take a chance with me
pairing. bestfriend!woonhak x afab!reader
genre. student!woonhak, student!reader, high school love, fluff, slowburn (?)
w.c. 5.7k+
summary. It's his last year of high school when Kim Woonhak realizes you make his heart beat faster than normally acceptable. Will he be able to contain his feelings just as you have yours?
a.n. back with another fic, surprise lols! :) im actually cackling. this is so random. I've currently finished my first year of pre-university so I haven't been able to pick up writing freely since I was busy af! writing extended essays and internal assessments. These days I've just been craving some boynextdoor fics. Woonhak's my bias because he's just So High School. This fic was mainly inspired by Niki's Take A Chance With Me.
his laugh you'd die for, the kind that colors the sky
IF THERE WAS ONE THING TO NOTE ABOUT WOONHAK, IT WAS THIS: YOU HEAR HIM BEFORE YOU SEE HIM.
But ultimately it’s one of the few reasons why you were so enamoured with him anyway. In a way, Woonhak was always just such a breath of fresh air. He fills the silence between you two easily and you admire the way he never fails to speak his mind. Although most of what he says weighs between utter nonsense or weird baseball slash basketball analogy. Nothing in between.
You don’t know how it happened. Just that he almost fell when he entered the classroom because he failed to realize the small indent between the hallway and classroom. To your strange luck, you seemed to be the only one who saw his embarrassing encounter with the indent. When he's raised his fist up to celebrate his achievement of not being seen, he makes eye contact with you.
You laughed first, of course, obviously. “Nice try guy,” you had said, patting his shoulder as you passed by him and out the door, continuing your original plan to grab a drink. Your smile was unwavering because what else would you have done? Not laugh? Tough luck.
The next thing you heard were his steps trying to catch up with you, and then a brush of his shoulders with yours. “Please, please tell me you aren’t gonna tell anyone, please,” he begged, voice as whiny as ever. At your silence he continues his demonstrations of whining and begging and whining again until you reached the vending machines.
As if having enough with your unconcerned figure, he moves quickly to block the screen of the machines; perfectly blocking the view of drink choices. “Come on! Then it’s my treat, just please,” His lips formed a natural pout and you couldn't help but say something then.
“Go on then,” Man, he was cute. The smile he gave you after was a joy to see. Bright like a warm hug in winter.
When the strawberry milk sits in the palms of your hands, he began again, “So… this means you won’t tell anyone right?” His brows rose up and down. “Right?”
You popped your straw in its intended place before starting to make your way back to the classroom with small steps, you deliberately made eye contact with him, “Who said?”
When his whines start picking up again, you couldn't help but look at him stomping his feet and whatever. Your eyes darted to his name tag, Kim Woonhak. What a way to start freshman year of high school.
What happened after that was completely his doing. Suddenly he clung to you everywhere. In group assignments, paired sport activities, to the shop, break and lunch, sometimes even your silent library time.
But then again, it’s not like you can say you hated his presence. He keeps making you laugh and in turn it has led to some real comedic moments. Woonhak in all his bright jubilant being is just a boy, and when he laughs. He laughs hard.
In this though, you came to the ultimate realization that you’ve utterly and truly fucked yourself up.
he says my name like i'd fade away somehow if he's too loud
It happened on some random Sunday afternoon in ‘23. You were coming over to his house to do some serious studying because your mid terms were just around the corner. Woonhak being the kind best friend he was, invited you over because he, for the life of him, couldn’t keep his eyes open for more than five minutes trying to read the textbook. Which you’ve told him was the ‘worst way of studying ever’.
After three hours of extreme concentration you realized it had become quiet. Too quiet, so naturally you looked over to see what he was doing. To absolutely no one’s surprise there he was, head on the table, textbook and paraphernalia of school supplies surrounding him. He fell asleep atop his plastic ruler and you know it’s gonna leave a mark when he wakes up. It leaves a subtle tingle in your chest, knowing how stupidly adorable he’s gonna look when he does.
