he is an extremely loyal partner and won’t even consider entertaining anyone who tries to flirt with him or convince him to leave you. he even goes as far as repeatedly referring to himself as ‘a taken man’ just to drive the point home as much as possible
more of a listener than a talker and is more than happy to sit down and listen to you vent and gush and rant about whatever is on your mind — in fact it’s his favourite way to relax after a long day of being ‘the hollow’ (or of working in general after he gets home and gets pardoned)
doesn’t use pet names for the most part, but will very occasionally call you something like ‘sweetheart’ if he’s in an exceptionally sentimental mood for whatever reason — e.g. when he was finally able to get home to you as a free man after weeks spent apart
you’re the only one who can genuinely make him smile or laugh and he adores you for it — it’s why he’s so protective over you, because you’re the light of his life and he can’t bear the thought of losing you
he’s a very chaste kisser and while he won’t do it himself, he will usually indulge you if you happen to be a lip chaser — just not (for long) when he actually has to be somewhere very soon
if there are any chores around the house that you just cannot stand for whatever reason, gabimaru will pick them in a heartbeat — and you don’t even have to tell him that you hate taking out the bins or doing the washing up, he’s perceptive enough to notice on his own and he’ll do them for you without a word
sagiri
her favourite place to kiss you is your hands — your palms, your fingertips, your knuckles, your wrists, etc. — and she tends to stick to pretty brief and chaste kisses both in public and in private (she has an image and a reputation to uphold, after all)
sagiri tends to stick to more traditional pet names when talking to you in private — like ‘sweetheart’, ‘darling’, ‘dear’, ‘my love’, and so on — but when around others she usually just calls you your first name
very encouraging and supportive of you as she knows what it’s like to pursue a lifestyle that those around you don’t think you’re suited to — and even when she can’t physically be by your side in the moment she makes it abundantly clear before and after just how immensely proud she is of you
she has a very traditional approach to courting and dating you, which involves taking things very slowly compared to how others her age might do things — so unless you want to wait a few months for your first kiss, you’ll need to be the one to initiate (which will catch her off guard and fluster her, but she’ll appreciate and enjoy nonetheless)
she will occasionally try her hand at joking around and making puns in order to get you to laugh — and while she’s not as naturally humorous as shion is, she’s still pretty good at it
sagiri is probably one of the best people to go to when you’re feeling upset or low for whatever reason as she excels at offering assurance, comfort, and even advice sometimes — and as her lover she’s never going to turn you away if you come to her for anything like that
shion
loves to make you laugh and will take any and every chance to joke around with you — sometimes about his blindness, and occasionally about things unrelated to it (though the jokes themselves are equally corny in that same endearing sort of way)
trusts you immensely and doesn’t get jealous, but can tell when you’re starting to feel threatened and uncomfortable and will step in to remove you from a situation without hesitation if he needs to
after returning home from the island, he will occasionally enlist nurugai’s help in choosing and preparing gifts from you — using her as his eyes to help pick the most brightly coloured flowers or the clothes with the nicest pattern (situations where he knows roughly what he’s looking for but could use a bit of extra help just to make sure he gets the perfect thing for you)
touches your face and hands a lot to the point where it’s more of a habit than a conscious thing he does — it started out as him just casually learning and memorising your features and just being affectionate but after the ordeal he faced on the island he finds himself reaching for you more often than not
he talked about you a lot to others in the expedition party (after the ordeal with the tensen when he felt he could trust them, that is) and his loyalty towards and fondness for you was something that he and gabimaru bonded over (in their own way)
loyal to a fault and would throw himself onto his own blade before he let you get hurt on his watch
yuzuriha
she never stops flirting with you no matter how long you two have been together — in fact she seems to get better and better at pushing your buttons and flustering you with each week that goes by. she also flirted with you a lot before you were an item, but back then it was difficult to tell whether or not she was being genuine because of her history…
self care dates are an absolute must, especially when she comes back from that island or when she’s been out all day working and has overused her technique to the point where she feels all exhausted and gross — in other words, she loves it when you pamper her and she enjoys being able to do the same to you
you are the only person she’d put her life on the line to protect — as well as someone she is absolutely terrified of losing (even if she usually plays it off or pretends that she doesn’t have this fear at all when pressed by others)
whenever you’re injured or sick, yuzuriha becomes both very doting and very stern about your recovery — or, rather, stern by her usual standards. she’ll still keep you entertained and in a good mood, but she’s also not going to let you get away with not taking your medicine or missing a checkup because she absolutely refuses to take any chances with you or your health
she doesn’t talk openly about her family, but she has stated a few times (in quiet, solemn, private moments) that she believes her sister would have loved you
very appreciative of any compliments or praise you send her way — and while words of affirmation isn’t her main love language it’s definitely up there for her
Tags: fluff, friendship (maybe more, maybe not), slice of life
Word count: 5.2k
a/n: honestly, I don't know how else to explain it. I've always wanted to write something out of this fic's main premise, but the execution will have to speak for itself. it's just a short fluff fic, so here we go...
Velvet's Café had just opened four weeks ago, and business has been what one would expect, except tonight. It was only a street away from the nearest university, Seoul State, where some of its students and sometimes staff would either hang out and order something or make a stop to have a cup of iced americano, a latte, or some pastries to go.
“Kamsahamnida. Masitge deuseyo!” has been Kim Doyun’s usual farewell as they either walk into their tables or exit through doors with their takeouts. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken the job. But he needed something to make some money from, and what better way of doing it than accepting an offer from his first cousin’s expanding business. Perhaps he shouldn’t have accepted this as early as the second semester of freshman year. He could have spent nights like these hanging out with his friends after classes, instead of always going out on weekends, torn between exploring his young adulthood and staying home with his family while they talked about what was going on in the news or variety shows.
The moon was now hovering in the sky. It was the peaceful silence of nights like these that once convinced him to accept this shift, but now, he wasn’t so sure. Not even his phone was there to save his boredom. It was about 9:50 at night, and the only thing keeping him going at this point was the consideration of resigning, that was if his plea to change shifts to an earlier schedule was not possible. He was still a freshman, after all. He should not have been working his ass off this hard. Either way, the clock kept ticking and his foot was tapping on the floor to it, wishing he could start cleaning up instead of waiting for a single customer who might never come. He had to take in the fact, their café was still a small fish, perhaps the smallest one in a larger river dominated by hungry, hungry coffeehouse chains.
