#soobin x reader

[soobinsoudesu]

ONE SUMMER, OVERDUE — choi soobin

Genre: city boy!soobin, small town romance, book rental shop, slow burn Word Count: 34.4k

When Choi Soobin is dragged to his grandparents' small hometown for the summer before his final year of university, he's prepared for two months of boredom. Instead, a trip to return his grandmother's books leads him to Y/N and her family's book rental shop, where one summer slowly becomes something neither of them expected.

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ choi soobin x fem! reader

a/n thank you for waiting patiently (this story lowk became my punching bag from exam stress), also there's a bit of an age gap 3 years. I hope you guys enjoy soobin's story.

Part of the Our Beloved Summer AU !

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐

The descent into Jeju International Airport always began with the same sudden drop in pressure, a momentary weightlessness that made Soobin’s stomach press against his ribs. He looked out the scratched double pane of the window, his forehead resting against the cool plastic molding. Below, the deep, bruised blue of the ocean gave way to the jagged, volcanic coastline of the island.

It was June of 2001. A year and a half after the world was supposed to end.

Back in late 1999, everyone in Seoul had been terrified of the Y2K bug, fearing planes falling from the sky, power grids collapsing, and digital history erasing itself at the stroke of midnight. People had hoarded canned goods and bottled water. But midnight had come and gone, the digital clocks had rolled over smoothly into the new millennium, and life had simply moved on.

To anyone else, Jeju was a paradise of recovery. To Choi Soobin, it was just a beautiful, inescapable cage.

He had been making this exact trip every single summer for as long as he could remember. When he was five, it meant scraping his knees on rocks and catching tiny crabs in tidal pools. When he was fourteen, it meant suffering through long, damp afternoons with zero reception on his digital pager, reading old comic books until his eyes blurred. Now, at twenty-two, it felt like an annual exile.

"Make sure you grab the heavy suitcase from the carousel, Soobin-ah," his mother’s voice broke through his thoughts as the plane taxied down the runway. She was already unbuckling her seatbelt the second the chime sounded, fixing her hair in a small compact mirror. "Your father packed those heavy ginseng sets for your grandparents. Don't let them drag on the floor."

"I know, Mom," Soobin muttered, stretching his legs as much as the cramped economy seating allowed.

He pulled his embroidered baseball cap lower over his eyes, following his parents through the bustling terminal. The airport was suffocatingly alive, packed with domestic tourists in bright linen shirts, families holding hands, and couples carrying matching straw hats. Everyone was vibrating with the frantic energy of a vacation, celebrating a new century that felt safe after all.

But Soobin wasn't on vacation. He was just relocating his stress.

As they walked through the automatic sliding doors of the arrivals terminal, the Jeju summer hit him like a physical wall. It wasn't the dry, baking heat of Seoul's asphalt jungles; it was a heavy, suffocating moisture that instantly glued his oversized grey t-shirt to his back. The air smelled thick—thick with salt, rotting seaweed, and the sweet, heavy scent of overripe tangerines from the gift shops lining the exit.

His father flagged down a white Hyundai Sonata taxi, speaking to the driver in a familiar, comfortable cadence. Soobin slid into the back seat, pressing his shoulder against the door as his parents filled the rest of the space. The air conditioning in the older car hummed loudly, blowing a weak, lukewarm breeze that smelled faintly of cheap hazelnut air freshener and old cigarette smoke.

As the taxi rattled away from the neon signs of Jeju City, heading toward the quiet eastern side of the island, the landscape began to shift dramatically. The small island was a place untouched by the heavy commercial tourism that would define its future. It felt raw, ancient, and deeply quiet—an island shaped entirely by wind, water, and volcanic rock.

Soobin rested his chin in his hand, staring out the window as the modern buildings faded into the background. In their place rose the island’s signature feature: the stone. Low, meandering walls called batdam—made from porous, pitch-black basalt rocks piled loosely on top of one another without a shred of mortar—weaved through the landscape like dark ribbons. They separated the narrow dirt paths from small patches of vibrant green garlic and sweet potato fields, a striking contrast of midnight-black stone against the emerald earth.

The taxi sped past rolling, undulating slopes that bled toward the sea. The iconic oreums—the small, extinct volcanic cones that dotted the countryside—rose like soft, grassy shoulders against a sky so blue it looked painted.

Because it was June, the fierce, biting winter winds had softened into a thick, salt-heavy breeze that slammed into the side of the car. Everywhere Soobin looked, the island was blooming. Patches of wild, bright yellow canola flowers still lingered in the ditches, and the deep green leaves of the tangerine orchards hung heavy over the stone walls, the tiny, unripe green fruits hiding like marbles among the foliage.

For his parents, this road was a return to roots, a nostalgic escape from their busy lives in the capital. For Soobin's older siblings, it was an obligation they had successfully dodged this year, both of them flying off to Europe and Japan with their respective partners. Soobin, being the youngest and still stuck under the thumb of a brutal engineering curriculum at Korea University and his parents, hadn't been given a choice.

“You look like a ghost, Soobin,” his mother had told him over fried chicken in their Seoul apartment just two days ago, her voice echoing in his memory as she chatted amiably with the taxi driver. “You’ve done nothing but stare at those thick problem sets and computer text for six months.”

As the car rounded a long bend, the coastline suddenly came into view. The black volcanic cliffs met the sea with a restless, rhythmic violence. The water wasn't the murky grey of the capital’s Han River; it was a brilliant, translucent turquoise near the shore that deepened into a moody, bottomless indigo further out. There were no massive luxury resorts or crowded high-rises here yet. Instead, the coastline was dotted only with the small, brightly colored buoys of the haenyeo and the occasional weathered wooden fishing boat tied to a concrete pier.

Soobin pulled his bulky, silver Samsung folder phone from his pocket. He flipped it open with a satisfying clack, checking the tiny screen.

No signal.

He couldn't even send a text message to his classmates back at Korea University, who were likely drinking beer in Anam-dong or listening to the latest g.o.d or Yoon Mi-rae tracks on their MP3 players. He held the phone up toward the window, twisting his wrist to the left, hoping to catch a single bar of reception from a distant tower. Nothing.

He let out a soft, defeated sigh, letting his head drop back against the vinyl headrest. The sun was high, baking the road until the heat shimmered over the asphalt. The island seemed to vibrate with a quiet, overwhelming presence that reminded him, with absolute certainty, that he was trapped. Two months of this. Two months of sun, silence, and absolutely nothing to do.

When the taxi finally pulled up to his grandparents’ home, the silence of the village was absolute, broken only by the rhythmic, distant roar of the ocean and the shrill, metallic buzz of cicadas hidden in the hackberry trees.

"Our student has arrived!"

His grandfather stood by the wooden gate, his face weathered and dark from a lifetime under the island sun, but his smile was wide and genuine. Before Soobin could even set the luggage down, his grandmother emerged from the kitchen, her hands dusted with flour. She immediately reached up, her small, wrinkled hands patting Soobin’s cheeks with enough force to make his teeth click.

"Look at you," she lamented, shaking her head. "So tall, but so thin. Do they not feed you at that fancy university? You look like a beanpole."

"I eat well, Halmeoni," Soobin smiled faintly, dimples showing as he leaned down so she didn't have to strain her arms.

"He does nothing but study," his mother chimed in, dragging her own bags into the courtyard. "He needs to clear his head. He's going to turn into a calculator if he stays in Seoul any longer."

Within an hour, his parents and grandparents were settled into the main room, the sliding doors thrown open to catch the faint sea breeze. A large watermelon had been cracked open, its red flesh sweating on a glass platter. The conversation flowed easily between the adults—gossip about distant relatives, the price of garlic, the upcoming typhoon season.

Soobin sat on the edge of the wooden veranda, his long legs dangling off the side. He held a slice of watermelon, staring blankly out at the courtyard.

"Don't waste your youth staring at nothing," his grandfather called out from inside, raising his glass of barley tea. "Go wash your face. If you're bored, take a walk down to the main road. The village hasn't moved an inch since last year."

Soobin closed his eyes, the heavy scent of his grandmother’s drying radishes filling his nose, wondering how on earth he was going to survive until August.

The heavy scent of scorched rice and boiling fish stew began to drift from the kitchen, mingling with the salt-sticky air of the courtyard.

"Come inside and eat before the food gets cold," his grandmother called out, slide-shuffling across the polished wooden floor of the main room.

Soobin pulled his long legs up onto the veranda, carefully ducking beneath the low wooden doorframe to slip inside. The center of the room was dominated by a heavy, low-lying wooden table that was practically groaning under the weight of the spread. There was a steaming pot of braised hairtail fish bubbling away, surrounded by an army of small side dishes: kimchi, japchae, salted squid, and a massive bowl of cold cucumber soup with ice cubes bobbing on top.

"Sit, sit," his grandfather instructed, gesturing to a floor cushion.

Soobin managed to fold his 185-centimeter frame into a cross-legged position, his knees awkwardly high. No sooner had his butt hit the cushion than the questioning began.

"Your mother says you’re studying how to build bridges and dams," his grandfather started, scooping a generous portion of the fiery red fish onto Soobin’s stainless-steel rice bowl. "Is that true? At that big school in Seoul?"

"Civil engineering, Hal-abeoji," Soobin corrected gently, lifting his chopsticks. "We're mostly focusing on fluid mechanics and material sciences right now."

"A calculator," his grandmother summarized with a firm nod, pouring him a glass of icy barley tea. "That's what I said. But tell me, Soobin-ah, do they even let you sleep up there? Last summer you had cheeks. Look at you now, your jaw is sharp enough to slice a radish. Are you skipping meals to buy those fancy computer books?"

"No, Halmeoni, I eat three times a day, I promise," Soobin said, his dimples peeking out as he took a big bite of the savory fish. The taste was instantly nostalgic—rich, spicy, and distinctly of the sea. "The coursework is just a bit heavy this semester. I had to stay up late for the design finals."

"And what about a girl?"

Soobin nearly choked on his radish. He coughed into his fist, his face instantly flushing a light pink that matched the watermelon rind.

His mother let out a loud laugh from across the table. "Oh, Mother, don't even ask. He spends all his weekends in the library or at the internet cafe looking at blueprints. I don't think he even knows what a girl looks like anymore."

"A young man at Korea University with no girlfriend? Absurd," his grandmother clucked her tongue, leaning forward and squinting at his face as if inspecting a piece of produce. "He has a good face. Clear skin. Tall like his uncle. You should be holding hands and walking under the cherry blossoms, not staring at computer screens. What about that girl from next door? The one who used to live next door with you?"

"Halmeoni, she’s married and has a kid," Soobin said, desperately trying to steer the conversation away from his nonexistent love life.

"See? Everyone is moving fast in the new century," his grandfather chuckled, pouring a small shot of local green-bottle soju for Soobin's father. "You city boys think too much. You analyze the wind instead of just feeling it. That’s your problem. You come down here, you need to empty your head. Stop calculating."

"He can't help it, Father," his mother sighed, though her eyes were warm. "He got his stubbornness from you."

For the next hour, the small room was a cacophony of clinking metal chopsticks, loud laughter, and the relentless barrage of grandparent trivia. They wanted to know if he was able to finish his internship, if he still listened to that "noisy music," and what his plan was after graduation.

Soobin mostly kept his head down, smiling and nodding, stuffing his mouth with food whenever a particularly difficult question about his future career path arose. It was overwhelming, suffocating in that uniquely loving way that only family could manage.

By the time the table was cleared, the afternoon heat had reached its peak. The adults, heavy with food and the humid air, began to doze off. His father was already snoring softly against a wooden armrest, and his mother was flipping through a local supermarket flyer.

Soobin slid back out onto the veranda, his stomach completely full but his mind feeling more restless than ever. He pulled out his silver folder phone again. He flipped it open. Still no service. Just the digital clock staring back at him: 02:14 PM.

The whole summer stretched out before him, vast, empty, and entirely unscripted.

The mid-day heat of early June didn't just rise; it stagnated, pooling into the low valleys and stone-walled courtyards of the eastern village until breathing felt like inhaling hot steam.

Inside the house, the atmosphere wasn't much better. Five days of rural confinement had officially broken Soobin's spirit. The initial novelty of his grandmother’s cooking had long since worn off into a numbing, humid routine, and the summer heat had only intensified, settling over the coastal town like a damp, heavy wool blanket. The menu today was cold kongguksu—a thick, creamy soy milk broth that tasted heavily of toasted sesame seeds, with ice cubes loudly clinking against the stainless-steel bowls, topped with a sparse, colorful heap of thin julienned cucumbers.

Soobin sat in his usual spot near the open sliding doors, slumped over so low his chest nearly touched his knees. He dragged his chopsticks through the thick, pale white broth, swirling a single ice cube around and around with all the enthusiasm of a prisoner marking days on a dark cell wall.

"Look at him," his grandmother said, pausing with her spoon halfway to her mouth. She didn't look at Soobin; she looked directly at his mother, pointing a sharp, silver-ringed finger at his miserably slumped shoulders. "Five days he’s been here, Seon-young. Five days of moping around the courtyard like a wet dog. His father asked him to go up the oreum to check the garlic patches—no. His grandfather asked him to go out on the boat to catch some mackerel—no. He just sits on the veranda, flipping that silver plastic toy open and closed. Clack, clack, clack. It’s driving me crazy. I'm going to throw that folder phone into the water if he doesn't stop."

"I have a remote design project due right when the autumn semester starts, Halmeoni," Soobin pleaded softly, his deep voice sounding muffled in the small room. He didn't lift his eyes from the soy milk. "I'm trying to mentally draft the stress analysis for a reinforced concrete retaining wall. If my calculations are off by even a millimeter—"

"Stress? You're twenty-two, what stress do you have?" his grandfather barked from the head of the table, though his heavily wrinkled eyes were twinkling with old-man amusement as he chewed a piece of salted squid. "In my day, stress was when the summer typhoon took the thatch roof right off the kitchen and we had to sleep under a fishing tarp. You sit in an air-conditioned room in Seoul and look at numbers on a glowing screen, and you call it stress?"

They clearly don't understand the engineering jargon, Soobin thought.

"Exactly," his grandmother clucked her tongue, lifting a massive heap of fiery, red radish kimchi from a stoneware dish and dropping it straight into Soobin’s bowl, splashing a tiny drop of white broth onto his grey shirt. "You need to be out doing things. Sweat it out! Look at the Choi family’s boy down the road—Yeonjun! He’s in his second year at Seoul National University now. His mother won't stop bragging about him at the morning fish market. Says he’s studying finance up there. And the Jeon's daughter? She’s up in Seoul too, top of her class. Everyone is doing something out in the world except our KU engineer, who looks like he’s practicing to become a stone statue."

Soobin closed his eyes, taking a long, slow sip of the cold broth to keep from groaning aloud. Yeonjun. He remembered Choi Yeonjun from the summers he has spent in Jeju. Hearing that he was at SNU now just felt like a personal, calculated attack from the universe.

"He's just tired, Mother," his mother defended him weakly, though she kept her focus entirely on her own bowl, picking out a stray sesame seed. "The Seoul air is full of yellow dust this year. He's just detoxing from the city."

"Well, he can detox while being useful to his elders," his grandmother said. She set her stainless-steel spoon down against the table with a definitive, heavy clack that signaled the absolute end of lunch.

She stood up, her small knees popping slightly in the quiet room, and shuffled over to the varnished chest of drawers sitting in the corner of the main room, right beneath a framed calligraphy scroll. When she turned back around, she was cradling a heavy, highly precarious stack of thick paperbacks against her apron. The spines were deeply creased, the edges yellowed from years of salt air and thumbing, and they gave off a strong, unmistakable scent of old ink, cheap glue, and basement dust.

"Since you're determined to do absolutely nothing but catch flies with your mouth open, walk these down to the main road," she instructed, dropping the heavy stack right next to his empty bowl. The wooden table shook, making his spoon rattle. "They’re historical epics about the Joseon dynasty. Five volumes in total. And they are nearly two weeks overdue."

Soobin blinked up at the mountain of paper, his engineering brain momentarily failing to process the sight of physical card-catalog sleeves sticking out of the tops. "A book rental shop? Halmeoni, it's 2001. Who still rents books?"

"The Liu’s rental shop has been sitting on that corner since before your father courted your mother, Choi Soobin," she cut him off cleanly, giving his broad, city-softened shoulder a firm, maternal slap that echoed through the room. "And he will give me a vicious earful at the town meeting this Friday if I keep them any longer. It's just past the intersection on the main street. Dongbaek Book Rental. Go on, get some sun on those pale shoulders before you blend into the wallpaper. And don't you dare lose the index cards inside them!"

Realizing there was absolutely no escape from the matriarch of the Choi family, Soobin let out a long, defeated sigh that puffed his cheeks out. 

The heavy wooden frame of the screen door slid shut behind Soobin with a hollow clack, cutting off the immediate drone of his mother and grandmother arguing over who would handle the leftover soy milk.

He stood alone in the narrow gravel courtyard, and the blinding June sun hit him like a physical blow to the chest. The light was flat and white, bleaching the color out of the old tiled roofs. The concrete under his shoes was baking, radiating waves of dry, shimmering heat that made the horizon look wavy. He shifted the heavy weight of the five volumes, the sharp cardboard corner of Volume Three digging right through his thin grey t-shirt into his ribs. They smelled heavily of his grandparents' house.

"Dongbaek Book Rental," Soobin muttered under his breath, his thumbs catching the bottom edge of the books to keep them from sliding onto the gravel.

He nudged the rusty iron gate open with his hip and stepped out onto the narrow village path. The silence of the early afternoon was absolute, heavy, and dead. In the peak heat of the day, even the village stray dogs had crawled deep beneath the shadows of the low basalt stone walls to sleep. The only movement was the occasional shimmer of a black dragonfly, and the only sound was the crunch of his own sandals on the dirt road, drowned out by the metallic, rhythmic scream of the cicadas hidden high in the hackberry trees overhead.

He walked down the sloping path, his tall frame casting a short, blocky shadow on the dry earth. To his left, past the low-slung batdam stone walls, the vibrant green sweet potato fields rolled out in waves toward the jagged shoreline, where the turquoise edge of the sea met the dark volcanic rocks. On any other day, a tourist might have stopped to take a photo with a disposable camera, but right now, a thick bead of sweat was trickling down the back of Soobin's neck, tracing the line of his spine before soaking into his waistband.

He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against his silver Samsung folder phone. He flipped it open out of pure habit.

No Service.

The digital clock on the small outer screen read 01:42 PM. He let out a soft, defeated sigh, letting his head drop forward as he turned the corner onto the village's single, two-lane asphalt strip.

The main street was entirely empty, saving for a rusted blue farm truck parked outside the hardware store. He passed the tiny local pharmacy with its faded green cross sticker peeling off the glass, then the small agricultural market where a few crates of bruised, early-season tangerines sat melting in the sun. Finally, tucked tightly between a silent barber shop and a shuttered rice mill, he found it.

Above the low doorway, a hand-painted wooden sign hung crookedly from two rusted metal chains: Dongbaek Book Rental. The red camellia logo was heavily weathered, the paint flaking away in small spirals from years of salt-heavy winter storms. A small wooden chalkboard stood by the entrance, though the previous week's rain had smeared the old chalk text into ghostly, illegible white streaks across the slate.

Soobin took a deep breath of the hot air, shifted the heavy mountain of novels to his left arm, and pushed the heavy glass door open.

A small brass bell chimes overhead—a crisp, clear ring that seemed to instantly cut through the heavy, vibrating noise of the cicadas outside.

The air inside the shop was a shock to his system. It was instantly cooler, trapped behind thick, vintage concrete walls and shaded by heavy, dark green velvet curtains that blocked out the midday glare. It didn't smell like the sea or the dirt outside; it smelled intensely of ink, cheap binding glue, aged wood pulp, and a faint, lingering hint of dried lavender sachets. Shelves made of dark, mismatched timber lined the narrow walls from the floor all the way to the water-stained ceiling, packed tightly with comic books, old martial arts serials, classic literature, and endless rows of thick, bound Korean manhwa. It was small, chaotic, and completely analog.

Soobin walked carefully down the narrow aisle, his shoulder accidentally brushing against a tall stack of Slam Dunk comic books piled precariously on a plastic stool.

"Hello?" he called out, his deep voice sounding strangely loud in the small, paper-packed room.

He approached the high wooden counter at the very back of the shop. The desk was a graveyard of old-world habits: a vintage blue stamping pad, small wooden boxes filled with alphabetized index cards, a half-empty glass of iced barley tea sweating profusely onto a newspaper crossword puzzle, and a mountain of returns waiting to be sorted.

Behind the counter, half-hidden by an open copy of a thick thriller novel, sat a girl.

When the bell chimed, she didn't rush, but she didn't ignore him either. She cleanly finished the sentence she was reading, slid a pressed green bookmark between the pages to hold her place, and set the novel down with a soft, careful touch.

When she lifted her head, Soobin’s breath caught slightly in his throat.

She was beautiful, but it wasn't the sharp, artificial, heavily styled beauty of the girls he usually saw crowded around the cafes in Sinchon or the Korea University campus. Her beauty was soft, radiant, and entirely unbothered by the heavy summer heat. She had warm, clear skin that held a very faint, healthy glow from the coastal sun, and her dark hair was pushed back in a headband, a few stray, wavy tendrils framing her face and the nape of her neck. Her eyes were large and clear, crinkling at the corners into a small, welcoming expression as she took him in.

She noted his height first, her eyebrows lifting slightly in mild surprise, before her gaze drifted to his clean Seoul clothes and the massive, clumsy stack of historical fiction novels cradled precariously in his arms.

"Hi there," she said, her voice surprisingly bright, carrying the gentle, melodic lilt of a partial Jeju dialect that sounded soft rather than harsh. "Can I help you return those?"

Soobin cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very large and very awkward in his oversized clothes. "Uh. Hello. Yeah. I'm here to return these for my grandmother. Choi Sun-ja?"

"Oh, Halmeoni Choi!" Y/N smiled, and the change in her face was striking. Her whole expression softened, a small, genuine smile showing near the corner of her mouth. She pulled one of the wooden index boxes toward her, her slender fingers flipping through the alphabetized cards with practiced ease. "I was wondering when we'd get these back. She’s the only one around here who can clear through a five-volume royal court epic before the month even ends."

She reached out across the counter. Soobin quickly dropped the heavy stack down, the wood groaning slightly. As she steadied the top book to keep it from tumbling, her fingers lightly brushed against his thumb. Her skin was cool despite the heat, smelling faintly of the lavender sachets tucked into the bookshelves.

She opened the back cover of the top volume, checking the paper sleeve where the little white stamped card lived. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she did the quick math in her head, her lips parting slightly.

"Ah," she said softly, looking up at him with a look of genuine, apologetic sympathy. "They’re about fourteen days overdue. The system automatically fixes it at... seven thousand won in late fees. I'm sorry, our system is kind of strict about the old classics."

"Seven thousand?" Soobin blinked, rubbing the back of his neck, though he couldn't even find it in himself to complain because she looked so genuinely apologetic about it. "Wow. Okay. For books that look like they survived the war."

Y/N let out a small, melodic laugh that sounded like a wind chime, her eyes curving into sweet crescents. "Hey, don't insult our treasures and the late fees are basically what keeps our single lightbulb from flickering out." She gestured up to the humming fluorescent tube overhead, giving him a playful, good-natured look.

Soobin smiled faintly, his own dimples finally making an appearance as he dug into his back pocket. He pulled out his leather wallet and flipped it open, only to feel a sudden jolt of dry panic. He had spent his last ten-thousand-won bill on a pack of gum and a drink at the airport kiosk. His wallet held nothing but his university debit card and a couple of Seoul subway tokens.

"Do you... take card?" he asked, holding the piece of plastic up sheepishly.

Y/N winced slightly, her expression incredibly sweet as she pointed to a little cracked plastic basket on the desk. "Ah, I'm so sorry. We really want to get a card terminal, but my dad says the line rental costs too much. We're cash-only for payments. There's a little dog sign right there."

