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SO CUTE :D

texts bnd send you of your boyfriend jaehyun

pairing: myung jaehyun x reader genre: fake texts, established relationship, reader is friends with all bnd and they occasionally send reader updates of myungjae like a pet sitter updating a dog owner warnings: vague implications of nudes in sunghos but it's a misunderstanding !!! swearing, dramatic dramatic myungjae but if you didn't expect that that's on you, jaehyun and reader have custody fights over woonhak (me projecting..) note: this plagued my mind after I saw some of these pics he's so boyf <3

masterlist

bonus: bf jaehyun <3

Omg i have been binge reading all of your bnd imagines, and i was wondering if you could rate whose MTL to date a foreigner in bnd. Love you writing style, btw🫶🏽

omg hi hi :') tysm!! my pleasure 💜💜💜 thank you for giving me the chance 🫶💖

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pairing: bnd x reader.

warnings: none? mentions of smut. (legal members only)

summary: bnd mtl (most to least) likely to date a foreign.

note: sorry for the delay!! i've been really busy at work :(

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sungho; personally i feel like he would stay close to home so most likely korean or japanese, the last one is a foreign tho so yeah. i feel it would be mostly because of the language barrier and the distance. but i do see him falling for a foreign and then being so frustrated that he would go days without even laughing or talking more than the necessary because he's too busy thinking how tf is he going to get you if he doesn't speak your language and lives on the other side of the world :(

riwoo; sorry. i'm so sorry. the only way this man would fall for a foreign is if they are dance partners or have to work together on something and he feels WAY TOO attracted to you, like he would be drooling for you and would even start learning your language just so he could rizz you up properly :') but i feel he would go for koreans tho.

jaehyun; he makes me confused. i feel like he loves his asian girlies but he's also so open to anything and i've seen him openly checking out foreign fans on a crowd so i think he would just need to fall for you and most likely wouldn't mind if you are a foreign or not. he just has to like you and he'll work it out. plus, he's a high libido boy for me so bet he would be drawn to curves and big ass and boobs so that plays a role too.

taesan; i feel like he has a very specific type but at the same he doesn't. he honestly gives me some "if i like you, that's enough" vibes but also "you're 9/10 my type, which i don't know what it is yet, but it's not enough so i ain't fucking w u", and idek how that makes sense but basically i feel like he won't be paying enough attention to looks but more into personality so as long as you guys speak the same language (not just literally korean, also ideals) he's down for it.

leehan; you breath? he's on your neck. he doesn't mind AT ALL, but i do see him leaning more into an specific type, the bubbly yet shy one, idk if it makes sense but the typical girlie that's so kind and happy but also so easy to get blushed and so on. because trust me when i tell you leehan is heeseung's pupil when it comes to their flirty ass... the smirks??? he's so fucking you while calling you the prettiest names and you blush like a mad girl.

woonhak; honestly idk, i feel like he is yet to find it out himself. he's too young so it's hard to tell but so far he would stay with korean girls because he's not that "experienced", he doesn't know any foreign languages to that extend and South Korea is all he knows so yeah. he's on character development :')

so for me it'll be:

MOST.

leehan. again, he's into whatever breaths so yeah.

jaehyun. love is limitless <33

sungho. he's very open minded when it comes to love.

taesan. love prevails.

riwoo. not very into it but it could happen.

woonhak. let him finish highschool, thanks.

LEAST.

i just fell to my knees. leehan ... this is exactly what i think he's like.

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Choose one ¡!

pairing: bnd legal line x reader.

warning: +18, smut.

summary: what would bnd members prefer (body parts)

note: random thought i got while writing another request i have in my drafts :')

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sungho; he's an ass man, sorry. it's magnetic (you, you, you, you ,you, you, you, you) the way his eyes glue to your ass when you pass by him with those pijama shorts so that's why morning sex w him it's that usual. he just can't hold back from slapping your ass, getting so close to your lips while he whispered how hot you looked and how much he wishes he could tap your ass while he fucked you from behind against the wall. spoiler: he fucked you from behind against the wall.

riwoo; boobs are riwoo's favorite thing to do, place to lay, thing to toy with. he finds joy while you ride him and he gets to play with them, sucking your nipples so hard and for so long they get so sensitive your chest actually throbs, you shaking while your pussy clenches his cock and he just knows he's doing a great job with your high pitched moans piercing through his ears and your hands pressing down on his skin so hard it almost scratches him.

jaehyun; contrary to popular thought (that he's a boob man) i feel like he would be into collarbones/ thighs. like he would live in your neck, kissing everything he can get to and leaving hickeys there that he will help you erase with a spoon later, same with the thighs but i just feel like he would LOVE and ADORE you to ride his face while he holds your thighs, like just feelings your thighs around his waist or his hips makes him go crazy, squeezing the flesh and even trying to bite it.

taesan; this one was a tough one but i'll say he's into eyes or smiles. not just in the cute way tho, he would like the way your eyes look up at him when his fucking destroying your throat with his dick, his hands holding your hair out of the way and then when he comes and you meet him with that satisfied smile... holy crap. but going more "carnal", I feel he'll be a thigh/ leg man. he would love to see you wearing skirts and dark thighs because it just makes him wanna get home and rip them off you, even though he's not that into sex, but that's how much power you have on him.

leehan; he's a pussy lover, pussy-drunk boy that would LOVE to be left breathless due to your pussy in his face. he loves to eat you out, he loves to fuck you with his fingers, he loves to fuck your cunt deep with his cock and he certainly loves to get loose between your legs after a long day, relaxing himself while he lazily yet very skillfully eats the fuck out of you. he would love to make you squirt and take it all with his face, smirking at you while throwed his hair back and told you to open wide for him and his dick </3

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on a side note, you CAN'T look into my eyes and dare to say that leehan ain't the biggest pussy lover/ eater in bnd like ???? are we seeing him? his behaviour? his demeanor??? i'll leave those here and leave quietly. look at his face and tell me he doesn't have writing on his forehead "pussy eater/ lover"

he's giving the other boys advise on how to make them chicks squirt as a fountain ⛲

oh yeah. oh yeah. very normal right now (runs laps around my room)

time and space. ⎯ chapter three

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ ˖ in which you take taesan, a black cat hybrid, in to live with you.

content: hybrid!taesan, fem!reader, taesan is warming up to y/n!!! warnings (for this chapter): none! word count: 1.7K a/n: thank you for waiting for me on this <3 i kind of wrote this on a whim but i hope it's good! not proofread ... if i go down i'm doing it raw! enjoy ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

series masterlist here!

“Let’s share,” you tell him, your eyes following his tall, brooding figure as he sat next to you, on the opposite end of the table. You smile at him again, letting out a content, soft sigh when you see the corners of Taesan’s lips curl up into the tiniest of smiles.  

You felt like your heart was about to burst out of your chest. He spoke! To you! He’s sitting there, next to you! You could barely hide the giddy smile that was threatening to spread through your whole face. It was silent, for the most part - apart from the sound of the movie playing, and the light munching sounds as you and Taesan shared the plate of meat. 

Taesan’s ears flicked at every little sound, especially the ones that came from you. The way you hummed softly at every pivotal moment in the film, to how you gasped at particularly dramatic parts. Taesan was glancing at you every other minute, observing you. His tail curled behind him, swishing against the floor quietly every now and then. They say house cats mimic their human’s behaviour - and it was evident that Taesan was picking up on your every move. You weren’t a messy eater, and you didn’t rush to finish your food either. Taesan observes the way you handle your chopsticks, and he finds himself holding his own the way you do too. 

“You know,” you say softly, breaking the comfortable silence. “I was in middle school when this movie came out, and I swore that one day I’d have a huge wedding like Jane too,” Taesan is looking at you, his usually piercing gaze now something warmer and gentler, listening to you so attentively. “But now, I’m like, how does someone even know that many people to become all their bridesmaids in the first place?” you spoke with your gaze glued to the TV screen, so you couldn’t see the way Taesan’s lips curled into a tiny smile at your commentary. 

The movie ends, and the plate of jeyukbokkeum is all clean too. You turn off the TV, a soft sigh leaving your lips, before turning to Taesan. He’s inched closer to you throughout the movie, though he’s still a couple feet away from you. He meets your gaze, his warm, feline eyes looking at you like he’s waiting for what you want to do next. 

“Shall I make us some warm tea before bed?” you ask softly, a gentle smile tugging on your lips when you see Taesan’s ears perk up, his tail flicking around softly. You take that as a yes, so you stand up, stretching your legs, before going to the kitchen to clean up after your supper, and make two mugs of nice, warm tea. “You can keep the TV on if there’s anything else you want to watch, Taesan,” you call out softly from the kitchen. 

Taesan doesn’t move from where he’s sitting. He can see your figure moving around the kitchen quietly, and he finds himself taking slower blinks, again wondering to himself if you’ll just disappear the next time he opens his eyes. You don’t, and Taesan’s feet move faster than his mind can process it. He stands a couple feet behind you in the kitchen, quiet and observant. You smile softly when you realise he’s there, watching how you handled the electric kettle - the sight of two mugs on the kitchen counter, waiting to be filled with tea, makes a gentle, thrumming warmth blossom in Taesan’s chest. 

“Any preference for tea? I have chamomile, green and earl grey,” you ask him, and he seems to think for a moment, before meeting your gaze expectantly. “I like chamomile,” you tell him softly, and his ears perk up again. He nods, as if to say then I’ll have that too. You couldn’t hide the smile that grows on your face. Just a week ago, Taesan refused to move from his little hiding spot in his room, but now he’s here, and you’re making tea to share. 

You made quick work of the mugs of tea, setting them down on the kitchen counter. You push Taesan’s mug towards him, watching as he seems to study the beverage for a moment, before gingerly picking it up with both hands. You sip on your tea, and Taesan mirrors your movements. It makes you chuckle softly, your heart melting when Taesan lets out a light huff through his nose too. 

“Are you gonna try the duvet set tonight?” you ask softly, looking up at him after taking a gulp of your tea. Taesan’s ears flick again, clearly intrigued - he didn’t think you noticed that he hasn’t slept in your - his - bed since the first day he got here. You pay attention to him. The mere thought of it makes his heart do something he can’t quite place. He doesn’t answer, not that you were expecting him to. But he does nod a little, which makes yet another smile grow on your face. “It’s your room, Taesan… you can let yourself get comfortable, okay?” you smile warmly at him. 

Taesan doesn’t know what the feeling in his chest was. Was it the feeling of the warm tea going down as he drank, or was it the sheer warmth of your smile, your words, of you? His ears droop slightly, but not out of fear or anxiety. He feels himself relax, like his instinct of constantly being on alert was slowly melting away. His tail moves slowly behind him, the silky black fur rubbing against the surface of the counter softly. 

After a few more minutes of comfortable silence, Taesan sets his mug down on the counter, moving so carefully so as to not make too much noise with the glass. You wordlessly pick it up, heading to the sink to clean up - that’s when you feel a tall, warm, distinctly cat-like presence loom over you from behind. 

“You wanna wash your own cup?” you ask softly, turning to see the feline boy standing behind you, peeking over your shoulder. You couldn’t help but chuckle softly, his behaviour so endearing. It was like he was just there, watching you, learning you. His eyes widen slightly at your question, but he nods shortly after. 

He wants to know how you clean. Taesan finds himself thinking as he watches you rinse your glass, scrubbing it softly with a bright yellow sponge. He wants to know, so he can help. When you’re done cleaning your own cup, Taesan quietly cleans his at the sink, again, mirroring your movements exactly. He finds himself turning to you after rinsing his glass a second time, like he wants to see if you were satisfied with how he did it. Taesan himself couldn’t hide the small smile that tugged on his lips when you nodded at him, telling him that he cleans up well. 

Taesan tails behind you after everything is clean and put back where they should be, lingering around the doorway of his room as you head towards yours. You look at him curiously. “Are you not sleepy yet?” you ask, to which he shakes his head quietly. His ears are flicking at top speed, his tail curling around his leg, and he looks like he’s thinking - like he wants something. You tilt your head, not quite grasping what he wants from his body language alone. 

“Duvet,” your eyes widen slightly when Taesan speaks softly, and then you get it. 

“You want to use it? Have you… have you ever had your own duvet before?” you ask softly, stepping closer. Taesan lets you, no longer recoiling or making himself small when you’re within reach of him. He nods at your question, prompting a warm, thin lipped smile on your face. “Okay,” you say softly, “I’ll help you with it.” 

He moves aside just a bit, enough to let you move past him, going into his room. You make a beeline for his closet, sliding the door open, hauling out the folded duvet. Taesan watches. The duvet is thick, much thicker than the measly blanket he had at the lab, or at the shelter. He watches as you throw it over his bed, the soft fabric landing on the mattress with a light thump. 

“There,” you say with a soft huff after straightening the duvet out on his bed, leaving a corner folded up for him to get under it later. “Nice and warm,” you smile, and Taesan thinks to himself, yeah, like you. He stares at the bed for a moment, before his gaze falls back onto you. You walk out of his room, letting him get comfortable. “Goodnight, Taesan,” you say softly, watching from the doorway as he climbed into his bed, under the thick duvet. He all but sinks into the mattress, his hair and fluffy ears sticking out as he laid his head on his pillow. It makes you smile even more as you flick his bedroom light off, before heading off to your own room. 

Taesan lays perfectly still in bed, he doesn’t know how long for, but it feels long. His mind is racing with thoughts, most of which involved you. You were right, the duvet was nice and warm. It’s probably the comfiest thing he’s ever laid on. His ears perk up again, picking up on the soft sounds of your sheets rustling, all the way from your room, and he can only assume that you’re tossing and turning, waiting to fall asleep properly. He’s been lulled asleep to the sound of you tossing and turning before, only now he’s even more comfortable than before. This duvet is so comfortable, he thinks. You’re so comfortable, he thinks. 

Taesan lets his eyes fall closed, no longer hearing the rustling of your sheets from your room either. He pulls the duvet up to his chin, cocooning himself in the warmth and the comfort of the fabric. For the first time in a long time, he sleeps soundly, images of your warm, comforting smile flashing in his mind, even in his dreams. 

tag list: @taesancore @cupidslovearrows @000-pawz @renjuneoo @tsandoll @lionhanie @0310s @blumisiu @jmclouds @sugazwrld @darlingz99 (if you'd like to be added to the tag list, send me an ask! please ensure that you have your age in your bio somewhere, as this series will have smut eventually! please read my disclaimer under tag isa's ments regarding this! thank you!)

what breaks them after a break up ・ 보이넥스트도어 ex!gender neutral reader + word count 0.6k genre angst no comfort cw not proof-read — more 🕸

JAEHYUN 명재현

he knew he should have just stayed home, it was a mistake to let himself be persuaded by sungho. and he only has himself to blame as he downs another drink, watching as you giggle another quiet whisper into another man's ear

we all know jaehyun wears his heart on his sleeve, his emotions raw, so evident. all this time, the pain, a dull ache he's been trying to push down comes back up.

he's angry? and sad, tired, and jealous. he feels his heart shatter, gripping desperately to pick up and glue the pieces back together. and he finds himself crying in his arms, his other hand gripped against the empty glass of alcohol.

he wants to hate you. he really does, he wants to hate you for moving on so quickly. hate you for the way you walked out so easily, the way you smile while he's still suffering and himself for losing you, himself for letting you go.

and he peeks at you for a bit. would you still laugh with him the way you laugh at them? would you still smile at him the way you smile at them?

but what really breaks him, what tears him apart, is that he sees you're looking at them the same way you used to look at him.

SUNGHO 박성호

it happens on a sunny morning where sungho starts his day as normal; makes his bed, washes his face, brushes his teeth, takes a shower and goes into the kitchen to make his breakfast 

except there are two plates, two meals, two glasses of water but only one person at the table. it was a habit, an old one. sungho laughs at himself — a horrible, empty sound — and tears sting his eyes as he looks down at the food. 

he thinks he looks stupid. dumb even, the table is set for two but he’s the only one eating. and it hits him, again and again, that you’re no longer with him.

the break up itself is a blur – all he remembers is the feeling, really. the defensiveness that swelled up and burst from inside his chest, the way he said some things he’d meant and other things he didn’t. 

and sungho swallows hard. a sad smile drawing itself on his lips before he eats a bite. the house, it feels — he feels so empty without you. 

there’s a shaky sigh that leaves his lips, as he downs his drink. it breaks him that he won’t have it anymore, he won’t have you anymore. 

RIWOO 이상혁  

it's when he listens to the playlist you made together; all the songs he liked best now reminded him of you, each lyric and sound had a little bit of you that made him break. 

he knows it’s not healthy, he knows it’s not right and that he should just let go. but sanghyeok has the tiniest sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe you’ll come back to him. 

and hits back his head rested against the top of the chair. he chokes up a silent cry, trying to distract himself from anything and everything. his nail presses deep into his finger, maybe it’s just a dream. just a dream, right?

he angrily wipes away his tears threatening to fall down. no hugs. no kisses. no sound of you softly humming to the music while you dance with him in the living room. 

and it’s all his fault. would things have changed if he had just listened to you? would you still be together? 

it’s quiet. and the room is empty. he feels empty. sanghyeok’s his fingers glide to the volume button. and now as the playlist shuffles and another song plays, the same songs that you dedicated to each other horribly reminds him that you’re never, ever coming back.

TAESAN 한동민

it hits him when he's met with your voicemail. his hair disheveled, still in pajamas, phone pressed to his ear. dongmin practically jumped out of bed at the exciting news he got.

and before he knows it, he's clicked your contact, a grin painted across his face. it became a habit when he hears good news that makes him so excited -- his first instinct is to call you and tell you about it, but the phone rings, and rings, and rings

then it hits, finally it comes to him that the two of you aren’t together anymore and his smile disappears, and tears start forming in his eyes, and his lips start to quiver and it's too late, he hears your voice mail and oh god, he doesn't know how long it's been since he's heard your voice

dongmin didn't mean to say all those things, he didn't mean to say it was over between you two. he's quick to wipe his tears, but they keep coming and soon enough he's crying into the phone.

it's becoming all too familiar, how long has he seen you? when was the last time he held you? he feels like he might just break down right then. dongmin hopes you'll listen to the voicemail and call him, just once.

LEEHAN 김동현

it’s when he finds a note from you, tucked away in his jacket pocket. it didn’t say much, just a slight reminder to take care of himself and be safe, with a small heart and your name, scrawled onto it. it’s a bit crumpled and faded but he can recognise the small my love, written next to his name.

the weakened adhesive is already starting to peel off, softly, slowly and donghyun swallows hard. he finally lets out a dry laugh, knowing he won’t be able to take good care of himself even as you wanted.

and his fingers brush across the paper ever so lightly, tears stinging his eyes, biting back a cry. 

but he fails, he fails like he had failed you and feels an actual ache in his heart as he thinks about the smile on your face you had, while you were writing the small note.

it’s blurry, he can’t see the note but he holds it so preciously in his hands. he can’t take care of himself, not when you took a part of him with you.

WOONHAK 김운학

it's when he's curled up under his blanket, late at night, looking through your social media

he just wants to see if you're doing okay, is what he tells himself. what he keeps telling himself.

and when he looks at your Instagram feed and sees that his pictures and your couple photos are no longer there -- it's the realization that it's really over; traces of him erased from your social media and your life.

knuckles white gripping the blanket, sobs start to leave his lips. and he tries to hide it, but his screen becomes blurry and tears start staining his cheeks.

and woonhak curls himself further, going back to his own feed to see what you guys once were, crying a string of sorry's, before shakily pressing the 'delete' button on all of them.

notebook repost from my old blog account! pls reblog & leave feedback!!

taglist open ⁉️ @ivenlz @hrts4hanniehae @hafimns @jus2passtime @faera24 @kristianities @000-pawz

who do you think would have a biting kink 🧐 and a thing for panty sniffing 🧐 and who likes fucking until he’s dumb and drools the most 🧐 i’m trying to pretend i don’t think jaehyun would have all of these already snkdoakdkskje

they are all jaehyun !!!!!! but let’s discuss ..! hehehe

for biting i’d go for jaehyun. both giving and receiving. he’s sensitive, his cock is sensitive, the littlest touches send him spiralling and he can’t help it. when things get more intense and his pleasure grows, he finds himself needing to hold onto something, to bite down on something. there’s been many occasions in which he’s bitten down on your shoulder as he’s came, letting out a loud, muffled mown as he’s done so. the pleasure being so much, almost too much that he felt like he needed to sink his teeth into something so he wouldn’t completely lose his mind.

for panty sniffing i’d go for jaehyun and leehan. jaehyun loves your panties, he loves them more than anything. he loves how pretty you look in them and how sweet they smell when you shove hem into his mouth to keep him quiet whilst you edge his cock with your hand. the smell of your slick puts him in a trance, his cock throbbing just having the smell of you so close to his nose. it’s safe to say during those times, he ends up cumming too early because of it. for leehan, i think he’s just a perv. leehan is the one who takes your panties himself, feeling little shame as he stuffs them under his pillow so you can’t find them and leave them there, eventually forgetting about them all together. he uses them to jerk off, at first he thought about wrapping them around his hand and jerking himself off with them but when he saw the slick patches left behind from the night before, he couldn’t help himself, he had to bring them up to his nose and breathe deeply so he could smell you. he ends up making such a mess and ends up a little too embarrassed the next time he sees you.

for fucking you till they’re dumb and drooling, well … jaehyun fits so well. he just wants to be inside of you, poor boy can’t handle the feeling of your walls clenching around him and ends up fucking into so sloppily in such a messed up rhythm. but it breaks him, even when he’s already came he doesn’t stop, and you let him. playing with his hair, cooing in his ear, letting him fuck out all of his neediness because it’s all he wants to do. he ends up so fucked out and ruined after. it’s sweet.

for kinks, may I suggest cockwarming!

somehow i feel like this is something they would all be into, even if it’s just a little bit, all for their own reasons too.

sungho would find it comforting but also quite frustrating. post sex, he thinks of it as nothing but comfort and peace. he can easily fall asleep spooning you with his cock settled deep inside of you, arms around you with your hands placed over his. he loves waking you up by littering the softest kisses against the skin under your ear and the deepest good morning baby you could ever hear from him. on the other side of things, pre sex sungho finds cockwarming to be the most frustrating thing he’s ever experienced. he isn’t the most patient when he’s hard, he can’t help it, if he needs you then he needs you, it’s how it goes. so having you sat on his lap with his cock nestled inside of you and having you not move an inch is basically torture for him. it takes everything in him to not grab you and fuck up into you but he tries to pave himself, but it usually doesn’t take long before he’s fucking up into you and letting you fall forward into his chest.

riwoo would find it comforting. he could easily fall asleep whilst settled inside of you, he thinks it’s the best way to end sex. there’s something intimate about laying with you, falling asleep facing each other, your leg hooked over his waist and his cock nestled inside of you. he always finds himself sleeping so peacefully during those nights, waking up feeling refreshed and most of the time hard too.

the rest are under the read more!

jaehyun would find it torturous in the best way possible, the kind of pain he loves. the funniest part about it, is that it would be his idea. he’d go into it thinking that he’d be able to handle it and he’d find it comforting since he loves being inside of you so much, but he ends up in nothing but pain. it hurts him, but he falls in love with it immediately. it’s how he ends up sat beneath you after you’ve sank down on his cock, his eyes red and wide as you stay seated and still on him. he’d be a mess, already prepared to beg for you to do something but he tries to hold himself back. once you clench around him he knows he’s done for, he wouldn’t be able to do anything. poor thing would end up cumming before you even move a muscle.

taesan would try and use it to taunt you, but he’d try his hardest not to show you how much it affects him too. deep down he’d be a wreck at just the mere feeling of your walls wrapped tightly around him, it would need him to build up a lot of endurance to be able to have you cockwarm him without him completely losing his mind. in reality, it affects him almost as much as, if not more than it affects you. it’s one of the things that pushes him into a more vulnerable and needy that, one that often leaves you to pick up the pieces of the broken man that it leaves behind.

leehan would be a little mix of them all. he enjoys the comfort aspect, but he does find it to be absolutely unbearable at times. when he’s feeling more affectionate and loving then he’s happy to sit and let you cockwarm him for however long you want, simply having his arms around you and looking up at you with his sweet, sparkly eyes. content with the situation the two of you are in. but when he’s needy, then cockwarming is the worst form of torture he could endure, he’d class it as a punishment. it’s the type of thing that could lead to anything, from him being the whitest sub under you to him pinning you down and fucking your brains out.

finger trapped (ripped to its seams) ➵ myung jaehyun

myung jaehyun x reader

with an unexpected reunion, you and jaehyun relive the memories of cheongju—and confront what could’ve been between you two.

general genre/warnings ➵ friends to almost lovers, angst, fluff, gender neutral reader, some depressive and insecure thoughts, hurt/comfort, the last five years story-telling method (aka present will be told going backwards while past will be told moving forward… i hope that makes sense), brief mention of blood from picking on your skin, tiger parents so… parental issues, both of you come from cheongju for the sake of the story, unexpected reunion, keeping secrets & lying, jealousy remains but love triumphs, journalist reader (u kno i had to do it), reader is a nerd and jaehyun is a student-athlete, kms jokes from jongseob (all /lh), finger traps aren’t efficient after all

word count ➵ 15.7k words

playlist ➵ end of beginning by djo // high school in jakarta by niki // i know it won’t work by gracie abrams // no big deal (i love you) by dodie // keeping tabs by niki // no one knows by stephen sanchez & laufey // so what now by reneé rapp // i wish i hated you by ariana grande // the 1 by taylor swift // seasons by wave to earth

a/n ➵ it's finally out! this work is so so personal to me on so many levels so i hope you all love and treat this fic with care :')) for the bitches who struggle with parents and dreams.... this one's for you (i am in the same boat) i appreciate everyone who's been so patient and looking forward to this fic's release. you can access the changmin & hanbin vers as well! please do reblog and leave feedback!!

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present -> three weeks after the interview, 2024

the newsroom never sleeps. the rings of landlines and clacks of keyboards bounce off the four walls. through light bulbs or sunshine, light continues to remain. and at every corner, a journalist stands—ready to enter the depths of slumber but remain on their toes as they await for an update on their unraveling story.

but the newsroom is rarely busy unless there’s a major nationwide event, election season or the super bowl to name a few, for most journalists are out to discover what the world has to offer.

knowledge doesn’t only come from the chitchat of your coworkers. it’s only on the field that you’ll hear of hearsay and testimonies. after all, the choice to probe rests on your shoulders.

“there’s a typo over there.”

“huh? where?”

“over here,” you mumble as your finger darts to point at a section on the screen. “it’s supposed to say “with their climactic performance,” not climatic.”

“ah, i see it now. sorry about that,” lee jihoon of digital development says as he corrects the error. his hair is disheveled from the hood that once perched on his head during the night he spent in the newsroom. you would’ve scolded the guy—go home and take a shower before you stink up the place—but you are no better, grouped with the other journalists who stayed up in the office.

“there we go. should be all good. now, are you ready to go through the profiles?”

an exhausted chuckle departs from your lips. “yeah, let’s go—”

“what’s the update?” life and arts editor kim namjoon—your editor—comes to you with a smile.

the grey hoodie he wears paired with comfortable jeans shows that he’s a little relaxed. for once, you don’t see him on his phone, battling the deadlines or getting pitched stories by the other editors. it’s a nice sight but one that won’t last for long.  

“we just finished going through the article about the group, so we still have yet to go through the profiles.” jihoon then looks at you. “i can’t believe you basically wrote seven articles. like, six profiles and one main article is a lot. you didn’t want to work on it with anyone else?”

once namjoon stands beside you, you bump your shoulder against his figure. “i didn’t have a choice, did i?” it’s a rhetorical question but one your editor still chooses to answer.

“unfortunately, we’re understaffed, but it seemed like you got the hang of it. i wouldn’t have trusted anyone else to do it.” namjoon shoots you a smile before redirecting his attention back to jihoon. “and as much as i’d love to tell y/n more, we have to pick up the pace.” without any further questions, the three of you resume with work. 

there’s no time to waste in the journalism industry. still, his praise doesn’t go unnoticed. 

one article turned into eight done in a matter of 30 minutes, all with the help of three pairs of eyes to go through them. (namjoon seemed to carry the heavy lifting. after all, the guy was trained to be quick in reading and spotting errors.)

it should’ve been easy to keep up with your editor for all the other articles; you know each profile like the back of your hand.

then, the face of a boy who you once knew sits on the screen.

his gaze seems to pierce through your soul, almost in the same way you last talked to him. the loose ends of composure slip through your fingers; your breath’s stuck in your throat as the hammering of your heart fills your ears. yet, he stands still on the monitor.

as your eyes drift through the passages you’ve written, every sound is drowned out. the voice of your editor fades like the everchanging seasons and the clicks of the keyboard resemble the sobs you let out in the comfort of your childhood room.

and suddenly, the hands of the clock have turned all the way back to 2019. the cubicles transformed into aisles of chips and instant ramen, and you hear mr. kim’s voice in the distance—i have some hotteok! fresh from the pan! but amidst it all, you hear the giggles of the boy, your best friend, as he rushes towards you—i’ll go audition and make you proud. as your arm is wrapped with the heat of his fingers, you almost believe that your life as a journalist is nothing but a dream—

“i knew him.” the illusion disappears within a blink of an eye. namjoon’s eyes snap towards you and jihoon stops scrolling through the website. “we went to the same high school.”

you aren’t sure why you revealed that to your coworkers, let alone your boss. it’s an old memory—your weight to carry. before you can apologize for disrupting their work, namjoon’s hand rests on your shoulder, his thumb drawing shapes into it. when you look over at him, you’re greeted by his smile. it resembles your bed after a long day of work or a slow day at the newsroom.

but it never lives up to him, whose giggles resemble nature’s symphonies. the two shots of espresso you need at the start of the day once came in the form of his warm embrace. most of all, his smile is enough to illuminate the world even through the strongest storms and times when power went out.

for the remaining articles, not a single word leaves you. before you know it, all seven articles were ready to go up on the web.

