For The Domestic Prompt List, The Baby Proofing / Cover The Edge Of The Table One With Cheol, Please!

For the domestic prompt list, the baby proofing / cover the edge of the table one with cheol, please! 💖

Word count: 717

Pairing: cheol x reader

Prompt: covering the sharp part of the table when they pass so they don’t hit their hip

Cheol looked over his shoulder at you from the stove as you walked into the kitchen, smile growing on his face at your sleepy eyes and rumpled pajamas. The smile froze and became a grimace as time slowed down and he leapt forward on agile, practiced feet, just barely shoving his hand between your hip and the sharp edge of the counter before you banged into it. He swears his blood pressure has gone up since you started dating. You have a certain... lack of spatial awareness, to put it nicely. 

When you first got together, he'd noticed you flinching every time he squeezed your hip or your elbow or your waist, which was one of his favorite boyfriend privileges.

Cheol thought you might just be a bit self conscious, or maybe you weren't into casual touching, or maybe you weren't into casual touching when it was him. He worried, for a little bit, that the last one was the case, and stopped all of his little touches so abruptly that you even asked him about it, asked if you did something wrong.

He'd tripped over his own feet rushing to explain himself; it hadn't occurred to him for even a second that you'd blame yourself, and he was near desperate in his attempt to set the record straight. 

“Baby, baby, no! You didn’t do anything wrong, I just- I realized you winced whenever I would pinch or squeeze you somewhere, especially your hips, and I thought you didn’t like it so I stopped,” Cheol explains, hands resting gently on your shoulders and eyes brimming with apologies. 

You’d looked confused though, like you hadn’t expected that response, and he tracks your eyes as they move up and to the side before you tug down one side of your pajama shorts and poke at your hip. 

An annoyed, pained sound leaves your lips, and now Cheol is the one confused. You poke at the same spot again, hissing this time, and Cheol is quick to grab your hands in his and pull them to his chest. 

“Babe, why’d you do it again if it hurt the first time?” He sighs with just a touch of exasperation. 

“I wanted to be sure,” You respond defensively, shoulders rising with your brows, “Sometimes bruises just appear on me and I don’t know where they come from, or that they’re even there until someone touches them. I don’t really touch my own hips that much, and I didn’t even realize I was flinching until you told me just now,” a shrug finishes off your sentence, your mouth scrunching to the side as if to say ‘what can be done.’

It wasn’t until after Cheol moved in with you that he figured out where the bruises were coming from, and what exactly could be done about them. Just in the first week, he’d heard you bump into the counter with a swear three times, explaining the hip bruises. In the first month, you ran into the edge of your tall dresser seven times, explaining the tender spots on your waist. In the first year, he lost count of how many times you hit your elbow on door frames and the fridge and the shower wall and other random hard surfaces. 

So Cheol started shadowing you around the house when he could, sliding his hand around your hip before it could knock into the counter, pulling you gently to the side before you walked right into the dresser, cupping his fingers over your elbows before they impacted literally anything in the house. He got better and better as time went on, predicting and preventing your clumsiness with near perfect accuracy, and got to indulge in his little touches both during and after his interventions. 

However, he also learned that you can be unpredictable sometimes and you’ll always (unintentionally) find a way to bang into something, as evidenced by the way he just had to launch himself across the kitchen to stop you from slamming into the counter.

Cheol can’t say he minds though, he likes being able to protect you in these little ways, and he especially likes the bashful smile you send him every time he puts his hands on you, whether it’s to stop you from getting hurt or to feel you up. 

Now if he could just figure out how to stop you from stubbing your toes, he’d be golden. 

‘don’t you want your favourite character to be happy???’ no? i want my favourite character to be interesting. i want me to be happy. which sometimes involves my favourite character being in exquisite agony

FILED UNDER :: SVT <3

📸 . *. ⋆ reactions / blurbs / bulletpoints (< 500 words)

college besties feat. jihan

the little things hiphop unit | vocal unit | performance unit

the soft italicised 'oh' moment hyung line | maknae line

📸 . *. ⋆ drabbles (< 1000 words)

" clean up crew " feat. joshua

" mistletoe " feat. vernon

📸 . *. ⋆ one shots (1000+ words)

" wedding weekends with wonwoo " feat. wonwoo

" i bet you think about me " feat. woozi

" on love, friendship, and jane austen " feat. vernon

📸 . *. ⋆ one-shot smaus

" not on priv " feat. seungkwan

" obvious " feat. minghao

“ matching ” feat. 95z

“ shipped ” feat. joshua

fever

pairing: sub!mingyu x dom!gn!reader

contains: a cautionary tale for public play but no one gets caught, use of a vibrating butt plug, fingering (giving), handjob(giving)

a/n: uhhhhh,,, was very much inspired by this nsfw vid. the ending is unnecessarily corny but i thought it was fitting for mingyu lol

“do you have a fever or something, mingyu?”

mingyu, not being the sharpest tool in the shed, thought it was a good idea to play around while having drinks with friends which resulted in his body randomly jolting whenever the vibrating buttplug shoved in his hole would press into him in just the right ways, his pupils being diluted, hair sticking to his face and his cheeks being as red as ever.

anyone with a decent view of him could easily come to that conclusion. over the course of the long and torturing thirty minutes you had spent at this café, you noticed how his expression went from “i’m slightly uncomfortable” to ”i’m contemplating whether keeping my dignity and not creaming my pants in front of my friends is really better than just letting go” and after hearing yet another terribly played-off-as-a-sigh whimper, you decided that it was enough for today.

“actually, he did have a headache earlier today so i think we’re gonna go home guys,” you say as you firmly plant your hands on the table to get everyone’s attention.

“a headache? this doesn’t really look like-“

“he just needs some rest really, it was good seeing you guys! ready to go, gyu?”

he doesn’t really trust his voice for the time being so he just nods, then carefully stands up and waves his friends goodbye with a horribly forced smile. you make your way towards the exit as he follows not too far behind.

when you finally get to your car, he loses all composure. he starts to feverishly hump his seat as his head lolls back while awkward moans flow past his plump lips. his hands are harshly grabbing the sides of his seat and you wonder why he isn’t just jerking himself off since no one would see anyway and it’d be way faster than… whatever he’s doing. you figure that he wants to finish this properly, in a more private setting because otherwise, this would be a masochist way to try and make himself cum. you’d be lying if you said you weren’t enjoying the view though. he notices and if it was possible, an even deeper shade of red would adorn his face.

“do you want to go to my house or your dorms?” you ask after finally being able to look away from the salacious scene playing before you and starting the car.

“the dorms- ah fuck,” he takes a deep breath before trying again, “it’s empty, t-the guys aren’t there.”

“do you want me to turn it off?”

“no!” he half-screams, turning to look at you with a panicked expression.

you refrain from laughing at his pathetic state, though you feel the corners of your lips ever so slightly turn.

“alright, boss. just make sure you don’t ruin your pants before we get there.”

after a 20 minute drive that felt like an eternity to the both of you, you finally arrive at the dorms.

he practically jumps on you the second you shut the door of his room behind you, harshly pressing his lips against yours to provoke you to do something. anything.

your hands immediately get to work and you start to unbutton his dress shirt as he begins to leave kisses along your jaw and neck. when he’s shirtless, you push him back until he falls onto his bed.

he lays there, lips slightly parted, eyes fixed on you as he waits for your next move.

you unbutton his jeans, start to pull them off along with his boxers and he lifts his hips up to help you. when he’s left naked, you straddle his thighs.

“aw, my poor baby. it hurts, doesn’t it?” you jab, softly pressing your hand against his bare cock that had been leaking for a while now.

he can only whine in affirmation as he rolls his hips up against your hand and you honestly can’t blame him considering how hard he is.

“let’s check the situation down there, shall we?”

you change positions so his legs are placed over yours, elevating his hips and making the view on his plugged up hole clearer.

the vibrating toy was on its lowest setting, which it had to be or else he would’ve caused a scene in front of your friends.

