Mark Lee | 632 words In which you and Mark have to learn to accept the inevitable and let go.
a/n i don’t usually write angst bc i’m bad at it. but this is somewhat inspired by stuff that happened to me and i’ve been thinking about it recently.
“Maybe five years down the road, we’ll be able to meet up and laugh about how much we loved each other,” you forced a chuckle, turning to look at Mark in the eye.
There the two of you stood - the place where everything had started. Four years ago, Mark had confessed to you at this very rooftop. After four years of memories, four years of journeying through life, four years of laughter and tears, the two of you were leaning against the railings, above the noisy nightlife.
The both of you had seen the inevitable coming. This love was starting to weigh you down and every day felt so suffocating. It was real but the fights were getting too often, even the smallest things could trigger a cold war between the two of you. You were not one to believe in “timing” but deep down, you knew that no matter how real it felt, this relationship was not meant to bloom in this season.
“Why aren’t you crying? Don’t you feel any sadness?” Mark asked, hurt visible on his countenance as tears started to escape his eyes.
The desire to reach out and wipe his tears away was almost instinctive. You had spent the last four years wiping away any tear that left his eyes, kissing away the pain. However, you knew that you no longer had any right to do so.
Despite the tears welling up in your eyes, you cleared your throat and voiced, “I’m... thankful. I’m thankful that I had the privilege of being in your life and having you in mine.”
Banging the railings in frustration, Mark exploded, “Why are you always like that?! Why can’t you just let your guard down for once and admit that you’re hurt?”
At this point in time, Mark no longer bothered to stop the tears from falling. It pained you to see him so distraught. For four years, you had made it your sole aim to keep a smile on his beautiful face but here you were, being the cause of his sadness.
Shocked by his outburst, you flinched and whispered, “Of course, I’m sad. I’m already thinking... who’s going to jam to Billionaire with me? Who’s going to down an entire watermelon with me? Who’s going to make me laugh when I feel like the world’s against me? How am I going to live again?” You would have gone on but you starting choking up. Mark always had a way to make you reveal your true emotions, to let your guard down.
It was getting too painful to look at each other, resisting the urge to just ignore all logic and get back together. There your hearts were crying out to nurse each other but your brains knew that this was for the better. You and Mark were still young and had so much more to grow in and learn.
Staring at the night sky, memories of all the times you spent together played back through your minds - from your first date until this very day. No words were exchanged as you processed everything that was going on. You were going to lose your lover, your best friend and your everything.
“Do you regret it?” Mark asked, breaking the silence.
“Regret what?” you asked, curious.
“Everything,” he whispered.
You paused, thinking through his question. Was it worth it? Were all the sleepless nights worth the occasional joy? Were the hurtful fights worth the cuddles that came after?
“Mark, just because we didn’t work out doesn’t mean you weren’t the best thing that ever happened to me. Because, you were.” Heck, it was time to stop being so careful and just tell him honestly how you felt.
“Yeah,” he croaked with more tears cascading down his face, “You too.”
Na Jaemin & Lee Jeno | 3.1K In which you learn to get over Jaemin with a little help.
a/n: i’m so sorry that this took so long! i was dealing with my own breakup LOL but yes, i’m back. it’s a little angsty in the beginning but the end is full on fluff so please stay till the end for boyf!jeno ;-)
The First Day
You felt terrible. If someone had told you that heartbreak would feel this painful, you would not have even fallen in love. You had thought that heartbreak was simply sadness but you could not have been any more wrong. Emotions were overwhelming you – sadness, confusion, anger, bitterness, guilt and pain. You could feel the physical clenching of your heart and taste the tears running down your cheeks.
Just yesterday, your life seemed complete. Just yesterday, you were lying on Jaemin’s chest discussing which movie to watch for your next movie night. Just yesterday, you celebrated your first anniversary with Jaemin. But here you were, curled up in bed. Jaemin came over to your house earlier in the day saying that he had something important to tell you only to end up confessing that he had fallen in love with someone else and that he no longer loved you.
You wished to say that you hated him. How could you? You had loved him ever since you could remember and you even envisioned marrying him when the both of you graduated. How could you hate him when he broke down before you, apologising for falling in love with someone? When you truly love someone, you only want the best for them. You felt guilty for even being angry with Jaemin. If the roles were switched, you knew that he would have let you go, wishing you the best.
How could you hate the boy who had so much love for the world? He loved the people around him so much and constantly showered his friends with affection. With every blink you took, you revisited your shared memories. You saw the way he treated his friends - giving them the best hugs, cooking for them whenever they stayed up to game and buying them gifts. Just thinking of the way his eyes would light up every time he saw Jisung brought more tears to your eyes.
Jaemin saw the best in everyone and he never failed to make you feel loved during your time together. It was during your time together that you realised that he was the best and you could never see yourself loving anyone else.
The First Weekend
It had been three days. Three days of staying at home. Three days without a single sound from Jaemin. Three days of lying in bed wishing it was all a dream. It was your first Saturday without Jaemin which meant that it would be the first time in two years when both of you did not spend the evening cuddling while watching movies.
The pain in your chest never left you during the three days and you were sure that you were cursed to live with it for the rest of your life. There were so many instances in which you found yourself reaching out to your phone, resisting the temptation to call Jaemin. Deep down, you knew that if you begged, Jaemin would return to you. However, you would not be able to live with yourself knowing that Jaemin could be happier.
