𑣲 synopsis. bf!seonghyeon’s version of anger management is ‘getting impossibly clingy until you kiss it better’. warnings. none wordcount. 1.3k
the front door clicked shut a little too hard.
not enough to be a slam. seonghyeon wasn’t really that loud when he was angry.
but enough that you looked up from your phone immediately.
he walked past the couch without saying anything, hoodie still pulled over his head, headphones hanging around his neck. his jaw looked tight. tense.
you watched him disappear into the kitchen.
a cabinet opened.
then another.
then the fridge.
then silence.
“…you okay?” you called carefully.
“mhm.”
you frowned immediately. that tone never meant mhm.
a second later, he reappeared holding a bottle of water. his eyes landed on you instantly. lingered for a second too long.
then he walked over and dropped onto the couch beside you heavily. the cushions dipped beneath his weight.
you barely had time to react before he leaned fully into your side, arm sliding around your waist like it belonged there.
ah. one of those moods.
“rough day?” you asked softly.
“people are annoying.”
his voice came out muffled against your shoulder. you felt his grip tighten slightly when you shifted.
your fingers automatically slipped into his hair, brushing lightly through the strands near the nape of his neck. the reaction was immediate. his shoulders loosened beneath your touch, tension melting just a little.
you smiled faintly. “what happened?”
“nothing.”
“seonghyeon.”
he sighed dramatically against you before finally lifting his head enough to look at you. his expression was somewhere between irritated and exhausted, brows pulled together slightly while his lips pressed into a quiet pout.
honestly, he looked more sulky than angry.
“practice was annoying,” he muttered. “everyone kept messing around and we had to redo the same part like fifty times.”
“mhm.”
“then manager hyung got mad because we were behind schedu—”
his words cut off abruptly.
your fingers had scratched lightly against the back of his neck without thinking, and the reaction was immediate. his eyes fluttered shut briefly before a quiet breath left him.
silence.
you stared at him for a second. “…you good?”
seonghyeon frowned like he was annoyed you’d noticed.
“…anyway,” he muttered quietly. “my in-ears stopped working.”
you winced sympathetically. “that’s actually terrible.”
“exactly.”
he looked genuinely offended by the entire situation. a quiet laugh slipped out of you before you could stop it.
immediately, his eyes narrowed further. “don’t laugh.”
“i’m not laughing.”
“you literally are.”
despite the accusation, he shifted even closer. one of his hands slid beneath your hoodie absentmindedly, resting warm against your waist like he needed physical confirmation you were still there.
you tried leaning away slightly to grab your drink from the table.
instantly, his arm tightened.
“where are you going?”
you blinked. “…three inches away from you.”
“…don’t.”
there was something almost childish about the way he said it. quiet. stubborn.
your lips twitched upward. “you’re clingy when you’re mad.”
“i’m not mad.”
“you’re literally attached to me right now.”
“maybe i want to be.”
his gaze dropped briefly to your mouth right afterward.
then lingered.
and suddenly he looked significantly less interested in defending himself.
you turned your head fully toward him then, finally catching the faint pout still sitting on his face. the irritation in his expression had already softened around the edges, worn down slowly by your fingers moving through his hair.
and suddenly, the earlier annoyance didn’t seem very important anymore.
not when your fingers were still moving through his hair like that.
the way his expression eased whenever you touched him. the way his grip kept tightening every time you moved even slightly away. like all the frustration from earlier had nowhere to go except here.
to you.
your hand slid gently down to the back of his neck. “baby,” you murmured softly.
his eyes fluttered for the briefest second at the name alone.
yeah. definitely one of those moods.
“come here,” you said quietly.
he didn’t hesitate.
his hand came up immediately, fingers brushing along your jaw before settling against your chin. gentle. careful. he tilted your face toward him slightly until your eyes met his fully.
“stay here,” he murmured.
the irritation in his voice from earlier was completely gone now. all that remained was exhaustion and something softer underneath it.
your stomach flipped a little despite yourself.
“i wasn’t planning on leaving,” you whispered.
“good.”
his thumb brushed slowly along your jaw once. twice. his eyes stayed fixed on yours the entire time, heavy-lidded and quiet in that way that always made your chest feel tight.
you hated how pretty he got when he was sulking.
“you know what your problem is?” you murmured.
his brows lifted slightly. “what?”
“you get clingy instead of angry.”
a tiny frown appeared immediately. “that’s not a problem.”
“for you maybe.”
“mhm.”
he moved to rest his forehead against yours. and for a long moment that’s how you stayed.
close enough that you could feel every slow breath he exhaled against your lips. close enough that his hand still curled loosely around your jaw, thumb brushing absentmindedly against your skin like he didn’t even realize he was doing it anymore.
“you make it hard to stay annoyed,” he murmured quietly.
something warm twisted painfully in your chest.
“that’s kind of the point,” you whispered back.
the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, like he wanted to say something else.
then apparently decided kissing you was easier.
so he kissed you.
slowly.
not rushed or desperate. just tired and lingering and warm in a way that made your stomach ache a little. his hand slid properly against your cheek as he tilted his head, kissing you like he needed a minute to forget about everything else first.
you felt the tension leave him piece by piece.
especially when your fingers slipped back into his hair.
a quiet sound escaped him instantly. barely there. more breath than noise.
your lips curved against his. “better?”
“mhm.”
“you still look pouty.”
“do not.”
you laughed softly.
and apparently even that was enough to distract him completely because his eyes immediately dropped back to your mouth.
“…come here.”
your lips twitched. “you were literally in the middle of complaini—”
he kissed you before you could finish.
longer this time.
his arm around your waist tightened until you were practically halfway in his lap without realizing it. the earlier frustration lingering in his expression had melted completely now, replaced by something softer. needier.
every time you pulled back even slightly, he followed immediately.
one more kiss.
then another.
like he couldn’t quite let the moment end.
“seonghyeon,” you laughed quietly against his mouth. “you’re actually using me as stress relief.”
“mhm.”
not even denying it.
his lips brushed yours again, softer this time, and the warmth of it spread straight through your chest. he kissed like he was slowly getting sleepy from it. lazy and clingy and completely unconcerned with anything except keeping you close.
your hand scratched lightly at the back of his neck.
he practically melted.
his shoulders dropped fully for the first time since he got home, a quiet sigh leaving him against your lips before he buried his face briefly against your jaw.
“see?” you murmured, smiling a little. “you’re basically a giant cat.”
he frowned immediately against your skin. “don’t ruin this for me.”
you laughed again, and he kissed you just to shut you up.
it worked embarrassingly well.
his hand slid from your jaw into your hair, fingers careful as he tilted your head back slightly for another kiss. slower. deeper. not messy or rushed, just enough to make your thoughts blur pleasantly at the edges.
and honestly?
it was unfair how affectionate he got after bad days.
because somewhere between the soft kisses and the way he kept pulling you impossibly closer, all the earlier irritation had disappeared entirely.
replaced by this quiet, clingy affection that always seemed reserved just for you.
eventually, he pulled back just enough to look at you properly.
his lips were slightly pink now. hair messy beneath your fingers. expression soft in a way he only ever let himself be around you.
then quietly—
“okay, i’m over it now.”
you blinked at him once before laughing. “that’s all it took?”
