Ten Lee
Author's Note: Sorry I’m moving so slow with all my content beloveds. I’m trying to move quickly with all these ideas bouncing around in my head. Pls bear with me. Also, I’m really excited to venture into social media aus. I’ve been wanting to establish my own smau creative style for the kpop x black reader tag. Because I haven’t seen many works for it, I decided to do it myself! So here I am. Hope you enjoy Seoulmates! Lmk what you think 🫶🏾
(Friendly reminder, YOU DON'T HAVE PERMISSION TO COPY MY WORKS ANYWHERE.)
Emo Rockstar! Ten x YouTube Influencer! Black reader
Synopsis: Your close friendship with Ten was often one for speculation amongst your individual fanbases on whether you were dating or not. You two had never crossed the line before, until one night. And everything would’ve been fine too if Ten hadn’t ghosted you right after.
Content: Partial social media au, hurt reader, JT/Uzi type vibe, player tendencies, avoidant attachment style, ghosting, public indecency, oral (f. receiving), fingering, hand job, slight angst, fluff, best friends to lovers, happy ending
Word Count: 8.4k
Being an influencer was no walk in the park. It required grueling work to get content out to your fans on a consistent basis while also securing brand deals and sponsorships. It cost money. It cost time. And more often than not, it came with scrutiny. Being in the limelight was never easy. But at least you were in charge of your own life and doing something that genuinely brought you happiness. Creating content. Not only did the creative aspects of your work life fulfill the right side of your brain, per neuromyth. It also fulfilled the sentimental nature of your heart to know you inspired your fans. That meant a great deal to you.
It helped even better to have a capable manager on your side. Cheri was your role dawg, and she did not play about you. She was always helping you draft up emails, marketing ways to partner with companies you felt matched your brand. If she wasn’t doing that, she was tackling your inboxes across all social media platforms. The point being to compile series of questions for your fans to learn more about your down-to-earth side. And when that was done, she was handling your schedule, making sure everything was in order.
Yes, being an influencer wasn’t what everyone naively made it out to be. But despite the laborious nature of it, it had its perks too. The thing you can say you love most about your influencer status was who it allowed you to meet. Ten.
Over the course of three years, the two of you were like peas in a pod. Seemingly so close sometimes people confused your platonic relationship for a romantic one. And you get it, you really do. Ten has a sweet spot for you, and you him. But you were also an unlikely pair. You were all pink and girly, very much your typical “real hot girl” social media baddie. But your aesthetic didn’t match your personality. Shy. The two of you were an even bigger anomaly when adding Ten to the mix. He very much had an androgynous, emo vibe about him. He was unique. The two of you were an uncommon dynamic. However, somehow the two of you seemed to mesh.
That always left people wondering how you two met. You’d never gone too in depth with the storytelling before. But now that your YouTube channel successfully surpassed 100K subscribers, you planned to sit down live, as promised, relaying the story in a GRWM chit chat. That’s what you spend your Saturday morning doing.
Setting up your camera, you get to work pulling out your makeup and attire for the day. You had already taken your bonnet off; wig band wrapped around your head from the previous night. It was actively securing your already glued down lace. Later you planned on adding some wand curls to the yaki textured hair. With your set up finally in order, you start the live.
“Hi everybody, welcome to my page.” You start off, as hundreds of your followers pour in the chat by the minute. It never ceases to amaze you how interested others are in your daily routine. Chuckling at some of the comments, you address the purpose of the live.
“I prepared it as part of the celebration. We can pretend like we’re all gathered around a table eating it together.” You wink at the camera as emojis flood the chat. You come across one comment that has you busting out in laughter.
Fan 1: Gurl. We do not care about that cake. Tell us how you met that man! 😭
“Omggggg, y’all are not playing about this story time. Let me stop wasting y’all’s time then.” You joke as you delve into the story.
“I definitely talked his ear off once I did get comfortable though. At some point he should have and probably could have told me to shut up." You giggle, blending your foundation.
“I was so embarrassed after a while. Especially when I realized I had been talking for sooooo long.” You whine in embarrassment. “And he never stopped me. Just gave me a dopey smile and kept nodding his head. At some point he had to have zoned out. I would’ve too. It didn’t help that I snorted at my own joke either. Oh my gosh it was so laaaame.” You cringe as you pat setting powder under your eyes.
“I think you guys would’ve got secondhand embarrassment from me.” You look back at the device as compliments slide across the screen regarding your makeup routine. “Thank you, it’s XXXX brand. Now don’t y’all go selling it out like y’all do those celebrities. I need my makeup products on deck.” You playfully scold the audience.
Other comments start flooding the chat regarding Ten’s whereabouts at the moment. You understand why they’re asking. Like clockwork, any time you went live, Ten somehow made his grand appearance into your comments. Fans constantly joked that he probably had your post and live notifications on so that he could be the first to comment and like any of your content. That was one of the reasons people speculated there was more to your relationship than just being friends.
