Summary: Chan has a bad day, and Minho calls you, begging you to come home early. You encourage him to try and comfort your boyfriend on his own, even though Minho claims that never works.
You glance up from your laptop as a few messages suddenly light up your phone. Minho.
Minnie Darling💗: Come home.
Minnie Darling💗: Now.
Minnie Darling💗: Channie's an idiot.
You frown at that last one and see he's still typing, but decide you want to know more quickly. You call him instead, and he picks up almost immediately. "Yes, my sweet Minnie darling?" you ask patiently.
Minho makes an incoherent noise before huffing loudly. "When are you done?"
"In an hour or so," you tell him, knowing very well he knows your schedule by heart.
"Shit," he groans softly.
"What happened?" you ask gently.
"Channie happened," he answers, frustrated.
"Meaning?" you laugh, giving up the fight.
Minho huffs softly, remaining quiet for a moment before he speaks up again, his voice much softer now. "He messed up during our live performance today," he sighs. "Means he's questioning his whole existence and won't let me help."
You hum softly, heart aching at the thought of Chan beating himself up for something like this once again. "And what makes you think I'd have a better shot?" you ask gently. "I won't always be there to comfort him. He's your boyfriend too."
"Yeah, but he tends to push me away," Minho says quietly, sounding less annoyed now. "I want to help, but…maybe it's easier for him to open up to you."
"Because?" you ask gently.
"I don't know, ask him," Minho huffs, almost a little offended. “Probably because you’re a fucking ray of sunshine, respectfully, and I’m not.”
A soft giggle escapes you at his little outburst. "Don't give up, Minnie, okay? You can be quite sunny if you like," you say softly. "I'll stop by the dorm in a bit, okay?"
"Mhm, okay," he sighs and watches his screen turn black as you end the call after a quick goodbye. He stares down the hallway, eyeing Chan's door, and sighs heavily before walking over. He doesn't knock, knowing Chan would ignore him anyway.
Chan's lying flat on his stomach in his bed, face buried in a pillow. He doesn't even look up as he barges in. "Fuck off," he grumbles.
"Not happening," Minho shakes his head before jumping onto his bed and throwing himself half on top of him. "Come on, what's wrong?" he asks caringly.
"Don't wanna talk about it," Chan groans.
"Channie, you messed up a few steps. It happens," he sighs, gently rubbing his shoulders.
"I was off tune as well," Chan adds, frustrated.
"It happens," Minho says as patiently as he can. "You're not going to get canceled because of that. You told the public you're fucking one of your members and your girlfriend; you're still here, aren't you?" he asks, and Chan turns to look at him. Minho's smile falters, seeing the tears burning in Chan's eyes. "I'm sorry, was that too much?" he asks guiltily.
"I'm a failure," Chan presses out, not addressing Minho’s dumb joke. "How can I lead you guys if I'm the one messing up?"
Minho's face falls, and for a moment Chan thinks he's mad at him. But there’s no anger in those soft brown orbs. "Channie, love," Minho says softly and caresses his cheek. "You can't possibly mean that."
"Yes, I do. I'm not as good at dancing as you and Hyunjin are, I can't keep my voice and rap as steady as Hannie, Binnie, or Seungmin, I don't have anything unique like Felix's deep voice, and I don't even have the baby bonus Jeongin has," he says and sucks in a sharp breath. "I'm just me, and that's not enough sometimes."
"Mhm, okay," Minho huffs softly and sits up. "Come on," he says, pulling at the sleeve of his sweater. Chan groans softly but does as he says, mirroring his position as he faces him. Minho very lovingly cups his face and locks eyes with him. "Just you, huh?"
"Yeah," Chan shrugs, sniffing softly as he hugs a pillow to his chest and looks at him with big, sad eyes.
"If just you means being an amazing leader and taking care of the kids at all times. If just you means having the brightest smile with the sweetest dimples and shining eyes. If just you means being kind, creative, passionate, loving, almost annoyingly cuddly, protective, and gentle…then yeah, it's just you," Minho rambles on, desperate to make Chan see what he sees in him. "If being just you means being loved by two people to whom you mean the world and being the best boyfriend one could wish for…then yes, Channie, it's just you, but doesn't it sound amazing?"
Chan seems to hang at his lips, taking in every word like an addict, face and ears burning up slowly. "Baby, stop being cheesy," he says quietly.
"I'm not being cheesy if I tell you what's true. These are mere facts I'm sharing," he says, winking at him sweetly. Minho sighs softly before leaning forward and planting slow, gentle kisses all over his face. "I don't expect you to see yourself through my eyes…that would get to your head," he says, and Chan giggles softly. "But try to see your good qualities for once. Try seeing what an effect you have on the people close to you and what you mean to them. Stop making yourself seem smaller than you are, love. And for God’s sake, stop comparing your dance moves to mine, babe. I was a professional dancer before becoming an idol. I’d be offended if you guys were better than me."
Chan gazes at him intensely, a grin covering his lips, before climbing into his lap and hugging him very tightly. Minho grunts softly before hugging back, a little surprised. "Thank you, baby," Chan tells him quietly, burying his face in his neck.
Minho smiles a little to himself, eyes beaming at his words working. "I love you, you know?" he says gently, running his hand through Chan's soft curls.
"I love you too, Min," Chan says softly.
Minho flinches softly as you're suddenly behind him, caressing his head. "We've got company," he whispers to Chan jokingly.
"Don't care," Chan mumbles and cuddles even deeper into him.
"I can leave?" you laugh, only mildly offended.
Chan shoots up and looks at you with wide eyes. "Oh, babe, I'm so sorry."
"She's joking," Minho snorts, lovingly patting his back.
“You’re okay?” you ask Chan gently, and your boyfriend looks at Minho with a soft smile.