“that’s all of it. should i still schedule them to go up around 12 p.m.?” jihoon notes as he saves the drafts.

“yeah, 12 p.m. still sounds good. thanks a lot.” namjoon nudges his shoulder before looking over to you. “let’s talk in my office.”

you don’t question his orders. once namjoon takes off, you follow him all the way to his office. as he swings the door open, you are met with the familiar sight of his workspace. hues of green and brown mix, where nature and art meet within the space of corporate.

once namjoon takes a seat on his chair, you find your spot across from him. his eyes stare off to the window. for a moment, you’re not sure what to expect from this impromptu meeting.

seconds pass and not a single word has been said—

“this place’s always alive,” your editor breaks the silence. “don’t you think so?”

you follow his line of sight. busy seoul never changes; the skyscrapers pollute the sky and the people never sleep, off to work or off to party.

“where’d you grow up again?”

you look back at namjoon whose eyes still remain locked on the city. “cheongju.”

he hums. “i haven’t been there. nice place?”

“yeah, but i haven’t gone back in a while.”

“when was the last time?” his eyes finally meet yours.

your teeth grasp the inside of your cheek. “2019, since i first left,” you admit. 

“do you miss it?”

you’re not sure how to answer. the pavements you’ve scraped your knees against and the walls your laughs bounced off of—do you miss them all? or is the reason behind your laughter and scabs the one you long for?

“is that why you were hesitant about interviewing them?” namjoon’s thumbs fiddle with each other. “because of your history with him?”

now, you stare at your linked hands. maybe the silence from you is enough to answer his question but you know namjoon would never settle for a soundless answer.

“i—i’m not a good person. and even if i didn’t make the choice to leave, i—” you hold yourself back. your fingers start to pick on the skin around your thumbs, peeling it so blood can spill. 

“it’s okay, i understand. you don’t have to share it with me.” your eyes drift back to namjoon, spotting a small smile that rests on his face. “it must’ve been hard to relive it all.”

the bond you have with namjoon is one that you hold close to your heart. through his mentorship, you got to learn about what it means to be a writer. the fears of being a journalist would loom over you, where questions of salary and demanding work hours would occupy your mind, but namjoon became someone who would absolve them all. he became a pillar in your life, one that provides you hope and comfort within the industry.

“so, don’t feel pressured to talk about it. but if you ever want to open up about it, then i’ll be here.”

namjoon’s giving you an exit. are you willing to take it?

you cross your arms as you lean back into the chair. “you know how i was a science major then?”

“yeah, i remember looking over your resume. and then i saw that you were part of your university’s publication.”

your tongue pushes against the inside of your cheek. “i would’ve gotten some job in that field, like, i had it lined up for me.”

“really? like lab coat and all?”

as namjoon attempts to hold back his laugh over the image, you chuckle along. “yeah, lab coat and all! it’s crazy how my life was all set for that field, but i’m here now.” you look down at your arms. “i think just facing him in a completely different field that i once used to imagine with him was just strange. but i think hearing his answers really did it for me.”

namjoon nods at your words. “care to have lunch with me?” your eyes snap back to your editor. “i’m guessing you want to talk about it, after all.”

all you do is smile before getting off your seat.

spring of 2019

the season of spring has graced cheongju; the sun gleams in the expanse of blue and birds perched on tree branches sing their songs. it’s the perfect season to embrace the wonders of the town.

while it would be a delight to bask under the returning warmth, you’re stuck within the walls of the classroom, head resting on crossed arms. 

still, the lilacs have yet to bloom.

“y/n.” you quickly sit up before your eyes settle on your adviser, ms. jeon, who stands in front of the classroom. “let’s take attendance.”

with that, you’re beside her as you call out each name on the class list. it’s a quick process of saying your classmates’ names for them to respond in variations of “present,” until you reach the section of last names that start with an ‘m’.

“myung jaehyun.” no response.

you rip your eyes off the piece of paper, only met with your classmates who either look at each other in confusion or spaced out in their own worlds.

“myung jaehyun?” when you’re met with the same reaction, you’re ready to mark the student absent—

“sorry!” the doors slam open. a boy clad in a white polo and jogging pants is panting by the entrance, covered in sweat as he rests on the edge of it. “sorry, i’m late.”

“oh, it’s okay! you arrived just in time.” ms. jeon smiles at the tardy student. as you watch him take a seat, his eyes lock with yours, but your adviser nudges you before saying, “y/n, proceed.”  

myung jaehyun made his name a few years back at a competition. the applause and roars from the crowd marked his spot in the school. others describe his movement as of cranes, standing in the middle of a pond as they do their best to minimize forming any ripples, or of elephants, swaying their trunks with control like no other.

but he’s a versatile dancer; nothing can truly capture him.

once you’ve finished marking the attendance, you go back to your seat. you’re ready to start the day with no bother but you can’t shake the feeling of being watched.

“now, you can see in these,” your art teacher, ms. park, points to the screen showcasing works from her favorite contemporary artists like kwon yongju and félix gonzález-torres, “that there are no borders to what constitutes art. and that’s not wrong because we have to recognize that art comes in different forms as we progress, from traditional painting and sculptures to digital ones.”

this field isn't your strong suit. with a greater understanding of the sciences, you struggle to create anything that could be on par with the works of any artist. yet, you enjoyed learning about every piece that your teacher shared, like unfolding and admiring something you know you can never replicate or create. still, the universe decides that they have other plans for you.

“as i mentioned before, i’ll be giving you time to work on your final assessment, which is to create an artwork for the class exhibit. for this deliverable, i’m asking that your work will be a collaborative one, meaning you aren’t working alone.” in a sea of chatter, some groans exit your classmates. “remember, inspiration doesn’t come from your own bubble! take this as your opportunity to create something that you’ve never imagined.”

within a split second, students are off their seats as they attempt to find a partner to work with. you, however, were struggling to think of who you could team up with. admittedly, you have a very different work style compared to others—even baek jiheon, aspiring valedictorian, didn’t enjoy working with you. she turned every activity into a competition against you. (you didn’t enjoy her, either.) while you’re considering shamefully going up to your classmates like a stray dog looking for anyone willing to care for them—

“hi!” in front of you stands the tardy student of today, all smiles as his hands find comfort in the pockets of his jogging pants. “do you have a partner already?”

with furrowed eyebrows, you can’t help but look him up and down. “no, why?”

“well,” jaehyun looks around the classroom, “everyone seems to have paired up except for us.” as his eyes drift back to you, he flashes you a smile, one that shows the dips engraved into his cheeks. “which leaves me to ask if you would like to work with me for this.”

you don’t have a choice. ms. park would never bend the rules for you. if anything, she would find a way to pair you with another student who would dread the idea of working with you. (“i’m sure they won’t mind being partners with you, right?” is what she would ask the poor student, only to be met with their retreat.)

“unless we accept a failing mark, which i’m sure we both don’t want.” it’s not like jaehyun had a choice as well.

“okay.” with one word, light fills his eyes, enough to resemble the starlight that grazes your skin every night. “we can meet and discuss our schedules, especially because i’ve got ap stat, and you have, uhm,” a cough leaves you, “training, i’m assuming, or rehearsals. i don’t really know what you call them.”

his eyebrows shoot up as his mouth parts open. “o—oh, yeah. i usually have training after class until 8 p.m. on tuesdays, thursdays, and saturdays.”

“same. my classes are until 7 p.m. on tuesdays and thursdays, so maybe we can use the other days to work together?”

with one nod from him, his dimples reappear. “great! i’ll see you tomorrow.”

before you know it, everyone finds their way back to their seats for ms. park’s final reminders. you do your best to pay attention to every announcement, jotting down every word on your planner and planning out your agenda for the upcoming weeks. yet, your eyes seem to have a mind of their own as they drift back to the boy who discreetly passes notes to hwang intak, another dancer on the team, all while listening to the teacher.

you don’t notice how long you spend staring at jaehyun until he turns to meet your gaze. in that split second, you look at each other—then, embarrassment washes over you. you shift your attention back to ms. park. as you drum your fingers against the desk, mentally kicking yourself over the interaction, you still can’t shake the feeling of being watched.

you look back at jaehyun; he’s still looking at you.

his dimples make their reappearance before he looks back at ms. park. you do the same as you attempt to listen to her ramble about banksy’s works. 

(you’re still thinking about the dips in his cheeks.)

the first time you get to meet with jaehyun for the project happens the following week. you two had different commitments to attend to, whether it be other projects or training. and while you would usually settle to meet in the school library or a cafe nearby, you find yourself inside the empty gymnasium, sitting on bleachers while your partner stands in front of mirrors.

“don’t you think it would be nice to combine our hobbies together?”

your pencil taps against the notebook. “like, your dancing? with what?”

“whatever you like to do!” once he makes his way to you, he leans on the row in front of you with crossed arms. “i mean, do you have anything you like to do during your free time?”

a scoff leaves you. “funny of you to assume that i have free time.”

“what’s your schedule like?”

“well, i have our classes and ap ones, then kumon at night.”

jaehyun reels at the thought of your schedule. “that’s brutal. the last time i had kumon was back in grade 4.”

“yeah, but i’m sure yours is busy as well. the amount of time that you put into training is…” his eyes are wide, hanging on your words. it’s the hope they hold that has you say, “admirable.”

a shy smile takes over his features. “yeah, but it’s only because my family is supportive of what i do.”

then, limbs whose color resembles the void slither their way to your heart, wrapping around it while the organ struggles to beat; it’s a slow process but an unending hole that will birth from it. yet, you do your best to fight off these limbs, unraveling them one by one in hopes it will give up—until you settle for shaking them off.

you only muster out a hum.

“do you have anything you like to do during those short breaks?”

your lips trill. “i don’t know. watch something on youtube?”

his cheeks puff up, stuck in his thoughts as he tries to navigate this project—and you—until his eyes glint. “what do you do when you want to vent?”

“you sure have a lot of questions,” you comment, trying to hold back a chuckle at his curiosity. “i can just adjust to you. maybe attempt to draw, picture, or even film you.”

his eyebrows furrow. “but that wouldn’t make it collaborative. i want us to work on something that aligns with what we do.”

a beat passes.

he holds your gaze. “i want us to create something that shows us.”

inside you, a gong is struck; its sound reverberates throughout your body, from the crown of your forehead to the tips of your toes. then, silence seeps in—a moment only for you and him.

“i, uh, write,” you whisper as your eyes shift to the notebook resting on your lap.

“really? like, stories and poetry?”

you nod. “i like writing people’s stories more, but i do like making ones.” when you look back at jaehyun, his eyes are still filled with curiosity. “i would, like, find interviews online and try to make my own, sort of, uhm—god this is embarrassing. forget about it.”

“huh? no, it isn’t!” he attempts to reassure your shrunken figure. “i mean, you don’t have to share more if you really don’t want to, but i’d like to hear more about it.” and when his dimples appear, you almost can’t help but feel your face warm up.

“i’d make articles, i guess?” he nods along with your words. “i don’t know, it’s just interesting to hear about people’s lives and kind of create something out of it, and i like thinking about all the possibilities of who would love to hear them. like, don’t you think that some of the stories that we read hold fragments of someone?”

“that’s an interesting way to look at it.”

as you doodle on your notebook, you say, “yeah, it’s just fun to hear these stories and maybe create something out of it. or even think of stories that i could never live out, you know?” you expect yourself to be met with the bored face of jaehyun but his eyes remain on you.

“what if you interview me?”

your eyebrows shoot up. “you?”

“yeah,” he stands up before walking up to your row, finding a spot beside you. “think of me as your first interviewee if you want.”

the sudden suggestion has you stumbling over your words. “huh? b—but, i don’t have questions prepared. and how does this help our project?” 

when his arms brush against yours, you start to become aware of the distance between your shoulders—and his face from yours. warmth spreads throughout your body, almost like you’re about to have a fever. once his open hand rests near yours, you don’t know what he’s asking.

“let me draw it out for you.” you hand him your pencil and notebook, allowing him to see your doodles. (you don’t miss his grin.) “you know, with that article you make, we can cut it up and create something out of it.” a roughly drawn sketch of a boy posed in the middle of a dance move now rests on the page. “i don’t know if a collage would be okay.”

as you think about what can be done, you perch your chin on your palm. “we can do papercut art? basically, it’s cutting up the article in a way to form an image.”

“oh, that sounds cool!”

“yeah, but the only challenge is that we can only use one piece of paper.” a sigh leaves you. “it would be impossible for me to even do that.”

“that’s why you have me.” his small smile causes wind chimes to ring. (you’re positive you heard them, even if there were no such things in the gymnasium.)

he continues to sketch out the layout of your joint artwork. “how do we feel about this?” on the paper, there are two boxes beside the figure, where one is labeled as “photo of me” while the other is labeled “an article by y/n.” your head tilts. “it’ll be a three-set piece. so, it’ll be a photo of me and your article, and in between is the papercut art that we’ll make.”

you hum. “you know, you’re very creative.” you look at him only to see that he’s been staring at you. “like, you’re inclined to the arts. i wouldn’t have been able to think of something like this.”

“you’re just as creative,” he argues back as he writes down something.

you shake your head before retorting, “jaehyun, you’re very talented. i’ve seen the way you dance,” his movements halt, “and you’re like no other dancer i’ve seen. if you ever try out to be an idol, i’m sure you’d do great, maybe end up on the list of the best dancers in the industry.”

but he shakes his head, going back to writing on your notebook and shutting down your compliments. you decide to not push.

“i can get the photo sometime during my training,” he says as he hands you your notebook.

“then i can have the questions sometime this week. for the article, i can have it done maybe four days after the interview. how does wednesday, after school, sound for the interview?”

he shoots you a smile before standing up from his seat. “that’s perfect! i’m looking forward to meeting journalist y/n.” you can’t help but scoff at what he calls you. “what’s wrong?”

“nothing,” you shake your head. “it’s just a silly name.” because the reality is that you had your future planned out—and it definitely didn’t involve that field.

he shrugs. “i don’t know, i think it would fit you.”

“but you haven’t read any of my works.”

“but i want to root for you in the same way you do for me. i don’t want you to feel ashamed of your works.” a fire ignites in your heart; it’s a fireplace.

you’re baffled that jaehyun, out of all people, now holds your secret, but you’re even astounded over the idea of him supporting you. you almost can’t remember the last time you heard such words of support. is it genuine or nothing but a facade?

“anyway, i’ve got to go. i need to catch up on some homework.” while you shoot him a nod, his dimples make their appearance once more. “i’ll see you tomorrow!” as he takes off, you’re left in the gymnasium with your opened notebook and unlocked heart. you look back down at his sketch surrounded by your doodles, but you don’t miss his little note—cute doodles btw <3

the season of spring has unfolded in cheongju; a single lilac has bloomed.

present -> a day before the interview, 2024

it’s a late night on a tuesday, about to be a midnight wednesday, and you’re in a convenience store as you scout for your dinner. all hauled up in the newsroom, the idea of ordering food during a time where restaurants would still be open slipped your mind. now, you’re left to scan through the same options you’ve eaten for the past years since you started living in seoul.

the convenience clerks are familiar with you, both kim jongseob and kim jiwoo. with your constant late-night meals at the store, you’d talk to whichever one had a shift. jongseob is saving up to upgrade his setup at home to record more music. with all the stories he shares about his time in underground rap battles along with the short verses he’s performed for you, you’re positive that he’ll get signed to a label soon. as for jiwoo, this is one of the many jobs she has in order to save enough money for fashion school. you’ve seen her sketches and outfits she’s put together and you’re hoping that she’ll get accepted.

a sigh leaves you. you didn’t have a problem with eating the food here but you were craving for something new in your life in seoul. the perpetual cycle of eating takeout food and unconsciously skipping meals for work needed to be disrupted just for a moment. but you weren’t seeking michelin-star food—all you wanted was something home cooked. something from home.

the spice of tteokbokki, the burn of freshly fried hotteok, and the sweetness of homemade peach iced tea—mr. kim’s convenience store had it all.

your tastebuds long for cheongju.

“planning to beat your record of spending 23 minutes on deciding what to get?”

you roll your eyes before looking to your right, seeing jongseob stock up the drinks in the fridge. “i hate you.”

“what? i’m just saying, you’re taking a lot longer to decide today.” he chuckles before placing the last bottle of sweetened probiotic milk in the fridge. “none of the options look good to you?”

“sort of,” you hum before you scan through the aisle of packaged meals. “i think i’m craving for something different.”

“i get it. the food here can get boring, which is why i’m planning to order pizza if you want to split the costs.”

your eyebrows shoot up at jongseob’s suggestion. “really? you’d share pizza with me?”

“yeah, as long as you pay for your share.” he shoots you a smile before grabbing on a trolley carrying empty boxes. “unless… you want to pay for the whole thing.”

you bite back a smile as you shake your head. you should’ve known the guy would ask you to buy him food, but you knew that he needed the money and you at least had a stable income to keep you comfortable. “fine,” jongseob’s smile grows as you fish out your wallet from your pocket and pull out a couple of bills. “just order enough for us two.” 

“of course,” he says as soon as you hand him some money. “i’ll make sure to order the most expensive thing on the menu.”

you scoff at his joke. “just make sure to treat me to something.”

the bell by the door chimes. “sorry, can’t hear you over that! need to attend to a customer!” jongseob dashes away from you while dragging the trolley. that little shit just knew how to press your buttons, but you love the kid, anyway.

still, you stand in the middle of the mart and your heart longs for home.

then, you shut your eyes, and you’re transported back in front of the familiar aisle filled with bags of potato chips and sweet corn. the noisy fan along with the soft sounds of mr. kim’s korean drama fills your ears. a mix of yellow and orange hues paint every corner of the mart, including you—and you’re not alone.

your best friend stands on your right, wearing the unbuttoned school uniform polo over a tank top along with jogging pants. he’s lost in thought as he scans through the options of snacks you two can have for today’s afternoon. he starts to giggle to himself, probably from a silly thought he’ll share with you in the next second or a memory involving you, and the dips in his cheeks appear—your heart thumps in your ears.

and just like how quickly you were transported back to cheongju, your surroundings transformed into the cool-lit convenience store found in seoul. all you have left is the image of him bathed in the sunlight.

but he fades away like the ink on old receipts, never gone, because the glowing image of him warps into a different version who stands next to you in the cold mart. he’s grown a few inches taller and his hair doesn’t get in the way of his line of sight. while he wears a green sweater, you notice that he’s gained some muscles. his eyes scan through the aisle behind you filled with different brands of instant ramen.

but he bites the inside of his cheek and his dimples appear.

it’s a tornado that brews within you, enough to uproot trees and displace buildings, all because of an unexpected reunion with jaehyun. why did the universe decide to bring two ex-best friends on a random tuesday night? what brings him to the convenience store at the same time you’re there? and why did it have to happen a day before the interview?

you weren’t going to commit the same mistake; keep your eyes off of him and make your way out of the store. it didn’t matter if you had an empty, growling stomach, or gave free money to jongseob. you need to leave without the distant, familiar face noticing.

your feet act fast, and you're almost certain that might’ve caught his attention, but it didn’t matter as you see jongseob standing behind the cashier with his phone out. “i just ordered the pizza. it should arrive in about… 20 to 30 minutes.”

“yeah, about that…”

“don’t tell me you’re taking your money back.”

at the sight of jongseob’s pout, you roll your eyes. “no, keep it. i just—i need to go.”

“what? why?”

you peek behind you. it seems like he didn’t recognize you, after all. “i’ve got… work!”

“but don’t you only have your interview with boynext—”

“hey!” your fingers snap at him. “you cannot—i mean, you just… just take the goddamn money.”

“but we’re supposed to share the pizza. you haven’t eaten.”

an exasperated sigh leaves you. “jongseob, just treat me next time. i can eat at home.”

and you’re ready to leave the convenience store, bid farewell to jongseob and a delicious pizza made for two, and never greet or say goodbye to the living fragment of what you last know of cheongju—

“y/n?”

and the plan failed.

when you meet his gaze, you’re able to take in the different version of him. he’s grown so much—it’s such a pain that you weren’t there to witness it. his eyes are a pool of emotions; you can’t identify them.

all it takes is one breath from you. “jaehyun.”

a beat passes.

“i’m just gonna… go through the storage,” jongseob points his thumb at the back of the mart, “and maybe kill myself afterwards. i don’t know.” before you can protest, he’s already gone. (and he still has your money. that fucker.)

you and jaehyun were once painted with the hues of the sun. this reunion is tainted with blue.

jaehyun’s fingers tense up, almost as if he was hesitating—debating—on how to approach you. his body would waver, but he never took a step towards you. “i… i wasn’t expecting to meet you here.” 

“same here.” you lean your back against the checkout counter. “d—do you stay around this part of the city?”

he shakes his head. “i live around 15, maybe 20, minutes away from here. i’m only here because…” your breath gets caught in your throat. “i don’t know.”

fate. that’s what brought us here.

“do you live here?”

you nod. “yeah, ever since—” the sentence never gets completed; you and him already know.

for a moment, sorrow flashes in his eyes, but a smile shows up. the dimples don’t appear. “i, uh, i was going to get something from here but it seems like your friend is busy.”

“sorry about jongseob.” you whip out your phone and scold him through text. “he should be with us in a bit.”

jaehyun hums before walking to the freezer filled with different ice cream. as he looks through the selection, he asks, “do you still like twin bar?”

“y—yeah.”

“still the grape flavor?” you don’t know what to say, but when his gaze meets yours, you settle for a nod. with your favorite ice cream in one hand and a sandwich in the other, he finally walks towards you. you don’t miss the slight stagger in his steps.

jaehyun finds his spot beside you. there’s still distance between you two—two tiles worth, enough space for one person—but it’s enough for your muscles to freeze. thankfully, jongseob comes just in time to manage the cashier (with an awkward smile plastered on).

he scans jaehyun’s item first before grabbing onto your ice cream.

“oh, i’m paying—”

“no, let me,” jaehyun insists. “you can always treat me another time.”

you bite the inside of your cheek, thinking over the second half of his sentence. jongseob holds back from scanning the item, until you shoot him a nod. jaehyun pays for the food before jongseob hands them to you.

“i’ll just let you know when the pizza gets here.” his small smile is enough for your shoulders to ease and a quiet exhale to leave. a small nod is all you give him.

you follow jaehyun outside to the tables in front of the mart. once he’s settled on a spot, you sit across from him. he tears away the plastic wrapping of his food while you play with the ends of yours. 

while he swallows what you assume to be his dinner of the day, you’re left to swallow your own pride.

“i’ve seen your performances.” his chews halt. “you’re—” captivating. “you’ve improved a lot.”  

with one gulp, a shy smile takes over his face. “i still have a long way to go.”

“you always say that, even back then.” a half bitten sandwich now rests on the wrapper. “but i admire your drive.” always have.

while a different version of jaehyun sits across you, the one you knew back in cheongju still lives. in the busy, unfamiliar expanse of seoul, meeting five years later, he’ll never be stranger. you could never treat him as such, even if you wanted to.

“there’s always room for improvement,” he says.

you hum along with his sentiment. “did you stick with early childhood education?” you’re met with his orbs that hold a thousand of emotions, some you can name as shock, confusion. a question hangs in the air—what did you deserve to know?

“sorry, i’m assuming you still went to college, which is totally fine if you did or didn’t, by the way. and it’s also okay if you didn’t stick to your major. i mean, you always talked about pursuing a performing arts degree before—”

“y/n,” he giggles, “you’re okay. i still went to college but i took media & communication.” your eyebrows shoot up at the revelation. “i thought it made sense to study something related to what i do, just the more technical and theoretical side of it, i guess. and the online classes were easy to squeeze into my schedule.” he lifts up the sandwich. “what about you?”

“uh, i ended up in the same course as well.” a hum of shock leaves jaehyun. “yeah,” you chuckle, “i managed to shift courses.”

“that’s amazing! i’m happy for you.”

you smile at him. “thanks. now, i’m just—” you should tell him what you do. what would be a better time to reveal that you ended up in the path he dreamed for you to be than now? “—figuring things out.”

with your vagueness, jaehyun only nods before munching away. if there’s anything about you that still remains, it’s that you shouldn’t be pushed to share something you didn’t want to talk about. he still knew that.

as he finishes his sandwich, you tear off the plastic wrapping of your ice cream. with the twin bar in your hands, you snap it into two before you hand him a piece. confusion paints his features, wide eyes glossing over the popsicle in your hand, but he takes it before you can say anything.

“thanks.”

you shake your head. “don’t even worry about it. it’s only tradition.”

silence settles between you two. as you eat away on your share of the twin bar, you look up to the sky. from where you sit, you can’t see a single star; the lights of seoul seemed to outshine them. and during those moments, you almost can’t help but miss the view of the starry night from your childhood room.

you glance at jaehyun who looks up to the sky as well. yet, one hand remains in his pocket, almost as if he’s fiddling with something. 

as if he feels your eyes on him, he asks, “did you ever think about coming back?”

you halt your movements. if there’s one thing you were expecting your old friend to ask, it would be related to your sudden departure. but you’re hit with an entirely different question, one you didn’t get to rehearse the answer to in case you ever cross paths with him. 

because after all this talk about your yearning for cheongju, why didn’t you choose to visit? despite how much you long for mr. kim’s home cooked meals, skies filled with stars, or the presence of your best friend, why didn’t you ever come back?

if you miss home, why is your first instinct to run away from it?

and the reality is that you do think about it all the time. since you left cheongju, you drafted out how many plans to go back. you were homesick, missing the familiar landscape you spent your entire childhood growing up in. but most of all, you missed jaehyun. as long as you had him, you would survive anywhere, whether in seoul or cheongju.

despite how much you yearned for him during your years away, you learned that your relationship wasn’t always filled with the warmth that would grace you two every afternoon. for so long, you’ve sat with jealousy. while his family was his pillar of strength, you were met with a home that offered nothing but criticism.

the black limbs slowly ate away at your heart; the void was born.

it became easier to remain resentful. with the distance, you weren’t faced with jaehyun’s genuineness. yet, with time, you discovered that you still cared for him—regardless of your jealousy—because you still wanted more for him than you did for yourself.

for a long time, you resented. now, it’s only guilt that held you back from going back to him.

so when you remain silent, jaehyun takes it as your answer.

and for the first time, the distance feels greater since you first left cheongju.

summer of 2019

it’s the peak of summer. amidst the expanse of verdant fields, bees seek solace in the fully-bloomed sunflowers and kaleidoscope wings illuminate as they soar.

but summer is where mouths go dry and clothes cling to skin. as days blend with each other, the comfort of your bed is all you have until the season passes.

the fan rumbles against the wooden floor, doing its best to cool you, but the heat prickles against the back of your neck. the wind has turned into nothing but hot waves. with your elbows perched on the desk, a sigh leaves you as you attempt to make sense of the worksheet filled with math equations.

your room is your favorite place in cheongju. within these four walls are scattered fragments of you, from your favorite books and mangas that rest on the bookshelf to the stuffed toys that rest on your bed. book tabs stick out of your workbooks lined up on your desk and your cork board is filled with crossed out to-do lists.

and every once in a while, you would look out through your window, admiring the neighboring houses and all their greenery. as people walk on pavements, you cannot help but think about where they’re off to—are they on their way to work? did they leave an important document back home? or are they coming back to a meal and home filled with warmth?

despite the halo soundtrack filling your ears, the cogs in your brain seem to drown them out. the numbers on your paper have jumbled up. it should’ve been easy. after all, you’ve become friends with the letters who’ve squeezed their way into math. once you’ve wrapped up on this assignment, you know you’ll wake up to another set of work to do. it didn’t help that you’re stuck watching kids your age enjoy their break.

with a tired mind, you consider making yourself another cup of iced coffee. maybe another dose of caffeine will make sense of the numbers—

your phone buzzes against your table. as your eyes rip from the unfinished worksheet, you spot the familiar name flashing on the screen. with one glance at your door, you bring your headphones to rest around your neck. it takes three rings for you to answer.

“what do you want?”