“mhm.” his thumb brushed lazily across your cheek. “needed kisses.”
i should probably write smth for james n martin soon... but i'm having tm fun doing kono n sean drabbles... u cant make me stop yet...
n anon said they wanted more. so its okay.
even if this got kind of out of hand…. a little too much hyeon on my mind rn… was supposed to be a short one but uwuwheshwj
keonho is lying across your bed when you walk in, one arm thrown over his eyes and his phone resting on his chest.
“you alive?” you ask, nudging his leg.
“barely.” his voice sounds muffled beneath his arm. tired.
you laugh quietly, flopping down beside him. then pause the second he moves his arm away.
glasses.
actual glasses.
not the blue-light fake ones he wears for five minutes before complaining. real ones. thin metal frames sitting low on his nose while he squints up at you.
you just stare at him for a second, completely gone.
“…don’t start.” his voice is low, mumbled— almost pouty, even.
“oh my god.”
“i’m serious.”
“you wear glasses?” your voice is a amazed whisper, not teasing. just genuinely in awe at what you’re seeing.
“unfortunately.”
you’re staring so hard it’s almost embarrassing.
he already looks soft when he’s tired, but this is different somehow. the glasses make him look sweeter. younger. his hair’s messy from laying down, hoodie sleeves covering half his hands while he blinks at you with obvious suspicion.
it’s unfair.
“you look so cute,” you whisper.
“i look horrible.”
“you look adorable.”
“i look like i failed math twice.”
a laugh bursts out of you before you can stop it.
keonho groans instantly, his usual pout reappearing. “see? you’re laughing already.”
“no, wait—” you grab his arm, still giggling. “not at you. you’re just being dramatic.”
“i’m taking them off.”
before he can, you lunge forward and catch both his wrists.
“no, you’re not.”
“yes, i am.”
“baby, please.”
his face softens at your quiet plea, but the suspicion is still lingering in his eyes. “why are you acting like this?”
“because you’re cute!”
“you say that about everything.”
“not like this.”
that shuts him up for a second.
you don’t even realize you’re leaning closer until your noses nearly bump. up this close, you can see the way his lashes brush against the frames when he blinks.
your heart actually hurts.
“stop staring,” he mutters weakly.
“i physically can’t.”
“you’re making this weird.”
“you’re wearing glasses, keonho. i can’t…” your voice falters as the thoughts in your head keep rushing. when you speak up again, your voice is soft, barely audible. “you’re so pretty.”
keonho goes quiet for a second too long. then tries to roll away from you, but you grab his hoodie and pull him back with a laugh.
then you kiss him.
quickly at first—on his cheek, the corner of his mouth, his forehead.
but the second his mind caught up with your kisses, he starts getting flustered. and it’s all over for him.
you cup his face and kiss him again, right over the bridge of his nose.
he makes the softest offended noise imaginable.
“oh my god,” you mumble against his skin, smiling too hard. “you’re so cute.”
“i hate you.”
“no, you don’t.”
another kiss.
“you’re obsessed with me.”
“can you blame me?”
keonho finally cracks, hiding his face in your shoulder while laughing quietly.
“you’re never letting this go, are you?”
“absolutely not.” your hand cards through the hair at the back of his head as you let him hide. “…my little nerd.”
sorry i watched this vid n then i couldn’t stop thinking…. probably been done before but it had to be done again. also, it’s nawt proofread… don’t read too closely.
contains sfw. fluff. kissing. friends to ???. sleepover things. pillow fights (without pillows). they're cute but they're idiots in love. ahn keonho is a little shit and yn is a lil stupid/oblivious. weird ways to confess? probably.
warnings none. yn swears once or twice. (making out?)
wordcount 1.4k
keukeu-note 🥥 first time writing anything, ever. sorry for any grammar mistakes, english is not my first language (。・ω・。) slightly edited may 25
the floor of your living room was now buried beneath layers of thick blankets and mismatched pillows.
the sleepover you’d planned with your friends had finally made its way out of the group chat and into reality. and now that the living room looked more like a blanket fort than an actual place people lived in, everyone had gradually drifted toward the kitchen to get the snacks ready.
well, everyone except you.
sometime during the making of the bed, you had finished up your end and crawled your way underneath the blankets, covering yourself entirely.
it was nice.
warm. and quiet.
at least until a heavy weight suddenly landed on top of you.
the only opening you’d left for airflow was immediately sealed shut beneath a pile of blankets and what felt suspiciously like an entire human being.
the heat beneath the blankets became unbearable almost immediately. you tried pushing your arms upward to bring the blankets off your face, but to no avail. whoever was on top of you was really set on capturing you in the blanket.
the muffled sounds of your distress went completely unnoticed by everyone else in the room.
apparently, the ongoing debate about whether a turtle without its shell was naked or homeless was far more important than your active murder.
seeing as your ‘murderer’ was using their hands to hold down the blanket, you pushed your hands down toward your waist, where you could feel their legs caging you in. a loud yelp sounded above you. and while you had your suspicions from the beginning, the telltale squeak in his voice just solidified it.
“if you don’t get off me right now, keonho, i’ll-”
your words were cut short when he shifted his weight across your torso. the groan that left you was no louder than the sound of his giggles echoing above you. he laid his head on your chest and nuzzled his face further into the blanket.
“hm? you’ll what?” his words were muffled into the fabric, but you heard him clearly.
“i swear, i’m gonna...”
this time your words trailed off for a different reason. mid-sentence, you realized he had finally loosened his hold on the blanket.
sensing the opportunity, you hurriedly pulled the blanket off your face, wrapped your legs around his, and shifted your weight so that now he was trapped underneath you.
his eyes squeezed shut as his back hit the blankets, a soft puff of air leaving him.
your hands fumbled through the mess of blankets until you finally managed to pin his wrists beside his head.
and then—
stillness.
for the first time since he’d tried to suffocate you alive, neither of you moved.
you sat over his waist catching your breath while keonho blinked slowly up at you, looking almost dazed.
then, gradually, amusement flickered across his face.
like he was trying very hard not to smile.
your eyes narrowed.
what the hell is he thinking about now.
what you hadn’t realized yet was that when you went to pin down his arms, you’d unknowingly leaned over him. as a result, your position was in no way going to look appropriate to anyone who walked into the room.
“is this what you were planning?” he whispered teasingly. “’cause to me, this doesn’t seem that bad.”
“huh?”
now it was your turn to blink stupidly down at him. how was it not bad to be pinned by someone else?
“huh,” you repeated, eyebrows furrowing as a frown crossed your face.
when he only grinned in response, you huffed and rolled your eyes. you loosened your grip on his arms slightly, and he pulled them down. your balance faltered, and you had to let go completely to stop yourself from crashing face-first into him.
his breath hitched as your arms landed beside his head. you had effectively caged him in, once again.
it wasn’t until you felt the soft warmth of his breathing against your face that you finally realized.
keonho was close.
way too close.
close enough that you could see the tiny crease near the corner of his mouth from how hard he was trying not to laugh.
close enough that your eyes kept catching on his lips.
stupidly pink.
stupidly soft-looking.
your stomach twisted.
if you leaned in just a little—
great. now you were thinking about kissing your friend.
embarrassment crashed through you as you scrambled to get off him.
before you could go anywhere, his hands tugged you back down, his arms wrapping around your waist to hold you against him. his chin landed on your shoulder as he hugged you close.
while it wasn’t unusual for keonho to be this touchy, it was definitely sending your brain into overdrive today. your heart was beating out of your chest, and you were almost sure he could feel it. he hugged you tighter before finally pulling back.
your eyes squeezed shut, silently hoping he’d let you go before your brain actually melted.
you knew he wouldn’t.
what you didn’t expect, however, was the overly wet kiss he planted on your cheek. honestly, it felt more like a dog licking you than anything romantic.
your eyes flew open.
for a second, you could only stare at him in complete disbelief.
keonho stared back, entirely unashamed.
