you and mingyu spend years trying to outdo each other—spelling bees, grades, valedictorian, all of it—until he leaves for college halfway across the country and you finally get peace… only for him to transfer back home and completely ruin your life again.
WC: 10.9k
TAGS: enemies to lovers, childhood enemies to lovers, childhood acquaintances, mingyu is whipped, mingyu wants reader real bad, college AU, nonidol!mingyu, seungcheol x reader crumbs!, mutual pining, idiots in love
CW: fem!reader, mingyu is an asshole at first, reader is blind to how he feels, thats about it
WARNINGS: No smut! Heavy making out, heavy tension scenes but no smut :), a teeeeeeny tiny bit of angst!
A/N: i made this story in honor of my best friend and roommate who is a huge huge mingyu bias. hey girl i hope u love this story! also huge thank you to everyone who has liked or reposted my last fic! it means a lot that it was recieved so well and i hope you all like this one :)
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The sun hit your face as you sat on the rock wall, looking out onto the ocean. The sun is hitting the waves as it sets with the salty air breezing through your hair, making it somewhat messy and tangled.
You had always loved the beach. It cleared your mind in a way nothing else could. It helped that it was only fifteen minutes from your childhood home—and now, just a five-minute walk from your off-campus house.
Your parents thought it was stupid to move out of the house into a rental for the academic year, you urged that it was so you could develop some independence. It took some convincing, but you assured them you would stop home frequently for dinner and to do laundry.
Growing up in a small college town, you have one of two choices. Move halfway across the country for college or attend school at the exact place you spent your weekends in high school drinking in the commuter student parking lots.
The downside of staying was unavoidable. Unless people chose to leave, you kept running into the same familiar faces—the ones who, like you, had chosen to stay.
And you had been just lucky enough to be one of them.
A few of your best friends from your hometown chose the ‘move across the country’ option while you were stuck in the same place you have been for 20 years of your life. Luckily you had Jeonghan, your best friend since pre-k, by your side, attending the same college as you.
Some people you know moved far away, and then transferred back. Claimed they missed the convenience.
By fifth grade you were considered the smartest kid in your grade. Perfect scores, perfect spelling, you prided yourself on your hard work at such a young age. That was until Kim Mingyu moved into your neighborhood.
He had the pudgiest cheeks, big brown curious eyes, he was the cause for many fifth grader’s first crushes.
You first heard his name that way—whispered too loudly across desks, followed by giggles.
The first time you actually saw him was on stage, at the finals of the regional spelling bee. The competition had come down to just two people: you, and Kim Mingyu. Standing across from him, you realized he carried himself with an easy confidence, a quiet charm that was impossible to ignore.
You had already used your “phone a friend” pass a week earlier during the semifinals, when you got stuck on the word pneumonia.
“I’d like to use my phone a friend,” you said, trying to sound more confident than you felt. Turning to your teammate, you asked for help, your voice steady despite the pressure. With their guidance, you pushed through the round—and just like that, secured your place in the finals of the regional spelling bee.
Confidence coursed through your veins during the finals—right up until the moment you and Mingyu were tied.
The last word went to him.
Everything seemed to hold its breath. If he spelled it correctly, he would win. If he didn’t, the title would be yours.
Chrysanthemum. The word was chrysanthemum.
The word echoed in your mind, and your eyes lit up. You knew it instantly—every letter, in order, no hesitation.
You glanced at Mingyu. Worry flickered in his eyes, his confidence slipping. He didn’t know it.
You hold back a slight grin, feeling your win already sink in.
He stumbles on his words. Plays with his fingers nervously.
“I’d like to use my phone a friend.” He breaths out shakily.
And with that, the title was in Kim Mingyu’s hands.
From that moment on, a rivalry took root between you and Kim Mingyu—one that seemed like it would never end.
You went head-to-head in every spelling bee after that, pushed each other for the highest SAT scores, and spent all of high school locked in a quiet competition for valedictorian. It was always the two of you, always neck and neck. And no matter what, you refused to let him win.
That was, until he left for college halfway across the country.
For the first time in years, he was gone—and you told yourself you’d never have to see him again.
And for a while, that was true.
Until your phone rang yesterday in the middle of a homework assignment, the sound cutting sharply through the quiet.
“Y/n, Mingyu transferred to uni at home. He's in my biochem class. I literally couldn’t believe it was him when I saw him!” Jeonghan exclaimed a little too excited over the phone.
“Mingy- like… Kim Mingyu?” Your heart fell through your chest.
“Yeah duh like Kim Mingyu!” Jeonghan giggles over the phone. Jeonghan has been your best friend since you were in pre-school. He gave you a ring on valentines day claiming that he would marry you someday. You politely declined the marriage offer but still took the ring. Since then, you two have been inseparable. He was there through every stage of your life and was on the frontlines of the y/n, Mingyu battle. “Dude like… he got hot.”
Your eyes roll to the back of your head. “Of course he did.” You mumble under your breath.
“What was that?” Jeonghan questions.
“Hannie I have to finish up this assignment but by all means, keep Kim Mingyu so insanely far away from me or we are going to have problems, okay?”
“Okay fine, I love you bye.” Jeonghan hangs up the phone shortly after.
Today was the first time you had seen Mingyu since senior year of high school.
You still remembered that day—standing at the podium, delivering your valedictorian speech. Somewhere in the crowd, your eyes had found his. For a brief moment, everything else faded. There was something in his expression—jealousy, maybe—but also something softer, something almost admiring.
Yet the same thing happened today.
You stood at the front of your communications class, notes in hand, ready to present a project you’d spent weeks working on. The lecture hall felt too big, too full, the quiet hum of students settling in pressing against your ears.
Then your eyes drifted—third row.
And everything else disappeared.
A familiar face. Tan skin. Black, wavy, messy hair.
For a split second, your mind went completely blank.
After the presentation, you didn’t waste a second. You whipped out your phone and fired off a text to Jeonghan:
Y/n: You were fucking right. Mingyu did transfer. I hate my fucking life.
Hannie: I know I was right dipshit did u not believe me the first time?
You spent the rest of your class sulking in your seat instead of watching your peers' presentations.
And that leads you to now. Sitting in somewhat business casual clothing, leftover from your presentation, on the edge of a rock wall looking over the sunset of the beach.
Kim Mingyu would be the death of you, but you would never let that happen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“Come on y/n, you never go out with me!” Jeonghan sulks, frustrated at your decision.
“Hannie, I don’t want to go to the bar on a Thursday night. I have much better things to do.” You don’t even look up from typing whatever you are typing out on your computer.
“Come on, y/n. One night. What do you have to lose?” He makes puppy eyes your way.
You glance back at your computer. The unfinished work. The comfort of staying in. The very real possibility of regretting whatever chaos he was about to drag you into.
