Joowon froze at their words, staring at Daiyu with wide eyes. With how often they'd been playing hot and cold, she began to doubt there were any actual feelings left between them. But this did throw her for a loop. A surprising and wonderful loop that short-wires her brain and frazzles her thoughts. Only one thought comes to mind when it finally resets.
Her steps towards them are purposeful. There's really only one thing on her mind to do now that she's heard that. But her intentions seem to not be as clear to them as Daiyu is still chiding her once they're finally face to face.
"What are you--"
She pulls them in at the waist. Hand winding into their hair as her lips crash into their. Daiyu's tense in her arms, frozen for a fleeting second before melting against her. It's like finally taking a breath after nearly drowning. Her heart thumps loudly in her chest. Skin vibrating where Daiyu lays their hand against her skin.
When Joowon breaks their kiss, her eyes flutter open to stare at them still in her arms. She brushes hair out of their face, a finger tracing along the side of their face. A shudder of a breath emits from them. As if neither of them can believe this is happening.
"I don't want anyone else," Joowon murmurs. A smile tugging on her lips. "You know, in case that isn't apparently obvious."
Tension rolls off of him in waves. Hunched over his desk, he lets out a labored breath and rubs at his temples. He doesn't know how long Seulgi has been watching him or has even been in the room until she's spun his chair towards her. She appears in his line vision, crouched in front of him so he's forced to look at her. "I'm fine," he breathes out. "Except you clearly aren't." His gaze drops from hers for a second. He's tired. Always just so tired. "What do you need? I can go and get--" She starts to stand and he grabs her hand. "I don't need--I just need..." The words get stuck in his throat. He doesn't understand why it's still so difficult just to ask for help. To just ask for her. But she understand when words fail him and reaches out to brush hair off of his forehead. Rubs a delicate hand over his cheek. He focuses on the soothing touch, some of the tension ebbing away. When he finally manages to look back towards her, he sees her watching him carefully. Softly. A feeling swells in his chest. Placing a hand over hers, he leans into the palm of her hand. His thanks doesn't manage to leave his lips either, but she seems to understand all the same.
ii.
He doesn't remember falling asleep, nor does he remember Seulgi slipping into bed with him. When he wakes again, Yeol isn't sure what time it is. But he is met with someone besides him, eyes staring over at him. He blinks, groggy but surprised to see her. She utters out a low apology for waking him and he shakes his head as he tries to sit up a bit. "Didn't mean to fall asleep anyway..." She titters, but he doesn't understand why. "What? I couldn't have been asleep that long--when did you get back anyway?" Seulgi pulls the bedsheet further up, settling in and laughs again. "Why? Were you waiting up for me?" she asks. Yeol shrugs and answers honestly. "Yeah." She grows quiet at that, staring at him in some odd way. Brow lifting in question he asks, "What?" In turn, Seulgi smiles knowingly. "Oh, nothing."
iii.
Some show plays in the background, but he's reading. It's nice, for once, having nothing to do and actually being able to just be in the same space as Seulgi. Even if they aren't necessarily doing something together, it's nice. Peaceful. Comforting. She leans into his side and when she squirms to get comfortable for the third time, he drapes his arm around her. It at least gets her to stop moving, albeit it makes it harder for him to turn the pages of his book. Of course she notices. He feels her staring without taking his eyes off the sentence he's still reading. "I can turn the page for you," she offers. "Or I can just do this." He places the book in front of her face so the hand around her can reach and turns the page himself. Yeol laughs when she complains that she can't see the screen if he does that. "You'd be taking your eyes off the screen if you turn the pages anyway," he points out. Seulgi humphs but goes quiet in thought. But it's the kind of quiet that makes him think she's about to do something in response. Opening his mouth to say anything to quell that, he's stopped short when she shifts once again until she's resting her head on his lap. "There, now we're not in each other's way," she states, looking up at him triumphantly. Technically she's right, he has to give her that, but now he's a little too distracted to read on normally. And of course she notices that too. Yeol chooses not to look back at his wife whenever she happens to glance up at him.
iv.
There's less patience when it comes to his mother. She seems to blame his wife for the sudden change in his behavior. His demeanor. Yeol rolls his eyes when his mother makes yet another remark in Seulgi's direction. "We see so little of him now that he has you." It might've stung if it isn't for the fact that it isn't at all true. "What happens if I stop recognizing my own son with how little you let him see his own mother?" Yeol sees it, the way Seulgi prepares a comeback. Annoyance stiff in her upper lip. For once he steps in before she can. "You're being dramatic, eomma," he sighs. "I saw you last week for lunch and at the gala event--stop pestering Seulgi with things that aren't true." The look his mother throws him is as if he'd slapped her across the face. Lips puckering and eyes narrowing, she excuses herself from talking to the pair of them. Thank god, he can only think. It's obvious he'd hear about this later, but for now he welcomes the relief of not having his mother's company. Glancing over to Seulgi in preparation to apologize again for his mother, he finds her already staring. He pauses, seeing the look of surprise over her features. But she meets his eye and grins widely. "Look at my husband, all grown up," she teases. Yeol rolls his eyes again, but this time there's no trace of exasperation in them.
v.
