â "Hello, my pretty boy!" you chirp out when coming home, watching Soobin immediately stick to you like glue. His large hands came to wrap around your waist, enveloping you in a tight hug from behind. He really did miss you and had been waiting for you, and when you said that, let's just say you melted his heart completely. "Your what?" he asks, with his iconic smile on display. "My pretty boy." you smile, ruffling his hair while he bends down, his chin over your shoulder, to look you in the eyes.
⥠ì°ì€ (YEONJUN)
â Yeonjun had invited you to watch him model since he didn't wanna leave you home alone today. When you got there, he left into a room to get his makeup done. You whipped out your phone and waited for him to come back. After a bit, he walked out and headed infront of the camera. Everyone was welcoming him and saying 'hi' as they passed by. You watched his every move. This concept was much brighter than his other concepts. It had more of a spring vibe to it? he looked like a garden fairy. When he went on for a break, he went up to you, leaning down to reach eye level with youâwho was sitting down. "Jun, you look amazing." you comment, and he smiles at you, causing your butterflies to scatter in your stomach. "You're such a pretty boy." you add, and see his smile become wider while he looks away. "Heyyy, don't say that." he says, still looking away from you. "Or what? you questions him, and he chuckles, reuniting his gaze to you. He leans down and gives you a peck on the lips. "Nothing bad of course. but i'll make sure by the end of today, we'll both have this lipstick on." He says, pointing to his lips.
⥠ëČê· (BEOMGYU)
â Beomgyu was 'sleeping' when you came back home. He had only put on this act only to see your response and of course, he wanted to scare you. when you see him 'passed out' on the couch, you smile to yourself and walk over to him. "Wow, I can't believe you fell asleep before me today. congratulations, Choi." you say. you figure talking outloud wouldn't be bad since 1. He's asleep anyways and 2. You are talking to him. "but you are so cute like this. What a pretty boy." you sit by him, smiling while shifting some of his hair out of his face. Beomgyu is trying to contain his smile, and his heart beat had become rapid. You always managed to make him feel like a crushing teenager. He almost broke out into laugher before grabbing your hand with a loud "BOO!" which, honestly, almost shook the soul out of you. You scolded him for startling you, which he apologized for by cuddling you and digging his face into your neck. "Y/n.. do you really think i'm pretty?" he asks coyly, and you smile knowing he heard you earlier. "Of course you are. you're my pretty boy."
⥠íí (TAEHYUN)
â Taehyun had taken you out for dinner right after a promotion for their new album. You both went out but since it was so sudden, he still had his makeup on. His lip tint was rubbing off, and his eyelids still had a bit of a pink sparkle to them. He was sitting across from you eating his food until he noticed your eyes boring into his face. "Y/n, what're you doing?" he asks, wearing his bright smile. "Just looking." You answer. "At what?" he asks, filling some more food into his mouth. "At how lovely kang Taehyun looks." you sigh out, looking down and playing with your food before grabbing some onto your fork. "He's such a pretty boy." you add, now putting the food into your mouth, chewing carefully. He looks up and smiles at you, pulling away from the table to lean back into his seat. "Yeah. I heard his girlfriend is pretty too, huh? a pretty boy and pretty girl together." He says.
⥠íŽëìčŽìŽ (HUENINGKAI)
â "You're so pretty, Kai." you say, smiling brightly at your boyfriend. He was amazing; the whole package I can't believe I just wrote that. "I know I am." He teases back, leading a small giggle to drop from both of your mouths. "Yeah, you're my pretty boy." you say, grabbing his face in your hands. You give him a butterfly kiss, rubbing both of your noses together before pulling away. You see his cheeks are glowing a dusty red, and you give him a kiss on each side.
warnings: language, mentions of blood and periods, reader is implied afab but not specifically gendered, sexual jokes and innuendos, threats are made on beomgyuâs life đ (jokingly), pg-13!!
author: ummm idk what happened with tyunningâs or why theyâre both oddly sentimental i think i just have permanent brainrot about them đđ€
Warnings: gender neutral reader, but for Taehyun's reader is mentioned to have a boyfriend. I should probably mention that when I write hybrids, I don't really picture people with animal features like ears and tails, just animal senses and behaviours? That should help this make more sense. This could also work for werewolves if you prefer to imagine it that way!
Note: this has been sitting in my drafts for months, it kept getting pushed back by other ideas. So glad to get it out. Please let me know which is your favourite scenario!
â gender neutral reader
Soobin
You were standing in the kitchen filling the sink with water to start the dishes when you heard the front door. It was game night; the night your boyfriend and his friends ordered in dinner and hogged the TV to play games until they wore each other out, or on some occasions, to tears. So you didn't mind doing the dishes tonight, even though it was technically Soobinâs turn.
"Yah, what's that smell?â
You turned to see Soobin and Beomgyu appear in the kitchen, bags from the convenience store slung over Beomgyuâs shoulder, a telltale sign that he'd lost at rock paper scissors. âHi guys.â
"Is someone here?" Soobin asked, glancing down the hallway. You shook your head and he immediately dropped his confused expression, his face scrunching in disgust. âThen what smells like dog?â
"I don't... oh. It's probably my new boss, we had a meeting today." After all the time you'd been with Soobin, all the time you'd spent around his friends, you were still not that used to this whole thing. You couldn't always spot their kind, and sometimes you forgot about your boyfriend's intense senses, though you had gotten better since you started dating.
Beomgyu placed the bags atop the counter and scratched the back of his head. "The other guys will be here in a minute, so..." He looked up at Soobin who met his eyes.
This was another thing that happened often. It was like they could just lock eyes and know what the other was thinking without saying a word. The two seemed to finish their silent conversing, turning back to you, matching grins growing on their faces. Your eyes darted between the two of them, trying to get a clue as to what you were left out of the loop about, before they were coming at you. Sandwiching you between them, they both began rubbing their cheeks against yours, scenting you as you squirmed.
"Is this what you're going to smell like every day now?" Soobin asked into your hair.
Beomgyu was finding this funny, his laughter in your ear as you whined in complaint. "You reek! Maybe it's time to find a new job."
Once they were satisfied with their work, they stood back, chuckling at how mussed up your hair was from their handiwork. You pouted up at them and they were even more amused.
The doorbell rang before Yeonjun let himself in, the door still being unlocked. He waltzed into the kitchen with Taehyun in tow. "Who's ready to get whoop-" his face fell and his eyes began to search the floor, before looking between you and Soobin, brows furrowed. "Did you guys get a dog or something?"
Before Beomgyu or Soobin could do anything except smirk at you, you were turning on your heel and announcing that you were going to take a shower.
Yeonjun
When he arrives home, straight away his senses hone in on your jacket hanging over the porch railing, soaking wetâyet still he can smell what you've tried to erase. As soon as you hear his key in the door youâre there explaining, before he can utter a single word.
"This guy at the bus stop was all over me. I had to get a different bus so he wouldnât be with me on the way here."
He stops midway through taking off his own coat, the shoulders of the garment hanging at his elbows. You hear the strain in his voice, see the fervor flash through his eyes. "What do you mean all over you?"
"He put his arm around me. He kept putting his face close to my ear to ask me questions⊠but-but I washed my hair when I got home. I washed my jacket twice but I wasn't sure if it would still get to you, so l left it outside. I'm sorry."
His expression faded as he relaxed a little. Still he kept his concentration solely on you as he pulled his hands from his sleeves and hung the coat up. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. Did he do anything else, anything more? Are you okay?"
You sighed tiredly, glad Yeonjun was home and you could have dinner and relax together and put the day behind you. âNo, Iâm fine.â
Stepping forward, he pulled you into his arms and pressed his cheek to the top of your head. âThatâs all that matters.â
Beomgyu
Beomgyu stepped out of the cool night air and into the small store you worked in. He always picks you up when you work the night shift, preferring to drive you home than you taking the bus so late.
You haven't yet noticed his presence, despite the place being empty, busy tidying the shop for closing. As he slinks over to you, you reach up on your tip toes to put something away on a high shelf, and he means to put his arms around you to surprise, but something made him stop short behind you.
"Not again," he says, making you jump out of your skin.
"Gyu!" you yelp. "Don't do that!"
He pouts. "You smell like not you."
Pulling the fabric of your shirt to your nose and inhaling, you shake your head. "I don't smell anything."
You move off to the front desk, Beomgyu trailing behind, still complaining. "Of course you don't smell it, you pure-bred humanâ" and when you send him a look, he adds, "âaffectionately. You just have to take my word for it."
He watches as you clock out and untie the apron from your waist, looking up at him tiredly. "Let's just go home, okay?"
He nods, and after turning off the lights and locking the doors, you make the short walk to his car. It's still warm inside, and it's such a relief to sit down after hours on your feet. You let your head rest back against the seat and look up at your boyfriend as he puts the key in the ignition.
"Thank you," you say tiredly.