Then again… he wasn’t wrong. What do you have to lose?
You groan, pushing your chair back. “Fine. If this is a disaster, I’m blaming you for the rest of our lives.”
Jeonghan gasps like you just proposed to him. “You won’t regret this.”
The walk from your house to the nearby bar was a brief eight minutes—eight minutes you spent questioning every life decision that had led you here. Jeonghan was ready for a good hour before you could decide what to wear. You locked in on a basic black shirt and black jeans.
Beside you on the walk, Jeonghan was practically glowing with excitement, hands tucked into his pockets as he hummed some random tune like this was the highlight of his week.
Jeonghan opens the front door to the bar, letting you walk in first. The noise escalated to a volume a lot louder than you planned on hearing tonight as you were greeted by a sea of people.
Many you recognized from growing up with, many you probably saw in passing on campus.
“…Oh no,” you mumble under your breath.
Jeonghan leans closer behind you, hand hovering near your back. “What?”
He blinks. “…Okay? That’s how bars work.”
Jeonghan spots an empty table tucked off to the side and steers you toward it like it’s a safe zone.
You both sit down across from each other.
And, almost instinctively, fall into what you do best.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Jeonghan immediately picks up on the change in your tone. “No way.”
Because across the room, near the bar, surrounded by a group of people like he owns the place—
Of course he’s here. Why wouldn’t he be?
He’s laughing, relaxed, completely at ease, different from the stuck up academic asshole you were used to.
As if sensing your eyes, Mingyu shifts slightly—laughing at something one of his friends says, then glancing out over the room.
You immediately look away, heart beating faster for reasons you refuse to examine.
“…If he sees me, I’m leaving,” you decide.
“You are not,” Jeonghan says, way too calmly.
“You walked eight minutes for this. You’re staying at least thirty.”
“I will walk back alone.”
You glare at him. He just smiles.
Against your better judgment, your eyes flick back over.
Next to him, you vaguely register Seungcheol—calm, composed, something about him drawing you in. Seungcheol has been friends with Mingyu since diapers and acted like it was the end of the world when Mingyu decided to go to college across the country.
Seems as if he's happier with his best friend back at his side.
Seungcheol laughs at something Mingyu says– it reminds you of how easy it was to be around him, especially with Mingyu gone.
Seungcheol was at the same level as Mingyu—athletic, sharp, annoyingly good at everything—but without that constant need to compete.
You shared classes in high school. Again in college. Sat through lectures side by side, worked through presentations, split the workload without tension.
There was never any rivalry.
Just an unspoken understanding—you’d both do well. You’d both pull your weight. And somehow, unknown to both of you, it always worked.
And yeah—there was also the small, inconvenient detail that you’ve found him incredibly attractive since junior year of high school.
Not that it ever mattered.
Not that you ever did anything about it.
Seungcheol never turned everything into a competition.
And maybe that’s exactly why your attention doesn’t stay on him for long.
Because the moment Mingyu moves again—laughing, talking, existing just a little too loudly—
Your focus snaps right back.
“You want a drink?” Jeonghan snaps you out of your overwhelmed thoughts.
“No I am all set, but you go get one.” You wave your hand giving him the go-ahead.
When Jeonghan stands up and beelines for the bar, something you never wished would happen, happened.
Mingyu sees you, really sees you.
He straightens, smirking ever so slightly, like he’s noticed the change in your posture before you even did. And just like that, he starts moving toward your table, weaving through the crowd with that infuriatingly effortless confidence.
He stops just short of your table, leaning one arm on the edge like he was here the entire time.
“Well, well,” he says, voice low. “I never thought I’d see you here.” His eye contact is deadly.
“I guess I could say the same thing about you. Arizona not work out too well?” You look up at him, challenge in your eyes.
“I missed the convenience I guess.” He shrugs, calmer than he used to be. He smirks again, a little softer this time. “Yeah… coming back and finding things as easy as they were before. Familiar faces, familiar annoyances.”
Your lips twitch despite yourself. “Ohhhh.” You drag out. “Annoyances huh?”
He leans in slightly closer. Too close for comfort. “You know I kept track of your ridiculous overachieving ways, right?”
You roll your eyes, but your heart betrays you with an uneven beat. “You mean stalking me years ago like the competitive lunatic you are? Am I gonna have to worry about that again now that you are back?”
He chuckles, low and confident. “Call it observation. And I have to say…” His gaze flickers briefly, subtle but pointed, “From what I have heard from Seungcheol, you’ve grown more… advanced since high school. Still annoyingly good at everything, though I guess that never changes.”
“So why are you here?” You cut in directly at the end of his sentence.
“Am I not allowed to go out with my friends my first week at classes here?” He smirks.
“Out of all the people I wanted to see tonight, you were never on my list.”
Mingyu blinks at that, the smirk on his face faltering just slightly—just enough to make you think you’ve landed a hit. Then he recovers, tilting his head, still leaning casually on the table as if he owns the space.
“Wow,” he says slowly, voice amused. “Straight to the point, huh? Always so charming.”
You shrug, meeting his gaze evenly. “I call it efficiency.”
“But look at that, you found me.” He leans a bit closer, voice lower.
“Lucky me.” You retort back.
Before Mingyu can respond, a calm hand lands lightly on his shoulder. “Hey, we’re heading back home,” Seungcheol says, voice steady but firm, pointing Mingyu toward his friend group across the bar.
Mingyu straightens, putting on his usual confident mask, but something in his eyes flickers—he’s caught mid-thought, caught by you. He gives you one last smirk, the kind that makes your stomach twist, before turning toward Seungcheol.
For a second, Seungcheol freezes. He notices immediately—the direction of Mingyu’s gaze, the way his friend had leaned in, the unspoken tension lingering in the air. He was curious as to why Mingyu of all people was talking to you.
“Hey, y/n” He says curiously.
You decide to jab at him in a friendly manner like you usually do.
“Happy that your boyfriend Mingyu is back in town huh?” You giggle.
“Yeah… I’d say he’s hard to miss,” he says, voice calm, casual, almost teasing in that composed way of his.
Mingyu snorts beside him, clearly entertained by the jab, leaning just a little closer toward you again. “Boyfriend, huh? Careful, you might start rumors,” he teases, that infuriating grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
You roll your eyes, smiling despite yourself. “Rumors? About you? Never.” You tilt your head, daring him to step closer. “Though… I guess it would explain a lot of your ‘friendly’ stalking over the years.”
Mingyu laughs low and smooth, and Seungcheol clears his throat, tugging subtly at Mingyu’s arm. “Come on, let’s not keep everyone waiting,” he says, trying to sound neutral, though you know Seungcheol was amused by you.
Mingyu flashes you a smile followed by a, “See you in class, y/n,” as he follows Seungcheol back to where their friends stood before.
Seungcheol waves a friendly hand goodbye towards you as they disappear into the crowd.
