Y Seatmate Is The Best Man?

ℳy seatmate is the best man? ⸝⸝

꒰ 💒 ꒱ 𝒫ark 𝒮unghoon [성훈] : 𝒪neshot!

𝓰enre : fluffy fluffy fluff!

𝓹airing : non-idol,,best man sunghoon x maid of honor fem reader.

𝓢ynopsis : you just so happen to sit beside a handsome man on the plane when traveling to your best friend’s wedding destination– only to embarrass yourself by spilling some of your drink on him. however, what happens when you find out he’s the best man at said wedding– can you avoid him through the whole weekend? or does fate hold a different outcome?

𝔀arning(s) : prepare to feel some embarrassment and see some sickeningly cute content.

𝔀ord 𝓬ount : 1310

꒰ 💬 ꒱ 𝓂i 𝓃ote :

this idea came to me so suddenly, i had to get crafting. this is actually one of my favorites– and it of course includes a musical element. (play we are stars by the pierces for the full effect!) to my regulars, you probably think this’ll have more singing– but it’s just a dance scene. i hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please like and reblog. it’s always appreciated. <33

enjoy, my lovely readers. xoxo, mi.

also! this one is dedicated to my sweet @pshbites aka cutie kai who is so dear to my heart. please check out her smau as well, love on air!

this tale begins with a flight– a journey packed with clumsiness, brooding, and discovery. while this love story falls beneath the cliche archetype, within no means does it reflect the traditional style of romance.

and it all started with marriage, funny enough.

you see, your best friend, mariella, scheduled her wedding over the expanse of a three-day weekend. your flight was expected to land in verona, italy– her destination of choice– by 2pm on friday.

when you arrived at the airport, everything was running rather smoothly; despite the grumpy staff who glared as if you prevented them from enjoying their morning coffee. you’d succeeded in checking your luggage and proceeding through the extensive security, settled at your boarding gate before your flight.

and it seemed anxiety free, because once you’d boarded the plane, you’d found your assigned seat which happened to be an empty row– where you'd be sat beside the window.

it truly couldn’t have gotten any better… right?

oh, how wrong you were. any trip was bound to have a bump in the road– at least that’s what your gut screamed.

an incredibly handsome boy– that you would assume is your age– sat beside you, lost in his own world of headphones and music. through the hours of being in his presence, you’d sneak glances from your romance novel to admire his features.

and even if he did notice, he made no comment, content as the flight continued. however, when the flight approached its landing and everyone was discarding their garbage– your clumsiness appeared at the forefront.

the flight attendant approached your row, holding out a garbage bag with gentle hands, to which you attempted to reach over and dispose of your half-empty water cup. except, you’d lost your grip, the liquid splattering all over your cute seatmate’s hoodie, causing you to release a gasp.

“oh my gosh, i am so incredibly sorry–” you frantically apologize, glancing up at the boy, eyes wide with horror.

the male simply stared at you with crinkled eyes, a playful smile on his face. “it’s alright, no harm done here. it’s only water, it’ll dry.”

from that moment onward, throughout the twenty minutes it took for the plane to land and to exit the aircraft– you’d avoided glancing in his direction, even scooting to the far left of your seat.

and when you’d exited your flight? you immediately rushed to find your best friend who’d agreed to meet you at baggage claim, leaving the embarrassing experience behind you.

but, miraculously, you found yourself at mariella’s wedding rehearsal that same night, meeting the groomsmen for the first time. and to your surprise, the best man just happened to be him.

the same boy from the plane, your seatmate, and the one you’d spilled water all over.

he’d literally be your partner walking down the aisle, the one you lock arms with.

“well, shit.” you muttered under your breath at the sight of his pearly smile, proceeding to shake hands in greeting– to which you’d learned that his name is sunghoon.

even as rehearsal continued, you’d avoided him at all costs, outside of practicing the ceremony. it was dreadful to put simply, that your embarrassment would continue to follow you with every glance in his direction.

thankfully, nobody noticed– not mariella, not the groom, jake– and anybody else in the bride and groom’s respective parties.

it was now saturday, the day of the wedding. you’d completed the process of getting ready, assisting the other girls with their makeup and hair– each of you dolled up in mariella’s chosen color. pictures were taken for each party, the bride and groom, and any others that the couple requested.

the ceremony began early into the day, the process running as expected, effortless after the continual practice from the night before. despite the unease of being beside sunghoon, he kept you grounded, ensuring that no mistakes were made as he guided you down the aisle.

and as the ceremony concluded and led into the festivities of the reception, you chose to be alone. with no plus one, or much connection with the other guests.

despite the few words you’d shared with your best friend, it was her day, and you didn’t want to distract her from the joy of her union with your sulking.

you’d watched with a smile as the newly wedded couple shared their first dance, overjoyed to see mariella have her happy ending.

even throughout your speech, dinner, and the disperse of their cake– you’d lingered at your assigned seat, fiddling with your fingers.

with music playing in the background, guests began to crowd the dance floor, freely congratulating and celebrating with the bride and groom, smiles and laughter throughout the hall.

and as a slow song played, a figure kneeled in front of you– your eyes trailing to meet his.

“hey, pretty girl.” sunghoon greets with the softest voice, extending his hand. “come dance with me.” he invites, waiting for you to place your palm in his.

with a soft sigh, you stare up at him with unease, biting the inside of your cheek.

“okay.” you agree, placing your palm in his– allowing him anchorage to tug you gently from your seat.

“we are stars,” the music hums in the background as he guides you onto the dancefloor, hands finding a secure place on your waist.

“relax, sweetheart.” he mutters, only loud enough for you to hear, urging you to stand beneath the shadow of his towering frame.

“fashioned in the flesh and bone, we are islands,” the music envelopes you and sunghoon, granting a bubble of privacy.

“you’re beautiful.” he praises, a gentle smile tugging at the corner of his lip.

“thank you.” you whisper, staring up into his dark orbs, captured in a dance of longing and discovery.

“excuses to remain alone, we are moons,” swaying with one another, you avert your gaze for a moment before returning it to him.

“y/n.” he calls, raising a hand to capture your chin between the pad of his thumb and knuckle of his forefinger.

“yes?” you question slowly, entranced by his sharp features and moles littered across his skin. 

“throw ourselves around each other, we are oceans,” he admires you for a brief pause, his expression softening.

“you spilling water on me was an accident.” sunghoon firmly mutters, as if trying to convince you.

“i..” you try to speak, only to be cut off by his next words– in which you release a sigh.

“it doesn’t need to be carried with us.” he finishes, dipping his head to lean closer to you.

“being controlled by the pull of another,”

“and i, just wanna be loved by you,”

“your clumsiness doesn’t harm me, in fact, it only made me want to be closer to you.” sunghoon admits, his lips brushing against your forehead in a quick kiss.

“give me a chance, pretty girl.” he retracts from your skin, causing you to stare up at him.

“yeah i, just wanna be loved by you,”

“okay.” you agree, nodding your head in a visual display of your consent. “i’d like that.” you admit in a gentle voice, hands moving from his chest to wrap around his neck.

“i see nothing worse than to sail this universe without you,” the music fades, your movements not once faltering as sunghoon leans in to press his lips to yours.

“we’ll change our seats for the next flight. i can’t have you sit beside another man and spill water on him.” he teases, his lips brushing against yours in a playful dance.

“oh, definitely. there’s nobody else i’d rather spill water on anyway.” you respond in taunt, your laughter meshing into one as you share a sweet kiss, comfortable in each other’s arms.

and with that, your embarrassment was left behind– your clumsiness leading your boyfriend straight to your heart.

taglist : @greentulip @nshmuras @wonsdoll @pnghoon @pshbites 📎

Enchanted Forests

❥ pairing: lee heeseung x female reader ❥ genres/tropes/aus: one-shot, fluff, angst, romance, high fantasy, strangers-ish to lovers, king!heeseung, fantasy!au, royalty!au ❥ rating: pg-13 ❥ warnings: mentions of food, kissing, let me know if i am missing something ❥word count: 12.2k ❥ summary:  Lee Heeseung is no longer a prince. Now as the King of Lerya, he is ready for some changes. For starters, he'll allow the practice of magic between his Kingdom's borders. That change won't be easy, but he's not one to give up. Besides, he knows of someone with magic. Someone to whom he made a promise when he was a kid, a promise he doesn't intend to break. All he has to do now is find Y/N to make her his Queen.

❥ lia’s note: Hello, how are you? Here I am, publishing this fic again with minor grammar and typo fixes. I absolutely love this story and the world created in it, and I can't wait to explore it further in other unreleased one-shots. I hope you enjoy reading it! Please, like/reblog this post if you enjoyed reading it, and let me know your thoughts through an ask if you feel like it! As always, happy reading!

[enhypen m.list] ● [general m.list] ● [join my taglist]

The crown was heavy on Heeseung’s head. Decorated with precious stones and bathed in gold, the crown should not be on his head. Heeseung wasn’t fit to be a King. He wasn’t fit to sit on the throne.

“In the name of all Saints and Spirits, in the name of the world we know and what is beyond it, I present to you the new King of Lerya, Lee Heeseung. May your reign be filled with blessings, peace, prosperity, and growth. May your reign be long, your majesty.”

Heeseung watched as the crowd bowed their heads to him and the room grew silent, their eyes no longer looking at him. He stood there, keeping his chin high, his hands behind his back.

“May our Kingdom grow beyond our borders,” he opened his arms, trying to sound strong in his claims. “May all Saints bless our land and lives. May all spirits guide us in our quests! To Lerya!”

“To Lerya!” The master of ceremonies shouted and everyone else in the throne room followed, their heads lifting to look at the new King. Heeseung did not feel like a King, he felt like a fraud.

Slowly, the crowd erupted in cheers and claps. Women sobbed at the sight of him, wiping their tears away with small tissues. The men had their hands on their chests, above where their hearts were, and mumbled their prayers under their breath.

Heeseung slowly climbed down the stairs of the throne room, meeting the crowd in front of him. Women pretended to faint and some tried to grab him, others simply bowed and hid their faces. He kept a steady pace, walking towards the balcony in front of him where he would greet his kingdom and its people, the ones that truly mattered to him.

The royal guards in front of him bowed and opened the balcony doors, revealing a large crowd in the palace gardens, cheering loudly and excitedly. He had been told people had travelled all the way to see his coronation, to meet the new King they would now be serving.

“Do not do anything foolish, boy,” his mother whispered to him, a black veil covering her face. “You are not their hero. You are their King. You must understand the difference.”

Heeseung took a deep breath and walked to the balcony, the cheers becoming louder and more intense. People waved their hands in the air and he saw parents raise their children as if to be blessed by him.

He waved at them, thinking about the classes he had when he was five about royal etiquette. They had been boring, but at least he could do this right. He waited until the crowd calmed down to start his speech. All these people would be under his guidance, under his protection. They were all willing to serve him, to give him their life. Now he understood why the crown was so heavy.

He took another deep breath and moved closer to the edge of the balcony, the long cape around his shoulders taking a toll on his steps.

“I am Lee Heeseung, King of Lerya,” he started, his voice echoing. Everyone stopped talking to listen to him. “I shall be in your care and in your protection too.”

He heard murmurs behind him, but he ignored them. If he was going to be a King, then some changes were in order. And what better place to announce them than here, in front of everyone?

“I am not like my father,” he continued. “Where he attacked, I defend. Where he took, I give. The Kingdom of Lerya has suffered, you have suffered. But that is no more.”

“Heeseung… do not think about it. You will unleash hell if you do so.”

“We live in a fractured Kingdom, under the illusion we are all the same. But we are not. I cannot correct the past, but I hope to work on our present, to build a strong and powerful future for Lerya.”

The crowd erupted in cheers, but the people behind him were not pleased. That meant he was doing something well already.

“From today onward, the Moonlight Pact is no longer applicable. Magic will be restored in Lerya. Our Kingdom will be one again.” He smiled and placed his hand over his heart. “For Lerya.”

“For Lerya! King Heeseung! For Lerya!”

Heeseung watched as the crowd quickly erupted in cheers again, shouting his name repeatedly, a chant he wasn’t used to.

He was King now. And he was not going to be like his father. His decision was about to make a lot of people uncomfortable, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was Lerya, it was his Kingdom.

“You will regret it, Heeseung!” his mother said harshly, turning her back on him and walking inside. Other officials did the same, but Heeseung remained, waving and smiling at the people down below in the palace gardens, their expressions happy.

If the Moonlight Pact was no longer applicable, then families could reunite again. Lovers could meet once more in Lerya. Magical beings didn’t have to hide any longer.

And Heeseung could finally meet you again, just like he had promised you all those years ago.

“The horse is ready, your majesty.” A royal guard bowed to him and Heeseung looked at him, nodding softly. “What shall I say to the rest of the court?”

“Inform them I wasn’t feeling too well. I shall return before sunset, for the ball. Until then, keep them occupied.”

“I will do as you wish, Your Majesty.”

Heeseung walked inside the throne room to find it empty. He quickly took off his crown, placing it on a purple velvet pillow. The cape on his shoulders disappeared next and he gave it to the royal guard, who looked at him confused.

“How would you feel about becoming my personal guard, Jungwon?”

The guard’s eyes widened in shock. “How do you know my name?”

“I am the King, after all. Please, store that and keep the crown safe. If you succeed, I shall make you my personal guard.”

“It would be in my highest interest to serve you, Your Majesty.”

Heeseung bowed and patted Jungwon on the shoulder, smiling softly at him. Without saying any more words, he exited the throne room through the secret passage and made his way to the stables, ready to be gone from the palace for a couple of hours.