Fan 2: Ten should definitely be lurking in this chat somewhere 👀👀👀
Fan 3: Yeah, that man doesn’t play about Y/N 😭
Snorting at their commentary, you begin applying contour to your cheek bones, jawline, and forehead. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t always know where Ten is. That man shows up on his own time. I don’t hold any power over him.” Your fans were not trying to hear it though.
Fan 4: Ma’am you’re a LIAR. You got that man eating outta the palm of your hand 24/7 🫵🏾😃
Fan 5: Friend, are u delusional? Do u know this man goes feral over u?
Fan 6: If I flirted with you right now, Ten would definitely show up.
Fan 7: Hey @Fan 6… that’s not a bad idea 🤔
Next thing you know, your chat goes from bickering with you to flirting with you. You couldn’t make it up if you tried. “Roses are red, violets are blue. Tell Ten to bring his ass, or imma eat you. 😘”
“LMAOOOOOO. That—was original alright. A+ for effort.” You lean back into the screen to read more as you rub blush onto your cheeks.
“Are you from Tennessee, ‘cause you’re the only Ten I see.” At this point, you can’t help but double over in laughter. Especially when that same fan signed their pick up line with ‘—Ten probably.’
“That’s actually really clever of you. I can confirm that Ten has, in fact, used that line on me before.” As you pick up your mascara, a notification pops up on your screen. There in the chat pops up Ten’s social media handle.
Ten: Talking about me baby?
Fan 7: LMAOOOO not @Fan 6 being right! 🤣🤣🤣
Fan 3: Once again, he don’t play about you.
And there was the primary reason people thought you and Ten were dating. The consistent use of pet names at any given moment. “Hi Pookie.” You mumble sweetly with a shy smile on your face. “Yeah, I was just telling the fans how we met. Wanna come on live and fill in where I left off?”
Next thing you know, he is on live with you while the fans scream in the comments. Immediately, you pick up on the fact that this man is still in bed and most definitely naked under the covers if his bare torso is anything to go by. People are going feral at the amount of skin he boldly shows off today. You lean into the camera and squint at him. Fans can tell by your face that you were going to call him out on it. And also knowing Ten, they know he is bound to say something unhinged right back.
Sure enough, as some predicted, Ten said the most unhinged thing that he could muster up early on in the conversation.
Fan 8: Bro, how are they not dating?!
Fan 9: I feel chronically single.
Fan 10: Congratulations 😃😄😃(I’m going to drive my car off a cliff)
“Guys, it’s not like that.” Chuckling, you urge Ten to finish telling the story. Some time during his rendition, Ten peels himself from off his bed and gets dressed. Applying the finishing touches to your makeup, you smile into the camera as he sweetly concludes.
“Overall, it was cute. I thought her snort was funny. She treated me normally in that conversation. In that moment, I wasn’t emo rockstar Ten. I was Chittaphon. Just a Thai boy chasing his dreams. And it made me appreciative of her. So I got her social media information, and here we are.”
Fan 11: Dude’s so in love with her. It’s not even funny. 😭🤚🏿
“Thank you Ten, that was very sweet of you. Want me to model my outfit next?” He nods his head, a lazy smirk adorning his face. Fifteen minutes later, you are stepping back into the bathroom with your outfit on. You were wearing a hunter camo mini skirt paired with a black baby tee. The words “pretty princess” bedazzled with pink rhinestones on the front. On your feet, you wore your impressionable hot pink, chunky crocs to balance out the look. Silver hoops, your signature dog tag style necklace, and bangles topped it off with accessories. A black, leather hobo style bag rested on your shoulder. Chewing on your bottom lip, you inquire. “How do I look?”
From where you stand, you can see Ten take a deep breath. You watch as he assesses you. His hooded eyes rake over your form from top to bottom before coming back up to your eyes. You squirm a little at the intensity of his gaze, antsy at the feeling fluttering in the pit of your stomach. It would be foolish of you to deny the man’s attractive nature. He had always been handsome to you from the moment you met him. That had been one of the many reasons for your apprehension initially.
Comments keep lighting up the screen, but you pay no attention to them, more concerned about your friend’s opinion.
He mutters it into the camera with a look of fondness. “Thank you.” Giggling, you tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.
“I guess I should do my hair now, huh?” You ask the chat, walking back over to the camera. Your chat is full of comments regarding your outfit. But there are equal amounts pointing out the tension and insane chemistry between you and Ten. Popping wand curls into your hair, you watch as Ten entertains your fanbase, adding your own two cents occasionally.
“Look at my nails everyone. Aren’t they cute?” They were a bold blend of styles, each individual nail its own personality. One was a solid hot pink, another a solid black with a white star, one a tortoise shell with a pink design, and the other two French tips. One with an eight-ball design and the other pink and black zebra stripes. You were proud of the creativity.
“Those are nice,” Ten compliments casually. “Definitely my style. When’d you get them done?”
