summary: You think Jihoon is courting you, but the waiting is making you crazy.
word count: 1350
SVT Shorts Series (AO3 link)| Masterlist
“You really don’t have to do that.”
Jihoon follows you into the kitchen as you carry the night’s dinner dishes to the sink. As you set them down, he adds, “I don’t mind doing clean up.”
“You cooked, which means you don’t clean,” you reply, soaping up the sponge. “That’s the rule.”
Still, he hovers. He does that a lot lately, always appearing by your elbow like he’s a planet caught in your orbit. Like he can’t bear to be too far away from you. You don’t mind. After all, if it wasn’t him, it would be you. You like having him close by.
He’s been courting you, or at least you think he has. Jihoon is quiet, deliberate. He’s also shy. It’s only because you know him so well that you’ve allowed yourself to believe this. Why else would he share his time with you willingly? Text you, call you even? His soothing voice heavy with sleep because he can’t bring himself to hang up even though he clearly should. Or his enthusiasm when he’s in the middle of a project that’s going well.
Why else would he show these sides to you?
The others tease you. Call him your shadow, make fun of how “dreamy” your eyes get when you catch sight of him. One time Jihoon ordered everyone to be quiet so you could speak–the others make it a point to mimic him now every time you try to talk.
So you do this now instead: the two of you, dinner, alone. The peace of his apartment, no pressure to perform for each other.
Jihoon takes a towel and wordlessly, you hand him a plate. He drags it through the towel efficiently before setting it in the dish rack. He doesn’t need to do this, of course. The dishes will dry on their own. It’s an excuse and you’re both glad of it.
He brushes your hand as he takes the next plate and you fight not to jump. After all, physical contact is still exciting.
There have been close calls. Looks traded in hallways, over restaurant tables while sandwiched between louder friends, or while leaning in car doors to wish the other a good night. One time, when everyone was walking in front of you, Jihoon took your hand, gripped it for as long as he dared, which would never be long enough.
You’re the one who initiated the kiss. Hand on the car door handle, knowing you needed to leave but not wanting to. Jihoon looking at you with an expression that bordered on reverence, enough to make your stomach twist with eager embarrassment. A chaste brush of lips that shocked you both at first; then, a not-so-chaste follow up.
Nervous laughter and apologies in equal measure as you both hurried to clear the air. Waited for the other to make another move. It never came. Hasn’t yet.
But he still invited you over tonight, which means something, right? He gave you his hoodie to wear when you showed up sodden from the warm June rain. It smells like him. You never want to take it off again. But you will when you go.
And the time to go is inching closer. You finish the dishes and Jihoon hangs up the towel and the two of you return to the living room.
“Movie?” he offers, voice almost like a plea. “We can watch that documentary you were interested in. The one on–”
“Mary Oliver?” you ask. “You don’t even like poetry.”
“I’m learning.”
For the past month you’ve sent him a verse each day. He sends you songs, you send him poems, the two of you caught up in the beauty of words in any format. It’s the easiest way to say the words neither of you can seem to find yourselves.
It’s not all about love. (But it is.)
“I don’t think it’s out yet,” you say, and he goes for his phone immediately, slim fingers–musician fingers, deliberate–tapping away rapidly.
He looks up at you after a moment, defeated. “You’re right.”
There’s always something else. A million other things you could watch, maybe curled up with him, inhaling his comforting scent. It’s not about the movie after all. It’s about how long you can stand to be close to him with everything still uncertain. You don’t know how many more of these nights you have left in you.
You can wait. Have waited. He’s worth it, after all. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t going slowly crazy, too.
“I should go,” you tell him, though you really don’t want to. Your fingers grip the cuffs of his hoodie as you psych yourself up to remove it.
“It’s still raining,” says Jihoon, looking anxiously at the windows. “You should stay a little longer.”
A soft laugh shakes your shoulders. “Hoon, if I stay any longer I’ll be here all night.”
“Okay.”
Just one word. Quick, earnest. Weighted.
Everything he hasn’t said to you is in that word and you know it. Can feel it, the warmth of it curling around you like a cat snuggling in for the night.
Still, you say, “You don’t mean that. I probably snore.”
“I’m a heavy sleeper,” is his easy response. “Stay.”
What does that mean? You know what you want it to mean. What you think it means. But you’ve been wrong before. You have a memory of a searing kiss with nothing to follow it. (Yet.)
“I want you to,” he insists, seeing your hesitation.
“But do you want me?”
You’re not sure where you get the courage. Now that you’ve asked the question though, you stand strong. Watching him. Waiting.
Jihoon pushes himself off the sofa, comes to stand in front of you. His beautiful eyes with their beautiful lashes are fixed on you, unblinking, unwavering.
“More than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life,” he says without hesitation, and you believe him.
You let him cup your cheek, let him decide the angle as he presses his lips to yours. It’s a sweet kiss, an earnest one. He breaks away too soon.
“Jihoon…”
“Is that okay?” he asks suddenly, his bravado swept away. “Do you want to stay?”
You kiss him back with force, fingers trembling with excitement as they hold the front of his shirt, trying to pull him ever closer. Your tongue brushes against the seam of his lips and he groans, opens for you immediately. He’s yours finally, after so long. And it’s perfect. He’s perfect.
This quiet man whose body language is so loud right now, every atom fixated on you and you alone. His hands slide to your lower back, pressing you closer, holding you steady. You want him so much it’s making you a bit crazy. Lightheaded.
Or maybe that’s the lack of air.
“Yeah,” you say breathlessly. “I’ve wanted to stay for a long time.”
He ducks his head at this, gives you a soft smile. “Thanks for being patient.”
“You’re worth the wait.” He is. Every second.
You tug at the hem of his hoodie where it falls across your thighs, ready to lift it over your head when he stops you, a wild look in his gaze.
“Keep it on a little longer,” he urges.
“Oh?” you tease him. “You like seeing me in your clothes?”
“You can’t imagine how much. It’s making me a little crazy.”
But you don’t remove your grip on the garment. “You know, Hoon, you have plenty of t-shirts I can borrow, too.”
The hunger deepens between the two of you as he pulls you flush with his body once more. You can feel his desire pressing against you; it’s taking every bit of your self-control to not fall to your knees in front of him and show him you’re worth the wait as well.
His lithe fingers slide under the hoodie, under your shirt as well, seeking your bare skin. You shiver as they dance across your stomach, moving higher.
“Then in that case,” he says lowly, slowly, “allow me.”
PAIRING: lee chan x tarot reader!reader
GENRE: romance, hurt/comfort
WC: 4,831
WARNINGS: reader has some psychic abilities, mention of a bad breakup, mention of minor character death, themes of depression and loneliness, alcohol consumption
A/N: this was requested by @haologram and @pikachudino for my Cosmos event!! ♡ disclaimer that i don't know literally anything about tarot, so i apologize if i got anything wrong but i did my best :) also, no beta we die like men xoxo
SYNOPSIS: An old schoolmate suddenly turns up in your psychic shop asking for a tarot reading. You never knew him all that well, and he looks so different now that you didn't even recognize him at first — but you quickly begin to become re-acquainted with each other.
Today was such a slow, boring day at the shop that you nearly closed early and went home.
It's not like business is particularly booming these days anyway, but you only had a single customer today, and the strange elderly woman who lives in the apartment above your shop and comes down every Wednesday at 10am on the dot to buy a pack of incense hardly counts. But you were close to finishing your book, so you figured even if nobody else came in you could at least sit behind the counter reading for the remainder of the day.
You have 15 pages left when the light jingling of the bells hanging above the doorframe snap you back to reality. You look up from your paperback to see a dark-haired man entering your shop; he's around your age, and he looks familiar, but you can't place who he might be — strange, considering that you know pretty much everyone in town. The man peers around, seemingly looking for somebody, but his eyes linger on all the various oddities displayed on the hodge-podge of shelves and vintage furniture around the small store.
"Hi there!" you say cheerfully, rising to your feet. The man jumps slightly at the sound of your voice.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there," he apologizes, looking startled and a bit embarrassed.
"No worries," you smile at him politely. "I was kind of hidden back here."
Now that you're making eye contact with him, you're certain you must know him from somewhere.
"What brings you in today?" you inquire.
The man raises his brow at you. "I thought you were a psychic. Shouldn't you already know the answer to that question?"
You smile. "Well, that's not exactly how it works," you explain. "But if I had to guess…"
You study him for a moment. You could tell he had nervous energy from the moment he walked through the door, but his aura is heavy and murky, as if he is utterly plagued with despair. He feels lost, and he is desperately searching for anything that might give him some answers or peace of mind. You also get the sense that he has been crying a lot lately.
"Wow, you have been going through it," you say to him, staring back at him sympathetically. You can tell he's skeptical about psychics, witchcraft, anything that might be considered woo-woo nonsense — but the deep look of concern on your face makes him feel like you genuinely just peered right into his soul. He stares back at you anxiously.
"You're here in search of guidance to help you overcome your recent heartbreak, yes?"
He nods timidly. You give him a soft smile.
"I recommend a tarot reading," you tell him. "I find the cards to be the most useful medium when one is in search of answers."
"Yeah, that sounds good," he replies. He's still unsure of all this, but at this point he's willing to try anything.
"Perfect," you say as you step out from behind the counter, gesturing toward the back wall, where a deep purple velvet curtain hangs closed over a small opening. "Step through the curtain and make yourself comfortable, I will be right in."
You quickly disappear into the back of the shop. He shuffles over to the wall, hesitantly parting the curtain. Behind it he finds a tiny room, lit only by one low-wattage light bulb overhead and big enough only to fit two armchairs and a small table with a large, ornate piece of fabric draped over it. He takes a seat in the chair nearest the entrance.
A few moments later you emerge through the curtain, carrying a candle, matchbook, and a deck of cards. You take a seat and light the candle.
"This is your first tarot reading," you say as you open the small gilded box of cards and begin to shuffle them.
"Uh, yeah," he answers. "First time."
You make eye contact with him. He still seems nervous, but you also notice recognition in his gaze — he knows you. You still can't place why he looks familiar, but you're positive you must know him from somewhere. But, you don't want to distract him, so you decide you'll inquire after the reading.
"Great! I'll explain how it works: First, you can either start out with a question, or I can do a general reading. Once the cards are shuffled I will draw three cards — these represent the past, present, and future, and their meanings can vary based on the card itself and as well as its orientation. I will give you my insight into what I believe each card means for you, but how you fully interpret the reading is up to you. Make sense?"
"I guess so," he shrugs.
"Perfect, let's begin then. Did you have a specific question you want to explore? The only requirement is that it's not a yes-or-no question."
"Um… not really."
"No problem — I will do a general reading for you."
You shuffle the deck a couple more times, then set it face down right in front of you. You draw the top card and place it face-up on the table before your customer, revealing an ornately-illustrated tower being struck by a lightning bolt.
"This card deals with the past," you explain. "The Upright Tower represents a sudden or tumultuous change, often resulting in great loss or broken pride."
The man lets out a huff of laughter. "Yeah, I'll say."
"This card can seem quite ominous," you continue. "But it doesn't necessarily have to be negative. Change is a part of life — it can be scary, but in order to overcome it we have to embrace it. Sometimes our old ways no longer work for us, and we have to shift our beliefs and habits to help us grow and carry on."
He grimaces slightly. "You're probably right," he admits. "But I still hate it."
You smile. "It certainly isn't always fun. But evolving from our old ways will allow us to live as our genuine selves, and will prepare you for things to come."
"So you're saying I need to get over it," he says bluntly.
"I'm not saying you need to do anything one way or the other," you remind him. "The cards are meant to make you think, and it's up to you to decide what you want to do with their insight."
He nods, but you can tell he is still reluctant.
"Next, we'll take a look at the present."
You draw the next card from the top of the deck, placing it on the table beside the first card.
"The Hermit, Reversed."
His cheeks turn noticeably pink, a look of embarrassment coloring his face, but he doesn't say anything.
"When reversed, The Hermit can indicate that you want to be alone. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but too much seclusion can have negative effects on your wellbeing as well as on others around you. Isolation can cause you to lose perspective on the world, and may trap you in a downward spiral of loneliness and depression."
"Honestly, I think I'm already there," he says glumly.
"And that's okay," you reassure him. "It's a much more common experience than you think. The recommendation here is self-reflection: search within yourself, find the root of your troubles — it may not be as obvious as you'd expect. Don't dismiss human connection, either. It can be hard, but it's essential in the healing process."
He stares at the card, frowning.
"Honestly, I didn't know I was signing myself up to get roasted here," he tells you. You bite your lip, stifling the giggle that wants to escape you.
"There is no judgment here," you assure him gently. "I'm human too. Reading cards for others often helps me learn something about myself as well. You're not alone in your struggles — despite how it may feel in the moment."
He still doesn't look convinced, but he nods somewhat acceptingly.
"So the last card is going to be about my future right?" he asks.
"It's not going to explicitly tell you what's going to happen," you remind him. "But it can be useful when it comes to thinking about decisions you will have to make."
"Okay," he shrugs, letting out a small laugh. "Can't be any worse than the first two…"
You draw the third card, setting it face-up before him.
"Death, Reversed," you read.
"Oh my god I'm going to die," he groans, dropping his forehead into his hand.
"I know how it may sound," you smile. "But it has nothing to do with actual death. It's true that Death holds great power, but it's more so about change and the metaphorical 'death' that comes with letting go of the past. The card is Reversed, which still refers change, transitions, endings — whatever you want to call it; but the reversal indicates that you're afraid of letting go. It may mean that you've been resisting the change out of fear of the unknown, which can actually limit your future — instead of healing, it may lead to negative patterns, causing you to feel stuck."
He thinks, absorbing your words. "You're not wrong," he eventually says with a sigh. "But what am I supposed to do about it? How am I supposed to cope?"
"I can't answer that for you," you reply. "That's a solution you need to come to on your own. But I can tell you that even though it's scary to face the unknown, you have to trust yourself. Life moves on whether we want it to or not, and resisting it will only cause you more pain in the long run. Take things one step at a time — it may be hard to see now, but believing in yourself a little can go a long way."
The poor guy looks like he wants to burst into tears. He stares at the cards for a moment, deep in thought; but he shakes it off, reluctantly making eye contact with you again.
"Is that… the end?" he asks awkwardly.
"That concludes the reading, yes," you nod. "But hopefully you have found something useful to take away here. Remember that your fate is not tied to the cards, but they can be helpful in offering insight and direction if you allow them to."
You snuff the candle and place the cards back into their box, then head back into the main area of the shop, the man trailing behind you slowly. You return to your spot behind the counter; he slowly walks over to you, still eyeing all the strange items around the store. The fact that he looks so familiar is still bothering you. You've been debating bringing it up, but you're not quite sure how to ask — after all, that might be an awkward conversation if he is someone you should know. But, your curiosity is getting the best of you.
"You know, you're the first person who's walked through my doors in a while that isn't a regular customer," you say casually as he approaches the counter. "Are you just passing through town?"
"Actually, uh, I just moved back," he answers, shoving his hands into his pockets, seemingly nervous again all of a sudden.
"Oh! So you're from here," you reply, genuinely surprised.
He chuckles. "I could tell you didn't recognize me. I'm Chan, I was a grade behind you in school."
Your jaw nearly drops to the floor. Of course you remember Chan — he was the small, nerdy kid with thick-rimmed glasses who hardly ever spoke, spending all his lunches doing homework alone or trading Pokémon cards with the other nerdy kids. He lived down the street from your best friend, but that's about all you ever knew about him. Rumor had it he was going to Harvard to become an aerospace engineer, but after graduation you never saw or heard from him again.
But that was all years ago. The man standing before you now is unrecognizable from the dorky kid you knew from childhood. You have so many questions, but none of them feel appropriate to ask right this moment.