Soobin looked down at the hand-drawn sign, which was mostly covered by a fading cartoon sticker. He felt a sudden wave of heat rush up his throat. "I don't have a single bill on me. Is there an ATM nearby?"

"The closest one is at the agricultural coop down by the main bus terminal," Y/N said, looking out the window at the blinding, white-hot street before looking back at him with an expression of pure pity. "But it's a twenty-minute walk in this sun. You'll completely melt before you make it halfway there."

Soobin looked down at his useless folder phone, then back at her warm, expectant face. "Can I... bring it by tomorrow? I promise I'm not running away. My grandparents live right up the lane."

Y/N paused, looking at his big, anxious eyes, and then she let out a soft, comforting hum. She reached under the counter and pulled out a large ledger bound in black electrical tape, flipping to a page marked with a neat, handwritten C.

"Tell you what," she said, picking up a blue ballpoint pen. "I’ll just write down that Halmeoni Choi’s very tall grandson promised to pay it tomorrow. That way, my dad won't see a missing balance on the daily sheet, and you don't have to get heatstroke walking to the coop." She looked up, flashing him a reassuring, warm smile. "Sounds fair?"

Soobin felt his heart give a strange, unfamiliar little thud against his ribs. "Yeah. Yes. Thank you. That's... really nice of you."

"Don't worry about it," she said smoothly, writing the note in neat, elegant cursive. As she finished, she leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her chin in her hands as she looked up at him with curious, friendly eyes. "So, you're visiting from Seoul? You definitely look like a city boy."

"Is it that obvious?" Soobin muttered, suddenly self-conscious about his grey shirt and pristine cap.

"In a village where everyone wears orange sun hats and rubber boots? Yes," she teased gently, her eyes sparkling. "Very obvious."

Soobin shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his long arms suddenly feeling empty without the heavy stack of books. Through the glass door behind him, the external world looked completely bleached out by the midday sun, the air visibly shimmering over the asphalt. The mere thought of stepping back out into that stifling, salt-heavy heat made a fresh wave of sweat break out along his collarbone.

He looked back at Y/N, then glanced down at the cool, shaded concrete floor of the shop.

"Um," Soobin began, his voice dropping an octave into that soft, hesitant register he used whenever he was stepping outside his comfort zone. "Would it be okay if I... just looked around for a little bit? Your AC is really nice, and honestly, if I go back out there right now, I think I actually might melt."

Y/N’s eyes crinkled into a warm, amused line, her dimple reappearing instantly. She straightened up from her elbows, gesturing generously toward the rows of dark wooden shelves that filled the narrow space.

"Of course," she said, her voice carrying that gentle, rhythmic Jeju lilt. "Stay as long as you need to cool down. My dad spent half of last year's earnings fixing that wall unit up there, so we might as well get our money's worth out of it. Just ignore the rattling noise it makes."

"Thank you," Soobin said, letting out a genuine sigh of relief that made his shoulders drop.

He took off his baseball cap, running a long hand through his dark hair to loosen the flattened strands, and stepped into the first aisle.

The transition from the blinding exterior to the dim, paper-scented labyrinth of the shop felt like diving underwater. The air here was perfectly still, cooled by the ancient, humming machine tucked high in the corner. As he walked deeper into the narrow rows, the walls of text seemed to swallow him up, muffling the distant, metallic scream of the cicadas outside until they were nothing but a faint, rhythmic pulse.

He wandered slowly, his large frame making the tight spaces feel even tighter. He had to tuck his elbows close to his sides to keep from knocking over loose stacks of old literary magazines.

To his left were rows upon rows of serialized martial arts novels, their covers boasting dramatic, ink-brushed illustrations of swordsmen. To his right were the comic books. He ran his index finger lightly along the spines of a complete set of Full House, the glossy covers slightly tacky from years of humid summer air and the fingers of countless local kids. Further down, he found the classic literature section—thick, heavy volumes with faded gold lettering on the spines, sitting quietly in the deepest shadows of the shop.

It was entirely different from the sterile, fluorescent-lit engineering library at Korea University, where every book was bound in uniform plastic and smelled of industrial adhesive. This place felt alive, every single cover bearing the invisible history of the people who had held it before him.

As he reached the end of the third aisle, he paused, looking through a gap between two loosely packed shelves.

From this angle, he could see back to the counter. Y/N had already reopened her thick thriller novel. The soft, golden light from a small desk lamp caught the side of her face, highlighting the delicate slope of her nose and the soft. She looked completely at peace, entirely unbound by the frantic, time-crushing anxiety that seemed to dictate every single life back in Seoul.

She turned a page, the crisp slip of the paper echoing softly in the quiet room.

Soobin pulled his eyes away, a strange, quiet warmth settling into his chest.

The heavy, suffocating humidity of the afternoon finally cracked as the sun began its slow descent behind the jagged purple silhouette of Hallasan Mountain. In its wake, the sky transformed into a breathtaking canvas of deep tangerine, violet, and dusty rose, casting a warm, copper glow across the volcanic stone walls of the courtyard. A cool, salt-laden evening breeze swept in from the coast, rustling the thick leaves of the hackberry trees and bringing the first real relief of the day.

With his father and grandfather still out at the village community center dinner was a much quieter affair.

Soobin’s grandmother had set up a small, portable butane stove on the wooden veranda patio. A thick, seasoned iron grill plate sat over the blue flame, sizzling loudly as strips of thick-cut, local black pork belly rendered down, sending a mouth-watering, smoky aroma into the twilight air.

Soobin sat cross-legged on a woven mat, his long legs tucked out of the way of the hot grease. He picked up a crisp piece of lettuce, spreading a dollop of savory ssamjang onto it before adding a perfectly grilled, sizzling piece of pork and a sliver of roasted garlic. He popped the whole thing into his mouth, his eyes closing in brief bliss.

"See? I told you the island air would bring his appetite back," his mother said, turning over another strip of pork with a pair of metal tongs. Her face looked soft and relaxed in the warm glow of the sunset. "He never eats like this in Seoul. Up there, it's just instant ramyun and cold coffee over his plates."

"It's because he actually did some work today," his grandmother clucked, sitting comfortably with her legs stretched out to the side as she fanned herself with a traditional paper fan. She peered at Soobin over the rim of her reading glasses. "Well? Did you make it down to the main road without fainting, my big-city scholar?"

Soobin swallowed, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Yeah. I returned them, Halmeoni. All five volumes."

"And? Did you see the owner's daughter behind the counter?" his grandmother asked, her sharp eyes twinkling with a sudden, mischievous curiosity that made Soobin pause mid-reach for his honey iced tea. "Did you talk to Y/N?"

Soobin’s hand hovered over his glass. Y/N.

The name sounded soft, rolling out in his grandmother's thick Jeju cadence, but it instantly brought back the vivid image of the girl from the afternoon—the way the dim golden light of the desk lamp had caught the soft curve of her nose, the scent of dried lavender clinging to the dark wooden shelves, and the bright, melodic sound of her laugh when he had stood there holding his useless debit card.

"I... I don't know," Soobin muttered, his cheeks warming slightly. He quickly took a sip of tea, hoping his mother would just mistake his red face for the heat radiating from the grill. "She didn't tell me her name. She was... really nice, though. She let me stay inside to cool down because of the AC."

His mother and grandmother exchanged a swift, knowing look across the sizzling grill. A collective, identical smirk bloomed on both of their faces.

"Oh, look at him," his mother teased, leaning forward and nudging Soobin’s arm with her elbow. "A girl lets him sit in the air conditioning for ten minutes, and our boy is already blushing."

"She really is a lovely girl," his grandmother chimed in, thoroughly enjoying the way Soobin was desperately trying to avoid their eyes by hyper-focusing on a piece of kimchi. "Her family has had a hard time keeping that shop open since the turn of the century, but Y/N works so hard to help her father. She’s smart, too. She’s starting her first year of university this August."

Soobin blinked, finally looking up from his bowl. "University? Where?"

His grandmother’s grin widened, delighted that she had successfully re-engaged him. "Right up in Seoul! She got into a good school up there… though i forgot which one was it. Her father was bragging about it at the market last week. She’s spending her very last summer here running the shop before she leaves the island."

"See? She'll be a freshman just as you're starting your final year," his mother added, nudging him again, her eyes dancing with amusement. "You two will be in the same city. Maybe you should offer to show her around Seoul. You know, since she was so nice to let you use her AC."

"Mom, please," Soobin mumbled, his dimples peeking out despite his best efforts to maintain a straight face. He felt a strange, fluttering sensation in his chest. The thought of the quiet, pretty girl from the bookshop navigating the crowded, chaotic subways of Seoul felt completely surreal.

"She told me I could pay the overdue fee tomorrow," Soobin said softly, trying to steer the conversation back to logistics, his deep voice almost lost beneath the steady, rhythmic chirping of the evening cicadas. "Since I didn't have any cash on me."

"Well, then you'd better not be late tomorrow, Choi Soobin," his grandmother warned, though her voice was entirely fond as she reached over to pat his knee. "And wear a nicer shirt this time. Don't go down there looking like a wet noodle. You have a reputation to uphold!"

Soobin let out a soft, embarrassed laugh, letting his head drop as the two women laughed at his expense. He looked out past the courtyard wall, where the very last string of golden sunlight was dipping below the ocean horizon, leaving behind a deep, star-speckled indigo. For the first time since he had arrived on the island, the thought of tomorrow didn't feel like a chore.

The morning heat arrived early and heavy, baking the volcanic earth until the air smelled faintly of hot pine and dried sea salt. Soobin stood in front of the small vanity mirror in his room, pulling a crisp, short-sleeved cotton button-down over his shoulders. He hesitated for a second before smoothing down the collar, his grandmother’s playful scolding from the night before echoing in his ears.

With crisps, seven 1,000-won bills tucked securely into his front pocket alongside his grandmother’s neat library card, he stepped out onto the sun-bleached main road.

The walk down to the book rental shop felt different today. Yesterday, he had been dragging his feet under the oppressive weight of the sun, desperate to just finish an errand. Today, despite the sweat already beginning to bead at his temples, his pace was light. The rhythmic, buzzing drone of the cicadas didn’t sound quite as grating.

When he reached the weathered wooden storefront, the heavy glass door was propped open a few inches with a smooth black basalt rock to catch whatever stray breeze rolled off the ocean. The old, boxy air conditioning unit was already chugging away, its steady, rhythmic rattle acting as a low bassline to the quiet morning.

Soobin pushed the door open, the small brass bell above him chiming softly.

The transition into the dim, paper-scented sanctuary immediately washed over him. Standing behind the dark wooden counter was Y/N. She was in the middle of stacking a fresh delivery of comic books, her hair pinned up today with a tortoiseshell claw clip that let a few soft, dark strands fall around her jawline. She wore a simple, light linen blouse that made her look perfectly suited for the coastal summer.

As the bell rang, she blinked up from the stack, her eyes landing on him. A slow, genuine smile broke across her face, her signature dimple making an immediate appearance.

"Oh," she said, her voice carrying that light, melodic Jeju lilt. "You actually came back. And you’re early."

"I promised I would," Soobin said. He stepped closer to the counter, suddenly hyper-aware of how tall he was in the low-ceilinged room. He slipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out the folded bills and the card, sliding them carefully across the polished wood toward her. "The 7,000 won for the late fee. And my grandmother’s card."

Y/N looked down at the crisp cash, then up at him, her eyes dancing with amusement. "You even flattened the bills. How diligent." She picked them up, her fingertips brushing lightly against his palm for a fraction of a second. The contact was brief, but it sent a quiet, electric warmth straight up his arm.

She opened the heavy, black-taped ledger, neatly scratching out the red ink beside his grandmother’s name with a fluid stroke of her pen.

"My grandmother told me last night that your name is Y/N," Soobin said softly, his deep voice sounding incredibly resonant in the quiet, empty shop. He rubbed the back of his neck, a faint pink hue touching the tips of his ears. "She... she speaks very highly of you."

Y/N’s pen paused for a second before she closed the ledger with a soft thud. She leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her chin in her hands as she looked up at him, her smile turning a bit mischievous. "Your Halmeoni is my favorite customer."

"Oh by the way, my dad told me this morning that your grandfather was bragging at the community center about his 'genius Seoul grandson' who goes to Korea University." she laughed, the sound bright and clear. 

She straightened up, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "August is coming up fast. I'm actually moving up to Seoul myself for university. It’s... a bit intimidating, honestly. It looks so massive on maps."

Soobin looked at her, seeing a flicker of genuine, quiet vulnerability behind her bright eyes. The confident, grounded girl who commanded this ancient bookshop suddenly looked a little small at the prospect of leaving her island behind.

"It is big," Soobin said gently, his tone shifting into something steady and reassuring. He leaned against the edge of the counter, dropping his shoulder to meet her eye level. "And it’s really loud. But... it’s not so bad once you find your own corner. If you ever get lost, or if you just need someone to show you where the good, quiet places are."

Y/N tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushing a soft, delicate pink that rivaled the Jeju sunset from the night before. She looked down at the counter, a small, private smile playing on her lips.

"I might just take you up on that," she murmured, looking back up to meet his gaze. 

The quiet, paper-scented sanctuary of the book rental shop was entirely replaced by the chaotic, sun-drenched noise of the local morning market.

The village square was a maze of brightly colored plastic tarps, wooden crates, and umbrellas flapping in the salt-heavy sea breeze. The air was a thick, sensory assault—the sharp tang of fresh-cut hairtail fish, the earthy scent of wet garlic bulbs, and the sweet, heavy perfume of summer fruits ripening under the July sun.

Y/N sat on a low plastic stool next to her mother behind a mountain of wooden crates filled with summer Hallabong oranges, her hair pulled back into a quick, practical braid to keep it off her neck in the thirty-four-degree heat.

"Smile a bit more, Y/N-ah," her mother scolded gently, sorting the fruits into neat, small pyramids. "People won't buy oranges from a girl who looks like she’s auditing a tax ledger."

"Mom, it's scorching, and we've been here since five in the morning," Y/N murmured, though a soft, dutiful smile tugged at her lips anyway. She picked up a small mesh bag, ready to pack the next order.

"Aigoo, look who it is! Seon-young’s boy!"

The loud, unmistakable voice of Halmeoni Choi pierced through the market chatter from just a few yards away.

Y/N’s shoulders stiffened slightly. She tilted her head up, her eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on a familiar, towering figure.

Soobin was navigating the narrow aisle between a vegetable stall and a dried-squid vendor, looking spectacularly out of place. He was practically a lighthouse in the middle of the crowded square, his tall height forcing him to duck under the low-hanging canvas tarps of the stalls. Today, he wore a simple, clean white t-shirt and loose navy shorts, carrying a woven grocery basket on his forearm like a clumsy armor shield. His grandmother was marching ahead of him, gripping his elbow tightly as if she were parading him through the village.

"Halmeoni, please, everyone is looking," Soobin muttered, his deep voice carrying over the noise, his cheeks already flushed a deep pink as he tried to pull his baseball cap lower.

"Let them look! A handsome boy helping his old grandmother carry radishes—there's no better advertisement for a good upbringing," His Halmeoni declared proudly, stopping right in front of the fruit stall.

Soobin officially looked up from his sneakers, his eyes instantly locking onto Y/N sitting behind the mountain of oranges. He froze, his hand tightening on the handle of the woven basket.

Y/N looked up at him from her low stool, her eyes widening slightly in surprise before a soft, amused expression washed over her face. Seeing the cool, logical engineering student from Seoul looking entirely helpless at the mercy of his grandmother was a view she hadn't expected.

"Oh, Sun-ja-ya!" Y/N’s mother greeted warmly, standing up from her crate. "Is this the famous grandson from the city? My goodness, he’s grown so tall! He looks like a movie star."

"Doesn't he?" Halmeoni Kim beamed, giving Soobin’s broad back a firm, proprietary swat that made him wince. "Soobin-ah, say hello. This is Y/N's mother, and this is Y/N. You returned my books to her the other day, didn't you?"

Soobin cleared his throat, his dimples flashing briefly out of sheer, panicked politeness as he bowed low, nearly knocking his cap against a stack of oranges. "Hello. I’m Choi Soobin."

"Hello, Soobin-ah," Y/N’s mother smiled warmly, then nudged her daughter's shoulder. "Y/N, give them the best oranges we have. Don't weigh them on the scale, just fill the bag."

Y/N stood up from her stool, her eyes meeting Soobin's as she reached for a yellow plastic bag. Up close, without the dark wooden counter of the rental shop separating them, he felt entirely too tall, his shadow completely blocking out the harsh morning sun above her.

"Hi," she said softly, her melodic Jeju lilt slipping out naturally. Her dark eyes sparkled with a quiet, shared amusement as she looked at his crimson ears. "I didn't expect to see you out here. I thought you'd be hiding from the heat today."

Soobin’s eyes shifted frantically to his grandmother, who was already deep in a passionate conversation with Y/N’s mother about the quality of the summer radish crop, then back to Y/N. He let out a quiet, flustered breath, adjusting the strap of the heavy grocery basket on his arm.

"My grandmother dragged me out at six in the morning," he whispered back, leaning down slightly so his deep voice wouldn't carry over the market roar. "She said if I stayed in bed any longer, my brain would turn into mush from my lifestyle."

Y/N let out a small, breathless laugh, a sound he had been thinking about for the past forty-eight hours. She began picking the largest, brightest oranges from the crate, her slender, fruit-stained fingers moving deliberately as she dropped them into the plastic.

"Well, you don't look completely melted yet," she murmured, leaning slightly over the crate, her eyes slanting into a teasing line. "Though I have to admit, seeing the city boy carrying a basket of radishes is a pretty good view."

Soobin rubbed the back of his neck, his dimples flashing briefly as his blush deepened. "Don't look too closely. I already dropped a bunch of green onions two stalls back."

Y/N smiled, folding the top of the heavy paper bag neatly before handing it across the crate to him. "Here. Tell your Halmeoni these are on us. And... since you're already out, are you coming by the shop later? A new batch of comic books actually came in this morning."

Before Soobin could answer her question about the comic books, Y/N’s mother cleanly cut back into the conversation. She patted his grandmother’s arm, but her keen, bright eyes were locked straight onto Soobin.

"Don't let him spend all his time locked up in that stuffy house, Sun-ja-ya," Y/N’s mother said, her voice easily carrying over the rumbling engine of a nearby delivery truck. She looked back at Soobin, her smile warm and completely open. "You know, our Y/N is moving up to Seoul this August for her first year of university. She doesn't know a single soul up there, and she’s already a bit nervous about navigating those massive subway lines."

"Mom," Y/N mumbled under her breath, her face instantly heating up to match the bright orange color of the Hallabongs in front of her. She gave her mother's apron a sharp, desperate tug. "He doesn't need to hear about that."

"What? It's true! It's a huge city," her mother declared playfully, waving a hand dismissively. She looked back at Soobin, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Since you're already up there and you know the layout, you two should exchange numbers before the summer ends. Look after her a bit when she gets to Seoul, okay? Show her where the safe streets are."

Soobin’s entire face flushed a brilliant, undeniable crimson that traveled straight down to the collar of his white t-shirt. He rubbed the back of his neck, his dimples flashing out of sheer, suffocating embarrassment as his grandmother proudly nodded along in total agreement next to him.

"I... I can definitely do that," Soobin mumbled, his deep voice dropping an octave as his eyes flicked shyly toward Y/N. "I'm usually on campus anyway."

Y/N quickly pushed the heavy plastic bag of oranges directly into his large hands to stop her mother from saying anything else, though she couldn't hide the soft, helpless smile pulling at her lips.

The afternoon heat had been thick enough to breathe, a heavy, static weight that hung over the coastal road as Soobin took his stroll. He had ventured further than usual, his hands shoved into the pockets of his shorts, his eyes tracked on the horizon where the open sea met a line of dark, bruised clouds.

He didn't notice the sudden shift until the wind changed. A sharp, cool gust swept in from the water, smelling heavily of ozone and salt. Before he could even look for a sky to read, the heavens simply cracked open.

It wasn't a gentle drizzle; it was a violent Jeju summer downpour.

Soobin ducked his head, his long legs eating up the asphalt as he bolted toward the only structure on this stretch of the road—a small, weathered concrete bus stop jutting out against the rocky edge of the coast. He burst under the rusted tin roof, panting, his white t-shirt already dotted with heavy, dark circles of rainwater.

He wiped the spray from his eyes, shaking his head like a dog, only to freeze when a soft, clearing throat echoed from the corner of the small shelter.

"You're going to catch a cold if you stand right in the splash zone like that."

Soobin blinked, pushing a wet strand of hair from his forehead.

Y/N was sitting on the narrow, faded wooden bench built into the concrete wall. She sat up straight, her feet planted firmly on the ground and her hands resting neatly in her lap. She was wrapped in an oversized, lightweight cardigan, while her small canvas tote bag sat securely beside her.

"Y/N," Soobin said, his deep voice caught in his throat as he stepped further under the awning. "You're here too."

"I was on my way back from delivering a box of historical novels to Mrs. Jeon up the hill," she explained, shifting her legs to the side to make room on the bench. She patted the worn wood. "Sit. The wind is kicking the rain sideways. If you stand there, you'll be soaked in five minutes."

Soobin hesitated, suddenly hyper-aware of how small the bus stop was. When he sat down, the wooden bench creaked under his weight, his tall frame naturally forcing him to slouch so his head wouldn't hit the low tin roof. Their shoulders didn't touch, but the space between them was close enough that he could feel the faint, radiating warmth of her skin against the damp chill of the storm.

In front of them, the view was entirely open to the sea. The horizon had completely vanished, swallowed by a massive, gray wall of falling water that violently churned the dark blue waves below. The rhythmic, deafening roar of the rain hitting the tin roof above them created a strange, isolated pocket of absolute privacy. It felt like the rest of the island had been completely erased.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. They just watched the storm.

"Do you get rains like this in Seoul?" Y/N asked softly, her voice low but clear over the steady drumbeat of the roof. She didn't look at him, her eyes fixed on the white foam crashing against the black basalt rocks below.

Soobin turned his head slightly, watching the side of her face. The gray, muted light of the storm caught the delicate slope of her jaw and the dark, wet lashes of her eyes.

"Sometimes," Soobin replied, his voice dropping into that steady, grounding register. "But it feels different up there. In the city, when it rains like this, everyone runs into subways or department stores. You just see a sea of umbrellas and people looking irritated because their shoes are ruined. It feels... claustrophobic."

He looked back out at the vast, roaring ocean. "Here, it just feels like the island is taking a breath."

Y/N turned her head, a soft, thoughtful expression in her eyes as she looked at him. "You say very beautiful and poetic things, Choi Soobin."

Soobin’s dimples flashed briefly, a faint, flustered pink touching his ears despite the cool breeze. He idly rubbed his palms against his knees. "It's just logic. Everything has a rhythm. You just notice it more when there aren't any buildings blocking the view."

Y/N let out a small, breathless laugh, her shoulders relaxing as she swayed her legs. "I used to hate the rain here when I was little. It meant the bookshop smelled like damp paper, and nobody would come down the road for hours. It felt so lonely."

She paused, her fingers idly tracing a knot in the wooden bench between them. "But sitting here now... with you... it doesn't feel quite as empty."

The admission was quiet, slipping out so naturally into the roar of the storm that it took Soobin a beat to process it. He looked down at her hand on the bench, just inches from his own. His heart gave a distinct, heavy thud against his ribs, a sudden spike of warmth rushing through him that had nothing to do with the summer heat.

"I'm glad I took a stroll today then," Soobin murmured, his voice incredibly gentle, his dark eyes locking onto hers as she looked up.

Y/N’s cheeks flushed a soft, delicate pink, her gaze holding his for a long, breathless moment while the rain continued to wall them in from the rest of the world. A small, private smile played on her lips, and for the first time, the upcoming month of August didn't feel like a hard boundary—it felt like a continuation.

