Enhypen Ff - Tumblr Posts

Saw this piece of art by enhysoo on ig and my mind immediately went to how cool it would be if anyone would have written ff about boss sunghoon and maid reader.

(It literally took me long enough to have recalled how was maid in English )

Waiting for this🤧 it's already so good🧚🏻‍♀️

Go check her account guys - it's so good😁🙌@enha-doodles

PROFILE 2 || ♫︎❣

Side characters

( I apologize for using offensive traits for the idols , not all the characteristics mentioned below are same as the idol's real ones . It's just for the fiction )

Choi yeonjun

- 24 years old

- oldest contestant

- the one with the most patience

- gets annoyed easily

- as giant as Big Ben-

Choi soobin

- 23 years old

- loves to argue

- calm

- hates math

Choi beomgyu

- 22 years old

- sassy

- bipolar

- likes to annoy people

Kang taehyun

- 22 years old

- kinda cold

- big brain

- strongest

- manipulative

Huening Kai

- 21 years old

- cute and innocent

- has a dark side

- contagious laugh

Lee Chareoyoung

- 20 years old

- only beauty , no brains <3

- clingy but doesn't shows it to every one

- trusts y/n very much

minatozaki Sana

- 20 years old

- cute

- clumsy

- dumb dumb

Kim minjong (Winter)

- 20 years old

- smart

- really beautiful

- glitches alot

Omg read this y'all - it's so damn good🤩✨🧚🏼‍♀️

CHAPTER 1 || ♫︎❣

➸ʚ Genre ɞ : Horror ( killer au )

➸ʚ Pairing ɞ : enhypenxreader!

➸ʚ Warning ɞ : gore, violence , cursing , killing , blood , betrayal , lot of plot twists

➸ʚ Featuring ɞ : Enhypen , Y/N , TxT , Chareoyoung ( itzy ) , Sana ( twice ) and winter ( aespa )

➸ʚ Plot ɞ : Several people are chosen to be in a game of "serial killer" which telecasts all over the world . 14 people Vs 1 killer . The people are unknown to who the killer is . You could think what can go wrong ? The path where the killer has to kill people on reality to win . If the people find out who the killer is , they win . Winners will get 1 billion won each . To confirm the killer , they will have a meeting and a voting will be held . The killer cannot kill after the meeting has been declared till the meeting day is over . If you vote out the wrong person , they'll be eliminated . Will money be the end of thier lives ? Will money be the cause of friendships ending ? Will the need of money cause betrayal and pain ?

➸ʚ Disclaimer ɞ : This is all a work of fiction and my imagination . Credits of the GIFs to the owners . None of the members have the same personality or resonate the traits mentioned below . I apologize in advance for making the idols mean / rude .

'Feather University' . A place to study but mostly escape plan for many students .

Coming from problematic families is the thing that motivates the students to stay more focused on studying . Well that's what the director of this uni thought that made him change the admission rules . Only allowing children that seem to have a pathetic bond with thier families so they can only study and make this university on top . But he didn't seem to think of the corupted minds of the children . Problems gives trauma . And trauma makes a person go insane , offc not always in a manner that they would go on a killing spree but in a manner that would stop the positive thoughts , in a way that they'll go so numb that nobody would really care about what is being spoken to them or if they will ever live . But some people are different . They become so cocky that it ends up being thier death :)

It was another boring day of uni and Y/N had woken up to yet another fight of her parents . It didn't really matter since all she had to do was ignore as she always did . She got a text from her best friend Niki telling her to hurry up as he didn't wanted to be late again . She sighed and went to her bathroom. She came out freshened up and hurried downstairs to the door still hearing her parents fighting again over a silly thing . She didn't bid them a "goodbye" as always but from the looks of it , her parents were too much into the fight to even notice their so called daughter leaving . While walking she noticed how it was too early for uni to start "ahh that little- he tricked me again " . She met up with Niki on the way "Let's stay in the park for awhile , I don't wanna go to uni this early " Niki said grinning. Y/N knew she couldn't be mad at him but she decided to pretend , pulling him by his ear she brought him close "Yah , why do you always call me this early " Niki was hissing in pain "I just wanna spend sometime with my bestfriend , jeez it that too much to ask ?" He said rolling his eyes and pulling Y/N who was laughing at his reaction . They spent some time at the park thinking it was the time to go they left .

Finally arriving at uni they walked to class together like they do everyday , passing funny jokes or sassy comments on whatsoever they were talking . Sadly their seat wasn't together so they had to part their ways . As soon as Y/N sat on her seat she was greeted by her friends . Sana loudly cheering " hello y/n " . She smiled " morning " Chareoyoung clinged to her arm " I forgot to do my math homework and now I would have to go the detention" she pouted . "My chae chae , don't worry I will accompany you to the detention , there is no fucking way I wanna go back to home instead staying with y'all " chae's eyes lit up " omg yay , I am sure Sana would come too " sana who was collecting her things which she dropped looked up and smiled " offc I didn't do my homework too " the 3 friends burst out laughing while there were few eyes watching Y/N laughing with her friends . Cute . They all thought .

On the other hand Niki was went towards his friends . "Ugh can we go somewhere , I seriously don't wanna go home today" said Sunoo . "Yes plz , I don't wanna see my father's face too , that bitch litteraly said he will send me to a boarding school if I continue this attitude " said jungwon . "I am gonna get detention so I guess i got my escape ?" Said jungwon . "Wahh then let's go to detention together , we'll annoy the crap out of Mrs. Lee" said Sunoo sitting on his bench . Niki heard you say that you will go to the detention so he thought why not . "Sure " "Is that because you don't have any option or your 'bestfriend' is coming too Niki?" Asked jungwon with a teasing glint but something was hidden in it . "Both I guess" Niki answered nonchalantly . Few sparks of jelousy burnt in their chests but they weren't the only ones jelous of Niki .

It was lunch time and you went to eat with Niki . "You got detention?" You asked while sipping your chocolate milk "yep , just for you" Niki said winking at you . "Pfft , stop" you laughed . Niki flirting with you was normal . You heard 2 seniors whispering about something like "I heard they will chose them from this uni " but you payed no mind to it . After eating , you , Niki and your friends went to watch the school basketball match . Your school team had the best players . They are all the famous seniors . Heeseung , Jake , yeonjun , taehyun and more but these were the most popular . Near you sat the class press group . They were called that because all the people in that friend group were the class president of their own class . Sunghoon , soobin , jay and huiening Kai . Beside you sat the boy that everyone kinda feared . Beomgyu . He was short tempered and usually got into fights . Gotta stay polite , we don't want a black eye now do we ?

The match was over with your university's team winning and everyone on the benches shouting and cheering thier lungs out . Now all of you had to attend classes again , Groaning everyone went on thier way . The classes were over but you still had detention . Things were gonna change a bit from this detention ...

Master list | Next

A/n : I apologize for posting this late but in my defense I had no idea how to start it out so I hope it's okay . This is not proofread . I am sorry if there are any typos .

Ahh amazing 😌 chef's kiss😩🖐️

CHAPTER 2 || ♫︎❣

➸ʚ Genre ɞ : Horror ( killer au )

➸ʚ Pairing ɞ : enhypenxreader!

➸ʚ Warning ɞ : gore, violence , cursing , killing , blood , betrayal , lot of plot twists

➸ʚ Featuring ɞ : Enhypen , Y/N , TxT , Chareoyoung ( itzy ) , Sana ( twice ) and winter ( aespa )

➸ʚ Plot ɞ : Several people are chosen to be in a game of "serial killer" which telecasts all over the world . 14 people Vs 1 killer . The people are unknown to who the killer is . You could think what can go wrong ? The path where the killer has to kill to win . If the people find out who the killer is , they win . Winners will get 1 billion won each . To confirm the killer , they will have a meeting and a voting will be held . The killer cannot kill after the meeting has been declared till the meeting day is over . If you vote out the wrong person , they'll be eliminated . Will money be the end of thier lives ? Will money be the cause of friendships ending ? Will the need of money cause betrayal and pain ?

➸ʚ Disclaimer ɞ : This is all a work of fiction and my imagination . Credits of the GIFs to the owners . None of the members have the same personality or resonate the traits mentioned below . I apologize in advance for making the idols mean / rude .

[ Flashback to yesterday ]

In the dark room was seated a man with an evil smirk , knowing very well that the plan he came up with would gain him so much money that he could practically build another 3 schools/universities . Another ? Yeah well feather university was the first one he owned . Rings a bell ? Yep , the one and only director of the feather university "hwang sobong" . The more you get to know this person , the more you know what a human can do to have money and fame . The lights of the room suddenly turned on and in came 3 men who were called to have a meeting . "So is your plan ready hwang ?" Asked the man in blue suit . He seemed young and also quite familiar but the mask was hiding his face so he wasn't recognisable . Hwang shrugged it off being excited about getting the money from them . "Offc choi , and it's so good that you'll directly give me the funding "

So this is a meeting of 3 men who were ready to sponsor a great sum of money to hwang if he proved them that he will get more money through whatsoever he wanted . W old men and 1 young guy . Hwang was postponing it for a week having no plans in mind but yesterday a blub lit in his pyschotic head . He had called them and apologised saying he was busy in his university but he had a great idea for the deal . "What is it sobong ?" Asked Mr. Gae who was seeming annoyed by the man sitting Infront of him . "Patience gae " hwang rolled his eyes . "So what I thought was that we'll have a reality show that will be telecasted all over the world and trust me they would be waiting fur more episodes of it " Mr. Shin was confused but disappointed . "Tch you ran all week from us and this is what you give ? You know how much reality show flops . Plus what could be your 'oh-so great idea' that it would make people like it ?" Sobong just laughed . "Your saying it because you haven't heard it yet shin . Now listen . This show will have 15 People and 1 would be the killer . They have to find the killer . If the killer wins he'll get 5 billion won and if the players win , they'll get 1 billion won each " the young man looked interested but had questions . "You are saying it like there haven't been serial killer movies that people already have bitched about " "that's because their movie didn't had an actual killer" the 3 men were perplexed . Partly knowing where this was going "what do you mean , stop beating around the bush and spit it out hwang" said Mr. Gae . "The killer will actually kill people , this way there would be no heavy props needed and no acting . All real reactions .That would perk up interest of this generation and this will surely blow up" "who will be the contestants ?" Asked choi . Hwang smiled . "I've got some people in mind" gae interrupted "and they'll risk their lives for you because -?" "We'll either offer them money or well just force them " replied sobong ever so casually . Shin was going to deny it when "give us more details but , this deal is on" said choi bringing his hand out to confirm the deal with a handshake which was desperately accepted . "I am so glad to be working with you . Thank you so much Mr. Choi " said sobong grinning ear to ear .

"Sir I think this is a bad idea . That man seems out if his mind . He is talking about killing people in real . I don't get why you agreed ." Asked shin worriedly when they were walking back to their own office . " Uncle we are providing money secretly , which is gonna be given back to us in 5 months with Interest . I think this idea will work . He will the one at blame . I don't see the problem " gae added to him "I mean I think he's right , we'll get money and an entertaining show I guess " shin wasn't ready for this show but there is no other option . The deal is fixed . He had a bad feeling about this show , but not in a way that it'll give them loss but in a way that shows an upcoming disaster .

A/n : sorry for the long wait but I was kinda unmotivated about this series :/ . Hope it's going okay . Not proofread so sorry of there are any mistakes . Have a nice day :]

Back to sobong who was humming a song while reading a few biodatas of some people . Correction . Students . Students if his own university . He knew them well so this was the best choice for him . He knew how strong the children there are and how money affects some of them . He already had a few students in mind who were always the talk of the university . 'more people will watch it it's the popular kids' he thought . Choosing good 15 students out of thousands was a bit difficult but it wasn't impossible at all . sure it's gonna be a long night but it's worth the money he's getting . After hours of working and barely being able to keep his eyes open , hwang snapped a pic of those 20 student's datas he finalzed , relived that if 5 disagreed he still had the number if people he needed . Plus he atleast has a good amount of money to offer to play the game . But a little cheating won't hurt right ? They'll just don't know that it's all a 'reality' game till they enter the playground :) . Thinking about all the luxuries he can afford after this game , he left to his home just to drop straight at his bed knocking out cold . Tomorrow's gonna be the starting of finalisation of the players .

Masterlist | Next

Taglist : @axartia @nikipedia07 @lovesickxmina

<3<3 it looks so damn cool 😌💌 hee Yandere ✨

Don't leave me:( you said you'll love me forever !

Honey belive me, I'll have your heart on a platter<3

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Hello,can you do yandere enhypen wherein they are your online boyfriend and you want to see them in your birthday and they said they can't go because they are busy but when you open the door you saw him standing there with lots of gifts? Hihi thank you in advance!!! Take care!!

%...Yandere Enhypen (Hyungline) surprising you on your birthday . Them as your online boyfriend.

%...Disclaimer I do not condone this behaviour. This is just imagination and none of the members are like this.

%...Pairing Enhypen hyungline x reader

%...Genre Yandere

%...Warning typical Yandere themes (yes sorry) , not proof read...

%..a/n here it is!! How you like it😌✨💌 It's just for hyungline - I'll post for maknae line in a while....

࣪˖ 𖣠 LEE HEESEUNG 𖤐

You got off the phone with your mom who was wishing you a happy birthday . Yeah it was your birthday but your mood wasn't the best , you were excited to go out with your friends and family but the fact that your boyfriend wasn't here stinged . He is your online boyfriend and your relationship started a year ago . You've met multiple times and went on several dates . He was the sweetest guy ever and you loved him dearly so when he said he couldn't meet you on your birthday because he boss wouldn't let him go , you litteraly cried . A little dramatic but it was your first birthday together with him and he wasn't gonna be there . You heard your doorbell ring and stood up from the couch lazily , still in your pajamas you opened the door only to be met by someone holding a huge tedy bear . "Happy birthday love" said Heeseung peeking beside the teddy's face and you gasped , he kept the soft toy down and you instantly jumped on him squealing . He laughed saying "I knew you would like my surprise".

࣪˖ 𖣠 PARK JEONGSANG 𖤐

Were you sad ? Yes . But was it your fault ? No . Your long distance boyfriend just texted you that you'll have to cancel your dinner date today because his parents wanted to meet him for urgent matters . You understood the situation and reassured him that it was fine when in reality it wasn't . It was your birthday and you had canceled all your plans with your family and your close friends to celebrate it with your boyfriend . But now that he couldn't come it killed your excitement and you were left all alone on your birthday . It really sucked but you couldn't blame him , you respected his seriousness in his business but sometimes it was too much just like now . You got another text from jay which confused you . He told you to get ready in the dress he bought for you yesterday because the tailor wanted to see how good his own dress looked . Not weird at all but you were too tired to argue so you did what he said and went to the place he texted . You were surprised to see jay sitting there in the most beautiful dinner planned out . Now it clicked . It was all a plan , seeing your face he smiled stretching his arms so that you can hug him "surprise princess , a very happy birthday"

࣪˖ 𖣠 SIM JAKE 𖤐

Celebrating your birthday with your partner was something special and something you could never experience . Not that you weren't taken but the universe just seemed to be against the idea of your boyfriend coming to meet you so that you can celebrate it all together with your friends and family . His flight delayed and he said there was no other option then to wait for the next flight which apparently was 10 hours after by which your birthday would be over . You both were really sad but he told you to be happy because atleast you still had people to celebrate it with . You got a message from Jake when you were ready to go on the party your friends threw for you . It read 'come out of your balcony' and your eyes almost popped out when you saw him standing there with a huge smile and your friends holding several balloons and gifts behind him . "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE" he yelled . When you got down he took you to his car and told you be had a dinner planned out . While you were thanking him and telling how great all it was he could only think 'i can finally spend time with her alone , no one else . Only us'.

࣪˖ 𖣠 PARK SUNGHOON 𖤐

After months of stalking you and building up courage , Sunghoon had managed to ask you out and that's how you were in a realtionship with him from the past 7 months unknown to the dark secrets your boyfriend held . You were just blindly I love with him to see all the red flags . Sunghoon was mad at you last night because you said that your family planned a party for your birthday which was tomorrow . He said he wanted to celebrate it alone with you but you argued how it didn't make sense if you didn't meet your own family at your birthday especially when they planned out a lunch with your friends . If you were stubborn so was he . You woke up , feeling light headed remembering how Sunghoon knocked you out yesterday . You tried to move only to find yourself tied in a chair in your basement . The door creaked open and you saw Sunghoon coming in dragging a really really big box wrapped in gift paper . He suddenly started singing "happy birthday to you , happy birthday to you , happy birthday dear y/n~ happy birthday to you , come on now let's open your present shall we ?" He moved closer to the box and began unwrapping it , when it was fully open you screamed as loud as you could . There was a transparent box with your family dead in it . How could you not ?

Kkeut

I think you'd like this story: "SON OF THE MOB PARK SUNGHOON FF" by BTSfanfiction97 on Wattpad https://www.wattpad.com/story/352517396?utm_source=android&utm_medium=com.tumblr&utm_content=share_writing&wp_page=create&wp_uname=BTSfanfiction97

Wattpad

SON OF THE MOB PARK SUNGHOON FF

In a small town gripped by the iron fist of the ruthless mafia, fear was a constant companion. At the heart of it all w...

KOI NO YOKAN ⸺ RIKI NISHIMURA

genres! fluff, high school au, implied enemies to lovers, bad boy x good girl

word count! 1387

warnings! minor profanity

synopsis! in which you end up in detention with the school’s most infamous bad boy

“I hope you’re enjoying this as much as I am.” Niki teases, flicking a small paper ball at your back from his seat behind you, there were plenty of other desks available and the fact that he chose to sit so close to you made your blood boil.

You clench your jaw in annoyance at his childish antics, the sound of his voice only aggravating you further, you shut your eyes for a quick moment to compose yourself before turning around in your chair to face him. You were class president after all, you had to maintain your diplomatic reputation, “What is your problem with me?”

Niki leans forward in his chair, hands shoved in the pockets of his black slacks, “That’s funny, I was just about to ask the same thing.”

Your mind temporarily focuses on the fact that he’s closer in proximity now, not too close but close enough you could smell the musky scent of cologne wafting from his lean figure. You quickly snap back to reality when Niki chuckles at your lack of response, the little moment clearly giving him an ego boost.

You turn back around with a roll of your eyes, not wanting to give him anymore satisfaction,“I’m pretty sure you’re the reason I got detention.”

Niki scoffs in disbelief. “More like you’re the reason I got detention, you snitch.” He retorts.

Your mouth falls open at his insult, going against your better judgement you quickly whip back around to face him once again, eyes narrowing at the brunet boy, “I’m not a snitch! If you weren’t vandalizing school property like the delinquent you are we wouldn’t be stuck here!”

Niki’s eyes are narrowed back at you, hands still remain in his pockets though this time he’s leaned back in his chair. “You’re the psycho that attacked me! If you would’ve just let me run away like any other normal person we wouldn’t be stuck here!” He uses your own words against you and you swear no one has ever gotten under your skin quite like Riki Nishimura.

“Not only is vandalism against school policy, it’s also against the law, you lowlife criminal.”

“Well,” Niki begins sarcastically with a dramatic roll of his eyes, “Lock me up and throw away the key.”

“I hate you.”

“Yeah, take a number and get in line.”

Eventually thirty agonizing minutes passed by without another word from you or Niki, there was only ten minutes left of detention now and you had planned on spending the remainder of it finishing your game of Tetris on your old flip phone you snuck in prior to detention since the principal had taken away your smartphones.

You had gotten so immersed in your game you were oblivious to the boy behind you beginning to stir awake, he might’ve stayed in his deep slumber if it wasn’t for the harsh clicks of your fingers against the buttons of the phone and your whispered curses anytime you didn’t land a block exactly the way you intended but nonetheless nothing seemed to be going your way since you met Niki.

“I thought you were supposed to be a goody two-shoes.” He rests his chin on top of your head, larger frame towering over yours. His deep voice is slightly raspy from his previous nap making it all the more attractive and it causes a shiver to go down your spine.

You’re not sure what to say being caught red handed by none other than the devil himself, you knew he would never let you live this down. So you opt for swiftly attempting to shove the phone into the desk, but his nimble fingers snatch it.

“Hey, give it back!” You simultaneously jump out from your seat as Niki does.

He laughs, holding the phone away from your reach as you attempt to get it back, grabbing onto his arms though it does nothing, he’s able to easily overpower you by simply breaking free from your grip.

“Sneaking a phone into detention?” He tsks at you, “That’s against school rules. Looks like you’re a total hypocrite, miss president.”

“Why do you always have to be such an asshole?!” You huff, shoving his broad shoulders which barely had any effect on the boy as he continues to laugh but you won’t give up so easily.

Before Niki knows it, you pounce on him, causing you both to tumble down on the ground.

Much to your dismay you land right on top of him, your palms harshly smacking onto the wooden floor on either side of his head, your outstretched arms thankfully stopping your face from crashing directly into his, preventing what would’ve been a very awkward kiss.

You know you should get up and pretend nothing happened, you know it’s wrong to be staying in this position with him longer than necessary but for some reason you can’t bring yourself to pull away from him.

The way he’s looking at you right now has you in a daze, the constellations of tiny moles scattered across his face and neck takes you to outer space, his dark eyes like black holes, drawing you in with great force and you can’t escape. The multiple small silver hoops that adorned his ears like planetary rings, and the way his flawless ivory skin glowed like the pale moonlight is enough to have you feeling like a supernova just exploded inside your chest.

Despite the throbbing pain in the back of his head Niki smirks up at you, “You little pervert. Was this your agenda all along?”

Of course he had to say something stupid to ruin the moment and even though you should feel relieved a small part of you can’t help but also feel slightly disappointed.

You scoff at his accusation, “Fuck off, Nishimura.” Using his shoulder as leverage for pushing yourself off him, “I wouldn’t kiss you if you were the last man on earth-“ Your little rant is cut short when Niki suddenly lifts himself up, his long slender fingers wrapping around the wrist of your hand that once held his shoulder, tugging it towards his chest, his grip rough but gentle while forcing you closer to him.

“Go ahead,” The tip of his nose caresses yours, his plump lips lingering millimeters from your own, his thigh trapped between your knees as you kneel so you’re just barely hovering above him, “What were you saying?”

You’re absolutely mortified by the position you’ve let yourself be put in by Niki and even more ashamed at the warm sensation that runs through your entire body.

It’s wrong, and yet the way his other hand is resting on your waist feels right.

He chuckles at your silence, before finally letting you go allowing you both to break apart and stand up. “Detention should be over by now.” You say, clearing your throat, hands straightening out the black fabric of your skirt, deciding to ignore the whole ordeal that just unfolded between you and Niki.

However, Niki seems to disagree with your decision, eyes scanning you up and down, a smirk still plastered on his face as he watches you adjust your school uniform, knowing it’s just nervous fiddling.

“Jake’s throwing a party friday night, you should come.” He offers, his intense gaze unwavering.

You avoid his eyes, but still manage to speak confidently, “I don’t go to parties.”

“Because you don’t get invited?” He teases once more, knowing exactly how to push your buttons.

You stomp your foot, giving the boy a pointed look as you meet his gaze.

He lazily raises his hands up in surrender, his silver chain bracelets clinking together on his wrist as he lets out a light laugh and you hate the way you chuckle along with him.

“You don’t get detention either but that didn’t turn out so bad, did it?”

“Says who?” You retort, crossing your arms over your chest, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Just think about it.” Niki shrugs before grabbing his backpack from his desk, flinging it over his shoulder, and leaving you alone in the classroom for your own thoughts to consume you.