“Yesterday! I got them in honor of hitting 100K.”
He hums into the camera; eyebrow cocked in a reprimanding way. “And why didn’t you tell me you were getting them done, baby? Bestie privilege means I would’ve paid.”
Fan 12: And I’m supposed to believe this is normal behavior?
Fan 13: No way they aren’t dating. You genuinely cannot convince me differently…
Fan 14: I feel insane watching them gaslight me like this. 😖
“LMAO guys please! Ten and I are besties. That’s my pookie.”
“And you’re my baby.” He smirks at the comments that spark more debate on your personal relationship.
Fan 15: adopt me, pls. I beg 😩🙏🏾
Fan 16: do they know that i have eyes? u can’t lie to me!!!
You can’t lie. It was fun teasing them. You end the live once you finish your hair, the hard launch into 100K a success. It became even more entertaining that Ten was present for it. You were extremely thankful to share that moment with him. Now you were looking forward to the more opportunities this new milestone granted you.
A month later, finds you at another brand event. It was hosted by a fragrance company where both you and Ten were brand ambassadors. You were happy to attend the event together. Sometimes you were still shy around others and Ten balanced that out with his extroverted nature. Currently, you both were sitting on one of the couches in the lounge area as he was wrapping up a conversation with another well-known celebrity. You smiled politely when the other party acknowledged you. You sipped on your glass of champagne, zoning out at the secret cameras aimed in your direction.
Some of the guests at this particular event were invited for press coverage. And you knew it was a well-known fact that any and all gossip blogs would be happy to acquire content on the two of you. It really was no secret how popular your dynamic was. Hell, any time the two of you got together in any capacity had both of your fandoms analyzing your interactions with precise detail. Quality content of you both would provide good internet traffic for these blogs. That’s why they kept snapping away.
Several minutes later, Ten was finally freed from his conversation. His arm swung behind you to rest on the back of the couch. “Having fun?” He leans in, voice dipping in a low murmur. It took everything within you not to blush as lips brushed against your ear.
“Yep!” You hum, vibing to the music blasting in the lounge. He rests his chin on your shoulder, finger playfully poking your side.
“Pay attention to me.” There is a whine to his voice.
Giggling, you swat his hand away. “You were busy and now you want me to pay you some attention?” In disbelief, you scoff humorously at the pout he musters upon his face.
“Yes, tell me about that crazy lady you ran into at the grocery store the other day.” That makes you perk up in interest. You always did love sharing stories. And Ten always provided the safe space to do so.
So, there you are launching into this ridiculous story about the crazy lady in the produce section who started throwing cabbage at people because, per her words, “you young folks don’t eat enough veggies anymore.”
You were completely in your own world chatting away as Ten listened intently. From the outside perspective, all people could see was you gesticulating exaggeratedly during your story while Ten sat and watched. But there was so much more to it than that. He sat there manspreading, arm behind you on the couch nodding lovingly at everything you had to say. And it wasn’t like he was nodding while zoned out. No. He was actively engaged, hanging on to every word that fell from your lips. If people didn’t know any better, they’d think he were in love. The certified yapper and her emo lover. That would make for great headlines. Except, everyone in the influencer public sphere knew about the two of you. While there was so much chemistry, evidently the two of you were blind to it. But you both were well on your way to playing into the hands of fate.
Just as you finish recounting your story, a server comes by. Leaning forward out of your seat to get another set of drinks, causes your dress to ride up around your thighs. Ten’s eyes immediately drop to the supple flesh. Licking his bottom lip, his eyes trail from the back of your thighs to the curve of your ass. It makes no sense how beautiful you look tonight. And Ten had to use every ounce of strength to hold himself back. But at this point, he couldn’t resist staring. Tongue poked in his cheek, he is entranced at the way it jiggles as you move back from the server. When you sit back down he smiles at you innocently, playing off his blatant staring as though nothing happened.
But the internet is forever and fans catch everything. So it’s no surprise that the entire moment had been recorded and gone viral instantly. When Cheri DMs you the clip, you are surprised to see it. Ten had looked a little dazed once you sat back down with another pair of drinks. But you just chalked it up to being tipsy and overworked from the night. Now, you know differently. Fans tagging you both in the video left you no choice but to call him out on it. So you text him. The response is immediate.
His nonchalant attitude threw you for a loop. You weren’t necessarily dense. While the two of you were just friends, you knew what Ten could get like when he flirts. You’d seen him do it to other women numerous times. And yes you two jokingly flirted, but that was completely different. This however, this was a side of Ten you hadn’t seen directed towards you. While flirtatiously direct with other women, he had cut the conversation short so abruptly. You didn’t know what to think of it. Maybe he was just too drunk that night, and he was embarrassed to be caught. Surely that’s it, right?
Yeah, that had to be it.