“I was going to come back sooner, but I figured you had a little something on your hands.” You hear Jeonghan speak behind you.
The rest of the night was spent with Jeonghan getting a little too drunk and him yapping your ear off the entire walk home. You walked Jeonghan into his bedroom across the hall from you while putting a cup of water on his nightstand.
“Drink.” You order, pointing at the glass.
“No.” He always fights back.
“Drink or I won't go out with you again.” His goofy smile falters as he picks up the glass and sips from it. “I’m going to bed.” You turn towards the hallway as you hear Jeonghan’s voice from behind you.
“Mingyu got like… really hot.” He drunkenly stumbles on his words a bit.
“Sorry?” You turn to look at him.
“Like he grew into his baby face, he- he got like… ripped. He looks hot, you should totally bag that.” Jeonghan giggles to himself.
“You should totally put yourself to bed.” You retort crossing your arms over your body. “Goodnightttt.” You dragged the word out, a little teasing, a little tired.
“Bye.” He rolls his eyes and tucks himself under his covers as you close his bedroom door.
After doing your nightly routine you hop in bed, curious as to why Jeonghan would ever encourage you to go for Kim Mingyu of all people? It must have just been his drunken state… right?
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Fridays were your longest class days.
You and Seungcheol met in the library during your break to work on a duo project, the quiet hum of students typing filling the space around you.
“You must be happy Mingyu is back.” You cut into the silence of both of your typing.
“I am, really. I missed him a lot. I didn’t miss the two of you constantly bickering, though.” He laughs as you reach across the table to hit him on the shoulder. “After we left the bar last night, we kept drinking at our place, and he got ridiculously drunk,” he continued, smirking.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” you replied, raising an eyebrow.
“He wouldn’t stop talking about you. For some reason, he was really taken aback seeing you there.”
You paused, fingers hovering over your keyboard. “He probably just doesn’t want to see me again.”
“Maybe you guys can finally put an end to this rivalry. It would make my being friends with both of you a lot easier.” Seungcheol looks you dead in the eyes, sending a familiar flutter through your chest. He really does have beautiful eyes.
Your internal thoughts were interrupted by Seungcheol's voice cutting through. “Speak of the devil.”
You looked up to see the boy you’d just been talking about standing at the edge of the table.
“Y/n. You really need to stop taking quality time away from me and my boyfriend,” Mingyu teased, grinning.
“You fully live with him,” you shot back, locking eyes with him.
“Technically,” he said, smirking. “But I’m saying you steal all the fun parts of studying too.”
“Fun parts of studying?” You raised an eyebrow. “There are no fun parts of studying.”
“Oh, come on. You always make these study sessions way too serious. I think you’re missing the point.”
“The point is to get good grades!” you snapped. “Not to mess around like some… some distraction.”
“Oh, so I am a distraction?” Mingyu smirks your way.
“You are impossible Mingyu.”
“Admit it, you missed me.”
Your heart weirdly skips a beat.
“On my dead body would I miss you.”
Seungcheol coughs awkwardly, cutting the conversation between the both of you. “Y/n, should we get back to work?”
You nod your head giving a petty wave goodbye to Mingyu.
“I know you missed me y/n.” He says as he walks away from the table. “See you at home dipshit!” He yells to Seungcheol.
You and Seungcheol get back into the swing of your work, both typing away at the shared document but all you could think about was what Jeonghan said about Mingyu the night prior. Mingyu really did get attractive, but you would never admit that out loud.
After a while of working you and Seungcheol begin to pack up. Moments after he looks you dead in the eyes.
“Listen, I know you aren’t one to go out but hear me out. Mingyu, Wonwoo and I are having some people over in a week or two. The date is TBD but I'd really like it if you were there. I had Wonwoo ask Jeonghan too so you could have someone there that you know!”
The way his eyes lit up talking about this made your chest ache. He was seriously so cute. How could you say no.
“Who is going to be there?” You ask.
“Wellllll…” He dragged the word out, making you wonder if he was trying to stall. “Just the usual people—me, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Vernon, Jihoon, and some of Jihoon’s friends.”
You gave him a questioning glance.
“Please, Y/n. I really want you there.”
The pleading look in his eyes hit your heart like a sudden pang. You’d been grappling with the idea of spending time with him outside of school, and this… this could be your chance.
“Fine. Just let me know the exact date and time when you figure it out please.”
Seungcheol claps his hands together, proud of the fact that he was able to convince you.
“I am so happy, you will have so much fun I promise.”
“Yes I am known for having fun.” You say in a monotone voice.
He gives you a light hug goodbye—something he’s never done before. You step out of the building, feeling it linger in your chest longer than it should. For the rest of the day, a smile refuses to leave your face.
The rest of the week passed like any normal week, with one added complication: Kim Mingyu seemed to be everywhere. He wasn’t just in two of your classes—he popped up at the gym, out with Seungcheol, even in the living room at their place when you went over to work on assignments. It was as if he had infiltrated your life just when you thought you’d finally escaped the chaos of high school.
Slight jabs about your work ethic, snarky remarks about high school. It was seriously never ending with him was it.
By the end of the week you found yourself in your normal spot. Sitting on the rock wall, looking out at the waves in front of you. After such a long week– this is exactly what you needed.
Kicking your feet back and forth over the ledge and people watching cleared your mind in ways nothing else could.
You nearly jumped out of your skin by the light touch of a hand on your shoulder. You whip around swiftly to be met with the eyes of none other than, Kim Mingyu.
What the fuck is my life.
“Hey!” he said cheerfully, leaning slightly forward.
“What do you want?” You turn your head back, facing the ocean.
I could ask you the same thing,” he teased, grinning. Then, without waiting for a response, he plopped down on the wall next to you, careful not to crowd your space.
“Oh, okay yeah.” You mumble under your breath, annoyed that he just sat down without warning.
“Didn’t expect to see me, huh?” he nudges your shoulder.
You crossed your arms, trying to mask your flustered expression. “Apparently not.”
“You know, for someone who acts like they hate my face, you sure look happy to see me.”
You rolled your eyes, but the corner of your mouth twitched. “I’m not happy, I’m… observant.”
“Ah yes, observant. Like you always say. Very… observant.” He trails on, now looking out towards the ocean. “You act like you are scared of me.” There is a weird sense of sincerity in his voice. “Are you scared of me?”
“I would never be scared of you. Besides, I want to be far away from you at all times.” You turn your head to look back at him. The golden sunlight setting over the ocean casting a yellow hue on his wavy black hair. His tan skin lights up, absorbing the sun.
“And yet,” he added, leaning just slightly closer, “here you are, still sitting next to me.”
He turns his head back to yours, the sunlight beading into his eyes making them glow a beautiful brown.
Shit, Jeonghan was right.