You spent every waking moment thinking about what went wrong and your dreams were filled with Jaemin’s face. Every corner of your house reminded you of him. When you finally pulled yourself up to your kitchen to get a glass of water, you could see him standing by the stove, cooking your favourite fried rice while you tried to distract him. Stepping into the toilet, you spotted his baby blue toothbrush sitting by your own. Even your sheet stilled smelled of him after the countless nights the both of you spent together.
It was haunting you and you knew that you had to leave the house before you went crazy. Without a destination in mind, you roamed the streets aimlessly, trying to get Jaemin off your mind. Of course, your attempt was futile as you found yourself standing before Jaemin’s apartment complex unintentionally.
Gazing at the building, tears sprung out of your eyes. What had once been a place of comfort and joy suddenly seemed so foreign to you. You could almost hear Jaemin’s laughter bouncing off the walls of his apartment. Leaving the house was meant to help you clear your mind but you only returned home feeling emptier than when you left.
The Second Weekend
Surprisingly, you were doing a lot better than you had expected. Sure, the thought of Jaemin did bring tears to your eyes but you were no longer spending your days in bed - you had migrated over to the couch to binge watch TV shows. While you were still with Jaemin, he would always whine when you watched shows without him. Now that you were single, every night could be movie night.
When you woke up without the pain in your chest, you knew that it was time to clear his belongings from your room. Considering how the both of you were best friends turned lovers, he probably spent more time at your place than his own. His belongings were scattered around your apartment from his clothes taking up a drawer in your closet, his phone charger plugged in by your bed to his Ryan mug lying in the dishwasher.
While combing through your house for anything that belonged to Jaemin, you revisited the memories made in your apartment. Every time you closed your eyes, you saw Jaemin somewhere in your apartment - wiping away your tears while watching Marley and Me wrapped in your blankets, washing the dishes begrudgingly, standing before your wardrobe choosing which hoodie to take back from you and so many more.
You still missed his goofy smile, his sweet talk and most of all, the love you felt with him. It really hurt but you knew you were getting better.
The First Month
Moving on had been a slow and arduous process but you were definitely making progress. That did not change the fact that you heart started beating rapidly when Jaemin’s mother called you. More than you would have liked to admit, you wished that Jaemin’s mother called to tell you that Jaemin had realised that he could not live without you.
“Y/N! I haven’t seen you in so long, how are you?” What? Was she expecting you to be doing great after her dear son broke your heart?
You decided to answer honestly, “Auntie, I’m doing a lot better now. It hasn’t been easy but I’m growing…”
“Ah, school must be tough. Please visit us with Jaemin soon! We miss the both of you so much.” It was then that it hit you that Jaemin had not told his mother about the breakup.
You could not find it within you to reveal to her that the both of you were no longer together, “We miss you too!”
“This son of ours is always making us worry! I wonder if he’s eating well, whether school is stressing him out and so many more!”
“...Don’t worry, Auntie, he’s doing great! Uh, I have to go! We’ll visit you soon!” You ended the call as soon as you could.
Moving on and getting over Jaemin was going alright until his mother had to call you. She reminded of how immersed Jaemin could get into studying and you found yourself sharing the same concerns.
Now that you were not by his side, did he start getting take out for every meal? Did he go back to his bad habit of burning midnight oil? Was he happy?
And just like that, the month of progress seemed to vanish into nothing. Just one phone call had the ability to shatter everything you had worked so hard on. Just hearing his name set the waterworks.
You would be lying if you said that you had not seen the breakup coming. You had watched Jaemin slowly lose interest in you. It started off little and you could not put your finger on it but something felt different. Everything felt slightly off leading up to the breakup. You almost could have heard it in his voice, seen it in his eyes. It started off with the little things - waking up to no texts, calls becoming fewer and farther apart, the lack of emotion and effort, and the piling up of excuses.
That’s the thing, no amount of warning would have changed the hurt.
The Second Month
Two months had passed since the breakup. From time to time, Jaemin would still cross your mind. However, you were marginally better than the month before. You were seated in one of the cafes you and Jaemin frequented, getting some fresh air while reminiscing the time the both of you spent in that cafe.
When you entered the cafe, the barista, Johnny, gave you a small smile before preparing your favourite drink. You guessed that Jaemin had already visited the cafe in the past two months and had told Johnny about the breakup.
Without Jaemin’s laughter filling the air, the cafe suddenly seemed cold and empty. You and Jaemin found the cafe in your second year of middle school and it instantly became your place.
“Hey…” You looked up expecting to see Johnny with your drink but instead, you were greeted by the sight of Jeno. Jeno had been one of Jaemin’s best friends so naturally, he became your good friend too. You had not heard from him since the breakup and you assumed that he had chosen to side Jaemin (not that there was a need to pick sides).
Jeno continued to stand by your table, his expression unreadable. You stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak.
“Do you mind if I sit down here?” he asked carefully as if he was worried to scare you away.
Hesitantly, you nodded and avoided eye contact with Jeno. What was he trying to do? During the time you and Jaemin were together, Jeno did not really talk much to you. Of the entire group, you were the least close to Jeno. It was not that you had an issue with him but he never bothered to do anything more than send you a smile once in a while. Nonetheless, you were not uncomfortable with Jeno. It just felt odd to be with him without Jaemin around.
The silence was alright - more comforting than you had expected. Jeno’s presence made it slightly less lonely.