It was in this silence where you realized you were gonna live with these feelings you have for him for a long while. Kim Woonhak, the whiny kid who trips more often than not, clumsy in a worrying way, creative in ways not pertaining to math and the loud fool who always claps the hardest when you achieve another milestone in your life. Who would’ve known? Seriously.
The next few minutes were spent looking at his annoying face. Needless to say, your heart is pounding against your chest. With the sunset gently laying its rays on his sleeping figure, you start to pack up.
When it comes to things like these, you know what to do. Think it through, sleep it off.
You leave a note on his forehead saying your goodbyes. Not wanting to ruin his precious sleep. You waved at his mother when you saw her in the kitchen, “Auntie, hak’s asleep in his room. My mum wants me back before dinner so I gotta dash now. Thank you for the snacks!” You gave a polite bow before exchanging your slippers for your shoes. Your heart pauses when you weigh the actuality of it all. His mum gives you a hum, saying her goodbyes from the kitchen. Just as you move to open the door, she rushes to you and in her arms a tupperware filled with side dishes. Your heart clenches.
You thank her graciously, she pats your head and you go on with your journey home.
Walking with your heart heavy is a force to be reckoned with. There’s a quiet intimacy in knowing you’ve left such an indent in someone’s life. Having a pair of slippers for each other when you visit your respective homes, knowing where they put their plates, where their seasonings are.
You’ve never believed in rushing into things. If there was one thing preached in your household, it was patience and unwavering perseverance. It was no wonder how each family member in your life was able to achieve great things, you were set to follow their footsteps.
The way Woonhak does things though. It’s a sight to see. This you let a small laugh at. He’s not even here and you’re thinking of him. How much more insane can you be?
On this walk back home, you took your time, thought about a lot of things. How colorful it is when Woohak laughs loudly. How he’s always hungry. The quiet moments between you. His long rants about the Lotte Giants. That time you played on the swings. How unforgivingly loud he is. The number of times he’s tripped. Basketball sessions where he misses the hoop. How your feelings will always be kept at bay. You care for him too much for you to suddenly lose him over such a fleeting thing such as feelings.
But then again, love has always been simple. Every emotion is a sign, and if this is them giving you a sign; you’d embrace them. As the sky settles into arrays of pink, orange and yellow, a smile blooms on your face. To be at peace with yourself, is to be at peace with your emotions.
Woonhak has always been a sweetheart to you. He doesn’t hesitate to take care of you, like it’s his second nature, which makes sense cause he's the oldest in his household.
You remember getting sick somewhere at the start of the school year. Bed-ridden with headaches banging in your head. Weakly opening your eyes, you saw him. Woonhak by the side of your bed, wringing a wet towel. In all honesty, you thought you were dreaming.
The next time you opened your eyes it was when he woke you up, stirring you from sleep with his gentle hands. You felt a wet cloth on your forehead, it made you suddenly aware of the situation. You tried to sit up.
“Woah hold on there tiger. Take it easy,” Woonhak reassured you.
There in your bedroom sitting by you on the bed, he feeds you the warm porridge. In no rush to fill you in about what happened at school earlier, retelling all the funny things that happened in class too. He’d laid the homework and notes on your study table, pasted sticky notes with page numbers written down hastily.
Woonhak, in all his loudness, has his moments of quiet seriousness–most especially when it comes to taking care of you. In rare moments like these, his tenderness reveals itself clearly–in the way he takes care of you without needing to be asked.
You remember thinking how irrevocably smitten you were with him. Flustered because he’s seen you in such a weak state. But yet again, it feels nice to be taken care of. Woonhak has always made sure you knew that. That it wasn’t something he’d think twice about doing.
Rounding the corner to finally reach your street, the red settles in your cheeks easily. It's calming to know your brain and heart agree with each other.
uncovering the dreams he dreams at night
It’s his last year of high school when Woonhak realizes how stunningly beautiful you are. It’s like there’s a constant halo on you and he can’t keep his eyes off you. Now don’t get him wrong, he’s always thought you were pretty though. Just much more so.
And when he starts scratching at his chest where his heart sits because it starts racing whenever you’re near him, he doesn’t acknowledge it.
