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ੈ✩‧₊˚ Kinktober Masterlist

Welcome to Moonjxsung’s first ever Kinktober event 🎃 The following drabbles were requested by you and fulfilled to the best of my abilities pertaining to specified kinks or scenarios. Links will be added as requests are published daily during October. Please note that schedule is subject to change at any time.

🚫 MINORS DO NOT INTERACT. 18+ ONLY.

⚠️ No part of this content may be reproduced or used in any manner.

💬 The following prompts are strictly fictional and do not represent the Stray Kids members in any way.

1. Lee Minho x Hwang Hyunjin- Cuckolding

2. Lee Felix- Period Sex

3. Seo Changbin- Car Oral

4. Hwang Hyunjin- Needy

5. Han Jisung- Perv Best Friend

6. Yan Jeongin- High Sex

7. Bang Chan- Corruption Kink

8. Kim Seungmin- Locker Room Sex

9. Han Jisung- Tentacle Porn

10. Lee Felix- Popsicle Play

11. Hwang Hyunjin x Lee Felix- Threesome

13. Yang Jeongin- Oral Fixation

13. Bang Chan- Tied Up

14. Hwang Hyunjin- Friends with Benefits

15. Bang Chan- Drunk Confession

16. Seo Changbin- Size Kink

17. Lee Minho- Submissive

18. Kim Seungmin- Degradation Kink

19. Yang Jeongin- Breeding Kink

20. Hwang Hyunjin- Body Worship

21. Seo Changbin- Creampie Eating

22. Lee Minho- Fingering

23. Hwang Hyunjin x Han Jisung- Breast Worship

24. Han Jisung- Mask Kink

12. Kim Seungmin x Lee Felix- Friends With Benefits

26. Bang Chan- Touch Deprived

27. Lee Minho- Hate Sex

28. Hwang Hyunjin- Escape Room

29. Yang Jeongin- Aphrodisiacs

30. Bang Chan- Studio Sex

31. Han Jisung x Lee Felix- Threesome

JR.3 MARINARA MAGIC | LMH

PAIRINGS ➳ lee minho x gender-neutral reader (cora)

GENRE ➳ friends to lovers ◦ slow burn ◦ heavy angst ◦ horror ◦ psychological thriller ◦ fantasy ◦ slight humor ◦ ghosts ◦ will add more later!

WARNINGS ➳ mental issues (derealization) ◦ memory loss ◦ inappropriate language ◦ suggestive themes, but no smut ◦ death ◦ gore(?) ◦ smoking ◦ lots of drug and alcohol use ◦ cruel society ◦ adult life crisis ◦ bad life decisions ◦ religious themes ◦ class struggles ◦ hallucinations ◦ food mentions ◦ hints of eating disorder ◦ will add more later!

WC ➳ 6,000+

STATUS ➳ Ongoing.

ABOUT ➳ After dropping out of college, Cora returns home to their small town of Stormvillie with the hopes of reconnecting with their friends they left behind and resuming their carefree previous life. However, things have changed since then. Their friends have grown up and changed, and home seems different now. The wind is getting colder and the leaves are falling. As the night gets darker, strange things are happening.

And there's something in the woods.

NIGHT IN THE WOODS SERIES

CHARACTERS AND THEIR STORIES

PREVIOUS JOURNAL

Scott Pilgrim v. My GPA - Mom Jeans. started playing ...

There’s a quiet inside of this open air. It expands and fills, and soon, you’re walking through the thick, tangible quiet. And if you listen, if you really listen, you can hear the pulse of the world, the old hum we almost remember, the old language etched into us. 

It’s a strange thing, to hear the quiet. 

One day, I’ll be quiet forever. 

One day, I’ll exist in the space between words. 

One day, you’ll hear me whispering into the open air, singing something you can almost understand.

I closed my eyes, fantasized about a quiet life. 

Suddenly, I feel at home.

But when I opened my eyes, I started to see shapes. 

I’m somewhere.

Just not here.

It’s hard for me to see exactly where the hell I went wrong

I never thought I’d see the day we wouldn’t get along

You think I smoke too much, I think your friends suck

September 23, 9:34 a.m.

I feel awful. 

I don’t even know what happened yesterday.

DId I do something crazy yesterday? 

With my head still resting on the pillow, I reach beneath the blanket to find my phone. I lifted my head off the pillow and browsed through my lock screen as soon as I did. Many of Jisung's missed messages. 

Did I say some wild shit last night??

[J.0ne] yo das was honestly the most beautiful speech ive ever heard in my entire life

I don’t want to know.

With a grumble, I forced myself to get out of bed in the hopes that taking a shower would help me feel less disgusted. I put on a large, baggy shirt that was sitting on top of my toilet after I finished my shower. I looked in the mirror as I began to wash my teeth. I look like fucking shit.

Hey, don’t be mean to yourself. 

I have the worst face on earth. 

Well, I mean, you look totally awesome in that big old band shirt you totally did not steal from that one little vendor at the mall where an old man just makes the graphic shirt for you. 

I straightened up my posture and placed my hands on my hip, looking at the shape of my body. 

I should lose weight. 

Nah, you look fine. 

No, I don’t. I should really stop eating a lot. 

It’s cool, dude. Not everyone needs to be super duper skinny!

Fine, I should be more positive about myself, whatever the internet says. I am just a real human being. 

My hands slipped off my hips, and I stood there straight, staring blankly at myself. 

And no one can prove that I’m not. 

…

I should read the messages my friends sent me.

After hurrying to my room to find my phone, I nervously went through the messages Jisung had sent me. I texted him back after learning that he hadn't given me many details about what I had done the previous night. 

[C0conut] wat rlly happened last night

[J.0ne] sum beautiful speech that u did in front of lino i dunno i dun rememebaer anythanng

[VanDivision] you called him a cute boy.

[CB97] And then you puked on his shirt again hahaha 

[C0conut] ಠ_ಠ he prob hates me again

[J.0ne] whu CARRRESS plssssss come by chris outlet job stuff work now me me bored here  

I shrugged and let out a breath before tossing my phone onto my bed. I decided to keep this large t-shirt on, find some jorts, and throw on another flannel. Despite the fact that I had lost my other pair of Converse shoes, these fucked up black vans will have to do. My name was called from the kitchen as I sauntered down the stairs. I figured the breakfast was ready. 

“Heya mom, what’re we having today?”

"Hey, sweetie, you look awful!" Mom giggled as she set down a plate with a sandwich and a bowl of soup. "For breakfast, we're eating sandwiches and soups. Plus, you went to a party; I'm not sure how much you drank, but you needed this soup anyway."

"Awesome." I dug in with my spoon and sipped the warm liquid down my throat, feeling relaxed.

"Rough night?" Mom went on, holding up a book to read.

“You know it.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

You hummed, “I saw Minho.”

“Did you talk to him?”

“A little bit.”

"Give it some time. He will get to you." She flicked through another page of her book, "I believe most of the repair workers have left the town center. Some shops are still under construction, though."

"Oh really?" Taking a bite out of the sandwich, I said.

"I remember how much you enjoyed climbing some buildings."

"I've thought about doing it again."

"No, sweetie. You should go to jail for that, no?" Mom arched an eyebrow at me. 

“They’ll never catch me!”

“Your aunt will catch you.”

“Boooo.” I dropped the almost eaten sandwich and slouched down. "I'm going to finish this later, mom; I have to go." 

“Alright, well, have fun! Stay safe!”

I quickly grabbed my shoulder bag from the hanger and bolted out the door. I'm getting a little eager for autumn as I stroll down the street and feel the cool morning breeze. I saw some of the local businesses were closed as I passed by them and noticed a group of elderly men gathered around one of the stores.

"There won't be Stormvillie if we don't start doing business right." Says the tall old man dressed in a business suit.

"Well, it appears that we must take whatever action we can." Says a different large, bearded man. "To make the market take note of us!"

Huh, wild. On my left, where I used to go since I was a child, was the closed doughnut shop. A lot of stores are really closing down.

"Will, you're not listening- it's not of sufficient historical note."

"Brother, most folks don't even give a damn about our jobs anymore. Our pay is really low!"

"There must never be another fight at a stop sign."

I left nonetheless, not wanting to listen in on some of the things adults like to talk about, and went past the old pizza place I used to and still enjoy. The pizza place is still open, at least. Perhaps I should bring my buddies here. Maybe with Minho. 

The middle schooler was once more playing on his Nintendo while perched on the seat next to the statue. I looked up at the bronze statue of the man who built this town, the man holding up his axe. The child was still engrossed in the game and was not aware of my presence when I peered down at him.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" I asked, looking down at the child.

"I'm gonna skip." His little fingers hitting the buttons with aggression, his eyes fixed on the game rather than me. 

“Geez.” 

The boy lost the game and groaned out of frustration, “I’ve been going at this game for hours! And I still didn’t get it.”

“What’re you playin’ this time?”

“Star Wars; Battlefront.” 

“Seriously? Star Wars?”

“You don’t like them?” Lori let out a cry and held his palms over his mouth dramatically. “All of my friends are playing the Star Wars games! One of my friends said they’re coming over tonight to play the games with me on my nintendo 64.” 

“I just don’t get the hype.” I shrugged.

“Hmph!” He again folded his arms in a drama queen manner, then rose from his chair and grabbed the skateboard that was next to him. "Hey, you wanna go to the library for a second?" Lori asked, gesturing to the neighborhood library across the street.

I look at him, then at the library, and I start to wonder if I have time left at all. "Sure," I nodded.

"There used to be strange little letters hidden in some of the books. My friend and I would open every book to find more, sort of like on a scavenger hunt!" Lori kept talking while we strolled towards the library. 