“You’ll be alright, you know?” he started, looking you straight in the eye, “I know it’s not easy, I know it hurts. You’ve probably sat there overthinking - a million and one questions running through your head. You’ve been unable to sleep, creating different scenarios in you mind while making a list of regrets. Stop, you can’t blame yourself for someone else’s inability to provide the love you deserve. Today is just like any other day, difficult as hell but you’ll do what you’ve always done. You’ll get over it. You’ll be alright.”
Instantaneously, tears burst out of your eyes. You had tried your best to pretend to be alright, pretend that moving on was going well. Evidently, your heart was still broken and taking time to mend itself back together.
You expected Jeno’s eyes to be filled with pity or maybe sympathy but all you found was understanding and comfort. Jeno continued, “Cry. Cry as much as you need. Scream, shout, whatever it is. You are not weak for crying. You are brave - gosh, you gave Jisung a black eye after he pranked you with a fake spider for god’s sake. You are a warrior and you know that, I really hope you do.”
And you spent the rest of the evening bawling in front Jeno.
The Second Month and a Week
Following the unexpected therapy session with Jeno, he walked you back home in silence, promising you that you would make it out stronger.
You made your way back to the cafe, craving some of Johnny’s caramel macchiato. Pushing the glass doors of the cafe, you entered the cafe to see Jeno sitting at the exact same spot he was at a week ago.
It was your turn to approach him, “Hey, do you mind if I sit down here?”
He looked up at you with his signature eye-smile, “Hey warrior.”
His smile was so contagious, you found your lips curving up subconsciously. It felt weird, it felt as if it had been years since you genuinely smiled, not just to convince your mother that you were doing well.
“Jaemin and I used to come here all the time together, feels odd without him,” it was not your intention to bring him up but it came out naturally. You saw the smile on Jeno’s face falter slightly for a split second.
Deciding to lighten the mood, he laughed awkwardly, “What do you call sad coffee?”
Jaemin used to complain about Jeno’s dad jokes but you were never on the receiving end of them. Humouring him you said, “Please enlighten me...dad.”
“I’m not really into that kinda thing, warrior. Anyway, it’s a depresso!” he laughed as if he had told the funniest joke in all of history.
As much as you hated it, you started laughing along amused by his sense of humour or lack thereof.
The Third Month
A few days after your encounter with Jeno at the cafe, the both of you swapped numbers. Jeno had wiggled himself into your routine, being the friend you needed despite the unwelcomed jokes.
You were on the way to Jeno’s house after he offered to cook for you. Jaemin still owned a piece of your heart but you were learning to love him in another way.
“Welcome Madame to our Michelin star restaurant! Our renowned chef Lee Jeno has prepared dinner for you!” Jeno opened the door to his apartment with a chef hat on his head while doing a little curtsy.
Trying to hold in your laughter, you followed his lead to the dining table. On the table sat two bowls of ramen with a boiled egg. You knew Jeno was kidding when he told you he could cook - Jaemin used to complain about it all the time. Regardless, you appreciated his efforts.
“I even went to the store just to buy eggs and I don’t even like eggs,” Jeno whined. You stared at him with surprise and confusion.
“You literally have gudetama keychains on every bag of yours. Of course, you’re one of those weirdos who love eggs,” he laughed it off as if it was a casual observation.
After a dinner filled with giggles and more jokes on Jeno’s end, the both of you settled on the couch to watch a movie. Without consulting you, Jeno set his computer before you. Within seconds, you realised that he had picked your all-time favourite, Marley and Me.
“How’d you know I love Marley and Me?” you could not recall ever mentioning your favourite movie to Jeno.
“Duh, I’m a mind reader,” Jeno deadpanned, “Ok fine, you posted a picture of a labrador pup a week ago so I guessed you’d like Marley and Me. Also, you cry all the time.”
As usual, movie night ended with you in tears. It felt cathartic to cry over something other than Jaemin but the movie only reminded you of the movie nights the both of you would have.
Seated on the couch and tucked under Jeno’s blankets, he held your chin up and stared into your eyes, “You’ll be alright, warrior.”
Finally, you started to believe that you would be alright.
The Fourth Month
That faithful movie night drew the both of you closer and you found yourself starting to become more reliant on Jeno. He noticed the littlest things and paid attention to detail. Jaemin only found out that you loved eating eggs a week before the breakup (he always assumed that you just found gudetama cute).
You knew that Jeno would never hurt you. Hell, he was allergic to cats but that did not stop him from adopting cats. That was exactly what terrified you. Jeno made you happy and you knew that being happy was one of the most terrifying things in the universe. Once you were happy, you knew it could be taken away from you.
And that was why you had been avoiding Jeno for a week, coming up with excuses such as being on your period, mourning the fifteen death anniversary of your pet lizard and every other ridiculous excuse you could think of.
Something had changed between you and Jeno. Initially, it had been shy glances then your heart started to beat faster when the both of your pinkies touched while reaching for popcorn. You knew you were screwed when you started to unironically giggle in response to his jokes (only because his smile was so damn contagious).
It was only a matter of time that Jeno would have had enough of your avoidance and confront you about it. You decided to clear your mind by walking over to Johnny’s.
Heaven had a funny way of bringing people together. Jeno was seated at your usual table as if he had expected you to appear.
You sat before Jeno, thinking of ways to start a conversation. What were you supposed to say? Hey I might just love you and that’s scary? What if he did not feel the same way?
Saving you from your thoughts, Jeno started, “I will keep the spiders.”
You stared at him bewildered, “Huh?” After a week of not talking, that was all he had to say?
