phone.

|Hc we’re almost there text ya later bye :]

You stared at the message with a big smile. That little smile at the end of the sentence, you found that absolutely adorable.

“Get out, we’re home,” your brother pokes you.

When would be the next time you’d get to see him? ——————————————————————————————

Well, the predicted next time was not far out. He’d called you out on a date, and you were genuinely surprised, to say the least.

“What?” you ask, sitting up in your office chair. The document you were reading is now forgotten, your mind processed his words.

“Let me take you on a date,” he repeats through the phone.

“Hyuck, stop fucking around, what’s the plan?” you ask, rolling your eyes.

“You’re fast. Dad wants us to go on a date in public for the paparazzis so they can take photos of us being lovey dovey and shit,” he says, biting his nails. A kind of disappointment bubbles up your throat, but you push it back down. You can’t have feelings for him, you’re friends.

“Fine, when?” you mumble.

“Are you upset?” he asks, and you could imagine his eyes gleaming mischievously.

“Why would I be upset? Theoretically, I should be, because I am your fiance. But then, we didn’t exactly fall in love and get married. This gives us the conclusion that I have absolutely no reason to be upset.” you know you’re not upset.

“You’re upset, okay, I get it. Stop overanalyzing shit when you’re upset, it’s a little too obvious.”

“I said I’m not upset,” you grumble.

“Fine, whatever you say. I’ll pick you up at 4 in the evening, clear your schedule.” he says before hanging up.

He’s so fucking annoying.

You check the time. It’s 2:17, you should probably head out. You pick up your coat, and call your driver, already heading out of the office. You clarify to your secretary and head right out, all the way to your apartment.

You’d gone for a visit at your home for a while, where you met Haechan. You even got to hang out a lot, so you got a lot closer. A lot like best friends.

The automated doors open into your apartment, and you greet the maid on the way to your room. You don’t know how you should dress.

So you call Hyuck.

“What?” he asks, groaning.

“How should I dress? Where are we going?” you ask, and it takes him a moment to answer.

“Dress simple, we’re going to a cafe,” he answers, and hangs up again. You groan. You don’t really have anything simple to wear. You do, but you’ve already worn them all before.

“Miss? Is everything okay?” you turn your head to look at the maid standing behind you, a worried expression on her face.

“Me and Hyuck are going on a cafe date, I have nothing to wear,” you frown, and the maid hums. She thinks for a second, and then steps forward. She wipes her hand on her uniform and picks out a cute coffee coloured sweater, a pair of white jeans, and points at a bag she’s too afraid to touch.

“No, no, I don’t mind. We’re all the same, just cause you work for me doesn’t make you non human,” you smile at her, urging her to get you that brown Hermes bag. She hesitates to touch it, and once she does, she smiles before carefully passing it to you.

God, who mistreats these ladies to the point they're afraid to touch bags.

Her name is Park Hyejin. She’s been with you from about a few years ago, and she’s always been around you. Your mom had her move from your house to your apartment with you because you were the most comfortable around her, and she figured you could use help in taking care of the apartment.

“I could’ve. But I’ve worn both of these before with different pairs,” you whine, staring at the outfit laid out onto the leather in the middle of your huge closet.

“Ma’am, I think you should be getting ready, it’s already past three,”

You’ve been staring at your closet for an hour now???

“Shit. I’ll just wear it,” you strip in front of her, pulling on your sweater. You’d taken a cold shower this morning, you’ll be fine, you didn’t have time anyway.

She’s seen everything, you don’t think she hasn't seen you naked at least once. You straighten out your beige sweater, sighing satisfyingly. You turn around to thank the girl, and she’s cherry tomato red, you realise. A smile eases onto your features.

“You’re blushing,” you tease, leaning back onto one of your closet doors.

“M-ma’am, do you want me to do your hair?” she asks, quietly. You giggle to yourself, nodding.

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a second,” you nod. She hurriedly leaves the room, and you giggle before pulling on your pants.

You’re done in about forty five minutes, and it’s already 4. Your phone rings as you sit down on your couch, waiting for Donghyuck to show up.

“Yeah?”

“You ready? I’m downstairs,” he says, his car parked right outside. If you looked, you’d probably see it.

“Coming,” you cut the call, grabbing your purse and waving to Hyun Joo before going out.

“Evening, my lady,” Haechan greets you, and something about him seems stunned the moment he sees you. He’s staring for a second, just a second, before he breaks from it and opens the door for you.

He’s driving and he’s unusually quiet, unlike the loud boy you know.

“Is something wrong?” you finally break the silence. He glances over, and smiles. Laughs, actually.

“No, not really.” he answers. He then thinks for a little bit more.

“When’s the dress fitting?”

“Not sure, on the 19th, I think,” you answer. He hums, thinking again. The rest of the ride is quiet, but you get to observe his outfit while you’re bored. He looks cute, a very nice brown sweater, and a pair of white jeans. You really like how he looks, it sort of matches your outfit. Maybe that’s why he was staring.

“You look really nice today,” he mumbles, and you don’t hear him.

“What?”

“I said you look like shit today,” he panics, answering quickly.

Fuck, he probably just blew his chance with you.

“Thanks Haechan, really helped me grow as a person,” you sneer, sulking.

“We’re here,”

He unbuckles his seat belt, and steps out of the car to open your door. He opens it for you, and you step out, thanking him. He’d picked a place near the glass to sit in, and you were happy he did.

The cafe is bustling, yet so calming. It’s the prettiest cafe you’ve been to, because everything about it feels and looks amazing. It’s so coffee-like, yet it seems like there’s something for everyone.

“Is everything okay? You’ve been really quiet today,” you ask him as he gets settled opposite to you. He sighs, shaking his head.

“It’s just the stress, nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart.” the last word strikes you, and you feel your cheeks heat up unintentionally.

“Wait did you just-?” he asks, breaking into a quiet fit of laughter.

“No, no I didn’t.” you bite your lips, embarrassed.

“Are you a coffee person?” you ask, desperately trying to change the subject so he would move on from that little thing. You know he’s going to tease your hours on end for it.. You always end up admiring him every time you’re together, although you’re not so sure why.

“Very much so,”

“Me too. I like brewed coffee a lot,” you smile, and he smiles back. His smile is so perfect, his lips look so perfect, and his nose looks so perfect. Everything about him is unreal, and you love the way he stares at you. His eyes are so chocolate brown and deep, always holding a kind of meaning when he looks at you.

“The half drunk dudes should be here by now.” Hyuck spares one glance out the window, and then he smiles at you. He takes your hand in his, and you’ve never been more confused.

“Act like you’re in love with me. They can note shit pretty quick, although they are half drunk most of them do work in dispatch.”

I’m already in love with you, why should I pretend?

You blink rapidly in a poor attempt to get rid of the stupid thought, trying to act. You smile warmly as he takes your hand and places his lips on the back of your hand, letting his lips stay.

“Why didn’t you pick up my call yesterday, you piece of shit?” you ask through the smile.

“You called me yesterday? Why?” he asks, and he doesn’t break character. He’s still looking at you like he’s so in love and that makes you want to break your character and run.

“I wanted to ask about the wedding planners, dumbass.”

“You could’ve texted me,”

“I have things to do.” He intertwines your fingers together and you notice how his hand is so warm. His hand is so big, and warm and perfect in yours. He seems to notice it too because he’s staring at it.

His hand tightens around yours, and his thumb unconsciously caresses your hand. It’s quiet between you two for a few minutes. It’s like the world has given you freedom for a few minutes, and you’re free to look at each other however you want. Touch each other however you want, and smile at each other however you want.

Your eyes trace his pretty deep brown eyes, his newly dyed black hair, his jaw. His skin is flawless, perfect, and you notice his pretty earning for the first time. Your eyes run along his lips, and you force yourself to look away before you do something stupid.

“Are they gone?” you ask, and Haechan sighs before he looks out, noticing nobody there. He’s quite good at finding cameras.

Please don’t be gone, let me hold onto her a little longer.

“Yeah,” he retreats his hand, and it hurts you a little bit. His hands were so warm, the weather was cold, you admit you were a little disappointed when his hands left yours.

“Would you like something to eat?” he asks. He’s got this strong urge to take your face into his hands and kiss you, kiss you till you both run out of breath.

Fuck, what was he thinking.

“Yeah sure,” you nod, smiling. Haechan knows he’s using every cell in his body to resist the urge to kiss you, although he finds it weird. He doesn’t like you, he swears he doesn’t, so what is this feeling?

The date goes by rather quiet, with both your minds confused and screaming, you didn’t think you had much to say.

“I’ll see you on dress fitting,” Haechan smiles. You think you might see why his dad named him Haechan, his smile is so bright and pretty.

“I’ll see you too,” although he does hesitate, he places a quick kiss on your cheek before he runs for his car. He’s too cute for you, your heart can’t take it.

But also, did he just kiss you?

“What was that?” you demand before he drives off.

“Keep it,” is all he shouts back. You blush furiously at the audacity of him to do this after you guys agreed to be friends and nothing more. Maybe you should’ve done that.

Haechan pulls into his car and drives off, his heart beating loudly into his chest. He knows he shouldn’t have done it, he knows it was so wrong. Maybe not that wrong, but after deciding to be friends, what he did was a shit move.

But if he didn’t do at least this much, he was going to combust from the sheer urge to kiss you. He closes his eyes briefly, collecting himself before heading back home, and maybe to get some work done. ——————————————————————————————

“Hello, you must be Ms. Seo. Your fiance has been waiting for you,” the lady says and that surprises you. Haechan had said he might not even show up to the fitting, but he did, and you were happy he did.

