With Family (Part I)

With Family (Part I)

Since we’ve got the friends-to-lovers thing down pat, there’s got to be a part of the story that focuses on meeting the parents or the rest of the family. Am I right? 

Here’s a new mini-series with that concept, and I hope you’ll like it. 

As always, here’s Johnny, but serving boyfriend looks in his white shirt, jeans, and sneakers. I wish I was already a fan when Ennana was still airing though.

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :)

–––

Summary: In this first installment, Essie takes Johnny to her family home and introduces him as her boyfriend for the first time. Do things go smoothly or end up hilariously? Well, go ahead and read the darn thing. 

POV: 2nd person

Word count: 900+ words

Warning: Italics are for foreign words. 

–––

You hyperventilated in the car as you realized, for the nth time today, that you were bringing home Johnny to meet your family. This time, it's as your boyfriend, not the close friend you brought last Christmas. 

“Baby, please. Don’t be nervous. We can do it. They’ll love me,” your driver, who is actually your boyfriend, reassured. He held your hand with his free one while the other was on the wheel. 

You took a glance at him and gulped. He looked so perfect in just a white shirt, faded blue jeans, and a pair of high-top Chuck Taylors. 

“I know they’ll do. But still, I’m nervous. More so when I meet yours…next week?” You buried your face in your free hand, and your breathing got worse.  

“I’m sure Eomma will love you too,” his grip on your hand tightened. “But remember, I’m not pure Korean. I have Filipino blood in me too,” you mumbled, focusing your attention on the scenery outside. 

“That doesn’t matter! She’ll love you no matter what. Anyway, we’re near your home now!” He said in a singsong voice, making you uneasier in your seat. 

When you saw the all-too-familiar red arrow gate of your home, you shut your eyes. “This is it, Mommy and my sisters will meet him as my boyfriend now,” you mumbled to yourself, which Johnny heard. 

“Yes, and they will adore me. They will think I’m perfect for you. They will think you hit the jackpot with me,” he responded to your soliloquy before kissing the hand he held. 

“Where do you get that confidence, honey? I wish I had that as well,” you said, now looking at his face. He gave you one of the most heartwarming smiles of mankind, and you sighed dreamily. 

“I hope that smile gives you confidence,” he chuckled, now letting go of your hand. “Sorry, I have to focus on parking first.” You placed the hand he held on your lap as he went silent for a moment since double-parking remained a challenge for him. 

\\\

Now that you were outside the gate of your house, Johnny slipped on a black jacket and a baseball cap. He didn’t want to look too casual at first but shared his plan to remove these items once inside. 

You rang the doorbell to your house, and your elder sister opened the gate for you two. “Hey John,” she greeted, giving him a fist bump. She has met him before your other sister, and apparently, they bonded over sports, which you couldn’t get into no matter how hard you tried. 

As you stepped inside your house, the dining table was filled with your favorite food. You noticed that there was some Korean food too – your other sister must’ve cooked that. She appeared a moment later, still in her apron. “Hey, you two,” she greeted, giving you a peck on the cheek while she shook hands with your boyfriend. “I’ll just freshen up a bit, and I’ll meet you back here.” With that, she disappeared into her room.

Your mother was the last to show herself, and Johnny was quick to help her. She had a cane, and you rushed to her side as well. “Hi Mommy,” you said softly, “we’re here now.”

“Hi sweetie,” she responded, giving you a small smile. “And if it isn’t John! I knew you two would end up with each other,” she addressed Johnny with a bigger smile, making the guy blush. 

“Thank you if you thought that way, Mommy,” he said as he held your mother’s free hand. “And you’re calling me Mommy already!” Your mother guffawed before looking at you. “I think he wants to marry you, sweetie. But aren’t you still young?” 

It was your turn to blush now, and your sisters were looking at you funnily. 

“Told you, she’s the one who’s going to get married next,” your elder sister said before holding out a hand to your other sister. “Five bucks, please.”

“Nuh-uh! Unless there’s a ring on it, I won’t pay you!” The eldest one replied, flipping her hair before heading toward her seat on the dining table. 

Your mother continued to laugh at the scenario, and you and Johnny could only exchange awkward smiles. 

\\\

The dinner turned out great – your boyfriend loved the Korean dishes your eldest sister prepared. He also loved the Filipino food your other sister cooked, such as the tinolang manok and afritada. 

“Never knew Filipino cuisine was this diverse,” he commented as he bit a potato from the afritada. 

“There’s more to our cuisine than just seafood, hijo,” your mother commented, who was now extracting meat from crab pinchers. 