Finally, you shrugged, keeping your tone neutral. “Well… the company is nice, I guess. Even if it is you.”
He grinned, clearly pleased with your careful choice of words. “I’ll take that as a win.”
After a pause, he glanced back out into the ocean. “So… where’s Jeonghan? I don’t see him anywhere.”
“Home,” you replied, relaxing a little. “Doing work, probably.”
Mingyu laughed softly. “Figures. You both aren’t really known for taking breaks. This is the most relaxed I think I've ever seen you.” Then he leaned back on his hands, glancing out at the waves. “Guess that leaves me to entertain you, huh?”
You tilted your head, unsure how to respond. There was a teasing warmth in his voice that made you simultaneously wary and… oddly comfortable. “Yeah… I suppose so,” you said carefully, letting yourself admit it without fully giving in.
He laughed, a soft, easy sound that made the space between you feel lighter. For a moment, you forgot about your history. Just sitting here, the two of you, it felt simple.
And maybe, just maybe, you didn’t mind that it was Mingyu keeping you company after all.
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After a weekend of nothing but rotting in the living room watching movies with Jeonghan, this week's work assignments started to catch up to you.
By midway through the week you were swamped with assignments barely getting out of the house to do anything but go to class.
Ever since your conversation with Mingyu, he had… changed. Not drastically, but enough that it was noticeable. He started sitting next to you in class, casually dropping into your notes or commenting on lectures as if he had been here the whole time. And the surprising part? He actually made really good points—insightful, thoughtful, occasionally making you wonder if you’d been underestimating his knowledge all along.
Halfway through Wednesday’s lecture, he leaned over with a grin and whispered, “Need help with that assignment, or are you going to struggle through it alone?”
You shot him a sidelong glare, though a small smile threatened to slip through. “I’m perfectly capable, thank you very much,” you said, your voice sharp with just enough sass to let him know he’d been read.
He raised his hands in mock surrender, still smirking. “Alright, alright, no need to bite. But don’t say I didn’t offer.” He giggled to himself returning back to his work.
A slight warmth bloomed in your chest. Even with the teasing, there was something… lighter about him. Easier to be around, less tense than before. You never thought it would be easy to be around Kim Mingyu.
During study sessions at Seungcheol’s, you caught yourself getting distracted by peeking up from your computer screen to look into the living room where Mingyu was sitting, watching television with an intensity that somehow made him… captivating.
Other study sessions at Seungcheols, Mingyu would even sit silently at the kitchen table with the two of you and get his work done while the two of you worked on your group assignment.
Seungcheol’s demeanor hadn’t gone unnoticed either. He seemed to be watching the two of you with a mix of curiosity and quiet amusement, clearly trying to figure out how this tentative “liking” had developed between you and Mingyu. He waited until Mingyu excused himself to head to his room before turning his attention to you.
“This is the first time in my entire life you have been in the same room as Mingyu and didn’t rip each other's heads off.” he said, a teasing glint in his eyes.
You couldn’t help but smirk, feeling a little heat rise to your cheeks. “Well… people can change,” you said, though you weren’t entirely sure if you believed it—or if you were just referring to him.
Seungcheol laughed softly, shaking his head. “Huh. That’s… new.”
You laughed to yourself in disbelief of the liking you have taken to Mingyu’s company. Even when he stood up to head to his room you felt a comforting presence missing.
The most recent time you went over to Seungcheol’s place was to run over your individual case study presentations. This assignment was taking over your entire life, body flooding with nerves as presentation day was slowly creeping.
“I feel like you aren’t locked in,” you complained, pushing your notes aside and pouting at Seungcheol.
“No! I am locked in!” he shot back, setting down his highlighter and gesturing toward his own work.
You groaned loudly, overwhelmed by the weight of the project. “This is going to kill me,” you muttered, burying your face in your hands.
“You’re going to be just fine,” Seungcheol said, standing and walking behind you. He leaned over your shoulder to read one of the lines you’d written, his body pressing lightly against your back. He grabbed a pencil and made a small mark on your notes.
Normally, a moment like this with Seungcheol would have sent your thoughts racing and your heart pounding, but today… nothing. You weren’t feeling the usual tension, the usual awareness of him that always seemed to linger.
Instead, you caught yourself thinking—more than once—how much nicer it would’ve been if Mingyu were here to give you notes too.
But why were you thinking that?
You turned to Seungcheol giving him a kind smile as he sat back down in his chair across from you.
“So are you going to come to my presentation orrrrrr?” You draw out the end of your sentence, batting your eyes teasingly at Seungcheol.
“Of course I am.” He gives you a small unsure smile. You choose to ignore it, not getting your hopes up.
By the time you got home, fell asleep and woke up, it felt as if no time had passed. You needed to get ready for the presentation.
You put on your best business casual pants and blazer while dawning a slick back ponytail. The mirror reflected a professional version of yourself—calm, composed… at least on the outside.
Rushing out the door, you grabbed your bag and stopped briefly in the kitchen to say a quick goodbye to Jeonghan, who was perched on a stool, spooning cereal into his mouth while scrolling through some news article on his phone.
“Morning,” you mumbled, trying to keep your voice steady.
“Morning,” he replied without looking up, absorbed in his phone. You offered him a small smile before bolting out the door.
“I love you!” You yelled through the door before shutting it. You hear a muffled “Love you!” In return through the now closed front door.
By the time you got to school, your stomach was tied in knots. The auditorium hall was buzzing with students, family members, and faculty members all prepping to partake in the presentation ceremony.
You stood in the main corridor, waiting for your turn to present, trying to run through your lines silently in your head. Your heart raced with every announcement over the speakers, waiting for them to call your name.
You hear the main door behind you open and close, snapping you out of your inner dialogue. You turn around to meet eyes with a familiar messy black haired boy, a small bouquet of flowers in his hands.
“Mingyu?” you breathed, blinking at him. He looked almost… intentionally casual, though the flowers gave him away immediately.
“Hey,” he said, slipping through the hallway making his way to you. “Seungcheol couldn’t make it today, so… he sent me in his place.”
Any other day, Seungcheol missing your big presentation would have thrown you completely off balance. But today… there wasn’t a single part of you that cared. Mingyu was here, flowers in hand, and somehow, that made the nerves in your stomach feel a little lighter.
“Don’t you think chrysanthemums are a little distasteful regarding our history?” You give him a slight smirk as you see his face shift, full of nerves.
For a moment, his confident expression faltered, and you caught a flicker of panic in his eyes. “Wait… really? You think—?”
You laughed softly, reaching out to tap his arm. “Relax, I’m joking. The gesture is… very nice.” You feel your cheeks burn red at the touch.
He leaned back slightly, glancing at you with a teasing glint. “You’re going to do great, by the way. I’ve heard you do this speech a million times over to Seungcheol—you’ll crush it.”