Within five seconds, Doyun felt the shivers trickling in his spine, the sharp and chilling sensation only made him clench his hands and consider turning the air conditioner off. Start taking off the leftovers. No one’s coming, he told himself as he lifted his right leg, with his right hand tugging into his apron. Just do it. Take it off and clean the place up.
That was until someone had triggered the café bells as they entered the saloon door. A woman, perhaps a student or a resident around Duyeon’s age. “Annyeonghaseyo.” His greeting wasn’t as lively as it was when he first worked, but it has been embedded into his brain that he could not go on without proper greeting, despite the fact that he was supposed to close pretty soon. Nevertheless, a customer’s a customer, he justified.
If there were any other workmates available at this hour, they probably would have told them off, yet for some reason, he just welcomed her inside because he knew he did not have the spine to do such a thing. Must be the naive or gentleman side in him, or both.
The woman simply gave a slight bow before proceeding to the pastry counter. She looks nice, his mind immediately babbled, noticing the small mole below the left side of her lips. Not that it mattered, but he has served people that caught his attention or stunned him while they ordered, but it was her unique high-pitched voice that caught this young barista off-guard once she opened her mouth. “Jogiyo. May I take some pastries to go?”
He almost shook his head in front of her while hearing her say this multiple times, but he also paid attention to where her fingers were pointing. “Oh—of, course... Do you not want a, uh, a drink to go to as well?” Was he feeling lightheaded? Was he also mistaken that her finger was pointing to basically all of the leftovers? He’s no stranger to mixing up orders, but he hasn’t gotten one wrong considering he repeats orders by the end.
“Can I?” It seemed like she didn’t just want the pastries. “I thought you’re closing in about ten minutes?” But the longer she talked, the more it made things clear for him. That’s just her voice, and it somehow enlivened him. “That’s what the sign says outside.” Made him more enthusiastic, like he was trained to behave as far as during his first shift.
“Yeah, but it’s okay, miss… If you want to order something, I can make it in time.”
“Oh… Okay then…” The woman quickly looked through the small menu right in front of her, not taking much more of his time. “Would an iced matcha latte be fine with you?”
“Ne,” he told her with a rapid nod. “What size would you like?”
“Just a medium cup will be fine,” she answered, maintaining her polite smile to him.
He completed the list, getting a grip on himself since it was practically just two sets of order from her. “Okay, I’ll just repeat your order. You want all of these pastries, and a medium cup of matcha latte.” This would’ve been less awkward with a lot more noise.
“Ne,” she simply answered before pursing her lips while slowly looking around the cafe.
He proceeded to process the overall payment on the cashier. His awkwardness in the air couldn’t even be more apparent, but the woman had sensed his discomfort and fixation moments ago. She had to warm up the tension for both their sakes, mostly for herself.
“It’s the voice, isn’t it?” she broke the ice of silence, her innocent eyes darting at him.
His eyes widened, like a rubber band being stretched to its limits. Caught. “Pardon?”
“You’re weirded out by my voice,” she addressed the elephant in the room, albeit with the harshest assumption she thought. “I sound like a child or I inhaled some helium.”
His heart was immediately flowing with guilt, but it gave him a push to defend himself. “Aniyo, aniyo!” Perhaps he should’ve been more courteous when she entered. But that would have been just us patronizing. It was pointless to argue with himself when she’s basically read his initial impressions of her. If he was not as unenthusiastic earlier, he would’ve greeted her just like anyone else. “That’s not the case, but I, ummm, I didn’t mean to make things awkward, miss.”
“Gwenchanayo.” He didn’t say or think anything yet aside from apologizing, but she immediately assured him. “It’s not the first time I’d heard of those things… I’ve kinda gotten used to it, that I assumed it’s—Dwaesseo.” She realized that the man’s neither a therapist or councilor, though his ears remained attentive. “How much is the payment?”
“Ah, yeah…” He informed her of the price, to which she pulled out her wallet. After their almost complete disastrous transaction, the barista handed her the receipt and made his last drink of the night while she sat on the chair nearest to the counter. He would’ve still been frozen by his small mess, but thankfully, she was on her phone. It seemed like she wasn’t as bothered by his reaction, but caution still kept his mind guarded while he got the ingredients and equipment to make the drink, putting his gathering of the pastries to a pause. Doyun would have gotten the bamboo whisk from the cabinet and made himself look fancier, but he didn’t want to take too much of the woman’s time.
Using the second best procedure he learned, he had to blend the matcha powder and hot water from the dispenser into a blender for thirty seconds. With something that he usually does in five minutes, Doyun was able to get it into the ice-filled cup within four, pouring in coconut milk on top. Closing the cup with the lip, the remaining minute was spent on reheating the pastries into the microwave. Unknown to him, the woman’s eyes had already shifted right at him. She was unsure whether to be concerned or impressed, but the limited time was enough for the barista to do his final order, whether for tonight or a long while, if he chose to step down after this shift.
As soon as a loud ring came from the microwave, the woman got up from her seat and walked into the counter. Doyun’s peripherals expected her movement. “It’s.”
“I don’t think your voice is weird,” he had to affirm to her. “I was just surprised when you first spoke, that’s all. It’s really unique. It is kind of feel-good, soothing in a way. And sounding like someone on helium without the need to do so sounds pretty cool… But that’s just my opinion.”
Sensing her lips slowly curve upwards, she opened her mouth with regards. “Ahhh…” She wanted to thank him, but a fraction of her pride held her lips shut.
“And I don’t mean that in a bad way,” he quickly added. “I mean feel-good like ASMR or that Lofi Girl if she had a voice. But actually, I was more surprised with you ordering all of the leftovers. You ended up pointing your fingers at all of the pastries, I wasn’t sure if I got your order right.” He had also meant to say cute, charming or adorable, but he kept himself from slipping words that might’ve gotten him in trouble. They’re both strangers.
The woman chuckled, shaking her head while his words had already gotten through her, making her feel more at ease. “It’s okay, you got it right. That’s my bad… From outside, I didn’t know half of them were already gone… I don’t want the rest of ‘em to go to waste.”
“We actually give most of our leftovers to shelters or deliver them to their suppliers by morning, so none of them would’ve been wasted regardless…” he informed her.
