Quarantine Series (Part II)

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?” 

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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! :) 

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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

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.

How They Met

How original of me to use that title for this post, but getting straight to the point is always a good thing. 

Now we’re getting into the beginnings of Johnny and Essie’s relationship, so that might be something you’ll be reading more of soon. 

I’m imagining that this GIF could be something that he’ll do when you get to know him for the first time. Do you agree?

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

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Summary: To copy what I wrote on my draft: Inspired by an IG post of Johnny caught staring at the camera every time he’s at the airport. Yeah, he will make me nervous too. But I won’t back down – I’ll give him a wink in return! I find my thoughts amusing sometimes. 

POV: 3rd person 

Word count: 1,440 words 

Warning: Italics are for thoughts, people. 

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Legend has it that Johnny Suh likes to look at people straight in the eye to make them feel nervous.

That was what Essie Park felt when she made eye contact with the tall guy, who was waiting next to her in Starbucks.

They were waiting for their orders at the counter, and she felt that someone was looking at her. She was correct – she saw the guy was staring at her. She didn’t back down from his intense stare and returned it briefly before she realized how handsome he was.

When she focused her attention on the barista who was preparing her order, she felt her cheeks grow warm. A few seconds later, her name was called, and she grabbed her order hastily.

Nope, she wasn’t going to look back at the handsome guy who might be staring at her still.

Essie was, once again, correct – Johnny Suh was observing her. She stood out among the crowd with her curly hair, flashy denim jacket, and leopard-print pants. She looked ready to prowl in this concrete jungle, and there was a part of him that wanted to join her.

The girl was eating with her best friend Nini, who sipped at her hot chocolate quietly and went back to work. Meanwhile, she ate her penne pasta with gusto and slurped her mocha frap with no care in the world. She was hungry, and she was not afraid to show it to everyone.

This made Johnny smile, who drank his iced Americano from afar and almost zoned out on what his friend was saying.

“Were you even listening, John?” Jeong Jaehyun waved a hand on his face, raising an eyebrow at him as well.

He apologized, but his eyes were still on the girl devouring her meal. Jaehyun followed his stare and noticed Essie who had sauce on the sides of her mouth.

“That girl sure is hungry,” he chuckled, looking at Johnny whose eyes never left her. “Yeah, I know. She intrigues me,” his voice softened at the end as well as his stare. “I think she’s cute.”

Jaehyun looked at the girl again, then at Johnny. He repeated the motion a couple of times until he giggled. “Go ahead, John. Make a move on her. I dare you,” he poked a finger on his friend’s chest, who swatted it away from him.

“I don’t know; I’m shy?” Johnny confessed, his face and ears turning crimson. “You? Shy? What happened to that overconfident guy that I know of?” Jaehyun poked him again in the chest.

“Let it rest, Jay,” the taller guy rolled his eyes, “It’ll happen. I’ll talk to her.”

\\\

Essie and Nini returned to their apartment after their breakfast at Starbucks, wherein they resumed their daily activities. Nini was working on a project while Essie was editing another textbook. When she got bored with reading too many words, she shifted her attention to editing a video for fun.

Since both were too busy to cook – and to be honest, the girls weren’t great at it – they decided to get takeout. Essie craved Chinese food, which her best friend didn’t have a problem with. “Chinese food is universal,” she said before focusing back on her project again.

Forty-five minutes after their call, the doorbell to their apartment rang, and Essie stood up to get it. The delivery guy was beaming at her with their food, and she returned his enthusiasm. But before she could even enter her apartment again, she saw the guy at Starbucks right next door.

Their eyes landed on each other, and it made her feel nervous again. She was about to step inside her home when the guy jogged towards her, his eyes never leaving her.

What is it with this guy, and he keeps staring me at like I’m some kind of freak? She thought, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She couldn’t move from her spot, as if in a spell from his stare.

“Hi there,” he greeted once he was in front of her. “I know I was beside you at Starbucks a while ago,” he smiled, making her blush.

Essie could only nod, slowly covering her face with the paper bag containing their takeout.

“I just wanted to say that you looked awesome. I like the jacket that you wore.”

The girl was dumbfounded at his statement. Seriously? Just because of my jacket? She felt a bit disappointed but at the same time, relieved that it wasn’t anything major.