This was only your second encounter with Riki Nishimura and as much as you hoped it would be your last you couldn’t shake the inevitable feeling that this was just the beginning.

link! pt. 2 to koi no yokan (the premonition of love)

© 2023 hoonven, all rights reserved. i do not give permission to alter, repost, translate, or plagiarize my works on any platform.

THE ENHYPEN HOST || 16

|| Reverse harem || ft. TXT, Mingyu (Seventeen) & BTS

WARNINGS: foul language, explicit content, group sex, humiliation, sex in public, threesome, foursoome, rough sex, red flags, immoral acts, unprotected sex, morbid jealousy, comedy, parody, possessiveness, violent quarrels, arguments, betrayals, lies, femdom sometimes.

GENRE: +18, reverse harem, comedy, enemy to lovers, friends to lovers

PREVIOUS (FF) CHAPTER:

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THE ENHYPEN HOST || 15

|| Reverse harem || ft. TXT, Mingyu (Seventeen) & BTS WARNINGS: foul language, explicit content, group sex, humiliation, sex in public, thr

FIRST CHAPTER:

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THE ENHYPEN HOST || 1

|| Reverse harem || ft. TXT, Minggyu (Seventeen) & BTS PAIRING: FEM OC X ENHYPEN WARNINGS: foul language, explicit content, group sex, hum

It's complicated, that's for sure.

I can't tell what's going on either, as I bite her neck, kiss her, and slip my hand between her thighs.

Amanda pushes me, weakly, I pull away.

She lowers her gaze hurt. “S-Stop it, Sunghoon.”

I look at her, seeming not to thinking straight. Right now I can only see her naked body, and although I've fucked Wonyoung so many times…I feel like I haven't had enough yet.

I keep thinking about the fact that while kissing Wonyoung, while holding her, I wanted to have Amanda in my hands.

All of this is absurd, and yet, I move closer to her again and kiss her, I want her lips. So soft, so warm, red as cherries, like her cheeks every time I touch her, every time I brush against her.

She's just beautiful, so what does it matter? She has fucked anyone and it's disgusting, so she really remains just beautiful -- so why can't I stop wanting her?

I'm reminded of that moment when she admitted -- in a way -- that she has feelings for Heeseung.

This is really idiotic, no, she is an idiot.

I lift my serious gaze to her when for the umpteenth time she pulls away from me, although she does so with very little force. “Why Heeseung?” Amanda looks at me surprised, perhaps a little impressed by my bluntness, but does not answer. “He let me fuck you on his shift, you're a toy for his cock. Why Heeseung?”

I speak softly, but not because I'm trying to hide from Wonyoung, more like I feel completely drained, and then…she keeps rejecting me, pushing me away…. Even if she eventually does what I tell her to do, I get the impression that she only does it because it's a work issue.

What if she is really into Heeseung? And why him?

“Should I want you?” Amanda whispers, in a rather shy tone, avoiding my gaze. I walk over to her, annoyed that she won't even look at me. “No, of course not. But Heeseung? Why?” She looks at me, finally, but I feel uncomfortable for the first time. “I don't understand why you should care. It doesn't concern you Sunghoon, I p-can do whatever I want. - He says, walking away and giving me his back. - And anyway, it's not like just because I like…. then things will change. Heeseung teases me, I'm a toy, I know.” She really wants to piss me off, but I'm not in the mood for a fight. “So you admit it? Do you like Heeseung?” “No.” She answers quickly. “You don't admit it?” I feel relieved, but why? Amanda just turns around, smiling sadly at me. “I like to feel like a normal person. Maybe… Heeseung treats me normal.” I laugh, nervous again. “He treats you normally? - I grab her wrist to force her to turn fully toward me, I recognize I was a little rough and she looks at me startled, but I am a tangle of strange emotions and I feel flustered. - Is the normal part where he fucks you with his friend? No, I'm not even his friend.”

What the-what's wrong with her all of a sudden? I release my grip from her wrist, terrified, she… her eyes are filled with tears.

What the fuck is happening to me? Why does my chest hurt? Why the hell should I be sorry, me! She's the stupid one, she's the one who doesn't understand anything, she's the one who… now looks at me with such a tender, hurt expression.

I don't really reason as I take her face and kiss her again. I like to hold her face between my palms, it's like I'm pinning her between my hands, she can't escape, no matter how many times she hits my chest, because in the end she accepts my kisses and returns them.

It drives me crazy that she is crying for someone else while kissing me, yet I can't pull away from her lips, I can't even stop my hands, I want her, now.

When I pull away, confused, her cheeks are still wet but she has stopped crying. I wipe them with the back of my hand before kissing her once more, this time she doesn't even push me.

“I don't understand, I don't understand, r-really.” She whispers, her voice broken, between kisses.

Honestly, I don't understand either. All I know is that she's naked and between her legs she's wet, for me, no matter what she says about Heeseung, it's obvious that she wants me, probably more than she can accept, and that's why I.... never mind that there's Wonyoung I….

I literally take her in my arms, I can't wait. I have to have her now. Lying on the bed, naked and beautiful as she is, I look at her for a few seconds.

“Don't cry in front of me anymore, if you don't cry for me.” I say seriously, before kneeling between her legs.

She backs up on the bed, frightened. “W-What are you going to do?”

I look up annoyed at her, then pull her by her ankles so that she can show me her beautiful, rosy, moist pussy. She cannot struggle, does not have the strength or conviction, so when I rest my meaty lips on her clit, sucking it, she just moans, helpless.

“S-Sunghoon… - She calls out to me, as I recklessly begin to pleasure her, not quite thinking straight. - Y-You… do you want me… cry….for you?” She asks, moaning.

I am confused, stunned by this question, but I have no answer frankly, or rather, I would immediately regret the answer I want to give her so I choose the path of silence. Just use my tongue faster as she gasps under her breath.

“Was it difficult? - I ask her, after I pull away, looking at her, then I slip two fingers into her tight pussy and she clears her eyes, in distress. - Listening to us all this time…” “Y-you too-you just want to fuck, n-no?” I move my hand faster, as she annoyed me again. “What about you? Don't you want that too? - I sneer, irritated. - Stop pretending you don't like it, I see you as you are.” “And you ha-hate it.” She restrains herself, biting those beautiful lips to contain herself.

She is so pretty, although her body is that of a woman. Seeing her in pain because of me, biting her lips to keep from moaning, while I expressionlessly look at her and continue…. well, it made me so hard.

“Yes, it did. - I confirm cold. - I hate it.”

As I continue to move my hand more than my fingers, and her pelvis trembles, I begin to kiss her inner thigh. Even her skin tastes good….

“Sunghoon? - She calls me all at once, Wonyoung, coming out of the bathroom and probably heading for my room, which is empty, though. - Fuck, this idiot… Where are you?!” She shrieks.

I turn to Amanda; her cheeks are so red they look like the color of her lips. She is frightened and dares not breathe a word, but I…. don't know what the fuck is wrong with me today, because I start masturbating her again.

Really, I don't care.

“Don't give us away.” I whisper, looking into her eyes.

She has tears in her eyes, I can't tell if from fear of being found out or because she is enjoying it so much she can't hide it. She has to cover her mouth with both hands as her big frowning eyes continue to rise unnaturally upward; she can't physically hide her gasps completely but there's a good chance Wonyoung won't hear.

She's so obedient and pretty, I really want to fuck her, besides, my dick is practically sticking out of my boxers because of how hard it is, as if it hasn't gone through three rounds already.

Fuck.

“Really? He came out without saying anything?!” Wonyoung rants, in the hallway, but I meanwhile lower myself between Amanda's thighs and start licking her.

She tries to call me on the phone (I can hear the ringtone) but realizes I left the phone in my room and maybe gives up, I hear her walking down the hallway, her step is light and elegant.

In all this I have not lost concentration, at this moment my mind is dedicated only to Amanda's pleasure. It doesn't matter, I can't fuck her right now, but I want her to remember what I'm doing to her, I want her to know that the best, I'm the one.

“S…Sun…g…” She whispers, exhausted, as her body shakes completely from the spasms.

I move my face but my fingers go deep, shaking her from within. I can't help biting my lips as I look at her desperate expression, it's her I want to bite but I start to feel anxious, I've been missing for a while now.

Suddenly Wonyoung tries again to open the Jungwon's room door, which I have obviously locked, while Amanda literally seems to be dying.

Partly out of fear, of course, partly because she is coming on my fingers, she has arched her back and is squeezing her eyes tormented, she must not be making any noise but she is having a deep orgasm, perhaps the very danger has brought her to the peak of her pleasure.

The door is shaken several times, she can't have simply made a mistake again or she would have remembered it. Does she want to enter because suspects something? No, that's impossible. If she wants to enter it is only because she is curious.

Amanda is lying on the bed looking lifeless, strands of hair partially covering her face as she breathes, naked, in front of me. “It's over, isn't it?” She asks me.

You mean to tell me you didn't like it! Liar.

“Wonyoung is about to find out about us - she whispers, but I can still understand her. - The scandal… from the scandal … you will never r-recover.”

Ah, she was talking about this…

“Don't worry about useless things. - I sigh, remaining silent for a few seconds to see if Wonyoung has wandered off. - Just go to the bathroom and lock up. I'm going out now.”

The stupid girl after getting up grabs Jungwon's shirt again, does she.... does she really want to rattle me? Even in such a delicate situation? And why should she make me nervous if she's wearing someone else's clothes when she ends up in anyone's bed anyway?

I don't know, I don't have enough time to rearrange ideas, I simply take the shirt from her hands and throw it on the floor.

“No.”

She looks at me, it's obvious she wants to say something but still she doesn't, simply lowers her gaze and executes.

Good, right? That's exactly what I wanted, yes. I think so as I see her lock herself in the bathroom - and yet I'm not satisfied and the expression with which she left me…. makes me feel nervous.

I know it's not “right” what I'm doing but I mean…. it's not exactly like dating. She's here to fuck and I want to fuck, the fact that I'm a tad fixated on her just depends on the intensity of the desire to fuck her.

I shake my bangs nervously, looking at myself in the mirror on Jungwon's closet.

I know that.... I shouldn't do it to Wonyoung either though... it's never happened. I'm not saying I'm a good person, maybe if I were a normal person and not a celebrity I would be a real bastard cheating, but dating girls in my position is complicated.

Even if they are drop-dead gorgeous, I don't have the time to get to know them. And, according to the logic that I have only and exclusive physical attraction for Amanda, well…. it's just that she's always near me, she lives with me, I see her all the time, and the more I see her the more I think about her.

Stop.

This is bullshit.

She is a fake little girl who thought she was having fun, but no, I won't let her. Just like I won't let her get any closer to Heeseung.

It's not that I want to protect her or anything else…. just that Heeseung is just as dick-motivated as I am, only I don't profess love or talk bullshit. Right?

Right, let's go back that way.

Wonyoung doesn't notice me, because back in my room she started trying to find out my cell phone code. She'll never figure it out, but I want to keep watching her cute, childlike expression as she concentrates on thinking of the most likely number combination.

After a few tens of seconds I sigh, she looks at me surprised but not nervous, on the contrary she laughs.

“Where have you been?” “Don't try to block my phone, I can't remember the other code.” “Then give me your pin.” Wonyoung smiles, annoyed. “Three, zero, one, four, nine, three, eleven, six, eight, four, thirty-five…” She wrinkles her nose adorably. “Are you kidding me?” “Don't cross the line, Wonnie.”

How dare I tell her that?

“I have no problem giving you my code.” She responds offended, throwing my cell phone on the bed. “Neither do I, you wouldn't find anything in it. - I sigh, moving closer to her, who lets herself be held in my arms. - But we don't have to.”

She kisses me first and I kiss her back.

I like Wonyoung because at heart she is independent, yes, but like any other woman she wants to be loved, what she tries to exert on me is an innocent force.

Nevertheless, keeping up with her starts to become less easy, perhaps because I am not myself these days, perhaps because we never see each other enough.

Moreover, she will never be the kind of woman willing to wait for me at home, to take care of our family. She will always be too bright, regardless of whether I shine as much or not.

On the contrary…. no, I am not thinking about anything.

This not thinking about anything, though, makes me nervous, and I kiss her more animatedly, moving to her long, elegant neck and then to her shoulders as I lay her gently on the bed and over her.

I need to cum, I'm going crazy.

Thus begin two more long rounds that see me almost completely defeated, but she is no better off either. Her hair is all disheveled and even her enduring makeup shows signs of failing.

I'm surprised to hear the door open, it's later than I thought. Who the fuck is that?

I throw my sweatshirt at Wonyoung as I walk out of my room and look around. Amanda is still locked.

I'm not really surprised when I see Heeseung looking like he ran all the way here, seeing me in the hallway shirtless, sweaty and tired, walking against me nervously. Shit, this is no time for his bullshit.

“Wonyoung is here.” I tell him, serious. He surprised stops, before hitting me (which he seemed about to do). “What?” “Yes - I look at the door to my room - she's home.” “What about Amanda?!” He asks in a nervous whisper. “I sent her on errands.” “She won't answer me at the phone, where did you send her? What if something happened to her?”

I look at him, I feel like a block of ice, I find his manifestation really pathetic. Wonyoung, my famous girlfriend, she is in our house and this is simply dangerous. But what does he do? He only thinks about Amanda.

“Speak softly.” I answer seriously. “Tell me where she is or I'll think you killed her.” “I'd like to do that just to see your reaction.” I sneer, how annoying…. “I don't care right now. - He admits honestly, it's been a long time since I've seen Heeseung give a look like that. He's worried, really. - You can't just-” “She doesn't answer you because I told her to.”

Why? Why say such a thing now? Why do I feel so bad all of a sudden? I want to hurt him, I want to see the disappointed look on his face, as if I just broke his heart.

Why don't I even feel guilty?

“Really? - He asks, looking me in the eye. He appears obviously nervous but I don't flinch. - To her… Was that okay?” “That's right.”

I do not have time to realize that he has loaded against my abdomen a strong fist, so hard that I stagger and bend over my abdomen. I don't want to let out moans of pain, but I think the blow was felt anyway.

“You piece of…” I cough, the asshole really hurt me. “And what did she say?” “Kiss Sunghoon's ass, I think.” I laugh, getting up and going over to lash him, a fist, in the side. Heeseung bends over, sore. “Now I'm going to kill you.”

At that moment Wonyoung enters the hallway, who cannot have heard, given how we were whispering. She is frightened and worried; she must have sensed the commotion and noise of our moaning and became alarmed.

She is wearing only my sweatshirt, with her legs almost completely uncovered in front of Heeseung, who, however, after looking at her for a few seconds, looks away, fortunately for him.

“I'm g-going away.” Wonyoung pretends to be more shy than she is, re-entering the room to dress, perhaps imagining a fight between the two of us because of her presence here.

I look him in the eye, he does the same, then bites his lip really pissed off and walks past me, slamming his shoulder against me.

Did he really decide not to say anything to Wonyoung? He could very well have exposed me, created a mess, just for the sake of making trouble for me. Instead he doesn't, and? This just to protect her? After telling him that she ignores him to please me?

I'm going fucking crazy.

I go back to the room.

Wonyoung is almost ready, chatting perhaps with her driver for him to pick her up. I reassure her about the fight with Heeseung, but several minutes pass, surely too many before the driver arrives because someone else is going home.

Just then Wonyoung's driver seems to have arrived as well, so she gets ready to leave but I alarmed that she might see, I don't know, Jungwon coming back into the room and find his unknowingly door locked, I have to leave first.

I calm the girl down and go out, and just as it was supposed to go, since today is definitely NOT my day, there he is, smilingly returning the good maknae leader.

“What a pale face. Nice pecs.” He exclaims happily, walking toward his room. I stand in front, looking at him seriously. “Don't go in just yet. There's Wonyoung, wait.... in Jay's room, I-I'll explain later.” “You stutter? Uh, then it's serious.” He chuckles happily. “Will you?” “Who knows.” He laughs.

NOT ANYMORE - S.JY

synopsis: lee yn and sim jaeyun aka jake were rivals since highschool but, when they find out about their mutual love for theatre, something changed.

paring: non-idol!rival!jake x rival!fem!reader

genre: smau, fluff, enemies to lovers, theatre, drama, puppy love.

warnings: profanities, broken humour, kys/kms jokes, insomnia, cringe moments, cussing, a lot of cussing.

start date: tba

taglist: open!!

!! updates once a week !!

PROFiLES : 🥺 🫶🏼

CHAPTER 1 : ew bro no

CHAPTER 2 : oh hell nawh

CHAPTER 3 : …

… more to be added

NOT ANYMORE - S.JY

author’s note!: hey everyone this is my first smau so there might be some mistakes here and there but im learning 🫶🏼🫶🏼 the posts may be irregular because im posing in the middle of my exams 😭 anyways hope you enjoy the smau!! the Taglist is open !!

MASTERLIST | PREVIOUS | NEXT

PROFiLES :

future docs 🩺

wannabe engineers 🧑‍💻

NOT ANYMORE - S.JY

CHAPTER 2 ; oh hell nawh

authors note ; hey guyss!! I’m extremely sorry for the long break after the first chapter ☹️. an emergency came up and i had to go back to my hometown for a month and i also had my finals. i finished writing the 2nd chapter!! (finally) hope you like it!!

MASTERLIST | PREVIOUS | NEXT

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 {𝔓𝔯𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴}

Genre: vampire au, reverse harem, angst, smut

Synopsis: You're the next victim of your village's practice. The next to be offered to the vampires. You would think this is the end for you. But you're in for a surprise...

A/N: This may look/sound familiar. I'm working on the fic right now, but it's different from the original preview, hence why I'm making a new one. Comment if you want to be on the tag list, I promise I'm going ahead with this one 😅

☆✡☆✧☆✡☆✧𖤐†𖤐✧☆✡☆✧☆✡☆

It's quiet at the dinner table, aside from the occasional sound of cutlery against a bowl. You've barely touched your stew. You've spent the past ten minutes swirling your spoon through it rather than actually eating. Your appetite is gone, the anxious knot in your stomach from earlier taking its place. You look at the dining room window, concealed behind the drapes. If they were open, you'd be able to see the town square. The podium where the mayor will give his speech. The soon-to-be-lit bonfire that will serve as a beacon. The thick post where a girl will be bound by midnight.

It's a scene you've witnessed only once in person, but is now engraved into your memory for good. Your parents had only taken you because you'd asked. You'd only asked because Ella Nuttal was the sacrifice that winter. The baker's daughter. Your friend.

In hindsight, you wish you'd never gone. Even if it was to say goodbye. You're sure her desperate cries for help will haunt the back of your mind until you're nearing death and most of your memories are gone.

Your grandmother's voice breaks through your reverie. "What's going on with you tonight?"

☆✡☆✧☆✡☆✧𖤐†𖤐✧☆✡☆✧☆✡☆

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 | 𝔒𝔫𝔢

A/N: I finally made a start! I sincerely hope you enjoy it <3 The biggest thank you to @un06 for helping me every step of the way.

Synopsis: You live in a village where girls are offered to the vampires that live in the woods that border the town. You're next. And you're in for a surprise.

Warnings: swearing and mild violence

Part one / Part two / Part three

It’s a beautiful day. The air is warm enough to heat your skin, but not too hot where it’s an effort to breathe. The scent of flowers and fresh-made goods is everywhere, accompanied by the sound of casual conversations and children’s laughter. The town centre is busy today. It seems almost the whole village is out enjoying the first day of summer– a welcome relief from the gloomy spring just gone.

It’s a beautiful day… and yet there’s tension in the air.

You know everybody can sense it. That they’d rather focus on their daily errands than the practice planned for tonight. Maybe they can ignore it. But you can’t dismiss the unease in your stomach as you near the town square. The flutter in your chest as you pass through, seeing the council workmen erect the post and pile logs for the bonfire.

You quicken your pace, your hold on the paper bag in your arms tightening like a vice.

***

Your skirt swishes around your ankles as you practically leap through the front door. You gently close it behind you and lean against it, taking a moment to breathe in the comforting scent of your grandmother’s house. You exhale slowly, shedding the bad feeling from outside and letting it melt away as you make your way down the hall toward the kitchen.

Not much has changed around here since you were little. The same faded leather couch and sturdy coffee table sit in front of the same roaring fire that you’d spent hours upon hours in front of playing and reading. The same elaborate tapestries and oil paintings are arranged neatly across the slightly-yellowed walls. The same stale smell of cigarettes lingers from when your grandfather was still alive.

A lot has stayed the same, except the photographs that used to flow through the house.

Back when you were young, you used to admire the pictures of your mother. Her life. From her as a toddler sitting on your grandfather’s lap, to her sitting by the river as a teenager, to her wedding photos with your father. Your grandparents wanted to remember all the little things. They wanted their daughter to as well. So they captured the memories of your mother and displayed them proudly around the home. Then, obviously, there were the family photos. Ones including you and your older sister, Emily. Your grandmother’s house had always been like a photo album; a gallery for your family’s memories.

Now, a lot of those photos are gone. Taken down, shoved into chests, replaced.

You walk into the kitchen and place the groceries on the counter, taking your time to unpack the ingredients. As you fill a pot with water, there are footsteps behind you and your grandmother appears.

“Where’s my greeting, hm?” The corners of her thin lips are turned up in that cheeky smile of hers. Your grandmother may be from a different generation, but her spirit has always been ahead of her time.

You look over your shoulder as you shut off the tap, mirroring her smile as you place the pot on the stove. “Sorry, Nanna. I thought I’d make a start on dinner, so you didn’t have to.”

Her smile widens, growing warmer. She comes up beside you and squeezes your arm affectionately. “Thank you, darling.”

You turn and start peeling vegetables. Your grandmother falls into line next to you and dices them, the two of you working together under comfortable silence.

***

It’s quiet at the dinner table, aside from the occasional sound of cutlery against a bowl. You’ve barely touched your stew. You’ve spent the past ten minutes swirling your spoon through it rather than actually eating. Your appetite is gone, the anxious knot in your stomach from earlier taking its place. You look at the dining room window, concealed behind the drapes. If they were open, you’d be able to see the town square. The podium where the mayor will give his speech. The soon-to-be-lit bonfire that will serve as a beacon. The thick post where a girl will be bound by midnight.

It's a scene you’ve witnessed only once in person, but is now engraved into your memory for good. Your parents had only taken you because you’d asked. You’d only asked because Ella Nuttal was the sacrifice that winter. The baker’s daughter, your friend. In hindsight, you wish you’d never gone. Even if it was to say goodbye. You’re sure her desperate cries for help will haunt the back of your mind until you’re nearing death and most of your memories are gone.

Your grandmother’s voice breaks through your reverie. “What’s wrong?”

You look at her, chewing your lip as the imprints of the images linger behind your eyes. “I don’t know… Something feels off.”

She sets down her spoon, the room so quiet you can hear the soft clink. “Always does these times of year.”

You shake your head. “I know. But it isn’t that. It’s more like...”

Understanding dawns on her features. “Intuition?”

You nod. “Yes.”

She exhales. A soft sigh. “Well then I don’t know what to tell you. God may have gifted some of us a sixth sense, but that doesn’t mean we always know what to do about it.”

The corners of your mouth turn down and you look down at your lukewarm stew. “I suppose you’re right.”

Your grandmother clucks her tongue, causing you to look back up at her. She offers you a small but reassuring smile. “Don’t stress, darling. There will be times when your mind tries to trick you. I was in the bank once, and I was standing near this gentleman. There was something a little odd about him. My gut was telling me to leave, that he was going to hold up the place. But then he simply did what he had to and left.”

