. Kang Taehyun - Tumblr Posts

ִֶָPHONING... 𓂃 ࣪˖ dead butterflies.

Besides the distance between the two of you, nothing could sever the connection you and Taehyun shared so long as you shared the same moon.

જ⁀➴♡ wc 1k ✧ fluff , kang taehyun x reader

A streak of light flashes across the sky, a rare occurrence in the streets of Paris. Thick heavy raindrops pound the uneven pavement, littered with dried leaves and twigs.

Running down the street, huddled together under only his coat, the two of you laughed as the sound filled the streets.

The times that you got to see Taehyun were few and far between these days but the ways in which he would make it up to you were always worth it in the end.

The never ending affection he gave you when he would return, gentle kisses up your wrist as you shyly hid your face from his gaze.

From the first time that he had kissed you so gently, you realized the complete power he had over you.

That first time, on a night similar to this with much quieter patterns of rain where he wrapped his arms around you outside the door of your apartment.

Your grip on the edge of his coat beckoned for him to stay and he let out a sigh.

He didn’t need to say anything, you knew that he couldn’t.

Taehyun wasn’t even gone and yet you already found yourself missing him, a feeling of yearning so intense that you could never have imagined before meeting him.

"Keep me in your heart.”

The sentence was fairly unlike him, you had come to find out. Later on in your relationship you found he tended to shy away from such dramatic phrases, offering a much more pragmatic outlook on things.

Despite this, he had made the exception for you.

Breathing in his scent mixed with the smell of the rain, your heart began to swell.

With the distance that soon followed, you found yourself grateful for the space it provided.

Taehyun never let the distance get the best of you, offering any second that he had free to you.

For once in your life, you believed that distance made the heart grow fonder.

With knowing him, there was a newfound desire that spurred in your heart.

You’d try to think straight but realized you were falling so badly, everything seemed to be jumbled together. Everything except for him.

A feeling so unfamiliar you could never quite place— something that only seemed perfectly depicted by the movies.

You never knew that much at all about love before he came into your life but delicately, you seemed to be learning.

"You were right about the storm!" he yells over the howling wind. "Obviously! I told you we should have headed out sooner." You cried, voice charged with excitement, and he laughed.

“Can you blame me for wanting to stay with you longer?” You stumble over a stray log on the sidewalk as he reaches out to catch you.

Finally reaching the safety of your apartment, the awning above providing shelter from the rain.

The two of you tumble on the dry grass laughing without a care for the mess you’d become.

He tosses aside his drenched coat, wrapping his arms around your waist.

Your bag falls from hands, contents consisting of broken hand mirrors and flavored lip glosses spilling out.

The world froze around you as he kissed you good night.

The moon peeks through the treetops and you are content.

With moments of silence like this, you’d think back to your first conversation at some fashion designer event you can’t recall the name of now.

“I live in a dorm with the others," he said, describing it in such a way that when you finally came to scale those vast, wooden floors, it was like you had seen it a thousand times before.

As if it had always been there, waiting to welcome you. Like the pretty, sunlit corner of his room that remained unfurnished, sitting empty until your visit, now filled with your paints and brushes.

Emptied drawers now occupied by articles of clothing slowly growing larger after every visit you had made, always leaving a trace of you behind as a reminder of what he had waiting for him in Paris.

An 8 hour time difference and ruined sleep schedules never seemed to falter your shared determination.

To each other, you were worth it.

You’d never been so glad to be so tired.

Often times when it was your turn to visit, you would fondly call him your Frankenstein, a man who was a patchwork of all the things you had ever longed for.

He’d grimace at the thought of something so ugly and you’d laugh, poking his dimple only for him to teasingly bite your finger.

As you’d cringe and push him away with a loud ‘eugh’ he would be the one laughing, arm locked around you as he trapped you to pull you in.

The soft kiss he’d place on your forehead was enough to silence you.

Taehyun always gave you such gifts—not the kind that were put in boxes, but the sort that filled you with imagination, breathing indescribable happiness into your life even from a distance.

Notes he had given you in person and letters he had sent overseas, all the words he had wrote seemed to thread together into a ribbon perfectly tied around your heart.

As if he had cast a spell on you with them, each word was forever burned into your mind and with it the memory of each moment you read them.

The love Taehyun had provided was all-consuming, sometimes you found yourself crying as you lost all control.

The heavy realization of how unbelievably in love you were with him, how unbelievably grateful you were.

Cursing at the moon as if it were somehow at fault for the distance between the two of you.

Late into the night when you came to your senses, your hushed apologies were enough as the moon lulled you back to sleep with the reminder that as long as the two of you looked up at the same one, the two of you were always connected.

Despite how far you were from each other due to your occupations, he always made sure to integrate parts of you into his life and you, him.

One particular visit to Paris for work he had come, hands full of heavy bags. Curiously, you tried to peek in only for him to shake his head and follow you into your apartment.