The sheet of rain grew even denser, transforming the sea into a blurred slate of charcoal and frothing white. The heavy droplets didn’t just fall; they slapped against the asphalt road, creating a low, dancing mist that hovered a few inches above the ground. The sharp, metallic scent of the rusted tin roof mixed with the deep, earthy perfume of the wet soil from the sweet potato patches behind them. Every few seconds, a particularly fierce gust of wind would drive a spray of fine, icy mist under the awning, speckling Soobin’s bare shins and the hem of Y/N’s oversized cardigan with cold beads of water.

Y/N shivered slightly, pulling the sleeves of the cardigan down completely until only her fingertips peeked out.

"Are you cold?" Soobin asked immediately, his eyes shifting down to her tucked-in frame. He instinctively shifted closer to the edge of the bench, using his broad shoulders to block the open side of the shelter where the mist was blowing in.

"Just a little," she said, looking up at him through her lashes. The sudden shift in his position brought him so close that she could smell the clean, laundry-detergent scent of his t-shirt beneath the heavy smell of the rain. "But it's a good kind of cold. It makes you feel awake."

Soobin rested his elbows on his knees, his large hands loosely clasped together as he stared at the puddles forming at their feet. Y/N watched the way his long frame seemed to take up almost the entire shelter, his presence grounding the small space against the roaring storm outside.

"How long have you actually been coming down to Jeju?" she asked suddenly, her voice cutting through the steady thrum-thrum of the rain above their heads. "I mean, I know your grandparents live here, but did you use to visit a lot when you were younger?"

Soobin turned his head slightly, a small, nostalgic smile lifting the corner of his lips. "Since I was a kid. My parents used to drop me off here every single summer vacation. I’d spend two whole months running around the docks, getting sunburned, and helping my grandfather sort his fishing nets."

Y/N tilted her head, a thoughtful expression in her eyes as she did the mental math. With him being twenty-two and a senior in university, and her turning nineteen and preparing for her freshman year, their paths felt like they should have crossed at some point on this tiny island.

"That's funny," she murmured, her dark eyes reflecting the cool, gray light of the afternoon. "If you've been coming here that long, we must have been running around the same square. But I don't remember seeing you at all until this week."

"Well, think about it," Soobin said, his deep voice carrying a soft, amused rumble. "When I was fourteen and trying to look cool riding my grandfather's rusty bicycle down by the pier, you were probably an eleven-year-old running around the elementary school playground with ice cream all over your face."

Y/N let out a bright, indignant laugh—that clear, wind-chime sound that temporarily erased the damp chill of the storm. She reached out from her long sleeve and lightly nudged his arm with her elbow. "Hey! I was a very dignified eleven-year-old, thank you very much. I was already helping my dad alphabetize the fiction section by then."

"See? We were in completely different worlds," Soobin smiled, his dimples cutting deep into his cheeks as he accepted the playful nudge. "By the time you were old enough to actually hang out at the pier, I was already in high school up in Seoul, preparing for university exams and spending my summers trapped in academy classrooms."

Y/N’s smile softened a bit, her chin drifting back down to rest on her knees as she looked back out at the churning gray waves. "I guess three years feels like a big gap when you're younger. You probably would have thought I was just an annoying kid back then."

"Probably," Soobin teased gently, though his eyes were warm as he looked at her. He shifted slightly on the bench, his shoulder brushing against hers for a fleeting second. "But we're both heading to Seoul in August now. The gap doesn't really matter anymore, does it?"

Y/N turned her head back to meet his gaze, her cheeks warming with a soft, delicate pink that had nothing to do with the cool mist of the rain. A small, private smile played on her lips, the steady rhythm of the storm creating a quiet world where it was just the two of them, finally catching up on the time they'd missed.

"Though," Y/N murmured, her voice dropping into a softer, more reflective tone as she watched a heavy droplet trace a jagged path down the concrete wall, "it's weird to think that while you were up there getting used to the massive crowds and the tall buildings, I was still right here. Watching the same tide come in and out."

Soobin followed her gaze out to the water. "Do you think you'll miss it too much?"

"I think I'll miss the quiet," she admitted honestly. She uncurled her legs slightly, letting her sneakers tap against the damp floor. "Here, if I want to think, I just walk until I hit the sand. In Seoul, where do you go when your head gets too loud?"

Soobin leaned back against the concrete wall, his head tilting up toward the dark tin roof. "You find small pockets. A quiet corner in the university library after 9 PM. A bench by the Han River when it's freezing cold and no one else wants to sit outside. Or..." He paused, turning his head to look at her profile. "You find a person who feels like home."

The words hung in the space between them, weighted and clear against the roaring backdrop of the heavy rain shower.

Y/N’s fingers stilled against the rough wood of the bench. She turned her head slowly, her dark eyes locking onto his. The playful banter from a few moments ago had entirely evaporated, replaced by a thick, magnetic stillness.

"And did you?" she asked softly, her breath catching slightly. "Did you find a person like that up there?"

Soobin looked at her—at the damp tendrils of hair framing her face, the oversized cardigan that swallowed her frame, and the steady, unblinking gravity of her gaze. His heart gave a sharp, heavy thud against his ribs.

"No," he said, his voice dropping into a low, completely honest register. "Not yet."

A sudden, fierce gust of wind rattled the tin roof violently, throwing a heavy spray of cold ocean mist right across the open front of the shelter. Y/N blinked, instinctively shrinking back from the wet chill.

Instead of reaching out to touch her, Soobin simply shifted his weight. He planted his sneakers firmly on the concrete floor and leaned forward, his broad back and shoulders acting as a physical wall against the open side of the bus stop. He caught the brunt of the cold mist across his own arm and t-shirt, completely blocking it from hitting her side of the bench.

Y/N looked up, realizing what he was doing. She looked at his damp shoulder, just inches away from her face, and then up at his jawline, which was tight with a sudden, nervous tension.

"You're going to get soaked if you keep doing that," she murmured, though her voice carried a soft, undeniable warmth.

"I'm bigger," Soobin muttered, his eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead as his ears turned a bright, furious pink. "I can take the hit."

Y/N looked down at her lap, a small, genuine smile pulling at her lips. She didn't say anything else, but she didn't shift away from his shadow, either.

Outside, the heavy bounces of the droplets were finally beginning to thin out, the violent drumming on the tin roof slowing down into a quiet, rhythmic patter. A faint, pale streak of silver light broke through the edge of the charcoal clouds, casting a glassy reflection across the wet asphalt.

"The rain is stopping," Y/N whispered, breaking the quiet space between them.

Soobin looked out at the breaking sky, his shoulders relaxing just a fraction as the wind died down. For the first time all week, he found himself genuinely wishing a Jeju storm would last just a little bit longer.

"Yeah," Soobin murmured, his deep voice carrying a quiet note of regret as he looked back down at her. "It is."

The next afternoon, the book rental shop was quiet, trapped in the lazy, thick lull of a mid-July heatwave. The heavy glass door was propped open with a brick to let in the faint, salt-tinged breeze, but the air inside still smelled deeply of aged paper, old glue, and the faint, sweet scent of the barley tea Y/N’s father had brewed that morning.

Y/N sat behind the high wooden counter, the slow whir-clunk of an old green electric fan oscillating back and forth across her face. She was idly running a stamp over a fresh stack of library cards, the rhythmic thud-thud of the rubber against ink the only sound in the room. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun today, a few stray hairs curling at the nape of her neck from the humidity.

The shadow that suddenly blocked out the bright afternoon sun in the doorway was too tall to belong to any of the neighborhood kids.

The small brass bell above the door gave a light, familiar chime.

Y/N looked up, her hand pausing mid-stamp.

Soobin stepped into the shop, letting out a long breath as the cold air hit him. Today, he looked thoroughly dressed for the coastal heat—wearing a baggy, short-sleeved linen button-up shirt in a soft cream color, left open over a plain white tank top, paired with loose khaki shorts that hit just below his knees. 

When his gaze landed on Y/N behind the counter, a small, involuntary smile pulled at his lips, his dimples flashing briefly in the dim light of the shop.

"Hi," he said, his deep voice sounding incredibly soft in the quiet sanctuary of the room. He let the door close gently behind him, stepping onto the worn wooden floor.

"Look who it is," Y/N murmured, setting the rubber stamp down on the desk. A slow, teasing smile crept onto her face as her dark eyes locked onto his. "Hey city boy, I see your shoes aren’t muddy anymore."

Soobin rubbed the back of his neck, his ears instantly warming with a faint pink tint as he walked closer to the counter. "I scrubbed the clay off my sneakers last night. My grandmother threatened to make me sleep on the porch if I brought the hill mud into her living room."

Y/N let out a small, breathless laugh as she leaned her elbows on the dark wood of the counter, propping her chin in her hands as she looked up at him.

"Well, thank Halmeoni for saving your shoes," she said, her voice dropping into a softer, playful register. "So, did you actually come to browse, or are you just hiding from the sun again?"

"I came for the new comic books," he said softly, his dark eyes holding hers, a quiet, steady confidence behind them. 

Y/N’s lips parted slightly, her heart giving a small, unexpected skip before she quickly recovered her usual playful demeanor. She slid her chin out of her hands and stood up straight, turning toward the small rolling metal cart parked right behind the counter.

"Well, you're in luck," she said, her voice carrying a light, proud note as she lifted a thick, glossy graphic novel from the very top of the stack. "They arrived in the morning crate. I haven't even had the chance to put the plastic protective sleeves on them yet, but I figured I'd save the first read for our VIP customer."

She turned back around and set the book down on the counter between them. The cover was bright and colorful, a stark contrast to the old, sun-faded romance novels lining the walls of the shop.

"Volume four," Y/N murmured, tapping the glossy cover with her index finger, her eyes slanting into a teasing line as she looked up at him.

Soobin looked down at the book, but his eyes quickly drifted back up to her face, a warm, helpless smile breaking across his features. His deep dimples cut into his cheeks as he leaned his forearms against the cool wood of the counter, bringing himself a little closer to her eye level.

"Don't just stand there blocking the aisle," Y/N murmured, a playful glint in her eyes as she patted the empty space on the counter right next to her ink pad. "Pull up that stool from the corner. You can read right here while I go over the overdue member cards. I need someone to keep me awake anyway."

Soobin’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he didn't hesitate. He grabbed the high plastic stool and settled in right beside her, his long legs tucked under the ledge.

For the next hour, the shop fell into a comfortable, easy silence, completely sealed away from the humid June heat outside. Under the steady, cool flow of the air conditioner, the only sounds were the crisp slip of Soobin turning the pages of volume four and the soft rustle of Y/N sorting through the thick yellow index cards.

Slowly, the rhythmic sorting of the cards began to drag. The cool air hitting Y/N's face felt a little too comfortable, and her eyelids grew heavier with every passing minute. Eventually, her head began to droop. Giving in to the afternoon slump, she crossed her arms over the cool wooden counter and let her head rest sideways on them, drifting into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Soobin reached the end of a chapter and went to turn the page, but the sudden, total absence of any shuffling cards beside him made him pause.

He glanced over.

Y/N was fast asleep, her face nestled into the crook of her elbow. The gentle breeze from the AC vent above was catching a few loose strands of hair that had escaped her bun, blowing them softly across her cheek.

Soobin froze, his hand hovering over the edge of the comic book page. He stared at her for a long moment, his chest tightening with a sudden, hyper-aware nervousness. The shop felt entirely too quiet now. A slow, helpless smile tugged at his lips, his deep dimples appearing as he looked at how soft and relaxed she looked.

Careful not to make a sound, he gently reached out and picked up the heavy ink pad she’d left open, snapping the lid shut so it wouldn't dry out. He then slid the stack of overdue cards a few inches away from her arm so she wouldn't accidentally wrinkle them in her sleep. He didn't want to wake her, but he also didn't want to stop looking at her.

Yielding to the heavy, lazy atmosphere of the room, Soobin carefully folded his own arms on the counter, mirroring her position. He lowered his head onto his sleeves, turning his face toward her so he could quietly watch her sleep while the afternoon hours drifted away.

But the rhythmic, quiet sound of her breathing and the cool air of the shop were too comforting. Within twenty minutes, Soobin’s own eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off right beside her.

Another hour slipped away in the quiet sanctuary of the shop.

When Y/N’s eyelids finally fluttered, she let out a long, groggy breath. Her mind was still trapped in a thick fog, her cheek pressed warm against the soft knit of her cardigan sleeve. She slowly blinked her eyes open, her vision blurry as she adjusted to the soft, shadowed light of the room.

As the blurry shapes sharpened, her breath caught entirely in her throat.

She was looking directly into Soobin’s face.

Because they were both laying flat on the wood, they were completely face-to-face, barely a few inches of space separating them.

Soobin was still fast asleep. His eyelashes were completely still against his cheeks, and a few loose, dark strands of hair had fallen over his forehead, shifting gently with the steady rhythm of his breathing. Without the nervous, shy tension he usually carried around his broad shoulders, his face looked incredibly soft and boyish.

Y/N didn't move an inch. She stayed completely frozen, her heart suddenly executing a loud, erratic thud against her ribs that felt loud enough to wake him. She just stared at him in the quiet, air-conditioned bubble, taking in the sharp line of his nose and the faint, relaxed curve of his lips.

The sharp shriek of the stool never happened. Instead, the quiet of the shop remained entirely unbroken.

When Soobin’s eyes slowly blinked open, he didn't instantly scramble back. He couldn't. His brain was still heavy with sleep, and the view directly in front of him—Y/N looking right back at him with her soft eyes—felt less like reality and more like the tail end of a very good dream.

Neither of them moved.

The space between them was so small that Y/N could feel the soft, cool puff of his breath against her cheek every time he exhaled. She stayed perfectly still, her hands tucked securely under her arms on the wooden counter, her heart hammering a fierce, loud rhythm against her ribs. She braced herself for him to jump up, to turn bright red, to apologize—but he just stayed there.

Soobin’s gaze drifted lazily from her eyes down to the small, to the tip of her nose, then down to her lips, before rising back up to hold her gaze. The shy, nervous wall he usually kept up during the day was completely gone, melted away by the deep afternoon slumber. There was only a heavy, magnetic stillness left in its place.

Slowly, the sleep began to clear from the edges of his eyes, but he still didn't pull away. A tiny, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his plush lips, his left dimple making a faint, shallow appearance against the dark wood of the counter.

"Hi," he whispered, his deep voice carrying a thick, incredibly low rasp that vibrated right through the wood between them.

Y/N’s fingers curled slightly into the fabric of her sleeves. A delicate, warm flush crept up her neck, but she didn't look away either.

"Hi," she whispered back, her voice barely louder than the hum of the air conditioner above them.

They stayed like that for a long, suspended moment—just two people level with each other on a worn wooden counter, quietly sharing the cool, shadowed air while the rest of the island baked in the June sun outside.

The heavy ticking of the wall clock seemed to slow down, marking the seconds in the quiet room.

Soobin didn't break eye contact. Slowly, carefully, as if testing whether he was allowed to, he shifted his arm forward just a fraction of an inch on the smooth counter. His large knuckles grazed the edge of her father's oversized cardigan sleeve. It was a tiny, tentative point of contact, but it sent a sharp, electric jolt straight through the sleepy haze between them.

Y/N’s breath hitched, her eyes widening slightly as she looked down at where his hand met her sleeve, then back up to his face.

The silence stretched, shifting from comfortable to a sudden, thick tension that made the cool air in the shop feel entirely too warm. Soobin’s ears began to catch up to his quiet confidence, a slow, deep pink spreading across the edges of them, but his gaze remained steady, anchored completely to hers.

Finally, the brass bell above the front door let out a loud, sudden chime as the glass door swung open.

"Y/N-ah! Are the morning newspapers still—"

The booming voice of Mr. Lee from the hardware store next door cut through the sanctuary like a thunderclap.

Soobin sat up so fast his head nearly clipped the low-hanging menu board above the register. His chair scraped back with a loud, awkward thud, his large hands immediately flying to his face to rub at his eyes, trying desperately to look like he hadn't just spent the last two hours napping.

Y/N scrambled to her feet, her face burning a brilliant, undeniable crimson as she smoothed down her skirt with trembling hands. "M-Mr. Lee! Yes! They're right here!" she called out, her voice a full octave higher than usual as she reached blindly for the stack of papers on the side desk.

Mr. Lee walked into the air-conditioned room, wiping his brow with a handkerchief, completely oblivious to the thick, breathless atmosphere he had just walked into. He looked between Y/N’s bright red face and Soobin, who was currently staring intensely at the cover of the comic book as if it held the secrets to the universe, his entire neck flushed dark red.

"Whew, it's freezing in here," Mr. Lee muttered, tossing a few coins onto the counter. "You kids look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong, is the AC too strong?"

"No!" Y/N and Soobin blurted out at the exact same time.

Y/N quickly handed over the paper, her eyes darting sideways to Soobin, who finally chanced a look back up at her through his dark fringe. As Mr. Lee took his papers and walked back out into the July heat, the bell chiming behind him, a small, helpless laugh bubbled up in Y/N’s throat.

She looked at Soobin, whose shoulders had finally slumped in total, flustered defeat.

"Well," Y/N murmured, her dimple peeking out through the blush still lingering on her cheeks. "Did you... actually finish the book? Or did you just use volume four as a pillow?"

Soobin let out a low, embarrassed groan, burying his face in his large hands for a brief second before looking up at her through his fingers. The tips of his ears were still entirely crimson, but a shy, helpless smile broke through his flustered expression.

"I finished it," he promised, his deep voice still holding a bit of that thick, raspy edge from sleep. He cleared his throat and carefully pushed the graphic novel a few inches closer to her, his long fingers tapping the glossy cover. "Every single page. Right up until the main character got to the city."

Y/N leaned her hip against the counter, crossing her arms to try and steady the lingering flutter in her chest. "And? What did you think?"

Soobin looked up at her, his dark eyes softening as the initial panic of being caught by Mr. Lee finally began to fade. He rested his chin in his hand, looking up at her from his stool with a quiet, steady warmth that made the cool air of the shop feel incredibly still again.

"It was good," he murmured softly. "But I still think the author made a mistake."

Y/N tilted her head, her eyes slanting into a curious, playful line. "A mistake? Why?"

"Because," Soobin said, his deep voice dropping into that quiet, grounding register that always made her heart skip a beat. "He spent three whole chapters showing how terrifying and lonely the city is. But he forgot to mention that if you have the right person going up there with you... it doesn't really matter how big or loud the place is."

Y/N’s chest tightened, a familiar, bright warmth blooming all the way to her cheeks. She bit her lower lip to suppress a smile, leaning back slightly against the counter and tilting her head to look down at him.

"Is that so?" she teased softly, her voice carrying a playful, skeptical lilt despite the erratic fluttering of her heart. She tapped her lip thoughtfully with an index finger. "I didn't realize you could be such a romantic, Choi Soobin. Are you sure you weren't reading from the romance section while I was asleep?"

Soobin’s eyes widened slightly, and he instantly looked down at the counter, a helpless, bashful chuckle vibrating in his chest. His deep dimples cut hard into his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck, his ears flaring that beautiful, telltale pink again.

"I'm just stating a logical fact," he mumbled into his shoulder, though the soft, affectionate look he shot at her through his dark fringe entirely gave him away. "It's simple logic—"

Ring-ring!

The sharp, loud jangle of the old plastic landline telephone on the wall behind the counter cut him off completely.

Both of them jumped slightly, the sudden noise breaking the quiet, heavy tension that had settled between them once more. Y/N blinked, shaking off the spell of his gaze, and quickly turned around to grab the heavy green receiver off the hook.

"Hello? Dongbaek Book Rental," she said into the mouthpiece, smoothing down her skirt with her free hand as she tried to make her voice sound completely professional.

Soobin stayed on his stool, his shoulders relaxing as he quietly watched her back. He traced a slow, idle circle on the glossy cover of the comic book, his mind still entirely replaying the way she had looked at him just seconds before, a soft, permanent smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

A little while later, after the shop duties were wrapped up, Soobin was finally about to leave.

Y/N stepped out onto the narrow wooden porch with him, instantly greeted by the thick, heavy blanket of the evening July humidity. The village was quiet, bathed in a deep, bleeding orange sunset that cast a warm glow over the coastal road. The breeze blowing off the nearby coast carried the faint, salty tang of the sea, rustling the low leaves of the trees bordering the gravel path.

They stood near the steps, giggling and smiling softly at each other over a silly inside joke about his long afternoon nap, completely lost in their own little bubble.

"Oh, Soobin-ah! You're still here?"

The warm, familiar voice broke their bubble. Y/N’s mother was walking up the narrow path, holding a heavy plastic grocery bag in each hand. Having already met him at the bustling market yesterday, she offered him a bright, instant smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Liu," Soobin blurted out, his laughter cutting off as he quickly dropped into a rigid, perfectly respectful ninety-degree bow that nearly sent his graphic novel flying from under his arm.

Mrs. Liu set the heavy plastic grocery bags down on the bottom step with a soft, tired exhale, the crinkling sound loud in the quiet evening air. She looked between the two kids, her sharp eyes instantly catching the soft, lingering curve of Y/N’s smile and the sheer, deer-in-headlights panic that had taken over Soobin’s towering frame. A deeply pleased, knowing smile crinkled the corners of her eyes.

"I just came back from the market with three massive crates of summer radish and napa cabbage," Mrs. Liu continued, lifting a hand to wipe the sheen of sweat from her brow. "Halmeoni and I are planning to spend the entire morning putting together a big batch of summer kimchi. My back is already aching just thinking about wrestling those heavy earthenware jars around the yard."

She turned her gaze fully onto Soobin, her eyes twinkling with a thoroughly transparent, matchmaking energy.

"You have such good strength, Soobin-ah," Mrs. Liu said smoothly, her tone a perfect blend of maternal warmth and subtle calculation. "Why don't you come over around one tomorrow afternoon? Help us move the heavy jars, and you can stay for dinner. I'll make sure you get a massive plate of fresh, bossam and warm kimchi. What do you say?"

Soobin blinked, his brain momentarily short-circuiting under the sudden invitation. His heart gave a nervous, erratic flutter against his ribs—not just from the pressure of wanting to be helpful to Y/N’s mother, but at the thrilling, terrifying prospect of spending an entire day at her house. His dark eyes darted frantically past Mrs. Liu’s shoulder, silently begging Y/N for a lifeline.

Y/N stood a step behind her mother, her face burning a brilliant, undeniable crimson that rivaled the sunset. Her heart was hammering a furious rhythm against her chest as she frantically shook her head, her hands making small, desperate chopping motions in the air. You don't have to say yes! she mouthed silently, terrified her mother was going to tease them to death.

But Soobin, ever the polite, eager-to-please boy from the city, couldn't possibly bring himself to refuse. Looking down at Mrs. Liu, a helpless, incredibly endearing smile broke across his handsome features, his deep dimples cutting sharp lines into his cheeks. The tips of his ears flared a bright, telltale pink against his dark fringe.

"I would love to help, Mrs. Liu," Soobin said softly, his deep voice dropping into a respectful, gentle register. He bowed his head low, the glossy comic book still securely clamped under his arm. "Thank you for inviting me. I'll be here at one sharp."

Y/n’s mother beamed, highly satisfied with her recruitment, while Y/N let out a quiet, defeated groan, covering her burning face with both hands as the warm June evening swallowed up the last traces of the sun.

Mrs. Liu’s smile widened, her eyes crinkling into small, triumphant crescents as she picked up the crinkling grocery bags from the step.

"Wonderful," she declared, her tone thoroughly satisfied. "Make sure you come with an empty stomach, Soobin-ah. I don't tolerate light eaters in my house, especially not boys who are working hard."

"I have a great appetite, Mrs. Liu, I won't disappoint you," Soobin promised quickly. He gave another small, polite nod, his posture still impossibly straight, though a soft, boyish chuckle escaped him.

