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! :)

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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. 

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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.

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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.

Steal Your Girl

It’s been a busy week for me, hence the lack of updates. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to post as much in the coming weeks, but rest assured that this blog will not die. 

Anyway, let’s get back to complicating things with EXO’s maknae Oh Sehun this time. Say what? 

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :) 

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Summary: This piece is a precursor to this. Read about Essie meeting Sehun for the first time, and the hilarious shit that she says when inebriated.

POV: 3rd person 

Word count: 1,200 + words

Warning: Italics are for thoughts and foreign words. Since they’re all adults here, expect a lot of alcohol mentions. Please drink responsibly, and don’t get into trouble for this if you’re a minor. Damn, I miss drinking my wine, beer, and soju, y’all.

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Meeting Oh Sehun for the first time was an uncomfortable and awkward experience for Essie.

The guy didn’t do anything at all – it was just his vibe that put the girl off. He visited the apartment she shared with her best friend Johnny Suh after his schedule, and he wore a surly face almost throughout the night.  

She knew that Johnny was Mr. Congeniality, but she was surprised that he hadn’t introduced Mr. Oh Sehun to her until now.

“Hey, Essie. I’d like you to meet Oh Sehun. You can call him Sehunnie,” was her housemate’s introduction to the guy who almost obscured his face with a black bucket hat.

“Youngho, not that,” he whined, nudging Johnny on the ribs.

“Aw, come on! She’s a great girl, you’ll love her,” the Korean-American returned the nudge to his friend.

It was the first time Sehun looked at Essie, and she felt a mixture of fear and shyness. It was as if he was staring straight into her soul with his piercing gaze. When he didn’t say anything, Johnny proceeded with his spiel.

“And this sweet girl is Essie Park, my bestie and housemate.” The girl felt her best friend’s arm loop around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. She went along with his act and gave a small smile to her guest. He didn’t return it and continued to stare at her.

“Nice to meet you, Sehun,” she said, reaching out her hand for him to shake. He took it wordlessly and gave it a good shake before he plopped himself on the sofa.

“Do you have any soju or beer here?” The girl winced at Sehun’s voice, which sounded hoarse and a bit scratchy. Maybe he smokes a lot. Ugh, I hope I don’t end up talking like that…she thought, breaking away from her best friend’s hold.

“But of course! Do you think we’d run out of alcohol here? Not with this chick around,” Johnny pointed at Essie, who flipped the bird at him. Sehun chuckled at their interaction, making the girl look at their guest.

He stared at her again, and she was becoming more bothered with it.

\\\

Sehun had dinner with them first before they set up the balcony for drinks. It was a good thing that Essie just replenished their alcohol supply with soju, beer, and wine. The guest helped himself to a bottle of grapefruit-flavored soju while Johnny and Essie started with cabernet sauvignon.

“Really, wine first? You’ll regret your choice later,” Sehun commented before taking a swig of his drink.

“Is there a rule on drinking which alcohol you should take first?” Essie felt sassy after sipping on the wine.

“No, you drink whatever you want. I was just about to share that drinking wine first before soju didn’t end well with me, but since you seem so riled up about it, I won’t continue.” The guy in the all-black outfit huffed, turning away from her as he continued drinking his soju in peace.

The girl looked at her companion for help, but all she received was a shrug. “That’s just the way he is, baby. Let him be,” Johnny whispered, swirling his glass of wine.

It was Essie’s turn to stare at Sehun – specifically the back of his head and his phone – and she hoped that she made him feel uncomfortable this time.

\\\

The night was still young, and all of them were on the verge of being thrashed. Sehun was massaging his temples, Johnny was a laughing mess, and Essie kept on bumbling about anything.

“So I told him, he should go home because I can’t bear the thought of him shitting all over the place,” the girl was slurring, but she did her best to finish her story.

“And then what did he do? Did he listen to what you said or made a shit of himself?” It took Johnny to reply as he kept on laughing now and then.

“Ugh, you two! Shut the fuck up!” Sehun groaned, covering his face with both hands. “You’re making my headache with your noise…”

“I suggest you leave then,” All signs of Essie slurring disappeared as she glared at their guest. “If you can’t tolerate our noise, go ahead. You’ve been nothing but a rude guest who can’t seem to smile at others who are sharing theirs with you.”

“Baby, please stop,” It seemed that Johnny was (sort of) back to his senses as he held his best friend’s arm. “Don’t provoke him. That’s just the way he is, I told you.”