“i’m gonna remove it, alright?” you glance at him to make sure he’s still with you and remove the device after he gives you green light by nodding.

once removed, you turn off the sex toy, put it aside and watch how his swollen hole flutters due to its new found emptiness.

“would you look at that, i should probably take care of this problem of yours,” you chuckle as you reach for the drawer of his nightstand to get some lube.

“please!” he doesn’t really know why he’s begging when he knows you’re going to give him what he wants, force of habit perhaps?

after lubing up two of your fingers, you slowly insert them as he had already been stretched out thanks to the buttplug and directly go for his sweet spot you knew all too well since the poor boy had waited long enough.

that results in him violently arching his back as a broken moan rips from his throat.

“ah fuck, yes!”

you plant your other hand on his hip to try and keep him still as you rapidly pump your fingers in and out of him. moans and sighs of content leave his lips as he fucks back on your fingers despite your miserable attempts to keep him from moving too much.

“you’re not making this easy for me mingyu,” you huff but get no response from him as he is probably too far gone by now.

the repeated movements of his hips drew attention to his cock though. his angry red, leaking cock bouncing with each jerk of his hips that hadn’t been touched since this all started. and by the way precum kept dribbling down his member, you most definitely didn’t need extra lube to touch him there. so you went for it.

this made mingyu’s eyes snap open to meet yours as he obscenely starts to fuck your hand.

“oh wow, not wasting time, are we?” you laugh as he was practically doing all the work by somehow fucking himself onto your fingers while simultaneously fucking your hand, which made you wonder if he had been masturbating lately.

“oh please y/n, i’m so close,” he desperately cries out, making you realise that he had been waiting for your permission ever since the café.

“you’re close, huh?” you ask, wondering how long you could make this last before he reached his limit and came.

he whimpers like a beaten puppy while aggressively nodding his head and that’s when you unmistakably hear the front door open as lively chatter starts to fill up the room outside.

mingyu’s movements falter while yours completely come to a stop and your head snaps to look at the unlocked door of the bedroom and back to mingyu that didn’t look as terrified as he should be.

“fuck, they’re back. if you want to stop, you know the word, baby.”

“please, please, please.”

oh.

his voice was high pitched and not as quiet as it should be. his eyes were begging you. begging you to keep going and not leave him all bothered like this. begging you to stop so he wouldn’t embarrass himself. begging you to make that decision for him.

you didn’t really care about being caught to be honest, you wanted to stop for mingyu’s sake but considering how he went right back to desperately fucking your hands, you doubt he’d like that very much.

“ok listen up, i’m gonna make you cum but you need to promise that you’ll be quiet.”

he firmly positions both of his hands over his mouth at your words to signal you that he’ll uphold his part of the deal and that it was now up to you.

you cautiously start moving your hands again, prodding at his prostate while your other hand massages the tip of his cock, making him bury his head into his pillow. what a cutie.

you can hear his hushed whimpers through his hands but you can also see how, if it weren’t for the guys in the living room, he’d be moaning loudly about how good you were making him feel. his eyes are shut tight and the tips of his ears are the same shade as his cheeks. poor baby, he’s struggling so hard.

you continue the abuse of his sensitive parts and it doesn’t take long before he cums with trembling thighs and violent body shocks. his eyes roll so far back, you fear he’s going to pass out. cum is spurting all over his well-defined abs that had also accumulated a layer of sweat thanks to all of his… hard work. you give his cock a last few good tugs before carefully removing your hands from his body.

he’s panting harshly but is blissed out nonetheless, making you wonder how the hell he’ll be able to walk out of this room without the others catching onto what had happened.

“thank you.” it’s weak but you hear it nevertheless and if you were honest, you were a bit envious of his euphoric state as you felt your now damp underwear stick to your core.

“think you got a second round in you?”

this makes him giggle and jokingly pinch your thigh.

“for you? always.”

More fluffy fics like that seungcheol baby proof ones fls🥹🫶 i wanna feel even more single and ur fics r the most effective way i've found

Decided to combine these and i just accidentally wrote something so emo, so fluffy, so sweet, that i contemplated joining hinge bc it made me feel so boyfriendless!

thank you both for coming into my inbox and inspiring this!! ily forever!!

Rating: T

Word Count: ~2100

Content Notes: fluff, clingy soonyoung, established relationship, food mention, alcohol mention, soft so very very soft, im in love with him fr

“Soonyoung, someone has to cook, and I know it won’t be you, so you might have to let go of me,” You breathe out with exasperation. 

Soonyoung had been wrapped around you since you got home from work. He’d been waiting by the door like a 50s housewife, with your favorite robe and slippers at the ready. He stripped you himself, unbuttoning your work blouse with such haste you expected him to rip it right off of you. He’d followed your pants down to the floor, kneeling and pressing a kiss to your tummy that you expected to lead somewhere else, so you were surprised when he just sat on the ground and wrapped his arms around your legs instead. 

“Uhm… ‘sup, babe?” You asked, very confused and very endeared. 

Soonyoung tilted his head up to look at you, eyes sparkling and lips pursed into a pout, “I just missed you while you were gone.”

And how could you be annoyed, when he rose slowly and wrapped the robe around you with gentle hands, tongue stuck out between his lips as he tied the belt in a clumsy bow and fixed the lapels. How could you be frustrated when he let out a little ah! and ducked down to pull your pumps off and slide your aching feet into your slippers before springing up to plant a kiss on your lips. How could you feel tired when he grabbed your hands in his and yanked you into a hug, nestling his face into your neck and wrapping you up tight in his muscly arms, before bodily walking you over to the couch and collapsing on his back with you on top of him. 

You laid there together for half an hour, his breaths merging with yours, your body melting into his, both of you close to drifting off until his stomach growled and yours answered. You pulled your face out of the couch and he pulled his from your neck and you stared at each other in a silent stand-off. You could tell Soonyoung just wanted to order in, but you’d already gotten take out yesterday and you were craving a real, homecooked meal. 

Soonyoung wouldn’t be able to help with that though, he could barely even follow directions in the kitchen, let alone make a whole meal by himself. It certainly wasn’t for lack of trying, but you’d come home to enough fire alarms and burnt pans (not just food, but pans) to place him on a cooking embargo. 

And that brings you back to the present, where you stand in front of the stove, stirring the peppercorn sauce while the steaks sizzle in the oven. Scratch that, where you AND Soonyoung stand in front of the stove, his arms wrapped around you like a sloth and his body following your movements just as slowly as one, as you stir the peppercorn sauce. He hadn’t let go of you at all, not when you bent down to move the cast iron from the stovetop to the oven, not when you turned to the fridge to get the cream out, not when you ducked to grab a red from the chiller. No, he’d just crouched with you, dancer’s body following yours gracefully (if a little sluggish), and you begin to wonder if you’ve been taking on too many hours at work. 

Soonyoung can be clingy, sure, but usually not like this, and not for this long, especially if it starts to impede your cooking. But you can’t find it in yourself to shrug him off, to unlatch his arms from around your waist, not when you’ve missed him just as much. It was harder for you than he knew, harder than you let him know, to drag yourself away from his warm embrace every morning. To dress silently, and press a light kiss to his forehead, and pretend you didn’t feel his eyes on you as you left, or his fingers catching at your fluttering blouse. 

You’d spent a good few mornings this month dabbing your under eyes with a tissue at stoplights, hoping your mascara wasn’t running with your tears as you pictured him rolling over to occupy the space you left, gathering your pillow in his arms and holding it like he wanted to hold you. You know he does, because your side of the bed always smells a bit like him when you get home, the sheets twisted up and your pillow laying vertically instead of at the head of the bed. 

But someone has to work while Soonyoung finishes his master’s, and you’re happy to be that someone so he can focus fully on his choreography and kinesthetic studies. You know he’ll be an amazing dance teacher, and you’re willing (happy, even) to make sacrifices to get him there. 

Maybe you don’t need to be sacrificing so much though, accepting so many extra projects and spending so much extra time at work, if he’s been missing you like this. He’d been hiding it well, just holding you a bit tighter at night and texting you at work a bit more, but today must’ve been different for some reason. 