The cottage where your family lived was located near the northern border, next to the Kingdom of Rivest. It was small, but it had everything you needed: a small stove to cook meals, a vegetable garden that extended to the tallest of trees, and a small river that ran nearby where you could wash your clothes and go for a swim.

It wasn’t much, but it was all you could afford right now. It was a risk to remain in Lerya, especially after the Moonlight Pact was signed, but you couldn’t part ways with this place. Rivest was too cold and quite sad whereas Lerya was sunny and warm, a wonderful place to live.

Today was a beautiful day. The sun shone higher, and you had changed all the bed sheets and placed them to dry. If everything went as planned, you’d bake a cake around sunset, so you could have it as dessert for dinner and share it with your family.

After you were done with your tasks, you went inside and decided to change into some more light clothes. You sang under your breath, excited about what the rest of the day had in store.

Since the weather was so nice, you decided to go for a swim. You prepared a small basket with all the essentials for a small picnic: some freshly baked bread, some jam, a couple of fruits, and of course, some cutlery.

“Do not be late,” your mother warned, kissing the top of your head. “Remember, after sunset—"

“The forest nymphs no longer look out for us. I know, Mother. I’ll be back soon. I just want to enjoy the weather.”

She nodded and watched you walk away from the cottage and into the lush and dense forestation nearby. You already knew the path to the river, so it wasn’t hard to know which direction to take at which place.

As you walked, you heard giggles in the distance, the ones that the breeze carried. Birds sang at the top of the trees, flying from one to the other, flapping their wings excitedly. You passed by some nymphs who bowed to you, and you returned their gesture, offering some of your food as a sign of respect for them. They would run away excitedly, only to return a little bit later to ask for more.

“The bread is delightful today, Y/N,” the wind whispered to you softly and you giggled. The nymph next to you smiled and extended her hand, her voice carried by the breeze. “Would you please give me some more?”

You nodded and opened your basket, extending a piece of bread her way. However, when you lifted your eyes to where she was standing earlier, you found nothing. You felt the breeze brush against your skin, colder this time. She had gone into hiding.

“I’ll leave this here,” you said, placing the piece of bread on the ground, using some leaves nearby to cover it. “Feel free to return when you can.”

The wind blew again, this time slightly warmer, and you smiled. Carefully, you made your way to the river, listening as the sound of water running became louder and louder until you finally saw it. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes for a minute, taking in the weather, waiting for the forest to greet you.

Still, something was wrong. Right now, you couldn’t feel the wind and all the birds had stopped singing. And then, in the distance, you heard a horse galloping.

You quickly opened your eyes, your heart jumping in your chest. The basket in your hand slipped from your fingers and you weren’t sure of what to do next. You looked around and decided to hide in a small bush, the leaves changing their position to cover you from whatever danger was on the way, concealing you from anyone’s sight.

Part of you wanted to run back home, wanted to alert your grandmother and mother, wanted to let them know that you should run north, that you should cross the border and seek safety there.

But the other part of you wanted to stay and see who was coming. Going back now would be a risk, it could put your safe location in danger. You stood hidden in the bush, listening as the horse run became a trot and afterwards, it stopped. You gulped, watching as the earth beside you engulfed the basket as if to hide it from curious eyes.

“Thank you,” you whispered and felt a leaf brush against your cheek. You smiled to yourself. They may not let you use magic, but that didn’t stop magic from being within you.

Steps became louder and you focused your attention on the other margin of the river. Your head was lighter and you felt fizzy from the intensity of all of it. The wait seemed to last a lifetime, and for a moment, you wondered if this was truly happening, or if you were imagining things. But the way the forest behaved around you told you otherwise.

Someone was coming, someone who wasn’t supposed to be here. Someone who wasn’t magical. But who would dare to cross this forest if they weren’t looking for magic? How did they even get in here?

You knew they were near not from their steps, but from the plants on the other side of the river. They withered momentarily, only to be lush and green again a few moments later. This pattern repeated for a while and your eyes widened, understanding what was happening. Whoever they were, they were being guided here.

Finally, on the other side, you saw a shadow and then a man emerged. He wore an all-dark blue outfit, the golden details standing out. He looked over to the other margin of the river, and the plants around you started to wither, your eyes widening in fear as they jumped between the man and the bush around you, slowly unveiling you.

It took you a while to recognize who he was. Lee Heeseung, prince of Lerya, someone you had met when you were little. Except, he wasn’t a prince anymore. And he certainly wasn’t little anymore.

You watched as he crossed the river, fighting the water current that got to his knees. He struggled for a bit, cursing slightly under his breath. When he emerged on your margin of the river, you noticed on one of his hands, the royal ring.

Lee Heeseung was no longer a prince. Lee Heeseung was now the King of Lerya.

“I’ll make you my Queen one day, Y/N. And I’ll make sure you get to use your magic forever.” You heard his voice in the wind, the leaves shaking around you, a shiver going through your back.

“Make yourself a King first. You know where you can find me now.”

“I will. I promise to come back!”

You were… kids. Lee Heeseung had gotten lost in this exact place when you were ten, and you had helped him find his way back. At the time, you didn’t think too much of it. You were just excited you had someone around your age to play with, someone who had never seen magic. You showed it to him, you even gave him a necklace, one that would protect him. You had… forgotten about it. But he hadn’t. What was he doing here?

“Y/N?” His voice made your heart jump from your chest. It was vastly different from what you remembered, it was deeper, less emotional. The voice of a King.

His eyes followed the trail of leaves that slowly flowed away from where your basket had been buried earlier, only for it to come back intact. Heeseung smiled and he called your name again, waiting for an answer. You kept quiet and watched his eyes looking at the top of the trees. And then, his hand went to his neck and he pulled out a necklace, closing the pendulum in his fist.

“I, hm, I came back.” You closed your eyes, trying not to make a sound. Maybe if you closed your eyes, he would disappear. Maybe if you closed your eyes, you wouldn’t be here. “I… used the necklace you gave me. Who knew forest nymphs were so… flirtatious?”

He chuckled and you could hear his steps moving closer to you, the leaves crushing under his weight.

“Y/N?” he whispered your name, and you could tell he was close, too close now. You slowly opened your eyes and found him staring at you and smiling widely, his voice unsteady. “I found you again.”

You were speechless. Lee Heeseung had turned into a beautiful man, one who was a King now. And yet, you still recognized in him the excited and bright eyes of when you first showed him some of your tricks. He could’ve given you away, but he didn’t.

“You’re a King now,” you said, smiling. “The colour suits you well, Your Majesty.”

You bowed to him, but you couldn’t avoid eye contact with him. You were almost certain he regretted his decision to come here and find you. What was he expecting to see? Probably not you, in your terrible clothes, bruised legs and tired face.

“I was crowned this morning,” he said, taking a step closer to you. “And I… ended the Moonlight Pact, Y/N. You are free to use your magic from now on.”

A sigh escaped your lips and you covered your mouth in shock, your eyes wide. He nodded, smiling and you weren’t able to contain your excitement.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” You bowed to him again, this time more deeply than before. Heeseung cleared his throat and you looked at him, an eyebrow raised. “Did you come all the way here just to tell me that, Your Majesty?”

“I came here to keep my promise to you, Y/N.” He took one step closer to you and grabbed your hand, getting on one knee, looking deep into your eyes. “I wish to make you my Queen. I wish to marry you, Y/N.”

The return to the palace was made in silence, with only the fireflies to guide Heeseung on his way back. His horse pace was fast and he tried not to waste any time. The sun had already set which meant the ball had already started. He hoped Jungwon had found a plausible excuse for his absence and that his mother hadn’t noticed he was gone.

If she did, then Heeseung would be in trouble.

He looked back at the trail he left behind, the ground where his horse’s steps had been engraved disappearing, the tree branches growing bigger and thicker as he moved away from them, hiding the path that would lead to you.

After all these years, Heeseung wanted to keep his promise to you. The two of you might have been young, but throughout all these years, you never left his mind. He wondered how you were doing, if you were still alive, if you had fled the Kingdom. Heeseung pondered visiting you once, on his sixteenth birthday, but the risk was too high. As he grew older, he became aware of what magic was and how dangerous it was for magical people to live within Lerya’s borders.

He never dared to visit you after all this knowledge, not until it was safe for you. While he was preparing to become King, Heeseung devoted most of his time to finding a safe way to bring magic back to Lerya. All of this he did in secret and by himself, but he needed someone to help him put his plan into practice.

You.

Still, you needed time. You asked Heeseung to come to visit you a couple of hours later. You wanted to think, to ponder, to inform your mother and grandmother.

“I will be staying at this palace for a couple more days,” Heeseung told you. “Then I will return to Mirandele, to Lerya’s capital.”

“That is quite far away…” You paced in front of him, eyes focused on the ground as you bit your lower lip. “It’s at least a three-day trip, isn’t it? What about my mother, my grandmother? Would I have to leave them behind?”

He nodded and sighed, hands behind his back. “Yes. They would be safe here, protected. At the palace, I could never assure their safety. I… haven’t found the right people to trust yet.”

“What about me?” you asked, worried. “Can you assure my safety? You wish to make me a Queen but… that is foolish for a King. We barely know each other.”

“It is more than making you a Queen, Y/N. It is about a statement. It is about presenting you as my equal to our Kingdom. It is about acknowledging that magic or no magic, everyone is welcomed in Lerya.”

You chuckled, shaking your head. “So I would be a trophy for you to flaunt around, is it?” You started to imitate his gestures and voice. “Look at me, Lee Heeseung, the fairest of all Leryan Kings. Look at me, bringing back the magic. I am so just, I am the best!”

“I mean it, Y/N.”

“So do I, Heeseung.” This was the first time you addressed him by his first name. “I am not a statement. I am not a message. I am a person. If you only wish to have me for that, then don’t have me at all. Have me because you wish to know me, to love me, even. Have me because magic isn’t the only thing about me that you find interesting or endearing. Then, only then, will I consider becoming your Queen.”

It felt strange to Heeseung that at that moment, you didn’t immediately consider his offer and said yes. Still, he understood your point of view. Maybe the reason why he wished to have you by his side seemed vain and superficial, but there had never been anyone who had made him feel like you did. And even this afternoon, when he was next to you, when his hand brushed against your cheek, when his eyes looked deeply into yours, Heeseung couldn’t deny that there was something between you two. A connection, some would call it. But Heeseung knew it was more than that.

As he approached the palace’s gate, he slowed down the pace of his horse to a soft trot. Some guards came to meet him, all surprised to see him there. They bowed to him, and one of them stepped forward. He carried a patch over his left eye, the royal emblem sewn in a thick golden thread on it.

“Your majesty. We did not know you were on a… horse ride.”

“I wasn’t feeling my best,” he lied, keeping the balance on his horse. “I would like to return to my chamber now. Open the gates.”

Slowly, the silver gates opened in front of him, and he trotted his way to the stables, the candles dimmed at this time of day. He stepped down off his horse when he saw Jungwon, his worried expression as he looked at Heeseung’s outfit.

“Your majesty, where were you? The ball is starting and your royal outfit… what happened? Should I… try to buy you some more time?”

“Did people suspect I was gone?” he asked as he patted his horse, watching as a stable worker took him away promptly. Heeseung started to walk and signalled Jungwon to follow him. The royal guard bowed and followed him a few steps behind.

“Your mother asked several questions about your absence. I will let you know what I told her, so we both have the same story, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Jungwon.”

Jungwon quickly filled Heeseung on what had happened. Most people were gone by now, only the most important figures of the court remained, all wearing their lavish gowns and beautiful outfits. Heeseung stopped by his chamber and quickly got changed with Jungwon’s help who was more delighted about the entire evening than the King himself.

“I need to ask a favour of you, Jungwon.” Heeseung stopped in front of the ballroom, the guards bowing to them, their hands reaching for the handles on the doors.

“What can I do for you, Your Majesty?”

“Come and meet me at the ball in half an hour. Get two horses ready for a departure at dawn. You will ride with me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. May I know where?”

Heeseung fixed the cuffs and took a deep breath, his hand finding the necklace tucked below his attire. He smiled and nodded to the guards, who opened the doors slowly. He took this time to look at Jungwon who stared at him, expectantly.

“I want to show you something. Have you ever witnessed… magic?”

Heeseung didn’t wait for Jungwon’s response. He held his chin high and smiled brightly, walking into the ballroom, everyone around him bowing at the sight of him. The music stopped and Heeseung walked to the throne in the room and sat down, receiving a disdained scoff from his mother.

“Where were you, boy?” she asked, the black veil still covering her face.

He didn’t answer. Heeseung signalled so the music could start again and relaxed on his throne, watching as people enjoyed themselves and danced excitedly with one another.

Part of the words you had said to Heeseung still lingered in his mind. He might’ve considered you a message, a statement he wanted to make. But you were more than that.

You were the woman he couldn’t forget, the one he wanted to love. The one he wished to call his Queen. To Heeseung, it only made sense that the throne next to him would be filled by you and no one else. And about the magic and the abilities you had, he would give you the choice to keep them to yourself or reveal them whenever you found it right to do so.

Heeseung wanted you to know that he saw you for who you were and not just because of your magic.

After your encounter with Heeseung, you returned home as quickly as possible. You informed your mother and grandmother of what had happened and finally revealed to them the identity of the boy you met all those years ago.

“He was a prince at the time,” you admitted, unable to look at them. “But today… he was a King.”

“What did he do to you? Do we need to leave? Did he follow you here?”

You shook your head, a bittersweet smile on your lips. “He… ended the Moonlight Pact.” They both gasped, covering their mouths in shock. “And he wishes to make me… a Queen.”

“A Queen?” You nodded and the room fell silent.

The flames danced in the small fireplace nearby, their shadows greeting the walls around you. You watched as they grew smaller and bigger, similar to your decision.