"Oh my god," you say, trying not to look as shocked as you actually are. "I thought you looked familiar, but I wasn't sure…"
"It's okay," he smiles sheepishly. "I've been getting that a lot. I guess that's what happens when you've been gone for almost eight years. I was actually really surprised to see you in here, I always remember this being your mom's shop when we were in school."
"Yeah, I took over managing the store when she got sick," you tell him. "I wasn't ever planning on doing it long-term, but after she passed it felt like a good way to keep her memory alive."
"Oh," Chan says softly. "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"Thank you," you say sincerely. "She was sick for a few years, so it didn't come as a surprise. But it still was really hard, especially moving back into the house by myself."
He nods sympathetically. "Not exactly the same, but it is weird to be back in my parents' house all these years later as well. I just never thought I'd find myself back here, not like this anyway."
You figure his recent breakup is the reason for him being here, but you definitely don't want to bring up a sore subject. He is clearly suffering enough as is.
"Life sure knows how to throw a curveball, huh," you say with a slight smile.
"You can say that again."
"Well, thanks for coming in," you say warmly to Chan after he pays for his tarot reading. "Hopefully I was able to help you find some answers."
"Yeah," he nods. "I hope so too."
He is almost to the front door when a thought pops into your mind.
"Wait," you call out. He turns, looking back at you with a confused look on his face. You grab something off the counter and walk over, handing the small object to him. He takes it in his open palm — it's a small bird-shaped pendant, carved out of jade and hanging from a leather string.
"For good luck," you tell him as he stares at the talisman.
"I don't—"
"It's on the house," you smile at him.
Chan looks up at you, his brown eyes locking with yours momentarily.
"Thank you," he replies, looking down at the pendant again before slipping it in his pocket. You can tell he doesn't really believe in good luck charms, but he is genuinely appreciative of the gesture anyway.
The next time you run into Chan, you're in the middle of the bread aisle at the grocery store.
"Can I help you find anything?" a voice calls out from behind you. You turn around to see him, wearing the green Lee's Market and Pharmacy employee vest, restocking six-packs of bagels on the shelves.
"Oh, hi!" you respond suprisedly. "I kinda forgot your parents own the grocery store," you say with a chuckle.
"Yeah," he laughs sheepishly. "They were happy to let me move back home — with the one stipulation that I helped out at the store."
"Hey, nothing wrong with that," you reassure him.
"No, I suppose not," he replies casually, but he still carries the same heavy aura he had when he stepped foot in your shop a couple weeks ago.
"You know, I never knew what happened to you after we graduated," you say to him. "You were one of the few people who actually ever made it out of this town."
He chuckles. "I suppose that's true."
"Everyone thought you were gonna go work at NASA or something."
He cocks his head, a confused expression appearing on his face. "What?" he laughs. "Why did people think that?"
"Because you were always the smartest kid in school."
"You mean I was a nerd," he raises his brow at you.
"That's not what I said!" you protest playfully, but he just smiles.
"It's okay, it's true. I was an absolute dweeb. Definitely not cool enough to work at NASA or anything."
"But you did go to college."
"Yup," he answers. "UChicago. Got my degree in Computer Science."
"Holy shit," you respond bluntly. "That's so impressive."
He lets out a huff, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, well, look at me now," he replies, gesturing to the store around him. "Some use of my degree, huh?"
"I'm sure you'll be able to find a new job soon," you console him. "Everyone wants to hire smart computer people these days, or at least so I've heard."
He looks at you, debating whether to elaborate any further. He's already said too much. But, for some reason, talking to you comes easily.
"It's not really finding a job that's the problem," he admits. "I just… needed to get out of Chicago. But my whole life was there, so it feels like I'm completely starting over now."
"I'm sorry," you tell him sincerely. "That's definitely not easy."
"Sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you all this," he shakes his head.
"It's okay — really," you smile softly at him. "Happens all the time. You wouldn't believe some of the things people have told me."
"Is that a psychic thing?"
"That's part of it, I think," you answer. "I've been told I'm a good listener."
"You are," he replies warmly.
The aura of sadness he carries still surrounds him, but it seems a little bit lighter than before. As he leans over, you spot a black leather string around his neck. The pendant is hidden beneath his shirt, but you can immediately tell its the jade bird charm you gave to him.
"Well, I'll let you get back to work, now," you say amicably, trying not to smile too much. "It was nice running into you again!"
Chan smiles back. "You too, y/n."
A few weeks pass without you running into Chan again, but you've thought of him more times in that duration than you'd like to admit. You also don't want to admit that you got butterflies when he suddenly walked into your shop on a random Tuesday afternoon, but alas, you did.
"Hi!" you greet him cheerfully, trying not to smile too much.
"Hi," he grins back at you. "I thought I might run into you here."
"Good intuition. You must be psychic, too."
"Well, I don't know about that," he laughs.
"What brings you in today?" you inquire.
"Actually, I was wondering if you could do another tarot reading for me," he says shyly. "I don't know how often I can do that or anything, but… yeah. If you can."
His earnestness make you giggle.
"There's no limit to tarot readings," you tell him. "You can do it every day, if you want."
"Oh, cool," he smiles. "Then yes, one tarot reading please."
You return to the small reading room with Chan. As you light the candle, it somehow feels more intimate than before. Maybe because you actually know who he is now; but you can feel that you've formed a strong connection with him, completely unintentionally — but you sense that he feels it too.
"Alright," you start once you're all set up. "Do you have specific question today? Or would you just like a general reading again?"
"Just a general reading."
You shuffle the cards thoroughly, placing the deck before you and drawing the top card.
"Strength, Reversed," you read as you set it on the table. "This represents insecurity, self-esteem issues, lack of confidence in your own abilities. You feel like the happiness is being drained from you, and you might even feel depressed. But remember — this first card represents your past. To me, that suggests you might be overcoming this negative period in your life."
"I sure hope you're right," he chuckles halfheartedly. You sense that, for the first time in a very long while, he's feeling cautiously optimistic.
"For the present," you say as you draw the next card, placing it beside the first. "We have Temperance, Upright. This represents balance and moderation — you are able to remain calm even in the face of stress, which indicates you are experiencing a period of inner peace. You have a clear vision of what you want to achieve in the future, so you are able to grow."
"Okay, not bad," he nods, a slight smile poking at the corners of his mouth. "I like the sound of that."
"And for the future…"
You draw the final card, displaying it beside the others. "Death, Upright," you read, making Chan's smile drop.
"Again?!" he exclaims, slumping despondently into his chair.
"Well, the good news is it's upright this time," you tell him. "It still has to do with change, but this indicates the end of an old cycle and the beginning of something new. A metamorphosis in your life, if you will."
"Oh," he says softly, perking back up. "Really?"
You nod. "I didn't need the card to tell me that, though," you say with a grin. "I could already sense it."
Back out in the shop, you try to tell Chan the reading was on the house, but he insists on paying.
"Okay, at least let me give you my friends and family discount, then."
"Are you calling me your friend?" he asks cheekily, but you just nod.
"Yes, I am. If that's alright with you."
"Of course it is," he grins.
An idea pops into your mind. Without a second thought, you blurt it out before he can leave.
"Would you want to come over for dinner sometime?"
"Oh!" he replies, sounding surprised but excited. "Sure!"
"I'm not exactly a Michelin star chef or anything, but I can cook up a decent meal."
He smiles at you. "I would like that a lot."
You haven't had anybody over to the house in years.
You have a few friends around town, sure, but no one you're particularly close to anymore. Normally, this doesn't bother you — you enjoy being by yourself. But, as much as you hate to admit it, you have been feeling a bit lonely lately.
You spend the day tidying up the house, making it look extra welcoming. You even cut some fresh flowers from the garden, placing them in a vase to display on the table. There's a couple more hours before you have to start cooking, so you curl up on the couch with your book to pass the time. Once you finish the book, you're about to go start on dinner, but the deck of tarot cards on your coffee table catches your eye. You haven't actually read for yourself in a while, so you figure why not?
You shuffle the deck and draw your first card — it's the High Priestess, Reversed. You frown slightly. This is telling you that recently, you've been ignoring your intuition, not following your gut as much as you should be. You think again about the loneliness you've been feeling lately, about how you've been wishing to do something about it, but have done nothing.
Your draw the next card, revealing it to be Judgement, Reversed — telling you you are currently in a period of reflection and renewal. You're finding a sense of purpose, and gaining a clearer understanding about where you are and what you want for your future. Which is certainly true — because as much as you'd like to ignore it, you do wish you had someone to be by your side at all times, someone to share your life with on a much more intimate level than any of your current relationships.
The third card you pull is The Lovers, Upright. Because of course it is. The start of a supportive relationship is in your future, bringing you balance, harmony, trust and love.
You put the deck away, heading to the kitchen to begin cooking before it gets too late. But the whole time you're prepping veggies you can't stop thinking about Chan. There has to be a reason he came back into your life right here and now — maybe one you can't see at the moment, but you trust that the universe is on your side here.
Dinner is nearly finished when the doorbell rings. You flutter over to the front door, opening it to reveal your dinner guest, dressed handsomely in nice slacks and a button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, carrying a fancy-looking bottle of wine. A big smile lights up his face when he sees you, and you can't help but smile too.
"Wow, you look so nice," you say as you invite him in. "I feel underdressed to my own dinner party."
"Nonsense," he shakes his head. "You look lovely."
As you lead him inside to the dinner table he hands the wine over to you.
"I hope this is alright. I wasn't sure what you liked."
You look at the label. It's a Cabernet Sauvignon, five years aged — definitely a little bit fancy.
"No, this is great," you smile. "I actually bought some wine as well, but yours looks much nicer."
"Okay, good," he replies, looking relieved. "I don't know anything about wine, so I kind of just grabbed this off the shelf at the store and hoped it was a good one."
You return to the kitchen and open the bottle, pouring the both of you a generous glass of the dark red wine. Dinner now ready as well, you plate up the food and bring it out to the dining room.
"This looks amazing," he praises as you set the salmon and risotto in front of him.
You chat as you eat, talking about anything and everything. Conversation with Chan seems to come naturally — you don't even usually feel this comfortable talking to people you do know well, but with him you can talk about childhood memories as if you are old friends.
"Do you remember that one summer when everyone was convinced there was a bigfoot in the woods?"
"Oh my god, I do," Chan replies with a laugh. "I never played outside, but even I went out there and tried to find bigfoot."
"Did you ever see him?"
"No, I took three steps into the woods and got scared," he admits. "I ran all the way home. Ran so fast I had an asthma attack, actually."
"Oh no," you gasp, but he shakes his head.
"It's okay, my mom never let me leave the house without my inhaler in my pocket," he grins. "That was one of the few times I ever got into trouble as a kid."
"My mom said there was probably just a crazy old man living out there, and that's what everyone was seeing," you say, sipping at your wine. "But I always liked to think there were magical creatures in the woods. Made life more interesting."
"Do you still think that?" he asks.
"Not exactly," you smile. "But sometimes I like to pretend."
As you finish your glass of wine, Chan offers to pour you another.
"I wasn't planning on having this much wine, honestly," he tells you as he fills both of your glasses. You can tell he's a little bit tipsy — if his giggly state didn't give it away, the tomato-red ears and neck certainly would.
"Me neither," you gush. Your cheeks burn hot, and you know it's not just from the wine.
Meal and drinks long gone, you sit there with Chan for far longer than you anticipated, talking and laughing and enjoying each others' company. Eventually, you both realize how late it's gotten.
"Well, I don't want to overstay my welcome," Chan tells you reluctantly. You can tell he's being polite, because he doesn't want the night to end either. This is the most fun he's had in a long while — you hate to know that he was in a dark place for so long, but the fact that his aura feels significantly brighter after tonight makes you smile.
You linger together by the front door for a minute, dragging out your goodbyes. He finally turns to leave, reaching for the doorknob, but he pauses. Turning back to you, his dark eyes meet yours, and you notice how little space there is between the two of you.
"You can say no," he says softly, his heart beating a million miles a minute. "But can I kiss you?"
A huge grin spreads across your face. Without a word you step forward, grabbing gently onto his waist as you kiss him on the lips. For a second, he is genuinely stunned, but with your lips on his he quickly wraps his arms around you, holding you tight as you both melt into the kiss. After several sweet moments, your mouths part, you let go, stepping back slightly to meet his gaze again.
"We should do this again sometime," you beam at him. He smiles back, staring at you affectionately.
Summary: When your friends offer up Seungcheol as a solution to your relationship woes, you feel even more pressure to find someone. But when a first date goes poorly, you find yourself relying on him more than you ever wanted to.
This is the prequel to september but should be read after it (and in no particular order with the others).
Pairings: Seungcheol x Reader (Bun), Mingyu x Wonwoo, Jeonghan x Joshua
Word Count: 6.9k
Tags/Warnings: Enemies (to pre-friends/lovers), bickering/arguing, dinners with friends, online dating, first date gone wrong, brief threat of physical/sexual violence (please skip this one if this is triggering!), protective Seungcheol, insecurity and anxiety.
boyfriend!seungcheol x f!reader (honestly this reads like Bun & Cheol to me hahaha)
based on this YT video
genre: fluff
summary: Seungcheol’s confidence in the kitchen takes a blow.
word count: 994
SVT Shorts Series | Masterlist
Thanks to you all so much for the love you've been showing these!
It’s a lazy evening. You’re laying back against the sofa arm, book in hand, feet resting on Seungcheol’s thighs as he scrolls aimlessly through his phone. The sun is starting to set just enough that you reach back to turn the lamp on, filling the room with warm light.
As you come out of your comfortable haze, you realize that you’re hungry. Seungcheol must realize the same thing, because he proclaims, “I’m going to cook us dinner.”
You lower your book to give him an uneasy look. “I was thinking I’d just make us something simple tonight.”
But he’s got that determined look on his face that you know you won’t win against. All you can do is go along with it and hope things turn out okay.
“What’s for dinner?” you ask lightly, hoping your voice doesn’t betray your anxiety. Seungcheol doesn’t often cook but when he does, it never turns out quite right. Meat cooked a bit too long, soups a little overseasoned. His heart is in the right place, but he lacks the technique to see his creations through.
You’ve tried to teach him over the years, but he’s stubborn. He’s convinced he has the “chef instinct” and it’s just a matter of unlocking it.
“Sundubu jjigae!” he announces cheerfully. He lifts your ankles before setting them back onto the cushion, and heads into the kitchen.
Sighing, you slip your bookmark between the pages and slide your book under a throw pillow. Overseasoned soft tofu stew it is. At least there’s instant rice. He can’t ruin rice.
That’s not true, you realize. He’s microwaved it almost to burning before. Maybe you should offer to handle the rice.
Seungcheol is already pulling things out of the fridge. You can hear him humming as he painstakingly chops the vegetables. No matter how many times you’ve tried to show him how to properly chop, he always brushes you off and continues doing things his way.
Which is why you can’t bear to go in there and watch what he’s doing. You take your time fluffing the sofa pillows, refolding the blanket that Joshua lovingly crocheted the two of you as an anniversary gift. It’s a bit itchy and sometimes your toes get caught in the gaps, but it’s a sweet gift so you keep it on the sofa anyway.
Seungcheol often remarks that he’s glad Joshua gave up that particular hobby before it got more out of hand; secretly, so are you. Similarly, you wish Seungcheol would give up his desire to cook. Your cookware wishes the same thing.
“Ow!”
Unable to delay the inevitable any longer, you head into the kitchen. There’s a mess of half-chopped vegetables on the counter and a cutting board overflowing with uneven ingredients. Seungcheol is rummaging in the fridge.
“Are you sure this is right?” You hover near the pot, which is close to boiling over.
Seungcheol nudges you out of the way to check. His hair is pushed up on one side where he keeps touching it while he checks his phone. “Yeah, it’s fine. It’s supposed to look like that.”