Flustered, Jeno stammered, “I said, I will kill the spiders. I will walk to the store to buys eggs. I will boil them for exactly eight minutes, no more, no less, because that’s how you like them. I’ll try my best not to get annoyed when you make me wash the dishes. I will watch Marley and Me with you for a lifetime. I will stock up on tissues so you don’t have to use my blanket to wipe your tears. I will stop my dad jokes, sometimes. Or at least I promise to think of funnier ones to make you laugh. I will, albeit begrudgingly, let you fill my bed with gudetama soft toys even though they always end up on the floor in the morning. I will let you take my hoodie, not always, just whenever they get too small for me. I will love you. I will love you, warrior.”
Funny how indecisive love is. Just Four Months ago, you were sure Jaemin was the one and now, here you were with Jeno, redefining the one all over again.
Na Jaemin | 1.2K In which basketball player Jaemin is your boyfriend who needs a little more reassurance.
a/n: so this is was inspired by the song Team by Noah Cyrus and MAX. @crescentjaems posted the following blurb which made me swoon and thus led to this happening. hope it’s not too shabby bdhbcjehbf
“[8:56 pm] basketball player!jaemin giving you his jacket with his name and jersey # on the back before his big game. when his team wins, he immediately jumps into the crowd and runs towards you, tugging you to him by the collar of his jacket and kissing you”
- @crescentjaems
[PM 8:56]
Dating Jaemin was a dream come true. He was the type of guy every girl wanted to spend the rest of their life with – charismatic, athletic, had a good sense of humour, owned a smile that could light up the entire world, a complete gentleman and showered you with endless love. Jaemin had every girl and guy on campus wrapped around his finger but he still remained grounded, sending a smile to everyone he saw. Despite how busy Jaemin was with his extra-curricular activities, he still took time out of his busy schedule to volunteer and spend time with you. Even your parents adored Jaemin and envied your relationship with him.
But that was the thing about Jaemin. He appeared so perfect in front of everyone else and it seemed as if he had everything sorted out. However, as much as you were enamoured by him, there was one thing about Jaemin that caused disagreements between the two of you – his intense insecurity. You swore that Jaemin was your soulmate and that you could never love another as much but he felt insecure more often than others and it made you wonder what you were doing wrong to make him feel that way. Whenever he spotted you smiling to anyone of the opposite gender, he would grow silent and appear dejected for the rest of the week. You could not find it within yourself to get upset with him because he never ever voiced out his displeasure and you knew that he only felt that way because he loved you so much.
On campus, Jaemin would always make an effort to show everyone that the both of you belonged with each other – keeping his arm wrapped around your shoulders when you walked in the hallways and stealing kisses whenever he had the opportunity to.
“Hey love, you’re coming for my game tomorrow right?” Jaemin whispered, resting his chin on your head. The both of you were cuddling on the couch watching The Little Mermaid. It was a tradition that the both of you started ever since Jaemin joined the school basketball team. The night before each important match, you would crash his house and watch The Little Mermaid, hoping the ease his nerves.
“Of course, Nana, I will never miss your matches for anything in the world,” you replied, turning around to kiss his cheek as you stared into his eyes. Jaemin’s eyes always held so much adoration for you and you were pretty sure your eyes mirrored the love in his own.
“But we’re playing against Jeno’s school. Will you be there to support him instead?” Jaemin asked, his voice uncertain. Jeno was one of your and Jaemin’s childhood friends but he attended a different school. Jaemin never really explicitly voiced out his insecurity but the look in his eyes revealed the genuine fear that there was a chance you did not love him as much as he hoped.
“How many times do I have to convince you that I’ll always be on your team?” Jaemin loved you so much and you felt the same so you had to take the opportunity to reassure him, “Whenever you’re winning, I’ll give you strength. I’ll cheer your name ‘cause I’ll always be on your team.”
After you had reassured Jaemin, the both of you returned to watching the movie with your hearts full of love.
“Wait, love. I know you’ll be there for me and only me but I wanted to give you this. Y-you don’t have to wear it to the game. It w-would be nice if you did… I guess,” Jaemin stood in front of you holding his basketball jacket up. He looked so shy and bashful you wanted to squeal. His varsity jacket had a large “13” printed on the back and anyone from around here would have known that the jacket belonged to star player Na Jaemin.
Kissing him on the cheek, you greeted him goodbye and made your way home.
He appeared to be this unbeatable, confident and suave boy to everyone else. Sure, he was all that but he was also human. Jaemin had lapses of insecurity and sometimes, he let it get the better of him. However, that only made you love him even more. He was someone with so much love to give and he definitely deserved to receive the same amount of love, if not more in return. You had the privilege of being the one he trusted, the one who proved to be a constant, loving him for who he was. With your patience and acceptance of his flaws, Jaemin let his guard down, revealing his vulnerability and so much more. Jaemin was a complete paradox - such a complex being with so many layers yet so simple, only wanting to love and be loved.
[PM 3:45]
Being Jaemin’s girlfriend meant that you attended all his games and cheered him on. Basketball was not something you personally fancied but the way Jaemin lead team huddles and directed his team members had you hooked. Throughout the entire game, your gaze was transfixed on the boy as he zig-zagged between the opposing team. Jaemin’s agility and speed left you speechless.
You sat between the rest of your schoolmates by the bleachers wearing Jaemin’s jacket, announcing to the world that you were there to support the star player. Whenever he successfully threw the ball through the hoop, Jaemin would search the crowd for you flashing you a bright smile. When he first laid his eyes on you that morning, it took him a moment before he realised that you wore his jacket. At that moment, the grin that spread across his face made the stares from everyone else worth it.
