(sneaking a @minkieater tag in here for no reason)
“no no don’t run from it, baby,” mingi chuckled from behind you, yanking your hips back against his again, rings digging into your skin.
you choked out a sob into the pillow under your head, your mascara smeared all over the pillowcase and streaking down your cheeks. “it’s too much..” you cried, your body buzzing with overstimulation.
you looked over your shoulder up at him. his chest was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, bleached strands of hair sticking to his forehead. the mixed metal collection of chains and necklaces around his neck were a tangled mess.
he met your eyes, heavy hand landing down on your ass, “no baby. it’s not.” he thrust forward again causing you to jolt forward. “it’s never too much for you.”
you’d lost count of how many orgasms you’d had at this point, but he was right. it wasn’t too much. it never was. he always knew exactly how hard to push you, how to fuck you to the point that you were nothing but a sobbing mess tangled in his sheet. “so. fuckin. insatiable.” each word punctuated with a slap on your ass. “this pussy swallows me so good. she’s beggin for it more than you are.” he chuckled.
“min—“ you were cut off with a gasp as he reached around and brushed your clit with the tips of his middle and ring finger. “oh god,” you whispered into his pillow.
“ah—fuck, baby. hold on,” he gripped your hips again, flipping you around onto your back, his dick slipping out of you, drawing moans from you both. he grasped the base with one hand, hoisting your leg over his shoulder with the other. “hold on pretty girl,” he soothed as you kept wiggling your hips, begging for more.
you hardly even registered how intimate this was. him looking you in the eyes as he prepared to fuck you again. if he leaned down far enough, he could probably kiss you, and maybe you’d even let him.
“please,” your back arched off the bed, hand reaching out for him, “please finish inside.”
“yeah?” he slid the tip in, groaning as he watched it disappear. “that what you want?”
“god yes.”
he leaned down on top of you, the mess of necklaces hanging over your face as he gripped the headboard, “alright baby. alright.”
a guttural groan fell from his lips as he sank into you again. he pressed his forehead to yours, keeping eye contact in a way he never had before. you wrapped your arms around his neck, desperately trying to hold yourself still ass he thrust into you.
you reached your hand down to your clit, rubbing in tandem with his hips. he looked down at you with half-lidded eyes, “wan’ you to come on my cock, kay? an’ i’ll fill this pussy all you want.”
“yes please please. oh god,” you’re back arched into him. he slipped an arm under your back pulling you against him as his thrusts got faster. sloppier.
“c’mon. c’mon baby. come on me. come for me,” he whispered against your lips, “please.”
your legs shook violently as you did. so much harder than any other time that night.
“fuck,” he grunted as he pushed in one final time, finishing inside you just like he promised.
your body was still buzzing with pleasure as your eyes started to close on instinct. your blinks long and dazed. when he tried to pull out, you whined grabbing around to his ass and holding him there.
“greed girl,” he chuckled, moving down and carefully repositioning you so that you were both on your side, his softening dick still inside you.
you started to doze off as he pulled the blanket up over you both, and even though he knew he was gonna have to wake you up to clean you off, he couldn’t make himself do it. not yet anyways. because he knew as soon as your lustful haze wore off, it’d go back to how it always was. him being the friend you ran to for comfort when you and your shitty boyfriend broke up. only for you to run back to him every time.
and every time mingi sat here wondering if you would do the unthinkable. if you would stay.
synopsis : A clumsy runaway prince and a sharp-tongued farmer girl grow from unlikely friends to something more, but loving each other becomes complicated when duty and royalty threaten to pull them apart.
genre : slice of life, fluff, comedy, historical au, angst if you squint, romance, slow burn, royalty au
warnings : none
author’s note : i have 3 assignments due next week and im not even halfway done 😔 someone shoot me pls ❤️🩹
word count : 3.6k
The first time you met Prince Mingi, he was face-down in a muddy rice paddy screaming about frogs.
You were thirteen. He was fourteen.
And honestly, you should have left him there.
“You don’t understand,” the boy wailed dramatically, arms flailing while half-submerged in muddy water, “it looked at me.”
You stood on the edge of the paddy with your straw basket hanging from your arm, blinking slowly.
“It’s a frog.”
“It was judging me.”
“It’s a frog.”
“It knew I was weak.”
You stared at him another moment before sighing deeply through your nose.
Summer heat pressed against your skin. Cicadas screamed from the trees. The village fields shimmered gold-green under the afternoon sun, and right in the middle of it all was a very tall, very dramatic stranger who looked like he’d never worked a single day in his life.
His clothes gave him away instantly.
Fine silk. Embroidered sleeves. Boots too clean for a traveler—well, clean before the mud. A jade hairpin tucked through dark hair that had mostly fallen apart from his struggle against the “evil frog.”
A noble. Possibly stupid. Definitely rich.
You crouched by the paddy.
“Why are you in there?”
He looked personally offended.
“I fell.”
“How?”
“I was running.”
“From the frog?”
“FROM THE HORSE.”
You pressed your lips together. Then snorted. Then laughed so hard you nearly fell into the water yourself.
The stranger pointed at you accusingly. “You are cruel.”
“You’re muddy.”
“You’re heartless.”
“You’re dramatic.”
He gasped like you’d stabbed him.
“You wound me.”
You held out a hand anyway.
He stared at it. Then at you.
Then dramatically placed his hand in yours as if you were rescuing him from certain death rather than helping him out of ankle-deep water.
The second he stood, he slipped again. This time he took you down with him.
The two of you crashed into the mud together with matching shrieks.
Silence followed.
“Oh no,” he whispered.
You slowly turned your head. Your basket of freshly picked vegetables had overturned into the water.
You stared at it. He stared at it.
“You,” you said calmly, “are paying for those.”
That should have been the end of it.
A ridiculous noble boy passing through your tiny farming village.
Instead, he came back the next day.
And the next. And the next.
At first, you assumed he was lost. Then you assumed he was lonely.
Eventually, you realized Prince Song Mingi of the royal family was simply insane.
“You live like this every day?” he asked one afternoon while following you through the fields carrying a sack of cabbages incorrectly.
“Yes.”
“There’s dirt everywhere.”
“It’s a farm.”
“There’s bugs.”
“You live outside too.”
“Outside with servants.”
You rolled your eyes.
Mingi huffed dramatically and shifted the sack on his shoulder. He was terrible at manual labor. Truly awful. Somehow every task became a disaster.
The first time he tried milking a cow, he got kicked into a fence.
The first time he fed chickens, they chased him.
The first time he attempted harvesting, he cut through his own sleeve and cried for ten straight minutes because “this robe was imported.”
But he kept coming back. Tall and smiling and endlessly talkative.
You learned quickly that Prince Mingi hated palace life.
“I can’t breathe there,” he admitted once while lying across the hill beside you beneath the evening sky. “Everyone watches everything. Every word. Every step.”
You chewed on a blade of grass.
“That sounds annoying.”
“It’s awful.”
“Then don’t be a prince.”
He turned his head toward you.
“That’s not how that works.”
“Seems easy enough to me.”
He laughed.
God, his laugh was terrible for your heart.
Big and loud and warm enough to melt mountains.
“You’d overthrow the monarchy in three business days,” he said.
“I don’t know what monarchy means.”
He grinned.
“Exactly my point.”
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
─────────
The village adored him eventually.
Mostly because he was incapable of acting like royalty.
He’d sit with the elders playing cards for hours. He helped children catch fish in the river. He bought sweet buns from the market and handed them out to random people before realizing he’d spent all the money his guard gave him.
Once, he tried helping repair a roof. He fell through it.
Mrs. Choi screamed so loudly half the village thought someone died.
Mingi emerged from the broken ceiling covered in straw holding a turnip somehow.
“I found this,” he announced.
To this day, nobody knows where the turnip came from.
“You like him.”
You nearly dropped your basket.
Your best friend narrowed her eyes at you from where she sat beneath the shade tree.
“I do not.”
“You made him lunch.”
“He forgot his.”
“You braided flowers into his horse’s mane.”
“The horse looked sad.”
“You smiled today.”
You froze.
“That means nothing.”
“It means everything.”
You glared at her.
Unfortunately, she was right.
You did like him. Which was stupid.
Catastrophically stupid.
He was a prince.
You were a farmer’s daughter who spent half her life smelling like dirt and onions.
Nothing about that ended happily.
So you ignored it.
Mostly. Okay, terribly.
Especially when Mingi smiled at you like you were sunrise itself.
Especially when he remembered tiny things about you. Especially when he started bringing gifts.
Not expensive gifts. Never jewels or silk.
Just little things.
A ribbon because he noticed yours fraying. A peach because you mentioned liking them once.
A tiny carved wooden rabbit because “it looked grumpy like you.”
You kept every single one.
Hidden carefully beneath your bed.
One autumn evening, the two of you sat by the river eating roasted chestnuts.
Mingi was unusually quiet.
You nudged his shoulder.
“What’s wrong?”
He tossed another chestnut shell into the water.
“My father wants me back at the palace.”
You frowned.
“For how long?”
His silence answered enough.
Your chest tightened.
“Oh.”
“They’re starting marriage talks.”
You stared straight ahead. The river blurred slightly.
“That’s good,” you managed.
“It’s terrible.”
“You’ll marry some noble lady.”
“I don’t want some noble lady.”
Your fingers tightened around the warm chestnut.
“You don’t get to choose.”
“I should.”
“You’re a prince.”
“And?”
“And princes don’t marry farmers.”
The words came out harsher than intended.
Mingi went still beside you.
Then quietly—
“What if I wanted to?”
You looked at him finally.
Moonlight caught across his face.
Too soft. Too sincere.
You forced a laugh.
“You’d survive one week married to me.”
“I’d survive forever.”
“You say that now.”
“I mean it now.”
Your heartbeat stumbled. He leaned closer.
“You know,” he murmured, “when I first met you, I thought you were terrifying.”
You snorted weakly.
“You cried over a frog.”
“It was a very aggressive frog.”
“It was sitting there.”
“It had malicious intent.”
Despite yourself, you laughed.
Mingi smiled immediately like he’d won something.
Then softer—
“You always laugh like that when you forget to stop yourself.”
Your breath caught.
Too close. Too warm.
You stood abruptly.
“I should go home.”
He grabbed your wrist gently before you could leave.
The touch was light. But devastating.
“You never answered me.”
Your voice came out smaller than intended.
“Answered what?”
His eyes searched yours.
“What if I wanted to choose you?”
You couldn’t breathe for a moment.
Because part of you, the selfish, reckless part—
Wanted to say yes. Wanted to tell him you’d loved him quietly for years already.
Wanted to let yourself believe impossible things.
Instead you pulled your hand away carefully.
“You should go back to the palace, Your Highness.”
The title hit him like a slap.
You saw it immediately. The hurt.
Mingi stared at you for a long moment before nodding once.
“…Right.”
He stood slowly.
For the first time since meeting him, he bowed formally.
Prince-like. Distant.
It made your stomach ache.
“Goodnight,” he said quietly.
Then he walked away.
You were miserable afterward. Truly unbearable to be around.
You snapped at chickens. Burned soup twice.
Accidentally dumped an entire basket of peppers into the river because you kept replaying that stupid conversation in your head.
Your mother finally grabbed your face one morning.
“If you sigh one more time,” she warned, “I will marry you to the blacksmith.”
You looked horrified.
“The one with the nose hair?”
“Yes.”
You burst into tears immediately.
Your mother sighed deeply.
“Ah,” she muttered. “So it’s serious.”
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
─────────
Weeks passed.
No Mingi. The village felt wrong without him.
Quieter.
You hated how much you noticed.
One evening, while gathering water from the well, you overheard traveling merchants gossiping nearby.
“The prince returns to court this winter.”
“They say the king favors Lady Han.”
“Poor boy looks miserable.”
“Royalty never marries for love.”
You carried the water home in silence.
That night, you cried so hard your pillow ended up damp.
Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.
Winter arrived harsh and fast.
Snow blanketed the fields. The village slowed beneath icy winds and gray skies.
Then one morning—
“HE’S HERE!”
You dropped the potatoes you were peeling.
Children sprinted through the village shrieking excitedly.
Your heart immediately betrayed you.
No. No no no.
Absolutely not.
You marched outside trying very hard not to look eager.
Then froze.
At the village entrance stood a royal procession.
Guards. Horses. Banners.
And in the middle—
Prince Mingi.
Dressed properly this time in dark royal robes lined with fur.
Beautiful. Infuriatingly beautiful.
The villagers bowed quickly.
You didn’t.
Mostly because your body forgot how to function.
Mingi’s gaze found you instantly.
Then lit up. Actually lit up.
Like he’d been waiting only for that.
He stepped forward.
Then immediately slipped on ice.
Chaos erupted.
A guard lunged for him.
Another screamed. A horse panicked.
Mingi windmilled violently before crashing face-first into a snowbank.
You stared. The whole village stared.
Slowly, Mingi lifted his head from the snow.
“…I meant to do that.”
You laughed before you could stop yourself.
His eyes widened slightly at the sound. Then he grinned.
And suddenly it felt like no time had passed at all.
“Why are you here?” you asked.
Mingi sat at your family table devouring stew while your parents watched him with poorly hidden fascination.
“Official royal business.”
“You’ve been here three hours and challenged six children to snowball fights.”
“They were threatening.”
“They’re eight years old.”
“They lacked honor.”
Your father barked out a laugh.
Mingi looked extremely pleased with himself.
You tried not to smile. Failed horribly.
And Mingi noticed immediately. Of course he did.
He always noticed everything about you.
That night, he found you outside feeding the animals.
Snow drifted softly around the barn.
“You’re avoiding me,” he said.
“I’m feeding chickens.”
“At midnight?”
“…They’re hungry.”
Mingi snorted.
You refused to look at him.
Because if you did, you’d cave instantly.
And you couldn’t afford that. Not with him.
Not when he belonged to another world entirely.
“I missed you,” he said quietly.
Your chest hurt.
“You shouldn’t.”
“Too late.”
Silence settled between you.
Then—
“They chose someone for me.”
You froze.
Lady Han. Of course.
Something sharp twisted inside your ribs.
You nodded once.
“Congratulations.”
Mingi stared at you. Then laughed softly in disbelief.
“You think I came all the way here for congratulations?”
“What else would you want?”
“You.”
The word landed heavily between you.
You finally looked at him.
Snow clung to his dark hair. His cheeks pinked from cold.
And his eyes—
His eyes looked devastatingly earnest.
“Mingi…”
“I told them no.”
You blinked.
“What?”
“I refused.”
“You can’t refuse the king.”
“Turns out you can if you embarrass him publicly enough.”
Horror filled your face.
“What did you do?”
“I may have climbed out a window.”
“You WHAT?”
“And there may have been a horse involved.”
“Mingi.”
“And possibly a goose attack.”
You stared at him in absolute disbelief.
“…A goose attack?”
“It was protecting the gate.”
“That sentence doesn’t even make sense.”
“It was a very patriotic goose.”
You covered your face.
“Oh my god.”
Mingi laughed.
Then gently pulled your hands down.
His smile faded into something softer.
“I meant what I said.”
Your breath caught.
“I don’t want them,” he murmured. “I want you.”
The barn suddenly felt too small. Too warm. Too close.
“Mingi…”
“You know what my advisor said when I told him?”
You shook your head weakly.
“He said marrying for love is reckless.”
You swallowed hard.
“And?”
Mingi stepped closer. Snow crunched beneath his boots.
Then closer still.
Until you could feel warmth radiating from him in the freezing night.
“I think,” he whispered, “falling into a muddy rice paddy because I was losing a fight against a frog was reckless.”
You laughed despite yourself.
“I think coming back afterward was reckless.”
“Mingi—”
“And I think falling in love with you was the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”
Your heart pounded so hard it hurt.
Because this was real.
Impossible. Terrifying. Real.
“You’re an idiot,” you whispered shakily.
His smile turned brilliant.
“Probably.”
“You’d ruin your life.”
“Only if you reject me.”
“Mingi.”
He reached up carefully. Slowly.
Giving you every chance to pull away.
Instead you stood frozen as his fingers brushed your cheek.
Warm. Gentle.
“You know what the worst part is?” he murmured.
“What?”
“I don’t even think I started loving you gradually.”
Your stomach flipped violently.
“I think it happened the moment you called me stupid in a rice field.”
You burst out laughing. Then accidentally started crying immediately after.
Mingi panicked.
“Oh no.”
“You made me emotional.”
“I can fight the king but I cannot fight tears.”
“That’s your problem.”
“Please stop leaking.”
You laughed harder through tears.
Mingi looked desperately relieved.
Then softly—
“Can I kiss you?”
Your entire brain stopped functioning.
“…What?”
“I’ve been thinking about it for years.”
“Years?!”
“You’re very distracting.”
“You’re insane.”
“Probably.”
You stared at him.
At his nervous smile. At the way his hands trembled slightly despite all his joking.
And suddenly you realized—
Mingi was scared too.
Not of kings. Not of court politics.
Of you. Of your answer.
That realization melted something inside your chest entirely.
So you grabbed the front of his robe and kissed him first.
Mingi made a startled noise against your mouth. Then immediately kissed you back like he’d been dying to.
Warm despite the cold.
Clumsy at first because he smiled halfway through it.
Actually smiled into the kiss.
An idiot. Your idiot.
When you finally pulled apart, both of you breathless, Mingi looked genuinely dazed.
“…Wow.”
You laughed shakily.
“That’s all you have to say?”
“I forgot every word I’ve ever known.”
“That explains a lot actually.”
He grinned suddenly. Then scooped you clean off the ground.
You shrieked.
“MINGI—”
“I HAVE POWER NOW.”
“PUT ME DOWN.”
“NEVER.”
He spun once in the snow before promptly slipping again.
The two of you crashed directly into a snowdrift.
Silence. Then your horrified whisper:
“You dropped me.”
Mingi emerged from the snow looking deeply offended.
“I fell with you romantically.”
“You threw me into ice.”
“It was a gesture of affection.”
“You concussed me.”
“You look beautiful.”
You stared at him. Then burst into helpless laughter.
Mingi joined instantly.
Loud. Bright. Completely ridiculous.
The kind of laughter that made your ribs ache.
The kind that felt dangerously like happiness.
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
─────────
Unfortunately, dating Prince Mingi was a nightmare.
Not emotionally. Logistically.
For one thing, he kept sneaking into your house through the window instead of using the door.
“Why are you like this?” you hissed one night while he climbed inside covered in snow.
“The window feels more romantic.”
“You fell into the cabbage basket.”
“The cabbages attacked me.”
“YOU attacked the cabbages.”
Another issue:
The villagers knew immediately.
Not because either of you confessed. Because Mingi looked at you like a man who’d gladly start wars for you.
Subtle he was not.
At the market he carried everything for you while smiling stupidly.
At festivals he followed you around like an oversized puppy.
Once, during dinner at your house, your mother asked him to pass the salt and he handed her an entire bowl of soup because he was too busy staring at you.
Your father watched this disaster silently before muttering:
“He’s not very bright.”
“He’s trying his best,” your mother replied sympathetically.
“I’m sitting right here,” Mingi complained.
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
─────────
Spring came gently.
The fields bloomed green again.
And somehow, impossibly, Mingi stayed.
The palace protested constantly. Letters arrived daily.
He ignored most of them.
One afternoon, you found him lying in the grass beside the fields holding a royal scroll above his face dramatically.
“What now?”
Mingi groaned.
“My father says I’m disgracing the bloodline.”
“That sounds serious.”
“He also said my handwriting looks desperate.”
You snorted.
“Can I see?”
He handed over the scroll reluctantly.
You read silently. Then immediately started laughing.
“Mingi.”
“What?”
“You signed this ‘Farmer Prince Mingi.’”
“I was making a point.”
“You drew a chicken beside it.”
“The chicken symbolizes freedom.”
“The chicken is wearing a crown.”
“Royal freedom.”
You laughed so hard you nearly fell over.
Mingi watched you with that same soft expression he always wore nowadays.
Like he still couldn’t believe you were real.
Eventually he spoke quietly.
“You know… I used to think love would feel grand.”
You looked at him.
“What does it feel like then?”
He smiled slowly.
“Like home.”
Your chest nearly exploded.
So naturally you threw a carrot at his head.
Mingi yelped dramatically.
“Violence!”
“You were being emotional.”
“You kissed me in a barn.”
“That was different.”
“How?”
“…Shut up.”
He laughed for five straight minutes.
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
─────────
The king eventually visited personally.
Which was horrifying.
The entire village panicked.
People screamed. Children hid.
Mrs. Choi fainted directly into a cabbage patch.
And you—
You contemplated death.
“Mingi,” you whispered violently while fixing your clothes for the eighth time, “your father is the KING.”
“Yes.”
“THE king.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you calm?!”
Mingi shrugged.
“He loves me.”
“You climbed out a palace window.”
“He’ll get over it.”
“You insulted royal marriage negotiations.”
“He’ll get over it.”
“You started a goose incident.”
Mingi paused thoughtfully.
“…Okay that one might still be sensitive.”
You groaned into your hands.
The king turned out to be terrifying.
Tall. Sharp-eyed.
Dressed in intimidating dark robes.
He studied you silently across your family table while the entire village collectively held its breath.
Then—
“So,” the king said calmly, “you are the girl who made my son abandon diplomacy.”
You nearly choked. Mingi looked offended.
“I abandoned diplomacy long before her.”
“That is true,” the king admitted.
Then his gaze returned to you.
“And what exactly do you see in him?”
You stared.
Then very honestly answered:
“He’s funny.”
The king blinked.
Mingi looked delighted.
“You hear that? I’m funny.”
“You fell through a roof.”
“It was charming.”
The king rubbed his temples slowly. For one terrible moment, silence filled the room.
Then unexpectedly—
The king laughed.
Not politely.
Actually laughed. Deep and helpless.
“You truly are impossible,” he muttered at Mingi.
Mingi grinned proudly.
“I learned from you.”
“That is unfortunately true.”
Everyone stared in shock. Including you.
The king noticed immediately. Then sighed dramatically.
“My son,” he said dryly, “has spent four years writing letters about you.”
Your head snapped toward Mingi.
“FOUR YEARS?”
Mingi looked alarmed.
“Father.”
“He once described your laugh for three entire pages.”
“MOTHER OF GOD,” Mingi whispered in horror.
The king continued mercilessly.
“He compared your temper to a territorial goose.”
You burst into hysterical laughter. Mingi buried his face in his hands.
“I trusted you.”
“You wrote it in official royal stationery.”
“You said nobody reads those!”
“I lied.”
You laughed so hard your stomach hurt.
And when you looked at Mingi again—
Red-faced. Mortified.
Still looking at you with endless affection—
You realized something quietly. You could do this.
Maybe the future would be difficult. Maybe court nobles would gossip. Maybe people would sneer at the farmer girl beside the prince.
But Mingi would stand beside you through all of it.
Laughing. Falling into disasters. Loving you loudly without shame.
And somehow that made impossible things feel survivable.
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
─────────
The wedding happened a year later.
It was supposed to be elegant.
Royal. Refined.
Instead—
Mingi ripped his ceremonial sleeve climbing over a fence because he “wanted to see you early.”
A horse escaped. One of the ministers fell into the fountain.
And during the vows, Mingi got emotional and cried first.
“You’re crying,” you whispered.
“No I’m not.”
“You literally are.”
“These are royal tears.”
“That’s not a thing.”
“They’re expensive.”
You snorted so hard the priest lost his place.
The ceremony dissolved into chaos for approximately ten minutes.
Your mother nearly disowned both of you. The king looked exhausted.
And Mingi—
Mingi looked happier than sunlight.
When the ceremony finally resumed, he took your hands carefully.
Warm. Steady. Real.
Then softly—
“I know I’m reckless.”
You smiled.
“That’s true.”
“And dramatic.”
“Very true.”
“And occasionally attacked by birds.”
“Constantly true.”
The guests laughed quietly.
But Mingi only looked at you. Like nobody else existed.
“But if I had to live every lifetime again,” he whispered, “I think I’d still fall into that rice paddy.”
Your eyes stung immediately.
“Even with the frog?”
“Especially because of the frog.”
You laughed through tears.
And Mingi smiled like he’d just been handed the whole world.
Maybe he had.
Because when he kissed you, warm and sweet and grinning halfway through like always—
It felt a little like destiny.
Or maybe just two idiots finding each other in the mud.
♡ Pairings: frat boy!mingi x chubby!fem!librarian!reader
♡ Genre: angst/fluff/smut
♡ Summary: While working your job at the campus library you find that the most popular guy on campus has developed quite the crush on you. Thinking that it's some sort of prank, you dismiss him completely but Mingi has his heart set on making you his and isn't content to give up that easily.
♡ Word Count: 4.5k-ish
♡ Warnings: mingi really develops a thing for chubby girls, reader has body insecurities, body worship, kissing, male masturbation, porn, penetrative sex, unprotected sex, a lil hair pulling, a lil rough sex for a sec, technically cum marking, pet names (baby), but otherwise fluffy
♡ A/N: This is a fic I wrote for a super adorable anon and as always I'm super honored that you even asked me to write this my love. I truly hope that I did your idea some justice and you enjoy it. To all the chubby babes out there who may read this, you're a bad bitch, I swear to you, and if anyone tells you otherwise I'll swing on em. Kay, love you, bye - xoxo
Nothing. Mingi strokes his cock—his palm gliding up and down his length, his thumb circling the rim—and he feels absolutely nothing. Lying in the darkness of his bedroom, the warm glow of light emanating from his phone illuminates the frustration on his face. His gaze lazily dances across the screen where a woman lies naked, a sex toy vibrating between her thighs. She’s in his favorite position, making his favorite noises, but he can’t get off on it.
Giving up, he lets out a groan, throwing his head back on his pillow. It’s been weeks of this. He’s been too horny to function but when the time of action comes he can only get halfway hard and nothing feels the same as it used to. Maybe a different video will help. Bringing his phone in close to his face, he scrolls through the recommended videos. His cock still in his hand, he feels it soften into a sad, floppy thing the further down he scrolls.
Just as he’s about to call it a night, prepared to at last put himself out of his misery, something catches his eye. An image of a naked woman spread across a bed, her plush body fully exposed. She’s bigger than other girls he’s seen naked in porn, even in real life. She’s chubby and soft with shimmering gloss on her lips and stretch marks on her thighs. His breath hitches at the sensation of the blood rushing down his length as he takes her in.
His interest officially piqued, he clicks into the video and watches her in action. He’s hypnotized by the way she bounces and jiggles, every motion of her body too perfect to comprehend. The skin pulls tight around his cock, beads of arousal rolling down the tip as he quickens his movements. His bottom lip catches between his teeth, an attempt at choking back the low groans fighting their way up his throat at the sight of juices moistening the woman’s soft thighs.
Seeing her hits him with a rush of something unfamiliar. Something that has his stomach muscles contracting and his mouth watering. His mind goes wild with thoughts of what it’d be like to touch her, to feel her body trembling against his. What he wouldn’t give right now to grip a belly like that or drag his tongue across the plush of her ass. It’s exhilarating, unlike anything he’s ever felt before. His cock grows so sensitive that he’s twitching with every stroke.
Any care for if his roommates can hear him flies out of the window as a dizzying heat washes over him, the veins along his length throbbing as a waterfall of white shoots up onto his stomach. His phone drops onto the bed and he lets out a pitiful whimper, his eyes clung shut as he gives in to an orgasm so strong it makes his muscles weak. He’s so high from it that he fears he’ll never come down. Breathless, his skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat, he sits up in bed and flicks the light on to see what a mess he’s made of himself.
His eyes drift back to his phone where a suggestion for a similar video calls him. He takes a deep breath, feeling his cock stiffening again so soon. Mingi picks his phone up, his thumb hovering over the Next button. It’s 3am and in a few hours Yunho will be banging on his door to go to football practice. He should get his shit together, clean himself off, and go to sleep. But that rush was so unexpected, so utterly delicious. He slips back down into bed, hitting the Next button. He needs more.
“Whoa, there’s so many books here” Mingi gasps, staring up at the tall cherry wood shelves of the sprawling library.
Mingi’s seen this place in pictures before—this marble palace with its sky high shelves and expertly crafted pillars—but in all his years on campus he’s never stepped foot in it. Nothing in this literary maze ever interested him enough to require a visit. His college career has always depended more on athletics and frat politics than it has books.
Most of his professors were more than content to give him a passing grade simply because of who he is. A stroke of luck that ran out the moment a new Women’s Studies professor stepped foot on campus. She’s set out to challenge him, to make him work for his grades if he actually wants them. A true tragedy if he’s ever been faced with one.
“Duh, it’s full of books. It’s literally a library” Yunho laughs, plopping a small stack of books into Mingi’s arms. “I grabbed everything you need except one. The Vagina Monologues. You’re gonna have to go ask one of the librarians for help.”
Mingi winces at the thought of the title leaving his lips and falling on a complete stranger’s ears, “Why’d it have to be called that?”
“Oh, stop being a child” Yunho huffs, catching a glimpse of a young woman pushing a cart of books past the aisle. “There! Go ask her!”
Mingi hesitates a moment but Yunho shoves him forward, “Off you go.”
Stumbling his way down the aisle, Mingi traces the sound of squeaky cart wheels a few rows over, stopping dead in his tracks when his gaze finds the woman pushing it. She wears a flowy, pear colored dress with white lilies printed all over it. It’s long enough not to scandalize the other library staff but short enough to get a glimpse of where her thighs begin to kiss. From behind Mingi can clearly make out her shape in it, the plushness of her figure bringing to mind things he definitely shouldn’t be thinking about in the library.
Humming along to a song in her head, she turns to place a book on one of the shelves and Mingi’s cheeks begin to burn. She’s the prettiest girl he’s ever seen. He’s said that about a lot of girls and never meant it but with this one it’s different. She has eyes that twinkle like sunshine dancing on the surface of some gorgeous lake. The curve of her nose is nothing short of perfection and her lips look like they taste of the sweetest sugar.
“Can I help you with something?” you ask. The way he stares at you makes you feel more like an animal in some zoo than the object of his affection.
Mingi shakes himself out of his daze, lowering the stack of books down to cover the slight rise in his jeans. “Uh…I…yeah…um” he stutters.
“Uh, I, yeah, um?” you tease, grabbing another book and sliding it onto a nearby shelf, “I don’t think we have that one.”
“Who are you?” he spits out as if that’s a completely normal question to ask someone when you’re the one who approached them.
“That’s a really weird question to ask someone, Mingi.”
“Wait, you know me?”
You giggle at the absurdity of such a question, “Of course I know you. Everyone knows you.”
Mingi thinks about it for a second, the reality of his popularity setting back in. “I guess you’re right. I am pretty popular.”
The grin on his face makes you nauseous. Of course you know him. And of course he doesn’t know who you are. Mingi’s from a whole different world and you’re positive girls like you don’t exist where he comes from. Rolling your eyes, you grab back onto the handle of your cart, “If there’s nothing you need…”
“Vagina!” he says, leaving you both stunned to the core, “I mean, monologues. Vagina Monologues. It’s, like, a book or whatever. Fuck it, are you busy tonight?”
A whisper of laughter drifts down the aisle, giving away Yunho’s presence. He’s never seen his best friend crash and burn this hard. Keeping a straight face isn’t an option. Yunho’s laughter may not be meant for you but it feels like it is. The first time a guy like Mingi talks to you and of course it had to be a joke.
“Second floor, in the Plays section, under E for Ensler” you snap, turning your back before you die of embarrassment right before Mingi’s eyes.
“Wait, can I at least get your name?” Mingi calls out but you’re already pushing your cart down the aisle, disappearing around the next corner without another word.
Yunho slaps a hand on Mingi’s shoulder, shaking his head in disappointment, “Who’s your new friend?”
Mingi sighs longingly, his gaze still lingering where you once stood, “I don’t know but I plan to find out.”
Sometimes when you find yourself working nights at the library you feel like Cinderella. A slave to these old dusty books, forced to clean and organize them until your manicure begins to chip while other girls are out at bars or parties. Only there’s no fairy godmother to come wave her magic wand and turn your pumpkin into a carriage. There’s no glass slipper and certainly no Prince Charming to sweep you off your feet.
Still, you need the extra money so there’s nothing to be done about it. Taking a seat at the front desk you check the time, it’s almost time to close up shop and the last few stragglers are packing up their things to head out. Once they’re gone things should be peaceful. No questions, no interruptions, no one getting on your nerves.
“Have you been avoiding me?” Mingi asks, popping up in front of your desk.
“Oh my god!” you gasp, clutching your chest, “Are you trying to kill me?”
“Kill you? How could I ever hurt a girl as pretty as you?” he says in that cocky tone you’ve become accustomed to.
It’s been weeks since your first run in with Mingi and he’s been relentless ever since. He stops by every shift to ask you some silly question that somehow always turns into yet another attempt at flirting with you. You shoot him down every single time but he never seems offended or discouraged. He just keeps coming back all bright eyed and full of energy like a golden retriever. You’ve gone home every night wondering what his motivations are. Why’s he being so persistent?