The next time you see Ten is two and a half weeks later. You both had been flown out to a fashion show in another country. Both flying separately as you were coming from your hometown and he was coming from Seoul. Most of the time when you go to brand events out of town, you get assigned separate rooms, per brand request for the special guests invited. But more times than not Ten ends up having sleepovers with you. It was tradition at this point.
You had been nervous when you initially saw him again, tense from the tone your previous conversation had set. There had been minimal communication between you two since. To give him the benefit of the doubt though, he was extremely busy preparing for his band’s comeback. He tended to always get like this. Focused.
However, any bout of anxiety you had washed away when he hugged you so gently. Sitting in your assigned seats, the event had blown over pretty quickly, both of you entertained by the fashion on display. But you still couldn’t help being nervous at the after party. Ten had attached himself to your hip, hand glued to our back as a safety net. What felt like security to you was him staking his claim to everyone else. You were oblivious to it. What you were not oblivious to, however, was the intensity of his gaze every time he eyed you over the rim of his glass. Admittedly, the eye contact electrified you. The air around you was charged with something different. Something your relationship had never endured before. It became increasingly more evident the entire elevator ride up to your room. The whole time, he stayed in close proximity to you, hand plastered to your waist. Even in the elevator with just the two of you his hand never let up, squeezing your hip.
You had no idea what was in store for you the moment you set foot in the room. Like a switch flipped, Ten turned into a different person. And every flirtatious aspect of him you had seen directed at other women in turn was directed at you. That night, Ten generously eats you out like a starved man. He pays attention to every little movement, every tiny breath that causes you to squirt your orgasm all over his face. Then he pulls another one out of you after that. He doesn’t cum that night. No, it wasn't his intention. Instead, he watches you unravel on his fingers and tongue. Because for him, watching you cum was enough. When you mention it to him, he tells you not to worry. “I enjoy pleasing my partners. Sometimes I get pleasure from it.”
That very same night, you fall asleep with his arms wrapped tightly around you. The next day, however, you wake to find him gone. At first, you’re concerned, wondering why he would up and leave without a word. But then you find the sticky note he left on the nightstand. Picking it up, you mull over the words.
thnx 4 last nite, had a flight to catch ;)
With his note putting you a little at ease, you brush off any other feelings of suspicion. Instead, you fill your mind with tasks as you pack up your things for check out. Once securely on your flight, you text him and tell him you’re about to hit the air. Putting your phone on airplane mode, you tuck in for the flight, daydreaming about the previous night’s activities. You know the both of you needed to have a conversation soon. This is worthy of changing the entire trajectory of your friendship.
After you land, you text him to let him know you’ll call him when you get home. You were nervous, but also eager at the same time. Once you do call, however, it goes straight to voicemail. Finding it odd that he didn’t pick up the first time, you call again. Still the same. No answer. Pulling up your text thread, you text him.
Y: Did you make it home safely?
Y: Well, I’m home. Call me when you get the chance.
Thirty minutes go by with still no response. So you go over to his instagram, wondering if he made an update. Lo and behold he made an update alright. One that had your blood boiling. Because on his instagram story were pictures of himself drinking with his band members at the studio. But that wasn’t what blew your mind. No. What had you seeing red was the picture he posted on his private story of a woman sitting on his lap kissing him. Immediately your heart shatters. You couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. Why would he do something like that? You’d never known him to treat you like that. So what was this disgusting behavior all of a sudden?
You take a screenshot of the damning evidence, and send it to his phone.
Your fingers tremble in rage. You couldn’t believe he had spoken to you like that. Couldn’t believe he had treated you like that. Like you weren’t someone he used to talk to every day. Like you weren’t someone who cared about him. All you could think of is whether you did something wrong. Was it about the previous night? Did he not enjoy himself like you did? Was he upset you didn’t give him head? Could that be it? Why else would he switch up like this on you? But he had said you didn’t need to go down on him. So, what the hell was going on then? You had many questions with so little answers. All you knew was Ten was an asshole for treating you like this. You had done nothing to him, yet he treated you as if you were so disposable. Had it really been that easy for him to throw you away?
After that, you don’t speak to each other for two months. The confusion and embarrassment was enough for you to never speak to him again. Even if it hurt you. The severance in your relationship didn’t just have a personal effect on you. It had a social one too.
Both of your fandoms notice that you two no longer interact on social media at all. In fact, you even unfollowed Ten within 24 hours of his disgusting behavior towards you. Although you wanted to say it wasn’t personal, it absolutely was. Because who talks to their friend that way? Better yet, who talks to a woman like that after burying their fingers knuckles deep in her coochie while sucking the soul out of her clit? No sane person does. Only sociopaths. Evidently, Ten was an undercover one. And although you’ve cut ties with him, he still followed you.
Fans clock that immediately. You wouldn’t have cared too much about it if both sides weren’t dramatically crying about it all over social media. In fact, both of your fanbases were menaces for constantly tagging the two of you or flooding comments and DMs about the apparent split. Even worse, they were calling it your “divorced era;" whatever that means. It was honestly draining having to field any commentary regarding Ten. So, you just limited your comments on social media platforms or ignored them when they came across your screen. You were done with him, cutting him like cold turkey. You moved on. Evidently Ten did too. So why couldn't everyone else?