It was like any other school day, Monday. He slides the door open with a jolt and yells out, “Good morning everybody!” before he sees you.
Woonhak–nonetheless–is popular among the majority of the people here. He befriends people easily which isn’t unexpected. He’s outgoing and a guy you trust can have fun. As people greet him back his eyes roam around and land on you.
You arrive before him as usual, already on your desk talking to the people surrounding your table not at all minding his usual loud morning greeting to the class (it happens everyday). People have always flocked to you naturally like there was an irresistible force pulling people towards you and they gravitated to you like a magnet finding its field.
As if sensing his stare, you turn to the door seeing him standing there aloof. “Did you trip again genius?” you tease him, smile gracing your features.
He sends you a deadpan expression as he moves to his seat, conveniently next to you by the way. Upon reaching your side, he drops his bag carelessly on his desk, “Again?” He sulks, crossing his arms on the desk and planting his face on them.
His heart drops to his ass when he hears the question you ask him, “Did you do the math homework, hak-ah?” His head has never shot up so fast, eyebrows almost meeting his hairline. “Exactly.”
With a sigh, you gesture to the paper on your desk and the smile he gives is enough to feed three generations of mountain goats. He knows that face of yours though, it's where you’re contemplating on giving a physical injury but you care about him too much.
“Thank youuuuu,” He sings, taking out his own homework sheet (clean with rumpled edges) before copying down your answers. Purposely getting some wrong and leaving them blank to make it more believable because he knows you’re getting a full mark on this. He may be dense but he still has common sense, this he can admit.
When he slides your paper back on your desk, you take a look at him. It’s a slow motion montage when he sees your hand coming up to fix his hair and it was over before he wanted it to be. Once neat enough in your eyes, you continue chatting with a classmate of yours. He sits there, trying not to breathe too loud because what. was. that.
It was a normal thing for you to fix his hair for him, what with all the clumsy things he’s done. Messing up his hair was the least of his worries. It was for you apparently. He never thought twice about your actions until now.
His thoughts were so loud. “You okay?” You nudge his side. As the school bell rings its normal tune, he can only nod his head. He grips his thigh hard, trying to stop it from fidgeting.
Kim Woonhak’s philosophy when it came to strange things happening to his heart was to go over it with someone more experienced. Which is why he is sat in front of Myung Jaehyun, his next door neighbor, friends by close proximity plus he was twice as annoying and persistent when they were kids.
“So what you’re telling me is that…” Jaehyun begins. “...your heart beats faster when you’re around her,” Woonhak hums, nodding.
“You smile when you think about her,” He nods harder. “She keeps popping up in your head,”
“...and you keep remembering all the things she likes for no reason at all?” Jaehyun ends.
He has never nodded harder than this: “Mhm, right, right.”
The silence encapsulates the two before Jaehyun lets out the loudest shriek of laughter he can muster. A laughter so joyous it causes tears to brim his eyes. Outrageous, Jaehyun thinks. Woonhak sits there, unimpressed. “Are you done yet, hyung?” At this Jaehyun releases another round of laughter, hand coming up to wipe the stray tears away.
When he finally comes to, “Hak-ah, this was the incredibly important information that you needed me to help out on? I mean seriously?”
“I mean… yeah I guess. It’s about y/n anyway. Everything’s important when it comes to her.” Woonhak answers genuinely. As if sensing his sincerity, Jaehyun sobers up and lets out a smile.
“Kid, you like her. What is so hard to grasp about that?”
Oh. Right.
hak: do we hv hw?
y/nnie: Why are you nonchalant again?
hak: always been bro 💯
y/nnie: Chem p32 and chapter 5 of english
hak: 😪
y/nnie: You best not ask me for answers tmrw
hak: 😁
y/nnie: 🤦🏻♀️
hak: goodnighttttt
y/nnie: Nighty hak-ie
hak: cn u say sweet dreams to me too?
y/nnie: No.
hak: ☹️
y/nnie: Sweet dreams you big baby.
woonhak: 😊
Woonhak isn’t making his case any better when he sees himself smiling through the reflection of his phone. “Oh my god, have I always been down bad for her?” He faceplants onto this bed, shimmying under the covers. Hoping to dear god he can erase all the possibilities of you and him so he can finally get some sleep.