Sometimes for the hell of it you let yourself play with the idea that he might actually be attracted to you. Mingi is drop dead gorgeous after all and, even though you refuse to laugh at any of his stupid jokes, you find him pretty charming. For all his cockiness, he’s sweet in a way that makes you wonder what it might be like to be truly adored by a guy like him. This little fantasy of yours is always disrupted by the vision of Yunho laughing at the two of you. It’s a joke, that’s all, a stupid joke that Mingi’s cruel for not knowing when to give up on.
“Aren’t you sick of coming here?” you ask, pretending to be busy on the laptop, “There must be something else you can entertain yourself with.”
Mingi smiles down at you, fawning over how your skin glows in the shreds of sunset that peek through the windows. “There is actually. I’m having a party tonight and I want you to come.”
Your eyes shoot open, an involuntary burst of joy hitting you. “A party?” you ask, sounding more excited than you intended to. Catching yourself, you reel back the excitement but it’s too late, Mingi’s already caught it.
“Yeah, a party” he says, reaching behind the desk to grab a pen and a sticky note. He scribbles down the address and sticks it to your laptop screen. “Tell me you’ll come.”
He sounds so genuine when he says that. It’s almost as if he’s truly desperate to have you around. You look up at his face and feel the butterflies in your stomach go into a frenzy. You’ve heard the way other girls talk about him, the way they swoon over him like he’s this magical thing. You don’t want to be one of them, just another girl pining after Song Mingi but here you are.
You clear your throat, snatching the blue sticky note from your screen, and putting it aside. “I don’t really know if I wanna spend my Friday night with a bunch of wasted pretty boys.”
“Ooh, so you do think I’m pretty” Mingi blushes, batting his eyelashes.
You pick up a stapler, threatening to throw it at him, “Leave now and maybe, just maybe I’ll consider coming to your little party.”
Mingi throws his hands up, carefully backing away from the desk, “Fair enough. I’m wearing all black by the way. In case you wanted to, ya know, match or something.”
You wind your arm back, placing it in perfect formation to hit him in the head with the stapler. Mingi gets the message and scurries out of the door, leaning his head back in for a split second to whisper, “See you later, beautiful.” He winks at you and you groan but he’s gone now and there’s no one left to take your anger out on.
As the last few visitors trickle out you find yourself sitting in the silence of the library, that blue sticky note calling your name. You pick it up, swearing you’ll toss it in the trash but you only stare at it, reading the address over and over again. Some stupid frat party with a bunch of stupid boys at some frat house on the edge of campus. Why would you ever waste your time going to something like that? And who does he think he is insinuating that you’d even want to match with him? Anyway, you only have one good black dress and you’re sure it doesn’t even fit anymore. It isn’t even worth trying…is it?
“I’m telling you, this girl’s gorgeous and she’s super smart too. She knows everything about books and stuff, like, you can ask her anything and she just knows” Mingi rambles, grabbing another beer from the fridge.
“Because it’s her job” Yunho teases, leaning against the kitchen counter.
Mingi pops the beer open, flicking the metal top into a nearby trash can, “And how did she get that job? Because she’s smart.”
“You know, I don’t think I’ve seen him like this over a girl…ever” Jongho says, stealing Mingi’s beer for himself.
“Well I think it’s cute. Mingi’s got a girlfriend” Wooyoung sings, making cute little hearts with his fingers.
“She’d be his girlfriend if she didn’t hate his guts” Yunho mumbles half heartedly.
Mingi gasps, taking offense to that, “She doesn’t hate me, she just hasn’t fully warmed up to me yet but she will.”
He looks around the kitchen and his friends all eye him skeptically. Mingi didn’t say that with nearly enough confidence for them to believe him and the truth is that he barely believes himself but how does he tell his friends that? He’s the one who girls drool over. He’s never the one doing the drooling. He has a reputation at stake and here he is ruining it for a girl who probably won’t even show up tonight. But he can’t bring himself to give up on you yet.
That first night after he met you he couldn’t get you out of his head. He kept imagining that face, that body, under him, on top of him, next to him. Just the thought of you made him hard enough that touching himself was mandatory to ease his need for you. And the more he showed up to bug you the more fascinating he came to find you.
Yes, you were snippy but never enough to directly chase him away. You let him stick around long enough for glimmers of your true personality to show. You’d made the terrible mistake of showing him how sweet you could be, how funny of a girl you are, and it only made things worse for both of you. More than having sex with you he wants to kiss you and hold your hand. He wants to tell you how pretty you are and not have you threaten him with a blunt object for it.
“Not to be that guy but when did you start liking…ya know?” Jongho says, hoping that the others will know what he means without it coming off rude.
“Chubby girls?” Wooyoung asks, making Yunho almost choke on his beer.
“You can’t just say that” Yunho coughs, grabbing a paper towel to wipe the beer from his lips.
Mingi’s eyes narrow, the question not quite setting right with him, “What does it matter?”
“I mean, it…it doesn’t. I swear it doesn’t” Jongho stammers, looking anywhere but at Mingi.
Wooyoung shrugs, coming to Jongho’s rescue, “In his defense, we’ve never seen you with one. She’s not your usual type.”
“So, what? Just cause she’s not my ‘type’ it has to be weird?” Mingi presses.
No one says anything, not a solitary word. They only stare at the doorway, their faces drained of any color. In the next room a party rages, in the kitchen an argument is ready to erupt, and there you stand in between the two hearing something you shouldn’t have at a time you shouldn’t have heard it.
“Hmm, well, thank you for that. I’m so happy everyone knows what I already did” you say, laughing to avoid tears, “Thank you for the invite, Mingi. Really.”
Something’s said, you’re sure it’s by Mingi, but you can’t hear it. You’ve gone numb to everything. Even the music blaring from the speakers a few feet from you feels like it’s playing from miles away. Desperate to outrun the tears stinging the corners of your eyes, you rush through the crowd of partiers in the living room and make your way outside.
The autumn air blows against your cheeks, cooling your tears as they begin to escape. You wipe them away, doing your best to look normal as you pass people headed into the party, but you can’t seem to stop them from falling. You feel so stupid for ever believing that Mingi’s feelings for you were anything but a joke he could laugh about with his friends. His words ring in your ears as you approach your car, frantically digging through your purse for your keys. Not his type? Well he isn’t yours either. You’ve never been too fond of assholes anyway.
“Shit” you hiss, the keys in your hand tumbling from your grasp the second you pull them out. You bend down to pick them up but someone snatches them away before you can. You spin around to find Mingi standing there, your keys jingling away as they twirl around his fingers.
“Give them back” you demand, grabbing for your keys but he holds them up high just out of your reach.
“You’re crying” he says and you can almost see his heart shatter, “Come back inside.”
“Why? So you and your friends can make fun of me to my face this time?” you ask, still fighting for your keys back but to no avail.
Mingi frowns, “Make fun of you? We weren’t making fun of you. I’d never let anyone do that to you.”
“So, what? Just cause she’s not my type it has to be weird?” you mock, feeling childish but justified considering the circumstances.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I only meant that just because I’ve dated smaller girls that doesn’t mean I can’t like you and I do. I really, really like you” he swears, “I love your body. I think it’s beautiful. Everything about you…I’m just obsessed with and all I wanna do is show you how special you are but you won’t let me and I don’t understand why.”
Folding your arms across your chest, you stand on the sidewalk staring at Mingi like you hate him but it’s not him that you hate. It’s the fact that you believe him. The tears have slowed now but your cheeks are still wet, black streaks of mascara beginning to run down your face. You drop your head, embarrassed by your mini breakdown, and Mingi swoops in, giving you a chest to lay your head on. His long arms wrap around you, locking behind your back to keep you close. It’s your instinct to pull away but his embrace is too comforting and warm to abandon.
“If you want me to leave you alone forever I promise I will. I’ll let you go and you’ll never have to see me again” he whispers, “But if you stay I promise I’ll be good to you.”
Your stomach sinks at the thought of never seeing him again. Day after day all you’ve done is tell him to leave you alone but it never occurred to you how much it’d hurt if he actually did. “I don’t want you to leave me alone” you admit, your face emerging from the black abyss of his shirt, “That’s, like, the exact opposite of what I want you to do.”
Mingi cups your face, his thumb stroking the curve of your cheek, “Good because I wasn’t actually gonna leave you alone. How can I when you look like this? You’re even a pretty crier. How’s that possible?”
You’ve always managed not to blush when Mingi’s said things like this—at least not when he’s around—but you don’t stop yourself this time. You don’t even make the tiniest attempt at hiding how utterly giddy you are over his comments.
“Ooh, is that a smile I see?” he gasps, immediately making you regret it. You motion to hit him in the arm but he grabs you by the wrist, slipping his hand into yours as he leads you back towards the house. “Let’s go upstairs and I’ll clean you up then we can talk more, okay?”
Mingi looks back at you and you could swear that time stands still. This isn’t where you thought you’d be on a Friday night, walking through a frat party hand in hand with one of the most popular guys on campus—with Mingi. He’s guiding you up the stairs, looking at you like you’re the prettiest girl in the world and for the first time, somewhere deep down inside, you’re beginning to feel like it.
Before you left the house tonight you swore that you wouldn’t become some frat party cliche. Mingi’s hot, there’s no doubt about it, but there was no way you’d wind up bent over some bed with your panties around your ankles.
You were actually right about that. You’re not bent over some bed, you’re laying across it, and your panties aren’t around your ankles, they’re tossed off to the side of the bed, blending in with the pile of black clothing you collectively shed before you found every inch of Mingi’s cock stuffed inside of you. You came up here to talk, that was it, and in your defense you did talk. You were vulnerable with each other, you opened up about your feelings, and the next thing you knew your tongues were so far in each other’s mouths that you could feel it in your throats.
Mingi’s kiss is sweeter than you imagined. It’s the kind of kiss you could get lost in it. Even now, after he’s been kissing your lips raw for the last half hour, you find yourself wanting more. You’re so wrapped up in him, so completely consumed by the ecstasy of having him inside of you, that you aren’t even focused on the fact that you’re naked. You can’t begin to care if you look good or not when your body’s flush with heat, feeling the best it has in your entire life.
But you do look good. Nothing in Mingi’s wildest dreams could compare to how beautiful your body actually is. His hands explore your curves, discovering those spots he knows will come to be his favorites. That squishy belly of yours that pokes out just a bit more when he massages your sides. Those pillowy thighs that seem even thicker when he presses them to your chest. Those breasts that bounce softly against his face while he’s sucking at your bud.
“You’re so fucking amazing, baby” Mingi whispers, licking his way over the hills of your breasts to bring his lips to yours. “I do have a type. You know it’s you, right?”
“Is that so?” you tease, trembling at every stroke of his cock between the slickness of your walls. You run your fingers through his hair, your back arching against the mattress so much that you’re sure you’d float away if the weight of Mingi’s body weren’t pinning you down.
Mingi kisses you like a starved man whose hunger can only be satisfied by the taste of you. “Mmm, can’t you tell?” he hums between sloppy kisses, “Can’t you feel it?”
He snaps his hips into you and you let out a moan that makes you grateful for the loud music blaring downstairs. Keeping his lips locked to yours, one hand gripping your hip and the other cradling your face, he thrusts into you harder. Hard enough to make the bed creak. Hard enough to make your walls clench tighter. Hard enough to have you tugging his hair, moaning between his lips while your decadent juices drip down his length.
Mingi groans, holding you even tighter as the head of his cock rides the ridges of your sweet spot. Your insides are so spongy and wet, clenching around him just right. There’s no way he can go back to masturbating after this. The thought of you won’t be enough. Fantasies are absolutely nothing compared to what it’s like to truly feel you under him and around him.
“Mingi, mmm, gonna cum” you whimper, your eyes wide and glossy as you look up at him.
You sound so cute when you say it that he loses his sanity for a second, his hips stuttering before picking up the rhythm again. Mingi slips both hands behind your neck, deepening the kiss as he bottoms out completely. Heat pools behind your belly, spreading through your body until you’re sure flames are dancing at your fingertips. Your body tenses, a weak little moan falling from your lips before your vision goes blurry and your high washes over you.
“That’s it, good girl” Mingi coos, basking in the warmth enveloping him, “So pretty when you cum all over my cock. Always so pretty.”
Your walls are pulsing, fluttering wildly around his swollen cock. Your cum just pours down him, making every movement slippery wet. He can’t take it anymore. He couldn’t hold back even if he tried.
“Aah, fuck” he hisses, pulling out of you just in time to paint your inner thighs in white, leaving ropes of cum dripping dangerously close to your core.
Completely destroyed by your orgasm, you’re plastered to the bed and can only watch as Mingi catches his breath, immediately going to work planting kisses all over your body. He kisses the places you love and the places you hate. He worships them all with his lips because to him they’re perfect in every way.
You surrender yourself to the reality of that, letting the lingering adoration from each kiss sink into your skin. Mingi’s yours, he has been since he first laid eyes on you in that library, all you ever had to do was let yourself have him.
⤷ You almost lost your life not once but twice, yet the heavens had other plans for you. Blessed with another chance to live, you built yourself from the ground up and changed yourself for the better. Things were going great for you until an intruder showed up in your place—your first love, who had betrayed you.
pirate!mingi x princess!reader ft. pirate!ateez, pirate au, exes-to-lovers, rebirth, revenge, slow burn(?), heavy heavy angst, humor in some parts, fluff at the end
warning ━━ profanities, mentions of blood, use of weapons, near death experience, toxic family members, deaths, long flashbacks, timelapses, misunderstandings, may not be historically accurate, emotionally heavy (a big warning)
word count ━━ 31.2k (sorry not sorry)
playlist ━━ I don't wanna live forever - zayn, taylor swift | vigilante shit - taylor swift | catch fire - 5 seconds of summer | imgonnagetyouback - taylor swift | die with a smile - lady gaga, bruno mars
a/n ━━ First of all, I apologize for the very late update. A lot has happened the past year, so I had to put this on hold for a while. This is another story inspired by my dreams, and this might be my favorite work that I have written so far. I just love everything about this, and the length says it all.
𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁
"Jongho's team to the village; Wooyoung and Yeosang to the shore. Seonghwa's team, come with me to the headquarters. Position yourselves to your assigned areas; remember what we trained for." You announced to the intercom that resounded around the building.
You were working on a new machine with the technical team when the alarm suddenly rang and red lights flashed around the whole building, signaling the presence of intruders, so Jongho immediately pressed the big red button on his office table, calling for an emergency lockdown.
You and Seonghwa's team dispersed around the building exits to prevent the intruders from escaping the premises. You, Seonghwa, and his team moved to your designated areas and hid yourselves: some hiding around the corners while the others were behind crates, and you hid behind an unsuspecting wall after setting up a trap.
Just then, you heard slow footsteps nearby, and as soon as the person stepped on the rope, triggering the trap you had set up, which caused them to trip, you signaled towards Seonghwa across from you to start attacking the intruder.
"Drop your weapon!" Seonghwa commanded sternly as he pointed his gun towards the intruder, who immediately, in acquiescence, dropped their cutlass on the ground, resisting to fight back.
"I'm sorry, please don't kill me. Don't kill us; we're not here to fight or steal anything." The man begged as he knelt on the ground with his head down, body shaking in fear and coldness.
Wait, that voice...why does it sound so familiar?
You finally exited from your hiding spot to take a closer look at the man who had just spoken, striding towards them, and as they came into view, you let out an audible gasp in sheer disbelief when you recognized who it was.
"Yunho?!"
Yunho's eyes widened when he heard you call his name, and his body blanched at your presence; he couldn't believe his eyes in that moment. It felt like he was stuck in a hyperrealistic dream, or was he just seeing things? "y-y/n...? How a-are you alive?" How exactly were you standing in front of him? Of course, he would ask that kind of question.
You stopped him with a hand, shaking your head feeling aggravated. "Let's save that talk for later. Tell me how many of you are here?"
"There's f-four of us, but y/n—"
"Seonghwa, bring him to the interrogation room. I'll go find the others," you ordered. Half of Seonghwa's team followed behind you, while the other half assisted him with bringing Yunho to the said room.
You eagerly checked around the area for the other intruders, and to your luck, a tall man wearing a wide-brimmed hat on his head that covered his face almost entirely, walked into the room you were in unsuspectingly. You tried to run up to him.
However, the clicking of your boots alerted the man to quickly escape, so you followed after him with all your might. The man was impressively fast, but you still caught up to him within seconds. Kicking his knees from behind and tackling him down to the ground, the man grunted at the impact. "Don't move."
You swiftly pulled off the bandanna that covered his face, only for you to instantly regret your actions because the man lying defenselessly below you was the last person in the world you wanted to see. "Mingi...what the hell are you doing here?" Your eyes scanned him from head to toe; he wore a frock coat with a loose shirt on the inside, slightly damped black trousers, leather boots, a sash around his waist, and his hair disheveled. "How did you find this place?" You were exasperated, wounded, anything but glad. "Answer me before I kill you." You fumed with gritted teeth, ready to pull out your pistol.
Mingi stared at your almost unfamiliar appearance as if he had seen a ghost, as if you were someone he had never met in his life before. "y/n...it's y-you." He slowly lifted his hand up to touch your face, to feel your skin, to confirm that you weren't just a figment of his imagination, but you slapped his hand away with force. "I'm glad you're alive."
You huffed at the sound of his voice, rolling your eyes in the process, and the sight of his lips curling up made you almost slap them away from his face too. "After abandoning me in the middle of nowhere, you have the nerve to show up in front of my face?"
"I-I can explain—"
"You left me behind, Mingi. You betrayed me, tried to kill me, and I almost died because of you. I had to start from nothing and now that I've built my place and met my people, you're going to ruin everything for me again?" You moved your face closer to his, glowering at him. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not going to let you hurt me anymore."
Mingi could sense all the anger, sorrow, and pain you have bottled up inside as your eyes gazed into him with fire and your hands firmly wrapped around his neck to cut off his breathing, which he accepted without a fight. After all, he deserved to be killed by you right here and right now.
-
[ 14 years ago. ]
You were the only daughter of the king and queen of Fever Kingdom, and they said you had a gifted intelligence for a young child. You excelled in a lot of things that no other princess could compare to you in: you learned how to speak various languages, as well as use weapons with ease. You studied about the history of the kingdom, the list of pirates that must be avoided at all costs, including those who tried to step foot into the kingdom, and even about construction and technology, not knowing the fate that was awaiting you.
That was until the day came when a group of pirates trespassed and attacked the kingdom. Although the royal guards outnumbered the pirates, the ferocious sea dogs still managed to eliminate them, including your beloved parents, leaving you alone with your personal tutor inside the castle's library. It was a fearsome and traumatic experience for everyone, the vicious pirates who mercilessly took the lives of all your loved ones.
"Keep these books, Your Highness. Don't let anyone take these away from you; you're going to need them someday." Madame Lee spoke to you in a hushed voice, afraid that someone would hear her from where you hid, handing you your pink backpack filled with various books. She didn't want to scare you with what was happening, so she bombarded you with compliments to distract you, planting a deep kiss on your forehead one last time before exiting the room.
As soon as you heard her scream in fear, that was when you realized the reality you were currently in. You were now all alone in this cruel world with no one else to rely on. You were trained to fight, to stand up for yourself, but you weren't taught how to survive alone at this age. Tears started running down your cheeks as you sat on the floor in fear and hopelessness. Why was this happening? You were only a child trying to make sense of the world.
"Hey, kid. Come with us; no one else is here." A tall man, who had an eye patch covering his right eye, arms decorated in scars, and what seemed like a dagger in his hand, called for you by the doorway. His hand was covered in the blood of who you assumed was Madame Lee. You were reluctant to move, hugging your bag tightly for comfort, but the man hauled you towards him, and soon, you found yourself in a large ship that had a red and black jolly roger hanging above it.
"Who's this little thing?" A woman in her 40s wearing a tricorn on her head asked as she chewed on some candy in her mouth, "Gimme that." She harshly grabbed the bag from your hands, pulling out a book from inside. She tried to read a few words written on it, her head tilting from side to side with a grimace. "What is this? A bunch of lines and weird stuff." With that, she threw the bag back at you, and you swore, that was the most nerve-wracking moment you've ever felt.
You found out some time later that the pirates on the ship were functionally illiterate, although when it came to fighting and stealing goods, they were very exceptional at it. No wonder they were able to eliminate everyone in the castle despite being outnumbered; they weren't called the 'black pirates of the sea' for nothing.
Thankfully, they gave you a place to stay. It was small but enough for you to survive, and they also provided you food and water in exchange for you serving them as a cabin girl. If that was the only way you got to live, then you wouldn't question it.
It's been weeks since you started working wearily at the ship, mates pushing you around, telling you to do this and that, cleaning up spilled drinks, washing up dirty clothes, all just to be made fun of. You endured all of that for the sake of sparing your life until one sunny Tuesday morning, life started feeling a bit lighter. You met a pirate friend for the first time when you accidentally entered the captain's cabin and saw him sitting on the bed with an angry look on his face, whispering incoherent words fo himself.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know someone was in here." You quickly apologized to him, but before you could leave, he stopped you.
"Wait, don't go." The boy jumped off the bed and ran up to where you stood. "You look nice; come play with me." Seeing him up close, you noticed his sharp facial features, a tiny mole on his cheek, thick soft lips, and height taller than you.
You stared at him warily, fidgeting with the broom you were holding. "Play with you?"
"Yeah, like I hide somewhere and you go look for me." He rubbed his nape in embarrassment. "Sorry, it gets really boring out here. I have no one to play with because people are always busy fighting, but maybe you're not like them. I've actually never seen you here before."
"Mingi!" You heard the captain's voice from outside the room, which made both of you flinch.
Mingi groaned, irritated, "Coming, mother." He shouted back before apologizing to you for the interruption, "I'll see you later...what's your name?"
"Uhm...y/n, I'm y/n."
"Great! See you later, y/n."
-
You met up with Mingi at the same place later that day to play the game he talked about earlier, and since then, the two of you began to bond and create an unexpected friendship that made you ease the pain you went through before all this. He would tell you jokes he thought were funny, although you couldn't understand then, but you would laugh anyway.
He would also share about his life growing up, which he insisted was boring, and he even introduced you to his other friends: Hongjoong, Yunho, and San, whom he had first met during a training session. They were surprisingly too nice to be pirates as they had treated you with kindness. In exchange for their amiability towards you, you taught them how to read and write with a promise that they keep it to themselves. Who would've thought that a princess would ever befriend pirates?
Together with Mingi, Hongjoong, Yunho, and San, you began to see life differently, or rather, you started to get used to the setup of living a completely different life with the pirates: from royalty to a nobody, but you were somebody to them. The captain of HalaHala would treat you to good food like you were someone valuable, or maybe it was all a facade; you weren't sure.
What you knew instead was that as long as you were with your newfound friends, you felt that there was still hope left for you. They became your source of happiness amidst the struggles you were facing. You found comfort from them, and you thought things were changing for the better.
"We're going to be best friends forever!"
For eight long years, you shared nothing but smiles and laughter with them. You revealed to them about you growing up in royalty and how the pirates, who killed all your loved ones, eventually adopted you. Mingi felt remorseful for what they did to your kingdom, especially that his mother was the captain of HalaHala. Truthfully speaking, he never really liked the idea of killing people in the first place. It was unfortunate that he was a son of a renowned pirate.
Hongjoong shared about his older brother being killed trying to protect him during a fight between pirates and how he was brought into the ship unknowingly, similar to what they did to you. Yunho was an orphan who got adopted by the ship's quartermaster, and San was the son of a crewmate. The five of you were just a group of young, innocent kids trying to make sense of the world you were forced to live in.
You and Mingi grew extremely close the more time you spent with each other. The two of you became inseparable, talking nonstop, and even sneaking out at night to watch the stars, almost like you couldn't live without each other. And one day, he finally professed his true feelings for you with a bunch of flowers he personally picked when the ship stopped by an island earlier.
In a hidden area of the ship, he cleared his throat, fidgeting with his shirt nervously. "I like you, y/n. I can feel my heart beat fast whenever I'm with you, and seeing you smile makes me feel better. Please, accept my heart." He even knelt on the ground with his head down to show you how sincere he was with it, and you couldn't help but titter.
"Get up, Mingi. Your pants are going to get dirty." You pulled him up to make him stand on his feet. "I like you too, silly boy. Thank you for liking me."
Mingi became your everything: the arms you run to for comfort, the hands that hold you when you feel scared or exhausted, the lips you kiss goodnight every time the sky gets dark, and the eyes that bring you to another world where all you could feel was happiness. That was who he was, and he meant so much to you. He was the person you loved so much, so...how did it end up like this?
"Mingi? No...NO!"
"I'm so sorry, y/n." Those were the last words you heard from him as you watched his figure disappear into the distance with the ship you were once a part of. No warnings, no excuses, just pure betrayal.
Eight years together down the drain.
The previous night, he was kissing you goodnight with so much passion but with a hint of fear. He kissed you with tears in his eyes all while whispering sweet nothings in your ears, and you had absolutely no idea that the man who gave you love when it was taken away from you was the same man who would, one day, take your life.
Mingi was a pirate after all; hell, he was the son of the captain of the notorious HalaHala. They were bound to kill you sooner or later, but why did it have to be him of all people? Why did he have to make you feel like you had everything and then take it all away like it meant nothing?
That was heartbreak and death in one.
You didn't even realize you lost consciousness until you were woken up by someone nudging you awake. You groaned as your eyes adjusted to the light that shone down on your face, seeing silhouettes of people surrounding you. However, you fainted again due to hunger, and panicked screams were heard. The second time you woke up, you were in a comfortable bed in a small house with a person sitting next to you on a chair. As soon as your eyes opened and you seemed to be breathing normally, a sigh was heard from beside you.
"Finally, you're awake. You're alive, princess."
Princess?
You turned to the side and saw a few familiar faces dressed in linen and wool clothing with the brightest smiles plastered on their faces, others stifling their sobs. "Where am I? What happened?" How did you even end up here?
"We found you unconscious by the shore, princess. Thank god, the heavens brought you to us. You were gone for eight years; we thought we had lost you too." The man cried, expressing how grateful he was that you were alive.
Studying his face closely, your mind suddenly brought you back to the kingdom. You recognized the men and women in front of you were some of the castle guards and maids. They had hidden from the pirates during the attack and successfully escaped after by using the ship that was being built during that time to find a new place to stay.
After countless days of being stuck in the middle of the vast ocean, they finally stumbled upon a secluded island where they had asked for help. The people who resided on the island were secretly hiding away from the pirates too, so they became alerted when they heard cries for help until they saw the suits and dresses of the guards and maids. It was their first time seeing actual people from a royal kingdom, which they had always believed were only myths.
"Who did this to you, Your Highness?" One of the maids asked, deeply concerned, observing your almost lifeless state.
With all the energy you had left, you managed to speak out a few words in response. "P-pirates..." Your voice was hoarse, still the men and women at once knew who you were referring to.
"Those damn pirates, we're going to get our revenge on them. You are our hope, Your Highness."
You were blessed that the tides brought you to this island: the island of hope, the island of new beginnings, and the island where you will have your last breath. This was another life given to you.
After you recovered, you took in the sight of how peaceful, bright, and different the place was. The houses were made of stones with flowers surrounding them, the food was fresh and delicious—a taste that hits too close to home—and their clothes were simple yet clean, radically different than your situation back at the ship.
What caught your eyes was how happy the people were: children running around chasing each other, mothers sharing meals with the workers, and husbands taking care of their wives. It felt like paradise, a rainbow after the storm. You loved seeing their smiles as it brought you a new sense of hope, another chance to live a better life, hoping that this was the last life you had to live, but your thoughts shifted to the brutal fights you'd witnessed before, and that scared you too much.
What if the pirates happen to find this island? How would the people protect themselves?
"Your Highness, aren't these your books from the kingdom?" One of the maids showed you your pink damp bag that you had kept to yourself for the past eight years; you were even surprised it was still with you after Mingi basically threw you out in the middle of the ocean. "These are all about construction and technology; do you read about them?"
"Yeah, I do..." Your mind instantly envisioned the island with improved housing and more buildings, where the people are guaranteed to live more securely in better living conditions with weapons and other technology that could help with their survival. That was it; that was the answer. That was exactly what you needed those books for; that's what Madame Lee meant when she said you were going to need them one day.
This was the day.
"We might need more hands and lots and lots of resources. Do you think we can do this?"
With the help and cooperation of the people and the connections the royal guards and maids had with other kingdoms, you were able to guide the people in constructing buildings and infrastructure, leading to the creation of a better and more advanced community. The question on how the guards were able to contact other kingdoms was too long of a story to tell, but they made it work. Because of your impressive knowledge on the outside world and fighting skills, the people had made you their new leader of the island and captain of the crew.
As months continued to pass and more advanced technology and weapons were developed, the number of people on the island also began to increase. Pirates and intruders were killed by you and your guards after endless trainings, whereas outcasts like Yeosang, who was abandoned by his crew because of his innocence and incompetence, while one of their best gunners, Wooyoung, followed him voluntarily; Jongho, who was kicked out because of his reoccurring injuries; and Seonghwa, who left his crew because his ideas weren't being acknowledged and possibly because of his red parrot friend too. They were taken in for interrogation before accepting them on the island and being trained to become officially part of your crew, the 'Blue Bird.'
A year of training led to Wooyoung becoming your first mate, definitely not because he whined about it, and the leader for trainings, although he's a scalawag sometimes; Jongho became the boatswain and head of the technical team; Seonghwa became the quartermaster and head of securities and was supposedly your first mate, while Yeosang became the deckhand, who leads in navigation. Some of the guards were part of the crew as well to help during battles.
That was how the island, which you now call as 'New World,' was established.
[ end. ]
"Captain?" Yeosang hurriedly entered the room upon hearing your voice. "We have captured the rest of the intruders and cleared the area." His eyes landed on Mingi, who remained defenseless on the ground. "And it seems you got the last guy. Should we finish this one off? " He whispered the last part to you, even though Mingi could still hear him.
You didn't want to believe it, but as you glanced back down at Mingi, you saw how his eyes were full of defeat and regret. Those weren't there the last time you saw him; why have them now?
"Seeing how much she hates me—no, despises me—for what I had done to her, it's best if you kill me right now. But please, spare my friends; they didn't mean anything wrong." Your hands, which you forgot were around his neck, loosened.
Yeosang's eyes traveled back and forth from Mingi to you in bewilderment. "Wait, you know each other?"
Before Mingi could say anything back to Yeosang, you scoffed bitterly and diverted your gaze away from him as you removed yourself from Mingi's body, getting back on your feet, and brushing off dirt from your trousers. "Bring him to the interrogation room with the rest. If he tries to escape, call me immediately. I'll end him myself."
"Aye-aye, captain." Yeosang suddenly stood at attention and made a salute sign your way, earning him a serious look from you. "Sorry."
"Why do I even put up with you?"
-
The interrogation room fell silent except for the sound of your leather-heeled boots clicking on the floor as you paced back and forth in front of the intruders with your hands resting on both sides of your hips, jaw clenching at the sight of the four familiar men: Mingi, San, Yunho, and Hongjoong, who once meant so much to you, now tied up in chairs while being guarded by two of your loyal guards. The room was bright, yet the atmosphere was heavy and dim. Being in the same room as them felt sickening, vivid memories from a decade ago replaying in your mind.
"I really want to know how the four of you traitors found your way onto this island and what your real intentions are because—god—I'm going to lose my fucking mind." You slammed your fist hard onto the table in the middle of the room, making every person in the room flinch. "Did your captain bring you here to assault us? Rob us?" Bending down to Mingi's eye-level, you pulled out a dagger from your pocket carry and bringing it close to his jaw, so close that one wrong move from him will scratch his pale skin. "Or did she maroon you too, like you did to me?" Mingi wanted to speak up and explain everything to you yet he couldn't move a single inch of his body. "Maybe San or Yunho can answer that for me, since I don't like to waste my time listening to liars." You stared deeply into Mingi's pained eyes.
Both San and Yunho looked up at you desperately, lips quivering and bodies slumped. It was the first time you'd seen Yunho cry this much, and it made you wonder what they went through before they had stepped into this place. You almost saw yourself in them, although that will never compare to the nightmare you had to experience twice.
"y/n, please." Yunho sobbed as his vision began to blur from the uncontrollable hot tears. "Please, don't kill us. We swear we didn't mean to trespass. We escaped from HalaHala, but we got lost in the sea. We don't even know how many days had passed until we saw this island, and we thought this was our only hope." He took a deep breath. "Earlier, we were only searching for food. We deeply apologize. We'll do anything you say, we promise. Just please, spare our lives this once."
His voice was shaky, his breathing unsteady, and because of the past you shared with them, you knew he was a bad liar, but now, you weren't quite sure if he was telling the truth, and you definitely weren't ready to relive some of those shared memories. They could be sabotaging you and ruin all the things you've built up in the past six years. These were the people who made your past worth living when you had no one, yet even the closest people to you were the ones who betrayed you first.
You closed your eyes shut, not wanting to show them any weakness of yours. You hated it; you loathed to hear those words coming from their mouths. How can they beg to you like this? Their crew had attacked your kingdom, pirates tormented you for years, and your closest friends had betrayed you, but not once have you begged on your knees to them, asking to spare your life. It's ridiculous, but you were not a monster. You weren't meant to hurt a soul.