“Donghyuck, I didn’t expect to see you here,” you walk in, smiling brightly. The last few days of your life had been filled with him, by him. He’s sent you good morning texts, he’s helped you with a few company related issues, and he’s spent some good time with you, getting to know you.

These were the basics, because if you were going to live with him, it might as well be on acquainted terms.

“I didn’t have time to show up for my fitting, might as well get it done with you.” he stands up with a huge smile.

“Have you at least looked through and selected a few dresses?” you inquire, eyes fixed on all the dresses on the huge racks. You wanted a custom one made, but there’s no time for that is what your mom said.

“Yes, I have indeed. So uh, I did select a few, I’ve asked them to keep those pieces aside. You should go check them out,” he tilts his head towards the changing room. You nod, letting a sigh fall from your lips.

You were choosing your wedding dress, something you didn’t dare dream happen until you were fully settled.

The shit we do for our loved ones.

You fit into the first dress, second, and third dress. You’ve gone through five different dresses and they just weren’t for you. Frustrated, you call Haechan into the changing room.

“Yeah?” he peeks in, and his eyes run over your coresetted figure. Goddammit you look beautiful.

“I like the third dress, you saw it, but it just isn’t for me. I need something special.” you rant, staring into the mirror. Haechan looks away out of respect, and he sighs.

“See, the thing is…” he trails on, a little nervous.

“Yeah?” you turn around.

“The thing is, I might or might not have had a custom dress made for you…” he hesitates, chewing on his lips nervously.

“What?” your lips part in shock, and Haechan sighs. He looks hesitant. He steps inside the room and closes the door.

“Uh, a while ago, like a week or two ago, I thought about how we could make our wedding better for you, and I remembered you mentioning something about a custom dress. So uh, I took it up with my imagination and your style and came up with a dress. It just came in yesterday, if you want we can send it back,” Haechan mumbles out, and you’re surprised.

And touched. He wanted to make this perfect for you, better for you. Maybe it’s not that bad getting married to him.

“Would you like to try it on- or- you know what- I’m sorry, I’ll send it back–” Haechan shakes his head, wincing. Maybe he went overboard.

“No, no. Let me see the dress, let me try it on,” you mumble fast enough, and he looks stunned.

“You’ll try it on?” you nod in confirmation, and a huge smile makes its way to Haechan’s face. You’re happy to see that smile.

You try on your sixth dress of the day, and you have to say, you look beautiful. The sleeveless white ball gown-like dress looked absolutely gorgeous on you, you can’t help but bite back tears. Haechan designed this for you. It was just so beautiful.

Haechan sits on the couch in the middle of a huge room, waiting for you to show up. He’s mindlessly scrolling on his phone, through every other social media app, trying to get rid of his nervousness.

Would she like the dress? Would she send it back? She’d probably hate it. No, she hasn't tried it on yet, maybe she’ll like it.

A lady walks into the room and smiles at him, and something tells him to keep his phone away. So he does.

The curtains swing open, and you’re standing there in the middle, absolutely gorgeous in a pure white gown. He designed it for you, and he’s stunned and shocked at how good you look in it.

“I like it, I love it,” your hand smoothes over the satin top part, biting back a teared smile.

“It’s…it’s beautiful.” he mumbles, feeling his heart beat faster. His heart is thudding so loudly in it’s cage, and you’re the reason.

“You’re beautiful,” Haechan says, and he shuts his mouth quick enough.

“I-I mean, the d-dress is beautiful, you look beautiful in it,” he tries to correct it himself. Giggling quietly, you turn again to look in the mirror.

The dress is really perfect. It’s fluffy, it’s not too heavy, nor is it inconveniently big. It’s just right.

God, you want to cry. Haechan had this made for you because he wanted the wedding to be more than just an agreement for you.

He can’t take his eyes off you, you look so pure and pretty and gorgeous in that dress.

“I want this,” you smile, tears blurring your vision. Haechan’s face brightens up almost immediately, and he does this little hand signal that you don’t slip past.

Goddamn, he couldn’t wait for the wedding. ——————————————————————————————

Haechan was practically shaking in the suit. He was standing on the podium, waiting for you to come out. He’s never been this nervous in his entire life; hell, he’s a damn business man.

“She’ll come out any minute now,” someone whispers, and his heart is now beating harder.

Fucking hell, just get this over with.

The light shines on you, and he audibly gasps. You look so, so, so beautiful, so stunning, holding your father’s hand. There’s a pretty white flower crown at the top of your head.

Everything about you is so pretty, so pure.

“Take care of my daughter,” your father gives him your hand, and he takes it delicately.

“Yes, father. I promise to take care of her through everything,” Haechan smiles, and he looks at you. He’s afraid he’s going to forget the whole world if he looks for too long.

You walk up and stand on the podium in front of him, hand in hand with him. Has his hands always been so warm?

The vows go by so fast, with just each other in their eyes, nothing else really matters. Haechan looks gorgeous, better than the man in your dreams. He was tucked perfectly in a black tux, his waist coat extenuating his figure.

“You may now kiss the bride,” is all you hear from the pastor. You stare at Haechan, blinking rapidly, and he stares back in the same.

“You may now kiss the bride.” the pastor repeats, louder. Haechan gets startled a bit, and then he starts leaning forward.

He’s kissed a lot of people before, why was he so nervous with you?

His lips capture yours in a soft kiss, and he swears he almost passed out. Why were you so soft and delicate?

He’s experienced, you can tell. You automatically lean in a bit, and his lips are soft, so soft you could get lost in them.

You pull away after a second or two, and you’re both a blushing mess. Haechan’s cheeks are burning hot, and you think about how the heat on your cheeks could probably show through the makeup.

The crowd claps and you both smile, walking down the aisle. Your hand is in his as you cling to him, walking by his side.

“God, this is so nerve-wrecking,” Haechan mumbles, and you almost laugh on camera. Your hand squeezes softly on his bicep in agreement, and he smiles a little wider.

“I can’t wait to go home.” you sigh. ——————————————————————————————

“Thank you so much for the generous gifts, Mrs. Kim. We appreciate it, really,” you smile at the middle aged lady, who smiles back graciously.

“I can’t believe how much you’ve grown, I still remember you playing in our garden with Jungwoo like it was yesterday.” she looks over you so emotionally. You giggle a little, nodding.

“I hope I can see little versions of you running around in the same garden someday,” she smiles, and your eyes widen. Haechan, who’s standing beside you, laughs a little at your reaction. His hand wraps around your waist and he pulls you in, smiling.

“Sure, expect it soon, Mrs. Kim,” he bows and the lady laughs a little, saying her goodbyes before leaving.

“What the hell was that?” you punch Haechan in the arm, a little pissed. He winces as he rubs his arm, laughing.

“What?”

“I don’t want kids, not until I’m ready.” you say.

“Nobody’s forcing you, you don’t have to think about it until you’re ready. I don’t want kids until you want them either,” he rubs your shoulder calmingly, and you sigh.

“I just got worked up, this wedding’s been stressing me out, I’m sorry,” you mumble, leaning back onto his shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it. Also, didn’t we agree to keep it to just friends? You don’t have to worry, I won’t pull anything,” Haechan chuckles, wrapping his arm around you.

Unless you want me to.

“Can we go home? I’m tired,” you pout, and it takes all of Haechan’s self control to not kiss your little pout.

“Sit down, I’ll go talk to mother,” he helps you sit down on a chair, smiles at you. He makes sure you’re comfortable before telling you he’s going to go find your mothers.

You observe your own wedding party. There’s nothing too big, but what you see is well done. It’s perfect, and you’re glad they called in wedding planners to execute this.

“Y/n!” you hear a voice. You turn your head and find someone you thought you’d never see again.

“Taeyong!” you exclaim, standing up and opening your arms. He scoops you into his arms, lifting you off the ground a little.

“I haven’t seen you in such a long time,” you squeeze his arms, smiling.

“God, tell me about it. I was so surprised when I heard you were getting married.” he says, giggling. His laugh always had a nice ring to it.

Lee Taeyong was your highschool bestfriend, and your ex boyfriend. You had dated for about five to six months before he broke it off for the reason of losing feelings. But then, when he saw you still had feelings, he came back, and you dated for another month before you broke it off. The relationship zig zagged another time before you both decided it was the best to call it off and just remain as best friends.

You confessed to him, and he had said he liked you back. He was your first kiss, your first love, your first everything.

First everything except sex. You weren’t ready back then, and you never really got to the part where your virginity gets taken, so you’re still a virgin. As shitty as that is.

“You look beautiful,” he compliments, and you blush softly. He still has that effect on you.

“Well, you don’t look bad yourself, how are you?” you ask as you sit back down, your heels hurting the back on your feet. You’ve walked quite a bit today.

“Moved back here. New York got a little boring without you,” he smiles, and you laugh.

“You moved here? Why?”

“I’m starting a new branch of my law firm here, one of the big reasons I moved back,” you nod, and you see Haechan running to you from the corner of your eyes.

“Hyung, I didn’t think I’d see you here,” Haechan gives him a bro hug. They know each other?

“Wait, you two know each other?” you’re confused.

“He’s my first cousin,” Haechan says, his arm hanging around Taeyong’s shoulder.

Cousins?????

“First cousin? I had no idea,” you laugh, surprised.