“I think I am, yeah,” he nods, and Minho smiles back at him softly.
“I’m glad,” you smile before winking at Minho. “Told you you could do it.”
“Shut up,” he grumbles, not unkind, laughing as you ruffle his hair.
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Taglist: (Please let me know if you want to be added to/removed from the taglist!)
tags; domestic fluff, hybrid chan, huddling for warmth
rated G
sumary;
Chan would always leave early in the morning, before Minho could even open his eyes and he would return the next day, sometimes even after two days. It was always different.
On such days, even if their house was always quick to be filled with warmth, considering that it was comfortably small, the cold always sneaked through any crack, making itself welcomed in their home and being a guest Minho didn’t enjoy having over. Especially when he was alone with it, his boyfriend gone so he could provide for them.
This time it seemed like it was worse than any other.
summary . . . why verivery members couldn't sleep with you on your wedding night.
❪ 私たちの春 ❫ headcanons newlyweds suggestive crack (at least i think its funny hehe) verivery x f!reader 376 cw ノ suggestive (minors proceed with caution), undressing, one mention of foreplay, nothing explicit this is just supposed to be funny 〃 ♡ ⸝⸝⸝ usually i don't write smth like this but the idea suddenly came and i couldn't stop laughing thinking about it (started with gyehyeon's idea for the record) / 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄
LEE DONGHEON ﾐ 이동헌
in his eagerness trying to get you undressed, he ends up ripping your wedding dress
like, badly ripping it
you both freeze realizing the dress that cost you thousands now has a massive tear in it
whatever sexy mood was in the air vanishes with it
BAE HOYOUNG ﾐ 배호영
you're both too exhausted to even think of doing it
on the same wavelength, you both order fast food and relax after the day
will have a slightly sweet intimate moment when he helps you out of your dress and the millions of pins in your hair, but you both know you're too tired to take it anywhere
HONG MINCHAN ﾐ 홍민찬
parties too hard at reception and gets way too drunk
although he is very eager and definitely wants to give you the wedding night of your dreams, you put the cap on it
you want him to also remember whatever happens on your special night, and he's far too blackout drunk for any coordination let alone recalling it in the future
JO GYEHYEON ﾐ 조계현
falls asleep mid foreplay and is just completely knocked out, there is no chance of waking him up again
given how tiny his social battery can be you should have predicted it would be completely drained after the wedding and night of partying
he'll make it up to you in the morning
JU YEONHO ﾐ 주연호
you both keep getting interrupted whenever you try to make any moves
the hotel phone rings, room service comes, there's a noise complaint next door and staff are trying to resolve the conflict in the hallway, the fire alarm sounds… you name it
after about 4 different interruptions and only getting half your clothes off you decide to both give up
KIM YONGSEUNG ﾐ 김용승
wanted to watch the stars with you on your wedding night like the astronomy nerd he is (and promises once you get back to the room he's all yours!)
but you end up falling asleep while listening to him talk about constellations
not your fault his voice is very soothing (and the day was exhausting)
YOO KANGMIN ﾐ 유강민
is scared and doesn't know what to do (and is also probably still trying to learn how to function in front of you again after seeing you in your dress)
ends up sitting with you on the bed awkwardly like um… what do married people do now????
despite all the hints you might throw at him, he is not picking ANY of them up, and you eventually give up and call it a night
order 005 for anon: large banana milk tea with pudding, lychee jelly and grass jelly
Warnings: some explicit language, flooding mentions
Summary: when you and your soulmate kiss, a small, very small part of your hair will turn white. But why would you and college!Minchan ever kiss when you hate each other?
word count: ~3k
[a/n]: i miss Minchan so much pls :( aLSO I'M SORRY THIS IS SO SH*T AND LATE BUT I HAD FUN WRITING IT!!!
"Move out of my spot," Minchan sighs, towering over you as you sit hunched over your notes in the front row of the lecture hall.
"No, why should I?" you spit out, still looking down.
"Because it's my spot, didn't you hear me say that?" Minchan clarifies with a scoff.
"Oh just shut up. Is your name written on here anywhere?"
He sighs and chooses to sit behind you, accepting defeat for now.
"Can you and Minchan not just give it a rest for one day?" your friend asks you as they take the spot beside you.
"If he wasn't so annoying, then maybe I would be able to do that," you say, organizing your notes for today's lecture.
Minchan kicks the back of your leg with his foot after hearing your words, and you turn around, sighing.
"You're literally proving my point. Just stop," you say.
"You stop badmouthing me first then," Minchan says with a smirk.
"Okay, good morning everyone!" the professor says, causing you to turn back to the front so you can pay attention.
The lecture passes peacefully as the two of you focus. Sure, you have a deep rivalry, but you're both dedicated students who never mess around when a lecture begins.
It's only after it ends that Minchan gets on your nerves again.
You find it right in front of a vending machine, pressing the buttons to dispense a drink. After he steps away, you realize that he had bought your favourite drink, and you don't think much of it until you step up to also buy that drink... only to find there's no more left.
"Minchan, what the hell? You don't even like that flavour anyway, why did you have to take the last one?!" you yell, pointing at the drink in his hands.
He shrugs in response, unscrewing the cap.
"If you want it, you'll have to do something for me."
"And what's that?"
"Convince everyone that we're dating."
"Just for a drink?!" you exclaim.
"I'll have a lifetime supply for you. Anytime you want, just tell me and I'll buy you one."
"Minchan... have you lost it? You know I hate you, right? Why would I pretend to be your s/o?"
"Because people think I'm dating this stuck-up asshole and it's ruining my reputation."
"Why would me dating you fix anything?"