“the fuck? what’s wrong with you?”

you roll your eyes as you fiddle with your pen. “i’m studying, you fucker.”

“on a sunday?” jaehyun’s question has you only groan. “what happened to resting?”

“i wish,” you murmur as you scratch the back of your head. “i’ve been stuck on this stupid worksheet for the past hours. it’s annoying too. i mean, i already know this topic, so i don’t know why it’s so hard.”

“awe, is my best friend suffering over kumon?”

your forehead rests on crossed arms. “yes. i think i’m going to die.”

“okay, then. i’ll take that as my sign.”

“sign to what?”

he chuckles as if it were obvious. “to save you! let’s go to mr. kim’s.”

a groan leaves you as your back meets the chair. “no, i can’t. do you know what would happen if i don’t finish my kumon?”

“uh… no?”

“me, neither. i’m not taking my chances.”

“but, you’re not even doing anything!” jaehyun pointing out the obvious has you rolling your eyes. “wouldn’t it be better to take a break with your best friend? i can even help out.”

as you bite the inside of your cheek, you glance once more at your closed door. you weigh it out; would you rather take a break with your best friend or would you save yourself from the consequences brought by home?

but the answer was already clear. “give me 10 minutes.”

jaehyun laughs before you drop the call.

it’s the smell of fresh hotteok that greets you. the quiet buzzing of the fan accompanied by mr. kim’s favorite trot music fills your ears. while the owner seems to be away from the cashier, a white, stray cat takes over, body flopped on the counter as it snores away the heat. as the sun pours through windows, coating every corner of the mart with a glow of fireflies, you know this will be a place of its own.

“y/n, over here!” a familiar voice calls out. as you whip your head to the source, you see your best friend by the chest freezer, eyes crinkled and all dimples.

now, you’re certain that nothing could ever replicate this.

you walk towards jaehyun, finding your spot beside him as you two look through the collection of frozen treats. “so, what do you want from here?” you ask.

“uh… i’ll be honest, i just realized i’m short on money.”

you glance through the price tags, only for a groan to leave you. “i’m short too. when did mr. kim raise the prices?”

“no clue. i thought i’d have enough to get a summer crush,” jaehyun complains as his eyes are glued to the coffee sorbet. “i hate inflation.”

“come on.” you fish out for the coins in your pocket. “let’s see how much we have together.” jaehyun does the same. with palms out, you two count through your shared funds.

“we can get a summer crush!”

“you can get one. i’ll be left with barely anything.” you look through the selection once more. “man, i really want samanco. the red bean sounds so good right now.”

defeat casts over jaehyun’s features. for a moment, you almost consider giving up on having a frozen treat and settling for a glass bottle of orange soda, until you spot a familiar popsicle brand.

“holy shit, it’s right there.”

“what?”

“there!” your finger points at the stack of twin bars. “we can probably get that and split it.”

jaehyun’s expression morphs into realization. “okay, let’s get—”

“dibs on grape.”

“dibs?” he furrows his eyebrows at you. “you can’t just call dibs. you’re doing it wrong. clearly, we should discuss—”

“nope,” you retort. a chuckle laced with disbelief leaves your best friend. to him, it seemed like you were joking around. “i made the suggestion and contributed a lot more to our shared funds.”

“okay, but—”

“don’t tell me you want the peach flavor more than the grape.” as you continue to shut him down, he knows there’s no way around you.

(plus, he wasn’t a fan of peach-flavored things, anyway. how unfortunate that mr. kim only has those two flavors right now.)

“next time, we’re choosing a flavor that i want,” he gives in. you let out a cheer before grabbing the frozen treat.

you two make your way back to the cashier and spot mr. kim slouched in front of the television, hand stroking the sleepy feline. he’s still wearing an old, red plaid apron on top of a pair of basketball shorts and a loose graphic tee which had the name of a band you’re unfamiliar with. with how he sits, you’re afraid that his back problems will get even worse. (still, you don’t say anything. he’ll only play it off and say he’s still one of the “youngins”... whatever that means.)

once his eyes land on you two, a grin takes over. “ah, my favorite kids! it’s nice to see you both.”

“yeah, it’s been a while,” jaehyun starts off. “y/n’s always busy with kumon.”

you narrow your eyes at the boy. “hey! you’re busy, too! you’ve been practicing at the studio almost every day!” the wrapped popsicle now rests on the counter. “every time i’m free, you’re not.”

“hey! whenever you’re free, i’m tired from training!”

“okay, let’s settle down,” mr. kim breaks up the banter. he then takes note of the ice cream on the cashier, the price showing up on the cashier. “isn’t the heat hard enough for you two to be studying or practicing?”

“yes, very much.” you count the coins once more before dropping the exact amount on the counter. “but,” you glance at jaehyun and his disheartened expression is enough for mountains to move, “i don’t think we have a choice.”

in reality, these were the circumstances you two had to work and live with. during the days jaehyun ended practice early, you were drowning in summer school assessments. whenever you managed to finish your homework, it would be during the hours your best friend was off at the studio or passed out at home from exhaustion.

“choice, no choice, people always say that.” mr. kim counts your payment before putting it into the cashier. as he takes note of what you’ve bought, he says, “everyone has a choice. i’m sure you two can figure it out.”

the only difference is that one chose this path; the other had to suffer from the decision forced onto them.

“don’t worry, mr. kim,” jaehyun nudges your shoulder. “i’m sure we’ll figure it out.” and when the dips in his cheeks appear, you find yourself smiling back.

maybe you were okay with the life you had to live, just maybe.

“anyway, we’ll go ahead,” jaehyun bids farewell to mr. kim.

you giggle. “he means we’re just going to eat our ice cream at the front.”

as you two slowly make your way out of the mart, mr. kim shakes his head. “you lovebirds go ahead. i’ll see you next time!”

“mr. kim!” you and jaehyun shout in unison before glancing at each other.

“what?!”

your best friend groans. “you know we aren’t together.”

“yeah! like, i can’t imagine it,” you join in.

still, the owner laughs at your reactions. “you two are so funny. just go and enjoy your ice cream.”

you roll your eyes at his words. “bye, mr. kim!”

with that, you and jaehyun were out of the mart and took a seat on the benches. you hand your best friend the wrapped frozen treat before letting out a sigh. “i still can’t believe this is one of the few times we got to meet up during the break.”

“i know.” he tears the plastic wrapping off. “you would think that summer break would mean we get to hang out nonstop, but i’m starting to think we saw each other more whenever we had school.”

you hum. “i know. and i had ap stat while you had training.” your eyes dart at jaehyun who grips onto the popsicle sticks, struggling to split it into two. “oh my god, don’t tell me you can’t split it.”

“hey! it’s hard.”

as you giggle, you reach your hand out. “let me do it.” once jaehyun hands you the twin bar, you attempt to split the two. for a moment, you almost think about agreeing with him. yet, the frozen treat splits into two perfectly, and a satisfied smile rests on your lips.

you hand him one popsicle, only to be met with his glare. “i know, i’m just better.”

“just shut up.” to that, another laugh leaves you.

under the sun, you enjoy the coolness of the twin bar. while you would’ve stared off to nowhere, you and jaehyun were here at the right time to catch civilians bustling away. some were on dates, where one would go on about their interest while the other would smile at their rambling. there were kids whose chatter could be heard all the way from the end of the block, and blue-collar men who were off to enjoy their break.

you can’t help but imagine what people saw—thought—of you and jaehyun. did they think of you as unexpected friends? has it ever crossed their minds that you two were only classmates who seemed to always be paired together? or did they ever think the same as mr. kim?

“you know,” jaehyun starts off, causing you to look at him, “i was going through college courses the other day.”

your eyebrows shoot up. “oh?”

with your reaction, jaehyun giggles. “i was just curious, you know? not that i’m giving up on dance or anything, but,” he licks the popsicle, “early childhood education sounds cool.”

you hum. “i wasn’t expecting that.”

“what’s that supposed to mean?”

“no, it’s not a bad thing!” you reassure the boy. “it’s just,” you rip your gaze off of jaehyun and look at the playground, “i always thought of you as a dancer, you know? kind of like you were meant for the stage.” the laughter of the kids who passed by you two bounces all over the block and you can’t help but smile. “but i don’t doubt it.”

the breeze graces your sweat-covered skin. “what about you?” you look back at him. “would you ever consider journalism? maybe communication as your major?”

you’re quick to laugh at his suggestion, but when confusion paints his features, you realize it’s a serious question from him.

“no.” it’s a straightforward answer from you, but jaehyun could never settle with that

“why not?”

a sigh leaves you. “i just don’t consider it. i mean, i think about it,” all the time, “but not enough to consider it. plus, astrophysics is cool.”

“but is it your dream?”

jaehyun’s question is an easy one to answer—not at all. you’ve had enough learning about theories and making sense of the numbers. if your future is going to only complicate that further, then maybe astrophysics isn’t made for you. 

but who’s to say that you’ll even enjoy journalism?

“we’ll see.” you leave it at that and jaehyun didn’t push for more.

because the reality is that if you ever did consider it, transform those dreams into action plans, you were terrified to be met with your parents’ disappointment—it wouldn’t only be from your lousy desires but from jaehyun’s role in your life.

the first time you mentioned jaehyun to your parents happened over dinner, letting them know you would be staying later at school to work on the final project for art class with him. they didn’t bat an eye at his name as they continued to talk about what happened during work and pester you about your progress in other classes. (art class didn’t matter to them, only the sciences and math were ones they seemed to track. still, they would criticize you if you didn’t place first honors.)

with your parents’ oversight, something blossomed between you and jaehyun. from there, there were more days you would get home later than usual. while you were still on top of your work, they took your late arrivals as a form of negligence.

all it took was one night for them to demand an explanation. the reappearance of him in the conversation had only caused them to reprimand you—jaehyun’s not like you. he’ll only hold you back. 

from that day on, you’ve learned to keep his name out of conversations. you’ll enjoy what you have with jaehyun, even if it has to be kept under the wraps.

“how’s training?” you change the subject, trying to keep the attention off of your failed dreams to jaehyun’s flourishing ones.

“well, it’s a lot,” he chuckles as he munches a piece. “you already know that it takes how many hours to get to the company, and the hours i spend in the practice room are unlike the trainings i have at school.”

as his eyes meet yours, you only shoot him an apologetic smile. it was never going to be easy; you two knew that before jaehyun entered the doors of the company. yet, he still held on.

“you know, i never considered it before, but i like where i’m going,” he admits. “even if i’ve always had dreams to pursue dance, i want to make my family proud if i ever get to debut.” 

jaehyun knows how to persevere. regardless of all the bruises he gets from performing complex dance routines or the hours of sleep he longs for, he knows how to hold on. you wish you could say the same for yourself.

“and you will,” you reassure the boy, wrapping your arm around his shoulders. “who wouldn’t be proud of you?”

he holds your stare and your smile falters. for a moment, you don’t know if you touched on a sensitive topic. would he shrug your arm off? do you think he’ll shut you off, maybe cut your time together short? will jaehyun get mad at you for something you didn’t know was wrong? would he be just like them?

“i want to make you proud.”

that’s enough to answer it all.

you shake your head. “don’t even doubt that for a second.” your arm finds it spot back to your side, and jaehyun’s loops his with yours.

although he knows how to persevere, he never knows when to shut his ears from the shadows. 

“i am proud of you,” you tell him. “always have, always will.” he can’t help but smile. all you can hope is that he’ll listen closely to your voice.

“i almost forgot,” he says out of nowhere.

“forgot what?”

as he tugs his arm away, his hand fishes for something in his pocket. “close your eyes.” you furrow your eyebrows. “just do it!” you follow his orders. “and keep them closed, okay?” you let out a hum.

before you know it, something wraps around your index finger. you would’ve opened your eyes, confused over the foreign yet familiar material, but they remain shut. 

“okay, open.”

your gaze rests on your finger wrapped in yellow and blue. it’s a finger trap—and the other end is connected to jaehyun. despite your tug, it still holds you two together.

it’s the warmth that fills your cheeks, the heartbeat in your ears, and your starstruck eyes that has him smile. “no matter what happens, we’ll stick together, okay? regardless of what paths we end up pursuing. all that matters is that we have each other.”

he’s filled with hope. hope for his dreams. hope for your relationship. hope for what the future holds for you two. you can’t help but hope as well.

all it takes is a nod from you to solidify the promise to the universe.

you two sit in silence, finishing up the popsicles as people continue to pass by. at one point, you heard mr. kim let out a curse over the drama he’s watching. the sun is about to set, wrapping you two in a golden blanket, and all that matters is the finger trap.

present  -> two weeks before the interview, 2024

it’s no surprise to you that the newsroom is quiet. while your peers are off to gather more information, you’re with lee chaeyeon of news as she tries to meet the deadline for her article’s first close.

“do you think dokyeom will be late?” you ask as you watch her rephrase sentences.

she laughs. “when is he never? minho’s always assigning him coverages.”

“that’s true.” your eyes drift to the hallway. “i’m just hungry. he still owes me food, you know?”

“over another bet? or you saving his ass?”

“over helping him with an article,” you reveal, earning a shocked look from her. “for some odd reason, he needed another writer to help out with a live coverage, and all the sports writers and sports editor were busy handling the other events.”

“holy shit.” chaeyeon continues with her work. “i didn’t expect you to work on anything sports-related.”

“yeah, but it helped that it was a dance competition. at least i know something about dance.” you only know who to thank. “i’m going to make sure i get compensated for that. i’m planning to raise it to minho and namjoon, anyway. that’s if dokyeom would fucking come and help in explaining the situation.”

with the mention of the tardy writer’s name, he’s scrambling through the halls with his backpack in one hand and a paper bag in the other. the moment he sees you, he shoots you an apologetic smile.

“speak of the devil,” you say as you stand up straight. “why do you always show up late? i helped you with the article.”

dokyeom finds his spot beside you as he sets down the bag on your desk. “i’ll have you know that wasn’t the only article i had yesterday. i was catching up on other ones that minho assigned me.” before he can plop down on his seat, he spots chaeyeon working. “damn, tough life at news.”

“no need to point out the obvious, doofus.”

“wow, harsh,” he replies to her insult. “just so you know, i bought food for us.”

“thank god,” you exclaim as you open the paper bag filled with takeout containers and sealed cups. as you pull them out one by one, you spot your usual order from the vietnamese restaurant around the corner. “oh my god, thank you for getting me this.” you take a seat before you pass dokyeom his food and utensils.

“yeah, i know. i’m just the best.” his shower of compliments for himself only has you rolling your eyes. “but thank you, by the way, for helping me out with the article. i needed an extra pair of hands and my own editor couldn’t stand in to help out.”

“it’s fine. just make sure you help me get compensated for that article,” you say before you open the container. as the smell of bun bo nam bo fills your nose, you can’t help but let out a quiet moan. “holy fuck, i’ve been craving this.”

“i made sure to get you some vietnamese coffee also.”

“yeah, i saw. thank you.” you split the chopsticks with one hand. you’re about to mix the bowl of your favorite food—

“is y/n here?” your editor calls out, causing you to let out a sigh before you stand up from your seat.

“yes?”

namjoon’s gaze lands on you. “can i talk to you for a bit?”

despite your grumbling stomach, you give him a nod and set your food down. as he retreats to his office, you glare at dokyeom who munches away on goi cuon. “i hate you.”

“hey, what did i do?!” you ignore his attempts to defend himself as you make your way to your editor’s office.

once you swing the door open, you spot namjoon whose eyes are stuck to the screen. “you can take a seat,” he says with no attempt to look at you. you sit across from him, hands folded on your lap, while he types away on his keyboard.

the moment he hits the ‘enter’ key is when he finally looks at you. “sorry about that. i was just replying to minho regarding your compensation for the article you worked with dokyeom. we both appreciate what you did. next time though, make sure to loop in minho or me before you two start working on beats not within your staffs.”

“sorry about that,” you start off. “dokyeom only asked for my help and i thought it would be fine since i’m familiar with dance, anyway.”

namjoon shakes his head with a small smile plastered on his face. “it is fine, just make sure to inform us.” you only nod.

“anyway, i’m sorry to have this meeting with you right now but i have to leave work early today, and i thought that you’d appreciate that i tell this to you now instead of tomorrow,” he says. you hum, curious about what he has to say. “i have a coverage for you, a very, very, long one.”

over the sight of your wide eyes, he can’t help but chuckle. “it’s seven articles,” he says and your mouth gapes over the number. “well, one main article and six profiles with very brief introductory paragraphs.” his attempt to ease your shocked state does nothing.

“namjoon, that’s… a lot.”

“yes, i know. i would love to split the workload but everyone else is handling other articles, and i trust you. i know i’m asking for a lot but i’ll make sure to help you out with them. it’s just that we’re working on a time crunch and i don’t know anyone else i can ask but you.”

the faith that your editor seems to have in you is like no other.

“profiles, like, those q&a transcripts?” you ask.

he nods before saying, “yes, and just a brief introductory paragraph for each profile. i’m just expecting you to put more work into the article about the group. i’ll make sure to help out with the profiles.”

namjoon’s trust should be anxiety inducing, enough to send you complaining, but you find yourself relieved. your mentor became your second-in-command; the mountain of workload transformed into a hill.

“okay.”

a relaxed smile appears on his face at your acceptance. “thank god! i was going to stress about this the whole day if you refused. i’ll make sure to send you the details about this once i’m done with my appointments, and then we can see how we’ll divide the work later on.” he types something. “we’re covering a k-pop group which is why there’s one main article about the whole group and then six profiles.”

“yeah, i figured that out.” this isn’t anything out of your usual articles. “can i ask who we’re interviewing? maybe i can do some research on them while you attend your meetings.” you pull out your phone, ready to search up whoever your editor says.

“don’t know if you’re familiar with them but they’re called boynextdoor?” you still in your seat. “wait, let me check. yes, that’s their name.”

“boynextdoor?”

namjoon looks at you, now met with your features that have transformed from wide eyes to scrunched eyebrows.  “yeah. do you know them?” 

you shake your head without a second thought. “no, i don’t think i do,” you whisper the last sentence to yourself. his narrow eyes look over you, almost dissecting you.

the walls surrounding you are painted in solid colors of pearl, almost untouched. yet, under the paint are cracks that spread like cobwebs. every burst is a testament to the earthquakes they’ve faced; no one should be able to see a single line of black amid the white sea. now, they’re filled with paste, and it should be enough to cover them all.

but for the first time, the paint has chipped and the paste has deteriorated; the different colors of cheongju seep through the cracks.

you clear your throat as you straighten your back. “i’ll be sure to research them.” you wave your phone at him, hoping to divert his attention, but his gaze remains on you.

a sigh leaves him. “okay. expect to receive the documents later in the afternoon.”

he doesn’t push any further. for now, the walls remain intact. (or appear as so.)

it was never going to be easy.

“honestly, i gave up expecting to win as we practiced,” the youngest says through tears. as they huddle, they let out silent wishes for the upcoming years. before they blow the candle, they don’t forget to express their gratitude to the fandom who stuck with them through thick and thin.

a time of celebration turned into a moment to remember their struggles. these were pockets of their time that marked their spot in history.

“oh, everyone behind us is crying!” another member points out as the camera captures the team’s bittersweet cries.

and when you catch sight of the brunette who hides his tears behind his friend, the ache in your chest starts to spread through your veins. the video cuts to his low-hanging head as his members comfort him. they knew all of his hardships—you only know a fraction.

such a tender moment happened a year ago; it’s shorter than the amount of time between this achievement and your departure. within those years, what did jaehyun undergo? did his trainings waver his passion or did the fire burn just as bright as it did since he first auditioned? was he confident in his skills or was he still critical about every performance he had?

but most of all, what did he face? what did he learn? to hate? to love?

what did he go through without you?

you don’t forget to take note of their first win on your document filled with bullet points of information. while you were going to continue watching, a recommended video caught your attention. it’s a jaehyun focus. you don’t hesitate to click it.

the video starts off with him checking up on the fans before the performance starts. as he mimes out eating, they answer his question with reassurance.

and there they come—his dimples appear.

it transitions to their group in their opening formation. as they await for the song to play out, jaehyun’s familiar smile shifts into a dominant gaze.

in the same way the first notes draw people to listen, your eyes never leave the boy. his movements are fluid, like water droplets sliding off leaves. he commands the stage regardless of where he’s positioned.

jaehyun is meant to be on the stage—no, every stage is made for him. every crowd is meant to cheer his name and remain captive to his talents, and every spotlight is meant to shine on him.

you rest your chin on crossed arms. long gone was the bowl cut and loose school uniform. he’s grown. matured, even. yet, the moments where his smile appears makes you realize one thing: the 16-year-old boy you knew still lives within him.

as their performance comes to an end, you don’t bother to move your cursor, letting the next recommended video play. and when his vlog plays out, you realize that a fragment of his identity is a whole of what you know.

what an honor it is to have known him for even a fraction of your lifetime.

his voice is a lullaby, the same one you used to fall asleep to, so you allow yourself to close your eyes. you let go of the responsibilities for just this moment, and allow yourself to be transported back into the warmth of his arms.

fall of 2019

out of all the seasons, autumn took its spot in being your favorite. clusters of green slowly morph  into shades of oranges and browns. it’s a symphony of chirps that fills the silence. while the breeze brings you comfort after the heat of summer, it also reminds you of the looming winter.

it’s a shame that autumn does live up to its other name: a season of fall.

“you’re always like this,” your mother comments. you stand in front of your parents, slumped shoulders and downcast eyes, as they hold a sheet of paper they believe dictates your future. “always so sensitive. we’re just asking you what went different. why did your grades drop?” to them, a shift from a to b+ is a threat to your future. 

while your feet stand on wooden floors, a flood starts to form. murky waves crash against your legs, but you do your best to keep your balance.

“answer us when you’re being talked to.” your father snaps you out of your thoughts. “what have you been doing for your grades to drop?” you want to answer but a single sound that leaves you may only lead to blubbers that your parents will scold you for. 

with your silence, your mother sneers. “i knew we shouldn’t have let you do your own things. i told you so.” she shifts her gaze to him. “what did i tell you about y/n? you know they’ll only slack off!”

“i thought we could trust them. clearly, i was wrong.” your father’s glare raises the water levels, reaching your chest. you don’t know how to swim in the foggy ocean.

“i know why.” she crosses her arms. “it’s because of that jaehyun boy, isn’t it?” she says his name laced with disgust.

you don’t think twice to defend him. “no, it isn’t!”

“don’t you dare talk back at me!”

“but i’m not! he’s done nothing.”

your father begins to raise his voice. “and that’s what’s wrong! that lazy boy does nothing for his studies. he clearly doesn’t care about his future.”

you always knew it would be a losing battle, but you’ll put up the fight to protect your best friend’s name. “that’s not true! he does care. he’s planning to do early childhood education for college, maybe become a teacher.”

“that job has no money. see, i can already see that you’re being influenced by him,” he argues back.

and as the murky waters rise, filling your lungs, your first instinct is to close your eyes and scream. “stop saying that about him!”

a beat passes.

“i don’t want you hanging out with him.”

“but—”

“shut up.” your mother’s words cause you to look up, meeting your parents’ faces filled with anger.  “go to your room. now.” you’re nothing but a puppet for them.

was it even a battle if you always knew you were going to lose?

despite the safety of your room, you don’t let the tears flow down. you do anything to distract yourself; maybe a book will convince you that your life is only a figment of your imagination.

waves continue to crash against your body. if you let them take your body, would they send you far away from cheongju? from your parents? from the weight you were entrusted to carry since birth?

but would you allow the waves to send you away from jaehyun?

your phone buzzes against the mattress. with tear-filled eyes, you see your best friend trying to reach you. you don’t think twice about declining his call and shutting off your phone.

as you curl in your bed, you hope the sea will swallow you whole—the slow, burning pain that comes with drowning won’t compare to the burns that haven’t healed. but you know that the blame rests on your shoulders. if only you had studied harder, cut off hours of rest for your work, then maybe you would be the perfect child your parents wanted.

were you wrong for allowing yourself to enjoy the small breaks between classes? was the time spent in the mart supposed to be for schoolwork? should you have found yourself a tutor? were you in the wrong for not working yourself to the bone? did you not work enough?

are you not enough?

then, a knock. your eyes snap open. like a stroke of light in the middle of the dark, jaehyun is by your window.

you get off your bed to open the window. as the glass barrier disappears, he enters your room. “are you okay?” he spots your glassy eyes and his hands find their spot on your shoulders. “what happened?”

you break eye contact. “what do you want, jaehyun?”

“you didn’t pick up your phone. and when i tried calling again, i couldn’t reach you,” he starts to explain.

you shrug off his grip on you before you take a seat on your bed. “i’m fine. my phone died.” as you feel the spot beside you dip, you look at your best friend. at the sight of his furrowed eyebrows, you know he doesn’t believe you. “i said i’m fine.”

“i didn’t say anything.” for you are an open book to him.

he opens his arms towards you—it’s your move to make. then, a tight-lipped smile shows on his face, his dimples appear, and you allow yourself to fall. with his arms wrapped around you, you shut your eyes as you nestle your face into his neck.

breathe in. breathe out.

his hand finds its spot on your back, rubbing it in circles.

breathe in. breathe out.

“it’s okay, i’m here,” he says, and you allow yourself to crumble in front of him for the first time.

the tears hit jaehyun’s neck like a light drizzle. your wails bring earthquakes into his world.

yet, his warmth is enough to dry up droplets, and his embrace protects you as you fall into the cracks of the earth and into the depths of the world. the flood starts to subside.

in your time knowing jaehyun, how much did he know about you after all? had he always known of your strained relationship with your parents? did he hear about it from others or was he able to connect the dots?

because you didn’t know yourself outside of your parents anymore. did you like science because of your kumon classes? was your interest in writing birthed from a desire for validation from your parents?

are you nothing but an array of achievements and failures?

but your parents will never be satisfied; a standard too high is practically nonexistent.

jaehyun moves so that you two can lie down. his arms remain wrapped around you as you hide in his neck. “i’m sorry if i wasn’t there for you when you needed it then.” his whispered apology causes you to shake your head.

“you didn’t do anything wrong,” you blubber out to his neck.

“and you didn’t, as well.” his hand finds its spot behind your head. with every stroke, a tear streams down. “and i want you to know that i’ll be here for you.”

in your house, your room was the only space you called home. solace built by you. 

now, your home is jaehyun.

present -> two weeks before the interview, 2024

something about the newsroom feels odd to you. there’s nothing out of the ordinary aside from it bustling with journalists. the familiar sounds of printers and chatter from your workmates fill your ears. it’s a typical occurrence for your peers to meet their deadlines on the day itself. the tug in your gut doesn’t resemble ones formed out of your anxiety. why does it feel like one of destiny?

“where is dokyeom? i swear, this guy never shows up to the office.”

you snap out of your thoughts, looking over at chaeyeon who browses through her phone. as you shove a bill into the vending machine, a chuckle leaves you. “when is he never?”

“maybe if he finishes his coverages on time then he’d be getting enough sleep. then, he won’t be late.”

you side-eye your friend before you click on a button. “you know that’s not true.”

she sighs at the same time your bottle of iced tea drops. “yeah. apparently, if you have free time, you’re not a good journalist or some shit which i find stupid.” you grab your drink before facing her. “am i not allowed to do something else that’s not related to my job? i swear, this is why i’m single.”

“then date another journalist.” your joke earns a scowl from her.

“i’m never dating anyone in my field. a journalist dating another journalist is like,” she looks up to the ceiling as she thinks, “a long distance relationship with how much they’ll never see or have time for each other.”

a laugh erupts from you, one that may be too loud for your liking. “true.”

as you walk out of the breakroom with chaeyeon, you notice something in the corner of your eye: a brunette by the restroom. while you can’t see his face, you spot what’s in his hand and you halt in your tracks—a finger trap.

“hey, is there someone there?” your eyes snap back to your friend who looks at you in confusion. when your eyes drift back to where the brunette once was, he’s already gone. you shake your head before walking back to your desk.

the same gut feeling lingers. with a frown, you open up your article only to be met with a few comments that namjoon left last night. maybe your gut knew that you weren’t done with your work. thankfully, it’s nothing too major, and you can have them done within the next few minutes.

“there you are!” chaeyeon exclaims, causing you to look up from your screen to a panting dokyeom. “were you working on your articles again?”

“actually, i went out last night.” while you shake your head at dokyeom’s reveal, chaeyeon gasps. “yeah, i did! i actually had fun for once!”

as he nods proudly at last night’s events, she complains, “are you serious?! how come you have time to go out? i was just talking to y/n that we never have time to ourselves.”

“i’m in sports,” he points out as he shrugs his shoulders. “you’re in news.” at this point, you’re expecting the two to spiral into an argument, so you redirect your focus back to your article.

“hey, did you hear though? there’s a k-pop group in the building.” you glance at chaeyeon.

your other friend leans on the cubicle. “really? who?”

“no clue.”

dokyeom lets out a groan. “what type of journalist are you if you can’t find out?”