As he looks over at you, he grabs something from the mirror and holds it out to you. Taking it from him, you look down to inspect what you've been givenâhis car air freshener. "You're welcome."
Taehyun
Taehyun couldn't hide his smile as he opened the door, until he got a whiff of something he didn't like. "Hey," he said, trying to act casual despite his senses waving tiny red flags at him. Yet, before he could stop himself, he was asking, "Where have you been?"
He watched as you took off your shoes, a hard task with your hands occupied with the pile of books and stationary you'd brought for studying, and usually Taehyun would be a gentleman and take them for you, but right now his mind was distracted.
"I stopped at my boyfriend's place. I'm sorry, am I late?"
Your boyfriend. He hadn't known you had a boyfriend... had he? He tried to rack brain, think of who you hung out with at school as he lead you into the house. "Oh... no, uhm..."
You walked across him to put your stuff down at the table and he got a stronger smell of the scent that hovered around you. Your boyfriend was definitely not completely human. He wondered if you knew. He wondered if he could compose himself enough to study with this smell hanging around.
"Let's get started," you were saying as you took a seat.
Taehyun tried to ignore his thoughts as he sat with you, listening to you talk about the assignment and dividing tasks. He did his best to focus on the words you were saying, your voice, your eyes, anything he could hold onto. But his instincts were strong. He stood up suddenly, your eyes following him, mouth forming a question. "Would you like anything? To eat or drink?"
Your expression cleared of confusion. "Sure, water would be nice."
Thankful to busy himself and get a break, he walked over to the kitchen and filled one glass, then another, breathing deeply all the while to try to calm his system. As he returned to the table, you were coming back from the front hall, suddenly without your jacket on. You reached out and took one of the glasses from him and sat down once more. He noticed that most of the scent was gone; he could bear being so close to you now.
"I really like that jacket you were wearing," he commented nonchalantly between discussions of school work.
You looked up from your notes with a smile. "Oh yeah? Me too. It's my boyfriend's, I'm always stealing it when I can."
He nodded, trying to keep the small smile from fading. It's okay, I'm okay, his mind was trying to console him. It probably wouldn't work out between the two of you anyway... right?
Huening Kai
He found you on the couch, laying on your side, tucked into a ball. âHi hun,â he spoke softly, knowing this habit of yours meant something was up. He wasnât going to bring up the scent he had picked up before heâd even opened the front door just yet.
You peeked up at him and he could tell you were exhausted. âHi." His smile and his eyes were so warm that you immediately blurted out what was wrong without him needing to ask. "I went to a party.â
âOh?" Your voice was so small and meak it tugged at Kaiâs heart. "A party?â
âI didnât want to go but my friends⊠they dragged me there, and I⊠Iâm pretty sure everyone there wasâŠâ You pressed your lips together.
âStinky,â he finished for you with a playful scrunch of his nose.
Nodding, you uncurled yourself to make room for your boyfriend on the couch. He sat and reached for your hand, holding it inside his big, warm one. His hands were always warm. He was always warm. It was one of your favourite things.
âIt was kinda scary,â you admitted. At this, he tugged your hand towards him, a sign for you to come closer, and soon you were tucked into his lap.
"I know," he said softly, rubbing his hands up and down your arms soothingly. "I know it's still all new to you."
Humming in agreement, you allowed your head to fall into the crook of his neck. This was the place you felt safest in the whole world, even before you knew that the world was not as you had always thought.
Kai's voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating through you as he spoke. "Maybe a bath might help you relax."
You looked up at him, and he brought his face down to rub his nose against yours, his trademark show of affection with you. "Do I really smell that bad?"
The boy couldn't hide his smirk. "Just a little."
written by mapofthemazeinthemirror - do not repost my work in any form
a/n: my main idea got lost after the yeonjun one but I decided to not redo them :) Iâm sure you guys get what I mean here. Anyways, please enjoy and as always, requests are open. Thank youuuuu
â TXT AND THINGS THEY DO WHEN THEIR PARTNER IS A FIRST GRADE TEACHER
pairing: txt x f!reader
genre: hcs/scenarios, fluff, established relationship
a/n: requested by anon! song rec - fairy by dvwm.. thank u coco @enluv for helping me out and being my partner in crime ily ^^
back to masterlist!
â YEONJUN
gives you stickers he gets as freebies in his packages. Yeonjun is a sucker for a good pair of jeans, a heavy leather jacket and some silver accessories to top it off. The thing is, being fresh out of university and moving out of the dorms into a small studio is quite a problem when youâre a clothes fanatic such as yeonjun. So, to earn some money beside his job and keep his closet in order, he opens an account on some popular secondhand online shops. Yeonjun likes showing off his new finds to you, excitedly telling you about the deal he managed to get, how happy he is to finally get his hands on said item and upon seeing your soft smile, kissing you on the temple and whispering how heâll make sure you two match. Sometimes, the package includes freebies, mainly stickers, which he immediately sets aside for youâ you and your students would love this, he thinks. Yeonjun sells clothes too though, and you find it particularly endearing how he refuses to reuse any of the stickers as freebies, because they are yours, like he always claims.
â SOOBIN
buys the food for the classroom's pet. Soobin used to work at a pet store in his first year of university to be able to afford his own car. The pet store was also the place where you both bumped into each other for the first time, and where you ended up sharing your first kiss after you decided to swing by to check in on him. So in short, the pet store in between the old dinner and newly-renovated 7-11 meant a lot to the both of you. Years had passed and now you both only stepped foot in the store a few times a year, just enough to not forget the workersâ faces and see the new animals come in. The next time your boyfriend visited the pet store was exactly a few days after your principal allowed your class to get a classroom petâ a cute hamster whose name was Snickers, voted by your students. The owner of the store welcomed Soobin with a wide grin and a pat on the back, even offering him a discount on the hamster food you had begged him to get since youâd forget (he acted like you owed him but in reality, it was on his way to work and he could never resist your pretty pout). It would become part of your routine, your boyfriend buying Snickersâ food when needed and you accompanying him on the weekends, staring at the cute animals with joy while the store owner and his old boss teased him about the heart eyes heâd send you. Ah, young love, heâd say, laugh resonating through the store.
â BEOMGYU
sharpens the classroom's pencils for you every friday. Beomgyuâs week is usually always bookedâ when he isnât studying or working, heâs playing the guitar and meeting up with friends and family. That doesnât mean though that you arenât spending any time together, but more often than not your dates or âquality timeâ moments are are the end of the week (he once claimed he likes it because he enjoys ending his week on a good noteâ tsk, what a romantic). He hasnât outright told you that he likes the comforting silence when youâre both sitting in the living room, cozying up together and doing your own things, but the way he shyly nods when you pat the space next to you on the couch every time is proof. Sometimes Beomgyu just needs life to be a bit more peaceful, and sharpening all your classroomâs pencils while you grade your studentsâ papers next to him is exactly fulfilling that need. Once in awhile too, if heâs free, he will walk into your empty classroom with a grin as you do your âtypical end-of-the-day teacher thingsâ, ready to pick up every single pencil off the floor and from under the desks, just so you donât have to collect them and you can go home, together.
â TAEHYUN
helps you paint your monthly and seasonal banners for your classroom. Taehyun isnât a very artistic personâ younger, heâd more the type to clumsily spread different colors of paint over the canvas, turning the stunning colors in a brown messâ but he fails to help you out if youâre feeling even the slightest bit out of inspiration. Truly, you had been planning and working on these banners for your classroom for months and to say you were getting tired at the unaesthetically pleasing sight in front of you was an understatement. The only banner you were missing was the one for fall but every time you tried to paint out a beautiful scenery with trees and fallen leaves, the dark colors only made you want to bury yourself six feet under. Only one call of your boyfriendâs name was needed for him to come running to your rescue, taking a pause to look at your âartâ before stiffing his laughter and settling next to your on the ground. It wasnât long before Taehyun had filled the banner with mushrooms and squirrels, brushing paint on the fabric carefully. He was proud of his artwork at the end and you could only smile, thanking him with a kiss and a promise to show his work off. When the next Monday came, you couldnât help but snap a photo at all your students admiring the new banner, scooting closer to it to take a better look and giggling at the baby squirrel.