"Because you get good grades, [y/n]. Not as good as mine, but good enough. And I hate your guts, but everyone else seems to think you're alright."
You sigh, shaking your head at the boy.
"I'll give you the drink this once. You've got till tomorrow to think about it," he says, flashing you a smile before walking away.
Confused, the drink almost slips out of your hands as you shuffle to your dorm, feeling bewildered.
-
"So Minchan, your mortal enemy wants you to fake date him?" you friend asks you, sitting on your bed while watching you pace around.
"Yeah."
"That makes no sense."
"Right?!"
"And all you get out of it is a lifetime supply of your favourite drink?"
"Yeah! I mean, those drinks are expensive so..."
"No, [y/n]! Focus!" your friend tells you, holding onto your hands and shaking them.
"Right, right," you mumble.
Your friend suddenly claps their hands and you jump back in fright, swearing at them for scaring you.
"I've got it! Just tell him that you'll only do it if he stops being such a little shit to you."
"So... fake date him to stop our annoying rivalry?" you repeat.
Your friend nods and you step back to properly consider their words. It doesn't sound so bad, especially since your rivalry with Minchan kind of started out of nowhere anyway, and you've always been hoping you never met him so this stupid thing would stop.
-
You: hey! dumbass!
stinky min: ???
You: let's do it
stinky min: ??
You: the,,, thing
stinky min: well don't be shy now
stinky min: spit it out
You: YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
stinky min: you want to date me?
You: fake* !!! FAKE date you yes
stinky min: ok
You: ugh i hate you
stinky min: :D
You: IT'S ONLY ON ONE CONDITION THO
stinky min: and that is?
You: we end this dumbass rivalry and you stop being so annoying
stinky min: sorry babe can't do that
You: okay then bye
stinky min: NO WAIT
stinky min: i was joking..
stinky min: fine..
stinky min: tomorrow for our first class,, you better come sit next to me when i wave to you
-
"[y/n]!" Minchan yells, waving at you frantically with a big smile on his face.
You sigh and cover your face with your hand as you compose yourself, wondering why you're doing this for a lifetime supply of drinks and for this stupid rivalry to be over. Then, you finally look up and nod in Minchan's direction, approaching his spot in front row. You slide into the seat he saved for you while gritting your teeth and whispering, "why are you sitting in my seat?"
"[y/n], I saved a seat for you in the front row! Since you always like to sit here," Minchan says, obnoxiously loudly.
"I can see that, dumbass," you whisper, still continuing to smile at him while gritting your teeth.
"[y/n], be a bit more natural, would you?" Minchan whispers, stretching an arm around you and pulling you close.
You almost fly off your seat as you hadn't expected him to do this, but stay put despite your heart thumping heavily in your chest. When he leans his head on your shoulder, you have to do everything not to punch him.
"Your heart's beating so fast, my dear," Minchan mumbles.
"Are they dating?" someone whispers in the row behind you.
Murmurs begin to rise and Minchan smirks the whole time, his head still on your shoulder. His hair feels strangely fluffy and soft against your neck.
When the lecture begins, Minchan sits up straight but listens to the whole lecture with his hand around your waist. All of this skinship makes you dizzy and angry, and by the time the lecture is over, you've pulled Minchan aside to have a word with him.
"Minchan, if you're doing to do things like this, then I want out."
"What do you mean, babe?" he says, reaching forwards to push your hair back with his fingertips.
You catch his hand with yours, holding it there.
"This is what I mean," you say, pointing to his hand sitting on your head.
"Well we're dating, aren't we? Isn't it natural to show some skinship?"
"Minchan, firstly this isn't even real. Secondly, skinship isn't a required thing or anything. So just... chill out, okay?"
Minchan leans forward until his lips are right next to your ear.
"Why, is it cause I make your heart rate increase?"
"No!" you yell, pushing him a way.
A couple of students see this and speed walk away, whispering amongst themselves while staring at you.
"Okay, [y/n], calm down. I'll go easy on you, I promise. Have this drink and I'll see you later," he says, holding out your favourite drink.
"When did you even buy this?" you ask, taking it from him.
"Be there at the party tonight, okay?" he tells you while walking away.
What party? you wonder, until you check your phone. Someone has posted in your class about a party happening in Minchan's dorm building.
Sighing, you start to write a text to Minchan asking him why you have to attend a dumb party when you don't like parties anyway, but he messages you first.
stinky min: going to the party will be a great place to show everyone we're dating. and finally stop people talking behind my back... so be there, okay?
stinky min: and about the skinship.. i'm sorry. i'll genuinely stop. but at least you only have to see me a couple times during the day! it's not like we're in the same dorm or anything..
-
After getting your studying and classes done for the day, you head to Minchan's dorm building, which is already flooded with people.
"How isn't anyone getting in trouble for this?" you mumble, looking at the people scattered across the hallways with drinks in their hands, socializing.
You weave through the people, searching for Minchan.
"Hey! Looking for your... boyfriend?" a familiar voice asks you, taking hold of your arm.
You turn around to see your friend, looking lovely as ever.
"Yeah... seen him anywhere?" you ask.
They point upstairs while saying, "he's in his room, 204, waiting for you."
"Alright, I'll see you around then!"
"Don't have too much fun," your friend says with a wink.
Fun? This is not fun at all, you sigh, trudging upstairs and pushing past people to find room 204.
When you finally find it, you're surprised to see it's the only room with the door closed. You knock and the door knob quickly turns, revealing a very.... annoyingly attractive Minchan, with his hair parted comma style, wearing a white tee and a blue jean jacket.
"[y/n], you came! Come in, the real party's in here," he says, inviting you inside.
You walk in to find his TV showing a game he was playing, and he sits down to continue.
You throw him a confused look, but he just stares back at you.
