JH (Part II)

JH (Part II)

Let’s mix it up a bit with some Jeong Jaehyun goodness here at MKJS! Yes, I’m making that abbreviation a thing. 

Since I like to tease what you’re going to be reading, here’s an adorable GIF of a younger Yoon Oh as a clue! 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

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Summary: A continuation of this post, but this is also connected to this one. I manage to write stories that follow a timeline, but could never write them chronologically. It’s just the way it is, I guess? 

POV: Both are 2nd person pieces. 

Word count: 1,440 words 

Warning: More so a reminder – italics are also for song lyrics. 

Recommended listening: The first piece has a song mention; hence it will be embedded below. 

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Prompt #2: “Can I sleep here tonight? With you?”

You were having nightmares recently.

There was a tall, pale woman with long hair that has been chasing you in your dreams. Sometimes, you dreamt about your dead mother berating you, and then all the holes in her face will be replaced by crawling bugs.

When you had episodes like this, Johnny was the only one who could help you. He had a routine to calm you down – he prepared a glass of warm milk mixed with cinnamon and honey, then tucked you to bed, combed your hair with his hands, and most importantly, he slept beside you while tapping your thigh.

However, you weren’t in his apartment right now, and he wasn’t in the country too. He was back in his hometown for a much-needed vacation, and you didn’t want to bother him too much since you wanted him to reconnect with his family.

You were in Jaehyun and Taeil’s apartment for now as yours was being renovated. You didn’t know who to approach regarding your problem since you weren’t that close with them like the way you are with Johnny.

As you stepped out of your room to look for milk in the fridge, you saw that Jaehyun’s door was ajar. You tiptoed towards it, peeking to see what he was doing.

He was just on his bed, checking his phone with Jamie Foxx playing in the background. You noticed that his turntable was on, and the music was playing softly.

His room looked inviting for you to sleep in – at least good music is playing, and maybe you can fall asleep listening to Jaehyun talk about anything.

Other people might find your idea to be daring, considering male and female friends don’t just sleep in each other’s rooms. But since you got used to skinship because of Johnny, you noticed how different your friends (of both genders) treated you when you became a bit touchier with them.

They were more affectionate, and they understood you better even if you didn’t say anything.

You returned to the kitchen to prepare your drink, which you were glad that you have. There was also honey and cinnamon available, and you squealed at how things were looking great for you.

As soon as you were done preparing and drinking your milk drink, you gathered your courage to ask Jaehyun for a favor that you hoped he would agree to.

\\

“Jay?”

“Yes, Essie?”

“Can I ask for a favor?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Can I sleep here tonight? With you?”

Your conversation happened while you were standing at his doorway, your voice as soft as possible so as not to wake up Taeil.

Jaehyun’s eyes widened at your question, and he had to stand in front of you to check if he wasn’t hearing things.

“Come again? Did you just say sleep here?”

You nodded vigorously as you felt your tears were about to fall at any time. You clutched the pillow that you held tightly and looked away from his face for a bit.

“Why, what’s wrong?” You felt his clammy hand pull you into his room, and you let yourself be led inside.

Both of you sat on his bed, and you covered your face with your pillow as soon as he tilted you to look at him.

“I’m having nightmares,” you mumbled into your pillow.

“About what, dear? Is it alright if you tell me?” Jaehyun gently removed the pillow on your face and led you to lie down with him on the bed.

You sniffed first before you shared your story, tears falling from your face as you recalled in detail the nightmares you were having.

Since you were so intent on telling your tale, you didn’t notice how intent Jaehyun was on listening to your story.

When you were done, that was the time you realized that you cried. You wiped the tears that wet his sheet, and he swatted your hand away from the marks you left. “It’s fine, Essie. I understand. Is there anything else I could do to make you forget about your nightmares?” He asked, taking one of your hands and squeezing it gently.

“My housemate has a routine for me,” you started, “and I’ve already done some of them though…” You looked at him shyly and saw an aloof expression on his face.

Was there something wrong with Johnny doing things for you if you were having nightmares?

“So, what else does your housemate do for you, then?” Jaehyun’s voice sounded stern, and you were slightly taken aback. That didn’t stop you from voicing out your request, though.

“Uh, he pats my thigh,” you tapped your upper outer thigh, “until I fall asleep. So basically, he sleeps beside me.” Your cheeks felt on fire as you said all of this, embarrassed at the things some people will do for you.

“Okay, got it,” His voice became soft again, and he shifted his body toward you. “Should I sing you a lullaby?”

