The Devils Knights Prey - Tumblr Posts

Where did dollyyun go I'm not ok 😭

THE NOTIFICATION CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD 😭😭😭

and i swear i am not mentally prepared for this

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟕.𝟑

SYNOPSIS: All is finally well and forgiven, followed by the mutual consent and agreement of being in a relationship with you all at once. Sure, it feels surreal in the beginning of this new relationship that goes beyond the norms, but what completely bothers you the most is the fact that they have been deliberately avoid giving you what you desperately desire most, and so feeling petty over trivial matters, you decide to push their buttons to see how far they will go to tame and set you straight. Little do you know that you have aroused their devil's knights' spirits that lay dormant within them.

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), adulthood, reverse harem, poly

WORD COUNT: 31.4k+

WARNINGS: profanities, explicit themes, light angst, jealousy, alcohol consumption, smuts

PLAYLIST: bad idea - Ariana Grande, 23 - Mike WILL ft. Miley Cyrus Wiz Khalifa, Just dance - Lady Gaga, S&M - Rihanna, Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland, Okay - Chase Atlantic, Swim - Chase Atlantic

PREV (PART 7.2) | NEXT (PART 7.4) ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

-smut warnings under cut-

smut warnings: unprotected sex (no!), dom!enha, name calling, degradation, manhandling, masturbation, spitting, fingering, pussy eating, clit slapping, edging, squirting, creampies, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, double penetration (once), semi-threesomes, mild MxM in action(fingers in the mouth).

The skimpy scarlet dress accentuates your contours impeccably, and the low-cut proudly displays a luscious visual of your cleavage with the familiar platinum ring resting proudly just below your clavicle, enhancing your allure that is an irresistible blend of elegance and seduction, as evident in the way you receive head turns to you as soon as you enter the establishment.

The entirety of the building is pulsating with the latest hits that meld with the riotous clubgoers. You can practically feel the wave of heat hitting you in the face as you venture deeper, in contrast to the cold breeze outside that sent you chills just moments ago. Though there is an unmistakable air of confidence emanating in the way you walk, it is merely a facade for you to hold onto the semblance of equilibrium to detract yourself from the incessant inner turmoil within you.

You find it ludicrous that the reason for your turmoil has to do with the fact that you feel leery because, knowing them, they either may appear anywhere you are at or stalk you from afar until it is the right time to take you by surprise, when it is of your accord that you chose the audacious route to a more unruly venture without any of their knowledge.

Well, to be fair, you did inform them through the group chat that you would be out with your best friend until late night, albeit your text was dry and vague for them to be entirely convinced, so technically, you did not lie to them. It’s just that you did not bother to explicitly tell them that you were heading to the nightclub downtown, where Jennifer invited you to go with her in the first place.

The rationale part of you is prudent enough to acknowledge that you may regret this, especially going to a nightclub with other males in your vicinity, but your petulance blinds your better judgement as you vehemently desire to release the pent-up tension that derives from your sexual frustration. Not even masturbation was sufficient as your needy body demanded them, and it was infuriating to see the guys being oblivious, whether or not it was genuine, to the obvious signs you gave away. 

No, you and the guys are not having any fallout. As a matter of fact, ever since they reconciled with you, the journey of your newfound relationship over the course of two weeks has been nothing short of amazing ─ solemnly staying true to their words in treating you better as well as showering you with more affection in their every gesture.

Initially, the oddity of being in a polyamory relationship evoked unsought doubts despite the fact that it was a mutual consent, only because you were thinking of your parents, which rendered you perturbed at the worst possible outcome of their response to your relationship with the sons, whose fathers your mother had intimate history with. You could not begin to even imagine the look on their fathers’ faces once the guys decide to play their part, well, except Sunghoon since he reaffirmed that he is no longer in kin to his father.

Although it is highly unlikely that you would ever sever your relationship with the guys if your parents vehemently oppose and demand you to, you don’t wish to be on bad terms with your parents either. As expected, the guys dispelled any lingering doubts after you confided in them, resolutely reassuring you that they would never allow anything to happen that involved you slipping from their fingers and that your parents would surely be supportive like they always were. Just like that, you were at ease until you realised that it was only the calm before the storm.

It wasn’t the kind of storm that you expected, considering that your newfound relationship with them had been healthy ever since the grovelling, but healthy in a way that is uncomfortably odd after having distinguished their mannerism that feels rather anomalous.

You find it bizarre how you should be appreciating the relationship that you had always dreamed of being in. Plus, they have been incredibly loving as ever, constantly showering you with physical affection ─ kissing, hugging, cuddling, and sometimes they would head over to your apartment to have a sleepover, and despite being busy fulfilling their work obligations, they would always find time to meet up with you, even if it meant appearing at your doorstep at two in the morning just to see you.

Any rational person would think that you are being unreasonable and ungrateful when you are in a relationship with four very attractive and loving boyfriends. No, it’s just that your relationship feels too healthy to the point where it feels mundane, almost as if there is a missing element. An element you recognise all too well that centred around their depravity. 

You desperately need and crave more than just kisses, cuddles, and hugs from them, but it was as though they seemed to purposely deprive you of what you intensely desire most, and that is sex. The most nastiest, meanest, and mind-blowing sex that will send you into subspace — you crave that. Two fucking weeks without sex feels borderline cruel, most especially whenever you gave them obvious hints for them to take you.

It was odd because you knew that the old them revelled in debauchery, but as you recall your observations, it was almost as if there had been a tremendous shift in their gear. Yes, you love the new change in them, but deep down in your depraved core, you miss how darkly twisted they were, and you crave for that darkness. You desire to get intoxicated by the familiar depravity, which your own is calling to.

You want them to let their inhibitions go and to consume you with the familiar intoxication that will have you wanting more. It is not only regarding just sex, but you desire the turpitude entrenched in the devil’s knights’ leaders that they once were.

Because deep down, you know that you love your men a little unhinged.

“Y/N! My girl!” Jennifer’s voice somehow miraculously manages to conquer the cacophonous music and chatters surrounding you as soon as she spots you in her line of sight, prompting you to meet her anticipating eyes as she beckons you over to the bar where she is seated with a glass of tequila sunrise on the countertop.

You promptly make a beeline for Jennifer, deftly avoiding bumping into the other clubgoers here while the upbeat latest hit throbs in your eardrums. As soon as you reach her, she lunges for you, her arms locking your figure in a tight hug that has you chuckling fondly at her before you reciprocate the eagerness, closing your eyes as you bask in the familiar warmth and comfort of your best friend.

Jennifer pulls away from the much-needed hug with her hands on your shoulders, her eyes displaying approval and appreciation. “Babe, you look stunning! Red is definitely your colour.” She gushes, elevating your self-confidence, and before you can even thank her, she abruptly pulls you to sit next to her stool. “It’s like I haven’t seen you in ages since Heeseung whisked you off from that restaurant, so you must tell me all the details!”

“Now hold on, Miss Jennifer. At least let me order a drink first.” You playfully reprimand her before informing the bartender of your order that is the same as Jen’s. You look over to her, only to roll your eyes at how impatiently keen she looks. It makes you want to laugh since you doubt that what happened in your life is more interesting than hers. “Don’t expect much from me, because honestly, I don’t know where to start.”

“Well, you can start off by telling me whether or not you have opened up your heart to Heeseung.” Jennifer is quick to provide you with the solution, but her impatience in both tone and countenance elicits an amused look from you. “Which, by the way, I concluded my presumption that you must’ve returned good terms with him, considering how smitten you two were that day.”

Instead of defending yourself and proving her last words wrong, your features soften with the smile on your glossed lips as you look down at your own tequila sunrise. “Not just him,” You confess, slowly returning your gaze to Jennifer’s, whose countenance is unreadable. You bite down your lip, contemplating as a wave of incertitude hits you before sighing. “But before I tell you everything, will you promise me not to freak out and judge me?”

Jennifer immediately reassures you with a small smile before shrugging her shoulders. “I have my fair share of bad choices, so who am I to judge you? Besides, I promised to be a supportive best friend.” Her countenance displays solemnity as she places her hand above yours. “Now tell me everything and do not leave out any details.”

It is not Jennifer Huh if she never craves details, and so the last of your lingering incertitude dissipates from you, causing your tongue to feel lighter before you begin to unravel. Jennifer puts her undivided attention on you, listening attentively without interrupting you while taking sips of her tequila. 

Thankfully, you can still remember vividly how the entire situation escalated. The small smile on Jennifer’s lips as well as the approval glinting in her eyes don’t go unnoticed by you when you tell her how their grovelling went, which still makes your heart flutter as you revisit the memories. You have no idea how long you take to explain from A to Z as soon as you finish, but long enough to realise that the change of music blasting in the background that also gradually elevates your mood.

“So in conclusion….” Jennifer pauses, seeming to be processing all of the information that has been thrown at her in one sitting, as evident on her facial expression, whereas you take generous yet deserving sips of your untouched tequila sunrise, waiting for her concluding statement. “You’re now in a relationship with the four of them? As in poly?” 

Her reaction is just as you expected. Plus, you can’t blame her astonishment at the revelation of your relationship when polyamory is uncommon in the now-modern society, at least to your knowledge. You examine her face for another time, searching for any execrable judgement in her eyes, only to see none, but she remains astonished, although it is likely the fact that the alcohol in her system is starting to affect her at how hooded her eyes are.

But the tequila in your own system is affecting you too, causing you to feel lighter than ever. You glance at your half-empty tequila, as you have underestimated how strong it is. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but it has been working out pretty well for us,” You manage to enunciate the words that jumble in your head. You heave a sigh, finding your previous statement ironic when you’re here, still feeling petty at them because of something so silly. “At least that’s what I think.”

“I’m happy for you, babe, truly. You finally got your happy ending with them,” Jennifer initiates a toast, to which your glasses produce a clink before you take more sips while she watches you with a coy grin. “Besides, after what you’ve been through, you deserve to have more than one cock to keep you happier.”

You immediately choke on your tequila at the unexpected, crude remark from her. You attempt to brush off the stares from the people in your vicinity, your cheeks warming. “Jen!” You hiss at your perfectly unbothered best friend.

“What?” Jennifer shrugs her shoulders as she leans back leisurely with one leg crossed over the other. “All I’m saying is that being in a poly relationship is good for you! Any one of them is always available for you if the other is busy to have sex─”

“Okay! Enough about my sex life!” You whine to her, eliciting chuckles from her before she decides to cease teasing you. Eventually, the two of you move to a new topic that involves her spilling gossip she heard at her workplace that is totally not related to work but more like her fellow employees whom she bears grudges against.

You try your best to entertain Jennifer as well as give your input, but it gets harder for you to focus on the present when your mind continually drifts off to your boyfriends, aggravating the cocktail of emotions within you. In the hopes to quell them, you decide to drink your second glass of tequila with vigour while Jennifer’s words fall deaf to your ears, but it honestly intensifies your emotions rather dangerously.

You grip your empty glass tighter. This won’t do. What you need is cock, and only your boyfriends are able to satisfy your need. With the influence of the alcohol that is slowly affecting every modulation in you, the heat is starting to get unbearable, and your body instinctively sways lightly to the music at the same time Jennifer does too.

“By the way, I forgot to mention about Eunwoo and Wooseok. I saw them earlier,” Jennifer nearly slurs out her words, clearly inebriated as she is on her second drink. Damn, the alcohol they serve here hits stronger than anything you have drunk. She scowls, her face displaying pettiness. “The betrayal I felt when my own cousin ditched me for his best friend. Snakes, I’m telling you.” 

Just as you open your mouth to speak, a familiar voice interposes, followed by his shadow towering your figures from behind. “I knew there was a reason why my ears were burning hot,” Eunwoo’s playful remark earns him an eye-roll and a petty huff from your best friend. “Come on, Jen. Sulking won’t do you good for a grown woman at your age.”

“Screw you too, cousin,” Jennifer shoots at him, her daggering eyes do little to affect the tall male, whereas you chuckle at the irony of his remark since you are sulking as well. 

The sound of your chuckles draws attention to you. “Hey, Y/N. It feels like it’s been forever since we saw each other,” Eunwoo greets you wholeheartedly while you smile in return. He looks good as ever, but it gives you no effects, unlike how you’d feel if you had seen your boyfriends. “You look amazing as always. How have you been?”

Eunwoo’s friendly approach is one you recognise, but your best friend misinterpreted his intention, prompting her to grab her cousin by the arm and pull him away from you. “She’s been doing fine, and don’t you dare hit on my best friend,” Jennifer warns him, though she doesn’t look exactly threatening enough for Eunwoo to take her seriously. “She’s a taken woman now. So for your own sake, do not in any way pursue Y/N with romantic interest unless you want to be hunted down.”

Eunwoo merely chuckles, whereas you grimace at her advice, knowing how dangerously possessive your boyfriends are. You shake your head lightly, refusing to think about them any longer before diverting your attention to Eunwoo. “Where have you been, Eunwoo?” You ask, though you are slurring your words.

“I was with Wooseok because he wanted to introduce me to his cousin,” Eunwoo informs, but his composure seems disconcerted while a frown marred his face. “But I have a strong feeling that his cousin dislikes me or something since he didn’t particularly seem to be amiable towards me, and I have no idea why.”

Just when you intend to allay his discomfort, something must have captured his attention as you observe his gaze trails across the bar with recognition written across his countenance. “There’s Wooseok and his cousin. Jay, I think.” 

The mention of your boyfriend’s name leaving Eunwoo’s lips genuinely staggers you, and for a fleeting moment, you find it hard to believe that Jay is cousins with Wooseok because he would have told you about it, but when you follow Eunwoo’s fixed gaze before your eyes finally land on two familiar individuals, you feel a tinge of betrayal in your chest with a frown pulling down at your lips.

Just across from where you are, Jay is walking leisurely alongside Wooseok while they seem invested in their conversation. Confusion swirls within you upon seeing your boyfriend, but then comes the fury that is coupled with lust, feeling entirely aroused. ─ his unbuttoned white blouse allows a generous view of his toned chest while his rolled-up sleeves display his titanium Rolex and prominent veins, his jet black hair is impeccably gelled with a few strands hovering over his chiselled forehead, and a broad smile is adorned on his lips, enhancing his irresistible allure that even you can discern from afar.

Jay looks good — too good — looking criminally attractive than usual, and it takes every strength from your inner core to abstain yourself from pouncing on him and claiming him in the eyes of ogling women in his vicinity. Your nose flares slightly while your icy eyes narrow at those women, most especially the ones who seem to be acquaintances with Wooseok, as the two men halt from moving forward to entertain them. Well, at least Wooseok is, while Jay seems stoic and verbally unresponsive, as though he has zero interest in them, but still, it does nothing to mitigate the cacophonous emotions in you.

You ignore Jennifer and Eunwoo’s gazes on you as you slide off your stool, now standing with your eyes intensely fixated on Jay, who is surrounded by women with appealing allures. You want nothing more but to march over to them and snatch him away from them, but you refuse to make a scene. Instead, you grab your drink and toss your head to the back as you drink your tequila in one go, earning an awe from Jennifer, whereas Eunwoo remains curious at how tense you look.

Despite your rousing lust for him, you feel mad because how dare he looks good when he is not supposed to, especially when you know that he had to clock in for work today, and who the fuck is he looking hot for?

As if Jay can receive your telepathic warning signals, he easily meets your eyes as he turns away from the ladies vying for his attention. His face contorts into confusion briefly, but he promptly gravitates to you while Wooseok politely declines the ladies to follow Jay, only to be surprised to see you as well.

Just when you have the intention to escape Jay, the two men arrive by the bar quicker than you can even take ten steps forward. Wooseok greets you with a smile, but you are too distraught and overwhelmed by Jay’s presence as he approaches you.

“Baby, what are you doing here?” Jay asks, his tone sounding affectionate that sends you the familiar flutters as well as the sensation of his strong arm slithering around your waist to pull you closer to him. The fact that he is blatantly displaying his affection in front of them and how unperturbed he is takes you by great surprise.

You ignore the rising temperature on your cheeks as the intensity of handsome gaze and just how sinfully mouth-watering he looks up-close with his Dior Sauvage cologne sending you waves of intoxication intensify the heat in your core. Still, you refuse to falter, and so you merely narrow your eyes at him, only to receive an intriguing eyebrow raise from him.

You part your lips open to retort, but a gasp emits from you when Jay captures your lips in a sweet, tender kiss that has you melt against him instantaneously, dispelling your pent-up emotions. Your hands clutch on his shoulders, feeling them taut with tension that is in contrast to the way he is kissing you, but you can sense the desire simmering beneath the surface of his reverent touch on your body.

His lips move against yours in a sensual pace that has you moaning airily into his mouth. He tastes exquisitely addictive, leaving you wanting more of him as he kisses you with a sense of urgency. When his tongue gently prods into your lips, you become conscious of your surroundings, prompting you to pull away from his chasing lips.

Feigning nonchalant, you look over to your friends, only to feel a fury of embarrassment flooding your cheeks as they tease you with looks of amusement and smirks on their faces. You decide to focus on the matter at hand, ignoring the fact that Jay remains embracing you possessively in his strong arms while your eyes glare at a startled Wooseok. He opens his mouth to speak, but you cut him off.

“I can’t believe you’re cousins with my man this whole time, and you never even bothered to tell me,” You tell Wooseok with an accusatory tone and eyes while ignoring the heat of Jay’s body in contact with yours chest-to-chest and how his arms seem to tighten around your waist. “Were you also the reason they knew where I was?”

Jay feels his heart soaring at your declaration as you refer to him as your man, but you still don’t seem the slightest satisfied with your face turned away from him, which renders him confused despite finding himself entirely aroused by how exquisite you look in this red dress. 

“For the record, I had no idea you knew Jay until he requested my help in searching for you. Besides, I had to respect my baby cousin's request of keeping it a secret from you,” Wooseok defends himself, though his stance appears laid-back with his elbow on the countertop supporting his upper body as he leans back, standing next to Jennifer. He chuckles as the frown on your lips deepens. “Don’t be mad at me. In the end, everything worked out pretty well for you, no?”

Fair enough, but it doesn’t mean that your exasperation towards Jay and the others has yet to be quelled. Sensing the crankiness in your temperament, Jay leans in to press a chaste kiss on your cheek before trailing his kisses to your temple, whispering, “What’s wrong? Hmm?" His husky voice resonates down to your core, but you refuse to cave into the temptation to attach your lips to his once more. 

“Nothing’s wrong,” You say indifferently, but the cutting edge in your tone tells him all he needs to know. You force yourself to look at him in the eyes, only to feel unbearably aroused under the intensity of his dark gaze penetrating into you. You bite down your lip, refraining yourself from blurting out to him the fact that you are needy.

His gaze darkens as he peers down at your lip nestled between your teeth. He grabs your chin firmly, tilting your head up just when your gaze falters from his while he uses his thumb to pull down your bottom lip, forcing you to part open your lips. “I know you’re mad at me, but baby, you need to tell me what I did wrong for me to make it up to you.”

If there is one of the qualities you love most about Jay now is the fact that he never raises his voice at you, even if he feels annoyed or angry, but as far as you can recall, you have never done anything to incite unpleasant emotions from him, that is probably until now. You can’t seem to fathom the emotions swimming in his eyes dangerously, because despite looking dissatisfied at your abrupt avoidance, you can see the way his eyes rake all over your body, feeling as though he is undressing you.

Lacking self-control, you impulsively place a kiss on his lips before quickly pulling away, but the sensation of your soft, warm lips remains lingering on his. He clenches his jaw, wanting nothing more than to take you someplace else to fuck the truth out of you, but his cousin’s voice shatters the fantasies in his head.

“Jay, stop hogging your girl and get over here,” Wooseok beckons him over to the bar, eliciting a scowl from the latter. “You owe me a drink.”

Feeling his arms loose around your waist, you use your strength to push Jay away from you as gently as you can, and before he can reach out for you again, you quickly head over to Jennifer and Eunwoo, who raise their eyebrows at you intriguingly.

You ignore Jay’s heated gaze on your hand just when you grab Eunwoo’s hand at the same time you grab Jennifer’s. You cast them a lazy grin, feeling oddly exhilarated with a newfound vigour. “Come on! We can’t miss out on dancing!” 

“Wait, Y/N─” Jennifer doesn’t have the opportunity to reject when you hastily drag the cousins in the direction of where the dance floor is, abandoning an amused Wooseok and a scowling Jay by the bar. Jennifer and Eunwoo exchange cautious glances, sharing a mutual sense of dubiety about this, especially when your boyfriend will be watching you.

From your peripheral vision, your heart nearly lurches in your chest upon seeing two familiar faces, whose eyes immediately latch on your figure. Confusion swirls in your head, wondering why and how they are here. It couldn’t be that Jay informed them because his hands and lips were on you instead of his phone. Nevertheless, you intend on ignoring them just as you ignored Jay, picking up the pace that has Eunwoo and Jennifer perplexed by your urgency.

“Princess? Hey─” You walk briskly past Sunghoon and Jake, forcing yourself to refuse their calling. Maybe you are being a bitch by acting unnecessarily petty, but tonight, you decide to let your inhibition go, desiring to see what awaits next now that three of your boyfriends are here.

Even as you begin to venture further into the dance floor, you can feel their burning gaze at the back of your head, and you hope that they will keep their eyes on you as you dance and mingle with the other clubbers, because frankly, you have may or may not have something up your sleeves on a whim that involved your mischief in provoking your boyfriends.

“Babe! Show off your moves!” Jennifer, who initially felt hesitant, has released her inhibitions, dancing to the music with an exuberance energy that influences you. She even encourages Eunwoo, who seems reluctant since he does not fancy being in the spotlight at the dance floor.

With the effect of alcohol reigning in the heat of your veins, everything feels exhilarating, maybe even more so as you can feel their eyes following your every movement. As the upbeat rhythm pulsates through your body, you allow it to influence the alluring sway of your body, intentionally enticing your boyfriends in a provocative sense.

Hilarity emanates from you and Jennifer, playfully grinding your bodies against each other as well as including a now-relaxed Eunwoo to dance with you. Their burning gaze feels intensifying, tempting you to look over to them, and you do. You lock eyes with Jake, whose jaw tauts with tension as you dance closely with Eunwoo before Sunghoon captures your momentary focus, but the intensity of his dark gaze feels just as impactful as his presence amidst the throng of clubbers.

You know that you should not provoke them further, but tonight, you feel an awful need to test their limits, and so you take Eunwoo by complete surprise with your arms thrown around his neck. You give Eunwoo a smile that reflects your mischief while your eyes are telling him to go with the flow, but his hands remain loosely on your hips, as though he is reluctant to cross boundaries with you.

“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Eunwoo states knowingly with an amused smirk on his lips. “You’re trying to make your boyfriend jealous.” 

“Boyfriends,” You correct him, leaning a little closer to his ear as the music is overpowering, but your action only provokes certain individuals further. You narrow your eyes at him, ignoring an unpleasant chill through you. “And how did you know?”

“Just a hunch,” Eunwoo answers with a shoulder shrug before looking behind you, only for his amusement to dissipate from his countenance. “Plus, your boyfriends are not very discreet at throwing daggers at me with their eyes.”

You already know that much. “Just ignore them. I doubt that they’re jealous. Besides, I already told them that I see you as nothing more than a friend,” Though your tone is nonchalant, your heart begins to race while goosebumps arise on your skin, as this time, you feel another pair of burning eyes on you.

“A word of advice: don’t underestimate a man’s jealousy. They can get pretty predatorial,” Eunwoo’s eyes never stray as he remains looking behind you, enticing you to follow his gaze. “And I’m having a strong sense that I would not be having any hands left if I don’t let go of you soon.”

Finally caving into the temptation, you look over your shoulder and instantly lock eyes with Heeseung, whose eyes seem to darken dangerously while his entire demeanour is collected with a drink in his hand as he stands next to Jay, who is facing his cousin.

The intensity of his dark gaze feels palpable on your skin as he looks at your arms around Eunwoo before dropping his gaze on Eunwoo’s hands on your hips. When he returns his gaze to your eyes, you falter and remove your arms from Eunwoo before stepping away as you discern the silent command just by the look in his eyes. You have no idea how long Heeseung has been watching you, but maybe you should not have fucked around in the first place.

Despite being unnerved by Heeseung, you can’t deny the fact that you find it thrilling to push his buttons as well, especially knowing that he is more possessive than the others. But you find it odd that he remains by the bar instead of making his way to the dance floor to get to you. Heeseung holds your gaze again, and this time, his lips curve into a smirk before redirecting his attention to Jay and Wooseok, joining in their conversation.

Yup, you are totally fucked.

You shudder lightly before looking at where Jake and Sunghoon were last seen, only to see them nowhere. Your stomach begins to churn while the music pulsating in your eardrums seems to get louder, but since you are twisted on the inside, adrenaline rushes through you as you await what is to come.

“I’m going to head over to the restroom.” You inform Jennifer and Eunwoo, who are too occupied to reply to you as they get immersed in their element, mingling with other clubbers.

Truth be told, you don’t really need to go to the restroom. You just needed an excuse to venture further as you now find yourself meandering across the bustling dance floor with the atmosphere being a heady mix of perfumes, sweats, and alcohol, but you revel in the element without heeding to the incoming predator who has been in a relentless pursuit to catch his prey. You.

Just as a drunkard giggle leaves your lips, a gasp follows when a large hand grips your waist before finding yourself getting pulled and causing your back to hit a solid chest. “Caught you, sweetheart.” His husky voice is laden with desire and frustration while his hot breath fans your earlobe, eliciting a satisfied grin from your lips. “Now tell me why you are acting like this.”

“What are you talking about?” Your nonchalance seems to fuel his ire, as evident in the way his arm around your waist tightens, ensuring no escape from him, but that doesn’t stop you from grinding your body against his, maintaining momentum to the music, and causing your ass to bulge with each intentional bump.

“Don’t play dumb, lovely,” Jake nearly growls in your ear, his erection growing painful beneath the confines, and he wants nothing more than to fuck you, most especially displaying his territorial claim over you in front of Eunwoo.

You scoff lightly before turning around with the intention to provoke him further, but your resolve falters when your eyes roam around him shamelessly. The chain necklace hooked around his neck enhances his whole look.

“And you don’t interrogate me in the middle of the dance floor.” You manage to utter, albeit your tone sounds sultry, as you lean towards him with a simper smile, your fingers fiddling with his necklace. “You look so good, baby.”

He can feel his cock twitching at your compliment. As his eyes rake all over your body that is adorned in an alluring scarlet dress, his tongue glides across his bottom lip, desiring to rip off your dress and devouring every inch of you. The kaleidoscope of coloured lights illuminates your seductive beauty with your sultry eyes holding his gaze.

Fuck, why did he even agree with his best friends to refrain from having sex with you in the first place? Especially knowing that he lacks self-control most when it comes to being all over you.

“Flattery won’t make me forget that you let another man touch you,” Jake tells you sternly in an attempt to forget his painful erection with your body being pressed against him. The smirk on your luscious matted lips tells him that you can distinctly feel his bulge just below your tummy.

You drape your arms around his neck lazily, purposely pressing your boobs against his chest that has his dark eyes flicker down at your appealing cleavage. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Jaeyun,” You purr, leaning your face closer to his as his cologne filters through your senses.

“Oh yeah?” Jake rasps as your lips brush against his tantalisingly, prompting his hands to squeeze your hips and expecting a kiss from you, but his frustration that melds with his libido for you intensifies when you decide to tease him with your alluring sway as you dance to the music and your lips remain ghosting over his.

Giddiness bubbles in your chest that cause giggles to leave your lips, deciding to cease your teasing as he looks evidently infuriated yet reeks of desperation. “Yeah.” You giggle for another time before pressing your lips against his, testing waters by kissing him softly despite the unbearable heat coursing through your veins.

Disappointment dawns on you when Jake doesn’t reciprocate your kiss. Instead, he remains motionless, letting you smother your kiss on his soft, addictive plump lips. You huff lightly into the kiss before pulling away and jutting your lips into a pout. “If you don’t want to kiss me, then I’ll get someone else to make out with─”

That sets off the trigger in his head, because the next thing you know, his fingers go tangled in your hair, firmly seizing control over you and pulling you to him before he smashes his lips into yours, kissing you senselessly that has you melt in his possessive embrace.

Jake kisses you as if you’re his drug, his lips moving against yours desperately while his hand explores further until he gropes your ass cheek, prompting you to lift your leg with his assistance and locking your thigh to his hip. He groans into the kiss at the sensation of your core grinding against his prominent bulge, and his fingers unwind your hair to grip your waist as you continue to grind sensually that is in tandem to the music.

“Fuck, you’re going to end me,” He murmurs against your parted lips as you gasp for air, only to be deprived of oxygen when he thrusts his tongue into your mouth. Your hands go winding in his soft locks, tugging at the strands as you moan airily into his mouth while his wet muscle explores your hot cavern.

The kiss is messy and nasty with the saliva exchange between you and him as your languid tongues are now dancing in an intimate tango, but you love it. Never mind the fact that you are making out brazenly with him at the dance floor, because all that is relevant in this moment is him and him alone with the heat emanating from your bodies melding into one.

“You, in this dress,” Jake breathes into your mouth, his voice low and husky, while you pant lightly with need. “Drive me fucking insane.” He captures your lips into a searing kiss that feels bruising, but you love the pain, kissing him back with equal fervour while his fingernails sink into the flesh of your bum, rocking his bulge against your weeping heat.

It takes every strength in you to master self-control from stripping down your garments with the intention to fuck him in front of everyone else. As the intensity is reaching its peak, you force yourself to pull away from his ravenous, swollen lips that mirror your own, allowing yourselves to regulate your ragged breathing from the needed make-out session.

You can feel your lipstick smudged all over your lips. This time, you really need to head to the restroom to compose yourself despite your dissatisfied heat remaining weeping for him. His dark eyes swirl with primal desire as he licks his lips before capturing your lips once more, tugging and sucking on your bottom flesh that has you whining softly against him.

“Jaeyun, I really need to go,” You manage to speak in between stolen kisses as you gently push him away in the chest. You shudder lightly at the vibration of his growl on your lips, a warning protest that reflects his intention of ravaging you, still. 

You sigh pleasurably against his addictive lips, allowing yourself to indulge him for a little more. Feeling his grip on your body loosen, you grasp the opportunity to wrest your body from him, only to receive his questioning yet glaring eyes that remain swirling with desire. 

Being audacious enough, you blow him a kiss and shoot him a roguish grin, but before he can reach for you again, a group of people blocks his path, giving him no opportunity to get you in time because when he finally manages to, you are nowhere in his line of sight.

“Fuck,” Jake curses loudly under his breath as he ruffles his tousled hair, frustrated at the game that you are playing, and while he finds it challenging, he can’t deny how adorable your attempts are.

On the other hand, you successfully manage to break free from the dance floor that is starting to get densely packed with more clubbers. The exhilaration remains coursing through you as every so often giggles leave your swollen lips that are ruined by Jake, recalling the look on his face, and in the way you walk, it seems as though you are tipsy, having to hold onto the wall for stability. 

Just when you decide to take a moment to compose yourself, a large hand latches on your wrist in an inescapable grip, startling you greatly and leaving you no time to process the sudden escalation. 

“Sunghoon?!” You blanch, staring at the back of his head in bewilderment as he unrelentingly pulls you with him in the direction of the exit, and you swear you can see smokes leaving his ears, obviously pissed off at your antics.

Sunghoon merely ignores you as he spares you no glance, dragging you even after you step out of the establishment. Unbeknownst to him, this is exactly what you wanted. Your lips stretch into a sly grin, keenly anticipating what he has in store for you. The music reverberating throughout the establishment sounds faint as he drags you towards the secluded corner of the nightclub.

In a blink of an eye, Sunghoon swiftly has you pinned against the wall with his palms planted on the concrete wall next to your head, ensuring no escape. Your breath hitches in your throat as you see his eyes darkening with each passing second, taming his inner demons from consuming you in the most intoxicating way.

“What you pulled back there with your friend wasn’t cute, princess.” His voice sounds gravelly deep, which turns you on further as you bite down your lip, momentarily distracting him by your sultry countenance. “Clearly, you're intentionally provoking us by acting like a brat tonight for no reason, and I don't appreciate that." 

A scoff falls past your lips, your face twisting in annoyance at the word ‘brat’. “I’m not acting like a brat!” You snap pettily, attempting to push him away from you with your hands on his toned chest, but he doesn’t budge. You tilt your chin up with a hint of defiance as you maintain the heated eye contact. “You’re just jealous─”

“Damn right, I am,” Sunghoon snarls coldly, leaning his body closer to you that sends your head dizzying from how potent his ire is that mingles with his addictive cologne, amplifying the tension. His dark gaze holds you tenaciously, forcing you to grasp the gravity of your actions. “I’m your boyfriend, aren’t I? I have every right to feel jealous and to make your friend feel sorry for ever touching you.”

Still, you refuse to submit to him yet, wanting to prolong this as you proceed to push his buttons. “I liked the way he touched me,” You say nonchalantly, your eyes flickering down at his necklace while your fingers lazily trail on his chest that sends him a series of goosebumps.

“What the fuck did you just say?” He asks calmly, his fingers gripping your chin to seize control over your focus as your eyes meet his that are storming with fury and desires.

A grin touches your lips. God, he looks so hot when angry. “You heard me,” You push his buttons again, your sultry eyes glinting with twisted mischief while your fingers ascend to his neck to trace his Adam apple. “Maybe I should’ve let him explore me a little deeper.”

Sunghoon clicks his tongue in annoyance before the corner of his lips curves into a smirk with his fang-like teeth peeking. “You really like pushing my buttons, don’t you?” 

You merely hum in agreement as you lazily drape your arms around his neck before pulling him closer to you while his hands fall to your hips to pin you against the wall. “And you look hot getting all riled up,” You purr in his ear sensually before whining softly while you rub your leg against the side of his deliberately. “Please, I’m so needy, Hoonie.”

Letting his inhibitions go, Sunghoon takes you by surprise when he slams his lips against yours, swallowing your gasp and kissing you hard with fervour. He presses his body into yours, enabling you to grind your core against his hardened bulge.

You moan languidly into the wet kiss at the sensation of his distinct bulge in contact with your clit, loving how nasty he gets when you make out with him, tongues meshing wetly against each other and teeth nipping at each other’s lips.

“More, please,” You plead breathlessly as soon as he pulls away from your chasing lips with the string of your spits connected before trailing a scorching path on your neck with his lips, rendering you unbearably aroused.

Sunghoon scoffs against the hollow of your throat before nipping at your skin and moving over to your ear. “Strip down your underwear first, princess.” He commands lowly, intensifying your arousal at his dominance reigning over you before you as he told you without breaking eye contact with him.

As soon as you straighten your back, you hold up your beige underwear, causing his nose to flare lightly as he sees a noticeable wet patch due to your slick of arousal. “You’re so fucking needy for cock, aren’t you?” His tone drips with condescension that goes straight to your cunt as it clenches around nothing.

“Sunghoon!” You gasp in disbelief when he snatches your underwear and shoves inside the pocket of his brown leather jacket.

“For souvenir,” Sunghoon merely smirks at you before dipping his head down to kiss your neck, distracting you with the sensuality of his lips and tongue assaulting your neck while his hand travels along your lower region, moving underneath your scarlet dress. “Spread your legs for me, princess.”

You eagerly do, your hand goes latching on his broad shoulder for support when the padding of his fingers comes into contact with your clit, setting the bundle of nerves to go aflame as he rubs it deliberately with expert precision that has the pleasure of coiling in your tummy.

His dark eyes watch your every nuance closely ─ the way your lashes flutter as your eyes are threatening to close while your lips go parted with only the sweet sound of your moans and cute gasps he revels in with a smirk touching his lips.

“So this was your goal? To rile me up and get me to fuck you with my fingers?” Sunghoon scoffs, his voice lacing with a familiar degradation that ignites a thrilling heat in you. You don’t respond, only getting lost in the sensation of his slender fingers thrusting deeper and faster in your cunt with your hips moving in tandem. “Oh, princess, you really are a brat.”

“F-Fuck you,” You let out a broken gasp as his fingers delve deeper and hit the spot relentlessly, coaxing more moans from you when he skilfully aids your neglected clit that is slick with your arousal with his thumb while his fingers remain thrusting into you.

“Manners, princess, or I won’t make you cum at all.” He tuts disapprovingly, dipping his head to place a wet, chase kiss on your pulse before sinking his teeth into your skin, causing you to arch your back against the wall at the painful pleasure.

You hold him close with your arms around him meekly, allowing him to listen to your pathetic moans and whines that go straight into his raging cock. With both his fingers and thumb manipulating your sopping cunt and clit in an unrelenting tandem, the coil in your tummy threatens to snap at any moment. 

“You’re close, aren’t you?” He asks, his tone dripping with mockery as he pulls away from your tainted neck with his mark. You can only moan in response while he watches you with sadist satisfaction as you writhe needily in his hold and pulls him closer to you.

“Come on, princess. Make a fucking mess all over my fingers.” He nearly growls out in command, his thumb flickering your slick clit feverishly that hurtles you to the edge of ecstasy. With one particular, hard thrust as well as pressing his thumb into your clit, a moan tears from your throat as you violently come undone with your essence coating his fingers.

Sunghoon withdraws his fingers from your cunt, only to bring them to your lips. You comply, opening your mouth for him to shove his fingers and allowing you to taste yourself. His eyes darken with primal lust as he watches you swirling your tongue around his sticky fingers and sucking them while your hooded eyes never leave his.

As soon as you suck your own release clean, Sunghoon pulls his fingers away from your mouth and captures your lips in a searing kiss before licking the residue of your saliva on the seams. You moan wetly into his mouth as his tongue invades your cavern once more to lick every inch.

“Fuck me, please.” You whine against his lips, your fingers pawing on his broad shoulders while your leg gooes locking around his thigh slyly, eliciting a smirk from him before he kisses you hard for another time and pulls away. Your hooded eyes remain clouding with lust as you look at him with your hands travelling down to slide them underneath his top, feeling his abs flexing beneath your touch. “Need you so bad, Hoonie.”

Instead of indulging you, Sunghoon takes a step away from you and pulls down the hem of your dress that is bunched to your waist. Before you can open your mouth to speak, he grabs your hand and drags you with him while your head is fogging with confusion amidst the prevailing lust.

“Hoonie, what─” The question that hangs at the tip of your tongue dissipates as you step foot into the parking lot, spotting Jake positioned sideways on his bike seat with his arms folded across his chest. You don’t make any protests despite the confusion as Sunghoon continues to drag you over to Jake.

Hearing your footsteps, Jake directs his attention to your dishevelled yet flushed appearance, causing his lips to curve into a smirk as he has a strong inkling that his best friend prepped you. “She’s all yours for now, mate,” Sunghoon says theatrically, mirroring his smirk as he releases your hand.

Jake doesn’t respond to his best friend, and instead, his eyes remain on your addled figure with your eyes darting between them. He unfolds his arms to extend his hand to you. “Come here, sweetheart.” His voice is soft, but his tone carries a firm command that has you gravitate towards him in just a few steps before he grabs you by the waist and slams his lips against yours, kissing you with an insatiable urgency.

You gasp into the kiss, supporting yourself with your hands on his chest, but his arms wrapped around your waist are unyielding, forcing you to lean dependently into him. Just as you nearly succumb to his irresistible lips, taste, and his scorching touch on your body, your ears perk up at the sound of Sunghoon’s footsteps seemingly retiring.

You quickly break the kiss and look over your shoulder to see Sunghoon walking away from you. “Wait, where are you going?” You whine out to him, ignoring Jake’s lips littering on your exposed chest just above your cleavage.

Sunghoon halts his steps, directing his focus on you, only for his eyes to soften at the sight of your sparkling eyes that yearn for him as well. He can’t resist you, his feet gravitating back to you until the distance is enough for him to grab your outstretched arm as you reach out for him.

“I’ll just be over there,” Sunghoon points his fingers to the spot on the pavement just across from where you are. Upon seeing your pout, he raises your hand to place a kiss on your knuckle, as though it is a gesture of his apology, and his lips curve into a smirk. “Don’t be too sulky, princess. Jake will keep you satisfied until I return for you.”

Even as Sunghoon parts from you with his hands occupied in taking out his cigarette box from his pocket, your eyes never stray from him, rendering a certain someone, whose boner is getting uncomfortable beneath the slacks, to feel neglected due to your lack of attention on him.

“Focus on me, sweetheart,” Jake instructs you sternly with his fingers gripping your chin firmly, forcing your attention on him. Your breath hitches in your throat at dangerous swirls in his dark, sensual gaze. “You left me high and dry back there.” 

“I’m sorry,” You utter a feeble apology as your heart flutters at the affectionate gesture of him tucking strands of your hair behind your earlobe.

Jake hums, stroking your cheek with his thumb tenderly, and yet it feels deceptive. “I know you are, sweetheart.” He says so affectionately, but the smile stretching on his luscious lips looks ever so devious, sending you a faint chill down your body.

You know that Jake, or maybe even Sunghoon as well, has ulterior motives when he releases you, prompting you to step away from him. You watch him with both curiosity and incredulity as he proceeds to unzip his pants before pulling them down and displaying his red briefs with a perceptible wet patch.

“Jaeyun! What are you doing?!” You whisper to him furiously, your cheeks warming due to the second-hand embarrassment, whereas he doesn’t seem the slightest perturbed, but you can’t deny the arousal stirring in you at the sight of his bare erection with the tip glistened with his precum.

“Come here, lovely.” Jake’s voice sounds deeper than ever, laden with primal lust as he grabs you by the wrist and pulls you to him. He adjusts his position, now sitting comfortably on the bike seat. “I want you to ride me.”

You stare at him with great incredulity as you remain cemented to the asphalt ground. “On your bike?” You ask slowly, only to receive a definitive head nod from him. A scoff leaves your lips, because you never would have thought that Sim Jaeyun would initiate sex on his freaking red Ducati Panigale V2. “Are you crazy? We could fall over!”

“It’s on a kickstand, sweetheart. Plus, I’ll be supporting us,” Jake attempts to reassure you, struggling to maintain the tenderness in his tone while his cock is getting more erected at the thought of your pussy, but your mind drifts off to another matter in the present as you scan your surroundings warily, especially recalling the prolonged line of people outside of the club, which is near the parking lot.

“But other people might see us.” You protest weakly as he pulls you by the arm, lacking resolve at the instant his lips latch onto your skin just above your cleavage while his hands slither down underneath your thighs, soothing your nerves in the way he rubs your skin.

Jake nips at your chest, eliciting a gasp from you before he pulls away and takes you by surprise when he easily lifts you up. Your arms quickly latch around his shoulders for stability while your legs instinctively hook around his waist, and the closeness causes you to feel his erect cock against your tummy as he adjusts his original position, with the only difference being that you are now straddling his chiselled thighs.

“I promise you that no one gives a fuck about what we are doing, and even if they see us, I see nothing’s wrong with it.” Jake gives you a simper smile that infuriates yet turns you on more than you were earlier. You open your mouth to reprimand him, but a gasp leaves instead as he smacks your ass sharply while the stinging pain fuels your arousal. “Now you’re going to ride my cock good, sweetheart.” He commands, leaning back slightly with his hands on the seat, allowing you to take control.

Seeing that there is no use to reason with him any longer, you may as well enjoy the thrilling escapade in this accessible zone. With the hem of your dress bunched to your waist, you look down to grab the base of his cock, hearing him drawing a sharp breath at the warmth of your touch, and you swear you can feel him throbbing with need.

Jake offers his assistance to you, his palms beneath your bums as he lifts you up just slightly for you to aim his pointed cock at your sopping entrance before sinking yourself slowly onto him. Two weeks without sex makes you feel as though you’re a virgin, because the sensation of his thick girth stretching your walls feels overwhelming, eliciting a whimper from you as you try to accommodate his size.

Seeing tears prickle in the corners of your eyes, Jake decides to alleviate your pain as he leans in to capture your lips in a tender kiss, allaying your nerves. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know it has been awhile, but you can do it, yeah?” He murmurs against your lips, his voice lacing with affection that makes your heart swell. “The pain will be gone soon. Just a little more.”

Though his voice sounds gradually deeper and thicker with an unmistakable lust, he remains composed and tender in the way he constantly reassures you with patience. Your hands grip on his shoulders for stability, gasping as you manage to fit the entirety of him. “Jaeyun.” You utter his name shakily as you meet his reassuring eyes.

“Go on, gorgeous. Ride me,” Jake says encouragingly, closing the gap between your lips to kiss you sweetly while his hands position at your hips firmly to aid in your movement. He groans into the kiss as you begin to ride him, feeling your wetness lubricating his cock thanks to Sunghoon’s work.

“Ungh─Jaeyun─” Your words clog in your throat before they come out as moans instead, as each movement sends shockwaves of pleasure rippling through your body despite the pain of his sheer girth stretching your walls, but it subsides quicker than you realise, rendering you with renewed vigour as you begin to fuck yourself onto his cock, bouncing and gyrating your hips, completely drunk on his cock that the thought of possibly falling over no longer deters you.

Jake watches you with hooded eyes that darken with carnal lust, admiring how you look beautifully intoxicated by the sensation of his cock with your head tilted up and your eyes closed while moans and gasps, leaving your parted lips. Although watching you in control is his favourite, his inner demons are practically ravenous as they impel him to assert dominance, desiring to go deeper into than his cock already is.

When your fingernails dig into him as your hands grip his shoulders for stability, the last thread of his willpower finally snips, prompting him to assert control with full force as he grips your hips firmly before taking you by surprise when he pulls you down and holds you there, causing you to feel his cock more deeply.

“Jaeyun, please move.” You whine in complaint at the stillness, only for him to slam his lips against yours into a searing kiss before he starts to hammer you down on his cock with ease, seizing control that feels overpowering with the combination of his lips, kissing you messily with his tongue forcing his way into your mouth and meeting your tongue, only for him to reign dominance the same way he fucks you.

Jake wants to be gentle with you; he really does, but the tightness of your warm velvety walls hugging his cock sends his head spiralling that is filled with the thought of you and your sweet, tight cunt, prompting him to thrust into you with reckless abandon as your whole body shakes in his secure hold, drawing out cries and whimpers from you that he greedily swallows.

Sensing that you need to gasp for air in the way your breathing becomes staggered, Jake pulls away from the kiss and resorts to latching his lips on your skin with his fingers tangled in your hair to tilt your head up, granting him easy access to your neck, all the while without stopping his relentless thrusts into your nearly battered cunt.

“You feel so good wrapped around my cock, lovely,” Jake grates, his breath scorching on your skin. His grip on your waistline feels like iron while his dominance over you reigns as he thrusts his cock into your sopping cunt deeper to the point where you feel his bike rocking under him due to the intensity. It is a miracle that the two of you have yet to fall over, given how vigorous he fucks into you.

“Missed you so much,” You whimper in his ear as you hold him close with your arms around his neck. Your heart flutters when he plants a deep kiss on your cheek, his gesture affectionate and tender, momentarily distracting you from the imminent release as your climax is teetering at the edge.

“I’ve missed you too, my loveliest. I missed this sweet fucking pussy too,” Jake groans deeply as your walls clamp around him, quivering, while your body trembles in his hold, signifying that you are close. He snaps his darkened eyes open, meeting his best friend’s from across as the latter continues to smoke his cigarette stick while watching the obscenity unfold before his very eyes.

“I’m gonna come, Jaeyun.” You moan out as you bring your fingers down to rub your clit, intensifying your imminent release that is about to crash down on you at any moment. You mewl in his ear, trying your best to litter kitten kisses down his throat while his grip tightens on your body. “You fuck me so good, baby.”

It is as though something inside him snaps, something so animalistic, and the next thing you know, Jake stands abruptly and continues to fuck you as he carries you with such ease, lifting and pulling you down on his cock with your legs untangled. The new position and angle allow his cock to hit your spongey spot deliciously, eliciting unabashed moans from you.

“Come for me, sweetheart,” Jake nearly growls out before capturing your lips and silencing your sounds. Without warning, the tidal wave of pleasure crashes over you as you moan against his lips, surrendering yourself to the rapture of orgasm that feels intense while he continues to bring you down on his cock relentlessly.

With one last thrust, Jake matches the crescendo of your release, his own washing over him in a torrent of ecstasy with his sticky essence spilling in you. He continues to hold you up while you slump against him dependently, your breaths labouring from the exertion. You feel his cock softening in you as he ambles forward, only to set you down on Sunghoon’s bike carefully before he reluctantly pulls out from you and steps away.

Your face contorts into confusion as you watch Jake pulling up his briefs before Sunghoon shields your view, prompting you to look at his face, only to see deviousness melding with primal lust as his eyes that are raking all over your body. Your pulse drums in your ear as he takes tantalising steps closer to you while his eyes darken dangerously.

“Spread your legs for me, princess,” He commands, his voice a low rumble that sends you chills. You slowly comply despite the embarrassment weaving across your cheeks at how lewd you present yourself to him with the hem of your dress bunched to your waist as you lean back slightly, allowing a full display of your bare cunt that leaks with the union of your essence with Jake’s.

Sunghoon is in awe as his dark, hungry eyes settle on your slick folds while his tongue glides across his bottom lip, wanting to ruin you even after his best friend already did. “Damn, look at you, princess. You’re fucking drenched.” His tone drips with condescension, but it turns you on more than anything. 

“Sunghoon,” You moan softly when his thumb comes into contact with your slick clit to rub it in calculated circles before adding his fingers to slide up and down in between your folds, causing you to buck your hips up at his tantalising assault on your needy cunt.

“Still so needy even after getting fucked,” Sunghoon patronises you with a condescending smirk while continuing his assault relentlessly, edging you until he stops to unzip his pants. You whine out your impatience as you feel your cunt clench around nothing in anticipation. “Patience, princess. You’ll get cock, alright.” He drawls, now inching closer to you as he holds his cock to aim at your awaiting cunt.

“Wait, Sunghoon, what if I fall?” You ask worriedly as realisation hits you at the fact that you are seated on his bike sideways while holding onto anything solid for support. Your question goes unanswered, and worries are quickly dispelled when he plunges his cock into your cunt, eliciting a startled gasp from you at the instant fullness of his girth.

“I won’t let you fall. Just stay there all prettily for me to ruin you and take it,” Sunghoon groans at the resistance of your warm velvety walls clamping around his cock despite having been battered by Jake. He quickly steadies you just when your body goes limp from the prior exertion, with his hand coiling at the nape of your neck while his other hand grips your waist firmly. “Stay with me, princess. I’ll make you feel good again.”

You only moan in response as you surrender yourself to the newfound pleasure of his cock battering your already ruined cunt with an unbridled fervour, causing his bike to rock back and forth under the force of your shared passion. The distinct drag of his cock against your walls quells your discomfort of getting fucked on his bike in this position, and instead, you arch your back as you desire to feel him deeply.

“Look at you. You’re loving this, getting fucked on my bike,” Sunghoon murmurs, smirking as he watches you unravelling beneath him, his voice laden with unadulterated lust and pride at the pure ecstasy contorting on your face. His hand falls to your bare thigh, gripping it tightly while he delivers thrust after thrust. “Anywhere is fine with you as long as you get cock, yeah? It doesn’t matter if it's public or not. You’re so fucking nasty, princess.”

“I’m not,” You whine out in denial, but deep down, maybe you are an exhibitionist. As your hooded eyes meet his, Sunghoon clenches his jaw, getting riled up at your blown-lust pupils, as though nothing is on your mind except him and his cock. You flicker your eyes at his pink lips, wanting nothing more than for him to claim you again. Your hand goes fisting at his top, slowly pulling him down to you. “Kiss me, please.”

Who is he to deny his princess, even if she had been acting like a brat? With a soft smirk unfurling on his lips, Sunghoon dips his head down and presses his lips against yours while you aid in tilting your head up for easy access for him to kiss you without having to remain uncomfortable in his stance, but miraculously, he manages to maintain momentum as he drives his cock deeper into you.

Sunghoon tilts his head to the perfect angle to deepen the kiss, and when you part open your lips in an invitation for him to explore you, his heart swells with pride and affection. He pulls you to him by the hip to drill himself deeper in your weeping cunt at the same time he thrusts his tongue into your mouth, allowing you to taste the fresh cigarette on his tongue as he licks every inch of your hot cavern.

The combo of his addictive kisses and his cock drilling you sends you to a state of feverish ecstasy, stimulating your arousal that is now moulded into a knot in your tummy. Your breath hitches in your throat at the grazing sensation of his sharp fang-like teeth against your bottom lip teasingly before he pulls away, his breaths ragged.

“Your pussy feels so good around me, princess. Wonder why the fuck I agreed to avoid having sex with you for so long,” Sunghoon grunts out as he multitasks in securing your position just when you nearly slip down from the bike seat. His statement goes unheard by you as you succumb to the throes of pleasure.

“That makes the two of us,” Jake’s voice nearly shatters the heated passion that engulfs you and Sunghoon with your conjoined sexes, but neither of you pays mind to Jake, who is seated on his bike leisurely as he watches his best friend fuck the love of his life.

“Hoonie, I’m close.” You announce in a whimper, only for you to moan again when his thumb rubs your clit in a frenzied circle, matching the way he thrusts into you with reckless abandon while your cunt clenches at the intensifying pleasure he gives you.

“Me too, princess. We’ll come together, yeah?” Sunghoon rasps, his voice rough with lust and possessiveness, desiring to claim you with his essence over and over, maybe even breed you.

With one last flick on your clit, the knot in your tummy snaps with an overwhelming force as you tumble over the edge of ecstasy with a moan while a guttural growl of pleasure emits from him as he slams his hips against yours for one last time before his orgasm crashes down on him like tidal waves and spills copious amounts of cum deep inside you.

The last echoes of ecstasy fades into the air, his cock softens in you before he gently pulls out, eliciting a whimper from you at the sensitivity when his cock drags along your walls. Your legs give up as they limp over his bike in the air, still spread lewdly in front of them.

Your eyelids threaten to close after having been fucked by two cocks in one night, and you wish to sleep away your exhaustion, but Sunghoon instantly brings you back to the present as he cradles your face while the other hand assists you to stand, but your feet go wobble, prompting you to hold onto Sunghoon’s arm.

“Come on, princess. Let’s bring you back to your apartment,” Sunghoon murmurs to you, looking down just to see you snuggling into his chest while your mewl makes his heart swell with affection as you feel his warmth enveloping you in a cocoon of safety and comfort. 

A soft smile touches your lips, feeling contented that you managed to achieve your goal, well, at least with the two of them. You snuggle into Sunghoon for a good minute before pulling away to look him in the eyes, seeing how soft his gaze is compared to earlier.

Your heart flutters as he strokes your cheek lovingly. “Who do you want to ride with, princess? Me or Jake?” Sunghoon asks softly, his eyes examining your face, and he wants nothing more than to provide you with the aftercare you deserve.

“Jaeyunie,” You answer without hesitation, eliciting different reactions from the two best friends. Sunghoon shoots Jake a glare, whereas the latter smiles smugly. You see the way Sunghoon is equipped with jealousy that is borderline possessive in the way his arms embrace you. You cradle his cheek, forcing him to look at you. “I still love you, Hoonie, but I want to ride with Jaeyun. I promise I’ll make it up to you later.”

“Later?” Sunghoon asks with an inquisitive eyebrow, entirely intrigued, most especially by the undercurrent of mischief and lust in your tone.

“Mmhmm,” You reaffirm while a lazy grin spreads across your swollen lips; no longer is the exhaustion present in your body. Your eyes dart between them, enticing them with your sultry gaze. “Another round at my apartment?”

“Fuck yeah. Come here, sweetheart,” Jake beckons you over to him, but Sunghoon holds you tighter and decides to irk Jake by peppering kisses all over your face, eliciting giggles from you while Jake cannot help but to smile at the endearing sight.

When time passes by, you find yourself speeding on the highway as you sit behind Jake while Sunghoon rides next to his pal, riding against the vindictive wind, both eager to spend the whole night buried in you once more.

The sunlight filters through the window, casting a warm, gentle glow over your entwined figures on your bed while your room is filled with a much-needed tranquillity after last night’s intercourse. You have been wide awake for the past fifteen minutes, finding yourself nestled in between Jake and Sunghoon. Though the exertion prevails over your body, you feel oddly renewed with vitality with an attained satisfaction in you.

Sunghoon’s body feels warm as part of your body is laying on top of him with your limbs draped over him in an embrace. Your ear is pressed against his bare chest, allowing you to hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat that soothes you like a lullaby. Behind you, Jake has his arms wrapped around your waist, hugging you as though you are his bolster, while his face is snuggled against your nape, tickling you with his warm breath.

Though this feels nice and exactly what you really needed after a night of passion, your full bladder requires you to get off the bed in haste. You indulge yourself for a little while more as you bask in their warmth and scent that cocoon you before sighing softly and attempting to remove yourself from their grip.

Thankfully, Jake remains sound asleep as soon as you manage to escape his grip. You hover over Sunghoon in an attempt to get over the side of the bed, but just when your foot can meet the floor, you feel a harsh tug at your arm, eliciting a startled yelp from you as you find yourself falling onto Sunghoon’s chest.

You huff lightly as you lift your head to glare at Sunghoon, only to see his eyes closed. You attempt to get up again with your hands pressed down on his chest for support, but fail miserably again when you fall on top of his chest as he pulls you back down, your face meeting his neck that is tainted with your marks.

Sunghoon has you locked in his embrace, denying you any escape from him, but that doesn’t stop you from squirming. “Hoonie,” You whine, lifting your head to look at him and spotting his lips stretch into a lazy grin.

“Where do you think you’re going, princess?” Sunghoon’s morning voice sounds gravelly deeper than usual, awakening the butterflies in you, but it is obvious that he is half asleep.

“I need to go to the bathroom,” You tell him, but he disregards the urgency in your tone as he only tightens his grip on your waist. You sigh softly before leaning forward to place a chaste kiss on the corner of his lips, hoping that your gesture of affection would grant you the freedom. “Let me go, please?”

Surprisingly, Sunghoon releases you, and you quickly grasp the opportunity as you abandon him, even if your heart mourns at the loss of his warmth. You grab your towel and head straight for the bathroom to relieve your bladder promptly, forgetting how achy your limbs are. But before you can do so, your reflection in the mirror catches you off guard as you halt your steps. 

Your eyes dart at the lines of hickeys on the right side of your neck while the other remains untainted. Fresh, purple hickeys from their lips and teeth. You recall how untamed they were in your room, claiming you as theirs over and over that sent you nearly into subspace. The dynamic power between Sunghoon and Jake was interesting, especially when one was more lenient and gentle towards you than the other, but you loved every second of it.

You shake your head at the licentious recollection and quickly attend to your bladder before hopping into the shower. It takes you quite some time until you finally step out of the bathroom and head straight for your closet as you clutch onto your towel that is wrapped around your bare body without sparing a glance at the two men on your bed who are still probably asleep.

After putting on your shorts, you proceed to wear your white tank top while making your way out of the closet before spotting Sunghoon and Jake surprisingly awake as they sit upright on the edge of your bed, albeit somnolence is present on their countenance. You can’t help but smile at how adorable they look — such a contrast to the sex beasts they were last night.

“Well, good morning! Had a really good sleep?” You greet them cheerily, your tone lacing with mischief that aligns with the mirthful grin on your lips. When your eyes roam around their half-nudity as they donned similar sweatpants, you nearly falter, your mouth watering at the sight of their toned muscles, especially their v-lines, while a sense of pride beams in your chest at the marks and scratches on their skin.

They remain unresponsive, as though their souls still linger in the realm of sleep. You chuckle softly to yourself, feeling quite amused to see them being the sleepy and weary ones instead of you this time. “I’ll see what I have in my fridge and make us breakfast.”

Jake immediately lifts his head up to meet your eyes, his hand reaching out to you while his pink, plump lips jut into a pout. “Sweetheart, where’s my morning kiss?” He whines, making your heart soar at how adorable he is being. 

“Morning breaths, Jaeyunie.” You remind him while your nose scrunches at the thought, never mind the fact that his lips look utterly kissable with his raven, tousled bangs softening his features. Jake’s resolve remains unwavering as he continues to look at you with sparkling eyes and a pout, leaving you no choice but to indulge him. 

“Fine, you big baby.” You roll your eyes playfully as you close the distance between you and him. Stopping in between his spread legs, you cup his cheeks, your thumbs stroking his skin tenderly as you gaze into his beautiful brown eyes before dipping your head and placing a kiss on the corner of his lips as well as the upper cupid lip.

“Happy?” You ask him softly, your lips curling into a smile that mirrors his, and before he can speak, you let out a startled yelp when strong arms yank you to him as he pulls you by the waist. “Park Sunghoon!”

Sunghoon ignores your complaint as he buries his face into your stomach while he remains seated. Your heart flutters at the rarity of his clinginess, eliciting a soft sigh from you before you rake your fingers through his hair gently. Your action as well as your fresh yet natural scent are nearly lulling him to sleep, but he knows that he can’t be selfish like he was last night, and so with reluctance, he releases you.

“Don’t pout. It doesn’t suit you.” You remark with a cheeky grin on your face, leaning down to place a kiss on Sunghoon’s forehead before ambling towards the door. “You can use the shower. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

You don’t wait for their response, eager to concoct edible breakfast for them since you rarely make a mess in your kitchen and ready to put your cooking skills to good use. As soon as you reach the kitchen, you tie your slightly damp hair into a messy bun before proceeding to work, your hands and feet moving methodically with a studious mind.

Time passes by quickly as you get immersed in your element, and before you know it, you are nearly done with the last batch of french toast. The only thing that is left is the classic omelette. Unbeknownst to you, a certain someone follows the trail of delectable smell wafting in the air that eventually leads him into the kitchen, spotting your beautiful back facing him.

Your focal point distorted the moment strong arms slither around your waist with his chest pressing against your back. You try to feign indifference, but the closeness of your body contact with his and his warm breath hitting the shell of your earlobe affects you more than they should, rendering your brain to go short-circuited.

“Smells good, sweetheart,” Jake whispers in your ear, his lips ghosting on your earlobe before he nips at it playfully with his teeth, eliciting a soft gasp from you. “I don’t mind waking up to this view every day.”

You feel him pressing his lips on the side of your neck, but the kisses he litters on your skin feel rather ticklish. “Jaeyun, stop! That tickles!” You let out uncontrollable giggles as you squirm in his tight embrace, your focus on the task at hand fades in the back of your mind, but thankfully, you are only left to set up the table.

Jake continues to attack you relentlessly with his kisses on your neck, particularly enjoying the way you try to extricate yourself from him, but fails miserably as you fall weak with giggles leaving your lips, before he turns you around with his hands on your hips and kisses you on the lips, leaving you no chance to compose yourself.

Just as you melt against his lips, a stern voice cuts through the air, shattering the shared intimacy emanating from you and Jake. “Stop hogging her all to yourself,” Sunghoon easily pulls you away from Jake, while the latter surprisingly makes no objection, allowing his best friend to have a taste of you as well.

“Hoonie,” You utter his name sweetly as you greet him with a smile, leaning into him with his arms cocooned you. Sunghoon’s eyes are swimming with irrevocable affection, love, and maybe a hint of familiar darkness as he gazes into your eyes before he dips his head down to capture your lips in a sweet, toe-curling kiss that melts you the same like you did with Jake.

Upon hearing Jake’s cough from behind you, Sunghoon takes the cue to part from your lips and quickly throws Jake a daggering glare before his gaze softens as he looks at your dazed countenance. “We’ll help you to set up the table.” Sunghoon murmurs, his affection remains in the way he strokes your cheek.

You peck his cheek in gratitude before doing the same to Jake after seeing his pouty lips. Sunghoon has had to drag Jake by force, especially when the latter clings to you like a Koala. It isn’t long until the three of you have finally settled at the kitchen island with both men sitting across from you.

There are only brief words exchanged between the three of you, mainly complimenting your cooking that renders you bashful, but most of the time, you eat your breakfasts in comfortable silence.

By the time you insist on washing the dishes for them with your back facing them, the two men exchange glances with a shared understanding passing silently between them as they mirror each other’s stance, leaning their lower back against the kitchen island behind them before one of them shatters the tranquillity.

“So, we haven’t really talked about what happened last night since we got busy.” Though Jake’s tone carries a familiar mirth at the mention of last night’s recollection, you discern an undercurrent of austerity that has you tense up. You bite down your lip, feeling their gaze burn through you from behind. You were hoping that the topic would remain disregarded.

“Yeah, princess, and we’re not entirely certain if Heeseung and Jay would forget about your behaviour last night either,” Sunghoon says so sternly with his arms crossed over his chest as he watches you turning around slowly. When he examines your dreadful visage, his eyes soften, and he decides to display leniency in the way his tone carries. “Don’t be nervous. You know that we would never do anything to hurt you.”

You want to tell him that you already know that, given your newfound trust in them, which had been established after the reconciliation, but Jake steps forward, capturing your attention on him. “Just tell us why,” Jake demands, but his soft voice comes out like a plea that has your qualms allayed, as does the way his eyes look at you defeatedly. “Did we do something wrong?”

Although you still feel embarrassed to tell them the truth, you know that it will only cause a potential strain to your relationship with them if you avoid this confrontation any longer. You lower your gaze with diffidence cloaking you.

“It’s just that…over the previous weeks we’ve been spending time together, you all seemed to avoid having sex with me even after I gave you signs.” You finally divulge, albeit your voice sounding meek, and you fiddle with your fingers out of habit as you continue to express your concern. “At some point, it got me overthinking and wondering if I was no longer good enough for you to desire me like you did before.”

Jake’s instant warmth catches you off guard as he cups your cheeks, prompting you to meet his eyes that swirl with guilt. “I’m so sorry we made you feel that way, sweetheart,” Jake apologises with the utmost sincerity, his voice soft and affectionate. “We never intended to, and we never wanted you to feel like you’re not good enough for us.”

Sunghoon grabs your hand, drawing your attention to him. Your heart flutters at his gesture of kissing your palm before holding your hand tenderly. “We wanted to give you some distance and boundaries since we knew that being in a relationship with the four of us at once could be overwhelming for you.” His explanation is short, but enough for you to grasp it promptly in an understanding, and you feel touched by their consideration. 

You open your mouth to speak, but Sunghoon cuts you off as he swiftly pulls you to him, his hands falling to your hips. Your breath hitches in your throat upon recognising the intensity of his dark gaze. “I know for a fact that it was hard to control myself around you when you always looked so─” He groans, letting his inhibition go and dipping his head down to kiss your throat as he presses his body against yours.

“So?” You giggle as he continues to tickle you with his lips on your neck before they journey to your ear, his teeth go nipping at your earlobe playfully.

“So fuckable every damn time.” His husky voice sends you the shivers, and his growing bulge feels prominent against your lower region, eliciting a soft gasp from you. Sunghoon presses one last kiss on your pulse just below your ear, his grip becoming possessive. “And so mine,”

Jake rolls his eyes at his best friend, already feeling the heat radiating from the latter before he easily snatches you away from him and places his hands on your waist, ensuring your attention on him instead. “You’re not mad at us anymore, right?”

“I wasn’t mad at you, not entirely.” You reassure him quickly, especially after seeing how he resembles a disheartened puppy. You cast them a sheepish smile. “Just a little frustrated and needy.”

“Don’t keep things from us anymore, princess,” Sunghoon tells you with the utmost seriousness with firm eyes, but his affection gesture in patting your head gently has your heart swelling. “You need to let us know about anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or frustrated.”

Jake nods his head in agreement. “Hoon’s right. We never want you to feel neglected by us, so please don’t hesitate to tell us anything, even if you want us to fuck you like we did last night." A mischievous smirk touches his lips, causing the temperature in your cheeks to rise. Jake kisses your forehead. “I love you, my sweet girl.”

“I love you too, Jaeyunie.” You reciprocate affectionately, your eyes swimming with love, before you look at Sunghoon with a soft smile on your lips. “Love you too, Hoonie.”

Sunghoon mirrors your smile before placing one last kiss on your cheek. “We’d love to stay a little longer, but Jake and I actually have emergencies at work to attend to,” He informs as he checks his phone, but sensing your disappointment, he looks back at you with a reassuring gaze. “If you’re bored, you can head over to our penthouse instead and make yourself at home.”

“Plus, I’m sure that Heeseung and Jay would be more than welcome to have you there,” Jake adds, but the thought of them only brings incertitude to dawn on you.

“I don’t know, Jae,” You utter unsurely, lowering your gaze. You can’t lie that you feel timorous at the thought of seeing them after last night, especially when you can recall the look in Heeseung’s eyes.

“You should have a talk with them, love, or else they’ll keep worrying about you,” Jake strongly encourages, and you know that you have no choice but to agree. His hand slides down to his pocket before taking out a white card and giving it to you. “Here’s my keycard.”

“I can drive you to our penthouse on my way to work if you want.” Sunghoon offers as soon as you accept the keycard from Jake.

“Thank you.” You give him a smile of gratitude, but your nerves remain jittered, and yet, deep down, you feel a keen sense of anticipation of what the remainder of the day awaits you.

The time strikes nearly noon by the time Sunghoon drops you off at the main lobby of the high-rise building. After much deliberation, you finally find yourself in the elevator as it ascends you to the highest level. Out of habit, you fiddle with the familiar ring that is hooked with a necklace, seeking some form of alleviation to distract you from the incessant jittery that seems to intensify as soon as you arrive at their unit.

Releasing a shaky breath, you step out of the elevator and dawdle in the direction of their unit, which is rather straightforward as you spot the door instantly ahead of you. Your hand clutching on the strap of your tote bag tightens as the distance between you and the door decreases. 

You internally curse yourself at how your overthinking gets the best of you. This is stupid, getting all jittered because you provoked them on a whim last night, but the expression on both Heeseung and Jay’s countenance burnt in your memory, most specifically the look in Heeseung’s eyes that sent you waves of both familiarity and disquietude.

You can still vividly recall the emotions that you were able to decipher in those dark, mesmerising eyes of his ─ a disconcerting concoction of amusement, ire, and jealousy despite his impassive facade. Just the intensity of his gaze alone is enough to penetrate you chillingly in the bones.

Maybe Jay would show you leniency, but the air of uncertainty is potent at the thought of Heeseung showing the same leniency, especially after seeing and experiencing how proprietorial he could become as a specific recollection comes to mind ─ when Beomgyu merely protected you from getting hit by a volleyball on that peach party last year.

Sure, Heeseung has changed from the guy you first met in university to the man of your dreams, but a part of you is heedful to the fact that his possessive nature remains unchanged, and you worry it would get the best of him, recalling how he would remind you who you really belonged to, yet it felt undeniable good to be fucked by him when his possessive nature took control of every thread of rationality.

You squeeze your thighs together at the recollection as you present yourself before the imposing door, getting turned on at an inopportune time when your jitters presently remain unabating in you as your rationality recognises the gravity of last night’s temerity. Honestly, deep down, you know that you are the same sick and twisted as them.

You shake your head at yourself in disapproval and quickly dispel any indecorous thoughts before retrieving Jake’s keycard in your bag and tapping it on the smart lock attached to the door as it makes a beeping sound. Tucking your bottom between your teeth, you muster courage as you latch your hand on the lever handle before pushing it down to open and stepping past the threshold, hearing the door lock behind you.

The familiar view of the entry hallway that leads you to the main foyer greets you, and you hold your breath as you await Jay or Heeseung to walk past, but it never happens. You feel a tad relief before focusing on removing your shoes, but as you face downward, your heart nearly sinks upon seeing a pair of gorgeous red heels placed neatly on the shoe rack.

There is no way that they bought these heels for you because they know that you hate wearing heels unless there is a special occasion or formal event. You swallow down your spit harshly, refusing to make an assumption despite your suspicion, but the jealousy that coupled with hurt throbbing in your veins hinders you from thinking of anything other than the reason they have a lady over, which serves as revenge because of what happened at the club.

However, a vying thread of rationality weaves through your heart, momentarily quelling the fiery jealousy that feels borderline possessive. They would never do something deplorable, not when they have changed ever since they reunited with you, you know that much. Still, you want to know who they have invited over.

After you slip on the familiar fleecy house shoes that they specifically bought the pink ones for you, you proceed to venture further until you finally reach the main foyer. You place your tote bag on the rounded marble table that is situated at the centre before getting distracted by the beauty of this section of the penthouse.

You amble forward, your eyes surveying the interior. Though you have been here over the course of two weeks, the penthouse still amazes you every time. It is too bad that it’s only temporary residency, but then again, the beauty of the mansion that awaits them, including you, is unparalleled.

The corner of your lips tilts into a small smile, feeling giddy at the thought of spending forever with them, but you are immediately pulled out of your reverie at the sound of footsteps that reach your ears, prompting you to turn around.

Your heart does a little leap as soon as your gaze lands on Heeseung, and even from distances away, his presence alone is potent and exudes dominance even if he doesn’t utter a word. Though he is merely sporting a plain black sleeveless tee that complements his dark grey sweatpants, he manages to pull off a simple look that is highly appealing.

When your eyes immediately lock with his, you feel a spark of anticipation amidst the turmoil as you recognise the intensity in his dark gaze that is similar to the way he looked at you at the nightclub. With his hands tucked in his pockets, he ambles towards you, and yet his steps seem hauntingly deliberate, like a stealthy predator studying its prey, especially in the way his eyes penetrate every part of you that feels rather invasive.

As the distance between you and him decreases, heat courses through your body on instinct while your heartbeat goes erratic, and if you are being bluntly honest, you desire to pounce on him and get him to fuck you until your mind is filled with nothing except him and his cock. You berate yourself silently once more for these licentious thoughts, but you can’t really help it when the man you are lusting over is Lee Heeseung.

“Heeseung,” You finally greet him steadily, albeit your voice comes out meek. You can feel every bit of your resolve crumbling as his dark eyes penetrate into yours, and it is as though the emotions swimming in them are giving you a preview of what will escalate next.

In return, you receive silence from him, but his eyes never leave yours. Instead of awkwardness, you feel tension brewing in the air that renders you electrified yet uncertain, especially when his next moves have always been unpredictable.

“I hope you don’t mind me coming over without informing you.” You know that neither ever mind your unannounced arrival, but you decide to ramble anyway in an attempt to ease the tension that feels familiarly oppressive. “Jake gave me his keycard. They told me that I could make myself at home here if I ever got bored.”

This time, his lips unfurl a soft yet lethal smirk, appreciating the fact that he still has the effect on you and clearly enjoying the way you seem edgy as he tantalises you unrelentingly. You slowly back away from him, oblivious to the object behind you that will hinder you from possibly evading him. You can’t hold back anymore, displaying your disquietude. “Heeseung─”

Your breath hitches in your throat as he closes the gap with one long stride, and at the same time you hit the edge of the marbled table behind you. The close proximity between you and him intensifies the cocktail of emotions moving erratically within you. His cologne, his imposing presence, and just everything about him feel dangerously potent.

With his eyes pinning yours firmly, you don’t dare to look away from him, having a keen sense that he would be displeased if you did. You can hear your pulse drumming loudly in your ears as his hand ascends to cradle your cheek, causing you to feel tense as you feel the danger under the heat of his touch, but when his eyes soften, you relax a hair and lean into his touch, oblivious to the devilry swirls obscurely behind his soften gaze.

“Are you feeling fine now?” Heeseung asks, his tone sounding deceptively mellow, and yet you fail to heed, only focusing on the way he is being tender and affectionate in the way he holds you.

“I’m fine,” You affirm, though you feel confused by his question, and since you’re not really good at masking your emotions, your eyes display curious confusion, eliciting a smirk from him while you instantly feel the chills of prudence. “Why did you ask me that?”

“Because I’m sure Jake and Sunghoon didn’t go easy on you last night,” Heeseung drawls, and you sense the danger beneath the heat of his touch while familiar devilry remains curving at the corner of his lips. “If they didn’t, then I’d be happy to be the one to do so, especially after the cute stunt you pulled at the club with your friend.”

You don’t respond, faltering as he drags his thumb tantalisingly down your jawline until he grabs your chin assertively and tilts your head to lock eye contact with him.

Your heart pounds harder against your chest as you see the predatory glint in his eyes while his thumb gets busy placing on your luscious lower lip and pulling it down — an intimate gesture that has your eyelids go hooded and your core is ignited with heat.

Heeseung holds back a groan, restraining himself further from showing you that he is not always a man of clemency, but you look so utterly fuckable right now to the point where you’d look even better ruined by him ─ unadulterated lust swimming in those pretty hooded eyes of yours, your luscious lips begging to be bruised by his kisses, the entirety of you being docile. He wants nothing more than to make love with you until the next sun has risen, despite the fact that he is still pissed off about last night.

You can’t lie amidst the turmoil and fear towards the man standing before you; you desire him to reclaim you like he did, to fuck you until you are reduced to nothing but fucked dumb by his cock that you know will hit the right spot constantly. You can see it in his eyes ─ his inner demons are close to breaking free from the shackles to devour you all-consumingly without any inhibition. 

“Are you mad at me about last night, Seungie?” You ask softly, mustering the courage to become audacious, as you know that it is what is needed for the last thread of his restraint to snap. Adding fuel to fire, you lick the tip of his thumb that remains on your lower lip before biting his thumb sensually with facetious mischief curving at your lips as you see the way his eyes darken dangerously.

Like a killswitch, Heeseung’s mind is altered in a way that is now devoid of rationality and generosity, but he allows your mischief to prolong as you bite and lick his thumb, your eyes displaying a hint of defiance and provocation before he finally retaliates. 

Your confidence falters upon seeing the dark, predacious intent on his visage, causing your breath to hitch. “What do you think, pretty girl?” His voice sounds gruffly callous, laced with venom while he presses his thumb down on your tongue, and yet you feel aroused more than you should feel fearful of him.

Heeseung removes his thumb from your mouth, giving you no opportunity to utter any sound as he crashes his lips into yours with an intensity that is unlike anything he has ever kissed you, while the impact ruptures your stability, sending you colliding with the table behind you, but your hands haphazardly finding their way to hold onto him.

There is an unmistakable ferocity in the way he is kissing you, his lips moving against yours urgently with fierce hunger, as though he is anchoring himself to this moment, to you. You try to keep up with him, but even his lips manage to reign dominance over you, and you melt against him, having fallen weak. Without breaking the heated lip lock, Heeseung grabs you by the waist and lifts you with ease, settling you on the marbled table and standing in between your legs.

You whimper against his unforgiving lips, feeling every ounce of his pent-up emotions pouring into the kiss that threatens to consume you. His vice-like grip on your waist feels minacious, almost as if he is daring you to try and evade him, but you have no plans involving separating yourself from him, not when your depravity has longed for this, for Heeseung to intoxicate you like he used to back in Seoul.

Even your beating heart misses the old Lee Heeseung, the man whom you knew was without any clemency in his dark, twisted soul and your white devil’s knight. Right now, you can feel the old him just by his addictive taste on your lips.

You gasp softly for air as soon as his lips part from yours, only to feel the instant pleasurable sensation when they attach to your skin as he trails a scorching path on your neck. You pant lightly with need as he pulls you towards him by your thighs roughly, causing your core to bump into his that feels distinctly bulging.

“Hee,” You whine needily, letting the last thread of your inhibitions go as you begin to move your hips sensually. His grip on your thighs tightens as you grind against him, feeling his cock beneath the confines sensitive just by the mere contact. He continues to assault your neck ─ kissing, licking, and biting down your skin to leave his mark, to leave a constant reminder that you belong to him.

You arch into him at the pleasurable sensation of his teeth bruising the sensitive spot of your neck that mingles with pain while your soft moans spur him further. He finishes off his masterpiece with a lick on your fresh hickey before he trails his hungry kisses up your jawline to your lips.

Instead of kissing you like you expected, his lips brush against yours tantalisingly, eliciting a whine from you as you cease grinding shamelessly against him, your fingers fisting the material of his shirt impatiently. Cruelty plays on the curve of his lips as he recognises the utter desperation and lust potent in your eyes.

“Pretty girl, you shouldn’t have danced with your friend last night, let alone to let him touch you the way he shouldn’t.” His tone drips with familiar condescension as he grips your thighs again before pressing his bulge into your core that is throbbing with incessant need.

“Seungie, please,” You plead in a whimper, trying to chase for his lips and bucking your hips, but his vice-like grip on your thighs prevents you from reattaining what your aching clit needs while he simply disregards your request. You feel the loss of his hand on your thigh, only to feel taken aback when his fingers curl around your neck, loose enough to allow oxygen to pass through but firm enough to assert his dominance over you.

“You shouldn’t even have pissed me off in the first place, pretty girl,” Heeseung nearly growls out before he reclaims your lips in an all-encompassing kiss that overwhelms your every sense while he remains in control with his grip on your neck.

You mewl into the kiss, feeling your brain going into overdrive, but you never want this moment to end, even if it feels punishing. His teeth sink into your lower lip, sending you a prickling sensation at the impact of his bite, but your eyes roll to the back in pleasure as he tugs and sucks your lower lip before he thrusts his tongue into your hot cavern, licking every inch.

You feel his grip on your neck loosen as your tongues dance heatedly against one another, eliciting breathy moans from you at the pleasurable sensation of how wet and sloppy the kiss is escalating. His hands drop to your underthighs, to which you take it as a silent command to wrap your legs around his waist with your arms locked around his neck before he proceeds to carry you with ease.

Heeseung breaks the kiss to manoeuvre you towards one of the living rooms, further away from where you were originally. You get busy with trailing your lips down his neck, kissing and nipping his skin that elicits a low guttural groan from him, teasing him as you know he is sensitive, especially at where his Adam’s apple is.

“Fuck, if you keep doing that─” He grits his teeth as soon as you nip on his Adam’s apple before licking it and attempting to edge him, and it works when his fingers dig deep into the plushness of your underthighs. “Don’t fucking tease me.”

With a growl so deep emanating from him that resonates down your essence, you barely have time to process the beast you just triggered when Heeseung tosses you onto the modular sofa without any consideration of gentleness, but you are quick to recover, turning around to face him before attempting to back away from him.

“Where are you trying to escape, pretty girl?” Heeseung growls out again, his eyes darkening with primal lust and giving zero fucks about being tender since this is clearly what you wanted. He can see it in your eyes ─ you want this, and you want him to obliterate your every sense as he fucks you senselessly, but he is not going to give you what you want just yet.

“I wasn’t trying to─” You gasp softly as he grabs you by the ankle and pulls you towards him, your skirt bunching up to your hips. You feign defiance, attempting to close your legs, but a yelp leaves your lips when he deftly removes your underwear that is slightly damp with your slick arousal.

“Pissing me off last night was one thing.” He snarls coldly as he forcefully spreads your legs open, presenting him with your bare cunt that glistens with your arousal. Though you are not fighting him, he presses down his palms on your inner thighs firmly. “Doing it on purpose was another. You really love pushing our buttons, don’t you?” 

You barely have time to enunciate your words when Heeseung dives into you, his tongue dancing across your slick folds before wrapping his lips around your sensitive nub and licking it. The sensation of his tongue flicking and swirling your clit sends shockwaves of pleasure rippling through you, causing you to arch your back off the sofa beneath you.

“Seungie,” Your soft moans that sound melodious in his ears spur him on, prompting him to release your wet nub that is lathered by his saliva with a faint pop, and his tongue journeys down your sensitive flesh before delving into your sopping cunt with stringent purpose.

You can feel the intensity amplify as he continues to fuck you with his skilled tongue like a hungry caveman, almost as though he had been dying to get a taste of you, but this time, each stroke and thrust feel punishing enough to send you hurtling to the edge of ecstasy quicker than you like.

“Don’t stop, please,” Your voice thickens with desire as you buck your hips up to feel his tongue deeper than it already is, but he presses your thighs down, depriving you of moving and forcing you to take everything he gives. You struggle in his vice-like grip, shuddering at the palpable intensity. “Seungie, I’m gonna cum.”

As soon as those words leave your mouth, his movement becomes fervent to the point where you can hear the obscene wetness as he laps your quivering cunt. Your moans go a higher pitch when he rubs your clit with his thumb, amplifying your pleasure that reaches to a crescendo.

With his tongue and thumb working in an efficient tandem that sends your head delirious, your orgasm is teetering at the precipice while tension coils tighter within you. Before you know it, you come undone violently with your palm muffling your moans and your eyes rolling to the back at divine sensation.

But Heeseung doesn’t stop there even after you come ─ his thumb relentlessly rubbing your sensitive clit that has your body convulsing while his tongue greedily laps your sticky essence. You writhe in his lethal hold as the sensitivity is overwhelming, and yet, your clit throbs familiarly again as his thumb works its magic again.

It looks like Heeseung is not stopping anytime soon, and it baffles you that he seems rather content burying his face into your mound without having to take a breather. It’s like he would rather be suffocated by your pussy happily, considering how vigorous he is being. 

“Hee! No more!” You plead out in a weak cry, your body squirming and trying to evade him, but he only tightens his grip on your thighs and spreads your legs even wider before latching his lips on your clit. “It’s too much!”

When you lift your head to look at him, your heart pounds harder against your chest as his dark eyes bore into yours intensely with a familiar wickedness. You try to move again, but your defiance earns you a smack on your thigh with a startled gasp leaving your lips. Yet the stinging pain is coupled with the pleasure that coils in your tummy.

Releasing your clit with a wet ‘pop’, Heeseung smacks it, eliciting a whimper from you before he does it again while the action amplifies the pleasurable sensation as he proceeds to rub your nearly-swollen clit with an unsparing vehemence that aligns with the smirk playing on his lips.

“No more? Too much for my pretty girl?” He sneers as he mocks your pleas, his tone dripping with degradation that sends you waves of intoxication. “You don’t seem to understand, my love. You’re going to take whatever I give you and take it like the good girl you were. It’s what you deserve after pissing me off last night.”

Without letting up his ministration on your clit, he hovers over your pliant figure and takes you by surprise when his fingers go curling around your neck, forcing you to look into his dark eyes that swirl with lust and sadistic delight. “Come on, pretty. I know you still have it in you. Don’t disappoint your Seungie now, yeah?”

Your heart skips a beat as you stare at him in genuine shock, because right now, the Heeseung above you is the Heeseung back in Seoul. It’s what you wanted, after all, because deep down inside of you, you’re just as twisted as him when the corner of your lips twitch into a faint smirk, having been successful at awakening the demon that lay dormant within him. 

But you falter when you choke out a moan as he plunges three fingers into your wet cunt without warning, delving rhythmically yet unyieldingly strong that has you seeing stars in your vision, almost as if he is forcing out something even greater than your previous orgasm.

You are reduced to nothing but mewls and moans that you attempt to keep at a minimum, your head lacking any coherency due to the building pleasure coiling tighter and tighter within you for the second time. Your hips move in tandem with his ruthless fingers, but it isn’t enough, and so you take him by surprise as you wrap your legs around his waist.

Heeseung pays no mind to that, not when he is entirely mesmerised by the pure ecstasy contorting in your face while neglecting his cock that is begging to be inside of you. He wonders why the fuck did he even refrain himself from going beyond intimacy with you, especially when you look beautiful just being nearly fucked out by his fingers.

“Oh god,” You gasp as he curls the tips of his fingers, hitting your g-spot relentlessly while you cry out in a frenzied pleasure with your hips bucking wildly. as your cunt is being battered just by his skilled fingers alone. The intensity amplifies as he rubs your clit stringently with the padding of his palm, hurtling you to the edge. “Fuck! Seungie! I’m so close─”

“Let it go for me, now,” On his command, you explode, your release coming out in gushes of clear fluids from your battered cunt with your body convulsing as intense waves of pleasure wash over you like a torrential rainstorm, rendering you putty in his hands.

Even as your release prolongs, his fingers continue to pump into your cunt, helping you to ride out your orgasm while a whimper leaves your lips at the sensitivity with your legs quivering. He withdraws his fingers just as you finally come down from your high and removes his grip on your neck.

Seeing as you are still recovering with your eyelids going slightly droopy, Heeseung holds back an amused smile and proceeds to grab some tissues on the coffee table behind him before wiping your slick release on your mound and thighs. You can barely feel him assisting in putting your underwear back on as your legs feel entirely numb from the exertion.

You lazily turn your head to look at Heeseung as he hovers above you again, and this time, the dark intensity in his eyes is replaced by familiar tenderness. “Wrap your legs and arms around me, sweetheart,” He murmurs, and you whine in response as you feel entirely languid to even lift a limb, but he is not having any of that. “I know you can do it, pretty girl.”

You know that you can’t go against his command that is uttered softly with a tinge of firmness, and so you wrap your arms around his neck while forcing your legs to do the same around his waist slowly, but thankfully, he provides assistance with his hands gripping your legs.

Once you latch yourself on him, Heeseung embraces you with his dependable arms before lifting you up and carrying you elsewhere. Your cheeks flush in embarrassment as you spot your own fluids all over the floor while there is a wet spot on the couch where you were earlier.

Wordlessly, Heeseung brings you to their mini kitchen bar and places you on the kitchen island. You watch him with curious eyes as he grabs a small towel and a bottle of mineral water from the fridge before he returns to you, his face remaining impassive.

“Drink. You need it,” He says as he gives you the bottle. You utter a faint gratitude to him before unscrewing the cap and drinking the cold water that you never knew you needed to quench your thirst. All the while, your eyes remain on him, watching as he wipes the spots he missed on your skin while holding your leg firmly yet tenderly.

Your heart flutters just by his every gesture, and when his eyes flicker to yours, the flutters in your tummy intensify as the connection between your mere eye contact with him deepens. He looks away briefly to focus on the task at hand before placing the towel on the countertop next to you.

You bite down your lip, contemplating breaking the palpable tension in the air. “Hee, are you still mad at me?” You ask tentatively, your voice coming out meeker than you intended. He doesn’t respond, and instead, he traps you with his palms on the surface next to your sides while his stern eyes lock you in place. You try to melt his resolve with your doe eyes and your lips jutting into a pout. “Heeseung.”

Still, no response, and so you resort to the last option as you place your hands on the sides of his neck before leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. You can feel him melting against you before he finally caves in, kissing you back with a deepened passion that has your toes curling.

“I love you.” You manage to murmur against his lips in between kisses, your heart pounding against your chest as his arms slither around your waist to pull you closer to him, craving the intimacy that he never knew he needed.

Heeseung hums in response while the vibration from his lips tingles on yours. Though there are no words exchanged, the way his lips move against yours as he kisses you with a different passion than the previous speaks volume, and it feels like he never wants to let go of you anytime sooner.

But then, a matter surfaces in your mind that had been neglected due to your incessant need for him, causing you to part from the lip-lock ─ the red heels you saw earlier. 

Heeseung feels how your body begins to go taut with tension, but is oblivious to the reason why as he continues to journey his kisses to your cheeks down to your neck, not having enough of you. On the other hand, you are torn between feeling unfazed by his lips and getting suspicious of what you had seen earlier.

“Heeseung, wait,” You gasp as soon as he nips at your skin, prompting you to grip his broad shoulders in an attempt to show him that you mean serious business. “Do you have a girl over?”

The question dispels the air of intimacy that wraps around the two of you while he tenses up at the question before slowly pulling away from your neck, only for his heart to sink at the glinting hurt and disappointment in your eyes despite your collected demeanour.

“I saw a pair of red heels earlier.” You utter quietly, your insecurities crawling their way to poison your mind, but you maintain firm eye contact with him. “Heeseung, if there is something that you’re keeping from me─”

“It’s not what you think, my love.” Heeseung cuts you off gently as he cups your cheeks, in contrast to the way his mind is wrecked with panic chaos that you would think so lowly of him. He can see a glint of mistrust in your pretty eyes despite leaning into his touch, eliciting a resigned sigh from him. He grabs your hand and tugs you with him. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

Once you hop off the kitchen island, Heeseung gently pulls you with him as he guides you to another place somewhere in this broad penthouse. On your way, you manage to spot the time on the digital clock that hangs on the wall, and your brain does a quick calculation of how long Heeseung had kept you occupied. Your cheeks go warm at the dawning conclusion as soon as you finish calculating the approximate time ─ he managed to bring out two orgasms out of you in a span of seven minutes.

It isn’t long until you hear a feminine voice that mingles with Jay’s as Heeseung brings you towards the familiar dining room that is adjacent to where the entrance to the rooftop garden is.

Your eyes immediately settle on Jay and the brunette seated across from him, and even from a distance away, you can discern her strong aura and confidence in the way she presents herself. You can’t deny the fact that she is gorgeous, and in the way she dresses, there is no doubt that she is a businesswoman.

Oh, you got worried and nearly upset over nothing. 

Whoever she is, it is obvious that she is a client while there are several documents on the table, but still, it doesn’t look like they are discussing business-related matters when she is giggling at whatever Jay said. Your eyes narrow at the flirtatious curve on her lips. Since Jay’s back is facing you, it’s hard to read his expression, but Heeseung can easily recognise the way his best friend’s body language seems taut with tension that derives from his frustration towards his client.

Heeseung takes a quick glance at you, noticing the dissatisfaction written across your countenance, and he squeezes your hand gently to ease you, but it does nothing to dispel the growing jealousy in you as your eyes glare at the woman's hand touching Jay's rather comfortably. He presses his lips thinly as his attempt is rendered futile before clearing his throat to announce their presence amidst the brewing tension.

Jay turns around and immediately locks eyes with you, disregarding his client, who remains vying for his attention despite being aware of the other two's presence in the vicinity. He abandons his seat and heads over to you, his face unreadable, but as you examine him closely, he looks worried as he should be.

“Baby, what are you doing here?” Jay asks softly, his eyes and his body language in the way he approaches you are both measured and cautious, as he is not oblivious to the tension mounting in the present.

You refuse to be the jealous, possessive girlfriend who is entirely bothered that a gorgeous lady is within your boyfriend’s radius, but it can’t be helped when your insecurities begin to influence your rationality. 

“So I can’t pay you a visit now because you have a guest over?” You snap at him against your better judgement as you feel offended by his harmless question. You ignore the way Heeseung’s grip tightens around your hand, a silent conveyor of warning from him.

Jay stops in his tracks as soon as he recognises the hostility exuding from you, rendering him frustrated because not only did his client piss him off but he never wants you to misunderstand the situation. “That’s not what I─” He pauses as you scoff out in disbelief, knowing that it is useless to reason with you when you’re evidently upset.

Jay meets Heeseung’s eyes briefly, receiving the latter’s message not to make things potentially worse before he looks away with his jaw clenched and eventually releases a sigh as he turns his body sideways where his client can see you.

“This is my client, Sienna,” Jay informs you, albeit there is a certain edge in his tone that aligns with the tension between you and him. He merely casts a glance at his client. “Sienna, this is Y/N. She’s someone important to me.”

A big mistake on his part when he should have introduced you as his girlfriend. Your ire becomes tenfold as you release another scoff that reaches his ears, prompting him to look at you again, and this time, his strong gaze levels to yours, almost as if he is trying to tame your tempestuous emotions within you.

Sienna’s sharp eyes burn through you, pulling your attention away from Jay. Her eyes scan you from head to toe, and the subtle disgust in her countenance does not go unnoticed by you, but when she meets your eyes, a smile graces her scarlet lips, albeit a tight one that signifies insincerity.

But she merely acknowledges you with a head nod before shifting her attention to Jay, looking entirely engrossed by him, and it is sickening to you. “Anyway, as I was saying, I’ve never met a good businessman like you before, Jay.” Her tone sounds sultry, clearly crossing beyond professionalism, especially in the way she leers at him. “You just single-handedly raised my standards.”

It genuinely peeves you that she merely disregards your existence and is practically shooting heart eyes at Jay, and your dampened mood turns sour when Jay seems to reciprocate with a smirk on his handsome face. “You really are a flatterer,” He tells her, but you overlook the coldness on his lips and his dark, flinty eyes, completely unaware of his next step.

Sienna, oblivious to heed Jay’s looming cruelty and the tension that reaches its peak, beams gingerly with a smile. “How about we take a break? I bought us a fine wine.” She grabs the bottle of wine that has been displayed on the table at the side before looking over to Heeseung with sultry eyes as she bites down her lips. “Heeseung can join us as well.”

So she knows Heeseung’s name as well? Your nose flares slightly in anger, unable to tame your aggravating emotions within you, most especially the fact that you feel possessive over your men, and it is maddening.

“Please excuse me while I head upstairs to rest.” You announce with an unconcealing indignation as you yank your hand from Heeseung’s. You don’t bother to look at their faces, knowing that Sienna is probably smug.

“Y/N─” You ignore Heeseung’s calling and hastily walk away from him before he can even hold you back. First things first, you need to retrieve your bag at the main foyer.

“I wonder what’s her problem,” Sienna remarks, feigning genuine concern as her eyes move from your distant figure to the two men, only to be taken aback by the shift in the air with an unpleasant palpable tension.

“You can drop the act, Sienna.” Jay drops all pretences, revealing his true, unfiltered callous nature that he displays to others who are not his loved ones. There are no traces of the previous cordiality on his austere countenance. “Not only did you disrespect me with that cheap wine, but you also disrespected my woman.”

Sienna instantly falters, her sheer confidence dissipating into thin air. “W-What?” Her voice trembles the same way she wants to instinctively cower from them as she discerns the palpable menace exuding from the two men. 

Jay remains indifferent as he takes slow, deliberate steps towards the table with his hand tucked in his pocket. “I’m going to have to reject your proposal.”

“Wait! You can’t just reject my proposal!” Sienna abruptly rises from her seat while the fear is eclipsed by indignation as clear in her glaring eyes. “Do you even know who I am?!”

“I don’t give a fuck who you are, but the moment you disrespected my woman, I saw no value in everything about you and your business.” Jay snarls coldly, his potent wrath towards her, who had upset his woman, fuses with the tension in the air.

“You can’t do this!” Sienna exclaims exasperatedly, reeking of desperation that has Heeseung grimacing while he watches them with calculated eyes.

“Oh, but I can,” Jay counters snidely with an overpowering confidence, knowing that his influence over business transactions that concern his company is unparalleled. “Besides, you hardly brought anything relevant to the table other than eye-fucking my best friend and blatantly flirting with your potential client.” Heeseung lets out a desirive chuckle at his best friend’s comment.

“This is ridiculous! You even reciprocated!” Sienna begins to be vehemently defensive as she accuses Jay, but tears of embarrassment fill her waterline.

“Reciprocated? I was only tolerating you to see how far you would go,” Jay smirks cruelly, revelling in the way he is crushing her self-esteem. Besides, it’s what she gets for blatantly disrespecting you. “And when you brought out the wine, which my past clients have never done since it obviously crossed a professional setting at least in my book, I knew that your purpose here wasn’t any business related.”

She opens her mouth to retort, but Jay cuts her off sharply. “Before you threaten me, let’s not forget that I can easily do some damage to your company’s reputation with a snap of my fingers.”

Sienna knows that she is powerless against Jay, and it is not only his assertion that affects her withering confidence, but the fact that she is heedful enough to be conscious of the danger surrounding the two men. Immediately, she goes to pack her stuff, her hands trembling as she does so due to their eyes burning menacingly straight into her.

She doesn’t spare any second to make her leave, but just as she intends to walk past Heeseung, the guy blocks her way, eliciting a startled yet fearful gasp from her. “The next time I see you again and you have the audacity to disrespect Y/N, you’ll have me to deal with.” Heeseung sounds eerily calm with a collected demeanour, but it intensifies her fear as she notices the cruelty in those eyes of his. “Now get out of here, and don’t you ever let me see you again."

Sienna nods her head before walking around Heeseung and practically bolting her way out. Once she is out of sight, Jay heaves a sigh, frustrated at the situation, and it is even worse when his pent-up emotions from last night have yet to be dealt with.

“Do you want to check on her or should I do it?” Heeseung breaks the silence, his voice neutral, but his attentive eyes notice the sheer distress on Jay’s face.