"What? I know you didn't wanna be there, so let's at least have some fun before we have to go out there," he tells you, patting the spot on the ground next to him.
"Wow, Minchan. This is actually the kindest thing you've done for me," you reply, sitting next to him and taking the controller he's offering you.
After absolutely destroying Minchan in the game he thought he was the best at (what a reality check for him!) the two of you stand up and take a few deep breaths before stepping out into the hallway.
"Hey, you owe me something for beating you," you say before Minchan opens the door.
"Oh, shut up," he says, but with a smile.
As soon as he opens the door, people start to greet him. It isn't surprising, since he is just a bit of a popular guy. Okay, maybe more than a bit, but you don't want to admit that.
Many people ask Minchan if he broke up with Jennifer, the stuck-up asshole that he had been telling you people thought he was dating, and Minchan clarifies each time, with a bright grin, that they were never dating, but that it's only ever been him and you.
Everyone seems to find this so cute, but you almost vomit on the spot. Who would've known that Minchan could be so cringey?
Feeling tired after socializing with so many people, the two of you find your own space to stand in one another's company for a second.
"So, how does it feel, Minchan?" you ask him.
"To be dating you?" he asks back, a cheeky grin on his face.
You hiss at him and shake your head.
"No! To be rid of that dumb rumour about you and Jennifer."
"Ah, it feels good! Thanks, [y/n]. Do you want me to go grab your favourite drink for you? The vending machine here has it."
You take a second before agreeing, telling yourself that you deserve it after having role played for so long.
A few moments after Minchan leaves, the somewhat loud music that had been blasting this whole time stops, and someone starts yelling from up the stairs.
"GUYS, THERE'S BEEN A FLOOD AND IT'S SUPER BAD. IT'S SPREADING TO ALL THE HALLWAYS SO WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW!" he shouts.
Even from down there you can notice water pooling around his feet from where he stands near the stairs, and water trickling down the steps, too.
Some people immediately rush out, but you search around for Minchan for some time, wondering why he's taking so long. Then, the flood starts getting really bad, rushing down the stairs and beginning to approach you.
You start speedwalking towards the door, not even stopping when someone grabs your arm.
"[y/n]! You waited for me?" the person asks.
You turn to find Minchan with his pants soaked up to his knees and holding your favourite drink while panting.
"No. Maybe. Anyways, let's go!" you say, dragging him out with you.
That whole night, no one gets any sleep as the campus' staff decide what to do with all the students who won't have a place to sleep. It's only at 4am that they decide on a solution: to send everyone from Minchan's dorm into your dorm, because yours is the one with the most vacant spots.
And as if by the worst luck on this planet, Minchan just has to be placed right. In your. Room.
He trails in at 4:32am, shyly following you inside and acting very differently from his usual arrogant state.
"So this is where you sleep, huh [y/n]?" he quietly asks, looking at your bed.
"Yeah, of course. This is my dorm, what would you expect? That bed on the other side is vacant, so you can sleep there. If you need anything, just go grab it. But if you can't find it or need help, you can wake me up, it's honestly fine," you explain, grabbing your clothes so you can get changed in the bathroom
Minchan stops you.
"No, [y/n], it's fine! I'll change in the bathroom. You change here and tell me when you're done."
You shrug and nod, accepting his offer.
Once you're both changed, you decide to just sleep, because by now it's 5am and you both have class in a little over 3 hours. But you're unable to sleep with the presence of another person in your usually empty room, and you notice Minchan rustling around in his bed, too.
"Having trouble sleeping?" you whisper, not wanting to wake him in case he's actually asleep.
"Yeah..." Minchan says with a sigh.
"Let me just turn on the light, cause I can't sleep either-"
"No! It's better like this." Minchan says, interrupting you as you begin to leave your bed.
You fall back on it, sitting on the edge.
"Anything... I can do to help you sleep?" you ask him, feeling weird that you're being so nice to someone who was your enemy not too long ago.
"Do you wanna cook something?" Minchan asks you after a long silence.
"Cook? Now?"
"We didn't eat," Minchan points out, making you laugh.
"I guess you're right!" you say, standing up to turn on the light.
With whatever random ingredients you have, Minchan helps direct you in making a meal, carefully teaching you how to cut the vegetables and how to fry things correctly. He always gets real close when he does this, but never touches you since he thinks you wouldn't like that. You notice this and appreciate it.
At one point, Minchan asks you to lean in close to the stove to look at the texture of the food. You lean in and place your head practically next to his.
"See how it's this colour and is a lot softer? That means it's done!"
Minchan turns to you after he says this, and this might sound crazy, but your faces are so close to each other that Minchan's lips literally graze yours when he turns to you.
He immediately jumps back and apologizes, laughing slightly for his stupid mistake while covering his mouth with his hand. You, on the other hand, feel mortified and hold your lips with your fingers, wondering if they haven't fallen off or anything, because for some reason, they feel like they're buzzing.
"Wait, [y/n], why is your hair... turning white?" Minchan asks, pointing to your hair.
You notice a strand of white in Minchan's hair too, and you also point up to it. Reaching out to touch each other's white strands, the two of you seem to realize at the same time.
"Ah... so it's you? You're my soulmate?" Minchan asks, his cheeks clearly tainted red.
"I guess so... Damn, that wasn't even a real kiss but it was enough to turn our hair white!"
The two of you remain speechless for a few moments.
"So I'm really soulmates with my enemy?" you ask, groaning.
"Hey, I guess we have to learn to love each other now," Minchan says, puckering his lips and fake-kissing the air.
You push his face away and run off towards your bed, leaving Minchan chasing you around your room while the two of you laugh loudly. Thankfully you don't get any noise complaints, but running around at 6am leaves the two of you running on an all-nighter for your first class.