You nodded, and he closed the small gap between you by pulling you to his chest. He surprised you when he sang an obscure Beatles song which he tweaked a bit.

Half of what I say is meaningless

But I say it just to reach you, Essie

Although the original song was played with the guitar, he decided to sing it a capella while patting your thigh.

You felt sleep creep into your system as he hummed some parts to make the song longer.

“Thank you, Jay,” you mumbled as coherently as you could.

You weren’t able to hear his reply as slumber completely enveloped you.

If only you fought it for a few more seconds, you could’ve heard him say, “Anything for my dear.”

///

Prompt #26: “Do you have more pillows?”

There should be at least four pillows on your bed, but right now, you only had three. One of them was missing, and you didn’t know where it went.

You were about to sleep, but the absence of your fourth pillow bothered you. “Where could that be?” You grumbled to yourself, slipping on your bedroom slippers to search for it all over the apartment.

You were currently staying in Jaehyun and Taeil’s apartment as yours was under renovation. Taeil was already knocked out from his schedule and spared his room for your search. You checked the sofa if it was there and frowned when it wasn’t.

You thought of bothering Jaehyun but felt a bit shy since it was already late in the evening. You know that he’s a night owl, but you didn’t like bothering other people at this time. However, you also know that you couldn’t sleep without that extra pillow, so you gathered all your courage to knock on his door.

When he opened it slightly, you saw that he wore his silly headband again. “Yes, Essie? What can I do for you?”

“Do you have more pillows?” You asked, peeking at the small space behind him. Too bad his bed wasn’t in plain sight – you could’ve checked easily if he has a spare that you can borrow.

“Uh, yeah,” he responded, now opening the door fully. You stepped in and looked to your right immediately. Jackpot – his bed was on that side. Your eyes widened at what you saw.

It was the fourth pillow you were looking for.

“What…is this doing here?” You grabbed your pillow from his bed and squeezed it.

“Essie, you slept in here last night. Don’t you remember?”

You closed your eyes to jog the memory in your mind, and he was correct – you did sleep in his room last night since you were having nightmares for the past few days. Now you weren’t sure if you were cured of that though.

“Oh, right. Sorry, my bad. Thank you for that,” you turned on your heel and faced the door, “I guess I’ll get going then.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? You can sleep here again if you want,” Jaehyun’s response made you bury your face in your pillow.

“No, it’s fine. I appreciate your gesture, but I think I can manage now.” You faced him again and gave him a thumbs-up.

“Okay, if you say so. Night Essie,” he said, kissing your cheek before you exited his room.

As he closed the door gently, you stood dumbfounded outside.

“Night night Jay,” you whispered, hoping that it was loud for him to hear.

When you didn’t receive any response, you took it as your cue to return to your bedroom with your pillow.

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FIN

Sugar and Fluff (Volume 4)

Sit right up on your chairs, for this is a special one. Since I mentioned last week that we’re going back to the start of the timeline, here’s one for y’all. 

Finally, I get to use one of my favorite Johnny GIFs of all time since it’s related to the story. 

I mean, I literally gasped when I watched this for the first time. How dare he do this to us! My poor heart was about to pass out then. 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

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Summary: This installment is a follow-up to How They Met, and how Johnny was to Essie before they became friends. I wrote these stories based on the teaser videos the group had for ‘Elevator (127F)’ and ‘Pandora’s Box’ hence using that dreamy GIF. 

POV: 3rd person 

Word count: 1,700 + words 

Warning: Italics are for thoughts.  

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Essie will never forget the time that Johnny pretended to be the pizza delivery boy so he could flirt with her.

It was weeks after they first met when they talked outside her apartment. She was carrying Chinese food takeout as they conversed, delaying her lunch with her best friend Nini.

For this instance, he did the same but in a way that she expected from him. She heard that he was quite a player, and she should try not to fall in love with him. But unfortunately, she did.

It was a cold day – as always in Korea – and despite Nini’s craving for noodles, Essie didn’t cave in to her request. She wanted a giant pizza that had warm and gooey cheese, pepperoni, and bell peppers, so she called Pizza Express to have her custom order.

“I have no complaints with what we’re having for lunch since you’re paying for it, right?” Nini said, flashing a Cheshire cat grin to her best friend.

“Ugh, isn’t that obvious?” Essie rolled her eyes, “I know I’ll be paying for it. So please, be a patient old lady and wait for our food, okay?”

The other girl gave her a thumbs-up before she resumed the video she was watching on YouTube.