All hope is lost when he starts remembering winter break of ‘23.
Sophomore year of high school. It’s called a winter break for a reason, so he–being the mastermind he was–planned a trip to Namsan Tower. Partly because he’d only been there once and it wasn’t with you. Plans were made and set.
“Ah, oh my god,” he says in the silence of his bedroom. “I even chose my clothes the day before,” he covers his eyes with his elbow, the embarrassment of a memory now settling behind the lids of his eyes.
So he did lay his clothes down the day before. He won’t lie to himself and say that he didn’t keep trying them on too. Exchanging every little bit of clothing with something new when he didn’t like how it looked.
On the day itself, he was as he was. Loud and a little reckless but this time with a scarf around his neck and earmuffs. That day, you played in the snow, ate hot churros outside in the snow where he complained about it being cold to which you reprimanded him for because you definitely did tell him to eat inside.
But there was this one memory he’s kept to himself since then.
He was being silly and of course fell ass down on the snow, laying down there on the cold white he heard your laughter first. The smile that reached his face was unstoppable. When the view of your face fills his field of vision, he’s momentarily taken-aback. The redness on your cheeks and nose, the little snow clinging to your lashes made you so enchanting and he was nothing but spelled. His lips twitched.
“You okay genius?” you had asked while stifling your laughs, putting a hand out so he can reach. A bright idea pulses through his brain waves, and before you know it you’re pulled onto the ground next to him. The laugh escaped him before he was able to stop it. You had laughed then too.
When the laughs settled down, he stood up first now stretching his hand to help you up and you gladly took it. Like automatic, you went ahead to brush the snow stuck in his hair, fixed his scarf and neatly put his earmuffs over his ears properly. He thanks you with a grateful smile–the blush on his cheeks from the cold or from you–he still doesn’t know.
And when Woonhak feels his heart race that day, he thinks nothing of it.
and he's got swirls of passion in his eyes
As Woonhak stands by the vending machine to buy you and himself a drink, he recalls the lesson he learnt from Jaehyun. Palm holding the folded piece of paper, reading it over again.
“What do I do now though?” He had asked Jaehyun.
“Fear not hak-ah, I have just the plan for you.” Jaehyun had said this with utmost certainty. He hands him a rumpled piece of paper like it’s been given and returned multiple times.
Woonhak unfolds the paper, reading aloud, “How to be a... Nice Guy?” He’d looked up at Jaehyun then, features morphing into that of doubt. Jaehyun only nodded, face still filled with surety and confidence.
How to be a Nice Guy: Nice Guy Operation
Step 1: Don’t Lose Confidence
Step 2: Let Your Soul Sing For Her (Mind Your Manners)
Step 3: Always be a Sweetie
He reaches down to collect your drinks, strawberry milk for you and a can of soda for him.
Honestly speaking, he’s done all these steps before. It’s not that hard to be a nice guy when you already embody these in real life. Confidence? He’s got enough of that to last a lifetime, you wouldn’t need to worry. A prime example would be May ‘24, Junior Sports Day. He remembers joining every single sport there was, why?
Well, the question was: why wouldn’t he?
It’s his last year before being submerged by the college entrance exams. The least he could do was enjoy the present.
“Joining 7 competitions is not how you enjoy the present, stupid,” you’d said to him, brows almost creasing into one.
This, he remembers vividly.
“It is if I'm gonna sweep all those medals,” he’d declared, hand stretched out to mimic snatching the medals. He’s met with a flick to the forehead and an earful of how he’s going to at least go home with an ankle sprain going back-to-back with basketball and long jump.
He ended up going home that day with 4 out of 7 medals. Gold in track, silvers in badminton singles and 3x3 basketball, a bronze in long jump. Two fouls in javelin and discus because he kept going over the line so he was disqualified and a DNS in high jump– it clashed with track.