You smiled faintly, still trying to calm the nerves in your chest.
“But,” he added, smirking again, holding the bouquet a little higher, “you won’t be getting these until after your presentation. Only if I think it’s… good enough.”
Your eyes widened, caught between amusement and fluster. “Good enough, huh?”
“Exactly,” he said, mock-serious, though the warmth in his gaze undercut the teasing. “So… make it count.”
He walks into the auditorium, taking a seat in one of the rows further back. Before you knew it, your name was called and it was your time to present.
The presentation went by in a flash. You barely remembered what you said, hoping that everything was on the mark. When you finished the crowd applauded as you walked off the stage, your mind still spinning.
You pushed through the back doors, panting, trying to stave off the panic rising in your chest. Your knees buckled slightly as you crouched, hands braced against them, heart hammering.
“Hey… hey… hey, breathe,” a soft voice urged. A hand pressed gently to your back, rubbing small circles in slow, steady motions.
“Never would’ve pinned you as the type to freak out after a presentation,” the voice added, teasing, but there was an underlying warmth.
You looked up, meeting Mingyu’s eyes. They were soft, concerned, and kind—a stark contrast to the teasing bravado he usually wore. For a moment, the panic in your chest loosened just enough to let a shaky exhale escape.
“Well, you don’t know what I did after my valedictorian speech,” you admitted, your voice trembling slightly. He raised a curious brow, waiting. A pause.
Mingyu burst out laughing. “You threw up? Seriously?”
“Not the time, Mingyu,” you scolded lightly.
He wiped the smile off his face quickly, shaking his head. “Right, sorry, sorry.”
A small smile tugged at your lips. “High school Mingyu would’ve never apologized to me.”
“Well,” he said, still rubbing light circles on your back, his tone softening, “we’re a little past that, don’t you think?”
He helped you regain balance and handed you the bouquet of chrysanthemums. You blinked at the delicate flowers, still catching your breath.
“Pretty good presentation,” he said with a teasing grin, “I think deserving of flowers, don’t you?”
You glanced down at the bouquet, then back at him, a small warmth spreading in your chest. “I… I think I can agree with that.”
He smirked knowingly, holding your gaze just a little longer than necessary, letting the moment linger.
“Thank you for coming, Mingyu.” You gave him a sincere smile.
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” He returns a light smile, not breaking eye contact. Tension bloomed like a cloud above you, something that was hard for both of you to ignore.
He walked with you out of the auditorium, concluding with you thanking him for coming once again. The walk to both of your cars was completely silent. You didn’t know if the tension had gotten to both of you, or if something had shifted in him. You decided not to loom on it.
You sat in the car for a few moments staring at the bouquet of flowers he had given you.
“Chrysanthemums. Wow.” You spoke out loud, laughing to yourself.
The drive home was completely silent. No music, no chatter, just you—and your thoughts, spiraling. Mingyu kept invading every corner of your brain, but this time… not in the usual, competitive way. There was no snark, no teasing challenge, no need to prove anything.
Instead, it was him—the way he had looked at you after your presentation, the soft smirk, the bouquet in his hands, the warmth behind his words, the gentle circles on your back. Every detail replayed in your mind like a loop you didn’t want to break.
By the time you pulled into your driveway, your chest still fluttered, your mind still racing, but there was something else there too—a strange, quiet happiness, the kind that comes from knowing someone unexpectedly made your day a little brighter.
You walk through the front door, greeted by Jeonghan who just so happened to have opened the front door right as you unlocked it, like he was waiting for you to return home.
He had the biggest smile plastered on his face that grew when he saw the flowers in your hands.
“Oh my god, did Seungcheol bring you flowers?!” he exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement.
“It was actually…” You hesitated, blinking down at the chrysanthemums. “…Mingyu.”Jeonghan’s jaw dropped so visibly it was almost comical. “What the fuck.”
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You went to class the next day feeling lighter, brighter than you had in weeks—at least, until you slid into your usual spot. You set your bag down and pulled out your phone, scrolling absentmindedly, expecting Mingyu to appear beside you as usual.
But when you finally looked up, your chest sank.
Mingyu was already walking past the row you normally sat in. He didn’t glance in your direction, instead moving toward two other guys in the class—faces you didn’t recognize—before plopping down between them with an easy grin as if he had been sitting there for the past few weeks.
For a moment, you froze, unsure if you’d imagined it, confused as to why. Your mind ran through every possible reason: maybe he didn’t see you yet, maybe he just felt like sitting somewhere else today…
Still, the pace beside you felt heavier than usual, and you couldn’t help but feel a little empty.
You forced yourself to look back at your phone, pretending to be absorbed, but every so often your eyes flicked back to him, noticing the way he laughed at something one of the guys said, the way he leaned casually in the chair… the way he wasn’t sitting beside you.
This wasn’t the only time he had done it this week. Classes passed in a blur, but Mingyu never once acknowledged you. Not a glance, not a smile, nothing. You tried to brush it off at first, telling yourself he was probably just distracted or focused on something else.
After a few days of no acknowledgement whatsoever you decided to send him a text.
Y/n: Hey, want to study together later?
Y/n: I’m going to the library, if you want to meet me there, i’ll be there.
Y/n: Are you seriously ignoring me? What’s your deal?
Y/n: Dude busy with what? I have seen you in class every day and you have avoided me.
You typed, the irritation seeping into your words.
Y/n: That’s not an answer, Mingyu.
Mingyu: I’m not ignoring you
he replied so casually, the nonchalance only fueling your confusion.
Y/n: Then why won’t you go anywhere near me?
The back-and-forth went on like this, each message more frustrating than the last. You couldn’t figure out why he was brushing you off, and his dismissive responses only made you more anxious and annoyed.
It didn’t make sense. Mingyu had been here before, right by your side, supportive, teasing… and now? Now he was distant, frustratingly so, and you didn’t know what had changed.
Another text comes in, from Seungcheol this time.
Seungcheol: Hey! Remember that gathering I told you about a few weeks ago that you promised you would go to? Yeah it’s tomorrow, totally spaced telling you. You are coming though I don’t care.
You drop your phone in your lap putting your head in your hands.
The last thing you wanted to do was to go out, let alone to Mingyu’s house.
There is a burn in your chest. You feel tears start to well up in your eyes. Who knew missing being around someone so much would kill you inside and out?
You knock softly on Jeonghan’s bedroom door, trying to steady your breathing, but the tears already prickling at the corners of your eyes give you away.
“Y/n? What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice immediately alert, as he opens the door to see you standing there, phone clutched in your hand, eyes shiny and red.
“I…” you begin, voice shaking, “it’s… Mingyu. He’s… he’s been… he’s just… distant. Ever since the presentation, he won’t… he won’t even talk to me properly. I don’t know what I did wrong…”
Jeonghan steps closer, his brow furrowed as he studies your face. “You mean the Mingyu who was teasing you and handing you flowers and making your heart race? That Mingyu?”