“But is it supposed to smell like that?” you press, fighting the urge to turn down the stove. When Seungcheol insisted on making dinner tonight, you were wary. Now, seeing him in action, you’re downright stressed.
“Seungcheol–”
“Have some faith in me, will you? I read the recipe this time, and I–oh!”
The bubbling pot really has boiled over now; reflexively, he grabs for it before you can stop him, getting hot liquid over his fingers.
His pained whine hurts your heart. Clicking off the stove, you drag him over to the sink and thrust his hand under the cold water. The two of you stand there for a minute, letting the water rush over his reddened fingers.
When you finally shut off the water to check the extent of his injury, he sighs. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
“I know. I definitely know.”
The burn isn’t too bad. Using a clean towel, you dry off his hand before turning towards the stove. Maybe you can at least salvage dinner.
Except, looking at the remains of the soup, you’re not sure you want to. It doesn’t look edible.
“I give up,” he says, tossing the towel onto the counter. “I can’t cook.”
“Darn,” you tease him, hugging him from behind and resting your cheek against his broad back. “No house husband for me.”
“I can do other things,” he protests. “I can clean stuff. Laundry…take out the trash. Stuff like that.”
“Mm. Looks like we’ll just have to split the responsibilities. I can get behind that.”
“What about dinner?”
“Spam egg rice sound good?”
While Seungcheol gingerly cleans up the mess he’s made, you fry off some cubes of spam and scramble some eggs with green onion. Sliding the fluffy eggs over some steaming instant rice, you add a little drizzle of kewpie mayo and some more green onion and sesame seeds for decoration before presenting him with a bowl.
“Nothing fancy, but how’s that for a quick dinner?”
He takes the bowl, looking morose all the while. “Just once I’d like to be the one making you something delicious. I don’t know why I have a kitchen curse.”
“No. Hansol has a kitchen curse,” you correct. “You just don’t listen very well.”
“I try.”
“You don’t. You’re stubborn and ridiculous about it no matter how many times I try to tell you what to do.” Seeing the pout spreading across his handsome face, you pinch his cheek. “And I love you so much anyway.”
He gives you a sulky look that makes your heart fond. “How much?”
“So, so much.”
“How much is so, so much?”
“Enough that I’m willing to put up with you destroying my pans.”
He glances at the stove before ducking his head. “I’ll buy you a new one.”
“Yes, you will. Now let’s go eat before it gets cold.”
Like legit so Bun & Cheol coded hahahaha, I might include this in a sequel or something.
summary: You try to send Jihoon off to work with a parting gift that he doesn't like--or so he claims.
word count: 959
SVT Shorts Series | Masterlist
You stir as Jihoon’s warm body shifts out of your grasp, leaving cool air behind. He takes a moment to stretch; you take a moment to admire his naked torso, blinking sleep out of your eyes. He looks so good with his lithe form backlit by the early morning sun.
“Stop looking at me like that,” he says, voice still low.
“Mm…like what?”
“Like you want to bite me.”
Giggling, you snuggle deeper into the pillows. You already did that last night; left a beautiful mark behind, too. He’ll find it soon. You’re looking forward to it.
Yawning, Jihoon heads into the bathroom. Wait for it…
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
You stifle another giggle, tugging at the thin straps of your camisole, which have slipped down in the night. You like to sleep with bare arms, mostly so you can enjoy the feel of his skin against yours. It’s grounding.
Jihoon’s angry face appears in the doorway. “What did you do?”
“Don’t know what you mean.”
“This!” Pointing at the huge red mark high on his neck, he hisses, “You know, just the giant hickey you left on me!”
Rolling over onto your stomach, you grin. “I did a good job, huh?”
“I can’t go to work like this!”
He absolutely can and that’s the point. You’re sick to death of the Head of Information Security thinking that just because she has a fancy title, she can keep trying to ask your fiance out to dinner. She’s tried making it a date, a team-building exercise, a reward for his hard work. Jihoon is running out of ways to politely refuse her.
So you thought of a more straightforward one.
Striding over to the closet, Jihoon pulls on his work clothes, feeling along his shirt collar. His nerdy little polo falls just underneath the edge of your mark, almost an underline to your explosive statement.
“I think you look sexy.”
“I’m not supposed to look sexy at work.” He tugs his shirt collar up a little more, trying and failing to cover the mark.
“I don’t know,” you tease, kicking your feet back and forth. “I kind of like the idea of the hot IT nerd coming over to help fix my computer problem.”
Jihoon responds with an exhausted glare. “We are not doing roleplay. This is a serious issue.”
Sighing, you push yourself off the bed and head to the bathroom. Rummaging through your makeup bag, you pluck out a tube of concealer. “Come here.”
“Now what are you going to do to me?”
“Hide all my hard work,” you say, showing him the tube. “It’s supposed to match your skin tone when it goes on, though I don’t think it does transparent.”
“Hurry up,” he urges, tugging his collar down for you.
It’s tempting to lean forward and give him another one. Instead, you go about covering it up the best you can. When you’re done, the hickey is practically invisible. His skin looks a bit strange if you stare at it too long, but there’s not much else you can do with so little time.
Jihoon turns to study his neck in the mirror, then nods. “Good enough.”
“So glad you approve,” you retort.
Not bothering to clean up your makeup, you wander out into the living room where your desk is set up facing the window. Dropping down into your chair, you yank your laptop open and type in your password.
Jihoon hovers behind you. “Baby.”
“Bye, go to work.”
“Don’t be like this, please.”
“I’m busy. Working.”
You open your email to make a point, clicking through each one without reading it. Jihoon sighs.
Placing a kiss on your bare shoulder, he finishes getting ready and heads out the door. You continue staring at your computer screen until you hear the door close and lock. Then you slump in your chair.
Whatever. He’s right, he’s the Security Operations Center Lead. He can’t show up to work looking ravished.
It still drives you crazy that his boss gets to spend all day flirting with him while you have to sit here and deal with it. And it’s not that you don’t trust Jihoon, because you absolutely do. His boss doesn’t stand a chance against you.
You just can’t help your desire to make it really, really obvious that he’s yours.
Resolving to be more mature about the situation when he gets home, you head to the bathroom to get ready for the day. It’s only after you’ve dressed, brushed your teeth, and started on your hair that you hear the front door close.
Jihoon should be at work right now. Unless…
Sure enough, he’s standing in the entryway, hurriedly toeing off his shoes.
“Jihoon? Did something happen?”
Your eyes drop to his collar where the edge has been rubbing against his neck. The fabric is stained with concealer and you can see the very bottom of the hickey. Your heart rate jumps.
“You didn’t get in trouble, did you?”
“No. I took a sick day.”
“But–”
“I kept thinking about the mark you left and, well…”
You follow his gaze down to the very obvious bulge in the front of his work slacks.
“Ended up with a bigger problem.”
The grin that splits your face is indecent. “You made such a fuss about it and it secretly made you horny.”
“Not a secret,” he grumbles. “Get over here.”
But you dance just out of his grip. “I think you owe me an apology.”
Jihoon’s eyes flash; his hand darts out, catching you around the waist. With one smooth movement, he pulls you flush against his body. “I think,” he says dangerously, “that I owe you something else. Something to match.”
summary: when you can't sleep, you call minghao for help
word count: 870
Masterlist
Minghao is pulling down the covers when his phone rings. It’s another hotel bed, another set of sheets tucked in so tightly that he has to fight not to tear them as he angles them out. It’s impressive really, the skill it takes to make such neat creases, but he’s tired and right now it’s just a pain.
The show was long. Fun, like always, but he’s running on fumes at this point. The catered food made his stomach ache and after the extra long hot shower, the rest of his body aches, too.
All he wants is a good night’s sleep.
That’s when your name pops up on his phone. It vibrates against the mattress as he stares at it, trying to understand why you’re calling now.
“Love–”
“I’m okay,” you say quickly. “Nothing’s wrong.”
His tension ebbs. “Love, it’s awfully late.”
“I know, but I couldn’t sleep.”
He hums, shifting the phone to his other ear. “Did you try the tea I gave you?”
“Yep. Brewed it exactly how you showed me.”
You sound sincere this time. He knows how much it goes against your instinct to throw out the first cup. Hell, you don’t even use loose leaf tea half the time. You drink your water iced and your tea strong and lukewarm, because you forget about the tea bag. You forget about the tea.
“I tried meditating, too.”
That’s pretty bad then. No matter how often Minghao extolls the health benefits of meditation, you can’t sit still for more than two minutes. The longest you manage to sit still is when he’s meditating and you’re watching him. You claim that admiring him is more relaxing than measured breathing.
Hansol often jokes that Minghao’s dating a heathen. Sometimes, when he witnesses enough of your antics, Minghao agrees.
And yet hearing your voice is like a balm for his exhaustion. He slides into the bed, using his body to loosen up the rest of the bedding. The sheets are too crisp, the mattress too soft. Nothing smells like you.
But with your voice in his ear, he can almost pretend you’re here.
“I miss you.”
“I’m coming home tomorrow,” he reminds you.
“I know. But I miss you now.”
Sometimes when he’s traveling, the two of you will play games. “I miss you” is often code for something else, something more. But there’s no tease in your voice tonight.
It’s been a long tour. He wants to kiss you, wants to feel your body against his, but more than anything he wants you see you smile. Hear your laugh. You got a haircut while he was away and he’s seen photos, but it’s not the same as seeing it in person.
“I miss you, too,” he says, and the yearning in his voice matches yours.
He hears you shifting, imagines you snuggling deeper into bed.
“Tell me about the concert.”
“Soonyoung made a mistake.”
“Really?” Your soft laugh makes him grin. “I love how that’s the first thing you have to say.”
Perhaps a bit childish, but Minghao enjoys remembering the look on his leader’s face when he realized Minghao caught his error. After all, Minghao’s been caught plenty of times now.
“Hansol was flirting with you again,” you prompt.
Minghao sighs. “It’s just the angle of the fancams.”
“Nope. It’s definitely not.”
“You’re really jealous. Of Hansol.”
“Maybe I’m jealous of you.”
“Very funny.”
Reaching over, Minghao clicks off the light. Now it’s only the light from his phone, dim and a bit liminal. Like this, he could be anywhere.
Well, almost anywhere. Not home with you, where he really wants to be. Not yet at least.
“When things quiet down, I’m going to take you to Hangzhou.”
“Mm? Is it pretty there?” you ask sleepily.
“Beautiful. It was raining while we were there so the tea bushes looked extra vibrant.”
Your words are slower now. “Ah, of course you had tea.”
He can’t help but tease you. “Hansol came with me. He didn’t even slurp this time.”
“Good for him.”
“Hangzhou is one of my favorite cities in the world,” he continues. “There’s a famous lake there, too.”
You surprise him by mumbling, “Xi Lake.” When he doesn’t immediately respond, you add, “I listen when you talk, Hao.”
“You do. Do you remember what else I like about it?”
“Tell me again.”
So he tells you about the poets, about the misty, rainy weather he so enjoys, and again about the tea. He forgets how tired he is as he speaks, too busy envisioning taking you to all these places. To show you the things he loves, that would be a gift.
It’s only when he realizes that you haven’t responded in a while that he pauses.
“Love?”
Nothing. If he tries really hard, he can make out the sound of your even breathing, but that’s likely more his imagination than reality.
His thumb hovers over the red bubble; in the end, he sets the phone down on the pillow beside him. Minghao smiles as he settles in to sleep, knowing that you’re already doing the same. Tomorrow he’ll fall asleep with his arms around you; tonight though, you’re at his side.
summary: based on the prompt 'a hug between friends lasts a little too long'
word count: 450
Masterlist
It’s getting harder to pretend. Mostly around everyone else, because he’s long given up on trying to convince himself that he’s not completely smitten by you. It happens in fragments: the way you like to open bottles before passing them over to him; the way your body leans towards him when you laugh; the brightness of your smile in photos.
And he’s taken more than enough of them to memorize it.
You have to know. After all, he feels like his entire soul is on display when he’s with you. The last book you borrowed from him came back with a spray of sticky notes, all your reactions scribbled down in loopy, sprawling script. You looked a bit embarrassed as you handed it to him.
“I had a lot to say,” you said. “I hope it’s okay.”
“Of course,” was his response.
He says it a lot these days. Do you want to go out for coffee? Do you want to see a movie with me? Wonwoo, I saved you a seat–do you want to sit next to me? Can we order extra fries?
His answer is always the same: Of course. Anything you want, he’s down for it. The waitress drops off two cans of coke and you open his first, pour it cleanly before sliding the cup towards him. You don’t even look as you do it, the action reflexive at this point. He moves his plate a little closer so you can pick at it.
“You’re such a goner,” says Mingyu, when you’re out of earshot.
I am.
“Just ask her out.”
“I will,” says Wonwoo, though he doesn’t know how. Every time he thinks he’s ready to make the leap, he shies away from the edge. He’s considered a million possible ways to ask you and none of them feel right. He needs to know which one is the right one. The one that will ensure you say yes.
Because he’d rather spend another year in this agony than get it wrong.
He doesn’t think he has that long though. If Mingyu’s noticed, the rest of them will, too. The next time he goes out, he’s resolved to be as normal as possible.
That lasts exactly as long as it takes for you to come into view.
Even in a group, he’s the one you hug first. Always.
And if he holds you just a heartbeat too long, if he lets his hand rest in the small of your back, you don’t notice, right? Your smile is just as warm, just as beautiful as always when you finally pull away.
“Did you miss me?” you ask, a teasing note in your voice.
PAIRING: campus DJ!jeonghan x f!reader
GENRE: friends to lovers, college au, 2000s au
WC: 16,816
WARNINGS: weed/alcohol consumption, discussion of mental illness, bit o jealousy, angst, idiots in love, semi-public sex but like barely, dry humping, fingering, oral, multiple orgasms, petnames (baby), cum swallowing, lots of whimpering u already know!!!!!, jun cameo and he's real weird again!! (/pos), i made up a bunch of terrible fake band names enjoy
A/N: written for @studiosvt's First Time Caller collab! be sure to check out all the other banger fics on the masterlist! i had a blast writing this, loser emo boi jeonghan was not something i knew i needed but i fear i am now in love with him. btw, this fic is set in 2003! peak era for this genre of music if u ask me :) shoutout to the homie @haologram for beta reading, u da best fr ily <3
SYNOPSIS: You met Jeonghan freshman year of college — he seemed a bit strange at first, shy and a bit elusive, but you two instantly became friends when you bonded over your love of alternative music and record stores. You wouldn't necessarily call him your best friend, but as friendships and relationships came and went over the years, Jeonghan was always a constant in your life. It's junior year now, and you're trying to convince him to apply for the open DJ position at the campus radio station. WFVC 90.5 is known for being the hotspot for underground punk music, and with Jeonghan majoring in communications studies you know it's the perfect role for him. He gets the job, and you figure you'd be seeing a lot less of him now that he's busy working the late night shift at the station. But it's quite the opposite — you're spending more time with Jeonghan than ever before, and you start to realize there might be something more than friendship on the horizon for you two.
[ONE]
Filtered sunlight beaming through the treetops hits your eyes as you step out into the quad, making you squint in the sudden brightness that starkly contrasts the dim interior of the Literature Hall you were just in. The air is crisp — not yet chilly, but fresh and invigorating, a tell-tale sign of fall being right around the corner. The quad is buzzing with life, students chattering as they stroll to class, bikes zipping past you on the sidewalk, every bench and shaded spot under a tree occupied with people laughing, reading, relaxing. You leisurely make your way over to your usual spot, but as you approach the small oak near the Communications Building you see two girls you don't recognize sitting in the grass beneath its low branches. Puzzled, you look around, but then you spot a familiar lanky figure standing outside the Comms building. His back is turned to you, so all you can see is the mess of long dark hair upon his head, but the baggy flannel shirt and the black backpack adorned with various pins and patches slung over one shoulder are a dead giveaway. As you head in his direction, you see he appears to be staring straight ahead at a lamppost.