The two teams were tied and time was passing too quickly. Either team needed one more win to claim the champion title for the season. Everyone watched with bated breath, hanging off the edge of their seats. Knowing how much the game meant to Jaemin, you muttered a prayer under your breath.
“Just one more minute! Will any team be able to claim the champion title today?” the organisers got the crowds screaming in anticipation.
As the seconds went by, the crowd started cheering louder, hoping for their school to win.
To the untrained eye, Jaemin appeared completely calm and collected. However, you knew the boy inside out and from the slight twitch of his eyebrows, you could tell that he was frustrated.
To make things even more stressful, the organisers started to count down, “10!”
“9!”
“8!”
“7- OH! Captain Na Jaemin scores once again bringing his team the champion title!”
Everyone, including fans of the opposing team, stood up to applaud the athletes. The boys on the court immediately approached Jaemin to hug him but he gently pushed them away.
Jaemin ran towards you at full speed, ignoring his teammates. Jumping over the barricade separating the bleachers and the court, he appeared right in front of you.
Despite him panting and his fringe sticking to his forehead due to the sweat, he looked ethereal to you. Everyone else faded into the background. Staring into his bright eyes with pride and adoration, you congratulated him, “Good job Captain, you playe-”
Before you could complete your sentence, Jaemin tugged you to him by the collar of his jacket, kissing you on the lips.
Pulling away from your lips albeit reluctantly, he rested his forehead on yours whispering, “Nice jacket you’ve got there, love.”
At that moment, you swore you would never let Jaemin go.
Mark Lee | 2.8K In which following your father for his business functions prepares you for more than just inheriting the company.
a/n: this was requested by @keemburley !! sorry it took so long. i’m not sure how to feel about this? i kinda rushed it a little because i’m still in the midst of exams but i needed a break. i’ll be writing more after next week cos i’ll be out of school finally :”) it’s not rly a story i’m proud of but i hope you like it :^)
p.s. not proofread!!
AM 8:49
You loved your father. You really did. But whenever you were dragged to events by your father, you wished you had not loved him so much. Being a businessman, your father was constantly held down by work. However, he still made an effort to spend time with you, which was why you were made to follow him for business functions whenever you could. And that was exactly why you were sitting down watching your father and his business associates play golf on a Saturday morning when you could have been catching up on sleep.
While you burnt your weekdays attending lectures and tutorials in preparation of inheriting your father’s business, your weekends were spent following your father orientating yourself to the life that awaited you after university. It was difficult for you to appreciate a bunch of men hitting balls with sticks, trying to get them into holes. But the smile on your father’s face whenever he met your eyes made it a little more bearable.
Speaking of bearable, another reason why you found it within you to drag yourself out of bed every Saturday morning was your newly discovered eye candy who had just walked onto the course with a bunch of other men. Just a few weeks before, the new target of your admiration came waltzing in, his lean figure contrasting to the beer bellies the other businessmen had. His face was mostly covered by a cap all the time but from the hours of starring, you managed to catch multiple glimpses of his face and boy, was he a good-looking one. You could not really discern how old he was but considering the fact that he was playing golf instead of something like basketball, you guessed that he was probably slightly older than you.
Somehow, he made the game look more interesting and your gaze remained transfixed on his form, clad in some olive polo shirt and white slacks. He was always so focused on the game with his eyes squinting under the hot sun. Fortunately, or unfortunately, he was always immersed in the game and never spared you a glance, allowing you to secretly admire him. However, you realised that he was approaching you, his eyes fixed on you for the first time since he started playing golf on Saturday mornings.
“Ah Mr. Lee, this is my daughter. This is Mr. Lee and his son, Mark. We’re in the midst of discussing a possible merger between the two companies so you’ll be seeing them a lot more often.” While you were busy admiring the boy, whose name you now know – Mark, your father had ended the game and made his way over to you along with the Lees. You snapped out of your thoughts and introduced yourself to the father and son, feigning confidence. When your eyes met Mark’s, you almost got lost in them if not for the playful wink he gave you, hinting that he was well aware of your very blatant staring. Trembling slightly, you reached out to shake his outstretched hand as the grin on his face grew wider at your embarrassment. And that concluded your first meeting with Mark.
AM 11:42
“Y/N, I hope you've dressed appropriately!! The Lees are arriving soon,” Your mother shouted from the living room, drawing your attention from your phone. Your father was not kidding when he said that you would be seeing the Lees often because other than the usual Saturday morning golf sessions, your father invited the Lees over for meals often. Over the meals shared, you and Mark had gotten to know each other and even exchanged numbers. Turns out, he had also taken Business Management at the same university and was four years your senior. That meant that you turned to him whenever you had difficulty understanding certain concepts.
Just the night before, you were texting him some questions and he offered to help you with your essay after lunch. To say you had a crush on the boy was an understatement. You admired Mark. He was smart, good at golf (according to your father), filial and patient with you. Despite running a business with his father, he still took time out of his busy schedule to reply your lengthy messages, most of which was you whining about having to inherit the business from your father. He had somehow become this role model to you and he was basically everything your parents wanted you to be.
Despite it not being working hours, the fathers were constantly talking about business and the current financial situation, with Mark adding a comment once in a while. Sure, you had an interest in business and it was only a matter of time when you would join your father's company. However, that did not stop you from dozing off, embracing the food coma.