///

A few minutes later, their doorbell rang. Essie rushed to the door and checked the peephole if it was indeed the delivery guy. She gulped when she saw someone she didn’t expect to appear at her front door again.

It’s Johnny motherclucking Suh. What the crap is he doing here?

She saw him dancing while holding the Pizza Express box with one hand. He wore a checkered shirt with a funky-patterned cardigan on top and a pair of khaki chinos. The booger also wore eyeglasses and had his light-colored hair curly! He emulated nerd chic, which he is a far cry from in real life.

“Essie, is that the pizza? Why aren’t you opening the door?” Nini asked, who looked at her friend curiously.

The curly-haired girl peered into the peephole again and saw that Johnny was still dancing with the pizza box on one hand. He was doing robotic moves with his other hand and made silly faces as well.

“Yeah, it is the pizza guy…” Essie started, tempted to look into the peephole for the third time, “but at the same time, it isn’t.”

“Huh, what do you mean by that?”

“It looks like Johnny Suh has our pizza, and he’s dancing like an idiot outside our apartment.”

Nini burst into laughter with her statement. “Wow, he must be so into you then. He had to sabotage the real pizza delivery guy so he could flirt his way into your heart,” she said.

“Niniiiii!” her best friend whined, who also stomped the floor at how flustered she was. “Just open the freaking door, and I’m hungry,” the older girl grumbled before going back to her phone.

After three deep breaths, Essie finally opened the door to let Johnny Suh deliver their order. “One custom giant pizza with three different cheese, pepperoni, and bell peppers,” he said in his best professional voice before handing the box to her.

“Yeah, that is correct,” she mumbled, absentmindedly grabbing the pizza with one hand while the other searched into her pockets. “How much was it again?”

“Oh, no need to pay for that, princess, I already took care of it.” Johnny winked at her and gave her a thumbs-up.

“Oh God, Johnny…” Essie wasn’t able to contain her annoyance with his antics and rolled her eyes. “What brings you here then, aside from sabotaging the real pizza delivery guy?”

“I want to see how you’re doing,” he replied suavely, running a hand through his curly mane. “I was just in the area, wanting to hang out with my hyungs, but it turns out they weren’t in their apartment. Then I saw the pizza guy and knew that he was coming here, so I wanted to surprise you.”

“Okay then, thank you,” she said monotonously before heading inside again. “You may leave now if you want.”

“I’ll take no for an answer there, ma’am,” he said, now catching up with her in the apartment. “We might as well hang out.”

“Then I return the same answer to you, sir. No, I don’t want to hang out with you. Today’s my day off, and I want to catch up on sleep,” Essie placed the pizza on the kitchen counter then went to the fridge to retrieve some hot sauce.

“Then I’ll watch you sleep,” Johnny was persistent to make the girl hang out with him. “Or yet, sleep beside you.”

“Johnnyyyyy!” She couldn’t take it anymore and threw a glare at him. “Why are you so stubborn?”

“Because I want what I want to have right now, and that is to hang out with you!”

“Don’t you have any other friends than our neighbors? You can bother them instead!”

“But I don’t want to! I’m already here too, and I know you, so why the heck not?”

“Hold up, hold up! What is happening here?” Nini asked as she entered the kitchen. “It’s past noon, and your voices are too loud! What are you two arguing about?”

Essie rolled her eyes (for the nth time that day) and folded her arms over her chest. “He’s a stubborn piece of ass,” she grumbled. “And she’s an annoying baby princess,” he rebutted.

The older girl looked at them silently before bursting into laughter again. “Oh, you amuse me, Essie. Just give in to his request for now. He made the effort to deliver our pizza. And I bet you didn’t have to pay for it because he already did.”

“Fine, you all win!” The curly-haired girl glared at her best friend and the flirty guy. “But you better behave yourself, mister, because I am not having it.” She took out all the packets of hot sauce from the fridge and grabbed the pizza box again so she could take it to the living room.

“I promise I’ll be a good boy,” he purred in her ear when she has settled the food on the coffee table.

“Ugh, John! Please, stop doing this to me,” Essie groaned, gently pushing him away from her. “I’m thankful for treating us to pizza, but you don’t have to be so damn freaking flirty! We can be friends but not if you’re acting this way.”

Her words hit something in Johnny, who now flashed her a genuine smile. “You do? We can be friends?”

The girl nodded. “Yeah, sure. But just don’t do this again. I feel uncomfortable when someone’s too flirty.”

