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

–––

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

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.

–––

FIN

MKJS Masterlist

Sorry, it took me long to do this, but I can say that now is the perfect time to do so because I’ve posted quite a lot since the lockdown started. 

Let’s divide it into three categories: series, character (then divided into series), and the main timeline.

Once I post more stories, this post will be updated further. 

Without further ado...

SERIES

Sugar and Fluff - Random Johnny and Essie sweet moments

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Volume 4

Housemates - Inspired by descriptions from @markleesquishy on Instagram on how it would be like to have them as your housemates

Johnny

Mark

Jaehyun

Ten

Trysts with Mon Amour - Essie takes a chance with Jaehyun despite being in a relationship with Johnny (Also linked is my Spotify playlist in case you want to listen to the songs that inspire and accompany it.)

Conflicted

Snippets from an Affair

A Kiss for Luck

Day Dream

Couple Things - More Johnny and Essie moments that focuses on them as a couple

Part I

Part II

A Tale of Two Valentines - Johnny and Essie moments focused on Valentine’s Day

Part I

Part II

Cool Off - Johnny and Essie take a break from their relationship, which leaves Johnny miserable

Part I

Part II

Soul-Searching - A continuation of Cool Off, but focuses on Essie’s side of the story

Part I

Part II

Studies on Tension - Like most couples before getting together, Johnny and Essie experienced their share of sexual tension

Part I

Part II

Inspired by @neoculturedrabbles​‘ prompt list

MK (Part I)

JN (Part I)

JH (Part I)

JN (Part II)

JH (Part II)

JN (Part III)

JN (Part IV)

Intoxicated - A special take on some prompts from @neoculturedrabbles​

Part I

Part II

Quarantine Series - A timely collection of stories while the world is still in lockdown due to the pandemic

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV 

With Family - A collection of stories focusing on Johnny and Essie meeting the parents and family of one another 

Part I

Part II

Burnout - A romantic drama (with lots of angst?) featuring the love triangle of Johnny, Y/N and Jaehyun. Coming soon! 

Teaser

Teaser, B-side

–––

CHARACTER

JOHHNY

Standalone Fics

The Model and The Stylist 

Photography

Awkward

Plushie

Down

Focus

From the Main Timeline 

How They Met

The Look

Love Song

Tripping

Do I Wanna Know?

How He Loves

Resolution

The Dream Synopsis

The Pull of You

Lost and Found

Wondering

Sugar and Fluff 

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Volume 4

Housemates 

Johnny

Couple Things

Part I

Part II

A Tale of Two Valentines 

Part I

Part II

Cool Off

Part I

Part II

Studies on Tension

Part I

Part II

Inspired by @neoculturedrabbles​‘ prompt list

JN (Part I)

JN (Part II)

JN (Part III)

JN (Part IV)

Intoxicated

Part I

Part II

With Family

Part I

Part II

\\\

MARK

Standalone Fics 

Jamming with Mark

I Will Follow You into the Dark

Two Birthdays

You’re Such an Ass

From the Main Timeline 

Cruel Game

Tripping

The Dream Synopsis

Housemates

Mark

Inspired by @neoculturedrabbles​‘ prompt list

MK (Part I)

\\\

JAEHYUN

Trysts with Mon Amour (which are also part of the Main Timeline) 

Dangerous

Dangerous, B-side

Cruel Game

Conflicted

Snippets from an Affair

A Kiss for Luck

Day Dream

Reality Checklist

Housemates

Jaehyun

Inspired by @neoculturedrabbles​‘ prompt list

JH (Part I)

JH (Part II)

\\\

OTHERS

Ten

Housemates (Ten)

Lucas

Fling Things

Kun 

Soul-Searching (Part I)

Sehun

Soul-Searching (Part II)

Steal Your Girl

–––

THE MAIN TIMELINE

To be honest, I didn’t expect that these stories will have a timeline. There are other stories I haven’t written or posted that will help put things into a better perspective, but this is what we have for now. The links will start in the order that you should read it first. 

How They Met

The Look

Cruel Game

Steal Your Girl

Love Song

Tripping

Do I Wanna Know?

How He Loves

Resolution

The Dream Synopsis

Conflicted

Wicked Games

The Pull of You

Lost and Found

Wondering

Cool Off Series - please see links above 

Soul-Searching Series - please see links above 

With Family - please see links above

Please take note that although some of the stories can coincide with the main timeline, consider them as side stories if you will. If you have any questions, my inbox is open. 

