Like the Movies
Pairing: SKZ Jisung x fem reader
Genre/tropes: non idol au, fluff, forced proximity, mutual pining, best friends to lovers
Warnings: vague mentions of social anxiety, cursing
Word Count: 2,708
Summary: Your best friend Jisung takes you to the Fall Festival to have some fun on a day off. The only problem? Everyone thinks you're dating.
Author's note: this came to me while I was doom scrolling the other night...I love fall fics okay idc if it's barely September. Besides, I wanted to write something Jisung since the Creed MV dropped :P and it's basically his birthday teehee, short and sweet and fluffy!
The sudden breeze in the air made you shiver. Seconds later, goosebumps formed on the surface of your exposed arms.
From beside you, your best friend clicked his tongue in a quiet "tsk."
"I told you to bring a sweater, but you never listen to me," he groaned, dramatically placing a hand over his heart as he continued walking beside you.
"Shut up Ji, I'm too cold to think right now."
Jisung laughed under his breath before stopping to pull off the grey hoodie he was wearing. You stopped too, raising an eyebrow at him in response.
"Here."
With a small smile, he opened his hoodie back up and pulled it down over your head before you could protest. Instantly, the warmth from his body still lingering on the fabric enveloped you. Your eyes fluttered shut, and you melted into it as you took a deep breath in.
"Don't worry about me," he began, waving a hand in the air as if to swat away a bug, "I'll be warm enough with you by my side- thanks for asking!"
You rolled your eyes at his antics, but stood up on your tiptoes to peck his cheek anyway.
"Thank you, for real. Maybe I'll listen to you next time."
"Or maybe you just like it when I take care of you."
You shoved at him playfully, the two of you beginning to walk to your destination again in comfortable silence.
Things with Jisung had always been like this. From the moment you met, everything just clicked. It was instant friendship, and a close friendship at that.
Maybe there were some who would argue that it was a little too close. But everything with him just felt so natural. It wasn't weird for you to hold his hand or give him a quick kiss on the cheek. It just felt right.
It only felt "weird" when you were apart. Neither of you could stand to be away from the other for very long. In fact, most nights were spent sleeping over at the other's apartment. And usually, it was in the same bed or on the same couch, curled into each other so tightly, you'd have to take a few minutes to untangle your limbs the next morning.
More than once, you'd had to correct a stranger when they assumed you were dating. You suppose you couldn’t blame them for thinking that. But recently, it started to make you wonder…
Do you really act like a couple?
Are your feelings just platonic… or something else?
You'd never had such a close friend before, so naturally you assumed that this must be what it felt like. And while there were a few crushes you’d had in the past, you'd never really fallen in love. So you didn’t really have anything to compare it to.
“Hey,” the boy in question suddenly said, nudging you in the side gently, “we’re here!”
Startled, you looked up and saw he was right. The thoughts you were having must have distracted you from actually watching where you were going.
In front of you was a line of people waiting to get in the freshly opened Fall Festival your town always put on every year. Even though it'd just started at the beginning of September, there was a big crowd.
There were probably fifteen people or so before you in line, and already there were some gathering from behind. Jisung caught your eye as you turned around. He knew exactly what you were feeling.
“Hey,” he repeated, this time softer, “we’re good. It’s just this line.”
He reached out an open hand between your bodies and you gladly took it, lacing your fingers between his and squeezing tightly like you had a million times before. It comforted him just as much as it comforted you.
An unfamiliar heat rose in your cheeks, catching you off guard.
That didn't normally happen. You've held hands countless times before, and it never caused a reaction like that. Now your thoughts felt even more jumbled up, tumbling over each other before you had time to pin them down with words properly.
The line moved fairly quickly. There was a tired looking employee underneath the fall-themed archway leading in that was handing out tickets to everyone. You craned your neck to see the price board.
"Ugh," you groaned, settling back down into your spot. "The price went up this year for the all day tickets."
"Oh, really? How much?"
Jisung's eyebrows knitted together as he dug around in his pockets with his free hand.
"I think I should still have enough. I brought extra anyway in case you needed a snack or drink later."
You laughed breathlessly, suddenly very aware of how tightly he was holding onto your hand.
"Always looking out for me..." you whispered, so quietly that he didn't seem to hear.
By the time you got up to the front of the line, Jisung let go of your hand in order to count the money in his pockets for the tickets. Thankfully, he did have enough to buy each of you an all day one.