“But that’s part of my personality, babe. You’ll get used to it. But I’m glad we can be friends,” he said as he sat down beside her on the couch, opening the pizza box he held for approximately five minutes outside.

As the two started eating, Nini was watching them from the kitchen doorway. She never saw someone who acted like Johnny toward her best friend. He was quite direct with his actions, which most guys she saw Essie interact with don’t have the guts to do.

She smiled as Johnny dabbed the sides of Essie’s lips with a napkin. She saw how her best friend was embarrassed at the situation – her ears were glowing red. Nini held back her laughter this time and returned to the living room to get her share of pizza.

\\\

“I remember you were such a flirt when we first met, John,” Essie said one time when they were having breakfast.

Her boyfriend, who was in a white shirt that clung to his body nicely, almost spit out his food from the memory.

“Why do you have to remind me that, baby? I know we didn’t start on a good footing,” he said before eating a spoonful of rice and omelet.

“I know, but that was funny,” she giggled, gently pushing aside her utensils to grab the cup of coffee to her left. “Who knew I’d end up with you?”

He shrugged at her question and continued eating in silence. Essie observed him with a smile on her face as he ate. His hair, which was now light brown with some highlights, was tousled, and some strands almost covered his beautiful honey eyes. He had a ketchup stain near the collar of his shirt. The veins on his arms were more protruding.

“What are you looking at, babe?” He asked, slowly looking up at her.

“You,” she said softly before bringing the cup of coffee to her lips. “I am so lucky to have you, and sometimes I can’t still believe that we’re together, you know?”

“I could say the same too,” he responded with a grin on his face. “You know how the song goes: Everything I do, I do it for you,” he sang aloud the lyrics to the famous Bryan Adams song, making his girlfriend put down her cup of coffee and laugh.

“Damn, you’re cheesy!” She guffawed, slapping the table for effect. She thought of the moments that happened earlier – he was the one who woke her up by opening their sky blue curtains to let some sunlight shine through. “Good morning, baby, wake up,” he whispered before drawing them close when he saw her sit up from the bed.

Even if it took her ages to get up – it was the weekend away – Johnny returned to their shared bedroom and plopped beside her. He laid on the bed with his body face down, showing off his wide but sculpted back. He rested his face on one of their pillows and looked at her lovingly.

“Love, please,” she said breathlessly, captivated with his beauty. “Come on now, let’s have breakfast,” he cooed, pulling her wrist repeatedly from his comfortable position.

“What did you prepare for us?” Essie replied, now standing at the foot of the bed. “The usual, because that’s the best I can cook,” he chuckled before he stood up and carried her bridal-style to their dining room.

“Thank you,” she said once he helped her to her seat. She pecked him on the cheek, which he returned on the lips. “Anything for my darling Essie.”

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FIN

P.S. If you’ve noticed, I tend to end my stories with that line. It may or may not be intentional. 

Tripping

I don’t know what’s up with the Tumblr app, but the whole content of this post got deleted when I posted it. Hence, I deleted it, and I’m starting all over again. I’m actually pissed about it if I’m being honest.

We’re going way back to my first writings, so you might be reading some of my Y/N stories in a few weeks. 

Here’s a piece that will put a wrench into Johnny, Essie, and Mark’s relationship. We’re getting somewhere, aren’t we? Before you get annoyed with me, enjoy a cute Johnny and Mark GIF first!

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

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Summary: This story takes place before Johnny and Essie got together, and she hasn’t moved into his (and Mark’s) place yet. Read on to know how a simple trip to a restaurant become a tense situation. Oh, how I love to make tension so I could complicate the timeline! 

POV: 2nd person

Word count: 935 words

Warning: Italics are for thoughts, and italic and bold are for lyrics. I have also embedded the music video of the song mentioned below for your listening pleasure. 

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You didn’t need to go to karaoke when you’re out with Johnny and Mark. The three of you always sang inside the car without any care for the world.

Since Mark was back from his trip abroad, it was time that the three of you catch up on life. The Korean-Canadian was Johnny’s housemate, and boy, was your best friend over the moon that his ‘younger bro’ was back.

You decided to eat at this Spanish restaurant that just opened, which already has rave reviews online. Since Johnny’s always game to try new restaurants and Mark was pretty much a guy you can easily tag along with, you orchestrated this trip before lunchtime. You didn’t want to fall in line, especially with these ‘grumpy old men’ you are bringing along.

Johnny was the designated driver, and as always, he assigned you the tunes for this excursion. Mark didn’t have any role since he was the guest of honor, so he hogged the back seat to himself.