"Fine, I'll spare you this once as long as you all promise not to do anything wrong to my people and my island. We have eyes everywhere, and one wrong move, you're gone. Got that?" They all nodded in understanding. "I value trust here in this island, but once it is broken, I don't give any more chances. I expect none of you to fail me...again." You then left through the door where Seonghwa was waiting. "Bring them new clothes, serve them hot food and get rooms for them to stay, that's an order."
Seonghwa nodded his head in compliance. "Will do right away, captain. I will report back to you once they have settled."
You pursed your lips, "Thank you, Hwa. I'll look forward to it. Good night."
"Good night, y/n. Get some rest."
-
[ 9 years ago ]
"I will become the best captain of the seas and have the best crew like no other." Hongjoong placed one leg on top of a crate, looking over the horizon as the wind blew his hair back.
You hear Mingi yawn from beside you, "Is he talking about being a captain again?"
You hummed in response, still amused by Hongjoong's dramatic monologue. You wondered what those other two were doing. You turned to check behind you, and see San and Yunho having an intense dance battle in the middle of the main deck with a mini music player resting on top of a crate near them, though you weren't quite familiar with the kind of dance they were doing.
"What kind of dance is that? It's so fast, I've never seen anything like that before."
"It's called 'feeling the music,' darling." San sent a playful wink your way, causing you to get flustered by the sudden action.
Yunho, on the other hand, proceeded to make his way towards you, and you felt Mingi's arm around you tighten slightly. "Why don't you come teach us what you know about dancing? San and I will teach you what we know, too. How's that sound?"
That's how you found yourself teaching the two men how to ballroom dance, not to mention the number of times San had accidentally stepped on your foot. Yunho tried doing it with Mingi while you partnered with San, even though Mingi clearly wanted to be paired up with you.
But it didn't matter because at the end of the day, it was him who you watched all the sunsets with. Your head rested on his shoulder while you took in the sight of the sun setting over the horizon. You loved the peace at that moment; it was the only time you could get your mind off of things. It was nice, especially when the others would suddenly appear from behind you and join.
[ end. ]
Where did it all go wrong?
Two weeks had passed since Mingi, Yunho, San, and Hongjoong found their way onto the island. You stepped outside to the village to conduct your weekly checkup on the villagers and their resources, if changes and training were to be made or not, but everything seemed to be completely fine. Probably too 'fine' for your liking because how did San and Yunho both end up laughing at Seonghwa because his parrot hit him in the face, and why is Wooyoung trying to push Hongjoong towards the said quartermaster? Why the hell is Hongjoong blushing?! You were probably just seeing things after a tiring week, you tried to convince yourself.
The day after, you went to monitor Yunho, San, Mingi, and Hongjoong's training session led by Wooyoung, assisted by Jongho and Yeosang, while Seonghwa stood by as an aid. You, alongside the four men, observed and scrutinized the other four to see if they were to be trusted and qualified to be trained for battles.
In turn, they were unexpectedly obedient and cooperative in everything they were asked to do. Thus, trainings were arranged for them. You expected to see a group of men fighting using their weapons, dampened in sweat, and with determination in their eyes. Instead, the scene in front of you was nothing like you've imagined at all.
Seonghwa was busy wrapping a bandage around Hongjoong's wound on his arm caused by an accident earlier that day, eyes focused on securing it. His body moved closer and closer to Hongjoong in order to see clearly and steadily handle his wound, but the latter seemed to be flustered by the close proximity.
Hongjoong's eyes scanned over the sight of Seonghwa in his elegant clothing, the way his corset hugged his waist perfectly, the way his hair was tied neatly into a short ponytail, his eyes sharp yet soft, his hands ever so gentle on him, and how pink and plump his lips were; Hongjoong had to look away before he would lose his mind.
"You're all good." Seonghwa backed away once he finished aiding the wounded man, grabbing his kit to return to his station when Hongjoong stopped him.
"Hey, uhm..." Hongjoong's eyes were everywhere but on Seonghwa. "Thank you for making me feel better—I mean, for this." He motioned to his arm, where the bandage was in an instant. "Yeah...haha, for this, of course." He mentally cursed at himself for stammering like an idiot in front of the esteemed quartermaster, but he only let out a soft chuckle at his flustered expression.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Seonghwa gave him a reassuring smile before he made his way back to his station by the entrance of the room, where you had been standing for a while, enough to witness the whole scenario. The moment Seonghwa noticed your presence, he quickly greeted you. "Good morning, captain. How was your sleep?"
"It was alright."
"That's great—"
"Although, something has been bothering me these days." You sighed.
Seonghwa's full attention was now on you. "What is bothering you, captain?"
You gave him one brief glance before turning over to look at someone who was busy writing in his little notepad, "Seonghwa, is there something going on between you and Hongjoong?"
Your question made his eyes widen, flabbergasted. He wasn't sure how to react to it. The truth was, he never really thought of Hongjoong in that way. Although he did find him quite cute and admirable at times like when he looked clumsy, he believed he shouldn't see him in any way other than as a normal civilian, especially not when he was one of the people who had betrayed you in the past.
Seonghwa would never betray your trust for temporary romantic desires; he promised to serve you with his life. "Me and Hongjoong?" Seonghwa turned to see where Hongjoong was at, and when the two coincidentally made eye contact, Seonghwa avoided his gaze in embarrassment. "Oh no, definitely not, captain. He and I strictly share a professional relationship."
You nodded, though not completely convinced. Afterwards, your eyes landed on another pair of men on the other side of the room. "How about those two over there? Do you think they have a professional relationship?"
Seonghwa followed the direction where your eyes focused and found both Wooyoung and San in a serious conversation. Wooyoung appeared to be scolding San, pointing towards different parts of his body, his mouth rambling continuously as San stood there in silence with his hands behind his back, taking in every word his trainer was telling him. Looks completely normal. Nothing to worry about, right?
San nodded once more at Wooyoung when the latter patted his shoulder stiffly, only for Wooyoung's fingers to ever-so-slightly caress San's cheek as their eyes remained glued on each other. San then brought his hand up to take hold of Wooyoung's, guiding it to rest it on his cheek, and the two exchanged looks of contentment, not to mention how San's ears instantly turned red afterwards.
Wooyoung usually had the tendency to be affectionate towards people he was close to and those he wanted to befriend, but you didn't expect him to reach this level of affection with San, a supposed enemy whom he just met two weeks prior.
Both you and Seonghwa were completely stunned by the interesting scene. Not believing what you had just witnessed a few seconds ago, you both slowly turned to face one another with the same expression. "I guess not, captain. I guess not."
It wasn't that you were opposed to the idea of them having that kind of relationship, since you were close enough with the two to know that they only befriend people who are genuine and share the same principles as them. Wooyoung was best at assessing and deducing people and even exceptional at manipulating them for good reasons, of course, whereas San was highly observant of those around him.
You could only hope that all this wouldn't change anything among the crew; you wouldn't let the same mistake of trusting these former HalaHala crewmates happen to your own crew as well. You were sure to keep a better eye on them.
-
Together with the Blue Bird crew, you had just successfully finished trading goods with the local merchants of Answer Island. Once every two weeks, you sail with the crew to other islands to trade various goods—enough for the villagers of New World.
While this was Yunho, San, Hongjoong, and Mingi's first trade as official members of the crew, you were being vigilant over their words and actions throughout the whole operation. They were considered new faces in your team; one wrong move can ruin the whole crew's reputation straight away. You weren't going to risk anything.
"Where did you get this?" You snatched the pouch bag from Hongjoong's hand, eyeing the shiny red jewels inside suspiciously. "I don't remember telling you to trade our goods for this." A displeased glower was shown on your face, clearly disgruntled at the situation. You had informed the crew beforehand about the list of items they must trade with the locals, including silver and gold coins, clothing, materials for building, and other things you needed for the island. You always made it certain that every trading would be done with integrity, verifying the crew's compliance; consequently, you weren't going to tolerate any ill-gotten trades from anyone. "Explain before I return this back to them."
Hongjoong was caught off guard at the sudden raise of your voice, immeditarly explaining himself to you before matters would escalate further. "Apologies, captain. One of the merchants is someone I'm acquainted with, a close friend of Bumjoong, my older brother, before he was killed. The man remembered who I was, and I tried to politely reject his offer of giving me those jewels, but he was persistent, and I couldn't say 'no.' I'm sorry for causing you any inconvenience."
A part of you was convinced by his explanation, while some parts were still skeptical about it. You still found it difficult to trust them, and your distrust was completely valid and undebatable. Hongjoong did grow up with pirates; thus, raiding for loot was a normal practice in his world. You, on the other hand, didn't. You weren't a pirate; that was as clear as day. Hence, you would never rob a single thing that wasn't yours. There were no exceptions in Blue Bird.
"I don't know if I should believe you. I really do not want to if you ask me." Hongjoong remained silent, making you pinch the bridge of your nose, left with no other option but to let him off the hook. To be fair, you haven't heard any complaints or reports from the merchants and the other crewmates, so maybe it was truly a misunderstanding on your end. "Fine, keep it as long as I do not hear a single complaint about the crew." You tossed the pouch bag back to Hongjoong, which he caught sloppily. "We're not merely here for fortune. We are here to trade and give back to the people. If you wish to satisfy your selfish desires, make sure to leave me and New World out of it, but remember, greed will get you killed."
Hongjoong nodded in understanding, taking mental notes from the conversation you had with him a moment ago. He found you formidable whenever you asserted authority and control over the crew, and he acknowledged it with no objection.
You walked past him heading towards Yeosang and Jongho, who stood by the main deck, preparing to sail back to the New World after a long day of trading in Answer Island. "Jongho, go over all the items inside the chests, and secure them down in the hold. Wooyoung, be on the lookout for tonight. We have to be extra cautious and alert this time; we shouldn't be too complacent." You motioned for Seonghwa and Yeosang, who is Blue Bird's notable navigator, to follow you to the Great Cabin, where the three of you will plan on your next journey in a few days.
You'll never know who will betray your trust.
-
"Woah, you're pretty strong." Yunho panted as he tried to escape from your arms that were currently wrapped around his neck with force. "I'm impressed."
You exerted a bit more force around his neck, almost choking the air out of him. "Not the time for compliments, Yunho. Stay focused."
Today, you were in charge of personally training the four new crewmates, which they totally didn't expect to happen. The training center, surrounded by equipment, weapons, and safety gear, was quickly filled with intense pressure as the four men witnessed you easily knock Yeosang, one of the strongest in Blue Bird, down in just seconds. If they think Yeosang and Jongho were unbeatable, they will be proven wrong by the end of this training session. It wasn't entirely in the muscles or strength you had, being strategic, calculative, and clever were a must.
Yunho continued to struggle against your tight hold until he was finally able to escape from you. He tried to throw you down on the safety mat, but you were faster in kicking his knees from behind, causing him to fall flat on his face with a grunt. You shook your head in dissatisfaction at his performance catching your breath as today's session with him has ended.
"And here I thought you had fast reflexes; I didn't see much of it today." You stayed in place looking down on Yunho, leaving him on the ground. "Get up. Go sit by the bench; I'll get back to you later." Yunho didn't waste any second to get back on his feet and sat down on the bench, where the others were waiting.
It was then San's turn to train with you. You already had certain moves planned beforehand to execute based on each of their specialties and strong points to see which techniques were best to use and where they may improve. As soon as he settled in front of you on the safety mat, you started tackling him, holding his arms down to limit his movements. However, San was also quick to respond to your sudden actions by squirming a bit before extending his arms to have leverage against your grip.
"Not bad, but not the best move either. Squirming can take a bit of your energy away, which allows the opponent to take advantage of those few seconds. Every second matters, take note of that."
You pulled away from his body to prepare yourself for another move, but before you could do so, San asked you a question. "Sorry to ask this in the middle of training, y/n, but this has been on my mind lately. I'm not, in any way, invalidating your feelings, but with how things had been going the past week, I really wanted to ask if you...trust us? I mean, we are now a part of your crew, but like, do you trust us in a deeper sense?" San had been meaning to ask you that question since he'd started noticing your stern treatment towards them.
Trust? How can he say that word so casually after what happened to you in the past? Does he think trusting people who had immensely hurt you before is easy? Trusting is a sacrifice, and sacrificing meant risking your life. You may have given them a second chance to live and rise back up, but that didn't mean things would go back to how they used to be.
"Show me excellent results, and I might reconsider."
With that, San and the other men were hellbent on gaining your trust back by showing how much they improved and how superbly they fought against the pirates, who had tried to invade the island. Those pirates were from the Outlaw crew, and they were known to be well-equipped and strategic when it came to battles, yet your crew, especially with San, Hongjoong, Yunho, and Mingi added to team, easily defeated them without a challenge.
You hate to admit it, but their performance was undeniably impressive. It was clear that they were motivated to achieve their goal, and that called for a feast to celebrate another successful and well-fought battle.
"Cheers to another Blue Bird victory!"
The feast was held outdoors in the village square, where everyone gathered together. The village square had a fountain in the center with benches on the side and even a gazebo nearby. Wooyoung led the celebration with a beer in hand and a foot on the table. Everyone joined in raising their own glasses up in the air and cheered enthusiastically, followed by the crew exchanging words of gratitude. This had been a tradition among the people since the crew's first victory a few years ago, even before Seonghwa and the others had arrived here.
The night went on with a crowd filled with laughter and tears of joy, especially San, who sobbed quietly on Yunho's shoulder. You silently watched on the side, admiring the scene in front of you, not really wanting to engage in any long conversations after a tiring day. You weren't one to stay long on nights like this, but you wanted to stay longer tonight for a change. San, Yunho, and Hongjoong had flooded you with words of gratitude for all the help and training you gave to them and how it was all worth it in the end. You didn't hesitate to return the gesture because now, you trusted them a bit more than before. They have proven their skills to you, and it resulted in another victory.
Seeing this, Mingi was eager to talk to you as well. He contemplated if tonight was the right time to explain himself to you personally and to make things right once and for all, so the moment he followed you back to your tower after the celebration, he was more than ready to confess to you the whole story from beginning to end, whether you'd believe him or not, and he was prepared for the consequences he'll get.
"y/n...please." Mingi tried to catch up to you from behind as you continued to make your way inside your tower, where you stayed. The tower was big enough for you with simple modern designs, and it wasn't too visible from the outside to keep your location hidden from intruders or outsiders, since your tower had important documents and fortune you needed to keep as safe as possible. You didn't even let him in, nor was he welcomed inside. Nonetheless, he found himself inside the place with one goal: to explain everything to you.
You tried your best to ignore his pleas, passing them from one ear to the other, and pretending that he wasn't there at all. Even so, he wouldn't give up that easily. He couldn't bear the idea of you hating him without knowing the truth behind his actions. He followed you upstairs to your living room, forgetting that he was basically trespassing in your tower; he only had his eyes set on you, after all.
You moved to the kitchen to get yourself a cup of tea, as you always do every night, without bothering to look at him. "What do you not understand about leaving me alone?" you asked. You could almost feel the desperation in his eyes as they watched you.
"Let's talk."
Unthinkingly, you slammed your hand on the counter out of vexation. He just doesn't get it, does he? "No, Mingi. Let's not talk, okay? First, you leave me behind to my death, then you trespass in my home, and now that I gave you a place to stay, you are being as stubborn as ever. Just because I did that doesn't mean we're good to fix things. Staying away from me is the least you can do, or would you rather have me throw you out instead?"
"No, it's not that. Please, let me explain everything to you. You deserve to know the truth."
You heaved a drained sigh, looking out the big window that overlooked the village, watching the villagers going by to end their night. "I don't even know if I should keep you on the team."
Mingi knew that; he'd expect you to tell him off even from the very start. "I know, y/n. I don't deserve any of this, but there is something I didn't tell you about my mother."
The mention of his mother bemused you. She took you in when she could've ended your life together with your parents, and if it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have survived this long and be where you are right now. You had no idea what secret he was keeping from you, but what he revealed next made your heart drop.
"She was trying to kill you, okay?"
What? It cannot be. You turned to look at him with widened eyes, staring in utter disbelief. "What do you mean she was trying to kill me? She wouldn't—"
"She was planning to kill you, so she made up rumors about you only wanting my fortune to drive me to kill you first, but you know I wouldn't. I didn't want to, and the only choice I had for you to stay alive was to leave you behind. That's why I did what I did back then. I'm really sorry for not telling you, y/n."
Mingi finally spilled the truth you needed to hear from him. He stood in there in pure guilt, seeing the way your lips quivered in denial and the way your eyes were fighting back the tears that were threatening to escape. He acknowledged that it may all be too much to believe and too overwhelming for you to take in, but he really needed to let you know as soon as possible. You just weren't prepared for it.
"Why..."
[ flashback ]
"What?!" Mingi exclaimed as his mother continued to wipe her weapons clean without a care. "y/n doesn't want my fortune; why would you say that?""
His mother apathetically shrugged. "I don't know about you, Mingi. Maybe you're too blinded by her beauty or whatever, but she's clearly only sticking close to you because she knows you're my son and you have a fortune under your name."
Mingi doesn't apprehend where all these rumors about you being a fortune hunter were coming from; nevertheless, he hated hearing about it. He had just shared a sweet intimate kiss with you an hour ago, and he was so sure that you didn't like him solely for his fortune. You had never mentioned that to him; what you usually shared with him was simply about your love for sunsets and reading. A girl with big dreams; that was the 'y/n' he knew so well.
"You must have forgotten, Mingi. That girl came from royalty, wealth, and big castles. It's in her nature to want fortune because that's how they live; they breathe money. I only kept her because I thought we'd get access to other kingdoms using her connections, but she's just a useless little girl with nothing but a pretty face."
"Do not speak about her in that way," Mingi argued, jaw clenching, clearly infuriated. "I'm not going to kill her, mother."
Amused by Mingi's courage, his mother sneered at him. "Really?" She walked up towards him in slow, intimidating steps and with a sinister look, grabbing his chin. "You know exactly what would happen when you don't do it. Would you rather want that?"
Mingi loathed everything about the situation. He abhorred having to choose between the people he loved, but he knew that lives were at stake; thus, he needed to make a decision he would regret. Either way, regret will still eat him up, and he'll never forgive himself for it. If it were a choice to just kill his own mother instead, he would, but he wasn't a selfish monster like her.
"Do it before the sun rises."
Those were his mother's last words to him before he finally executed his nightmare of a plan, which he believed was the best choice at the moment. He felt his heart sink and his head grew dizzy at the sight in front of him: the love of his life, an innocent young lady with tears running down her face and broken eyes staring into him with so much pain and betrayal.
He brought you out to the back of the ship late at dawn just before the sunrise came, and you knew where it was going. You didn't have words to say anything or ask him what was going on; still, you had already expected this day to come. A princess like you knew that loving a pirate was a sin, yet you decided to trust and love Mingi when you shouldn't. This was a consequence of your actions.
He tossed to you your almost worn-out bag where your books were kept before carrying you back to the main deck and casting you down as gently as he could into the water, making sure you were not to drown easily because he knew you weren't a swimmer at best, unlike him and his friends.
"Mingi? No...NO!" Your screams of terror sounded like someone had stabbed his heart multiple times, sounds that would haunt him forever.
"I'm so sorry, y/n." Those were the last words he told you before he regretfully walked away from the scene, afraid to see what he had just done. He didn't turn back. He wanted to see you one last time, but it hurt him too much to do it. "This is all just a dream; I'll live." But it wasn't. It was reality no matter how much he denies the truth.
[ end. ]
"That day, I wanted to kill myself, to kill my mother, to end it all. It took me and my brothers years to escape from my mother, so when she passed away, my stepsister immediately took over the ship, and we left before she could catch us. We genuinely didn't expect to end up in this place; we didn't even know this island existed." Mingi tried to step closer towards you, only for you to turn your body away from him, giving him a sign that he should keep his distance. "I'm really sorry if I had to hide this from you; I knew you cared about my mother. I made a stupid mistake, one that I know I absolutely will not make again."
The truth was unconscionably cruel after that painful revelation about his mother, who had taken you in and provided you with a second home. Even though she, your supposed 'killer,' was no longer in your life, the sorrow and anguish remained very much there in your heart. For years, you blamed Mingi for everything, when his mother was the one responsible for your near-death experience. It hurt all over again.
"I see."
A joyful feast with the crew ended in a painful revelation, which you cannot let go of easily.
Since that heated exchange with Mingi three nights ago, you couldn't sleep much at all. It's been days since you started avoiding him unless it's for necessary means, fearful that past memories would make their way back into your mind. You detested him for what he did, and you despised him even more for keeping it a secret from you. The crew had noticed your indifference towards Mingi, but you couldn't care less if they noticed. All you cared about was treating him like he was nonexistent.
In order to block out the thoughts and emotions, you took refuge in your tower. Meanwhile, Mingi was taking a leisurely stroll along the shore to get his mind off of things. He kicked small rocks away as he dragged his boots on the sand, appreciating the sensation of the wind against his face. He walked along the shore for a few minutes before finding a log to sit on and rest his legs.
He felt that he was gradually getting better at the time, but it was short-lived when he caught sight of a familiar silhouette in the distance. The closer it came into view, the clearer it became to Mingi. Alarmed, Mingi hurried back to the headquarters, entering straight into Jongho's office, where he was found playing with his guitar.
"Woah, man. Relax—"
"HalaHala is here, call 'emergency lockdown' now!"
The moment Jongho heard the name everyone feared the most, he automatically pressed the red button on his desk in less than a second. Sirens rang around the area and the residential zones, signaling a need for lockdown. Traps were activated, and all crewmates promptly moved to prepare for battle.
"Pirates are coming. The day we all feared has come...HalaHala has found us," Jongho announced to the intercom, voice stern with a hint of fear in it. "Ready yourselves as we've practiced; let's end this once and for all even if it costs our lives...this is all for you, captain." With that being said, Jongho ran out to prepare himself for the most awaited war of his life.
Your heart dropped to the bottom of your stomach when you heard Jongho's call over the intercom. Because of their own horrific experiences with HalaHala, everyone dreaded this day, but to you, it was like going through hell again. Like the day when your kingdom was totally destroyed, this day was life or death for you.
"Fuck! Why now of all times?" you cursed to yourself as you got dressed, grabbing all your needed weapons. You stride towards a hidden room in your tower, where your most valuable possessions, secrets, and important documents were kept safe. In it was a family picture that was found on one of the books you had brought from the kingdom: your mother and father sitting on the luxurious couch with a tiny you in the middle. "This fight is for you, mom and dad. If I die, I must die a hero, as I have worked hard to become," before exiting the tower through an emergency shortcut.
Everything you had went through, building this island and training your people to become who they are now—all these happened because of those heartless pirates. You weren't going to fail New World, Blue Bird, or yourself, especially not your parents and the kingdom. This battle was for each one of them, all to avenge the people you loved with your life.
Arriving at the headquarters, you headed to your usual spot with Seonghwa and his team. Your heart raced immensely from the thought of seeing HalaHala again more than a decade after being thrown out from their ship, past memories flashing back to haunt you.
"Don't be afraid, captain. We know this battle means everything to you, so we will fight with our lives to make sure we win this." Seonghwa pulled you in to reassure you. "You got this, y/n. You always do."
You weren't in your right mind the past week from Mingi's sudden revelation, and now, this. It was too much for you to process, but winning this battle meant bringing justice to your kingdom and peace to your soul. You must win this.
-
Mingi and the rest of Blue Bird hid quietly as the HalaHala pirates jumped off the ship to the shore, carrying weapons with them. One of the enemies had stepped on a dried leaf, triggering a trap. The rest of HalaHala pulled out their cutlasses and pistols, ready to shoot, but stopped when the captain of HalaHala got down from the ship, and signaled for the crew not to make a move yet.
Mina, the captain of HalaHala and Mingi's stepsister, scanned the surroundings intently for anything suspicious. There hadn't been any movement found, but with her keen sight, she narrowed her eyes towards a certain bush, where she noticed a gun pointing in her direction. Instead of feeling terrified, she only smirked amusingly. "This might be fun." She cracked her knuckles before grabbing her pistol from her pocket carry. "Start shooting!" With her signal, HalaHala started shooting towards the bushes where Mingi and the others were hiding behind.
They quickly ducked to dodge the bullets, and once it died down a bit, they started shooting them back with no hesitation. Wooyoung led his team out first, as he was Blue Bird's best gunner, and his flexible body was an advantage for him to avoid bullets coming his way. Mingi, who was the second-best gunner, followed suit with Yunho, San, and Hongjoong. You and Seonghwa's team followed behind to attack before the HalaHala crew reached further into the island where the villagers hid.
You pulled out your pistol and started shooting at them with everything you got like it was the last battle you were going to have because even when you had a tough and capable crew on your side, HalaHala was still one of the strongest crews in the pirate world. You had great momentum; you thought you were doing so well, but your mind was not one hundred percent in the battle since, as much as you hated thinking about it, you were killing people who you recognized well from your past.
Like a bolt from the blue, you felt a strong object hit you in the back of your head, making you almost lose your balance. You were rubbing your head to soothe the pain when a man tried to stab you with a cutlass from the side, so you quickly moved back to avoid the hit, but the sharp object still made contact with your skin. The pain from your head made you move a second too late, and now you were on the ground trying to cover the fresh cut on the side of your body to prevent more blood from coming out.
You couldn't move, you felt weak, and you thought you were going to die. This might be it; this might be your last battle. You watched as the man approached you with a cutlass just seconds away from ending your life, so you shut your eyes tight, ready to accept your fate, only for the man to fall to the ground beside you lifeless. To your surprise, you were met with a fuming Mingi who had his sword stabbed through the man's body.
Mingi had kept his eye on you from the side a few minutes ago, but the moment he found you in pain on the ground, he saw red, and in an instant, he ran up to you. He wasn't going to let you die, not like this, not during your most important battle. After killing the man, he stared into your dazed eyes. The look you gave him made him think that it was those same eyes from when you saw your parents getting killed by his mother—frightened. He hated seeing that look in your eyes, and he'd do everything to take away that feeling off your chest.
Conveniently, Mingi recognized one of Seonghwa's teammates nearby. "Hunter, bring y/n to the clinic and aid her. She's hurt," he ordered without leaving his sight on you. Mingi's gaze followed you as Hunter carried you away from the area, all while you watched as Mingi's figure slowly faded into the distance.
Mingi made heavy steps towards the HalaHala ship, sneaking inside through the entrance, and advanced to the forecastle deck, where he found his stepsister observing the battle that unfolded on the shore from a distance, her back facing him.
"Funny seeing you here, Mingi." Mina started, adjusting her sash that was wrapped around her waist. "Never expected you to still be alive after disappearing with your friends, and neither did I expect that princess to be here too. Thought you killed her already; I guess you decided to be a 'hero' of some sort."
Mingi took this chance to grab the gear and steer the ship away from the island. He intended to fight her alone without anyone to intervene, especially not you: a battle between two siblings who see each other as nothing but sworn enemies. In no time, HalaHala had finally been defeated by Blue Bird after putting all their blood, sweat, and tears into the fight. Few of the crewmates had sacrificed their lives for victory; some were injured, while the rest remained in good condition.
Once the island was cleared of the enemies, Seonghwa ordered his team to aid the injured men and to prepare a proper burial for those who didn't make it. Everyone cleared the area as they made their way back to the headquarters except for Wooyoung, who stayed back to watch HalaHala's ship sail away from the island. He knew the battle wasn't over yet. "I trust you, Mingi. Come back alive."
-
Mina laughed at the situation in ironic amusement, finally turning to face Mingi. It was just the two of them on the ship, yet it felt like Mingi was surrounded by a hundred men at once.
"If you want to kill her, you have to kill me first." Mingi glared at her intensely, but Mina remained unfazed, not intimidated one bit.
Instead, she leaned back offhandedly on the edge of the ship, which irked Mingi even further. "Oh, what's this? Am I in some kind of romance novel?" She shook her head, emitting a sardonic laugh at the ridiculous thought. "Don't make me laugh, Mingi. Love does not exist in this world; it's all made up in the head. People feel attracted, have kids, then kill each other with no regrets; that's the cycle of life." Mina grinned at his lack of reaction. "Face it, that's the reality. We are not in some sort of fairytale bullshit you think you are in; we live to kill and kill to live, which means..." She took out her sword, sunlight reflecting on the blade landing on Mingi. "Only one of us gets to live, and that's going to be me."
'Love does not exist in this world,' that's what Mina believed, but your island was different. It was full of love, and Mingi realized that 'love' does in fact exist in many forms and is expressed in many ways. In your world, it was present and alive. New World was established because you had so much love for the people that you took the initiative to build it. If you didn't have love, the New World now wouldn't even exist at all. Mingi was seethed in rage, whereas his stepsister stayed unbothered, smirking at him without a care in the world.
"Come on, fight me." She challenged him, and consequently, he took out his sword.
"It may not exist in your world, but it does in mine." With that, Mingi charged towards her, attacking with his sword, which she easily blocked. "You won't see tomorrow, Mina."
As the ship sailed farther and farther out into the ocean, Mingi and Mina indulged in a heated sword fight on the main deck. As powerful as Mingi was, Mina was just as mighty despite having a smaller frame than him. He had been on the verge of being struck by her sword several times, and she was no exception. They both went back and forth striking each other, growing frustrated as minutes went by.
Mingi dodged her swift attack. He pushed her knees forward from behind, causing her to stumble on the ground, so he took this chance to plunge the sword into her neck. However, she was quicker to dodge it and get back on her feet. This time, it was him who got cornered by Mina, giving her the upper hand. She brought her sword near his neck, and when he tried to dodge it again, his cheek was scratched a bit by the sharp blade, making him hiss at the pain.
Mingi sprinted towards the other end of the ship and briskly pulled out his gun from his pocket carry. He didn't want to use his gun, saving it as it only had one bullet left. Nevertheless, he pointed the weapon at her with an unsteady grip. "All this time, I thought mother was evil enough. I thought I could still rely on you as family, but you killed her with poison. You killed your own blood with no remorse. You're a monster, Mina. You don't deserve to live, and I too will have no remorse when I kill you. See you in hell!" He knew he wasn't going to make the shot with how his hands trembled as Mina approached him, and he had no choice but to try his best. It was his last chance; it was now or never.
Mingi was seconds away from pulling the trigger when a sudden wave hit the ship, causing her to stumble back and hit her head on a crate. While she struggled to get back up, he took the chance to shoot her with the last bullet he had. He glowered down at her as she gaped at him, her hand covering her chest where he had perfectly shot. With one last look, her body collapsed on the ground.
Mingi slumped down on the floor across from her, all worn out and in pain. He grunted when he felt his cheek sting from the hit earlier, his hands stained with a bit of blood. If it wasn't for that miraculous wave, he wouldn't have successfully shot her, and if it wasn't for him, you would've died. All he could do atwas stare at his stepsister's lifeless body and think about how you were doing back at the island.
"We did it, y/n. It's all over now."
Mingi was about to pass out when he heard a faint sound nearby. He stood up sluggishly and saw the Blue Bird ship come into view with Hongjoong, who sailed the ship, together with Wooyoung and Yunho. Hongjoong brought the ship closer to HalaHala's ship, where Mingi was currently on, and Wooyoung called for the latter to come to them.
"Get in here, big guy. We're taking you home."
Home. Mingi never really thought of New World as his home. He believed he didn't have the right to call it that because it was yours, and he didn't deserve to live in it. You only made him stay out of pity, perhaps; he wasn't quite sure. But maybe one day, he'll finally consider it to be one.
-
Wooyoung and Yunho rushed Mingi to the clinic to aid the wound on his cheek. Inside the building, he saw you lying down on a bed with a bandage around your head, body, and hands where you had been hit earlier during the fight. You were trying to ease the pain in your head and body alongside one of the nurses assisting you and telling you not to move around too much. Mingi stared at you concerned from his bed situated across the room.
He was about to make his way to you, but Seonghwa pulled him back and forced him to sit on the bed so he could help dress the wound on his face. While Seonghwa busied himself on Mingi's cheek, the latter's gaze never left you. He was hurt himself, yet he was more worried about your current state. As a pirate, he never really cared about people getting hurt, but he hated seeing you in pain.
"I'm going home," you informed the nurse, standing up from the bed and gathering your weapons from the nearby table ready to leave.
"Stay still, we're almost—H-hey! Where are you going?" Seonghwa called for Mingi, who got out of the bed to follow you. "Mingi!" The man disregarded Seonghwa's calls, intent on speaking with you. You could hear his footsteps following behind, but you didn't dare look back.
"y/n." You heard him call the first time.
"y/n." the second time.
"y/n." And the third, his voice gradually raising with each call of your name.
Upon arriving at the entrance of your tower, Mingi had reached for your arm to stop your movements. You retracted your arm from his grasp, proceeding to walk inside your tower. Footsteps continued to follow yours, but still you were adamant, and so was he.
