Just This Once (Part 2)
chapters: part 1 | part 2
genre: fluff, humor, angst, friends-to-lovers au, group of friends on a trip
pairing: best friend!haechan x fem!reader ft. ningning, jaemin, winter, jeno, jungwoo
word count: 7.3k
warnings: language, smoking, alcohol, mildly suggestive, y/n’s dad is getting remarried
now playing:
1.
Ningning is stunned as she attempts to leave the bedroom. She woke up craving some coffee but accidentally runs into scalding hot tea.
“Oh. My. God.”
She has to tell somebody. Anybody. She notices Jaemin shuffling in his bunk bed.
"Jaemin!” She whisper yells. “You need to see this...”
Jaemin pulls his blanket over his head. "Five more minutes…”
“Now!” Ningning demands.
"Wait… ugh. What now?” Jaemin drags himself out of bed and peers through the door. He thinks he’s hallucinating when he sees Haechan and Y/N entangled on the same couch.
Y/N felt too warm at some point that night. The blankets had been pushed aside. She lies on her back with Haechan’s arm draped over her waist. Their legs naturally intertwine. He nestles in the crook of her neck, while she tenderly leans against his forehead. Breaths so drawn out and relaxed, it's the soundest sleep they've had in a while. If puzzle pieces were brought to life, they would look something like this.
Jaemin and Ningning exchange astonished looks.
Jaemin: “Holy shit?”
Ningning: “Holy shit!”
Jaemin: “What the fuck?”
Ningning: “What the f—!”
Jaemin: “Say something original this time.”
Ningning can’t seem to move her jaw which is still hanging open.
“Well, it’s about time they dated,” Jaemin says.
“I don’t think they’re dating… yet.” Ningning is always the first to know. She had no clue about this.
Jaemin pushes the door out further.
“Nooo! Leave them alone,” Ningning tries to hold him back.
Too late.
Jaemin storms out and exclaims, “Good morning!”
Y/N and Haechan are too deep in their slumber. Still dreaming, he dives into her even further.
Jaemin clears his throat and says louder, “I said good morning! Let’s wake up, children. Peek-a-boo!”
There’s something strange casting a shadow over Y/N. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s... upside-down Jaemin? In a split second, Y/N kicks off the covers, sits up, and accidentally pushes Haechan off the couch.
Haechan lands on the floor with a thud. “Ow! What the—” He winces.
Y/N smacks Haechan’s butt to get his attention. He cheekily sticks his tailbone out, though still half-asleep.
“No, Donghyuck. Get up!” She begs him to cut it out.
Haechan realizes they’re not alone when he hears another man clearing his throat. In a far corner is Ningning, tiptoeing away from the bedroom door. Towering above him is the same grinning monster from before.
Haechan scrambles to sit up on the couch beside Y/N, then scoots a few inches away to leave room for the Holy Spirit. Their heads hang low, palms flat on their lap as if they got caught by their parents.
Jaemin makes a compelling offer. “Alright, lovebirds. We have to feed seven people this morning. If you two help us, we won’t say a word to the others. Deal?”
“Deal!” Haechan and Y/N answer at once.
“Sexy! Now, get to work.” Even Gordon Ramsay would be embarrassed if he saw how Na Jaemin runs a kitchen.
While setting the dining table, Ningning couldn’t help but ask, “So… what’s up with you two?”
Y/N stammers, “I—”
“Uh, I was drunk!” Haechan intercepts, hoping to diffuse the situation.
“You know what they say…” Jaemin utters poetically. “A drunk mind speaks a sober heart.” Haechan’s bright idea couldn’t have backfired any quicker.
“You spoke very clearly when you were begging to hold me, bro,” Y/N chides.
All men do is lie, even the ones named after the sun because it supposedly shines out of their ass.
Meanwhile, Winter wakes up to the smell of coffee and toast seeping into the bedroom. She calls on the two other guys to come out and have breakfast.
Something feels off as they settle at the dining table.
“Haechan, did you even sleep?” Jeno wonders.
“Yeah, why?” Haechan mindlessly asks.
“Weird. I thought I had the bed to myself all night,” Jeno replies.
Hot blood rushes to Y/N and Haechan’s cheeks.
Haechan diverts the conversation by shoving a whole sausage into Jeno’s mouth. “Eat up, Jeno. Food’s getting cold.”
2.
That afternoon, they split up. The boys enjoy biking like old times by the river. Meanwhile, the girls lose themselves in a maze of vintage thrift stores and quirky neighborhood cafés.
The boys head back as the sun begins to set. They take turns freshening up and play a few rounds of PUBG. Still, the girls are nowhere in sight. Haechan gets impatient.
hyuck: yo where r u? y/n: secret.
hyuck: ……… hyuck: boys r hungry come home plz 🙏 y/n: ok y/n: 15 mins
The boys cheer when the girls finally arrive. Craving meat and beer, they all head out for dinner. A chatty local recommends a popular barbecue joint a few blocks away.
It’s a bit chilly tonight with a mild, steady wind. Haechan casually reaches out to Y/N’s hand as they cross the street, but today is not his lucky day. She aggressively pulls away. He shivers when he’s greeted by a death stare that would put Wednesday Addams to shame. Y/N shoots daggers at her target, amplified by passing headlights.