Maybe it was how you had to gently unwind his fingers from your belt loop after you bent down to kiss him goodbye. Maybe it was how you couldn’t respond to his messages until your late lunch break today. Maybe it was how you missed his call because you were stuck in a meeting that went an hour longer than was necessary. 

Fuck, you knew you hadn’t been imagining the tears in his voice when you’d listened to his voicemail on the way home. 

With the steaks resting on the island, and the sauce thickening on the stove, your hands were finally free, and you spun around in Soonyoung’s arms to wrap yours around his neck and pull him into a tight hug. You could feel his sigh, feel him relax into your body like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and you swayed a bit, holding him close to you. His head rests on your shoulder, face buried in your neck and fingers clutching at your robe, and you feel the sniffle before you hear it. 

“Oh, baby, Soonie, I’m sorry I’ve been gone so much lately,” you breathe into his hair, feeling your heart clench when he just holds you tighter and sniffles again. More and more of his weight leans into you and you have to back into the counter to brace yourself, the edge digging into your spine, as he all but melts into you. You don’t care, can barely feel anything but his body in your arms and his heart beating against yours, and you feel him whisper something into your collarbone, feel his wet eyelashes brushing against your skin. 

“Can you say that again, honey?” You ask gently, hoping Soonyoung won’t burst into tears at having to speak louder (as he’s prone to doing when he’s emotional). 

“Babe, it’s not your fault. I know you’re doing it for me,” he sniffles, “I think that might make it worse,” he finishes, pulling away from your neck to stare at you with damp eyes. 

“Why would that make it worse, Soonie?” you inquire, a bit confused. 

“Because it’s selfish to miss you so much when you’re away because of me, when I know you miss me just as much. Don’t think I haven’t noticed all your mascara tissues in the car!” 

You jump a bit as his voice raises, classic Soonyoung passion shining through, and he whispers a gentle apology as his hands smooth over your hair and his thumbs stroke your cheekbones. His cute pout graces his lips again, cheeks puffing out a bit as he tries to hold in his tears, but his face just turns red and scrunches up more before he tries to hide it behind his hands. He doesn’t get far before he realizes that means he’ll have to let go of you, so he lets the fat tears flow and tilts his head back so they don’t soak into the collar of his shirt. 

Soonyoung is always willing to show his emotions, but he doesn’t usually cry this easily, and you just have to ask, “Soonyoung, did you have something to drink before I got home?”

You bite your smile between your lips as he avoids your gaze, throwing his head to the side and then down to push at your sternum, “maybe a beer. Or two.” 

Giggling, you unwrap your arms from his shoulders and your hands drift up to pull his forehead from your chest. He’s still hesitant to meet your eyes, probably thinking he’s in trouble for some reason (you’ve never gotten mad at him for drinking, so you’re not sure why he’s shy all of a sudden), and you tilt his face in your hands so he’s looking at you. Your smile scrunches to the side as your thumbs wipe gently at his under eyes and you release his face to blindly grab at a paper towel so he can blow his nose. He turns away, sticking close by and leaving only to throw the towel away, though his fingers stay tangled with the belt of your robe. 

Soonyoung’s face is still red when he finally turns back to you of his own volition, looking embarrassed and a bit fragile still. 

“You know, I started feeling a little sick on the way home today,” you pause and his eyes grow wide with concern, one hand flying up to press on your forehead and the other cupping your cheek as his brows pinch together. 

You hold his stare as you (very obviously) fake cough into your elbow and pretend to swoon. He catches on quickly enough, smile growing on his face and pushing his cheeks up to crease under his eyes, and the palm on your forehead shifts to your other cheek until your face is smushed between his hands. 

“I think I should probably take tomorrow off and use the long weekend to rest and recover,” you say through the forced pout, your eyes crossing as he leans in to smack a wet kiss on your lips. He lets go of your face to wind his arms around you again and pull you close, his body breaking out into a little dance and his head moving back and forth so much you giggle into his mouth. 

This sends him into a laughing fit too, and you feel your heart beat a bit faster, a bit harder, as you stand there in the kitchen, wrapped up in Soonyoung, steaks and wine completely forgotten.

You remember them soon enough, thankfully before the sauce has curdled on the stove, and eat together at the table. Exchanging shy looks and kicking your feet with his under the table, you and Soonyoung discuss ideas for your day in tomorrow. 

You settle on a lie in, and movies on the couch, and pizza from your favorite italian spot, and a warm bath with candles and bubbles and wine. 

The day passes beautifully, you waking up to your limbs tangled up with Soonyoung’s and his breath puffing against your neck. You build a fort together and watch each other’s favorite movies, nestled in blankets and bathed in the glow of the fairy lights you’d strung up, glancing shyly at each other like it was the first date rather than the five hundredth. 

The pizza is delicious, made better by the fact you didn’t have to make it and Soonyoung wouldn’t have to clean up, and you sink into the bath together with a sigh. You mold his hair into a shampoo mohawk and he sculpts you a bubble beard that he swiftly disturbs by sweeping you into a kiss, smearing suds all over both of your faces. Things cool down only when the soap gets into your mouths and you take turns rinsing with water from the faucet before agreeing to finish up in the shower and go to bed. 

He cuddles up close to you, tugging the sheet over your heads and whispering like it was a sleepover, holding your hands tightly in his and staring incessantly at you. You’re not sure he even blinks, he’s so entranced with you, but you can’t judge him when you’re doing the same, taking in every expression that flits across his face. 

It really had been too long since you’d done something like this, you think, as you drift off together, silently thanking the two beers for loosening Soonyoung’s lips and attaching him to your hip yesterday. Just a few more months, and this can be your life everyday…

still accepting thots, questions, and requests in my inbox! If you're requesting, please check my request rules first! also would love to just chat, on anon or off, i'm very friendly i promise!

the other woman; wonwoo x fem!reader // mingyu x fem!reader

request: Hey do you write seventeen angst? Idk if you are still doing requests but I was hoping you can write a dramatic angst using either Joshua, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Mingyu, or Minghao, Vernon but two of them as leads. Idk why I’m a sucker for cliche stuff like cheating or betraying kind of stuff and a touch of sadness.

synopsis: you're married to wonwoo, but his parents desperately wants him to have a child - which you cannot have. he gives into his parents wishes and meets the other woman, whom he eventually agrees to marry as well. you're left heartbroken for a few years, seeing the man you love build a family that you had always wanted, but happiness is on the horizon as you meet someone new.

a/n: obviously, this is fictional - but i just want to make it clear that i don't think that his dad is an asshole.. and please do tell me if you want a part two!!

cw: swearing, implied smut (no smut actually written)

genre: angst, fluff, found family

word count: 9.5k

the characters are aged up for plot reasons :)

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆. .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆. .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆. .⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

the blinds were closed, but morning light still found it's way to peek through. the sun rays managed to hit your face, peeling your eyes open. as your eyelids fluttered open, you found yourself looking at your gorgeous husband laying in front of you. the covers were secured under his arms, but his bare skin still showed. you reached your hands out to him, wanting to get as close as possible. after a quick peck to his forehead, you looked at him again. his hair wasn't as messy as it used to be when he woke up. you assumed it was because he had time to let his hair dry after his shower before getting into bed last night. there were deep circles under his eyes. he had been working late frequently this past week, but today you had him all to yourself. "good morning, love.", he muttered and pulled you closer to his chest. you said it back with a content smile. he smelled of laundry detergent, and the body wash you told him you liked once - ever since then he's been using it religiously. wonwoo kissed the top of your head and gently squeezed your body with his arms. "would you mind getting me my glasses?", he asked kindly. wonwoo let go of you, letting you reach for the bedside table and getting the round frames for him. he put them on as soon as you gave them to him, and looked at you. "now i can properly see you...", he chuckled, "thank you, beautiful." you leaned down and gave him a kiss before getting out of bed. he had gotten home late last night, as usual, and hadn't seen the night gown you had put on. it was the short silk slip he had bought you a few weeks ago. you could feel his eyes on you. "wait no, come back!", he laughed and grabbed your arm. he pulled you back into bed, his arms embracing your torso from behind. his strong arms had yours locked in place, and he took the chance to plant as many tickling kisses along your neck as he could. "you didn't tell me you were wearing this...", he smiled against your skin. "i never got the chance.", you answered with a grin, "do you like it?" "of course i do...", he kissed your cheek again before letting you go. you sat down beside him, looking at him lovingly. he stole another kiss from you before getting up. "do you want coffee?", he asked. "always.", you nodded and followed him out to the kitchen.