"y/n, stop. You're hurt right now, seriously. You're going to make it worse if you keep moving—"
"Stop!" You had enough. "Stop jumping in whenever you think I need saving because I don't. I don't need anyone defending me, I don't need any of your help, and I don't need you." You enunciated every word to make it clear to him how you felt.
"You could've died!"
"I almost died once because of you!" You spun around to meet his eyes. Your voice pierced into his ears, but the silence that followed it was louder. Subsequently, the room fell uncomfortably silent. You could tell Mingi was drowning in guilt, and he could tell that you were still deeply wounded by what he did. Seeing no reaction from him, you decided to step back to get to your room and rest. However, a few steps in, you staggered from the sudden pain you felt on your head. You held the wall for support, slowly sliding your body down, and kneeling on the floor to ease the pain.
Mingi instinctively reached forward to help you, but you stopped him. "Move an inch closer and I will—" Your words were cut when your head started hurting again, groaning at the throbbing ache. "This is all your fault." You started with a hushed voice, "I shouldn't have befriended you, I shouldn't have trusted a dirty lying pirate, and I should have listened to everyone's warnings. All this wouldn't have happened if I had never met you."
War was finally over. HalaHala no longer existed, which was your ultimate goal since the very beginning of New World and Blue Bird. That was what you wanted, and it was made possible through Mingi's courage, service, and trust. Albeit, you weren't completely satisfied, as it wasn't you who killed their captain. Your emotions got the best of you because you weren't the hero in this battle; Mingi was, but you didn't want to believe it.
Mingi resisted the urge to come closer to you and hold onto you so badly; his arms were yearning to feel you. Still, he respected you and your space. Even when it felt unfair for him that you thought of it that way, knowing that it was him who killed the captain of HalaHala, his stepsister at that, and the pirates who killed your loved ones, the crew he once was a part of, and the enemies who were once his family. He never tried to invalidate the trauma he had caused you before, but did you ever think about how he also felt about it?
You got back up as best as you could. "You made me feel heaven only to drag me to hell." With a resentful huff, you continued, "How I wish to give twice as much of hell back to you. But, I'm not a monster...and neither am I a pirate. I am a princess, and I should never hurt a soul." You looked into his eyes one last time. "Do pirates like you even have souls?"
"y/n..."
In just the perfect timing, a few Blue Bird members busted into the main door, all with worried expressions on their faces. Their movements came to a halt when they took in the sight of Mingi standing stiffly near you, and sensed the heavy and tense atmosphere between you and him.
You turned back to look out the window. "Everyone, go home. Tomorrow's another day."
The crewmates, who stood by the door, nodded in acknowledgment, exiting the tower right away. Wooyoung pulled Mingi by the shoulders, whose gaze lingered on your back, and dragged him out of the door, not wanting him to cause any more scenes. The room fell silent, this time in a consolation, after the door closed shut, and you let out a deep breath you didn't know you were holding.
Just when you thought you were finally alone, you hear a deep but soft voice speak to you from behind. "My apologies for staying, captain, but Madame Rose requested for me to pass this medicine for you; I'll leave it by the kitchen table, so you wouldn't forget to take it." Seonghwa entered the kitchen to place the medicine down on the counter. "Proper burial for our lost brothers and sisters has been arranged for tomorrow, and the people have also offered prayers for your fast recovery."
You hummed in response, "I'm glad."
Seonghwa saw you still standing by the window, understanding the pain in your voice when you responded. He sensed that you were hurting not only physically but also emotionally, and that you were bothered about something serious even when you didn't need to be. He knew you too well to notice it in an instant. With careful steps, he came up to you from behind. "They're all gone now, y/n. Those monsters will no longer be a threat in your life, and I'm sure everyone you've lost up there is so proud of their little girl for her bravery." He spoke with a voice so soft like a feather, the voice of someone who had treated you so well, like his own sister.
"No...why would they? I fell weak, I wasn't strong enough, and I wasn't the one who killed them, so why would they be proud of me?"
Seonghwa pulled you in a comforting embrace, cautious not to hurt you. "You survived hell twice; I'm sure even hell itself fears you." His long, elegant fingers rubbed gentle strokes along your back. "You don't always have to be the strongest, you know. You trained us not only to protect the people from danger, but you also trained us so that we can catch you when you fall, but falling isn't a weakness. That's what makes you human; we all are."
He felt you tightening your arms around him, burying your face on his chest, and he let you do so. "I know you hate to show any sign of weakness to us, and you want to be as perfect and strong as possible. I understand that, but y/n..." He lifted your head up with his thumb and index finger, revealing to him your now tear-stained cheeks, which he softly wiped away with his fingers. "You don't have to be too hard on yourself this time; you don't need to be afraid of being imperfect. You have us now; we can protect you, and you can go back to being the little princess that you once were before. I'm sure that little girl misses you a lot." He felt his shirt dampen from your tears, but that was the least of his concerns right now. "Please don't hesitate to call me when you need someone to rely on; I will wholeheartedly serve you with my life just as you have served us with yours. You gave us a second chance in life too, y/n, so allow us to give life back to you. We owe you this much."
This may not be the utopia you tried to build from the ground up, the paradise you yearned for, nor the life you wanted to live, but all this—the island, the people, the crew, the new beginnings—was definitely your treasure.
"Thank you, Hwa. I needed to hear that."
A week had passed since the battle with HalaHala. Adjusting your sash and pocket carry, you prepared yourself to go about your day. Damages from the previous event were fixed, and everything seemed to be back to normal. You roamed around the village to check on the villagers and their current supplies of goods after not being able to check on them for a week due to your injuries. The villagers greeted you as you passed by them, and you informed them that you had already fully recovered, to which they rejoiced, "The princess is back!"
Out of the blue, you felt a pair of arms trap your body in a tight hug. "Captain! I missed you so much; I was so worried about you." It's been a week since Wooyoung last saw you, but to him, it felt like years. He was accustomed to seeing your face and being around you each day of the week. He grew anxious as he waited for you to be back, knowing that it was the first time you had been severely injured during a fight. He thanked the heavens that you were now here, all strong and healthy in front of him.
"Stop crying like a baby, Woo. I'm not going to die." You patted his back reassuringly.
"I was just scared, okay? I don't want to lose you; that should never happen."
His words made you smile for the first time that day, "Thank you for worrying; I really appreciate it."
The day ended like how it usually ends: monitoring the island, then having dinner with the crew before dispersing to your respective homes. You thought you'd go by your night peacefully without having to cross paths with Mingi even for a split second of your day. To your relief, you haven't seen him at all today, but he had seen you through the window of his sleeping quarters.
Walking up to your tower, you heard those same familiar footsteps behind you. You heard it multiple times that you could easily identify whose footsteps it belonged to without needing to check who the owner was. "Stop doing this, Mingi. Don't make this difficult for any of us because I don't have the energy to talk to you right now." You went straight to the kitchen to grab yourself a cup of tea.
You didn't expect Mingi to do anything tonight except to simply talk, but even that, you don't want to have with him. You heard no response from him whatsoever, and it wasn't that you were expecting him to say a word, but he was oddly silent right now. No words, just the sound of gentle breathing.
"Say something—"
You were cut off by the sudden feeling of arms wrapped around your waist from behind and a head resting on your shoulder, breath fanning your neck. "I'm so sorry, y/n." Finally, you let out a deep breath you didn't know you were holding after hearing his voice. You weren't sure if it was out of defeat or a breath of relief. "I know I've been stubborn with you all this time, but I just...I missed you so much, I miss this, I miss us, and the feeling of all of you. I feel like I'll die if I don't get to show you and tell you how I truly feel." You remained silent in his hold. "I think we're always going to end up finding our way back to each other."
"Don't say that." You tried to stop him, but he didn't listen. He was adamant about telling you the words he's been dying to let you know after all these years of suffering, even if it meant this was the last time.
"When the boys and I escaped from the ship, I then realized how terrible it felt to be lost in the sea and how difficult it must have been for you. You fought death alone; I didn't, and that's what kills me. It's so unfair, yet the tides brought me here of all places when it could've just taken me alive; it led me back to you instead. It must've meant something."
Under your breath, you answered lightly, scared that your voice might break. "That's what I'm so afraid of; I'm afraid it would mean something because I really don't want to relive the past. I'm trying to live a completely new life away from you."
"But I'm also terrified of losing you again." Mingi's hold tightened around your body, haunted by the thought that you'd slip away once more if he let you go. "As selfish as it sounds, I miss you so fucking much, y/n. You have no idea how much I wanted to jump off that ship and swim up to you and tell you how your existence made me feel so alive. Hell, I'd drown for you if I had to."
"But, you didn't."
"I didn't because fear was eating me up. I was so afraid that I'd lose not only you but also my brothers if I tried to save you. I had to make the toughest and most painful decision in my life; I just couldn't afford to lose them whom I've spent the entirety of my life with. I had to live for them, but I wanted to kill myself even more when I found out that my mother was the one who killed your parents back in your kingdom."
The mention of your parents made your stomach twist, "You lost everything and all the people you loved, you didn't deserve to experience any of that nightmare as a child. I could only pray every night for the gods to just take my life instead, and bring you to safety; that was all I ever wanted since then." You felt him shift behind you to press a kiss on your shoulder, and to his surprise, you allowed him making him smile appreciatively. "Whenever I look at you, I always tell the gods how much I don't deserve to even walk the ground that you walk and breathe the air that you breathe. I was ready to die for you and lose my life twice, thrice, multiple times as much as you had because I owe you that. I wanted you to kill me, watch me die in your arms, and take my whole life away like how I took a part of yours...but you didn't, and I always wondered why."
"Mingi..."
"Why did you let me go? Why did you give me a second chance in life, give me everything I needed when I didn't deserve any of it from you at all? Why are you so...forgiving? It worries me too much."
You tried to control the tears that were eager to escape from your eyes. "I'm not." You didn't mean to cry; you hated losing your composure, breaking down, and feeling weak, especially not in front of Mingi of all people.
He could only give a wistful smile at you. "You're not pushing me away; you're here listening to the man whom you said was a liar, a traitor, and the person who almost killed you. If I were to make my last wish, I would wish for you to grab your sword and pierce it through my body as you let all your anger, frustration, and pain out on me. I'd happily die in your arms and be grateful for it, and I'll say it over and over again until you do."
"Stop! Enough." You had enough of listening to his heart-wrenching and painfully honest words; your heart couldn't take it anymore. Rather than blaming you for your treatment towards him, he was throwing his hurtful words towards himself.
"I don't think I can ever move on from you, y/n. You're the only person for me, the only woman my heart beats for, and the one who made my life worthwhile, but...my sick world was never yours to live in, and your world was never meant to have me."
Tears ultimately ran down your cheeks as his touch slowly disappeared from your body, footsteps fading into the distance, and without another word, the door closed, leaving you crying your heart out in excruciating pain. You didn't know what to feel after everything he had confessed to you tonight; you just wanted to forget all this ever happened.
His existence in your life hurt so much.
-
Since that heart-rending night, you and Mingi have never spoken a word to each other, not even during meetings and battles—nothing. He had kept his distance as much as possible to respect your wishes of not wanting to speak with him again. Now that he had already told you everything he needed to say that night, there was nothing he'd be expecting back from you. He was only there to serve you from then on as part of the Blue Bird crew—nothing more, nothing less. Whatever feelings he had, it was only his to know and keep a secret.
Everything was going smoothly. Things felt completely normal until the crew started noticing the change in atmosphere between the two of you once again and how Mingi tries to avoid you every chance he can get, which was very unusual from the Mingi they knew of. He wasn't looking your way as often anymore, and he's too focused on work to bother socializing with his crewmates. Well, he needed time to heal from the pain too. That's when the crew realized that this was more serious than the last time. If keeping his distance would make you feel better, then he will do so without a fight.
You read the fifth chapter of the book you were currently indulged in as you ate your meal in silence, separate from the others, during one of the crew's feast celebrations. Later on, you got up to go for a stroll around the island at this hour simply because you didn't feel like joining in on the fun tonight.
Mingi, although he didn't mean to, stood up from his seat to follow you out of habit, but Jongho pulled him down before he could take a step further. "Stay here, I got this." With that, Jongho hurriedly ran to catch up with your figure disappearing into the island. "Do you need any company, captain? It's getting a bit late," Jongho asked as soon as he matched your pace.
Not leaving your eyes on the book, you shook your head in response. "No need, Jongho. I just need some time alone; I hope you understand."
"Of course, captain. I fully understand." Jongho nodded, to which you returned with a gratified smile.
"Thank you," you replied before Jongho made his way back to where the others gathered.
Minutes after your short stroll around the island, you found yourself back at your tower. No Mingi following you from behind, just you and the silence of the room. Nothing really changed since that night; everything seemed to be in place.
The villagers were happy, the island was peaceful, and Mingi hadn't bothered you anymore, yet somehow the bright pink carnations in your flower vase sitting on top of your kitchen counter, which had never lost their colors since Seonghwa had gifted them to you months ago, slowly began fading, or maybe you just lack sleep.
-
The next few weeks were different from what the crew had observed. Some days, Mingi worked extra hard with the villagers, spending more of his time with them, assisting the men in fixing broken furniture, and helping the women carry heavy loads of clothing.
He wanted to experience life in a village, as he lived most of his life on a pirate ship. The other days, he would teach young children some of the gun and sword tricks he learned when he was at their age with the reason that children should be prepared for battle as early as now. In the end, he befriended everyone on the island all by himself.
Today was no different. You were roaming around the island monitoring the villagers and the crew on their work, as well as the houses for any damages, and surveying for areas that needed improvements, repairs, and maintenance. So far, no major damages have been found except for some minor repairs needed for some houses in the village.
You had just finished monitoring the community kitchen of the village, so you sat down on a bench nearby to rest after a long day of work under the heat of the sun. A villager had offered you a cold drink, which you gladly accepted, and as you indulged yourself with the refreshing drink, your wandering eyes landed on the man working in the distance.
He was shirtless, putting his toned back, broad shoulders, huge biceps, and snatched waist out on display under the sunlight. Turning to the side, you watched as his sharp nose, neck, and forehead dripped in sweat, which he wiped away with his arm. His hair was slicked back with a few strands falling on his face, and his plump lips curled up once in a while in concentration, showcasing his pretty white teeth. You hate to admit it, but his build got better since the last time you saw him shirtless—that was years ago—but you kept it all to yourself.
Without warning, a body jumped from behind you, taking you completely by surprise and causing you to spit your drink out of your mouth. "Careful there, captain. Your eyes are going to fall out from how deep you're staring at him. We wouldn't want him to know that, would we?"
"I'm just—" You coughed out the drink that got stuck in your throat. "I'm just observing him."
A mischievous smirk grew on Wooyoung's face, his arms leaning on the backrest of the bench to support his body, and like the tease he is, he wasn't convinced by your words one bit. He could tell from the way your body stiffened and your eyes avoided Mingi that you got caught in the act. "You sure you aren't feeling any romantic feelings down there? Because that's not what your eyes are telling me." He caught your hands fiddling with the hem of your sash, and that confirmed his suspicions, but he wanted to hear it directly from you.
"No, Wooyoung. Don't mistake romantic feelings for being cautious; your eyes are seeing things." You thought you convinced him enough through your stern tone, but not until Mingi turned towards where you and Wooyoung were, smiling momentarily when he met your gaze before bringing his attention back to the man he was working with.
That made you freeze in your seat, dumbstruck, but the cherry-on-top was the pink hue that appeared on your cheeks, causing Wooyoung to emit an amused laugh, "Whatever you say, captain."
"Get back to work, or I'll replace you with Seonghwa as my first mate."
"Slow down, captain. You drank too much already."
"Leave me alone," you complained, pulling your arm away from Wooyoung's hold.
Wooyoung grew frustrated at your stubbornness. Ever since dinner had started an hour ago, he had been keeping an eye on you the moment you ordered a bucket of rum. You weren't much of a drinker, from what he knew, but you'd drink on special occasions. Tonight wasn't even a special occasion of some sort, so he truly wondered what was on your mind for you to be drinking on a normal night like this.
To be honest, it wasn't totally your intention to drink past your alcohol consumption limit tonight. However, with the heavy tension you've been feeling in the past few weeks, you couldn't help yourself. You lost track of how much you had drunk, and despite Wooyoung's efforts to stop you, you were already too far gone; one more bottle and you would black out.
"Seriously, y/n. This isn't funny; you're going to die if you drink more." Wooyoung tried one more time to stop you by pulling your shoulders back.
No matter how hard Wooyoung tried, you wouldn't give in that easily. "N-no, just...one more...please..." you slurred as you reached for the last bottle of rum on the table in front of you. The tips of your fingers were already touching the surface of the bottle, only for it to be pushed away by a hand with fingers wrapped in multiple rings.
"That's enough." A voice so deep, rough, and serious spoke from behind, his shadow towering over your body.
You removed yourself from Wooyoung to turn towards the person behind you. "Don't tell me what to do—" You let out a yelp as a pair of strong arms suddenly carried you up bridal style. "Hey! Put me down this instant; it's a command." Adjusting your eyes to the light that shone from the moon above, you were stunned to be met with Mingi's sharp eyes.
"I'm bringing her back to her tower, you guys continue with your drinks." Just like that, Mingi walked away from the dinner table until it was out of sight, leaving you no chance to protest with how firm his hold was on you while ensuring you were comfortable in his arms.
You were trying to keep your eyes open, but with how comfortable you felt resting on his chest, sleep had won you over. Mingi only took notice of this when your head leaned into him further, and in no time, you were already in your bedroom. As gently as he could, Mingi settled you down on your bed and covered you in your blanket so you wouldn't feel cold.
"I'm trying so hard to avoid you, but you worry me too much, y/n." He took in the sight of your sleeping form. You looked exhausted, like you had overworked yourself. What he didn't understand, though, was why you had put yourself in this situation. "I wonder what's on your mind?" Mingi softly caressed your hair, brushing a few strands of loose hair that fell on your face behind your ear. "I'm sorry if I caused this; I'll try harder not to be a burden to your life." He planted a kiss on your forehead and smiled at how peaceful you looked without the serious persona you usually put on in front of everyone.
With one last look, he got up to leave you in your peace when he felt your hand weakly reaching out to hold onto his wrist. Mingi turned to you once again, ready to help you with anything. Unexpectedly, you pulled him down, causing him to stumble towards your body, his free hand supporting himself up so he wouldn't crush you. "y/n..." Mingi gulped nervously at how close you were, faces inches away from each other. "What are you doing?"
Your eyes slowly fluttered open, though not quite fully, and your hands cupped his already pinkish cheeks. You weren't completely sober, but it was hard to deny how cute he looked all flustered and confused. "Why are you so cute?" you asked in a hushed whisper.
Mingi put his other hand on top of yours to pry his face away from you. "y/n, you're drunk." He was caught off guard when you pulled him closer again, his heart racing like it would burst out of his chest at any moment. "Please, y/n. Close your eyes and go back to sleep; I'll leave—"
Smooch. One second, you pecked his cheek. The next, you fell back to dreamland. To say that Mingi was surprised was an understatement; he could basically feel his soul leave his body. He stayed frozen in place, still registering what had happened just now, his eyes glued on you.
The woman who claimed to hate his existence, who would rather deal with Wooyoung's constant nagging than share a room with him, and whom his heart only loved just kissed him on the cheek. It felt too good to be true, too impossible to happen despite sharing an intimate kiss years ago. This was different. This was a kiss from the tough, clever, and highly respected captain, not the vulnerable, fragile, and fearful cabin girl back in HalaHala.
"You're driving me crazy."
-
You woke up to the delicious smell of food from outside the room. Sitting up on your bed, you groaned as the throbbing pain in your head worsened, "I hate this." You shouldn't have drunk too much last night, but you lost control of yourself to stop. For your convenience, a cup of ginger tea sat on your bedside table. You grabbed it only to feel it warm in your touch. "It's still new."
After a few minutes of drinking the tea and wandering off with your thoughts, you finally got up and headed to the dining area where the smell came from. A table filled with perfectly arranged dishes greeted you. No one was in the room, yet the food was hot and new. "Wait, that's..." You took a closer look at a certain dish that seemed a bit familiar to you. "This is my favorite dish."
It was fish with sweet and sour sauce added with some carrots on the side. This had always been your favorite way back in the kingdom, and you would request it almost every other day that the chefs decided to store plenty of fish only for you. You could hardly remember its taste with how long it had been since you last had it. With that being said, you took a bite to taste the dish, which you missed so much.
This tastes amazing! The dish didn't exactly have the same taste as what you always had when you were young, but you swore you'd tasted this certain recipe before. You were so curious about who prepared all those for you, seeing no sign of another person's presence there. Maybe Wooyoung came over to make this? He was one of the best chefs on the island besides the head chef, but he couldn't have known of your favorite dish since you never brought it up to him. You were thinking too much about it until you noticed the odd placement of the utensils on the table, and that's when it hit you.
"Mingi...he remembered."
Of course, it was him. Who else could it possibly be? That man used to cook for you back in HalaHala, especially that dish, which he strictly only cooks for you. Mingi was good at cooking various fish dishes, as he grew up near the sea, thus learning how to fish at an early age.
He used to hate cooking because his mother thought it wasn't 'manly' of him, so he would sneak inside the kitchen when everyone was gone and make that dish for you. He remembered being so awestruck by the shine in your eyes whenever you tasted his dish and said how delicious it was. That was enough to make his day complete.
-
Mingi had just arrived at the village on his way to his quarters when Wooyoung spotted him from the community kitchen. "Hey, Mingi! Where have you been—are you okay?" Wooyoung asked in concern, noticing the way Mingi kept massaging shoulders and back with a groan. Mingi only spared him a glance before continuing to make his way to his quarters to wash up and get ready for the day. He hoped Wooyoung wouldn't bother him for now, but that hope wasn't strong enough to stop him.
"What happened, man? You were gone the whole night and you look like you're in pain, did you get into fight?" Mingi remained quiet while Wooyoung looked around for any injuries and bruises, "You got no bruises, so probably not."
"Don't you have work to do, Wooyoung?" Mingi finally answered him, earning a shrug from the man.
"Yeah, I do, and...hold on." Wooyoung stood in front of Mingi to block his way. "Didn't you bring our captain back to her tower last night?"
"That, I did." Mingi raised an eyebrow when Wooyoung studied him from head to toe.
"Hmm, you're wearing the same clothes from last night, and you just got back here, plus you look like you have some back pain." Wooyoung's eyes then met Mingi's confused ones, his index finger tapping his chin. "Did you and her...you know...?"
"Know what?" Mingi was growing impatient with each second that passed.
"Oh, you know, be intimate and stuff." Wooyoung's question sounded so casual, but the look on his face showed how serious he was with it. "Did you?"
Mingi deadpanned, but the red hue that slowly colored his ears betrayed him. That kiss she gave me last night. He hoped his thoughts weren't obvious. Unfortunately, it was too late. Wooyoung had caught on to his red ears, his eyes widening in realization.
"No way...Mingi, you...you madman!" Wooyoung punched Mingi playfully on his chest.
"It wasn't like that!" Mingi retorted. "Nothing happened between us, okay? I stayed the night and slept on the couch to watch over her; that's why my body hurts." Mingi massaged his shoulders again. "And besides, she and I are not in that kind of relationship. She literally hates me, so don't think of such thoughts about her—or us, I mean."
Wooyoung squinted his eyes at him, slightly unconvinced, but decided to shrug it off anyway. "Whatever, I'll let you go only because you brought her home safely last night." Wooyoung stepped out from Mingi's way. "Go get ready; we need more hands in the kitchen."
-
Arriving at the village, you were ready to start the day with high spirits after devouring that delicious meal Mingi prepared for you. You definitely weren't thinking about him as you took a nice cold shower and how much he changed in a span of months; of course not. Today, you planned to just spend the day resting from work and getting a few books at the library to read—nothing much.
As you greeted the villagers on your way, an excited Wooyoung ran up to you. "Good morning, captain. Come try this tasty thing everyone's obsessing over." You couldn't even say a word and ask what he meant as Wooyoung pulled you towards the table outside the community kitchen where villagers had gathered.
"Good morning, princess! Come try this; it's so good." A series of greetings erupted around the table at your presence. What are they even eating?
"Here, captain. Try this, it's really sweet." Wooyoung passed you a piece of cookie to taste, waiting expectantly for you to take a bite and enjoy it just like everyone else.
After taking a bite out of the sweets, you swallowed it. However, the sweetness made you cough. "Oh, it's too sweet." You grimaced, giving the cookie back to him. You didn't really understand why he enjoyed it.
"Really? It tastes alright for me." Wooyoung finished your bitten cookie, dusting off the crumbs from his hands. "Don't worry, captain. I'll request a less sweet one for you."
"No need." Mingi appeared in front of you with a plate of cookies in hand, offering one to you. "Try this one."
It would be rude not to accept his offer, so you grabbed the cookie from him and took a bite and another and another until you were empty-handed. "Wow," you whispered under your breath. The cookie he gave you wasn't too sweet; it was perfect. It tasted like a romantic picnic near a riverbank with fresh air; that was how you imagined it.
You almost forgot that Mingi was still there waiting for your reaction until he asked, "How was it?"
"It tastes amazing," you replied.
"Really? What's the difference?" Wooyoung grabbed one from the plate to try, and he grimaced at the unfamiliar taste. "It's not even that sweet."
"She doesn't like food that is too sweet," Mingi answered calmly as if it was a common fact. The truth was, you haven't shared that fact with anyone else but him.
Wooyoung nodded in understanding. "Oh, that's why you made a separate batch earlier." He brushed off a few crumbs that were stuck to his fingers before heading back to the kitchen. "Well, I better get more before they run out."
It was just you and Mingi outside the kitchen, standing awkwardly in silence, and you didn't know what to do at the moment. He didn't move from his place, and you didn't leave either, so he thought that maybe you had something else to tell him.
"So...uhm, did you make these?" you asked after contemplating for a minute, and he nodded to confirm. "I see, thanks. It was good." You cleared your throat before looking him in the eyes. "Thanks for the meal earlier by the way; I enjoyed it." You proceeded to walk away and made your way to the library, not bothering to wait for his reply.
As much as you hated to admit it, he was a great cook in many ways. He was good with his hands, and what's worse is that he knew how to win your heart with food. He knew your favorites, your preferred sweetness level, and even your allergies. You were surprised that he even remembered all those little details about you.
Mingi watched as you walked away, holding the plate of cookies in his hands. He entered back inside the kitchen, where he found Wooyoung being dragged by Yunho away from the already annoyed chef, who was scolding him for taking more cookies than he should. Mingi settled back in his space, where the rest of the 'not-so-sweet' cookies were placed. He grabbed a small box from the cabinet, carefully placed all the cookies inside, and tied a twine into a ribbon to enclose the box. I hope this isn't too much.
-
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. You cannot possibly feel soft around Mingi now, right? You didn't know what shifted in the air today nor what happened last night, but you still certainly noticed a change in how Mingi approaches you compared to when he wouldn't even bat an eye at you. No, I must be crazy to think that. Maybe Mingi was only doing it because you were the captain or the princess? Yeah, that was it. It was a gesture out of respect; it didn't mean more.
Shaking those thoughts away, you sped up towards the 'literature' section of the library. You were looking for a black hardbound book decorated with gold accents and texts, which was about the literature of Wonderland Kingdom, where your next destination with Blue Bird would be. You scanned around the shelf only to find that book placed neatly high up on the shelf. This was certainly not your day.
You were debating if you should go ask help from the librarian at the front desk, but she seemed to be preoccupied at the moment. That meant you were left alone at your own expense. How unfortunate. With all the strength and height you had, you tiptoed with your boots and reached up to the top shelf. You tried your best to reach the book you wanted, yet only the tip of your fingers could touch the edge of it.
"Goodness, why is it even up there?" One more time, you reached up for the book, but luck really wasn't on your side. You lost balance on your feet, and you closed your eyes, ready to brace the impact of your fall, but the fall never happened. A hand had caught you by your waist, steadying you back on your feet. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry." You looked up at your savior and was met with the same man you had just thought about minutes ago.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Mingi asked worriedly.
You wanted to hide in embarrassment, but you knew you'd be more embarrassed if you did actually fall without his help. "No, no. I'm fine, really." You brushed your hair away from your face and forged a cough to clear the awkwardness. How did he even know I was here?
"You needed this?" In front of you was the black and gold book you were trying so hard to reach for in his hands, lending it to you.
You accepted the book from him and nodded slightly in gratitude, "Yeah, thanks again. You didn't have to do that, though."
He smiled at you softly, "Well, I wouldn't want the princess of New World to get hurt."
It was an uncommon sight to see the two of you in the library right now, with you shyly looking up at Mingi while holding the book to your chest and him smiling down at you. One of those "events that feels too impossible to believe but really happened" kinds of things. Wooyoung would likely believe he was hallucinating or still dreaming if he were present to witness it, except that this was real.
"I brought you these by the way, in case you get hungry. It's not much, but I hope it's good enough to satisfy your taste." Mingi handed you the box he packed earlier in the kitchen.
Your fingers slightly brushed against his as you accepted the box, making your heart race. "Thank you; I'll be sure to enjoy them."
Mingi bowed in respect, "I'll be on my way now, stay safe." Without another word, he exited the library with reddened cheeks, which you failed to notice.
-
Hours had passed since you stayed at the library, and your progress was, well...not much. You only had minimal progress in those hours; that's not good. You couldn't focus at all; you kept rereading the same line over and over again, yet nothing went into your head. Words blurred into scribbles, and letters started spelling into his name. You really must have gone insane. You decided to go back to your tower to get away from whatever that was.
"You look troubled; something on your mind?" Entering the living room, Seonghwa's voice greeted you as he sat comfortably on your couch with a book in hand. He stood up from his seat, approaching you to get the book from you, and leading you to sit on the couch with him.
"Why are you even here? I don't remember inviting you." You removed your coat off your shoulders, hanging it on the coat rack by the door.
Seonghwa stared at your face in silence, a smile growing from his lips as his eyes landed on the box you placed down on the coffee table. He was familiar with that box; only one man on this island packs food like that. To see you carry one of those boxes, he figured that you might have encountered Mingi earlier today. "I came here with a question actually." Seonghwa rested an elbow down on the armrest beside him. "But I don't know how you'll take it."
You raised an eyebrow at his words, wondering what his question would be. "What is it?"
He hummed as if he was thinking it through, his eyes not leaving yours. "I heard from Wooyoung that Mingi brought you here last night, correct?" You, having no clear memories of last night, nodded absentmindedly. "Do you even remember what you did last night?"
Why was he asking about last night? All you did was drink and pass out, and the next thing you knew, a meal was readily set for you. "Did something happen last night? Did I do something embarrassing? Tell me." His question brought out your curiosity. Based on your expression, you didn't seem to recall what you did to Mingi last night. The memory of the kiss you gave him on his cheek was out the door; you had forgotten about it.
Seonghwa thought it was best to go straight to the point. "After hearing a few stories from Wooyoung, which at first, I couldn't believe my ears, and seeing what happened in the kitchen this morning, it made me think." In a split second, his usually soft eyes turned serious, wanting an honest answer from you. "Do you have feelings for Mingi?"
There goes that name again. But, wait. Feelings? What? You turned to him incredulously like he was crazy. "What the hell, Seonghwa? What made you even think that?"
Seonghwa had already expected you to react that way to his question. Even so, he wasn't going to stop until he was satisfied with your answer. "As I said, Wooyoung—"
"I don't care what he says; he must have lost his mind." You rolled your eyes in vexation. You would NEVER admit your feelings to anyone, not even to Seonghwa, whom you are closest to, not that there were any feelings involved to begin with. You got up, ready to head to your room to avoid the conversation, but Seonghwa held your wrist to stop you from escaping.
"I asked a question." His voice was solemn as ever, and whenever he uses that tone, it means he isn't playing around. It was that tone he used when he nags at you whenever you overwork yourself or when you carelessly make decisions out of anger. "And I need an answer."
No words seem to come out from your mouth; hell, you didn't even know what to say and definitely didn't know how you truly felt. What exactly do you feel for Mingi? What did he make you feel other than pain, regret, and anger? There weren't any romantic feelings there; no, that would be absurd.
Clearly, you were in denial. You were stuck in the idea that despite missing the sweet memories you shared with him, pushing him away would heal your wounds. But that's far from the truth. You had overlooked the love Mingi slipped into the simplest of actions he'd done for you, watching over you whenever you say you didn't need help, treating the villagers with respect just as he respects you, and more.
"You cannot lie to me, y/n. I've seen the way you look at him these past few weeks, and I would know when you don't speak of the truth."
Damn it. You cannot put into words what your heart was feeling and what your mind wanted you to believe. Mingi's existence used to make sense to you, but you couldn't even figure out and explain what he meant to you now.
"Do you love him?"
Do I love him? "No..."
"No?" He knew you were lying, so he pushed you further. "Think about it, y/n. You could've killed him right off the bat when he and his friends had trespassed on the island months ago, yet you let him live despite the nightmare he put you through, and you tell me you don't feel anything for him?"
You looked away with a scoff; you did not want to agree to his words. You wanted to divert your thoughts somewhere else and avoid the conversation. Unfortunately, memories you shared with him were starting to get in your head, and Seonghwa's words made it worse. "I don't..."