Several days after the two month mark, you’re actively networking at another event. A Korean skincare brand. They had sent you a care package recently and lobbied for you to attend the event. After speaking with a few of the executives, they pitched the idea of you becoming an ambassador for the brand to reach a broader audience. As a reputable influencer, they felt your face would be marketable for their global expansion. Cheri and you both agreed that it would be an honor to do business with them. Before you know it, a meeting is added to your calendar to discuss contracts and logistics.
Over the moon about the new opportunity, you go take a breather in the lounge section while Cheri steps out to take a phone call. The day had panned out smoothly for you and you were just blessed to get a moment of peace from the excitement. But of course, small moments like that don’t last in the presence of competition. That competition came in the form of Victoria Spenser, another influencer. She wasn’t someone you considered worth the time or energy. In fact, you couldn’t even call your oil-water friction with her “competition.” Because she wasn’t worth the effort to compete with in the first place. If anything, she was the one always gunning for you. Why? Because she was jealous at the fact that you were always getting brand deals quicker than her. She genuinely couldn’t stand it and hated you with every fiber of her being. But she loved to play nice nasty in public. And this instance was no different.
What you thought to be a good time to decompress quickly turned into the opposite. In fact, you’d probably call it a nightmare if you were going for a more dramatic effect. Why? Because not only was Victoria Spenser‘s nefarious ass heading right towards you. In tow with her was the source of your frustration the last few months. Ten. And on his arm dangled another woman. Not the one from his private story. Still, a woman, nonetheless.
Making eye contact with Victoria, you understand exactly what she’s doing. Playing dirty. And the smug smirk on her face said it all. “These seats aren’t taken, are they?” She gestures to the leather sofa you’re currently sitting on and the one directly across from it.
“I’m here. So, I guess they’re occupied.” You respond, smiling with fake civility. You really just wanted to keep the peace, but Victoria wasn’t having it. Instead, she parked herself right there on the seat next to you while gesturing for Ten and his date to sit down. They do so hesitantly. Funny, this was the first time you had seen Ten so visibly uncomfortable around you.
“Y/N,” Victoria starts, playfully swatting your shoulder. “Don’t be like that. We couldn’t help but notice you were lonely sitting over here. You kinda looked like a frumpled sweater. So we thought, ‘why not keep her company’ and decided to come over. That is okay with you… right? After all, we’re all friends anyway.”
You know what she’s doing. Of course you do. She was trying to embarrass you. And you hate to say it, but it was somewhat effective.
Especially when she says, “Also, have you met Ten’s date? I honestly was surprised he didn’t come with you.” She feigns, pretending to be clueless to the dynamic you two had adopted recently. “Surely nothing too serious I hope.”
Fishing for information with a wicked smile on her face. Classic. Abruptly cutting the conversation short, you address Victoria with a stiff smile. “Actually, I have matters more pressing to tend to. You guys can have the seats. Enjoy.” Then you saunter off, muttering about her bitchy behavior under your breath.
Knocking back another drink, you mingle for an hour before gravitating towards the balcony doors of the event venue. Needing a breath of fresh air, you step out into the night to bask in the silence. After a few minutes, you check your phone for any new messages. To your surprise, you have several from the last person you expected to contact you. Ten. He had sent you a series of messages back-to-back explaining the ordeal with Victoria. You don’t know why he even felt the need to explain anything. He knew Victoria hated you with a passion. If she could find any opportunity to embarrass you, she would absolutely seize it. So, him texting you after months of radio silence was unnecessary. In fact, it pissed you off even further watching the last two messages come through. Who the hell did he think he was to text you out of the blue like this? Irritated at his audacity, you hit him with a sarcastic response.
Waiting a few minutes garners no response from him. Rolling your eyes, you hope he received the message loud and clear that you wanted no parts of a conversation with him. Tonight, however, must not have luck on your side. Hearing the balcony doors open and close behind you, you turn to find Ten standing there. The audacity was truly at an all-time high. This man had the nerve to come and find you. To talk about what? You had no idea. Instead, keen on ignoring him more than anything.
Scoffing, you turn back to look at the stars. Hands in his pockets, he stalks over to you. “So, that was crazy.” He breathes out.
“You do not have permission to speak to me.” You spit venomously.
“I didn’t know I needed permission for those kinds of things.” He rebuts sarcastically.
Your head whips sharply in his direction with a glare. What annoys you when looking at him is the tiny smirk resting on his face. Did this man… find your situation funny?
“Is something funny to you?” You grit out.
“No, just interesting. I’ve never seen you this mad at me before.” He shrugs.
“Honestly, Ten. You really deserve it.” You exclaim heatedly.