â HUENING KAI
prepares you your favorite drink in colorful thermos mugs. Huening kai wakes up around the time youâre getting ready to leave for work and every time without fail, heâs drag himself out of bed and to the kitchen to make you your favorite drink. While the water boils-- you usually have coffee, sometimes hot chocolate if youâre feeling a little bit sillyâ your boyfriend would walk over to where standing rummaging through your bag for your daily-use lipbalm and stare. Heâd look you up and down and even wink at you if you make eye contact. He would compliment your outfit (âyour shoes go well with your pants, they make you look tallerâ, âI like how you did your hair this morningâ, âyour eye shadow is cute, did you use the new pallet I bought you?â, etc..) and kiss you good morning before walking off to finish his daily task at the ping of the boiler. Just before you walk out the door, a sleepy voice calls out to you and a thermos mug is soon pushed in your free hand. The mugâs color matches perfectly well with your outfit and you blush at the effort, kissing him goodbye and leaving for work, ready to brag about your favorite drink and new mug to your studentsâ you just know they are going to be thrilled at the flower print.
goes through five stages of a mental breakdown, because what did you just call him??? if you ever called him your husband in front of people, cheol would turn into a stuttering mess with cheeks as red as a tomato. if you did it when you were by yourselves heâd start whining like a bitch, getting shy as hell, because why are you messing with his heart like that? on rare days, though, heâd embrace the husband figure and start calling you âwifeâ and make you shy
â„ jeonghanÂ
so smug - no one would be able to wipe that studpid ass smirk off of his face. it does mess with him a bit, though, because come on - calling him your husband??? but heâd try his best to act unaffected, because itâs jeonghan, and he needs to be cool :))) (iâm going to repeat this so many times throughout this headcanon, but all of them would start to freak out a bit thinking about a day when this wonât be a joke anymore, hannie included)
â„ joshuaÂ
is he really surprised when you call him your husband? not really. he knows heâs a husband material, and you often make jokes about him being your husband anyways. that doesnât mean he isnât freaking about it on the inside, though, because no matter how many times you call him that as a silly little joke, it still makes him so incredibly happy that one day, heâll really be your husband, and you wonât be calling him that as a joke anymore
â„ junÂ
one of the âturns into a shy, blushy, and a stuttering messâ squad. heâd malfunction at first, point at himself, and melt into a puddle of fluff, and love. one - how dare you call him your literal husband as a joke??? second - give him all the kisses, and hugs, because his first instincts is to run away, and break out in tears from all the love. he doesnât really know what to do with himself after you say that word, but you can be sure itâll be in his head for the rest of the dayÂ
â„ hoshiÂ
soonyoung would be confused for a second, because âwait, are you talking about me?â and when heâd finally understand that, yes - you were talking about him (because who else would you be talking about), heâd get so smiley and giggly and shy, and just turn into the cutest bean. heâd immediately cling to you, wrapping his arms around you and trapping you in a warm hug, giggling like a maniac
â„ wonwooÂ
cue shy wonwoo with his lil cat smile. he canât help the butterflies fluttering in his tummy, and as much as heâd want to tease you for calling him your husband, heâd be too shy to actually do it. you calling him that would make him so happy for some reason, even though he knows that you mainly do it as a prank or a joke to mess with him. donât do it in front of people, though, or heâll run away
â„ wooziÂ
âanything for you, baby.â woozi always indulges in all of your silly antics and jokes, and this time itâd be no different. heâd try to act as unaffected as he could, but his acting skills are not always the best, so youâd still be able to catch a glimpse of a small smile and blushy cheeks. he isn't the type to think about marriage, kids, and your domestic future together, he prefers to focus on what you have now, but hearing that word coming from you, would make his heart flutter a bit faster
â„ dkÂ
âyes, i am.â smiles cutely at you, and gives you a bone crushing hug, while freaking the fuck out on the inside. he wonât comment on it too much in the moment, but the way heâd be extra clingy throughout the day, giving you ten times more kisses, and hugs, and pouts, and any physical affection. the thought of becoming your husband some day is so??? because it will happen someday, and thatâs kind of crazy
â„ mingyuÂ
cue mingoo giggles, because that man would not be able to behave himself after hearing the word husband from you. will whine, smile, laugh, hug you, pick you up and spin you around like a lovesick teenager, and when he finally calms down, heâd give you the biggest smooch. even though you had marriage talks plenty of times before - you both knew youâd get married some time in the feature, hearing it from you - saying it so casually, messed with his heart so muchÂ
â„ minghaoÂ
as someone who has mentioned a couple of times before that he wants to get married, hearing the word âhusbandâ coming from you would make him so so happy and giddy, to the point where heâd just stand there with a lovesick smile on his face, and the urge to hug and kiss the life out of you (he wouldnât though, he has to keep his composure) (but donât worry, heâd kiss your forehead and tell you how much he loves you) (all with an adorable blush covering his cheeks)
â„ seungkwanÂ
turns into a shy and blushy mess. seungkwanâs first instinct is to hide his face in his hands or your neck, so you wouldnât see the effect that the word had on him (even though you could clearly see how it affected him). then heâd probably proceed to yell at you (lovingly) for making such mean jokes (he wants to be your husband now, boyfriend is not enough)
â„ vernonÂ
at first he would think that he had misheard you, so youâd have to repeat the word two or three more times, because why would you ever call him your husband? and when youâd clarify that, yes - you did say the word âhusbandâ, and yes - it was directed to him, vernon would just stare at you with big eyes but no thoughts. youâd laugh at him immediately, because the lack of his reaction was even funnier than if heâd react. then heâd say âthank youâ and proceed with the rest of his day with the word âhusbandâ floating around his head
â„ chanÂ
leechan.exe has stopped working. looks at you with the biggest puppy eyes, pointing at himself, as if he was asking if you were really talking about him. itâs so crazy to him that youâd call him that even as a joke, because hearing the word âhusbandâ coming from you is??? hello??? and the fact that someday heâll really be your husband??? you can expect chan to be a bit more clingy than he usually is (a bit more pouty too, because what do you mean you called him that as a joke?)
â± tonight, iâll send the glow of a firefly to somewhere near your window
â± notes: happy and somewhat relived to be able to share this, i think like aoybb this is something that i worked really hard on and tried my best with <3
The boy's skin feels warm and clammy underneath Wonwooâs fingers. Heâs glad the family called him when they did, thankfully the young boyâs condition had been better than heâd anticipated. He hangs his stethoscope back into its place over his shoulders and turns to the boyâs grandfather.Â
âItâs a mild fever, he should be feeling better with a few doses of herbal tea and lots of rest,â Wonwoo pauses to pull the young boyâs shirt down and the sheet covering him, back up, âplease donât hesitate to call me if anything changes.âÂ
Your father walks the doctor to the door and bids him farewell with a firm handshake as well as a pat on the shoulder. As soon as the door shuts you move to change the washcloth resting on your nephewâs head.
âYou couldâve greeted him properly rather than peek at him from the hallway,â your father teases.Â
You shake your head as your hands busy themselves with wringing the washcloth. âHe was so handsome,â you sigh, âI almost broke into a rash just staring at him.â You place the now cool fabric back into place across your nephewâs forehead, and press your moist hands against your cheeks in a futile effort to bring a chill to your warm face. Perhaps youâre the one with the fever now.
Your paths do not cross with the young and handsome doctor until sometime a week or two later. Your parents had insisted you bring him a small basket of persimmons on your morning delivery to thank him for Silasâs care, and your sister, Silasâs mother, had insisted that you bring your nephew with you.
So there you were, the pair of you, walking towards the town center to find Jeon Wonwooâs office of practice.Â
Silas squeezes your hand to get your attention and you glance toward him to let him know youâre listening.Â
âAuntie,â he starts, âdo you think I should become a doctor when I grow up?âÂ
You almost giggle but hold it in lest he thinks youâre laughing at him. His mother would probably run the streets in excitement if sheâd just heard her sonâs query.Â
âNow why do I have a say in what you should be when you grow up? You can be whatever you want, I always tell you that.âÂ
His lips form a small pout before he replies; âYouâre my best friend, of course you have a say.â
Tears try to fill your eyes before you will them away with a shake of your head. âWell as your best friend I say that you should be whatever makes you happy.â You tell him and lean down to quickly press a kiss to his cheek. âNow letâs hurry to Mister Jeonâs office so he can get his persimmons and you can go to afternoon classes.âÂ
The doctorâs office isnât too hard to find, mostly due to the fact that thereâs only one of them, and itâs fairly new to town.
As you and your nephew make your way to the entrance you notice the wisteria plants that span the awning. âThey'll look lovely when they bloom in spring,â you muse.Â
The bell above the door chimes as the two of you enter and the young man sitting behind what you assume to be the reception desk nods in greeting.Â
âDo you have an appointment?â He asks once you are closer to the desk.Â
âActually, Iâm here with a delivery," you say, shyly holding up the basket, "and payment for Dr. Jeon's house visit."Â
"Of course," he stands to receive the basket from you and sets it on the floor beside his chair. You watch him smooth down his dress shirt as he returns to his seat. The man then pulls open a drawer at his side and retrieves a medium sized journal, setting it in front of him and wetting his index finger to flip through its pages.Â
"May I know the date the visit took place? As well as the patient's last name and address?"