Her anecdote makes you feel a bit better. Maybe you are getting worked up for nothing. Maybe it’s just that the night of the Offering has you on edge. You take a breath, consciously relaxing your spine and shoulders. You chuckle. “Thanks, Nanna. I needed that.”

She smiles again and picks up her spoon. “You’re welcome, dear.”

You wrap your fingers around the ornate silver spoon and take your first mouthful of dinner. As you thought, it’s lukewarm and the carrot and beef aren’t as tender, but it’s still delicious.

***

As you wash the final plate and place it on the draining rack, there’s a knock at the front door. You look over your shoulder, in the general direction of the noise.

“I’ll get it,” your grandmother calls from the living room. You hear the modest heels of her shoes move across the floorboards in a steady click, clack, click, clack rhythm.

You leave the kitchen, heading down the hall toward the stairs. Now that your chores are done for the night, you plan on settling in your room and reading for a bit. You reach the foot of the staircase just as your grandmother reaches the door. You begin climbing the steps as she turns the lock and opens it.

“Samuel, Raymond!” You can hear the smile in her voice and the corners of your mouth twitch in response. But you do wonder why Sam and Ray are here. You shake it off as you continue up the stairs and their voices fade into a string of muffled words in the background.

And then you falter.

You frown and strain your ears. You can just make out Ray’s voice. Impatient and harsh. You hear your grandmother’s voice. Small and surprised.

Your heart starts to pick up speed, goosebumps prickling your arms and neck. Your muscles tense and you grip the wooden railing so tight your knuckles hurt.

They’re here for you.

There’s a shout, followed by a crash and a shocked cry. Heavy footsteps approach the stairs and you run. Taking the steps two at a time while trying to stay light on your feet. You can’t let them hear you. Adrenalin courses through your veins as you dash into your grandmother’s room at the end of the hallway. You shut the door as quickly but quietly as you can. Your eyes dart around the dark room, desperately searching for a place to hide. They land on the dumbwaiter on the right wall. You climb into the tight box, curling in on yourself to fit. You close the small square door before reaching for the rope, tugging on it and lowering yourself out of sight.

Then you wait.

Even from here, tucked away inside the wall, you can hear Sam and Ray searching for you. Doors being thrown open, frustrated voices, furniture being moved around.

Your heart is beating powerfully in your chest. So hard you can almost feel it against your leg. You bury your face between your knees, body shaking almost violently. You try taking a deep breath but your chest is too tight.

There’s a muffled bang.

They’re here.

Your arms tighten around your legs and you bury your face further into your knees. You hold your breath, trying to hear what’s going on through the ringing in your ears.

“… don’t have time for this.”

“Relax. She’s gotta be in here somewhere.”

After a minute of rummaging, you hear the closet door slam. “Dammit!”

“Maybe she snuck downstairs,” Sam suggests.

“Wait a minute.”

Your heart skips a beat.

Ray’s footsteps come closer. Closer. They stop, just outside the dumbwaiter. You itch with the urge to run, feeling like you could jump out of your skin. But there’s nowhere to go. You’re trapped.

The hatch lifts, scraping against the edges of the square opening like fingernails on a chalkboard. You bite down on your lip until a metallic taste spreads into your mouth.

You remain silent, even after Ray spots you. He chuckles and grabs the rope, pulling it and slowly bringing you into view. He sneers, eyes raking over your quivering form. “There you are, princess.”

He seizes your arm and drags you out, the ledge digging painfully into your soft flesh before you fall to the floor. You wince, flipping onto your butt and scrambling backward.

Ray clucks his tongue before grabbing your ankle and pulling you back. “No, no, no. You’re not going anywhere, darlin’.”

Sam steps forward and grabs your arm. Ray takes hold of the other and they haul you upright. As they lug you down the hallway, your head is spinning, your vision is swimming and suddenly nothing feels real. A dull pain shoots up your ankle as it snags on one of the steps, but you barely notice.

The men lead you through the entryway and you finally see your grandmother. Unconscious. Sprawled on the floor beside the tipped-over side table, pieces of the broken vase scattered around her.

“Nanna!” you scream, tugging against the men’s grasp as you experience a rush of clarity. They hold you back and haul you past her limp form, out the front door. “No!” you cry, still fighting. Oh god, what if she’s dead? What if she’s dead?

Tears stain your cheeks as you desperately try to escape, but the men ignore your attempts, carting you toward the town square.

***

Your stomach drops when you arrive. It’s been years since you came to an Offering, and even then, it’s a completely different experience when you’re the one being offered.

The air carries a weighted kind of heat, and you can taste as well as smell the woodsmoke drifting from the fire and over the square. Majority of the village has gathered, surrounding the mayor’s podium and the post as they wait. The low hum of their chatter is like white noise.

“Out the way!” Ray yells over the chatter as he and Sam jostle their way through the crowd.

People exclaim and turn, complaints dying on their tongues as they lay eyes on you. Mouths agape and eyes wide, soft gasps escaping their lips as they whisper to the people next to them.

There’s a squeeze around your heart. This isn’t the first time you’ve been the talk of the town. Not the first time people have regarded you with sympathy and pity.

They say bad things come in threes. In that case, you should’ve known something else would happen. Just another thing to break your world apart. Well… This is number three. Maybe this is finally the end.

Who are you kidding? Of course it is. There’s not going to be anything after this. Once those vampires come for you, that’s it.

Sam and Ray drag you over to the post and slam you against it, your spine hitting the wood with a loud and painful thud that knocks the wind out of you for a few seconds. Sam brings your wrists behind you and ties them around the post. Then your ankles are bound and you’re trapped in place.

You almost feel numb. Your mind racing with so many fragmented thoughts that it’s difficult to put your finger on just one emotion.

You’re scared of being taken. Scared of the unknown. Scared of getting hurt. Scared of dying.

You’re worried about your grandmother.

But you’re also angry. Angry that the mayor chose you. Angry that life has thrown you yet another curveball. Angry that you were just beginning to move on from Emily and your parents and it was all for nothing.

You feel a prickle along your waterline and you bite down on the inside of your cheek.

The square goes quiet. A robust young man steps up to the podium. His oily hair catches the light of the moon and nearby flames. He smooths out his suit as he clears his throat. He adjusts the microphone and looks out at the crowd.

“Good evening, people of Riverfield.” He pauses. Glances down. Sighs. “I never know what to say on the night of the Offering. I can’t say welcome, or thank you for coming because being here is not a positive thing. It’s a goodbye. We are handing yet another young woman to the vampires that have prowled our woods for the past several decades.” Another pause. “When I took over this role from my father, I didn’t want to continue this practice. However, I came to realise that I wasn’t willing to risk the lives of the town just to test whether or not it was needed. So, as awful as it is, we are gathered here again. This time to say goodbye to Y/N.”

The mayor looks over at you, and you see the guilt in his eyes. And you want to believe him. Believe his seemingly genuine words and face. But almost anyone can act. And at the end of the day, he still chose you, and you’ll still be gone.  

“I’m sorry,” he continues. “I can’t say anything to make this better. But please know we will all miss you, and I hope that whatever comes next for you is painless and peaceful.”

He looks up at the clockface set in the wall of the church and a few other people follow his gaze.

6:53pm.

“We have seven minutes until they arrive,” the mayor calls. “Everybody please return to your homes and take care. Goodnight.”

And just like that, everyone starts to leave. Just file out of the square and leave you behind.

***

6:58pm.

You stare at the clock as you frantically attempt to fray the rope binding your wrists. Your arms hurt from moving up and down, and your wrists sting with splinters. But it feels like you’re getting somewhere.

“Come on, come on, come on,” you mutter, screwing up your features as you feel the rope going slack.

6:59pm.

It finally breaks and you pull your hands free. You bend down and untie your ankles, staggering forward and feeling the pins and needles shoot up your leg. You curse under your breath, looking around and trying to decide what to do. You can’t go home. You don’t know what the consequences would be for escaping; it’s never happened before. But you doubt it would be pleasant. You look over your shoulder at the road leading out of the village.

The church bell tolls, making you jolt as the heavy clang vibrates the atmosphere.

7:00pm.

Your heart speeds up as adrenalin floods back into your bloodstream. They’ll be here any second. You have no other choice. You turn and bolt for the road.

You wince, almost losing balance as you attempt to run with a dead leg. You recover, ignoring it. It will go away soon enough. You’ve got to get out of here.

You cut across the square– past the church, the community hall, the school. You keep your eyes locked on the road out, letting the adrenalin and your instincts guide you. As you get closer, your chest feels lighter. A sense of relief spreading over you at the thought that you’re going to be free.

Then a stab of pain shoots through your foot.

You cry out, lurching to the side and falling to the ground. You sit up, clutching your foot and looking down to see a shard of glass poking out. You look around and see a broken beer bottle lying in the grass nearby.

“Shit.”

You take a deep breath, bracing yourself, before yanking the glass out of the wound. You whimper a little, chucking it to the side.

“Where do you think you’re going, princess?”

You freeze as a man’s voice calls out to you. You force yourself to look up, heart in your throat.

Oh god.

Oh god, no.

You scramble to your feet, staring wide-eyed at the unfamiliar men standing at the edge of town square. And you don’t have time to think. You run for your life.

To be continued...

Taglist: @un06 @naviiy @lilyuwon @kangseulgithegreat @seungielvr @saturdayssvillain @wonen-only @msauthor @nshmrarki @sakanelli-afc @b3tt7boop @yunjinswifee @lucycarlisleswife @lol6sposts @fandommaniac07 @strxwbloody @toodeloosoo @jungwonmeover

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Dividers by @dollywons

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 | 𝔗𝔴𝔬

A/N: Ayy part two's here!! I just realised it's been a few weeks since part one, my bad y'all I'm releasing these as I finish them, so updates might be a little slower. I had fun writing this part, I hope you enjoy it!

And a massive thanks to my editor/cheerleader @un06 for everything she's done so far <33

Synopsis: You find yourself in the vampire's house. One of them isn't as bad as you would think... Somewhat friendly even. But you won't let yourself lose sight of your goal. To get away.

Warnings: None (yet)

Part one / part two / Part three

“Oh, you wanna run, gorgeous? Go ahead. We love a game of chase.”

You barely register his words through the pounding in your ears. You’ve never been this afraid. This desperate to get away. Your entire body is thrumming as you sprint toward the road out of Riverfield.

You finally reach it and for a moment you feel a sense of hope. Like maybe you can do this. Maybe you will be okay. You’re aware of the self-generated breeze fanning your face and tousling your hair. You’re aware of your feet barely touching the ground, and it feels like the closest you’ll ever get to flying. It feels like a taste of freedom.

Then you see a flash of movement out of the corner of your eye.

You look. Just a glance.

Your heart almost gives out. You don’t notice much about the man, just that he’s a few feet to your left and quickly gaining on you. You also catch the wicked smile on his face and his black eyes locked on you like an eagle targeting prey.

You push yourself to your limit, willing your legs to move faster.

You hear a chuckle. “Scared, princess?”

Another voice, more confident. “We’re gonna get you, love.”

Your throat seizes up, and you know– heart sinking past your stomach– that he’s right. You’re struggling to breathe, stitches cramping your sides. Your legs ache, feeling heavier with each step. You can’t keep this up much longer.

Tears build in your eyes, blurring your vision as you desperately try to continue running. But you’re slowing down, your body slowly giving up on you.

No. No, no, no. Please.

You feel an arm wrap around your waist and you let out a strangled scream. There’s a split second before you hit the ground. The impact knocks the wind out of your already worn form.

You’re flipped onto your back and the man straddles you, pinning you down. You force your eyes to stay open. Try to focus on his face, his words.

He studies you, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips. He grabs your jaw and tilts your head so you’re meeting his gaze. “Tag,” he says in a low voice. He leans down and whispers, “You’re it.”

Your chest heaves as your consciousness begins to fade.

No. Stay awake, stay awake, stay–

Your eyes flutter closed as you feel all your energy draining away.

The man lets go of your jaw and your head drops to the side. “Sweet dreams, princess.”

***

You wake slowly, drifting away from sleep despite wanting to remain there. Even once you come to, you keep your eyes shut, nestling your face into the pillow and drawing the covers up to your chin. It’s so warm and comfortable here, there’s no way you’re getting up just yet.

You shift onto your back. Pain shoots up your spine and through your limbs. A dull but noticeable ache all over your body. You wince, going still.

Then… gradually… it all comes back to you. It starts with a feeling, like something is off. Then a few murky memories– nothing more than blurry images, like you’re trying to recall a dream. Then everything comes rushing back, hitting you like a truck– the images as vivid as when they were happening.

Sam and Ray. Your nanna. The Offering. Running away. The vampires–

You open your eyes and sit upright, ignoring the pain in your muscles.

The room you’re in is fairly simple. A timber dresser with a mirror hung above it. A large window covered with a lace curtain. The double bed that you are currently in and a rug underneath it.

You tenderly pull back the covers and swing your legs out of bed. You stand cautiously, hoping the floorboards beneath your feet won’t betray your movements. Silence. You tiptoe to the window and peer through the lace at the outside world, wondering where you’ve ended up.

The woods. Of course.

You move the curtain aside and study any possible route for escape. Getting down should be easy. There’s a balcony right there and if needed, you can tie sheets to the railing and climb down. You duck behind the lace curtain and grip the top of the window. You try pushing it up, but it’s jammed. You try again. It still won’t budge. You inspect the frame, eyes narrowing when you spot a translucent yellow stripe connecting the window to the sill.

They sealed the window shut? Jesus.

You run your finger over the material and it feels slightly rubbery. You might be able to cut through it, if you can get your hands on something sharp enough.

There’s a knock on the door and your muscles tense, your body going into fight, flight or freeze. The door swings open and a tall man strolls in like he owns the place (well, technically he does), carrying a plate of food. He uses his foot to close the door behind him, then places the plate on the bedside table. Only then does he finally look at you, sliding his hands into his jean pockets.

“Good morning, sunshine. I figured you’d be hungry.” He nods to the food.

You stare at him for a moment, brows furrowed and suspicion in your gaze as your eyes flick between him and the food. “You really think I’m going to eat that? Who knows what you could’ve put in it.”

He rolls his eyes. “Look, eat it and risk it being poisoned or don’t eat it and starve yourself. Your choice.”  

You blink, surprised by his attitude. You don’t know what you were expecting from a vampire, but it sure as hell wasn’t sass. You quickly gather yourself. “I’m good.”

The man shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He turns and picks the plate up, taking a bite of scrambled egg.

Your caution almost melts away as you continue to stare at him with mild disbelief. This is what you were so terrified of?

“Stop staring,” the man says without looking up. “Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?”

You cross your arms. “Of course they did, but I’m not going to waste them on some bratty vampire.” The words just spill out. You’re so used to using sarcasm, it slips your mind that you’re talking to one of your captors. You freeze again, worried you’ve just pissed him off.

But he just laughs, looking at you. “I’m bratty? I’m simply doing what I have the right to do, seeing as this is my house.”

He puts the plate down, walking slowly around the bed, and you instinctively take a step back.

“You’re like a frightened cat. It’s cute.” He smiles teasingly and it emphasises his youthful features. You hadn’t taken much notice, but he looks young. Like, the kind of young where maybe referring to him as a man is a bit of a stretch. If you had to guess, he’s probably close to eighteen or nineteen.

“What is it?” he asks, stopping a couple feet in front of you. He towers over you, looking down at you curiously. It would be more intimidating if he wasn’t so… normal. He doesn’t appear much different from any other teenage boy. You’re not sure he’s even a vampire.

You clear your throat, looking up at him. “It’s just– I– You–”

His grin widens at your stuttering and it irritates you. You take a second to compose yourself.

“How old are you?” you manage to ask.

He puts his hands in his pockets again. “As in how old should I be, or how old do I look?”

“Um... the second one?”

“Nineteen. What, am I not what you were expecting?”

“Well, not really, no,” you admit.

He smirks. “Let me guess. You were thinking Edward Cullen? Or maybe Dracula?”

Your lips twitch and you almost crack a smile. “No. I don’t know what I was expecting. But it wasn’t you.”

The guy smiles. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“So what’s your name, anyway?”

“You first.”

Really? You cross your arms again. “Y/N.”

His eyes narrow as he thinks something over. “Hm. I’m going to call you neko.”

You frown. “What does that mean?”

“It’s Japanese for cat.”

Your arms fall by your sides. “What? I’m not a cat!” you protest.

“You are now.”

“That’s not how it works.”

“Why are you so offended? Cats are cute.”

“I don’t want a nickname from you.”

“Well now I’m offended,” the guy says, but he’s still smirking.

“Are you going to tell me your name or not?” you shoot back.

“Riki.”

You scoff and he crosses his arms, frowning at you.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” you say, fighting a smile.

He shoves his hands back into his pockets. “Whatever.” He takes a step back, turns around and walks over to the plate of food. He picks it up, then heads for the door. “See you later, neko,” he says on his way out.

You grit your teeth as he shuts the door, not missing the smirk on his face at your reaction.

***

Unfortunately for you, that wasn’t the last time you saw Riki. He came back the next day. And the next.

And now he’s back again, not bothering to wait after knocking before waltzing in.

You look up from your spot on the bed and eyeball today’s meal. It’s a sandwich. A rather delicious looking sandwich, loaded with fillings.

You’d had to give in a couple days ago, when the hunger became too much and you realised you’d have to eat eventually anyway.

Riki hands the plate to you and you take it, picking up the sandwich and taking a large bite.

“Mm… Thanks.” Your voice is muffled as you chew.

“No problem, neko.”

You roll your eyes, but don’t waste energy arguing with him about the new nickname. It seems to have stuck, and it’s probably going to stay that way.

Riki makes himself comfortable on the end of the bed. “The guys are getting impatient.”

You swallow and look up. “What?”

“The others. It’s day four. They’re not going to wait much longer.”

“For what?”

“You may be dumb, but I think you know.”

You ignore the playful jab and glance at the closed door. Yeah. You know. “They want to meet me, huh?”

“That too.”

You frown. “What do you mean, that too?”

Riki pauses for a second. “We’re due to feed again,” he says.

Just this once, you wish he wasn’t so blunt. The sandwich churns in your stomach. “Right.”

“Don’t worry, neko. It’s not as bad as people think. You didn’t even notice last time.”

You squint at him. “Last time?”

 He gestures to your right arm. “The night we took you, we drew some blood while you were passed out.”

You look at your inner elbow, at the faded mark there. It’s just a dot. You’d barely noticed it at first. “You use an IV or something?”

He nods. “Something like that. It’s called venipuncture. It’s the least painful and messy method.”

“Careful there. You almost sounded considerate.”

He chuckles, then the light-hearted sound fades into the silence.

It’s funny. Apparently, there’s six other men in this house, but you’ve never heard signs of any of them. Except Riki. And if you’re being honest with yourself, as irritating as he can be… you enjoy his company. Truthfully, you don’t know what you’d do without him to break up the monotony of the day. If you were just left to sit here for hours on end with nothing to do apart from stare out the window, at the trees and maybe the occasional bird. You’re pretty sure Riki has been the only thing keeping you sane.

“Want me to be honest, Y/N?” Riki asks, breaking the silence.

You sigh. “Not really, but we both know that’s not gonna stop you.”

His lips curl slightly, then his expression goes serious. “You’re right to stay here.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is hide,” you say, pushing the sandwich aside.

“Whatever you want to call it, it’s a smart move. I don’t think you would’ve coped well throwing yourself in the deep end and going out there on the first day.”

You look at him, genuine worry swirling deep in your eyes. “Is it really that bad?” you ask quietly.

Riki studies you and his expression softens. “Depends what you define as bad. But I can assure you, we won’t hurt you. But– that said– the others won’t go easy on you. They’re going to toy with you, try and get in your head, break through any walls you put up until you give in. I’ve been with these guys a long time. I’ve seen a lot of Offerings, a lot of young women just like you in this house, and I know the boys treat this like a competition. Like a game. Vampires are possessive, that’s the one thing the stereotypes got right. Every man in this house is going to want you, and there’s not much you can do about it.”

“Including you?” you ask with a weak smile, attempting to use humour to distract yourself from the dread winding in your chest.

Riki smirks softly. “No. I’m not saying that you aren’t pretty, but I won’t try anything. With you or any other girl that comes through here.”

“Wow. So you do have some respect.”

He laughs. “Look,” he says, tone turning serious again. “I know you’ve only known me for a few days. And that even then, you barely know me. But I want you to know I’m here to help you whenever you need me.”

You meet his gaze, not missing the shift of the energy in the room. “Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?”

“Because,” he says. “You’re about to go through a lot and you’ll need someone in your corner.”                   

He notices you staring absent-mindedly at the wall and he shuffles closer. “I’m sorry for freaking you out, that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I’m just trying to prepare you. I promise it won’t be as horrible as whatever you’re cooking up in your head right now. It will just be… intense, at times. But you seem like you’re strong enough to handle it. And you have me. You’ll be okay.”

Another beat of silence passes before you speak up. “Will you do me a favour? Will you go with me when I finally go out there?”

“Of course.” Riki pauses. Glances at the door. “Why don’t we go now?”

You look at him wide-eyed. “Are you crazy? After everything you just said?”

He smiles. “May as well get it done, right? Besides, you’re better off meeting the others before they get fed up and storm in here.”

“Stop saying shit to scare me!”

He holds up his hands in surrender. “Sorry! It’s not my fault you’re a scaredy cat.”

“We were having a moment and you ruined it.”

He shrugs a shoulder. “What can I say? I speak my mind.”

“Well then get a filter.”

“Stop procrastinating.”

You sniff. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not procras–”

Riki stands up, adjusting and smoothing out his clothes. “Come on, Y/N.”

You hesitate, looking up at him like an animal putting their trust in a stranger. You don’t see much difference, really. They’re the people, you’re the deer. Maybe they want to hunt you and put you on display, or maybe they just plan on admiring you. But you won’t find out until it’s too late.

You feel the paranoia start to creep in, like fog settling over a crisp morning. What if… Riki’s like the bait? What if he was sent in here just to lure you out? You’ve been taking his presence for granted the past couple days, but… it could all be fake.

Riki’s smile drops and he looks at you with concern. “Hey, are you okay?”

You stay quiet, feeling restless all of a sudden. You glance around the room, at the dresser, the wall, the window–

Wait.

The window. You remember the seal, the only thing preventing you from getting out.

You have to get out.

You look back at Riki. “Yeah, sorry. My mind was just…”

He shakes his head. “It’s alright. I get it, this is a lot.”

You nod. “Yeah.”

“So… are you ready?”

You take a moment, chewing your lip, before getting off the bed. You wobble slightly, your legs taking time to wake up after you’ve spent so long sitting down. “Not really, but… I guess you’re right. Might as well do it sooner rather than later.”

Riki quirks a brow. “You’re sure? I wouldn’t want your heart giving out or something.”

“Shut up before I change my mind.” You walk over to the door, your fingers wrapping around the handle. You take a breath, your heart pounding against your ribcage.

You swing open the door, the smell of aged wood and old wallpaper wafting up your nose. It’s familiar. It reminds you of home, of Nanna. Your newfound courage wavers for a second before you take another quiet breath, drawing back your shoulders and straightening your spine.

You look over your shoulder and see Riki watching you with an impressed gleam in his eyes. He offers you a small smile, comes over and stands beside you. He nods, silently nudging you to go out.