“What’s wrong with your face?” Haechan asks.
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you so clingy!” She retorts as if she’s about to chew him up.
“I just missed hanging out with you, okay? God, you’re so—” He scoffs. Tongue in cheek, he zooms past her with long, powerful strides.
That guy has some nerve. Y/N thinks to herself.
She slowly crosses the road, carefully looking out for incoming traffic. Suddenly, she bumps into someone’s back.
But of course, it’s him again. Haechan had been standing still in the middle of the crosswalk, waiting for Y/N to catch up. He offers his hand without even glancing. What Haechan wants, Haechan gets. She obliges and pulls him along lest they get run over by a garbage truck.
Their fingers mindlessly interlace when they reach the other side of the road. She’s lost for words. He dares not speak. And, they settle into the same quiet rhythm amid an existential crisis.
A host greets them upon arriving at the restaurant. “For how many?”
Jungwoo starts counting off. “Hold on… one, two, three, four, five, six—” Jungwoo catches Y/N’s eyes.
She freezes.
That’s suspicious.
His focus crawls downwards until it reaches the side pocket of Haechan’s jacket.
That’s weird.
Two toasty hands hide in plain sight. Y/N tugs twice, but Haechan’s viselike grip won’t budge.
Feigning ignorance, she stares at a random person’s shoes to avoid Jungwoo’s mischievous looks. That guy is a menace to society. The one holding her hand hostage is even worse.
“Table for seven, please,” Jungwoo responds to the host.
The food is nothing special, but it tastes better because the gang is complete. It’s been a while since all their schedules lined up for a proper meal together.
There’s a lot to catch up on. Jaemin just got into med school. Jungwoo is finally a licensed engineer. Ningning won an award for her collection at fashion school. Winter is quite the aerial yoga celebrity with over ten thousand Instagram followers. Jeno, Haechan, and Y/N don’t know what exactly to do with their lives, but the fact that they survived college deserves a toast.
On one end of the table, Winter whispers, “Ningning, did you see that?”
“See what?” Ningning asks.
“Haechan just peeled the perilla leaf for Y/N!” Winter squeals in tiny.
“Mm—what’s with the leaf?” Ningning mumbles while chewing on a lettuce wrap.
Jungwoo chimes in, “One second, they’re separating perilla leaves. The next thing you know, they’re fucking.”
Ningning nearly spits out her food. Winter lets out a hearty laugh.
By some odd twist of fate, Haechan’s ex walks into the restaurant with her brand-new boyfriend. Ever so confident and gorgeous, she passes by the table of seven and smiles amiably at everyone.
Haechan nods to acknowledge her, albeit avoiding eye contact. His mood drops in an instant.
It all makes sense now. Y/N realizes that he’s still reeling from his last break-up.
“Psst. You okay?” Y/N passes an ice-cold beer over to Haechan.
“Yeah. Of course,” Haechan says nonchalantly. Liar. He’s been staring into space for more than five minutes now.
“Donghyuckie is strong, right?” Y/N coos as if talking to a child.
“Yes…”
“Donghyuckie will not cry, right?”
“Yes…”
“Donghyuckie will pay for Y/N’s bill tonight, right?”
“Yes…”
She’s stumped. “Haechan,” she says with a straight face.
He scowls and comes back to his senses. “Call me Haechan one more time…”
For some reason, Haechan hates it when Y/N calls him by his non-government name. Their high school principal gave him that nickname so teachers wouldn’t mix up two Lee Donghyucks in the same class.
“Why can’t I?” She protests.
“Because! You can just call me baby.” He says with a wink.
There he is. Full Sun is back in business.
Y/N responds with a sarcastic smile.
The truth is that he wants to be the only Lee Donghyuck she’d ever acknowledge.
“Emergency meeting!” Haechan claps thrice to call the group’s attention. “Who wants soju? One, two, three, four… Excuse me! Eight bottles of soju, please!”
Haechan is not a lightweight drinker, but he can’t handle too much either. With one pint of beer, he’s tipsy. Add two more bottles of soju, and it’s a problem. The lovely cuddle bear evolves into a whiny velcro dog in minutes.
Haechan leans onto Y/N’s shoulder when the alcohol starts to kick in. He starts singing along to sappy break-up songs playing in the background, holding onto Y/N’s waist for impact.
She lets him be for now... until he burps in her face.
Strike one.
He latches onto Y/N’s arm when she abruptly stands up. Pulling her back down, he wails, “Where you going? Don’t leave me!”
“I have to pee! You’re so dramatic.” She shakes him off.
“B-but I mith you alreadyyy!” He cries out, grasping at the air as she escapes to the restroom.
Strike two.
This is it, she fears. This is the point of no return. A cheesy grin on Haechan’s face refuses to let up.
He squints through his clear, thick-rimmed glasses and asks, “Y/N? Is that... a-are you wearing lipstick? Why you so pretty todayyy? *hic*”
“That’s because you’re drunk as fuck.” She snatches away his third bottle of soju and takes a painfully large swig from it.
Strike three.
Y/N reaches her limit when Haechan yelps, “Y/N, don’t move!”