“yah!” chaeyeon smacks his arm, causing him to wince in pain. “says you who can never submit on time.”

“hey, i’ll have you know that minho has been understanding!”

“whatever.” she rolls her eyes before looking at you. “that means you’ll probably be handling them. i hope they’re cute so that you can finally have something going on with your life outside of work.”

a chuckle leaves you as you get back to work. “i’m never dating an idol. i’d get hunted down by their fans.” 

“yeah, but can’t you dream a little? do you ever imagine what it would be like?”

the past plays in your mind. after school performances and interviews. broken-up popsicles. finger traps. a life you shared with jaehyun then—one you still cling onto.

yet, you shake your head as you edit your article. “not even.”

it’s a life you’ll keep to yourself.

“what’s the update?”

the three of you look away from each other, spotting namjoon who comes to you with a smile. long gone were the sweaters that failed to drown out his figure and the boxy glasses that would rest on the bridge of his nose. now, he wears a dress shirt and trousers with hair slicked to the side. there were no frames for him to hide behind.

“ah, namjoon! you’re dressed so nice today.”

with dokyeom’s compliment, he can’t hold back on his smile. “thank you. are you guys done with your articles?”

as your friends nod, you add the finishing touches to the document. “and done! i just finished addressing your comments.”

“great. thanks, y/n.”

“do you have something?” chaeyeon asks your editor, causing you to roll your eyes. one thing about journalists is that they love to know everything.

namjoon nods before saying, “i just had a meeting with some possible interviewees.”

“is this the one with the k-pop group?” as dokyeom asks the question, you can’t help but laugh as chaeyeon looks at him in disbelief for spilling confidential information.

your editor chuckles. “yes.”

“can we know—”

“no, you can’t know.”

chaeyeon pouts at namjoon. “not even a hint?”

namjoon ignores her question and begins to walk off. “good work, y/n!” he calls out before leaving you three alone.

“man, namjoon never tells us shit,” chaeyeon complains as she leans on the table.

“to you guys, at least,” you argue with a small shrug.

still, the gut feeling remains.

something about the newsroom feels odd to jaehyun. while he’s had his fair share of paranormal experiences, his gut tells him that there’s something in the office. yet, the tug isn’t one that speaks of danger. why does it feel like one of destiny?

“should we have a short break before we discuss the schedules for the photoshoots and interviews?” jaehyun is snapped out of his thoughts by namjoon’s suggestion.

his manager looks at the group. “do you guys need a break?”

“should we have a short break before we discuss the schedules for the photoshoots and interviews?” jaehyun is snapped out of his thoughts by namjoon’s suggestion.

his manager looks at the group. “do you guys need a break?”

although everyone seemed fine with proceeding, he couldn’t shake off the feeling. maybe the leftover curry he had this morning went bad. “i’ll go,” he says as he gets off his seat.

namjoon slowly stands up. “okay, i can bring you there—”

“it’s okay! i saw the washroom on the way here,” jaehyun says before walking to the door. “you can discuss the details without me first.”

with his manager’s nods, namjoon settles back into his seat. “okay then, here are some of the dates i have in mind...”

jaehyun exits the room. he bites on the inside of the cheek as he thinks of what his gut could be telling him. is it the nerves for the upcoming tour? is he worried about the next comeback they’ve been preparing? or is he scared about what the future has in store for his group?

with his mind on these questions, he doesn’t realize that he arrives in front of the bathroom door. a sigh of frustration leaves him. the worst thing about gut feelings is never knowing what they’re trying to say.

he grips the handle, ready to swing the door open, until a familiar laugh hits his ears. one of the past. one he hasn’t heard in years. his muscles freeze.

when was the last time he heard that chortle? when was the last time he became the cause of it?

his eyes dart around the area for the source but no one else is here. he can’t help but shake his head in disbelief.

it should be stupid for him to think you two would ever reunite. in what world would you be in the same place as he is? it’s been five years. you could be anywhere around the world. yet, he fishes for something out of his pocket; the same finger trap he linked you to him rests on the palm of his hand.

he sighs before entering the washroom and shoving it back into his pocket.

maybe he’ll hold out a little longer.

winter of 2019

out of all the seasons, jaehyun’s favorite is winter. snowflakes fall, filling the sky with stars that people can touch, and snow piles on sidewalks, letting him throw snowballs at his friends. despite the freezing temperatures, jaehyun prefers this over nearly-boiling ones.

he can’t wait to share this season with you.

yet, the familiar, chilly breeze of the season transforms into whispers, and word gets around like thrown snowballs. 

“is y/n really not going to school anymore?” jaehyun looks up from his desk to see jiheon standing in front of him. he tilts his head in confusion, causing her to roll her eyes. “are they not going here anymore?”

he frowns. “huh? what kind of rumor is that?”

“i don’t know. it’s what people have been saying,” she says as she crosses her arms. “i asked because i wanted to know if my competition’s gone, you know? and you’re the only one here who has an idea about their whereabouts.”

jaehyun laughs in disbelief. “no, i was with them last week.”

when jaehyun last saw you, you asked for space. with what’s been happening with your family, you needed time to process and cope with your issues, and he respected that. after all, he only knew a fraction of your relationship with your parents, and he didn’t want to intrude in anything you didn’t want him to be a part of. still, jaehyun reminded you that he’ll be there if you need him.

“damn, that sucks,” jiheon groans as her shoulders slump. “these stupid rumors.” as soon as she leaves jaehyun alone, he shakes his head.

the bell rings. students start rushing into classrooms and teachers scold those who aren’t on their seats. ms. jeon enters the room, walking to the desk in front and setting her things down. “baek jiheon, you’ll be in charge of attendance today.”

as jaehyun’s classmate gets off her seat, he can’t help but look at your desk that still remains empty.

“you have to message us when you land,” your mother says as she fixes the collar of your coat. despite your nod, she clicks her tongue. “answer me properly.”

“yes, i will.”

once your father finishes placing the last luggage in the trunk of the taxi, he stands beside your mother. “don’t forget why we’re sending you there. we expect you to do better with no distractions.”

your phone buzzes in your hand. as you look down, you see a message from jaehyun. as he asks about your whereabouts, the weight gets heavier—will you stand or crumble under it?

“who’s that?”

you stash your phone away as you look back at your parents. “nothing. it’s just an email from the school. they sent over the date for the orientation.” at the sight of their satisfied smile, you let out a small sigh of relief.

“well, go on.” your nod at your mother before getting in the car. with the windows still down, she adds, “don’t forget to get endorsement letters from the professors i sent over to you or else you won’t get to study abroad like we planned.” her choice of pronouns is funny; a plan that they crafted which never considered your input.

“okay.”

as your father commands the driver to go, your gaze remains on the two. it should be okay with you to leave cheongju; you’d be far away from your parents and experience an entirely different landscape to explore. it’s time you break away from the chains of this town. learn a life outside of what your parents forced you into.

yet, as the car takes its leave, the figure of your parents slowly shrinks. the distance from them should’ve given you the space to breathe, a relief you’ve longed for, but it only reminds you of your strained relationship. to them, it would be better that you’re out of their sight—and with your farewell, you never heard the three-word phrase.

the window rolls up. you try to hold back the tears, but the scenery of cheongju that you pass by births a storm within you. you didn’t want to say goodbye to home, regardless of how much you say you didn’t have a home in this town. every corner holds a piece of you in the same way you hold a piece of them.

the car approaches a safe haven you share. despite the snow that piles at the front, mr. kim’s convenience store is still open. you’ll never get to have his hotteok again or hear his favorite dramas play in the background. worst of all, you never got to say goodbye.

then, the familiar figure of your best friend exits the mart, and the storm transforms into a typhoon. the plastic bag he holds is filled with your favorite snacks, from the grape-flavored twin bar to a bottle of mr. kim’s homemade peach iced tea.

and in that moment that your car passes him, he pulls out his phone from his pocket, and you spot the familiar trap wrapped around his finger—the other end holds no one.

as quickly as you came into jaehyun’s life, he disappears from your view.

finger traps were fascinating. if you tug hard, the contraption won’t let your fingers go. yet, if you allow the two fingers to meet, allowing the toy to loosen, it’ll let you go with no harm.

but your finger trap with jaehyun was different. maybe it was already ripped to its seams.

interview

q: what made you decide on becoming an idol?

a: i’ve always loved dancing. growing up in cheongju, i always made time [for dance] whether it be [for] school competitions, talent shows, or even [choreographies] i wanted to try out. but i never considered becoming [an idol] until high school. a lot of my friends and family thought i was capable, and i’m glad they trusted me. it feels good to give back to them with every performance.

q: compared to your other members, you’ve spent a lot of years dancing and training to become an idol. what kept you going throughout your years of training?

a: my family’s support was one big thing that helped me [during my training.] every trip from my house to the company would last hours, and it drained me physically. so as the years went by, i started to question if all the time, money, [and] effort i was putting into an unpromised debut would be worth it, but my parents and brother were always there to support and [take] care of me. but i’d also like to think my best friend was a major support in training years. i think they were the first one to [tell me that they saw me as an idol,] and at the time i brushed off the idea. but, look where i am now? so i think i owe a lot to them.

q: is there anything you’d like to say to those who’ve supported you as boynextdoors’s myung jaehyun? a: mom and dad, thank you for believing in me. i know it wasn’t easy to wait until midnight for me to come home or take care of me whenever i got sick from training. thank you for always supporting me in every performance. to my brother, thank you for helping mom and dad out at home. every day, i remind myself that you gave up so much just so i can pursue my dreams, and i want you know that i’m forever grateful for your sacrifices. to the rest of [boynextdoor], thank you for always allowing me to rely on you. i’m glad i can say i have brothers who i get to achieve my dreams with. onedoor, thank you for your love and support over the years. i wouldn’t be boynextdoor’s leader or myung jaehyun if it weren’t for you. and lastly, thank you to my best friend. i hope you’ll always be proud of me the same way i’ll forever be proud of you.

taglist: @kflixnet @blankjournal @blissfullsvn @lovialy

soft and sweet as always... if there was one way i could describe this series it would be like burying in a soft, warm blanket during a chilly night (⸝⸝ᴗ_ᴗ⸝⸝) ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁! i had a feeling reader was eventually going to introduce taesan to music, i'm looking forward to how this evolves too! of course, reader and taesan's relationship is slowly but steadily progressing and it's so heartwarming to know taesan is starting to trust reader ≽^- ˕ -^≼

time and space. ⎯ chapter four

₊˚⊹ ᰔ in which you take taesan, a black cat hybrid, in to live with you.

content: hybrid!taesan, fem!reader, mentions of taesan's life in the lab before y/n took him in, a cute ramen date, taesan listens to the smiths for the first time warnings (for this chapter): none, but again do note that i mention taesan's rather negative experiences at the lab before meeting y/n! word count: 2.1K [approximately 9mins reading time] a/n: thank you for waiting for me on this update! this one is rather text heavy, but i hope you enjoy it! <3

series masterlist here!

The next few days pass quietly. Taesan is a lot more comfortable now, or at least, more than he was before. He sleeps in his bed every night now, and you can tell that he just loves the duvet. He all but melts into it every night, every time you wish him goodnight, flicking the light switch of his room off, you can see the way he settles so comfortably into the soft fabric. It makes you smile, your heart warming, like a gentle, glowing flame, growing the same way Taesan is growing more comfortable with you. He still isn’t talking a whole bunch … or at all, for that matter, but you don’t press him to. Small progress is still progress. 

In true cat fashion, Taesan’s whole life seems to revolve around you now. Every morning, when the alarm on your phone goes off, you can hear him shuffling around his room moments after, waking up as well. You know he waits for you - he uses the bathroom after you, and he follows you to the kitchen for breakfast once he’s done. Every breakfast, he sits across you at the kitchen table, his silky black ears flicking ever so slightly, and his tail swishing around calmly. You thought it’d take a while to adjust to having another body in the house, but to your surprise and delight, it’s comfortable. 

Taesan seems to fit into your routine, your space, perfectly fine. Almost as if, he was the missing piece this whole time. He moves in tandem with you everytime you move around the kitchen, be it to prepare meals or to clean up. Taesan has taken a liking to observing you - you can feel his warm, gentle gaze on you anytime you’re at the sink cleaning the dishes, or hunched over the counter or cabinets cleaning up after a meal. Taesan feels like he’s learning. He wants to. He wants to observe every little detail, every little method. And you know his little staring habit pays off, because sometimes you’d find the kitchen table perfectly clean by the time you’re done doing the dishes - Taesan had wiped the table down, stacked the containers of side dishes together and brought them to the fridge, just like how you’d do it. 

It’s comfortable. The first time he took the effort to help you clean up, you had smiled at him and told him what a great help he is, and you all but melted at the sight of his sparkling eyes and the small smile that tugged on his lips. You didn’t miss the way his ears perked way up, and his tail flicked around excitedly at your praise either. The warm flame in your heart was growing steadily each day, and little by little, it felt like you were being enveloped by warmth, by the adoration and love you had for the hybrid boy. Taesan has a habit of turning to you after he does anything, as if he wants to see your reaction, to see if he did things in a way that’s satisfactory for you. 

“Cleaning day is so much faster and efficient now, thanks to you, Taesanie,” you coo softly, a warm grin on your face as you wiped the kitchen counter, turning your head briefly to glance at Taesan, as he wiped the clean dishes dry and put them neatly back in the cabinets. “It’s fun,” he says simply, his soft, gentle tone of voice breaking the comfortable silence. The two of you make quick work of cleaning up the kitchen, putting away the dishes and organising the fridge. 

Taesan makes a small sound, catching your attention in the midst of you checking the expiration dates of your canned food, so you turn and look up at him. You can’t hide the small smile that tugs on your lips when Taesan brings a tissue up to your forehead, tenderly wiping away some of the sweat that had appeared as a result of doing housework. 

“Thank you, Taesan,” you tell him softly, and for the first time since you met him, Taesan grins. He smiles a little wide, baring his teeth just enough, enough to make your heart soar. You continue checking on your stashes of snacks and canned food, hearing the sound of Taesan’s feet shuffling around the kitchen, and the light rustling of plastic. You perk up at the sound, turning to see what Taesan was up to. 

“Ramen,” he says softly, and you see that he had grabbed two packets of instant noodles, a slightly expectant look in his eyes as he waited for you to say something. “Oh? You wanna cook?” you ask curiously. You didn’t doubt that he had to have some basic knowledge of cooking, but since the day he started living with you, you’d been the one to make the food, while Taesan was more of a helper around the kitchen itself. The feline nods at you, his eagerness amusing you. 

So you let him - watching as he expertly grabbed a pot from the cabinet, filling it with water. He turns on the stove, and he knows to wait for the water to boil before putting the noodles in. Now you find that you’re the one observing him, watching his every move. And you know Taesan can tell you’re watching him too -  after a while of quiet, he speaks softly. 

“Back at the lab, before the shelter…” he starts softly, and you wait with bated breath, hanging onto his every word. “Getting nice food was hard… but if I was lucky, quick enough, I … I could score some packets of ramen. I…would cook them in secret, so no one would scold me for eating a lot,” he explains softly, keeping his eyes on the pot of water as it slowly bubbled. You feel your throat dry up a little at the thought of Taesan having to hide his food, all in the name of survival. You watch as he carefully places the two blocks of noodles in the pot, and you can’t help but visualise him, skinnier, desperate, quite literally fighting for his life in that place just mere months ago. 

You decide not to say anything, just keeping Taesan company as he made ramen for the two of you. Taesan doesn’t mind - your warmth is enough for him. Just you being there was enough for him, he thinks. As he stirs the pot gently, watching as the noodles soften and thicken up, he thinks that his life now, is one that he would’ve never even dreamed of back then. This comfort, this warmth and this safety. He can’t help but chuckle softly when you poke your head next to him, whispering about how good the ramen looks as he’s stirring the condiments and spices in. 

“It’s… what would you call it? Comfort food?” He speaks gently, his tone of voice like a soothing balm to your soul. You nod, wetting your lips slightly as the whole kitchen starts smelling like ramen. “Ramen is your comfort food?” you ask him softly, to which he nods. You smile to yourself, allowing yourself to feel some slight relief at the idea of Taesan having at least a comfort food coming out of his past experiences. “Wah, you’re a pro, Taesan-ah…” you can’t help but swallow your own saliva, watching as the boy cracks two eggs into the pot, expertly. Taesan chuckles again, and you glance at him briefly, feeling your heart thump against your chest just a little harder, your tummy growling just a little louder. 

It’s so simple - two people standing in the kitchen, under the fluorescent lights, accompanied by nothing but the sound of boiling ramen stew and the occasional comment about how good the food looks. It’s simple, but it’s so comfortable. Taesan opening up to you, like a lotus flower blooming softly, even in the murkiest of waters - it’s something you wouldn’t trade for the world. 

“Mhmm… Taesan-ah, this is like, stupidly good. It’s so freaking good,” you hum in satisfaction, your mouth partially full with a spoonful of noodles. You’re so immersed in scarfing down the ramen that you don’t notice the way Taesan is looking at you. His smile may as well meet his eyes with how wide it is, watching you eat his cooking so heartily. Taesan thinks to himself that maybe, he’ll learn to cook more things. He’ll learn and perfect his cooking, if it means that he gets to see you eat so well and look so happy while doing it. 

With the way you were eating the ramen, the meal is finished relatively quickly, and it’s back to your usual routine. Taesan moves around you, quietly and comfortably, as you both made quick work of cleaning up after your meal. Taesan seems to be in a particularly good mood after the meal - what you don’t see is that he’s happy because he cooked a meal that made you happy. After cleaning up, the two of you find yourselves in the living room, and as you’re flicking through channels on TV, an idea pops into your mind. 

“Taesan, do you listen to music?” you ask tentatively, watching as Taesan’s ears perk up curiously. He takes a moment to ponder about it, and he softly tells you that he’s only heard things that were playing on the radio in the shelter, right before you came to get him. You nod understandingly, the grin on your face widening a little. “You’re going to love this,” you say with a grin, turning the TV to Spotify, quickly searching up a particular album that you think he might like. 

“The Smiths, 1986. The Queen is Dead. I think you’ll like this album,” you grin at Taesan, and his tail swishes against the fabric of the couch gently. You press play on the album, your eyes widening and your smile growing as you watch Taesan’s ears flick around so much. He’s really feeling the music, you think to yourself, mentally patting yourself on the back for being the one to introduce him to the wonders of The Smiths. 

“A plundering desire for love… and after all this time, they don’t want to believe us… what do you think?” you hummed softly, before turning to Taesan to see his reaction. His eyes are practically glued to the screen, his head bobbing lightly to the melody. “I like it,” he smiles softly after a while, turning to you to meet your eyes. Your smile is big and bright, matching the glowing flame in your heart as you watched the pretty, feline boy next to you. 

You cycle through several albums after that, mostly from the 80s, and Taesan seems to love every song that he comes across in the extensive list. From Sea, Swallow Me, to Here Comes Your Man, Taesan grows more and more comfortable letting himself enjoy the music, his head nodding softly, his feet tapping against the carpet gently. The comfortable silence is only broken from time to time by your soft comments about any particular song, and the soft chuckles shared between the two of you. It’s comfortable, you think to yourself. 

After a while, you stretch your arms as you get up from the couch, gesturing to the clock by the TV. “It’s getting late, Taesan, we should go to bed,” you tell him softly, an amused scoff leaving your lips when he looks up at you, the tiniest pout on his lips. “I can take you to the music store over the weekend if you want,” you suggest softly, and Taesan seems to instantly perk up at the sound of it. You nod with a light laugh, taking the TV remote from him and turning the TV off, ushering him to go to his room to sleep. 

Like any other night, the two of you don’t go to sleep without saying goodnight to one another. You stand in the doorway of Taesan’s room, watching as he tucks himself into his bed, and his favourite duvet. You smile warmly at the way he raises his hand a little, his fingertips peeking out from beneath the duvet, a soft Goodnight Y/N muttered into the quiet of his room. “Goodnight, Taesan,” you flick his bedroom light off, before returning to your own room to get some rest yourself. It’s comfortable, life lately. You find yourself drifting off to sleep quickly, images of Taesan’s smile flashing in your mind even as you fall deeper into dreamland. 

tags: @taesancore @cupidslovearrows @000-pawz @blumisiu @renjuneoo @tsandoll @lionhanie @0310s @jmclouds @sugazwrld @darlingz99 @jungwonie-bae @angelic-jeonghan1004 @i03jae @morninkoffie @beemarkie

a/n: while doing up the taglist for this update, it dawned on me just how many people have liked and requested to be tagged in this series and it's incredibly heartwarming for me. i sincerely, truly hope you enjoy this chapter, and i thank you once again for being so patient with me now, and in time to come. thank you for all the love! again, if anyone would like to be tagged in the future updates, send me an ask in my inbox! and do note that PLEASE have your age stated somewhere on your blog or i will NOT tag you. this series will have smut sooner or later so 18+ only please!

𐙚 boynextdoor ; which body part they love on their s/o

♡ 2k words. smut — 18+ mdni. bonedo legal line x fem! reader. headcanons. warnings: mentions blowjobs, handjobs, marking, nipple play, unprotected sex (NO 🔪 i’m in your walls). also not proofread super well! if there’s anymore, please let me know! <3

♡ authors note ; ANOTHA ONE!! decided to post this as well since i’ve had it in my drafts for a couple weeks! i might make a fluff version of this…lemme know if that’s something you guys would like! also, please remember that this is just my opinion and just for fun. feedback and reblogs are appreciated! enjoy my fairies (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡

sungho — loves your back

𐙚 …. sungho loves to have you on his lap!! he adores watching you fuck yourself silly on his thick cock while admiring how much of a whimpering, blabbering mess you are :( he really loves it though, for the fact that his hands can explore every inch of your back…they’re sturdy and warm as they massage circles around it, his fingernails digging into your skin. it’s the perfect place to hold himself steady as he cums inside of you. even if you’re just straddling him whilst making out, his hands will always slip under your shirt and start pawing at your back. he’s a desperate love-sick kitty, what do you expect!! a lot of the times, he grips you so tightly that there are red handprints adorning your skin…he apologises though and always kisses the hurt areas better <3

𐙚 …. when he fucks you from behind, he always pulls out just in time to cum all over your back. he’s never rough with you, but he’ll firmly push your body down into the bed so it’s easier for him to spill out onto you <3 makes him so dizzy to see his thick, white juices trickling down your spine and decorating your skin so prettily…the sight turns him on all over again and he just has to do something about that! so, expect your back to be pretty sticky by the end of the night. but don’t worry, he cleans up his mess <3

𐙚 …. if he’s feeling really pent up and needy for you, he makes you lay face down on the bed with your head tied above your hands (nothing rough, of course, soft ribbons only <3) just so he can indulge in your back. he loves to trail a finger down your spine whilst softly whispering praises into your ear, telling you how pretty you look, all for him to ravish. he kisses you all over, but your lower back is his favourite. loves to linger on that area, sucking and biting the tender skin to mark you as his. he’s still very gentle with you :( even when he rakes his fingernails every which way up and down your back. when he can’t handle the tension any longer, he drags his tip back and forth along the length of you before sitting himself down and rolling his hips dumbly on you so he can cum <3

𐙚 …. he definitely enjoys taking photos of the mess on your back when he’s finished with you….it’s a piece of art to him; the streaks of his cum painted across your skin, something he uses to remind you that you’re his and his only <3 keeps the photos in an album on his phone, and looks through it when he jerks off, or when he’s just missing you :(

riwoo — loves your boobs

𐙚 …. riwoo titty sucker!!! the agenda shall never end!! <3 without fail, every time he fucks you, your boobs are covered in hickeys and your nipples are completely sore the next day from his mouth sucking on them non-stop. he just can’t help it :( it’s his favourite way to make you feel good (and help you cum faster). it turns him on so much to feel his cock buried deep inside your cunt and feel his lips latched onto your tits, his tongue swirling around your sensitive buds. loves to pull on them, then let go and watch the soft mounds bounce slightly.

𐙚 …. riwoo titty…fucker?…!!£/£: HELP!!! it’s true and real, though…to me. he adores it, but can be very shy about asking for it :( even if he’s asked you a million times, he always turns into a blushing, stuttering mess <3 speaks to you so softly when he asks if he can sit on top of you and slide his dick between your tits…

𐙚 …. and instead of telling you, he’ll ask you sweetly if you can play with your nipples, telling you that it makes him cum faster <3 is such a sensitive baby, it doesn’t take long before he’s squirting all over your pretty tits, blabbering and moaning out nonsense. most of the time, he’ll cum on your tits obvi, but there are instances where you just look too pretty underneath him, and he’ll scoot up as quick as he can drip into your open mouth. is obsessed with how it slides down your lips, over your chin, and down your neck…gets him horny all over again <3

𐙚 …. he loves to make you cum just from sucking on your tits!! he’s so amazing at using his mouth, it definitely happens, and often…drives him insane to see you reach your climax all because of his mouth :( gives equal attention to both of your boobs, going back and forth between swirling his tongue around your nipples, blowing onto them softly, pulling and tugging and biting gently…poor baby gets so caught up in the act that he absentmindedly grinds onto whatever surface he happens to be near / sitting on and climaxes all over himself. and then you’re both a mess, all sweaty and covered in cum <3

jaehyun — loves your hips

𐙚 …. he definitely buys you lingerie that accentuates your hips >< he’ll ask you to try on all the outfits he bought you and give him a little fashion show <3 melts into a gigantic puddle when he sees you in every set…he’s so enamoured with you…he might start drooling lol. gives you so many sweet compliments!! he makes sure you know how beautiful you are and how much he adores you.

𐙚 …. and it doesn’t take long before he’s got his hands gripping your hips to pull you close and kiss you deeply… then fucking you dumb afterwards <3 and! when he’s feeling particularly dominant before sex, he’ll ask (but mostly tell, sweetly though) that he wants to see you in a specific outfit writhing underneath him <3

𐙚 …. he always kisses down your stomach before eating you out, and he adores letting his lips linger on the curve of your hip, and your hip bones. it’s his favourite thing to do…to press hot, sloppy, open-mouthed kisses to them, stopping to suck and nip at the skin so he can mark you. whispers so many praises into your skin while he does so, because all he wants to do is make you feel loved and worshipped. he can be a tease, though!! will purposefully pay attention to that area of your body for a while just to see you squirm and press your thighs together for some kind of relief…all he does is purr at you to be patient. and when he’s finally got his mouth attached to your folds, his tongue flicking your clit, his hands are gripping your hips as hard as they can to keep you still <3

𐙚 …. is always holding your hips down while he fucks you <3 poor puppy gets so carried away and lost in pleasure that his hold on you is so tight, it leaves bruises on your skin. he feel terrible once he’s calmed down from his climax and takes notice of the purple blooms :( he apologises profusely, hugging you tight. he delicately kisses your face all over, saying i love you and i’m sorry between each one <3 and he’ll get you an ice pack as quickly as he can! he’ll tend to the bruises for the next few days until they’re completely gone.

taesan — loves your hands

𐙚 …. he just finds your hands so pretty…he needs them to be all over him, all the time. loves it when you stick your fingers in his mouth!! he likes to pause make out sessions to bring one of your hands to his lips and kiss each finger gently, then stuff them in his mouth and suck on them. he likes to look into your eyes while he coats them in his spit then pull them out slowly, making you watch how well he can take them <3

𐙚 …. during sex, if you're on top, he'll grab your hands and place them on his chest and hold them there. he just can’t get enough of when they’re pressed against him. especially when your fingernails are digging into his skin as you bounce on his cock. absolutely melts when you mark him… if you’re underneath him, claw at his back and he’s cumming immediately.

𐙚 …. something he’ll always ask you is if you can tug his hair when he fucks you <3 it gets him so riled up, and often times he’s whining at you to pull harder. and! his most favourite thing to do when either of you are close to cumming is intertwine a hand in yours, squeezing it tightly and pushing into the mattress as you both reach your highs…it’s so romantic to him <3

𐙚 …. dreams of you giving handjobs to him…he can't get enough. and when you are giving him one, it’s when he's particularly needy and subby :( you could be cuddling then al of a sudden, he’ll randomly take your hand in his and kiss it sloppily and then beg for you to let him fuck it whilst sliding over your fingers with his tongue...you always let him cause duh!! he's such a whimpering mess as he looks down and sees your pretty fingers wrapped around his cock like a decoration <3 will lazily buck his hips up and down cause your grip just feels too good. he’ll grab your free hand and gag himself with your fingers and moan around them. sometimes bites down on them accidentally as he cums <3 (always kisses them after as an apology!!)

leehan — loves your neck

𐙚 …. he loves giving you hickeys!! loads of them!! good luck going out in public they day after you guys have sex cause you will need 637 layers of foundation on your neck :P it doesn’t matter whose on top, he always makes sure he can reach your neck to suck and bite it <3 can get so lost in the act, it becomes really hard for him to stop. his kisses are always very sloppy — a mess of his tongue and spit and teeth but it’s incredibly hot. whimpers and moans as he completely demolishes your neck <3

𐙚 …. when he’s on top of you and things get very heated, or if he’s just feeling particularly mean and/or horny for you, he’ll wrap one of his hands around your neck (⸝⸝⸝-﹏-⸝⸝⸝) of course, he talks to you about it and creates a safe word!! safety comes first for him. and he’ll always check with you before he does it. it’s just so so hot to him to see you squirming underneath him from pleasure and using your neck as a way to steady himself as he pumps his cock into you ruthlessly.