“Let me ask, how do you guys know each other?” Haechan looks between you and Taeyong. He removes his arm from around his shoulder, and moves closer to stand tall next to you.

Taeyong sighs, and you’re just a little nervous.

“We- we were high school best friends.” you answer, signalling Taeyong to shut up with your eyes. Haechan nods, a little suspicious.

“That’s it?” he asks tentatively.

“Y-yeah pretty much.” you force a smile, and Taeyong nods awkwardly. It’s just a moment of really thick awkward silence that anyone would be able to sense from a mile away.

“I- I have to get back to my mother, do you mind if I–” he motions back to his mother, who’s not even looking at him.

“Yeah, no, we were about to leave anyway. It’s almost all winded up, we’ll leave,” you say, urging him on. He leaves and you look back at Haechan, who looks a little pissed.

“Let’s go.” Haechan holds onto your waist protectively, dragging you away from the spot into his car.

He gets you into your car and makes sure your dress sits well before getting in the car himself. He leans his head back onto the seat, his hips pushed up and his tongue poking his cheeks.

He looks unrealistically hot.

“What was that?” he asks, and you stare at him.

“W-what?”

“You and Taeyong, what was that? Is there anything you aren’t telling me?” he looks at you, and his voice is gentle, unlike a few moments ago.

You sigh, biting your inner cheeks before speaking.

“We- we dated, for about a few months. It went on and off for a year before we finally called it off and decided to just be best friends,” you spoke, afraid to look at him.

“You didn’t have to hide that from me. I’m okay with it. We’re going to be living different lives anyway, so might as well tell me your dating history,” he smiles, a weird feeling boiling in him. He was relieved that it was nothing more, but on the other hand, a not so good feeling bubbled in his heart.

I could just rip Taeyong apart.

No, no no no no. What was he thinking? ——————————————————————————————

“Is it bad that I never really took the initiative of visiting our house?” you look out through the car window, fascinated. You were so wrapped up in the work of your company and the wedding preparations, you forgot to visit the house you’d be moving into after the wedding.

“Uh, the thing is, I haven’t visited either, so I don’t know what to expect. Although, dad did say he moved enough of our things here.” he says, turning the engine off. He pulls the key out of the car, and he gets out to help you out.

“I swear to god, the first thing I’m doing is throwing this dress off,” you grumble and Haechan laughs a little.

He puts in the password and the door opens, revealing the most beautiful, yet the most simplest and minimalistic house you’ve ever seen. It’s gorgeous, just beautiful.

“Wow,” Haechan’s the first one to speak.

“I’m actually going to go change out, I’m super uncomfortable,” you mumble, and Haechan nods, helping you find the master bedroom. You do find it, and it’s fucking huge. Bigger than your bedroom ever was growing up.

You see the two suitcases sitting in the corner, and you immediately identify one as yours.

“Found mine,” you smile.

“I’ll move into another room, you can stay here,” Haechan takes his suitcase, but you’re not sure you want such a big room all to yourself.

“No, no, I’ll move, you stay here,” you say, and Haechan stares at you.

“No, I’m moving,”

“No, no, I don’t want such a big room all to myself,” you say, but Haechan’s already out the door.

“I’m just a room over, don’t fret over it,” he says, and his voice echoes in the living room.

You sigh, thinking how stubborn he really was. He wouldn’t even give you a chance to argue about it.

You try to get out of your dress, but find it almost impossible. Goddamit, do they really have to secure the zipper like that?

The only person in the house who could help you was Haechan, who was a room away. You groan, opening your door and making your way over to his room.

“Hyuck,” you open the door, and it startles him. Dammit, you forgot to knock. Next time.

You lift your eyes and you find him in the middle of the room with no shirt on, staring back at you with a t-shirt in his hands.

“You seem to like staring,” he switches the t-shirt from one hand to the next, and you realise you were staring.

“No, no I don’t,” you turn around, your hand still on the door knob. You blush deeply, and your heart rate raises as the image of his body gets imprinted in your mind. God, he looked so good.

“I’m done, what’d you need?” he asks you with a shitty grin, and you turn around to face him.

“Can’t get the damn zipper open, for fucks sake.” you mumble, and you notice how he’s staring intently at your face. You assume he’s staring at your heated up face.

“I’ll help you out of it, do you want me to turn up the air con?” you look up to glare at him, and he just laughs. He’s so annoying yet so attractive and loveable.

“Just shut up and help me out of it,” you turn your back to him, and he giggles before coming closer.

You feel him push off a pin or two, and then he slides down the zipper. Slowly, so slowly, he slides it down. Your breath hitches and something pools in the pit of your stomach as his fingers brush your bare back, your fingers squeezing into a fist.

He sighs shakily as he stares at your back, just how smooth and soft it looks. He wants to run his hand over your back, tell you how pretty you are as he presses his lips against yours.

What? God, no. I don’t have feelings, it’s just sexual attraction, happens to the most of us.

Haechan rips his hands away from you, and you make a run for it, thanking him. You’re so embarrassed and worked up, you can’t understand what you’re feeling right now. ——————————————————————————————

“Good morning,” Haechan greets you as you walk out of your room in pyjamas, sleep drunk.

Haechan’s on the couch, a bowl of ramen in his hands. What time is it?

“Morning,” you greet, and Haechan’s heart weirdly flutters. “What time is it?” you ask.

“It’s past 12. Looks like you slept well,” he comments, staring at your hair. You try to tame your wild hair with a laugh, joining him on the couch.

“Seen my phone?” you ask, and he hands it to you. “Someone brought it in today, you left it at the reception, dummy,” he smiles, and you wince at your stupidity.

“I remember leaving it on the counter and never taking it. Thank you,” you opened your phone with your fingerprint, leaning back onto the couch. You see so many calls, it worries you for a second before you realise all of it was your mom. You call back, putting the phone on speaker as you close your eyes, trying to come to your senses.

“Are you finally awake from the dead?” your mom asks, and Haechan chokes on his ramen. He laughs quietly, enjoying your annoyance.

“A hello would have been nice. Donghyuck heard that, you know,” you say and she laughs.

“He’s going to live with you, might as well. Poor kid,” she pities and Haechan can’t stop laughing. You punch his arm, and he winces, still laughing.

“Anyway, are you twp at home?” she asks, you can hear jungwoo shouting on his playstation on the other side. Your mom screams for him to quiet down, and he does. Haechan and you get a giggle out of it.

“Yeah, dad asked us to take off from the company for a few days,” you answer.

“Well great, cause we’ll be over in 30. See you then, miss you sweetheart,” your mom hangs up. You sit there on the couch, alarmed, and Haechan pauses mid bite.

“Did she say thirty minutes?” Haechan spits out his ramen.

“Get up, we need to move your things into my room, we need to put on something more decent, and you need to wash the dishes,” you sound extremely alarmed, getting up and running for your room.

“Where- where do I put the suitcase?”

“Just leave it open in the room, make it seem natural,” you yell from the bathroom, washing your face aggressively. You slip on a pretty yellow dress and let down your hair in a hurry, brushing it out.

You run out of the bathroom, asking Haechan to go change and telling him that you’ll do the rest of the dishes. You’re putting away the last plate as Haechan rushes out the door with the sound of the door bell.

“You open it,” you urge him towards the door. He groans, but he opens the door with the biggest smile.

“Mom, mother, hi,” Haechan greets them, giving them both a hug.

“Mom!” you exclaim, running into her arms. She laughs as she hugs you, her arms so warm. You’d only seen her yesterday, but you missed her.

“Hi mother,” you greet her with a gentle hug, completely unlike the one you gave your mom.

“How are you guys getting along?” they ask as they sit down on the couch. You and Haechan smile, and Haechan links his hands with yours, squeezing gently.

“It’s great, mom. I couldn’t ask for someone better,” Haechan makes eye contact with you, and you really see sincere love in there. So instead of hiding your little infatuation, you unwrap it too.

“He’s perfect,” you say, smiling. Haechan’s mother and yours look pleased as you share the longest eye contact since engagement.

“So, are you guys sharing a room or something?” Your mom’s question breaks both of you out of your trance.

Haechan stares at your mom, blank.

“Uh, y-yeah, but, uh, we- we haven’t exactly got to the other part yet,” you answer, knowing exactly what your mother was asking. She was implementing if you had consummated the marriage yet, and in truth, you aren’t even really together.

“Oh, I see. Can we see your room?” you and Haechan share certain looks, and then nod. You lead them to your room, Haechan following behind.

You open the door, praying that everything looks fine. Everything does look fine, but you notice a bra at the corner of the room that you forgot to hide. Fuck.

“We- we haven’t cleaned up,” you laugh nervously, and your mothers nod, walking out the room. Your mother pulls you aside and whispers, “maybe hide the evidence before lying to me,” with a smile.

“Huh?” Then it clicks, she saw the bra. Goddammit. You decide you’d just play along.

“We just stopped by, we have to leave soon.” his mother says, and you nod, smiling.

“You know what, we’ll leave now. Thank you for letting us in,” your mother drags his mother outside. You both wave bye happily, glad to be finally out of their eyes.

“Mom saw my bra and thought we had sex,” you say, sighing exasperated. He sighs, finally letting all the stress out.

“This was a mess. Do you just wanna watch netflix and chill?” Haechan speaks, throwing himself onto the couch.