“ahn keonho,” you whispered. “what the fuck...”
he was grinning, clearly proud of himself.
but there was something nervous underneath it too.
a tiny twitch at the corners of his mouth. the way his eyes kept flicking toward yours and then away again.
like he was suddenly unsure whether he’d crossed a line.
your hands came up to cradle his face gently.
“oh, you’re dead,” you muttered.
as you wet your lips, his eyes widened slightly. trailing over your features before dropping to your mouth.
you turned his face away from you, your grip gentle enough not to hurt him. his eyes fluttered shut. you closed your own as you leaned in, less than a hair’s breadth away from successfully getting your revenge when you felt him turn back toward you.
once again, you realized it too late.
your lips met his by accident.
soft.
fleeting.
warm in a way that made your brain completely blank out for a second.
neither of you moved.
keonho’s breath caught softly against your mouth.
his fingers tightened around your waist like he was afraid you’d disappear if he let go.
his eyes stayed squeezed shut for a second too long.
like he was waiting for you to pull away.
you should've moved.
and once your brain caught up with you, you did.
you pulled back too fast, nearly knocking your forehead against his in the process. your sleeve brushed frantically across your lips as your eyes searched his face for an explanation.
his eyes were half-lidded, fixed solely on your mouth. he swallowed once, like he was trying to gather the courage to say something and failing miserably at it.
his thumb twitched lightly against your waist.
“keonho, what was—”
no more words could leave your lips before a soft, desperate “please” slipped from him.
his hands hurried from your waist to your face.
warm fingers cupped your cheeks as he pulled you back into him.
the kiss this time was nothing like the accidental one from before.
it was slow at first, hesitant in a way that made your chest ache.
a surprised sound escaped you against his lips, but you kissed him back anyway. immediately, his grip on your face softened in relief.
you could feel him smiling into the kiss.
the feeling made heat rush straight to your face, and your hand tangled into his hair without thinking. keonho shivered beneath you at the sensation, his hand slipping from your cheek down to your waist, holding you against him like he couldn’t stand even an inch of distance between you.
there was nothing casual about the way keonho kissed you.
not hesitant in the way someone experimenting would be.
more like someone finally getting something they’d been wanting for a very long time.
slowly, without either of you really noticing it happening, the kiss deepened. unhurried, messy in the way first kisses tended to be. your noses bumped once, drawing a breathless laugh from you that he swallowed with another kiss.
by the time his other hand settled carefully against your thigh, you’d both completely forgotten where you were. blankets rumpled around your waist, and you, straddling him like you belonged there.
it wasn’t until you tugged lightly at his hair, earning a soft groan from him, that reality came crashing back down.
“keonho?” you pulled away just enough to whisper his name.
he opened his eyes slowly, looking at you like you’d just interrupted something he never wanted to end.
your chest tightened.
“more,” he mumbled immediately, already trying to lean back in like he hadn’t gotten nearly enough of you yet.
your hands squished his cheeks before he could get far, stopping him mid-attempt.
a pout formed on his lips instantly.
an actual pout.
his brows pulled together slightly as he looked up at you in clear offense, and you had to bite back a laugh.
“don’t look at me like that,” you whispered, failing miserably to sound unaffected.
“yn,” keonho only whined softly and tried to chase your lips again. “one more.”
your heart did something genuinely embarrassing.
“you’re ridiculous,” you muttered, though there was no real bite behind it.
he looked entirely too pleased by the fact that you still hadn’t moved away. his eyes kept flicking down to your mouth like he physically couldn’t help himself.
unable to resist him any longer, you leaned down and pressed one last soft kiss against his pout as an apology.
the change in his expression was immediate. the tiny crease between his brows disappeared, replaced by a lazy, satisfied smile that made him look unbearably smug and far too kiss-drunk for his own good.
right as he opened his mouth to say something, the growing sound of your friends’ voices drifted closer to the living room, cutting him off.
your eyes widened in panic. “oh my god.”
keonho barely looked concerned. if anything, he looked far too pleased with himself as he lazily blinked up at you.
meanwhile, you were staring at him in absolute horror.
his hair was a mess, cheeks flushed pink, lips swollen red from kissing, and his eyes still looked all hazy.
there was absolutely no hiding what had just happened.
“you look ridiculous,” you whispered frantically, already reaching to fix his hair.
he caught your wrist before you could. “i think i look cute.”
you stared at him for a long second before narrowing your eyes. “you’re actually the worst.”
his grin only widened.
the sound of approaching footsteps got louder. without another word, you grabbed the nearest blanket and threw it directly over his face.
“hey—”
“shut up.”
you shoved him fully down into the pile of blankets just as your friends walked back into the room, carrying snacks and drinks.
seonghyeon paused mid-step, staring at the suspiciously keonho-shaped lump beside you.
“…why is he buried alive?”
you grabbed a bag of chips from his hands and shrugged casually. “he was being annoying.”
from underneath the blanket came a muffled, offended, “this is abuse.”
contains sfw. fluff. its cold out. sharing hoodies!!! they cuddle. just lowkey. mutual pining and yearning. clingy hyeon!! but he's lowkey nonchalant about it. he's kind of smooth too. warnings none? wordcount 1.8 k
more hyeon x 6th member!reader.
keukeu-note 🥥 hyeonie req 1 out of 4 lol <3
the company's idea of casual bonding content was apparently to drag their 6 idols to the beach at eleven at night, mid november. which, to you, definitely felt less like team bonding and more like a controlled experiment in human suffering.
the ocean stretched dark and endless behind the cameras, waves crashing hard enough to drown out half the staff instructions being yelled across the sand. cold wind tore through the shoreline relentlessly, sending loose strands of hair into everyone’s faces and making the portable lighting tremble every couple seconds.
“i can’t feel my hands anymore,” keonho whined dramatically for the fifth time in ten minutes, huddled near one of the equipment cases. “if i lose my fingers, i’m suing.”
“you said that during summer too,” juhoon said flatly.
“because extreme weather is oppression, even in summer.”
normally, that would have you laughing harder. right now, though, you were too busy trying not to freeze to death. only a half a huff made it past your lips before you shuddered again, pulling your hoodie closer around you.
your hoodie had stopped being effective almost an hour ago. cold air slipped easily through the fabric every time the wind picked up, and the paper-cup coffee in your hands had long since gone lukewarm.
you rubbed your palms against the paper anyway, staring out toward the water while staff reset cameras for the next segment.
god, this was miserable.
“you’re doing that thing again.”
you glanced sideways immediately.
seonghyeon stood beside you now, hands tucked into the pockets of his own jacket while the wind pushed dark strands of hair across his forehead. his cheeks were slightly pink from the cold, nose scrunched faintly like he regretted agreeing to this schedule in the first place.
you blinked once. “what thing?”
“staring into the distance like a divorced father.”
a laugh escaped you before you could stop it.
“wow... okay.”
“it’s accurate.”
“i’m literally just cold.”
“you’ve been sighing for like five minutes.”
“because i’m suffering.”