Everything was going smoothly, with one of you singing or humming along to your playlist. When Yellowcard’s ‘Ocean Avenue’ played, Mark immediately sat up and began singing.

Sometimes, it’s best not to judge a person by what he listens to. You were sure that Mark only listens to hip-hop and rhythm-and-blues, but he surprised you once again by jamming to one of your pop-rock hits back in the day.

Johnny joined in as well, even headbanging a bit as he drove. Before you knew it, all of you were singing the chorus.

“If I can find you now, things would get better…we could leave this town and run forever…”

You and Johnny shared a knowing look since this was your jam during your middle school days. When you looked at Mark, you saw that he was so into the song. He was doing the air guitar, for Christ’s sake!

You couldn’t help but laugh and reached him. He took your hand with his and squeezed it, still singing his heart out.

Together, you sang the bridge part. “I remember the look in your eyes when I told you that this was goodbye…”

The two of you exchanged lines this time, realizing later on that the lyrics fit well with your scenario.

“You were beggin’ me not tonight, not here, not now,” you sang, which Mark replied with, “We're looking up at the same night sky, and keep pretendin' the sun will not rise…”

Then, together again: “We'll be together for one more night, somewhere, somehow…”

Your hands didn’t leave each other, and you sang the lines while looking at each other. Never mind that your position was uncomfortable; you were too focused on singing with Mark.

You didn’t notice that Johnny wasn’t singing along anymore or the fact that his knuckles were almost white from gripping the steering wheel.

When the chorus came again, that was the time you pulled away. You and Mark finished singing along still with the same energy. You peeked at your back and saw that he was imitating his Henry hyung by doing an air violin impression. You laughed again, covering your mouth with the hand that he held. It still felt warm.

You remembered the time that he dropped by your apartment a few months ago, singing your melancholic favorites. You shared a similar moment, hands touching and staring into each other. Although a few months have passed, you still don’t know how to describe your feelings for him.

After all, you were conflicted. You also love the man who’s willing to drive you anywhere and feed you whenever you’re hungry. He was beside you, and he was oddly silent as the next song played.

“Hey, Johnny. Are you okay?” You couldn’t help but ask despite knowing that he didn’t look like it.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he grumbled, eyes focused on the road ahead. This was the time you noticed his grip on the steering wheel, and you gently touched his shoulder. “No, you aren’t,” you said softly.

He took a deep breath first before he relaxed. One of his hands went limp beside him, which you took immediately. He looked at you funny as he drove with one hand.

“I’m not going to let this go until you are okay,” you pouted, squeezing the hand in your care.

He sighed in response and continued to drive in silence. Why could he be suddenly not okay?

When you took a glance at Mark at the back, he was absentmindedly scrolling through his phone and lip-syncing to the song playing.

You felt Johnny’s grip on your hand tighten, and that’s when it hit you. Is he jealous because I’m getting touchy with Mark?

Your eyes widened in realization, and you felt more confused about your situation.

Mark, who was seven years your junior, admitted that he has feelings for you.

You, on the other hand, were starting to fall in love with Johnny.

Although there were instances that your crushes on Taemin and Kai will resurface, it could never compare to your love for Youngho.

You didn’t want to lead on two men. You only want to end up with one.

You looked at Johnny again, who tried his best to look unaffected. You squeezed his hand and kissed it.

You are sure of who your feelings are for now.

Good thing the stoplight was on red or else he might’ve pulled the brakes sooner. He didn’t expect your action, and his cheeks and ears were red.

You gave him a small smile before letting go of his hand. The stoplight turned green now.

–––

FIN

P.S. I got the title because I had 'Welcome to My Playground' playing in my head. And of course, that word came from Johnny's lines in the song.

Quarantine Series (Part II)

For this week, it’s going to be all about this series. Let’s be consistent for a change! 

This picture of Johnny inspired me to write this second part, and I mean, who wouldn’t want a man who can carry a bag of groceries like that and more? I also love this look on him: his hair color and eye makeup look gorgeous! 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

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Summary: Aside from what I have mentioned, expect something hilariously awkward here. You know, it’s my thing. If you don’t like it, you can pretend that you didn’t read it. But it’s the truth anyway when you’re in or have been in a relationship with someone.

POV: 3rd person

Word count: 700+ words

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Johnny is someone who can’t stay still at home and he’s slowly losing his mind the longer he is in the apartment. He feels that his body becomes heavier, making him lethargic.