Mrs. Liu shifted the bags to one hand and gave his broad shoulder an affectionate, firm pat as she stepped past him onto the porch. "I’m holding you to that. Now, go home before it gets entirely dark. Y/N, come inside and help me unload these before the ice cream melts."

"Coming, Eomma," Y/N murmured.

As her mother disappeared inside the shop, the screen door bouncing shut with a soft clack, the heavy twilight silence settled over the porch once more.

Y/N lowered her hands from her face, her cheeks still radiating a deep, stubborn heat. She looked up at Soobin, who was standing at the bottom of the steps now, looking up at her through his messy dark bangs. The deep orange of the sunset had completely bled into a soft, dusky purple, making the shadows around his sharp jawline look incredibly soft.

"You really didn't have to say yes," Y/N said, a helpless, quiet laugh bubbling up in her throat. "My mom is going to put you to work like a rented mule, and Halmeoni will probably make you chop garlic until your fingers turn numb."

Soobin let out a low, grounding chuckle, his shoulders relaxing completely now that Mrs. Liu was out of sight. He took a half-step backward down the gravel path, but his dark eyes remained fixed on hers, holding that same warm, magnetic stillness from the counter earlier.

"I wanted to say yes," he confessed softly. His deep voice carried a gentle, honest weight that made Y/N’s heart skip a beat all over again. He lifted the graphic novel slightly, a shy, dimpled smile playing on his lips.

Y/N bit her inner cheek to hide how fiercely her heart was reacting to his words. She leaned against the wooden railing, looking down at him. "Alright. Just don't say I didn't warn you when you're carrying fifty-pound stoneware jars across the yard tomorrow."

"I think I can handle it," he teased, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He gave her one last, lingering look, his thumb tracing the edge of the book cover. "Goodnight, Y/N."

"Goodnight, Soobin. See you tomorrow."

She watched him turn and walk down the quiet coastal road, his tall, broad-shouldered silhouette slowly blending into the summer shadows. Only when he disappeared around the bend did Y/N finally turn around to head inside, a permanent, breathless smile tugging at her lips.

The sticky heat of mid-June didn't ease up even after the sun dipped below the horizon. Outside the Liu household, the cicadas kept up their relentless, buzzing chorus, while inside, the old electric fan in the corner of the dining room turned its head from side to side with a rhythmic, familiar rattle.

It was later that same evening, just an hour or so after Mrs. Liu had extended her vibrant invitation to Soobin on the porch. Now, the house was quiet again, the front door locked for the night. The family had gathered around the heavy oak table for dinner—just Y/N, her mother Meiling, her father Min-jun, and her grandmother Halmeoni.

The table was filled with a comforting, familiar spread. At the center sat a steaming platter of boiled pork belly alongside a bowl of well-fermented kimchi from their previous batch, its spicy, garlic-heavy aroma filling the warm room.

"Eat more, Y/N-ah," Her halmeoni commanded, plopping a succulent piece of pork directly onto Y/N’s rice bowl. Her sharp eyes blinked behind her reading glasses. "You’ve been looking so thin lately and you were sweating all afternoon in that shop."

"I'm eating, Halmeoni," Y/N murmured, lifting her chopsticks. Her mind was still completely preoccupied, her cheeks still holding a faint, residual warmth from the way Soobin had looked at her on the porch just an hour ago.

Meiling beamed from her seat, pouring a glass of cold barley tea for her mother. "That city boy, Soobin, really has wonderful manners, doesn't he? He didn't hesitate for a second when I asked him to help with the earthenware jars tomorrow. He's got a good heart."

Y/N kept her eyes glued to her rice bowl, biting her inner cheek to hide a rising smile. "He was just being polite, Eomma."

Meiling smiled gently, leaning forward a bit as she watched her daughter's flustered reaction. "When I saw the two of you out there on the steps... you were smiling a way I haven't seen you smile since your graduation. And that boy... heavens, I thought he was going to trip over his own feet because he couldn't take his eyes off you."

"Eomma, please," Y/N whispered, her cheeks flaring with a sudden, betraying heat as she tried to keep her voice down in front of her father and grandmother. "He’s just being nice."

"A city boy who didn't hesitate for a single second to spend his precious summer vacation moving heavy jars for an old woman, just because your mother asked him to," Meiling countered, her voice dropping into a tender, teasing register. "He has a good, pure heart, Y/N-ah. Anyone can see it. And he looks at you like you're the only quiet spot on this entire noisy island."

While the women talked, Y/N’s father, Min-jun, sat quietly at the end of the table. He smiled faintly at his wife's enthusiasm, but his eyes carried a heavy, lingering exhaustion that felt starkly out of place amid the cheerful clinking of dishes. He had been quiet all evening, merely picking at his rice, his mind clearly miles away.

Min-jun set his chopsticks down against the porcelain rest with a soft, deliberate click. The sudden, clean noise from his end of the table made the rest of the family gradually taper off their conversation.

He looked across the table at his wife, then turned his gaze gently toward Y/N.

"Meiling, Mother, Y/N-ah," Min-jun began, his voice low and raspy, carrying the gentle weight of a man who had spent his entire life surrounded by old books. He took a slow breath, his shoulders sagging slightly. "I think... after this summer, we’re going to be closing the book rental shop for good."

The room went completely still. Even the heavy clinking of Halmeoni’s side-dish bowls stopped mid-air.

Y/N’s breath hitched in her throat, a sudden, cold weight dropping straight into her stomach. She stared at her father, her fingers gripping her own chopsticks so hard her knuckles turned white. "Appa... what do you mean? Closing it? After summer?"

"We’ll stay open through June and July, Y/N-ah," Min-jun explained softly, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and profound exhaustion. "I want to honor the current lease until the end of the season, and it gives us time to catalog the inventory. But once the autumn hits... we won't be reopening the doors."

Meiling lowered her glass of tea, the cheerful energy completely draining from her face, replaced by a sudden, tense worry. "Min-jun, is it really that bad?"

Min-jun sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "The rent is going up again in July, Meiling. And with the new digital reading apps everyone uses in the city now, the younger kids on the island just don't come in to rent paper copies anymore. We’ve been operating at a loss since the spring. It doesn't make sense to keep fighting it. It’s time to let it go."

Y/N felt a thick lump form in her throat, the cozy warmth of the dinner completely evaporating. Her mind instantly flashed back to the afternoon—to the quiet sanctuary of the shop, the comic book on the counter, and the deep, raspy sound of Soobin's voice telling her that the city wouldn't feel lonely if they went together.

But as the reality settled in, the ache in her chest grew even heavier. The rental shop wasn't just a place where she shared quiet, stolen moments with Soobin. It was the very backdrop of her entire life. She had literally grown up between those towering wooden shelves. She remembered hiding under the front counter as a toddler, listening to the chime above the door sound whenever a customer walked in. She remembered the specific smell of the aged paper that had comforted her through childhood fevers, and the pencil marks on the back room doorframe tracing her height over the years.

Losing the shop didn't just mean losing a summer job or a place to see Soobin; it felt like her entire childhood was being packed up into cardboard boxes. Just as she was finding her rhythm in that quiet little space, a final countdown clock had been initiated, ticking away the final days of the only world she had ever truly known.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Meiling’s voice broke through the suffocating fog in Y/N’s mind. Her mother’s hand reached across the table, warm and laced with a deep, maternal worry that only made the stinging behind Y/N’s eyes worse.

Y/N swallowed hard, trying to force down the hot, thick lump in her throat. She looked at her father, whose shoulders seemed smaller than they ever had before, weighed down by the silent defeat of a man losing his life's work.

"I'm fine," Y/N lied softly, her voice trembling just enough to give her away. She forced a faint, watery smile, trying to comfort him instead. "August is... we still have the whole summer. We can make the most of it."

Min-jun’s eyes softened with a mixture of profound gratitude and guilt. He reached over, briefly squeezing her hand. "Thank you, Y/N-ah. I know how hard this is for you."

Halmeoni let out a quiet, rare sigh, setting her bowl down with a muted thud. For once, the sharp-tongued matriarch had no corrections, no stubborn retorts about how things used to be. She merely picked up her glass of barley tea, her gaze fixed out the window, staring into the dark June night as if mourning the loss of the neighborhood's anchor right alongside them.

Dinner wrapped up in a subdued, mechanical quiet. The clinking of porcelain felt heavy, almost sacrilegious in the silent house. Min-jun quietly retreated to the small living room, pulling out the worn leather-bound ledgers to begin the grim task of cataloging, while Halmeoni slowly headed to her bedroom, leaving Y/N and her mother alone in the kitchen to handle the dishes.

The heavy, rhythmic splash of cool water and the scrape of the sponge filled the space. Y/N stood by the old stainless-steel sink, mechanically scrubbing a ceramic side dish, her eyes staring blankly at the swirling white suds. Her mind was a chaotic storm. She kept seeing the shop—not as it was today, but in fragments of a decade ago. She saw herself skinning her knee on the corner of the fiction aisle at age seven; she saw her father dusting the top shelves while humming an old folk song. It felt like a physical ache in her chest, a slow tearing away of her identity.

"You're going to scrub the glaze right off that plate if you keep going," Meiling said softly, breaking the silence.

Y/N blinked, realizing she had been rinsing the exact same small bowl for nearly five minutes. She quietly set it on the wire drying rack and wiped her damp hands on her apron, her shoulders slumping as a long, shaky exhale finally escaped her. "I just... I can't imagine the corner without the sign, Eomma. I can't imagine what the street will look like when it's dark."

Meiling stopped wiping down the heavy oak table. She walked over to the sink, leaning her hip against the counter and looking at her daughter with a gaze full of deep, intuitive tenderness. The kitchen light cast a soft, amber glow over her face, highlighting the worry lines that had etched themselves there during dinner.

"Your father has held onto that shop for as long as he could, mostly because he knew it was your sanctuary," Meiling murmured, reaching out to gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind Y/N’s ear. "But things change, Y/N-ah. The world outside this island gets bigger, louder, and faster. It’s hard for an old book rental to keep up with the digital age."

Y/N bit her lower lip, looking out the kitchen window into the pitch-black night. "I know. It just feels like everything is disappearing at once. I'm supposed to go to the city in autumn, and now... the shop won't even be here to come back to."

Meiling smiled gently, her expression shifting slightly as she remembered the flush on her daughter's cheeks from earlier that evening on the porch. "Not everything is disappearing, Y/N. Some things are just finding their footing."

Y/N looked up, her brow furrowing slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Soobin," Meiling said smoothly, a tiny, knowing glint returning to her eyes despite the somber mood of the house. "When I saw the two of you out there... you had a look on your face I haven't seen in a very long time. And him... heavens, he looked entirely captivated. He was practically vibrating with nerves trying to be polite."

Y/N’s cheeks instantly flared with a sudden, betraying heat, the heavy sadness in her chest momentarily eclipsed by a sharp, fluttering panic. "Eomma, please. We're just friends."

"A friend who didn't hesitate for a single second to spend his precious vacation making kimchi for an old woman, just because he wants to," Meiling countered, her voice dropping into a tender, teasing register. She leaned in a fraction closer, her hand resting over Y/N’s. "He has a good, pure heart, Y/N-ah. Anyone can see it. And he looks at you like you're the only quiet spot on this entire noisy island."

Y/N looked away, her heart hammering a fierce, chaotic rhythm against her ribs. She thought of Soobin’s deep, grounding voice from the afternoon—how he had said the city wouldn't feel terrifying or lonely if you had the right person going up there with you.

"The shop closing is going to be hard," Meiling whispered, her expression turning incredibly soft as she squeezed Y/N's hand. "But don't let the sadness of losing one room make you close your eyes to the person who is trying to stand right next to you in the next one. Make sure not to stay up late, I need your help early tomorrow morning to get the basins from the storage."

By one o'clock in the afternoon, the backyard had been transformed into a full-scale battleground of spice and salt. The thick, oppressive heat was at its absolute peak, baking the gravel yard, but nobody was paying attention to the thermometer anymore.

Soobin was currently sitting on a ridiculously small, blue plastic stool that Y/N had found for him in the shed. Because of his towering height, his knees were practically pushed up to his chest, making him look like a giant bunny. He had his oversized white sleeves rolled up past his elbows, revealing the tense muscles of his forearms, which were now completely stained bright red with chili paste.

"No, Soobin-ah! Not like that!" Halmeoni barked, leaning over from her own stool and swatting his forearm with a salted cabbage leaf. "You're just slapping the paste on the outside like you're painting a fence! You have to lift every single leaf and rub the spice mix deep into the core. Gently, but firmly!"

"Ah, I'm sorry, Halmeoni," Soobin blurted out, his eyes widening in pure panic. He quickly dropped into a flustered bow, nearly losing his balance on the tiny stool. A streak of red pepper paste immediately transferred from his gloved hand straight onto his cheek, right near his dimple.

Y/N, who was sitting across from him working on her own batch of cabbage, let out a loud, breathless laugh at the sight. "Hold still," she giggled, leaning across the giant stainless-steel basin separating them. She used the clean edge of her apron to gently wipe the spicy smudge off his face. "If you leave that there, your skin is going to burn all day."

Soobin froze completely under her touch, his breath catching in his throat. Up close, the tips of his ears were burning a vibrant, unmistakable crimson that had absolutely nothing to do with the red pepper flakes. He offered her a helpless, bashful smile, his deep dimples cutting sharp lines into his cheeks. "Thanks," he mumbled softly, his deep voice dropping into that quiet register that always made Y/N's chest flutter.

"Don't distract my worker, Y/N-ah!" Meiling teased from the outdoor sink, where she was rinsing the last batch of radishes. She shot her daughter with a highly amused, knowing look. "Soobin-ah, don't mind my mother. You're doing a wonderful job. Look at how well he moved those heavy jars earlier, Mother! Min-jun’s back would have broken in half."

From the shade of the porch, Min-jun chuckled, lifting a cold glass of cola in Soobin's direction. "She's right, son. You saved my life today."

"It was really no trouble at all, Mr. Liu," Soobin said quickly, sitting up as straight as his tiny stool would allow. He turned back to the massive basin of cabbage, his expression turning intensely focused. Determined to get it right this time, he carefully lifted a crisp leaf of napa cabbage, minding Halmeoni's instructions as he meticulously massaged the bright red, garlic-heavy paste into the very core.

Y/N watched him work, the heavy ache in her heart from last night's announcement about the shop closing at the end of August momentarily lifting. The scent of fresh ginger, fish sauce, and toasted sesame filled the heavy summer air. Looking at him right now, the future didn't feel quite as lonely.

By the time the final head of cabbage was packed tightly into the last massive earthenware jar and stored away, the fierce afternoon sun had finally dipped below the horizon. The sticky heat softened into a warm, heavy twilight, and the rhythmic, familiar rattle of the old electric fan in the corner of the dining room hummed to life.

Inside, the rich, savory aroma of boiled pork belly had been drifting from the stove for the last two hours, completely taking over the house.

"Everyone wash up! The bossam is ready!" Meiling announced from the kitchen.

Soobin tried to stand up from the porch steps where he had been resting, but his long legs had been worked so hard that his knees gave a loud, agonizing crack. He stumbled slightly, a low, embarrassed groan escaping his lips as he fought to find his balance on his numb feet.

Y/N quickly caught him by the elbow, stabilizing his towering frame. "I told you Halmeoni’s boot camp was no joke."

Soobin looked down at her, a helpless, dimpled smile broke through his exhaustion. "My legs feel like jelly," he whispered, his deep voice carrying a tired, raspy edge that vibrated right through Y/N’s hand. "But I think I passed the test. Halmeoni didn't hit me with a cabbage leaf for the last hour."

"That’s practically a gold medal in this house," Y/N teased, her heart doing a familiar, erratic little skip at how close he was standing before she reluctantly let go of his arm.

The indoor dining room felt like heaven. The heavy oak table was practically groaning under the weight of the night's feast. At the center sat a towering platter of the bossam—succulent, thick slices of pork belly boiled to a perfect tenderness with ginger and soybean paste. Next to it was a large earthen bowl filled with a sampling of the fresh summer kimchi they had just spent all afternoon making.

As they all sat down, Halmeoni immediately took the chopsticks and piled a mountain of the bright red kimchi right on top of Soobin's steaming bowl of rice.

"Eat," Halmeoni commanded, though her sharp eyes were noticeably softer than they had been that afternoon. "A boy who works like a horse needs to eat like one."

"Thank you, Halmeoni," Soobin said, bowing his head respectfully before taking a massive, perfectly constructed wrap of tender pork belly, fresh kimchi, and rice. He stuffed the entire thing into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out completely as he chewed, a look of pure, unadulterated bliss spreading across his handsome face.

Min-jun laughed warmly from the head of the table, pouring Soobin a tall glass of ice-cold cola. "Slow down, son, there’s plenty more in the kitchen."

Y/N watched the scene unfold, her chest tightening with a bittersweet ache. She looked at her father, whose face looked brighter and less burdened than it had last night, momentarily distracted from the impending closure of the shop by the joy of a full house. Then she looked across the table at Soobin, who was currently receiving an earful from Meiling about how he needed to take a massive container of kimchi home to his own family.

The shop that had anchored her childhood was still going to close at the end of the summer. That reality hadn't changed. But looking at the way Soobin seamlessly fit into the loud, chaotic, garlic-scented rhythm of her family, Y/N felt the heavy, suffocating fear of the future begin to ease. The sanctuary she grew up in was slipping away, but a new one was quietly being built right in front of her.

The initial clattering of chopsticks gradually slowed down to a comfortable, relaxed rhythm as the mountain of pork belly finally dwindled. Soobin was on his second bowl of rice, looking thoroughly content despite his aching muscles.

Min-jun leaned back in his chair, swirling the amber liquid of his barley tea. He looked over at Soobin, his eyes carrying a gentle, curious warmth. "Soobin-ah, your grandmother mentioned to me at the market last week that you’re studying at Korea University. Engineering, wasn't it?"

Soobin carefully swallowed his bite, setting his chopsticks down with his usual textbook politeness. "Civil engineering, yes, Mr. Liu. I’m actually about to start my fourth year this coming autumn."

"A senior already. That’s a heavy year," Min-jun nodded with deep, genuine respect. "The campus in Seoul must be beautiful, but I imagine the coursework keeps you incredibly busy. It’s an elite school afterall."

"It can be a bit overwhelming," Soobin admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, his ears tipping into a faint pink at the praise. "The pressure is quite high, and the city moves so fast. That's why my grandmother insisted I come down to the island for the summer before my final year starts. She said my brain was going to short-circuit."

Meiling smiled warmly, placing another piece of pork on his plate. "Your grandmother is a very wise woman. Seoul is no place to be trapped in during the heavy summer days anyway." She paused, a thoughtful look crossing her face as she looked at him. "You know, Soobin-ah... did you come down to visit Jeju at all last year? Because I swear, I haven't actually seen your face around the village since the summer festival back in 1999."

Soobin let out a soft laugh, his dimples catching the light. "No, Mrs. Liu, I couldn't make it down last year because of an internship. But you're right, 1999 was probably the last time I stayed for the whole summer."

"Ah, I remember," Meiling chuckled, shaking her head fondly. "You were always attached at the hip to that little pack of boys. What happened to them? Yeonjun was one of them, right? Heavens, he was one of the smartest students Jeju had ever seen. Everyone knew he'd go far."

Soobin offered a slightly wistful, candid smile. "To be honest, we haven't really kept in touch. I know Yeonjun went up to Seoul for college, and I think Taehyun did too, but we haven't actually spoken in years."

"And what about that other one?" Halmeoni chimed in, setting her teacup down with a sharp click. "The loud one. The one who nearly knocked over my radish bins on his bicycle."

"Beomgyu?" Soobin fielded the question with a soft chuckle. "I only know through my grandmother he’s staying in Daegu right now. But again, it’s been a long time since we ran in the same circles."

Meiling tapped her chin thoughtfully, looking over at him. "And what about the youngest one of your old group? Kai, right? He was always such a shy, sweet boy. Heavens, he’s grown up so handsome now, but he's still so quiet. I barely see him around the village anymore. Ever since his close friend... the Jiang's daughter... moved away, it feels like he hasn't gone out much at all."

Soobin paused, his chopsticks hovering just inches from his bowl. He looked up at Meiling, his eyes widening in genuine surprise. "Wait... really?" He blinked, a wave of sudden concern overtaking his face. "I had no idea. I knew his friend moved, but I didn't think... I just assumed he was busy with his own life. We haven't spoken since we were kids, so I'm completely out of the loop."

"Oh, it's quite sad, really," Meiling sighed softly, shaking her head. "He completely keeps to himself now."

"They all went up to the big city, or stayed locked away," Min-jun murmured softly, his eyes drifting toward the dark window for a brief moment. The quiet melancholy from earlier touched his features. "Everyone goes up to Seoul eventually, or things change. It's where the world moves now."

Y/N watched her father, her heart giving a quiet, painful throb. She knew exactly where his mind was wandering back to the reality that their quiet little paper-book rental couldn't compete with the fast-moving, digital world anymore. She bit her lower lip, keeping her eyes fixed on her plate, terrified that her face would give away the secret she was keeping locked tight in her chest. Soobin didn't know yet that the shop was closing in August.

And ironically, August was the exact same month Y/N was supposed to pack her bags and leave for the city herself, finally starting her first year as a fine arts major.

Soobin, still looking slightly troubled by the news about Kai, seemed to sense the sudden, heavy shift in the room's atmosphere. He looked from Min-jun’s distant expression to the way Y/N was suddenly staring intensely at her rice bowl. Though he was curious, he politely tucked his questions away, knowing it wasn't his place to pry into a family's private matters.

Instead, he turned back to Min-jun with an earnest smile, trying to lift the mood. "The island has been a wonderful break, Mr. Liu. Honestly, your book rental shop has been my favorite place since I got here. It’s so quiet, and it has a warmth that you just can't find in any library in Seoul."

Min-jun blinked, pulled out of his thoughts by the sincerity in the young man's voice. A genuine, touched smile finally broke through his tired expression. "Is that so? Well... I'm glad our little shop could offer you some peace."

"It really does," Soobin murmured softly, risking a quick glance across the table at Y/N.

As the tension melted away into the fan-cooled air of the dining room, Y/N let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She looked at Soobin, grateful for his quiet intuition, knowing that the heavy countdown to August was still ticking—but for tonight, the room was full of warmth.

After the final dishes were dried and tucked away into the cupboards, the heavy, garlic-scented warmth of the kitchen was replaced by the cool, salty breeze of the coastal night.

Y/N and Soobin slipped out the back door quietly, careful not to disturb her parents, who were already huddled in the living room over the store's massive ledgers, or Halmeoni, who had retired to her bedroom with a radio humming low.

They walked side by side down the narrow gravel path leading away from the house. The village was completely dark now, illuminated only by the occasional amber glow of a streetlamp and the brilliant, scattered stars overhead. The intense, oppressive heat of the afternoon had finally broken, leaving behind a soft, balmy air that smelled heavily of sea salt and wild grass.

For the first few minutes, neither of them spoke. The only sound was the synchronized crunching of their sneakers against the loose stones and the distant, rhythmic crash of the tide hitting the shoreline a few hundred meters away. Soobin walked with his hands jammed deep into his shorts pockets, his tall shoulders slightly hunched as he looked down at his feet.

"Are your legs holding up?" Y/N broke the silence, glancing up at him with a small, teasing smile. 

Soobin let out a soft, raspy laugh, his deep voice cutting cleanly through the quiet night air. He shook his head, the dark bangs that had been damp with sweat earlier now lifting slightly in the ocean breeze. "They’re still a little numb, honestly. Your grandmother really doesn't hold back. I think I used muscles today that I didn't even know existed."

He paused, looking out toward the dark horizon where the black sea met the star-lit sky.

"But it was nice. It’s been a really long time since I felt that kind of tired. In Seoul, you're just... tired from sitting at a desk or staring at school work."

Y/N nodded slowly, her fingers lightly tugged at the edge of her oversized cardigan. "My family can be a lot. Thanks for being so patient with them and for helping my dad with the jars. He really needed it."

