Author notes: this taken too long for how short it ended up being đđ, hope you enjoy this because that Isa picture went insane in waterbomb
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âNyangghhh~, you finger me so fucking goodâŠâ Chaeyoung moans happily, itâs impressive how even with your digits impaling her lower entrance that is getting tighter by each pump, your other hand gropes one of her buttcocks, giving it a loving squeeze. And her mouth that speaks sinful words directly to your ear, she still keeps her adorable smile that makes fans around the world adore her.
A lot of people say Isa is made for spotlight, you would probably say she is made to be fucked into the mattress
âI bet you love it when i fuck you like that, right kitten?â you say, a smug smile is on your face, keeping your pace steady.
âNghh⊠i am not a cat, assholeâ
âYou moan like oneâŠâ you counter her argument, get another moan from her to show your proof by giving her ass a loud smack. âEspecially when it comes from this dick, your favourite toyâŠâ you add, now taking one of her hands to wrap around your now fully hard length, no words needed to be said for her to take the memo as she starts to move her hand up and down your length.
âYou don't even know how much i waited to feel that cock, how wet i have been that entire performanceâ she comments, her entire focus shifts to her hand pleasuring you from base to tip while looking at you with sultry eyes
âI thought cats hate waterâ.
âI guess being filled with water so much had me wanting to be filled with something else~â she replies while her thumb rubs your tip, getting a bit of your precum for her tongue to taste, humming in approval of your taste. âNo idea why this cock isnt already splitting me in halfâ.
âBold of you to assume you deserve my cumâ you respond, now lifting her off your lap and pushing her into the mattress with you on top of her. âYou have been a very bad kitten tonight, haven't you?â You ask her, your hand goes to her bra covered chest, pinching her right nipple through the black cloth as Chaeyoung tries her hardest to hold her moan.
âThat outfit you came with, those oh-so innocent smiles you gave to the fans, those thighs you flaunt around like you are asking, begging to get fuckedâ you continue while your hands vetnure all around her body, highlighting every curve of hers with a firm squeeze.
âI knowâŠI've been such a bad kittenâŠa really bad kitten that needs to be punished, dont i?~â She giggles below you while her eyes lock directly into yours, hoping that her words and gaze help you get the obvious message she sends
âAnd the worst of all: those pictures you postedâ your right hand now takes your phone and shows to her the latest post on her Instagram, the one she posted one hour ago.
âYou don't feel shame, do you?â You ask, not letting her answer as you get the tip of your cock grazing her inner thighs. âshowing those panties around like that? I bet so many guys have been stroking themselves during the performance to you, imagining how a slutty pussy like yours need to get fuckedâ
âNyaghhâŠâ is the only thing Isa can mutter out of her mouth, looking at you with glitter in her eyes and a tremble in her thighs, its not hard to decipher that she wants this as much as you do.
âBut they don't know that you are mine, this tight pussy is made only for this cockâ you say, at the same time you finally give her long awaited reward, pushing your dick straight into her pussy.
âOnly for meâ
âfuck, yesâ she hissed, trying to hold a moan, nails scratching on your back while you are pounding her mercilessly. "My tight pussy is all yours daddy" the way she says those sinful words makes your brain rewire all of your logic, but it doesn't matter to you anymore, hesitation is thrown out of the window and lust is overtaking your body.
You need her, immediately.
Her responses are everything and beyond what you wished for, as expected from an idol. From tiny, delightful moans in between thrusts, gasps of surprise after your mouth finds itself on one of her naked nipples, giving it the attention it needs with your tongue, Breathy, Needy pleads for more as your palms smack the skin of her buttcheeks.
It all comes together in a symphony of pleasure that sounds like heaven, but with inspiration straight from the sinful places from the depths of hell. Some may say its an out of body experience with how you don't even notice the shift in the positions now with her ass being the receiving end of your dick while you are behind her.
âI'm getting closeâ you manage to say in between grunts while you grab her hips with all your might, fearing this wild cat would run away at the first chance she has, but no way a cat would ever be alone without its catnip.
âJust cum in my ass daddy! I need it so ba- AHhhhâ Her attempts to muffle herself are no more, she knows what she wants and the fear of the outside world hearing her pleas is no more in her thoughts, her mind is filled with your cock, splitting her in half.
Luckily for her (and you), its not hard to let loose after hearing that nickname she gives you as cum quickly begins to burst in a row of strings that make her scram in pleasure, painting her entire lower area from the Plump cheeks of her ass to the inside of her thighs, some of it even gets inside her pussy.
Each pump into her ass gets you groaning louder each string of cum you release gets you drained more and more, as if she is a succubus, leeching your life force through your white liquid (maybe she is a succubus in fact and her cat like behaviour is to not be suspicious, Eh logic be damned, let your cock do the thinking for now).
Eventually, she finally manages to drain you fully as the last drop of cum gets her falling face down into the bed, exhausted from your pumps, breathing heavily. Meanwhile you somehow have enough strength to not fall with her, giving you a clear view of your artwork: white liquid covered all over her ass with some of it getting on her lower back and waist, its sinful for the eyes but still oh so pretty to look at.
Without thinking much, you take two fingers, swiping them on her ass to grab some of your leftovers to drip on your fingers. âHereâ you say in a tired but satisfied voice, taking your two fingers in front of her mouth and without any words needed she inches forward, taking the two fingers into her mouth, letting her taste the hard work you did to her.
summary : Kim Juwon once a forgotten face in a failed girl group, overshadowed and discarded. Desperate to reclaim her dreams, she turns to Choi Seungcheol, a notorious producer known for crafting successful stars within the industry
pairing : producer! choi seungcheol x idol! fem oc! kim juwon
genre : idol au, mature, non idol seungcheol, inspired from "The Idol"
tags : aged up cheol (maybe he's aroud mid 30s?), age gap, producer jihoon cameo, profanities, alchohol consumption, virgin shame? SMUT (mdni), idols mistreatment? just me dissing the industry if you squint enough lol also probably a wrong misconception of how industry actually works but idc
smut tags : porn with lot of plot, sexual tension, fem masturbation, heavy makeout, body worship (if you squint), oral (m receiving), multiple rounds, praise kink, overstimulation, corruption kink, manhandling, multiple orgasm, orgasm control, dacryphilia, and more.
playlist : taemin - guilty, yunjin (lesserafim) - iâ doll, seventeen - bad influence, the weeknd - one of the girls (ft jennie, lily-rose depp), demi lovato - met him last night (ft. ariana grande), chelsea collins - 07 britney, christina perri - human, raye, 070 shake - escapism, ella mai - hearts on deck, ariana grande - everytime, taylor swift - down bad
a/n : finally i managed to publish it! Honestly i have no exact plan when to release it. Just releasing the teaser randomly but seeing some people already seated for it, i decided to publish it on his bday haha (and im still two days late *sigh* happy belated bday cheol ily). This might have sequel but don't pour too much hope, it might take a longer time since i still working on other several fics >.< thank you!
TEASER | CHARACTER | AO3
She stood under the blinding stage lights, the synthetic heat pressing down on her skin. She smiled on cue, her body moving in perfect sync with the other members of her group. The song booming from the speakers, echoing through the air. The roar of the crowd was deafening, but it wasn't for her.
Juwon, meant "center of attention." It's a poetic promise bestowed by her parents in hope that she will receive an overwhelming love from everyone around her growing up.
But life had a cruel sense of irony. Despite the glittering lights and screaming fans, Juwon had always been a shadow, a blurred face in the backdrop of a stage where only one star truly shined.
That star was Hera.
Shin Hera stood front and center now, basking in the audience's adoration. Her voice soared above the backing track, her presence was magnetic. Cameras zoomed in on her smile, capturing every dazzling second through the big screens on each side of the big stage. Even their choreography was designed to frame Hera, as though the group existed solely to showcase her brilliance.
Months after debuting, Juwon finally noticed the truth about their career. That the group wasn't a team. It was a platform for Hera. The rest of them were placeholders, interchangeable at best, invisible at worst.
The fan chant was deafening, but she barely heard other names being mention.
Just Hera, Hera and Hera. All the cheering banners, the cardboards. She barely sees a pictures of herself in the sea of the crowds.
As the music faded and the final pose struck, she forced herself to kept her smile plastered on, even the truth is her heart aching beneath it. The stage lights dimmed, and the group walked off the stage through the thunderous applause and cheerings from the audience below.
Hera was immediately whisked away to fulfill the demands to record dance challenges with other idols backstage, while the other 3 members were being sat down in the makeup room doing nothing.
Juwon can't help but find it truly disheartening. If only one member shine, what's the point of being in a girl group in the first place?
'Might as well as just end it here,' she thought.
Juwon never expected her passing thoughts to jinx reality so quickly.
Just a few weeks later, she and the other members of Lovena sat in the small, stuffy conference room at HOLO Entertainmentâtheir companyâto discuss over the possible future activities with the group.
"We've decided to terminate your contract."
The words hit like a slap.
Juwon's eyes widened in disbelief, mirroring the stunned expressions of the other members. All except Hera, who remained still at her seat. Almost as if... she knew.
"Did we do something wrong?" Minseo, their leader finally broke the silence. Her voice trembled slightly despite her efforts to stay composed.
Across the table, the CEO remained calm, his expression blank as ever. Not a sight of regrets or remorse written on his face.
"Unfortunately," he said, folding his hands neatly on the table, "we've received multiple complaints from shareholders. Sales aren't meeting targets. Your group is no longer a profitable asset under the company."
The room fell into a suffocating silence.
Juwon stared blankly at the polished surface of the table. Her fingers curled into her lap, her perfectly manicured nails pressing into the skin. All of a sudden, it felt utterly so difficult to breath right now.
"What about Hera?" Eventually, she managed a whisper, her eyes shot towards the said person sitting across her in the room. She however seems calm, almost unbothered with the news. As if the news didn't effect her at all.
The CEO let out a long, deliberate sigh, looking like he knew such question will come through eventually.
"Don't worry about Hera. After careful discussion, we've decided she will stay on as a solo artist. The agency believes she has the potential to perform well on her own."
"What?!" Hweji, the group's main rapper, nearly jumped from her seat. Her voice cracked in disbelief. "You're seriously keeping her and tossing the rest of us away like trash?!"
"It's not personal. This is business. Hera is the only one generating consistent interest. We can't afford to support a group that's not bringing in returns." He nonchalantly replied.
Hweji opened her mouth to retort, rage burning in her eyes, but Minseo reached over and gently grabbed her wrist. A silent plea for her not to go overboard.
Reluctantly, Hweji sank back into her chair with a bitter scoff.
Minseo turned to the CEO, desperation flickering in her gaze. "Isn't there any room for negotiation? At least let us talk this through..."
The man shook his head, firm and final. "The decision has been made. The board and our investors have already signed off. Our budget and resources will now go entirely to Hera's solo debut. I'm sorry,"
Even his apology sounds cold and insincere, like he do not wish to prolong the conversation any further.
Juwon bit down on her trembling lip, her vision blurring as she stared down at her clenched hands.
So this is how it ends...
The dream, one she had nurtured since she was a teenager is now gone in a blink of eye. Everything she had built from the ground were now crashed like a crumbling sands.
And the worst part of it? She couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.
A week later, the disbandment news finally unveiled to the public.
"What will happen to Hera now?"
"I hope Hera can continue singing. I love her,"
Hera, Hera and Hera. There is barely questions about the other members as if the other three are invisible.
Minseo tried to comfort Hweji and Juwon over it through their shared groupchat (one Hweji purposely created without Hera in it) Although they know even she was sad by such news but tried not to show it.
Hweji was constantly spamming the groupchat, clearly furious over the news.
Hweji:Â This is ridiculous that they will just let Hera continue while disbanding us. The fact that she's the favorite and always the center of attention. Can't they see how hard the rest of us work all this years for the group?!
Minseo :The company makes decision based on profit, and it's hard to deny that right now, Hera is the one selling and bringing more attention to the group.
Hweji:Â That's the point! It's unfair that all the spotlight is on her while we work our asses off. Just look at the amount of screen time she's getting in EVERY DAMN MVs.
Juwon scrolled past their conversations, reading in silence in her dark room. Hweji was furious as always while Minseo would be the one trying to calm her down.
Hweji : Seriously though! She don't have anything significant other than her face card. You did the leading, I did the dance and the rapping, Juwon did the singing. But people only focus on her bcs she fit the beauty standard. It's disheartening you know?!
Minseo:Â I know what you mean, Hweji. But the entertainment industry is cutthroat. It's not always fair, but the company has to make decisions that bring in money. Hera's popularity is just another factor they consider. Though, I agree, it's tough to be overlooked.
Hweji : What you gonna do after this? Are you quitting? I still want to dance though. I hope that one dance studio still want to take me in. Who knows I might end up in the third season of Street Woman Fighter lol
Minseo : Haha! I hope i can witness that. Me... I might want to try acting. Maybe rolling into an acting school first..?
Hweji : Nice one! I wish you all the best, unnie~!
Hweji : hey maknae! You're awfully quiet. What's your plan after this!
Juwon stared at her phone and considered what to replied. She was lost. Utterly lost. Juwon didn't know what she wanted.
Because she has always wants to do one thing...
Juwon : i want to continue being an idol so maybe redebut..?
The atmosphere in the group chat seemed to still for a moment. Hweji responded bluntly.
Hweji : My, my. You still have faith in this suckass industry?
Juwon : I... know. But there is nothing else i love more than singing on stage....
Minseo : I understand how you feel. But, just in case. Maybe try to venture into some other jobs that'll bring you joy instead? As a backup plan?
Juwon didnt reply. In fact, she was more disappointed. Denial with reality. She end up locking the screen and turn to face the wall
The group chat now was filled with silence, the unspoken truth hanging in the virtual air. They knew the challenges that Juwon was about to encounter, and it saddened them. The industry she loved was a cruel place that valued youth and image. Juwon's dream seemed like a distant, fading star.
Days later, Juwon returned to the company building for the last time to clear out her locker.
She walked past the practice room when something pulled at her. An instinct, maybe muscle memory. Through the small glass window, she saw a group of young and fresh trainees dancing in sync, their limbs hitting every beat sharply while their sweat-streaked faces tense with focus. Her feet slowed, before they stopped entirely.
She stood there, silent.
For a moment, she let herself remember of those long nights, the sweat-drenched clothes, the feel of sore muscles, the bark of their old trainer's voice cutting through the music. She could even hear the beats of the old songs that she once practiced so many times before. The same echo of effort now bounced off these walls, only with different names and different dreams.
She watched for another quiet minute before pulling herself away. Her heart tugged, but her body moved forward, one foot in front of the other, as she made her way to the locker room.
Her eyes scanned the inside of the metal cubby, and a wave of melancholy rolled over her. One by one, she picking up her things and stuffing them into the totebag she brought along. The act almost felt like a piece of her heart being peeled away. Her movement slow, as if the act of leaving would somehow delay the fact that she already had no place here.
Her fingers lingered at one of the polaroid stuck at the wall of the locker. The pictures of her and the other girls as trainees before. In the pictures, everyone looks exhausted but they still manage to smile brightly, as they all carrying the same dreams together.
But among the four members, only one get to live through it.
Later, she heard footsteps followed by a greet from her sides.
"Oh, it's you, maknae~"
Her body stiffened.
Juwon made a slow turn to see Hera approaching her with a smile, one that seemed too easy for this moment. Juwon forced a polite one in return.
"Hello. I'm just here to pack my stuff," she said, bowing slightly.
"I know. Minseo and Hweji has dropped by earlier," She replied, sighing as she rolled her eyes. "Seems that Hweji still hold grudges against me,"
Juwon didn't reply. She continued folding an old group hoodie and tucked it away neatly, as if focusing on the fabric could help her ignore the weight in her chest. Hera stepped closer towards her.
"Maknae. Are you, too, mad at me?"
Juwon paused for a moment, her hand gripping on one of her shirts. She closed the locker and looked at Hera with a tired expression.
"I'm not mad..." She started, her voice soft but a hint of resignation. "Just... disappointed."
Hera's smile faltered. "You know you can't put all the blame on me. It wasn't even my fault. The company offered me to make me a solo. I agreed because I saw it as a chance to build my career. I didn't know that it also mean that they will disband us,"
Juwon knew that deep down, what Hera said was the truth. The company made the decision, not her. But it was hard to look past the unfairness, the way the spotlight always seemed to gravitate towards her, leaving the rest in the shadows.
"I know," She replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She knew. Logically, she understood. But knowing didn't erase the hurt. It didn't undo years of subtle favoritism Hera has been receiving all this year.
Hera reached out and took her hand. "I really wish the best for you, Juwon. All of you. Just because the group ended doesn't mean we should, you know... drift apart."
Juwon nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly. The contact between their hands felt... conflicting. Warmth laced with a sting. Part comfort, part farewell.
Deep down, she yearned for genuine understanding, but that seemed to elude her.
"Thanks..." She muttered, her heart heavy as she withdrew her hands from Hera's grip.
After finished packing her things up, Juwon walking down the hallways with doors to several practice rooms lined up on the wall.
She stopped in front of one. Their old practice room.
The one they used to spend countless hours in, one that witnessing them arguing over formations, laughing until their stomachs hurt, falling asleep on the floor after 12-hour practices.
She peeked in through the small window at the door and found that Hera was inside. She's currently surrounded by new team of backup dancers, seemingly to practice for her solo debut.
Juwon stood in the doorway, watching as Hera effortlessly performed the routines that they used to practice together. Her body moved with a grace that had always been there, the dances now perfected under the spotlight of her solo career. It was a stark reminder that Hera was made for this, was made to shine..
..while the rest of them weren't.
Her chest tightened at the thought, feeling her vision starts to get b
"Juwon..?"
Juwon flinched. Her fingers quickly wiped for any remnant of tears from the corner of her eyes before she turned her head to the side.
"Oh, it's you..." She muttered. It was Jihoon, the producer guy responsible to produce all of their music for their group.
Jihoon looked at the filled totebag in her hand, before switching his gaze inside the practice room, immediately catching what's going on. He sighed heavily.
"Wanna have coffee at my studio before you go?"
The question caught her off guard. But the thought of standing there any longer, watching Hera twirl in a spotlight that used to be shared, made her stomach twist. Juwon chose to nod.
"Sure... That'd be nice,"
The studio was a spacious room that hold thousands of behind stories of music making. Cords trailing across the floor, shelves filled with sound equipment, there's even a guitar leaning against the wall.
Jihoon gestured to the couch. "Take a seat. I'll make us some coffee."
Juwon sat down quietly, her eyes drifting around the room. It had been a long time since she'd been in here without the rest of the group. She's been here several times before so the surrounding and even the smell has become familiar to her.
"How are you holding up?" Jihoon asked as he busied himself by the counter, his back facing to her.
"Great... I guess."
He glanced over his shoulder, unsurprised. Jihoon knew that was the standard reply people gave when they were far from great. He handed her the cup of coffee he had filled to the brim before sitting down on his own leather chair.
She took it wordlessly, her gaze fixed on the brown liquid as if trying to read the future in its surface. Jihoon observed her for a moment, his expression softened.
"You don't have to pretend you're fine," He said calmly. "It's not fair, you know. What's happening to you and the others."
Her head lowered even more, some of the strands of hair falling forward, partially veiling her grim expression.
"I never thought it would end this fast. I just wished I could stay a little bit longer..."
"You're a talented singer. I know that. Everyone knows that. You deserve to shine. It's just..." he paused to lean forward slightly, choosing his words with care.
"The industry is not always kind. You knew this too. Sometimes, it's about the right timing, the right connections, the right look. It's not solely about your skills or your talent." He added. "Hera has all those things that you lack. She's marketable, she has the visuals, she has the charisma. The company sees her as a money-maker, they want to ride on her success,"
Juwon's fingers tightened slightly around her cup. Then, without a word, she downed the coffee in one swift gulp. The warmth did little to soothe the sting burning in her chest.
How she wished they were replaced with alcohol instead.
Jihoon once again sighed. "You really want to continue being an idol?"
His question felt like a bullet straight to the heart. She took a moment before replying, her voice barely a whisper.
"If I was given the chance, yeah..."
Jihoon leaned back in his chair, rubbing the curve of his chin thoughtfully. He admired her determination, but he also knew the weight of the industry's indifference. Reinventing herself wouldn't be easy.
"If you want to redebut, you're going to need a helper who can completely rebrand you. Not just a new sound, but a whole new identity," he said carefully. "Someone who can push you past what people remember about Lovena."
Juwon's breath hitched, hope flickering in her eyes. "You knew someone?"
Jihoon hesitated. "I don't know if I should recommend him to be honest...."
Juwon frowned, her hope quickly transforming into confusion. "What do you mean? Is he not reputable or something?"
Jihoon laughed, although it sound dry. "Oh he definitely full of reputation. Both the good and the bad,"
She didn't understand what he meant by that, but her curiosity was definitely piqued.
"What do you mean?" She pressed,clearly not following him.
Jihoon paused momentarily. "I don't know if you are familiar with this name but.... have you ever heard of Choi Seungcheol?"
Juwon's eyes widened at the name, recognition flashing through them. "The famous producer? The one who wrote for big artists? Waitâyou know him?!"
Jihoon nodded, "Yeah, and personally. He's an old friend."
Juwon paused. "You knew someone like him..."
Someone with influence like Seungcheol, one with the experience in crafting big stars. If she can reach him..
"Seungcheol is.... well, he's... notorious. A bit of a red flag, if you asked me."
A heavy silence settled between them. Jihoon could see the gears turning in Juwon's mind. He wanted to warn her, to make her reconsider, but the fire in her eyes was unmistakable.
"Look, if you want to see him, I can help making an arrangement for a meeting," Jihoon said. "But don't hope too much,"
"Yes, please," Juwon answered almost too quickly. Jihoon gave her a long stares, trying to find any doubt or hesitation but there's none. He huffed.
"Alright," He finalized.
Juwon's lips curled into a determined smile yet Jihoon couldn't shake the unease creeping into his chest.
He just hoped she knew what she was getting herself into.
The club was lavish but exclusive, a place where smoke curled in lazy spirals and the scent of leather and liquor hung in the air. Velvet booths lined the walls, each shrouded in shadows that protected secrets and conversations. Music thumped low and hypnotic, blending seamlessly with the ambient chatter.
Juwon sat beside Jihoon at a reserved booth, her back straight despite the nerves gnawing at her insides. Across from them, Seungcheol lounged with the careless confidence of someone who owned the world, or at least acted like he did.
He wore a simple black shirt, sleeves rolled up, revealing strong forearms. His dark eyes gleamed under the low lights, equal parts sharp and dangerous.
He swirled the whiskey in his glass, barely glancing at them. "You know I don't do that shit anymore," he said flatly. Jihoon leaned back against the booth's seatings, his expression still cool and composed.
"This is a special case, Cheol. Juwon is..." he trailed off, letting the statement hung in the air for a bit. "...well, she's talented,"
Seungcheol scoffed. "Oh of course, she is. Yet still got herself washed up by her fellow member. Shin Hera, is it?"
His eyes flicked towards her along with a taunting smirk she found pretty vexing. Juwon clenched her fists under the table, her lips pressing into a tight line as she felt her chest burn from humiliation at his words.
Jihoon sighed, leaning forward. "We're not asking for much. Just hear her out."
Seungcheol's lips still curled into a smirk as he sipped into the glasses. "Mhm. Sure she's got a sob story prepared for the night,"
"It's not a sob story," Juwon finally spoke up, her voice surprisingly steady after being stung with that comment.
That made him pause. He turned toward her fully for the first time, the flicker of genuine interest finally breaking through his taunt-soaked gaze.
"Oh yeah?" he murmured, lifting a brow. "Then what is it?"
She took a deep breath, refusing to be intimidated. "I'm a singer. A good one. I... I just lost my chance to show it," she replied, her words hanging heavily in the air.
Seungcheol laughed, a short, biting sound. "Oh, that. A very typical tale. Talent wasted. Dreams shattered, mistreatment from the industry, blahh.. blahh.."
He dropped the glass back on the table with a thud at the same time flashing her a grin with a purpose to ridicule her entire existense.
"Why should I waste my time helping you? I'm not a charity center, you know?" Seungcheol's tone was blunt, bordering on cruel. Yet there was a strange glimmer in his eyes now, an intrigued glint that contrasted with his words.
"I'm not asking for charity," she said, her voice steady. "I just... need another chance to relive my dream,"
Seungcheol let out a dry laugh. "The industry's cruel, baby. You got chewed up and spit out once already. What makes you think you'll survive a second round?"
He didn't stop there. "Girls half your age are blowing up on TikTok, and you think the world's gonna tune in for some washed-up idol with a 'hidden potential' arc?"
Juwon felt her jaw clenching under his gaze, the condescending nickname making her blood boil. But she forced herself to remain calm, staring back at him with frown etched deeply on her features.
Jihoon noticed the intense stare down between Seungcheol and Juwon, the tension between them was almost palpable. He knew things were about to get heated, and intervene before things turned ugly.
"Cheol, come on man. Just give her a chance," he tried to mediate.
Seungcheol shook his head, chuckling. "Nah, I'm done with that hustle," Seungcheol said. He lifted his glass, bringing them to his lips.
"No offense, but babysitting failed idols isn't my idea of fun."
Juwon bristled. Jihoon groaned. "Dude!"
Seungcheol cut him off with a loud thud of his now empty glass. "Nature's calling. I need to go,"
He stood up without sparing them another glance, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked off. Juwon stared after him, pulse hammering, her pride in tatters. A sense of disappointment mixed with irritation washed over her.
"Damn it," Jihoon cursed.
Juwon watched as he disappeared into the crowd. Her jaws clenching. Her pride wounded. Just then, she stand up on her feet, following his steps to leave the booth. Jihoon eyes widened. "Where you going?"
Juwon turned back, her face resolute. "I'm not done with him,"
Jihoon opened his mouth, but said nothing as she moved through the crowd, cutting through the haze of bodies and noise, following Seungcheol's path into the back of the nightclub
The pounding bass of the club faded as Juwon weaved her way through the dimly lit hallway, her heels clicking against the polished concrete floor. Her heart raced, each beat louder than the music she'd just left behind.
Eventually, she spotted him near the back exit, leaning against the wall with a cigarette dangling between his fingers. His head was tilted back, eyes half-lidded as if the world bored him.
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his lips curling when he noticed her approaching from the other side. "Persistent, aren't you?" he drawled.
She didn't waver. Instead, her steps became more resolute, her shoulders squared.
"I didn't come here to be ignored," she said.
Seungcheol flicked ash onto the floor, unimpressed. "I already gave you my answer, sweetheart. You don't have what it takes."
Juwon bristled at the nickname, her eyes sparking with defiance.
"How would you know that?" she retorted, her voice rising. "You haven't even seen me perform or sing."