–––

First post and update: September 6, 2020 

Second update: September 13, 2020

Third update: September 20, 2020

Fourth update: October 4, 2020

Fifth update: October 12, 2020

Sixth update: May 30, 2022 (OOPS SORRY ABOUT THAT)

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! :) 

–––

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. 

–––

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.

Plushie

If I’m being honest with myself, this is one of my favorite Johnny and Essie stories I’ve ever written. I guess you have to read it to know why? 

Since this is quite the fluffy piece, here’s a GIF of Johnny during their ‘Touch’ era. I love how calming the green color scheme is too! 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :)

–––

Summary: This piece was inspired by this Instagram post, and how we all Johfams know that the man loves his plushies. 

POV: 2nd person, ma’am/sir. 

Word count: 803 words – wow, I’m exact on this. 

–––

You haven’t seen Johnny in days since he went back to his DJ work. He was working till the wee hours of the morning since he had a late-night radio program again with Jaehyun, and he took DJ-ing jobs at random bars in the area. 

He would always come home when you have already left the apartment, making you miss his presence. It has been a while since the house smelled like him, and to cope with missing his companionship, you decided to sneak into his room and get one of his stuffed animals lying around on his bed. 

You decided to get a white seal plushie, which reminded you of the one you borrowed from a friend. Too bad you had to return it, but it was one of the stuffed animals that you were comfortable hugging. You even remembered the name you gave it: Shiroyuki Fluff Puff. 

“He won’t even notice that it’s gone,” you said to no one in particular as you opened the cabinet where he stored more of his stuffed animals. You decided to pluck a white beluga whale plushie to take its place instead. 

\\\

The workweek was over for Johnny. He was tired from his schedule since he had to adjust his body clock again. He was grateful for the opportunities given to him, but at the same time, he had less time to hang out with his girlfriend. It was only this Saturday morning that he noticed that one of his favorite stuffed toys was missing. It was the one he fondly called Jay, the white seal plushie. 

Since he collected stuffed animals, he rotates the ones he hugs daily. It was Jay’s turn to be hugged, but it was missing on his bed.

There’s only one person he can blame, considering that she has been eyeing it for quite some time already. 

He stormed into your room and saw that you were sleeping, your legs half-covered in your blanket. He spotted Jay snuggled comfortably in your arms, and he could see that you were drooling.

Instead of getting mad at you and snatching the plushie away, he decided to join you in your bed. He plopped on your mattress carelessly, stirring you a little.

When you opened your eyes to see who was on your bed, you saw that your boyfriend was grinning at you. “So, you got Jay without asking for my permission,” he said sternly, giving you his best intimidating glare.

You rolled your eyes in response, clutching the plushie closer to you. “So what? You aren’t here most of the time anyway, you’re too busy with your job,” you mumbled before turning to the other side.

Before you could even roll to your right, he stopped you and grabbed the plushie. “Heeey! Jay is mine!” You whined, attempting to grab the stuffed toy from him. He didn’t let you and instead examined what happened to his toy.

“Jesus, baby! You are such a drooler! I can see drool stains on him!” He cried, pointing at the said stains on Jay’s head. You could only cover your face in shame, and you heard him fake sobbing at how one of his toys was ruined.

When he was done, you peeked at the spaces between your fingers and saw that he put the plushie aside. You felt his body come closer to you, and then his arms snaked around your waist.

“Come here,” he said gently as you closed the gap between your bodies. You placed your chin on his shoulder, and he did the same. You stayed in that position for a minute before he spoke.

“I missed you, baby. But we got to get that coin, you know? It’s for our future,” he pulled away a bit so he could see your face.

“I know, but I get lonely when you’re not around for too long,” you said, nuzzling your face on his neck.

“That’s so sweet of you,” he said as he kissed the top of your head. “Well, let’s sleep now. I’m sure you stayed up all night again,” he took a peek at your reddened face, “instead of sleeping early like I always tell you.”

“You and Nini act like my parents!” You grumbled as you dug your chin deeper into his shoulder.

“Well, you are a big baby that’s also mine. So,” he patted your thigh affectionately, “let’s go to sleep. Since you ruined Jay, you’re going to be my plushie for today.” 

Both of you readjusted your embrace until you found your comfortable spot. Once you did, you felt him tap your thigh again. It was one of the things he did to make you fall asleep. 

“Night night,” he mumbled, still tapping on your thigh. “Morning, my love,” you replied, sleep now taking over you.

–––

FIN

In short, Essie likes to grab other people’s things without permission. Such a bad girl! 

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

–––

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.”

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FIN