“You’ll do it instead. She probably doesn’t want to see my face,” Jay tells him sullenly as he runs his fingers through his now-tousled hair.

Heeseung presses his lips thinly, disapproving Jay’s lack of initiative even though he should be selfishly happy that your ire is directed more towards the latter. “You should clear the misunderstanding soon. You do know that Y/N is the type to overthink about this.” His tone holds a knowingness while Jay tenses up at his reminder, but Heeseung doesn’t wait for whatever reason Jay decides to give as he proceeds to find you.

On the other hand, you have sought comfort in Jake’s room, busily changing into his clothes that fit you loosely yet just nicely. Of course, you have no idea what has happened, and you refuse to think further before you finally resort to burrowing yourself in Jake’s bedsheet that smells like him.

Instantly, your frayed nerves mollify as you smother your face in his pillow, his scent providing you the comfort you needed. Then comes the sheer exhaustion, and maybe it’s from last night’s activity that finally dawns on you as your eyelids grow heavier with each passing second. Plus, Heeseung did give you two quickest yet impactful orgasms earlier.

Just as your consciousness begins to fade, your heart rate quickens when the door slowly opens, prompting you to face the other way and refusing to deal with any of them.

“Beloved?” Heeseung’s gentle voice breaks through you, and it takes every strength to restrain yourself from caving into your yearning to seek comfort in his arms. Your body tenses up as you feel the bed dip from behind.

“Are you asleep?” He asks in a murmur as he finally scoots closer to your frail form. Hearing no response from you, he sighs softly but remains in his spot.

You expect him to give up and leave you alone to dwell, but your heart pounds harder against your chest as he wraps his arm around your waist, his hand moving beneath Jake’s hoodie that you adorned and caressing your tummy in a soothing motion.

“Don’t be too upset, sweetheart.” Heeseung speaks softly to you as he hugs you from behind with your back pressing against his chest. “You know that you’re the only woman we’re in love with.”

It is inevitable to resist him as you find yourself melting in his warm embrace that cocoons you. You allow your tensed body to relax and snuggle into him like a kitten. Your heart flutters as he gives you a tender kiss on your neck before burying his face in your nape while his arm tightens protectively around you.

The silence grows comfortable, and soon enough, your consciousness begins to wane with Heeseung hugging and lulling you to sleep.

You never knew that a nap was essential until the moment you are roused awake by the stark absence of Heeseung’s warmth that cocooned you earlier. Still, you find it taxing to even lift a limb as you remain anchored to Jake’s bed, but your hand eventually reaches out for your phone on the nightstand to check the time.

Your eyes widen instantly as they glue to your lock screen, in complete disbelief that this is by far the longest nap you have ever taken, but then again, the four-hour nap was very much needed as it seems to have invigorated you, both inside and out. In fact, the unpleasant encounter with Jay’s client seems laughable to you now.

Your stomach begins to grumble out of hunger, and so you begrudgingly abandon the bed to head to the bathroom and wash your face. Since Jake and Sunghoon did tell you to make yourself at home, you will rummage through their fridge and cupboards for ingredients to cook something edible. 

On your way to the main kitchen, you busily clip up your hair, your face devoid of emotions as nothing is disrupting your inner peace other than the anticipation of appeasing your hunger. But a delectable smell wafting in the air soon infiltrates your senses, prompting you to slow down the pace as you nearly arrive at your intended destination.

You stop dead in your tracks as soon as your eyes settle on Jay’s form while he seems to be engrossed in whatever he’s doing. Alas, your mood sours. You had been hoping to avoid him in the meantime, while as for Heeseung, you feel the strings of hesitation pulling you away to put your distance from him too until you are ready with your emotions rallied and resolve aligned with rationality.

Since you’re obviously unprepared and hungry, you know you can’t afford to tuck yourself away in Jake’s room again, and so you decide to avoid eye contact and be nonverbal towards him at all costs. You pull up the hood in an attempt for coverage before you take a step forward.

Jay’s senses never fail to amaze you, because the second you stand by the entrance of the kitchen, he turns around and locks eyes with you before you quickly break eye contact first, unable to endure the intensity in his strong gaze.

“Took you long enough to wake up.” You can discern the amusement lacing his tone. “You must be hungry.” He states, knowing his sweet baby angel would always search for food after a good nap.

You find yourself nodding your head in agreement as you subconsciously fiddle with the sleeves of Jake’s sweater. Your eyes look everywhere except him until they land on the dishes prepared on the kitchen island, and they look appealing enough for your stomach to growl out of hunger again, but this time, it’s louder than the previous.

You accidentally meet Jay’s eyes, and the smirk playing on his lips tells you that he heard your stomach’s growling hunger, causing you to feel embarrassed with your cheeks flushed. “I’ve already prepared these for you. Go on and eat up,” He instructs you gently, and you wordlessly advance forward to get to the kitchen island before sitting on the high stool.

You begin to eat in silence, nearly moaning out at the first taste and tearing up as the dish reminds you of your mother’s recipe back at home. You are so engrossed in filling up your stomach that you even forget Jay’s presence lingering behind you. Meanwhile, Jay is ruminating on how to break the palpable tension that derives from your cold detachment.

The sound of the stool being dragged pulls him out of his rumination, prompting him to look over at you as you place the empty plates in the sink and proceed to wash them while he feels a sense of satisfaction that you must’ve found his cooking delicious to the point where the plates are spotless.

But the persisting silence is killing him on the inside. Jay moves closer to you, and he can see the way your shoulders tense up. “Just leave those in the sink. I’ll wash them for you.” He insists, offering his help to you in an attempt to coax your cold shoulder towards him.

You shake your head in objection, giving him a brief, tight smile while your movements become prompt as you wash the plates. “It’s fine. This is the least I could do after you cooked for me.”

Seeing how unyieldingly determined you are, Jay concedes, watching you with attentive eyes that renders you uncomfortable. As soon as you finish, you hear him sighing softly before he breaks the icy silence. “Baby, we should talk─”

“I’m going for a swim later.” You cut him off, wanting to avoid having a serious talk about what happened. You look him dead in the eyes, and he is taken aback by the cold detachment in your pretty eyes. “I can do that, right?”

Though Jay feels upset, he can’t deny the brewing anger coursing through his veins at your attitude and how truly obstinate you are, but he is determined to break down those walls. “Of course.” He says with his jaw clenched while his tone lacks gentleness and affection. 

You almost feel incapable of moving away from him due to the way his strong gaze grounds you while there is a newfound rising tension that makes your breath hitch in your throat. Though his demeanour seems collected, his dark eyes and ambience differ so much that even your instinct is urging you to elude him.

Right now, Jay looks and reminds you of Heeseung ─ demeanour eerily collected with ferocious storms raging behind those beautiful dark eyes. This time, you know that Jay’s patience has reached its limit.

“Thanks again for the food, anyway.” You manage to utter your gratitude to him in a ramble with your gaze lowered before forcing your feet to move along in haste while chills run down your whole being at the sensation of his piercing gaze through you, even after you are out of his sight.

You understood the emotions in his eyes conveyed, and you know that he will eventually get what he wants from you, one or another, even if you continue to defy him. As soon as you reach Jake’s room, you immediately lock the door, wanting to be extra cautious, considering that you are in a territory with two unpredictable predators roaming around.

You begin to strip down bare and change into your scarlet bikini that was gifted by Jennifer months ago. Despite the inner turmoil churning within you, you refuse to let it prevent you from heaving over to the pool in the hopes of releasing whatever pent-up emotions are in you. Plus, you need to have some alone time to mediate and regulate your emotions.

With the black bathrobe tightened around your waist, you proceed to venture your way to the pool while being vigilant to your surroundings, obviously looking out for Jay and Heeseung even though you’re okay-ish with the later, but much to your surprise, there is no sight of either of them ─ just eerie silence that causes goosebumps to arise on your skin.

As you finally arrive at the pool, you untie your bathrobe before removing and draping it over one of the sun loungers. You decide to test the temperature as you move closer and stop by the edge of the pool before slowly dipping your foot into the pool. Thankfully, it is adequate, and you waste no time submerging your legs into the water, followed by your upper body.

Since your skills at swimming are entirely rusty, you simply move and float around mindlessly, enjoying your needed meditation and watching the way the water ripples around you in motion as you attempt at swimming. You seek solace in your own company as well as entertaining yourself.

You don’t know how long since the moment you stepped into the pool, but long enough to barely even notice an approaching figure until the sound of his footsteps reach your ears, pulling you out of your reverie as you immediately compose yourself before turning around to face him.

You gulp hard at the sight. Fuck me.

Jay searches for your eyes as he gets closer to the pool, but you are too distracted, blatantly checking him out and nearly salivating, most especially at the display of his beautiful full arm tattoo. He is sporting a black compressed sleeveless shirt that makes his upper body muscles conspicuous in your eyes, but you know that he would look better without it.

As though Jay read your mind, he pulls up his shirt and removes it in one swift motion, his muscles flexing in the process that has your breath hitches in your throat. Your eyes feast on his fine glory appreciatively, desiring to trail your fingers through the slight ridges of his toned abs before you go lower and fuck; his V-line always does something to you. You can see that he is packing beneath the confines of his black shorts, and his bulge looks more noticeable now.

You look at his face, and it is obvious that he has been checking you out too, as you are seated on the pool ledge that allows your upper body to be seen. You know that the way his eyes linger on your bikini has to do with the colour being his favourite, drawing a faint smirk on your lips.

When his steely eyes finally meet yours, you falter instantly, as they are so piercing enough to burn into your memory. His eyes darken with carnal desire and menacing lust that conveys promises, but the unmistakable ire that stems from your recent temperament towards him is present, creating an intoxicating concoction that leaves you apprehensive and entirely aroused.

Still, you refuse to let him know that he turns you on more than anything, and not even his beautiful, smooth tan skin and muscles could sway you from your obstinate resolve. You turn away from him and rise from the pool ledge, walking deeper into the pool and not forgetting to add a sensual touch in the way you move your hips.

Jay’s eyes never leave from you, his jaw clenched and body taut with tension as he recognises that you’re intentionally tormenting him. It isn’t even helping that his cock beneath the confines is getting painfully harder than moments before this. His hands are itching to touch your skin and to dance on your alluring curves.

But then, the distance you continue to establish as you get further into the pool pulls the trigger off in his head, and with vehemence, he desires to deal with your wilful temperament the way he used to, letting go the last of his restraint and patience. Plus, the way you gaze at him briefly yet so coyly, he knows that you are asking for it.

Jay takes a step forward, now standing at the first ledge with the water level above his ankles. “You think you’re being cute with this attitude of yours.” He breaks the ice, finally confronting you without any sugar-coating approach. He only receives silence from you, his eyes watching you attentively as you remain indifferent without looking at him. He scoffs lightly, feeling both amused and infuriated. “You know that you can’t avoid me forever, babe.” 

You ignore the tiny leap your heart makes just by the mere endearment before forcing yourself to look at him again with unwavering eyes, only to be alarmed by his movement as he takes slow, deliberate steps onto the pool ledges until the water level reaches below his knees.

The tension feels oppressive as it tethers on your whole being, but the fiery spark in you remains unabating, and you seek fortitude from it to withstand his unyielding assertion. “Oh yeah? Try me.” You retort, your voice lacing with unconcealed defiance that only fuels his desire to tame you.

“This is not how we settle things, alright?” Jay asserts sternly, his tone indicating no room for further opposition from you. He grapples with the tempestuous emotions within him, each vying to reign influence over the remainder of his restraint to have you in his possession as you are a few feet away from him, but he softens his voice, albeit firm enough to show you that he means business. “I don’t want us to keep fighting in silence like this. I need you to communicate with me, baby.”

You know that it is inevitable as you realise that you will always melt whenever he uses that tone with you, which he has never used with anyone else, but then the memory of Sienna’s gaze on him and how he didn’t seem phased by her reignites the fiery vehemence.

“Fine, you want to know what’s been bothering me?” You begin while behind the layer of hurt and anger in your eyes is rousing lust as you continue to look at him, wanting nothing more than for him to pound your pent-up emotions away. Damn it, if angry and horny was a person, it’d be you. “It’s the fact that you didn’t bother to introduce me as your girlfriend to your client! And you even allowed her to touch and flirt with you!”

Jay raises his eyebrow at you, feeling a tad surprised that you chose to go straight to the point rather indignantly. A promising danger casts a menacing shadow on his handsome face with his chiselled jaw clenched. “Yeah? Now you know how I feel when you danced with your friend and let him touch you last night.”

You hate how right he is, but you hate it even more that he poked your insecurity. “Don’t turn this around on me! This is about you!” You snap angrily while the pool around you ripples from your agitating movements.

“No, baby, this is about you and your attitude last night,” Jay counters with unwavering austerity, and his strong gaze is unmatched as it burns through you, as though coercing your obstinacy. “I don’t know what your deal was even before you decided to show attitude to us, but if what happened with Sienna today made you feel what I felt when you were with your friend last night, then so be it.”

Okay, nevermind. Forget being horny. Now it’s time to unleash your feminine rage.

“Oh, so this is what it is about? Revenge?!” You seethe out, your eyes burning with unmistakable fury, but Jay feels rather aroused to see you pissed off. “You are unbelievable! You had your client over just to get back at me and make me feel jealous? You’re so─”

You clamp your lips shut, unable to think of a suitable vocabulary to insult him as your brain goes short-circuited at the moment he takes another step where his arm can easily reach out to you, prompting you to straighten your back and take cautious steps back from him. Despite getting caught up in your own rage, you are no fool to heed his imposing figure with danger exuding from him, and yet it is the kind of danger that sends you a familiar sense of thrill.

“So what?” Jay taunts you with an eerie calmness in his demeanour, his eyes pinning yours seem to darken with intensity and challenge, and they feel scalding on your skin, making you all hot and bothered once again. “Go on, babe. I’m listening.”

“So petty and infuriating!” You give your best shot, but even you know that it is futile as he doesn’t seem particularly insulted. If anything, he is amused, and that peeves you. 

“That makes us even, then.” Jay smirks at you, and you so badly want to wipe the smirk off his handsome face. All the while, you fail to realise another presence intruding the tension encompassing the pool from behind you as he has been watching it all unravel.

Honestly, this argument is getting nowhere, and the tension in the atmosphere feels just as palpable as the rousing lust in the way his eyes burn into yours. You open your mouth in an attempt to retort again just when he moves forward, but a familiar voice cuts through the stifling air, causing you to tense up.

“Jay, you’re supposed to clear the misunderstanding. Not making it worse.” Heeseung speaks up, albeit his tone lacks the conviction in the words he spoke, being disconcertingly nonchalant. You turn around and adjust your position just enough for you to be able to see both of them equally. “Since Jongseong brought that topic up, we really need to talk about your behaviour last night.”

A disbelieving scoff escapes your lips before you can stop it. “My behaviour? All I did was have fun with my friends! I didn’t realise how wrong it was to have fun.” You burst out in a torrent of exasperation, refusing to yield even when you know it yourself that you provoked them first. You dare yourself to challenge Heeseung, who raises his eyebrow at the defiance in your pretty eyes before he chuckles softly. “I’m not going to apologise when I have nothing to apologise for.”

“One of your friends is a man, Y/N, and he touched you in a way friends don’t,” Jay emphasises strongly, his voice lacing with warning. “You’re mad at me for not introducing you as my girlfriend to my client, but you acted as if you didn’t have boyfriends the way you were last night.”

Hypocrite, he’s telling you that, and he’s more than right. Maybe it’s fair that you got a taste of your own medicine, all because you got petty at them for avoiding having sex with you, but damn it, the heat coursing through your veins is unabating, yearning for them to ruin you the same way Jake and Sunghoon did in one night. 

“Not denying, pretty girl?” Heeseung lets out derisive chuckles as he takes a seat on one of the sun loungers, looking entirely laid-back, but it completely unnerves you in thrilling anticipation as you stand still in the pool. “I was about to let this pass, but Hoon was right. Showing attitude, making us jealous─ you’ve really been a brat.”

You observe the way Heeseung briefly looks at Jay, almost as if sending him a telepathic message, because the next thing you know, your peripheral vision catches Jay’s movement as he advances towards you, prompting your full attention on him as you become alarmed.

“What are you doing?” You ask incredulously, flabbergasted at how unrelenting he is with the pool rippling in violent motions around him while the intensity in his dark eyes sends you waves of intoxication. Though a part of you is keenly aroused by this, you heed to your prey instinct as you slowly back away from him, but your movement only seems to spur him further.

“Come closer, baby,” Jay beckons you to him with faux gentleness, but you shake your head in protest as you continue your attempt at eluding him. He smirks at you; his charming face displays a haunting cruelty that mingles with lechery, and his darkened eyes swirl with carnality. “It’s about time we remind you who you belong to.”

The tension feels sweltering enough as it continues to mount rapidly, and your once-tenacious resolve dissipates as the distance between you and Jay gradually decreases in spite of your efforts to elude him. You know that you can’t even ask Heeseung for help, as the latter is equally pissed.

Though trepidation is present in the heat of your veins, you can’t lie that it feels sensationally thrilling at the same time, spurring you into increasing your pace as you turn around and move in haste towards the pool coping. It is sick and twisted at how you clearly enjoy feigning being the vulnerable prey just to feed into their ego at the effect they still have on you.

“Come on, babe. Where are you running to? I thought you wanted this,” Jay chuckles darkly from behind you, causing your pulse to go erratic as it drums in your ears. He finds you adorable ─ like a frantic bunny trying to swim away from getting devoured by the beast with agility and strength that are clearly unparalleled.

Just as you nearly reach the pool coping, a calloused hand seizes your arm from behind and pulls you to him roughly, eliciting a startled yelp from you as it sends you a jarring sensation while his strong arm locks around your waist and his hand cradles your jaw.

You can barely process the escalation in your head when his lips descend on yours, kissing you hard that intensifies a blazing inferno of desire within you. His kiss feels both possessive and ravenous, but it sends you an electrifying sensation through the heat of your body that has you arched into his touch, earning a low hum of approval from him.

With your body pressing into him, you can feel the heat emanating from his body and the way his abdominal muscles are flexing against your skin as the intensity of the kiss builds to greater heights of pleasure. His lips feel relentless and unforgiving against yours, almost bruising as you can feel him pouring his pent-up emotions into the kiss, but there is an unmistakable desperation in the way he moves with urgency.

Amidst the fervent exchange of your kisses, Jay guides you with his firm hands on your hips while the pool ripples violently around you with how urgent your movements are. Feeling the gradual distance of your body from him, he growls against your lips and pulls you by the waist closer until his bulge presses insistently against your lower abdomen, eliciting a soft gasp from you at the arousal evident in his thickness.

As soon as your lips part open, Jay seizes the opportunity as he thrusts his tongue into your mouth and explores every inch before meeting your tongue in a hot, sensual tango with saliva exchange wantonly. Even just making out with him is enough to make you wetter than you already were, as you can feel the slick of your arousal staining your folds.

Jay breaks the kiss, allowing you to gasp for air while his lips remain brushing against yours and his hands on your waist in a vice-like grip. “You have no idea how badly you drive me fucking insane with your distance and silence,” He rasps, his voice sounds grating in your ear as it sends you shivers. You gasp again as he presses himself into you, intentionally letting you feel his hard bulge. “Feel this, baby? You’re the only woman who makes me hard. Two fucking weeks without burying myself in your sweet pussy was madness.”

“It’s your fault, remember?” You attempt to sound petty as the recollection of him deliberately avoiding and dismissing the signs you gave resurfaces in your mind, but your voice comes out breathless and trembles with need. “I was so frustrated, and I needed you─”

“You gave us─ gave me an attitude because you needed cock, yeah?” Jay cuts you off in a low rumble while his tone drips with degradation that sends heat surging through your core. He squeezes your waist, his lips stretching into a cruel smirk. “You should’ve just said so instead of confusing us with your sudden attitude. You need cock? You’ll get it, alright, and I’ll be the one giving you what you need.”

His fingers go tangle in your damp hair before gripping it to seize control over you as he tilts your head up, causing your breath to hitch in your throat. The moment his lips trail a scorching path from your jaw to your neck, your body burns with overwhelming need. His hot breath hits your skin as he presses wet, open-mouthed kisses on your untainted skin until he reaches your sensitive spots, knowing how to get you incredibly wetter as he continues to assault you with his teeth and tongue.

Your pulse goes erratic with each kiss, bite, and lick while your ragged breathing mingles with soft moans that make him go carnal. You begin to grind your throbbing clothed-cunt on his hard bulge, needing some relief, but your movements elicit a rumble of warning from him, and yet you refuse to stop when your clit throbs deliciously at the contact of his bulge.

“Jay, please,” You plead in a whine that sounds pathetic in your ear, but any sound or utterance from you only fuels his carnal desire for you, prompting him to bite down your skin for one last time before he trails his lips up to your jaw and meets your lips.

But Jay doesn’t kiss you. Instead, his teeth sink into the plumpness of your lower lip, sucking it with his tongue licking across the seam. You look at him with hooded eyelids, your eyes meeting his dark ones that mirror your lust before he uses more force, and this time drawing out blood while you moan out in both pleasure and pain.

Jay immediately licks your lower bleeding lip before sucking it while you feel it throb. He releases your lower lip, only to capture your swollen lips into a searing kiss, but his hands begin to get busy as they leave your waist to pull down his shorts just enough for his cock to escape the tormenting confines.

“Take these off, baby,” Jay commands you huskily against your lips as his fingers go slightly hook around the band of your underwear. You comply, albeit your movements are flimsy, as you feel unnerved under the intensity of his dark, ravenous gaze. Just when your underwear is in your hand, Jay snatches it from you, only to toss it behind you as he smirks at his best friend. “Something to keep you a little less lonely while I fuck her first.”

Jay’s remark hits you with the realisation that Heeseung has been watching the shared yet intense intimacy wrapped between you and Jay by the sun lounger. You look over your shoulder to catch a glimpse of Heeseung holding your scarlet underwear proudly with a smug smirk, causing the temperature in your cheeks to rise at the embarrassment.

“Eyes on me, baby,” Jay instructs you sternly, pulling your attention away from his best friend and watching him pumping his cock as he backs you up until your spine hits the hard edge of the concrete. His dark eyes flicker to yours briefly. “Wrap your legs around me.”

You do so instantly, your hand holding onto his shoulder for stability as your legs slowly wrap around his hips, but it seems Jay lacks patience as he decides to push his cock into your entrance, tearing a gasp from your throat at the relentless intrusion of his thickness as he continues to drive forward despite the resistance that has his jaw clenched.

“Damn, baby. Did Jake and Sunghoon not fuck you loose last night?” Jay groans deeply in your ear as he finally buries himself into you to the hilt, causing your back to arch off the wall as a whimper leaves your lips at his sheer girth that stretch your walls nearly to their limits.

“They did,” You whimper again, your voices trembling with need despite the stretch of your walls that feels borderline painful due to his size.

It boosts his ego upon seeing how close you are to going delirious just by his cock filling you up. He grabs you by the chin just as you begin to lose focus, forcing you to look at him in the eyes. For a fleeting moment, his eyes soften, but the unmistakable glint of depravity is present, giving you a whiplash of familiarity as the man before you is Devil’s Knight Jay.

“Don’t worry. I’ll fuck you the way you deserve after giving us the attitude.” A smirk touches his lips, and before you know it, he begins to hammer his cock into your cunt, tearing wanton moans from your throat as each thrust sends an electrifying jolt of pleasure through your body.

“Fuck, I’ve missed this. I’ve missed fucking you,” Jay growls out, his voice sounding deeper and huskier that amplifies your pleasure, getting wetly turned on even more, as evident in the instant slick leaking down your walls that sticks to his girth with each push.

“I’ve missed you too.” You manage to utter in between gasps and moans, albeit mindlessly, as nothing feels coherent in your head other than him and his cock. Your every nerve is smouldering as you surrender to the overwhelming sensation of his punishing strokes while the pool around you ripples and splashes from the impact.

“Yeah, baby? Missed me fucking you like this?” Jay rasps against your skin as he gets busy littering his kiss on your arched neck while his firm hands on your underthighs control your every movement as he drives you forward into his cock, allowing you to feel him deeper and more insistently than each previous stroke. “I’ll fuck you somemore.”

It is as though something possessed him as he begins to fuck you with intense fervour, borderline animalistic, while his hands on your thighs feel bruising. His moans and guttural sounds as they mingle with yours go straight into your surging heat, but the pure ecstasy on his face is what propels you to fuck yourself onto his cock as you snap your hips against his.

“Just like that. Good fucking girl,” Jay growls in approval before grabbing the back of your head and pulling you in for him to slam his lips into your parted lips, swallowing every sound emitting from the back of your throat greedily and kissing you sloppily with teeth and tongues clashing. He sighs pleasurably against your lips. “If only you had been good for us last night.”

Just when you can nearly reach the pinnacle of ecstasy, Jay slows down the pace deliberately before pulling out his erected cock from you while your cunt clenches at nothing. You whimper in disappointment at the loss of his cock, only to be taken aback when he manoeuvres you as you now find yourself facing Heeseung.

Your eyes are immediately transfixed at the sight of Heeseung pumping his cock leisurely with his abdominal muscles on display while his face betrays no emotion, but when you look him in the eyes, carnal lust swims in them while a wicked smirk plays at the corner of his lips. You turn your head away, unable to withstand the intensity just from his penetrating gaze alone, but your avoidance earns a disapproving tut from the man behind you.

The next thing you know, Jay buries his cock into your cunt with one brutal thrust, eliciting a loud moan from your lips at the sudden intrusion that is a heady mix of agony and ecstasy. Your hands immediately hold onto the square edge of the pool for stability as he thrusts into you relentlessly with his muscular hips snapping against your ass.

Your head lolls forward, feeling your body being overpowered by the overwhelming dominance he asserts, but his fingers go tangled in your hair to seize control as he pulls your head to the back, forcing your spine to arch and exposing your neck to Heeseung’s eyes until you feel his hot breath fanning the shell of your earlobe.

“You’re gonna keep your eyes on Heeseung while I fuck you, understood?” Jay snarls in your ear, his gravelly voice resonates deep in your core, and his tone indicates he wants to hear your compliance, but you are too delirious at the sensation of his cock dragging along your walls so distinctly with each thrust as you roll your eyes to the back in pleasure.

Heeseung, who has been watching you, desires nothing more than to be the one who makes you roll your eyes in pure ecstasy, but he can’t deny that he feels oddly turned on than ever as he watches his best friend fucking you until you are evidently reduced to nothing but dumb on the latter’s cock, causing him to speed up in pumping his cock with his jaw clenched and his dark eyes drinking in your mesmerising nuance while his abdominal muscles occasionally reflexing with each pump.

Upon receiving moans and gasps from you, Jay growls lowly in displeasure before abandoning your hip and curling his fingers around your neck while his fingers tug at your strands again. “I said, understood?” His authoritarian tone sends shivers through your body while your walls quiver in submission, driving him to the brink of madness.

“Yes sir,” You manage to utter in an accidental, sensual slur that spurs him into fucking you with savage intensity, his hand leaving your neck to grip your waist while the other remains pulling your hair to the back just enough for your eyes to train on Heeseung.

You try to be good, to please both men in your vicinity, but the combination of Jay’s vicious thrusts as he relentlessly hits you from behind and Heeseung’s cock that has you foaming in the mouth feels all-consuming, desiring nothing more than for them to stuff you full at the same time. Even the stinging pain from your scalp in the way Jay tugs at your strands feels just as pleasurable as the way your sopping cunt is being battered by his thick cock.

Jay clenches his jaw as your quivering walls vacuum his cock, hurtling him at the edge of ecstasy, but he wants you to come undone first. His hand travels from your waist down to your mount before searching for your clit and rubbing it in circles with the padding of his fingers.

“Jay!” You release another moan that is a higher pitch as soon as Jay assaults your bundle of nerves that is building to an intensity while your heart goes pounding against your chest. A sob leaves your lips as you grip the square edge of the pool, your whole body trembling with delirious pleasure. “F-Fuck! It’s too much─”

“Nothing is too much. You’re going to take it like a good doll, baby.” Jay’s voice is grating in your ear while his hot breath tickles your skin. There is not an ounce of clemency in him, as he claims you with relentless ferocity while working in tandem with his fingers that are rubbing your clit. 

“This is what you wanted, yeah? For me to fuck you and set your attitude straight.” He grunts with each snap of his hips against your ass while the impact causes your tits to spill out from your bikini. “Purposely being a brat all because you need cock to satisfy you.”

You moan weakly, unable to withstand the overwhelming pleasure from both his degradation and his cock as you feel your own body on the precipice of combusting. “J-Jay, I’m gonna cum─” Your lips part open with a silent moan with your eyes rolled to the back as he delivers a punishing thrust that is enough to send you tumbling over the edge of ecstasy, violently coming undone on his cock.

But Jay continues to thrust into your cunt even as your essence sticks to his entire girth while overstimulating you with his fingers rubbing your clit unforgivingly, causing you to writhe and whimper in his inescapable hold.

“I’m not fucking done with you, baby girl.” Jay grits his teeth, releasing your hair only to wrap his arm around your torso before pulling you to him until your back hits his chest. With his arm locked around your torso, he skilfully uses his hand to grip your jaw and forces you to look at Heeseung again. “Keep your eyes on him when you cum again.”

And you do, trying your best to hold onto the last threads of whatever sanity left in you, but Heeseung’s dark eyes feel invasive as they penetrate into you, as though he is fucking you just by his eyes alone.

“Let Heeseung know how good I’m fucking you,” Jay whispers darkly in your ear, enjoying the way your quivering walls continue to welcome him. Your breath hitches in your throat as you recognise the possessive gleam in Heeseung’s eyes. “Tell Heeseung that you’re my good doll who always needs cock to keep her satisfied.”

“H-Heeseung,” You moan out his name, a sensual yet melodious tune in his ears as the latter pumps his cock furiously. “Jay fucks me so good─” You gasp as Jay squeezes your tit with his hand underneath your bikini, tweaking and rolling your perky nipple between his fingers. “Oh god─”

Breaking free from the last of his restraint, Heeseung abandons the sun lounger and makes his way towards the pool, his dark eyes penetrating into yours that have your heart pounding harder against your chest upon recognising the stark madness and carnal desire in his eyes.

Adrenaline rushes through you as Heeseung has now entered the pool, walking towards you with a mask of eerie calmness while Jay continues to thrust into you, and you can feel his impending climax in the way his cock twitches in you. 

Jay lets out a guttural moan as waves of ecstasy wash over him, his cock filling your womb with your walls greedily sucking more and more of his hot sticky cum, and the timing is impeccable when Heeseung finally reaches you, wasting no time in grabbing you by the nape and slamming his lips into yours.

You whimper at the sensitivity as Jay continues to pump his cock into your sopping cunt even after he reaches the peak of his orgasm, but Heeseung greedily swallows every sound you utter, kissing you hard yet sloppily with teeth and tongues clashing.

Seeing as you are occupied with Heeseung, Jay is understanding enough to let his best friend have his fun as he slowly pulls out his cock from you and places a sensual kiss on your shoulder, but his fingers remain rubbing in strong, deliberate circles on your clit. You moan languidly into the kiss, feeling the inevitable before you finally come undone from his fingering assault on your clit.

“Jay fucks you good, yeah? Are you satisfied now, sweetheart?” Heeseung growls against your lips, sending shivers down your body that fall weak into him as your legs give up on you, but he holds you steadily with his hands on your waist. He smirks softly, sensing the exertion in your body. “Pretty girl, I haven’t even gotten my turn with you yet, and you’re already fucked out?”

“W-Wait, Heeseung─” You yelp out in surprise just as Heeseung lifts you up by the waist, prompting your legs to wrap around his hips on instinct and your arms latching around his neck. “Hee, I can’t. Sensitive, still.” You whimper falling deaf to his ears as he presses his hard length into your throbbing cunt before feeling your back hitting Jay’s chest, now being sandwiched between the two devils who are nowhere done with you.

“You don’t seem to understand that we’re simply giving you what you desperately needed, my pretty angel.” Heeseung smirks cruelly at you, but you feel turned on more than you should feel humiliated. “You wanted us to fuck you? We’ll fuck you, alright, and you’re going to take it until we’re done.”

You open your mouth to retort despite having been drained of energy, but the abrupt breach of his cock into your cunt tears a moan from your throat before he begins to fuck you with an insatiable hunger, barely giving you the time to process his cock stretching your walls and hitting your spongey spot instantly.

“Good fucking girl. Taking my cock so good. Your pussy was made for us, for me,” Heeseung growls out, his deep voice rumbling with thick desire that sends heat surging through your core, causing your cunt to clench around him. A muscle pulses in his jaw as he becomes relentless, driving his cock deeper and revelling in the sounds you make while your walls clench around him like crazy. “Look at you, love. Your sweet cunt is still hungry for cock. My pretty girl needs more than one or else she’ll show attitude, yeah?”

“N-No!” You deny, but it only fuels his ire and possessiveness as he recalls Eunwoo’s touch on you last night, propelling him to fuck you with brutal intensity that has you screaming and moaning out at the delirious sensation. The impact sends you pinning to Jay’s chest while he instinctively supports his best friend by holding you in place with his hands on your waist.

Heeseung briefly meets Jay’s eyes in a silent exchange of understanding, their smirks mirroring each other’s before the latter brings his two fingers to your parted lips and shoves them into your mouth without any thought of gentleness, causing you to gag on his fingers as he lodges them deep.

“No? Still denying after you purposely made us jealous by dancing with your friend?” Heeseung growls, resonating deep to your core that has your walls quivering in submission once more. “Tell me, would he fuck you better than we do?”

Heeseung awaits your answer with demanding eyes, but with Jay’s fingers lodged in your mouth as he presses them down on your tongue, you can only gag and choke out, causing tears to prickle in your eyes. Your pulse goes erratic at the cruel, predatory gleam in Heeseung’s eyes as well as Jay’s dark chuckles in your ear.

“Can’t answer him, baby girl?” Jay sneers in your ear, earning a head shake from you but a faux disappointed sigh from him before he presses down his fingers on your tongue once more while drools dripping from the corner of your lips. “Come on, angel. We want to hear you say it.”

You feel both frustrated and edged that Jay is deliberately sliding his two fingers down until they hit your tonsils, causing you to gag even more as you attempt to enunciate your words. Your body shakes violently from the impact when Heeseung delivers a hard, punishing thrust that hits you in the cervix precisely, your eyes rolling to the back with your head lolling and hitting Jay’s shoulder. 

Both men chuckle at how evidently you are fucked out as even your arms begin to feel loose around Heeseung’s shoulders. Jay collects enough saliva from your drooling cavern before pulling his fingers from your mouth, giving you some air to breathe as you regain focus, only to be taken aback when Jay shoves his fingers into Heeseung’s mouth.

Your breath hitches in your throat, utterly hypnotised with the way Heeseung’s dark eyes pin yours as he continues to suck the residue of your saliva from Jay’s fingers rather sensually, completely unbothered that he is making intimate contact with his best friend, and that turns you on more than anything.

You move your hips in tandem with him while his cock is relentlessly thrusting and lodging deep in your cunt, his dark gaze focusing on you in spite of his mouth being occupied with Jay’s fingers. With Jay’s lips now attached to your shoulder, kissing and licking your skin, and Heeseung’s cock hitting the right places, your pleasure has amplified with your impending orgasm awaiting a trigger.

Jay finally withdraws his fingers from Heeseung’s mouth with a tangible string of saliva connected from his lips, but the latter pays no mind to that as he quickly captures your lips in a searing kiss, forcing his tongue into your mouth for you to taste yourself with the saliva he collected on his tongue.

The exchange is filthy and lewd, your tongues dancing wetly with each other and salivas dripping down your chin, but you feel drunk in the heat of the moment, willingly swallowing and taking whatever he gives. You whine as Heeseung pulls his lips away from your swollen ones, only to be silenced by Jay’s lips with his hand seizing your jaw as you find your head being turned sideways.

Heeseung smirks softly as he watches the lewd exchange of your kisses with the wet sound of lips smacking filling the air, all the while, he doesn’t let up his momentum, and instead, he feels the intoxicating pull of pleasure that tempts him to surrender, but he wants to make it last, not when you haven’t come undone on his cock yet.

“You haven’t said it yet, sweet angel,” Jay murmurs against your wet lips, slowly pulling away from the breathtaking kiss and distracting you with the sudden tenderness, but you immediately recognise the deception in his dark eyes. You gasp softly at the intrusion of a bullous tip trying to slide into your battered cunt that is being fucked by Heeseung. “We're waiting, baby. Tell us if your friend would fuck you any better than us.”

“N-No, he wouldn’t be able to fuck me better than you.” You splutter your words, your brain going into overdrive as Jay manages to slide in his bullous tip in your occupied cunt before miraculously burying himself next to Heeseung’s moving cock. Your hand grips on Heeseung’s bicep, giving his flexing muscle a squeeze at the stretch of both cocks in your pulsating cunt. “Jay, please, it’s too much─”

“Why wouldn’t he be able to fuck you, pretty girl?” Heeseung cuts you off with a low rumble, catching your dazed eyes with his perfectly fine ones. You open your mouth to speak, but only moans tumble past your lips as Jay fucks you with an unbridled force, working in tandem with Heeseung. “We won’t let you cum until you answer my question, angel.”

“You know the answer, baby girl,” Jay rasps in your ear, his fingers seeking your clit once more and rubbing it while the assault intensifies your building pleasure that coils tighter in your tummy. “You don’t want us to stop fucking you, do you?”

You shake your head frantically, displaying your pathetic desperation for both of their cocks to consume you. “B-Because he’s not any of you.” You continue while racking through your brain to grasp for any coherency left. You become distracted when Heeseung attaches his lips to the hollow of your throat, kissing and biting your skin. “Fuck─ and he would never be able to fuck me because I’m yours.” You manage to utter through breathy moans as Jay increases the pace on your clit.

“That’s right. You’re ours and ours alone,” Heeseung snarls against your throat, causing your breath to hitch at the haunting menace in his husky voice. “You belong to us, and by the time we’re done with you, you’d do well to remember that.”

You nod your head numbly, focusing on your pleasure that reaches to a crescendo, and you can feel their impending orgasms in the way their cocks throb against your walls as well as their guttural moans and grunts in your ears. Your head feels dizzy at the stimulation of Jay’s hand fondling your tits while the other is on your clit and with Heeseung’s lips relentlessly assaulting your neck with kisses.

The sensation overwhelms you, and before you know it, you tumble over the edge of ecstasy, as at the same time they do, their tips hitting the spot triggers an intense orgasm that has your body convulsing between their bodies and feeling a familiar fluid release from your cunt. 

Your whimper mingles with their moans as they deliver a few more thrusts despite your overstimulated cunt spasming around their cocks before tidal waves of ecstasy hit them as they shoot their hot cum into you, filing to the brim that serves as a testament of their claim over you.

As the last echoes of ecstasy and intensity wanes into the air, you allow your spent body to fall limp in between them with only the sound of laboured breathing amidst the silence. You lean your head in the nook of Heeseung’s neck, feeling sated, while the blissful aftermath envelopes you in a cocoon of contentment. Your eyes capture the beautiful scenery of the skies that are painted in hues of blues and pinks as the sun is making its final descent.

Just when you are about to bask in the afterglow of your intense yet passionate encounter, the realisation dawns on you, followed by the strings of guilt tugging at your heart. “I’m sorry for what happened last night and today,” You break the ice as you slowly lift your head to look at them, only to feel meek under their dark gaze on you. You lower your gaze, unable to handle their imposing intimidation. “I promise I won’t make you jealous again, but─”

You bite down your lips, feeling the remnants of resentment and bitterness at their avoidance of having sex with you over the course of two weeks. It seems like they want to hear you out, as they can see how evidently upset you still are. 

“But I was so frustrated that you were obviously avoiding me and ignoring the signs I gave you, and I thought you didn’t desire me like you did before because, in some ways, I also assumed that you got annoyed at me for being pathetically needy.” You divulge your concern and vulnerability to them, even if a part of you feels sceptical that they would even hear you. You sigh, still unable to look at their faces. “It’s whatever. Sunghoon and Jake already told me the reason why.”

The silence from them only exasperates you, forcing you to dart your narrowed eyes at them with a huff leaving your lips as you notice amusement dancing in their eyes. “Well? Say something!” You whine, accidentally moving your hips that have you gasping as you realise that they are still buried in you while low groans emit from them.

Heeseung catches your gaze instantly, his lips stretching into a lazy yet attractive smirk while there is a teasing glint in his eye. “I had no idea our sweet angel could be this needy for sex.” His remark is accompanied by Jay’s chuckles.

Your cheeks flare in embarrassment, knowing that Jay has that teasing yet charming smirk on his lips as well. Though the smirk remains on his lips, Heeseung’s eyes soften as they roam around your features before he leans down to place a kiss on your forehead.

“Don’t be embarrassed, love. In fact, we’re glad that you’re just as needy as us,” Heeseung tells you, coughing lightly in a not-so-discreet embarrassment at the end that you break into giggles. “You have no idea how we struggled to control ourselves from being all over you.”

“Like Hoon said, we didn’t want to overwhelm you when being in a relationship with the four of us at once is already overwhelming enough,” Jay adds as he rubs your waist, offering you more comfort. “We should’ve told you about it in the first place. We’re sorry, baby.”

“It’s fine. It was silly of me to be all petty and make you jealous last night,” You insist, turning your head to face Jay before giving him a peck on the lips while your fingers gently scrub his chiselled jaw. “No man could ever come close to any of you.”

“We know,” Heeseung says smugly, but his tone carries an undercurrent of danger as he continues. “Even if there was a man other than us, he wouldn’t live to see another day. Consider your friend lucky that he’s Wooseok’s lifelong buddy.”

You kind of expected this coming from Heeseung, considering how possessive he could get to the point where it overwhelmed you, but instead of feeling disturbed, you feel oddly content with a smile touching your lips, knowing that he and the others evidently desire and love you, maybe more than you think.

Jay feels your body shivering beneath his touch, his eyebrows furrowing in concern as his protective boyfriend mode kicks in. “I’ll get the bathrobe for you, okay?” His deep voice sounds comfortingly mellow as he kisses your shoulder affectionately before slowly pulling his softened cock from your cunt.

Jay hisses lightly while you whimper at the sensitivity, prompting him to apologise to you with another kiss on your shoulder before he parted from you, leaving you in Heeseung’s possession. Heeseung attempts to pull out, but you lock your legs around him, causing him to raise his eyebrow inquisitively at you.

“Stay inside me just for a while, please.” You plead softly, your eyes are absent of lust, and instead, a vulnerable display of your yearning for a different yet tender intimacy is present, causing his eyes to soften more than they already were. “I want you to hold me close to you too.”

“Of course, my beloved,” Heeseung murmurs, dipping his head down to press his lips into yours in a shared tender kiss that has you melt for him all over while his arms wrap around your body securely. The two of you remain still, basking in each other's warmth intimately with your head resting on his shoulder. Feeling the constant shivers on your body, he proceeds to carry you over to the pool ledge, where Jay, who has worn back his shorts, is waiting for you with your bathrobe in his hand.

Eventually, you know that Heeseung will have to release you, but just as you decide to stand on your own, your knees buckle underneath you before your legs give up from the sheer ache all over. Heeseung is quick enough to catch you before you can even fall, while Jay wastes no time in draping the bathrobe over your body.

“Let’s go, angel baby,” Jay mutters to you, carrying you in a bridal style with one swoop while your arms go hooked around his neck. As he makes his way back to the penthouse, you sink into the comfort of his warmth that cocoons you with your head resting on his shoulder. “We’ll shower together, and after that, I’m cooking dinner for us.”

You only nod your head in response as your eyes slowly flutter close, unable to withstand the weight of sheer exhaustion dawning on your whole being that you don’t even realise two new presences, who have returned from work, entering the living room as well.

“What happened? What did you do to my princess?” Sunghoon being openly affectionate with you in front of the guys ─ more than how he used to be back then ─ is something you still need to get accustomed to. You can feel his piercing gaze on your form, but you feel too enervated to even lift your eyelids.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jay simply smirks at Sunghoon, whose eyes narrow in a protective gleam yet tinge with softness as he looks at your serene countenance. “Relax. She’s fine. She just needs more rest.”

“You guys really wrecked her,” Jake’s remark causes your cheeks to flush warmly, and you want nothing more than to bury yourself six feet under as they continue to converse about you. “I thought I told you to go easy on her.”

“It's not our fault that we couldn’t resist. How could we when our girl wanted to play being the bunny running from her prey in the pool?” Jay shrugs his shoulders, unfazed by Jake’s disapproving eyes as well as Sunghoons’s protective ones, causing him to roll his eyes at them being all fussy. He looks down at you with knowingness, as he is able to sense that you are not entirely asleep. “Isn’t that right, baby? You enjoyed it all, yeah?”

In return, you bury your face into his toned chest, groaning lightly. “Can we please just get to the shower? A warm shower, at that. I’m still feeling cold.” You mumble to him, but the other two catch onto your words rather quickly.

“She meant shower with me, not the two of you,” Jay puts their hope to an end upon seeing the look on their faces. He merely smirks again at their scowling faces before continuing your journey to his room.

“Jay?” You utter his name softly as soon as you reach the second floor. He hums in response, briefly looking down at you with an eyebrow raised. You surprise him with a peck on his cheek. “I love you.”

Jay's eyes soften as he leans forward, kissing you squarely yet sweetly on the lips. Your heart flutters with the swelling affection as his lips gently move against yours before murmuring. “I love you more, my angel baby.”

TAGLIST 1:

@aishigrey @kgneptun @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586

@strxwbloody @firstclassjaylee @jwnghyuns @deobitifull @loumin908

@sousydive @pinkkami @skzenhalove @caravm @shinrjj

@loljaeyunz @yorukoshii @nshmrarki @lol6sposts

@lilyuwon @enha-crumbs @slut4hee @capri-cuntz @kaykay11sworld

@firesunflames @notevenheretbh1 @parksunghoonsgf @luvkpopp @eastleighsblog

@in-somnias-world @nyxtwixx @theresawtf @fuxktaekook @readbyjjk

@yunhoswrldddd @fuxktaekook @bobaikeu @minjaexvz @heelariously

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟔.𝟐

SYNOPSIS: Your heart and mind remain in an agonising dissonance, and this time, you choose rationality over what your heart desires most, even if it is slowly killing you. But you have underestimated their determination in luring you back to them, which leads to you rebelling against your initial resolution as you fail to resist your darkest temptation. So when the tension finally snaps, you find yourself back to square one, and this time, you fear that there is no way out to elude their intoxicating, dark allure once more.

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), semi-college au, adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WARNINGS: profanities, explicit themes, angst, mention of violence, mention of death, alcohol consumption, manipulation, corruption, toxicity, smuts, unprotected sex (no!), name calling, spitting kink, biting kink, degradation, manhandling, bondage (handcuffs), blowjobs, fingering, pussy slapping & eating, double penetration, edging, crying, squirting, creampies, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, threesomes, fivesomes kinda towards the end(?), MxM in action(mild)

WORD COUNT: 20k

FEATURING: txt, le sserafim, ive, aespa.

DISCLAIMER: this fic is inspired by devil's night series written by penelope douglas! also, i am not a Christian, and i didn't bother to do thorough research on the religion, so pardon any false facts or errors.

PLAYLIST: Touch It - Ariana Grande, everytime - Ariana Grande, Glad You Came - The Wanted, Come My Way - PLVTINUM, Breakin' Dishes - Rihanna, S&M - Rihanna, 2 On (feat.ScHoolboy Q), Lights Down Low - Maejor (feat. Waka Flocka Flame), Wet the Bed - Chris Brown, Candy - Doja Cat.

RUBY'S NOTE: i'm not gonna lie; i wrote 6.2 & 6.3 in a rush whenever i was given free time to write for the past a week or two due to the environment i was in along with irl issues so i apologise if this is not up to your expectations. also the smuts are wack and lazy af. so you can see how dissatisfied and disappointed i am with what i’ve written but i’ve tried my best </3

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3.1, PART 3.2, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6.1, PART 7 ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

The ray of moonlight filtering through your window casts a gentle radiance in the solitude of your room, enveloping you in a dim illumination as you are stagnantly seated on the edge of the bed, already having been promptly dressed up in a simple off-shoulder beige sweater complementing your dark chequered skirt.

Much to your disgruntlement, your best friends vehemently insist on bringing you out with them to have some drinks, and you recognise their intention of wanting to cheer you up upon noticing your disheartened spirit.

You hear the animated bustle of your best friends leaking through your ajar door, but you remain unmoving from your position with an air of pensiveness emanating from you as you grapple with emotions that have been in an unabating turbulence within you ever since you left the palace.

It has been two days since you last saw any of the guys, two days since you established your firm resolution to avoid the guys like the plague, including ignoring their persistent calls and texts, and thankfully they have never made any visits to your dorm. Even if they had, your best friends probably wouldn’t have allowed them to see even a glimpse of your face.

You know that you acted of your accord by fleeing them for the sake of your sanity, but at the same time, you hate it. You hate it that your heart aches tremendously from being apart from them for two long agonising days.

It is genuinely frustrating because instead of the distance giving you space to cogitate, it seems to be driving you to the brink of your sanity, especially when your mind and heart stand in juxtaposition, where one is rationalising you with a litany of reasons why you should depart from their lives permanently as soon as possible while the other unwaveringly yearns for them with a palpable vehemence for as long as it remains beating.

Adding to your predicament, questions have been gnawing on the walls of your mind and keeping you awake at night, rendering you restless rather than weary despite the scant amount of sleep. Questions that mainly centred around Jinae and her death.

Having gained knowledge about her death is not enough. You have a strong desire to unravel the explicit truth about her history with the guys, but the guys didn’t provide you the answers you sought the last time you saw them, and you have yet to ask your best friends considering you have been holed up in your room for most of the time to wallow in your thoughts and emotions.

Heaving a sigh, you decide to cease your rumination, but when your gaze lands on your phone next to you, an idea pops into your mind before you quickly grab your phone. Maybe the idea is preposterous after having been informed by Jake that it was highly possible that whoever the anonymous texter was was responsible for the incident, but desperation is gnawing at you.

With slightly trembling fingers, you begin to type away on your phone, your lips tucking between your teeth and your eyebrows furrowing.

Y/N: If you’re still there, I want answers about what happened three years ago.

After pressing send, you wait, and it’s not even a few minutes before you receive a reply.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: I presume that it’s about Jinae. Since I’m feeling nice, I’ll indulge you, but before I proceed, are you sure you’re prepared? Because what I’m about to tell you depicts her death, as in how she died. Y/N: Considering what I’ve recently been through, yes, I’m prepared. UNKNOWN NUMBER: Since you obviously knew that your four beloved knights were responsible for her death, you should know that before they killed her, they took pictures and videos of her for the times she fucked around with them. Y/N: Was it consented? UNKNOWN NUMBER: No, and that’s not even the worst part. They uploaded those sex tapes to our official Devil’s Knights social media accounts across Instagram and Twitter. Jinae became a laughing stock on campus. Almost everyone, especially our own knights, dehumanised her at every chance they got.

A part of you refuses to believe him, but you can’t ignore the unpleasant churn in your tummy.

Y/N: My best friends told me that there were speculations going around on campus back then about Jinae doing something to piss off the four leaders greatly. UNKNOWN NUMBER: That’s correct. Y/N: So what did she do? UNKNOWN NUMBER: She did nothing, that’s the thing. All she ever wanted was to be loved, but her wanting that love ended up in their palace, where she was found dead in the bathroom. Her throat was slit open. Vulgar words were incised deep on the flesh on her thighs and arms. It was a bloody fucking mess.

“Oh my god.” You cover your gasping mouth with your trembling hand while your eyes glisten with tears, feeling utterly revolted at this discovery with horror plastering on your face. The four leaders did that to her? 

Before you can dwell and get pulled by the whirlpool of torrential emotions, you pour your focus on another matter that has piqued your curiosity just earlier.

Y/N: The way you spoke of her, it seemed like you knew her closely. UNKNOWN NUMBER: As a matter of fact, I did. Y/N: Who was she to you? UNKNOWN NUMBER: She was….someone who I cherished deeply.

Your curiosity has reached its peak, wondering what their relationship was, but the axis of your attention tilts when another matter arises, or rather, something that perhaps he unintentionally let slip.

Y/N: Earlier, you mentioned that they uploaded those sex tapes on your official Devil’s Knights social media accounts, and you said ‘our’. So does this mean that you’re a devil’s knight?

This time, however, he doesn’t reply straight away, which confirms your suspicion. Just as you are about to send him another message, you hear your name being called from outside your room.

“Y/N, are you ready?” Yunjin pushes open the door, and as expected from the fashionista of the group, she is dressed impeccably.

You offer her a tight smile in return as you rise from the bed and shove your phone into your sling purse. “Question: Do I really have to go?”

“Of course, you do.” Wonyoung waltzes into your room, her eyes scanning your overall fit in appreciation before she interlocks her arm with yours. “Besides, it isn’t healthy to be holed up in your room all day. You need some fresh air.”

“And some drinks.” Karina emerges from behind Yunjin. Her alluring eyes narrow at you just when you open your mouth to retort. “Be thankful that you get to even drink, whereas I, on the other hand, can’t since I'll be the one driving you a lot."

“I didn’t even say anything.” You murmur, making a face at Karina, before Wonyoung proceeds to drag you with her, trailing behind the other two.

All the while you’ve resorted to silence, your mind keeps drifting off to the messages earlier.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Out of all the bars, they chose to bring you to the very same bar where you had a rather interesting and salacious encounter with Sunghoon, and you swear it only feels like yesterday he was an insufferable asshole cornering you and trapping you in the gents washroom.

Warmth weaves across your cheeks as you reminisce about him leaving his mark on you while you grind your core against his unabashedly before shaking your head at the recollection and taking aggressive sips of your cocktail, earning yourself odd stares from your best friends as they put a pause to their conversation.

“Anyway, as I was saying,” Karina resumes, shifting your attention to her after spacing out in your own bubble. A grin smears across her scarlet lips. “Us seniors are invited to an exclusive yacht party hosted by the Devil's Knights tomorrow.”

“A yacht party? Sign me up.” Yunjin beams with a smile, raising her glass of margarita near her lips. “God, I’ve always wanted to go to a yacht party.”

“That sounds fun, but…” Wonyoung trails her gaze over to you, a glinting concern in her eyes as she examines the expression on your face. “Y/N, if you don’t want to go─”

“Are you kidding? No way am I going to miss out on a yacht party.” You are surprised at the conviction in your tone, and it is as though you have gained a newfound vitality, probably because of the cocktail.

The three ladies exchange a wary look of knowingness between each other before Yunjin decides to speak up, her voice carrying an air of cautiousness. “But it’s hosted by the Devil's Knights, which means the chances of you bumping into any of them are high.”

“So?” You shrug your shoulders, your mask of indifference obscures the incessant jittery and flutters in you. You place your now-empty glass on the marbled countertop. “I plan on avoiding them anyway. Besides, I’m not about to let them ruin my party spirit.”

Wonyoung heaves a sigh, conceding as she recognises the unyielding determination in your sharp eyes. “As long as you don’t force yourself into this.”

“Don’t worry. I genuinely want to attend and party with my girls.” You reassure her with a soft smile that seems to dispel her doubts. The smile on your lips falters as you feel abruptly compelled to open up another conversation. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you girls about this. Is it true that before Jinae died, the four leaders uploaded unconsented pictures and videos of her?”

The three ladies slowly nod their heads, casting shadows over their sombre features. Karina raises her eyebrow inquisitively at you. “How did you know? Did they tell you?”

“Sort of.” You lie through your teeth, looking down at your hands briefly. “I’m sorry for bringing it up. It’s just─” A staggered sigh leaves your lips. “Everything is just so complicated. I want to find out more and get them to tell me the truth of their side of the story, but at the same time I don’t want to be around them any longer.”

“It’s fine, Y/N.” Yunjin insists, but you still feel bad for dampening the lighthearted mood in the air around you.

You rise from your seat and cast them a tight smile. “You girls continue where you left off. I’m just going to take a breather outside.”

“Do you need me to come?” Wonyoung offers, almost getting ready to stand, but you stop her with a head shake, declining her offer.

“I need some time alone. Plus, you did tell me that getting fresh air is good for me.” You attempt to jest, adorning a lopsided smile, which seems to convince her, and so you begin to navigate your way around the bar.

As expected on a Friday night, the establishment is thronged with other customers, and unbeknownst to you, a certain someone, who has been watching you since the moment you huddled with your best friends at the back corner, follows you from behind.

The nightly breeze greets you as soon as you step out of the establishment. Ambling on the concrete pavement, you rub your cold hands together, your eyes staring into oblivion as your mind is finally free of muddling thoughts, or perhaps for a short-lasting moment, because not too long later, a familiar voice shatters the much-needed tranquilly.

“You should really be careful walking around alone at night.” His mellow voice prompts you to halt your steps while your heart nearly lurches in your chest.

When you turn around, you gasp softly, startled by the close proximity between you and him as you catch a strong whiff of his familiar cologne that has long since embedded itself in your mind.

He easily ensnares you just by his penetrating dark eyes that easily lock you while you go slightly breathless at the gorgeous sight of him, bare of his signature cap that allows his magenta-red strands to fall over his brows and the black leather coat complementing his overall fit.

“Heeseung.” You breathe out, forgetting for a moment that you are supposed to keep your distance from him. You immediately compose yourself, narrowing your eyes at him in suspicion. “What are you doing here? And how did you know where I was?”

“The tracker Jake installed on your phone.” Heeseung answers calmly, ignoring the scoff of disbelief falling from your lips. “I’ve been following you and watching you from afar inside the bar.”

“So now you’re stalking me.” Sarcasm laces your tone. “Seriously, Heeseung. That’s creepy. Did you not hear the part where I said that we’re over the other day?”

Heeseung takes you by swift surprise as he closes the gap, causing you to back away from him while he is relentless with his dark eyes drilling into yours. “We’re not over, and we’re never over.” His low, husky voice sends shivers down your spine.

A whimper threatens to leave your lips, feeling greatly intimidated by his imposing figure as he unrelentingly backs you up until you hit the wall behind you. With his outstretched arm, he plants his palm next to your head, ensuring that there is no escape for you while the wall next to you completely hinders you from mapping other possible ways to evade him.

“Heeseung.” You utter his name shakily, and just like that, your resolve melts under the intensity of his handsome gaze while his strong cologne and the dark ambience he exudes overwhelm you. “Hee, please─”

“You told Sunghoon that you needed space, and we granted that. Two long fucking days.” Heeseung nearly growls out, his jaw clenching and his hot breath fanning just above your lips. “If this is your way of punishing us, then congrats, sweetheart, because you’ve successfully made me the most desperate man alive.”

The tension sizzling through the air around you is so close to snapping that you can feel it in your veins, especially when your eyes flicker down to his pink lips. Heeseung sees this — the look in your eyes yearns for him to kiss you — but he refrains from caving into the temptation, even when your glossed lips look kissable.

“Don’t torture us with your distance anymore, beloved.” His voice drops to a low husk, matching the way his dark allure is serenading you. “The guys missed you. I missed you.”

Your chin wobbles with sadness as you release a shaky sigh, your eyes glistening beautifully with tears under the moonlight cascading down on the secluded, desolate street. “I’m scared, Hee.” The raw vulnerability shines through in the soft manner in which you speak, admitting it to him with sincerity. You look away from his eyes, the tremor in your voice is palpable. “I’m scared of you.”

It is as though a searing stab of a knife plunges into his beating heart at your admission, causing his heart to ache tremendously while his flinty demeanour starts to mollify.

“What?” He whispers, horrified, before finding his voice again, and this time there is a discernible crack of emotion. “No, no, no, sweetheart─” He seems frantic, cradling your face with his callous palms while his eyes hold such desperation as you weakly attempt to push him away. “I’ve never wanted you to be afraid of me for the wrong reasons. Please don’t be afraid of me, beloved.”

“How am I supposed to do that when I don’t trust you?” You whimper, falling weaker against your resistance as you gradually melt into his touch.

“I would never hurt you. Never in a million years.” He states emphatically, his dark eyes displaying promises as he leans his forehead against yours. “Your life is precious to me, beloved. How could I live on if you were no longer there with me?”

“You could still live on because I’m not that special.” You counter, and your voice shakes with a bundle of emotions that threatens to implode. “You can easily have other girls─”

“But they’re not you.” Heeseung punctuates each word with vehemence, his lips now ghosting yours while you shiver at the contact of his cold metal lip ring grazing across your bottom lip, tempting you to close the gap. “I’ve given you my heart since I first saw you years ago, sweetheart. You own me, my body, my heart, and my fucking soul.” 

His confession is all it takes for you to cave into your temptation, and before you know it, you close the gap and press your lips into his. An electrifying sensation ignites in the fervent exchange of your kisses as he presses you up against the wall while his hand deftly grabs your thigh to raise it and hold it against his hip.

Your hands go winding in his hair, your fingers tugging and pulling at the strands as you are consumed by the fiery passion of his kisses, eliciting a breathy moan from him before the sound of low rumbles emits from his chest as he asserts dominance, deepening the kiss to the point where you can feel an indent caused by his lip ring. 

Heeseung thrusts his tongue into your mouth, exploring every inch that he has missed and swallowing every moan emerging from your throat as you feel his prominent bulge pressing directly against the heat of your throbbing cunt.

“Hee.” You pant like a dog as soon as he pulls away, only to map his kisses down your skin while you arch your neck for him to gain better access. Your lidded eyes are threatening to close every now and then, while breathy moans leave your lips as he kisses and licks your sensitive spot.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much, you have no idea.” He rasps against your sheeny skin due to his saliva. He trails his kisses upward and reclaims your lips in a searing kiss that has you grinding your cunt against his bulge. “I know, pretty.” He continues to murmur in between kisses, and his heart swells at the pretty mewls you release. “I know you’ve missed me too.”

The fear of anyone stumbling upon you two making out in the open has completely dissipated from your mind. You know that you have fallen deep when you decide to indulge the forbidden desire in the depths of your heart for this man once again. Maybe there really is no escape from this — from him, from them.

After what feels like eternity, Heeseung pulls away from the mind-blowing kiss, much to your disappointment. The swollenness of his pink lips matches yours as you gaze at him with dazed eyes, breathing so raggedly from the intense passion of your kisses that you didn’t think you would need air at all. Just his lips.

Heeseung sighs, bringing his hand to cradle your face. His touch is a familiar reverence that aches yearningly in your heart, as does his gaze. “There’s another reason why I followed and watched you.” His tongue glides across his moist lips. “I didn’t want the same thing to happen to you when you were kidnapped that night. It’s the reason why I needed to make sure you’re always on our radar.”

You look away from him, feeling the loss of his defeated touch on your face at the apparent detachment in the way you are being. You are caught up in a vindictive whirlwind of emotions once more, but without a doubt, you can’t deny that his words impact you.

You release a sigh, still not looking at him, as you prepare yourself to head back into the bar to find your best friends. “I should go.” You utter dryly before brushing past him.

“Wait.” Heeseung stops you as his hand latches on your wrist, prompting you to look over his shoulder. “Go on a ride with me.”

Hesitation flickers in your gaze. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” You murmur.

“Please, sweetheart? Just this one night.” Heeseung’s desperation in wanting to keep you close to him shines through in the way he has been pleading in one night, which is fucking ridiculous to him as he has never plead to any girl, but you are undeniably his biggest weakness.

Receiving your silence, Heeseung gently pulls you closer and raises your hand to place a tender kiss on your palm while your heart swells at his familiar gesture of affection. “I'll bring you back to your dorm after that. Just for tonight, trust me, please?”

“Okay.” You acquiesce softly, ignoring your rationality in pushing him away, but just one night won’t hurt you enough to cave into your yearning.

Not long later, you find yourself seated behind him on his thunderous, sleek motorbike, riding against the cold, vindictive wind with your arms wrapped around his waist as he picks up the velocity. Just like that, all your problems are ensnared in the wind as you bask in the familiarity of your closeness with him.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Three hours of the road journey to the marina granted you sufficient sleep in the car after having been sleep deprived for the past few days, but even in your slumber, the memory of Heeseung’s touch, lips, and warmth that cascaded over you last night arose in your mind. No words were exchanged even when he kept his promise and dropped you off at your dormitory, only his lingering stare on your elusive demeanour when you finally drifted away from him.

Refusing to dwell on last night any longer, you shift your attention, and this time, any worries or distress dissipate as your eyes take in the magnificent sight of four mega-luxurious yachts docked at the marina with the azure ocean glistering under the sun rays cascading down from the celestial firmament.

It is all simply breathtaking, rendering you awestruck as you remain cemented in your spot, drawing amused attention from your inner circle group of people that have wholeheartedly welcome you back upon seeing your sparkling eyes and your agape mouth as you are still staring at the panoramic view.

“Y/N! Come on!” Winter’s calling pulls you out of the trance, and when you finally look at them and heed your surroundings, you spot other seniors of your batch splitting in random groups as they board the awaiting yachts, although not all of the seniors are present.

“So how do we know which yacht we’re supposed to board?” You inquire as soon as you manage to catch up with your girls, huddling in groups as you make your way to the docks.

“Good question.” Karina muses, her eyes darting to the knights stationed by the docks, as they seem to be guiding and assisting the guests. “Let me ask one of them.”

“Maybe it’s up to us which yacht we want to board.” Chaewon voices out, earning a few hums of agreement from the rest of the girls.

You scratch your non-itchy scalp as the contortion on your face twists with uncertainty. “Just to be safe, let’s just ask the knights─” A shadow looms over yours from behind, prompting the girls to look at the tall male.

“Actually, Chaewon’s right. You can choose the yachts of your liking, but better be quick because we’ll be departing from the marina soon.”

For some reason, his voice greatly startles you, causing your heart to lurch in your chest before you turn around to look at him. Beomgyu looks as charming as ever with the dazzling smile on his fine countenance. His onyx hair looks shorter than the last time you ever saw him.

“Awesome!” Your girls begin to erupt into excitement as they promptly discuss amongst each other whether to be separated or not since not all of them want to board the yacht, which differs from the other’s choice.

Upon noticing your eyes fixated on his face and your oddly resounding silence, Beomgyu shifts his attention to you, and it takes everything in you to refrain from flinching despite the warmth of his dark brown eyes gleaming with kindness, which is completely perplexing because why does your stomach churn unpleasantly being in his vicinity when he did nothing but show kindness to you?

“It’s been a while, Y/N.” Beomgyu strikes up a friendly conversation with you while your intuition is telling you to move out of his vicinity, especially in the way his eyes rake all over your body as you are adorned in a short sundress. “You look nice.”

“Thank you. You don’t look bad yourself.” You reciprocate, adorning an awkward smile on your glossed lips as you begin to discreetly shift uncomfortably under his gaze. Hearing the drifting commotion of your girls, you clear your throat, looking away from him. “I’m just going to follow them─”

“Y/N, wait.” Beomgyu stops you, his touch on your skin as he grabs your wrist sends you a jolting sensation that intensifies the churn in your tummy. When you look at him with curious eyes, you notice something shifts in his demeanour — a fleeting of passing darkness that sends alarming signals to your brain.

Just when Beomgyu decides to speak, Soobin emerges from behind him and drapes his arm around Beomgyu’s shoulder lazily. “We’ve been waiting for your ass to board. What’s the hold-up?” Soobin doesn’t seem to notice you yet, or maybe he simply disregards your existence, but nevertheless, you are thankful for his intervention.

“Just catching up with the lovely Y/N Kang.” Beomgyu tells him, his eyes never straying from your delicate features. His statement finally draws Soobin’s attention to you just as you are about to head over to your girls.

“Y/N! Good to see you alive and well.” Soobin acknowledges you, a smirk smearing across his lips, while something in the way he is eyeing you unnerves you. Above all, you can’t help but discern a double meaning in his words. “Do enjoy the party. Just be careful of the sharks if you ever fall into the ocean.”

You frown at his snarky remark that oozes wicked sarcasm. “Thanks for the advice?”

Beomgyu seems dissatisfied with the way he smacks his best friend in the back of his head before shooting you an apologetic smile and dragging Soobin with him, heading over to the second yacht.

Ignoring the fact that you feel disturbingly weirded out by them, you proceed to head over to the girls, having been informed by Wonyoung that they’ll be splitting up into two groups, and not moments later, you finally boarded the fourth yacht, squeezing your way through the throng of people and eventually losing sight of your girls.

The instant the yacht makes its first departure from the dock, you lose momentum in your balance due to the yacht in motion, and the abrupt shove from someone behind you sends you tumbling forward.

You snap your eyes close as you brace yourself for the impact, but nothing comes. Instead, a pair of strong arms wrap around your unbalanced figure, holding you steady while you are staggered into shock as the familiar cologne infiltrates your senses. You had been hoping that you wouldn’t bump into any one of them sooner.

“Lovely.” His concerned voice prompts you to recover as you slowly lock eyes with him, and from your peripheral vision, it seems that the others in your vicinity pay no mind to you while you remain unmoving from his embrace. His warm brown eyes soften as he scans you. “Sweetheart, are you alright?”

Although you have heard the familiar endearment from Heeseung countless times, to hear from him sends a jarring sensation through you while incessant butterflies are in their wake. Your eyes betray you when they rake over his appearance, while warmth weaves across your rosy cheeks.

The button-down printed blouse draping his physique allows a sneaking peek of his toned chest, and the snake tattoo is inked on his right collarbone, while a chain necklace is hooked around his neck. His dark hair is tied back into a man-bun with a few long strands hanging by the sides of his face frame, and this new look of his arouses something so familiar in you. God, does he look so deliciously handsome.

“I-I’m fine.” You stammer, flustered by the mixed emotions pouring down on you, and the arousing lust in your core just by the mere sight of him feels so profound that you wish to whisk him away from here and for him to fuck you good.

“Are you sure?” He asks, a frown adorning his pink plump lips, that you so badly want to kiss. He scans his surroundings while still holding you close. “It’s getting crowded here. We can head down to the basement or the second floor if you want.”

Just before you can give him your answer, the recollection of how uncharacteristically rough he was back at the church, as does the other night where he displayed his callousness towards you, impels you to evade his embrace, and the hurt flashing in your eyes just briefly captures his keen attention before you look away from him.

“I’m fine going without you. Besides, I’ll be searching for my friends as well.” You mutter dryly, preparing to flee from him, but he prevents you from doing so when his hand latches on your wrist before pulling you with him. “Jaeyun!”

Jake ignores your disbelieving call as he continues to haul you towards the flight of stairs that leads to the second floor, and in the midst of it, you manage to catch sight of Wonyoung, Yunjin, and Karina in their socialite element, mingling around with the other guests amiably before you avert your gaze as Jake guides you to the second floor, and just when you think he is done, he pulls you with him towards another flight of stairs.

A whine escapes you before you can control yourself, panting slightly from having to climb up the stairs. “Jaeyun!” It seems that he notices your exhaustion, because the next thing you know, he carries you in a bridal style with ease while you let out a surprised yelp.

“Where are we even going?” You ask, completely bewildered by his moves. Jake takes a side glance at your scowling face fleetingly before refocusing on climbing these stairs, his arms encircling your body protectively. 

“To the top.” His answer doesn’t satisfy you, but nevertheless, you succumb to defeat, relaxing your taut body in his warm embrace that feels uncannily like home to you while your fingers fiddle with the sling of your purse.

As soon as you reach the top, you hear distinctive commotions around you, prompting you to catch sight of the other three yachts that are in the same motion as the yacht you are on. Jake carefully sets you down to your feet, whereas you become distracted by the breathtaking panorama of the ocean and the cerulean skies that remind you of those beautiful masterpieces of painted canvas. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Jake speaks up, his enamoured eyes never leaving your awestruck face, and no doubt his remark is directed at you, because fuck, you are glowing as the sun rays bathe you while the wind in your hair moves in a wavy motion, adding a more cinematic beauty to you.

But when you finally divert your attention to him, he frowns at the familiar hurt glinting in your eyes, which he saw earlier. Whatever he did wrong, he intends to fix it.

“So that’s about it, right?” You quip, looking away from him. “Thanks for bringing me up here when I never asked, but I’ll get going now.”

Having already predicted your moves, Jake deftly blocks your way with his figure, completely undeterred by your glaring eyes at him. “Tell me what I did wrong. Let me fix it.” The resolution is accentuated in his warm brown eyes, which you have grown to love whenever he stares at you, either fondly or intensely with lust.

“I don’t want to do this with you, Jaeyun.” You say, and you can feel yourself going weaker the longer his eyes bore into you with an intense longing. “I’m here to have fun with my best friends, and I won’t allow any of you to ruin that.”

Jake blocks your way again, eliciting an irritated sigh from you, but he cuts you off, throwing you off guard by the stark desperation in his demeanour. “And I’m here to fix what I broke. I can’t delay this any longer, so please, sweetheart.” He lowers the pitch of his voice as he steps closer to you. “Tell me, what can I do for you to return to me?”

You clench your fist, refraining yourself from being persuaded by the emotions swimming in his eyes, looking at you as if you’re his whole world. “You can start off by giving me space.” You immediately brush past him, but Jake is not having any of that, grabbing your wrist and tugging you back at him.

“I’ve given you enough fucking space, and you have no idea how close I was to going insane over your absence.” Jake’s eyes burn into yours, deflating you completely. His grasp on you feels firmer, but not enough to hurt you. “Please, sweetheart, you’re killing me with your detachment.”

You look away from him, not wanting him to see the tears glistening in your eyes that derive from the ache in your bleeding heart at the palpable desperation in the tremor of his voice. “I hate it.” You whisper, laying your vulnerability bare in his eyes.

“Tell me.” He says firmly, pulling you close with your clenched fist now in contact with his toned chest. Upon your persisting avoidance, he seizes your chin, gently turning your head to face him while the intensity of his gaze softens at your glistening eyes. 

“Hit me, bruise me, I don’t care. Be mad at me at a shorter distance where I can see you. Just don’t shut me out and leave me again. I─” His voice shakes while the fear of abandonment that instilled in him morphs into pain in his eyes. He interlaces your fingers with his before kissing the back of your hand. “I can’t imagine my future without you in it, love.”

The mental restraint you forced upon yourself finally implodes, springing more tears to your eyes as his words leave an impact so profound on you. “I hate that I can’t predict you. You’re sweet and gentle for one moment, but the next, you’re the opposite. I don’t know which version of you is true, Jae.” Your voice shakes as you confess. “The day at the church, you fucked me like you were really punishing me, and you even called me your well-trained slut like you meant it.”

You cut him off just when he opens his mouth, needing him to hear what you have been keeping inside ever since while a fallen tear escapes the corner of your eye. “You’ve never called me such names whenever we had sex, and my Jaeyun would never call me his slut like he meant it.” You force a whimper down in your throat. “My sweet Jaeyun. Right now, I don’t know which Jaeyun you are.”

“I’m right here, love. I’ve never left.” Jake reassures you frantically, his palms cradling your face as you shake your head, refusing to believe him. He closes the gap between your faces until his nose grazes against yours affectionately, while his breath fans above your upper lip as he pleads softly. “Please, sweetheart, I’m still your sweet Jaeyun.”

“Prove it.” You demand in a whisper, feeling lightheaded by the close proximity. You can see it in his eyes as your words ignite something ablaze in him. You allow your lips to brush lightly against his as you whisper, “If you’re still my sweet Jaeyun, you gotta prove─”

Jake silences you with his lips pressing into yours hard while his arm cages around your waist, pulling your body closer to his, and the other cradling the back of your head with a familiar reverence. You melt like butter in the familiarity of his warm embrace at the exchange of your fervent kisses.

Your arms slither their way to his shoulder before draping them lazily, and without breaking the lip lock, he manoeuvres you to the velvety couch in a swift motion with your back pressed down on the cushion as he hovers over you.

“Please don’t hate me.” He murmurs against your parted lips, nearly whimpering out, which has your heart clenching. “I can’t bear the thought of you hating me, love. Don’t hate me anymore, please.” He reclaims your lips in a searing kiss, poking his tongue into you before you wholeheartedly welcome him, allowing him to claim every inch of you.

“Jaeyun.” You gasp for air as soon as he pulls away and maps his kisses down to your neck while you instinctively arch your back, rolling your eyes to the back and panting heavily as his lips on your skin feel scorching. “We should stop. Someone might come up and see us.” You manage to utter out before nearly moaning out at the sensation of his teeth sinking into the sensitive spot on your neck.

Despite his strong libido to take you right here and now, Jake concedes, as he doesn’t wish to displease you, and so he detaches his lips from your skin only to slot them over yours, giving you a lingering kiss that reflects the depths of his feelings for you.

Knowing that you need to gasp for air again, Jake pulls away from you just enough for his lips to ghost yours, his eyes fluttering open to gaze deeply into your nearly blown-out pupils as you breathe heavily.

“I promise I won’t do what you hate anymore.” He murmurs, hovering his lips over to press a deep kiss on your cheek before he decides to lean his weight on your body while being careful enough not to suffocate you. “I’ll be gentle and sweet.”

Your heart flutters at the sensation of his thumb stroking your cheek with affection. “You can be rough with me, but just don’t call me names like that again.” You say softly, melting on the inside with the utter adoration in his warm brown eyes that are boring into yours.

Jake raises his eyebrow inquisitively. “So the others are allowed to call you names except me?”

“They’re…different, just as you are.” You lean further into his touch, adorning a smile so sweet that it tempts him to kiss the dimple on your cheek. You pat his cheek gently. “Because you’re my sweet Jaeyun.”

Jake unfurls a soft yet wolfish grin that accentuates his charming countenance, having grown addicted to and loving the way you call him yours. He grabs your hand to place a kiss on your palm, his adoring eyes never leaving yours. “I am your sweet Jaeyun. Yours forever.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

It feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders after the unanticipated event that transpired earlier with Jake, and that grants you the freedom to enjoy the rest of the party without another pending problem adding weight to your strained, distressing mind.

A breathy chuckle leaves your lips as you recall the endearing pout on Jake’s lips when you decided to cease your prolonged make-out session to find your best friends and the fact that anyone could have stumbled upon you at any moment of time unannounced. Nevertheless, you parted ways with him, especially since the other knights were looking for him.

The boisterous commotion from the riotous guests shatters your reverie, prompting you to trail your gaze to the impressive inflatable water slides, which the professional crew members at each yacht have diligently set up not too long ago, and catch sight of your fellow senior guests in their swimming attires as they engage themselves in the luxurious entertainment that the devil’s knights have offered.

Heck, you are even flabbergasted when you have been informed by Jake earlier that just below each yacht’s basement is stored with a few jet skis, which you didn’t really believe until you finally see them for yourself as you now spot recognisable knights riding the jet skis along the ocean with zeal.

Presently, all four yachts are berthed adjacently with the main deck facing each other, which enables the guests’ liberties to pursue whatever they want, be it to dive into the ocean and swim with the others or even head over to each dock and socialise with the other guests. Considering this is your first time ever attending a yacht party, it has completely exceeded your expectations.

“Y/N! Let’s go!” Winter, whose exuberance you have dearly missed, calls out for you over the booming speaker that is playing a felicitous song to enliven the vibrancy teeming in the atmosphere. 

You look over to her, spotting some of the other girls along with her, all of whom are adorned in distinct bikinis, prompting you to look down at yours. Much to your surprise, you were willing to display yourself in a cute pink floral bikini set just when Karina and Yunjin dragged you into one of the guest rooms here with the intention of persuading you to join the watersports fun. You refuse to hold yourself back from anything today, even when there are lingering doubts in your head. You deserve to have fun after the shit you've been through.

Chugging down on your fruit punch, you toss the red plastic cup in the trash and meander your way to your friends by the stairs before they proceed to head to the second floor with you trailing behind them. You have no idea what they want to do, but you decide to go with the flow.

“Don’t forget to wear your life jackets for those who can’t swim.” As expected from the mother of the group, Wonyoung reminds the group as she busily fastens the life jacket around her petite form. Looking over to you, her eyebrows furrow. “Y/N, you don’t need one?”

You shake your head, giving her a reassuring smile. “I’m good. I can swim.” Or at least you hope, but it isn’t entirely a lie. Your father used to bring you out for swimming, and he was the one who taught you. Just the thought of your father causes your heart to ache.

It isn’t long later, after queuing for the slide, that you, Winter, and Wonyoung decide to go together. Your heart races in anticipation before you finally glide down with the adrenaline rushing through you, while your ear nearly goes deaf by the splitting, high-pitched screams from Winter and Wonyoung as the three of you are being thrust into the air.

You hold your breath just in time when you plunge into the water, and the impact causes you to submerge a little deeper before you put your rusty skills to use as you swim back up to the surface. As you manage to stay afloat, cheers from your fellow guests reach your ears, probably due to you and your friends’ performances.

As you have every intention to swim towards the main deck, you hear a raucous motor engine approaching from behind you, to which you dismiss since it’s normal for other jet skiers to go about here, but when the vehicle stops directly next to you, you slowly turn around only for your heart to pound harder at the sight of Sunghoon looking down at you with inexplicable emotions in his dark eyes.

Silence befalls you as you stare at him with unwavering eye contact while your insides are tumult by the palpable tension in the air. You take this moment to take in his mouth-watering appearance, donning a white sleeveless tank top that displays his ripped muscles for your eyes to feast upon.

“Need a ride, princess?” Sunghoon asks as he snaps you out of the trance. His hand is extended towards you while you take note of his oddly neutral tone, which renders you sceptical, considering that you left him while he was asleep the last time.

Nevertheless, you accept his offer as you latch your hand on his, only for him to clutch your hand securely and assist in hauling you from the water with ease, his biceps muscles flexing, before you finally settle seated behind him.

“Hold on tight to me.” Sunghoon says over his shoulder, to which you barely register his words in your head when he abruptly picks up the velocity of the jet ski, eliciting a squeal from you and prompting you to latch your arms around his body.

“Park Sunghoon!” You scream over the raucous motor engine, looking over his shoulder to see where he is heading as you are getting further away from the yachts. “Where are you bringing me?!”

“To feed you to the sharks, of course.” Sunghoon tells you bluntly, and you gasp in disbelief at his seemingly serious remark before he breaks into a breathy chuckle, melting the prior icy demeanour. “I’m kidding, princess. I’m just driving you around. Besides, you haven’t seen my drifting skills yet.”

“What─Sunghoon!” A scream tears from your throat as he throws you off guard, quite literally, that nearly has you falling off the jet ski when he does an abrupt drift, prompting you to tighten your arms around his body.

“I told you to hold onto me tight!” He raises his voice for you to hear him better against the vindictive wind, and when he revs forward, you yelp out, your face colliding into his back.

“Slow down!” You exclaim in a squeak, and yet the adrenaline rush coursing through your veins only seems to intensify at the velocity of his jet ski as you hear the other jet skiers in the background around you.

“There’s no slowing down, princess.” Sunghoon briefly looks over his shoulder for you to catch a glimpse of the suggestive smirk on his lips.

Any resistance or fear in you dissipates as you eventually find yourself enjoying this more than you should, now with a gleeful smile glowing in your countenance that is accompanied by the infectious laughter emitting from you, which affects Sunghoon as he laughs along with you.

Maybe it won’t hurt for you to revel in this euphoric moment with him, even when you know that there is still a palpable strain between you and him.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Time flies fast as the effervescent element encompassing the entirety of the festivity has completely ensnared you, and before you know it, the sun is making its descent, creating a soft, warm radiance that bathes the landscape in a golden glow and gradually painting the empyrean a gorgeous shade of purple.

Despite the dawning twilight across the horizon, the party doesn’t seem to stop any time soon, while the prevalent ambience across the four yachts is pulsating with vigorous exuberance that emanates from the partygoers, including you.

You feel inclined to admit that this has got to be the best party you have ever attended. You have long since revelled in the luxurious entertainment offered by the knights.

After the wild ride on a jet ski with Sunghoon earlier, he dropped you off at the yacht you were originally from only for you to play the water slide with your friends and dive into the ocean one or two many times, and you even participated in the banana boat activity alongside other seniors, whom you surprisingly managed to get along with. Maybe it was because you were enjoying yourself too much until your stomach began to grumble, but the platters of food they served were so delectable that you even generously got yourself another plate or two.

But then, the familiar faces of specific individuals pop into your head, nearly subduing your effervescent essence, prompting your eyes to sweep with purpose across the throng of people in the spacious vicinity you are in, searching for them.

Obviously, you have been with Jake and Sunghoon rather intimately, but they were beyond your reach as they socialised with the others, seeming to provide you with space. You saw Heeseung earlier when Sunghoon drove past the first yacht, only getting a glimpse of his face, whereas Jay has yet to appear in your line of sight.

Biting down your lip, you shake your head lightly at the thought of them before resuming where you left off, regaining your faltered vitality. Presently, you and your friends are mingling and dancing on the dance floor with the music blasting from the speakers.

Your faces are glowing with jubilation, and giggles and chatter are teeming in the overflowing vibrancy as you dance silly with your friends and other partygoers. The dampness of your hair has been desiccated by the heat of the air while you are still adorned in your bikini, just like most of the other ladies here.

You have long since felt comfortable in your own skin, which is starkly displayed. Plus, you even received compliments from your friends and the other ladies about your look, which elevated your self-confidence, while you simply dismissed the lewd whistles and lecherous gazes from most of the knights. You were not about to allow anyone to ruin your day.

“Anyone needs help to throw away their cups?” Rei directs her offers to you and your girls, putting a pause on your frolic. When you look at Rei, you notice the grimace on her face. “I gotta head to the washroom. I feel a little nauseated.” She informs you.

“Count me in. I think I’m gonna throw up.” Chaewon covers her mouth with her palm before brushing past you speedily, not waiting for the other girls as they stack their cups on top of each other with Rei’s assistance before Kazuha and Winter follow after Chaewon.

“Y/N?” Yunjin stares at you just as you wipe your mouth with the back of your hand, while the other is holding the red cup languidly. “Your drink?”

You shake your head before casting her a boozy grin, to which they recognise that you are inebriated. “I’m fine. Just gotta─” A hiccup leaves your lips, and you nearly tumble forward if it weren’t for Wonyoung’s arms steadying you. “Gotta dance! And drink─” You slowly push Wonyoung away before bringing the cup to your lips and tossing your head back as you down the vodka in one go.

“You’re drunk.” Karina points out, but even she is just as inebriated as you, evident in the way she giggles as she pinches your cheeks languidly.

“I wanna pinch her cheeks too!” Wonyoung joins, swatting Karina’s hands away from you while the latter attempts to counterattack. “Go away! You’re drunk too!”

“The three of you are drunk.” Yunjin, the one who has the highest alcohol tolerance in the group, steps forward and latches her hands on both Wonyoung and Karina to pull them away from you. “Let’s get you two sober. Y/N─”

“I’m totally fine! I swear!” You bat your eyelashes at Yunjin as she narrows her eyes at you with scepticism. You attempt to convince her by dancing lightly to the music. “See? I still have some dance left in me!”

“Just don’t throw yourself off into the ocean and drown yourself.” Yunjin tells you sternly before dragging Wonyoung and Karina away from the animated dance floor, leaving you alone to revel in the intoxicating abysmal.

The empty cup eventually slips off your grasp as you succumb to the euphoria, the addictive rhythm pulsating through your body as it influences the alluring sway of yours that has long since captivated four pairs of eyes burning into your figure in the background away from the dance floor.

Unbeknownst to you, one of them meanders his way to the siren calling that exudes from your bewitching ambience, completely enamoured by you as you revel in the intoxicating abysmal with your head tilted up and an irresistible smile on your face cast by the resplendent LED across the dance floor.

Just when you are about to flaunt your moves, you feel a pair of hands holding your hips from behind, causing your heart to lurch in your chest at the uncanny familiarity of his callous palms, but you refuse to lose momentum, dancing along to the supposedly stranger behind you.

You feel his hot breath fanning the shell of your earlobe, tickling you, while his tattooed hand slithers forward to caress your abdomen sensually. “Nice moves, baby.” His husky voice is laden with desire as you leisurely lean back to grind your body against him, eliciting a low grunt from him with each intentional bump where your ass meets his bulge. “Fuck, if you keep doing that, I’ll have to drag you away and finish what you started.”

You slowly falter, but only to look over your shoulder to meet his eyes that darken with danger and lust, both coalescing into a raw, predacious hunger as you don’t relent from grinding back against his erection. His eyes greedily soak in the image of your erotic beauty under this luminescence.

In return, you beguile him with a simper smile. “You might want to control your erection, Mister Park. You wouldn't want these people to know that you’re shamelessly getting a hard-on from the renowned Catholic girl, would you now?” You ask in a sultry whisper, your tantalising touch on his skin as you caress his chiselled cheekbone ignites something so primal in him.

Maybe it’s the alcohol in your system that influences your every action, but you feel oddly pleased by the obvious lack of restraint in the low rumble from him while the tenacity in his hold on your body hinders you from your next move of eluding him, which now brings discontent to you.

You huff in annoyance after your second failed attempt to escape his grasp. “Jay─”

“Don’t delude yourself, sweet angel. You? The Catholic girl?” Jay chuckles darkly while your eyes widen in panic when his fingers tantalisingly caress down your sternum and all the way until he cups your clothed mount, eliciting a startled gasp from you. “The only Catholic thing about you is worshipping my cock with your every hole, like the good girl you are for me.”

Feeling self-conscious of your surroundings, you take a quick glance just to notice these partygoers are either completely drunk or simply minding their business to pay attention to you. Still, the risk of a pair of eyes seeing you and Jay right now is high, causing your mind to erupt into panic and chaos as you struggle languidly against him.

“Jay, they might see us─” A soft gasp leaves your lips when Jay squeezes your mount. His fingers explicitly apply pressure to your throbbing clit, eliciting a breathy moan from you before you can even stop yourself.

Jay scoffs lowly beside your ear, intentionally pressing his fingers to your clit again, this time in a subtle massaging motion, igniting the unbearable heat in your core. “It looks like I’m not the only one getting turned on, and you call yourself the Catholic girl?”

With the alcohol in its course through your system, which melds with an avid libido, it is inevitable for the stimulation of your arousal to become tenfold as it intensifies in your core by his mere ministration. “Jay.” You breathe out his name in between straining moans as you lean your head back on his shoulder, gasping. “Jay─We can’t─please─”

“Look at you, my sweet angel, or rather, my sweet little devil. You’re already falling apart just with my fingers.” Jay purrs in your ear, nipping the shell of your earlobe sensually before he roughly seizes your chin to control you as he directs your attention to the front view. “It looks like someone else wants to get their hands on you too.”

In an instant, your eyes lock with a pair of familiar ones from afar, but the sheer intensity forms an impalpable connection between you and him. A gasp hitches in your throat as you see the way he rakes all over your body, feeling as though he is shredding the fabric pieces that cover your womanhood just by his dark, invasive eyes.

“What do you think, baby? Should I tell Heeseung to come over and let him touch you like I do now as you come undone here?” Jay’s voice continues to drip with mockery while his fingers don’t relent from the ministrations on your clit. Jay catches Heeseung’s eyes fleetingly, and it’s enough for the latter to understand his unspoken invitation, drawing a smirk on Jay’s lips. “Yeah, I should.”

It is rather baffling to you, unable to discern whether or not the adrenaline rush in your veins has been incited by the unbridled lust in you or just plain trepidation that impels you to break free from Jay’s unyielding hold.

You don’t know what boosts your confidence in evading him, but you fail to heed in the direction you intended, because the next thing you know, your forehead collides into a solid chest, prompting you to look up at him with your eyes widened. 

“Heeseung.” You stammer, instinctively backing away from him. His figure is imposing as he relentlessly advances forward, while the predatorial glinting in his eyes, which is illuminated by the lighting around you, sends shivers down your spine. “Seungie, wait─”

“Oh, I’ve waited long enough.” Heeseung’s mellow voice is a deception you recognise that aligns with the soft smirk unfurling on his lips, which is adorned with the familiar silver ring. “If you thought last night was enough for me, then you’re mistaken. I’m never going to get enough of you, beloved.”

Your mind is in a tumult when Jay reigns dominance over you, his chest pressing against your back while his hands seize control over yours. You shudder as his hot breath tickles your skin when he dips his head down next to your ear. “How dare you leave me high and dry just like that, baby?”

Your head throbs with the booming music and the close proximity of being nearly sandwiched between two hot men who are the only ones who can intoxicate you in unfathomable ways, be it with their scent, their touch, their lips, or just everything about them.

“Come on, sweetheart. Dance with us. Show us your moves like you did earlier, pretty girl.” Heeseung places his hands on your hips, coercing them to sway under his scorching touch, and soon enough, you begin to retain the momentum that has long since felt natural in the flow of your body.

On the other hand, Jay distracts you with his lips kissing your shoulder and his hand guiding yours to raise them, which your fingers instinctively rake through his raven locks. “Jay.” You sigh pleasurably as he trails wet kisses across your shoulder until he reaches your neck, but you remain gazing at Heeseung’s dark eyes with hooded lids.

“Fuck, you sound so perfect saying my name like that.” Jay rasps against your skin before resuming his assault on the side of your neck while multitasking in the way he moves to the rhythm in sync with your body. 

Leaning back as you go lax between them, the way your back is arched entices Heeseung to lean down and press a kiss on your sternum before lowering himself to dip his tongue in the hollow of your cleavage to lick a long stripe of your skin and over to the supple of your nearly exposed breast.

“Hee, Jay.” Your moan goes straight to their cocks beneath the slacks. Your other hand makes its ascent to Heeseung’s hair, tugging at it softly. Before you fall deeper into this intoxication, you become self-conscious as you suddenly remember that you are still out in the open. “The others will see us like this.” 

“They wouldn’t.” Jay murmurs, nipping at your shoulder, which has you gasping at the prickling pain from his teeth.

You whimper. “But─”

“They wouldn’t dare to, even if they wanted.” Heeseung nearly growls out, the vibration from his lips to your skin, as does his lust-laden voice, sends pleasurable shivers through your body.

Miraculously, the partygoers in your vicinity are still oblivious to your licentious engagement with them, too caught up in the frenetic dancing while others are brazenly making out with their hands all over each other.

“Relax, baby.” Jay soothes you, his fingers stroking your inner thigh are dangerously close to your mount. “Let us take care of you. Let us make you feel good.”

Heeseung seizes your chin to tilt your head up before he leans down to assault the side of your neck with his kisses, while Jay dominates the other side with his. The sensation of their lips and teeth grazing on your skin has you rolling your eyes to the back while their hands are running all over your body, euphoria pulsating through your body in an indescribable pleasure. 

Truly, you wish this euphoric moment to last for an eternity, but a disruption from one of the knights interrupts your lascivious engagement, much to your disappointment.

Heeseung presses one last wet kiss on the hollow of your throat before pulling away just slightly and looking over his shoulder while his arm never leaves your waist. “What?” Heeseung’s low growl as he directs his attention to the knight goes straight to your throbbing yet neglected cunt. “Can’t you see that I’m fucking busy with my woman?”

The knight, whom you don’t seem to remember his name due to your hazy mind from what happened moments before this, is nearly deflated by Heeseung’s overpowering austerity before he regains composure. “A brawl broke out at the third-second yacht. It’s getting bloody nasty.”

“Tell Sunghoon or Jake to handle it, and if my knights are competent enough, surely they can handle the situation without needing any of our assistance.” Heeseung’s voice is laced with a vehemence of frustration, and instinctively, your fingers resume massaging his scalp and tugging the strands softly, which seems to be working as his taut shoulders go relaxed.

The knight releases a sigh. “We couldn’t find Sunghoon anywhere, and Jake is currently helping out the others to stop the brawl, but he needs some extra hands.”

Heeseung clicks his tongue in annoyance, slowly releasing his arm from you, whereas you frown at the loss of his touch and body heat as he steps away from you. His full attention is on the knight instead. “Lead the fucking way, then.”

You watch as Heeseung walks away until his figure is obscured by the throng of people ahead of you. Jay’s touch on your hips draws your attention to him as he kisses your shoulder affectionately. “I’m here, baby. I’ll entertain you instead.”

It is as if something has flipped the button in your head, or maybe a part of you desires to play hard to get, especially when you are supposed to be mad at him, though your anger has been subdued by the prior addictive kisses from his lips on your skin, because your next move throws him off guard as you break free from his grasp once more.

You turn around to face him, your facade is a deceptive front, while beneath it is someone who is shaken up by the glinting danger in his dark eyes. “Angel, what do you think you’re doing?” Jay asks lowly, taking a step closer, but you take a huge step back.

“I’m still mad at you.” You tell him, folding your arms together and positioning them underneath your hanging breasts. “You didn’t think I had forgotten that you were also involved in taking those unconsented pictures of me, did you?” 

Jay seems frustrated with the distance you established. “Baby─”

You cut him off with a scoff, your eyes turn icy cold, or at least you try to deceive him with your outward appearance that doesn’t match the emotions dancing in you. “Forget it. I hope you’re happy and satisfied when you jerk off to them.”

Before Jay can reach out to grab you, you elude him by bolting your way in the other direction, pushing past the sweaty bodies in motion. Truth be told, you are not as mad at him as the other night, not anymore, but it is rather amusing to see him taken aback by your turnover attitude.

As soon as you nearly reach the stairs, which lead to the basement where deluxe rooms are situated, you look over your shoulder briefly just in time to spot Jay brushing past a couple before his eyes meet yours, obviously chasing after you.

You quickly descend the stairs, and all the while, you can’t help it with the wickedness in you that revels in the chase as a soft smirk adorns your lips. Adrenaline rushes through you upon hearing his thunderous footsteps from behind, spurring you to pick up the pace as you bite down your lip, enjoying this more than you should.

Just as you turn to the right corner, your forehead collides into a solid chest, eliciting a wince from you at the impact. When you look up, your eyes widen at the sight of a frowning Sunghoon as he stares down at you with fleeting confusion.

“Princess? What are you─” Sunghoon’s words trail off into oblivion when he looks past you, noticing his best friend with intense frustration written across his features as he storms towards you.

“Don’t let her escape and bring her into my room.” Jay instructs his best friend with a cold snarl, eliciting a tiny squeak from you just as he is nearing you before you bolt past Sunghoon.

Of course, you should know better than to underestimate Sunghoon and his agility, because in a blink of an eye, you feel a harsh tug at your wrist before he pulls you back roughly to him only for him to manoeuvre you, now finding yourself being carried over his shoulder.

“Sunghoon! Put me down!” You exclaim, kicking and swinging your legs in defiance, which only earns you a smack on your ass as it stings from the impact of his palm while a whiplash of deja vu hits you in the face, but driven by unabating adrenaline, you feel a strong inclination to push them to the limits of their patience. 

“Stop squirming or you’ll fall, damn it!” Sunghoon grits his teeth, firmly stabilising his arm that cages around your still-wiggling legs.

Frankly, Sunghoon has absolutely no idea what situation led you to be seemingly eluding Jay after you bumped into him, but when he spotted a familiar shadow over Jay’s dour countenance, Sunghoon had an inkling that you did something to infuriate Jay, never mind the fact that he saw the dark arousal in Jay’s eyes and the latter’s prominent bulge against the outline of his slacks.

“I won’t unless you stop carrying me like I'm some doll!” You bite back, and your aggressive retaliation takes them by surprise before it adds more fuel to their indignation that incites them to discipline you.

Just like his best friend trailing behind him, Sunghoon lacks the virtue of patience, and so he delivers another smack on your ass while the sound resonates throughout the desolate corridor. “Stop acting like a fucking brat, princess.”

“Fuck you.” The profanity shooting like bullets from your unbridled mouth hits them in the face, whereas you feel proud of yourself as the corners of your lips curve in a smug smile.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Sunghoon asks in an unrestrained growl as his arms tighten around you while his inner demons that have been laying dormant in him are roused awake, borderline ravenous.