“And I don’t like seafood, sorry,” you mumbled, taking another spoonful of rice and meat. 

“It’s okay, I cook more meat dishes anyway,” he said, smiling at you as he finished the potato he was eating. 

“You’re lucky you found a guy who can cook for you, hija,” your mother said in between chewing crabmeat. “John, do you know she has quite an appetite?”

“Moooom!” You whined, feeling your cheeks warm from her expose. “But it’s true!” Both of your sisters said simultaneously, which made your boyfriend laugh. 

“Yes, I do. She eats a lot, especially when it’s her favorite food. I saw her finish a gallon of ice cream in one sitting,” he said, making your family laugh this time.  

“Jooooohn!” You glared at him, which he responded to with a wink. “Don’t be shy with them! They’re your family! They’re the first to know of your appetite before me, duh,” he patted your arm to calm you down. 

“Yeah, why are you shy sharing this information with us? You know we still love you even if you can finish the contents of the fridge in a week,” your eldest sister said, earning the sniggers of everyone else on the table. 

You puffed your cheeks in defeat and continued to eat in silence.

–––

FIN

P.S. I know, it seems incomplete – I ran out of creative juice when I wrote that. I’m leaving it there, or maybe I’ll update it when I’m inspired again.

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

Cruel Game

Shaking things up with this brain fart because too much lovey-dovey can get on your nerves. Well, sometimes. Or is it just me? 

Anyway, I just want to share that I love any Jaehyun and Mark interactions. I like how chill both are, and let’s be honest – they give off frat boy vibes. 

I love this GIF of them – I feel the love, man! GIF is from this link.

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

–––

Summary: Sharing that I love Jaehyun and Mark’s friendship is a clue to what you’ll be reading today, as the guys are fueled by their jealousy to get Essie’s heart. Say what?! Yes, I wrote this with the tensest timeline in mind, meaning it’s before Johnny and Essie got together and are getting real touchy with each other. 

POV: 3rd person 

Word count: 1,200 + words 

Warning: Italics are for thoughts and foreign terms. 

–––

Jaehyun knew he lost when he saw the look Essie and Johnny shared during one of their hangouts.

The grey-haired heartthrob, along with Taeyong and Ten, decided to visit their friends Mark, Johnny, and Essie (who also happen to be housemates). It has been a while since Mark and Taeyong were in their respective apartments due to their hectic schedules, and it has been ages since all of them hung out with Ten.

He, Taeyong, and Johnny cooked while Ten, Mark, and Essie provided entertainment through singing with their respective instruments or dancing. The three men prepared a mix of both Korean and Japanese food, which delighted the only girl in the house. “It’s as if you know what I’m craving for!” She gushed, clapping her hands together in glee.

“Of course, I know what you like,” Jaehyun commented confidently with a wink, making her blush. His action was not lost on Johnny, who looked as if he could burn a hole on the back of his friend’s head. “Thank you, Jay!” Essie chirped before she nudged Ten to help her in setting the table.

Once that was set, everyone sat down and enjoyed their dinner. It was during this part of the evening that Jaehyun knew that Essie has made up her mind on whom she likes the most. It was not lost on him that he was one of the people who first knew of her crush on Johnny and other guys in their huge social circle. If he remembered correctly, the only ones from the group she told of were him and Ten.

He caught Johnny tapping her shoulder lightly to whisper something in her ear. He noticed the way she leaned immediately to his touch and giggled at the few words he said. They shared a look before they went back to eating.

If he was asked to describe the look they gave each other, it was one of sweet longing and understanding. In short, he was jealous that he wasn’t the one who received it.

Jaehyun tightened the grip on his utensils as he continued eating dinner, feeling his face heat up in anger. “Hey, hyung. You okay?” Mark asked, who was seated to his left. He nodded in response and gave a goofy smile to reassure him.

“But your ear is, like, all red,” Ten commented before eating a whole sushi. He touched his ear and felt that he was going to get burned with how hot it was. “Oh, maybe it must be the weather? Or the room’s a bit too warm,” he mumbled before focusing on his plate again.

“Did you say it’s too hot, Jay? I can adjust the temperature of the AC,” Essie offered, now standing up to go to where she placed the remote of the air conditioner. “Yeah, thanks dear,” he said softly, looking at her figure disappear into the living room.

“Hey, that’s not where the remote for the AC is, you dummy! It’s over here,” Johnny said, following the girl into the room she went to. The sight of his friend going to where his crush was made him massage his temples in silence, which then led him to lose his appetite.