You provide him with the information and watch as he skims through the cursive written on the journal's pages.Â
As you converse with the man about payment you can't help but be thankful about how well behaved Silas is as you do. Although it might have been due to his fascination with the fish in a tank that sat in the waiting area, tucked next to some chairs and a table with a few newspapers, you're no less grateful.Â
The two of you leave the office shortly after, your nephew a bit disappointed in not seeing Dr. Jeon, the man who has become the current subject of his admiration.Â
"I'm sure we'll see him sometime soon," you say, trying to lift the boy's spirits, "it's a small town after all. Now, run along to class. Your mother will have my head if you're late again."Â
Silas bids you farewell with a hug and you watch him jog down the road towards the schoolhouse, his bag swinging behind him. Unbeknownst to you that the doctor you'd been speaking about was watching it all from not too far away.Â
Wonwoo is just shy of exhausted as he enters his practice. Removing his hat and tweed coat, holding onto them to hang them up in his office.Â
Seungkwan stands from his chair to greet him but before he can utter a word Wonwoo lets out an almost comical sigh.Â
"Please tell me I'm done with house visits for the day, I don't think I can handle another matriarch trying to convince me to marry their daughter."Â
"You'll be happy to note that all the patients left today are mostly general check-ups." Seungkwan replies with a look of amusement. "Oh and before I forget the daughter of the persimmon farm came by with a basket for you and also took care of their bill for the visit two weeks ago," he continues.Â
"I thought I caught a glimpse of her outside. Thank you, Seungkwan, I'll be in my office if you need me."Â
Wonwoo closes his office door behind him as he enters, hanging up his hat and jacket on the coat rack to his immediate left. The basket of persimmons sits in the middle of his desk, covered with a cloth that had to have been hand-sewn. It's cream colored with a bouquet of embroidered flowers in the corner, beautiful work. It's a shame he can't enjoy the sweet fruit that lies beneath, work comes first.Â
The bookstore's wood stairs creak as you ascend and in turn the bell hanging above the door chimes as you enter. Delight flashes across your face as you lock eyes with the girl who sits behind the counter. She returns your joy earnestly with a small smile and a wave of her hand.Â
"You seem to be awfully chipper this afternoon." Jisun notes as you lean against the counter.Â
"Maybe because I have it all to myself," You reply, with a smile.Â
"I thought you had deliveries to do today?" She asks, confused.Â
"Well, I did have one delivery today, to Dr. Jeon's office. My father said if I made that delivery and sent Silas off to classes I could take the afternoon off. I might have to do some this evening though."
At the mention of the doctor's name your friend gives you a coy look, which you ignore.Â
Jisun and you fall into easy conversation between the calm buzz of the bookstore and her helping whatever customer needs it. You move to sit beside her behind the counter, to free up space. She tells you all about the planning being done by her mother for her upcoming wedding. Her engagement to the eldest son of the town's pottering family, Kim Doyoung, happened sometime this past winter. Jisun was over the moon when he had asked for her hand; you remember her crush on him from your school days. He was set to take over the family business in two to three years due to his father's declining health.Â
"I'm thinking late summer or next autumn, because of the weather. My mother wants it to happen as early as possible, but Doyoung and I are okay with waiting a bit longer. His mother is fine with whatever I decide, she's truly wonderful."Â
"I'm sure everything will work out. I just can't wait to attenâ your response is cut off by the bell above the door chiming to announce a customer, your and Jisun's eyes snapping to the door.Â
To your utter horror, Jeon Wonwoo enters the bookstore.Â
You duck behind the counter quickly, praying he hasn't seen you yet and clutching your headscarf so it obscures your face better.Â
Jisun gives you a confused look but you wordlessly plead for her to act normal, breathing a sigh of relief when she turns to greet the doctor.Â
"Welcome, Dr. Jeon! I wasn't expecting you today."
You're glad Jisun is a better actress than she seems.Â
Wonwoo returns her greeting and asks about the store. To which Jisun replies; "It's been fine, not too busy and not too slow."Â
"How's Doyoung's father? I understand he's been taking his medicine diligently, but I haven't got around to seeing him yet as I was in the office all afternoon."Â
She offers the doctor a smile, "He's doing much better, thankfully. We're all really grateful to you, Dr. Jeon."Â
"Please, call me Wonwoo, I prefer to be 'Dr. Jeon' during work hours."Â
Jisun smiles, "Of course."
Your squatting position soon becomes uncomfortable but you'd rather die than show yourself now, so you continue to listen to the two converse.Â
"And the wedding? I know you've been planning."Â
"Well, nothing is set in stone yet, but Doyoung and I are thinking perhaps late summer or even early autumn. Fret not, you and Seungkwan absolutely have a place on the guest list."Â
"Looking forward to it then. Sorry to take up so much time with small talk, your father has a medical textbook saved for me. I told him I would be by this morning but I was a bit too busy."Â
"I see, it's likely in his study then. I'll be just a minute!" She replies before turning around to the back of the bookstore, shooting you a wary glance before she disappears.Â
You hear Wonwoo hum quietly to himself as he waits, and you silently pray for Jisun to make haste. Your legs are burning, not only from the weight of your body but also mostly due to the weight of your deceit. No matter, you cannot possibly let Jeon Wonwoo see you.Â
"Here it is!" Jisun announces cheerfully as she returns, holding up the thick book with two hands and a sense of pride.Â
"Thank you, Jisun. How much do I owe?"Â
Jisun calculates the total along with a hefty discount sparing no room for argument, before wrapping the book up and handing it to the doctor.Â
"You take care now Wonwoo! I'm sure I'll see you soon." Jisun says as she bids him farewell.Â
You breathe a sigh of relief at the bell chiming, and the sound of the door closing. Grabbing onto the counter you hoist yourself back to standing much to the torment of your legs.Â
"What was that about?" Jisun asks with a confused look as you wince and massage your knees.Â
You open your mouth to respond but Jisun continues; "Don't you dare say 'nothing'."Â
"I don't want him to see me." You admit, looking at your feet.Â
"Why not?" She seems incredulous at your confession, "Is it because of your scar?"Â
Your hand instinctively reaches to touch the long scar that runs through your left eye and down your cheek. The scar that "marred" you, the one that made people look twice, the only thing that prevents you from finding love.Â
You sigh before giving Jisun a hollow smile, "I have to fetch Silas soon. I'll tell you more later."Â
And with that you wave to Jisun and make your exit.Â
The reminder of your scar brings awful memories back to the surface of your mind, and they are all you can think about as you walk to the schoolhouse.
Early Summer (Two Years Prior)
"Darling, is your sister ready? The Baes will be here any moment!"Â
Your sister hurriedly pulls the curlers from your hair, and runs a brush through them. "Give us forty seconds Mama!" She looks you over in the mirror before giving you a reassuring smile, rushing to pick up the discarded curlers.Â
"You look beautiful! Now go see Mama, quickly!"Â
You meet your mother in the kitchen and she gives you a once over before kissing your cheek. "My lovely girl."Â
Your mother instructs you on when to join them at the table after the Baes arrive and to bring the persimmons she's already cut with you. Figuring you still have time, you move to your sister's room where your nephew is playing.Â
"Hi Silas." You say softly as you find a seat next to the boy.Â
"Hi Auntie, what happened to your special meeting?" He asks with a tilt of his head.Â
"The special people aren't here yet so I came to say hi one more time." You reply, pushing his hair out of his face, it was getting so long.Â
You and your nephew chat for a bit more until the commotion from the front of the house draws away your attention; the Baes have arrived.Â
The Baes were a modest family, a mom, a dad and two children, one boy and one girl. They owned the town jewelers, and were surprisingly well known. Bae Giwoong, the head of the family, was skilled with his hands, creating beautiful pieces that complimented anyone. Paired with a wife that had vast knowledge on jewels and precious stones, they had done quite well for themselves.
Hyunsik, the son, had come in earnest with his family to potentially ask for your hand. You were quite nervous, but seeing as your sister had married almost four years prior and had Silas, it was only natural that you were thinking about marriage as well.Â
The meeting was dragging on. You had presented the persimmons just as your mother had instructed, before taking your seat at her side, across from Hyunsik who you offered a polite but reserved smile. He did not return it, only glancing at you briefly before returning his attention to the conversation between your father and his.Â
Soon, the chatter dwindled and the Baes announced their leave. Your father convinced Mr. Bae to have a cigar with him just outside the house before they departed. You busied yourself with clearing the table of the used forks and now empty cups of tea your mother had prepared.
After your tidying, you swiftly move through the house to the window at the front of it, intent on eavesdropping.Â
Peering out you see the son and father chatting amongst themselves, your father probably in his study to fetch the cigar he promised Mr. Bae. Leaning closer to the ledge you're able to hear the two as they converse.Â
"They're a good family, what do you think of her?" Mr. Bae asks.Â
"They seem to be," Hyunsik agrees, "She's adequate, I suppose. If only she didn't have that unsightly scar," he continues.Â
Your heart drops into your stomach at his words, as your hand unconsciously reaches to the scar.Â
His father mulls over his words with a hum before replying; "You'd have to keep her under lock and key, the poor girl's mangled."Â
The dread in your stomach hardens and you want nothing more than to stop hearing these harsh words, but you are frozen in place.Â
Hyunsik nods in agreement, "It's really a shame. I'd be able to overlook it if it were anywhere else, I just can't imagine waking up to that face every morning."