Of course, you refuse to yield despite your sensibility that is strenuously abstaining you from revelling in great delight at pushing their buttons, and so you raise your head to meet Jay’s stormy eyes instead, mustering a cunning smile on your lips.

“Fuck you.”

Oh, Y/N Kang, you’re done for.

Sunghoon comes to an abrupt stop that causes you to hit your face into his buttocks. Using your core strength, you slowly lift yourself with your head turned to the side, just enough to see Sunghoon pushing the door open violently before he marches inside.

You only manage to take a glimpse of the deluxe suite before you are caught off guard for a split second when Sunghoon tosses you on the bed, eliciting a grunt from you at the impact as you land face-planted on the white fleecy bedding.

Despite the trepidation that should have impelled you to flee them, which mingles with your adrenaline rushing through your veins unremittingly, the newfound depravity influences you to continue your provocation as you release giggles.

You feel callous hands manoeuvring your inert body, now finding yourself facing the ceiling with your back on the mattress. Merriment bubbles in your chest that prompt the uncontrollable giggles from you while you more than admit that you feel delirious.

“Look at me.” Sunghoon grabs your jaw with a hint of roughness as he forces you to look at him, his steely eyes penetrating into yours, but in the vehemence of your defiance, you whine, moving your head to escape the danger of his callous touch.

“I said, fucking looking at me.” Sunghoon commands with a cold snarl, and this time, he manages to earn your obedience when you relent, your eyes returning to his ablaze. “Are you drunk?”

No matter how fuckable you look right now ─ with your hair spread out in tendrils across the bed, your twinkling eyes that stare right back at him with nearly blown-lust pupils, your plump glossy lips going parted, and the unmistakable bumps of your perky nipples under the fabric of your bikini ─ he doesn’t want to take you when you’re under the heavy influence of alcohol, even when his erected cock against the slacks is starting to hurt.

“No, I’m not, but maybe you are!” You giggle once more, unable to control yourself from patting his cheeks as you look at him with doe-eyes that go straight into his raging cock while your lips jut into a pout. “Is Park Sunghoon feeling angry because I said fuck you? Gosh, you’re pathetic! Both of you are!”

Despite the unceasing indignation in them, they can’t help but feel entertained by your temperament, seeing the new side of you that they had no idea of.

Leaving you to your indefinite tantrum momentarily, Sunghoon leans away from you to look at Jay, his firm eyes holding concern. “How much did she drink?”

“How the hell should I know?” Jay scoffs before returning his eyes to you and finding you loafing on the bed as you lazily turn your body around. A smirk touches his lips as he recalls your body grinding against his. “She’s tipsy, but conscious enough to know that she was purposely fucking around with me.”

“The hot one is right!” You blabber out, humming a tune with your upraised legs swinging back and forth as you face the window.

“Hot one?” Sunghoon raises his voice slightly in disbelief. “What about me?”

You look over your shoulder lazily, casting a glance at him with your eyes raking down his body. “You’re hot too, but both of you don’t deserve to fuck me.”

“Oh, yeah?” Sunghoon’s voice sounds deeper with a husk while his eyes darken with primal lust, moving closer to the bed while you remain in your reverie, blissfully unaware of the predatory danger creeping up on you. “Princess, you’re in no position to tell us what we don’t deserve when you’ve been nothing but a fucking brat.”

Sunghoon grabs you by your ankles as he puts a stop to your blissful swinging before he pulls you roughly towards him, forcing your legs to spread apart under his ravenous gaze as he looks down. You can barely comprehend anything when he delivers a harsh, stinging slap to your round, supple butt, eliciting a pained gasp from you.

“Where are the handcuffs?” You hear Sunghoon asking Jay, and instead of fear, the idea of cuffing your hands only intensifies your arousal, while at the same time, your cunt clenches in anticipation as you hear the sound of shuffling behind.

Still, you feign refusal, finding it rather thrilling, which only makes them want you more than they already are. “No! Stop! What are you doing?!” You exclaim, writhing and struggling helplessly with your arms being interlocked by Sunghoon from behind as he assists Jay while the latter slaps down the cuffs onto your wrists, shackling them.

Taking over Sunghoon’s position, Jay forces your legs to be lewdly apart, standing in between, before grabbing you by the cuffs and raising your upper body with ease. Your heart remains pounding hard against your chest, feeling his hot breath fanning on your temple.

“Don’t act like you don’t want this, as if you didn’t deliberately taunt me earlier.” Jay’s voice is dangerously low, igniting the excitement that flares behind your irises. “You really are a little devil under the disguise of a sweet angel, aren’t you? If you just wanted to get fucked, then you should’ve said so instead of acting like a brat.”

As soon as Jay releases you, you fall back down on the mattress, completely restrained as you struggle to move about, but a gasp leaves your lips when your bottom bikini is being pulled down. The cold temperature from the air conditioner hits your bare cunt, sending shivers through your body.

“Cold!” You whine before burying your face into the bedding as your neck feels strained, but there is not any ounce of mercy when Jay delivers a wet smack to your cunt as the pink folds are already smeared with your slick arousal before he slides his two fingers into you, starting off deliberately slow as he thrusts into you.

“Oh, fuck!” You moan out as soon as he changes the pace, scissoring you harder and faster with abandon while you arch your back with your stomach pressing deeper into the mattress and your legs spreading for more. The squelching sound from your cunt that reaches your ear is entirely obscene. Having fallen into the delirious haze of lust, you pant lightly in between moans as you attempt to fuck yourself back on his brutal fingers while your clit feels neglected, eliciting a needy whimper from you. “Jay, please─”

A loud smack of his palm on your butt resonates throughout the suite while the action causes your walls to clench around him, drawing a smirk from him as he eyes you down with primal hunger. “Gotta get you prepped for Sunghoon, baby, but look at you─ already so fucking wet and trying to fuck yourself back on me like a bunny in heat.”

“P-Please! Oh! Oh, please!” Tears prickle in your eyes at the frustration as your clit is in dire need of attention before a wanton moan rips from your throat at the sensation of his fingers now plunging deep and curling upwards, each thrust hitting your g-spot deliciously. “Fuck, Jay!”

“Yeahh, that’s your fucking spot, isn’t it?” Jay licks his lips as his eyes never leave the jiggling motion of your supple butt, enticing him to smack on them once more, painting them the shade of faint redness. “You’re not gonna cum, baby. Not until you get cock in you.”

“No! Please, no!” You sob out, not wanting your impending orgasm to be ripped off from you, as he doesn’t let up the vigorous thrusts of his fingers into your sopping cunt.

With your head slowly turned to the side, your glistening eyes meet Sunghoon’s dark ones before they trail down to his monstrous erection with the raging red tip pointed towards you, seeing as he is leisurely jerking off. “Hoonie…” A whimper leaves your lips, fearing and needing him.

Sunghoon merely casts you a smirk, his fang-like teeth peeking from his lips. “Just as he said. Don’t you dare cum before I fuck you.” He warns, examining the contortion of your angelic face as he knows you are close.

Helpless moans spill from your lips, with your wrists moving as they struggle against the cuffs. Your walls keep clenching around his vigorous fingers as he drives you closer and closer. “Fuck, Jay! Please! I’m so close─” Just when you are about to plead, Jay does the infuriating move as he abruptly withdraws from you, his slick fingers coating with your arousal while you cry out, feeling empty. “You’re so cruel.”

You flinch when Jay smacks your reddened ass once more before squeezing the flesh, his nails leaving temporary indents as they sink into your skin. “Oh, baby, you haven’t even seen cruel.”

You feel his hands manoeuvre you again to shift your position, turning you around to face the ceiling, with the exception of your cuffed hands being pressed into the mattress by the weight of your body and your head nearly hanging by the edge of the bed.

“Where the hell were you, anyway?” You hear Jay inquire to Sunghoon, cutting through the stifling atmosphere while you continue to writhe helplessly, turning side-to-side as you desperately seek to alleviate the aching pain on your clit to finish off what Jay didn’t.

“I was looking for my phone, and I remember that I left it unlocked.” Sunghoon replies, but amidst your incessant arousal, you manage to discern the harrowing in his tone, which is caused by his missing phone, for some reason. “Fuck, I swear I had it placed on the vanity table in my suite.”

“We’ll deal with your missing phone later.” Jay tells him sternly with a sense of assurance while you are oblivious to their calculated coordination as you remain reeling from the loss of your stolen orgasm before Jay appears in your line of sight, albeit you are seeing him from the inverted point of view.

You gasp softly as you marvel at the sight of his erection that looks similar to Sunghoon, your mouth foaming in anticipation. Upon seeing the thirst in your eyes, Jay smirks down at you as he finally towers over you. “Right now, our angel is hungry for cock. Aren’t you, baby?”

Oh, you are more than hungry; you are practically ravenous. You need them to fill your holes in the most filthy, intoxicating way unimaginable. “Fuck me, please.” Any decorum in you is thrown into the whirlwind of emotions that heighten your libido, which pleases them as you are truly and unequivocally corrupted.

A breathy moan leaves your lips as soon as you feel the weight of Sunghoon’s cock slapping down on your folds before he grabs his shaft to aim at your clit and taps on it repeatedly, as the deliberate action only enhances your sensitivity.

“Gonna put that filthy mouth of yours to use, my sweet little devil. Baptise your mouth with my cock.” Jay snarls at you as he brings his cock closer to your face, only for him to tantalisingly smack the head on your cheek lightly.

“Please! Use me!” Your hips continue to buck up while your mouth is parted open with pleas, leaving them at the agonising foreplay of both men. “I’ll do anything! Just please fuck me─”

At once, you are swiftly silenced by the simultaneous intrusion from their cocks, one shoving his girth into your mouth while the other rams his into your quivering cunt, lodging deep in you.

“Use you, hmm? As expected from a cockslut like you.” Sunghoon chuckles darkly, his eyes holding familiar devilry as he watches how docile you are, taking the whole of Jay’s girth as he thrusts into your mouth. 

Jay throws his head to the back as he holds you by the sides of your neck for leverage, but set in tandem with the way Sunghoon thrusts into you, moaning deeply at the sensation of your sopping cavern and the way your tongue skillfully manipulates around the head of his cock as it intensifies the sensitivity.

The erotic display of seeing his best friend in pure gratification as he fucks into your mouth ignites something so carnal in Sunghoon that stems from his inner ravenous demons, propelling him to lodge deeper with each brutal thrust he delivers with his hips bruising yours unforgivingly, causing your whole body to shake while your bikini is dangerously teetering into exposing the entirety of your breasts.

Despite having been used by them for uncountable amounts of times than you can recall, your walls feel miraculously tight as they clamp around Sunghoon’s thick girth, vacuuming him deliciously and eliciting a guttural moan from him.

“Fucked you too many times, and yet you’re still so tight.” Sunghoon groans, his fingers digging into the plush of your thighs as he manipulates them into an angle that grants the head to meet the spongy spot in you, eliciting a gurgling noise from the back of your throat while the sensation of Jay’s unrelenting thrusts causes you to gag around him with drools dribbling from the corners of your lips.

Jay clenches his jaw, feeling the vibration from your throat to his cock as you moan before he looks at Sunghoon. “I don’t know what you did, but keep fucking her like that.” Jay demands, earning him an approving smirk from Sunghoon before the latter fucks his cock into you harder in the previous angle yet with a searing precision, and this time, a muffled scream has been shoved down into your throat.

Jay diverts his attention to your beautiful body, which is sinfully pliant with your cuffed hands behind your back and your legs spread out and accentuated in the perfect arch of your back. He withdraws slightly from your mouth before immediately plunging into you deeply, and this time, becoming enthralled upon seeing the prominent bulge of his cock on your throat while you nearly see your life flashing in your eyes as Jay lodges deep into your throat, restricting the airways to your lungs.

“Oh, fuck. You’re going to make me cum, princess.” Sunghoon announces, gritting his teeth as your cunt pulsates around him, hurling him to the edge. Just like that, his orgasm comes in tidal waves with his hips snapping against yours, going completely still, allowing your cunt to milk every drop of his cum. “That’s it. Milk my cock just like that, princess. Brats like you need to be filled to the brim with our cum.”

Your whine manages to escape your stuffed mouth, which Sunghoon immediately understands, as evident in the way you keep moving your hips sensually as you attempt to fuck yourself onto his cock, wanting to attain your own orgasm.

“I’m close, baby girl.” Jay says huskily in between bated breaths while he watches his best friend spit a glob of saliva as it drops directly on your clit before the latter uses his fingers to spread his saliva around your clit, and he sees the effect of the ministration on your quivering abdomen.

“Don’t worry, princess. We’re far from over.” Sunghoon chuckles darkly as he hears your muffled whine and moans again at the mind-blowing sensation of his fingers rubbing your clit that work in tandem with his recommencing thrusts. “Gonna make you squirt good, my slutty princess.”

“Hoon, look.” Jay groans, gesturing to Sunghoon towards the prominent bulge in your throat each time he delivers shallow thrusts. “Fuck. Her mouth and throat work like fucking magic. Taking me good like the perfect slutty angel she is for us.”

Without letting up the fervent ministration on your bundles of nerves that are set ablaze, Sunghoon leans down as he hovers over your docile figure to place a deep, sensual kiss directly on your throat, his tongue licking a long stripe across your bulging throat, to which Jay swears he can feel Sunghoon’s tongue pressing deep in contact with his cock.

“I’m going to cum.” Jay releases a low guttural moan before he goes still as he lodges his cock deep into your throat, spilling the warm spurt into you as you are forced to swallow. “Yeah, baby. Swallow all of it.”

You try your utmost to breathe through your nose and not go insane over the overwhelming pleasure of Sunghoon’s cock fucking into you and his fingers working their magic on your clit while he continues to assault your neck with his wet, sensual kiss and licks, his fangs occasionally grazing across your skin that shudders you.

When Jay slowly withdraws his cock from you, you release a loud gasp as you immediately attempt to regulate your erratic breathing, licking your lips that are smeared with the excess of his cum. The feeling of Sunghoon’s cock hitting your cervix elicits a loud moan from you, your eyes rolling to the back as he relentlessly hits that fucking spot.

“Hoonie! Fuck!” You cry out, deepening the arch of your back as he rubs your clit fast and hard, which causes your cunt to clench around him. You nearly choke out when he curls his fingers around your neck, applying enough pressure to remind you that he will always reign control over your body.

“Oh my god!” You roll your eyes to the back, struggling to breathe as he tightens his fingers around your neck while you feel your impending orgasm teetering, and you’re so close, but this time, you feel something so familiar yet it is overpowering, blinding your senses as white-hot pleasure sizzles through you.

Sunghoon smirks, licking his lips while his eyes remain trained on your sinful yet beautiful face, mesmerised at the pure ecstasy contorting. “Come on, princess. Fucking give it to me.” He commands harshly, pressing his moving thumb deeply onto your clit and setting the nerves aflame. “Make a mess on my cock. Squirt for me.”

And you do, your mouth open in a silent scream and your eyes rolling to your skull with your back arched as white fluid gushes out from your cunt while he doesn’t let up his slow, deliberate thrusts, his eyes darkening as he revels in the way you continue to bathe him with your sweet essence. Your body is convulsing uncontrollably while your abdomen quivers at the blissful onslaught raining down on you.

Even as you come down from your high, the atmosphere in the room remains thickening with sweat, lust, and dominance emanating from both males that sends you a wave of submission, more than ready for them to take you again.

You whimper at the loss of Sunghoon’s cock unsheathing from you, causing your cunt to pulsate at the emptiness, with your mixed cum slowly leaking down. “Hoonie.”

Just as you are about to plead with him to free you from the handcuffs, he leans down and claims your lips in a ravenous kiss, his fingers curling around your neck and his tongue forcing its way into your mouth, tasting the residue of Jay’s cum on your tongue before he engages with you in a wanton kiss, tongues dancing in an intimate tango with your saliva smearing the outlines of your lips.

“Please. It hurts.” You pant against his lips, your cuffed wrists starting to feel the discomfort from having to be pressed down by your weight into the mattress. Sunghoon merely ignores your plea, focusing on your addictive lips and caging the bottom lip between his teeth, only to tug it harshly before reinserting his tongue into your mouth.

“Don’t think that I’ve forgotten how you left me that night, princess. Left us.” Sunghoon growls against your lips, sending shivers down your back in the way his penetrating eyes into yours darken with a melding of lust and danger.

Needing a short break, Jay inhales the familiar flavoured vapour from the e-cigarette in his grasp, watching as the grey smoke wafts in the air towards you while Sunghoon continues to speak harshly into your panting mouth, “Four fucking days without you, and you thought it was a good idea to leave us like that? Ignoring our calls and texts─ fuck─ You just love to push our buttons, don’t you?”

“H-Hoonie.” You gasp with your hooded eyes rolling to the back of your skull at the pernicious pressure he applies to your neck.

Seeing your lips parting open, Sunghoon spits into your mouth while the taste of his saliva sliding on your tongue elicits a strangled moan from you, prompting him to loosen his grip. “Swallow.” You do as he says, your throat bobbing as you swallow down his thick saliva with a moan.

“Please uncuff me.” You finally manage to utter after losing your voice for a moment, pleading in a whimper as you subtly squirm underneath Sunghoon. “It hurts.”

Sunghoon leans away from you, his eyes trailing to his best friend with a smirk etching his countenance. “What do you think? Should we uncuff her?”

Jay shifts his gaze as he saunters towards you, his cock nearly springing into action in the way your doe-glistening eyes are staring at him while you remain bondaged, still lewdly spread out on the bed like dessert.

“I don’t know. Should we?” Jay sighs leisurely as he brushes your hair away from your sticky face, his fingers trailing down to cup your jaw roughly, forcing you to look into his steely eyes. “Are you going to leave us again?”

You immediately shake your head, your thighs squirming and pressing together in an attempt to repress your incessant stirring arousal. Jay tightens his lock on your jaw. “Are you going to act like a brat again?”

“No! I promise I’ll be good!” Your obedience seems to please them, and before you know it, Jay turns your body sideways to assist Sunghoon in uncuffing your now-reddened wrists, finally releasing you.

You wince, rubbing your sore wrists before Jay seizes them as he hovers over you, your wrists now being shackled by his firm grasp and placed above your head. You open your mouth to protest, but his lips capture yours in a deep, searing kiss, similar to how Sunghoon kisses you, yet there is a fervent longing in the way Jay’s lips move against yours with a sense of urgency.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much, baby.” He rasps against your lips, lowering his body weight on yours to grind his bare cock on you while you whine into the kiss, reciprocating as you rut up your cunt back on him with the head of his cock hitting your nub. “Don’t torture us like that again. Don’t leave, or I’ll─” 

Jay pauses, his voice sounding strained at the sensation of your drenched folds stimulating his cock, before he recovers with a growl as he kisses you searingly, his sharp teeth now sinking into the plumpness of your bottom lip, which elicits a pained gasp from you as he manages to wound your lip and draw out blood.

“Jay.” You moan out in both pain and pleasure as he sucks your throbbing lip, tasting you before he thrusts his tongue into your mouth, allowing you to taste your metallic blood that only seems to turn you on further.

“Just don’t leave again, or I’ll go insane for real.” Jay says, pulling away from your swollen lips and releasing his grip on your wrists. In a blink of an eye, Jay’s arms engulf your body to raise you, having you settled on his lap for him to untie your bikini that covers your two perky mounts expertly before tossing aside.

You gasp softly as Jay earnestly exerts his territorial mark on your skin, prompting you to arch your neck to give him better access with his arm encasing your waist while the other grips your hair. “Even if you leave again, I’ll find you, and I’ll chase you till the end.” He murmurs against your skin, and you can discern the dark promises in his tone alone before he resumes, hurling you into a new bliss.

The way Jay is bruising your neck with his teeth and licking the fresh hickey on your skin sends a pleasurable sensation through your body, prompting you to roll your hips as your cunt slides back and forth on his cock with your head tilted up, eyes fluttering closed, and your fingers tugging his hair with your arms embracing him.

Unbeknownst to you, Sunghoon is eyeing Jay with vile jealousy, which he can’t help but feel, seeing how the raw intimacy is enveloping both of you with an air of reverence. Being spurred by the maddening jealousy, Sunghoon storms over to the bed, your back facing him, whereas Jay has long sensed his imminent presence that is oozing with a melding of jealousy and predatory.

Without pulling his lips away from your shoulder, Jay looks up at Sunghoon with a devious smirk. “It looks like someone is jealous, baby girl.” Jay drawls out, now leaning away from you for Sunghoon to seize control over you as he grips your hair and pulls it to the back, eliciting a gasp from you with your neck straining.

“Have you forgotten about me, princess?” Sunghoon asks lowly with a sneer, finding great delight in the way your glistening eyes are staring into his eyes with palpable fear and lust as you hesitantly shake your head, but he merely scoffs. “Oh, yeah, you did. How dare you, princess? After I’ve satisfied you with my cock, Where’s your gratitude, hm?”

“T-Thank you.” You stammer, feeling lightheaded at the stimulation on your nub from Jay’s fingers as the male multitasks in giving equal attention to your hardened nipples, licking and kissing them wetly. 

You whimper just as Sunghoon tightens his grip on your hair, causing your scalp to burn. You look at him tearfully as he smirks down at you, the cruelty gleaming delightfully in his eyes. “For?”

“For fucking me good.” You ramble out, unable to handle the sensitivity of having your clit and nipple assaulted by Jay any longer.

“Because you’re just a hungry cockslut who needs to be stuffed full, isn’t that right, princess?” Sunghoon tuts in disapproval upon hearing no response from you, with the exception of your light pants and breathy moans. He pulls your head to the back again, and this time, you meet his dark eyes upside down. “I asked, isn’t that right?”

“Yes.” You nod your head frantically, your chest heaving with pleasure as Jay busily maps his kisses across the expanse of your chest, biting and bruising your skin just the same. “Please fuck me again.”

Sunghoon decides to show you some clemency as he finally releases you before looking at Jay. “Princess wants to get fucked again.” He tuts.

Jay releases your nipple with a wet ‘pop’, his dark eyes soaking in the image of your sultry countenance as you unrelentingly grind against him. “Oh, I heard that, alright. Our sweet little devil is just hungry for cock.”

“Please, Jay.” Naturally, you assume that Jay will be the one to take you first since Sunghoon fucked you earlier, but the words coming out of his mouth shake you.

“Can you handle both of us, baby?” Jay smirks, his lips remaining ghosting over your parted lips as you softly whine in protest and shake your head out of fear before moaning as he continues to rub patterns on your sensitive clit with skillful precision. “Yeah? You want us? You want our cocks to fill you up good, baby?”

“Of course, she can handle us.” Sunghoon chuckles, his fingers tracing patterns on your back. “Lay down with her. I’m going to fuck her ass good.”

“What?” You blurt out, your eyes widening in panic, but you barely manage to make a movement when Jay embraces you to pull you down with him, having you settled on top of him with your tits pressing into his chest. “Wait! It won’t fit─”

“I will make it fit.” Sunghoon cuts you off with a growl. His austerity is punctuated by the impact of his palm smacking down on your ass before you feel his fingers dragging across your drenched folds to collect the slickness of your cum to serve as a lubricant as he smears it on his cock. “You’re going to take my cock either way, princess. Your unused hole needs to be ruined just the same as your sweet cunt.”

Sunghoon provides his assistance to Jay as he lifts your hips for the latter to aim his cock into your awaiting cunt before forcefully sinking you down on him. A broken moan leaves your lips as you feel the sheer girth of Jay’s cock stretching you painfully, but the pain immediately morphs into pleasure as Jay begins to deliver slow yet shallow thrusts into you while his arms slither around your body.

Upon seeing the pleasure on your face, Jay catches Sunghoon’s eyes and gives the latter an affirmative nod. Just as you are about to get sinfully immersive once more, your eyes snap open with a fearful gasp emitted from you when you feel Sunghoon spreading your ass cheek and dragging the head of his cock along the crack.

Feeling your pounding heart against his chest, Jay caresses your lower back in an attempt to soothe you without letting up his thrusts. “Relax, baby girl. It’s only going to hurt more if you continue to tense up.” He says so sternly, but there is a tinge of softness that makes your heart swell.

Just as you attempt to loosen yourself, Sunghoon immediately slides his cock into your gaping hole, tearing a broken gasp from you at the blistering sensation as he unrelentingly buries himself deeper. The pain is unlike any other, emitting tears from your eyes that trickle down your cheeks, but amidst the pain as Sunghoon continues to bully his way into you, the pleasure from your cunt that is being stuffed full by Jay’s cock manages to distract you.

“M-More.” You whisper brokenly, moaning, when Sunghoon begins to thrust into you as your hole has accommodated his girth. “Please, fuck me more.” You sob out. It is as though you are drunk; your head is caught up in a lascivious haze as the pain has completely morphed into an intense pleasure.

“Greedy fucking slut. Just one cock is never going to be enough for you.” Sunghoon grunts, his hips snapping against yours from the back harshly with each thrust as he works in tandem with Jay. The stimulation from both cocks filling your holes makes you lightheaded. “We’re going to stuff you like this every time you act up like a fucking brat.”

Jay groans as he throws his head to the back, feeling the way your cunt clench around him as soon as Sunghoon says that. A smirk tugs at his lips. “Our little devil loves getting fucked by two cocks at once, doesn’t she?”

“Then you better get used to this, princess.” Sunghoon grunts, biting down your shoulder as he rams his cock into your hole with fervour, feeling his impending orgasm teetering by the edge. “Shit─ You feel so fucking good─ I’m close.” He lets out a low guttural moan, using your body for his own pleasure as he ploughs from behind, which has you sinking deeper into Jay’s cock.

Sunghoon grabs you by the hair, forming it into a makeshift ponytail, before raising your upper body just slightly for Jay to shove two fingers into your panting mouth, pushing further until your moans are mingled with choked sobs, tears trickling down your cheeks at the painful pleasure.

“Keep squeezing me like that, baby.” Jay pants, his nails digging into the flesh of your hip as he feels the climax while he admires how intoxicated you are caught up in the throes of your pleasure and how deep you have fallen in this abysmal.

With one last earth-shattering thrust into your abused holes, their arrival is punctuated in the way they bury their cocks to the hilt as they go completely stilled, filling you to the brim with their cum at the same time your cunt spasms around Jay as you cum profusely.

Basking in the afterglow of your frenzied encounter, a heavy silence envelopes the suite, with only the sound of ragged breathings emitting from the three of you as you lay on each other, bodies sticking with sweat, yet you feel an odd sense of comfort as you find familiar solace with them.

As your eyes flutter close, you feel Sunghoon pressing his lips on your shoulder before he eventually pulls out his cock from your gaping hole, eliciting a whimper from you while you continue to lay on top of Jay.

“Come on, princess.” Sunghoon murmurs, assisting Jay in lifting you from him, while you moan weakly at the sensation of Jay’s cock being dragged along your pulsating walls as he finally withdraws from you. “Don’t lose yourself to sleep now.”

A familiar sense of arousal reigns when Sunghoon leans down to kiss your perky nipples before slotting his lips over yours to kiss you deeply. “The night is far from over for you.” Sunghoon smirks against your lips before the loss of his warmth elicits a whine from you, but the weight pulling down your eyelids tempts you to fall into the realm of sleep as the exertion of the aftermath dawns on you.

You don’t bother to question the sound of shuffles and the door swinging open, only wanting to succumb to the darkness, but just as you nearly allow the darkness to engulf you wholly, a spark of fire ignites in your core as soon as warm, plump lips press into yours, kissing you with a sense of urgency with his hands roaming around your body.

“Did you have fun with them, lovely?” His voice as he rasps against your lips causes your eyes to flutter open, meeting Jake’s warm brown eyes that are darkening with primal lust as he gazes deeply into your eyes.

“Jaeyun.” You utter his name softly as you caress his cheek, only for him to grab your hand to plant a kiss on your palm while his sultry eyes never leave yours. When your eyes trail to his hand, you frown at the sight of his bruised knuckles that are smeared with dried scarlet. “What happened?”

Instead of Jake answering you, another familiar voice compels you to look to the side, only to see Heeseung towering over the bed next to Jake, his dark eyes drinking in your beautiful glory being displayed on the bed and ready to be ruined once more.

“He’s fine, beloved. Nothing too serious happened. I helped him out to stop a brawl.” Heeseung sees you opening your mouth, earning you a tut from him. “No more talking about anything other than us pleasuring you, sweetheart.”

“What?” You breathe out, shaking your head in refusal as Jake lowers himself before pulling you by the legs until he is levelled with your wholly drenched and cum-smeared pussy. You don’t have the opportunity to further protest when Jake attaches his lips to your clit, tearing out a moan from you as he licks and sucks the nub expertly.

“Don’t worry, my beloved. We’re going to make you feel so good. Even better than they did.” Heeseung whispers as he settles next to you, his lips unfurling a soft smirk upon seeing the blissful contortion on your face as Jake works his magic on your cunt, with his tongue now slithering into your cunt.

“Jaeyun! Oh my god!” You throw your head to the back as you feel his tongue delve deeper with purpose, your fingers haphazardly finding their way to tug at Jake’s hair to rock your hips against his face. A pleasurable jolting sensation runs through you as Heeseung pinches your nipple and leans down to capture your lips in a searing kiss.

Panting against Heeseung’s mouth, he greedily swallows every sound emitting from you, his tongue exploring every inch and dancing with yours obscenely wet while his fingers continue to tweak and pinch your sensitive nipples. Below you, Jake is practically munching on your wholly drenched pussy from the residue of his saliva, moaning against your folds at the taste of your cum that mixed with his best friends.

Your thighs are already threatening to close from the sensitivity as Jake ravages you with his nose rubbing your clit, reigniting the bundle of nerves, before he forces your legs to be lewdly spread apart by the firmness of his hands while you run your fingers through Heeseung’s tousled locks as he devours your swollen lips.

“Fuck, I can’t wait any longer.” Heeseung murmurs before pulling away from your chasing lips to look at Jake. “Jake, stop. I’m going to fuck her first.”

Your eyes twinkle with curious amazement, watching Jake heed obedience to Heeseung’s command as he detaches his lips from yours. His lustrous nose and lips are smeared with your slick arousal while his dark, ravenous eyes meet yours, bringing a smirk to his pink lips before he grabs you by the arm and pulls you away from the bed.

Standing on your feet, you can feel your knees nearly buckle underneath you before Jake stabilises you, his arms embracing your waist while his lips search for yours and he greedily kisses you with a palpable hunger, momentarily distracting you as you melt against him.

“Jake.” You hear Heeseung’s voice from behind, and instantly, Jake slowly backs you up without breaking the lip lock, his hands falling to your hips to guide you before pulling away from the kiss. Just as you whine, you feel hands on your waist from behind you, pulling you down on him. “Come here, pretty girl. You’re going to ride my cock.”

“W-Wait─” A strangled gasp leaves your lips as soon as you sink on to his cock with saturating ease, while a familiar fear strikes you as you recall the last time he fucked you when you thought his long shaft would destroy you from the inside.

Heeseung groans lowly, feeling the warmth of your inviting walls hugging his cock tightly as though they had missed him. “How am I supposed to fuck you when your cunt is sucking me like this, pretty?” He grits his teeth, his hands on your hips, guiding you firmly to ride him before you finally pick up the momentum.

Each movement sends shockwaves through your body, making you feel your cock so deep that you swear you can feel your tummy bulging. “That’s it, pretty baby. Oh, you’re riding me so fucking good.” Heeseung’s voice is husky with primal desire as he rasps against your sheeny skin before sensually kissing your shoulder.

The hypnotising obscenity of you riding and bouncing on his best friend’s cock with your faces contorting in the same ecstasy compels Jake to gravitate towards you, kneeling down with his dark eyes fixated on his best friend’s cock disappearing into your sopping cunt.

Without a word, Jake latches his lips on your engorging clit, sending a jolting pleasure through your body as he licks the bundle of nerves uninhibitedly, accompanied by the occasional suction with his plush lips wrapping around the nub.

“Oh! Jaeyun!” You moan out, your hand trying to grip Jake’s hair, but Heeseung grabs a hold of your arms and locks them behind you while he doesn’t relent from bucking his hips up as he delivers shallow thrusts into you.

Getting drunk on your pussy and your essence that slowly leaks down on Heeseung’s girth, Jake decides to push his limits, his tongue searching and moving deeper to your cunt until he touches the solid girth of his best friend’s cock.

“Fucking hell, Jake.” Heeseung groans at the delicious sensation of Jake’s tongue dragging along your folds until he hits the base of his cock. “Look at you both, being such sluts.” His voice is laden with lust as he looks over your shoulder briefly. 

Both you and Jake moan in response, the degradation goes straight into the unbearable heat pooling in your core. It isn’t long before your cunt clenches uncontrollably around Heeseung as a telltale sign of your impending climax, eliciting a moan from him.

“Gonna cum, pretty?” Heeseung whispers into your ear, his fingers tangling in your hair to seize control over you as he grabs it into a makeshift ponytail to turn your head to the side. Receiving only the continuous yet broken moans from you, he tightens his grip on your hair, his nose grazing on your cheek as he growls lowly. “I asked you a question.”

You quickly nod your head, not wanting to displease him. “Yes! I’m gonna cum! Please!” You plead in a sob, getting utterly delirious by Jake’s tongue going relentless on your clit as well as Heeseung's vigorous thrusts that feel shallow than the previous, driving you further to the brink of your sanity with their sheer intensity.

Heeseung turns your head to the perfect angle to capture your parted lips with his, kissing you wetly. “Cum.” He growls his command against your lips, sending goosebumps to your skin.

With one last deliberate and precise flick on your clit from Jake’s tongue, your orgasm comes crashing down violently, one with a familiar intensity that gushes out in fluids from your cunt while your thighs quiver.

“Fuck!” You scream out, arching your back against Heeseung as the latter continues to fuck into you, even as you are squirting uncontrollably while Jake bathes in your essence that wets the lower region of his now-sheeny face, revelling in the fluid mess from you with a smirk on his lips.

Delivering one last thrust into your overstimulated cunt, Heeseung releases his grip from your hair to manoeuvre you on the bed as you find yourself lying down sideways, with his cock remaining buried in your pulsating cunt as he is closely behind you.

“Seungie.” You whine, wiggling your ass in an attempt to escape from his cock, but Heeseung slithers his arm around the swell of your tummy, locking you in. “Pull out, please. I can’t…”

“Oh, yes, you can.” Heeseung shushes you, ascending his fingers to stimulate you again as he tweaks and rolls your nipple between his fingers, knowing that you are sensitive to having your nipples played. He presses a kiss on your shoulder, his dark eyes glinting wickedly as he glances up to see Jake hovering over the bed. “You’re going to take us both this time.”

“No. I can’t.” You shake your head, your eyes glistening with fear at the possibility of them tearing you apart with their girths, as you look at Jake settling in front of you in the same position as you. Panic blooms in your chest as Heeseung’s hand moves underneath your upper thigh to lift it up for Jake to gain easy access, causing you to squirm while the action only makes your cunt clench around Heeseung’s.

The head of Jake’s cock comes into contact with your clit, eliciting a soft gasp from you as he rubs it for good measure before aiming it at your stuffed cunt. You open your mouth to protest again, but instead, a pained gasp escapes you while tears prickle your eyes at the searing stretch of your cunt as Jake slowly enters you.

“So fucking tight.” Jake grits his teeth, looking down at the girth of his cock slowly disappearing into you before the sound of your whimper draws his attention, and his eyes soften at the sight of you in tears. He cradles your cheek before kissing you deeply. “I need you to trust me and relax, sweetheart. You’ll only get hurt if you continue to tense up. I promise you’ll feel good soon.”

Your heart swells at his affection in the way he speaks to you with a promise of assurance, while your blazing nerves begin to dwindle at the fluttery sensation of Heeseung’s kisses on your shoulder with his arm around your waist.

With a shaky nod from you, Jake takes this as a signal to continue entering you, feeling your cunt pulsating around their cocks while pants leave your lips, now feeling stuffed full with their cocks claiming you as they split you open.

It isn’t long before the searing pain begins to subside as they thrust into you, setting a pace that works well with their tandem. Your lips are part open, moaning in silence at the delirious sensation of their cocks as they deliver shallow thrust with one pull and another push before switching, moving in perfect synchrony.

“Shit, dude, I can feel you in her.” Jake groans, directing his remark at Heeseung, as the sensation of their cocks dragging against each other sends another pleasure through their bodies.

“Seungie, Jaeyun.” You mewl, causing their hearts to swell at how adorable you sound, before they groan as you clench around them. “Please kiss me.”

Hoisting your leg over his hip, Jake cups your cheek and slams his lips on yours, kissing you deeply and prodding his tongue into your parted lips while Heeseung sinks his teeth into your shoulder and descends his fingers to stimulate your clit, setting the nerves aflame once more as they don’t relent from fucking into you.

You moan into the kiss, gasping when Jake nips at your bottom lip only to suck it before being pulled away by Heeseung as he seizes your chin to capture your lips in a greedy kiss, your tongue occasionally licking and playing his lip ring. Jake occupies himself as he leans down to capture your perky nipple with his hungry lips.

The air is laden with a heady mix of your sweat, sex, and moans as the three of you are enraptured by the ecstasy of your sweet cunt enveloping them and clenching with each deliberate yet vigorous thrust from their cocks, obliterating your coherency.

Needing air, you pull away from Heeseung’s unforgiving kisses, gasping as you feel the impending need for release that sends shivers of ecstasy through your body. “Seungie, Jaeyun...”

“We know.” Jake places a chaste kiss on your lips while Heeseung intensifies the unbearable knot in your tummy by rubbing your clit skilfully, driving you into oblivion as their thrusts become more fervent with a raw carnal desire for you.

As soon as Heeseung pinches your bundle of blazing nerves, your eyes roll to the back with a silent moan, leaving your parted lips as you tumble over the edge of ecstasy, your climax flooding you with an intensity that has you gushing out the familiar fluids again, wetting them and the bed that is now drenched.

With one last earth-shattering thrust, they go completely still, burying deep into you as they fill you with their warm cum to the brim as they let out low guttural moans. They don’t pull out, even as you squirt for another time before the fervid heat wanes.

“Pretty baby, you wet the bed.” Heeseung coos, his fingers caressing your tummy, which swells with their cocks still buried in you. He places a kiss on your neck, still helping you to calm down from the delirious high. “I knew you’d take us so well.”

Silently basking in the comfort of their arms, a licentious thought pops into your head just as the sex haze begins to fade. You look at them with a sultry gaze that goes straight into their twitching cock. “I want you two to kiss.”

As expected, their reaction is entirely in disbelief before Jake speaks, “Sweetheart, why would you want─”

“Please.” You whine, slowly moving your hips purposefully to rile them up as they clench their jaws, feeling your pulsating cunt around them. “I want to see you kiss each other. Just this once.”

“If our girl wants to see us kiss, who are we to deny?” A smirk touches Heeseung’s lips, drawing a disbelieving glare from Jake.

“Dude, I’m not going to kiss you. I’m not fucking gay─”

Heseung catches Jake off guard when he seizes the latter’s chin to pull him forward before slamming his lips on his. You watch with prurient amazement as they slowly get immersed in the kiss just above you, allowing you the explicit view of their lips moving against each other ravenously.

Maybe you are wicked on the inside, because seeing them in a heated lip lock turns you on more than it should as you bite down your lips. You make a tentative move with your hips, but the sensation of your cunt clenching around them prompts them to break the kiss as they breathe harshly.

“Damn, you really like to see us kiss, don’t you?” Jake nearly growls out, his dark eyes soaking in the image of your sultry countenance as you continue to move your hips deliberately to taunt them, feeling their cocks twitching inside you.

“Pretty girl is nasty too.” Heeseung chuckles, bringing his fingers to pinch your nipple as you moan out, but a whimper leaves your lips as they slowly unsheathe their cocks from your now-gaping hole that leaks with the union of your cum.

With the unbridled lust coursing through your veins, you catch them off guard when you pin Jake on the mattress and waste no time grinding your cunt on his limp cock uninhibitedly.

“Again?” Jake groans, his hands falling to your hips lazily while you continue to lather your cum all over his cock. “Lovely, I need to take a break.”

“Our sweetheart is just hungry for cock, isn’t she?” Heeseung drawls, moving closer to you with his fingers now caressing and applying pressure to your clit, eliciting a breathy moan from you. “Jake, I’ll keep her occupied. You call Jay and Hoon and ask them if they want to join.”

The thought of Jay and Sunghoon joining in as well delights you, and you desperately need all of them to pleasure you throughout the whole night, even if it meant that they would be obliterating your cunt.

As soon as you whine, the sound of footsteps draws all of your attention to the two aforementioned figures as they stride into the suite with prominent bulges against their slacks, to which you lick your lips and your eyes haze with carnal lust.

“Don’t have to ask.” Jay’s voice that reverberates throughout the suite is huskily thick, laden with primal lust, while his eyes drink in the obscenity of your bare, exquisite display, watching you rubbing your clit unabashedly.

“Jay.” You whine, unrelentingly grinding your drenched folds on Jake’s erection while the latter groans deeply below you. “I need you so bad.”

“Come here.” Jay practically pounces on you, manoeuvring you across the bed until your back is pressed against the mattress before capturing your lips hungrily in a searing kiss. “Baby wants to fuck some more, yeah?” He rasps against your lips, drawing a whine from you as soon as he pulls away to get rid of his shorts.

“Please.” Your fingers descend to your lower region to rub your clit like a hungry cockslut, while the sight of you pleasuring yourself as you arch into your own touch hypnotises them, their eyes filled with carnal lust. You taunt them further, spreading your legs a little wider while moans spill from your lips as you increase the pace on your clit. “Please, oh, please! Fuck me─”

Jay silences you with his unforgiving lips once more, aiming his erection at your gaping holes before sliding into you with ease. “You’ll get fucked, alright.” He growls into the kiss, withdrawing his cock from you with only the head remaining inside before slamming into you with full force. “We're going to fuck you so much till the sun rises, baby girl.”

As moans spill from your lips, you turn your head lazily to the side only to spot Heeseung smoking a cigarette while Jake is drinking a glass of Bourbon as they watch you with the same predatory gaze from the couch.

But your view is immediately shielded by Sunghoon’s towering figure, prompting you to change the angle of your point of view. A smirk smears across his lips as he brings his cock to tap against your cheek. “Open your mouth wide, princess.”

Least to say that they really did keep you up and satisfied — four cocks claiming your cunt in one night.

TAGLIST: @aishigrey @kgneptun @b3tt7boop @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586 @strxwbloody @firstclassjaylee @jwnghyuns @deobitifull @loumin908 @sousydive @pinkkami @skzenhalove @caravm @shinrjj @loljaeyunz @star4rin @yorukoshii @nshmrarki @lol6sposts @lilyuwon @enha-crumbs @slut4hee @capri-cuntz @kaykay11sworld @firesunflames @notevenheretbh1 @parksunghoonsgf @luvkpopp @superbbananananana @eastleighsblog @in-somnias-world @nyxtwixx @theresawtf @fuxktaekook @readbyjjk @yunhoswrldddd @fuxktaekook @bobaikeu @minjaexvz @heelariously @hoonsdrnkdzd @iveivory @pinkielina @criminaluvr

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟔.𝟑

SYNOPSIS: Just when you think that everything has fallen back into place as it was before, a twist of fate leads you to be thrown into a shocking revelation, one that results in the breach of trust once more, and this time, the damage is completely irreversible. Being broken beyond repair, you agreed to embark on a new journey for the sake of your sanity, burying the bittersweet yet painful memories in the wreckage of your mind. But perhaps there is another twist from fate that you won't be expecting in the midst of your new blissful journey.

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), semi-college au, adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WARNINGS: mild smuts, implied threesomes, explicit themes, profanities, heavy angst, violence, blood, manipulation, corruption, toxicity, mentions of sex tapes, lots of crying, slut-shaming, cyber bullying, depression, mentions of suicide, mentions of death.

WORD COUNT: 23.5k

FEATURING: enha maknae line, txt, stray kids, le sserafim, ive, aespa.

DISCLAIMER: this fic is inspired by devil's night series written by penelope douglas! also, i am not a Christian, and i didn't bother to do thorough research on the religion, so pardon any false facts or errors.

PLAYLIST: supernatural - Ariana Grande, breathin - Ariana Grande, Close To You - Gracie Abrams, I Hate It Here - Taylor Swift, Lose You To Love Me - Selena Gomez, Softcore - The Neighbourhood, 3 Strikes - Terror Jr, You Broke Me First - Tate McRae, Beautiful Mistakes - Maroon 5 ft. Megan Thee Stallion, Lovesick Girls - BLACKPINK

RUBY'S NOTE: yall are most prob gonna hate me after this....

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3.1, PART 3.2, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6.1, PART 6.2, PART 7 ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

The faint sound of water running and the coldness from the air conditioner kissing your foot rouses you from the deep slumber, sending shivers through your body as it aches tremendously with every single movement you make, and just like that, the event that transpired before you lost consciousness instantly replays itself in your mind.

You force your heavy eyelids to pry open, only to squint at the luminance casting a gentle glow that allows you to see the unfamiliar suite you have been sleeping in. The bedding beneath your nude body doesn’t feel as drenched as you recall, to which your cheeks warm with the shade of faint pink at the uncountable times you’ve squirted, but it does seem that they’ve moved you to a different suite for you to sleep comfortably.

Even if their thoughtful consideration does make your heart flutter, it doesn’t expunge your disappointment at having awakened without any of them in bed with you. Determined to search for them, you move your aching limb slowly as you lift the fleecy duvet from your body, only for you to gasp softly upon seeing fresh hickeys across the expanse of your chest.

You barely manage to wrap this sight around your head when the door suddenly swings open, eliciting a squeal from you as you quickly shield your nudity with the duvet, your widened eyes staring at Jake, whose charming countenance has amusement written all over.

“Don’t act all shy on me now, sweetheart.” Jake muses, a simper smile spreading across his face as he strides towards you. Your eyes roam around him with the butterflies in their wake, admiring how gorgeous he looks in a man bun again while donning a simple tank top that displays his prominent muscles. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Besides, you weren’t this shy last night.”

“It’s different.” You retort, still clinging to the duvet as you slowly force your body to rise, but you cave in to your exhaustion once more as you fall back on the mattress, while the sight of you pouting and giving him your doe eyes greatly amuses him. “I’m sore, Jaeyun, and it’s all of your faults.”

“I know. That’s why I’m here.” Jake says with a mirthful chuckle, bending down to slide his arms underneath your body after you hesitantly expose your nudity to him before he carries you with ease and brings you to the bathroom, where the door has been left open ever since.

“Where are the others?” Just as you ask him, your eyes trail over to a shirtless Jay, who has been filling the massive bathtub. Your eyes manage to feast upon his glory as he faces you before noticing the look in your eyes that brings a smirk to his lips.

“Slept well, baby?” You nod your head meekly, shying away as Jay’s eyes feel invasive in the way they roam around your nudity, with Jake stopping in front of him. Goosebumps arise on your skin as Jay caresses your calf. “Damn, baby. You look good with our marks on your body.” He says huskily, leaning down to press a sensual kiss on your leg.

“She does, doesn’t she?” Jake looks down at you with a suggestive smirk, sending your heart to leap as you recognise the familiar desire glinting in his eyes. “You don’t mind us joining you in the bathtub, sweetheart?”

“No.” Even if you did mind, it isn’t like you have a choice, considering his tone indicates no room for objections as he carefully settles you in the water-filled bathtub. As your body fully dips, the perfect temperature of the water draws out a pleasurable sigh from you as the warmness seems to alleviate the soreness in every part of your body.

“Just no funny business. I can’t handle another round.” You tell them and look away as they get rid of their shorts, your cheeks flushing pink. You attempt to scoot further just as they dip themselves into the bathtub, but Jay grabs a hold of your legs and pulls you to him while the abrupt movement causes the water to ripple violently as it splashes.

“Yeah, you can, because you’re just that perfect for us.” Jay coos as you feel his hands spreading your legs wide and positioning them over his thighs, while your breath hitches at the thick sensation of Jake’s girth pressing against your lower back as he settles behind you, his hands seizing your hips to press himself into you.

“I thought we were just going to take a bath.” You gasp at the intrusion of Jay’s fingers wiggling their way into your sopping cunt while Jake’s fingers stimulate your clit, arousing the bundle of nerves to go aflame.

“We are, but you look so fucking good, angel.” Jay murmurs as he leans down to capture your nipple with his ravenous mouth, eliciting a moan from you at the sensitivity and causing you to arch your back with your lidded eyes swirling with a haze of lust.

“Feels good, love?” Jake asks lowly, his husky voice only seems to amplify your raging arousal in your core, while his gentle ministration on your clit is a skillful precision that has your eyes rolling to the back, working in an addictive tandem with Jay’s fingers into your cunt.

“So good.” You moan out softly, your head going dizzy at how gentle they are with you as they take their time in pleasuring you, causing you to grip Jake’s thigh next to you while your other hand goes winding in Jay’s slightly dampened hair as he continues to give equal attention to your nipples and kiss around your mounts.

“M-More, please.” Just as you plead, Jake seizes your jaw to turn your head sideways and captures your lips in a passionate kiss that has your toes curling, while Jay traces his tongue across your skin and finds its way to dominate his licks and kisses on your neck.

Jake greedily swallows your moan and holds down your twitching body as soon as you feel Jay’s fingers curling and hitting the familiar g-spot. “That’s your spot, yeah?” Jay rasps against your moist skin, his fingers relentlessly thrusting into you while you struggle to rock your hips, wanting to feel him deeply.

“Come on, sweet angel.” Jake is just as relentless as Jay, his fingers rubbing your clit with a sense of urgency while the overall stimulation hurls you at the precipice of your impending climax.

Switching roles, Jay turns your head to smash his lips into yours, silencing your moans and kissing you sloppily, while Jake reaches up to roll and pinch your perky nipple with his fingers. The water around you ripples violently as it splashes onto the tiles from their hands with their biceps muscles flexing.

With one precise yet hard thrust from Jay’s fingers alongside Jake pinching your clit, you break the kiss as you lean your head back on to Jake’s broad shoulder with a loud moan leaving your lips, feeling your pulsating cunt release the familiar fluid as you squirt.

“Damn, baby, you squirt so easily. I fucking love that.” Jay groans, pumping his fingers into your gushing cunt while his lips ghost your panting lips. “Think you can handle our cocks like last night?”

“No, please, no.” You whimper, shaking your head languidly in protest, but you can’t deny the persisting arousal in your core as Jake rubs your sensitive clit again.

“Yes, sweetheart. You can handle us.” Jake nips at the shell of your earlobe, his voice lacing with unmistakable affection. “Because that’s how perfect you are for us.”

As soon as you feel the swollen head of Jay’s cock gliding across your slits, there is no doubt that you will be in here with them for an hour or so.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Embarrassment floods across your cheeks while you avoid having to make eye contact with the bustling professional crew members in your vicinity as you slowly make your way to the top, recalling Jay’s words earlier to meet them there, but your sore legs impede you from walking as normally as you can. Thankfully, these crew members seem to disregard you, as they are immersive in their jobs.

“Princess.” Sunghoon’s deep voice next to your ear startles you, nearly sending you to tumble forward if it weren’t for his hands steadying your body. Butterflies swarm around at the sensation of his lips kissing your bare shoulder as you are adorned in your previous short sundress. “Is my pretty princess having a hard time walking?”

“Sunghoon.” You murmur, your rosy cheeks feel warmer, and you feel conscious of your eyes looking at the two of you being blatantly intimate out in the open with his arms caging your waist and his lips peppering kisses on your exposed skin. “Not here, please.”

Obliging, Sunghoon takes you by surprise as he manoeuvres you in a bridal style, prompting you to latch your arms around his neck instinctively and flushing red at the eyes of the crew members on you as Sunghoon, with the most nonchalant demeanour, proceeds to make his way towards the flight of stairs with you in his arms.

“Where are the other guests? Or is it just us?” You inquire after the realisation of your prior observation and even notice that the other three yachts are not anywhere in sight as soon as you reach the top, where Jay, Heeseung, and Jake are lounging on the couches.

“They’ve gone back to the marina while you were still asleep earlier. So it’s only us, princess.” Sunghoon says, casting you a smirk as he heads over to his best friends. “Don’t worry about your friends. They were more than fine when I told them about you staying here a little longer with us.”

Reaching them, diffidence washes over you at their full attention, causing you to look away from them with your rosy cheeks warming as you remain shy away from them, and it is even flabbergasting when Sunghoon decides to settle you down on Heeseung’s lap.

Before you can even move, Heeseung’s arms cage around your waist, preventing you from any form of escape. Your heart pounds harder against your chest as Heeseung plants a sensual kiss on your exposed nape, while his bulge beneath your buttocks feels prominent with each passing moment. Your eyes follow Sunghoon’s figure as he walks over to Jake and settles across from him, just next to the couch that you are on.

“Pretty girl.” Heeseung lulls captivate your attention on him, his lips ghosting your skin across your shoulder while you remain transfixed, your eyes meeting Jay’s from across you, whose lips curve into a smirk as he is completely laid-back on the couch, watching you with a burning cigarette stick in between his fingers.

“Seungie.” You whisper, your pulse drumming in your ear as you feel his fingers tracing circles on your inner thigh, dangerously close to your core, and his lips planting a wet kiss on your shoulder. 

Heeseung hums against your shoulder, sending vibrations through you. “Hungry, my beloved? We have plenty of food to feed you.” With one arm remaining locked around your waist, he uses the other to reach out for a fork and stab it into a grilled sausage before giving it to you. “Eat as much as you want, pretty.”

“What about you?” You direct your question to all of them, feeling self-conscious of their eyes staring at you before you try your utmost to ignore them and proceed to indulge your grumbling hunger.

“We’ve eaten while you were busy getting ready.” Jay says after puffing out the grey as it wafts in the air. “If you want more, we can ask the kitchen crew to cook some more.”

“It’s fine. I don’t want to be greedy.” You reassure him with a small smile, your eyes darting down on the table at the nearly full platters of a variety of food that have your mouth salivating. After the energy that was lost last night, this is very much needed for you.

The next few minutes or so, the four of them engage in a collective conversation about something that you don’t bother to be curious about, especially since you are too preoccupied stuffing yourself with the delectable food, and almost half of the platters are now empty.

Throughout the whole time, Heeseung occasionally gives you affectionate kisses on your shoulder in the middle of their occurring conversation with his fingers caressing your inner thigh, which feels oddly comforting. Eventually, you lax and allow yourself to lean back into him, earning yourself a kiss on the cheek from him.

For a moment, you silently bask in this newfound sense of tranquilly of being surrounded by these four dangerous men with distinctive dark allures, unfurling a discreet yet soft smile on your lips and feeling the love you have for them in your beating yet fluttery heart.

But then, a certain recollection shatters the tranquilly, bringing a frown to your lips. Though you no longer feel resentful towards them, a part of you nudges you to exercise prudence, wanting to know if they still keep them.

“Can I ask you something?” You speak up, your tone drawing their attention to you as they desist from their conversation. You bite down your lip unintentionally, causing their eyes to darken at the sight, but they abstain themselves upon seeing your face conveying a certain sombre.

“What’s wrong, princess?” Sunghoon decides to put an end to your resounding silence, prompting you to look up to see the encouragement on their faces as well as Heeseung’s comforting caress on your thigh.

“Tell us.” Heeseung’s breath tickles you as he whispers in your ear. “What is bothering our sweet angel? Hmm?”

“It’s about the pictures and videos you took of me at the church.” You blurt out before you can even stop yourself to reevaluate your decision. Your eyes remain fixated on the table, uncertain of what expressions they display in their demeanour, but you can feel Heeseung’s arms around you tighten. “Please, I want you to delete them─”

“They’ve been deleted.” Heeseung interjects, his mellow voice a soothing balm to your frayed nerves, and yet you can discern something so guileful that belies his benign disposition, but Heeseung allays your qualm as he presses a deep, affectionate kiss on your cheek. “You don’t have to worry about them anymore, pretty girl.”

“Yeah, they’ve already been deleted since you left the palace that night.” Jake adds, wanting to ease your perturbing state of mind upon seeing your expression, before he quickly shoots knowing glares at Jay and Sunghoon. “Isn’t that right, guys?”

“Oh, totally.” Jay places his empty glass on the table, his emphatic eyes meeting yours that convey such assurance amidst the palpable adoration he always has for you. “We didn’t want you to be mad at us any longer, so we did what you wanted.”

“Sunghoon?” Heeseung clears his throat, drawing all of your attention to the silent male who seems to be brooding. Your eyes follow the taut movement of his chiselled jaw clenching while his eyes remain fixated on the breathtaking horizon.

“Dude.” Jake calls for his best friend in a low murmur as he raises his eyebrow at the latter, and you notice that there seems to be unspoken conversation exchanging between them by the look in their eyes.

Sunghoon draws in a sharp inhalation before turning to the side to direct his attention to you, but seeing your expectant eyes that hold such innocence causes his tainted heart to clench while his jaw tightens for another measure.

Still, Sunghoon musters the most sincere smile he can, hoping that he’s not grimacing in the slightest to give away suspicion. “Yes, princess. You can rest assured that they’ve been deleted. Now you don’t have to worry about your pretty head, yeah?”

“Thank you.” You breathe out the remnants of tension, giving them a soft smile that oddly gives them a sense of guilt while their demeanour remains neutral. You turn your head to press a soft kiss at the corner of Heeseung’s lips, to which he smirks lightly at your rare display of affection in front of the guys.

“So did you manage to find your phone that went, apparently, mysteriously missing last night?” Jake shifts the air of conversation to another topic, his question directed at Sunghoon as the latter downs his glass of tequila.

“Yeah, I did. It was placed back where it was originally.” Sunghoon fishes out his phone from his pocket, scoffing in disbelief as he recalls. “It was more than obvious that it went missing on purpose. Whoever took it must’ve thought that I wouldn’t notice or something. Fucking stupid.”

“Probably it was Kang, who obviously had his other rebellion to fuck things further.” Jay’s eyes go ablaze with an unmistakable anger, sending shivers down your spine. But confusion swirls in your head, because the only Kangs on campus you know are you and Kang Taehyun.

“Right. Speaking of, pretty love?” Jake’s tone shifts into a familiar affection as he calls out to you, causing your heart to swell as you meet his adoring eyes. “Thanks to Sunoo and Riki’s assistance, we’ve finally discovered the identity of your anonymous texter.”

“We were right about putting him as our first suspect after the remark he made.” Sunghoon’s tone is dripping with venom, causing you to feel the instinctive need to recoil, but as if sensing your disquietude, Heeseung presses his lips on the back of your shoulder with a familiar reverence. “There is no doubt that he was one of the responsible ones behind the incident.”

“Who is he?” You ask, your heart thrumming in anticipation with dread crawling on your skin. Somehow,  you fear hearing their answer.

They exchange meaningful glances before Jay decides to reveal, “Kang Taehyun.”

It is as though needles are piercing into your bleeding heart while you remain frigid, your eyes widening in the slight fractions. You refuse to believe that the guy who had been nothing but amiable to you based on your past encounter with him is your anonymous texter, but the sombre casting shadows across their countenance counter otherwise.

“But why?” You begin to voice out your muddling thoughts, a frown tugging at your lips. “Why would he want to squander his time to pull off something like that? And what are his motives? I thought he was nice.”

“Yes, we’ve been wondering the same, but unfortunately, he didn’t attend the party last night, so we found another alternative.” Sunghoon says before looking at Jay with a smirk that denotes purpose, which strikes a curiosity in you. “Bring him up here.”

“Him? Who?” You ask with your eyes, following Jay until he descends the stairs, your eagerness eliciting endearing chuckles from them. You huff lightly, your eyes narrowing at them. “It isn’t funny. I genuinely want to find out why Taehyun did what he did and if he really was the one behind the incident.”

“We do too, but we couldn’t get him, so we got his best friend instead.” Jake wears a mirthful grin, yet his eyes gleam with depravity that sends an unpleasant shiver through you. But wait, his best friend?

On cue, the sound of steps ascending to the rooftop shifts your attention towards the source, and alas, Jay returns with a certain someone that has your heart nearly falling to the pit of your stomach while your eyes widen in bewilderment. 

Surely, he can’t be Taehyun’s accomplice, even if they are best friends. Just like Taehyun, he has been nothing but nice and kind towards you, with an air of amiability that often radiates from him.

As you examine the state he is in, a grimace etches on your face, feeling bad for him. He looks like he has been through hell ─ there is a cut on his bottom lip, a faint bruise at the corner of his right eye, and his lidded eyes keep fluttering, almost as though he is half asleep. You shudder at the thought of their violence, and you have an inkling that they decided to show mercy on him instead.

Without any ounce of mercy, Jay forces him down to his knees before standing behind him, and that is when you finally notice the metal baseball bat that Jay has been clutching from the moment they arrived.

“Sorry for the damage on your face.” Jake does not sound the slightest remorseful, cruelty shines through his smirk as his dark eyes penetrate into him. “But you do realise that it is natural for us to assume that you’re Taehyun’s accomplice.”

“No hard feelings, Choi.” Sunghoon says, leaning back leisurely as he brings his half-filled glass of Bourbon to his smirking lips. “I’m sure you’ll understand why we’re doing this. Besides, things have always been similarly done this way.”

“Let’s get straight to the point.” Heeseung’s flinty voice cuts through the crisp air, nearly causing you to cower, but you can barely move when his arms tighten around your waist like steel. “What are Kang Taehyun’s motives, Choi Beomgyu?

Beomgyu spits the blood out of his mouth, breathing raggedly while his eyes flicker at you, but you look away from him, unable to see the state he is in, even if he is Taehyun’s accomplice. “I fucking told you that I didn’t know anything.”

“You’re lying.” Jake tuts, his head tilting to one side while his smirk widens. “Choose your next words carefully, or your own house leader will show you no mercy.”

“Come on, Choi. We don’t have all day.” Sunghoon heaves a sigh as he rises from the couch to make his way to you, only to caress your cheek lovingly. “Don’t keep us waiting. We still have the remaining time to spend on our girl.”

“Your girl?” Beomgyu nearly growls out, earning inquisitive eyebrow raises from the four leaders.

Sunghoon taunts him with a smirk on his lips before seizing your chin to force you to look at Beomgyu in the eyes. Your breath hitches at the predatory glint in his eyes fleetingly before something entirely different, almost like a face, casts over his features.

“Yes. Our girl.” Sunghoon finds great delight in flaunting you to Beomgyu. “Your best friend should’ve known better than to fuck around with our sweet angel, and now you will be the one to face the consequence instead since your best friend didn’t show up.”

“It was almost as if he knew that we were already onto him.” Jay swings the baseball bat mindlessly, and yet you can see how he seems to be handling it in a professional way. “So what’s it going to be, Choi? Are you going to tell us the truth, or do I have to beat the truth out of you?”

“I’m telling you guys the truth! I don’t know what his motives are or why he did it!” Beomgyu finally snaps, veins protruding in his neck, while there is a genuine plea of desperation in his conveyance to prove his innocence. “I didn’t even know that he had been texting Y/N through anonymity! It isn’t my fault for not having the slightest clue that he had been a freak!”

“Are you guys buying any of this?” Sunghoon inquires, looking at his best friends. “No? I’m the only one, then?”

“Yeah, I don’t believe him either. Well, there goes your chance, Choi.” Jay smirks as he raises his metal baseball bat with the intention of swinging it to his back, but you can’t stand for such violence, even if they are in the wrong.

And so, against your better judgement, you stop Jay. “Don’t!” Your preventative exclamation earns you disbelieving stares from the four of them, whereas Beomgyu looks at you as though you are his guardian angel, but you ignore his gaze. “Just please, don’t hurt him.”

“Oh, but we do, pretty.” Heeseung whispers darkly in your ear, his arms tightening around you with each passing second. “I know you don’t like seeing violence, so either you’re going to look away or I’ll close your eyes for you.”

“There is no need for violence because I believe him.” You assert yourself strongly, despite your unwavering resolve. As you return your gaze to Beomgyu, you can see the stark sincerity in the way his eyes glisten. “He’s telling the truth. He doesn’t know anything about Taehyun’s doing.”

Heeseung refrains from displaying his frustration towards you. “Beloved─”

“You trust me, right?” You turn your head to meet Heeseung’s steely eyes, and he softens at the firm resolution hardening in your eyes. “Then trust me on this. Beomgyu is innocent. Besides, when we get back, you guys can confront Taehyun instead. He’s the bad guy, not Beomgyu.”

“Thank you, Y/N.” Beomgyu speaks to you softly, but Heeseung only seems to get angrier in the way his hold on you feels dangerously possessive. Beomgyu offers you a faint smile, but you quickly look away from him, uncertain why your turmoil persists even after your declaration of his innocence. “You were always the nicer one.”

Jay clenches his jaw, as does his clutch on the baseball bat. “That’s it. We’ll throw him out into the ocean and feed him to the sharks.”

“Jay!” You exclaim in disbelief, but Jay simply ignores you as he looks at his best friends for expectant agreement.

“Heeseung, I thought you were my close friend.” Beomgyu begins to speak up, his tone is filled with bitterness, while his glaring eyes glisten with betrayal that you know too well. “Out of all people, you should’ve been the one to believe in my innocence. You know that I would never do anything to betray you.”

Heeseung tightens his jaw, feeling a foreign emotion hitting him in the gut. Although Beomgyu is not exactly his best friend, Heeseung regards the male as his only close friend whom he trusts other than the three of his best friends. Heeseung has always felt a profound sense of camaraderie since the day when Beomgyu was a new student enrolled in the second semester and the latter needed help in understanding one of the modules, which he was more than glad to provide him.

A tinge of guilt in his chest ─ that’s what has been churning unpleasantly in him, and fuck, he has never felt such sentiment. Heeseung heaves a sigh, caving into the sentiment, which throws the others off guard with his change of heart. “Like what Y/N said. Beomgyu’s innocent. We can confront Taehyun once we head back.”

Knowing that neither of them can do anything to persuade Heeseung whenever he has made up his mind, they acquiesce, but that doesn’t mean that they completely trust Beomgyu. No, they’re doing this because of you. Their faith and devotion to you are parallel to the newfound trust they have in you.

“Get one of the crew members to attend to him.” Heeseung orders, to which Jay grabs Beomgyu’s arm to assist him in getting back on his feet while Jake makes his way towards them.

“Consider yourself lucky that Y/N is able to see through you, or else you would’ve met your demise along with your best friend.” Jake speaks venomously to Beomgyu, who has his head lowered as both Jake and Jay assist him, leaving you alone with Sunghoon and Heeseung.

Just like that, the sizzling tension dissipates, replaced by something that feels rather titillating, especially in the way Heeseung begins to trail wet kisses across your shoulder while Sunghoon cradles the back of your head to tilt it up for him to kiss you squarely on the lips.

With Heeseung’s fingers tracing dangerously close to your core, your stomach feels taut in anticipation, causing you to mewl into the messy yet heated kiss against Sunghoon’s lips.

“We can’t, not here.” You gasp as soon as Sunghoon pulls away from your lips, feeling Heeseung’s fingers slithering underneath your underwear to rub your clit tantalisingly. “Someone might come up and see us.”

“Then we’ll be giving them a show as we reenact last night’s event.” Sunghoon smirks down at you, seeing as you struggle to refrain moans from escaping as you arch in Heeseung’s magic touch. “I know you love the idea of someone else watching you get fucked by us. Nasty girl, aren’t you?”

“N-No!” You cover your mouth with your palm after an accidental moan manages to escape you at the sensation of the padding of his fingers rubbing your clit with skilful precision, but Sunghoon grabs your wrist to prevent you from covering the sweet sound, rendering you helpless between these two men.

“Pretty girl is so fucking wet.” Heeseung scoffs out a smirk, his fingers moving at an unrelenting pace, before he abruptly comes to a stop, eliciting a whine from you. He seizes your jaw, turns your head for access, and captures your lips in a searing kiss.

“You’re going to take our cocks again, pretty girl.” Heeseung rasps against your lips, smirking as you whine softly into the kiss. “Damn right, we’re going to fuck you right here and now.”

“Scream all you want. We’re not done with you until you satisfy us.” Sunghoon stands in front of you as he slowly unzips his pants, smirking down at you. “Now be a good girl and open that sweet mouth of yours, princess.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The once-bleak atmosphere that permeated every part of the palace has been enlivened by your arrival three days ago upon your agreement to return to the palace that you have missed roaming around uninhibitedly, but it seems that it has missed you too, because your mere yet jaunty presence often brings life to this magnificent yet lonely palace.

Eventually, the five of you have returned to a familiar normalcy, falling into the normal routine of either of them barging into your room to wake you up and taking turns to sleep with you despite having their own rooms to seek slumber, amongst other routines of which involved getting immensely physical, but other than that, everything else is normal.

Though your best friends remain sceptical of the leaders, they seem to be slowly accepting that the leaders have now become a major part of your life. The guys, on the other hand, are not exactly fond of your best friends either, but they refuse to restrain you even when their possessiveness adamantly desires to keep you all to themselves. Well, what matters most to them is that, as long as there are no guys in your vicinity unnecessarily,.

They can’t imagine how many pairs of eyes they would need to gauge out for daring to look your way, especially when you are dolled up all gorgeously in a simple purple crop top and a white pleated skirt that reaches way above your thighs, displaying your legs they find extremely alluring while you are busily applying mascara in the vanity mirror.

Apparently, there is a massive funfair that is organised by your own university, and it is not only open to its students but to the public as well. Initially, you had no plans on going and would like to spend the night with the guys, but upon the relentless persuasion from your best friend through calls and texts, you eventually acquiesced.

“So? What do you think?” You ask chirpily, redirecting your focus on them as you do a little twirl, allowing your skirt to flare while the sight of you in your own little world amuses them. You look over at each of them for their responses.

Heeseung is standing by the doorway, leaning sideways against the frame with his arms folded across his chest. Jay, who has been a pleasant help in choosing your outfit, is seated by the window sill with a cigarette stick rolled between his fingers. Sunghoon and Jake are lounging on your bed, their hands mindlessly playing with your plushies in their lap.

Warmth weaves across your cheeks as their eyes are filled with unmistakable adoration yet arousing lust. Right, it feels odd to you that they seem more than comfortable being openly and blatantly intimate with you in front of each other, despite the occasional passing jealousy that doesn’t go unnoticed by you. Nevertheless, you can’t deny the fact that you love having their undivided attention.

“Our girl looks beautiful, just as she always does.” Jake shoots you a boyish grin, putting aside your plushie to clasp his hands together and lean his head on the back of his palm.

“Jake’s right. I’m glad I chose the outfit for you.” Jay says, his dark eyes raking all over you while a smirk plays on his lips. “But you’d look even better without them, baby.”

“You’ve read my mind.” Sunghoon exchanges chuckles and smirks with Jay, causing you to roll your eyes at them before tying a mini side braid on your hair to enhance your overall look. “Roll your eyes again, and I’ll give them something else to roll from, princess.” You huff lightly in response.

“Pretty girl, are you sure you want to go?” Heeseung inquires for another time, and his worry is evident in the mellowness in his voice. “We won’t be coming to the fair, you know?”

“What? Why?” You jut your lips into a pout and look over to him. “But I dressed up prettily for you.”

“You are always pretty, my beloved.” Heeseung ambles towards you, his lips unfurling a small smile before it falters. “But we have some unfinished business to settle with Taehyun.”

“Apparently, he went back to his hometown, but Jungwon told us that he’s back. So it’ll make our job easier since we know where his apartment is.” Sunghoon informs, his eyes softening at your crestfallen countenance. “You’ll be okay, princess.”

“Yeah, and if there is spare time left after we finish with our business, we’ll come to the fun fair and be sure to find you.” Jake reassures you with his boyish grin again, sending flutters to your heart. 

“Okay.” You reciprocate with a soft smile before it turns sheepish, your eyes fleetingly dart at the four familiar yet distinct masks laid out on your vanity table. “Now, can we please take a picture before I go?”

You have been meaning to snap an individual picture with them and post them on Instagram story as it has been more than awhile since you last posted something. Plus, you are not ashamed to admit that you have developed something that is borderline obsession or perhaps even kink whenever you fantasise about them wearing their mask as they send you into a state of ecstasy.

“Princess, must we do this?” Sunghoon groans, obviously reluctant but nevertheless, he complies with your wish, making his way towards the vanity table to grab his designated mask. He looks at it for a good minute before casting you a suggestive smirk. “You know, we should definitely try fucking with our masks on.” He drawls attractively, moving closer to you with a seductive purpose while butterflies swarm in your tummy.

But you refuse to ruin your makeup and clothes, and so you shoot him a scowl before pushing him in the chest gently away from you. “Not a chance.”

It isn’t long before Heeseung, who insists on going first, adorns the white mask as he sits on the chair before pulling you down on his lap, eliciting a startled squeal from you as you instinctively hook your arm around his neck, enjoying the closeness a little more than you intended. His arm slithers its way around your waist while he faces the vanity mirror, watching as you proceed to snap a picture of the two of you with a dimpled smile.

Giggling as something so delightful bubbles in your chest, you slowly get off his lap before looking away from your phone to meet their eyes as you adorn a sweet smile on your glossed lips. “My next mask man, please.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The luminescences deriving from the resplendent fairground lightings, which encompass the stupendous funfair, illumine towards the starless empyrean above the multitude of people that are bustling across the various forms of entertainment while their ebulliences in the glow of their demeanour enliven the atmosphere, including yours.

Your eyes sparkle with merriment while your laughter is accompanied by squeals as soon as your bumper car collides into Wonyoung and Yunjin’s, causing your body to jolt forward due to the impact, whereas the other girls are too preoccupied to either chase or elude from each other in your background. Music reverberates throughout the bumper section, intensifying the adrenaline rush in your body as you attempt to make a drift.

It isn’t long before you and your friends avidly rove across the throng of people in a harmonious hilarity with not a single scowl in sight. You recognise some faces from the same university you are at, and whenever you pass by, you offer them a small friendly smile, but in return, they reciprocate with a distinct yet patent odium in the way they stare at you, which genuinely confuses you.

Nevertheless, you refuse to allow anything or anyone to ruin this night of jollity, or maybe even your mind, which has been in a state of disquietude ever since you stepped foot into this festivity, but throughout the remainder of your time here, your golden demeanour doesn’t betray your inner turmoil.

A part of you fears the possibility that the guys’ impersonators might orchestrate another of their attacks on you at any moment of time, but you find it absurd that they would dare to bestow terror in the eyes of the public. 

A nudge to your shoulder from your best friend pulls you out of your perturbation, prompting you to look at Wonyoung as she grabs your hand to eagerly advance forward as it is now your turn to ride the famous astroglide slide.

The other girls have apparently gone their separate ways, some headed for the restroom while others decided to take a snack break, leaving you with Wonyoung to entertain yourselves, but all of you have collectively agreed to meet at the ferris wheel later.

Exchanging nods with Cheshire smiles plastered on your faces, both you and Wonyoung finally cascade down the bumpy slides while the mats below you provide smooth friction for easy gliding. Just like that, whatever causes your state of mind to worry is incessantly dispelled by the adrenaline that rushes through you once more. Shrill laughter and squeals emanate from the two of you as the speed increases, causing the chilly wind to smack you in the face.

Eventually, you reach the bottom, nearly tumbling forward if you hadn’t controlled your stability. Wonyoung’s delightful giggles mingle with yours, even after the two of you have departed from the astroglide.

“I would ride the slide again if the queue wasn’t long.” You tell her as soon as the two of you have simmered down from the adrenaline. Your eyes follow the queue of people with a pout on your lips.

“Well, we could try other rides! We haven’t tried the pirate ship yet!” Wonyoung voices out her suggestions, her bubbly tone bringing a smile to your lips.

“It’s fine. I’m feeling a little beat.” You politely decline as the fluctuation of your vitality beckons you to find some place to rest and dehydrate yourself. “Besides, we agreed to meet the others at the Ferris wheel.”

Not too long later, you stumble upon Karina and Yunjin, who apparently went on the slingshot ride before heading to buy some water, to which Yunjin generously offers you a bottle. The four of you decide to settle at the wooden bench adjacent to the photo booth sections, where there are long lines of people queueing.

Mentally disassociating yourself from your best friends, your eyes trail across the couples entering and exiting the photobooths, and you swear something painful tugs at the strings of your heart. Although they have yet to ask you to become their girlfriend despite their obvious adoration and affection for you, you yearn to do normal fun couple stuff like the others.

You still feel a tad sullen that they probably won’t be coming to the funfair due to their pursuit of hunting down your anonymous texter, who turned out to be the one you didn’t expect most, since neither of them has yet to reply to your texts a few hours ago. Odd.

“We should get going.” Yunjin announces as she checks her phone, a frown slowly tugging at her pink lips. “Chaewon just texted me that they’re on their way to find us? And they have something urgent to tell us.”

The four of you stand in the middle of the bustling crowd, exchanging confused yet curious glances. Before any of you can speak up, a bunch of guys whom you vaguely recognise from your university in the senior batch brazenly push their way into your group, earning eyebrow raises from you and your friends.

“There she is! Our favourite Catholic girl! The new star!” The four of them break into a collective intimidation of howls, drawing attention from the other guys in your vicinity, whom you also recognise as your fellow Crescents, and encouraging them to join in the derision that is obviously directed to you, as evident in the vice of lechery they gaze at you with.

“More like a Catholic slut!” The one in a snapback cap sneers at you, causing you to flinch at his hostile degradation. “Yeah, you are one, aren’t you? Dirty, naughty angel, that’s what you are.”

“Don’t insult her, or else she’ll get turned on.” His friend smacks him in the shoulder playfully, chortling with the others around you as though his remark is extremely hilarious.

This time, you feel as though something hard smacks you in the face as you stagger back while your heart is pumping harder with each passing second. Your skin is crawling with dread due to the predatory yet derogatory eyes that latch on your figure, while your ears are burning at the sound of their piercing laughter.

Please don’t tell me what I think it is…..

“Excuse me?” Wonyoung is spurred into taking action by her instinct to protect you, stepping forward with an air of icy intimidation. “I don’t know who you think you are, but if you cherish your sacks enough, you better get down on your knees and apologise to my best friend.”

“Why should we apologise when we only stated the truth?” The one in blond highlights retorts, his lips curling into a condescending sneer.

“What truth?” Yunjin’s figure is imposing as she glowers at the guys, her eyes going ablaze with the same simmering anger as Wonyoung and Karina’s.

“Oh, come on! Don’t tell us that you girls haven’t watched your best friend’s amazing performance? No?” His tone drips with mockery that feels as though acid is thrown at you. “We’re lucky enough to be able to stream those videos online for free.”

“Hey, Y/N? Do you think that if I fuck you good, will you call me your God too?” The shortest member of the group asks with a gleeful grin. “Awww, come on, pretty girl. You love cocks, don’t you?”

“You fucking asshole!” Karina nearly lunges forward, her sharp, acrylic nails extending to claw him, but Wonyoung and Yunjin immediately hold her back from each side. “Release me! Let me at him!”

Amidst the rapid rise of chaos, you remain deadly silent, unable to hear anything other than the sound of your loud, pumping heart in your ear while your figure goes transfixed. It feels like the jeering crowd is closing on you, suffocating you as your breathing gets progressively uneven while your chest painfully tightens, and you want nothing more than to hide yourself from the world.

“What do you say, Y/N? Wanna get baptised again?” They continue to taunt you despite your best friends’ oozing ire dominating your vicinity. “I’m sure your pussy has room for more after getting fucked loose by the leaders.”

“Flash us those tits, slut!” You hear the crowd in your vicinity, mainly the ones from your university, begin to throw crude remarks at you, shooting like bullets with wanton howls and indecorous whistles.

It is as if something inside you snaps, and before you know it, you pivot on your heels and dash forward, pushing your way through the crowd haphazardly without any regard of their glare at your discourtesy while your best friends promptly chase after you right after they shoot withering glares at the crowd.

“Y/N! Wait up!” Karina’s voice fades into oblivion as you can only focus on the sound of your ragged breathing and your thrumming pulse in your ear, and maybe the sound of your heart that is slowly shattering into pieces too.

A part of you adamantly refuses to believe that the ones you hold dearly in your heart would pull such deplorable stunts. Maybe those four guys that taunted you back there were bluffing. Maybe they purposefully decided to humiliate you in public for reasons beyond your comprehension. 

No, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, and Sunghoon would never─

“Y/N! We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Winter, Chaewon, and the other girls immediately obstruct your path. The look on their faces only seems to intensify your inner turmoil, while there is a suspension in the air. “Oh, thank God all of you are here.” Their comment is also directed at your best friends from behind you.

“What’s going on?” You ask, and your voice surprisingly manages to come out strong while your tenacity for maintaining equanimity is teetering.

“It’s not good, Y/N.” Winter is carefully treading with her words, her eyes flashing with prudence. “Even if you had consented for those pictures and videos to be posted online─”

“Oh my god.” Karina’s loud gasp interjects the suspension that only seems to transition into a foreboding tension, drawing your attention to her and seeing the horrifying contortion on her countenance as she looks down at her phone screen.

“Wait, Y/N, you shouldn’t─” Just before Chaewon can stop you, you move towards Karina and snatch the phone from her hand.

As soon as your eyes latch onto the phone screen with such obscenity being displayed starkly, your surroundings fade into insignificance while time seems to be holding still, and only the sound of your heart shattering into pieces is all you can hear.

“Y/N!” You hear muffled shouts from your friends as soon as your buckling legs have finally given up on you, causing you to fall to the asphalt ground on your knees while Yunjin’s phone slips from your weak grasp.

“I need you to breathe, Y/N!” Wonyoung cups your cheeks as she kneels down in front of you, but your blurry eyes deprive you of focus while only the constricting pain in your chest is palpable, causing you to feel unbearably suffocated.

“I want─” Your hyperventilation affects your ability to articulate your feelings. You clutch onto Wonyoung’s shirt as you finally manage to breathe out, meeting her concerned eyes with shaky pupils. “I want to go back, please.” You whisper brokenly.

As you recall seeing the awfully familiar username, you were gravely mistaken for thinking that they wouldn’t, because they did. You thought that they wouldn’t ever hurt you in a way that sent you into physical affliction, but it turns out there was another way for them to hurt you after all.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

In the quiet confines of your room ─ your old, homey room, which has now become a sanctuary ─ the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through your window casts a dim illumination on you amidst the darkness as you lie in bed with the fleecy duvet enveloping your dejected figure. 

Countless crumpled tissues are scattered across your bed, which you used to clear and wipe your mucus after bawling your eyes out, and the worst part is that you don’t know how many times you have broken down for the past two days ever since the appalling revelation that still renders you revolted.

“Y/N, please, open the door. We’re worried about you.” You hear Yunjin’s voice pleading out to you as she knocks on your door, which you have locked as you refuse to see any of them, only wanting to wallow in despair in your sanctuary, where no one can hurt you nor hidden cameras can film you.

You merely ignore your best friend, your hollow eyes staring into oblivion, while your mind begins to drift to the late victim who went through the same betrayal as you. Jinae. You recall when anonymous, or rather, Taehyun, divulged to you the details of her death and before that.

Similar to what Jinae had gone through, the four of them posted explicit pictures and clips of you when you were at the church on their Instagram stories, and they even inserted their captions on their stories, such as ‘our good obedient whore ‘worshipping cocks like the hungry Catholic slut she is’.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, they uploaded individual sex tapes, which they apparently had cameras hidden in their rooms, on their Devil’s Knights social media accounts across Twitter as well as their official website, allowing users from across the campus and beyond to have access to free porn.

A muscle pulses in your jaw, hating yourself for not being prudent enough to see this coming when you should have known better and realised it sooner when Heeseung first knew of your intrusion into his office ─ because he had implemented a hidden camera somewhere inside.

Your eyes begin to sting. No, you are the one who is now going through the same betrayal as the girl whose only sin was loving the four leaders, which led her to her death by their very hands. Now you are left wondering if they do have plans to kill you next.

The incessant buzzing from the nightstand draws your attention to your phone, to which your stomach churns again while your heart goes into palpitation as you hesitantly reach out for your phone and grab it with a trembling hand before forcing your reluctant body to rise from the bed.

Your mind is beseeching you to put your phone away for the sake of your sanity, or whatever is left, which is teetering dangerously at the precipice, but against your better judgement, you decide to indulge your niggling curiosity.

Just as you expected, your phone is bombarded with notifications from Instagram, Twitter, and even messages. It has been this way ever since the funfair night. Your DMs are always flooded with different users, many of whom you recognise from your fellow Crescents, sending you either revolting insults or crude messages that feel vulgarly invasive. 

The perpetual cyber harassment has been causing such mental distress on you that even in your staggering sleep, you can hear their voices in your head haunting you with their dehumanising words, even as you are reading them now. Each word embeds in your disoriented mind, and somehow, each of them manages to stab you in the gut with the knife twisting deeper and deeper. But what stands out amongst them are the recurrent messages that most seem to share a correlative sentiment.

‘Kill yourself, you greedy slut.’

Alas, rivulets begin to descend on you, your body racking with the onslaught of devastation. A loud sob comes from your throat as you throw your phone elsewhere, unable to read the remaining messages any longer that only seem to carve the wound deeper in your bleeding heart.

And the worst of it all? Neither of the four of them has ever bothered to reach out to you after what they have done. Not even a single call. 

The betrayal and heartbreak are palpable as they manifest in the uneven rise and fall on your heaving chest, while the volume of your cries seems to have reached outside, as evident in the hurried knocks on your door from your best friends as they call for you, but you are too consumed by the pain ─ pain that feels profound and unlike any other.

“Y/N! Please! Let us in!” The desperate plea of Wonyoung’s voice only makes you bawl your eyes out as you clutch your pounding head with your hands, tears dripping and dampening the bedding for another time.

You don’t even know how to show your face to the world, especially to your parents, if news has already reached them. There is no doubt that those intimate videos and your stark display of vulnerability have reached the public from beyond the university, spreading like wildfire.

The damage they did is beyond repair ─ it’s completely irreversible. It is crystal clear to you that they had intended to destroy you from the inside out since the moment they began to approach you, but you were blissfully ignorant as you allowed yourself to fall deeper for their dark allures, desperate for even the scraps of their affection.

The worst of it all is that you were more than ready to spend a lifetime with them, even if people were against you. You even bare your heart and soul to them, for them to take and consume you, even if it means that you might lose yourself in the process.

You sob harder, clutching your aching heart with your fingers fisting the material of your top. You hate them for not reaching out to you despite the damage they have done. You hate those cruel users who have ruined your mental state.

Most of all, you hate yourself while a part of you vehemently agrees to the dehumanising insults that have been engraved in you. Perhaps they were right ─ you are nothing but a greedy slut who has no dignity left and is utterly worthless unless you spread your legs for more.

Maybe you should kill yourself.

Before you know it, you barge into the bathroom, your teary eyes blazing with resentment as they search for anything solid enough to break the mirror. You are stuck in a stupor ─ your mind is in a tempestuous streak of their words tormenting you, and your heart is bleeding from the unabating heartbreak, but you are conscious enough to desire for your misery to end.

“Y/N! Don’t do anything stupid!” Wonyoung’s voice can still be heard from the outside, but her words don’t deter you, not when you finally find the solution to break the mirror with a ceramic cup that you often use to gargle your mouth after brushing your teeth.

With a strangled cry, the ceramic cup hurls towards the mirror before it shatters completely from the impact while the sound reaches the ears of your best friends, causing more panic for them.

“Hurry!” Karina says, watching with impatient eyes as Yunjin fumbles with the keys to your door before the latter finally unlocks it and pushes the door open, wasting no time to follow the source of your cries that lead them to the bathroom.

The three of them gasp in horror at the sight of you on your knees as you grip a shard of glass from the pieces of the broken mirror that lay scattered across the toilet tiles while blood begins to seep out of your palm due to the pressure you apply.

You can barely feel the pain in your bleeding palm, let alone the arrival of your best friends, as you are set to end your misery with a single slit, and so you raise the sharp-edged glass to your neck, your eyes completely hollow.

“Y/N!” With full force, Yunjin grabs you by the arm just before the glass can even touch your skin. Having been pulled out of your stupor, you begin to thrash and struggle in their grasp, screaming and wailing in incoherency while Wonyoung tries her utmost to get the mirror away from your bleeding hand, holding back a sob of her own. They all do.

“Let go of me! You don’t understand anything!” You sob out, finally relenting as your body feels the exertion from everything. With your loosened grasp, Wonyoung snatches the blood-stained glass away from your hand and tosses it aside. “You don’t even know how I feel! All of them were right! I should just kill myself─”

“Stop it! You’re not going to kill yourself!” Wonyoung snaps, her teary eyes match yours as they trickle down her cheeks. “You think that killing yourself will solve your problems?!”

You remain unmoving, falling weak against Yunjin as she supports you from behind with Karina. You sob out, fluttering your eyes closed. “At least it’ll free me from my misery.”

“What about us? We’re your best friends, Y/N.” The tone in Karina’s voice makes your heart clench, because you have never heard her so heartbroken except when she broke up with her ex three years ago. “What about your parents? If you can’t think of us, then think of them.”

“They don’t care. Why would they, after knowing how their Catholic daughter turned out to be a huge disappointment and a greedy slut?” Your sobs begin to quieten while your body slowly starts to feel the throbbing pain in your seeping, wounded palm.

“Please, Y/N, we can’t lose you.” Yunjin cries softly behind you, joining the other two as they collectively break into tears, wanting you to share your pain with them so it’ll burden you less. “Your life is precious, Y/N. You still have a lot more to explore. You promised that you would travel abroad with me one day.”

“Your life is precious to me, beloved.” Heeseung’s words serve as a haunting playback in your mind, eliciting more forlorn sobs from you while the tears on your cheeks are unrelenting.

“I’m tired, but I’m scared to go to sleep.” You sound languid, sleep is beckoning you as your eyelids feel heavier. “Because they’ll haunt me again…” Alas, you have fallen into the realm of sleep. The three exchange glances with an unspoken understanding.

Within the same night when they nearly lost you, Wonyoung and Karina are wrapped in cold silence, the latter driving them to their destination, whereas Yunjin is overseeing you back at the dorm, taking such prudence as they don’t want to risk anything.

It isn’t long before they are being greeted at the familiar sight of the grand palace, the golden gate slowly opening for their further pursuit, but frankly, out of the two of them, Wonyoung’s ire is overpowering, even in the way she storms over to the familiar seven faces in the opened garage while Karina quickly trails behind her.

Jungwon, who has shared an intimate history with her, immediately hinders her from aggravating the sombre situation further as he blocks her way, his lips adorning a nervous yet crooked smile. “Hey, babe─”

But Wonyoung, having been possessed by the feminine rage, easily pushes Jungwon aside, her icy glaring eyes set on the four figures whose demeanours are infuriatingly cryptic, before storming towards them with the intention to give a good punch or two.

“Wonyoung, wait─” Just as Karina is about to stop her, she watches in complete shock when the latter delivers a punch to Sunghoon’s cheek, while the male doesn’t seem to be affected despite his head being turned sideways from the impact.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?!” Wonyoung is about to lunge for Jake next, but Riki and Sunoo immediately restrain her by the arms. “Preying on my best friend for the sake of your twisted tradition is one thing, but to post your sickening sex tapes that you filmed without her consent at all?!” She is stark raving mad, thrashing and struggling valiantly in their captivity. “Haven’t you had enough after destroying Jinae the same way you do now to Y/N?!”

“Calm down.” Sunoo’s remark earns him a withering glare from the raging woman.

“Don’t tell me to calm down when my best friend almost tried to kill herself because of the constant cyberbullying, and whose fault was that?” Wonyoung’s tone is dripping with venom, and her eyes are maintaining icy contact with the four leaders. “Yours! I fucking knew that the moment all of you suddenly approached Y/N, you had ulterior motives!”

Although their demeanour remains cryptic, Karina can see it in the way they flinch lightly when Wonyoung mentions you, and for a fleeting moment, equal worry flares in their irises.

“I don’t know what your endgame is or if you’re planning to haunt her even till the end, just like you did to Jinae, but thanks a lot.” Karina speaks up, her tone mirrors Wonyoung’s with a tinge of sarcasm. “You guys got what you wanted, and that is to break Y/N, right? Then congratufuckinglations! You guys are officially the fucking worse.”

“Y/N wouldn’t come out to eat for days.” Wonyoung says so spitefully before finally breaking herself free from Riki and Sunoo’s grasp. “Whatever your next moves are, we’re not going to let you go near Y/N. You’ll have to kill me to get to her.”

“That’s fine with us.” Jay shrugs his shoulders; the nonchalance on his display doesn’t betray the feelings that lie beneath the facade. “You ladies have always loved to underestimate us, so maybe it’s time we show you no mercy, yeah?”

“Jay, don’t.” Jungwon steps forward, feeling a natural protective instinct to shield Wonyoung from Jay’s path of destruction. “Just tell them the truth.”

“What truth is there even to tell us?” Wonyoung eyes Jungwon with exasperation, while the latter looks at her with softened eyes. “We’ve already seen enough─ Y/N have seen and known enough to realise that your amazing leaders uploaded those unconsented pictures and videos by their own hands!”

“Yeah, we’ve known enough.” Karina grabs Wonyoung by the hand, her eyes glaring at each of them for another time. “We’re here only to tell you to stay away from Y/N. She doesn’t need any of you to break her even more.”

With that, Karina and Wonyoung depart from the garage as they make their way back to the car, while Jungwon stares at them from afar before heaving a sigh as he turns to look at the four leaders. “You should’ve told them the truth.”

“What difference would it make?” Jake scoffs, his jaw tightening. “You’ve already seen the look in their eyes. Besides, no one ever believes us, just like three years ago.”

“Well, we believe you.” Riki offers them some form of support, and a rare smile plays on his lips. “You have us.”

“Seven against the world?” Sunghoon chuckles as he shakes his head while rubbing his sore cheek. “We’re so fucked.”

“Heeseung?” Sunoo, who has been observant enough to notice Heeseung’s eerie silence, “What do you want to do now?”

Despite the nonchalantness of his demeanour, storms are raging silently in Heeseung’s dark eyes. “Do what we do best at; continue the hunt.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Never have you ever felt utterly defeated to wake up to the next sunrise, as it only means another day of misery, and you were right, because your phone is once again bombarded with notifications from those who wish to see you in unending agony.

At first, you wallow in utter despair, still refusing to get out of your room and to eat something despite being coaxed by your best friends, but soon, it is coupled with fury that courses through your vein, spurring you into taking action, which has your best friends beseeching you to reevaluate your resolution.

Hence, you are presently in the car with them, waiting for the familiar, opulent gates to open for you. The temperature in the car doesn’t bother you in the slightest, despite the coldness increasing tenfold due to the torrential rain pouring down outside. You sit in silence while the suspension hangs in the air.

“Maybe we should head back. We’v been waiting for quite some time.” Karina breaks the ice; hesitancy flows in her tone. “Plus, I don’t think they’re at the palace.”

Before any of you can say anything, your eyes capture blinding lights in the rearview mirror while the sound of motorcycles revving stridently startles the girls except you, because the moment their vehicles are nearing from behind, you take your girls by surprise when you exit from the car in haste, ignoring their calling.

Not even a minute passes by when you have become wholly drenched from head to toe, but your resolution remains unwavering as you storm with purpose towards the four bikers, whose body languages you are unable to construe while the dark visors completely obscure their countenance, but you can feel their gazes burning straight into you.

Your mind is in a perpetual tumult with a cacophony of thoughts and emotions, each vying for dominance, that overwhelms you. Your eyes are blurring with each blink, uncertain whether it’s the effect of the unrelenting downpour that wets your lashes or the tears that are accumulating in your waterline.

They dismount their bikes just as you close the distance, and you follow the path of your ire to the first person near you — the one who is wearing a necklace with your purity ring resting on his chest.

“Y/N─” Heeseung is cut off by the impact of the shove of your hands into his chest, but he swiftly regains stability.

“Is this really your endgame?! To humiliate me and expose my vulnerability to everyone?!” Like a thunderstorm, you erupt into a torrent of outbursts, pushing Heeseung in the chest again, but he is unaffected by your strength as he remains rooted to the ground. “Because of what you all did, I couldn’t sleep at night without their words haunting me! I couldn’t even look at my phone without receiving another message telling me to kill myself. Why? Because I’m a greedy fucking slut for the four of you!”

The other three attempt to step forward to stop you, but Heeseung subtly makes a hand gesture at them, prompting them to stay where they are and allowing you to continue as you throw weak punches to his solid chest while uncontrollable sobs leave your lips.

“That day, I told you to delete them, and you lied to me! You all lied to me!” You nearly go hysterical as you don’t relent from hitting him. “I even told you in the first place! But you refused, all because I broke your rule! You shouldn’t have even thought of filming and snapping pictures of me back at the church just because you were pissed off at me!” You cry out in defeat, your body heaving with sobs. “You should’ve just killed me instead.”

“Don’t fucking say that!” Sunghoon nearly growls out, catching you off guard when he steps forward to hold you by the shoulders. His voice sounds deeper due to the helmet. “We know we fucked up, but you shouldn’t even think that we would do anything to hurt you like that!”

Seething with anger, you shove his hands away from your shoulders as you push him. “But you did! You did hurt me in the most agonising way, which I never would have thought you would do to me! Just like you did to Jinae!”

You clench your fist with your injured hand, applying pressure to the wound that is slowly reopening. “Like a fool I was, I chose to ignore the fact that all of you weren’t sincere with me when you first approached me. I chose to ignore the fact that you were only preying on me as part of your tradition and allowed you to fuck me up all over.” A palpable heartbreak punctuates your declaration as you continue to cry out. “And like a fool I was, I bared my soul to you and gave you my heart, only for you to break me when I'd fallen hopelessly in love with you.”

“You’re in love with us?” You can hear Jake’s muffled voice, but you ignore him and remain focused on pouring out your pent-up emotions.

“For you, I was willing to do anything you asked me to, and I’d give up everything if it meant to be close to you and stay by your side, but your intentions are now clear to me that I meant nothing to you because I was only meant to satisfy you as your slut and for you to break me apart if I ever crossed you!” With your clenched fist, you deliver one last hit to Heeseung, now torn apart from the inside as you break into hysterical sobs. “How could you do this to me?! I did nothing but love you and want to be loved by you.”

“Y/N, stop.” Heeseung grabs you firmly by the wrist, holding you closer to his chest and looking down at your bandaged hand. “You’re injured. You’ll reopen your wound if you don’t stop.”

“Don’t touch me!” You quickly yank your hand away from him, his touch feels familiarly scorching on your skin. “Don’t hold me like that! Don’t─” A sharp sob leaves your lips, your eyes glistening with unmistakable heartbreak that punches them in the gut. “Don’t act like you care when you don’t give a damn about me! Not after what you did! And for that, I hate you!”

“You don’t mean that.” Jay’s voice cuts through the air stridently, followed by a rumble of thunder in the dreary skies.

“I do. I hate you.” You say spitefully, glaring at them with a teary gaze as you latch your arms around your now-shivering form. “Consider this the last time you’ll ever see my face, and consider my love for you dead, not that you cared in the first place.”

“Don’t leave─ Fuck, baby─” Jay sounds torn, almost as if he is the one hurting instead of you. “We’ll make things right, just don’t leave us.”

“Y/N!” You hear Wonyoung calling out for you from behind, but your attention remains fixed on them.

For a moment, the desperation emanating from him as well as the other three stirs something in the sensible part of you. Even if you can’t see the clear contortion of their countenances, you can feel their gaze burning into you with a passion for longing. But what they did is beyond justifiable ─ their stark betrayal is unforgivable, no matter the love that still beats for them in your bleeding heart right now.