"That man sacrificed his life for you, took the life of his own blood for you; if that isn't love, I don't know what is."
"That's enough, Seonghwa." You were growing frustrated. You were trying your best to hold back your emotions and not hurt your best friend with words that may hurt his feelings, but the latter was equally as frustrated as you were. "Even if he did that, it doesn't change the fact that he almost cost me my life once."
"I understand that, y/n. But, I want you to be honest with me."
"No! I don't love him; I don't have feelings for him."
"If you're not going to be honest with me, then at least be honest with yourself."
Your shoulders slumped in defeat. Why couldn't you be honest with him? Why weren't you honest with yourself? Your mind might be telling you that you do not feel anything for him, not a shred of affection for the man you once loved, but what your heart felt whenever he did something for you was something you couldn't deny. Regardless of what your mind tells you is real or not, those emotions were true.
"I don't, Hwa...I don't...know." You weren't sure whether to follow your heart, which had been completely honest about your feelings with the world and had molded you into a princess and a captain who served those in need, or your mind, which had led you to become the guarded woman you are today. "I want to know, too."
The room fell silent with only your quiet sobs being heard. Seonghwa pulled you towards his chest, wrapping you in comfort. "I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you, y/n. I just don't want to see you look troubled whenever he's around, especially since he's a Blue Bird crewmate now. I want to see the enthusiastic smile back on your face, and less of the scowl." He rubbed your back in gentle strokes. "You've always been honest with your feelings up until now, you know. I don't want you to lie to yourself just because you think it's the safest way; it's not. Sometimes, the truth is safer than you think."
Maybe Seonghwa was right; maybe lying to yourself wasn't the right answer. Lying about your feelings wasn't going to bring you anything but distress; you just have to learn to accept and acknowledge whatever your heart felt for him. Acceptance was all you needed.
You didn't say anything, but the way you relaxed in Seonghwa's embrace, he took that as a response that you had understood him. It's moments like this when you're truly grateful for his presence in your life; he knows the right words to say, the right time to speak, the right actions to do, and the right way to approach your fragile heart. You were glad you had him to run to when you felt vulnerable. Seonghwa was always ready to catch you when you fall.
Just then, a knock was heard from the door, and it opened to reveal the man you and Seonghwa had been talking about. Mingi stood by the door with an unreadable expression, seeing you and Seonghwa embracing each other so warmly, missing the tears that stained your puffed cheeks.
"Hi, uhm...really sorry for interrupting the moment. Wooyoung requested for me to inform the captain that we'll be training the kids early in the morning tomorrow until the afternoon, in case she'll ask for him." Mingi left the room just as quickly as he had entered, leaving no chance for either you or Seonghwa to react.
On the way back to his quarters, Mingi questioned everything—the kiss, the gentle look in your eyes when you looked up at him at the library, and the stolen glances you gave when you thought he wasn't looking. He questioned if it even meant anything at all. Maybe you weren't so harsh on him anymore, not because you had slowly forgiven him, but because you had already given your heart to Seonghwa. There was no battle left for him to fight for your heart, and he was to accept defeat even when it would kill him.
A week of preparation had passed, and after sailing through the ocean for three full hours, your crew had finally docked at your neighboring kingdom, 'Wonderland.' You came here to deliver some goods to the castle, as the king had invited you for dinner, and perhaps visit an old friend too. You wore a more casual outfit for the trip instead of your usual captain look, while the rest wore something similar, but they kept their weapons with them for safety. You didn't exactly need any of it because to you, Wonderland was a safe place; it was home.
The kingdom of Wonderland was one of the most powerful yet hospitable kingdoms you knew of. Your connection with them goes way back to your parents time, when they made an alliance to fight against the notorious pirates. Your parents would often bring you with them during their trips to Wonderland. There you met the only daughter of the king and queen of the said kingdom, who eventually became your friend too since you two were nearly of the same age, with you being two years older.
Now, here you were back at the familiar place. An hour ago, you and the crew had arrived at the island earlier than expected, so you allowed the others to explore the public market near the dock where your ship was at for the meantime. The sun was beginning to set, and vendors were lighting up their stalls; that signaled for you to start heading up to the king's castle. You assigned Seonghwa to gather the rest of Blue Bird with the help of his beloved parrot, and in no time, everyone was gathered.
The journey to the castle was only a 10-minute walk from the market; thus, traveling by transportation to reach the place was unnecessary. Seeing the castle again was like coming home from an errand, whereas it had been years since the rest of Blue Bird last saw a castle up close. You walked up the stairs like you belonged there, unaware of the crew's hesitant steps. Even then, they trusted your lead, so they weren't completely worried.
At the top of the stairs, two of the royal guards stood by the door in attention together with the person who had the brightest smile on her face. She ran up to you and embraced you in a tight hug. "y/n! My sweet, sweet sister. I missed you so much, you have no idea." She pulled back to study your face, which she hasn't seen in centuries, as she always tells herself. Her soft, flawless hands cupped both your cheeks. "You're alive..." she whispered under her breath like she was reassuring herself of your presence. "I'm so happy you're alive."
You managed to let out a response even with your cheeks mushed. "I missed you too, Aera." Upon finally hearing your voice, she looked at you warm-heartedly. She couldn't believe you were real.
Han Aera, princess of Wonderland kingdom, was your childhood friend. You first met her at 7 years old when you visited Wonderland for the first time. You were quite shy around new people, but your parents encouraged you to make friends with her. Thankfully, Aera came up to you first, and since then, you and her have become close like sisters. Her parents, the king and queen, were also like your second parents, who took care of you and showed you around their kingdom. So when they heard the news that the whole kingdom of Fever, including the king and queen, was attacked, they were devastated, and their hearts were shattered into pieces.
They lost not only their allies but also their brothers and sisters; they lost their family. Aera thought she had lost you too, so she locked herself inside her room and broke down until her parents told her that you survived the attack, but you were taken away by pirates. She was relieved, truly relieved, that you were still alive out there. Still, she was overanxious about your safety. How would you survive with the pirates? What will they do to you? She didn't want to think of the worst possible scenarios, only hoping that you'd come back in one piece, and here you were, in one complete piece indeed.
Tears began to fall from her eyes, "You changed, y/n." Aera took in the new look you had—a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up halfway covered in a brown vest, glen check patterned slacks paired with black ankle boots with a small brown satchel, and your hair tied into a single braid—a vintage look that is different from your usual princess dresses. "You look different, but you are still the same princess and sister to me."
You held her hand that was resting on your cheek and smiled, "Life changed me, but my love for you never stopped."
It was true that your love for her never changed in those years without her presence. Some of your memories may have been forgotten already, but Aera was someone dear to you. You spent your childhood and a part of your teenage years with her; sharing secrets and running around the castle garden were your favorite things to do. Forgetting her would be forgetting your family. Meeting her again someday was one of your biggest motivators for building your crew and island.
-
"That's my girl! She did all that by herself." Aera cheered proudly from her seat.
After your emotional reunion with Aera, she invited you and the crew inside the castle to have dinner with the king and queen, which was the main purpose of your visit there. Soon, you found yourselves sitting around the long wooden table decorated with a warm red and gold table lining. The king sat at the front of the table, the queen on one side, and Aera on the other. You sat beside the queen, followed by Seonghwa, Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Jongho, while Mingi sat beside Aera, followed by Yunho, Hongjoong, and San, respectively.
The moment you entered the dining room, both the king and queen immediately ran up to you and embraced you warmly, grateful for your return. They bombarded you with questions about where you've been, how you've been living, and who you were with. They were relieved to hear that you've been living well with your people and crew and have settled into a better life in New World.
The food was eventually served and was spent with you sharing about the story of your life's journey and how the events turned out, which elicited flabbergasted reactions from the audience. Even Seonghwa, Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Jongho were still amazed by your story no matter how many times they heard it. You did intentionally leave out the part where Mingi betrayed you by throwing you out of the ship, not wanting to cause any fracas tonight. The storytelling session died down after a few minutes, so you brought your focus back on the food.
Dinner passed in a blink of an eye, and now you were in a conversation with the queen, with the king listening attentively beside her. The conversation was going smoothly, and it felt like you were speaking to your own parents, but somehow your eyes kept getting distracted by something else. The sound of a deep voice near you was really noticeable, and you knew clearly who it belonged to. You tried to focus back on your own conversation with the queen, but his voice was really getting to you until you heard a feminine giggle from across.
It was great timing that the queen diverted her attention to her husband because you got to check what was currently happening at the table. Across from you were Mingi and Aera, lost in their own conversation, exchanging friendly looks and smiles. You weren't sure what it was you were feeling, and you couldn't explain it either (more like you wouldn't admit it), but the scene unfolding in front of you bothered you in some way. Maybe it was the loving stare Aera gave towards Mingi, or maybe it was the wide grin Mingi had as he replied to her comfortably, but you definitely didn't like the look of it.
Unbeknownst to you, the other men at the table had stopped their own conversation when San first noticed the change in your demeanor and then gestured for the others to check as well. Surely, you looked upset. It was like there was a dark cloud looming above your head, and with the way you fixed a penetrating look towards the two people across from you, there was definitely some tension going on. You tried to shake the thoughts away, hoping to focus on the event at hand, so you diverted your attention back at the king and queen. However, the moment you hear Mingi's laughter and see Aera playfully slapping his arm, you just have had enough.
"Sorry to interrupt, your Majesty, but it's getting a bit late. I want to ask for your permission for us to return back home if that's alright." You spoke to the king and queen.
"Won't you and your crew want to stay the night? We've got enough rooms for all of you," the queen offered, but you were set with your decision. It wasn't that you weren't grateful for the offer, but you didn't think you were in the right headspace to stay for the night. You might go insane.
"It's okay, your Majesty. Thank you for the offer, but I still have to check over my people back in New World. Don't worry, I'll be sure to visit here again and bring my people once everything is finished."
As much as they'd want you to stay the night and rest, the king and queen understood the weight of your duties and the situation you were in. You were governing an island and leading a crew by yourself after all, which absolutely wasn't easy work. "We understand you, my dear. I'm sure there will always be a next time for us to meet again," the queen replied softly, assuring you that it was okay for you and your crew to return back to your island.
You bowed to them politely. "Thank you, your Majesty. I am grateful for the warm welcome and the delicious food served. Until our next visit." With that, you stood up and cleared your throat to get everyone's attention, more particularly at two people. "I'm sorry to interrupt the fun, but it is time for us to return home to New World."
"But, y/n—" Aera tried to speak.
"Sorry, I have important matters to attend to."
You let the crew bid their goodbyes to the king, queen, and Aera. Afterwards, you instructed them to exit the castle first and wait for you outside while you bid your own goodbyes to the king and queen, giving both of them one more hug before heading towards the front door with Aera, who offered to walk you out.
"You know, that Mingi of yours is a funny man." Aera's words made you halt just a few steps away from the front door. "I had quite the laugh tonight." You turned to her with a questioning look, not knowing where she was going with this. "I wonder if he dated someone in royalty; his jokes were incredible and definitely not coming from a man's head."
Yes. Yes, he did date someone in royalty. Yes, he did get his jokes from a princess, and that princess was me. You wanted to tell her those words, but you didn't deem it necessary. However, the idea of her having any interest in Mingi didn't sit right with you. "He is a pirate, Aera. You are a princess, and royalty should not be involved in any romantic relationship with them. That's a disgrace to one's kingdom and bloodline, you know that."
"But he's one of your crewmates. It shouldn't be a problem, since you trust him."
She's really adamant about this. "I won't repeat myself, and I mean it." Your voice was now serious and dismissive, leaving no room for objections or complaints.
Aera, on the other hand, was amused by your reaction. She wasn't interested in Mingi like that, of course not; she was merely enjoying his jokes that only royalty understands. She even wondered how he knew of those, especially since he grew up as a pirate. That was all it was supposed to be until she noticed the intense look you gave her, though more towards the man.
She wasn't stupid; she knew you more than you think. You grew up with so much love and respect, so jealousy was never in your vocabulary. Tonight, however, was the first time she had seen that emotion in your eyes. She then got the idea that you and Mingi had possibly shared a romantic past together, and she can tell from your reaction that it most likely happened.
"I know, love. He just reminded me of Keeho," Yoon Keeho, Aera's first love.
"Pirates are dangerous; Keeho is dangerous." You knew he wasn't. He had looks that could kill, but that man was nothing but joy.
Keeho was born a pirate, who got disowned by his parents at a young age all because he enjoyed singing. They saw him as a liability rather than an asset; hence, he was abandoned on the island with nothing to his name, but the heavens brought him one royal staff from Wonderland kingdom who adopted him and treated him like her own son. She was a singer herself, so both of them were really blessed to have each other. Keeho grew up loved since then, and his talent in singing was appreciated as he was assigned to sing during big events at the castle. His beautiful voice was what caught Aera's attention and the reason why she fell in love at first sight. Long story short, they became lovers after a while, but you had no knowledge of that part.
"Aren't you working with pirates yourself?" Aera retorted, and her words gave you no chance to complain anymore. You looked away, feeling guilty at your hypocrisy. Aera gave your shoulder a pat when you didn't respond. "You worry too much. I'm not going to steal Mingi from you."
"What?" Your eyes widened.
Aera smiled to herself as she thought of him. "He seems to have so much respect for you; I wouldn't want to take that and get in the way." She looked you straight in the eyes, searching for any truth in your feelings for him. "You like him, too, don't you?"
That same question Seonghwa had asked you before came back to you once again. "I-I don't..." And that same answer came from you as well, not fully ready to accept the truth just yet.
Aera could only laugh at your reply, as she can see right through your lies. "No one's going to steal your man, love." You turned to her to check if she was messing with you, but all you saw was a genuine smile on her face, a pair of eyes that stared at you with pride, and a hand reaching for yours to hold. That was the look she always gave you whenever she felt proud of you for accomplishing something that made you happy.
"You deserve that kind of love and respect, y/n. You always told me that when you finally find the love of your life, you would fight for them until the end of time. I'm rooting for the both of you, and when you get married soon, the whole kingdom will gladly celebrate with you." Aera pulled you in for a hug, showing you how proud she was of how far you've reached in life. "Stay safe out there, princess. The kingdom is always on your side; we are sisters after all, and no one can change that."
"Thank you, Aera. I also wish for you to find the best love you deserve to have, but I'm sure Keeho is already treating you right." That made Aera laugh amidst the sobs she's fighting to hold back. "We will be on our way now; see you next time."
Aera walked you out of the castle, where your crew had been patiently waiting, and you gave her a curtsy, which she returned. You waved each other goodbye before finally walking down the stairs of the castle with you leading the way at the front and the rest following behind. The walk was quiet like it usually was, but tonight was a bit different, as it had some tension surrounding you, making the crewmates exchange confused glances.
As soon as everyone arrived and got on the ship, you immediately went back to work mode like you didn't just have an emotional farewell moment with your childhood friend minutes ago. "Hongjoong, prepare to sail. Yeosang and Jongho, raise the anchor, and—" You couldn't think properly; your mind was elsewhere, thus you weren't assigning the right tasks to each member. "Just do what you usually do." You shook your head, making your way towards the quarterdeck where Hongjoong was supposed to be.
The Blue Bird crew all sensed that you, their captain, were not in the best mood. They didn't understand the fast switch of your emotions, but the majority knew why it was that way. As your first mate, Wooyoung brought himself closer to you with hesitant steps, not wanting to fuel the fire. However, the moment he opened his mouth, you put up a hand to stop him. You weren't looking as your back faced him, so he left without a question. He knew better than to mess with you right now; not even the mighty Jongho could approach you, except for one brave soul.
Mingi recalled the way you glared at him earlier during dinner at the castle, giving him the idea that your mood had something to do with him, so he walked up to you bravely. The others tried to stop him, warning him of your potential wrath, but still that didn't stop him from approaching you. His words were faster than Yunho's hands trying to grab his wrist. "Hey, y/n. I'm sorry if I did something wrong—"
"Let's make this clear, Mingi." The crew froze when an unimpressed smirk appeared on your face, which quickly dropped into a serious look. "No one should ever engage in any romantic relationship with anyone outside of New World until all pirates have disappeared from this world, understood?"
Mingi understood the point you were making, and he completely agrees with it. What he didn't understand was why your words were somehow directed at him. Not even to Wooyoung, who was known as the biggest flirt on the island. "I do understand that, but what does it have to do with me?" He didn't mean it, but his tone sounded almost frustrated.
The crew's jaws dropped at Mingi's response, with Yeosang gasping at the side in disbelief. No one has dared talk back or fight against you; everyone always complied with your commands and requests, respected your decisions, and never questioned your visions, yet Mingi wasn't afraid of standing up for himself even if it meant having a heated conversation with you. To be fair, you and Mingi had been in some sort of serious tension the past few weeks, so that pent-up frustration might have intensified what he had been keeping to himself.
You really didn't have the energy to argue with him at this late hour. Therefore, with a serious look, you replied one last time. "You tell me." Without another word, you walked past him and the others to go inside your cabin to rest for the night, entrusting Hongjoong with the ship.
Mingi's gaze followed your direction, while his body remained unmoving. Wooyoung hissed at the scene that played in front of them, and the others grimaced beside him. Mingi didn't know what he did so wrong to piss you off, but the rest of Blue Bird definitely knew that it had everything to do with him. They felt bad for him, really. Especially Wooyoung and Seonghwa, who've been keeping an eye on the man. They hoped you'd clear the tension as soon as possible to prevent further issues arising among the crew just like this one.
Mingi felt defeated. No matter what he tried to do—look out for you, avoid you, or pretend that he didn't have feelings for you anymore—they never mattered because you will always hate him. That would never change, and you had made it clear as day. It was like his existence in your life was a burden in itself; that was how he felt by your actions and words towards him. He doesn't want to burden you any further, so this time, he'll keep his presence at a limit.
-
Since that night, Mingi became almost invisible. Not that he wasn't participating in gatherings with Blue Bird anymore, but he didn't want to show himself to you, and even when you were everywhere on the island, he was nowhere nearby. You do see him during expeditions, meetings, or dinner, though only for a short while. As soon as he does his part in the crew, he is gone, and you wouldn't notice a thing.
The first few days, you had overlooked the change in his routine, too busy to point it out. On the contrary, of course, the ever-so-observant Wooyoung caught on since it started, and then news spread to the rest of the crew. Initially, none of them wanted to make baseless opinions about him, but after witnessing a number of events, they couldn't deny the fact.
It first happened when you had gathered everyone for a short meeting regarding a change of taskings for your training sessions, and when the meeting was adjourned, Mingi was out of the room before Seonghwa could even gather his things. Mingi had never rushed out of a meeting before, as he was always one of the last people to leave. The crew never really questioned it much, thinking that he wasn't feeling good that day, plus he also complied with all your requests without any questions, performing well and reaching your expectations. But as soon as he accomplished those given tasks, he was nowhere to be seen the next minute.
It was during New World's Foundation Day dinner party when you finally took notice of Mingi's change in behavior. When the whole island celebrated, alcohol and loud singing were never not present. He usually partook in those things alongside Yunho, never missing a shot being offered to him, and staying back to help clean up the tables.
Tonight, that wasn't the case. You were seated beside Seonghwa at the end of the table, finishing up your own drink in hand, when you saw Wooyoung offering another glass towards Mingi, an arm draped around the man's shoulder.
"Have some more, Gi. You haven't drunk enough yet."
On a normal celebration, Mingi would've grabbed the glass from Wooyoung and downed the drink in one go. But to Wooyoung's surprise, Mingi stood up from the table, packing his things with a shake of his head in refusal. "Sorry, Wooyoung. I don't feel like drinking tonight, so I'll pass this one for now. I'll make it up to you next time." Just like that, Wooyoung watched Mingi's figure disappear again in the dark, and he didn't push him to stay any longer. He understood what his friend meant, and he was going to give him space. Wooyoung went up to Yunho instead to offer him the drink, and the party resumed.
"Mingi must not be feeling well tonight." Seonghwa, who had been quietly eating his noodles beside you, spoke up. His eyes were glued on the food, but his words were directed at you. "I'm sure you noticed that too, captain."
You did notice that, and you couldn't help but worry about him. Yes, you weren't on the best terms with him right now, but he was still a crew member at the end of the day.
"You must be worried for him."
You looked down on the table where your half-eaten sandwich rested, slowly getting cold, just like Mingi towards you. You were worried for him, of course. You always had worry in your heart, but was it only worry that filled it? Were you only worried for his health, or were you also curious about why he had grown cold around you? You knew it was because of something you've done or said to him, but it wasn't the same as when he had tried keeping his distance from you before. Now, he was keeping his distance from everyone, even the Blue Bird crew.
In the comfort of his sleeping quarters, Mingi lied on his bed, mindlessly staring up at the empty ceiling. He was aware of the other crewmates' concerns for him, especially Wooyoung and his closest friend, Yunho, yet there wasn't much he could do about his situation. He kept his frustration and unwanted thoughts to himself, not wanting to cause any more problems than he was already making.
Mingi's avoidance stemmed from your constant frustration towards him. He always caused you stress due to his desire to reconcile with you after years of separation, and your anger was a consequence he had to bravely face. Your anger was one thing he could accept, but the kiss you gave him once when you were drunk was another. He was dense enough to believe that you were slowly warming up to him. He had become a fool. When he mentioned to you that he wasn't going to be a burden anymore, he was going to stand by his words with whatever it takes.
But, if he were to be completely honest with himself, he'd admit that a part of that reason was because of the closeness you shared with Seonghwa. The two of you already knew each other way before Mingi found his way to the island. Thus, you were bound to have a special bond with him. Only this time, you and Seonghwa grew even closer than before. That day when he walked in on you and Seonghwa at your tower hugging each other, almost intimate from the eyes of a passerby, a romantic relationship between the two of you wouldn't be surprising news. And even tonight, instead of you staying away from the crowd alone, you were glued to Seonghwa.
A chance with you was now too far to reach, so it was best for things to stay this way. He would just have to bear with the pain in silence and cry himself to sleep with the thought of letting you go for good and for you to find the love you deserve without him in the picture. He loved you enough to let you go.
The following days were the same. Mingi either busied himself with trainings or strolled alone around the island to clear off his mind. As a gunner, he had been trying out new tactics with different guns, and once he'd mastered them, he would go teach the same to the younger trainees, who looked up to him because of his impressive skills. Consistent days of progressive trainings were spent together with Wooyoung, San, and Yeosang, whereas you worked with Jongho on developing a more advanced technology, including the production of new weapons to use during battles that may arise. But that battle may have arisen earlier than expected.
The sun had set, and you were heading back to the village square with Jongho after a long day at the headquarters. He rambled to you about what you had discussed earlier with him during the meeting, and you tried to register his words as best as you could, yet you couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling you were getting right now. You weren't sure if you were just hearing things, but you swore you and Jongho weren't alone.
"Integrating personal colors into our weapons would be good—"
Rustle. You hushed Jongho with a finger pressed to his lips, making him freeze in place. He caught on to your tensed shoulders as your eyes scanned around for intruders that could possibly be hiding behind the large trees and bushes surrounding the area. Jongho grew nervous and became equally alerted by your sudden actions, slowly pulling out his pistol from his pocket carry to ready himself for a sudden attack.
Rustle. There was that sound again. You had no idea what was making that sound as the wind was still, but you knew it was best to let the others know of the situation. Grabbing Jongho's hand, you began running towards the village square. "We have intruders..." You huffed out a nervous breath, "Very familiar intruders." Upon arriving at the village square, where the villagers and the crew gathered for dinner, your hurried steps had signaled the crew of your arrival, missing the panicked look on your face.
"Captain, you're here—"
"Tell everyone to go home and lock their doors, ready all your weapons, and scatter around the island." You walked up towards a nearby table to fix your clothes, tightening the laces of your boots and taking off your coat to remove a little weight from your body. "Jongho, alert the island of intruders, and go check why the sirens didn't detect them."
"Got it, captain." Jongho immediately ran back to the headquarters through a hidden shortcut to avoid being seen by the enemies.
The crew all watched with bewilderment and worry as you moved fast while maintaining a serious demeanor despite your hands shaking a lot.
"Captain, you're shaking."
"y/n, calm down."
"Take a deep breath."
You heard the crew speak, but this was not the moment for consoling remarks.
You turned to the crew with a look they had never seen from you before, a look that told them that this was not an easy battle, almost like you had fire in your eyes with how dark they turned. "They're here," you announced to them, voice shaking in between.
"Twilight."
Everyone gasped at the mention of that name so beautiful yet one of the strongest and most ruthless pirates ever known. The Twilight crew consisted of strong men and women specialized in fist fighting, archery, and swords. They were known to be cold, notorious, and evil amongst the existing pirate crews, who never lost a battle. They were once almost defeated by HalaHala, but the latter sailed away to escape. There were many things about Twilight that gave enough reasons for them to be feared. If they had attacked Fever kingdom instead of HalaHala in the past, there would be no doubt you'd be killed alongside your parents. You were scared of them; that's a fact. Even Blue Bird felt the same, but your fear wasn't for yourself.
"Yunho and Yeosang," you called out two of your strongest crewmates, "I entrust you to stay by Jongho's side on this one, please. I want him safe and alive by all means; I want each one of you alive."
It pained you to think about Jongho at this time, and everyone knew how much the youngest member meant to you. Jongho used to be a Twilight crewmate, hence the naturally strong build and knowledge in various weapons and fighting styles. He had been abandoned by them at a young age, so you took him in and cared for him like family. He was a pirate, yes, but he had so much potential that it was a loss to waste. You had saved his life, and that drove him to prove to you his willingness to serve. You deemed him the best fighter on the island; thus, you always entrusted him with the heavy work. Jongho was seen to be this reserved yet reliable man by the villagers, but he had always been the caring younger brother in your eyes.
You automatically sensed earlier that Twilight was around because of the weird scent coming from the rustling bushes. It was a distinct scent unique to their crew, which you had smelled once from Jongho the first time you met. You trusted Jongho like no other, since he was capable of accomplishing things on his own. But with the thought of him seeing them again after what happened many years ago, you were afraid that his intense hatred would get into his head and he would lose his composure. That's why you got Yunho and Yeosang to watch over his back.
Just then, you felt a swift blow of the wind on your face after an arrow passed dangerously close in front of you, landing on the wooden pole nearby. Your eyes widened in fright, heart racing so fast like the speed of the arrow. Your body grew cold; if you had moved even an inch or two, the arrow would have scratched your face badly. The crew began to pull out their weapons and started dispersing themselves around the island, attacking the pirates that had appeared.
"Shit," you cursed under your breath.
San ran up to you, checking for any injuries. "Are you alright, captain?"
You nodded slowly, still processing what had just occurred. "I'm fine; let's just start moving."
San, who had no time to waste, gently lifted you up and offered you a hug, replacing your dread with consolation and assurance that you had people you could rely on. "Take a deep breath for me, captain. We'll all protect you and Jongho; we'll win this." San took your hand and ran with you in the direction of your tower.
-
After alerting the island through the intercom about the presence of intruders, Jongho checked the surveillance cameras for any sign of intruders inside the building, which signaled a big green 'CLEAR' sign. The building was already locked before he got in, and he entered through a secret passage, so no one could follow him inside. He picked up his pistols from the table and quickly exited the building from the same passage.
The outside was oddly quiet, making him feel uneasy as he quickly made his way back to where the crew was, but the moment he saw an arrow fly past you from a distance, someone covered his mouth to suppress his call for help and dragged him back to where he had come from. Jongho was pushed to the ground with a loud thud, causing him to lose his balance. He was ready to shoot whoever laid their hands on him, only for his eyes to widen in horror at the sight of two familiar faces standing in front of him, faces he never thought he'd see again.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't our cute little Jongho. I'm surprised you're still alive. We thought we got rid of you ages ago, but you're still stubborn, aren't you?" Laughter erupted among the men, the two clearly not intimidated by Jongho's presence. "I wonder what captain Yang would do with you." The other person smirked at him menacingly.
Jongho got up to his feet, pulling out his pistol from his pocket carry to try and threaten them, but the two pulled out their own pistols, pointing them back towards him. In front of him stood Choi Daeyeol and Lim Jaehee, two of his senior pirates in Twilight, who taught him a few things about guns. They trained him how to aim at an enemy and shoot them where it hurts most, not knowing that he'd end up aiming his gun at his trainers, who were now his enemies.
"Put the pistols down, boys. You'll scare the poor guy to death; that wouldn't be fun." A hand was harshly pressed down on Jongho's shoulder as a deep, raspy voice was heard from behind his back. "What's more fun is to kill him with a sword sliding across his neck; that way he won't ever get to sing again. Maybe we can slide it deeper so he won't get to breathe at all. Or we can start from his legs; I'm sure he's familiar with that feeling."
"Nice one, captain," Daeyeol commented on the captain's sinister plans to torture Jongho.
Jongho heard captain Yang take his sword out, and the sword appeared in front of him, all shiny and brand new without a speck of dust. "You see this, Choi? No dirt in sight, but once I slide this across your throat, your blood will be the first thing that will stain this pretty thing."
Jongho was strong; he was aware of that. You would always remind him of his incredible strength and intelligence, and he believed it. The captain of Blue Bird, the princess of Fever kingdom, and his savior would never tell a lie. That's why he worked extra hard to live up to that title and not disappoint the people who cared for him when no one did. He was strong, yet he felt weak in the hands of his former captain. He felt his energy drain by the sword that was inches away from his neck, the dirty hand that held his shoulder, and the mocking laughter from the other two men.
At that moment, all he could think about was you: how grateful he was for your existence, the happiness he gets whenever you tell him jokes that make him laugh so hard until he couldn't breathe anymore, and how safe he feels whenever you're around. Seeing you every day would motivate him to work and treasure every second of his life, but if this was how his life would end, he couldn't even get to tell you his goodbyes nor see your face one last time.
This is it, he thought. Jongho had accepted defeat; there was no more fight left in him. Even if he tried to kill captain Yang now, he was still going to get attacked by Daeyeol and Jaehee. There was no escape. Well, there were two people who wouldn't accept that. As Jongho shut his eyes closed, a loud gunshot was heard, and captain Yang's grip on him loosened until his body dropped on the ground with a thud. Jongho opened his eyes to see both Daeyeol and Jaehee on the ground covered in blood.
Yeosang had shot the captain in the head, while Yunho stabbed the other two in their backs with his daggers. They almost looked invisible in the dark as they had their masks on, and they made absolutely no noise too, so the enemies didn't notice their presence. Yunho and Yeosang finally approached Jongho, who stared at them in surprise, and asked if he was hurt or not.
"Sorry we took a while; Yeosang here almost lost his pistol." Yunho hit Yeosang in the head jokingly, and the latter played along by pretending to be in pain.
However, Jongho didn't laugh with them. Instead, his mouth dropped into a frown, and Yunho panicked at his reaction only to calm down when Jongho suddenly broke down in sobs. "Thank you." That was all he could utter, but those two words were more than enough for Yunho and Yeosang. Task or not, Jongho had to stay alive, and they made sure of it.
-
When everyone had dispersed to different areas on the island—Yunho and Yeosang to the headquarters, Hongjoong and Wooyoung to the shore, and Seonghwa and his men near the villagers' homes—Mingi had followed behind you and San. He wasn't supposed to be there; he was supposed to stay with Seonghwa, but it's as if his feet had a mind of their own. He just had to look out for you in this battle. You seemed unsteady, nervous, and not in complete focus; he wasn't sure if you could handle fighting against those strong pirates in that condition.
Arriving at your tower, you and San panted, catching your breaths. You thought you had a few minutes to regain your composure and prepare your weapons. You really weren't in the best state tonight, but you were going to try your best nevertheless. In the quiet of the night, you could only hear your and San's breathing, so you didn't hear someone approaching you from behind until San slashed them with his sword. You didn't even have time to react when more pirates appeared and surrounded the three of you.
Twilight was known to sneak up on their enemies in complete silence, and fighting against them in the dark just increased their difficulty. The three of you worked together to take the pirates down, with Mingi shooting the archers from a distance, San slashing the more muscular pirates with his swords, and you shooting the sneaky ones with your pistol, the same one Jongho had. The fight was going well; your momentum was steady and with accurate aim. Despite being outnumbered by the enemies, the three of you remained strong and undefeated.
You were currently reloading your pistol, as you had unfortunately run out of bullets, and using your dagger wasn't the best option right now. Because your attention was elsewhere, you didn't hear the footsteps approaching you from behind, thinking that you were safe from where you hid, not until you got pushed hard to the side.
"MINGI!"
No, no, no. This cannot be; this isn't real. Mingi's body flopped to the ground, blood dripping down his face. You were angry, maddened, frustrated—no, your heart had nothing but rage and no remorse. You took out your dagger that was hidden inside your pocket carry and pushed it deep into the pirate's chest long enough until the man was deemed unconscious. There were little to no enemies left around the area with San finishing them up with a final hit, so you took the chance to approach Mingi, who didn't seem to move.
"Mingi! Song Mingi, get up. Get up, you fool. Hey, why aren't you responding to me? This isn't funny; you have to get up."