The employee glanced between the two of you before turning his attention to Jisung, noticing he had the money in his hand.
"There's a discount if you buy a couple's pass for you and your girl. It would be cheaper than buying two separate tickets."
Jisung's fingers froze as he began to hand the employee the money, as if he was in thought for a second. Then he cracked a smile and removed a few bills in order to only pay for the couple's pass.
"Thanks for letting me know."
Your ears burned as the employee dug out two wristbands to serve as your tickets. He wrapped one around Jisung's wrist and then yours, moving aside to let you in.
"Enjoy the Festival, kids."
As you walked by the employee, he smiled genuinely in your direction. This kind of thing had happened before. But this time felt different. It felt...strange.
If Jisung felt it too, he made no indication of it. Your heart, however, felt as thought it would burst out of your chest.
It was right about then that you realized that maybe...just maybe... the feelings you'd always harbored for Jisung were a little bit more than those of just friends.
"Ah, man. I'm so glad I could save a few bucks to spend on something else for you later, (Y/N). That guy did us a big favor."
You blinked rapidly, looking over to where Jisung walked beside you.
"You think so?"
"Yeah! I mean, everyone thinks we're dating anyway. Might as well play into that."
A sharp pain pierced your chest, moving up into your throat. When the ache dulled there, you felt as though you couldn't even speak. You couldn't help but feel as if something shifted. Whether it was in the air or within yourself, you weren't sure.
Wanting to have a good time today, you tried to shake away the feeling and focus on what was in front of you.
~
A few hours had now passed, and Jisung took you to several of the events and attractions. He managed to win the dart game (which you definitely thought was rigged) and gave you the stuffed animal he won as the prize. Then he took you to the food truck and bought you overpriced drinks and cookies without a single complaint. After that was the face painting booth, and now you stood next to the pumpkin patch, scanning the endless rows for the perfect one to take home.
"What about that one?" Jisung pointed out.
You followed his gaze and saw which one he was pointing at. A small, almost spherical one that stood by itself at the end of a nearby row.
"Aww, it's lonely," you said sadly, grabbing onto Jisung's arm.
He took a few steps and picked it up, turning it around in his hands a few times. Seeing it in comparison to the slightly lopsided one painted on his cheek made you giggle.
"Oh, yeah? Something funny?" Jisung asked with a mischievous smile.
"Nope, I was just comparing it to the one on your cheek. Yours is a little...different. And so is this one, so it's perfect. What do you think?"
He held it up next to his face for a few seconds before handing it to you.
"Ehh. It's round, like you."
"Hey!"
Jisung held up his hands in mock surrender, flinching as though you might chase him around.
"I'm kidding! It's small and cute. Just like you."
You felt as though you were drawing yourself inward as you hugged your silly little pumpkin. Jisung both teased you and complimented you all the time. So why did you feel this way now? Why today?
You knew. You had realized earlier. But you weren't brave enough to admit it just yet. Something like that could ruin everything, especially if he didn't feel the same.
But then again...what if he did? Everyone says you act like a couple. Even strangers think that.
Maybe they were seeing more clearly than either of you had ever been.
"What do you want to do next, pumpkin?" He stuck out a finger and poked your cheek softly, where your skin was painted with a matching one.
You swallowed thickly, not directly answering him, and instead looked around at all there was left to do.
"Hmm...corn maze?"
Jisung squinted at the maze that was a considerable distance away. Even so, you both could tell it was huge.
"Isn't it supposed to be like the biggest corn maze in the region? Didn't some kid get lost in it last year? What if..." he paused and visibly gulped before continuing, "...we become a statistic?"
"Good thing we're not mathematicians!"
He opened his mouth- surely to try to dissuade you- but you grabbed his hand and started dragging him away before any sound came out.
As you approached the entrance to the maze, you realized just how big it actually was. Rows upon rows of corn that was taller than both of you put together were spread as far as the eye could see in an intricate pattern. Even from the entrance, you could hear people scream across the way to each other, trying to find their partners or groups that they had somehow lost. They sounded miles away, but surely it wasn't that big. Right?
With one hand, you gripped your tiny pumpkin tightly, and with the other, your friend's hand. You could feel him hesitate without even looking in his direction.
"(Y/N), I think there is a reason we haven't done this in previous years."
"And what is that reason?"
"I'm a pussy."