“You can’t make things right. The damage is irreversible, and for that, I won’t forgive you.” Your voice trembles, slowly getting overwhelmed by the tumult of emotions whirling in you. “Congratulations, though. You’ve succeeded in your twisted tradition of preying on an innocent girl once again.”

By the time you have delivered the last of your words that pierce into their hearts, Wonyoung appears next to you, holding an umbrella that shelters you from downpour any longer, her comforting arm around your shoulder before you finally turn around and head back into the car, leaving the four of them under the pouring rain with your words embedded in their minds.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

They did not upload those pictures and videos. Apparently, they have been hacked and even tried to log into their social media accounts, but it seems that their credentials have been unauthorizedly changed by their foes, who clearly possess the abilities and competencies in the cyber field.

But it doesn’t mean that they are free of guilt, especially when they acknowledge that they lied to you about having them deleted, and they had every intention to do so until Sunghoon’s phone went missing on that yacht party, after which they concluded that it must’ve been one of those fuckers who managed to transfer those pictures and videos of you into their possession.

Still, they know well enough that they are partially responsible for this. Your words are a haunting playback in their minds since you left them in the cold yesterday, causing their inner turmoil to increase tenfold while a foreign emotion sends an unpleasant sensation through them. Guilt.

For as long as they can remember, they don’t feel guilt, and they have never either. Even after the passing of their first prey, Jinae, they didn’t feel the slightest remorse and instead felt resentment towards those who didn’t believe in them and the truth only they held in their grasp.

Guilt is not something that they feel naturally on instinct, but then you came. You managed to ignite something in them despite the unyielding darkness, and now they have been hit with immense guilt while their corrupted mind is in a dangerous tumult.

Thus, they have collectively agreed to put a permanent end to this prolonged hunt and eradicate their foes, who were responsible for orchestrating the destruction that has already been wide-spread beyond their radar.

Hence, Sunoo and Riki, who are quite literally the cyberpunks, have been working tirelessly for them and leaving no stone unturned as they demolish every firewall and destroy data after data, including deleting those uploads. Jungwon, whose specialty is obviously not in the hacking field, can only offer his presence as his two best friends’ moral support while he hangs around in the background with either snacks or drinks in his hands.

“Are you guys sure that they’re in there?” Jake inquires to Sunoo and Riki as he has them on speaker mode, allowing his best friends to hear their conversation as well. Presently, they remain seated in Jay’s Maserati that is pulled over by the curb, awaiting their next move on Jake’s command.

“Are you doubting our skills now? After everything we’ve done for you?” Jake simply rolls his eyes at Sunoo’s melodramatic antics before he briefly casts a glance at the window to examine the establishment for another time. “Anyway, hacking into their security system was a piece of cake.”

“They’re in there, but better be quick.” Riki interjects, his voice sounding gravelly deep. “It looks like they’re about to leave soon. Oh, an advice; enter from the backdoor instead.”

Once the call ends, the four leaders waste no time exiting the car, recalling Riki’s advice as they make their way around the establishment, where the backdoor is. Each of them wields different weapons yet bears the same amount of lethality ─ brass knuckles, metal baseball bats, and a melee knife. Tonight, their foes won’t be able to leave unscathed.

Just as they nearly arrive, the backdoor swings open, followed by chatter and laughter before they are greeted by the sight of familiar faces who turn out to be their foes. But the thing is, neither of their foes look entirely surprised. Taehyun, Soobin, and Hyunjin.

“So, you’ve finally caught me, huh?” Taehyun taunts them with a pleasant smile, his hands sliding inside his pockets. “I must say, I felt satisfied for outsmarting you, which was why you couldn’t find me anywhere. As our leaders who should be better than us, you’ve disappointed me.”

Jay steps forward, a smirk playing on his lips while his menacing aura is infused with the foreboding atmosphere. “As your house leader, I have a gift for you, and that is meeting your demise tonight.”

“But before we get down to business, we want to know why.” Sunghoon demands, struggling to maintain his composure and gripping the brass knuckle adorning his fingers. “You guys took the knight’s oath on the day you were accepted into the fraternity. You knew what would happen if you went against the rules, and we don't take betrayal lightly.”

“Oath means nothing to us for as long as you reign supreme in our fraternity.” No one is as staggered as Heeseung upon hearing a familiar voice approaching from behind Taehyun, his eyes trailing to his once-close friend, whose demeanour is uncharacteristically callous.

“I fucking knew it.” Jake grits his teeth, seething with anger as his eyes harden. “Fuck. I knew you were on it, but our girl’s good heart chose to believe that you weren’t─”

“Your girl?” He intervenes, releasing a cold, derisive chuckle as he leisurely advances forward while keeping a safe distance between them. “It’s quite bold of you when you know that you’ve already lost your girl after what you’ve done.”

“You mean, after what you and your little rebellion did!” Jake retaliates, clutching his brass knuckle. “We didn’t do shit! You had your loyal dogs do your dirty work!”

“But that doesn’t change the fact that you guys took those pictures and videos at the holy church. I only contributed to implementing those hidden cameras in your rooms and the places you guys fucked her.”

“You? So you were the true mastermind instead of Taehyun, isn’t that, right?” Heeseung’s tone sounds lethally soft, his lips unfurling a smirk while his eyes remain in unwavering eye contact with him. “Choi Beomgyu.”

Beomgyu breaks into a cold smile, his eyes holding an unmistakable hatred for him. “I would’ve applauded you for solving the pieces, but you solved them too late. Just like how it’s too late for you to reverse everything with Y/N. Oh, and by the way, I’ve got to give credits to y’all for giving free porn content.”

The tension in the foreboding air is thickening with each passing second as they await each other’s next move. Beomgyu continues to smile, taunting Heeseung with each step forward while his eyes gleam with wicked delight. “But I would’ve fucked her better than you did.”

The trigger in Heeseung’s head is pulled, spurring him into retaliation, deftly aiming his melee knife towards Beomgyu, possessing such an almost-inhuman agility that even takes his best friends by surprise before they manoeuvre towards their foes expeditiously. Alas, violence is set ablaze under the starry night, the once-comradeship amongst them has effaced, but they share the same resolve ─ no one shall leave unscathed.

The four leaders move with harmonious precision in countering attacks from their opponents, wielding their weapons and putting them to good use as they manage to spill their blood, but their opponents are filled with equal ferocity as well, refusing to relent.

“I trusted you.” Heeseung tightens his jaw, breathing harshly while he clutches the melee knife handle that stains with Beomgyu’s blood as he manages to cut him in the arm with one swift slice. “I thought you were my close friend. All those years we’ve spent, and it took just one girl for you to pull a dick move?”

Beomgyu spits the blood out of his mouth as he slowly rises from the ground, his eyes flaring with such intense hatred that Heeseung swears the latter looks awfully similar to a certain dead- person in this light. “I’ve never regarded you as my friend, not after you’ve killed my sister!” 

Heeseung feels his stomach starting to churn unpleasantly as he slowly puts the pieces together in his mind, filled with a cacophony of thoughts and theories, his hand lowering the knife. “Your sister?”

Beomgyu scoffs in disbelief, wiping the blood that trails down from his nostril. “Oh, come on, now. You can’t be that stupid and slow to realise it by now. I’ve already given you the clue.”

For the first time, Heeseung feels staggered, his eyes widening in disbelief as he scrutinises Beomgyu’s features. It is no wonder why he looks familiar from when Beomgyu first approached him after his late enrollment in the university, especially in the way he smiles.

“No, you can’t be….” Heeseung's transfixed figure captures Jake’s attention, spurring the latter to quickly knock Taehyun out cold as he lands on the hard ground with a loud thud while Jay and Sunghoon exchange meaningful nods before they render their opponents wholly unconscious, uncaring whether they’re breathing or not.

“What the fuck is going on, and why is he not dead yet?” Sunghoon asks annoyedly, stepping forward with his bloodied knuckles preparing to strike, but Heeseung holds him back, earning Heeseung a bewildered look from Sunghoon. “Heeseung, what the fuck?”

Beomgyu chuckles, drawing their attention to him. “Oh, you wouldn’t want to kill me, especially when I’ve waited long enough to reveal who I really am.”

“All I know and care about is that you are going to be a dead man tonight.” Jay nearly growls out as he swings the baseball bat expertly. “I'm going to enjoy crushing your bones.”

“Wait, I want to hear what he has to say before we end him.” Jake tells Jay before shifting his attention to Beomgyu, sighing impatiently. “Well? Who are you, then, oh mysterious one?”

Something dark cast a shadow over Beomgyu’s countenance, his eyes blazing with a patent ire, triggered by Jake’s mere derision. “Everything is a joke to you guys, right? Just like how you enjoyed killing my sister, her death was a joke to you.”

Jay shoots him a scornful glare, his patience running thin. “Who the fuck is your sister?” 

“Jinae.” The name leaving from Heeseung’s lips hits the three of them like whiplash, and when they look at him, his eyes are burning through Beomgyu’s glaring ones. “His sister. Choi Jinae.”

“Ah, crazy pants.” Sunghoon smirks, not a single trace of sympathy on his face, despite feeling a tinge of surprise at the revelation. “Your sister was a real pain in the ass, by the way. Thank fuck, she’s dead.”

“Take that back, you fucker!” Seeing absolute red, Beomgyu charges towards Sunghoon with malice coursing through his vein, but like a bolt of lightning, Jake embodies a shield and promptly seizes Beomgyu by the collar shirt before bringing down his brass-knuckled fist into the side of his face, the impact sending him plummeting to the ground with blood spluttering from his mouth and nostril.

“What difference would it make if I took back my words?” Sunghoon asks with a sardonic smile, revelling in the brutality displayed by his best friend as the latter delivers another punch to Beomgyu’s face. “Because it definitely won’t bring back your sister from the dead.”

Seeing how evidently weakened and languid Beomgyu is with his head flinging forward, the corner of Jake’s lips curves into a smirk as he scoffs out a chuckle before grabbing Beomgyu by the hair and pulling it to the back roughly to force him to look at them despite struggling to keep his eyes open. “Quick question: why did you choose to reveal that you’re her brother now?”

“It’s all part of the plan. The plan that you’ve ruined.” Beomgyu’s voice sounds hoarse, and his breathing is ragged. “I had intended to reveal myself after delivering your precious Y/N’s pretty head in a box. Oh, what a shame that you’ve all rescued her that night before I could have a taste of her─”

Filled by an immense rage coursing through his veins, Jay swings the bat and aims it at Beomgyu’s stomach, resulting in the latter coughing out more blood with his body hunched over, but with Jake’s tight grip on his hair, he is being forced to look back up.

“Keep Y/N out of this!” Jay roars out, intending to swing again, but Heeseung stops him as the latter desires to get the truth and answers from Beomgyu.

“We’re giving you two options. The first option is that you tell us the truth and basically everything we want, and the second option is, well,” A smirk touches Heeseung’s lips, his imposing figure towering over Beomgyu’s, bending down slightly only to cut his cheek in a swift slice with his knife, eliciting a pained growl from the latter. “You know what will happen. But we might reconsider letting you live if you choose to comply with us.”

“Don’t be dumb and choose your option wisely, Choi.” Sunghoon crosses his arms over his chest, mirroring Heeseung’s devilish smirk as he stands next to him. “Let’s start off with Y/N. Why did you target her? And for what purpose did you have with your diabolic plan, which you’ve failed at?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I had to find each of your weaknesses, and Y/N turned out to be your ultimate weakness, even if she meant to be your prey just as my sister once was.” Beomgyu says spitefully, blood spitting from his mouth while seething anger glares in his eyes. “Oh, but Y/N has everything to do with this. Unlike my poor sister, Y/N has had the privilege to earn your affection without having to try hard to gain your attention, which I didn’t understand because why were you treating Y/N better than you treated my sister?”

“Let’s just say, Y/N is not crazy pants like Jinae.” Sunghoon says, still taunting Beomgyu with his smirk, before the latter continues.

“Then I realised that you guys are disgustingly obsessed with Y/N, which also explains why you didn’t kill her off like you did to my sister. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and executed the plan to kill Y/N, since after all, she’s your sweet angel.” Beomgyu sneers at him, like a dog baring its canine teeth. “If I can’t kill you, then I’ll kill the girl you seem to care about most.”

“Disgustingly obsessed, you say? Maybe we are, but I’d say that the description fits your sister perfectly just the same.” Jake lets out a sardonic chuckle as he tightens his grip on Beomgyu’s hair to yank his head to the back and lean down with a menacing glare while his lips curl into a disdainful sneer. “I hated your sister. Bitch was always there wherever I went, and I couldn’t get the fucking hint that I wasn’t into her.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Beomgyu asks roughly, his voice completely hoarse after coughing out blood another time. “Before you guys killed her, she sent me a message, telling me about how all of you were obsessed with her but then tossed her aside after you were done fucking around with her, and because of what you did, my sister was devastated. She did nothing but only wanted to be loved. You sick, heartless fucks.”

“So I was right. Your sister was indeed batshit crazy, which is why we call her crazy pants.” Sunghoon scoffs out a chuckle. “I really gotta commend your freak of a sister, though. She managed to fool everyone, including you, into thinking that she died because we killed her.”

“That’s because you guys did!” Beomgyu growls out in sheer anger, regaining a moment of vitality. “The evidence was there! Your handprints were the evidence!”

“It seems that you don’t know the truth about what really happened three years ago and who your sister really was.” Heeseung says, his voice sounds gravelly deep, which matches the shadow cast on his countenance. “We didn’t kill her. She killed herself.”

The fury in Beomgyu’s eyes slowly diminishes, confusion blends in with the fire. “You’re lying. She wouldn’t do that to herself, and she most definitely wouldn’t kill herself on our birthday.”

“Our birthday?” Jay raises his eyebrow inquisitively.

Beomgyu clenches his jaw. “We’re fraternal twins.”

“Believe what you want, but the truth is, your psychotic sister was a cunning bitch who had a diabolical plan that obviously involved her planned death, and her plan succeeded when everyone believed that we were the ones who killed her, considering that she was found dead in the palace.” Sunghoon divulges, his tone indicating the gravity of the recollection, to which Beomgyu begins to feel conflicted.

“We don’t have anything concrete to prove our innocence, but we do have a certain group of people who can attest to our innocence since we were with them on the day Jinae decided to kill herself.” Heeseung unfurls a cynical smirk at the corner of his lips.

“Even if you didn’t kill her, what you did is still a contributing factor, which made sense why she killed herself.” Beomgyu says with conviction, his tone dripping with venom. “Because you fuckers uploaded those sex tapes you recorded of her.”

“If she hadn’t pissed us off in the first place, then we wouldn’t have done what we did.” Jay shrugs his shoulders, appearing nonchalant. “Besides, it was her idea in the first place to be recorded, and she even consented herself.” 

“Oh, she pissed us off, alright.” Jake chuckles lightly, without any mirth. “She was obsessed with me, mostly, and she couldn’t get the fucking clue that I wasn’t into her, but I thought to myself, why not fuck around with her and let my best friends have their fun with her as well?”

“You really are a bunch of sick fucks!” Beomgyu attempts to lunge forward while remaining on his knees, but tumbles forward instead. Unbeknownst to them, tears begin to fill his waterline. “My sister told me about how much she loved all of you. She often called me to tell me about her day with you all excitedly before you decided to toss her aside.” Beomgyu clenches his fist. “All she ever wanted was to be loved by you.”

“Yes, she indeed pissed us off by beating the shit out of any girl who got close to us and threatening to kill us, even held Jake at a knife point, forcing us to love her the same.” Heeseung bends down to tilt Beomgyu’s chin up with the edge of his knife, penetrating his eyes into the latter’s. “Love can never be forced upon you, but unfortunately, your sister couldn’t understand that.”

“You could’ve tried to learn to love her.” Beomgyu spits out, his body trembling with tumultuous emotions that threaten to consume him. “What does Y/N have that my sister didn’t? What made you love Y/N when you couldn’t love Jinae?”

“It’s simple, really, because Choi Jinae was not and never will be Y/N Kang.” Heeseung answers neutrally, but his eyes flicker with palpable sadness and yearning for you before they are eclipsed by the familiar callousness. “Great news. We’ll be sparing your life.”

“Wait, we won’t?” Jay blurts out in disbelief. “But he betrayed─”

“I know what he did.” Heeseung cuts him off calmly, trailing his eyes back to Beomgyu. “Instead, I want you to confess the entire truth to Y/N without leaving out any details. Tell her that you were the mastermind all along. If you fail to comply, you and your little rebellion will be facing a sequence of agonising pain that leads you to your death.”

“Even if I did confess the truth to her, it wouldn’t change the fact that guys did record those contents without her consent, which is why she’s hating you right now, am I right?” Beomgyu adorns a lopsided grin, displaying his glee despite the patent wrath emanating from them. “At least my plan B of ruining your relationship with her worked. She’s far from your reach now─”

Having had enough, Heeseung socks Beomgyu in the face with his knee, rendering him unconscious as his limp body falls to the ground with a thud.

“Did you record everything?” Heeseung turns to look at Sunghoon, who fishes out his phone from his pocket with the screen displaying the ongoing voice recording before he presses the stop button. “Good. Send it to Riki.”

“What about them?” Jake asks, his eyes scanning the mess with four unconscious bodies scattered around and definitely not unscathed. “After what they did to our girl, I still feel that they deserve to die.”

“Leave them to rot or whatever, I don’t care.” Heeseung mutters under his breath, running his fingers through his tousled locks. All the while, he has been battling an internal battle that wages between his mind and heart. One yearns to return to you, while the other refuses, as it knows you need space. 

“Agreed.” Jay heaves a sigh, his hand sliding into his pocket to retrieve the e-cigarette before inhaling the flavour aerosol and puffing it out, watching the grey wafts in the air. “Tonight has been a long one.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Days passed by like a blur since your confrontation, but the weight on your shoulders remains a burden that, coupled with the unabating turmoil in you, deprives you of the much-needed solace you have been seeking.

You genuinely thought that after your confrontation, you would feel a little lighter and perhaps the cyberbullying that centred around you would wane, but you were gravely mistaken when your phone would sporadically buzz with incessant notifications that mostly contained demeaning words.

As a result, your mental health is deteriorating with each passing minute, as it also affects your appetite. Even when one of your best friends tries to feed you, you can’t help but puke up after two spoons. Sleep is no different either, as whenever you try to close your eyes, all you can see are those words with different malign voices speaking to you as though to haunt you.

Heck, you don’t even feel safe in your once-sanctuary that used to be filled with comfort and security, because in every space in your room, you feel as though someone ought to get you, completely paranoid. Of course, you are. Some of those words included them desiring to eradicate you, simply because you have earned a newfound reputation as the Catholic worthless slut of Crestview Meadows.

Your best friends have offered consolation and advice, including to deactivate or delete your socials permanently, but you don’t have the heart to do that, especially when those socials contain memories. Although you rarely post your own pictures, you often capture precious moments with your friends, family, and even yourself and post those moments on social media. You wish to look back at those moments if there is ever a time you miss them, giving you nostalgia. After all, you are a sentimental person.

“Y/N! Are you done packing the last of your boxes?" You hear Karina calling for you from the living room, pulling you out of your thoughts once more. “We actually should get going if we don't want to get stuck in a traffic jam at peak hours.”

“In a minute!” You reply to her, surprising yourself with the volume of your voice since you barely make any sound unless your best friends ask you questions or attempt to strike up a conversation while you remain holed up in your room.

You look down at your bandaged hand, curling and uncurling your fingers to test out the tolerance of your pain now before you bend down to grab the brown box by the handles with ease. As you look around your room, which is now bare of any ornaments and familiar embellishments that used to offer you a minuscule sense of comfort, you feel the strings in your heart tugging painfully.

It is indeed a bittersweet feeling to permanently leave your room that is filled with memories, be they the bad or the good ones, and you don’t take any of them for granted, knowing that each memory, in some way, has moulded you into the person you are now who is never ready to face the outside world just yet.

It turns out that all seniors residing in the dormitory have to comply with the mandatory clearing and moving out of their allotted dorms by tomorrow, since, after all, all of you seniors are the graduating batch, and your graduation will commence in just a few days. 

All of the other seniors, including your best friends, are evidently excited for graduation day to arrive after gruelling years of academic torment, and some have already planned a celebratory party, but you feel entirely numb despite knowing that you survived and did exceptionally well throughout your years here. Mainly, you are not ready to receive your degree once you enter the stage with judgmental eyes on you.

“Y/N, what is taking you so long─” Karina enters your room and stops mid-sentence upon seeing a tear trickling down your cheek. “Are you okay?” She asks gently.

“I’m just going to miss this room.” You tell her in a splintered whisper before sighing softly. “I know, I’m being dramatic about this.”

“No, babe, your feelings are completely valid.” Karina places her hand on your shoulder to give it a comforting squeeze. She offers you a gentle smile, her eyes mirroring the reminiscing sentiment in yours. “I’m gonna miss my room too. I’m going to miss our dorm. We really did make a lot of great memories, well, minus the bad ones, of course.”

You take another glance around before drawing in a sharp breath, your firm eyes meeting hers as you give her a head nod. “Let’s go. The longer I’m here, the more I have the urge to burst into tears. I’m tired of crying.”

“And I’m tired of carrying the boxes down into my car.” Karina shoots you a playful scowl as you find yourself lifting a small smile. “You’re lucky that you’re my passenger princess.”

Princess.

It’s a mere endearment that is common everywhere, especially in books and televisions, but it is enough to send you a wave of emotions, and it is an endearment you wish to hear again from him. You swallow down the emotional lump in your throat thickly that is threatening to implode.

“Wonyoung and Yunjin?” You inquire to Karina, now standing outside of the apartment door while the latter is busily adjusting to covering your head with the hoodie that you are adorned in, as you requested her assistance since you refuse for anyone to catch a glimpse of your face.

“Their chauffeur arrived earlier. Don’t be too sad. You’ll be seeing them again soon, you know that, right?” Karina gives you a knowing look as you proceed to advance forward in the direction of the elevator.

You reciprocate with a small smile that doesn’t reach your eyes, recalling your conversation with, particularly, Yunjin two days ago. “I know.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Sleep didn’t beckon you throughout the two-hour journey, or perhaps it did, but you were too preoccupied by the incessant unpleasant churn in your tummy. Your nerves have been in an unabating jitter ever since Karina drove through your hometown, even as you now arrive outside of the place you grew up in.

Your breath hitches as you spot your father descending the porch steps, ambling in the direction of where Karina pulled over directly in front of your humble abode. His face shows no signs of exhaustion or tensity, but still, the wariness in you remains niggling in the back of your mind.

You haven’t been contacting your father or even replying to his messages ever since the day you bumped into him after confronting your mother about her infidelity and moral compass. It isn’t that you hate him, no, you have always been known as Daddy’s girl since you were an infant, but rather that you don’t know how to face him without bearing the guilt on behalf of your mother.

As for your mother, neither of you bothered to reach out and make some sort of amendment or even forgiveness.You are sensible enough to realise that you should not have said those words that hurt your mother, but you were too caught up in your retaliation, wanting to hurt her just as she hurt you after condemning you. 

“Come on, I’ll help you out with your father.” Karina pulls you out of your thoughts with a shake on the shoulder before the two of you exit the car.

Mustering courage, you turn to face your approaching father with a half-crooked smile, your eyes searching for his. “Hi, Dad.” You greet him softly, feeling the gravitational pull towards him just as he invitingly opens his arms before you crash into him. Your arms latch around him as you seek the familiar comfort in your father’s warm embrace.

“My one and only baby girl is finally back.” Your father attempts to lighten the sombre mood with his mirth, his chuckles sounding rich in your ears while you remain in his embrace, not wanting to pull away or else tears will burst out.

“I’ve missed you so much, Dad.” You mumble, your throat hurting from the inhibiting emotions. “I’m sorry for not calling or texting you.”

A soft smile unfurls on his lips before he plants a kiss on your crown. “It’s okay. I’ve missed you too, sweetheart.” He pulls away from the hug with his hands on your shoulders and examines you, noticing your disheartened spirit even when your demeanour is neutral. “Come. Let’s not make your friend wait anymore. Karina, right? I remember you.”

“It’s good to see you again, Mister Kang.” Karina, who has been watching the endearing moment between you and your father silently, greets him with the same pleasantry as they exchange for more short, polite talks before the three of you proceed to carry out the boxes from the trunk and bring the boxes inside.

It isn’t long until Karina finally departs from your home, leaving you to deal with your quandary, as not moments ago, you stumbled upon your mother in the kitchen, but of course you fled from her before she could even say anything. You have no idea whether or not your father knows about your mother’s infidelity, but if he does, then he is doing a great job at putting up a front.

Deciding to distract yourself, you open one of the boxes, only to be met with familiar plushies, which Jake and Sunghoon won for you at the palace’s arcade. Your heart aches as you slowly reach out for one, tears filling your waterline before you can even control your emotions, and alas, you break, hugging the plushie close to your chest while the memories torment you in an agonising playback in your mind.

Despite the resentment burning in your heart, you can’t deny the palpable longing for them, throwing you into a whirlpool of conflicting emotions that threaten to drown you. You choke back a sob as soon as you hear someone knocking on your ajar door.

“Y/N, honey? Are you okay?” Your mother’s voice causes you to halt your emotional breakdown as you quickly wipe away your tears when the door slowly pushes open. You remain seated by the edge of the bed, looking away from her and becoming mute. “Honey, talk to me─”

“I don’t want to talk to you, let alone look at your face. So please, get out of my room.” You cut her off weakly, your voice a silent plea. “I’m tired, and I can’t deal with arguing with you again.”

“Your mother means well, Y/N.” This time, your father manages to draw your attention to him as he ambles towards you and stands next to your mother. The look on his face tells you everything you need to know that your father already knows about your mother. “Do forgive your mother.”

“And you have?” You blurt out disbelief. “I don’t understand. How are you okay with this after knowing what she did?” You can see it in your mother’s eyes; the way you convey your resentment hurts her.

“Because I allowed her to meet them.” He tells you calmly, the stark honesty in his eyes only seems to stagger you further, to which he sees and releases a soft sigh before settling down next to you. “I know it’s hard for you to understand why, but they loved your mother the same way I do. I couldn’t refuse them when they reached out to me and asked me for my permission to meet her, because after all, they had been my good friends since university.”

“But they’re not good people.” You retort vehemently. “If you knew what they did and how they treated their sons─”

“I know, honey, but I couldn’t forget their good deeds, no matter how much they’ve changed since they entered fatherhood. One of them even helped me secure my employment in law enforcement.” Your father sighs. “No matter what, forgiveness and letting go are easier than holding such resentment.”

His words hit you so hard that you can even feel them deep in your heart because of how fitting they are to your current predicament. Forgiveness is one thing, but letting go of them? And just like that, you return to the reeling of your torrential emotions as you look down, not bothered in the slightest, even when your mother sits next to you.

Your parents exchange worried glances upon noticing your deadly silence before your mother musters the courage to speak, hesitantly placing her hand on your back. “I know what I did is still morally wrong, and I’m so sorry for condemning you─”

A forlorn sob leaves your lips, startling them with your sudden outburst as tears cascade down your cheeks. You slowly lift your head to look at your mother through the tears, wanting her comfort despite feeling resentment towards her.

“Baby girl, what’s wrong?” Your father’s gentleness, which reminds you of Heeseung, only seems to hurl you to the edge as sobs rack through your body.

Your mother can’t stand to see the sight of you bawling out tears, especially when she recognises the agony of heartbreak written across your features. “Oh, honey, come here.” Following her motherly instinct, she pulls you into her embrace, which you can’t refuse, not when you have dearly missed being comforted by your mother.

“I loved them, Mom.” You manage to utter in between sobs as you cling desperately onto her, her arms enveloping your trembling body. “I really did, but after what they’ve done─ I can't forgive them.”

Instead of prying and demanding an elaboration from you, your parents choose to offer you more comfort, with your father now enveloping you and your mother nestling closely with each other. They allow you to release the uncontrollable, prolonging waterworks, and their presence provides you with some form of moral support.

You have lost track of time since the moment you decided to break down in front of your parents, but maybe long enough for the rays of the sunset now filtering through your window. Your sobs have finally quietened as you bask in the oddly comforting silence, remaining in their embrace.

Sniffling, you lift your head to look at them with swollen eyes and streaks of tears staining your cheeks. “Mom, Dad, there is something I have to tell you, and it is something that requires your blessing, which I hope you’ll allow me.” And so, you begin to reveal what you and Yunjin have discussed to your parents as they listen with an open mind.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

You can feel judgmental eyes latching onto your figure, unnerving you as most of the seniors occupying the seats across the wide-stretch field are highly responsible for tearing you down through the cyberharassment, which thankfully has dwindled, but there are still a few bad apples that are relentless.

Still, you can’t allow any of them to prevent you from feeling the same triumphant joy of successfully surviving four years of university as you now receive your degree on stage alongside a special reward for making it onto the director’s list due to your outstanding performance. Plus, your moral support is here ─ your parents, Wonyoung, Karina, Yunjin, the other girls, and just the few ones whose loyalty lies with you and still sticks by your side till the end.

The air is teeming with jubilation, with your peers around you rejoicing with their loved ones as the graduation ceremony is officially over. You can’t help the chuckle leaving your lips as your friends’ enthusiasm is infectious. You're now huddling with them in a group hug. You even join in with your friends and peers to throw your graduation hat in the air at the same time.

“Girls! Look at the camera here!” Your father waves to the bunch of you for attention, with your mother standing next to him, both adorning proud smiles on their faces. Erupting into fits of giggles as you all huddle, you begin to pose for the camera before your father snaps a picture of you and your friends.

“I’m so going to miss you.” Winter engulfs you in a tight hug before you eventually engage in a hugging session with the rest of your friends, all teary-eyed as you exchange words of farewell and well wishes.

Yet, in the midst of it all, your eyes sweep across the seniors in your line of sight, searching for specific individuals. You saw them earlier, and God did they look sinfully handsome even in their graduation gowns while their hair was styled impeccably, which accentuated their features.

Of course, you immediately looked away from them and used your father’s figure to shield yourself from them despite his genuine confusion at your behaviour, and thankfully, they seemed to be too occupied with the other knights to even notice you.

Your heart begins to ache, recalling their faces in your mind as you know that this will be the last time you’ll ever see them, before getting pulled away from your pensive thoughts as your father calls for you, wanting you to pose for the camera with the small bouquet of flowers and your degree in your grasp.

Minutes have stretched into hours, and instead of heading back home with your parents, you find yourself in the passenger seat while Karina drives you to the unknown destination with Wonyoung and Yunjin settled in the backseat, uncertain of where they decide to bring you, but nevertheless, the duration of the ride doesn’t last for an hour.

“Why are they not coming with us?” You inquire to Wonyoung with a frown before casting a look over your shoulder at Karina and Yunjin as they remain in the car before the two of you proceed to enter the café establishment.

“Because they’ve already heard the truth, just as I have.” Wonyoung shoots you a small smile upon seeing the confusion in your eyes. “There are two people who wanted to meet you.”

Just as Wonyoung says, you have reached the table with two vaguely familiar faces. The two of them greet you with smiles of recognition, and like a switch in your brain, you finally recognise them. Julie and Belle, who were close friends of Jinae back then.

“It’s been a long time, Y/N. You look beautiful since the last time we saw you.” Belle offers you a dashing smile as soon as you and Wonyoung take your seats across from them.

Your cheeks flush pink. “You remember me?”

“Of course. Besides, your face is hard to forget.” Julie tells you, mirroring Belle’s smile, but a peculiar emotion flickers in her gaze before her smile falters. “The real reason we wanted to meet you is to give you some form of clarity, because we’ve heard of what happened to you.”

Your eyes go crestfallen while a sad chuckle leaves your lips. “You probably saw those videos, and for that, I’m sorry, just as I’m sorry for the loss of your friend. Jinae.”

“Don’t apologise. You’re a victim just as Jinae once was.” Julie says firmly. “But to tell you the truth, Jinae wasn’t exactly innocent either.”

“What do you mean?” You frown at this, and soon anger simmers within you as you feel compelled to defend the Jinae. “She very much was, especially after getting those sex tapes of her uploaded on social media. So I know how she felt, and what’s worse is the fact that they killed her after humiliating her.” 

“That’s the thing, Y/N, they didn’t kill her.” Belle says quietly, her eyes turning crestfallen. “Yes, the leaders did upload those sex tapes back then, but they didn’t kill her. She committed suicide.”

“Wait, what?” Your eyes widen in sheer disbelief before they dart at Wonyoung, who, in return, nods her head sullenly. You redirect your attention to Julie and Belle, confusion swirling in your eyes. “I don’t understand. I thought they killed her. Someone also told me that there was evidence that they were the ones responsible for her death.”

“We have no reason to lie, Y/N. I don’t know who told you about the evidence, but the same evidence was part of Jinae’s twisted plan.” Julie heaves a sigh as she runs her fingers through her hair. “Listen, Jinae was really a good friend to us, but she got progressively worse after the whole obsession with the leaders. She would go batshit crazy whenever any girl approached the leaders, because that's how obsessive she was. We tried stopping her from assaulting those poor girls, but she adamantly refused. She wanted the leaders all to herself.”

“Maybe I’m being a heartless bitch, but I’m glad Jinae isn’t here to witness you being intimately close to the leaders, who know what would’ve happened to you, knowing Jinae’s nature.” Belle shudders at the thought. Her kind eyes meet yours, seeing apparent bafflement in your contortion, to which she offers you a small smile. “I know it’s hard to believe, especially when what you’ve gone through is similar to Jinae in some way, having your vulnerability uploaded on social platforms for the world to see, and because of that, Jinae committed suicide.”

“Jinae told us all of her plans, including her planned death, which was in retaliation against the leaders. Hence, she managed to make everyone believe that the leaders killed her.” Julie adds, and a small, wistful smile appears on her lips. “We tried stopping her, but she didn’t want to live any longer due to the humiliation, not before seeking revenge against the leaders for what they did.”

“We even reached out to the leaders themselves on the day Jinae committed, despite the fact that we felt resentment towards them. We wanted to warn them about Jinae’s plans, and if there were even some humanity left in them, we hoped that they would work with us in stopping Jinae, but it was too late by then.” Belle continues to divulge, reminiscing about the past, which only daunts her further, as evident in the shadow cast over her delicate features. “Hence, me, Julie, and our other two best friends were the concrete evidence that can attest to the leaders’ innocence.”

“Did you two ever inform the law enforcement officers about the truth?” Wonyoung decides to ask as she sees how stunned you are, her hand reaching out to rub your back soothingly.

“Oh, yes, we did, but we didn’t have concrete evidence on our hands because Jinae only verbally told us about her plan, so it was futile.” Julie rubs her face, visible lines of exhaustion are evident. “Besides, they found the leaders’ handprints all over the knives, of which Jinae was the one to use them on herself.”

“Despite how diabolical she was, she crafted her plans well. I guess her revenge worked, seeing that everyone believed that the leaders were her murderers.” Belle pauses herself, her eyes carefully studying the expression on your face. “It’s a lot to take in, I know. But I hope that you won’t pursue the path Jinae did. You should firmly trust that there are better days ahead, and all of this will pass soon.”

“Thank you.” You can only utter your gratitude while soaking their words into your brain, unable to articulate your feelings that are influenced by the tumultuous emotions within you.

Julie and Belle decide to dispel the gloomy atmosphere with another topic, to which Wonyoung goes with the flow, whereas your mind drifts off elsewhere as you try your utmost to keep up with the conversation.

Sure, a part of you feels relieved to hear that the leaders didn’t kill her, but that doesn’t mean they were entirely innocent and change the fact that your vulnerability has been exposed to the world, which was the same tactic that they pulled with Jinae. 

And so, with a heavy heart and a resolute mind, you expunge any lingering hesitation as you await the day for your departure to arrive.

 ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

A familiar normalcy returns to your humble abode, or perhaps just a semblance of it since you still feel awkward around your mother despite the fact that you have forgiven her for the sake of your sanity. Other than that, your father has been spending more time with you as he was granted annual leaves for the past few days, but even you know that the reason behind this is because you’ll be leaving tomorrow.

Just last night, you had a talk with your parents and cried in their arms, apologising profusely to them for the firm decision you made, but as saddened as they were, your parents understood and wanted you to be happy, even if you decided to seek happiness elsewhere beyond their reach.

“Y/N, honey!” You can hear your mother calling for you from the living room, her voice manages to reach your room, where you left the door wide open.

“I’m still packing, Mom!” You tell her exasperatedly, expecting that she is going to nag at you again for packing your clothes and other necessities into your luggage the day before.

Placing your hands at your hips, you look around at the mess you have made, your lips pursing. Clothes, shoes, and other necessities are strewn across the floor while your luggage is positioned in the middle of the room, having been opened with only two medium zip-lock bags, which you stuffed your clothes inside so your luggage will have more space for you to put other things.

Honestly, you don’t have to pack a lot of things, especially clothes, since, according to Yunjin, you’ll be going shopping with her for famous designer clothes by using her card. You were appalled by this, because no matter how immensely wealthy she is, you hate for her to spend her money on you. Of course, Yunjin simply dismissed your refusal and adamantly wanted to shower you with her wealth.

“Hey, kiddo.” You shift your attention to your father, who is standing by the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and leaning against the frame. His eyes are dancing with amusement, yet there is a glinting curiosity. “Your mother called for you.”

“Tell her I’ll be quick.” You wave your father off, bending down to pick up your sweaters with the intention of stuffing them into a zip-lock bag.

“I doubt that you’ll be able to pack that quickly, baby girl.” Your father muses, his eyes following you, as you prance around with your hands full. “Besides, you have visitors.”

You halt your steps, slowly turning around to look at him with genuine confusion. “Who? Are they people I recognise?”

“I don’t know, but those boys look around your age.” Your father informs you, causing you to go frigid at the possibility of them being the ones that you don’t wish to see. “The blond one got along well with your mother, though. But honey, is there something you’re not telling me?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend, Dad, nor am I interested.” You huff, ambling towards him. “But I think I know who they are.”

With your father trailing behind you as you descend the stairs, you are greeted by the sight of three familiar faces in the living room with your mother, conversing amiably politely with her, and they even managed to make her laugh. But pure confusion is on your face.

“Y/N!” Sunoo beams with a smile as soon as you enter the living room, prompting Riki and Jungwon to shift their attention to you.

“Y/N, you didn’t tell me about these friends of yours before.” Your mother says, smiling lightly and completely oblivious to the way you tense up. “They’re here for you.”

“Your lovely mother is correct.” Sunoo tells you, a knowing glint in his eyes as he examines you while the smile on his lips persists. “How have you been doing?”

“Just peachy.” You clip with a tight smile while your icy glare burns into them. “Let’s talk outside. Mom, Dad, I’ll be back.”

You don’t wait for any of their responses as you walk briskly past them, reaching the main door and pushing it open. You hear their footsteps approaching from behind you as you guide them to the front porch.

“You know, your house is actually pretty cool. It feels homeier than mine.” Sunoo, as always the chatty one out of the trio, invites himself to take a seat on the creamed wooden swinging bench, whereas Riki takes a seat on the porch step and Jungwon is next to you. “You look a lot like your mother, but your father is quite intimidating.”

“Just cut to the chase. What do you want?” You lean your lower back against the balustrades in a self-defensive stance with your arms folded below your chest, while the scowl on your face shows a distinct hostility towards them being closely associated with the leaders. “Are you here to torment me with your goading just like the others? At least you have the audacity to do it in my face.”

“Woah, relax. Don’t get your pants twisted.” Sunoo puts his hands up in a mocking surrender, earning a head shake from Riki at his usual antics. “I thought we were friends, darling. So why the hostility towards us?”

“What Sunoo meant to say instead is that there is something important you should know.” Jungwon intervenes as he casts a brief glare at his best friend before looking at you, his eyes hold such solemnity that it compels you to listen. “They didn’t upload those pictures and videos.”

A scoff leaves your lips before you can stop it. “Do you really expect me to believe that? When they themselves uploaded those contents to their own social accounts?”

“Yes, because it wasn’t their fault. Their accounts were hacked.” Jungwon bites back, his feline-like eyes glaring intimidatingly into your icy ones. “They’ve been framed and backstabbed by their trusted knights. They would never have hurt you in any way.”

“He’s right, Y/N.” Any traces of whimsicality are erased from Sunoo’s countenance; his tone sounds as sombre as Jungwon’s. “Hell, I don’t know anything about love, or maybe they’re just obsessed with you, but I know for a fact that you mean a lot to them.”

You unfold your arms and allow them to fall to the sides, your fist clenching as you try your utmost to control the tumultuous emotions that have roused from the bay while tears prickle in your glaring eyes. “I don’t believe you. Even if they weren’t the ones who uploaded them, it doesn’t change the fact that they lied to me when I already told them that I wanted those to be deleted in the first place. So whatever you have to say to me, I’m not listening anymore.”

You pivot on your heels and brush coldly past Jungwon with the intention to head inside your house, but Riki’s tall, imposing figure startles you as he blocks your way, his callous eyes penetrating into yours while he takes intimidating steps towards you, causing you to back away from him.

Before you can make your next move, Riki halts his steps to retrieve his phone from his pocket and swipes on the screen busily with a monotonous countenance before looking back at you. “Listen.” He commands lowly, giving you his phone, which you hesitantly grab from him.

You swallow harshly, feeling defeated as you make your way to the bench, while Sunoo pats on the empty seat next to him delightfully, causing you to roll your eyes at him. As soon as you are seated, you look at Riki’s phone with a curious frown before pressing on the play button and listening to whatever has been recorded.

Let’s just say it takes you longer than intended to listen to the entire recording, especially when you need some interval for their words to absorb into your pounding head before continuing to listen with the strings in your heart tugging in such a way.

But the revelation that shocks you the most as it sends you a jarring sensation is the true mastermind for the mayhem since the night you were captured by the ones you never would have expected.

Another slash on your wounded heart while tears prickle in your eyes, hearing his voice that is filled with such profound hatred. Pushing his betrayal aside, you begin to put the right pieces together as soon as the recording ends, prompting you to return the phone to Riki.

“I can’t believe that Beomgyu would do this.” You speak up after a couple beats of silence, blinking away the tears in your eyes and releasing a shaky breath.

“We couldn’t believe it either after we discovered that he also turned out to be your anonymous texter, but he used another of Taehyun’s devices, which was why we initially thought that Taehyun was the one instead of Beomgyu.” Sunoo says, and a scornful scowl etches on his face.

As you recall the past interaction you had with anonymous, who is Beomgyu, it finally makes sense why he seemingly appeared as the good guy with the pure intention of wanting to lead you astray from the leaders when, in actuality, it was all part of his plan to influence and poison you with ill-thoughts so you would develop such mistrust towards them while he was waiting for the perfect time to strike.

What’s even more revolting is the fact that he and his rebellion had hidden cameras implemented perfectly in their rooms and other parts of the palace, which was why he had the upper hand because he was always watching your every move.

But then, as another thought comes to your mind, your eyes turn crestfallen. “Why didn’t they come and reveal the truth to me instead?” You ask while the tremor in your voice is a palpable pain.

“Because they knew that you needed space, even if the distance was killing them.” Jungwon answers sombrely, standing from across you as he leans back against the balustrade. “Besides, if they had come to you instead, would you have even listened to what they had to say?”

You look away from Jungwon’s knowing gaze, only to meet Riki’s sharp ones. “After what happened to you, your feelings are valid, and I agree that they shouldn’t have lied to you.” Riki, once again, takes you by surprise as he finally speaks more than one word to you. His eyes soften just slightly upon seeing the heartache shine in yours. “But please don’t hate them any longer.”

You look down at your curled fists on your lap, silence engulfing you while your mind is once again in a tumult with a cacophony of thoughts, and your beating heart has a palpable yearning despite the wounds it bears. But you have long since made up your mind.

Mustering courage, you return your gaze to their attentive ones. “Tonight’s my last night in Seoul.” As soon as those words leave your mouth, the three of them look equally bewildered, their eyes widening at the slightest fraction.

“What do you mean?” Sunoo scoffs out in disbelief. “Listen, I know that they’ve hurt you, but you don’t have to─”

“It’s not just about them, Sunoo.” You cut him off sternly, distracting yourself from the palpable heartache in your chest as you try your utmost to be strong-willed. “Being back with my parents is great, and I love them, but I can’t stay here any longer. I need a new change of scenery and to find new happiness somewhere else that doesn’t require me to depend on anyone. I want this. This is for me.”

“Y/N…” Jungwon sighs, but you intervene, your now-teary eyes conveying a silent plea that has his eyes softened.

“I’m begging you. Please don’t tell them.” You look at each of them while they exchange wary glances. “I know I don’t mean anything to you, but please don’t ruin this for me by telling them.”

“Just tell us one thing.” Sunoo’s stern eyes capture yours in unwavering contact. “Are you moving far from here? Or will you be anywhere in Sokor?”

“Yes and no.” You answer steadily. “I won’t tell you where exactly I’m going, but it is where I’ve always dreamed of travelling to.”

“Alright. We won’t tell them. You have my word.” Riki reassures you, giving you a small smile before his eyes trail to his best friends, hardening with resolve. “We won’t tell them, right?”

“Yes, yes. Don’t need to look at us like that.” Sunoo rolls his eyes at him, whereas Jungwon gives a reluctant nod. “By the way, before we go, we have a surprise gift for you.”

“And since you’re leaving, call it our farewell gift.” Jungwon casts you a grin, causing you to feel wary as you see a gleam of devilry in his eyes.

Soon enough, the three of them guide you to Jungwon’s car as you trail behind them like a clueless duck, wondering what sort of gift, or maybe a prank, since they are also known for being pranksters.

“Wait here.” Riki murmurs to you just as you stop behind the car.

You watch with curious eyes as the three of them head over to the right side of the car before Sunoo opens the door wide, only for Jungwon and Riki to work in tandem as they reach out for something, or rather, someone.

Your stomach begins to churn unpleasantly while your heart rate is going rapid at the sight of a familiar face as he is being held captive by Jungwon and Riki at each side. Your eyes widen at how his once-charming face is ruined by the ugly bruises and even scars. His eyes, which once held such warmth and kindness, are now filled with malevolence as he struggles in their hold, despite how evidently weak he is.

“I’ll fucking punch you if you don’t stop struggling.” Jungwon coldly snarls at him, his demeanour is so callous that it sends you shivers.

“On your knees.” Riki uses his foot to push the back of his knee, resulting in the latter falling to his knees from the impact, while Jungwon moves over to your side in case he decides to attack you unexpectedly. “Now apologise to her.” Riki says in a low rumble.

“You guys really are just a bunch of loyal dogs to your leaders, aren’t you?” He retaliates with a nasty snarl, his glaring eyes burning into theirs, and yet he doesn’t seem to be able to meet yours. “You follow your leaders blindly, even if they tell you to kill yourself.”

“And here I thought I yap too much.” Sunoo groans loudly, closing in the gap as he stands next to him, now being surrounded by the four of you. Sunoo’s fox-like eyes are glaring icily into his, with no traces of mirth on his face. “Look at her and fucking apologise. You owe her that much.”

“That’s okay if he doesn’t want to apologise. I don’t expect much from someone like him anyway.” Your voice draws his attention, and as his eyes finally meet yours, a muscle pulses in your jaw as you see no remorse in his eyes. “But I just want to know one thing. Do you feel satisfied now that you’ve ruined my reputation and my dignity, Choi Beomgyu?”

You feel your skin crawling with dread as you notice the way his eyes darken with a palpable desire, completely enamoured by you, while a sickening smile of delight smears across his bruised lips.

“You’re still beautiful as ever, Y/N.” Beomgyu says softly, his deceptive tone only intensifies the unpleasantness churning in your tummy. But then something so dark and sinister cast a shadow across his face. “But you would’ve looked even more beautiful bathed in your own blood.”

“Why this bastard─” You prevent Jungwon from delivering any punches to Beomgyu as you raise your hand, while your eyes hold no sympathy for the latter.

“You know, I would’ve felt sympathetic for your loss if it weren’t for the fact that you’re just as detrimental as your sister.” You say coldly, and you can see it in his blazing eyes that your remark provokes him. ”Even if you had apologised to me, I wouldn’t forgive you. You aren’t worthy of my forgiveness.”

Beomgyu scoffs, his lips curving into a devilish smirk, and it is as though he is wearing an entirely different mask as he leers at you. “I don’t need forgiveness, especially from someone like you.” His tone drips with venom, conveying his contempt for you. “You’re nothing but a worthless Catholic slut who spreads her legs for anyone who gives you the slightest bit of affection. It’s really pathetic how desperate you are─”

The three of them never see this coming, because one moment you are staring down at Beomgyu with an air of eerie calmness, and the next, you land a hard punch to his face, sending his head flung to the side from the impact while the rest go flinching.

You remain composed despite your knuckles aching. “You might want to say that to your dead sister too. But the only difference between me and her is that I didn’t get batshit crazy if they didn’t give me attention.” A smirk touches your lips while your eyes glint with an unfamiliar cruelty. “So, who really is the desperate one now?”

“You fucking bitch!” Like a rabid dog, Beomgyu lets out a loud snarl, nearly lunging for you if it weren’t for Sunoo and Riki holding him down from each side. “Just wait, Y/N Kang! I’ll finish where I left off, and I will succeed in killing you!”

“Not on our watch, you won’t.” Jungwon smirks before landing a punch to Beomgyu’s face, and this time, knocking him out cold as he falls to the ground with a thud.

“Don’t worry. He won’t be able to touch you, let alone find you.” Riki reassures you after seeing a flicker of concern in your eyes. The small smile on his lips alleviates your perturbation as he pats your shoulder. “Wherever you go, we wish you the best in your future endeavours.”

“Thank you, Riki.” You take him by surprise when you give him a friendly side hug, to which he briefly reciprocates before you shift your attention to a pouty Sunoo and Jungwon.

“So, this really is a goodbye, huh?” Sunoo says, his tone sounding foreignly sincere, as does his softened gaze. “It was nice knowing you, Y/N.”

“It won’t hurt for you to come back to Seoul for next year’s Devil’s Night hosted by us since we’re going to be the official leaders soon.” Jungwon smirks, his dimple becoming prominent on his cheek.

“No thanks. This year’s Devil Night was already traumatising enough.” You politely decline, earning you whines from them, even Riki. “Guys, I’m sure by then you’re going to forget about me, just as they’re going to.” You say shakily, swallowing a painful lump in your throat at the thought.

“Are you kidding? No way. You’re unforgettable, darling.” Sunoo sends you a flirtatious wink with a boyish grin on his lips, causing you to roll your eyes at him. “But seriously, Y/N, I don’t think they would ever forget about you.”

You don’t respond, uncertain of what to say. After giving each of them friendly hugs, including Riki, who bashfully claims that your hug feels comforting as he looks away from your eyes, you watch as they enter the car with an unconscious Beomgyu in the trunk before they speed off from your neighbourhood street.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The day you have been waiting for has finally dawned, and a new adventure awaits you in just a few hours. The entirety of Incheon International Airport is bustling with both citizens and foreigners as soon as you arrive alongside Yunjin, your parents, Wonyoung, Karina, and a few of your inner circle. Despite how early it is for them, they wish to send you and Yunjin off and bid their last farewells.

Families and friends in your vicinity are bidding heartfelt farewell to their loved ones, including yours. Although no tears are shed this time, an air of melancholy that accompanies the bittersweet feeling is palpable as it brings heartaches, or perhaps the wisdom behind this is not only because you are leaving your family and friends, but because you will be leaving the four men who have ever made you feel special and loved in this lifetime, even if it’s the intoxicating kind of love.

Once again, your heart and mind are in dissonance, causing you to feel a weight on your shoulders as your steps begin to slow down before you look over your shoulder to see your parents and friends waving at both you and Yunjin with big smiles on their faces, but you can’t seem to lift a smile of your own.

Naturally, your eyes begin to sweep across the bustling crowd for specific individuals, to which your rationality is berating you for hopelessly searching for the ones who turned your life upside down and led you astray from the path you had already created for yourself at the start of university, the ones who have changed you, and as a result, you have willingly allowed a transformative change in you for the worst.

But you can’t deny the fact that they added colour to your life, and in a way, the change in you is a blessing as well. Perhaps it was the consequences of allowing them to influence you with their intoxicating ways, but you feel as though there are two contrasting sides to you: light and darkness. The light is a beacon to guide you to the right path and inspire you to act virtuously, while the darkness is an abyss where ignorance, depravity, and other qualities that often tempt you to become the worst version of yourself lie. It is a perfect balance.

“Y/N?” Yunjin’s voice draws your attention as you force yourself to tear your gaze off the surroundings while disappointment seeps through you before you silently berate yourself for it, because after all, they had no idea that you would be leaving for good.

“Are you okay? Do you have second thoughts about it?” Yunjin asks gently, her kind eyes balming your frayed nerves, but it can’t be said the same for the tremendous ache in your heart that still bears the wound caused by them, yet it yearns for them.

Your eyes harden with resolution as you shake your head, clutching the telescopic handle before you pull your luggage to advance forward, now falling in the same steps as her. “No, I don’t. I was just looking at my parents and our friends for the last time.” You answer in a neutral tone, reassuring Yunjin with a small smile.

What are you doing? And more importantly, why are you even thinking of them to the point where it almost has you in a moment of reconsideration? You wanted this, and you were adamant about it. You didn’t want to be in this environment any longer, knowing that they could easily reach out to you again. 

So for the sake of your sanity, you gladly embark on a new journey as you and Yunjin now enter the departure hall to get to the right terminal, anticipating what future awaits you in your new life at the place you have dreamed of living ever since. 

As you finally settle in your allotted seat, which is next to the window, your eyes follow the movements of the raindrops cascading down in droplets on the window. You lean your back comfortably in your seat while the commotion from the other passengers alighting and settling in their seats fades out in the background as you mentally dissociate yourself from reality for some inner peace.

But soon enough, the semblance of tranquillity immediately shatters when their faces appear in your mind once more, and this time, your eyes spring up with uninhibited tears before they trickle down your cheeks as you grieve in complete silence.

Perhaps it’s a positive grievance that you are no longer tethered to them and have no reason to look back now. You are finally free ─ free from heartbreak, free from your past, free from them.

Tears continue their descent on you as you bury the bittersweet painful memories in the depths of your mind, or at best, erase them from your memory after you have the mental capacity to do so.

As the plane finally takes off, you bid a silent goodbye to them. A wistful smile touches your lips faintly as you shed the last of your tears in silence.

Goodbye. All of you were the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had in this lifetime. 

However, little do you know that fate has something twisted in store for you once more.

TAGLIST: @aishigrey @kgneptun @b3tt7boop @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586 @strxwbloody @firstclassjaylee @jwnghyuns @deobitifull @loumin908 @sousydive @pinkkami @skzenhalove @caravm @shinrjj @loljaeyunz @star4rin @yorukoshii @nshmrarki @lol6sposts @lilyuwon @enha-crumbs @slut4hee @capri-cuntz @kaykay11sworld @firesunflames @notevenheretbh1 @parksunghoonsgf @luvkpopp @superbbananananana @eastleighsblog @in-somnias-world @nyxtwixx @theresawtf @fuxktaekook @readbyjjk @yunhoswrldddd @fuxktaekook @bobaikeu @minjaexvz @heelariously @hoonsdrnkdzd @iveivory @pinkielina @criminaluvr @punchbug9-blog

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟕 (𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫)

RELEASE DATE: 19th July 2024

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WARNINGS: explicit themes, profanities, angst, alcohol consumption, jealousy, possessiveness, manipulation, corruption, toxicity, mentions of blood, dubcon themes, smuts, unprotected sex (no!), name calling, spitting kink, biting kink, degradation, manhandling, bondage, blowjobs, throat-fucking, fingering, nipple play, pussy slapping & eating, anal, double penetration(s), edging, crying, squirting, creampies, breeding, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, multiple sex scenes, threesomes, fivesomes, possible MxM in action, and more to be written…

WORD COUNT: 2.1k

A growing sense of dread settles over you, bringing forth anxiety that surges through you as it manifests itself in the irregular rise and fall of your chest, while the gradual return of your headache causes an incessant rhythmic pulsating that parallels your pumping heart, nearly impeding you from the pursuit to your newfound sanctuary as you clutch onto the metal railing.

You feel the burning aches in your calves’ muscles as well as your feet, which are adorned in 3-inch stiletto heels, beseeching you for a moment of respite. You come to an abrupt halt just as you finally reach the last flight of stairs, wanting to catch your breath and trying your utmost to silence yourself from making any noise.

It is times like this where you finally question yourself: why on earth did you choose to live at the highest level in the first place?

But then again, you never had anticipated for anything like this to happen. No, you never would have thought that you would be running for your life out of fear again, not since after you departed from your old life and buried the horrible memories where they would never resurface in your mind again.

Despite the persisting fear that grips you, a rousing anger is palpable in you as a muscle pulses in your jaw while your eyes go hardened at the evocative paranoia you thought you had effaced in your mind. Yeah, maybe you are being paranoid. Maybe the car you saw back there was a completely different one than the one following you. Maybe your mind decides to fuck you up again after so long.

Or maybe the influence of alcohol is affecting your sanity, evoking such apprehension that strikes you as paranoia, but if it is, then the reverberating footsteps from below you as they ascend the flights of stairs should not have alarmed you when they probably belong to other residents that live in the same apartment building as you.

You refuse to look down and check their identity, fearing that they would turn out to be the ones you thought you had escaped from. Rallying your erratic nerves, the door just a few metres ahead of you is a beckoning to your pursuit as you set in motion once more, running even when you are still in heels. You push the door open haphazardly, hastening as your feet instinctively guide you to your apartment door by mere muscle memory.

Once you finally reach, you rummage through your purse before grabbing for your key card, but with your trembling fingers, you fumble with it as you attempt to tap your card onto the smart lock. You don’t look back, even when the sound of the exit door where you emerged from is being opened.

As the door chimes familiarly, you expeditiously open the door and shove yourself into your not-so-humble abode before closing the door behind you securely. You dismiss the sound of discernible footsteps from the outside of the door along the corridor, now feeling safe and sound, with a relief sigh leaving your lips.

Having grown accustomed to the darkness enshrouding your apartment, you resort to normalcy while your rapid heart rate begins to decelerate as you busily store your platform heels in the shoe compartment and place your hand purse on the entryway table before advancing further into your sanctuary.

However, your steps seem to slow down while your stomach begins to churn unpleasantly as you heed to your instinct that vividly senses the eccentric, foreboding atmosphere. Thanks to the broad windows that allow the vibrant cityscape to illuminate your apartment, albeit dim, your eyes adjust to the surroundings as you survey for anything out of the ordinary.

The thought of an intruder in your apartment is simply preposterous when you know it yourself that you had both the door and balcony locked hours ago. Surely, this is your paranoid mind conjuring another ghastly thought that doesn’t help with your perturbation.

But when your gaze finally settles on a manly silhouette against the vibrant cityscape, maybe you were not being so paranoid after all. Still, despite the violent churns in your tummy, you intend to take feeble steps to get a better look at the intruder while your rationality beseeches you to grab something or do anything to defend yourself against the brooding danger.

The intruder is obviously a male, judging by his physique even when he seems to be clad in an all-black ensemble, and from his laid-back stance, he is leaning behind against the balustrade by the balcony with his arms crossed over his chest.

Not even two steps when the intruder decides to intervene as he leans away from the balustrade and saunters forward, allowing you the stark view of his veiled identity beneath the eerily familiar mask he adorns, to which your eyes widen in both sheer disbelief and alarmed. You’d recognise that red mask anywhere.

Your figure is transfixed on the spot while every fibre in your being is screaming at you to elude him, but it is as though his gaze behind the mask penetrates you, and even in the way he is deliberately stalking towards you. You ignore the way he tilts his head to one side that seems adorable.

“Missed me, my love?” His familiar voice sends you a jarring sensation that has your heart lurching in your chest. The pitch of his voice sounds deeper than the last time you heard him, and a sultry rasp is evident that is accompanied by a brewing ire, especially in the way he exudes such disconcerting danger.

You should be matching his ire, and maybe even greater than his since he intruded into your once-tranquil sanctuary, but it is completely absurd how, in the midst of this, you feel a palpable arousing desire that you haven’t felt so profound in a long time. 

This time, you know that it’s the influence of alcohol again. Oh, it is truly sickening, and you feel revolted at yourself, but maybe the wickedness in you has long since desired to be hunted and preyed on once more.

You open your mouth to speak, but it is as though you lost the ability to speak, unable to articulate your thoughts and feelings that are parallel in a torrent. It seems that he doesn’t feel satisfied with your lack of response as you finally take steps back, mapping the ways to elude him.

“I asked you a question, sweetheart.” He nearly growls out, and amidst the fear, your arousal seems to intensify. “Did you not miss me at all? Because I did, and I’ve missed you so dearly. How dare you leave me, my love?”

Instead of answering, you pivot on your heels and bolt for the main door, acting on your instinct, but the second you swing the door open, a startled yet frightful shriek leaves your lips when you come face-to-face with two ominous figures who adorn in familiar yet distinctive masks you dreadfully recognise.

“Where do you think you’re going, princess?” Even his voice behind that silver mask sounds deeper than you recall, and it is as though they’ve been through so much that accentuates in the way they sound and speak.

“Baby girl loves getting chased and tests our patience, like she usually did before.” His chuckles sound cold and harsh behind his black mask as he saunters towards you while you have long since backed away from your old predators, your mind mapping other ways to elude them. “It’s been long overdue, yeah? Let’s have a talk.”

You scoff, mustering the courage to display your long-established steely demeanour. “Oh, yeah. Let’s have a talk once I put all of you behind bars for your intrusion on my property.” Your aggressive retaliation takes them by little surprise, considering that they have been observing you as well as noticing the palpable change in you.

“Princess has gotten feistier.” He chuckles, but even you can discern how his patience is running thin in the way he sounds. He takes you by surprise as he takes a long stride forward in an attempt to reach for you, nearly growling out, “Come here.”

Of course, with your newfound vitality that incites from the adrenaline rush through you, now dashing for your room, completely determined to elude them despite the palpable yearning in your heart that adamantly desires to return to them.

Pushing open the door to your room, you shove yourself inside while your breathing is ragged from all the running ever since. Just before you can lock the door, a shriek leaves your lips when another intruding yet imposing figure towers over you, adorned in a familiar white mask.

You don’t even have the opportunity to recover when he seizes you in his possession, manoeuvring you and pinning you against the wall next to the door. His palm covers your mouth before you can scream, while the other seizes your bound wrists above your head.

“It’s been a long time, my beloved. Oh, how I’ve missed you so fucking much.” He lulls dangerously, tightening his grip on you while your pupils shake in fear as you stare at him with widened eyes, heeding to the ire that belies his longing. “Did you like the roses we bought for you?”

So it was from them. Even though you did like them, you refuse to admit it. You shake your head vehemently in response, earning you a disapproving tut from him. Your heart pumps harder as he closes the proximity between you two, his body heat is now in contact with yours.

“Liar. If you didn’t like them, you would’ve thrown them away, but you kept them.” He slowly removes his palm from your mouth, allowing you more capacity to regulate your harsh breathing. “Tell me that you’ve missed us, that you’ve missed me.”

You bite down your tongue, almost letting your true feelings that you thought you had them obliterated. Mustering the iciest glare you can, you penetrate your eyes into the eye sockets of his mask as you harshly utter, “I didn’t. Not one bit. Now leave, Heeseung─”

In a blink of an eye, Heeseung manoeuvres you again, and this time, you find yourself face-landing on the bed. You hear the door open, causing you to scramble on the bed as you finally gain a better view of your now-four predators encompassing your room, hindering you from any form of escape.

Their imposing figures that mingle with the thickening tension in the air suffocate you, and yet you can’t seem to stop your arousal from leaking from your throbbing clothed cunt. The hem of your dress hikes up way above your thighs as you attempt to crawl backwards, but a yelp emits from you when Heeseung grabs you by the ankles and pulls you towards them.

“We were going to play nice with you, but you decided to be adorable and make things harder.” Heeseung’s voice holds dark promises that send you the pleasurable shivers, causing you to discreetly push your legs together in an attempt to stop the arousal, but it is futile.

“Bratty Princess needs to be taught a lesson.” Sunghoon drawls, and this time, your wrath is wholly eclipsed by the avid lust surging through you as you recall the last time you ever defied them.

Despite your steely, scowling demeanour, your heart races in anticipation, and your mind is dizzying from both the alcohol and the incessant need for them to reciprocate your darkest temptation. You squirm lightly under their penetrating gazes behind their masks that ooze with the familiar dark allure which the devilry in you desires most.

Oh, fuck, maybe you did miss them and their cocks.

Still, displaying your defiance towards them sounds as ever thrilling, and just for tonight, you decide to push aside whatever hurt and yearning in you that were caused by them. Tonight, you need to satiate your feverish lust that has long been neglected.

“What do you say, baby girl? Do you still want to play this the hard way, or do you want to talk?” Jay asks, the mockery dripping from his deep voice matches his imposing mask.

Of course, the answer is more than obvious to you. Supporting your upraised body with your elbows on the dipping mattress, a cold smirk plays on your lips while your sultry gaze is a silent yet powering invitation to them, as does your stark, revealing legs.

“You guys reek of desperation.” You scoff, still smirking, while you feign disgust with your eyes that do nothing to dispel the thickening heat in the air. “Seriously, fuck off─”

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟕.𝟏

SYNOPSIS: Embarking on a new journey was definitely the best decision you have ever made. Ever since your new life started out on the very place you have ever dreamed of visiting, which has now become your reality, everything works in your favour. But you can't deny the fact that deep down inside, you miss the ones who were a major part of your life. Just like that, the universe seems to favour you as you now find yourself in a predicament involving being chased by the very past you thought you had left for good.

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WARNINGS: profanities, explicit themes, heavy angst, mention of violence, alcohol consumption, manipulation, corruption, toxicity, smuts, unprotected sex (no!), dom!enha, mild switch!jake, mild switch!reader, name calling, degradation, knife play, manhandling, bondage, blowjobs, throat-fucking, fingering, nipple play, pussy slapping & eating, anal, double penetrations, edging, crying, squirting, creampies, breeding kink, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, threesomes-fivesomes.

WORD COUNT: 26.9k

FEATURING: le sserafim, ive, aespa, cha eunwoo, byeon wooseok.

DISCLAIMER: this fic is inspired by devil's night series written by penelope douglas!

PLAYLIST: Delicate - Taylor Swift, I Don't Wanna Live Forever - Taylor Swift & Zayn Malik, Reminder - The Weeknd, Party Monster - The Weeknd, Bloodline - Ariana Grande, Touch It - Ariana Grande, run for the hills - Tate McRae, Animals - Maroon 5, Lights Down Low - Maejor (feat. Waka Flocka Flame), Rude Boy - Rihanna, Softcore - The Neighbourhood.

RUBY'S NOTE: this part, i would say, is not as focused on them with y/n, but part 7.2 & 7.3 will be heavily focused on the building of their relationship and etc, so it's boring. do wait patiently for their actual romance we have been deprive of <3

PREV (PART 6.3) | NEXT (PART 7.2) ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

After hectic weeks of appeasing clients’ finicky demands and exceeding their expectations, which ensued in you receiving a scant sleep, you are more than deserving to pamper yourself for your competence and industrious work once more. By pampering, it means heading over to the upscale bar downtown to meet up with your best friend whom you haven’t seen in weeks due to respective work and interests.

Besides, what better way to spend your Friday night than to drink to your heart’s content and get wasted with your best friend? Well, maybe not too wasted, considering that your alcohol tolerance has significantly improved over the course of your engagement in spiritious refreshments.

Oh, the lovely irony of how the old you would never have indulged in such indecorous engagement and would totally reprimand the new version of you. Yeah, the old you, as in the saint you once were. Now that you think about it, a lot has changed, including you. 

You hold back a chuckle, your lips pressing together to form a smile that exhibits your amiability towards the refined patrons passing by you, who in return reciprocate the same courtesy to you as you step aside for them to exit the establishment. One of the many things you appreciate here is that the locals are friendly, including your fellow residents in your apartment building. There is never a day where not a smiling face greets you wherever you go.

As soon as you infiltrate further into the establishment that is furnished with lavish decors and embellishments, your keen eyes glide across the throng of patrons luxuriating and mingling with each other before they land on a certain brunette glammed up in voguish-worthy apparel, who is seated by the end of the extensive booth.

With a smile on your tinted lips, you proceed to make your way towards her, your hurried steps displaying your enthusiasm in finally meeting your best friend, who also turns out to be a saviour, or maybe even a guardian angel. Without her, you know that you wouldn’t have survived on your first arrival here a year ago.

Yes, it has been a year since you decided to wipe the slate clean and embarked on your new life in Milan, Italy — the city you’ve always dreamed of travelling to, which has now become your reality, or perhaps even better now that you have decided to live here.

“Y/N!” Yunjin, or rather Jennifer, heartily greets you with a dazzling toothy-smile as soon as she turns around. Initially, it felt weird to call her by her English name since you were more than accustomed to her Korean name throughout the years you have known her, but you decided to comply with her insistence.

“Jen!” You reciprocate the heartfelt greeting, your face beaming with a smile as she latches her arms around you to give you a bear-crushing hug before you exchange cheek kisses with her.

As she examines you, her eyes gleam with approval that aligns with the smile on her lips. “Girl, I swear you look prettier than the last time I saw you. I absolutely adore your dress!”

Warmth tingles in your chest, taking pride in your newfound fashion taste. It really isn’t anything special as you are dolled up in a simple off-shoulder ruffled-waisted black dress that reaches way above your knee length, but to hear a compliment from the very person who has been a tremendous help throughout the beginning of your journey feels rewarding, especially after you took many of her advices to heart.

“Thank you.” Your sincerity shines through your tone and crescent-shaped eyes. “You don’t look bad yourself. Dazzling as ever on this fine evening. Makes me wonder why you didn’t opt to work as a fashion designer instead.” You merely jest, casting her a smirk as you slide over next to her high seat.

Jennifer rolls her eyes. “I love dressing up, not designing. There’s a difference.” She states, to which you brush off since you know your best friend that much, while you flag down the bartender and give her your drink order.

As Jennifer begins the flow of your conversation, your eyes soften as you look at the animated glow in her demeanour. It seems that you’re not the only one who has changed much. The Yunjin you once knew back in Seoul is still there, but there is something different about the Yunjin in front of you. She has this specific glow and in the way she carries herself now that you can’t put into words to describe. It is almost as if back in Seoul, she didn’t have the chance to release her fullest potential, or perhaps the real her.

Of course, she didn’t, especially when you knew that she wasn’t exactly happy back in Seoul as she had to live with her mother and stepfather against her will. As it turned out, her parents got divorced during the period when you lost contact with her in your adolescence years, and initially, she didn’t want to leave Milan, where her father had been a permanent citizen here, but her mother won custody over her. Hence, you two meet again at the start of university.

Now that her mother has long since focused on her stepsiblings, Jennifer used this opportunity to return to her father in Milan. As for her father, you recall the first time you met him just a few days after your arrival here, and you admit how greatly intimidated you were by his imposing figure beneath the thousand-dollar polished suit as well as his steely demeanour when he scanned you from head-to-toe.

But soon enough, after Jennifer formally introduced you to her father, he finally recognised you as his daughter’s childhood best friend, and so his steely demeanour melted, replaced by something so fatherly that he cordially welcomed you with a big smile and a hug.

Aside from her mother’s wealth, it makes sense why your best friend has an abundance of wealth, as her father is an esteemed CEO who oversees all business operations across multiple diversions in the fashion industry in Milan, including organising the semi-annual popular Milan fashion week. Thanks to the powers and connections he wields, he manages to secure a career for his beloved daughter, ensuing her position as an international marketing specialist, to which is her ability to perform remarkably ever since, thanks to her degree in international business.

Whenever you see the sweet, endearing interaction between the father and daughter, a fleeting yet profound sadness hits you, accompanied by envy, as they remind you so much of the dynamic between you and your father. It does make you want to return to Seoul on impulse, but you know you can’t when your resolve to be here is permanent.

Plus, you have a career now, and you owe it all to Jennifer and her father, who helped you from the start after you mapped out your options of which career path you truly desire most. Honestly, there was none, but you obviously couldn’t live here without any income, and you felt awful for having to spend Jennifer and her father’s wealth despite their insistence, as they had pure intentions to help you get on your feet and stabilise yourself.

After much deliberation, you decided to pursue a career that is obviously equivalent in value with your degree in journalism. Hence, you are a freelance writer who is completely diverse and wields prowess in the field that you are specialised in. It was a rocky start, but eventually you gained momentum.

You have grown to love your job because not only do you have flexibility in choosing projects, setting your own schedules, and working from various locations, but this job also allows you to meet new people, aka your clients. Since your line of work involves socialising, you don’t really feel as timid as you were before, and instead, meeting different people elevates your self-confidence. Even more when your clients always seem to leave with satisfactory written all over them as well as in their feedback due to your top-notch professionalism.

You didn’t earn much in the beginning, but now, with your experiences and continuous improvement in your expertise, you earn more than you expected, for which you are thankful as your income keeps you going here, especially when you have every intention to repay Jennifer and her father, although they will always refuse whatever you wish to repay them.

Genuinely, from the bottom of your heart, you will always feel eternally grateful to Jennifer and her father. Without them, you would’ve lived out in the streets instead of the sumptuous three-room apartment, which the father-daughter duo decisively chose for you despite your objection to their generosity once more.

From the moment you first stepped into the vacant apartment and spotted the balcony situated adjacently at the living room, you immediately fell in love with the picturesque metropolitan that looked even more vibrant at night, as it was exactly what you had envisioned of your dream apartment with a stunning view to wake up to. Plus, where you live is a thirty-minute drive away from the renowned Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

Although your new residency falls under the deluxe category, you tried your utmost by furnishing and decorating your apartment more homely, albeit there is a discernible emptiness you can’t seem to disregard amidst everything that you have put effort into your new residency, especially when there is an annoying throb in your heart.

Nevertheless, you feel content because you have everything you need now — a job, a place you call your sanctuary, a father figure who cares and loves you like you’re his own daughter, best friends who have been incredibly supportive of you even if two of them are across the globe. Plus, you are independent now, including the fact that your mental health has long since significantly improved thanks to Jennifer’s suggestion to seek therapy from professionals.

No longer are you tormented by the dark, unpleasant memories from your old life in Seoul that used to haunt you every day and night in the rocky start of your new adventure here. No longer are you allowing anyone to trample over you and question your own worth.

Everything in your life right now is simply bliss, never mind the fact that you haven’t had sex ever since them, although there are times where you need to indulge and gratify your unabating libido, to which you brazenly bought a rather special rose vibrator. Sure, you did go to nightclubs, be it alone or with your best friend, and make out with hot strangers, but you didn’t go as far. You knew that no one could ever satisfy you the way you wanted, or maybe a part of you so deep didn’t want to betray them.

Your eyes harden as you place down the glass a little harder on the counter booth, drawing your best friend’s attention. “Hey, are you okay?” Jennifer asks softly, her eyes examining your countenance, which you swiftly mask with a deceptive facade as you cast her a smile.

“Of course. I was just thinking about this one prissy client of mine.” You lie through your teeth, forcing out a chuckle, and thankfully, she seems to buy it before proceeding to continue where she left off.

Ugh, why are you even thinking about them? You are very content with everything you have now, and you have been doing perfectly fine without them for about a year now. 

Before you can get too carried away to delve into it, your attention is drawn to Jennifer, whose eyes light up as she looks over your shoulder with a smile on her countenance, prompting you to look as well, only to be met by two familiar males looming over your figures, each decked out in distinct yet voguish-worthy apparel just the same.

“What a lovely evening coincidence. Are you ladies sure you didn’t stalk us?” One of them teases; his pink plump lips stretch into a charming smile while his eyes dart between you and Jennifer.

Jennifer scoffs with the corner of her lips curving. “It should be the opposite, don’t you think, Wooseok? Seriously, out of all the places.” She shakes her head before flickering her gaze at her cousin. “What are you doing here, Eunwoo? I thought you were flying to Venice.”

The aforementioned raven-haired male adorns a smile on his face, shifting his gaze from your face to Jennifer. “It turns out that I won’t be needing to fly to Venice any time soon.”

“So, mind if we sit with you?” Wooseok inquires, ignoring Jennifer’s disbelieving yet playful glare as he settles next to her while Eunwoo invites himself next to your booth.

Right, you have forgotten to add these two handsome guys that have now become acquaintances in your new life here. Byeon Wooseok and Cha Eunwoo.

Just like any other person, you were quite taken aback by their striking visual when Jennifer introduced you to them. Of course, you felt a tad timorous of being in the presence of two charming men with distinct allures, but as time passed by, you have grown comfortable with them and their wits. Apparently, Eunwoo is Jennifer’s cousin from her father’s side, whereas Wooseok is Eunwoo’s best friend since birth. According to Eunwoo, he and Wooseok come as a package.

You recall when Jennifer attempted to match you with her cousin, resulting in you going for a date with Eunwoo, only because Jennifer was adamant and both you and Eunwoo wanted to get it over with to see if you two were compatible.

It turned out that you were better off friends with him despite the fact that there are times where you do playfully flirt with him and Wooseok, but that’s how the dynamic has always been with them in your friendship circle. Plus, they care for you and see you as their female friend only.

Sure, both Eunwoo and Wooseok are charming gentlemen who also oversee their family business, and they are more than capable of providing for you, but your heart doesn’t beat for any of them the way it did before with certain individuals, not even a fluttery sensation.

Your heart is adamant, and as much as you hate to admit it, no one can come close to and ever be compared to the four individuals who are now in the past that you have long since put behind you, but why are you even thinking about them now after all your efforts to forget them?

You are very content with the present, so why the fuck is there a palpable longing in your once-shattered heart that you had mended yourself? After so long, why now?

Gripping the glass of cocktail, you proceed to down the liquor rather gluttonously, drawing their attention to you by your abrupt vigour as they watch you with quizzical eyes.

“Slow down. You’ll choke yourself. You can always order for more.” Eunwoo’s gentle reprimand does nothing to dispel the ache you can feel in your chest.

Perhaps rather than effacing everything about them, you repressed every feeling, thought, scent, and face of theirs so deep in the trenches that you have grown accustomed to the point where you are in denial.

“Oh, definitely. Bartender!” You flag down for the bartender again to give her the previous order and double them, earning bewildered stares from your friends.

“Someone is eager to get drunk tonight.” Wooseok comments, oblivious to the fact that you are actually drowning out your sorrows as he watches you take a swig in awe.

“Y/N, I think that’s enough.” Eunwoo attempts to snatch away one of the glasses, but you snappily swat his hand away as you shoot him a scowl. He heaves a sigh before catching Jennifer’s gaze and spotting a flicker of understanding in her eyes as she examines you.

Jennifer has an inkling that something must’ve bothered you, and she doesn’t comment on it, knowing that she’ll only worsen things. She catches Eunwoo’s questioning gaze and shakes her head, conveying her disapproval to leave you be.

“Relax. I have high alcohol tolerance, remember?” You tell him, merely casting him a lazy grin that doesn’t reach your eyes before bringing the glass to your lips again.

It isn’t long when Jennifer receives a call that requires her to head back to her office since she left some important documents that she intended to bring back home while Wooseok offers her a ride, to which she gratefully accepts before bidding you a goodbye, now leaving you alone with Eunwoo.

Heck, you even seem to forget that the older male is still seated next to you as you are preoccupied with your disoriented mind while downing glass after glass of Milano Torino uninhibitedly, hoping that the alcohol will dispel the yearning ache in your chest, until he decides to break the ice after observing you.

“You’re obviously not fine.” Eunwoo points out, his eyes meeting yours and noticing how they seem to glisten with inexplicable emotions under this resplendent lighting. “Talk to me. What is bothering you?”

“I’m fine. You don’t have to play therapy with me.” You scoff out, looking away from his intent gaze to finish up your fifth glass. For a moment, there is silence while the background fades into insignificance, only the sound of your heartbeat in your ear as you stare into oblivion with hollow eyes.

Then suddenly, you feel something nudges you into confiding in Eunwoo, or maybe just allows him to gain a miniscule insight into your concealed vulnerability, even though you swore that you would never allow anyone to catch a glimpse of that vulnerability of yours after establishing an adamantine bearing.

Yeah, this has to be the alcohol-thinking that got your mind into a state of chaos. It seems like your high tolerance decides to betray you tonight.

“Have you ever been in love?” The question leaves your lips against your will before you can stop yourself. Oh, who are you kidding? There is no stopping, especially when you can feel the influence of alcohol affecting your whole being.

Eunwoo’s dark eyebrows jump up in surprise at the unexpected question, though he feels a tad amused by it, as evident in the way his lips form into a wistful smile. “I have, but it’s been years since we decided to break off the engagement and parted ways.”

It isn’t entirely surprising to you that Eunwoo had been in a relationship, especially with a divine face card like his. You hum in acknowledgement, languidly bringing another glass of liquor to your lips. “So what caused the rift in your relationship?” You decide to distract yourself by focusing on him instead.

A flicker of sadness is palpable in his eyes amidst the glistening reminiscentness before he looks down at his half-empty whiskey. “She wasn’t ready to be fully committed and didn’t want to move our relationship to the next level because she still wanted to travel and enjoy what the world had to offer.”

You can’t resist rolling your eyes at his statement. “She could’ve still travelled and enjoyed it even after tying the knots with you. It’s definitely her loss, then. You’re a total package. Rich and handsome.” You state rather bluntly.

Eunwoo heaves a sigh, unfazed by your monotonous flattering remarks. “It’s fine. We ended on good terms anyway. Now, your turn. Have you ever been in love?” He bounces the question back to you.

You feign a wince, scrunching your nose lightly while you dismiss the way your heart throbs painfully. “Tricky question. I don’t really know how to answer that.” You say brusquely as you suddenly find your glass rather interesting.

Eunwoo scoffs lightly, his eyes narrowing at you in suspicion. “More like you’re trying to dodge the question. Why are you afraid of answering?”

You can’t help but feel snappy. “I’m not afraid. I just feel like it’s a stupid question.” You tell him with a scowl on your face. “Forget what I asked earlier. Let’s just pretend that this conversation didn’t happen.”

“You’ve been in love before.” It isn’t a question, to which you feel as though his proclamation smacks you in the face, and when your wavering eyes meet his, he knows that he is right.

Despite the fact that Eunwoo manages to break through the equanimity you vehemently try to retain, your demeanour remains one of indifference as you look away from his invasive eyes. “It was a mistake of mine that I don’t intend to make again.” You utter dryly before taking another swig of your liquor.

Eunwoo winces lightly, recognising the fleeting heartbreak in your icy-glimmering eyes. “Was it that bad?”

“It’s complicated. We weren’t exactly in a relationship, but─ “ You grimace, refusing to make a trip down memory lane. “Let’s just say I was the one who removed myself from their lives permanently of my own accord. It was for the best.”

“Them?” Eunwoo raises his eyebrow inquisitively. “So there was more than one person you fell in love with?”

You narrow your eyes at him accusingly. “Is that judgement I sense?”

Eunwoo raises his hands up defensively. “Hey, I was merely curious. Besides, it’s totally normal for you to fall in love with more than one person. You can’t help with who you love.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” Your lighthearted chuckles carry an undercurrent of bitterness. “You would’ve seen me differently if you knew of my past, but unfortunately for you, I’m not one to recall what I’ve tried so hard to bury.”

“Trust me, whatever past you had, I would still see you the lovely and elegant Y/N Kang just as you are now.” Eunwoo reassures you, offering you a small smile as he pats your head gently before glancing down at his wristwatch. “I would love to listen to your whole life story, but it’s getting late and I have work the next morning.”

“Boooo. Only fools like you work on a weekend.” You make a face at him, to which he responds with a head shake and a chuckle emitting from him. “Seriously, working on a weekend is too excessive, even for you. How are you even going to date someone if you always spend your days at the office? At this rate, you’ll grow old and wrinkly alone because you’re always busy with work.”

“Thank you for your concern towards my dating life. Unfortunately for you, I don’t intend to date anyone anytime soon.” His amusing tone drips with sarcasm as he gets off his seat, adjusting his coat around his body. “Come on. I’ll send you back to your place.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’d like to stay here a little longer.” You decline, earning yourself a disapproving yet concern frown from him.

“It’s nearly eleven, Y/N. The bar will be closing in a few hours, and it’s dangerous for you to go back alone at night.”

You sigh, getting a tad annoyed. “Eunwoo, I’ve always gone back on my own, and I turned out just fine. Even if someone were to assault me or follow me, I have pepper spray with me, so don't worry.”

Eunwoo hesitates. “But─”

“I also need some time alone to think.” You cut him off, insisting vehemently before softening your tone. “Please.”

Eunwoo eventually concedes, his lips pressing thinly as he stares at you. “Fine. Call me or Wooseok if you detect the slightest danger. I mean it.”

“I will.” You tell him, your tone providing him the assurance he needed before he embraces you with a side hug and proceeds to depart from the establishment, where only a few patrons are left, much to your surprise. Just earlier, there were a throng of them.

You redirect your focus on the two leftover glasses of yours. Pursing your lips, you reach out to grab one before taking leisure sips, and this time, the wave of inebriation hits you harder compared to the previous drinks you had while the liquor sends a burning sensation down your throat that coupled with the emotions you painfully restrain from making any utterance.

Desperate to quell those emotions, you take a last swig of your drink rather aggressively before placing down the glass and wiping the excess moisture from your upper lip. But it doesn’t help. Instead, you feel the restrained emotions breaking into a tumult that racks through your body.

Fuck, you should not have thought about them in the first place, especially when they trigger something in you that feels like a kill switch. Oddly, tears never spring up in your eyes, but rather, you feel wholly numb that even the goosebumps arising on your skin due to the lack of warmth layer clothing to barrier the temperature doesn’t deter you.

Maybe it was a good idea for Eunwoo and the others to leave you, but at the same time, maybe it isn’t a good idea for you to dwell over your past as the wounds slowly reopen. Maybe, just for tonight, you allow your inhibitions to be let loose as you finally come to admit defeat against your tenacity.

“Ugh, who am I kidding?” You mumble to yourself as you rub your forehead, facing down to the counter.

Yes, you admit that despite the fact that your life is going well, the inhibited part of you truly misses them and influences you into thinking that without them is simply just a cruel existence that you chose to feign ignorance to, when in the deepest depths of your heart, all you ever want is to call their names until they come back home to you.

But after what happened in the past, you are often caught up in a dilemma that keeps you up at night sometimes as you reevaluate every of your choices with one thing stuck in your mind — wondering if you dodged the bullets or just lost the loves of your life.

You wonder at times if they care enough to notice your permanent departure from Seoul, and just when disappointment is about to seep through you, you recall that you had deleted your old contact number as well as your phone in any case they decided to track you down, but considering that it’s been a year, it is more than apparent that you won’t be stumbling upon them since they had no idea of where you truly are now.

A drunkard chuckle leaves your lips at the irony of you thinking and missing them when you were the one who resolutely decided to remove your existence from their lives.

Whenever you walk around in a place full of people, and even now as you scan your surroundings for another time, your subconscious always sees them around in all these empty faces, despite the glow in their demeanour.

In the end, the heart will always want what it wants, no matter how much exertion you put into repressing the dangerous emotions in it.

Feeling an incessant pounding by all the pensiveness as well as the amount of glasses you drank, you opt to rest with your head that gradually feels heavy on your folded arms pressing onto the countertop, facing sideways. You close your eyes, hoping to dispel any lingering thoughts about them, but it is futile because, behind your closed lids, you can see their faces.

You snap your eyes open, only staring blankly at the wall while you can hear the sound of your mended heart cracking. Oh, you are most definitely drunk, because how is it possible that your heart has a palpable longing that hurts so much you can physically feel it?

You want to cry, you do. But it is as though you run out of tears after the times you weeped in your sleep at night in the beginning. Instead, your eyelids feel heavier, threatening to close before you finally yield and allow sleep to take over your vulnerable figure seated by the booth alone.

Though sleep has beckoned, you are still faintly conscious enough to feel something so warm and fairly large enveloping your shivering figure, providing a barrier to withstand the cold temperature, and you swear you feel fingertips tracing down your temple so delicately and warm lips pressing on your cheek before sleep eventually engulfs you whole.

Of course, sleep doesn’t last that long as you find yourself being jolted awake naturally, prompting you to flutter your eyelids open and noticing that you are still in the same bar. The nap was so good that you even find yourself being utterly disoriented.

You slowly raise your upper body with the intention to check your surroundings, but you halt at the moment a familiar cologne hits your nostril emanating from the leather jacket hung over your figure, causing you to freeze in your seat and panic because you recognise his cologne so vividly.

No, this couldn’t be his jacket. There is absolutely no way it belongs to him. You turn around to scan your surroundings with attentive eyes, only to spot a couple seated in the centre of the bar. Otherwise, nothing seems out of the ordinary.

“Excuse me.” You call for the bartender again with an entirely different purpose as she approaches you, noticing how panicked you look. “Have you seen anyone giving me this jacket while taking a nap?”

Much to your surprise, the bartender nods her head, kindling a hope in your chest. “Yes. He turned out to be a fine gentleman who, by the way, also paid for your drinks. It’s a shame that you were asleep. You should’ve seen how handsome that man was.” She gushes dreamily whereas you scratch your head, confused yet terrified at the thought that it could be any one of them, but it is impossible for them to find you, let alone to be in the same bar as you are now.

Positive thoughts, positive thoughts ─ that’s what you keep telling yourself while attempting to calm yourself down. Maybe this jacket belongs to a thoughtful stranger, and the familiar smell of his cologne is just a mere coincidence. Maybe you are being paranoid over nothing.

You give yourself a firm head nod. Yeah, you are most definitely paranoid.

Deciding to head back to your apartment, you quickly book an Uber on your phone while you ignore the fact that you are getting comfortable with the leather jacket hugging you. It isn’t long when your Uber ride has arrived, prompting you to make your departure after thanking the bartender for her service. You don’t know why, but the jacket remains in your possession as it hangs around your figure. 

Once you step foot outside of the establishment, you spot the exact plate number as your Uber ride by the curb before you proceed forward. Reaching the black Audi, you are about to open the door to the backseat when you feel a wave of chills through you, and no, it’s not from the breeze.

It is the kind of chill where you feel as though someone is watching you from afar, and you swear you can feel the unknown source of burning gazes that prompt you to look at the car just a few parks away from the pavement curb — a red Lamborghini.

Due to the dim lighting, you squint your eyes in vain as you are unable to make out the person inside the car, but the engine is definitely running. Again, maybe you are being paranoid or just drunk since your head is pounding twice harder now.

You shrug the feeling off before proceeding to enter the black Audi, and you silently thank God that the driver is not the chatty type, allowing yourself to rest comfortably in the backseat and facing the window.

Just as sleep is about to take over you again, you spot something in the rearview mirror. Wait, not something, but the red Lamborghini you saw earlier, revving forward, albeit slowly. Again, you shrug it off, not wanting to freak yourself out over something so trivial, assuring yourself that it is merely a coincidence that the red Lamborghini is heading in the same route as you.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

If there is one thing you hate about being able to tolerate any amount of alcoholic consumption is the fact you are not entirely immune to the hangover that strikes you as soon as you groggily wake up.

The pounding headache persists; even after you freshen yourself up as you head to the kitchen, your hair slightly dampens from showering. As you open your fridge to grab a bottle of water, the frown on your lips deepens when the recollection of last night finally hits you.

You clearly remember tossing yourself onto the couch as soon as you entered your apartment, having been enervated from all the drinking and thinking in one night, but when consciousness dawned earlier, you found yourself waking up in your bed and had been neatly tucked under the covers.

Your forehead creases as you think deeply, but your face twists into a grimace when your head throbs again before deciding to cease overanalyzing last night. You shrug your shoulders and close the fridge. Maybe you sleep-walked to your room, which is not surprising considering that last night’s dwelling at the bar was out of your new character as well.

Heaving a sigh, you grab your phone from the kitchen island with the intention to order food after neglecting your grumbling hunger, but the sound of the doorbell chiming sidetracks you. Confusion etches on your face as you make your way to the door, wondering who would pay you a visit at twelve noon.

Definitely not Jennifer, as she would always text you in advance, and definitely not any of your best friends since both are in Seoul, but when you swing the door open, you are proven wrong, standing there with your eyes widened in disbelief at the unexpected yet pleasant surprise.

“Y/N!” Karina heartily greets you, giving you no chance to recover from being greatly stunned by their unanticipated visit in Milan, let alone to be at your apartment, as she lunges for a bear-crushing hug, her arms around you as she squeezes you.

“Girls! What the─” You chuckle in disbelief, your smile stretching wider as Wonyoung joins in the reunion of your much-needed hug from your long-distance best friends. “Not that I’m complaining, but how, why, and what are you doing here? How did you even know my address? I thought you were on your respective business trips.” You inquire, confusion lacing your tone as you recall your conservation last week when you were in a video call with them.

Wonyoung, as elegant as ever, along with her captivating doll-like beauty, beams at you with a smile gracing her cherry-glossed lips. “Well, it’s a lie. Yunjin was the only one who knew about it. Plus, we wanted to surprise you!”

“For your info, she prefers to be called Jennifer now.” You correct her, smiling mirthfully at Wonyoung’s faux annoyance on her countenance.

“Miss Jennifer standing on business as soon as she landed here, huh?” Karina scoffs out playfully before nudging you by the shoulder as the three of you proceed to move further into your apartment. She slings an arm around your shoulder, casting you a grin. “So tell us, what did we miss out on?”

And so you begin to unravel what happened over the course of this week except last night, of course. You don’t want them to worry, and knowing their overprotective nature over you, it is best if some things are kept hidden.

Besides, both of them already have too much on their plates, especially with their respective careers. After graduating with their master’s degrees, they pursued the paths they had created for themselves at the start of university. Wonyoung is now a public relations writer under her grandfather’s company, whereas Karina is a fashion designer under a renowned luxury brand in Seoul.

Having known and seen your best friends thriving in both their lives and careers sends a wave of emotions that render you genuinely proud and elated for them, just as they do to you. No one is happier than your best friends to see the transformative change in you after what happened. To them, you are still the sweet, kind, and compassionate Y/N Kang, but there is a certain ambience of dominance you exude wherever you carry yourself to.

“By the way, we are also here for Milan fashion week.” Karina moves to another topic as the three of you decide to settle by the kitchen island. “Also a surprise since Jen managed to secure invitations for us. You’re coming too, right?” She looks at you with glittering eyes.

“Definitely.” You have long since anticipated attending the famous Milan fashion week, and thanks to Jennifer, you are invited as well as an exclusive VIP guest. The corners of your lips tip up. It is truly a privilege to be associated with someone who has connections to make the nearly impossible happen.

“Where are you girls staying, though?” You inquire, and from the corner of your eyes, you spot Wonyoung ambling towards the living room, probably to admire your apartment, and so you direct your attention to Karina.

“We’re staying at this five-star hotel apartment.” Karina answers, satisfaction emanating from her in the way her face goes animated as she excitedly tells you what has happened. “We’ve only been here for two days, but we can definitely see why you dreamed of travelling to Milan. The food here is amazing, and─”

“Hey, Y/N?” Wonyoung draws your attention, prompting Karina as well to turn around to look at Wonyoung by the living room since the kitchen island is adjacent. “I had no idea you were into flowers.”

“I don’t…” Your utterance wanes as soon as your gaze falls to the bouquet of luscious roses in her grasp, confusion fogging in your head. “Where did you find that?”

“On the coffee table.” Wonyoung’s eyes gleam with fascination as she examines the roses that no doubt are authentic. Even Karina shares the same fascination as Wonyoung, as they immediately gush over how beautiful the roses are. “Judging by the bouquet, it’s obvious that someone must’ve given it to you. So, who is the lucky guy?”

But they are oblivious to the confusion on your countenance that slowly morphs into horror at the vivid recollection of seeing nothing on the coffee table last night before you passed out on the couch. Dread begins to crawl onto your skin, matching the way your stomach churns unpleasantly.

First, it was you waking up in your bed to which you thought you had sleep-walked, then now, the roses that somehow magically appeared on your coffee table? The coincidence is too uncanny, but then the possibility might be true, to which you fear to admit.

No, it can't be that someone has intruded into your apartment when you know it yourself that you had the door locked last night. There was absolutely no way anyone could climb their way up to the highest floor to get to your balcony without falling to their death.

“A friend of mine. Jen’s cousin, actually.” You lie through your teeth steadily, deciding that it’s best if you don’t alarm your best friends. Your eyes narrow at their reactions, already knowing what they are going to say next. “But we aren’t dating or anything like that. Someone gave it to him, and he gave it to me instead since he wasn’t a fan of flowers.”

“Wait, is he the guy we saw once in her background when we were video calling that one time?” Karina’s enthusiastic inquiry is answered by your mere head nod. “Babe, he’s so fucking fine, and I swear he looked straight out of those vogue magazines. You should try dating him.”

“Agreed.” Wonyoung chimes, smiling triumphantly while they remain oblivious to the distress creasing your countenance. “Plus, you’d look good with him.”

A dry chuckle leaves your lips. “Yeah, that’s not happening. He’s a great guy and all, but I’m not interested in him, nor am I interested in dating. I don’t want to risk myself getting another heartbreak after—” 

You bite down your tongue, realising that you are getting too carried away and dwelling over the past once more. Seriously, just what is up with you since last night? You promised yourself that you wouldn’t dwell over your past again.

Upon seeing a certain yet familiar sombre casting shadow over your countenance, Wonyoung and Karina exchange knowing glances before Wonyoung decides to step forth. “We’re sorry. We shouldn’t have brought up anything regarding dating.”

You smile faintly at her, denoting your reassurance. “It’s fine. I know you had good intentions, but I meant what I said. I can’t afford to go through another period of heartbreak.” There is a palpable tremor in your voice that doesn’t go unnoticed by them.

There are a couple beats of silence before Karina initiates, her tone is an unwavering resolve. “You know what would make you feel better? Shopping.”

You chuckle, rolling your eyes playfully. “Please. I’ve had enough of that, thanks to Jen.”

“And I’m not having any of that. You still need to give us a tour around here. Now go on and get changed into something more presentable.” Karina shoots you a coy smile as you reciprocate with a scowl, but nevertheless, you comply.

“Here.” Wonyoung thrusts the bouquet of roses into your hands. “Don’t throw it away. It’s too beautiful to be thrown away. You can place it in a vase or something.”

You sigh softly in response. “Fine. Just wait here and make yourself comfortable like it’s your home.” You tell them before quickly making your way to your room as you grip the bouquet.

You admit that you did have an intention to throw these away, but now that you examine them, these roses indeed look authentically beautiful to be thrown away. Entering your room, you head over to the vanity table while looking down to examine these roses once more.

This time, however, your sharp eyes spot something white hiding amid the roses as you examine closely. Indulging your curiosity, you proceed to grab for it, only for you to hold a mysterious white card.

The rational part of you vehemently urges you to throw away the card while you feel a sense of dread creeping up on you before you slowly open the card to read the messages written on it in black ink.

But as you read it, your hand trembles, which match the way every fibre of your being goes haywire, while you can feel your heart nearly dropping to the pits of your tummy.

No, this can’t be from any of them. Heck, they don’t even know where you are, so it is nearly damn impossible for them to find you here out of all places when you cut off their contacts and bought yourself a new phone.

You quickly put aside the bouquet on the vanity table before attempting to occupy yourself in choosing your outfit of the day in your walk-in wardrobe, but it becomes futile when your mind drifts off to the seemingly harmless message that has an undercurrent danger.

‘You’re still beautiful as ever, sweet angel. Just a little while more.’