"I liked it," Soobin said sincerely, stopping near an old wooden guardrail that overlooked the rocky shore. He leaned his forearms against the weathered wood, looking down at the white sea foam swirling below. "Your family is really warm, Y/N. At dinner, when your mother was talking about the old days... it made me realize how much I've missed since I left."

Y/N leaned against the rail next to him, keeping a comfortable, friendly distance between them, though her eyes remained fixed on the dark water. "You seemed really surprised about Kai."

Soobin sighed, a faint, troubled line forming between his brows. "I was. We really were just kids who played arcade games and threw rocks into the ocean back then. We didn't talk about our feelings or anything. When I went back to Seoul, we just... stopped calling. To hear that he's so isolated now... it feels weird. Like the village I remembered is changing, and I didn't even notice."

He turned his head to look down at her, his dark eyes searching her face in the dim light of a distant streetlamp. "Everything feels like it’s shifting. Your father looked so tired at dinner when we started talking about Seoul like the city was some kind of shadow."

Y/N felt a familiar, sharp pang in her chest. She looked away from his gaze, staring down at her own hands gripping the guardrail. The secret of the shop's closure in August felt heavier than ever, burning a hole right through her silence.

"The city is a shadow for him," Y/N whispered softly, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the waves. She took a slow, steadying breath, deciding maybe he would understand. "He's closing the rental shop, Soobin. At the end of August."

Soobin froze. He didn't say anything for a long moment, the news hanging in the dark space between them. "Closing it?" he asked quietly, his voice dropping into a lower, gentler register. "For good?"

"The rent is going up, and nobody buys paper books or rents comics anymore because of the digital apps in the city," Y/N explained, her throat tightening as she forced the words out. "We’ve been operating at a loss since spring. August is our last month."

She swallowed hard, looking up at the sky to keep the tears from spilling over. "I've lived in that shop my entire life and now... it's just going to be gone."

Soobin didn't offer any empty platitudes. He didn't tell her it would be fine, or that change was good. Instead, he slowly shifted his position, turning fully toward her. He kept his hands in his pockets, but his gaze was full of a deep, intuitive empathy.

"I'm sorry, Y/N," he said softly, his voice steady and grounding. "I know I've only been going there for a little while, but I can tell that place isn't just a store. It's... it's you. It has your peace in it."

Y/N let out a shaky, breathless laugh, looking down at her sneakers. "And the irony is, August is when I'm supposed to leave for Seoul too. For my first year of art school. It feels like everything I know is disappearing all at once, and I'm being pushed into this giant, loud city that I'm terrified of."

Soobin watched her, his expression softening until his deep dimples faintly showed in the shadows. He gave her a small, reassuring nudge with his shoulder—a familiar, comfortable gesture between friends.

"You don't have to be terrified," Soobin murmured, his raspy voice steady against the ocean breeze. "Seoul is loud, and it moves way too fast, yeah. But it's not a shadow if you have a place to anchor yourself."

He offered her a warm, genuine smile. "I'll be up there. I'm entering my final year, so I know the city pretty well by now. When August comes, and everything here closes down... you won't be entering that next chapter alone. I've got your back. I'll be right there."

Y/N looked up, meeting his eyes. The suffocating weight that had been pressing down on her chest since last night didn't completely vanish, but as she looked at Soobin the terrifying expanse of the future suddenly felt a little smaller and a little safer.

The walk back to his grandmother’s house felt longer than usual, his numb legs working on pure autopilot while his mind replayed the quiet conversation by the guardrail. The night air was peaceful, but his chest felt heavy with the realization of how fast the world was changing for everyone on the island.

As Soobin approached the front gate of the traditional courtyard house, the warm, amber light from the living room windows spilled onto the gravel. Even before he unlocked the heavy front door, the muffled sound of familiar voices and bright, collective laughter drifted outside. His parents, who had come down from Seoul to join his grandparents for a brief family visit, were clearly right in the middle of a lively late-night conversation.

He stepped inside the entryway, the cool linoleum floor a welcome relief.

He leaned against the wooden wall, sliding his feet out of his dusty sneakers. He carefully placed them on the bottom shelf of the shoe rack by the door, making sure they were aligned perfectly out of habit.

As he stood up, he fished his bulky folder phone out of his pocket. In the year 2001, getting a decent signal anywhere near the coastal cliffs of Jeju was a daily miracle. He flicked the phone open, the tiny green-lit screen casting a dim glow over his face. He held it up slightly, watching the signal indicator dance before it finally settled on a single, fragile bar.

A rapid succession of high-pitched electronic beeps suddenly pierced the quiet entryway.

Because he had been off the grid all afternoon doing manual labor, the backlog of SMS messages from his engineering friends up at Korea University had finally pushed through. His screen was flooded with a dozen unread texts—mostly his classmates panicking about upcoming registration dates for their fourth-year, or complaining about the stifling Seoul humidity while asking when he was coming back up to the city.

"Soobin-ah?" his mother called out, her voice cutting through the laughter as she poked her head into the hallway.

Seeing him standing there with his blinking phone, she smiled and waved him into the living room. "Come inside, why are you hovering out there in the dark? How was it?"

Soobin snapped his phone shut, the sharp clack echoing in the small space, and slipped it back into his pocket. He stepped fully into the warm light of the living room, offering his family a tired but genuine smile.

"It was good, Mom," his deep voice carried a soft, slightly raspy edge from the long day. "I helped move all the heavy onggi jars, and then we spent the whole afternoon making the kimchi. Y/n’s Halmeoni only swatted my arm a couple of times at the beginning, so I think I did okay."

"A couple of times?" his father teased, looking up from his newspaper with a grin. "That's a passing grade from Halmeoni Sun-hee, son. You survived."

"They even fed me a huge bossam feast for dinner," Soobin added, rubbing the back of his neck as his ears tipped into a faint pink. "They really took care of me."

His mother looked at him closely, her maternal instinct picking up on the quiet, lingering look in his eyes and the subtle exhaustion in his posture. "Well, that was very kind of them. You must be completely exhausted after all that lifting. Go wash up and get some rest, okay? Your shoulders look incredibly tight."

"I will," Soobin nodded respectfully.

He excused himself and headed down the quiet hallway toward his small room. After closing the door behind him, the distant sound of his family’s chatter faded into a soft hum, leaving him in the peaceful, cool stillness of the space.

Soobin didn't turn on the main light. Instead, he walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, staring out the window. The dark, rolling waves of the Jeju sea were visible under the starlight, and the rhythmic sound of the tide washed over the room, carrying the faint, clean scent of salt and wild grass.

He pulled his folder phone out once more, the green screen blinking with those urgent, demanding texts from Seoul about graduation, senior seminars, and the fast-approaching autumn. Up until yesterday, that had been his only trajectory—the expected, predictable path of a fourth-year engineering student.

But tonight, as he looked at those messages, a sudden, fierce ache tightened in his chest.

For the first time in his life, he found himself wishing he could grab the hands of the clock and hold them perfectly still. He didn't want the calendar to flip to August. He didn't want to pack his bags, leave his grandmother's quiet garden, or watch the paper-book rental shop close its doors for the last time. He just wanted to freeze time right here, where he was finally learning what it felt like to be a person again.

Soobin slowly closed the phone, letting the green light die out completely, and set it face-down on the desk. He leaned his elbows on the windowsill and rested his chin in his hands, watching the distant sea and silently wishing, with everything he had, that this summer would never have to end.

The heavy afternoon heat was at its peak when the little bell above the rental shop door let out a sharp, metallic jingle.

Y/N looked up from the wooden counter, where she had been using a damp cloth to wipe down a stack of old, sun-bleached romance novels. Soobin was standing in the doorway, the bright glare of the Jeju sun framing his towering figure. He looked distinctly out of place compared to his usual neat appearance.

In his right hand, he was clutching a round, translucent plastic container with a bright red lid. In his left arm, he tucked a stack of three thick comic books he’d pulled from his own bedroom shelves.

"Soobin-ah?" Y/N asked, setting the rag down. "Is everything okay? You look like you're on a mission."

Soobin closed the door behind him, the sudden silence of the fan-cooled room swallowing the distant cicadas outside. He walked over to the counter, his sneakers squeaking slightly on the wooden floor. He set the container down carefully, though his fingers lingered on the plastic lid.

"I... I wanted to ask you a favor," he said, his deep voice dropping into a hesitant, quiet register. He rubbed the back of his neck, his ears already tipping into a faint pink. "I’m going to check on Kai. My grandmother gave me his address this morning, and she practically ordered me to take this japchae over to his house."

Y/N nodded slowly, recalling the heavy, quiet look that had crossed Soobin’s face during dinner the night before when her mother mentioned the boy's isolation. "That’s really nice of you, Soobin. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it."

"The thing is..." Soobin paused, looking down at the stack of comics in his hand, his thumb tracing the worn edge of the spine. "I’m terrified of going alone. We haven't spoken in so long. If I just show up on his doorstep out of nowhere." He said letting out a helpless, self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm worried I'll scare him off. He was always so shy."

He looked back up at her, his dark eyes carrying a vulnerable, earnest appeal. "I know he doesn't know you, and it's a lot to ask... but I was wondering if you could come with me? Having someone else there might make it feel less like an interrogation and more like... a normal visit. You have this way of making spaces feel safe, Y/N. I could really use that right now."

Y/N stared at him, a warm, quiet flutter stirring in her chest at his words. It was the first time he had explicitly acknowledged the comfort she tried to provide, and seeing this tall guy look so genuinely nervous about facing a childhood friend made him feel incredibly real.

"Let me just tell my dad," Y/N said softly, a small smile breaking across her face. She stepped into the back room. 

"Let's go. Lead the way!"

The walk to the northern edge of the village was entirely different from their moonlit stroll the night before. The sun was blazing, turning the dirt paths into dusty, shimmering trails. Soobin kept a steady, protective pace beside her, holding the container flat against his chest to keep anything from spilling.

"I don't even know what I'm going to say," Soobin admitted as they turned down a particularly quiet, overgrown lane where the houses were spaced further apart. "What if he doesn't even want to see me? A sudden visit might just feel like an intrusion."

"It won't," Y/N reassured him, her voice a steady anchor against his anxiety. "Even if he's shocked at first, knowing that someone remembered him means something. Just breathe, Soobin."

He took a slow breath, nodding as they finally stopped in front of a rusted iron gate. Despite the weathered metal of the entrance, the yard inside was beautifully well-kept, overflowing with vibrant summer flowers. Neatly trimmed bushes framed rows of blooming hydrangeas and colorful wild lilies, their sweet fragrance cutting through the thick, salty afternoon air. The stone walkway was swept completely clean of dirt, creating a sharp contrast against the traditional house itself, which looked completely asleep—its heavy wooden doors and paper-screen windows firmly shut against the outside world.

Soobin swallowed hard, stepped through the creaking gate, and walked up to the low wooden porch. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before knocking firmly three times on the thick wood.

Y/N stood a few paces back near the edge of the porch, keeping her hands tucked into her cardigan pockets, intentionally giving Soobin the space to be the primary focus.

For a long, agonizing minute, there was nothing but the sound of the wind rustling the grass. Soobin looked back at Y/N, an anxious line forming between his brows, his shoulders tensing as if he was ready to turn around and apologize for wasting her time. But just as he shifted his feet, a soft click echoed from inside, and the heavy door creaked open a few inches.

Kai stood in the dim light of the entryway. Y/N’s mother hadn't been exaggerating—the boy had grown up incredibly handsome, with sharp, delicate, foreign-tinged features and large, expressive eyes. But he looked entirely fragile, his shoulders hunched inside an oversized, faded gray sweatshirt despite the summer heat. He blinked rapidly against the sudden, harsh glare of the afternoon sun, his gaze shifting from the wooden floor up to the towering frame in front of him.

Kai's eyes widened, a thick note of disbelief washing over his face. "Soobin-hyung?"

"Hey, Kai-ah," Soobin said. His voice instantly dropped into that warm, incredibly gentle register Y/N had heard him use with her grandmother—completely devoid of pressure. He offered a small, hesitant smile, his deep dimples popping out. "It's... it's been a really long time. My grandmother told me you were still here, and she made way too much japchae yesterday. I also remembered you used to read these specific comics when we were kids, so... I thought I’d bring them by."

Kai stared at the plastic container, then down at the books. His fingers gripped the edge of the wooden door so tightly his knuckles turned white. He looked completely overwhelmed, his eyes darting briefly over Soobin's shoulder to where Y/N was standing. He didn't know her, and the sight of a stranger made him instinctively shrink back into the shadows of the hallway.

Sensing his hesitation, Y/N gave Kai a small, incredibly polite nod from her spot on the gravel, keeping her expression entirely neutral and unthreatening, letting him know she was just there as a quiet observer.

Soobin noticed the shift and immediately stepped slightly into Kai’s line of sight, drawing the younger boy's attention back to him. "She’s a friend from the book rental shop down the road," Soobin explained softly, keeping his tone light. "You don't have to worry about us, Kai-ah. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay."

The sincerity in Soobin's voice seemed to cut through the heavy, protective walls Kai had built around himself. Kai looked at the fresh kimchi, then back up at Soobin’s face—noticing the sweat on his forehead and the dirt on his shirt. Soobin had actually worked for this, just to see him.

Slowly, hesitatingly, Kai pushed the door open a few inches wider, the old hinges letting out a faint groan.

"Do you... do you want to come in?" Kai whispered, his voice small and raspy from disuse. "My mom is out, but... I can make some cold iced tea."

Soobin let out a quiet, invisible breath of relief, the tension melting from his broad shoulders. He risked a quick, grateful glance back at Y/N, a silent thank you shining in his eyes, before turning back to the younger boy. "We’d love to, Kai-ah. Lead the way."

Kai gave a small, hesitant nod and turned into the dim, cool hallway of the house. The interior smelled faintly of dried herbs and floor wax, a quiet, preserved space that felt entirely removed from the blistering mid-afternoon heat outside.

Soobin stepped over the threshold first, carefully sliding out of his sneakers at the entryway. He glanced back at Y/N, waiting an extra half-second to ensure she was following close behind, before leading the way into a modest, sunlit sitting room. The screen doors were slid back just enough to let in the scent of the hydrangeas, though the room itself remained entirely still.

"Please, sit," Kai whispered, gesturing vaguely toward a low wooden table surrounded by neatly placed floor cushions. He didn't wait for them to answer before disappearing into the adjacent kitchen, his oversized sweatshirt swallowing his frame as he moved.

Soobin took a seat on one of the cushions, his long legs folding awkwardly as he tried to find a comfortable position. He set the plastic container down neatly on the polished wood of the table. Y/N sat down a comfortable distance beside him, smoothing her cardigan over her knees.

"You did great out there," she murmured softly, leaning in just enough so her voice wouldn't carry into the kitchen.

Soobin let out a breathy, quiet laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. His ears were still a faint shade of pink. "My heart was beating so fast I thought he’d hear it. But... seeing him now, he really hasn't changed that much. He's just so quiet." He looked toward the kitchen doorway, a look of soft, brotherly concern returning to his eyes. "I’m glad I came. I’m glad you made me come."

Before Y/N could reply, the soft pad of footsteps announced Kai's return. He carried a small wooden tray holding three glasses filled with amber iced tea, condensation already pooling at the bases. He placed the tray down with meticulous care before sliding onto a cushion across from them.

For a moment, a heavy silence settled over the table. Kai kept his gaze fixed firmly on the condensation rolling down his glass, his fingers nervously picking at a loose thread on his sleeve.

Soobin, sensing the younger boy's stifling awkwardness, decided to handle the silence gently. He slid the plastic container forward a few inches.

"My grandmother wanted to make sure you got this while it was fresh," Soobin began, his deep voice incredibly soft and grounding in the quiet room. "And honestly... I wanted to come see how you were doing. I know it’s been years, Kai-ah. But when my mom told me you were still around the village, I kept thinking about how we all used to spend our summers down by the arcade."

Kai’s eyes shifted from his glass to the container, and then up to Soobin. A tiny, fragile look of recognition passed over his face. "The arcade," he murmured, his voice slightly stronger now. "The one with the broken joystick on the fighting game."

"Exactly," Soobin said, his dimples finally showing fully as he relaxed into a warm smile. " Yeonjun-hyung used to lose his mind when we ran out of coins, and Beomgyu would always try to shake the machine to get a free game until the owner chased us out. Taehyun was the only one smart enough to just sit back and watch us get in trouble."

A faint, incredibly brief smile tugged at the corner of Kai's lips. It was small, but it was there—a tiny fracture in the heavy walls he had spent the last few years building. He looked up from the table, his large eyes shifting from Soobin over to Y/N, no longer shrinking away quite as much.

"I remember," Kai whispered softly, looking back at Soobin with a quiet, lingering vulnerability. "Yeonjun-hyung always bought the melon popsicles afterward."

"Only because Beomgyu begged him until he gave in," Soobin replied gently, his broad shoulders relaxing as the ancient familiarity of their friendship began to spark back to life. He risked a quick, deeply grateful glance back at Y/N, a silent thank you shining in his eyes, before turning all his attention back to the younger boy.

The amber afternoon sun eventually dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of purple and burnt orange as twilight settled over the quiet courtyard. The sliding doors remained open, letting in a cool evening breeze and the rhythmic, distant sound of the tide.

Over the course of the afternoon, the thick, suffocating awkwardness that had filled the room completely dissolved. As the hours slipped by, Y/N and Kai became well acquainted, the initial tension giving way to an incredibly easy, comfortable dynamic. Y/N was completely shocked to learn that Kai was actually studying marketing at a university in Busan, a choice that felt entirely unbelievable for someone so naturally shy. Kai explained that while the fast-paced energy of Busan forced him out of his shell during the semester, he usually flew straight back to Jeju during holidays, needing the absolute quiet of the island to recharge.

Listening to them talk, Soobin relaxed completely against the chair, a proud, brotherly warmth settling into his features as he watched his friend open up.

By the time the room grew dark, shadowed by the fading twilight, it was clear they had stayed far longer than intended. Realizing how late it had gotten, Soobin and Y/N reluctantly stood up to gather their things and say their goodbyes, promising not to let another long stretch of silence grow between them.

As they stepped back out through the rusted iron gate and onto the dark dirt path, a deep, peaceful contentment hung in the air. Soobin looked down at Y/N, the heavy anxiety that had locked his shoulders together that afternoon completely gone. He didn't say a word, but the soft, lingering curve of his dimples in the starlight told her everything.

They walked down the narrow, sloping path toward the shore, the sound of the ocean growing louder and heavier with every step. The sand was cool beneath their feet, slipping over the edges of their shoes as they navigated the dark beach until they found a flat, dry spot far away from the reach of the tide.

Soobin pulled his lightweight jacket off, laying it out over the sand for Y/N to sit on. Once she was settled, he sank down directly onto the sand beside her, pulling his long legs up and looping his arms loosely around his knees to mirror her posture.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. The sheer scale of the Jeju night sky was breathtaking; without the blinding neon of the city, the Milky Way was a faint, glowing ribbon of violet and silver cut right across the ink-black dome. Millions of stars flickered with a quiet, ancient intensity, casting a soft, pale light over the dark surface of the rolling sea.

"I forgot how many there were," Soobin whispered, his deep voice barely carrying over the steady roar of the waves. He looked completely mesmerized, his head tilted back as the starlight reflected beautifully in his wide, dark eyes. "In Seoul, if you look up at night, you're lucky if you see three. You forget that the rest of the universe is even up there."

Y/N rested her chin on her knees, watching him side-by-side. Sitting right next to him like this, she could feel the faint warmth radiating from his shoulder, his towering frame looking relaxed and small against the vast backdrop of the dark ocean. His expression was entirely soft, stripped of the heavy academic pressure and expectation that usually followed him.

"My dad says the stars here don't change," Y/N said quietly, turning her gaze back to the sky. "No matter how many shops close or how many people leave for the city, they stay exactly like this. I think that's why I like coming down here when I'm overwhelmed. It feels like a promise."

Soobin turned his head to look at her, his dark eyes dropping to the way the starlight caught the edges of her hair and the soft cotton of her cardigan.

"A promise of what?" he asked softly.

"That some things will always be waiting for you," she replied, turning her head to meet his eyes. "No matter how far away you go."

The space between them felt entirely charged with a quiet, heavy sincerity. Soobin didn't break eye contact. The distant, urgent texts waiting on his folder phone in his pocket felt a million miles away, completely powerless against the slow, steady rhythm of the Jeju tide and the girl sitting right beside him.

Slowly, almost unconsciously, Soobin shifted his hand on his knee, his fingers dropping onto the sand, just inches away from where her hand rested on the edge of his jacket.

"I don't think I'm going to look at the sky in Seoul the same way after this," he murmured, his voice dropping into a rare, vulnerable whisper that made her heart skip a beat. "I'll just be looking for this view. Every single night."

The silence that followed his words wasn't heavy; it was thick with a sudden, breathless weight that seemed to push the sound of the crashing waves into the far background.

Y/N didn't pull away. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on his, her breath catching in her throat as she felt the absolute sincerity radiating from him. The space between them suddenly felt entirely too small, yet agonizingly wide. Every small detail seemed magnified in the dark—the faint, steady rise and fall of his broad chest, the way his dark bangs brushed just above his eyes, and the quiet warmth radiating from his shoulder where it nearly touched hers.

Soobin’s gaze flicked down to her lips. It was a brief, fleeting look, but it stayed there a beat too long before rising back to her eyes, carrying a silent, hesitant question. He was an overthinker by nature, always analyzing, always keeping his composure, but right now, his throat visibly swallowed. The steady, predictable rhythm he usually relied on was completely gone, replaced by a restless, heavy gravity pulling him closer.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the distance began to shrink.

Soobin unlooped his arms from his knees, his movements deliberately slow, as if he was afraid a sudden breath might shatter the fragile glass of the moment. He shifted his weight, his large frame angling toward her on the sand, effectively blocking out the cool ocean breeze and trapping her in the sudden, concentrated warmth of his shadow.

He didn't rush. He leaned in an inch, then paused, his dark eyes searching hers in the starlight, giving her every opportunity to blink, to laugh it off, or to turn away. The scent of the salty tide mixed with his familiar, clean scent, filling the tiny space left between them.

Y/N’s fingers twitched against the sand, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She didn't move back. If anything, she tilted her face up just a fraction, a silent invitation that broke through the last of his carefully held restraint.

A soft, shaky exhale escaped Soobin's lips, his gaze locking completely onto hers as his head tilted slightly, his shadow finally falling over her face entirely.

He closed the final remaining inch, his lips brushing against hers with a gentle, agonizingly slow hesitation.

The kiss was entirely low-key and quiet, yet it carried the immense weight of every unspoken thought he’d held back since arriving on the island. It was a soft, tentative pressure that gradually deepened as the initial nervousness melted away, filling the space between them with a profound, consuming warmth.

Slowly, lifting his hand from his knee, Soobin reached up. His long, slightly trembling fingers brushed carefully against her jawline before his palm came to rest against her cheek. His skin was warm, a stark and comforting contrast to the cool night breeze. His thumb swept across her cheekbone in a feather-light, reverent caress, a gesture so tender it made the rest of the world completely fade away. It was their very first kiss, and the gentle touch of his hand seemed to anchor her to him, letting her feel just how much he was treasuring the moment.

The world around them completely dissolved—there were no distant city pressures, no looming expectations, just the steady rhythm of the Jeju tide, the soft stroke of his thumb, and the solid, reassuring reality of his presence.

When Soobin finally pulled back, he didn't move far. He stayed close, his forehead resting gently against hers for a fleeting second, his breath hitching as he tried to catch it.

As he slowly sat up and the starlight hit his face, Y/N could see the sudden, frantic rush of crimson flooding his cheeks and tipping the tops of his ears. The composed, towering boy who had calmly navigated the afternoon was completely gone, replaced by someone entirely flustered. He let out a breathless, incredibly shy chuckle, his hand dropping from her cheek to rub the back of his neck as a deep, helpless dimple carved into his cheek.