Just go.

You step out into the hall and Riki follows. There’s a window at the end, letting in some light, but it’s still dim. The dark floorboards are slightly worn, the panelling on the walls faded. There are several other doors lining the hallway, all of them shut. You glance at Riki again and he gestures to the left, stepping in front of you and leading the way.

As you walk down the hallway in Riki’s shadow, you feel skittish. Like a scared mouse. Like if there’s any sudden noise, you’ll startle and run in the opposite direction. You hate this, feeling so wound up with anxiety you could cry.

God, what happened to you? You’ve been through a lot, but you always managed to pull through. You were always strong– it was one thing people always admired about you, especially at such a young age. And after all that, now you’re going to cower and hide?

You know if Nanna were here, she’d tell you the same thing– albeit in a gentler way.

And that– the thought of your Nanna and the last time you saw her– is your turning point. You’re never going to see her again if you don’t get out of here. And how are you ever going to get out if you’re avoiding everything and everyone, rotting away in a bedroom?

You and Riki reach the end of the hallway and descend the stairs.

At the foot of the staircase, you see it opens up to a living room. It’s nice, in a vaguely ‘old money’ sort of way. There are two leather couches and three matching armchairs arranged around a wooden coffee table, all on top of an ornate rug. There are bookshelves stocked with hardcover volumes and paperback novels. The walls are painted a dark red, with the same dark wood wainscoting as the hallway, decorated with tapestries and oil paintings.

Riki leads you through the living room, and a wooden louvre door and a matching serving window come into view. You assume they lead to the kitchen.

You can hear soft shuffling on the other side of the door. You try to swallow, but it’s difficult when your mouth is running dry.

Riki grabs the doorknob, looking over his shoulder at you before opening the door. You step through after him and the first thing you notice is the man leaning against the kitchen counter. The first thing you register is that he’s tall. The second– despite yourself– is how he’s the kind of handsome where he’s pretty.

The two of you make eye contact and reality seems to slow down. Not because of how dreamy he is, or because it’s love at first sight, but because of how intimidating he is. You see the look in his eyes and you realise everything Riki warned you about is most definitely true.

The man smirks. “Look who it is.” He puts down the glass in his hand. “Finally come out of your burrow, love?”

You clear your throat quietly and step forward, standing at Riki’s side. “Yes.”

“Y/N, this is Heeseung. He’s the eldest, acts kind of like the leader around here. Heeseung, this is Y/N.”

Heeseung’s eyes sweep over you, and you have to strain not to shrink under his predatory gaze. “It’s nice to meet you, Y/N. It’s good to see you gained the courage to finally face us.” He picks up his drink again and takes a swig.

You grit your teeth, picking up on his condescending tone. “Pleasure to meet you too,” you say, making sure to insert some venom into your tone.

He smiles. He must be one of those types. The ones who get a kick out of riling people up.

Okay, calm and collected approach it is then.

“Can I get you anything?” Riki asks, interrupting the passive-aggressive exchange.

You tear your gaze away from Heeseung. “I’m good, thanks.”

He nods and walks over to the fridge, opening it and grabbing himself a can of soda. He pops the tab and has a mouthful. “Where is everyone?”

“Helping clean up the yard.” Heeseung places his glass in the sink.

“And you’re slacking off why?”

He chuckles. “I was going to head out after I finished my drink, and then you brought Y/N down.”

“Don’t let me interrupt anything,” you say, attempting your best polite voice.

Heeseung looks at you again. “You’re not interrupting anything, love. It’s just yard work, nothing the boys can’t handle.”

Riki claps him on the shoulder. “How about this? We can go give the others a hand, and neko here can take some time to look around and get comfortable.”

You hold back a snort. Comfortable, your ass.

Heeseung glances between you and Riki, arching a brow. “Neko?”

“It’s her new nickname. She loves it.” He grins playfully at you.

“Clearly,” Heeseung agrees, taking in your expression with an amused smile. “Well, love, I guess I’ll see you later. Feel free to explore. If you need anything, we’ll be out back, the door’s just through there.” He gestures to a doorway off to the side. It must lead to a mudroom or something.

With that, and a small wave from Riki, they head through the door and disappear from your sight.

You look around the kitchen, unsure what to do now. Then, as you stand there in the silence, something occurs to you.

You glance around once more, cautious this time. You strain to hear any signs that someone is nearby, but you only hear the birds outside.

You duck out of the kitchen and back into the living room. You notice a doorway by the staircase. You head towards it, your steps quick but light. As you draw closer, you see– with a flood of hope– that it’s the entryway… and the front door is mere metres in front of you.

 You spot a deadbolt on the door and your heart sinks, but when you inspect it, you realise it’s unlocked.

It’s too good to be true. The whole situation suddenly screams trap.

You chew your lip, looking over your shoulder. Should you turn back around and stick to the original plan of cutting the seal on the window? That might take hours, days. You’re right here. The way out, your chance of escape is staring you in the face. You can’t let it slip through your fingers.

You decide to take the risk, your fingers wrapping around the handle and slowly twisting it. A fresh breeze drifts through the crack, carrying the scent of oncoming rain and decaying leaves. You breathe it in, using it to ground yourself and steel your nerves.

You get ready to run as you open the door. Looking outside, the coast is clear. All there is to be seen is tree after tree, dead leaves covering a good portion of the ground, and dirt broken up with the occasional patch of grass.

You jog down the steps, going to turn left and run for it, when someone appears out of nowhere, blocking your path.

“You actually fell for that, huh, princess?”

You freeze, your eyes making their way from the dirt floor to the man’s face. Short dyed-blond hair, and fox-like amber eyes. He has the kind of features that give him the opportunity to appear youthful and innocent, or mature and attractive. And right now, he looks anything but innocent.

“Cat got your tongue?” he taunts, leaning down to whisper in your ear. He grabs your arms and turns you around.

You see Heeseung approaching from around the side of the house. The rest of the men are behind him. Your heart starts to race and your eyes dart between them all like a cornered animal.

“You know, love, this is the second time you’ve tried to run from us.”

Heeseung stops directly in front of you, crowding your space. You feel claustrophobic, caught between the two men with nowhere to go, the adrenalin making your skin itch with the need to run. You feel like you’re overheating, like the air is evaporating and you’re struggling to breathe.

He grabs your chin, tilting your head so you’re looking up at him. “It’s also the last time, I hope you realise that,” he says in a low voice. There’s a tense pause before he speaks again. “You know, Y/N, these woods are extremely easy to get lost in. But we know them like the backs of our hands. If you try to run again, we will catch you. And trust me, you won’t like the consequences… but we will.”

He releases his hold on your face and steps aside, letting the blond steer you back inside.

 As you’re led up the stairs and down the hall, you can’t help but feel like a prisoner being taken to their cell. The man opens the door to your assigned bedroom and pushes you inside, slams it shut, followed by the click of the lock.

You stare at the door, mind reeling. As your heart slows, clarity replaces the adrenalin. You clench your jaw, feeling a sense of anger rise in your chest. You bite down on the inside of your cheek as you feel tears building behind your eyes. Without thinking, you turn around and kick the dresser as hard as you can.

You yell a curse as pain shoots up your foot. Simultaneously, the mirror above the dresser falls off its nail and crashes to the floor. You jump back to avoid the broken glass, eyes widening with surprise. You kneel beside the shattered mirror, gingerly picking up a decent-sized shard of glass. You look over your shoulder at the window, the pieces clicking together in your head, and a smile creeps across your face.

To be continued...

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Dividers by @dollywons

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 | 𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢

A/N: Tada ✨ Chapter three is done! Coincidentally the longest chapter written in the shortest time. I really like this one, and I hope you guys will too <3

Shoutout to Rose for all her help and feedback, and for encouraging me when I'm stuck. Love you bae x

Synopsis: After another failed escape attempt, it seems like you're not going anywhere any time soon. You're still not willing to give up, but at the same time... something is changing...

Warnings: swearing, mild violence, angst (mentions of death), smut (implied noncon [in a dream], virgin!reader,loss of virginity, unprotected sex [my bad guys, don't do it], cumming inside)

Part one / Part two / Part three

The last bit of sealant falls away from the window and you don’t even have time to celebrate. You drop the mirror shard, gripping the top of the window and pushing it up. The sound of it opening and the waft of fresh air that follows makes you want to cry with relief. You swing one leg over the sill.

Then you hear the door lock click and that relief comes crashing down in a wave of oh shit.

You hesitate– eyes flickering to the door, then back to the window. You duck your head and manoeuvre yourself through. The door opens and someone steps into the room just as you fall out onto the balcony. You scramble to your feet and run for the railing, looking over the side.

“Y/N!” an angry male voice calls after you.

A thirteen foot drop, maybe? It can’t do too much damage…

With no time to consider anything else, you scramble over the railing and let yourself drop to the ground.

“Y/N– Fuck!”

For a split second, you feel weightless– but also like your stomach is going to come flying up your throat.

You land on the grass with a thud, and pain shoots up your ankle. You let out a hiss. You hear rustling, and the clanging of metal against metal, and you know he’s coming after you.

You get to your feet and the pain flares. You grit your teeth and ignore it, stumbling forward. You try to run, but as soon as you put your injured foot forward, you crumble, falling back down.

You hear him land just behind you and you start to panic. You begin crawling forward, determined to get away no matter what it takes.

You feel fingers wrap around your ankle before you’re dragged backward. You scream, thrashing and attempting to escape his hold but he pulls you back, forcing you onto your back and crouching down to look at you.

“Where do you think you’re going, angel?”

You kick out at him and try to wriggle backwards. He kneels and draws you closer, wrapping your legs around his waist and keeping them there with an iron grip. You yell again, tears streaming down your cheeks.

“You never listen, do you?” The man leans closer, hovering over you. “What did Heeseung say, hm? If you tried to run away again, you’d face the consequences.”

Like that was going to stop me, you think venomously. But you can’t get the words out, your chest is too tight.

The man cocks his head. “Look at you falling apart… and we haven’t even done anything yet,” he muses, mostly to himself. He goes quiet for a moment, looking at you as you glare up at him, chest heaving. “I guess telling you wasn’t enough, huh, angel? Alright… Let me show you then.”

 He releases his bruising grip on your legs and hauls you up by your arms. You keep tugging against him, but he doesn’t let go. He gives your arm a tight squeeze.

“Stop making this harder than it needs to be, Y/N.”

“And who the fuck are you?” you spit. Not that you care.

He looks down at you, black bangs falling into his dark brown eyes. You see a small mole on the side of his nose, a slight imperfection that somehow makes him look more perfect. “I’ll tell you who the fuck I am, angel,” he says calmly.  “I’m the man who will have you begging and crying underneath me while I take what’s mine... But by all means, call me Sunghoon.” He stares down at you, watching as his words sink in.

You stare up at him, eyes wide, any protests dying on your tongue.

“That’s what I thought. Now come on.”

Sunghoon leads you back into the house via the back door. ­­­Through the kitchen, through the living room. There’s no-one else around and it’s strangely quiet. Then again, you guess it’s not that strange. This house is always still, and when you’re not face to face with one of the men, it feels like you’re the only living thing in this place.

You go up the stairs. But instead of taking you back to your room, Sunghoon stops outside a room two doors down.

“Let’s see if this changes your mind,” he says. He opens the door and it swings open slowly. It’s dark inside, and you can’t see much besides the silhouettes of some furniture. Sunghoon lets go of your arm and gestures inside. “Go on.”

You look up at him, then into the room. You hesitate, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

“Come on, angel. Don’t be scared now,” he presses with a smirk.

You grit your teeth. He’s got a point. Fear hasn’t stopped you before, why start now?

You step through the doorway and take a few tentative steps into the room. You feel a buzz under your skin, barely noticeable, but there. You swallow, fingers curling and uncurling by your sides, feeling restless.

Now that you’re inside, things become a little clearer. Everything in the room is either dark or silver. You make out a king four-poster bed made of black metal, with black bedding and a sheer black canopy over top to match. There’s a solid timber dresser with a lamp on top. Burned down candles are arranged meticulously around the room. Then, as your eyes adjust, they pick out the concerning details. Like the handcuffs attached to the bed. The bar bolted to the wall. The sofa, the weird-shaped… chair?

Oh god. This is how they punish the girls?

You stumble backwards, in a hurry to get out of the room. Sunghoon laughs from behind you, where he’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

“What’s wrong, angel? You don’t like it?”

“What kind of sick shit is this?” you say, eyes wide with horror.

“Sick?” He cocks a sculpted brow. “And here we always thought it was fun.” His lips twist into an amused smile.

You slowly put one foot behind the other, backing away. “Stay the fuck away from me.”

“No can do.” He gets off the wall and strides toward you, fingers clasping around your arm before you have time to dodge him. “You tried to escape again,” he says as he hauls you back down the hall, down the stairs. “I have a feeling you’ll be in that room again very soon, angel. I can only hope it’s me that ends up in there with you.” He looks at you with a predatory gleam in his eye. “I’ve got a lot of things I plan on doing to you, I may as well teach you a lesson while I’m at it.”

Fuck that.

Your body reacts to your fear, and without you even realising what you’re doing, your fist comes up, aiming for Sunghoon’s face. You catch sight of his shocked expression a split second before the impact. You hear the thwack, followed by a dangerous silence. Pain spreads across your knuckles as you stare at his side profile, equally surprised. His jaw clenches, the vein in his neck popping. His body is tense, and you wait for him to strike you back.

But he doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t do anything except continue leading you down the stairs.

When you reach the living room, it’s no longer empty. All of the others are lounging on the sofas and armchairs, watching as the two of you enter. Heeseung’s eyes bore into yours as you come to a stop in front of the coffee table.

“Let her go, Hoon,” Heeseung says, sitting directly across from you. His eyes are still locked on yours. “I doubt she’ll run and hide. Will you, love?”

You shake your head.

Sunghoon lets go of you and goes to sit beside one of the men who you haven’t met yet. You feel antsy, but you maintain your composure as you hold Heeseung’s gaze.

“You caused quite a commotion,” he says simply.

You open your mouth, sarcastic response ready and waiting on the tip of your tongue. But he holds up a hand.

“I don’t want a response from you. I want you to listen to me. Really listen because everyone here knows you haven’t been good at that lately.” His tone morphs from calm to irritated. “I warned you what would happen if you were stubborn enough to escape again. And what did you do? Cut the seal with a bit of broken glass and climbed through the window. I know Riki here warned you about us. You didn’t listen to him either, and he was trying to be helpful. And now you’ve punched Sunghoon in the face? Has it not occurred to you that maybe fighting us isn’t the answer and you’re better off cooperating?”

“You think I want to die?” you interject, voice loud. “Has it occurred to you that I’m doing this to protect myself, not just to make things difficult for you, you selfish prick?”

“Who said anything about death?” Heeseung says coldly.

It had only been a thought until now. A possibility lingering in the back of your mind. But now that you’ve said it aloud, your heart hammers. “That’s what you do, isn’t it? Bleed girls dry until there’s nothing left, then ditch them somewhere and wait for the next Offering?”

You’re met with the weight of seven stares.

“We let the girls go,” Heeseung tells you. “What happens to them afterwards has nothing to do with us.”

“Except it does. How much blood do you take beforehand? How weak do you make them? Do you just let them walk out the front door and wander through the woods alone, trying to find a way out, knowing damn well they won’t?”

Silence. You know you’ve caught them out, that you’re right.

“You’re killers,” you continue, voice shaky. “You’re responsible for the deaths of so many young women, and you think you can sit there and tell me otherwise? I won’t let myself–”

“If you know what’s good for you,” Heeseung interrupts in a low, icy voice. “You’ll stop talking and listen to what I say next very carefully.”

You close your mouth, glaring into his eyes.

“I’m done dealing with your crap, Y/N. I’m not letting you get away with this bullshit anymore. You step out of line like that again, and I’ll let you know how dangerous I can be. You shouldn’t be worried about dying. You should be worried about what will happen if we catch you trying to run from us again. Do you understand me?”

Everything from his body language, to his tone, to the energy in the room tells you this time it’s serious. You have no doubt that if you ignore this warning, you’re screwed. There’s no winning this time around.

“Fine.”

“I said do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand,” you reply through gritted teeth.

You turn to leave and Heeseung clucks his tongue at you.

“Don’t think you’re getting away with this that easily. I told you next time you tried to escape, there’d be consequences.”

You freeze.

“And I think it’s only fair Sunghoon takes care of it, seeing as you attacked him.”

You spin back around to see Heeseung smirking at you, and Sunghoon grinning in a way that has the hair prickling along the back of your neck. The others exchange nervous glances.

“Are you crazy?” you demand. “He’ll attack me if you leave me alone with him! Please–”

“Hold on.” One of the men stands up. He’s tall too. Short dark hair, with a few strands falling over his forehead, and strong features. “How about we just… take it easy? Just this once?”

“We have been taking it easy. You think she’s going to stop if we keep letting her get away with everything?” Heeseung says.

The man speaks calmly. “Just let me talk to her. I think it’ll help more than punishing her.”

Your eyes dart between the two men, and you pray Heeseung agrees. You don’t know the other man’s intentions, but you’re sure they’re better than whatever Sunghoon is thinking.

Heeseung looks at you, then back at the man. “Fine. But if this doesn’t work, Sunghoon gets her next time.”

Your heart thuds against your ribs as you take a breath.

The man nods, then makes his way over to you. He offers you a reassuring smile and you notice a vague dimple. “Hi, beautiful,” he whispers. “My name’s Jay. You wanna get out of here?”

You nod. You even let him hold your hand as he leads you down the hallway off the living room, grateful that he stepped in.

He stops in front of the third door on the left and opens it, stepping aside to let you in first. You pause for a moment before walking inside.

The bedroom is homely. It feels personal, lived in. Mostly thanks to the clutter on the desk, and the wrinkled sheets on the bed, and the small pile of clothes on the floor.

You make your way to the desk and sit down in the office chair. Jay perches on the edge of his bed, facing you. You wait for Jay to say something. You figure that’s the reason you’re here.

Eventually, he breaks the silence. “You know, we’ve never encountered a girl like you before. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had our fair share of fighters. But never anyone as determined as you.” He looks at you with something like admiration. “I’ve never known someone to have your kind of strength unless they’ve had to deal with something that required them to be strong. What happened to you, Y/N?”

 You avoid his soft gaze, crossing your arms. “That’s none of your business.”

“You’re not the only one with a past.”

At that, you look up.

Jay’s lips curl up slightly. “What, you thought we just spawned out of nowhere?”

“I… I guess I never thought about it,” you admit.

“Most people don’t. But everyone here had a life before this.” He looks out the window. “I was a guitar teacher. I used to teach elementary school kids.” A reminiscent smile spreads across his face. “They loved it. I always felt like a proud big brother whenever they finally got a part in a song right, or when they played really well.” He pauses. “One morning, I woke up feeling really unwell. My head was killing me, I could barely get out of bed. I probably should’ve gone to the doctor or something. But I figured it was just the flu, so I just stayed home. And then, just as I was feeling better, it got worse. Everything around me started feeling… weird. Like I was dreaming. But it was all the time. I was confused, I didn’t know what was going on with me. And I didn’t want to leave the house feeling like that, even if it was to get help. It passed eventually, but…”

 He sighs, taking a moment before continuing. “When I went back to work, I got the news that one of my students had passed away. She’d gotten sick a couple of days before me, and her parents said she went downhill from there. They took her to the hospital, and the doctors said she had something called HVD. I didn’t know what it was, I’d never heard of it. But when I saw Heeseung’s ad on the internet, and I found myself here, he said it stood for Human Vampire Disease. Most people who caught it didn’t make it. But the survivors ended up like us. ‘Vampires’.”

You sit in the quiet, trying to digest it all. You try to feel indifferent, but you can’t. You don’t know what to say, but there’s a lot going through your mind.

Jay watches your reaction and you see him frowning. “I’m sorry to dump all of this on you–”

You shake your head. “No, don’t be sorry.” You look down at your lap, taking a deep breath. “I lost my sister. Emily. She was nineteen. It was my thirteenth birthday, and she went into woods to get some things to make me a gift. Leaves, twigs, stuff like that. We told her not to go in too far–” Your voice breaks and you sniffle, taking a second to compose yourself. “She disappeared. They looked for her for over a week straight. They told us she’d probably gotten lost, or fallen in the river. The worst part wasn’t that she was gone. It was not knowing whether she was dead, or wandering the woods cold and scared. I dreamt about it every night that week. And I still dream about it sometimes.”

 Your fingers play with the hem of your shirt and you stare at them, not wanting to look up and see the pity in Jay’s expression. You’ve seen it enough from everyone else back in the village. “It hit my parents pretty hard. They didn’t know what to do, how to cope. So they decided to blame me. They couldn’t blame the woods, they couldn’t blame anyone else, so they blamed it on me. Because it was my birthday, and she was out there to make my present.”

 The tears start to build, spilling over your waterline and creating wet paths down your cheeks. Your voice is strained as you try to speak through the lump in your throat. Your tone is tainted bitter and the hurt you felt back then bubbles under the surface. “I was their daughter too. We should have made it through together. But then they left. They said they couldn’t take it anymore, and they moved away. I don’t even know where they went. That’s when I went to live with my Nanna. I was happy there. We were always close. She helped me a lot. And then on the night of the Offering, two of the villagers broke in and the last time I saw her she was unconscious on the floor.”

You choke out the last sentence, eyes blurring with tears and body shaking with restrained sobs. “And I just want to get back home and see her and make sure she’s okay.” Your nails dig into your thighs as you try to keep it together.

You hear Jay moving off the bed and over to you. He kneels in front of you, one hand on your arm and the other brushing back your hair, wiping tears away. “Hey. Hey, it’s alright,” he whispers. “Just take a breath for me, gorgeous.” He hands you a tissue and you wipe your nose while he dabs up your tears. “There we go. It’s okay.”

You take a shuddery breath and look into his eyes, nothing but care and warmth in his gaze. His touch is gentle as he rubs comforting circles on your arm with his thumb.

“Sorry,” you whisper, embarrassed.

Jay smiles at you and that slight dimple appears again. “Don’t be ashamed. It’s good to cry sometimes, it helps us feel better.”

You sigh, feeling the sadness melt away and leave your body. “You’re being so kind to me.”

“Of course. How many times do we have to tell you that, contrary to popular belief, we’re not all monsters?” He grins playfully.

You chuckle.

He chucks the tissues in the bin next to the desk, then looks back at you. “Thank you for telling me. I know it’s hard opening up to strangers. But your story’s safe with me. I won’t tell the others.”

“Thank you.”

You still can’t get used to how considerate Jay is. From Riki’s bluntness to Sunghoon’s intensity, you weren’t expecting to come across someone like him in this house. But you’re glad you did.

Jay takes your hand and helps you stand up. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up, clear your mind, yeah?”

You nod absent-mindedly.

“The bathroom is the first door on the right. There are clean clothes in the dresser and closet in your room.”

You look at him cautiously. “Where did you get the clothes from?”

“They haven’t come from anyone else, if that’s what you’re thinking. They were bought from a store.”

It sounds almost weird to you. You never really thought about the entire world outside of Riverfield and these woods. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s there. It makes you wonder if you’ll ever get the chance to see it.

“Oh. Okay. Thanks again.”

He lets go of your hand with a small smile. “See you later, beautiful.”

You leave, heading back upstairs. You notice on your way that everyone has disappeared again. It’s almost like they’re ghosts, or figments of your imagination. There one moment, gone the next. You still don’t know whether you like it that way or not.