“What’s wrong?” She asks with furrowed eyebrows, genuinely concerned.
“D-don’t move! You might miss it!” He yelps.
“No, no, no, no, don’t do it—” She pulls back.
In his best Sailor Moon impression, Haechan casts a spell. “My arrow of looove! Take it!” He shoots himself to cage Y/N in a suffocating bear hug.
Y/N snaps when he leans in a tad too close for an air kiss.
Lee Donghyuck, you’re out.
Agitated, Y/N scans the other tables. Is he trying to make his ex jealous? It feels more insulting than flattering.
Riled up by liquid courage, she dares him for the entire table to hear, “Donghyuck, are we in middle school? Kiss me properly if you’re so brave.”
“Aw, shit. It’s going down!” Jungwoo heckles.
The liquor rushing through Haechan’s veins rapidly breaks into a cold sweat. He’s dazed, mouth agape. Those darn puppy eyes won’t save him tonight.
“See? I thought so. All bark and no bite.” Y/N downs her last shot of soju and immediately asks for the bill.
She heads out as soon as she slaps her share on the table. Jaemin and the girls chase after Y/N. The rest of the boys leave not long after.
3.
Back at the vacation house, Y/N excuses herself to smoke in the backyard. Haechan chugs a shit ton of water to sober up before following her out.
“Hey...” Haechan walks up next to her. He lights up a cigarette, watching the earth beneath him decompose.
“You still miss her, don’t you?” Y/N has never been one to beat around the bush. She blows smoke upwards, waiting for shooting stars to appear overhead.
He’s quiet.
Frankly, she already knows the answer.
She continues, “Hyuck… we’re best friends. You know you can talk to me about anything, right? If you need a wingwoman, I’ll do it for you. If you want to drown in your own misery, I’ll drink with you. I’ll grab late-night munchies with you. I’ll even take you home. But I have to draw the line.” She gives him a stern look. “I can’t be your rebound.”
This is far from the sermon he was expecting. “What? You’re not—”
“I wasn’t born yesterday, Hyuck. I get it.” She takes another puff, hissing as she exhales.
She takes a minute to clear her head. “I’m sorry for putting you on the spot back there. I don’t want us to be awkward around the others. Let’s just, like, pretend the last 24 hours didn’t happen at all. Yeah?”
“Is that really what you want?” He asks.
She gives him a good staredown.
“Fine. Whatever.” Haechan reluctantly agrees.
Y/N feels a slight pang of guilt seeing his somber look. “No hard feelings.” She nudges his wrist in remorse. “Talk to you later?”
“Yeah. Later.” He forces half a smile to convey that he’ll be alright.
This may be one of the reasons their friendship has stood the test of time. Haechan is a textbook Gemini, erratic and chaotic. He acts before thinking and speaks with no filter. Y/N, though equally short-tempered, has the emotional memory of a goldfish. She can’t hold a grudge for long, especially against him. They’ve learned to hash it out as soon as possible to restore peace quickly.
Jungwoo and Jeno head out to smoke, crossing paths with a weary Y/N as she walks back inside.
“Yo, lover boy! What was that? Lover’s quarrel?” Jungwoo attempts to lighten up the mood.
“Not now, Jungwoo,” Haechan laments, hiding in shame behind his bangs.
Jungwoo: “Just tell her you like her, man.”
Haechan: “She thinks I’m trying to use her as a rebound. The fuck?”
Jeno: “Woah, woah, woah. You like Y/N for real? Since when?”
Jungwoo: “I’ll guess... when you became ballroom dance partners?”
Haechan: “No...”
Jeno: “When you both got locked inside the storage room during choir?”
Haechan: “Nah. We barely talked when we did choir.”
Jungwoo: “When you volunteered to be her bodyguard—”
Haechan: “Boyfriend.”
Jungwoo: “Fake boyfriend to get rid of her stalker ex?”
Haechan: “You guys would suck ass on The Price is Right. No! Before that.”
Jeno: “Ah, I know! When she roundhouse kicked you smack in the face?”
Jungwoo and Jeno cackle until they see Haechan smiling wistfully to himself.
“Bro. Seriously?!” Jeno’s eyeballs nearly pop out of his head.
“It was after she kicked me,” Haechan clarifies. “I was in shock. I didn’t realize my gums were bleeding. When I tried to talk, she saw red and completely lost it! You’d think I was dying by the way she cried. She took me to the clinic and coddled me like a baby. My mom flipped. But when she found out that it was a cute girl who kicked my ass, she was like, ‘It’s okay! It was an accident.’ That was our last taekwondo class ever.”
Jeno: “So… that’s why Y/N fed you lunch for a whole month.”
Haechan: “Actually, my gums healed in a week. I just liked having lunch with her.”
Jeno: “You’ll never get out of the friend zone if you keep conning her, bro. Just tell her.”
Haechan: “I’m in the ninth circle of friend zone hell, man.”
Jungwoo: “Haechan-ah, always remember. Confidence maketh man.”
Haechan: “Now, you’re just lying to me. I’m pretty sure they said, ‘Manners maketh man’ in the movie.”
Jungwoo: “Oh. But that’s not the point!”
Haechan: “I can’t tell her! I’ll never tell her.”