Given the situation now – have you not heard of the Coronavirus pandemic? – he has to limit his exposure outside for fear of risking the health of his housemates Mark and Essie.

He kept on pacing the whole place as a simple way of exercising, then eventually got his workout gear and did an hour-long routine in the living room. When he wasn’t satisfied, he decided to walk around some more before deciding to check on his friends since their doors weren’t closed.

Mark was asleep and he didn’t bother to wake up the younger guy. God knows that he needed it – the Korean-Canadian was overworked and this was the perfect opportunity for him to catch up on sleep.

Essie, on the other hand, looked cozy in her bed while typing away on her laptop. He noticed there was a mug of coffee on her bedside table and a plate of biscuits. She looked happy as she typed swiftly on the keyboard, but he ruined her moment when he completely opened the door to reveal himself.

“Jesus Christ, John! You scared me!” She gasped, clutching a hand to her chest. “Sorry about that, baby,” he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck, “I was just checking up on you guys. Mark’s sleeping like a baby.” He sat at the edge of her bed, which prompted Essie to put away her laptop to fully accommodate him.

“He needs it badly, man,” she whispered, patting the free space beside her. Johnny crawled to her right side and got under the covers. “So, what brings you here, sir?”

“Is there anything you need to buy outside? I can do some grocery shopping if we’re running low of some supplies,” he offered, hoping that she doesn’t berate him for his desire to go outside in a time like this.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she flicked the space between his eyebrows with her fingers, “you want to go outside. You know, if there wasn’t any pandemic right now, I’d let you do whatever it is you want. But we’re dealing with something we can’t even see, for Christ’s sake,” Essie sat up on her bed and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m concerned about our health, Youngho.”

“But I’m perfectly healthy! I observe proper hygiene and wash my hands, like, over a hundred times,” he whined, mirroring her actions and ending his statement with a pout.

“That’s not the point, love,” she grumbled, dropping her arms on her sides. “But if you insist, fine. I’m about to run out on some essentials, like…” It took her a while to complete her sentence, which made the guy beside her cock his head to the side. “Yes, what is it that you need, princess?”

“I need sanitary napkins,” she whispered while looking him straight in the eyes.

There was a moment of silence as the two stared at each other. “Would that be regular, with wings, overnighter, or a combination of two?” He whispered back, which earned him a slap on his forearm.  

“Johnny! You already know my napkin preference!” Essie’s face was red as she threw playful punches on his arm. He laughed at her cute flustered face before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her into a hug. “Of course I do, it’s been six months since I’ve been buying your napkins,” he kissed the top of her head. “Anything else to add to that?”

“Well, let’s list everything that we need so you don’t have to go out that much,” she said, standing up to get a pad of paper and pen to write down what they needed to replenish in their household.

“Hey! I can only carry so much, baby! Unless you come with me?”

“No, I’m going to stay put here. Sorry, but I don’t want to risk our health,” she returned to the bed with her tools, “and fine, you buy whatever it is you can fit and carry in two shopping bags.”

“And then I get to go back to the grocery soon?”

“Johnny, I swear to God,” she groaned, “maybe give it a week or two before you go back there again, okay?” She pinched his cheek before uncapping the pen. “Now, where were we?” 

–––

FIN

Down

We all have these moments when we’re not ourselves – we feel lost, uninspired, bothered, and plenty of others. Those are not good feelings to have, but we feel them from time to time. 

Since idols are humans like us, they do have these moments too. However, they don’t put it on display and try their best to appear as positive role models all the time. 

But what if? Yes, we’re getting there, but not to the extreme. I hope you’ll enjoy this short contemplative piece. 

Here’s a blonde Johnny looking adorable and wistful at the same time in this GIF. I’m sure you guys have watched this Awsaz episode already! Have you?

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

–––

Summary: Johnny has a sudden moment of sadness, and Essie does her best to cheer him up. Did she succeed, or did she make him feel bad? Yes, I like asking questions a lot. 

POV: 3rd person 

Word count: 703 words to be exact

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Although his bandmates found it usual for Johnny to stare into space, Essie felt unsettled by it.

On one warm afternoon, the girl found him doing it while he sat still on their sofa. It was just the two of them at home, with Mark busy recording at the studio. He won’t be back until late in the evening, or worse, until the wee hours of the morning.

Essie just woke up from her afternoon nap and saw her lover staring into space on the sofa. Both of his hands were placed on his knees, and he sat with his back straight. He looked like a statue out of a museum.

“Love?” She whispered, approaching him cautiously.