“Uh, thanks?” He nodded at her simple response, but he didn’t move from his spot. “So, what’s your name?” Essie couldn’t stand awkward moments and had to ask him anything.

“Oh, sorry! That was not smooth of me,” he chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “I’m Johnny, by the way. You can also call me John if you like.” He held out a hand for her to shake, which she did with her free hand.

“I’m Essie,” she said, shaking his hand while maintaining eye contact. That was the way you were supposed to do it anyway.

“So, you live here, eh?” He asked, looking around the area after they were done with their handshake. “Actually, I was visiting some friends here. I’m sure you know Taemin and Kai, right?”

Johnny was ahead of you and told you why he was here. But when you heard him mention your neighbors, your eyes widened. “Yeah, they live right next door?” She jerked her thumb towards their apartment, which was to your left. “How do you know them?”

“Oh, I used to go to school with them. I decided to pay them a visit along with another friend.” He peered at the house next door and saw a figure through the window. “He was with me in Starbucks too,” he pointed at the guy wearing a brown sweater. “His name is Jaehyun.”

Essie nodded, slowly absorbing all the information she was learning. “Uh-huh,” she mumbled. “Well, nice to meet you, John. See you around!”

She turned back to her apartment, but the guy didn’t let her just yet. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her a bit closer to him. “Hey, wait a minute! I’m not done yet!” He planted the girl back to her spot and smirked. “Since we’re acquaintances now, it is just proper for them to exchange numbers. You never know what we may give each other, right?”

Oh, brother, she groaned to herself before whipping out her phone from her pocket. “Please put in your contact details here,” she deadpanned.

He laughed at her reaction and handed his phone to her. “You do the same as well,” he said, closing the small distance between them.

She could smell his cologne, and she will not deny that he smells so fucking good. She shut her eyes for a moment before she pressed her number rapidly on his phone. “There,” she shoved the device back to his hand, “please save that, and I’m going now.”

“Why are you in a hurry, baby?” He teased, pocketing her phone in his jacket. “I won’t return your phone if you keep on rushing.”

“Dude, I’m hungry. Can’t you see this?” She gestured to the takeout she carried with one hand. “My roommate must be dying of hunger now.”

Johnny burst into laughter and returned her phone in between fits. “You are precious, Essie! I think we’re going to get along well just fine.”

She rolled her eyes at him, getting irritated at how he continuously laughed at her. “I’m sure we are,” she muttered sarcastically.

“Anyway, it was nice to meet you! I’ll keep in touch,” he waved his phone at her, “This won’t be the last time we meet. Have a nice day, baby!”

Essie waved silently but huffed back inside their apartment, where Nini looked at her expectantly. “What happened? I heard someone laughing, and I think it was a guy,” she remarked.

“Yeah, it is. Turns out a friend of Taemin and Kai’s visited them. And he was at Starbucks too.”

“And you flirted with him? Essie, please control yourself!”

“Niniiiii!” The girl whined, stomping her way to the kitchen. “He was the one who flirted with me!”

“I’m sure he did,” Nini teased, now standing up to help her friend. “Anyway, let’s eat! The food must be hot still because someone heated it by flirting with a stranger!”

Essie was close to crying at how her best friend teased her but pouted instead. “I’ll get you for this, you old hag!”

The older girl just laughed and prepared the table for their late lunch.

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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.  

–––

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.”

–––

FIN

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

Quarantine Series (Part I)

Or as I titled it in my original file: Love in the Time of Coronavirus. How original, of course. But this new series is going to be more than that, so I hope you enjoy this. 

Here’s Johnny serving boyfriend looks (as always!) with this GIF. 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :)

–––

Summary: Consider this as a prelude to the series since I wrote this when the virus had just been declared a pandemic in early March. This piece also hinted of the boys’ trip to Houston and their now-cancelled tour, and how the virus hadn’t spread throughout the US yet. It’s a bit outdated on those details, but I guess you could shrug it off for now. 

POV: 3rd person, given the reason above and what I always say in this part. Maybe I should just stop explaining myself here and keep it simple, no?

Word count: 900+ words 

–––

Essie felt hysterical over the situation happening worldwide right now. The coronavirus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, and there are travel bans and lockdowns imposed in various countries affected by the virus. Her roommates went to the US, where there haven’t been many cases of the virus yet, and were bound to return later that afternoon.