"Hey dork, I was looking for you," you call out playfully as you walk toward him, but he doesn't seem to hear you. Getting closer, you spot the pair of headphones on his head, the wire plugged into the portable CD player in his hand — the loud, raucous sounds of Linkin Park blaring in his ears tinnily resonating through the air from halfway across the sidewalk. When you get within arm's reach you tug on the handle of his backpack. He nearly jumps out of his skin, whipping around and yanking the headphones off his head with a startled expression on his face. When he sees it's you, he relaxes, but not without majorly rolling his eyes.
"Jesus, you fucking scared me," he sighs. He lifts the CD player in his hand and pauses the song, the banging melody ringing through the foam-covered headphones ceasing.
"Sorry," you apologize, but a wide grin spreads on your face. "I didn't think you'd react that much. What are you doing, anyway?" you ask, looking over to the lamppost.
"Nothing," he says quickly, but a flier with bold text catches your eye.
Do you like punk music? Do you like radio?
WFVC 90.5 is HIRING for a DJ position!
No experience necessary, Communications majors preferred.
APPLY NOW at the station (Comms Building 2nd Floor)
"Oh my god, Jeonghan this is perfect!" you exclaim, but your friend shakes his head.
"I was just looking."
"Dude, you HAVE to apply. This is literally your dream job!"
Jeonghan frowns. "I doubt they would hire me."
"What the hell are you talking about? You're exactly the person they're looking for," you tell him. And it's true — Foxville College's singular radio station may be a local joint, but it's famous across all of Wisconsin for being the station for underground grunge, punk, and alternative rock. You've been listening to it since you were a kid, and its where your love of the genres originated. Jeonghan happens to share the exact same music taste — it's how you became friends in the first place back in Freshman year.
"Hey!" Jeonghan calls after you as you both exit the same building. You had just came from the same class, Intro to Poetry, but it's the very first day of school, so he doesn't know your name. But he saw your notebook fall out of your half-open backpack, and you didn't notice it.
He picks up the small, black leather notebook and quickly zips after you. "Excuse me," he tries again, but you're wearing headphones. Your music is loud, and familiar. He taps on your shoulder, startling you slightly.
"Hi, sorry," Jeonghan tells you as you turn to face him, shifting the headphones off one ear so you can hear. "You dropped this." You look at his hands as he extends the notebook to you.
"Oh! That is mine," you remark, taking your headphones off fully now and pausing your music.
"Yeah, your backpack was open."
You look over your shoulder, and sure enough, the bag is half-unzipped.
"Whoops," you tell him with a lighthearted laugh, taking the notebook and putting it back in the bag, making sure to close it all the way this time. "Well, thank you, I appreciate it," you say with a friendly smile. You go to put your headphones back on and walk away, but before you can do so he points at your portable CD player.
"Are you listening to Green Day?" he asks.
"Oh, yeah! I am!" you reply excitedly. "It's the Dookie album, one of my faves."
"That album is so good," he agrees with a smile. "I don't mean this in a rude way or anything," he says shyly. "But you I wouldn't have guessed you'd be into punk music."
"Yeah, I get that a lot," you say with a laugh. "I don't particularly dress very edgy or anything. Maybe I should start dressing the part."
"Wear whatever you want," he responds with a shrug. "The most punk rock thing you can do is be yourself."
"That's very true," you grin back at him. "I'm y/n, by the way."
"I'm Jeonghan," he replies with a soft smile. "It's nice to meet you."
And so you and Jeonghan quickly became friends. He's a pretty quiet guy, very much the opposite of your bubbly, sociable self; but despite your differences you get along well. He's also pretty much the only person you know who likes the same type of music as you, so you definitely share a close bond over that.
"Besides," you say to Jeonghan. "You really should get a job anyway."
"Hey!" he pouts. "Are you calling me broke?"
"Yes. Because you are."
The left corner of his mouth lifts slightly, giving you a half-grin. "So are you, moron."
You playfully give him a light punch in the arm. "Takes one to know one."
"I'll think about it," he concedes.
"You better. If not then I'll submit the application for you."
"Pretty sure that's not allowed," he replies, raising a brow at you.
"Like that's gonna stop me," you inform him.
"Unfortunately, I believe that," he chuckles, rolling his eyes again. "Anyway, c'mon," he says to as he starts walking off. "I have a surprise for you."
"Oh god, what have you done now?" you pretend to complain as you follow after him.
"No no, you're gonna like this one," he grins. "I promise."
"Okay, well now I know where we're going," you say as Jeonghan turns onto Harton Street. The street boasts a Dead End sign, and it's path is winding. You can't see much past the trees, but you know there is only one reason to come down this way.
"I was here over the weekend," you inform him. "I don't need to buy anything else."
"Oh please, like you'd pass up the opportunity to get some new vinyl," he grins.
"Dude, I'm already living off ramen."
"Just trust me."
"Okaaay," you reply, feigning skepticism. "If you say so."
The tires of Jeonghan's 1991 Mercury Tracer crunch as he turns off the main road onto a white gravel drive. A humble building comes into view, its exterior painted pastel yellow with a giant sign reading TURNPIKE RECORDS in a large, swirling font that looks straight out of the 1970s. A neon sign resides in the window, flickering slightly but advertising that the shop is open. There's only one other car in the small lot: a pristine, hot red Chevy Camaro also straight out of the 70s, belonging to the shop's owner.
Jeonghan parks the car and the two of you head into the store. The front door squeaks as you open it, an assortment of small bronze bells hanging above the door ringing out to announce your entry. The familiar, slightly-musty scent of the used record store fills your nose as you walk down the three steps taking you to the shop floor. Aside from the natural light from the window, the place is pretty dim, lit mainly by a couple of bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling and a variety of glowing lava lamps of all shapes, sizes, and colors placed throughout the room. Nearly every inch of wall is covered in a hodge-podge of framed posters and photographs, giving the whole place a chaotic but vibrant feel. Without a doubt, this is your favorite spot in town.
"I wonder if they have the new Muse album yet," you comment, meandering through the empty shop over to the Rock section.
"Not yet," Jeonghan replies as he starts flipping through a nearby discount bin. "I checked already."
You hear a faint swoosh come from behind you. You turn around to see a tall, heavily-tattooed man carrying a large box emerging from the thick velvet curtain that leads to the back of the store — none other than the shop's owner, Tripp. He's in his mid-40s, bald except for a long goatee on his chin, and he has more earrings than you can even count.
"Hey hey, I thought I heard my favorite customers out here!" Tripp says cheerfully when he sees you and Jeonghan. He sets the box on top of the counter, brushing his hands off and coming out to greet you on the floor.
"Oh please, you say that to everyone," you grin at the man.
"Definitely not," he shakes his head. "Besides, between the both of you you guys are keeping me in business. Speaking of," he says as he suddenly snaps and points at you. "I got something for ya."
He quickly returns to the counter and retrieves something from the shelves beneath the register. He walks back to you and hands you an album, light gray in color. You flip it over, and your jaw drops. It's a Japanese edition of Led Zeppelin IV — your favorite album of all time.
"Your friend told me you've been looking for this one," he tells you, nodding his head in Jeonghan's direction. "He convinced me to set it aside for you."
"Wow, that's so nice thank you!!" you tell Tripp excitedly. "How much?"
"Don't worry about it. It's already paid for."
"What?!"
You look over at Jeonghan, but he just smiles back at you sheepishly.
"What the hell, thank you," you grin at him. "You did not have to do that though."
"Actually, I did," Jeonghan admits. "Tripp made me."
Tripp lets out a hearty laugh. "Well regardless, I'm glad it's in the hands of someone I know will really appreciate it."
"Let me pay you back," you say to Jeonghan as Tripp returns to restocking, but he just shakes his head.
"Don't worry about it, really," he tells you warmly.
"Okay, fine. But you're gonna come over and listen to this with me," you insist, poking him in the chest. "We can smoke and I'll order pizza."
Jeonghan's face lights up. "Sounds like a deal to me," he grins.
brrrrrrr
brrrrrrr
The dull trill of the phone rings in your ear as you wait for the call to connect. You've only hit the bong once, but your head already feels like you're floating in the clouds. You mindlessly twirl the cord around your index finger, and you're halfway zoned out by the time the other line picks up.
"Arthur's Pizzeria," a cheerful voice suddenly speaks into your ear. "How can I help you?"
"Yeah hi!" you blurt out in your mildly startled state. "Can I order one large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese for delivery?"
"You got it! What's the address?"
"22 Elmwood Street, Unit 201."
"Great! It'll be about 20 minutes."
With a click you set the handset back onto the hook, returning to the living room. Your roommate won't be back until later, so you two have the place to yourselves — perfect for getting high and lazing around without judgment. Jeonghan sits on the couch, sinking into the cushions already and staring off into space. It takes him a moment to register that you're back; when he notices you, he tries to sit up, but the effort required for it currently seems monumental.
"Pizza ordered?" he asks, peering at you through lazy eyelids.
"Yup," you reply as you plop onto the other end of the couch. "Be here in 20."
"Sweet," he grins. You reach for the bong, grabbing the lighter next to it and lighting a bit more of the bowl. After a decently fat rip and a few solid coughs, you extend it out to Jeonghan.
"Man, I'm so high already," he groans, but he takes the colorful swirled glass from your hand anyway. "Where'd you get this grass?"
"Got it from Joshua," you reply, lifting your feet up onto the couch and tucking them beside you.
"Oh," Jeonghan replies, giving you a look as he exhales a cloud of smoke and hands the bong back over.
"What's your deal with Joshua?" you question, raising your brow at him.
"What? Nothing," he says quickly. "We should open a window."
He gets to his feet and walks across the room, lifting the nearest window up as far as it will go. It's a nice evening — the crisp air from earlier has gotten cooler, but it feels delightful as it begins to drift into the apartment in the light breeze.
"I know you don't like him," you continue, not letting Jeonghan ignore your question. "But I've never known why."
"I never said I didn't like him," he denies, flopping back onto the couch.
"You didn't have to," you point out. "Your face says it all."
He grimaces, rolling his eyes. "Curse my expressive nature. Anyway, I dunno, he just always seems like he's trying to make a move on you."
"Oh, he's like that with everyone," you reply matter-of-factly.
"Right."
"He is," you affirm. "And besides, so what if he was?"
"Huh?" Jeonghan pipes up, seemingly surprised by your question. "Oh, I just mean… I just don't trust guys who are always talking to girls that. Seems sleazy."
"No, really," you reiterate. "He's like that with everyone."
"Okay," he concedes skeptically. "If you say so."
"Should we play some Zeppelin?" you ask, getting up to go grab the record. Jeonghan's face lights up.
"Fuck yeah," he grins.
You put the album on, the signature bold, heavy sounds of the band greeting your ears as you crank up the volume. As you sit there listening, you finish off the bowl with Jeonghan, the air of your apartment now completely overtaken by smoke despite the open window.
"When's that damn pizza gonna get here?" he mumbles, but before you can even respond you hear a knock coming from the front door.
"Whoa, you summoned it," you giggle, rising to your feet a bit too quickly and stumbling slightly on your way over to the door. You answer, having a quick conversation with the usual delivery boy before paying and scurrying back over to the couch, the heavenly smell of hot, greasy pepperoni pizza joining the weed aroma in the room. You don't even bother with plates, instead simply picking up the slices and shoveling them directly into your hungry mouths. The conversation remains paused for a few minutes; you zone out, letting yourself get lost in the music, but eventually your conversation with Jeonghan earlier pops back into your head.
"You really should apply to that DJ job," you say, turning to him, but he just shrugs.
"Eh, I don't think I'd get it."
"Not with that attitude you won't."
"You always say that," he rolls his eyes.
"It's true!" you insist. "Jeonghan, come on. This is basically your dream job, and you're literally the perfect guy for it. Just apply and see what happens!"
"Maybe, I dunno."
"Besides," you add. "You need the money to fund your poor spending habits."
"Hey!" he balks. "I do not have poor spending habits."
You pick up the vinyl sleeve, tapping the little yellow sticker on the cover with a messy $40 scribbled on it in black ink.
"Yeah, you do."
He groans, letting his head fall back into the couch. "You're so annoying," he says to you with a grin.
"Takes one to know one," you tease back. He grabs the nearest throw pillow, lobbing it at you and hitting you in the arm.
"Okay, I probably earned that," you admit with a laugh.
The current song ends, the gentle guitar strums of "Stairway to Heaven" filling your ears as the iconic song begins.
"Oh shit, shut up," you tell Jeonghan, launching the pillow right back at him. He jumps slightly as the unexpected pillow hits him in the chest with a soft thump. "I fucking love this song."
He is about to tell you that duh, everybody with a brain loves this song — but your eyes are closed already, bobbing your head slightly to the beat, clearly already lost in it; so he just shakes his head, chuckling silently to himself.
The both of you feel like you're drifting to a higher plane as the song progresses, fully immersed in the grand crescendo you've both heard so many times yet have never tired of. When it ends, your eyes flutter open again, finding Jeonghan fully sunk into the other end of the couch. You start to wonder if he actually fell asleep, but then he lifts his head, opening his eyes to look at you.
"You know how some people say a hot dog is a sandwich?" he asks. You stare at him for a moment, trying to comprehend in your inebriated state what it was he just said.
"Who the fuck says that?" you inquire once you finally process his question.
"I dunno. People."
"Stupid people, maybe."
"I mean, yeah," he agrees. "But like… do you think pizza is a sandwich?"
You stare at him for a moment. "What?"
"I don't know, it's got bread and cheese and meat and tomatoes, right? Those things go on sandwiches."
"You're high as shit, dumbass," you tell him.
"Okay, well watch this!" He reaches over to the pizza box and picks up a new slice. Turning to show it to you, he slowly folds it in half. "See? That's a sandwich!"
"Oh shut the fuck up," you reply, but you can't help but laugh.
Jeonghan munches on his pizza-sandwich while you reach for your stash, refilling the bowl and lighting up again. When he finishes, you hand the bong over.
"Not like either of us needs it, but whatever man," you say with a pleased grin.
With heavy, banging drum beats, the last song on the album begins to play. This one has always been Jeonghan's favorite, you recall despite being astronomically faded. You glance over at him, finding him staring out the open window into the now-dark night. Certainly not out of the ordinary, but something about him in this moment seems… sad, almost. He notices you watching him, but he seems to have become self-conscious, averting your gaze.
"What's on your mind?"
Jeonghan continues staring out the window, but he lets out a small sigh.
"Do you ever think about how big the universe is?" he asks. "And then it makes you realize how small and meaningless we really are?"
You pause for a minute, considering the gravity of his question.
"No, not really," you finally answer gently. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he answers instinctively; but after thinking about it for a moment, he adds: "But sometimes I wonder if I'm not."
"In what way?"
"Just… the whole entire world feels impossibly huge, yet Earth is just a tiny pale blue dot compared to the whole galaxy. In the grand scheme of things, we're nothing. Nothing we do matters."
"I don't think that's true at all."
Jeonghan finally looks over to you, staring at you curiously.
"But how? How can anything have any meaning if we are so tiny?"
"I think that makes everything all that much more meaningful," you reply. "Like… the universe is so huge and vast and yet here we are, chillin' together, existing at just the right time to eat pizza and listen to Zepp. I just think that's a really nice thought."
"Hmm," he mumbles, opening his mouth to say something else — but his words never come. At this point he is so physically relaxed that he seems fused to the couch.
"You're fuckin' blasted, dude," you giggle, reaching over and shaking him playfully.