Seungcheol took another drag of his cigarette, the end burning brighter before he exhaled. His gaze slid over her, seemingly assessing her.
"You're all the same," he said, a hint of boredom in his tone. "Young, talented, and naive. You think you deserve some hand-holding because once upon a time, someone told you you're special."
"Why you think that I am not special enough?"
Seungcheol chuckled, a dry, scoffing sound. "Because there's thousands just like you. Those who keep telling me that they worth my time. You're just another face in a sea of faces."
Juwon recoiled as if his words were physical blows. She refused to believe she was just another face, another person to be discarded easily.
"Then, how can I prove it to you? That I am worth it. That I can be special according to *your* standard,"
Seungcheol exhaled a slow stream of smoke, the ember at the tip of his cigarette glowing brighter before dimming. His gaze never wavered, but it narrowed slightly, studying her.
"I don't know. Surprise me," he murmured, tilting his head with lazy amusement.
She didn't answer.
Instead, she stepped forward. One foot, then another, the distance between them shrinking until she was just inches awayâclose enough to smell the cigarette smoke clinging to his skin, to feel the faint heat radiating from his body.
Without breaking eye contact, Juwon lifted her hand.
And with a calmness that surprised even herself, she reached out and plucked the cigarette from his fingers. His eyebrows lifted in surprise, one corner of his mouth twitching upward. Clearly telling that he wasn't expecting that.
Juwon's hand trembled, barely noticeable, but her face remained composed. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears as she brought the cigarette to her lips.
The tobacco was still warm where his lips had touched it.
She inhaled.
The burn hit immediatelyâcoarse and acidic as it tore down her throat. Her eyes stung. Her lungs revolted. She coughed once, then again, the smoke catching in her chest like a blade. She turned her head slightly, trying to mask it, but there was no saving her composure.
He couldn't help but let out a laugh at her failed attempt, the coughing fit momentarily breaking her confident facade.
But it still intrigued him to see that she was *at least* trying
"You got guts," he commented, grinning widely. "A rarity,"
Juwon wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, the rawness in her throat still lingering. Her eyes burned, her pride even more so yet she stubbornly held her ground.
"I've got more than guts," she rasped. "I've got something to prove."
He hummed, nodding his head. Seungcheol leaned back against the cold brick wall, folding his arms across his chest. The smirk never quite left his lips, but the sharpness in his eyes dulled into something else.
He was considering. He started to show interest and for her, it was more than enough.
Then finally, he spoke.
"...Alright then."
Juwon's heart skipped.
"Bring that attitude to my studio tomorrow," he said, voice cool but edged with challenge. "Eight in the morning."
The flicker of shock in her eyes was almost imperceptible but it was there. Still, she recovered quickly by responding to him with a nod.
"I'll be there."
He pushed off the wall, brushing past her as he slipped his hands back into his pockets. There was something like approval in the way his gaze lingered for a beat before he turned away, disappearing into the shadows of the hallway with that same air of effortless arrogance.
Juwon remained rooted in place.
Her throat still burned. Her hands still shook faintly.
But beneath it all, there's a spark of hope for her.
His studio was dimly lit, bathed in a soft amber glow that gave everything in the room a sepia toned lighting. Seungcheol lounged in his chair behind the massive soundboard, one arm draped casually over the backrest. His demeanor was more relaxed than at the club, but that intimidating aura still radiating off him.
Juwon sat few meters away from him on the studio couch, both her knees pressed together. Her palms rested on her thighs, but they were clammy with nerves. The remnants of her boldness from last night had worn thin under the weight of unfamiliarity of the situation.
Seungcheol tilted his head toward the speakers. "Got a demo I've been sitting on for... God knows how long. I still haven't found anyone to own it yet," he said lazily, tapping a few keys.
Then a track began to play. They were slow, sensual, and layered with provocative beats. It was a far cry from the bubblegum pop Juwon had once performed with Lovena. The bass thrummed deep, almost hypnotic, and the melody echoes through the room.
She sat stiffly, brows drawn, unsure if she should even be here listening to it. Her instinct was to categorize it as a song meant for someone elseâsomeone edgier, bolder.
Someone's not her.
"I want to try singing it," she said quietly, before she could second-guess herself.
Seungcheol leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he glanced over her.
"You sure?" There was something in the way he said it. It doesn't sound like he's mocking her but rather, it edged with challenge. As if he was poking at her to see if she would flinch. She didn't. Instead, she bravely met his gaze.
"I'm sure," Juwon replied. There was a glint in her eyes, a determination to prove herself capable of taking on something so different from her usual image. And it's enough to get him intrigued more than anything.
He held her stare for a moment longer, then nodded, pushing himself to his feet.
"Alright. Then prove it."
An hour later, she was in the booth, her voice pressed against lyrics she'd never imagined herself singing. The kind that dripped with suggestion and pulsed with desire.
The lyrics is far from the family friendly genres she has always sang. It was bolder, explicitly sexual. Something she has never tried before the whole years she had debuted as an idol.
Yet Juwon still tried her best to meet the energy. She let her voice drop lower, added a rasp she wasn't used to, rolled syllables on her tongue. She closed her eyes, imagined she was someone who could sing about seduction without difficulty.
But pretending is more harder than she thought it could be.
They all sat down together in the room, re-listening to the complete demo of the song. She looked up to meet Seungcheol who remained stoned-faced, his arms folding across his chest.
When the track ended, she could hear her heart pounding. Her eyes flicked upward to where he seated, waiting for his comment.
"W-Well?" she cautiously asked. Seungcheol leaned back slowly, a huff escaping from his lips.
"No," He said simply.
Her heart sank, "What?"
"I said, no." He repeated. "I told you no once could do it,"
"Wh-What's wrong. I tried my best,"
Seungcheol shook his head, bringing up his fingers to rubbed against his temple. "Just trying your best is not enough if you're lack of everything I needed. You still sound... nice,"
She blinked, caught in confusion. "Isn't that a good thing?"
Seungcheol rolled his eyes. "Nice doesn't get anyone wet, sweetheart. You read the lyrics yourself, didn't you?"
Juwon flushed at his words, a mix of indignation and embarrassment coursing through her veins. She opened her mouth to protest, only for him to cut her off.
"That's your problem." He said. "You still sound like that innocent girl from Lovena. The one who wore pastel, glittery dresses and sang about first loves and holding hands in the rain. I don't want those,"
Juwon swallowed hard, trying to maintain a facade of composure even as his intense gaze made her stomach churn.
"Do you know what people fantasize about?"
Her throat tightened, before she slowly shakes her head.
"Sex. Sensuality. Power. Boldness." Each word was like a drop of gasoline on an already smoldering fire. "You want to sell a track like this? You need to own the room. Not simply just hoping that they will like it. You need to make them feel like they belong to you the second you walk on that stage,"
He let the silence hang for a beat before continuing, his tone were colder than ice.
"But you?" His eyes dropped briefly, as if assessing her from head to toe. "You've spent your whole career being packaged like a goddamn flower arrangement. That's what killed your career, Juwon.."
Juwon let out a shaky breath, his words slicing through her, each one sharper than the last. There was no malice in his voice but somehow, it felt like he had found her vulnerabilities and was poking at them like needles being pushed against a raw nerve.
She wanted to protest, to deny. But the truth is too obvious at this moment. The cute and innocent image she had carried for so long, the one that had defined her career, was now holding her back from escaping the shell.
Juwon shut her eyes tightly, her hand curling into a fist on her side. "Then, help me to get out of it," She demanded, her voice tight with desperation.
Seungcheol tilted his head, the tip of his tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek like he was weighing the offer.
"I can help," he said after a pause. "But it's not going to be easy. It's going to take a lot of work to strip away all of..." âhis hand moved in the air, hovering just inches from her bodyâ "...this."
"I don't care." she said, her voice firmer now. "Break me down. I was a trainee for four years. If I can survive that as a teen, I think I can survive this too as someone with more experiences,"
Seungcheol's arms folded against his chest, tilting his head with a grin, the gleam in his eyes telling her he's now more interested than before.
"Now, we're talking,"
The sleek, minimalist styled office was all chrome and glass, overlooking the city skyline. The faint hum of traffic filled the background as Juwon sat rigidly on a leather seat beside Seungcheol, her hands tightly clasped in her lap, her heart pounding in her chest.
Across from them, Lee Hyeon, CEO of VION Entertainment, lounged in his high-backed chair like a man with nothing to prove. He studied them with mild interest, a glass of scotch swirling in his hand.
"So, this is your big pitch?"He tilted his head toward Juwon. "Her?"
He gave her a quick once-over, then turned to Seungcheol. "Wasn't she in Hera's girl group? What were they called... Lovena?"
Juwon's jaw tensed, but she didn't speak. Her name still trailing behind Hera's like an afterthought never got easier.
Seungcheol nodded, a smirk on his lips. "Yeah. She's the main vocal and she can sing. I can vouch for that,"
Hyeon gave a low, dry laugh. "Cheol, anyone can sing these days. Hell, they've got AI singing for them in their place," He said. "We talked about how well it can sell,"
Hyeon's eyes flicked to Juwon, then narrowed slightly at Seungcheol. "I don't know what you're playing at, Cheol, but this isn't your scene anymore. Why bother?"
Seungcheol leaned back lazily, his arm draped over the back of the chair. "No reason. I just thought that we need more genuine talent in the industry, right?" He said, his eyes turning to his side to where she was seated.
She caught his sight but quickly lowered her head, finding his gaze a bit too overwhelming.
Hyeon rolled his eyes. "You're proposing me a risk, Seungcheol. Do you see how the industry today? They are young! She's what? 28?"
Juwon's stomach twisted. The words hit harder than she expected, but she kept her posture tight and steady, staring staight towards the door pass his shoulder as if his words doesn't affect her.
"Fans want fresh faces. The publics eats up the innocence and youth concept. It's always been like that," The CEO said with a dismissive flick of his wrist.
"And maybe that's exactly the problem lies."
Hyeon cocked an eyebrow.
Seungcheol nodded toward the television in the corner of the room, where a girl group was mid-performance. They are youthful, half of them probably barely reaching their ripe age, singing and dancing to a happy, colorful song about summer and their little high school crushes."
"The whole system's become fast fashion," he said. "Pretty faces that can appeal the audience matters more than their ability to hold a note. Dress them up, slap on a bubbly track with a 90s or Y2K concept then move on to the next batch. They barely had identity. Everything felt more manufactured now"
Hyeon gave a small shrug. "It's still selling."
"For now," Seungcheol argued. "But the market's bloated. Audiences are subconsciously starving for something different. Something bolder. And guess what? Sexy and mature concepts are creeping in. They are back on demand after being spoon-fed with the same concepts over and over again,"
He gestured lazily toward Juwon without even looking at her. "She's not a girl anymore. She's a woman. And that's exactly why she works. She can sing what those kids can't. She can sell a concept that they're not even allowed to touch."
Hyeon leaned back against his seat, his hand rubbing the curve of his chin. "I still need more convincing. People still sees her as the former groupmate of Hera. You are not known enough,"
Seungcheol smiled. "No need to worry about that part. I will make her known. The branding she will bring will make people turn their head twice,"
Hyeon's gaze shifted towards her. "How about you? It might attract backlashes. People will compare you with the idols half your age. Conservative might not enjoying your choice of concept debut. Will you able to handle it? You know the netizen won't be nice once they speak,"
Juwon's spine straightened in her seat.
"I've been in this industry long enough to know exactly how cruel it can be," she said, her voice steady despite the pounding in her chest. "I'm tired of being the shadow."
A pause. Her voice softened, almost fragile.
"This time, I want the spotlight only for me. I want the stage all for myself,"
For a moment, Hyeon didn't say anything. His eyes lingered on her, one that no longer hold the skepticism towards her. He then turned to Seungcheol.
"So what's your role in this little circus?"
Seungcheol's grin returned, slow and sharp. "I'm the ringleader, obviously,"
He leaned forward, voice thick with confidence. "I'll produce the whole thingâmusic, visuals, storyline. I'm building her from the ground up. You can trust me on this,"
Hyeon's expression darkened, the creases between his brows deepening. "And if she tank?"
Seungcheol's reply was instant. "Then that's on me." He said so causally. "But I won't let her. Not under my watch."
There was a pauseâlong enough for Juwon to hear the faint ticking of the clock behind Hyeon's desk.
Then Hyeon let out a low, dry laugh. He shook his head, muttering under his breath. "Crazy motherfucker..."
He picked up his glass, drained what was left, and set it down with a soft thud.
"But you know what? Fuck it. You've got my attention."
Juwon stiffened. Her breath caught as he turned toward her with a more serious gaze now, more calculating.
"Alright. Let's test this theory of yours." he said finally. "We'll draw up the contract. You show me something I haven't seen before in the next six months. You hear me?"
Seungcheol's grin spread wider. "Loud and clear,"
Juwon turned to look at him, her eyes wide with disbelief, chest rising with shallow breath.
That was it? Just like that?
But Seungcheol's respond is him shooting her a wicked, knowing smile.
Kim Juwon sipped her Americano, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of the cup before she threw her gaze outside the cafe. The streets were busy with people going around back and forth, spending their weekend on their own way.
"Can you believe it?" Hweji who was sitting across her huffed, breaking the peaceful silence between them. "Hera just debuted solo and didn't even bother to contact anyone from the group. Not even a damn text."
Minseo sighed. "She's probably too busy."
"Too busy to remember us? Her own group members?" Hweji scoffed. "Please. She was always out for herself."
Juwon shifted uncomfortably. Hera's solo debut had been the talk of the industry for weeks. Everyone has been complimented it, her songs has started to get rolled out through every radio speakers just few hours after her debut. Her face has started to appeared on LED Billboard all over the Seoul city, celebrating her new rise.
It stung, even if Juwon didn't want to admit it. They had all started together, shared dreams and heartbreaks, but Hera's rise had cast an unshakable shadow over the rest of them.
"Maybe she didn't want to rub it in," Minseo offered, ever the peacemaker between them.
"Rub it in? Hah! She doesn't need to try. The media's doing it for her." Hweji folded her arms, her tone clearly bitter. "You know what really grinds my gears? Hera gets a label, a whole team, and a media circus while we all here scrambling of what to do with our future,"
Minseo glanced at Juwon. "Well, Juwon redebuting too, right? The article was published yesterday."
At the mention, Hweji's demeanor softened, her posture slightly relaxing.
"Yeah, I saw it. Congrats on that," she said.
Juwon smiled faintly. "Thanks. But there wasn't much reaction to the announcement so..."
"Still, it's a start." Minseo said.
"However, there is something that bugged me," Hweji placed her cup down on the table with a soft thud before she leaned forward, pressing both her palm together.
"Choi Seungcheol? How did you know him?"
Juwon blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, yeah. Jihoon introduced me to him."
"Jihoon? Our producer?" Hweji questioned again. "Okay, of course he would know him,"
"What's wrong? Is there anything I need to know?" Juwon asked back, cocking her brows at them. The girls sighed as they exchanged glances towards each other.
"Not really. It's just that... we had heard from several trainess that he's pretty hard to please," Minseo said.
Juwon let their words sink in. A few memories surfaced, remembering Seungcheol's sharp gaze across the studio glass, the way he had picked apart her vocal take with a single, devastating line.
"Yeah, I can see that," She said, acknowledging her. "But, I know what I'm getting into. If anything, Seungcheol is pretty much helpful towards me through this journey. He is intense but he's also the connection I lacked when I'm still in Lovena,"
"Not only that!" Hweji interrupted. "Remember Astrid Lee? Her career got burned down and it involved him too,"
"Hweji, stop. We didn't know if the allegation is true or not," Minseo hissed. "Also, you will only scared her,"
"True or not, she deserves to know," Hweji argued. "Astrid was once a big star and what happened to her now? All ruined while he remained untouched,"
Juwon quickly interrupted, "Guys, I appreciate the concern but please. I will be alright,"
Minseo and Hweji's gaze softened slightly as they stared at their youngest member. Minseo's hand reaching across the table to gently squeeze Juwon's. "We're not trying to discourage you. We just want you to go in with both eyes open. But, no matter what happens, you've got us."
A small, genuine smile formed on Juwon's lips. "Thanks. That means a lot."
Hweji let out a long breath before reaching across the table, placing her hand gently on top of theirs.
"We're with you," she said softly. "But I still can't trust him!"
Juwon responded with a giggle.
The air inside Seungcheol's private studio was oppressiveâthick with tension. The acoustic panels on the walls soaked up every ounce of ambient noise, giving the space an eerie, vacuum-like stillness between takes.
In the center of it all, Juwon stood alone in the glass-paneled recording booth. The mic hovered in front of her, her headphones clamped tightly over her ears, pressing the weight of the last few hours into her skull.
She was on her fifth take of the bridge part of an R&B genre song and no matter how hard she tried, it wasn't landing.
One time, her voice cracked. She winced, already bracing herself. "I'm sorry, let me try again,"
But the track cut off abruptly.
"Stop." His voice crackled through the intercom.
Juwon exhaled sharply and ripped off her headphones. Sweat beaded along her hairline, her throat raw from the last few takes. Her fingers trembled as she lowered the mic, heartbeat thudding painfully in her chest.
She glanced toward the control room. Through the glass, Seungcheol sat on his leather chair, his thick arms were folded tightly across his chest with his jaws tightening in a clear frustration.
Her stomach twisted.
"What's wrong?" she cautiosly asked.
He leaned back in his chair, the faint creak of leather audible through the booth's speaker. "Everything's wrong. What the hell was that?"
"Iâ" she stammered, her breath ragged. "I thought I was getting closerâ"
"No." He retorted, his tone were cold. "You're far from it. Again!"
She nodded instinctively, swallowing the lump in her throat as her trembling arms reached for the headphones again.
She forced herself to push harder, imagining herself to live in between the lyrics, indulging it.
But due to the overwhelming feeling from his hard stares across the room, all of the efforts came crashing down. The notes wobbled. The words felt performative. Her delivery lacked of heat.
Then the track halted again with a violent slam of the stop button.
"You sound horrible!" His voice exploded through the speaker, his patience wearing thin.
Juwon flinched. "I'm tryingâ"
"Trying implies that you're progressing. But you're not. You're staying still. Or worse, getting worse." He snapped.
Each word hit like a gut punch, stripping away layers of her resolve. "Do you even know what this song is about?" he asked, turning toward the mic with a raised brow.
She blinked, flustered. "It's... about love..? Desire?"
He scoffed. "No. It's about sex, Juwon. Read the lyrics and you will know. It's filthy. It's supposed to drip with want. And you? You sing this songs like you were scared of your own body."
She recoiled, shame crawling over her skin.
"You ever even been in love?"
Her throat tightened. "...Yes."
"Had sex?"
The bluntness hit like a slap. "I don't think it's important for you to know thatâ"
"It is when you're singing a song about it but you sound like you never had one." His voice cut through her defenses like a blade.
He sat again, fingers flying across the console, cueing up the track one more time.
"One more," he muttered.
Juwon inhaled deeply as the beat kicked in, the melody filling the booth. This time, she pushed harder, forcing herself to forget Seungcheol's piercing stare and the sting of his last words. Her voice trembled at first, but she bit down on her fear, willing it to sound fuller, richer, more daring.
But halfway through the chorus, Seungcheol slammed his hand on the control panel.
"Stop!" His voice blared through the speakers, cutting her off mid-note. "God, that's enough."
The track screeched to a halt. Juwon's heart thudded in her chest as she yanked off the headphones, her pulse pounding with humiliation.
Seungcheol stood from his chair, eyes blazing as he stalked to the booth door and threw it open. His presence filled the room, sharp and suffocating.
"Get out," he snapped.
Juwon's eyes widened. "What?"
"Out." he growled. "This isn't working."
"No, pleaseâ" she took a step forward, desperation clinging to every word. "I just needâ"
"No. You need a fucking reality check." He ran a hand through his hair, sighing loudly.
"There is no lust, no heat, absolutely nothing!" His voice rose, sharp, scathing. "This track isn't about longing. It's about fucking. And you sound like you've never touched anyone, or been touched."
Juwon's chest heaved, her fists clenched so tight her nails bit into her palms.
Seungcheol's next words were cruel and deliberate, cutting straight to the core.
"Do yourself a favor. Go out and fuck someone. Anyone. Because until you stop sounding like a goddamn virgin, you'll never make it."
The words echoed in the room like the aftershock of a slammed door.
Juwon's lips parted, but nothing came out. Her heart was pounding. Her hands were trembling.
Shame, rage, disbelief... everything mixing up together until it became impossible to tell them apart.
The room went deadly silent, the echo of his words hanging in the air like a slap. Juwon's breath caught in her throat as humiliation flooding through her veins.
The words replayed in her mind like a tormenting loop.
"Until you stop sounding like a goddamn virgin, you'll never make it."
Juwon clenched her fists as she stood in front of her bathroom mirror, her damp hair clinging to her flushed skin. The sting of Seungcheol's voice refused to fade, burrowing under her skin like a splinter. She hated how those crude, merciless words had struck something deep inside her.
He was wrong, of course.
She wasn't some inexperienced girl. But it had been a whileâa long whileâsince she'd been with anyone. Her last relationship had ended in a broken promises and resentment. The aftermath left her too drained to seek comfort in anyone else.
But now... now she was desperate.
Juwon bit her lip, frustration gnawing at her insides. Her body was tense, unsettled by the lingering weight of Seungcheol's accusation. She needed to prove him wrong. Not just to him, but to herself as well.
With shaky hands, she turned off the bathroom lights and sank onto her bed. The room was almost dark with only moonlight filtering through the curtains.
She hesitated at first, fingers ghosting over her skin as heat blossomed in her chest. Her breaths were shallow, the ache of humiliation mixing with a flicker of need.
If this was what it took to tap into that sensuality Seungcheol demanded, she'd do it.
The soft touch of her own hands against her skin sent a shiver up her spine. It was almost like a stranger's touch, both familiar yet foreign. Her fingers traced the contour of her collarbone, the hollow of her throat, each contact igniting sensations she'd forgotten.
She closed her eyes, imagining herself in a room with a man she didn't know, a man who would look at her like he could devour her whole. The image was clear in her mind, every detail sharp and real.
Her hands continued their journey, slipping beneath the hem of her shirt. The cool air brushed against her bare stomach, goosebumps rising in its wake. She ached for a touch more intimate than her own, for hands that weren't hers roaming over her skin, leaving trails of heat in their wake.
Her touch was tentative at first, unsure. She tried to focus, tried to imagine something, or rather someone, to ignite the spark she needed. But the more she tried, the more her mind rebelled. Flashes of Seungcheol's sharp gaze invaded her thoughts, his voice cutting through her fragile attempts at pleasure.
"You sound like you've never touched anyone, or been touched."
The heat that had been building in her core was now dampened by the harsh reality of Seungcheol's words. Her movements slowed, her thoughts consumed by his callous critiques.
She had failed, again.
A bitter curse escaped her lips as she yanked her hand away, her body tense with frustration.
It wasn't working. Nothing was working.
Her skin prickled with shame, heat rising to her face as if she'd failed some unspoken test. The harder she tried to let go, the more her thoughts spiraled, locking her in a cage of embarrassment and self-doubt.
She rolled onto her side, burying her face into the coolness of the pillow. A strangled sound escaped her, caught somewhere between anger and despair.
Juwon sat up abruptly, breathless and agitated. Her chest heaved as she ran a hand through her hair, the weight of inadequacy suffocating her.
Maybe Seungcheol was right. Maybe she'd forgotten how to let loose and embrace desire.
Her eyes flickered to the clock on her nightstand.
Midnight.
The city was still alive, buzzing with life of people who still seeking enjoyment.
Without thinking, she pushed herself to her feet and brought herself to the wardrobe, pushing the clothes hanging inside one by one, looking for a pair of outfit for the night outings.
If she couldn't find it within herself, she'd find it elsewhere.
Juwon's footsteps echoed through the dimly lit streets, each step propelling her further from her inhibitions. The cool air nipped at her cheeks, a sharp contrast to the heat that was coiling in her core.
She didn't have a destination in mind. She was simply searching for a place, a distraction, anything that could drown out Seungcheol's scathing voice in her head.
That's how she ended up in a night club somewhere in Gangnam,
The club was dark and suffocating, neon lights popping everywhere across writhing bodies on the dance floor. The bass pounded in her ears as Juwon made her way through the crowd, her gaze darting across unfamiliar faces. Sweat and alcohol mingled in the air, overwhelming every senses.
She downed a shot at the bar, the burn of liquor barely registering against the turmoil in her chest. Her fingers trembled as she scanned the room, searching for anyone who could help her drown out Seungcheol's voice in her head.
A man approached her, his smile too wide, clearly full of intentions. His breath reeked of beer, and his hand lingered on her waist a second too long. Juwon's skin crawled, but she forced herself to smile.
"You here alone?" he asked, leaning in closer.
"Maybe," she replied, her voice strained as she pretending to be coy.
He grinned. "Wanna dance?"
She hesitated, then nodded. She let him guiding her to the dance floor, letting herself getting touched by this total strangers, pretending to enjoy herself just from being there.
But as his hands roamed lower, seemingly like he was targetting for her buttocks, she stiffened. The smell of stale cologne and sweat was suffocating, and his touch felt invasive rather than enticing. Her stomach churned.
"Actually, I need to get back to my friends," she lied, stepping away.
"Come on, don't be like that," he protested, but she was already pushing through the crowd, heart racing.
Another man approached her near the bar. His gaze raked over her body with undisguised intent, making her skin crawl.
"You looking for someone?" he asked smoothly.
But she let the question hang, ignoring him completely. Everywhere she turned, there was someone ready to devour her, but none of it felt right. None of it eased the ache inside her.
Juwon stumbled out of the club, the cool night air hitting her like a slap. Her breaths came in ragged gasps as she leaned against the brick wall, streaks of sweat beginning to running down her temple after all that attempt to escape there.
This was a mistake. All of it.
"Damnit," She cursed, tilting her head against the wall with frustration.
Later, she ended up in the company's vocal room.
Juwon sat hunched on the worn piano bench, elbows braced against her knees, strands of hair clinging to the sides of her flushed face. Sweat slicked the small of her back, soaking through her shirt, and her throat burned raw from hours of relentless practice.
Her voice was hoarse, strained, and utterly devoid of the sensuality Seungcheol demanded. No matter how many nights she spent in this room, pushing herself until exhaustion wrapped around her bones, she couldn't escape the suffocating weight of his words.
She gritted her teeth, hating how his voice clung to her thoughts, seeping into every corner of her mind. Once, she'd been proud of her voiceâconfident even. But now, doubt crept in like a shadow, gnawing at her self-assurance. She hated it. Hated how he had torn her down and yet somehow became the voice she craved approval from.
She turned the volume up, attempting to go again.