"Psst, munchkin..." just before your face hit the dining table, Mark, who sat beside you, started nudging you in the rib.
"Psst... wake up sleepyhead. You're going to hurt your neck like that," Mark whispered to you, drowning out the boring conversation your fathers were having. "How about this, let's take a shot every time one of them says the word "money"?"
That was the thing about Mark - despite being a good four years older than you, he still made an effort to connect with you, not behaving like the other snobby children of your father's business associates. His jokes were mostly business related or just terrible puns but you still appreciated his attempts to make you smile during the boring meetings your father dragged you to.
Turning around, you joked, "Gosh, it's too early for alco-" Your voice was stuck in your throat as you looked at his face. The playful grin on his face made him seem like a normal twenty-something year old, without the weight of a multinational company on his shoulders. You knew that Mark was attractive since the first day you met him but recently, there was something about the curve of his lips and the glimmer in his eyes that seemed to light up the whole world. As cheesy as it sounded, you never wanted to see the light in his eyes dim.
PM 3:27
Finishing your last lecture for the day, you made your way over to Lee Corporation to meet your father and the Lees for another discussion regarding the partnership between the two companies. With the details of the partnership being ironed out, the frequency of meetings between your father and the Lees increased. Thankfully, your lectures usually crashed with most of the meetings, sparing you from the agony. It had been more than a week since the last time you met the Lees.
Mark was getting busier because of the partnership and even though you missed his presence, you could not bring yourself to disturb him with questions you could have simply asked your classmates. Unbeknownst to you, your lack of texts made Mark think that he was of no help to you and that perhaps you were not interested in him.
For some odd reason, you started to feel nervous as you watched the numbers of the elevator increase. You and Mark were relatively close but you could not help but fiddle with your fingers, conjuring different conversations starters just in case it became awkward between the two of you.
"Good afternoon, CEO Mark Lee Min-Hyung," you teased as you pushed the large mahogany doors of his office.
You were not sure how you were expecting Mark respond but his response was definitely not one of the scenarios that played out in your head.
"Mrs. Kim, I thought I said- Oh? Y/N!" You watched the furrow between his brows disappear as the frown on his face morphed into a smile. Once again, you were charmed by the boy and it was almost as if you were standing before your crush in kindergarten.
"Yeah, good mor-afternoon, I'm an hour early," you remained rooted right in front of the doors not sure how to human.
Sensing your hesitation, Mark got up from his seat and approached your frozen figure. You could have blamed the five-hour lecture you had today for the short-circuiting of your brain but you were sure it was the way that Mark looked as removed his watch before making his way to you that caused you to become speechless.
"You alright, Munchkin? I haven't seen you in a while. For a moment, I thought you found younger friends to hang out with," the adoration in his voice along with his hand gently patting your head made you melt instantly. But you did not fail to hear the slight insecurity despite his joking tone.
Finding your voice, you reasoned, "Of course not! I just didn't want to disturb you. I'm sure our fathers are doing enough of that..."
Seeing you before him after more than a week, so understanding and so bashful made Mark's heart beat faster than he would have liked to admit. When he had joined the company, he knew that any chance of finding a girl would be difficult and that he would have to set that aside until he proved to his father that he was ready to run the business by himself. He even told himself that he would probably be thankful if his parents found him a girl instead so that he could focus on running the business.
But there you were. Some girl who spent every Saturday morning watching him play golf with bright eyes, becoming his daily source of entertainment with your incessant whining and his confidant whenever the weight of his parents' expectations wore him down. You were younger than him and maybe not the best advisor - you once told him to just imagine that every person around him was a potato to help with the nerves before a big presentation to investors. However, that did not stop the soft hums you gave in response to his problems from bringing him comfort. Who would have guessed that the next in line for Lee Corporation needed to call a university student the night before his presentations to ease the nerves?
PM 8:53
If you knew that the meeting was going to last the entire evening, you definitely would have packed some granola bars to snack on. What was supposed to have been a thirty-minute update on the marketing plan had somehow turned into hours of intense discussion. You tried your best to stay focused but the grumbling of your stomach distracted you and apparently, stole Mark's attention away from the big numbers leaving his father’s mouth.
“Dad, Uncle, it’s getting late. Why don’t we get some rest tonight and continue this meeting tomorrow?” Mark suggested, winking at you. At times like these, you were not sure how Mark viewed you. He made it seem so normal for him to wink at you but goodness, the things it did to your heart were definitely not normal.
Your fathers left the office building chatting about the upcoming gala that some rival company was having, leaving you and Mark in the office. You were about to follow suit when your stomach decided to make it clear that the last meal you had was more than eight hours ago. This time, you were sure Mark had heard it loud and clear.
Placing a hand on the small of your back, Mark led you out of his office, “Come on, munchkin, let’s get some dinner and you could ask me two weeks’ worth of questions.”
Sure, you had your fair share of experiences with boys but somehow, Mark was so confusing. One moment he would be treating you like a child and ruffling your hair but there were also little intimate moments when you swore that the look he gave you meant something more.
The entire car ride to the burger joint consisted of Mark complaining about his week and how stressed he was. Normally, you would have responded with more than just occasional hums but Mark was being Mark. Frustrating Mark. He was constantly turning to make eye contact as if you were going to disappear, looking so Mark. The way he stuttered occasionally contrasted so greatly to the professional front he put on in front of your fathers. It made you feel special that he decided to put his guard down around you. While he was talking, he left his hand on your thigh, tightening his grip whenever another car got too near to his. Stupid Mark was making you feel things and you were not sure if he was willing to catch you if you were to fall.