“Yeah,” he whispers. “I do.” And that takes the wind out of your sails at his acknowledgment. Turning back to your original position, you stare off into the night.
“Go back to your date. I’m sure she’s capable of more interesting conversation.”
“She’s not someone I’m interested in talking to.” From your peripheral, you see him move closer to you. Huffing, you step away before giving him your undivided attention.
“Oh, so you’re disrespectful to all the women you know. Got it.” Cue eyeroll.
Ten stops short from the distance he had been trying to close between you two. He scoffs at your statement. “You’re purposely misinterpreting what I’m trying to say.”
“I don’t have to misinterpret anything when you’re good at sabotaging yourself anyway.” Ten falters in his next step towards you. He regards you impassively before nodding slowly.
“I admit I deserve that. But what I meant is that Zoe is like a little sister to me. She’s Xiaojun’s younger cousin. I brought her as a favor to help gain some connections for networking. She’s interested in strengthening her influencer career. That’s the only reason why she’s here. You also happen to be an inspiration for her.”
“Why are you telling me this?” You cut him off. “This isn’t important to me.”
“Because I want you to understand that there’s nothing going on between me and her.”
“Do you think I care?”
“Yeah, actually. I think you do.” There is a sadness in the way he says it. Eyes lowered in regret.
Unfortunately, you had to admit he was right. It did irk you how quickly he discarded you for the girl at the studio. And then how quickly he discarded her after that. While you knew he was a flirt, evidently he was a womanizer too. And maybe the constant pet names had warped your mind into thinking it meant something. Especially after the last night he spent with you. But you couldn’t admit that. Admitting that meant you weren’t healed from the pain he caused you. Admitting it meant you harbored feelings you should not have. You had to protect yourself from it.
“I don’t want to talk about this.” You make a beeline for the balcony doors, but Ten stops you.
“We have to talk about this.”
“No, Ten. We don’t. The time to talk about it was two months ago. You ran off on me. So, anything you feel the need to say is irrelevant to the conversation. Because the conversation was over the moment you walked out of that hotel room.” You try to brush past him, but he grabs you pulling you back towards him.
“Let go of me.” You seethe, trying to shake his hand off of you.
“No, Y/N. Just listen to me.” He pleads.
“Why give you the benefit when you never gave it to me?” You ask, tearing up at the overwhelming situation.
“Because I’m in love with you.” He states desperately. “And I’m sorry for hurting you.”
You stop struggling against him as you stare into his eyes. A swirl of emotions greets you there. Grief, desperation, heartbreak, anger, and longing. All directed at you from the man who caused you the most pain. “That’s not fair.” You whisper brokenly. “You don’t get to say that after all this time. You don’t get to say that after ghosting me.” You mutter angrily, slapping your hands against his chest with each word. The impact of the situation cutting deep. And like a man, he stood there taking hit after hit after hit. Understanding that this is what he deserved for what he put you through.
Grabbing your hands, he gently pushes you up against the side of the building adjacent to the balcony doors. “I know,” He whispers, now with your full undivided attention on him. “I’m sorry. I should’ve never run out on you after that. I shouldn’t have treated you like shit when you had every right to be upset. I’m an asshole. What I did was petty and purposeful. I knew our relationship would change after that night and I still did it anyway. But I wasn’t running from you; I was running from myself. And in the end, it screwed you over too.”
“So why’d you do it?” You ask, bottom lip quivering with the unshed tears.
“Because I’m a disaster. I’m not good at relationships, good at love. Seeing the way you looked up at me so innocently that night, the way you trusted me with your heart. That was scary for me. Because no one has ever made me feel the way you do. So I tried to ignore it, drown it out with alcohol and other women. But it damaged our relationship in the end. And it made me take an honest look at myself. Especially when Kun sat me down and told me that I needed help. I started acting erratic, and it was stalling our band’s promotions. So Kun gave me an ultimatum. ‘Reflect, or remain miserable for the rest of your life.’ The whole time I was going through that period… I never stopped thinking about you. I missed your smile. The way your eyes lit up when you saw me. I missed our daily conversations, the way you would get so excited about the little things in your day-to-day routine. I missed your friendship and the pet names. Most importantly, I just missed you. And I realized how much of an idiot I was to jeopardize something so beautiful because I lacked the emotional maturity to confront myself. I ran away knowing I couldn’t outrun loving you.” Your heart stutters at his admission.
“So, I got tired of running away and decided to run towards the things I want. Time with you.”
“Do you think that’s fair to me?” You ask, finally speaking up. Resting his forehead against yours, he gazes into your eyes.
“No, it’s not. And I could spend the rest of my life making it up to you, but you have to show me how. Tell me what to do.” He whispers wetly, a lone tear rolling down his cheek.
“It’s not that simple.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” He reassures you.
“I’m still so terribly mad at you. That doesn’t change just because you use a bunch of fancy words to placate me. Actions speak louder than words, and you haven’t given me any reason to feel reassured by you.” He crowds closer to you, body flush with yours.