You held his head and carefully placed him down on your lap to examine his face. His eyes were closed shut, his breathing was shaky and slow, and blood was dripping down his cheek from the open wound under his right eye. His strong body now fell weak, and you felt him lose energy when his arms dropped down. Because of your carelessness, he had saved your life once again, only this time, it cost him his life.
"Captain, are you okay?" San rushed towards you, who he saw was kneeling on the ground, cupping Mingi's cheek with one hand with teardrops landing on his skin. "What happened?"
San's questions were left unheard as tears blurred your vision, and your hand was stained with Mingi's blood. Your hands shook in devastation, not wanting to accept reality. Mingi had always been this strong, intimidating pirate everyone deemed him to be, but now, he looked so fragile, helpless...broken. He must've been in so much pain because not only was he hit in the face, but he also had a deep cut near his chest, which explained the amount of blood that flowed out from his body.
"You always told me how much you wanted to die in my arms and I did want you gone after what you've put me through..." You couldn't control your sobs any longer, "But, that was all in the past. You have proved to me that you really regretted what you did, and that you had a reason for it. I've seen it all, Mingi. I see and hear you. You've saved my life countless times, sacrificing your life for me yet I never once told you how grateful I am until it's already too late. Please...wake up." You dropped your head to rest on top of his, "This is not how I wanted things to end between us, this isn't what I want. I have forgiven you and I-I'm ready to accept you again, so please...please...please...wake up for me, Mangi." That was the nickname you made for him when you two were still lovers, and you thought it was cute on him. "I've lost the people I loved before; I cannot bear to lose you too," you cried in hopes that he could hear you even when it didn't seem possible.
San silently watched you on the side in pity as to not interfere with the mournful and personal moment. He kept his distance from you, allowing you to think in peace and let out any suppressed emotions you had in your heart. You were the most vulnerable right now, and he respected that. Your feelings were valid and understood. Soon enough, the rest of Blue Bird arrived at the scene one by one. They came closer towards where San stood, only for San to halt them with a raise of his hand. The crew instantly understood the signal and proceeded to watch closely beside him.
"Captain..."
You slowly looked up to the owner of the voice, seeing Jongho standing over you in concern. A weak sigh of relief escaped your lips at the sight of him, thanking Yunho, Yeosang, and the heavens that he was still here. You wouldn't be able to bear the pain if the worst had happened to him; it would be like losing a family member again. As long as he was here, your heart would be at ease.
Jongho knelt down to your level, eyes glued on you. "We'll bring him to the clinic and get him treated immediately."
Seonghwa ordered his men to pull Mingi away from you, working together to support him up, and carefully carry his unconscious body to the aiding station with Seonghwa following behind. Jongho held your hands in his, supporting your back as he pulled you up to stand. You stumbled as your knees felt numb, but he was quick enough to catch you.
"You need to eat and rest, captain. I'll accompany you if that's alright with you."
You honestly didn't have the appetite to eat anything at the moment, only wanting to go see Mingi at the clinic and see if he was going to live, but you couldn't refuse Jongho's offer. If you do not eat something or drink anything at all, you'd probably pass out.
-
A sword was aimed towards Mingi, and he tried to avoid it. However, he accidentally tripped on a pistol that belonged to an already deceased pirate on the ground, causing the sword to slash his chest. He groaned in pain as blood began to run down his torso, but he couldn't lose focus; he couldn't waste a single second, not now. He shot the enemy in the head before they could swing their sword again.
It wasn't just a scratch; the cut was deep, so the pain became unbearable in a short time. Mingi was searching for an area to rest, but instead, he found an enemy approaching you from behind with a dagger as you were busy reloading your pistol, with San too preoccupied with attacking other enemies nearby. He'd seen this scene before when you got hurt and almost killed during your battle with HalaHala, and this time, he wasn't going to let anyone lay a finger on you no matter what it takes.
"No..." Mingi cried in a shaky voice, "y/n!"
With all the strength and energy he had left, and despite his head getting dizzier from the loss of blood, he ran up towards you like his life depended on it. Mingi had to push your body to the side and step in so you wouldn't get hit and he'd receive the hit instead. The last thing he felt was the sharp weapon scratching the skin dangerously close to his right eye before he stumbled down on the ground. He hissed in pain, trying hard to stay conscious, but before he knew it, his vision turned black.
-
"Where is he?" You stepped inside the clinic.
The head nurse led you to a room located at the end of the hallway, where you found the Blue Bird crewmates standing outside the said room. Yunho's head was down, failing to hide the tears he was trying so hard to hold back with Hongjoong and Sam comforting him; he wasn't ready to accept the truth of his best friend and brother's possible death.
After receiving the nurse's confirmation, you quietly entered the room in light steps. On the bed lay Mingi's still unconscious body, chest covered in thick bandages with a blanket over his lower body. You approached the bed, grabbing a stool from nearby so you could take a closer look at him. You took one of his calloused hand, enclosing it with your own as you stared at him heartbroken, keeping him company while he recovered.
You weren't sure how it happened or when it started, but things were different now. Mingi's existence in your life was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. From becoming friends for the first time as teenagers despite belonging to completely different worlds to becoming lovers defying what the history books always say, eventually leading to a tragic heartbreak and betrayal. By that time, your world had already collided with his, all while building yourself from the ground up, so you couldn't fully go back to where you started. You worked sleepless nights in blood, sweat, and tears to start all over again, and that led to New World.
You had it, but fate had other plans for you. Fate brought Mingi back to you, telling you that your story wasn't over yet. It could've ended if you had killed him that night, which you didn't, and since then, his existence in your life has kept punching you in the face. No matter what you did to deny him, his actions towards you would always remind you that he was the man you once loved before.
Now that man was lying on the clinic bed unconscious and bruised from saving your life, reminding you again that he would do anything to protect you from danger. Your mind tried to convince you that you had nothing but hatred for him, no space for forgiveness and reconciliation, yet deep inside your heart, there was still that love, trust, and gratitude you always had for him. Your heart never lies; it's the same heart that broke into a million pieces when Mingi almost died saving you. Everything he had done was to save you: from getting mistreated and disrespected by HalaHala, from getting killed by his mother and his stepsister, and now, from getting killed by a Twilight pirate.
Mingi had always been your savior, but who was there to save him? You never believed you were ever a savior yourself to him, but little did you know that you, the only woman he ever loved and looked up to, had already saved him more times than you realize. You becoming his friend had saved him from living a life he didn't want to, and becoming his lover was the moment he felt like the world was finally on his side, even for a short while. And when he and his brothers got lost on the island, you saved him too by sparing his life even when you shouldn't. You were the reason he worked extra hard with the crew and the villagers; you made him find his purpose in life again after all of the challenges he faced.
If dying in your arms from saving you was the final form of love he could give to you, then he had lived a fulfilled life with no regrets. After all, the strongest evidence of love is sacrifice.
-
The sunlight crept through the window, indicating that morning had come. Mingi's eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the light after a long night of being unconscious. Well actually, he wasn't fully unconscious that whole time. Unbeknownst to you, he heard every single thing you told him, your cries, your heavy breathing, and your silent whispers. It pained him deeply hearing you cry so much, but there was nothing he could do. Mingi heard you loud and clear, yet his eyes remained shut; he couldn't open them due to the scar near his eye. Last night, he wanted to answer you back and tell you how he truly felt. He'll definitely tell you this time.
Mingi scanned the room he was in, and his eyes landed on your sleeping form curled up on the small couch beside the bed. He didn't expect to find you there; he thought you'd gone back home to your tower. Oh, how wrong he was. His lips curled into a soft smile as he admired how cute you looked in your sleep with your pinkish cheeks and arms hugging yourself. He continued to do that for the next couple of minutes until you woke up, groaning as you stretched your arms up to loosen your muscles from the uncomfortable position you slept in. Just then, it sank in on your mind that you were actually at the clinic and not in your tower, remembering why you were there in the first place.
"Mingi?" You quickly turned to him, only to find him already staring at you with a soft look. "Oh, you're finally awake. Do you feel okay now? Are you thirsty? Hungry? Do you need—"
"Thank you," Mingi cut you off.
"For what?" You were confused; you didn't think you did anything for him to be thankful for you.
"For everything, I heard what you said to me last night."
Huh? Sorry, did I hear it right? "You what?"
Mingi chuckled at your reaction. "I heard you, and my response to that is thank you. Thank you for giving me another chance to prove myself to you. Thank you for accepting me, forgiving me after what I've put you through, and for taking care of me when you really didn't have to. I wouldn't want you to sleep uncomfortably on the couch."
His words struck you, and you realized that your relationship with Mingi was turning to the better side. No more arguments, no more pretending, just an exchange of sincere emotions. There was no need to hide your feelings anymore and pretend that everything he does for you does not affect you in any way because what you had with Mingi now was something you wouldn't change for the world. Swiftly, you wrapped your arms around his body while trying not to hurt him. "I really don't care if my back hurts when you're the one in pain."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Mingi got a genuine hug from you at last after all those times when you wouldn't dare lay a finger on him. He returned the hug with the same warmth, wishing he could capture this feeling forever; he never wanted to let you go again.
"Thank you for waking up." Your voice was muffled as your head rested on his shoulder.
Mingi pushed you back slightly, and to your surprise, he pulled you back in for a kiss. God, how he missed this feeling; your lips were still as soft as ever on his. You were caught off guard by the sudden action but eventually kissed him back with the same intensity. The kiss was slow, sweet, and full of desire with a hint of desperation. Pulling back, Mingi brushed your hair that fell on your face and kept it behind your ear. "You're still the most beautiful woman I have ever set my eyes on, and that will never change. I hope this time, I can make you happy because I love seeing the smile I fell in love with." His hand cupped your cheek, and you instantly leaned onto it.
You were overjoyed right now; you were blessed to have Mingi back in your life, not as an enemy but as a partner for life. "I'm happy, Mingi. I'm really happy you're still here with me in this lifetime despite everything we've been through."
Love is patient, love can hurt, but true love forgives, and you were more than ready to start over again with him in this place where love was abundant, and there was nothing that could come in between you and him again.
You stayed by Mingi's side until he fully recovered from his wounds, even feeding him his food despite him insisting that he was capable of doing it himself, only for you to scold him, and he knew better than to disobey you, so he'd let you do whatever you wanted for him. In return, he'd insist on feeding you too. You would refuse at first, but he would guilt-trip you by saying that he wouldn't recover if you refused, so that's how you two ended up that way. As days passed, you and Mingi spent more time with each other. The others understood the situation, giving the both of you all the time you needed to reconcile.
You would walk along the shore hand in hand with Mingi, sharing stories about your life, reconnecting, and enjoying each other's company, not minding anything around you. The sun was beginning to set, so you and he sat down on the sand, staring off into the horizon as the wind blew on your faces. This brought you back to when you both used to watch the sunsets together back in HalaHala with Yunho, San, and Hongjoong teasing from behind. You used to rest your head on his shoulder, finding peace in his arms, and now, it was him resting on you, hands intertwined with yours.
Mingi told you about what happened the night before he, Yunho, San, and Hongjoong escaped from HalaHala. The four of them hugged each other in tears, thinking that it would be their last day together, unsure of what the future held. You felt saddened at the thought of them together, now understanding how hard it was to make that decision. You planted a kiss on his forehead to reassure him that he was okay now.
You also shared with him the life you had after you landed here on the island, how you met people from your old kingdom, built the island up to what it is now, and how you met Seonghwa, Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Jongho. Hearing your story, Mingi felt apologetic for what you went through, but more than that, he was extremely proud of how far you've come. You really had to work endlessly with no one to run to when you felt weak and tired until the four boys came into your life. Now, you could lean on them when things get hard, and the same goes for him.
"I'm so glad things turned out this way, and that we found each other again." Mingi's thumb caressed your hand in soft rubs. "I love you so much, y/n. My heart is all yours until my last breath; that's a promise I will keep forever."
-
During those times when you couldn't attend a meeting with the crew, you had entrusted Hongjoong to lead them for the meantime, as he was knowledgeable about many things, he was reliable and loyal, he was stern yet understanding, and he had a passion for work. He can do everything without needing your assistance, and those were enough reasons for you to trust him to do well with the task. You did see the difference in Hongjoong's leadership compared to yours, especially that he grew up around pirates while you grew up in a peaceful kingdom, and you wanted to keep this change. That led you to decide on making new changes on the island and with the crew.
You allowed them to have their own house near the headquarters for easier access, and they also have their own individual rooms, so they could live more comfortably. The house was big enough to fit all of them with a spacious living room and a room for working out. There were 8 rooms in total, but only 7 were to be occupied because Mingi was moving in to your tower. You wouldn't feel lonely after work anymore; you now have someone to come home to and rest in the comfort of their arms. Other than that, you planned to rebrand the crew and step down as the captain of Blue Bird. You thought of going back to your royal roots and serving the people as their princess. Although you'll focus more on the island, you would still participate in making plans with the crew, especially with trading and visits, as you will be joining them with it.
You had also decided to pass down the title of being captain to Hongjoong with Seonghwa as his first mate, Yunho as the sailing master, Yeosang as the navigator, San and Mingi as master gunners, Wooyoung as the cook, and Jongho still as the boatswain of the ship. Lastly, you contemplated a new name that would represent them better, one that gave them a unique identity, and after thinking deeply about it, you ultimately found the perfect one.
ATEEZ.
"I officially declare Kim Hongjoong as the new captain of ATEEZ, the new and improved crew of New World." The crowd erupted in cheers and applause at your announcement. You went up to Hongjoong, who stood in shock, not believing what he just heard from you. You gave him an assuring smile. "Why are you so surprised? This was your dream, wasn't it?"
Hongjoong's eyes widened in realization. "Y-you remembered?"
"Of course, I did. I remember everything. I even made you your very own armband. That way, people will know who the captain is." You showed to him the armband you personally designed and made with the help of one of the female villagers, wrapping it around his arm. Once it was secured, Hongjoong bowed to you in gratitude and ran off to revel his new role in the crew. He ran around the village square, dragging his poor first mate, Seonghwa, to join him, eliciting a series of teasing remarks from the others.
Yunho, Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Jongho had started noticing the shift in the two's relationship during trainings. Hongjoong and Seonghwa didn't expect each other to grow this close due to the huge contrast in their personalities. Seonghwa took interest in Hongjoong during their first training when he aided Hongjoong, admiring him for his abilities yet finding him cute for his slight clumsiness, not to mention how he denied it when you asked, and not knowing that Hongjoong was also attracted to him at first sight. When the two were left alone, Seonghwa would grab the chance to hang out with him, but Hongjoong enjoyed playing hard-to-get, so he would turn down his invite only to end up hanging out with him anyway. They're just a match made in heaven.
Another perfect match was Wooyoung and San, no surprise. Wooyoung was charming but can be a bit of a handful, and San was poised but soft-hearted despite growing up in a cruel place. It wasn't clear how it really started, but Wooyoung always struck up a conversation with San enough to bring the energy out of him, who mostly remained quiet around people he wasn't close with. The two grew affectionate with each other, and since then, they were always stuck in their own world, even planning to have matching tattoos.
Jongho still kept bothering Yeosang and competing with him in a playful battle to see who was stronger between the two of them, often trying to wrestle the man as an excuse to have his arms around him. You really didn't get it, but you respect it nonetheless. Moreover, Yunho found himself staying by the kitchen, indulging in a lot of delicious food, so much so that he ended up becoming the main chef's personal taste tester, and that man was ecstatic.
As for Mingi, he would help you work in your office at the headquarters, bringing you food when you're too busy to eat, checking up on you once in a while, and reporting to you what they had talked about during the meeting. He would stay back with you until you finished work, giving you a kiss and telling you how proud he was of you, heading home together afterwards. There, Mingi would cook dinner for the both of you, and you'd wrap your arms around his waist from behind. That was the usual routine, and each day would both start and end with him sleeping beside you on your shared bed.
Back to the celebration, you took in the sight of everyone enjoying their time together with drinks and shared laughter. You felt like a proud mom watching over her kids, who grew up to be successful in life and reach their dreams. All of a sudden, you felt a pair of arms wrap around you from behind, planting a peck on your cheek before resting his chin on your shoulder.
"What about me, princess? What do you remember about me?"
"You?" You turned to Mingi with a playful smirk, wanting to tease him for a bit. "I remember you throwing me off the ship—"
"Hey!" he whined. "Not that; do not remind me about that ever again."
You let out a giggle, finding his reaction cute and amusing. He continued to whine on your shoulder, so you ruffled his hair to make him stop. "Alright, I'll be serious now, you baby." Mingi turned to you with an offended look, which made you burst into laughter this time. "You wanted to have a stable and loving family, didn't you?" You looked up at him and stared into his soft sparkly eyes. "You have us, Mingi. We're your family, and we love you."
Mingi averted his gaze into the distance, where everyone gathered, and looking back to the memories he shared with them, he realized that he was finally in a good place now: no more abuse, no more suffering, an island filled with loving people, and most importantly, you were in it.
He couldn't believe this was his life now; it felt like he was on top of the world. He made you turn to him before pulling you in again in a tight hug, feeling something wet damping your shoulder. "I really don't deserve you, y/n. This is all too much for me to accept, but I'm really grateful for all of this." Mingi slowly caressed your hair. "Why was the world so cruel to you when you have a heart made of gold? My world was cruel to you, yet you still did all of this for me and my brothers."
You wiped the tears that stained his cheeks with your fingers. "The world was cruel to me, but things happen for a reason. I did all these out of love, Mingi. I never regret the things I do for love and out of love, and you're one of them." He smiled at your words, and you gave him a kiss on the lips. "You did what you did back then out of love too, right?"
"Yes, I did." Mingi nodded. "And I will never let you go again, princess. I waited years to be back in your life, and I will have my last breath with you. I am wholeheartedly yours, and I will devote my life to giving you the world you deserve and bringing heaven into your hands."
"You will always be a part of me, love. I was made to love you through heaven and hell."
⤷ a/n — hi loves ! I know i’ve been writing a lot for ateez lately—but don’t worry, i’m working on balancing out my wip’s so i can give some proper attention to my enhypen-related projects as well. thank you so much for sticking around and supporting everything i write. as always, enjoy reading 🤍
⤷ warnings — smut (minors dni), p in v, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it), rough sex, dom!mingi, bottom!reader, possessive!mingi, markings (hickies), idol!au, idol!mingi, composer!mingi, non-idol!reader, established relationship, dirty talk, manhandling, kinda!perv mingi (if you squint), slight choking, recording of sexual acts without explicit consent, use of recorded audio in a professional project, mingi’s a workaholic, fluff
✩ˎˊ˗ summary — song mingi was a big workaholic, that much was true. but nobody ever knew the secret to getting him out of his creative ruts wasn’t coffee or sleep—it was you. you were his muse, and maybe, just maybe, every song he pours his soul into still carries traces of you—even in the soft sounds he never meant to record.
Song Mingi was a busy man.
That was the first thing you noticed about him—the very second Wooyoung decided it was a brilliant idea to introduce you to one of his groupmates in the middle of a cramped café, where the smell of burnt espresso lingered in the air and the line for the cashier wrapped halfway to the door.
Mingi was knee-deep in whatever he was furiously typing on his phone, thumbs moving so fast it looked like they were racing each other. His brows were knit together in concentration, lips pursed ever so slightly as if he were chewing on a thought.
Lyrics, you’d later find out. Lyrics for their next comeback—words that mattered more to him than the world around him.
Which included Wooyoung.
And Yunho.
And you.
Wooyoung had been talking for at least a full minute—loud, animated, hands flying everywhere as he roped Yunho into some silly little afternoon lunch plan—yet Mingi didn’t even blink. Didn’t hum. Didn’t acknowledge the presence of another human being within a five-foot radius.
“Wow,” Wooyoung muttered, offended. “So this is how you treat me now?”
Nothing.
Your lips twitched, amusement curling in your chest as you tilted your head slightly, curiosity getting the better of you. You leaned just a bit closer, eyes flicking to the screen before you could stop yourself—lines of text, scribbled thoughts, half-formed verses.
It was only when Wooyoung finally lost his patience and shoved him forward by the shoulders, chair scraping loudly against the floor, that Mingi huffed and looked up.
And froze.
Because you were already looking at him.
Doe eyes—wide, curious, unguarded—locked onto his, and for half a second, the world narrowed down to just that. Mingi had to fake a cough, bringing his fist to his mouth as heat crawled up his neck, right up to the tips of his ears.
Shit.
Getting too caught up in writing lyrics wasn’t ideal when his exact type was only a chair away, staring at him like he was a puzzle she wanted to solve.
He cleared his throat again, hurriedly shoving his phone into his pocket like it had personally betrayed him.
The younger smirked in pure, evil victory. “Finally,” he said. “You look alive.”
Wooyoung padded over to Yunho, who was already lining up by the cashier, leaving you and Mingi sitting there—alone, awkward, and way too aware of each other.
You tilted your head, arms crossing loosely in front of you, weight shifting to one hip. Mingi cursed under his breath when he noticed how that movement made your top stretch just slightly, his eyes flicking down before he could stop himself.
Double shit.
“Uh—hi,” he mumbled, voice lower than he expected. “I’m—uh—”
You laughed softly, the sound light and warm, shaking your head. “I know,” you said. “You’re Mingi.”
That didn’t help him at all.
“I’m (Y/N),” you added gently. “And I apologize in advance for Wooyoung.”
Your eyes drifted past him then, landing on where Wooyoung was now animatedly talking Yunho’s ear off by the counter.
Wooyoung’s hands were moving a mile a minute, eyebrows lifting and dropping like he was telling the most dramatic story known to man, while Yunho—looked far too amused, head tipped back in laughter as he listened.
Mingi followed your gaze, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah,” he murmured. “That tracks.”
His eyes found their way back to you almost immediately, like they’d been pulled on an invisible string. You were already smiling at him when he looked, head tilted slightly to the side, a curtain of hair falling over one shoulder, expression open—inviting.
Mingi had to physically fight the urge to grab your hand and drag you out of this café, consequences be damned. He’d only known you for ten minutes, and he was already planning a whole life with you.
“So,” you began, your voice pulling him back from the brink of insanity. “How are the lyrics going?”
Mingi swore, right then and there, that you were a godsend. An actual, literal angel sent to test his sanity. He blinked, his brain short-circuiting for a second before he managed to shrug, trying to play it cool.
“Oh—uh,” he started, rubbing the back of his neck as he shrugged. “They’re… not that good. I mean, I’m not even halfway done.”
You hummed thoughtfully, lips pursing as you shook your head. There was the slightest pout there—barely anything—but Mingi’s eyes betrayed him, drifting down to your mouth before he could stop himself.
The slight shimmer from the clear gloss coated your perfectly pink, plump lips, and he was cursing himself inside his head. ‘Get it together, you fucking perv.’
He was a grown man, for Christ’s sake, not a hormonal teenager. But here you were, making him feel like one.
“Well, we’ll never know unless we check, right?” you said, a sheepish smile playing on your lips.
You leaned in just a fraction, and the scent of your perfume—something sweet and vanilla-like—nearly knocked him sideways. “Would it be okay for me to see?”
Mingi felt his heart leap out of his chest and do a triumphant little jig on the floor. He was nodding before he even registered the question, a frantic, jerky motion.
You beamed, and it was like the sun came out from behind a cloud. You patted the empty seat next to you, the one Wooyoung had abandoned earlier. “Do you mind?”
Mingi shook his head. He shot up from his chair, the loud scrape of the wooden legs against the tile cutting through the café’s ambient noise. He felt every eye in the place turn to him, but he couldn’t care less.
You could have asked him to buy you a Prada bag right then and there, and he wouldn’t have even blinked, already fumbling for his wallet and handing you his card.
He rounded the small table, his movements feeling clumsy and oversized, and sat down next to you. The chair suddenly felt impossibly small. He cleared his throat awkwardly, his hands fidgeting in his lap as he unlocked his phone, his fingers suddenly feeling thick and useless.
You giggled, a soft, airy sound that made his chest feel tight. You placed a delicate hand over your mouth, but your eyes were sparkling with mirth. “For someone so big,” you teased, your voice light and playful, “you act like I’m going to eat you.”
He laughed under his breath, shaking his head. “I’m not—”
“Yes, you are,” you cut in, smiling. “Relax.”
That was the day Song Mingi decided that he was probably going to ask for your hand in marriage.
Song Mingi was aware that he was a busy man—more than he’d ever like to admit.
His days were packed down to the minute. Studio sessions that bled into early mornings, practice schedules that left his muscles sore for days, meetings stacked on top of meetings until his phone became a never-ending stream of reminders.
It was past one in the morning when his third alarm for yesterday rang through the studio.
“Fuck,” Mingi muttered under his breath, hand flying out blindly as he reached for his phone amid the organized mess of his mixing console. He slapped it down onto the empty gaming chair beside him, the cold metal of his rings digging into his fingers as the alarm finally died.
He let out a slow breath, shoulders sagging.
“Thank fuck for soundproof walls,” he muttered under his breath.
Walls he had very generously paid an interior designer for—one he hadn’t really had much say in when the two of you were choosing designs, because Mingi had long since learned he could never say no to you.
Any more seconds of that alarm and you would’ve woken up, despite the shared bedroom being a few doors away.
The thought alone made his jaw tighten.
“Stupid fucking work,” he hummed quietly, more tired than angry as he turned back to the console.
His fingers moved on autopilot now—muscle memory built from years of doing this. He adjusted the faders, nudging the levels just slightly, twisting the EQ knobs to clean up the lows, adding a bit more presence so the beat didn’t feel flat.
He pressed play.
The beat filled the room—low, steady. Mingi leaned back in his chair, eyes glued to the screen as his fingers hovered over the effects rack, adding just a touch of reverb, dialing in compression until it felt right in his chest.
Better.
He paused it again, letting the silence sit as a satisfied hum left him. His mouse clicked over to another screen, fingers typing out personal notes—small reminders to himself, half-formed thoughts, timing cues only he would understand.
“Fix second verse flow,” he murmured. “Lower gain on hook.”
He grabbed the mic stand, dragging it closer until the microphone hovered just in front of his mouth. He adjusted the height, rolled his shoulders once, breath steadying as he leaned in.
Just one more take.
Knock. Knock.
Mingi froze.
His hand stilled mid-reach, fingers hovering inches away from the mic before he slowly pushed it aside. A small, tired smile tugged at his lips before he could stop it.
“Well, shit,” he whispered, fond.
He stood up, joints aching as he stretched slightly, grimacing at the heavy feel of the clothes still clinging to him—the same ones he’d worn during filming earlier that day. He’d gotten too immersed, too deep into the music to even think about changing.
Padding toward the door, he rubbed a hand down his face before pulling it open.
You stood there in one of his hoodies, the soft, worn black fabric swallowing your frame, the hem barely brushing the tops of your thighs, leaving a long stretch of your legs bare to the chill of the hallway air.
The sleeves, far too long for your arms, were pushed up in messy bunches around your elbows, and your hair was a soft, slightly tangled halo around your face, a clear proof to the fact you’d just rolled out of bed.
In your hands, you held two plates, balanced with a practiced ease, steam curling up from the creamy pasta and perfectly seared steak—the same dish he’d fallen in love with years ago when you’d first cooked it for him in your tiny, shared dorm room, the smell of garlic and butter clinging to every surface for a week.
Your eyes were soft now—knowing—as you looked up at him.
“Good morning,” you murmured.
Mingi sighed, all the tension he’d been holding onto melting instantly. He leaned his head lightly against the doorframe, eyes slipping shut for a second—a small, helpless smile tugging at his own lips.
“Hey, baby,” he mumbled, voice low and tired and warm.
Your gaze flicked past him, into the dimly lit studio, taking in the glowing screens and scattered papers. You laughed softly, shifting your weight as your arms strained just a bit.
“These plates are heavy, Song Mingi.”
“Oh—shit, sorry,” he yelped quietly, immediately stepping aside. “Come in, come in.”
He guided you inside with a hand at your lower back, careful as you padded into the studio. The smell of the food filled the space instantly—rich, comforting—and it hit him then just how long it had been since he’d eaten anything proper.
You set the plates down on the large table beside his mixing console with a soft clink, sighing under your breath as your eyes drifted over the mess.
“Wow,” you muttered.
Your hands reached for the scattered sheets of paper—lyrics, notes, half-written melodies you’d long stopped trying to understand. You hummed absently as you stacked them, straightening bent corners, smoothing them down against your palm.
“You know,” you said quietly, “I’ve lived with you for years and I still don’t know how to read any of this.”
Mingi chuckled, closing the door behind the two of you, the soft click sealing the studio off from the rest of the house. “It barely makes sense to me half the time.”
You glanced back at him, lips quirking. “Always so messy.”
He stepped closer, his feet padding softly against the worn wooden floors. His arm slipped around your waist from behind, pulling you flush against him as he rested his chin on your shoulder.
Mingi pressed a line of soft, warm kisses against the column of your neck, his breath fanning out in a contented sigh. “You love me,” he mumbled, the words muffled against your skin.
“I love you,” you corrected him gently, your arm reaching back to ruffle his already messy hair. You leaned your full weight back into him, your other hand coming to rest softly over his arms where they were locked around your waist. “Your mess? Not so much.”
He laughed, the sound a low rumble that vibrated through your entire body as he pressed a light kiss to your cheek, causing you to scrunch your nose in protest. He only pulled you closer, his embrace tightening. “You didn’t have to cook,” he murmured.
“I wanted to,” you said simply, turning your head to look up at him. Your eyes traced the faint shadows beneath his own, the exhaustion showing despite the layers of makeup he’d forgotten to remove after filming. “You forget to eat when you’re like this.”
Mingi smiled sheepishly at you, his hands caressing the sides of your waist as he mumbled, “Guilty.”
You patted his cheek, your touch soft and fond. “Eat up.”
But before you could utter another word, Mingi hooked his chin over your shoulder and pulled you down with him, a playful strength in his arms. You released a small, undignified squeak as he landed right back in the rolling chair he’d been in before, pulling you flush into his lap.
You landed with a soft huff, the air knocked from your lungs as you glared at him. “Mingi, I swear—”
He just laughed, leaning his head back against the headrest, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he shifted to settle you more comfortably against him. His arms wrapped securely around your middle. “What? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
You only rolled your eyes at him, a gesture you knew was utterly ineffective.
He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of your head, lips lingering there for a moment before he spoke again, quieter this time. “Let’s eat together. But first… I want you to listen to this.”
Reluctantly, he let go of your waist just long enough to roll the chair closer to the mixing console. His hands hovered over the laptop for a second—hesitant, almost shy—before he pressed the space bar.
The beat that erupted from the speakers was refreshing and utterly summer-like, a vibrant pulse of synths and bass that echoed off the dimly lit walls of the studio, wrapping around you both like a warm breeze on a sun-soaked beach.
Then came the familiar voice of Hongjoong, smooth and commanding, chording through the air with that signature edge that always made your skin tingle.
You couldn’t help but burst into laughter, the sound bubbling up from your chest as you moved forward in Mingi’s lap, your body instinctively seeking more of that infectious rhythm.
Mingi groaned low in his throat, the vibration rumbling against your back as you wiggled closer, but you were too immersed in the demo playing out on the screen. Your eyes zeroed in on the waveform visuals, those jagged peaks labeled with initials that danced hypnotically.
“Are those San’s vocals?” you asked, voice laced with genuine curiosity and a hint of playfulness, twisting just enough to glance at Mingi over your shoulder.
His large hands landed firmly on your hips, fingers digging into the soft flesh there as you pushed yourself more firmly onto him, feeling the heat of his body seeping through the layers.
“Yes, baby, it’s San,” he murmured, his breath hot against your ear, voice already roughening with the strain of holding back.
You pressed your palms flat against his thighs, the muscles tensing under your touch as you leaned forward, your ass rubbing against the growing bulge in his pants.
Mingi had to physically bite down on his lower lip, teeth sinking into the plump flesh to stifle the curse bubbling up, his hips moving involuntarily and dragging you along with him in a slow, teasing grind.
“Your rap sounds really nice, baby,” you hummed appreciatively, snuggling back against his broad chest, the scent of his cologne—woody and spiced—filling your senses as the track built to a crescendo.
Mingi forced the groan threatening to escape back down his throat, but his grip on your hips tightened like iron vices, knuckles whitening as he glanced down to where your bodies met.
Your ass, barely covered by the hem of his oversized hoodie that you’d claimed as your own, pressed insistently against him; only the thick fabric of his sweatpants and the thin barrier of your panties separated your heated cores.
You hummed along to the beat, the melody vibrating through you both, and leaned even more into him, the full weight of your body adding delicious pressure to the tent straining against his zipper.
His cock throbbed beneath you, hard and insistent, the outline clear even through the layers as it nudged up against your cleft.
“Baby, wait—” Mingi groaned out, the word strained and desperate, his voice cracking slightly as one hand slid up under the hoodie to splay possessively across your bare stomach.
“Hmm?” you replied absently, your hands moving to cover his where they gripped your waist, fingers tracing the cool silver rings adorning his long digits.
You did it slowly, almost teasingly, nails scraping lightly over the metal and his skin, but Mingi knew you were far too lost in the demo’s pulsing rhythm to notice the torment you were inflicting.