The door creaked open behind her, and Juwon's body tensed. She turned, breath catching in her throat when she saw Seungcheol standing there, his eyebrows arched as he found her in there.
He had stayed back to finish a track in his studio when he heard familiar beats echoing from this room. He hadn't expected to find her here at one in the morning.
"What are you doing here? It's late,"
Juwon turned back, almost dismissing his presence. "Practicing," She replied, uninterested to give him more attention.
"At this hour?" he remarked, eyebrow raised. He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest. His gaze lingered on her, taking in her exhausted frame, "You look like a wreck."
"Good to know. Just show how much I worked hard for it," She said, clearing her throat. When she tried to sing, her voice cracked.
Seems that she has reached the limit.
Seungcheol frowned, a hint of annoyance in his eyes. He took a few steps, walking closer to her, "You know overworking won't help you. Once your voice is gone, it's gone."
"I don't need your critique right now."
His lips curved into a scoff, his patience wearing thin. "You're not getting anywhere if you keep singing like that," he said bluntly. "Rest is important. As a singer, you should know that voice is your important asset. I don't want to deal with crack and raw voice on our next session,"
She ignored him. "And I'm trying my best not to sound like a pathetic virgin in your recording booth next time,"
His eyes narrowed as she threw his words back at him. A smirk tugged at the edges of his lips. "Oh? You're still thinking about that, huh?"
He took another step closer that caused her stiffened as he approached, her breath catching in her throat when he stopped just behind her.
Her grip tightened on the lyric sheet, but it nearly slipped when he spun her chair toward him in one sharp movement, his hand gripping the armrest until they were nearly nose to nose. The suddenness pulled a gasp from her lips.
"I'm talking to you," he said, voice lower now.
Juwon groaned. "What the hell do you want me to do then?! Even when I tried my best, you keep on tearing me down with your words and it really frustrating!"
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he leaned back slightly, letting his gaze travel over her face, pausing on her parted lips before meeting her eyes again. The silence made her stomach twist.
"Let me hear you again," he said, finally pulling away from her.
She blinked. "What?"
"You heard me. Show me what you've practice so far,"
She hesitated, but his gaze didn't waver. She sangâbarely two lines inâbefore he cut in, low and sharp, "Stop there. Now, here's the problem. You sing it word by word, and I guess it's your nature of habit from your idol training. But we are not doing idols now,"
His next words landed like a drop of heat in her stomach. "Sing like you moan the lyrics,"
Her throat tightened. She swore she could hear her heartbeat in her fingertips.
"Iâ" She swallowed hard. "That's... not exactly how Iâ"
"Try." His voice left no room for refusal.
She forced herself to look at the lyric sheet again, but her mind was a blank mess. The words blurred. She cleared her throat, trying to start, but it came out stiff, almost mechanical.
He sighed before he reached down and caught the edge of the paper, pulling it from her hands. It fluttered to the desk.
"You're thinking too much."
He spun her around once again, facing her. His arms rested on either side of her chair, caging her in without touching. The proximity was suffocating in a way that made her pulse trip over itself.
"This song is not about hitting notes. It's about making every word feel like it's dripping from your tongue. They were supposed to sound lazy and purposely drawn out. Do you get me?"
She could feel his breath on her cheek each exhale skating over her skin like it was meant to distract her. Maybe it was.
"Close your eyes."
She hesitated.
"Close them," he repeated, softer, but no less commanding.
When she obeyed, the darkness only magnified his presence. She heard him lean closer, felt the subtle shift of the air between them. His voice brushed her ear, low and deliberate.
"Now say the first line... but don't sing it. Speak it. Slowly. Like you're tempting someone to lean in closer."
Her lips parted, but the words caught.
"Go on," he murmured.
She tried. It came out hesitant, most of due to the nerves biting at her senses of having his presence so close to her, her nose could even caught the faint smell of his cologne.
He hummed. "Almost. I'll show you,"
Then his fingers came under her chin, tilting her face up. His thumb brushed the corner of her mouth without even he noticing but she did.
Then he said the line himself, voice a slow melt of syllables, deep and drawn out. It punched the air from her lungs, made her thighs press together instinctively as heat pooled low in her stomach.
Fuck.
"Your turn. Loosen your jaw. Breathe between words, not after."
She swallowed and tried again. This time, her voice was softer, slower, it's almost unfamiliar but honest. Like she meant every word she singing.
Maybe she did meant it.
His lips curved into the faintest smirk. "That's better,"
She blinked at him, throat tight, but he was already straightening, withdrawing his touch like nothing had happened, leaving an aching cold at his missing warmth.
"Practice that. We'll go through it again tomorrow." he said casually, as if her pulse wasn't still racing for him.
Then he left.
The next recording session came too soon for Juwon's liking.
She'd barely slept the night before. Every time she shut her eyes, she was back in that practice room. His voice in her ear. His hand on her cheeks. She kept telling herself it had just been a techniqueâan unorthodox method to get the right performanceâbut the way her body still reacted proved otherwise.
When she stepped into the booth and found Seungcheol already there, leaning back in his chair, his gaze flicking over her without lingering, her pulse jumped.
"Warm up?" he asked.
"Yeah," she lied, because her throat already felt tight for entirely different reasons.
"Good. Let's work."
She clenched her jaw, the sharp dismissal cutting deeper than it should have.
The track kicked in, the sensual rhythm pulsing through the booth. Juwon adjusted the headphones over her ears and took a steadying breath.
Two lines in and she still sounds stiffened like she always did. Seungcheol's voice crackled through the intercom. "Stop."
Her breath faltered.
"You're holding back again," he said bluntly. "Loosen up, Juwon."
Heat crept up her neck. She pressed her lips together, nodding in response. "Sorry,"
"Take it from the top," he ordered.
The track restarted, and she forced herself to focus. But no matter how hard she tried, the tension wouldn't leave her body. She couldn't find that raw, sultry edge he demanded.
Her mind raced, searching for somethingâanythingâthat could unlock the feeling he wanted. And then, like a traitorous whisper, the memory surfaced.
The night in the vocal room.
Seungcheol's breath against her ear. The heat of his touch. The way his voice had coaxed her into surrender, stripping her down to nothing but instinct.
A shiver coursed through her, and she exhaled shakily into the mic. The microphone caught the subtle shift, and she instinctively leaned into it, her voice gaining a husky edge. She let the sound spill out, low and husky, the words rolling off her tongue instead of being placed neatly in line.
Seungcheol's eyes sharpened behind the glass. He sat up straighter, his hand hovering over the controls as if he wasn't sure whether to stop her or let her keep going.
Juwon kept pushing, riding the wave of heat that pulsed through her veins. Her voice dipped lower, raw and provocative, wrapping around the melody like silk.
When the track finally faded, silence enveloped the room.
Her chest heaved, sweat clinging to her skin. The rush of adrenaline left her trembling.
Seungcheol pressed the intercom button, "That's it."
Her heart skipped a beat. "Really?"
He nodded, his eyes locked at her through the glasses. "Yes. You're finally getting it. Good job,"
The rush of validation hit her like a drug. Her lips parted, a thrill coursing through her veins. It was the first time he'd given her genuine praise, and it was intoxicating.
"You did good," Seungcheol added, his voice softer now as if the compliments is made only for her. "But don't get comfortable. Next time, I want better."
Juwon swallowed hard, nodding her head. "I will. Thanks,"
The praise clung to her like perfume, one that's impossible for her to shake. And it made her crave for more of it.
The preparation for Juwon's debut had become a relentless grind. From dawn till the late hours of the night, her schedule was a brutal cycle of vocal training, choreography drills, and image consultations. It was exhausting, but she was starting to see results. Her voice no longer wavered under Seungcheol's sharp critiques, and there was a growing confidence in the way she carried herself.
She's in the dance studio that afternoon, the mirrored walls reflecting Juwon's relentless effort. Her body glistened with sweat, muscles burning from hours of practice. Girl's Day's "Something" played on repeat, the sultry melody filling the room as Sojin stood off to the side, observing with her usual sharp focus.
"Roll your hips slower," Sojin's voice cut through the music. She stood at the edge of the studio, one hand on her hip, the other gesturing to emphasize her point.
"Don't rush it. Let the movement flow naturally. And keep your eyes up to the audience,"
Juwon adjusted her stance, trying to follow Sojin's guidance. Her feet ached, and frustration simmered beneath her skin, but she couldn't afford to stop.
"Better," Sojin said after a moment, a hint of approval slipping into her tone. "Now keep it."
By the time the final notes faded, Juwon's chest was heaving. She sank to the polished wooden floor, the heat of her body seeping into it, sweat tracing slow lines down her jaw. Her muscles throbbed with every breath she took, screaming for mercy.
"Not bad," Sojin murmured as she crossed the room and switched off the music. "But 'not bad' won't carry you into a re-debut."
Juwon groaned, lying flat on her back. "Can't I just be mediocre for five minutes?"
"Sure," Sojin said dryly, crouching down beside her. "If you want your old career to repeat itself."
Juwon's eyes snapped open. "Low blow."
"Accurate," Sojin countered with a small smirk.
"Why are you as mean as Seungcheol?"
"I'm not mean," Sojin corrected. "I'm realistic. And unlike him, I actually tell you how to fix things instead of throwing insults."
Juwon let out a tired huff. "Fine. Point taken."
Ten minutes passed in a blink of eye. Sojin finally stood, striding to the back of the studio before returning with something in her hands. "Break's over. Put these on."
She handed her a pair of black stilettos. Juwon took them and inspect the shoes. Those were at least 4 inches heels high.
"Shit,"
"I know," Sojin smiled. "But these are helpful to make you looks even alluring on stage. It gives you the confidence you need,"
Juwon stared at the pair of heels in her hand. They have a trainee days where required them to practice in heels but after debut, they have used a safer pair of shoes for performance to prevent risk of injuries on stage so it's been a while since she dance in one.
To use them for dancing after a while will mean her going through hell. Juwon can't help but gulped.
Hours passed until it almost midnight.
The speakers vibrates as the sultry beat of 'Something' played on repeat. Juwon moved across the dance floor, her hips swaying to the rhythm. Her reflection in the mirror was fierce, or at least she tried to make it look that way. Each step was sharp, but her confidence wavered as a sharp pain stabbed through her arches.
The heels Sojin had suggested were exquisite. A black stilettos that made her legs look endless. But after hours of relentless practice, they felt more like instruments of torture.
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to push through the pain. Her body protested, but she didn't stop untilâ
Her ankle wobbled from a sudden imbalance. She hissed, her formation crumbling as she tried to hold herself from fall flat on her face at the wooden floor.
"Damn it!"
The sudden click of a door made her whip her head toward the entrance. Seungcheol stood there, his gaze assessing the surrounding of the dimly lit room before it landed on her. His presence immediately filled the room, suffocating and magnetic all at once.
"You really like punishing yourself, don't you?" His voice was smooth, with that edge that always made her toes curl.
Juwon swallowed, trying to straighten up without wincing. "What are you doing here?"
"I was checking in," he said, sauntering toward her, hands casually tucked into the pockets of his tailored coat. "Though it looks like I walked in on your suicide attempt."
She glared at him. "I'm fine."
His eyes flickered to her trembling legs, lingering on the redness where the straps of her heels bit into her skin.
Juwon tried to ignore his presence as she went back to the laptop sitting at the corner to replay the song from the beginning. As she fiddling with the touchpad, a hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist, pulling it away that made her eyes turned wide.
"Heyâwhat are youâ"
"Sit." His voice left no room for argument.
The single word carried enough weight to knock the wind out of her protest. Before she could think, she was guided toward the bench against the wall. Her heart thudded.
"You really need to stop playing martyr," he muttered, crouching in front of her as he reached for her foot. "Are you planning to delay your debut or what?"
She quickly shook her head. "Of course not,"
"Thought so,"
Seungcheol slipped off one of her heels. She tensed as he reached for her ankle, his long fingers brushing against her skin. The contact was electric, sending a shiver down her spine.
She tried to pull her foot away, but his grip was firm. The slow, deliberate press of his thumb against the arch of her foot sent a jolt up her leg. Her thighs clenched involuntarily.
"Seungcheol," she said, her voice shaky.
"Hmm?" He didn't look up, his attention fully on her foot as he massaged away the tension.
"This is... weird."
He finally lifted his gaze, "Weird?"
"Yes," she managed. "You're... touching my foot."
Seungcheol chuckledâa deep, indulgent sound that sent an involuntary goosebump under her skin. Obviously not in a bad way. Far from it. Juwon shifted, trying to ignore the way her skin prickled at the sound.
"It is weird," he mused, his fingers still lazily massaging her ankle. "I've never held someone else's foot before."
She scoffed. "You expect me to believe that?"
"Why would I lie?"
"Because it's you,"
Seungcheol just chuckled at that. "So, you've heard the rumor," he said evenly. "So what? You gonna stop working with me?"
She said nothing at first before she continued. "Is it really just a rumor?"
"Believe what you want," he went on. "It's not my job to convince you what's truth and what's not."
Her stomach knotted when his eyes flicked up towards her, a boyish smile playing at the corner of his lips. She gulped, attempting to pull her foot away from his hold.
"You're awfully full of yourself," she muttered, looking away, pretending to examine the stilletos on her lap.
âHeard that a million times.â He grinned wider, like her jab had only amused him. This time, Juwon couldnât stop the small curve tugging at her own lips.
The warmth of his fingers lingered against her ankle as he buckled the strap.
âDone,â he straighten up, âIâd advise you to go home for the night and rest. Youâve tortured yourself enough.â
That had never been her plan. Sheâd intended to stay in the studio until the choreography was perfect, even if it meant dancing herself sore.
But coming from him, it felt like an order, one her body responded to before her mind caught up. âAlright.â
What she thought had shifted between them that night crumbled a few weeks later.
That day, it is her evaluation day. She just finished presenting what she has worked on for the past few months. She felt confident but at the same time, she didn't.
Her fingers resting behind as she scanned the faces before her. Sojin had that measured look, the kind that wasn't exactly critical but wasn't approving either. Hyeon, seated with one leg crossed over the other, tilted his head slightly, considering. And Seungcheolâ
He was leaning back in his chair, one elbow on the armrest, fingers brushing against his lips in thought. His gaze was hard to read, but to her, he looks almost bored.
Juwon felt her stomach knot nervously.
Hyeon was the first to break the silence. "I'll be honest, Juwon," he started, his tone as diplomatic as ever. "Technically, your execution is improving. Your voice control has gotten better, and I can tell you're really trying to adjust to the new concept."
Sojin nodded. "He's right. You're starting to tap into the sensuality, but it still feels... restrained. You're moving your body, but I don't feel the intention behind it. Like you're thinking about looking sexy instead of being sexy."
Juwon swallowed, forcing herself to keep her expression neutral.
Then Seungcheol exhaled a sharp, humorless chuckle. "Restrained?" he repeated. "That's an understatement."
Juwon stiffened. His voice was flat, emotionless.
"I don't know what I just watched, but it wasn't sexy. It wasn't even remotely close." He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, his stare unrelenting. "I don't feel anything watching you."
She clenched her jaw, her hand hidden behind her were curled into a fist.
"I don't feel excitement. I don't feel curiosity. I don't even feel anticipation." He tilted his head, eyes narrowing in blatant disappointment. "Hell, I don't even feel desire. And that's a problem, Juwon."
The casual cruelty of it struck like a slap to the face. Juwon felt her breath hitch, humiliation creeping up her throat like bile.
Seungcheol let out a small, amused scoff. "For someone who's supposed to be debuting with a concept that thrives on seduction, you are painfully unsexy."
A part of her wanted to fight backâto say something, anything, to salvage her pride. But no words came.
"Do you even believe in your own performance?" Seungcheol pressed, his voice deceptively casual.
Juwon inhaled sharply. "I-"
He cut her. "Because, let me be honest. I don't. I look at you, and I see a woman trying to act sexy, but all I feel is secondhand embarrassment."
Her throat tightened.
He sighed, sitting back again, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "And you know what makes it worse? I don't even think it's because you lack the ability. I think you just don't have it in you."
The words struck so deep Juwon felt herself sway slightly. She willed herself not to react, not to show how much it got to her, but something inside her cracked.
She had never felt so utterly dismissed. So insulted.
Hyeon and Sojin exchanged brief glances, as if debating whether they should step in, but Seungcheol was already rising to his feet.
"That's it for today," he said, waving a dismissive hand as he turned on his heel. "There's no point in wasting any more time on this."
And with that, he walked out.
Juwon stood there, frozen.
She wasn't even worth his time. That was what he had just told her. And the worst part? A tiny, infuriating, devastated part of her believed him.
Her chest ached as she stared at the door he had disappeared through, his words repeating over and over in her head like a cruel echo.
Juwon slumped onto the floor of the practice room, her body aching from hours of relentless training. Sweat clung to her skin, her chest rising and falling with every exhausted breath. The music had long since stopped, but the echoes of her movements still lingered in the air.
She stared up at the ceiling, trying to ignore the sting in her muscles, the burning frustration in her chest. No matter how much she improved, it never felt enough.
Not for Seungcheol.
His words from the evaluation still echoed in her mind, sharp and merciless.
She clenched her fists, jaw tightening as she recalled the way he had dismissed her, walking out of the room as if she wasn't worth his time. As if her entire existence in this industry was still nothing more than a joke.
The sound of footsteps approaching pulled her from her thoughts. She turned her head just as Sojin sat down beside her, setting a water bottle between them.
"You're pushing yourself hard." Sojin's voice was even, but there was something gentle about it.
Juwon took the bottle and pressed it against her forehead, letting the cold seep into her skin. "I have to."
Sojin studied her for a moment before sighing. "You're still thinking about what he said, aren't you?"
Juwon let out a dry chuckle. "How can I not? He practically ripped me apart in front of everyone."
Sojin leaned back against the mirror, crossing her arms. "That's just how Seungcheol is. He doesn't sugarcoat things. But... that doesn't mean he's always right."
Juwon exhaled through her nose, eyes shut tightly. "He didn't have to take me in. No one else would have. I should be grateful."
Sojin hesitated, her expression shifting. There was something unreadable in her eyes, something careful, as if she was weighing her next words.
"Maybe. But you should also be careful."
Juwon frowned, glancing at her. "Why?"
Sojin didn't answer right away. Instead, she looked at the practice room door, as if making sure they were alone. "How far have you gone with him?"
Juwon's breath hitched. The question was so unexpected, so direct, that she could only blink at Sojin in surprise.
"What?" she managed to say, but the slight shake in her voice betrayed her.
Sojin sighed, rubbing her temple. "You don't have to tell me. But I've been around long enough to know how Seungcheol operates."
Juwon's fingers curled around the bottle in her hands. "You think I'm sleeping with him to get ahead?"
"No," Sojin said immediately. "But I think he's the kind of person who knows exactly how to pull people in. And once he has them where he wants, they don't even realize they're caught until it's too late."
Juwon's throat felt dry. She thought of his hands on her, the way he had spoken to her in the vocal room, the way his praise made her heart race. She thought of how, no matter how much he insulted her, she kept coming back.
"Is that what happened with Astrid Lee?"
For the first time, Sojin's calm cracked. Her gaze shifted, the smallest flicker of unease passing over her face. She looked away, pressing her lips together before letting out a slow breath.
"Astrid... was a mess," she said finally, the name heavy enough to make the air feel thicker.
Juwon stayed silent, knowing if she spoke too soon, Sojin might shut down completely.
"She was talented. One of those people who made you believe she was born for the stage. But when she got involved with Seungcheol..." Sojin trailed off, fingers idly twisting the cap of her water bottle. "Things changed. She changed."
Juwon's brows drew together. "Changed how?"
"It was subtle at first. She worked harder. She became sharper, more confident. But then it started looking less like growth... and more like obsession. Every decision, every move, started revolving around him. What he thought, what he wanted. She'd push herself until she was falling apart, but if he told her to keep going, she did."
A strange chill threaded through Juwon's spine.
Sojin's voice lowered. "I don't know if all the rumors about them were true. Maybe they were lovers, maybe they weren't. But I do know this: the Astrid I first met wasn't the Astrid I saw at the end. The last version of her was paranoid, reckless, ready to burn bridges she'd spent years building. She'd lash out at anyone who questioned her. It was like she couldn't tell where she ended and Seungcheol began."
Juwon's chest felt tighter, her pulse just a little too loud in her ears.
"The whole fiasco... his career nearly went down with hers. I honestly didn't think he'd survive it. But... somehow, here we are. With you,"
Sojin looked back at her, gaze firm now. "I'm not saying he ruined her. Maybe she was always going to fall apart. But I am saying that whatever was between them wasn't healthy. She lost herself in him. Whether he meant for it to happen or not... it did."
Juwon swallowed.
Sojin leaned in slightly, her tone firm. "There's a fine line between being challenged and being controlled. Once you cross it, you might not even notice until there's nothing left of you but what he's shaped."
Juwon didn't know how to respond to that. Because the truth was, she didn't want to keep her distance.
If anything, Sojin's words only made her more curious. More drawn to him. She wanted to know why Seungcheol was the way he was
She wanted to know what would happen if she let herself fall further.
But she didn't say any of that. She simply forced a smile and said, "Thanks for the advice, Sojin. But I should get back to training."
Sojin's lips parted but nothing ever come out so so she ended up nodding and let her off to get back with her practice.
The water pounded against her skin, scalding hot, as if she could burn away the heaviness of Sojin's words. Juwon tilted her head back, letting the spray run over her face, but the warning only grew louder in her mind. She should have been angry. She should have resented the implication that she could ever end up like Astrid.
But instead... she thought about him.
Even after that brutal evaluation, even after he'd walked out without a second glance, she'd pushed herself harder. Every ache in her muscles, every sleepless nightâit was all for him. For his validation. For that rare, fleeting moment when his eyes would soften in approval.
Pathetic. She knew that. More than anyone else.
Her breath shuddered as she squeezed a dollop of body shampoo onto her palm, working it over her skin in slow, methodical strokes.
But God, not even these feel enough to wash him off her.Â
Her mind drifted to that day in the vocal room. His voice close to her ear, breathing the sensual lyrics right into her ear. Low and deliberate, almost a whisper meant for no one else.Â
The water cascaded over her hair and shoulders, sliding down her chest. Her fingers twitched against her collarbone slowly trailing down to the swell of her breasts. It slowly slid down, letting her nails lightly grazing her skin as the water keep rolled over her.Â
Then, another memories slipped in towards the night in the practice room when her ankle sore from hours in heels. She remembered it all too well, the image of him crouching in front of her, the warmth of his large hands closing around her foot. His thumbs had pressed into the sensitive arch, toeing the line between comfort and something shamelessly intimate.Â
Not forgetting the smile he gifted to her. The smile that had her remain sleepless night after night.Â
Juwon bitten her lips as her hand slid lower, the heat between her legs mixing with the pounding spray of water.Â
And then, she rewrote the scene. This time, he was here with her. Behind her. The solid heat of his chest against her back, breath warm against her ear.
His hands would cover hers, guiding her lower and lower to where she wanted him the most. His lips would ghost along her jaw, his voice whispering praises of how obedient she is for him that coaxing shiver from her until her knees threatened to buckle.
Her own hand found the ache between her thighs, fingers moving in the rhythm she imagined he'd set for her. The cold tile grounded her even as her mind spun, every nerve strung tight, every sound she made swallowed by the hiss of the water.
She chased it, breath growing ragged, the picture of him behind her so vivid she could almost feel the faint scrape of his teeth against her ear.
"Seungcheol..." His name slipped out from her tongue almost involuntarily.Â
Every brush of her own fingers felt like a poor imitation, a pale mockery of what she craved. She was desperate, her body trembling under its own touch, reaching for something that was infuriatingly out of her grasp.
Her hips arched, her mind drowning in the fantasy of his weight behind her, the steam curling between their bodies. She moved faster, frustration twisting with pleasure, each touch a desperate attempt to satisfy a hunger only he'd planted in her.
She was drowning in the void of her own touch, lost in fantasies that felt more vivid than reality. His name spilled from her lips again, a prayer and a curse all at once, as she chased the high, clinging to any shred of him her mind could conjure.
The image sharpened in her brain as she fantasize the way his mouth at her neck while telling her not to stop. She knew she wouldn't. Or she just couldn't. The ghost of his touch burned hotter than the water, and she chased it, her pace quickening.
Her moans rose with the sound of the shower, echoing off the tiles. Her thighs trembled violently, her hips rocking into her own hand, chasing that snap in her belly. Her body curling forward as a strangled cry slipped past her lips. Her orgasm pulsed in waves, each contraction dragging another whimper from her throat. She stayed there, hunched under the shower, fingers moving through the aftershocks until she was too sensitive to bear it.
It took her a moment to pull her hand away. When she did, she stared at her fingers, glistening under the hot water, slick smeared along her skin.Â
Fuck..Â
Maybe she wasn't just too deep in him.
Maybe she was already drowning.
Seungcheol arrived at his studio, sighing as he reached for the door handleâonly to notice something small, barely there, tucked underneath. It happened to be a piece of paper. Frowning, he bent down to pick it up, unfolding it with one flick of his wrist.
Practice Room. 10 PM.
No sender. Just those few words, scrawled in an ink-dark script.
Curious, he glanced at the time. 9:50 PM. Right on cue.
He exhaled slowly, pocketing the note. Locking the studio door behind him, he made his way down the corridor, boots echoing against linoleum. His mind spun with possibilities of the culprit behind the notes, but none prepared him for what waited on the other side as he swung the door open.
A single fluorescent light flickered on, illuminating a lone figure standing near the switch.
Juwon.
She stood there in the glow, wearing a black dress with a dangerously high slit down the middle, the fabric hugging her curves, accentuating every dip, every arch, every tease of bare skin. Her dark hair cascaded over one shoulder, her lips painted a bold red, eyes smoky and hooded, looking like a reincarnation of temptation.
Seungcheol's eyes narrowed. "What the hell is this?"
Juwon didn't respond. Instead, she stepped forward, closer and closer. Seungcheol stepped back, lips parting to question her again but she suddenly pushed him down onto the nearest couch with surprising ease.
He let himself fall, more curious than alarmed. His breath caught slightly, his body tensing beneath his still expression. His gaze scanned hers, laced with both amusement and curiousity.
She stepped back to take a center in the middle of the room before the music started.Â
A familiar beat of Park Jiyoon's 'Adult Ceremony'Â vibrating through the room, pulsating in waves. Juwon began to move, opening her performance with a slow slutdrop.
Seungcheol, realizing what this is about, reclined slightly on his back, his fingers tapping against the couch's armrest.
Sojin's work, he realized. This was what she'd been helping Juwon with behind the scenes.
His lips quirked. Interesting.
Every roll of Juwon's hips, every flick of her wrist, every gaze she threw over her shoulder was done with intention. As if she want to prove him something.