Jungwoo: “You have nothing to lose, my man.”
Haechan takes another puff and sighs. “This is Y/N we’re talking about. She’d freak out and start avoiding me like the plague.” He knows her too well, so well that he knows exactly how she would act. “I can’t lose her. Not her.”
“Damn, bro. That shit’s deep.” Jeno looks into the distance.
“Bro, you are in deep shit. I think…” Jungwoo puts an arm around Haechan’s shoulder. “You’re actually in love with her.”
Haechan puts out his cigarette and curses under his breath. “Fuck.”
4.
Back inside the house, Y/N overhears Winter, Ningning, and Jaemin playing Jenga in the dining area.
Ningning: “Hey, did you see Haechan’s ex earlier? Of all the places, huh.”
Jaemin: “Ha! Good riddance.”
Winter: “Wasn’t she the one who ended it?”
Ningning: “Technically, yes. She was super possessive, though. I feel like she hated us.”
Winter: “So, that’s why Haechan fell off the face of the Earth for a while.”
Jaemin: “I didn’t vibe with her since he started dodging our plans. If she wants to date our Haechannie, she has to go through me!”
Ningning: “You know what else I heard from Jungwoo? The final straw was that she made him choose between Y/N or her. And he chose you know who. But you didn’t hear that from me.”
Y/N suddenly sneaks up on them. “You can say my name. I’m not Voldemort.”
Startled, Ningning almost knocks over the Jenga tower during her turn.
“Why me?” Y/N continues. “I barely saw him the entire four months they dated.”
“I mean, it’s not like he can pretend you don’t exist. You practically grew up together.” Ningning digresses.
“That doesn’t mean we’re secretly in love or anything,” Y/N sharply denies.
“Counsels, please present the evidence.” Jaemin picks up a Jenga block to use as a microphone.
Jaemin: “Exhibit A.”
Ningning: “His mom keeps pictures of you on their family photo wall.”
Jaemin: “Exhibit B.”
Winter: “He buys designer leather jackets for your dog.”
Jaemin: “Exhibit C. His password since high school.”
Ningning: “Woah! Dispatch is shaking.”
Winter: “Shit just got real.”
Jaemin: “When it comes to the one-year-old chihuahua dripping in Gucci… Haechan, you are the father!”
Y/N: “Wait—”
Jaemin: “You can’t fight destiny, Y/N. You’re practically married.”
Y/N argues, “Objection, Your Honor! I am not his wifey. I’m just his babysitter, shock absorber, personal Uber. I really hoped it would work out for him this time. She’s really pretty.”
“Uh, pretty crazy,” Ningning rolls her eyes.
Winter insists, “But, girl, you have history.”
Y/N figures, “He just had to make a choice to get out of that… situation.”
Winter: “Y/N, he peels off perilla leaves for you.”
Y/N: “Huh… Okay, and?”
Winter: “And he feeds it to you. With his chopsticks. That have been in his mouth!”
Y/N snaps, “Jaemin does that for him, too! Is that gay?”
Ningning roars in laughter.
Jaemin groans, “I have a headache!”
Y/N adds, “Besides, I’m not in the right headspace to date anyone right now. Men are so...”
Ningning: “Confusing?”
Winter: “Annoying?”
Y/N: “Stupid? All of the above.”
“Or so I’ve heard…” Jaemin isn’t convinced. “Imagine my surprise when I woke up and saw you two—”
“Jaemin!” Ningning slaps his bicep and points at his nose. “Don’t.”
“Anyway! Let’s go to bed after this round,” Jaemin mumbles mid-yawn. “My legs feel like jello from all that biking.”
“I’ll go ahead. I have to take a shower.” Y/N walks away.
“Goodnight!” They send Y/N off.
“Ha, they’re amazing, really,” Jaemin scoffs, exasperated.
“How can two people who were made for each other be so dense?” Ningning wonders.
“They’ll figure it out.” Winter sighs. “Someday.”
“Jenga!” The tower comes crashing down.
5.
It’s the last day of their trip. They all venture out to catch some rides at an amusement park.
Haechan takes extra care not to cross boundaries around Y/N. She acts unbothered by last night’s events, still bantering with Haechan as usual.
“Hyuck, have some.” Y/N offers him french fries.
“No, thank you,” he answers coldly.
“Help me finish it, please?” She takes a piece and tries to feed him by hand.
“Stop it.” He can’t hide his annoyance anymore. “I thought you said you didn’t want anything to do with me?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” She’s taken aback.
“Oh, I don’t know! You had this whole monologue last night about drawing the line and erasing the last whatever the fuck hours from history.”
“That’s not what I meant.” She says matter-of-factly.
“Well, that’s what I heard. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have some fuckboy shit to do because that’s what fuckboys like me do.” Haechan walks out, dragging along a clueless Jungwoo.
“With Jungwoo, really?” She exclaims. What kind of fuckboy things could he be plotting with resident math nerd, Engineer Kim Jungwoo?
Y/N hesitates when the group approaches an infamous roller coaster with a 100-degree drop.
“Y/N! Aren’t you coming?” Jaemin calls.
“You guys go ahead. I’ll wait here,” Y/N retreats to the benches.