***

You hadn’t realised how much of a mess you were until you went to shower.

You stared into the mirror– at the knots in your hair, the dirt on your clothes and body. You examined the splinters still wedged underneath the skin of your wrists, the cut on your foot, and wondered how the hell you hadn’t noticed all of it before. You guessed you had been preoccupied rebelling and zoning out and all. How the boys could find you remotely attractive in this state also went over your head, but it didn’t matter.

You were surprised to see the bathroom had been renovated, and was actually quite nice. It was also stocked with all the essentials, from painkillers to toothbrushes.

It was finally sinking in just how human the vampires were. And that just raised more questions for you. But you figured you had plenty of time to ask them, seeing as you weren’t planning on another escape attempt any time soon.

Once you finish cleaning up (which takes a while), you decide to head for the kitchen. You’re starving.

You jog down the stairs, stroll through the living room– it’s a familiar route by now. You hear voices and you slow a little, your steps a bit more measured.

You round the corner to see the serving window is open and so is the kitchen door. One of the men sits at the breakfast bar under the window, and you recognise him as the blond who stopped you from escaping the second time around. He looks a lot less intimidating now, with a smile lighting up his face and crinkling the corners of his fox-like eyes. Another man stands in the kitchen, leaning on the counter to talk to him. He has longish black hair. Apart from that, you can’t tell much about him from here.

They see you approaching and look over. The dark-haired one grins.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he greets you brightly and you pick up on an accent. “You’re looking a lot better.”

You smirk. “I would hope so.”

You make your way into the kitchen and open the fridge, assessing the contents inside. Your eyes land on some leftover fried chicken and you grab it, taking off the cling wrap and digging in. Your eyes almost roll at the crunchy batter and tender meat. “Mm,” you hum with satisfaction.

You stand at the counter beside the man and he turns to face you.

“I’m Jake. Nice to finally meet you, sweetheart.” He holds out a hand.

You dutifully ignore the veins running up his hand and forearm, and shake his hand. “Nice to meet you too.”

Jake studies you. “You seem different. What did Jay say to you?”

“Does it matter?”

You realise he’s right, though. You feel like you’re finally able to relax a little. It’s… really good actually. It’s a relief, like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You don’t know exactly what’s changed, but… maybe it’s for the better. 

The blond looks at you, tilting his head and resting his chin in his hand. “Well, it’s good to see you, princess.” You look at him and he smiles. “I’m Sunoo.”

You give him a small smile in return. “Hi.”

You take another bite of chicken, chewing contently.

Once you finish your food, you put the plate in the sink and then jump up, sitting on the counter. “So what do you guys do for fun around here? I’ve been holed up in my room for a week, I could use something to keep me distracted.”

“Normally we each do our own thing– watching movies, gaming, etcetera,” Sunoo says. “It can get a little repetitive to be honest.” He gives you a sly smile. “But at least now we have you to play with.”

“Cut it out, Sunoo,” Jake scolds him. He looks at you curiously. “Do you have any hobbies, sweetheart?”

“I love painting, and reading. I used to like cooking with my Nanna, too. Other than that, I liked listening to music on the radio… Taking a walk, especially on warmer days… I like watching movies, but we didn’t watch them that often because Nanna had this old analogue television that barely worked.” You smile at the memory.

Jake grins. “We can work with that. You know, I think there might be some old paint supplies in one of the spare rooms. I don’t know if you’d be able to use it, it was here when Heeseung bought the house. But I can try find it for you, if you want.”

Your heart warms a little at his thoughtfulness. “That would be great. Thank you.”

“No worries. If you want something to do while you wait, there’s tons of books out in the lounge. Or you can watch a movie, there’s plenty to choose from.”

“Alright.” You hop down from the counter and walk out into the living room. Jake follows you out.

“I’ll be back,” he tells you. Then he heads down the hallway and into one of the rooms.

You stand in the middle of the living room, looking around and trying to decide what to do. You see one of the few modern things in the room– the large flat-screen tv mounted on the wall. It’s foreign to you. Back in Riverfield, there wasn’t anything fancy. It was fairly old-fashioned. A result of being small and isolated, you guess. You want to watch a movie, but you don’t even know how to turn this thing on, which is kind of embarrassing.

Sunoo sees your confused expression and chuckles, making his way over. “Need some help, princess?”

“Uh, yeah.”

He strolls over to the coffee table and picks up a remote. He stands beside you so you can see the buttons. “Okay, to turn it on, you press this red button here. This little plus sign turns the volume up, the minus turns it down. This one shows you all the channels. These are the different streaming services, where you can watch movies and tv shows. Use these buttons to scroll. Got it?”

Your eyes narrow as you try to remember everything. You nod. “I think so.”

“I’ll be working out here anyway if you need help.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

He disappears down the hall.

You sit down on one of the sofas and turn the tv on.

Two people appear on screen, a man and woman, holding hands as they walk into a house. A couple, you’re guessing. The romance genre was never really your thing, but you can give this one a try.

You settle back into the cushions, getting comfortable. The actors are standing in the kitchen now, talking about some guy who had been bothering the female lead.

“You think I’d just let him harass you?” The man moves closer, trapping the woman against the counter.

“I don’t need you to be my knight in shining armour.” The woman tries to sound defiant, but her body language says otherwise.

“Knight in shining armour? I never claimed to be that heroic.” He leans down, his lips ghosting over hers. “I’m just keeping my girl safe. Screw everyone else.” He kisses her and though she tries to pull away at first, she eventually gives in.

You sigh under your breath. You wait for them to pull apart, but they don’t. You shift when the man lays the woman on the countertop, his tongue still somewhere in her mouth. You look out the window, ignoring the film until this part is over.

But then a cry comes through the speakers and you look at the screen to see the woman half-naked, the man between her legs with his hips moving at a rough pace. Your mouth falls open as you realise what’s happening. Moans and sounds of skin on skin play mortifyingly loud through the speakers as you dive for the remote.

“Shit. Where is it? Oh my god.” You cringe as you hear a whiny, “Harder.”

You finally find the remote and hurriedly turn the tv off. You release a breath, slumping back against the sofa.

“Interesting movie choice, princess. I never would have thought you were into porn.”

You flinch, turning around to see Sunoo standing behind you, a laptop under his arm and an amused grin on his face.

“It wasn’t porn!” you exclaim, feeling your cheeks grow hot. “I just turned the tv on and it was normal until they started– I don’t– No!”

He sits down on the other end of the sofa. “No need to be embarrassed. It’s a normal thing to do. Just maybe not in the living room where anyone could walk in.”

“Shut up! I don’t watch porn. I’ve never watched it and I don’t want to watch it!”

“Okay, okay. I believe you, calm down.” He grabs the remote from you. “Let’s just pick something else.”

He turns the tv back on and you’re horrified to see the actors are still going at it.

“Oh,” Sunoo says as the actress kneels on the kitchen floor and licks what looks like whipped cream off the man’s penis. “You know, I never got the whole whipped cream thing. It just seems so messy and sticky. Like sex doesn’t have enough of that already,” he comments casually.

“Turn it off!” you shout, covering your face and wanting to curl into a ball.

“Alright, alright.” The living room goes quiet and you look at the screen. He’s changed it over to Netflix. He hands the remote back. “Here.”

You mumble a thank you and start scrolling through. You put on a random movie, taking note of the rating to make sure it’s safe before putting the remote down and settling in again. Sunoo opens his laptop and starts typing away.

You look over. “You said before that you’re working? What do you do?”

“All of us work for this big entertainment company. I’m a talent scout. I keep an eye out on social media and that for potential trainees.”

You tilt your head, intrigued. “An entertainment company? That’s… unexpected.”

“It was Heeseung’s father’s company. He left it to him, so now he just oversees it from afar, with employees to attend meetings and everything for him. He saw it as the easiest way to earn money.”

“That makes sense. But why not get jobs of your own? I mean, what if you don’t want to do this kind of work?”

Sunoo looks up at you. “It’s not that simple, princess. We can go to the ‘outside world’, obviously. And we do, sometimes. But working out there and being out there all the time just wouldn’t work. It would be like putting an alcoholic in a beer, wine and spirits store. It’s easier to resist temptation when there’s just one person versus when there’s thousands.”

You nod, seeing his point.

“Y/N.”

You turn around to see Jake standing at the mouth of the hallway, a bright smile plastered on his face. “Yeah?”

“I found some of that paint supplies if you want to have a look.”

Your face lights up. “Oh, really? I’d love to.”

You hop up off the sofa and follow him down the hall to the last door on the left.

Inside, it’s feminine, with floral wallpaper and a sewing table set up in the corner. There are cabinets and shelves and tubs all filled with craft supplies. It’s dusty, and you can tell no-one’s been in here for a long time. But it’s still nice. It makes you think of a woman just enjoying her spare time from homely duties and being creative. You like it.

Jake picks up a carboard box and brings it over. “There are paints and brushes and stuff in here.” He gestures to one of the cabinets. “And canvases and easels in there. Feel free to set up wherever you want.”

You peer inside the box and smile, taking it from him. “This is great, thank you so much.”

“Any time, sweetheart. It gives you something to do. And if you enjoy doing it, then even better.”

 “I do. Is it alright if I test the paint?”

“Of course, go ahead.”

You get out a palette and squeeze some paint onto it. It’s runny with clumps in it. Your lips turn down. “It’s separated. I can’t use it.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, I’ll buy you some next time I’m out.”

You look up. “What? No, you don’t have to do that.”

He smiles. “Don’t worry about it, it’s the least I can do.” He picks the box up again. “You go and get back to your movie. I’ll take this up to your room for you.”

Your eyes soften. “Thanks again, Jake.”

He nods and walks past you, out of the room. You stand there, looking around for a minute longer before leaving too, closing the door behind you.

***

You don’t know how long it takes for you to fall asleep, just that it takes a while. There had been a lot on your mind. A lot that had happened in one day. And you hadn’t really had a chance to digest it all until you were lying in bed and staring absent-mindedly at the light fixture.

Once you finally do cross the threshold into unconsciousness, all those thoughts bleed through and plague your dreams, creating one big movie.

You’re laughing with Riki. The two of you are sitting on the balcony outside your bedroom, admiring the view. Or at least you were until he cracked a joke and now the two of you are wheezing, bent over with mirth. It’s dusk, and the moon has just appeared in the steely blue sky. There’s a nice breeze drifting through the canopy and ruffling your hair.

You catch your breath and look up, meeting Riki’s eyes. He gives you that cheeky smile.

“You look like a tomato.”

“And you look like a weed.” You smile and playfully bump his shoulder.

You guys lean on the railing, letting silence fill the space around you. You can hear crickets and cicadas, and the rustling of the leaves. You take a deep breath in, then slowly let it out. You feel light. The stress and fear is gone and you feel happy. At home even. You’re no longer wound up with anxiety and paranoia and what ifs? You’ve accepted what fate has in store for you, and you’re going along with it. And it’s so freeing.

There’s a knock on the window behind you and you see Jay standing there. You open it.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I have something I need to talk to you about,” he says.

You nod and climb back inside. “What’s up?”

He grabs your hand and leads you away from the window, voice low like he’s about to reveal a secret. “They’re looking for you.”

You frown, not liking his ominous undertone. “Who is?”

“Heeseung and Sunghoon. You need to hide.”

“What? Why? Jay what’s going–”

He guides you toward the door. “Just go!” he whispers, opening it.

You stumble through and look up and down the hallway. It’s dark and you can hardly see anything. You put one hand on the wall, using it to guide you as you jog blindly down the hall.

Suddenly, a door opens part way and soft yellow light spills out through the gaps. You head towards it.

You step inside and the door slams shut behind you. You jump, whirling around to see Heeseung standing there, one hand on the door as he looms over you.

“You’re not getting away this time, love.”

You back away from him. You hear footsteps and look over your shoulder to see Sunghoon approaching from the other side of the room.

Your heartbeat quickens and you know they have you cornered. Your back presses against the wall and the light– coming from the candles burning around the room– goes out.

An arm wraps around your waist and you’re picked up and slung over someone’s shoulder.

He drops you down on the bed and you feel his weight pin you down as he straddles your legs. You struggle, trying to wriggle out from underneath him and push him off.

“There’s no use fighting, angel,” Sunghoon’s voice says from somewhere to your left. You feel the mattress dip as he gets on the bed.

“Don’t worry, love. I’m sure you’re tough enough to take both of us, right?” Heeseung purrs above you.

You scream in protest as he gets off of you and you’re manoeuvred onto your stomach.

“Me first,” Sunghoon says. You feel his movements on the bed as he gets behind you. He leans down, his chest brushing against your back, and he wraps your hair around his fist, pulling your head back. You wince at the stinging in your scalp. “You should have listened, angel,” he whispers in your ear.

He buries your face in the pillow, holding your head in place, and your shouts become muffled.

Your surroundings become distant, in a way. Your senses are off. But you do register the cool air hitting your now bare core, panic rising alongside the goosebumps on your skin.

“No!” you try to scream, but you can’t hear your own voice. You feel the tears soaking your face and the pillow, though.

Something prods your entrance and you desperately try and crawl away, but you can’t move. Your voice breaks as you scream as loud as you can.

Your eyes fly open and you gasp. You scramble to sit up, your heart pounding in your chest. You look around. You’re in your own room, in your own bed. You’re alone.

“Fuck,” you whisper, running your hands over your face.

You sit there for a few minutes, but you just can’t calm down. Restless, you throw back the covers and get up. You take a few steps toward the door, but then you pause. Where are you even going? Are you really going to wander around the house this late, after that dream?

You sigh. You don’t want to stay in here. You’ll just start thinking and overthinking and it will drive you crazy. You need a distraction.

You open the door and stop in your tracks when you see the door across from yours open too.

Jake appears, wearing a t-shirt and boxers, his hair messy. He looks up and freezes. “Y/N? What are you doing up?” he asks quietly, his voice rough.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“I was going to get a glass of water. Is everything okay?”

You chew your lip. “Actually… um, do you think I could… come in? I could kind of use someone to talk to.”

He blinks. “Oh. Of course, come on in.” He steps aside and you cross the hallway into his room.

The lamp on the bedside table casts a warm light over the space, making it feel cosy.

You sit on the bed and look at a framed picture on the dresser that catches your eye. Jake is crouching down, his arms around a beautiful border collie. An older woman and a guy around his age are on either side of him.

Jake shuts the door and sits on the bed beside you. You notice as he runs his fingers through his hair, trying to smooth it down. “What did you want to talk about?”

You glance at him. “I’m not sure. But I thought talking to you might help distract me from the nightmare I had.”

“Oh, a nightmare, huh?”

You nod. “Yep.”

“Well I’d be more than happy to distract you.” He falls backwards, lying down. “May as well get comfortable, sweetheart.” He grins.

You chuckle. You look at him, and after a moment you lie down next to him, leaving a few inches between you. You sigh softly, looking up at the ceiling. “So where are you from originally? I picked up on your accent earlier.”

“Well I was born in Korea. But I moved to Australia with my mum and brother when I was nine.”

“Is that them?” You point to the photo frame.

He follows your gaze. “Yeah.”

“You guys make a beautiful family.”

He smiles. “Thank you.”

“What’s your dog’s name?”

 “Layla.” He looks at the photo, smiling fondly.

“She’s adorable.”

“She is... I miss her.” He turns his head to look at you. “Have you got any pets?”

You shake your head. “No. I never have.”

Jake’s eyebrows rise. “Seriously?”

“Mhm. I always wanted a cat or a dog, but…” You shrug. “We never got one.”

“Maybe we should get a pet. It would liven the house up a bit.”

“I think I’ve been doing enough of that lately.”

He laughs. “Yeah, you certainly have.” He yawns and stretches, then flips onto his side, facing you.

You smirk, turning your head to look at him. “Am I keeping you up?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m wide awake.”

You sigh. “So am I, after that dream.”

“It shook you up that bad?”

“Well, yeah. It was fine at the beginning, but then something… I don’t know– bad? traumatising? happened. Something that could– and I’m scared will– happen in real life.”

Jake frowns, concern in his eyes. “What was it?”

You chew your lip, teeth tugging at it until a small flake of skin comes off and the vague taste of blood hits your tongue. You twist the ring on your right hand– take it most of the way off, then put it back on before repeating the movement. You don’t meet Jake’s gaze, opting to stare at the ceiling instead. “Heeseung and Sunghoon. They lured me into that room, the one with all the dark furniture and candles, and they pinned me down and I couldn’t get away and Sunghoon…” You trail off, not sure how to say it or particularly wanting to say it at all.

“Wait. Someone showed you the cell?”

You frown, looking over. “Yes…? Sunghoon showed me right after he caught me trying to get away for the third time. Hold on, you call it the cell?”

“A few of the guys started it. It’s a scare tactic for when the girls act up. We’ve never actually taken anyone in there, let alone used it.”

“Oh.”

He hesitates. “But, if I’m being honest, if any girl was going to end up in that room, it would be you.”

An ounce of the resurfaced nerves and fear shows in your eyes as you meet his gaze. “Why?”

He bites his lip. “I don’t know. There’s just… something about you, I guess. As cliché as that sounds.”

You shake your head. “I don’t want to go in there again.”

“You might not. But even if you did, I’m sure they wouldn’t hurt you.”

“I don’t want it to happen at all. I’m not going to have my fir-” You stop yourself, realising your slip up. You look away.

“Wait. Your first time?”

You clench your jaw, which is all the answer he needs.

“Is that one of the reasons you’re so scared?”

“I don’t want to have sex with any of you anyway,” you say and it comes out colder than you mean it to.

There’s a beat of silence.

Jake shifts, inching closer. “Are you sure?” he asks in a low voice.

You turn your head to look at him. “What the fuck do you mean, am I sure? Yes. I am.”

“How could you know without giving it a try?”

Your heart beats a little bit faster as he gets close, his body brushing against yours as he looks into your eyes. You want to retort, but you don’t know what to say. You feel this slight buzz of anticipation.

“Maybe you’re lying to yourself, sweetheart. Or maybe you’re in denial.” His eyes flicker to your lips. “Should we test it out?”

You could push him away. Just say no. But there’s a part of you that’s curious what it would be like. And that part takes over as you nod timidly.

Jake smiles. His hand comes up to cup your face gently as he leans in. His lips press against yours and you feel a warmth spread throughout your body. It’s like a switch flips in your brain and you don’t register anything except him. His lips, his warmth, the lingering smell of his cologne. Without thinking, you tentatively kiss him back. One hand slides up his chest and the other goes to his hair, your fingers threading through the soft strands.

His free hand moves under your shirt and rests on your bare hip. It sends a small shiver up your spine.

The kiss grows more heated, Jake dragging your bottom lip gently between his teeth. You part your lips and he slips his tongue into your mouth.

Eventually, you pull away for air. Your chest rises and falls, and your heart pounds. Your cheeks feel warm.

Jake’s thumb swipes under your lip, tugging it gently. “You know, if you’re scared, I can help. I’ll be your first time.”

You look up at him, eyes tinted with lust. “How would that help me?”

“I’ll show you what it’s like, help prepare you. There’s nothing to be scared of, sweetheart.” His voice drops to a more seductive tone. “I can make you feel so good, if you let me.”

Heat starts to pool between your legs at the thought of it. On the few occasions you’ve found yourself with your fingers tracing your clit and dipping into your clenching core, you’ve wondered what it would feel like to have someone else touch you. To have someone inside you. The older you got, the more you wanted it. And now it’s being offered to you on a silver platter. You just have to say yes.

But he’s one of your captors. He’s a vampire. You can’t let–

You don’t care. You want him.

“Do it,” you say quietly, but surely.

Jake leans in and kisses you again. He grabs your hips and manoeuvres you so you’re straddling him. His fingers grasp the hem of your shirt and slowly lift it up, brushing against your skin. You pull away long enough for him to lift it over your head and drop it on the floor.

You feel a little self-conscious as he admires your breasts, but then he places a kiss to your neck and the thought escapes your mind. He peppers kisses from your jaw, down your neck, across your chest. His hand trails up your stomach and his finger hooks the cup of your bra, pulling it down. Your breast spills out and he kisses just above your nipple before taking it into his mouth. You moan softly and your head tilts back. He does the same to the other before sliding your bra straps down your shoulders, one hand then moving up your back and undoing the clasp. Your bra falls between your bodies and he chucks it aside. His lips return to yours and you gladly kiss him back once more.

You pull away, tugging on his t-shirt. “I think this can come off, don’t you?”

Jake smiles and obeys, pulling the shirt over his head and discarding it. Your eyes are drawn to his abs and your fingers reach out to touch them, ghosting over the lines.

“So pretty,” you murmur.

His fingers wrap around yours and bring your hand up to his lips. He presses a kiss to the back of your hand. “You’re prettier, baby.”

You feel a flutter in your stomach at the name.

You can feel your slick steadily dripping into your panties and you start getting impatient. You shift forward on Jake’s lap and you feel how hard he is beneath the thin material of his boxers. A quiet whine escapes your lips as you grind on his bulge. He inhales sharply, grabbing onto your hips. He looks at you and you meet his gaze. His eyes are darkened with desire, and you’re sure yours are too.

“You want to take it further?” he asks.

You nod, and he guides you off his lap. He grabs the waistband of his boxers and slides them off, letting his cock spring free. You almost moan at the sight of it, squeezing your thighs together. You have nothing to compare it to, but it looks long and thick enough to hit all the spots your fingers never reached. So pretty, too, just like the rest of him.

He doesn’t even have to ask before you shimmy out of your shorts and panties, casting them aside.

Jake looks up at you and bites down on his lip. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he says under his breath.

You smile shyly, crawling over and straddling him again. Your pussy clenches around nothing, knowing his cock is so close yet so far.

Jake takes your hands and places them on his shoulders before resting his hands on your waist. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” you say quietly.

“I’ll help you through it, don’t worry.”

You nod. You lift yourself up a little more and move forward, so your pussy is hovering over his cock.

“That’s it.” He wraps his hand around the base, holding it steady for you. “Now lower yourself down. Take your time.”

You do as he says. You feel his tip pressing at your entrance and you take a second. This is it. You take a breath and sink down further, whimpering at the stretch that brings a bit of pain and a bit of pleasure. You close your eyes, trying to relax your body as you attempt to take him. He bottoms out and you exhale softly.

Jake massages the skin of your hips, giving you a small smile. “Good girl. You’re doing well, baby.” He places a short kiss on your lips. “Move when you’re ready, you’re in control here.”

You slowly lift yourself back up, moaning as his cock drags against your walls. Then you sink back down. It takes you a couple of tries before you find the perfect angle, the head of his cock brushing that spot inside of you that has you craving more. The sounds filling the room are downright dirty, but neither of you care. Jake’s head is tilted back, eyes closed and lips parted as he holds on to your hips. His moans sound so sweet, making you want to draw more out of him.

Your thighs start to burn, but you keep going, too lost in the pleasure to stop. The band in your stomach is tightening, getting closer to snapping.

Jake sees you starting to struggle and grips your hips tighter, helping lift you up and down, thrusting up into you each time. You cry out, grabbing onto his shoulders so you don’t fall.

“Fuck,” he groans, biting down on his lip. The sound of his voice has you clenching around him.

He pulls out of you and you whimper at the loss. He flips you onto your back, barely giving you a second to catch your breath before swiftly entering you again. He leans down and captures your lips in a hungry kiss, his thrusts beginning to speed up. He’s growing more desperate, and honestly, so are you.