The intensity of adoration in his eyes leaves you breathless. “Let me show you,” his breath whispers against your lips. Then he kisses you as his hands cradle your face.
You aren’t sure how long you stand there making out. All you know in that moment is the feel of his body and tongue against your own. Somewhere in between the kissing, he wraps your leg around his waist. Genuinely you had thought nothing of it, until his hand traveled further south. Breaking away from the kiss, you scrunch your brows in confusion. “What are you doing?”
His hand rubs circles on your hip as he locks his predatory gaze on you. You shiver under his scrutiny. “Do you trust me?” He asks softly.
“That’s a bit silly given the current situation…” You rebut. He chuckles, pecking your nose in adoration.
“Let me make you feel good.” He purrs seductively.
“How?” Then he is regarding you with a feral smile before his hands travel under your dress.
“Oh.” That’s what he intended to do. Kissing your shoulder, he pins you with a look.
“Is this okay?” His hand is already at the waistband of your underwear.
“Yeah.” You mutter breathlessly.
In hindsight, you probably shouldn’t jump the gun with him so quickly. A quick conversation doesn’t erase the difficulties of the past month. You also most definitely shouldn’t be doing this in a public setting. But it was dark outside with no one around. It couldn’t be too much of an issue. So you let him have that access to you. Moaning, you lean your head back against the wall as he fingers you like his life depends on it. He moans into your mouth as he watches you underneath his lashes, turned on by the intensity of your pleasure.
Then, in one quick motion, he pulls his fingers out of your pussy and licks them. Smiling wickedly, he drops to his knees. One leg hiked up over his shoulder, pulling your pussy flush against his face, he begins to devour you underneath your dress. Eyes rolling to the back of your head, you whimper in ecstasy. He smirks against your clit, lapping up your juices. He can tell how close you are based on the way your legs quiver. So, he holds your hand as he brings you over the edge. He continues kissing your pussy sweetly, until your body stops trembling.
Once he’s done. He comes back up smiling deviously, the taste of you on his lips and breath. Leaning into your space, he kisses you, hand still interlocked with yours. Regaining your breath, you decide to pay him back for this time and the last one. Hand trailing down his chest, you reach the waistband of his pants. Ten’s hand stops you before it breaches past the fabric.
“You don’t have to.” He whispers in your ear.
“I want to.” You pout at him. Pausing slightly, he stares into your pleading eyes before dropping your hand, letting you get back to your ministrations. Pecking his lips, you spit on your hand before sliding it past his waistband. Grabbing ahold of him, you can feel how hard he is from pleasuring you.
You swipe your thumb over the head, Ten emitting groans at this bout of self-indulgence. His hands land on either side of you against the wall, as his forehead presses against yours. All you could feel was his shallow breaths mixing with yours into one another's mouths. Then, like a rubber band snapping, he releases all over your hand. Putting your fingers up to your mouth, you lick it clean. He groans. “You’re so filthy.”
“Wanna see how much dirtier I can get?” You joke. He chuckles as he drops his head in the crook of your shoulder.
“As much as I want to, we really do need to talk some more.”
He had a point. This situation was nowhere near resolved. At least not yet. It required healthy, mature conversations to understand each other’s perspectives. Ten was wrong, one hundred percent. You however, did nothing wrong. Just an innocent bystander to the monsoon of Ten’s rejection of his emotions. He knew it too, which is why he wanted to relay everything that had been going on in his head. Reluctantly, you disentangle from each other, cleaning yourselves up before making an appearance back into the main event.
Ten arranges for you both to go back to his hotel room for the night. Beforehand, he stops to speak to Zoe, and asks her if she’s okay with the change of plans. He couldn’t very well leave her stranded like that. Xiaojun would totally kill him if he didn’t arrange for her transportation back to the hotel they were staying in. When Ten approaches her, you can tell that she already knows what the deal is judging from the way she eyes both of you mischievously. But unlike Ten’s band members, she has the decency not to put your business out on the streets. Instead, she smiles reassuringly to let Ten know she’s got a few connections at the event she can entertain herself with.
“I’ll send my driver back to make sure you're squared away.”
Zoe smirks then. “Don’t worry about me loverboy. Go handle your business.” Then she winks at the two of you before moseying off to join another group.
“Oh my gosh. She knows.” You giggle with embarrassment. Ten turns to you with a cheesy smile before locking his hand with yours.
“Let’s get out of here.” He whispers. Then he rushes out hand in hand with you, both with huge grins on your face. You both probably looked crazy. And you knew social media would probably be trending with your reconciliation tomorrow. But for now, you bask in this moment of relief.