“What do you mean ‘go ahead’?” Jaemin marches after her.
“It’s too scary!” She wails.
“What? I’ve never seen you back down from heights.”
Y/N takes a seat. “I’m not sure about this one, Jaem. I’d fall straight into hell if something goes wrong.”
Jaemin hisses and sits beside her. “Falling can be scary, I know. But someone out there is trying their best to make sure you don’t get hurt. You just have to put a little trust in them.”
“Are we still talking about the roller coaster?” She asks.
“I don’t know, Y/N. You tell me,” Jaemin replies.
She nervously shifts her gaze, incidentally landing in Haechan’s direction.
Jaemin cuts to the chase. “I saw you guys beefing earlier. He likes you. Like, for real. You know he can’t hide it forever, right?”
“I kinda figured. He’s been acting weird lately.” Y/N fidgets. “Nana, what should I do?”
“I’d be the first to warn you about the walking red flags you date. But this one… he’s a good guy, our Donghyuckie. When has he ever let you down?”
Y/N racks her brain for answers, but nothing comes up. “I might actually lose it if we end up hating each other. What if it doesn’t work out?”
“But what if it does?” Jaemin’s question is so simple yet so difficult to answer. “You’ve been friends through hell and back. You can make it through anything.”
Y/N looks up at Jaemin as if to ask if he really thinks so. She doesn’t say a word, but he understands.
He gives her an assuring smile and offers his hand. “Y/N, let’s go?”
She takes it. Then, they run up to the roller coaster together.
They’re in luck this evening. There’s a music festival at the amusement park grounds. The seven spend the night listening to indie bands and rookie idols while lounging on the cool grass. It’s the perfect way to end their quick getaway.
Haechan watches Y/N from the back as she mimics a girl group’s point choreography. He’s in awe again of how quickly she picks up steps, just like when they they used to dance together.
Sensing eyes on her, Y/N glances back. Haechan and Y/N catch themselves in the longest staring contest of their lives.
Time stops. A steady pounding grows so loud drowns out all other sounds.
She breaks it off without saying anything.
He spends the rest of the night wondering.
6.
Everyone gets busy packing their bags when they return to the house.
Jeno overhears Haechan talking to his mom on the phone.
“Yes, she’s here… But we kind of fought. Well, it was my fault.” Haechan murmurs.
“I don’t want to….”
“I didn’t raise you to be a coward!” His mom’s shrill voice pierces through the earpiece.
“But I am!” He whines like a child.
“Okay, okay! Fine.”
“Yes, mom. I will. Goodnight.”
Jungwoo reminds the others to rest early to prepare for the long drive home. Those inside the room settle in their own beds. Meanwhile, Haechan stares at the ceiling fighting inner battles alone.
He sits up when he hears light footsteps from the other side of the door.
“Donghyuckie, fighting!” Jeno whispers.
“Shut up, Jeno.” Haechan retorts.
“Wait.” Jeno reaches for his wallet and digs through its pockets.
Haechan shivers when Jeno tries to hand over a condom.
“Whoops, my bad! I was just testing you.” Jeno smirks and offers a breath mint instead. “Here, take this.”
Haechan cautiously takes the breath mint. “Thanks, bro.” He walks away two steps and a half before returning to snatch the condom as well. Just in case.
Haechan finds Y/N in the kitchen preparing tea. He inches closer but stops across the kitchen island to keep his distance.
“Holy shit!” Y/N is startled when she catches Haechan’s reflection on the microwave door.
“Hey.” He finally greets her.
“Geez, I thought you were a ghost. Can’t sleep either?” She asks.
“Um, yeah.”
“You want some? It’s chamomile.” She offers tea to help out a fellow insomniac.
“I’m good. Th-thanks, though.” His voice is shaky.
The silence is deafening while she waits for the electric kettle to finish. She mulls why Haechan even bothered to come out if he won’t talk anyway.
“Are you still mad?” Y/N breaks the ice.
“No, no… I’m not mad.” Haechan says earnestly. He tries to overcome the awkward air. “You know what, I could use some tea, too.”
“S-sure, give me a minute,” she complies. “Do you wanna, like, sit down?”
“I can wait.”
“You can wait in the living room. I’ll bring it to—“ She insists.
“I said I’ll wait right here, Y/N,” Haechan says firmly.
They’ve never felt so strange in the presence of each other. Y/N can’t stand it at all.
“Spit it out, Hyuck. What do you want?” She bluntly asks.
“You! I want you.” Haechan doesn’t even stutter.
“No, you don’t… Have you been drinking again?”
Tension rises in the kitchen.
He insists, “I’m not, I swear! I didn’t drink a drop of alcohol either when we slept together.”
“Beside each other.” Semantics are important, Y/N believes.
“Beside. Whatever.” He huffs. “And for your information, I’m not on the rebound. I would never use you to get over someone else. Do you think I’d stoop that low?”
The kettle shuts off. “Are you done?” Y/N tries to evade the topic.
“No! I’m not done with you yet.” It takes a couple of labored breaths to pull himself together. “Is that all you think of me? Be honest.” Haechan implores.
Still refusing to face him, she pours hot water over the tea bags and watches them steep. “It’s not that. I’m just trying to be careful.”