"I... I've been wanting to do that day we got stuck at the bus stop because of the rain," he whispered, his deep voice carrying a sweet, sheepish note. He looked down at his lap, his fingers nervously tracing a pattern on his knee, before looking back up through his dark bangs with a quiet, happy vulnerability. "I hope that was okay."

Y/N let out a breath she didn't realize she’d been holding, a soft smile breaking across her face. "It was more than okay, Soobin-ah."

In her words, the tension completely melted from his broad shoulders. He let out a quiet, relieved laugh, his hand finally dropping from the back of his neck. Still a bit flustered, he reached down and carefully slid his hand over the sand until his fingers found hers, tentatively weaving them together. His grip was warm and firm, his thumb immediately starting a slow, rhythmic sweep across the back of her hand.

He shifted his posture, pulling his knees back up toward his chest but staying close enough that his shoulder remained firmly pressed against hers. He looked back out at the vast, ink-black ocean, the steady roar of the crashing waves filling the silence between them.

"I was really anxious about coming back here," Soobin admitted softly, his deep voice dropping into that quiet, grounding register. "I thought everything would feel too different, or that I’d just feel like a ghost walking around my old life. But today... with Kai, and now out here..."

He paused, turning his head to look down at her. In the pale starlight, his dark eyes were incredibly soft, stripped entirely of the exhaustion and academic pressure he usually carried around.

"It’s the first time in a really long time that I’ve felt like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be."

Y/N leaned her head lightly against his shoulder, feeling the solid, comforting weight of him bracing against her. "Jeju has a way of doing that," she murmured, watching the stars flicker above the horizon. "It waits for you to realize what actually matters."

Soobin let out a soft chuckle, the low vibration rattling pleasantly against her head. "Then I guess I should thank my grandmother for making too much japchae. And for making me walk down to that book rental shop."

They sat together on the cool sand for a long time after that, their intertwined hands resting between them. The cool night air swirled around the empty beach, but wrapped in the quiet warmth of his presence, Y/N had never felt more grounded.

The night deepened around them, the temperature dropping just enough to make the warmth of Soobin's shoulder against hers feel like a shield against the chill. Neither of them seemed to notice the time passing, completely content to let the steady, rhythmic crash of the tide dictate the pace of the evening.

Slowly, Soobin lifted their joined hands, his eyes tracing the contrast between their fingers before he gently brought the back of her hand up to his lips, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to her knuckles. The gesture was so quiet and natural that it sent a fresh wave of warmth straight to Y/N's chest.

"We should probably start heading back before my grandmother sends out a search party," he murmured, though his voice held a distinct reluctance. He didn't make a move to get up, his thumb still tracing slow circles against her skin.

Y/N let out a soft laugh, shifting her head from his shoulder to look up at him. "Is the formidable village elder really going to come looking for you?"

"Oh, absolutely," Soobin said, his dimples peeking out in the starlight as he smiled sheepishly. "She still treats me like I’m ten years old. If I’m out past nine, she starts pacing the porch. And if she finds out I stayed out late because of you, she’ll never let me hear the end of it."

"In a bad way?"

"No," Soobin chuckled, his eyes softening completely as he looked down at her. "In a 'when are you bringing her over for dinner' kind of way. She already likes you more than me, I think."

With a soft, collective sigh, they finally moved. Soobin stood up first, his towering frame stretching out before he reached back down to offer Y/N his hand, effortlessly pulling her to her feet. He picked up his lightweight jacket from the sand, giving it a quick shake to clear the loose grains before draping it over one arm.

As they turned back toward the sloping path that led away from the shore, Soobin didn't let go of her hand. He kept his fingers securely locked with hers, guiding her through the dark, uneven terrain with a quiet, protective focus.

Leaving the beach behind, the vast canopy of stars seemed to follow them, casting a pale glow over the quiet village streets. The heavy, lingering doubts Soobin had carried with him from Seoul seemed to have been washed away by the tide, replaced by a simple, grounding certainty. As they walked side-by-side into the quiet night, the future felt less like an impending weight and more like an open horizon.

Four days slipped by like a quiet, sun-drenched dream, the fast-paced rush of the outside world completely fading into the background of the island.

It was a brilliant, warm afternoon. High up on a grassy hilltop overlooking the sparkling expanse of the Jeju sea, a massive, ancient tree spread its thick canopy wide, casting a perfect, dappled shadow over the ground. The gentle afternoon breeze swept up the hillside, rustling the leaves overhead and carrying the crisp, salty scent of the ocean below.

Spread out over the grass beneath the shade was a soft, oversized blanket. Underneath the canopy, Soobin was completely relaxed. He was laying down with his long frame stretched out across the fabric, his head resting comfortably right in Y/N’s lap. In his hands, he held an old comic book he’d borrowed from the rental shop, his eyes scanning the pages with an easy, unbothered focus. Every now and then, his lips would twitch into a faint smile, completely at peace.

Y/N sat propped against the sturdy trunk of the tree at the edge of the blanket, a sketchbook resting against her knees. She was wearing a light, flowing sundress that bunched up softly beneath him, the fabric cool and soft under his head. With a charcoal pencil held lightly between her fingers, she was intently focused on the boy in her lap, trying her best to sketch his profile.

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes darting from the sharp line of his jaw to the page, carefully trying to capture the soft, relaxed way his dark bangs fell across his forehead.

"Stop moving your face," Y/N murmured softly, tapping the top of her pencil against the edge of the sketchbook. "Every time you turn the page, your facial expression shifts."

Soobin didn't look up from his comic, but a deep, helpless dimple immediately carved into his cheek. "I'm barely moving. You’re just taking too long because you’re distracted by how handsome your model is."

"Keep talking and I'll draw you with giant cartoon ears," she teased, though a small smile broke across her own face as she leaned back, squinting at the paper to smooth out the shading around his eyes.

Soobin let out a soft, low chuckle that vibrated right against her legs. He finally lowered the comic book slightly, tilting his head back just enough to look up at her upside down. The pale afternoon light filtered through the leaves, catching the warm, affectionate glint in his dark eyes.

Slowly, he reached up, his long fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face before his hand dropped back down to rest against his stomach.

"Fine, I'll be perfectly still," he whispered, his voice warm and incredibly sweet as he held her gaze. "Capture my best side."

Y/N couldn't help but laugh, the sound bright and light in the quiet afternoon air. "I'm trying, but my model keeps making faces at me."

She went back to her sketch, the soft scratch of the charcoal pencil filling the space between them. For a few minutes, Soobin actually kept his promise, remaining perfectly still as he stared back up at the comic book. The gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the ancient tree above them, sending a dance of light and shadow across the soft fabric of her dress and his stripes shirt .

But Soobin’s attention span for the comic was clearly waning. His gaze kept drifting upwards, tracking the subtle movements of her wrist, the focused knit of her brows, and the way her lips slightly parted whenever she was working on a difficult detail.

Without warning, he closed the comic book with a soft thud and set it face down on the blanket beside him.

"Okay, I'm done reading," he announced, shifting his head slightly on her lap to get more comfortable. He reached up, his large hand gently wrapping around her left wrist—the one not holding the pencil—and tugging it down until her hand rested against his chest. He loosely interlaced his fingers with hers, his thumb tracing the back of her knuckles. "Show me."

Y/N defensively tilted the sketchbook toward her chest, a playful, protective look in her eyes. "No way. It’s not finished yet."

"Come on," Soobin pleaded, his voice dropping into that soft, whiny tone he only used when they were completely alone. He looked up at her through his dark bangs, his big, puppy-like eyes practically begging. "Just a sneak peek. Let me see how the ears look."

"They're absolutely huge," she teased, but she slowly relented, angling the sketchbook down so he could look at it upside down from her lap.

Soobin quieted, his eyes scanning the rough charcoal lines. Y/N had captured him perfectly—the soft curve of his nose, the relaxed set of his mouth, and the exact way he looked when he was completely at ease, far away from the rigid structure of his life in Seoul. A genuine, incredibly tender smile spread across his face, his dimples cutting deep into his cheeks.

"Wow," he whispered, his tone shifting from playful to entirely sincere. He looked up from the paper to meet her eyes, his gaze heavy with an affection that made her heart do a sudden flip. "You're really good at this. It actually looks like me."

"Of course it does," Y/N said softly, setting the sketchbook down on the blanket next to them. She reached down with her free hand, her fingers gently combing through his soft, dark hair, brushing it away from his forehead. "I had a pretty good view."

Soobin's smile softened, his eyes locking onto hers as he enjoyed the quiet sensation of her fingers in his hair. The glittering Jeju sea stretched out endlessly beneath their hilltop, but right here under the shade of the tree, neither of them was looking at the horizon.

He leaned into the touch of her hand, closing his eyes for a brief, content moment as her fingers moved through his hair. The warmth of the sun and the steady, rhythmic rustle of the leaves overhead made the entire world feel incredibly slow.

"I don't want to go back to Seoul," Soobin murmured softly, his eyes opening just a fraction to look up at her. The playful teasing from earlier had completely melted away, replaced by that raw, quiet vulnerability he only showed her. "A few days ago, I was counting down the hours until I could leave this island. Now, I feel like I'm going to leave a piece of myself behind if I go."

Y/N paused her hand in his hair, her thumb resting gently against his temple. "You aren't leaving it behind, Soobin. You're just taking a different piece of it back with you."

Soobin let out a breathy, quiet chuckle, shifting on her lap so he could look at her fully. He reached up, his large, warm hand coming to cup the side of her neck, his thumb resting right along her jawline. The contrast of his cool fingers against her sun-warmed skin made her breath hitch slightly.

"I think the piece I'm taking back is you," he whispered, his voice dropping into a deeper, lower register that felt entirely intimate.

He didn't wait for her to answer. Sliding his hand up slightly to anchor his fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck, Soobin pulled himself up just enough to close the distance.

The kiss was slow, tasting faintly of the sweet mandarin juice they’d shared earlier and completely filled with the lazy, golden warmth of the afternoon. It wasn't the hesitant, trembling first kiss they had shared on the dark beach four days ago. This one felt certain, grounded, and deeply affectionate—a quiet promise spoken in the shade of the ancient tree. His other hand found her waist, his palm pressing against the soft, flowing fabric of her dress, pulling her just a fraction closer.

When he finally pulled back, he didn't move his hand from her neck. He just rested his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling as a soft, helpless smile broke across his lips.

He let his head sink back down into her lap with a soft, contented sigh, his long frame stretching out completely across the blanket. His fingers lazily intertwined with hers, his thumb tracing the back of her hand in a slow, comforting rhythm.

"Since we're both going to be in the city soon..." Soobin began, his voice dropping into a warm, curious murmur as he looked up at her through his bangs. "I realized we've been so wrapped up in the island that I still don't know the exact specifics. Which university are you attending?"

Y/N smiled down at him, her free hand coming up to gently comb through his soft, dark hair, brushing it away from his eyes. "Seoul National University," she said softly.

Soobin’s eyes widened, his thumb freezing against her knuckles. A sudden, brilliant look of genuine surprise and pride broke across his face, his deep dimples instantly popping into his cheeks.

"SNU?" he echoed, his voice lifting with an incredibly proud, impressed tone. He shifted his weight, turning fully onto his side in her lap so he could look at her face properly. "Wow, Y/N-ah. That's incredible. Do you know how hard it is to get into the transfer program there? You're a genius."

Y/N felt a sudden flush of warmth hit her cheeks at his unreserved praise. "It took a lot of sleepless nights and way too many iced Americanos," she admitted, laughing softly as she nudged his shoulder. "But the paperwork finally cleared last week."

"This is amazing," Soobin murmured, his eyes shining as he stared up at her. The daunting weight of returning to his own chaotic university schedule suddenly felt entirely manageable. "My campus is at Konkuk, so we’re not even that far apart. On weekends, or even after classes, I can just hop on the subway and meet you. We can study together. Or, well..." He smiled sheepishly, his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. "I can just distract you while you try to study."

"I think you're already doing a pretty good job of that," Y/N teased, gesturing down at the sketchbook lying abandoned on the blanket beside them.

Soobin chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated pleasantly against her legs. He reached up, his large palm resting gently over her knee, the soft fabric of her dress moving slightly under his touch. "I'm serious, though. Seoul can feel really big and overwhelming, especially when you first move there. It gets so loud, and everyone is always rushing. I was genuinely dreading going back to that rhythm."

He paused, his gaze softening completely as he held her eyes, his thumb gently smoothing over the fabric of her dress.

"But knowing you're going to be there... knowing I can just call you up when the city gets too loud... it changes everything."

It was the last week of June, and the heat of the Jeju summer had settled in completely—thick, hazy, and smelling of salt and sun-warmed grass. Over the past few days, Y/N and Soobin had become completely inseparable. Every morning started with a text, every afternoon was spent exploring hidden corners of the island, and every night ended with lazy walks under the stars. It felt as if they were trying to stretch every single second of June, knowing that the real world was waiting for them once summer ended.

Today, they had claimed a completely secluded, rocky cove that Soobin knew about.

They spread their oversized blanket across a patch of smooth, dry sand nestled between the tall coastal rocks, just out of reach of the rising tide. The summer sun was blazing, making the crystal-clear, turquoise water look irresistible.

Soobin stood at the edge of the blanket, pulling his oversized cotton t-shirt over his head and tossing it onto the sand, leaving him in just his dark swim trunks. His pale skin caught the bright sunlight, and he looked out at the rolling waves with a bright, boyish grin that Y/N had come to love more than anything else over the past week.

"The last one has to buy the spicy rice cakes tonight!" Soobin shouted, turning back to flash her a mischievous look. Without giving her a chance to protest, his long legs carried him in a dead sprint across the sand, splashing fearlessly straight into the surf.

"Soobin! You always start running before you even finish talking!" Y/N laughed, quickly unbuttoning the light sundress she wore over her swimsuit. She kicked off her sandals and chased after him, the cool, shocking shock of the Jeju sea hitting her skin and instantly erasing the thick summer heat.

By the time she waded out, the water was up to her waist. Soobin was already completely drenched, his dark bangs slicked back from his forehead as he shook water from his eyes like a giant puppy. The moment Y/N got close enough, she lunged forward, using both hands to send a massive wave of water straight at him.

Soobin gasped, laughing loudly as the water hit his face. "Oh, so it's a war now?"

He didn't hold back, using his massive hands to scoop up walls of water, sending them splashing right back at her. The cove echoed with their breathless laughter and the crashing of the waves. They swam until their limbs felt heavy, floating on their backs side-by-side, watching the occasional white cloud drift across the vast blue June sky.

At one point, a sudden, larger swell caught Y/N off guard, making her lose her footing on the sandy floor. Before she could go under, Soobin’s long arms securely wrapped around her waist. With an easy, effortless tilt of his strength, he lifted her up over the crest of the wave.

He kept his hands locked on her waist even after the wave passed, holding her steady against him. The water swirled around their waist. Y/N rested her hands flat against his damped, warm shoulders, catching her breath. Soobin looked down at her, his eyelashes sparkling with sea droplets, a soft, incredibly tender smile resting on his lips. In the bright afternoon light, with the ocean breeze blowing her damp hair across her face, he looked at her like she was the only thing on the entire island.

Eventually, shivering slightly as the late afternoon breeze began to pick up, they waded back to the shore.

They collapsed onto the blanket, wrapping themselves in big, fluffy towels. Soobin dragged the picnic basket closer, his damp skin glowing in the light. He popped open a chilled container of sweet, freshly cut watermelon that they'd brought along.

Picking up a dripping piece, he held it right to her lips, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners. "Here. Fuel for the person who lost the race and the water war."

Y/N leaned in and took a bite, the sweet, icy juice a perfect contrast to the salty air. "I only lost because you have an unfair height advantage in the water," she mumbled around the fruit, making him let out a deep, rumbling chuckle.

Soobin ate the rest of the piece, leaning back on his hands as he looked out at the glittering sea, his shoulder pressed warmly against hers. "Maybe," he murmured, turning his head to look at her, his dimple cutting deep into his cheek. "But I think this whole week has been a win."

When Soobin slipped off his shoes at the entryway of his grandmother’s traditional house, the rich, savory scent of a freshly finished dinner—garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil—still lingered heavily in the air.

He stepped inside, the dark wooden floorboards cool under his bare feet. Walking into the living room, he found his grandmother and his mother sitting together on the floor around the low wooden table, chatting comfortably. The dinner dishes had already been cleared away, replaced by a simple pitcher of ice cold water and a small plate of peeled fruit.

His mother, who had arrived from Seoul earlier that evening to help with his grandmother’s summer arrangements, paused mid-sentence. Both women turned their heads simultaneously to look at him.

"Look who finally decided to come home," his mother said, her tone a mix of mild exasperation and fondness. She scanned him from head to toe—his messy, damp hair, the slight sunburn dusting the bridge of his nose, and his oversized cotton t-shirt that smelled faintly of the sea. "We waited to eat, but your grandmother said you'd probably be out until the sun went down completely. Where have you been all day, Soobin?"

Before he could offer a carefully rehearsed, casual answer, his grandmother let out a soft, knowing chuckle. Her wrinkled eyes crinkled into wise little crescents as she poured herself a cup of tea.

"Oh, let the boy breathe," his grandmother murmured, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "He was out making the most of his summer. Though, looking at how pink his ears are, I don't think it was just the sun that kept him out so late."

Soobin’s ears instantly turned an even brighter, betraying shade of crimson. He rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight as he tried to look completely unbothered, though a helpless, faint dimple threatened to poke through his cheek.

"I was just... down at the cove with Y/N," he mumbled, his voice dropping an octave into that deep, shy register he used whenever he was flustered.

"We know, honey. We know," his grandmother teased, leaning forward on her elbows with a giant, satisfied smile. "You two have been practically attached at the hip all week. Since she's moving to Seoul soon too, you really should bring Y/N over for dinner. Let me cook something proper for her."

Soobin’s mother raised an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile breaking across her face as she looked at her son's utterly flustered expression. "I'd love to finally meet her, too. Your grandmother hasn't stopped talking about how sweet she is."

"She is sweet," Soobin muttered softly, looking down at his toes to hide the massive, proud smile that was currently taking over his entire face. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "I'll... I'll ask her tomorrow if she wants to come over."

Two days later—the very first day of July—the heavy summer heat had mellowed into a breezy, golden evening. Y/N stood in front of the familiar wooden gate of Soobin’s grandparents' house, her heart doing a nervous little flutter against her ribs. In her hands, she carefully held a heavy, neatly wrapped basket of fresh, plump Jeju melons and sweet mandarins—a strict mandate from her own grandmother, who insisted she couldn't dare show up for dinner empty-handed.

Taking a small breath to steady her nerves, Y/N knocked on the gate.

Almost instantly, she heard the frantic, heavy thud of familiar, long footsteps rushing across the courtyard. The wooden gate swung open, and there stood Soobin. He was wearing a soft, oversized cream cardigan over a plain tee, looking incredibly handsome, though his dark hair was slightly tousled. The moment his eyes landed on her, a massive, instantly relieved smile broke across his face, his deep dimples cutting into his cheeks.

"You're here," he breathed, his deep voice carrying a wave of nervous excitement. Before he could even step aside to let her in, his eyes dropped to the heavy basket in her arms. "Oh, what is all this? You didn't have to bring anything, Y/N-ah. I told you my grandma was cooking everything."

"My grandma would have skinned me alive if I walked in empty-handed," Y/N laughed softly, the tension instantly melting from her shoulders at the familiar sight of him. "They're fresh melons and mandarins."

"Here, let me take it," Soobin said quickly, his large hands carefully wrapping around the handle of the basket, his fingers brushing against hers with a reassuring warmth. He leaned in just a fraction closer, his eyes soft. "Don't be nervous, okay? They're already obsessed with you."

He guided her through the quiet, traditional courtyard and out into the spacious backyard.

The scene that greeted them was the absolute definition of a cozy mid-summer night. A low, long wooden table had been set up on the grass, surrounded by soft cushions. In the center, a portable gas grill was already sizzling loudly, thick, marbled slabs of samgyeopsal (pork belly) rendering beautifully and filling the air with an incredibly savory, mouth-watering aroma.

Around the table sat Soobin's entire family. His grandfather was expertly flipping the meat with a pair of long tongs, while his grandmother and mother were busy arranging an endless sea of side dishes—crisp lettuce, seasoned green onion salad, pickled radishes, and homemade ssamjang. His dad was sitting back, happily pouring cold barley tea into cups.

"Look who's here!" Soobin’s grandmother called out the moment she spotted them, her wrinkled face lighting up with a radiant smile. She immediately stood up, dusting off her linen apron. "Oh, our Y/N-ah! Come in, come sit down!"

Y/N bowed politely, a warm smile on her face. "Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for inviting me. My grandmother sent these fruits for the family."

"Oh, look at that! Your grandmother is always so thoughtful," Soobin's mother said, stepping forward with a kind, elegant smile. She took the basket from Soobin, giving Y/N a warm, approving look that instantly made Y/N feel welcome. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you, Y/N. Soobin has told us so much about you."

"Mom," Soobin groaned softly, his ears instantly turning a bright shade of pink as he guided Y/N toward the empty cushions at the table.

"What? It's true," his dad chimed in with a booming, good-natured laugh, looking up from the grill. "The boy has been spacing out and smiling at his shoes for a week. Welcome to the family dinner, Y/N. Sit, eat before the meat gets too charred."

Soobin quickly pulled a cushion closer for Y/N, sitting down right beside her. His long frame practically shielded her from any overwhelming attention, but he couldn't hide the shy, incredibly proud smile on his face as he looked between her and his family.

"Here," Soobin whispered, immediately picking up his chopsticks the second his grandfather deposited a perfectly grilled, crispy piece of pork belly onto Y/N's plate. He expertly wrapped it in a fresh lettuce leaf with a bit of rice and ssamjang, holding the perfectly constructed ssam out to her with a proud, dimpled grin. 

Y/N felt her cheeks heat up under the gaze of his entire family, but she accepted the bite, the savory, smoky flavor absolutely perfect after a long day in the salt air.

"See how well he takes care of her?" his grandmother remarked to his mother, completely delighted. "At home, he just waits for the food to fall into his mouth, but look at him now."

"Hey, I help," Soobin protested, though his ears were burning a bright, betraying red. He quickly stuffed a piece of meat into his own mouth to hide his embarrassment, his shoulder pressing warmly against Y/N's as he sat protectively close to her.

His dad laughed, pouring a fresh glass of cold barley tea for Y/N. "Don't mind them, Y/N. They're just happy Soobin finally brought a guest over who doesn't just eat all our meat and run away like his school friends do."

"So, Y/N," his mother spoke up, her voice warm and genuinely curious as she leaned forward on her cushion. "Your grandmother mentioned you’re preparing for a big move up to Seoul later this month. How are you feeling about it? It’s quite a change from the island, but at least you still have the whole month of July to enjoy the peace here."

Y/N swallowed her food, smiling politely. "I'm a little nervous because it's so big, but I'm really looking forward to it. I'm glad I still have this month to mentally prepare, though."

"Well, you don't have to worry about a thing," his grandfather chimed in, pointing a pair of long metal tongs at Soobin. "This giant boy over here knows the city like the back of his hand. If he doesn't show you around and carry your bags when the time comes, you just call us and your grandma. We'll set him straight."

Soobin swallowed his food quickly, looking at his grandfather with wide, earnest eyes. "Grandpa, of course I'm going to take care of her. I already told her I'd meet her at her campus."

His mother chuckled softly at how defensive and serious he instantly got. She looked at Y/N, her expression incredibly gentle. "It really is a relief to know you two will have each other up there when summer ends. Seoul can feel lonely, but it’s much better when you have a piece of home with you."

Under the low wooden table, out of sight of his teasing parents and grandparents, Soobin’s large hand found Y/N's. He gently slid his fingers between hers, squeezing her hand with a steady, reassuring warmth that sent a thrill straight to her chest.