“dramatic.”
you frowned at him weakly before taking another sip of now-disappointing coffee.
up close, seonghyeon smelled faintly like clean laundry and seawater. probably from the wind. unfortunately, noticing things like that had become a serious problem lately.
actually, everything about seonghyeon had become a problem lately.
the way he always drifted toward you unconsciously during schedules. the way he looked for your reaction first whenever something happened. the fact that every tiny bit of attention from him now felt capable of permanently altering your internal chemistry.
it was exhausting, honestly.
another violent gust of wind swept across the beach. you physically recoiled.
seonghyeon glanced down at you at once. “…you’re seriously cold.”
“no, really?” you deadpanned. “what gave it away.”
not enough for anyone else to notice immediately. and instead of answering, he just stepped closer. just enough that the warmth from his body brushed faintly against your arm through both your hoodies.
your brain stalled instantly.
seonghyeon was warm. unfairly warm.
the cold paper cup between your hands. the wind against your face. the heat radiating off the arm barely touching yours.
“better?” he asked casually.
you just stared back at him.
and he stared right back with complete calm, like he hadn’t just shortened your lifespan by several years.
“…a little.”
“hm.”
his gaze lingered on your face for a second before drifting back toward the ocean.
behind you, staff members yelled about batteries while someone from makeup chased juhoon around with blotting papers. the entire beach felt chaotic and loud and freezing.
and yet somehow, standing next to seonghyeon felt strangely separate from all of it.
another gust of wind hit hard enough to make you shiver visibly this time.
seonghyeon frowned slightly.
then suddenly reached forward.
you blinked. “what are you—”
“hold still.”
before you could process the situation properly, he pulled open the zipper of his oversized hoodie, tugged you forward by the sleeve, and pulled you directly against his chest.
your entire nervous system shut down.
because then—
oh.
oh, this was bad.
really bad.
he zipped the hoodie around both of you in one smooth motion, trapping you together inside the oversized fabric while cold wind continued roaring around the beach outside.
warmth hit you instantly.
but so did seonghyeon.
your shoulder pressed against his chest awkwardly, your arms half trapped between both your bodies while the hoodie stretched around you. you could feel warmth through every layer of fabric, could hear the faint rush of his breathing over the distant sound of waves.
your heartbeat went violently uneven, loud enough that you were convinced he could feel it through both layers of fabric.
“seonghyeon,” you whispered.
“you were cold.”
“that’s not the issue here.”
“you complain a lot for someone receiving help.”
you looked up at him in disbelief.
he looked completely normal. entirely too calm.
meanwhile you were currently zipped into his clothing and actively losing the ability to form coherent thoughts.
“how are you acting normal right now?” you demanded quietly.
one of his eyebrows lifted slightly. “should i not be?”
“…no?”
that finally got the corner of his mouth to twitch. barely.
“you’re overthinking it,” he murmured.
easy for him to say. he wasn’t the one trying not to implode because seonghyeon smelled good and kept glancing down at your face every couple seconds like this was somehow casual.
another gust of wind howled across the shoreline.
instinctively, seonghyeon’s hand settled lightly against your back beneath the hoodie, steadying you closer against him.
both of you froze immediately afterward.
the movement had been unconscious.
and somehow, that made it worse.
because now you were facing him fully, front nearly pressed against his, with barely any space left between you at all.
slowly, your eyes lifted toward his face again.
for the first time all night, seonghyeon actually looked affected too.
only slightly.
his jaw tightened faintly. his ears had gone pink beneath the harsh lighting. his gaze flicked away from yours for half a second too long before returning again.
the realization hit so suddenly it almost made you laugh.
“you’re acting weird too,” you said quietly.
his eyes narrowed a little. “am not.”
“you literally zipped me into your hoodie.”
“you were cold.”
“and now?”
finally, finally, seonghyeon hesitated.
only for a second. but it was there.
his hand flexed once against your back before he answered carefully,
“…still cold, probably.”
except neither of you were talking about the weather anymore.
outside the hoodie, the beach still felt loud and chaotic—staff shouting over the wind, waves crashing violently against the shore, keonho somewhere in the distance threatening to file a formal complaint against autumn itself.
but inside the cramped warmth surrounding both of you, everything suddenly felt quieter somehow.
smaller.
your shoulder rested fully against seonghyeon’s chest now, the fabric of your hoodies tangled awkwardly together while his hand remained steady against your back.
you became painfully aware of every little thing.
the warmth trapped beneath the hoodie. the clean smell of detergent clinging faintly to him. the slow rise and fall of his breathing beneath your cheek whenever the wind shoved you closer together.
and the dangerous part was that seonghyeon could’ve stepped away by now.
the joke had already lasted too long to still be a joke.
but he didn’t.
if anything, every burst of cold air only seemed to make him hold you a little closer afterward, like keeping you tucked against him had stopped being a conscious decision somewhere along the way.
“…you’re staring again,” he murmured eventually.
you blinked, realizing far too late that your attention had drifted directly to his face.
“sorry.”
“i didn’t say stop.”
your stomach flipped hard enough to physically hurt.
slowly, your eyes lifted toward his again.
big mistake.
because seonghyeon was already looking at you in that quiet, intent way of his that always made it feel like he noticed too much.
the wind howled violently somewhere behind him, pushing another burst of cold air across the shoreline.
instinctively, his hand spread slightly wider against your back, pulling you closer beneath the hoodie before the chill could reach you.
the movement felt so natural it almost hurt.
like his body had already decided where you belonged tonight.
your breath caught softly.
“you know,” you said carefully, “most people would just offer someone their jacket.”
“this is my jacket.”
“you know what i mean.”
the corner of his mouth twitched faintly. “this works better.”
it really, really did.
especially because he kept doing it without seeming to realize. every brush of cold air earned another small pull closer, another absentminded adjustment to keep you tucked against him.
you were trying very hard not to think too deeply about that.
failing horribly, but trying.
somewhere behind you, staff called for everyone to get ready for the next setup. and neither of you moved.
your pulse stuttered.
because by now, this wasn’t reflex anymore. seonghyeon was choosing to keep you here.
“seonghyeon,” you said quietly.
“hm?”
“people are gonna notice eventually.”
“probably.”
…and yet he still didn’t let go.
if anything, his thumb brushed once against your back through the fabric of your hoodie before going still again, like he’d done it unconsciously.
“you’re really calm about this,” you whispered.
that finally made him exhale a quiet laugh through his nose.
“i’m actually losing my mind right now…”
your brain went completely blank for a second.
because that was somehow worse. worse than pretending. worse than teasing. the fact that he was feeling this too hit embarrassingly hard.
suddenly, you became hyperaware of how close your faces actually were now. close enough that you could feel the warmth of his breathing against your skin despite the freezing weather surrounding you.
if either of you moved even slightly, your noses would brush.
and judging by the way seonghyeon suddenly went still too, he’d realized it at the exact same time.
his gaze flicked downward briefly.
your heart nearly stopped.
because this close, you could see the exact moment his breathing changed.
slower.
heavier.
like he was thinking about it.
neither of you moved.
the space between you suddenly felt impossibly small, charged with something warm and terrifying and dangerously close to becoming real.
if either of you leaned forward even a little—
“seonghyeon—”
his name barely made it out before he leaned in.
you genuinely thought he might kiss you.
instead, seonghyeon rested his forehead lightly against yours.
small. careful.
like he wanted more and was trying very hard not to take it.
the soft breath that escaped you seemed to knock something loose in him.
his hand tightened faintly against your back. and he shut his eyes for half a second.