you sat on the kitchen island, watching your husband work on making you the perfect cup of coffee. he was wearing the pajama pants that you loved so much, and a shirt you had gotten him for his birthday a few years ago. "you don't have to go to work today either, right?", he asked. "i called them last night to tell them i wouldn't be.", you nodded. "i bet the kids will be disappointed.", he looked over at you with a small smile. you were a kindergarten teacher, and happened to be many kids' favorite teacher. there was no need for you to work if you so wished, as wonwoo made enough for the both of you. however, you had been working there since before you met him and quite enjoyed it. maybe one day you would quit, but not any time soon. "i'm sure they can go one day without seeing me.", you said. wonwoo walked up to you and gave you a cup of coffee, just how you liked it. you took a sip and instant relief flooded your body. "is it any good?", he asked. "it's perfect.. thank you, baby.", you muttered and gave him a quick kiss. he smiled against your lips, and went back to make himself a cup.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

the day went on quicker than it should have. when you were preparing to go to dinner with wonwoo's father, you found yourself trying to find every excuse to make it take a bit longer to get ready. just as wonwoo was doing the same. "we don't have to have dinner with him, you know?", he said as he buttoned up his white shirt. "but we should.", you said and brought him his tie, "you don't meet your parents very often." "you don't think there's a reason for that?", he chuckled. you shook your head at his comment and helped him tie his tie. you hadn't even gotten in your dress yet, you were still in one of wonwoo's t-shirts. wonwoo grabbed your wrists and got you to stop helping him tie it. "thank you, sweetheart, but i think you should get going with putting your dress on.", he said with a knowing smile. you nodded, pressing a kiss to his cheek before moving on. wonwoo looked himself in the mirror, realizing that you had left a red lipstick mark on his cheek. you giggled as you ran over the the closet. "... where do you keep your make up wipes?", he sighed. "bathroom.", you said as you reached for your dress.

after he came back from the bathroom, you had finished putting your grey dress on. it wasn't what you were used to. "could you help me zip it up?", you sighed and turned your back to wonwoo. he gently helped you with the zipper in the back of the dress, trapping you in the uncomfortable piece of clothing. your slight frown didn't go unnoticed by your husband. "i know you don't like it.", he said calmly, "but it's just for a night." his dad wasn't very fond of you, and so you resorted to dressing as he would want you to dress whenever you saw him. your usual colorful closet turned into monotone fabrics. "it's fine.", you lied, "at least he won't comment on my clothes tonight... thanks for helping me find this." "anything for you.", he smiled at you in the mirror, "although i do like your colorful dresses more." you turned around to face him with a mischievous grin. "i'm wearing the light blue lingerie set.", you said with a giggle. "you're telling me that before we even go out?", he groaned, "you'll be the death of me, y/n."

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

"i'm just suggesting an alternative.", wonwoo's dad said calmly. you had been zoning out ever since he decided to talk about you with wonwoo right in front of your face. sadly, his mom couldn't make it to the dinner - she was a nice woman, who most of the time took your side. however, she was a busy woman, so she couldn't attend and help you tonight. it was no secret to the jeon family that you couldn't have children. many attempts had been made, and you had gone to an immense amount of doctor's appointments. in the end, it led to nothing. that is the reason why wonwoo's dad disliked you. it wasn't because of your colorful wardrobe, he didn't mind that before knowing that you couldn't make them an heir. the jeon family's business had been passed down through generations. if wonwoo didn't get an heir, the family company stops at him. "an alternative? like adoption?", wonwoo asked. "no, not adoption - then it's not our genes.", his father said. usually you would interject at these sort of statements. working at the day care had made you witness many different family situations, including ones were the child was adopted. therefore, you couldn't stand it when people spoke in that manner. however, this was different - because he would certainly not listen to you. "i mean... you get a mistress who can birth the child for you.", the dad shrugged as he continued eating. your heart sank. "a surrogate, right?", wonwoo asked and took your hand under the table. "well...", his dad started, "... i was thinking thinking... maybe this relationship wasn't meant to be if y/n-" you stood up, the chair falling down behind you. this was enough. "i'm sorry mr. jeon, but if you are going to speak of me, could you at least acknowledge my presence in the room?", you spoke with a cold tone. "oh, i didn't mean to offend-" "but you did. i'll take my leave.", you said, "i hope you have a great rest of your evening." there was nothing more you could say, especially not when you felt tears welling up in your eyes. you grabbed your bag and stormed out of the restaurant.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

"y/n, please could we just talk about what happened.", wonwoo tried to reason with you as you went into the apartment. "he wants you to officially cheat on me, wonwoo.", you sighed as you took off your heels, "and then had the guts to say that to my fucking face! there's nothing more to say!" "my father just wants me to have a child-" "oh my god, are you siding with him right now!?", you stopped dead in your tracks and stared at him, "i'm so fucking sorry that my body can't produce a fucking son for you." "that's not what i'm saying, y/n...", he sighed and pinched his nose, "maybe we should talk this over later." "wonwoo.", you were almost crying out of frustration, "i have been trying to get pregnant for almost two years now. it is hard for me, and him saying that hurts. i want to make a family with you, more than anything - but i can't, okay? his 'suggestion' is not on the table if you're going to stay married to me. we've tried to convince him that we could get a surrogate, but he didn't want that. it is so fucking obvious that he just wants me to leave you, so if you even try to reason with him... i don't know you anymore." you started walking to the bedroom and gathered a few of your things. "where are you going?" "i'm staying at my mom's place for a few days. i need to be alone.", you sniffled. "but we should talk this out-", he tried to reach for you. "don't touch me!", you shrieked, "... i don't want you to touch me right now... i just have to be alone."

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

you were lucky enough that your mom lived within a train ride from your apartment. after texting her on the way there, she welcomed you in with open arms. she made you a cup of tea and asked you to sit down on the couch and tell her everything. once you did, she was practically fuming. "that is the most heartless thing i have ever heard!", she exclaimed. "it's alright mom...", you said, "i'm going to talk it through with wonwoo later, and then we could speak to his father about it." "he's being a jerk too, you know.", your mom sighed. "wonwoo?", you scoffed, "what? no... he hasn't done anything." "that's the problem, honey.", your mom said, "he should've stood up for you when his dad said those things." "... i'm sorry, i kind of just want to go to bed now.", you excused yourself from the situation and went to sleep.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

after a few days of being at your mom's place, still going to work and acting as if everything was fine, you decided to go back home. you called wonwoo before leaving. "y/n?", he spoke quietly. "i'll be home when you get off work.", you answered coldly, "we should talk." "yes, of course... we should.", he sighed, "i'll see you at home." "bye, hon-" he hung up before you could say another word. there was no doting, no nicknames, no sweet talk. you felt a dark pit grow in your stomach... this couldn't be good.

it wasn't good. when you met wonwoo again he spoke to you in his professional voice, the one that was only used for clients and his employees. he put out his suggestions of what to do next: take a break, hear his father out, and maybe even get a divorce. when you started crying his character begun to break. "i'm really sorry y/n.", he said sadly, "... this isn't what i want either." "then why are you doing this?", you sobbed. "i'm doing it for my mother.", he admitted, "my acting out will only affect her image, considering she's seen as the one who raised me." "what about us?", you asked, "was this all for nothing?" "no, y/n.", he put his hands on top of yours, "i'll get an heir - a legitimate heir - and then i'll divorce their mom... so that i can come back to you." you took your hands away from him and rested your head in your palms. "you're absolutely insane if you think that'll work.", you sniffled. "i'm only insane about you.", he said and took away your hands from your face.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

the plan started out smoothly. you signed divorce papers and got the whole ordeal settled. wonwoo let you keep the apartment, promising to come back there as soon as it was possible. was this plan morally correct? hell no, but it was the only option you seemed to have.