“Weird letters?”

“Yeah! Some letters are about odd cult shit or something.” Cult?

Lori wandered the library, trying to find a certain book. I trailed after him to the Bible area, where I watched him leaf through the books, choose one, and hand it to me. I found the letter by grabbing and turning the pages. "I was not made for this kind of test," the paper said in such a hurried handwriting when I unfolded it. “I will fall apart. I will not stay. I will come undone, and you will never see me again."

"This letter is so weird, right?" He chuckled: "I think there's someone in town trying to troll some gullible kids here for fun."

"Could be. Not really remotely close to odd cult shit, whatever you say, but close enough."  I remarked, still staring at how familiar the handwriting was. 

“Lori, did you save the other letters?” I shoved the letter in my pocket. 

“Nope, Mom threw it away. She thought it’s a curse or something.” He shrugged, taking out his nintendo sitting on the table. 

“Bummer. I’ma go now.”

“Bye, killer!”

“Okay, now don’t call me that.”

Can’t figure out the reason why our parents fight so much

But I’ve given up on luck

But I’m happy here

“Yeah, he’s cute but what are his critical thinking abilities? His political stance? Socioeconomic aspirations?”Jisung began talking nonsensically as soon as I entered the store. Chan, dressed in black dress slacks and a white button-up shirt, leaned against the counter and wore an elegant gold watch that his father had most likely given him. Then there's Jisung, the typical punk, decked out in his trademark red and black. Worn-out black leather jacket with a revolution illustration and a few words scattered throughout it, paired with cargo trousers and tall boots. You already know it.

"What is happening here?" Asking, "Are you seeing someone?" I broke up the talk between the two men' talk, who beamed at me.

"What? No way!" Jisung waved his hand in denial. I stared at the blue-haired man one more time after turning to look at Chan for confirmation. He was stifling his laughter. "All right, maybe, but..."

"Who is it, though?"

"All right, so this guy that I've been chatting with online for a few months now has been arranging to meet me here," Again rambling, he leaned on the counter, clasped his hands together, and bowed his head. "Vanna, on the other hand, does not approve of me going on a date with this guy because I did not know what the guy looked like in person. So this motherfucker is setting me up with another guy.”

“Woah, you don’t know what he looks like? Han, don’t you think that’s pretty alarming?” I frowned, “Vanna is right though.”

"Yeah, but he's sweet, a smooth talker, and so caaaring. She's matching me up with someone I'm not supposed to see until we go on the date, which is scary enough than meeting up with a guy I've talked to already!" Jisung turned around swiftly, looking away from us and folding his arm like if he were a cartoon character being betrayed by bunny bugs or something.

"Dude, whatever." I looked over at Chan, who was arranging the pricey, ornate jewelry and watches—some of which were vintage—on the front table. I browsed the store, enjoying how cozy and antique it seemed—like a grandpa's store in London. It seems to make sense that his father owned the store. "Chan, do you know about shops being shut down?"

"Yes," he said, perking up and nodding before returning his attention to organizing. "What about it?"

"Will this store close down as well?"

"Well. Who knows, probably. In any case, my dad does things his own way."

“...”

“...”

"Would you not want to go to, you know, Los Angeles or somewhere else, if you were so rich? Live in a big modern house?" I inquired, unsure whether it was insensitive or not. But he knew I was always curious.

"I wish it was that simple, Cora," laughed Chan.

“Simple? Don’t you have zillions of dollars to be able to do it anyway?”

“Crazy of you to think we have THAT amount of money.” He snorted, shaking his head. 

"I wish I had an answer for you, kiddo. But recently, things have become more complicated." He stooped to pick up the boxes, which he then carried behind the counter and placed on the floor beside numerous other unopened boxes. Jisung gave us both a perplexed look, and I shrugged at him, feeling uncomfortable and guilty for being overly curious. "Well, I apologize for the sudden mood change. You guys wanna get pizza later today when I’m off work?”

“Oh yeah! Good thing that Marinara Magic is still open.” I exclaimed, getting excited at the thought of us getting together to eat pizza like little kids again. 

"Dude, right now I would kill for a pizza!" Jisung leaped to his feet and followed Chan inside the office. I followed them both as well and went inside what appeared to be Chan's father's office, however he seemed to spend more time here than his father. While the worker was busy finishing up tasks and they were busy chatting, I kept myself occupied by wandering around the office and taking in the many framed awards and certificates. A computer was situated atop an extremely cluttered desk, alongside numerous loose work documents and a few images pinned to the wall beneath the desk. The pictures showed him with his sister, his family, and all of us together. When I gazed upon the following picture, Chan, Minho, and Felix were posing at a high school graduation in their gowns. They wrapped each other's shoulders with their arms while grinning broadly. I turned to face Chan, who was rummaging through the drawers. Even if all he did was dye his hair bright red, which turned into an unpleasant pinkish tone, and he gained weight, he still looked very different. Even though he was only 23, he appeared a little older than his actual age. Maybe, he didn’t sleep at all again. 

I looked at the picture once more, focusing on the boy with brunette hair who was standing next to Chan. I would never be able to pretend that Minho wasn't the cutest kid in high school. Everyone was all over him. He was way out of my league. Even though he is much more stylish and handsome now, his face appears really worn. How am I going to face him next time I see him?

Felix, a ginger freckled boy, stands to the right. I couldn't remember when we had last spent time together. A few months after graduating, he stopped playing in our band and became distant from us. Suddenly, he disappeared from our lives. With his long hair, he now had a much more bad boy appearance, according to the missing poster. He had been, always.

"Hey Cora, would you mind checking to see if they have batteries at the grocery store? I need to work on this..." Chan looked at the surveillance cameras he had taken out of the drawer as he gave me the money. "Vanna works there."

"Oh, sick. I guess I should go then." As I was going to leave the store, Jisung yelled, "GET US SNACKS!" as I snatched the money and jammed it in my pocket.

"YA GOT IT!" I yelled in response.

Since the grocery shop was down the street, the walk wouldn't be too far. Across the street was Poppy's Coffee as well. I thought about going to visit Minho, maybe apologize, and ask him to go have pizza with us later. He used to be my best friend, therefore I should really make it up to him, but the thought frightened me.

Vanna wasn't behind the counter when I went inside the store to look for her. I went through the snack aisle and picked some snacks as well as drinks. I swung around to see Vanna standing directly in front of me, staring at me with no emotion.

"Are you trying to find anything?" Dropping the box and restocking the shelves, Vanna asked nonchalantly. 

“You scared me, dude.”

“My bad. Your head’s okay?”

“Oh, yeah, a little.” I rubbed my head. “You got any batteries?”

“Yeah, behind the counter. What type?” She stopped restocking to go to the counter and searched through the variety of different batteries.

“Type? Shit, I dunno. Chan just said he needs some for the camera or something.”

“What kind of camera? Is it a film?”

“Looks more like a security camera.”

Vanna slammed the product on the counter and began scanning the rest of the items. Vanna didn't seem to buzz, but the sudden loud hum coming from the freezer distracted me. 

“Store looks busted.”

“A lot of shit went down this summer. My boss said he’d order for repairs, but I don't see any motherfucker to come fix it and it’s been months.” As she pushed the objects she had completed scanning in my direction, she said. “No plastic bags either. Someone usually has to bring their own big bag. Better for the environment.”

“Cool.” We both stood silently, just staring at each other.

“So..”

“I didn’t mean anything I’ve said yesterday.”

“It’s cool. I barely remember half of it, honestly.”

“Yeah, me neither. You really need to chill when it comes to drinking.”

“Was it really bad?” I tried not to watch the memory again in my mind as I shamefully rubbed my head.

“Everyone forgot it. I’m sure Minho finds it funny now.” Vanna said as she scrolled on her phone.

I hit my head on the counter and moaned. I'm worried about what Minho thinks of me now, more than whether there's an image somewhere of me getting wasted.

"Do you hate Minho or something?" Sincerely curious, I inquired, recalling vaguely what Vanna had said about him the previous evening.

“No, I was just upset. Just wanted to bring someone up to blame. I should learn not to.” 

“Hm. You wanna go for a pizza with us? Jisung, Chan, maybe Minho.”

“I’m still working.” Vanna looked up from her phone, furrowing her eyebrow.

“Like later.”

“Sure.” 

“Sick.”

“...”

“I should stop by Minho’s work…”

“Good luck, man.” 

So leave my sweater on the porch 

I’ll leave your bag under the stairs

Don’t go back to our old place

It’s probably locked up anyway

I crossed the street tensely, imagining what I should say or how I should apologize as I made my way to Poppy's Coffee. Hesitantly, I paused in front of the store entrance, debating whether or not to go inside or simply walk out and travel to space, never to return. Someone from inside the store opened the door before I could even extend my hand, revealing Minho. His lovely reddish-brown hair and honey complexion glistened in the sun's rays. He gave me a radiant smile.

"Cora! I was just wondering if you were okay." With a broad smile, he flashed his bunny teeth. "I kind of ran to open it for you after seeing you standing there for a minute. You know, you just gotta be a gentleman. Come inside, Co!" Minho laughed as he greeted you with a smile at the rustic coffee shop. The room had a pleasant aroma of roast coffee, antique, charming vintage tables and chairs, and a lot of fairy lights hanging from the ceiling. Since I left, the shop's entire style has evolved. He obviously decorated it, as I could tell. "Oh, and you still enjoy mocha, correct? I can do it right now!" His excitement and sudden outburst of energy reveal a new aspect of him that makes my eyes widen in disbelief.

"What's up with you?" Watching him run in circles and start preparing coffee for me, I blurted out.