“Oh, really?” His clarification brightened her spirits up. “That’s a relief, then… I’ll still be taking all of it.” And yet, she was also unashamed of her own gourmand-driven decision.
“Sure thing…” He couldn’t hold in his chuckle, getting the tongs from the counter. “Believe it or not, it's actually nice to have the counter be cleared for one tonight.”
“Have there not been many customers here?” she wondered. His words weirdly felt like an insult that even she felt some guilt for not visiting this place sooner, given her desire to explore more new and fresh places around or outside the university campus.
“We’ve only been open for a month, so we’ve only been getting the most customers in the morning until afternoon… When it’s night, well,” he raised and extended his left hand into the empty seats and tables. “The place basically becomes a ghost town.”
“Seems like a really cozy place, though…” She admitted, though not in a pouty way, just more encouraging. “More people should come here whenever they just wanna study, or just hang out with their close buds. Or meet new folks… Especially even when it’s late.”
“With Ediya and Starbucks being a long staple around these parts?” He didn’t want to scoff nor make himself sound like he was doubting his own cousin’s business. “Well, I don’t know about that, but thanks for the compliment.” He could be both realistic and appreciative at the same time.
“Your menu has a lot of cheaper prices, so that’s one upper hand you have. And another, you guys are new, so there’s still a lot of room for discoverability.” He knew she brought up valid points, to his surprise. “In terms of the quality, well, I’ll be the judge of that.”
“Then I can resign if it won’t be satisfactory.” The woman’s eyes widened at his bet, but they ended up both laughing at their playful exchange as soon as she realized. He was confident about his craft, and oddly enough, she had trust in his earnest concoction, having witnessed his continual bursts of compliance and dedication from her seat.
“Would be nice to have this place open a little later, like around midnight,” she added, subconsciously pouting out of instinct while she took another scan of the cafe, a gaze that he followed. “If that’s something you considered, at least. It’s just a suggestion.”
“And if you want, I can give that suggestion to our manager... We’re related, actually.” Doyun didn’t have to say it, but he had to come up with something to stop his pauses. “She’ll probably hire a few more staff for it, but it’s not much of a problem when she’s already running her own bakery.”
“Oooooh…” Nevertheless, she was intrigued by openness, especially the last part. “Well, I’d like that… More people definitely would, if they get a chance to hang out somewhere at night. Staying inside our dorms tends to get boring, too… And not everyone’s a party animal.”
A small window to her routine gave him some clue about her. “You go to Seoul State?”
“I do,” she nodded at a moderate pace. “Just this year.”
His guess was right, after all, making him snicker. “Oh, same. I’m a freshman too.”
Her smile widened into a beam. It’s like she just met a new friend. “You’re kidding?” It didn’t even cross her mind, but it also made sense to her. “What major are you from?”
The shivers in his spine began to warm up. “I’m taking Marketing. How about you?”
“Mass Communication,” she simply answered.
“I see… That must be why you’re pretty honest and easy-going.”
His words sounded more sincere than flattering. “I don’t know. That’s just how I grew up… Decided it’d be convenient if they go hand-in-hand while I sort things out…” But she didn’t want to talk too much about her major. “And, uhh, Marketing, huh? Is that why you’re so good as a barista? You know your way into making caffeinated drinks… Hyping up and connecting with people while making their drinks.”
To him, she actually sounded more of a natural sweet talker than he tried to be.“It’s just a gig… Admittedly I’ve always been drinking coffee since high school… So maybe that’s why I got into it.”
“Too much caffeine isn’t good for you, you know?” she giggled.
He let out a sigh. “Yeah, I learned it the hard way," but it’s not just that... I thought cafés are pretty special places to be in. At least before things get busier eventually, I just think that’s the beauty of places like this. Some may call me a people pleaser, but even then, my job is pretty much just making them coffee by the end of the night, right? If someone like me gets too nosy and annoying for customers, then maybe we’ll just be replaced by those unmanned cafés everyone’s been going crazy for nowadays.”
His moment of vulnerability somewhat touched her. “Hmm… I know some folks like unmanned cafés, and I admit, I kinda get the appeal too, but I’d love and prefer if we have more willing and passionate baristas looking after their customers. Everything would be much less soulless. And there's nothing annoying with that… I don’t think machines can ever give a simple compliment or just be considerate, the way you do.”
He didn’t have much to add. “That’s, umm… That’s a considerate thing to say. Thanks.”
“That’s just my opinion,” she giggled, avoiding his gaze as she mirrored his words.
“Well, it’s one we sometimes need to hear.” Maybe even more than sometimes.
They remained standing in place, their smiles not resting at this renewed atmosphere they were able to accumulate just within minutes. For a moment, they forgot to realize they were just a barista and customer, until Doyun looked back at the packed pastry to his left, just lying on the table. The thought of it getting colder with every second made him panic for the quality of the food.
“Oh, right!” He carried the paper bag from his side onto the front of the counter. “Here are your pastries,” Followed by her drink. “...And your one medium iced matcha latte.”
With a soft bow, the woman picked up her takeouts from the barista, the warm bag on the left and her cold drink on the right. “Kamsahamnida.” Despite her polite gratitude, however, her legs have yet to move to the door.
Amidst their silence, Doyun noticed the current time on the clock. 10:15. “Omo, omo… I’m sorry for taking more of your time, miss!”
“No, no, don’t be,” she told him, even shaking her head just to convince him. “Don’t worry about the time… If it gets cold, I can just use my oven back at my dorm.”
Both his eyebrows raised in fascination. “You have an oven at your dorm?”
She couldn’t help but form a coy smile, yet she’s not embarrassed. “Just a small one.”
“Oh… Majayo,” he chuckled, in disbelief at himself for thinking of something more extreme. “That makes sense.” Even a large oven would not be surprising nowadays.
“Yeah… And by the way, do you have Instagram?” she asked him out of the blue.
“What?” He almost stuttered, still processing what she meant.
“The café, I mean,” she clarified. “Or any social account you may have.”
“I—ah…” He scanned the counter. Despite some pressure fueling him, he was briefed about this certain situation before by his cousin. He just never expected it to actually play out in person. “Oh, um, here it is.” His hand reached for a small laminated sign containing their social media accounts, as well as their various payment methods.