“I don’t think you’re okay, hyung,” Mark whispered, moving his chair closer to the table. The sound it made turned heads, and all of them looked at the two guys. “What?” Jaehyun was irritated at the looks he got from Taeyong and Ten.

“Yeah, you don’t seem well, Yoon Oh. Do you need a break?” Taeyong said carefully since he didn’t want to irk his housemate. After all, they were going home the same way in the same car.

“I think so. I’ll just be outside,” Jaehyun muttered before going outside to the porch. Mark excused himself shortly afterward and went to where he was as well.

The two men observed the night scenery in silence – well, they could still hear the sound of cicadas chirping and clicking and their heavy breathing.

“What brings you here, Mark?” He started, folding his arms over his chest.

“I think I know what set you off,” the younger guy replied, moving closer to him.

“Oh, you think? Then humor me. Tell me what that is,” his tone was sarcastic, which Mark picked up and returned in his response.

“Don’t think you’re the only one who’s annoyed with Johnny and Essie making goo-goo eyes at each other.”

They looked at each other for a moment and burst into laughter afterward. “Hey, why are you annoyed with them? What did they do to you? Sucks that you have to endure that, eh?” Jaehyun took a seat on the bench, and Mark followed suit. “It’s not that they did anything to me, but I think…I like Essie noona more than, you know, as a sister figure.” The way his voice softened at the end made the older guy’s heart ache.

“Damn, Mark. I didn’t know you felt that way. I guess…you can say the same thing about me too,” he brushed his hair away from his face and looked out into the dark horizon again. “It’s not usual for me to be jealous, especially towards one of my best friends. But I can’t help it. I like Essie too, but I think she has made her decision on who she likes the most.”

“Huh? What does that mean?” Mark moved closer to his hyung, his eyes shining in anticipation with his next words.

Oh crap, this is bad. I shouldn’t have phrased it that way…he thought, running another hand through his hair.

“Let’s just say that Essie likes a lot of guys, and among them all, Johnny is the one she likes the best. And unfortunately, none of us made that list. Isn’t that sad?”

It took a moment for Mark to reply. “Maybe she wouldn’t tell us that if she liked us that way, you know? But maybe she likes one of us too, or heck, even just one of us aside from Johnny hyung. But who are we to compete with him?” He peeked inside and saw that he and Essie were arguing on the dinner table.

“Hey, be confident with yourself, Mark Lee. Suh Youngho isn’t the only handsome and talented guy in the room,” Jaehyun patted his friend’s back before sneaking a look on the commotion inside. He saw that Essie looked pissed, and Johnny was rolling his eyes at her.

“But they look like a fucking married couple already,” Mark mumbled, his eyes also focused on the two. “I think they’re meant for each other.”

“Don’t lose hope. Why don’t you try?” Both men returned to looking at the night sky. “You know, talking with you made me not give up on pursuing Essie. I felt that I have already lost. That sickeningly sweet look she and Youngho had earlier broke me, man. I swear to you,” the older guy admitted, his eyes now focused on his shoes.

“But that means we’ll be competing for her then,” the black-haired guy glanced at Jaehyun, who was now looking at him. “I still want to try, you know. Even if I know deep inside she might not accept my love.”

“That’s the spirit, I guess?” Jaehyun chuckled, slinging an arm around Mark’s shoulder. “May the best man win then.”

“Good luck to us, hyung. I mean it.”

–––

FIN

P.S. The title came from ‘Sit Down’ as it suddenly played in my head the moment I saved the initial draft. Of course, how can I forget Jaehyun’s lines and his competitive spirit? 

Quarantine Series (Part IV)

Although this is the last one I’ve written for this series so far, that doesn’t mean it’s the end. I might write more if time allows and inspiration hits. 

Like with the previous installment, here’s a GIF (credits to this post from @jeongjaehyuns​) to let you know what this is going to be all about. You know your girl loves her North America-based boys! 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

–––

Summary: Johnny and Mark’s indoor camping V Live has got to be one of my favorite videos of them of all time. I think I watched it twice or thrice. Maybe I should watch it again. Anyway, enjoy this piece inspired by that cute and hilarious video. 

POV: 2nd person

Word count: 1,000+ words

–––

Mark decided to set up a tent in the middle of the living room as one of your activities during this quarantine period. He also got Johnny’s foldable table, which he used to place some snacks. A wicker basket was nearby, hopefully containing more snacks and some drinks. There were also fairy lights strung around the tent to give it a cozy feel. In short, Mark did a great job of making a cute set-up.