You hadn’t fully grasped the reality of what was going on, but you couldn’t help but trust him to do the right thing. He had kept his promise and the forest had led him to you. And that hadn’t been just the necklace’s doing. That amulet only protected people, it didn’t guide them. There had to be something else at play.

“And… there’s more.”

“More?” Your grandmother stood from her chair and walked to you, her stern gaze on you. “Do not let yourself be fooled by the words of a handsome man, Y/N. He wants to lure you into a trap and take us both with you.”

“The forest trusts him, Grandma. It guided him to me.”

They exchanged a knowing look and your mother sat next to you, wrapping her hands on yours.

“When you were little, you gave him something, as a sign of your trust for him. And in return, the forest accepted him as one of our own. It was your trust that guided him to you, Y/N. And when he made that promise, the forest didn’t forget. If it brought him to you, then it means it is blessed and that it must be fulfilled.”

You looked at them, confused. “What does that mean?”

“It means you must become Queen, child!” Your grandmother spat out, gesturing to you.

“I'm not a child anymore!” You stood from the bench and started to pace around the room, trying to make some sense of it. “What if I don’t want to be Queen?”

“You made that promise with the purest of intentions, Y/N. If you turn your back on a promise blessed by the forest—"

“Then I’m turning my back on their protection and kindness as well,” you concluded your mother’s sentence and she nodded. “I am not prepared for this. What if I fail?”

That was your biggest fear. Heeseung barely knew you, but he already expected so much of you. You didn’t grow up in court, you barely knew what life with other people was like. You grew up with your mother and grandmother and you only saw him once, nobody else ever crossed these parts of the forest, they were sacred and forbidden to visit by law.

Still, you couldn’t turn your back on him now. Now that you knew all this information, saying no to Heeseung was an act of defiance to this forest, to this place that always protected you, that always looked after you. You were terrified, you knew what would happen if you did so.

“It won’t be easy, child,” your grandma said, bringing you back to reality. “Magic has been gone for too long. You will be feared before you are accepted.”

You nodded and looked at them both. Tonight would be your last night here with them. You would part ways with them both, you weren’t sure when you’d see them again. Your heart shrank in your chest and you couldn’t help but cry to let all the emotions out of your system.

Your mother stood and hugged you, kissing the top of your head and whispering to you. Tomorrow, if you were feeling lonely, you wouldn’t have anyone to do this to you, to tell you everything would be fine, to caress your back or kiss your cheek, to make you laugh through your tears. Everything you knew would be gone and it would be replaced by something you weren’t even sure what it was, but it terrified you.

“We will meet again, someday. Until then, you can whisper to the trees. They’ll take care of your fears and worries.”

You didn’t want to take this as a goodbye, but part of you knew this was the last time you’d ever see them. You looked at their faces with all the attention you could, trying to remember their expressions, the details, the small nuances of their voices. You did this so that on your lonely and cold nights, you could look at your memories and find some comfort in them, trying to remember what home felt like.

Dawn crept quickly and Heeseung had everything ready. Jungwon joined him by the gates, wearing his royal guard attire, a black jacket with golden details, white pants and pantaloons boots. After a small exchange, the two got on their horses and trotted their way into the deep and dense forest.

Heeseung didn’t rest and followed the path he had made yesterday, Jungwon trailing behind. As he entered the forest more, he stopped relying on the roads and beaten tracks used by farmers and villagers to get in and out of here. Instead, he focused on the wind, a hand above his heart and the other holding the pendulum of his necklace in his hands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing all his energies on one thought only.

Take me to Y/N. Show me the path to her.

He repeated this several times to himself, focusing on his intention with all the strength he had. When he felt a breeze softly brush against his cheek, he opened his eyes. He waited, watching as the tree branches in front of him became smaller and withered, the flowers slowly disappeared, replaced by a beaten track, the same he had taken yesterday.

“He is with me,” Heeseung said out loud to the trees, another breeze greeting him. “He is to be trusted as well.”

He turned around to look at Jungwon who glanced at his surroundings with a mixture of amazement and fear.

“You’re safe,” Heeseung said and he looked at him, nodding. “What you will see here shall not be repeated or commented with anyone without the Queen’s permission. Is that understood?”

Jungwon raised an eyebrow. “The Queen… you mean your mother, Your Majesty?”

“No.” Heeseung’s smile increased slightly and he crossed the thick opening, Jungwon following behind. “I'm talking about the future Queen of Lerya. You’ll be the first to meet her. Said information should not be shared either before the court announcement.”

“I… understand.”

“Good.”

The two travelled in silence and Heeseung followed the path that transformed in front of him, opening to let them pass, and returning to its original state after they were gone. He paid attention to any particular sound he could hear, especially one of water nearby. Heeseung was sure to send a cartographer here to get a map of this place if such a request was a possibility.

As he moved further into the forest, the sound of water became more and more prominent and he knew he was close. When he saw the river, he smiled and stopped, Jungwon’s horse stepping slightly forward so they were both side by side.

“What is this place?”

Heeseung got out of his horse and smiled at Jungwon. “Stay here. I’ll be back.”

“Here? Alone?” Jungwon was scared.

“You’ll be fine. Just don’t move. And don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t, Your Majesty.”

Heeseung fixed his outfit and just like the previous day, he struggled to cross the river. At this time of the day, the waters were cleaner and he could see the rocks at the bottom of the river and some fish swimming by. The sun was slowly rising in the distance, the rays of light greeting the surface of the water with shimmering delight.

When he reached the other margin, he looked back at Jungwon who gave him a thumbs-up and a polite smile. He took a deep breath and with his heart beating wildly on his chest, he waited for your arrival.

He paced around, trying to not let his nervousness show too much. What if you decided you wouldn’t show up? What if for some reason, you simply didn’t want to go with him? Thoughts like this were crossing Heeseung’s mind as he saw the sun climb the sky, the weather growing warmer.

After what felt like an eternity, you showed up in front of him, wearing a dark blue cloak that covered your head. You took the hood off and looked at him, smiling. Wearing the royal colour, you already looked like a Queen to Heeseung. He wasn’t sure if your choice had been intentional or not, but he was so glad to see you.

“I brought some freshly baked bread to offer the nymphs on my way out.” You showed Heeseung a hidden basket in your coat and he chuckled. “I hope it’s okay.”

“If there are any left, I’d love to taste one.”

He extended an arm to you, but you looked at it confused. He smiled and extended his hand instead and your features softened. With your hand in his, he quickly guided you to the other side of the river, to where Jungwon was.

“Who is he?” you whispered to him, your eyes focused on Jungwon as you studied him.

“He’s Jungwon. My personal guard.” Heeseung waved at Jungwon who stepped down from his horse and bowed to the two of you, a bright smile on his face.

“My Queen.”

“I'm not Queen yet.” You smiled at his surprised face, reassuring him. “For now, call me Y/N. Heeseung tells me your name is Jungwon?”

“Ah… yes.” He looked at Heeseung confused who simply sighed. It wasn’t normal for people to call him by his first name, it was seen as an offence to the crown, but Heeseung didn’t mind hearing his name coming from your lips.

“Y/N wasn’t raised in court. She is…” he looked at you, a bittersweet smile on your lips. He was asking too much of you, wasn’t he? Presenting you as the Queen, expecting you to know everything about the Kingdom and court rules. “She's a wonderful woman who I had the honour of meeting many years ago. I knew then I’d want her to be by my side during this new journey of my life.”

Slowly, you turned to look at him. Heeseung could not ask you to learn in a couple of months what he had taken an entire lifetime to learn. He couldn’t ask you to become something you were not. And you were right, he barely knew you. So that would be the first step. Getting to know you, introducing you to his world.

After all, all those years ago, you showed him a piece of your world. Now it was his turn to do the same.

“I see…” Jungwon scratched the back of his head and looked at you from head to toe, somewhat confused. He bowed again and smiled. “I'm at your service, Y/N.”

“Thank you, Jungwon. Oh, I want to give you something.” You turned to Heeseung and extended him the basket and he grabbed it, watching as you walked towards a small bush nearby, plucking a small flower bud from it.

You returned, holding the flower by its feet. When you joined them, you placed your palm next to the flower bud and slowly, it bloomed in your hand, growing slightly bigger than it should be. Jungwon was amazed.

“Here,” you extended it to him, smiling. “A gift. Can I place it over your heart?”

“For me?” You nodded and he did the same. “Of course, it would be my honour.”

Carefully, you placed the flower over Jungwon’s heart and it quickly adapted to his attire, creating small little leaves to stay in place and not fall.

“Thank you,” he said, not taking his eyes from the flower. “How… how is this possible?”

“I'm a Bloomer,” you said. “Nature reacts to me and blooms or withers under my presence.”

Heeseung doubted he would ever get used to seeing you use your magic. It always took him back to when he first met you. The excitement, the wonder. And he knew that for you, using your magic was important. It was how you got your health, how you got your glow. That was why you and your family stayed here, in the forest, hidden, and didn’t flee like so many others.

This was your home. And when this realization hit Heeseung like a million rocks at once, he wasn’t sure if this decision was for the best. Mirandele didn’t have lush forests or beautiful flowers. It was colder too.

“Are you sure you want to come?” he asked, seemingly out of nowhere. Yesterday he sounded so confident, so excited about taking you with him. But right now, he wasn’t so certain.

“I'm coming, yes.” You held your hand in his and smiled. “I’ll find a way to make a home somewhere else. Maybe… with you?”

Heeseung looked into your eyes, his heart about to burst from his chest. If Jungwon wasn’t standing right next to you, he would’ve pulled you closer and would’ve hugged you, probably to whisper something in your ear. Still, his personal guard was standing there, and he’d like that moment to be shared only between the two of you. Instead, he expressed one of his thoughts, one that after he said out loud, Heeseung realized that maybe he should’ve kept to himself just for a little longer.

“I’d love nothing more than to have a home with you, Y/N.”

The journey to Mirandele was tiring and extremely draining. For a while, all you saw was the forest and the empty fields that broke down here and there, occasionally passing by a village that you only saw from a distance. Heeseung carried a map with him, pointing to it whenever you passed an important monument or something he thought worthy of mentioning. You watched as the world in front of you took shape, something you had seen in books and read in stories, but never considered to be able to see with your own eyes.

Every night, you would stop to stretch your legs so the horses would rest. Jungwon travelled ahead, to make sure the areas you stopped at were safe and ready to receive the King for a night’s sleep. Even though Heeseung tried to make a small fuss about his return to Mirandele, his mother made sure that he had everything he needed: a cook that always prepared warm meals for everyone involved, a small group of soldiers that protected him from every side, and of course, changes of clothes so that he would arrive at the palace looking as if this journey hadn’t tired him one bit.

You, on the other hand, were the opposite. Heeseung hadn’t announced to the court that he was planning on marrying you, but everyone in this small group already knew who you were. You tried to meet them all and call them by their first name, something that startled them every time you did it. Of course, they were surprised every time you offered them a flower and placed it over their heart. The amazement and surprise in their eyes always delighted you.

When you arrived at Mirandele, you remained in the carriage as Heeseung left to greet everyone. Jungwon joined you inside, a bright smile on his face.

“Welcome to Mirandele, Y/N,” he said. “I'll take you to your quarters. They are ready for you.”

You nodded and the carriage moved from the entrance of the palace, something you couldn’t even see because every window was covered to not reveal your existence. When it stopped, someone banged on the outside of the door and Jungwon exited, offering you a hand to help you get out.

In front of you, a line of people stood, all wearing clothes similar to yours. Jungwon remained by your side and gestured to you. “Our future Queen, Y/N.”

“She doesn’t look like a Queen.” Someone quickly pointed out, looking at you from head to toe. “Did the King hit his head or something?”

A collective laugh. You lowered your eyes and nodded, aware of how you looked. Your hair was dishevelled, your clothes dirty. You didn’t look immaculate or perfect like Heeseung. You looked the exact opposite.

“Please, respect the future Queen,” Jungwon requested, his voice harsh. The laughs stopped but the murmurs continued. “I shall take her to her quarters. Please, prepare a team to assist her in getting ready for court.”

All of them bowed to Jungwon and he gestured for you to follow him, and so you did. You walked through hidden passages until you arrived at a long corridor, the floor covered in a dark blue carpet. The walls were light, with golden motifs sprinkled throughout.

“It is beautiful,” you said, continuing to follow Jungwon, who didn’t seem worried or taken aback by the surroundings.

“Your room.” He stopped in front of a door and opened it, gesturing you to enter. You slowly took some steps towards the inside, wary. “If there’s anything you’d like to change, the King told me you should let me know. I will leave you now.”

Without waiting for your response, Jungwon bowed and closed the door behind him, leaving you alone in the room. You took a deep breath and glanced at the big bed on your right, the small desk in front of you, and a small coffee table with two loveseats on the other side. Everything was light beige, with the details in the dark blue that was known to be the royal colour.

You glanced at some of the windows, seeing a big garden outside that you couldn’t tell where it ended. You would be sure to explore it when you had the time. Still, this room was too big for you. There were several doors in your bedroom, one that led to a bathroom, another that led to a guest room, and a third one that was locked, the royal emblem drawn on the door. You leaned your ear against it and heard a voice that you had grown accustomed to hearing: Heeseung’s.

However, your moment alone was short-lived because your room filled with people again, all of them wearing beautiful attire. In the centre, a tall woman stood, an inquisitive look on her face as she looked at you.

“So, you’re the future Queen?” She shook her head, making her dark curls bounce. “Jungwon did tell me I had a hard job ahead of me, but I never expected it to be this…”

“Hard?”

She met your eyes and shook her head, smiling kindly at you. “Challenging. But I love a good challenge.”