"I'm just happy to see you back home," Minho smiled at me, really sweet, and then gathered everything to make coffee on the counter.

“I don’t have any money, dude.”

“On the house!”

“Free drink.. Sick..” I found a table and sat down, observing him prepare a drink. With his small watch on his wrist and a brown apron on top, he had his sweater sleeves rolled up. Now that his hair was groomed, his entire face was visible to me. I completely understand why so many girls were over him. It makes sense that he has a girlfriend. Oh, right.

"I apologize for last night." I looked down, embarrassed, trying to scrape the skin off my arm. And a little disappointed that he actually had a girlfriend.

“Oh, that’s no problem! You were just.. being you again.” With a giggle, he looked up at me and flashed his rabbit teeth once more. "You don't have to buy me a new shirt, by the way. I could easily wash it."

"Well, yeah, I know. I've puked on you twice already, it's ridiculous." I laughed along with him.

"Your hot mocha is here! It's getting chilly outside, and see, I drew you a cat!" Minho approached my table gingerly and set the mug down carefully, revealing a white kitten sketched in cream. Still grinning and gazing at me, he took a seat in front of me as well. I was able to get a closer, clearer look at him. He looked very tired, but his cute big smile topped it off. 

“Since when do you know how to do this?” 

“My mom taught me when I started working. It’s kinda therapeutic actually.” He giggled once again. “God, I’m so giggly today. Maybe, you’re finally here with me again like the good old times.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” I took a sip of the hot mocha and realized it was the best drink I had ever had. "I had a brownie with my coffee the last time I drank it in college, and it tastes really bitter."

Minho snorted, "Obviously, chocolate tastes much sweeter than coffee itself. Of course it will taste bitter."

“I miss Felix’s brownies.” 

“Right, Felix. Do you know about it?”

“Yeah, I always wonder why he left.”

“You think he left? Not like being kidnapped or something?”

“Do you think he was kidnapped?”

With a sigh, he palmed his face and rested his elbow on the table. "Just a hunch on my part. To be honest, nobody in the town seemed to be making any effort to find him. Chan and his family may have tried, but they got nothing."

"Why did you stop talking to Chan and Han?"

"Well, it was a bit complicated." Minho tightened, straightened his back, and gave me a sincere look. "Listen—I am deeply sorry for how I treated you when you told me you were going to college about two years ago."

“Hey, it’s all chill, dude.” 

“No, it’s obviously not. I know you were drunk last night, but everything you said, I’ve thought about it a lot since.” 

“I was just out of my mind. I don’t even remember half of it. Vanna even told me I called you cute, so that’s awkward ‘cause y’know you have a girlfriend and all.” I blurted it out, sulking, and nodding till I turned to face him, who appeared confused.

“...”

“...”

“What?”

“I don’t.. have one?” His head was cocked in confusion at me.

“Dude, that girl at the party, y’know-”

“Pretty sure she’s a lesbian.”

“Oh.”

“I kinda had to dip when she started making out with that girl which lasted for like a long minute.”

“Ooh.”

“Yeah.”

“Oooh.”

“Mhm.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s good.”

“Have you ever had one?”

“Why?”

I scowled at him as I sagged into my chair and folded my arms. "Well, have you seen yourself?" I asked.

"I'm not really chasing it." He was moving a little stiffly, suddenly tense.

"Yes, whatever, boo, tomato," I said.

"Someone has been on my mind for a very long time, and still is." In the end, Minho said, "Just not ready to tell them."

"Oh." I forced myself not to get emotional as I imagined Minho to have feelings for someone who is completely unlike me. "Whatever, do you want to join me, Han, Chan, and Vanna for pizza?"

"Oh? I'll see if I can stop by, but I'm kind of busy all day." Minho smiled.

"Well, I missed us all together."

"I know, sorry, I've been busy a lot lately." The bell at the door rings, announcing that the customers have arrived. He let out a sigh and rose from his chair, eager to resume his job. "I have to go right now. I'll try to see and come by, okay?" Minho smiled at you one last time before returning to his job.

I nodded slowly and watched him as he began to take orders and put back his apron. I got up from my seat and exited the store, expecting to meet him later. 

I bet it still looks the same as when I ran away that day

Everyone was at the Marinara Magic eating pizza and sides and sitting and talking to one another. The realization that the two years I had been waiting for was finally here nearly took my breath away. Even though Chan was trying to talk them out of being too loud and scared that the staff could kick us out, Jisung was being playful as usual with Vanna and they were fighting over pizza toppings. But I was disappointed that Minho wasn't here yet. It appears that the kids are still not on good terms with him. For the last twenty minutes, all I could look at was the front entrance. While Jisung was still yapping and Chan was on his phone, Vanna appeared to notice but chose not to speak out.

Maybe, it’ll be too awkward if he comes.

The pizza place looked precisely the same as it did when I left. The red checkered tablecloth, slightly worn-out wooden seats, leon signs, and several framed pictures of former employees and musicians who had dinner here. The owner, who had been employed there since the 1990s and was now essentially a grandfather, ultimately left due to the death of his son. Unlike most soldiers, who return home to surprise their families, his son arrived in a box. He was "at fault" for electing to join the army of his own free will, but no one believed it was all lies and propaganda. The brutal reality of the American dream was that. You either achieve everything successfully or lose everything. 

Although it didn't taste as good as it used to, it was still better than the pizza I had in the city. Even yet, I feel like throwing up when I eat pizza. I fidgeted as I started to finish the drink in the red glass, wondering when Minho would arrive. Would he even show up at all? Does he even care?

Vanna moved to get closer to me and said in a whisper, "Are you waiting for Minho?"

"Yeah." I glanced at the boys to see if they heard us, but they were still too engaged to respond. "Do you think this would make them hate me?"

"No, they were hoping to speak with him, but that jerk decided not to. That's what I think." With a shrug, Vanna settled back into her chair and took her notebook out of her leather purse. 

“He confuses me sometimes.”

“Are you really confused or just frustrated?”

“I guess, both.” I sighed. 

“A friend,” She quoted, “shouldn’t make you that frustrated, let’s be real.”

“I guess.. I mean, I know he has some rough family issues, that’s all. I don’t know if there’s anything else.”

“You didn’t at least try to talk to him earlier?” 

“I did try!” I pouted, sinking down in my seat. “He’s just.. being complicated.”

“What did he say?”

“I dunno.. Like he was being overly nice and then it got awkward when you know, I asked about his girlfriend which I thought he does have, but he doesn’t and he still hasn’t told me what really happened–”

Vanna groaned, putting her hands on her head. “What the fuck are you talking about? You’re the one being complicated.”

“Okay, well–” Just as I was about to defend myself, I felt a bit offended.

"Vanna's not wrong here, kid." Chan said, still deeply absorbed in his phone.

"I am not a kid!" I yelled at him inaudibly. "He's just making things more complicated,"

"You TWO are being so complicated and annoying!" Jisung also yelled as he pointed jokingly at me with his finger.

"Holy shit-" Vanna places her fingers on her nose's bridge.

"What is happening here?" When someone else's voice was heard, the yelling stopped. There was no way I could pretend that seeing him didn't make me nearly puke again.

"Awkward…" Vanna rolled her eyes and sang.

"We ate the entire pizza!" With a wide smile, Jisung resumed his random hand gestures.

“Don’t worry, I’ll buy you a slice.” Chan took out his card and stood up.

“No, it’s good, I can just–”

“Shut up and let me buy you one, man.”

“I know, but-”

“Dude, c’mon, we haven’t talked in a while-”

“I’m the one that should make up-”

“No–”

Everyone else at the table chuckled at their interaction as I smacked my head against the table.

It doesn’t matter anyway

‘Cause I’m happy here

"That pizza was gooood, ay?" As he put his arm around Minho, Chan laughed. By now it had gotten late, so everyone left Marinara Magic together to walk home. The staff seemed to already like Chan enough to not throw us out, so I'm amazed they put up with us.  

"But not as good as it was before. I could make it better at home!" Minho replied as Vanna and I just kept strolling down the street in silence as the boys laughed and chatted about how much they used to miss his cooking. I couldn't help but feel uneasy tension when I was around Minho, even though it felt great to have him back in the group like we did in high school. At least, we were all back to normal again. Nothing bad will definitely happen!

I was taken aback by what I had just seen on the pavement and froze in place. An arm mutilated, with blood dripping from the tip. I turned back to give the kids a warning since they were all standing in a circle and talking nonstop, much as when family get together and chat for hours at a time. "There's an arm, guys!" I yelled out and ran to the tree to get a stick, then I walked back to where the arm was and attempted to poke it. The group approached it with caution and began to swear loudly as soon as they saw it.

"Why are you poking it?" Like everyone else, Jisung coughed in disgust and yelled silently.

"It's too much to look at." Vanna stopped staring at it and poked her tongue out.

"How did that end up there? Has there been a murder? That shit barely happens here since like that one incident in 1990," Minho inquired.

"Was that not in 1983?" Chan folded his arm and scowled at Minho.

"No fucker, that's the bite of '83 you're thinking of; it's definitely before 1990." As I was prodding the arm, I snorted, and Jisung burst out laughing and slapped his thigh.

"Sorry, the what?"

"Game reference." Minho stated while awkwardly scratching his head.

Chan said, "He's really back," shaking his head.

“Oh, shut it.”

"Are we going to do shit about this or not? This kid is messing with it." Vanna spoke out.

"Dude, get up." The lighting flashed on us as Chan attempted to grip my shoulder, and I realized who it was as I got up.

"What's going on over here?" My aunt was standing there in her uniform, staring at us expressionlessly.