wonwoo met up with the woman that his father had arranged for him. her name was gyeong-hui, she was a nice woman at the age of twenty-seven and looked great. you obviously got nervous at these details, but wonwoo tried to assure you that it wouldn't change a thing. but of course it did. your hour long phone calls every night got shorter and less frequent. after their wedding, a few months after your divorce, they almost never happened at all... and when they announced her pregnancy, another few months after the wedding, you got your last call. "i'm sorry, but i think it's for the best... i wouldn't want the baby to grow up in such a complicated situation and... and i don't want to hurt gyeong-hui.", wonwoo had told you. he let you keep the apartment, as they moved into a house in the suburbs. wonwoo had always told you how he hated the suburbs, and how he'd much rather live with you in a city apartment than have to raise a big family in a big house in a boring neighborhood. was all of it lies? was all of it just a circumstance? you would never know, he stopped calling.

you wanted to be happy for him. he had always wanted to have a child... a small, but happy, family. although you thought that dream was only possible with you. maybe this was your fault, that you let him go. you couldn't get over it, your heart couldn't take it. you were taking more sick leaves, spending more time at your mother's house. eventually you sold the apartment. you couldn't stand to look at it anymore. as wonwoo had given it to you, you got all of the money for yourself - and it was a lot, since it was an expensive building. it didn't matter in the end, since you never got around to spending it. after that you quit your job, and moved back in with your mom. you never thought that would ever happen again.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

"here.", your mom handed you her phone. you were at the kitchen table, eating breakfast in the form of cereal. after a quick glance at her phone you looked back at her. "a cottage?", you asked with a slight chuckle. "it's your aunt's cottage.", she sat down in front of you, "it's in a beautiful forest, with a running, clear, lake... i think you should go there." "you're kicking me out to go see nature?", you kept digging in your bowl of cereal. "... y/n, you know i love to have you home - but not under these conditions.", she sighed, "you're falling apart, i want you to try to enjoy yourself." "and a cabin in the woods will help me do that?" "it's not the only cottage there, you'll definitely meet other people.", your mom explained, "and if you don't want to see anyone, you have the cottage to yourself - your aunt isn't using it at the moment." "i don't know.", you walked over to the sink to do the dishes. "think about it, honey?", she asked. "i will, mom."

that's how you ended up in the middle of a forest. you thought you were done with sulking, and that nature would bring you peace. you thought wrong. nature only brings you bugs. however, you didn't want to go home because you sensed that the reason your mom sent you here is partially because she needed to be alone. so you had to live here for two weeks. at least the cottage looked nice. it was made with yellow brick and had a dark roof. you assumed the roof was originally black, but time had taken it's toll. ivy had made it's way up the yellow walls, and it fit in nicely with the well-grown garden. the windows were big, and some of them were with painted glass. you would definitely get use of your dreamy fairytale-dresses by simply walking around the premise of the home. the lake your mom spoke of also seemed amazing. the water was clear as day, and you could even see the bottom. the two-story cottage would maybe suffice for two weeks.

your presence in the cottage didn't go unnoticed by your neighbors. the forest apparently had a large population of old people, who lived out their retired dreams here. the first day, while you made yourself at home, three elderly people came knocking at your door. you greeted them nicely and promised you wouldn't disturb, as well as telling them that you would only be staying for around two weeks. the next day you got two new visitors - and you started growing tired of the chit-chat. so when a third person came to your door on the second day, you opened it with a tired expression. "hi, i'm mingyu.", it was the most gorgeous man you had ever seen. he was tall, golden-tan skin, black, thick, hair, and he had the sweetest smile. "y/n.", you shook his hand with a smile, "you... uh... you live here?" "oh, no- i'm helping my parents fix up their cottage." he explained, "i didn't recognize the car, so i thought i would stop by." "right, right... you probably know my aunt, this is her place, and i'm just staying here for two weeks.", you explained, "i guess you could call it vacation." "you guess?", he questioned with a confused smile. "well... i don't feel like getting into it, i'll probably bore you to death.", you chuckled, "just know i won't bother you, i'll probably just stay in here for the two weeks. "oh, i don't think you could bother me.", he said with his charming smile, "actually... if you're feeling a bit claustrophobic in here later, my next-door neighbor is holding a small barbecue." "they don't know me, so maybe not... i would feel like i was intruding.", you tried to get out of going to this dinner, even though he was very handsome you still didn't want to mingle. "not at all! you know what? come with me, and then i'll just say that you're my plus one.", mingyu seemed to insist on you going. damn you for being so handsome... "... alright.", you nodded, "when is it?"

so there you were, getting ready in the mirror. you hadn't made yourself feel pretty in a while. whenever you used to dress up it would be for an event with wonwoo... now it didn't feel the same. however, you didn't want to give your aunt a bad rep for having a lazy niece, so you decided to put in a little effort. you wore a long, light blue, linen dress with small flowers on it. it was simple, but it was all you could muster.

when mingyu knocked at your door you were quick to open it. he was wearing a light blue linen button-up and light-brown pants. "... we match.", he commented. "we do.", you agreed with a chuckle, "you look great." "so do you.", he smiled, "shall we?" "yeah, let me just grab something...", you walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of rosé that you had been planning on giving the neighbors, "do people still give gifts to the host?" "i think it's sweet.", mingyu looked closer at the bottle, "and this isn't bad stuff either." "well, you can thank...", you started, but stopped when you realized that it was wonwoo that gave you your current taste in wine. "who do i thank?", mingyu gave you a curious look. "... the girl in the store.", you said, "sorry, i zoned out. let's go!"

you and mingyu approached a red brick house, with a neatly taken care of garden. there was a wonderful smell of somebody making something on a grill, that you hadn't smelled in forever. you wondered if wonwoo's new family held barbecues like these... "you okay?", mingyu asked. "oh... yeah.", you nodded. mingyu opened the white gate for you, and you stepped inside. in the garden sat a few elderly couples, as well as some younger along with their small children. you felt like you were about to puke... this was a bad idea. "you know what? maybe i should go.", you told mingyu, who was still holding the gate open. "but you've only just gotten here.", he raised his eyebrows. "i'm so sorry... i think i ate something bad earlier, please give them this bottle for me.", you gave him a painful smile and hurried back to your cottage.

in the tiny cottage, you made some instant noodles and sat down in front of your computer to watch a movie. the dress was laying on your, awkwardly big, bed and you had instead changed into pajamas. the room was a weird green color, and the wooden floor creaked as you walked across it. you were uncomfortable, and this was a horrible idea. it didn't matter that your neighbor was the hottest guy you had ever seen, you wanted to go home... which is why you decided to pack after you finished your mediocre dinner.

your car's trunk stood open as you put in your baggage into it. it was early morning, that was when you thought nobody could watch you leave... you were, of course, wrong. "hey there, neighbor.", mingyu jogged by. "you jog?", you asked in disbelief. "i try to do it every morning here, it's really beautiful this early in the day.", he flashed you a smile, "are you leaving already?" "i am.", you sighed. "you didn't even get to take a dip in the lake. is it something urgent?", he asked. "you ask a lot of questions." "you make me want to ask more.", he said flirtatiously, "why are you leaving?" "because i can't stand to see happy people.", you said as you put in another bag into your car. mingyu raised a quizzical brow, and an amused smile played on his lips. you gave up on trying to be mysterious and keep quiet about your life. he looked more than happy to hear you out, so why not? "... you know what, i haven't gotten to talk about this with anyone but my mom...", you turned to him with a sudden confidence, "if you want to keep asking questions you could come have some tea, i'll tell you whatever you want." "sure."