That day, rather than going out for some fancy dinner, the two of you stayed in and spent the hours conversing while painting intricate designs on flower pots.

"So you can create your little monstrous plants," he explained.

Secretly, he had hoped you would gift him one to bring back with him. A small part of you and Paris to bring back home.

And somehow, by some miracle stroke of luck, you handed the pot back to him with a small seed tightly packed inside of it.

“What is this?”

“It’ll be a surprise, just keep nurturing it. Okay?”

Now, the potted plants he had brought back were suddenly littered around his room despite his lack of a green thumb.

And his love for the gesture trumped any sense of doubt that he had in his ability to keep it alive, doing his best to nurture the plants just as you had asked.

With time, it would grow just as you promised.

No matter what it was, he looked forward to it.

Due to the constant presence of social media in your work and personal relationships, the sacred times you spent together in person were spent unplugged.

Finding anything to occupy yourselves, you’d go wherever the cities would take you.

On your first time visiting the HYBE building’s rooftop garden, Taehyun had showed you how to catch the stray butterflies that fluttered from their elusive neighbors.

You told him about the rumors that companies would farm them for cosmetic use.

He listened in morbid fascination as you described how the helpless insects were cruelly dismembered, before their fragile and beautiful wings were crushed and ground into a fine powder.

“Your lips would look beautiful painted with butterly wings," he would tease you, his thumb brushing your lower lip.

A scoff of fake offense would escape your lips as you shoved him away, only to lock hands and pull him closer shortly after.

"Yeah right.”

The two of you had spent much of your days alone, in your peaceful sanctuaries, apart from the peering eyes of the outside world.

When the weather was good, the two of you would venture out of Paris, past the worn jetty and picnic of the city’s little beach.

You, with a small, amused smile on your lips, hair tousled by the sea wind. You were different from anything he had ever known.

જ⁀➴♡ phone in ᝰ.ᐟ

PHONING... 𓂃 ࣪˖ Something.

Dancing with Taehyun on the ice was your favorite past time but recently he’s seeming more and more distracted.

જ⁀➴♡ wc 2k ✧ fluff

As the frosty air enveloped the ice rink, two figure skaters stood side by side, their hearts pounding in unison with the rhythm of the music.

You and Taehyun were a team, bound together by a presumed shared passion for the sport and a bond forged through countless hours of practice and dedication.

Originally partnered through word of mouth between both of your coaches, the two of you initially felt dragged down by the other.

It wasn’t that Taehyun was particularly upset that the two of you had been partnered together: you were both incredibly talented and if there was anyone in your guys’ rink that was suitable to be his partner, it was you.

Neither of you had ever worked with a partner before— that was where the hesitancy had stemmed from at first.

Despite this, both of you had the same goals for future competitions and got together with your coaches for a tryout.

As the music began to play, the two of you glided onto the ice with perfectly fluid movements. Each twist and turn was executed with precision, albeit a bit stiff at the time, your bodies began to move as one in perfect harmony with the music.

The butterflies in your stomach had their wings torn apart, stomped out with the blade of your skates as your mind reminded you what the two of you were working toward.

The last thing you could afford was having a crush on your partner— especially Taehyun with his eyes thats depths seemed to hold the secrets of the universe in them.

Definitely not.

In the fluorescent light of the rink, shimmering with a soft, warm hue, radiating warmth with every glance despite his focused expression.

When they meet yours, they drew you in as if you were falling into a flame.

Putting all of your faith and trust into this total stranger, he threw you into the air with you spinning in the air as your heart felt it could burst out of your chest.

When you landed from the perfectly executed spin, you locked eyes with Taehyun and the two of you reached out to grab each other’s hands.

The two of you were solidified as the perfect match.

In the hushed serenity of the empty ice rink, Taehyun stepped onto the glistening surface with a deep breath, his blades slicing through the smooth ice with a soft whisper.

The air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint scent of freshly resurfaced ice and salt.

He came intending to practice for the event but instead found his thoughts full of you.

Over the years, the two of you had entered an endless amount of competitions and won each time so it was frustrating that suddenly he couldn’t get you off of his mind.

With a deep breath, he began his routine, effortlessly moving across the ice. Each step was deliberate, every gesture filled with intention as he hummed to himself to fill the silence and distract himself from thoughts of you.

You and how effortlessly breathtaking you were.

It would be his luck that you had wandered in, standing just outside the rink watching him practice. A small smile tugged at your lips as you leaned against the protective glass with a knock and a wink.

Noticing you from the corner of his eye, a similar expression finds it onto his face as he can only think of how ridiculous you were to come here so late just as he had.

Maybe that was why you had been the perfect partners. Shared determination aside, there were no others as dedicated as you were.

When the two of you were passionate about something, you put your all into it.