"A arm!" I gave my aunt a smile and gestured to where it was. She bowed, glanced down, examined the arm, and reported what had transpired using her talkie-walkie.

"You kids need to go home. We will take care of it."

"But-"

"Go. Home." Aunt gave me a scowl. 

I kept glancing back, wondering what the whole "arm" thing was about, but Minho kept trying to pull me out of it and finally we walked home together. Since their routes to their homes differed from mine, half of the group bid goodbye and parted ways. Since Minho and I live in the same neighborhood, we strolled home in silence.

"Wow, that was crazy." He let out another quiet laugh to break the ice. 

"Yeah." Still feeling a little uneasy, I laughed too. When we arrived at my house, I was about to say goodbye, when Minho grabbed my wrist. I was shocked as I looked down and wondered what he was going to say.

"Hey, listen, uhm," The taller one went on, "If you want, we can hang out this weekend?"

I nodded despite standing there taking in what he had told me. 

"Alright, cool. So, see you then?" Minho smiled at me, and I smiled back. We kept looking at one other, and neither of us wanted to break eye contact. I finally hurried to my house and entered, blushing slightly. Is it a date? Nah, nah, you’re crazy. It’s totally not. 

I began to search around my living room for my dad, but figured that since it's becoming late, they might be asleep. I mentally noted that I will talk to him more before he leaves for work tomorrow morning when I woke up. After walking the flight of stairs to my room, I completed my night routine and was soon ready for bed. As I lay in bed tonight, I pondered how quickly today went from being just normal to not so normal. Since I had nothing planned for tomorrow, I thought I should stay home and perhaps look up old strange incidents that occurred in my town a long time ago on the internet. It's been a while since I last hunted a ghost. I should do it again. 

I should just go to sleep.

I sleep well alone now

NEXT JOURNAL ON SEPTEMBER 4

AUTHOR'S NOTE ➳ this one is kinda rushed but i hope u still enjoy it! make sure u read the warnings before u read each chapter bc i update it every chapter :p

TAGLIST ➳ @estella-novella @melanctton

Send an ASK or COMMENT to be added in the taglist!

MEET THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR STORIES

DISCLAIMERS ➳ THIS DOES NOT ACTUALLY DEFINE THE MEMBERS IN REAL LIFE AND IT IS ONLY FICTIONAL. THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CHARACTERS MAY TRIGGER SOME PEOPLE, SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND READ WHAT YOU WILL.

ALSO THIS MAY INCLUDE SOME SPOILERS IF YOU COUNT IT. THE REASON I'M POSTING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE IS FOR YOU TO GET TO KNOW THE CHARACTERS A LOT MORE BETTER. YOU SHOULD KNOW YOUR CORA AS WELL BECAUSE YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE THEM FOR A FAT MINUTE. MAYBE EVEN HUNT GHOSTS WITH THEM. OR SUFFER WITH THEM.

NIGHT IN THE WOODS SERIES ➳ click here to read!

Cora is considered outgoing and energetic, and they enjoy roaming around town and talking to people in shops. They also have a very poor sense of awareness about what they are doing. They take interest in photography, music, and occasionally play guitar. Both of their parents are buddhists; their mother leaves her job every day to visit the temple. Cora is not really a buddhist themself, but they do believe in paranormal stories and its spiritually. They love to wear plenty of flannels and band tees, and they have a blue streak in their hair. Although they had a difficult history filled with depressive and irrational episodes. Cora managed their issues while they were still young by doing as their doctor advised. They had a violent incident in middle school, though, and people called them "the killer," "disrespectful," and "jerk". As the years pass, it seems they have undiagnosed dissociative disorder, which was the main reason for dropping out of college. However, Cora does have their compassionate moments. They do not feel embarrassed to show their genuine affection for those they loves and for the rats they frequently visits in the subway, feeding them treats they stole from the grocery store. Cora feels nostalgia for Stormville from the time they left for college, even though they often think about how much the town has changed since their absence. 

Minho is quiet, but this does not imply that he is shy. He talks whenever he wants to. He's an introverted guy who prefers to do his favorite activities alone. Besides being quiet, he is seen as the most charming and handsome guy a lot of the girls drools over. He likes to read books, cook, work with computers, and do outdoor activities. His hair is dyed a reddish brown tint, which he sometimes changes. He also wears sweaters that he thrifted. Minho works at his mother’s coffee shop on days she’s not on shifts. He's been planning to save up his money to live on his own. On his days off, he frequently attends band practices to see them perform songs. He doesn't consider himself to be religious; he presents himself as an atheist and has never held any true spiritual beliefs. Minho found talking about his family to be quite challenging. Before his mother eventually married another man and had a daughter, Aerin, his younger step-sister, he was supposedly the only child of his mother. His mother and his own kid were the only people who his stepfather looked out for, although he never truly liked Minho and verbally abused him. Because of this, he often experiences abandonment issues. Minho has been the closest friends with Cora since middle school until they left for college, leaving him to overthink they left him. Though he does not express his emotions well, Minho is deeply concerned about others’ safety and well-being. 

Jisung is talkative, energetic, and rebellious. He is a really punk-like guy that enjoys good old punk rock and plays drums. He works at a record shop and goes to band practices after work. Despite his outgoing and upbeat personality, Jisung worries that he might accidentally ruin his friendships. Jisung has ups and downs on random days, and it's possible that he suffers from bipolar disorder to some extent. He is known to be extremely excitable, often showing his joy by shouting or clapping his hands rapidly. He appears to have very little impulse control, though. He may be a troublemaker, but he cares for his friends and is eager to help them anytime they need it. Jisung and Cora are often having their most meaningful talks at a usual spot by the lake whilst having a picnic, hangs around Chan's work a lot lately, and party with Vanna every once a week. As for Minho, they used to be close as well until they eventually stopped after Cora left for college. He recently met someone online he played games with and has been planning to meet them soon, considering they may have romantic relations.

Vanna dresses 100% gothic, wearing only black to fit her dark personality and listening to The Cure religiously. Even in the summer, she enjoys dressing in several layers, such as a long black coat worn over a long sleeve shirt and topped with a scarf. Having seen a series of bad incidents in less than two years, and having witnessed firsthand the growing economic downfall of Stormville, Vanna has grown a very gloomy and cold perspective. She rarely laughs at jokes and, depending on her mood, will respond with sarcasm or anger. She probably uses her strong smoking habit as a way to cope with the stressors in her life. Her dream was to escape from this town, but it was held back, due to having a lot of responsibilities and duties in order to look out for her parents and little siblings as an oldest daughter and sister. She works from morning to afternoon in a grocery store and will come home right after to take care of her father. On some days, she will sneak out around midnight and go to parties with Jisung. She is also very against the fact that Jisung and Cora are being troublemakers and stealing things from shops. Although, that doesn't mean she should hate them.

Chan typically dresses in expensive clothing and accessories that his father bought him, but he also wears all-grunge looks. His siblings and family are very involved in the community and like lending a hand, particularly at the church. Most of the time, Chan spends time with his family, works in his father's outlet store, goes to church with his mother to pray, and makes sure to drop his siblings off at school every day. Everyone in the town adores Chan, and they all hope to see him become a priest or marry their daughter. In the friend group, he acts as a parent figure by ensuring that everyone eats healthily and by supporting them during difficult times. He may be the only one in the group who is well-cared for and privileged to be raised in a good family. But he has a deep secret no one knew about.

Aerin, the youngest step-sister of Minho, is currently finishing her senior year of high school. She finds it difficult to get along with Minho because he has always been cold to her and hasn't been home very much. Her parents encouraged her to seek a career in nursing since they were proud of her for being a cheerleader in high school and having a very good GPA. Aerin wondered if her brother would get along with her just fine if her father treated him equally, even if she couldn't help but feel bad for him because he doesn't get enough attention. 

Felix used to be close friends with Cora and Jisung. He was formerly the drummer in their band. Before disappearing, he regularly participated in "crimes" with Jisung and Cora, giving the impression that he had a wild side. He was also a close friend of Minho, but he doesn’t tell much about his times with Felix. Everyone assumed that he boarded a train shortly before Cora returned home. 

Lori is a middle schooler who enjoys playing video games on his Nintendo. Lori and Cora had been talking about different topics every morning beside the statue or sometimes at a local library before heading off to do their own thing. Despite being warned to stay away from them, he went out to help Cora whenever they needed him. 

JR.2 HOME AGAIN | LMH

PAIRINGS ➳ lee minho x gender-neutral reader (cora)

GENRE ➳ friends to lovers ◦ slow burn ◦ heavy angst ◦ horror ◦ psychological thriller ◦ fantasy ◦ slight humor ◦ ghosts ◦ will add more later!

WARNINGS ➳ mental issues (derealization) ◦ memory loss ◦ inappropriate language ◦ suggestive themes, but no smut ◦ death ◦ gore(?) ◦ smoking ◦ lots of drug and alcohol use ◦ cruel society ◦ adult life crisis ◦ bad life decisions ◦ religious themes ◦ class struggles ◦ hallucinations ◦ will add more later!

WC ➳ 2,000+

STATUS ➳ Ongoing.

ABOUT ➳ After dropping out of college, Cora returns home to their small town of Stormvillie with the hopes of reconnecting with their friends they left behind and resuming their carefree previous life. However, things have changed since then. Their friends have grown up and changed, and home seems different now. The wind is getting colder and the leaves are falling. As the night gets darker, strange things are happening.

And there's something in the woods.

NIGHT IN THE WOODS SERIES

CHARACTERS AND THEIR STORIES

PREVIOUS JOURNAL

Change - Alex G started playing ...