The both of you entered a nearly empty burger joint and settled in one of the booths near the back. Mark definitely stood out, wearing a suit in a burger joint at 9:34PM. It was the new burger joint you casually brought up during one of your conversations with Mark. You could not tell if it was intentional and that he picked this place because you mentioned that you wanted to try it out or that it was a complete coincidence. Well, your suspicions were confirmed when he returned with two burgers and the strawberry milkshake you were raving about to him.
“One burger meal and a strawberry milkshake for the Princess,” Mark winked, adding a nickname for you. He had this habit of winking at you and even after knowing him for more than a month, the butterflies in your stomach never failed to do some somersaults and the blood vessels in your cheeks would dilate, dusting your cheeks pink. Despite the availability of seats across you, Mark decided to squeeze next to you, placing his arm around the back of your seat.
Recovering quickly from your embarrassment, you decided to clarify some doubts you had regarding your latest paper, “Mark, I still can’t understand what exactly return on capital employed is? What’s the point of it?”
“It’s basically what it is – the returns of an investment compared to the capital employed,” Mark explained. “No, this is probably why you didn’t come to me for help for so long.”
Chewing his lips in concentration, Mark tried to think of the way to simplify the concept to you, “Ok, so it’s a financial ratio to assess the profitability of an investment. Let’s say before spending time with you and treating you to this very extravagant meal, I need to think of what I get in return and consider the profits from this investment I’m making.”
Jokingly, you responded, “I would consider this a pretty darn good investment. You get my everlasting gratitude for helping this poor soul!”
Turning his body to face you, he looked you straight in the eyes. His face was so close to yours you could practically count the number of lashes he had. You were not sure how but Mark had evolved into someone you trusted, someone you looked to when life got a little too tough - the one who made you feel like you could do anything.
Breaking the silence, Mark breathed, “Well, I was hoping to get your love in return.”
PM 10:17
“Munchkin?” Mark called out to you as he entered his penthouse. With your back facing him and headphones on, you did not notice him entering the house as you typed away on your computer, preparing the financial report your father wanted in preparation for another investment he wanted to make.
Sneaking up to you, Mark wrapped his arms around you, scaring the daylights out of you. You tensed up but upon realising that it was just Mark, you relaxed instantly, basking in the embrace of your boyfriend. After his very unconventional profession of love, who could reject such a sweetheart? The three months of being together had been absolutely blissful except for the teasing the both of you had to put up with from your fathers during business meetings. Of course, golf Saturdays were your favourite now because you could openly stare at Mark. However, now that he was dating you, he definitely had to purposely lose to your father once in a while to appease him.
“Happy third monthsary, Munchkin,” he whispered, slipping a glimmering necklace around your neck. The heart-shaped pendant sat gently on your neck with both of your initials reflecting light. It was almost as beautiful as Mark’s eyes whenever you gazed into them.
“Mark, you didn’t have to! It must have been so expensive,” you whined standing up to hug him.
With his arms still wrapped around you and face nuzzled in your shoulder, Mark commented, “I’m not investing capital without expecting anything in return.”
You sighed. Mark was such a nerd and he always found some way to bring business into your conversations, reasoning that it was his responsibility to ensure that you scored straight As. Well, this big nerd was yours now. Despite his teasing, you could tell from the way that he tightened his arms around you that he really loved you.
Deciding to humour him, you whispered, “Well, Mark, you get my entire heart in return.”
Jung Jaehyun | 1.5K In which you can’t understand how you got so lucky to have Jaehyun in your life
There are days
I wake up and I pinch myself
You’re with me, not someone else
And I’m scared, yeah, I’m still scared
That it’s all a dream
'Cause you still look perfect as days go by
Even the worst ones, you make me smile
I'd stop the world if it gave us time
'Cause when you love someone
You open up your heart
When you love someone
You make room
- Love Someone by Lukas Graham
There are days
I wake up and I pinch myself
You’re with me, not someone else
And I’m scared, yeah, I’m still scared
That it’s all a dream
7:50 AM. Your eyes fluttered open. In ten minutes, 0 mile, would be filling the room. Unlike other days, you woke up earlier than Jaehyun. Usually, he would get up earlier than you and prepare breakfast for you before rushing off for broadcasts. Today was a Monday which meant that Jaehyun did not have anything until NCT’s Night Night. It was only after you shifted around that you noticed the both of you had fallen asleep in each other’s arms.
You took this rare opportunity to admire Jaehyun’s face, unknowingly tracing out his features. The both of you first met when he was still a trainee and he decided to visit the little café you worked at even before the sun was up. You can still vividly recall the day he entered the empty café, sleepily ordering “one croissant and a regular caramel macchiato please.” Somehow, it became his daily routine to visit the café at exactly 5:05 AM to order the same thing. It was only after visiting for a week that he started talking to you, making you look forward to work every day just to have a thirty-minute chat with the sleepy boy.
It only took you a month to completely fall for the boy in your arms. He would spend the mornings telling you about his rigorous training schedule which slowly evolved into exclusive news regarding his potential debut. Some days, he would enter completely exhausted from the non-stop training and on others, he would enter with a bright smile on his face, excited to sing to you the song he had been working on. Regardless, he left the café each morning with a wide smile, looking forward to the next morning. Of course, following his great debut, the frequency of his visits dwindled but that did not stop him from sharing his life with you as he turned to alternatives such as calling you when the other members were sleeping and texting you before music shows.