As you watched Taehyun, you lost yourself in the rhythm as he executed jumps and spins with precision, his movements confident as he pushes himself to the limits of his skill.

In the quiet moments between the jumps and spins, you found he looked the most beautiful.

Taehyun didn’t want to be a figure skater. You knew this, it was one of the first things he had ever confided in you about.

You didn’t understand at first— this was all you ever wanted, the idea that someone as good as him wasn’t even interested in it at all was a complete surprise.

When you heard his voice for the first time, though, you understood. Taehyun was born to perform, perhaps not in this particular way, but you were sure that he was.

Despite your encouragement to pursue his love for singing, he hadn’t made anymore comments about it since. You felt disappointed for him, hearing his hums in his day to day throughout practices.

He breathed music.

If Taehyun looked as beautiful as he did now doing something that he wasn’t interested in, you couldn’t imagine how he would look on stage.

Watching him over the years: you had realized just how deep the love you had for him ran. As much as you wanted to deny it, it had always been there.

Watching him perform was like witnessing star after star exploding like fireworks, as you fixed your gaze light-years into the sky.

To him, you were everything on the ice but to you? You were only a pinprick of dust compared to him.

You often found yourself daydreaming about what it would be like if you had admitted these feelings to him outside of the rink, during your casual meet ups at cafes to discuss schedules and practice.

You also wondered if he had someone he returned to once you left. The first time you felt his presence, you began joining the dots in the sky, wondering if your stars could ever align.

As Taehyun skated across the ice, his movements become a reflection of his innermost thoughts and emotions, face a mask of concentration.

It was true that Taehyun wasn’t as passionate in his skating as you had initially believed upon meeting him. His skill was simply due to his consistent training, not any specific desire to succeed inside of him.

Though over the years, he had grown to love skating just as he had grown to love you.

Your passion and love for what you did was infectious and the smile that you would give him when the two of you nailed everything exactly how you wanted— that had become his new motivation.

With each practiced turn and twist, his dedication to get it right fueled his every step. The ice beneath his feet became a canvas of sorts.

As the routine drew to a close, he comes to a graceful stop at the center of the rink, his chest heaving with exertion as he looked over to see if you were still watching. Hoping.

When he saw you waving against the glass with a proud smile, his heart had skipped a beat and he almost swore he could have fallen dead right there.

In that solitary moment of practice he had found not only fulfillment but also you: his sense of purpose that somehow managed to break free from the confines of the rink.

In the hushed backstage area of the ice rink, you and Taehyun stood side by side, hearts racing with anticipation and nerves.

“We’re gonna do good, right?” You asked, voice wavering with a sudden uncertainty.

He smiled as he finished tying the ribbon in your hair neatly. “We’re gonna do great.”

The two of you were a study in contrasts: him tall and statuesque, you much more petite agile, yet together the two of you formed a perfectly formidable team.

“Right. Great. We’re gonna do great!” You said, a nervous laugh at the end of your sentence as you clapped your hands together.

Taehyun took a deep breath as he gently grabbed your shoulders, turning you to look at him. You hated when he did this, suddenly feeling lightheaded under his gaze.

“You’re gonna do great, Y/N. I’m not gonna let you fall.” He smiled, the warmest smile you had ever seen.

When you had first met Taehyun, he seemed so convinced that he was as cold as ice. To you, it was very obvious he wasn’t by his eyes alone and the kindness they held when he looked at you.

No matter how cold he may think he is, his love was the warmest of all.

Confidence growing, you straightened your back and nodded with a determined look.

“We got this.”

As the two of you laced up your skates, your movements were focused and deliberate, each knot tied with care.

Even before getting on the ice, your heart was beating wildly in your ears.

Another exchange of knowing glances were made, eyes reflecting a mixture of excitement and apprehension on your end as you prepared to take the ice.

With final adjustments to both of your costumes, you finally enter into the rink.

Stepping out onto the ice, the chill sent a familiar shiver down your spine. The lights above casted a glow over the ice, illuminating the stage for the upcoming performances.

As the two of you started onto the ice, graceful as ever, your bodies moved in the perfect synchronization everyone expected.

In the flurry of activity, there was a quiet confidence that radiated from the two of you, a belief in each other that gives you courage.

Repeating Taehyun’s words in your voice certainly helped to calm your nerves since you trusted him to follow through on his promise as he had many times before.

From how seamlessly he executed everything, it truly was undeniable that he was meant to be in the spotlight.

Even if he hadn’t been your partner, there was no way you could take your eyes off of him.

As the haunting melody of a violin fills the air, the two of you created a mesmerizing tableau of power on the rink.

The music swelled, your blades carving intricate patterns into the ice with each effortless glide.

Bodies intertwined in a delicate dance that told a story of loss, redemption and anything else that the audience was looking for in their current state. Telling the story they wanted to hear.

To you, it told the story of two kids who had fallen in love with the ice and each other.