How are you today?

I saw your friend’s band play

A little show last night

It’s not my thing, they were alright

"So you're saying that this August, you're moving off to college? Leaving this town behind? For college?" Minho made sure he understood what I said by saying it again. "Cora, please answer. Are you actually leaving us?" His tone hardens as he continues to look at me as if I had done something really wrong.

"Yeah, I am leaving in August for college in a city that isn't that far from here." I tried not to look annoyed with him. While it makes sense that he was upset, I wasn't about to cut off our communication.

"Why? I mean, good for you, but why there? You promised me that you'd be with me forever, but now you're leaving-"

"All right, Minho, you're getting too ahead of yourself. I'm leaving for college, not leaving you. Don't you think you're exaggerating?" I fiddled with my fingers and muttered, looking down, not even realizing that what I had said was harsh.

"Exaggerating?" He scoffed and became slightly irate, but before continuing, he took a long breath. "Cora, I don't think you're getting what I'm saying. You're right—I'm getting too worked up about this—but I'm actually worried about losing you."

I firmly closed my eyes, trying not to say anything that I would later regret. I remained silent for a minute to gather my thoughts before turning to Minho and spoke

"Listen, Minho. I promise to never leave you, and just because I'm moving away to attend college does not mean we'll stop talking. I just wanted to chase my dreams."

"To be honest, it's not really that."

I scowled at what he said and cocked my head to face him, who was turning away from me.

"Then what is it, Minho? Can't you just tell me?"

"I have to leave. I'm sorry." He hastily got up and fled the cafe before I could say anything further. I sat alone at the cafe, refraining from running to him. Could I chase after him? Or give him his space? Am I being too harsh?

It was all I thought about when I walked home. What does he mean? What is it that he couldn’t tell me? Even when I ranted to Jisung about it, he looked like he knew something. Shit, even Chan does. I feel a little left out, so confused, worried if I didn’t pay enough attention to Minho.

I wasn’t that dumb to not notice he has been trying to cut ties with me after our conversation. Even his parents and sister didn’t know what was going on with him when I visited his place, and told me that he has been wandering off somewhere a lot now other than his home. I took it as a hint that I should stop bothering him.

August came by so fast, I was ready to leave this town and still have not heard from him. He wasn’t there to bid me a goodbye before I hopped on the train.

Am I really leaving everything behind?

You were in my dream last week

I’d like to hear what you think

We passed by her house driving fast

The sun was shining on the grass

September 22, 8:46 p.m.

"How are you today?" He eventually broke the long silence. When I glanced back at him, he was still roasting the marshmallow, which was starting to become brown. His reddish-brown hair continued to fall over his face, nearly covering his eyes.

"Today, I felt a little happier." As I saw him place the marshmallow on top of the chocolate with the cracker beneath it, I finally responded.

"I'm glad," he grinned. "I can say I feel the same way."

I can't deny that I was a little awkward and perplexed sitting next to a guy who had been avoiding me for a while, even if I was smiling too. But I can’t just act like I wasn’t doing the same thing he did to me to Chan and Jisung.

“How was college?”

"Oh, it was okay. Not bad at all." I fiddled in my seat, not feeling the college talk. I did ask him something else even though I wasn't sure if it was proper to suddenly change the subject. "What about you, though? You work too, like everyone else these days."

Minho hummed, took another marshmallow to roast, and passed me the S'mores he had just created. "Yes, I work. I mean, everyone has to work for a living, right?" He laughed. "I work at my mom's coffee shop now; you should stop by sometimes."

"Oh, that's cool. I guess I should." I stuttered briefly, hoping he didn't notice, and then took a bite of my s'mores. The s'mores didn't taste very nice, though, because I could still taste the bitterness from my previous drink. Once more, I turned to face my right and watched him finishing his own and brushing the crumbs off his jeans. He clasped his hands and was about to speak until my name was called out.

"Cora!" When I turned to see where it was coming from, I saw Jisung sprinting up the hill to find me. I abruptly got up and raised my hand to grab his attention.

“Over here!”

"Hey, what's up?" When Jisung spotted me, his smile gradually disappeared when he noticed Minho sitting next to me. "Minho?" The uneasy feeling was beginning to return. I continued to glance at them, clearing my throat to break the ice.

Minho looked at me again after checking his watch and getting up from his seat. "Looks like I gotta go now," he said. "See you around?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." I scratched my head and nodded.

I moaned aloud as Jisung and I watched him go, disappearing into a crowd of people.

"Dude, you guys finally talked?"

"Well, until you fucking came, I guess, a little bit."

"My bad, dude." Jisung gestured with his hands. "You missed the fucking crazy fight, that's all I wanted to tell you."

"No way. Who?" I let out a gasp. Nothing like the good old days when Jisung and I would rush to witness a fight in high school, rooting for whoever was in the fight.

"I dunno, sh*t. Some two blondes." He hiccuped and squeezed his eyes shut. "Oh my god, it's getting to me."

"Dude, should we go home or—"

"Nooo! Let's drink more, kiddo!! We need to celebrate more now that you're home again!" He replied, cupping my face before grabbing my wrist and pulling me back into the crowd. After failing to find anything when reaching for the ice cooler once more, Jisung spotted another one that was sitting next to the lake. He handed you a beer and instantly began chugging his own. Totally forgot he’s a heavy drinker.

I straight away felt like puking after downing mine, but I chose to ignore the urge to do so. I recognized another song that had begun to play. "Dude, this song fucks!" I shouted for Jisung to hear me. Agreeing with you, he laughed heartily and made his way through the mob while dancing. I attempted to log on, but my headache was getting closer.

When I searched for Jisung, I realized that everything was becoming hazy and that I had already lost him. Some kids accidentally bumped into me as I was trying to take another sip of my beer, which caused the beer to spill on my shirt. I let out a long sigh and rubbed my eyes like a child, and suddenly I laughed at the memory of my dad's drinking days. I opened my eyes to see Minho talking to the most beautiful girl while he was leaning against the tree. I stopped laughing. Oh, he has a girlfriend.

I stood there and thought. Yeah, no. That's chill, dude. Yeah, absolutely fine. Like this is okay. No like–

The girl began laughing at something, perhaps one of his jokes, and she gave him a friendly shoulder jab as he laughed too.

Maybe I should have stayed.

I averted my gaze as I felt incredibly exposed. I raced to the lake and puked as soon as I felt like I was truly about to pass out, leaving my stomach throbbing and my mouth full of the worst taste. This is really horrible.

"Cora—holy shit" Dude, not that voice again. I laughed at Minho's worried expression as he helped me stand up from the ground, but I pushed him away. I kept slapping his shoulder while giggling at nothing in particular, and he continued to support my arm to keep me balanced.

"Cora, I think you should go home."

"You think you are so cool and," I hiccupped, "chaaarming. Every girl always thinks, woohooo cute boys! I'd love a cute boy in my life!"

Minho sighed and scowled as he made an attempt to get you out of there. "All right, let's just leave and talk," he said.

"You're a cute boy, too." I grasp his warm hands and ram my head into his shoulder. Minho froze at what you said, unable to comprehend the situation. My friends Jisung, Vanna, and Chan approached, shocked by what happened. "But I fucking hate cute boys!!"

"And it's not my fault that I'm a mess—I was and still am! I'm sorry, but I just wanted to pursue my own dreams, maybe become the best artist, musician, or both. And you never supported me!" I hit the elder boy's shoulder angrily, yelling at him over and over like a whiny kid.

Minho stopped your punches, "Listen, I'm sorry, I was going to apologize to you-"

"You were right; I should not have left you. You guys. I promised we'd stick together, but I fucking ruined it because I'm selfish and do my own thing instead."

“No, Cora, that’s not true.” Minho offered an explanation, but you interrupted him once more.

"I lied. Everything went so terribly wrong in college that I chose to fucking drop out because it was so awfuuuul. I locked myself in the dorm and failed all of my classes. Pizza, pizza, pizza, and pizza was all I ate. All these rich college students whose parents have paid for their tuition, and all they do is write trash and have sex with strangers every day. I'm not successful, but they are! Not to mention that stupid statue, that is meant to honor the founder but all I see are shapes, staring at me every day. So many different shapes. Nothing will ever work out for me; I'm a complete waste!" I shouted every word I could while covering Minho's neck with my fucked-out, red face.

“We never had a chance here, but I can’t go anywhere else.”

“...”

“I’m home again.”

“...”

I couldn't lift my head to look at him and see what his reaction was to what I had said since my head was pounding so much. To see whether he feels bad at all. Minho's silence, however, suggests otherwise.

"Woo!" Jisung shouted, encouraging my beautiful drunken speech from behind.

"Jisung, please stop." Chan gives him a look and then turns to face me, grabbing my arm. "Come on, you've probably had enough alcohol for tonight."

"Dude, I feel so sick." Then, before I could even attempt to reach the lake, I felt myself about to pass out once more and puked onto Minho's shirt. Again.

"Not again, Jesus fuck." Minho let out a groan.

"Just let's get you home, little one. Sorry, Minho; we will get you a new shirt this time." When Chan pulled me away from the boy and helped me in walking to Vanna's car, Minho was left standing and much more perplexed. Everyone was talking and spreading rumors. Great, another talk of the town. Again. Like the good old times.

You made me stop and leave the car

You pulled my sleeve, but not too hard

Remember when you took too much?

I didn’t mind being your crutch

"I will fucking kill you if you puke in this car.” Driving, Vanna issued a warning. I feel so numb, so broken, and so exposed. Being in the same car as someone who used to be my friend. A friendship that I completely screwed up.

"Sorry, I dunno what's going on with me." I muttered.