“Yeah,”

You got nothing done that day, but you finished the show Locke and Key. oh well. ——————————————————————————————

You had to go back to work the following week, but right now, you were sprawled out on the couch, Haechan sitting by your feet. You’re watching Brooklyn nine-nine, laughing as Jake Peralta cracks another stupid joke, Haechan’s little laugh echoing.

You’re tired after a long day, and you’re actively looking forward to the weekend like Haechan. It’s past 11, and almost 12. You can’t wait to sleep in tomorrow.

You’re positive you look like shit, and Haechan looked just fine, although a little messy. He looked adorable, his hair messy from bed, a hoodie pulled over his head.

Your phone rings and you groan, staring at it sitting on the single couch opposite from you. Who’s calling this late?

Haechan laughs as he hears you, and reaches out to pick your phone up. He glances at the screen and frowns, handing it to you.

“It’s your secretary.” he says, pausing the show.

“Sorry, I’ll just take this,” you say, and you press the phone to your ear.

“Hello, this-”

“Madame, we have an emergency,” your secretary gasps, shuffling sounds of paper on the other side. You sit up, worried.

“Yes?”

“Our designs have been stolen by the Na’s. They just published their teaser with our designs on it, they’ve stolen our designs,”

“What? I’m on my way, call an emergency meeting with the marketing, the design team, and the legal department,” you almost jump off your couch, heading for your room.

“What happened?” Haechan gets up and follows you, and you spare him a glance. He looks worried.

“The Na’s stole our design. I swear to god, I’ll murder Jaemin with my own hands someday,” you growl, anger consuming your headspace.

“I’m close with Jaemin,” Haechan blurts and you stop in your tracks of picking an outfit.

“Why didn’t I see him at our wedding?”

“He didn’t attend. Said he had documents to process, or something,” Haechan recalls that phone call with his friend.

“He was at the fucking company while I was busy,” you mumble, quickly pulling on a shirt and jeans to rush out of the house.

“Should I come?” he asks, unsure of letting you drive out in the night when it’s this late.

“No, I’ll be fine,” you rush out, but then turn around.

“You don’t mind me sueing that piece of garbage, do you?” you ask, to which Haechan shrugs.

“I knew he was a bad influence, so no, not really. Although, I suggest you should rush there,” he says, and you nod, almost closing the door when you hear Haechan call your name again.

“Y/n! Your keys, you forgot them,” he says, and tosses them into the air for you to catch. You catch them, and wave a quick bye to Haechan who then stands in the middle of the room, frowning.

Fuck you, Jaemin. We were actually spending some time together.

Haechan looks up, his middle finger raised as he stomps back to the T.V, hoping some episodes of Brooklyn nine-nine would cheer him up.

Man, you loved Charles, now he can’t watch it without thinking of you. ——————————————————————————————

After a five hour discussion, you had given everyone a break, and took one for yourself. It was currently somewhere around four in the morning, and you were thinking of calling Haechan. But you’d probably disturb him by it, so maybe you can call after an hour or two.

You go back into the meeting room, and sort some things out. You give everyone the permission to go home and have some rest, and return by four in the evening, cause no company works their employees overnight. God, you felt bad for all of them. Most of them were in their pyjamas.

You’d decided to sue the Na’s, and cancel the coming runway because you really had no other designs that you put your time and work and life into. You’d had so many different things planned for this launch, and all that hard work and pain was in vain.

You are slouched over your table almost in tears when Haechan calls, and you check the time.

8:58 AM, saturday

You pick up the call and stay silent, trying not to cry.

“How did everything go? Are you okay- you know what, I’ll send someone to pick you up, stay right there, sweetheart,” he picks the clues up from your silence so easily, you can’t tell if you love him or hate him.

Thirty minutes pass, and now you’re at your front door, hands on the bell. You ring it, and within seconds, a worried Haechan appears at the door. He guides you in by your hands, and stares at your drained face.

You can’t look at him, because you’re afraid if you do, you’ll burst into tears.

“Are you okay? How is everything?” he asks, and you almost crumble into pieces. This has never happened to you before, you really thought you were emotionally strong.

“Can I get a hug?” is all you manage to say as you look up at him with watery eyes. His heart breaks at the sight and he softly engulfs you in a much needed hug, his hands wrapped around your waist. He rests his chin on your shoulder, and he holds you close, just right.

You break into a pool of tears in his grasp, and Haechan sucks in a tight breath when he hears your sobbing. He slowly lulls you into your room, and sits you on the messy bed. He doesn’t pull away, he just waits for you to let go. When you realise he might be uncomfortable, you let go and he pulls away gently, like he’s afraid of hurting you.

“Do you want me to leave?” he asks softly.

“No, stay please,” you whisper, patting the place next to you. He sits down, and you take a moment before you speak.

“I had so many things planned for this runway launch, and now it’s all Jaemin’s.” you sniffle, and he rubs your back softly.

“Tell me everything,”

“I’ve decided to sue him, and I’ll cancel this launch,” you mumble, your voice breaking.

“Cancel it? You know how big of a loss that would be?” he asks.

“I know, but what else do I do? That motherfucker has it all now,” tears fill your eyes again.

“Do you know who leaked it?” he asks. That one question opens a possibility that you didn’t have time to consider in the middle of all this madness.

“I didn’t have time to think about that,” you whisper, the gears in your head working.

“Leave it to me. I’ll send my lawyer to you, and we’ll handle this like professionals.” he smiles as he pats your back, and you see a glimpse of hope in his eyes. That makes you want to hope everything will turn out fine.

“Also, don’t cancel the show.” he says, and you turn to look at him.

“You still have two months. You have about two weeks to pull other designs. Can you make it work?”

“It’s not that easy to pull designs together, Haechan,” you protest, and he nods.

“I know, but I need you to try. Or, instead of launching clothes, we can launch something else. That could expand your boundaries.” he’s a good businessman. You try to think straight through all your tears, and the first option sounds a lot better. You’re not ready to expand your boundaries yet, there's still work to be done.

“I’ll try to pull together some designs,” you wipe your tears, and Haechan sighs happily. He sounds content with your answer.

“That’s the spirit. When there's a will–”

“There’s a way.” you finish, staring at him with a big smile. His face looks like he approves of it, and he pulls his phone out of his pants.

“I have to make a few calls,” he says, and you nod. He kneels down in front of you, holds your face, and looks you in the eyes. Your face burns red, his lips distracting you.

“You can do this, okay? I believe in you, and I’m proud of you. You’re doing really well, I know you are. You’re trying your best, and things don’t always go your way because this is life. When life throws lemons at you…” he urges you to continue.

“You make lemonade. What are you, a damn pinterest board?” you laugh, eyes teary. He laughs loudly and the sound is so pure, it makes your heart a little lighter.

“I’ve got to make a few calls, I’m right outside the door if you need anything, hmm?” his hands leave your cheeks, and you frown, feeling the warmth leave you. You wanted him to stay longer.

“Also, I’ve left your Ipad on the couch. It’s fully charged,” he shouts from the living, his voice distant. You smile a little. He's taking care of you so well, you don’t deserve him.

You’re going to try drawing something meanwhile, although you’re unsure of what. ——————————————————————————————

You designed a thing or two before sleep overtook you, and you took a break to have a nap. Haechan walks into the room to tell you how his lawyer is on her way to dig up dirt on Na Jaemin, but his heart stops when he finds you asleep. You look so cute, curled into a little ball on the bed, the blanket wrapped around you.

Haechan looks around the room, and he finds your Ipad left unlocked. He peeks onto the screen, and he audibly gasps.

You’d only done two designs, but they were gorgeous and eye-catching. He looks back at your small figure wrapped tightly in a blanket with a new realisation at how talented you are, and it shakes him.

He can’t deny, he is lucky to have you as his wife instead of the people his dad had considered, like Jia from the Kwon family. She was a good match, but she wasn’t as strong or independent as you are. He doesn’t think about anything when you’re around, and that makes him stress free. You’re his only escape from the cruel world.

He stares at you for a few seconds before turning off the bed lamp, tucking you in a little more with a smile. He’s hesitant, but he places a soft kiss on your cheekbone before getting up to leave, his heart serene in his chest.

He knows it’s wrong. It’s so wrong to even touch you with a different intention than friends. He’s convinced himself he doesn’t have feelings for you, so why does he keep wanting you? Why does he keep desiring you all for himself? Why does he feel the need to protect you from the cruel, cruel world and kiss you to sleep every night?

Maybe he’ll never know. ——————————————————————————————

“We’re not cancelling the runway. I’ll pull through with some designs since we have two more months, get all of our best designers on the job. I want a full briefing of at least twenty five designs by next friday.” you speak into the phone.

“What about the lawsuit against the Na’s?” you can hear her gulp.

“I’ve confirmed an appointment with the legal department, another lawyer will be joining the team.” your secretary hums, writing something down.

“I’ll call you later,” you cut the call, stretching yourself in the chair of your desk. You’ve just woken up from your three hour long nap, a little refreshed. Haechan brought you some coffee and some food, and you ate with him.

But you were currently experiencing a bad case of art block. Your head is pounding, and you’re frustrated. You want to scream and cry.

A knock sounds on the door, and Haechan peeks his head in.

“Hey, how’s it going?” he asks, his eyes skimming over your messy desk. “Bad. I have an art block, I can’t think,” you mumble.

“Do you want me to sit here?” he comes in through the door, closing it behind him.

“Yes please,”

He sits down on the spare chair in the room, watching you.

“Did you ask someone to investigate?” he asks, and you nod.

“I’ve reported it. They said it'll take a week or two to process,” you smack your head into your hands, feeling the tears build from frustration.