It was no big deal though. He was crowned MVP thanks to his unforgiving passion to be better than everyone else. The ribbon for Best Team Player though? It’s tucked neatly in his room somewhere because as much as he wanted to be better than everyone else, he's sure to bring the energy to cheer people on from the sidelines.
Especially when it comes to you.
Although you didn’t show it, there was this nervous tic you had. You tapped your foot three exact times, and if he wasn’t careful he would’ve missed it but he’s learned to read you.
From there, the people turned to look because his whistling, clapping and shouts of your name were the loudest. You only shook your head and laughed. Seeing you cross the finish line first and then raising your gold medal in the air to beam up at him. He’s seen this smile before. Your eyes crinkled first, then a nose scrunch. The apple of your cheeks blooming.
‘That’s my girl,’ he had thought then. A certain type of warmth pooled in his chest.
With your matching gold medals, you took a picture to commemorate the day. His copy stays framed on his bedside table, and yours hung up on the wall next to your calendar.
When he reaches the classroom, he eyes shoot to you first. You’re leaning against the wall by the window, backlit by the soft rays. His mouth runs before he can stop it–
“y/n–”
“y/n!” Dongmin’s voice cuts through to you first. You turn to him with a relaxed smile. “Mhm dongminnie what’s up?”
Woonhak halts mid step.
Dongmin’s hand shoots up to hold up a familiar pink carton in the air, “For you, ma’am,” he says with a sly smile.
Woonhak can tell it worked on you. He watches as your face lights up in a pleasant surprise. “You shouldn’t have!” You chide at him, mock-offended, nudging at his shoulder slightly with a playful push.
This is what guts him. Like a ball just decided to ram up his upper stomach, stealing his breath from him. Woonhak looks down at the same drink he holds, the condensation dripping onto his palms.
His chest tightens as apprehension curls tight around his lungs. Since when have you been so chummy with Dongmin?
Woonhak has never been worried about other guys. You catch attention from them with the snap of your fingers. You were naturally friendly and easy to talk to but he knew you. You offer them sincere compliments if they manage to grab your attention but most of the time? They just weren’t worth your time.
This didn’t help the disgusting twist in his gut every time he sees a guy come up to you though. He’s seen enough of them try their luck with you, and he absolutely won’t mention the subtle guilty relief he feels whenever they walk away with their shoulders drooping with your bittersweet rejection.
As he watches you accept the strawberry goodness with a light beam in your eyes from Han Dongmin, he wonders what else you’re keeping from him.
When the bell rings and he goes to sit next to you, he wordlessly grabs the strawberry milk Dongmin had given you and absentmindedly drinks it in one go. He doesn't stop to hear your protests. When he finishes the drink, you’re left with no words as you stare with your mouth parted. As he turns to look at you, milk mustache and all, he slides the strawberry milk he bought.
He could tell you’ve changed your mind about slapping the back of his neck.
“Did you seriously have to do that?” You say. Clearly amused with the whole ordeal.
“Yep,” popping the ‘p’ as his lips press into a thin line, facing the front of the class. The jealousy that clings to him was something he didn’t like following him around, and the first thing to do was eliminate all options.
What was that about confidence? Woonhak scoffs under his breath.
as much as he tries to hide, i can see right through
What do you do when you like someone?
It’s different for everyone. In Woonhak’s case, though, he resorts to avoidance. The awkward kind where its ‘hey I just found out I kinda like you a whole fucking lot’. The one where he makes lame excuses to stop seeing your face cause he thinks his heart might combust. Unfortunately for him though, you notice everything about him. Especially when he rushes off to grab lunch with his other friends that Monday. You’re quick to catch on.
“I’m grabbing lunch with Yujin and the rest,” He rubs his nape, actively avoiding your eye contact.
When you manage to respond with a meek okay, he bolts off straight after. Your thoughts are cut off with a shout of your name.
“Jeong y/n! Let’s go!” Eunchae calls out to you from the class window. There's a disturbance in the air you can’t quite place, you feel this in your gut.
You promptly meet her outside. “Hak-ie’s acting weird,” you say with a slight furrow in your eyebrows. Eunchae loops her arms with yours as you begin walking towards the canteen. “When is he not weird, y/n-ie.” She responds dryly.