𐙚 …. one of the reasons he’s so infatuated with your neck is because he just adores your voice. <\3 so, naturally, as he fucks you, he loves to drag his hand firmly up your throat while his lips are hovered above yours, mimicking the pretty sounds that come out of you. let out a filthy mewl, and he’s almost mockingly trying to match it with his own voice. he’s just so intoxicated by the noises you make <3

𐙚 …. when you’re sucking his cock, he likes to pull out just enough so his tip is barely touching your chin, then watches in complete bliss with his mouth wide open as his cum leaks down your neck <3 will take his fingers to soak up the mess, then stick them in your mouth and tell you to clean them…or, he’ll kneel down to lick up the mess himself then shove his tongue down your throat so you can taste him <3

♡ taglist — @onedoornet. @luv-y0urself. @lilriswife4life.

boynextdoor sensitive spots.

this is a post of boynextdoor's sensitive spots/erogenous zones based off of a personal reading that @000-pawz has done for bnd!! this is all for fun and also based off of what i think as well so it's all in good fun!! thank u for sharing this info with me dai <3

warnings: 18+!! body worship, exhibitionism, nipple play, hair pulling

park sungho. waistline and abdomen.

sungho takes pride in his body, he’s worked hard to look the way he does so you love to spend a bit of extra time admiring him for all his hard work. you quickly found out how sensitive he is because of your desire to praise him. you’d have him laid underneath you, placing kisses all over his face, trailing down to his shoulders and chest. when you got to his abdomen you’d begin peppering kisses over his abs, your finger running down the center of his abdomen. you’d never forget the way he shivered at this and the way he breathed out a gentle moan. every kiss you left on this area of his body had him closing his eyes and his lips parting. his head felt dizzy as you muttered soft praises against his skin. you love to kiss sungho, always taking time to press your lips against his after a long day. you pull at the sides of his shirt as you do so moving your hands under his shirt, pressing them to his sides. he moans into the kiss, giggling a little at the feeling of you caressing his waistline.

lee sanghyeok. stomach and dick.

sanghyeok’s dick has always been sensitive, always more sensitive than anyone you’d seen before. he’d whimper at the lightest touches, his body tensing at you even brushing against it. this was one of the things you adored most about him. another spot that’s sensitive on him is his belly though, this is something you found out on accident. the two of you would be eating snacks together, enjoying a sweet treat and enjoying each others company. you’d call him cute and put your hand under his shirt to rub his tummy. when you brushed against the lover part of his tummy he’d let out a little whine, one that he didn’t even mean to let out. his face would burn red at this and he’d immediately apologize because he genuinely didn’t mean to do that. you’d giggle at him and tell him that it’s okay but then you’d ask if he liked that. he’d wanna curl into a ball and die but he couldn’t deny that it was making his dick hard. you’d tickle him a little, continuing to touch there and it wouldn’t be long before he’s all needy for you.

myung jaehyun. inner thighs.

jaehyun’s a sensitive guy overall so its almost like every spot is his sensitive spot but there’s one area that gets him going more than the others. when you place your hand in his lap under the table he doesn’t think anything of it at first, offering you a sweet smile at the gesture. your hand stayed in place for a bit, jaehyun placing his hand in yours as well. you’d move your hand out of his grasp, slightly slipping your hand between his legs, fingertips dipping in between. he’d almost jump at this, the sudden movement taking him by surprise. he’d press his legs together tighter, his skin feeling almost tender where you touched. he’d try to keep himself together at the table, spreading his legs a little for you once he’d calmed himself a little. it would take almost no time for him to get needy, his hand gripping onto your wrist as you touched him. you’d only have to gently move your fingers along his skin to have him falling apart for you. you’d see how hard he is and it would take no time for him to be begging to go home.

han taesan. chest/nipples.

a whine breaks out of the boy's mouth, his lips returning to a pressed position. taesan was trying so hard to keep himself together but the stimulation you're leaving on the most sensitive part of his body is making it extremely hard. you have him sat in your lap, his back against your chest and body completely bare in front of you. his full weight is pressed against you, body too weak to sit up on his own. you feel his arms continuously tense against your legs as he grips at the sheets beneath him. his cock, stood up proudly, continuously twitches as you run your hands over his chest, precum bubbling at his tip, sliding down the left side of his shaft. you keep your touches feather light, as you brush your fingertips against his hardened nipples. he hadn’t realized how much pleasure could come from the sensitive nubs on his chest. he loved when you teased him but hated how desperate it got him and the way you’re playing with his nipples had him feeling insane. it’d become a habit after this point for him to touch his nipples during sex because it just felt so good.

kim donghyun. neck and hands.

his lips are pressed firmly against yours, his body pressing towards you. he'd push you backwards, easily controlling the kiss as he moves you towards the bed. his hand would support your back as he falls forwards with you, lips never pulling apart. your hands swiftly move up his body, one of your hands would rest on the back of his neck, soon after trailing up his neck and into his hair. your grip on his locs would be loose but he'd break away from the kiss, moving back to take in your expression. he'd smile down at you, eyelids hooded as he stares down at you. “go on. pull harder.” he'd hover over you encouraging you every time to pull his hair. he let's out the prettiest moan every time you do, his satisfaction is evident. he loves to feel your hands on his neck in general, like when you place your hands on the back of his neck or even when you put your hands around his throat. he's also a huge fan of hand holding during sex, he loves too feel your hands against his, the way you squeeze, the way your hand gets warm, he loves it all.

pick me up!

pairing: jaehyun x gn!reader ft. sungho x gn!oc genre: fluff, crack, established relationship warning(s): mentions of food word count: 1.8k

summary: the three times jaehyun has (unsuccessfully) tried flirting with you through pick-up lines, and the one time you did it back to him.

ZERO.

“So, how did you win your partner over?”

Jaehyun looks up from his phone to see Sanghyeok raising his eyebrows at Sungho, a genuinely curious expression resting on his face. Jaehyun puts down his phone, ears peeled for his best friend’s reply.

Sungho puts his cup of coffee back onto the saucer, expressionless. “Pick-up lines.”

Sanghyeok suddenly lets out a series of coughs, seemingly having choked on his drink. Jaehyun pats his back repeatedly, sheepishly smiling at patrons from neighbouring tables at the café who had looked over due to the commotion.

“Pick-up lines? I didn’t think you’d be the type to use them to flirt,” Sanghyeok manages after calming down, “To be fair, I didn’t think you were capable of flirting at all.”

“Okay, first of all, that’s offensive,” Sungho clutches his chest dramatically, “Second of all, it works wonders. You can’t say anything, because I’m the one with a partner.”

“Really?” Sanghyeok huffs, turning to Jaehyun, “I don’t trust him. Does it really work?”

Jaehyun blinks.

“I’ve… never tried it before,” he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, and Sungho’s jaw drops a little.

“Dude, you’re actually missing out,” Sungho slaps Jaehyun on the back, “You should try it sometime. I’m sure y/n’s reaction will be gold.”

Jaehyun hums, internally putting his thinking cap on. He’ll try it as soon as he goes home to you.

ONE.

“Honey, can you pass me your watch, please?” you poke your head through the gap between your bedroom door and the doorframe to see your boyfriend sitting on his side of the bed as he uses his phone.

“My watch?” Jaehyun looks up. He’s about to get up to find it, but he suddenly stops, gears turning in his head as you walk over to stand in front of him, “How about I give you my time instead?”

You chuckle, having not expected such a reply, and reach over to boop his nose. “That was a good one, honey, but I need your watch now. I told the watch repairer I’d be down at his shop like, ten minutes ago,”

Jaehyun smiles at the physical contact, but scrunches his nose in confusion immediately after, his mission of flirting with you through pick-up lines completely forgotten. “Why are you bringing my watch to the repair shop?”

“Honey, you told me you wanted it cleaned last week, didn’t you?” you ruffle his hair, endeared by his forgetfulness.

“Oh, right! I did,” Jaehyun’s eyes light up, recalling his request. He doesn’t know if you noticed, but he’s very sure there’s literal stars in his eyes. You always take care of him so well, and he’s nothing short of grateful. “Thank you, baby.”

You’ve already left for the repair shop quite a while ago when Jaehyun abruptly sits up from his lying-down position, sighing in disappointment.

You didn’t react to his pick-up line.

TWO.

“Honey, can you pass me the tomato sauce in front of you?” you nudge your boyfriend softly, eyes focused on the long grocery list in your hand.

You’d come to the grocery store with Jaehyun in tow, a result of your puppy-like boyfriend begging you to bring him along.

“It’ll be like a date!” he had whined, though you would have gladly taken him along without him trying his best to persuade you.

Upon hearing no reply for a beat too long, you look up from the list to see Jaehyun looking down at his phone, eyes focused and eyebrows furrowed.

“Honey?” you try, and sure enough, Jaehyun doesn’t respond, completely distracted by whatever is on his phone screen at the moment. You tilt your head in confusion. “Jaehyun…?”

“Yes!?” Jaehyun suddenly flinches, snapping back into reality. He looks between you and the grocery list in your hand and smiles sheepishly. “Sorry. Sungho texted me.”

You hum, gesturing for him to pass you the tomato sauce you’d requested a few moments ago. “Yeah? What are the both of you up to this time?”

“I was just telling him about the shirt I’m wearing,” your boyfriend replies, placing the tomato sauce into the cart he was pushing around. 

You spare a glance at the shirt in question. It’s a simple white tee that you’re sure Jaehyun bought in bulk a long time ago, and you struggle to pinpoint anything out of the ordinary. 

“What’s wrong with the shirt?” you ask, utterly confused.

Jaehyun’s back straightens, eyes practically sparkling

“It’s the material,” he whines, moving closer to you, “Feel it.”

You raise an eyebrow, but find yourself obliging anyway. You reach forward and pinch your boyfriend’s sleeve with two fingers, feeling the material. 

“There’s… nothing wrong with it?” you reply, contemplating whether or not to add a thermometer to your trolley to check if Jaehyun has a fever. 

“There is nothing wrong with it,” Jaehyun grins, “It’s boyfriend material.”

You pause, processing Jaehyun’s words before realising that you really should have seen this coming with all the signs.

“Did Sungho teach you this?” you ruffle your boyfriend’s hair, turning to push the cart down the aisle. 

Jaehyun catches up to you immediately, a small pout on his face as he reaches over to push the cart instead of letting you do it. “He said he won Bailey over with this one.”

You laugh at the mention of Sungho’s partner, nudging Jaehyun with your shoulder. “Really? I’ll have to ask Bailey about that the next time we meet.”

THREE.

“He told Jaehyun that? That’s definitely not how it went,” Bailey laughs as you recount your conversation with your boyfriend at the grocery store, “He cringed halfway through the line and refused to talk to me for a few hours because I teased him about it.”

You’re on a double date at the amusement park with Sungho and his partner, though with how you haven’t spoken a single word to Sungho and your boyfriend with the way the former pulled the latter aside as soon as all four of you met up and started whispering to each other like schoolgirls with secrets, you could say you’re practically on a date with just Bailey. 

“Sounds like Sungho to me,” you reply, before gesturing at the two men walking in front of you. “Any idea what they’re whispering about? We’ve been here for, like, an hour and haven’t gone on any rides.”

“Probably pick-up lines,” Bailey shrugs, “Sungho’s been telling me all week about wanting to teach Jaehyun some pick-up lines so he can ‘succeed where I failed’, though I really don’t see the point since you’re already dating him. I told him to teach Sanghyeok instead, but he just said Sanghyeok doesn’t ‘see the vision’.” 

This is news to you. You hum in response. “Huh, is that why he’s been using pick-up lines on me lately?”

Before Bailey can answer, the two men in front of you suddenly halt their footsteps and turn around, much to your confusion. 

“Bailey and I are going to get some churros, we’ll catch the both of you later!” Sungho grabs Bailey’s hand and briskly walks away from you and Jaehyun, with Bailey squeaking out a “We are?” as they follow.

“What’s that about?” you turn to look at your boyfriend. Jaehyun looks back at you with a sheepish grin. 

“I don’t know,” he replies in the most nonchalant tone he can muster, praying you don’t catch on to it (you do). “Let’s go ride the carousel!” 

You raise an eyebrow at his behaviour, but oblige anyway, turning to walk towards the attraction. 

“Wait!” Jaehyun suddenly raises his voice. You turn to face him, sheepishly bowing to passers-by who turned to look at the commotion.

“Your hand,” your boyfriend’s voice softens as he looks down at your right hand. “It looks heavy.”

“What–” 

“Let me hold it for you!” In one swift motion, Jaehyun interlocks your right hand with his left, swinging them back and forth as he leads you to the carousel.

You stifle a laugh, turning to look at his reddened cheeks as he continues tugging you along while looking forward, refusing to meet your eyes. 

You think you don’t mind Sungho teaching your boyfriend pick-up lines, if it means getting to see him flustered like this.

+

Jaehyun wakes up from his nap to the smell of pasta.

He rolls over to face your side of the bed and reaches over in an attempt to pull you into his chest, only to have his hands find purchase on your pillow instead. Groaning, Jaehyun opens one of his eyes reluctantly, and sure enough, you’re nowhere to be found on the bed.

Jaehyun sits up immediately, looking around the room in search of you before realising that you’re probably in the kitchen judging by the mouthwatering smell of tomato sauce. He scrambles to get up, and starts shuffling towards the kitchen to see you.

“Baby?” Jaehyun’s voice is groggy from the nap, and you turn towards the sound from your spot by the stove to see him trudging into the kitchen. 

You smile. “How was your nap?” 

“Not good. You weren’t there when I woke up,” Jaehyun whines, immediately latching onto your arm. 

“Someone has to prepare dinner, honey, and we both know it’s not you,” you giggle, booping his nose. 

Jaehyun whines a bit more before sniffing. “It smells good.” 

You purse your lips in thought, a mischievous idea surfacing in the forefront of your mind. 

“Really? I smell something burning, actually,” you try your best to sound genuinely concerned, and Jaehyun falls for it immediately. 

“You do?” he straightens in alarm, looking down at the wok in front of the both of you. “It smells and looks fine to me.”

You grin, turning to him. “That’s because it’s not the pasta that’s burning, honey.” 

“Then wha—”

“It’s my heart that’s burning for you!” you mask the embarrassment with a quick peck to your boyfriend’s lips. Pulling away, you find him frozen in his spot, cheeks reddening by the second. 

He touches his lips with a lovesick expression and visibly deflates, throwing himself into your arms. “Baby, you can’t do that!” 

Your chest vibrates with your laughter, and Jaehyun smiles subconsciously, nuzzling further into your neck as you wrap your arms around him. “Do what? Use pick-up lines? You’ve been using them on me all week.”

Your puppy-like boyfriend reluctantly tears himself from your embrace to look at you, eyes widening. “You knew?” 

“Of course I knew, honey,” you pat his head affectionately, “They were horrible.”

Jaehyun huffs, burying his face in your neck once again. “I kept on using those pick-up lines because you wouldn’t react!” 

You chuckle, rubbing your hands up and down his back soothingly. “Well, how do you want me to react, honey? I’m already yours. You don’t have to use cringy pick-up lines to win me over.”

Jaehyun plants a kiss on your neck, then whines. “Stop flirting with me. I’ll fall in love with you.”

“Oh?” you play along, squeezing him tighter around you. 

“I’ll flirt with you every day, then.”

a/n: bnd writer icyminghao is back??? hello.

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taglist (send an ask to be tagged!): @onedoornet @slytherinshua @weird-bookworm @someonewhowantstobeloved @hrts4hanniehae

@wantmatthew @serejae @000-pawz @0310s

oh, this is so lovely and sweet! i love the buildup to their relationship, and i adore how sweet leehan was! this whole fic encapsulates the idea of how home can be a person! <3

moving to busan (kim leehan)

where you move to a new city and fall in love with a boy on the beach 

surfer!leehan x gn!reader (non-idol au)

this work is my contribution to @onedoornet 's summer event! ^_^ check it out here!!! ♡

word count: 5.5k

genre + warnings: fluff!!! maybe a tad of angst o_O, written in all lowercase!, mentions of depression + feelings of unbelonging (??), leehan is referred to by his real name (donghyun), ft. side characters taesan and woonhak

a/n: me when i had to watch surfing videos to write this LMAO sorry if its inaccurate…….. i can't even swim! LOLLLL. i def channeled some of my own feelings into this, so it was rlly fun to write. i'd even go as far to say this is my Most Favorite piece yet :,)

reblogs ↺ + feedback always appreciated!

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you didn’t know what home felt like. which felt odd to say, given that you were extremely fortunate to grow up the way that you did– a roof above your head, food on the dinner table, and a family to share it with. the older you got, the more it felt like you needed to leave. there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with your life; sure, you had your fair share of rough patches here and there, but it was never anything too severe. despite that, you felt suffocated. it was hard to wake up in the same bed you’ve used for lord knows how long, going outside to walk the same paths you’ve walked on thousands of times, all to see the same faces everyday. this was all you knew.

moving to busan was something you never expected yourself to do. the decision was made more on a whim than anything else; immediately upon graduating, you decided to pack your bags and move to a new city, feeling like a stranger wandering alone in the foreign streets. there wasn’t much to pack, anyways. you were committed to truly leaving everything behind and starting fresh, bringing only one suitcase and a backpack for your essentials. 

you grew up in a smaller town, about five hours away from where you were now. there, you were used to the quaint homes belonging to the families you'd grown up with. the kind crossing guard by the middle school you used to attend still worked there years after you graduated, now bearing wrinkles by her eyes, but still possessing the same sweet smile she would always give you while helping you cross the street. everything you needed was a quick bike ride away. the area was quiet, comfortable, familiar. and yet, you left. 

you’d gotten to a point where you grew sick of the familiarity. to live life in one place forever scared you. it was best described as a fear of being stuck– like a stagnant body of water, peacefully undisturbed but painfully boring, to say the least. a fear of missing out on all the things you could be doing if you just lived somewhere else. anywhere more exciting than the town you knew like the back of your hand. you yearned for something else, something different. 

moving to busan meant doing things you never got the chance to do back at home. growing up, you quickly realized that being in a small town meant that you couldn’t do the same things that kids in bigger cities could do. all you had were necessities– a supermarket, doctor’s office, run-of-the-mill shops lining a dirt road in the core of the area. it was enough, sure, but you were hungry for more. on the other hand, busan was full of unique experiences waiting for you. some being as simple as trying new cuisines at restaurants you’d only dreamt of seeing in your hometown, or attending various local festivals held in the area for tourists and residents alike. 

it was crazy to think that life could be so different, even a few hours away from your childhood home. to most, giving up everything you once knew is a terrifying thought. to you, it was a wish you made to yourself when you blew out the candles on your birthday cake. you marveled at the way it’s been nearly two months since you first settled in and there’s still an endless list of things you’ve yet to try! it felt more like a dream, than anything. life has never been so bright– especially after years of feeling dull in a town you now dreaded returning to.  

moving to busan meant finally meeting new people. it was a breath of fresh air, really. the apartment complex you lived in was on the corner of a busy area, giving you access to a wide range of personalities each time you stepped out the building. you were lucky enough to get a part-time job at a newly opened cafe a couple blocks away, where you quickly became friends with your coworkers: taesan (who didn’t like coffee in the first place) and woonhak (who spent more time talking to the customers than actually making drinks).

you would’ve been content if those were the only two people you managed to befriend in the big city. they were full of life– a never ending source of laughter and stories from their respective hometowns, making your shifts go by significantly faster when you were scheduled together, much to your disappointment.

this is exactly what you had in mind the first time you thought about leaving. it was exhilarating. being someone completely new to the area meant that you could be whatever you wanted to be. there were no expectations from those around you; nobody knew who you were prior to moving. it was a freedom you feared you would never experience if you stayed back home– the smallest changes in your appearance would be the talk of the town, especially with the way history ran deep between the residents. in busan, it was a relief to be a stranger. 

moving to busan meant being by the water every chance you could get. you’re glad you moved right around the time spring started. the weather was perfect; just warm enough, not too hot. in your free time, you find yourself walking along the shore. it was only a short distance from your apartment, being only a fifteen-minute walk away from the sea. as a kid, you’d only visited it once. to you, the water was so terrifyingly beautiful. one would think they know what it has to offer on its surface, but the truths lie deeper than one could ever imagine. the very bottom of the sea could hold the most precious treasure in the world or the most dangerous creatures unbeknownst to man– the possibilities were endless. it’s a shame that you didn’t get to indulge in your interest more when you were younger, but you weren’t complaining now that the beach was practically in your backyard. 

sometimes you find yourself alone, sitting in the sand on an old blanket of yours. it’s normally right around dinner time, where most people have left the beach and the sun begins to fall from the sky. you could sit there for hours, listening to nothing but the waves crashing against the sand while you wait for the mix of colors from the sunset to paint the sky. you try to find a new place to relax every time you come to the water. much like how you felt about your hometown, it didn’t feel right to return to the same spot each time. 

on one of your routine visits to the beach, you met a boy, whose story felt oddly familiar to you. much like your own upbringing, he’s been in the same place his whole life. this is where your timelines falter– it’s clear he has zero intentions of leaving the city he grew up in. to him, this is the only definition of home he could imagine. you were almost jealous. you yearned to know what it meant to truly enjoy being in the same place for so long. maybe it was commitment issues, or maybe it was just a never-ending desire to know more– to experience everything life had to offer. for donghyun, he seemed just fine being here forever. 

the first time you saw him was by chance. today, you decided to go see the water after work. it was rare you worked the mid-shift, which coincidentally ended around the time you would normally find yourself sitting in the sand. “are you doing anything after work today, Y/N?” taesan asks, watching you take off your apron and fold it neatly before placing it into your bag. 

“i think i'll go to the beach today.” you smile at the thought, having quickly found comfort in the location.

“wow, i'm jealous,” woonhak pouts at you from behind the register. “can’t believe you’re leaving taesan and i to close all by ourselves today!” 

you playfully roll your eyes at the boy. “you should blame our boss, not me. if we’re all off one day, i promise we’ll all go together!” your coworkers wave goodbye to you as you walk out of the front entrance, happy to see that it was still somewhat bright outside. you normally left long after the sun had set, when most of the neighboring stores were closing as well. 

the walk there was always pleasant. you liked exploring different routes, seeking out all possible ways to get to the same destination. it’s hard to keep the excitement bubbling within you contained when the vast expanse of sand first comes into view. there were still groups of people scattered across the area, but because it wasn’t exactly “beach season” yet, it wasn’t too populated. you hadn’t brought your usual blanket with you; coming here was a spontaneous decision. instead, you decided to lay out your apron close enough to the water to smell the salty air but just out of reach of the waves rippling against the shoreline. 

you plant yourself onto your makeshift beach towel, the sand feeling soft below you, still warm from the sun’s touch. looking into the distance, you’re entranced by the movements of the sea. it was healing, the rhythmic push-and-pull of the waves leaving a white foam in its path, bubbling and full of life. the calls of seagulls from above you, soaring around peacefully.

you wish you knew what it could feel like to fly like that, to feel the air beneath your wings. complete freedom. a small figure comes into your view, pulling your gaze away from the birds. someone’s surfing? it’s a little cold to be doing that right now. even so, the boy didn’t seem to mind. standing on the surfboard, his face was filled with pure joy as he rode the water beneath him. the closer he got, you were able to hear his fun-filled cheers more clearly. complete freedom. 

he was awfully good at what he was doing, unphased even if the tide seemed to pick up a bit more than expected. right now, the stranger looked completely in tune with the water; as if they were one and the same. his movements were graceful, despite how difficult it must be to keep balance. 

the wave soon dies down, crashing against the sand as it always does. your eyes observe the way he laughs to no one but himself as he walks through the shallow parts of the water. drops of water fall from his hair as he shakes his head, board held securely beneath his arm. the wetsuit is tight against his skin; his figure is lean and toned, presumably from all the surfing he does. 

he’s not too far away from you now, catching his breath as he sits in the sand parallel to you. the surfboard sits idly against the sand as he looks out into the horizon, seeking his next adventure. it’s not long before he gets up and approaches the water once more, sensing a big one coming up. you didn’t know much about how this worked, having only seen it in movies or tv shows, never in-person like this. 

the man lays stomach-down onto his board, determined as he paddles deeper into the unknown. he’s dismissive of the smaller ripples against him, not nearly powerful enough to get a good ride. it’s impressive how he seems to control the water, rather than the other way around. it’s clear that he loves what he’s doing. you decide you love it too, completely mesmerized by the way he maneuvers through the tide. he disappears briefly as a larger wave washes over him, but he’s quick to rise above it, emerging on the other side and pushing further into the sea. you watch as the water begins to crest close to him. this is the one. 

if you weren’t paying enough attention, you would’ve missed the way the stranger effortlessly springs to his feet, knees bent slightly when he first mounts the board. he shuffles slightly, adjusting his stance for better balance. almost in tune with the water, he skillfully navigates the wave, letting the water bring him back to the shore once more.

the sun was behind him now, a beautiful arrangement of pinks and oranges flooding the sky, making the picture perfect. you almost couldn’t believe you had the pleasure of seeing it in real time, the whole scene looking like a frame out of a movie. there it was again, an expression of bliss as he enjoys the ride, arms stretched out in the air by his sides as the board is pushed back to the shore once more. even when he falls off the board as the momentum slows down, the grin on his face never dies. 

despite your attentiveness, you don’t comprehend the way the handsome man was heading your way, being led by the tide. much like before, he’s chuckling to himself as the high from the ride slowly dies down. his hand runs through his damp locks after wiping the salty water from his face. now, he’s walking directly towards you, eyes shaped like crescents with the way he was cheesing so hard. your heartbeat speeds up. you turn around, finding that there was no one else around. his smile is reserved for you. 

the board is held close to his body as he leaves the water, his footsteps leaving indents in the damp sand behind him as he settles a couple feet away from you. there’s a soft plop as he drops the surfboard on the ground, taking a seat next to it. 

“do you want to try?” his eyes flick over towards the water before they’re back on you. 

“huh?” you’re baffled at the way you were observing him from afar only a couple minutes prior, and now he’s striking up a conversation. 

“you’ve been watching me for a while, no?” he tilts his head, lips curling into a small smile. his accent is thick, more obvious than some of the others you’ve heard in your short time there. he must be from around here. 

“was i that obvious?” you joke, playing with a handful of sand by your feet. 

the stranger laughs in response. “there’s barely anyone else here right now, at least around this time of year. you think i wouldn’t feel a set of pretty eyes on me while i surfed?” your cheeks heat up at the comment, feeling a bit flustered at the sudden praise. he’s properly facing you now, hand outstretched in your direction. “nice to meet you, not-so-secret admirer. my name is kim donghyun.” 

his hand is still wet, drops of water touching your own as you reach out to shake it. “i’m L/N Y/N. it’s nice to meet you too, donghyun.” 

“is that an apron you’re sitting on?” he points out, moving to fiddle with one of its strings resting in the sand. 

“pfft, yeah. forgot to bring my blanket today.” you explain, laughing at your forgetfulness. “i just got off work.” 

“you come here often, then?” his hair was completely soaked still, droplets falling from it and landing beside him. 

“i guess you could say that. i only moved here a couple weeks ago.”

“you picked the perfect city. i love it here.” the sun was almost completely out of view now, having slowly disappeared into the horizon. it was beautiful out. you breathe in the salty air as you watch the stray clouds floating by. 

“yeah, i think so too. busan has been treating me well.” 

“god, i’m starving,” he gets up abruptly, brushing his hands together to remove the sand clinging to them. you expect him to pick up his board and walk off, turning him into nothing more than an oddly-sweet beach interaction. “i know a good gukbap place nearby. coming with?” he extends a hand out to you again, waiting for you to accept his invitation. why not? 

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moving to busan meant enjoying summer for the first time in years. as a kid, you used to dread this time of year. most of your friends looked forward to school finally ending, but to you, this just meant you truly had nothing to do with your spare time. your days were spent walking down the worn down paths listening to music, or sitting in your backyard reading one of the many books in your collection. this was the closest thing you had to “escaping” from your reality. 

now, you had an entire city to explore. you were eager, but you wanted to take your time doing so. the last thing you would want is to get tired of busan, even if you arrived just a couple months ago. you didn’t see your excitement wearing down any time soon. 

“there’s my favorite barista!” donghyun’s smiling at you in front of the register, where you’d been standing for the past couple hours. once you told him you were working at one of the local cafes, he quickly became a regular (only when you were on schedule, of course). 