When he didn’t answer, she took it as a cue to sit on the couch. “Love,” she repeated, moving closer to him slowly.

“Yes, babe?” He finally answered, his eyes still focused on whatever it is he’s staring at.

“What’s wrong?” This time, Essie was just a breath away from his face.

He looked at her, and there it was – tears pooling at the corner of his eyes. “I feel sad, to be honest,” he started softly, gently taking her hands with his. “I feel like I’m not doing enough.”

Her eyes widened at his statement, and she gripped his hands tightly. “Hey, don’t think of that. You’re enough. What you’re doing is enough. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“Despite the efforts my bandmates and I are making, it feels like we could never satisfy our fans,” he started rubbing the tops of her hands as he looked away from her.

“Hey,” Essie grabbed his face with one hand and tilted it toward her. “Your efforts are enough. You have done a lot for everyone. But remember, we can’t please everybody. Fans can be really toxic, and it’s for you guys to rise above it. I know all of us want to make everyone happy, but unfortunately, some people don’t see it that way…” It was her turn to look away, but that didn’t last long as she composed herself easily. “Crap, that wasn’t helpful at all, was it?”

Johnny chuckled at her statement and pulled her into his lap. “Thanks, baby, what you said is enough too,” he kissed her left temple, “and I’m grateful to have a partner who knows how to cheer up her loved ones,” he kissed her right temple this time. “I hope I get out of this funk soon…”

“You will be,” she said confidently, twisting her body so she could face him. “You’re Johnny Suh. You are a strong, confident, and passionate man. You are also the most handsome man I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and becoming my boyfriend. You are everything to me, and of course, your parents,” that got giggles from both of them, “and don’t forget that I love you from the bottom of my heart.”

“Awww, my baby is so sweet!” He cooed, his hands now rubbing circles on her back. “I love you too, Miss Jessica Park.” They shared a passionate kiss that made them forget about their problems and the concept of time.

It had been a while since both of them got intimate, after their quick rendezvouses and Essie’s trip to her home country. The girl was aware and admitted to Johnny that she had distanced herself even if he continued to do his best to repair their relationship. Good thing that his hard work paid off and their relationship has restarted in the best way possible.

“Damn baby,” were the first things Johnny said after they pulled apart from kissing. “Damn indeed,” Essie whispered, her hands massaging his shoulder blades. “Yeah, that’s the spot, keep going…” he purred, his breath tickling the crook of her neck.

Once he felt more at ease with her massage, he positioned her to sit next to him. “Thank you, my baby princess,” he said, his hands slipping into the spaces in between hers.

“Anything for you, my dear Youngho,” she said in a singsong manner, eliciting giggles from them both. “It’s now my turn to pamper you, and you better not make complaints on how I’m going to show you my love.”

–––

FIN

Puppy

And we’re back with some good old fluff, inspired by this photo that I got from Pinterest: 

I’ll leave it up to you to deduce what the story will be, but know it’s going to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :)

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Summary: This piece, like many others to come, was written using this fluff generator. Here’s the prompt it generated: 

 A puppy follows Johnny home, and Johnny can't bear to part with it. Johnny brings the puppy inside and tries to hide it from Essie.

POV: 3rd person 

Word count: 1,200 + words

Warning: There’s a song embedded at the end of this post since I mentioned one. However, it’s not for very young children since the album it appeared in has an Explicit Content sticker on it. But if you’re not a minor, then it’s all good. Just in case any kiddies are reading, you know? 

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On his way home, Johnny noticed a black Labrador puppy following him.

He did a photo walk by himself since his best friend, Essie, was busy at work.

They were living together for now since her apartment was under renovation.

Her other best friend, Nini, was the one overseeing the project and had to stay behind. As much as it pained Essie to be away from Nini, she was able to transition well in his home.

After all, he replicated the vibe of her old bedroom in his spare space. He was all about the little details, which she appreciated.

Johnny remembered her as the puppy moved faster so it could walk beside him. He knew that Essie was afraid of dogs, but who could be afraid of a cute little ball of fur?

He picked up the dog whose tiny tail was now wagging. It looked at him expectantly, as if wanting to be taken home. It had silky black fur and huge brown eyes. It didn’t have a collar, which meant that it didn’t belong to anyone.

It was as if the puppy was meant for him, meant to be brought home.

That’s what he did as he carried it like a baby. Passersby cooed at how adorable his little buddy was, some stopping him on the road to pet its glossy fur. Others waved at it, and the puppy barked in response. It was probably delighted that many people found it cute, which is actually the case.