Your skill was clear to every pair of peering eyes as you blended elements of classical ballet with the athleticism of figure skating. Your form was perfect, executing every move textbook.

As you soared through the air with each breathtaking leap, Taehyun found himself holding his breath as well.

The moments the two of you skate side by side, eyes meeting in a silent exchange of camaraderie, his heart beats along with the rhythm of the music.

As the music reached its crescendo, you come together in the final, breathtaking lift, Taehyun’s hands lifting you high into the air with effortless strength.

Catching your breath mid air, you scanned the crowd while doing your best to hide your expression.

For a moment, the two of you seemed suspended in time, bodies silhouetted against the backdrop of the ice rink, before you descended gracefully back to the ice in a perfect landing.

As the final notes of the music faded away, the audience erupts into applause, their cheers echoed off the walls of the rink as they rise to their feet in a standing ovation.

It felt as if your heart was going to burst and the stoic expression falls away from your face as you let out the nervous laugh you had been holding in, turning to Taehyun.

Instantly his eyes found yours and he laughed along with you, high off of the cheers and praises being yelled toward the two of you.

Amidst this adulation of the crowd, Taehyun gave you a knowing smile and your heart did a flip once again.

You knew that your bond was stronger than ever in the wake of this specific performance as he pulled you in for a hug, the cheers growing even louder.

Something changed in the way he held you.

Making way for the other couples to perform, you and Taehyun stood at the edge of the ice, waiting for your return to the spotlight.

Your eyes glistened with admiration as you watched the next pair, and then the next. Cheering out words of affirmation and encouragement to any and all competitors, Taehyun laughed.

“You really do love this, don’t you?”

You turned to him. “Did you ever doubt it?”

Standing from the bench he was at, he looked down at you and took a step forward. Unsure of how you would react if he hugged you so spontaneously, he instead grabbed your hands in his.

“I’d never doubt you.”

The moment of solidarity, hands clasped tightly together in a silent vow of support.

“Thank you for sticking around,” you started.

He nodded.

“But I want you to do what makes you happy, Taehyun. Not me.”

He furrowed his eyebrows together for a moment, an unreadable expression making its way onto his face.

“You make me happy. Being here with you, makes me happy.”

In that moment, it was confirmed in your mind that something had shifted. Maybe you had always known that the two of you weren’t just two individuals competing against the world.

It was after the competition, trophy in hand, that the two of you stood outside of the building.

Everything that had felt so scary— so final, was now over. The adrenaline had faded and the crowds had dispersed, any stragglers offering their congratulations as they passed you by.

The moonlight casted a soft glow over the two of you as you hugged the trophy close to you. The trophy that you and Taehyun had won, together.

“Taehyun,” you started.

“When I said that I wanted you to do what makes you happy… I meant it.”

Taehyun chuckled, his hand reaching for yours again. Instead of a grand confession, he expressed his love with gentle touches.

“I meant what I said, too.”

Your heart was overflowing with emotion and you looked at the ground, kicking at the concrete with your sneakers. Somehow you felt exposed outside of the rink dressed down like this, yet, Taehyun had always insisted you looked just as beautiful.

“You make me happy.”

If you were pressed against each other, you would have felt your hearts beat in unison.

As you looked up once more, your eyes met, that fragile bubble of intimacy, that you knew all too well and clung to with a sense of desperation.

“Please, don’t hold back for me. I’m happy.” You whisper, voice barely above a whisper.

Taehyun could feel the gravity of the moment and did his best to soothe you, gently tracing over your knuckles in a comforting motion.

“I know that you want to sing, and you should. So please don’t lie to me. I’m happy, Taehyun. I’m so, so happy because of all the years we’ve spent together. But there’s nothing here to work towards for you and I don’t want you to not pursue your dreams just because of…”

“Of?”

“…Whatever it is that we have.”

For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the soft sound of your breath mingling in the air.

Suddenly, he smirked and you found yourself growing irritated with his inability to take you seriously. “And what is it that we have?”

You scoffed, ripping your hands away from him in annoyance. “Don’t be a jerk!”

He laughed, reaching for your hand again and bringing it up to his mouth, placing a gentle kiss against your knuckles.

“Sorry, sorry. I know what you’re trying to say. I appreciate it, and I think you’re right.”

Your eyes widened in surprise, after so long of him denying himself the chance, he had given in much easier than you expected.

“You’re really gonna try?” The smile that grew on your face was one of pure ecstasy as he nodded.

Carelessly, you had dropped the heavy trophy you were holding, throwing your arms around him with a giggle that managed to bubble out.

The flowers Taehyun had been holding were being crushed between the two of you, yet neither of you seemed to care.

Both of you stood together, his one hand being placed gently on the back of your head as you buried your face closer into him.

“Promise to come see me on stage, then?”