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The weekend passes by quicker than you liked when you spend your time with your best friends, bringing them around to the places that you are familiar with, including your favourite ones, and before you know it, the highly anticipated Milan Fashion Week has arrived.

Eventually, whatever happened back then, in regards to the mysterious roses and the leather jacket that remains in your possession, is overlooked, as you have always been preoccupied focusing on what matters in the present, which is exactly what you needed to retain your sanity.

The moment you step foot into the venue, any remnants of worries dissipate from your mind as your eyes twinkle in fascination at the remarkable fashion appeal of the sophistication encompassing the entire event taking place while there is an elegantly unique ambience teeming in the atmosphere. 

Paparazzis as well as reporters can be spotted with their cameras flashing at the exclusive VIP guests, also known as industry insiders — designers from various fashion houses, buyers, fashion writers and editors, gorgeous models, and even celebrities from other countries. Everywhere your eyes sweep over, it is bustling.

Your gaze finally settles on a familiar brunette with her father, mingling with esteemed guests before you nudge Wonyoung and Karina to follow you. Once you reach the father-daughter duo, their attention is immediately shifted to you with the pleasant smiles on their faces stretched wider.

“Y/N!” Jennifer latches her arms around you, giving you a quick squeeze before moving over to enthusiastically greet Wonyoung and Karina while her father steps in to give you a fatherly embrace that you have grown comfortingly accustomed to.

“Hey, sweetie.” Her father greets you softly as soon as he pulls away, and your heart aches once more at how gentle he is, which reminds you of your father. You brush away the melancholy as you give him a smile. “You look outstanding, and I’m sensing my daughter’s touch on your apparel?”

Honestly, you beg to differ from his compliment, not when other guests dressed up to the nines except you. You didn’t want to potentially draw attention to yourself by dressing up too extravagantly, and so with your adamant insistence, Jennifer demurringly chose for you a gorgeous scarlet satin cami dress that accentuated your contours exquisitely, including the fact that you are practically braless underneath, while the colour matches your tinted lips.

You chuckle lightheartedly at the knowingness in his tone. “Of course. My fashion sense is good, but it can’t be compared to Jen’s.” You say, your eyes drifting to your best friends as they are still conversing rather excitedly, considering that the three of them are fashion enthusiasts.

You, on the other hand, are not as passionate as them, but you desire to experience the world-class fashion week that you often see across social media platforms every year. Plus, you’re experiencing this with your best friends, so this is more than you could’ve asked for.

Soon enough, Jennifer’s father withdraws from your mini group to socialise with other businessmen who are most likely his acquaintances, whereas you and your best friend advance forward to finally meet Eunwoo and Wooseok, both of whom had a pleasant dinner with your group yesterday. To say both of them look more charming than they usually do is an understatement, especially when they often draw attention with ogling eyes from the people in your vicinity.

Amidst the overflowing conversation, you take a moment to observe the exuberance in the glow of their countenance, and warmth tingles in your chest at the amiability they exude as they converse with each other. You are more than glad that the two men, despite them being a little older, seem to get along well with the girls.

After posing for some pictures, thanks to one of the cameramen, your group proceeds to head to the main venue, where the fashion runway show will be starting soon. It isn’t long until you and your group have settled in the venue with you seated in between Eunwoo and Wonyoung in the front row, where you are able to view the models in their sophisticated element as they stride on the runway, displaying such professionalism while adorning with unique yet striking apparel.

You most definitely did not expect to be engrossed by the entire runway show, but there is something about these models and the prowess they wield that bewitched you to the point where you don’t seem to notice Wonyoung and Eunwoo conversing with each other closer behind your back for the male to hear her better amidst the background music.

But then goosebumps begin to arise on your skin before you finally sense something, or rather someone’s eyes burning through you. A frown pulls down at your lips as you briefly look over your shoulder, only to see the other guests are occupied with the ongoing runway models.

Your forehead wrinkles in confusion as you decide to redirect your focus to the front. Maybe you are being paranoid, but the sensation of eyes on your figure is unmistakable, prompting you to examine the seated guests across from you.

Yeah, probably nothing, you think. It’s your mind that decides to— 

You force yourself to swallow the gasp that nearly leaves your mouth, and you swear you can feel your heart stop beating momentarily while the time around you seems to slow down. You truly want to believe that what you are seeing is simply an illusion that your mind conjured, but as your eyes continue to lock with his, there is a palpable electrifying sensation just by the connection between you and him that slowly intensifies, bringing dread to settle over your transfixed figure.

The corner of his lips curves up into a devilish smirk while his eyes darken with a cryptic purpose, and the worst part is, he’s not alone. You lock eyes with the familiar face seated next to him, whose lips mirror his best friend’s devilry. No, you must be seeing things, but as you blink your eyes for another time, you have come to a harrowing realisation that they are very much real.

The other two are not anywhere seated in their vicinity, to which you feel weirded out because even you know it yourself that the four of them come in a package and are practically inseparable despite their differences. Still, it doesn’t allay your incessant worries just because there are only two of them here.

Jay and Sunghoon. Although they are seated a few rows to the back from across yours, you can see how a year has changed them, be it for the better or worse, but probably the latter. They look even more mature than the last time you saw them.

Despite your collected demeanour, you are shaken terribly to the core with questions bombarding your head. You don’t wish to assume anything, and maybe their being here is merely a coincidence and that they were invited as well considering they are Chaebols just like your best friends, but the shadows casting over their countenance tell you otherwise.

If what you are thinking is true, then how did they manage to find you, and why now after a year? Were they the ones who may have potentially intruded your apartment and given you the roses while you were rendered unconscious? 

The way they gaze darkly at you is akin to predators finally catching their prey after the long hunt, with the only exception being that they look ravenous despite their steely, collected demeanour that adds more charms to their distinctive dark allures and visuals.

You refuse to allow their insanely handsome faces to dissuade you from taking a particular course that involves you to elude them at all costs, even when your heart has a fervent throb that feels all too familiar. Longing.

Amidst this unforeseen crisis, you try your utmost to defy against your longing for them, but it is gnawing desperately on the walls you built to protect yourselves from any more disappointments and heartbreak, and you fear to admit that you have indeed missed them, more than you should not have.

Hence, you turn away from their eye contact with a heavy heart, and at the same time, the runway event has officially ended, prompting the VIP guests to mingle around to discuss amiably yet professionally, whereas you find yourself being surrounded by your befriends and trying to keep up with their conversation as well as to go with the flow.

When your eyes shift to where you saw Jay and Sunghoon just moments ago, you find them missing from their spots, as if they were never there in the first place. Nevertheless, you uphold your resolve, and that is to stick close to your best friends, whereas Eunwoo and Wooseok have been whisked away by unfamiliar yet esteemed guests, leaving you with your girls to spend the rest of the day sticking to one another.

Throughout the entire event, as you explore the art exhibitions, pop-up stores, and other luxurious sophistication variety they offer with your best friends, you try your utmost to avoid giving away that you are still shaken up by seeing their faces while your inner turmoil feels endless. Every so often, you would check your surroundings for any sight of them.

Eventually, the night has fallen and the afterparty beckons, to which you wholeheartedly decide to join alongside your best friends and some other guests as you need to let loose the exerting tension in you.

The entire reception is bustling with respective pursuits from the guests, but it is the kind of pursuit where the conversations flow much more colloquially amongst each other while at the same time revelling in the piquant cuisines, various beverages, as well as the music that complements with the classy ambience reverberating throughout the resplendent reception.

Withdrawing from your group, you decide to head over to the beverage section, needing another drink to indulge yourself and invigorating your social battery that is ebbing away. A sigh leaves your lips. At least one thing that remains unchanged is the fact that your social battery is just as weak as it was before unless you ingest alcohol.

As your fingers wrap around the stem of the glass, you raise the glass to your lips and take sips of the champagne. A faint pleasurable hum emits from you as you greedily sips for more, feeling the familiar fizzy sensation within you.

Oblivious to your surroundings, you fail to take heed of the fact that your vulnerability as you stand alone by the beverage section is at anyone’s disposal for whatever intention they have towards you at this very moment.

Just as you place down the empty glass on the table, you feel an ominous presence looming from behind you while the backless of your dress allows you to feel their body heat rather intimately, sending an oddly familiar shudder through your transfixed body. Your breath goes hitched in your throat, feeling their warm breath fanning down on the skin of your exposed shoulder.

“I’m surprised to see you here without your boyfriend.” His voice sounds huskier, laden with desire and an undercurrent of ire, sending a dangerous wave of sensation through you, and yet you can’t help but discern how he sounds more callous than you recall, as though he has been through much.

Right, he is most likely referring to Eunwoo, whom he probably saw how intimately you were dancing with earlier, despite both of you knowing that you don’t see each other that way.

Little did you know that it took every ounce of self-control for him to master upon seeing the way Eunwoo’s hands on your hips as you two swayed to the music, and he wants nothing more than to rip off Eunwoo’s limbs for touching you.

You don’t dare to turn around as he continues to speak slowly just for your ears to hear him. “Don’t tell me that he got bored and ditched you?” His tone drips with piercing mockery that has you clenching your fist. “Cat got your tongue, baby? You know I’m right. He probably can’t fuck you better than I do.”

“You don’t know anything.” You retaliate, your voice sounding foreignly cold in your ears. “For the record, you are not the sex God you think you are. He could probably fuck me better than you ever did.”

You know that you are treading dangerously on the razor-sharp blade with the words you speak so disdainfully and the way his fingers tantalisingly caressing your exposed back speak volumes. “You’re right. I don’t know anything, not since after you left, so shouldn’t you be polite and give me a warm welcome?” He tuts disapprovingly.

“I’m not obliged to do so, especially when you’re nothing but a stranger to me.” You say tersely, hating how your heart aches at the words leaving your mouth so coldly detached, but you don’t want him or any of them to ruin the serenity that has been established in your new life here. You don’t need anymore corruption and toxicity.

Mustering courage, you turn around to face him, your steely eyes meeting his amused yet dangerous ones. You take a brief moment and discreetly examine him up-close, bringing more aches to your heart at how devastatingly handsome he looks than the last time you saw him.

His jet-black hair looks shorter with an undercut, and he has it styled impeccably that displays his chiselled forehead, allowing you to see his vertical left eyebrow piercing that accentuates his sharp steely eyes and the familiar noticeable scar on his bottom lip. His strong cologne infiltrating your senses nearly sends you deflating as you recall all the memories you had with him.

“You’re meaner to me than I was to you before.” He scoffs out, oblivious to the fleeting longing you almost exhibited by the look in your eyes. “You’ve changed, baby. Was it him? Is that why you’re looking at me with such disdain?”

“This isn’t about Eunwoo, and stop calling me baby. You have no right to call me any endearing names, Jay.” You seethe out, gritting your teeth. You hate the flicker of disappointment and hurt in his gaze, but then you recall when you were the one who bore the most wounds in the past. “Like I said, we’re strangers, so I don’t know who you are. If you’ll excuse me, I’m heading back to my friends.”

You don’t give him the opportunity to speak as you brush coldly past him, but just as you do, you fail to realise another figure who has been approaching from behind, causing you to halt in your steps when he latches his hand around your elbow.

You look at him in disbelief as he narrows his eyes at you. “Let go of me, Park Sunghoon.” You utter calmly, trying to tame the storms within you. His touch on your skin feels tingling with familiarity, one that is filled with both ecstasy and longing.

Maybe it’s the aftereffect of your departure from their lives, but you swear Sunghoon looks twice as attractive as you recall. His stark raven bangs fall over his eyebrow, doing nothing to obscure his dark eyes from penetrating into your glaring ones. His grip on your elbow is a silent warning, almost as if telling you to comply with him.

“You don’t want to make a scene in front of these people now, so I suggest you come with us obediently, princess.” His deep voice only seems to intensify the butterflies that awakened against your will, as does the endearment that brings back memories. “Let’s talk like civilised people, yeah?”

“We have nothing to talk about.” Surprisingly, you manage to escape from his grasp, and you quickly put some safe distance between you and him. “If I didn’t reiterate this enough, then let me make it simpler for you to understand. Leave me alone, and don’t you dare do anything to hurt Eunwoo or my friends.”

With one last glare at both of them, you immediately blend through the crowd to return to your friends. You don’t realise that you have been holding back your breath and how tense you look until one of them points out, drawing attention to you.

“Y/N, are you okay?” Jennifer inquires, her eyebrows furrowing with concern as she holds your shoulder. “You don’t look well.”

“I’m fine, but I think I’m going to call it a night.” You give her a small reassuring smile, contrasting how your insides are in a tumult upon your encounter with your past that you thought you had left behind. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll text you once I reach my apartment.”

“I’ll drive you.” Eunwoo offers, earning him an appreciative smile from you before the two of you proceed to bid your goodbyes to your friends.

“You looked pale earlier.” Eunwoo murmurs to you as you walk next to him, making your way to the exit. When his eyes meet yours fleetingly, you recognise the knowingness in them. “What happened?”

“I don’t know what happened and how it happened, Eunwoo.” Your voice sounds dejected despite maintaining your steely demeanour. “But I know for a fact that my past is finally catching up to me.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The journey to your apartment is a silent ride, which you appreciate much since you need silence to ruminate about what still feels surreal to you. You have an inkling that Eunwoo is more than curious to know whatever you meant earlier, as you can see from your peripheral vision how his eyes frequently dart to you, but hesitation holds him back.

Feeling your head pounding, you grimace lightly as you lean your head to the headrest, facing the window. Just as you have every intention to put your fraught nerves to a temporary ease, your sharp eyesight catches a car in the rearview mirror, bringing a frown to your lips.

Initially, you wanted to ignore and dispel any ill-thoughts of the black Ford Mustang that have been driving in the same route as you, but this can’t be a mere coincidence that it is now heading towards the street to your apartment.

You attempt to calm your nerves that are set ablaze once more, not wanting Eunwoo to notice your discomfort. Obviously, when you saw Jay and Sunghoon earlier, they fucked you up in the mind, so it is highly possible that your paranoia right now stems from your previous encounter with them.

“Thank you. I owe you one.” You thank Eunwoo sincerely as soon as you arrive, trying your best to give him a smile while every fibre of your being is urging you to head inside quickly.

Eunwoo casts you a charming grin. “Nah, you don’t owe me anything. We’re friends. By the way, are you sure you don’t need me to accompany you to the lobby?” He asks, his concerned eyes scanning the rather desolate street through the window.

You shake your head at his thoughtful offer and reassure him with a smile. “It’s fine. The street looks creepy at night, but I’m used to it. Thanks again. I’ll see you whenever.” You bid him good night afterwards before exiting from his car.

You watch briefly as Eunwoo speeds off your street before you turn around with the hurried intention to head inside the building, but you stop dead in your tracks when you spot the black Ford Mustang parked by the curb in your street just a few cars down from where you are.

This time, goosebumps arise on your skin, and you have a strong inkling that this is no longer a mere coincidence. Your harrowing interest piques at the moment the both doors of the car push open, prompting you to hold your breath as you await the reveal.

As soon as you manage to catch glimpses of their identity, or more like their identity being obscured with familiar masks, your pulse begins to drum loudly in your ears while your eyes widen in sheer disbelief. Of course, they would follow you all the way here, but you didn’t expect that they really would, as though to chase after you.

Acting upon your fight-or-flight mode, you immediately hasten to head inside the building without looking back. A brief moment of relief washes over you as soon as the elevator opens automatically before you step inside and press the level you intended to go, which is five floors from where your apartment is situated.

You don’t want to take any risk of them finding out which level you live, or maybe they already know since they might also be the ones who gave you those roses. You take this chance to regulate your breathing, physically and mentally preparing yourself for the incoming exertion as you lean your back against the wall. 

Once the elevator chimes as it opens, you walk briskly as you make your way to the door, where the long flight of stairs is by the end of the corridor. You push the door open and waste no time in ascending the stairs. The sound of a door slamming loudly close from below triggers you as it intensifies your perturbation that has your chest tightening.

A growing sense of dread settles over you, bringing forth anxiety that surges through you as it manifests itself in the irregular rise and fall of your chest, while the gradual return of your headache causes an incessant rhythmic pulsating that parallels your pumping heart, nearly impeding you from the pursuit to your newfound sanctuary as you clutch onto the metal railing.

You feel the burning aches in your calves’ muscles as well as your feet, which are adorned in 3-inch stiletto heels, beseeching you for a moment of respite. You come to an abrupt halt just as you finally reach the last flight of stairs, wanting to catch your breath and trying your utmost to silence yourself from making any noise.

It is times like this where you finally question yourself: why on earth did you choose to live at the highest level in the first place?

But then again, you never had anticipated for anything like this to happen. No, you never would have thought that you would be running for your life out of fear again, not since after you departed from your old life and buried the horrible memories where they would never resurface in your mind again.

Despite the persisting fear that grips you, a rousing anger is palpable in you as a muscle pulses in your jaw while your eyes go hardened at the evocative paranoia you thought you had effaced in your mind. Yeah, maybe you are being paranoid. Maybe the car you saw back there was a completely different one than the one following you. Maybe your mind decides to fuck you up again after so long.

Or maybe the influence of alcohol is affecting your sanity, evoking such apprehension that strikes you as paranoid, but if it is, then the reverberating footsteps from below you as they ascend the flights of stairs should not have alarmed you when they probably belong to other residents that live in the same apartment building as you.

You refuse to look down and check their identity, fearing that they would turn out to be the ones you thought you had escaped from. Rallying your erratic nerves, the door just a few metres ahead of you is a beckoning to your pursuit as you set in motion once more, running even when you are still in heels. You push the door open haphazardly, hastening as your feet instinctively guide you to your apartment door by mere muscle memory.

Once you finally reach, you rummage through your purse before grabbing for your key card, but with your trembling fingers, you fumble with it as you attempt to tap your card onto the smart lock. You don’t look back, even when the sound of the exit door where you emerged from is being opened.

As the door chimes familiarly, you expeditiously open the door and shove yourself into your not-so-humble abode before closing the door behind you securely. You dismiss the sound of discernible footsteps from the outside of the door along the corridor, now feeling safe and sound, with a sigh of relief leaving your lips.

Having grown accustomed to the darkness enshrouding your apartment, you resort to normalcy while your rapid heart rate begins to decelerate as you busily store your platform heels in the shoe compartment and place your hand purse on the entryway table before advancing further into your sanctuary.

However, your steps seem to slow down while your stomach begins to churn unpleasantly as you heed to your instinct that vividly senses the eccentric, foreboding atmosphere. Thanks to the broad windows that allow the vibrant cityscape to illuminate your apartment, albeit dim, your eyes adjust to the surroundings as you survey for anything out of the ordinary.

The thought of an intruder in your apartment is simply preposterous when you know it yourself that you had both the door and balcony locked hours ago. Surely, this is your paranoid mind conjuring another ghastly thought that doesn’t help with your perturbation.

But when your gaze finally settles on a manly silhouette against the vibrant cityscape, maybe you were not being so paranoid after all. Still, despite the violent churns in your tummy, you intend to take feeble steps to get a better look at the intruder while your rationality beseeches you to grab something or do anything to defend yourself against the brooding danger.

The intruder is obviously a male, judging by his physique even when he seems to be clad in an all-black ensemble, and from his laid-back stance, he is leaning behind against the balustrade by the balcony with his arms crossed over his chest.

Not even two steps when the intruder decides to intervene as he leans away from the balustrade and saunters forward, allowing you the stark view of his veiled identity beneath the eerily familiar mask he adorns, to which your eyes widen in both sheer disbelief and alarmed. You’d recognise that red mask anywhere.

Your figure is transfixed on the spot while every fibre in your being is screaming at you to elude him, but it is as though his gaze behind the mask penetrates you, and even in the way he is deliberately stalking towards you. You ignore the way he tilts his head to one side that seems adorable.

“Missed me, my love?” His familiar voice sends you a jarring sensation that has your heart lurching in your chest. The pitch of his voice sounds deeper than the last time you heard him, and a sultry rasp is evident that is accompanied by a brewing ire, especially in the way he exudes such disconcerting danger.

You should be matching his ire, and maybe even greater than his since he intruded into your once-tranquil sanctuary, but it is completely absurd how, in the midst of this, you feel a palpable arousing desire that you haven’t felt so profound in a long time. 

This time, you know that it’s the influence of alcohol again. Oh, it is truly sickening, and you feel revolted at yourself, but maybe the wickedness in you has long since desired to be hunted and preyed on once more.

You open your mouth to speak, but it is as though you lost the ability to speak, unable to articulate your thoughts and feelings that are parallel in a torrent. It seems that he doesn’t feel satisfied with your lack of response as you finally take steps back, mapping the ways to elude him.

“I asked you a question, sweetheart.” He nearly growls out, and amidst the fear, your arousal seems to intensify. “Did you not miss me at all? Because I did, and I’ve missed you so dearly. How dare you leave me, my love?”

Instead of answering, you pivot on your heels and bolt for the main door, acting on your instinct, but the second you swing the door open, a startled yet frightful shriek leaves your lips when you come face-to-face with two ominous figures who adorn in familiar yet distinctive masks you dreadfully recognise.

“Where do you think you’re going, princess?” Even his voice behind that silver mask sounds deeper than you recall, and it is as though they’ve been through so much that accentuates in the way they sound and speak.

“Baby girl loves getting chased and tests our patience, like she usually did before.” His chuckles sound cold and harsh behind his black mask as he saunters towards you while you have long since backed away from your old predators, your mind mapping other ways to elude them. “It’s been long overdue, yeah? Let’s have a talk.”

You scoff, mustering the courage to display your long-established steely demeanour. “Oh, yeah. Let’s have a talk once I put all of you behind bars for your intrusion on my property.” Your aggressive retaliation takes them by little surprise, considering that they have been observing you as well as noticing the palpable change in you.

“Princess has gotten feistier.” He chuckles, but even you can discern how his patience is running thin in the way he sounds. He takes you by surprise as he takes a long stride forward in an attempt to reach for you, nearly growling out, “Come here.”

Of course, with your newfound vitality that incites from the adrenaline rush through you, now dashing for your room, completely determined to elude them despite the palpable yearning in your heart that adamantly desires to return to them.

Pushing open the door to your room, you shove yourself inside while your breathing is ragged from all the running ever since. Just before you can lock the door, a shriek leaves your lips when another intruding yet imposing figure towers over you, adorned in a familiar white mask.

You don’t even have the opportunity to recover when he seizes you in his possession, manoeuvring you and pinning you against the wall next to the door. His palm covers your mouth before you can scream, while the other seizes your bound wrists above your head.

“It’s been a long time, my beloved. Oh, how I’ve missed you so fucking much.” He lulls dangerously, tightening his grip on you while your pupils shake in fear as you stare at him with widened eyes, heeding to the ire that belies his longing. “Did you like the roses we bought for you?”

So it was from them. Even though you did like them, you refuse to admit it. You shake your head vehemently in response, earning you a disapproving tut from him. Your heart pumps harder as he closes the proximity between you two, his body heat is now in contact with yours.

“Liar. If you didn’t like them, you would’ve thrown them away, but you kept them instead.” He slowly removes his palm from your mouth, allowing you more capacity to regulate your harsh breathing. “Tell me that you’ve missed us, that you’ve missed me.”

You bite down your tongue, almost letting your true feelings that you thought you had them obliterated. Mustering the iciest glare you can, you penetrate your eyes into the eye sockets of his mask as you harshly utter, “I didn’t. Not one bit. Now leave, Heeseung─”

In a blink of an eye, Heeseung manoeuvres you again, and this time, you find yourself face-landing on the bed. You hear the door open, causing you to scramble on the bed as you finally gain a better view of your now-four predators encompassing your room, hindering you from any form of escape.

Their imposing figures that mingle with the thickening tension in the air suffocate you, and yet you can’t seem to stop your arousal from leaking from your throbbing clothed cunt. The hem of your dress hikes up way above your thighs as you attempt to crawl backwards, but a yelp emits from you when Heeseung grabs you by the ankles and pulls you towards them.

“We were going to play nice with you, but then you just had to be adorable and make things harder for us.” Heeseung’s voice holds dark promises that send you the pleasurable shivers, causing you to discreetly push your legs together in an attempt to stop the arousal, but it is futile.

“Bratty Princess needs to be taught a lesson.” Sunghoon drawls, and this time, your wrath is wholly eclipsed by the avid lust surging through you as you recall the last time you ever defied them.

Despite your steely, scowling demeanour, your heart races in anticipation, and your mind is dizzying from both the alcohol and the incessant need for them to reciprocate your darkest temptation. You squirm lightly under their penetrating gazes behind their masks that ooze with the familiar dark allure which the devilry in you desires most.

Oh, fuck, maybe you did miss them and their cocks.

Still, displaying your defiance towards them sounds as ever thrilling, and just for tonight, you decide to push aside whatever hurt and yearning in you that were caused by them. Tonight, you need to satiate your feverish lust that has long been neglected.

“What do you say, baby girl? Do you still want to play this the hard way, or do you want to talk?” Jay asks, the mockery dripping from his deep voice matches his imposing mask.

Of course, the answer is more than obvious to you. Supporting your upraised body with your elbows on the dipping mattress, a cold smirk plays on your lips while your sultry gaze is a silent yet powering invitation to them, as does your stark, revealing legs.

“You guys reek of desperation.” You scoff, still smirking, while you feign disgust with your eyes that do nothing to dispel the thickening heat in the air. “Seriously, fuck off─”

“So the hard way it is, then.” Heeseung deprives any more provocation from you as he hauls you up by the arm, nearly has you tumbling forward, but he steadies you as he cups your cheeks, forcing you to look into the dark, hollow sockets with widened eyes while you feel arousefully shaken by the depraved mockery by his mask’s visage alone. “Let’s make it a little fun, shall we? You’re going to try to escape from us, but if we catch you, we fuck you.”

With the persisting adrenaline rush in you, of course you are more than glad that things are now exciting in the most depraved way, but you refuse to give away your cooperation. After all, you had missed being a brat.

“No, fuck you! I’m going to report you for your intrusion.” You vehemently emphasise, and for a moment, you nearly deflate when your eyes flicker down at the necklace around his neck with a familiar ring resting on his chest, causing your heart to squeeze, but you quickly compose yourself before shoving him away from you with your every strength. “See your asses in jail.” You manage to splutter before bolting for the door and swinging it open.

It is odd how you hear none of their footsteps behind you when you expect them to chase after you. Nevertheless, you hasten forward, now heading for the door that grants you the freedom you feign seeking, but your rationality is beseeching you to actually escape.

As soon as you reach, your hand latches on the handle to push down and open, but it won’t budge at all. Huffing, you try for another time, only to receive an automated beeping sound from the smart padlock, bringing dread to you. You are locked from the inside out, and you have no idea how when this has never happened.

“My sweetheart can’t open the door?” Jake’s voice is laced with mockery, prompting you to turn around to see him leaning sideways against the wall of the end of the entryway with one hand tucked inside his pocket while the other holding his phone, to which your eyes narrow. Your suspicion is correct when he is the one responsible and manipulates your chance at escape. “I did a little modification on your smart padlock. Hope you don’t mind, lovely.”

Cursing under your breath, you resort to another plan, which is none, but you make a run from your predator anyway. You find yourself in the kitchen, which you actually never planned to, but just when you’re about to make an exit, a small shriek leaves your lips when Jake appears by the entrance of the kitchen, prompting you to back away.

“Do you know how adorable you look like this? Running away from me.” You ignore the fact that Jake’s breathy chuckles resurrect the butterflies in your tummy, your eyes darting to your surroundings while he continues to revel in the way you look so frantic. “Come on, now, sweetheart. Just surrender yourself to me, and we’ll make you feel good all night long.”

When your eyes settle on the kitchen knife, you grab it on instinct and just on time as he swiftly moves closer to you, feeling his body heat oozing to yours. With a cold snarl, you deftly manipulate your moves on him, now finding himself being pinned against the wall by you with your arm pressing on his chest while the other positions the sharp blade to his neck.

“Wow, sweetheart. I always knew you had it in you.” Jake chuckles again, completely undaunted by the fact that you are holding him dangerously at a knifepoint. “That’s why we’re the perfect match. How truly adorable you are, my dearest.”

“Stop talking and undo what you did to my door.” You coldly snarl at him, your eyes glaring heated into the hollow sockets of his mask. Honestly, you don’t have any malicious intent to harm, only wanting to give him a good scare, or at least you attempt to.

“This brings back memories, don’t you think?” Jake simply ignores your demand, his smirk widening behind the mask as he revels in the way you look attractively brazen with a lethal weapon in your grasp. “It would’ve been more perfect if you wore a ghostface mask. You’d look so fucking good─Fuck.” He groans, a sensual growl evident in the rumble of his chest when you intentionally press your thigh against his prominent bulge.

You scoff in disbelief while the corner of your lips twitches to a smirk that you hold back, revelling in the dominance you assert over him. “Are you seriously getting hard over this? You like it when I hold the knife to your neck, knowing that I could easily end you?”

“Fuck yeah.” Jake gasps lightly as he leans his head back against the wall, baring his exposed neck to you with his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down while he slowly grinds his bulge against your thigh, nearly whimpering out. “Please, sweetheart.”

“What are you pleading for? For me to cut your throat slowly while I fuck you?” Mockery drips your tone as he continues to grind on you. A part of you feels wickedly delighted that Jake is at your mercy, especially as he is evidently turned on by your derogatory remarks. “You like the idea, don’t you? Fucking nasty.”

“At least I’ll bleed to death happily with your pussy wrapped around my cock.” Jake chuckles breathily, his lips curving into a smirk at the deleterious yet salacious thought while his mind conjures up the erotic image that goes straight into his borderline-painful erection. 

“You really are pathetic and a psycho, do you know that?” You hiss, pressing the sharp blade into his skin, but careful enough not to tear it. “Even in the face of death, sex is all you can think about.”

“When it comes to you, then yeah. I’m only ever hard for you.” He rasps, his voice sounding deeper while you discern a certain yet palpable shift in the air. Your eyebrows furrow slightly when he halts grinding, followed by a sigh. “Alright, sweetheart, playtime’s over. It’s my turn now.”

Your face contorts into confusion while you unintentionally loosen your grip on the knife. “What─” A startled gasp leaves your lips as soon as he deftly does an uno reverse on the situation, now seizing control over you that prompts him to possess the knife while backing you up swiftly until you hit the countertop behind you.

Your breath hitches in your throat as you feel the sharp blade on the skin of your neck, prompting you to tilt your head up to look at him while your heart pounds harder against your chest. Rather than the expectant fear, the position only intensifies your arousal coupled with the fogging lust in your head.

“What are you waiting for? Do it.” You jab him with provocation, your eyes glinting with challenge as you dare him to tear your skin. He remains silent, but the knife remains on your neck. You decide to provoke him again, leaning your neck to press against the blade while a smirk smears across your lips. “Don’t deny it. Deep down, you know you’ve always wanted to. From that moment you chased after me and fucked me as ghostface.”

“You know me so well, lovely.” Jake hums as he drags the pointed tip down your skin tantalisingly slowly with purpose. You shudder lightly as the tip ghosts across the expanse of your exposed chest. “But as much as I’d love to see you bleed prettily for me, I don’t want your precious skin to scar other than my mark. Now remove your underwear, and don’t make me repeat it.”

Surprisingly, you comply, trying your utmost not to seem eager while he takes one step away to allow you space to remove your underwear before you let it drop to the floor.

“Sit on the counter.” Jake orders sternly again, and heeding obedience, your palms plant on the countertop to assist in pulling up your body weight. “Now spread your legs, baby.”

You bite down your lip as you slowly spread your legs apart while the hem of your dress bunches up, only to be taken by surprise when he stands in between your legs with his thumb stroking along your slick folds until he reaches your clit to rub lazy circles, eliciting a gasp from you.

“It looks like I’m not the only one getting turned on by this.” Jake scoffs lightly, his thumb doesn’t relent from rubbing your clit, stimulating the bundle of nerves while a breathy moan escapes you. “Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we?”

“Jaeyun.” A startled gasp leaves your lips while your heart nearly lurches in your chest when he presses the edge of the knife’s handle on your clit that throbs from the solid sensation. He slides down the handle along your slick folds before taking you by surprise when he slowly pushes the handle into your cunt. “J-Jaeyun!” Your hand latches on his shoulder as you feel a spark of fear within you.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? You weren’t so afraid earlier.” Jake teases you, but when his eyes flicker to yours, he halts his movement, with nearly half of the handle disappearing into your wet heat. He cups your cheek with his other palm, using his thumb to gently stroke your skin. “Relax, sweetheart. Don’t tense up. I won’t hurt you, you know that.”

Your heart melts upon hearing his gentle assurance, and you can’t resist falling for his charms as you place your hand on top of his, your eyes staring into the hollow sockets of his mask as you give him a nod that denotes a green light, to which he resumes his ministrations.

“Jae.” You moan, surrendering yourself to the sensation of your cunt being assaulted by the knife handle as you prompt your legs to spread wider for him, displaying your avidity in his hungry eyes as he watches how you’re taking it.

“That’s it, my girl. You’re doing so good.” Jake whispers amourously, bringing his two fingers to your mouth, to which you understand his intent as you open your mouth to stick your tongue out for him to collect your saliva before his slick fingers make their descent to your clit to rub it with skillful precision that has your cunt clenches around the handle. “Feels good?”

“So, so good.” You moan out your response, your hooded eyes fluttering open and close as you tilt your head up while moving your hips in tandem with the handle being thrust into your nearly weeping cunt.

Unbeknownst to you, another masked predator has been watching since the moment Jake fucked you with the knife handle, leaning sideways against the entryway of the kitchen with his arms folded. Behind the mask he adorned, his eyes darken as he drinks in the erotic display of you getting lost in the euphoria with your legs spread wide and your back arched that causes your erected nipples to be visible against the material of your dress.

Feeling a presence from behind him, Jake casts a brief glance over his shoulder to see his best friend without stopping the momentum. A smirk touches his lips, knowing that his best friend desires you vehemently.

“What are you standing there for?” Jake’s question draws your focus, and when you do, your eyes latch on the familiar silver mask as he stands across from you. Your cheeks go warm at the fact that Sunghoon has been watching you being shamelessly fucked by a mere knife handle. “You’re welcome to join. I’m sure our girl would love a set of fingers to stretch her.”

“Didn’t know princess was into this kind of stuff.” Sunghoon drawls as he saunters forward while you only feel a wave of anticipation for another to ruin you. “Like Jake said, I’m gonna stretch you good for you to take us later.”

A whimper leaves your lips as you feel the loss of the knife handle, causing your cunt to clench at the emptiness, but a gasp tears from your throat at the abrupt intrusion of Sunghoon’s cold, slender fingers plunging into you, replacing what was deprived of you.

“Hoon!” You moan loudly as his fingers thrust into you vigorously, yet it is a familiar momentum you had missed, prompting you to latch your hands onto his broad shoulders with your nails sinking into the material of his jacket.

“You’re soaking wet, princess.” Sunghoon grunts, increasing his pace as he fucks you with his fingers, eliciting a lewd sound from the slicks of your cunt that denotes your arousal. “So tight too. Should’ve fucked you sooner. How are you going to take us?”

But his remarks are drowned out by the sound of your moans that serenade to them, rendering them impatient as their erection is raging beneath the slacks. 

“Sweetheart is dripping.” Jake coos, joining Sunghoon as he decides to set the bundle of nerves aflame with his thumb rubbing your clit. The dual sensation from the two best friends sends you to the teetering edge of ecstasy.

“Fuck. Hoonie! Jae!” You whine, planting your palms beside you on the countertop as you move your hips sensually yet at the same tandem as their fingers. You can feel yourself on the brink of the need to release, your body tauts with tension alongside the knot coiling in your tummy, getting ready to hurtle yourself to the climax.

“I’m going to cum!” Just as you announce, they cruelly deprive you of the orgasm that is slowly ebbing away as they pull away from your throbbing cunt, eliciting a sob from you while tears prickle in your eyes.

“You didn’t think that we’d give you to cum so easily after abandoning us, did you?” Sunghoon scoffs, leaning forward to cradle your face to wipe a single tear running down your cheek. His palm rubs your thigh soothingly before grabbing it. “Wrap your legs around me, princess.” He murmurs, and you do so obediently with your arms hooking around his neck on instinct.

Sunghoon proceeds to carry you back to your room with his hands supporting your buttocks. You indulge your body that has been craving this intimacy with him as you hug him tighter and bury your face in the junction of his shoulder and neck. His familiar cologne is a soothing balm to your nerves.

As soon as Sunghoon enters your room, he sets you down on the bed, prompting you to unwrap yourself from him. With the streaks of moonlight filtering into your window, your eyes spot the shade of Heeseung’s hair that looks lighter, unlike his best friends.

Your attention is pulled by Sunghoon as you look at his imposing figure looming over yours by the edge of the bed. “Strip for us, princess.”

Overcome by a surge of defiance, you scoff, rolling your eyes at him as you remain unmoving from the bed. “No.”

“I said fucking strip. Don’t make me repeat it for another time unless you want a good spanking.” Sunghoon's assertive dominance sends an intoxicating wave to you that nearly suffocates you.

Feigning reluctance, you huff lightly, your fingers curling at the hem of your dress that is bunched up to your hips before you pull it up purposefully slowly, as though to taunt them. All the while, their eyes are in a hypnotic trance at every perfect contour of your nudity despite the lack of light in the room, feeling borderline ravenous as you finally toss aside your dress without breaking eye contact with them.

Then palpable tension in the air feels electrifying that mingles with your anticipation, garnering their attention to your spellbinding lascivious gaze that melds with the hatred while your futile effort to discreetly squeeze your thighs together to repress the incessant arousal in your wet core amuses them.

“Tie her.” Heeseung’s command staggers you, and every bit of your provocation towards them dissipates.

“Wait, what?” But your reaction delays as Sunghoon hovers on top of you, catching you off guard when he curls his fingers around your neck to pin you firmly to the mattress. “Sunghoon!” You gasp in disbelief, your hands latching on his arm to claw at him, but Jay manages to seize them and locks them in place above your head, only for you to feel him tying your wrists together.

As you continue to squirm underneath them with strings of curses leaving your lips, Sunghoon asserts his dominance again to tame you, his fingers around your neck tightening that elicits a strangled gasp from you, prompting you to look at him with widened eyes.

“Behave, princess.” Sunghoon nearly growls out, but instead of intimidation, you feel sensually aroused by his familiar rough treatment. “You’re already in deep trouble for daring to abandon us for a whole damn year.”

You don’t make any retort, having a keen sense that what you did have aggrieved them, and now what’s awaiting you is their depravity that is practically ravenous to devour you in any moment from now.

“What, no comebacks now?” Sunghoon asks mockingly, tilting his head in amused curiosity, whereas you merely glare at him despite his mask feeling imposing on your vulnerable figure, as do his fingers around your neck. “What happened to the bratty princess with a foul mouth?”

Before you can even retaliate, Jay’s voice cuts through the air. “Hoon, move.” He commands coldly, and Sunghoon reluctantly gets off from you, now leaving you entirely exposed under their ravenous gaze with your stark nudity on display.

“Care to tell us what’s this?” Jay inquires as he raises an alarmingly familiar pink equipment, or rather, rose vibrator, in his grasp, causing your cheeks to feel warmer in utter embarrassment.

“You snooped around my room!” You decide to mask your embarrassment by the sheer anger in your voice. “God! Don’t any of you have any decorum?!”

“Says the girl who owns a vibrator.” Jay retorts calmly, and you can sense the annoying smirk on his charming face. “So you didn’t manage to find anyone to fuck you good throughout the year, baby?”

You ignore the endearment again, scoffing. “I have needs, just like you guys do when you beat your meat, and who says I didn’t manage to find someone?”

It looks like none of them is obviously appreciative of your statement, even though you are merely taunting them, as evident in the way the tension becomes unbearably hot. The next thing you know, Jay brings down the functioning vibrator to your clit, sending you jolting shockwaves of pleasurable sensation through your body.

“Ungh! Fuck!” You moan loudly, your eyes rolling to the back with your neck arching, and your legs threatening to close due to the overpowering sensation from the vibrator as he set it on the highest level, but Jake and Sunghoon pin your legs on each side, preventing them from closing. “Please! It’s too much!”

“Too much? I recall a certain slutty princess wanting to cum earlier.” Sunghoon smirks, revelling in the way you are borderline ruined just by your own vibrator, to which Jay presses deeply onto your clit that is going ablaze. “So you’re going to cum for as many times as we want you too.”

It feels tortuous despite the persisting pleasure that derives from your clit area, which is nearly sensitive. With your binded wrists, you can only afford to squirm under their hold. A series of moans and cries leave your lips while your hips move with little resistance in an attempt to feel the vibrator deeply.

It isn’t long until you can feel it as your impending orgasm that is teetering at the precipice finally crashes down like tidal waves, releasing fluids as they gush out from your pulsating cunt that is ready to be stuffed full by their cocks.

“So fucking messy,” Jay tuts, deciding to show you a little mercy as he removes the vibrator from your now-sensitive clit, but he lands a slap on your slick folds before repeating for a few times, causing your hips to jolt up involuntarily at the impact. “And that’s only the first orgasm.”

As soon as Jake and Sunghoon unpin your legs, you close them instinctively and turn to one side as you bring your tied wrists to your chest, your mind fuzzing from the aftermath of that intense orgasm. You hear shuffles from them, probably clothes discarding, and the next thing you know, hands seize your legs to pull you down towards them, eliciting a yelp from you before they haul you up.

Your heart flutters at the close proximity between you and Jay as he holds you close to him, his fingers caressing your cheek tenderly feels deceptive, but nevertheless, you savour whatever bits of affection he gives before you feel a hand tugging you and beckoning you to him.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Jake’s voice sounds huskier than usual as he pulls you down with him, settling you on top of him and aiming his erection towards your cunt before he forces you to sink down on him.

Since it has been a year since you had proper sex, your cunt is forced to get accustomed to the sheer girth of his cock, your walls welcoming him tight while you moan brokenly by the remnants of resistance.

“Jaeyun.” You whimper as he grips your hips to move you in a bouncing motion for good measure before his arms envelope your body to pull you down with him as he lays on his back. You whine, imploring him to resume his thrust, but he remains unmoving until you feel another presence looming over your docile figure with his hand spreading your supple butt.

You nearly jolt at the abrupt sensation of the heavy girth of his cock smacking your ass repeatedly. “We’re going to fuck your holes at the same time, baby.” Jay says, his tone sounding smug, whereas you begin to panic as you recall the blistering pain the last time they fucked you in the ass.

“W-Wait! I don’t know if it’ll fit!” But your protest goes unheard as Jay slides his cock into your tight hole, tearing a broken gasp from you at the familiar sensation. Both Jy and Jake waste no time in thrusting their cocks into your holes, setting a pace that sends you reeling in both pain and pleasure that slowly surges through your body.

“Fuck, baby.” Jay groans, his head tilting up as he stands by the edge of the bed while gripping your hips for leverage, working in tandem with Jake with the sound of your skins slapping against each other due to the borderline vigorous pace they set in motion.

“Sweetheart’s still so tight even after all this while.” Jake rasps, lifting his head to press a kiss on your shoulder with his masked lips while he holds you by the plumpness of your butt cheeks as he thrusts into you. “Don’t worry. We’re always going to keep you full with our cocks.”

“That’s fucking right.” Jay grunts from behind you, delivering a brutal yet deliberate thrust that has your body jolting forward and staying completely still as he buries his cock deeply and dumps his cum into your anal. “You’re not going to leave us like that again.”

Their promises go unheard by you as you are too caught up in the delirium. “P-Please, more!” You plead in a sob, desperately moving your hips to meet Jake’s thrust while Jay remains buried in your anal.

“Greedy baby.” Jay coos, brushing your hair away from sticking to your face before tangling his fingers in your hair to grab it in a makeshift ponytail as you are forced to form an arched body. “Baby girl wants more, so fuck her harder, Jake.”

Jake complies, increasing the pace that elicits lewd sounds from your slicks of arousal. His once slow, deliberate thrust changes into one that has your eyes going white and mouth parted open with silent moans.

With Jake’s loose arms falling from your body, Jay grasps the opportunity to haul your body up before he deftly binds your arms together with the tie from behind you while Jake remains seizing control over your hips to meet his thrust, causing you to bounce on his cock.

“Jay.” You moan out as Jay amplifies your heightened pleasure with his fingers tweaking and pinching your sensitive nipples, occasionally palming your tits. With Jake’s thrust going relentlessly frenzied, your climax looming with an intensity that feels familiar, causing your cunt to clench and unclench around him.

“I’m going to cum inside you, sweetheart. Fill you full of my babies.” Jake’s voice is laden with lust and a hint of longing, while the pitch of your moans goes higher as he fucks you harder. “Yeah, you’d like that, don’t you? Our babies will look so beautiful.”

With one last thrust, you tumble over the edge of ecstasy with white-hot pleasure surges through you as you cream all over his now-lathered cock while he buries himself to the hilt, filling your womb with his babies just as he promised.

A weak moan leaves your lips, feeling the tantalising drag of Jake’s cock along your white-painted walls as Jay slowly lifts you up from him before he settles you on the bed, facing the ceiling. Your eyelids feel heavier as you grapple to bask in the aftermath of your second orgasm of the night.

But of course, your masked predators never finish with you. “Don’t lose yourself to sleep now, princess. We haven’t had our turns yet.” Sunghoon’s cocky voice diminishes the slumber that beckons you. “You haven’t even had your punishment yet.”

As soon as those words leave his lips, a painful smack on your smeared-cum folds causes you to jolt from the impact, eliciting more sobs from you as Sunghoon and Heeseung work in tandem to deliver your punishment. One slapping your nearly-reddened cunt while the other rubbing your sensitive clit with torturous precision.

“You dared to leave us when you promised to stay by our side.” Heeseung’s deep, sombre voice that carries an undercurrent of laden lust overpowers the sound of your sobs and moans, aligning the way he delivers wet slaps to your cunt. “A year without you─ Fuck,” He lands another slap that punctuates his deep ire while tears stream down your cheeks. “You were so cruel to abandon us, beloved.”

Your heart clenches at the noticeable crack in his tone. This time, you release a raw sob that unveils your poignancy, which you have kept hidden with other sentiments you repressed yourself for a year. But you remain silent, refusing to apologise when you know you did what you had to, despite the regret.

After what it feels like forever, your punishment ends with Heeseung soothing your abused folds with the gentle padding of his fingers while your breaths become laboured from the crying. You thought they would be gentle with you after the intense punishment, but Sunghoon proves you wrong when he hovers on top of you and slaps down his weighty cock on your wet folds before plunging into your cunt with one swift thrust.

“Hoon!” You gasp out, his hips pistoning harder and faster as he fucks into you with reckless abandon. Just like that, your arousal returns to your heated core. Your glazed eyes stare at him, hating how you can’t see the contortion in his charming face and his upper body still clad with the layers of his clothes, just like the others.

“Wrap your legs around me, princess.” Sunghoon grunts, halting his thrust while you take this signal to wrap your legs around his waist and your arms around his neck before he carefully carries you. As he holds you in the air, you try your utmost not to bounce on his cock, even though you are tempted too.

“We’re going to fuck your sweet cunt at the same time, princess.” Sunghoon tells you as he slowly settles you back on the bed, only for you to feel a warm body in contact with you from behind. “Fuck you full however long we want to.”

Your moans go straight to Jay and Jake’s twitching cocks as they watch you in fascination, their eyes transfixing on your pussy that is welcoming Heeseung while Sunghoon remains buried in you.

“Hee, Hoonie.” You whimper, needing them to fuck you into oblivion. “More, harder.” It is as though coherency leaves you from the moment they start to thrust into you potently, working well in tandem with one push and the other pulls before they exchange and repeat the motion.

“You were made for this, princess. Made to take our cocks.” Sunghoon growls, sending shivers down your spine while you feel helpless with tied arms behind you pressing against Heeseung’s stomach. “Everything about you is made for us.”

“Yes.” You moan out, your walls clenching around them elicits collective groans and moans from them before their thrusts become more fervent and punishing, bullying their cocks into your abused cunt, and yet you feel such longing in the way they hold you close.

“Never going to let you slip from my fingers again.” Heeseung says in between bated breaths next to your ear, his fingers descending to rub your clit and adding more to your building pleasure. “Gonna breed you until we’re satisfied.”

“Fucking breed you so you can’t escape from us.” Sunghoon mutters harshly, using his other hand to grab you by the neck, enough to apply pressure that accentuates his promises. “If you think you can run away with our babies in you, then you have another thing coming, princess.”

You moan weakly in response, focusing on the white-hot pleasure surges through your body while your impending climax is teetering once more. You can feel their cocks swelling in you, amplifying your overall pleasure.

“Yeah, baby, cum for us.” On Heeseung’s command, your cunt releases the gush of fluids as you squirt messily everywhere, causing your beeding to be completely drenched, with their cocks still thrusting into you while your body convulses between them.

“We got you, my love.” Heeseung’s voice is a velvet stroke in your ear, calming you down from your high that is accompanied by his hand stroking your bulging abdomen from their girth, their thrust unrelenting.

“Give us one more, princess. You can do it.” Sunghoon’s tone is akin to Heeseung, albeit stern but with a tinge of palpable gentleness that has you mewling, feeling moved by their words that have reignited your arousal tenfold and caused you to arch into their scorching touch while your cunt pulsates with each precise thrust that hurls you into a new height of ecstasy.

Getting lost in the heady mix of lust, moans, and sweats amidst your entwined body, you can feel your pleasure building to an unbearable crescendo that mingles with theirs, eliciting moans and grunts from the three of you, and the sensation getting more intense.

Finally, the knot in your tummy snaps as you surrender yourself to the pull of ecstasy, fluids gushing out for the third time as you squirt uncontrollably for them before they follow suit with primal roars as they bury their cocks to the hilt of your womb, keeping their words true as they seal you with their fate for the better or worse.

Following the aftermath of your fiery yet passionate encounter, you go slump on top of Heeseung while Sunghoon slowly withdraws his cock from your spent cunt with a sigh. After contemplating, Heeseung removes himself from you, eliciting a whimper from you at the sheer sensitivity.

You flutter your eyes close, resting momentarily while you slowly wrap your head around about what the fuck happened in just one night, and the night isn’t even over, especially for you. You feel full with their cum they had fiercely dumped into your womb, causing it to leak from your gaping cunt. You feel hands untying your restraint from behind, granting your aching arms the freedom they were deprived of as you rub them with a wince, leaving your lips.

When your eyes flicker to your masked men who are surrounding the bed, tension eventually brews, bringing the familiar wave of heat to you as you notice the way they seem to be focused on your cum-smeared cunt leaking down.

“Fuck me again, please.” You blurt out in a plea before you can stop yourself. With your hooded lustful eyes, you gaze at them sensually as you bite down your lip, your fingers finding their way to your cunt before you rub your sticky clit, enticing them in the way you arch in your own touch with your legs spread lewdly. “I want you. All of you.”

“You heard our girl. She wants all of us.” Heeseung tells his best friends, a soft smirk unfurling on his lips as he looks at them. “Let’s give her what she wants, and maybe even more.”

Things escalated more heatedly from that moment forth, your heightened libido matching theirs that you even cooperate well with them, despite the painful nostalgia it brings you back to the past, and it is absurd to you how the orgy that taints your once tranquil night feels natural. Of course it is. You have always fantasised for them to fuck you just exactly like this with their masks on.

“Fuck off, dude. You already dicked it in her. It’s my turn now.” Jay snarls at Jake, and you can only imagine the scowl on his face behind the mask. Yes, they are still wearing their mask, and miraculously, they are able to withstand the heat. You feel Jay’s possessive grip on the flesh of your bum, causing you to roll your eyes at their banter. “I’m not about to fuck her with your dick in her again.”

“Why? Afraid that you’ll get turned on by my dick instead of her pussy?” Jake retorts, grabbing his shaft to point aim at your anal that has been prepped by Sunghoon. “Nothing wrong with some bromance.”

“Either the two of you stop arguing and start fucking her, or I’ll do it instead.” Sunghoon voices out his annoyance that is accompanied by your whine of agreement. “Be grateful that you got both her pussy and ass. I got her mouth.”

“Better than nothing.” Heeseung sighs, watching as you unhinge your jaw for Sunghoon and welcome him when he slides his cock into your mouth. He can see the way your throat bulges each time Sunghoon fucks his cock deeper, eliciting gurgled and choked sounds from you in between moans from being fucked by Jay underneath you, whereas Jake uses your anal hole to fuck you fervently.

Feeling a little neglected, Heeseung steps forward and grabs your hand, to which you seem to understand his need, prompting your hand to latch on his cock that is completely erected before you finally fist him. Thankfully, with the strength of Jay and Jake supporting your body, you are able to satisfy Heeseung with how dexterous you are with your hand.

With the four men being occupied by your every hole and touch, there is a twisted symphony of dominance and submission that mingles with their carnal lust. Their affectionate praise and derogatory enunciating to you intensifies your heightened libido, while your depravity desires for them to corrupt you with their intoxication it had dearly missed.

“Fuck, baby, you’re squeezing me. You’re going to cum, yeah?” Jay rasps, gripping the flesh of your bum with his nails, causing indents to your skin as he presses them, his thrusts remaining vigorous as though he intends to obliterate you. “You always get so fucking wet. Squirt for me again.”

And you do, your screams and moans being muffled by Sunghoon’s shaft as he fucks you deeply until he reaches your throat, using you like his fleshlight. Your orgasm crashes down on you for the ninth time, your cunt spasming around Jay as you squirt profusely, while at the same time, Heeseung’s cock is spurting with his cum, making a mess all over your hand.

Jake, who has been trying to attain his orgasm, feels frustrated by the fact that your anal hole does nothing to help him, and so he withdraws from your now-gaping hole, only to shove his thick girth into your cunt that remains squirting.

“Dude!” Jay groans, throwing his head to the back in frustration while you gasp at the abrupt intrusion that sends your already-stretched cunt a blistering pain. “I just told you─”

“Shut up. Either her pussy or your virgin hole.” Jake snaps, groaning at the sensation of your walls vacuuming him. “Don’t fucking test me.”

“Damn. Are you sure you’re not gay?” Sunghoon manages to make a wit despite approaching his climax as he uses your mouth like the way he uses your pussy, causing you to roll your eyes to the back. 

Jake scoffs, unfazed by the question, before he rams his cock into you harder while you feel him hitting your cervix deliciously, which sends you into a new blissful euphoria. “I don’t fucking care. As long as there’s a hole, I’ll fuck into it.”

It isn’t long until Sunghoon has finally dumped his cum into your throat, forcing you to swallow every drop before he withdraws from you. Your breathing is ragged, with your chest heaving up and down from every exertion. A breathy moan escapes you as Jay and Jake get frenzied in the way they fuck your weeping cunt.

“Can we─” You pause as soon as Heeseung replaces Sunghoon, standing in front of you with his cock going erect once more. You whine as he teases you with the head of his cock, giving you a light slap on the corner of your lips. “Can we take a break after this?”

“My beloved, I don’t think you understand what you’ve just started.” Heeseung says softly, his fingers brushing away your strands from your sticky face, and his gesture is a deception you recognise. “We’re going all the way, no stopping. It’s what you get after leaving us.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Before the daybreak dawns, you have already expeditiously prepared for your departure once more, albeit it isn’t permanent as your purpose is solely to avoid them for as long as you can, especially after what happened a few hours ago before all of you finally passed out in your room.

Hence, the reason why they wake up to find you nowhere in your own apartment, having been aroused by an odd feeling of stark coldness before realising that it derives from your sudden absence. Instinctively, they panic at the thought of you abandoning them once more, and their devastation returns when one of them spots a pink sticky note on the coffee table.

‘Surely, you guys know the way out the same way you got in without invitation. Since you got what you wanted last night, stay away from me this time, and I mean it.’

The devastation is eclipsed by resentment, wondering what went wrong when last night was nothing but pure bliss with you, which they haven’t felt in a long time, so they can’t understand why and how your mind that is filled with such complexity works.

“We should stay until she gets back.” Jake suggests, his eyes glinting with hope as he stares at his gloomy best friends. “She can’t stay outside all day till night time.”

“She’s changed, Jake, so yes, she can. We can’t underestimate her.” Heeseung heaves a sigh, masking his disappointment as he doesn’t wish for them to see his weak moment. “We should leave, and Jake, undo the hack shit you did to her door.”

“Let’s give her some time to think.” Jay voices out his opinion despite feeling displeased with himself. “We’ll come back for her in a few days or so. She can’t avoid us forever.”

“I don’t want her to hate us anymore.” Sunghoon murmurs, his demeanour turning crestfallen, a rare display. “I can’t afford to lose her—Ah, fuck it. I’m not going to lose her. I’ll lock her up somewhere if I have to.”

“We all can’t afford to lose her, Hoon.” Heeseung says, wearing a grim countenance. “We’ll be damned if we ever do, which is why we must fix what we broke properly this time.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Despite their differences, their unwavering devotion to you is something that they have in common, which derives from the feelings they have always harboured for you, even after you departed from their lives. Feelings that are beyond platonic as well as the affection that is only reserved for you, and no matter their prominent Casanova reputation in the past, no one has ever made them feel so deeply until you.

Sure, it started out as infatuation that stemmed from their preying on you in order to corrupt you, but eventually that infatuation turns something so profound and darker that passed beyond the borderline of obsession, and unbeknownst to you, you made them far more dangerous than they originally were before.

They would have killed for you if you had asked them to. They would have done anything for you, anything, no matter the price. All they wanted was for you to stay by their side until the end. Hence, after learning of your departure, it drove them to the brink of their sanity, just stark madness.

It was even worse when they didn’t find out directly from you but from their trusted apprentices, also known as the now-leaders of Devil’s Knights. It was indeed an upheaval night of rage and betrayal.

--------

“Jungwon, you might want to rethink this. It isn’t too late to back out.” Riki murmured lowly to his best friend, whose eyes hardened with such resolve as they stared straight ahead at specific individuals. “This is definitely a bad idea.”

It had been only a day since you left, but Jungwon felt terribly awful for the now-ex leaders upon seeing how the long distance they forced themselves to establish in order to give you space disheartened their spirits and the fact that they had no knowledge of your planned departure. Jungwon felt that it wasn’t right to keep them in the dark any longer, and he doubted that they wouldn’t ever find out about you.

“If they ever plan to kill us after this, trust me when I say that I’ll be doing them a favour by killing you first instead.” Sunoo whispered hotly to Jungwon, his foxy-like eyes glaring into Jungwon’s face, seeming to amuse two of the leaders ahead while the other two maintained austere demeanours. Sunoo continued to express his annoyance to his best friend. “Seriously, do you even realise that you’re asking for a death wish by coming here?”

Jungwon only grimaced in response, but he did reevaluate on this matter several times for the past days, and he came to a conclusion that they must be alerted about this matter post haste, never mind the fact that he might be skinned alive. Sunoo and Riki had implored him even before they came to the palace, and both of them vehemently intended to keep their words, which they had promised you. They might be as detrimental as the leaders, but they were a man of their words.

“You said you got news to tell us, so don’t keep us waiting.” The three of them flinched at the Sunghoon’s flinty tone, prompting them to cease whatever they were doing as they diverted their attention to him.

Jungwon discreetly clenched his fist, swallowing down a lump in his throat while mentally preparing himself, his sharp eyes betraying none of the turmoil within. “It’s about Y/N.” He starts off, his voice coming out strong. “We came over to her place and told her everything.”

“What was her response? Has she decided to forgive and return to us?” Heeseung raised his eyebrow inquisitively, his stance displaying an avid interest while his eyes flickered with longing that made the Jungwon inwardly wince.

“Not exactly, but we brought Beomgyu to her, and as expected, the bastard didn’t apologise to her.” Sunoo answers for Jungwon, masking his nervousness with his usual quirk, his lips forming a crooked smile. “She punched him after he insulted her.”

“That’s our girl.” Sunghoon’s tone was filled with such pride and affection for you, his lips curving into a smirk as he imagined how good you punched Beomgyu.

Jay, who had been silently studying their body language and examining the contortion in their faces with penetrating eyes, was acutely aware that the three of them were hiding something from them, especially after knowing them for years. 

“You’re hiding something.” Jay’s stern statement seemed to intensify the foreboding atmosphere in the living room. His dour countenance shaken them inwardly. “Fess up, or you won’t be allowed to leave.”

Sunoo and Riki exchanged wary glances before they looked at Jungwon, whose demeanour remained unchanged, and they knew that there was no changing his mind.

“Y/N isn’t here anymore. She left Seoul yesterday.” Jungwon finally revealed the truth, his eyes carefully examining the expressions plastered on their faces. “

“What do you mean she left Seoul?” Heeseung re-emphasised the question rather slowly, but they could sense the danger lurking beneath his treading words.

“I meant, she left Seoul permanently. She won’t be coming back.” Jungwon elaborated, nearly rambling as the tension was palpable. “I just thought of telling you this before any of you decided to go over to her house─”

“And you thought it was a good fucking idea to tell us now?!” The three of them were caught off guard by Jake’s raging outburst, and they knew that they were fucked up because Jake had never shown and directed his wrath towards them for as long as they could recall.

“Wait! We can explain!” Just as Sunoo intended to plead, Jake marches over in an attempt to lunge for Jungwon and give him a good punch in the face, but Jay immediately stepped forward and grabbed Jake before things could turn into a nasty brawl.

Despite brimming the same ire, Jay remained composed, a muscle pulsing in his jaw as he held Jake back while the latter was seeing red. “Calm down! Punching Jungwon or any of them isn’t going to do anything, let alone bring her back!” Jay barked at Jake, who easily broke free from his deadly clutch.

“But they kept this from us when they should’ve told us straight away! And now she’s gone!” Jake is practically seething, veins protruding in his neck and eyes glaring heatedly that could probably make anyone outside of their circle wet their pants. His knuckles are painted white by how tight he is clenching his fist, mastering self-control when he catches Heeseung’s stern eyes, a silent message for him to restrain himself.

“I agree with Jake.” Sunghoon adds in, his tone remaining impassive, but the emotions in his eyes are storming with both anger and devastation at the revelation. His eyes hardened. “The three of you already know how important she is to us, and yet you didn’t bother to let us know earlier. You fucking idiots.”

“In our defence, we were simply respecting Y/N’s wish! We even gave our word to her!” Sunoo retorted, his once-witty disposition molten by vehemence defensiveness, subtly moving forward to embody a barrier between Jake and Jungwon. “She even pleaded with us, as she didn’t want any of you to know.”

“She knew that you wouldn’t allow her to leave.” Riki added, his dark eyes conveying a knowingness to them. He clenched his jaw, feeling a surge of protectiveness to defend in your honour. “I respect you as my leaders and friends, but don’t you dare blame her for her decision to leave. She deserved better after what happened.”

“You damn right, we wouldn’t have allowed her to leave.” Jake snarls coldly at them, his eyes blazing with intense conviction. “Now tell us. Where did she go?”

“We can’t tell you.” Sunoo’s answer only seems to fuel Jake’s rage, prompting Jay to curb the latter as he embodies a barrier between them.

“What the fuck do you mean by that?!” Jake gritted his teeth, his outburst earning him a brief glare from Jay, which he merely ignored.

“We can’t tell you, because we genuinely have no idea where she decided to go.” Riki said, his tone sounding eerily calm, as does his demeanour, while his eyes displaying stark sincerity. “Again, she knew that if she had told us, you would force the answer out of us.”

Jungwon heaved a sigh as he stepped out of Sunoo’s shadow, having had enough of this prolonged confrontation and tantrum. “But she did mention that it was where she had always dreamed of travelling to.”

“As if that information would help us.” Jake scoffed, and despite his rage, they could see the devastation racking through him from the devastating revelation of your departure. “You know what? Fuck this, and fuck you. I’ll just find her myself.”

“Jake, wait─” Heeseung called out for Jake, but the latter was too caught up with the tempestuous emotions within him as he grabbed his coat from the armchair before storming his way out of the living room.

“The three of you could’ve tried stopping her.” Sunghoon uttered, a sombre casting shadow across his features. “Then maybe she would’ve changed her mind about leaving.”

“I don’t think it would make any difference.” Sunoo shook his head, his lips pressing together thinly while a fleeting melancholy flickered in his gaze. “Even if she already knew the truth from us, there was nothing that could change her mind about leaving.”

“I’m sorry.” Jungwon muttered, his eyes turning crestfallen as he looked at the three now-ex leaders before locking eyes with Jay, whose eyes hardened with emotions he couldn’t fathom. “We’re sorry for not trying harder to convince her to stay.”

Jay looked away from them with a clenched jaw. “Yeah, I’m sorry too.”

--------

From that moment forth, things were never the same. Living in the palace felt daunting to them without your presence that used to enliven the dull, imposing palace. Their once-unbreakable comradeship between each other had palpable tension, and there were moments where they blamed each other for your departure, pointing blame at one another’s flaws they made towards you in all of the times they had treated you.

But at the end of the day, they knew their own selves were to blame. After the revelation from the three new leaders, days bled into agonising weeks, and before they knew it, two months had passed and they knew that life must go on, even without you by their side.

Despite being utterly devastated by your departure, to which each of them struggled and coped differently, they decided to push aside their ego and cooperate with one another to devise a plan, which was to learn of your current location first before proceeding to another stage.

A sense of normalcy befell the four best friends as they tried everything in their power to find you, and even Jake tried to track you down by recalling the tracker he actually had chipped in your phone, but his hope was crushed when he couldn’t detect your location as you had changed your phone and contact.

They did have some thoughts about going over to your parents and asking about you, but they couldn’t face your mother after her infidelity involving their fathers, so they held some grudges against her. Hence, they coerced Sunoo, Jungwon, and Riki to ask your parents instead, to which they, of course, begrudgingly did, only to receive disappointment by the fact that your parents had no idea either.

It hurt them as you seemed to have carefully planned this that not even your parents knew about which state you went to, because did you hate them that much?

Afterwards, their motivation deteriorated, and they proceeded on with their lives as they also needed to focus on their careers in respective fields in relation to their degrees.

Seven long months have passed, but their longing for you only intensified in the most excruciating way, and it was killing them more than it should despite their miraculous ability to simulate a coequal facade that displayed their cold detachment in front of the others except towards each other.

There were moments when they wanted to give up and cease mapping possibilities of where you might be, until their hope rekindled.

--------

“Hold the fuck up. You mean to tell us that after seven months, you finally remembered the one crucial detail of her that we could’ve used to our advantage back then?” Jake nearly growled out, his dark eyes glaring into Sunghoon's, whereas the male was completely undeterred by the fact that he could be in the path of his best friend’s wrath.

“Don’t put the blame on me. I had many things going on in my mind back then.” Sunghoon defended himself, shooting him a scowl as he remained leisurely seated on the couch. “Besides, it’s only a maybe. We’re not even sure if she really went to Milan, so we can’t make any rash decisions right now.”

“Sunghoon’s right.” Heeseung concurred, earning him a glare of disbelief from Jake, to which Heeseung reciprocated with a pointed look. “As much as I want her back, we need to think rationally, Jake. We have already established our careers here, and we can’t toss all of our hard work away just like that.”

“We can just utilise our annual leaves or even unpaid leaves, I don’t care. I’d rather take the risk than to wait around here any longer,” Jake retorted vehemently, his resolution blazing in his eyes. “This is our Y/N we’re talking about. She’s the─” He paused, nearly whimpering as he looked away from their eyes. “She’s the love of my life.”

There was a shift in the air, evoking such poignancy from them as they went silent for a brief moment. Jay eyed his best friends, hating how uncharacteristically dejected they looked once again, and so he knew what he must do, thanks to Sunghoon.

“Who are you texting?” Heeseung inquired, watching Jay with calculated eyes as the latter was focused on his phone.

“My cousin. He lives in Milan. Thanks to Sunghoon, we have a lead, and at least it’s better than nothing.” Jay said while his fingers were working their way on the phone screen as he got immersed in texting his cousin from his father’s side. “He’s online, by the way. Since he has resources and connections, he is more than willing to help us out, so all we have to do now is wait.”

“Wait?” Jake scoffed in disbelief, his patience running dangerously thinly, as evident in his countenance. “There is no more waiting! Tell your cousin to speed up, or is he too incompetent─”

“Jake.” Heeseung snapped coldly, his tone reverberating throughout the living room, and they knew that he meant business. “Enough of your shit. You need to blow off some steam.”

“I second that.” Sunghoon feigned coughing, to which Jake cast a withering glare before he finally took off with Heeseung’s advice.

Not even moments later when Jay’s phone rang, garnering their attention to him as he quickly answered an incoming call from a certain cousin. Jay raised his finger at them, pressing his phone against his ear as he moved away from them while they resumed minding their business in the living room, assuming that Jay was on a call with someone else.

It took Jay awhile before he finally returned to Heeseung and Sunghoon with the look on his face earning inquisitive eyebrows raised from both.

“You look a little too happy. Why? Your daddy finally promoted you to take over his business?” Sunghoon’s tone dripping with mockery went under-appreciated by Jay, as the latter was too preoccupied by the hope that bloomed pleasantly in his chest.

“I was on a call with my cousin.” Jay revealed, which piqued their full interest, leaning their bodies slightly forward. A smirk touched Jay’s lips while his eyes darkened with a familiar danger. “Well, it looks like our angel is right where we thought she would be.”

--------

Frankly, Jay assumed that the chances of his cousin tracking your precise location in Milan were low, but much to his delightful surprise, his cousin turned out to be your acquaintance, and yet the thought of another male, even if he was his cousin, displeased him greatly.

Nevertheless, the universe seemed to be working in their favour at the time, so after settling their respective businesses in regards to their careers, to which they found their solution, they finally embarked on a new journey as well, and their only shared goal is to get you back, no matter what it takes.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Two days granted you less than expected for you to ruminate over the licentious encounter you had with them, the ones you thought you could escape from. The rational part of you has been incessantly rebuking you for betraying your resolution, which you thought was adamantine, but your depravity is satiated with their compulsive intoxication that felt like it breathed you to life.

The erotic recollection precipitously surfaces in your mind, prompting you to drink your smoothie aggressively while warmth weaves across your cheeks. Oh, yeah, you enjoyed it more than you should. You would never admit this to them, but they fucked you better than the last time they did, and you know that it has something to do with one of your twisted fantasies of being fucked by masked men.

Shaking your head at the recollection, you proceed to exit the washroom and head back to your table where your best friends are seated for refreshments in the cafe after an hour or so of you accompanying them to shop.

Although you have regained your full vitality, you occasionally limp whenever you walk—well, more like you feel your knees buckling underneath you before you quickly steady yourself. If your best friends have noticed it, then they are doing a great job at closing both eyes to it.

As you slide over to your seat, you pretend to be engrossed in their conversation while your mind drifts off to them, and questions begin to linger in your head, including their sudden yet mysterious detachment.

Though you are thankful that they weren’t outside and inside of your apartment, you can’t help but be curious, wondering if they finally decided to leave you alone for good after the note you left for them to read or if they are busy with their other pursuits, such as careers. Surely, they should already have landed their respective careers despite wielding immense wealth that could probably last for generations.

You ignore the growing ache in your chest, refusing to acknowledge the familiar longing for them. This is exactly what you wanted — for them to leave you for good, but needles seem to be endlessly piercing through your bleeding heart, and the only way to stop this unabating maelstrom within you is to curb your ego and admit to yourself that you still want them.

You clench your fist that is resting on your thigh, embittered by the fact that you are once again thrown into a dilemma with your emotions tangled in a web. When your eyes shift to your best friends, something pulls at the strings in your heart as you dispiritedly wonder whether or not they will be revolted at you like they once were if you vent out your repressing feelings to them.

“Y/N, a penny for your thoughts?” Jennifer’s voice breaks through the rumination you are in, pulling you back into the bleak reality. Your eyes lock with Jennifer, who is sitting across from you and whose eyes show genuine concern. “You keep spacing out, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so stressed since─” She pauses, grimacing as she doesn’t wish to trigger you. “Well, you know.”

You bite down your lip, your eyes shifting elsewhere other than their curious yet concerned eyes, contemplating whether to let them know, but you trust them and no doubt that they will support you.

A sigh leaves your lips. “Something happened two nights ago.” And so you begin to unravel every piece, not missing out any details while they surprisingly listen without interrupting you, and just as you expect, genuine shock that laces the anger is written across their features, whereas Jennifes doesn’t look as shocked, almost as if she knows something, but you brush it off.

Of course, you also include the fact that you slept with them, but not into depth, and by that, you mean the part where you actually have a twisted fantasy about getting fucked by masked men. You don’t want to potentially aggravate the situation, especially when they look a little less appalled.

As soon as you finish, you clasp your hands together on the table as you look down, unable to muster the courage to look at the possible revulsion on their countenance, just as you feel towards yourself. So much for betraying your own resolve.

“You girls probably hate me for going against my word.” You mutter, your eyes hardening as your mind is once again your enemy, rebuking you incessantly. “I know I can’t blame the alcohol entirely.”

“We don’t hate you, Y/N.” Wonyoung, who has been sitting next to you, reaches out to grab your slightly trembling cold hand in her grasp, prompting you to lift your head up slowly to meet her kind eyes. “If you think that we’re going to condemn and shame you, then you’re wrong. I mean, yes, we’re shocked and in disbelief that they somehow managed to find you here, but honestly, our feelings don’t matter. I think I can say for Karina and Jen that we no longer give a damn about the ex-leaders.”

“Plus, we’ve already known that they were not entirely responsible for what happened a year ago.” Karina seems to be treading with her words carefully as she examines your face. “Wony’s right. Our feelings don’t matter when it comes to this, but what matters most is your feelings. You told us the details, but you never really told us about how you’re feeling.”

You can feel every bit of your once steely resolve crumbling as you so desperately cling onto those bits. “I don’t know what to feel. All my emotions are going haywire.” You tell them sincerely, your eyes turning crestfallen. “I know I said that I wanted to wipe the slate clean and never looked back to my past, but now that they’re here, I don’t know what to do.” You continue to pour out bits of your pent-up emotions, your face appearing in such distress as you run your fingers through your hair. “What if they come back again? Should I pretend to ignore their existence? Should I hurt them with words?”

The three ladies exchange meaningful glances before Jennifer takes initiative as she leans her body forward with heedful attention, her stern yet kind eyes ensnaring you. “We’re in no position to tell you what to do, but we can only advise you to follow your heart’s desires.”

“But I can’t. I don’t want to.” You say, frustration bubbling within you while devastation storms in your gaze. “If I follow what my heart desires, then I’ll be betraying my own promises, and I don’t want any toxicity in my new life here. I’ve had enough of that. I deserve better.”

“Yes, you deserve so much better, but Y/N,” Karina pauses, her hesitation is obvious in the way she looks at you. “Do you still love them?”

The one mistake you make is the fact that you hesitate as soon as the question leaves her lips. After a couple beats of silence, you decide to respond, but the tremor in your voice is palpable. “No, I don’t. I stopped loving them after what happened.”

“A year later, and you still suck at lying.” Jennifer points out rather amusingly. “I love you, but you gotta stop being in denial.”

“I’m not in denial.” You retort vehemently, shooting her a scowl. “I meant what I said. I don’t love them.”

“And I’m getting married, so we’re both liars, then.” Wonyoung remarks, raising an eyebrow at you. “We’re not buying any of your words, Y/N.”

“Come on. Just admit it.” Karina presses, and you can feel the last of your patience stretching so thinly. “Why are you so afraid of admitting it?”

Alas, something inside of you finally snaps, your eyes going ablaze with unrestrained vehemence of ire that blends with the sheer vulnerability, taking them by surprise. “Fine, you want to know why I’m so afraid? It’s because if I admit it, then it’ll be the end of me, and I can’t allow that to happen.” Your voice shakes palpably with a torrent of emotions. “I lost myself once, all because I was so desperate and foolishly hoping for them to reciprocate what I felt for them. I refuse to lose myself for another time.”

Jennifer’s eyes soften. “Y/N─”

You shake your head at her, looking away from them as you quickly blink the accumulating tears that glisten in your eyes. “I don’t want to love again, which is why I’ve told you girls that I had no interest in dating. I’ll only hurt myself by my own expectations.”

“We’re sorry, Y/N.” Karina tells you sincerely, her tone sounding apologetic. “We knew how much they meant to you.”

Wonyoung reaches out to squeeze your shoulder in a comforting support. “We respect your decision in whatever you choose to do. Just do what you think is right and best for you.”

Jennifer offers you a small smile that seems to temporarily ease your nerves. “We’re here to support you, Y/N, even if you choose to return to them.”

“Thank you, girls, really.” You cast them a faint smile, feeling a tad overwhelmed by their reaffirmation support. A sigh leaves your lips before the familiar steel of resolve returns to your demeanour as you finally align with your rationality. “Now I know what to do next.”

Even if it means breaking your own heart that remains beating in a familiar longing cadence for them.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

After sending Karina and Wonyoung back to their hotel apartment, Jennifer, who thankfully is the only one in your circle to pass her driver’s license, drives you back to yours, as she has already told you beforehand that she intended to have a sleepover at your crib after so long.

Plus, it is a great opportunity for you to desist from ruminating in your dilemma since Jennifer has generously bought two finest bottles of wine, which you were shocked to learn about the prices, but nevertheless, Jennifer wasn’t deterred in the slightest. Perks of being a nepo baby, you think.

“So, I was thinking that maybe we could watch gossip girls, and yes, I know I’ve watched it before, but you haven’t,” Jennifer continues to blabber, even as you two board the elevator to head to your floor, for which you are grateful as you feel the last of your fraying nerves ebbing away.

It isn’t long when the two of you finally reach the floor of your apartment, but as you are nearing your unit, your steps feel heavier in a trice and dreadful turmoil within you, to which you have no idea why. With your slightly trembling hand, you search for the key card in your purse while Jennifer is in the middle of texting on her phone, completely oblivious to the mounting tension in the air.

You nearly fumble with tapping the key card on the smart lock, earning you an inquisitive eyebrow raised from Jennifer as her attention shifts from her phone, to which you simply ignore as you slowly push down the handle, allowing Jennifer to enter first.

“First things first, I’m feeling hungry, so I’m ordering food.” Jennifer says as she busily removes her heels to place them in the shoe compartment before grabbing for the house shoes, which you bought a few extra in case there are visitors. She casts a questioning look over her shoulder as you switch the buttons on, prompting illumination to cast a glow in your apartment before the two of you advance further. “Do you want any?”

Just as you intend to give her your answer, Jennifer stops dead in her tracks, looking genuinely staggered while her eyes are staring straight ahead, compelling you to shift your attention to the same axis as hers, and just like that, you completely understand why there is a persistent turmoil within you.

Although you feel a tad staggered, annoyance and anger seize over you, as evident in the way your icy eyes are glaring, because in your line of sight are the very individuals whom you thought had departed from your life after not seeing them for two days.

“Oh, um, I’m just gonna─” It painfully astounds you to see Jennifer being out of her assertive element as you hear a distinct crack in her voice and the way she casts you a look with a small smile that looks awful-like a grimace. “I’ll see myself in the guest room while you─er─” She gestures her hand in a moving motion between you and them.

Upon receiving a deadly silence emanating from your brooding figure, Jennifer barrels in the direction of the guest room, her legs a guiding memory, now leaving you alone with them.

As the frigid silence persists that weighs heavily in the air, you take this moment to study their stark appearance under these illuminations, which you didn’t have the chance to two nights ago with the exception of two of them whom you had seen at the Milan fashion week, and as you do, you can feel your heart breaking bit by bit that is taking its splintering effect on your steely resolve. 

Jake, who is nearest to you, captures your initial attention, and in the way his body language seems to insinuate his self-restraint in laying a hold of you since he is just within an arm's reach if he takes another step. His raven locks look trimmed but are still familiarly irresistible, to which your fingers are itching to run through them. You can feel the strings in your heart pulling painfully as you notice how he seems to have lost weight on his face as well as his eyes that were once gleaming with wonted mirth and mischief have lost their sparks.

Sunghoon is standing by the balcony with his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans, his posture displaying such nonchalance that parallels his dour countenance, but even you can discern the familiar longing in his eyes amplified at the moment your eyes lock with his, betraying his impassiveness. His raven strands fall over his thick brows, tempting you to brush them away like you once did. As your eyes roam around his features to scrutinise, you wonder when was the last time he ever smiled genuinely.

A few distance away, Jay’s figure seems imposing as he stands directly across from you with his lower back leaning against the couch’s armrest and one hand tucked inside the pocket of his jacket. His sharp flinty eyes compel you, locking you in place with his sharp flinty eyes, but you can see that his wintry facade melts, causing his features to soften with a familiar tenderness reserved only for you. 

When your eyes flicker over to Heeseung, who is leaning behind against the wall next to the balcony with his arms folded across his chest, your heart that has been beating in a familiar cadence seems to amplify. His mere presence is enough to dominate the entire room while his silence is resounding. His hair is in the gorgeous shade of pink, and he looks amazing, tempting you to run your fingers through his locks. Like a siren’s serenade, he easily ensnares you with his eyes that hold unfathomable emotions.

They look devastatingly as handsome as they were, maybe even more, but there is a certain ambience they exude that corresponds to one another.

Sensing a gradual shift in your demeanour, you strengthen the walls you built to protect your mended heart that coarsen a callousness in your facade, refusing for them to allow just the slightest glimpse of your vulnerability that derives from the feelings your weeping heart still harbours.

You adopt an intimidating stance, your arms folded below your chest while your eyes hold a glaring detachment, displaying your unbending resolution, which is to drive them away from your life for good.

“I thought I made it clear in that note when I told you to stay away from me.” You start off, your flinty tone sounds awfully foreign to them, just as you look at them now, and they hate it. “You already got what you wanted two nights ago, so what do you want from me?”

“Don’t you still get it? We want you.” Jay speaks for his best friends, but even the determination coming out strong in the way he enunciates their correlative intention is not resonating enough to coax your tenacity.

You click your tongue in annoyance, your icily glaring eyes are in sheer disbelief. “If that’s what you came here for, then you’ve just wasted your time.”

“Why are you being like this?” Jake voices out, drawing your attention to his eyes that glisten with emotions despite his composure while your heart clenches in return. “Please, sweetheart, we want you to return to us. That’s all we want.”

“Bolt of you to assume that I would return to you.” You scoff, rolling your eyes as you maintain your established resolve that is teetering dangerously. “You can’t just waltz back into my life after what happened.”

“We didn’t stop searching for you after you left, even when we thought there would be no hope.” Heeseung says quietly, but the gravity in his tone resonates with you, prompting you to meet his dark intent eyes. “We went through lengths just to get to where you were. We came to Milan solely for you.”

“Well, that’s on you, then. I didn’t ask for you to do all of that.” There is a certain edge in your tone, adding to the rising tension that is nearly palpable between you and them. “I didn’t even ask for you to search for me when the whole purpose was to get away from the very place that brought me misery.”

“You’re right, but for you, we would do anything. You should’ve known this, princess.” Sunghoon leans away from the balcony to saunter forward as he looks at you sternly. “We would do anything to get you back.”

This time, you fail to restrain your brewing ire, your arms falling to your sides as you clench a fist. “Do I look like I want to return to any of you?” You ask rhetorically with a derisive chuckle leaving your lips. “If you’re here to force me to accept you back, then I suggest you leave now. Don’t─” You pause, swallowing a painful lump in your throat as you muster the courage before forcing your voice with conviction. “Don’t make me hate you more than I already do. So please, leave.”

“I don’t understand you, Y/N.” Sunghoon displays his frustration towards you, his eyes hardening. “A year ago, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Riki already explained to you the truth, so what more do you want in order for you to return─”

Something inside of you finally snaps. “What I want is for you to fucking leave!” You raise your voice, your ire mingling with exasperation releases in a torrent of outburst as you continue. “I want you to leave me alone for good! I’m already happy with my life, and for once, everything that has happened in my life ever since I left Seoul is working out for me!” You refrain the tears that burn the back of your eyes from revealing your vulnerability. “I won’t allow any of you to destroy that─ to destroy me again.”

“Destroy you again?” Jay scoffs in disbelief, leaning away from the sofa. “I don’t understand why you even thought that we destroyed you when all we’ve done was show you that there was more to life than holding yourself back from unleashing what your heart truly desired.”

“Wasn’t that your goal when you decided to prey on me in the first place?” You bite back, your jaw locking while your chin wobbles with anger that overweighs the hurt as you recall. “You weren’t sincere with me and did it for the sake of your twisted tradition. You influenced me to become the worst version of myself when I should’ve been good─”

“But you were. You were always good, even to us, beloved.” Heeseung cuts you off, his mellow tone is so oddly overpowering that even you feel weakened, especially in the way his softened eyes are looking at you. “Forget about the preying. If we weren’t sincere with you, then we wouldn’t fly across the globe to find you.”

“Please, sweetheart.” Jake takes a daring step forward, causing you to back away while you ignore the disappointment flicker in his gaze. “We also came here to ask for your forgiveness, so please give us another chance.”

A shaky breath leaves your lips. “I forgive you.” You declare with the utmost sincerity, sparking hopes in their chest, but your face shows no traces of reconciliation. “Now you got what you came for, so leave me alone.”

“We thought you’d accept us back, and we thought you’d be fine with us now.” Sunghoon’s frustration is more than apparent in the way he speaks to you, reminding you the times when he was insufferable. “Two nights ago, you wanted us, and you let us fuck you. Is this your way to play mind games with us?”

“It’s true I wanted you to fuck me that night, but it was nothing too personal. Can you blame me for not getting someone to fuck me as good as you did?” Piercing mockery laces your tone, aligning with the cruelty that forms a smirk on your tinted lips as you revel in the way they look evidently hurt and angry at the thought of you sleeping with someone else. ”Don’t be mad, now. It was only fair that I do the same thing like you did to me in the past. I mean, you did prey on me to use me and get me to be your personal slut.”

“You’re so cruel, baby.” Jay mutters, his steely demeanour melting into something that displays a rare vulnerability. “You have no idea how miserable we felt after you left. You didn’t even give us some heads up, unlike you did with Sunoo, Jungwon, and Riki.”

“You have no right to feel miserable, especially when you weren’t the ones who received such dehumanising words thrown at you every single day!” You retort vehemently, and this time, tears prickle in your eyes at the recollection. “So now you’re blaming me when you could’ve come and told me the truth yourself about the entire thing instead of them!”

Sunghoon scoffs in disbelief, his chiselled jaw tightening afterwards while his eyes level with your glaring ones. “But would you even have listened to us, let alone seen us?”

“But you could’ve tried! If you wanted me that bad, then you should’ve tried harder!” You hold back a sob, your voice trembling as you pour out the things you held back for a long time. “But no, you didn’t even bother to reach out to me for days when I thought that you were the ones entirely responsible for what happened!”

“We were busy searching for Taehyun when we thought he was the mastermind before we finally found out about Beomgyu.” Heeseung saunters forward in your direction, intending to comfort you as the hurt written all over your face hits him in the gut. Heeseung exchanges glances with his best friends, who give him collective nods. “It’s not only that, but we felt guilty because we didn’t listen to you in the first place to delete them, so we couldn’t face you, and we doubted that you wanted to see our faces.”

You hear him, you hear his reasoning, and a part of you knows that you can’t blame him for their doubts in the first place, as things back then were taut with agonising tension. Your sensibility is convincing you that they were being considerate and didn’t want to aggravate the situation back then. Maybe if communication was anchored between you and them, then you would not have felt as deeply wounded as you were.

The four of them observe you, noticing that you seem to grapple with your emotions and how things got escalated. They wish to comfort you and embrace you like they used to, but they heard you. They heard the clarity in your hatred for them.

You blink your tears away, trying your utmost not to crumble in front of them after all the efforts you built yourself into becoming the better and stronger version of yourself, unlike the old Y/N Kang.

Rallying your frayed nerves, you muster the courage to look at them dead in the eyes, and yet, your eyes are conveying such a plea that renders them devastated once more. “I’m tired, and it’s been a long day. I don’t want to keep arguing with you like this, so please.” Your shaky voice betrays your tenacity. “Please leave.”

Reluctancy holds them back, and they so desperately want to fix everything they have broken, but they know that they can’t do it just overnight. Jake dares himself to try to reach out to you, but the sound of footsteps garners their attention to Jennifer, who, unbeknownst to you, has heard everything, ambling into the living room.

Jennifer’s presence provides you little comfort, but it is enough for you to lean slightly towards her moral support. Her icily glaring eyes as she stares at them convey a silent message to the four to leave, and it is final.

Eventually, they have no choice but to concede, seeing their way out, but as they brush past you, they struggle to fight against their instinctive urges to hold you close. You look away from them while their distinctive cologne infiltrating your senses seems to bring more memories that taunt you in your head.

As soon as the door closes, Jennifer’s austere demeanour melts, replaced by the usual protectiveness and concern for you as she advances towards you. “Y/N─”

“I’m fine, Jen.” You insist strongly, giving her a tight smile before you make your way to the kitchen island. “What I need is that wine you bought.”

It isn’t long until you and Jennifer settle by the kitchen island, silence engulfing both of you that feels painfully foreign, but after what happened just before this, it just doesn’t feel right to resort to normalcy.

As Jennifer places down her empty glass, she bites down her lips, contemplating whether or not to let you know. A sigh leaves her lips as she has decided. “I eavesdropped on you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter either.” You state bluntly, while your nonchalance only makes Jennifer feel sceptical. Your hollow eyes are staring into oblivion. “We’re done for good, anyway.”

“I doubt that. As much as I don’t like them, I know that they’ll come back to you again soon.” Jennifer says, treading with her words carefully.

“Please, Jen, let’s not have a conversation about them. We’re here to have fun and drink away our sorrows.” You chuckle dryly before meeting her concerned eyes. You shoot her a lopsided smile, raising the glass of wine leisurely in the air. “Here’s a toast to my past trying to fuck me up again. Besides, there is nothing better than to drown your heartbreak with wine. 

But it doesn’t get better, as their stark absence from your apartment only seems to hurt you instead of relieving you.

TAGLIST:

@aishigrey @kgneptun @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586

@strxwbloody @firstclassjaylee @jwnghyuns @deobitifull @loumin908

@sousydive @pinkkami @skzenhalove @caravm @shinrjj

@loljaeyunz @yorukoshii @nshmrarki @lol6sposts

@lilyuwon @enha-crumbs @slut4hee @capri-cuntz @kaykay11sworld

@firesunflames @notevenheretbh1 @parksunghoonsgf @luvkpopp @eastleighsblog

@in-somnias-world @nyxtwixx @theresawtf @fuxktaekook @readbyjjk

@yunhoswrldddd @fuxktaekook @bobaikeu @minjaexvz @heelariously

OH. MY. GOD. I finally read this after hearing everyone talk about it and I'm so glad I did. This is so so good.

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏

SYNOPSIS: Final exams are approaching, and you have every intention to immerse yourself in studying for the next two weeks, but your best friends decide that it's a good idea to drag you out with them to attend an all-exclusive event called 'The Devil's Night' since it is Halloween week. Initially, you feel disgruntled and detested by such a social event, especially one that is hosted by specific delinquents, but eventually, you allow yourself to relax and enjoy the night. However, some the invited guests, including you, have no notion of what the devil's knights' goal is for this year's Halloween. From the moment you begrudgingly agreed to go to the event, you were fucked because you had no idea what truly awaited you ─  you had no idea how your life would take a drastic turn, especially when you had become their prey.

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), semi-college au, adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WARNINGS: fem!reader is a saint(good girl), mentions of christianity, dramas, profanities, degradation, slut-shaming, alcohol consumptions, groping, slapping, crying, sexual assault, explicit themes, one sex scene, voyeurism, coercion, blood, violence, murder, toxicity, perversion, corruption. (kindly alert me if there is anything missing out)

WORD COUNT: 18.8k

FEATURING: enha maknae line, txt, stray kids, zerobaseone, le sserafim, ive, aespa.

DISCLAIMER: this fic is inspired by devil's night series written by penelope douglas! also, i am not a Christian, and i didn't bother to do thorough research on the religion, so pardon any false facts or errors.

PLAYLIST: No Hands - Waka Flocka, Tonight - Big Bang, RUNRUNRUN - Dutch Melrose, Scream - Usher, Animals - Maroon 5, Disturbia - Rihanna, guilty conscience - Tate McRae.

RUBY'S NOTE: part one is finally here! do let me know your thoughts on this as well, and i would like to apologise in advance if it doesn’t meet your expectations. nevertheless, enjoy reading!

NEXT (PART 2) ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

Standing in front of a full-length mirror, your reflection stares at you with an abundant clarity of irresolution, mirroring the inner turmoil within you. Your eyes begin to scan your appearance from head to toe in incredulity. Never in your twenty-one years of life have you ever dressed as provocatively as you are now. Heck, you don’t even recognise yourself.

The white cami bodycon corset dress feels tight as it accentuates your curves and has a designated contrast lace bustier that levitates your breasts and displays your cleavage, while a portion of your torso is conspicuously visible through the translucent material. The length of the dress reaches so far above your thighs that when you attempt to bend down ninety degrees, your white lace underwear peeks under. 

You're not the type to critique people for how they dress, and you have nothing against people who wear revealing clothes, but right now? You practically look like a slut. A slutty angel, at that.

Your nose automatically scrunches up at the licentious thought. This is definitely not what you had in mind when your best friends, slash roommates, decided to buy you a ‘costume’ that fit the theme that they had also chosen for you ─ an angel. It is definitely ironic how the theme they chose for you supposedly requires you to dress decently.

When your gaze finally settles on the silver cross pendant that rests delicately on your chest, guilt coils in your stomach, and your moment of prior incertitude manages to render you completely disheartened while your eyes turn crestfallen.

What were you thinking? You’re supposed to live up to the code as expected of you, including to avoid dressing indecently and act with grace. But here you are, all dolled up with excessive skin revealing, and you still refuse to recognise that the person staring back at you is indeed you.

If your parents were here to see you now, they would have chastised and disowned you for dressing the way you are now.

Your parents, particularly your mother, are quite religious and strictly abide by the rules and codes of Christianity. However, your parents’ love and devotion to the religion were something you truly adored. Growing up, your parents often brought you to the church along with them, and you recall getting so excited at the sight of the familiar divine building situated in your neighbouring area that you even rushed to greet the priest eagerly. Every member of the church recognised you, and they would always warmly welcome you and your family, especially when your parents were regulars.

You were loved by them. As a matter of fact, you’ve been called ‘angel’ by them because of your kind and sweet disposition, how helpful you were whenever someone asked you for assistance, how obedient you were whenever you were told to do something, and how you resonated with people by how naturally sympathetic you were.

Everyone used to tell your parents how blessed they were to have you as their daughter. Your parents agreed and often thanked the Lord for blessing them with a daughter like you. Not only did you follow your parents’ example in the religion, but you had also been bestowed with the gift of being naturally smart since you were young until now. Truly, you were blessed, and each morning when you woke up, you didn’t forget to thank the Lord.

However, as you take in your appearance once more, your guilt becomes tenfold while disappointment creeps up on you. How dare you have the audacity to wear the necklace your father bought for you when you are dressed like this? You shake your head, taking a step back. This is not you. You should have never agreed to this in the first place.

Furthermore, final exams are approaching, and you had every intention to immerse yourself in studying for the next two weeks, but your best friends decided that it was a good idea to drag you out with them to attend an all-exclusive event called 'The Devil's Night' since it is Halloween week.

Initially, you felt disgruntled and detested by such a social event, especially one that is hosted by specific delinquents, but upon relentless pursuit of being coaxed by your best friends, you eventually found yourself caving in. Besides, you can’t deny that there is a small part of you that has always wanted to experience a college party since you have never been to one.

However, just because you have never been to one doesn’t mean that you have no idea what a college party entails. You have seen firsthand what happened to your roommates right after they came back from parties or even clubs, and it certainly wasn’t anything pleasant. Nonetheless, you offered to help them by assisting them in holding up their hair while they retched in the toilet bowl and getting them to bed, despite the grimace on your face.

A knock pulls you out of your thoughts, and your eyes remain on the mirror while they trail to a familiar face from behind. She looks absolutely striking with her overall fit, which matches her theme, which is that she is a cowgirl.

“Hey, Yunjin.” You greet her rather weakly.

Yunjin, as enthusiastic as ever, offers you a smile, displaying her pearly teeth. “Hey, gorgeous. Are you ready to go?”

Usually, you would reciprocate, as her smiles are infectious, but this time, with the doubts lingering in your head, you remain crestfallen. “No. I don’t think I’m up for it anymore.” You murmur, your eyes lowering, and that is also when Yunjin’s smile drops as she finally notices how crestfallen you look.

You don’t lift your head up, even as you hear her footsteps from behind. You feel her hands on your bare shoulders, turning you around and tilting your chin up with her fingers. Your eyes reluctantly meet her hazel-hued ones, which are tinged with resolution.

“I know that you are having doubts about this, but trust me when I say that just because you’re attending a party and dressing up like this, gorgeously at that, does not make you unworthy or any lesser in the eyes of our religion.” Her voice comes out strong yet tinges with gentleness, which you can’t help but acquiesce to.

Hun Yunjin, otherwise known as Jennifer, has been your childhood best friend, albeit not enrolled in the same elementary and high schools. She is an international business major. You met her when you first started to attend Sunday services at your neighbouring church. You recall sitting next to her and randomly engaging in a conversation with her, despite the fact that you two were not supposed to drift off to your own mini-world. You thought you would never see her again, but the next Sunday service proved you wrong. From there, you and Yunjin formed a newfound friendship, and you declared that she was your church buddy. That remained constant until you two hit sixteen, and you didn’t see her as regularly as before.

Just like that, you lost contact with her, and subsequently, you began to wonder what went wrong and questioned your friendship with her, which you cherished dearly. Not many years later, when you first stepped foot in this university, you met Yunjin again, and miraculously, she turned out to be one of your assigned roommates. You assumed that she would not recognise you or even brush you off coldly, but you were overjoyed when she welcomed you with a bear-crushed hug and told you how much she had missed you. 

The thought of asking her what truly happened years ago did come to your mind, but for some reason, you were afraid and apprehensive of the outcome, and more importantly, you didn’t want to lose her again. So you chose to play safe. But what matters most is that you have reunited with her.

In return, you muster a faint smile on your pink, glossed lips. “You always have a way with words.” You say before releasing a soft sigh. “Fine, I’m ready.”

Yunjin’s firm exterior cracks, and her red lips curl into a grin. “That’s my girl.”

“Girls! Are we ready to go─” A gasp pulls you away from Yunjin’s eyes, and when you look at a familiar figure standing by the door to your room, you become in awe of how alluring she looks with her theme, dressed up as a catwoman.

“You look amazing, Karina.” You compliment her earnestly. Genuinely, she knocks the breath out of you, and despite being roommates for three and a half years, her striking beauty often makes you question yourself about whether she is indeed real.

Truth be told, you didn’t get along with Karina in the first few semesters. As she’s a fashion design major, it was inevitable that such a mess was expected from her, but you didn’t expect for her mess to scatter to the shared living room. You’re particular about cleanliness, so you disapprove of your roommate being blatantly inconsiderate, especially when you and your other roommates have had to clean up her mess. You recall when Karina overheard you delivering your complaints to your other two roommates, and she confronted you. From then on, she began nitpicking you, and you often found yourself in a dispute with her. You got upset whenever she pointed out the fact that you were plain and boring.

Precisely two years ago, you found her alone in the living room, at three a.m., as she was drinking her heart out with tears streaming down her cheeks and her eyes red. You wanted to mind your own business as usual, but it didn’t sit right with you to leave your roommate alone to reel in despair, so you cautiously approached her, and surprisingly, she confided in you. That was when you got to know that she had been cheated on by her boyfriend.