To prove him that he's wrong.Â
To show that she can be the woman that caught his attention and spark his desire when he watch her.
As she danced, her mind rewound to every grueling hour she had spent in the studio with Sojin, the way they had meticulously crafted each movement, every glance, every calculated pause.
The music keep going, and during the break, she strutted toward him, her steps confident, resembling a feline. She let her fingers graze over his shoulders as she perched a foot on one of his thigh, her breath fanning against his jaw as she leaned in.
Seungcheol tilted his head, observing her with quiet amusement. Eyes to eyes, as if he is daring her to do more.
As if she was accepting the challenge, she turn qith a graceful flick of her hair, the smell of her shampoo gracing his nose. She swaying her hips with a teasing roll that made the air between them feel thick with heat.
But then, she felt her heel wobbling.
Juwon gasped when her feet failed to support her that she ended up slipping and fall...
...right into his lap.
Juwon froze for half a second, startled by the unintended move. She tried to get off from him but he quickly placed a hand on her waist, pressing her firmly on his lap.
"Keep going,"
Her breath hitched at his low whisper. His finger stilled at the curve of her hip and it's clear to her when she looked at him. There's an anticipation to see her next move, to see how she would do if she gets into this situation.
Even when her mind screamed for her to reatreat, her body respond differently as she shifted slightly. Her his slowly moving atop of his lap. Her hand moved to looped around his neck, continue to grind against her.Â
Seungcheol remained unreadable but she could feel the way his hand on her waist slightly tightening, inviting a smirk from her lips.Â
It works. It finally works.Â
Everything about this moment makes her felt dizzy, getting her felt even more heated.
The song reached its end in a slow fade, leaving behind nothing but the crackle of silence and the tension that wrapped around them like smoke.
She stayed on his lap, lips parted, unsure if the tremble in her thighs was from adrenaline or something else. Her heart pounded so loud it muffled everything.
"Now what?" She met his gaze head-on. "Am I not appealing enough?"
A slow smirk played on his lips. His fingers brushed against her bare thigh, featherlight, barely there, but enough to make send shiver down her spines.
He reached out, softly brushing her jaw with his knuckles. "Not bad," He purred.Â
Her stomach clenched, anticipation curling in her veins. And just like that, she felt it againâthat invisible string pulling her toward him. The same satisfaction when she received his ackowledgment.Â
Her body leaned in, her lips parting, her breath ghosting against his mouth. But before she could close the space between them, he pulled back, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Not yet."
She almost whimpered, the sound catching in her throat.
"For now," he went on, fingers lazily tracing along the inside of her thigh as if he owned the right to touch and deny her in the same breath, "you have a debut to focus on. Prove to me you can rewrite what people say about you. Thenâ" his mouth curved faintly, cruel in its restraint,
"âmaybe, we'll talk."
The rejection landed like a slap, sharp and humiliating.
Her arm looped around his neck tightened, nails biting into the back of his shirt as if she could anchor herself there, as if holding him closer could dull the sting of his words. But all it did was remind her that he could pull her in and push her away whenever he pleased.
Now, the day had arrived.
The debut showcase for Kim Juwon had drawn in some crowds including reporters who had been buzzing about Seungcheol's involvement in her career. It was the intrigue surrounding him that had initially piqued the media's curiosity, but as the lights dimmed and the music started during the opening to her debut showcase, all of that changed.
The heavy bass of Juwon's debut title track, "Bad Woman" vibrated through the venue as the LED screens illuminated with the first glimpse of her silhouette. A hush fell over the audience, tension thick in the air. Then, with the first beat drop, the lights exploded into brilliance, revealing her at the center of the stage.
The revelation earned few intrigued whispers and murmurs from the people who attended.
No more timid girl who had once fumbled in the shadows of her former girl group. Standing before them now was a woman draped in black, a high-slit dress accentuating her long legs, her striking red lips curling into a smirk as she met the eyes of the stunned crowd.
The reporters, initially skeptical, sat upright in their seats. Flashes from cameras began to flicker rapidly, catching every second of her performance. They had expected another typical idol debut, but instead, they were witnessing the rise of something entirely different.
On stage, Juwon commanded the attention of every person in the room. Each step, every shimmy of her hips, conveyed a raw sensuality that had the audience under her spell. The nerves, the fears, and the hesitations before has completely disappeared, replaced by a woman full of alluring energy and confidence.
By the time she ended the performance with an ending fairy pose, thunderous applause and cheers erupted through the venue. She stood at the center, chest rising and falling, a small smirk playing on her lips as she took in the electrified energy.
After the performance, she was ushered into the next session which is the press conference regarding to her debut. The air still thick with lingering shock from what they had just witnessed.
After her brief introductory, reporters began to throw in questions after questions.
"Kim Juwon-ssi, your transformation is incredible. Many remember you from your previous group, yet this version of you is entirely different. What inspired such a drastic change?"
Juwon tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. She took a moment to respond, carefully considering her words.
"Inspiration can come from a variety of places," she began, her voice steady and confident. "But I suppose you could say that my main inspiration is a... desire to grow, to challenge myself and break free from the limitations I've set for myself."
Her eyes flicked around the room, meeting the gazes of each reporter in the audience.
She let that settle in for a moment, before she continued. "Back then, I was unsure of who I was supposed to be. Now, I know exactly what kind of artist I want to be, what kind of woman I am. 'Bad Woman' is just my introduction."
The reporters scribbled down every word she spoke, their interest in her peaking as they tried to understand the woman behind the idol.
One reporter raised his hand, "Do you worry about the public's reaction? Some might say this concept is... too provocative for the mainstream market."
Juwon smiled, slow and deliberate, as if she'd been expecting the question.
"I think the public is smarter than people give them credit for," she said. "They know when something is genuine. This isn't a concept I'm putting on like a costume. It's a side of me that's always been there... it's just never given the chance to breathe."
Another reporter, this one younger and bolder, leaned into her mic. "There's been talk online that this sudden reinvention is all thanks to Choi Seungcheol. That he built your new image from the ground up. How much of 'Bad Woman' is truly you, and how much is him?"
She lifted her chin slightly, voice cool but certain. "He gave me the tools, the direction, and the space to become who I am. But I'm the one who chose to walk through the fire. The woman you saw on that stage tonight? That was me. Every note. Every step. Every look." She paused. "He didn't invent her. He just reminded me that I could become her."
There was a beat of silence. Then, another hand shot upâan older woman from another major outlet.
"Do you consider this concept sustainable? Many female idols rebrand themselves but end up returning to safer images. Are you planning to continue with this bold direction?"
Juwon nodded slowly, her expression unreadable for a moment before she answered.
"Being bold isn't a phase. It's a choice. And I've made mine." Her eyes scanned the room again. "I've been into the safety zone for years with my previous group and this time, I want to show everyone of the woman I can be once I'm out of my shell,"
More questions flood in for the next one hour until the moderator stepped in, gently announcing that the Q&A session would be wrapping up soon.
She stood, bowed politely, and stepped off the platform, the heels she wore the entire night clicking like punctuation behind her exit. From the press hall to the green, she was congratulated with several staffs for her debut along the way. Many complimented her for being born anew and each time, she only smiled and thanking them with a bow.
Once she found herself alone in the green room, she let herself relaxed a little, exhaling the nerves she had locked inside all day.
"Well done."
She turned, pulse skipping as Seungcheol came out of nowhere, hands in his pockets of jeans, a half-smile tugging at his lips. His gaze swept over her and she swore it felt like he was peeling back every layer to see what was underneath.
"You handled them better than I expected," he said, stepping close enough for his cologne to cloud her already-overworked senses. "I'm impressed."
The words hit her like a drugâwarm, dizzying, curling in her stomach until she felt absurdly light. She had been bracing herself all day for his critique, craving the sharpness of it, and now that he was offering praise, she wanted to drown in it.
Her lips parted, ready to thank him, but he reached out first, brushing an invisible thread from her shoulder, his fingers lingering just a fraction too long. The smallest touch, yet it felt like ownership.
"Keep this up. And you might just make me proud." he murmured, the corner of his mouth twitching as if he knew exactly what it was doing to her.Â
It was ridiculousâshe hated how her chest tightened at that, how every bit of self-control she'd fought for dissolved in the glow of his approval.
"Thank you," she replied, her voice coming out a little breathier than intended. "You'll come to the after party, right?"
Seungcheol pulled back slightly, heaving a long, casual sigh. "Not sure yet. I have more things to do at the studio."
There was a flicker across her faceâsmall, but enough for him to catch. A soft dip in her expression, the subtle fall of her shoulders.
His gaze lingered, and then that knowing smile curved his lips. She was about speak again when he reached out, ruffling her hair with an easy, almost careless pat to the crown of her head.Â
"You really want me there, huh?" he asked, teasing her. Completely obliviousâor maybe not at allâto how that tiny gesture sent her pulse into overdrive.
She didn't hesitate. "Yes."
"Convince me."
Juwon gulped. "It's... important to me," she admitted, hating how desperate it sounded, but unable to soften it. "Tonight is my debut, Cheol. You've been there since the beginning. It wouldn't feel right without you."
His eyes searched hers for a long moment, then he let out a soft, amused hum. "You're right. I made you. I deserves the credit, right?"
She nodded, almost like a puppy agreeing to their owner. Seungcheol laughed. "Fine. Since it's you, I'll come,"
It was such a simple answer, but the way he said itâlike she was special, like she'd managed to win something no one else couldâ sparked something inside her.
The hall was buzzing with celebration for her debut, noises of clinking glasses and the muted bass of celebratory music playing in the background. Staff, stylists, backup dancers, and media reps filled the room with congratulatory energy, offering Juwon drinks, hugs, and endless praise.
"Juwon, you killed it tonight!"
"You're amazing! I'm looking forward working with you in the future," and everything she never get as a members of Lovena back then.
Juwon offered smile after smile, thanking each one with polite nods and flushed cheeks, but even the champagne didn't quite settle the fire still running through her veins.Â
"Juwon!"
She turned at the familiar voice and saw Minseo and Hweji, her former groupmates from Lovena. They looked stunning, hair done up, dressed for the occasion. Minseo rushed in for a hug, followed by Hweji.
"You were so good up there," Minseo gushed. "I almost can't believe that we are seeing our maknae up there,"
"We're so proud of you," Hweji added.Â
Their praise warmed her chest, drawing out a small laugh she hadn't realized she'd been holding back all night.Â
"Thank you," she said, clutching their hands. "Seriously, it means a lot."
For a while, the three of them sat down together to caught up with each other's update. Hweji has joined a cheoreography crews for a dance studio meanwhile Minseo had actively joining the theatre communities to showcase her acting skills.
"You should come and watch our upcoming musicals! I have some tickets ready for you guys!" Minseo told them. Hweji's eyes lit up in excitement.
"Ooh! I'd love to!" She replied.
But Juwon just offers her a tiny smile, seeming a little hesitant. "I want to watch but I can't promise. You know... schedule.."
Minseo's expression softened a little, laced with understanding. "Sure. I won't force. It's just... it's better if we can come together, you know?"
"I understand. I'll try to ask my company for it," She finally said.
As they basked under the chandelier lighting, sharing stories with each other, something nagged at the back of her mind.
Where is he?
She hadnât seen Seungcheol since the showcase. Sheâd caught a fleeting glimpse of him at the back of the hall, champagne in hand, talking with two suited men. His gaze had passed over her without pause, as though she were just another body in the crowd.Â
And now? He's gone.
"Guys, Iâm sorry, but I have toâ" She rose before finishing the thought, pushing herself to her feet. Hweji and Minseo's conversation paused to look at her.Â
"You leaving already?"Â
"I just... need to see someone. Keep the conversation up. I'll come back later," She didn't wait for their response and she just walk away. All of the sudden, the room felt a little bit too big for her. Everywhere she goes, she met with people and everyone is coming to her to speak but she barely could make out the word they spoke.Â
"Juwon, can you take a picture with us?" someone interrupted, pulling her toward another camera.
Her feet staggered a little but she still smiled, posed, thanked them.
The crowd pressed in around her as soon as she stepped back into the throng. More compliments. More drinks offered. More cameras flashing in her face. Her smile stayed plastered on, but her mind kept scanning the corners of the room, the buffet table, the lounge seating.
No sign of him.
Something cold began creeping under her skin.
"Excuse me," she murmured to a cluster of VIPs, slipping past them and out into the relative quiet of the hallway.
She scanned the hall, then made a beeline toward the bar where her manager, Chanwoo, was scrolling through his phone, half-drunk on his alcohol.
"Chanwoo," she called sharply, startling him.
"OhâJuwon-ah! Great job tonight. Everyone's talking aboutâ"
"Where's Seungcheol?"
His brows knit. "What?"
"Cheol. Did he leave?"
"Uh⊠I think I saw him take the elevator with some girl. I think she's an intern."
Her stomach dropped. "What?"
"Yeah. Probably booked a room with her or something." He grinned, too casual for the ice flooding her veins. "You know how Cheol is."
The jealousy was a violent burn, it hit he rlike a match to gasoline, burning hot and uncontained.. The thought of him with another woman, smirking against her mouth, that low voice whispering into someone else's ear made her want to throw the champagne glass in her hand against the nearest wall.
Her body moved before she could stop herself, like something primal had taken over.
Her heels pivoted sharply on the carpet, ignoring the sound of Chanwooâs voice calling her name down the hall.
The elevator doors loomed ahead, a silver mirror reflecting the fury etched on her face. She jabbed at the button, foot tapping as though her heartbeat had moved to her ankle. The doors slid open and she stepped inside, hitting the button for the twenty-second floor â the one her company had rented out for the nightâs celebration.
He had to be up there.
She told herself she didnât know for sure. She told herself she might be wrong. But Chanwooâs words kept repeating like poison on a loop and every replay made her.Â
The elevator ride was short, but every second dragged, her pulse roaring in her ears louder than the hum of the machinery. When the soft ding announced her arrival, she barely noticed.
She walked forward, each step heavier than the last, eyes scanning the line of identical doors. She was unsure which room he could be in but then, there she saw it. One door was slightly ajar, the gap narrow, like whoever had gone in hadnât even bothered to close it properly in their rush.
When she stepped closer, she heard a soft, high-pitched giggles followed by a low voice murmuring something she couldn't make out.Â
Her stomach twisted. Juwon no longer hesitated as she decided to pushed the door open with a hard shove.Â
And there it was. The picture her mind had been drawing since she stepped into the elevator, now in perfect, vivid detail.
Seungcheol was on the couch, shirt half unbuttoned revealing the cut of her chests and his legs spread wide. A girl, younger in age, perched on his lap, her manicured fingers tangled in his hair. His mouth was on hers, slow and lazy, like he had all the time in the world.
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
It ripped from her throat before she even realized sheâd said it.
Both heads turned at once.
The girl blinked, startled, lipstick smeared unevenly across her mouth. "J-Juwon!"
But Juwon didnât spare her more than a passing glance. Her gaze was locked on the man beneath her, that infuriatingly calm expression on his face, as though sheâd just walked in on him scrolling his phone, not making out with someone.
"Get out," Juwon said, voice sharp enough to cut.
The girl froze. "What?"
"I said out," she repeated, louder, the word cracking with heat. "Now!"
The girl looked at Seungcheol, confused. He didn't say a word. Rather, he just lounged further back into the couch, one arm stretched lazily over the backrest.
"You heard her," he finally drawled, eyes locked on Juwonas if she were some unpredictable performance he didnât want to interrupt.
Her lips parted in disbelief at how easily he dismissed her. But knowing that neither is siding her, she get off his lap and gather her heels on the way, grumbling something under her breath.Â
Juwonâs heartbeat roared in her ears as she slowly turned to face him again. He still looked infuriatingly comfortable, sprawled like a king whoâd just dismissed a servant, his thumb dragging lazily across his lower lip to smear away the last of her lipstick.
Juwonâs fists tightened at her sides. Her voice trembled despite her best efforts to steady it. "You really couldnât wait until the party ended?"
Instead of answering, he let out a soft chuckle, like sheâd just said something adorably naĂŻve. âYou looked good tonight, by the way.â
âDonât change the topic, Choi Seungcheol!â she snapped, heat flaring up her neck. âYou think this is funny?â
âNever said it was.â
âYouâre unbelievable. You vanish from my debut party and I find you here with some randomââ She cut herself off, jaw locking so hard it ached.
He only leaned back further, knees spreading a little wider, shoulders loose, gaze steady and cool. âWhy do you care so much, Juwon?â
The question hit her like a slap. âWhy do Iâ?!â She stumbled over her own fury, breath catching. âBecause Iââ She froze. The words teetered on her tongue but she couldnât push them out.
âYou what?âÂ
She hated him for asking. Hated him more for the coil of heat winding in her gut despite the rage clawing up her throat.
âYou canât justââ Her voice cracked, chest tight. âYou canât just show up, make me think youâre here for me, and then disappear with someone else like I donât exist.â
His gaze slid lazily over her, heavy enough to pin her in place. âSounds like you want me to only be here for you.â
Her lungs stuttered. âMaybe I do,â she bit out before she could stop herself.
He didn't even pretend to apologize.
And maybe that's what pissed her off the most.
The fury, the humiliation, the sick pull of wanting him all tangled together until she couldnât tell them apart. She was burning alive in it, and he just sat there, watching her burn.
She moved before she thought, crossing the space in two strides. For a moment she only stood over him, her shadow falling across his face. Then she climbed into his lap, her thighs caging his hips, her weight replacing the girlâs like she was claiming her stolen territory.
"Youâ" her voice came out a breathless tremor, "do you even realize what youâre doing to me?"
He looked at her, head tilting slightly. "Pretty sure I have an idea."
That smugness made something snap. She yanked him in for a frustrated kiss, all the heat and resentment from weeks of his mind games crashing through her.
Juwon kissed him like she wanted to bite the smugness off his lips. Her mouth was hot and unyielding against his, her teeth grazing him before her tongue pushed past in a demand for more. Seungcheol met her aggression with maddening ease, one hand sliding up her spine, the other gripping her thigh to drag her closer until there was no space left between them.
"I hate seeing that intern sitting on your lap like that," she muttered against his lips.
"Youâre seriously getting jealous over someone you donât even know?" His fingers slid up her sides, tracing curves before settling again on her hips. "Didnât know I had that kind of effect on you."
"Shut up," she growled, dragging him into another kissâdeeper this time, desperate enough to bruise.
Her fingers twisted in his shirt, pulling and tugging as if she could physically anchor herself in him, nails scraping faintly against his chest through the fabric. Every shift of his jaw, every slow stroke of his tongue against hers only made her press harder, like she was trying to smother the memory of that other girl from minutes ago.
He tasted faintly of the champagne he had drank from the party earlier, and she hated how her body reacted to him. When she finally pulled back, her lips were slick with their shared saliva, her chest heaving against his.
"I've made my debut," she whispered against his mouth, her lips ghosting over his as her breath hitched. "I think I deserve my reward, donât I?"
His eyes darkened, the corner of his mouth curling into a smirk that was pure sin. âHell yeah, you do,â he murmured, his voice dropping to that deep, gravelly tone that always went straight to her stomach.
She kissed him again before he could say moreâmessy, open-mouthed, all tongue and need. He groaned into her mouth when she rolled her hips into his, the friction making them both ache. His hand slid down to cup her ass, fingers digging in possessively as if he wanted to keep her exactly where she was.
Her mouth trailed along his jawline, pressing open-mouthed kisses against the sharp edge until she reached his chin. Her tongue traced the line of it, then dipped lower, finding the hollow of his throat.
He tilted his head back with a low groan when she lingered there, teeth grazing lightly before she kissed her way down his neck. Each press of her mouth was unhurried, almost reverent as if she she was memorising him through touch alone. She let her lips wander over his collarbone, her breath hot against his skin, then down to the exposed skin above his shirtâs open buttons.
By the time she dropped to her knees between his legs, his breathing had grown heavier, the anticipation coiling tight. Her hands went to his belt, and the metallic click of the buckle sounded loud in the silent room.Â
She tugged the leather free with careful slowness, her knuckles brushing along the thick line of him beneath his pants. His jaw clenched, a low exhale slipping past his lips as she unzipped him and pushed fabric aside.
Her fingers closed around him, hot and heavy in her palm, already hard from nothing more than their kisses. He swore under his breath, the sound rough, as her other hand settled on his thigh for balance. She didnât take her eyes off his face when she leaned in, lips brushing the tip just enough to make him twitch before her tongue flicked across the slit, tasting him for the first time.
"Fuck," he muttered, voice tightening.
 She moved slowly at first, just enough to let him feel every hot slide of her tongue, every deliberate swirl while fingers stroking what her mouth couldn't take.
Seungcheol let out a low groan. His head dropped back against the couch, fingers threading into her hair, more out of reflex than control. "You've been holding out on me, huh?"
She sucked harder in response, letting her cheeks hollow until he could feel the heat and pressure wrap tight around him. Her hand worked in sync, twisting languidly near the base with every pull of her mouth. The steady throb against her tongue told her she had him, his hips beginning to twitch upward despite himself.
She quickened the rhythm, bobbing her head in smooth, wet strokes, letting his cock slide between her lips over and over. Spit gathered at the corners of her mouth, dripping down to coat her fingers as she stroked what she couldnât take.
When her eyes flicked upward, the sight was intoxicatingâhim, completely undone above her. His head tipped back against the seat, throat stretched out, Adamâs apple shifting with each rough swallow. His lips caught between his teeth as he hissed through them, the sound sharp and desperate.
She let her mouth slide free with an obscene, wet pop, the thick strand of spit connecting her lips to his flushed tip making him curse under his breath. Without breaking eye contact, she dragged her tongue from the very base of himâslow, deliberateâup the thick vein until she reached the head again. She circled it once, tasting the salt of him, before sinking back down, this time deeper, taking him until the stretch hit the back of her throat.
Her gag was muffled around him, but the vibration of it made him groan low and guttural.
âShitâJuwonâŠâ he ground out, one hand tightening in her hair, urging her just a little deeper, a little longer.
She pulled back with a gasp, her breathing ragged, lips slick and swollen, chin shining from the mess sheâd made. âStill thinking about her?â she asked, her voice thick, mocking just enough to sting.
He gave a short, breathless chuckle that quickly dissolved into a groan as she gave him one slow, deliberate stroke. âI donât even know her nameâfuck, Iâm gonnaââ
But before the tension could snap, before the heat could break over him, Juwon eased back, letting him slip from her mouth. The sudden loss made him curse again, sharper this time, as she sat back on her heelsâsatisfied at leaving him teetering on the edge.
He was panting above her, chest rising and falling hard, his eyes half-lidded as he stared down at her. Sweat clung to his hairline, his pupils blown wide, and to her, he looked devastatingly beautifulâraw and flushed, like a man barely holding himself together.
Juwon climbed onto his lap again, her knees bracketing his hips. The second her lips met his, he groaned into her mouth, tasting himself on her tongue. His hand slid to her waist, fingers digging in like he needed to anchor himself to her body.
She lifted herself slightly, one hand gripping the slope of his shoulder for balance while the other slipped between them. Without breaking the kiss, she pushed her panties aside, the brush of her knuckles against her own heat making her inhale sharply. She reached down to grip him again, feeling the hard, slick weight of him in her hand.
Guiding him between her thighs, she lined him up and sank down in one unbroken motion, swallowing him to the base. Her mouth fell open in a silent gasp, head tipping back at the way he stretched her, every inch pressing into her until she was seated completely on him. Her tight dress bunched at her waist, hem brushing the tops of his thighs.
Seungcheolâs eyes fluttered shut, his jaw going slack. âHoly fuckâŠâ he breathed, voice low and rough.
Juwon rolled her hips, slow at first, grinding in circles that made the veins in his neck stand out. Her walls clung to him with every drag, heat pooling low in her belly. Planting both hands flat against his chest, she started to rise and drop, the bounce smooth at first before she let the tempo climb.
Seungcheolâs head tipped back, his gaze heavy-lidded but locked on her every movement, watching her come undone on top of him.
âThatâs it, sweetheart. Fuck yourself on me. Show me how bad you want it.â
She did.
Juwonâs hands slid up his chest, fingers curling into his shirt as she started bouncing harder, chasing the high his voice coaxed out of her. The burn in her thighs only pushed her further, every slap of skin against skin ringing through the room. Her breathing turned erratic, lips parting around helpless little sounds.
âThatâs my girl,â he groaned, his hands gripping her hips and guiding her down harder, deeper. âLook at youâso fucking good for me. Taking me so deep you can barely think, huh?â
She could only nod, eyes glassy, the praise making her clench around him so tight his breath hitched. Her head tipped forward against his shoulder, sweat slicking her skin, every roll of her hips more desperate than the last.
âSay it,â he urged, voice low and rough in her ear. âSay you need it.â
âIâneed it,â she gasped, voice trembling, âneed you.â
He rewarded her with a sharp thrust upward that made her cry out, her nails digging into his shoulders.
âOh godâfuck, Iâmââ
The orgasm tore through her like a tidal wave, stealing her breath. Her hips faltered, jerking in short, helpless movements as her walls clamped down around him. She shuddered violently, the rush leaving her dizzy and cockdrunk, eyes glassy and mouth slack as she whimpered against his shoulder.
He gripped her hips hard, keeping her flush against him, forcing her to take every throb and twitch of him inside her while she came apart.
She collapsed against his chest, trembling, clenching around him so tight he nearly lost it. He caught her, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other firm on her waist, letting her ride out the aftershocks. Her breath was hot against his neck, dampening his skin, her body still twitching in small, helpless jolts.
Seungcheol huffed a low, satisfied laugh, the sound rumbling against her cheek. When she finally blinked up at him, she caught the tilt of his mouthâthat arrogant smirk.
âGreedy little thing,â he murmured, almost mocking.
She barely had time to register the shift in his stance before the world tilted. He rose in one fluid motion, taking her with him, still buried deep, his strength making the feat feel effortless. Her hands clung to his shoulders, a startled gasp breaking from her lips.
âSeungcheol..?âÂ
âYou think Iâm done?â His voice was a growl now, low and edged with hunger. He gripped her knees, spreading her wide until she could feel the cool air between them. His gaze lingering shamelessly where she glistened for him in the dim light.
âRound one was for you. I let you have your moment.â He said, leaned over her, caging her in with his arms, his mouth brushing her ear as he whispered, âNow itâs my turn.â
With that, he dragged her to the edge of the bed, the sheets bunching beneath her as she scrambled to keep up. Her legs dangled for a moment before he hooked them over his forearms, spreading her shamelessly open. One hand slid between them, his thumb parting her folds as if to admire how wet she still was for him, even after sheâd already come.
âLook at you,â he muttered, voice thick with something between awe and filth. âAll this for me?â
She gasped when she felt him positioned himself at her entrance again.
And then he slammed into her with no warning.