"You got your ass drunk after, what? Three cans of nasty beer?"

"Remember when we used to be best friends?" I mumbled once more, finding it more difficult to talk. Especially when I was so fatigued. "And I called you Nanaaa, and you used to call me Cocooo."

“When we were 8 years old?” Vanna gave me a quick glance before focusing on the road. “No, I don’t.”

"Do you remember when we used to go to that park every day and play on the swings there? We found this adorable little kitten under the playground, and we both kept her."

"Yeah, Moon, she died." Vanna replied with apathy.

I made a small sound as I was experiencing terrible pain throughout my entire body, including my head and stomach. "Why are you so mean to me?" I was trying really hard not to throw up when I felt like I was about to again.

"Oh my god, Vanna, I'm going to throw up. Tell your mama I'm sorry for puking in her caaar." I exhaled and put my head on the window.

"Oh my god."

"Whaa?"

"My Mom passed away."

I remained silent as I took in what she had just said. Shit.

"Oh."

"Oh? How the hell do you not remember that, Cora? She died from cancer. Senior year."

I didn't say anything, tears gathering in my eyes.

"Oh, college didn't work out for you? Well, I'm fucking sorry that it wasn't exactly what you wanted. That's too bad; I would have killed for that. I'd do anything, even if it meant kicking you out of this car to go to college."

I turned to peek out the window and sniffed.

"You left me for that insufferable piece of shit who acts like the world revolves around him. When my mother passed away, Cora, I had absolutely no friends and nobody to turn to. And you know that. But no, instead, you cared more about your other friends than me.”

I sobbed.

"Whatever, we're here."

I sobbed even more.

"Oh god, let me get you in." Vanna dragged me inside the home after getting out of her car and putting my arm around her shoulder. She eventually made it to my bed and carefully placed my body down, making sure I was comfortably tucked in. She places the trash can close by in case I throw up again.

"I'm sorry, I'm really a mess." Before I fell asleep, I mumbled my last few words.

With a sigh, Vanna placed her hands on her hips. "Dude, don't worry, it wasn't your fault."

She looked around my room and couldn't remember when she had been here before, but even though a lot had changed since then, it still felt quite familiar. There were a few cameras and a large number of pictures scattered on the floor. Big, small, vintage, digital. Her gaze fell on a picture, and she stooped to retrieve it. It was an old Polaroid of Vanna and me just before we started middle school, when we were around 13. Vanna had a heart drawn on her face with the words "BFF" written underneath.

"Life goes on, y'know." Gazing at the old Polaroid, where things were so simple, makes Vanna sad. "Sometimes, things aren't always supposed to go where you want them to.”

I loved you then

It’s not the same

I don’t like how things change

NEXT JOURNAL

AUTHOR'S NOTE ➳ sorry if it's a little too short! next journal will be a little longer i promise :) cora is very dense thats just how they r LOL and itll also become a little scary soon i promise

TAGLIST ➳ @estella-novella @melanctton

Send an ASK or COMMENT to be added in the taglist!

JR.1 WELCOME HOME | LMH

PAIRINGS ➳ lee minho x gender-neutral reader (cora)

GENRE ➳ friends to lovers ◦ slow burn ◦ heavy angst ◦ horror ◦ psychological thriller ◦ fantasy ◦ slight humor ◦ ghosts ◦ will add more later!

WARNINGS ➳ mental issues (derealization) ◦ memory loss ◦ inappropriate language ◦ suggestive themes, but no smut ◦ death ◦ gore(?) ◦ smoking ◦ lots of drug and alcohol use ◦ cruel society ◦ adult life crisis ◦ bad life decisions ◦ religious themes ◦ class struggles ◦ hallucinations ◦ will add more later!

WC ➳ 3,000+

STATUS ➳ Ongoing.

ABOUT ➳ After dropping out of college, Cora returns home to their small town of Stormvillie with the hopes of reconnecting with their friends they left behind and resuming their carefree previous life. However, things have changed since then. Their friends have grown up and changed, and home seems different now. The wind is getting colder and the leaves are falling. As the night gets darker, strange things are happening.

And there's something in the woods.

NIGHT IN THE WOODS SERIES

CHARACTERS AND THEIR STORIES

Scott Street - Phoebe Bridgers started playing ...

Walking Scott Street, feeling like a stranger

With an open heart, open container 

I’ve got a stack of mail and a tall can

It’s a shower bear, it’s a payment plan

Even though quitting college was the hardest decision I made, I was relieved to be back in my hometown. There I was on the train, listening to music and settled into my seat comfortably. I knew I had arrived in Stormville when I spotted the streets I knew so well and the cafe I used to go to every day when I was a teenager. As it reaches an intersection, a train blows its horn. Picking up my backpack and suitcase, I stood up from my seat and waited for the train doorway to slide open. I began to search around for my parents when I got off the train, but they weren't there. I sat down on the nearby bench to wait some more in case they hadn't arrived. 

Well, this is great. I mean I didn’t expect a party or anything, but I figured someone would be here.

I reached into my backpack and took out the book I had brought from the city. Victoria Schwab’s City of Ghosts. My grandpa gave me this as a gift before he passed away, along with a touching note. This book was really special to me. I missed him a lot. 

I cast a quick peek at the open train doors. I could have sworn there were plenty of people on the train, but it was entirely empty. It was really packed in the city two hours ago. Odd.

Once again, I did not see my parents when I looked up. They must have forgotten about me. Moreover, my phone just died. With a loud groan, I stood up from the bench, gathered my belongings, and headed to find the train station's exit. Looking to my left, I saw a janitor leaving the ticket counter with his toolbox, but I stopped him before he went anywhere. 

“Hey, excuse me. Do you know where everybody is?” 

"It’s 9:52. It’s closed," the janitor said. "And no one ever gets off the bus to Stormville nowadays." A loud notice stating that there would be a delay in the train from Stormville to the city. I suppose there was a breakdown. "Looks like I've got a job to do. See you around." He offered me a smile before entering the train to do his job. Looking up at the train station's building, I started noticing how much it had changed. The last time I visited, the trains weren't running well, and the ticket booths were abandoned.

I roamed around till I arrived at the playground, which was a spot I knew well. I rushed to play on the swings, experiencing a surge of nostalgia. Right as soon as I began to swing, I was taken back to the times when my friends and I would swing ourselves a little too high in the air and compete to see who could land the perfect jump. A chilly breeze blew in my face as I continued to swing higher and higher, moving my legs back and forth. I swung back, took my hands off from the chains, and jumped when I thought the moment was right for me to land. I was confident I would land perfectly on my feet this time, but instead I ended up on my knees, then my face on the rough mulch. With a sigh, I realized that no matter how hard I try, I won't ever be able to land on my feet and end up always hurting myself. 

I laid there for a while. I rolled over so I could lie on my back and look at the dark blue sky with a large, beautiful moon. It felt strangely comfy, and I didn't want to get up, but I had a family to come home to. Just as I lifted myself off the ground, a flash of light shone on my face. I rubbed my eyes and glanced up to see my aunt standing there, still dressed in her police uniform, with a flashlight beaming on my face.

"Welcome home, Cora." Although Aunt shot me a blank look, I continued to send her a smile. 

"Oh hey, Auntie. Been a while" 

"Yup. And you’re still scurrying around like a cat." Shaking her head at me and letting out a sigh, she walked down the parking lot to her car. "Get in my car, it’s getting late." She shouted. I hurriedly got up, ran back to where my stuff was beside the swings, and made my way to her car. 

A long, silent ride aside from a radio playing. I took a quick tour around her police patrol vehicle, noting the camera next to the rearview mirror, an MDT in front of the radio, and her walkie-talkie, which was still blaring. Afterwards, I cast a sidelong glance at her; she continued to give off a sense of severity that brought back memories of how I used to be scared of her. Because of this, it was difficult to try to get along with her. As we drove by, I gazed out the window, noticing the closed shops and lonely streets. 

"Cora, why did you come back?" Her abrupt comments made me flinch, and I turned my head slightly in her direction. Aunt's expression remained fixed on the road.

“I just wanted to.” 

“Oh. Alright.”

“...”

“...”

Here comes the awkward silence.

“Be careful around here this time.”

Nevermind.

“Okay? Thanks.”

"I'm serious," she replied, staring briefly at me before returning her attention to the road.

“Alright, alright. I heard you.”

“...”

“...”

“So–”

“We’re here.”

When she pulled into my driveway, I got out of the car right away. I stopped to wave her off and she grinned slightly. With a pout, I tilted my head and watched Aunt driving away. I shrugged and walked towards the front door of my house, ringing the doorbell. I crept to peer through the front door's window, and when I eventually caught a glimpse of my dad, I smiled broadly. I saw his stunned expression when he opened the door wide.

"Cora! Wasn't you supposed to come home tomorrow night?" Ah, I see why. I forgot he hardly remembers anything. 

“No, dad. It was today. I kind of figured you’d forget.”

“Oh, darling, I am so sorry. Please come inside, it is really cold out.” Dad helped pick up your bags and brought them upstairs. 

I was hit by a familiar aroma of cinnamon and vanilla as soon as I stepped into the house. Mom had to have lit that candle. There were still several framed pictures of me and my parents hanging on the wall beside the stairs. I glanced over to see the old television playing in the living room. Newspapers strewn out and a cup of tea on the wooden coffee table. I came to sit down on a couch to wait for my dad. After a while, he returned with another cup of tea and placed it gently in front of me. 

"Be careful, kid. It's still really hot." He smiled warmly at me. I nodded, watching as the steam from my hot tea dissipated. 

“Where’s Mom?”