You listened attentively to her, and you even offered comforting words to her in which she thanked you by giving you a hug before falling asleep on you. Of course, you had tucked her in to sleep on the couch with a pillow for her head to rest on and a blanket to give her body some warmth.

You swore that Karina would return to her usual self, but she took you by surprise once more when she started to become amiable towards you. From then on, you two developed a newfound sense of camaraderie. 

“Says you! You look drop-dead gorgeous!” Karina exclaims, her red lips outstretched into a wide smile, while you detect sincerity in her tone. “I’m proud to declare that my taste in fashion is impeccable.”

“I agree.” Yunjin chimes, casting you a smirk while your cheeks flush in pink from their fond gazes on you. “Our girl looks like a literal angel. If I were gay, I would have hit you up long ago.”

Before you can say anything, a new yet familiar voice joins in the conversation. “I know I agreed for Y/N to join us, but after some thought about it, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Your eyes shift from Karina to the tall, raven-haired beauty next to her. Once again, you are captivated by her beauty and how truly stunning her overall fit is, in which her theme is a mermaid, and you are not exaggerating when you say that she looks like a literal mermaid goddess.

“Why do you think so, Wonyoung?” Yunjin asks with a frown.

Jang Wonyoung, one of the university’s it girls and the girl whom you can call your soul sister. You recall the first time you met her when she opened the door to your dorm. You were captivated by her doll-like beauty and were so stunned that you stammered your words when you reciprocated her warm greeting. Wonyoung is in the same major as you, journalism.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the two of you are in the same major and in the same classes, but you found it peculiar how fast you got along well with her during your first week as freshmen. Nonetheless, you were grateful to have found a friend like her.

Although you are close with Yunjin and Karina, you can’t deny the fact that you feel more comfortable and at ease with Wonyoung. The two of you understand each other, even without words. Both of you are kindred spirits; whenever you feel down, it affects her just the same, and you two often share your victories together without any hidden jealousy or ill-feelings. There is this special connection you have to Wonyoung that is indescribable. Even your other friends often joke that the two of you are long-lost twin sisters.

Wonyoung’s eyes flicker to yours fleetingly, but it is enough for her to affirm her prior intuition before she returns her gaze to Karina and Yunjin. “I just have a bad feeling about Y/N going, okay? You guys do know that my intuition has never failed me.” She tells them firmly. “Besides, it’s an all-exclusive event for invited guests only.”

“So? We can easily sneak Y/N in since there will be tons of guests.” Karina shrugs her shoulders. “Their bouncers are kind of sloppy anyway. Remember when some of the uninvited students sneaked in last year and the years before that?”

“And what did that lead to?” Wonyoung counters firmly with a single eyebrow arched. This time, silence befalls Karina while you notice Yunjin’s grim expression.

“What happened?” You ask, finally speaking up. There is no denying how intrigued you are by the sudden yet discernible change in the air between your best friends.

“There is nothing that you need to concern yourself with.” Yunjin is quick to recover herself as she shoots you a charming grin while nudging her elbow against yours. “Come on. At this rate, we’ll be the last ones to arrive.”

“Maybe. But at least we’ll arrive fashionably late.” Karina mirrors Yunjin's grin.

You decide to push aside your curiosity and proceed to grab your phone while Karina and Yunjin have already made their way out of your room. After adjusting your wavy brunette locks in the mirror, you turn around to depart from your room. Your eyebrows jump when you see Wonyoung waiting for you just outside, and her face remains as serious as ever.

“Are you sure about this?” She asks you, and her voice has a touch of gentleness to it, which makes your eyes soften.

“Yes.” Although you sound sure, you can’t say the same for your churning stomach. Giving her a tight smile, you begin to loop your arm around hers. “If you’re too worried about me, rest assured that I won’t stray from you.”

“Good.” Wonyoung seems a tad satisfied with your statement. A small smile appears on her pink lips. “Maybe I am worrying about nothing. This is supposed to be your first ever Halloween party. We should be having fun! That is as long as we stick together.”

You smile wryly in return. She knows better than anyone that your idea of fun consists of rotting in bed and reading a few good books on a Friday night.

 ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

When you first heard of Devil’s Night, you had an inkling that the event, let alone the name itself, was undoubtedly not good news.

Devil’s Night is an annual Halloween event that is hosted by the notorious fraternity of devil’s knights, but according to your best friends, the overall in-charge of Devil’s Night are the four leaders. However, you see them all the same ─ just a bunch of delinquents who love to flaunt and assert dominance over Crestview Meadows University everywhere they go.

Naturally, you expected the location of the event to be a frat member’s backyard, but as soon as Karina, who volunteered to drive the three of you to Devil’s Night, presses on the pedal gas and prompts her vehicle to move forward after the golden gates opened, your jaw goes slightly unhinging at the sight of a divine modernization palace.

As Karina continues to drive, searching for an empty spot to pull over on the massive asphalt where different vehicles are arrayed, you are busily getting enthralled by the captivating structures of fountains in the front yard. The movement of people making their way to the entrance of the grand palace captures your attention, and your eyes sparkle in amazement at the diversity in their costume designs.

As soon as Karina manages to pull over at an empty spot and turns off the ignition, you step out of her vehicle with your eyes remaining fixated on the divine palace. You swear that it is nearly as massive as your campus. You begin to wonder who resides in the palace, and if so, has Devil’s Night always been hosted here?

“Y/N, don’t forget your mask.” Wonyoung’s voice from behind pulls your attention away from the palace. When you look at the white domino mask in her grasp, you gladly retrieve it from her and attempt to wear it, but Wonyoung and even Yunjin insist on assisting you, doing so with care.

Your cheeks flush pink once more. Despite being the same age as them, your best friends and your other friends often baby you, including protecting you from anyone who has ill-intent towards you, especially from some of the frat members who have tried to approach you in the past. Of course, you feel much gratitude for your friends, and you are blessed to be surrounded by feminine love and support. There are moments where you do feel overwhelmed by them, but according to their words, your innocence is highlighted as crucial and needs to be protected. Hence, they often shelter you from the cruelty of reality and want you to remain the way you are.

Pure, and a literal saint.

“There!” Yunjin gives you a grin as she pats your cheek affectionately. “With your mask, it’ll be hard for anyone outside of our circle to recognise you.”

As the four of you begin to make your way to the entrance of the grand palace, with Wonyoung interlocking her arm around yours, your fingers make their ascent to touch your mask. Your best friends have agreed that, in order to sneak in seamlessly, you needed a mask to conceal half of your identity. They wouldn’t want to risk anything. A part of you wonders what would happen to the uninvited guests crashing into the event, but another part of you retains your curiosity before it gets the best of you.

At the moment, as the bunch of you walk past the bouncers standing by the entrance, you hold your breath while your heart pounds against your chest, but when they allow you in, you release a relieved yet shaky breath. You feel Wonyoung’s arm squeezing around you in reassurance, and you voluntarily relax every tension in your body, but your heart remains pounding. You can’t ignore the turmoil within you, uncertain of what the night will entail.

“You guys made it!” A high-pitch squeal diverts your attention from admiring the opulence of the palace’s interior to the familiar blonde, who is dressed up as Annabelle from the famous conjuring film, but she manages to pull off the look rather gorgeously instead of terrifying. Her eyes instantly meet yours, and her face beams with a widening smile. “You came!”

You don’t have time to process when she crashes into you, her arms latching around your figure and steadying you while chuckles elicit from you as you reciprocate her eager hug. “You’ve just seen me yesterday, Winter.”

Winter, who also majors in journalism, is a part of the inner circle and your friend. She is like a bolt of lightning. Despite her ebullient disposition, she can be fierce and intimidating when needed.

“Yeah, but we can’t believe that you’re actually here!” This time, another voice causes you to look at the sight, and at once, the rest of the inner circle has gathered around you, giving you hugs and gushing over your look.

In your line of sight are Kazuha, Chaewon, Liz, Rei, Giselle, and Ningning. Whereas Kazuha and Chaewon are majoring in arts and entertainment management, Liz, Rei, and Ningning are majoring in economics. Giselle, on the other hand, is in the same major as you. Despite the fact that all of them are highly regarded as the it girls of the university, not once have they ever left you out and made you feel an outcast, especially considering that most of the student body dislikes you for reasons you deem ridiculous.

So what if they hate you just because you are not from an esteemed, affluent family? You managed to pass an entrance exam with a perfect score, and you even earned yourself scholarships. Frankly speaking, you are not bothered by the fact that there are students who dislike you for your status ranking, because in the end, your GPA remains a perfect 4.0 and your professors favour you most. Plus, your future is all set.

“Okay, ladies, gather around." Yunjin announces, and the group of you huddle in a circle, with giggles and banter emanating from you and your friends. “While we’re here to have fun, we must never forget to keep Y/N in our sight at all times, especially since this is her first time attending Devil’s Night.”

“Hey, I’m not a kid. I can take care of myself.” You insert yourself strongly, but your demur goes unheard by them as they continue to quickly run through what to look out for, mainly because your safety is highly regarded by them.

“It’s for your own good, Y/N.” Wonyoung tells you softly after noticing the expression on your face as soon as they begin to disperse while you remain by her side, dragging you with her. Wonyoung and your other best friends seem to know their way around the palace, pushing their way through the bustling crowd.

“You girls really don’t have to worry about me.” You remain adamant while reluctantly allowing yourself to be dragged by Wonyoung. Your eyebrows furrow, and your lips form a small pout. “I know how and when to steer clear of trouble.”

“I know, but you have to understand that this is different.” Wonyoung asserts firmly, to which you can’t help but resign.

Still, you mutter, but audible enough for Karina and Yunjin to hear, “What is so different about a mere Halloween party?”

“It is different because each Halloween hosted by the devil’s knights differs from the previous Halloween.” Karina answers, and when you look into her eyes, uncertainty shines through. “Really, we can never predict what they have up their sleeves. But one thing that remains constant is the fact that Devil’s Night is not meant for any faint of heart.”

“Ironic, because here we are, dragging Y/N with us.” There is a certain bite in Wonyoung’s tone. 

“Nothing is going to happen to Y/N as long as she is in our sight.” Yunjin reassures Wonyoung once more, and your attention drifts to the scenery before you.

It appears that you haven’t been paying attention to your surroundings earlier, and now you find yourself entering what looks like a club. Incredulity buzzes through you. You definitely did not expect that there would be a club inside the palace. As a matter of fact, the club looks lavish, with a B-stage right at the very front and a bustling crowd enjoying and dancing to the music that has obscene lyrics, which makes your face twist in a grimace. You have no idea how enormous the venue is, but you can’t deny the fact that you find it impressive, and there are even two separate bars on each side of the venue.

Yunjin grabs you by your forearm and drags you with her and Karina to head over to the bar while Wonyoung trails behind you. Thankfully, there are not many people by the bar, but even so, you become conscious of how you look as eyes latch onto your form.

“Am I showing too much skin?” You ask Yunjin in a whisper as you settle next to her, seated on a high stool.

Yunjin’s eyes scan all over you before she gives you a smirk. “Yeah, but don’t worry. You look absolutely stunning. It’s a shame that you’ve been gatekeeping your beautiful complexion and your curves all this time.”

“Agreed!” Karina chimes next to Yunjin, casting you a mirthful grin. “You should be flaunting your curves and proving to those fuckers who insulted you for the way you looked that underneath your layer of clothes is the body of a model!”

You dismiss the profanity that left Karina’s mouth, and your cheeks flush with embarrassment. “You girls flatter me too much.”

“It isn’t flattery when it is true.” Yunjin flags down one of the bartenders to give him her order before she looks back at you. “Do you want a non-alcoholic beverage?”

“Actually, I’d like to try an alcoholic cocktail.” Your statement surprises your best friends as they look at you with wide eyes, knowing that you have never drunk any alcoholic beverages. After all, you are practically a saint.

“Are you sure?” As always, Wonyoung’s worry for you is evident. “You might get tipsy after a few sips since you have never drunk one before.”

“Don’t discourage her, Wony.” Karina says with a disapproving frown on her lips. “If Y/N says she wants one, she will have one.”

“A tequila sunrise for the angel here.” Yunjin chirps to the bartender, and being a natural flirt, she winks at the guy who, in return, blushes but quickly proceeds to make all of your orders.

As the three of your best friends are engaged in a conversation, you decide to look over your shoulder with your body tilting to watch the ongoing performance from a live band. You can’t deny that the music seems to be getting to you, and seeing the partygoers dancing and having fun tempts you to join them.

Unknowingly, your lips curve into a small smile. Unbeknownst to you, a pair of eyes have been watching you closely with a sharp gaze just near the bar, where there are velvet couches arrayed.

“Here, Y/N.” Yunjin pushes the glass of cocktail towards you as you look down at the liquid, which is a vibrant blue.

Your fingers latch onto the stem of the glass, raising it just slightly while hesitation touches your tongue. Your best friends watch in anticipation, and you don’t want to disappoint them. So you bring the edge of the glass closer until your lips touch.

You tip your head towards the back as you begin to take sips of the liquid. Surprisingly, the taste isn’t as bad, and neither is it too strong. It is rather addictive, so you eagerly drink the rest of the content until there is nothing left.

“How’s your first drink?” Wonyoung asks as she examines you carefully.

Maybe it’s the alcohol that is starting to affect your system, but you feel oddly elated. You give your best friend a grin, with your dimples appearing on your cheeks. “I think I would like to have another.” Of course, Karina and Yunjin are more than eager to indulge you, while Wonyoung remains neutral.

Once again, unbeknownst to you, the same pair of eyes that have been watching you closely are enthralled by the new sight of you.

Seated leisurely on the velvet couch with his legs spread, his lips tip up in a smirk as he takes sips of his vodka while his eyes remain fixated on your enticing figure and your angelic features.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

You have no idea how things escalated. Just moments ago, you were having fun with your best friends by the bar, and even Wonyoung lowered her guards after seeing how genuinely carefree you looked. Now, you are among the bustling crowd. You lose sight of your best friends as you venture further. Instead of panicking, you find yourself enjoying it with your body instinctively moving to the infectious rhythm in which the DJ is currently playing Waka Flocka’s ‘No Hands’ as it reverberates throughout these walls.

Maybe it’s the alcohol in your system that has completely intoxicated you and renders you slightly tipsy, as evident by the way you emit giggles and how you’re dancing fluidly as though you are a natural at it, but not a single thought of regret appears in your mind.

Feeling a tad annoyed by your domino mask, you rashly remove it, not caring whether someone may or may not recognise you. Besides, the people in your vicinity seem too inebriated to care, as they dance and even make out lewdly in the open with their partners.

A part of you is berating you for losing yourself in the abysmal of this toxicity, but you shut down that part of you, giving into the whispers of the devils and succumbing to the addictive thrill by allowing yourself to flaunt your moves.

Unbeknownst to you, a pair of eyes have been watching you as he gradually makes his way to you despite the bustling crowd, and the moment they see him, they part and make way for him. The way you move got him in a trance, especially with each sway from your body. Your curves, which your skimpy dress accentuated, entice him to place his hands all over you.

Your giggles sound melodious to his ears as soon as he nearly reaches you from behind. His eyes darken with each passing second as your body sways with fluidity, and your back is arched with your head tilted up, immersing yourself in the music while a sultry smile smears across your glossed lips.

Fuck, he has no idea there is a side to you where he gets undoubtedly turned on by. Flashes of images of you being fucked relentlessly by him appear in his mind as he fantasises, and how he can already imagine your insatiable taste probably won’t satisfy him unless he has you locked in his possession.

Without thinking twice, he places both hands on your waist from behind, his fingers tingling with the sensation of your warmth. Instead of feeling alarmed, you remain relaxed and loose, dancing along to the supposedly stranger behind you.

You allow him to pull you closer until your buttcheek hits his hardness, causing your breath to hitch in your throat, yet you don’t stop dancing. You accidentally grind yourself against him, eliciting a low groan from him with his hot breath fanning the shell of your earlobe while his strong arms snake around your waist.

In your delirium, you tilt your head up and lean on his shoulder lazily, allowing him to guide your movements. His strong cologne is intoxicating as it infiltrates your senses. You hear his low, ragged breaths next to your ear before you feel him dipping his head to the curve of your neck, his nose burying in your skin as he inhales your sweet scent that he has engraved in his mind.

A soft gasp leaves your lips when you feel his warm lips touch your skin before he proceeds to kiss your neck sensually. You should be pushing this stranger away, but instead, you allow yourself to fall weak and succumb to the allure of his kisses on your neck. You blame it entirely on the alcohol.

“You taste exquisite, love.” You hear him murmur those words, or you assume he murmurs those words, since the music is overpowering. But you swear you recognise his voice. You feel his arms tighten around you, while the way he nips at your skin startles you.

In a blink of an eye, he spins you around, his hands remaining on your waist. The entire place is dim, but the LED red and purple lights allow you to catch a glimpse of his face. Recognition glimmers in your eyes. 

“Jake.” You utter his name in a daze while your eyes begin to shamelessly scan his overall fit. You hate to admit it, but he nearly got you foaming in the mouth.

He looks extremely good in all denims with his chain necklace hooked around his neck, and his long raven strands have been styled impeccably, tempting you to run your fingers through them. Your eyes catch a sight of an inked tattoo on his collarbone area peeking due to his loose white tee that hangs a little low.

You don’t make any protests as you remain numb in his possession. Everything feels muddled in your mind, but you are conscious enough to continue dancing with him with a hint of sensualness.

Jake unfurls a soft smirk on his pink plump lips while he blatantly checks you out, appreciation and lust dancing in his handsome gaze. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Y/N.”

“Yeah? Surprised?” You feel oddly breathless, and you have no idea whether it’s from the dancing or the palpable tension between the two of you.

Jake hums attractively, his fingers tapping sensually on your waist to the beat of the ongoing music, and when you finally notice his gaze that settles on your cleavage, heat weaves across your cheeks.

“A lovely surprise at that.” Jake says in a murmur, dipping his head and leaning towards you while your pulses go erratic in anticipation, but he stops right next to your ear. The tip of his nose grazes lightly on your earlobe, sending you involuntary shivers down your spine. “But you shouldn’t have come here.” As he whispers lowly in your ear, you detect a hint of darkness in his tone.

“Why? Because I’m an uninvited guest?” You ask breathlessly, hating and loving how his intoxicating cologne tempts you to bury your nose into his chest.

Your breath hitches in your throat when he presses a deep, sensual kiss on your cheek before withdrawing from you to get a good look at your face. Upon seeing how dazed you truly look, he smirks once more and squeezes his hands on the flesh of your hips. “Cute.” He mumbles. His eyes flicker down to your glossed lips, which entice him to kiss you, but he holds himself back.

“You should leave while you still can, love.” He mutters, reluctantly releasing you from his possession and already yearning for your warmth.

“Y/N!” You hear voices that belong to your best friends calling for you from behind. You look over your shoulder just in time to catch glimpses of their faces amongst the dancing crowd.

When you turn back, Jake is nowhere in your line of sight, bringing a confused frown to your lips. Even as he has mysteriously disappeared, your skin remains tingling with the sensation of his lips and hands. Your mind is in a muddle, infused with the intoxication of the alcohol and his strong cologne that you will definitely remember.

“We’ve been trying to search for you everywhere!” Wonyoung exclaims, giving you no time to process when she lunges for a tight hug. She releases a relief sigh before pulling away and examining you. “Thank God you’re okay. But why are you not wearing your mask?” She asks, looking alarmed.

“I throw it elsewhere. I don’t know.” You mutter, blinking your eyes as you feel lightheaded. “Don’t worry. I’m not afraid of being recognised. They’re all preoccupied with partying and dancing anyway.” You provide some assurance to Wonyoung, while Karina and Yunjin seem relaxed.

“Let’s go. We can’t miss the second rave.” Karina tugs at your wrist, dragging you with her gingerly and guiding you through the crowd.

“Rave?” You ponder out loud, and your eyes dart between Yunjin and Wonyoung.

In response, Yunjin gives you a Cheshire smile. “Trust me. You are going to love it.”

“By the way, who were you dancing with?” Karina inquires as she busily guides you to a place, which you presume to be the backyard, while there are other guests along with your group heading to the same place.

“No one.” You answer curtly, giving her a tight smile. “I had fun dancing alone.”

You know better than to inform your friends that you were dancing intimately with Jake Sim, or else you’ll receive an earful from them, considering they detest the knight members. They even reminded you to stay away from any of the knight members, particularly the four leaders.

As soon as the thought of the four devil’s knights’ leaders comes to your mind, your eyes widen in dreadful realisation while your heart nearly lurches in your chest. Since you were too busy getting caught up in the heat of the moment, you failed to realise that Jake is one of the leaders, the one who had you in his possession with a scintilla of danger emanating from him.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The rowdy commotion from the partygoers sounds faint with each step he takes towards the meeting room on the second floor. Jake, who was previously in denims, has changed into practical attire for the upcoming section of the main event. He busily zips up his black bomber jacket while his face remains devoid of emotion, but his mind occasionally drifts off to you.

How tempted he was to snatch you away from the scenery and bring you to one of the rooms with the intention of giving you the best fuck of your life as well as leaving you with his marks on your porcelain skin. He quickly shakes away the thought of you, not wanting to get hard again, as it’ll only be a bother since he is already running late for the briefing.

Stopping in front of the door that is made out of steel, he punches the code onto the padlock keys before the door automatically opens. The familiar sight of a fairly lengthy corridor with separate entrances arrayed on each side of the walls greets him as he steps inside. Hearing the door behind him close with a thud, he begins to make his way to the meeting room, where multitudes of voices are teeming in the cold atmosphere as it gets louder.

Without announcing his arrival, he saunters into the massive meeting room with his hands tucked inside his pockets while his face remains neutral, ignoring the rest of the knight members of the lower rank as they are settled in their respective houses.

The devil’s knights fraternity consists of four houses─ North, South, East, and West. 

Each house has its own respective leader. However, their goals are aligned. This has always been the system, as each year there are numerous new recruits, and they do have to dominate their respective territories on campus and even on the streets in town. Almost everyone is knowledgeable about and conscious of the renowned devil's knights. Crestview Meadows University favours the devil's knights fervently, especially considering the fraternity was founded many years ago by four particular individuals who are now affluent figures.

“There he is. The star of the night.” A snarky remark is made by one of the leaders, also known as Park Sunghoon. Jake’s gaze lands on him as he continues to saunter forward until he reaches the table where the other leaders are gathered as well.

“Spare me your sarcasm, Hoon.” Jake says in a monotone, throwing himself onto the swivel chair and making himself comfortable.

“You’re late.” Sunghoon shoots him a scowl as he is seated on the table. The table itself is scattered with a variety of knives.

“He was probably fucking around with the freshies. Can’t even keep up his pants for a minute.” This time, another voice makes a remark, prompting Jake to look at his fellow leader slash best friend. Jay Park.

Jake narrows his eyes at Jay’s smirk. “You’re lucky I'm in the mood to play nice.”

“Enough.” A firm voice is resonating enough for the other knight members in the room to quieten the volume of their chatter. Jake, Jay, and Sunghoon shift their attention to the figure seated by the window sill with his arms crossed over his chest, also known as Lee Heeseung.

Heeseung remains unmoving, but his gaze alone is enough to assert dominance over them, especially since he is the oldest out of the four of them by one year. “Now that everyone is here, we may begin our briefing. For those of you who were on bouncers’ duties, how many uninvited attendees were there?”

All of the knight members would usually gather in this meeting room for briefings and other important matters pertaining to the annual devil’s night planning, et cetera. However, there are some rooms that are restricted to them unless they are the leaders. Furthermore, this very palace is officially owned by the four devil’s knight leaders, considering that their fathers were the founders of the devil’s knights. As a matter of fact, this palace was previously owned by the same founders, but as many years passed and their sons followed in their footsteps in joining the renowned fraternity, the founders collectively agreed to bequeath the palace to their sons.

North: Jake

South: Heeseung

East: Sunghoon

West: Jay

These four delinquents have successfully led their respective houses for the past years with their skills, and they were impressively the youngest leaders to have been appointed when they were just freshmen. Though they have different personalities, they get along well, considering that their fathers are best friends as well.

“Approximately twenty.” One of the low-ranking members takes the initiative to answer, a sophomore, and he is from the West House.

However, his answer raises an eyebrow from his leader. The sophomore flinches at the way Jay directs his sharp gaze, which is penetrating enough. “Approximately?” Jay’s cold voice affects everyone except the other leaders.

“He meant to say that there are twenty-three uninvited attendees!” Another sophomore from the West House steps in to assist the other sophomore, who is shaking in his boots.

Before anyone can speak up, one of the windows swings open, allowing the gust of wind to enter. The four leaders watch, completely unfazed, as a familiar figure wholly in black, layered clothing emerges, climbing into the meeting room, followed by two figures.

The three of them stand tall in their line of sight as they remove their designated masks, now revealing their faces. Jake is the first person to greet the three of them with a lopsided grin. They are Devil’s Knights’ honorary members who are juniors and appointed to be leaders next year once the four current leaders graduate from university. Sunoo, Jungwon, and Riki.

“The kid’s right.” Sunoo says, placing his mask down on the table. “There are a total of twenty-three uninvited attendees.”

“That’s a long list of people to hunt down compared to last year’s.” Riki’s deep voice echoes in the room, while his tall figure is intimidating enough for the other lower-ranking members.

“The more, the merrier.” A Cheshire grin smears across Jungwon’s lips while a familiar bloodlust gleamers in his eyes. “Oh, we’ve already covered all the perimeters. Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Felix, and Jeongin are on standby.”

“Good.” Heeseung nods his head firmly, feeling satisfied with how competent their future leaders are. Heeseung’s eyes glide across the fraternity present in the room. “All of you know what to do. Remember to only hunt down whoever’s name you were given, and most importantly, Namgil and his crew will meet their demise tonight.”

“Ah, Kim Namgil.” Sunghoon smirks, a wicked intent can be seen glinting in his eyes at the mention of the ex-member. “I can’t wait to crush that fucker’s skull.”

Jay scoffs out a deadly chuckle, his veins are brimming with vengeance. “Not until I get to him first.” 

“Patience. We’ll be sticking strictly to the plan.” Heeseung tells them sternly before looking back at the rest of the fraternity. “Remember that our goal is to wreak havoc and terror, including mayhem. For those of you who are new recruits and this is your first Devil’s Night, you do not need to worry about the law enforcement, as they’ll only be here with the sole purpose of establishing the roadblocks to prevent our guests from escaping until Devil’s Night is over.”

To add on, Devil’s Night is a tradition that has been going on since their founders’ times and happens every Halloween. This tradition is also supported and endorsed by the mayor of Seoul and other influential figures that are highly regarded in the eyes of the government. There is no denying that by permitting Devil’s Night to be lawful on every Halloween, it proves that the government and its system have long since been corrupted.

“In short, you may also do what you please for the next twelve hours.” Jake grins deviously with his hands clasped together. “In other words, unleash your inner devils.”

At once, an uproar emanates from the fraternity before Jay begins to dismiss them. “Don’t forget your masks and weapons!” He reminds them as they proceed to make their way out of the meeting room rowdily, leaving the four leaders and the future three leaders alone in the room.

“There is another important thing you guys should know.” Sunoo speaks up, drawing their attention. Interest sparkles in Sunoo’s eyes. “Y/N is one of the uninvited attendees.”

“Y/N?” Sunghoon scoffs out in disbelief, refusing to take Sunoo’s words seriously. “You should really work on your humour if you plan to impress us.”

“Do I look like I’m laughing?” Sunoo deadpans before he motions to Riki and Jungwon. “Ask them if you still refuse to believe me. They saw her at the second rave.”

“Yup.” Jungwon toys around with one of the knives in his grasp leisurely while a smirk paints his canvas. “She looks pretty, though. It’s a shame to lose a pretty face like hers.”

“Her name is not in any of the lists.” Riki points out. “So who shall be hunting her?”

“Can I?” Sunoo asks with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “I’ve always wanted to scare her.”

“No.” Jake takes everyone by surprise as he nearly growls out. His eyes darkened at the thought of you. “No one touches her. No one except me.”

“Since when did you get to decide on this alone?” Jay raises a single eyebrow at his best friend. “To make it more interesting and thrilling, I say the four of us hunt her down.”

“And kill her afterwards?” Sunghoon’s face twists in a grimace. “Don’t get me wrong. It won’t affect me if we kill her, but I don’t want those pesky friends of hers to hunt my ass down.”

“What about you, Heeseung?” Jay asks as all heads turn to the silent male, who appears in deep thought. “How are we going to decide on what to do with Y/N? Rules are still rules. Uninvited attendees shall not make it out alive on Devil’s Night.”

“We hunt her down as well.” Heeseung states calmly. “But don’t kill her yet. We’ll decide what to do with her once we hunt her down.”

“Then we’ll make our way to our respective posts.” Jungwon offers the four leaders a salute before wearing his mask and making his way to the opened window, where he expertly jumps over while Sunoo and Riki follow suit.

“We have like thirty minutes left until the last segment.” Jay notes, staring down at his wristwatch before his gaze returns to the three of them. “I don’t know about you guys, but I, for one, am intrigued to see for myself if what Jungwon said was true about Y/N looking pretty.”

“She was.” Jake utters, his lips curving into a grin, while he recalls the gorgeous sight of you. “I was with her earlier.”

“How?” Sunghoon asks incredulously.

“She willingly danced with me. Oh, and she seemed rather tipsy, so it makes the hunt a whole lot fun.” Jake chuckles breathily.

“What did she dress up as?” Heeseung finds himself asking this, feeling almost compelled and intrigued to know about the theme you chose.

“An angel.” Jake is certain of his answer, and no, not because of the way you dressed, but because you are indeed an angel who is unfortunate enough to have stepped into their territory without knowing the consequences of your actions.

“How fitting.” Heeseung’s lips turn into a subtle smirk. “Well, gents, it looks like we have ourselves an angel to hunt down.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

You can definitely understand the rationale of those who have been to this event for the past few years and those who are invited behind their hype for Devil’s Night. The activities the knight members hosted are so diverse that no one can simply miss out on anything. Well, you did miss out on the famous cliché game of truth or dare, not that it bothered you.

Presently, you and your group of friends, including Winter, Kazuha, and the others, are making your way back to the backyard once more after getting some refreshments earlier when the second rave ends. Now all of you have decided to attend and participate in the third rave. The last rave of the night.

The B-stage at the backyard is bigger than the one inside the palace at the supposedly club room, and the crowd is tenfold compared to the previous rave, which enlivened the night even more while the ambience in the air is vibrantly teeming with the LED pink and purple lights flashing across the sea of crowds and into the skies. The bass-boosted music of ‘Tonight’ by Big Bang that the DJ is playing reverberates throughout the expanse of the palace and even further.

“Look at Y/N! Babygirl got moves!” Giselle’s remarks draw attention from your other friends to you, watching you in an effervescent element, which is undoubtedly a rare sight for you.

“I’m glad she’s having fun!” Kazuha exclaims cheerily, smiling widely at the sight of you giggling and dancing in your own world with Chaewon and Liz.

Wonyoung, who opts to take a short break from the dancing, watches you with a softened gaze while her hand is holding a red cup of vodka. Is she still worried for you? Yes, but right now, she is glad to see you having genuine fun.

“She needed this.” Yunjin speaks beside Wonyoung as she watches you as well. "Now, are you glad that we dragged her here?”

“Perhaps.” Wonyoung says. “As long as nothing happens to Y/N or any of us.” Yunjin nods in agreement.

“Okay! I need a break!” Chaewon laughs out, halting her movements, but you pout your lips at her, to which she giggles and pecks your cheek. “Sorry, babe, but you’re on your own now.”

Chaewon makes her way out of the crowd, excusing herself to head to the bathroom while your other friends immerse themselves in the music and separate themselves from you. Eventually, you blend into the crowd, causing Wonyoung and Yunjin to lose sight of you.

The thought of other sweaty bodies coming into contact with yours doesn’t bother you in the slightest. There is a wild glint in your eyes as you dance with a random couple, giggling and succumbing to the exhilaration brimming in your veins.

Unbeknownst to you, you accidentally bump into someone from behind, but just as you are about to apologise to the person, firm hands grip your waist as he pulls you back to him, allowing your back to hit his solid chest.

“Nice moves you got there.” His hot breath fans the shell of your earlobe, reminding you of Jake earlier, but this time, this person’s touch has a hint of roughness, whereas there was gentleness in Jake’s. “Why did you stop, baby?” He hums seductively.

“Jay.” You breathe out, going completely still. His hands remain on your waist, sending you goosebumps with the sensation of his warmth.

“Angel baby.” He lulls beside your ear before you feel him dipping his head down to press a sensual kiss on your shoulder blade. “Come on. Show me your moves.” It is a command.

Despite the trepidation coursing through your veins at the fact that one of the devil’s knights's leaders has you in his possession, you know better than to refuse him. So you begin to sway your body before you gradually pick up the rhythm.

Eventually, you lower your guard around him and dance willingly with him, occasionally grinding your body against his, to which he groans lowly at the sensation of your ass in contact with his dick.

A giggle leaves your lips upon feeling his breath tickling your skin when he buries his head into the curve of your neck. Instinctively, your hand ascends to brush your fingers through his soft raven locks while the two of you continue to sway in sync to the music.

“If I had known you were this fun, I would’ve brought you out with me to a nightclub sooner.” Jay murmurs near your ear before he places a sensual kiss on your pulse.

“You can’t kiss me whenever you want, you know?” You giggle once more, enjoying the way his strong arms are hugging your waist from behind. Perhaps the remnants of the alcohol persist in your system, but you have never been this playful and flirtatious around guys.

“Oh, but I can. I can do whatever the fuck I want with you.” Jay rasps against your skin on the cheek. You feel his fingers stroking your stomach in a sensual manner before they make their ascent to your chest. “Besides, you’re in our territory, angel baby.”

You gasp while your heart lurches in your chest when he gropes your breast, and a low groan leaves his lips next to your ear. Your cheeks flush with warmth at the newfound sensation that pools in your tummy.

“Fuck, baby.” He cusses lowly before pressing another kiss on your neck. “The things I want to do to you right now, but unfortunately, duty calls.”

You frown at the loss of his touch and warmth. “Jay─” But as you turn around, Jay disappears into the crowd, just like Jake did.

“Y/N, for the love of God, do not ever disappear like that again!” Wonyoung’s exclamation can easily be heard over the commotion as you spot her just a few metres away from you.

Your face twists into a grimace at how visible her annoyance and frustration are on her face. Soon, you spot your other friends as well in your vicinity. A part of you desires to find Jay and ask him to elaborate on what he meant by his statement earlier, but you know better than to further involve yourself with him. Just as you step forward, the music dies out, eliciting confusion and anger from the crowd.

“What’s happening?” “Hey, DJ! We weren’t finished raving!” You hear commotions around you, making your head spin lightly.

What happens next throws you completely off guard, and subsequently, you become fully sober miraculously.

The deafening sound of a siren rings through your ears, which is akin to the purge, shattering the night of riotous jollity instantaneously. Despite the perpetual blaring siren, you can discern a dissatisfactory chorus of groans and clamours amongst the crowd. The LED lights begin to dim, but you manage to catch glimpses of your friends' contortions with confusion and percipience.

Before you can open your mouth to speak with the intention to inquire, a stentorian voice that belongs to a female startles you, as it is resounding enough for you to absorb her emphatic words into your mind despite the ongoing siren in the background.

"Announcing the commencement of the annual devil's night sanctioned by the mayor of Seoul. Weapons of class 4 and lower have been authorised for use during Devil's Night. All other weapons are restricted. Commencing at the siren, any and all crimes, including murder, will be legal for 12 continuous hours. Blessed be the four leaders of the devil's knights."

At once, the tumultuous crowd begins to disperse in a haphazard manner, and some can be seen running as though they are being hunted down by unknown sources, or rather, delinquents. Despite the fear in their contortion, you can't help but notice the glimpses of excitement, and an eccentric ambience of thrill pervades in the haunting atmosphere.

Apprehension courses through your veins while your heart beats expeditiously. You swear you can hear your pulse drumming loudly in your ears. In the midst of the ambiguity, your intuition is sending you a message that what may escalate next is not something you expected on a purported Halloween night routine, or rather, assumed.

"Ouch! Hey!" Annoyance bubbles within you upon having been shoved roughly by some people, resulting in you nearly plummeting to the ground if it weren’t for your best friend, who swiftly and steadily supports you as she holds you against her.

"What is going on?" You ask in a demand, with pure confusion reflecting in your eyes. You notice how Yunjin looks oddly collected, but as soon as her gaze runs over you, her eyebrows pull together before a low cuss elicits from her.

"I told you that it was a bad idea to drag her here!" Wonyoung startles you greatly with how she sounds genuinely irate, but when you take a glance at your gorgeous raven-haired best friend, your stomach sinks at the apparent distress written across her delicate features. "We need to get her out of here before any of the knight members get to her, or any of us, for that matter!"

"Winter and Liz are with the others!" Karina informs in haste as she appears next to you, seeming to be running with how apparent she is panting lightly. "We have approximately five minutes to get the hell out of here!"

"It's no use even if we try to escape." Yunjin sighs, running her fingers through her red strands. "They're not letting us out until it's over."

"I don't care." Wonyoung snaps at Yunjin, taking you by surprise when she grabs your wrist tight. "We will find a way to get out of here, even if it means that I have to use violence to fight off the knight members."

"I don't get it!" You raise your voice as you dart your eyes between your best friends. "This was supposed to be a normal Halloween night, but now crimes are acceptable for the next 12 hours?! What sort of─"

The sound of a shotgun pierces through the air, shocking you greatly, and before you can even process anything, you find yourself being dragged by Wonyoung, with Yunjin and Karina following closely in haste.

By the time you have arrived at the parking lot, your eyes widen at the gruesome sight of two masked men displaying violence upon a student who, you presume, attends the same university as you, looking all bloodied with his face completely ruined.

"Come on!" Karina shouts, snapping you out of it before you are being thrust into her car by Wonyoung, who then proceeds to enter the backseat with you while Yunjin is in the shotgun.

As Karina switches the ignition of her vehicle, a shriek leaves your lips as soon as the window next to you shatters into pieces by a golf stick, prompting you to duck your head and move further from the masked man as he attempts to reach out for you, but Karina immediately slams her foot on the pedal gas and speeds off.

A loud gasp escapes from you while your heart is pounding hard against your chest. Wonyoung swiftly engulfs you in her warm embrace, in which you desperately seek comfort, even if it's just for a moment.

"What the fuck?! There are roadblocks everywhere!" Karina exclaims, and you sense a scowl in her tone.

"That's what I've been telling you! We can't escape anywhere until Devil's Night is over." Yunjin says exasperatedly before she looks over her shoulder at you, uncertainty and concern residing in her gaze upon seeing how visibly shaken you are as you cling onto Wonyoung's arms.

"Ah, fuck!" Karina curses once more before steering the wheel expertly, finding other possible solutions. Yunjin shoots her a withering glare, to which Karina retaliates. "Don't give me that look. I have totally forgotten what it was like on Devil's Night."

"Was that why a few students died last year?" You manage to speak through shaky breaths. "Because they were killed on Devil's Night."

Silence befalls your best friends, but as Wonyoung squeezes her arms around you, you know that your presumption is correct. You have finally connected the dots. Initially, you didn’t want to make the assumption that those students who died on Halloween were the same ones who attended Devil’s Night. But as their silence confirms that, your stomach sinks in dread, and you begin to pray silently.

Deciding to distract yourself, you notice some bikers are on the same run as they ride ahead of you, as well as two cars, to which you assume that they are the invited guests.

"We can hide at some place, maybe a building, where there is a high chance that they won't find us." Wonyoung tells Karina, while the latter nods her head and continues to drive with keen eyes.

The vehicle comes to an abrupt halt, sending both you and Wonyoung flying forward. A series of profanities emanate from your best friends.

"Damn it! The wheels got punctured!" Karina groans loudly as she hits her forehead on the steering wheel. "So what's the plan? Either way, we're probably going to get fucked."

"We run, duh." Yunjin pushes the door open, while Wonyoung seems reluctant but heeds her words.

"But we're wearing heels!" Karina's exclamation goes unheard by you as you attempt to catch up to Yunjin and Wonyoung. You wince as you soon begin to feel the aches. Tonight is the wrong night for you to be wearing heels.

You don't even know where you are at this moment, focusing solely on following your best friends from behind, until you hear a familiar voice calling for your group just a few metres away.

"Guys! Over here!" You recognise the guy, who is a junior from the business department. He is fairly famous among the ladies. With the motion of his hand, he is beckoning for your group to enter what looks like an abandoned, massive, three-story building.

"Ricky!" Wonyoung greets him with a friendly yet brief side-hug as soon as she reaches for him. "Are you sure this place is safe?"

"On Devil's Night? Nowhere is safe." Ricky shoots her a lopsided grin before his eyes settle on your face, and instantly, he blinks his eyes in surprise. "Y/N? You're here on Devil's Night?" He asks in dubiety.

In return, you give him an awkward smile. "It's kind of a long story."

"No time to explain. Thanks for helping us out, by the way." Yunjin pats his shoulder firmly before brushing past you.

"Come on." Ricky pulls you in and proceeds to close the fairly huge door with a loud thud.

A gust of wind hits your skin, sending you involuntary shivers as your arms latch around your body in an attempt to warm yourself while your eyes scan the interior of the building with no lights in sight. The only source of light is the moonlight, which streams through the broken window glasses.

You hear hushed yet noticeable voices belonging to unfamiliar and familiar people that go scattering across the floor. You keep wandering around, getting immersed in how hauntingly beautiful the interior building is, as though the previous owners were the royalties.

As you look away from the broken chandeliers above you, you notice that you are in a foyer with a massive flight of stairs in sight. That is also when you realise that you have gone astray from your best friends.

"Wonyoung?" You call out for her, your voice echoing throughout the dark, and your eyes have adapted to the setting. "Yunjin? Karina? Ricky?"

Your body jolts when you hear a piercing scream that belongs to Karina, although she sounds as though she is somewhere on the second floor. Your eyes widen in mortification at the thought of your best friend being gravely injured before you proceed to take hurried steps forward.

Just when your foot steps on a stair, a dark figure standing way above the second floor captures your attention. As you look up, your heart nearly lurches in your chest upon seeing the person with the physique of a man looming over you. He is wearing a black bomber jacket with the hoodie covering his head, and his red mask obscures his identity. His head is tilted to one side, and you would have found it cute if it weren’t for the fact that he is holding a literal metal baseball bat in his grasp.

At the moment he makes his first descent, you begin to make your retreat by undoing whatever you're about to do. You hear a breathy chuckle elicited from the red-masked man that you swear sounds familiar.

Your stomach churns with uneasiness as you continue to back away from him cautiously. Oddly, his movement seems deliberately slow, as though he is taking his time trying to scare you. Releasing a shaky breath, you turn around with the intention to run, but you bump into a solid chest.

Before you can fall, gloved hands latch on your waist, steadying you. As you slowly look up, colours drain from your face at the closed-up look of a designated black mask that he is wearing, and you have no idea who he is. He is also wearing similar attire as his fellow comrade.

"Look at what we have here." His voice sounds oddly deep, as though he is using some sort of advanced technology to conceal his real voice. Despite him wearing a mask, you swear you can feel his gaze raking all over you. "We're giving you ten seconds to run far, angel. Starting now."

Of course, you know better than to delay. So you run, ignoring the touch of his gloved hands on your skin that remains lingering. Your heels and thighs are hurting from all the running. Your chest is hurting with the way your heart pounds hard. Trepidation courses through you. You fear what is to happen next, and you hope to live to see the next sunrise.

It appears that luck is not on your side tonight, as you find yourself falling to the ground. Pain shoots up in your ankle, but thankfully, it is bearable. With a wince, you slowly lift your head up with your hair dishevelled, and when you do, you feel as though your heart drops to the pit of your stomach.

Fear resides in your gaze as you stare up at the figure looming over your fallen figure, his boots directly in front of your face. His head is tilted to one side as he stares down at you, and his face is obscured with a white mask that has a vertical red stripe on one side.

Your mind is screaming at you to run from him, but it is as though you have been rendered immobile, your body paralysed with petrification. Tears well up in your eyes as he bends down on one knee and uses his melee knife to slide under your chin, tilting your head up.

"Please don't kill me." You hold back a sob, attempting to stay strong, but a traitorous tear betrays you as it slides down your cheek.

"You should’ve thought about it twice when you decided to show up in the first place, sweetheart." His voice sounds akin to that of the previous masked man, but you can detect a gentleness in it. For a moment, he reminds you of a certain individual who has been your academic rival for the past few years.

In a blink of an eye, you gasp as he hauls you up with a strong grip and slams you against the wall without any thoughts of gentleness. Your heart continues to pound against your chest as he pins both your wrists above your head tightly while his other is occupied with his melee knife, the tip sliding down your cheek, but not enough to leave any traces of scars.

"Were you supposed to dress up as an angel?" He asks while leisurely trailing the tip of his melee knife against your throat and descending to the expanse of your chest, where your cleavage is enticing to him. "Yeah, you were. But a slutty angel at that."

The degradation in his soft tone throws you off guard. Before you can speak, he renders you speechless when he leans down to press his lips against yours, and you would have considered this your first kiss if it weren’t for the barrier of his mask.

Karina’s piercing scream shatters whatever trance you are in, prompting you to turn your head sideways where her screams are echoed. “Karina.” You utter her name worriedly before looking back at the mysterious masked man whom you will call White. “Please don’t let them hurt Karina or any of my friends.” You implore him rather meekly.

White chuckles, though you can easily detect his mockery. “You are so fucking adorable, sweetheart. Thinking that you can order me around just like that.” He leans away from you and releases you.

Just when you think you can make your escape, he proves you wrong when he grabs your arm firmly, pulling you to flush against his body warmth. “You’re not going anywhere until we’re done with what we need to do.”

“We?” You blurt out just as he drags you with him. It isn’t long until the previous masked men you saw greet you in your line of sight as they laze around by the foyer.

Their heads snap at you, and despite wearing those masks, you swear you can feel the intensity of their gaze on your figure. You decide to call them by the colour of their masks.

“Are we seriously bringing her with us?” Black asks, his tone tinged with annoyance. “She will only be a hindrance to our mission.”

This time, you decide to intervene. “Not to worry! I can just leave you guys to your mission while I see myself out.” You crack a nervous smile before attempting to run past White, but what happens next greatly shocks you.

With ease, White has thrown you over his shoulder, carrying you with his hand holding onto the back of your waist for security. White simply ignores your pathetic attempt to protest as he gives Black and Red a firm head nod before they proceed to make their ascent to the flight of stairs.

You continue to wiggle in his firm grip, and you are conscious of the fact that your weight might bother him, especially the weight in your thighs, as they are slightly thicker than your best friends’.

“Stop moving!” White grunts, getting annoyed at your antics. In an attempt to silence you, a slap echoes throughout while you feel a stinging pain on your buttcheek before your cheeks go flushed at the realisation that he has just smacked your ass without any hesitation whatsoever.

“Jungwon, Riki, what’s the status?” Your ears perk up at the familiar names, whom you recognise as the renowned juniors that are closer to the four devil's knights leaders compared to any frat member.

“Everything is ready. Just say the word, and we’ll blow the building up.” You hear Jungwon’s voice coming from someone’s phone, and you frown at his statement.

“Felix just informed me that Namgil and his crew took the bait and had just entered the building.” Red speaks to White and Black, whereas your stomach is starting to hurt from how sharp White’s shoulder blade is.

You poke at White’s back, earning his attention. “My stomach hurts. Can you let me down? I promise I won’t run away.”

Silence is all you receive from White, which disheartens you. So you close your eyes and try your utmost to withstand the pain while holding back whimpers. Just then, you feel yourself being settled down on a soft cushion before you open your eyes to see yourself seated on a worn-out couch.

You are about to thank White, who is looming over your figure, but you are rendered speechless when he ties your wrists together with a black cable tie.

“What are you doing?!” You raise your voice, the disbelief is evident in your tone. “You didn’t have to tie me! I gave you my word that I wouldn’t run away!”

“Just to be safe.” White tells you before taking a step back. “Stay put, sweetheart. We’ll be right back for you.”

With that, White, Red, and Black make their departure, leaving you alone in this dark room with the only source of light coming from the window, moonlight streaking in, and the faint screams of terror emanating from the outside tainting the night.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

You did attempt calling for help or even your best friends, but to no avail. Your throat is starting to hurt, and you are in dire need of water to quench your thirst. To make matters worse, your ankle looks slightly swollen from falling earlier.

You refuse to obey White’s instructions, so you decide to venture out of the room, trying to find the way out. With each step you take, you limp slightly, wincing every now and then due to your throbbing ankle. You definitely need medical attention before it gets worse.

After what feels like forever, you finally manage to descend to the first floor in the foyer as you hold onto the railing. You heave a sigh, and a glimmer of hope shines in your eye at the thought of escaping from this place, from the three masked men.

But you should know better than to hope, especially when you have broken the rules that are expected of you as God’s blessed child.

Dread fills you when a group of five mask men are in your line of sight. However, these mask men look entirely different compared to the devil’s knights. They are wearing red bomber jackets instead of black.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” One of them, whom you presume is the leader, steps forward as he cackles wickedly. “Y/N. I never thought I’d see a day where the good girl dressed up like a slut.”

You recognise that voice. Kim Namgil. Apparently, he broke some sort of rule or whatever that got him dismissed from the fraternity club. You have heard that he was the worst of the worst of them.

Of course, desperate times call for desperate measures. So, with your slightly swollen ankle, you turn around with the intention to run away from them, and you are almost successful when you feel a painful impact on your back from getting hit by a wooden baseball bat, resulting in you falling to the ground on your knees. You don’t even have the time to attempt to defend yourself despite your wrists that are tied together when he flips you around and pins you to the ground with his fingers curled around your neck in a firm, threatening manner.

“I’ve always wondered what it feels like to fuck you and break you.” Namgil snarls coldly in your face behind his black mask. “After I’m done with you, I’ll let my crew have their turn in destroying your cunt, and then right after, I’ll tear your limbs one by one.”

The fear coursing through your veins is so intense, while tears spring from your eyes. But you remain resilient, still fighting and struggling in his firm grip. Raising your leg, you knee him hard in the sack, eliciting a pissed-off snarl from him.

Your head is turned sideways at the impact of his slap, and your tongue tastes the metallicity of your blood from the cut at the corner of your lips due to his ring. This time, you don’t hold back your sob, weeping helplessly underneath him, yet you keep praying to God that you will be saved.

“Namgil, I don’t think we have time to mess around with her.” One of his crew members tells him with a sense of urgency.

“Just a quick fuck.” Namgil tells him as he squeezes your throat tight, causing black dots to appear in your vision before he slaps your face again, and this time, your head starts to throb painfully.

“Damn, she looks like a fucking slut.” You hear one of them make derogatory remarks with chuckles. “Faster, Namgil. I can’t wait to fuck her pussy.”

At the moment you hear a zipper, more tears spill from your closed eyes as you give up hope and await the pain. But nothing happens next. Instead, you hear a commotion involving punches being thrown and a series of groans and cusses.

You no longer feel the weight of Namgil on top of you, as someone has pulled him away from you. You flutter your heavy eyelids open, and the gruesome sight of Kim Namgil being beaten to pulp by Red greets you just across from you.

“You fucking dared to touch her?!” Red growls out as he grasps his metal baseball bat and is tainted with Namgil’s blood. “You deserve to die a slow, painful death, Namgil.”

You look away with a wince as soon as Red brings down his metal baseball bat to Namgil’s ruined and bloodied face once more, diverting your attention to White, who plunges his knife into one of Namgil’s crew members, to which you gasp, startled upon witnessing the knight members displaying true violence in real time.

You hear a painful scream of a man before the sound of bones cracking makes you go flinching, but you find yourself looking at where the source of the sound comes from, staring at Black, who has broken the limbs of the one whom you recognised as the guy who made the last remark when he slutshamed you.

Then you see a new masked man, and you call him Silver, making his way over to Red, who is evidently berserk and is stopped by Silver. Red seems to breathe heavily and steps away from Namgil before he turns his head to you, but you are busy watching Silver, who appears to be saying something to Namgil tauntingly before the sound of bones crushing pierce through the air.

Upon having to witness such gruesome sights with blood splattering everywhere, tears are continuously streaming down your cheeks, but you have no strength to sob out. Fear and trepidation spread throughout your chest at the thought of you being their next victim.

You flinch as footsteps approach you while you remain on the floor, having no strength after being assaulted by Namgil and his crew. You hear low murmurs around you while your mind is in a haze.

You can barely comprehend anything when you feel someone cutting the cable tie that binds your wrists. A pair of strong arms lifts you and carries you with ease, prompting you to flutter your eyes open to see yourself in Silver’s arms.

“Jungwon, blow the building up.” You hear Black speak as soon as the five of you step out of the abandoned building.

“Wait.” You mumble groggily, wincing as your head throbs once more. “My best friends, they’re still inside─”

“The only ones who are inside are the dead bodies.” Silver says above you, his deep voice is akin to the other masked men’s, surprising you. “Your friends are still alive and have been brought to another place.”

You don’t say anything, too shocked to form coherent sentences upon witnessing the building blow up with a booming sound. You watch as the building is engulfed by the roaring, ferocious flames while the masked men continue to advance forward without a care for the burning building behind them.

A black van pulls over by the curb before the door slides open, revealing the familiar faces of your juniors. “Get in.” Riki tells them before his dark eyes land on you. His eyebrow is raised at you, but he doesn’t say anything as he scoots to the back when Silver steps forward to place you inside.

“Hey, Y/N.” Sunoo greets you with a grin as he is seated in the shotgun. “Fun times, ey?”

You don’t respond, resorting to silence as the rest climb into the van before the door closes. Jungwon, who is the driver, presses his foot on the pedal gas as he speeds away. You expect the four masked men to reveal their faces, but they don’t.

Silver, who is sitting next to you, turns his body to face you with his head tilted to one side. “Now, what shall we do with you?” He ponders out loud, and his statement sends shivers down your spine.

But you are too numb to make any protest or defend yourself from these masked men, as the gruesome images of blood and the sound of bones crushing that emanate from Namgil and his crew remain reeling in your mind. Despite the fact that you’ve always had complete distaste for Namgil, you know that he didn’t deserve to die.

The moment gloved fingers caress your cheek, you flinch away from Black, who is seated next to you. “Since the second part of the hunt is starting soon, why don’t we let angel here join the others instead?” He suggests to his fellow comrades.

You release a shaky breath as you stare at Black with visible fear and curiosity. “Second part of the hunt? You mean to tell me that earlier was just the first part?” Your tone is laced with disbelief.

“That’s right. The first hunt was to hunt and kill the victims on our list while the others spread horror and terror to those lucky ones who didn’t make it to the list.” This time, Jungwon tells you, meeting your eyes in the rearview mirror fleeting, yet you manage to catch his smirk that has obvious wicked intent.

Perturbation gnaws in your tummy as you lick your dry, quivering lips. “And what does the second hunt entail?” You manage to ask despite the shakiness in your voice.

“You’re about to find out, angel.” Black chuckles with a hint of darkness, and concurrently, the vehicle comes to an abrupt stop, nearly flinging you to the front, but Silver’s quick reflexes manage to prevent you from doing so with his arms shooting out to hold you.

The door automatically opens before Silver makes his exit first, he turns to you and holds his hand out for you, to which you hesitantly accept his assistance before you make your exit as well.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

“Y/N!” Your girls, specifically Wonyoung’s voice that overpowers theirs, call for you as soon as the four masked men have brought you to where the other victims are gathered, as well as the other knight members with their masks and similar attire. You shudder upon seeing different types of weapons in their grasp.

All the while, you have been trying your utmost to ignore the throbbing pain in your ankle and walk as normally as you can. The sound of gates rattling closed from behind startles you, prompting you to look over your shoulder to see that the entrance is closed. You scan your surroundings briefly, noticing that they have brought you to a massive labyrinth garden, which appears to have a multitude of mazes that also seem endless. You spot the divine palace in the background, but it looks further away from you.

Once White releases his grip on your arm, you waste no time rushing for your awaiting friends and crash into the first person who has her arms outstretched for you. Your eyes water as you bury your head into her chest, and for once,you are glad that she’s taller than you by five centimetres. Wonyoung’s warmth shrouds your cold, trembling form while you feel relieved to see her and the others again, despite the fact that this comfort you desperately seek and bask in is only temporary.

You silently thank God for keeping your good friends safe and in one piece.

Just then, your eyes widen at the sudden realisation that hits you, prompting you to pull away from Wonyoung. “Karina!” The moment you utter her name, your gaze immediately settles on the familiar catwoman standing in between Winter and Kazuha. As your eyes rake all over her, confusion etches on your canvas. “You’re not hurt? But I thought I heard you scream earlier.”

Karina gives you a sheepish smile. “I got startled when a cobweb of spiders hit my face, and afterwards, one of the knight members scared the fuck out of me, but don’t worry, honey, I’m perfectly fine!” She reassures you once more, and you begin to relax, only for a while before the screeching sound of a speaker pierces in the air, causing all of you to wince.

“Congratulations for making it to this stage.” White speaks into the microphone, garnering everyone’s attention while you briefly look over to the numerous familiar faces of the other students amongst the crowd. “However, Devil’s Night is far from over, and unfortunately, whether you’ll survive this stage or not is all dependent on you.”

White passes the microphone to Silver. “Yes, we’re aware that this is new for those of you who have been to the previous annual Devil’s Nights.” Silver explains. “For this stage, all of you will be given seven minutes to run and find the exit of the labyrinth garden.”

“Seven minutes?!” A guy from your cohort barks out his discontent. “Seven minutes is impossible for us to make our escape! Look at this maze! It’s fucking massive!”

“Too fucking bad.” You hear a smirk in Silver’s tone. “So you better be running for your life once we hit the countdown.”

“And what happens if we don’t make it to the exit in time?” Liz asks loudly, and when you look at her, you frown at the discernible excitement in her eyes. Why is she excited when she should be apprehensive just as you are now?

It’s not just her, but you notice the palpable tension of excitement emanating from some of the victims. It is as if they have been expecting this adventurous thrill that may or may not cost their lives. Your face twists into a slight grimace, finding them odd.

Red snatches the microphone from Silver. “For those of you who successfully manage to find the exit on time, congratulations. You are free to leave and enjoy the rest of Devil’s Night with what we have to offer.” Black pauses before he elicits dark chuckles. “But for those who fail, you’re ours to kill, ours to toy, ours to torture, and ours to fuck once we find you. We’ll do whatever we want for you. So when we tell you to run, you run and don’t ever fucking stop.”

You see Black motioning for the microphone, which Red gives him. “As for our fellow knights, don’t forget to stake your claims if you haven’t. Remember to hunt down only what is yours.” As Black says this, you can feel his gaze behind his mask fixed intently on your face. “The second part of the hunt starts now.”

On his command, everyone, with the exception of the knight members, erupts into squeals and tumultuous commotion as they make their way to the multitude of mazes haphazardly. Wonyoung has already dragged you along with her, shoving her way through the crowd with profanities occasionally leaving her lips while her grip around your wrist tightens.

“This way!” Wonyoung barks over her shoulder to you before tugging you with her into one of the mazes.

“Yunjin! Chaewon! Girls!” You shout to your friends at the other side, who fail to hear your calling as they proceed to enter different mazes, followed by some other victims. You wince when Wonyoung adds more force as she drags you. “Wony! Slow down!”

“Are you crazy?!” Wonyoung raises her voice as she gives you a bewildered glare. “We only have seven minutes, and you’re telling me to slow down!?”

“But my ankle hurts.” You whimper as you finally allow yourself to limp, prompting Wonyoung to halt her steps while panic resides in her gaze.

“How did this happen?!” Wonyoung begins to fuss over you, bending down to touch your swollen ankle before returning her gaze to your face. “Never mind that. How bad does it hurt now?”

“Like an eight? I don’t know.” You grimace, putting more weight on your other perfectly fine ankle. Your eyes dart at your surroundings while you rub your arms in an attempt to provide some warmth due to the cold breeze that hallows as well. “How are we even supposed to find the exit in this massive labyrinth?” You ask, feeling disheartened. You yearn to return to the comfort of your bed and snuggle with your soft toys.

“Can you try to withstand the pain?” Wonyoung asks with a concerned frown, and you nod your head in response. “Okay. We’ll try to brisk-walk and search for the exit. We have about,” She pauses as she glances down at her phone screen. “Four minutes?! Shit!” She grabs your hand and wastes no time walking in haste.

You ignore your ankle, which is throbbing painfully now, as you follow her. Amidst the trepidation, determination sizzles through you, and you have every intention to escape from the knights’ grasps, specifically the four masked men from earlier. Your stomach churns while you have an inkling that they’ll be hunting you down.

Time seems to be passing by slowly as you are starting to feel the exertion dawning on your body from the events that happened since the moment you stepped foot into their territory. Wonyoung, too, looks exhausted as she has finally released your hand, but as always, she remains composed with her head held up high, and determination is like steel in her eyes.

The two of you turn to the right corner, and at once, groans are emitted from both of you. Greeted in your line of sight is a lengthy, narrow maze with different entrances on each side. “I swear we’re going in circles!” Wonyoung scowls indignantly, but nonetheless, she advances forward while you stop to take a breather.

You pant lightly, wiping the sweat above your brow. “Wait, Wony─”

But just as Wonyoung turns around, a figure decked out in familiar attire and a grey mask that obscures his identity emerges from the shadows of the entrance next to Wonyoung, who grabs her with his arm around her waist while the other has her wrists locked firmly.

“Hey! Get the hell away from me!” Wonyoung thrashes in his grasp as he drags her with him. She turns her head to glare at the man in the mask before recognition flickers in her gaze. “Jungwon! Please!”

A gasp leaves your lips at the name that leaves her mouth. You watch as Jungwon continues to drag Wonyoung with him while the latter continues to plead, though you can’t help but discern the softness in her tone towards him.

“Wonyoung!” You cry out for your soul sister as you step forward with the intention of getting her back, afraid of what might happen to her. But the moment you attempt to reach out for her, Jungwon turns to look at you and shakes his head.

“Don’t, Y/N. Unless you want to end up on the wrong side of my knife.” The wicked intent in his voice is resounding, rendering you frozen in your spot. “Luckily for you, you’re not mine to kill.”

“Y/N─'' Jungwon clamps his hand over Wonyoung’s mouth before they eventually disappear from your sight as they enter one of the entrances, leaving you alone and helpless.

Tears are welling in the rims of your eyes, while the trepidation that courses through your veins is starting to feel overwhelming. You sniffle as you quickly wipe away the fallen teardrop on your cheek before you force yourself to advance forward, mustering whatever courage and determination are left within you. 

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The shrill screams, which belong to different individuals, have been continuously pierced into the cold, foreboding atmosphere once more, startling you as you tighten your arms around your body in an attempt to seek some form of succour.

By now, you are numb to the pain in your swollen ankle and solely focused on surviving this hunt and making it out alive. You turn to a left corner and continue to venture forward until you hear a voice belonging to a familiar person that kindles hope in your chest.

“Yunjin?” You call for her, moving forward while your eyes dart everywhere as you walk past different entrances. You become startled when you spot one of the knights holding a chainsaw chasing after two girls who are screaming in terror before you quickly mind your own business and resume searching for your childhood best friend.

“Yunjin─” You immediately halt your steps as soon as you hear faint moans emitting from your very own childhood best friend. Your face contorts into confusion as you listen to how she is moaning pleasurably while there is a faint slapping sound of skins.

A part of you knows better than to indulge your curiosity, but you find yourself advancing forward once more. As soon as you turn your head, the obscenity sight greets you and renders you completely shocked to the point where your body feels paralysed, unable to move.

There is your childhood best friend on top of a masked man as he is seated on a wooden bench, and their lower regions are completely stripped off of any layer of garments. Her back is facing you as she bounces continuously on him with her hands draped over his shoulders lazily.

As your gaze falls down, that is when you finally notice that Yunjin is indeed fucking down on the masked man. You can see how lewd they are fucking into each other with a series of moans and groans emitting from them. You should feel disgusted, and you should be looking away from the obscenity, but you become enthralled by the sight of his cock disappearing into her pussy each time she bounces.

Oddly, your heart is racing at a foreign pace, and your throat becomes dry the longer you watch them get immersed in the fucking. You stagger a step back, panting lightly while feeling a foreign sensation pooling in your core. The warmth all over your body feels odd, bothering you greatly.

“Fuck, just like that.” The mask man throws his head to the back, holding Yunjin by her ass cheeks to assist her. “You’re doing so well, baby. Keep fucking on me like a desperate whore you are.”

You squeeze your thighs together to suppress the sensation that becomes oddly unbearable in your core. Just as you stagger a step back, your back hits a solid chest, causing your heart to drop.

Before you can run away, an arm slithers around your waist, locking you in place. A tut leaves his lips. “Naughty angel. Having fun watching your best friend fucking him like a whore?” It is Black.

“N-No.” You protest weakly, looking away from the sight, but he uses his gloved hand to grip your jaw and turn your head, forcing you to keep your eyes trained on your best friend.

“Don’t lie to me, baby.” Black speaks next to your ear while your breaths get heavier and your mind is tainted with forbidden thoughts the longer you watch them fuck. “I know you love it. You’re probably wishing that was you.”

Your breath catches in your throat as he gropes the flesh of your breast with earnestness, while his other hand trails downward on your stomach before his fingers go underneath the material of your dress. You gasp inaudibly at the sensation of his fingers teasingly grazing across your clothed pussy, and you swear you can feel some form of essence leaking between your folds.

“N-No.” Your weak protest does nothing to stop Black from his assault on you while you watch with hooded eyelids as your best friend continues to fuck the mask man vigorously while the sounds emanating from them become pornographic.

“Fuck, you’re nearly soaked, angel.” Black nearly growls as his chest vibrates against your back, sending you shivers down your spine.

Light pants leave your lips as your mind is infused with impure thoughts, and your hips buck, as though in an attempt to entice Black, but he continues to tease you by stroking the outer of your womanhood.

The sound of a feminine scream pulls you out of the lustrous trance as you blink your eyes. Mortification hits you like whiplash, while guilt shrouds you. Gritting your teeth, you muster courage before slamming your elbow into his stomach hard, resulting in him releasing you while a painful groan emits from him.

“Y/N!” You hear Black roaring from behind, the sheer anger is palpable in his tone while you run as if your life depends on it, despite your ankle sending you signals that it needs medical attention as soon as possible.

Your brunette waves flail behind you, soaring in the wind as you run while a few strands of your locks stick to your face. Your heart is pounding harder against your chest, and your chest begins to tighten with anxiety at the worst possible outcome.

A scream leaves your lips as soon as two lower-ranking knight members emerge from the bushes with different weapons in their grasp, bringing fright upon you. You run to the opposite side, and when you do, other knight members wreak terror upon you with their weapons, but they don’t do anything to you. It is also as though they are forcing you to go in the intended direction by scaring you relentlessly.

You choke back a sob, tears stinging in your eyes. You wish that this was all just a mere nightmare, but the exertion, the aches, and the pain all over your body say otherwise. You find yourself yearning to return to your beloved parents and the cosy ambience of your home, where you feel safe and loved.

A genuine scream of terror rips from your throat when Silver emerges from a shadow, holding an axe that is dripping with blood. “Where do you think you’re going, princess?” He asks mockingly, stalking towards you.

Tears stream down your cheeks, but you refuse to let out a cry. You back away from him quickly before turning around to run, but you crash into a solid chest and firm hands hold onto your waist, prompting you to look up and stare at Red with panicked eyes.

“Caught you, sweet angel.” You hear him purr with pleasure. You shove him in the chest, pushing him away from you. Facing your two predators, you back away in haste. Pure fear shines in your glistening eyes.

From your peripheral vision, you spot Black emerging from the tall bushes with a dagger in his grasp, and you can immediately discern his wrath, as evident in the way he trudges towards you.

“Stay away from me!” You begin to scream at them, tears are relentlessly streaming down your cheeks. “Leave me alone, you sick bastards!” You ignore the small voice in your mind that is berating you for saying a profanity.

“So the angel can scream.” Silver remarks with a cold chuckle. “Scream all you want, because no one will come to save you.”

Frantically, you grab a small rock at the side as you bend down before you throw it in the direction of Silver, who dodges in time. Silver scoffs out a chuckle. “You’re really starting to get on my nerves, princess.”

You yelp out as you trip over something, resulting in you falling backward with your bum hitting the hard ground. You wince before you attempt to get away from them, crawling backwards as your three predators are nearing.

But at the moment your hand touches a boot behind you, your heart sinks into the pit of your stomach before you force yourself to look up. Alas, White is staring down at you while in his grasp is a white handkerchief.

“You failed, sweetheart.” White says softly. 

In an instant, Red hauls you up, forcing you to stand and holding you firmly by the arm. You whimper out a cry as you feel your hands being forced to the back as White has your forearms interlocked with one hand.

“Don’t worry, baby. We won’t be fucking you tonight.” Black chuckles darkly at the side, the anger that emanates from him is evident. “This is something to remember us by when you wake up, and when you do, remember our masks.”

Red grabs your chin, tilting your head up. “We’re not done with you yet, sweet angel.” 

You open your mouth to speak, but White covers your mouth and nose with the white cloth, forcing you to inhale the substances that he had sprayed with. You struggle in their grasps with tears leaking from your eyes, but soon, you begin to lose strength while your mind becomes groggy.

Your hooded eyelids feel heavier with each passing second. Alas, you succumb to the darkness as it shrouds your whole being.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

“Y/N? Y/N! Wake up!”

It feels as though your soul has been slammed down into your body as you jolt from your deep slumber. Fluttering your eyes open, you are greeted by the familiar sight of your bedroom ceiling before you finally realise that you are back in your dorm. The exertion dawning on your body renders you immobile as you remain in bed. 

You feel soft fingers stroking your cheek, prompting you to look at your childhood best friend, whose face has a twist of concern and sympathy. “Babygirl, you’re fine now.”

That is also when you realise the dampness on your cheeks. With Yunjin’s assistance, you raise your body to be vertical and lean on the headboard. You glance down and notice that you are in your Hello Kitty pyjama set.

A relief sigh leaves your lips. So whatever happened last night was just a mere nightmare. Yet, it is a nightmare that you will probably remember for the next few days.

“Is she awake?” Wonyoung’s voice draws your attention to her as she barges into your room. As soon as your eyes meet hers, you notice the sheer relief in her eyes. “Y/N, thank God you’re fine. You’ve been asleep for so long.”

“It wasn’t that long.” Yunjin tells Wonyoung before taking a glance at her phone screen. “Oh, wait. You’re right. Y/N missed breakfast and lunch.”

“What time is it?” You ask, finding it odd that your throat is dry and scratchy.

“It’s four in the afternoon.” Yunjin replies as she gives you a sympathetic smile. “It’s understandable that you woke up this late.”

“I had a nightmare.” You mumble, your fingers tracing circles on your duvet that is covering your outstretched legs. “A really terrifying nightmare. I don’t think I ever want to experience that again.”

As Wonyoung sits on your other side, you immediately latch your arms around your best friends, bringing them into a hug while you sigh in contentment. “I’m glad it was just a nightmare.”

But they don’t reciprocate your hug, which brings a frown to your lips. You pull away from them and notice prudence in their heavenly features. “What?”

“Babygirl, what happened last night wasn’t a nightmare.” Yunjin tells you, her voice sounds quiet.

The relief you feel dissipates and is replaced by apprehension. Your chest feels constricted as fragments of the whole event that transpired last night coalesce into one. The last remark from Red remains vividly clear in your mind.

“It wasn’t?” You ask numbly, looking at Wonyoung for confirmation, and the latter nods her head. Your eyes trail down to her neck, noticing fresh purple and red hickeys on her porcelain skin.

“Hey, the other girls will be coming over─” Karina stops her sentence midway as she saunters into your room, her eyes meeting yours. “Y/N! You’re awake!” She grins at you, oblivious to your disheartened spirit. That is also when you notice bandages on her forehead and hands.

You uncover the duvet from your legs. The familiar throb in your swollen ankle serves as a reality that you did, in fact, attend Devil’s Night on your own accord, and you have no one else to blame but yourself.

“I helped to ice your ankle and apply some ointment.” Wonyoung tells you as she rubs your thigh soothingly. “It should heal in two or three days.”

You remain silent while your eyes turn crestfallen. Your three best friends exchange worried glances.

“Y/N, are you okay?” Yunjin asks gently, and when she touches your shoulder, you visibly flinch, bringing a frown to her lips.

The obscenity of your best friend willingly fucking herself onto one of the knight members is something you can’t erase, and you can’t help but feel sickened and disgusted. You're disgusted at her, and more importantly, you’re disgusted at yourself for bearing forbidden thoughts and for how you acted. You recoil from her touch, scooting slightly away from her before you return to lie on your bed with your back facing her.

“Yeah. I just want to be alone for now. Please.” You croak out pleadingly while tears spring from your eyes as you hug the duvet close to your chest.

“Fine, but don’t miss dinner, okay?” Wonyoung pats your arm gently before she proceeds to depart from your room alongside Karina and Yunjin. All the while, they become confused by your unusual behaviour.

“We’re not done with you yet, sweet angel.”

Red’s words remain lingering in your mind, taunting you and evoking the familiar fear within you while dread crawls onto your skin.

With a faint of heart, you release the sobs you have been holding back, weeping in the comfort of your bed that is surrounded by your soft toys. You will definitely remember your first Devil’s Night, and it will also be your last.

You fear that the events that transpired on Devil’s Night have been engraved in your mind as well as rendering you traumatised, and you have no idea if you will ever recover from them.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

You didn’t leave your room for the next few hours. Your eccentric behaviour worried your best friends gravely, and they took turns knocking on your door to get you to come out and have dinner, but you didn’t respond to any of them, causing them to resign and finally leave you alone.

It is not that you hate your best friends, but the fact that they don’t seem to be bothered by whatever happened last night and their normalcy confounds you. At the same time, you can’t help but feel resentful towards them. Knowing that they have been attending Devil's Night since freshmen, how do they still not find any issues in the Halloween event that entail such heinous pursuits?

You love your best friends, you really do, but right now, as you have been reflecting deeply, you wonder if you truly know them.

“Mom.” You greet your mother on the line as you press speaker mode.

“Hey, sweetie. Aren’t you supposed to be asleep at this hour?” Your mother’s kind and gentle voice brings tears to your eyes while you try your best to hold back your sob. You yearn to be in her warm, comforting arms, where you feel undoubtedly safe.

“I slept more than enough earlier.” You force out a laugh, wiping the fallen teardrop from the corner of your eye. “Is Dad there?”

“He’s on a night shift.” Your mother informs you, but you sense a certain tone of knowingness in her tone as she continues to speak. “Tell me, what happened?”

“Nothing. What makes you think that?” You raise your body vertically, sitting on the bed, while one of your soft toys is in your lap as you toy with its arm mindlessly.

“I know my daughter, Y/N. You hardly called me at this hour. Did something happen to my sweetie?”

Alas, the tears brimming in your eyes cascade down your cheeks. “Am I still good, Momma?” Your voice cracks in between, allowing your true emotion to surface.

“Of course you are. You are always good, and goodness is always inside of you.” Your mother remains constant in the way she speaks to you in a soft lull.

“But what if I did something bad?” You say sullenly. “What if I sinned?”

There is a brief silence on the line, and you can’t discern whether your mother is mad at you or not. “Sweetie, there is no denying that you are God’s blessed child, and purity has always been a big part of you, but you are a human just like the rest. You’re bound to make mistakes. So if you have sinned, you should already know what to do next.”

“Are you mad at me?” You ask meekly, swallowing a lump in your throat. You hate disappointing your mother.

“No, I’m not.” Your mother reassures you. “Get some sleep, okay? It isn’t good to stay up too late. I love you, always. Remember that, sweetie.”

“I love you too, Mom.” You reciprocate as your voice comes out shaky before you end the call.

Your gaze settles on the familiar book of the Bible on your nightstand. With your trembling hand, you reach out for the book. Once you have it in your possession, you begin to flip over the pages before your fingers halt at a certain page. At once, you begin to read.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

“Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?” Kazuha asks as soon as you dismount from her Yamaha bike. You proceed to give her the helmet before you adjust your slightly tousled hair, making it neater.

“I’m sure.” You tell her, a tinge of resolution glimmers in your eye despite the guilt that has been churning in your tummy. You give her a smile of gratitude. “Thank you so much. I owe you one.”

“Nonsense. You’re my friend, aren’t you?” The leather-clad girl grins at you. “Call me when you’re done. I’ll fetch you. Besides, we’re long overdue for a date.”

You watch as Kazuha speeds off with the blaring noise from her engine, eliciting a chuckle from you as you know that your dear friend is simply flaunting her sleek black bike.

The smile on your lips flattens as soon as your gaze settles on the divine building. A gust of wind hits your skin, sending you shivers and prompting you to hug your white coat around your figure. It has been quite some time since you visited the church that is situated on the same street as the campus due to the heavy workload given by your professors for the past months that you didn’t even have the time to visit.

You find yourself stepping forward before picking up the pace and entering the building. Thankfully, there are not many people. You offer a polite smile to the sisters walking past you, as they also welcome you with warm smiles.

At once, you feel at ease, and the familiar tranquillity in the ambience feels like a gentle hug, assuring you that despite the sins on your shoulder and the guilt weighing on your conscience, you will be pardoned in the end. After all, you are God’s most loved child.

The priest, who appears to be speaking to one of the members of the church, directs his focus to you, and once he sees your face, a warm smile touches his lips. “It has been awhile, my child.”

You reciprocate his smile despite your nervousness. “School has been keeping me occupied.”

“What brings you here on a Sunday morning?” The priest asks.

You release a shaky breath while regret shines in your eyes and the guilt tightens around your heart. “I have a confession to make.”

His smile falters just slightly. He tips his head in the direction where the familiar booth of the sacrament of penance is, beckoning you to follow him. “Come, child.”

It isn’t long until you have finally reached it, now seated on the chair with your heart pounding against your chest.

“Whenever you are ready.” The priest says to you from the other side.

The events that transpired last night are like a film in your mind as you recall them. A tumultuous mixture of emotions is palpable within you while you attempt to remain collected. 

With a shaky breath, you begin your confession, “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned……”

TAGLIST: @aishigrey @kgneptun @b3tt7boop @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586 @strxwbloody @firstclassjaylee @jwnghyuns @luminouskalopsia @deobitifull @loumin908 @sousydive @pinkkami @skzenhalove @caravm @shinrjj @loljaeyunz @star4rin  @darkjongsung @mlywon

AAAAUUGGG I LOVE THIS SM, THIS IS SO GOOD

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟕.𝟐

SYNOPSIS:After the heated yet emotional confrontation that involuntarily led to you revealing glimpses of your raw vulnerability, you knew that it was for the greater good that you had officially driven them away. But little did you know that the four ex-leaders refuse to give up on you, doing whatever it takes to get you back, even if it leads to them repressing their pride and grovelling for your forgiveness on their knees. 

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), adulthood, reverse harem

WORD COUNT: 48.8k+

WARNINGS: profanities, explicit themes, angst, mention of violence, alcohol consumption, manipulation, mild toxicity, smuts, unprotected sex (no!), dom!enha, mild switch!jake, mild switch!reader, name calling, mild degradation, manhandling, bondage, blowjob, fingering, pussy eating, edging, squirting, creampies, breeding kink, overstimulation, multiple orgasms.

DISCLAIMER: this fic is inspired by devil's night series written by penelope douglas!

PLAYLIST: Say It Right - Nelly Furtado, Yes or No - JungKook, So Sick - Ne-Yo, Love You Like a Love Song - Selena Gomez, Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding, Kiss It Better - Rihanna, Night Changes - One Direction, Clarity - Zedd. ft Foxes, For You - Liam Payne & Rita Ora, Right Now - Akon, Die For You - The Weeknd, Wonderland - Taylor Swift, We Found Love - Rihanna, How Deep Is Your Love - Calvin Harris & Disciples, Cinnamon Girl - Lana Del Rey, Delicate - Taylor Swift.

PREV (PART 7.1) | NEXT (PART 7.3) ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

In the solitude of his room, Jake remains stagnant on the edge of the bed, only adorned in his pants as he had come out of the shower moments prior before this. His hands clutch his head that is throbbing with a raging tempest of emotions he seeks to quell, but it only intensifies at the agonising thought of you and the stark clarity in your resolve despite how defeated you sounded at the end.

A muscle pulses in his jaw while his eyes harden as he represses those emotions from being potent that could manifest themselves in the tangible form of his rage. He knows better, because the last time he unleashed that rage, his best friends had to subdue him with all of their might amid the rampageous chaos.

Despite the inclination towards brutality that stemmed from his depravity, Jake was never the type to exhibit such violence unless it was in a suitable situation, and he had never been vigorously hot-tempered until your departure happened. 

It was as if he and Jay had swapped temperament, as he is now the most volatile out of them. No longer was he the most amiable and laid-back one in the group, as he had become someone whose unbridled rage courses through his veins. Even his best friends could never fully conquer it, and Jake knew this.

The only person who can tame his rage is you, and only you alone, as it was your departure that changed him for the worse. He knew that he could never blame you for the change in him, only having himself to blame for his lack of self-control over his emotions. He recalls the times he had taken you for granted, most especially in the beginning. Oh, he truly and so desperately wants to atone for his past sins towards you.

But then, your words struck him deeply, as did the way you looked at him with an unfamiliar coldness that made his skin crawl four days ago ─ four long fucking days that only exacerbated his misery, to which he feels the incessant impatience that vehemently impels him to get you back in his arms, even if it means that your hatred for him grows.

Jake gets sidetracked from his rumination when he hears the animated bustle from the outside ─ most probably his best friends will be taking their leave to go to work, just as he should be as well, but in this condition, he doesn’t have the mental capacity to do anything except to run back into your inviting arms he dreamed of every night.

Jake is more than aware that he should not be neglecting his responsibilities to further dwell in this misery of his yearning for you, especially when his best friend can easily terminate his employment for his lack of competency in his role as a professional cybersecurity, owing to his cyber prowess that also enables him to manipulate and hack devices and data for his pernicious pursuits.

Back in Seoul, Jake landed the same profession as he does in the present, with the exception that he worked for his father’s company despite his resentment and hatred for his father, but he merely did it for the sake of distracting himself from the pain and retaining whatever remnant of sanity he had left.

Even when his days were painted blue and grey in Seoul, Jake genuinely enjoyed his profession, seeking miniscule contentment in the days he worked tirelessly with the intention to tire his mind that was always thinking about you, but at the end of the day, you managed to weave through the labyrinth of his mind.

Your face, your eyes, your scent, your smile, your laughter ─ everything about you occupies his mind unabatingly. Sure, it could be just pure obsession, but he knows that it is beyond obsession, and not even the love he has for his profession can outweigh the love his heart harbours for you.

Throughout the blues and greys of his days after learning of your departure, Jake shut out everyone for almost an entire month, and his parents were no exception. He became foreignly callous, painfully detached from everything. He was preoccupied battling with the onslaught of devastation that racked through his body.

Although he became volatile with his uncurbed emotions, he was also the most emotional. Out of the four of them, Jake was the only one who couldn’t care less about staining his tough guy image and has shed tears the most even in front of them, especially on most of his sleepless nights. Sometimes his best friends would take initiatives to check on him and found him in rivulets of tears as he called for your name weakly in his sleep while hugging his bolster tight as though it were you he was hugging instead.

Having already suffered with abandonment issues, your departure wounded him so deeply that not even his old therapist could help in pulling him out of the dark abyss he chose to spiral into. At times, he wished to rip his heart out of his chest as he couldn’t handle the palpable yearning that felt intensifying as days passed.

Jake wanted you. He wanted to be consumed by your everything. He wanted to drown in the thought of you and the memories he had with you. You were the only person who could make him become good, and what he thought was impossible happened when he found himself praying to God that you would return to him one day. You made him become religious when he should be worshipping at your altar instead, because you were and still are his salvation.

You are his Goddess. His to worship, his to provide for, and his to love until the end of time. Love was a sacred sentiment he thought was illogical until you happened. You, who have made him embrace love, which he never wants to let go of, most especially you.

Just like that, fear strikes him at the thought of you, prompting him to abandon his bed to head for his closet, browsing through the ironed blouses he had meticulously arranged and hung in the wardrobe before grabbing the black blouse. He deftly buttons up the blouse and rolls up his sleeves, busily grooming himself to look at least presentable before he hastily grabs his necessities and exits his room in a hurry.

Jake has some fears, but the thought of losing you again where you would be beyond his reach once more completely terrifies him that he can feel it twisting in his guts. Fuck it that you might hate him once he shows up. He would rather die trying to earn your forgiveness and for you to love him than to never try at all.

“Where are you going?” Heeseung’s query draws his attention briefly as he wears his shoes in a haphazard manner. It looks like Heeseung is working from home, judging by the meticulous setup of his laptop and other working necessities on the table in the living room, whereas Sunghoon and Jay are decked out in formal attire, preparing to head to work.

Jake presses his lips thinly together. It astounds yet infuriates him how they seem indifferent and have yet to talk about what happened after you pleaded for them to leave. Now he feels relieved that he will be initiating the first step instead of them.

“To Y/N.” Jake answers rather brusquely, his steely eyes observing the emotions manifesting in their facade. “It’s about time someone did something to earn her forgiveness and bring her back.”

“Jake, it’s only been four days. She probably doesn’t want to see your face.” Sunghoon states dreadfully, his tone sounding terse as though he is restraining something in him. “Give it a week, and then we’ll try again.”

“Also, shouldn’t you be working today?” Jay points out with an eyebrow raised at him. “Just because you’re my best friend, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get a pass.”

“Y/N is more important, as she should be to the rest of you.” Jake retorts while there is a certain bite in his voice, his eyes blazing with fury as he glares at them. “If you want to grovel a week later, then be my guest, but don’t you dare try and stop me from going to her now. I’ve waited long enough, and we delayed what we must do far too long.”

Jake doesn’t wait for any of them to reply as he proceeds to storm his way out of their temporary residence; his mind and heart are in consonance that resonate with the resolution involving you.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Jake has been following you in the most discreet way possible since the moment you stepped foot outside of your apartment building, his car following behind your Uber rides. From one place to another, he never would have thought that you would turn out to be a busy woman today. Of course, he knows what you do for a living here, among other things. After all, stalking and obtaining data are two of his many expertises. He was also the one responsible for the first intrusion into your apartment after obtaining information regarding your address.

Presently, Jake remains steadfast in his pursuit, his back leaning against his red Lamborghini that is parked by the curb of the pavement walk with his arms crossed over his chest, causing his taut muscles to stretch against the material. His striking handsomeness attracts attention from the passersby in the street, as evident in the way their eyes are ogling at him, but the centre of his attention is solely focused on you and you alone, staring at you with dark intended eyes.

As you are seated adjacently to the large window in a bustling chic cafe, the midday light streaming through creates a gentle halo of warmth on your face, rendering him moonstruck by your heavenly beauty. 

Unlike when you looked at him four nights ago, your eyes look animated while you are occupied in conversing with two refined ladies, possibly your clients, in the way your demeanour looks professional as well as the setup of your laptop. Even if he is observing you from afar, he can discern the air of confidence and dominance you exude as you sell your product to them, causing his chest to feel a tingling warmth of pride.

After learning of your past achievements that happened within a year since you became a freelance writer, Jake truly admires how resilient and remarkable you are at your job, especially when it is not an easy career to pursue, so he has no doubt that you will succeed in whatever product you sell to your clients as he has complete faith in you. It is only a pity that he wasn’t there to witness and celebrate your past success with you.

As his eyes remain lingering on your radiant countenance, he feels a stab of jealousy in his chest at the way you are smiling to your clients, never mind the fact that they are women. He wishes to light up a smile on your face like he once did and for you to smile at him the way you do to your clients now.

Jake forces himself to practise patience as he awaits the next few minutes or so for you to conclude the meeting with your clients. In the meantime, he decides to think and surf through the internet for places to bring you to, aside from a gift he bought for you earlier, for which he made a quick detour to the mall before stalking you from your place. To be fair, this is an impromptu plan, but he can’t afford to delay any longer, fearing that by the time he has decided to win over your heart, the walls you built to protect your heart would be infrangible and that you would not accept him for good.

As Jake lifts his head up from his phone, he spots your clients preparing to leave. He tucks his phone in his pocket and wipes his clammy palms down his pants, feeling the unfamiliar jitters all over him despite maintaining a collected facade. It feels as though he is about to ask you out on a date for the first time. Right, he has never asked you out on a proper date before. Guilt begins to gnaw at him. 

Jake waits until your clients exit from the establishment before he finally sets in motion, his steps showing his avidity in hoping that you are still taking your time to leave while he deftly avoids bumping into the passerby along the street.

Entering the bustling cafe, his gaze immediately settles on your figure facing away from him. He unclenches his fist as he advances forward, and yet the closer he is to you, the more he feels like his rapid heart is going to combust.

Fuck, it’s like meeting his crush, which is not entirely incorrect but with the addition that you are the love of his life instead. He has never felt such jittery towards someone that renders him pathetic and weak in the knees except you.

Seeing as you are still busy packing your stuff into your shoulder bag, Jake decides to wait as his figure looms over yours next to the table. His shadow seems to have caught your attention as he sees you freezing in your seat with your shoulders tensed up.

His eyes remain on you as you slowly turn around to finally face him, and the light in your beautiful eyes dims with a concoction of emotions he cannot seem to fathom, but the once astonishment on your countenance is replaced by vexation, entirely displeased to see him.

His heart aches tremendously in the way you look at him without any ounce of affection and tenderness you once did ─ just a complete utter void of sentiment that pulls at his heartstrings painfully.

Jake begins to wonder if this is how you felt as a certain recollection surfaces in his mind of when he decided to become an arsehole to hurt you with his words and made you jealous with an irrelevant bimbo whose name he can’t remember.

“How did you know I was here?” Your voice devoids of affection, only stark coldness that feels foreign in his ears. You grip the strap of your shoulder bag, awaiting his response while your eyes harden with such resolve. “Never mind, don’t bother answering. I don’t want to waste any more of my time on you.”

It is as if Jake has been deprived of the ability to articulate his feelings into words since the moment your icily glaring eyes latch on his face. Not waiting for his response, you scoff as you roll your eyes before leaving the table and brushing past him coldly.

Jake clenches his fist, hating how meek he becomes and how unusual it is that his confidence seems to evaporate into thin air once he presents himself in front of you, unlike how he was a few nights ago.

Hearing the doorbell chime, Jake snaps out of his dwelling thoughts and wastes no time in chasing after you. Thankfully, you are not that far off the establishment, granting him prompt ease to catch up to you. 

“Sweetheart, wait,” Jake latches his hand on your wrist, enough to force your attention on him as you turn around to face him, your steely eyes conveying such animosity that unnerves him to the point where he feels a surge of emotions that threaten to be released in rivulets.

“Don’t touch me, and don’t call me sweetheart,” You yank your hand from his defeated grasp as if he is your bane. Being too engrossed in the torrent of emotions within you, you fail to realise the hurt glistening in his eyes so fleetingly amidst the yearning. “Have I not made it clear to you that I wanted for you to leave me alone for good?”

“You did, but you know I can’t do that,” Jake speaks so gently, his voice sounding deeper as he continues to tread his words with mellowing emphasises that you can’t help but to hear him out while he takes a slow step forward. “I couldn’t go on any longer without making things right with you.”

Jake can see your steely resolve teetering, and for a split second, he manages to catch a glimpse of sentiment that belies your stringent demeanour. “Just what does it take for you to understand that I don’t wish to reconcile with any of you,” Your flinty tone almost sounds defeated. “I already told you four nights ago that I forgave you. I gave you what you wanted.”

“I don’t believe that you forgave us so easily, which is why I’m here,” Jake stands in front of you as you are finally within an arm’s reach. The way his warm brown eyes soften as he gazes at you stirs something so dangerous yet so familiar within you. “So, please, sweetheart. Don’t push me away this time. Allow me to fix the parts I broke.”

You can feel it, your resolve melting by the clarity in his sincerity and appeal, as does the way his eyes are swimming with emotions you once harboured for him or still do. You swallow down a spit to moisten your oddly parched throat, trying your utmost not to falter under his tender gaze.

“What if the broken parts are irreparable? What will you do? What can you do?” Your questions shoot out like bullets, your eyes hardening again. “Just give it up, Jake. Words don’t sway me, even if they come from you.” 

“I gave up once when you disappeared without leaving a trace, and I refuse to give up now when the opportunity for me to mend your broken heart is already here.” Jake steps closer to you, his cologne infiltrating your senses while you grapple with your teetering resolve. “I’m willing to do anything, whatever it takes, and no matter the price, if it means that you’ll return to my arms at the end of the day. I’m willing to try over and over again, because that’s how much you mean to me.”

“I hardly believe that I mean anything to you.” Your ego refuses to yield despite his sincerity that resonates with you. Fragments of bittersweet memories you had with him coalesce into one as it surfaces in your mind. “Yes, we kissed, fucked, and did things that friends wouldn’t do, but we were nothing more than friends, Jake. I was your prey for you to fuck me all over.”

“Jaeyun.” Jake corrects you, his husky voice conveying a silent plea that you are able to discern. Your heart begins to pick up the beat of familiar cadence as he takes another step closer while his wet brown eyes seem to lock you in place. “Call me Jaeyun, like you always did, please.”

Instead of backing away, you remain cemented to the ground despite the dangerous close proximity between your bodies. You can feel your voice losing its flinty volume as you swallow down a painful lump in your throat. “Why does it matter to you? Jake, Jaeyun, they’re both your names.”

“I told you before, didn’t I?” A wistful smile forms on his lips that doesn’t reach his eyes while his tone is filled with bitterness. “Everyone else calls me Jake, but Jaeyun is only reserved for you.”

You force a scoff out of you in an attempt to mask the emotions that are threatening to slip beneath your facade. “Why? Do you feel special or something? It’s just a name.”

“Of course I do, because it’s coming from you.” Jake says softly, causing your heart to clench some more. “You are and will always be the only woman who has the ability to make me feel special.”

His warm brown eyes seem to be pulling in, but just before you get utterly lost in his eyes, the sound of passersby in the background milling about in the street renders you self-conscious by the fact that you two are in your own world.

You take a step back from him, ignoring the dejection glistening in his eyes. “Flattering me with words isn’t going to work.” Liar. Your heart was pumping loudly in your chest. “If you’re just holding me back to flatter me, then I’m going to leave. I have better things to do.” You really don’t, well, except to take a power nap.

“Don’t go, please.” Jake pleads, letting his inhibition go as he grabs your hand and holds it tenderly. You open your mouth to retort, but he cuts you off firmly yet there is a tinge of desperation he seems to restrain. “Give me a chance to prove that I’m worthy of having a place in your life.”

You heave a sigh. “Jaeyun─”

“Please, sweetheart. I’m begging you.” Jake implores, holding your hand rather firmly as he holds it close to his chest while the mere gesture makes your heart skip a beat involuntarily. “Give me one last chance to prove that I’m worthy of your love and to be your man. Give me another shot at forgiveness.”

Just like that, the resolve you valiantly retain liquefy and the exasperation is replaced by something so gut-wrenching in the way his eyes express emotions that you know reflects the depths of his feelings. This time, you don't protest as you allow him to hold your hand a little longer.

Deep down, you know that you would eventually cave into Jake as you come to embrace the fact that he has earned an abiding soft spot in your mended heart, even when you feign ignorance to it.

As you recall the memories you had with Jake, the back of your eyes begin to sting. Sure, there were times, especially in bedroom, where he was rough and can be quite a menace, but the Jake you remember was always sweet and knew what to say in order to allay whatever worries you had. At some moments, you even felt that you had also found a friend in Jake despite your salacious escapades, which was why you often confided in him as he understood you the most out of the four.

Yes, you have witnessed and understood that Jake is detrimental and unpredictable, and no doubt he falls under the category of psychopathic just like his best friends, which should have given you the reason to terminate whatever adoring feelings you had for him, but a part of you knows that no matter how grievously you try to efface everything about him on your mind and heart, he will always prevail in your affection that runs deep.

After all, he was your sweet Jaeyun, the Jaeyun you had missed dearly. Right now, you are seeing the Jaeyun you knew and loved in front of you despite how his divinely chiselled features look more mature than you remember. 

Your fingers are itching to caress his face affectionately like you once did, but you refrain yourself. As you finalise your decision based on both rationality and sensibility, you release a soft sigh, returning your gaze to meet his anticipating one.

“Alright, but don’t make me regret this, Jaeyun.” You warn.

You can see the way light beams in his eyes that you find so endearing. “I promise you won’t, sweetheart,” His firm tone holds promises which you can’t help but to anticipate. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” You ask, your face contorting into confusion as he guides you to his red Lamborghini, to which you scrutinise his car before recognition flickers in your gaze. So he was the one who had waited and followed you all the way to your apartment on that one night when you were drinking out to your heart’s content.

“I hope you don’t mind clearing your schedule for the rest of the day, because from this moment forth, we’re on date,” Jake opens the passenger door for you, giving you a small smile that is enough to shoot a cupid arrow to your heart. You raise an eyebrow at him, noticing how his smile turns sheepish. “Besides, I haven’t really asked you out on a proper date before, so consider this our first.”

Your countenance betrays none of the feelings that are fluttering annoyingly in the expanse of your chest, but as your eyes roam around his, they soften as you recognise that he is trying his best despite how evidently nervous he is, causing your heart to clench at how genuine he is to prove his worth.

Maybe it won’t hurt you to lower down your guards around him. In return, you cast him a small smile that softens your features, unknowingly shooting the same cupid arrows to his heart that is beating in a familiar cadence for you.

“Okay, Jaeyun,” Your mellow tone catches him off guard as does your softened eyes, reminding him of the times when you gazed at him with heartfelt affection. 

“Okay?” It isn’t a question to you, but more like as if he is trying to wrap his head around the fact that you don’t seem to be entirely hostile towards him as much as the other night. 

You hold back a chuckle as you notice how similar he looks to a puppy that is waiting for its reward for being good while the smile on his lips slowly broadens just by your one word affirmation, granting a faint dimple on his cheek to appear.

“Yes, okay, Jaeyun.” You reaffirm softly, allowing your guards to lower around him.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The silence enfolding in his car offers you a peculiar solace that is accompanied by the euphonious tune from the dashboard radio. His car is infused with a certain air freshener that smells pleasant, allaying any tension in your bodies. 

Yet, neither of you has yet to initiate a conversation. Jake remains a jittery mess on the inside despite his concentration on the busy road, his lips tucking in between his teeth and his eyebrows furrowing in fret as he hopes that he doesn’t fuck things up today, whereas you are preoccupied with your keen observation at his navigating skills as you gaze out to the window.

From your peripheral vision, you notice the visible pale on his knuckles in the way he grips the leathered steering wheel before your eyes find their way to his chiselled jaw, which seems taut with tension. You don’t know why, or maybe you do, but you feel compelled to dispel whatever worries he has on his mind.

“You seem to know your way around here,” You strike up a conversation on instinct as you utilise what you have been observing. He casts a brief glance at you, but you manage to take notice of the fleeting surprise in his eyes. “I have to use GPS to get my way around here sometimes.” You confess, embarrassingly enough.

It seems like whatever spell you covertly cast on him works as you see his jaw going unclench. “I actually don’t,” His sincere admission throws you off guard, and you are in disbelief when his lips stretch into a lax smile. “We might get lost, so prepare yourself for extended hours of a car ride for me to bring you back to your apartment.”

“Jaeyun,” Your flat tone denotes zero amusement as you shoot him a glare.