Juwon cried out, her back arching clean off the mattress as he filled her to the hilt in one brutal, claiming thrust. âFâfuck!â
His hips snapped against hers, fast and merciless, the slap of skin sharp in the quiet room. His grip on her thighs turned bruising, pinning her in place as he drove into her with single-minded purpose. Every thrust was deepand it felt like he was carving himself into her, like he knew exactly how to shatter her and then drag her back from the edge⊠only to wreck her again.
âYou wanna have me that bad?â he rasped, voice dripping with cruel amusement. His hand slid up her body, fingers curling around her throatânot enough to choke, but just enough to tilt her chin and make her eyes flutter like she might drown in him.
His thumb brushed under her jaw, forcing her to meet his gaze as he pounded into her. âLook at you. All fucked out already, but still letting me ruin you,â
Her lips parted as if she wanted to protest, to tell him he was wrong but the words tangled in her throat when he thrust harder, deeper, hitting that spot that made her gasp.
âThatâs it,â he murmured, smirking like heâd won something. âIâm making you into my perfect little slut, and you love it.â
She whimpered, her nails clawing at the sheets, the burn in her core winding her tighter. âSeungcheolâ"
âShut up and take it,â he cut in, his tone a low command that sent heat pooling low in her belly.
And god, she did. Her hands gripped his wrists, nails digging in as she let him use her, her mind clouding with heat.
âThatâs it,â he purred suddenly, voice dipping low, a cruel sweetness in it. âGood girl⊠thatâs what I like to see.â
The praise shot through her like lightning, her thighs trembling around his hips. âOh godââ she gasped, her voice breaking.
He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, the other tugging the neckline of her dress down until the fabric gave way. Her breasts spilled free, bouncing from the sudden release, her chest heaving under his weight.
Seungcheolâs eyes darkened, lingering on the way she flushed under his gaze. He leaned forward, closing his lips around one of the hardened peaks, his tongue flicking slow before he sucked hard enough to make her gasp.
Juwon whimpered, her spine bowing as if to offer him more, his name spilling from her lips like a desperate prayer.
âMmh, thatâs right,â he murmured against her skin, the vibration making her shiver. âSay my name again.â
âCheolâŠâ Her voice cracked, breathless.
He released her nipple with a wet pop, smirking as he trailed his mouth to the other, giving it the same unrelenting attention. His thrusts didnât slow. If anything, they only got rougher, timed perfectly with each nip of his teeth.
âYouâre so fucking sensitive,â he breathed, dragging his teeth lightly over her skin before sucking again. âSo perfect, like you're made just for me,"
Her wrists strained against his grip, her body squirming under him as the heat built dangerously fast.
He pulled her leg over his shoulder and hit deeper, making her eyes roll back. Her second orgasm ripped through her, but he kept going.Â
"You're gonna come again," he told her.
"Iâcan'tâ!"
âYes, you can,â he cut in, voice low and commanding. âYouâre gonna come again, and youâre gonna do it while Iâm inside you, milking me like the greedy little thing you are.â
Her head tipped back, a strangled moan breaking free as her walls tightened involuntarily around him.
âThatâs it⊠let me hear it,â he coaxed, thrusting into her harder, deeper, his pace ruthless now. âYou belong to me when youâre like this. Say it.â
She was too far gone to resist, her voice a wrecked whisper. âI⊠Iâm yours.â
âLouder.â His teeth grazed her nipple again.
âIâm yours!â she cried, her entire body convulsing as another climax tore through her, leaving her trembling and unable to breathe through the pleasure.
Seungcheol groaned low in satisfaction, feeling her clamp down so hard he nearly lost it himself. âGood girl⊠My perfect little ruin.â
Her body was still twitching from the last orgasm when Seungcheol released her wrists. She collapsed against the mattress, dazed, her breathing ragged. But before she could recover, he hooked his hands under her thighs and pulled her closer to the edge of the bed again.
âCheolââ she gasped, voice shaking. âI canâtââ
âYou can,â he cut her off sharply, pushing back into her without warning.
She let out a broken cry, the sudden fullness too much, her oversensitive body clenching helplessly around him. âItâs tooâah!â
His smirk was merciless. âToo much?â He thrust harder, watching every shiver ripple through her.Â
Her nails clawed at the sheets, tears welling in her eyes from the overwhelming pleasure. Every nerve felt raw, overexposed, and yet his relentless pace dragged her higher and higher again.
âLook at you,â he rasped, leaning over her, his hand gripping her jaw to make her meet his gaze. âFucking ruined and still taking me. You like it. You like that I wonât stop.â
Her lips parted, a strangled whimper escaping as her eyes fluttered shut.
âNo,â he growled, giving her a sharp thrust that made her cry out. âKeep your eyes on me.â
She obeyed, barely holding on, tears slipping down her flushed cheeks.
âThatâs it, sweetheart..â he said softly, almost mocking. âLet me see you break for me.â
His thumb brushed her lower lip, then slid into her mouth, pressing down on her tongue. She moaned around it, her walls fluttering violently around him.Â
âFuckââ she gasped around his thumb, her legs trembling uncontrollably.
He pulled it free, tracing her swollen lips before smearing the wetness over her cheek. âSo pretty when you cry for it.â
Even as she writhed beneath him, begging for a moment to breathe, his hips didnât stop. If anything, he seemed hungrier, chasing his own release while wringing every last drop of hers.
âYouâre mine, Juwon,â he growled, each word punctuated by a brutal thrust. âSay it again.â
Through broken sobs and moans, she choked out, âIâm yoursâyoursâah, Godââ
And he rewarded her with a kiss so deep it stole the last of her breath, swallowing her cries as he kept her pinned and trembling, her body his to use until he decided otherwise.
Seungcheolâs thrusts had lost none of their force. If anything, they grew sharper, faster, chasing his own high while she whimpered beneath him, too spent to do anything but take it.
Her head lolled against the pillows, sweat dampening her hairline. âC-Cheolâpleaseââ
His hand came down to her cheek, turning her face back toward him. âDonât you dare tap out on me now,â he rasped, his tone a mix of command and dark amusement. âYou wanted me. Now youâre gonna take all of me.â
She could only gasp as he pushed her legs back further, folding her nearly in half. The new angle made him hit so deep she swore she couldnât breathe.
âThatâs it,â he murmured darkly, his thumb brushing over her lower lip. âTake every inch. Take it all,â
Her walls fluttered around him again, another climax hitting her so suddenly she didnât even realize she was coming until her body locked around his. She sobbed his name, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes as her body gave out completely.
Seungcheolâs thrusts slowed, but he didnât pull outâjust held her there, filled and trembling.
âFour times,â he counted softly, almost proud. âAnd youâre still breathing⊠think you can give me one more, sweetheart?â
All she could do was nod weakly, and that was all the permission he needed.
Back at the afterparty, Hweji and Minseo drifted through the thinning crowd, their eyes scanning every corner for their missing friend. The air was thick with the faint mix of alcohol and perfume, the music now a dull thump beneath the low murmur of conversations.
âShe doesnât even have her phone, so itâs impossible to track her,â Hweji muttered, clutching both her own and Juwonâs device tightly in her palms.
Minseo, balancing her clutch against her hip, craned her neck toward the bar. âShe wouldnât just leave without saying anything to us,â
Their search took them toward the quieter end of the lounge, where Sojin stood beside a table littered with half-empty glasses and melting ice. Her gaze roamed the room in restless sweeps, as though she too was hunting for someone.
âSis, have you seen Juwon?â Hweji asked, closing the distance.
Sojinâs brows knitted as she shook her head. âNo. Iâve been looking for her too. Last time I saw her, she was with you guys.â
Both women shook their heads. âShe left us mid-conversation,â Minseo explained, âDidnât say where she was going.â
âShould we be worried?â Sojinâs voice dipped, low enough to barely carry over the music.
Before Hweji could answer, a figure passed by, and Sojinâs hand shot out instinctively to grab his arm. âChanwoo!â
The manager halted mid-step, startled. âOh, hey, girls!â
âHave you seen Juwon?â
There was the smallest flicker in his expression. âJuwon?â
âYes,â Hweji pressed. âYouâre her manager. If she went somewhere, youâd know. And seeing you still here means she hasnât left the venue.â
His expression caught somewhere between discomfort and hesitation. âUh, actually⊠I just saw her about twenty minutes ago. I think she was heading to Seungcheolâs hotel room.â
The words seemed to hang in the air.
Minseo blinked first, her lips parting as if to speak but nothing came out.Â
Sojinâs grip on his sleeve slackened, her hand falling heavily to her side.
Hwejiâs gaze moved between them, the weight of the implication settling heavily in her chest.
None of them needed to voice what they were thinkingâeach woman could see it mirrored in the othersâ eyes. A shared unease threaded between them, silent and sharp, the kind that only came when you knew exactly where a story was headed⊠and feared you might be too late to change its ending.
a/n : revised the typos! I'm sorry if i missed anything
(soonyoung doesn't do relationships. or strings. or repeats all that often, honestly. he's one of the best drivers on the circuit and he doesn't need to. the one exception? you, his biggest rival's on-and-off partner. he's always your first call when your relationship is splashed across the headlines again and he never seems to care.)
pairing: driver!soonyoung x f!reader
genre: f1 au | smut, angst
rating: 18+, minors DNI (for the teaser & the fic)
word count: ~1.5k for the teaser (full fic: tbd, probably ~25k)
warnings (teaser): swearing, references to infidelity (reader and OC), hoshi is kind of a manwhore, morally gray relationships, one (1) explicit blowjob (we're starting early and I'd say sorry but I'm not)
additional warnings for the full fic: drinking, eating, lots of smut, toxic relationships, more to be added when it drops
expected posting date: aug. 22nd (fingers crossed)
note: i'm sooooo excited to be taking part in @camandemstudios's F1 collab (check out all the fics here). i wasn't planning to drop a teaser, but here we are. i'm hoping to have the full fic out in a week. thank you to my beloved @100vern for an amazing banner â€ïž
if you want to be tagged when the full fic drops, leave a comment or join my seventeen taglist here.
Kwon Soonyoung doesnât do relationships.Â
Not now, at least. And why should he settle? Heâs one of the best drivers on the grid. Always competing for the pole. Always in the conversation to end up on the podium for any given race. A five-time Driverâs Champion. People flock to him. Always wanting a piece. Always wanting to get just that little bit closer. Itâs like theyâre hoping some of his success will rub off on them. Or some of his fame. Always ready to give him exactly what he wants without him ever having to ask. The world is at his fingertips and he knows it. Knows that he can have anything he wants and doesnât want to settle for anything less than that.Â
Itâs been this way for most of his career. Always too much attention since he was 18 and making his debut. Too many ways for him to get into trouble. He had tried, briefly, to dip his toes into actual, committed relationships. But, theyâre more trouble than what heâs doing now, he thinks. Itâs too hard for people to understand the schedule and there isnât really enough time in the off season to commit to building something. Besides, heâs been one of the names on everyoneâs lips since his first season. The one thing people seem to like even more than watching him race is speculating who heâs spending time with off the track. Itâs just easier. Let them talk. Let the people in and out of his bed think what they want, too.Â
Unfortunately, Kwon Soonyoung is also exceptionally talented at making everyone feel special.Â
It seems unimaginable that, with a reputation like his, anyone could possibly fall for the lines that drip like honey from his lips. Slow and deliberate. Coating the skin of the nameless, faceless cycle of people that come into his life. The kind of things that should come out sounding sleazy and still seem to work for him. Maybe they do sound sleazy. Heâs never really stopped to think about it. Doesnât really care enough about figuring it out, either. As long as they keep working and he never gets bored. If thereâs one thing he truly canât stand, itâs that: boredom.Â
Soonyoung looks down at another nameless woman, disinterested. Well, he knows that she gave him a name. Itâs just that he could not be bothered to remember it. Sheâs sloppily bobbing on his dick. Treating him like sheâs the lucky one. Like heâs doing her a favor by letting her blow him. And itâs honestly fine. Not the best, not the worst either. She had not seemed this desperate when he picked her up an hour ago at the bar. Now, it rolls off her in a way thatâs entirely unappealing to Soonyoung. Makes it harder to appreciate it.Â
She makes to pick her head up, like maybe she can hear his internal monologue and he only puts his hand on the back of her head. Gently but forcefully pushing her mouth back onto his waiting dick. Itâs almost boring how quickly she complies. The least she could do is to make it a little more of a challenge. Could at least pretend sheâs not falling all over herself to give him whatever he wants.Â
Boring.Â
When his phone buzzes, he considers checking it right away. But, heâs close. So close. The release is the only thing thatâs really making this whole experience worth it. When it buzzes again, your motions falter and he groans.Â
âDonât worry about it,â he huffs out and it seems to be enough to get you to keep going.Â
And maybe he should have shown her this level of interest from the beginning because her movements get more sure. More confident. Like somehow him dismissing whatever it is on his phone gives her the validation that sheâs looking for. Ridiculous, really. Heâs still going to check. He just wants to get off first. The nameless woman hollows her cheeks and sucks harder, letting him hit the back of her throat. Soonyoungâs whole body tenses and his fingers dig into the edge of the couch where heâs sitting. She pulls her mouth off him and gives him a single smirk, like sheâs so proud. Then she begins stroking him hard and leans down to suck his balls into her mouth. Itâs finally too much for him. He comes all over her hand, groaning at the feeling, stars bursting through the much needed release. The woman keeps stroking, more gently now as his body jerks. He throws his head back and sighs. Twitching slightly in her hand.Â
Seemingly more confident, she gets up and smiles at him like sheâs done something impressive. Like sheâs the only one who could have him coming like that. Like sheâs not just the latest in a line of people to be in this exact position. The blowjob had been good, sure, but nothing special as far as Soonyoungâs concerned. Heâs not going to say that, though. Not because he hasnât before. More because sheâs already walking off to the hotel bathroom and heâs curious about who wants so desperately to interrupt his peace.Â
There are only a few people who can cut through the specific settings he has on his phone when heâs hooking up anyway. Itâs not a Do Not Disturb, exactly. More like he doesnât want the usual string of never-ending notifications to disrupt the whole. Especially like tonight when he feels like he needs release or heâs going to die. And no, thatâs not dramatic.Â
Woozi: still with that woman you picked up?
Woozi: think you should see thisâŠ
Woozi: [link]
His chief engineer, Lee Jihoon, begrudgingly accepts the nickname Woozi, gifted by Soonyoung for Soonyoungâs use only. It comes in helpful, sometimes, too because itâs not automatically obvious to most people who heâs hearing from. Jihoon is also probably one of Soonyoungâs closest friends. One of the only people in the world that he trusts completely to see him exactly as he is without any judgment. Maybe itâs because Jihoon doesnât try for moral superiority. Or to lecture him over shit that doesnât matter. Or try to change who he is. Maybe itâs because he also could have been a good enough driver to hit the grid. Or maybe itâs just a strong bond fostered between a driver and his chief engineer. Jihoon is only the second chief Soonyoungâs had in his career and itâs been nearly 6 years already. They had been hesitant because Jihoon is the same age as Soonyoung and young for the job, but Soonyoung insisted and here they are. Whatever the case, Soonyoung knows before he clicks the link what heâs about to see.Â
Another day, another headline where your personal life is splashed across some gossip site. Even though youâre kind of a socialite, it feels like your personal life should not be this interesting. This time, youâre not even pictured. This time, itâs just your asshole of an on-again-off-again boyfriend, Taylor Williams, getting a little too cozy with someone who is very much Not You. A real downgrade, in Soonyoungâs opinion, yet someone could argue heâs biased. The caption wonders if thereâs trouble in paradise once again. Something that seems all too common for you and him. Another reason that Soonyoung doesnât do relationships, because this kind of drama isnât for him. Every other day it seems like you and Taylor are breaking up or making up. Sometimes commenting on the stories, other times just ignoring them.Â
As a fun added bonus, Taylor Williams is also one of Soonyoungâs biggest rivals on the grid. Three years older, yet a little less decorated. Too accustomed to coming in second to Soonyoung. A fact that Soonyoung is always quick to point out. Each of the drivers also seems too quick to take a shot when they feel they can get away with it. Sometimes it works, usually it doesnât. Most of the time itâs just the fans eating up the rivalry between Soonyoung at McLaren and Taylor at Ferrari.Â
Yet one thing that Soonyoung keeps to himself in the rivalry? His connection to you. Partly because heâs not sure why he canât ever seem to ignore you. Partly because heâs sure it would bring even more heat to an already tense situation that could impact his team. Any issues with Williams were his own to deal with. It made for entertaining races, so most people let it go. Some even encouraged it. But, bringing their personal lives onto the grid? Too far, even for Soonyoung. So, you stay tucked in a little box. Only existing in his life behind closed doors.Â
Soonyoung: seems like things are crashing and burning
Woozi: again
Soonyoung: this is why you donât fall in love
Woozi: until she texts you and you kick out whatever poor soul you have there now
Soonyoung: how do you know i have company?
Woozi: please
Woozi: did you forget i was right next to you when you picked that woman up?
Soonyoung: it doesnât matter, she hasnât messaged me
Just then, his phone makes him a liar. He sees a notification banner flash briefly with a single name showing: Trouble. The sigh escapes on its own.Â
Woozi: donât do anything stupid and let me know if i need to cover for you
Summary - Soonyoung is ethereal, you conclude at the end of the party, and so does the heartbreak that follows him.
Tags: Kwon Soonyoung x f.reader, angst, fluff, pining
Warnings: none for now
Word Count: 1.5k
A's Note: one thousand words purely admiring Soonyoung, just what we need hehe. This is a spin off for touch series but with our very own SOONYOUNG!!! Touch series has only been fluff and this is gonna be more than that. He is still attached to his ex for god's sake!! hehe sorry for the dramatics! More to come and I hope you enjoy reading this!
And I am open for drabble requests!
Parties arenât your thing. The mingling, fake laughing at the absurd jokes one cracks, and the loud music you feel beneath your feet. Never. You find yourself away from them, hiding beneath your duvet and disappearing into one of your novels. With time and adulting you find that one canât completely escape from the responsibilities or networking, thatâs how you find yourself on a new couch among dozens of people.Â
You donât find any familiar faces except for the host couple, Jihoon and his girlfriend. You are friends with her, used to be neighbors, occasionally greeting each other across the corridor, and helping out in times of need due to the shitty maintenance of your building.Â
She moved out to this new place along with her boyfriend, and the housewarming party isnât something you could cancel. Not when she was at your house, teary eyed, reminiscing all the old memories (bathing in your apartment as her shower broke down). You couldnât say no to her face, and here you are.Â
The time on your watch says it's only been fifteen minutes since you have arrived. You sigh into your glass as you take another sip of your drink, the soda makes you wince, and you set the drink on the coffee table.Â
âJihoonie!âÂ
You startle at the booming voice and the wide open door almost banging the wall. A man enters the house with his open hands, walking straight to Jihoon. Jihoon swears, scolding him to enter in a more appropriate way and not cause an earthquake. The man continues to pull him in a hug as if he isnât tearing his ear off. You shift a little in your seat trying to get a better look at him. He has long hair near his neck, considerably longer than any other man.Â
Jihoon shoves him off with a death glare. You shiver a little at his coldness, but in contrast the man just laughs, patting Jihoonâs shoulder. His laugh, a faint tinkling song among the chatter of guests, tickles your heart, and his eyes form crescents reminding you of the nights you sat near the window staring at the peaceful crescent moon. A sense of peace consumes you the more you watch him. He has a lean figure, the black turtle neck hugs his body perfectly. You stop yourself before you can drown yourself in dangerous waters.Â
At that moment, he turns around looking at the guests, waving his hand at a few, a little more excitedly at a select few, in the middle of his wandering gaze, he catches your eyes, pausing. You fluster from getting caught, your entire body freezing, unable to comprehend on how to play it off cool. He smiles at you, giving a brief nod before walking away to another person and pulling him into a hug.Â
You sit there, by yourself and your racing heart. Did he just say hi to you? To a complete stranger? An act entirely foreign to you. He looks handsome, dreamy and calming just from a few seconds of his laughter, and to top it off he is kind. He didnât weird it out when he caught you staring like a complete stalker. And you find yourself searching for him again and again.Â
He is leaning against a wall listening to others talk, occasionally sipping on the drink in his hand. He doesnât wince like you did. You reach for yours, to give it another chance, one little sip and you put it back in its place. No, you canât do it the way he does it.Â
âWhere did you disappear to?â Your ex-neighbor and the host of the party sits next to you. âI was about to take you on a home tour.âÂ
âI went to get a drink.â You point at the drink. âThe house looks pretty as far as I could see.â
She beams at the compliment. âThank you! It took A LOT of time. I kid you not.â She holds your hand, pressing on it, âremember the pinterest board I showed you, I got to recreate them!âÂ
You gasp, âthatâs amazing. Hopefully you got a working shower this time.âÂ
She throws her head back laughing. âI did. I did.âÂ
âWhatâs the joke?â The handsome man makes his way to the couch, settling in next to your neighbor.Â
âOh, you didnât get to see the house too right?â She claps her hand excitedly.Â
You lower your eyes to your hands, suddenly nervous to have him this near, two feet away. You want to see him, look at him properly, study his features, make notes of the moles or any little scars you may find on him. He has you go crazy from a brief encounter, and you arenât sure how you can handle being close to you.Â
âI didnât.â He smiles at her, his eyes shining. He has small lips, you note, the bow shape of his upper lip is favorite of yours next to his eye smile. His lips move again, and you snap your attention back to his eyes before he catches you again. âWould love a tour of this lovely house from the lovely lady.âÂ
You flicker your eyes to your friend and the strangerâfrowning a little at his choice of words. Is he flirty? With everyone? It bugs you a little knowing he is close to everyone, or acts the part.Â
âJihoon isnât around to lose his shit.â Your friend brushes him off. âMeet my friend,â she holds your hand pulling you a little closer so he can get a good look at you. âMy savior.â
âThat would cause a riot, sunshine.â Soonyoung grins, âmy friend, Jihoon, will not be happy with someone else being your savior.âÂ
Sunshine? SUNSHINE?
âThat would be up for discussion.â She agrees, âsince he isnât around we will just say she,â she pulls you into her, crushing into her side, âis, now more like was,â her eyes tear up again, and you panic, waving your hands desperately signaling her not to cry, again, âI will miss you my old neighbor.âÂ
She pulls you into her chest, your face smashed against her skin and you tap her thigh to let go. She doesnât. The same melodic laughter ignites your heart, a flutter in your stomach.Â
He pulls her hands off you, âshe is dying.âÂ
You are finally free. His eyes are on you, you try to straighten your stray hair, patting down your head furiously.Â
âSoonyoung.â He extends his hand. You swear his eyes twinkled and not the work of fluorescent lights hanging above.Â
You mumble your name, your hand shaking as you accept his handshake. His grip is strong, not bone crushing or not too light. Just enough. Your entire body lights up from just a touch of his hand. God, arenât you down bad for him.Â
He repeats your name, and you love the sound of it, wanting to hear it again and again. Maybe if he says your name a few more times youâll come to start liking your name you always hated.Â
âAlright, house tour.âÂ
You let go of his hand dejectedly, silently following behind them, listening to them talk. Mostly about Jihoon and his introverted tendencies. Soonyoung would crack a joke here and there, she laughs and you smile to yourself. He is an outward person, you add another detail in his file in your head. And handsome, you add in small words, again.Â
The house tour is engaging, you notice the subtle details she actually made it out of the Pinterest board. You touch the collection of music CDs, trailing your hand over their spines.Â
âJihoon loves music.â She says, âor more like collecting them. I never heard him play one of these.âÂ
âOh.â You let go of the collection and watch the man of your interest typing away furiously on his phone. His fingers flying across the screen, gone the playful happy smile. His pretty lips are pressed in a thin line, his eyes narrowed and the frown line between his eyebrows makes you second guess about him. He isnât always happy as you deciphered from his earlier interactions. He can be scary, just like now, you take a step back from him.Â
âSoonyoung, who are you texting?âÂ
He doesnât answer her, turning away from us, completely blocking his phone from our eyes. You hear a sigh next to you, and with a thundering heart you hope itâs not what you think it is.Â
âI think I need to go.â He locks his phone and slides it in his pocket.Â
No. No. No.Â
âYou shouldnât, Soonyoung.â She steps up with a glare, âI told you multiple times. You canât go back to your ex.âÂ
He glares back, âitâs nothing.âÂ
Your gaze bounces from one to another. He has an ex? An ex he misses?Â
âFucking is not nothing. Itâs high time you break whatever this connection is.âÂ
âNot your business.â He pushes past her. âBye.âÂ
You stand rooted in your place, the hopeful crush you had on him falling apart. Â
Cam [ @highvern] and Em [ @gyuswhore] welcome you to the 2025 Formula One season! Handcrafted by Caratland's best writers, we're here to ask you to join us for the most riveting grid lineup the sport has ever seen. Catch all 26 destinations on our calendar, and all the drama that goes down in the paddocks with it, because soon it'll be Lights Out, and Away We Go!
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đ Race: Overtake by @sailorsoons
đïž Driver: Choi Seungcheol x f!reader
đ Race Stats: Seungcheol and your brother Joshua battle over everything - pole positions, championships, the title of Mercedesâ best driver. The one thing they were never supposed to fight over was you.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: all for one by @amourcheol
đïž Driver: Choi Seungcheol x f!reader
đ Race Stats: three-time world champion choi seungcheol races for greatnessâeven if it sacrifices red bull's constructor trophy. you, principal strategy engineer, cannot allow favouring the self-centred driver over the entire team. when a new red bull rookie threatens his position and certain rivals begin to tempt you, seungcheol must consider winning you overâa feat more difficult than a fourth championship.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: Off The Record by @soo0hee
đïž Driver: Yoon Jeonghan x reader
đ Race Stats: 3 seasons with sky sports. 3 seasons of navigating between drivers, the fia and stubborn team principals. 3 seasons and non had taken your breath the way 2025 had thus far. The reason? Yoon Jeonghan. Ferarris posterboy and the man haunting your gridwalks.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: Revving for Love by @nerdycheol
đïž Driver: Yoon Jeonghan x f!reader
đ Race Stats: You didnât expect the guy you swiped left on at the airport to show up at your new job â let alone be one of Formula 1âs top drivers. As the teamâs new physiotherapist, youâre here to keep things professional â no distractions, especially not Jeonghan. Charming, smug, and all too aware you once swiped left on him. What starts as cooldowns and awkward stretches quickly turns into something messier. Jeonghan is flirty, unpredictable, and far too in sync with you â and despite your best efforts, heâs getting under your skin. And without you even noticing⊠the lines start to blur.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: Birdie by @aeristudios
đïž Driver: Joshua Hong x reader
đ Race Stats: It would be fate that you would be filming a documentary of the same F1 team as your former high school sweetheart: Joshua Hong, F1 golden boy. He still remembers you as Birdieâ the one that flew away without saying goodbye. Now, years later, you have to look him in the eye as he recounts what his life has been like without you.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: build this dream together by @joshujin
đïž Driver: Joshua Hong x f!reader
đ Race Stats: As his race engineer, youâve spent five amazing years guiding McLaren superstar, Joshua Hong, to victory after victory. But in that fifth year, you learn something horrifying about yourself: youâve fallen in love with your driver. Youâre not willing to let your heart get in the way of everything youâve worked for, so you do the one thing you know is guaranteed to keep both of your careers safe: you leave.