Here you were eight years down the road, sleeping in his arms. Despite the multitude of girls he met, be it from collaborations, music shows or even label-mates, Jaehyun reserved a special spot in his heart for you. How did you get so lucky? You probably saved thousands of lives in your previous life to be able to have him by your side. Growing up, you never believed in happily ever after or having prince charming sweep you off your feet but the boy with the sweetest voice and the cutest dimples chose you of all people. Of all the seven billion people on this planet, he wanted to spend his life with you. Maybe the coffee you made contributed to it but that’s beside the point. Being with Jaehyun was a dream come true that you did not know you even had. And you hoped you never would have to wake up from this dream.
“A penny for your thoughts, babe,” While you were reminiscing, you failed to notice that Jaehyun had woken up. Looking up from his lips, you stared into his brown eyes and you once again knew that he was the onefor you. Even though you had been together for almost three years, you found yourself falling in love with him all over again each day.
“Good morning to you too. I was just thinking about us…” You trailed off, choosing to focus your attention on his dimples instead.
Jaehyun instantaneously picked up on the words you left unsaid, “I can’t believe you still think you’re not good enough for me. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you. I swear, I probably saved thousands of lives to have you… the best coffee maker in the whole of Korea.”
Although Jaehyun was teasing you, you could feel the sincerity radiating off of him as he lifted you chin up to give you a peck on the lips. Oh, you prayed that you would never have to wake up from this dream.
'Cause you still look perfect as days go by
Even the worst ones, you make me smile
I'd stop the world if it gave us time
8:06 PM You had decided to cook dinner for the two of you because Jaehyun whined about having to eat take out for the past week. Whatever your prince wanted, you tried your utmost best to deliver. Upon receiving your text in the morning promising his favourite pasta, he told you that he would be back at 7:30 PM.
Before you could text him, you heard the front door open, followed by a series of frustrated groans. Despite the deep furrow between his brows and the frown on his face, seeing him in the hoodie you bought him to celebrate his debut only made your heart flutter and warmth spread through your entire body. To think that this giant baby who was stomping towards you with his arms open was yours to keep.
His wrap his arms around you, nestling his nose in the crook of your neck, “I’m sorry I’m late baby, I was struggling to write lyrics for a song.”His whining only made your smile widen as you stroked his back comfortingly. Jaehyun may have been more than a head taller than you. But the way he mumbled in your shoulder, tightening his arms around you, made you feel as if you had the power to protect him from the world.
Wanting to reheat the food for Jaehyun, you tried to extract yourself from his hug, which failed terribly with Jaehyun trapping you within his arms.
“Jae, I have to heat the food up. Let go of me… please?” Jaehyun remained silent, keeping his arms around you. You figured that he was really affected by his inability to perform well at work today and sighed, letting him have his way.
It was only after five minutes of being in each other’s arms that Jaehyun whispered. “I’ll never let you go.”If he had been any softer, you definitely would not have heard him. But the house was silent safe for your beats beating synchronously. Jaehyun was not one to be very vocal about his feelings, making you treasure moments like these when he was vulnerable, trusting his heart in your hands.
Nothing had changed since the mornings at the café. No matter how he felt before meeting you, being in your presence changed everything and time seemed to stop whenever you were together. There was something about you that had the ability to make him smile, even on the worst days. You accepted him for his flaws and loved him the same. In that moment, Jaehyun promised himself that he would complete the song because you deserved the best and nothing less.
'Cause when you love someone
You open up your heart
When you love someone
You make room
12:15 AM “Night Night!”
You had been waiting outside the radio station for Jaehyun to finish hosting. Being with someone like Jaehyun meant having dates at the most obscure hours and locations to avoid being sighted by the fans. In another universe where you had not met Jaehyun, you would probably be in bed sipping a cup of warm milk in preparation for bed. Thankfully, in this universe, he was yours.
Hearing Jaehyun’s voice get louder as he greeted Johnny, “night night”, you quickly hid the box you were holding behind your back. Your original plan had been to scare him by jumping onto his back or something along the lines of that. But the moment he stepped out of the station, in some hoodie and simple sweatpants, you found yourself rooted to the ground. You felt like a school girl meeting her crush all over again with your cheeks dusted with pink.
Jaehyun’s eyes instantly lit up when he spotted you standing there in one of his shirt, shyly avoiding his eyes. Aware of how he affected you, Jaehyun decided to tease you, “Oh Y/N! Are you here to visit Johnny?” There he was standing before you with his usual boyish grin, staring at you like you were the only girl in the world.
Knowing that you had the exact same effect on him, you quipped, “Yeah, I’m here to deliver his favourite croissant and bring him out on a date!”Watching his jaw drop in mock disbelief, made you chuckle out loud as you reached out for his hand, tugging him to the café that now belonged to the both of you.
Walking hand-in-hand, you talked about everything and anything, and in both your hearts, you and Jaehyun could not imagine living any other way. Sure, compromises had to be made like in every relationship but when you love someone, you make room.
In which you learn to get over Jaemin with a little help
Excerpt:
You felt terrible. If someone had told you that heartbreak would feel this painful, you would not have even fallen in love. You had thought that heartbreak was simply sadness but you could not have been any more wrong. Emotions were overwhelming you – sadness, confusion, anger, bitterness, guilt and pain. You could feel the physical clenching of your heart and taste the tears running down your cheeks.