He gritted his teeth, jaw clenching so hard you could hear the faint grind. “Nothing… but can you please stop m—” But the words cut off into a sharp hiss as you moved again, moving your position on his lap with a subtle roll of your hips.
Your ass pressed up harder against the ever-growing tent in his pants, the friction sending a jolt straight through him, his cock twitching violently as pre-cum likely soaked into the fabric.
You paused the motion just enough to tilt your head back, lips brushing his jawline in a feather-light kiss. “Stop what? I’m just getting comfy while we listen,” you teased innocently, though the way your thighs squeezed around his made it anything but.
The track hit a drop, Yunho’s voice layering over San’s ad-libs in a hypnotic flow, and you swayed with it, grinding down in time with the bass, your pussy clenching at the feel of his hardness slotting perfectly between your cheeks.
Mingi’s breath came in ragged pants now, one hand abandoning your waist to fist the arm of the chair, the other pulling you flush against him as if he could fuse your bodies together.
Fuck, you’re killing me,” he rasped, nipping at your earlobe before soothing it with his tongue. “That ass of yours… grinding on my cock like that. You feel how hard you’ve got me? All because of this damn demo.”
You laughed softly, the sound breathy and aroused, turning your face to capture his lips in a messy kiss. Your tongue slipped past his bitten lip, tasting the faint metallic tang as you deepened it, hips circling lazily while the music swelled around you.
“But it’s so good, Mingi. Your parts blend perfectly with theirs—listen to that.” As if on cue, his own pre-recorded verse kicked in, deep and gravelly, sending shivers down your spine.
He broke the kiss with a growl, forehead pressing to yours, eyes dark and hooded. “Yeah? You like hearing me sing while you’re teasing my cock?”
His free hand ventured lower, slipping under the hoodie to cup your mound through your panties, fingers pressing just enough to feel the damp heat gathering there. “Because I can feel how wet you’re getting, baby. This pussy’s soaking for me already.”
A soft moan escaped you as his thumb circled your clit through the fabric, the pressure building in tandem with the track’s rising tension. You rocked into his touch, ass still firm against his throbbing length, the dual sensations making your head spin.
“Mingi, fuck, don’t stop,” you whispered, your voice coming out husky and breathless, laced with the need pulsing through your veins.
Even as the words left your lips, you reached back, threading your fingers through his dark hair, tugging him closer with a desperate pull that made his scalp tingle under your grip.
Mingi leaned down immediately, his hot breath fanning over your skin before his mouth descended. He pressed open-mouthed kisses along the side of your neck, each one soft and teasing, his lips dragging slowly as if savoring the taste of you.
Then came the suck, his teeth grazing just enough to send sparks down your spine. Red marks bloomed in his wake—dark, possessive blooms that would linger as reminders of this moment in the dim studio light.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he mumbled against your throat, his voice a low rumble that vibrated straight into your core—the sound alone made your thighs clench.
Without warning, his fingers hooked into the waistband of your panties, yanking them aside with a rough tug that exposed you completely.
The cool air of the studio hit your bare folds for a split second, a shocking contrast that made you whine sharply, your hips bucking involuntarily at the sudden vulnerability.
But the chill didn’t last—Mingi’s hand was there in an instant, two thick digits sliding through your slickness, coating themselves in the evidence of your arousal as they circled your entrance.
“But I’m gonna need you to let that track continue playing while I fuck you good, yeah?” he murmured, his tone husky and commanding, the words brushing against your ear.
His other hand stayed firm on your hip, holding you steady against his rock-hard cock straining through his pants, the heat of it searing into your ass.
A deep moan tore from your throat at his words, your hips moving forward instinctively, trying to draw him in deeper, to chase that penetration you craved.
But Mingi was set on letting you suffer just a little longer, pulling his fingers away at the last moment and returning to circle your clit with agonizing slowness. The swollen nub throbbed under his touch, each loop sending jolts of pleasure that bordered on pain, your body trembling in his hold.
“I need words, baby,” he demanded, his voice dropping even lower, that rumbling timbre making your pussy clench around nothing.
You moaned again, louder this time, turning your head to the side to glare at him over your shoulder.
The heat in your stare was fierce, a mix of frustration and desire, but Mingi only laughed—a dark, throaty sound that echoed softly in the room, his eyes gleaming with amusement and hunger as he met your gaze.
Then, without mercy, he plunged his fingers into you, two thick lengths stretching your walls in one swift thrust. The intrusion made you cry out, a sharp moan that mingled with the beat still pulsing from the speakers, your inner muscles fluttering around him as he curled them just right, hitting that spot that made stars burst behind your eyelids.
Before you could catch your breath, Mingi caught your lips in a heated kiss, his mouth crashing against yours with bruising force. His tongue swept in, tasting of mint and something more primal, as he devoured you.
His other hand tightened its grip on your waist, fingers digging into the soft flesh there, anchoring you as your body arched into him.
Just as quickly, he removed his fingers, sliding them out with a wet sound that left you empty and aching, your pussy clenching desperately around the sudden void.
A whine of protest escaped you, high and needy, and you pulled harder at the ends of his hair still tangled in your hold, yanking his head back slightly to emphasize your frustration.
Mingi groaned at the tug, the sound rough and guttural, vibrating through his chest against your back. But the smirk curling his lips said he was anything but bothered—relishing the way you fought back, even in submission.
“I said words,” he repeated, his voice a low growl now, edged with that teasing dominance that made your pulse race.
To punctuate his demand, his fingers slapped lightly against your clit, the sharp sting blooming into heat that had you jerking in his hold, a gasp ripping from your lungs as fresh slickness coated your thighs.
“F-Fuck, Mingi, please—” you stammered, the plea tumbling out in a rush, your voice breaking on the edges as your body betrayed you, hips grinding back against him for any friction.
He hummed in satisfaction, the sound deep and approving, like velvet wrapping around your nerves.
Leaning in closer, he bit down on the lobe of your ear, teeth grazing the sensitive skin before soothing it with a flick of his tongue. “That’s a good girl,” he mumbled, the praise sending a shiver straight to your core, warm and intoxicating.
“Ngh…” The moan slipped out unbidden, helpless, as Mingi shoved his two fingers back into you, deeper this time, letting you adjust to the stretch.
You arched your back against him, pressing your ass firmer into the bulge of his cock, soft pants leaving your lips in quick, ragged bursts.
The fullness was exquisite, his digits scissoring slightly to open you up, the slick sounds of your arousal filling the air alongside the track’s building rhythm.
Mingi’s arm that was wrapped around your waist shifted, his hand sliding up to push the hoodie higher, bunching the fabric around your ribs and leaving your bottom half fully exposed to the cool studio air.
You barely registered the chill anymore—the heat coursing through you was too intense, a wildfire spreading from where his fingers pumped steadily inside, thumb now brushing your clit in time with his thrusts. Your skin flushing hot as beads of sweat gathered at the base of your neck.
“Look at you, so fucking wet for me,” Mingi rasped, his lips trailing down to nip at your shoulder, voice that low rumble that made your toes curl.
He twisted his fingers, dragging them along your inner walls with slowness, feeling every flutter and squeeze. “This pussy’s gripping me like it never wants me to leave. You gonna be good and keep that track going? Let it play while I stretch you out?”
You nodded frantically, but that wasn’t enough for him—his free hand came up to cup your chin, tilting your head back so you could see the dark promise in his eyes. “Words, baby. Tell me you want my cock ruining you right here.”
“Y-Yes, Mingi,” you gasped, the words spilling out as his fingers curled again, hitting that perfect spot that made your vision blur.
“Please, fuck me… don’t make me wait.” Your hand tightened in his hair, pulling him down for another kiss, messy and desperate, teeth clashing as you rocked back against his hand.
Mingi chuckled into your mouth, the sound vibrating through your lips in the heat of the moment, his tongue swirling with yours in a lazy, dominating dance that left you breathless.
His fingers pumped a few more times inside your aching pussy, each thrust deep, the pads of his digits curling to drag along your sensitive walls.
Sometimes, the cool edges of his metal rings caught against your entrance as he drove them in, the stark contrast to the warmth of his skin making you whimper sharply, your body jolting at the unexpected chill that only heightened the fire building low in your belly.
“My good girl,” he mumbled against your lips, the praise rough and affectionate, his voice that familiar low rumble that sent shivers racing down your spine.
With that, he withdrew his fingers slowly, the slick drag leaving you clenching around nothing, a soft whine escaping as the emptiness throbbed insistently.
His hand on your hip traveled upward, sliding along the curve of your side until it reached the side of your face. Mingi cupped your chin firmly, his thumb brushing over your bottom lip as he tilted your head back, forcing you to stare directly up at him.
Those dark eyes locked onto yours intensely, holding you captive in their gaze. He brought his two fingers—the ones that had been buried inside you moments earlier—to his mouth, rubbing them together first, the glistening strands of your arousal catching the dim light.
Then, without breaking eye contact, he shoved them past his lips, groaning deeply at the taste of you, the sound guttural as it rumbled from his chest.
You watched, transfixed, as his tongue lapped over the soaked digits, swirling around them to savor every drop of your juices, the sight making your core pulse with renewed need.
He sucked them clean, hollowing his cheeks before letting them go with a wet pop that echoed softly in the quiet studio. A smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked down at you, satisfaction gleaming in his expression like he’d just claimed another victory.
Before you could form a coherent thought, he leaned down to kiss you again—this time less messy, more passionate, his lips moving against yours with a controlled hunger that made your knees weak.
His tongue traced the seam of your mouth, coaxing it open to delve inside, sharing the faint tang of your own flavor.
“Always so sweet for me,” he mumbled into the kiss, the words brushing hot against your tongue, sending a flush of warmth through your cheeks.
You smiled into the kiss, soft and involuntary, the tenderness in his touch contrasting the desire still simmering between you.
Mingi pulled back just a few inches, his breath mingling with yours as he hovered close. “Up,” he murmured, tapping your hip twice with a firm press of his fingers, the command gentle but insistent.
He let you stand on your own, though your legs trembled from the torture he’d just put you through, muscles quivering like jelly under the weight of your arousal. You steadied yourself against the edge of the table, the cool wood pressing into your palms as you gripped it tightly.
Behind you, the shuffle of the chair—the one you’d both been tangled on seconds ago—scraped across the floor, followed by the faint clink of his metal rings hitting his belt buckle as he worked it open with hurried precision.
Mingi leaned his body into yours from behind, not enough to push you forward but close enough to loom over you, his broad frame casting a shadow that made you feel deliciously small and exposed.
The heat radiating from him seeped through the fabric of your pushed-up hoodie, and you felt the shift as he shrugged off the heavy jacket that had been weighing him down for hours, the material whispering to the floor in a heap.
“Hands on the table,” he ordered, his voice dropping to that husky timbre that brooked no argument, “and you better not move anything from that console, baby.”
A whimper slipped past your lips as you bit down on your lower one, nodding obediently while your hands splayed out on the empty spot of the table in front of you.
The smooth wood was cool against your heated palms, calming you even as your body thrummed with anticipation, the console's glowing buttons just inches away—a temptation you wouldn’t dare touch.
Mingi let the material of his jeans slide down to his ankles, kicking them aside with a rustle, leaving him in nothing but his boxers, which he didn't even bother pushing down all the way.
The desperation was evident in the way the fabric tented obscenely, strained against his arousal. His white buttoned top hung loose, half-untucked and forgotten, the thin material doing little to hide the flex of his muscles beneath.
His hands settled on your hips, warm and possessive, his large palms spanning the flesh easily, fingers digging in just enough to keep you steady as your body leaned forward slightly.
A soft moan escaped you at the contact, your voice breaking on the plea. “Mingi, please…”
He chuckled, the sound dark and teasing, vibrating through his chest as it pressed against your back. His other hand slipped from your waist, wrapping around the base of his cock—already aching and heavy, the tip glistening with pre-cum that had been leaking since the moment you first sat on his lap.
He stroked himself once, twice, the wet sound of it making your breath hitch, before lining up the blunt head against your slick folds.
The first brush of him there was electric, the velvety heat of his tip nudging your entrance, and it was enough to make your knees buckle, a sharp gasp tearing from your throat as your legs threatened to give out.
Mingi breathed out heavily, the sound low and deep, like a growl restrained, his arm wrapping tighter around your waist to hold you upright.
“Atta girl,” he murmured, the praise warm against your ear, his lips brushing the shell as he leaned his body into yours.
Slowly, he pressed inside—an inch at first, the fat head of his cock stretching you open with a burn that bordered on exquisite pain.
“Ngh—ah! Fuck—” you moaned, the cry high and broken, your fingers curling against the table's edge as your walls fluttered around the intrusion.
He pressed soft kisses to the top of your head, his height making the gesture almost endearing amidst the pleasure, and you could hear the almost-laugh in his exhale at the stark difference in your statures—him towering over you like this.
Another inch pushed in, his girth filling you inch by inch until you felt impossibly full.
“You’re doing so well for me, baby. That’s it,” he mumbled, voice strained with restraint, his breath hot on your skin as he bottomed out, his hips flush against your ass.
The head of his cock nudged deep, almost kissing your cervix, the pressure sending stars exploding behind your closed eyelids, your body arching involuntarily.
It was too much—the stretch, the fullness, the way he hit every sensitive spot—and the coil inside you snapped without warning.
“Mingi, I’m cumming—!” you whimpered out, the words fracturing into a sob as waves of pleasure crashed over you, your pussy clenching around his length.
Mingi leaned down, pressing soft, soothing kisses to your shoulder, his lips lingering on the skin as he murmured, “Let go for me, baby.”
You shivered violently against his hold, the strength of your orgasm rippling through you like wave, nearly toppling you both as your walls clamped down hard, milking him in tight, pulsing squeezes.
He hissed through his teeth, the sound sharp and needy, fighting every instinct not to shove you forward onto the console and ruin the hours of meticulous work he'd poured into the tracks.
Instead, his other arm flew up to wrap softly around your neck, pulling you back against his body, your back flush to his chest as he held you steady.
“Fuck…” he breathed, the word a ragged exhale, his eyes scanning over the console's buttons—familiar as the lines on his own hand—before landing on the glowing red one labeled ‘record.’
A glimmer of mischief flashed in his eyes, dark and playful, and he removed his grip from your waist just long enough to casually press the button.
The soft beep was drowned out by the synth waves that appeared on his laptop screen, capturing the moment in digital eternity.
He smirked to himself, the expression wicked, before his arm returned to your waist, pushing the material of the hoodie higher to expose more of your skin to the cool air.
“I’m gonna move now, okay?” he said, his voice a low rumble against your ear, thumb stroking your hip in a gentle circle.
You could only nod, too lost in the haze of pleasure, your body limp and pliant in his grasp, breaths coming in shallow pants as aftershocks still trembled through you.
Mingi pulled out slowly, inch by torturous inch, leaving just the tip nestled inside your fluttering heat, the drag making you whine at the loss.
The emptiness hit you like a punch, your walls clenching desperately around nothing but that teasing crown, slick and swollen from the stretch he‘d given you moments ago.
Your thighs quivered, muscles spent, but the ache deep in your core begged for more, for him to fill you up again and chase away the void.
Then, with a smooth thrust, he plunged back in, burying himself to the hilt in one fluid motion. The slap of skin echoed through the room, sharp and resounding in the sudden quiet—only the soft, unfinished beats of the song pulsing from the speakers, those wavy visuals dancing across the screens.
Mingi’s grip on your waist tightened, his large palms kneading the flesh there, fingers digging into the soft give of your hips as if securing himself against the urge to lose control entirely.
His other hand stayed firm on your throat, not squeezing but guiding, pushing you further back into him with every roll of his hips, forcing your body to arch and take him deeper.
He buried his nose into your hair, inhaling deeply the familiar scent of your shampoo—that light, citrusy tang he always found himself missing during long shoots away from you. It calmed him, mixed with the musky evidence of your arousal clinging to your skin, and a low groan rumbled from his chest.
“Shit, baby, you feel so good,” he murmured, voice rough and gravelly, laced with that raw hunger that made your pulse stutter.
You could only moan in response, the sound high and needy as you arched into him, your back bowing off the surface beneath you, chasing the fullness of his cock splitting you open.
He continued his assault on your pussy, each thrust powerful, the obscene slap of skin against skin filling the studio—wet, rhythmic, punctuated by the squelch of your juices coating him, your folds sucking him in greedily with every withdrawal and plunge.
It was enough to send him into overdrive, his breaths coming hotter, faster against your neck, muscles in his arms flexing as he held you steady.
Mingi’s fingers reached over to your cheeks, tilting your head back gently but insistently, his touch warm. He leaned down, pressing a hot kiss to your mouth, lips crashing against yours in a messy claim.
His tongue shoved into yours without preamble, tangling and dominating, tasting the salt of your sweat and the faint sweetness of your earlier whimpers. It had you seeing stars, sparks bursting behind your eyelids as the world narrowed to the slide of his mouth, the grind of his hips.
Your other arm, the one that had been propping you up, gave way slightly, landing on his arm around your throat. The feel of his warm skin under your palm sent electricity shooting through you, a jolt that made your toes curl and your inner walls flutter around his length.
“Ah, fuck, you feel so—so big—!” you whimpered out, the words tumbling breathlessly, broken by the way he filled you so completely.
Mingi preened at that, a smug glint in his eyes as he squinted down at you, watching your face contort in bliss. Your eyes rolled back to the depths of your skull, lashes fluttering, as he hit your g-spot effortlessly with the next thrust—sending a fresh wave of heat coiling tight in your belly.
You whimpered into his hold, body jerking, and he chuckled low, the sound vibrating through his chest into yours. “Yeah? Love how my big cock is pounding into your little pussy?” His voice dropped an octave, teasing yet filthy, each word punctuated by the snap of his hips.
“Y-yes, fuck…” you moaned, your voice cracking as his pace fastened.
His cock dragged along every ridge and spot inside you, veins pulsing against your sensitive walls, reaching depths your fingers could never dream of touching—not the way Mingi did, especially on those nights he came home late, too exhausted to ravage you properly but making up for it now with ruthless precision.
You arched into him harder, spine curving as your walls clamped down on his cock, squeezing in rhythmic pulses that made him hiss through clenched teeth.
He leaned down, teeth grazing your lower lip before biting down—not hard enough to break skin, but enough to sting and spark pleasure-pain that shot straight to your core.
You moaned louder, the sound muffled against his mouth as his hips staggered for a split second, the intensity nearly undoing him.
His grip on your waist tightened further, bruising in the best way, before one hand slid down, fingers finding your clit swollen and throbbing. He rubbed small, firm circles there—his touch slick with your combined arousal.
“Are you close?” he whispered, breath hot against your ear, his thrusts never faltering, each one driving you higher.
“F-fuck, yes!” you cried out, voice pitching up, body trembling on the edge as the coil wound unbearably tight.
“Good,” he groaned, and without hesitation, he plunged deep into you one final time, hips grinding flush against yours.
Hot, white thick ropes of cum painted your womb white, flooding you with warmth that spread like liquid fire, his cock twitching as he emptied himself inside.
His fingers sped up on your clit, relentless circles that shattered you—sending you tumbling over the edge. Your walls clamped down on him, milking every last drop as ecstasy ripped through you, vision blurring with white-hot bliss.
You fell limp against his hold, boneless and spent, gasps tearing from your throat. Mingi held you firmly against him, steadying your shaking form, his arms a solid cage around your body as he rode out the waves.
Your juices mixed with his release, the amount enough to spill out around where he was still buried deep, trickling down your thighs in warm, sticky trails that cooled against your heated skin.
He let his fingers drag over the mess, gathering the evidence of your shared peak, and murmured softly, “Open.”
You did, parting your lips on instinct, tongue darting out as he brought his fingers to your mouth.
The taste exploded on your tongue—salty tang of his cum mingled with the sweet musk of your own arousal, intimate and filthy. You licked them clean slowly, sucking gently, eyes locked on his darkened gaze.
Mingi pressed a tender kiss to the side of your head, lips lingering. “Good girl,” he mumbled, voice soft now, laced with affection amid the afterglow.
His eyes glanced back at the array of waves on his laptop screen, the same hypnotic patterns reflecting across the monitors in front of you both—undulating lines that mirrored the rhythm he’d just set in your bodies.
He hummed under his breath as he steadied you against him, his arms wrapping around your waist. His gaze flickered to the recorded audio of the both of you, the soundwaves frozen in time, a proof to the moment you’d created together.
His eyes then returned to his microphone, the blinking red light casting a faint glow on the surfaces of the equipment in the studio.
A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he pulled your hoodie down to shield you from the cold, his fingers brushing against your skin in a gesture that was both protective and possessive.
He may not be able to use your voice now, not with their comeback goal being all about summer and fresh vibes, but he could already hear it—your voice, layered into the backing vocals of their upcoming album.
Hongjoong would probably agree, he thought, but Mingi knew he’d have to hide the fact that it was your moans.
in which Seonghwa cant get enough of Mingi's little sister (continuation)
park seonghwa x fem!reader (third person)
explicit sexual content / smut, secret relationship, alcohol consumption, verbal aggression, physical violence, fighting, assault, blood, intense family conflict, betrayal of trust, anger issues, possessive behavior from both parties, implied controlling behavior from mingi, angst. mdni, ateez member mentioned
part one
well hello hello, how have you been?? i was reading my work while sorting out my files on my laptop and read part one of this fic, and even though it’s been literal months since I posted it — and despite the fact that I’m right in the middle of university midterms — I couldn’t help myself and ended up writing part two. so enjoy this angsty chapter. i honestly had fun writing this, so i hope you like it!! comment your opinion about it, and my inbox is always open for everyone!
wc: 6,4k
After that night someone would expect that they wouldn’t continue this, that they would break it off for the sake of her brother, his best friend since childhood. But no. What happened between them that night changed the shape of things — not just because it was their first time crossing that line, but because neither of them could pretend it hadn’t meant something more. They kept it quiet, kept it hidden, moving carefully around Mingi like a fragile fault line, pretending nothing had changed while everything had. It was secret smiles over breakfast, late-night texts, soft laughter muffled into pillows, and the ache of wanting to reach for each other in plain sight and not being able to. Because Seonghwa had spent years hiding his love for her that now after having her whole, he couldn't stop. And he didn't want to.
That’s how they ended up here. He had her spread out on his bed, worshiping her body.
"Fucking perfect," he breathed.
Her cheeks flushed, but the way he looked at her — like she was the most precious, beautiful thing in the world — made her feel bold. She reached out, grabbing at his shirt and tugging it over his head, revealing his toned chest and abs that glistened slightly under the warm lights. She had simply come over for dinner with the excuse she was going out with her best friend.
"You're not so bad yourself," she whispered playfully.
That was the last bit of restraint Seonghwa had.
He pushed her back against the bed, his body covering hers, his lips trailing down her neck, biting and sucking as he made his way lower. She arched into him, gasping as his mouth found the sensitive spot on her collarbone, his hands gripping her hips tightly.
"Seonghwa—" she moaned softly, her voice shaking.
"I love when you say my name like that," he growled against her skin, his breath hot, making her shiver.
His fingers quickly worked at unbuttoning her jeans, tugging them down her legs in one swift motion, leaving her in nothing but her panties. His eyes darkened even more, the hunger in them undeniable.
“You’re driving me insane,” he groaned. “I need you so bad, angel.”
Without waiting, his long digits slipped beneath the fabric of her panties, finding her already wet for him. He let out a deep, guttural groan at how ready she was.
“Fuck… you’re soaked.”
She bit her lip, embarrassed but turned on beyond words, her hips grinding against his hand as he circled her clit gently at first, then with more pressure, watching her squirm under him.
She moaned louder, her hands gripping at the sheets beside her as her thighs trembled.
Seonghwa couldn’t take it anymore.
He dragged her panties off and quickly unbuckled his jeans, pushing them down with his boxers. His hard length sprang free, and her eyes widened slightly at the sight of him again — thick, veiny, and already leaking at the tip.
“Spread those legs for me, baby,” he commanded gently, voice breathless.
She obeyed immediately, breath hitching as he lined himself up, his tip nudging at her entrance, teasing her. He looked into her eyes, waiting for that tiny nod of permission. When she nodded, he pushed in slowly, stretching her inch by inch, both of them moaning at the overwhelming pleasure.
"God, you're so tight," he groaned through gritted teeth, burying himself fully inside her.
She gasped, her hands flying to his back, nails digging into his skin as she adjusted to his size. Seonghwa kept still for a moment, peppering kisses all over her face, whispering sweet nothings, until she was ready.
And when she started moving her hips, he lost control.
He began thrusting into her, first slow and deep, savoring every second, but as her moans grew louder, his pace quickened, becoming rougher, more desperate.
The headboard knocked softly against the wall as they moved, and he buried his face into her neck to muffle his own grunts. She whimpered, biting her lip as her walls clenched around him.
“You feel so fucking good—so warm, so perfect for me. My good girl,” he praised, watching her fall apart under him.
Her body started trembling again, her climax building fast under his relentless rhythm. She moaned into his hand, her body arching off the bed as waves of pleasure crashed through her. Seonghwa followed seconds after, groaning into her neck as he spilled inside her, his body shaking from the intensity.
⋆. 𐙚 ˚
The soft patter of rain against the windows was the first thing she registered as she slowly stirred awake. She blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting to the low light as her fingers curled into the soft fabric of Seonghwa’s sheets. The first thing that greeted her senses was him — his scent, his warmth lingering in the empty space beside her. That warm, musky, slightly sweet smell of his skin mixed with faint hints of cedarwood and fresh laundry made her melt a little deeper into the mattress for a moment.
But he wasn’t in bed.
She rolled over, stretching gently, a small whimper escaping her as her body reminded her of the night before. She was still a little sore — pleasantly so. Her thighs tingled from how rough and thorough he’d been, her lips still tender from his endless kisses. She smiled, cheeks flushing as every little detail from last night replayed in her head like a secret movie only she could watch.
Biting her lip, she finally pushed herself up and carefully slipped out of bed, still wearing his oversized t-shirt that hung mid-thigh, swallowing her frame. She padded barefoot across the wooden floors, quietly following the faint sizzling sound coming from the kitchen.
There he was.
Seonghwa stood by the stove, dressed in a pair of grey sweats and a plain black t-shirt that clung just right to his frame. His hair was slightly messy, pushed back with one hand as he focused on flipping pancakes on a skillet. The kitchen was dimly lit, with only a few warm lights under the cabinets casting a soft glow over him.
She stood there for a moment, just watching him, her secret lover, her heart swelling at how domestic he looked. This man — who just hours ago had been worshiping her body, whispering filthy praises in her ear — was now here, barefoot in his kitchen, making her breakfast while rain fell outside.
Her stomach flutered uncontrollably.
Without thinking much, she tiptoed toward him, silent as a cat, and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, pressing her face into his back. He jumped slightly, chuckling as he carefully moved the spatula out of the way and reached down to hold her hands where they rested on his stomach.
“You scared me, baby,” he said, his voice low and warm.
She giggled against him, tightening her hold as she swayed them gently side to side. “M’ sorry,” she whispered playfully. “Couldn’t resist.”
Seonghwa let out a breathy laugh and turned his head slightly, catching a glimpse of her through the corner of his eye. “How did you sleep, hmm?”
“Perfect,” she murmured. “Woke up and you weren’t there, though.”
“I couldn’t let you wake up without breakfast,” he smiled. “Besides… I figured you’d need the energy today.”
Her cheeks flushed instantly at his teasing tone, and she lightly slapped his stomach with her palm, making him chuckle even more.
Seonghwa turned in her arms slowly, now facing her, his hands resting on her waist. He took in the sight of her wearing his oversized shirt, her hair still a little messy from sleep, her bare legs peeking out underneath — and his heart clenched. She looked like she belonged here. Like she belonged to him.
“You’re too cute for your own good,” he whispered, leaning down to steal a soft, lingering kiss from her lips.
Her hands slid up his chest instinctively, returning his kiss with a small smile. “You spoil me.”
“I plan to,” he whispered against her lips before reluctantly pulling away. “Go sit. It’s almost ready.”
She obeyed, walking to his small kitchen table, admiring the way he moved around so effortlessly. The entire apartment smelled of freshly brewed coffee, vanilla from the pancakes, and a hint of rain filtering through the cracked window. Seonghwa plated their breakfast, joining her at the table with two steaming mugs of coffee, black for him and sweetened for her — just like he remembered. The pancakes were topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of syrup.
“You really didn’t have to go all out like this,” she said with a mouthful, cheeks slightly puffed.
“I wanted to,” he replied softly, his eyes never leaving her face. “You deserve to be taken care of.”
After breakfast she went to the bathroom to take a quick shower, wanting to freshen up since she never washed herself last night, and he stayed in the living room casually scrolling through his phone as he listened to her faint humming behind the closed bathroom door, his heart full, but his body still on edge from how close and domestic everything felt.
But then — A sudden, loud knock at the door.
He froze. Completely froze.
His entire body stiffened as the blood drained from his face for a second. His first instinct was panic. Mingi? God forbid it was Mingi. The knock came again, followed by an all-too-familiar voice.
“Hyung! Open up, I know you’re inside. I saw your car.” It was San.
Seonghwa exhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a brief second in relief, but only slightly. While it wasn’t Mingi, it was still San — and San knowing she was here was almost as dangerous. He turned his head toward the bathroom — the water was still running; she hadn’t heard anything.
“Shit,” he whispered under his breath before quietly walking to the door, cracking it open just a bit.
“What do you want?” he whispered sharply.
San gave him a cocky grin. “I was around and i wanted to see if you wanted to grab lunch or something.”
“Bad timing, San,” Seonghwa muttered. “You need to go.”
San tilted his head. “What? Why? You sick or something?”
“I have… someone over.”
San blinked. His eyes widened a little as his grin grew tenfold. “Someone? As in a girl?” His voice was already teasing, his tone laced with intrigue.
Seonghwa’s jaw tightened. “Yes, and that’s exactly why you need to leave.”
“Oh, absolutely not,” San laughed, already pushing the door open with no invitation, stepping inside and kicking off his shoes. “Now I have to stay. This is gold. Seonghwa, you never have girls over. Who is she?”
Seonghwa closed the door behind him and sighed, running a hand down his face, desperately trying to think of how to get San out before she came out. San, oblivious to the growing panic in his friend, casually made his way to the kitchen and grabbed one of the remaining pancakes off the plate.
“You’re unbelievable,” Seonghwa muttered, following him.
San sat himself comfortably on the couch, grinning. “I won’t bother you long, hyung, I just want to meet this mystery girl—”
“You won’t be meeting anyone,” Seonghwa interrupted, voice sharper this time, lowering his tone as if to keep the conversation between them. “Just go. Please.”
San just shook his head, taking a bite of the pancake. “Nah. Now I really want to see who finally managed to get Park Seonghwa wrapped around their little finger.”
Seonghwa was about to answer again when the bathroom door creaked open.
Both men turned their heads simultaneously.
She stepped out into the hallway, looking down at her phone, completely unaware of the conversation that had been taking place just outside. She was still wearing Seonghwa’s oversized t-shirt that hung far too low on her bare thighs, her hair slightly damp and messy from her shower, her skin glowing from her freshly applied skincare. When the young woman’s head finally lifted when she sensed the heavy silence, her wide eyes landed right on San sitting on Seonghwa’s couch, staring at her with his mouth hanging slightly open.
Time stopped.
She froze, eyes going wide as her stomach dropped. “Oh… my God.”
San’s pancake froze mid-air. His eyes blinked slowly, utterly stunned. Neither of them moved for a full second, both processing the shocking reality of this exact moment. Her face turned crimson instantly, heart racing wildly. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. She instinctively grabbed the bottom of Seonghwa’s shirt and pulled it down, even though it didn’t help much.
San broke the silence first, his eyes slowly widening as everything clicked in his head. “Wait— Mingi’s little sister? That’s who you have over?” His gaze darted to Seonghwa in absolute disbelief, as if his brain was short-circuiting.
“San—” Seonghwa started, his tone warning, stepping in between them like a protective barrier.
San immediately got up, still stunned. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re sleeping with her? Hyung!” His voice was half-whispered, half-shouted, trying not to be too loud but failing miserably.
Her hands gripped the hem of Seonghwa’s shirt tighter as her face burned hotter.
“It’s not like that—” Seonghwa tried, but even to his own ears it sounded weak.
“Oh, don’t even try that one,” San hissed, pacing for a second, both hands now on top of his head. He turned back to Seonghwa, voice urgent now. “Does Mingi know?”
“No, San. Of course not,” Seonghwa said sharply.
“Oh my God,” San breathed. “If he finds out, Seonghwa— he’ll kill you. I mean it. Like… actually.”
“I know.”
San rubbed his temples, trying to process it all. But then, after a few moments of pacing and a deep exhale, his expression slowly shifted from panic to something else — pure mischief.
He looked at her again, then at Seonghwa. “I mean… honestly, I should be mad but… you’ve been into her for years, haven’t you?”
Both she and Seonghwa froze again.