Placing both takeouts on the floor for a second, she held the sign with her left hand, typing the socials on her phone on her right as quickly as she could. “Seems like you didn’t know the café had an account.”
“I’m not the one handling it,” he explained. “So I don’t really have much of a clue what’s going on there. But whenever there’s something new to the menu, I’m sure it’ll be there.”
“That makes sense…” She slid her phone down on her pocket, before picking up her food and drink with both hands. “And I, uhh, I’ll stay tuned to that.”
Doyun immediately exited the counter the second she walked towards the entrance, getting there first so he could open the nearest sliding door for her. “I’ll get the door for you.”
“Oh…” It made him stop her tracks, but she didn’t want to keep him waiting or tire his arm out either. “Kamsahamnida,” she murmured while hurrying outside the door.
“You sure you don’t need any help with that?” he asked, extending his arm on the door.
Despite reaching the outdoors, she couldn't take her eyes off his arms and face. “Gwenchanayo… I can handle these. Appreciate it, though!” For the first time, something within herself was forcing her to start marching away. “But, umm… Kalkeyo!”
“Annyeonghi gaseyo…” he bowed and waved to her from a distance, before adding, “Masitge deuseyo!”
The whole afternoon he was sulking by himself, wishing himself out of this position of dealing with mundane tasks, he failed to realize what could still be special about it, all thanks to one late conversation with this delightful stranger. Still, the exhaustion this barista has gone through the whole month made him reconsider if being a barista at freshman year was the ideal extracurricular for him. Hence, he took a few days off.
= = =
Two days had passed and it was Thursday night. Doyun was already on his bed, about to close his eyes, when he got a call from his older cousin. A video call too, to his confusion. He could’ve pressed the reject button if he wanted, but she’s also his employer, and the possibility of getting another earful from her in person only made him answer the call, letting out a deep sigh and bracing himself for whatever she might spill around 09:20.
“Doyun-ah!” He had to lower his volume five bars, hearing her rejoice right into his ear. “I owe you a lot, kid… You've done a great job.”
He scratched his head, finding himself in a situation like Go Minsi receiving her award. “Uh, thanks, but about what exactly, Yerim-noona?”
“More customers came in person to your branch in Seoul State,” the older woman cheered. “And our bakery here in Seongdong-gu! Delivery’s always convenient for customers, but you got to understand, we here could only handle so much.”
Was he still dreaming? “How’d that happen?” A growth like this was almost sudden, but not necessarily unwelcomed for business, considering her main bakery’s already steady success, as if her still being there at this hour wasn’t enough to stress her dedication.
“You tell me. There’s this account on Instagram…” She sent him the link. “They might not have millions of followers, but to us, they’re kind of an icon for their post two days ago. Got us not just more followers, but we’re getting a lot of actual in-person orders.”
The username: ppangppanggo_0406. It’s a foodie account rather than a personal one. An account with 9,923 followers, not including himself, was only a year old. Their latest post was only posted two days ago, yet it gained more likes than her own follower count, more than a quarter of the university’s population. He did not have to look further. The entrance of the building. The date and time it was taken. All eight assorted pastries he took out of the counter. The iced matcha latte he made under pressure. The caption contained scores, ranging from 4.5 to 5 alongside brief assessments.
Within a few seconds, Doyun realized that only one person could have definitely taken these photos. Exhaling with a snicker, the young woman had become more of a mystery to Doyun, but nevertheless, he now has her to be grateful for. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to remind him he was appreciated. That it’s worth it.
“Huh… Wow… That’s pretty, wow… But why didn’t you think of that in the first place?” He teased her cousin, covering his own jittering brought by this accomplishment from being too obvious. He was a mere barista who took her offer because of making a quick buck, but he knew his cousin deserved this increasing growth and more.
“I was busy with our main branch, so I was hoping you could handle the accounts. If not, make more on others… I can give you the pass—” Her face of rejoice slowly turned into suspicion. “Jamkkanman, are you not following our socials? Doyun-ah?”
He sensed she would question him right there and there, so he got his fingers to work in a flash while his head hovered above the phone camera. “Iiiiiiiiiiiii just followed it now.”
Yerim hissed from her side of the call, her eyes darting at him with terror just right after seeing a familiar account follow the café’s account. “Waaaahhh, jinjja, Kim Doyun-ah! I ought to—Kid, this is not what I’m paying you to do, come on.”
“Mianhae, noona…” He held in his laughter. “I’ll take care of the accounts, if you want… But maybe I could ask for a slight change in our condition?”
Looking at the camera, his question made her pay full attention to him. “What is it?”
= = =
Friday. For him, classes ended in the afternoon, although his shift had a little change in schedule. The clock reached 10:30, and yet the café remained open. Not to mention the customers chilling on most of the tables, combined with people ordering their drinks to go. The café has gotten him a new cashier as a partner for this shift, thankfully a friend.
The sign of Velvet’s Café outside has extended its closing time during weekends, from the old 10:00 P.M. into the new 1:30 A.M., though nothing was final. It was still a trial period by this time, approved by none other than his cousin and the café's head founder, Kim Yerim. The scale and aesthetic of the café has lived to its true potential.
Even as late as this hour, groups of friends or couples would still find the time to order and sit down on wooden chairs, chilling as if they’re in a lounge, taking sips of their tea and coffee, with some having their desserts under the calming atmosphere, complemented by the lo-fi music played by the place’s newly installed speaker. Some of them would argue about the cultural impact of KPop Demon Hunters. Some would steal kisses from each other. Some focus on working on their laptops with their headphones.
If this lively yet cozy night couldn’t have made him more motivated in his job, the next group of customers to enter the café would make Doyun freeze in front of the cashier. His workmate scratched his head from his left, shaking his head and scoffing before heading straight back into the kitchen to substitute for Doyun’s tasks.
“You’re here again.” Her voice sounded even more angelic since the first time he heard. “I mean, it’s your shift again.” The woman had two friends walking behind her, looking at him with curiosity, yet it appeared as if they were expecting his particular presence.
“I had class throughout the last few days, but yeah… I’m back for the weekend.” At the same moment, he didn’t want to let the elephant leave the room. Not her voice. Or her bluntness. Not literally, anyways. But her voice gave him a wake-up call. “So, it’s you… Ppangppango?”
Her eyes briefly closed while her smile widened. “Yeah… I’m not too open about that, though. It’s just a little hobby of mine.”