you spilled your guts to a stranger. you told him of your relationship, wonwoo's dad, the plan, the divorce, and the fact that his new wife was so nice that you couldn't even hate her. "that's a lot.", his eyebrows were furrowed. "and when i saw those happy couples i guess i couldn't take it.", you said and finished your tea, "so that's all you need to know." "i see.", mingyu nodded, "and now you're leaving?" "yup.", you took your mug and put it beside the sink, "my mom thought this would be therapeutic, it was just a nuisance." "... but therapy is a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, isn't it?", mingyu said, "and therapy doesn't help unless you actually want to try it." he was right, and you hated it. "well, i don't want to be uncomfortable.", you sighed. "but you want to get better." "of course." "let me help.", he offered, "you're supposed to be here for two weeks, right?" "how would you help me?" "i guess... just make sure you have a nice time.", he gave you an innocent smile. "... fine.", you nodded, "... would you mind helping me bring my bags back inside?"

that day, mingyu offered to take you swimming in the lake. he said it was the most therapeutic thing he had ever done. you questioned if he really knew how therapy worked, but didn't say anything to him. you met with him by the beautiful lake later in the day. it was a bit further away from all the houses, and shielded by many big trees. you wore a swimsuit you hadn't gotten the chance to wear in a while, but you felt a bit exposed and opted to put a t-shirt over it. "you swim in clothes?", mingyu asked as he walked up next to you. of course he's ripped... he was only wearing swimming trunks, showing off his very muscular torso - that was just as golden brown as his face was the first time you had seen him. there was no way you could keep your eyes off him. "eyes up here, lady.", he chuckled. he definitely knows what he's doing. "i just didn't walk over here half naked.", you explain yourself and look away from him, with much effort. without another word, mingyu started walking into the lake and looked back at you expectantly. with a sigh you took off the shirt and got in yourself. the water was cool, but not freezing. you took a deep breath and felt every muscle in your body relax. "it's nice, right?", he asked with a grin. "so nice.", you kept your eyes closed, "i feel like i'm breathing for the first time in a while." it was quiet for a while. you heard bird song, the wind rustling the leaves, the low noice of some people talking far away, and the water ripple. like the softest silk, the lake gently caressed your bare legs. you took another deep breath. "i'll show you a nice spot, c'mon.", mingyu broke you out of your thoughts.

the two of you swam towards some rocks, where a waterfall had formed. hanging in a tree, was a wooden swing, right above the waterfall. "i made that when i was a teenager.", he pointed at it, "if we're lucky, it's not completely ruined with age." "wait, how old are you?", you asked. "i'm twenty-eight.", he said. "really? you look much younger.", you said, "i'm twenty-eight, too." "we already have so much in common, y/n.", he joked.

mingyu helped you up on the rocks, and you dipped your toes in the small waterfall and watched the water curve around your foot. "do you want to try the swing?", he asked. "only if you try it first.", you chuckled. you watched as mingyu carefully got on the swing, tensing up your muscles for the anticipation that he'd fall off. he didn't. "it's fine!", he looked back on you. his toned back moved entrancingly as he jumped off the swing, into the deep water of the lake below. you gasped, terrified that he had accidentally hit the rocks on the way down. when his head appeared on the surface again, he slicked back his hair and gave you a bright smile. "are you okay?", you asked. "i'm great!", he replied with a goofy grin as he started to climb back up to you, "your turn." "oh no, i'm not doing that.", you chuckled. "but you have to, it's a part of my therapy for you.", he said in a matter-of-fact manner. "how is jumping to my death therapy?", you asked. "well, it's either that or i surprise you by randomly throwing you in the lake at some point during the day.", he shrugged, "the fun part is that you won't know that it's happening." "you're ruthless.", you groaned, "i'll get on the fucking swing."

mingyu helped you onto the swing, carefully holding you by your waist. it felt nice, especially after a little more than a year of no intimacy. "alright, you have to get out a bit before you jump.", he said. you hummed in response. mingyu gently pushed on your lower back, setting the swing in motion. you looked down and found a place where you could jump. after a bit of swinging, feeling the wind in your hair, you jumped - aiming for the safe spot. lucky for you, you managed to hit the water and not a rock. "i did it!", you shouted as you came up to the surface again. "you did it!", mingyu happily shouted back.

after a long day of swimming you sat down by the shore where you had gotten in. you had found your shirt hanging on the branch you left it on, and you quickly put it on as soon as it got a bit cold. the two of you watched the lake go from blue to pink to deep purple. "i had a nice time.", you admitted. "you don't regret not going home?", he asked. "definitely not.", you chuckled, "i think i would just make my mom more disappointed... i'm twenty-eight, living at home." a groan escaped your lips and you laid down in the fluffy grass. mingyu looked over at you with a sad smile. "well, i think your situation is a bit special.", he said. "'a bit special' is code for fucking weird.", you responded. "well, yeah. it is fucking weird.", he nodded, "but so are most things." you looked at him, and he gave you a quick wink before standing up. "i'm going back home, i have some work to get done on the house.", he stretched up his arms, "i'm thinking about having a barbecue in a few days, you should come give it another shot." "i'll think about it.", you said, "thanks for today."

the next day it rained. it was unexpected, but not unappreciated. mingyu was apparently a very hardworking person, who didn't waver when facing rain during a run. you watched him run past while looking through one of the big windows on the cottage, standing in just a night slip. he looked over at you, his eyebrows slightly raised, and waved at you. you waved back, and walked over to the kitchen. maybe you had a bit of a crush on your temporary neighbor.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

a week passed, and there was another week left of your stay. you kept bumping into mingyu no matter what you ended up doing. for that first week he had shown you the lake, taken you on a forest hike, introduced you to all of your other neighbors, and come over to your place to make you dinner. that's where you were at the moment. you were sitting on one of the bar stools in the kitchen, watching mingyu make you dinner. "you're good at everything, aren't you?", you sighed as you watched him perfectly cut up vegetables. L'appuntamento by Ornella Vanoni was playing in the background, and you found yourself wishing that this could happen more often. "well, i can cook", he nodded, "but i wouldn't say i know how to do everything." "what can't you do, then?", you asked. "i can't paint.", he answered, "which is an issue... i need to paint the walls in the house tomorrow, and i think i might just fuck it up." "it's just the walls, i'm sure it'll be fine.", you leaned your elbows against the counter. "i don't think so.", he shook his head with a smile. "let me help you then", you said, "as thanks for this dinner." "go ahead, i won't complain.", mingyu said.

after dinner and a movie, you found yourself in the kitchen again - this time doing the dishes. mingyu was standing right beside you, helping you out. "i hate that this place doesn't have a dishwasher.", you groaned. "doing the dishes can be nice.", mingyu shrugged. his arm was touching yours, but you didn't move. you liked standing so close to him, and you were currently fighting the urge to lean your head against his shoulder. "i think it's tiring.", you said. "not in good company.", he retorted, "like this, this is nice." "i'm glad that i can be good company.", you found yourself smiling at his comment. "you've been good company all week. even if you've distracted me from the thing i was actually supposed to be doing.", he chuckled. "i think it's only fair that i take up a bit of your time", you said, "since your the one who asked me to stay here." you were teasing him, but mingyu didn't react to it like you thought he would. "i guess you're right.", he said, "i'm glad i did." you looked over at him, he was looking at you. there was something in his eyes that seemed different. you put away the last of the dirty dishes and leaned against the counter. it was so quiet, you could hear the owls deep in the forest. mingyu's eyes darted to your lips, and then back to your eyes. you were still so very close, but he leaned in closer. you put your hand on his shoulder to keep yourself stable. one of mingyu's hands was gently placed on your waist, as the other one cupped your face. his eyes kept looking deep into yours as your forehead leaned against his. your noses softly bumped together, before mingyu tilted his head and kissed you. he brought you in closer to him by your waist, and you let out a delighted hum and smiled against his lips. your hands moved from his shoulders to the nape of his neck as the kiss deepened... but just as it got good he pulled away with a big grin on his face. "what was that for?", you muttered as you tried to catch your breath. "i just had to see your face.", he said smoothly and gently caressed his thumb over your cheek. you pushed away a few hairs that were hanging over his forehead, and your hands went back to his shoulders. before he could say another word, you had leaned in and kissed him again. in the middle of your kiss, he brought his hands down to the back of your thighs and lifted you up on the counter. your hands cradled his face as he stood between your legs, with his hands gently placed on your thighs - stroking his palms up and down in slow motions. you pulled away, letting your lips stay a few inches from his face. "i'm not dreaming, am i?", you asked. "i hope not.", he answered, and went back to kissing you. his lips moved against yours slowly, taking his time. you hadn't felt this in so long, and it felt so nice to be intimate with someone again... but in the back of your mind you couldn't help but to think about wonwoo. you pulled away again and looked at mingyu. "i'm sorry...", you whispered. "are you okay? do you want me to stop?", he asked with a worried tone. "no... well, maybe for now...", you put your hands back on his shoulders, "it's just been a while since i did this, i'm sorry." "you have nothing to apologies for, y/n.", he said, "i don't mind, we can stop." "are you sure?" "i don't want to kiss someone who's not up for it.", he chuckled, "we can get back to this another time, hm?" "yeah... yeah.", you nodded.