"Oh, right! She's still working. You'll see her in the morning, so don't worry." Dad gave me a shoulder pat. With his tea in his other hand, he picked up his newspaper and started to read. It dawned on me that I was at last back home after spending two chaotic and busy years in a huge city. Although I had a good time, it wasn't where I wanted to be. I picked up my cup with care and sipped the tea before getting up to head to my room. 

"I'm going to my room now. Thank you for the tea, Dad." 

Again grinning, he looked up at me and said, "Alright! Have a pleasant dream, okay?" With a nod, I turned to head up the stairs. As I made my way to my room, I saw that it had a little whiteboard hung up and a door covered with stickers. "Not Here Anymore!" It read with a heart indented. I chuckled. It surprised me that it hadn't been erased yet. 

I opened the door and there it was, my comfort zone. There were a few fairy lights and band posters hanging on the wall, along with an empty desk, a cleanly made bed with old white pillows and blue plaid sheets, and several books scattered all over the place. The tapestry of a skeleton over the desk is being used as a curtain to block the window. On the left, there's a record player on the top of the drawer and an abandoned acoustic guitar next to the mirror. Shutting the door, I hopped onto the bed. Not when I was lying in this extremely comfortable bed, did I feel the need to change clothing. 

I rolled over in bed and examined every poster on the wall until my eyes were drawn to something, which caused me to rapidly sit up. The old friends, with whom I hadn't spoken in a long time, and myself on a Polaroid. I took a closer look by moving to the edge of the bed and snatching the polaroid. Minho, the brunette guy, wrapped his arm around my neck and waved a peace sign. Behind us were two kids, Jisung and Chan. After I left for college, we stopped talking for a while, but sometimes they would send me short messages like "I miss you" and "how are you." Even though they were the ones who were happy for me when I got accepted into college, looking at this polaroid made me a little anxious about seeing them again. It would definitely not be too bad to see Jisung and Chan again, but it would be with Minho.

The most heartbreaking thing I had to do was tell my best friend Minho that I was moving out of town and that we wouldn't be seeing each other for a while. Given that we had been friends since middle school, I could tell he was upset when I broke the news to him. I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad and that I wished he could come with me to college. But before I could talk it out with him for the last time, he suddenly cut ties with me after learning the news and made every effort to avoid speaking with me ever again. We’ve never bid our goodbyes together. 

I felt even more sad as I thought back on the past memories. My polaroid was put back up on the wall. I stood up from my bed and opened my backpack. I took out the two cameras, my laptop, and my phone from my backpack together with their chargers. After charging the devices and placing them on my desk, I unzipped my luggage to find my pajamas and changed into them. I hopped back into bed after turning out the light, feeling more at ease and prepared to sleep for the next eight hours. 

There’s helicopters over my head

Every night when I go to bed

Spending money and I earned it

When I’m lonely, that’s when I’ll burn it

September 22, 8:32 a.m.

I woke up to the smell of breakfast and coffee coming from the kitchen and checked my alarm clock, which read 8 a.m. Sitting up, I yawned and rubbed my eyes to see better. I dragged myself out of bed, grabbed my necessities, and proceeded to the bathroom to brush my teeth. After flossing my teeth and rearranging all of my stuff, I returned to my room to change.

I was going through my luggage again, trying to decide what to wear, when I remembered I had this band shirt that I had kept for years in my closet. I went to my closet in search of them, and that's where I discovered the gray The Smiths shirt. I changed into a black pair of ripped jeans and a shirt. I didn't forget the flannel, of course. 

I ran down the stairs and to the kitchen, and when I finally saw my mom, I was hit by a wave of nostalgia again. She made pancakes today and prepared a mug of hot coffee for me. 

“Welcome home!” Mom exclaimed with a big smile. “I am deeply sorry about yesterday, I really thought you were coming home tonight. I wanted to make up to you by making your favorite breakfast!”

“Oh, mom. It’s okay, at least I’m here now.” I picked up my fork and knife to cut the pancakes in four. 

“Cora, sweetie?”

“Yeah?” I continued to eat. 

“Is everything all right?” 

I abruptly stopped, looking up at my mom’s concerned face. 

“I’m fine, mom.” 

“Well, that’s good. It’s just.. That’s not usually something a college sophomore does.” 

“I know.” I continued to go back to eating. 

“You can tell me anything-”

“Can we talk about this another time?”

I dismissed my mom's concern and continued to stare down at my nearly done pancakes, feeling instantly bad.

"Talk to me whenever you need, okay?" Mom said, sighing. After giving her a nod and finishing the last of my pancakes, I got up from my chair. 

"Also, Mom, do you happen to know where my friends are? Jisung, Chan, and..." I hesitated, wondering if it would be appropriate to finally meet Minho after we had been apart for two years. But I won't be able to sleep easily unless I know how he's doing today. "And Minho."

"As far as I know, Jisung is working at the Safe in Sound record store! Chan probably works at his dad's outlet store as well." Mom said, picking up the plates and carrying them to the sink to wash them. I accepted her response with a nod and waited to find out about Minho, even 

though I wasn't supposed to be worried about him because I knew he probably hates me. Honestly, it didn't really matter. Just as I turned to walk away, my mother spoke. "I was at Poppy's Coffee the last time I saw Minho. He works there."

"Oh. Cool. Guess everyone is at work these days."

"He will be happy to see you. He wouldn't be mad at his best friend for following their dreams." Mom smiled as she turned to face me. "Don't come home too late, okay? Have a nice day."

I decided it would be best to meet Jisung first, before everyone else, and before Minho. Strolling down the well-known streets, observing the stores and realizing they are now newly opened businesses. Well, it's still in construction. There are a lot of construction workers here. That being said, the doughnut shop, which I used to go to often, was still open. I pulled out my wallet to see if I had enough money to buy my friends a single doughnut or two, but there was nothing like a fly sticking out of it. With a shrug, I shoved my wallet into the back pocket of my pants and carried on walking around the streets. 

Next to the statue of the founder that was pointing directly at me, there was a boy who seemed to be a middle schooler, playing on his nintendo ds. I approached him and saw what game he was playing. “Pokemon.. Classic.” He looked up at me, eyes widened.

“Oh, Cora right?” I nodded and the boy continued to go back, focusing on his game, “I’m Lori. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Awesome, I’m assuming they’re bad.”

“Well, everyone was saying you beat the kid up to the hospital. Even my mother told me to stay away from you.”

“Oh, boo. He was mean to my friend.”

“Is it that guy, Minho?” I gulped.

“...No. A girl.”

“Why are you being so awkward when I mentioned that guy?” 

“I’m not- That’s none of your business, little dude.” Reminded that I still needed to meet Jisung, I walked away. 

When I finally made it to the record store, I waited anxiously in front of the door for a minute, imagining what might happen. I relaxed and eventually made my way inside. There were numerous vinyl record boxes arranged on each table, and the speakers mounted on the wall were blasting loud rock music. And there were a bunch of band t-shirts in another area. CDs and cassette tapes were in the rear. I headed towards the classic rock section and browsed the records that I would purchase if I were rich at the moment. Then I heard the door shut from what I thought was the rear of the store, and that's when I remembered why I had come here in the first place. I looked up and walked to the location of the noise, where I saw a man locking the office door. His hair was blue, and he was wearing a leather jacket over a Misfits shirt with a few bands and drawing patches on his blue denim pants. Yup, that’s Jisung. 

He froze and his eyes widened as soon as he spun around and looked up at me. I lifted up my hand to offer him a small wave and nervously chuckled at his reaction. I continued to stand awkwardly in front of Jisung, who massaged his eyes and then peered to make sure it was really me. That's when he started flashing me the big smile I used to miss so much. 

“Oh. My. GOD!” Jisung exclaimed loudly, jumping up and down. For the first time in a long time, I laughed and raced to give him the longest hug I could give; he hugged me so tightly that I nearly passed out. "Cora! Holy shit!”

While holding me, he screamed in my ears. I attempted to withdraw, but he would not let me. "Hey! Not only are you suffocating me, but you're also making my ears go deaf!" When he finally let go of me, we looked at each other for a moment to see what had changed. 

"And you're looking at me for an uncomfortable amount of time." I said as we laughed our asses off once more. 

"Dude, can you blame me? It had been, what? Two years!" Jisung yelled once again, which made me cry with laughter. "Plus, you haven't texted us in a long time. We never forgot about you, you know? Not when you're our coolest friend." 

Even though Jisung's comments were making me feel a little emotional already, it made me think of Minho again. If not every day, then at least occasionally, I wondered if he ever thought about me. Hell, I wondered if he ever felt bad for shoving me away like that. I wondered if he had ever cared about me. Jisung's voice stunned me after I had been zoning out for a moment. 

"I am SO going to tell Chan and Vanna about this!" Excitedly, he took his phone out of the pocket of his leather jacket and began texting them, pacing back and forth. 

"Wait, Vanna?" I frowned. It's been a while since I heard from her. 

"Oh, right! That Vanna, yes. She’s sort of our backup for the drummer." He responded, illustrating every word with hand motions. 

"You guys still play in a band?" I let out a gasp.

"Yes! But it's been almost a month since we last played since, you know, we've been pretty busy lately." With a sigh, Jisung peered around the shop until all of a sudden he stopped and held up his index finger at me. "Wait here. I have a gift for you.” I nodded, giving that air of confusion, and then I went back to the place I had been at before, looking through every box in the classic rock section. I eventually grew bored and started exploring the store's various categories. Punk, indie, R&B, metal, and many other genres were represented. As I browsed the indie section, contemplating which records to purchase later if I had an opportunity, my attention was drawn to a certain album. Young The Giant's self-titled album. When I remembered how often Minho used to play this record whenever I visited his place, I started to feel emotional again—for the hundredth time. To be honest, I could list a lot of bands that make me think of him. Why does he never text me? Not even an apology at least? 