“Well, your ‘hobby’ kinda gave our café a huge boost, you know?” he crossed his arms, trying and failing to maintain a professional tone, despite his eagerness to thank her.
“I didn’t do much,” she humbly countered. “Your products spoke for themselves. I just gave an honest review because well… They’re really amazing.”
“I–uh, kinda owe you on that one.” He sounded more vulnerable with his delivery.
The woman’s eyes widened, and yet, she felt comfort in his words. “Glad I can help.”
But despite this warm moment, Doyun had to keep up his professionalism as a barista when he noticed how merrily humorous the woman’s friends were acting behind her. He quickly cleared his throat. “So… what will you be ordering tonight, miss?”
“Miss?” the woman’s taller friend repeated, a teasing smile and gaze slowly forming as she gave her shoulder a little bump, signaling something only they were aware of. “He’s really calling you Miss?” the brown-haired friend murmured with a giggle.
The woman simply shook her head, immediately bending her smile into a slight frown. “Hayeon-ah. Are you girls gonna order or will tonight be your treat?” While remaining somewhat playful, her cadence hushed them, as if she was disciplining them like kids.
“Unnie!” Hayeon whined, but she knew this was a public space. “Arasseo, arasseo… I didn’t even say anything about him.” She shifted her attention to him. “But I will have… An iced mocha cappuccino. Medium cup... And maybe Chaewon-ah might catch up with us later. She’ll probably want one of these strawberry trifles.”
“So you can just take a bite out of it?” Shion sneered. “What will Chae think of that?”
“It might be her favorite, but we know she’s gonna be able to eat them all, anyways,” Hayeon shrugged. “A little nibble won’t hurt… I’ll give you a slice too, if you want.”
“Fine… Please add those to the orders,” she told the barista before facing her tall friend. “How about you, Lynn-chan?”
“Hmmm…” The taller woman looked through the glass, somewhat mirroring her friend’s habit that same night. I’ll have three buns of curry bread, three pieces of those cookies, and one medium cup of winter melon milk tea…” Lynn quickly took out a bill from her pocket to give to the woman, confounding her. “And here’s my part of the payment.”
With his mannerly nods, Doyun listed down and repeated her friends’ orders, and even though this task wasn’t assigned to him, his partner had already accepted he was stuck there until the end. The woman tried to reject Lynn’s cash, but the latter and Hayeon saw themselves to find a table, leaving her alone with him. “Okay. How about you—”
“Sion,” she interrupted, handing out her payment with a welcoming, friendlier gaze. She did not need to hear the total price, but she just wanted to unveil her own name, instead of just hearing ‘miss’ once more. “My name is Shion. And I’ll have a medium hot matcha latte… And a slice of chocolate cake.”
“Ah, right…” While processing the payment to her, he let his mouth talk. “Call me if you need anything else, Shion-ssi.” To the point where he couldn’t filter out and process his own words. “I mean we have a pager that you can use from your table, if you want to add something later… Or if you want… You can also call me by my name. Doyun.”
She expressed her amusement by exhaling through her nose as she received both her receipt and the pager from him. “Will do, Doyun-ssi... Gomapseumnida.” A quick and simple touch of their fingers made the barista feel not a spark, but more of a flutter in his chest, and still, he was too occupied with his job to even process such a feeling while the lady joined her friends at their table, with him being unaware that her face quickly shrank into embarrassment as they waved their arms and invited her with laughter.
He relayed the orders to his partner from the kitchen, who immediately prepared the ingredients for the drinks of the three. While there was yet another customer, Doyun picked up the tongs next to the pastry counter, which he slid open with more energy.
“Seems like you two are close,” his partner noticed as he placed a tray on the counter.
He straightened his posture. “Not at all… I just met her recently.” He turned to him, figuring out his assumption. “What makes you say that, Juho-yah?”
“Well, geunyang.” That wasn't enough of an answer, but the smirk in his face said it all. “She seems interested in you.”
His eyes squinted, his one eyebrow higher than the other. “How?”
Juho nudged his arm playfully. “Just an honest observation, dude… Besides, you took over the cashier instead of passing it to me, being my responsibility, so…”
“Huh… Did I, now?” He broke his own awkwardness with a light snicker. “Mianhaeyo.”
“It’s all right,” Juho assured. “Just start making the drinks, bro. I’ll handle the pastries.”
Doyun stole a glance to the women’s table, seeing Shion and her friends complain about their latest midterms project. The moment he looked away to plug in the blender and make the first drink, Shion was listening to Lynn and Hayeon’s critiques about their strict, two-faced professors, when her eyes slowly landed back on Doyun. Her fingers were subconsciously tapping onto the pager on the table, waiting not just for their order, but his attention.
= = =
It ain't much, but I hope you liked it, even though it's the same length as some of my one-shots. maybe I'll make a continuation, because I had scenarios of this played out (lol that's the problem with me). just not too soon, 'cause I'm focusing on writing up shorter fics of this certain length, if not shorter, within a well... short time.
anyways, I'll start working on my next short fic or one-shot asap. thank you for the read, take care, and have a nice day!
Part 1 , Part 2.5 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5
The following night, the dorm was quieter than usual. Schedules had been brutal lately, back-to-back photoshoots, dance practice until midnight, and sudden changes that left everyone scrambling. You could feel the tension in the air all day. The members were tired, smiles a little forced, voices a bit quieter during meals.
Shion had been especially subdued. During the afternoon vocal lesson, she’d nailed every note but her usual bright energy was missing. Her red hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and when she thought no one was looking, her shoulders slumped just a little. You caught her staring out the window during a van ride, fingers twisting the hem of her hoodie, eyes distant.
After lights-out, your phone buzzed with a message from her:
"Storage room?"
"…"
"I don’t feel like playing tonight. I just want to see you."
Your chest tightened. You grabbed a couple of things from the kitchen anyway, two mugs of warm honey milk you’d heated up, a small packet of her favorite strawberry cookies, and a soft blanket from the laundry room, then made your way down the hall.
When you unlocked the storage room door, Shion was already curled up on the couch in the dim lamplight. She wore an oversized cream-colored sweater that swallowed her frame and loose pajama shorts. Her vibrant red hair was down, slightly messy from the day, framing her face in soft waves. She looked smaller than usual, knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs.