Touche.
When Tuesday rolls around, you’re certain of it now.
hak-ie: lunch w da boyz again 🙏🏻
hak-ie: c u ltr
His text was normal. Although more nonchalant than usual.
You’ve been observing him since the first period. Every question you ask him is clipped with a dry response. He seems tense for a reason you can’t quite place.
When you sit down with Eunchae in the cafeteria along with your other girlfriends, your appetite seems to diminish. The pasta you would’ve usually slurped up sits mostly untouched on your plate. You play around with your food as you try to take part in the conversation despite your mind being on something else.
You wait by the gate on Wednesday. A force of habit. Walking home together wasn’t something that needed to be discussed, it just made sense. A message comes through and it's from him.
hak-ie: shooting hoops with the guys ⛹🏻 u go ahead
He didn't even bother texting you when the bell rings for lunch and he walks with his hands over Yujin’s shoulder earlier today. Not one look at you.
You frown at this, lips pressing into a thin line, stomach twisting in that usual way when something doesn’t go your way and Woonhak avoiding you was definitely not going your way.
You force out a reply, sighing.
y/n: have fun!
Walking has always been a sort of reprieve for you. It helps you handle your muddled thoughts and ideas, untangling the jumbled mess of creative plagues and academic tendencies. Today though, there’s a heavy feeling that comes with every step.
Between you, Woonhak has always been much more emotional. He’s expressive in whatever he does and he doesn’t stay silent because he reacts too much. He wore his heart on his sleeve.
He cries first watching every movie that’s remotely sad, and you’re next to him handing out tissues whenever his snot piles up too much.
“Okay, here’s another scenario. Your friend calls to tell you that they’ve been in an accident, what would you say first?” Woonhak reads.
Your answer was quick to escape before you gave it any thought, “I’d ask them why they’re calling me first, duh. They should’ve called the ambulance first.”
Woonhak’s mouth opens in shock,“Oh my god you’re heartless.” You pay no mind to this as you continue munching on the chips.
“I mean, what would you have said?” You retort, mouth full. Hand moving to grab more.
His hand folds to mimic a telephone, “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Okay true,” you’d agreed then, “I would’ve assumed they were okay because they chose to call me instead of the ambulance.”
He only shakes his head at your attempt. When he sees the nearly empty bag of chips, he jolts rushing to grab the bag. “Yah! I barely even ate this!” his legs sprawl going back and forth as bursts into a fit of whines.
“You kept talking,” you say with a small shrug, sheepish smile on your face.
His way opposes yours strongly. You keep things tucked a little tighter, handle everything under a hush-hush basis. Carefully, intentionally.
But Kim Woonhak is seriously starting to push your limits.
It’s Thursday when Eunchae asks with hands on her hips, “Did you two fight?”
There’s a slight pause before you force a laugh, “Where did you even get that from?” trying to avoid the topic.
“It’s been a serious while since I saw him clinging onto you,” you can say that again, you thought. “He’s just on his basketball rampage again or whatever,” you make an excuse trying to sound unbothered when you’re nothing but.
Eunchae knew you though. Well enough to notice when it sounds like a lie when you answer too quick, too casually. You thank her silently when she doesn’t push for more and hums moving on, because what would’ve you even said? That he’s ignoring you for no apparent reason and you don’t know what you did to warrant such behavior?
Clinging onto you—yeah, that used to be Woonhak’s specialty.
Your heart twists in misplaced affection because, man, do you miss him.
You and Woonhak were the dynamic duo. If anyone were to find you, you would’ve always seen one with the other. Wherever you went, Woonhak went and vice versa.
Him not being by your side was as obvious as the sun missing from the sky. His absence further fills the gap of silence you’ve been feeling since Monday.
You swallow hard, forcing the rice to go down.
how did i get in this arrangement? it baffles me too
He’s confronted by you on Friday.
He was off to walk home when he’s tugged by the collar of his shirt. “What the–”
As soon as he’s released, he stumbles and spins to see who the perpetrator is, he stops short when he's met with your figure clearly not at all expecting it to be you.