"Am nottttt," he pouts, but moments later he starts giggling too. "Okay, fine, I am. But, I guess I've just never thought of it that way before."
The album ends, the room falling silent. You get up, casually shuffling over to your ever-growing collection of records that is now taking up the entire corner of the small living room.
"What next?" you ask Jeonghan over your shoulder.
"Surprise me."
You peruse through your titles, not sure exactly what you're looking for; but then one catches your eye.
"Ooh, got it," you say with a grin. You replace the vinyl on the turntable and set the needle in position, the sounds of Dookie by Green Day playing aloud in the room, making Jeonghan smile too.
[TWO]
You stroll through the library, exiting the stacks to make your way to your next class. On your way out, you're surprised to spot Jeonghan, sitting alone at one of the tables. Unexpected — as he usually spends most of his free time out in the quad or in the Comms Building's study space; if he's in the library, it's usually just to take a nap. He has a book on the desk beside him, but it's closed, and he instead seems to be intensely focused on a piece of paper, brow furrowed and deep in thought. You walk over to him, but he doesn't notice you approaching. As you near the desk you can see the word APPLICATION in bold font at the top of the paper.
"Yay, you're doing it!!" you say to him as you appear beside him, shaking him by the shoulder excitedly and making him nearly fly out of his seat.
"Jesus Christ you have got to stop sneaking up on me!" he yelps quietly, but it still earns him a glare from a nearby librarian. She raises her finger to her lips, shushing the two of you before going back to re-shelving books. You sit down in the chair next to him, scooting in close enough so you can whisper.
"This is so exciting!" you tell him in a hushed voice, but he sighs, shaking his head.
"I'm not even sure if I'm gonna turn it in," he admits.
"What? Dude, you're halfway there, just finish and go turn it in!"
"I don't know," he frowns. "They're probably just gonna laugh at me."
You raise your brow at him. "Why on earth would you think they'd do that?"
"Most people do," he shrugs.
"Well, even if they do — which they won't — who cares?" you question. "Just follow your dreams, don't let other people get in the way."
The librarian turns around again, her displeased glare telling you you're still being too loud for her liking.
"C'mon," you say to Jeonghan. "Finish up your application and let's get out of here."
He quickly fills out the rest of the form and you ditch the library together. Jeonghan is done with classes for the day, but he accompanies you across the quad to your next class.
"What are you up to tonight?" he asks. He kicks a pebble along the sidewalk as he walks; you watch his dingy old converse scuff against the ground as he does, noticing the small hole forming in the toe of his right shoe.
"I'm getting dinner with Mark," you reply casually. You see his face drop slightly out of the corner of your eye.
"Basketball team Mark?"
"Yep! We have History of Feminist Literature together, though he's a Economics major so he's just taking it for an elective."
"Hm," Jeonghan says out loud without meaning to.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing. You just hardly ever go on dates, that's all."
"Oh, it's not a date," you say plainly, but you see him roll his eyes. "It's not!!" you insist. "We're just friends."
"I doubt he sees it that way."
"And how would you know that?"
"Because dudes only think with their dicks."
"Are you speaking from experience?" you inquire teasingly.
"This is not about me," he mutters, looking mildly embarrassed as he avoids eye contact. Luckily for him, you've arrived at the Literature Hall, giving him an excuse to change the subject.
"Hope you have a good class," he tells you warmly.
"Thanks," you reply with a smile. "Now you go turn in that job application or I'm going to kick your ass."
"I will," he laughs.
"Pinky promise?" you ask, extending your hand. He chuckles, but he connects pinkies with you.
"I promise."
"Good!" you tell him with a grin. "See ya later!"
"See ya," he smiles back.
You unlock your front door quietly, trying not to make noise and wake up your roommate considering how late it is by now. But as you enter the apartment you see her sitting at the computer, back turned to you as she is absorbed in whatever is on the screen.
"Hey, I didn't think you'd still be up," you say as you shut the door and kick your shoes off.
"Oh hey," Mina replies as she turns around to greet you. She lifts her wrist to peer at her watch. "Damn, I didn't realize how late it was."
"What are you doing on the computer?" you inquire, walking over to the desk out of curiosity.
"It's this new MySpace website Irene told me about," she replies, turning back around and double-clicking on something. "It's so sick, I've been here all night making my profile."
"Oh yeah, I've heard of that," you tell her as you watch her scroll through her profile. "Seems pretty cool."
"You should make one!" she tells you. "I can add you to my Top 8 friends."
"Oh, maybe. I'm still getting used to this whole Internet thing, honestly," you laugh.
"Soooo," Mina starts, shutting down the computer and heading into the kitchen. "How was your date with Mark?"
"It wasn't a date," you tell her. "I don't know why everyone keeps saying that."
"Okay, whatever," she responds, browsing through the snack cabinet for a minute before deciding on the bag of Cheeto Puffs. "How was your not-date?"
"It was… good."
"You don't sound so sure about that."
"No, it was!" you assure her. "It's just that… I don't know, he kinda just talked about basketball the whole time."
"Ugh. Typical guy shit," Mina rolls her eyes.
"He's really nice, though…" you say, though you're not sure if you're trying to convince her or yourself more.
"Nice enough to go on a second date — sorry, not-date with?" she raises her brow at you.
"Well, I don't know about that…"
You sigh, feeling a bit dejected suddenly. It's not like you're trying to date or anything, but you can't deny that it would be kinda nice to have at least a little bit more success.
"Maybe I should just give up on dating," you grimace.
Mina pops another Cheeto in her mouth. "I mean, I don't know why you bother. You basically already have a BF."
"What?" you ask, puzzled. "No I don't?"
"C'mon, you're literally hanging out with what's-his-name all the time. The metalhead."
"Jeonghan?? He's not into metal."
"Okay, whatever noise it is you guys listen to."
"It's called punk, and it's cool."
"Riiight."
"Anyway, he's just my friend," you tell her. Her lips curve into a slight grin, and she gives you a look.
"Sure he is."
"I can be friends with dudes!"
"Dudes only think with their dicks," she retorts, echoing Jeonghan's exact words from earlier.
"He's not like that," you assure her.
"Well that's rare, if true. Maybe you should date him."
You roll your eyes, but you're tired. Mina means well, but you don't really feel like having this conversation right now. Luckily, she's already putting her snack away, and then heads off to her room.
"Anyway, I'm off to bed. Goodnight!"
You too head off to bed, but as you brush your teeth you start to think about what Mina said. What if Jeonghan does see me as more than a friend? you wonder to yourself. After all, he did say the exact same thing earlier, too. You don't think he meant it in that way, but now you're beginning to second-guess your intuition…
You go straight to bed, deciding not to think about it anymore tonight.
[THREE]
You have some time between classes, so you take up residence in your usual spot in the quad, sitting on the ground reclined against your usual tree. Fall is officially here now, and it's a bit cold out, but you're perfectly comfortable in your thick sweater and windbreaker. Out of the corner of your eye, you suddenly see something in the distance charging directly at you. Looking up from your book, you see Jeonghan, forgoing the sidewalks and sprinting across the grass straight toward you, waving and flailing his arms like a maniac.
"You look like a psychopath," you call to him as he approaches.
"I got it!!!"
"Got wha— wait, the DJ job?!" you perk up excitedly.
"YES!!"
He plops down on the ground next to you, out of breath from running, but he doesn't seem to notice or care.
"Holy shit, congrats!!" you tell him enthusiastically. "See, I told you you'd get it!"
"I can't believe I almost ripped up the application and threw it in the trash."
"Jeonghan!" you blurt out, hitting him playfully in the arm, but he just shakes his head and laughs.
"I didn't though! You made me pinky promise."
"This is amazing! When do you start?"
"Tonight, actually," he answers. "Unfortunately, I'm stuck on the late night shift since I'm a newbie — 10pm–4am."
"Oh, yikes," you reply concernedly, but he shrugs it off.
"It's fine," he smiles. "I don't sleep anyway."
"Damn, I guess I'm never gonna see you again," you say jokingly, but an unexpected wave of sadness washes over you as your own words sink in.
"No way," he shakes his head resolutely. "We're still gonna hang out. I'll find a way to make it happen."
A fluttering sensation hits your stomach. You hang out with Jeonghan all the time, so you're not sure why you'd have this reaction. But something about the way he said it — "I'll find a way"— feels… different. But, regardless, you're just glad you're still going to be able to see your friend.
"What are you doing until then?" you inquire.
"I was just gonna go grab a bite at the dining hall and then go nap in the library."
"Wanna go to Jacq's instead?" you ask. "My treat."
Jeonghan's face lights up. "Hell yeah," he grins. "That sounds like a way better idea."
The low hum of neon lights buzzes gently through the tune of the usual rotation of 1960s hits as you and Jeonghan sit in the corner booth, chatting and giggling over your meal. Jacqueline's Diner is an old-fashioned joint, and the majority of its clientele is over the age of 60 — but the food is cheap, greasy, and delicious, so the two of you are practically regulars. Jeonghan ordered his usual, chicken tenders and a Cherry Coke float; you opted for a grilled cheese and chocolate milkshake, and you ordered a basket of fries to share.
"You heard about this MySpace?" Jeonghan asks, dipping three large, salty fries in ketchup and shoving them all into his mouth at once.
"Oh yeah," you say, picking the maraschino cherry off the top of the whipped cream and eating it one bite. "Mina's on there, she told me about it. Seems pretty cool."
"I think it sounds lame," he shrugs indifferently.
"What? Why?"
"I dunno, the whole Top 8 friends is kinda weird. Just sounds like one big popularity contest if you ask me."
"Yeah, I guess so," you agree.
"Besides, I don't even have eight friends."
"Oh shut up," you retort. "That's not true!"
"It's okay," Jeonghan chuckles. "I'm just not the kind of guy who has a lot of friends."
"We'll I'd put you in my Top 8," you tell him, but he rolls his eyes. "It's true, I would!"
"C'mon, y/n," he laughs. "You have so many friends."
"Mmm, not really," you reply. "Not ones I hang out with on the regular, anyway. It's mostly you and Mina these days."
"Well, thanks for hanging out with me," he says sheepishly.
"You say that like it's a charity case," you tease him. "I hang out with you because I like you, moron."
Jeonghan says nothing, sipping on his float instead, but the big grin creeping across his face is undeniable.
"So," you ask after a bite of grilled cheese. "Are you excited?"
"For the job?"
"No, for Christmas," you reply jokingly. "Yes, the job!!"
"I guess so," he shrugs. "Mostly I'm just nervous."
"Why?"
"Because what if I'm bad at it and they fire me?"
"Jeonghan, that is not going to happen."
"But I don't know what I'm doing!" he frowns.
"Dude, nobody knows what they're doing when they start a new job," you remind him. "Besides, they're going to train you! You'll learn the ropes in no time."
"What if I don't?"
"I find that hard to believe. You're smarter than you give yourself credit for, Hannie. Stop being so hard on yourself."
"Easier said than done," he replies lightheartedly, but his lack of confidence still shows.
"Why is that?" you inquire.
He thinks for a moment. "I don't know," he eventually answers. "Sometimes it just feels like there's a little voice in my head telling me I suck at everything and that I should just give up."
"I worry about you sometimes."
"I'm okay, I promise," he smiles softly at you. "Sorry for being sad so much."
"You don't have to apologize for that," you tell him firmly. "You're my friend and I'm here for you no matter what."
A couple remaining fries sit at the bottom of the basket, calling to you from the red-and-white checkered paper lining. You reach for them, but Jeonghan does too, your hands colliding over the table.
"Ope, sorry," he says timidly, retracting his hand. "You can have it."
"No, you take it," you insist, sliding the basket toward him. "You've got a long night ahead of you, you need the fuel. Speaking of, want another float?"
"No, it's oka—"
But you're already signaling to the waitress across the restaurant, pointing to Jeonghan's empty glass.
"I don't know why I asked," you tell him. "I already knew the answer."
The waitress quickly brings him a refill in a fresh glass, complete with his usual order of an extra cherry on top.
"Thanks, y/n," he smiles. "You're the best."
After you finish your meal and pay, Jeonghan drives you home. He pulls up next to the curb outside your apartment, putting the car into park and turning to face you.
"Thanks again for dinner," he smiles.
"Of course," you smile back. "I got ya. And I'll make sure to tune into WFVC tonight!"
Jeonghan chuckles, shaking his head. "I don't think I'm going to be on the air just yet. I think I gotta be less of a noob first."
"Well, I'll be thinking of you anyway," you tell him with a nod. He drops his head slightly, trying to hide his face behind his long hair.
"Besides, I wanna support the station — and maybe I'll find some new bands I like." You playfully give him a punch him in the arm. "Jut remember to relax, you're gonna crush it."
"I'll do my best," he promises.
"Good!" you nod, opening the passenger door and hopping out of the car. "Later skater," you smile at him, giving him a wave before shutting the door. He waves back, watching you walk toward your building, waiting until you've made it safely inside before shifting the car into gear and driving off.
[FOUR]
Jeonghan stands in the hallway, staring at the windowless, red door in front of him. He pulls a crumpled sticky note out of his jacket pocket, flattening it to reveal C-302 written in smudged pen. Looking up, he triple-checks the room number on the small metal plaque next to the door, but just as the first two times, it still reads C-302. The dozens of band stickers all over the door, some that look like they have been there for decades, are also a dead giveaway — this is it: the campus radio station. He takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly, then reaches for the door handle.
As the door swings open, a small, hectic room comes into view. Floor-to-ceiling shelves line every bit of wall, overflowing with endless stacks of CD cases; the rest of the room is crammed full of all sorts of audio and mixing equipment — some he recognizes, some he doesn't — and it seems that every bit of exposed surface is covered in show posters and even more band stickers. A too-small desk pushed against the far wall houses two computers, and at one of them sits a tough-looking man with a ponytail, seemingly older than himself, but not by much — perhaps a graduate student. The man peers up as Jeonghan enters the room.
"Hi, I'm Jeonghan," he says timidly. "I'm the new student employee, I was told to meet here at 9:45—"
"Yes, hello!" the man says cheerfully, hopping out of his seat and strutting across the room to give Jeonghan a very firm handshake. "I'm A.J., I'm the one running this joint for the most part — aside from Professor Sampson, of course. You're in undergrad, yeah?"
"Yes," Jeonghan replies politely, relieved that the man doesn't have the tough-guy demeanor he initially expected. "I'm a Junior."
"Awesome, well welcome to the team bro! Johnny's almost wrapped in the booth, and then you're on," he says, pointing his thumb back at the small window in the far wall; Jeonghan tries to peer through it, but all he can see is the top of the current DJ's head, clad with chunky headphones. "But don't worry — tonight I'll be showing you the ropes, so you just have to follow my lead. Cool?"
"Yeah, cool," Jeonghan nods in agreement.
"Excellent! Well, for starters, obviously we want to keep the volume to a minimum so there's no background noises when we're on air, but the soundproofing in the booth is good enough that you can talk at a regular volume out here and nobody's gonna hear ya. Just no screaming or anything crazy. As you can see over here," he says, pointing to the packed shelves. "We have quite a number of CDs on file. Now, I assume you're familiar with the station's catalogue?" Jeonghan nods, and A.J. continues. "Good. So you know we don't play anything that's even remotely popular — and if it's ever been on the radio, forget it. Most of our inventory is underground artists, garage bands, et cetera; the purpose of this station is to put a spotlight on new or small groups, show them some love and appreciation. So unless you're big into the local scene, you probably won't have heard of most of these bands."
Jeonghan skims over the nearest shelf, sure enough finding nothing familiar. Instead he finds jewel cases boasting all sorts of unheard-of band names — plunk!, Blister, Pisswizard, The Underwater Grandmas, and Groob, to name a few.