Since she has been reading a lot of forums and news about the situation, she felt more panicked about them. My love, please take care on your way home. Are you feeling well? She texted Johnny, one of her roommates and her boyfriend of over six months, as she lay on the couch while hugging a throw pillow.

A few seconds later, he replied. Yes, baby. I know. I’m feeling fine, no need to worry. I’m aware of the situation. Even the rest of the guys are okay. We have to take good care of ourselves especially we’re going on tour a few months from now.

That’s good to hear, love. But still, I am worried. Please stay safe and healthy. I love you so much, she replied back, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes.

Johnny replied: I love you too, baby. Yes, I’ll stay safe and be healthy for you and everyone else. See you later!

Essie sighed in relief and went back to reading updates about the situation, more so in her home country since there are more people diagnosed with the virus as each hour passed.

\\\

As much as she wanted to pick up her boyfriend and her other roommate Mark from the airport, the two guys told her to just stay at home for her own safety.

Please stay at home instead, Essie noona, Mark said in their group chat, we don’t want you to get sick. We’ll be there in a few hours, so please don’t worry too much.

But Marky! I am concerned as hell, Essie pouted as she typed her response, this situation’s making me go crazy. I really hope that you guys are really okay.

We are okay, baby, Johnny piped in, so please, be a good girl and wait for us. We have some stuff for you too. We’ll be there before you know it.

The girl cried at his answer, hysteria overpowering her.

\\\

Despite warnings to avoid close contact with anyone for fear of the virus from spreading, Essie couldn’t help but tackle her lover once he was on their doorway.

“Baby,” Johnny’s voice was muffled through her curly locks, “it’s okay…” One of his hands rubbed circles at her back to calm her down.

“But I’m so worried!” She cried, her tears soaking the collar of his shirt. She hugged him some more until Mark, who was behind his hyung, cleared his throat.

“Not to ruin your moment but uh, can I come inside too?” The younger guy said, smiling sheepishly at his noona. Essie nodded and moved her and her boyfriend aside so he could enter with his luggage.

“Baby, you can let go now,” Johnny whispered, pecking her on the forehead. “No, I don’t want to,” she whined, nuzzling her face on his chest.

It took a couple of minutes for her to let go and return to the couch. The guys took their belongings in their respective rooms before convening at the living room and talk to their agitated roommate.

When they did, it was Mark’s turn to be hugged. Essie cradled him for a bit, which he was hesitant at first. But when he felt a surge of warmth coming from both of their bodies, he realized that this hug was one of genuine concern than anything else. He buried his head on the crook of her neck and pecked it quickly (hoping that Johnny didn’t see it).

Once they let go of each other, he sat on the bean bag across the couch while Johnny settled on to his girlfriend’s right side. “Sorry guys, the news of this virus is making me go crazy,” she sniffed, taking out her handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her tears. “I’m just concerned, that’s all. I hope you guys won’t get sick or anything.”

“We could say the same to you, baby,” her boyfriend replied, moving closer to her. “None of us want to get sick at a time like this. We won’t be able to work if we do,” he now held her hand and squeezed it gently.

“I agree,” Mark said, giving them a thumbs-up. “We have to be strong and overcome this.”

“So have you guys eaten anything? Are you even hungry? Do you want anything in particular?” Essie asked, her eyes flitting from one guy to another.

“I’m craving for soup,” the younger guy said while he rubbed his palms. “Same here,” Johnny said.

“Okay, I’ll make you guys some.” She stood up and went to the kitchen to make a cream of mushroom soup from scratch. “Please take a rest while I cook. I’ll call you guys when it’s ready,” she added before both of them briefly hugged her while she chopping vegetables.

“Thank you, baby,” Johnny said softly, kissing her forehead. “I appreciate what you’re doing for us. You know what to do if you hear me snoring, okay?” The couple shared a quick moment of laughter before pecking each other on the lips. “Yes love, I know what to do. But please, have some rest first. You must be tired still.”

He nodded before silently retreating to their room to take a nap. She watched his figure disappear into their shared bedroom and smiled when he didn’t completely close the door. Since she was satisfied that he didn’t forget their protocol, she went back to her cooking.

Essie felt better that her boys weren’t sick but hoped that they would love the soup she’s cooking for the first time in her life. There’s such a thing as beginner’s luck, right?

–––

FIN