That night, your reconciliation is met with tender touches and free flowing tears. Ten finally divulges to you the reason why he adamantly avoided relationships. For him, it had been easy to adopt a playboy-like persona for fear of getting hurt again. He knew what it was like to give his heart to someone and have it ripped away. So instead of letting others trample all over his heart, he defaulted to doing it himself. You meet his honesty with an earnest gaze letting him know his heart was safe with you. And vice versa, he too promised you the same. And so, you spend the rest of that time with soft speeches and warm kisses, complimentary champagne bottle now empty with the ambiance.
Eventually, you are lulled to slumber with the soft puffs of Ten’s form asleep on your chest. You embrace the fuzziness that overcomes you with a final stroke of his hair. The next morning, you both wake to pounding on Ten’s hotel door.
“What the hell?” You mumble, startled from the loud racket. Disgruntled, Ten peels himself from the bed and makes his way to the door. Several seconds later, Zoe comes barging in. You sit up in alarm.
“What’s she doing here?” You question.
“So sorry to make your acquaintance like this.” She begins. “I’m Zoe, Xiaojun’s cousin. Really big fan of yours. Unfortunately, now isn’t the time for me to introduce myself properly because we have bigger issues on our hands.”
Ten plops himself back on the bed, wiggling under the covers to be close to you again. “Zoe, what could be so important that you,” he squints at the alarm clock on the nightstand. “Woke us up at 5:00 in the morning?”
She smiles stiffly at both of you, “Have either one of you checked your social media at all in the last few hours?”
You shake your head at her inquiry. “Zoe, I literally had time to get out of the bed and answer the door for you. That’s about it.” Ten retorts.
“Gee, smartass. Maybe you should.” Then she proceeds to show you both something that immediately drains the color from your face. There on her phone, sheltered by the shadows of the night are images of yourself and Ten from the party balcony. Evidently a photographer had been out there. And they had got the 411 scoop on both of you. The worst part about it? The activities you both were engaging in were clear as day. One image is of Ten underneath your dress, your head thrown back against the wall. Another is of you both kissing as you jack him off. The third is a picture of you licking his cum straight off your hand. And in each scandalous photo it is clear when you both reach an orgasm.
You sit in disbelief at the knowledge that your outdoor escapade blew up in your face. In hindsight, you had known it to be a terrible idea to do so publicly. You didn’t think anyone would have caught you out there though.
“Oh no.” You mumble into your hands. Just then both yours and Ten’s respective phones go off. His, a call from his manager. Yours, a text from Cheri. With the simple words ‘Call me’ written across your screen. Ten takes his call in the bathroom, as you sheepishly stare up at Zoe. Reading the room, she wishes you good luck before leaving. Regretting the way you’ve handled your decision making in the last 12 hours, you call Cheri.
The conversation was… exactly what you expected. Cheri cussed you to hell and high water. “What the hell is wrong with you!?” She exclaims.
You wince as she chews into you. In retrospect, you deserved it. “The least you could’ve done was have the decency to do the ‘wham bam ma’am’ in a private room. Or even go back to your hotel. Why would you do it on the balcony?”
After fifteen minutes managing an earful of her wrath, she finally calms down after telling you she was handing it. “Well… at least it was good. If those pictures are anything to go by.” She jokes.
“Cheri!” You shriek in bafflement. Throwing the situation back in your face so soon was crazy work. Especially after the full blown lecture she just gave you. She cackles on the other end of the line.
“Stop acting like a prude. Because clearly you are not one.” All in all, the conversation ends well for you. And when Ten exits the bathroom he stares at you so tenderly you just know everything will be alright.
“The company called me in for an emergency meeting. I have to catch the next flight back to Korea.” Pulling the covers up to your chin, you nod shyly at him. He smirks before stalking over to kiss you.
“Come with me.” He whispers against your lips. “I want to tell them that we love each other and that we’re going to work it out. Please, I can’t do this without you.”
You blush at the implication of his words. “Will it be alright to do that?”
“Only one way to find out.” He wriggles his eyebrows flirtatiously.
Four hours later, you’re both packed and on a flight to Seoul.
The company eventually releases a statement in apology at your public indecency. Which you both take responsibility for. But the company rallies behind you both swiftly in support of your relationship. And it’s abundantly clear they support the ship when the official company page tweets ‘TenY/N endgame 🖤🩷’
Both fan bases go crazy on social media, people arguing that they knew the two of you had to be a couple. They couldn’t fathom how the pet names were only for platonic use. Lots of your fans cheered that the divorced era Cold War was over. For the most part, you both had the loving support of the masses. But there were still a few bad eggs out there. Some people, like Victoria, couldn’t help themselves in jumping on the hate bandwagon.
Many malicious comments were aimed at you regarding the tackiness of the public escapade. Others even going as far as calling you a whore. But one thing Ten never did was play about you. He had time to be petty on social media. And so did his band members too. In fact, Yang Yang even took it replying back to trolls as a personal challenge.
Overall, it was a whirlwind romance that landed you right where you needed to be. And within six months, you moved to Seoul to be with the man you finally realized you had loved all along.
Taglist: @lonenymphaea
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