“Even with me?” He asks earnestly.
She meets him in the eye. “Especially you! You’re all I have, Hyuck. We can’t be messing around like this.”
Finally, he spits out what he’s been dying to get off his chest. “I think I’m in love with you.”
Well, fuck. He dropped the L word. With nowhere else to hide, she turns her back on him again. She shifts some of her weight onto the countertop to hide the growing weakness in her knees. She bargains, “Maybe you should sleep on it? It’ll go away.”
“I tried everything—games, alcohol, dating, muay thai classes. I’ve been trying to sleep on it for years. I can’t keep lying to you.”
Y/N scrunches her face and shakes her head. She gulps. Mind blank. Nerves on overdrive. “I’m saying this because I care about you, Hyuck. You deserve someone who doesn’t carry so much baggage, someone who’s ready to give their all. I can’t be that person for you right now.”
“If it’s not you, then I don’t want it.”
He walks up to her and tenderly cages her in from behind. “I couldn’t tell you for so long ‘cause you’re one of the biggest commitment-phobes I know.”
“Am not!” She flails her arms.
“Are too! Admit it.” He captures her wrists and crosses them over in his tight hold.
She’s engulfed by the boy’s heartbeat echoing harshly against her spine.
“It’s always been you, Y/N.” He confides, chin sinking into her motionless frame.
Though she finds some solace in his crisp, familiar scent, it’s the same familiarity that suffocates her. Unlike Haechan, who wears his heart on his sleeve, Y/N guards hers above all else.
“Say something,” he begs. “Please.” The muffled sound of pouring rain overwhelms the rooftop.
Haechan bows out of frustration when Y/N suddenly breaks free to face him.
“Since when?” She asks, reading into his soul.
“Like, seven years? It’s a little embarrassing.” He rubs the back of his neck, half-hoping and half-surrendering to his fate.
Seven years? Seven years. Fragmented memories start running through her mind.
When her pet hamster died because the neighbor’s cat thought it was lunch, Haechan buried it with her. He dug a small grave and secretly stole some orchids from that neighbor’s well-tended garden. A flood of tears washed away the dirt on her face when he sang Michael Jackson’s You Are Not Alone as part of the funeral rites.
When she failed to make the cheer team, Haechan traded his football cleats for leotards. He didn’t mind being the only boy in ballet class if it meant she didn’t give up on dancing. The duo boldly took on contemporary, ballroom, breakdance, anything under the sun. Together, they were a force that feared no other.
When she felt disillusioned about prom because her crush Renjun invited someone else, Haechan convinced her to go together. Not taking no for an answer, he helped her find a dress, prepared a corsage, and enlisted his dad to be their driver.
When she first got her driver’s license, Haechan tagged along for practice drives. He prayed to all the gods he knew every time she stepped on the gas and held onto the handbrake as tightly as he held his breath. At night, they’d park atop a nearby hill to count stars at the back of an old pickup truck that she drove.
When her father’s shiny, new girlfriend moved in, she learned to lock herself in her bedroom and hold out for dinner. Her father’s empty promises played in her mind like a broken record. She became a stranger in her own home. Since then, she vowed never to trust men. But here comes Lee-fucking-Donghyuck messing with her head again.
Haechan mopes and starts biting his nails. He never outgrew the habit since they were in middle school.
Y/N swipes his hand away from his mouth. Then, she asserts in the calmest yet most intimidating tone, “I’ll bust your gums again if you ever hurt me. I won’t even take you to the doctor this time. Do you understand?”
He blinks, bleary-eyed and speechless. Chills run down his spine. Amy Dunne, is that you? What have you done to my best friend? Then, he remembers this is the same girl who seems to feel it more when he’s in pain.
“You mean?” Mouth agape, he chokes on air until the internal panic blows over.
Smitten by her best friend’s charm, she swallows her pride. It’s incredible how he can make her laugh without even trying. She gently takes off his glasses and puts it inside the pocket of his bermuda shorts.
He bites his lip, takes a deep breath, then pulls into her by the waist until their foreheads touch.
“Hi,” he whispers.
“Hi,” she replies nervously.
Haechan leans in cautiously, ever so slowly. He leaves a chaste peck on her temple to test the waters. Then, he grazes both her eyelids shut.
She takes a deep breath. At his mercy in the darkness, a warm sensation brushes the tip of her nose. As he finds his way across the moles on her jaw, she commits the shape of his pillowy thumb to memory.
“Let me take care of you this time.” Haechan implores.
She purses her lips to conceal its trembling. “W-why would you say that? I’m so fragile right now.” She starts sobbing inconsolably.
Haechan grapples with the paper towel holder and pulls an excessive amount to wipe her tears with.
“Sorry. I can’t help it.” She hates feeling vulnerable, and he knows it all too well.
“Shh… You’re fine. I got you,” he reassures her.
7.
When she made a rash decision to sign a lease for an old, dingy apartment, he helped her move in like only a true friend would. He insisted on changing all the locks and meticulously inspected every corner for his peace of mind.
On her first night alone, they stared at the low ceiling. No mattress, no furniture, just piles of boxes and clothes.