mingyu helped you off the counter and gave you yet another reassuring smile. as the two of you walked to the front door, you started feeling worse about stopping him. maybe this was all you needed to feel better and you just ruined it for yourself? "oh, and don't feel bad about this.", mingyu said as he was putting on his shoes, "i really liked it while it lasted... and this just means that i have a reason to do it again." you let out a small laugh at his comment, but you weren't even able to look him in the eye. this was embarrassing. "are you still up for helping me paint tomorrow?" "oh, right.", you nodded, "uh... yeah, i'll come by your place some time after lunch." as soon as he closed the door behind him, you crumbled to the floor. there was a part of you that really believed that you had ruined this now. a black hole was growing in your chest. you really liked him, but you still couldn't get the image of wonwoo out of your brain. maybe this was your life now, finding new people but being cock-blocked by someone who wasn't even in the room... someone who didn't care about you anymore. if he had been able to move on, why couldn't you? it had been a year since you took off your wedding ring and signed the divorce papers. it had been half a year since wonwoo last called. you had deleted his contact from your phone, afraid that you would give in and call him on a whim. you couldn't sink so low. there was nothing more to do than accept that you had been the other woman. if alternate dimensions existed, you wished that at least one of them let you stay with wonwoo - or that the plan could've gone through. you wished that you never got to know that gyeong-hui was a kind and gentle woman. you wished that she would've been a bitch... but she wasn't, you had no reason to hate her - she didn't drag your husband away from you, she was just a pawn in a game. you got up from the floor and made your way to your bedroom.

the next day you dressed up in clothes that you didn't mind if they got paint splatters on them. you had decided to just forget about the night before and get this paint job over with. when you got to mingyu's cottage he had already started painting, which was evident by the white paint all over him. "you know you're supposed to paint the wall and not yourself, right?", you laughed as you walked inside. "very funny...", he sighed and closed the door behind you, "i got paint on my face when opening the can, the rest is just brush accidents." "give me a paint roller, picasso.", you chuckled.

together, you got the job done quicker than expected. it was hard work, and in the small and warm room you were sweating buckets. if you could jump into an ice bath right now, you would. "do you think we're done?", you asked. you looked over at mingyu, who was also sweating profusely. he was lifting up his paint roller for one last missed spot on the wall. you watched as his toned arms flexed. the tank top that he was wearing didn't help your thoughts from going absolutely wild. "i think so.", he nodded, "... now we just have to clean up." he was looking at the many newspapers on the floor, protecting it from white paint, but you were still only staring at him. any sentimental thought you had the day before had flown through the window. you were too hot, too tired, and too turned on to think about anything else other than mingyu. "y/n, are you okay?", he dragged you out of your daydreams of him taking you on the couch in the corner of the room. "i'm just tired.", you stuttered out. "do you want some water or something? you look flushed.", he approached you, and you did your best to not back up against the wet wall. mingyu held the back of his hand against your forehead. it was much colder than your skin, and you felt like you could melt against it. you closed your eyes, and a pleased sigh escaped your lips. "are you sure you're okay there, darling?", he asked with a small smile. "you know what... i was going to act like nothing happened yesterday, but i need us to resume whatever we were doing back then right now.", you looked him dead in the eye. "but i don't want to push you-" "you're not pushing me...", you took a deep breath, "please?" you didn't have to say another word before his lips were on yours again.

mingyu was laying beside you in his bed, you had your head on his chest - his heart beat was finally calming down. "so...", he trailed off. "yeah.", you breathed out. the two of you laid there in silence. despite having shared a very intimate moment together, there wasn't anything to say. "do you need anything?", he muttered. "... maybe i should go to the bathroom.", you nodded and sat up, "you... it was... nice." you stared at each other for a while, before breaking out into awkward laughter. you pulled the sheets up to cover you chest. suddenly you felt so vulnerable. "do you want me to get you a shirt or something?", he asked. you hummed in response. mingyu got up and handed you a shirt from his closet, which you quickly pulled over your head. "thanks.", you got up and went to his bathroom. "y/n.", he said before you could go inside, "do you want to stay over for dinner?" "... sure.", you nodded.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

you kept seeing mingyu intimately for the rest of your last week. it was nice to be able to have that relationship with someone again, and you had definitely hit the jackpot in terms of rebounds. it wasn't just that he was insanely attractive, but there was something sweet about everything that he did. through all of his actions, you could tell that he cared for you.

it was the last day of your stay at your aunts cottage. your things were neatly packed up, except for one dress - which you were going to wear at the barbecue mingyu was hosting tonight. it was the same dress you had put on last time, and mingyu had promised to wear the same thing he wore then too - to make it seem like the first time never actually happened. when you approached his gate that evening, you could already hear people laughing and talking in the backyard. you swallowed whatever nerves were keeping you from going inside, and opened the gate. "y/n, hi!", mingyu said happily and gave you a hug. "do i look okay?", you whispered in his ear. "trust me, if it weren't for the amount of people here i would-" you slapped his shoulder before he could finish his sentence. he grinned at you, and you went on to greet the other guests.

at the end of the night, you were the last guest there. you were helping mingyu clean up. much like a few days ago, you were standing beside each other while doing the dishes. "this was nice.", you admitted, "thanks." "it was my pleasure.", he put down the last of the dishes, "it's your last day here, isn't it?" "it is.", you nodded, "are you staying longer?" "just a few more days, i still have some things to finish patching up.", he sighed, "i'll be lonely without you, darling." you looked at him with flirtatious smile before going back to focusing on the dishes. mingyu gently pushed your hair to let it fall over one of your shoulders. he took his place behind you and wrapped his arms around your waist. at first he was only leaning his chin against your shoulder, but then he began placing loving kisses up your neck to your jaw. "what are you doing?", you giggled. "i thought i should give you one last present before you leave.", you could feel him smile against your skin. you dried your hands on a towel nearby and turned around in his embrace. his eyes almost made him look like a lovesick puppy as he looked down on you. your fingertips graced his jaw, and you cupped his face gently before bringing him in for a kiss. "be my guest.", you muttered against his lips.

you woke up to see his bare back facing you. without realizing it, your fingers gently caressed his skin right where his neck met his shoulders. mingyu stirred in his sleep, and you quickly pulled your hand back. you could stare at his back like this all day. the truth is, you were falling for him. every time you kissed him it just felt right, but you still felt the need to try it over and over again - just to see if it was real. he made you nervous, in the best of ways. he made you laugh until you cried. more importantly, he made you feel loved. it felt too much like it did with wonwoo. it broke your heart, but you had to leave. your things were already packed in the back of your car, you had never given him your phone number, and there was no way he could ever meet you again. you recognized this path all too well, and you couldn't be the other woman for a second time. as you kissed mingyu's shoulder, you said goodbye - and you left without a trace.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

you got home to an empty house in the early afternoon. there was no going back now, you had to build yourself up again. the traveling bags stayed in your car, and you started looking for apartments right away. thanks to the amount of money left over from selling your old apartment, you were able to find a nice rental apartment in a good neighborhood. it was smaller than your last, but had beautiful, big, windows - much like your aunt's cottage. there was one bedroom, a kitchen attached to a smaller living room, and a gorgeous bathroom. it was all you ever wanted. of course, the money wouldn't last forever - you had to get a job. you weren't ready to give up your old life completely, and looked for a job at a prestigious primary school that was situated near your apartment. it wouldn't be like the kindergarten, you would have to work a bit harder, but it would be enough. lucky for you, one of their teachers had just quit - and you got the job.