You feel the tears before you register that you're crying, and the sensation is enough to knock you back to consciousness. You stand hurriedly and make your way to your room before anyone can see you in this pathetic state.Â
 You pretend. In the day you are just yourself, getting errands done and living day to day. You pretend to agree, when your mother tells you that Bae Hyunsik would not be asking for your hand due to the fact that he believes you two wouldn't be compatible. At night you are inconsolable, crying into your pillow until your tears eventually put you to sleep.Â
Silas senses a shift in your mood, but as a three year old he only does what he can. Seeking attention whenever you're sitting idle, laying his head on your lap while you stroke his hair. His little hands playing with your free one.Â
Eventually, you learn to move on. As does Hyunsik when he marries the eldest daughter of Lee's dairy farm.Â
His words, however, will stay with you forever.Â
Drawn out of your memories by the clanging of the schoolhouse bell you quicken your pace, keeping eyes out for your nephew. He appears within a few moments, his own eyes searching for you. You wave to him when he finally finds you.Â
"How were classes?" You ask as the boy bounds up to you, reaching to smooth his unruly hair.Â
"Good!â He chirps, before launching into detail about his afternoon. Keeping the two of you entertained as you follow the road home.Â
The days that follow glide by until eventually they all bleed into a week, a week since youâve seen the young doctor. Your deliveries go as well as can be expected, though they have been slowing down, and your father is busy preparing the yearâs saplings. Silas has gone off to visit his paternal grandparents who live a few towns away, your sister going along despite her relationship of apathy with her in-laws. She did say something about Henryâs younger brother finishing his woodworking apprenticeship so she was expected to be present.Â
You find yourself bored without your small friend but find time to chat with Jisun every now and again. Miraculously you havenât run into Wonwoo at all, though youâve caught glimpses from afar and he has not gotten any less handsome.Â
At dusk your mother finds you with a basket in her hands.Â
"Did I forget a delivery?" You question eyes falling to the vermillion fruit.Â
"No dear, your father is out with the trees still and it slipped my mind that I had promised Mrs. Lee these. You know her youngest just got engaged," She explains.Â
"Ah right I had forgotten. I'll take care of it," you reply, taking the basket from your mother's hands and pressing a reassuring kiss to her cheek.Â
The walk to the Lee home is not long, but it is closer to the town than to your own home. You greet the few townspeople you come across on the way, offering them small smiles and polite nods.Â
The greetings have you in a good mood so you have a little more pep in your step as you bound up the Lee family's porch, curling your fingers around the knocker when you make it to the door.Â
"Coming!" You hear a girlish voice say, followed by the sounds of the door unlocking.Â
With a slight tug of the door inwards you come face to face with Lee Daeun, the eldest Lee sister, one hand laid on the wood while the other cradles her very pregnant stomach. The polite smile on her face slips when her eyes flash with recognition.Â
"I had assumed your mother would be dropping by, notâŠ..you."Â
You offer a shrug, "Mother sent me instead, sorry to disappoint." You reply jokingly, trying to ease the tension.Â
Daeun doesn't respond right away, choosing to study you for a few moments. The silence becomes awkward quickly so you try your best to remedy it.Â
"Congratulations to your sister, what a joyous occasion for her. And to yourself, I didn't know you were with child." You say with a warm smile, probably the most genuine thing the two of you had exchanged thus far.Â
You hold out the basket to her, which she takes sliding it up her arm so it rests in the crook of her elbow.
She may as well have doused you in cold water with the way her tone becomes icy.Â
"Unfortunately not. I'm not too worried though, I know finding a suitable bachelor can take some time and I'm nothing if not patient."Â
A scoff escapes her at your reply. "Worried? I feel you should be rather embarrassed. My youngest sister, a girl who we both watched play with mud when we were all children, is now engaged. Meanwhile you continue to age with no partner to call yours, as well as toting around your poor nephew pretending he's your own. I think it's time you face reality, nobody wants a scarred wife no matter how pretty she is."Â
You are stunned into silence, fists clenched and nails biting into the skin of your palms. Every cell in your body fighting the urge to cry at the venom Daeun had spat at you for seemingly no reason at all.Â
"Give your parents our family's thanks." Is the last thing she says before shutting the door in your face.Â
You stare at the door for a few moments, tears starting to blur your vision, before you turn and hurry away from the Lee's home.Â
Hot tears are blurring your vision as you head in the direction opposite your house. You want to find somewhere quiet to cry your eyes out before heading back to your residence and pretending everything is fine and dandy.Â
Reaching closer to town, you stumble across the fountain just behind the main street, tucked between a few trees. A veranda shielding it from the setting sun with vines of wisteria weaved through its wood. The flowers are nowhere in sight as their blooming season is still a ways off. You, however, are too busy crying to care much about wisteria.
Shakily you manage to sit at the fountain's edge before your body is wracked with your sobs. Fingers fumble to pull the knot of your scarf resting against your chin loose, and once the fabric comes free you bury your face in it, your tears never once stopping.Â
You don't know how long you sit there crying, removing your face from your tear stained head scarf every so often to breathe.Â
A soft voice is the thing that finally brings you back to reality, and there before you with worry etched into his wrinkled brow is Jeon Wonwoo.Â
Your mind blanks at the sight of him, and it feels as if someone has stuffed cotton in your ears as Wonwoo's lips move but you cannot hear a word he utters. His concerned frown deepens as he gets no response from you, leaning closer. It's as if all the blood in your body rushes to your head and you feel yourself falling backwards as if someone had grabbed onto the back of your dress and yanked.Â
Wonwoo cries in surprise as he watches you fall towards the water, arms reaching out to grab you. The sound kicks your brain into gear, it's too late to stop your descent but you throw your hands back to catch yourself. A loud splash echoes through the small area before you are engulfed in the sensation of cold water drenching your skin and clothes. Wonwoo as he lunged to grab you had also met with the fountain water, his hands and forearms submerged, and his body leaning over top of yours.Â
Silence buzzes between the two of you as the only thing you can do is stare at each other. It's only then do you truly realize the situation that you've found yourself in. Wonwoo's face is mere inches from your own and the only thing you can think is how much more handsome he looks up close. His strong jaw, sharp nose, and the flecks of honey that swim in the brown of his irises.Â
You notice him studying your own face, and as his eyes drift over to the left you remember why you were crying in the first place. Your hand snaps up to cover your scar and this is what seems to break the trance between you and the doctor. Wonwoo can feel the blood rushing to his ears as he scrambles back to his feet, bowing his head and offering apology after apology.
 When you don't respond his eyes meet yours, and he notices you have not made any attempt to remove yourself from the fountain. Your green dress is bunched up over your knees, the fabric now dark due to the water, and your patterned head scarf still gripped in hand.Â
Wonwoo's face still feels like it has been set ablaze but he offers you both of his hands, "May I?"Â
You nod shakily before he leans over and your hands reach up to grasp his own. He pulls you firmly, but not yanking, and even lets one of your hands go to loop an arm around your waist for a more secure hold.Â
You notice how firm his body feels against yours and how much taller he is than you'd thought now that you're practically pressed together. Heat rushes to your cheeks.Â
Wonwoo slowly removes his arm from your waist and his hand from yours, taking half a step back to give you some (much needed) space.Â
"Are you alright? I feel awful about startling you, but I heard the crying and wanted to know if you were okay."Â
"I'm fine," you reply, voice small, "my apologies for getting you wet."Â
The doctor's lips twitch and you feel perhaps he wants to laugh at you. You wouldn't fault him, you are soaked to the bone, rivulets of water running down your legs beneath your dress.Â
"Water under the bridge."Â
You almost giggle at that, but duck your head down and compose yourself quickly.Â
Wonwoo continues; "Would you mind walking with me to my practice? I live right above it, and would feel better if I could get you into something dry before escorting you home. I know you live a bit out of town."Â
Before you can respond Wonwoo must have realized how he sounded.Â
"I know because you left me the persimmons and I treated the young boy, though I didn't see you there. I have seen you around town with him though, just briefly of course, completely coincidentally. I don't go out of my way to catch a glimpse of you here and there. I promise, I'm not a strange person." Wonwoo rambles in an attempt to clear the air, though you're not sure it needed clearing in the first place.Â
The space above Wonwooâs office is quaint, what it lacks in size it makes up for in homey-ness. Books piled neatly from where they spill out of the bookshelf, a warm armchair nestled right beside it. A dining table with one chair, both a dark cherrywood, sits against the wall adjacent to the small kitchenette. Thereâs a small wood-burning stove that looks well loved. Everything in the space feels very Wonwoo to you.Â
Speaking of, you can hear him rustling through the drawers in the other room. He ushered you in despite your protests, not wanting to drip all over his home. Once inside he disappeared for a moment, reappearing with a towel clutched in his hand, and then layed it across the floor in front of you. âSince you feel so strongly about not getting my floor wet,â heâd said, before disappearing once more.Â
You fiddle with your fingers, still drenched to the bone, as your clothes drip drip drip onto the towel.Â
Finally, Wonwoo exits the room, pulling the door closed behind him with a bundle of clothes tucked safely in his other arm.Â
âIâm sure they wonât fit like a glove, but youâre likely grateful for dry clothes either way.â His tone is a bit teasing, and you can only nod in response with your ears feeling hot.Â
âThe bathroom is just opposite of my room,â He says, passing over the clothes to your hands, âtake your time. Itâs just about dark so Iâll be sure to walk you home. You can call your parents, or husband, when youâre dressed. I have a phone.â He continues.Â
The âhusbandâ comment makes you bristle but you decide to clear the air with Wonwoo at a later time, desperately wanting to get out of this wet dress.