“So, I heard about the wedding,” Haechan mentions casually.
“Yeah. Next month,” Y/N murmurs indifferently.
“Is that why you lied about getting a housing scholarship?” He asks.
“My dad cried when she said yes. I’ve never seen him so happy.” Y/N sighs, defeated. “She’s already remodeling the house, hanging pictures on the wall.”
Haechan knows the feeling all too well. “I tried running away, too, when I first moved in with mom. Everything felt so foreign to me. But I was like 7 years old in Jeju. The neighbors just fed me dinner and told my mom where to pick me up.”
She chuckles. “Little Hyuck is stronger than me. I can’t stand living in that house anymore.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? You can stay at my house.”
“I don’t wanna make it weird for your family.” She hesitates.
“My mom thinks you came out of her womb. Hello? I'll take care of it.” He tries to convince her.
But she’s stubborn. “I’m pulling in some hours at the pizza place around the block. Bring everyone you know so I can make rent.”
“Seriously, Y/N." Frustrated, he clutches her hand. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
“I’ll be fine… I just need a little more time.” Y/N can be strong-willed to a fault, but her fidgeting bared it all.
It was the first time he watched over her so protectively. Carefully guiding her head to lay on his lap. Combing his fingers through her hair. Softly humming lullabies his mother sang to him as a child. Watching intently as she fell into a deep slumber. Wrapping her in his jacket to keep her warm through the night. Making excuses not to leave for class until she finished her breakfast. Stuffing himself with pizza for dinner though he hated it. Waiting for her shift to end to walk her home. Returning the next day to keep her company in the guise of helping her unpack.
She didn’t say much, but he knew by her silence. From then on, he’d be the man who always came through for her. He promised.
“Y/N...” Haechan gently draws her back in when she calms down a bit. “It’s me. You can trust me.” It’s soothing—his presence, his attentive gaze, his sweet honey voice.
She’s scared shitless, to be quite honest. But for Donghyuck, she’s willing to give it a shot.
She nods. “I trust you.”
It’s as if Haechan just took his first breath in ages. He wastes no time and plants a sticky one on her lips. She kisses back. Sparks fly, and they’re floating. This must be what, as they say in novels, it feels like to be on Cloud Nine.
“I love you, Y/N. I mean it.” He says it with so much conviction that it pierces her hardened heart. Haechan clearly adores her. She wonders if she even deserves the way his face lights up for her—so pure and innocent, reminiscent of when they first met.
Haechan cradles her face for a faithful kiss. Another. And another. Plunging deeper until they both lose count.
Haechan’s palms are rather heavy, weighed down by years of unspoken affection. He makes up for lost time and puts in his intentions for days to come. To her, it’s cathartic. It’s annihilating a safe house and rebuilding it as her home. Each passing moment eases the doubts and fears she amassed over the years. Clutching at the hem of his wrinkled shirt, she gradually surrenders.
Haechan unexpectedly pulls back.
“What’s wrong?” Y/N asks.
“You like me?” He says breathlessly.
“M-maybe? Why are you panting?”
“Y/N! I almost died out there!” He tickles her sides out of frustration.
She squirms and gives up soon enough. “Okay, okay! Yeah, I guess. You know I don’t go around kissing people I don’t like.”
“You kissed Doyoung once.” Haechan pouts.
“I can’t believe this.” She rolls her eyes. “I was drunk!”
“Whut-ever! You said he was cute.”
“Well, yeah. A little.” She says nonchalantly.
“See!” He whines.
“Are you jealous?!”
“Yeah, a little.”
Y/N tries to appease the sulky boy. “It was like kissing a rock, alright? He was a better kisser in my imagination.”
Haechan breaks character when an unruly wheeze escapes him. “And me?”
“I, huh, you—what?” She stammers.
“Go on. I’m listening.”
“Pause. My heart is beating so fucking fast right now I think it’s about to explode,” she says clutching her chest.
“I think… you might be in love with me,” he teases.
“Donghyuck?"
“Y/N?”
“Shut up.”
He squeals, then pulls her in tightly, quite possessively. “I waited seven years for this. What’s another seven?” He lays a lingering kiss on the crown of her head.
The butterflies refuse to settle down as she buries herself in the safety of his chest. Haechan means more to her than she can say out loud.
He affectionately nudges her chin. “Your heart is fluttering, right? I’m driving you crazy, right?” He dips his head to follow her shifty eyes. “You dared me to kiss you properly. I’m just following orders, Ma’am.”
Stunned that he still recalls her drunken outburst, she shyly admits, “I… I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Competitive by nature, Haechan takes it as a challenge. He lifts her onto the kitchen counter and stands tall between her legs. “Baby, I was just getting started…”
“Excuse me! What did you just call me?” She’s astonished by how forward he is.
He tugs on her knees to close the gap between them.
“Baby?!” Too soon, she thinks.
“Yes, baby?” He shuts her up with a feverish, open-mouthed kiss.
Two kindred souls meld into one. Tongue-tied, their tongues collide. Gasping, unrelenting, never parting. There’s a hint of desperation in their unyielding hunger for the other.
He wraps her legs around himself and digs his fingers into her waist. He devours her until the veins pop off his arms. Clearly, he has no plans of letting this one go.