“…you’re warm now,” he murmured quietly.
neither of you pulled away immediately.
if anything, seonghyeon only seemed to sink closer for a second, like the contact itself had relieved something in him too.
somewhere behind you, staff called everyone back to set again.
pairing eom seonghyeon x gn!reader contains sfw. fluff. established relationship. late night studio session. kissing. he's sleepy and a little clingy. sleepy kisses & taking care of your bf. warnings none. wordcount 1.7k
keukeu note 🥥 almost made him even clingier, but oh well. another one of your ideas @enha4cortis hehe
seonghyeon had been at the company building since early noon.
you knew this because his updates had slowly devolved over the course of the day.
practice rn
going to recording after this
i think producer hyung hates me
nvm he gave me candy ㅋ
the last message had arrived nearly an hour ago.
still at the studio
followed by:
i miss you :(
and honestly, that alone had been enough to get you out of the house.
now you were stepping out of the elevator on the seventh floor with a bag of takeout in one hand and your hood pulled low over your face.
the hallway was quieter than usual this late at night. most of the practice room lights had already been shut off, leaving only a faint glow spilling out beneath a few studio doors farther down the hall.
you adjusted your mask higher against your nose as you walked.
a staff member carrying a stack of folders passed by without sparing you more than a tired glance. apparently, someone wandering around the company building in an oversized hoodie at nearly midnight wasn’t unusual enough to question anymore.
honestly, that felt a little concerning.
the familiar sound of music leaking faintly through a familiar looking door told you exactly which studio seonghyeon was still hiding in.
you knocked once before carefully pushing the door open.
the studio was dim except for the glow of the monitors and the tiny LED lights lining the desk. empty drink cans and crumpled lyric sheets were scattered everywhere, making the entire room look like the aftermath of a small disaster.
seonghyeon himself was slumped forward in the rolling chair with a pair of headphones over his ears.
for a second, he didn’t notice you.
his attention stayed fixed on the computer screen, brows furrowed slightly in concentration while he replayed the same section of audio for what sounded like the hundredth time.
then you let the door click shut behind you. his head lifted immediately. and just like that, the exhaustion on his face softened.
“you came,” he said, pulling one side of the headphones off his ear.
“obviously.” you lifted the takeout bag slightly. “you sounded pathetic over text.”
“i did not.”
you raised an eyebrow.
his gaze flickered briefly toward the messages on his phone sitting beside the keyboard before he quietly reached over and flipped it face-down.
right. guilty.
a laugh slipped out of you as you walked further into the studio. the room looked exactly how you expected: dim lights, scattered lyric sheets, three empty iced americanos, and seonghyeon himself buried beneath oversized headphones and exhaustion.
“have you eaten yet?” you asked.
“probably.”
you stared at him. “…what does that even mean?”
he shrugged lightly, already turning back toward the monitor. “i had candy earlier.”
“that’s not a meal.”
“debatable.”
you set the takeout down beside his keyboard before reaching over to pause the track he’d been replaying for the last thirty seconds.
finally, he looked properly at you. his eyes lingered for just a second too long. and you recognized that look immediately.
the one that always appeared after long schedules and exhausting days. the one where he suddenly got quieter around you, like simply having you nearby was enough to make all the fatigue catch up to him at once.
“what is it?” you asked softly.
“nothing.”
liar.
you moved closer until your knees brushed his chair. “you literally texted me saying you missed me.”
“i was being dramatic.”
“mhm.”
his mouth twitched faintly, like he was fighting a smile.
you reached up to push his hair back from his forehead, fingers brushing lightly through the strands. the second your hand touched him, his eyes fluttered shut for half a second before reopening.
ah.
so he was that tired.
“you should take a break,” you murmured.
“can’t.” despite his words, he leaned unconsciously into your touch.
your fingers continued combing through his hair for another moment before you pulled your hand away. immediately, his brows furrowed slightly.
there it is again.
you hid your smile by turning toward the takeout bag. “eat first, then suffer over your music.”
“wow,” he deadpanned quietly behind you. “you’re so supportive.”
“…i’m literally feeding you.”
“fine.”
his chair creaked softly as he rolled back from the desk. even exhausted, he still tried to carry himself normally, stretching his arms over his head like he hadn’t been hunched over a computer for the last five hours.
the effect was ruined slightly by the way he nearly yawned halfway through it.
you snorted.
“don’t laugh at me.”
“you look miserable.”
“i am miserable.”
you handed him one of the food containers, watching as he immediately perked up at the smell.
“oh,” he blinked down at it. “wait, i love you.”
“you say that every time i bring you food.”
“because you only visit me when i’m starving.”
“maybe if you acted like a functional human being, i wouldn’t have to.”
he hummed absently, already taking a bite. and for a few minutes, the room settled into something quieter.
music played softly from the speakers while seonghyeon scrolled through files on the monitor between bites of food. every now and then he’d mumble something under his breath about lyrics or replay a section of audio with a tiny frown.
you watched him from the couch tucked against the wall. watched the way exhaustion sat heavily beneath his eyes. watched the way he kept rubbing at the back of his neck when he thought too hard. watched the way his attention drifted toward you every couple of minutes anyway.
eventually, his chair rolled across the floor toward you.
you looked up from your phone just in time for him to stop directly in front of the couch.
“…what?”
“nothing.”
he just sat there for a moment, staring at you with heavy-lidded eyes. then, with a quiet sigh, he pushed himself out of the chair and dropped onto the couch beside you.
immediately, he leaned against your side.
a quiet laugh escaped you. “you lasted longer than i expected.”
“what does that mean?”
“you’ve been pretending you weren’t clingy for the last twenty minutes.”
“i’m not clingy.” despite his mumbled argument, one of his arms slid around your waist as he rested his head against your shoulder.
“…right.”
a quiet huff left him, somewhere between offended and sleepy.
“you literally rolled across the room to get to me,” you added.
“maybe i was cold.”
“you’re wearing three layers.”
there was a brief pause before he muttered quietly, “…emotionally.”
that earned a proper laugh from you this time, soft enough to make his expression loosen.
for a second, neither of you said anything.
he just stayed tucked against your side, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing against your waist beneath the fabric of your hoodie. then his gaze drifted downward. to your mouth.
the movement was subtle enough that you almost missed it. almost.
slowly, very slowly, his arm around you tightened.
“you know,” he said quietly, “i was serious earlier.”
“about what?”
“missing you.”
the teasing tone from before was gone now. completely.
something in your chest softened immediately. your hand came up to brush lightly through his hair again, and the way his eyes fluttered shut for a brief second almost gave him away entirely.
“come here,” you murmured.
he didn’t hesitate this time. one hand slid up to cup your jaw while the other stayed firm around your waist, pulling you closer until you were practically halfway in his lap. his lips met yours softly at first, tired more than anything else.
like he’d been wanting this all day.
the quiet sigh that left him against your mouth made your stomach flip.
he kissed you again slower this time, lingering just enough to make your chest ache. his thumb brushed gently along your jaw while your fingers slipped into his hair, and the second you scratched lightly against his scalp, his grip around your waist tightened.
a small sound escaped him before he could stop it. you felt him smile a little against your lips afterward, embarrassed and entirely too pleased at the same time.
and honestly? you let him. his lips were warm against yours, despite how cold his hands felt on your waist.
for a moment, he kissed you like he’d forgotten about everything else entirely. the unfinished demo. the long day. the producer outside somewhere in the hallway.
and even after the kiss softened, he didn’t really pull away. every time there was even an inch of space between you, he’d close it again instinctively. one more slow kiss, one more lingering touch against your mouth.
eventually, seonghyeon pulled away just enough to rest his forehead against yours.
his breathing was uneven. so was yours, probably. and for a long moment, neither of you spoke.
the soft music still playing from the speakers filled the silence while his thumb continued brushing absentmindedly against your waist, like he couldn’t quite bring himself to let go yet.
then—
a loud knock against the studio door.
both of you froze instantly.