“Have you tried saying that it was a high profile case?”

“No,” you answer. He pulls his phone out and makes a quick call, and within a minute, he’s hung up.

“I’ve reduced it to a few days. They said they’ll start on the investigation right away,” you’re unbelievably thankful for Haechan, because if it wasn’t for him, you don’t know what you’d have done.

“Haechan, I- I just really can’t thank you enough for everything you do for me. I don’t know how to repay this,” your voice breaks slightly.

You’ve always been so careful about letting people know about your work because you don’t trust anyone. Your dad once said that in business, if one thing tips over, everything tips over. The scale loses its balance, and that’s what’s just happened to you. You’ve been so stable all this while and then suddenly the scale tips, you’re not sure what to do. If you had decided to cancel the project, you might have never recovered from the blow of it.

Thank god for Haechan.

“You don’t have to repay me. I do this as your husband. Husbands and wives help each other, don’t they?” he smiles, and your heart lightens a bit. God, he’s got the prettiest smile you’ve ever seen.

“What even are we? We’re supposed to be husband and wife but we don’t love each other. I can’t say we’re best friends either cause we’re married. What is our relationship?” you don’t mean to say that. It’s probably all the stress that’s been growing on you since last night.

“You know…” Haechan begins, pulling his chair closer to you.

“Some relationships don’t need a label,” he says. You notice for the first time that day how deep his eyes are, and how pretty they are. He makes you want to paint him. He makes you want to make impulse decisions in life, because you feel like there’s someone that’ll protect you from those decisions.

You stare at each other, just admiring his eyes, his nose, his lips. His lips look so soft, so pink, so pretty. God, you could just kiss them.

Haechan begins to lean in softly, his heart thudding against his chest. You’re so pretty in the dim light like this, your lips look so soft to him.

The moment he starts leaning in, you’re stuck in panic. No, no no no no.

You panic and pull back, breathing heavily as you stare at Haechan. He pauses, and then he pulls back. He blushes in embarrassment, looking away.

“I-I’m sorry, I have to get back to work.” you turn around back to your ipad, your heart beating wildly in your chest.

“Yeah, no, it’s okay. I was just- I’m- I’m gonna go now, I’ve got some work,” Haechan gets up, but you hold onto his wrist.

“Please stay,” you mumble meekly. He stares at you for a minute longer before sighing loudly, sitting back down.

God, what was with you? You pull from him and then ask him to stay? What about his feelings?

“What do you want me to do?” Haechan asks. You turn your head and stare at him. You don’t know what you want him to do, his presence is just so comforting to be in.

“You know what, I’ll go get my laptop, I’ll work with you. I hope you don’t mind me making some work calls,” he says, and you smile in gratitude.

“No, of course not,” you say, a little embarrassed. Maybe you shouldn’t make him stay.

“You can… you know, leave if you want to,” you mumble, and Harchand gives you this stare. You chuckle a little, and that makes him laugh.

“Sorry, I’m just high on stress right now,” you say, and he’s kind enough to nod and smile.

Haechan does go and get his things, and settle down in the corner of your huge desk on your turning office chair. He types so fast, and you can’t help but wonder if his fingers work that fast too.

No, no no no no. Not right now. You’re just stressed.

“Hello?” Haechan leans back in his chair, one of his legs resting on top of the other.

Fuck, he looks so fucking hot and powerful. He could just fuck you that good.

He says something into the phone and he looks so in control and sounds so in charge, it sparks something inside you. You need to calm yourself down.

“Are you good?” Haechan is staring at how you’re staring at him. You shake off from your thoughts, and stare at him.

“Huh?”

“Are you good?” he repeats, and you nod.

“Yeah, yeah I’m good. I- I was just thinking.” you say, turning to your Ipad with a new intent. He really did give you an idea. ——————————————————————————————

You turn up at your office looking like you didn’t get any sleep and that was because you didn’t. Haechan slept on your bed, and you slept on your desk for about thirty minutes.

“Madame,” your secretary sighs as she sees you. You force a smile, nodding.

“You look rough. Would you like to take a few minutes to rest?” she asks, smiling gently.

“Could I? I don’t think-”

“I’ll tell everyone that you’re in a meeting, don’t worry,” she smiles, and she's out the door. You’re thankful for your secretary, you are. You lean your head back onto your chair, sighing. The day hasn’t even started and it’s already bad.

A minute or two later, just as you’re about to slip to sleep, your phone goes off. You groan and pick up, not bothering to look at the contact.

“Hello, this is Seo Y/n speaking,”

“Hello, Madame. Mr. Lee had called earlier today and asked to submit a report of the investigation to you,” goddammit, you were so close to falling for Haechan, why is he so nice to you.

“Oh, thank you. Can I ask how much progress there is?” you ask, sitting up straight.

“We have found the culprit, and got an arrest warrant for her. If you could please visit the station, we could arrange a meeting between you and her,”

Her? Your eyes shoot open in surprise, and you’re already grabbing your jacket.

“Yes, sure. Does Mr. Lee know about this?”

“Yes, he had informed us about five minutes ago that he was on his way.” Haechan was already on his way, you needed to be there too.

“I’ll be there in a few,” you cut the call, heading for the door. Your secretary looks surprised as she sees you with your keys.

“They found the culprit. I’ll be back in an hour or two.” you mumble quickly and she nods.

In a few minutes, you’re at the station. You see Haechan’s car parked outside as you rush in, expecting someone to greet you.

“Morning Madame, I assume you’re in a rush, she’s in the interrogation room.” a detective greets you. You smile and nod, eyes searching for Haechan around the room. When Haechan walks out of the interrogation room, you’re surprised.

“I didn’t think I’d see you here,” you lie. You’re not sure why you lied but you did.

“They called, so I just popped in to see what was going on. You should see her for yourself…” he sounds a little grim as he says that.

You step inside the room, and your eyes can’t believe what they’re seeing. Park Hyejin is on the chair, and she looks sour. What is your maid doing here?

“Hyejin?” you furrow your eyebrows, and you don’t fail to catch the way her eyes soften.

“Madame,” she whispers, just loud enough for you to hear. You can’t believe it. There’s no way. They must’ve gotten the wrong person.

You step right back out and stare at Haechan, who’s standing with a file in his hand.

“What’s Hyejin doing here?” you demand, and Haechan sighs before he hands you a file. You flip through the file in absolute disbelief as CCTV photos of Hyejin taking pictures of your designs on her phone are spread through the pages. The printed screenshots of her conversation with Jaemin, and how Jaemin paid her in big amounts to do this, the transaction records, and her purchase history are all given, and you can’t believe a thing.

“What…” you mumble, feeling yourself buckle.

“Are you okay?” Haechan asks quietly. You nod, still deep in shock.

“I’m just in shock. She was my friend.” you can’t describe what you’re feeling. You don’t know if you’re angry, you don’t know if you’re sad, or if you’re even surprised. It’s a mix of emotions, and they all feel shitty.

“Maybe you should head in there, talk to her,” Haechan urges you, tipping his head towards the interrogation room.

“Can you come with me?” you ask, your voice awfully quiet. You almost can’t recognise your own voice.

“Yeah,” he says in the most soothing way he can. His hand rests on the small of your back as he guides you into the interrogation room once again.

“Hyejin,” you try to sound tough as you sit down opposite to her. Haechan is sitting by your side, watching her. She looks at you with the softest look, and she turns her head to look at Haechan with much venom. It looks poisonous.

“Why did you do this?” you ask, and your voice shakes a little. You take a deep breath, and try to channel your quiet inner anger.

“Why did you do this?” this time, your voice sounds strong and vengeful. Betrayed.

“Madame I-” she stops herself as tears fill her eyes. She tucks her lips between her teeth in an attempt to stop herself from crying, but it doesn’t seem to work. You feel nothing for this girl, not anymore. She almost toppled all of your company for a reason she hasn’t told you yet, and you have every right to not feel anything.

“I asked a fucking question.” you spit, anger seething out of you. Haechan grips your wrist gently, and you seem to calm down a little. Much enough to not shout.

“I-I wa-” she stutters and you’re losing your patience. You know Haechan can sense it and even his grip isn’t doing anything for you.

“Spit it out,” your hand bangs down on the table, startling everyone who was in the room. Startling her so much to the point of spitting the truth out.

“I WAS IN LOVE WITH YOU,” she says, and you stare. Did you hear that wrong? You probably did.

“What?”

“I said I was in love with you. I was so in love with you and I still am. I didn’t like it when I saw you getting married to him—” she glares at Haechan for a moment and he looks confused “I didn’t like it when I saw him leave a kiss on your cheek, I hated that so much.”

You’re so surprised that you almost choke. Are you really that pretty enough to pull the guys and the gays? You glance at Haechan, and he looks equally surprised, maybe more.

“I hated it when you had to get married and move away, and that I couldn’t come along. I couldn’t see you more often, and I hated that. I was so angry and sad, I contacted Jaemin. Got him in the first try. I waited till you had moved before safely taking pictures of your designs and sending them to him. I admit the crime. I deserve to rot in jail for doing this but—” she looks up at you, dried eyes filling up again.

“I really did love you. I want you to know that I made such a stupid descision because I loved you too much, and I’m sorry for doing this.” she finishes, and you need to take a few moments to process everything you’ve heard.

So to sum it up, your maid is in love with you, and because she’s mad, she sold you out to your rivals and then when she gets caught, she apologises.

Okay.