The moment she saw you, her eyes softened, but there was a faint glossiness to them that made your heart ache.
“Hey,” you said gently, closing and locking the door behind you. You set the mugs and cookies on the small side table and spread the blanket over the couch before sitting down beside her. “Rough day?”
Shion nodded, scooting closer until she could rest her head on your shoulder. Her voice was quiet, almost fragile. “The schedule changed again. They moved my solo recording session to overlap with the group dance practice tomorrow, and I… I feel like I’m letting everyone down if I can’t keep up. Everyone else seems to handle it better. I keep thinking I’m not doing enough, or that I’m falling behind. It makes my chest feel tight.”
You wrapped an arm around her, pulling her gently into your side. She melted against you immediately, one hand coming up to clutch the front of your shirt. “You’re not falling behind, Shion. You’re working so hard. I see it every day, how focused you are, how you stay late to practice your parts even when the others have gone. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. You don’t have to carry it all alone.”
She let out a shaky breath, nuzzling closer. “I know… but sometimes it feels like too much. The pressure to be perfect. The constant changes. I just wanted tonight to be soft. No games, no cold or sweet or anything intense. Just… you.”
You pressed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the faint floral scent of her shampoo. “Then that’s exactly what we’ll do. Come here.”
You shifted so you could lie back on the couch, guiding her to settle on top of you. Shion curled into your chest like a kitten, her red hair spilling over your shoulder and across the blanket. You pulled the soft blanket over both of you, tucking it around her shoulders. One of your hands stroked slow, soothing circles along her back, while the other gently combed through her silky red strands.
For a long while, neither of you spoke. You just held her, letting the quiet settle around you like a warm cocoon. The distant hum of the dorm fridge and the occasional soft creak of the building were the only sounds.
Eventually, Shion’s fingers traced lazy patterns on your chest. “Can you tell me something nice?” she whispered. “Anything. I just want to hear your voice.”
You smiled, pressing another kiss to her forehead. “Okay. Did you know that every time you sing, even during warm-ups, the whole room feels brighter? Your voice has this warmth to it, like sunlight through the practice room windows. And when you smile after hitting a high note perfectly, it makes me forget how tired I am too. You bring something really special to the group, Shion. Not just talent, but this quiet kindness that everyone leans on without realizing it.”
Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she hid her face against your neck. “You’re too sweet… but thank you. It helps.”
You reached for one of the mugs of warm honey milk and helped her sit up just enough to sip from it. She held the mug with both hands, blowing gently before taking small, careful sips. You took the other mug, and the two of you drank in comfortable silence, the sweet warmth spreading through you both.
When the mugs were empty, you set them aside and pulled her back down. This time you turned so you were facing each other on the narrow couch, legs tangled together under the blanket. Your forehead rested against hers, noses brushing.
“You’re allowed to rest, you know,” you murmured. “Tomorrow I’ll talk to the staff about the overlap. We’ll figure out a way to make the schedule work without burning you out. You’re important, not just as a performer, but as you.”
Shion’s eyes shimmered again, but this time the tears were softer, grateful. She leaned in and kissed you, slow, gentle, no heat or urgency, just pure affection. Her lips were warm and tasted faintly of honey. You kissed her back the same way, cupping her cheek with one hand, thumb stroking her soft skin.
The kiss lingered, turning into a series of sweet, unhurried pecks and gentle nuzzles. When you finally pulled back, she smiled for the first time that night, a small, genuine curve of her lips that made the red in her hair seem even brighter.
“I feel safer with you,” she whispered. “Like I can just be Shion, not ‘tripleS’s vocalist’ or whatever title they put on me. Just… me.”
“You’re always just you with me,” you replied softly, brushing a strand of red hair behind her ear. “And I like that version a lot.”
She snuggled closer, one leg draping over yours as her hand found yours under the blanket. Your fingers intertwined naturally. You continued stroking her hair, occasionally pressing soft kisses to her temple, her cheek, the tip of her nose, whatever she offered up with a contented little hum.
Time stretched comfortably. You talked in low voices about small things: her favorite childhood memories of singing in the car with her family, the silly nicknames the members gave each other in the dorm, how she secretly loved when it rained because it made practice rooms feel cozier. You shared a few light stories from your own life, making her giggle quietly when you described your first disastrous attempt at cooking for a group of idols.
At one point she shifted so her head rested right over your heart, listening to its steady beat. “This is my favorite sound tonight,” she murmured.
You held her a little tighter, the blanket cocooning you both in warmth. No rushing, no pressure, no games, just the two of you tangled together, breathing in sync.
Eventually her breathing slowed, growing deeper and more even. You felt her body relax completely against yours, the last traces of tension melting away. You kept stroking her back in slow circles long after she’d fallen asleep, pressing one final gentle kiss to her red hair.
“Sleep well, Shion,” you whispered against her temple. “I’ve got you.”
You stayed like that for as long as you dared, savoring the quiet intimacy. When the clock on your phone showed it was getting close to the time you needed to slip back to your room, you carefully eased out from under her. You tucked the blanket around her properly, making sure she was warm and comfortable on the couch. Before leaving, you left the packet of strawberry cookies on the table where she’d see them first thing, along with a little note scribbled on a napkin:
“You’re doing amazing.
Rest as much as you need.
I’m always here. Your manager (and biggest fan of your smile)
( • ᴗ - ) ”
You locked the door softly behind you and headed back down the hall, heart full and light at the same time.
The next morning, during breakfast prep, Shion appeared in the kitchen with her red hair freshly brushed and a soft, secret smile playing on her lips. When no one was looking, she caught your eye across the room and mouthed a silent “thank you.”
You smiled back, already knowing that no matter how crazy the schedules got, you’d always make time for nights like this, soft, warm, for her.
Because Park Shion, with her red hair and her gentle heart, deserved every bit of gentleness the world could give her. And you were more than happy to be the one to provide it.