“Nice work, Mark,” the elder guy remarked, eyeing the tent’s interiors. There were a lot of pillows inside along with three blankets, meaning each one of you won’t get cold and fight over one piece of fabric. “So, what are we going to do here?”

“Yeah, what’s the concept for today’s session?” You piped in, pushing Johnny gently so you could crawl inside the tent. He grunted at your action but let it slide when he saw how ecstatic you looked once you settled comfortably inside.

“Well…I don’t know. We could just chill and stuff?” The younger guy replied, scratching the back of his head. “Wait. I think I have some Legos…” He returned to his room to retrieve said toys.

“What are we, five?” You grumbled, looking at Johnny who seemed pleased with the idea. “Seriously, Youngho?”

“Hey! I bet you didn’t get to do them when you were young,” he scoffed, running a hand through his caramel locks. “You missed out a chunk of your childhood if you didn’t.”

“Oh yes, right, just like missing out on reading the Harry Potter series,” you muttered, looking at Mark return to the tent with boxes of Legos for you to create.

“This is all I have, and look! I have three sets for us to work on. Perfect! Now each of us will work on something,” he shook the boxes before handing one of each to you and your other housemate.

It took you an hour to finish yours, while the guys finished earlier. “This just proves that I really didn’t get to play with Legos when I was young,” you murmured, figuring out where to put the last block on the piece you were making. “Hey, let me help with you that…” Mark offered, which you accepted since it has been over two minutes that you’ve been struggling.

As he examined the piece you were working on, you spied Johnny holding in his laughter. You raised an eyebrow at him, and he responded by letting out his trademark cheeky laugh. “What’s so funny, John?” You put both hands on your hips and glared at him with all the annoyance you could muster.

“Oh baby, it’s just you’re so funny,” he said in between laughter, “your sisters were right. You are effortlessly funny.”

You tackled him on his side of the tent, and all of your Lego sculptures tumbled to the ground as Johnny accidentally kicked the bed table that all of them were on.

“Johnny hyung!” Mark whined, eyeing the mess he made. “Blame Essie! She made me do it!” He pointed at the girl who was playfully punching his forearms. “You’re such a bully sometimes!” She complained, punching his sides this time.

“Essie noona! I expected better from you,” the younger guy commented, now packing up all the Legos that were scattered on the floor. “But he’s laughing at me for no reason at all, Mark! How can I not get pissed off with that?” You pointed an accusatory finger toward the taller guy, who has now composed himself and looked at both of them seriously.

“Okay, Essie. Sorry about that,” Johnny said as monotonously as he could, “And Mark, now that our Legos have all collapsed, what do you suggest we do next?” His tone changed to a cheerful (yet sarcastic) one when he faced his hoobae.

“Do you want some drinks?” Mark suggested, who was standing outside the tent with the three boxes of Lego sets on his arms.

“Alcoholic or not?” Johnny pinched your side after asking the question. “Essie, don’t you have any concept of drinking alcohol at certain periods?” He hissed, pinching you again.

Although his pinches hurt, you ignored it and beamed sweetly at the person you were talking to. “Uh, I was thinking of making us hot chocolate,” he said.

“Sounds good to me!” You gave him a thumbs-up, which the guy beside you mirrored as well. “Then, hot chocolate it is,” Mark disappeared into his bedroom first before he went to the kitchen to prepare probably some Swiss Miss.

“Isn’t he such a great host?” You said, eyeing the younger guy’s movements from inside the tent. “Yeah, he is. A good kid too,” Johnny replied, grabbing one of the pillows first before lying down.

“Now I feel pressured on what to do when it’s my turn,” you looked at the guy beside you, who patted the space beside him. “Lie down with me,” he whispered, and you complied immediately.

“Don’t sweat it. Look at us, just hanging out inside a tent at the living room since we can’t go camping outside,” he shifted his position so you’ll have more space, “and after having some snacks, I think we’re just going to do whatever, you know?”

“It’s been a while since we bonded like this too…” you tilted your head to look at Johnny again, who surprised you by kissing your forehead. “I guess so? We haven’t had heart-to-heart talks. You two might have since you were together for the past few weeks, but the three of us? It’s been way too long.”

“I agree with that,” Mark’s booming voice startled you and Johnny. “Hey, here are your hot chocolates, which pair perfectly well with these tasty waffle biscuits,” he took out a huge red packet from the basket and placed it on the table. “Bon appetit, guys.”