“you’re not getting anything today?” he shakes his head no, making you chuckle. he actually never bought anything when he was there, rather showing up just to talk to you in your free time. you tap a few buttons on the screen, starting your thirty minute break and walking out to the main floor of the shop, the surfer following closely behind.  

“do you want to go to the beach with me later?” donghyun rests his head against his hand as he looks at you from across the table. “i’m going surfing again.” it’s sweet the way his eyes sparkle when he talks about his beloved hobby. 

“wow, i would’ve never guessed!” you respond sarcastically, earning a giggle from him as he shrugs. “i’m closing today though. guess you won’t have an audience today.” 

he pouts back at you, sniffling as he wipes away non-existent tears. “who else am i going to show off to then?” ever since the day you met, you found yourself seeing donghyun more often than you initially expected. you thought that he’d just be a friend you’d find in the waters every so often. not that it was an issue, no– rather, you found yourself perking up every time he walked through the doors. it’s something woonhak quickly picked up on when working with you, often nudging you with his elbow suggestively every time donghyun showed up. 

“i’m off tomorrow, though.” you’re looking at your shifts on your phone. “if you’re free, maybe we can-”

“yes.” he answers immediately, catching you off guard.

“you’re not going to let me finish my sentences now?” you can’t hold back the grin on your face at how forward he was. “what if i asked you to go fishing in the middle of the night or something?”

“...i’d still say yes. that sounds fun, actually. we could totally do that if you want to!” every word that came out his mouth was so incredibly endearing, even if he wasn’t trying. 

…and that’s how you found yourself next to him at midnight, only a couple hours after you got off work, sitting in two fold-up beach chairs on the dock. “i’d question why you have all this fishing gear, but i should’ve expected as much from you, donghyun.” 

“hey, isn’t this nice though? there’s no one else here at this time.” he looks proud as he rests the fishing rod on the wooden guard rail, line casted in the water. “isn’t it kind of romantic?” 

your cheeks heat up at his implications. if it weren’t for the warm lantern placed between you two, he would’ve missed the blush on your face. “i was joking when i said we should do this, you know.” 

“oh, was it? i was serious, though.” you can tell he’s telling the truth with the way he looks at you with a serious gaze. 

“yeah, i know that now.” you didn’t mind being dragged around to his odd antics. weird, yeah, but you can’t deny the fact that you enjoyed every second of his company. he enjoyed yours as well. “i find it funny to think you find this to be romantic.”

“why wouldn’t i? you’re here with me, after all.” with that, you realize that you see donghyun as more than just a boy you met on the beach. 

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moving to busan meant having someone to walk with once the autumn leaves started coming in. it was always nice to see the trees begin to change color, but you always wondered what it would be like to see the transition on a bigger scale– and busan gave you the perfect chance to do just that. now that you finally got to experience the fall wonder somewhere new, you weren’t sure if you could ever go back to the life you once lived.

days like this were common, where you’d walk through the streets that donghyun grew up in. usually it was just you two, but today, he suggested you come with him as he walked his dog. naturally, you accept; it was hard to deny a cute boy with an equally cute dog in his arms. you hold onto the leash, smiling at the way koni would stop every couple minutes to sniff something on the ground. 

as you walk a bit further, you stumble across a large crowd of people surrounding various street vendors, curiosity piqued within you. “ah, is it already time for the jagalchi festival? how could i forget!” donghyun marvels at his poor memory, he hadn’t realized it’s already been seven months since you entered his life. time seemed to go by quicker with you by his side. 

“festival? this happens every year?” your steps slow down, koni gently tugging on the leash to keep walking towards the bustling area. 

“yeah, it’s basically like a huge fish market that runs for a couple days. tons of people come from around the country to see it, actually. the local fishermen show off all the catches from the season, so you know it’s the freshest you can get… and there’s performances too! you have to see it now that you’re a busan resident!” 

donghyun takes your hand in his, leading you towards the festival. banners were put up all over the area, welcoming in visitors from near and far into the heart of busan. colorful lanterns adorned the sides of each vendor’s stall, enveloping the area in a comfortable glow. there were people of all ages in attendance, smiling and laughing amongst each other as they explored everything the market had to offer– this was something you would’ve never experienced back at home. 

the two of you come to a stop at one of the less crowded sellers. its owner, a kind looking old man, was standing proud at the buckets of fish laid out on the ground in front of him. “should we raise a fish together?”

“donghyun, these fish are dead.” 

he rolls his eyes at you playfully. “duh, i know that. i mean like, going to the store and getting a new friend for my tank at home.” 

“wouldn’t that just mean you’re raising it on your own? i don’t have any space for a fish tank at my place.” you think back to your apartment, which now felt like a space you could truly call your own. you were proud to think that you finally felt like you were where you belonged, even if you’ve only been here for a short time. 

“that’s fine! what matters to me is that we bought it together! obviously i’d give you visiting rights to our child.” how could you reject him when his eyes light up at the mention of getting a pet with you? 

“woah, our child? we must be serious now.” your comment is nothing more than a joke, but he’s silent as he thinks about what he wants to say. he gives the hand he’s holding a slight squeeze. 

“can i be your boyfriend, Y/N?” 

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moving to busan meant finding a new type of warmth amidst the cold winter. back at home, winters felt especially difficult. you were prone to the adverse effects of seasonal depression when this time of year came around. the days weren’t as long, sun setting much earlier than it did in the summer, leaving you with nothing but darkness. just getting out of bed felt like a hassle– there was nothing to look forward to in such a boring town. everything was just… so bland. you were in a constant state of irritation, the smallest things ticking you off and leaving you frustration for no specific reason. 

this winter, you found it hard to believe those old feelings haven’t come back yet. not when you had someone like donghyun at your side. if you found it hard to get out of bed, he’d be there to drag you out with him, humming to himself as you made breakfast together in your tiny kitchen. if you felt like crying, he’d be waiting next to you, box of tissues in hand as he wiped away your tears.

winter usually felt like being dragged deeper into the ocean, unable to swim– but now, donghyun was there to bring you back to the surface, safe and sound. each day spent with him felt like healing; as if nothing bad could ever happen to you knowing that there was someone who looked at you with nothing but love in his eyes.

“do you ever miss your hometown, Y/N?” you were laying in your boyfriend’s arms in his childhood bedroom. his prized fish tank sat on his dresser, where the fish you bought together swam happily amongst its friends. there were photos of him as a kid framed on his walls– him at his middle school graduation smiling proudly between his parents, him holding koni as a puppy, him crying beside his older sister on the playground– each one giving you a glimpse of the life he lived before he met you. “i can’t imagine throwing everything away and leaving like you did.”

“well, it sounds bad when you say it like that. i don’t think i was happy there, though.” donghyun knew he wanted nothing more than to give you a home you felt comfortable going back to. a place where you could feel true happiness in. he’s mindlessly running his hands through your hair from behind you as he listens. “i can’t say i miss it just yet. maybe i’ll visit sometime soon, just not now.” 

“does that mean you’re happy here? in busan, i mean.”

“yeah, i’m happy,” you take a moment to reflect on the way your life completely changed upon leaving the town you once knew; how a stranger on the beach brought color into your colorless world. sunsets spent eating ice cream on a hot day at the beach, meals shared at his favorite local restaurants, and nights much like this one, being embraced by the man you love, as you talk until the sun rises. “i knew things would be better somewhere else, but i’d never imagine meeting someone like you so soon. you make me feel like i should look at things a little differently at home.” 

“if you ever decide to go back there, can i come with you?” he rests his head on your shoulder, cheek touching yours. 

“hm? i mean, if you want to. there’s not much to see there. i don’t think you’d have as much fun there as you do here.” you offer, thinking about how disappointed he’d be upon seeing that there truly was nothing to do there compared to busan. 

“i want to see it. i don’t care if you think it’s boring,” he’s sincere with his words, you can tell he means everything he’s saying when it comes to you. “we can rewrite all your bad memories together. it makes me sad to think you look back at the town you grew up in without fondness.” 

“it’s going to be at least a year until i want to see that place again,” you grab his hand, large fingers enveloping yours. “but i’d like that a lot, donghyun.” 

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and by the time spring rolls around once more, and it’s finally been one year since you moved to busan, you think you finally understand what it means to feel at home. you never got the chance to visit the temples last year, just barely missing cherry blossom season when you first unloaded your boxes in your empty apartment. from then, you promised yourself you’d save it for the best time of year, when the blossoms were in full bloom, baby pink petals on display and falling along with the occasional breeze. 

you’ve never known what it felt like to be loved wholeheartedly, but you’re certain this is it, as you walk hand in hand with donghyun through a path of cherry blossom trees. with him, you found that every day felt like a scene out of a drama. exiting through the temple’s entrance, you return back to the streets you were now familiar with. there’s a small creamery hidden between a restaurant and convenience store, and you find yourself sitting at a table outside, ice cream slowly melting in their cups in front of you. 

“i wish i was cooler when i asked to be your boyfriend. i think about that a lot,” donghyun plays with your fingers across the table before intertwining them with his own. “in all honesty, i was thinking about it for a long time before that day.”

“really?” this was news to you. you knew you had more than platonic feelings for donghyun that night at the dock, but you were surprised to hear he felt the same way as early as you did. it warmed your heart to think he fell in love as quickly as he did. 

“yeah. i wanted to do something cool, like surprising you at work with a big bouquet of flowers, or making you your favorite food and hiding a note in it. just anything more interesting than popping the question at a damn fish stall.”

you burst out laughing at the thought of finding a piece of paper in your meal. “it was perfect to me, though. i’m more shocked at the fact you saw me like that for so long, donghyun.” you feel shy suddenly, reminiscing on the way your heart would speed up everytime he walked into the cafe, or when he would walk you back to your apartment after spending the day in the water together.

“i knew you’d be someone important to me the day i noticed you watching me on the beach. i don’t know why, though. maybe it’s just because people don’t really bat an eye when they see me surfing.” 

“it was hard not to. i’ve never seen anyone so carefree. i guess i was just jealous of the fact that someone could look like that.” you can’t believe it’s already been a year since you first saw him on the beach. it was almost as if the sea brought the two of you together when the wave he was riding pushed him straight to you. 

“i think you look like that when you’re with me,” donghyun’s smiling at his realization. “when i’m with you, it feels like i’m riding a wave that never dies. i’d give up surfing if it meant i could have you by my side forever.” the confession shocks you, knowing how much he loved spending hours at the beach every day, chasing the high he got when he was on his surfboard. you wanted to cry; to think that someone would let go of something that meant the world to them just for you. donghyun thinks he could cry too– to think that he had found you, a person who changed his world in a matter of months, by a stroke of fate. 

to donghyun, you moving to busan meant making you a part of his definition of “home”. 

taglist: @onedoornet @minwrlds @dongminz (my OG beta readers BTW. <3) @serejae @loserlvrss

@arafilez @nicholasluvbot @0310s @gluion @blumisiu

@woorcve @brachioswrld

© lionhanie 2024 ; all rights reserved!

pretty please? ⎯ p.sungho ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

content: sungho x gn!reader word count: 1.7K words warnings: smut, himbo!sungho mixed with light shibari!sungho, edging, reader is a little mean :( .. also sungho begs and cries <3 a/n: i couldn't decide between himbo and shibari sungho so i just combined the two... don't ask me anything. i kind of blacked out while writing this so not proofread, if i go down i'm going down like a big girl.

Sungho is a very pretty person. Anyone with a working pair of eyes can tell that much. He’s tall, broad and muscular, with the most delicate features, framed by his soft, silky hair. Even when he’s in a simple white tee and jeans, he turns heads wherever he goes, he draws attention to himself, simply by existing. But there’s something hidden under that, that outer layer of sparkling eyes and pouty lips. 

It takes a while to notice, but Sungho can be rather…dense. The way he genuinely didn’t know the staff had set him and his members up to a game of mafia, because he so innocently thought they were just going through the whole game together. Or the way you have to send him pictures of what exactly you need him to get from the store, or he’ll take your words too literally and buy something completely different (take for example the time he bought you regular pads and actual chicken wings when you were on your period). Needless to say, behind those pretty, cat-like eyes of his, were truly… no thoughts. 

“Y/N, can you help me? I think this shirt doesn’t fit me anymore…” you hear Sungho’s voice calling you from your shared bedroom, and when you enter, you see him bent over, his shirt half off his bare body, stuck around his broad shoulders. 

You couldn’t help but chuckle at his predicament, reaching out to help him pull the fabric off, but to no avail. You step around him, trying to see where the shirt was really stuck, only to see that your boyfriend, your oh so pretty boyfriend, had left the buttons buttoned up at the neck of the shirt. You reached in and unbuttoned the shirt from the outside, the fabric immediately loosening up and Sungho could finally pull it off easily. 

My little airheaded baby, you thought to yourself as you looked at the sheepish grin Sungho gave you, laughing at himself for not noticing the buttons on his own shirt. “Ha… I guess I didn’t realise… thanks, babe!” he grins at you, failing to notice the way you were basically fucking him with your eyes. He was topless, acting all sheepish as if you couldn’t see the subtle curves of his muscles, that small waist of his, and the faint happy trail that led to the inside of his pants. 

“Babe? Do you need something?” his voice snaps you out of your daze, his head tilting curiously at you. The way you’re staring at him completely flies over his pretty little head, so you simply shake your head, telling him that it’s nothing. He doesn’t know that you have a whole, lengthy list of the depraved things you wanted to do to him. 

Maybe he doesn’t need to know, you think. Knowing would only overwork his pretty little head, it’d simply be too much for him. Besides, there was nothing you enjoyed more than a pretty boy who couldn’t think for himself, who needed you to do all the thinking for him. 

“C-Can’t move…” Sungho whimpers, squirming around. You let out a small scoff, followed by an almost mocking chuckle. 

“That’s the point, pretty… you don’t have to move, or think… let me do all the work, hm?” you purred, trailing your fingertips along his bare skin. He’s completely nude, seated on a comfortable armchair in the corner of your shared bedroom. His arms behind his back, tied up with the prettiest pink velvet ribbons you had. 

The velvet wrapped around his chest, right beneath his pecs, making them pop out ever so slightly, with every rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Your gaze raked over your handiwork – his arms bound behind him, his thighs spread apart, held apart by the same velvet ribbon, tied to the legs of the armchair. He was all spread out for you, his hard cock aching between his legs. Sungho felt hot, desperate, squirming against the velvet, soft whines and whimpers leaving his lips, incoherent little mumbles falling from his lips. 

“What was that, baby? I can’t help you if you don’t use your words,” you coo at him, your tone so sickeningly sweet, it only made Sungho whine even more. “...ngh- c-can’t… n-need… need more - ah - want m-more…” he babbled out, the tiniest amount of drool falling from the corner of his mouth. You had barely even touched him and he was already so blissed out. All this, just from you tying him up, cooing and purring at him, telling him how pretty he is. 

With a sweet smile on your face, you relished in the way Sungho’s breath hitched, the way his body jerked at the sensation of your fingers over his skin – and the sensation of you tying the final bit of the velvet ribbon around the base of his aching cock. It was heavy, red and pulsing, just begging to be touched, used, milked. Sungho leaned his head back against the backrest, a strained whine coming from his lips, his adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to gulp his pretty sounds down. 

“Spit,” you instruct him, your voice soft and gentle but laced with the slightest edge. Sungho obliges, letting a thick glob of his spit fall from his mouth onto your palm - he gets even harder at the sight, if that was even possible. You bring your hand to his cock, using his spit as lube to slide your hand over his length better. The moment your hand so much as touches Sungho’s aching dick, he’s already bucking his hips, desperate for some, any friction his sex-hungry body can find. 

“Ah, ah. Behave yourself, or I won’t touch you at all, pretty,” you tut at him, clicking your tongue softly. The corners of your lips curl into a sly grin as Sungho’s cheeks turn the slightest bit redder, visibly trying his hardest to stay still. How could he, though? When you’re touching him so much, yet so little, all at the same time. Sungho looks up at you with glassy eyes, his lips trembling ever so slightly. “P-Please… want- need you to touch me, darling, please,” he groans softly, making you bite back a light scoff. 

You indulge him - your hand wraps around his thick length, slowly stroking him. Sungho throws his head back, a strained moan leaving his lips, the sound lewd and wanton. You put the slightest bit of pressure on his cock, stroking him, while your other hand cups and gropes his taut balls. It’s so pretty, watching Sungho lose himself to the pleasure of your touch. He barely has any idea what you have up your sleeve - he’s just taking everything you give him, whining and begging, pleading for you to touch him, to let him cum. Borderline incoherent babbles tumble from his lips, promises of I’ve been good, I’ve been a good boy for you fall from his lips like petals, and it only spurs you on even more. 

You continue your ministrations, stroking him while playing with his balls, occasionally bringing your hand up to his chest to roll his hardened nipple between your fingers. Sungho’s chest is immensely sensitive, and the feeling of your fingers lightly brushing against the hardened buds make him croon and squirm so utterly deliciously. You can tell he’s close by the way he struggles to keep still, his neck straining as he tries to control his body. You continue stroking him, just until he’s right there, right at the edge, moans and lewd whimpers falling from his lips like a mantra. When you pull your hand away, Sungho all but cries at the loss of sensation, his head whipping back towards you, his eyes glossed over with unshed tears. 

“Wh- why- why’d you stop?” he sputters out, his bottom lip slightly swollen from how hard he was biting down on it the closer he got to his orgasm earlier. You smirk lazily at him, toying with his dick, brushing over it with the palm of your hand, watching as he squirms over and over again. “Not yet, pretty, not yet…” you coo at him, cupping his cheek delicately, a stark contrast to the hard grip you had on him earlier. 

Sungho lets out a pathetic sound at your mocking tone, and it only eggs you on even more. You bring your hand to his mouth again, telling him to spit, then using his spit to stroke his aching cock again. Sungho narrows his eyes at you, clearly not enthused by how you’re toying with him, but he doesn’t complain - he may be dense, but he knows better than to complain when you have him like this. “I’ll let you cum this time, babyboy,” you smile sweetly at him, and his eyes light up like an excited little puppy. You tighten your hand around his dick this time, stroking him at a good enough pace, knowing that he’s sensitive from being edged just now, so bringing him to orgasm again would be easy. 

“Fuc- fuck… ngh- ah… feels s’good, baby… s-so good… so- so pretty, you’re so pretty, babe,” you know you have him right where you want him when he starts babbling like this, and it brings a sly grin to your face. Your hand doesn’t let up on his cock, if anything, you increase your pace, stroking him and milking him. Sungho doesn’t even care to control his voice anymore, moaning and groaning like he’s in heat. You watch his face with a sharp eye, watching for when he’s close again – when he is, you pull your hand off him once more, a scoff huffed out through your nose at Sungho’s strangled, disappointed moan. 

“Wh- ba.. baby, you- you said you’d l-let me cum, baby… ngh–fuck, you promised babe…” Sungho cries out, the frustration of being edged twice making hot tears spill from his eyes. You coo so sickeningly sweetly at him, wiping his tears away, smiling down at him. “You’re so cute, pretty… you really believed I’d let you cum so easily? You look so pretty like this, of course I have to play with you a little longer,” Sungho all but whines even more at your words, his hips bucking, his cock aching between his legs. Your pretty airheaded baby, you coo. So pretty, yet so naive. He had a long night ahead of him. 

a/n: two posts in a day? who is she? (she's insane, that's who) again don't look at me don't ask me anything because i, honest to the gods, do not know either. this was a fever dream. a fever vision. ㅡ @onedoornet

with every installment of this series, i have to read each part twice—the first time to really soak in the emotions, and another time to absorb all the little details and feel giddy at isa's writing!

the part with taesan holding his collar broke my heart. and i love how reader treats him so warmly and tenderly, always reminding him he's his own person, and nothing can take that away from him! i also can't can't can't wait to see how taesan's relationship with reader evolves into a more romantic one >.<

i'm eagerly anticipating the next part—isa, take all the time you need to write this masterpiece! <3

time and space. ⎯ chapter five

₊˚⊹ ᰔ in which you take taesan, a black cat hybrid, in to live with you.

content: hybrid!taesan, fem!reader, taesan and y/n go on a music store date... taesan opens up to reader more! warnings (for this chapter): none! word count: 2.1K a/n: thank you for waiting for me on this update, as per usual~ we are getting somewhere you guys... the ship has left the docks! <3

series masterlist here!

The weekend rolls around quickly, especially with how you seem to breeze through your work days, looking forward to the promised music store date with Taesan over the weekend. And you know Taesan is just as excited as you, because when you wake up on Saturday morning, he’s already lingering in your doorway, tail coiled around his thigh, a sheepish smile as he whispers a soft good morning to you. You smile at him, encouraging him to get bathed and changed - the faster you both get ready, the more time you’ll have to spend outside together! 

Taesan makes quick work of his bath, exiting the bathroom with a satisfied hum, his soft, gentle voice telling you that the bathroom’s free. You make equally quick work of your bath and your morning routine, getting changed into a comfortable sweater and jeans. As you’re getting ready, you notice Taesan is quiet in his room, and when you go to check on him, you notice him standing by his drawers, holding a thick leather collar in his hands - the collar he was wearing when he stumbled into the shelter after running away from the lab. The moment you met his eyes, it was apparent that the feline boy thought he needed to be collared when outside. 

“Oh, no, Taesanie… you don’t have to wear that outside anymore, I promise.” You smile warmly at him, watching his warm, almost solemn eyes blink at you slowly. “You’re your own person too, hm? No more collars or anything anymore, I promise,” your voice is gentle as you step closer to him, watching as he discards the collar, meeting your eyes again with a small smile. Your heart twists in your chest at the notion of him having suffered so much before meeting you, but you push that thought aside, resolutely thinking to yourself that you’ll make his time with you worthwhile. 

“Shall we go? The store opens in 20, and the car I rented is already downstairs,” you smile at him, the corners of your mouth almost meeting your eyes as Taesan excitedly nods, bounding over past you, heading straight to the front door. He makes quick work of putting on his sneakers and tugging a comfortable cardigan over his shoulders. Taesan turns to you, looking at you expectantly after he puts on his shoes and cardigan, like he’s waiting for you to tell him how he looks. “You look perfect, Taesanie,” you let out a light huff of laughter, touched and also tickled by how the hybrid seemed to hang onto your every word. 

The trip to the music store is quick, and throughout the drive you can’t help but notice how Taesan curiously peers out the car window, looking at every car that zips past, and watching people at the crosswalk when the car slows to a halt at every red light. It’s a stark contrast to the Taesan you remember from when you first brought him to your apartment - he no longer makes himself small, and his tail is no longer constantly around his body protectively. Taesan on the other hand, loves the feeling of the warm, late-morning sun, shining gently through the car window. It’s been a while since he’s been out since he first started living with you, but the feeling of the warm sunlight is just the same. He purrs softly, thinking to himself that even after all this time, you still feel the same - you’re still just as warm as the sunlight shining through the car window, warming up his skin ever so softly. 

You park the car smoothly, exiting and opening the passenger side door for Taesan to exit as well. His ears perk up at the sound of people walking up and down the street, his tail flicking around, almost slightly anxiously. Taesan spots others just like him amidst the many people around him, by the street and across it, and he still finds it hard to wrap his head around the fact that hybrids co-exist so easily with everyone else. Where he came from ages ago, he was nothing but an experiment, a means to an end. Your gentle voice breaks him out of his daze, his head turning to meet your eyes. 

“Are you nervous to be in a crowded space?” you ask him softly, watching as Taesan fiddles with the hem of his cardigan sleeves. “A little bit. Been a while,” he answers, his body language not giving much of his nervousness away, but you’ve stayed with him long enough to see it in his sharp, feline eyes. Taesan’s eyes had always been very expressive all on their own, so you don’t miss the way they widen and light up ever so slightly when you extend your hand to him, letting him hold your hand as you lead him to the music store. 

This feels nice, Taesan thinks to himself, his gaze flickering to your entwined fingers. The way your hand fits perfectly in his sends a flutter in his stomach, feeling the soft thumping of your heartbeat in between his fingers. When the both of you enter the store, Taesan’s ears perk way up, his tail shivering in interest. You stifle a soft chuckle at his reaction, watching his eyes go wide at the vast selection of records and CDs. “C’mon, I’ll take you section by section,” you tug on his hand gently, leading him to where the 80s music selection was. Taesan finds the courage to let his fingertips graze over the many CD covers, his lips parting ever so slightly in awe at how spoiled for choice he is in here. 

The Smiths, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nirvana and Tears for Fears - Taesan picks up CDs from those bands first, a spring in his step as he heads to the free-to-use CD players in the store. You follow him, your eyes never leaving his face, and your warm smile never seeming to go away as you observed how he handled the CDs and the headphones. You can’t help but let out an amused chuckle when Taesan struggles to maneuver the headphones to properly accommodate his kitty ears, but eventually, he figures it out, and he’s glancing back at you every few seconds as he listens to the CDs. Gosh, I’m in trouble, you find yourself thinking quietly. 

“I like these,” Taesan smiles gently at you, the look in his eyes almost hopeful as he holds the CDs in his hand. You find yourself smiling even wider, grabbing the CDs from him with a promise that you’ll get them for him. Your bank account certainly wasn’t going to enjoy today’s shopping trip, but if it meant being able to see Taesan’s soft, pure smile and his tail reacting so excitedly, you figure you could afford to drain your savings a little bit. You pay for the CDs Taesan picked out, opting to swipe your card rather than debit it, so you wound’t have to see the total cost of everything glaring at you. 

As the both of you enter the car to head home, Taesan clutches the plastic bag containing his new CDs, the smile on his face almost permanent. “Thank you, Y/N,” he says so softly, you almost miss it. You don’t miss the way he blinks slowly at you, the sight of him so happy and grateful sending a flutter of butterflies to your tummy. You tell him it’s no problem, before driving the two of you home. 

The music store date proved to be a catalyst in Taesan’s opening up to you, because since that fateful Saturday, Taesan has been glued to the CD player in your apartment, looping the albums he got, and when you come home from work sometimes, he’s quick to perk up, beaming about any particular song that reminds him of you. First, it was The Passenger, and when you asked why, Taesan smiled so sweetly at you, you almost didn’t hear anything he said afterwards. “Because I’m always in the passenger side with you, and… when I’m in the car with you, the sun shining through the car window reminds me of you,” Taesan says softly, his tail swishing gently against the surface of the couch as he looks at you, waiting with bated breath for your reaction. He smiles even wider when you tell him that’s lovely. 

It becomes routine, every couple weeks or so, you’d take Taesan to the same music store to ‘update’ his collection of old albums, and with every new CD he gets. There’s bound to be one or two songs in the selection that reminds him of you. You’d watch sometimes, as he sits by the CD player, listening to every tune and lyric so intently, his ears stiff and perked, his tail flicking around in interest. Then, after he thoroughly listens through the whole album, he’d tell you all about his favourite songs, and of course, the songs that reminded him of you. It sent butterflies erupting in your stomach again, watching Taesan open up to you more and more, your conversations getting longer and longer. It was like watching a lotus flower bloom, even from the muddiest of waters. 

It’s not lost on you the way Taesan lingers around you more lately too. Whenever you’re in the service balcony of your apartment, he’d linger by the sliding doors, watching as you folded the laundry, his tail flicking around as it usually did when he’s intrigued. Then, soon after, on days when you come home from work a little later, you’d find him in the service balcony, folding the dry laundry exactly the same way you do it. I like watching Y/N do the chores. Taesan thinks to himself. I like watching, so that when she’s busy, I can help her and do it all correctly. 

“You’re so sweet, Taesanie,” you couldn’t help but coo softly as you ruffled his hair gently, setting your work bag down on the kitchen counter, pouring yourself a glass of cold water after a long day of work. As you busy yourself with unwinding after a long, tedious shift, you miss the way Taesan stares at you, his gaze warm and content, the corners of his lips curling into a soft smile as he blinks slowly at your tired form. 

That same night, you have a long overdue movie night with Taesan, of course not without the jeyukbokkeum that Taesan loves so much. The night is silent for the most part, apart from the light clinking of glass tableware and the occasional chuckle or comment from either of you, as you watched the new Netflix Ultraman movie together. When the two of you were done with your jeyukbokkeum, you get up to collect the dirty dishes and clean up real quick, but Taesan gets up too, grabbing the dishes gently from your hand, a soft I’ll get it, don’t worry, leaving his lips. As he walks past you to the kitchen, your eyes widen when you feel his soft, silky tail brush against your wrist tenderly. You don’t think much of it, filing the memory away in your mind, before pausing the movie on TV so that Taesan wouldn’t miss anything while he’s doing the dishes. 

After the movie, as per usual, neither of you head to bed without saying goodnight to each other first. The lingering memory of Taesan’s tail brushing against your skin plays in the back of your eyelids when you lay down to rest, and you can’t help the nagging curiosity growing in your mind. 