âThank you,â you reply softly, and turn to scurry into the safety of the bathroom.Â
You get dressed quickly, not bothering with your undergarments. Youâd rather have wet undergarments than be bare underneath clothes that donât even belong to you, the thought flushes your whole body with heat.Â
Wonwoo directs you to the phone, it rests on a side table next to the armchair, and you dial your house phone with urgency, despite the slowness of the crank dial. The line rings for a few moments, and as you hear the other line click âMother?â tumbles from your lips.Â
Your mother says your name with surprise, âDarling where are you? Are you still at the Leesâ?âÂ
âNo, something happened on the way home. But Iâm with Doctor Jeon, you know Doctor Jeon? He treated Silas when he had that god-awful fever. Well, he helped me out, so Iâm fine. He insisted I call you before he accompanied me home, so I was just letting you know Momma.âÂ
You listen to your mother talk for a bit more before you bid her goodbye, her voice ringing out a âBe safe on your way home!â before you set the receiver down.Â
âThank you for letting me use your phone, and for the clothes,â you say to Wonwoo, who sits across the room from you in that dining table chair.Â
âOf course,â he replies, ânow let's get you home.âÂ
The small talk as the two of you walk the path to your family home is pleasant enough. You find that Wonwoo has somewhat of an eclectic sense of humor, and heâs quite witty despite the seriousness of his profession. In no time your home is visible, and you feel a tinge of disappointment at its sight.Â
âWell, I suppose this is where we part,â Wonwoo sighs as the two of you stand in front of the gate of your home.Â
âI suppose,â you echo.
A long pause ebbs between you both as you gaze at each other.
Suddenly you feel a jolt go through you as you have a realization. Youâd forgotten your dress on the floor of his bathroom.Â
âMy dress,â you say bashfully, âI left it in your bathroom.âÂ
âThatâs okay, Iâll get it washed for you. You can come by the office in the next few days, Iâll have it nice and clean.â He assures you with a soft smile.Â
âThank you,â you reply.Â
Before you can turn to leave Wonwoo continues; âI havenât seen your boy around, Silas was it? Howâs he fairing these days?âÂ
You offer the doctor a tight lipped smile, âHis father took him to visit family a few towns over.â You think you have to clear this misunderstanding up before it's too late.Â
âAlso, heâs not mine. Silas, I mean, heâs my sisterâs son. Iâm not married, Iâve never been.âÂ
âI see,â Wonwoo replies, and you feel you may have offended him somehow at his tone but he continues; âThatâs good then, I felt I may have been acting inappropriately towards you. Thinking you were married and all.âÂ
âI didnât think you were acting inappropriately at all.âÂ
âThat brings me relief. Then you wonât think me telling you how lovely I think you look would be inappropriate either? Considering youâre unmarried.âÂ
You feel your ears are deceiving you, because surely Jeon Wonwoo didnât just say he thinks you look lovely. But as you gaze at his face, a handsome smirk paints his lips, perhaps your ears work just fine.Â
It seems your mother has never had a more perfect sense of timing as she swings the front door open shouting your name.Â
You tear your gaze away from Wonwoo to call back to her; âIâm here! No need to shout.âÂ
You hear her footsteps as she makes her way to the gate, shooting Wonwoo an apologetic glance. He offers a soft smile in response.Â
It isnât long before you hear the rattling of the gate lock and your motherâs voice again âHoney, what are you doing loitering around outsideâŠâ Her words trail off as she takes in Wonwoo standing across from you. Her gaze flits between the two of you, pausing at your state of dress; a linen shirt and black trousers that were a few sizes too big. Despite her obvious shock your mother paints on a lovely smile and bows her head in greeting to the doctor.Â
âOh my, Doctor Jeon, I had forgotten youâd be accompanying her home! Thank you for helping my daughter out, youâre quite the gentleman.âÂ
You shoot your mother an incredulous look, not wanting her to embarrass you further than you yourself already have. She ignores you, of course.Â
Wonwoo bows his head with a smile, âNot at all. It was my pleasure, your daughter has quite the interesting personality.âÂ
âDoesnât she? We have no idea where she gets it from, thereâs no one like her in the family.âÂ
You assume your mother is trying to rope Wonwoo into having something to eat by the glint in her eye so you jump in.Â
âIâm sure Wonwoo would like to head home, Momma. He has a bit of a walk back into town.âÂ
âDo you?â She turns to him, âWeâd hate to keep you.âÂ
âI have some time,â Wonwoo assures her, âthereâs no one waiting for me at home.âÂ
You canât help but feel betrayed by Wonwooâs choice to indulge your mother.Â
âReally? Have you eaten? Let me pack some food for you to take!âÂ
And before any of you can say anything, your mother has Wonwooâs wrist in her grip gently leading him through the front gate and to your house.Â
You run a hand down your face before following.Â
Your mother leads Wonwoo through the house, through the living room, to have him sit on the ledge just outside the living room doors that open up to the garden.Â
âNow you wait right here,â your mother tells him, âIâll have my daughter fetch you a drink while I pack up something for you!âÂ
âThank you,â Wonwoo replies.Â
She eyes you meaningfully before grabbing your arm to drag you to the kitchen.Â
âThereâs some cold yuzu tea in the fridge, take him a glass please.â She sets a medium sized cup onto a saucer, and you recognize it as a part of the china set your family typically uses for important guests. Itâs white with some foliage painted on the side.Â
You follow your motherâs command as she busies herself with packing side dishes, reaching past her into the fridge where the pot of yuzu tea sits.Â
After pouring a cup you garnish it with a rosemary sprig you pluck from the plant sitting on the kitchenâs windowsill. You're careful not to spill as you make your way to where Wonwoo waits, your pace slow.Â
He gives you a kind smile as you set the cup and saucer in front of him, thanking you in a soft voice.Â
âYour mother made this?â He asks, after having a sip. The tea is quite refreshing, and it's probably one of the best yuzu teas heâs ever had.Â
You shake your head. âI made the pot this time, usually whoever finds it running low makes it, between me and her of course. My older sister canât brew tea to save her life, she takes after father.âÂ
âWell, itâs delicious. I suppose youâre quite the master when it comes to brewing tea.âÂ
You shake your head again, bashfully. You feel small under Wonwoo's fond gaze, not sure what is the appropriate way to act when he's showing you such kindness. The two of you sit in comfortable silence, with Wonwoo sipping at his tea and you trying to discreetly study his face. You know you've thought this before but he really is quite handsome.Â
"The garden is beautiful, I don't think I've seen one built in the middle of a home like this before."Â
"My great-grandfather built this house," you reply, moving so your body is parallel with Wonwoo's, both of you facing the open space. "He traveled a bit with my great-grandmother and when they built this house they took inspiration from some of the homes they stayed in on their travels."Â
"I see." He replies, setting his now empty cup down, his knuckles brushing the side of your hand as he does so.Â
You pull your hand away, as if burned, and heat flushes your body.Â
Wonwoo doesn't comment on this thankfully but you think you see the edge of his lips twitch.Â
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Your mother's voice rings out. Walking to where you and Wonwoo sit with the containers of food wrapped up in an orange cloth. She sets it between you and Wonwoo as she kneels.
"I don't know what you like, so I added a bit of everything! I snuck in a couple of persimmons as well, we have more than enough."Â
"Thank you kindly," Wonwoo says sweetly, giving your mother a smile.Â
"It's no trouble dear! And don't worry about the containers, I'll have this one fetch them from you whenever." She says, motioning to you.Â
"Well, thank you again. I should be getting on my way now, I've overstayed my welcome it seems."Â
"Oh not at all!" Your mother pats his arm, "We're always happy to have you Doctor Jeon. My daughter will see you out, don't be a stranger now!"Â
Wonwoo gathers the cloth in his fist, and the cup and saucer in his free hand. You take the china, passing it to your mother before leading Wonwoo back towards the entrance of your home.Â
Soon you are in the exact same setting you were when you had arrived; you and Wonwoo standing across from each other at the gate.Â
"My apologies for my mother, she's the type to flit around even if you tell her to sit still."Â
"Not at all. She's quite the character, but I can tell she's also immensely kind. I now know where you get it from." The smile on Wonwoo's lips is teasing and you think about how nice it is to have someone compliment you.Â
After a few more short moments of small talk you urge the doctor to be on his way. The sun had already sunk low behind the horizon and the path back to town settled in darkness. You hurry to grab him a lantern, just to help him light his way home, as the roads would absolutely be dark until about halfway into town.Â
Wonwoo promises to make it home safely, and he watches you enter your house before turning and making his way to his own.Â
Later that night you lay awake, palm pressed to your racing heart, replaying the moment Wonwoo called you lovely over and over again in your mind.