“Me? A rude guest? Because I’m not smiling? Well, I’m sorry, princess. It’s your first time meeting me, and you’re already closing your doors on me.” Sehun positioned himself on the floor, right across from Essie.

“See? The way you talk is so…cocky! You’re so self-assured! You’re overconfident! You’re worse than him!” The girl pointed her thumb at her best friend, who called her out. “Hey! Don’t drag me into this baby!”

“Who did he learn it from, huh? Of course, it’s me who taught him to be like that!” The guy across Essie pounded on his chest to emphasize his point.

“Hey, I didn’t learn it from you dude! This is all-natural self-confidence!” Johnny piped in, his turn to pound his chest.

“Ugh, whatever! Both of you are pompous idiots who happen to be very handsome!” Essie raised her hands in frustration before standing up to leave the balcony.

The two guys looked at each other first before they looked at the balcony’s sliding door.

“Did she just call us handsome?” Johnny asked, slowly tilting his head to face his close friend again.  

“Very handsome, at that. I wonder who she could be referring to,” Sehun replied, running a hand through his hair.

“She did say it’s us, Sehun hyung,” the younger guy started laughing again. “I told you she’s a lovely girl. The words that come out of her mouth amaze me every time, especially when she’s drunk.”

“I get what you mean. She amuses me. I want to get to know her more, Youngho.”

“You know you’re like a brother to me, but I won’t allow that.”

Sehun raised an eyebrow at his dongsaeng. “You already got first dibs?”

“Back off, Sehun hyung. Please. She’s mine.”

“But she doesn’t know that she’s yours. Technically, she’s a free woman with no attachments.”

“Oh Sehun. Please. Don’t.” Johnny’s words hung in the air as the two men stared at each other.

“I can’t promise you anything, bro…” Sehun stood up from his position and went inside, presumably to follow Essie to wherever she was.

Johnny was quick to follow, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that his friend went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

“You think I’m just going to sweep her away?” Sehun smirked before he drank another glass of water. “I know you could that,” his close friend said, folding his arms over his chest.

“Relax. I just want to get to know her better as a friend too, you know.”

“Sometimes, you make me feel nervous hyung, and tonight is one of them.” Johnny sighed, leaning against the wall.

Sehun laughed at his reaction and patted him on the back. “But really, I’ll do let you know if I’m going to steal your girl, so you better watch out.”

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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.”

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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! :)

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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. 

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“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

Quarantine Series (Part III)

Remember their Relay V Lives last April? Yes, those have inspired me to write the next two installments of this series. 

For this one, the GIF below says it all. Isn’t it exciting? I got it from Tumblr too but I can’t seem to find its source, so please let me know who this belongs to. Thank you!

Mahal ko kayong lahat! :)

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Summary: I already said what you needed to know about this piece above, so I would just like to add that Johnny’s outfit here is inspired by this photo of my first love Adam Driver. Dang, I really have a thing for big, tall men! 

POV: 2nd person

Word count: 1,200+ words

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“Get up, loser! We’re going to exercise!”

Johnny Suh screeched, banging open your door to report of this so-called mandatory activity. “Why are we going to exercise?” You whined, burying yourself deeper into the comforter. “No buts, ma’am! We’ve got to shake that ass to get that toned bod!” Your housemate said, removing the blanket that covered your body and twirling you to look at him. But before you could even complain that you didn’t want to, your eyes widened at his outfit.

“What the hell are you wearing?” You shrieked, absorbing Johnny’s chosen workout attire of a bandanna, skimpy tank top (with ‘Let’s Get Physical’ printed on it in silver glitter), and a pair of neon booty shorts. “The weather’s hot, baby. And maybe I want to show off the fruits of my labor so you and Mark will be motivated to work out even more,” he said, now showing off his rainbow-striped tube socks and retro sneakers.

“You look as if you stepped out of a cheesy 80s aerobic video, but whatever,” you grumbled, finally getting up from the bed. “Can you give me five minutes to change?” He responded with a thumbs-up before he screamed again in the hallway. “I’ll let you do ten push-ups if you don’t comply with that time!” You could only roll your eyes at his words before you search your closet for a pair of jogging pants.

\\\

Four minutes later – for fear of doing something you didn’t even know how to do properly – you emerged from your room and saw that Johnny had already set up the living room with mats, kettlebells, and weights.

“Wow, you’re early,” your instructor said, eyeing you from head to toe. “For a beginner, you sure dress well,” he gave you another thumbs-up, which you replied by flipping the bird on him. “Mark Lee! Where the heck are you?” His booming voice made the younger guy come out, who wore all black for his workout attire. “I see you’re in black, Mr. Lee. Maybe we’re going to mourn the loss of your excess fat after this,” Johnny snickered, earning giggles from you and your fellow attendee. “Now, let's get it!”