“Jia… what does it mean when a hybrid brushes their tail against you?” you open the conversation as casually as possible, keeping your eyes focused on the computer monitor in front of you, your fingers typing away as you go through your work shift as per usual. You jump in your seat slightly when Jia lets out a sound of shrill surprise. “Y/N, wh- what happened? Are you saying Taesan did that? Did he? He brushed up against you?” Jia’s voice is a mix of a whisper and an excited scream, making you turn to her in slight confusion. As far as your knowledge on cats goes, you thought that cats brushing up against you just meant that they’re comfortable around you. 

“Yeah, he did… why?” Jia all but smacks her hand on your arm, her shocked but also overjoyed expression perplexing you. “Y/N… cats have scent glands at the base of their tails… Taesan was scent marking you,” Jia grins coyly at you, snickering at the way your expression turned from confusion to realisation. 

Oh. Oh. 

tags: @taesancore @cupidslovearrows @000-pawz @blumisiu @renjuneoo @tsandoll @lionhanie @0310s @jmclouds @sugazwrld @darlingz99 @jungwonie-bae @angelic-jeonghan1004 @i03jae @morninkoffie @beemarkie

ㅡ network: @onedoornet

a/n: if anyone would like to be tagged in the future updates, send me an ask in my inbox! and do note that PLEASE have your age stated somewhere on your blog or i will NOT tag you. this series will have smut sooner or later so 18+ only please!

oh my god this is quite literally everything to me. you paired them sooo accurately! riwoo as the tarantula and leehan as the orchid mantis particularly were such amazing matches 🩷 i couldn't have asked for anything better... i adore this post, it's just so unique and interesting and lovely! 🐞

bnd as my favorite insects ! .⊹˚ ꒰͡ ͜ ི༏ ͜ ྀ͡꒱ˎˊ˗

does this count as headcanons? idk. anyway this is something I decided to do cuz I'm quite literally obsessed w insects of any kind (esp these ones) and also bcuz I currently lack any motivation to write :'( so here it is! <3 warnings: pictures and descriptions of insects. word count: 1.4k

disclaimer! … these insects are mostly uncommon and usually not perceived as cute bugs, unlike ladybugs and bumblebees and such. so note that they might not appeal to everyone, but I love and find them beautiful and adorable, hence why I decided to match them w bnd ! <3 also pls do let me know how u feel about these kinds of "headcanons" ^^ <3 hope you enjoy ! ♡ . . . @onedoornet

sungho ʚïɞ archispirostreptus gigas

— giant african millipede !

𐚁๋࣭⭑ the gentle giant! <3 these long boys have up to 300–400 little feet! the slow moving cuties are nocturnal and can be found minding their own business on the damp floor of the african rainforests. they love warm, dark places where they can curl up and hide easily. when it comes to defense, they aren't venomous and don't bite, instead they use their strong exoskeleton, that kind of acts like a body armor, to coil up into a ball and protect their softer belly. if this method doesn't work they might secrete a chemical concoction that deters all their predators. the coolest thing to me, is how each time they shed they add a single body segment, and four extra legs! ✩

𐚁๋࣭⭑ I think they remind me of sungho because of their overall vibe and temperament. millipedes have a strong, non-threatening exterior, just like sungho hehe. and they're just adorable little big boys <3 they mind their own business and do their job quietly and diligently! also the name gentle giant is so closely related to sungho that I can't help but match him with these guys! <3 I don't think there's anything else.. but thinking abt the resemblance between sungho and african millipedes makes me wanna cry... ( ᴗ ̫ ᴗ )♡ it's just so very cute please :((( <3

riwoo ʚïɞ phidippus regius

— regal jumping spider !

𐚁๋࣭⭑ the most prominent features of these spiders are their small bodies and sets of large black eyes that give them the cutest appearance <3 they have blueish–green jaws and three spots on their abdomen which resembles a smiling face! ^^ these little guys favour tropical regions and are mostly found in southeastern united states. jumping spiders do make nets but don't actually use them to hunt! they won't wait around for the prey to land on their webbing, but instead they will go seek them out themselves !! they are also venomous, and use it to hunt, or when they're feeling threatened. and of course, they love to jump! this useful skill comes in handy when hunting as well! they use a line of their silk as a tether, as it stabilizes their jumps and gives them direction. they have amazing eyesight and hearing! and the cutest thing of all, is that they dance to attract mates, the way that they sway their tiny bodies and wriggle their legs is the most adorable thing :( <3

𐚁๋࣭⭑ now why do these spideys remind me of sanghyeok? just like him, they're kinda small (hehe) but make up for it by being very flexible and active! ◟꒰◍ ´꒳` ◍꒱◞ they're super daring and very very courageous! they're both dancers and just silly little cuties, with beautiful eyes and I just can't help but melt at the sight of them :( their tiny jumps and cute dances remind me of riwoo especially when he's being silly >< it's the cutest thing <//3 and I can most definitely hold both riwoo and jumping spideys in the palm of my hand ^^ my tiny babies <3

jaehyun ʚïɞ allomyrina dichotoma

— kabutomushi or japanese rhinoceros beetle !

𐚁๋࣭⭑ "mushi" is japanese for insect, and "kabuto" - for helmet. the name directly refers to the samurai helmet, which just makes them super badass in my opinion! :D I love adore all stag beetles but these ones are super special to me, because of their unique Y shaped horns! it looks so so cool :( fun fact, this horn is used by males to lift other males off the ground and throw them into the air 😭😭 they're nocturnal and can be found in subtropical and tropical regions in eastern asia. kabutomushi are super popular in japanese culture, and have been a source of inspiration for lots and lots of things, like characters in media, advertisements and so on. they are not venomous and don't bite, but they will often engage in fights with e/o, as they are fierce and unbelievably strong!

𐚁๋࣭⭑ now why does jaehyun get the beetles. hmm.. I think he just gives me this vibe of being super tough and resilient and that's how these guys also tend to be! they're really firm and feisty, just like him! hehe. ૮ • ﻌ - ა myungjae definitely is the type to be super competitive and courageous! I admire these qualities in him, as they make him shine even brighter >< additionally, he is a very reliable leader, who I'm sure, is quite the inspiration for the rest of the members, someone who they look to for strength and encouragement! so yeah! myungjae kabutomushi confirmed !! <33

taesan ʚïɞ poecilotheria metallica

— the gooty sapphire tarantula !

𐚁๋࣭⭑ my most beloved emo spideys are sadly critically endangered :( they're native to a small area in southeast india and are tree-dwelling in nature. their bright blue color helps with camouflaging among the leaves. these tarantulas require specific conditions in which they thrive and feel comfortable, as they're highly light-sensitive and prefer to live in humid places. they're not very territorial, and tend to be semisocial or solitary! they're super skittish and tend to get aggressive when they feel threatened. fun fact! they don't have the typical defense mechanism that other tarantulas possess, which is the urticating hairs, which makes them the most vulnerable tarantula species. however, they make up for this shortcoming by being super super fast!! and prefer to flee rather than bite, even though they're venomous.

𐚁๋࣭⭑ the reason I matched this spidey with dongmin is bcuz they're both emo in appearance (lol) and they love doing their thing in their own little space. they're both super quiet, peaceful and like to keep to themselves. and another reason, is that they're both just so unique! ૮₍˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶₎ა♡ and true to themselves! these tarantulas are unlike any other spider and I feel like that's how taesan also is, a super special and authentic person <3 I love these spiders and giant mountain with my whole entire heart !! <3

leehan ʚïɞ hymenopus coronatus

— orchid mantis !

𐚁๋࣭⭑ this beautiful dainty insect is also known as a living flower. their beautiful appearance doesn't only serve the purpose of being pretty, but it actually is a hunting strategy! this is called aggressive mimicry, when the insects blend in with the food they consume or their habitat. these mantises pretend to be flowers, their primary food source, which successfully camouflages them from predators! they're quite rare and can only be found in southeast asian tropical forests. fun fact! hehe. their flower "cosplays" are so convincing that they tend to attract lots of bees ^^ despite their small size, they're one of the best predators, able to hunt prey that's much larger than them (including frogs and birds!!) they also bite, although they're not venomous.

𐚁๋࣭⭑ they are calm, patient insects that use their assets to their full potential in order to achieve their goals. very much like ihan if you ask me!! hehe >< I think the dainty, and delicate appearance of the mantis matches him so so well. and pairing that with their calm temperament and behaviour, it just fits perfectly! leehan isn't one to be startled easily or to overreact, he's pretty chill for the most part and is one of the most charming people I've ever seen! (୨୧ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) I think that sums it up quite well ! (although the fact that these insects are known as living flowers was reason enough for me to match them w ihan ^^)

woonhak ʚïɞ Phyllium siccifolium

— leaf insect !

𐚁๋࣭⭑ masters of camouflage! it's appearance is honestly impeccable in replicating a leaf. they can be found in the tropical and subtropical climates, in several countries of asia. fun adorable fact! the newly hatched nymphs are reddish–brown and only become green after feeding on some leaves! how cute >< their leaf mimicry is so intricate, that sometimes they can have dark spots that resemble disease or damage! and the cutest thing is that they sway from side to side, to copy a leaf's movement in the wind. they're the biggest form of walking leaf and most of all, they're able to regenerate!! they are quite calm and docile, and move sluggishly, not to attract any predators. they remain still for the most part and tend to be solitary.

𐚁๋࣭⭑ I matched this cute insect to woonhak bcuz... idk I think it's just very adorable–looking overall and just gives me unagi vibes hehe^^ he's a cutie and the leaf bugs are also cuties, that's quite reasonable imo!! their bright appearance is super nice to look at and resembles how bright and lovely this baby is! (˃ ⌑ ˂ഃ ) ˎˊ˗ but also, my thought while matching him to these bugs was that he's very versatile and just easily adopts any and every concept, almost entirely flawlessly! he's just such a talented lil guy! leaf insects and woonhak are real good at flawlessly immersing themselves in a theme! and they're both just such cutie pies, ok? <3

the book of us ➵ masterlist

non-idol!zerobaseone x afab reader (they/them)

listen closely to the stories of zb1 as they find themselves entangled in lives filled with friendships, passions, hardships, love, and of course, music!

general genre/warnings ➵ lots of fluff, some angst, expect crack, they/them pronouns <3, band au, a mix of college, fresh graduates, and highschool aus, crazy case of loserism from the zb1 guys (as it should be), music is the connecting factor <3 make sure to read every story's respective genre/warnings

additional notes ➵ stories can be read as standalones but it's highly encouraged to read through all! all previous and upcoming y/ns will be referred to as __!y/n titles and synopsis are subject to change but plots/genres are pretty set

word count ➵ projected to be 10-15k words per story under side a, 5-10k words per story under side b

a/n ➵ happy 500 followers! you cannot separate me from my zb1 guys and day6... i'm excited for this series so please send strength my way <3 i hope you guys stay seated for this series :D thank u again to @vernyangel and @shegotthewoobies for the support and helping me create this universe! always remember that reblogging helps a ton and will help me gain traction :3

want to be part of the series taglist? fill out the form! masterlist

SIDE A

TRACK 1: home is found in you ➵ kim gyuvin

when kim gyuvin is forced to volunteer at a animal shelter, the last thing he expects is to be compared to a rescued dog. (and to fall in love with you.) — strangers to lovers to exes to lovers, small town au, summer au, fluff, angst, based on “i smile” by day6

TRACK 2: the ballad of a lovestruck friend ➵ seok matthew

while everyone seems to know who seok matthew’s crush is, he refuses to reveal the identity to you. (now, why’s everyone calling you dense?) — friends to lovers, university au, fluff, based on “i like you” by day6

TRACK 3: the plotted invisible string ➵ kim taerae

if kim taerae had any regrets, it would be n asking out his first love. luckily for him, he’s got another shot now. (how’s he going to mastermind it this time?) — strangers to friends to lovers, highschool & university au, fluff, crack, based on “wanna go back” & “chocolate” by day6

TRACK 4: on (your) strings ➵ zhang hao

if there’s anything zhang hao hated, it’s double harmonics, paganini’s caprice no. 24, and the annoying viola player in orchestra. (so why can’t he stop thinking about you?) — enemies to lovers, university (master’s) au, fluff, angst, based on “i wait” by day6

TRACK 5: first day(s) on the job ➵ kim jiwoong

although kim jiwoong is set to impress his boss, he’s unlucky to be assigned with the clueless intern who seems to always cause a mess. (maybe you two wouldn’t be staying in your jobs for that long.) — strangers to lovers, workplace au, crack, fluff, angst, based on “man in a move” by day6

SIDE B

TRACK 6: eye for talent ➵ shen quanrui/ricky

as ricky plans to invest in the next big band, his eyes are set on the university crowd’s favorite bar for their breakthrough. (and the owner who always says no to him.) — strangers to lovers, university au, fluff, angst, based on “emergency” by day6

TRACK 7: lost in translation ➵ park gunwook

although park gunwook wants to make his name in underground hiphop scene, he’s set on meeting the respected, masked rapper that took the community by a storm. (it just so happens that he didn’t know he fucked up his first meeting with you.) — strangers to lovers, university au, crack, fluff, based on “what can i do?” by day6

TRACK 8: 8,000 kilometers worth ➵ sung hanbin

if there’s one thing sung hanbin wasn’t expecting, it’s being kept far away from you. (did you two have what it takes to sustain it?) — established relationship, angst, based on “about now” by day6

TRACK 9: slowly bruising but healing ➵ han yujin

han yujin’s biggest enemy is himself, but you’re here to remind him of his worth amidst a sea of criticism. (all you can hope is that he’ll listen to your voice as he hopes the same for you.) — platonic, highschool au, angst, coming-of-age, based on “marathon” by day6

taglist ➵ @kflixnet @blankjournal

ohh i adored this to bits! it felt like i was reading an actual ya novel, so magical and romantic...

i swooned at how leehan slowly broke down reader's walls and how reader instinctively rushed to comfort leehan during a vulnerable time :"( ♡ the part where reader realizes how much effort leehan is putting in to make them like him made my heart squeeze T_T

this was really well written ♡ looking forward to more works from op!

water prince // leehan

When you receive a wedding proposal from the Water Kingdom, you are set on making Prince Donghyun change his mind about marrying you. At least, until you actually see him for who he is.

➳ Characters: prince!Leehan (called Donghyun in the story) x princess!female reader/you

➳ Genre: royalty au, arranged marriage au, magical kingdom au, elemental powers au, fluff, comedy, a bit of angst too

➳ Words: 13.7k

➳ Warning: mentions of food, reader almost drowning and being seasick, Leehan's father in the story is quite hostile, Leehan feels insecure about not being loved by his father

➳ A/N: Happiest birthday to the loveliest person on Earth @dat-town❤️ So happy for everything you've achieved and so excited to see what you will continue to achieve! May you have the best year ever, and stay healthy and happy all throughout! ❤️

➳ Taglist: @s00buwu, @dat-town, @emmylksblog

“You are to marry Prince Donghyun.”

You literally choked on your water when your father announced the big news he had assembled the family for. Your little sister patted your back, trying to be helpful, while your mother shot you a surprised look as if she couldn’t decide whether you were appalled or delighted by the news, and that’s why you were so taken aback. Your brother, Sungho, sat in his chair in a calm manner as usual, quietly analysing the situation while cutting his meat into tiny pieces in the quietest way possible.

You couldn’t blame him. You were in the middle of your regularly scheduled dinner in the dining hall of the palace when the King finally told you what he had been hiding from you for sometime. Before that, you couldn’t even know whom it entailed - your little sister, Sunghee, your brother, Sungho, or you -, the only thing you knew was that your father had been in talks with other kingdoms. Which was nothing new, really, it was one of his duties as the King of the Fire Kingdom.

“Why him,” was your first question after you managed to stop coughing, and you couldn’t tell who was more shocked by your question: your mother, your father or your little sister. Sungho seemed rather amused, his lips slightly curling upwards. No wonder he knew you the best.

“Because they offered a wedding proposal?” Your father half-asked, half-answered, and as you put down the glass of water onto the table, you were trying to rationalise his words, but there was nothing you could rationalise about this. From a young age, you knew that this would be your fate, you just didn’t know how to face it now.

“I would rather know why I am supposed to be marrying a prince from the Water Kingdom, if it has to be Prince Donghyun out of all people.”

“They say that he’s really handsome,” Sunghee chirped in, her eyes already forming hearts at the mention of the prince. Then again, she was 15, and she had heart eyes for every prince that she saw at formal events.

“You should feel grateful that he chose you. Princesses from other kingdoms are all lining up for him,” your mother weighed in, nudging you in the side, and you felt like a kid being reprimanded for something that she had done, not a princess who didn’t want to marry a prince who had once tried to sweet talk her into dancing with him at a royal wedding, only to trample on her feet multiple times. That guy was full of mischievous ideas, and you wanted nothing to do with him and his troublemaker ass. Besides, he was said to be full of himself, and you hated nothing more than smug princes who thought that a few compliments would make a princess fall for them.

“Prince Donghyun’s birthday is coming up, and he is supposed to find a bride for himself after his 20th birthday. They sent out the offer on his behalf, but before they expect an answer from you, you are invited to his birthday celebration to get to know him better,” the King explained in detail, and you wanted to evaporate right then and there. Really? You were even invited to his birthday celebration? Was he really that enchanted by that clumsy dance you had had at the wedding, or did the Water Kingdom had ulterior motives behind this decision?

You let out a sigh in return, clearly against the whole thing, but it’s not like you had a say in it. However, you had a say in how you behaved around Prince Donghyun, and actually, this birthday celebration would be the perfect chance to make him change his mind about you - or his family or whoever came up with this stupid idea of being his bride. You could be on your worst behaviour, and make him hate you, or worse, make him disgusted by you, and that’s exactly what you needed.

“When is this celebration?” You inquired from your father who gave you a satisfied smile in return, and told you that he would tell you all of the details and show you the wedding proposal after dinner. Sungho narrowed his eyes at your sudden change of behaviour, but when you turned towards him, you merely mouthed “I know what I’m doing”, and he seemed to believe you, going back to his fig jam-coated meat.

Whenever you attended a formal event in another kingdom, at least two members of your family had to be present. Before you and Sungho had turned 20, you had always needed to be accompanied by an adult - mostly your mother because the King had other duties to attend to. Since you were both deemed responsible adults when it came to age and appropriate behaviour, the two of you could go together to Prince Donghyun’s birthday celebration since your mother was to attend one of her sisters’ wedding with Sunghee the day later you set out to the Water Kingdom.

Since travelling on a ship would have required more people to accompany you (and since you were often seasick when out on the sea), you travelled by carriage, and you were supposed to arrive the day before the actual birthday celebration as per the Water Kingdom’s request. That left you with plenty of time to tell Sungho all about your plan of changing the prince’s mind starting from your choice of dress for the day of your arrival - a beautiful, knee-length black dress with puffy sleeves and a V-neck that highlighted the pretty necklace brightening your pale skin with little diamonds in the shape of a flame. It was an appropriate dress in style and length, maybe the V-line was a bit steep according to some, but it was its colour that mattered. In the Fire Kingdom, black represented the end of something - just like how flames turn to black ashes when they can no longer feed on oxygen -, and usually, you wore black clothes at the seasons’ farewell ceremony. You had a farewell ceremony for all four seasons when you bid goodbye to the previous one and welcomed the new one, gathering around a huge fire and giving your blessings to the kingdom and the royal family.

You highly doubted that Prince Donghyun would be aware of such traditions in your kingdom, but that was the best part of it: that he didn’t know about it, but you knew why you dressed like that. You had other tricks under your sleeve, and whilst Sungho didn’t disapprove of your plan, he was partly worried about your feelings.

“Will you be able to handle that? You hate nothing more than embarrassing yourself,” he pointed out gently, in his own big brother way, when you mentioned that if you had to embarrass yourself for your plan, you were ready to give it your all. The goal was to make Prince Donghyun go back on his words - or beg the one who came up with the idea of you having to marry him to change their mind  -, and the journey getting there might not be all rosy, but it would be worth it.

“I’ll make sure I do it subtly enough to not bring embarrassment on myself in front of others. Plus, I think he will want to speak with me in private, so that’s when I need to strike for real,” you announced with a triumphant smile as you tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. The ladies all dolled you up at the palace, but if you were going to a battle, you needed to go in style.

Sungho didn’t show it if he was against your plan, and instead, he directed a topic elsewhere but your looming marriage proposal. This way, at least you didn’t feel like crawling out of your skin until you arrived, and guess what, Prince Donghyun just had to wait for you at the entrance of the palace when the carriage halted and the servants helped you down.

You tried hard not to stare at him because he did look… different. Of course, he looked different, he had been around 16 when you had last seen him; it had been a year after that ominous wedding, and you had seen him in passing in the circle of princesses who cooed all about his beauty and his deep voice and whatnot. Years had passed by, and he grew taller, his shoulders were broader, and his hair was longer, it reached his shoulders already. His features were less boyish, but there was still that mischievous spark in his eyes when you walked up to him after waiting for your brother to get out of the carriage.

You even forgot to look behind him to take in the grandiose palace walls and huge rose windows because he was the main view for you. The way the fading sunlight - late afternoon flowing into early night - shone onto him made him seem like someone from another world, or rather, someone from those fairytales your sister still believed in. If someone embodied royalty, it was him, and you had no idea how he had such an effect on you when you had come here to destroy his plans to marry you.

Alas, you could not let yourself sway just because he was pretty. Beauty could be deceiving, beauty could hurt, and if anyone, you knew that. Being praised for being beautiful, but never being praised for being smart or reliable or kind made you see this whole thing in a new light. So you kept your compliments to yourself, and focused on the boy’s cheeky smile instead.

There was a round of formalities with bowing and courtesy, the servants already hustling-bustling around you, carrying your luggage and gifts, and you heard two ladies from your own kingdom whispering about Prince Donghyun’s angelic smile as they passed by.

You rolled your eyes at their antics, but the Water Kingdom prince either didn’t seem to notice, or he didn’t mind. Instead, he posed a question that made you furrow your eyebrows.

“Did you come in black because you’re putting an end to your life without me?”

“Pardon me?”

“I read that black symbolises the end of something in your kingdom,” he pointed out in a casual manner, and you needed to hold yourself back from commenting that you didn’t expect him to do some reading on the Fire Kingdom and its traditions. You could clearly see Sungho’s facial expression though, he was visibly impressed.

The prince gave you a crooked half-smile as he took one step closer to you, closer than before, but not close enough to call it inappropriate. You had a feeling that he was playing at just that;  dancing on the fine line of being playfully flirtatious and a bit too much in general. 

“But did you know that it symbolises deep love in our kingdom? It’s a metaphor because if you love someone deeply, you would be willing to swim to the bottom of the ocean for them and the bottom is always so dark, almost black,” he continued equally joyfully, but you needed to gulp down the profanities that were threatening to leave your mouth.

Just how could you mess this up so badly? Not only had you chosen a black dress that symbolised deep love in their kingdom, but you had also failed to consider Prince Donghyun actually looking up the meaning of the colour in the Fire Kingdom. Well, you had to give it to him that he won this round, but you wouldn’t have said it out loud for all the money in the world.

So you let Sungho ask about the palace instead while you were ushered inside, and if Prince Donghyun had any itinerary planned for the rest of the day since you were supposedly the only ones who were invited to come a day earlier. Prince Donghyun explained that you would have dinner together and he could show you around the palace afterwards if you were up for it.

“Excellent idea! I would love nothing more than to spend more time with you,” you announced in an overzealous manner, hoping that it could make the prince falter in his good boy role. On the other hand, he seemed rather amused, not weirded out, and suggested that you could check out the lighthouse and the docks if you were that interested. You had no idea that they had such places on palace grounds, but sure, you were in the Water Kingdom after all.

Hoping to direct the topic to something else, when you spotted a bouquet of flowers in a huge vase, you acted oh so innocently as you asked:

“Ah, are these fake?”

“My mother picked them from her garden in the morning. She likes tending to her flowers,” the prince pointed out casually, and you bit down on your tongue in response. Damn it, why couldn’t you get a hold on him? 

Sure, you might have been the only kingdom that had fake flowers placed in the palace corridors because they just didn’t grow as exuberant as the ones in the Earth Kingdom, for instance, but you had different climates as well. You would think that the colder, rainy climate of the Water Kingdom didn’t necessarily help flowers flourish, but well… maybe you were wrong about more than just one thing.

You pressed your lips into a thin line, forcing yourself to shut your mouth, while you were following the prince and the servants down the corridors that were full of paintings of the royal family. The amount of paintings about Prince Donghyun from a very young age to present days was overwhelming: him with a book in his hands in what seemed like a library when he was a child, him in the garden surrounded by flowers, him standing by the sea, him standing by a fish tank, him holding a rose and the list goes on…

You weren’t sure whether looking at the actual real-life prince or his painted features was more unsettling, so you did neither and just stared ahead of yourself. Which was a mistake on your part because you managed to walk into the prince’s chest when he halted in front of a room.

“Are you alright, princess?” He inquired with wide eyes as he held you by the shoulders to steady you. You immediately stepped backwards, making him yank his hands away from you.

“I’m alright. It was just a bit dizzying with all the floors and corridors.”

“You will get used to it,” he said naturally, but there was a slight hint of nervousness in the way his eyes darted from your face to Sungho’s when he said the words out loud. Your brother, on the other hand, merely stayed still, calmly listening to your conversation. You were sure that you would hear his opinion on it later on, but for now, he didn’t seem fazed by the boy’s behaviour and flirty remarks.

“So will these be our suites?” Your brother asked to break the silence, and indeed, Prince Donghyun took this opportunity to show you to your rooms. Yours was fully equipped with a bathroom and a restroom, a huge wardrobe, candles by the double bed and a wide wooden desk by the equally wide full-length windows that led to a balcony. What took you by surprise was that the fluffy blankets, the luxurious curtains, the welcoming pillows and the walls of the room were all in different shades of blue, but it was done in an elegant way, so no colour overshadowed the other. However, the sight made you feel as if you were close to the sea, and you didn’t necessarily like it since the sea always reminded you of those boat travels when you got seasick.

Prince Donghyun said that a servant would come by when dinner was ready, but until then, he would let you unpack and settle down. When he got out of sight, you let out an aghast sigh, and fell into the bed, silently screaming into the pillows.

This was so not going as planned.

Dinner was passing by excruciatingly slowly. You literally checked the huge clock on the wall - which had a different type of fish painted by each number of the 12-part circle - every 5 minutes, hoping that time would go by faster, to no avail. You might have been able to spark a fire or put out one as a Fire Kingdom princess, but your magic didn’t involve meddling with time.

Alas, you had to sit through the forced conversation with Prince Donghyun’s parents (his older brother was away for a trade talk or something like that), and while his mother was a lovely woman, and her smile, at least, seemed genuine, his father was the definition of a politician. Which wouldn’t have unsettled you so much if you had not known his type, and how all of his sentences were well-calculated, carefully practised and being a part of a bigger plan. Even when he complimented his son, you could see that the prince was taken aback for he was smiling so coyly, you had a feeling that he scarcely complimented his children without an audience around.

You were thankful that Sungho was good at reading the room and changing topics in a polite enough manner, so that the King wouldn’t deem his action rude. It was difficult to displease them because while playing a foolish girl who always finds something to complain about and acts all so erratic was all fun and games with Prince Donghyun, when you tried to do the same in front of the royal couple, the King’s comments made you retreat. He was borderline misogynistic, saying that your honesty would be “cured” by having a husband, and that you should be lucky someone was willing to marry you with your reputation of being a fiery princess who always rejected princes.

It got to a point that you needed to excuse yourself to head outside because he started putting down your own parents for raising a princess like you, and you could not stand that. Even though you told them that you would go to the restroom, you had no place in mind, so when a servant left you by the closest restroom, you just stood there for a minute, completely frozen.

“Do you need anything, princess?” A familiar voice spoke up beside you, and you actually jumped back when you heard his voice. You were totally lost in thought, trying to process what you had been told, you didn’t pay attention to anything else.

Prince Donghyun noticed your shaken state, and his lips quivered slightly when you didn’t speak up. This was the first time that you saw something apart from mischief flash across his orbs when he looked at you, he looked genuinely concerned this time, and suddenly, you had no idea what to do with it.

“I’m so sorry about my father. He isn’t the best with…”

“You don’t need to apologise on his behalf. He needs to do it himself if he wants my forgiveness.”

The moment the words rolled off your tongue, you knew how naive it might have sounded, but you didn’t care. You kept your chin up high, kept the eye-contact, and the boy did the same. You had a feeling that he was afraid that if he looked away, you would run away. Which was incredibly close to what you actually wanted to do right then and there.

Even though you were usually good at keeping your composure in check, or at least acting like you didn’t care what people said about you, you didn’t have it in you to continue acting that night. So you were about to say that you would head back to your room to avoid having a conversation with the prince in your state, but he beat you to it.

“How about that walk to the lighthouse? That's the furthest place from the dining room,” he suggested out of the blue, his words carrying a certain gentleness. You couldn’t decide whether this was the perfect, kind prince role that he wanted to play, or whether it came naturally to him.