Two years later, Joshua inadvertently comes crashing back into your life with an announcement that rocks the F1 world. Before you know it, youâre on his doorstep with an offer you know he wonât be able to refuse, ready to guide him back to where he needs to beâone last time.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: burn for the win by @mylovesstuffs
đïž Driver: Wen Junhui x f!reader
đ Race Stats: being the engineer who knows too much and the sister whoâs had enough means standing at the eye of the storm while two men she cares about tear each other apart. junâs pride could still cost him everything, and yet he refuses to fight to fix whatâs broken; neither will minghao. sheâs tired of the fallout, but no one listens. a crash was only the beginning. now, can anything bring them back?
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: open channel by @sknyuz
đïž Driver: Wen Junhui x f!reader
đ Race Stats: open channel follows you: a young radio engineer who joins the haas f1 team as the apprentice to laura mĂŒller, the first female engineer in the paddock, now the chief engineer who has you under her wingâand as the unexpected successor to your own father, the long-time race engineer of haasâs most elusive driver: wen junhui.
junhui is cold to the media, clinical on the grid, and famously unreadable behind the visor. but when your voice cuts through the static, clear and steady, even he canât help but lean inâthough neither of you knows yet how deeply your pasts are tangled in the echoes of a long-ago memory on the track.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: as seen on screen by @imnotshua
đïž Driver: Jeon Wonwoo x f!reader
đ Race Stats: Wonwoo doesnât pay you any attention, not since you were both rookies - him on the track and you in the paddock. Youâve been at Ferrari for years, and now heâs joined the team youâre supposed to be working together, but it seems he still has that same stick up his ass whenever you have something to say.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: behind the lens by @wheeboo
đïž Driver: Jeon Wonwoo x f!reader
đ Race Stats: Years ago, you and Jeon Wonwoo were inseparable. First loves, reckless hearts, and dreams too big to shareâuntil it all fell apart. He chased after podiums; you stayed behind your lens. Five years later, youâre commissioned in the paddock as a global motorsport photographer for a behind-the-scenes shoot, and heâs back in the centre of your frame as F1âs quiet, unstoppable force. And for the first time in a long time, your photographs begin to feel real again. This time, will your frame capture an ending, or a second chance?
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: playing with fire by @starlightkyeom
đïž Driver: Kwon Soonyoung x f!reader
đ Race Stats: soonyoung doesn't do relationships. or strings. or repeats all that often, honestly. he's one of the best drivers on the circuit and he doesn't need to. the one exception? you, his biggest rival's on-and-off partner. he's always your first call when your relationship is splashed across the headlines again and he never seems to care.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: heartbreak champion by @straylightdream
đïž Driver: Kwon Soonyoung x f!reader
đ Race Stats: After being together since you were fifteen, things hit a rough patch as your husband chases his goal of being world champion.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: Under Investigation by @diamonddaze01
đïž Driver: Lee Jihoon x f!reader
đ Race Stats: Lee Jihoon doesnât break the rules. He bends them. Just enough to get away with it. Just enough to make your job harder, just enough to see if youâll flinch. Heâs testing the boundaries. And the worst part? You kind of want to see what happens if he crosses them.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: shit, this is red bull by @gyubakeries
đïž Driver: Lee Jihoon x f!reader
đ Race Stats: the version of you that jihoon sees in front of him is not the you he remembers. bleached denim and torn flannels have been replaced by shiny heels and a crisp blazer. jihoon also learns that there are lots of things besides your new appearance that have changed, the most obvious one being â your love for racing. he has no time to waste on all these new facts though, not when the press is behind his ass and you're the only one who can get him out of the messes he creates.
đ Race Stats: what's the worst time to hook up with your best friend and change your relationship forever? probably the night before he gets on a plane and flies far away to become a world famous star.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: Rumour by @gyuswhore
đïž Driver: Kim Mingyu x f!reader
đ Race Stats: Itâs hard to dislike Mingyu, an acknowledgement he risks his modesty for. So when he approaches you with rose tinted glasses, clad in the team kit of his dreams, heâs ready to build a rapport of a lifetime with his brand new race engineer.
Until, the brakes screech loud enough for the entire paddock to hear.
Itâs hard to dislike Mingyu, but you make it look easy.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: perfect strangers by @studioeisa
đïž Driver: Kim Mingyu x f!reader
đ Race Stats: for the first time in seven years, kim mingyu thinks he might actually have a shot at standing on the podium. he has a decent car, a good teammate, and... a girlfriend? after f1 tv erroneously tags a complete stranger as his 'partner', mingyu now has to reckon with being one half of the newest couple on the grid.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: one track mind by @haologram
đïž Driver: Xu Minghao x f!reader
đ Race Stats: after years in the spotlight, you've learned one thing: how to get used to new environments, good and bad. despite the time and the friends you've made along the way, things never really change â and that includes the mentality that winning is the only option.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: victory lap by @minisugakoobies
đïž Driver: Xu Minghao x f!reader
đ Race Stats: minghao's just led his team to another championship - so why can't he enjoy it? he's jaded, having grown disillusioned with his life, and in desperate need of the familiar spark thatâs driven him all these years. lucky for him, a chance encounter with the enemy of his rival will set his ignition ablaze with one wild ride.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: bae-watching by @shinysobi
đïž Driver: Boo Seungkwan x reader
đ Race Stats: boo seungkwan is over it, really. he's been on the sports circuit for years, but covering any f1 championship gets harder every time. on top of that, he's supposed to get a "fresh angle" on a game that has none-until he's staring down the barrel of history, when she appears right beside the ferrari chief engineer. he's looking at you, but you have stopped looking at him a decade ago.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: along the rubble or the dust by @heartepub
đïž Driver: Boo Seungkwan x f!reader
đ Race Stats: in the high-octane world of formula one, boo seungkwan has clawed his way up with a mix of charm, grit, skill, and pure luck. he knows, more than anyone else, how coincidence can be a turning point. when, in an improbable series of events, his childhood friend starts lurking in the paddock as his new performance engineer, he gets the distinct feeling that this is about to be one of them. even if (or especially because) heâd rather trust you with his life than with his heart.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: Podium Pleasers by @shadowkoo
đïž Driver: Chwe Hansol x f!reader
đ Race Stats: F1 driver Vernon is no stranger to stunning women whispering wicked things in his ear during race season, but no voice has stopped his heart quite like yours. The âmissingâ younger sister of one of his oldest friends. The girl who disappeared two years ago without a word. And now, youâre on his lap with your bare breasts pressed against his chest. Heâs horrified to learn that youâre working at an exclusive strip club, tangled in a complicated contract where sex appeal is currency, personal relationships are forbidden, and your freedom is nothing but a twisted illusion. He wants you out, but walking away from a fantasy life built on status and money isnât that simple. So, in a last-ditch effort, he offers you something else. Something real. A fresh start on the circuit as his assistant, where you can rebuild your future, possibly even a future by his side.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: slow and steady by @haoboutyou
đïž Driver: Chwe Hansol x f!reader
đ Race Stats: Aston Martinâ once a top class, championship winning team, has become riddled with bad press. What better way to cover it up than throwing your driver under the bus? In a not-so elaborate scheme, Vernon and rising star Y/n are entrapped in a dating scandal to cover up the companyâs ass, subjecting them to the wrath of public scrutiny instead. Will the awkward dates and busy schedules make way for something more? Or will they let their relationship be dictated by greedy corporations?
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: This Town by @wqnwoos
đïž Driver: Lee Chan x reader
đ Race Stats: Ten years ago, Lee Chan left your hometown without ever looking back. Now, after a crash that loses him the championship, heâs back and asking for your forgiveness â but youâre not sure if youâre ready to risk your best friend leaving you again.
Practice Session đ Paddock Pass
đ Race: The Boundary Concept by @kkooongie
đïž Driver: Lee Chan x f!reader
đ Race Stats: Lee Chan didn't know which was worse: the fact that he still liked you since high school (despite shutting down completely whenever you were around) or the fact that you wanted to meet up with him... for a research paper. But hey, he was willing to take any crumbs as long as he got an opportunity to make you realise he was a super cool racer now. That is, assuming he didn't crash under the intense pressure. Or, in which, you never knew writing a paper on the boundary concept would make you question the boundaries between you and Chan.
012 | SEUNGKWAN, to JOSHUA: Was Jeonghan telling the truth? Is it really you?
[JOSHUA remains silent. His expression is one of bitterness muddled with anger, and maybe a touch of helplessness that only comes to light when you look at him from a certain angle. He only looks straight ahead unwaveringly.]
002 | JEONGHAN: Of course he is. Thatâs why heâs not saying anything.
003 | JOSHUA: I wonder if you ever get sick of hearing yourself talk.
002 | JEONGHAN: Not when Iâm right.
âTHE DISCUSSION PERIOD HAS NOW CONCLUDED. PLAYER 003, A MAFIA, HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.â
012 | SEUNGKWAN: Damn, it really was!
[JEONGHAN visibly sinks back into the chair with relief. After all, had he made the wrong call, none of them would be alive right now.]
010 | SEOKMIN, desperately: This means we just need to find one more, right? Then weâre free?
[The others nod in agreement. However, there are only four of them left, and not enough evidence to correctly pick out one as the last mafia. Amidst the discussion, JUNHUI manages to catch JOSHUAâs gaze in silence.]
004 | JUNHUI: Itâs not your fault.
003 | JOSHUA: Saying it over and over again doesnât make it hurt any less.
004 | JUNHUI: Still⊠you did what you had to do. Itâs a rule of nature.
[JOSHUA shrugs, only mere seconds before the laser pierces his skull. He hits the ground with a sickening sound thatâs become all too familiar. Not a single person flinches. The remaining players all look at each other solemnly as an eerie feeling settles among the group. One wrong move, and itâs game over for three of them.]
012 | SEUNGKWAN, shaken: So⊠what do we do now?
004 | JUNHUI: We play.
002 | JEONGHAN: And we try to survive.
012 | SEUNGKWAN: Well, itâs all up to you this time, my friend. And Iâm hoping either of you two are the doctor, or we have a worse chance than I thought.
[JUNHUI shrugs disinterestedly. SEOKMIN sighs and puts his head in his hands, leaning slightly into JEONGHANâs side.]
âNIGHT HAS FALLEN. EVERYONE, LOWER YOUR HEADS.â
[SEUNGKWAN says something unintelligible as the lights dim.]
âMAFIA, RAISE YOUR HEAD. ON YOUR DEVICE, SELECT ONE PLAYER YOU WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE.â
[The final mafia ponders his options, brows knitted in deep thought. He takes a while to make his selection, but it barely even matters, does it?]
âMAFIA, LOWER YOUR HEADS. DETECTIVE, RAISE YOUR HEAD AND SELECT ONE PLAYER ON YOUR DEVICE WHOSE IDENTITY YOU WOULD LIKE TO REVEAL.â
[The choice is a very unnecessary one. The gears are already in motion. It is far too late, with any amount of information that was not already revealed, to turn them back.]
âDETECTIVE, LOWER YOUR HEAD. DOCTOR, RAISE YOUR HEAD AND SELECT A PLAYER ON YOUR DEVICE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAVE.â
[A life-altering decision. SEOKMIN trembles in his seat, head bowed and fingers tightly twisted together. Can the doctor correctly single out tonightâs unsuspecting victim?]
âDOCTOR, LOWER YOUR HEAD. MORNING HAS COME. EVERYONE, RAISE YOUR HEADS.â
[Everyone looks up warily. Even JEONGHAN, who had kept an expression of ease throughout the game, wears a frown that barely masks his innate fear.]
012 | SEUNGKWAN: Did we⊠did we do it?
010 | SEOKMIN: Hyung, whoâd you pick?
002 | JEONGHAN: I picked you.
[As he speaks JEONGHAN looks straight at JUNHUI, who slowly shakes his head. The temperature of the room seems to as everyone comes to the chilling realization.]
012 | SEUNGKWAN: Wait, then â
âTHE MAFIA HAS ELIMINATED PLAYER 004.â
[JUNHUI doesnât react. Neither do the others.]
012 | SEUNGKWAN: God, I knew it wasnât you. From the start, I knew.
004 | JUNHUI: I donât blame you. Itâs like Minghao said. We were going to lose some game or the other anyways.
002 | JEONGHAN: It didnât have to be this oneâŠ
004 | JUNHUI, smiling wryly: Youâre right. But it is.
[JUNHUI gets out of his chair, kneels besides MINGHAOâs body. He brushes the hair away from his cousinâs forehead solemnly. Heâs resigned. His eyes are those of someone who has seen unspeakable horrors.]
004 | JUNHUI, to JEONGHAN: Youâll never know.
002 | JEONGHAN, pursing his lips: What does that mean?
[There is no time for an answer. JUNHUIâs expression goes blank in the span of two seconds as the laser shoots through his skull. A clean, quick death, suitable for the merciless nature of these games. But in the wake of JUNHUIâs elimination arises a newer, bigger, question.]
002 | JEONGHAN: Seungkwan.
012 | SEUNGKWAN, frowning: What? Itâs not me!
002 | JEONGHAN: Just come clean now, okay?!
[All three of their devices buzz in unison, screens lighting up.]
PLAYER XXX: GAME CLEAR.
PLAYER XXX: GAME OVER.
PLAYER 002: GAME OVER.
[The lights go bright all of a sudden, shining down on the three remaining players. SEOKMIN shifts in his chair uneasily.]
âMAFIA, TEN OF HEARTS. GAME COMPLETED.â
002 | JEONGHAN: Wait, itâs all over? Whoâ?
[Itâs difficult to tell whose knees buckle first â but they both hit the floor at the same time, all bones against solid linoleum ground. The lasers come quickly and suddenly, as they do. The game waits for no one. The sound is awful, and it echoes nauseatingly in the empty bar.]
âPLAYER 010 â GAME CLEAR.â
[The lights are too bright. Too much, too sudden. SEOKMIN lurches forward, stumbling out of his chair and falling to his knees in front of JEONGHANâs body. His hand is still warm. SEOKMIN allows himself to hope there is still a chance for him to live, but such a thing only leads to heartbreak.]
SEOKMIN: Fuck. We were supposed to get out of here together. You, me, Gyu.
[Heâs not sure if heâs lying to himself. From the start, it was clear that such a thing might be impossible. But again, he had let himself hope. Itâs a dangerous emotion.]
SEOKMIN: Iâm sorry. Iâm sorry, Hyung, IâŠ
[SEOKMINâs tears splatter onto JEONGHANâs lifeless skin. Near the other, previously locked exit, a light turns on, illuminating a small table near some chairs. SEOKMIN rises reluctantly, making towards it, only stopping to kneel beside MINGYU and press a warm hand to his shockingly cold shoulder. On the little table lies a card, frayed at the edges but still unmistakable. The Ten of Hearts.]
SEOKMIN: Stupid visa. Stupid, stupid game.
[He takes it, regardless. A token of victory, if he can even call it that. What has he won? In the gameâs aftermath, SEOKMIN is utterly, completely alone. But he cannot stop here and give up now.]
SEOKMIN: What the hell is even out there? How do I get back?
[SEOKMIN sighs deeply. He must get moving, find other people and maybe some information and resources for the night. He gives one last long look at his friends before turning his head sharply. Tears sting his eyes as he wanders outside. The laser barrier is gone now.]
SEOKMIN: Is this hell?
[Such a question does not stop him. It cannot. SEOKMIN looks over his shoulder one more time, a weakness he wonât ever let go of. His fingers tighten around the card, and he finally steps out into the eerily empty Seoul street.]
FIN.
hello everyone! it's finally come to an end, i hope that wasn't too anticlimactic...?
you can view behind the game to see my thoughts and behind the scenes information as well as a full role reveal. thank you for reading!!
Behold, all spooky creatures and enthusiasts thereof!
Welcome to the KPOP Halloween Week! This is an open collaboration event and a space to share the Halloween-themed KPOP content.
The event will take place from 25th to 31st October, 2025. During this time, Halloween-themed works of creators (graphic and written) will be reblogged here, on @k-halloween-week.
Any groups and types of works will be accepted, as long as they follow the Rules.
To have your work reblogged, you need to use #k-halloween-week so we can see it! It does not require any form of registration or acceptance prior, anyone can participate!
Every day of the Week will have Themes that content creators are welcome to adhere to. They aren't mandatory, though!
If you would like to take active participation in creation of the Themes, don't forget to fill the 2nd Halloween Survey!
Timeline:
1st - 15th August, 2025 - The 2nd Halloween Survey will be up! Fill it to let content creators know what would you like to see!
10th August, 2025 - The official Rules will be published!
16th August, 2025 - The Themes for each day of the Week will be announced. Get inspired!
Up until 24th October, 2025 - At any point before the week starts, you can post teasers of your works for the week. Make sure to @ our blog so they can be reblogged!
25th - 31st October, 2025 - Halloween time! Post your works and use the # or @ tag to let us know they are up!
After 31st October - You can still post your Halloween works, but make sure to use @ tag so they are not omitted!
Important Links (will be updated as the posts go live):
Reblogs of this post are highly appreciated, and don't forgot to follow @k-halloween-week to see all the updates and the Halloween content as it comes!
ââ .⊠Proud Is Too Small of a Word â Lee Chan (Dino) SMAU Oneshot
«m.list»
Pairing : Idol!Lee Chan (Dino) x Reader Genres : SMAU, Established Relationship, Fluff Warnings : None
áŻâ Synopsis : You watch Dino command the EWC stage like he was born to shine, lighting up the world with his voice. You canât stop themselves from telling himâagain and againâhow proud you are. The stage is his, but your love is louder.
youâve spent years skirting around the idea, dropping hints here and there to guys you thought could be good enough, but somehow it never worked out. none of them felt rightânot that it was about romance, but the hesitation always lingered when it came down to it. maybe it was nerves, maybe it was the wrong guys, but the frustration built up to the point where you just wanted to get it over with.
and then thereâs jeonghan.
the guy everyone whispers about, cold-hearted, unapproachable, but with a reputation thatâs impossible to ignore. girls gossiping in between lectures, bathrooms filled with whispers of him being distant yet insanely attractive. and somewhere along the line, you heard itâthe rumor that he had the fattest crush on you.
the thought of it festered in your mind for weeks. yo know him, a few polite exchanges, some assignments you did together, pairing up on p.e... thereâs a confidence in your gut that heâll say yes.
you hadnât planned on showing up at his dorm unannounced, yet here you are, standing outside jeonghanâs door with a racing heart and sweaty palms. knocking felt surreal, like a dream you might regret later, but you do it anyway because youâre desperate. a familiar, twisted excitement coils low in your stomach when you hear footsteps, and the door swings open to reveal jeonghanâleaning against the frame, as nonchalant as ever.
âwhatâs up?â he asks, eyes scanning your face like heâs trying to read your thoughts. the casualness in his voice makes you almost forget why youâre here. almost.
âcan i come in?â you stammer.
he steps aside without a word, allowing you to slip past him into the small room. his dorm smells faintly of laundry detergent and something minty. itâs tidy, tooâunexpectedly so.
âthis is new,â he says, sitting on the edge of his bed, arms folded, watching you. âyou showing up here and all.â
you laugh nervously, wringing your hands as you stand awkwardly in the middle of the room. âyeah, well⊠iâve been thinking.â
his eyebrow quirks up, like heâs daring you to keep going. but you hesitate, biting your lip, trying to find the right words. youâve played this conversation out in your head a thousand times, but now, under his steady gaze, everything feels impossible to say.
he tilts his head. âyouâre not here to ask me about the assignment, are you?â
âno,â you blurt, suddenly sitting down on the chair next to his bed. you canât meet his eyes. âitâs⊠something else.â
silence stretches between you. jeonghan waits, patient, but thereâs something flickering in his expression nowâcuriosity, maybe.
you take a deep breath, your voice shaky but determined. âi want you to be my first.â
his eyes widen, and for the first time, jeonghan looks genuinely caught off guard. âwhat?â
âi⊠i want to lose my virginity.â you blurt out, no point in dancing around it anymore. youâve been holding onto this for years, and youâre tired. tired of hearing your friends share their stories, tired of feeling left behind.
âyou want me to do it?â he shakes his head, leaning back on his elbows, processing your words. âso what, you just wanna pop your cherry and bounce?â
âno!â you shake your head quickly, heart pounding as you try to explain. âi just⊠i donât want my first time to be with some asshole. everyone else would treat me like a joke. but you⊠you wouldnât, right?â your voice is small, and you hate how vulnerable you sound, but itâs true. jeonghan might have a reputation, but heâs never been cruel.
he closes his eyes, tipping his head back against the wall. inside, you can tell heâs thrilledâmaybe heâs been dreaming about this. but the mask he wears is cold, detached, like heâs doing you a favor.
âyouâre serious?â he asks, voice low.
âyeah,â you whisper.
he doesnât move for a moment, just staring at you, like heâs deciding whether or not to believe you. then, slowly, he leans in, his face inches from yours. his breath is warm, and your heart skips a beat. itâs almost too much to handle, and you blink up at him, your voice a nervous squeak.
âare you⊠are you gonna kiss me?â
jeonghan furrows his brow, like itâs the dumbest question heâs ever heard. âwhat, you thought i was just gonnaââ he stops, and you see the slightest flicker of a smile. ââget straight to it?â
you shrink into yourself a little, cheeks burning. âmaybe?â
he chuckles, a low, rumbling sound that makes your stomach twist. ânah, youâre way too cute for that.â
before you can respond, his lips are on yoursâwet, sloppy, and everything you didnât expect. thereâs no rush, no hurried fumbling. just him, kissing you slow and deep, making sure you feel everything. his hand moves to the back of your neck, pulling you closer as you melt into the kiss, your body buzzing.
then, he takes your hand, guiding it down to his lap, pressing it against the hard length straining through his sweatpants. you freeze, your breath hitching at the sudden contact.
âfeel that?â he murmurs against your lips, voice husky. âthatâs going inside you.. do you think you can take it.â
your fingers curl around him instinctively, squeezing just enough to make him groan softly. âi can.â you bite your lip.
âstill sure about this?â he asks, his breath heavy.
you nod.
jeonghan's hands are all over you, moving so effortlessly, and before you know it, your clothes are off, tossed somewhere in the room. heâs slow, but itâs not the kind of slow that makes you feel exposedâmore like heâs savoring the moment, taking his time like heâs got all night. and maybe he does.
when he spreads your legs, the sudden awareness of whatâs happening, of how vulnerable you are, hits you. you instinctively cover your face with your hands, but you can still feel his eyes on you, taking in every inch of your body.
âcute,â he murmurs. âyou hiding from me now?â
your breath catches in your throat, but you peek through your fingers to see him smirking, looking like heâs in complete control. and maybe thatâs what makes it less terrifyingâheâs not rushing. heâs not judging. heâs just... there.
when his head dips between your thighs, you tense, unsure of what to expect. your heart races, and you let out a shaky breath as his mouth hovers over you, his warm breath ghosting over your already wet folds. then he licks, slow and slick, and you almost orgasm there, the warm tongue on your clit making your eyes slightly roll back.
âfuck,â you gasp, your hands clutching the sheets beside you, your face burning.
he pulls back slightly, lips glistening, his eyes locking with yours. ârelax,â he says. âweâve barely started.â
and then his tongue is back, sliding through every fold, licking with a patience thatâs almost agonizing. heâs focused, making sure you feel everythingâevery lick, every brush of his lips, every soft kiss to your inner thigh between his slow, sensual movements.
your chest heaves as you try to process the sensations, but itâs overwhelming. this is what youâve been missing out on all these years? the thought is almost laughable now, especially when he sucks on your clit, gently at first, then harder, leaving it swollen and pulsing.
âoh my god,â you cry out, the sound escaping you before you can stop it.
jeonghan grins against you, winking naughty, and as if to rub it in, he gives your clit a playful suck, sending you squealing. he looks up at you, still grinning. âyou like that?â
you donât even answer, canât answer, because your brain is too fogged up. you canât think, can barely breathe, and he hasnât even started properly yet.
his hand travels down between your legs, and he presses a finger against your slick entrance, not pushing in just yet, just applying pressure, teasing. âhave you ever had your little fingers here?â he asks curious.
your face burns at his words, but you nod âjust one finger,â you admit, shy and sly, like a secret youâre embarrassed to reveal.
the way you say itâso sweet, so unsureâmakes him throb inside his sweatpants. he exhales heavily, eyes darkening as he pushes his finger inside, just the tip at first, slowly. âjust one, hmm?â
you bite your lip, nodding as he slides the rest of his finger in. the sensation is new, unfamiliar, but not uncomfortable, his finger is a bit longer than yours. heâs careful, attentive even, and thatâs what makes you relax into the feeling.
âyouâre so tight,â he mutters as he adds a second finger, stretching you out even more. you wince slightly at the stretch, but the way he curls his fingers inside you, scissoring them slowly, almost instantly makes the discomfort melt.
your hips buck instinctively as he works you open, his movements precise, his eyes fixed on you like heâs studying every reaction. âhowâs that feel?â
âgood,â you breathe, the word slipping out before you can stop it.
he chuckles softly, his free hand moving up to caress your thigh as his fingers pump in and out of you, his pace maddeningly slow. âyouâre getting impatient, arenât you?â
you whine in response, your voice shaky. âtake your clothes off,â you mumble, your neediness evident in your tone.
jeonghan pauses, amusement flickering in his eyes. âhmm? whatâs that?â
âtake them off,â you repeat, a little more urgent this time, your voice coming out in a needy whine.
he grins, leaning over you, his face inches from yours. âpatience, baby,â he says, his voice soft, but thereâs a teasing edge to it. âyou really wanna see me naked that bad?â
you nod, shameless now, your body craving the sight of him, the feeling of him against you. heâs been teasing you for too long, and itâs driving you insane.
âjust wait a little longer,â he says, his tone mock-sulky, like heâs the one being deprived. but thereâs a smile playing on his lips, and you can tell heâs enjoying this, the way youâre practically begging for him.
his fingers curl inside you again, hitting a spot that has you arching off the bed, a soft moan escaping your lips. âyouâre so cute like this,â he mutters, pressing a kiss to your inner thigh as he works a third finger inside you, stretching you even more.
you whimper at the new stretch, your body trembling, but itâs the good kind of overwhelming now. the kind that has you clenching around him, needing more.