You stand there with a look he can’t decipher but he can definitely feel the anger and frustration coming off from you, and an underlying feeling of something more somber and heavy. Your arms are crossed and a frown sits permanently on your face.
“Yah, Kim Woonhak. You’ve got a whole of shit to explain.”
The short-lived silence was enough to penetrate his soul if it could before you launch onto your words–spouting about how insensitive, thoughtless, inconsiderate and callous he’s been. Avoiding you for no reason, late replies, leaving you behind and the like.
The more you speak, the louder your voice becomes. He can tell the feelings you’ve swallowed down, finally clawing its way out, begging him to be acknowledged, demanding to be heard.
There's a pounding in his ears that he can’t seem to get rid of. Maybe because you’re shouting at him but he’ll never truly know. His heart keeps clenching and unclenching. If he’d known better, it was as if his heart just wanted to jump out of his chest and into your arms.
Suddenly caught in the onslaught of his feelings, he’s overwhelmed. Before he knows it, his mouth speaks faster than his thoughts.
“And if you didn’t want to be friends anymore, you could’ve at least told—”
“I like you!” he blurts.
As the weight of his words sink into him, his hands fly up to cover his mouth instinctively as if he told a secret he wasn’t supposed to tell.
why can't we for once, say what we want, say what we feel?
You’re met with the back of his head a second later when he twists around. You let out a ridiculous scoff at his actions. So this was why he was avoiding you? Ignoring you like you were some background character?
‘Ah Kim Woonhak, really?’ you mentally face palmed. You were worried over nothing then. God, how much more silly can this boy get?
You hold a firm grip on his bicep, making sure he can feel a bit of pain–serves him right to be avoiding you all week, to turn him around. He’s got his eyes shut tightly. “Open your eyes, stupid.”
He opens an eye slowly to cautiously gauge your reaction before opening the other.
“What am I gonna do with you?” you shake your head with an amused frown. He says nothing. Hands still over his mouth, eyes wide and fixed on you.
You gently reach up to shrug his hands off to his sides, keeping them there before you do what you think to be the most impulsive thing you’ve ever done. You give him a quick peck right on the center of his lips.
The look he gives you after–half-filled in mild amusement, half-filled in atrocious shock–is enough for a lingering smile to settle on your lips.
“Up for some burgers?”
With a turn on your heel, you begin slow steps to start walking before you hear his shuffles and suddenly he’s in front of you. His hands land on your shoulders and the next thing you know his lips are on yours.
Longer, sweeter, welcomed.
He kisses you as if to make up for lost time. For all those times (multiple) when he wanted to kiss you. Winter break ‘23, that time when he got sick in August of ‘23, that day you wore a dress in the summer of ‘22, that time when you were scolding him because he wasn’t taking his studies seriously, Junior Sports Day ‘24 and so forth.
You’re certain he feels the smile on your lips before you deepen the kiss. Quite clearly enjoying this. Eventually when you pull back, he breaks the silence first: “This means you like me back right,” he asks, voice small. Uncertainty flashes across his features.
You let out a teasing smile, “You tell me.” Continuing on with your steps like you didn’t just flip his axis. He’s clearly frustrated by your nonchalant ease at this.
The normal sounds of his groans behind you fill your ears and you laugh.
“Oh, come ON!”
He’s quick to join you by your side, clinging like moss on a rock. He slides his arms around your biceps and tugs slightly like a toddler begging for a lolly.
You can’t help but burst into a fit of easy laughter, completely and irrevocably endeared.
At this, he intertwines your fingers instead. Swinging your hands back and forth like it’s a normal thing you’ve always been doing: “So,” he smirks, “when did you start liking me?”
You can only shake your head back and forth, your smile ever present. He's stupid but you love him. Oh, you love him.
If there was one thing you were glad about though, it was that you're grateful he took his chance with you.
a.n. thanks for staying till the end!! like, reblogs and comments are much appreciated. i was actually pretty stoked to write this because you just can’t convince me woonhak isn’t made for this trope. till next time!