She turned around to face her crew and clapped once, giving orders. “You two prepare the bath, you two get me a tailor, we need to get the Queen fitted. Get one of the old gowns in the meantime. The two of you let the King know we might take longer than I initially expected. And please, set up my box. I need to work.”

She clapped once more and everyone got to their tasks. After preparing a bath, two servants came to meet you, each grabbing one of your arms and guiding you to the bathroom. They undressed you, guided you into the large tub and cleaned you, a process that seemed to take forever as, apparently, the dirt from your skin didn’t come off that easily.

After you were fully washed, you were given a small robe and they guided you to the desk where a mirror had been displayed. You almost gasped at your reflection. You did not look like a Queen, but you also couldn’t recognize yourself.

“Am I going to be a Queen?” You asked more to yourself than to anyone else in the room. Your hands touched your features, trying to make some sense out of them.

“If the King chose you as such, then you sure will be crowned Queen.”

“Yes, but I do not look like one,” you admitted looking at her. “You, on the other hand, you look… magnificent.”

She smiled and moved your head so you could stare at your reflection in the mirror. “The King is rarely wrong, you know? If he sees in you someone worthy of a crown, then it is because you are. Now, I cannot make you as magnificent as me, but I can make you as beautiful as you. What do you think about that?”

You smiled at her reflection in the mirror. “Please. And thank you.”

“Alright. Let’s get to work, then.”

Life at court was boring, just as Heeseung remembered it to be. Except that now he was a King, he couldn’t use as many excuses as he did in the past. His return to Mirandele was met with concerns and meetings with officers, merchants and villagers, all with complaints and worries about the return of magic. Some said it was a threat, others that it was bad for business, others were simply scared. Heeseung made sure he’d register all their worries, so he could look over them and find a way to tackle them once the time was right.

He barely saw you. He knew you were entertained in the palace’s gardens most of the time, either reading books or having meals with some of your newfound friends in the palace. Sometimes, he’d look out the window to see you sitting all alone under a tree and he had the urge to leave the room he was in to go and join you.

Still, Jungwon kept him updated on your progress. You had mastered all the court rules and had learned all about the Kingdom’s history. The palace was no longer a strange place to you and you could move between locations with ease. That made Heeseung quite happy. He knew you probably missed home, but at least, he was glad this change wasn’t truly terrible.

As he walked one of the corridors to go to the war room for another meeting, he heard steps behind him and turned around, to find you running his way.

“I’m so glad I get to see you today,” you greeted when you joined him and bowed, “Your Majesty.”

He chuckled. Jungwon did say you had learned all the court rules, but some he wished you didn’t apply to him. He would miss hearing you calling him by his name. He loved his name when you were the one saying it.

“What is bothering you?” he asked and took some steps towards you. You looked beautiful in the gown they had selected for you. You were beautiful. He just wished he had the courage to tell you that.

“I was told there’s an old greenhouse at the palace,” you continued not wasting any time. “I was wondering if I could make it a little mine? Jungwon tells me no one uses it and I think it would be a lovely place to—"

“Do as you wish." He bowed to you and smiled, meeting your disappointed face. “I… have a meeting to attend to.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.” You bowed to him and he watched as you walked away, slightly defeated.

“Y/N?” He called your name and you slowly turned to look at him, putting on a smile for him. You didn’t have to pretend in his presence, he wanted you to know that. But not here when every guard was listening to your conversation. “If you need any help, you can ask the servants. I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to help you.”

“Yes, thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty.” You studied his expression, opened your mouth to say something, but shook your head. “I hope you have a pleasant meeting.”

He watched as you walked away from him at a fast pace, never turning to look back at him. Tonight, he would visit you in your room. You may smile at him now, you may tell him you are well. But Heeseung couldn’t ignore the screams he heard at night coming from your room or your cries anymore.

On the outside, you looked beautiful, put together. But what if on the inside, you were slowly falling apart? He couldn’t bear to accept the fact that your life might be miserable because of him.

The night had fallen in Mirandele and just like every night, you stood by yourself in your bedroom, reading a book. Today had been a tiring day, as you were able to finally finish your work at the greenhouse and made it look as wonderful as you could. You planted flowers, helped some bloom, taught a couple of servants how to tend to them, and even ended up fixing some of the problems they had in their vegetable garden. These were the little things that reminded you of home, and right now you missed it.

You had been foolish when accepting Heeseung’s proposal of coming here with him. You believed it to be some sort of promise you had made, but so far, court life required you to act still, uninterested, and bored. Any time you wanted to spend with him, he was always in meetings, conversations, away in some sort of ball, doing King things. Part of you wanted to connect with him again, to get to know the man you had learned to love when you first got here. The man who counted stars with you at night when the fire was dying, who slept next to you to keep you warm when you were camping, the man who had kept his promise after all these years. You missed that Heeseung. And if you weren’t going to see him or be with him anymore, then what was the point?

After your fifth attempt at continuing to read the book in your hands, you sighed and gave up, placing it on the small coffee table in front of the two loveseats. You started to walk towards your bed, ready to lie down and try to get some sleep when you heard a knock on the door connected to Heeseung’s room.

You stood still and waited to see if it was a mistake, but the knock continued for a few more seconds, stopping for a few moments and restarting again. You slowly made your way to the door, trying your best to keep your steps light and silent and leaned your ear on the door, your heart jumping in your chest. Slowly, you turned the knob and pulled the door your way, revealing Heeseung standing on the other side, hands behind his back.

He looked at you from head to toe and slowly turned around, his cheeks flustered. “I didn’t know you were heading to bed.”

“It’s late,” you said, whispering like him. “Shouldn’t you be heading to bed too, Your Majesty?”

“Call me Heeseung again,” he said, his eyes focused somewhere you couldn’t see. “I despise being just a King to you.”

“I thought you wanted me to follow court protocol,” you said, an edge of sadness to your voice. He must’ve noticed it too because he quickly looked at you, his eyes meeting yours in pain. “What is it you need this late?”

“I just wanted to see you.”

“You can do that throughout the day. You’ve been doing it from a distance. Why now, Your Majesty? Why knock on this door today that has been here ever since we’ve arrived?”

You didn’t know why you were talking to him in this desperate tone. Maybe it was all the frustration you had built up inside of you, all the anger trying to escape somewhere from your mind. You tried to close the door on him, but he stopped you. Instead, you turned your back on him and collapsed on one of the loveseats, listening to his steps as he entered your room.

“I didn’t give you permission.” He stopped walking and stood there, hands behind his back. Even though you weren’t staring at him, you knew what he was doing. Glancing at the walls, at the plants you had all over your room, the small rocks you had been collecting. All of it, to make this place feel more like home.

“I owe you an apology.” He took a deep breath. “I never thought bringing you here would be so cruel to you.”

You felt a sob building in your throat, so you gulped, trying to send it down. It didn’t work. “I just wished we could spend more time together. It wouldn’t be so hard if I… if I had you.”

Your voice was weak, barely there. The only thing here that reminded you of home was Heeseung. He was the one that had been there with you, that had seen it with his eyes, the one that you showed that place to.

“I’m… sorry.”

You nodded, a sad chuckle escaping you. Apparently, all Heeseung could do now was apologize. First, it was asking you to be Queen, then he dragged you here to keep you away from court, probably out of embarrassment, and now all he could do was say he was sorry.

“What are you sorry for, exactly?” you asked as you stood, walking closer to him. If he was going to apologize, then he should do it to your face, while he stared at your eyes.

He gulped and looked at you, his hands now standing next to him. You noticed that he was still wearing his royal outfit, he hadn’t changed to his nightwear yet. Was he constantly staying up until this late every day? Did he even rest?

“I’m sorry I'm not the man you deserve, Y/N. I'm sorry for taking you away from your family, for making you believe that this was… a good life. I'm sorry you have nightmares every night and I am a coward who cannot come to comfort you. I'm sorry. For everything. Including that… day. If it weren’t for it—”

“I’m not sorry, Heeseung,” you interrupted him, tears flooding your eyes. “I'm not sorry about that day. I'm not… sorry about coming here. I chose to come here, to be Queen, to be your wife. I grew to love you, Heeseung. I grew to care for you, to want to be with you. And you took that away from me. That’s what I’m sorry for. The fact that I have chosen to love you, and yet I can’t because… you never let me.”

As silly as it was, and as stupid as it sounded, you did love Heeseung. You realized it whenever you saw him and your heart skipped a beat, or whenever you couldn’t say his name in public, or whenever you wanted to hold his hand but couldn’t. It was in the small looks you exchanged, the stolen smiles, the one lines you said in the corridors as you passed each other by. And yet, you couldn’t love him only in these small gestures. There was more of him you wanted to love, more of him you wanted to hold, to call yours, to cherish.

“That was the happiest day of my childhood, Heeseung. I would never trade it for anything. And reuniting with you after all these years,” you wiped the tears away, your voice frail, “I don’t think you understand what that meant to me.”

You tried to take a deep breath, looking at the ceiling so the rest of your tears wouldn’t fall. Heeseung remained silent, his eyes looking at you as you paced around the room, his lips slightly parted as he saw the flowers in your room slowly withering, the greenery disappearing out of his sight, as if consumed by pain, your pain.

He shook his head and walked until he was in front of you and you stopped, avoiding his gaze.

“What did it mean to you?” he asked, his hand finding your chin, moving it so you could look at him. You had never seen him like this. There was sadness in his eyes, the smile he always carried was gone, replaced by a pout that tried to hide all the sorrow he felt at this moment. “Reuniting with me, that is. What did it mean to you?”

You stood in silence in front of each other, the candles burning around you, their flames flickering, some of them slowly disappearing, casting shadows in certain corners of your room.

“I cannot explain it,” you said, looking into his eyes. “I can only… feel it.”

He nodded, his hand caressing your cheek. He looked at you with such tenderness and care, as if you were the only thing that mattered right now.

“I can’t help but feel sorry.” He lowered his eyes, shaking his head. “You have given everything you know away because of me and what have I given you if not loneliness and agony? Do not tell me you’re not suffering. I know you are. And I feel helpless. As much training as I had growing up, nothing ever prepared me for this," he sighed and gestured to his heart, his eyes meeting yours, “for these emotions. A crown is heavy, but when your heart is gutted, nothing hurts more than your soul.”

You nodded, your hand slowly finding his and you softly grabbed his fingers, a wave of warmth taking over you. This was the most physical touch you’ve had from him in weeks. Part of you was desperate for more because this wasn’t enough.

“We can’t keep living like this,” you said, not letting go of his hand. “But I also don’t know what else we can do about it. You are a King and I am… What am I to you even?”

You looked at your hands together, your fingers slowly intertwining with his. This was something small, a gesture that would keep your heart sane for a couple more days, but nothing more. At first, you thought that Heeseung had also fallen in love with you but right now, you weren’t so sure of it.

“Maybe you should head to bed, Your Majesty,” you said, not meeting his gaze. “I'm sure tomorrow you have a day filled with meetings and royal attendances and you should rest for those.”

“I won’t be able to sleep. Not after what you told me tonight.” You chuckled, and Heeseung took one step closer to you and you watched the space between you disappear. “I mean it, Y/N. And please, stop calling me your majesty.”

“Why?” you asked, a slightly challenging tone to your voice. You could feel his breathing on your collarbone, his eyes glancing over your lips, your heart jumping in your chest. “Why shouldn’t I call you by your title?”

“Because…” He took a deep breath, his hand slowly meeting your waist, his touch comforting and warm but awkward too. “I don’t want to be a King to you. Before you are my Queen, Y/N… you are the woman I love the most in this world. I wish to be the same to you. The man you love.”

“You already are, Heeseung.” You looked him in the eyes briefly before glancing at his lips again. “You already are the man I love.”

His face moved closer to yours and you closed your eyes, letting go of his hand and wrapping your arms around his neck, as Heeseung kissed you. It was as if his lips were meant to be kissed only by you, their softness and taste something familiar and yet, you had never experienced this before.

You stumbled back as he tried to move closer to you as if the distance was still too big between you two until your back found a wall, your hands tangled in his hair. Whenever your lips parted it was brief, only for the two of you to catch your breath before you’d kiss again, more intensely than before.

This was what you wanted. Feeling Heeseung this close to you, being able to hold him, to be with him. To feel his heart against your chest, his lips on yours. As much as holding hands and stealing glances was something you enjoyed, nothing had the intensity nor the passion this had.

When you parted ways, your hands remained on his hair and his hands remained on your waist. You slowly looked into each other’s eyes, watching as your chests raised and collapsed in sync, a soft smile greeting his lips.

“Let me sleep with you tonight,” he said. “It might ease your mind and it for sure will ease mine as well.”

“What about tomorrow morning?” you asked, worried. “People will talk and I—”

“And I'll be by your side. I'll introduce you to the court. We'll get married. After that, you shall be crowned Queen.”

The day of your coronation was a day filled with blessings. The skies were blue, and the sun shone brighter than ever before. Every flower bloomed in its bright splendour, filling the palace gardens with the most various shades, all beautiful and breathtaking.

The gown they had put you on was of the darkest of blues, all stitches marked with gold lining. The upper part was quite stiff and it made it hard for you to move your torso, but the skirt was light and airy, which meant you would have a great time jumping and dancing in the ball thrown in your honour.

Everyone worked hastily to make sure you looked your best. Every angle was observed, commented on and verified before they moved on to another one. The final touches were put in place and soon enough, you were walking to the throne room, servants holding your dress tail to make it easier to move.

“Do I look presentable?” you asked the servant next to you, worried. She shrugged and smiled at you, kindly.

“You look like a Queen, my dear.” Your dearest of friends appeared in front of you, her black curls always looking flawless. “They did a splendour job with the dress.”