As Johnny was approaching his apartment, he remembered Essie once more. He wasn’t sure how she would react if he brought home the puppy: either she will be terrified, or she will be fine with it. Maybe she would get over her fear of dogs if they have a puppy around!

Despite the brief optimism he thought of his new buddy, he was afraid that it would make Essie uncomfortable. Once he was at the door of his apartment, he decided that he would hide the puppy first.

\\\

Essie arrived around 8 p.m. and looked like a hot mess. Her curly hair was all over the place, and there were food stains on her cardigan.

“Hey, how are you?” Johnny asked, cautiously approaching the girl whose blaring headphones he could hear. He heard Limp Bizkit’s ‘Rollin’, and that could only mean one thing – she was royally pissed.

She took off her headphones and gave a deep sigh. “As always, I’m tired. I had a lot to do for the day, and my brain is ready to be replaced,” she said.

But before she could even change into her pair of room slippers, a small black figure dashed to her side.

Johnny’s eyes widened as he saw the puppy, whom he named Jordan, looking at Essie excitedly.

He hid the puppy in a box where he could easily see it while he cooked dinner. However, he became engrossed in his cooking that he forgot about it.

Essie was frozen in her spot, unable to move since she didn’t know what the puppy will do next. If she moves quickly, the dog may move in the same manner as well. It is also possible that it might get her slippers and gnaw it. If she moves slowly, the dog will continue to look at her curiously and even bark, as if asking what she is doing.

“John…” She started, staring at the puppy who was returning her gesture.

“Yes, babe?” He asked, looking at their interaction.

“Why do we suddenly have a puppy here?”

This time, she looked at him, and he could tell that she was both annoyed and scared.

“Well, it was following me on the way home, and I decided to take it with me because it was too cute to resist…” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

There was a brief silence before Essie replied. “Can you please get the puppy first? I want to change into comfortable clothes.”

Johnny was quick to pick up the puppy and cradled it to his chest. Essie was able to change into her room slippers with ease and went to her bedroom to change clothes.

“You scared Mommy, baby,” he whispered to the puppy, who barked in response. “What? You’re mad at me? Why? After all that I’ve done for you!” He rocked the puppy in his arms, who went silent and decided to snuggle on his arms.

A few moments later, Essie reemerged in her shirt and track bottoms. She watched Johnny taking care of the puppy like it was his baby.

“If this isn’t the cutest thing ever,” she said, leaning against the wall with her arms folded. There was a smile on her face, which made Johnny blush.

He could only count the times Essie smiled genuinely. She laughed most of the time, and seeing her smile at what he was doing gave him weird feelings.

It shouldn’t be weird when he knew that he loves her, right?

Johnny continued to stroke the puppy’s head until it fell asleep on him. This was Essie’s cue to come near and observe the animal. It was definitely cute, just like the guy who was holding him.  

“Would you like to hold Jordan?” he asked, offering the puppy to her. She nodded silently, and he handed her the small dog carefully so it wouldn’t wake up.

Once she did, she cooed at how soft and silky its fur was. She cradled it like a baby as well and even hummed a lullaby. It was Johnny’s turn to gush at this scene and clasped his hands together in glee. “This is the cutest thing ever!” He cried before going to his room to get his camera.

He took a picture of his two favorites – one was with Essie looking at the camera and tilting Jordan towards the camera, and the other was a candid one with her looking at the dog fondly.

Eventually, they put Jordan back in his box and had dinner. While they were eating steak and mashed potatoes, Essie broke their silence with her suggestion.

“Why don’t we get a dog bed for him and some toys?”

Johnny almost choked on his food and looked at her in shock. “You aren’t mad that we have a puppy now?”

She shook her head and gave him another smile that melted his heart. “Yeah, I don’t mind. I mean, it’s really cute. And maybe I can get over my cynophobia with Jordan. And by the way, why did you name him that?”

“He looked like a Jordan to me, babe! And of course, I need another representation of my hometown!”

Both of them laughed at this, as Johnny is known for adding his ‘Chicago’ touch on just about anything.

The evening ended with them watching Netflix on the couch with a newly-awakened Jordan on Essie’s lap. Johnny couldn’t help but smile at both of them as they focused their attention on the screen. He felt warm and complete – he wanted this to be his future. Maybe the only thing missing is a kid, but for now, he’s content that they have this stray puppy that became theirs.

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FIN

P.S. Don’t be like Johnny and pick up a stray puppy out of nowhere, even if it’s the cutest thing ever. Safety first?