The sound of his soft chuckles alone is melodious, awakening the flutters surrounding your heart, and it intensifies when he turns to look at you with a boyish grin on his handsome features. “I’m kidding, sweetheart. Of course, I know my way around here,” In a way, his confidence feels more like an assurance to you. “It took me a while to memorise these routes by heart and not depending on GPS.”

Realising that you are still staring at him with a certain awe, you snap out of the trance, clearing your throat as you resort to another topic. “So…” The unintentional drag in your tone sounds painfully awkward, causing you to grimace inwardly. “How long have you guys been here? Since before Milan fashion week?”

“Three months ago, so yeah, before Milan fashion week.” He answers, his eyes returning to the road as he turns the steering wheel with one hand while the other relaxes on his thigh.

“Oh,” You can’t help but to overthink, bringing a frown to your lips. If they had been here for three months, then why did they decide to see you until recently? Why the long wait?

Jake is more than aware of your resounding silence, prompting him to glance at you. “Don’t misunderstand, love. We didn’t get to you sooner because we were too busy settling down our business here,” His words hit you like whiplash, as though he has the ability to read your overthinking mind. “As much as we wanted to find you first after we landed here, we couldn’t neglect our responsibilities, especially involving our careers. Stability is important in this economy after all.”

Your interest piques at the mention of careers, which morphs into curiosity in the way you tilt your body to get a better look at him. “So what do you do? Hacking?” Your tone remains cynic. “Considering you are very much professional at it.”

Jake raises an eyebrow at your tone, his eyes remaining on the road. “Is that sarcasm I sense?”

A scoff leaves your lips as you fold your arms below your chest. "Asked the guy who hacked the smart lock on my door and intruded into my apartment.” Naturally, you expect a retort or a witty remark from him.

“I’m sorry,” His stark sincerity in his apology proves you wrong, causing you to blink your eyes at him, but he doesn’t meet your gaze. His lips pressing thinly together, his countenance unreadable, but his tone speaks volume. “There are a lot of things I’m sorry for, sweetheart.”

This time, you don’t reply, uncertain of what to reciprocate in your enunciation. Jake casts another glance at you, wanting to alleviate any discomfort he brought upon you. “If you want to know, I’m working as the head of the cybersecurity team under Jay’s company.” 

“Jay’s company?” You blurt out your astonishment, your eyes widening in the slightest fraction at the revelation. “Jay has his own company?” The thought of Jay and his attractiveness being a CEO arouses something so dangerous within you. You quickly quell it, silently berating yourself. 

“Well, more like his father’s, but I think you should ask him yourself for a clearer explanation,” Jake’s vague elaboration elicits a dissatisfied huff from you, to which he feels amused, before continuing. “Back in Seoul, I worked in the same line under my father’s company. As much as I hated to work for him, I couldn’t refuse since it was an obligation for me.”

You furrow your eyebrows in both perplexity and curiosity. “But you’re here now, so I’m guessing he was fine with you leaving Seoul.”

“He actually opposed it, but what do I care?” His tone carries an undercurrent of bitter resentment for the elder, despite the indifference he wears on his face with a lazy smirk touching his lips. “If he hadn’t neglected his son for years, then maybe he would’ve known that his son would defy all odds, no matter the consequences, and go through such lengths to get what he wants.”

“And what do you want most, Jaeyun?” You ask tentatively, your voice sounding mellower than the previous while your eyes remain fixated on his divine side profile.

The air around you shifts, forming a palpable tension you recognise, and yet it is a dangerous one in the way it feels raw with a delicate intimacy, causing your heart to beat in a familiar cadence at the moment he meets your eyes. 

Jake feels it too, a certain unfathomable connection that electrifies just by locking eyes with you. “I think you already know the answer, love.” His voice barely above a whisper while his plump lips unfurl a soft smile while 

You are pulled out of the electrifying trance when his car comes to an abrupt stop, to which you haven’t realised that you have reached your destination as he finally pulls over to an empty spot by the curb. “We’re here.” He announces, switching off the ignition.

You decide to leave your bag, only bringing your phone and wallet with you before you exit from his vehicle at the same time as him. The crisp noon air hits your skin once more while you busily direct your attention on a familiar building.

Your eyes glimmer with recognition before you turn to face him in utter disbelief and amazement. “Wait, isn’t this─?” 

Jake gives you a broad smile as he stands next to you, feeling pleased by your reaction. “Welcome to Teatro alla Scala.” You nearly swoon over his accent in his perfect pronunciation. 

“I’ve always wanted to watch one of their shows but haven’t had the opportunity to since I was often occupied with work.” You tell him, feeling the natural yet familiar flow of confiding in him like you always did back then.

His eyes soften. “Fortunately, I was able to buy tickets for us earlier today, and we got the best seats in the house.”

“Earlier today?” You raise an inquisitive eyebrow at him, narrowing your eyes in a subtle, playful accusation. “So does this mean that this is an impromptu date?”

Jake rubs his nape sheepishly. “It was a last-minute plan, yes, but I couldn’t wait for another day to pursue you,” He confesses, and his warm brown eyes molten with promises that send you a faint shiver. “I mean it when I say that I intend to show you how serious I am about you.”

You lose the ability to speak, only affording to blink your eyes in acknowledgement as you look at him, as if you are awestruck by him. 

Jake chuckles softly, a melody you wish to hear over and over. He offers his arm to you in a gentlemanly stance. “Let’s head inside, sweetheart.” This time, you don’t hesitate to hook your arm around his before you finally venture further inside.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Time passes by quicker than he likes, and it feels like he hasn’t been spending enough time with you. Jake feels more than relieved to know that you did enjoy the remarkable performance in the way your reaction gave away your feelings, but honestly, all he could think about at that moment in time was the close proximity of being seated next to you and the genuine smile on your kissable lips. You enchant him in the joy you find in every moment, and he wishes to cherish that joy with you.

Right after the theatre, Jake brought you to one of the famous art museums, which was only a 10-minute drive from where you were. Frankly, Jake never understood the purpose of people staring at different intricate arts with the same questionable being exhibited when they were not very pleasing in his eyes.

But when Jake saw the way your eyes sparkled with such fascination as you appreciated the exhibited arts, he felt as though he finally understood why, or at least he thought so. It was because the art itself was you. You are beyond the arts, a masterpiece that no one could ever replicate.

Jake has high hopes that by the end of today, things will remain in a smooth transition and his efforts will not be in vain. Presently, the two of you are on a boat ride with the helmsman overseeing and touring you along the famous canal of Naviglio Grande. Usually, you would be riding along with other people, but Jake specifically rented the entire boat solely for the two of you, to which you feel as though you are being cocooned with intimacy.

As the silence persists, Jake takes this moment to steal a glance at you, only to be rendered moonstruck by the natural glow on your cinematic beauty against the beaming dawn of twilight, painting the firmament a gorgeous blend of orange, pink, and purple while you are engrossed by the remarkable view.

Jake can hear his pulse drumming in his ear, matching with the cadence of his heart that feels as though it will jump out of his chest any sooner if he doesn’t look away from you. A delightful flutter brushes against his beating heart as he watches you tucking strands of your hair behind your ear.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” Jake allows his thoughts to slip past his lips, but he doesn’t regret it when he sees the look on your face.

Your cheeks feel warm under the intensity of his gaze, unable to maintain steady eye contact with him. “Thank you.”

Realisation hits him as he remembers, prompting him to slip his hand into the pocket of his jacket. “Give me your wrist.” He says, to which you feel confused, but nevertheless, you comply, only to be surprised when you notice a beautiful rose gold bracelet that looks like it costs hundreds in his grasp.

You watch as Jake assists in clasping the bracelet around your wrist ever so reverently. “It’s beautiful, Jaeyun,” You remark, bringing your wrist closer for you to admire the bracelet, but you falter with a frown as you return your gaze to him. “But why? You didn’t have to. I don’t want you to spend your money on me.”

Jake gives you a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Back then, I've never really spoiled you with anything like this, so consider this a gift from me to you.”

You can’t seem to find words to carry on the conversation, and so you resort to silence on your way back to the port while you take the opportunity to ruminate. Truthfully, after seeing and recognising his efforts throughout the whole day of your date, your heart is more than ready to accept him back, but a part of you keeps holding you back by taunting you with possibilities of him hurting you or that things would not work out well for you in the future.

It isn’t long until you finally reach the port with Jake assisting you out of the boat before the two of you proceed to leave the port, walking side by side with your hand itching to entwine with him.

Too deep in your thoughts, you lack attentiveness to your surroundings, causing you to bump someone’s shoulder roughly that nearly sends you staggering backward. You are about to apologise to the stranger, but Jake stops you as he recognises that you are not in the wrong.

“Hey man, you should apologise to my girl.” Jake has never sounded as hostile as he is now, his voice pitching lower, and when you lift your head, your eyes widen at how pissed off he really looks with his glaring eyes at the stranger who exudes such arrogance.

“From what I see, your girl bumped into me, so she’s the one who should be apologising to me, or better yet, kiss my foot,” The stranger counters, his face forming a sneer before he directs his callous eyes at you. The cynical smirk on his lips brings you an unpleasant shiver. “What do you say, sweetheart? Gonna be a good bitch and apologise on your knees?”

You already develop a strong distaste for this vile stranger whose eyes are looking at you with a predatory gleam. From your peripheral vision, you notice a change in Jake’s body language, rendering you hyper-aware of the patent wrath he emanates. “Jaeyun.” You utter his name warily.

But your calling falls deaf to his ear as he is seething and seeing red in his vision. “The only apology you deserve is my fucking fist.” Jake snarls coldly, and before you know it, things escalate into a situation you dread most.

“Jaeyun, don’t!” Your plea goes unheard while your attempt to prevent the dread is futile as Jake lunges forward to land a punch squarely in the stranger’s jaw in retaliation. 

Helpful passersby step in to de-escalate the situation amidst the uproar and violence. You even try to tug Jake at the hem of his blouse, but your attempt is futile as he is in a raging stupor that even four people have had to hold him back. Although Jake doesn’t bear any bruises, unlike the stranger, whose nose is bleeding, you spot his taut yet reddened knuckles.

Thankfully, a group of them proceed to drag the stranger away from the commotion while Jake wrenches out of their secure grip, but when his ablaze eyes meet your disappointing ones, it feels like cold water has splashed onto his face, mollifying his wrath.

A scoff leaves your lips before you turn your back on him and storm off, wanting to be away from him, but you underestimate his determination as he vehemently chases after you.

“Sweetheart, wait!” Jake’s plea reaches your ear, snapping you out of your storming thoughts and making you gain awareness of your location at the bridge with the canal just below you as he stops you with his hand latched on your wrist.

But you yank your wrist from his touch that sends a tingling sensation on your skin. “What’s the deal back there?!” You snap at him, any traces of the prior amiability dissipate.

Jake shoots you with a bewildered look, almost as if he is in sheer disbelief as well. “What’s the deal─ he intentionally bumped into you! I wasn’t about to let him get away with it! Not after he insulted you!”

“You should’ve just let him be! But no, you just had to get yourself into a fight!” You express your disapproval in a fit of anger, your eyes glaring into his nearly-faltered ones, though a part of you feels deeply moved by the fact that he defended you fiercely in your honour.

His eyes hardened obstinately, undeterred by your disapproval, even if the way you are glaring at him causes a twinge in his chest. “I’m not going to apologise for my actions. He deserved it.”

You heave a sigh, frustrated by his pertinacious resolve. “You need to understand that not all locals here are friendly, Jaeyun. The next time you get into a fight with them, who knows what would’ve escalated to?” 

Having had enough, you proceed to storm away from him, but he remains adamantly persistent. “Where are you going?” Jake asks, his frustration and disbelief unconcealed in his tone.

“Away from you,” You shoot your remark at him pointedly without turning around to look at him.

“Sweetheart, please,” Jake’s desperate plea pulls the strings in your heart agonisingly, and when his skin comes in contact with yours, you immediately yank your hand from his defeated touch.

“I didn’t recognise you back there, Jaeyun,” You confess, your voice sounding both exasperated and defeated. The look in your eyes punches him deeply in the gut. “I’ve never seen you in anger like that before, and you scared me.”

“No, no, no, you don’t have to be afraid of me,” Jake rushes, taking you by surprise when he cradles your face while his fingers tremble beneath your skin. “I would never ever hurt you. I’ll be damned if I do.”

“But I still don’t trust you, Jaeyun,” You utter in a splintered voice, slowly pulling away from him. “Words are meaningless if you don’t prove it with your actions. What if you betray your promises and lose control of your anger like you did back there? What if you hurt me─”

“Then I’ll kill myself,” Jake cuts you off sharply, his tone holding such dark promises that send you shivers. His dark eyes penetrate into yours, stealing your breath away by his conviction. “Or better yet, let you rip my heart out of my chest. But know this, I’ll kill myself before I could even lay a hand on you.”

“You’re crazy,” You blurt out in disbelief before you can stop yourself. Not even crazy, because in those eyes of his, there is only stark madness amidst the concoction of emotions.

“Yes, I’m crazy. I’ve been going insane ever since you left me,” Jake takes a step forward, but you take a step back, rendering him almost defeated it if weren’t for the boundless love his heart harbours for you.

“Don’t blame me for your insanity,” You retort defensively as you grit your teeth. “I did what I had to for my own good.”

“But were you happy without us? Without me?” Jake presses on incessantly, but you can discern a palpable hurt in the tenacity he seems to grapple with. “Because I sure as hell wasn’t. I was fucking miserable without you, and I knew that I deserved it for the times I took you for granted.”

You try your utmost not to be affected by his words, your resolve nearly melting. “We were nothing, Jaeyun, so why did you feel so miserable─” You are rendered speechless by the abruptness of his action as his towering figure slowly shrinks. “What are you doing?”

“What I should’ve done a year ago,” There is a palpable tremor in his voice that seems to unnerve you while you watch him getting down on the ground with both knees. “On my knees for you.”

You shake your head at him, not wanting him to shove away his pride no matter how much he infuriates you. “Jaeyun, stand up.”

Jake remains undeterred, his eyes locking yours in place so that you feel compelled to hear him out. “You asked me why I felt so miserable. It’s because when you left, I felt half of my heart left with you. I became worse than I already was, and I was always so angry," He tries his utmost for his firm resolve to come out strong in his enunciation despite the tumult of emotions within him threatening to implode. “I felt hollow and empty during my days that were painted blue. My days used to be filled with warm colours with you by my side. You brought colours to my life, but when you left, everything felt cold and dull.”

“Jaeyun,” Your voice trembles while your hands tremble as his declaration sends a wave of emotions to you.

“You need to hear this. You deserve to hear this after so long,” Jake says shakily, emotions displaying bare in his glistening eyes, and as you read him deeper, you can see how he is barely holding on. “I loathe myself when I think of those times I took you for granted, including how I was an arsehole towards you and ghosted you after I took away your innocence. You didn’t deserve that, and for that, I’m truly sorry.”

Alas, the emotions he fought valiantly to restrain burst into a torrent with an onslaught of devastation racking through his body. You remain cemented to the ground, watching in complete shock as tears unrelentingly cascade down his beautiful countenance. You have never once seen him in tears, and right now, it feels like your heart is shattering into pieces.

“I’m sorry for a lot of things, Y/N, and breaking your heart is one of them, but my biggest regret is not telling you how much you meant to me before you left,” His voice trembles with palpable heartbreak, nearly whimpering, causing tears to spring in your eyes.

“Jaeyun, just please stand up.” You implore, bending down as you attempt to reach for his arm. “You don’t have to kneel─”

“I love you, Y/N,” Jake cuts you off with a sharp sob, his pretty tear-filled eyes and his voice conveying raw yearning with a concoction of love and pain. “I’m so fucking in love with you that I might actually die if you leave me again. You occupy my every thought and my heart, and I miss you every day even if you’re in front of me.”

Before you know it, a sob leaves your lips as you weep with him, feeling profoundly moved by his confession that you had yearned to hear in a long time.

“I didn’t believe in love after I found out about my father’s infidelity. I didn’t even want to fall in love because I didn’t believe that someone could be loyal to their partner until you happened. I didn’t know how to distinguish between love and obsession, but fuck, I wanted you so bad that it hurt, just as it hurts now, because I still want you.” 

As Jake continues to pour out his heartfelt confession, his heart only seems to throb incessantly with pain. “You’re the only woman whom I want to marry and spend a lifetime with. I can’t imagine my future with anyone else except you,” He manages to smile through the tears. “You’re the only love of my life. The light to my darkness. The only good thing that has ever happened in my life.”

“Jaeyun,” You want to say something, but you lack the right energy to articulate your true feelings for him, only his name can you afford to utter, just like how you’ve always wanted to call for his name until he comes back home to you.

“I’m so sorry for everything, sweetheart. If I could turn back time, I would make things right and cherish you more,” The smile on his lips is wiped off as he breaks down in an onslaught of devastation voluntarily, pleading in between sobs and whimpers. “I can’t afford for you to abandon me again. I’m so sorry for fucking things up. Please don’t leave me again. I’ll do anything, including ripping my heart out if you ask me to─”

Jake feels his heart lurching in his chest when your palms cup his cheeks to tilt his head up as you bend down, only to be silenced by your lips on his as you kiss him softly that send sparks flying around him. He closes his eyes as he latches his hand on your wrist, kissing you back with fervent desperation, and he swears he can taste colours. 

Tears continue their descent from your faces even as you slowly pull away from his lips. “You’re an idiot, Jaeyun. How am I supposed to live, laugh, and love life without you by my side?” You cry softly, your palms remaining cupping his cheeks as you lean your forehead against his, your eyes fluttering close with his momentarily. “You said you’d do anything if you ask me to, so please stand.”

Jake complies with your request, rising from the ground with ease before you take him by surprise when you lunge towards him for a hug while his arms instinctively snake their way around your trembling body.

“I forgive you, Jaeyun,” You reaffirm with utmost sincerity in between sobs. “I’ve already forgiven you even before I left Seoul, and I loved you even before all of the cruelty happened. I was in love with you, Jaeyun. I thought that you wouldn’t feel the same way and that I was merely there for you to use me however you pleased.”

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve given you the clarity you deserved,” Jake tightens his arms around you, his hand ascending to cradle the back of your head with reverence as you slowly pull away to look at him with glistening eyes. “You’ve changed me, love. After you left, I prayed to God that I would meet you again one day. You made me become religious and prayed every day when I should’ve been worshipping at your altar, because you’re my religion.”

Your heart soars, and you swear you feel as though you are on cloud nine. “Jaeyun─”

“God, you’re so beautiful, even in tears,” Jake whispers affectionately, completely enamoured by you in the way he gazes at you with his pupils dilated with profound love. “I was in complete moonstruck when I first saw you after so long─” 

“Jaeyun,” You cup his cheeks, your eyes reflecting the same love in his eyes as you gaze at him. “Kiss me, please.”

And he does, dipping his head down and pressing his lips squarely on yours. He kisses you as if you might disappear at any moment in time. He kisses you like he’s afraid that this is all just a dream, but when the warmth of your palms touches his nape, he knows that this is real, and so he deepens the kiss.

Sparks dance behind your closed-vision while butterflies swarm in your tummy as he pulls you closer to his body, hugging you ever so intimately. As if knowing that you need air, he slowly pulls away from your lips.

“Can I be your man?” He seeks permission tenderly, his eyes meeting yours.

Instead of answering him, you lean in to place a chaste kiss on his lips. “Does that answer your question?” Your tone matches his, your lips adorning a smile.

“More than it does, sweetheart,” Jake chuckles breathily, leaning his forehead against yours as he mirrors your smile. “Let’s head back to my car.”

“Jaeyun, do you want to spend the night at my apartment?” You ask tentatively, and yet, something so suggestively sensual swirls in your eye, giving him a sense of what to anticipate next.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

As far as Jake can recall, he has never been dominated by anyone in bed. If anything, he loves asserting dominance and revelling in the power he wields over the other, but right now, in this very heated moment between you two, he finally acknowledges that maybe he has yearned for someone to control him, and not just anyone. You.

“You’re going to kill me, love,” Jake groans, throwing his head back against the pillow with his eyes rolling to the back at the delirious sensation of your tongue dragging along the ridge and veins of his raw erection. It feels like it has been forever since you decided to edge him.

Your hum from the back of your throat sends vibration through his cock as you continue to bob your head, taking him deeply into your throat. The sound of his moans and whines spurs you further into giving him the mind-blowing pleasure in the way you fuck him with your throat.

“Sweetheart, please,” Jake pleads softly, his fingers fisting the bedding as he struggles to control himself before caving into the temptation as his hand descends to grab your hair, but the instant he does so, you easily swat his hand away.

As you flutter eyelashes to look at him, his breath hitches in his throat upon seeing the familiar swirls of sultry dominance in your mesmerising eyes. Just before he can reach his climax, you release his cock with a resounding ‘pop’ and tut disapprovingly at him.

“I told you not to touch me unless I said so, did I not?” Your condescending tone only turns him on further, eliciting a needy whine from him as you continue to edge him with your thumb pressing and stroking his wet slit. “Now I’m starting to think that you don’t deserve to cum at all.”

“No. I deserve it. I’ve been good to you,” Jake whimpers, bucking his hips up to your tantalising touch. “Please make me cum. It hurts. I need you, sweetheart.” You could spend all night to edge him just to hear him whine and display his desperation in tears.

“Since baby asked politely,” You place a wet kiss on the bulbous tip, your tongue purposefully licking the pre-cum on his slit while your ministrations elicit a soft moan from him. His heart pumps loudly in his chest as he watches you seductively crawl your way to settle above him while the sensation of your palm on his abdomen muscles sends him the shivers. “Look at you. Being so good to me. Wish you were good to me sooner.”

“I’ll be good to you, always,” Jake gasps as you curl your fingers around his neck, applying enough pressure to punctuate your dominance over him. He subtly bucks his hips up, feeling your wet folds on his shaft. You hum, ghosting your lips on his teasingly. “I promise I’ll be good to you, just as I love you, always and forever.” He whispers before you silence him, pressing your lips on his into a bruising kiss.

Breaking the lip lock, you direct your focus on grabbing his shaft and guiding it to your entrance before you slowly sink down on him, eliciting moans from him that mingle with yours as your warmth envelopes him so perfectly.

“You feel so good in me, my love,” You purr appreciatively, your fingers remaining around his neck for leverage as you proceed to move back and forth with a sensual motion in your hips while your eyes greedily drink in the pure ecstasy on his handsome face. “Do you want more?”

“Please,” He says shakily, his fingers fisting on the bedding as he refrains himself from touching you. Upon his plea, you begin to ride him like a pro, each thrust and movement sends pleasurable shockwaves through your bodies.

“Touch me,” You demand in between bated breaths, and at an instant, his large hands find home on your sensual hips before he squeezes the flesh as he adds some guidance to your movements, needing to feel you deeply, but this position is not satisfactory for him.

“I’m sorry for this, sweetheart,” Jake murmurs, taking you by surprise when he manoeuvres you before you find yourself being pressed against the mattress with his figure hovering on top of you. “Fuck, yes!” He proceeds to fuck you with reckless abandon, his hips snapping into yours bruisingly as he thrusts his cock into you vigorously 

“Jaeyun, I didn’t say you could do that─” You gasp, your eyes turning white as you feel him hitting that spot, causing your walls to clench around him before he uses force to draw back his cock, only to ram into your cunt deliciously. “Fuck, Jaeyun!”

“I can’t help it. You feel so fucking good,” He whimpers, dipping his head down to your shoulder before he sinks his teeth into your skin as he continues to deliver vigorous thrusts. You circle your legs around his hips while your arms hook around his neck, meeting his thrusts that feel deeper than the previous.

In the throes of your pleasures, you can feel your climax reaching its peak, your walls clenching around him like a telltale sign. “I’m gonna cum, Jaeyun,” You moan in his ear. “Are you close too?”

“Yes. Wanna cum so bad,” He moans against your sheeny skin, “Please let me cum.”

“Go on. Fill me up like the good boy you are,” You whisper sultry in his ear, your fingers raking through his tousled locks. Jake never knew that getting called ‘good boy’ by you could make him turn on more than it should, and he desires to please you in every way you ask him to. As waves of ecstasy wash over you and him, you cream around his cock while he delivers one last thrust before going still as his warm cum spurts into your charted womb.

With ragged breaths, Jake leans on your body as you welcome him with your embrace, his head tucking in the nook of your neck while his fingers make their ascent to pinch and tweak your perky nipple, eliciting a breathy moan from you.

“Thank you,” Jake whispers, placing a kiss on your neck before trailing his kisses down at the expense of your chest, his lips encasing your nipple and giving attention to both tits.

You release a pleasurable sigh, your cunt clenching around his cock at his ministrations. You continue to rake your fingers through his locks while you gaze at him lazily with a smirk on your lips. “My handsome boy, I’m not done with you yet.”

With your other hand, you stretch it out to the side and grab a familiar device. “Lay back on the bed, baby,” You order sternly, to which he whimpers before reluctantly heeding obedience. “Remember, hands to yourself, or I’ll have to tie them.”

“What are you doing─” Jake is silenced by a groan of his own as soon as he feels shockwaves of pleasure rippling through him from the vibrator you are pressing on the raging tip of his cock while grabbing the base. “Fuck, fuck! Y/N!”

“Be a good boy and take what I give you,” Your lips stretch into a cruel smirk as you revel in the way he is at your mercy. You pout at him, feigning such innocence that eventually fails to conceal your devilry. “You don’t want to disappoint me now, do you, baby?”

“No,” His Adam's apple is bobbing deeply to the erratic rhythm of his gasps as he throws his head back on the pillow. The sensation is mind-numbing while he is teetering at the edge of his impending climax. When he looks down to meet your stern gaze, he holds back a whimper, knowing that he is in for another session of being cruelly edged by you.

Jake’s absence in their penthouse likely bespeaks that he must have succeeded in his part in grovelling for your forgiveness and earned himself back into your good grace, but it is absurd to them how he has been gone for two days, and he didn’t even respond to any of their calls or texts, which led them into suggestively thinking that he has earned more than just your forgiveness.

Unfortunately, the three of them have been preoccupied with respective responsibilities for the past two days to discuss and collectively decide who will be making their next moves first. And so one of them, specifically the most inherently competitive one out of the four, decided to make his first moves without any consultation. Things were going smoothly until he received an earful through a call from a certain someone.

“But we haven’t even discussed this with Heeseung yet!” Jay exclaims, his disbelief punctuating, but Sunghoon remains undeterred in his pursuit while his eyes are examining the flowers that are meticulously displayed to captivate customers’ interest.

Presently, Sunghoon is at a florist boutique, which is situated in the same street where he temporarily resides, and truthfully, he has been struggling for the past fifteen minutes, worrying incessantly if he chooses the flowers that are not to your liking. He even has no idea what types of flowers these are, rendering him frustrated, but he doesn’t wish to head over to your place empty-handed.

What is more astounding is the fact that he is doing this, to which he has never done or bothered to be semi-romantic with the girls he had been before, simply because he was an anti-romantic, which explains his struggle at the moment, but for you, he is willing to struggle for more.

“Yeahhh, sorry buddy. I already lost to Jake. I can’t lose to you and Heeseung too,” His tone is anything but apologetic, being completely nonchalant, which irks Jay on the line. Sunghoon allows his eyes to skim through the flowers for another time before reaching for a small bouquet of garden roses and inspecting them. “Besides, I’m already on my way to her place, so don’t even think of trying to ruin my plan.”

“Heeseung is not going to like it when he hears about you,” Jay admonishes, and of course, Sunghoon disregards his warning as relevant while he makes his way to the cashier with the small bouquet of garden roses in his hand.

“For Y/N, it’ll be worth it. She is always worth the risk,” Sunghoon says firmly before putting his best friend on hold to make payment. Sunghoon gives the cashier a small smile of gratitude, who evidently swoons over him before he proceeds to exit the boutique and resumes the call with Jay. “You can have your turn once I’m done, and that is, well, probably a long time.”

“Park Sunghoon─” Sunghoon immediately ends the call before Jay can prolong his admonishment. Shoving his phone in his pocket, he glances down at the flowers in his grasp, and something so foreign spreads in his chest, which amplifies his heartbeat. 

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

With one hand controlling the steering wheel, he rubs his throbbing temple with the other while his hardened eyes focus on the road. Throughout the ride to your place, Sunghoon has been grappling with an unabating turmoil, rendering him to worry incessantly once more with his mind conjuring up possibilities of the outcome of his pursuit. 

But Sunghoon is audacious enough, even if it means that you might shut him out. He has waited far too long, and he has yearned for you to return to him. Above all, he yearns to return in your arms, in which he has found home. You are his home, a home his heart called to longingly, his heart that has bled for you.

Just like the others, Sunghoon was not himself after learning of your departure, but he rarely verbally expressed his emotions, even to his best friends. Instead, he became aloof and colder, always distancing from the others to deal with the tumult of emotions and feelings he could not articulate. Hence, he sought solace in expressing those feelings by delivering his punches to the impenetrable punching bag in their private gym.

But it wasn’t enough, and so he busied himself with work. He worked for Jay’s father as an architectural drafter since it was in value to his degree. It was more or less a generous offer from Jay’s father since, coincidentally, Sunghoon had no idea what career to pursue as he was too distraught by your departure, so he was grateful to Jay’s father, even if he detested the elder.

As for Sunghoon’s father, Sunghoon could never forgive him for the attempted murder by hiring a hitman, resulting in him departing from his so-called family for good. From then onwards, he regarded himself as someone who had no family, not that he was devastated over in the first place, because nothing was ever more devastating than you leaving him for the second time.

Sunghoon recalls spending his grey days in regret and utter devastation beneath his deceptive, callous facade. He doesn’t recall shedding tears, or maybe he did in his sleep whenever he dreamed of you and called out to you, but he knows for sure that his bleeding heart weeped every day for the loss of his princess.

Everything about you, even the little details he could vividly remember, haunted him in his mind every day and night ─ a poignant reminder of what he took for granted. At times, he could physically feel the pain in his heart whenever you struck on his mind.

Initially, Sunghoon thought that finding you in a short period of time would be impossible since you could be anywhere across the globe, but then he remembered about Milan, which you mentioned to him once. He hated himself for being too late, and by the time he found you when he first saw you at Milan Fashion Week, he knew that getting you back was not going to be easy.

Sunghoon regrets many things that centred around you. He regrets hating you in the very beginning, for reasons he deems farcical. He regrets the times he has treated you degradingly. He regrets not cherishing the moments he had with you so deeply. Above all, he regrets not letting you know how much you meant to him that no one could even come close to how he held you in his tainted heart.

Sunghoon was not a believer of love or any of those mushy-gushy sentiments, but you made him become one when he finally acknowledged that he was indeed in love with you in what he thought was impossible to develop such feeling, just as you made him want to become a better man for you.

As Sunghoon finally pulls over by the curb of the pavement in your street building, he is firm in his resolve that this time he won’t lose you. There is no room for debate. He must have you back, or he might actually cave into his depravity in capturing you and keeping you locked in his possession until forever, no matter if the consequence leads to you hating him with vehemence.

It isn’t long until Sunghoon reaches to the right floor as he heads for your unit with the bouquet in his hand. His inner turmoil remains unabating the closer he gets to your door. He clenches his jaw, hating how he feels the incessant jitter when he has dealt worse. As Sunghoon stops directly in front of your unit with the bouquet hidden behind him, he forces himself to press on the doorbell before he can even allow the second thoughts to influence him in changing course.

Right after he presses, the door swings open, nearly sending his heart into a cardiac arrest, especially when you are standing in front of him, all dolled up in a cute baby blue blouse that complements with your skirt. When his eyes finally meet yours, he sees how taken aback you are before a blend of confusion and annoyance swirls in your eyes. He senses a hostility emanating from you that adds to the brewing tension.

“What are you doing here?” You break the ice, your tone sounding displeased and your eyes showing no traces of cordiality. 

Sunghoon refuses to deflate from the clarity in your apparent animosity towards him. “Where are you going?” He asks cooly, wearing a mask of casual bravado.

You narrow your eyes at him as you fold your arms below your chest. “You didn’t answer my question.” 

“And you didn’t answer my question,” Sunghoon counters arrogantly while the smirk playing on his lips causes your cheeks to flare in either exasperation or the fact that you actually find him insufferably handsome with his raven bangs falling over his dark brows and his black leather jacket complementing his overall fit. “I can do this all day, princess.” The husk in his voice stirs something so dangerous in you.

You scoff in disbelief, trying to quell that unprovoked arousal. “I have work involving meeting my client. Now, answer mine.” You demand haughtily.

“Your work starts in the afternoon?” Sunghoon merely ignores your demand as genuine curiosity strikes him, but realisation immediately hits him, prompting his eyes to wander behind you where he is able to glimpse the entryway to your living room apartment. “Right. Is Jake still here? I’m sure he’s here. He didn’t go back to our place for two days.”

“That’s two extra questions, Park Sunghoon.” You deadpan, shooting him a scowl as he continues to taunt you with his smirk that you wish to wipe off from his handsome face.

“You’re going to answer them anyway,” He shrugs his shoulders, sliding his hand into his pocket. Curiosity sparks within you as you notice his other hand hiding behind him, but you choose to disregard it.

You heave a sigh, recognising that Sunghoon remains wilful as ever. “I’m a freelance writer, so my work can start anytime in the day, and secondly, Jaeyun’s asleep,” You state in exasperation, your tone changing into a warning and your eyes glaring accusatory at him. “Don’t you dare barge inside and wake him up. I want him to rest for more.”

Sunghoon looks at you as if you had offended him. “I didn’t even say anything.”

You narrow your eyes at him. “I know that look. I know you.”

The smirk on his lips falters as soon as an air of melancholy is present amidst the tension, his features softening. “I’m glad that you still know me, even though I don’t know the new you.”

Silence drapes over you as you remain cemented to the floor, unable to tear your gaze away from his softened eyes. His words that were uttered in a soft tone carried an undercurrent of poignancy, parallel to the emotions swirling in his dark eyes. 

You can feel a palpable connection that seems to deepen as you are drawn into the cryptic wonders of his eyes before you force yourself to look away from him and clear your throat. “Can you move aside?" Sunghoon does the opposite, and this time, he decides to unravel the mini surprise to you, prompting you to look down at the beautiful authentic garden roses bundled in a small bouquet. You don’t bother to conceal your awe, and something stirs in your heart that is beginning to pick up a familiar cadence as it beats for the man in front of you.

“What is this?” You blurt out, unable to articulate your jumbled feelings, but nevertheless, you accept the bouquet, your heart remains beating, which is going borderline rapid by his mere gesture that has a profound impact on you. You thought that this mere gesture only existed in rom-com books or movies, but you never would have thought that Park Sunghoon would be the one to pull this move. 

Sunghoon observes the way your eyes gleam delightfully as you examine the garden roses in admiration. “I read somewhere online that in order to get your girl to fall for you on your first date, you should give her flowers at her doorstep.” He says, masking his diffidence with a simper smile.

A scoff leaves your lips as you try your utmost to avoid giving away that you are entirely amused by him. “I’ve never heard of such tips.”

“You’re right. I made it up,” His genuine smile that displays his fang-like teeth awakens the butterflies in your tummy. “Now let’s go for our date.”

You raise a challenging eyebrow at him. “What makes you think I would want to go anywhere with you?” 

“One, because I know you skipped breakfast. Two, you can never say no to this face.” He points his finger to his smug face while you ignore the fact that he still remembers a habit of yours.

You release a petty huff before deciding to step out of the threshold as you close the door behind you. “You’re so incorrigible and insufferable.” You tell him in a brusque manner, brushing past him as you make your way to the elevator while still holding the small bouquet.

Sunghoon easily catches up to you with his long legs, now walking alongside you. “Pick one, princess.” His chuckles sound annoyingly melodious to your ears. 

You know that you should not entertain him any longer for the sake of your sanity, but all it takes for you is a single glance at his face to cave into him. “Insufferable it is.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

“Isn’t this a bit fancy just for a lunch date?” You break the painful silence as soon as you finish the last bits of your food before reaching out for your glass of cider. “You didn’t even tell me to change into something nice.” 

“What are you talking about? You do look nice,” Sunghoon insists, his eyes raking all over you, feeling invasive, prompting you to look down at your empty plate while your cheeks feel warm. He snaps out of the trance before clearing his throat. “You look gorgeous as always.”

“You’re just saying that to flatter me.” You mutter dryly, appearing unaffected by his compliment even though you feel a flutter in your heart.

“You know that I don't flattery,” Sunghoon retorts firmly, and when his eyes meet yours, a smirk plays on his lips. “But for you, I’ll make an exception.”

This time, you decide to voice out what has been bothering you since the moment he appeared at your doorstep. You heave a sigh, feeling defeated. “What are you doing, Sunghoon?”

Sunghoon raises his eyebrow at you as he places down his empty glass on the table. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, this.” You gesture between you and him with your hands. The frown on your lips deepens. “A lunch date won’t erase what happened, and you can’t pretend like nothing happened.”

“That night, you told us that we should’ve tried harder if we wanted you that bad,” Sunghoon recalls as much as the recollection pains him. His eyes display steely resolve, and you know he won’t concede defeat, even if you reject him countless times. “That’s what I’m doing right now, Princess. From today onwards, I’m going to pursue you and show you how serious I am with you.”

Bitter chuckles leave your lips. “A year ago, I thought I could escape you. Everything was working out well for me,” You divulge a part of your vulnerability you retain. “I finally didn’t need to rely on someone to find happiness. I finally learnt how to love myself and embrace my flaws.”

“Tell me more,” To your surprise, Sunghoon encourages, his eyes showing keen interest that makes you feel touched in the heart. “I want to know more about what I’ve missed out on in your life.”

You bite down your lip harshly as you avoid his gaze. “You wouldn’t want to hear. It’s boring.”

“On the contrary, I do. I want to get more involved in your life,” Sunghoon prods further, and when you look at him tentatively, you can feel the impenetrable walls you built to protect yourself from him crumbling in the way his eyes soften while a small smile touches his lips. “And it’s never boring when it’s from you. I’d listen to my princess all day.”

Against your better judgement, you cave into the temptation as you begin tell-taling some parts of your journey in Milan, leaving out some details that you still feel uncertain to divulge to him, but nevertheless, he seems to be listening to you attentively without interrupting you, and you even find yourself lifting a small smile in the midst of it.

“So, what about you?” You decide to put the attention on him, partially because you are genuinely curious. “Jaeyun didn’t exactly tell me about you and the others when you were still in Seoul.”

He hums, his face unreadable. “Did he tell you how much he cried over you?” His question sounds rhetorical, and upon seeing your puzzled expression, he begins to divulge. “He cried over you on most nights, especially in his sleep, and he would call out to your name. We often checked in on him in any case he decided to do stupid shit,” He sighs. “I’ve never seen him cry like that in all my life I’ve known him. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him being so heartbroken over someone.”

The revelation renders you stunned as you remain silent, your mind drifting off to Jake. Maybe it should not have come off too surprising to you after witnessing his vulnerability descend on him just two nights ago, but to hear this from Sunghoon makes your heart ache. 

Sunghoon observes the expression you wear on your face, noticing your crestfallen eyes. “I’m sure you know how attached he was to you, just as I was,” His voice barely above a whisper near the end as you slowly lift your head to look at him just in time for him to wear a different mask, no longer is there vanity. “But we coped differently, like distracting ourselves with work or even hitting off to the gym.”

The mention of work easily replaces the melancholia with a spark of genuine curiosity. “So what were you working as while you were in Seoul?"

“I was working my way to become a professional architectural drafter,” He answers, leaning back on the cushion comfortably with his arms crossed over his chest. “Back then, I took up the offer Jay’s dad gave me and worked for him even though Jay was more than pissed about it, but I knew I couldn’t squander the offer. I was trained and given the opportunity to acquire hands-on skills that moulded me into someone reliable and competent.”

“So now you’re….?” You pause tentatively, raising your eyebrow at his continuation of your sentence in order to reaffirm. 

“Now I’m not only an architectural drafter but also the head of the architecture team.” His lips curl into a smirk while his eyes display emotions that reflect his pride. “I’m working under Jay’s company while concomitantly establishing my business in Milan.”

“That’s actually impressive,” Your genuine compliment not only elevates his pride, but it also renders him bashful as he feels warmth weaving across his cheeks.

“Thank you,” His sincerity shines through his soft utterance of gratitude, and his eyes darken with promises as he gazes intensely into your eyes. “I’ve been working hard ever since, especially when I’m working for the sake of my future with you. I’m doing it all for you.”

Your heart flutters against your will, and you can’t seem to look away from his enchanting gaze. “You shouldn’t do it for me. You should do it for yourself.” You subtly stammer your words.

His eyes hardened with intense resolve. “But I do. I’m doing it for our future.” 

You heave a sigh. “I don’t understand. How could you guarantee the possibility of finding me when you told me that you’ve been working hard for our future ever since I left? How were you so certain that I would ever accept you back in my life?”

“I had faith. You made me believe in faith, princess,” The corner of his lips curls into a small smile, his features softening as he reminisces wistfully. “I guess I can also say that I’m the reason for the likelihood of your accurate location. You told me before that you’ve always dreamed of travelling to Milan.”

You can’t help but falter, your eyes softening while your heart pounds harder against your chest at such trivial detail that he regarded it with high value. “You remembered.”

“Of course I do. I still remember your every detail,” His eyes roam around your features meaningfully, and his heart aches as he feels so close yet so far from you. “Just like how your face, your scent, and everything about you had been embedded in my mind.”

Silence envelopes around your table as you allow his words to sink deeply into your mind. You look away from his eyes and clear your throat in hopes of dispelling the tension. “We should go, or else I’ll be late to meet my client.”

Surprisingly, Sunghoon agrees and decides to cease whatever happened. Not moments later, the two of you are at the counter as you are ready to split the bills, but Sunghoon insists on keeping your card.

“I can pay for mine,” You retort vehemently, but your insistence is rendered futile as you watch in defeat when he proceeds to give his black card to the cashier. “Sunghoon.” You sigh, surrendering to his persistence.

Sunghoon merely throws you an annoying yet charming smirk. “What kind of man am I if I allow my woman to pay for anything?”

You silently curse your heart for fluttering once more while you shoot him a scowl. “I’m not your woman.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

It is nice to know that his obstinacy remains unchanged even a year later, but it highly affects you in your professional element while you are engaged in a discussion that entails the next procedure with your clients. Thankfully, the commotion in the background is minimal with fewer customers in the cafe, but what seems to distract you most is his presence as he sits closely next to you, leaving no gap in between.

Initially, you ordered him to wait in the car, but he stubbornly insisted on accompanying you and declared that he wished to give you moral support with his presence, which you considered unnecessary. Not only does his presence seem to mount the tension only you feel, but you feel the awkwardness as well. What baffles you most is the fact that your two clients do not seem the slightest bothered by the fact that this can be considered unprofessional.

After what feels like a torturous eternity, the meeting has concluded as your satisfied clients proceed to take a generous amount of sips from their frappe drinks, but their eyes keep wandering to Sunghoon, whose eyes are attentively on you.

“Thank you so much for your excellent work for today, Miss Kang. It has been such a pleasure doing business with you.” One of them commends you with a broad, genuine smile as she shakes your hand before her fellow colleague offers the same courtesy to you.

You smile rather gingerly, feeling satisfied that today’s transaction went perfectly smoothly, which tempts you to do your little victory dance, but of course, you maintain decorum. Feigning ignorance to a certain someone seated closely next to you, you fail to notice the way his eyes gleam with amusement as he examines you, looking oddly buoyant.

Your clients exchange words between each other before one of them looks over to Sunghoon briefly and returns her gaze to you with a knowing yet pleasant smile despite the glinting curiosity in her eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, Miss Kang. You have always shown excellent consistency in your work, but today is truly exceptional, and we guessed that your boyfriend was the source to offer you support. For that, we thank you both.”

The smile on your lips has never faded as quickly as it is now. “Oh, no. You got it wro─”

“As her boyfriend, it is important for me to accompany her and provide her the moral support in any case she needs.” Sunghoon cuts you off, rendering you flabbergasted at the sensation of his arm snaking around your waist to flush you against him.

Your clients smile pleasantly, oblivious to the tension as you shoot him a glare discreetly while casting him a sweet smile that laces with lethality. “Miss Kang, you are incredibly lucky to have him as your boyfriend.”

“Actually, I’m the lucky one to have such an amazing, hard-working girlfriend who I’m always so proud of.” Sunghoon plants a kiss on your crown, and his gesture of affection causes your clients to gush over while you are rendered speechless with your cheeks warming by his deliberate, infuriating actions that flutter your heart.

It is not long until your clients have finally made their departure. You wrench your way out of Sunghoon’s possessive embrace around your waist before attempting to put a safe distance between you and him, only for you to hit the glass window behind.

“Ow!” You moan out in pain as you clutch the back of your head that is throbbing painfully from the impact due to your hurried movements. You fail to heed the lack of space, and thus, you are closely stuck in between Sunghoon and the glass window.

“So clumsy,” Sunghoon makes a ‘tsk’ sound, prompting you to throw daggers at him with your eyes before you falter just slightly when his hand reaches out to you and cradles the back of your head tenderly before massaging the spot. “This wouldn’t have happened if you had stayed still.”

You scoff in disbelief at his audacity, ignoring the fact that he gives you the butterflies moments prior before this. “So you’re blaming me for being startled by the fact that you put your arm around me after telling lies to my client that you’re my boyfriend?” You fume, giving him no opportunity to retort as you jerk away from his touch, but you are taken aback at his unyielding strength as you cradle the back of your head protectively in a nick of time just when you almost hit the glass window again.

“You should really be careful, princess.” Sunghoon softly chides you, his dark, thick brows furrowing in genuine concern and his eyes penetrating deeply into yours. Your breath hitches in your throat at the close proximity between your faces while you feel your surroundings fade into a blur. “I don’t want my princess getting hurt. What if I’m not there to protect you from your own clumsiness?”

Honestly, his words fall deaf to your ears as you involuntarily focus on his dreamy yet handsome face up close. This must be the effect of getting your head hit. “Boyfriend,” You mutter absentmindedly, earning an eyebrow raised from him. “You’re my boyfriend???”

Sunghoon observes your softened eyes gazing dreamily at him, but nevertheless, he decides to string you along for his entertainment until you snap out of your reverie. A smirk touches his lips, leaning down to your face while his arm slithers around your waist to pull you closer to him. “Yeah, I’m your boyfriend, and you’re my girlfriend, princess.” He hums, his nose tantalisingly grazing against yours.

Oh, it is truly illegal for a man to be this unfairly gorgeous, and a bonus point when he smells good that entices you to snuggle into him with your face buried in his chest. You know that you are so touch-deprived by him that the sensation of his strong arm around your waist renders you weak in the knees as you completely melt against him.

“Sunghoon, you─” You pause as you are slowly being pulled out of your reverie, prompting you to blink your eyes.

“Yeah, my beautiful princess?” His voice is a low husk that sends shivers down your body.

You maintain a collected facade as you curl your fingers into fists before placing them on his solid chest. “Let me go, or I swear I won’t talk to you anymore.” You demand calmly while your eye contact with him never wavers despite the annoying flutters in your chest.

Sunghoon’s smirk deepens, having you flushed against him as he enjoys how agitated you are. “Nahh, I’m quite enjoying this. Being hugged by me is a privilege, so consider yourself the luckiest one since I don’t just hug anyone that isn’t my princess.”

“Sunghoon, I’m not joking around right now.” You say annoyedly, and yet you never attempt to push him away as your body is enjoying being intimately held by him. You release an annoyed huff and look away from him. “I’m mad at you.”

He chuckles softly, finding everything about you rather endearing. “What did I do, princess?”

You gasp in disbelief as you shoot him a glare. "Umm, the act? The whole self-proclaimed boyfriend thing in front of my clients?!” You whisper hotly, trying to keep your tone down a notch as you feel self-conscious due to the bustling patrons in the cafe. “You’re not even my actual boyfriend!”

“Who says I was acting?” His voice sounds deeper, while his face shows no hint of mischief. “I’m your boyfriend, princess. The whole of me is reserved only for you.”

“Park Sunghoon─”

“Do you not want me to be your boyfriend?” He cuts you off, his eyes displaying a rare vulnerability that has you completely faltering. “I’m being honest when I say that I’ve never been into a relationship, but you can trust me to treat you like a princess.”

You don’t respond, and instead, your glazed eyes flicker at his pink lips, needing him to press his lips on yours. You had no plan in falling for him again this soon, let alone to open your heart to him, but his every gesture seems to shatter your resolve piece by piece. You heave a soft sigh as you lower your head. “Let me go, Sunghoon, please.”

Sunghoon decides to relent, even if his heart mourns at the loss of your warmth and how perfectly you fit in his arms. Seeing how crestfallen you are, Sunghoon adorns a soft smile and reaches out to gently pat your head in a commendation, prompting you to slowly lift your head to look at him with questioning eyes.

“Great job for today, and I mean it.” He praises you with firmness while you remain wonderstruck at the stark sincerity on his dreamy face. You feel your heart clenching as he continues to smile at you. “I’m so proud of you, princess.”

Maybe it’s your hormones acting up since your period is coming in a week's time, but to hear someone telling you that they are proud of you touches you deeply in the heart since it has been so long, and to hear it from Sunghoon himself evokes a profound emotional level that springs tears in your eyes.

Sunghoon soothingly rubs your head in a stroking motion, a gesture that has your heart fluttering and clenching while he examines how teary-eyed you become.

“Do you really mean that?” You ask in a whisper, your blurry vision deprives you of seeing the clarity of his countenance. Your heart weeps at the loss of his soothing touch on your head, only to feel surprised when he cups your cheek before he leans down to press a kiss on your forehead.

“I always mean what I say, princess.” He murmurs against your forehead before slowly pulling away to look at your face. His lips curving into a small smile as he sees tears cascading down your cheeks. “Just as I’m always proud of you, and I’ll gladly tell you this every day.”

You let your inhibitions go as you quietly weep. “Thank you, Sunghoon.” You utter sincerely, forgetting any qualms you had for him as you tug at the hem of his jacket. “Can you hug me?” 

Sunghoon is more than glad to grant your request, his arms enveloping your body in a loving embrace while you don’t hesitate to bask in his warmth that you used to seek solace in. You flutter your eyes close, feeling safe and comforted in the familiarity of his dependent arms as Sunghoon plants a lingering kiss on your crown.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The skies are painted in the stunning hues of pink and orange while your evening is draped in a soft glow, and your sudden petulance bearing earlier after you exit the establishment that ensued in him receiving a long agonising silent treatment from you throughout the car ride eventually mollified after you drifted off to a deep slumber that seems to invigorate you.

Sunghoon thinks that you are one enigmatic woman. You’re hot for one moment, and the next, you’re colder than the weather at Antarctica. He is even staggered when you finally utter a few words to him. as soon as you woke up. He has had to hold back his chuckles, finding you endearing in spite of your petulance that is rather adorable in his eyes. It turns out that you actually needed to take a power nap.

As soon as you reach the destination, your eyes widen as you remain cemented to the ground, the sight beholding you renders you wonderstruck. Sunghoon waits for you patiently to recover while also enjoying your reaction a little too much as he feels pleased.

Nonetheless, Sunghoon is confident, as he knows that he made the right choice when his plan involved bringing you to one of the biggest libraries that falls under the category of hidden gems in Milan.

“I’ve always wanted to go to this library,” You finally find your voice as you move forward, your eyes flickering to him before contorting your face into confusion. “But I thought it’d be closed at this time.”

“I rented the entire library only for us and until whenever we wish to leave,” Sunghoon tells you in a dismissive manner, almost as if it is not a big deal to him, whereas you are gobsmacked by this. He merely casts you a lazy smirk before tilting his head in a beckoning gesture, inviting you to explore the wonders of this hidden gem. “Let’s go, princess.”

“Wait, you rented? That must’ve cost a lot of money!” You exclaim exasperatedly, distracting yourself from the way your heart is beating in a familiar yet fluttering cadence, knowing that you are so dangerously tempted to cave into your yearning in the depths of your heart. “You shouldn’t have.” You say, your lips pulling down into a frown.

“Money has never been an issue for me; you should already know this.” Sunghoon provides you reassurance upon understanding the worries in your dim eyes, and unbeknownst to him, his genuine smile that causes his dimples to appear in his cheeks sends more fluttery to you. “Don’t feel bad, princess. I wanted to do this. Besides, you said it yourself that you’ve always wanted to go here.”

After being convinced by his assurances, you let your inhibitions go, venturing further into the enchanting wonders of the quaint library that looks magnificent with its opulence and details embellished sublimely on every part that gives off antiquated vibes. You have had to crane your neck to look up and examine the length of the bookshelves that reach to the high ceiling.

All the while you are preoccupied in your own little exploration, Sunghoon follows you from behind at a leisurely pace, watching you with a small smile on his lips. It does not matter that being in a library bores the fuck out of him, but seeing you in your element while your countenance displays such radiance of happiness is worth it.

“Everything here is absolutely divine,” You mutter to yourself, blissfully unaware of his presence in your vicinity. Your fingertips trailing across the spine of the books arrayed on the shelf that is at your eye level, hypnotising him with how delicate you are moving. “This is a different type of heaven for me.”

“I could bring you to another heaven, maybe even a better one,” You nearly jolt in surprise upon hearing his voice from behind you, prompting you to turn around, only to be startled by the close proximity. He smirks down at you as he lazily leans sideways against the shelf with his arms crossed over his chest. “You know, one that involves you rolling your eyes to the back out of pleasure─”

“Okay, enough,” You cut him off abrasively, your cheeks flaring at his salacious remarks. Your glare doesn’t deter him in the slightest. “It isn’t funny.”

“Seeing you flustered is,” The sound of his chuckles brings you more warmth than intended. He watches you in complete amusement as you pivot on your heels to trudge forward, clearly wanting to be away from him, but he follows you, as if something so magnetic lures him to you.

You try your utmost to ignore his patent presence from behind you as you grab one of the books to feign immersion in the reading while you flip through the pages rather aggressively, but upon feeling his body warmth, you release a huff before forcing yourself to look at him with exasperation. “Are you not bored of having to follow me around and watch me read through these books?”

“I could watch you read all day, princess,” Sunghoon adorns a boyish grin on his face, but as you look closely, it almost seems like he is lovesick in the way he gazes at you so fondly. “It’s nice to know that your love for books and libraries is unchanged.”

“What about you? Do you still hate them?” You inquire curtly as you return the book to its original shelf, hating how he is making you feel, be it intentionally or unintentionally.

“So fucking much. I don’t understand why you love reading.”

You turn around with your arms crossed below your chest, your eyes narrowing in disbelief. “Then why bother renting the entire library if you hate it?”

“I did it for you, because I know you loved libraries, like the one back in our old palace,” He states, his voice softening with nostalgia that seems to make your heart pounds louder and louder in your ears. “You loved books and the smell of books. You loved to skim through the pages and the summary of the book before deciding whether or not it piques your interest with the expression on your face. You loved spending hours in the library, because you’d rather waste your time on reading than on the wrong people,” A wistful smile touches his lips. “It’s nice to know that these little habits of yours haven’t changed.”

You blink your eyes at him before looking away from him, refusing to allow him a glimpse of an emotion you nearly show by the glisten in your eyes. “Let’s not get too carried away and ruin the mood.”

“You have no idea, do you?” His voice barely above a whisper, but what suspends your avoidance from him is the blues of despondency in his eyes. “The real reason for this date.”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” You say curtly, and you can feel your once-steely resolve melting as you fight hard to deny the reality that has been bared in front of you since the moment he arrived at your doorstep. “Or maybe I don’t want to be confronted by the truth just yet. I don’t want to ruin this date no matter what ulterior motives you had planned.”

“You’re not ruining anything, you’ve never had,” There is a palpable tremor in his voice, despite his collected facade. He steps closer to you, his eyes never straying from yours. “I was the one who ruined things.”

Your eyebrows softly knit together in perplexity. “Sunghoon─”

“No, you need to listen, princess. I can’t let you go on without hearing my side of the story,” He cuts you off as gently as he can while there is an undercurrent of urgency in his tone. “It was all my fault.”

“What do you mean?” You ask, your face contorting into confusion.

“The whole incident a year ago, it was my fault,” He begins to unravel what he kept to himself for so long. His eyes turn crestfallen as he slowly lowers his gaze. “The night at that yacht party, I intended to delete those pictures and videos, but I was a fool for not being cautious enough when I left my phone on the vanity table. Some fucker, and I think you know who, took my phone and probably airdropped them on his phone.”

A muscle pulses in his jaw as the recollection haunts him in his mind once more. “I should’ve locked the door. I should’ve been more careful. I hated myself for what happened. Maybe if I hadn’t left my phone there, then you wouldn’t have suffered.” 

You remain silent, uncertain what to say, while your silence seems to render him defeated as he daringly lifts his head up to meet your unreadable gaze. “If you must direct your hatred and anger, it should be me, not my best friends.”

“It happened anyway, Sunghoon,” You say bitterly, blinking your eyes as you feel them glistening with dangerous emotions that might be released in rivulets. Honestly, you have no idea what to feel, because truthfully, you have moved on from that horrible part of your past, but to hear his side of the story seems to move you to see a different perspective.

“And I regret it every single day,” The way he accentuates his regret in a patent sincerity offers you more clarity than you sought, as does the way he looks at you with utter devastation. “But I regret letting you go the most without telling you the truth of my feelings for you. No, I wouldn’t have let you go if I had known that you intended to leave us.”

A scoff leaves your lips. “Regret? No, you didn’t. You hated me, Hoon. Remember? You told me yourself once,” Your wavering tone denotes such hurt as you recall the very beginning of your encounter with him. “You hated me and my guts in the beginning. You held grudges against me, even when I didn’t do anything wrong towards you. You fucked me like you hated me, and it was worst when I actually loved the pain of it all,” Your lips tremble in sadness while your eyes glisten with tears, unable to read the expression on his face through the blurry vision. “I threw away my dignity and morals for you and your best friends, all because I actually caught feelings for you and wanted to be close to you.”

“I know, and I was a fucking asshole. I shouldn’t have held grudges against you for the wrong, petty reasons,” He curls his fingers to form a fist, refraining himself from touching you because he knows he doesn’t deserve to touch you in a way he yearned for. “You were an angel. You were good. Too good for this fucked-up world. You did nothing wrong towards me. It was all on me.”

You swallow a painful lump in your throat, your voice thickening with a cocktail of emotions. “You were mean to me, Hoon.” You remind him again, wanting him to feel just as hurtful as you were by recalling those memories.

“I know,” His eyes glisten with such hurt despite no tears, and his voice is laden with penitence while there is a discernible crack. “God, I wish I didn’t hurt you and be the reason you left. I was so fucking miserable after we discovered from Jungwon and the others that you left. We all were. None of us were in our right mind.”

Your ego overshadows your sensibility as you look away from him. “I find that hard to believe. You turned out just fine.” 

“Then you’ve been deceived, princess. When you left, it felt like someone tore my heart out of my chest. I’ve never felt pain like that before, but I know I deserved that." A movement from him is enough to capture your attention, and your eyes widen at the sight beholding you while you are rendered thunderstruck. Park Sunghoon, the guy you once knew with one of the biggest egos and prided himself too much, is on his knees with his head hanging low.

You open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out as you are unable to articulate your feelings that are in a tumult within you. You can see it in his body language, despite the defeat, this hurts his pride too much, but you don’t understand why he chooses to do so.

“Falling for you was my mistake. If I had known what I got myself into the moment I began to develop feelings beyond platonic for you, then I wouldn’t have fallen into deep,” You manage to find your voice, and this time, you utter it through soft weeping as you allow tears to escape your eyes. “I hate that you were my beautiful mistake, Sunghoon.”

His heart feels like something is stomping all over by the clarity in your declaration. “I’m willing to do anything if it means getting you to fall in love with me again,” He says shakily, slowly lifting his head up to allow you to see his sincerity and determination. “Just say the word, princess. You want me on my knees and crawl towards you? You want me to kiss your feet? I’ll do it. I’ll do them all, but please don’t tell me to stop grovelling for your forgiveness, because I won’t.”

“Sunghoon,” You choke back a sob, feeling a torrent of emotions crashing down on you while tears are unrelentingly cascading down your cheeks.

“I’m willing to wait for your forgiveness, no matter how long it takes, just like how I’m willing to wait for you to love me again,” His voice sounds thick with emotions that are threatening to implode while tears prickle in his eyes. “I’ll wait for your love, princess. I’ll always wait.”

“Tell me that you love me,” You plead in a soft cry, throwing away your inhibition while your once-steely resolve is liquified. “Tell me that you’re in love with me. Tell me what I want to hear.”

“I love you, Y/N Kang,” His declaration of his love for you is punctuated by stark sincerity and affection in his tone that overwhelms you. “I’m so fucking in love with you that it drives me crazy. I’ve always been in love with you, even when I was a denial asshole. No one can ever make my heart beat the way it beats for you. Nobody compares to you, princess,” A teardrop slides down his cheek. “I don’t care that you hate me, but I’m begging you, please allow me to love you.”

“I do hate you for making me fall in love with you over and over.” You admit through soft sobs, taking slow, tentative steps towards him. “I hate you for being the reason why my heart refused to look for anyone else that wasn’t you. I hate that I still love you after all this time when I should’ve moved on.”

“Please don’t ever move on. I promise I’ll be a better man for you,” He pauses, swallowing a lump in his throat as he looks up at you with glassy eyes. “Princess, can I hug you?” He asks weakly, nearly whimpering.

As soon as you nod your head, he slowly wraps his arm around your waist and buries his head just below your chest level, hugging you tightly while there is a raw intimacy enveloping you. You cradle the back of his head with a touch of affection before reciprocating the hug as you embrace him with your warmth.

“I love you so fucking much, Y/N,” Filled with such desperation, he clings onto you as though you are his only salvation. “No one has ever made me feel weak until you.”

“I love you too, Park Sunghoon,” You whisper thickly, refraining yourself from weeping again. You dip your head to plant a kiss on his head while you caress his trembling back in loving strokes. “I forgive you, so please stand.”

With a shaky breath, Sunghoon complies, lifting himself at ease as he finally towers over your figure. He musters courage to meet your eyes despite feeling puffiness around his eyes, and his heart only pounds harder as he mentally prepares himself for what is next.

“I don’t want my actions to make you doubt my love for you ever again, and I never want you to question how much I truly love you,” Nervousness is evident in the way he speaks, despite the veil of confidence he adorns on his countenance.

Confusion swirls in your eyes amidst the speckles of curiosity as you watch him removing his leather jacket and allowing it to drop on the floor, all the while his eyes never leaving yours, causing your cheeks to flare under the palpable intensity of his gaze. Your eyes trail down to his fingers that are clutching the hems of his black shirt.

“Sunghoon, what are you─” You are rendered speechless, flabbergasted even, as he pulls up his shirt and removes it in one swift motion, leaving his fine glory on display for your eyes to feast appreciatively upon while your cheeks feel gradually warmer.

His toned muscles are a testament to his diligent work that has evidently paid off, and honestly, he looks more ripped than you last recall, as if he had indeed spent most of his hours at the gym. The rose tattoo on his hip sends you a wave of familiarity, recalling the times when you would admire his tattoo as you traced your fingers on his skin. The veins protruding on his arms and the imposing sight of his v-line on the lower region nearly has you foaming in the mouth, but you immediately retain your decorum, though your arousal remains in its wake within you.

If you are being frank, you genuinely desire to pounce on him and claim every inch of him as yours. You dismiss your depravity that remains lusting over him as you return your gaze to his face, noticing that he has been observing you with a faint smirk on his pink lips.

Without a word, Sunghoon slowly turns around, allowing you a full view of his toned back, but what renders you thunderstruck with your eyes widening is the sight of a new tattoo across on his shoulder blades being proudly displayed in a fancy font that is readable.

At this rate, your pulse feels like a sledgehammer, matching the way your heart thunders as you read the wordings in a breathy utterance. “Property of Y/N,” You marvel at his devotion for you, which he willingly inked on his own precious skin. “When did you get it?”

“A few weeks after you left,” He says succinctly, sounding breathless while his body goes taut by the sensation of your fingertips on his skin, tracing along the tattoo design. “I already knew that I held you close to my heart, but I wanted your mark to be permanently inked on my skin, just like how you left a permanent mark in my heart.”

“But why ‘Property of Y/N’?” You ask, your voice trembling with emotions that threaten to sweep you away while tears prickle your eyes as you watch him turning around to face you.

His eyes seem to be searching for something in yours in spite of the accumulating tears in your waterline. “Because you own the whole of me, you’ve always had." His voice sounds gradually deeper with each step he takes towards you, amplifying the palpable tension between you and him.

You remain rooted to the ground despite your heart pounding harder as he closes the gap, and it nearly lurches in your chest when he dips his head down to lean his forehead against yours. “I’m yours, princess,” He whispers, his fingers gently wiping away a fallen teardrop sliding down your cheek while his dark eyes never stray from your glistening ones. “I’m yours forever. Even if someday you don’t love me anymore, I’ll still love you, always and forever.”

Like a broken dam, the torrent of emotions breaks free from your resistance, bringing forth more tears to cascade down your cheeks as you weep softly, but you don’t look away from his dark eyes that threaten to consume you whole, swirling with a cocktail of emotions and desires.

“I want to kiss you so bad,” The unmistakable yearning in his voice resonates in the depths of your beating heart, and his touch on your skin as he cradles your face feels scorching, igniting a spark of fervent desire for him.

With a single head nod from you, Sunghoon captures your lips with his, kissing you softly with reverence, but gradually, there is a sense of urgency, one that reflects the hunger from his innermost ravenous desire for you. With one hand cradling your face, the other slithers around your waist, pulling you closer to his body heat possessively.

Without breaking the fervent lip-lock, he backs you up until you hit the shelf behind you, as he has you locked in place. Your hands go winding in his hair as you tilt your head to the perfect angle for him to deepen the kiss. His tongue caresses your lips, a silent permission he seeks to explore every inch of you, to which you part your lips for him to thrust his tongue into your hot cavern.

You sigh pleasurably into his mouth, your breath mingling with his while he continues to ravage you with his tongue. You moan deeply as his tongue dances with yours in familiar yet intimate tango, while the sound from you travels deep to his cock beneath the confines.

He pulls away just slightly to sink his fang-like teeth into the plush of your bottom lip, tugging it gently and savouring the taste of your lip. The corner of his lips curves faintly into a smirk as you whine softly before he relents, only for you to be taken aback by his lips sealing you into a bruising kiss, as though he has released the remnants of his inhibitions.

“I’ve missed you so much, princess,” He rasps against your parted lips, his warm breath fanning your upper lip as he allows you a moment of respite from the feverish kiss. He watches as you slowly flutter your eyelids open, your eyes misting with lust and longing that mirror his, but there is a certain darkness that evinces a familiar depravity as he desires to consume you. His lips ghost yours. “I want you so fucking bad, you have no idea.”

“Then take me,” You utter softly, your voice laden with equal desire as his. Your hands fall to his nape, relishing his warmth beneath your touch. You tilt your head up to purposefully bump your nose against his with your lips dangerously close to his. “What are you waiting for? Take me, hoon. Touch me, love me like you do.”

As soon as those words leave your lips, Sunghoon reclaims your lips, kissing you with an unbridled yearning that has all thoughts and worries faded into insignificance from your mind. Just him and him alone matter at this moment.

His hands slide down to your thighs, gripping the flesh with his fingers, a silent command you comply to as you instinctively jump with his assistance, prompting you to encircle your legs around his waist before he manoeuvres you over to the table without breaking the heated kiss.

The force of his ravenous kiss nearly sends you falling back, but you plant your palm on the surface of the mahogany table for stability. Pulling away from your swollen lips, he ignites a scorching path on your skin as he maps his kisses and licks down your neck.

The heat pooling in your core dangerously renders you impatient as you become unbearably needy for him to claim you deeply. “Hoonie, I need you,” You utter breathlessly, nearly whimpering, while your hands haphazardly roam around the waistband of his Calvin Klein briefs.

“I know. I got you, princess,” He whispers, pressing a sensual kiss on the sensitive spot of your neck before pulling away to unzip his pants, all the while without breaking the heated eye contact with you. As his pants finally fall to the ground, your eyes trail down to his fine glory until they stop at the prominent bulge that looks borderline erected against his briefs. The carnal lust in your ravenous gaze sends shivers through him as he pulls down his brief, freeing his painfully erect cock. “Your turn, princess.”

His deep, husky voice goes straight into your heated core before you obediently comply with his command, standing on your feet to strip yourself, starting from the bottom. Your skirt falls to the floor, followed by your lace underwear that has a small wet patch from your arousal.

Just before you can unbutton your blouse, Sunghoon intercepts with his lips crashing onto yours while you gasp from the impact that causes you to hit the edge of the table behind you. He is practically ravenous, kissing you as if it is his last, as he multitasks with his hands to manoeuvre you on top of the table.

“Are you wet enough?” He murmurs against your lips, his fingers descending to your lower region until they reach the destination that awaits him feverishly. As his fingers accidentally strum on your aching clit, a soft moan leaves your lips that goes straight into his cock. His two fingers begin to inspect your folds that are slick with your arousal before thrusting them into your cunt for good measures. “You’re so wet, princess.”

You nod your head mindlessly, only focusing on the sensation of his fingers thrusting into you with steady momentum. Your eyes flicker to his enamoured ones, and your cheeks go warm under the intensity of his gaze. “Hoonie, please fuck me,” You whine, moving your hips to meet his thrusts, which eventually cease.

“No, princess. I’m not just gonna fuck you,” He looks down and grabs his shaft to aim the bulbous head directly at your clit before pressing onto it, causing your body to jolt at the sensation. Your needy whines bring a small smile to his lips as he continues to slide his cock in between your folds before aligning his cock to your sopping entrance. “I’m gonna love you hard, just like you said so. To love you like I do.”

With that, Sunghoon pushes forward, his cock breaching your entry with little resistance owing to your slicks of arousal that serve as a lubricant. You gasp as your hand immediately latches onto his bicep, feeling the expansion of your walls as they accommodate his girth.

“Fuck, princess. Your tightness never ceases to amaze me,” His husky voice is laden with lust that is borderline carnal, sending shivers down your spine. Still pushing himself deeper into your quivering cunt, he looks up at you, his eyes softening just slightly before he leans forward to place a chaste kiss on your lips. “You never cease to amaze me.”

Sunghoon groans deeply, feeling his cock reaching its destination as it finally nestles deep inside of you. Gripping your hips to seize control, he begins to thrust into you, setting a pace that makes you feel like you’re on cloud nine. Each thrust sends shockwaves of pleasure through you while the sound of your moans mingle with the slaps of skin-on-skin that echoes in this part of the library.

You slowly wrap your legs around his waistline, desiring to feel his cock deeply while his bicep muscle beneath your touch flexes as he asserts dominance over your body. His dark ravenous eyes drink in the sight of you throwing your head to the back as you drown yourself in the pure ecstasy, your moans attesting to it.

“Right there, Hoon,” You moan in satisfaction as he hits the spot deliciously with how deliberately precise each thrust he delivers, and yet he seems to be savouring with how slow yet impactful enough to leave you breathless each time as you arch your back like a cat.

“Yeah? Right here? That’s your spot, princess?” He rasps, his voice sounding strained, almost as if he is holding himself back while there is an unmistakable affection in his tone. He repeats his action, withdrawing himself until the head remains in between your folds before ramming his cock into your cunt, causing the table beneath you to creak and groan under the force of your shared fervour.

You slide your arms underneath his armpits to hook them around his shoulders, wanting him closer to you before you chase for his lips and kiss him hard. He growls into the kiss as your pulsating cunt clenches around him, sending shivers through your body that is pulsating with ceaseless pleasure before he proceeds to carry you elsewhere.

You whine softly into the kiss as he halts his thrust, only for him to resume as soon as he pins you against the shelf without allowing you to stand on your own, still supporting you from below with his strength. With how hard he is fucking into you, you swear you can feel the shelf behind quakes.

“I wanna be buried inside you forever, princess,” He murmurs against your lips before pulling away and focusing on bringing you to another heaven that awaits you. His biceps muscles flex as he lifts you a little higher while your arms go hooking around his neck to stabilise yourself. “Wanna make love to you every day like this, reminding you that you own every inch of me.” He grunts, driving himself deeper, which has you seeing stars.

You can only moan in response, any coherency dissipates at this perfect moment with you wrapped around him. The air is thick with a heady mix of sweat, lust, and love that is palpable amidst the fiery passion. The sensual symphony is accompanied by your moans and his bated breaths that reverberate throughout the library.

You throw your head to the back, allowing your bare neck to be enticingly present in his eyes. Unable to resist the temptation, he leans in and presses his lips on your neck without relenting his thrusts that gradually turn vigorous, causing your whole body to jiggle. More moans tumble past your lips as you roll your eyes to the back in pure bliss, feeling the pleasurable sensation of his teeth sinking into your skin that will evidently leave a mark.

Without pulling away from your neck, his thrusts become erratic, fucking into you that sends you into another state of euphoria, and you know he has reached his climax as he moans deeply into your neck. “I’m─ fuck─ I’m gonna cum, princess,” Sunghoon nearly growls out, his nails sinking into the flesh of your bums while you can feel his cock hitting the spot deliciously without missing a beat.

“Hoon,” You manage to utter between broken moans, tears pricking in your eyes as he pounds into you with the fervent intention to drive you both to the brink of ecstasy while you can feel your impending climax reaching its peak. “Please kiss me.”

Sunghoon complies, crashing his lips onto yours in a feverish kiss while sparks fly around you. “I love you,” He murmurs in between the kisses, and your heart swells at the declaration of love so raw in the yearning of his voice. “I love you so, so much, Y/N Kang.”

“I─” Your words clog in your throat as you reach the crescendo of your impending release that matches his, causing your cunt to spasm around him as you tumble over the edge. You scream his name as your orgasm crashes through you like tidal waves while he delivers one last thrust with a growl before burying himself deeply as he fills you to the brim.

As the last of ecstasy echoes in the air, he remains buried in you while the union of your fluids slowly leaks from your sexes as they eventually stain the wooden floor. Your ragged breaths mingle with his as you bask in the blissful afterglow while he continues to hold you up in the air. When your eyes slowly flicker to his, your heart flutters at the intensity of his gaze with a fiery desire palpable.

You cup his cheeks and lean your forehead against his, smiling softly amidst catching your breath. “I love you too, Park Sunghoon,” You utter breathlessly before attempting to kiss him, but he startles you when he proceeds to carry you elsewhere. “Sunghoon─?”

Sunghoon carefully settles you down on the couch that is thankfully spacious enough. Your breath hitches in your throat upon seeing how his eyes darken with carnal lust as he hovers on top of you. The sensation of his cock dragging along your slick walls elicits a soft moan from you before you whimper at the sensitivity as it strikes you.

“I’m gonna keep loving you, princess. Fill you up and put a baby in you,” He says in between bated breaths, his biceps muscles flexing as he plants both hands next to your head. His dark eyes penetrating into yours hold dark promises despite the love and lust. “Never gonna let you leave again, not when you’re carrying my baby.”

The thought of having his babies heightens your desire, prompting you to buck your hips up to meet his thrusts. “Please,” You whimper, needing him to obliterate your cunt like he used to. “Love me harder.”

Sunghoon does, proving his love and devotion to you by bringing you to a new state of ecstasy that feels exhilarating over and over, leaving no spot in the library untouched that has been stained by your passionate love-making.

The gloomy weather brings forth a bleak atmosphere throughout his imposing, minimalist office, enveloping him with a familiar comfort he often seeks solace in after a long monotonous and hectic day as someone who bears responsibilities that are heavier than they seem. The rhythmic sound of rain pelting against the floor-to-ceiling windows across the vast expanse of his office fills his ears as he remains motionless, resting on the couch that is situated in the centre with one arm draping over his eyes.

Jay ignores his phone that has been buzzing incessantly on the main desk, completely unbothered since it is past office hours and most of his employees in the building have already clocked out of their shifts. He needs some time alone to put his mind at ease after all the work that took mental exertion on him.

Being a managing director was never on his bucket list, but being the only son and heir, Jay knew that he could never escape the inevitable, which he deemed a heavy burden. Truth be told, he had no idea what he wanted to pursue after graduation, but he desired to travel around the world and enjoy what life had to offer without any restriction. He should have known better that it was merely a pipe dream to someone like him, whose whole life had been dictated by his parents, and most especially his father.

As Jay recalls a certain memory not too long ago, a scoff leaves his lips. Initially, when Jay divulged to his parents about moving abroad without disclosing his real intent, his mother vehemently opposed, but his ever-callous father surprisingly allowed, only if Jay fulfilled his duty as the heir, and with the perfect timing, his duty call was coincidentally at the very city he intended to go.

Thankfully, Jay was more than ready to oversee his father’s established business in Milan, as shown by his remarkable performance throughout the period of him working and honing his skills, which moulded him into the notable director he is now, whom every one of his employees looks up to out of both fear and reverence, despite being conferred the position three months ago.

Jay also recalls how there were moments when he would get along with his father in regards to business, but he knew that it was merely out of necessity since his father was required to be part of his guidance, not that Jay was saddened or anything. He more than recognises that they could never have the normal father-son relationship he used to yearn for.

But then again, that yearning his younger self once possessed is unparalleled to the yearning instilled in his heart that perennially bleeds and beats for you, even when he thought all hopes in finding you were lost.

Just like his best friends, Jay was not himself, but remarkably, he managed to hide it well, most especially from his father since he knew he could not afford to lose his focal point on business matters, not when at that point in time, all he had was working and building his way up the corporate ladder.

Jay grieved for you every night, even on nights where he chose to spend them in his temporary office at the main corporate building, because sleeping in his own bed at the palace only seemed to hurt him deeply as he could smell your faint scent on the bedding while his mind would drift off to how he used to spooned you as you slept soundly in his arms.

Instead of unleashing the tempest of wrath that was once ingrained in him, Jay felt entirely numb with agonising pain and chose to cope with the loss of your presence in his life by drinking and smoking excessively that even Heeseung grew concerned for his health. It was not as if Jay intended to, not when he had no desire to become like his alcoholic father, but those methods were more efficient for him to drown out his thoughts and feelings he harboured for you.

What a fool he was, because no matter how many bottles he drank or sticks he smoked, he could not erase the permanent mark you left in his tainted heart. He could never forget you. How could he ever forget the woman who managed to make him feel deeply? How could he ever forget his first love?

Before meeting you, Jay has never had a crush on anyone, even when the girls surrounding him were equally stunning, simply because he could not be bothered to be involved in such useless pursuit that wastes his valuable time. He also found the possibility of him developing feelings that evolve into love simply absurd, as he did not believe that he was a man incapable of love until you.

Yes, it started out as an infatuation, especially when he chose to torment you for a short period of time for pure entertainment, but as the times he spent with you, he grew fond of you and knew that his obsession stemmed from the love he had for you despite not knowing what love truly was.

The only and most regrettable thing was him acknowledging to you about the fact that he had fallen deep and that he desired to spend a lifetime with you. There was not a single day where he did not dwell in regret for his past sins towards you. He loathed his actions, including how he treated you horribly in the beginning. Even worse when he allowed you to slip away from his grasp in just a blink of an eye.

A muscle pulses in his jaw as he recalls your words the last time he saw you. The way you looked at him and in the tone you spoke to them haunted him in his sleep. He knows that he has to grovel to earn your forgiveness and win your affection back, but right now, he has no idea when is the appropriate time for him to embark on his pursuit, especially when two of his best friends seem to have kept you occupied.

As if on cue, the door of his office swings open, revealing the very two people who had just intruded his thoughts as they come barging into his office. Jay remains unmoving, even as their approaching footsteps get louder in his ears.

“We were wondering what kept you in the office too long. We thought you decided to work overtime again,” Sunghoon voices out his thoughts as he stands near the couch alongside Jake, towering over Jay’s unperturbed figure.

“Are you sleeping?” Jake asks, staring down at his best friend with a bewildered expression.

“No. I’m meditating, and you guys are disrupting my peace,” Jay states flatly, his voice devoid of amusement. Sighing, he lifts his arm away from his eyes as he pries them open to look at them. “Barging into my office without knocking on the door. Tsk. It looks like spending more time away from work than you should makes you lack etiquette.”

Sunghoon and Jake exchange knowing looks with faint smirks playing on their lips, earning a suspicion glare from Jay as he slowly lifts his upper body from the couch. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just that we’re sensing something in your tone,” Sunghoon rubs his chin thoughtfully, but even Jay recognises that his best friend is mocking him. “Maybe it’s jealousy?”

“Why would I sound jealous?” Jay snaps, his patience wearing thin while he can feel the jealousy growing within him, but his ego refuses to admit it to them.

“Oh, you know, because we got to spend time with Y/N ever since she accepted us back,” Jake seems to taunt him as the smirk on his lips stretches wider almost so cunningly. “You should try it sometimes. Grovelling, I mean.”

“You guys are insufferable. If you’re here to taunt me by rubbing your success in my face, then get the fuck out of my office,” Jay shoots him a scowl, resisting the temptation to punch the smirks on their faces.

“We were just helping you by pushing you to get to work,” Sunghoon says defensively as Jay coldly brushes past them to get to the main desk. “We gave you time and opportunity for you to make things right with Y/N yesterday, but no, you had to delay.”

“And need I remind you who was the biggest arsehole between us? Most especially towards Y/N in the beginning.” Jake asks rhetorically in a sardonic tone.

“First of all, I was busy with numerous meetings because we’re running tight on the deadline of our big project, and don’t forget that you’re involved in the said project,” Jay retorts at Sunghoon before directing his glare at Jake. “Secondly, I wasn’t the one who made Y/N cry first, unlike you, who decided to become the first arsehole by making her jealous, remember?”

Instead of retaliating like Jay expected, Jake simply shrugs his shoulders, completely undeterred. “All is well and forgiven now, but I don’t know about you, though. I wonder if Y/N will forgive you by the time you decide to grovel a little too late.”

“It would work in our favour if she doesn’t,” Sunghoon smirks cruelly as he playfully bumps his shoulder against Jake’s, adding to the fire that is simmering within Jay from their provocation. “The less competition there is, the better.”

“It isn’t a fucking competition,” Jay clenches his jaw, his steely eyes burning straight into them, and it is so infuriating that they are not in the slightest deterred by the obvious path of his wrath they are at. “We agreed, a year ago, that it was only fair if we shared her.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Jake raises his eyebrow at him with an expectant glint in his eye. “You may have all the time in the world, but Y/N might not wait on you anymore─”

“She’s waiting on me?” Jay cuts him off, his once-seething wrath towards them wanes while his steely eyes soften at the thought of you.

“She didn’t exactly let us know, but we know that she is. There is no doubt that she is still waiting on both you and Heeseung,” Sunghoon tells him, observing his wintry facade that slowly melts. “Yes, being late is better than never, but don’t you think that she has waited long enough to hear our apologies?”

Jay’s silence is prevailing as they examine the emotions that leak through the cracks of his wintry facade. Jake sighs softly, tucking his hand into his pocket. “Y/N deserves better, Jay, you know that. So prove to her that you deserve to have her.”

Jay finally snaps out of his rumination as he lifts his head up to look at them with a faint smirk on his lips. “Look at you two. I never knew you could be this wise. Y/N must’ve been the reason for your wisdom.”

“You’re right,” Sunghoon admits, lifting a small smile at the thought of you. His eyes harden with encouragement as they penetrate into Jay’s. “So you better get your ass moving soon or Jake and I will be the only privileged ones to have Y/N as our girlfriend.”

Instead of responding, Jay grabs his phone from the table and his coat that was draped over his swivel leather chair before striding towards the door, leaving behind curious yet puzzled Jake and Sunghoon. “Where are you going?” Jake asks as soon as Jay swings the door open.

“Somewhere,” Jay answers vaguely, his tone sounding uncertain, but deep inside, he knows that he needs to see you, even if a part of him feels ambivalent about showing his face to you after recalling your words that struck him deeply.

On his way to the elevator, his eyes flicker to his secretary, surprised to see her still at her station, and an idea pops in his mind before Jay decides to call for her. “Cancel any of my plans for the next two days. I won’t be coming to the office.”

All the while, Jake and Sunghoon observe him from afar, feeling pleased as they fist bump each other without tearing their gaze off of their best friend.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

A pleasant fragrance from a distinct scented candle pervades his senses as it rouses him from his slumber, but his head begins to pound unpleasantly, forming a headache while his face contorts into a grimace. His throat feels parched, as though he has been dehydrated for over a day.

Jay pries his heavy eyelids open, only to be greeted at the oddly familiar ceiling that looks different than the ceiling in their penthouse. He feels a weight on top of his body before looking down at the white duvet that had tucked him throughout the night nicely and noticing that he had fallen asleep on the couch.

Jay allows his head to fall back onto the comfortable pillow that nearly tempts him to resume his dreamless slumber while his mind is in a tumult of confusion amidst the incessant headache, wondering how the hell did he end up here out of all the places.

Jay rubs his tired face, hoping that he did not do anything foolish or embarrassing as the recollection of whatever happened yesterday is still in fragments. His heart nearly lurches in his chest when he hears you clearing your throat, prompting him to raise his upper body to sit. He briefly looks down and sees that he is still in his work attire.

“You’re up early, for someone who went completely wasted,” You state tersely, avoiding his gaze as you put down a glass of water on the coffee table in front of him. “Here. You probably need it.”

Instead of hydrating himself, Jay continues to look at you as though you are unreal. “How did I end up here? What happened last night?” His husky voice sounds grating and sends you oddly pleasurable chills through your body.

You muster courage to look at him without giving away the fact that you are actually melting on the inside at how sinfully good he looks with his white top being unbuttoned, allowing his toned chest to be visible in your eyes.

“You don’t remember?” You ask in disbelief, your frown deepening at the genuine confusion plastered on his face, eliciting a sigh from you. “You showed up, drunk, at my doorstep last night, and then you nearly passed out on me, so I had no choice but to bring you into my apartment. Now, does that jog your memory?”

“I don’t know. I can’t even think straight because my head hurts,” Jay mutters, furrowing his eyebrows in discomfort, but even then his eyes continue to roam around you as he notices how dressed up you look, being adorned in a short pleated milkmaid dress with ditsy floral print all over.

“You shouldn’t have drunk too much.” You reprimand him, feeling your cheeks warm at his invasive yet hungry eyes raking all over you. 

Jay swallows down a glob of spit to moisturise his extremely parched throat as he slowly returns to meet your gaze. “Where are you going?”

“To the airport. Karina and Wonyoung will be flying back to Seoul today, so can you please hurry and freshen yourself up? I’m going to be running late,” You tell him, your tone denoting your impatience. “You can take a shower in my bathroom. I’ve already placed a set of new clothes for you on my bed if you feel uncomfortable wearing back your work attire.”

“You have clothes that fit me?” He asks, curiosity laces with amusement in his tone.

“They’re Jaeyun’s. Don’t take too long, or I’ll have to actually lock you in my apartment,” You ramble with your words as you avoid his gaze, uncertain of what expression he wears before you decide to head to the kitchen, whereas Jay promptly heads to your bedroom.

It is not long until Jay finally steps inside your bathroom. As he turns to look in the mirror, he notices the puffiness around his eyes, and that is when those fragments of last night’s recollection coalesce into one, eliciting a groan from him as it replays in his head.

--------

Instead of heading back to their penthouse, Jay drove to your street right after buying a bottle of whiskey. He was indecisive ever since he left the corporate building. A part of him desired to see you, but another part held him back, fearing that it would be too soon despite his best friends’ encouragement and support earlier.

Hence, Jay found himself loitering outside of your apartment building with the bottle of whisky in his grasp. Feeling his body gradually getting warmer, which stemmed from his frustration, he unbuttoned the top of his white blouse before taking a swig of the whisky as it burned his throat. His plan might seem witless, but he wanted to see if the effect of alcohol would spur him into finally taking action as well as elevating his self-confidence.

It turned out to be a mistake because he did not foresee himself getting wholly inebriated just by one bottle of whisky when he used to have a high tolerance for alcohol, but perhaps the alcohol in his system interflowed with the web of emotions he had always struggled to subdue was far too strong for him to think and act rationally.

Thus, in spite of his lack of confidence, Jay was spurred by the heavy influence of alcohol and soon found himself right at your doorstep, pressing on the doorbell with zero hesitation. As he waited for you, his head hung low while his palm was planted on the wall next to the door to support his body as he felt his consciousness teetering at the edge.

Jay did not expect you to open the door since the time struck midnight, but when you did, he felt like he could die happily to see your beautiful face up close again. Despite his pounding head being foggy, he could vividly see your face contorting into genuine shock, followed by confusion with a hint of vexation.

His heart broke upon seeing your eyes harden as you stared at him like he was a mere stranger. “It’s midnight, Jay. What are you even doing here─”

“You’re hurting my feelings, baby,” He rasps, his voice sounding strained, almost like he was going through mental anguish. “But I guess I deserved the treatment from you.”

All the while, you scrutinised him and recognised that he was clearly inebriated in the way his eyelids looked slightly droopy, while there was also a hint of slur in his voice. You looked down at the empty bottle of whisky in his grasp, to which your frown deepened.

“You’re drunk, Jay,” You began to reprimand him, eyeing him disapprovingly. “And you thought it was a brilliant idea to show up here? Don’t tell me that you drove your way here while the alcohol was in your system. Do you know how dangerous that is? You could’ve gotten into an accident!” You truly wanted to act indifferent, but you could not resist against your instinct that was overprotective at the thought of him being in harm’s way.

“Y/N care me,” Jay murmured in an almost childlike voice, eliciting a disbelieving look from you, but you could not deny the fact that he looked rather adorable, resembling a puppy, even though his appearance was the complete opposite ─ his raven locks were slightly tousled, his suit denoted that he had been working, the top of his unbuttoned blouse allowed you a generous view of his toned chest, and truthfully, he looked like he had gone through a period of heartbreak.

You heaved a defeated sigh as you rubbed your temple. “Just, why are you here, Jay? You showed up at my doorstep, drunk, and acted as if nothing happened─”

“I needed to see you. I missed you so fucking much, and I couldn’t wait until tomorrow. I missed everything about you,” Jay cut you off in a jabber, and yet every word he spoke was coherent for you to grasp. Upon noticing his unsteady stability, your hands instinctively reached out to catch him in any case he fell, but you quickly forced your arms to remain by your sides. “I’m drunk because, without the alcohol, I couldn’t face you like this. That’s how much of a coward I am, Y/N.”

You opened your mouth to speak, but your heart nearly lurched in your chest when he stepped past the threshold, looming over your stunned figure. When you looked at him, your eyes widened at the sight of his eyes that were glistening with tears.

“I didn’t want to become an alcoholic like my father. I didn’t want to become like my father, but here I am. I turned out exactly like my father,” His voice shakes with emotions that felt like a painful lump being stuck in his throat. “If I became like my father, you would’ve hated me more than you already have, and that hurt me more than any pain I’ve experienced.”

You had no intention to bear any sympathy or even shed a tear, but when you noticed a teardrop escaping the corner of his eye, you felt as though someone was crushing your heart. “Jay─”

You became alarmed as his body swayed before falling forward, but you caught him in a nick of time, allowing him to lean dependently on your body while his head hung low over your shoulder. You snatched the bottle out of his hand, fearing that he might drop it, while your other arm encircled his body to support him.

Though his consciousness was slowly slipping away from his grasp, your scent managed to pervade his senses. “You smell nice,” He murmured languidly, adjusting the position of his head and burying his nose in the nook of your neck while you were flabbergasted with the temperature of your face rising abruptly by his action.

“Jay?” You patted his back, only receiving silence while his body felt heavier on yours, and so you begrudgingly proceeded to bring him further inside of your apartment before settling him on the couch.

You placed the empty bottle on the coffee table, but just as you intended to call Jake or Sunghoon, you felt his hand tugging at yours with full force, resulting in you losing balance and falling on top of him. It could be the effect of the alcohol, seeing how his face flushed pink and his body temperature felt warm beneath yours, but his teary eyes caused yours to widen.

“I can’t believe I let my precious angel baby go that day. I’m so, so sorry for letting you go without telling you how much I needed you, how much I loved you,” He whispered brokenly, sounding as if he held back a sob. Your body felt paralysed as you remained in his possession. Your heart fluttered when he brushed the strands of hair behind your ear before dragging his fingers down your cheeks and stroking them gently. “Are you even real right now?”

“I am.” You found yourself indulging him, your voice softening, but you knew that the reason was because it was easier to deal with him when he was under the influence of alcohol.

“I don’t know why I’m crying when I shouldn’t,” He mumbled, his eyes looking dazed with the tears rolling down his cheeks while he continued to caress yours. “I’m a man. A man doesn’t cry. Even my father said so. Crying is for the weak.”

“Your father is a jerk,” You retorted, your soft tone serving as a reassurance to him that alleviated his frayed nerves. You reached up to cradle his face, smiling softly at him. “Crying doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes, crying is good for you to help make you feel better afterwards. You’re a human, Jay. You’re allowed to cry whenever you want.”

Jay remained silent, and for a moment, you thought he was sleeping with his eyes open, but the way he gazed at you looked like he was moonstruck by you as he cradled your face. “You’re so beautiful, Y/N. God, I wish you were real.”

“I am real, Jay,” You reiterated, but he didn’t seem too convinced. You were not mad at him since the alcohol was affecting his perception. You sighed softly, your hand slowly leaving his cheek. “I’ll let you stay here overnight. Just let me go grab a pillow and─”

“Don’t go. Don’t leave me again, please,” Jay pleaded as he wrapped his arms around your waist, preventing you from moving with how tight they are. “I need you close to me. Let’s just stay like this for a while.”

You should be rejecting him and pushing him away, but instead, you felt weakened, and so you remained on top of him with your head resting on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat while his strong cologne enveloped you, tempting you to bury your face into his chest, and you did.

Moments had passed, and your eyelids felt heavier, but upon feeling his arms around your waist loosen, you carefully removed yourself from his grasp while your eyes trained on the beautiful serenity of his face as he was finally sound asleep.

Your hand tentatively reached out to wipe away the tears on his cheek as you faintly smiled. “What am I going to do with you, Jay?” Despite being asleep, he swore he could hear you whisper those words and your warmth on his cheek before darkness wholly embraced him.

--------

After much contemplation during the shower, Jay chooses the safest route, and that is to feign not remembering what happened last night when the recollection is vivid in his head, not wanting to potentially aggravate the situation since you already seemed hostile enough towards him earlier. The last thing he needs is for you to drift further away from him.

With the towel wrapped loosely around his hips, Jay steps outside of the bathroom at the same time you barge into your room, but he is completely unfazed by the fact that half of his nudity is starkly displayed in front of you. If anything, he feels more amused and smug to see you looking evidently flabbergasted as you remain cemented to the floor.

Having fallen into the temptation, you indulge your desire for him that burns in your heart as you soak in the luscious sight of him into your brain, your eyes shamelessly roaming around him and your mouth nearly salivating. You can vividly see the droplets from the prior shower tantalisingly dripping down on his abdominal muscles, and due to how prominent his muscles are, you presume that he, alongside Jake and Sunghoon, often hit off to the gym together.

As you return your gaze to his face, your cheeks flare with embarrassment at the knowing glint in his eyes as well as the smirk on his lips. Everything about him is infuriatingly irresistible ─ his damp hair with the bangs hovering over his forehead, his full-arm tattoo, his toned physique, his strong gaze that knocks the breath out of you, and his dark allure that serenades you.

“I was just looking for my purse,” You nearly stutter with your words before feigning nonchalance, wanting to cover up the fact that you blatantly checked him out for five solid minutes.

“Sure,” The smirk on his lips persists, making you feel flustered before you force yourself to tear your gaze away from him and proceed to resume what you intended to as you turn your back on him. “By the way, can I have my jacket back?”

You look back at him with your face twisting in confusion. “Your jacket? I don’t recall you giving me your jacket─” Realisation hits you like a truck, recalling the familiarity of his strong cologne last night, but then another matter comes forth, bringing a frown to your lips. “So you were actually stalking me at the bar that night, but I don’t understand. I saw Jake’s car before I got into my Uber ride. Were you with him too?”

“I wasn’t stalking you. Jake and I happened to be at the bar even before you arrived, but we did wait for you until we were certain that you’ve arrived at your apartment building safely,” Jay explains shortly, but enough for you to understand. “Plus, you were shivering when you were asleep at the bar, so I gave you my jacket.”

“How thoughtful of you. If only you didn’t follow me all the way like a creepy stalker,” You remark with sarcasm before trudging forward to head to your closet and rummaging through to find his jacket. Just as you finally grab it, you feel his presence looming behind you while his body heat causes you to straighten your posture. “What do you think you’re doing?” You ask tersely without turning around, gripping the jacket tight.

You can practically feel his warm breath fanning lightly on your earlobe. “You said you were going to run late to reach the airport, right?” He asks softly, carrying a sensual tone that has your heart go pounding crazily against your chest. “Let me send you to the airport instead. I drive fast.”

“No, thank you. I can book myself an Uber,” You clip, daring yourself to turn around, only to be taken aback by the close proximity, and you defy against your ravenous desire to pounce on him.

“I wasn’t asking, baby,” He says lowly, his intimidating gaze that burns through yours amplifies your desire for him. You forget that his obstinacy is on par with the rest of his best friends, so even if you vehemently refused again, he would not budge. “I’m driving you to the airport. Besides, I have plans for us afterwards.”

“What if I refuse?” You tilt your chin in defiance, and he seems to relish in the way your fiery gaze reflects your stubbornness, but it is one of the qualities about you he loves.

“You can’t refuse me, baby,” He smirks, grabbing his jacket from your hands before he turns around to exit your closet. “You’re welcome to stay and watch me get changed, by the way.”

Of course, you ignore him as you immediately trudge your way out of the room, no matter how enticing the offer is.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

An hour or two ago, you were at the airport, bidding your best friends a heartfelt farewell alongside Jennifer, and they were equally stunned to see Jay accompanying you. There was no doubt that there were questions weighing heavily on the tip of their tongue, but thankfully, they did not bombard you with their questions. It was awkward, especially when you knew that they detested each other, but Jay seemed neutral with an impassive countenance.

As promised, Jay kept his words and began the motion of his plan right after the farewell at the airport by bringing you to a rather fancy restaurant for brunch first. It was a delightful brunch despite your aloof demeanour towards him. You were surprised to see that Jay had such patience throughout the whole time, and not even once did he seem irritated by your cold detachment.

Presently, you are nestled in the passenger seat of his black Ford Mustang, resting comfortably with your eyelids threatening to close as your tummy feels full after appeasing your hunger, and a nap is a necessity at this moment, but when your eyes flicker to him, you feel miraculously wide awake.

The black top, which belongs to Jake, fits him perfectly with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, displaying his veins for your eyes to feast upon while the mere sight of the titanium Rolex watch on your wrist does something to you that you can feel in your tummy. His raven bangs hover over his forehead, adding a soft touch to his countenance. His strong gaze is unmistakable, even just by the side profile, as he focuses on the road. You continue to marvel at how undeniably gorgeous he is discreetly.

Or maybe not so discreetly, because the moment he turns his head to look at you so briefly, his lips twitch into a knowing smirk, causing cheeks to flare. It is not your fault that his handsomeness bewitched you.

“So, Sunghoon and Jake told me that you’re overseeing your father’s company here,” You strike up a conversation, much to your own surprise since you had intended to remain aloof, but you want to dispel the awkwardness. “So you’re like a CEO, then? Is it permanent?”

“Unfortunately,” Jay’s answer earns a confused look from you, and his eyes soften before he decides to explain. “I never wanted to become a managing director, let alone to be involved in any of my father’s business, but since I’m his only son and heir, I had to fulfil my obligation. It’s also a perfect coincidence that the location of my obligation is here.”