“What about the rest?” you curiously asked. She looked at you from head to toe, her hands behind her back and she smiled confidently at you.

“They had a wonderful starting point, so the result could only be… flawless.”

You laughed and she bowed to you. “It'll be an honour to serve you as my Queen.”

You reciprocated the gesture and a servant quickly panicked, starting to fix your hair. “You cannot move your head downwards! It will ruin your hair.”

“I apologize.” Your cheeks burned in embarrassment, and everyone quickly worked on fixing what you almost had ruined. “Where is the King?”

“He is inside already.” Jungwon appeared, a bright smile on his face that exposed his dimples. “Should I give them the order to start the ceremony?”

“Should I?” you asked the servants who quickly nodded and stepped away from you. You took a few steps forward, your heart beating extremely fast in your chest. Jungwon followed you and when you felt ready, you turned to look at him. “You can say it.”

He nodded and disappeared, and for a while, silence took over. And then, you heard them announcing your name and the doors in front of you slowly opened, and everyone turned around to look at you, bowing their head as you passed by them.

You kept your eyes on Heeseung, who stood in front of his throne, a proud smile on his lips. You softly smiled at him, amazed at how good he looked. He was wearing his official ensemble, dark blue like yours, the golden stitches and buttons standing out, like stars in the sky.

You climbed up the stairs and turned to face the crowd, smiling brightly at them. Most of them were important figures to Lerya and the court: generals, rich families, supporters of the throne. You had also requested for your mother and grandmother to attend, but ever since you left the forest, no one knew where to find them or where they were.

The coronation happened faster than you thought it would. Heeseung was the one who placed the crown on your head, the proudest of smiles on his face as he did so. Afterwards, he grabbed your hand and the two of you turned to the crowd yet again.

“I present you King Heeseung and Queen Y/N. To Lerya.”

“To Lerya!” Everyone in the room said together, including you and Heeseung. You watched as the people bowed deeply to the two of you, some of them even getting on their knees, whispering your name under their breath. Heeseung had warned you that this might happen, but you still couldn’t believe it.

After greeting the people outside out of the balcony, you and Heeseung got a moment for yourselves. He took off your crown and you took his off, placing them on the velvet pillows near the thrones. Soon enough, a servant came with a few guards to store them in a cabinet hidden from curious eyes.

“I was able to arrange the meeting you asked me to,” Heeseung said, guiding you out of the throne room through the secret passage so you could avoid everyone. “It wasn’t easy to convince someone to come from Rivest, but the Crown Prince awaits us in the library.”

“Good.” You stopped walking and Heeseung looked back at you, smiling.

“What is it?”

“I haven’t had the chance to tell you how handsome you look today.”

“Well,” he took steps towards you, his hand softly caressing your cheek. You kissed him and then he looked into your eyes. “You look breathtaking if I say so.”

“Thank you. Now,” you warned when he kissed you again, feeling his hand on your waist, “we have an important meeting to attend to.”

“We do.” He gave you a playful smile. “I guess we could continue this some other time?”

“Tonight, perhaps?”

He nodded and kissed your cheek. “I’ll be counting down the hours until then.”

The library was located on the second floor of the palace, and through the secret passages, it didn’t take you and Heeseung too much time to get to the main corridor that would get you there. Side by side, the two of you made your way there, four guards bowing to you when you arrived. Two of them wore black and Lerya’s emblem on their shirt, while the other two wore a long dark brown jacket. You noticed they had the Rivest emblem over their heart.

“Your Majesties,” they greeted. “Rivest’s prince awaits you inside.”

Heeseung nodded and the two Rivestian guards stepped aside, allowing the doors to the library to be opened. You walked in front of Heeseung, your steps echoing as soon as you reached the wooden floor of the library. Inside, more guards awaited you and sitting on a chair was a man you had heard stories of, but only now had the honour of meeting.

“Your Highness.” You bowed to him, and he quickly stood up from his chair, reciprocating the gesture. “Thank you for your generosity in meeting us on such short notice.”

“It is an honour to meet you both.” He smiled, fixing the cuffs of his jacket. Park Sunghoon had the same aura as Heeseung, but he seemed more reclusive, less imaginative. He looked at everything except the two of you, something you had heard Rivestians did out of respect for people who were in a higher position than them.

“You can look at us,” you said, and he slowly turned his face, smiling and bowing once again. “I’m afraid we do not have much time to discuss these matters, so I’ll go straight to the point.”

Sunghoon glanced at Heeseung who nodded politely. “This is the Queen’s request. She'll be the one sharing it with you.”

“Go ahead, then. What is it you need from Rivest?”

“I would like Bloomers to be able to study their magic at Lerya.” He looked at you, lips slightly parted. “As you might be aware, our Kingdom recently ended the Moonlight Pact which prohibited the use of magic within our borders. We're also aware that Bloomers struggle particularly in Rivest, due to your lack of… enchanted forests.”

“You do understand that it'll be hard for our people to trust you, don’t you? The Moonlight Pact might have ended, but we haven’t heard of any progress done to include magic within your Kingdom again.”

You nodded and Heeseung stepped in, a polite smile on his lips. “The Queen and I plan on visiting your magic school in a couple of weeks. We want to have good relationships with all the Kingdoms that were so deeply affected by the Moonlight Pact. We are offering you the possibility to make your people stronger. All we ask in return is your trust, a chance to show the world that Lerya has changed.”

Sunghoon took a deep breath and started to pace around the room, thinking. Everyone followed him attentively, waiting for an answer. You glanced at Heeseung who gave you a reassuring smile. He was more used to this than you were. After all, this was your first duty as Lerya’s Queen.

When he stopped, you leaned your shoulders back and stretched your back, focusing all your attention on him.

“I must discuss this matter with the King and his counsellors. Since you’ll be visiting us in a couple of weeks, why don’t we discuss it better then? I'm sure Lerya has more to offer than just… enchanted forests.”

“I'm sure Rivest has more to offer than just Bloomers who wish to improve their craft,” you said, a smidge of surprise on Sunghoon’s face. “We'll see you in a couple of weeks, then. Would you like to stay for the ball later this evening?”

“I shall return to Rivest in this instant. I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay.” He bowed politely to the two of you and you reciprocated the gesture.

“We shall see you in a couple of weeks, Your Highness.” Heeseung guided him to the door and everyone else was escorted to the entrance of the palace. You and Heeseung remained behind, alone in the library.

“Are Rivestians always this cold?” you asked, curiously.

Heeseung chuckled and looked at you, smiling. “Not everyone is as bright as you. But Rivestians and Leryans… our history is complicated. The only reason why we are able to be Lerya and they are able to be Rivest is because of the magic of our lands. They protect those who serve them well.”

“And yet, your father took magic from its place of birth. Why didn’t it turn against him?”

“It did,” Heeseung said, a sombre look on his face. “Why do you think my mother never shows her face?”

Your lips parted slightly, but you didn’t say anything. You had seen Heeseung’s mother on several occasions and she always wore a veil covering her face, gloves in her hands. You had never wondered why, as you considered it to be part of the tradition. Still, you didn’t dare to ask. Certain stories, certain secrets are better left unsaid.

“Thank you for supporting me on this decision.” You caressed Heeseung’s cheek softly and he smiled, grabbing your hand in his. “We’ve got a busy time ahead of ourselves.”

“We certainly do. We’ve got a ball, a tour, political alliances to forge… I'm glad I have you by my side through it all.”

“You always will, Heeseung,” you said in a reassuring tone, and he nodded, placing a soft kiss on your lips.

As the two of you walked out of the library, you couldn’t avoid looking at each other while smiling. For the first time since your arrival, you could talk to him naturally in public without worrying if you would break protocol or not.

After all, you were a Queen now. Not a symbol, not a message. You were simply in love with him and wanted this Kingdom to be a better place than how you had found it. And as boring as it sounded to everyone else, you were eager to attend meetings and participate in events, if that meant that your voice could be heard and that you could make someone’s life better, similarly to how Heeseung had made yours much better than you ever imagined.

Please, like/reblog this if you enjoy reading it and let me know your thoughts through an ask if you feel like it; I am always appreciative of your feedback!  ©mxxndreams 2024 All rights reserved. Copying, reposting, translating and/or modifications of my work are strictly prohibited. Moodboard images from Pinterest. I do not own the rights to any of them, credit goes to rightful owners. If any of the images featured is yours and you’d want for it to be credited/removed, message me.

TURNING YOU INTO A REAL CATCH!

꩜ .ᐟ in a hopeful attempt to show your ex of three years that you're moving on, you turn to sim jaeyun, aka hybe’s most popular jock, with expectations that he’ll boost your status in your school's social hierarchy. only problem is, jake's gone 18 years without dating, so how do you get him to up his game for his first real girlfriend? this certainly was not on your bucket list!

꩜ .ᐟ PAIR -› soccer player!sim jaeyun x fem!reader

꩜ .ᐟ GENRE -› fluff, banter ꩜ .ᐟ TROPES -› fake dating, strangers to lovers

꩜ .ᐟ WARNINGS  -› cursing, kms/kys jokes, stereotypical hs culture bc i am writer

꩜ .ᐟ TAGLIST -› open! comment on this post or send an ask! LIBRARY

꩜ PROFILES .ᐟ ball toucherz | 6ft eco-friendly feminists

01. business? yeah i stand on that

02. ghosted like a side chick

03. one direction typa over

04. more to be added...

05. more to be added...

꩜ .ᐟ REN SAYS... i'm rlly excited to start this tbh also first non hoon smau like WHO CHEERED???? HELP??? i hope u likey and i actually have a fleshed out idea for this don't play..

FIXED COMFORT | SUNGHOON

SUMMARY: typically, sunghoon’s the one who takes care of you when you’ve had one too many. but once in a blue moon, he lets his guard down and allows you to care for him the way he does for you.

or, the one where sunghoon’s drunk at a bar and misses his girlfriend a little too much.

NOTES: idk I just feel like someone should let him sleep for six months straight!!!

PAIRING: sunghoon x fem!reader

WORD COUNT: 4.4K (4444 exactly—she’s a shortie).

WARNINGS: fluff on fluff on fluff.

***

“Hey, do you think you could come get Sunghoon from the bar? He’s been asking for you for the past hour.”  

Jay’s phone call pulls you out from a deep slumber on a Saturday night that falls on a day with no plans other than pure relaxation. Sunghoon had been preoccupied with work and classes this past week and wanted to unwind by drinking at his favorite bar with his closest friends and all you wanted to do was sleep the weekend away. 

Since the two of you started dating six months ago after being friends for a little over two years, you both agree on the notion that you’ve found a good balance between time spent together and apart respectively. Nothing fundamentally changed with the exception of kissing and touching one another in the way a couple would. He still respects your independence and you respect his time away from you as well. 

Sunghoon learned quickly that you’re the type of person who values your alone time more than anything else. When he first started developing feelings for you, grappling with your absence wasn’t easy. He initially thought you weren’t interested in getting to know him the way he was with you because you weren’t afraid to decline invitations and telling people ‘no.’ Slowly, over the course of many months of pining and late night conversations, did Sunghoon learn that you’re typically your best self after a moment of isolation. 

Your boyfriend is somewhere in between an introvert and extrovert. He tends to be shy when he meets people he isn’t familiar with while his loud, rambunctious attitude is typically reserved for those who know him best. He likes to keep to himself for the most part, giving some of his personality away when he feels his walls start to crumble naturally. You love that he has a good head on his shoulders and that he’s able to tell you about his feelings while maintaining an air of confidence. He doesn’t inherently need anybody; he likes your company and will do anything to keep it.

Moments like this are when your heart feels softer for Sunghoon than when the two of you were just friends.

“I know you wanted to spend the weekend alone but Hoon’s been saying your name all night,” Jay says. “I’m sorry for waking you up.”

“No, it’s fine.” You’re sure Jay can hear your brittle voice. “Are you guys at the bar near your place?”

“That’s the one. Thanks again and I’m really sorry for waking you up.”

“Don’t sweat it. Cook me something next week if you still feel bad.” 

“I can do that. Chili oil noodles with shrimp sound good?”

“It’s almost like you know me.” He laughs at your sarcasm. 

“Drive safe.” 

When Jay hangs up, you allow yourself a few minutes to adjust and wake up, stretching your body from the warm comfort of your blankets. You change out of Sunghoon’s shirt to put on pajama pants and another one of his stolen shirts, opting not to take a jacket since you figure you won’t be out for very long. 

You thank your past self for filling up your gas tank before tonight after having put it off for a few days. Knowing Sunghoon, he would still scold you for allowing yourself to run nearly empty before filling it up even if he was inebriated. Somehow, knowing this about him brings a smile to your face.

Sunghoon’s the kind of guy who likes to have some control over certain things. He likes order and structure, often waking up at the same hour every weekday to build a routine his body can remember. He’s been like that since you first met him but you think it’s part of his charm. Even from two years ago, when you met him through Jake Sim, Sunghoon has maintained a level of confidence and control that he does now. On the heels of an impressive skating career before pivoting to focus on higher education, Sunghoon had his preferences and will stick by them. 

His discipline is the first thing you noticed when you met him for the first time. Jay, someone you were already familiar with, agreed to cook dinner with your friend group under the condition that everyone helped him shop and chip in for the meal. Sunghoon held Jake back from buying unnecessary things like boxed chocolate milk and candy because Jay had desserts back at his place. He held a checklist of items whereas the rest of your friends ran up and down the aisles without thinking much about what needed to be purchased.