You breathe out, getting ready to speak.

“Unfortunately, I hope you know that I can’t reciprocate your love since I’m married. I have a husband who I—” you glance at Haechan with a smile “whom I love.”

You smile wide as you hold eye contact, and Haechan’s breath gets stuck in his throat. Was this you confessing? He wants to kiss you so bad, but there are cameras and eyes watching.

You catch her jaw flexing angrily and you can only smile wider.

“And yes, you do deserve to rot in jail, don’t think I’d go easy on you because you were in love with me and because I considered you my friend instead of a maid. How could you even–” you scoff, your anger barely containing itself.

“Anyway, I’m going to hope you get bail and file a case. You brought this upon yourself, too bad I can’t help you.” you stand from your seat, glaring at her down. You leave before you say something else, anything else that might make you overthink.

You rip the car door open and settle yourself in the passenger's seat, sighing. The car door opens again and Haechan settles into the driver's seat with a huge smile.

“Are you okay?” he tries to sound calm, but you can hear the excitement, or happiness seeping through.

“Yeah, what’s up with you?” you ask, although you know.

“Nothing really,” he mumbles.

“No, there’s something,” you tease, and he takes a deep breath before turning to you.

“Did you mean it?” he asks, and you almost pass out from the tension of the question.

“I- uh- I-I don’t know…I’m not sure why I said that, but I’m not sure about my feelings either.” you say quietly, and instead of frowning, Haechan sounds happy when he speaks.

What you said was true. Haechan had been too nice to you, and even if all this was a lie, you’d love for nothing more than to keep having him by your side.

“Oh, I panicked and thought you had no feelings for me whatsoever. Give me a month or two, and watch yourself fall for me,” he smiles so wide, he looks so gorgeous. The sun is so strong as it shines through the window on Haechan’s side, but it didn’t bother him. He pulls the gear and the car roars to life before it pulls out of the parking lot.

He sounded confident. And you loved it. Hell, you’d love nothing more than to keep seeing him happy.

Maybe I’d already fallen for him. I know he’s not going anywhere, he’ll always be mine.

She’ll be mine. She was mine all along, and I will make sure it stays that way. ——————————————————————————————---------

You woke up the next morning in your bed, well rested. That was rare because after the incident, sleep wasn’t even an option.

Why were you in your bed though? You remember accidentally falling asleep on the couch. It didn’t take you long to figure out Haechan probably put you to bed. Your mind tries to remember something else, and you remember a soft forehead kiss and a few head pats and him tucking you in. Your heart flutters, and you try to find yourself reasonable.

You get up from bed, ready to head to the office, and as usual, the house is quiet. You don’t run into Haechan in the mornings because he leaves before you even wake up. You don’t have to turn up at the company till nine, but Haechan has to be there by eight. It isn’t his company yet, his dad is still watching him.

You walk into the kitchen to make something to eat before you change and leave, and you aren’t fully awake yet. You open your eyes to the smell of something cooking, and it’s something sweet.

Haechan is standing by the stove, shirtless, his airpods plugged in. You can’t help but stare at his back, your lips tucking in on themselves automatically. His back muscles are defined, his arms are an eye candy, and the rest of his body is uncommentable. His grey sweats are loose around his waist, and you end up wondering what it looks like below his waist. You don’t even realise he’s turned around as you stare him down unconsciously.

“Do you really like staring at me that much?” he leans onto the island with one arm supporting all of his weight. You blush furiously as you turn around, heart unsettled.

“Why are you half naked in the kitchen? Go put something on, I live here too,” you shout, and he doesn’t seem to be bothered.

“I don’t want to put anything on. From the looks of it, you don’t really want me to either, do you?” he flips something in the pan but you can’t see since your back is facing him.

“N-no, put something on,”

Dammit, why did you stutter?

“No,” he simply answers, and you realise how stubborn he is.

“Do you want breakfast?” he asks, and you turn around hesitantly.

“Yeah,” you mumble, settling down on the seat at the island without a thought. You don’t look at him at all. Maybe you did steal glances.

“I made pancakes,” he places a plate down before you, and you look up at him. He smiles at you softly and you smile back, just looking at him. It’s just a little moment between you two before you decide to speak.

“Shouldn’t you be at the office?” you ask, reaching for the maple syrup. He even bought a new bottle of maple syrup.

“I took a half day, you’ve been working so hard I wanted to cook for you,” he leans forward on the counter, and the bottle almost tips out of your hand.

“Careful, sweetheart.” He takes the bottle out of your hand, and pours the syrup on the pancakes, placing the bottle down after. Your cheeks heat up, and you look down at your plate, cutting out a little piece of the stack of pancakes.

“Is this you trying to make me fall for you?” you ask, and Haechan stiffens. He sighs and then he says, “No, this is me cooking for you as your friend who cares about you. You haven’t slept well in days, you don’t eat well, and you’re starting to lose weight. Don’t think I don’t notice all of that,”

“I don’t care if you fall for me or not, as long as I get to love you either way. I just need you to take care of yourself, okay?” he looks into your eyes, a gentle smile on his face.

Fuck, he doesn’t even have to try to get into your head.

“You’ll be late, you should go. If I come back to the room and see food on the plate, I will light you on fire,” he threatens as he walks out of the room, leaving a smiley you behind.

As if. He loves me. ——————————————————————————————

The runway is close, and you have never been more content with your work in your life. You have enough designs ready, a few others unfinished but worthy enough to be released next time, and a few other substitutes. It’s all perfect, and almost all of it is your designs.

Haechan helped your creative process quite a lot, just being there and providing comfort for you. He even searched up some places you two could visit to trigger your inspiration, and it helped quite a lot. Although you have to say, your favourite dress in all of your collection would be the one you designed the night Haechan tried to kiss you. You were inspired by him to design that, and to say, it was a staff favourite.

“Madame, the runway is tomorrow, are you nervous?” your secretary seems excited and nervous, but more collected than you currently are.

“I am confident in our work, but I can’t help but feel nervous. God, this is nerve wracking.” you mumble, your fingers constantly playing with the paper weight in your hand.

“Everything is in check, I personally called the venue to check, you don’t have to worry. The preparations will be done almost four hours before the show, so you really don’t have to worry,” your secretary attempts to comfort you. You nod with a nervous smile, a large sigh following.

“You realise you’re working overtime, right Madame? It’s past seven, you should go home and get some rest,” she says, pity in her voice. You sigh, getting up from your chair.

“I’ll go home before Donghyuck gets mad at me for working overtime. You should too, you don’t have to stick around, it’s late,” you smile, and she nods.

“It’ll be hard to catch a ride at this hour, but I’ll just ask someone for a lift, thank you Madame,” she bows.

“How about I give you a ride?” you ask, and her eyes light in surprise.

“Oh, uh, Madame, that’s not necessary, please.” she smiles nervously.

“No, no, I insist. You’ve done so much for us, stayed over in overtime for so many hours. What kind of a CEO am I if I can’t give you a ride?” you smile and she smiles back gratefully.

“I’ll wait for you, be quick,” you walk out of the office. ——————————————————————————————

“Where the hell were you?” Haechan answers the door as you walk in with a sheepish grin. You hang your coat on the coat hanger, and turn to him.

“I didn’t realise I worked overtime, forgive me please,” you pout, giving your best puppy eyes. He folds almost instantly, but he tries to stay angry.

“Y-you could’ve called, o-or something,” his eyes avoid you. You smile in victory, opening your arms for a hug.

“Can I get a hug if you’re not mad?” you stare at him, and he stands there for a second before he groans and scoops you into his arms. His big hand rubs your back and it’s so soothing, you almost fall asleep in his arms.

“You must be so nervous,” he whispers, swaying you in his arms. You hum, your grip just as tight on his waist.

“Do you want to watch a movie with me, sweetheart? Just to get your mind off all of that for a while?” you pull back with a smile, nodding. He leaves a small kiss on your cheek before he pulls away completely.

“Choose the movie, I’ll get the snacks,” he shouts from the living room.

“Be there in a minute, need to change,” you shout back and he shouts a confirmation.

You and Haechan still aren’t a thing. You’re in love with Haechan now, but everytime he brings that up, you panic and deny everything. Everything about him is so perfect, the way he handles you, the way he hugs you, the way he touches you, the way he looks at you, everything. You can’t ever deny your feelings anymore because you’re so in love with him, so in love that you’d willingly burn anyone and anything that’d hurt him.

You walk into the living room in your favourite blue pyjamas, and Haechan is already on the couch, waiting for you. He’s scrolling on his phone, but he switches it off and places it onto the side when he sees you.

“Which movie do you wanna watch?” he asks, passing you your bowl of popcorn. You like your own popcorn most of the time, and little things and observations like this from him is what makes you fall more in love with him.

You take the remote and scroll through a few movies, before settling on a movie. It’s a romance movie, you’ve recalled the name skimming past your eyes when you looked for shows to watch.

You look at Haechan and he looks like he doesn’t mind, so you press play. The movie starts out, and you pull your blanket from the side onto your body. It’s cold outside.

Haechan moves a little closer to you, and you feel the goosebumps on his soft skin. You move your blanket onto his body and he gladly takes it without a word, thanking you quietly.

Haechan spreads his arms across the couch, and you risk moving closer into his arms. You cuddle up against him, curling into a little ball. He breathes in sharply, wrapping his arm around you a second after.

He’s so warm and soft, so comfortable to cuddle up to. Haechan tries to relax against you, and he gets so much dopamine from just your presence. It feels amazing. You’re his drug, his high.