San grinned when they didn’t answer, reading their silence perfectly. “Jesus Christ. You two…” He let out a laugh, almost in disbelief. “This is insane.”
“San, please…” Seonghwa said softly, rubbing the back of his neck, trying to salvage some control over the spiraling situation. “You cannot tell Mingi.”
San stared at him for a moment, lips pursed. “Obviously I’m not gonna tell him, hyung — I’m not suicidal.” He glanced back at the girl, his teasing side fully emerging now that the initial shock was wearing off. “But, damn… you’re braver than me.”
She buried her face in her hands, groaning. “I cannot believe this.”
San finally let out a full laugh, shaking his head. “Well. My Saturday just got a hell of a lot more interesting.”
Seonghwa sighed deeply, his entire body still tense as he looked over at her, silently apologizing with his eyes. She peeked at him through her fingers, face still beet red, but her lips curled into a tiny, flustered smile.
⋆. 𐙚 ˚
Now with one of her brother’s friends knowing, things got more complicated. Two months. It had been two whole months since that first night with Seonghwa, and somehow, against all odds, they hadn’t gotten caught. Not once. The secret was burning under her skin like fire, this deliciously reckless thing that left her dizzy every time she looked at Mingi across the table and acted like she wasn’t sneaking off to his best friend’s apartment at every given chance.
Because Seonghwa? He was addictive.
It wasn’t just the fact that their sex life was amazing. It wasn’t just the way he could have her falling apart in record time, with his voice in her ear telling her she was his good girl, or the way he pulled her onto his lap whenever she tried to be stubborn, kissing her senseless until she melted for him.
No.
It was the way he treated her.
Like she was the most precious thing in the world. Like the ground she walked on deserved to be worshiped because she was on it. He spoiled her in ways she didn’t even know she craved—making her breakfast after long nights, running warm baths for her when he knew she was sore, tucking her into his bed when she was exhausted, kissing the top of her head before turning off the lights.
Seonghwa was the kind of man who would drop everything to come get her if she so much as texted him that she was upset. The kind of man who remembered every little thing she said, who would stop in the middle of the day just to buy the exact chocolate she had casually mentioned liking. God, that woman had him wrapped around her little finger. She knew it, too. One tilt of her head, one pout of her lips, one sweet “please, Hwa?” in that soft little voice, and he was already saying yes before she even finished the sentence.
And Mingi?
Poor, clueless Mingi had no idea.
No idea that when his sister said she was going “out with friends,” and kissed his cheek goodbye, she was actually sliding into his best friend’s car, giggling as he kissed her knuckles at red lights. No idea that his best friend had his baby sister in his lap half the nights of the week.
And she was starting to realize something terrifying. Something thrilling.
She was starting to realize she loved him.
It hit her in small moments. Like when Seonghwa leaned against the kitchen counter one Sunday morning, hair messy, wearing nothing but sweatpants, scrolling, while humming softly under his breath. Or when he kissed her cheek before she left, even if they had been tangled up in his bed for hours, like he couldn’t help but have one more kiss before she walked out the door, like he would never see her again. Or when she laughed so hard she couldn’t breathe and he just sat there staring at her, eyes soft, like she had hung the stars in the sky.
Everything was perfect. Until that night.
⋆. 𐙚 ˚
Mingi said he would go out with friends. Seonghwa would go too because he hadn't seen everyone in a long time. He had been texting her because truth was, he missed her, because he hadn't seen her for a couple of days. The bar was crowded, music was thumping faintly in the background, and Seonghwa was sitting with Mingi, San, Wooyoung, Hongjoong, Yeosang, Jongho c, and Yunho crammed around a long table. Everyone was laughing about something Wooyoung said, shots of soju already lining the center of the table, but Seonghwa’s hand kept drifting to his phone every few minutes.
Mingi noticed. “Who are you texting?” he asked, smirking, his words slightly slurred from the alcohol he’d already downed.
“No one,” Seonghwa said smoothly, slipping the phone face down on the table.
San, sitting on Seonghwa’s other side, smirked knowingly. He knew exactly who Seonghwa was texting, but he wasn’t about to out his friend like that.
“You’re acting weird tonight,” Wooyoung teased, reaching for another shot. “Like you’ve got a secret or something.”
Seonghwa just smirked faintly, shaking his head. “I’m fine.” But he had kept telling himself he was going to leave early—he needed to leave early—but Wooyoung had practically locked an arm around his shoulder like a trap.
“Where do you think you’re going, huh?” Wooyoung had grinned at him, shoving another shot glass across the table toward him. “You can’t leave yet. The night’s barely started.”
“I have stuff to do tomorrow,” Seonghwa muttered, though he didn’t reach for the shot glass.
“Yeah? Like what?” Wooyoung raised his brows dramatically. “Sitting at home alone? Come on. Stay. Relax. Don’t be boring.”
And that was how Seonghwa ended up still there an hour later, watching everyone else get steadily drunker while his own glass stayed mostly untouched. He sipped just enough not to draw suspicion—he knew how to play it off—but his mind kept wandering back to his girlfriend. San was already half gone, leaning across the table to shout something in Yeosang’s ear, who wasn’t much better off. Mingi was pounding the table laughing at something Yunho said, Hongjoong was trying and failing to look like the responsible one, and Jongho just kept shaking his head like the designated adult.
The music wasn’t too loud in here—not enough to drown out the chaos happening at their table—but the place was packed enough that people were bumping into each other trying to get through, laughter and voices rising over the low thrum of bass in the background.
Seonghwa was laughing now too despite himself, watching San attempt to flirt horribly with the waitress bringing their drinks while Wooyoung encouraged him like a terrible wingman.
“Stop drinking,” Hongjoong told San when the next round arrived.
“I’m fine,” San said, words slightly slurred as he reached for the glass anyway.
“You’re not fine,” Hongjoong said sharply. “You’re going to embarrass yourself.”
“I,” San said loudly, pointing at himself with a dramatic flourish, “am amazing at holding my liquor. Watch me.” But within ten minutes, San was bantering with everyone. The people at the next table. A couple walking by. Even the bartender at one point.
“Sit down,” Wooyoung said, laughing so hard he nearly spilled his drink. “You’re gonna get us kicked out.”
San sat down—but only to turn on their table instead. “Alright,” he said, squinting around at them like he was about to deliver the punchline of the century. “Who here thinks they’re better looking than me? Be honest.”
Yeosang immediately raised his hand.
“Wrong,” San said flatly, then turned to Seonghwa, eyes narrowing playfully. “What about you, Mr. Perfect Face?”
“I am better looking than you,” Seonghwa said smoothly, smirking faintly into his glass.
“Ohhhhhhh,” Mingi howled, pounding his fist on the table.
“FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT,” Wooyoung chanted like a five-year-old.
San leaned closer, grinning. “At least I can talk to girls without sounding like a robot.”
Seonghwa didn’t even flinch. “At least I can actually get girls,” he said lightly, sipping his drink.
The table roared even louder. San clutched his chest like Seonghwa had mortally wounded him.
“Damn,” Yeosang muttered, trying not to laugh.
San, however, wasn’t done. Not by a long shot. He was drunk enough now that his mouth was moving faster than his brain, words spilling out with no filter.
“At least I,” he said loudly, pointing at himself again, “am not fucking and secretly dating Mingi’s little sister.”
Everything stopped. It was like someone had cut the sound in the entire bar.
Seonghwa froze completely, the words hitting him like a punch to the chest. He blinked, slowly, heart lurching violently as his brain tried to process what just happened.
The table went dead silent.
Even Wooyoung’s grin faltered, the laughter dying on his lips. Yeosang’s eyes went wide. Hongjoong’s head snapped toward San like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.
And Mingi…
Mingi was staring at San with this confused, sharp look, like he wasn’t sure if he’d heard correctly but knew, deep down, that he probably had.
“What?” Mingi said finally, voice low but carrying over the table.
San, still grinning like an idiot, didn’t stop.
“Yeah,” he said loudly, like he was telling the funniest joke in the world. “Seonghwa’s sleeping with your sister. He’s been sneaking around for weeks—”
“San,” Wooyoung cut in sharply, voice dropping low. “Shut the fuck up.”
San turned to him, confused, like he didn’t get why everyone suddenly looked like they’d been slapped.
“What?” San said again, blinking. “It’s true. They’ve been—”
“San.” Wooyoung’s voice was firm this time, almost angry.
And that was when San finally stopped, blinking around at the table like he was only just now realizing the weight of what he’d said.
But it was too late. Because the entire table was dead silent. Because Mingi was staring at Seonghwa now, eyes narrowing slowly like storm clouds rolling in. Because Seonghwa hadn’t moved, hadn’t spoken, hadn’t even breathed since the words left San’s mouth.
Seonghwa could feel his pulse pounding in his ears, thudding so hard he thought maybe everyone could hear it. He didn’t even look at Mingi yet—he couldn’t.
San was blinking slowly, swaying a little in his seat, realization creeping across his face in fragments as though his drunk brain couldn’t put the pieces together fast enough.
“Wait,” Mingi said finally, voice low, steady in that terrifying way people get when they’re holding back something much bigger. He leaned forward slightly. “What did you just say?”
No one answered.
Yeosang shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Wooyoung’s head was in his hands. Hongjoong was muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like I told you to stop drinking, while Jongho sat there, stone-faced, staring at the table like it had personally offended him.
San, because he apparently wanted to dig his grave a little deeper before jumping in, opened his mouth again.
“I just said,” he started, pointing vaguely in Seonghwa’s direction, “that he’s been—”
“San.” Wooyoung’s voice cracked like a whip this time, sharp enough to make San flinch. “Shut. Up.”
Finally—finally—San seemed to realize something was very, very wrong.
The grin slipped off his face as he looked around at everyone staring at him like he’d just set the building on fire.
“What?” San said, softer now, like maybe he could backpedal if he just acted confused enough.
Mingi was still staring at Seonghwa.
Seonghwa could feel it now, that heavy, burning stare, even though he hadn’t lifted his head yet. His hand tightened around his glass because it gave him something to do, something to hold onto as the floor opened up beneath him.
“Is that true?” Mingi asked finally. The words were quiet. Too quiet.
Seonghwa dragged his gaze up slowly, because he couldn’t avoid it forever, because Mingi deserved at least that much.
Their eyes locked across the table, and Seonghwa felt it—the gut-punch of guilt, the weight of every single thing he hadn’t told him crashing down all at once.
Mingi’s expression didn’t give him anything. Just this blank, unreadable look that was somehow worse than if he’d started yelling already.
“Answer me,” Mingi said, still calm, which was worse. So much worse.
Around them, the table was holding its breath.
Seonghwa opened his mouth, but nothing came out at first.
Because what was he supposed to say? That yes, he’d been secretly dating Mingi’s little sister for two months? That yes, he’d been in love with her this whole time and hadn’t said anything because he didn’t know how? That San just detonated the entire thing like it was nothing?
He managed, finally, “Mingi—”
But Mingi was already leaning back, shaking his head slightly like he didn’t want to hear it yet.
“Are you serious right now?” he asked, voice still steady but low enough that Seonghwa had to strain to hear him over the noise of the bar around them.
“Mingi, let me explain—”
“Explain what?” Mingi snapped suddenly, voice cracking sharp enough that people at the next table actually turned to look. Seonghwa shut his mouth instantly.
“Mingi,” Hongjoong said carefully, standing too, like maybe he could keep this from turning into a full-blown scene. “Sit down. Let’s just—”
“No,” Mingi snapped, cutting him off, eyes still locked on Seonghwa. “How long?”
Seonghwa hesitated, and that was his mistake, because Mingi let out this sharp, disbelieving laugh like that told him everything already.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair like he was trying to physically get the anger out somehow.
“Mingi,” Seonghwa tried again, standing slowly now too because sitting while Mingi was pacing like that felt like putting his head on a chopping block. “Listen. I was going to tell you—”
“When?” Mingi whipped around, voice raising over the music now. “When were you planning on telling me, huh? After sneaking around behind my back for months?”
Seonghwa flinched slightly, not at the volume but at the betrayal in his voice.
“Mingi,” Seonghwa said again, quieter this time, trying to keep his voice even, calm, because one of them had to be. “I care about her. It’s not—this isn’t just some random thing. I didn’t mean for it to go like this.”
Mingi had been holding back, even with his voice rising, even with his chest heaving like he was swallowing down the fire boiling in his gut.
But then Seonghwa said it—I care about her.
And that was it.
Something in Mingi snapped like a rubber band stretched too tight. His whole face twisted into something Seonghwa had never seen before—anger, betrayal, disbelief—and then he was moving before anyone could stop him.
“You don’t give a fuck, do you?” Mingi snarled, his voice cracking loud enough for the entire bar to hear now. “I told you she was off limits. You knew she was off limits, and you went behind my back anyway?”
“Mingi—”
“No, shut the fuck up!” Mingi lunged, shoving the table out of the way so hard glasses tipped and beer spilled everywhere. The music barely covered the crash as the bottles hit the floor.
And then his fist connected hard across Seonghwa’s jaw. The sound was so loud it cut through the music, through the crowd chatter. The whole bar turned to look, heads swiveling in unison.
“Holy shit,” Wooyoung muttered, half in shock, half impressed, even as Hongjoong grabbed him by the arm and hissed for him to shut up.
Seonghwa staggered back, the taste of blood sharp in his mouth, eyes going wide—not because Mingi hit him, but because Mingi’s words burned worse than the punch.
“You think this is just about you?” Mingi was yelling now, furious, pacing forward again. “You just wanted to get your dick wet, is that it? With my sister?”
That did it.
Seonghwa’s jaw tightened, his chest heaving. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
“Oh, now you care how I talk?” Mingi shoved him hard, sending him stumbling back against a chair. “You go behind my back, sneak around with her for months, and now you’re gonna get mad about words?”
“I said,” Seonghwa gritted out, finally shoving him back this time, his own temper boiling now, “don’t talk about her like that.”
And then it was chaos.
Mingi swung again, this one wilder, fueled by pure rage, and Seonghwa caught his wrist before it landed, shoving him back so hard they both crashed into another table. Drinks went flying. Someone screamed.
“Both of you, knock it off!” Hongjoong was yelling, but neither of them heard him.
“YOU THINK THIS IS A JOKE?” Mingi roared, trying to break free from the arms grabbing at him now—Yeosang, Wooyoung, even Jongho trying to hold him back. “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU, SEONGHWA. SHE’S OFF LIMITS. SHE’S BEEN OFF LIMITS SINCE DAY ONE.”
“She’s not just your sister!” Seonghwa snapped back, trying to shove the guys off him so he could move, eyes blazing now. “She’s not some kid you get to control anymore, Mingi—”
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” Mingi bellowed, lunging again when he broke free, and then they were both on the floor, fists flying, chairs scraping as people scrambled to get out of the way.
The bartender was yelling now too, telling them to take it outside, but no one was listening. The music had stopped. The whole bar was staring. Seonghwa caught another punch to the side before finally swinging back, his own anger breaking through because Mingi’s words wouldn’t stop—
“—JUST A PIECE OF ASS TO YOU, HUH?—”
“—SHE MEANS MORE TO ME THAN YOU THINK!” Seonghwa roared back, landing a punch of his own this time, his voice raw, desperate, like he needed Mingi to hear it over the chaos.
“—YOU’RE DEAD, SEONGHWA, YOU HEAR ME? DEAD—”
“STOP IT!” Hongjoong barked, but no one was listening because now half the bar was trying to separate them, hands everywhere, pulling, shoving, people yelling over each other. “Get them the fuck out!” the bartender screamed finally, pointing toward the door.
And then, somehow, they were all being shoved out into the street—Mingi still yelling, Seonghwa shoving back, Wooyoung swearing under his breath, San stumbling drunk and looking like he wanted to disappear into the pavement, Hongjoong apologizing to literally everyone in sight while dragging Yeosang and Yunho with him.
“Stay the fuck away from her,” Mingi spat, chest heaving, pointing a shaking finger at Seonghwa like it took everything in him not to swing again. “I swear to God, Seonghwa, you go near her again, and I’ll kill you.”
Seonghwa wanted to yell, to defend himself, to shove Mingi back for everything he’d just thrown at him — but underneath the adrenaline pumping through his veins was something else.
Guilt.
He knew he should apologize. He knew this looked exactly like the betrayal Mingi thought it was, even if that wasn’t what it was in Seonghwa’s head, in his heart.
But Mingi wasn’t giving him the chance.
“How long?” Mingi barked, spitting the words like they were poison in his mouth. “How long have you been sneaking around with my sister?”
Seonghwa hesitated. It was only for half a second, but Mingi saw it — and that was all it took for him to shove him hard, both hands flat against Seonghwa’s chest, knocking him back a step.
Seonghwa wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, jaw clenched tight. “It started at the party,” he said finally, his voice rough, low. “The one you threw a couple months ago.”
Mingi went very still.
And then he laughed — a short, sharp, disbelieving sound — before his face twisted into something ugly and furious, like Seonghwa had just spat in his face.
“That party?” Mingi repeated, his voice dropping into something quieter but way more dangerous. “The party I let you into my house, trusted you around her, and you—”
“Mingi, listen—”
“You were fucking my sister behind my back this whole time?” Mingi’s voice exploded again, the words ragged and hoarse. “You lied to me. To me, Seonghwa. I trusted you more than anyone.”
“Mingi, I care about her,” Seonghwa bit out, finally snapping back because he couldn’t take the way Mingi was talking like Lily was some secret fling. “I love her.”
That did it.
Another punch launched at him, so fast he barely had time to brace before Mingi’s fist cracked against his cheek again, the pain blinding for a second.
“ENOUGH!” Hongjoong roared, finally grabbing Seonghwa from behind while Wooyoung and Yeosang shoved against Mingi’s chest to hold him back.
“LET ME GO!” Mingi yelled, fighting against them, eyes blazing like he wanted to rip free and tear Seonghwa apart. “I’M NOT DONE WITH HIM!”
“You’re done tonight!” Hongjoong snapped, shoving Seonghwa back so hard his feet scraped on the pavement. “Before the cops get called, for fuck’s sake.”
Mingi was breathing like he’d just run a marathon, shoving away the hands holding him back, glaring at Seonghwa like his stare alone could kill him.
“This isn’t over,” he spat finally, voice shaking with rage. “You hear me, Seonghwa? It’s not fucking over.”
“Mingi, just listen—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Mingi barked, shoving away Yeosang when he tried to calm him down, his face red, jaw tight. “I don’t want to hear another word from you. You stay the hell away from me until I figure out how I’m not gonna murder you.”
⋆. 𐙚 ˚
The second Mingi disappeared down the street, the tension in the air didn’t loosen — it got worse. Seonghwa stood there, chest heaving, his lip split wide open and stinging every time he exhaled too hard. His jaw ached where Mingi had landed his punch, and his knuckles were raw, skin peeling where they’d cracked against bone. He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, tasting copper on his tongue, the throbbing in his cheek already promising a bruise by morning.
And then his eyes snapped to San.
San, who was standing off to the side looking pale as hell, still frozen in the same spot like he didn’t know whether to run or throw up.
“Dude,” Seonghwa barked, voice hoarse but furious, pointing at him with a trembling hand. “What the fuck, San? You promised. You promised you wouldn’t say a word.”
San blinked like someone had shaken him out of a daze. “I—I didn’t think he’d—”
“You didn’t think?” Seonghwa’s voice cracked sharp, echoing against the brick walls of the alley behind the bar. “You opened your mouth, San. You think Mingi would’ve found out tonight if you just kept it shut?!”
San looked guilty, eyes darting everywhere but Seonghwa’s face, his hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets like he was hoping to disappear into the sidewalk.
But before Seonghwa could say more, Wooyoung was there, stepping between them, his voice sharp but quieter. “Okay, stop screaming at him, this isn’t all on San,” he snapped, eyes hard on Seonghwa. “What the hell, man? How long has this been going on?”
Hongjoong was right behind him, arms crossed, face like thunder. “He’s right. You’ve been hiding this for months?”
“It’s not like that,” he finally managed, voice rough, sounding too much like he was pleading. “It wasn’t—”
“Not like that?!” Wooyoung cut in, eyebrows raised like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You went behind his back, Seonghwa. Mingi’s back. His sister, bro.”
Seonghwa dragged both hands down his face hard, pacing away from them because he couldn’t stand the way they were all looking at him. Like he was the villain here. Like he didn’t already feel sick enough.
He turned back sharply. “You think I don’t know what this looks like?” he snapped, pointing at his own chest, his voice loud again. “You think I don’t get it? I tried telling himt—” He broke off, rnning a hand through his hair, yanking at the roots like it would calm him down. “God, this is such a fucking mess.”
And then it hit him. Mingi. Mingi was going home. Straight home. Straight to her.
Seonghwa froze mid-step, pulling his phone out so fast it almost slipped from his raw knuckles. He unlocked it with shaking fingers, scrolling to her name, hitting call.
It rang. And rang. No answer. She was probably asleep. Unaware of what just happened. Of what was about to happen.
synopsis. you're too sweet for your own good, social butterfly, empath. Meeting a lone wolf cowboy is like getting handed the most interesting project. But will he stay, for you?
warnings: nsfw 18+ cowboy!mingi, f!reader, grumpy x sunshine trope, nicknames ( peppers don't ask, pretty, love) protective mingi, slight angst, mingi is whipped, reader gets assaulted.. I'm sorry, but mingi steps up, confusion, mingi has committing problems, passionate yearning, praising, pretty vanilla since these two r so whipped mb, dryhumping!! love confession??, fluffy ending
wc. 2.6k includes an epilogue!
an. cowboy mingi is finally here and I couldn't be happier. This fic is honestly one of my favs so far so show her some love <3 also feel free to guess who is being teased for the next addition in the epilogue ;) enjoy loves<3 taglist: @renjinki
The air hangs heavy in the western style bar as your boots click on the floor board. Tonight is going to be legendary, that's what you want. You and your gals from college are out downtown to cheer up your friend who just got left earlier today. You two waltz in hip on hip as you splat yourself down on the bar.
You love nights out. You tend to chat to anyone you meet when you're drunk, so an evening on the town is truly a social event.
Holding onto your frosted glass your light eyes wander around the room. Your friend gurgles down her cocktail as your other friend basically runs off as quick as possible out the door. In the same swing of the door you note two men walking in. One blue haired man, slightly shorter. One in all black, tall as ever, hair strands covering half of his face. You've found the one. Your eyes follow the tall form of the other man as he goes over to one of the stalls in the back. You quickly turn over to your friend, who's now looking very much asleep.
"Girl I'll be right back, I just have to go check-"
"Just because I'm sad doesn't mean you can't go get laid" You kiss your friends head as a sign of a thank you before making your way to this mystery man.
....
Your eyes scan his form as you stand before his stall, the light source small. His face is dimly lit, lips pouty, hair hung low. As he moves slightly to peek up at you, you note his beautiful moles.
"Can I help you?" The mans voice richer than the darkest of chocolates. You flash him a gentle smile, his expression unfazed.
"You seemed like you could use some company" He lets out a huff of air before leaning back down to his scotch.
"Not necessarily no" you don't give up so quickly.
"Still give me a chance?" His dark eyes showing through his locks as he looks up at you properly.
"It never ends well with girls like you, so it's better you don't bother" This is driving you mad. You must figure this guy out.
"I'm a big girl, I know how to watch out for myself. I just wanted to talk, have a drink" he sighs, pointing you to the seat against him. You giddily suit yourself.
"So, what shall I call you, other than a peppery cowboy?" The mans eyes flash up to glare your way before tuning back to the table.
"Mingi" he keeps it short you see. You nod, sipping down your own drink. You wonder how to approach him without being too intense right up. To your surprise he mutters:
"And you?" You can't help but smile. You tell him your name before chugging down your drink, needing the extra confidence your drunk state gives you. Feeling the buzz, you look back to Mingi. He's slouched, looking heavy. His hat hangs low on his face, covering most of it. Both arms on the table, he looks so small.
"What'd you just say?" Oh shit. You made that remark out loud.
"Just.. you look small from up here, Mingi" As he straightens out his posture, like a Fenix rising from the ashes, your breath gets caught in your throat. His eyebrow furrowed askingly.
"I'm not small. Anything but" You're amused with his obvious annoyment. This is the most fun you've had out in a while.
....
You have started to melt Mingi out of his shell, slowly but surely. You're now 3 drinks in, Mingi still on the one. You're now on the topic of your friend you came here with.
"So you know, her ex is so full of shit. I'm glad she came with us. She's there on the bar... with your friend it seems" You shrug over to your friend hunched over the blue haired cowboy from earlier. Mingi hums.
"Hongjoong. We're more like housemates than anything. He lets me stay in his flat here in the city while he's away on the ranch. We only see each other on the weekends."
"You don't have your own place?" Mingi shakes his head, looking at you with much attention.
"I travel too much for that. Kind of a Lone Ranger in that sense. I just stay for how long feels right and then move" You nod before starting to wonder. You feel the air being knocked out your chest. He's not a permanent character. Something about that makes you worry, as if he's not still mostly a handsome stranger.
You suddenly turn over to the dance floor. You can't help but yelp as Timber starts blasting from the speaker. This song is something you and your girls always blast at 3 am, living life to the max. You sit up, extending your hand to Mingi.
"Mind a dance peppers?" He glares at you, slightly shocked and confused expression painting his face.
"I do not dance." You shrug.
"Your loss" you jump your way into the dance floor, shining in the neon lights. Swinging your body around, you feel the music engulfing you completely. So completely you don't even notice a hand sneaking up behind you. As you dance like it's the last, eyes closed, the hands on your body travel. You figured it was Mingi, finally joining you, but as your eyes flash open your eyes go wide, you don't know this person at all. You try to snake your way out of the mans grip, but he's much stronger than you.
....
Mingi sips on what remains in his glass as he looks over to the busy dance floor. He looks at you, body pressed to an another man, and his blood burns. He doesn't have time to feel like this, he's a lone wolf. A mere traveler, with no baggage. That's what he wants to believe in anyway..
But then he notices you looking at him with a scared expression as the man behind her pulls her back to him. Mingi springs up like a jester, before taking big strides towards you. He will not tolerate this behaviour.
....
You try your best to push the man off, your eyes screaming for help from Mingi, as his tall form makes it way to you fast. Before long, Mingi stands in front of you.
"Can I help you?" The man behind you spits. Mingi glares at him, deadly, hands crossed.
"Get your filthy hands off my date, before I kick your teeth off" the grip on you softening, you pull the man off. Mingi grabs you, hiding your smaller body behind his back before turning back to your assaulter.
He grabs the man by the collar, before dragging him to the door. Your eyes are wide, mouth agape. This man is something else.
As Mingi waltzes back to you, brushing his shoulders, you flash him the most grateful of smiles.
"You came" He nods, standing before you, eyes scanning the walls.
"You called"
"Dance with me now?" Mingi lets out an amused chuckle.
"If you insist, but to warn you, I suck." You shrug it off, letting your body follow the groove of the music blasting in the late evening.
Your body swaying to the music, you turn to look back at Mingi, slightly stiff. He's trying his best, you can tell. You figure you'll give him a hand.
"You need to ease into it peppers! Relax yourself" Your hands find their way to his arms, guiding him to move more fluidly with you. You notice his ears flash red as you move close to his body. Slowly, Mingi starts melting into the bass with you, embracing the tune. The whole time his eyes only follow you, keeping you close to him.
A slightly slower tune goes on, the people around you coupling up. You look up to Mingi with wondering eyes. He nods, guiding your hands to lay on his tense shoulders. His hand lay lightly on your hipbone. You smile, a bit caught off guard. Your hands gently massage into his shoulder blades.
"You ought to relax Mingi, these shoulders are like cement" He puffs some air out before looking down to his boots.
"It's hard to find time to relax when you're always on the move" You nod slowly.
"What does relax you then, when you do have the time?" your fingers grip on his shoulders, as Mingis eyes ghost yours. His gaze scans the room as he mutters:
"Nothing really" Your eyebrows furrow in worry. This poor man. You get an idea.
"What if I kissed you?" His eyes flash to yours in a second, his expression bewildered. Mingis face burns red as his lips hang open. You let out a light giggle smiling at him.
"I'm serious! It could help your.. tension" Mingis eyes hang low again, pondering. He looks up into your eyes lightly, a glint of worry flashing in his eyes. Yet, he nods slowly.
Your hand slowly made their way to grip him by the jaw and his shoulder before leaning forward. Your warm lips collide and it feels like an explosion in you. He slowly melts into you, and as he does the hunger seeps in. Mingi takes you in deeper holding you up closer to him, hands gripping into your skin. His mouth is greedy, sucking down on you. He kisses you like a man starved, his shoulders finally starting to soften under your fingers.
As you go to catch air before leaning back down Mingi holds you in place. You look up at him askingly. He looks at you, pupils blown, lips spread apart, sweat trickling down his forehead. He shakes his head to himself before letting go of you.
"Mingi?" He takes a step back as you go to get closer to him again.
"I can't do this, I'm sorry" Is all you hear him mutter. Your body aches, that dull feeling burning your chest. You nod slowly.
"Right, okay" You're embarrassed beyond measure. Before Mingi can get an another word in you take yourself to the door. You can't be here right now.
....
You lay on your bed, pondering what happened tonight. You're the only one home, everyone else gone with someone else, you feeling like a fool. Why did you have to kiss the cowboy? Rain pours outside as you turn to click off the light, as you notice a car outside your flat. It cannot be..
The door opens, revealing a Mingi, kissed by the rain. His eyes scan your apartment from the door, before looking back to you, chest still heaving.
"What do you want Mingi? Why are you here?"
"I came to say I'm sorry for pulling away. I didn't do it cause I don't want you, I just.. I'm scared of developing something here and having to leave you behind like some.. one time nothing. When.. I want to know more about you, be by you" Your hand grips the doorframe as his words sink in. He's scared to leave you. Like reading your mind;
"I don't want to pull away, I don't want to leave" You note his eyes getting blurry and you can't help but smile. This cowboy is all dog no bark. He's like a layered cake, begging to be cut apart.
"Then don't"
Mingi’s mouth makes it way to you smootly, fitting to yours like perfection. You grip onto his black locks, pulling him down to you, closer if possible. You pull off him to breathe quickly.
”Can I come in?” You nod, your mouths entangling again as you walk him in, his foot pushing the door closed.
Guiding your bodies to your bedroom, Mingis hungry mouth makes it way to your neck and shoulders, marking you lightly. He’s eating you like a delicate expensive meal and it’s making your skin burn for him.
As you sit him down on the edge of the bed you settle down in his lap, before finding that familiar mouth again. Mingi groans into the kiss as you move on his lap slowly. You feel like you could just stay like this and be happy for the rest of your time.
You go to pull off his jacket and shirt, greedy for more of him. Slowly stripping the layers, you’re met with the most delicious tan and toned chest of your life. Your hand trails up and down his chest and neck as his tongue dwelves into your mouth.
The tension is higher then even as you go to remove your own shirt, Mingis eyes attentive. His fingers glide past the shape of your breasts as he smiles up at you.
”You’re perfect pretty” you grin before kissing down on him again, your thighs turning into wax in his grip. His big hands move you slowly against his clothed groin. You gently apply more pressure against him as you grip down onto his shoulder blades.
Pulling apart from your kiss, a trail of spit between you, Mingi looks down at you with loving eyes. You move against him at a solid pace, feeling yourself get closer as he guides your hips for extra support. His other hand slowly squeezing your other breast before taking it into his mouth, kissing it tenderly.
You let out a moan at his touch, so soft, so loving.
”Gonna make me cum like this if you don’t stop Ming” He doesn’t halt, doesn’t change a thing. He wants you to feel good tonight and that is all that matters.
”Feel free pretty, so pretty like this, on my lap” His words make you drench yourself, feeling closer than ever. Mingis tongue trails up your neck and jaw back to your mouth, sucking you back into him as his hands guide you a tad faster on him.
You yelp, his clothed cock pressing down on your clit just right. It all feels too much as you moan deeply into your kiss. Mingi twitched below you, his finish nearing too.
”Doing so well for me love, that’s it”
You feel your finish wave over you intensly as well as Mingi as your moves halt against him, your chest heaving against him. You fall down onto him, him holding you close.
”I think I’m going to stay here for a while”
”Here here or here here?” You ask. He smiles at you, his fingers brushing your hair out of your sweaty forehead.
”With you, in this city” You nod, smiling up at him.
”I’d love that.”
….
Epilogue.
A month or so later, you and Mingi sit outside on Hongjoongs ranch. Holding your boyfriend close you as the sun is setting in the distance.
Mingi has gotten his own place for the first time in his life, settling down for you. You’re fully committed to this cowboy and nothing could be better.
Your friend walks over to you two with some lemonades.
”Two for the lovers” You smile at her, grabbing your drinks and clinking them with Mingi.
”I love you”
”I love you too Ming”
Your friend goes to give a drink to Hongjoong, giving him a peck before he returns to some project hes working on, then waltzing over to your other friend. She sits next to a blonde man with an eyebrow piercing. She's been insisting on coming here often to see him.. not sure what that is about.
But what you do know, is that Mingi is staying for you, and that nothing can pull him away from you now.