"Anyway, few ground rules. First, if the ON AIR sign is lit, you are live. Don't go saying anything you don't want hundreds of strangers to hear. Second, keep up with the queue, but also clean up after yourself. Don't leave loose CDs laying around, and make sure they go back into their actual cases — makes everyone's jobs easier."
Jeonghan nods attentively, trying not to seem nervous, but he feels like he's not doing a very good job. A.J. seems to notice too, but he claps Jeonghan on the shoulder and gives him a grin.
"Third, and this one's the most important if you ask me: just have fun. As long as you're doing a good job, just be yourself. Nothin' to stress over, I promise."
Jeonghan hears the booth door swing open; peering over A.J.'s shoulder, he sees a tall, dark-haired student stepping out into the main room.
"Ope, looks like we're on," A.J. says to him. "Johnny, this is Jeonghan, our new night shift guy."
Johnny walks over, shaking Jeonghan's hand enthusiastically. "Welcome! Nice to meet you, bro!"
"Thanks," Jeonghan replies, slightly intimidated by how friendly everyone is being, but he smiles politely at his new coworkers.
"Catch you guys 'round!" Johnny says as he takes off, giving the other two men a cheerful salute.
"Alright, the queue will be running for another 10 minutes or so," A.J. says as he enters the booth, pointing at the unlit ON AIR sign. "So in the meantime I can show you the basics…"
As promised, A.J. gives him the rundown, going over the master audio mixer controls, how to queue up songs, how to check the logs to see what's already been played, and a few different generic scripts for radio announcements.
"Like I said, you won't be talking on air just yet. But it's good for practice — and the more you practice the more natural it'll feel," he assures him. "Alright, we're coming up on the end of the queue. Grab some discs from that stack over there — doesn't matter which ones, really — and get them ready, I'll make the announcement." He places the bulky headphones on, pulling the mic in front of him and waiting for the song's outro begin to fade. He signals to Jeonghan as he goes live, the ON AIR sign lighting up bright red above their heads.
"That was 'Bitchcraft' by the Lipstick Dollz, and you're listening to WFVC 90.5 — the hottest place for underground punk and badass rock n' roll," A.J. speaks effortlessly into the mic. "Coming up next for you this hour, we've got some more Doomcock, a few from Spaceshuttle, and The Mary Jane Planes with their newest track, "Reefer Renegade" — only here on WFVC 90.5. Don't you dare touch that fuckin' tuner!"
The ON AIR sign shuts off, its red glow disappearing as the next song begins to play.
"See? Pretty easy," A.J. grins.
"Damn, that sounds so cool when you do it," Jeonghan tells him shyly.
"Don't sweat it, man. You'll get the hang of it in no time!"
Jeonghan isn't so sure, but he tries not to let the negative thoughts win. A.J. has him running the broadcast mixer, learning how to fade in and out and how to balance everything just right. He picks up on it faster than he expected, and the rest of the late-night shift seems to fly by. The job isn't the most exciting thing, but it's fun and interesting — and Jeonghan finds he enjoys even the monotony of mindlessly shelving CDs back into their places. But it seems that as soon as there's a lull in the job, you pop into his mind. By the time it's the middle of the night, he's certain you must have gone to bed by now — but he wonders if you were actually listening earlier. Did she like the music? he muses. Did she think of me at all?
He doesn't know the answer, but he really hopes you did.
The next day, Jeonghan doesn't show up to class.
You don't actually have any classes with him this semester, but after your Advanced Creative Writing class you always meet him in the quad underneath the usual tree. He's usually there first, so you waited for him for about 10 minutes — but he never showed.
Fortunately, his apartment is within walking distance from campus, so you make your way there. You knock on his door, but no response. You try again, a bit louder; after a few moments you hear footsteps from within the unit, shuffling their way toward the front door. The door swings open, revealing a messy-haired Jeonghan wearing pajamas, looking very much like you just woke him up.
"Have you been sleeping all day??" you ask with a grin.
"I guess so," he answers, placing his hand over his mouth as he yawns. "What time even is it?"
"3:23pm," you read from your wristwatch.
"Holy shit," he grumbles. "I slept through everything."
"You must've been exhausted," you point out. "Sorry for waking you up, I just wanted to make sure you were alive."
"No, no — don't apologize," he shakes his head. "Here, come on in," he says as he swings the door open, traipsing back into the apartment. "I'll make us some coffee."
You follow your sleepy friend into his kitchen, where he locates a bag of coffee grounds and starts to brew a fresh pot.
"Soooo," you say eagerly, sitting down at the kitchen table. It's stacked with books, CDs, piles of mail, and one very ripe-looking banana sitting atop a toppled box of Lucky Charms — but you're able to clear off enough space for two coffee mugs. "How was it? Tell me everything!"
"It was actually really good!" he responds enthusiastically, leaning against the counter. The warm aroma of hot coffee drifts across the room as the dark liquid begins to drip into the carafe. "Nothing particularly exciting, since I was just training. But it's all super cool, I think I'm really going to like it."
You haven't seen Jeonghan this excited about something since he scored tickets to the blink-182 concert last summer. He's become one of your closest friends, so you know that he's generally a bit of a melancholy guy — but seeing him so passionate about something really warms your heart. Happiness is a good look on him, you think to yourself.
"What's that look for?" he inquires, raising his brow at you.
"Nothing! I'm just really excited for you," you smile at him. "I was listening last night, you know."
His face lights up. "You were?" he asks eagerly The pot begins to sputter as the coffee finishes brewing; he grabs two mugs, filling them with the beverage: one cup black, for himself, and one with a tablespoon of sugar, for you.
"Of course! I said I was going to, didn't I?"
"You did," he smiles, bringing the mugs to the table and setting yours in front of you. You take a sip — it's piping hot, but it's delicious. "Didja hear any new songs you liked?"
"Yeah, I really liked all of it! There was one band called something weird that I enjoyed, I think it was 'Beenis'?"
Jeonghan laughs. "Yeah, I recall seeing a Beenis in the mix. Hey, speaking of new bands…"
He gets up, fetching his backpack and pulling a slightly-bent bright yellow piece of paper from it. He hands it to you, and you see that it's a flier for a show down at Dizzy's Tavern, a local dive bar known for it's cheap beer and loud, live rock music. The two bands listed are Fuckwagon and The Flagstaff Arizonas — names you've certainly never heard of before, but then again you're not too acquainted with the local music scene.
"My boss told me about this show tonight, apparently Fuckwagon are a pretty well-known name around the station. Said they're always bringing in new demos and singles for us to play," he explains. "I don't work tonight, and I don't know what you're up to, but I thought maybe we could go check it out."
"I'm down! I have nothing else going on today, and that sounds fun!"
"Sweet," Jeonghan replies casually, trying to contain his excitement, but his face is positively beaming. "I'll pick you up at 7:45, then?"
"Sounds like a plan," you grin back at him.
[FIVE]
Dizzy's Tavern is, for lack of better words, a shithole. As you step through the front door you are immediately hit with a wall of cigarette smoke that is somehow both stale and fresh. It's dark inside, the only source of lighting being the red lights above the bar and neon signs of various beer brands hanging around the walls; despite the dim environment, the dinginess of the establishment is still glaringly obvious. The place is a decent size, but it's packed — there are people of all ages, most of whom seem to be clad in leather jackets, and many with hair dyed unnatural colors or a multitude of piercings. The vibe of the place certainly screams punk.
"Holy shit, it's crowded," you remark to Jeonghan as you both shuffle into the crowded bar area.
"We don't have to stay if it's too much—" he quickly offers.
"No, it's okay!" you assure him. "I just think this will be more fun once I have a drink or two in me," you say lightheartedly.
"What do you want to drink?" he asks, grabbing onto your arm gently as you meander through the throng of bodies as not to get separated.
"Jack and Coke," you answer. He raises a brow at you.
"Oh so we're drinking drinking tonight," he smirks.
"Hey, you get whatever you want," you tell him, poking him in the chest. "You don't have to drink just because of me."
"Maybe I want to."
"Okay, just be careful though. I know how much of a lightweight you are."
"Hey!" he protests.
"Well, you are! Am I wrong?"
"No, you're right," he concedes with a smile. "As usual."
He finally gets the bartender's attention, ordering a Jack and Coke for the both of you. You sip it as you make your way through the crowd, holding onto Jeonghan as you head toward the small stage at the back of the bar. The band isn't on yet; according to the flier they should be on any minute now, but you have a feeling that being precisely punctual perhaps isn't very punk rock.
"Let's hang out here," you say, spotting a tiny, unoccupied high-top table off to the side. It's less crowded over here, and not too close to the stage. "I'm sure we will be able to hear just fine."
You're in the middle of a very non-serious debate about Halloween costumes when you spot a familiar face emerging from the nearby hall that leads to the bathrooms. It's Joshua, your weed dealer, and you unintentionally make eye contact with him. His face lights up with recognition, and he waves at you, heading in your direction. Jeonghan looks over his shoulder, doing a poor job of hiding his grimace when he realizes who it is.
"Hey hey!" Joshua says cheerfully as he approaches your table. "What's up you guys?"
"Hi Joshua!" you tell him cheerfully. "We're here to see the show," you explain, nudging your head toward the still-empty stage. You want to ask him what exactly he's doing here, considering that this doesn't seem to be his scene in the slightest, but you figure that might be a bit rude.
"Oh, cool!" he nods eagerly. "Hey, by the way," he says, leaning in to the both of you. "I got some new school supplies coming my way soon, if you catch my drift." He winks at Jeonghan, nudging him playfully with his elbow. "I'll make sure to save the good stuff for you."
Jeonghan stands there frozen with awkwardness at Joshua's directness. "Um," he finally manages to reply. "Yeah, uh, that sounds cool. Thanks."
"Awesome!" Joshua smiles at him sweetly. Turning back to you, he gives you a casual salute.
"Well, I gotta bounce," he excuses himself. "Catch you guys on the flip side."
Once he's out of earshot, you turn to Jeonghan, giving him a knowing look.
"Told you," you tease. "He's like that with everyone."
"Okay, okay, fine," he huffs, raising his hands defeatedly, but a smile spreads across his face. "I believe you now."
Several minutes later, the band finally comes out on stage, eliciting drunken cheering and whooping from the crowd of bar-goers.
"What the fuck is up!!!" the lead singer screams into the microphone. "We're Fuckwagon, and here's some fucking music!"
A screeching guitar riff begins, joined momentarily by crashing drums and a bassline that somehow already seems out of sync with the song. The lead singer appears to be playing the shrill guitar, and the bass player also has a mic; they start singing in tandem — sort of. You're not sure if the sounds coming from either of them can even be considered singing, but they proceed regardless, wailing into the mics as the drummer is already flailing crazily at the drum set. You nod your head to the beat as best you can; turning to Jeonghan, you see he also wears a stunned expression, staring blankly at the raucous scene on the stage.
"Is this the same song or a new one?" you ask him a few minutes later, leaning in to speak into his ear.
"Fuck if I know," he shrugs. He tosses back the rest of his drink, picking up your empty glass as well. "Want another one?"
"Yeah, definitely."
He returns a few minutes later with two fresh Jack and Cokes in hand. The lead singer has somehow already taken his shirt off, revealing a plethora of tattoos that you personally would consider hideous. You and Jeonghan down the drinks fast — unintentionally, but anything to make the music more tolerable. There seems to be no distinction from one song to the next, the night going by in a non-stop cacophony of hard, grungy rock sounds. You don't pay too much attention to the music though, instead talking and laughing with Jeonghan the whole time.
"That's not even the weirdest part," Jeonghan continues his story, resting his elbow on your shoulder as he leans in close to your face. "The next week, I get home and the apartment is filled with boxes of potatoes. Turns out, Jun had built a potato cannon, and he thought he had placed an order for a hundred potatoes — but he had accidentally ordered a hundred ten-pound bags."
"Oh my god," you laugh in disbelief. "How did he not notice, wasn't it expensive??"
"I have genuinely no idea," Jeonghan shakes his head, also laughing. "He just does things like that sometimes."
"I think he has to be the strangest guy I've ever met," you respond. "I can't believe you live with him."
"Hey, he's a great roommate. He's clean, quiet, and half the time he's not even there — off doing god knows what."
"And that was our last song!!!" the lead singer screams into the mic over the drummer continuing his solo despite the song having ended. "Goodnight motherfuckaaaas!!!"
The band exits the stage, the next band already setting up their instruments.
"Thank god," you say to Jeonghan, who is all but fully leaning on you at this point. You pick his drink up off the table, finishing it off before he can drink any more; he doesn't seem to notice.
"You think the next band will be any better?" he asks you, his face mere inches from yours, heavy eyelids blinking slowly in his drunken state.
"There's no way they can possibly be worse than that."
You were wrong. Despite it being harsh and grating, the first band at least had upbeat rock music; the new band consists of six people, one of whom plays the trumpet, and all of whom barely fit on the stage — and their music is dull, drawn-out, and extremely repetitive. You're not sure if lead singer is drunk or if he just sounds like he is, but either way, it's borderline insufferable.
You turn to Jeonghan, about to suggest you call it a night, but he clearly has the exact same thought.
"Should we… leave?"
"Yeeaaaah," you nod eagerly in agreement. "We should leave."
It's even colder now as you step out of the bar, but despite the chilly autumn wind the fresh, smoke-free air feels delightful.
"So," Jeonghan asks as you stroll down the sidewalk together. He drove you to the bar, but neither one of you seem to recall that detail — but you're both too drunk to drive, anyway. "What did you think of… that?"
"I think it sucked shit," you reply honestly. Jeonghan bursts out laughing, making you start giggling too.
"Yeah, that was pretty terrible," he agrees. "Sorry I dragged you to this."
"Don't be!" you insist. "I still had a good time."
"Good," Jeonghan replies, a smile lighting up his face. "I did too."
Though your apartment is further than his, he walks you home first. The alcohol in your system has kept you warm all night, but the cold nighttime breeze is starting to get to you. You shiver, tugging the sleeves of your sweater down over your hands and tucking them into you as you cross your arms to try and stay warm.
"Here," Jeonghan tells you as soon as he notices, immediately taking his jacket off.
"No, I'll be fine—" you start, but he's already wrapping it around your shoulders. The jacket is warm, both from its thick leather and Jeonghan's body heat. You accept it graciously, slipping your arms into the baggy sleeves and zipping it all the way up.
"Thanks," you tell him sincerely. "You're the best."
In the dim orange-y glow of the incandescent streetlamps it's hard to tell, but Jeonghan blushes, his face turning even pinker than the alcohol made him.
You arrive outside your apartment a few minutes later.
"Well, goodnight," Jeonghan smiles at you. To his surprise, you suddenly throw your arms around him, leaning your head against his shoulder as you hug him. He tenses up slightly as his inebriated brain tries to process what's happening, but slowly he wraps his arms around you too, sinking into your embrace. It only lasts a few seconds, but the moment simultaneously feels hours long and also over way too fast.
"Goodnight," you reply as you let go, waving as you turn toward the sidewalk to head home. "Get home safe, okay?"
"I will," he nods softly. He watches until you've made it inside, then turns to head back to his own apartment, wondering if you knew that you just completely flipped his world upside down.
[SIX]
You wake up the next day uncomfortably hot.
Prying your eyes open, you see that you're in your living room. Apparently, you were too tired to make it all the way to your bedroom, so you just crashed on the couch, still wearing your shoes and Jeonghan's jacket. Your arm feels like lead as you try to lift it, peering at your watch: 12:16pm.
"Holy shit," you grumble as you hoist yourself up into a sitting position, your head pounding with a killer hangover. A few seconds later, Mina walks into the room.
"Jesus Christ, you're a mess," she tells you bluntly. "What the hell did you do last night?"