You scoffed, “obviously! I love you, you idiot…”

This time, he rolled his eyes at you playfully. “Geez, really? Your confession could have been a little more gentle.”

“Whatever, says the self-proclaimed ice king.” You pulled away and brought your hand up to cup his cheek.

“I’ll be front row at every show, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

You knew that no matter where your paths would lead you, you would always be bound by the thread of love that connects you, now and forever.

“Me neither.”

Everything about Taehyun shined to you— you loved how his eyes danced happily, and the gentle way he spoke; the way he filled your aimless days when you felt demotivated with bitterness and hope.

You had loved him as you fell to sleep, and each morning as you woke up to his new messages. When he would bring you lunch at the rink, even long after he hung up his skates.

It was never any question that your love was as timeless and enduring as the frozen surface that would always remain beneath your feet, decorated with the carvings you had created together.

જ⁀➴♡ phone in ᝰ.ᐟ

PHONING... 𓂃 ࣪˖ carnival.

Essentially becoming a shut-in due to your extreme fear of crowds, your friends are determined to take you out and show you how much fun things can be.

selected: [ taehyun's song.] replay? ✧

જ⁀➴♡ wc 1k ✧ fluff , humor , comfort

As you inch closer to the front of the line, the rhythmic clinking of the cars ascending and descending fills your ears.

Standing before the entrance, the worker looked at you expectantly before glancing at the boys behind you. You turned to face them and they all gave you an encouraging smile, each one as sweet as the one before.

“So, who’s it gonna be?”

Looking at each of them, it felt almost impossible to pick just one. The feeling that everyone was waiting on you made you even more anxious, the idea of annoying the people around you getting your nerves up even more.

“Hey, Y/N it’s fine. Take your time.” Taehyun commented.

The small smile he gave you was enough to have you letting out a sigh of relief. “Do you want to come with me?” You asked, voice hopeful.

His eyes widened for a moment before nodding.

“Man… no fair.” Beomgyu whined.

“Can it, motor mouth. You’d probably throw up your cotton candy on Y/N anyways.” Yeonjun said, motioning for the two of you to go ahead with a smile.

Taehyun steps next to you, stepping into the open-air gondola as the attendant began to secure the safety bar.

“Are you excited?” He asked.

“Excited? Yes! Nervous..? Also yes. Somehow? Yes.”

The attendant gave you a friendly nod and tight smile before stepping off.

With a lurch, the Ferris wheel began its slow ascent, the ground falling away beneath you as the world took on a new perspective.

Taehyun seemed so calm and collected, a stark contrast to your sudden jittery nerves.

It wasn’t necessarily the fear of heights weighing on you now but the intense awkwardness of being so close, alone, with Taehyun.

A million thoughts of embarrassing yourself in front of him ran through your mind and none of them seemed appealing in the slightest.

You couldn't help but fidget with the hem of your shirt. Taehyun seemed to notice your continued unease and gently placed a hand on yours.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm right here with you," he said, his voice soft and soothing as always.

You felt a rush of warmth at his touch and his words, nerves beginning to subside again. Nodding, you gave him a grateful smile in return.

“I’m actually kind of surprised you picked me,” he started.

“I’m really glad, though.”

“Yeah… I mean, I’m glad too! I kind of realized we haven’t been able to get a second alone, so…”

“You wanted a second alone with me?” His voice was playful as he gently nudged your shoulder and you puffed out your cheeks with a huff.

“You know I hate when you guys tease me. That’s not what I meant…” your voice trailed off though, unwilling to defend yourself.

Especially when you had wanted a moment alone with him.

As the ferris wheel continued to ascend, you couldn't help but steal glances at Taehyun, his profile illuminated by the twinkling lights below.

His eyes were widened the slightest bit, the lights of down below reflecting in them like stars. The smile on his face was wide, almost child-like but as always infectious.

He seemed so at ease, gaze fixed on the horizon as you rose higher and higher.

"You know," he said, breaking the comfortable silence between the two of you, "I used to be pretty bad with crowds too when I was younger. The smallest bit, so I won’t pretend to completely understand your anxieties but I can sympathize.”

You chuckled nervously, feeling suddenly embarrassed by your own fear. "I guess I have a lot to learn from you," you admitted.

He shook his head, turning toward you. “You’re already fine. Truthfully, I was a bit worried but you did really well today. I’d even say you had fun for once in your life.”

You scoffed in fake offense, “I have fun in my life.”

“I’m sure you and those headphones have lots of fun almost walking into ongoing traffic. What I meant was, I’m glad we got to experience this with you.”

As the ferris wheel reached its peak, he turned to face you as much as he could, eyes sparkling with warmth.

“And there’s something I've been wanting to tell you," he said steadily as if he could scare you away somehow. Suddenly his voice was tinged with emotion.

It almost felt like there was an anvil hanging over your head ready to drop at any moment.