The next few days are spent with you staying busy, too busy even to go see Wonwoo for your dress. Pruning the persimmon trees and overall maintenance of the farm are the allotted tasks that fall to you. The workload is a bit heavy due to your sister and her familyâs absence.Â
Youâve taken to sleeping in Wonwooâs linen shirt, his pants have been washed and folded, but perhaps selfishly, you can't bring yourself to part from his shirt. It smells like him, petrichor with a light musk and the hint of something floral. It's intoxicating and the scent lulls you to sleep better than any tea youâve ever had.Â
Sadly, you arenât meant to hold on to the young doctorâs clothes forever. You have your mother wash the shirt, and find a bag to put Wonwooâs clean clothes in so they can be returned to him. You intend to slip out quickly, but when your mother catches wind of your plans she rushes off to grab a few persimmons to send with you.Â
âPlease, heâll be sick of persimmons at this rate,â you whine.Â
She ignores your concern, slipping the wrapped fruits into your hand. âNonsense! Nobody can be sick of persimmons,â she argues.Â
Soon, you are on your way to the doctorâs office. Unfortunately, with the persimmons in tow. The walk to town is pleasant enough, and you get a sense of tranquility with nobody else on the path except for yourself and the occasional woodland creature that makes an appearance.Â
You made a point to doll yourself up just a bit, wanting to leave Wonwoo with a better impression of yourself than last time. You donât have high hopes, but perhaps just a hope that Wonwoo holds any feelings other than cordiality towards you. Your dress today is a dusty pink, and youâd found your sisterâs rouge and applied a smidge to your cheeks and lips.Â
The air is somewhat brisk, as it usually is in early fall, but the chill still makes you shiver slightly. Red and yellow tipped leaves sway in the crisp wind, it is undoubtedly autumn. Soon enough you are at the entrance of town, face burning with embarrassment as you catch a glance of the fountain, remembering the events that transpired there.Â
Your pace quickens.Â
As you come upon Wonwooâs practice, you are surprised to see him waiting outside. Giving you a small smile and a wave when he notices you.Â
âGood Morning,â he greets you with a honeyed voice.
âMorning,â is your soft reply, âdo you always mill about outside this early?âÂ
This makes the doctor chuckle. âNo, not usually. I saw you coming up the path from my window, so I figured it was only right that I came to greet you.âÂ
âOh,â you try to fight the heat blooming on your cheeks, âI have your clothes, freshly laundered. Mother thought it pertinent to slip in a few persimmons even though I told her youâre probably sick of them by now.âÂ
The smile has not left his lips yet, and he reaches out to take the bag from your hand, fingers brushing against your own. âI could never be sick of persimmons,â he replies, âafter all, everytime I have one I think of you.âÂ
The heat rushes back tenfold, you are beyond flustered and you think Wonwoo notices because of the way his lips quirk up. You feel your brain has been fried at just those few words and you struggle to form a reply. Thankfully, Wonwoo takes pity on you, despite being the cause of your non-functioning state.Â
âYour dress is upstairs,â he tells you, âI didnât want it to get wrinkled so I hung it up as best I could. If youâd like, we could go upstairs and retrieve it or I can always bring it down to you.âÂ
âWe can go upstairs,â your voice small as you reply, your heart fluttering shamelessly in your chest at the thought of being in Wonwooâs cozy home once more.
The fluttering of your heart does not stop even as the two of you climb the steps.
You get a lovely sense of warmth when the two of you enter, and you look at the wood stove still kindling. Wonwoo guides you to sit in his armchair, disappearing to the area his kitchenette is. You watch him grab a resting teapot and pour whatever resides within it into a mug. The mug is then wordless placed in your hands, and you murmur a soft âthank youâ.Â
âApple blackberry tea,â he explains, âI thought you might need some warming up from the chill.âÂ
âThatâs very thoughtful of you,â you reply softly, âthank you.â
A small smile twitches at Wonwooâs lips as he watches you cradle the mug and bring it to your lips to taste the tea. âYour dress is in the other room, give me a moment.â
You nod, taking another slow sip of the delicious tea. Both fruits pair surprisingly well, and it seems to be the perfect blend for a crisp autumn day.Â
Wonwoo returns, your dress folded meticulously and resting in his hands. Despite how well worn it is it looks almost brand new, testament to his care of it.
âOh, you didnât have to go to all the trouble!â You stand to take the dress from Wonwooâs hand, fondness swimming in your chest.
The man just shakes his head, âIt was no trouble. It's something that belongs to you so I wanted to make sure it returned to you in an adequate condition.âÂ
You press the garment to your chest, your eyes meeting his. You try to think of what to say to convey your gratitude but nothing seems good enough.Â
It's almost as if Wonwoo turns bashful under your gaze as he rubs the back of his neck. âI donât intend to keep you longer, I would accompany you back to your home but unfortunately I have a few patients to see this morning.â
You snap back to reality at this, âOh! Donât apologize please, youâve done more than enough for me, Wonwoo. I can make my way home no problem. Thank you again, for everything.â You give him a nod, walking past him to the door. However, before you can turn the knob you feel a hand at the crook of your arm, pulling you gently to a halt.Â
Glancing behind yourself, you see that Wonwoo has stopped you. An emotion you canât quite place swims within his eyes, and it just adds to your confusion.Â
âWonwoo..?â You say slowly, when neither of you has spoken for a stretch of moments.Â
He uses his delicate grip on you to turn your body so you two face each other once more, and the hand on your arm raises slowly to hold your cheek. Suddenly, his thumb is rubbing against your scar gently. He whispers your name and you feel as if youâve been caught in a trance, you canât speak, move, or think. All you can do is breathe and feel Wonwooâs touch.Â
His eyes trace the lines of your face, before they find yours. âFrom this moment onwards, I intend to court you. If youâll have me.â
His words stun you, a moment of silence passing between the two of you before it is broken by your mouth, moving faster than your mind can. âYes, Iâll have you. Of course I will,â You say breathily.Â
A smile tugs on Wonwooâs lips and then he is leaning down to brush his lips over your scar, his hand falling from your cheek and finding your own.Â
â± notes: as always thank you for reading! it really was a pleasure to write this doctor wonu is very dear to me <3333
I had the urge to write about those two. I think they are one of the most underrated friendships in SVT. (I know that there are way more underrated ships in the 78 constellations, but these are really dear to me.)
First of all, they are the first two members of SVT and know each other the longest. In my opinion, you can feel this deeper bond it is one of the characteristics of this friendship. The admiration S.Coups has for Woozi but also the admiration Woozi has for S.Coups is just over the top.
Furthermore, Cheol has so much respect for Woozis personal space. We all know Woozi doesn't like physical affection and worships his own personal space. Cheol very rarely invades that and just shows his affection for Woozi in ways Woozi is comfortable with.
iâm sure a lot of us would say that cheol would plan an expensive restaurant date, book a table at one of the more extravagant restaurants in town (heâd probably buy you a dress, and some jewellery to match it too), and treat you like a princess for the whole day. and as much as i agree with that, heâd also try to make it a bit more⊠nostalgic? like, at the end of your night heâd bring you to a place that means a lot to the both of you, and whip out a framed, old photo of you from one of your first dates, or pull out from god knows where your favourite flowers - you get the gist. heâs a lil big romantic at heart.
â„ jeonghanÂ
would plan something very low-key - not because he doesnât care about your special day, but at the same time hannie doesnât feel the need to be as extravagant as cheol to show you how deeply he cares about you. his sweet touches, gentle gazes, and a gift that he prepared a couple of months in advance would be more than enough. to be honest, except for the gift, he wouldnât plan anything in particular. youâd wake up together, eat breakfast that he made, and then heâd ask you what you want to do. the end of your day would end up with lots of cuddles, and sweet kisses.
â„ joshuaÂ
if there is one thing joshua doesnât mind spending his money on itâs you. heâd probably prepare two gifts - one handmade by him, and one quite an expensive one, because you need to be spoiled on your birthday (and any other day). as for the plans for the day, i think itâd be pretty similar to jeonghanâs - as long as you spend it together itâs all good. heâd maybe take you out on a nice walk, and buy you street food, or take you to some sort of faire or market if it was in town. something very chill, so you could spend some quality time together.