\\\

Although Mark was fitter than you, he was showing signs of fatigue from the routine that your instructor demonstrated. You can say the same for yourself, but you didn’t want anyone of them to see how exhausted you are. However, Johnny was still in high spirits by teaching you guys how to do exercises with the kettlebell and even pumped up the music. To be honest, you didn’t want to take his workout seriously because his playlist was all over the place – aside from the aforementioned cheesy 80s aerobics music, he also had promiscuous rap songs and even techno headbangers from the late 90s. As much as you wanted to laugh at how the playlist shifted from Vibez to Crazy Frog, Johnny berated you when he caught you not following instructions.

“Miss Park, please! If I catch you not following again, I’ll make you do 10 more,” he hissed while moving the kettlebell up and down.

“Can we get a break, please,” Mark groaned, looking paler than usual. “We’ve been at it for 20 minutes, hyung. Please?”

When the brown-haired guy dropped the kettlebell on the mat, you and Mark rushed to the kitchen to get some drinks.

“Don’t drink anything that isn’t water or any sports drink! We’re not yet done!”

\\\

Johnny’s exercise routine took 45 minutes, and it ended with you and Mark lying on your respective mats in pain. “Am I that out of shape?” He huffed, looking up at the ceiling. “Nonsense, you’re fitter than I,” you replied, your breath still catching up with your exercise. “Look at me, I might die anytime soon.”

“That’s even more nonsense!” Your instructor sat beside you with a huge smile on his face. “You did great, baby! I never thought you were that flexible,” he handed you a bottle of Pocari Sweat, which you accepted wordlessly.

“How about me, hyung?” Mark’s question was answered when Johnny threw another bottle of the sports drink at him.

“This was really fun! Maybe we should do it twice a week. We don’t have much to do during this quarantine anyway.” He was ecstatic at how he made you and Mark tired from exercise that his eyes were practically glowing.

“Who says we don’t have much to do? I can list a lot of things I can do during this quarantine that doesn’t involve exercise,” you grumbled, sitting up so you can now drink your Pocari Sweat.

“You and your sedentary activities,” Johnny scoffed. “Why don’t you and Doyoung make a club? You two are practically holed up in your bedrooms anyway.”

“There’s a certain joy of staying inside, Mr. Suh. For someone who isn’t an extrovert like you, you wouldn’t understand.” You placed the bottle on the floor with a thud, shaking Mark a bit.

“Hey, noona. Calm down,” he whispered, scooting closer to you. “And please, don’t fight. If there’s one thing I don’t want all of us to do, it’s that.”

You stared at Johnny, who returned the gesture. You had a stare-off that lasted for fifteen seconds before you heard Mark stand up and go back to his bedroom, mumbling something along the lines of ‘never-ending sexual tension’ and ‘dense as fuck’.

“But seriously, Essie. Exercise is good for everyone. I don’t need to remind you that, right?” You couldn’t look at the guy beside you, who talked with such a soft and loving voice. You could only nod in response and looked at your lap. “I’m going to make this a regular thing, and of course, you and Mark could also hold activities of your own that all of us can do.”

“I’m guessing Mark will make us perform a song together, considering all of us play instruments,” you chuckled, remembering the times that he gathered everyone in the living room so each one can perform a song of their liking.

“I think so too,” you heard Johnny move closer to you, “and I wonder what’ll be yours?” When you looked up, he linked an arm around your waist and pulled you closer to him. “Maybe eat,” you said matter-of-factly, making him laugh. You felt his abs as he did so, and you tried to move away, so you don’t completely become a flustered mess. He didn’t let you and tightened his hold.

“It’s all balanced then,” he kissed the top of your head before letting you go. “Our next session will be two days from now, so talk to Mark which one of you is in charge of tomorrow’s activity.” He helped you stand up, and in return, you helped him clean up today’s set-up. “I think I want to go first, I want us to eat something I haven’t eaten in ages…” you mumbled after packing away the last of gym equipment into its respective cabinet.

“Oh, is that so? But still, talk to Marky.” Johnny jerked his thumb toward the younger guy’s bedroom. “Yeah, I know. But thanks though for today.” You grinned, giving him two thumbs-up. “And thank you as well, my grumpy baby,” he messed your hair with his hands, “I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s feast.”

“Same here,” you laughed, now dashing toward Mark’s room. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to talk to Mr. Lee here.”

–––

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.

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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.