As the two of you practically fall asleep on each other for the whole class, everyone giggles at your sleepy states, but most importantly, gawks at the white strands in your hair.
"So they were really meant to be, huh," your friend says, sitting behind you and kicking your shin, forcing you awake so you can pay attention.
pairing: uni student! Minchan x high school student!reader
genre: social media au, non-idol! au, romance, angst, fluff
summary -> Keeping secrets from your older brother, Hoyoung, wasn't your favorite thing to do. Especially, when those secrets included his uni friend, Minchan.
Take a delicate prince who prefers books over physical training and a shameless criminal who has a sharp tongue and cheeky remarks. Surely, their paths shouldn’t have crossed, but they had done so nevertheless.
♦ Characters: prince!Minchan x criminal!Sookyung (OC)
♦ Genre: reversed Aladdin AU, kingdom AU, fluff, comedy, a bit of action
♦ Words: 3.6k
♦ Warning: mention of a minor character’s death in the past
♦ A/N: Inspired by the boys’ Gogobebe performance on Road To Kingdom. I’m a huge fan of Aladdin, so of course I had to write an Aladdin AU after that performance. *-* Click here to be added to the TAGLIST and to let me know about your fic preferences.
Prince Minchan wasn’t an ordinary prince.
Or in fact, maybe when it came to his appearance, he was actually prince-like. He was slender, tall and broad-shouldered, thus he definitely looked like someone who could protect a whole kingdom. He had fluffy, slightly curly locks that seemed like shades of the fresh cinnamon; somewhere in between deep brown and light pecan. He had mature and defined features, his sharp jawline looked like as if it had been crafted by some kind of god. His mellow lips were ever so scarcely pulled into a smile, or maybe it was just that average people didn’t have the chance to see his sunrise-like smile very often alongside his whole appearance in fact.
Prince Minchan was an ordinary prince in the sense that he had been trained to serve with the army, he had been trained to become the next sultan as he had been the older out of the two heirs with his little brother Gyehyeon being two years younger than him. He had been taught manners, ethics, mathematics, physics and history. He had been taught well how to conduct a debate, how to add to arguments in a polite yet firm way, how to come up with strategies, how to read a map and how to lead a group of people if needed.
However, he wasn’t ordinary in the sense that he didn’t yearn for all these; the fame, the power, the perks of being of royal blood. He wasn’t interested in wars and fights, neither mathematics or history. He wasn’t fond of debates and arguments, he rather preferred solace and quiet afternoons. He preferred inks tinting the parchment paper instead of war threats sent in the kingdom’s way, he preferred sitting in the blooming garden instead of practicing out on the field and he would have preferred to live his life as a mere merchant instead of a prince.
But after all, he hadn’t chosen his own fate. His fate had chosen him. Or so he had thought so before he met Sookyung.
Sookyung wasn’t an ordinary girl - in any sense.
She had boyishly short hair, locks as dark as the canvas of the sky above the kingdom at midnight, eyes as deep as the Pacific Ocean and gaze as searing as the hottest of fire. She was taller than the average female, loose clothes covering her feminine curves and face usually covered by a hood. She was a quick runner, an excellent debater and an even better criminal, hence the hood over her head. It wasn’t that she had been sentenced to death, but let’s just say she was usually not welcomed in places, thus she didn’t even stay at the same kingdom for longer than a few weeks.
There was also something slightly odd about her; no matter her crimes and her cheeky and fierce behaviour, she had a soft spot for people in need - just like she had been one of them before she had chosen this path. Though as an orphan, kicked onto the streets as a mere child, what more could she have done?
No wonder she halted in her steps when she caught sight of an unusual scene at the market - the sandy road dotted with multiple stalls smelling of fresh books, baked goods, magnificent herbs, spicy flavours and people selling many colourful carpets and the finest of silk. There was a boy at a book stall, holding a book in his hands, the merchant yelling at him to pay for it and the boy insisting that he had money, just not right now.
Sookyung narrowed her eyebrows at the sight because he did look like someone who would have money; from the way he dressed to the way he formed words, he seemed like a rather noble young man. Though she didn’t know about people in such high ranks, especially not here in the Kingdom of the Setting Sun. She had been here for only a week.
Nevertheless, she strode to the stall, reached for a few coins in her pocket and gave it to the merchant who smiled through his hollow teeth. Merchants like him didn’t care about people until they got their money, so she wasn’t surprised that he didn’t ask questions. Unlike the fine-looking young man.
“Thank you,” the boy whispered in awe, eyes searching for hers, but she purposefully didn’t look into them.
“Don’t thank me.” She waved him off, knowing that she didn’t do anything good, yet before they could part ways, the merchant realized that she had given him fake coins and instead of her, he grabbed onto the young boy.
Sookyung grabbed the merchant by his shoulder and pushed him backwards, and the action itself and the power she used was enough for him to take a few steps back and for her to grab the boy by his wrist and start dragging him with her.
Despite the short time she had spent in the kingdom, she knew her way around, especially back to her little brick house that she had found abandoned when she had come to the kingdom. They made their ways through narrow corridors, outdoor stalls and busy market places, turning corners and looking back to see if the man was following them, but based on her quick examination regarding his physique, Sookyung had a feeling that he didn’t stand a chance.
Yet, they could only be sure about that when they arrived at her little brick house that was seemingly out of reach and run down enough for people not to bother her while she was staying there. From the outside, it looked like no one had lived there because the empty door frames were covered by thick curtains, thus not even light from the inside could be seen.
“So what’s your deal? You don’t look like you belong here,” Sookyung remarked as she popped down onto a cushion that might have seemed too ordinary for someone who walked around in such high quality clothes, but the boy seemed to be more shocked by her realization than the sight around him.