As cartoonishly ridiculous as that comparison was, in the moment all you hoped for was that he would say what you had been thinking.

Heart skipping a beat, your stomach began to flutter as you cursed yourself for snacking earlier.

“You can tell me anything, Taehyun.” The use of his name had him looking away, almost looking embarrassed for a moment.

He took a deep breath, returning his gaze to you. It was rare to ever see him nervous like this. "I really like you, Y/N. As more than just a friend. Well, more than like.”

All Taehyun could focus on was the feeling of your hand in his and how right it felt to him.

The weight that had finally been lifted off of his shoulders as he uttered the words, “I love you.”

And to him, it was true, every word. For Taehyun, loving you had come as natural as breathing.

Maybe you hadn’t noticed it because of how overwhelming everything had been in the world around you, but he was always there watching out for you.

Because to love you was about multitudes, the exact thing that you despised. Even if you disliked it, everyone was drawn to you without you knowing.

A love that is inordinate.

"You do?" You asked, voice squeaking a bit at the end.

The nervous look on his face quickly washed away as he laughed at that reaction and you audibly groaned, swatting at him.

“Don’t laugh! You can’t just drop that on me up here!!”

“Is there a better place?”

“Then the top of a ferris wheel?! Uh, yeah! What if I like— jumped off?”

“So you’d kill yourself to reject me? That’s a bit dramatic.”

“What?! No—! I’m not rejecting you— and I’m not killing myself either. Or, I wouldn’t. I am very happy with my life, actually!”

Taehyun nodded, that playful glint in his eyes.

“I believe it.”

“You’re kind of a jerk for this…”

“You invited me.” He shrugged.

“You’ve been plotting on my downfall this whole night, huh?”

"Yep. But I have to admit, seeing you so nervous up here is kind of adorable."

A wave of relief washed over you with the moment of silence, heart beating out of your chest.

“…You love me.” You said to yourself, repeating it in your head almost like a mantra to convince yourself.

Taehyun laughed, “undoubtedly so.”

“How much?” Your voice was hopeful, somehow finding it in yourself to squeeze his hand.

When the others had asked him, he couldn't find the words to answer back then.

But in front of your hopeful gaze, the words had finally found their way to him.

“If you asked me to, I would drain all the seas around the world and count every grain of sand that clings to the ocean floor.”

“Wow.”

The carnival below was a colorful tapestry, lights twinkling like stars against the night sky.

The sounds of laughter and music drift up to meet the two of you, mingling with the gentle creaking of the wheel as it turns.

“That’s all you’ve got?”

“Shut up, I’m overwhelmed! That’s like really romantic and this is way better than I ever dreamed of so I’m just… speechless. But thank you.”

He hummed in response, “don’t thank me.”

Looking at him in awe at the sheer magnitude of his admission, you let out a sigh of contentment.

“…I love you too, Taehyun.”

As the ferris wheel began its descent, you leaned in closer to him, placing your head on his shoulder.

“So you dreamed about me confessing to you?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Please don’t ruin my coming of age romance scene right now.”

Secretly you had hoped that the ride would never end and you could stay there, breathing him in as you watched the lights together.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve counted every beat of my heart that has echoed since I met you.”

જ⁀➴♡ phone in ᝰ.ᐟ

PHONING... 𓂃 ࣪˖ Break My Heart Again.

The only thing that could ruin your nights with Taehyun was the harsh reality that peeks in with the sun the morning after.

જ⁀➴♡ wc 2k ✧ angst

The morning sun gently filters through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room as you sit at the table across from him, sipping on a steaming cup of coffee. The air was filled with a sense of calm and tranquility, the lingering warmth of last night still palpable between you.

The crease by his eyes when he smiled at you before looking down toward his phone almost had your head spinning and if you weren’t seated, you swore you could have fallen over.

There was a quietness to the moment, the only sound being the gentle hum of the coffee maker and the occasional clink of your ceramic mug against the tabletop.

The mug in front of him sat unmoved, half empty as remnants of spilt coffee dried on the rim with the time it remained untouched.

As you took another sip of your coffee, you stole a glance at Taehyun, the same small smile playing at the corners of your lips. Something in the way he leaned into the palm of his hand had you mesmerized. Your best friend, Taehyun, ever the beauty.

Maybe that was what it was that made you head over heels for him: that sense of familiarity in the way you looked at each other, a silent acknowledgment of the connection you shared.

One night, after all of the longing glances shared there had been a moment when the two of you crossed the line of friendship into something more. Not friends anymore but not quite lovers.

Nothing felt like yours anymore after that. Every little thing that defined you; the small sentimental trinkets he had gifted you from his travels, your car keys that had now become lonely with the departure of your apartment key. The pin codes and passwords you memorized like the back of your hand, always knowing he would be there to meet you on the other side.