You nod, biting your lip to keep from crying outright. “Yes… that Mingyu. And now he’s… ignoring me. Every time I try to reach out, he just—he blows me off. And I don’t understand it.”
Jeonghan sits down on the edge of his bed, patting the spot next to him. “Okay… slow down. Let me ask a few questions. Did you say anything that could have… upset him?”
“No! I don’t think so,” you sob, shaking your head. “I mean, maybe I annoyed him? Or overwhelmed him? But I don’t—he hasn’t said anything. Nothing!”
“Hmm,” Jeonghan hums, thoughtful. “And… how does it make you feel?”
“I… it hurts, Jeonghan. I miss him. I can’t… I can’t stop thinking about him,” you admit, the tears now spilling freely down your cheeks.
He leans closer, voice gentle but pointed. “Do you… think you like him?”
You break. The dam holding back your feelings collapses, and you shake your head against his shoulder, crying openly. “Of course I fucking like him! Why else would I be acting like this if I didn’t!”
Jeonghan pulls you into a comforting hug, rubbing your back softly. “Hey, hey… it’s okay. Listen, maybe… maybe this is exactly why you need to talk to him. Tomorrow night, at the party… you’ll have the chance. You just need to… tell him. Don’t let this fester, okay?”
“But he clearly doesn’t want to be around me.”
Jeonghan urges, “Y/n. I promise, just talk to him please.”
The idea of facing him still makes your chest tighten—but now, instead of dread, it carries the tiniest hint of anticipation.
You spent the rest of the night cuddled with Jeonghan in his room watching movies as you normally do to take your mind off the events of the week.
You also needed to emotionally prepare for the night that was about to occur.
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The whole day had been spent rotting in your bed, scrolling endlessly on your phone, accomplishing nothing. No work. No focus. Just the constant, gnawing anticipation of the night ahead.
An hour or so before you had to leave, Jeonghan barreled into your room, grabbing your hands and yanking you upright.
“You need to get ready,” he said, a note of irritation in his voice.
“I don’t. I’m ready,” you mumbled, voice thick with sleep, trying to pull your hands free.
“You are not going over in pajamas,” he countered firmly, moving to your closet. “Get dressed.”
Before you could protest, he flipped on the closet light, illuminating the rows of neatly hung clothes. “Come on, pick something decent. You’re not going to Mingyu’s place looking like this.”
“He doesn’t want to see me anyway.” You feel tears start to form again, except you will not let yourself cry over him again.
Jeonghan riffled through your wardrobe like a tornado. “Here, wear this. Trust me, you’ll look good.”
He throws down an off the shoulder black oversized shirt and your go to jeans.
“Just put it on. Hair, makeup, everything. I will not let you sabotage your own night out.”
Sighing, you grabbed the clothes, resigning yourself to the ordeal. Jeonghan’s grin widened, triumphant. “Good. You’ll thank me later. Maybe even Mingyu will, too.”
You rolled your eyes, but your stomach did a little flip anyway.
After getting ready, you and Jeonghan made your way to the front door of the house.
Before you could even land a knock, the door swung open, revealing a tall boy with black-framed glasses and messy black hair. A calm smile rested on his face.
“Oh! I’m sorry, did I scare you?” he asked, his voice deep and quietly measured.
You blinked at him, momentarily thrown off. Wonwoo.
You had always known him as the quiet one growing up, the reserved friend who somehow fit perfectly with Mingyu and Seungcheol’s more extroverted energy. You never really knew how he got along with them so well—whenever you went over to study, he was either holed up in his room playing video games or out at his night classes.
You flashed him a small smile.
“N-no, it’s fine,” you stammered, trying to smooth your nerves. “We… uh… we were just—”
“Coming to the party,” Jeonghan finished for you, elbowing you lightly with a grin.
Wonwoo nodded, stepping aside to let you in. “Right. Come on in!” His voice louder now, trying to be audible over the loud music blaring behind him.
As you and Jeonghan stepped into the house, the vibe hit you immediately—it was completely different from what you were used to. The living room was buzzing with conversation, laughter spilling into the corners of the house. Some faces were familiar, classmates or friends you’d grown up with, while others were strangers, blending seamlessly into the energy of the night.
Soonyoung was impossible to miss. He was home from school for the weekend, apparently on a mission to see everyone he knew, and his presence was loud and impossible to ignore. You locked eyes with him giving him a kind wave that he returned shortly after with a big smile.
You let Jeonghan pull you gently past the crowd, trying not to get swept up in the whirlwind of noise. Somewhere near the kitchen, you caught sight of Mingyu, leaning casually against the counter, a drink in hand, talking to a small group. His dark hair fell just right over his forehead, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He caught your eye, and for a brief moment, his usual smirk faltered, replaced by something unreadable. His face dropped, just slightly, but enough to make your stomach twist.
For a second, you weren’t sure if it was disappointment, guilt, or something else entirely. Mingyu straightened slightly, brushing it off as if nothing had happened.
You swallowed hard, your heart hammering in your chest. You couldn’t tell if he was upset with you or… upset with himself.
You turn to Jeonghan after breaking eye contact with Mingyu.
“I need a drink.” You say to him stern enough for him to know you mean it.
“Oh I will be right back.” A big smile plastered on Jeonghan’s face as he made his way into the kitchen to pour you something definitely way too strong.
You turn to face the sea of people but instead end up colliding one on one with Soongyoung.
“Y/n! Long time no see! How are you?” He yells loudly and excitedly over the music.
A genuine smile spreads across your face. “Soonyoung! I’m… good, really. It’s been forever!”
He laughs, clapping you lightly on the shoulder. “I can tell! You’re looking… good, as always. Still working hard, I hope?”
You nod, a little warmth spreading through your chest at his words. “Yeah… I’ve been keeping busy, trying to get everything done. You know how it is.”
“Of course, of course,” he says, leaning in slightly so he can be heard. “And you know what? I’m proud of the work you’ve done. Seriously. I’ve heard you’ve been killing it.”
You blink at him, touched. “Wait… what work have you even heard about?”
“I got here early, helped Seungcheol and Mingyu set some things up for the party. And, uh… when Seungcheol asked Mingyu about your presentation, he said it was amazing. Like, seriously impressive.”
Your stomach flips a little, both from relief and from the familiar pang of excitement at hearing Mingyu praise you, even if indirectly. “He… said that?”
Soonyoung nods enthusiastically. “Yep! You did good, Y/n. Really good.”
“Thank’s Soonyoung, that means a lot.” You give a light smile towards the blonde boy.
“Will I see you around?” He questions loudly.
“Probably!” You respond, both laughing at the conversation.