He didn't say anything out loud, but as he turned to look at her, the soft glow of the patio lights catching the deep indentation of his dimple, his eyes held a quiet, happy promise for the long July weeks ahead—and everything that would follow.

"He really means it, too," Soobin’s mother added, her eyes crinkling with a soft, deeply amused smile as she watched her son's face burn a fresh, dramatic shade of crimson. She set her chopsticks down and leaned forward slightly, resting her chin in her hand as she looked across the sizzling grill at Y/N.

"You know, Y/N, it is incredibly fascinating for us to see him like this," his mother continued, her tone dropping into a warm, conspiratorial murmur. "Before you came along, this boy practically treated women like they were a different species. He would barely look a girl in the eye, let alone talk to one. If a female classmate so much as asked him for a pencil at school, he’d turn into a statue, give a tiny nod, and look like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole."

"Mom! Please," Soobin choked out, his voice cracking slightly in sheer desperation. He nearly dropped his tongs back into the cabbage dish, his entire face, ears, and neck now a uniform, vibrant shade of pink. He looked at his mother with wide, pleading eyes, silently begging her to stop exposing his absolute lack of game.

His dad let out another booming laugh, clapping a hand on Soobin's rigid shoulder. "She's not lying, son! Remember your middle school graduation? That poor girl tried to give you a bouquet of flowers and you bowed so fast and so low you nearly cracked your forehead against hers, then ran away to the car."

"I was just... polite!" Soobin mumbled defensively, hiding his face behind his large palm as he looked down at his rice bowl, his shoulders slumping. A tiny, helpless dimple poked through his flushed cheek anyway, showing he was more flustered than actually upset.

Y/N couldn't help but laugh softly, looking over at Soobin shrinking into his seat 

"It's true, Y/N-ah," his grandmother chimed in, placing a beautifully grilled, juicy piece of pork belly directly onto Y/N's plate with a fond nod. "Our Soobin has always been a quiet, gentle soul. He keeps his heart tucked away safely. So we knew you must be someone incredibly special."

The brilliant July stars were completely out by the time they finally left the warmth of the backyard. The air had cooled down significantly, carrying a crisp, refreshing breeze that rustled through the dark leaves of the village trees.

Soobin walked a little slower than usual, matching his long strides to Y/N’s smaller ones. He had his hands buried deep in the pockets of his soft jacket, his shoulder brushing gently against hers with every few steps. For the first few minutes, they just walked in a comfortable, quiet rhythm, listening to the steady chorus of the summer cicadas.

But as they turned onto the narrow, stone-walled lane that led toward her house, Soobin noticed how quiet she had become. She was looking down at her sandals, her fingers nervously twisting the fabric of her dress.

He stopped walking, turning his body toward her. "Y/N-ah?"

Y/N paused, looking up at him. In the dim, warm glow of the yellow streetlights, Soobin’s dark eyes were full of a quiet, intense focus. He stepped a little closer, taking one hand out of his pocket to reach for hers. His fingers wrapped around her small hand, his thumb tracing a slow, soothing circle over her knuckles.

"You've been really quiet since we left the house," he murmured gently. "Are you okay? Did my family overwhelm you?"

Y/N let out a small, heavy breath, the cool night air suddenly making her feel incredibly small. She looked away from him, staring at the shadows on the stone wall, before finally pulling her hand away from his grip completely.

"Soobin... hearing your mom talk about Seoul, and your grandpa... it just made it all feel so real," she said, her voice tight with a sudden surge of anxiety. "The first day of July is already here. After this month, the summer is over."

Soobin blinked, caught off guard by her pulling away. "Yeah, but we'll be heading up there together. I'll be right there to help you settle into the campus—"

"What if I don't go?" Y/N interrupted, the words tumbling out of her before she could stop them.

The silence that followed was absolute. Soobin froze, his hand remaining suspended in the air for a second before dropping slowly to his side. His brow furrowed, his entire demeanor shifting from tender comfort to complete, stunned confusion. "What do you mean, what if you don't go? Your application to SNU is already approved."

"I know, but I’m just... I’m really not so sure about Seoul anymore, Soobin," she argued, crossing her arms tightly as she looked up at him, her defenses flaring because of how scared she actually was. "I've lived on this island my whole life. Everything here makes sense to me. Seoul is massive, crowded, and terrifying. W-What if I just stay in Jeju? I could just find a university here, stay close to my family, and..." She swallowed hard, her voice cracking. "And just stay where I know I fit in."

Soobin stared at her, a rare flash of hurt and sharp defensiveness coloring his features. He stepped toward her, his tall frame cutting off the light from the streetlamp, his jaw tight.

"You're talking about completely throwing away your dream because you're scared?" he asked, his deep voice dropping into a sharper, more intense register than she had ever heard from him before. "You've been working toward this for a year. We've been talking all week about what we're going to do when we get to the city."

"It's easy for you to say it's just 'being scared'!" Y/N shot back, her frustration boiling over. "You grew up there, Soobin! You have your family, your friends, your entire life waiting for you. For me, it's starting completely over from scratch. What happens when you're busy with your own life and your own classes? Am I just supposed to sit in a tiny dorm room wishing I never left home?"

"That’s completely unfair!" Soobin said, looking genuinely wounded. He ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair, pulling at the roots as he looked away from her for a brief second to catch his breath before looking right back into her eyes. "You think I’m just going to leave you to fend for yourself? You think I view you as some fling for the summer? I was finally excited to go back to Seoul because you were going to be there. But now it feels like you're using Jeju as an excuse to pull away from me before we even get there."

The accusation hung heavily in the cool night air, the steady, rhythmic chirping of the July cicadas suddenly sounding entirely too loud in the space between them.

Y/N stared up at him, her breath catching in her throat. Seeing Soobin—who was always so compliant, so careful with his words, and so endlessly patient—looking at her with such raw, flashing hurt in his eyes made her anger instantly evaporate, leaving behind nothing but a cold, hollow ache.

"I'm not trying to pull away from you," she whispered, her voice trembling as the defensive walls she’d built up over the last ten minutes completely crumbled. "Soobin, how can you think that? You’re the best part of being here."

Soobin didn't answer right away. He kept his jaw clenched so tight the sharp line of it caught the edge of the yellow streetlamp. He took a long, heavy breath through his nose, his broad shoulders rising and falling under his cream cardigan as he tried to swallow down the sudden spike of emotion. He looked down at his shoes, then out at the dark lane, refusing to meet her eyes for a long, agonizing moment.

When he finally looked back at her, the sharp defensiveness was entirely gone, replaced by a quiet, vulnerable exhaustion.

"Because that’s what it feels like," he said softly, his voice dropping back into that deep, gravelly register. He closed the small distance she had put between them, though he didn't reach out to touch her just yet. "It feels like you’re ready to completely rewrite your entire future—throw away a dream you worked so hard for—just to stay in your comfort zone. And it makes me feel like I’m not enough of a reason for you to want to take that leap."

"It's not that you're not enough," Y/N murmured, looking down at the gravel, her chest aching. "It's just... Jeju is safe. Out here, I know who I am. Up there, I'm just nobody."

"You're not a nobody to me," Soobin insisted, stepping even closer until the warm, familiar scent of his laundry detergent and the sea completely enveloped her.

He reached out, his large, slightly trembling hand gently catching her wrist before sliding down to lock his fingers securely with hers.

"You think I’m not terrified of going back?" he admitted, a bittersweet, self-deprecating smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Y/N, I hate crowds. I hate how fast Seoul moves. Half the time I'm up there, I just want to lock myself in my room and hide. I was dreading the end of summer because it meant going back to all of that."

He squeezed her hand tightly, his dark eyes entirely bare and full of an intense, quiet sincerity.

"But then I met you. And for the last week, every time I thought about Seoul, I wasn't dreading it anymore. I was actually excited. Because I kept imagining showing you my favorite quiet spots, walking across the campus to meet you after your classes, and having a piece of home—a piece of this—with me. If you stay here, yeah, you’ll be safe. But you’ll always wonder 'what if.' Don't let fear make your choices for you, Y/N-ah. Especially not when I'm right here ready to catch you."

The honesty in his voice cut right through the remainder of her anxiety. Y/N looked up at him, realizing that in her fear of the unknown, she had completely overlooked how much strength he was drawing from her, too.

Slowly, she let out the breath she’d been holding, her shoulders relaxing. "I'm sorry," she whispered, leaning her forehead lightly against his chest. "I'm just so scared."

Soobin let out a soft, defeated sigh, the tension finally bleeding out of his tall frame. He let go of her hand only to wrap both of his long arms completely around her, pulling her tightly against his chest. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, rocking her slightly from side to side under the warm glow of the streetlamp.

"I know," he rumbled gently against her skin, his grip tightening as if he could physically shield her from her doubts. "I am too. But we still have all of July left. Let's just focus on being right here, together, and we'll figure out the rest when the time comes. Deal?"

Y/N nodded silently against his chest, her hands gripping the fabric of his jacket. The steady, comforting beat of his heart under her cheek did more to quiet her racing thoughts than any logic could.

"Deal," she murmured, her voice muffled by his shoulder.

Soobin held her like that for a few more long moments, his fingers gently tangling in the hair at the back of her neck, just holding her steady against the weight of the future. When he finally pulled back, he didn't go far. He kept his hands resting lightly on her waist, looking down at her with a soft, slightly tired but deeply affectionate smile.

"Good," he whispered, his deep voice carrying a trace of relief. He reached up, using the pad of his thumb to gently wipe away a stray tear she hadn't realized had slipped down her cheek. "Because I can't let my mom and grandma think I made you cry on our very first official family dinner. I'll never hear the end of it."

Y/N let out a breathless laugh, swatting playfully at his chest. "You did make me cry. You were using your scary voice."

"My scary voice?" Soobin’s eyes widened in genuine shock, his head tilting back as a breathless laugh escaped him. His deep dimples popped back into his cheeks, completely erasing any lingering tension from their argument. "I don't have a scary voice! I was just... passionately communicating!"

"You sounded like a strict teacher," she teased, finally smiling fully as she looked up at him.

"I was defending my honor," he protested softly, his expression turning incredibly tender again as his gaze dropped to her lips for a brief second before locking back onto her eyes. He stepped in closer, his chest pressing against hers as he slid his hands down to find hers again, weaving their fingers together. "Seriously, though. Don't hide it from me when you feel like that, okay? Even if we argue. I'd rather know."

"I won't," Y/N promised, squeezing his large hands. "I'm sorry I took it out on you."

"Forget about it," Soobin murmured, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss right to the top of her head. He smelled like the smoky sweet scent of the backyard grill and the cool night air. "Come on, let’s get you home before your dad comes out here with a broom to see what's taking so long."

They walked the final few meters to her front gate in a much lighter, sweeter silence, their joined hands swinging gently between them. The anxiety about Seoul hadn't completely vanished—the city was still massive, and August was still coming and nothing was going to make time freeze—but as Y/N looked at Soobin waving energetically from the bottom of the lane, his giant, dimpled smile lighting up the dark July night, she realized the unknown didn't feel quite as lonely anymore.

The rest of July dissolved into a sun-drenched, blurry haze of the best days Y/N had ever known. True to his word, Soobin didn't let a single afternoon go to waste.

Once the anxiety of the future was tucked away, they lived entirely in the present. They spent hours down at the hidden cove, Soobin’s long legs dangling off the rocks as he watched Y/N swim, always ready with a dry towel and a warm embrace the second she shivered. They rode his scooter through the winding, emerald-green roads of the island, the salt wind whipping through their hair while Y/N held tightly to his waist. There were quiet afternoons spent on the floor of his grandmother’s porch, splitting frozen water ice bars in half, and late-night walks under the vast July stars where they talked about absolutely everything and nothing at all.

But summer, no matter how deeply you try to hold onto it, always has an expiration date.

Suddenly, it was the final week of July. The lazy, endless days caught up to them, and the reality they had successfully avoided for a month settled back into the air. Tomorrow morning, Soobin was leaving for Seoul with his parents.

That final evening, the sky over the island turned a bruised, dramatic shade of violet and gold. They didn't go to the cove or the bustling town; instead, they walked up to the ancient, sprawling tree on the hillside that overlooked the ocean—the place where so many of their quietest promises had been made.

The July breeze was warmer now, heavy with the scent of upcoming late-summer rains. Soobin sat with his back against the thick trunk of the tree, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Y/N sat between them, leaning her back securely against his chest. His large arms were wrapped loosely but completely around her waist, his chin resting gently on the crown of her head.

Neither of them spoke for a long time. They just watched the distant, tiny lights of the fishing boats out on the dark water begin to twinkle one by one.

"My bags are packed," Soobin’s deep voice finally broke the silence, vibrating softly against Y/N’s back. It sounded heavier tonight, grounded in a quiet, reluctant sadness. "My dad wants to leave for the airport at five tomorrow afternoon."

Y/N reached down, placing her hands over his arms, her fingers tracing the soft cotton of his sleeve. "It feels weird. The whole month felt like it lasted a year, but today went by in a second."

Soobin tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her just a fraction closer, as if trying to memorize the exact way she fit against him. He let out a long, slow breath that brushed through her hair.

"I don't want to go," he whispered, a rare admission of vulnerability. "I hate thinking that tomorrow night, I'll be in my room in Seoul, and I won't be able to just walk down the lane to see you. I won't be able to hear the cicadas like this."

Y/N turned her head slightly, looking up at him through the twilight. The sharp, handsome profile of his face looked solemn, his dark eyes fixed on the horizon. The fear she had felt at the beginning of the month didn't flare up this time; instead, seeing him look so reluctant to leave gave her a strange, quiet wave of strength.

"It's only for a few weeks, Soobin-ah," she said softly, reaching up to gently touch the edge of his jaw. "Two weeks will pass. And then I'll be right behind you."

Soobin turned his head, his gaze dropping to meet hers. In the dimming light, the intense, unwavering devotion in his eyes made her breath catch. He caught her hand from his jaw, bringing her palms to his lips and pressing a soft, lingering kiss against her knuckles.

And then, his gaze dropped to her lips.

The space between them seemed to shrink to nothing as he leaned down, his large hand shifting from her knuckles to gently cup the side of her face. His thumb brushed softly over her cheekbone, tilting her chin up just a fraction. When his lips finally met hers, the kiss was soft and slow, tasting faintly of the sweet summer air and carrying all the heavy, unsaid weight of tomorrow’s departure.

It wasn't a rushed goodbye, but a deep, lingering promise. Soobin sighed into the kiss, his other arm tightening around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest as if he could physically print the memory of her into his skin to carry back to Seoul.

When he finally pulled back, just an inch or two, his forehead rested against hers. Both of them were breathing a little shallower now. In the quiet dark of the hillside, with his eyes closed and his hands holding her so securely, the massive, terrifying city of Seoul didn't feel like an ending anymore—it felt like a beginning.

"Two weeks," he murmured again, his voice lower, rougher, and completely certain against her lips. "I'll see you in Seoul."

Two weeks later, the intense, sticky heat of a Seoul mid-August hummed through the glass panes of Incheon International Airport—the bustling hub for domestic flights coming in from the island.

Inside the terminal, the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the quiet, slow-paced lanes of Jeju. The late afternoon air was thick, filled with the loud hum of old-school floor fans, the clatter of analog arrival boards flipping their plastic letters, and the chatter of travelers carrying heavy vinyl duffel bags and strapped luggage.

Standing right at the edge of the metal barrier, completely oblivious to the chaotic rush around him, was Soobin.

He was hard to miss—his tall frame easily towered over most of the crowd. He was dressed casually in an oversized, faded blue short-sleeve button-up shirt and dark trousers, looking every bit like a boy straight out of a classic retro film. For the past forty-five minutes, he had been shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his large hands nervously gripping his foldable phone. Every time the heavy doors of the domestic arrivals gate swung open, his shoulders would tense, his dark eyes instantly scanning the emerging faces with intense focus.

To say he had been restless for the last fourteen days was an understatement. He had practically scratched the days off his wall calendar at home, and his room in Seoul had felt entirely too quiet without the sound of the ocean—and without her.

Then, the doors swung open yet again.

Through the crowd of arriving passengers, a familiar figure pushed through, rolling a heavy, boxy suitcase out into the terminal.

Soobin’s entire posture locked up. The moment his eyes landed on Y/N, the anxious, tense expression he had been wearing for an hour completely vanished. A massive, radiant smile broke across his face, his deep dimples carving instantly into his cheeks.

Forgetting all about his usual shy, reserved nature in public, he lifted a long arm and waved frantically over the heads of the crowd.

"Y/N-ah!" he called out, his deep voice easily cutting through the airport noise.

He didn't even wait for her to navigate past the waiting crowd. Soobin eagerly stepped over the divider line, his long strides eating up the distance between them in seconds. Before Y/N could even properly lift her hand to wave back, he was already right in front of her.

He lifted her seamlessly, his large hands anchoring firmly at her waist as he spun her in a slow, sweeping princess twirl right there in the middle of the crowded terminal. Y/N let out a breathless, surprised gasp, her hands instantly flying up to clasp tightly around his neck as the busy airport blurred around them, the retro signs and humming fans fading into a background hum.

When he finally set her back down on her feet, he didn't let go. His arms looped loosely around her waist, keeping her anchored flush against his chest. He leaned down, burying his face into the crook of her neck for a long, quiet second, just breathing her in. He smelled like his familiar laundry detergent, but underneath it was the distinct, crisp scent of the city—he really was a Seoul boy.

"You're actually here," Soobin mumbled against her skin, his deep voice vibrating straight through her.

He pulled back just enough to look down at her face, his eyes shining with an almost overwhelming amount of happiness. His dimples were cut so deep into his cheeks they looked permanent. He reached up, his large, warm hand instantly cupping her cheek, his thumb sweeping over her skin exactly the way he used to under the streetlamps in Jeju.

"I missed you so much," he whispered, completely ignoring the busy travelers navigating around her boxy suitcase. "Two weeks felt like two years. I kept staring at the clock all morning."

Y/N leaned into his palm, the last lingering trace of her anxiety about the massive city completely evaporating the moment his arms had wrapped around her. "I missed you too. Did you really wait here all morning?"

"Of course I did," Soobin said softly, his gaze dropping to her lips for a fraction of a second before he leaned down and pressed a sweet, lingering kiss right to lips. "Come on. I have my dad’s car parked in the parking lot, and I promised my mom I’d bring you straight to the apartment for dinner. But first..."

He stepped back, effortlessly grabbing the handle of her heavy suitcase with one hand while using his other to firmly lock his fingers with hers, squeezing tight.

"Let's get out of this crowd. Welcome to Seoul, Y/N-ah."

The mid-August dusk settled over Seoul not with the quiet, fading gold of the Jeju coastline, but in a sudden, electric blaze of neon and concrete. Stepping out into the city streets, the sheer, crushing scale of the capital was nothing like the island. Where Jeju was defined by the endless blue horizon and the rhythmic, grounding sigh of the ocean, Seoul was a towering maze of grey stone, steel, and a dizzying web of overlapping telephone wires cutting the sky into jagged pieces.

The air here carried no trace of salt or wind. It was thick and heavy, radiating the metallic warmth of roaring city buses, the rich, spicy steam of tteokbokki from roadside stalls, and the humid exhaust of a metropolis that never slowed down. Everywhere, a relentless sea of strangers moved with hurried, serious strides across the asphalt, their voices swallowed by the overlapping din of car horns and analog billboard lights humming to life in vibrant shades of green and red. It was loud, chaotic, and entirely overwhelming—a sprawling jungle that made the quiet, stone-walled lanes of her village feel like a distant dream.

Yet, as the rushing crowd blurred past on the wide sidewalk, the vastness of the city shrank to the space of a single heartbeat.

His large, warm hand remained firmly locked with hers, a solid and unyielding anchor against the frantic pulse of the city. Towering over the rush of commuters, his familiar presence completely blocked out the intimidating skyline, his dark eyes reflecting the glow of the first evening lights with the exact same quiet devotion from the hillside tree. With a slow, breathtakingly tender smile that brought back the soft warmth of summer, he squeezed her fingers tight, pulling her just a fraction closer to his side.

The city was massive, terrifying, and completely foreign. But as they turned together into the vibrant, crowded streets of Seoul, the unknown no longer felt like a place to get lost—it simply felt like the next place they would walk through, hand in hand.

Jeju was far behind her, and the massive, unfamiliar capital stretched out as far as the eye could see. Yet, looking up at him as the neon signs began to blur together, the lingering fear finally dissolved into the humid evening air. Jeju hadn't been her home because of the sea, the tide, or the quiet, stone-walled lanes.

She realized then that home was no longer a fixed place on a map or a quiet village frozen in time. It wasn't defined by geography at all. Home was the sound of his laugh, the safety of his arms, and the unwavering devotion in his eyes. Wherever he was, that was where she belonged.

In the middle of this massive, chaotic city, Soobin had become her home.

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐

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[flytomyro0m]

Dog Thief 15: Balance

Series summary: Three months. One dream dog-sitting job. One dog that wants nothing to do with him. And, to make matters worse, the only person the dog trusts is someone Soobin can’t stand.

Pairing: Non-Idol!Soobin x reader Chapter Summary: Kai is here! Yn is glad, Soobin is too- except the times he's not Headsup- there's a written part as well Word count: 2.5k

Series masterlist | Previous | Next (5th July)

~

Hazel had woken from her nap just as you neared your building. She propped herself up on Kai's lap, quietly watching the familiar surroundings come into view through the window. You turned around and quickly snapped a picture of the two of them. She seemed oddly thoughtful, her gaze fixed outside, and you found yourself wondering, with quiet amusement, what could possibly be going through her head.

Was she looking at the black bench with its faded gold accents and remembering the evenings when you and Soobin would sit there after walks, sharing ice cream while he secretly let her have a few bites and you pretended not to notice? The small bump in the pavement where he had stumbled during her puppy days after she suddenly lunged toward the golden retriever from the next block? The stretch of sidewalk outside the bakery where the three of you had once ended up lingering long after the walk was over, Soobin crouched beside her while you held her leash, all of you watching the rain until it passed?

Or was she just staring at her surroundings, waiting for her brain to gradually wake up after her long nap?

You knew the answer was 99% the latter but you liked to hold on to the 1% chance of the former. That way, you wouldn't be the only one with Soobin thoughts. You weren't sure how much better or worse having Hazel on your side in this case made it- because her life technically involved only two people, mostly- Soobin and you. You, on the other hand, had a plethora of things you could have been thinking about.

Yet, here you were.

You had already spent almost the entire day thinking of the dimpled man beside you who had made it really hard not to by wearing that damn blue t-shirt. No offence to the gorgeous sea you were at today, the sky and mother nature in general, but those blue sights had nothing on Soobin in this t-shirt. You cringed at yourself when you caught your thoughts. Hard. Hard enough to have Soobin's eyes flit to you and smirk as he brought the car to a halt.

That made your brain shut up. Thank god.

"Ah! Home finally!" Kai said as he stretched his arms above his head, disturbing Hazel in the process who was now expectantly looking at you to be let out- without a second's delay.

--

You carried Hazel's bag and your own up to your apartment while Soobin helped Kai with his things. The moment the door was unlocked, Hazel slipped inside before you could even push it fully open, immediately beginning her usual patrol of the apartment as if she needed to confirm that everything had remained safe and sound.

Soobin paused by the doorway, head tilted slightly as he watched the little dog move from room to room, nose working diligently. There was something quietly fond in the way he looked at her.

"She'll bring her toy from that room again, won't she?"

Before you could spend any more time noticing the expression on his face, you looked back into your house and smiled. "Yep." You smiled at him and stepped inside, "I'm keeping the door ajar in case she leaves on her own. Else, I'll bring her over once I freshen up."

He nodded. "Makes sense. I'll keep ours so too"

Kai was already halfway inside his apartment by then, and Soobin followed after him. He glanced back once as he stepped through the doorway opposite yours, watching Hazel disappear into your bedroom with the seriousness of someone completing an important task.