Yeol hovers over her, Seulgi beneath him on the couch. Her hands are pressed to his chest, pausing their movements. She's staring up at him through her lashes, a little flushed in the cheeks. Worried he's done something wrong, he nearly pulls away, but she grabs his shirt to keep him in place. "What are you doing?" Yeol asks perplexed. Seulgi grabs his chin using her thumb and forefinger, looking over his face. "Just looking at you." Whatever she spots on his expression has her smiling though. Forced to stare back at her and unsure of what's going on, he takes comfort in seeing her look pleased. But the longer he stares, the more something begins to dawn on him. Oh. Somewhere along the way he's fallen in love with his wife.
“If you do that one more time I don’t think I’ll be able to control myself.” mai x yongju
@tonkinwrites
There's something slightly amusing in the way Mai's wound herself up. The fact he doesn't think he's done anything aside from what he usually does, only seems to make her more annoyed and bothered. He raises a brow, carefully observing her once more before turning his attention away from her. "And like I said before, I'm not doing anything."
She huffs. Glares at him in his peripherals. The corner of his lips lift into a smirk nonetheless.
It's a problem, but it's amusing. But the fact it's amusing is probably a problem in itself.
He stuffs his hands into his pockets. Turns towards her and sees her still glaring in his direction. "Planning on glaring at me all day?"
When she marches towards him and gets in his face, Yong-ju doesn't bat an eye. He's more than used to it. Used to her.
The carefully laid out boundaries he's followed his whole life has seemingly been tossed aside or morphed all because of Mai. Maybe for her. It's why for a second he considers stepping out of space. Tells himself he should. But doesn't.
Yong-ju glances over her face. He definitely knows it's a problem that pushing her buttons doesn't seem like the worst idea in the world.
"Did you need something, Miss van Daele?"
Steam seems to come out of her ears. He nearly smiles at the sight of it.
It's always a little harder to concentrate when Min Kyu's around. Harder to focus... Harder to maintain some semblance of self control... It's just always harder to remember exactly why it isn't in her best interest to not cross that line when he's looking at her like that.
She's stuck, arms trapping her against the wall. Memories of being in a similar position when they first met floats through her head. He grins, leaning towards her as if he can read the thoughts in her head. Nervous flutters spring up. A flash of wanton heat pooling in her middle.
The temptation to say no rests on the tip of her tongue. As is pushing past him and not looking back. Surely if Ezme could do either of those things than she could claim Min Kyu didn't have much of an effect on her...
But that isn't the case. They both know that. It's difficult to resist when she still very much wants to fall into his orbit.
Her head tilts up towards him. "You're acting like you already know the answer," she answers. The fact her gaze trails down to his lips doesn't help.
Smirking, he raises a brow at her. The message reads loud and clear, albeit teasing: Don't I? It's unfair and incredibly attractive all at the same time. But her knees go weak all the same.
She pulls at his shirt, pulling him closer. He obliges, his nose brushing her own. "You're so annoying," she murmurs breathlessly. His chuckle tickles her skin.
And when his lips are on hers, Ezmeray has an even harder time remembering why she doesn't want to do this all the time.
“I think I missed you more than you missed me.” seung x seung
@tonkinwrites
For a second, she tenses at his words. Her lips purse, brows furrowing. "What makes you think that?" Any chance of making light of his words is clipped when she turns to find him standing nearly behind her. Seung shrugs, taking a step towards her. A hand traces her waist, goosebumps rising over her exposed skin. There's a look that passes over his face. One that's sad and a little uncertain even when they're standing close together as if nothing's changed.
Is that her fault? Possibly. But it's all an adjustment she's getting used to. She's here. She wants to be here. Isn't that more than enough for the time being?
She loops her arms around his middle, pressing her cheek to his chest. Tension slowly eases out of his muscles until he's relaxed in her arms. Chin resting on his chest, she peers up at him. "I missed you plenty," Erin reassures softly. There's so much already that's been said (or maybe not said between them) but she doesn't doubt the feeling in the pit of her stomach whenever she's staring at Seung. Doesn't doubt how he feels about her when his lips are pressed to hers.
There's time, more than enough time she convinces herself, for them figure out what comes next.