His eyes widened as if he had been an animal caught in a trap, his Adam’s nipple anxiously moving up and down, lips slightly trembling.
“I-I...” He stuttered, yet seeing his nervous state, she rather waved him off.
“You know what? Nevermind. You’re clearly running away from something, and you’re clearly naive for trusting me,” she pointed out honestly, yet shrugged her shoulders as if she hadn’t cared about him. Though she had to admit that there was something captivative about his coffee-bean like eyes, something that she had also seen in her own orbs: the yearn for freedom.
“Fancy some tea?” Sookyung popped the question ever so casually as she rose from the cushion and walked closer to the part of the room she liked to call the kitchen. It was barely a table and a few other equipments but those were already enough for making tea and preparing some bread with cheese or a few chocolate-covered dates. All stolen, of course.
“Well, yes, actually.” The boy nodded, yet upon seeing her reaching for the tea cup, he corrected himself. “I meant, the running away part,”
“So you do admit that you’re naive?” She quirked an eyebrow in question, amusement tinting her lips. She decided to remove her hood at this point, there was no point in hiding herself from someone who looked so clueless and out of place. Despite his seemingly wealthy background, he looked like he wouldn’t be able to hurt a single soul.
The boy gave her a pointed look that seemed opposite of every action of his from before. He seemed much more firm than a minute ago, and she had a feeling that he had been taught for it, too. The way he corrected his posture and the way he held his chin up high; it was something that radiated superiority.
“I don’t consider myself naive. I am currently trying to read your body language to analyse your intentions,” he explained sternly, yet she couldn’t help a cheeky smile from appearing on her lips.
“And what does my body language say?”
No matter how provocative she tried to seem, the boy was flustered for only a fraction of a second. After that, he regained his composure and kept the eye-contact, making sure that she knew that he wasn’t one to have such ulterior intentions.
“Nothing like that.” He shook his head, a few of his cinnamonish locks falling into his coffee eyes. He was sure a sight to behold, and his behaviour was just the cherry on top.
“You’re cute,” she said shamelessly, deciding to ignore the slightly dumbfounded expression on his face. “It’s not like I’m killing boys in my free time, so relax, feel yourself at home,” she declared before he could get totally scared and might run away as if he had lost it. Though he was probably wondering around anyway, seeing how he stayed with her until this time and didn’t leave the moment they arrived at her little house. Or maybe he was merely too curious.
At first, the boy seemed reluctant to stay, yet he seemed reluctant to go either. It was a pretty interesting sight, so while he was trying to make up his mind, she busied herself preparing the tea and was surprised to find him actually staying in the end. She didn’t mind though.
The boy was actually an interesting company because it could be seen and could be heard that he had been taught well and he had read enough to know about topics she had absolutely no knowledge on. He was actually much more outspoken than he had seemed at first, and no matter how hard she tried to focus on what he was saying, her eyes still lingered on the shade of his eyes and the curliness of his locks. He seemed too much of a painting rather than a real human being, but actually seeing moles and circles under his eyes made her more reassured. At least, he had such flaws that made him humane.
She wouldn’t have thought that they would be able to have such an enjoyable conversation but apparently they did so, and even though he didn’t confess who he was, she could figure out that he had been travelling a lot because his family was wealthy and that he read a lot and that he was trained a lot. He could have been a prince or the next Sultan for all she had cared because what mattered to her was the fact that they could talk about freedom and breaking stigmas, understanding and empathy towards others and a lot more. Until, of course, he needed to leave.
“To where you’re running from?” She quirked an eyebrow in question, but didn’t pressure him to talk about something he didn’t want to. “Well, good luck!” Sookyung said in the end with a half-smile, watching as the boy forced himself to stand up and directed a final look in her direction.
“Thank you,” the boy - who had introduced himself as Minchan - remarked before leaving, missing out on her shaking her head and smiling cheekily to herself. What a boy he was! How flustered he had gotten when she had called him cute! She would probably never forget him even if they didn’t meet again. Though she hoped that they would.
Prince Minchan didn’t know what hit him when his legs found their ways to the girl’s house. As someone who needed to remember maps and strategies, his memory was particularly good and he knew the way around the kingdom anyway, although it had been some time since he could have left the palace for a longer period of time.
After the Sultana had died, the Sultan had wanted to make sure that he kept the boys as safe as possible, thus sneaking out was strictly prohibited for a while. Minchan had spent most of his childhood and teenage years wondering what it could be like outside, what a market could smell of, how hot the sand could feel under his feet when there was nothing to cover him from above and what it would be like to watch the sunset from somewhere else other than the terrace of the palace.
It had been only after his father had assumed that the princes were trained enough to take care of themselves properly that he let the boys leave the palace with the requirement of them letting him and the palace guards know that they would be going outside. Prince Minchan had left the palace multiple times ever since, mostly to buy new books for himself, yet sometimes - just like last time - he didn’t have enough money on himself and he didn’t want to cheat his way out of a payment just because he was a prince. People didn’t know how he looked anyway since he hadn’t been able to leave the palace for so long and they could have only seen him during ceremonies but those were kept inside of the palace anyway and only royal families were invited.
Yet, there was something about the girl’s mind-set and way of speaking that drove him in. It felt as if someone could have understood him which was surprising given their different backgrounds and the mere fact that sometimes he felt like no one understood him.
His little brother had also been very different from him; while Minchan was tender, soft-hearted, more of a sophisticated person rather than a skilled fighter, Gyehyeon was fierce, determined and an excellent swordsman and runner. It seemed like he had gotten the power and strength from their father and Minchan had gotten the softness and intellect from their mother. Which would have worked out just fine if the Sultan hadn’t insisted on Minchan being the Crown Prince just because he was the oldest.