~

Fifteen minutes later, you dragged your feet to the front door as Hazel barked at it. Seemed like she was bored of your house somehow and wanted to go back to headquarters now.

You were met with Soobin opening the door opposite to you as soon as you opened yours. The two of you paused for a second before letting out matching little laughs.

"Oh. Hi again" He breathed out.

"Her Majesty was done with my place so I was bringing her to you," you said, glancing down at Hazel.

Hazel, who had been standing in between the two of you until now, stepped ahead and planted herself firmly in front of Soobin, demanding attention. He immediately obliged, crouching down to rub her ears and scratch beneath her chin while she leaned against him, pleased.

About 15 seconds later, satisfied, she walked past Soobin and into her home as though she had important business to attend. He watched her disappear inside, shaking his head with a quiet laugh as he gently pulled the door shut behind him.

"Well, I'll leave now." He bit his lip, successfully suppressing a yawn.

You blurted out a quick, "Why?" before you could stop yourself.

He opened his mouth to say something, unsure of what, though. He wan't expecting that. Neither did you, to be fair.

"I mean," you went on, scrambling to recover, "you have to be back here to walk her again in, like, three hours anyway. You could just rest up here? You must be awfully tired." You met his eyes for a brief second before immediately looking away, reaching up to scratch the back of your neck.

"True." He paused for a heartbeat before continuing. "Kai did offer me the same but just told him I'd head back to mine."

You nodded slowly, hoping you looked understanding.

You did not.

That made him continue, "Well, don't tell him but Kai is quite a snorer when he's tired." He scrunched his nose a little.

Cute. So cute.

You never knew you would be so grateful for a person snoring.

Focus, Yn.

"Oh haha," you scratched the back of your neck, "I see."

The tiny hint of disappointment was probably written all over your face.

Soobin, seemed to like that. A lot.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth before he spoke again.

"Actually," he shifted his weight to his other leg, "if it is still left and you don't mind, could I have some of that lemon-y drink we had bought the other day?"

Your eyebrows shot up immediately.

"Yeah, I do." The answer came far too fast. "Come on in."

--

Sitting on the floor with his back against the sofa, Soobin tried his best to not let his true feelings about the very drink he had asked for show. He did not like that drink. At all. You did.

And today, between Kai and Hazel, he hadn't really had his usual share of your attention. If drinking a citrusy beverage that he would never willingly buy for himself meant getting it, then he could certainly survive it.

Besides, it was refreshing.

Or perhaps what was refreshing was looking up from the bottle and seeing you walk back toward him, taking a long sip from your own as you crossed the room, the pleased smile that spread across your face as your eyes fluttered shut, followed by the soft little hmm you let out.

Anyway.

He took another sip.

Still terrible.

You took a seat beside him on the floor, crossing your legs beneath you as you settled in. The room gradually fell into a comfortable silence, one that neither of you seemed particularly eager to fill.

After a few moments, Soobin let out a long, unrestrained sigh and tipped his head back against the sofa. His eyes slipped shut.

You looked at him.

The exhaustion was suddenly much more obvious now. His shoulders had relaxed, the tension leaving them little by little, and his breathing had slowed into something steady and quiet. He looked comfortable. He looked tired.

You watched him breathe.

A dangerous amount of time passed before warmth began creeping up your neck, settling in your ears and colouring your cheeks. Realising that you had, in fact, been sitting there studying his face as though there would be an exam on it later, you quickly tore your eyes away.

The plastic bottle in your hands suddenly became the most interesting thing in the room.

The ingredients, the nutritional information, the storage instructions, the manufacturing address- Every single word printed on the label? Captivating.

Suddenly, beside you, Soobin jolted upright. He rubbed at his eyes and blinked a few times, as if trying to pull himself back into the room. "I was about to fall asleep."

"The only thing wrong in that," you turned to him, "is sleeping here. Go to the room and relax properly." You looked at him expectantly, hoping he would listen.

Soobin's first instinct was to refuse. He had almost opened his mouth to do exactly that when he was made acutely aware of just how exhausted he was as he merely thought about standing up.

Yeah no, that was not happening.

He looked at you and the tired softness in your features. He realised he felt like his insides were jelly.

That, he corrected himself, was not you but exhaustion.

It was both.

"Okay" he breathed out.

You pursed your lips and nodded before lifting yourself off the ground.

"Yn, could y-" you found Soobin extending his hand to you, hoping you would help him up.

That earned a roll of the eyes accompanied by, "What are you? A baby?"

"Sometimes." The answer was accompanied by a sleepy little smile.

He squeezed your hand as he pulled himself up, his fingers staying around your hand just long enough to make you aware of every single one of them before he quietly murmured a "Thanks."

The image of a tired Soobin admitting he was "sometimes" a baby, paired with the lingering warmth of his hand in yours, was doing dangerous things to your heart.

You bit the inside of your cheek to remain as neutral as you could be as you both walked side by side till you reached the two rooms. You stepped inside yours and turned back to close the door, giving him a small nod that he seemed to mirror.

Except Soobin didn't actually make any effort to shut his own.

Instead, he simply stood there, leaning lightly against the doorframe as he looked at you.

"See you later," he murmured.

"Yeah," you replied softly.

And then neither of you moved.

You both remained there, tiredly leaning against your respective doors, looking at each other for no particular reason other than it just happening.

You knew you couldn't look away for obvious reasons and he, you thought, was just tired and this felt nice. Comforting. Tender.

The silence stretched between you, unhurried and warm until a huge yawn finally caught up to Soobin.

He was far too late to suppress it and immediately turned his head away as it escaped him anyway. You smiled to yourself and looked down to hide your own.

Taking this as a sign, you moved to shut the door finally. Soobin didn't quite like that, so, he blurted out a "Thanks, by the way."

That made you pause.

Good.

Soobin knew he was stalling. He knew it was dumb. Every muscle in his body was begging him to stretch out somewhere soft and finally rest properly, yet here he was finding additional things to say in a hallway when neither of you could keep your eyes open.

But he also liked this.

He liked having your attention entirely on him again. He had missed it more than he cared to admit, and now that he had it back, he found himself reluctant to let the moment end.

So he stalled.

Sue him.

You looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"Don't mention it. And also," your eyebrows drew together, "stop saying things. You're delaying sleep."

The complaint came out with the slightest whine and, judging by the corners of his mouth turning upwards, he didn't seem to care much.

You narrowed your eyes, "Just shut up and sleep."

A breathy laugh escaped him as he lowered his gaze.

"My apologies." He looked back up at you. "Bye."

The sound of his laugh immediately pierced through your carefully maintained annoyed facade and melted it off. You bit your lip, attempting to hide your smile.

"Bye."

You shut the door behind you and made your way toward your beloved bed. Sleep came far too easily for you to spend much time thinking about Soobin, and before you could even be grateful for that, you were already gone.

Soobin, on the other hand, shut his door and crossed the room to get to the right side of the bed. He remembered you mentioning that the fluffy pillow was on the right side the night of the storm when you had shown him this room. As he sank onto the mattress, a deep sigh escaped him.

God, he was tired.

But he was also content.

And that felt nice.

He had had a good day, after all- The car ride with you, the beach, hazel being absolutely delighted there, the delicious brunch the two of you pretty much inhaled, seeing Kai after so long, hearing his stories and just feeling the joy of his presence and then, this.

His nose scrunched slightly as the tension finally began to leave his body, one muscle at a time. He was grateful he hadn't gone home after all. The thought of driving back, and then returning in a few hours suddenly felt absurd.

And- if he was being honest with himself- he was equally grateful that he was resting in your apartment instead of Kai's.

That particular piece of information, however, would remain strictly confidential.

The universe had seemed to be on his side today. Really, what were the chances that both of you would open your front doors at exactly the same moment? And you had very clearly not approved of his original plan to go home.

Granted, it had been a terrible plan.

He had realised that approximately three minutes after sitting down on your floor.

Still, he hadn't known that at the time. He genuinely would have gone back if you hadn't stopped him.

Which meant that, technically speaking, he had played no part in any of this.

This was the universe maintaining balance.

And the balance, naturally, was Soobin+Yn time.

He adored Kai. He really did. But Kai had interrupted a portion of the day that had quietly become his: walking beside you, talking to you, having your attention drift naturally toward him and back again. Not having enough of it had left something feeling slightly incomplete.

He hadn't particularly enjoyed how much of your attention Kai had received today either. Especially when he himself hadn't gotten much at all.

So when the universe eventually stepped in to restore the proper order of things, who was he to argue?

Exactly.

So, here he was. And it was nice.

The pillow was, annoyingly, exactly as comfortable as you had promised. He shifted beneath the covers until he found the perfect position, the tension finally leaving his body for good.

With the quiet of your apartment around him, Soobin closed his eyes and let himself drift away.

--

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[flytomyro0m]

Dog Thief: Part 14- Oh

Series summary: Three months. One dream dog-sitting job. One dog that wants nothing to do with him. And, to make matters worse, the only person the dog trusts is someone Soobin can’t stand.

Pairing: Non-Idol!Soobin x reader Chapter summary: Yep, it is the Oh

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[spitwtf]

umm thinkin of pathetic!soobin who's too clingy for his own good so he's constantly asking for reassurance when holding onto u because "are u sure it's okay for me to be hangin onto u like this?" n "tell me if i make u uncomfy, 'kay?" n u don't have the heart to tell him u wouldn't care where he touches as long as he's touchin u. might scare away the lil pup ૮ ྀི◞ ⸝⸝ ◟ ྀིა

[soobinsoudesu]

begged and borrowed time ─ choi soobin

genre drabble, fluff, historical word count 979 words

Hidden away in a narrow alley, their stolen moment becomes a desperate sanctuary from the world trying to keep them apart.

author's note 300 special, ily guys.

The scent of gutted fish and bitter brine hung heavy over the crowded docks as Soobin hauled another wooden crate of silver mackerel off the deck. Sweating despite the biting coastal wind, his linen shirt clung to his broad shoulders. He shouted over the crashing roar of the surf, trading raucous jokes with his father and the crew as they pulled the heavy, dripping netting onto the timber pier.

Then, the world slowed, and his breath caught sharp in his throat.

She stood at the chaotic edge of the fish market, entirely out of place among the filth and the noise. Her fine, deep-midnight cloak was pulled tightly around her, but the expensive velvet couldn’t hide the elegant, unmistakable silhouette of the Viscount’s daughter. She looked lost, wandering aimlessly through a sea of sun-baked sailors and shouting merchants. Her delicate, shoes were already slick with the dark muck and fish scales of the pier.

Panic flared in Soobin’s chest.

What was she doing here? If his father turned around, if the crew looked up, or if any of the town guards wandering around recognized her, the scandal would ruin her.

Dropping his end of the ropes without a word to his bewildered father, Soobin bolted. He navigated the crowded docks with frantic speed, weaving past stacked crates and dodging barrels until he reached her side.

Before she could even part her lips to utter his name, Soobin’s large hand shot out, gripping her fingers tight and anchoring her to him. Without a word, he turned on his heel and began speed-walking, pulling her along in his wake. He kept his broad frame positioned slightly ahead of her, a human shield trying to obscure her fine cloak from prying eyes as he wove them desperately away from the market square and into the labyrinth of the lower town.

Only when they had rounded two sharp corners, deep into a narrow, shadowed alleyway entirely choked off from the harbor's view, did he finally halt.

He pulled her into the deepest recess of the damp brick walls, his chest heaving heavily from the grueling labor and the sheer, heart-stopping adrenaline of the escape.

"W-what... what are you doing here?" Soobin breathed, his voice a frantic, protective whisper that brushed against her ear. His heart hammered violently against his ribs. "It's dangerous for you to be wandering the lower district alone. If anyone from the market had looked over—if my father saw—"

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with a trace of fear that instantly melted into relief as she leaned into his space, surrounded by his warmth. "The manor felt like a cage today, Soobin. They are talking of my betrothal again. I just... I needed to see you. I couldn't wait until dark."

The fierce panic in Soobin's chest withered away, replaced by a profound, aching tenderness. He looked down at her; so beautiful but so reckless, risking her status and her safety just to find him. His tight grip on her hand softened, but he didn't dare let go. Instead, he adjusted his hold, his fingers sliding between hers, tightly intertwining in the quiet, shadowed safety of the alley.

'My hand fits perfectly in yours.'

The contrast between them was stark. His palm was rough, heavily calloused and scarred from the friction of thick ropes and the coarse scales of his daily work, while hers was small, soft, and flawless. Yet, as their fingers slotted together, the fit was absolute. It was a perfect lock and key, a silent, unyielding anchor far removed from the chaotic shouting of the harbor.

'Your ivy grows, and now I'm covered in you.'

She had taken root so deeply in his soul that even with the lingering threat of his father coming to look for him, he was entirely consumed by her.

Soobin opened his mouth to tell her they needed to move, but before the warning could leave his lips, she reached up. Driven by the reckless, suffocating fear of the manor and the life being chosen for her, she grabbed the collar of his damp linen shirt and pulled him down to her.

She kissed him with a desperate, wild fervor that caught the breath straight in his throat.

It was an intoxicating collision of their two divided worlds. Her soft lips pressed against his, tasting of the cold sea mist and the fierce, forbidden fire she had ignited within him. For a fraction of a second, Soobin froze in pure shock—they were a stone's throw from the entire port—but the sheer devotion in her touch completely ruined him. His protective instincts flared, and his large hands instantly came up to cup her face, deepening the kiss, shielding her body with his own as if he could hide her from the entire universe right there against the damp brick wall.

It was a breathless moment stolen from the edge of a blade, a declaration that she would rather be magnificently cursed with him than safe in her house of stone.

A muffled, distant shout from the main docks broke through the quiet of the alley, shattering the air between them.

Soobin reluctantly pulled back, his chest heaving as his forehead rested against hers. His eyes were blown wide, a fierce, protective determination burning in them as his jaw tightened. He glanced back toward the street, then gave her hand one last, lingering squeeze.

"You have to head back before they notice you're gone from the estate," Soobin whispered urgently, his thumb gently brushing over her knuckles, his voice rough and breathless from the kiss. "Take the back path behind Mrs. Park's atelier—it's empty this time of day. I have to get back to the docks before my father comes searching, but I'll meet you at the chapel ruins the exact second the sun goes down. I promise."

permanent taglist @nanilis, @flytomyro0m, @fairfootedflekk, @swangyu, @frostymatcha, @starlami, @jellyybelly, @bakudon, @twinklefairyland, @monosung, @bamgeutori, @pageraf, @wonniiz, @soohashits

— please do not reupload, copy, or translate any of my works!

[thoughtsforsoob]

a/n: hiii! this was requested by a user in the comments of my last post (idk if they wanna be tagged, so I'll leave that up to them). this is another rendition of my beat up!sannie post, but will choi soobin of txt ;P he has pretty eyes and bread cheeks, so this should work so well. please enjoy.

knowing soobin was a pleasure. he was such a sweet boy, and he was quite cute as well. you two had been best friends since childhood and he constantly proved to be the best friend anyone could ask for. one of hi favorite things to do for you was surprise you with your favorite banana milk and a big piece of sweet milk bread. you always joked that the bun reminded you of his doughy cheeks, which would make him laugh.

soobin had never been the aggressive type. he was also so docile and kind. he was the type to rather crawl in a hole and cover it with dirt before confronting anyone for any reason. even if it was something as small as his drink or food being slightly wrong, he just sucked it up and ate/drank whatever he was given. you were the one who always stepped in and spoke up for him. he hated that he was like this because he wanted the roles to be reversed. he may have been just your bestie but he wanted more. He wanted to be stronger so he could stand up for you and make you feel safe when you were with him.

he tries to make this change one evening when at a bar. you had dragged him out to a themed night at a local bar. he was never one for going out to drink, preferring to drink in the comfort of his own home, but you could convince him to do anything. he got dressed up and even opted to pick you up from your apartment. the moment you stepped out, all he could think about was how pretty you looked. the cute little outfit you put on was driving soobin insane. all he hoped was that no one else would look at you or try to hit on you.

when you arrive at the bar, soobin gets a beer, and you get a little sweet drink, following the theme of the night. it had a cute pink umbrella, so you had to have it. soobin put his card down for the tab even when you whined at him that you could pay. he insisted and gave the bartender his card. the two of you made your way to a small booth near the microscopic dance floor. soobin let you pick which side you wanted to sit at and then took a seat for himself.

while sipping you drinks, conversation started to flow nicely, as it usually did. soon enough, your drink was empty and so was soobins, so he offered to get up and grab another round of drinks. you thanked him and he walked off, making sure to keep an eye on your booth. without wasting any time, some guy at the bar walked up to you and started to talk you up. he seemed nice enough but was clearly a little bit too drunk for 9pm. he was kind of slurring his words and he wasn't completely coherent. you tried brushing him off but he wouldn't leave. you decided it was time to pull out your best card.

when this guy tried to slide into the space next to your on your side of the booth, you pushed him back. "stay away from me! my boyfriend is going to get mad when he comes back and sees you getting close to me." the guy rolls his eyes. "Boyfriend? he left you here alone?" Soobin noticed this guy getting close and stomped over the second the drinks were ready. He heard you referring to him as your boyfriend so soobin played the role. he angrily set the drinks down and glared at the random guy.

"Whats going on here?" soobin asked. the drunk guy started to laugh. "What the hell, man. You are not intimidating at all. How can you be her boyfriend?" Soobin heard enough and lunged at the guy, punching him in the nose. This drunk guy was pissed and started to fight back against soobin. Unfortunately, soobin was not much of a fighter and had no experience so he was not bound to win at all. he fought back the best he could but ended up getting pretty scuffed up. Once the guys had enough, he walked away, but not without getting another word in. “Fucking loser. Can’t even defend your girl.” The guy got away before soobin could get up and chase after him. You were still in shock about what happened but you managed to help soobin off the floor. The first thing you saw was his black eye. You felt so sorry for him. He got in this potion because of you and you felt awful about it.

Sadly, the two of you had been kicked out of the bar so you had to go home. You opted to walk home since you weren’t too far from your apartment anyways. You and soobin walked in mostly silence, neither of you having much to say. When you reached your door, you opened in and walked inside. Soobin looked at you with sad eyes. He wasn’t sure if he was allowed in after what happened. “C-can I come in?” He asked, his voice breaking. That’s when your heart completely shattered. You pulled him in and locked the door behind him. “Of course you need to come in, dummy. How could you get in a fight like that? Hmm? Make that make sense! You’ve never faught anyone! Why start now? That guy’s fucked you up, soobin.” He examined his face as you spoke passionately, looking at how a bruise was developing on the cheek opposite of his black eye. He wasn’t sure also bleeding from his nose. Soobin had no idea how to tell the truth. “Please don’t be angry with me. I couldn’t live with myself if you were angry with me. I just…he was being disrespectful to you and I had to defend you!” He felt tears welling in his eyes. He was so desperate and embarrassed. You stopped feeling upset the second you saw his tears. He was so vulnerable right now and you were yelling at him. Quickly, you wiped his tears away gently. “Look…I’m sorry. I don’t mean to yell. Please forgive me. I just…why would you fight someone for me, soob? I could’ve just told him to go away or I could’ve got security. Why would you wanna defend me, even if it meant putting yourself in a dangerous situation?” You looked into his glassy eyes and aaaited your answer. He was stumped. Should be just come out with it? Before he could think further, he opened his mouth. “It’s because I love you….more than just a best friend. I’m in love with you. Would you also defend someone you’re in love with?” He wanted to badly to be swallowed by the ground in that moment. How did he expose himself so badly?

You looked up at him with teary eyes. Now you were crying too. He’d just confessed to you and you couldn’t be happier. “You love me, soob? I suppose that’s not so bad because I love you too. Thank you for defending me from that creep.” You hug him closely and he reciprocates the hug. This is all he’s even wanted for years, to have you in his arms. He pulled away for a moment to kiss your forehead. “Well…can I be your boyfriend? Please?” You chuckle at how he asked so politely. “Of course you’re gonna be my boyfriend. I love you. Now let me clear those cuts. He messed you up pretty bad. Gosh, we can never go back to that bar again.” He laughed at what you said and followed you like a cute little ducky all the way to your bathroom.

(Hope you enjoyed!)

[flytomyro0m]

Dog thief: part 13- Obsessed

Series summary: Three months. One dream dog-sitting job. One dog that wants nothing to do with him. And, to make matters worse, the only person the dog trusts is someone Soobin can’t stand.

Pairing: Non-Idol!Soobin x reader Chapter Summary: They're blind idk

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[yeonilla]

BREAK YOUR SKIN

rough, passionate, and unafraid to leave or have marks. how do the txt members give/receive pain?

⚠︎: 18+ smut, marking kink, biting, scratching, hickeys, bruising, mentions of blood, pain kink, dom/sub dynamics, degradation, choking, AFAB reader, ignore mistakes 👀

CHOI YEONJUN

you know yeonjun is confident and likes to take the lead so he is definitely a dom who loves leaving visual proof that you belong to him and only him.

he’s playful with it tho!! so first it starts out as him teasingly nipping at your neck but by the time he’s balls deep in you, he’s biting down hard enough to leave deep purple bruises on your collarbones and thighs.

ANDDD he’s got a heavy fucking hand..(🤤) he’ll slap your ass until it’s red and leave massive handprints on your hips from gripping you so tight as he rails you good. but!!! because he’s caring he is the king of aftercare.

he’ll choke you out and slap you around but the second you cum, he immediately melts, he’s kissing all your bruises and making sure he didn't actually hurt you.

CHOI SOOBIN

soobin is your very gentle giant. :(( he’s the guy you can always depend on but.. in bed? he is a total fucking sponge for pain. he puts your needs and comfort first, meaning if you want to claw his back to bloody ribbons while you ride him, he’ll sit there, grit his teeth, groan, and let you tear him apart.

he’s also tthe type to take a hard slap across the face and just look up at you with that stupid blown out look you love, totally unfazed and still hard as a rock. he doesn’t dish out the brutality he embodies it. you could leave his chest and neck looking like a literal crime scene and he’d just wear a button down the next day with a quiet little smile like you didn’t just tear him apart the night before..

CHOI BEOMGYU

beomgyu is just pure fucking chaos, which means sex with him is a always a goshdamn wrestling match. hes so energetic and mischievous and such a bratty switch who provokes the hell outta you.

he’ll bite your lip until it bleeds just to get yoir reaction, or yank your hair hard as fuck while your sucking him off. he only does that to see the look you give him when you gaze up, eyes all doeing and glossy.. gosh he loves it and can cum at the sight of it.

if he’s bottoming he needs to be manhandled to behave. you literally have to pin this little shit down, choke him, and slap him to wipe that teasing smirk off his face. he gets off on the adrenaline of a fight scratching, biting, wrestling for dominance until you finally break him and make him a whining, submissive mess.

KANG TAEHYUN

Ok taehyun is terrifying but in the best way possible. he would be the type of person who knows the human anatomy perfectly. he knows exactly where to press on your throat to make you lightheaded without actually hurting your windpipe.

he doesn't leave messy, chaotic marks everywhere like beomgyu he leaves perfectly symmetrical bite marks (he wants to make it look pretty). he’s the type to use belts, or ice, closely watching your reactions to see exactly how much pain it takes to make your brain short circuit.

taehyun will definitely tie you down, edge you for an hour, and leave you begging and crying while he just watches with that smug look on his face.

HUENINGKAI

kai is the classic "golden retriever with a dark side. " type. he’s so bright and optimistic normally but when he gets horny, he gets overexcited and loses total control of his strength. of course Kai doesn't mean to be brutal he just gets sooo lost in the sauce that he grips your thighs tight enough to leave ten deep finger bruises.

he’ll suck bruises into your neck because he’s just so fucking enthusiastic about tasting you. the next morning he’ll see you covered in hickeys, bite marks, and bruises, and he’ll blush and apologize profusely but secretly his cock will twitch because he loves seeing you wrecked by him.