"Um, went to a shitty bar and saw a shitty band," you answer, rubbing your aching eyes. "Scratch that — two shitty bands."
"With your boyfriend, I assume?" she asks, glancing at the oversized leather jacket with its many pins and buttons.
"He's not my boyfriend," you mumble through a yawn, shimmying out of the jacket and neatly placing on the armrest next to you.
"Well, you knew who I was talking about without me even saying his name, soooo…"
"Shut uppp," you groan, flopping your tired head onto the back of the couch. With a pleased grin, she heads into the kitchen. You close your eyes, nodding off again, but soon you start to smell fresh coffee, and hear the sound of a sizzling skillet. A few minutes later, Mina returns, carrying a large mug of steaming coffee and a plate of fried eggs and pancakes.
"Here, eat," she says firmly, setting the plate and mug in front of you on the coffee table.
"Thanks, Mina," you smile at her.
After devouring your breakfast, you hop in the shower, standing there under the hot stream of water for far too long — but, you feel a million times better afterward. You toss on some sweats and decide to work on some homework from your bed. After a surprisingly productive afternoon, make your way back to the kitchen to find some dinner. On your way there, you pass by the couch, spotting Jeonghan's jacket still laying there. You feel bad that you didn't remember to give it back last night — after all, this is quite literally his only jacket. You're figure you should just take it over to him after you eat dinner. But, you're pretty sure he mentioned that he was working tonight; and since it's getting late and campus is a closer walk for you anyway, you figure you'll just try and drop it off at the station.
Your walk to campus is eerily empty. You've never seen this few people around, but it is Saturday night, after all. Most people are probably either at home or partying off-campus by this point. You approach the Comms building, suddenly worried that the door might be locked at this hour; but its swings right open when you pull it, and you let yourself inside. You've only had a couple classes in this building before, so you're not familiar with its layout, and you realize you have no idea where the radio station is actually located. You're about to start wandering down the halls in a random direction when you spot a directory by the staircase. The station appears to be on the top floor, so you head up the stairs.
There's no signage for the station, but you figure the bright red door with all the stickers all over it is probably the one you need. You knock at the door quietly, just now realizing that maybe this was a bad idea and that you shouldn't be here. You consider turning around and leaving before you can bother anybody, but then the door swings open. A tough-looking man with long hair and a beard pokes his head out.
"Hi, so sorry to bother you," you tell him apologetically. "But I was wondering if Jeonghan was working tonight? I just wanted to drop off his jacket."
"Oh!" the man replies with a smile, looking suddenly much less intimidating. "Yeah, he's here, come on in!"
You're not sure what exactly you thought a college radio station that plays punk music would look like, but this place seems to fit the bill. You don't see Jeonghan, but then the man points his thumb back to the small window in the far wall.
"He's in the booth right now, but I'll go grab him once we cut to commercial," he tells you. "I'm A.J., by the way," he adds, extending his hand to you.
"Y/n," you introduce yourself.
"Oh, so you're y/n!" A.J. responds amicably. "I've heard all about you.""
"Oh," you reply, feeling your face turn hot suddenly. "Really?"
"Yeah, Jeonghan talks about you all the time. All good things, though, I promise," he smiles. "Hey, I gotta go fax something real quick — just hang out in here for a sec, I'll be right back."
He exits the room, and you walk over to the window, peering into the booth. There's a lot of equipment in the way, but you spot the back of Jeonghan's head, clad with headphones and bobbing his head to whatever must be playing on the radio right now. You can't see his face, but you get the sense that he really is enjoying the job.
A.J. returns in a couple minutes. He waits outside the booth door, glancing at the lit-up ON AIR sign overhead.
"I'll go grab him as soon we're not on air," he tells you. Sure enough, it shuts off a few seconds later, and he slips into the booth. Watching through the window, you see Jeonghan turn around to greet his boss; A.J. points to you through the window, and Jeonghan turns, his face lighting up when he sees it's you.
"Hey!" he says cheerfully as he comes out to greet you. "What are you doing here?"
"Just returning your jacket I accidentally stole from you," you say, extending the garment to him.
"Oh yeah," he chuckles, taking the jacket from you. "I didn't even realize until I was almost home, I was wondering why I was so cold."
"Sorry," you smile apologetically.
"Don't even worry about it," he smiles back at you. "Thanks for bringing it to me, you didn't have to do that."
"Yes I did. I know for a fact that you don't own any other jackets," you tease.
"Okay, you got me there," he grins.
"How's the job going?" you ask.
"It's great!" he answers with more enthusiasm than you're used to from him. "I'm can officially run the show and be on air by myself now, no more supervision required."
"That's so cool," you beam at him. "You seem like you're really liking it so far."
"Yeah," he nods. "I definitely am."
"Well, I should let you get back to work now," you tell him. "Hope you have a good rest of your shift."
"Thanks, y/n," Jeonghan smiles warmly. "See ya later."
The end credits to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit begin to play as you lay on the couch, eating potato chips straight from the bag. It's not particularly the most exciting Saturday night you could be having, but you're enjoying the relaxing night in. You're not really in the mood to keep watching TV, so you grab the remote and shut it off. Mina isn't home yet, so you figure you'd take this opportunity to play your music out loud without wearing headphones. You get up and shuffle over to the boombox perched on the bookshelf, turning it on; it's tuned to the local pop station — clearly Mina used it last. You enjoy this station too, but your mind flashed back to Jeonghan in the booth. Maybe I'll hear him on the air, you think to yourself excitedly. You change the tuner to 90.5 and are greeted by the heavy tune of an unfamiliar but grungy-sounding song.
Plopping back on the couch you reach for your bag of chips again — but over the crinkling of the bag as you stick your hand in it, a very familiar voice comes through on the radio.
"You're listening to WFVC 90.5, the hottest place for underground punk and badass rock n' roll. The track you just heard was "Beautiful Monster" by Meatglove, one of their earliest and most iconic releases. Up next — we've got some Death Day Party for you, as well as a classic from Wunderguts; but first, some local flavor from Z-41 with their newest track "Hell Highway."
You're a bit taken aback by the confidence and air which he delivered his spiel. You can tell he's still getting used to it, but you swear you've never heard him sound so self-assured. The crashing drums of the next song begin; you're getting a bit sleepy, but you're comfy — so you end up laying on the couch for another hour or so, zoned out as you enjoy the music. You're halfway asleep when Mina returns home, so out of it that you don't even hear her come in; but you do hear Jeonghan's voice over the speakers, making you smile as your eyes start to drift close.
"I assume that's your boyfriend on the radio?"
Your eyes shoot open again at the sudden sound of Mina's voice. Looking up, you see her looming above you as she stands beside the armrest.
"I didn't even hear you come in," you tell her, rubbing your tired eyes.
"Yeah, I can tell," she teases. "You wouldn't be swooning and gushing over him like that if you knew I was here."
"I was not," you roll your eyes. "I was like half-asleep."
"Mhmm. Well, I'm going right to bed — goodnight!"
And with that, you're alone with the radio again.
While the commercials play, an idea pops into your head. You remember Jeonghan making an off-hand comment about how the station does take requests — it's just that hardly anyone ever calls them in. You consider for a minute, and then decide, fuck it.
You get up again, quietly heading over to the landline. You're don't actually know the number, so you flip through the phone book, perusing the thin yellow pages for the station. Eventually, you spot it: Foxville College Communications Department, WFVC 90.5 — 555-1004.
You dial the number, the line ringing as you wait for it to connect. You realize you're not even sure what exactly it is you planned to request, considering that the station only plays underground stuff. Anything you would normally request on the radio is off the table.
Before you can think of something, the line picks up.
"WFVC 90.5, we have a caller live on the air," you hear Jeonghan answer the call. "Hi there, whatcha calling for?"
Your stomach drops a bit — you weren't expecting him to actually pick up live on the air. You're not a shy person, but the thought that a bunch of random strangers can hear you right now does make you at least a little bit nervous.
"Hi!" you say cheerfully, careful not to be to so loud as to wake Mina. "Um, I was hoping I could call in a request."
"Of course you can!" he answers. You were wondering if Jeonghan would recognize your voice, but the slight pause and the upward shift in his voice tells you he definitely does. "What are you looking for?"
Thinking on the fly, you say the first thing that pops into your head.
"Well, I don't actually have a specific song in mind," you reply. " Can you play me something upbeat and happy? A song I'd play if I was just chilling with my friend or something."
"I sure can," Jeonghan responds, and you swear you can hear the smile in his voice. "What's your name?" he remembers to ask at the last second — of course, he already knows, but he makes sure he sticks to the script.
"Y/n," you tell him.
"Well, y/n, thanks for calling in — we appreciate ya. Got a special one just for you coming up right now: this one's called 'Heart Attack', by good friends of the station, Fever Baby — right here on WFVC 90.5!"
The call ends, the flat tone humming in your ear. You put the receiver back, heading back into the living room. You're not entirely sure how radio requests work, but you assume there's some sort of slight delay. Sure enough, right as you return the end of your call plays, followed by a light and rhythmic guitar strumming — the song he chose for you. You sit down as you listen, the melody picking up with a bright atmosphere. The song is exactly the vibe you were looking for, and you like it a lot. Turns out the band has a female lead too, something you always love, especially in this genre of music. You must've said that once a long time ago, in some off-hand comment, but Jeonghan remembered. That's the thing about Jeonghan, though — he always does.
[SEVEN]
The semester passes by, days getting shorter and temperatures getting lower as the final weeks of fall come to a close. School has kept you plenty busy, with midterms and papers taking up the majority of your time. You haven't been able to have as much of a social life as you would like, which isn't particularly unusual for this time of year; but Jeonghan especially has been busy — late nights at the station have caused his sleep schedule to shift significantly, rendering your schedules largely incompatible. You miss him, and you really hope you can find a way to hang out with him soon.
You're sitting in your apartment studying one night when the phone rings. The phone doesn't have caller ID, but you expect it's one of Mina's friends calling, as she likes to chat on the phone more often than you do. She's not home right now, so you could easily just let it go to voicemail, but something in you feels the urge to answer.
"Hello?" you answer as you pick up, grabbing the nearby stack of sticky notes and a pen in case you need to take a message.
"Hey y/n," you hear Jeonghan say softly through the line.
"Hannie!" you say, surprised but excited to be hearing his voice. "How's it going? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!"
"I know, I've been so busy," he concurs. "I'm tired as hell, but I'm okay. How are you?"
"Same, I'm exhausted but I'm getting by. How's the DJ life treating you?"
"It's good!" he answers eagerly. "I mean, that's why I'm so tired. But in a way it also kinda gives me an energy boost. I know that probably sounds crazy…"
"Not at all," you smile. "That means you really like it! I'm so glad it ended up being a great fit for you."
"Me too," he agrees. "I've been so happy lately. Except for the fact that we haven't hung out like, at all. That part sucks."
"We gotta find some time to hang," you say assertively.
"Actually, that's why I'm calling," he replies. "The Comms Department is having this social thing on Friday night. I wasn't really planning to go, but guests are allowed if you'd wanna come with me. There's gonna be free food."
"Hell yeah, I'm always down for free food," you grin — though, you're much more excited about getting to see Jeonghan finally.
"Cool! It starts at 7, I'll drop by your place around then and we can walk to campus together."
"Sounds good," you say excitedly. "Is this like, a formal event?"
"Um, I don't think so? But like, maybe a little?"
"I'll dress up at least a little, then," you tell him. "I'd rather be overdressed than underdressed."
"Good idea, I'll do the same. Well, I gotta head to work in a few minutes, so I gotta go."
"Have a good shift!" you tell him. "See ya on Friday."
"See ya then, y/n."
Friday afternoon you start rummaging through your closet, looking for something to wear to the social later. You have a few hours until you need to be ready, but you figured you'd give yourself a little extra time to make yourself look at least a little bit nice. It's been a while since you've had an excuse to dress up anyway, so what the hell, why not.
Nothing is particularly catching your eye as you flip through the hangers, until you get to the end and spot a brand new skirt you had completely forgotten about. You pull it out to look at it; it's a black pinstripe pleated mini skirt, brandishing a built-in belt, and it still has the tags on. A bit on the casual side, but you figure if you pair it with a nice sweater and tights that don't have any holes in them the outfit will look just the right amount of sophisticated for the occasion.
Digging through your dresser drawer, you take a look at your sweaters. Most are a bit too tattered, and about half of them are just sweatshirts featuring a band logo, but you do find a deep maroon sweater that you rarely wear. You lay it on your bed above the skirt and grab a pair of tights to lay out as well; all put together, it actually looks pretty nice.
You throw your outfit on and spend a little bit longer than usual putting makeup on, adding some shimmery eyeshadow and some tinted lip gloss to your usual routine of eyeliner and mascara. When you're done styling your hair, you take a look at yourself in the mirror. It's not that you usually look bad, but you definitely tend to dress more on the casual side, so you're pleasantly surprised by how put-together you look right now. Turns out, a little extra effort can go a long way.
You're reading your book a couple hours later when you hear a light knocking at your door. Hopping up off the couch you flutter over to answer it, opening the door to reveal Jeonghan looking the fanciest you've ever seen him. He's still in his leather jacket, of course — but underneath he wears a maroon button-down shirt and crisp black dress pants, and you've never seen his long hair so neat and styled.
"Holy shit, since when do you own dress pants?" you ask with a playful smirk.
"Hey, shut up," he pouts. "I know they look stupid."
"They do not!" you insist. "You look really nice, Jeonghan. I've just never seen you so dressed up. And we even matched on accident!" you chuckle.
"Looks like we did," he smiles. "You look really nice as well," he says, staring at your outfit for a moment but quickly averting his gaze. You typically wear clothes that are at least a little bit baggy, but this sweater fits you snugly, its thin knit fabric accentuating your every curve very flatteringly. Jeonghan tries not to think about it.
"Thanks! Here, let me put my shoes on and then we can bounce."
He steps inside as you grab your Doc Martens, leaning down to slip your feet into them and tighten the laces. Your back is to him as you bend over, and while your skirt isn't super short it does ride up a bit in the process, your thighs on full display through the sheer black tights. He ogles you as you tie the boots up, feeling his face grow hot. He knows you don't notice, but he forces himself to turn away before you do, prying his eyes off of you, but it's too late.
"Um, I'm gonna go pee real quick," he tells you, scurrying off to your bathroom.
"Okie dokie," you reply.
Jeonghan doesn't actually have to pee, but he locks himself in the bathroom anyway. He stares at himself in the mirror, still thrown off by how different he looks all cleaned up.
"Get it together man," he grumbles to himself.
A couple minutes later he returns.
"Ready?" you ask, grabbing your coat.
"Yep!" he says with a smile.
The walk to campus is cold, but there's no wind, so it's surprisingly pleasant. On your way there it begins to snow, huge flakes falling gently through the air and starting to accumulate on the ground. You arrive to the Comms Building, brushing the snow off your jacket before you step through its doors to the warm interior.
"You've got some in your hair, too," Jeonghan points out. You ruffle your hair lightly, shaking the snow off.
"So do you," you tell him, reaching up and brushing your fingers across his hair, brushing the stark white snow out of his long, dark locks. Jeonghan freezes up slightly, grateful that his cheeks are already pink from the cold so you can't see him blushing like an idiot.
"Thanks," he says softly.
You make your way to the end of the hall, where two doors propped open lead you into the event space. Immediately you see that despite your efforts, you are both still noticeably underdressed.
"Welp," he mumbles to you quietly. "Guess I didn't get the memo that this was actually fancy."
"It's okay," you reply reassuringly. "We still look nice." And it's true, but amongst all the suits and heels you still feel a bit out of place.
You make your way over to the food table together, grabbing plates and piling them high with the assortment of hors d'oeuvres on display. It earns you a few judgmental glares from a group of older adults standing nearby, but you're both broke college kids, so you don't really give a fuck.