You nod your head in understanding, but before you can speak, he continues, his tone carrying a bitterness. “If I had refused my father back then, he wouldn’t have allowed me to move abroad, and I wouldn’t be able to meet you.”

“So the reason you’re here in the first place was because of work?” You can’t help but to sound disappointed, even if your ego is the reason you are refraining yourself from caving into him after seeing his efforts since earlier and how gentle and soft-spoken he had been towards you, entirely different from the Jay you first met.

“No, baby. The real reason I’m here right now is because of you. It has always been my real intention, but my father didn’t grant me the freedom I wanted unless I comply with his order, or else I wouldn’t be bothered to become the managing director,” Jay casts you another glance, his lips forming a rueful smile. “But everything I’ve gone through was worth it, because it gives me the opportunity to build the future I envisioned with you in it.”

You look down at your hands, feeling your heartbeat going rapidly by his last statement. “How were you so sure that I’d even be in your future?” You force your voice to come out strong, almost flintily, but you remain a jittery mess on the inside. “If you hadn’t found out where I really was, then all you’ve worked hard for and built would’ve gone to vain.”

“I told you before, didn’t I?” A discernible knowingness laces in his voice. “At the yacht party, a year ago.”

Your breath hits in your throat while nostalgia pulls at your heartstrings. “You still remember that yacht party?”

“Of course. I remember every memory I had with you,” He smiles wistfully, and when he meets your eyes again, you can see a longing regret for a fleeting moment. “Do you remember what I told you if you leave me again?”

“No,” You deny, refusing to admit that you, too, remember every memory you had so vividly that it feels fresh in your mind as they resurface, especially this particular one. “Even if you leave again, I’ll find you, and I’ll chase you till the end.”

“I may be the biggest arsehole in the world, but I’m a man of my words,” His stern voice holds an unequivocal promise, one that sends you the familiar chills. “I told you before that I would always find you and that I’d chase you till the end.”

You remain silent as you curl your fingers into fists on your lap. You want to say something, anything, but it feels as though his words have coiled around your throat, suffocating you with the promise infused like a coaxing substance. When you finally focus on your surroundings, a frown pulls at your lips, your head filling with pure confusion at your current location, wondering why he has brought you to a car dealership. “Why are we here?”

Like an expert, Jay manipulates the steering wheel in a way that has you gawking at his hands while he is preoccupied in parking his car. “We’re here to buy a car,” He answers, albeit vaguely. You are taken by surprise when he leans towards you, causing you to hold your breath in the close proximity while he doesn’t look away from your eyes, only for him to unbuckle your seatbelt. A faint smirk appears on his lips as he examines the flushness of your face. “Let’s go.”

You ignore the rising temperature on your cheeks. “For who? You already have one.”

His face remains impassive as he switches off the ignition. “For you, of course. It’ll be for your convenience to get around here,” He says calmly, merely dismissing the genuine surprise on your face before he exits his car, with you following suit.

“But I don’t even have my driving license yet!” You exclaim in protest as soon as you catch up to him. “Seriously, if this is your method to earn me back with money or with a freaking car─”

“Trust me, I know, and I don’t expect anything from you,” Jay cuts you off sternly, halting his steps as he scans your countenance before his eyes go soft with adoration. “Just let me do this for you. I’m being sincere about it.”

As much as you would like to refuse, it feels like an insurmountable obstacle, especially in maintaining your aloofness towards him, and so with a resigned sigh, you nod your head before grumbling under your breath, “I should’ve gotten that damn driving license with Jen.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Spending approximately about an hour and a half at the car dealership simply exhausts you, and it is equivalent to when you accompanied Jennifer to shop at the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Not only did you have to make an arduous decision in choosing vehicles of your liking ─ yes, vehicles. Jay insisted you choose a motorbike of your own as well, an Aprilia RSV4  ─ but the paperwork was just as gruelling.

Finally egressing the outlet, your eyes search for a certain someone who excused himself right after he did his part in the paperwork across the expansive parking lot before they land on his stature with his handsome back facing you which sends you an annoying flutter.

As you approach him, the stifling smell of a cigarette causes your nose to scrunch up in complete distaste while your eyes follow the movement of grey smoke wafting in the air before they flicker at the burning white stick rolled between his fingers.

You press your lips thinly, watching him from behind as he raises the stick to his lips while he remains blissfully unaware of your presence. You know you should be minding your own business, especially when his health does not concern you, but you feel strongly inclined to do the exact opposite.

Tucking your lower lip between your teeth, you begin to fiddle with your fingers before gravitating towards him until you are in his line of sight. Your heart flutters at the intensity of his handsome gaze on your face while the burning stick is caged between his teeth.

Instead of being rattled by the intoxicating smell, you find yourself cemented to the ground, as though his whole being alone spellbinds you. You blink your eyes, clearing your throat as you feign annoyance. “You should really stop smoking. It’s bad for your health in the long run.”

The corner of his lips curves up into a smirk as he withdraws the stick from his mouth to blow out the smoke while he never breaks eye contact with you. “You’re worried about me, baby?” 

“No. I just don’t like people smoking in general.” You nearly stutter with your words, clearly taken aback by his remark.

Jay does not seem convinced, and for a fleeting moment, bitterness hardens his eyes while a muscle pulses in his jaw. “Did you tell Sunghoon to stop smoking as well? Or are you playing favourites now?” He keeps his tone neutral, careful enough not to aggravate your distance from him. “Or maybe you’re denying that you’re worried about me?”

“I’m not playing favourites,” You deny rather vehemently, to which you are baffled at yourself for being defensive. Your remark earns you an unamused expression from him. “Fine, I’m worried about you! Are you happy?” You snap at him, easily caving into those dark, attractive eyes of his.

Oddly, his smirk falls flat on his lips while his eyes seem to soften, but they are captivating enough to retain your full attention on him. “Alright. I’ll stop smoking,” His sincerity causes you to double take his words as you stare at him dumbfounded. “At least I’ll try to.”

“Just because I said so?” You force yourself to scoff out as your heart flutters annoyingly once more, watching as he throws the burning stick to the ground only to snuff the burning tip with the sole of his shoe.

Jay unfurls a soft smile on his lips, and yet wistfulness glimmers in his eyes as he returns to your gaze. “Everything I do has always been for you.”

You look away from his eyes that seem to be pulling you in dangerously, clearing your throat as you attempt to walk past him to get to his car. “We should go.”

Jay clenches his fist, fighting against his longing urges, but he caves in as he quickly catches up to you, his hand latching on your wrist. “Baby, wait.” 

“Jay─” Before you can even protest, you are rendered speechless when he pulls you into his warm embrace, his arms encasing your frigid form. Your heart aches yearningly as he tightens his arms around you with his cheek pressing into the side of your head.

“I missed being able to hold you like this,” Jay mumbles, savouring this moment for as long as he can before releasing you, feeling defeated at your avoidance of reciprocity. A rueful smile touches his lips. “I remember what happened while I was drunk last night.”

Your breath hitches in your throat at his confession, and a pang of hurt strikes you in the chest. “You said you didn’t. You lied to me, again.”

“I was afraid that you’d push me away like you did last week,” Jay confesses earnestly, oblivious to the fact that you are grappling with your emotions that beseech you to cave into him, especially as he is looking at you with an intense longing. “I’ve never felt afraid of anything until you, so I’m sorry. I know I have a lot of things to apologise for.” He says with a final sigh, only receiving your silence when he takes the cue to walk past you.

But you surprise yourself as you stop him, tugging at his hand almost meekly while the skin contact sends a spark to him. “Jay,” His name is uttered with your wavering voice, prompting him to meet your eyes, only to be taken aback by the glistening tears in them. “I─” Your voice shakes, and your throat hurts from restraining every bit of your emotions since waking up to his presence in your humble abode.

Truth be told, you still remember every word he said last night, and his words struck you deeply in the heart. After all, humans tend to be veracious with their words when they fall into inebriation. 

Jay unfurls a sad smile, a passing understanding flickers in his eyes. “You don’t have to say anything,” He reassures you softly as he squeezes your hand. “Let me just take you back─”

“I want you to hold me again.” You cut him off, pulling him closer as you tug his hand, and this time, you can feel every bit of your inhibition leaving you. You blink your tears away. “I want you to want me so bad─”

“I don’t think I deserve to want you, baby. Not yet,” Jay whispers almost painfully while the longing in his eyes only seems to wound you in the heart. He musters a bitter smile. “Let’s go. I’ll bring you back to my place so I can properly apologise to you.”

“But─”

“Please, Y/N,” Jay pleads, maintaining his composure that baffles you because his eyes hold a beautiful galaxy of emotions for you despite his firm demeanour. “You don’t deserve the bare minimum, which is why I want to prove to you how much I deserve you.” Upon receiving your acknowledging head nod, he proceeds to guide you back to his car while your heart races in anticipation.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The gradual evening is draped in a soft glow, the sun setting with the heavenly hues of orange and pink, a breathtaking view that you can conveniently appreciate whenever you desire to step out to the rooftop just a door away that is adjacent to the living room. One of the many perks of residing at a penthouse, at least for them, which you genuinely feel envious of.

Earlier, when Jay intended to bring you back to their palace, you definitely did not expect to walk past the threshold of their exquisite penthouse. You were in awe throughout the whole time Jay introduced you to every part of the penthouse except their bedrooms. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer the panoramic view of the sophisticated city, a view that you wish to wake up to better, as it is much better than the view from your apartment’s point of view.

Presently, you are seated by the kitchen island, watching Jay in silence as he has been occupied cooking for the past thirty minutes or so since he insisted on you occupying yourself by doing whatever you desired, but you eventually grew bored. Besides, nothing is more heart-fluttering than to watch a handsome man in a domestic element.

Your lips unfurl a soft smile while you can feel the pupils in your eyes dilated with adoration as they follow his every movement, despite your heartstrings pulling painfully at the longing of missing this view of him. When Jay turns around, his eyes meet yours, causing your heart to pound harder against your chest.

Jay gives you a small smile before refocusing as he intends to set up your dinner on the main table at the rooftop, albeit an impromptu one to which you do not mind, as soon as he does the final touch on the Italian cuisine, which smells delectable and has your stomach grumbling faintly in a neglected hunger. Since you refuse to remain discourteous, you provide your assistance to Jay, merely disregarding his insistence on sitting at the dining table prettily as you continue to assist in whatever is there.

It is not long until you have settled across from Jay, light-hearted conversation flowing smoothly between you and him in the midst of dining, with the dinner arrangement meticulously and pleasingly established by him. All the while, you feel an air of intimacy that feels different, almost raw, and the ambience evokes a rather romantic dinner that has your satisfied tummy and heart going all fuzzy.

But something else feels unsatisfactory since Jay hugged you at the car dealership, and you lack the patience to ignore it any longer. You acknowledge that Jay has been noticeably considerate by establishing his distance from you, as though he feared that invading your personal space would lead to you bearing second thoughts about this, but honestly, the distance is killing you, and you want nothing more than for him to be close to you.

“Thank you for everything, for today, I mean,” You give him your earnest gratitude as soon as you nestle comfortably on the linen sofa that is situated adjacently by the pool, which also allows you to view the cityscape without having to adjust your position. Your fingers remain latched around the stem of your glass of red wine as you watch him take sips of his wine, seated across from you. You fist the hem of your dress, struggling to maintain patience at his distance once again. “You didn’t have to do all of that. You could’ve just given up on me on the day I pushed all of you away.”

His eyes soften as he gazes at the serenity in your beautiful countenance, feeling greatly relieved that you are no longer hostile towards him. “But I couldn’t. How could I when my heart refused to let you go, just like it refused to a year ago?” 

“So you’ve never been with any other girls ever since then?” The question leaves your mouth in haste, albeit there is a certain edge of jealousy in your tone as you imagine the unpalatable possibility. 

Jay shakes his head in response, but it is the sincerity in those gentle eyes of his that reassures you and allays your simmering jealousy. “I didn’t bother because my heart, my soul, and every inch of me refused to find and be with anyone that wasn’t you,” His tongue tastes bitter while his eyes harden as he recalls that agonising year without you. “When you left, it felt like my life had lost its meaning.”

The benign ambience shifts into something fragile in spite of the tension that gradually thickens, and as you examine him, your heart aches at the vulnerability seeping between the cracks of his once-tenacious demeanour. You press your lips thinly. “But you were doing fine. You told me that you were focusing on building your career─”

“I had no choice but to keep going, to pretend that I was fine when all I wanted was to go on a rampage spree and kill that fucker who started it all,” Jay cuts you off sharply, his eyes blazing with ire at the mere mention of him, but the tremor in his voice is palpable as he grapples with his emotions, and above all, he sounds sorrowful. “I was a body without a soul, Y/N, because you were my soul.”

You remain silent, looking away from him briefly as you feel tears prickle in the corner of your eyes, but Jay misunderstands your gesture as rejection, causing him to feel defeated. He puts down his half-empty glass of wine on the coffee table and adjusts himself slightly forward with his hands clasped together, his head hanging low. “Every single day, I was haunted by the memories I had with you that replayed on my mind constantly, including the memories of you in tears because of me and how badly I treated you in the beginning,” He clenches his jaw, self-loathing as he reflects on his actions.  “I wanted nothing more than to get rid of my heart that was beating undeservedly after what I’ve done to you.”

You draw in a sharp breath as those memories begin to sting, but honestly, the hidden resentment towards his past actions has long since dispelled by the love you harbour for him. “It’s okay. The past in the past. Besides, you’ve changed, remember?” You muster a small smile of reassurance, but Jay only stares at you as if you had offended him. “I’ve forgiven you all, a year ago when I boarded the plane.”

“It’s not okay, baby. How could you even forgive us so easily?” His exasperation laces with desperation, and his eyes glisten beautifully with a myriad of emotions you are able to decipher ─ anger, self-hatred, despair, regret. “You were tormented by the aftermath of what happened, and neither of us wasn’t there for you during your lowest. I wasn’t there for you when I should’ve protected and comforted you, but I was too blindsided by my revenge to hurt the one responsible for everything. We all were.”

A fallen teardrop escapes the corner of your eye as the last layers you built to protect your once-wounded heart decorticate. “Yeah, you should’ve. You should’ve been the ones to tell me the truth instead of Jungwon and the others,” You remind him again, your tone conveying the hurt that stems from the old wound. The tears begin to accumulate in your eyes despite blinking them away. “That day when I confronted you in the rain, you should’ve stopped me from lashing out at you when you already knew that you weren’t responsible for what happened, and above all, you shouldn't have lied to me that you had deleted them.”

“I know, fuck, I know,” Jay nearly curses at himself, but stops as soon as he recognises how delicate you look, and the glimmer of hurt in your eyes at the painful reminder prompts him to embrace you even when he feels that he is undeserving to hold you, but fuck it. The next thing he knows, he feels a gravitational pull as he ambles towards you. “I regret everything, and I lived in regret every single day. I knew that I didn’t deserve you, but I wanted you, and I still do. I should’ve done this sooner.”

The sound of his footsteps prompts your attention to him, causing your heart to beat in a familiar cadence that amplifies your longing for him. His gaze moltens with such intensity amidst the penitence and yearning, and as he stands in front of you, his stature descends while you watch him getting down on his knees, rendering you flabbergasted.

“You told us before that you were willing to do anything even if it meant to stay by our side, and so I’m doing it now,” Not once did he break eye contact, nor did he waver, exhibiting his tenacious resolve that you feel wholeheartedly, and it springs more tears to your eyes. “Right now, I don’t care about my pride. You deserve to have a man on his knees and worship the ground you walk on. You deserve so fucking much, and if I’m being honest, I don’t know if this is enough for me to prove that I deserve you.”

“Jay,” You whisper his name while tears begin to cascade down your cheeks, and even in tears, you look gracefully beautiful, bringing a faint smile to his lips despite his vision gradually getting blurry with tears of his own.

“Marriage isn’t something I wanted, especially after witnessing the loveless marriage of my parents. I didn’t believe that love would make me happy. I wasn’t even looking for love until I found you, until you captured my heart without you even realising it,” His heartfelt confession hits you like relentless cupid arrows to your heart that are beating for him, and the desperation he exhibits only amplifies the torrent of emotions you release. “I knew that I was in love with you when I first took you to that dinner date. You were wearing a lovely white dress I bought for you, and I was completely moonstruck when you were walking towards me,” Jay reminisces as he adorns a fond smile at the memory, his hand ascending to cup your wet cheek while you instinctively lean into his touch. “You were truly a darling, just as you are now.”

“You bad guy,” You sob softly as you place your hand on top of his, pressing his palm into your cheek with more affection that has his heart swelling with adoration for you. “You made me wait for so long. I chose to live in denial for a year, all because I didn’t have the guts to accept the fact that deep down, I knew that I still loved you. I just wish─” A shaky breath leaves your lips as the words clog in your throat painfully, but his strong yet gentle gaze is a reassurance for you to continue. Choking back a sob, you flutter your eyelids close as you nuzzle your cheek into his palm. “I wish you weren’t a piece of me that I needed after all this time.”

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry that I made you wait for so long,” Jay cradles your face, and with his height that levels with you, he leans in to give a soft kiss on your forehead while your heart warms at his gesture. When he pulls you away, you look at him only to be surprised by the tears silently cascading down his cheeks. “I’m even more sorry for myself because I’ve waited a lifetime for you. I love you, Y/N Kang. I always have.”

You open your mouth with the intention to reciprocate, but you are rendered speechless when he unravels a surprise in his hand that is holding a red velvet box, oblivious to the way his hand trembles slightly with nervousness.

“This isn’t a marriage proposal, but I do intend on marrying you some day. I can’t think of anyone else worthy to be my wife and the mother of my child,” He says, his voice shaking with emotions that threaten to overwhelm him as he opens the box to retrieve the platinum diamond ring. “Consider this ring a promise from me to you. A promise that I’ll marry you and that I love you till the day I die.”

Holding your hand, he slides the ring into your forefinger as it fits perfectly, his touch a familiar reverence. He looks up at you again with fierce determination in his glistening eyes. “No, not even death can separate us,” He declares, his tone unconcealing with promises as he brings your hand to place a gentle kiss on your knuckle, a gesture that never fails to make your heart flutter. “You are my heart and soul, Y/N. When you left, I felt myself breaking on the inside. I─” His voice cracks mid sentence, and it hurts you to see how devastatingly hopeless he looks, as though you will push him away again. “I didn’t know what to do, and I was so lost without my angel.”

“Your angel is here, Jay,” You utter softly as you cradle his face, mustering a smile on your tear-stained face despite your heart aches at pain glimmering in his eyes. You lean your face towards him until your nose brushes against his, whispering, “Your angel is here to stay by your side for good.”

The love emanating from you and him is palpable, encapsulating a symphony that you can hear in your ear, your pulse drumming louder and louder while the distance between your lips and his decreases, your eyelids going hooded as you await the kiss, but the moment shatters abruptly by the sonorous cracking, causing you to pull away from him to divert your attention to the night sky that is now illuminated by resplendent fireworks. 

Instead of focusing on the spectacular view, Jay’s eyes never leave the fascination on your face as you slowly rise from the sofa to amble forward. “I didn’t know there would be fireworks here,” You voice out your thoughts in awe, momentarily shifting your gaze to him as he walks towards you. The look on his face tells you everything you need to know, and your heart begins to pound harder. “You did this. How?”

“I have my ways and resources,” Jay briefly answers, and it is no wonder why he was busy on his phone nearly thirty minutes earlier. Your eyes soften as you notice how evidently nervous he is. “I know it’s not much─”

You let your inhibition go as you cradle his face, dispelling his doubts by the abrupt contact of your lips on his, a kiss that unfolds a gradual fervour that has him nearly weak in the knees. With urgency, his arms encase your waist as he pulls you closer to his body, deepening the kiss while the ongoing fireworks in the background fade like everything else because nothing relevant exists at the moment other than you in his arms.

“I love you,” You murmur against his lips, forcing yourself to pull away from the kiss. Tears of joy spring to your eyes despite the love and desire in your eyes that reflect his. “I'm still so in love with you, Park Jongseong.”

Jay takes you by surprise when he captures your lips into a passionate kiss while the impact nearly sends your head pushing to the back, but he cradles the back of your head reverently, holding you in place. Your hearts beat in a symphony as the kiss deepens the connection between you, kissing him with equal fervour that rouses his desire for you. Goosebumps arise on your skin at the warmth of his palms sliding down your thighs as he breaks the kiss, only to ghost his lips on yours. “Jump,” He commands, and you easily comply with your arms instinctively hooking around his neck.

With his hands supporting you from your underthighs, Jay proceeds to carry you into the penthouse, bringing you over to the living room and settling you on the sectional couch. When your back hits the cushion, he wastes no time in slamming his lips on yours, sealing you into a kiss that intensifies the rousing heat in your cores.

“Jay,” You pant lightly as soon as he pulls away from your lips with the strings of your saliva still connected. You utter his name again breathlessly as he begins to trail wet kisses down your neck, your chest heaving up and down at the heady tension as he litters his kisses on the expanse of your nearly exposed chest before hovering his face over yours to seal you into a searing kiss that your hips are bucking up in need of him.

“I’ve been breaking for a lifetime for you, baby. You have no idea,” Jay rasps against your parted lips, desperation clinging onto the raw vulnerability in the tremor of his voice. “You, for whom I’ve waited for a lifetime since the day you left, and even before I met you. You, who is the only woman to ever bring me down to my knees, and I’d gladly do so again.”

Despite the lust swimming in the depths of your eyes, your features soften while your heart remains a fluttering mess at his words all over. “You’ve got me now, Jay. I’ll be yours for a thousand lives,” You whisper, brushing your lips against his as you stroke his cheekbone with your thumb. “I’m yours forever.”

“Mine,” His voice is a low rumble against your lips that sends a vibration, causing you to shudder by the undercurrent of primal desire. He places a chaste kiss on your lips before discarding every layer of his clothes, with you following suit.

Your mouth goes salivating at the luscious sight of his prominent muscles on display, and your fingers make their ascent to trace down the lines of his abdominal, sending him the shivers, but before your fingers can tease him with how conspicuous his bulge looks against the material of his briefs, he seizes them, only to kiss your fingertips with his dark sensual gaze penetrating you. “Lie down, baby. I’m gonna make you feel good.”

You comply, your heart racing in anticipation as he pulls down your underwear before spreading your legs, bringing heat to your cheeks at the embarrassment of how noticeably wet you are as he has you spread lewdly before him while his dark ravenous eyes zero in on your pussy, no doubt ready to devour you.

Jay dips his head down to trail kisses on your inner thigh, moving tantalisingly slowly to your wet mound that has you whimpering out your impatience. He smiles into your skin before playfully nipping at it, eliciting a soft gasp from you. “Patience, baby. I want to take my time on you,” He mumbles, placing one last kiss on your inner thigh before slotting his lips over your clit.

You shudder lightly as he takes a slow, deliberate lick on your sensitive nub before his tongue journeys along your slick folds, lathering them with his saliva. He hooks his arms from underneath your thighs, pulling you closer to him that causes the tip of his nose to press against your throbbing clit while he doesn’t let up with his tongue lapping and delving into the depths of your sweltering core.

“Oh, Jay,” You moan, arching your back off the sofa while the position allows you to feel his tongue deeply as he devours you with fervour, getting utterly drunk in the heat of your essence. He feels like he could die happily at this moment, basking in your warmth with your fingers now tangled in his locks. “Please don’t stop,” You buck your hips up, causing your clit to rub against his nose while he complies with your needy request.

The sound as he relentlessly fucks you with his tongue is wetly obscene, accompanied by your incoherent utterance of pleasure that amplifies the heady atmosphere in the living room. Your head is dizzying with pleasure, borderline delirious at how expertly his tongue fucks you, causing your body to writhe underneath him while your thighs go quivering, feeling the tension coil tighter in your tummy.

“Jay!” You gasp at the pricking of his teeth biting your clit, though not enough to hurt you but enough to send another wave of pleasure through your body before wrapping his lips around the nub and flickering it with his tongue. “Fuck, I can’t─ ” You whimper as his muscle movements grow urgently, hurtling you to the brink of ecstasy.

Without letting up, his fingers ascend to your chest, stimulating your heightened senses more as he fondles with your tit, occasionally pinching and flicking your nipple tenderly that amplifies your coiling pleasure as you deepen your arch. He buries himself deeply into your sopping cunt, feeling your walls quivering on his tongue, and he knows that you are closer to falling into the abyss of ecstasy.

“I’m gonna─” Your words clog in your throat as he captures your throbbing nub, and with a final flick, your body convulses with your orgasm crashing down on you like tidal waves as you come undone, but his tongue remains lapping on your clit, intensifying the sensitivity that has you whimpering out. “Jay, no more.”

Jay merely ignores you, holding your convulsing body down firmly as he laps up your nectar greedily with his sheeny nose, lips, and chin smeared with your cum before he finally halts, hovering on top of you with a predatory craze in his dark eyes, causing your breath to hitch at how hypnotising he looks. He dips his head down and kisses you, making you taste yourself on his lips.

Your fingers go winding in his hair, tugging at it gently as his lips move against yours passionately. “Missed your taste. Missed everything about you,” He nearly growls out into the heated kiss, his tongue skimming along the seams of your lips before you welcome him into your hot cavern. 

You moan wetly into his mouth as you exchange saliva with him, your tongue dancing in an intimate tango with his, rousing a familiar arousal in your core as you grind your slick folds directly against his hard bulge. You pull away from his lips just slightly, panting needily. “I need you so bad.”

“I need you more, baby,” He whispers, placing a chaste kiss above your cupid bow before he leans away from you to discard his briefs. He watches the way your eyes are laden with desire at the sight of his veiny cock and how the pink tip is already smeared with his precum, having been aroused by eating you out.

Jay wastes no time, hovering above you with his arm at the side of your head supporting his weight while the other is occupied in adjusting and aligning his cock with your sopping entrance. A soft moan leaves your lips at the jolting sensation of the bulbous tip pressing into your throbbing clit before he slides his cock down to your entrance and finally pushes forward.

“You’re squeezing me tight, baby girl,” His husky voice sounds rough with lust, burying himself deeper to the hilt with your velvety clinging onto his cock like a desperate lover. He looks up to study your face that is contorting into pure ecstasy as he begins to deliver thrust after thrust with unbridled passion that has you rolling your eyes to the back.

His thrusts are deliberate with such precision, while the tantalising slow drags of his cock in between your velvet walls send you spiralling in the abyss of euphoria, as though he is savouring every inch of you with how he seems to be taking his sweet time. Your heart flutters at how gentle and tender he is being, and you feel as though he is making love to you instead.

You latch your hand onto his bicep while the muscle flexes beneath your touch as you arch your back, feeling him hitting that spot continually with your neck bared in his eyes to feast upon before he dips his head down to trail kisses and licks on your neck with his hot breath on your skin. 

You moan out his name as soon as he rubs your clit expertly, amplifying the intensity of your pleasure without losing tandem in the way he thrusts into you with an undercurrent vigour while the volume of your skins slapping and your wet arousal sounds prominent in your ear.

“Feels good, baby?” He asks in between bated breaths, his hand searching for yours before intertwining your fingers together next to your head, an affectionate gesture that rouses butterflies in your tummy.

“So good,” You roll your eyes to the back at the sensual drag of his cock, causing your hips to stutter midway in meeting his thrusts. Your eyes glaze with lust as they search for his eyes that penetrate into yours with such intense love. “Jay, kiss me.”

Jay leans down and presses his lips on yours, bringing tears to your eyes as you feel the torrent of love he pours into the kiss. “I love you,” He pulls away from the kiss to lean his forehead against yours with his eyes fluttering closed, preventing tears of his to escape. “I love you so much,” His voice barely above a whisper, but you discern the rawness that reflects the depths of his feelings for you.

Fallen teardrops roll down your cheeks as you grip his hand tighter. “I love you too, Jay,” Your voice trembles at the moment your body does as the pleasure reaches a crescendo, your orgasm teetering at the precipice. “I’m close.”

“Me too,” He breathes out raggedly, never letting up his thrusts, while the pleasure from having his back being raked frantically by your fingernails causes goosebumps to arise on his skin.

“In me, please. Need you to cum in me,” You plead in between gasps as each thrust hits the spongey spot relentlessly that has your walls clamping around him. The thought of getting impregnated by him fuels your desperation, prompting you to lock your legs around his waist. 

“Fuck, yeah, okay,” He rasps against your skin, placing a kiss above your brow. “You’d look so good with a pregnant belly,” With a guttural moan, his orgasm crashes down on him in a torrent of ecstasy as he snaps his hips against yours, pressing you down on the couch and filling you to the brim at the same time you violently come undone with a breathy moan.

Jay presses a deep kiss on your cheek before soothing you from your high with lulling whispers of how good you are to him. The connection that transcends the physical remains palpable as he gazes deeply into your eyes.

“You are so perfect,” Jay whispers affectionately as he brushes away the strands of your hair from sticking to your face. Despite the love swimming in his eyes, a darkness resides, one that symbolises his darkest obsession for you. “Mine. All mine.” 

“Yours,” You breathe out, getting aroused as he lowers his head to litter kisses on your chest before capturing your hardened nipple his lips, eliciting a needy whine from you. “Jay, please,” You buck your hips up, only to moan at the sensation of his cock twitching deeply in you.

Before you know it, Jay proceeds to carry you in the direction of his room with his hands supporting you from below. As your patience runs thinly, you whine next to his ear, attempting to bounce on his cock midair with your legs locked firmly around him.

“Patience, baby,” He groans lowly as you prod further with your lips trailing kisses and nips on his neck, akin to how a kitten acts with its owner, vying for attention. His fingers dig into your flesh, lacking the self-control to fuck you with reckless abandon right here and now as he stands midway at the doorway. Y/N.”

Your walls clamp around him at his authoritative tone, eliciting another groan from him as you pull away to look at him in the eyes. “Need you to make love to me again,” You tell him needily, your lips jutting into a pout that entices him to seal you into a bruising kiss.

“I will,” He promises as he carefully places you down on the bed without breaking the connection. He grabs your hand to give a kiss on your ring finger while he maintains eye contact with you, his lips curving into a smirk. “I’ll make love to you all night.”

This is not the first time Heeseung has waited for you to return and watched you head inside your apartment building safely. In fact, he has been doing this for months ever since he grasped the navigation skills around the city. Although he had other things to prioritise, you were his primary priority, including your safety, despite the fact that you were doing just fine even before he arrived. He would furtively watch you from afar in the dark most nights and wait until the lights in your apartment switched on that denoted your safe arrival before he proceeded to speed off. 

Remaining stationary at his usual post with his booted feet planted on the asphalt ground to stabilise his sleek black motorbike, his dark gaze pierces through the visor of his AGV helmet as he watches you dismount from his best friend’s motorbike. Jay adjusts your slightly unkempt hair while you remain pouting, only to break into a bashful smile when he leans in to kiss you with his arm encasing your waist.

Heeseung feels his jaw go taut while his eyes never stray from you. He should be unfazed at the intimate sight of you and his best friend when he has seen it more than once over the course of last week with Sunghoon and Jake as well when they sent you back to your apartment, but this time, particularly tonight, his jealousy is uncurbed, and all he wants is to have you all over him like you once did.

Instead of feeling happy for his best friends who have successfully reconciled with you, resentment and envy fuse in the heat of his veins, but the hurt constricting his chest is more palpable than anything at the cold reality that you look perfectly fine without him. You don’t even look like you’re missing him, as though you have everything you need, which includes his best friends.

It takes every strength in him to refrain himself from chasing after you as he watches you heading inside the building, fearing that his abrupt presence would exacerbate your hatred and resentment towards him as he recalls the way you looked at him glaringly and the words you spoke that pierced into his bleeding heart, but he knows that he has no right to feel hurt when you were the one who had suffered a shitty ordeal, which led to the eventual of your unforeseen absence in his life for a year.

A year without you feels like an agonising eternity, where he spent his days and nights aimlessly, as though the purpose of his existence was deemed meaningless without you by his side. But Heeseung unwaveringly graced with equanimity, deceiving the others and even his best friends by seemingly coping with your absence well when, in actuality, hell was close to breaking loose at any moment whenever the thought of you surfaced on his mind.

Heeseung once considered himself as someone who had absolute zero regret in his past actions, be it good or bad, and someone whose resolute was unshakeable, but when the incident happened, he was stricken with guilt, followed by the immense regret as he knew that he should not have lied to you about your vulnerability being deleted. Not only was that his only regret in his life, but he also regrets the times he took you for granted and the fact that he was too late to tell you what you truly meant to him. Above all, he regrets not staying by your side and comforting you when you needed him most.

Heeseung knows that whatever reasons he had to justify his absence in the tribulation period you went through are unacceptable because if he wanted to, he would have, no matter what, even though he needed to ensure that his foe would never be able to harm you ever again. He should have gone to you first to explain the whole truth and prove his innocence, but instead, he allowed cowardice to influence him, rendering him hopelessly defeated, especially when you had every reason to believe that he intended to hurt you.

That rainy night, when your appearance came like a bolt of lightning to confront them, he was grappling with his emotions, each threatening to shatter his tenacity in his composure. He wanted to hold you and comfort you, but the sheer hurt on your face quailed him so much that he even felt deeply in his heart, and how hurtful it was to see you heartbroken over them with your injured hand wrapped with a bandage.

Heeseung wishes that he could turn back at that moment of time to tell you the eight letters that weighed heavily on his tongue; he wishes to make things right by turning back the time when he first saw you with the pink cardigan flailing on your figure as you rushed to find an empty seat in the auditorium; and he wishes to tell you that he has loved you since you were eighteen, even if his eighteen-year-old self had no notion of what love was.

His heart and soul desperately yearn for you, for you to return to his arms that were made for holding you. He misses how you used to look at him with enamoured eyes, how you would smile bashfully whenever he became flirtatious, and in everything you do that was endearing in his eyes. Heeseung misses you; he always has.

You are the only woman who possessed the ability to fill the void in his mundane life and the only goodness who shone brightly amid the darkness that enshrouded his universe. You are not only his love, but you are also the loss of his life.

Heeseung tightens his grip on the hand clutches, his once-laid back posture taut with tension while his eyes are steely with self-loathing. If he had divulged the truth instead of coaxing you with a lie with the intention to ease your worries, would things turn out different? If he and the others had gotten to you sooner and revealed the truth, would you have forgiven them and stayed by their side?

Well, it is useless to cogitate about the past when fate has already decided its course. Be it if there were indeed alternate paths for him to pursue, he was bound to lose you either way. No, this time, he won’t lose you again.

Pulling himself out of the reflection, Heeseung shifts his dark gaze to where you were seen, only to see his best friend alone as he proceeds to wear his helmet, your disappearance denoting that you have entered your apartment building safely. Although Heeseung is envious of Jay for successfully earning himself back into your good grace, he trusts the latter completely in regards to your safety.

Heeseung proceeds to accelerate forward, his motorbike humming with its engine that soon reaches the ears of his best friend, prompting the latter to look over his shoulder just as he is about to pull his visor down. Jay’s dark gaze remains fixated on Heeseung until the latter’s vehicle comes to a halt just two arms length next to where he is.

Without removing his foot from the peg, Heeseung places the other firmly on the ground to stabilise himself and pushes up his visor to gain a clearer vision to read his best friend’s expression, only to be taken aback by Jay’s lack of surprise to see him, almost as if the latter has been more than aware of his presence from afar.

“How long?” Though Jay’s question sounds less elaborative, his tone is all Heeseung needs to know that his best friend meant how long he had been doing this behind their backs. He awaits Heeseung's response as he busily fastens his black fingerless gloves on his hands, his dark gaze never straying from Heeseung’s that levels with his intensity.

“Three months, approximately,” Heeseung answers, completely unfazed by Jay’s annoyance in his sharp gaze. Seeing as Jay is unrelenting, tension brews between them while a challenging glint is present in Heeseung’s dark, hardened eyes. “I’m not going to apologise. All I’ve been doing is keeping her safe from any possible danger and drunkard bastards loitering around this street.”

Jay examines his best friend with calculated eyes before the tension dissipates when a smirk forms on his lips, looking entirely pleased, much to Heeseung’s curiosity. “Don’t get all defensive now, Heeseung. If anything, I’m glad that you still love her enough to keep her safe, even though you’ve been practically stalking her for a long period. So I’m just going to ignore the fact that you didn’t confide in us about this nightly routine of yours.”

“Of course, I still love her. Her safety is my main priority. Besides, I loved her first before any of you even did.” Heeseung’s proclamation is laced with bitterness, to which Jay lets it pass as he doesn’t regard it as a provocation.

“Then why are you still here?” Jay inquires, no longer is there amusement in the way he speaks. Amidst the sternness in his steely eyes, Heeseung recognises the encouragement that should have impelled him to do the right thing. “Shouldn’t you be heading upstairs to her unit and confess your undying love and beg for her forgiveness?”

Heeseung swallows down the cold, bitter truth that keeps crawling its way back to his throat that feels tight. “You’re right. I should, but would she even want to see me now? She looked perfectly fine earlier. I don’t want to ruin her night,” He says ruefully as he cranes his neck to get a better view of your apartment with the lights switched on. “I don’t think she even needs me now that she has the three of you.”

“Heeseung, what the fuck happened to you, man?” Jay scoffs out in disbelief, pulling Heeseung’s attention promptly that has the latter glaring at him, only for him to falter slightly at the disappointment in Jay’s eyes. “I need my best friend back, and right now, you are not him.”

Heeseung’s turn to scoff, his ire coursing through his veins dangerously. “What the fuck do you mean─”

“My best friend would never have given up, especially not on the woman he claimed to love first, and he would never let the woman he loves to wait on him any longer. She deserves better, you know that,” Jay’s fierce conviction resonates with Heeseung to the core, dispelling his despondency. “You said that she looked perfectly fine, but what if she isn’t? What if she actually needs you?”

Silence is all Jay receives from Heeseung, but he is not having any of it, knowing that he needs a little push to get him on the right track. “She needs you too, Heeseung,” Jay’s tone sounds less aggravating, calmer, but firm enough to retain Heeseung’s undivided attention. “As much as I used to loathe the idea of us sharing her, I could never deny the fact that she has always needed the four of us. We could never understand the special connection you have with her, just as you could never understand our individual connection with her, which is why you need to get your shit together and grovel at her feet, quite literally.”

Heeseung stares at Jay differently, as though he is in awe of him. The corner of his lips curves into a faint smirk. “I never knew that Park Jongseong could offer words of wisdom. Y/N’s impact, I believe.”

Jay doesn’t seem to deny it, and instead, a soft smile touches his lips while his eyes hold such fondness at the mention of you before chuckling lightly at the irony since he said something similar to Sunghoon and Jake too. “Being in love can make you a changed man.” The smile on his lips falters as he looks over to Heeseung, his eyes hardened with resolve. “Don’t fuck things up with her again, Heeseung. So man up and chase after the girl you love before she closes her heart to you.”

“I’ll make things right with her, but not tonight.” Heeseung affirms, his tone conveying promises that seem to appease Jay. He cranes his neck to look at your apartment, only for his heart to skip a beat at the sight of you standing by the balcony, gazing out. He returns his gaze to Jay. “You’re up for a night ride?”

Jay adorns a smirk on his lips, his eyes glinting with a familiar challenge before he pulls his visor down and leans forward with both hands latching firmly on the clutches. “Always. Try and keep up with me.” He says with mischief cockiness, earning a soft derisive chuckle from Heeseung.

“You should take your own advice.” Heeseung retorts as he pulls his visor down. He can’t shake the feeling of being watched, and so when he looks up for another time, his heart nearly stops beating when your eyes are fixated on him, your expression unreadable.

Heeseung quickly redirects his focus on the road, his hands on the clutch tightening before he begins rev forward with Jay following suit and eventually, on par with him. The cold vindictive wind hits them as they pick up velocity, and just like that, any prior doubts and worries dissipate from Heeseung’s mind while his self-confidence elevates at the thought of getting his beloved back.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

His surroundings fade into a blur as he rides through the avenue of the intended destination at a meteoric velocity, while the revving of his motorbike that he unintentionally flaunts draws attention from the onlookers roving out and about in the broad daylight. Though his firm eyes are vigilantly focused on the road, his mind momentarily drifts to you, who occupies his every thought day and night.

Initially, Heeseung intended to head over to your apartment just earlier, albeit he did not exactly formulate any plans involving places to go to for an impromptu date, mainly because he was actually jittered at the thought of meeting you up close, but then came a call in regards to a restaurant reservation for lunch from a certain esteemed CEO who oversees all business operations across multiple diversions in the fashion industry in Milan and whose daughter is best friends with you.

Working for the organisation of your best friend’s father is not a coincidence. In fact, Heeseung has done his research involving you and the people you are close with, including Jennifer’s father, whom he knows that you regard the elderly as your father figure. And so he decided to send in his resume to HR. After gruelling rounds of interviews and assessments, his expertise and professionalism managed to secure himself employment under the organisation.

Heeseung rarely brags, but his performances throughout the period he has been working were so outstanding that eventually the CEO himself wanted to informally meet him, and thus, it led to Heeseung being one of his favourite employees. Although this is merely a stepping stone towards his goal, he can’t deny the fact that he feels strongly inclined to earn your father figure’s approval when the time comes for him to pursue you.

Finally reaching his destination, Heeseung parks his motorbike by the pavement kerb, where other vehicles are arrayed as well. Removing his helmet, he smooths his tousled pink hair that looks rather orangey and adjusts the black bomber jacket hugging his body before he wastes no time in hurrying over to the upscale establishment, wanting to get this lunch appointment over with.

As soon as Heeseung walks through the glass door, his sharp eyes scour for a certain businessman in his usual lavish suit, but the elder is quick to spot him first. “Heeseung!”

Heeseung turns his head sideways and locks eyes with him, who is seated at a table with a space that offers more privacy compared to the other tables that look rather congested, and seated next to him is the person who is not entirely in favour of him. Nevertheless, Heeseung makes his way to them.

Just as Heeseung reaches, he intends to greet the elderly with a courtesy bow, but he is taken aback when he is being pulled into a hug briefly. “I’m glad you could make it, son,” Mr. Huh offers him a broad, fatherly smile, patting his shoulder firmly.

Heeseung reciprocates with a small smile, albeit a tight one, as he feels rather annoyed by the fact that your best friend is throwing daggers at him with her eyes. “Of course. I could not miss having lunch with you, Sir,” He says with the utmost sincerity, or at least he tries to.

“Let me introduce you to my daughter!” Mr. Huh looks oddly thrilled as he gestures to his daughter, and in Heeseung’s judgement, he has an inkling that the CEO has ulterior motives that involve match-making them. “This is my daughter, Jennifer. Sweetheart, this is─”

“I know who he is, Dad,” Jennifer interposes sharply, Her unveiling abhorrence for Heeseung is clear in her wintery gaze while she maintains neutrality in her tone, essentially deceiving her father as she offers the taller male an uptight smile. “We went to the same college in Seoul.” 

“It’s true, sir,” Heeseung corroborates as soon as he spots a flicker of confusion and surprise in the elder’s eyes. Meeting Jennifer’s wintery eyes again, Heeseung decides to play along with the charade as he reciprocates with a guileful grin. “It’s good to see you again, Jennifer.”

Truthfully, this is not the first time Heeseung has met Jennifer formally at close range, excluding the night of confrontation when she excused herself to head into the guest room in your apartment. The first time he met her was when she stumbled upon him in the headquarters’s lobby while he was waiting for the elevator to arrive during the second week of his employment journey. Since there were other employees, Jennifer did not make any confrontation, but her eyes were glaring at him all the way until he stepped out of the elevator. It was likely that she enquired to her father instead regarding his unexpected arrival here, because from then onwards, Heeseung never saw her again until recently.

Heeseung expected that Jennifer would inform you of his arrival in Milan, most especially being an employee under her father’s organisation, but the genuine horrifying shock on your face told him that she never divulged anything to you, which is rather peculiar. Nevertheless, Heeseung is not curious enough to be entirely bothered by it.

“That’s good, then!” Mr. Huh is more than delighted with a broad smile on his lips, as though he won the lottery, eliciting a mutual confusion from both of them before Jennifer quickly grasps the underlying of his odd enthusiasm. Jennifer stares at his father in sheer disbelief as he directs his attention on Heeseung, patting his shoulder. “You see, my daughter here is so committed to her career that she neglects to find a partner. I had chosen potential suitors for her, but none met her expectations─”

“Dad, don’t start,” Jennifer cuts him off abrasively, casting him a disapproving scowl. “I know what you’re trying to do, and for the ninth time, I have no desire in dating a man,” Her tone indicates no room for debate while she remains unwaveringly poised. Her eyes flicker over to Heeseung briefly as the latter captures a knowing glint in them. “Besides, Heeseung and I could never work out. He already has someone in his heart.”

“And who might that be?” Mr. Huh clasps his hands together, his eyes gleaming with interest and a hint of mischief in the way the corner of his lips curl upward, a stark contrast to his dignified appearance. 

His question dissipates at the instant the sound of hurried footsteps approaches their table, diverting their attention to you. “I’m sorry for arriving late. There was a traffic jam in my area.” Annoyance laces your tone before releasing a huff while you remain oblivious to his presence.

Heeseung feels as though he is deprived of oxygen as soon as his eyes land on you. You are adorned in a white spaghetti strap dress that reaches above your knees, while the v-neck design at your chest area accentuates your smooth cleavage. You applied a minimal make-up on your face, which enhances your seraphic beauty. His throat feels oddly parched while his heart beats in familiar cadence. You look beautiful as you always have, but there is an undeniable glow in your refined demeanour that is impossible for him to look away from.

Heeseung definitely did not expect that you would be joining them, but then again, he should feel entirely surprised since you are practically like family to the father-daughter duo. 

Jennifer holds back a smirk, noticing how blatantly moonstruck Heeseung looks before pressing her lips thinly into a frown as she returns her gaze to you—well, more like her focus is directed to the black helmet in your grasp. “You rode a motorbike on your way here? Since when did you get your driving license?”

“It’s a long story, but we’ll save that for another time.” You say adamantly, your avoidance at her question is more than apparent, which deepens the frown on Jennifer’s lips, whereas Heeseung has a strong inkling that Jay had chauffeured you here.

Heeseung’s eyes never leave the glow in your demeanour as you offer Mr. Huh a buoyant smile. “Hi, uncle! How was your business trip to Venice?”

“It was lovely, thank you for asking, sweetie,” Mr. Huh wears a gentle smile, gazing fondly at you the way he does to his daughter. As if a lightbulb switches on in his head, he briefly looks over to Heeseung. “I’d like to introduce you to this fine gentleman here. Heeseung, this is Y/N. She’s been best friends with my daughter since childhood.”

Heeseung knows that much, considering you were the one who told him your whole life story before. His dark eyes watch you in a predatory gleam as you slowly turn to him, your body language exhibiting reluctance, almost as if you are daunted by the mention of his name alone.

When you finally lock eyes with him, the radiancy in your demeanour dims while your heart goes into palpitation. You feel a chaotic of emotions at once within you at the sight of the guy you did not expect in the slightest to be mysteriously acquainted with your father figure.

You have no idea what to feel at this moment. Happy? Angry? Sad? Or maybe even turned on? Because he sure as hell looks good decked out in an all-black outfit with his top stretching against his taut muscles and silver-rimmed glasses resting on his nose bridge, which is obviously a mere decoration, but it enhances his compelling charm with his dark predatory eyes locking you in place. 

“Dad, Y/N went to the same college as us.” Jennifer’s voice shatters the hypnotic trance you are in, looking away from his gaze, but even then you can feel his invasive eyes burning onto your face.

You nod your head, mustering the fakest smile on your matted lips at your father figure. “Yes. We all know each other. It’s a small world, really.”

“It’s been quite some time, Y/N,” Heeseung’s voice has a seductive drawl only you recognise—a haunting yet velvety caress to your ear. You look at him again and narrow your eyes at his simper smile, almost as if he is enjoying the subtle reaction he elicits from you just by his tantalising allure. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”

“Heeseung,” You decide to reciprocate his courtesy, your lips curving into a small, uptight smile, before taking a seat next to him since it is the only available seat, and you hope not to be affected by the dangerous proximity between you and him.

“Shall we order, then?” Mr. Huh, oblivious to the tension brewing, looks at each of you with a broad smile before calling for the waiter and informing him of your orders.

While waiting for the food to be served, Mr. Huh initiates a conversation that includes the three of you. Throughout the flow, you avoid looking at Heeseung, but the heat radiating from his body is something you can’t ignore. His presence alone is enough to make you feel jittered, which is annoying because, as much as your heart yearns for him, you should be nonchalant about him. When the food has finally been served, you decide to focus on your food, albeit being self-conscious of eating in his presence.

“Ah, how could I forget?” Mr. Huh dabs the white handkerchief on his lips, perfectly poised with dining etiquette like a true businessman. “Heeseung has been part of the organisation as our data research analyst for two months, but he has made a significant contribution to the team with his exceptional skills.” 

Though the information is ineffectual to Jennifer, as evident in her facial expression, you nod your head meaningfully at the revelation, your lips pressing thinly together. “I see.” Your tone carries an undercurrent of bitterness. It makes you wonder if Heeseung’s employment under Mr. Huh’s organisation is a mere coincidence or not, because you know Heeseung. There is no such thing as coincidence when it comes to him.

Mr. Huh darts his eyes between you and Heeseung with a flicker of knowingness, now having noticed how unusually awkward and tense you are in his presence. “So, Heeseung,” He clears his throat, his eyes turning serious as he looks at Heeseung. “What do you think of Y/N?”

“Oh my god, Dad.” Jennifer groans, having a dread sense of what her father is up to. She shoots him a withering glare. “First, it was me, now Y/N? You run a major corporation, not a match-making service.”

Mr. Huh simply dismisses her glare with a wave of his hand. “I’m merely asking a harmless question, sweetheart.”

Heeseung contemplates answering his question, but when his eyes linger on your perfect side profile, he feels compelled by your beauty once more and notices that you seem to await his answer expectantly, albeit your countenance appears indifferent, a mask he recognises that has his lips unfurling a smirk.

“I think she's very beautiful, both inside and outside,” Heeseung answers with the utmost sincerity, his velvety voice sounding slightly deeper. His eyes never stray from your face, even as you turn to look at him with your cheeks flaring diffidently. “Just the kind of woman I intend to spend a lifetime with.”

Your heart rate goes rapid while butterflies swarm in every part of you, and the connection between you and him feels palpable as it deepens just by eye contact. You desperately search for any lies in his eyes behind the transparent lenses, but all you see is how undeniably enamoured he is.

Getting lost in those orbs, your reaction delays at the sensation of his fingers nearly succeeding in intertwining with yours, and when you finally gain full alertness at the heat of his touch, you flinch visibly and yank your fingers from his, but your abrupt movement causes your elbow to hit your glass of Shirley Temple, resulting the liquid to drench the lower region of your dress. “Shit!” You hiss, mentally berating yourself for your clumsiness.

Jennifer quickly passes the tissues to you, while Heeseung doesn’t hesitate to help out in wiping the spilled content on the table. “Are you okay?” He asks, genuine concern lacing his tone despite his eyes glinting with amusement at the cuteness of your reaction.

“Yup, just taken aback by your remark. Consider me flattered,” You tell him tersely, forcing out a chuckle while you continue to wipe your wet dress rather aggressively before deciding to get away from him, even if it’s only for a short while. You rise from your seat, giving the father-daughter duo an uptight smile. “I’ll be heading to the washroom. Please excuse me.”

You immediately abandon the table in haste, heading straight for the washroom that is further away. You grimace at the unpleasant stickiness on your dress making contact with your skin whenever you walk. Once you reach inside the washroom, you proceed to wash the lower region of your dress, hoping that it wouldn’t leave a stain while you regret wearing a white dress out of all the days.

Unfortunately, it leaves a stain even after you wash it thoroughly. You begin to grumble under your breath while attempting to dry it with the tissue. You can’t believe that his words impacted you greatly more than they should. Heaving a defeated sigh, you proceed to depart from the washroom, embracing the fact that you might have to tolerate the charade a little longer.

As soon as you step outside, your heart jumps in surprise as you stagger back at the sight of Heeseung standing outside of the washroom with his back leaning against the wall and his arms crossed over his chest. “Heeseung, you scared me,” You mutter, faltering as his eyes roam around your body.

“Your dress,” Heeseung points out as the frown on his lips deepens upon seeing the noticeable stain on the material.

“It’s fine. It’ll go away once I wash it with detergent,” You say assuringly, though you have no idea why you do so as you look down at your dress, grimacing. “I hope.”

Receiving no response from him, you look up, only to be flabbergasted at the close proximity as he towers over your figure, his impassive face unreadable. “W-What are you doing?” You stutter, temperature rising in your cheeks as you watch him remove his black bomber jacket.

You don’t have the opportunity to marvel at his biceps muscles as he is adorned in a black sleeveless top when he leans down closer to you, causing you to hold your breath, expecting what you are thinking, only to feel a tinge of disappointment when his intent is to wrap his jacket around your waist. Still, your heart remains a fluttery mess at the close proximity with his strong woody cologne hitting your nostril. 

Heeseung catches your eyes fleetingly as soon as he finishes tying a knot securely before leaning away from you, smirking faintly as he notices your tensed body relaxes. “There. You won’t have to worry about others seeing the stain on your dress anymore.”

You clear your throat awkwardly, looking everywhere but his eyes. “What you said earlier,” You murmur, a frown pulling down on your lips. “Did you mean them?”

“I meant every single word,” Heeseung takes you by surprise when he grabs your wrist and positions your palm to rest on his chest, allowing you to feel his heart beating rapidly like yours while his tone conveys a solemnity. “Can you feel it? The way my heart beats for you now is just the same as it was.”

Even as he is holding you, his grip feels familiarly reverent, causing your heart to ache, and his chest feels solid beneath your touch. You curl your fingers into a fist as every bit of your resolve is close to crumbling. “We should go─”

“Spend the day with me,” Heeseung cuts you off in a silent plea, compelling you to look at him and recognising the determination behind those lenses. “I want to bring you to places, if you allow me.”

“Just because I accepted your best friends, it doesn’t mean that I’ve accepted you,” Though your resolve remains tenacious, your tone wavers at the dejection dimming in his eyes. You release a soft sigh, not realising that you have grown accustomed to his touch on your skin. “Give me time, Hee. You owe me that. And if I’m being honest, a part of me still feels overwhelmed by all of this.”

“I know I owe you much, but I can’t give you time. Every second, every minute without you is insanity,” Heeseung refuses to back down, one of the qualities you have always admired about him. He tucks a fallen lock behind your ear tenderly while his firm eyes never leave yours. “You can hate me all you want, but don’t think for a second that I would ever let you go this time.”

Seeing as he is just as determined as his best friends, a layer of what you built to protect your resolve peeled against your will. “Okay, I’ll spend the day with you.” You eventually concede, but the wariness on your face remains. “Just don’t make me regret my decision.”

In an instant, Heeseung pulls you along with him, heading back to the table with his fingers intertwined with yours that you surprisingly allow. But then realisation hits you as you look at the back of his head, your eyes bewildered. “Wait, now? Hee, we can’t just ditch them. It’ll be rude─” You immediately smack your lips shut as soon as you arrive at the table.

“Girl,” Jennifer doesn’t bother to conceal her surprise as she gasps audibly, her eyes zero in on your intertwined fingers. You can only offer her an indecisive smile before looking over to Mr. Huh, who looks surprised but then comes his delight that gleams in his eyes.

Heeseung’s composure is unwavering as he meets the elder’s eyes. “I apologise for my discourtesy when I say this, Sir, but may I─”

“You may,” Mr. Huh’s swift permission comes off as a surprise to you as he gives Heeseung a firm head nod before he cracks a knowing smile. “I may be an old man, but even a blind person could see how infatuated you were, son. I could tell that you two had history, so go ahead. You already have my blessings.”

“Thank you, Sir. I’ll take good care of Y/N,” Heeseung says with conviction, his grip on your hand a silent promise. He meets your eyes briefly and receives a nod of confirmation from you before he grabs his backpack and hangs it around his shoulder, whereas you grab your sling purse and your black helmet that was gifted by Jay.

You bid your goodbyes to the father-daughter duo with a sheepish smile before Heeseung finally pulls you with him as he guides you the way to the glass door without releasing your hand. You can’t suppress the giddiness that bubbles in your chest as you observe how endearingly eager Heeseung is in the way he haste in his steps, finally reaching to his sleek black Ducati Panigale V2.

You can feel his reluctance as he slowly releases your hand. “Can you be my backpack girl, beloved?” The endearment rolls down his tongue naturally, forgetting that he might make you feel uncomfortable by pushing things fast.

But you don’t seem the slightest bothered by it while your face betrays none of the delightful flutters in your chest. You simply nod your head before initiating your offer as you extend your hand to him, which he proceeds to pass you his backpack.

You notice his eyes keep darting at the helmet in your grasp. “Jay bought it for me as an advance gift for when I passed my driving license,” You say, as if you can read the question lingering on his mind. 

Heeseung raises his eyebrow, intrigued and surprised. He holds your stare for a few minutes before breaking into soft chuckles that sound annoyingly melodious in your ears. A frown touches your lips despite your heart being a fluttery mess at the sight of his pearly white teeth on display as he continues to chuckle. “What is so funny?”

Heeseung immediately calms down, but a smirk plays on his lips. “Nothing. It’s just that you used to be afraid of riding a motorbike, but now look at you,” His eyes soften wistfully, allaying your niggling annoyance. “I’m going to miss you being my backpack girl.”

“I’ll still be your backpack girl, even after I earn my driving license,” You blurt out without the intention to reassure him once again. You decide to feign obliviousness to the words that left your lips as you clear your throat. “Let’s just get going.”

But Heeseung is not about to let it go. “So does that mean you’ll allow me to bring you out often with my motorbike from now onwards?”

The corner of your lips curls into a faint smile as you look down at your helmet. “Maybe. Unless you have another backpack girl….” You drawl, attempting at nonchalance, but the bitterness colouring your tone gives way to the hinted jealousy.

Heeseung grabs your hand as well as your attention. “You’re my only backpack girl, like you always have been, beloved,” He declares, smiling softly at you before giving you a tender kiss on your knuckle, which sends you the electrifying spark to your skin.

You retract your hand to keep yourself busy wearing your helmet. “Earlier, you said places, so, where will you be taking me first?”

“Since it’s a date, how do you feel about watching a movie?” He asks, receiving a small smile of approval from you in return. Just like that, your cooperation kindles hope in him.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The luminescence of the animated screen illuminates the cinema that has surprisingly many vacancies, with only another couple and a small group of friends occupying the seats far from where you and Heeseung are. The ongoing movie of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ that has you hooked eventually attenuates your interest, prompting you to direct your attention elsewhere until your eyes land on him.

You should be looking away from him before you fall deeper into his allure that constantly serenades you, but it is impossible to do so when he has a divine side profile with his perfect sculpted nose and smooth jawline, pink lips that are absent of his wonted silver ring, and his dreamy eyes glueing to the screen attentively. Swarming butterflies remain in their wake in your tummy once more. You hate how undeniably handsome he is, and yet a part of you wishes to wake up to his face every day and night.

It seems that Heeseung feels your burning stare on his face as he turns his head with an eyebrow arched. You look away, feigning interest in the movie as you shove the last of your popcorn into your mouth aggressively while your cheeks flush in embarrassment. Thankfully, he doesn’t tease you or make any remark, though you can see his lips unfurling an amused grin from your peripheral vision.

Long minutes have passed, and your boredom has reached its peak as you slowly slump in your seat. His jacket that was once wrapped around your waist is now served to provide you some warmth against the frigidity that permeates the entirety of the cinema, and while it is big on your figure, you have sought comfort and discreetly basked in his scent that clings to his jacket, but little did you know that he has noticed how occasionally you would snuggle in his jacket like a kitten, which he found endearing.

Heeseung has long noticed that you are feeling restless, to which he feels unsatisfactory that this movie date is not going smoothly as he imagined. With his eyes flickering to your pouty lips, he leans forward until he stops next to your ear. “Do you want to get out of here?” He asks in a murmur, startling you at how deep his voice is.

A frown pulls at your lips while every fibre of your being vehemently agrees that you should. “But the movie isn’t over. Besides, you already paid for this, so we can’t just let your money go to waste.”

“And you’re clearly not enjoying this,” Heeseung points out, his tone dripping with dissatisfaction that is not directed at you but rather at himself. He releases a breath, his fingers running through his hair. “I should’ve picked other movies that were more to your liking.”

“It’s okay. I’m not a big fan of movies anyway,” Your reassurance does nothing to relieve him. Your eyes briefly flicker down at his long, slender fingers that are adorned with rings, resisting the strong urge to hold them. “Seriously, Heeseung, it’s fine. You love watching Marvels, so as long as you enjoy watching the movie, then it’s not an issue for me.”

Heeseung shakes his head, his stern eyes holding yours in place. “Today is all about you, sweetheart,” He insists softly, his gentle tone feeling like a velvet stroke in your ear. “So please be selfish; be selfish with me. Let me know which places you want me to drive you to, or even the things that capture your eyes. I’ll pay for them,” He doesn’t hesitate to hold your hand tenderly before raising it up to kiss your fingertips while he holds your stare. “I’ll even pluck the stars, the sun, or even the moon; just say the word, love.”

You can’t help but to break into giggles, forgetting your resolve in resisting Heeseung and his charms for as long as you can. “You can’t do that. It’s impossible unless you want something catastrophic to happen on earth.”

“Then we’ll have to migrate to Mars, or maybe Venus. Any planet of your choice, love,” Heeseung muses, enjoying your delightful reaction as you continue to giggle before you immediately compose yourself, though the smile on your lips remains. “But I’m serious when I say I’ll grant you whatever you desire. Just say the word.”

You chew on your bottom lip as you contemplate that it doesn't even last for a few minutes before you lower your gaze and tug at his finger diffidently. “I want to get out of here, Hee.”

“As you wish, my beloved,” Heeseung tugs at your hand gently, a signal you recognise that prompts you to rise from your seats before he proceeds to pull you with him to head for the exit. Not once did he release your hand, even as you finally passed by the cinema box office.

Navigating your way to where he parked his motorbike as you walk on the pavement, Heeseung comes to an abrupt stop when a florist booth piques his interest. Your face contorts into confusion as he drags you into the booth where there are a variety of different flowers being sold at a decent price. Your heart skips a beat as you watch him decisively choose a rose.

“A rose for my lady,” Heeseung says, his lips gracing a smile as he passes the amount of cash to the salesperson while your cheeks feel warmer at his words.

“You two look lovely together,” The salesperson, whose age looks around your mother’s, remarks with a fond smile. “May your relationship continue to blossom beautifully.”

“Thank you,” Heeseung expresses his gratitude with a smile before shifting his attention with the rose in his hand extending to you. “For you, beloved.”

You have always known that Heeseung was the epitome of romance, and right now in this moment, everything feels authentically romantic. “You didn’t have to,” You mutter as you meekly accept the rose, feeling deeply touched by the gentlemanly gesture that is honestly a bare minimum, but enough to send your heart into palpitation. God, you are down bad for this man.

“So, any places you have in mind that you want to go to?” Heeseung asks gently as he intertwines your fingers, making your way to his motorbike. You nod your head in response before informing him of the very place you have on your wish-list.

The journey to your desired destination takes about forty-five minutes, and time flies fast because soon you find yourself entering the renowned Milan’s Castello Sforzesco, a Renaissance fortress that was built in the middle of the 15th century. Not only is it monumental, but it showcases cultural and artistic heritage within a stunning and historic architectural setting. Of course, as expected, your favourite is the water fountain that is situated outside near the entrance.

All the while you have been preoccupied appreciating real structural arts, Heeseung is not far behind you as he follows you quietly and patiently, admiring the sincerity of your wonderment in the world of arts and history. In between, you blabber to him about facts and whatnot, albeit you seem mindless, rendering him impressed by your discovery and history that you acquired while he listens attentively at every word you speak.

You spend nearly an hour and a half before you decide to let him choose the next destination, and you eventually find yourself seated behind him on his motorbike with your arms around his waist, holding onto your valuable life as he speeds on the highway, occasionally revving since he knows that you actually love when he does it. You let your inhibition go, leaning your head on his broad dependant back as you appreciate this moment, hoping that it’ll last.

Soon enough, your riding escapade comes to an end, but the adrenaline rush from the prior speed is present in the course of your veins. He has brought you to the famous Navigli Pavese Canal, which the place reminds you of when Jake rented a whole boat as you watched the gorgeous sunset with him.

With your elbows leaning on the railing, the wind gently blows in your hair, casting a cinematic beauty that has his eyes compelled to you while you continue to gaze out at the heavenly view of the blue and golden firmament. But the semblance of tranquilly shatters as the question resurfaces on your mind, and just like that, you are harshly being pulled out of your reverie.

You look over to him as he stands closely next to you, his back leaning against the railing while his arms fold across his chest, a faraway look in his eyes. You don’t want to possibly ruin this whole date, but you can’t hold back any longer. “How did you know I’d be meeting Jen and her dad?”

Your voice is quiet, but your tone is enough for him to discern that things are about to get gravely serious. “I didn’t,” He says calmly.

When he catches your accusatory gaze, he feels his heart sinking. “But you didn’t look surprised to see me,” You point out, recalling the way he looked at you.

“Trust me, I was just as surprised as you were,” He states emphatically, panic twinging in his chest as he notices the eventual distance you put between the two of you. “If I had known you’d be coming, I would’ve planned a proper date for you in advance.”

“That’s the thing, Heeseung. I never needed a date, and bringing me out on a date doesn’t erase what happened.” Frustration begins to simmer within you in the way you speak. Just like that, the past dominates the vulnerable corners in your mind, resulting in you overlooking his efforts, his humour, and his romantic gestures that dissipate from your mind.

“Did you tell this to my best friends as well? Or are you playing favourites?” His shoulders and jaw are taut with tension while a bitter resentment adulterates his once-mellow voice. A frown pulls at the corners of your lips, but before you can defend yourself, he cuts you off sharply, and yet there is an undercurrent of agony. “I’ve always known that you favour them most over me, and you know what’s unfair? It’s the fact that I noticed you first before they even did. I loved you first, Y/N.”

Getting overwhelmed by a myriad of emotions going erratic within you, his mere declaration of love incenses you. “You’re lying. You're a liar, Hee,” You say with vehemence, refusing to believe a word from him as you shake your head. “You didn’t even know me, and yet, you loved me first? That wasn’t love.”

It is as though Heeseung unveils the darkness that has always etched on his soul, making him look like an entirely different person, borderline degenerate while the air around you shifts with palpable intensity. “You were mine, Y/N. You’ve always been mine since the moment you stepped foot into the auditorium during freshman year.” 

“Stop,” You grit your teeth as he predatorily backs you up, sending a wave of familiar intoxication to you, and yet a part of you desires to be consumed by the darkness he wields. 

Heeseung is unrelenting in his resolve, pinning you with the smouldering intensity of his gaze. “I claimed you first, Y/N. I needed to wait for the right time to officially make you mine, and I waited for so long,” A glinting obsession is present in his penetrating eyes, while a profound yearning is punctuated in each syllable. “I was consumed by everything about you. Every single thing. I wanted you, and I needed you so desperately, but you were nearly unattainable.”

“That wasn’t love, Hee! It's an obsession!” You exclaim, releasing your aggravating emotions like a torrent. Your glazed eyes flicker with hurt as you shake your head. “You were obsessed with me, you know that.”

“Does it really matter whether or not I was obsessed with you?” A humourless chuckle leaves his lips. “It doesn’t change the fact that I loved you, and I’m still fucking in love with you.”

“It’s a hopeless love, Hee!” You say exasperatedly, suppressing the rivulets from shattering your composure, though your body is trembling with lament. “For a year I wasn’t there by your side; you clinged hopelessly onto that love when you should’ve let go! You should’ve let me go!”

“I couldn’t. I could never afford to,” His voice is saturated with devastation, but vehement enough for you to grasp the gravity of the onslaught of his declaration. He clenches his fist, hating how far you are despite the closing proximity. “I’d rather die than to let you go.”

“What if you hadn’t found me? Would you still cling onto that love?” The back of your eyes begins to burn while the tremor in your voice denotes your tenacity at your resolve is teetering. Your jaw clenches as you look away from him. “No. You would’ve already found someone else.”

“You’re wrong. I would never find somebody else because no one is worthy of my love and heart except you. No one can ever be compared to you, Y/N.” His voice mellows with poignancy and adoration, and the sensation of his fingers caressing your cheek tenderly pulls your attention back to him while a wistful smile touches his lips. “That night at the bar where I followed you a year ago, do you still remember what I told you when you tried to push me away again?”

Of course, you remember. You remember every memory you had with him, with all of them, and those memories are etched deeply in your mind. Somehow, you have an inkling that he wants to hear that specific dialogue he spoke to you with passion. “You said that we’re never over.” Your voice barely above a whisper as you become enthralled by his beautiful dark eyes.

He cradles your face, his thumb stroking your smooth cheek gently. “And?”

“And you’ve given me your heart since you first saw me.” You recite mechanically as the memory plays on your mind. You swallow a painful lump in your throat before continuing, “You said that I own you, your body, your heart, and your soul.”

A faint, bitter smile briefly appears on his lips. “Imagine the torment I went through after I found out that you left me.” Your heart aches at the loss of his warmth on your skin, only to be taken aback when his stature shrinks as you watch him with your heart pounding harder against your chest as he finally gets down on his knee, sheer devotion on his countenance. “You were my everything, Y/N. I dedicated my life to you and only you. Without you, I’m nothing, love.”

“Hee,” Your lips tremble as you utter his name, and your eyes glisten with tears as he grabs your hand to place a gentle kiss on your knuckle before holding it reverently in his.

“I was never a man of apology, and I couldn’t give a damn about giving the bare minimum to anyone but you,” He confesses, his tone carrying a genuine sincerity that weakens the remnants of your resolve. “There was never a day that went by without the memory of you crying and screaming at us on that rainy night resurfacing in my mind, and the look on your face broke me all over,” His voice shakes with the emotions he grappled with, and his eyes glaze with an immense regret. He plants a deep, affectionate kiss on your palm before repositioning your hand to cradle his cheek, while the rawness of his love in the way he looks at you springs tears well in your eyes. “I’m so, so sorry, my love. I should’ve done so much to protect your heart, but instead, I hurt you. I should've been clearer with my intention and love towards you.”

“I thought you didn’t love me. I thought you were just keeping me around for your own pleasure, so that’s why you were always showering me with so much affection,” You divulge to him one of your innermost doubts as you hold back a sob while the hurt and devastation on your delicate features seem to break his heart all over. “I thought your main goal was to break me when I thought you did. I spent days and nights crying in my bedroom and wondering what I did to deserve it when I thought you were responsible.”

“I never wanted to break you, Y/N,” His honest confession penetrates into your essence deeply. “The preying was just a pathetic excuse for me to get closer to you, to break down the walls you built to protect yourself from the depravity, from us.” His eyes display a glistening vulnerability while his voice sounds raw with saturating emotions that has your heart twisting in agony before a fallen teardrop slides down your cheek. “All I ever wanted was to be yours, beloved.”

“I wanted to be yours too, Hee, even when I knew that you were bad for me,” You confess earnestly as you softly weep, and alas, your resolve dissipates like it never existed. He leans into your touch that oozes with your affection for him. “It was killing me how there were no labels when you treated me like you really loved me.”

“I did love you, and I still love you, Y/N Kang. I’m sorry for being too late,” He smiles sadly as he places his hand on top of yours before pinning your nearly faltering attention with the steel of determination and devotion in his eyes. “I’ll spend a lifetime to make up for the things I did that hurt your feelings, and I’ll spend forever to prove to you how irrevocably in love I am with you and always will be.”

Though your once-wounded heart has opened up to him, unsought doubt appears in the back of your mind. “Am I even worth your time for you to spend on forever?” 

“You are worth every second, my beloved,” His reassurance feels like a safety blanket cocooning you, and his gesture of affection touches your heart deeply as he kisses your knuckle again before looking back at you with hopeful anticipation. “Let’s go. There is one last place I must show you.”

“And what place is that?” You ask in a whisper while your heart races in keen anticipation.

His pink lips unfurl a genuine, gentle smile. “A place where we’ll spend our future together.” 

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

By the time Heeseung navigates through the familiar district that will soon be theirs to dominate, the sun makes its descent to welcome the dusk, casting pink and purple hues in the breathtaking firmament that has you admire appreciatively until the boulevard of towering trees diverts your attention to the road before noticing not a single sight of a diversely structured mansion unlike earlier, which you felt as though you had entered the domain of where billionaires reside.

A frown gently pulls at your lips, confusion and curiosity swirling in your head before an unsought qualm arises, polluting your every good thought of the man who you are holding onto for security as he speeds through this uncharted territory, which you know that he would never bestow malevolence on you, but your body remains tensing.

Heeseung, who feels the tension taut in your arms as you have them wrapped around his waist, unlatches his grip on the clutch for his hand to reach behind and instinctively rub the side of your thigh in a soothing motion while the other remains in controlled stability of the velocity of his vehicle.

His thoughtful gesture that sends you a fluttery sensation instantly dispelled your qualm as well as the tension in your fibre ebbs. Your arms loosen slightly around him, denoting your silent trust and comfort in him that has his heart swell with honour.

As you feel the velocity waning, you know that you are nearly reaching your destination, and your presumption is proven correct when you peek over his broad shoulder to see what awaits you, only to be rendered astonished as your lips part open at the grand building that looks divinely like a palace to be called a mansion before a wave of deja vu hits you, reminding you of the palace in Seoul that held memories.

You are pulled out of the trance as soon as the vehicle comes to a stop on the concrete cobblestones, where you are facing not only the stupendous mansion but also the grandeur of water fountains situated in the vast front yard. With Heeseung’s assistance, he offers his arm for you to hold onto as you carefully dismount his motorbike before he follows suit.

Even as you are flimsily unfastening your helmet to hurriedly remove it from your head, excitement bubbles within you as you maintain a neutral facade, but your eyes tell him all he needs to know as he has been anticipating your reaction ever since he decided to introduce you to where your future with them awaits.

Your eyes sparkle in amazement amidst the glinting curiosity as you soak in the visual modernisation beauty that encompassed this unknown estate into your memory that has you feeling rather envious of whoever is the owner.

All the while, Heeseung silently watches you with an attentive gaze, and yet he is in awe of your beauty under these lights with your scintillating eyes still appraising the area, particularly the water fountains, before you look over to Heeseung with a puzzled expression. “Whose place is this?” 

“It’s ours, my love,” You want to doubt his words, because there is not in any way his words implied or included you, but the mellow sincerity in his tone as well as the smile on his lips conquer your doubts. “Ours, and that includes you.”

Heeseung continues, his eyes looking over to the mansion. “The construction was completed last week, but the guys and I will be taking our time to move in since our lease over the penthouse will be ending in three months time,” He explains methodically before shifting his attention to you, only for his eyes to soften at how delicate you look with a glass of vulnerability in your eyes. “We wanted to be where you were, and since you’re living in Milan for good, we collectively agreed to build our future here with you.”

 “The fountains,” You utter softly, trying not to waver in the way you speak, albeit your throat hurts from repressing a bundle of emotions that threatens to implode while your attention remains fixated on the running water fountains with waves of nostalgia hitting you, each wave impacting you harder than the previous. “They look like the ones at the palace in Seoul.”

“I knew how much you loved the palace fountains in Seoul, so I had Sunghoon and his expertise as an architect cooperate with our contractors,” He says, his voice mellowing with a careful gentleness as he observes you while he slowly advances towards you. His lips unfurl a crooked yet charming smile. “I wanted you to feel like you’re back at home, even if you already felt like it before all of this.”

You are sincerely at a loss for words, unable to articulate your feelings into coherent sentences. Heeseung seems to be waiting patiently for you, and for that you are thankful to him, thankful that he even bothered to remember what you loved, even if it had been a long year, causing the dam to finally break. Tears immediately spring to your waterline as you choke back a sob, your glistening eyes meeting him with tears cascading down your cheeks.

Heeseung doesn’t hesitate to close the distance before cupping your wet cheeks. “My beloved, why are you crying?” He asks gently, his lips pulling down into a frown and his eyes turning crestfallen. “I hate seeing you cry because of me again.”

“Because you remembered,” You manage to utter through soft sobs, hating how you feel extremely emotional over his remembrance of your fondness towards the water fountains in Seoul, but it deeply touches your heart.

“Of course, I remembered,” He mutters as he affectionately wipes the relentless tears away from your cheeks while a wistful smile touches his lips faintly. “How could I have forgotten when I always watched you playing at the fountains and how you ended up dragging me along with you to splash water at me?” A broken chuckle manages to escape you as your sobs eventually quieten. “How could I have forgotten the things my beloved loved so much?”

The loss of his warmth on your cheeks makes your heart ache as you yearn for his warmth to embrace you, but you remain silent, observing him as he looks down prompts you to follow his gaze before spotting a black-inked tattoo on his skin under his forearm.

“You got a new tattoo,” You point out in awe, though you actually had noticed it earlier, but you didn’t think of it too much since you thought wrongly that he always had that tattoo. You feel rather guilty for not remembering his details just this soon.

“It’s not just any tattoo, beloved,” He adorns a soft, sweet smile on his face, looking at you with adoring affection as you touch his tattoo gently. “It’s your birth date.

“But why?” Your voice trembles with emotions that you know about to make you a sobbing mess again, but you grapple with them. Though your heart is fluttering at his declaration, you still eye him with exasperation. “You know that it won’t come off if there is ever a moment you might find yourself regretting my birth date tattooed on your skin.”

But Heeseung doesn’t look in the slightest rue, as though this resolve has long since been established in the back of his mind. “Because it serves as a reminder to me that the birth of your existence was when my whole universe was created.” He says shakily, allowing his feelings to seep through the cracks of his once-unwavering facade. “You are my life, Y/N, and I wouldn’t regret a single thing when it comes to you.”

“Even if I make you angry or sad?” You prod to seek clarity for your own assurance despite the fact that you are close to weeping with unrelenting tears that remain welling in your waterline.

“Yes, my beloved,” He places a deep, tender kiss on your palm for a little longer with his eyes fluttering closed, as though to savour your scent and warmth, before positioning your palm to cradle his cheek as he gazes into your eyes affectionately.

“You could hurt me, break my heart into pieces over and over, and I wouldn’t regret anything. I would never regret you.”

A fallen teardrop rolls down your cheek as you deepen your cradle on his cheek for him to lean into your touch, his tender gaze holding yours with unwavering devotion. “I don’t want you to hurt me again, and I don’t want you to abandon me like you did when I needed you those nights.” You tell him in such desperation.

“Tell me more, love,” He murmurs, grabbing your wrist gently to pull it down and holding your hand close to his chest reverently while his eyes hold resolve of determination. “Tell me what you want. I’ll make them come true.”

“I want you to hold me close like you did. I want you to reassure me when I’m in distress," A hiccup leaves your lips, earning a fond smile from him. “I want you to need me like I need you.”

“My beautiful love, I’ve always needed you,” He confesses earnestly, his heart pounding with a palpable yearning as it senses the remnant shards of coldness dissipate in yours. He caresses your cheek tenderly, his touch contradicting his urgency to consume you once more. “Permission to kiss you?”

You nod your head, unable to utter a word, as you feel an overwhelming need for him to claim you like he did before. His eyes glint with dissatisfaction at your nonverbal response before he firmly grips your chin and tilts your head up, causing your breath to hitch at how his eyes gradually darken with inexplicable emotions. “I need words, pretty girl.”

You ignore the way his deep voice ignites a certain arousal within you. You tug at the hem of his sleeveless top, your fingers curling as they clutch the material while your eyes gleam with the same yearning that parallels his. “Please kiss me,” You plead in a soft utterance.

Without further ado, Heeseung leans in as he closes the gap between your faces while your eyes flutter close before his lips meet yours in a shared tenderness as he kisses you softly. Sparks fly behind your closed vision, and you can even feel them everywhere around you while butterflies in your tummy become tenfold at how he seems to be taking his own sweet time kissing you, but soon, the eventual passion comes as he pulls you closer with his arms snaking around your waist.

The passion turns fierce, one that is addictive as you hook your arms around his neck before you deepen the kiss that you have yearned for. The pressure of his touch is unabating, a constant reminder of his desire and love for you, and yet you can discern a layer of possessiveness as he gradually tightens his arms around you.

Feeling breathless, you attempt to pull away from the much-needed kiss, but he chases for your lips vehemently, successfully capturing them before his teeth sink into your bottom lip, prompting you to willingly part open your mouth for him to dominate your hot cavern with his wet muscle that has you moaning airily into his mouth.

He groans at your taste and your sensual sound while his bulge hardens against the confine, making it more noticeable. He presses his bulge into you, to which you feel him below your tummy, eliciting a soft gasp from you. “Hee,” You pant lightly as soon as he breaks the lip lock. 

Heeseung catches your eyes swirling with palpable desire and need that mirrors his, with the only exception of his eyes darkening dangerously as the air around you remains laden with intensity. “You’re right. Not here,” His voice sounds huskier, going straight into your core.

But just before Heeseung can bring you somewhere to continue where you left off, you tug at his hand diffidently, feeling oddly demure as your eyes waver at the eye contact with him. “Can we play at the fountain and dance silly there like old times?”

His heart soars at how undeniably adorable yet beautiful you are, so how could he ever resist you? And so, with his jacket and your bags being abandoned on the ground, the only sound of sheer delight emanates from you, enlivening the ambience under the night that has dawned as he is finally reunited with you.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

You and Heeseung spent nearly an hour at the water fountains, too immersed in your own world after releasing your inhibitions, whereas he entertained you with a sense of commitment, especially seeing the joy beamed on your face. He would do anything to keep you smiling and laughing infectiously like earlier.

Presently, you are at one of the fancy gazebos, and yes, you are still having a hard time wrapping your head around the fact that there are four gazebos situated in the massive backyard. Just before this, Heeseung decided to give you a tour around the backyard since he didn’t bring his keys to the mansion.

To say you were surprised at the amenities in the backyard would be an understatement. Not only are there gazebos, but also a barbeque patio that is adjacent to the swimming pool, a whole garage building solely made to store their vehicles with a private gym on the second level, water fountains that are smaller than the ones in the front yard, four gazebos at different corners, and because the terrain is hilly, one of the gazebos provides an exquisite view of the central urban area, which is especially beautiful at night.

Keeping yourself warm, you wrap your arms around your shivering figure as you lean your lower back against the balustrade, watching as Heeseung heads over to you with a familiar black jacket in his grasp. Since the water in the fountain was extremely cold, you can feel it chilling deep into your bones. Plus, your dress is wholly drenched, amplifying the coldness as the material sticks to your skin.

You immediately drop your arms to your side, feigning unaffected by the cold while your figure remains shivering despite your efforts to be subtle, not wanting him to worry and fuss over you. You cast him a small smile as soon as he reaches you.

“Are you sure you’re not cold?” Heeseung asks for another time as he scrutinises you with a glinting knowingness in his eye. He is not oblivious to the goosebumps arising on your skin, and you seem to constantly shiver.

“Positive,” You insist again, but it is futile as he drapes his dry jacket over your shoulders instead of him wearing it. “Hee, I’m fine,” Nevertheless, you feel thankful for his thoughtful gesture, as the jacket is sufficient enough to provide a barrier from preventing the nightly breeze.

“I don’t want my beloved to fall sick,” He tells you sternly with a frown on his face, but you know that he is just worried about you. Your heart flutters as he caresses your cold cheek. “We shouldn’t have played at the fountain.”

You have no regrets anyway. It was all worth it for old time’s sake. “If I fall sick, you’ll take care of me, right?” You ask, adorning a cheeky grin on your lips while he only gazes at you fondly.

“I’ll always take care of you,” His tone carries a firm promise, and his eyes convey solemnity that reassures you before they dart down at your untied shoelaces. “You’re my responsibility now, sweetheart.”

“Heeseung?” You blurt out in confusion as he kneels in front of you, watching as he proceeds to tie your shoelaces while the temperature on your cheeks rises. “This is the second time you’re kneeling.”

“For you, I will get down on my knees for as long as you want me to. It’s what you deserve after what happened,” He says after tying your shoelaces in firm knots before looking up at you, his eyes softening with adoration and a dark glinting lust. He grabs your hand to place a sensual kiss on your fingertip. “You’re beautiful, Y/N. You’re meant to be worshipped by me. My only goddess in the universe.”

You nearly fall weak at his cheesy yet fluttering words that impact your heart greatly. Your eyes remain on him as he slowly rises from the ground, curiosity swirling in your eyes when he slides his hand into his pocket before revealing a silver ring that is connected to the necklace, similar to the one hooked around his neck with your purity ring resting on his chest.

Heeseung stares at the ring on his palm with a rueful smile touching his lips. “A year ago, I bought this ring during the dark period of your life in the hopes of reconciling with you, and I waited so cowardly until after Jungwon told me that they told you the entire truth,” He divulges to you as the rawness of regret and pain in his eyes springs tears in your waterline. “But I was too late by then because you left, and I’ve never hated myself more from then onwards.”

“And you didn’t throw it away, even when you thought you wouldn’t find me,” You utter softly as you look down at the ring with glassy eyes. It is the little things that make your heart ache tremendously, and yet it is a good ache that coupled with the flutters. You return your gaze to him, causing his heart to beat in a familiar cadence at the transparency of love in your beautiful eyes.

“I could never throw away anything that reminds me of you,” He tells you honestly, wearing a soft smile that melts you on the inside all over. “Turn around, my love.” 

You comply and remove the jacket from your body before turning around as you grab your hair in a makeshift ponytail to provide him assistance. Your heart pounds harder against your chest at the heat radiating his body from behind you as he stands closely before he proceeds to clasp the necklace around your neck with the cold platinum ring resting on your chest.

Shivers run down your spine as he places a tender kiss on your bare shoulder with his hands on your waist. “Do you like it?” He asks softly, his voice sounding slightly huskier and deeper with a discernible sensuality that intensifies the butterflies in your tummy.

“I love it,” You emphasise in appreciation as you hold the ring with your fingers to examine the details of the ring, only to feel your heart soaring as you spot letters engraved on the ring. My only love - H “I truly love it. I love everything, including you. Thank you, Hee,” Your voice barely above a whisper, but he catches the earnest gratitude in your tone.

With his hands on your hips, he turns you around and examines every nuance in your delicate countenance with the deepest affection. “No, beloved. I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for existing in the same lifetime as me,” He says with solemnity as he grabs your chin gently before leaning forward to plant a kiss on your forehead. “I can’t imagine my life without my beautiful love.” 

You can’t resist yourself from latching your arms around him, your body trembling from both the cold and the onslaught of emotions as you bury your face into his chest despite his top still drenched. He releases breathy yet endearing chuckles as he reciprocates your hug wholeheartedly. His embrace feels warm and provides you with a protective layer against the cold breeze.

Comfortable silence cocoons you as you seek solace in each other’s embrace, savouring for a little longer while you listen to his heart beating rapidly that consonance with yours, creating a silent yet discernible symphony of your feelings towards one another.

You slowly pull away from the hug, but your arms remain locked around him as you tilt your head up to meet his tender eyes. “Kiss me, Hee,” You plead in a soft command, earning you a smirk twitching at the corner of his lips.

Without a word, Heeseung dips his head down and kisses you squarely on the lips while his arms loosen around your waist for his hands to journey to your hips. His touch feels sensual and possessive, in complete par with the way he kisses you that has your arousal stirring in the heat of your core.

The tension is palpable, while closeness feels electrifying, with your hands feeling up his body from his lower abdomen to his toned chest, appreciating that his drenched top allows you to feel his muscles distinctly beneath your touch. The pace of the kiss eventually turns into a fusion of fervent passion and need as he seeks you hungrily, borderline ravenous, electrifying the heated tension that clings hotly onto your bodies.

Without breaking the passionate lip lock, Heeseung slowly backs you up with his hands on your hips, confidently guiding you until you feel the pillar come into contact with your back. Sensing that you need to gasp for air, his tongue licks at the seams of your lips, prodding into your entrance gently yet firm with urgency and prompting you to welcome him as you part open your lips.

The warmth of his tongue meets yours in a practised, sensual tango he initiates, intensifying the heat that courses through every fibre of your being while his grip on your hips tightens, getting drunk on your taste and warmth that he had missed. His tongue glides across the inner of your bottom lip before sinking his teeth gently into the plumpness and tugging at it.

A needy whimper emerges from the back of your throat as he pulls at it tantalisingly while the corner of his lips curve into a smirk before releasing it, only to capture your lips into a searing kiss. “I’ve missed you so fucking much, you have no idea,” Heeseung growls against your lips, sending you shivers to your heated body. 

Just when you think he decides to show leniency as he pulls away from the kiss, he dips his head down and kisses your bare shoulder wetly before trailing a scorching path all the way to your neck, eliciting a gasp from you at the pleasurable sensation of his lips alone on your skin. “I’ve missed you too, Hee.” You utter breathlessly as you fiddle with the back of your hair, tilting your neck to a perfect angle for him to decorate your skin with his mark.

Getting lost in the depths of this heated tension, you are too focused on his lips and teeth working in tandem to leave his mark on your skin to feel his fingers moving underneath your dress to hook them around your underwear. He places a wet kiss on your skin that now bears a fresh hickey before deftly pulling down your underwear as it falls to your ankle.

You gasp softly, finally gaining awareness of what is to happen. You feel the padding of his fingers strumming on your clit, sending you a faint, jolting pleasure through your body, but the risk of anyone witnessing your tryst out in the open latches to your rationality. “W-Wait─”

“Relax, love. No one's gonna stumble upon us, I promise you,” He assures you, his voice a little rough from the primal lust infusing in the heat of his veins, and his dark eyes watch every nuance of your countenance as he begins to rub your clit, drawing indecisive circles and strokes, yet it is effectual to set the bundle of nerves aflame. His eyes darken dangerously as he sees the way you bite down your swollen lip, repressing the sweet noises he desires to hear. “Don’t do that, sweetheart. Let me hear you.”

His gentle command is uttered in such mellowness, but you heed the undercurrent of familiar vice that reminds you of the Heeseung in Seoul, who used to frighten you greatly, even though the present him looks more intimidating while his eyes darken with a voracious intensity that has you clenching your cunt at nothingness in anticipation.

At once, you release your inhibitions, moaning softly as he rubs your clit with skilful precision, and you feel your arousal clinging onto your walls as they leak down. “Hee, choke me,” You request earnestly, and he searches for your eyes only to see unadulterated feverish lust before he complies, his fingers curling around your neck with enough pressure to allow you to gasp for air. 

Feeling the loss of his fingers on your clit, you whine needily, only to be taken aback when he slides two fingers into your sopping cunt with the folds slick with your arousal. He feels the warmth of your slick wall lathering his fingers, aiding to the smoothness of him fucking you with his fingers at a steady pace.

“Seungie,” You gasp as soon as he applies more pressure with his firm grip on your neck, amplifying your pleasure while your hips begin to move in tandem with his pumping fingers.

“Feels good, pretty?” He asks huskily, his voice thickening with lust as he watches your face contorting into pleasure with your hooded-lust eyes in complete daze while sweet moans and gasps leave your swollen lips. A smirk touches his lips at how verbally unresponsive you are, completely fucked out just by his fingers. He leans in and nips at your bottom lip before ghosting his lips over yours and whispering huskily. “Yeah? Too fucked out to let Seungie know how good he is making you feel with his fingers?” 

Admittedly, you are, and he fucks you with his magical fingers just as sensational as when he fucks you with his cock. “Seungie,” You moan, struggling to maintain stability in your voice as his fingers delve rhythmically into your wet cunt with stringent purpose, coaxing something greater than pleasure out of you while your every sense heightens. “S-So good! N-Need you─”

Heeseung cuts you off as he seals you into a fiery kiss with his ravenous lips without relenting his vigorous fingers from pumping into your cunt that sounds obscenely wet in your ears. “I know you need me, pretty girl,” He mutters in between the exchange of your kisses, smirking when your velvety walls clench around him like crazy as he hits the particular thrust against your g-spot before repeating it relentlessly while circling your sensitive clit with his thumb. “I want you to let it go for me anytime,” He lulls, dragging his nose against your skin before pressing an affectionate kiss on your cheek, contradicting the way he pumps his fingers into you as he determinedly pushes you to the edge of ecstasy.

You can feel it as your legs tremble with an overwhelming sensation while the knot coiling in your tummy threatens to snap. Your hand latches on his bicep, feeling the muscles beneath your touch taut. “Seungie, I’m─” With a broken moan, the knot in your tummy snaps as you explode with a crescendo of pleasure, your release gushes out in an uncontrollable fluid.

Heeseung kisses you hard on the lips as he continues to finger you, prolonging your orgasm despite your body convulsing in his hold. “That’s my good girl,” He whispers against your lips, causing your heart to swell with pride at his praise. He finally shows leniency as he withdraws his fingers that are coated with your slick release. 

You take the moment to recover as he proceeds to unbuckle his leather belt, your eyes fluttering close with your head leaning against the wall behind you.The sensation of his fingers caressing your cheek affectionately prompts you to flutter your eyes open and meet his dark ones. “We’re not done yet, pretty,” He mutters, closing the gap between your bodies before slamming his lips on yours in a fiery kiss. 

You eagerly reciprocate, your hands haphazardly finding their way to the hold onto him for stability before circling your arms around his neck as he deepens the kiss. His hands travel down to your ass, giving the flesh a good squeeze before moving underneath your thighs and carrying you with your legs automatically wrapped around his waist, only for you to feel his cock pressing directly into your core as he pins you against the wall.

“You’re still shivering, my love,” He whispers against your lips as he feels your body quivering beneath his touch. His eyes meet yours, allowing you to catch a glimpse of familiar devilry coupling with his carnal lust for you while his lips twitch into a smirk. “Let me warm you up, yeah?”

Your breath hitches in anticipation as you watch him grab the base of his shaft to aim at your drenched entrance while his other hand remains supporting your uplifted body. With your slick arousal providing as a lubricant, he enters you with smooth ease, albeit your walls bear resistance despite being prepped by his fingers.

Heeseung is unrelenting, plunging into you until his whole girth occupies every space with your velvety walls clinging onto him like a desperate lover. With a ragged breath, he begins to move, slowly yet deliberately thrusting into you while you arch your back at the sheer fullness, and you swear you can feel your tummy bulging with each thrust he hits deeper.

Seeing your lips part open with soft sounds of your moan and whine leaving you, he captures them in an intoxicating kiss that sends you spiralling, messy, and fervent while his movements are deep and methodical, ensuring that his cock leaves none of your territory uncharted. Your arms drape loosely over his broad shoulder, feeling languid as he takes charge over your docile figure.

“Fuck, you feel so good, so perfect,” He purrs, completely enamoured by you as his darkened eyes drink in the sight of your angelic face contorting into ecstasy with your head tilted to the back, presenting your dainty neck that is tainted with his mark to him.

“S-Seungie,” You stutter as he latches his lips on your neck, kissing and biting on your skin to leave another mark of his to leave a testament of his claim over you. His once-slow, methodical thrusts transition into hard, vigorous thrusts that underscore his fervid passion, hitting your g-spot relentlessly as you roll your eyes to the back, lacking coherence with only the sound of your moans filling the air.

The fiery of your intertwined passion creates a sinful symphony of your skins slapping against each other as well as the squelching sound of your precums that reverberates throughout the gazebo and even beyond its vicinity. Finally satisfied with leaving another hickey next to the other, he pulls away from your neck to press a deep, languid kiss on your cheek, his unforgiving thrusts never faltering.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, so mine,” He growls out against your skin, sending you shivers down your body that entangle with the pleasure he gives you. He kisses you hard again, muttering harshly in between the fierce kiss, “Wanna love you every day and every night like this. Wanna fill you to the brim with my cum and make you pregnant.” 

Your walls clench around him the instant those words leave his mouth, eliciting a breathy chuckle from him that mingles with your breathy moan. “Yeah? You like the idea?” He rasps against your lips, his hips nearly stuttering as he feels the imminent release, his orgasm teetering at the precipice. “I’m gonna fill you up, pretty.”

Your legs lock around him tight, wanting to feel his cock deeply while the sensation amplifies the overwhelming pleasure that courses through your body, driving you to the new heights of ecstasy. “Seungie, I’m close,” You moan out, your walls quivering as you feel the inevitable imminent release of your orgasm before the final knot in your tummy erupts as you bathe him with your essence.

Heeseung unrelenting thrusts into you despite your uncontrollable fluids soaking him as you make a mess all over the now-spilled ground. Sinking his teeth into your bare shoulder, he delivers one profound thrust before the knot in his tummy unravels as the warmth of his semen fills you to the brim with his hips pressed into yours going stilled, ensuring none of his semen spill from your quivering pussy.

Your chest heaves up and down while your body feels spent from the exertion, despite him being the one in complete control. He buries his head in the nook of your neck, seeking a respite of comfort in your scent, prompting your fingers gently to rake through his hair while the other caresses his taut back muscles with your arms around him in an embrace, soothing him from the intensity moments before this. 

“I love you, Y/N,” He says softly, his voice sounding a little rough from the prior passionate love-making. He presses a chaste kiss on your skin before pulling away to look at you deeply in the eyes. “I love you so much. I never want you to leave me again,” His tone conveys a silent plea, and yet there is an undercurrent of danger that has implicit consequences if you ever do leave.

“I’m not leaving you again, I promise,” You reassure him softly, cradling the undersides of his jaw with your thumbs stroking his cheek. Your eyes roam around his chiselled features meaningfully, etching them into your memory again. You lean in to press a delicate kiss on his lips, eventually deepening the kiss that has his cock twitching in you. “I love you too, Lee Heeseung. I really do,” You whisper against his lips while tears spring to your closed-lidded eyes.

Heeseung feels as though he is at his peak of happiness now that you have finally returned to him for good, albeit you can never really escape from him or any of them even if you have second thoughts, owing to their depravity and intense possessiveness over you.

Not having enough of you, he manoeuvres you over to the couch, settling you on top of him with the intention of fucking you in a cowgirl position. In an instant, you begin to move your hips in a back-and-forth motion, moaning into the kiss at the delicious sensation of each ridge and vein on her cock dragging along your velvety walls.

A heady mix of lust, love, and sex is present in the air, intoxicating you as you desire for him to take you over and over again. “That’s it, pretty girl, ride me good just like that,” He rasps, his voice thickening with palpable lust as he offers assistance to thrust up into you, eliciting a moan from you at the instant hit of his cock to your g-spot. “Let’s love some more, yeah, beautiful?”

You kiss him feverishly in response, moaning as his thumb finds your clit to rub it with skilful precision that intensifies your building pleasure within you. Even when an hour has gone by while your body convulses beneath him with your sexes in a passionate union, you never want him to stop fucking you, taking you at every untouched part of the gazebo, wanting him to love you intensely just as your depravity desires him to intoxicate you like he once did.

TAGLIST:

@aishigrey @kgneptun @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586

@strxwbloody @firstclassjaylee @jwnghyuns @deobitifull @loumin908

@sousydive @pinkkami @skzenhalove @caravm @shinrjj

@loljaeyunz @yorukoshii @nshmrarki @lol6sposts

@lilyuwon @enha-crumbs @slut4hee @capri-cuntz @kaykay11sworld

@firesunflames @notevenheretbh1 @parksunghoonsgf @luvkpopp @eastleighsblog

@in-somnias-world @nyxtwixx @theresawtf @fuxktaekook @readbyjjk

@yunhoswrldddd @fuxktaekook @bobaikeu @minjaexvz @heelariously