She indulges in his sweet caress, growing greedier by the second. Her fingers ruffle through his wavy, unkempt locks. He slightly whimpers when she unconsciously grabs a bit too hard.
“Sorry!” She sneaks in a quick apology.
“It’s okay.” He shows no signs of stopping, although his voice has gone hoarse. Still going at it, he confesses into the torrid mess, “I liked it.”
She tries scold him but is taken aback when a stupid moan spills out of his mouth. “Hyuck, you good?” Vibrations radiate everywhere as they giggle quietly.
“Your turn.” He traces his fingers up her spine while nibbling down her neck. She gasps audibly. Then, he disconnects.
Three.
Two.
One.
Patience is a virtue, but Y/N is having none of that today. She eagerly chases after his lips. He sprinkles a smug smile into the spicy kiss.
God, it’s been a while since she felt so alive. He whispers sweet nothings, thanking the heavens above.
The chamomile tea has gone cold. Nothing can calm these two hearts now. Oddly, nothing has ever felt as serene to them as this moment.
8.
On the drive back home, Haechan and Jungwoo sing cheesy radio tunes at the top of their lungs. The girls try to get some shut-eye but fail.
A sudden realization hits Haechan. “Shit. I forgot my jacket.”
“It’s in my bag,” Y/N groans, lying heavy-lidded against the seat next to him.
“The leather one?”
“Yeah… I checked the closets.” She yawns.
“My baby!” He gives her the loudest, sloppiest smack on the cheek.
All eyes turn to them.
She scowls. “Don’t act cute with me now.”
He shifts to his anime voice. “I wasn’t acting cute. I was born cute!”
Winter and Ningning squeal and cringe at the same time.
“I cannot with these two! They’re even more annoying now.” Jungwoo breaks down from the seat on the other side of Haechan. “Yah, Jeno! Pull over! Just drop them off right here,” Jungwoo demands while pointing at the highway shoulder.
“Congrats, you guys!” Jeno cheers from the driver’s seat.
Haechan pulls himself into Y/N for a full-body hug, rubbing his nose, cheeks, and chin on her neck to smother himself in her scent.
“Agh, stubble! Itchy!” She bites his shoulder in retaliation.
“Yah!” Jaemin yells from the front passenger seat, “Children, no fighting! Back row, please behave.”
“Yes, teacher!” The two best friends exclaim in unison.
9.
It’s been six months since that trip. Haechan is enjoying his first gig as a junior music producer. Y/N found a better apartment that’s closer to her new job.
Y/N’s home never feels empty because they’re right there lying on the couch. Haechan gently pats a sleepy chihuahua on his belly. He stays over often to spend time with his girl, his best friend, the mother of his furry surrogate son. Sometimes, he sneaks in just to play with the little one.
Y/N joins the cuddlefest after a brunch date with her dad. Her furbaby gives kisses while the giant baby offers his shoulder.
“Hyuck...” Y/N whispers.
“Hm?” He hums half-asleep while drawing circles on her hip.
“I love you.”
“Love you, too,” he casually responds.
Then, it hits him.
“Wait. What?!” The startled dog in between them jumps off the couch. Haechan is wide awake now. It’s the first time she ever said it out loud.
“I said I love you.” She flashes a radiant smile. She’s a hundred percent sure this time. Honesty glimmers in her eyes.
“Seriously?!” He thinks he’s still dreaming.
She pinches his cheeks like a rubberband to prove this is real. “Lee Donghyuck. I. Love. You.”
“No fucking way.” His tears start welling up.
“Don’t cry or I’ll cry.” She feels the waterworks coming as well.
“I think I’ll pass out.” Haechan jokes.
They laugh while wiping away happy tears. Elated, he peppers her face with wet smooches. “I love you. I love you. I love you.” He gushes every time like it’s the first time.
“I’m really sorry,” Y/N says with utmost sincerity.
“For what?” Haechan asks.
“For doubting you? I’m an asshole.”
Haechan pushes his luck. “If you let me call you baby maybe I’ll forgive you.”
“Can we not?” She objects.
He throws his weight on top of her. “Please? I’ll give you options. Baby girl? Sweetheart? Darling?”
She gags.
“What about… my one and only? Love of my life? My shorty? My wife?”
“Those are song lyrics!” She exclaims.
“And what about it?” He replies.
“Fine. We can keep babe or baby or whatever.”
“Ding, dong, ding! And we have a winner!” Haechan squeals in glee. “Give me a B! Give me an A! Give me a B! Give me a Y! What does that spell?!”
“Baby…” She cringes. “Eugh, I can’t do it!”
“Of course you can, babe,” he teases while marking further down her neck and collarbone.
“I’ll just call you Haechan.”
“Don’t you dare!” He pins her down playfully.
The tiny dog barks in jealousy and jumps back up to join the snuggle fest. Y/N’s entire world literally rests on top of her, but everything seems weightless.
“What about you, Mister Pepito? You wanna be baby, too?” Haechan coos. Now, Pepito has two warm humans to nuzzle up against.
I could live like this. She thinks to herself. He’s glad he took the risk.
Once upon a time, in the same lifetime, they were brave enough to chase bliss.