"Let's go over there," Jeonghan says after you each grab a glass of wine, nudging his head toward the back of the room. You meander through the groups of professors and whomever else standing around and chatting, claiming the two chairs in the corner.
"So, what exactly is this event supposed to be again?" you ask him as you pop a fancy cracker with cheese on it into your mouth.
"Um, I don't actually know," he admits as he sips at wine, glancing around the room. "I thought it was for students and professors to meet each other, but I don't think any of these people are actually students…"
You look around too, and he seems to be right. Everyone is significantly older and distinguished-looking — very clearly not undergraduates.
"Oops," you say, trying not to smile too big. "Does that mean we just walked in here and stole their food?"
A grin starts to spread across his face. "Um, yeah. Looks like it."
He starts to giggle out loud, prompting you to subtly whack him in the leg.
"Shhh, people are gonna notice!" you whisper, but you feel the urge to start laughing too. A voice rings out over the speaker system as somebody starts talking into a microphone. The attendees all turn and face the small stage, where a woman in a sequined navy dress starts to speak.
"Should we go?" he asks quietly.
"Yeah, definitely," you reply, tossing back the rest of your wine. "But let's grab some more food on the way out."
Jeonghan grins. "I like the way you think."
After piling the small plastic plates with as much food as you possibly can and grabbing another glass of wine each, you sneak out the back door of the room, quickly making your way towards the building's exit.
"Holy shit," Jeonghan laughs as you burst through the door returning you to the quad. "That was awesome."
"I love to steal free food," you giggle. The falling snow has picked up, blustering around calmly but shrouding everything in a sea of white. "C'mon," you say to him, zipping off toward your usual spot under the small oak tree. "Let's go over here."
You stand together beneath the branches, accepting their humble offering of any sort of cover as you scarf down the rest of the food on your plates.
"I guess we also technically stole these wine glasses," Jeonghan comments as he stares at the remaining red liquid in the bowl. "I didn't even realize they were real."
"Me neither," you say, finishing your drink. "Whoops."
Hors d'oeuvres and wine now gone, you toss the plates in a nearby trashcan, leaving the glasses sitting on the steps to the Comms Building and zooming off before somebody catches you. When you get off campus you slow your pace, strolling casually down the block through the deluge of snow.
"Maybe I should've driven," Jeonghan chuckles. "But also who wants to drive in this weather."
"True," you smile. "But I don't mind the snow. It's nice."
"Me neither."
You chat the whole walk home, taking and laughing about anything and everything and nothing at all. By the time you make it to your building, your cheeks hurt — not only from the cold but from smiling nonstop the whole night.
"Tonight was really fun — even if it wasn't what we expected," you say, turning to face Jeonghan.
"Same here," he smiles softly. "I'm glad I finally got to see you."
"Me too," you beam back. You're thinking about inviting him up, maybe to smoke a J or something, when suddenly his lips are on yours.
Your whole body freezes. His lips are soft, the kiss is sweet, but you were not prepared for it. Quickly he pulls his face back, his eyes widening with fear like a deer in the headlights.
"Sorry," he stammers, then takes off.
"Wait!" you call out after him. "Jeonghan!" But he's gone in the blink of an eye, running off down the street into the snowy night.
[EIGHT]
Almost an entire week passes, and you don't see or hear from Jeonghan once.
You tried calling him, but you just kept getting Jun, who seemed to be confused but didn't ask any questions. You tried to meet him after several of his classes, but he either wasn't there or managed to completely evade you. You even tried e-mailing him, but as you expected, no response.
So you gave up for the time being. You knew he wasn't going to avoid you forever, that eventually he would come back. But damn, you hated waiting for it.
It's now Thursday night. Six nights have gone by, and still radio silence from Jeonghan. You're not even upset with him, you just want to talk to him. There's too many questions swimming around in your brain right now — you can hardly think about anything else.
Why did you kiss me?
Why did you run away?
Why have you been so scared to talk to me?
Do you love me?
The living room boom box softly plays the local classic rock channel as you lay at the couch, staring at the ceiling and thinking too much. For reasons you can't explain, you suddenly get up and go change the tuner to 90.5. You lay back down, unsure what exactly the point of that was, but also you don't really care. You're not even sure if Jeonghan is working tonight, and even if he is it's too early for him to be on — but the radio station is enough to remind you of him. You feel tears begin to well in your eyes, blinking them away quickly.
The DJ eventually comes back on the air; as expected, it's not Jeonghan, but that doesn't make you any less sad about the whole situation. The next song that comes on sounds vaguely familiar, and awful; it occurs to you about two minutes into the song that this sounds like that terrible band you saw at that bar — Fuckwagon or whatever. The one you saw with Jeonghan.
Tears begin to stream down your cheeks. Unable to shut them down, you just let them flow, softly sobbing into the couch.
This is so fucking stupid, you tell yourself. I'm crying to a Fuckwagon song right now. You let out a laugh through your tears, in disbelief of how utterly stupid this scenario is. After crying for a few more minutes, you eventually calm back down. Your mind is a bit clearer now, and you come to the realization that there's nothing stopping you from marching over there right this instant and putting an end to this nonsense.
Fifteen minutes later, you're standing outside Jeonghan's apartment. All that's left is to knock, but now that you're here that part feels daunting. You take a deep breath, slowly raising your hand to the door, then you knock. It comes out a bit more aggressive than you meant it, but you hope that means he'll hear you right away. You hear footsteps trodding toward the door, and then it opens.
"Oh, hi y/n," Jun greets you. He looks frazzled, like you just woke him from a thousand-year slumber.
"Hey, Jun. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," you tell him apologetically.
"Oh, I wasn't asleep," he replies nonchalantly. You're about to ask him what the hell he was doing then, but you decide some questions don't need to be answered. Besides, that's not why you're here.
"Is Jeonghan here?" you cut to the chase. "I was hoping to talk to him."
"Sorry, no," he shakes his head. "You just missed him — he left for work about ten minutes ago."
"Dammit," you mutter.
"Has he still not talked to you since he kissed you?"
You look up at Jun, a perplexed expression coloring your face. "You know about that?"
"Yes," he replies matter-of-factly. "He came home right after that and was freaking out about it. He wasn't exactly very coherent, but through his ramblings I got the general picture."
"Did he say why he was freaking out?" you try.
"He was scared that it was a mistake, that he fucked it all up."
"Fucked what all up?" you ask, furrowing your brow. "Our friendship?"
Jun lets out a gentle sigh. "So you didn't know, then," he says softly. "Jeonghan is in love with you, y/n. Has been since the day he met you."
You make it to campus in record time, speed-walking as fast as you can, zooming across the quad directly toward the Comms Building. You're out of breath as you enter, groaning as you spot the three flights of stairs you now have to climb. But you move quickly anyway, your body seemingly unable to slow down for anything.
This time you don't even bother knocking on the red door. You fling it open, expected to have to come up with some sort of explanation on the fly with his boss, but you are greeted by an empty office. The door slowly closes behind you as you walk over to the booth window. Peering in, sure enough you can see the top of his head as he sits at the broadcast mixer. The ON AIR sign above you is lit; you wait for the red light to shut off, then you knock on the booth door. Jeonghan turns around slowly, looking confused, but then he sees you standing outside the window. His eyes widen, and he leaps out out of his chair, bolting to the door and swinging it open.
"What are you doing here??" he asks, looking genuinely surprised.
"I don't want to get you in trouble, but we have to talk."
"Nobody else is here tonight," he replies. "Here, come inside."
He shuts the door behind you as you enter, but as soon as he does you grab him by the arm and spin him around to face you.
"What the—"
"Why did you run away?"
"I—" He pauses for a moment. "That's… not what I thought you were going to ask," he admits.
"What? Why?"
"Well, I just thought you were going to ask me why I kissed you first."
"Okay," you reply. "Then why did you kiss me?"
Jeonghan sighs, dropping his head slightly; but a moment later he lifts it again, looking you directly in the eyes.
"I kissed you because I love you, y/n. I ran away because I was scared you didn't love me back, and I wasn't prepared to face that reality."
His gaze is locked onto yours so intensely that you feel like you might burst into flames. He looks like he's experiencing every emotion at once, anxiously waiting for you to say something, anything. But you don't know what to say, so you do what only feels right — you throw your arms around him, pulling him into your embrace.
He gasps softly as you squeeze him tight, burying your face into his chest; you can feel the accelerating pace of his heart, thumping against your cheek. He instinctively wraps his arms around you, leaning his head on top of yours.
"I love you too," you say softly. "I didn't realize it for a while — but it's so obvious to me now."
He kisses the top of your head, rubbing your back as you nuzzle your face deeper into his sweater.
"That's the best news I've ever heard."
You could stay here in his embrace indefinitely, but eventually you lift your head, looking deeply into his eyes.
"Kiss me — but for real this time."
Slowly, Jeonghan grabs your face with both hands, eyeing you hungrily before pulling you into a kiss. This time it's slow, sweet; you slip your hands around his waist, clinging to him as you savor it. Your heart pounds in your chest as your lips tug at each other, refusing to let go, pressing your body into his and pushing him up against the door. A soft, involuntarily moan emanates from his throat, and you feel the stiff, growing bulge in his pants against your stomach.
Eventually your lips part, lingering near each other as he presses his forehead into yours.
"Holy shit," he mutters. "I can't believe this is really happening."
He drops his hands from their grasp on your head, unzipping your coat and taking it off of you; tossing it on a nearby desk, he hurriedly slips his hands around your waist, kneading at the soft flesh and holding your body tightly against him. He feels slightly embarrassed by how quickly he got a full-fledged boner, but he's too aroused to care — besides, judging by the burning desire in your eyes, you're feeling the exact same thing right now.
"You're perfect," he tells you, cracking a smile and blushing as the words leave his lips. You grin back, giving him another soft kiss before taking hold of his hands.
"C'mere," you say to him, dragging him over to the sound mixer.
"What are you—oh." You cut him off by giving him a slight push, sitting him down into the thick, sturdy chair. You straddle his lap, pressing your core against his bulge, rubbing yourself against it through both of your jeans.
"Fuck," Jeonghan gasps as your weight presses against his cock; you lean your head down to kiss him again, locking lips as you start to make out, mouths crashing and tongues eagerly dancing against each other. Eventually you begin to sway your hips, unable to contain your excitement. You gasp as your mouths part, tossing your head back as you grind against him harder; his arms around you squeeze tighter, pulling you in as close as physically possible. His face presses against your tits as he rubs his hands over your ass, guiding you as you rock back and forth on top of him.
"Oh my god…" he sighs. He tosses his head back, and you swoop in, kissing the delicate flesh of his neck, making him let out the most pathetic-sounding groan. You moan as you grind your heat against him, getting the both of you off at once.
"F-fuck, that's so hot," his voice wavers.
"If I keep doing this it's gonna make me cum," you tell him, starting to sound whiny and frantic.
"Oh my god, please do."
You increase your pace, pressing your aching clit against his clothed cock. It feels incredible — you simply can't help the soft little cries escaping your lips.
"Can I…" Jeonghan asks, tugging at the button of your jeans.
"Please," you say breathily as you eagerly nod your head. He unfastens the button, tugging down your zipper and opening your pants enough for him to slip his fingers beneath your underwear. You let out a whimper as his fingertips dip into your folds, his lips parting lustfully as he discovers the absolute pool of wetness in your panties right now.
"Fuck," you whine, rubbing your clit against his fingers with fervor. A burning fire builds in your gut, your whole body tensing in anticipation of your release. It washes over you in bursting waves, your body trembling atop Jeonghan as you ride out your orgasm. As your movement slows, you catch your breath, lifting your head to kiss him on the lips. As you open your eyes you get a glimpse at him, you find him looking utterly desperate, and ready to bust at any given moment. You let out a giggle, still in a daze from your high; but you slip off the chair, kneeling down before him between his legs.
"Oh my god, you're gonna kill me," he half-laughs, half-whines. He raises his drenched fingers to his mouth, lapping your juices up feverously, eyes rolling back as he savors the taste of you. You slowly unbuckle the studded leather belt around his waist, unbuttoning his jeans painfully slowly; he wriggles in his seat, silently pleading for you to take his cock out, for you to put your mouth over it…
Finally, you do — reaching into his boxers, you tug them down, wrapping your hand around his hard, thick cock and pulling it out.
"Holy shit," you blurt out, glancing up at him and giving him a giddy smile. "You've been packing this the whole time?!"
He bursts out laughing, cradling your cheek in his hand, slowly guiding your lips to his cock. You lightly circle the tip with your tongue, teasing him; he lets out a sigh, licking his lips as he watches you taste his cock. Slowly you take the head between your lips, suckling it lightly before you start to slide your mouth down his length. You're not even halfway down when it reaches the back of your mouth; you push down further, taking him in your throat, gagging audibly on his size.
"Ohhh, wow," he mumbles as his eyelids flutter back. "That's so good…"
His hips gently push upward as you bob your head up and down, feeding you more of his length as you slide it in and out of your mouth. Your noises escalate, pathetic whining growing louder as you start to increase your pace. He can't help himself — he starts to fuck his cock into your mouth, sliding deep into your throat. Tears well in your eyes, but you continue to stare up at him; the sight is enough to send him over the edge.
"Baby, 'm gonna cum," he groans. A few thrusts later, you feel ropes of hot cum shooting down your throat, his cock pulsing in your mouth as he releases. Soft whimpers escape his trembling lips as he cums hard in your mouth, relishing every moment of the delicious sensation. He strokes your head gently as he finishes; you swallow all his cum, slowly dragging your lips off his spent cock.
"Fuck," he sighs, melting into the chair. Opening his eyes, he looks down at you sweetly, his head still spinning from the orgasm. "Thank you."
"For sucking your dick?" you ask, starting to giggle.
"Yeah," he says with a stupid grin. "That was awesome."
He helps to you your feet, tucking his cock back inside his pants and zipping them up again. He pulls you onto his lap, wrapping his arms around you and kissing you again.
"Sorry I kissed you and ran away like an idiot," he tells you, holding you snugly against him. "That was really stupid and embarrassing."
"You're not an idiot," you reply, playfully thumping him in the chest. "I like you just the way you are."
Jeonghan smiles. In the few years you've known him, you've never seen him radiating with genuine happiness like this — you decide it looks great on him.
[EPILOGUE]
You gasp for air as your head falls back into the pillows, chest heaving in the aftermath of your orgasm. Jeonghan remains parked between your legs, lazily lapping at your soaked pussy — his new favorite place to be.
"Fuck," you sigh, dragging your fingers through his hair. "That was so good."
He lifts his head, his mouth and chin glistening with your juices.
"Good," he replies, grinning at you proudly.
"Kiss me," you plead softly; he crawls up the bed to greet your lips with his, planting a deep kiss onto your mouth. A sudden knocking at your bedroom door makes the both of you jump.
"Hey lovebirds," Mina calls out through the door. "Your take-out just got here. I already paid for it, so you owe me $20."
"It was only $15!" you shout back.
"Service fee. For me," she responds cheekily, already walking away. You roll your eyes, laughing it off. Jeonghan starts kissing your cheeks, pecking gently as the soft skin.
"Hey, that tickles!" you giggle.
"But you look so pretty when you laugh," he replies, continuing to kiss you.
"You're ridiculous."
"I just love you, that's all."
He lifts his head, smiling at you sweetly.
"I love you too," you reply, beaming back at him. "We should go get our food before it gets cold—" you say, starting to try and sit up, but Jeonghan holds you pinned against the bed.
"Hey!" you protest, but he's already sliding back down the bed.
"You have a microwave," he says matter-of-factly, taking hold of your thighs as he positions his face right in front of your dripping core again.
"Besides, I'm not done here yet…"
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