“seonghyeon?” a producer’s voice called from outside. “are you still alive in there?”
he closed his eyes in visible disappointment. you bit your lip hard to stop yourself from laughing.
“one second,” he called back, voice noticeably rougher than before. silence lingered outside the door for a moment.
“…why do you sound like that?” the producer asked suspiciously.
your entire body jerked with suppressed laughter while seonghyeon stared at the ceiling like this was personally ruining his life.
“i’m sick,” he answered immediately. you had to bury your face into his shoulder to stop yourself from making noise.
another pause.
“…right,” came the deeply unconvinced response. “anyway, finish the demo before you die.”
footsteps faded down the hallway. the second they disappeared completely, seonghyeon dropped his head against your shoulder with a long groan.
“we almost got caught.”
“you almost got caught,” you corrected.
he lifted his head just enough to squint at you. “wow. no loyalty.”
you grinned and his expression softened almost immediately afterward.
“don’t leave yet.” he mumbled quietly.
and honestly?
with the way he was still looking at you… hair messy, lips pink from kissing, exhaustion written all over his face… there was no way you were going anywhere anytime soon.
syn. kissing your partner is usually not so hard... but why are they wearing flavored chapstick. and why are you being filmed... ah, shit. not this again... wc 1.2k
back to series...
“martin!"
“no.”
you blinked at him from across the kitchen island. “you don’t even know what i’m asking.”
“i know enough.”
he didn’t look up from the bowl he was mixing either, which honestly made the immediate rejection even ruder.
you narrowed your eyes. “wow.”
“last time you said ‘trust me,’ i ended up drinking something blue.”
“that was one time.”
martin finally glanced over at you then, expression flat. “it glowed.”
“…okay, but that part was cool. just hear me out for a second... please.”
he sighed quietly through his nose before setting the whisk down. “what is it?”
you brightened instantly, already pulling your phone from your pocket. “it’s a trend.”
martin’s shoulders dropped immediately.
“why do you always react like that?”
“because your trends are never normal.”
“this one is!”
he looked deeply unconvinced as you propped your phone against the fruit bowl on the counter. the second he realized you were actually recording, his eyes widened slightly.
“…people are gonna watch this?”
“that’s how trends work.”
“why?”
“martin.”
he rubbed a hand over his face already looking embarrassed, which honestly should’ve made you feel bad. instead, it made you laugh.
“you’ll survive.”
“debatable.”
still, he stayed where he was while you dug through your pocket for the chapsticks.
martin watched the pile appear on the counter with visible suspicion. “…why do you own this many?”
“stop asking questions and focus.”
“focus on what? counting them?”
you snorted lightly before finally explaining the challenge to him. by the end of it, martin had gone completely still.
“…oh.” he looked away so fast it was basically confirmation.
your mouth twitched immediately. “you’re embarrassed already?”
“i’m not embarrassed.”
“martin, you’re literally red.”
“it’s hot in here.”
“we’re in the kitchen.”
“exactly.”
you laughed while he looked away for a second, clearly regretting agreeing to this already. which made it a whole lot funnier.
“okay,” you said finally, grabbing one of the chapsticks. “close your eyes.”
martin hesitated. “…this feels like a trap.”
“just close your eyes.”
slowly, and with the air of someone accepting his fate, he listened. you smiled to yourself before uncapping the chapstick.
cherry. honestly, you picked it mostly because it smelled sweet.
the second martin opened his eyes again, he looked directly at your mouth. immediately.
"woah, someones eager." you hold back a laugh, feigning indifference, despite feeling the slight heat creeping up your face.
his expression softened with sudden realization his own cheeks turning a faint shade of pink too. "shut it. do you want me to... do the trend, or not?"
a small laugh managed to slip out of you at his half-hearted threat. “just do it.”
the corner of his mouth twitched faintly before he stepped closer. carefully. martin always moved like that with you. like he was making sure he wasn’t overwhelming you by accident.
his fingertips hovered at your sides for a second before finally resting there lightly, careful enough that it almost made your chest ache. as he leaned down, his expression turned suddenly serious.
“why do you look like you’re taking an exam?”
“because i’m trying to win.”
“it’s chapstick.”
“it is a competition.”
then he kissed you. softly.
he kissed you carefully at first. slow enough that it felt almost hesitant, like he was concentrating so hard on getting the answer right that he forgot how unfair kissing him normally felt.
his thumbs shifted slightly against your waist. your stomach flipped violently.
and martin—
martin furrowed his brows mid-kiss. actually furrowed them. when he pulled back, he looked genuinely deep in thought.
“…raspberry?”
you blinked once. “wrong.”
his eyes widened slightly. “seriously?”
“mhm.”
“…can i try again?”
you stared at him. “you’re asking like this is a retake exam.”
“i need another chance.”
you burst out laughing immediately, and the embarrassed look on his face only made it worse.
“don’t laugh,” he mumbled.
“you’re so serious about this.”
“because i want to get it right.” then, he mumbles again, quieter. “come here.”
the softness in his voice nearly made you forget you were teasing him a second ago.
martin kissed you again before you could recover. this time slower. more concentrated somehow. like he genuinely believed kissing you longer would help him identify the flavor. which honestly was very cute.
his hands tightened slightly at your waist when you laughed softly against his mouth, and martin immediately pulled back looking flustered.
“why are you laughing?”
“nothing.”
“yn.”
“you just look really focused.”
his face turned even pinker somehow. “i am focused.”
“martin, your eyes are literally closed.”
“...it helps me think.”
you laughed harder while he groaned quietly under his breath.
“stop making fun of me.”
“you’re making this way more intense than it needs to be.”
“i’m trying to win.”
“you’ve guessed once.”
“incorrectly,” he corrected sadly.
you had to bite the inside of your cheek to stop laughing again.
especially because every retry somehow lasted longer than the last.
by the second kiss, martin was already visibly flustered. he stopped pulling away properly afterward, like he kept forgetting he was supposed to.
his hands still warm against your waist, cheeks pink, hair falling slightly into his eyes while he stared at you like he genuinely could not understand why this had suddenly become difficult.
“…okay,” he murmured finally. “wait.”
“you still don’t know it?”
“i had it for a second.”
“martin.”
“hold on.”
then he kissed you before you could start laughing at him.
but you actually laughed into this one, which just made it worse.
because the second the sound left your mouth, martin pulled back looking mortified by how hard he’d just folded.
“…i forgot it again.”
you nearly collapsed against the counter laughing.
martin pulled you into an embrace with a groan, tucking your head under his chin so you couldn't see his face anymore. “this challenge is stupid.”
“you’re just bad at it.”
“no,” he mumbled weakly, still hiding his face into your hair. “you’re distracting.”
you suddenly became very interested in the counter behind him.
slowly, martin lifted his head again, still visibly embarrassed.