As the movie plays furthur, the tension between the characters thickens. The sexual tension is so high and thick, it makes you heat up. You can feel the air under the blanket become hot, and Haechan being next to you isn’t helping the situation in any way.

Especially when the female character starts touching herself to the thought of her crush. That isn’t a very comfortable scene for you when you’ve done the same with Haechan, but who’s telling him.

Haechan clears his throat, and he’s clearly so disrupted by the scene. You, on the other hand, can feel something pooling in your panties, and you’re not ready to accept that you just got horny to a scene in a movie.

Your hand unconsciously traces up Haechan’s torso, and Haechan is overly aware of it. When they reach his chest, he stops your hand.

“Y-y/n,” he breathes out shakily, staring into your eyes. His fingers are wrapped around your wrist, and you swallow roughly at his rough grip. His eyes look like black pools, so dark and lustful.

“Haechan, I-” you swallow, your gaze switching to his lips and back. You lean in to kiss him, risking all your morals.

Just as your lips touch his, his hand on your chest stops you. You look up with glassy eyes, and he asks, “Do you really want this? Are you sure?”

“I don’t want you to regret it later,” he’s quiet, gentle. You would have panicked and shouted no, and maybe even pushed him away. But you want him, no, you need him.

“I want you,” you whisper, and you hear his breath get stuck in his throat.

“I want you to kiss me, tell me how much you love me. I love you, maybe not as much as you love me, but as much as I can afford to love. Kiss me, please,” you whisper, and so many different emotions rush through him. You can see it.

He waits a moment before he places his lips on yours, his hand sliding by your jawline. He holds you so gently, and you need a minute to figure out you’re kissing him. You engage more in him, and your hand wraps around his neck, pulling him in deeper.

He sighs in happiness as he pulls away slowly, lips still brushing against each other.

“I love you too,” he whispers back with the happiest and the prettiest smile. You giggle gently as tears of relief coat your eyes, and he kisses you once again.

Here he was, in your arms, all yours. You can’t believe it. You kiss back so passionately, and you can’t stop yourself. Your hands roam his body, everywhere on his body, and you moan softly as he tugs on your lips. You climb into his lap, and you can easily feel his hardness on your ass.

Oh my god. You need to tell him before you go any further.

“W-wait,” you mumble, pushing gently at his chest. He pulls away without a word, and he looks worried.

“I-I have to tell you something,” you stutter out, playing with the back of his sweater.

“What's up? Are you regretting saying everything you did?” he asks, and you jump to correct his thoughts.

“No, no no no no, Hyuck please,”

“That’s the first time you’ve ever called me that. I like it,” he smiles, but he looks pained.

“Haechan please, I love you, and no, I don’t regret anything I’ve done in the past minute, please.” you kiss him again, and his hand ends on your cheeks again.

You pull away and instead of dragging it out longer, you spit it out.

“I’m- I’m a virgin.” you spit, and Haechan looks a little shook. He didn’t expect you to be a virgin, not with how beautiful you were. He’d assumed you’d done something with Taeyong too, because you did say he was your first everything.

“I’m your first?” he then asks, to which you nod hesitantly. He smiles as he pulls you closer, his nose bumping with yours.

“Are you sure you want me to be your first?” his hands are wrapped tightly around your waist.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way than to give myself to the man I love,” you smile. He kisses you again, this time, a little more lust, a little more desire. He pulls you closer to his body as he kisses you, devouring your lips.

He’s only imagined this, how it would feel like to have you pressed up against him. He didn’t really think this would actually happen.

“Hold onto me,” he says, and stands up, taking you into his arms as you still kiss. You cling onto him, kissing him repeatedly. God, you can’t have enough of him.

He carries you to your bedroom, placing you down on the bed ever so gently.

“I promise I’ll be gentle with you,” he whispers into the kiss and you nod, tugging at his hoodie. He leans back to peel it off his body, and you can’t help but flush deep red at how beautiful he is. His muscles are not too thick, not to thin either, just perfect. Each dip and each curve of his muscle is defined softly, and he looks gorgeous.

“Let’s not rush it, okay?” he says, and you nod. You lift your arms for him to take off your shirt, and he pauses.

“Are you sure?” he asks one last time, his hand holding onto the first button of your shirt.

“Yes please,” you assure him, and he starts unbuttoning them one by one, holding his breath as each button reveals a different patch of skin. You watch his face in amusement as he brushes his hand against your collarbone, slipping the shirt off your shoulder. So much more skin for him to kiss.

“You’re so fucking beautiful.” he mumbles, his hands running along the expanse of your skin. There’s something about him cursing when he sees you, it makes him so much more passionate. And to say, that’s the first time you’ve heard him curse.

He gently places a kiss in the crook of your neck, and your breath catches in your throat. That’s your first neck kiss. God, you’ve waited so long for this.

His kisses trail from your neck to your collarbones and down your chest, to the top of your breasts.

“Haechan,” you gasp softly as he bites a mark onto your skin. “Hmm?” he hums in answer.

Your hands roam his body, and you can tell he’s especially sensitive on his nipples by the way his breath hitches a little when you touch past them. He softly sucks a mark by the top of your breasts, and hell, you want so much more of him.

“More, need more please,” you mumble in a daze. He nods, hands teasing the hook of your bra. “Can I?” he asks, and you hastily mumble out the consent. He pulls back from your skin to watch, and you already look so pretty, gorgeous for him.

Your eyes are glassy, so many pretty marks on your skin, and he needs to take a moment to admire your beauty. “Hyuck…” you whine, getting shy under his intense gaze. He makes out a soft laugh, kissing your forehead.

“Sorry, sorry, I just had to stare at how pretty you looked for me,” he mumbles out and you smile, butterflies in your stomach. He closes the distance between you both again, his hands quickly throwing off your bra. You gasp, suddenly feeling so bare.

“Sssh, you’re okay, I promise,” he softly kisses your lips, distracting you. Once you’re comfortable enough, his kisses start heading south again, all the way down to your breasts this time. He softly sucks on one of your nipples, his hand sliding down between your legs. You moan softly, and he loves it. He loves the sound so much.

“Moan so pretty for me again, baby.” he whispers again, switching his mouth from one nipple to the other. His hand spreads you open, and his fingers quickly find your clit. You moan out loud again, and Haechan loves it so much.

“Don’t hold your moans, love them so much, baby.” the way the nickname falls from his lips has you spiralling deeper into him. There’s so much love and affection in the way he holds you, so carefully like you’ll break if he handles you a little rougher.

His fingers slowly ease at your entrance, watching your face. You tense up and he senses it, placing a soft kiss on your forehead. You’re a little nervous, you haven’t necessarily penetrated yourself a lot, and it’s always so tight when you do. You’re not even sure if you have a G-spot above all.

“Are you nervous?” he gently kisses all over your face, his hands pulling from your pussy. You nod, biting your lips.

“I don’t penetrate myself often,” you blush red, staring at his lips. They look so pretty.

“That’s okay, I’ll be careful, I promise.” he assures you, pecking your lips repeatedly. You trust him, maybe more than what you’re used to.

His fingers slowly push in your hole, and you gasp, feeling a little uncomfortable.

“So fucking wet and tight for me, my princess,” he nestles his middle finger in you, watching you so eagerly.

“Haechan,” you whine, pulling his mouth onto yours. You kissed him roughly, holding onto him so tightly. His fingers push in and out slowly, and you slowly gasp into the kiss. Haechan’s strong urge to hold your cheeks and spit into your mouth isn’t leaving, not when you kiss so messy.

When his fingers curl inside you, you see white. You moan messily into his mouth, and at this point, Haechan is so painfully hard. You were so tight and wet around his fingers, he couldn’t imagine how good it’d feel inside you.

“Faster,” you mumble, tears building in the corner of your eyes as you close in on your orgasm. “Close, close, so close,” you speak mindlessly, clutching onto the sheets.

“That's it, you’re doing so good for me, such a good girl for me,” he mumbles praises as you clench tight around his fingers.

“Haechan,” you whimper, pulling him in for another messy kiss to muffle your moans. His fingers press on your clit and that gets you. You cum hard on his fingers and he rides you through it, a soft smile on his face. Your legs shake lightly, and he soothes you through it.

“You did so well for me, baby. What a good girl,” he kisses you, his hands running over your thighs messily.

You hold his face close and whisper onto his lips, “Want you to fuck me,”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to push-”

“Fuck me, please.” you say. He sounds so nervous. Maybe he’s worried he’ll hurt you.

“Oh baby. Sure you can take me, love? Your tight little hole will be all used up by the time I’m done, princess.” your hole clenches, and you squeeze your thighs together.

“Please?”

He sighs, pinning you down to the bed once again with his lips. He presses you down, kissing you roughly, hungrily. He pulls away and slides down his sweats, and his underwear comes into view. The outline of his cock is huge.

His eyes are on you as he pulls down his underwear, a small gasp falling from your lips. He’s fucking huge. Your guess would be over eight. That’s probably an understatement.

“Like how big I am? Hmm?” he climbs back onto the bed, and you get a closer look at his cock. You don’t think that’s gonna fit inside you.

“You’re so big…” you whisper, and it doesn’t slip past his ears. He chuckles, placing another kiss at the top of your head as the head of his cock rubs against your pussy.

“Spit,” he opens his hand, and you spit onto it. He rubs it in between your pussy just in case you needed extra lubrication to take him in.