After your simple snack, your host decided to just spend the rest of the day catching up with everyone. Mark was often out due to his projects, and whenever he returned from them, he was often sleeping and rarely got to talk to anyone of you. If he did, your conversations barely lasted five minutes before he had to head out or sleep.  

Although unfortunately, there’s a global pandemic right now, it was time for the overworked young man to catch up with rest and know what’s up with his beloved housemates whom he loved so dearly.

–––

FIN

Video Call

Imagine if this was the view on your phone screen. 

I might pass out in real life, but we have Essie to fulfill our fangirl fantasies. 

Before you think anything else about this piece, let me say that it’s fluffy and funny. Well, a bit funny. You guys know how I write already. 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :)

–––

Summary: To change things up, this piece was not written with a fluff generator in mind. I was just missing Johnny and thought of writing video call snippets and more between him and Essie. 

POV: 3rd person 

Word count: 700 + words

Warning: One of the scenarios here was inspired by real-life, and as usual with me, it has sexual innuendoes. Nothing extreme, just a bit perverted. There’s also a song at the end of the post since I mentioned one here too. Lastly, text messages are with single quotations and italics. 

–––

“I miss you so much already,” Essie whined to the screen, pouting when she saw her boyfriend smirk at her. 

Johnny was in Chicago right now, visiting his parents. Although she had already met them here a couple of months ago, they returned to the place they called home a week after that. 

The first week of December passed by with them apart from each other. She was sad that he wasn’t going to spend the holidays with her, and that included her birthday. She understood that he has family on the other side of the globe, and it has been a while since he was there.

“Don’t you think that I feel the same way?” Johnny huffed, looking briefly at both of his sides, “I miss you so much too, baby. I’ll find a way to be there on your birthday,” He looked sadly at the camera and frowned when he saw that his girlfriend was tearing up. 

“It’s fine, love. I understand your obligations,” she sniffed, “the most we can do is to keep in touch with each other. But I hope you’ll be here for my 27th…”

“I’ll try my best, okay? Don’t cry now,” he comforted her through the screen, pressing his thumb lightly over the image of her crying face. 

Their call lasted for a few more minutes since Essie had visitors coming. She decided to host a fancy dinner for her closest friends – Nini was out of the country with Jongin, if people were curious to know – before their social calendar becomes full with other holiday parties. 

Later on, she received a text from Johnny: ‘Hope you had fun with your dinner party! And I hope you didn’t drink a lot. I’m not there to baby you and your hangover. Be a good girl tonight, and I promise to make it up to you when I get back. I love you so much, my baby princess!’

She couldn’t help but get teary-eyed again with his message, but at the same time, her smile grew bigger. 

Essie felt so loved this evening despite the distance she has now with her boyfriend. 

\\\

Johnny laughed when he opened the photo that his girlfriend of more than six months sent him.  

Essie sent him a photo of her eating a Hungarian sausage with gusto. She bit into the meat stick with her eyes closed, with cheese oozing out at the sides.

He knew that his girl loved meat, but this was telling him something else as well. The message that accompanied her photo was: ‘I got myself a Hungarian sausage with cheese at the food bazaar today. It reminded me of you; I don’t know why. Or maybe I do know why! Hahahaha love you John hope you eat something that reminds you of me~’

“Baby, you’re hilarious,” he said to no one in particular before he burst into laughter again.  

A few hours later, he sent her a photo of him eating a carton of her favorite ice cream.  He added a message too: ‘Of course, I just have to eat your favorite baby! As one of your favorite songs said: you’re cold as ice cream but still as sweet. So dry your eyes, Sunday girl~’ 

After reading it, the girl sang the lyrics he referenced, earning her looks from fellow pedestrians. She shrugged them off and hummed the song as she continued her walk home. 

\\\

There was nothing new with Essie swiping Johnny’s clothing, especially his outerwear. 

The guy chuckled when he received a photo of his love wearing his brown fuzzy jacket. The caption of her photo read: ‘Mama Bear misses you so much, Papa Bear. Since you’re not here, I’ll wear this for now. Thank you and love you forever John!’ 

He replied to her post with a selfie of him pouting. ‘Who said you could wear that, Mama Bear? Loljk of course we have shared custody over that fluffy jacket haha I love you more Essie!’ was the message he typed after sending his photo.  

On the other side of the screen, Essie giggled when she saw her boyfriend’s response to her photo. “Shared custody, eh?” She eyed at the teddy jacket she now wore, “As if this thing’s our baby! John is silly, as always!” She wiggled her fingers first before she composed her reply to his latest message. 

––

FIN

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!