Soonyoung returns to the crowd of people as you turn around to face the kitchen. Jeonghan had gotten lost in conversation with a few people you went to high school with and Mingyu was nowhere to be found.
You let out a long, frustrated sigh. The crowd, the noise, the anticipation—it was almost too much. You needed a moment to think, to breathe, to pull yourself together.
Spotting an empty hallway off to the side, you decide to make your way there, hoping for a quieter spot where you could at least collect your thoughts.
Just as you round the corner, trying to stay focused on your footing rather than the pounding in your chest, you feel your body collide with someone solid.
“Oh! Sorry—” you start, stepping back quickly, but your words die in your throat as you look up
He freezes for a moment, caught off guard just as much as you are. His usual smirk is there, but it’s uneven, and his eyes flick nervously down the empty hallway before meeting yours.
“I’m sorry, I- I wasn’t expecting to-” You stumble on your words nervously.
He holds up a hand, cutting you off, but his usual teasing tone wavers slightly. “Relax. I wasn’t expecting to run into you either.” A pause. “Yeah, I needed… some space,” he says finally, his voice quieter.
You take a deep breath, heart hammering. There’s no more tiptoeing around it. “Mingyu… why have you been ignoring me?” The words come out sharper than you expected, the tension in your chest finally spilling out.
His eyes snap to yours, wide and defensive. “Ignoring you? I’m not ignoring you!” His voice waivers, he knows he's in the wrong.
“Yes, you are!” you fire back, voice trembling with frustration. “For the past week, you’ve avoided me in class, blown me off when I asked to study with you, and you haven’t even acknowledged me at this fucking party until now!”
His jaw tightens, and he runs a hand through his hair. “I… I don’t know, alright? I’ve just been—” He stops, taking a shaky breath. “I’ve been trying to figure stuff out!”
You blink at him, disbelief mixing with hurt. “Figure out fucking what? Mingyu, you don’t get to just… not explain anything!”
Mingyu runs a hand through his messy hair, sarcasm creeping into his tone, but it’s brittle, strained. “Wow, I’m so evil, aren’t I? Just ignoring the one person I can’t stop thinking about, no big deal.”
You blink, caught off guard. “Wait… what?”
“I think you aren’t as ‘observant’ as you let out to be y/n because I feel like i’ve been pretty straight fucking forward.” His voice raises over the music. He steps closer to you closing a previous gap.
Your chest stutters, mind racing as his words sink in
“You… you’ve—” you start, voice shaking, “what do you mean, Mingyu.”
He throws up his hands in exasperation, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t just switch off the way I feel! Every time I see you, every time I talk to you, I—” He cuts himself off, jaw tightening. “I’m not even explaining this right. God, I’m an idiot.”
“You were doing so fucking good Kim Mingyu, you got my hopes up just to pretend like I didn’t exist for an entire week.” You feel tears prick at your eyes.
His expression shifts at your words, something guilty flashing across his face before frustration takes over again. “I wasn’t pretending you didn’t exist,” he shoots back, voice tight. “I was trying to not screw it up even more than I already had!”
You let out a disbelieving laugh, shaking your head. “By ignoring me? That’s your solution? God, Mingyu, do you even hear yourself?”
“I hear myself just fine!” he snaps, stepping even closer, his voice dropping but somehow more intense. “I liked how things were going and then suddenly it wasn’t just… us being annoying to each other anymore. It was different. And I didn’t know if you felt it too, so yeah—I backed off. I panicked.”
Your breath catches, but you push through it, anger still bubbling over. “So instead of asking me what was going on, you just decided for both of us? You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to make me feel like I imagined everything!”
You felt as if it was high school again, you weren’t going to let Mingyu get away without knowing how you felt.
“I didn’t want you to feel like that!” he argues, his voice cracking slightly. “I just—every time I looked at you I couldn’t think straight anymore, okay? And I hate that. I hate not being in control of it.”
“Well maybe that’s not the fucking point is it?” You look him dead in the eyes, your back hitting the wall behind you.
The words hang between you, sharp and heavy.
Mingyu stares at you, chest rising and falling, something unraveling in his expression. The frustration, the guilt, the restraint he’s been clinging to—it all slips at once.
“Then what is the point?” he mutters, almost breathless, stepping closer until there’s barely any space left between you.
Your heart pounds violently in your chest. “The point is that you don’t get to feel something and then shut me out like I don’t—”
His hand comes up to your jaw, firm but not rough, and he pulls you into him, crashing his lips against yours, your back still pressed against the wall behind you.
You gasp against him, hands instinctively pushing at his chest for half a second—more from shock than rejection—but he doesn’t pull away. And neither do you.
Instead, your fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt, grounding yourself as the kiss deepens, messy and desperate. Weeks of tension, frustration, longing—it all spills out at once.
He kisses you like he had been holding back for months, years even.
When he finally pulls back, it’s only just enough for you both to breathe, his forehead resting against yours, his hand still cradling your face.
“I- I’m sorry.” He backs up.
You grab the neckline of his shirt before he can fully pull away, yanking him back toward you.
His breath hitches, eyes widening slightly, but there’s no hesitation this time as his hand finds your waist, his arm bracing beside your head, trapping you gently against the wall.
“Don’t,” you murmur, your voice shaky but firm. “Don’t apologize like that.”
His gaze flickers between your eyes and your lips, conflicted, searching. “I should’ve told you,” he says quietly, though he doesn’t move away.
“Yeah you should’ve.” You practically speak into his mouth between kisses. “But I should’ve said that to you a while ago too.”
He exhales softly, tension still written all over him. “Then tell me,” he says, voice low, almost pleading.
“That’s a conversation for another day.” You tease, continuing to close the gap between the two of you. Your hands tangle up in his hair as his hands find the hem of your shirt slowly dragging them on the skin underneath.
You break the kiss before things escalate further.
“I’m still mad at you,” you whisper, your voice softer now, forehead pressed against his.
A small, breathless laugh escapes him. “Yeah… I figured.”
“But…” you add, your fingers still curled into his shirt, refusing to let go, “I am so glad I didn’t imagine this.”
His eyes soften at that, something warm and relieved breaking through all the tension.
“Good,” he murmurs, leaning in just slightly again, like he can’t quite help himself. “Because I really didn’t want to be the only one losing my mind over you.”
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The day following the party you had made plans to go over to the house to study with Seungcheol, as normal.
“Jeonghan said he saw you kissing my roommate.” He quirks an eyebrow the second the door swings open.
You freeze mid-step, blinking at him. “Wow. No hello? How are you? Just straight to that?”
Seungcheol crosses his arms, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. “Answer the question.”
You let out a small sigh, brushing past him into the house. “Jeonghan sees a lot of things. Most of them are exaggerated.”
“Oh, so you didn’t kiss Mingyu?” he presses, following you inside.
You turn to face him, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t say that.”