âjeonghan...â you whisper, your voice breathless, desperate.
he smirks, his thumb brushing over your clit as he scissoring his fingers inside you, spreading you open. âi love seeing you like this,â he murmurs. âall wet for me, begging like that.â
you donât even care how wrecked you sound when you plead, âplease, jeonghan. take them off.â
he laughs softly, shaking his head. âsoon,â he says, his voice dripping with promise. âjust let me enjoy this a little more.â
jeonghan keeps his fingers inside you, watching every twitch of your body as you clench around him, so tight he almost groans himself. youâre so close, itâs written all over your face, but you donât even seem to notice itâlost somewhere, breathing heavily but not quite there yet. and heâs not about to let you drift off when youâre so close to cum.
âmm, baby,â he murmurs, his fingers moving just a little faster, curling them in that spot heâs already learned by heart. âyou donât even know, do you?â
you blink, dazed, barely processing his words, but then you feel his lips on your nippleâa soft peck at first, then a sharp bite that has you gasping, your hips jerking against his hand.
âthere you are,â he smirks, teeth grazing over your sensitive skin as he feels you clench around his fingers again, tighter this time. âyou were drifting away, but i need you right here with me. focus.â
your body reacts instantly, the tension building again, winding tighter and tighter until you canât hold back anymore. his fingers pump in and out, wet and slick with your dampness, and the obscene sound of it fills the room as he brings you right to the edge.
âfuck, jeonghanââ your voice is shaky, barely holding it together as your hips start moving on their own, grinding down onto his hand. youâre not even sure when it happens, but suddenly, the tight coil inside you snaps, and youâre coming hard around his fingers, your body tensing, then releasing all at once.
âoh my god,â you cry out, your back arching off the bed as you orgasm, wet and messy. youâre so slick that his fingers slide easily in and out, coated in the creamy evidence of your cum. jeonghanâs eyes are glued to you, watching the way your body trembles, how soaked you are, and the satisfied smirk on his face says it all.
âso fucking wet,â he murmurs, almost like heâs talking to himself, fingers still buried deep inside you. he slows down his movements, letting you ride out the aftershocks of your orgasm, his thumb brushing lazily over your clit. âyou didnât even realize how close you were, huh?â
you shake your head, still trying to catch your breath, your mind foggy from the bliss.
he leans down, pressing a soft kiss to your thigh, his eyes flicking up to yours. âwanna see me take it all off now?â he teases, pulling his fingers out slowly, letting you feel every inch of them as they slip free. your breath hitches, still sensitive, but you nod eagerly, the post-orgasmic haze making you a little desperate.
âplease,â you whisper, your voice a little hoarse, but the need is clear.
he grins, sitting up and tugging his shirt off halfway, but he pauses, eyes scanning the room. âwait a second,â he says, a bit too casual, as he starts searching around for something.
âwhat are you doing?â you ask, frustration creeping into your voice. heâs making you wait, again, and youâre about to protest when he holds up a condom, waving it in front of you with a satisfied smirk.
âcanât forget this,â he says, climbing back onto the bed.
you roll your eyes, still breathless, but your gaze drops to his chest as he slides the shirt the rest of the way off. his hand runs slowly down his chest, over his belly, and lower still to the waistband of his sweatpants.
âcalm down,â he teases, his voice sweet, noticing the way your eyes are locked on his every move. âiâm not going anywhere.â
your breath hitches as he pulls his pants and boxers down, finally revealing himself to you. his cock is hard, flushed, and slick with precum, and you canât stop yourself from staring.
âfuck, youâre pretty,â you mutter under your breath, barely aware you said it out loud until you see the way his lips curl into a grin.
âyouâre the pretty one,â he counters, his voice soft as he strokes himself once, twice, before rolling the condom on. his eyes flick up to yours again, playful but with a hint of seriousness. âready?â
you nod, your body buzzing as he lines himself up with your entrance. he slides the tip inside, and you both groan at the contact. itâs slow at first, his cock pushing into you inch by inch, and you can feel the stretch, how full heâs making you feel already.
but then, right when heâs halfway in, you gasp, âwaitâstop.â
he freezes instantly, his eyes searching your face. âyou okay?â
instead of answering, your hand slips between your bodies, wrapping around the base of his cock. the sudden contact makes him shudder, and he squeezes his eyes shut, groaning low in his throat. you give him a little shake, feeling the hardness of him pulsing in your hand, then slowly start guiding him deeper inside you.
you guide him in slowly, inch by inch, until your hand has nowhere else to go, and he's buried completely inside you, balls deep. youâre panting, your body adjusting to the size of him, and when you pout your lips for a kiss, jeonghan leans in without hesitation, pressing his lips to yours, swallowing the little scoff you let out between moans. the sensation of him stretching you so perfectly has your head spinning.
he pulls back slightly, eyes glued to yours as he starts moving, his hips rolling in slow thrusts. itâs a sharp sting at first, but nowhere near as painful as you expected, and the more he moves, the more that sting fades, replaced by a growing heat that makes your breath catch in your throat.
you donât even notice the way your lips curl into the nastiest grin, like you finally got what youâve been wanting, and youâre enjoying every second of it. jeonghan sees it though, sees the way your expression shifts from tentative to pure satisfaction, and it drives him fucking wild. his steady thrusts falter for a second, and he has to bite down on the inside of his cheek to keep himself in check.
âfuck,â he breathes, his voice shaky as he watches you. âyou look like youâre having the time of your life right now.â
you moan in response, not even trying to hide it anymore. âi am.â
thatâs all the encouragement he needs. his thrusts pick up, sharper now, deeper, and with each roll of his hips, his balls slap against your ass. the bed squeaks in time with his movements, but you barely notice, too caught up in the pleasure. your moans spill out freely, louder and more unrestrained, each one sending a jolt straight to his gut.
jeonghanâs losing it, the sight of you, the sound of youâitâs gonna replay in his mind for days, haunting him like a ghost, but right now, heâs not thinking about that. right now, all he can focus on is the way your body feels underneath him, how you seem to want this just as much as he does. his hips move faster, thrusts sharper and more purposeful, and fuck, youâre taking it all so well.
âgod, youââ he groans, his voice strained. âyou feel so fucking good. you donât even know.â
his pace quickens, his hips rolling harder, and you gasp, your body arching up to meet him halfway. heâs hitting all the right spots now, and your moans turn into desperate little cries, your fingers gripping the sheets as you lose yourself in the feeling.
he notices how much you like itâhow your body responds to every sharp thrust, how your moans get louder, and that nasty smile on your face only grows. itâs too much for him, but he tries to bury the overwhelming need down in his gut, focusing on fucking you just right.
but even then, he canât help itâthe more you react, the more he loses control, his hips working in sharper, stronger thrusts, the rhythm getting rougher as he chases that perfect high for both of you.
âyou like that?â he asks, his voice rough, but the way your body clenches around him is answer enough.
he canât help but smirk at your desperate little gasps. each thrust brings a little more pleasure, and your nails dig into his back, urging him on as you match his pace.
âmore,â you whimper, the need spilling from your lips like a prayer. âplease, jeonghan, donât stop.â
he chuckles, making your heart race. âas if I could,â he replies, picking up the pace even more. you feel that familiar heat pooling deep inside you again.
he canât help but lean down, pressing a kiss to your neck as he continues to rock into you, relishing in every little sound that escapes your mouth.
âthatâs it,â he murmurs against your skin, his breath hot. âlet me hear you.â
your moans grow louder, echoing off the walls as you feel the pressure building within you again. your body thrums with need as you claw at him, the sensation of him filling you completely making everything else fade away. youâre lost in him, in this moment, and nothing else matters.
âiâm so close,â you manage to gasp, your words barely coherent as your hips start moving on their own, desperate for that release.
jeonghan feels it, tooâyour body tightening around him, the way youâre pushing back against him, and it drives him crazy. he grips your hips tighter, controlling your movements, thrusting deeper, harder, pushing you right to the edge.
âcum pretty, cum fâme,â he urges sultry, and you can feel that heat building to a boiling point.
âjeonghanââ your voice breaks, and just like that, youâre falling, youâre gripping him tightly, your body spasming as you cum, crying out his name as everything blurs into a haze.
âthatâs it, baby,â he groans, his own pleasure rising as he watches you unravel beneath him. âso fucking beautiful.â
the way your body squeezes him as you ride out your orgasm sends him over the edge, and he follows you, thrusting harder as he lets go, filling the condom as you both collapse.
you both lie there for a moment, breathless, the only sounds filling the room are your mingled breaths and the soft creaking of the bed. jeonghan brushes a strand of hair away from your face, a lazy grin spreading across his lips as he looks down at you.
âso, do I get to be the one who pops that cherry again sometime?â
âif youâre lucky,â you tease bakc, but deep down, you know youâre both hooked, and this was just the beginning.
when everything goes wrong, everything goes wrong (and taking your fate in your hands is not a bad thing)
hahah what do you mean writing an smau in a day is a bad idea? but yes, i had a lot of fun doing this and well, this is dedicated to my lovies: @haologram, who helped me write the whole thing, and got excited at all the right places, @mylovesstuffs, bc she sent a three-hundred word paragraph yelling at me about how good the idea was, and ofc my little freaks who asked to be tagged: @facethesunflower, @gyupremacy ! enjoy, and let me know what u think!
@/yurivictims: this means only one thing in korea
@/woozilovers: svt and lunar maknaes posting cute photos of woozi and yn? i'm nooticing
âȘ@/yurivictims: "prone to schizophrenia" sounds about right
@/yeseularts: how are you feeling about going back into the studio maam
âȘ@2lazyforuserid: man idk ive got creaking joints but the studio is a fuck ton better than the gym, celeste <3
@/yurivictims: NO WAY YN DROPPED THE F BOMB
âȘ@/2lazyforuserid: i am 29 ofc i say fuck
@/koreaboo: y/n of lunar, caught smoking on a seoul street
@/yeseularts: okay why the fuck are we still debating the smoking situation? y/n is a grown adult, and she's smoking a cigarette, not hurting people. shut up and let her live
@/yurivictims: don't let yn's smoking scandal distract you from the fact that we're getting AOTY this year
@/yurivictims: byeol yeseul and yn really said NO FUCKS GIVEN
âȘ@/woozilovers: idk if i want yn or if i want to be yn
@/yeseularts: saw their bandmate getting criticised for a lil smoke and said 'we dont care about ur moral policing' that is my FAMILY yall
@/woozilovers: HUH? TOMORROW? TOMORROW NEW SONG? YEARNING TIME?
@/woozilovers: "your hair spilled out onto the white sheets, your eyes that hold galaxies in them" WOOZI DOWN BAD
@/woozilovers: this song is about yn-[TRAIN PASSES BY]
@/yeppeuda: no way he uploaded that song. finefinefinefinecoolcoolcoolcool im fine actually
@/leeuji: does she know?
@/yurivictims: NEW SONG AND ITS QUEER CODED? A WIN?
âȘ@/yurivictims; "musical genius, the weight of the world on your shoulders", look me in the eye and tell me it is not yeseul and byeol tell me
@/yeseularts; y/n indie release... im so up
@/koreaboo: celestial entertainment and pledis ent issue joint statement regarding dating rumours of their artists y/n and woozi: they are close colleagues
@/yurivictims: shut the fuck up koreaboo
@/woozilovers: koreaboo is a blight on society and must be eradicated
âȘ@/yurivictims: you ship them
âȘ@/woozilovers: im not forcing them to sign the marriage certificate stfu
@/woozilovers: both yn and woozi pining all over their songs..is it that serious
@/koreaboo: seventeen's woozi, "I do enjoy Lunar's music" (lnk.to)
@/yurivictims: i be having a good day and this bitch comes to ruin shit for me @/koreaboo
@/koreaboo: lunar's yn, "i think woozi is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation"
@/yeseularts: man i thought this was a joke at first but i cant defend you guys anymore
@/yurivictims: okay gimme 3 reasons why u think yn is dating woozi
âȘ@/woozilovers: han river dates, song refs, they even have couple items
âȘ@/yurivictims: and 50 million other people have the same item, are they in a relationship?
@/woozilovers: that did not happen right im not hallucinating right did @/yurivictims curse me with schizophrenia guys
@/woozilovers: sensing something shift in the universe... ominous
âȘ@/yeseularts: oomf you might be right about that
@/woozilovers: ...what
@/yeseularts: no way...oomf vindicated
@/yurivictims: [CLOSED].
@/koreaboo: Celestial entertainment and pledis ent. both confirm that y/n of lunar and woozi of seventeen are in a relationship, "we ask you to look upon them with kindness."
plot. in searching for a place to study, mingyu meets you, a deaf schoolmate who manages to catch his eyes. he soon realizes that no matter what he does, you cant hear nor understand him truly. | pairings. college!kim mingyu and deaf!reader
notes: italicized parts are sign language | genre: angst (?) | more: my first mingyu fic! i really did my best to research about writing sign language in means to represent in a way that isnt rude nor portray them in ways that seems caricatured. lowercase intended!
the study hall was busy as always.
mingyu looks around, holding a stack of books in his armsâ balancing it once in a while from how heavy it is. his eyes scans the entire space, in search for somewhere to sit and begin his academic dwelling.
a frustrated sigh leaves his lips upon realization that its a full house. the final exams were rapidly approachingâ some students opted to stay at school to study rather than get distracted in their homes or even the busy city.
mingyu looks around the study hall once again. his eyes lit up seeing you sitting all by yourself. the tables were average in size; definitely could accomodate him and his stuff. from his observations, your stuff were neatly placed near youâ leaving lots of spaces for someone like him who is in need of a study table.
he gathers his courage and approaches your direction. there was a subtle hint of peace in your side of the world. the sunlight illuminating from the big window infront of you shone brightlyâ little bits of silhoutte landed on your stuff as you continued to write.
clearing his throat, mingyu points to the empty space in front of youâ "hi, is someone sitting there? could i maybe join you?"
no response. mingyu's polite smile turn to confusion as he flutters his eyelids. he reaches his finger over to the fabric clothed on your shoulder, giving it a small light tap.
you turn your head rapidly, a surprised look on your faceâ "is someone sitting here with you?", mingyu asks again.
instead of a quick 'yes' or 'no' response, your hands moved quickly, elegantly:
âiâm deaf. i canât hear you.â
he blinked, momentarily surprised. you signs? mingyu thought.
'AH' a flicker of surprise crossed his face, setting down his books in the table. like muscle memory, his hands moved tooâhesitant at first, but clear:
âoh⊠i didnât know. i just needed a seat. may i?â
you froze. caught off-guard and flustered. you could nod your head in responseâ amazed. mingyu sat in front of you, adjusting his seat.
âyou know sign language?â
he nodded. âi would say its okay. my aunt is deaf so we all had to learnâ
you observe mingyu sprawling his books on the table, taking his colored pens as he began working. the way you looked at him wasnt 'admiration'â it was a sort of belonging.
as a deaf person, it is still a surprise to you whenever someone is able to communicate using sign language. there is happiness and relief everytime; and mingyu was one of those people today.
your finger tapped on the table close to him, he looks up at youâ his head tilts a little bit, beckoning for your questionâ "what's your name?"
mingyu lifts his hand up, puzzled and confused. you laugh, realizing that he might not know how to properly sign his name. in defeat, mingyu sighed and lend his idâ 'kim mingyu', you thought.
"how about you?" he asks in return. a smile etched on your lips as you softly pushed forward one of your notebook, pointing to your name written on the pageâ 'kang [yn]'
mingyu responds with a thumbs up, biting his lip nervously trying to hide the giggles trying to escape.
you both return to your studies. and for a moment, it was just the two of you in a world of sunlight and scribbled thoughts. no awkwardness, no need to fill the quiet.
you would look up once in a while just to catch him taking glances of youâamused, as if trying to read something between the lines.
some beginnings donât need noise.
some just need someone who knows how to listenâeven when no words are spoken.
---
first interactions often ends at that moment.
but lucky for mingyu, that wasnt the last he'd seen of you.
would he call it a crush? or maybe genuine interest? or could it be just exam preparatory blues; seeking solace in another struggling student. but one thing was certain in mingyuâ he wanted to see you.
after every class he would jog quick to the study hall even if he had nothing to study about. you slowly had noticed his sly movements and gesturesâ choosing to sit with you even if the rest of the tables werent occupied.
mingyu would also 'stare' intently; often catching him stealing glances, hiding behind his book whenever both your eyes meet.
was it a crush? of course it was a crush. but deep inside, there were doubts that clouded your mind.
today was another usual day. exceptâit wasnât your usual day.
instead of spending another afternoon tucked away in the study hall with textbooks and silence, mingyu had shown up beside your desk, eyes bright, fingers fumbling a little as he signed:
âwant to get ice cream?â
you almost declinedâout of habit, maybeâbut there was something soft in the way he asked, something unspoken. so you nodded.
and now here you both were, sitting on a worn picnic bench under a shy sun, the air warm and still; racing to eat your ice cream before the heat had got to it first.
you caught him watching you as you licked a drip from the side of yours. you smiledânot with your voice, not even with your hands, just your eyes. a small thank you. he returned it like it was something precious.
"how was your exam preparations?" he asked aloud, then pausedârememberingâbefore signing the same thing slowly, with a furrow of concentration.
you answered with a nod and a slight shrug: âits okay.â
he grinned. âyouâll do great.â then added in a playful, crooked sign, âyouâre smarter than me anyway.â
mingyu could only laugh, the sound light, pulling the tension from his shoulders. but then something shifted in the quiet. not discomfortâjust the kind of silence that comes when someone is thinking too hard.
his fingers tapped nervously against the paper napkin beside him. you noticed.
âyou know,â he said slowly, looking down at his half-eaten cone, âiâve been thinking a lot lately.â
you tilted your head, watching his mouth move yet his message werent conveyed through sign. your eyebrows furrowed, eagerly pointing for him to use his resting hands.
he sighed nervously, signingâ a little hesitant this time:
âthinking. about⊠you.â
you blinked. he smiled to himself, eyes still not meeting yours. mingyu then looked up. his gaze was steady, but there was a fragile edge to itâ "thinking about you, always"
he stopped, shook his head slightly, like the words werenât lining up the way he wanted. you felt the heat rising in your cheeks. mingyu dropped his hands to his lap for a second, then lifted again. slower now.
âi guess what iâm trying to say isââ
he looked directly at you now, vulnerable and sincere.
mingyu didnât say the words. his lips didnt part and his mouth didnt move: âi like you.â
not exactly.
but they were thereâin every pause, every sign, every glance.
you didnât answer right away.
instead, you looked down at your ice cream, watched the puddle forming around the edges of the cone. then slowly, you reached over and nudged your napkin toward him, brushing your fingers lightly against his hand in the process.
your eyes met.
you didnât sign anything.
but he smiledâsmall, almost relieved. like he understood anyway.
---
may it had been a few dates after that?
a casual after class stroll in the park, bike riding, taking pictures, eating ice cream, going to pop-up storesâ mingyu would always take you.
after every end of the day, he would remind you how much he liked you. signing with all his humility and admirationâ "i like you" was his message every single day.
but there was always something that gloomed you. mingyu may not have noticed occassionally but you always do. the way he would forget and just continue talking without signing, leaving you in confusionâ and when he would snap back to reality, he'd sign a simple "nevermind all that"
in sharing his favorite songs, observing the certain sounds around the environment, calling out to youâ he would sometimes forget, and that would leave you off the trail.
there werent any words that could describe the way youre feeling; literally.
its not like you dont like him. mingyu is nice, very nice. he seemed genuine and his actions shared his interest to get to know you better than just treat this like another way to pass his time.
he knew sign language for god's sakes.
thoughts are rushing inâ amplifying the noise; not from the silence of your world, but from the heaviness of your heart.
its full of why's, how's, when, what, a lot of those things. it all pounced down one by one slowly; slow yet tormenting. "i like you", it repeated again and again. his actions, his gestures, his intentionsâ it was all too much.
besides, you both cannot understand each other. you cannot understand himâ he disappears whenever he doesnt use his hands to communicate. and most of all, he doesnt understand you.
the emptiness of your apartment was a high contrast from the world you were introduced to when you're with him. it wasnt gloomyâ it was warm and bright as he carried you through everything hand in hand.
but then againâ you cant understand him and he doesnt understand you.
---
mingyu stared at his phone, your text thread glowing in the early morning light.
a simple good morning, sent over an hour ago. a few emojis scattered underneathâhis usual attempt to keep things light, to make you smile through the screen like he always hoped to in person.
he saw the word 'seen' pop up a while ago yet no reply followed.
at first, he brushed it off. maybe you were busy. maybe your phone was in your bag. maybe you saw it half-asleep and thought youâd reply later. or maybeâjust maybeâyou typed something and forgot to hit send.
he turned his phone over, then back again. the screen lit up. still nothing.
the minutes stretched.
something in his chest felt tight, like a thread being tugged the longer the silence went on.
by midday, mingyu couldnât focus. he told himself he wouldnât be that guyâthe one who overthinks a single unread message. but still, he found himself walking, when he didnt see you at the study hall, his feet moved almost on their own, until he was near your building.
he stood across the street for a few minutes, watching as people passed in and out, pretending he just happened to be nearby.
but he knew exactly why he was there.
finally, he crossed.
his phone buzzed. he checked it with hope that leapt too fastâ not you.
mingyu glanced at the entrance, then looked down at his shoes, sudddenly unsure if showing up like this was a mistake. just as he turned to leave, the door opened.
it was you.
you stepped outside, head slightly down, hand gripping tightly on your bag.
his heart skipped once. he raised a hand instinctively, a soft waveâthen he stepped forward, catching your line of sight.
you looked at him; but didnât stop.
no smile. no sign. nothing.
you just kept walking, slipping past him like he wasnât there.
his throat tightened. confused, he turned quickly and stepped in front of you, blocking your path gently. you stoppedâbut only because you had to.
he raised his hands, slow and cautious.
âdid i do something?â he signedâyou didnât respond.
your eyes flicked to the side, your shoulders tense. you stepped to walk around him. mingyu's hand reached outâtentative but firmâfingers wrapping around your wrist, holding you in place.
you looked up, startled.
he signed again, this time slower, his brows knitting in quiet worry: âwhatâs wrong?â
you didnât say anythingânot with your hands. not with your eyes.
you just stared at his fingers on your wrist, like they werenât supposed to be there. mingyu let go slowly, as if releasing something delicate.
his heart was pounding, but he tried not to show it. tried to stay calm, even though the silence between you was louder than anything heâd ever heard.
your gaze finally liftedâmet his for half a secondâthen dropped again. your hands twitched slightly, as if considering a reply; but nothing came out.
âplease,â he signed, his movements gentler now. âif youâre upset... if something happened... just tell me.â
a breeze pushed past the two of you, rustling the trees behind the building. someone exited through the side door. a car honked far off in the street. normal sounds. everyday life. but it all felt strangely distant.
"why are you doing this to me", you signed, for the first time in a very long silence. "doing what?", mingyu responds, confused and frustrated.
you didnât move, nor reply. leaving him dumbfounded thinking that he was gonna get the answers he ached to have.
mingyuâs breath hitched, chest rising and falling as he stood there, helpless. the silence between you had never felt so loud beforeâso defeaning.
he signed again, lips quivering, this time slower, his hands trembling slightly: âi just want to understand.â
nothing.
your gaze flicked to the side, deliberately avoiding his hands now. you werenât just silent. you were shutting him out.
his arms dropped to his sides; and something inside himâsnapped.
it wasnât anger. not quite.
it was heartbreak. the kind that builds quietly in the corners of your ribs, then crashes all at once. the kind that makes you want to puke, nauseous, sick, and disgusted.
mingyu took a step back. hands clenched at his sides. he opened his mouth and for once, he didnât sign.
"why are you being like this to me"
heâs speaking now. words tumble out of him like something broken loose. his voice cracks; his hands stay at his sides.
you didnât hear itâ you cant hear it. your face remained still, unreadable. you saw his lips move but he didnt sign.
mingyu continues, more desperate nowââi wanted to be someone who could meet you there. in your world. but I canât find the right signs. and when i speak⊠you donât hear me.â
his voice cracked on the last phrase. his eyes burned, throat tightening with everything he couldnât seem to say in the language you shared.
tears brim your eyes. shaking, your hands move; slowly and desperatelyâ "i cant hear you"
he laughed once. short. bitter. and wiped at his eyes with the heel of his palm. you blinked, tilting your head slightly as a frown etches in the corner of your mouthâ "i. dont. understand. you"
mingyu flinches, "it doesnt matter if i talk to you like this or speak, you dont choose to understand me anyways", he responds.
you didnât moveâ "if that's what you feel then why dont you go"
his eyes flickers, an unfazed look in his face as he inches towards your direction. for a short while, mingyu couldnt think of a response. you both face each other, waiting for something.
may it arrive or not; it was all a damning question.
even in times like these, the crickets still sounded louderâ accompanying the hearts of two people, beating and pulsating softly. the moon still shined brightly, lapsing the tears that adorned the longing eyes of those who seek for answers.
âif i go,â he signs, gentle and careful, âhow will you call for me?â
âiâll just end up looking back at you, terrified that maybeâ maybe youâre trying to tell me something.â
hi! can i please request a jeonghan x 14th member where the two are in a secret relationship OR LIKE they have addressed their feelings towards each other but they kept it a secret but theN ANOTHER MEMBER WALKED IN on them cuddling in the dorm or practice room or jeonghanâs room then soon the other members gathered then after that they all like teased the both of you ( heavy on jeonghan because of his obvious FAVORITISM) lolol THANK YOU SO MUCH
hello~ THIS WAS SO CUTE the way i blushed writing every scene đ oh lawd as a reader of historical novels, moons mean so much to me so YALL KNOW WHICH ONE'S MY FAV LINE YEP YEP
-- àȘââŽÂ°â
It wasnât something either of you planned.
There was no big confession under a starry sky, no dramatic music, no swelling realization all at once. It started with fleeting touches - Jeonghanâs fingers holding onto your waist just a second longer than necessary when hugging you âcasuallyâ. The way heâd always tilt his head toward you when you spoke, eyes unwavering, like the rest of the room didnât matter.
And then there were the things he only did for you.
Saving your favorite snacks, hidden behind the ramen boxes, blankets that mysteriously showed up in the practice room whenever you worked late, wordlessly offering his shoulder on van rides - no matter how short - just silence when your head leaned in and stayed there.
He was rarely obvious - but for you, Jeonghan had a way of making you feel like you were the only person in the world sometimes.
It was you who realized first.
You realized when you let him nap in your lap during rehearsals, lazily running fingers through his hair even when the others teased. When your smile dropped the moment he looked tired. When your heart thumped whenever heâd instinctively stand between you and a camera if you looked even remotely off.