♡ SFW + NSFW, fem reader, biting, oral->fem and male receiving, soft sex/unprotected sex + creampie, soft!Shion + he's whipped asf, Shion w/ a tongue piercing? yes please ♡
note: Y'all I cooked again 😮💨 this isn't a request, just something I remember Kat mentioning in the discord
❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
SFW
❣️ Sits in the library with you during his breaks just to tutor you, but he sucks at explaining things and you never really get anywhere
❣️ Teases you a lot but will gladly beat the shit out of someone if they even look at you wrong
❣️ He's clingy but doesn't do a lot of PDA, he's big on cuddling and handholding though
❣️ Hyperfixates on random things and loves rambling on and on about his interests to you + stays up late to talk on the phone with you about random things
❣️ Encourages you to try your best even if you don't believe in yourself, he's your number one fan and biggest supporter
❣️ Almost cries when you make him a friendship bracelet and will never take it off, Tenjiku members ask him about it and he proudly says his girlfriend made it for him
NSFW
❣️ Loves burying his face in your tits, doesn't matter the size he just loves your chest and will leave little bites on your skin
❣️ Lets out the most gutteral yet effeminate moans when you're sucking him off, he's so loud sometimes you can't tell if he's enjoying it or in pain, but whenever you try to pull away he'll tug on your hair and push his cock deeper down your throat
❣️ Practically drools over your pussy, he's so whipped for you it's not even funny, you have him wrapped around your finger and don't even know it
❣️ Eats you out whenever and wherever you ask, loves feeling you push against his tongue and squirm when he presses his tongue piercing against your clit
❣️ Fucks you while you wear his Tenjiku jacket, seeing you in literally any of his clothes drives him feral and makes him want to keep you in his bed forever
❣️ Moans when you let him hit it raw for the first time, he swears he's in heaven with the way your warm cunt is gripping him and it doesn't take long before he has his face buried in your neck, muffling his whines as he shoots load after load of hot, gooey cum into your pussy (yes he is embarrassed he came so fast, but more importantly he's satisfied)
Pairing: Madarame Shion x GN!Reader Word count: ~700 [Ao3 Link]
Summary: Caring for Shion after he gets a stomach ache
Warnings: none really; reader has no gendered pronouns
Notes: short lil fluff piece for my boy's belated bday <3 barely edited but I think it's cute
“I can’t believe you’re being so cruel to me,” your boyfriend moaned, still clutching his stomach.
“It’s hard to feel sympathy for you when you did this to yourself.” Despite your somewhat harsh words, you were still gentle with him. You grabbed his hand, pulling it from his abdomen so you could replace it with a warm water bottle. Shion let out a small sigh of relief once the warmth hit his muscles and melted into the heat. You tried to drop his hand, but he refused to let you go, instead threading his fingers through yours and yanking you onto the bed with him.
You pulled an awkward half-shoulder-roll to avoid flopping down onto Shion’s already painful stomach, instead landing on your back next to him with an overdramatic “oof”.
Shion took the opportunity to snuggle into your side, wrapping one lanky arm around you while the other kept the warm bottle pressed to his abdomen.
You let out a light huff of a laugh, letting yourself be held. You stretched one arm around his shoulders so you could scratch your fingers through the long blond hair on the unshaven side of his head. He pressed his head up into your hand, like a fussy pet demanding more attention from its owner. “You’re not a mad dog, you’re just a little puppy, aren’t you,” you cooed.
Shion pouted up at you. “That’s not fair! I’m sick, I need the attention.”
“You wouldn’t BE so sick if you hadn’t decided to eat all that spicy curry yesterday.”
He doesn’t reply to that.
You had tried to stop him from having that curry yesterday, knowing how sensitive his stomach was, but he wouldn’t listen. Your boyfriend liked to brag about having an iron stomach (like an absolute liar). He especially liked to keep up the illusion in front of his Tenjiku friends, as if they all weren’t aware about his belly issues after knowing him for years. But it was his birthday, so you decided he could be allowed one bad decision as a reward for surviving another year (with your help, of course).
And now here you both were, dealing with the consequences of Shion’s actions.
“Do you want any tea?” you asked him softly, noticing him wince a bit, no doubt at another wave of cramps.
He shook his head. “Jus’ wanna cuddle.”
You relaxed into his side and continued your ministrations in his hair. Your boyfriend was a warm, comforting weight next to you as the two of you laid together, simply basking in quiet companionship.
Shion was the first to break the silence, his tone uncharacteristically soft. “…thank you.”
“For what?” you murmured.
“For takin’ care of me,” he said. He suddenly seemed very interested in the bottle on his stomach, looking down at it as his blunt nails picked at its edges. “I know I’m a hassle sometimes…an’ I’m glad you put up with me.”
You were silent for a moment. He was right; he was a hassle. He didn’t think before he spoke, he got into fights, he got beaten up in half of those fights, he gave himself stomach aches eating spicy food, and he flunked out of school. He was loud, cocky, and a bit stupid. But in the end that didn’t matter, because you knew that he was more than that. Shion was so sweet underneath all his bluster. He looked at first glance like he spent his time terrorizing children and kicking puppies, but instead he let his younger cousins hang off him when they visited and gave his neighbor’s dog leftover pieces of meat from his dinner. Around you, he stuck his foot in his mouth a lot, but he was always kind, and he always held such a genuine admiration for you; the sort of admiration you had never felt from anyone else before. All of this and more went through your mind, but you weren’t sure how or even if you could communicate it to him.
So instead, you gave his hair a light tug, causing him to let out a small whine. “Of course I put up with you, idiot,” you said, tone unbearably fond. “You’re my boyfriend, and I care for you.”
He let out a single, quiet, “oh.”
It was the closest either of you had ever come to a love confession, and you both knew it.
“I care for you too. ‘Cause you’re mine jus’ like I’m yours,” he said, twisting to press the lightest, barely-noticeable kiss to your shoulder.
You said nothing, but the way you clutched him tighter and kissed him on the forehead was enough of a response for both of you.
Summary: You're convinced Shion is a vampire as much as he denies it. It's gotten to the point the others are beginning to tease you for your insistence. That's why you must do whatever it takes to prove you are correct.
Pairing: Shion Kaida X G/N!Reader
Genre: Fluffyish Drabble
Word Count: 797
Warning: N/A
Masterlist
"Is it true?" You ask, propping your head onto your hands.
Shion glances over at you before rolling his eyes and taking another drag of his cigarette. "Quit asking me that question."
"I will when you answer it."
"Obviously, I'm not going to answer it."
You frown. "I just want to know if it's true or not! That's all! Once you answer it, I'll leave you alone for good, I promise!"
He scoffs at your words. "No you won't."
"How do you know?"
"I know you."