You wrap your legs around his waist and the new angle allows him to go deeper. It quickly brings you to the edge, only needing a small push to send you over. “I’m close,” you say in a small voice.

“I got you, sweetheart.” He places a gentle kiss to your neck, his hand reaching between the two of you. His thumb finds your clit, rubbing slow circles.

You start to squirm, grinding your hips into his touch. The pleasure builds until it’s nearly unbearable, and then it releases, hitting you like a tidal wave. Your eyes roll to the back of your head, your back arching. You feel like your nerves are alight, your senses being consumed.

Your orgasm triggers Jake’s own, his hips stilling before he empties himself inside of you. You whimper slightly at the feeling, still recovering from your high.

Jake pulls out and lies down beside you. He turns his head to look at you. “You feeling okay?”

You nod, turning onto your side. “I’m good,” you say with a smile.

He raises a brow, clearly a little surprised. “Really?”

“Really.” You’re telling the truth. You don’t feel bad at all. If anything, you feel better now.

He must see in your face that you’re being honest. He grins. “That’s good, sweetheart. I’m glad.” He kisses you, softly this time. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Jake goes and gets a wet towel, then comes back and gently wipes away the mess between your thighs. He picks up your clothes from the floor and helps you put them back on, getting dressed himself before climbing back into bed.

“You can stay here if you want,” he offers.

You settle under the covers, getting comfortable. “I think I will.”

He chuckles to himself, getting comfortable as well. “Goodnight, sweetheart. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight. Sweet dreams to you too.” You close your eyes.

Jake turns out the light and the room goes dark.

As you lay there, waiting for sleep to take over, you can’t help but think how right this feels. It makes you happy, having someone lie beside you. You can’t help but feel like this is a turning point. Not just because you lost your virginity. But like maybe you can finally start putting a bit of trust in the men you’ve found yourself stuck with.

To be continued...

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Dividers by @dollywons

𝐁𝐄𝐓≛ 04 ass-gyu

𝐁𝐄𝐓≛ /. MASTERLIST

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SYNOPSIS. after jake takes a new liking to his friend's diligent liberal arts partner, he decides to start a bet with his friends. "lets play a game. whoever can win her heart gets anything, anything they want."

a/n: more tea?? beomgyu & luna? seoyeon accused for liking sunghoon? what's the truth

taglist.

@fiantomartell @terrytaehyunnies @nyujjan @softforqiankun @redikuluspupil @berriniki @hobistigma @punneysushi01 @jdyunvrs @icywhatim @deathena @dear-dreamie @sunghoonsflwr @neovrse @whoe-dis @primorange @enhacolor @sunghonkers @shoftiiel @luv3iza @ncityy04 @jjun4thitboy @j3ntle @studioreader @elicheel @nyfwyeonjun @enheyy @abdiitcryy @angxln-ki @atinyyylove @chuntians @msxflower @luv4dream @ohmy-fandoms @jayk1wrld @90sni-ki @mymeloem19 @bunniin @hwalllllllelujah @milkycloudtyg @kingkaithekiwi @liliansun @witheeseung @c9tnoos @hoonbokki @killyoselff @myluckycat @yougeans @blank-velvet @cha-raena

Whispers From My Heart (pt.2) - Won (양정원)

Do you believe in fate? If you were asked this question 2 years ago, you would've said no. But now, you're not so sure. ꒰ wc: 5.5k ꒱

[pairing] brother's best friend! jungwon x fem! reader [genre] brother's best friend trope, unrequited love, coming-of-age, fluff, slow burn [warnings] cursing

read part 1 here

your bookshelf 📓✧˖°.

“I have a secret.”

〰

When people think about their job, the first things that come to mind are their demanding boss, the clock on the wall that drags on, and that coworker who always gossips and never works. To sum it all up: stress.

But it was different for Jungwon. 

While people around him would hate having to wake up at 6 am every day to get ready and drive to work in the heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic or have to get squashed against the window like sardines in a crowded train, Jungwon didn’t mind.

He loved getting up in the morning to water his plants, feed his Birman cat as she curled up around his ankle, and eat breakfast as he scrolled through the daily news. Most of all, he loved his job. 

Making desserts and pastries started as a way for Jungwon to take his mind off his family situation when he was younger. But as time went on, it evolved into something more than that. It became a hobby that eventually blossomed into a dream. 

He had been working at his current job for a little over a year now. It was a cute family-owned cafe near his old job that he came across one day while he was scarfing down his lunch on the side of the street. The sign on the door that read “hiring!” was practically screaming at Jungwon. 

He had been in desperate need to find a job since his monthly rent was almost due, and his last job was a total nightmare. Working 13-hour shifts, seven days a week, delivering food on a motorcycle proved too much for Jungwon. Paired with the constant mistreatment from his boss, making him work overtime with no compensation, and the difficult customers, it was too much to handle. 

The final straw for Jungwon was when a customer threw a scalding bowl of soup at Jungwon because he had gotten there too late. He had tried to explain that there had been an accident in the middle of the road and that was the reason for his delay. Not only did Jungwon get his clothes dirty and burnt, but his boss screamed at him for 30 minutes while he bowed continuously. The cost of the meal was even taken out of Jungwon’s hard-earned paycheck that could barely get him by.

Even though Jungwon desperately needed money, he had dignity and self-respect. So the next day, he called his boss, telling her that he was done. Enough was enough. 

Now his dream is to save up enough money to open his own cafe so that he can do the thing that he loves forever. 

Out of his right back pocket, Jungwon pulled out his phone to check the time, 6:31 am. Right on schedule, he had about ten more minutes before he had to walk to the nearby subway station to catch his train to work.

With a hint of hesitation, his finger hovered over the messaging app before giving in and tapping on it. He swiped down past his coworkers and boss, skipping over Sunoo’s name, and finally stopped. It hadn’t been long since he changed your contact from little sis to Y/N, although the alteration feels somewhat pointless since you had stopped replying to him or even reading his messages. But even still, he found himself lingering over your contact every single day. 

Today was no different. His message from 6 months ago was still left unread, much like with the 20 other messages before that. 

A sharp pang of disappointment jabs at his heart, he should be used to it now, but it never gets easier. 

Jungwon wondered what had happened. 

From what he remembered, you guys left on a good note. He never went back to your house to visit after he moved back to his hometown to take care of his family problems, but it wasn’t like he vanished without a word. He had called your family to deliver the news, and he remembers saying goodbye to you. But you only responded with an “Okay, take care.” 

Back then, Jungwon hadn’t thought anything of it, but now, thinking back, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he might have offended you in some way.

Over time, you had become a very close friend to him. You comforted him when his father was diagnosed with cancer. You showed genuine care and concern without any judgment about his background or circumstances and didn’t pity him like his other classmates. Your whole family was his savior, and it really saddened him that you two were no longer in contact. At some point, you had stopped replying to him, not even responding to his birthday or holiday wishes to you.

Jungwon accepted it, but he still found himself checking, just in case. 

〰

The walk to the subway today felt different. There was an indefinable shift in the atmosphere that Jungwon couldn’t quite put his finger on. Everything seemed a little brighter, and the people around him seemed a little happier. It’s like that feeling you have when it’s a national holiday, and everyone is excited to participate in the festivities of the season. 

But today was no holiday. It was a weird feeling, but Jungwon shook it off and continued walking towards the subway station. 

It was a normal occurrence for the subway to be crowded with people, especially around 7 am, with everyone trying to get to work or school. 

But, yet again, today was different. If Jungwon moved one step to the left, he would accidentally step on the grandma next to him, or if he stepped back, he would step onto the wheels of a child stroller. 

The subway was jampacked, filled with the usual commuters hurrying to their destinations, but Jungwon also saw new faces. Ones that looked around, some in awe, while others in confusion. 

Jungwon turned to the elderly lady standing next to him and asked, “Good morning, Grandmother.” the older woman turned towards him slowly with a nod and a gentle smile, which Jungwon returned before continuing, “Do you happen to know what’s happening today? Why are there so many people?”

The grandmother’s face scrunched up in confusion, suggesting she might have a hard time hearing him, which prompted Jungwon to kindly repeat his question, leaning a bit closer this time to ensure she could hear him clearly.

“Ah! Yes! We’re having a conjoined parade with the city next to us because we recently helped them fix that one big bridge that broke…what was it called again?” The grandmother’s face once again scrunched up in confusion as she turned her brain inside out, trying to remember. “The…uhh…I’m afraid I don’t really remember,” she concluded, looking away while scratching her head. 

Jungwon smiles, offering a slight bow of gratitude to the kind lady before turning his attention back to the front. Now it made sense why there were so many people who looked confused. They’re probably lost. Jungwon would be, too, if he were stuck in the middle of a crowded subway in a new city. 

Amidst the hustle and bustle, the loudspeaker suddenly blared, a woman’s voice ringing through the station. Jungwon strained his neck to hear her announcement over the crowd.

“Train 2A arriving at station 3 at 6:57 am. Train 2A arriving at station 3 at 6:57 am.”

Jungwon heaved a sigh of relief as he moved with the crowd. They moved like currents in the ocean, pooling into the open doors. In the midst of the chaos, someone behind Jungwon accidentally stepped on the heel of his shoe, causing Jungwon to stumble slightly before finally crashing onto a seat by the window. 

Jungwon wraps his arm around his bag protectively as he settles in, ignoring the rest of the people still scrambling to find a seat. 

Looking out the window, Jungwon can see that the crowd had slightly dissipated a bit after the arrival of the train. Those who were once confused were now determined after finding out the way to their final destination. It was starting to look and feel like every other Tuesday morning. 

Resting his head against the cool glass window, Jungwon allows his gaze to drift downward, observing the passing scenery. The sound of the train doors closing signals its impending departure, and for a moment, the world outside appears to be in motion, just like his thoughts. 

Would things have turned out differently if he hadn’t looked up at that moment as the train was pulling away? Maybe someday in the future, he would’ve regretted this thing that he didn’t even know was about to happen.

But as fate would play out, Jungwon would lift his head up at the last moment. And the world around him seemed to slow to a crawl as he locked eyes with you. 

〰

“Do you believe in fate?”

If you were asked this question two years ago, you would’ve confidently said no. 

But as you stood amidst the bustling crowd, eagerly waiting for your train inside the subway station, your life took a drastic turn. You locked eyes with someone sitting on the train, and at that moment, everything changed. 

The encounter lasted a mere two seconds, but in that fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still. As the train swiftly picked up speed and moved away, you couldn’t tear your eyes away, your mouth parting open in shock. There was no denying it; the boy staring back at you with wide eyes was undoubtedly Jungwon. He had the same innocent look on his face with his big round eyes and cute dimples. 

All of the feelings that you had carefully stored away in your heart came back to the surface the second you saw him again. It was like you never stopped loving him. 

Your heart felt heavy, and a flood of emotions washed over you like a tidal wave as you watched the train become smaller and smaller before finally disappearing from view. The impulse to chase after Jungwon tugged at you, but you quickly gave up that thought. There was no way you could outrun a train and get to the next stop before it. It also wasn’t guaranteed that Jungwon even recognized you. It had been two years. Even if he did recognize you, who’s to say he would get off on the next stop? The doubts and uncertainties weighed heavily on your thoughts, making your desire to pursue him seem utterly ridiculous. 

Plus, the thought of seeing Jungwon and approaching him again left you paralyzed. What would you even say to him after all this time? Admit that you purposely didn’t reply to his messages even though you read every single one over ten times? Maybe if you were stupid enough, you would even accidentally confess your love for him. The thought of that possibly happening made you cringe so hard; you’d rather finish your 20-page research paper on prehistoric art. 

You were a part of the crowd that was visiting for the day for the celebration. After hearing about this event, you finally had an excuse to be in Jungwon’s hometown. At least that’s what you convinced yourself. There were many times in the past when you were close to dropping everything and calling up Jungwon to meet up, but a part of you was always hesitant. And as time went on, it became harder. You lost a reason to even talk to him, let alone meet up and confess your feelings. 

A violent buzz in your pocket snaps you out of your daze. Your hand reaches into your pocket, pulling out your phone. Upon seeing the screen, you smile softly. The picture on the screen was taken 4 years ago when you were still 18, and Jungwon was 23. You both had on a beanie, your noses red from playing in the snow, and you were chucking snowballs at each other. 

A tinge of sadness crept into your smile. You guys were so close, and now here you are, turning off your phone, shoving it back into your pocket, rejecting Jungwon’s call. 

“Call me a coward, but I’m not ready to face this,” you whispered to yourself, taking in a deep breath.

〰

Nothing significant happened after your short encounter with Jungwon at the subway station. Seeing him again felt odd. You were expecting him to look completely different. You had imagined him looking like a middle-aged workman who was unkept because he was too busy worrying about his job. Maybe he would have some slight facial hair and a half-done tie. 

But he looked the same, maybe even better than ever. You hated that. Your heart still raced at the sight of him, even now, as you sat in the lecture hall, thoughts of him lingering in your mind.

Jungwon had texted and called you nonstop in the past few days, but you hadn’t responded to any of them. His text messages were all along the lines of “I know that was you I saw at the subway,” or “Why won’t you talk to me?” and “Did I do something wrong?”

At one point, you thought to yourself, “Heck, what’s the big deal? Why can’t I just tell him that I love him?”

But thank goodness you didn’t let your impulses take over. The consequences were too large, and the risk was too great. After all, Jungwon was your brother’s best friend ever since middle school. Admitting to him that you fell in love with his best friend was asking for a death sentence. Sunoo was already so protective over you. If he found out the guy you liked was his best friend, it would be disastrous. Though Sunoo usually radiated sunshine and rainbows, his anger could make the world feel like it was coming to an end.

As you were lost in your thoughts, you noticed the students around you starting to pack their things as the class came to an end. Letting out a sigh, you began organizing your binder and stowing away your laptop in your backpack. As you zipped it up, you pulled out your phone and dialed your friend’s number. 

The dial tone rang twice before a cheerful voice rang out. “Hey!”

“Hey, Jake. Where are we meeting up later again?” you inquired.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll meet you outside your dorm around 5,” Jake replied cheerfully, his thick Australian accent adding a friendly touch.

“Sounds good! Also, don’t forget-“ you started.

“-your melona popsicle,” Jake interjected with a chuckle. “Yeah, yeah, already got it!”

With a giggle, you blow a playful kiss toward your phone, “You’re literally the best.”

“Very funny, Y/N,” came Jake’s sarcastic reply. “The only time you say that is when I bring you food.”

“Ha ha…you know I’m only joking…” you playfully pouted. 

“Love you too,” Jake laughed. “Okay, I’ll see you later. Remember to put on sunscreen.”

“Yessir!” you playfully saluted, even though he couldn’t see it over the phone. 

After hanging up, you took your usual five-minute walk through the park to get to your dorm.  The weather was fair today–sunny but not overly heated. The distant chirping of birds and the cheerful chatter of students filled the campus atmosphere.

Since finals had just ended, you and your friends had plans to go roller skating later in the day. So you had to get ready. Wearing a skirt to go roller skating was not ideal. 

Upon opening the door to your dorm, a soothing silence greeted you. Your two roommates were still in class, leaving you to enjoy some quiet time. Glancing at the clock on your desk, it read 4:13. Okay, good, you still had a good chunk of time before meeting up with your friends.

After changing into suitable attire and applying sunscreen as per Mr. Jake Sim’s request, you settled back into your chair. Nervously picking at your nails, you read and reread Jungwon’s last message to you, “Y/N, please. I have something I need to tell you.”

Your eyebrows knit up in confusion. What was there that he so desperately needed to tell you? It’s not like you had any common topics you could talk about. It was probably his witty way of tricking you into talking to him–Jungwon was always a sly one. 

With a heavy sigh, you let your head roll back, allowing the chair to rotate slowly as your mind wanders. Your eyes fixated on the spinning ceiling, and before you knew it, your eyelids fluttered shut as you drifted off into a light slumber. 

〰

“Come on, Y/N! You’re so slow!”

Grumbling, you roll your eyes and retort, “Sunghoon, unlike you, this is my first time skating!”

The tall boy only lets out a laugh as he skates near you, reaching out to grab your arm. “Come on, grandma, let’s get you standing at least.”

Using your sleeve, you wipe across your forehead, collecting all the sweat that had accumulated there. “You liar, you said this would be fun.” 

“It is!” Sunghoon whined. “You just have to get the hang of it. You’re almost there!”

Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Sunghoon trying to hold back a cackle. You shoot him an annoyed look, “Fuck off, do I look like I’m getting the hang of it?!”

Currently, you are bent over with one hand on your shaking knees while Sunghoon holds your other hand. As you struggled to gain balance, you watched as a little girl skated expertly past you two, and you let out an embarrassed grumble as Sunghoon doubled over in laughter. 

“What’re you two laughing about?”

Sunghoon’s eyes brightened at the sight of Jake. “Nothing, just complimenting Y/N for her vogue-worthy pose here,” he snickered. 

Jake raised his eyebrows at you, to which you returned with a glare. 

“You better not start laughing at me, too,” you warned.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Jake responded, trying to look offended. 

Before you could retort, you winced slightly from the discomfort coming from your feet. Twisting and turning on the wooden floor to gain balance has taken its toll, and now your ankles are burning from the friction caused by the skates. 

Sunghoon noticed your pained expression and gently asserted, “Okay, that’s enough for now,” as he gently tugged you towards a nearby table. “Rest for a bit. We can continue later.”

Relief surged through you as you gratefully sat down, finally relieving the tension off your aching feet. From your seat, you watched as Sunghoon chased after Jake around the skating rink, both of them laughing as Jake was eventually tackled. You smiled fondly at the sight of your friends. Letting out a sigh, you rubbed your hands on your sore ankles. 

As you winced in pain, a shadow suddenly appeared on the ground next to you. A person approached, their form towering over you, catching your attention. The figure kneeled down, and your eyes widened in shock when you realized who it was. 

Jungwon gently loosened the laces on your skates while murmuring, “Be careful. Your skates are too tight.” 

His unexpected presence left you momentarily speechless, but you managed to find your voice, “J-Jungwon? What are you doing here?”

He looked up with a sad smile, his eyes filled with years of unspoken emotions. “Were you ever going to talk to me if I didn’t approach you?” Jungwon asked softly, his vulnerability evident in his voice. 

His question caught you off guard, and you found yourself grappling with your feelings. At that moment, you realized how much had changed since your last interaction, and you couldn’t help the pang of guilt that was eating at your heart. 

Taking a moment to gather your thoughts, you took a gulp before replying, “I…I don't know. Jungwon, I really don’t know.” Your mouth felt dry, and you silently cursed at yourself. That was not what you wanted to say. 

The weight of your unspoken emotions seemed to hang in the air, creating an awkward tension between you. You prayed that Jungwon couldn’t hear your heart panging against your ribcage. 

Jungwon’s sad smile remained, his eyes searching yours as if trying to decipher your thoughts. You looked away because it felt like he could see all the secrets you had kept hidden for all these years. 

“I just…I want things to go back to how they used to be,” you finally managed to add, your voice tinged with vulnerability. “But it’s so much more complicated now.”

Jungwon’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What do you mean? It doesn’t have to be complicated. We can go back to how we were,” he pleaded softly. 

Rubbing your hands over your face, you let out a frustrated sigh. “Let’s talk about this outside,” you suggested, wanting to be in a more private area. 

You noticed that Jake and Sunghoon were making their way toward you and Jungwon with a concerned look on their face. Despite your inner turmoil, you managed to shoot them a reassuring smile and a thumbs up, signaling that you were fine and there wasn’t a problem. 

Jungwon followed after you in silence, and the awkwardness seemed to linger like an invisible cloud. Once outside, neither of you knew how to break the silence that had settled between you. 

You winced and absently kicked your foot against the concrete, watching as a rock skipped two times before coming to a stop. The sound of the rock hitting the ground echoed in the air, mirroring the uncertainty in your heart. You knew there were things that needed to be said, feelings that had to be acknowledged, but finding the right words was proving to be a challenge. 

How do you casually tell Jungwon you are in love with him without risking him hating you?

Finally, Jungwon took a deep breath and spoke softly, “I’m sorry if suddenly appearing in front of you caught you off guard. I didn’t mean to make things awkward between us.”

“It’s fine,” you mumbled, unable to meet his gaze.

“So…uhm, how have you been?”

You took a moment to compose yourself. You were being rude, and Jungwon didn’t deserve this. “I’ve been okay,” you said, keeping your tone neutral. “Life’s been busy with school and everything.” 

“I can imagine. College was so rough, finals and assignments all chasing after my ass.” Jungwon laughed, his eyes crinkling up into crescents. 

Your heart couldn’t help but ache at hearing his laugh again, the sound bringing back a flood of memories and emotions. 

Your heart swelled at seeing his smile again. 

You couldn’t do this anymore. You couldn’t continue pretending like everything was fine. 

“Jungwon,” you began, palms sweating from the nerves. “What’s the meaning of all this? What’s the point in coming all the way to this city to find me?”

Jungwon’s laughter subsided, and his expression shifted to a look of hurt and confusion. “Y/N,” he started, his voice tinged with frustration as his tongue poked at the inside of his mouth in annoyance. You were shocked. You had never seen Jungwon so visibly angry before. 

“You can’t be serious, right? You’re the one that threw our friendship away. Now, I’m here trying to fix it, and this is all you have to say?” His words cut through you like a dull knife, slow and painful. 

His raw emotions left you feeling exposed and vulnerable, causing you to instinctively bite the inside of your mouth, “It’s just…it’s complicated,” you said, your voice wavering. “It’s not like that,” you tried to explain. “I…I was scared…” your voice trailed off. 

Jungwon’s eyes searched yours, waiting for you to elaborate. When it seemed like you weren’t going to continue, Jungwon whispered, “Scared of what?”

Tears welled up in your eyes, blurring your vision. “I-I’m sorry,” you stammered, “I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to lose you as a friend,” you choked out. 

At the sight of you crying, Jungwon felt a tug at his heart, prompting him to step forward and wrap his arms around you. In his embrace, the realization of how much you missed him hit you like a tidal wave, and you clung to his shirt.

“I’m so sorry,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. It was more like you were talking to yourself, but Jungwon heard it nonetheless. “I should have been brave enough to risk it all and tell you how I felt.” 

“What?”

At this point, you didn’t really care anymore. You were too tired of this game you were playing with yourself. “I shouldn’t have kept it a secret,”  your voice cracking. 

It felt like Jungwon was hit by a truck. At that moment, he was hit with a sudden realization that this was so much more than you feeling regretful for ruining your friendship. Oh my god. This was so much more than just that. Jungwon’s thoughts raced around as his heart pounded in his chest. 

He opened his mouth to respond, to say something, anything, but you were already talking. Your words were spilling out like a floodgate that had finally been opened.

“I love you,” you let out, the words escaping your lips with a mixture of relief and fear. “I’ve loved you for so long, and I’ve been denying it to myself, to everyone. I didn’t know what to do with my overwhelming feelings, so I-I hid them,” your voice broke as you said the last part.

Jungwon started to speak, his voice gentle and caring, “It’s okay, Y/N. We don’t have to talk about th-”

“No, let me finish,” you interjected. “If you don’t let me say this now, I’ll never get the courage to do it again. Taking a deep breath, you continue, “I don’t know when I stopped seeing you as an older brother or a friend. You’ve always been there to help me, and I cherished our friendship more than anything,” you said, your voice softening. “But the truth is, I wanted more.”

There was only a deafening silence after you finished, and that scared you. “I’m really sorry, I should have told you.” 