“You do touch yourself, don’t you sweetheart?” he asks, and you nod.

“Words, love.”

“Yes, yes I do, and I’ve done it to the thought of you,” you mumble mindlessly, mind too hazy to register what you were saying.

“Really now? You were my good girl all along, weren’t you?” his cock aligns with your hole again as you agree.

“I’m going to push in, love,” he whispers, and you wrap your hands around his neck before nodding. He pushes in, and you feel yourself being split open. He’s so big, and you already feel full before his cock is even half way in.

“Big, so- so big,” you whimper, your hands gripping onto his back.

“Sssh, you can take it puppy, yes you can,” he assures you, continuing to push in. Tears build in the corner of your eyes at the burn, and you whimper.

“Oh princess, you take me so well,” he coos, pressing gentle kisses everywhere. Tears drip from your eyes, and he wipes them away with his thumb, kissing them away.

“Promise it won’t hurt for long,” he assures you, and you hold onto him so tight. You weakly pull him into a kiss, asking him to move. He slowly rocks his hips forward, and you gasp, more tears building in your eyes.

Your cunt takes him so well, so tight and wet and warm. Haechan has to hold back his urge to fuck you stupid, until you’re just a mess that can’t talk, and all for your wellbeing. This is your first time, he needs to take it slow.

“It- it feels good,” you moan, scratching his back. Haechan fastens the pace by a little, and you moan out loud, your moans choppy.

“So good, degrade me, please,” you moan, and each moan, Haechan’s hips pistol a little harder, thrust a little faster.

“You’re a dirty fucking slut, fuck, look at you asking me so despretely,” he fucks you harder, degrading words falling from his lips.

“C-choke me,” you mumble out, and Haechan pauses for a second. You might be more kinky than he thought.

“Gladly,” his hand wraps around your neck, and he thrusts into you again, and you swear you saw stars.

“Fuck, yes, so good,” you cry, inching closer to your orgasm. He fucks you so hard, his hand wrapped around your throat, constant degrading falling from his lips. He praised you so far because he thought you wanted to take it slow, it was your first time. But all in the name of pleasant surprises.

Your back arches off the bed and sweat rolls down Haechan’s forehead from the effort, inching closer to an orgasm himself. Haechan pulls your leg up on his shoulder in a new angle, and you cry out when he touches a certain spot inside you that you didn’t know you had.

“Gonna cum, gonna cum on your cock,” you mumble mindlessly, your leg on Haechan’s shoulder. You almost scream as you clench, cumming hard on his cock. Your body shudders, and your legs shake from effort. It only takes a few more thrusts for Haechan to cum, and he pulls out before he cums. He cums onto your stomach, and you find it so hot.

He falls flat onto you, holding you close like you’ll disappear if he lets go.

“You did so well.” he kisses your forehead. You pant softly, your arms weakly clinging onto him.

“You wanna take a shower?” he asks, and you smile.

“Yes please,” you say, exhaustion dragging in your voice.

“Did I go too hard? Does it hurt anywhere?” he pouts out of habit, his eyes searching your face for any signs of displeasure.

“Noo, I’m fine,” you peck his lips.

“I mean, even if you’re hurt, it isn’t entirely my fault. You were the one who asked to get choked and degraded in the first place,” he states, and you blush brilliant red, glaring at him.

“Don’t glare at me, you know I’m right,” he smiles cheekily. You weakly punch him in the arm, and he acts like that costs his life. It gives you a good laugh.

“Let’s take a bath,” he stands up, slipping on his sweats. He picks you up and you squeal, covering yourself.

“What? It’s not like I didn’t just see all of this like a minute or two ago,” he rolls his eyes playfully, and you curl onto his chest. He places you into the bathtub, turning on the hot water for your sore muscles.

“Join me please,” you whine, scooting forward to make some space for him in the back. He giggles when he says, “Where do you think I’d go without joining you, don’t be dumb Mrs. Lee,”

You whine and he slips off his sweats, settling in the bath behind you. He leans back with a sigh, and you lean back onto him, relaxing all your muscles.

“When did you fall for me?” he asks.

“The day you tried to kiss me,” is your only quiet answer. He laughs and you laugh along, that being a fun memory now that you’ve really become a married couple.

“That wasn’t funny, you hurt my feelings back then,” he says, and you sigh.

“I know, I’m sorry. I wanted to kiss you, I did. But we promised to stay friends, and with my overthinking, all of it got into my head. You know, I even designed a certain dress that night, it’s a staff favourite. You’re the inspiration behind it,” you speak, and he hums, leaning over to press kisses onto your nape. You relax back into his gentle touch, smiling unconsciously.

You sit in silence like that for a while, just being next to each other.

“You touched yourself to the thought of me?” he asks, and you can sense the teasing smile on his face without looking.

“W-well,” you try to justify yourself, face burning red.

“I- you- you were walking around half naked that day and I was horny. I just- I thought of you doing what you just did to me,” you speak quietly, trying to hide your face away from him. Might as well come clean at this point.

“Well well well, I don’t mind. I think it’s so fucking hot,” he whispers into your ear. You shudder, a tight slap landing on Haechan’s thighs.

“Ouch,” Haechan yells falsely.

“Don’t do that,” you mumble shyly.

“Do what?”

“I don’t know, leave me alone,” you pout and look away, acting fake upset. He gets a good laugh out of it.

“Sorry, I had to,” he kisses your nape repeatedly as a form of apology. You pout, looking away.

“Okay, okay, let me wash you, hmm?” you look back again at his face, trying to hide your smile. God, how does he look so beautiful.

“You’re so pretty,” you adjust yourself to hold his face in your hands. He tilts his head towards your touch, enjoying the feeling.

“Pretty and all yours,” he smiles. He’s never been happier in his life except for the time when he was five and his dad got him the toy car he wanted.

You’re all his and he’s all yours. There’s nothing you both want more from the world. The fail of blemishes on his face, the little moles dotted everywhere onto his skin, he looks beautiful up close. You place your lips on his in the softest, most gentle kiss. It’s so pure, there’s nothing but love for each other in the span of those few seconds.

“How did I even end up with you?” Haechan whispers, his eyes observing you. You’re gorgeous, headstrong, and independent, you were truly a treasure to him.

“I don’t know, but fate had a plan for sure,” you laugh, a little teary eyed. To whoever put him in your path, thank you.

“Come here, baby,” the way he says it is so sweet, unlike the Haechan that was teasing you minutes ago. You move yourself again, your back facing him. You lean back and he pulls you against his chest, slow soft kisses on every inch of skin he could reach.

He finally does reach for the loofah, asking you to hand the body wash over when he realised he couldn’t reach it. He lathers it up and gently rubs over your skin, and a shaky sigh slips past your lips.

“It never fails to surprise me how much I love you,” he presses another kiss to your cheek and you giggle, leaning into him more.

“I’m going to love you back just as much with all I’ve got.” you mumble, and you can feel the smile in his voice when he speaks.

“I love you,” he whispers, and you whisper back the same words, letting him lather all the soap on your body. He’s so gentle, it makes you want to cry.

He washes your hair for you, gives you a few kisses, and helps you dry up. He wraps a towel around your body, looking at you with utmost love.

“Let’s get you to bed, okay?” he whispers and you nod with a cheeky smile. You feel like a toddler, so spoiled.

He gets you some clothes, the clothes being his. You curl into bed, exhausted and spent. Your eyes close and you feel one last kiss on your cheek before you slip into sleep.

Everything is going so well, you’ve never been happier. One last thing you need done is the runway, and you’ll be free ——————————————————————————————

“The show starts in 30 minutes, where’s Haechan?” you mumble, worried. You haven’t sat down all day long, running here and there to make sure everything was perfect. Haechan was nowhere to be seen, although he promised he’d be there an hour before the show started. What if something had gone wrong?

You call his phone for the sixteenth time, frustration creeping up your neck. A stylist comes up to you mid call, and asks a doubt, and it takes all of your inner strength not to shout.

“Gina please, we’ve been over this. Red eyeshadow for the purple dress, Green one for the blue. It’s the colour contrasts. There’s a sheet with Kim, just ask for it,” you shoo her away, and she walks away. You can’t stand out and keep calling him much longer, the hair stylists are late as it is.

“Madame,” your secretary runs up to you, switching off her headset. You gesture to her to keep going, your eyes on your phone.

“Mr. Lee had just called in, he wanted me to tell you that he was right outside the venue.” your eyes light up, hope igniting inside you. You were about to give him hell if he had missed this.

You tell your secretary to take charge until you’re back, and you run outside to him. “Haechan, where were you?” you sigh exasperated.

“Get in,” he says, and you do.

“I’m sorry for pulling you out in the middle of everything like this, but,” he says, rushing to pull something out of his pocket.

“Noticed you forgot our engagement ring at home, so I got a substitute to match your dress,” he smiles as he slides it on your ring finger.

“Haechan, I- I could have sent someone to get it,” you stare at him, confused.

“Consider this our engagement ring. We weren’t exactly couples when we got married for real, you know,” he blushes a little, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Come in, everyone wants to meet Mr. Lee,” you tease, leaning forward and closer to his lips.

“And they’ll meet Mr and Mrs. Lee. We’re a package deal, everyone knows that,” he kisses you, and you kiss back with the same intensity.

“I love you,”

“Love you too baby,” he whispers against your lips, stepping out of the car with you.

Everything was going to be fine. Everything will be fine. You’re with Haechan, nothing could go wrong, you know it.