They all felt like you, at one point in time. Your spare apartment key that had been thrown on his own keychain for when he would come over for sacred friend dates was now used only in the late night. Eventually, the pin codes you had memorized for him during the day faded from your mind as he made sure to meet you at the door, quickly punching it in himself to sneak you in late at night.

And more than anything else, your phone number— the one he boldly asked for that night you met, amidst a sea of your friends, under a sky of talking satellites and glowing stars. You hadn’t missed the look of surprise on their faces, especially Beomgyu’s as his eyes peered up at you from behind his cup.

Across the table, Taehyun looked up from his phone incessantly again and returned your smile. There was a warmth in his gaze, a silent reassurance that despite the fleeting nature of your encounters, the moment was one you both savored. It was in his eyes that you had found that shred of hope you desperately clung to like a kitten stuck up a tree.

As you continued to drink your coffee, you found yourself lost in thought, reflecting on the events of the previous night. Despite the uncertainty of what the future may hold, there's a sense of contentment in knowing that for this brief moment in time, you were exactly where you were meant to be.

The sun casted long shadows across the room as you sat together, lost in your own thoughts.

Taehyun had always felt like home, maybe it was the years you had spent getting to know each other and memorizing his most unnoticeable habits but you could never imagine a day going by without thinking of him.

Though you always knew that was love, it began to feel like a curse.

The peace was broken by the scratch of his chair against the floor, excusing himself from the table as he wordlessly made his way to the sink. The sound of cold coffee being poured down the drain had you swallowing as you watched him place his cup in there.

The air of familiarity he carried with himself in your apartment began to make you feel sick. He was your best friend yet when he was here, this place was almost like his second home.

With a quick ‘see you later’ and a gentle kiss to your forehead, he was off and suddenly you had lost your appetite.

Something that should feel so sweet, saved for the person you wanted to cherish so carefully instead felt like a mark of shame.

You were sure that he pitied you— that must have been it as any kind of affection outside of the bedroom began to feel like pity.

There were times where you had shared moments and everything felt right. Long before this arrangement began and you never spoke out loud of your admirations, his hands felt much more sure of their actions.

A part of you wanted to tell him not to bother coming back if he couldn’t admit that there was something— but that idea of giving up on him was somehow worse than pretending you were fine being just friends.

The first time you had broken up the arrangement, it proved difficult to remain friends. Knowing glances and brushing touches, it was hard to pretend he didn’t know you more intimately than anyone ever had.

The worst thing yet, your number would always belong to him. Buried somewhere deep in his missed calls, collecting dust, you knew that it would always be there. You could never bear to get rid of him.

Even with the amount of rust accumulated between the lines of communication, the memory of all the words exchanged seemed to keep them from ever being completely severed.

Once you had told him to leave you alone completely. Despite knowing that was the last thing you wanted, he decided to respect your wishes with a gentle kiss to your wrist and no goodbye. The worst thing about Taehyun would always be how gentle he was, how he always knew the right thing to do to hurt you so deeply.

Hurting you was never what he wanted, even if you could never understand that. Maybe your mind would try and convince you that it was true but in the end, he would always be a mystery.

Unsurprisingly, it had been you who broke that promise you begged him to keep as you contacted him through one of your friends. It wasn’t your proudest moment but with Kai being more than willing to help you rekindle your ‘friendship’, you couldn’t find it in yourself to refuse, even if it was selfish.

As happy as he was to hear from you, Taehyun felt much more concerned. These swings in your mood had become more and more frequent and he found himself a bit distressed. Despite the rational part of his brain wanting to pry and get you to admit the truth, he decided to let himself remain cautiously optomistic for the two of you.

You weren’t ever aware of Taehyun’s feelings for you, selfishly you were too wrapped up in your own mind and anxieties to ever notice.

The first time you had gotten a glance of how he felt was the first night you had found yourself in his bed since the silence. Lying on your stomach with your feet in the air, your eyes were glued to the tv as his hand found its’ way onto the back of your thigh, stilling your movements.

“You know I would have answered you, right?”

The sincerity in his tone had you furrowing your eyebrows in confusion, a pit growing in your stomach at the idea of another argument. Even while knowing he would never argue with you on purpose, you were unfortunately growing increasingly aware of your own ability to cause arguments.

“…Huh?” Hesitantly you pushed yourself up, turning towards him on your knees. His hand fell to the bed as you looked down at it, still extended toward you despite your skins new absence.

“Those months we stopped talking. You called me.”

The pit in your stomach tightened for a moment as the embarrassment hit you, your face heating up.

“I thought you deleted my number?” You asked, nervously reaching out for his hand. His touch was enough to comfort you.

“No matter how many times I erased you from my phone, I’d still recognize your number.”

A wide smile made its way onto his face and he let out a small laugh, seemingly growing shy. The slight purr behind his laugh had you smiling yourself as you moved closer.

“Yeah?”