“I wish you had,” Jungwon said, his voice low and thick with emotion, “I wish you had told me sooner.”

Oh. 

The words hung in the air like a heavy cloud, and panic filled your chest, making it hard to breathe. You ripped yourself away from Jungwon’s arms, the warmth of his embrace now feeling suffocating.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Why hadn’t you thought about that? Jungwon probably had a girlfriend already. To him, you were just a little girl crying about her silly little crush. You felt like a fool for thinking that he could even see you as more than just a friend. 

Jungwon reached out to touch your arm, secretly holding back a smile. But you didn’t see it because you were too ashamed to look him in the face. “Y/N, wait,” he said. “What are you thinking? Talk to me.”

But the panic had taken hold of you, and you couldn’t bear to face the possibility of rejection. Your heart was pounding in your ears, drowning out everything else.

“I-I should go,” you stammered, barely able to get the words out. “I’m sorry for…for everything, but don’t come find me anymore.”

You turned away, your walk breaking into a sprint as you hurriedly make your way through the crowd. You wished you could turn back time and keep your feelings hidden, but it was too late now.

In the midst of your inner turmoil, you didn’t notice Jungwon following closely behind you, his footsteps matching yours. He called out your name, his voice laced with urgency.

“Y/N, please stop,” he pleaded, finally catching up to you and gently grabbing your hand, forcing you to face him.

Tears streamed down your cheeks, and you couldn’t bring yourself to meet his gaze. “I can’t do this, Jungwon,” you spit out. “You don’t have to tell me. I know already.”

The only thing you hear is Jungwon let out a sigh, followed by a slight chuckle. Only then do you slowly look up, and you’re confused. Really fucking confused. Why was Jungwon grinning at you?

“What’s so funny?” you ask, your voice accusing, feeling humiliated. Does he think this is some type of joke?

Jungwon’s chuckle softens, “I’m not laughing at you, Y/N,” he says, his voice tender. “I’m just…relieved, I guess.”

Relieved? Your confusion deepens, and you can’t comprehend what he’s trying to say.

Jungwon smiles brightly as his thumb draws small circles on your hands, “I have a secret too.” 

〰

“Kim Y/N!” Sunoo’s voice rang out through the phone.

“What?!” 

“Hurry up!”

You rolled your eyes as you unlocked the frontdoor to the house, “I didn’t know you missed me that much,” you said sarcastically, walking up the stairs and stopping outside Sunoo’s open door.

Sunoo glared at you through slitted eyes, “Not me,” he grumbled, jabbing his thumb towards his bed. “Take your boyfriend away, he’s been whining this whole time about how you wouldn’t take him on your little hangout.”

You pouted at the boy that was now running towards you, engulfing you in a tight embrace, “I told you already. I was hanging out with my college friends.”

“I missed you,” Jungwon whispered against your lips.

“Get out!” Sunoo yelped. “It’s weird seeing my best friend and my sister together, let alone kissing,” he whined. 

The two of you only laugh as Jungwon picks you up, causing you to let out a squeal, and he carried you to your bedroom. 

“Close my door!” was the only thing you heard from Sunoo before you were gently thrown onto your bed, Jungwon crawling in after you. 

You nestled into Jungwon’s arms, feeling the comfort and warmth that came from being in his embrace. 

“You know, I never took you to be the clingy type,” you said, a mischievous grin spreading across your face.

Jungwon rolled his eyes playfully, a hint of amusement dancing in his smile. “Oh, come on,” he teased, pulling you closer and wrapping his arms around you. “Can you blame me for missing my adorable and amazing girlfriend?”

You let out a mock sigh, feigning exasperation. “I guess I can’t blame you,” you replied, resting your head on his shoulder. “After all, I am pretty amazing,” you grinned. 

Jungwon chuckled softly, his breath warm against your ear. “You’re right. How did I get so lucky?” he whispered, his voice filled with affection. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met.”

You blushed at his words, feeling your heart skip a beat. It was moments like these that made you fall in love with him all over again. He had a way of making you feel special, of making you feel cherished. 

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” you teased, lifting your head to meet his gaze. 

He grinned, his eyes sparkling as he smiled. “Oh, I know,” he said, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on your lips.

The soft touch of his lips against yours sent a delightful shiver down your spine. It was a tender, affectionate kiss that spoke volumes of the emotions he held for you. In that simple moment, your heart swelled with joy and love for him. 

As the kiss lingered for a moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl, and you felt like you were in your own little world. The gentle caress of his lips moving against yours sent sparks flying, and you found yourself clinging to his shirt, not wanting to moment to end.

Jungwon's arms, which were circled around your waist, began gently tickling your sides, making you gasp into the kiss. You let out a squeal of laughter, trying to squirm away, but Jungwon held you firmly in his arms.

"Jungwon, stop!" you giggled, squirming and laughing uncontrollably.

He grinned mischievously, his eyes shining with amusement, but he didn't relent. Instead, Jungwon intensified the tickling, knowing exactly how to make you laugh even more.

"Please," you breathed out in between laughs. "I can't breath," you laughed.

When he finally pulled back, a soft smile graced his lips as he pressed his forehead against yours. "You're adorable when you laugh like that," he whispered.

Blushing and still giggling, you playfully swatted at his chest. "You're just saying that to distract me from the tickling," you stuck your tongue out.

Jungwon chuckled, his eyes softening. "Maybe a little," he admitted, "but I mean every word."

You bit the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from smiling wider and snuggled closer to Jungwon. You could hear the beat of his heart, and you were happy that it was beating as fast as yours.

“You’re everything to me,” he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. “And I wouldn’t trade anything for you.”

Your heart pounded against your chest, and a million butterflies erupted in your stomach in the best way possible. You couldn’t help but return his affectionate smile. “I feel the same way,” you mumbled into his chest. 

“Thank you for telling me your secret.”

“Thank you for telling me yours.”

౨ৎ

tagging : @kcluv @jungwonismybias @mrchweeee @jwsszi @jhopesucker @ashgodash @luvbinniee @en-dazed @aishigrey @luvuwn @silentkarnival @fakeuwus @markerloi @abcdeonu @wonies-princess @aloloveswonie @amanda-archives @chaengswife @yukxin @kpopstanmeg (bold couldn't be tagged!)

a/n : hi guys! tysm if you read till the end! sorry for not releasing this earlier, i went through a rough writer's block and to be honest, i'm not that satisfied with how this turned out, but i thought you guys still deserved the happy ending that you were waiting for! hopefully this filled the void of the sad ending i left in part 1 (sorry about that again) but now yn and jungwon are happier than ever hehe. tysm for all your love and support! and like always reblogs, comments, and likes are vvv much appreciated! thank u for reading this story!

pew ~♡︎

Wowowowow! Soo good🥹 got me cryin buy in the best way possible lol💕

when I think of love (I think of you)

genre: soulmate au, college au, fluff and angst

pairing: yang jungwon x f reader

word count: 8.9k

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There’s a word for it, something that’s whispered behind closed doors, shunned like a bad omen you can’t quite shake. 

Glitch. A cruel twist of fate. A failed soulmate match. 

Something you’ve been since the countdown on your wrist ticked to 00:00 two long years ago and left you just as lonely as ever. Something you’ve been fighting since destiny carved itself into your skin with a dull, lifeless shade of gray. 

But fate is a funny thing. And love, as you’ve learned, is often found in the most unexpected places. 

or, 

In which fate, in all its cruel, incandescent scheming, leads straight to Yang Jungwon. 

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

The overhead fluorescents in this particular lecture hall always manage to leave you with a pounding headache that even a strong dose of Advil can never quite seem to mitigate. 

“And with time, these bonds only strengthen, until a point is reached in which both parties would experience immense pain were they to be separated, willingly or not.” Well, it’s either the lightbulbs or the sound of your professor’s droning. Today, his words are slightly muted where they reach your ears, as if you’re hearing them underwater. It’s information you should be taking in, or at the very least be taking note of since it’s sure to appear in course content later on, but you can’t get your mind to cooperate.

Intro to Soulmate Theory. An absolute joke of a class. The very foundation your society is built around. A nagging reminder of the deficiency that stains your left wrist. 

Unwittingly, you tug your sleeve down further. There’s no need, not really. You made sure it covered the mark fully before you left your dorm this morning. Just like every morning. But long standing habits are rarely broken, and the last thing you need now is yet another reminder of what makes you different, what makes you wrong.  

But there’s little time to ponder this particularly cruel stroke of fate before your professor is pushing forward, unconcerned with the fact that his students may be affected by his lecture on more than an academic level. 

“As per the syllabus, you’ll be completing projects with an assigned partner on a topic of your choice. I encourage you to use a wide variety of resources to reflect and encompass several points of view and ideas surrounding soulmate theory.” 

Several points of view. Yeah, right. In your experience, any arguments against the traditional soulmate model have been met with nothing short of anger and ridicule. 

Although it makes for a frustrating life, it makes for a simplistic assignment. No matter how incompetent your assigned partner, you’re sure it will be easy enough to meet up once or twice and regurgitate common sentiment on how the soulmate system is nothing short of a wondrous gift to humanity. 

Glancing at the clock one last time, you silently thank whatever cosmic forces caused your professor to wrap up class fifteen minutes early. You’ll have enough time to grab a coffee before your shift. Tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, you slide your laptop into your bag before standing up from your seat. No matter what bullshit this particular class dragged you through, today will be a good day. You’re sure of it. 

With one final scan of your area, you head to the front door of the room without a glance back. 

In the very back corner of the lecture hall, tucked neatly out of both sight and mind, Yang Jungwon exhales a long sigh before gathering his things. 

…

“Oh, you are an absolute goddess.” 

Playful frown tugging at your lips, you ask “Why is it that you only praise me when I come bearing gifts?”

Alina takes a moment to respond, too engrossed in the matcha latte you just handed her to concern herself with your question. 

Despite her inclination to only offer compliments as payment for caffeine, she’s hands down your favorite coworker. With Alina, even the slowest of shifts have a way of passing quickly with lots of laughs to fill the silence. 

Sliding into your seat next to her, you turn on your desk computer. “Any new applications to process today?”

“Nothing yet,” Alina glances at the empty inbox to confirm her answer. “This time of year is usually fairly slow. We tend to get more applications at the beginning of the semester and around the holidays.”

“Right.” You nod. “That makes sense.” Times when people are new to campus. And times when people are lonely. 

You had been the latter when you submitted your application. Last year was your first year of university, and although the writing on your wrist had already faded to black by the time you enrolled, living on campus meant you were away from your family and friends for the first time. 

You pushed it off as long as you could. It hurt something in you, pride perhaps, to seek help from the Student Support Center over something that you’d been grieving in private for the better part of a year. 

But loneliness is what finally did it, what finally pushed you to seek support from the university for your condition. For the permanent reminder of cosmic cruelty etched into the soft skin of your left wrist. 

For the second time in the span of an hour, you find yourself tugging at your sleeve. 

You suppose it’s the same thing—injured pride, a deep sense of shame, that has you wearing long sleeves even in the summertime. It’s not like you’re unfamiliar with the failure etched into your skin. You know what you’d find if you looked. A matte gray 00:00. A reminder of what could’ve been, what should’ve been. 

You remember when there was a different number displayed there, one that got smaller and smaller with each passing second. One that glowed a bright, glossy red instead of the dull, lifeless gray it is now. 

Just like everyone else, you’d been born with red numbers on your left wrist. There was no sign then, at your birth, that you were different, that you were a glitch. 

Just like your family, just like your friends, just like your classmates, your number was normal, albeit a bit smaller than most. 

As a child, you’d reveled in it—the comparative smallness of your countdown. It wasn’t unusual for people to have to wait well into their twenties or even their thirties to find their soulmates. But a quick calculation revealed that your countdown would tick to 00:00 just after your seventeenth birthday. 

It feels stupid now, like some sort of cruel joke, that you ever thought yourself lucky. 

Because two years ago, with just seconds to go, you had been waiting in a park close to your school. It was that cosmic energy again, that divine sense of something, that told you this particular park was where your life was destined to change, where you were going to meet your fated soulmate. 

Like everyone else, your timer had run out, and he was there. Handsome and a year or two older than you, if you had to guess. A perfect stranger that you felt like you already knew. A soulmate destined only for you. 

But unlike everyone else, your completed countdown, that ever coveted 00:00, didn’t transform into a glossy, shiny deep violet that signified the successful completion of a soulmate match. 

No, instead it had turned to the same faded gray that mocks you now. 

Confused, your brow drew together as you locked eyes with the man that was supposed to be a culmination of everything clicking into place. 

At a second glance, the wrongness of it all began to sink in. The way he walked toward you with slow, reluctant steps. The way his mouth pulled tight at the corners like he wanted to prevent any words from escaping. 

The wedding ring wrapped around the finger on his left hand that you thought would belong to you. 

It was an accident, he told you. A drunken mistake between him and a girl he met at university. One he wasn’t serious about, but damage had been done nevertheless. A single night that was meant to be a blip, a passing moment in time, but turned into a child. One that the two of them decided to raise together. 

A child that had them both decide to forgo the fate written on their wrists and forge a new life of their own. 

It hurt, he told you, to see you, to know that he was causing you pain. 

But his mind was made up and you knew better than to plead with a man who had fought and forsaken destiny itself. 

It wasn’t your fault. He’d told you that day, and you’ve heard it countless times since then. From your parents. From your closest friends. From your own tear-stained reflection in your bedroom mirror. 

But blame with nowhere to go always had a way of ending up on your shoulders, and reassurances never stopped you from pondering possibilities on sleepless nights. 

What if we had met sooner? What if he never met her? What if they never had a child?

In the end, it was pointless. Fate had been written and rewritten. The stars had aligned and shifted and still remained terribly out of reach. There was nothing you could do, nothing to be done. 

But it didn’t stop the loneliness from seeping in. It was loudest during the quiet moments, but it never truly left. It didn’t matter where you were—in class, with friends, surrounded by people, or completely alone. There was always an overwhelming sense of loss, of loneliness that followed where you went. 

And when the burden of it all felt too heavy, you’d bitten the bullet and applied to your university's support program for glitches, although none of the staff dared to use that word. 

It’s where you’d met Alina. And although she had a bright red number still ticking evenly on her wrist, she’d had a friend who shared your fate. Who let the loneliness consume her instead of accepting help. 

Even if it wasn’t through firsthand experience, Alina knew the pain of failed matches intimately. After a handful of weeks, you’d found genuine friendship in her and she was the one to recommend you for a job on the support team. 

You’re grateful beyond words for her, for all of it. For the people and the friendships and the moments that remind you life is worth living, even on the hard days. 

So you’ll take her compliments with a smile, even when they come at the expense of a matcha latte from her favorite campus cafe. You’ll take the hard days and the good days and all the little moments in between, and at the end of it all, you’re confident there will always be something to smile about, even when your heart feels so heavy you’re afraid it might sink right out of your chest. 

“The matcha’s good?” You ask, even though you know the answer. And if you didn’t, it would be apparent from the fact that it’s already half gone. 

But something in you still smiles, still feels a little lighter when Alina turns to you with a grin and says, “of course.”

…

If there’s one place you still find it difficult to extend optimism towards, it’s your damn Intro to Soulmate Theory course. Although an important element of sociology and objectively relevant, it does more to remind you of your abnormality than just about anything else. 

Thankfully, your professor’s cadence is beginning to slow, a surefire signal that class is wrapping up. You glance up at the clock. Could you really be so lucky as to get out early two classes in a row?

At the front of the lecture hall, your professor peruses his notes one final time. It’s all you can do to suppress a groan when he starts speaking again, and not to dismiss you.

“Before we end for the day, as I mentioned last class, you’ll be completing your next assignment in partners. The instructions, rubric, and due date can all be found on the syllabus, and you’re welcome to email me or attend office hours with any additional questions you may have. I’ve already taken the initiative to pair you, so please listen for your name.

“Kim Sunoo and Lee Heeseung.”

As he moves through the seemingly endless list of names, you begin to tune out. Have there always been this many people in this class?

When you finally hear your name, your attention snaps back into focus. 

“... and Yang Jungwon.”

Yang Jungwon. 

It’s a name you’ve heard in passing, maybe, but he’s not someone you’re familiar with. Standing, you begin to look around the hall. You figure it might be easiest to exchange information now, but if you can’t find him, you could always look up his email on the class list later.

Ultimately, it’s him who finds you.

“___?” At the sound of your name, you turn to face him. Dark hair and eyes, you’re surprised you don’t recognize him more. As it turns out, Yang Jungwon has the kind of face that makes you want to keep looking. The kind of face you’d search a crowd for. 

“Yeah,” you affirm, somewhat breathless. “Yang Jungwon?”

“Just Jungwon is fine.” He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Do you want to go ahead and exchange information? I get my final training schedule later today, so I can message you when I have a better idea of when I’ll be able to meet up.”

“That sounds good.” Nodding, you hand over your phone for him to input his information. As he types, you watch a strand of hair fall over his eyes. “Training schedule? Are you an athlete?”

If he’s put off by your probing, he doesn’t show it. “Mhm,” he nods. “Taekwondo team.”

“That’s cool.” Accepting your phone back, you type your name into the newly created chat. “Here, I’ll send you a message so you have my information too. I work in the afternoons, but I have a pretty consistent schedule. Once you have your training times, we can figure out when we’re both free.” 

Checking the message that comes through with a ding, Jungwon nods. “Perfect.” He hikes his bag further up on his shoulder, pausing for a moment before turning his gaze towards the door that the rest of the class is heading towards. “I’ll see you around, then,” he says before turning to do the same. 

And if you let your gaze linger just a little too long on his retreating back, you’ll be grateful that no one is paying you enough attention to notice.

…

Dinner cleaned up, skincare completed, and the events from the day blurring into a sleepy haze is when his first message reaches you. 

9:36pm Yang Jungwon I got my final training schedule. Looks like I should be free Tuesday and Thursday afternoons after 4 if that works for you?

Double checking your work schedule, you type a reply. 

9:38pm You I work on Tuesdays until 6 but I can do Thursday at 4. 

9:39pm Yang Jungwon Let’s plan on Thursday then 👍 Meet you at the library? I’ll reserve a study room on the first floor. 

9:40pm You Sounds good, see you then!

With the semester well underway, Thursday is quick to roll around. A handful of minutes before four finds you wandering through the first floor of the library, working to locate the study room Jungwon texted you the number of earlier. 

After a minute of searching, you find it, half surprised that he’s arrived even earlier than you. 

Early and straight from practice, you assume, if the still drying strands of hair that indicate a recent shower are anything to go by. 

“Good call on the study room,” you add after your initial greetings. “I always forget how packed the library is once the semester really gets going.” 

“Right?” Jungwon agrees. “I have a friend who swore by them last year, and now I’ll never go back.”

“Sharing the study room secret?” You grin. “That’s a true friend right there.” 

“Yeah,” something softens in Jungwon’s gaze, a distinct fondness in his eyes that tells you he’s thinking of more than just study rooms. “He is.” 

“So,” you continue, not wanting to waste time getting started. “I glanced over the instructions on the syllabus, and it seems pretty straightforward.” Switching to the open tab with the syllabus, you confirm. “Looks like we just need to pick a topic in soulmate theory with some kind of recent research developments and explain why the new research is significant and how it has changed, challenged, or confirmed existing theory.” 

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you force yourself into the familiar state of detachment you always revert to when discussing this particular topic. 

“I don’t know if you have a topic in mind already,” you shrug. “I’m pretty much open to anything.”

He pauses for a moment before answering. “What about—” Dropping his thought into silence, Jungwon seems to reconsider. “Never mind.”

“Is there something you’re interested in?” 

“No.” Jungwon shakes his head. “I doubt there would be any recent research, anyway.”

“Okay.” Part of you wants to push further, but you don’t want to make him uncomfortable. “I just looked up some recent research topics, and it looks like there’s been some more development in theory related to countdown colors and location-based soulmate matches.” Ignoring the way the gray on your wrist suddenly seems like the most prominent thing in the room, you mold your voice into an even tone. “Do either of those sound interesting to you?”

He considers for a moment. “Maybe location-based matches?”

Releasing a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, you nod. “That sounds good to me.” Turning back to your computer, you add, “Let’s both find a few publications to reference and then we can take notes on them before we meet up next week. The final paper is due in four weeks, so we can outline next week and then start the actual writing.”

“Yeah,” Jungwon agrees, “that works for me.”

In the minutes that follow, a silence settles around you. It’s not horribly awkward, but part of you is still itching to fill it with something. 

Finally, you bite the bullet. “Would it be okay with you if I put some music on? Just something instrumental.”

“Sure,” Jungwon nods. 

Grateful, you open your study playlist and begin it on shuffle. The first notes play out, an easy piano melody that cuts through some of the stagnance. 

A handful of songs and journal articles later, Jungwon breaks the rhythm. “Clair de Lune.” A small smile turns the corners of his lips up. “This is on my study playlist too.”

You offer a small smile in return. “You like this song?”

“Yeah.” He nods. The quiet melody sings through the air, floats around tentative glances, delicate breaths. Lands lightly on two sets of shoulders. “You know, you’re better than me. I always end up turning on my regular playlist and then singing along to the songs instead of actually working on anything.”

That earns him a full blown smile. “Believe me, I do that more than I probably should, too.”

A shared grin later, the two of you are back to your own laptop screens. 

Despite the fact that you don’t switch your playlist, you find yourself distracted for the rest of the session. Not by the music, but by the fact that it’s all too easy to picture Jungwon in the comfort of his dorm, headphones on as he sings along with whatever’s playing in his ears, forgotten assignments scattered across the desk in front of him. 

…

Despite your newfound fondness of your project partner, you have a feeling that Intro to Soulmate Theory will continue to be your most dreaded class until the end of the semester releases you from its twice-a-week morning monotony. 

Life seems determined to prove you wrong, though, because just as the professor is settling into his position behind the podium, a body slides into the usually empty seat on your left. 

Startled, you glance up. 

“Jungwon?”

“Hey,” he smiles. “I’m glad I made it on time. I thought for sure I’d be late.” 

He finishes settling into his new seat before sliding something onto your desk. “I brought this for you, by the way.”

Eyes catching on the iced coffee in front of you, you try to do anything but balk. 

“I noticed you have one sometimes in this class. I wasn’t sure what your order was, so I had to guess based on color. And I mean, light brown can be just about anything with iced coffee, so I hope you like it.”

“I—thank you.” The fondness in you swells. For just a moment, it feels like something bigger, something more. Something you haven’t felt since… Since an afternoon you’ve worked hard on forgetting for a long time. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Jungwon shrugs.”I was stopping by the cafe anyway.” He gestures to the coffee on his desk. “Besides, it’s what a partner’s for.” 

“Well thank you,” you repeat. “I—” Whatever you’re about to say is interrupted by the beginning of the lecture. 

You’re not sure if it’s the caffeine or the boy at your side, but something has today’s lecture flying by. You’re not sure if you’ve even blinked once before the professor is dismissing you for the day and you leave Jungwon with an unfamiliar lightness in your heart and a promise to see each other on Thursday.

…

Thursday afternoon finds the pair of you back in the same study room, laptops open and project outline halfway formed. 

This time, the drinks on the table in front of you are courtesy of your wallet. It’s too soon to say for sure, but you have the feeling a tradition of sorts may be blooming. 

You can’t say that you mind. It’s nice to have something to look forward to, to have someone to share it with. It doesn’t matter if it’s small, if it’s nothing but an unexpected coffee to make a study session pass just a bit faster. It feels nice. It feels… special. 