“…was it cherry?”
you grinned instantly. “finally.”
his shoulders sagged with relief. “oh thank god.”
“that took forever.”
“i got there eventually.”
“after, like, six attempts.”
martin looked genuinely offended. “it was not six...”
"okay. next flavor—?"
"no," his objection was immediate, and he pulled back slightly to glare down at you, softened by his slight pout. "cut the cameras, yn. i'm not playing anymore... you're just making fun of me..."
cue you reaching for your phone and stopping the recording. your boyfriend looks about one blush away from imploding.
final score: 1/1
attempts needed: martin doesn't like to talk about it.
COMMENTS (20)
juhoon: this looked less like a challenge and more like martin trying to study for finals
↳ keonho: bro was LOCKED IN
seonghyeon: “that helps me think” 😭😭😭
↳ yn: i almost cried laughing
↳ martin: i WAS THINKING
james: the furrowed brows during kissing was concerning
↳ martin: i wanted to win
↳ james: against who exactly
keonho: “i forgot it again” STAND UPPPP
↳ juhoon: genuinely painful watch
martin: i hate all of you
↳ seonghyeon: skill issue
yn: he got shy after i laughed btw
↳ martin: bro... delete.
↳ yn: make me ❤️
juhoon: “come here” bleeeh okay romance movie lead
↳ martin: i’m blocking everyone
keonho: not him getting flustered over CHAPSTICK
↳ james: some people are weaker than others
↳ martin: yo why am i getting jumped rn
syn. it's hard for your boyfriend to stay focused when you taste like that. wc 1.1k
back to series...
keukeu-note 🥥 ik the synopsis sounds sketchy as hell but... it is all sfw. hes just a lil' shit.
“you’re not allowed to laugh at me during this.”
juhoon looked up from where he’d been laying upside down across your bed, one arm hanging dramatically off the side. “that’s a crazy condition to start with.”
“i’m serious.”
“that usually means i’m about to witness something embarrassing.”
you narrowed your eyes while adjusting your phone against the stack of books on your desk. “for you, maybe.”
“oh?” he sat up slightly at that, interest immediately sparked. “exciting.”
that should’ve been your first warning.
you crossed your legs on the bed beside him before pulling several chapsticks from your hoodie pocket and dropping them into the blanket between you.
juhoon blinked down at them once.
then slowly looked back up at you.
“…why do you carry this many around like emergency supplies?”
“because i lose them.”
“...irresponsible.”
“focus.”
his mouth twitched immediately. “yes ma’am.”
you ignored the stupid grin on his face and explained the challenge anyway. by the end of it, he was already leaning back against the wall behind your bed looking unbearably confident.
“that’s it?” he asked.
“what do you mean ‘that’s it’?”
“easy.” he nudged your knee lazily with his foot. “i’ll get every single one.”
“you literally think you’re good at everything.”
“because i usually am.”
“you’re so annoying.”
“you still keep wanting me here,” he said lightly.
you looked away before he could notice you reacting. unfortunately, noticing that only seemed to make him more smug.
“okay,” you said quickly before he could say something worse. “close your eyes.”
“already bossing me around.”
still, he listened.
you stared at him for a second after his eyes shut. his head tilted back slightly against the wall, hair falling away from his forehead just enough to make him look unfairly relaxed about this entire situation.
which was irritating, honestly.
you grabbed one of the chapsticks quickly before you could overthink it.
vanilla. should be simple enough.
you applied it carefully, trying very hard not to think about what was about to happen. which was difficult considering juhoon looked way too comfortable sitting there waiting for you to kiss him for content.
“done?” he asked without opening his eyes.
“yeah.”
his eyes opened immediately. and the second they landed on your mouth, his eyes narrowed slightly like he’d just remembered this involved kissing you. subtle. but enough to make it harder to hold eye contact.
“…what?” you asked cautiously.
the corner of his mouth lifted. “nothing.”
liar.
you opened your mouth to call him out on it, but he leaned forward first.
casual. completely confident. like he genuinely expected this to be easy.
then he kissed you.
and immediately forgot the challenge existed.
because the kiss was supposed to be quick.
instead, halfway through, juhoon just… stopped.
not pulling away. not moving.
just lingering there for one weirdly quiet second like his brain had suddenly disconnected.
your heartbeat stumbled instantly.
when he finally opened his eyes again, he was still way too close.
“…well?” you asked softly.
his gaze flicked down toward your mouth again before slowly returning to your eyes.
“give me a second.”
you blinked. “what do you mean give you a sec—”
he kissed you again before you could finish.
this one lasted longer.
not dramatically. just enough that by the time he pulled back, your face already felt warm.
juhoon stared at you for another second afterward like he was still trying to process something.
“…okay,” he murmured slowly. “wait.”
you narrowed your eyes immediately. “you don’t know it.”
“i do.”
“you literally sound confused.”
“i’m thinking.”
“you’re stalling.”
he leaned in so automatically it almost felt unconscious, like his body had already decided another kiss was happening before his brain caught up.
“one more.”
your jaw dropped slightly. “you don’t get unlimited tries.”
"i’m clearly onto something here.”
“you are literally cheating.”
“no. cheating would be googling.”
then he kissed you again before you could argue back.
your fingers tightened automatically in the sleeve of his hoodie at the sudden warmth of it, and the quiet sound he made against your mouth nearly killed you on the spot.
because now he looked distracted. actually distracted.
like somewhere between the second and third kiss, he’d completely stopped pretending this was about chapstick anymore.
which became painfully obvious when he pulled back only barely this time, eyes still half-lidded.
“…juhoon.”
“hold on,” he murmured.
“you still haven’t guessed.”
“i know.”
“then why do you keep kissing me?”
that finally got a reaction out of him.
his ears turned slightly pink before his mouth twitched upward. “you keep distracting me halfway through.”
you stared at him flatly. “you’re unbelievable.”
“probably.”
the worst part was that he still looked entirely too calm saying it, despite the fact that his hand had unconsciously tightened slightly around your knee.
like he was grounding himself there without realizing.
your grip tightened instinctively on his hoodie sleeve.
and juhoon definitely noticed. because suddenly he was smiling again.
smaller this time.
warmer.
“you’re getting shy now,” he murmured.
“you’re annoying now.”
“now?”
you rolled your eyes, but it lost all effect when he leaned in again.
slower this time.
like he wasn’t even pretending to care about the challenge anymore.
by the time he finally pulled away properly, you were staring at him in disbelief while he looked suspiciously pleased with himself.
“…you forgot the flavor, didn’t you?”
silence.
then:
“…maybe.”
you groaned immediately. “juhoon.”
“in my defense,” he said, laughing quietly now, “you’re really distracting.”
your entire face burned.
“that is not a real excuse.”
“felt real to me.”
you shoved his shoulder while he grinned at you completely unapologetically.
then, after a second:
“…wait, was it vanilla?”
you blinked. “you’re guessing now?”
“am i right?”
“…yeah.”
his grin widened instantly. “see? i told you i’d get it.”
“after like six business days.”
“research takes time.”
from somewhere outside your bedroom door, a voice yelled:
“ARE YOU TWO ACTUALLY DOING THAT STUPID CHAPSTICK THING?”
both of you froze.
then juhoon leaned closer again immediately.
“ignore him,” he whispered.
your eyes narrowed. “you just want another excuse.”