His jaw drops slightly, a grin breaking across his face. “No way.”
“Relax,” you mutter, dropping your bag onto the table. “It’s not… a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” he repeats, laughing. “You and Mingyu have been at each other’s throats since high school and now you’re kissing him in my hallway, and it’s ‘not a big deal’?”
“You’re so dramatic,” you shoot back, though a small smile slips through. You walk into their kitchen setting down your things.
Seungcheol nudges your shoulder lightly. “Well… for what it’s worth, he’s been acting weird all morning. So whatever happened, you definitely got to him.”
Your stomach flips at that, but you play it off, grabbing your notes. “Good. He deserves it.”
Seungcheol smirks, watching you carefully. “Mhm. Keep telling yourself that.”
You shoot him a look, but the small smile on your face gives you away.
After an hour or so being knee deep in notes on the kitchen table with Seungcheol you get a text message on your phone.
Mingyu: Come to my room, I have a surprise for you.
Y/n: Seungcheol is going to get suspicious.
Mingyu: The bathroom is down this hallway too, just say you are going there.
You lock your phone and clear your throat, trying to act casual as you stand up. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom real quick.”
Seungcheol doesn’t even look up at first. “Mhm.”
You take two steps away before he suddenly glances up, narrowing his eyes at you. “Bathroom?”
You freeze slightly. “Yes… bathroom.”
He leans back in his chair, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Interesting.”
You cross your arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, nothing,” he says innocently, though the amusement in his voice says otherwise. “Just wondering if the bathroom you’re going to happens to be located… inside Mingyu’s bedroom.”
Your jaw drops. “Oh my god, shut up.”
He laughs, holding his hands up. “Hey, I’m just asking questions! As a concerned friend.”
“You’re not concerned, you’re nosy,” you shoot back, already walking away.
“Hey!” he calls after you. “Door better stay open!”
Your heart pounds louder with every step you take. The hallway feels longer than usual, quieter, like everything is building up to something.
You barely make it past his doorway before a hand suddenly grabs your arm.
You gasp softly as you’re pulled inside.
The door shuts quickly behind you.
Before you can even process what’s happening, Mingyu’s hands are on you—one on your waist, the other at your jaw—as he crashes his lips against yours, rough and immediate.
It's intense, almost overwhelming, like he’s been waiting all morning for this exact moment.
Your back hits the door with a soft thud, breath catching as your hands instinctively grip his shirt.
There’s no hesitation this time. No argument. No space to think.
And the way he’s kissing you like he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
“What is with you guys today and not even saying a ‘hello’ before pulling me into things!” You roll your eyes, hands still tangled in Mingyu’s hair.
He lets out a quiet laugh, resting his forehead against yours, clearly unbothered. “Hello,” he says softly, lips brushing dangerously close to yours again. “Better?”
You narrow your eyes at him, though your resolve is already slipping. “Barely.”
He grins, thumb tracing lightly along your jaw. “You needed a break.”
“Yes, you did,” he cuts you off, smug. “You’ve been sitting out there pretending to focus for over an hour.”
“I was focusing,” you argue weakly.
“Mhm,” he hums, unconvinced. “And also, new rule.”
You raise a brow. “Oh god.”
“You don’t get to come over here anymore,” he says, leaning in slightly, voice low and teasing, “unless you spend at least five minutes with me first.”
You scoff, though a smile tugs at your lips. “That is not a rule.”
“It is now,” he replies simply, like it’s obvious.
“You’re unbelievable,” you mutter—right before he kisses you again.
This time it’s slower, but just as consuming. His hand slides to your waist, pulling you closer as if he’s trying to make up for every second he didn’t get to see you.
Your fingers slightly slide under his shirt, your body leaning into him despite yourself, completely forgetting why you even came over in the first place.
After a moment, you force yourself to pull back, slightly breathless. “Okay—okay, I really need to go back and study.”
He groans softly, dropping his head back for a second. “You’re so boring.”
“And you’re distracting,” you shoot back, straightening your clothes a little.
“Yeah, that’s kind of the point,” he smirks.
You shake your head, trying to compose yourself as he reaches for the door.
“Come on,” he says, opening it and letting you step out first.
The two of you walk back toward the kitchen, both just a little too quiet, a little too aware of how obvious this probably looks.
The moment you step into view, Seungcheol looks up from the table. His eyes flick between the two of you—your slightly flushed face, Mingyu’s messy hair, the general… disheveled state.
A slow grin spreads across his face.
“Wow,” he leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Bathroom trip must’ve been really productive.”
You groan immediately. “Seungcheol, don’t start.”
Mingyu just shrugs, completely unbothered, dropping into a chair like nothing happened. “We were taking a break.” A grin forms on his face.
“Yeah,” Seungcheol snorts. “A very academic one, I’m sure.”
You shoot Mingyu a look, but he only smirks, clearly enjoying every second of this.
And somehow, despite everything—you can’t help but smile too.
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“You need to understand, I have been coming here since I was a kid.” You explain to Mingyu, dangling your feet over the rock wall looking out at the sunset.
This has become a frequently visited place since you and Mingyu started going out.
“I came here all the time when I moved here. How did I never see you?” He smiles his cute goofy grin at you, so happy to be in your company.
“Not sure!” You giggle to yourself, looking down at the bouquet of chrysanthemums in your hands that Mingyu had brought to you.
Mingyu glances at you, softer this time. “Kinda feels like we were always supposed to end up here though. Just… took us a while to get it right.”
Your heart flutters at that, and you quickly look away, pretending to focus on the horizon. “You’re getting sentimental.”
“Don’t expose me,” he mutters, bumping your knee with his. “I have a reputation to maintain.”
You laugh quietly, shaking your head. “Your reputation disappeared the second you started showing up to my presentations with flowers.”
He groans. “Okay, first of all—that was a good move.”
“It was,” you admit, smiling.
He turns toward you slightly, resting one hand behind you on the rock, closer now. “Second of all…” his voice drops just a bit, playful but sincere, “you liked it.”
You meet his eyes, hesitating for a second before giving in. “Yeah,” you say softly. “I did.”
He puts his head on your shoulder, his hair slightly tickling your neck as it blows in the wind.
“My eyes have always been on you, y/n,” he says softly.
You hum in response, still looking out at the sun as it dips behind the waves, the sky melting into shades of gold and orange. You’re in your usual spot—but this time, it doesn’t feel quiet in the same way.
“You have a funny way of showing it,” you murmur after a moment, a small smile tugging at your lips.
He lets out a quiet breath beside you, almost like a laugh. “Yeah… I know.”
There’s no defensiveness in it this time. Just honesty.
You finally turn your head to look at him, really look at him—the way the sunset hits his features, the way his expression has softened into something you’re still getting used to.
“I think my eyes have been on you for a while too, Mingyu.”
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