I exhaled deeply, carefully set down the record, and took another look around the shop. Then I noticed a piece of paper that was pinned to the bulletin board beside the entrance door. I moved in closer to examine the paper, and to my surprise, it was a missing poster with a familiar face. A photo of a young, attractive, long blonde haired man with freckles and a lovely smile. Felix Lee. 

"He has been missing for a year now." The abrupt voice startled me, so I turned to face the redhead guy immediately. It took me a moment to realize, though, that it was one of my friends. Chan. He had on a black hoodie and ripped jeans with a chain connected.

"You scared the hell out of me. Fuck you." I gave him the hardest shoulder blow I could manage. His laughter got so loud, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I refused to look at him and crossed my arms. He laughed again, seeing that I was being a little whiny child. "Oh my god, stop it. I'm going to kill you." 

"All right, all right. I'll stop. Come here." Chan invited you to give him a hug by spreading his arms wide. I smiled and moved to offer him the same long embrace that I gave Jisung, but this one was much softer and more welcome. "I missed you, kiddo."

"I missed you, too." We both pulled away from the hug, and I saw Chan's eyes shift to Felix's missing poster. 

"Do you know what really happened to him?"

"Not really. Y’know at first, I thought he just disappeared without a word.” He sighed, folding his arms. “I can't stop worrying about whether or not he is safe, even if we are no longer friends." 

"I remember he told me how he always wanted to escape this town." I recalled. 

"Yeah." Chan muttered. 

"Damn, no need to get too dark." We both turned to look at Jisung as he held up two vinyl records: Fleetwood Mac and Agents of Fortune by Blue Oyster Cult. "Sorry for the wait. I had to go through a lot of limited edition boxes and all that shit."

"My favorite albums!" I gasped and reached for the vinyls. "Wait, you don't have to give this to me for free."

"But I really want to! I'm just glad to have you back, so please have this as a gift." After Jisung's comments, my heart warmed, and I placed the vinyls down on the counter to give him another embrace. Chan then joined in. Moving to a new city for college and spending the last two years living alone in a dorm didn't go as planned. Especially, not having any friends meant that I had no one to talk to. Really, though, I'm glad to be back where I belong—among my best friends, with whom I've missed spending a lot of time with. 

"Oh hey, Vanna!" Jisung said, releasing his hug to welcome Vanna. Chan and I also greeted her, though I was suddenly nervous because I hadn't spoken to Vanna since the last year of middle school. She appeared to be a lot different than before. Short black hair with micro bangs, dressed entirely in black. Denim vest over a long-sleeved top, fingerless fishnet gloves, and leggings. She wore a black pearl necklace around her vest's collar and carried a leather bag. 

"Oh, did I just ruin your emotional reunion? Oops.” Vanna murmured, staring at Jisung and Chan with a blank expression before turning to face me. I gave an awkward little smile and waved. "Surprised to see you back, I guess." 

Jisung began clapping with his hands and bouncing up and down. "This is going to be the greatest day, week, month, and year ever, without a doubt!" 

"You're going to hear this a thousand times this week, but we're really happy to have you back," Chan jokes. "For real." 

"Yeah. For real." Vanna agreed while maintaining her blank stare. "Amazing day to be back as well. There will be a party tonight. In the woods. If you're down." Vanna crossed her legs and leaned against the counter, waiting for anyone to respond. I turned to face Chan and Jisung, who both nodded, indicating that their work shifts end in the afternoon and that they were good to go. I wanted to ask a question before I even decided to go. 

"Uhm, is Minho going?" The room went dead silence when I asked a question about Minho, who doesn't talk to me anymore and they knew that. Vanna frowned in confusion at the question, but she took it as an excuse to play on her phone and avoid being involved. However, Jisung and Chan appeared a little afraid to respond. I became afraid as well, immediately projecting the worst-case scenarios about Minho.

"Before you overthink, kiddo, Minho is alive and well." Chan scratched his head and sighed. "We just don't talk anymore." Head down, Jisung nodded in agreement with Chan. Oh, damn.

"But you guys act like he's dead." I laughed, causing them to both chuckle too. "But what happened?" 

"Well, remember how he just cut you off after you told him you were leaving? So, when you left, Jisung and I tried to talk to Minho, and things got, you know, complicated." 

“That doesn't really help at all, Chan. I'll never get why he was so mad at me for leaving. We have phones, so it's not like I was going to stop talking to him."

"He wasn't mad!" Jisung chimed in right away, saying, "It was something more, like— Dude, I dunno! If only his ass wouldn't be such a goddamn wimp, or at least be honest rather than so damned stubborn—" Chan quickly covered Jisung's mouth while Vanna, who was still engrossed in her phone, walked out bidding goodbye. But his outburst over Minho confused me even more. 

"I really want to tell you what it is, though I'm sure Minho would like to talk to you now that you're back. He wasn't upset about you leaving, and he doesn't hate you. Just... maybe talk it out properly this time if you see him." Chan, like a sweetheart, gave me a tiny piece of advice while still covering Jisung's mouth, who begged him to let go. "Also, to finally answer your question, he'll definitely be there tonight."

I guess now is the time to discover the truth and solve the mystery.

Do you feel ashamed

When you hear my name?

Having spent a few hours at Jisung's workplace, I went home to change for the party. Because I was never a party or formal type, I didn't have a lot of party clothes. Wearing something a little more simple, though, shouldn't harm anyone. I then put on a pair of dirty black Converse, blue denim ripped jeans, and a long sleeve black and white striped shirt that I had tucked in. The floor was a little messy now that the clothes had been tossed around trying to figure out what to wear. Vanna texted me to let me know she was on her way, so I hurried to get a crossbody purse and stuff my Polaroid camera inside. And finally, I snuck into my mom's bathroom to use her antique floral perfume. 

The sound of the honk from outside, indicating that Vanna was here, had me running downstairs. When I got inside the car, Jisung and Chan were also there, and so I sat next to Jisung. While the other three were chatting and the radio played random songs, I propped my head against the window and observed the several trees we passed. Throughout the twenty minutes of the drive, Jisung continued to move himself closer to the front to discuss his conspiracy theories with Vanna and Chan. Even though we were all adults now, we hadn't changed a bit. 

When we arrived, it appeared to be a deserted camping spot where a group of kids had gathered for a party. After exiting the vehicle, Chan struck up a conversation with some of the kids lingering in the parking lot. Vanna, In the meantime, had vanished somewhere, and Jisung and I were attempting to find our way to the party. There was a band playing, a bonfire, lights strung from trees, and the party was held by the lake. The band started playing, and everyone in the pit began to dance along. To the left, a few tables were set up with snacks and drinks. The ice cooler, which holds beer, was next to the table. 

Jisung shouted that we should start drinking before jumping in the pit. I knew I would regret this, but why not? You only get one chance at life. Jisung grabbed my hand as we went to the ice cooler to grab a beer for each of us. I started to sip a tiny bit and laughed when I glanced over to find Jisung drinking half a can already. It had been a long time since the last time I drank and that very same day I threw up a thousand times on Chan’s toilet, so I wasn't really sure whether or not to down today. Although I could already feel myself getting a little tipsy with each sip and decided to just fuck it and finish the can. After consuming the last of the beer cans and throwing them in the trash, Jisung and I joined in to dance.

We had been singing along to our favorite songs for quite some time, and I was laughing so hard at Jisung's headbanging that I lost my voice. Now when it was time to take a break and get some fresh air, I told Jisung that I was going to be by the campfire and he gave me the thumbs up. I made my way through the mass of people who were partying a little too hard and looked for a bonfire that was located up in the hill. I pulled out my phone and played on it for a little bit, only browsing social media, which I hadn't used in a long time, as I sat down on the log. I eventually felt that I was growing bored and chose to take in the gorgeous lake view from this location. I could feel myself about to vomit, but I had to contain it in order not to embarrass myself in front of people. Despite the fact that there was no one around the bonfire and just a small ice cooler. When I opened it, I thought maybe there might be a water bottle inside, but all I found was beer. Shrugging, I took another one of these anyway.  

"Do you still not have a new shirt that you promised to buy me after you puked in it last time?" I froze all at once. Oh, that voice. I carefully set my beer down on my knee, afraid to glance up at the man I've been getting worked up over. He moved to sit next to me, took up the log sticks, and gave one to me. Bewildered and unwilling to look up, I took hold of the stick and watched what he was doing. There were crackers, chocolate bars, and packets of marshmallows that I was probably too drunk to notice earlier. He put a marshmallow on a stick and moved it closer to the flames. I finally compelled myself to glance up at his side profile as he was doing so, and I could feel my heartbeat quicken. It was really Minho. Plus, he was far more attractive. Wide-leg jeans with a plaid flannel worn over and a black shirt tucked in. This time, his hair had changed to a copper reddish brown color. 

"You're here." After a while, I spoke. 

"So are you." He laughed softly. I missed hearing that sound. 

I was staring at the side of his face until he turned to look directly into my eyes. How pretty his eyes were. That lovely smile of his. Oh, dude, I really missed him. 

"We also have a lot to talk about." Minho added, "and a big apology."

Anyway, don’t be a stranger.

NEXT JOURNAL

AUTHOR'S NOTE ➳ hi! i would absolutely love to hear ur feedback on this, so pls make sure to like and comment! im actually very excited to keep this going even tho my semester is starting next week, but its ok i have like two classes for this month LOL

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