âI think I like you,â you had whispered one night when the both of you were alone in his room after a schedule, the gentle glow of city lights painting his face in soft gold.
Jeonghan had blinked slowly, something tender blooming behind his usual mischief. âFinally,â he smiled. âI was just waiting for you to catch up.â
But even in that shared warmth, you were adamant. âCan weâŠkeep it lowkey? Just for now?â
He nodded, no hesitation. âIf thatâs what you want.â
And it worked - for a while.
You snuck small moments: quiet conversations just before lights out, side glances during interviews, pinkies brushing beneath the table during group meals. Jeonghan never pushed, never asked for more than you were ready to give.
He just looked at you like you hung the moon, even if no one else was allowed to see it.
Then one lazy afternoon changed it all.
.
You knew it wouldnât last forever - your quiet, secret bubble. But you at least hoped it would last longer than a few weeks.
You were curled under Jeonghanâs blanket, tucked snugly against his chest while his fingers absentmindedly traced shapes along your spine. It was peaceful - no cameras, no responsibilities, no members barging inâ
Click.
The door creaked open.
You shot up like a startled cat.
âHyung, have you seenââ
You didnât wait to see who it was, only launched yourself out of the bed and onto the floor, rolling so dramatically you knocked a few pillows off the side.
âOh!â You said too loudly, crawling on the floor. âMy...earringâ I dropped my earring!â
Mingyu blinked. âWhy are you wearing earrings at home?â
âWell, I just do now. What are you going to do about it?â You jumped to your feet with a breath, hands on your hips to intimidate.
Meanwhile, Jeonghan was still lounging in bed, arms folded behind his head like he hadnât just been cuddling someone moments ago. A lazy grin spread across his face as he watched you fake-search under his bed.
âYouâre ridiculous,â he said under his breath, utterly amused.
Mingyu raised a brow, trying to hide a smirk. His eyes darted from your flushed face, to the tousled blanket, then to Jeonghanâs smug expression.
âI didnât see anything,â he said, very obviously seeing everything. âBut...Jihoon hyungâs been asking who keeps stealing the extra snacks from the kitchen. Might want to investigate together, I guess.â
You groaned. âGet out.â
âSure,â Mingyu said. âBut Iâll also be sure to tell Seungkwan I didnât walk in on anyone cuddling in here.â
A pillow launched into the air, a near-miss as the door shut, his laughter echoing in the hallway.
From that day on, the teasing got worse.
Seungkwan made exaggerated gasps anytime Jeonghan offered you the last bite of his dessert. Joshua conveniently played love songs when the both of you were in the same room. And even Jihoon âcoincidentallyâ coughed when Jeonghan offered to carry just your bag to the van.
You scowled, pulling the hoodie Jeonghan just tossed you tighter around your shoulders one day. âYouâre not being subtle.â
Jeonghan just smiled, slinging an arm over your shoulder as he nudged your side. âI never agreed to keep it a secret. You did.â
You elbowed him back in the side, cheeks hot. âYouâre enjoying this way too much.â
He grinned, brushing a piece of lint from your sleeve. âOnly because youâre cute when you panic. Like when you rolled off the bed? That was oscar-worthy.â
You groaned again, but the way he looked at you - with that stupidly fond smile and eyes that held the softness of someone completely smitten - made you forget the embarrassment.
Maybe the secret was out - but if Jeonghanâs laughter was anything to go by, and if his warmth by your side never wavered, you figured you could live.
Especially since, in the end, he was worth every teasing comment that came your way.
đone baddie and one tiger but without a porsche
synopsis. your boyfriend wants to scream to the world about you but for know he will be satisfied by just his members knowing
paring(s). kwon soonyoung x f!reader
genre(s). romance, slice of life
warning(s). alchohol consumption, curse words
word count. 2.7k
a/n. the reader is a y2k baddie who is independent woman, I used feminine y2k style reader for a baddie but anyone can be a baddie no matter the aesthetics <3 Hoshi loser tendencies are inspired by his lovable charms and that Sana interactions, I am sure he has game...sometimes
The time when seventeen members have off-days are usually spent away from each other, or in much much smaller groups and pairs, resting without the groupâs characteristic of loudness and actually taking a moment to enjoy solace and little sense of peace that comes only when you are alone. That usually is the norm, they spread out, some even leaving the county, visiting families and some even simply disappear to who knows where with a simple message of assuring they will be back.Â
But when you grow up with twelve other people and share almost anything it comes to a weird sense of dependence on one another, an itch that even the quietest members have after a while, to come and be assured that everyone is fine, everyone is still the same and that connection is still thriving. And Hoshi was one of the not so quiet ones, despite keeping bits and pieces of himself tucked away for a sense of privacy and some kind of childish giggle when he gets off keeping things only for himself, he knew that it was only a matter of time where the secret would naturally come out, he in a way wanted to share the said secret the moment it opportunity arises.Â
Itâs too stuffy to call it a secret, you werenât a secret to be hidden, hell if the idol environment wasnât so strict and bashing about dating he wouldâve already screamed to the whole world that you were his and his only. It was a shame, at least to him, that you were a private only love, but, but he once again was fine with it in some twisted way, he could keep you tucked in like the precious gem you were.
A gem that even his members didnât see yet, maybe he should have been more careful, or maybe he was careless on purpose, you werenât sure of that fact but you also didnât care for it, he too you wasnât shameful relationship to be hidden rather the opposite, unlike your usual situation that got too boring or too energy draining, Soonyoung to you was a breath of fresh air, that kept things interesting enough yet offered some sense of comfort you usually donât get in your life.Â
It was a video call at first, with the youngest no less, Dino was talking about some concert he attended the day before while on their vacation, Hoshi was nodding along and somewhere where they were making plans the bundle on his bed moved. Dino didn't think much of it, maybe it was his dog, Latte, but once it started shifting he started paying attention. He was glad he did because not even a minute later there was a peak of someoneâs hair, that he for sure knew it wasnât Latteâs fur.
Before he could inquire about what that was, Hoshi was saying quick goodbye and promised for a group hang-out.â Bye bye Dino-ya! Letâs grab drinks later.â The screen went back and yet all Dino can think of is the bundle of sheets that looked too human-like and a head that didnât match anyone in Hoshiâs family. His older sister would rather eat rocks then allow the loudness of her brother to interrupt her precious sleep, he knows that much.Â
So he came to the most plausible conclusion ever. Hoshi definitely had a girl over! Not just any girl, a girl that obviously tolerated his loudness and didnât mind his obnoxious laugh when they talked for longer than just a quick call to check in, Hoshi even called Dino for some kind of better clearness, that girl wasnât a one-night stand and it definitely wasnât his ex, she wouldnât be so chill with him calling someone while she was there..Â
So with that âgeniusâ conclusion he texted around, the first who answered was Mingyu, who mentioned that Hoshi was indeed avoiding his invites for drinks more of lately, he thought it was because he wanted to stop embarrassing himself around their industry friends because of his drinking habits but now with what Dino said that it made sense he wouldnât want to go home drunk if there was a girl waiting for him. Strike two.
Dino then ran to Jeonghan who told him that yeah Hoshi is definitely seeing someone, I mean have you seen the sparkle in his eyes and the sudden number of hair ties on his wrist? He was half-sure the older one was teasing him but the hair thing stuck with him. None of them had longer hair anymore, Jeonghanâs was short again and it was always Seungcheolâs job to carry them for him, hell even he had somewhat longer-ish hair and Hoshi never offered it to him. Strike three.Â
The longer he went around he came to realization he wasnât the only one who thought so, Seungkwan was talking how Hoshi was suddenly on his best behavior and Minghao said he asked for nail places recommendation, hell even Woozi albeit reluctantly said that Hoshi was of great help lately with some lyrics, that for once werenât some hype and break-up lyrics. Jun found a tube of glitter lipgloss spilling out of Hoshiâs bag, the label read âFrosted flirtâ, he didnât question it further, they wore make up occasionally, but it did get stuck in his memory.Â
Like puzzles coming into their rightful place and the information being shared among members it was announced that, without the guy in questionâs knowledge, Hoshi was dating someone, and he is hiding it. They didnât want to be a noisy bunch but they too were itching to know why, after all Hoshi never hesitated to be loud about his love life or even lack of it thereof.Â
So as any good and worried, read as noisy, friends they cornered him on random Saturday, soju and beers being passed around as the noise of regulars and some nostalgically old pub playlist that played in the background was overwhelmed by the chatter of the thirteen men. It wasnât hard to get Hoshi tipsy but they strategically avoided him actually getting drunk by putting him besides Mingyu who drowned both his and Hoshiâs drinks.Â
It didnât take him long enough to break, honestly they barely started the romance talk, mostly between the new tensions and embarrassing stories, the only thing that was needed was a comment from Seungkwan, smoothly put together and presented with a teasing pull, a provocation.Â
âGuys slow down with your love stories, our sweet Soonyoung is yet to be over his exâŠâ Seungkwan said that in a mockingly sweet tone, patting Hoshi on his back but while the touch was comforting, the words were meant to tease and make him fess up. âRight, Soonyoung? Or perhaps your lack of game is more grave than we thought of it and you seem to not have any prospects...â
âYah! What are you saying! I have an amazing game mind you! I am good, my girlfriend is likeâŠlike so hot! LikeâŠshe is so bad, I swear I see my damn future in her shiny lipgloss and like when she talks it is like the whole world revolves around her, you just gotta hear her out!â that dramatic admission was followed by actual tear, his cheeks were flushed deep mauve from alcohol? Embarrassment? They werenât sure but it was for sure comical, listening to him go and go on about his girlfriend.
âIs that so?â Like he was egging him on, Jeonghan asked him with a mischievous grin on his face, and Hoshiâs eyes actually lit up, he missed the hit and took it as an invitation to begin his rant.
âYeah! She walks with some kind of purpose and I swear everytime her heel hits the floor I feel my heart skip a beat, like everything is in slow motion that it makes you focus on her! And when she calls me an idiot I melt like she said some pet name, sure I once messed up her make up display and broke like half of the things. She just closed her eyes, let out a sigh of annoyance and I was a second away from getting on my knees to beg with the way her raised eyebrow and intense stare was cutting me apart, but guess what she kissed me and called me useless.â He sighs out like he just told a fairytale worthy story. âI have her vogue cover hanging on the opposite side of the bed just so I can see her the first thing in morning, she says it is creepy but I know she digs it, she is like a glammed up final boss, the main character of main characters!â
âHa ha haâŠ.right.â Dino muttered out, eyes widened from the sudden surge of information, it wasnât surprising that Hoshi would love that kind of woman, one that appears to have a world under the heel of her shoes, but to think someone like that would entertain the idea of his weirdness was unbelievable.Â
âAre you sure you arenât just imagining things Soonyoung?â Joshua asked, genuinely baffled by what his friend just said.
âPerhaps he got a head injury while dancing? Jun added in, now wearing a more worried expression than the amusing one. âWe should get him to hospital or something?â
Woozi had both of his hands under his chin, like he was figuring out what beat was mixing but not he was thinking what part of the brain has Hoshi lost over the vacation. âI actually agree, he is speaking nonsense like usual , but this is a new level of delusions.âÂ
âHa!? Delusions, itâs true my girlfriend is soâŠso cute and like super smart!â Hoshi defended himself, rising from his seat, almost knocking off a glass of beer if it wasnât for Junâs quick reflexes to catch it. âLet me show you her!â
Hoshi pulled out his phone, unlocking it and immediately going to the gallery, with no hesitation at all he shoved his phone in the closest hand to him, which was Joshuaâs, who was sitting in front of him. âGo on, there is a whole album with her in it!â
Joshua just let out a sound that was somewhere in between a chuckle and exasperated sigh, he clicked on the album with a pink heart and tiger emoji, assuming that it was the one he was referring to, and once the pictures loaded his eyes widened. There it was, the girl he was describing, a drop-dead gorgeous woman wrapped in rhinestone-studded croptop, low waisted jeans that showed off her belly button piercing, the small gem glittering under what he assumed was a camera flashlight.Â
To avoid staring at the âSâ letter necklace between her breast he forced himself to look at her face, and damn he understood Hoshiâs statement about begging, eyeliner sharp that it could kill made her eyes pop, the gaze that could send shivers down his spine if it was directed at him, lips covered in sheer frosted pink sparkles drawing away from the fact that the smile she had on was one that spells out danger vailed up as a good ride you wouldnât forget.Â
âYeah no, no way. Where did you get this pic man? This girl might get a bad rep if she got connected to you!â Seokminâs voice was loud in Joshuaâs ears as he basically screamed out from where his chin was hooked on Joshuaâs shoulder.
âJust scroll, and stare less, she is my girlfriend, remember?â
Joshuaâs finger swiped right and right, over and over again, and without doubt it was the same girl, dressed to nines, at clubs, conferences and without makeup on, wrapped up in sheets that looked similar to Hoshiâs, the K.O. move was you in Hoshiâs lap with Latte cuddled up with you, the dog napping peacefully, gasps followed throughout the room as members passed the phone among them.
âPhotoshoot?â Someone said, âNah, itâs too much for a prank, he doesnât go that farâ.
âHa! She is my girlfriend and I am her boyfriend,â Hoshi exclaimed, beaming from pride. He liked saying that, he wanted everyone to know how lucky he was, drowning another beer, and he mumbled out some more about you. About your work, your bag collection, how you make people question left and right, how mean you can get yet somehow you are always right.
It was like that for the rest of the night, once the shock passed and they returned to the usual conversation topics but it was clear in Hoshiâs dumb smile and that lovestuck expression he was gone from most of the conversation. The members gave him his time, still doubtful but happy for him, they watched over him as he emptied glass after glass, bouncing around them, they laughed with him too, enjoying this new version of him, sliding in a couple of teasing comments and stabs, questions of how did he bag a baddie like you.
And once the time for them to part, Dino sneakily called up Hoshiâs girlfriend as others were taking the last shots and bites of good, it wasnât hard to find you in his contact info the number of sickeningly sweet emojis next to what he assumed was your name, clicking on it and asking for you to come pick him up because no one could, it was a lie, he was sure some of the sober members would be up for it or even calling a cab was an option, they were enough of comfortable in their careers that the bill wouldnât matter, but he wanted to make sure, that this night wasnât alcohol driven hallucination.Â
It was definitely worthed when you walked in with a bare face and some chunky bedazzled sunglasses on, and Seokmin even fell over when he saw you. Dressed in some leisure wear and hair put up out of your face so the hoop earings got a moment on their own, all while on your hip there was a juicy hot pink bag and a very out of place tiger plushy. The chaos once again ignited, Minghao, bless his manners, welcomed you in with an apologetic smile and led you to drink his Hoshi who was clinging on Mingyuâs biceps.Â
Your manicured nails took off the glasses as you looked down at Hoshi who was blabbing some nonsense about kimchi and butterfly hairclips. With a face twisted in an expression that could be read as judgemental and flicker or worried furrow in your shaped eyebrows. In less than a second you took out a vanilla body spray and drenched him in it, being careful he doesnât inhale any of it.Â
âYou are not entering my room, much less my bed if you stink of alcohol and meat.â
The members werenât sure if it was your voice or the smell of the bakery fit in a bottle that was what snapped him towards you but to be honest none of them were thinking, too amazed to see a baddie like you entertain an idea of welcoming Hoshi into your home at all. Donât get them wrong, they acknowledge that he is an amazing person with a lot of things to brag about but he always said the stupidest shit to girls around them. So when you didnât even blink when he attached to your hip instead of Mingyu, they were more than just surprised.
âYou came for me me, yey. I was just talking about how cool you are and about the project you were doing!âÂ
âHow great but I doubt anyone can understand your slurred words. Let's go before you embarrass yourself more than you should.â You said and brushed the hair that was sticking to his forehead. He followed you like a puppy and all the members were in honest disbelief, bit envious but most of all filled with some kind of happiness that he got someone that even if out of his league, they knew he would treat you good based on how he sang praises about you for the whole night. They also were looking at the example that you too would treat him well, with the way your hands hold onto his body and the way despite the displeasure of being here you didnât flinch away from it, accepting it as a part of him, part of him in seventeen, bright, familiar, and somewhat foolish, but yours.Â
Hi nini!! Sorry i requested two times in a row, i can't help it i just had the visionđ, can i ask number 1 with woozi who is dating producer!reader who also work for seventeen? So in the middle of the night the reader wake up and can't come back to sleep, and while starring at the ceiling (or woozi's face), she suddenly got hit by lyrics idea so she goes and type it, and after a while woozi wakes up and asking what she's doing, then he say "it's too early for this" but he let her be, even respond to her and give some lyrics suggestion, and after they done he pull her to cuddle and catch some sleep again. Whew that is specific, u can change anything if u want, like maybe it is set in the morning after waking up so it make more sense i dunno, anyway thank you nini, i hope u have a lovely dayđđ
hihi sweets, no worries, you can request twice đ i tweaked few things here and there, hope it's all fine!
prompt:
'it's too early for this.'
it clicks when you're doing the dishes, which is not the weirdest moment for it, but also not exactly the most convenient one either. with your hands half emerged in the water you freeze as the moledy plays itself in your head and lyrics fall on it perfectly, just like they're meant to. you don't move, don't breathe - too afraid to spook this rare sensation of a song coming to you on its own. usually it happens after pulling all-nighters int he studio, frustrated beyond belief cause nothing's working out. sometimes it comes when you and jihoon are bouncing off each other, trading ideas back and forth, caught in the creative haze. and in rare precious moments, it comes in the most unexpected moments, when you're doing the most mundane stuff in the world. like washing dishes at nine am on a sunday morning.
'babe?' jihoon calls out, entering the kitchen. he's rubbing his eyes sleepily, yawns. 'what's going on?'
you hastily remove your gloves and move past him to grab your phone from the living room. jihoon blinks, startled by you moving quickly and watches in silence as you start humming the melody with a turned on dictaphone on the phone. it takes him a full minute to understand what is happening and when realization kicks in, he can only sigh loudly. 'it's too early for this,' he mutters.
you press pause, turning to look at him. 'it's literally nine am.'
'on sunday. so like i said - too early,' he grumbles, but pads softly to come sit next to you on the sofa. 'let me hear this.'
'no, wait, i've got lyrics too.'
jihoon never interrupts when you get in the zone. he lets you record everything what's on your mind, just listens silently with closed eyes, nodding in some places like he approves. it's so hard not to lose this creative flow once you have it, so you forget about the dishes and about your boyfriend, trying to extract everything from your mind until you feel empty and done. jihoon's hand is on your back once you finally press 'stop recording' and when you turn, you have the widest smile on your face. 'what do you think?'
'sounded good,' he answers truthfully, because you both promised to each other to be honest about everything, especially about music.
'really?' you ask breathlessly, cuddling closer to him. jihoon is such a genius, any feedback from him feels holy. 'got the idea when i was washing the dishes.'
'yeah, i saw,' jihoon chuckles, yawning. he looks a bit more awake when he mumbles: 'i think we can make the beat a bit quicker though. it'd be catchier that way.'
he didn't even brush his teeth or wash his face. you're still wearing an apron and unwashed dishes are still piled in the sink. but it all doesn't matter when you both focus on the idea, bouncing off each other with little tweaks here and there, trying to make it better. you love moments like that the most, because it's when you and jihoon bond over something that you both live for and even when you can't manage to sort everything out perfectly, it still feels incredibly satisfying to just work on something together.
'we can finish this in the studio,' jihoon suggests, leaning back on the sofa and pulling you with him. 'wanna do it today?'
'yeah, while idea is still fresh,' you nod. maybe someone will think that going back to work on sunday is horrible, but not for you and not for jihoon. not when work is about something you both have passion for. 'if you don't mind?'
'of course i don't, baby.' jihoon kisses your forehead and yawns again. 'but let's sleep some more, first. it's sunday, i'm not supposed to be out of bed till at least twelve am.'
you roll your eyes, leaning in to peck his cheek. 'okay, sleepyhead. go back to the bed, i will finish the dishes and come join you.'
'no, you can finish the dishes later, come with me now.'
it's rare to see the clingy side of your boyfriend and whenever he does show it, it's impossible to say no. you smile, nodding and let him move you two back to the bedroom, where blackout curtains prevent any light from coming in.
'now sleep,' jihoon mutters, pulling you to his chest and covering you both with a blanket. 'i promise we'll finish the song later.'
'okay.' you press a kiss to his collarbone. 'love you, ji.'
his arms tighten around you and you can feel him smiling. 'love you too, baby. sleep.'
a/n: hope it was okay, let me know! and of course have a lovely day too <3 - nini
Summary - Never decide on anything when you are fresh out of a condescending relationship. If you decide to go against all the odds, at least don't sign away your life just because devil's whispers tempt you.
Tags: Seungcheol x f.reader, marriage of convenience, romance, comedy, angst(a little), ceo!au
Warnings: swear words for this part
Word Count: 1.1k
A's Note: I am yet to decide the direction this fic is gonna take. For now I want it to be rom-com instead of the usual angst I have been writing. But also I wanted to write one theme for many years. I am not sure I am gonna include that in this one. Hope you have a good laugh reading this! This story will be a chaptered one.
divider credits to the @/saradika-graphics
Prologue
âIf I see him again, I am gonna tear his stomach with my nails and pull outââÂ
The stranger sitting opposite to you reaches over, clasping his hand over your mouth effectively shutting you up. âToo violent.â
You slap his hand away. âViolence is what I am gonna do to that asshole, that that,â you search for the swear words, hitting your head in hopes of a few words will rattle out of your brain. âBastard, dickhead, man with an ego larger than his tiny dick. Do you know that he has dick the size of my pinky finger?âÂ
Your audience stands up from his chair in hurry, the chair falls down on the floor with a loud clang. You shut your ears screaming, âtoo loud.â
âThatâs your voice actually.â He sits next to you, tightly holding his hand over your mouth. âI donât want to hear anymore details on your exâs private parts. Or the other customers.â
A cold wind blows through the empty tables outside the convenience store, rattling of a strewn tin against the road filling the silence. The store owner frequently checks up on you from the counter in case he has to throw you off of the convenience store. You turn to the kind stranger giving you company on the loneliest night of your life. You mumble underneath his palm.
âNo obscene words, please.â
You nod. He lets go of his hand. âWhat customers? In thisââ you spread your hands, hitting his chest in the process ââow, it hurts.â You glare at him pushing him away from you. âAnyhow, in this whole wide world we are alone. You and me.âÂ
He glances at the store owner looming over the door, âif you say so.â
You tuck stray hair behind your ears and straighten up looking into the kind strangerâs eyes. âIâm here because of my heartbreak.â You sniffle, hand over your broken heart. âBut why are you here, my man, my dude, whatever you dudes say.â You wave your hand.Â
He lets out a deep sigh. You mirror him. He chuckles to himself, running his hand through his thick hair, âmarriage.âÂ
Tears well up in your eyes. This perfect kind stranger with a heart of gold is sitting alone at some trashy convenience store in the middle of night just because of a failed marriage. How can the world be so cruel to someone as nice as him?Â
You hold his shoulder, startling him, you pat in consolation. âYou have it hard. Break ups are worse but failed marriages,â your heart pains again, you grab onto your chest, âI canât take it.â
He frowns. âWhat failed marriage? Iâm not married.âÂ
âOh.â You let go of his shoulder, and lick your lips, blinking brightly at him with a smile, gone the tears.âThen?â
âI need to get married. In a week.â
âOh.â
âYeah.â
âCanât find a venue? It is a short notice to grab a venue but lets search on the internet. Donât worry, buddy, I am here.âÂ
You unlock your phone, open the search engine and type wedding halls immediate.Â
âI have the venue ready.â He supplies, looming over your phone, scrolling through the listings, âthatâs cheap. Anyway,â he locks your phone, âthatâs not the issue.â
You gasp, âare your parents against it? Do you want me to come and talk with them?â
âNo, they are dead.âÂ
You clasp your heart again, tears pooling in your eyes. âMy perfect kind stranger.âÂ
He sighs, âthank you for your concern. But the issue is I donât have a bride.â
âWhat? Did she run away?â You cup your mouth at the dramatics in his life.Â
âWill you stop with your overactive imagination for one second?âÂ
You mimic the zipping of your lips.Â
âI donât have a bride to start with. I believed that I would have one by the time of the wedding date. Now I realize that it is not that easy.â
âDuh.â
He glares at you. âSo now I have to find a wife for one year or lose all my inheritance in the blink of an eye.â
âOh. Thatâs sad.â You nod, patting his thigh.Â
âThank you for the acknowledgement,â his tone drips of sarcasm. He stares at you for a second, then a minute and then two. You tap your face worried that something changed like your nose or lips. âYou are a woman.â
âThank you for the acknowledgement. But I thought men would see somewhere else and not face to deduce thatââ
âMarry me.â
âIâm sorry, what?â
âMarry me. You are single and I am single. Letâs get married for one year.â
âThatâs not how marriage works, I mean you have to be single to get married but you also need to be in love.âÂ
He scoffs at your face. At your face.Â
You stand up from your chair, hovering over him. âDid you just scoff at me? Me?â
âWhere did the love bring you? To a convenience store? Sitting with a stranger out of all?â He folds his arms across his chest. âThink with your brain. One year, in the one year you can take revenge on your ex, show him how better you can do. I am way better than your shitty ex.â
âIn everything?â
The corner of his lips twitch. âIn everything.â
You slowly sit down on the chair, trying to think with your brain as he suggested. He leans into your ear whispering, âimagine crushing his ego. How delicious would that be?â
âYeah.â Your mouth waters.Â
âYeah,â he whispers back, âso let's get married.âÂ
You turn to him, watching his big shiny eyes. He is your perfect kind stranger who is willing to help you in getting your revenge. Who offers help to a stranger these days? The ones you thought of as your own ended up stabbing your back.Â
Revenge sounds sweeter than nectar. He trampled all over your self worth and had the last laugh by cheating with your roommate. Kicking him where it hurts is your new life goal.Â
âLet's get married.âÂ
The perfect kind strangerâs grin unsettles you a little. It resembles a lot like hell than the heaven where he should be from.Â
âPerfect. Letâs sign it.â He grabs a tissue and a pen from the inside pocket of his suit. He writes and writes for several minutes. Signing it, he slides it to you.Â
You take the pen from him, hesitating to sign. He nudges your arm with an encouraging smile. You should have stopped when his kindness morphed into greed. Remove your blindfold and see the blaring red flags. But you only signed away your life.Â
âPerfect. Wifey.âÂ
You gulp at the man who is staring at the tissue with satisfaction. He turns to you, the darkness in his eyes deepens, he bites on his lip, and you suck in a breath. This is why elders advise you to sleep on a decision and decide with a fresh mind and not when your heart is broken and at midnight. That way you wonât be stuck with a devil.Â