Sunghoon’s near-meticulous behavior is juxtaposed to your chaotic and rambunctious nature. You often follow your gut instead of setting a solid plan because you’re not concerned with meeting deadlines, sans education. Whereas you tend to lean towards a go-with-the-flow attitude, Sunghoon is the opposite. But that’s something he loves about you.  

At a surface level distinction, it didn’t seem like the two of you would get along as well as you did. It surprised Jake when Sunghoon asked for your number so he could text you about seeing a comedy film with him as no one else in the group wanted to see it. Including you at an impromptu study session with him (Sunghoon was organized and neat while your pens were spread all over and your study methods, haphazard) felt like watching two people clash. 

Rather, you and Sunghoon complement one another. 

The idea of letting himself go with someone who wasn’t part of his friend collective was unheard of. Getting to know a girl who didn’t share similar lifestyles didn’t appeal to him before meeting you, and you’re inarguably the most chaotic person Sunghoon knows. But he finds that there’s order within your chaos—you know who you are and what you want, and you will not compromise yourself just to please other people. 

It’s what Sunghoon loves the most about you. There’s a boundary you never let anyone cross under the assumption that your own safety net feels compromised. He’s watched you lose friends for this same reason and has always admired the way you carry yourself like you know you deserve better than people who disrespect you. He’s witnessed the grace you maintain when people who call you a friend voice words of kindness but speak ill about you behind your back. If anything, Sunghoon feels pity for anyone who crosses you to the point of anger. To be envious of another’s confidence is one thing. To make that known is another. 

Sunghoon learns that you let your inhibitions go because holding control over yourself feels like a burden. It feels like setting a standard you will never be able to meet. He never thought of order in that way before getting to know you. Your approach to life sparked a new wave of emotions within him to the point where he was open and willing to let you farther into his life. 

His days were ruled by guidelines he had to maintain and proper etiquette that followed him even off the rink. The poise he carried from his career on the ice bled into his personal life too. Although, he doesn’t mind that it does. Sunghoon values any form of structure because it makes him feel like he has a purpose and that there’s something to be accomplished at the end of the day. 

Most times, Sunghoon’s feels like people judge him for his regimen and can’t fathom why he appreciates control so much. They tell him to let loose and enjoy his time away from his career. People always think he simply doesn’t know how to have fun because he’s set in his ways and won’t let other people coax him into doing something he’s not comfortable with. But not you. Sunghoon has never felt like you‘ve judged how he chooses to live his life. 

Before he knew it, a year had passed and he started to call you one of his best friends. The friendship was gradual. Sunghoon didn’t have many close female friends in the way he does with Heeseung, Jay, and Jake. You’re the first person since ending his career who hasn’t tried to pry into the why. In fact, Sunghoon enjoys that you didn’t bring it up. 

(You did, in the form of cooing over his younger self skating in competitions for the first time or roasting all of the outfits he had to wear. But somehow, all of your jabs made him feel happier than when people complimented his performance.)

Eventually, being around you felt too right. He loved it when you took naps on his bed and felt comfortable raiding your kitchen pantry without permission. Sunghoon could leave you in his apartment without him being in it and feel at ease. In fact, he started to look forward to coming home to you. All it took was seeing you wear his hoodie because you got too cold and forgot your jacket, to make him drop his bag by the front door and ask you to be his girlfriend. He hasn’t regretted anything with you since. 

The weather is cold outside since it’s approaching the middle of autumn. You let your car warm up and blast the heat all the way up while adjusting your defrosting settings before heading to the bar to pick up Sunghoon. You sift through your playlists and settle on soft indie melodies before you drive away from the curb. 

You’ve never seen Sunghoon get drunk to the point of needing extra help. Usually, you’re the one who goes a little too hard whenever Heeseung brings out the alcohol or if Jake offers an edible or two. Sunghoon likes to sit back and stay sober (or sober up by the end of the night) when he notices you having too much fun. He doesn’t mind, though. Sunghoon likes taking care of you because sometimes it gives him purpose. You’ve never understood that sentiment but to each their own. 

The only times you’ve seen him completely wasted are usually when you’re equally as gone, like on your first road trip as a couple. The five of you rented a lakehouse a few hours from Seoul and spent an entire weekend basking under the hot sun and chose to forget about university stress before finals would inevitably kick everyone’s ass. All five of you were cross-faded (but not without Jay and Sunghoon both prepping water bottles and snacks for when the munchies would hit prior to taking anything). You watched Sunghoon relax to the point where he was much quieter than he normally was and when you asked if he was doing alright, he looked you in the eye and told you he loved you for the first time. 

I always have, I think, he said as he brought your hand to his chest. You might not believe me because neither of us are sober but I swear I’ll tell you in the morning. 

Sunghoon gets affectionate when he’s drunk or high, often to the point of asking for reassurance. The rational side of his brain is temporarily disfigured. You don’t mind being there to tell him that he’s the love of your life and you’d never go anywhere when he gets like this. Although, you’re usually just as gone and gush all of your hidden emotionally-charged feelings, which pair well with Sunghoon’s need for validation sometimes. 

Your friends love your relationship. They don’t think it’s too much or too little, going so far as to take photos of the two of you when you aren’t looking. Some are funny like the pictures of you sleeping on his chest with drool pooling out of your mouth. Others are romantic and whimsical, like the pictures of Sunghoon looking at you like you’re the sunshine to his moonlight. They can’t get enough of you two. Your friends love knowing people they care about are deeply in love with one another and your relationship is somewhat of a reminder that true romance does exist. 

Thinking about this makes your heart swell as you park your car and tuck your keys inside your purse. The bouncer checks your ID and lets you inside the bar, and you already spot Jay off to the side. 

“Thanks for coming,” he says as he gives you a loose hug. “And sorry for waking you up.” 

You wave him off. “It’s fine. I’ve probably woken you up for worse.” 

“Yeah, like the time you and Jake wanted ramen at 3am and wouldn’t stop calling me because both of you got a little too high.” 

“Can you blame us?! You were like, two blocks away.” 

“Yeah, but did you need to eat with me?” 

“Duh. You’re like, the best person to eat a late night dinner with.” 

The two of you laugh as he leads you to the group. You see Sunghoon slumped over the table with his head in his arms and the rest of your friend group tries really hard not to seem too excited when they see you standing next to Jay. 

“Fucking finally.” Heeseung stands and gives you a quick side hug before Jake does the same. “Love you guys and all but he started to become unbearable when he kept showing us photos of you.”

Jake snorts. “Poor guy was almost about to cry.” That makes your heart soft. 

“He looks so cute,” you coo, tilting your head to savor this moment. It’s abnormal for you to be the sober one but you’re starting to understand why Sunghoon doesn’t mind taking care of you when you’re like this. 

Jay comes to stand next to you. “He’s not cute when he drank half his weight in alcohol and wouldn’t shut up about how pretty your hair is.” 

“What, do you don’t think my hair’s pretty?” The messy, unbrushed hair is enough to make the guys laugh. 

“Nah seriously, thanks for coming,” says Jake. “We felt bad calling you but he refuses to get out of his seat.” 

“It’s fine.” You wave him off and step closer to your boyfriend, who still hasn’t moved from his position. 

“Do your thing and we’ll be here if you need help bringing him to the car.” Heeseung smiles gratefully at you. 

Even the back of Sunghoon’s head is unfairly gorgeous. His hair always looks nice, although you credit that to his younger sister introducing him to a world of hair care products during his skating years. It feels soft to the touch as you stroke the back of his head until Sunghoon slowly comes to. You feel his body start to stir.

“Baby,” you say quietly, bending down until you’re next to him. “Wake up for me.” 

“Hm?” Sunghoon mumbles from his arms. He feels the sensation of your fingers carding through his hair and pulls himself from the table, wiping the spit from the corner of his mouth before realizing you’re standing next to him. “Y/N?”

“I’m right here.” 

He pulls his head up until he’s sitting upright in the booth, squinting up at you to adjust to the bar lights that disappeared when he closed his eyes. Your boyfriend looks so innocent like this. He looks at you with a wide, round gaze as if you’d appeared out of thin air and he’s trying his hardest to figure out how you’re standing in front of him. 

“Is it really you?” Sunghoon asks in a quiet voice. His tone makes your heart flutter and you reach your arms out until you’re cupping his jaw and rubbing the pads of your thumbs over his cheeks. Sunghoon melts into your touch and you feel his body start to relax. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, bug. Did you have fun tonight?”

He nods in your hands, “Mhm. Just tired now.”

“Jay said you were asking for me.” 

“I always ask for you.” Your cheeks heat up and you try to ignore the snickers from behind you. 

“Why don’t we go back to my place, yeah? You can sleep in my bed instead of this bar.” 

“Can we? I love the guys but I just missed you.”

“Simp,” Heeseung whispers before coughing into his fist. 

Sunghoon stands from the booth once you’ve taken a step back to give him the space to move. He’s surprisingly able to stand on his own and clutches onto his jacket as he makes his way to the door. 

“Sorry guys,” he mutters to the guys. 

“Yah, it’s fine,” Jay says as he waves Sunghoon off. 

“Get home safe,” Heeseung says as he opens the door for the two of you. Sunghoon waves behind him until you guide him to the car. 

“Can you put your jacket on for me?” You catch it in your hands after he nearly let them fall from his grasp. 

“Shit, sorry.” You watch Sunghoon put on one arm and then the other. He looks so childlike in this moment as he concentrates his hardest to put the jacket on without stumbling. 

It reminds you that he doesn’t show you this side of him often. Sunghoon, ever the poised individual who likes to know what’s ahead of him, has let his inhibitions down. Seeing his figure slowly push his body through the warm fabric has you biting back a smile. 

“Need help?”

Sunghoon looks down at his hands that are trying to zip his jacket up to no avail. He feels like his hands are too big and the zipper is too small. “Please.”

Your steady fingers cover Sunghoon’s and take over the tedious task. The metal is warm from his fingertips. You can feel him looking down at you and you temporarily fumble with the zipper, which makes him laugh.

“Silly,” he mutters. “Ah, fuck. I don’t know if I can open the door.”

You roll your eyes and open it for him. “You’re funny.” 

He slides into the seat as gracefully as he can without hitting his head on the roof. Sunghoon struggles, but manages to buckle himself in and grins up at you when he hears the click of the buckle. When you look down on him, the lamp post from above casts a soft glow on his face. He looks so youthful at this moment. Sunghoon has let go of his thoughts and couldn’t think about anything but the present moment even if he tried. 

He waits for you and mumbles about how cold it is when you turn the engine on. The warm air starts to uplift his spirits and he looks at you with us head pressed to the headrest.

“I’m sorry you have to see me like this.”

“What?” you ask. “Why?”

He shrugs. “Dunno. Usually I’m the one taking care of you.”

“You don’t always have to be brave, you know.” 

Sunghoon doesn’t say anything. He reaches out to envelope your hand in his and squeezes it until he’s holding it loosely in the quiet of the evening.

“I love you.” 

Your heart blooms. “I love you right back.” He seems satisfied with your response and lets go of your hand so that you can drive back to your apartment. 

When you park on the curb, Sunghoon’s sober enough to unbuckle his seatbelt and wait for you to turn the engine off before opening his door carefully. He steps outside and leans back on the car door until you walk around the hood of the vehicle and grabs your hands to pull you into him. 

You feel his lips on your before you register what’s happening. He tastes faintly of pineapple soju and beer, and his mouth is warm. Despite his inebriated state, Sunghoon’s able to hold you between his hands as he moves to place them on your hips to balance your body after you’ve stumbled into him. 

The kiss itself is slow. In fact, it feels as though Sunghoon has slowed time around so that the two of you could enjoy the late night kiss uninterrupted. You can barely hear anything besides the ringing in your ears after being caught by surprise due to your boyfriend’s abrupt movements. Your mouths move in slow tandem and Sunghoon nearly pushes his tongue inside your mouth before pulling away to rest his forehead against your own.

“My baby,” he whispers against your lips before giving you another quick peck. 

“You are so cute.” You blurt out this confession like you’re still pining after him. “Let’s go inside, yeah?” 

The apartment is warm compared to the environment outside and Sunghoon slips off his shoes in favor of wearing his designated slippers. He doesn’t let go of your hand the entire time he does so, letting you pull him into the hallway until the two of you reach your bedroom. The hardwood floors feel better than the uneven pavement from outside.

He loves it here. It’s a sanctuary away from his apartment with the friends he will probably invite to his wedding. But something about your green comforter and hand-painted artwork adorning your walls makes Sunghoon feel like he would live by your side for the rest of his life. The scent of your room–warm peaches and vanilla–tugs at his heart strings. This is where he belongs. 

Likewise, you love seeing Sunghoon behave like this. It’s not commonplace for him to let people take care of him in the way you are now. He’s used to people looking out for his career and best interest but he struggles with allowing others to handle him with such care. After a decade of enduring harsh criticism and physical endurance, Sunghoon struggles to relax and allow others to take the reins. It’s partially why he loves taking care of you. Being able to provide that kind of love and support makes him feel wanted and needed, even if you tell him he’s more than enough a thousand times over. 

You leave him in your room to change his clothes taken from his designated drawer while you prepare skincare and the works. You hear him shuffle outside and fall onto the bed once, prompting you to hold your laughter in as you wash your hands and pull out hair clips for him to use. 

“I can’t lie,” Sunghoon says as you emerge from the bathroom to see him in a big t-shirt and pajama bottoms, “I’m really looking forward to you doing my skincare.” 

You snicker and pull your desk chair into the bathroom. “Now you know exactly how I feel every time I beg you to do mine when I’m drunk. Sit and close your eyes, please.” 

He follows your instructions and leans his back against the furniture. Sunghoon doesn’t fuss when you pin his hair back until it’s secure and allows you to make him feel pampered in a way he typically wouldn’t. 