Small wonder it felt nice to talk to someone who seemingly didn’t know who he was and what burden he carried. He craved the same kind of understanding again, hence his visit at the seemingly empty house. He looked around for a bit, suspecting that Sookyung might have gone somewhere else already as she had shared with him that she had been travelling ever since she had left the kingdom she had been from. She didn’t want the place to remind her of her own bitter memories, of being abandoned and of being left alone and tossed away at such a young age.
However, in the next moment, someone poked him in the chest, and Minchan was so surprised to find the girl beside him once he turned his head that he almost let out a squeal. Almost.
“Miss me already?” Sookyung chuckled, seeing his startled expression, her eyebrows rising up and down in a slightly teasing manner.
The prince needed a few seconds to gather his thoughts and pull himself together enough to answer her playful question. No matter her cheerful behaviour, he didn’t want to play along with her this time, thus he decided to be honest.
“Missed talking to you, actually. You seemed like you understand me,” he admitted as he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, the sudden change in the atmosphere making him fear her reaction. He shouldn’t have been afraid though; the girl’s features immediately softened and instead of a cocky smile, it was replaced by a bittersweet one.
“Had a rough day?” She inquired quietly, her eyes boring into his own ones. Even if she had been practically a criminal, he knew her reasons and her personality meant so much more to him than any crime could. It’s not like she had seriously hurt anyway, she just needed to get by somehow.
He nodded to her question, his lips pulling into a grimace. The girl got the message just by this action of his and pointed in the direction of her colourful cushion.
“Well, then, have a seat. I’ll get you your favourite tea,” she suggested, making her way to the table, yet Minchan was taken aback by her words almost immediately. While it was true that they had talked about his favourite kind of tea the last time they had met, he wouldn’t have thought that she would do as much as to buy his favourite tea.
“Did you purchase my favourite tea?”
“Well, I didn’t actually purchase it because it’s way too expensive, but I had a feeling you would come back,” she explained with that adventurous glint in her carob eyes and Minchan couldn’t help but let his lips curl upwards. “I like that smile better. Your gloomy face is way too ugly,” she remarked shamelessly, and he was sure that it was to lift up his mood, thus he wasn’t angry at her. Not like he could be angry at her. After all, she had helped him a lot more than he could have asked for and this day prove him right yet again.
Talking to Sookyung was always full of surprises; not just because of the way she could always throw retorts in his way but also because of her words. She was full of twists and turns just like her whole life, and talking to her was actually a lot more fascinating than a lot of books he had ever read. Maybe she wasn’t educated, but she was sure knowledgeable enough when it came to life itself and she had a lot more experiences than others could have had during their whole life.
There was also that kind of undefeatable understanding in her that Minchan prominently appreciated because no matter the people around him, it seemed like a girl like her was the only one who was willing to listen to his deepest and most sincere concerns and take them seriously. Even though she said that she wasn’t good at such advices because she didn’t know his whole situation, her reassurance was enough, not to mention the fact that she was willing to listen to him.
Tea cup empty, the scenery darkening around them, the prince had to realize that no matter how much he wanted to clear his head, he needed to go back to the palace to not cause a ruckus.
Yet, before he did so, he didn’t hesitate to thank the girl who waved her off as always - but this time, it was with a knowing smile, the best kind in his opinion.
Times had passed and Minchan found himself going back to Sookyung day by day, and the more they talked, the closer he felt to her. Eventually, she had realized that he must have been one of the princes from the kingdom because she had heard enough rumours and she had put together the pieces. It hadn’t meant that she had treated him any differently, it was as if this tiny fact hadn’t even mattered to her that much. She had kept teasing him, calling him by playful names, giving him those stares and wiggling her eyebrows. She had been as shameless as she could have been, but in the best possible way.
Yet, knowing her situation, he shouldn’t have been surprised, yet he still was when she announced that she would move to another kingdom.
“I really wish I could go with you,” Minchan confessed with a dreamy expression, his curly locks falling into his eyes. Maybe it wasn’t even just the other kingdom he craved but maybe it was the girl’s presence too that he was willing to run away for. Or that cheeky smile. Or those childish glints and occasional fiery moments. Or her way of making his favourite tea a bit bitter but still sweet. Or her characteristic, deep laughter. Or her boyishly short locks. Or her determination.
“You know, you can always come when you’re ready,” she concluded with yet another knowing smile of hers, and he really wished he could have been as hopeful as her. He didn’t know when or if he could ever leave the palace and live the life he wanted, but seeing her example, he knew that a new chance and a new life was always possible.
“I’ll come find you then,” Minchan said firmly, earning a gentle smile from the girl who looked him into the eyes for long, unbreakable seconds, the smile not wavering from her lips.
That was the first time he realized that she might have enjoyed their encounters and conversations as much as he had done so; she might have felt the same way towards him as he had done towards her; she might have had that same electronic jolt in her body as he had had whenever their hands had accidentally touched; she might have felt like she had found a home in his presence rather than just a conversational partner.
“I can’t wait,” Sookyung remarked cheekily, her lips turning upwards into a smile before she shortened the distance between the two of them and pecked a soft kiss onto his cheeks, something that he kept remembering back to until he set out on his journey of self-exploration a few months later and until he set out on the journey of finding her.
He used to dismiss ideas such as fate and destiny, yet he couldn’t deny that the chances of them ever meeting had always been very slim, yet they had still ended up getting to know each other and then meeting again months later at a book stall - just like they had met for the first time. What had it been if not destiny? Maybe months had to pass and kingdoms had to be visited but they still ended up like how they had started - just a bit more free and a bit happier this time.