“…correct.”
final score: 1/- (he stopped guessing.)
time taken: genuinely concerning…
COMMENTS (17)
james: this looked less like a challenge and more like interruption of private moments
↳ yn: get out
↳ james: no
martin: WHY WAS HE BUFFERING AFTER EVERY KISS 😭
↳ keonho: bro had to reconnect to server
seonghyeon: “give me a second” HE WAS LITERALLY JUST KISSING U???
↳ juhoon: concentration is important
↳ seonghyeon: you forgot the flavor
keonho: “research” ur disgusting btw
↳ martin: physically gagged actually
james: “you’re distracting” was crazy work actually
↳ juhoon: thank you
↳ james: that was not praise
yn: all of u are insufferable
↳ juhoon: but you like one of us extra
↳ yn: deleting this comment soon
↳ juhoon: coward
syn. when you give him the best opportunities, with zero consequences, of course he's going to take them. wc 1.3k
back to series...
james barely glanced up from his phone when you dropped down onto the couch beside him. which honestly should’ve been your first warning.
because whenever james looked that relaxed, it usually meant he was about to become absolutely unbearable.
you tried to act normal while digging through your hoodie pocket for the chapsticks, but seven plastic tubes knocking together was not a subtle sound.
his gaze finally lifted.
“…why do you sound like a pharmacy.”
“mind your business.”
“concerning already.”
you snorted softly and reached forward to prop your phone against the coffee table.
james noticed the setup immediately this time. phone angled toward the couch. camera already rolling. you trying way too hard to act casual about it.
instead of looking suspicious, though, he just looked amused.
“…what are we filming.”
“a challenge.”
“am i gonna regret agreeing to this?”
“probably.”
“nice.” he locked his phone and tossed it onto the couch beside him without hesitation. “continue.”
you blinked once. “…that’s it?”
“what?”
“you’re usually more difficult than this.”
“i’m choosing to be supportive today.”
“that’s scary.”
a quiet laugh escaped him as you finally pulled the chapsticks out into your lap.
his eyes dropped toward them immediately.
“…that’s excessive.”
“it’s options.”
“it’s seven lip balms.”
“don’t judge me.”
“i’m judging you a little.”
still, he reached over and picked one up curiously, turning it over in his hand.
strawberry.
“okay,” he said slowly. “what exactly am i supposed to be doing here.”
you straightened slightly, suddenly very aware of how ridiculous this sounded out loud.
“…i put on different flavors and you guess them.”
“by kissing you.”
it wasn’t a question.
your face warmed instantly anyway. “obviously.”
james looked at you for a second.
then nodded once like this was the most normal thing you’d ever suggested.
“alright.”
“…alright?”
“mhm.”
“you’re not gonna make fun of me?”
“why would i make fun of a system where i benefit directly.”
heat crawled up your neck immediately and you turned your face away. "right."
his mouth twitched slightly at your expression before he leaned back comfortably against the couch cushions again.
completely relaxed.
completely confident.
“well?” he said calmly. “start the game.”
you hated how nervous that suddenly made you.
“close your eyes.”
“bossy.”
but he listened immediately.
trying not to think too hard about it, you grabbed the strawberry chapstick from his hand and twisted it open quickly.
you applied the chapstick carefully, trying very hard not to think over the fact that he was sitting there. waiting to kiss you while your phone recorded the entire thing. which definitely made it way more embarrassing than regular kissing.
“done?” he asked.
“yeah.”
his eyes opened slowly.
and instantly dropped to your mouth.
you immediately regretted making eye contact.
because the worst part about james was that he always noticed things like that.
the tiny shift in your breathing. the way you suddenly stopped making eye contact. the heat climbing into your face.
the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“you got shy fast.”
“i’m literally fine.”
“mhm.”
“just do the challenge.”
“right.”
he leaned in slowly. completely unhurried. and that was worse.
because james always kissed like he had nowhere else to be.
warm. patient. annoyingly thorough for someone that was now participating in a stupid internet challenge.
the kiss lingered just long enough to make your brain short-circuit before he pulled back slightly, eyes still half-lidded.
thinking.
or pretending to think, apparently.
“…hmm.”
you stared at him immediately. “what do you mean 'hmm'.”
“i’m considering.”
“just guess.”
instead of answering, his hand lifted lightly to your jaw, thumb brushing once against your cheek before he tilted your face back toward him again.
you forgot what you were about to say entirely.
“i need another second.”
“james—”
then he kissed you again.
slower this time.
and slightly worse.
because now you could feel the faint twitch of his smile against your mouth like he was enjoying the fact that you were visibly losing composure.
which, realistically, he probably was.
when he finally pulled away, he stayed close enough that your noses almost brushed. his expression barely changed.
“…cherry,” he said quietly.
you blinked. “already?”
“mhm.”
suspicion hit immediately. “then why are you still looking at me like that?”
the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“because the challenge technically isn’t over yet.”
“you’re doing this on purpose.”
“doing what.”
“dragging it out.”
“that’s a strong accusation.”
“you do not think this is cherry.”
his mouth twitched slightly.
caught.
“pick another flavor.”
“…what?”
“unless,” he added calmly, “you’re tapping out already.”
before you could argue again, he kissed you a third time.
completely unnecessary.
completely intentional.
your hand grabbed lightly at the sleeve of his hoodie automatically, and the second it did, the corners of his mouth lifted against yours.
which only made your face warmer.
when he finally pulled away this time, he looked entirely too pleased with himself. “mm.”
“you are actually the worst.”
a quiet laugh escaped him before his gaze flicked toward your mouth again. “this tastes like the one you usually wear.”
your brain stalled completely.
“…what?”
he shrugged lightly, still way too calm for someone who’d just said something that evil.
“the strawberry one’s sweet,” his thumb brushed once against your jaw absentmindedly. “it tastes just like you.”
silence.
complete silence.
you physically could not look at him after that line.
“…you’re horrible.”
his grin widened immediately. “but you still want to do the challenge.”
you opened your mouth. closed it again.
because unfortunately he was right.
james looked way too satisfied about that realization before casually reaching over and grabbing another chapstick from the pile beside you without looking.
mint this time.
“so, next one,” he said simply.
you stared at him. “you’re taking this very seriously all of a sudden.”
“i’m committed now.”
“to the challenge?”
his eyes flicked briefly toward your mouth again before lifting back to yours.
“…sure.”
the look he gave you made your entire train of thought disappear.
and you were still trying to recover from that look of his when your phone suddenly buzzed loudly against the coffee table.
both of you glanced over.
martin
#lowcortisuenly
yo we are gna go get icecream @.yn @.james where r u
another message immediately appeared underneath it.
seonghyeon
#lowcortisuenly
they were gonna do that chapstick thing
then the notifications started piling up on eachother, barely leaving you time in between to read them.
seonghyeon
#lowcortisuenly
trend. the kissing one.
juhoon
#lowcortisuenly
if they're fr just making out on cam im blocking all of u
keonho
#lowcortisuenly
its already been TWENTY MINUTES???
juhoon
#lowcortisuenly
yeah so im blocking u all
the notifications kept piling up.
you slowly looked back at james.
james looked back at you completely unfazed.
then calmly reached for the chapstick again.
“…they can wait.”
final score: unknown, legend has it they're still going
kiss counter: yes
COMMENTS (21)
juhoon: acting supportive just so you can abuse the system is crazy
↳ yn: THANK YOU
↳ james: i participated enthusiastically
martin: he js pmo BAD.... why is he smooth
↳ yn: YOU GET ME