“Did you have fun tonight?” 

Sunghoon hums. “Yeah, I did. The guys picked me up from my place and we had lunch at that seafood spot we’ve been meaning to try.” 

“Was it any good?”

“So good.” He licks his lips. “God, I’m still thinking about that shellfish soup. We ordered enough food to feed a village but it was so worth it. I wanna go with you.” 

“We can go wherever you want.” He smiles at your soft tone. 

“We also went to the beach and met some guys at the skate park by the highway. They were pretty nice and let us use their boards for a little. Heeseung got along with them the best, I think.”

“Heeseung makes friends with everybody.”

“He says he’s not social but that’s a lie.” Sunghoon twitches his nose when he feels a damp washcloth on his face. “We went to the bar afterwards and split it by round. I got the first and honestly, I don’t remember much after that.” 

“How are you feeling now, though?” you ask as you finish patting his skin dry. “Do you still feel dizzy?” Sunghoon opens his eyes and watches you apply a serum before dabbing it all over his face. 

“Not as much as before. I think I’m just tired.”

“And clingy, apparently.” 

Sunghoon smacks the back of your thighs. “Shut up. You love it.” You silence him by kissing his nose. 

While he brushes his teeth, you situate yourself underneath your plush covers and allow the weight of the blanket to fall on top of you. The sweet promise of a good night’s rest feels imminent, especially when you see your boyfriend emerge from the bathroom. He turns off the light and walks towards the empty side of the bed before he’s slipping himself beside you. 

Sunghoon’s an equal opportunist when it comes to sleeping positions. He loves it the most when your head is on his chest and when your arms are tangled in one another because he likes knowing that the two of you yearn for each other equally. But when he gets like this, Sunghoon takes initiative to maneuver himself until half of his chest and head are on top of you. He situates his arm around your waist and pulls himself closer to your body until a deep, satisfied sigh comes from the back of his throat. 

He hums in appreciation when your fingers begin to massage his scalp. Sunghoon’s hair is soft and silky and on most days, you’re the only person who gets to touch it. The slowness of your movements paired with the soft kiss you place on his temple makes his eyelids feel heavy. 

“Sorry you had to come pick me up,” Sunghoon mumbles against you. “I know we agreed to give each other some space this weekend.” 

“You should know by now that I’d do anything for you.” He feels you kiss the crown of his head. “Plus, we both know you’d do the same for me.” 

Sunghoon nods. “I would. You’re my girlfriend. Duh.” His sleepy nonsense makes you laugh. 

“You can go back to hanging out with the guys tomorrow if you want.” He shakes his head. 

“I want to get breakfast with you.” Sunghoon finds your free hand and presses a sleepy kiss to the back of it. 

“Whatever you want. We can get breakfast.” 

“If we wake up early enough.” 

You laugh again. “Yes, if we wake up early enough.” 

Sunghoon mumbles a few incoherent words that you can’t quite make out because of your own tiredness. When your own eyes start to droop, Sunghoon feels your fingers start to falter and looks up at you to see you’ve fallen fast asleep. 

He kisses the underside of your chin and falls asleep too.

***

comments and reblogs are appreciated! x

Until Forever | P.JS

↳ this is an add on to this fic here!! you do not have to read it to read this one, but it would make more sense if you do!!

「pairing」 : fiance!jay x fem!reader 「word count」 : 5k

「synopsis」 : it's father's day and you and your daughter make a secret plan to surprise jay with a nice dinner to come home; however, neither of you had expected him to return home early, but it doesn't change much. jay is just happy to have his little family together for a special day.

「genre」 : fluff... like tooth-rotting fluff, dad!jay

「warnings」 : kissing, mentions of pregnancy, petnames (baby, babe, princess, love, baby girl, bug, sweets...), down bad jay, minor cussing, lmk if I missed anything!

「notes」 : this is something I wanted to write for a while, and well, I couldn't think of a better time than fathers day! I loved writing my first dad Jay fic, so making an add-on to it actually makes me really happy, but I hope you enjoy it. happy father's day to those who celebrate and to those who don't well... I'm your daddy now hehe

The warm summer sun was shining through the small kitchen window above the sink as you and Minji stood at the counter with mixed cake batter. The young girl was standing on her little stool next to you, trying to crack an egg, but she couldn't, which caused her to start getting frustrated. She just wanted to help you bake a cake for Jay for Father’s Day, but she had been struggling to crack the same egg for a few minutes, and you didn’t want to interrupt her. However, when Minji goes to throw it down, you intervene and take the egg from her little hands.

“You can’t throw the egg, love,” You laugh softly, cracking the egg and dumping the inside contents into the bowl with the other ingredients.

Minji pouts as she watches you mix the batter, her hands holding onto the countertop. She is amazed by how easy it was for you to crack the other egg before putting it into the bowl as well.

“Why is it so hard for me to crack the egg, mama?” She asked, eyes tearing away from the bowl to look up at you as a smile tugged on the corner of your lips. Even after two years of her calling you that it never ceased to make you smile, loving to hear the words fall from her lips.

You dusted your hands off with a rag before turning to face the little girl. Starting to bend down, you realized that you couldn’t go down as far as you once used to with the baby bump that had formed on your stomach. Getting comfortable with one hand gripping the countertop edge, you opened your mouth to speak to the little girl, but she was quick to interrupt, panic on her face.

“No, mama, stand up. You’re going to squish, sissy!” She exclaimed, her eyes moving from your face down to your swollen belly. You couldn’t help but laugh at how worried she was.

“Min, the baby is okay, I promise.” You smile at her softly before dusting some of the flour off of her shirt. Now, how about I finish up with the cake so we can get it in the oven? Then we can decorate it while I start dinner, okay?” A smile grew on the little girl’s face as she nodded her head, excited to make the cake look pretty for her daddy.

Patting her head softly, you pull yourself back to your feet with a huff, grab the bowl, and whisk to finish mixing. Minji watched with intrigued eyes, not saying much as you made sure there weren’t any clumps left in the batter before grabbing the cake pan.

Spray the pan with cooking spray to make sure the cake won’t stick to the sides when you try to get it out. Then grab the bowl and start pouring the batter inside. Once all of the batter was scraped out of the bowl, reach over Minji and sit it inside the sink, then grab the cake pan.

“Stay right here, Min, I don’t want you to get burnt.” You instruct the young girl, and she tilts her head quizzically before muttering a small ‘Okay, mama.’ After making sure that she was going to stay in her spot, you walk over to the preheated oven and open the door before sliding the pan in. When it was fully inside, you closed the door and set the timer. Dusting your hands off once more you looked back at Minji who was still watching you with curious eyes, you looked at the clock. 

Jay shouldn’t be home until later in the evening, so the two of you should have more than enough time to decorate the cake and finish cooking dinner before he returns.

After the cake was done baking in the oven and fully cooled off you and Minji started to decorate it. You covered the entirety of the cake in frosting before grabbing a variety of sprinkles, decorative icing, and edible flowers to lay them before Minji so she could decorate.

“Alright, sweets, figure out what you wanna use while I finish off the frosting.” You pat down a few strands of her hair before turning back to the cake and grabbing the spatula.

Minji leans down until her chin rests on the counter, watching as you smooth out the frosting. Her eyes then fall onto your belly, and a small pout forms on her lips.

“How much longer is sissy going to be in there?” Minji asks as she lightly pokes your belly, resulting in a soft kick from the baby that was growing inside of your womb. You smile softly, setting the spatula down to cup the small girl’s face, brushing some stray frosting off of her face with your thumb.

“She still has a few more months until she gets here, Min,” you tell her with a smile, moving your hand from her face but not looking away.

Minji’s bottom lip jutted out, “Why can’t she come sooner?”

“Well, if she were to come now, she would be really sick, and we wouldn’t want that now, would we?” You watched with a fond gleam in your eyes as the little girl shook her head violently, slight panic forming in her eyes.

“No! I want her to be healthy, so I can play with her.” She exclaims, causing you to laugh softly, shaking your head. You then tell her that she will have to wait just a little bit longer after she’s born to play, which results in the young child sighing before yet another pout forms on her lips.

The both of you then go back to decorating the cake, talking about anything the girl could think of or humming a tune that has been stuck in your head.

However, after a few moments of not hearing a peep from Minji you looked over at her, seeing a troubled look on her face. Stopping what you were doing so you could turn all of your attention to her, “What’s wrong, bug?”

The moment that Minji turned her head, allowing her teary eyes to meet yours. Seeing the tears that were pooling along her waterline made your heart lurch. You reach out to cup her small cheek in your palm, thumb wiping a stray tear that had broken free.

“Are you and Daddy going to forget about me when sissy gets here?” Her voice shook as her bottom lip trembled, making your heart hurt. The last thing you wanted was for her to feel like you or Jay would forget about her when the baby got here.

“Aww baby,” You cooed softly, crouching down once more despite the discomfort so you were at eye level with her. Reaching out, you tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, looking at her with such fondness, “We’re not going to forget about you, even after the baby gets here.” You offer her a small smile, tilting your head slightly. “She’s going to need a lot of attention, but your dad and I will never forget about you, no matter what.”

Minji sniffles and wipes her face with the back of her hand before holding out her other hand, her tiny pinky sticking up. " You promise?” she asks.

You couldn’t help but laugh softly as you wrapped your own pinky around her’s, “I promise.” The both of you seal the word as the pads of your thumbs meet.

Unbeknownst to the both of you Jay stood in the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed loosely over his chest as he watched the two of you go back to decorating the cake. His eyes gleamed with adoration that if anyone had been looking in from the outside they would say that he quite literally had stars shining in his eyes. One would say that he was lovesick, the other would say he was a fool, but Jay didn’t care. If loving his fiance and children made him a love-sick fool, then so be it.

He watched the two of you discuss where to put the small edible flowers on the cake for a few more moments until he finally pushed himself off of the door frame. Walking further into the room, he watched his footsteps so the floorboards wouldn’t make too much noise.

“How are my favorite girls?” His voice filled the room, causing both you and Minji to jump. Turning around quickly, with your hand over your heart, you looked at Jay with wide eyes. He wasn’t supposed to be home until later.

Minji looks over at her dad with a huge smile on her lips before jumping from the stool, almost tripping, scaring the life out of you and Jay. However, she catches herself before making a beeline for Jay.

“Daddy!” She screamed as she ran into Jay’s awaiting arms, wrapping her arms tightly around Jay’s neck as he wrapped his around her smaller body. When he picked her up, Minji started to giggle, burying her face in Jay’s neck.

“How was your day princess?” Jay asked the small girl as she pulled away to look at him with wide, twinkling eyes. She starts to tell him about all of the stuff that you and her had been doing all day causing a smile to spread on your lips, watching the two of them. “Have you been listening to your mama?” Jay pokes her belly causing Minji to burst out in a fit of giggles before nodding her head and looking over at you just as you started to walk towards them.

A silly smile spread on Jay’s lips as he watched you waddle over to the two of them, your hand lying softly on the top of your baby bump. It still baffles him to this day that you have given him a second chance, even if it has been three years since then. Now he’ll get to call you his wife soon and you’re carrying his child. He will probably forever wonder whether or not this was all some dream, but if it was, he hoped it was one that he would never wake up from.

“She’s been good, she’s always good, Jay.” You smile softly as he wraps his arm around your waist the moment you’re within arm's reach.

“I’m just worried about leaving her alone with you right now,” He tells you, pressing a soft kiss to the side of your head as you wrap your arm around his torso. You rolled your eyes playfully before looking up to meet his gaze.

“I’m seven months pregnant, Jay, not handicapped.” 

“I know, but I’m still gonna worry regardless.” He stared down at you, taking in your features. The way your hair that was pulled back into a messy bun was starting to come undone resulting in a few stray pieces falling and framing your face. The small specks of frosting that somehow got onto your cheeks, then your pretty pink lips that were coated in a thin layer of lip gloss. Noticing his gaze, you reached up to move a strand of hair that had fallen out of place, snapping him out of his little trance. Smiling softly, he leans down to kiss the top of your head once more.

Minji started poking his shoulder, trying to gain his attention, “Daddy, guess what?” Jay turned his attention back to his daughter as she smiled widely at him, her small body shaking in excitement. “We made a cake for you!” She exclaimed, pointing over at the unfinished cake that still sat on the counter.

Smiling, you looked over at her before moving to meet Jay’s gaze once more as he looked over. “It’s not done yet; we weren’t expecting you to be back so soon.”

“Ah well,” Jay chuckled, tightening his hold on the both of you, “I managed to get boss to let me off early so I could spend the rest of the day with my favorite girls.”

His words made your heart twist. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, but just hearing how he would much rather spend every waking second of the day with you and Minji made you realize that you truly had picked the best man alive.

Minji wiggles her way out of Jay’s arms before grabbing his hand and dragging him over to where the cake was, leaving you to stand there and watch with a fond smile. The young girl went on to explain everything about what the cake looked like and how she wanted to decorate it for him. She then looked up at him, her face as bright as the sun saying that she hopes that he likes it when she finishes it.

“I love it already, Min.” He promised, patting the top of her head before she climbed back onto her stool to finish decorating.

You watch for a moment long before turning and walking over to the stove to finish cooking dinner. Noticing movement from the corner of his eye Jay looks over at you, seeing you pick up the ladle, your other hand propped on your hip. 

With one last pat to his daughter's head, he makes his way over to you, grabbing the ladle from your hand, causing you to look up at him.

“I’ve got it, bug; you should help Min finish the cake.” He looked at you with a soft smile, but you knew that arguing with him would just be useless, so you just shook your head, a smile pulling on the corner of your lips. Moving out of the way you allow him to take your previous stance, but you don’t move very far, eyes still on Jay, watching as he gets back into his element.