â„ junÂ
i feel like jun would try to surprise you with something, whether it be a gift or an activity. nothing too big, but meaningful to you. why do i have a feeling that the surprise wouldnât really work, though, - either heâd spoil it, or youâd find about it by accident, but nonetheless, your birthday would be perfect. youâd spend the whole day together, maybe youâd go out with a couple of your closest friends, do some fun activities, eat and drink a lot, and at the end of the day jun would either take you to like a âspecial placeâ for you, or if you were too tired heâd take you home, and give you his gift with tons of shy kisses and hugs.
â„ hoshiÂ
heâd definetly plan something crazy, youâd not be bored - thatâs for sure. heâd wake you up at dawn by jumping on the bed or playing loud music, and singing into your ear. his energy would be impossible that day, even more so than usual (heâd be that excited to celebrate your birthday). after rudely waking you up (with love), hoshi would drag you to the kitchen and make you eat the breakfast that he had prepared (he almost burned the house down), and then take you out on your super duper fun birthday excursion. the end of the day, though, would be very calm, and filled with sweet touches and hushed words of âi love youâsâ and âhappy birthdayâ.
â„ wonwooÂ
unlike hoshi, wonwoo would let you sleep in, and while usually he is the first one out of bed, heâd stay with you until you woke up (your first gift would be a bare-faced, and naked wonwoo cuddled into your side) (do i have to mention his adorable bed hair). heâd try his best to make you a nice breakfast, and that in itself would feel like the greatest present you could ever get. other than that, heâs the next member of the âchill squadâ, because wonwoo wouldnât have anything specific planned. heâd take you out on a nice meal, or maybe to a park to take some photos of you, so youâd have a nice memory of the day (the best one would be the one taken by a stranger, with wonwoo having his arms tightly wrapped around you, and you nuzzled into his side). of course the gift would be very well thought out, and heâd blush furiously while giving it to you.
â„ wooziÂ
okay, so bear with me - i know heâs usually locked up in his studio, and rarely leaves the place (thank you nana tour for changing that) (not that i have anything against him spending time in his studio), but why do i feel like heâd take you out of the city for a trip. nothing too big, it's not like youâd fly to another country, but like a 2-3 hour road trip. woozi would really try to make this day as special as he could, and going on a short getaway trip would be perfect. youâd walk around, eat, take a lot of pictures, and most importantly - spend some quality time together. at some point, like the most random one, heâd whip out his gift for you, and itâd be just as special as the trip.
â„ dkÂ
dk to me is such a romantic soul, and because of that i think heâd stress a lot (in a good way) about your birthday, to make it as special and memorable as possible. there would definitely be a lot of flowers involved, and multiple gifts, big and small, whether theyâd be made by him or bought. heâd plan some nice activities - youâd go places that you wanted to visit before, but didnât have the time too, get ice cream if your birthday was in the spring/ summer time, or go sledding if itâs in the winter time. at the end of the day youâd go to a nice restaurant, not as extravagant as cheol, but still more on the expensive side, because he has to spoil you. also, youâd definitely take some photo booth pictures that youâd hang on your fridge later.
â„ mingyuÂ
first gift? waking up to his cuddles, endless kisses, hugs, âi love youâsâ, and migoo giggles. youâd probably spend the first of the day eating take out, watching bad movies, and talking about the most absurd topics there could be. the whole time, youâd be nuzzled into his naked chest, while heâd have his arm around your shoulder tightly holding you close to his body. youâd get up (with a lot of complaints from you, because what better way to spend your birthday than cuddled up with mingyu?) when the sun would start to set, and thatâs when the real âpartyâ would start. mingyu would take you out to some fun activities, like mini golf, or a bar where you could play pool and darts. then youâd go around the city, when most of the people would already be in their homes getting ready for bed, with mingyu's jacket draped around your shoulders.
â„ minghaoÂ
i just know the gift youâd get from him would be perfect. itâd be so well thought out, and itâd definitely be something thatâd mean a lot to you. minghao would give it to you right after you woke up, still drowsy from sleep. heâd probably coo at you, and kiss your forehead, while placing the gift on the bed with a lovesick smile. heâd incorporate anything that has to do with your hobbies throughout the day, because whatâs better than making the love of your life smile and watch doing what they love. minghao would also be a lot more affectionate, in like the âphysical touchâ way, you wouldnât be able to peel him off you, AND you can expect a call from the xu family, because his mom and dad loves you more than they love him. at the end of the day, youâd end up on the couch on facetime talking to his family, and eating your favourite take out.Â
â„ seungkwanÂ
i feel like, similarly to mingyu, youâd spend the morning and afternoon in bed, cuddling, kissing, eating, and probably gossiping about everyone you know. itâd be so nice to just spend some time together, without having to worry about your work, or school. later, heâd take you out to a nice restaurant that he had booked in advance, and give you a bouquet of your favourite flowers. after - neither one of you would know how, youâd end up in the most random place in the city, probably getting lost (but itâs all right, as long as you are together it doesn't matter where you end up). after finally getting back home, youâd turn on a movie, and youâd cuddle under a blanket, where youâd fall asleep together.
â„ vernonÂ
he wouldnât have anything planned. now, not because he doesn't care (of course he does), but because he wants to spend your day in the way that you want. you want to stay in bed? great, now you can cuddle for the whole day. you want to have a movie marathon? heâs on his way to the kitchen to make popcorn. you want to go out? vernon is already putting his shoes on. all that matters to him is that youâre together, and you get to spend the day as a lil lovesick couple that doesnât care about anything except for each other. the only thing he has planned is the gift he has for you, which heâd be actually so nervous to give to you. because what if you donât like it? what if you think itâs too sappy? but of course his gift would be perfect, just like the whole day.
â„ chanÂ
another one that i think is very romantic, so heâd stress about planning your birthday as well, because hello? there are so many things that could go wrong, and your special day has to be absolutely perfect. dino would wake you up with kisses on your cheeks, and forehead, while wishing you a happy birthday (he could be saying anything, youâd be too tired to understand what heâd be saying at that point). heâd give you your gift to unwrap while heâd be making breakfast (heâd be panicking so much, because one - what if you hate the gift, and two - what if he messes the food up? so youâd have to reassure him lots that you love the gift, and that the breakfast was delicious). same as dk, i think heâd love to take photobooth pictures with you, so you could put it behind your cases, and after your little photoshoot heâd take you out on a picking in the park (if the weather was be bad youâd have a picking in your living room).
slumped on one of your bar chairs, hoshi simply cannot stop complaining about how red his hand looks. but heâs the only one to blame, youâd never have slapped his wrist so many times if heâd just stop dipping his finger in the cookie dough.
âitâs not good for your stomach! also these are for joshuaâ you emphasize for the hundredth time as you catch him eyeing the sweet dough from the corner of his eyes.
âyeah but what about soonyoung?â he whines, getting off of his chair as you open the oven to put your second batch in. he slowly makes his way to you, his lips spread in a slight pout.
you chuckle, trying your best to ignore him and get back to your cooking. but heâs not letting you go that easily, keeping you close to him with his hands on your back.
âjust let me have one and then iâm out of here, i promise!â
your lips pursed, you feign a deep consideration of his offer⊠which you obviously end up declining. and as if to punctuate your words, you turn around - still held close to him - and grab a cookie to take a bite.
âhey!â he exclaims, his hands unintentionally tickling your sides.
your mouth still half full, you burst out laughing as you try tu push him away; but you already know thereâs no use. instead, you just let him grab your hand and open his mouth to put the rest of the coveted cookie in his mouth.
the delighted expression on his face lets you know everything you need to know about how it tastes. heâs got a few crumbs stuck to his lips, and youâre pretty sure you have some too.
âokay you had one, so now itâs time to leave remember?â you tease him, wiping the corner of his mouth with your finger.
with a frown, he points to his ears: âcanât hear you, too busy chewingâ before slightly bending down to place a kiss on your lips.
you were expecting a quick kiss, the kind he gives you when he comes back home after a particularly tiring day, or before you leave the car after heâs dropped you off somewhere. but that kiss lingers, making you smile against his (particularly sweet) mouth. your left hand is resting on his waist, but the right one is still brushing against his shoulder.
but as your fingers start tracing their way down his arm, you feel something sketchy. and indeed, you end up feeling his hand digging inside the cookie box on the counter.
âGET. OUT!â you scold him, suddenly breaking the kiss as you point to the kitchen door âno more cookies for you until you learn how to behave yourself!â
âi was just joking!â he tries to defend himself, reluctantly heading for the door. âguess iâm just gonna go lie down and reflect on why you hate me so muchâŠâ
you scoff in front of such drama as you roll up your sleeves to keep the baking going, watching him exit the room defeatedly. but you know your boyfriendâs never sulky for long, especially not with you.
and just as you planned, it doesnât take more than a few seconds for him to reappear in the doorframe:
âiâm gonna go buy dinner while you finish, text me what you wantâ he whispers like itâs a top secret information before blowing you a loud kiss, âlove you!â
and he disappears again, leaving a smile on your lips as you put a handful of cookies in a smaller box and put it to the side.