You scoffed, pulling on his hand again to lead him into the maze.
"Come on, you big baby. Get lost with me."
~
Jisung bit his lip behind you. He seemed genuinely scared. Of what, you weren't sure. His hand tightened around yours until it almost hurt.
"(Y/N), I think we've been around this corner before."
"Jisung, we literally just walked inside. We haven't made any turns yet."
"Oh, right, right. They just say that in the movies. I wanted to be the main character for a minute."
A genuine laugh escaped you, and you glanced at him over your shoulder.
"Ji, I am the main character. You're the comedic relief- the slightly aloof, lovable dork that all the girls adore."
He smiled, cheeks turning a light shade of pink. The long brown strands framing his face made his smile seem even brighter than usual somehow.
"Yeah, but what if that character only wants one girl in particular? What does he do?"
You stopped walking and turned towards him. Time seemed to slow down, and the air felt heavier. Not suffocating, necessarily. But definitely more present...like a weighted blanket settling over your shoulders and keeping you in place.
He held your gaze, lips parted slightly. There was anticipation in his expression.
A few seconds passed, but you couldn't bring yourself to say anything. You weren't sure how to say what you wanted to, or even what words you wanted to use.
Jisung seemed to notice your hesitation. He tilted his head slightly, much like a puppy waiting for a treat.
But before you could even try to speak-
"Oh, no!"
Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in the side of your leg. It caused your knee to buckle slightly, but thankfully Jisung caught you before you could fall. You glanced around and saw a young child, who had seemingly fallen to his knees after crashing into you.
"I'm sorry, miss. I shouldn't have been running. But I don't want to be in the maze anymore."
Before you could ask him if he was okay, he stood and dusted his pants off, then ran out of the entrance that was still only a few feet away from where you stood.
Jisung glanced at you, stifling a laugh.
"I'm sure that's a good omen. Wanna keep going?"
You blinked, the pain in your leg dulling to an ache. Then you smiled at him.
"Yeah, of course."
He led the way this time, still holding onto you gently. But as you walked away, you couldn't help but turn and look over your shoulder at the spot you had been standing in just a few seconds ago.
You could almost see the unspoken words in the dirt- the moment you almost had but were now leaving behind. But mostly, you saw Jisung and the way he had just been looking at you.
That image would be burned into your mind for a while, you were sure of it.
~
What felt like an eternity passed before you finally stopped and sat down to collect yourself. Jisung's earlier words echoed in your mind, and now you could say with confidence that you had, in fact, passed this corner multiple times.
"Okay, Ji. You win. This was a bad idea."
He sunk down next to you, the faintest sheen of sweat glistening just underneath his hairline.
"Should we just cut through? I mean...it's just corn."
You groaned, fully laying out in the dirt path with your pumpkin now shoved into Jisung's hoodie pocket.
"But that's cheating."
He shifted until he was laying down beside you. Instead of meeting your gaze, he looked up at the sky, where faint stars were starting to shimmer. You followed suit.
"Good thing this place is open for a few more hours."
A comfortable silence settled between you, except for the slight rustle of the corn leaves in the breeze. It was comparable to the moment you shared earlier by the entrance, but this time it wasn't filled with anticipation. Instead, it was familiar. It felt right. It felt like it always had with Jisung.
You turned to look at him, not caring about the dirt that was surely in your hair. Instead of seeing the side of his head, you saw his face... then his eyes, which were already on you.
In this moment, the final, most concrete realization of the day hit you.
You were in love with him, and you always had been. And if you didn't know any better, you'd say he was in love with you too.
There was nothing to anticipate, nothing to be scared of. This was why everything always fell into place with him. It was comforting. Solid.
It was Jisung.
"Hey, Ji?"
"Hmm?"
You looked back at the sky, which was getting darker by the minute. The stars there cheered you on.
"What are we?"
He was quiet for a moment before he replied.
"I guess that depends on who you ask."
"Well," you began, "what do you want to be?"
A beat...two beats...and then-
"Yours."
It wasn't like the movies at all. There were no fireworks, no loud swells of music, and no big confession.
After all, how could you confess to something that everyone already knew?
Instead, it was an autumn breeze and thousands of corn stalks. A quiet realization between two closer-than-usual friends on a worn dirt path, sealed with a tight grip on each other's hand, and one final, hushed word spoken through your timid smile:
"Okay."
~
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