They were supposed to be in and out. Chan swore this wouldn’t take more than ten minutes. He held a crinkled shopping list in one hand, Minho’s wrist in the other as they entered the craft store. “So we need paper, ribbons, and tape,” Chan muttered. “Easy.”
Minho hummed softly. “You say that every time. And every time, we end up reorganizing an aisle.” Chan ignored that purposefully.
The store smelled of vanilla candles and cheap glitter. The holiday display was exploding with reds, golds, and deep greens. Minho gravitated toward the neutral-toned section immediately, like gravity itself favored aesthetic consistency. His eyes wandered over silver Christmas bulbs, fake snow, and beige star ornaments.
Chan pulled him back by his sleeve. “We need star paper, come on.”
Minho raised a brow. “Since when do you like stars?”
“Since the gift bag has gold accents,” Chan said, flustered like he had rehearsed the defense ages ago.
Minho paused, a faint smile tugging at his lips before he could stop it. “That’s surprisingly thoughtful.”
Chan pretended not to hear once again. They stood in front of a wall of ribbons, and Chan touched one like he was petting a kitten. “This one feels soft.”
Minho slid next to him, close enough that their shoulders brushed. He ran his thumb over the ribbon, a soft frown tugging at his brows. “It creases too easily. Put it back.”
Chan didn’t question it. He just returned it and picked another, as though Minho were some sort of domestic authority. A woman walking by slowed, watching them sort through textures and color matching like lifelong decorators. She smiled warmly. “You two are adorable. Anniversary shopping?”
Chan’s brain lagged on the spot, jaw dropping. Minho’s eyebrows lifted slightly, but he didn’t deny it immediately. Chan choked on air, “Anniversary? No, we-we’re just-.”
Minho gave a slight, polite bow before shaking his head. “We’re buying gifts for friends.”
She chuckled, clearly unconvinced. “Well, congratulations anyway. Your future husband looks good with you. You’re matching,” she complimented Chan.
Chan made a noise that no language had a word for. But Minho? Something flickered in his eyes, dangerously close to amusement. “Thank you,” he said simply.
Chan whipped his head toward him. “You did not just thank her!” The woman winked and walked away. Chan groaned into his hands. “Min, why didn’t you correct her?”
“She wasn’t wrong about the color coordination,” Minho murmured, fingers gliding over ribbon spools until he found one that matched something Chan was holding.
“I don’t coordinate with you,” Chan protested weakly. Oh, yes, he did.
“You picked a shade that matches mine,” Minho shrugged, picking a wrapping paper with golden stars on it. “Your ears are burning, you need some ice?” Chan sputtered, blush settling on his cheeks next.
-
At checkout, the cashier, a teenager with pink bangs and too much enthusiasm, looked between them like she was witnessing something cinematic. “Are you two paying together or separately?”
Chan opened his mouth to say separate. Minho answered first. “Together.”
Chan turned slowly. “Wait, why?”
Minho smirked. “I didn’t bring my wallet.”
Chan stared at him. “You…never mind,” he sighed, taking out his phone to pay for both their things.
The cashier sighed dreamily as she bagged their items. “You’re a couple, aren’t you?”
Chan froze in shock all over again; Minho didn’t. He simply smiled, winking at her. “Working on it. But this one is emotionally constipated.” The cashier swooned.
Chan practically dragged him out of the store. “Lee Minho.”
“Hm?”
“Working on WHAT?!”
Minho shrugged, hands tucked in his coat pockets. “You heard them. Future husbands.”
“That’s not - people just - we don’t…I am not the one who’s emotionally constipated out of the two of us, thank you very much,” he argued weakly.
Minho stopped walking, nearly making Chan trip over him. He reached over and straightened Chan’s scarf; which totally didn’t match his turtleneck, nope. “You really care what strangers think?”
Chan’s voice caught. “…No. But-.”
Minho stepped closer, gaze soft but annoyingly knowing. “We do act like a couple.”
“We do not.”
Minho shrugged, already walking towards Chan’s car. “We argue in public, and you listen to me. Sounds couple-ish.”
Chan’s ears went pink. “I don’t listen to you, idiot.”
“You just put back the ribbon I told you to, dummy,” Minho snorted and raised his fist in a warning as Chan shoved him lightly.
“Shut up,” Chan whined softly.
“You’re the one walking after me, my bad for entertaining you,” he told him and stopped in front of the car, looking at him expectantly.
“Yeah, because for some reason I agreed to drive today, so of course I’m following you to my car,” Chan shook his head.
-
Later that night, back at their shared apartment, Chan was hiding under a blanket, embarrassed beyond measure, while Minho wrapped his gift with precise folds. “You know,” Minho said, voice casual, “That ribbon you picked works better than I thought. Good call.”
Chan peeked out beneath the blanket. “Really?”
“Mhm.” Minho glanced over, amused. “You’re learning.” Chan threw a pillow at him. Minho caught it, then went quiet. After a moment, he reached across the couch, brushing a thumb over Chan’s temple, warm and fond. “I didn’t hate it,” Minho said softly.
“Hate what?”
“Being mistaken.” His voice dipped. “For your future husband.” Chan stopped breathing for a second. Minho leaned back, stretching lazily. “When it happens again,” he added, tone light but eyes too earnest to match, “I will not correct them.”
Chan’s ears turned scarlet. “Lee Minho! You have no shame.”
Minho grinned victoriously. “See? Already sounds like marriage.”
Chan couldn’t even argue with that; Not when Minho leaned over, nudged his shoulder, and started helping him retie the bow he messed up, moving with the ease of someone who had been doing this, being beside him, for years without naming it.
“C’mon,” Minho murmured. “Future husbands don’t panic over ribbons.”
“Cunt.” Chan threw the pillow again, and Minho let it hit him this time, smiling like someone who already knew the ending.
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