everything was going your way; you had your own apartment, you had a pretty good job, and you had made it all on your own. maybe it was destiny. what if the whole thing with your ex-husband was meant to be? so that you could be independent, so that you could be happy. however, there was no way you could deny the fact that you missed mingyu. you felt bad for what you did, but for some reason you found it necessary.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

after a year of living your new life, you had developed a routine. every morning you woke up around six am. you got up, made yourself a quick breakfast, got in the shower for a few minutes before getting dressed, and then finally leaving for work. there was only one station between you and the school, you could walk there if you wanted to. today it was raining, so you opted for the metro. while standing in the crowded train that morning you heard a familiar voice calling your name. "y/n?", wonwoo whispered out. you looked up at him with wide eyes. he looked tired, new-parent-tired. as you realized that he really was in front of you and that it wasn't your imagination, you quickly bowed your head in a greeting before turning around.

the two of you got off at the same station, and wonwoo stopped you before you could escape up the escalator. "y/n, how have you been?", he asked with a small smile. "i'm good...", you answered, "i got a new job at the primary school around here." "oh, really? i heard it's quite a distinguished school.", he said. "it is, the kids are great.", you nodded, "... how have you been? how is gyeong-hui?" "oh... uhm.. she's great... we're actually expecting again. we've been trying our best to handle her pregnancy while take care of our little girl.", he pulled out his phone, "it's tough, but it's worth it." he showed you his lockscreen. it was a picture of gyeong-hui holding a baby. she looked happy, and the baby was the cutest you had ever seen. "she's beautiful.", you said and looked back up at him, "she has your eyes." "a lot of people have said that.", he nodded with a small smile, "... i wanted to apologize, y/n." "apologize?", you raised an eyebrow. "for how everything turned out.", he looked down at his shoes, "i'm really sorry.." "it's alright-", you suddenly felt embarrassed and the words came pouring out of your mouth without a second thought, "i've actually been seeing someone new." "really?", wonwoo's eyebrows raised as he looked back at you, "good for you. who's the lucky guy?" "his name is... mingyu.", you smiled, "... we met about a year ago." "i hope it works out for you.", he said, "and i hope i get to meet the guy some time." "for sure!", you said, "listen, i really have to get to my students... it was nice meeting you again!" you said good-bye and swiftly left the station with a flushed face. you had no idea why you had decided to lie. there was a very big chance that you would never meet him again, which would mean that you wouldn't have to show him your "new boyfriend". the lie had made you think of mingyu again, and how it would've been if you had waited for him to wake up that morning. maybe he would've turned around and hugged you close, making some comment about how he forgot to close the blinds the night before. then you would've had breakfast together, and before you left to go home he would've asked for your number. then you would maybe be living with him in an apartment now, just the two of you in a cozy condo.

the rest of the day went as it normally did. you taught second and third graders today, helping them with spelling and reading. at the end of the day, you were waiting for their parents to pick them up. the school had a system where a teacher had to make sure that the people who picked up their kids had their name on a list. usually, you would chat with the caretakers of each kid while they got ready to leave. for some reason, it had become your favorite part of the day - except when the parents were rude, of course. there were only two kids left in the class you were watching over now, a pair of twin girls named ji-u and ari - last name kim. they were sweet girls, and were doing very well with their studies. their grandparents were usually the ones to pick them up, but they were always on time so the twins being the last in the classroom worried you. "hey girls..", you sat down in front of them while they were painting together, "did your grandpa or grandma tell you that they were going to be late today?" "our dad is picking us up today.", ari said, as she was the more outgoing of the two. "is he always a bit late?", you questioned with a kind smile. "yeah.", ari nodded, "he works a lot." ji-u was very focused on her painting of a red house, and didn't answer. you asked her about it, and she muttered out that it was of her grandparents house in the woods. you wanted to ask her more about it, but somebody came through the open classroom door. "sorry i'm late, girls." you looked over and your entire body froze in fear. it was mingyu, dressed to the nines in an expensive looking suit. he was looking at his watch, but as soon as he looked up his eyes locked with yours. "daddy!", ji-u shouted happily and ran up to him and hugged his leg. mingyu looked away from you to hug his daughters in a greeting. you watched as they spoke about how their day was and how much you had taught them this afternoon. you approached the small family with your list. you looked through it, and beside ji-u and ari's names stood "kim mingyu". "they've behaved well, i hope.", he said, not looking up at you. "oh, they've been wonderful - they always are.", you managed to get out. "i'm glad.", he looked up at you with an awkward smile, "do you have something else to do right now?" "um... no." "would you mind following me out to the car? i would like to talk to you." you could only nod, and take a deep breath before following them out the door.

"you left without a trace to become a primary school teacher?", mingyu asked as soon as the doors to his car were closed. you were in the parking lot of the school. it was dead silent and you could hear your heart beat a mile a minute. "i left because i couldn't commit...", you said, "and apparently i was right to do so! you have kids? were you married this entire time?" "i'm widowed.", he sighed. you felt like you could faint out of embarrassment. how did this day only get worse? "i'm sorry-" "it's fine.", he interrupted you, "i should've told you about ji-u and ari... i was going to eventually." there was a pause. you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. mingyu reached for your hand, but you quickly stepped away. "your kids are in the car.", you said discreetly, "this isn't the place to be discussing these things." he handed you his phone after he had opened a new contact. "i want to talk to you again.", he said. you accepted the phone, quickly typing in your number before handing it back to him. he looked at you, and you had never wanted to kiss someone so badly in your life. "you should go.", you whispered. "i'll call you, okay?", he said as he got into his car.

when you got home that evening, you didn't know whether you should cry or shout out of happiness. all of these random occurrences really made you believe in destiny. to celebrate, you took a hot shower and made yourself a gourmet dinner, in the form of your favorite instant ramen, only to sit down on the couch to watch some bad show on netflix. you were in the middle of a bite when you got a call. the caller-ID was unknown, but you already knew who it was. you quickly turned off the volume on the TV and put the bowl of noodles on the coffee table. "hello?", you answered. "hi, it's mingyu.. is this y/n?", he asked. "it is", you chuckled nervously, "hi." "i just put the girls to bed and... i just wanted to make sure you didn't give me a fake number.", he let out a small laugh. "mingyu, i'm really sorry about walking out on you.", you sighed. "no, i get it - you had your reasons.", he said, "it's not like i was being very nice by not letting you in on the fact that i have kids." "well, we didn't really spend much time talking...", you muttered, and succeeded in making mingyu laugh. "no, you're right. we should meet up again sometime." "we definitely should.", you bit your lower lip to contain your happiness, "maybe for a coffee or something? so that we could actually get to know each other." "that'd be fun.", he said, "i'll have to look in my schedule, i've been pretty busy lately." "oh, is that why your parents are picking up ji-u and ari?", you asked before thinking. "yeah..", he sighed, "i'd love to do it myself, but i almost never have the time. being a single dad is difficult." "i could imagine.", you hummed, "but if it helps, your daughters think the world of you." "thanks, y/n.", you could hear that he was smiling, "i'll try to pick them up more often... are you always there for pick up?" "don't try to change your schedule to come and see me while i'm at work.", you chuckled. "you caught me..", he said. "... i'm in charge of ji-u and ari's class on all days except mondays.", you said, "and i'll be there for their school play next week too." "shit, i forgot about the school play.", he groaned, "you know what? i'll make time for it - i just have to make a few calls..." "i'm sure they'll be very pleased if you show up.", you said with a smile, "those girls have worked extra hard, from what i've heard." you heard a young girl's voice in the background, crying. "sorry, y/n, ari's had a nightmare.", he sighed, "i'll see you soon." "don't forget about the play.", you said. "i won't."

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆.

END OF PART ONE