Seeing that you hadn’t gone anywhere and still stood in the same place Jay turned his head slightly before reaching a hand out to lay his palm flat on your swollen belly. His thumb rubs your skin soothingly through the fabric of your shirt as you move your hand to lay it on top of his, the light gleaming off of the diamond that laid on your ring finger.

Pulling your attention away from your hands, you let your eyes trail up until they met his, searching his orbs as the light reflected off of them. You had always loved his eyes. They always seemed dark at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they were a shade of your favorite chocolate, a beautiful color in your eyes.

“Thank you.” Jay breaks the silence; however, his words just leave you staring at him confused. You open your lips, asking what he meant and he just smiles sweetly, his gaze full of such love that it leaves you weak in the knees. “I am beyond thankful for you, bug; you’re always there for Minji and me. Thankful for everything that you have done for us. And I will forever be thankful that you gave me another chance because now I have the family that I’ve always thought about.”

You bit the inside of your cheek, hoping to keep the tears that had pooled in your eyes at bay. His words made your heart flutter, beating against your ribs in such a manner that you were sure that your face was red. Your hand moved faster than your brain, smacking his chest softly with a playful glare adorning your face.

“Stop trying to make me cry, asshole.” You grumbled lowly, not wanting Minji to hear you.

Jay couldn’t help but laugh before laying the ladle down so he could turn and engulf your smaller body in his arm, pulling you as close as he could with your pregnant belly in the way.

He presses a kiss to your forehead with a smile, “I’m sorry, love.”

Just then, a loud crash was heard throughout the whole kitchen, causing you to jump in Jay’s arms. Small curses left your lips, causing him to chuckle. Before the two of you looked over at the little girl, who was looking down at the fallen bowl with wide eyes, the spatula not too far from it. There were small specks of frosting all over her face and a few bigger splotches around her mouth and chin.

“Whoops.” As soon as the word fell from Minji’s lips, both you and Jay burst out laughing, the little girl not too far behind you.

The two of you then separated, moving towards Minji to help clean her up. “I’ve got her,” you told Jay. He was quick to grab your upper arm, ready to protest, but you turned and pressed the pads of your fingers to his lips, shushing him. "You just cook dinner; I’ve got her.”

Jay grabbed your wrist, pulling your fingers away from his mouth before placing a gentle kiss on the skin of your palm, muttering a small ‘okay’ before releasing his hold.

He watches as you walk over to the sink to grab a clean rag from the drawer next to it before wetting it with warm water. You then turn to the little girl as she tilts her face towards you, already knowing what was coming.

“So, did you like the frosting?” You teased her, gently wiping the leftover frosting from her cheeks. 

Minji giggled but nodded her head nonetheless, “I did! It was really sweet, though.” The girl exclaimed with a tight-lipped smile as you wiped down her chin.

Once her face was completely wiped off, you moved to pick up the bowl off the ground, but Minji was quick to hop off the stool, shouting that she’d got it. A sweet, wide smile spread on your lips as you watched her scoop up the bowl and spatula in her arms before turning and handing them to you.

Jay watched from the side with an adoring gleam in his eyes, knowing that Minji was already going to be a great big sister despite the almost six year difference.

“Thank you, love.” You thanked the child as you took the dishes from her outstretched arms and placed them in the sink to wash later.

The two of you then go back to decorating the cake—well, more like Minji is decorating it, and you’re just there to supervise so she doesn't make too big of a mess while Jay finishes dinner. The only sound filling the comfortable space around the three of you was the soft tunes that Jay was humming.

~

After dinner was done Jay gathered all of the dishes, ignoring your protests for him to let you do it. Realizing you weren’t going to win this fight, you just opted to help him clean them, which even took a bit of convincing. Finally giving in, Jay allowed you to dry the dishes off before placing them back in the cabinet. Even Minji found a way to help by standing next to Jay and pointing out all of the spots that he missed on some of the dishes, causing you to laugh softly as Jay faked a shocked expression every time.

He’d do anything if it meant that a smile would fall on either of his girls' faces.

Once the dishes were finally done, Minji started to hop around the dining table with a huge smile on her face. She then came to a halt in front of you, grabbing your hand and looking up to meet your awaiting eyes.

“Can we get the cake and presents out now?” she asked hurriedly, gently swinging your arm, causing you to chuckle and nod. However, Jay looked at you with wide, shocked eyes.

“You didn’t have to get me anything; being with the three of you is more than enough.”

You roll your eyes softly, “No, I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. Plus, Min has been excited to get you something.” You tell him, and the little girl by your side starts to nod her head violently, causing you to let out a small laugh. " Plus, it is your special day after all.”

Jay relented with a sigh, knowing that he wouldn’t be winning this fight, definitely not with the excited look that adorned his little girl’s face. So he sat down at the table, watching as the two of you walked out of the room, returning a few minutes later with the gifts in hand.

Coming back to the table, you took Minji's gift and set them both down on the table in front of Jay. Minji then clung to your side, her head resting on the side of your tummy, eyes on her dad as he thanked both of you.

Jay grabs the gift from Minji first, pulling out the stuffing paper and reaching inside. A wide smile pulls on his lips as he pulls out a cute coffee mug that was littered with little doodles that Minji had scribbled on them. Jay took a few moments to inspect every drawing on the cup, seeing butterflies, puppies, her name, as well as both yours and Jay’s names, as well as a bunch of other random doodles. With a stupid smile on his lips, he sat the cup down before grabbing the homemade card that she had made for him. He once again took his time reading it, relishing in the way that despite Minji being only five her spelling and handwriting were amazing.

When he was done reading the card, he sat it down next to the cup before turning to look over at Minji, who still had a hold of your hand, eyes on him. Jay held a hand out for the small child, and she rushed over to him without an ounce of hesitation, wrapping her arms around him.

“Happy Father’s Day, Daddy!” She exclaimed, resting her chin on his chest and looking up at him with a toothy grin.

“Thank you, baby girl.” He returned her goofy smile before pressing a kiss on her forehead, causing her eyes to flutter close, but the smile never left her lips. 

Once Jay pulled away from her, Minji climbed onto his lap, quickly getting comfortable before looking over at you. Walking over, you place your hand on the back of Jay’s chair, watching as Jay reaches forward, grabbing the other small gift bag. 

Jay throws a quick glance at you when he pulls a small ring box out, his eyebrows furrowed. He has a small feeling that he already knows what it is, or, well, more along the lines of what it could be. Your lips curl inward, trying to fight off the smile as you usher him to open it.

Opening the small box, Jay’s eyes go wide as he sees a ring sitting inside. However, it wasn’t just any ring. No, it was the right that he had been contemplating getting a few months back but decided not to. He was sure that you didn’t know about it, knowing how you are when he refuses to buy anything for himself, so how did you find out?

“What? How-”

You let out a laugh, hand moving to his shoulder, “Babe, you have a bad habit of not closing tabs when you’re done with them.”

Jay just chuckles with a small chuckle, “Yeah, you’re right.” He agreed before looking back down at the ring when he noticed how antsy Minji was in his lap. Asking if something was the matter she just shook her head before pointing to the piece of jewelry and telling him to look at the inside. 

Confused, he takes the piece of jewelry out of the case before inspecting it. His eyes then go wide when he realizes that there are names inscribed on the inside of the band. Minji and Joonhee. Both of his little girls’ names.

“I knew how much you wanted something with the girls’ names on it, so when I saw the ring, I found a perfect solution.” You smiled sweetly at him as he looked up at you with literal stars shining in his eyes, making your heart flutter.

“Thank you, baby.” He spoke softly, biting back tears, but then he realized that he hadn’t seen your name with the girls’. “But where’s your name?”

You shook your head, telling him that you weren’t sure about adding your name, so you decided not to. Jay waved it off before saying that he’d go within the next few days to add your name.

“I want all of my girls’ names on there. Especially my wife and mother of my children.” His voice was sweet along with his words which easily brought tears to your eyes. You had wondered what you had done in your past life for you to deserve such a caring man like Jay.

You weren’t able to hold your tears this time resulting in them starting to fall down your cheeks.

“God dammit, Jay, I told you not to make me cry.” You curse him, trying to wipe the tears from your face, but it proves pointless as more just replaced the ones you had wiped away.

Jay chuckles softly before laying the ring back inside the box and grabbing Minji to pick her up once more. Hoisting the little girl on his hip as he stood, he wrapped his other arm around you, pulling your body into his, creating a small group hug.

“I love you both so so much.” He whispered, inhaling through his nose to keep his own tears at bay before pressing a kiss to Minji’s forehead. The little girl squealed with giggles, smiling at Jay when he pulled before leaning forward and pressing a kiss of her own on his cheek.

“I love you too, Jay, so much.” You responded to him as his eyes fell back on yours.

He leaned down, sealing your lips with his in a soft, gentle kiss, his hand on your jaw, angling your face for better access. After a few moments, the both of you pulled away with smiles adorning both of your faces.

Then you remembered the cake, quickly wiped the remaining tears from your cheeks, and smiled brightly at both Jay and Minji.

“Alright, who wants cake?” As soon as those words fell from your lips, Minji exclaimed loudly that she did, wiggling in Jay’s arms, causing you both to burst out laughing once more.

~

When the three of you were done with the cake, you all settled in the living room. You were lying between Jay’s legs, your back pressed against his chest, while Minji was curled up in your lap, using your baby bump as a pillow while the three of you watched movies.

It wasn’t too long before Minji fell asleep on your lap, her arms hanging loosely at her side while her face was smooshed against your belly. You cooed softly, brushed the hair out of her face watching her sleep for a few moments until a yawn tore through your lips.

“I think it’s time to call it a night; what do you say, bug?” Jay asked softly, his lips pressed against the back of your head.

Before you could even speak, you were cut off by a yawn answering Jay’s question. Laughing softly he maneuvered his way out from behind you so he could pick the sleeping child up.

“Noooo…” Minji whined sleepily as Jay pulled her from your lap, but as soon as her head laid on Jay’s shoulder, she was out once more.

Both of you laughed quietly before you moved to get off the couch, but Jay was quick to hold his hand out. Smiling up at him, you placed your smaller hand in him, allowing him to hoist you to your feet with little to no struggle.

You thanked him before the three of you made your way to Minji’s room to settle her before making it back to your room.

Settling down in bed, Jay reaches over to lay his hand on top of your baby bump once more. However, this time, the baby kicks, causing the both of you to laugh softly. He then leans over, capturing your lips in a soft, lingering kiss. Your hand finds his cheek, thumb brushing his skin gently, realizing his warmth.

Pulling away, he lays his forehead against yours, breathing softly through his nose, “Thank you, again, for everything.” He thanked you for the nth time that night causing you to giggle softly before reaching forward to cup his face in both hands, kissing him once more.

“I would do anything and everything for you Jay,” You smiled as he sealed your lips in yet another kiss, all of his love and adoration seeping out as he kissed you deeply this time.

Pulling away, he moved down to your belly, fingers caressing the skin that was peeking out from the bottom of your, well, his shirt. You watched with soft eyes as he placed gentle kisses on the curve of your stomach.

“Don’t keep your mom up all night, alright.” He whispered against your skin, causing a silly smile to spread on your lips as you ran your fingers through his hair.

The two of you lay down after turning the lights off. Jay’s arm wrapped around your waist, pulling your back flush against his chest. He then kissed your shoulder, trailing his lips up until he got to your ear.

“I don’t know how I became the luckiest man on earth, but I will never take it for granted.” He whispered softly, his warm breath sending a shiver down your spine. “I promise that I will do whatever it takes to make sure you and our daughters are taken care of.” He then kissed the top of your head, “I love you so much, baby,”

You mumbled a soft ‘I love you too,’ sleep already consuming your mind as you were encased in Jay’s warmth.

“Good night, my love.” He whispered as you closed your eyes, falling asleep with your hand lying over his.

@alvojake | Do not steal, plagiarise, translate, or repost any of my work

𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖗 : ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ɴᴏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀꜱ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴘᴜʀᴇʟʏ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱʟʏ.

dream daddy ➵ 𝖙𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖊𝖗 ⋆ ˚｡⋆

➴ pairings: enha!hyung line x fem!reader (each chapter - each member) ➴ genre: fluff, comedy ➴ synopsis: They're just single dads trying to get by, raise their children, and succeed in life where they did not in love. But maybe the tides turn in their favor to welcome something new in their lives right at their children's school, Cerulean Academy. ➴ taglist: join my taglist for this series here!

⋆ ˚｡⋆ TEASER STARTS HERE AND WILL CONTINUE UNDER THE CUT ⋆ ˚｡⋆

Cerulean Academy was home to renowned scientists, scholars, and starlets. It was the epicenter for well-rounded education, focused entirely on the happiness and success of their young prodigies. It was any parent's dream to have their child attend and learn reading, writing, and arithmetic with the future leaders of the world.

The parents that attended the galas and PTA meetings of the academy were not bad to look at either. Especially the four men that dominated the minds and hearts of the single mothers and female faculty.

Lee Heesung, Sim Jaeyun, Park Jongseong, and Park Sunghoon, the handsome quartet of the K-5 circuit of Cerulean Academy, were unaware just how loved they were by their children’s peers and parents.

When they walked into school, either by themselves or as a head-turning group, it was known across campus. From pre-school parents to giggling freshman, they stopped and stared at them, too mesmerized to focus on much else.

And by the cruel workings of fate and love gone wrong, all four men happened to be perfectly and ironically single.

But by the end of the year, the culmination of the school term’s work with the celebration of Field Day, that was about to change.

⋆ ˚｡⋆ CHAPTER 1 (HEESEUNG) COMING SOON ⋆ ˚｡⋆