You narrow your eyes at him. "Creepy."
"Not like that, you moron!" He growls back, baring his teeth before taking yet another drag of his cigarette.
You sigh and let your chin drop to the table before you. "Why won't you satiate my curiosity."
"Because your idiotic curiosity is none of my concern." He snaps, flicking his cigarette butt to the ground.
As he pulls out another cigarette, you grab your lighter and flick it open. He glares at you as you hold the little flame out to him. Despite his reluctance, he lets you light his cigarette and blows the smoke in your face.
You wave it away and continue to pout. "Please? Just tell me if the rumors are true or not!"
"What rumors?" Sliding into the seat next to you, Kenta gives you an unimpressed look.
"What's everyone talking about?" Ryoga loudly asks, taking the last seat at the table you were sitting at.
Shion shoots another glare at you but you don't pay him any attention. "Is it true that Shion is a vampire or is it just a rumor?"
The two boys stare at you for a good, long moment before laughing their asses off. Shion grunts but you can see the corners of his eyes crinkle. You, on the other hand, huff and fold your arms over your chest.
"You don't have to be mean about it, assholes!"
"Of course a petty little criminal like yourself is swept up in the stupid, asinine rumors!" Kenta wickedly grinned.
"That's a load of steaming dog shit is what it is!" Ryoga adds. "There is no way in hell Shion here is a fucking vampire! If he is, I'll eat my left pinky!"
You sigh and let your shoulders fall. "Seriously, you're all terrible! I hate you guys so much!"
"Well it's your fault for believing rumors." Shion mutters, smirking at you.
Standing up, you shoot back, "It's not my fault! The evidence is pretty damning! Besides, you're partly to blame because you won't put the stupid lies to rest!"
As you walked off, you could hear Ryoga and Kenta jeer at Shion. It only made you scoff and wrap your arms around yourself. You didn't want to deal with their stupid meanness right now. You just wanted to go back to your cell and not think about how they laughed at you.
That is, until you ran into Yuto. "Oh! Sorry!"
"No, no! It's my fault! Completely my fault! I shouldn't have run into you! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He bumbled, gathering the files he dropped.
You helped him collect his wayward papers and noticed something familiar. Carefully, you tucked it away without the guard noticing. You gave him a sugary sweet smile as you handed him the last of his files.
"Again, I'm really sorry, Officer. I did not mean to."
He shook his head and looked down to hide his blush. "No harm done, I suppose."
And with that, he scurried off. When you were alone, you peaked into the stolen file and gasped. Your suspicions were confirmed!
With your evidence in hand, you raced back to the table where Kenta, Ryoga, and Shion were still sitting. You slapped the file down in front of them. While Ryoga and Kenta looked confused, Shion's eyes widened and, if it was even possible, he became even more pale.
"YOU ARE A VAMPIRE! Maybe not a vampire like in all the books and movies, but you have Porphyria Cutanea Tarda, colloquially known as vampire disease!" You shouted in triumph.
"Where did you get this?" Shion snapped at you, crumpling his cigarette in his hand.
You gave a satisfied smirk. "This petty little criminal stole it from Officer Inukai himself! And the poor bastard still doesn't know what hit him!"
"Wait, you stole Shion's file?" Kenta asked, his eyes widening as realization began to dawn on him. "There's files on all of us? With our deep dark secrets printed?"
You shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't say that-"
"I NEED TO GET MY FILE!" He screamed, running out of the mess hall.
"WAIT FOR ME!" Ryoga shouted after him.
Shion gave a low, dark chuckle as he shook his head. "Congratulations, petty, little criminal. You just ruined their lives."
Zee, I have an imagine with f!Tenjiku executive!reader :3 So most of the original Tenjiku members are 18 (Izana, Ran, Shion, Mucho, Mochi); so imagine them crushing on you but the thing is that you treat them normally while doting on the members under 18. You're also 18, which is why you're waaay softer towards the ones younger than you because you view them as your younger siblings. Just imagine them seeing you spoil Kaku, Rin, Sanzu, Koko, Hanma, and even Kisaki tho.
(Hello love! I hope you enjoy reading this, I'm sorry it took me so long to get to. Had a nice little break but I'm back now! <3)
Being one of the only female members in tenjiku had its perk's and disadvantages, being in tenjiku was something you could always see yourself doing. The only messy parts were how many time's you'd be asked out by someone and have to repeatedly say no, occasionally having to knock one of them out. Mostly Ran and Shion
It wasn't a big secret a few of the older members had a crush on you, but truthfully you couldn't see yourself dating in your current situation, you saw everyone as your family ruining the relationships you had with them would crush you.
Mochi was the most understanding of your hesitation and backed off but keeping the offer up for a date night with him. Izana pouted but slowly understood and slowed down with his advances but still had his moments. Ran and Shion were the worst by far, both had convinced themselves you two are already dating and couldn't handle your no, literal tears streaming down their faces like you had murdered their family, eventually they got over it.
For the time being everyone was fine and gave you space and focused more on the gang. Until Izana saw you playing with kakucho's hair while singing to him, Ran seeing you feed Rindou when he said he wasn't feeling well and needed a moment, Mochi watching you clean off Kisaki's, and Hanma's wounds while scolding them, Shion watching how you'd gently trace over sanzu's scars whispering soft praises to him.
None of them could help the jealousy the boiled over them, mumbling about why you didn't baby them and give them the same treatment. It wasn't fair to any of them, they were part of tenjiku too so why didn't you ever baby them?
Ran and Shion were the first to confront you about to special treatment the younger members got, jealousy only growing as you waved them off saying "I treat them like that because their my babies." This answer had only slightly calmed the two down, not enough for them to ignore what they saw.
Everyone's jealousy quickly grew upon seeing how fast you'd drop everything and Everyone when the younger tenjiku members needed you. Their upset, Hurt, Hungry, Sick. You name it and you were there. The older members tried doing this but were met with a few annoyed sighs and small bickering.
Finally you opted to confront Mochi, Izana, Ran and Shion about their sudden behavior expecting something serious to be the issue at hand but were met with their Grumbles, Pouts, and Puppy dog eyes. After a few hours you all finally came to an agreement to baby the older members and even agreed to go on dates with them without having to date and break hearts. Izana was first to have you baby him, hands running through his hair while you sat in his lap laughing at the smile on his face.