The same instrumental study playlist filtering through your laptop speaker, you both share a small smile when Clair de Lune begins to play. 

It’s pleasant, you realize. A project that you were dreading has become something you look forward to, and you’re sure it’s because of him. 

Despite the fact that you’re poring over research that would sting like a slap in the face under any other circumstance, Jungwon’s presence soothes the ache, keeps the reminders of a fate lost to time and circumstances at bay just by occupying the seat next to you. 

You’re not sure what it is, not sure why it seems to reach you somewhere that’s remained untouched for years, but the more time you spend with him, the more you start to like it. 

That odd sensation that almost feels like butterflies in your stomach. The stilted rhythm of a heartbeat that almost feels like it’s running a little faster. That warmth that sits high on your cheekbones almost like a flustered blush whenever he catches your eye for a little too long. 

A million little almosts. A million little possibilities. A million little somethings you thought ended with the dead countdown on your wrist two years ago. 

You don’t let yourself voice these thoughts, don’t even let your mind linger on the connection for too long. 

If it does, it will twist and tarnish whatever is taking flight into something ugly, something rotten. Will convince you that your happiness is borrowed, that it will only come back in the form of future misery. 

That the semester will end, the class will wrap up, the project will be submitted. 

Yang Jungwon will be nothing but a moment in time. A blip on a radar. Time will continue on with its incessant march and the countdown on your wrist will remain unchanged. 

That it doesn’t matter how many almosts the two of you share. Your fate was written in the stars and unraveled by a man who didn’t want you. 

You’re a failure. A glitch. 

Pretty words and sideways glances and unexpected gestures of kindness won’t change that. 

Yang Jungwon will move on from this project, from this class, from you. 

His countdown will keep ticking if it hasn’t turned to a shiny violet yet, and you will be nothing but a forgotten memory. 

You’re not sure why it’s so upsetting in this moment, this series of truths that have been both apparent and unavoidable since you first made eye contact with Jungwon. But something about the way they swirl in your mind now has you desperate for air, for space. 

You try to offer some halfhearted excuse about stepping out for a moment, and you barely note the concern that flickers across Jungwon’s features in your panic induced stupor. 

You hear your name. Hear it followed by the gentle question, “Are you okay?” 

But it’s muffled. It’s all wrong. 

In your haste to escape, you knock over the gift, your gesture of goodwill in the form of the coffee you brought Jungwon. 

You watch, horrified, as it seems to fall in slow motion, hot, dark liquid spilling over the table. 

“It’s okay,” you think you hear him say. But it’s not. It’s not. 

He reaches for his bag, pulling out a handful of napkins. Instinctively, he rolls up his sleeves to wipe up the excess liquid. 

And that’s when you notice it. The inky 00:00 on the inside of his left wrist. 

It’s not violet. It’s not shiny. It’s a dull, muted, lifeless gray. 

A reflection, a twin, a copy of your own. 

His eyes fall to the same spot as your own, and he’s pulling his sleeve down just as quickly as he rolled it up. But it’s too late. You’ve already seen. 

Shared pain. Shared shame. 

It grounds you. Reaching out a hand, you take a handful of napkins off the top of the pile. 

“Here,” you offer, voice unbearably small. “I can help.” Hollow words and a hollow sentiment. As luck would have it, spilled coffee is the least of your shared concerns. 

Nonetheless, the two of you wipe up the remainder of the spill in silence, a gentle piano melody weaving its way around the silence, wrapping itself around both of your wrists, threading an invisible string between two lost souls, two shared fates. 

“It didn’t get on your computer, did it?”

“No,” Jungwon shakes his head, reaching out his hand to grab the soiled napkins from you before discarding them in the trash can. “Just the table.”

“That’s good.” A moment passes. Two. “I’m sorry.” You’re not sure what you’re apologizing for, what you should be apologizing for, but you take the easy way out. “I should have paid better attention to where your cup was. You can finish mine, if you want.”

“It’s okay.” Running a hand through his hair, he adds, “I usually only drink it hot.”

“I can get you a new one—”

“Really, it’s okay.”

And it is. You can tell that he’s not upset, not about the coffee. But the tension is still there. 

You saw it. You have the sinking suspicion that he knows you saw it. 

And you’re at a crossroads. You can act as if nothing happened, pretend that you saw nothing and return to your half finished project outline. 

But you’ve had friends and family tiptoe around you, and it never left you feeling anything but more empty, more unwanted, more of an anomaly. 

You don’t want Jungwon to feel those things. So you try your best, in a steady voice, hiding the shake in your hands underneath the cover of the table. 

“You know,” you nod towards his arm, taking care to keep any signs of judgment clear from your voice. “I actually work at the Student Support Center. I know it’s rare, but there’s a whole department dedicated to helping people that… struggle with soulm—”

“I think we should just work on the project.” Jungwon is tight lipped where he avoids your gaze. The way he tugs on his sleeves has you wanting to press matters further, to push just a little further until he knows that he has you on his side, but you’ll respect his wishes. The last thing you want is to increase his discomfort, and you have the feeling you’ve already done just that. 

“Okay, yeah.” You take a deep inhale. “I overstepped. I’m sor—”

But Jungwon just shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it.” 

…

But you do. 

You worry about it when you head home for the evening, accidentally leaving the oven on long after your dinner is finished cooking. 

You worry about it as you try to fall asleep, unsettled by thoughts of Jungwon suffering the same pain, the same shame you’ve been hiding the last two years. 

You worry about it when you arrive at class the next day, two coffees in hand. 

Your worry turns to dread when Jungwon never comes, coffee going cold where it sits untouched on your desk.

You worry when you arrive at work, the handful of messages you’ve sent still unanswered no matter how many times you check your phone. 

10:47am You Hi Jungwon, sorry if this is annoying but you weren’t in class today and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay

10:58am You I’m really sorry about the other day at the library. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.

1:32pm You Hey let me know when you see this. I just really want to make sure you’re okay. 

You’ve typed and deleted a million more, unsure of how to best approach the situation. You don’t even know if he considers you friends, really. 

Your shift passes in a blur until Alina asks if you’d be up to pull a double, since someone on the evening shift called out sick. 

Usually you’d be hesitant, but right now you’re desperate for any sort of distraction and agreeing comes easy. 

But you’ve forgotten one key thing. In your old schedule, evening shifts were always your favorites. Primarily because they’re significantly  slower than the rest. Most students preferred to schedule their visits during the day, which left you with plenty of time to catch up on assignments between tasks. 

It’s an especially slow night tonight, the near torrential downpour tearing through the campus an added deterrent to anyone wanting to venture outdoors. Unfortunately, this only leaves you with more time to ruminate over Jungwon, whose name has yet to light up your phone screen. 

You wish you knew more about him. Wish you knew who his friends were so you could reach out to one of them to check in on him. 

You’re halfway convinced you should just go through everyone on your class list and send emails until someone knows something when the sound of a bell chimes out, signaling the opening of the center’s front door. Peering over your computer, you squint, trying to make out the person who’s just entered. 

As they draw nearer, a familiar form begins to solidify. 

“Jungwon?” You brow furrows in confusion as you stand up out of your seat. A million emotions flicker through your mind. Annoyance that he’s been avoiding you and your messages. Confusion as to why he’s here. Above it all, relief that he seems to be okay.

 But then you take him in fully. 

He’s absolutely soaked, down to the bone, rain matted hair falling over his eyes while his clothes cling a little closer to his frame with the added weight of precipitation. There’s a frantic look in his eye, a panic that you recognize all too well. 

“Jungwon,” you repeat, letting your strides eat up the group as you close the distance that still separates you. He’s shaking, you realize, once your hands reach up to smooth some of the hair away from his eyes. Trembling like a leaf and dripping onto the floor. He still can’t match your gaze, still has yet to breathe a single word to you. 

“You’re shaking.” You can’t help but point out the obvious. With determined movements, you reach for his hand, finding no resistance as you envelop it in your own. Tugging slightly, you pull him into a nearby room, stopping only to grab a warm blanket and to begin brewing a warm cup of tea. After a moment, you wordlessly offer him both. 

A million questions bubble in your throat. You breathe life into none of them. Silence settles around the both of you. Not entirely unpleasant, but brimming with something heavy.

“I just,” he finally breathes and you feel your heart clench in your chest. Seize like his pain is your own. “I couldn’t be alone.” There’s a tremble in his breath when he adds, “Not tonight.”

“You’re not.” You shake your head, drawing closer as you take a seat to his right. “I promise you. You’re not alone.” 

And you won’t let him be. Not after the time for your shift to end comes and goes. Not when the sun starts to peek its head over the horizon, painting the sky in the pastel watercolors of a new day. 

You don’t move until he does. Until he asks in a small voice if you’ll meet him in an hour at the coffee shop you now both frequent. 

Until you honor his request with a nod and a promise to see him again soon. 

…

The coffee shop is mostly empty this early in the morning. The corner table the two of you occupy feels private, secluded. A place fitting for revelations. 

Jungwon begins all at once, coffee warm between his hands. 

His match was supposed to be in a park, too. 

It’s interesting—the research you’ve been reading supports claims that soulmate bonds tend to prefer open air, areas surrounded by nature. 

Jungwon’s fate was set in stone later than yours, only a year ago today. Shared fate. Shared pain. Shared shame. 

A park, his favorite one. A place he went often, a place he loved. He hasn’t been back since. 

Not when that eerie, cosmic, magnetic pull of destiny tugged at him until he was sitting on a bench, next to the rose garden in full bloom. 

Not when his breath stopped the second she arrived, not when he knew, he knew it was her. His destiny. His soulmate. 

Not when he stood up to greet her, to meet his future with a wide smile and open arms just as the numbers on his wrist drew closer and closer to zero. 

Not when he watched, with a distinct sort of dread building in the pit of his stomach, as someone on the opposite side of the garden emerged. Not when time ticked on, revealing with every steady second that this stranger had the same intentions, the same plan, the same countdown, the same fate. 

Not when he watched this stranger meet her first. 

Not when he watched in abject horror as smiles lit up both of their faces. 

Not when he looked down at his own wrist, vision blurred through the onset of tears, as the bright, ruby red faded to gray instead of the violet it was meant to be. 

Not when he was a failure, a miscalculation, an unfortunate needle in a haystack of perfection, of success stories. A glitch. 

Not when he watched the love of his life fall into the arms of another man and leave him. Alone. Lonely. Forgotten. 

Even now, in the seat across from yours, you can see the toll it takes on him. 

So you reach for comfort in the only way you know how, in the unique twist of fate that led two unlucky circumstances to cross unlikely paths. 

Laying your left arm on the table, you pull the end of your sleeve up. 

It’s not a lot. But for now, it’s enough. 

…

There’s an odd sort of balance, a sense of comfort that comes with understanding and being understood. It’s not like before, but you and Jungwon fall into a new kind of easy rhythm. One that both understands the most intimate pain and shame of the other while still keeping them at an arm’s distance. 

It’s not solace. But it’s something. 

You’re off tiptoes and on solid ground. And when you meet Jungwon for your next Thursday study session, there’s a new kind of fire in his eyes. 

“I think we should switch our project topic.”

It takes a concentrated effort not to spit out the drink of water you just took. “What?” At this point, your outline is finished and you’re well into writing your report. The thought of redoing all that work with a week and a half to go is nearly unbearable. “Why?”

He doesn’t falter. “I think we should do our project on glitches.”

You recoil as if you’ve been slapped. 

Glitch. It’s a word people tiptoe around, whisper behind closed doors. Not meant for respectable society and certainly not in a university research paper. 

You don’t even need a second to consider. “No.”

“What?” It’s Jungwon’s turn to look surprised. “Why? I mean, we’re both—”

“I said no.” The shock on his face has you supplementing. “Look, I’m just not comfortable with it. Besides, we’ve done so much work on this topic already. It doesn’t make sense to switch.”

Only a fraction of what you’ve said seems to resonate. “Not… comfortable,” he echoes, twisting the words like they’re indecipherable. 

He doesn’t continue, but you can sense the urge to press further in the tense set of his shoulders. It’s a sensitive subject made even more so by the way he tiptoes around it.

“I can tell you have something else to say.” Annoyance creeps in, like an old friend, like a dangerous reminder. 

“It’s nothing.” Jungwon shakes his head. “I guess I just don’t…” He trails off for a moment. “How can you not be comfortable? I mean, you’re a glitch like me. Aren’t you curious at all? About why we glitched? If there’s anything we can do to fix it?”

And there it is. The lingering fear you’ve been working for two years to overcome. The deep seated insecurity that it’s your fault. That something is fundamentally wrong with you. “Fix me, you mean.”

“I mean, I guess you could look at it that way, but I’m more curious about what kind of solutions there are. I did some research the other day, actually, and there’s this one scholar who thinks that all glitches happen for a reason, that you can still meet your soulmate and get your countdown to turn violet if—”

“Stop!” Your voice is too loud for the small room. “Please,” it’s a whisper now, but somehow just as poignant. “Just stop.”

The crease doesn’t leave his brow. He still doesn’t get it, and he tells you as much. “I don’t understand why you’re so against it. I mean, we finally have a chance to look into why we gli—”

“I said, stop.”

Jungwon looks as if you’ve slapped him. Dumped ice cold water over his head and left him out to dry. There’s an accusation in his words when he says, “I thought you would understand.” And you do. You know how flowers wither when they go without water. You know how love blossoms and blooms and dies all within the span of a single breath. You know what it feels like to have a constant reminder of your most intimate pain seared into your skin, your soul. 

He won’t match your eye. Just aims for the heart instead. “You’re the only person I’ve ever met who understands. Who knows what it’s like. To lose the only thing in life that really matters.” Jungwon’s voice is small, but it’s teeming with frustration, with anger. There’s an unmistakable fury in his eyes when he finally lets his gaze fall on yours. But where he expects to find an apology, or perhaps some sort of agreement, he is met only with a fury to rival his own. 

“Fuck you.” It’s barely decipherable under your breath, but he catches it, even if just barely. 

“What?”

“I said fuck you, Jungwon. How dare you. You think you’re the only one that’s ever been hurt, that you’re the only person that this stupid fucking system screwed over?” And now your anger is rising, ebbing and flowing like waves against a shore, weathering over all the sharp pieces and jagged edges that time hasn’t yet managed to erode. Spilling over onto the table like his forgotten coffee from weeks ago.

“Why do you think I work at the support center? Why do you think you’ve never seen me in a short sleeve shirt?”

You’re angry and you’re hurting and you understand his pain. Feel it reflected in your own, under your skin like an itch you can’t scratch, an ache you can’t get rid of. You don’t know why he wouldn’t just listen to you. 

“At least you get to wonder what might have happened.” You don’t mean to do it, to throw his hurt back in his face. To compare pain, to stack your scars against each other and measure them like there’s a winner and a loser in this game. “I met my soulmate. I met him and talked to him and fell in love with him and he still didn’t want me. It doesn’t matter what some scholar says. You can’t fucking fix that.”

You’re halfway to the door before you can find it in yourself to add, “You’re hurting and you’re lonely and I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. You don’t deserve that pain and you never will. But I refuse to do this again, to spend the rest of my life thinking there’s something wrong with me, that it’s my fault, that I can fix myself if I just try hard enough. My match glitched. I’m a glitch. But I refuse to let that be the only thing I am.”

The door shuts behind you too loud. Your footsteps feel too heavy as they eat up the ground between you and the library entrance. The air feels too cold as you walk back to your dorm. 

The silence is too loud as you sit alone in it. 

And the mark on your wrist is too gray no matter how you look at it. 

…

Jungwon is antsy. Even with the space of a day between him and your argument, he’s brimming with a sort of uncontained energy that will only spell trouble if he doesn’t find a way to clear his head. He needs to talk, needs to process, but he’s not sure who to go to, who to talk to. 

It’s then that he comes to the startling realization that under any other circumstance, the person he’d want to reach out to, to spill his hearts and guts out to, is you. 

It’s been weeks, a handful of days, a smattering of hours, since you became a name in his mind. A person with an identity outside of the pretty girl that sits in the sixth row of the lecture hall, and yet. 

And yet. 

He’s suddenly overcome with the urge to reach for his phone, to send a message, make a phone call that would land home. But that’s where his better judgment catches up. 

Because he’s not sure what he’d say. An apology is in order, surely. He still sees the way pain etched itself into your features, the way your shoulders caved in at his suggestion for a topic change. 

He’s not sure if it’s something that can be remedied with words, but he is certain he never wants to see that look on your face again. 

An apology it is, then. But for what? And why?

If he’s honest with himself, he still doesn’t understand. 

So he lets his confusion carry him to the only place he thinks he might find an answer. 

The girl smiles, a generic greeting falling from her lips before she looks up at the sound of the bell over the door ringing, signaling a visitor. 

Alina, it must be, if your descriptions are anything to go by. Another person that Jungwon’s become familiar with in the past few weeks, albeit only through secondhand accounts. 

And you must have done the same for him, because she’s quick to make the shock that flickers over her features with something careful, guarded. 

“Hi,” she says then, standing from her seat. “I’m Alina.” She looks him over one more time, something akin to a sigh escaping. “You must be Jungwon.”

Alina, as it turns out, is surprisingly easy to talk to. He understands why you like her so much. 

In a matter of minutes, an account of your last library session has been reconstructed, laid bare in front of eyes that know you best. 

Alina is silent for a moment, turning over arguments from an invisible debate in her mind. Finally, she says, “It’s not my story to tell.” He figured as much. “But I think she would, if you asked.”

Jungwon nods. It’s permission. From an indirect source maybe, but hope flutters through his chest all the same. 

There’s a pause before she speaks again. “What I can say is that she’s done a lot of work to move on. To find meaning in her life outside of the number on her wrist. To stop feeling… incomplete, like a problem to be solved.”

And I threw those fears back in her face. 

The despair must play out on his features, because Alina is gentle when she says, “I won’t pretend to know what it’s like, but I do know how it feels to grieve for what could have been. It’s easier sometimes, I think, to let that consume you. To spend your life trying to get as close to that lost future as you can, even though you know it will never be quite right. Even though you know you’re chasing ghosts.”

Alina folds her hands across her lap, lacing her fingers together. 

“She made the decision to let those ghosts rest, to let that part of her life go. To find something else worth living for instead. For the small moments, maybe. For joy, for love. All those things that she still gets to feel.” That you still get to feel. Alina doesn’t say it, but Jungwon hears it all the same. “Those things that nothing, not even fate, gets to take away.”

Jungwon glances at his wrist. It’s covered, but he can feel the weight of it, of the gray numbers that he knows, deep down, will never fade. Will never change. 

And for the first time in a long time, they don’t feel so heavy. 

“I… Thank you.” For telling him. For helping you. For being here. “For all of it.”

“Of course.” Alina smiles. Lets her fingers fall to her sides as she stands, brushing invisible dust off of her lap. “Joy is even better when it’s shared, no?”

Joy is even better when it’s shared. 

For the first time in a long time, Jungwon smiles. A real smile, a face-splitting, uncontrollably wide smile. One that reaches all the way to his eyes. 

It’s still there when he’s walking back to his dorm, when he sits down at his desk, when he turns on the last playlist he was listening to earlier just for something to fill the silence. 

After a handful of moments, a familiar melody lilts through his speaker. 

Clair de Lune. 

Looking at the computer in front of him, he thinks fate just might be a tangible thing. 

He feels it in his throat first and then the base of his nose. That telltale sting that comes at the first sign of tears. 

He lets it. Lets them fall. Hard, long sobs that wrack his body and leave him gasping for air. Sorrow and grief and anger and joy all tangled together in one. 

Because Jungwon is done mourning himself, the ghost of a life that has haunted him for the last year. The weight of possibilities that time cannot undo, that sheer will alone cannot change. 

Joy is even better when it’s shared. 

And he thinks he’ll start with himself. 

…

The unexpected knock on your front door comes just too late at night for you to feel entirely comfortable opening it on your own. Footsteps padding as silently as possible towards the entrance, you run through the short list of people you think could possibly be at your dorm at this hour and come up blank. 

Against your better judgment, you undo the latch, opening the door slowly like that will somehow deter any unwanted visitors. 

The sliver of space reveals not a threat, but someone that has your brow pulling downwards, relief quickly replaced by confusion. 

“Jungwon? How did you—”

But explanations are not at the top of his priority list. “I’m sorry,” he breathes, releases all at once. “I don’t…” a pained expression crosses his features. “I’m not good with words, and I don’t know what the best thing to say is, but I’m sorry. I never should have said those things about you, about us. I—we’re not glitches.” He pauses, frowning. “I mean, we are, but that’s okay. We’re okay. There’s nothing to fix, and I’m sorry that I made it sound like I think otherwise. I…” He trails off again, swallowing a lump in his throat. “You have to know that I think the world of you. I would never, never want to say or do something that makes you—oof.”

His words die with the sudden impact of your head on his chest, arms wrapping tight around his shoulders. Shock renders him immobile for just a moment before he’s melting into your touch, returning your embrace with one of his own as his arms twine around your back. 

It’s all there, wrapped up in this moment. A solid foundation. A warm place to land. Things that futures can be built upon. Things that can breathe life into possibilities, into almosts. 

“Thank you,” you whisper, and it’s lost somewhere against the skin of his neck. 

“For what?”

“For being here.”

You mean it. He knows it. 

“It’s the only place I wanted to be.”

He means it. You know it. 

…

“Where are you taking me?”

“You know, the more you keep asking that question, the less inclined I am to answer.”

“We’ve been walking for thirty minutes,” you argue. “Don’t I deserve some kind of explanation?”

“That’s what the coffee was for.” Jungwon grins, one of those real ones that lights up his eyes. One that has you returning a smile of your own, despite your complaints. “To distract you through the physical labor.”

“Well, we can’t all be on the taekwondo team.”

Jungwon just rolls his eyes. “We’re almost there. I promise.”

And despite it all, you believe him. Because it’s been months since you turned in your project, since your class ended, and he’s still here. Still a permanent fixture in your life. Still responsible for so many moments you look forwards to, so many moments you look back upon fondly. 

Because despite the gray numbers on your wrists, you’re both dressed for the weather. Welcoming summer heat with short sleeves and smiles to match. 

Because there’s no one else you’d walk thirty minutes towards an undisclosed location for. 

Because there’s no one else that understands you the way he does, gray soulmate marks aside. Because to him, you’re just you. A person capable of joy and anger and grief and love and all of the beautiful, wonderful, messy things that come with being a human. Not something to fix, not a person to mend. 

Because you think you might love him for it. 

Because you know you do. 

And when you finally arrive at an oasis of a park ten minutes later, sprawled on a picnic blanket overlooking a pond, you’ll turn to him and whisper some nonsense about recent studies showing that soulmates often find each other surrounded by nature. 

He’ll roll his eyes, brush a strand of hair off your forehead while he tells you that he doesn’t care, that it doesn’t matter, that it’s all a bunch of nonsense anyway. 

And it will feel like coming home, like resting after a long day, like basking in the first rays of sunshine as winter finally spreads its wings into a glorious spring when he intertwines his fingers with yours and tells you that he thinks you’re beautiful. 

Fate is a funny thing, you’ll think to yourself as his breath tickles your neck, sends shivers down the length of your spine. And no matter how many nights we’ve spent berating it, resenting it, cursing it, I’ll always be grateful that it has led to this. Or maybe we led it, grabbed fate by the collar and forced it to bend to our whims like the masters of destiny we are.  

Whatever it may be, I’m glad it brought me here. 

To joy. To love. 

And most of all, to you.