“Of course, because it’s an extension of you.”

Even though there was nothing particularly romantic about that sentence, you found yourself unfortunately aware of just how in love with him you were and the growing possibility that maybe, he had felt something for you as well.

The series of twos and ones he grew to memorize like the dips of your waist and the curves of your hips, despite your minds’ constant attempts to remind you there was no feelings behind that memory game he seemed to play, you found yourself clinging to the idea that there was.

To you, memorization was the purest form of love.

Taehyun’s hands pressed into the small of your back was now something you would remember forever, similarly to the scent of the room you’d first met when the world seemed to tilt on its’ access.

Numbers that were reminiscent of two contented cats, curled together like a pair of speech marks.

It was that time of night where the city seemed to quiet down and all you heard were the chirping of bugs outside as you stared down at the table. A porcelain plate, its’ intricate designs only disgraced with a cold slice of half-eaten pie.

Despite wanting to, you couldn’t find it in yourself to eat the rest of it. All you could think about was how much better it had tasted when he was across from you.

The second time you had caught a glimpse of how he felt had also been the second time you had broken off the arrangement.

Your head fell into your hands with choked out sobs, a feeling a shame and disgust at the overwhelming feeling of love. Surely, that was the worst feeling among all.

The guilt was not even close to being able to combat the love you had for him.

Even with the pathetic show of distress you found yourself in, his hands broke you down as he pulled you into him gently.

“If I can never hold you or kiss you again, I can live with that.” He said.

The sentence alone broke your heart but even still, your grip on his shirt tightened as you buried your face into him deeper.

Too caught up in your sobs, you didn’t notice the shaky breath he let out before continuing, “but I can’t stand the idea of us not speaking again…”

You tried your best to calm your breathing, wishing that he would just say what you wanted to hear. After all of this time and distress, if he could just finally say it: everything would be okay.

That was what you convinced yourself, at least— blaming him was better than acknowledging the truth. It was both of your faults: you were both just too afraid.

“Can you at the very least, allow me that one thing? I never want to go back to the time before I met you.”

With that, his hands that seemed to break you down held you like water in his hands. The words felt healing, even knowing that you were slipping through the cracks.

Yet even with how painful you knew it would be— knowing you’ll never truly get over him, when you looked up to see the sadness for the first time in his own eyes, you agreed.

It wasn’t his fault, it could never be his fault because no matter how many times you said the arrangement wasn’t working: you were always the one who ran back to him.

After that night, it wasn’t long before you were calling him with mascara running down your face after crying over how you miss him or showing up outside his dorm with lipstick smudged from some drunk douchebag you couldn’t bother to remember the name of.

And with the hurt and concern in his eyes making you shiver under his gaze, you’d pull him in and his own heart would stop as the realization would hit him all over again of what he had started back then never truly stopped.

You wondered what would go through his mind if one day he had dialed your number to find it had been disconnected.

There were one too many times you’d considered the act, running away to some other city where you couldn’t run back to his arms. That self-destructive dance the two of you seemed to find yourself trapped in because being something was better than nothing.

You wondered if his imagination would race with thoughts of what new city you had run to and who was sharing your bed if not him.

Something that could be fixed with three words seemed so unsolvable to the two of you like a rubiks, refusing to make the next move due to fear of complicating it more.

Taehyun wasn’t one to make reckless decisions but when it came to you, he found himself regretting being too prideful to admit how he felt in the beginning.

When you agreed to be friends with benefits, he silently found himself clinging to the hope that you liked him as much as he had liked you, because regardless of what he had said: all he wanted was you.

Maybe if he had been honest about the relationship he wanted back then rather than trying to find some middle ground, you wouldn’t have grown to feel he was disingenuous.

Similarly to how Taehyun changed what was yours, you had taught him how much of your lives were interchangeable, how little was truly his as well.

Not only someone else’s— your ring tone, his songs, your words, his proposition and your broken heart. Those were the things you inherited by choice or by chance.

And it was never your choice to love the other.

So until one of you gains the courage to break the cycle of yearning in silence or impossibly falls out of love between the sheets, you’ve agreed to drink your coffee in the mornings and allow the other to break your heart once more.

જ⁀➴♡ phone in ᝰ.ᐟ

PHONING... 𓂃 ࣪˖ calicos & cinnamon.

"“Don't you want them to find their forever homes?” “I want YOU to find the door.”

When you're tasked with helping find homes for the kittens at MOACafé, you find yourself developing a small crush on one of the workers. Unfortunately for you he seems much more attached to the kittens you're trying to tear away from him...

@ contents

[🐈‍⬛] kang taehyun / afab! reader [WIP]

genre. fluff , comedy , written + smau , one sided enemies to lovers

warnings : cursing

playlist.

Orders.

001. welcome to MOACafé!

જ⁀➴♡ phone in ᝰ.ᐟ