Nevertheless, you didn’t have the luxury to ponder over it, you just wanted a change of scenery - as much as the situation allowed, at least. So you gave in to the prince’s suggestion, and followed him outside the palace through a few unfamiliar corridors, walking through his mother’s garden to get to the docks. It didn’t resemble the docks for trading that you had been to before, it was a much more sophisticated one. It was more like a pier with only two ships waiting by the riverside, probably the ones the royal family used for travel.

For starters, the path was lit up by lanterns that glowed joyfully with the last few patches of the sunset still present on the horizon, like little fireflies in the night. The wharf itself wasn’t very well-lit, but the brightness coming from the lighthouse made up for that, illuminating the wooden structure leading up to it periodically. Even though there was mud where the water licked into the ground, the palace’s garden was connected to the shore with a little bridge, so you could walk on it as soon as you stepped past the fence separating the two sides.

Prince Donghyun held his hand out to help you step onto the wharf, and you would have objected fervently if it had not been for your dress - which seemed quite impractical for this kind of movement -, but alas, you accepted it. His grip was strong enough to hold you yet gentle enough to not crush your hands, but you didn’t hold onto him longer than needed.

“Oh no,” you said as soon as you stepped onto the wooden structure, realising that there was no railing on the sides. Even though the pathway was wide enough for two people, maybe even for three, in the momentary light the lighthouse provided when it was its turn to shine onto the wharf, you weren’t sure that you could cross it without getting panicky about it.

“What is wrong?”

“I don’t like the fact that there’s no railing here,” you announced as you pointed at the obvious lack of added safety, to which he merely gave you an amused smile.

“You can hold onto me if you want to,” he offered with a playful wink, and you were anything but impressed by his idea.

“I get seasick easily, and even though we are not on a boat, just the idea of being this close to water without an extra barrier makes me feel odd because I can’t swim, so…”

You were not one to talk about your weaknesses so easily, but the sight frightened you more than you would have admitted, and the words just rolled off your tongue without thinking ahead. It was too late to go back on your words though, you could already see how the prince was trying to make sense of the situation.

“I have an idea,” Prince Donghyun announced, mischief no longer evident in his voice as he turned his back to you and stood still.

You blinked, confused, and the thought crossed your mind that this would be the moment he would scare you or push you into the water, and you would have every reason to hate him then because you couldn’t swim. Not to mention that you were seasick often, so you absolutely detested anything that was related to water.

“You know, if you are trying to make a joke out of this whole situation, I wonder why-” You started as you took a step back in case he really did want to trick you. Instead, he raised his hands around him in a circular motion, and a few seconds later, a literal bubble formed in front of him. Then, he directed that bubble to hover between you two as he turned around.

“How did you do that?” You breathed, bewildered, as you looked at the water bubble in front of you, moving at his will. The boy couldn’t hide the smile that was creeping onto his lips at your awestruck expression that turned even more surprised when he started expanding the bubble. You were about to open your mouth to say that you didn’t want to get wet when it started getting so big that it almost touched you, but the collision never happened. What happened was that the bubble grew around you without touching you at all, so ultimately, you found yourself insead it, the world around you suddenly quiet and dim.

“It doesn’t burst with human contact or with objects. At least, I can now control it,” Prince Donghyun explained with a bit of a giggle as he stood inside the bubble with you.

You shook your head, trying to recover from this daze, but gosh, it was such a mesmerising sight. The prince looked to be in his element as he was talking about how he had learned to create bubbles and then to control them, all wide-eyed affection and enthusiasm pouring off his gorgeous features. Even if you had moments before when you questioned just how genuine he was, you couldn’t question it now, it was enough to look at him. He was dazzling, maple-brown shoulder-length hair tucked behind his ear, big doe eyes filled with stars, while he was showing you how you could touch the bubble from the inside, but it wouldn’t budge.

“I am good, aren’t I?” He quirked an eyebrow after his monologue, a proud smile tinting his lips. You looked back at him, rolling your eyes at his antics, but you had to try hard to sniffle your smile.

It felt like being inside a separate little island as you were walking inside the bubble, walking towards the lighthouse. You had to be close to him though, or else, he would need to expand the bubble even more, so you followed him diligently, and only halted when you reached the end and stood beside the beacon. This part of the wharf had railings, but you almost didn’t notice because the bubble kept out not just the outside world, but also your worries for a while.

“I didn’t know you could do something like this.”

“I’m glad to hear that I could surprise you,” he flashed you an even wider grin, if that was possible, but there was something coy about it now, as if he couldn’t believe that you could see him in a different light. Well, what could you say? You definitely didn’t expect this either.

The prince seemed curious at this point about what you could do with your powers, so you told him that you could make anything related to fire - you could create a spark, you could light up a fireplace, you could burn objects if you got your hands on them, and you could also put out fire if needed. There weren’t a lot of uses to your power, to be honest, but you didn’t mind. You always had a feeling that the reason war didn’t break out between the kingdoms was because you could only practise your magic in your own kingdom, meaning that you couldn’t do anything with fire here, even if you wanted to.

Prince Donghyun was attentive and curious, his eyes still having that bright spark to them, and for a short while, you even forgot why you ended up there, inside a bubble he created. Yet, when the next strike of light shone onto you two, and you felt your throat closing up at the sight of him - so boyish, so gentle, so affectionate -, you told him that you wished to go back.

He did seem a bit disappointed, but an understanding smile replaced his momentary pout in a bit, and he walked you back without a word. When you stepped off the docks, the bubble didn’t actually burst around you with splashes of water, it merely disappeared. You attempted to seem disinterested, but you were impressed, even if you tried to divert the topic elsewhere.

When you reached your suite, Prince Donghyun offered that you could let him know if you needed anything anytime, he would assist you. You could even knock on his door at the break of dawn - he had shown you where his suite was located on your walk back from the lighthouse -, he would be ready to help.

“Shouldn’t I notify a servant instead?” You raised an eyebrow, challengingly, but the boy either didn’t seem to take note of it, or didn’t deem it as an act of challenge.

“Well, I’m a man of many charms, and I can do a lot more than you think I’m capable of.”

“A man, pff. You’re not even 20 years old,” you pointed out cheekily, and he let out a deep, long laugh before his features went back to their previous state.

“But I will turn 20 tomorrow. I will be a man,” he retorted as he took a step closer to you, his eyes not leaving yours. Your heart betrayed you because when your eyes locked, that traitor decided to skip a beat. You had never been this close to him before, not even inside the bubble, and instead of feeling like you had to keep your guards up, you wanted to destroy the walls you built around yourself, and in that moment, he looked like he wanted to do the same.

“Good night, Princess!” He wished with a widening smile, shattering the serene moment into tiny little pieces, before he turned around and walked away.

The birthday celebration officially started the next day at noon, but guests started arriving from early morning. You didn’t even finish breakfast, you were notified that the first carriage pulled into the court, and Prince Donghyun dutifully followed his mother outside to greet the guests. The King was supposedly in his study, but you actually preferred it that way, especially after the previous night’s conversation at dinner.

So that left you and Sungho enough time to finish the rest of the breakfast while discussing the day ahead. Your brother even brought up the events of last night, and where you had been with Prince Donghyun.

“Nowhere scandalous, trust me!” You justified more fervently than needed, and Sungho held up his hands as a peace offer. He looked like he was conflicted whether he should be amused or concerned by your dramatic reaction.

“I would have been surprised if you had been anywhere scandalous, especially with your plan to make him change his mind,” he pointed out reasonably before reaching for his mug of tea. One of the reasons why you liked your brother was because he could keep his cool, and he knew you well enough to not jump to stupid conclusions. His question was probably more out of curiosity than teasing either way.

Hence, you decided to be honest with him, though you didn’t want to talk about Prince Donghyun creating a water bubble around you, so you would dare to walk the wharf with him. You didn’t know why, but it felt like a rather affectionate reaction to your seasickness, and you didn’t want to bring it up.

“He showed me the lighthouse, and we talked about our magic, and what we can do with it.”

“Seems pretty ordinary to me. Where did you leave your over the top acting?” He inquired with a playful smile, and you gently pushed his shoulder with your own.

“I didn’t feel like doing it last night. The King’s words got to me more than I would have thought so,” you admitted feebly, suddenly finding your empty plate more interesting than anything else in the dining room. You were usually not one to be swayed by others’ opinion, you weren’t a naive and scared teenage girl anymore. On the other hand, you had never even met anyone as hostile as the King of the Water Kingdom, and you had met a lot of royalty, so that said a lot.

“I’ve heard that he’s like that with everyone; he’s never truly satisfied, and doesn’t agree with anyone even if he’s wrong. So it wasn’t directed at you,” Sungho reassured you softly, and when you looked up at him, you directed a grateful smile at him. He always seemed to know what to say, and you appreciated it more than ever.

You didn’t have a lot of time to yourself afterwards because the servants notified you that you should get ready for a bath before they would do your hair and make-up. So you followed them and let them take care of you from head to toe. Sometimes it felt cumbersome to be all dolled up for an event, but you enjoyed being pampered after the previous day, and you didn’t want to let it show that you had been affected by the King’s viciousness.

Red was the trademark colour of your kingdom, so you picked a cherry-red dress for the event, one that you always felt so powerful in. The bottom part was a widening skirt in wine-red with a thin, more translucent layer covering the silky one underneath that had such a nice fall to it. From your waist up, the material switched to lacy with pretty embroidery making it more intricate on your chest and on your arms alike. Golden beads dotted the middle line that ended in a V-cut that revealed an appropriate amount of skin before it closed up underneath your neck which was covered in beads again. You had matching burgundy high heels to top the look, though they would be covered by the wide skirt either way.

The ladies curled your hair and made the locks resemble the waves in your dress, letting them fall over your shoulders elegantly, with the exception of your front locks which were held back and secured to your temple with a ribbon. Your eyes were covered in a mixture of sparkly silver and burgundy, your lips the colour of ruby-red apples.

You were of the opinion that if you were forced to attend such events, you would do so in style, and you were thankful that your parents let you choose your outfits and consult the tailors yourself, they didn’t really meddle with your preference in dresses. Same went for Sungho who showed up in a burgundy-black outfit with delicate embroidery on the chest of his long-sleeved shirt, and an exquisite pair of cotton pants.

As always, you didn’t fail to compliment the other’s look, and when the beginning of the celebration was announced, you made your way to the ballroom, your arms resting on your brother’s. Since he was by your side, you were more reassured that you barely knew anyone here, though you saw a few familiar faces from other kingdoms. It was easy to tell who came from where because apart from a few different colours, everyone chose to dress in the trademark colour of their own kingdom - blue for the Water, green for the Earth, white for the Air and red for the Fire Kingdom. Since most of them wore some kind of blue, you assumed that quite a lot of relatives of Prince Donghyun showed up, and judging by the older boy by his side, you guessed that his brother also came back from the trade talks in time for the celebration.

The King started his toast with a historical lesson on the Water Kingdom which bored you to no end, so you rather chose that time to examine Prince Donghyun’s flawless outfit. What you expected from such a flawless visual, though? Sure, he would have not looked as dashing in a stable boy’s clothes as he looked right now in his light blue shirt dotted by silver pearls that resembled tiny little water drops, tucked into midnight-blue cotton pants, his shoulder-length hair partly tucked behind his ear, but he had a certain aura to him that was hard to beat.

You might have been staring at him for quite some time because he caught your eyes, and suddenly, you felt exposed. Not only because you had been quite obviously checking him out, but also because he didn’t seem smug or teasing, he seemed rather in awe, his lips slightly parting. Could it be because of your dress? He was clearly looking at you, so it couldn’t be because of someone else, and yet… oh that traitor heart of yours betrayed you again.

“Am I interrupting something?” Sungho mumbled quietly, so only you could hear him, but even his hushed voice was enough to turn your cheeks ruby-red.

“What are you talking about?” You turned to him, trying your best to put on an act, but your brother knew you well enough, he knew that you were lying.

“You seemed to have a moment there with Prince Donghyun, and I suddenly felt like an intruder. Come to think of, yesterday evening, you also left with him, leaving me behind, which implies that despite the fact that you claim that you want to change his mind, you have also fallen-” He started up on a whole monologue, and you had never been more thankful in your whole life that the crowd cheered and clapped, so their loud voices covered up what he was saying.

“Oh yey, it’s finally over!” You clapped enthusiastically with the crowd when the King finally ended his speech, and people started dissolving from the middle of the ball room. Sungho would have probably continued teasing you if it had not been for Prince Donghyun walking right up to the two of you because then, he shut his mouth, but his eyes were telling a different tale.

“May I have this dance?” The prince inquired as he motioned towards the people who started dancing in pairs not far from you which made you realise that you and Sungho just happened to stay at the exact middle of the ball room. Which was awkward in itself, but the way your brother bit down on his lower lip to prevent himself from saying anything made it even more awkward.

You felt the need to clear your throat before you answered.

“Only if you’re better than you were at 15.”

Prince Donghyun let out a joyous laughter hearing your proclamation, probably remembering that memorable dance from years ago all too well.

“I can assure you that I’m way better than I was at 15. I’ve taken dance lessons since,” he claimed proudly, puffing his chest out, and Sungho chose this moment to leave you two behind, stating that he was not in the mood for dancing, so you two go ahead. You tried to sear holes into his back while he was leaving you two behind, but to no avail. He didn’t even look back.

“Sure. Let’s see how much you improved. But if you step on my foot, I will step on yours too, and trust me, you don’t want to encounter these high heels closely,” you threatened half-jokingly as you turned back to Prince Donghyun, but he merely laughed off your warning. He seemed pretty confident in himself, so you wanted to give this a chance, and indeed, he did the right thing by immediately extending his hand to you, so you could reach for it. Then, he escorted you further into the dance floor, expertly manoeuvring around already dancing couples.

If the beginning wasn’t enough to convince you, the rest of the dance sure was. The boy knew what he was doing, and he did it confidently. You could tell that he had taken those dance lessons seriously because there was only slight hesitation in his movements when he first touched you - your hand, your back and your waist -, afterwards, he overcame his coyness, and continued on like nothing happened.

He held himself like a prince, a delicate prince, and you were bewitched by the twinkles in his chestnut-brown eyes, as if stars were truly dancing in them, he was glowing, his endeared smile crowning his look. He held you so steady that you knew, you could tell that if you were to fall down, he would be able to catch you, and you had never felt so taken care of during a dance. It wasn’t about him showing off - despite how he introduced his dance skills -, it was about elevating your dance experience to something you had never had before.

“I’ve told you I got better,” he stated matter-of-factly after swirling you around, and when he closed the distance next, you found yourself mumbling something along the lines of:

“Yes, I can tell.”

“Excuse me, I couldn’t catch that. Could you say that again?” Prince Donghyun teased you, flashing an all too boyish grin, and you rolled your eyes, not believing his antics. Fine, two can play this game, you thought, before you leaned closer and tiptoed on your heels, so that you could be at eye-level with him.

“You can really dance like a man now, Prince Donghyun,” you whispered into his ears, and when you leaned back, you could see a pinkish hue colouring not only his cheeks but also his ears. You got him flustered, and you called that a win.

The song the musicians were playing came to an end, so you let go of his shoulders, and sank back to your heels. The boy was so dazed that he didn’t let go of you for a few more seconds, only when you thanked him for the dance and wished him a happy birthday. You knew that other girls would be lining up to dance with him or other royalty to have a word with him since it was his birthday celebration, so you let him enjoy his day, and got lost in the crowd of royalty.

You ended up having a talk with a princess from the Earth Kingdom, then two of Prince Donghyun’s cousins - Prince Jaehyun and Prince Woonhak - who chirped your ears off about how excited they were to meet you, and shared embarrassing stories about their cousin without flinching an eye. You were sure that it was a way to show you that Prince Donghyun was more than meets the eye, but you got the most surprised when they claimed that the prince had been harbouring feelings for you ever since that dance all those years ago, and he had not stopped talking about wanting to meet you again.

“Why would he do that? I reprimanded him for dancing so poorly,” you pointed out matter-of-factly, but that just fuelled the boys’ chattering even more.

“Oh yes, he did say something about loving the fact that you dared to put him in his place.”

“And that you weren’t afraid to speak your mind since most royalty wouldn’t do so,” Woonhak added to Jaehyun’s answer, and their words just made you wonder even more how much say Prince Donghyun had in this wedding proposal. It should have definitely gone through his father, which made you question why he had even agreed to it if you could not appease him at all, but was the choice ultimately the prince’s? Or did he have as much say in it as you did?

You were about to ask the cousins about this matter when the King announced that it was time to slice the five-tier cake, but he wanted to say a few words before. The princes beside you got all too pumped up at the mention of dessert, and excused themselves to get closer to the cake, so they could be one of the first ones to have their share.

“I would like to start by saying that we are very grateful to have all of you here to celebrate the birthday of our younger son,” the King started with his best neutral smile as he gave Prince Donghyun a side-eye who tried hard to appear more gentle than his father. You could feel from the moment you were here that their relationship was quite strained, but what his father said next just went beyond anything you could expect.

“But we have more to celebrate today, and I would like to hereby announce that our first-born, Prince Donghee, is going to marry Princess Dayoung from the Air Kingdom. Our son has just returned from finishing up on the marriage talks, and the wedding will take place in two months’ time.”

The claps came on quietly at first, then they appeared thunderous in the vast dining room, echoing back from the walls in a mocking tone while Prince Donghyun tried his best not to seem affected. You could tell that his small smile that didn’t reach his ears was anything but joyful, and he clapped like he was a mere shadow of himself. His father didn’t seem to take note of it as he asked Prince Donghee - the older brother you had seen by his side when they had started the celebration - to step forward and say a few words as well. It was all too perfect, all too practised, you felt sick to your stomach as you watched the scene unfold in front of your eyes.

“Marriage talks are underway with princesses for our second-born as well, but it looks like we have to put them on hold to prepare for the wedding day,” the King concluded after Prince Donghee was finished with his own speech, the room filled with roaring cheers once more.

You should have felt relieved that your possible marriage with Prince Donghyun was put on hold, and you should have felt a bit enraged that there were other princesses in question since they had not told you that you had competition. It shouldn’t have mattered, really, but you didn’t like the way the King was playing this game, and you felt anything but triumphant over the news. The prince seemed gutted, to say the least, and the way his eyes were searching for yours told you that he hoped that you wouldn’t take his father’s words the wrong way.

No wonder you didn’t feel like having a slice from the cake when they finished their speeches, and when you saw Prince Donghyun quietly walking away from the crowd, you decided to go after him. You met your brother in the meantime, and told him that you would be back. You didn’t know where you were going, and for a moment, you thought that you lost sight of Prince Donghyun, only to find him leaving through the garden, heading towards the lighthouse.

You tried to catch up to him, but he was a few metres ahead, and didn’t seem to notice you following him. However, when you stepped onto the dock, and realised yet again that there were no railings in sight, you came to a halt.

“Prince Donghyun!” You shouted after him, trying to gain his attention. He immediately turned around, his eyes widening in surprise when he caught sight of you standing still at the very end of the wharf.

“Princess, what are you doing here?” He inquired, his tone neutral, as he stood there, standing still a few metres ahead of you. You felt like there was a distance between you two both physically and metaphorically, and to hell to all of your plans of changing his mind, you would feel awful if you didn’t check on him after how he had checked on you last time following the King’s derogatory remarks.

“I wanted to see if you’re okay,” you blurted out, surprising yourself with how confident you sounded, but how couldn’t you? The prince in front of you never looked more vulnerable, more humane and more in need of a heart-to-heart talk - a mere 20-year-old boy who was hurt, and everyone decided to turn a blind eye to him and his feelings. The way his eyes were full of sorrowful stars instead of the joyful ones you usually saw swimming in them, and the way his lips quivered, full of emotion, but they looked as if they had never learned how to curl into a smile clenched your heart, not just a little.

“I’m not sure this is the right time to talk,” he dismissed your confession, the look on his face betraying his own words, because he looked like he wanted to talk, he just didn’t want to admit it out loud. He was ready to walk away from you when you finally broke from your frozen state, and took a step closer to him.

Your heart was in your throat as you took one step after another, focusing on the prince’s frame instead of the obvious lack of railings by the sides. You pursed your lips in concentration, remembering all those etiquette classes when you had learned how to walk in a straight line. Yet now, your steps were wobbly, your high heels clicking on the wood underneath your feet, and your long skirt didn’t help either.

However, when Prince Donghyun heard that you were indeed walking after him, he turned around, and started walking towards you. It crossed your mind for a moment that maybe he would walk by you, so that you wouldn’t come after him, and when he halted beside you, you held in your breath nervously, more nervous than you had ever been around him before.

“Why did you start walking after me? It’s dangerous,” he pointed at your dress, but there was no malice in his voice. Instead, he sounded as gentle as if he had been talking to a child. For a moment, you couldn’t find your voice, and when you did, you were all just a jumble of words. Gosh, this boy…

“I am… I just… I thought…” You started, inwardly cursing yourself for ever putting yourself in this situation. You hated nothing more than embarrassing yourself, and he knew that, he knew that all too well.

“I’ve never thought I would make you speechless,” he mused out loud, the side of his lips curling upwards, and you felt the need to punch him in his chest for teasing you like that. You were ready to do just that, raising your left hand, but he reached out for it instead, and laced his arm with yours, as casually as if it had been the hundredth time he did that.

Now you were actually speechless, blinking up at the boy whose side profile was enough to tell you that he was feeling rather shy himself, both his cheeks and ears were turning red after his gesture. He guided you towards the other end though, holding your arm safe and steady, as you were walking side by side towards the lighthouse.

May it be because you were more awestruck by Prince Donghyun’s gesture than your own fear of the open water around you, but you were at the other end before you knew it, and you didn’t even think about falling into the water, not even once. Or may it be because he was holding you like he wanted to protect you from all the bad in the world, but there was gentleness in his grip, something that didn’t go unnoticed by you (and that traitor heart of yours).

“I’m sorry about what my father said. It’s true that he has been in talks with other kingdoms regarding marriage proposals, but I haven’t been in talks with anyone other than you. I’ve wanted to tell you sooner, I just-”

“I know, I could tell,” you cut the prince off before he could feel even more guilty about something that wasn’t in his control.

“Really?”

“Yes,” you nodded seeing his bewildered expression. Well, you couldn’t blame him since you definitely looked like you wanted to find anything you could criticise about him or his kingdom the day before, but this - standing beside the lighthouse with his arm around yours, watching the setting sun on the horizon - was different. “And I know we don’t always have a say in what we want when it comes to the matters of our own kingdom. Plus, marriage is a serious topic, and it’s understandable that your father looked at other options, too,” you added matter-of-factly, but you could feel a little bit of a lump in your throat.

Prince Donghyun didn’t say anything for some time, so you hoped that you didn’t cross any boundaries. You could feel him tense a bit beside you, and since you didn’t know why, you let go of his arm, so he could have his own space if he wanted. He looked at your retrieving arm for a few seconds before he spoke up again.

“I’m not sure how to word this, but I feel like my father… he doesn’t love me the way he loves my brother,” he confessed, raw and vulnerable. He was staring far ahead, but you could tell from the way he was clenching his jaw that even this was hard for him without looking at you. “I don’t know why because I’ve tried everything my brother can do, and still… I always get that I’m only good for my looks, and I should marry someone who could bring more to our kingdom.”

You felt your heart drop at his confession because it resonated with you so much, especially the last sentence. Even though you weren’t pitted against each other with Sungho, you were also told by distant relatives and royalty from other kingdoms that you were so beautiful, but nothing else, and that you should marry someone who could make you someone. As if you weren’t already someone just by being born into your family. You weren’t perfect, but you tried to learn how not to let it get to you since as a princess, you had to deal with such comments all the time.

On the other hand, you would have never thought that Prince Donghyun might be going through the same thing because everyone had been gushing about him, and not just about his looks. Yet, you could never know what goes on in a palace unless you live there yourself, so you would never have the heart to question his words. You could tell that he was telling the truth.

“I know it might sound naive given that we are royalty, but the only person you should be good enough for is yourself. Trust me, you will feel a lot lighter if you know that you live your life for yourself, not somebody else,” you shared honestly, looking at him, and that’s the moment he turned his head to look at you, too.

When your eyes met, you thought that he would ask you about your experience, and you would have told him. Something in you shifted since last night, and you weren’t trying to undermine his efforts and see him in a bad light anymore. In fact, what all that bravado showed you was that he still accepted you, and he was willing to put up with your behaviour no matter what.

However, instead of asking about your side - though you had a feeling he understood you even without saying it out loud -, he said the next few words that truly put everything in a whole new light:

“But I want to be good enough for you, too.”

Sunset reflecting in his eyes, painting his locks in shades of chestnut-brown and statice-purple, his tall frame towering over you as if he wanted to shelter you from the outside world, your heart skipped a few beats before it picked up its pace, and started thumping against your ribcage, electrifying your whole body from head to toe. Your throat was dry, your words non-existent, and you unknowingly took a few steps backwards, as if to detach yourself from this perfect moment… only to step on the insides of your two-layered skirt, and fall - very far from elegant - into the cold water.

Your body was in survival mode immediately, your arms flailing around wildly as you tried to keep yourself up in the water. Your lungs were on fire, and despite the fact that you tried to pacify your breathing, telling yourself that you would be okay, your brain didn’t listen to you, and made up worse and worse scenarios of you drowning there. Even when firm arms took hold of you, all you could think about was that there was no air, no air, no air… drowning, drowning, drowning…

It could have been mere seconds, you couldn’t tell, before you got to the shore, and Prince Donghyun helped you push yourself upwards, so you could cough up the water. It felt so violent, your lungs and your throat seemed to battle each other while your eyes were on fire due to the salty water, and your whole body was shivering in your cold, damp clothes. In the meantime, you could subtly feel his gentle pats on your back that turned to circles when your coughs easened up, and your breathing wasn’t stridulous anymore.

“It’s okay. You’re safe now. It’s okay. I’m here,” Prince Donghyun said as a mantra while you were trying to pull yourself together. Yet, the moment you felt your shock fading away, you found yourself tearing up, your body starting to shake with the sobs.

Prince Donghyun looked alarmed for a moment, not knowing what to do with you, but you didn’t let him decide. You threw your arms around his equally wet body, and sobbed into the crook of his neck.

“Thank you… for saving me,” you mumbled between ragged breaths, and an intense wave of sobbing came over you when you said the words out loud. You could have died, you could have died just a few minutes ago, and he had jumped in to save you. He could have teased you that the water wasn’t that deep or he could have forgotten that you had told him that you couldn’t swim, and let you drown there, but he had jumped in without hesitation, and pulled you to shore so swiftly, you wondered if he had used some kind of magic just now. For you.

Prince Donghyun didn’t say a word, he let you cry as much as you wanted, while he was holding you safe and sound, while you were holding onto him.

A whirlwind of events followed your unfortunate fall. As soon as you entered the palace, the prince called for servants to help you undress, bathe and help you get warm, and he also notified someone to send a royal medic over to your suite after everything else was taken care of. You were trying to say that he himself should do the same, but he looked more worried about you than his own wet clothes and dripping locks, and you didn’t find the right words to say, still a bit under the influence of the past events.

You followed what the servants asked you to, and you liked that you were being told what to do for a change because it helped you to focus on something else other than the near-death experience. Whenever your mind was trying to replay the scene from when you had been in the water, you pulled yourself back to reality, holding onto the bathtub or the side of your fresh gown a bit more tightly, so as to keep you grounded. It was difficult at first, but the more you practised it, the easier it became, and when the servants tucked you into bed, you felt like you were close to being okay again. The medic also stated that you didn’t have a fever, there was no sign of a creeping illness, your heart probably beat faster than usual due to the shock, and prescribed some calming herbal tea.

Sungho visited you as soon as he was allowed to, and of course, he came with all those “I should have been there for you” monologues, the ones you quickly dismissed because you could take care of yourself, you didn’t need his supervision all the time, but mostly because it was your fault that you fell (and your dress’), no one else could be blamed for it. You also asked him not to blame Prince Donghyun, but he seemed more offended by the fact that you dared to assume that he would hold the prince accountable than by the way you were so quick to take the prince’s side.

“How could I blame him? He saved you, after all,” he declared simply, and let out a long sigh after his words. It was rare that you saw him so concerned, you usually didn’t give him any reason to worry about you, so it warmed your heart yet again just how much he cared under that otherwise teasing brother surface.

“I’m sorry for making you worried.”

“If you’re really sorry, you should get better soon, and listen to the medic,” he reprimanded you as if you had been a child, and maybe he thought the same because he let out a deep laughter afterwards. “Huh, I sound like a real big brother, don’t I?”

“You do, and it kind of scares me a bit. When did you grow up?” You mused out loud playfully, and the effect was immediate. The boy’s furrowed eyebrows smoothed out, and his features easened, softened, his shoulders sagging at ease. He crouched down to toss an unruly lock to the side that was falling into your eyes, and patted your head.

“I remember I did the same when you fell into that pond on our trip to the meadows,” he reminiscenced with a soft smile, and you didn’t need to be told twice what he meant by it. You remembered that day as if it had been yesterday. You had been 12 at the time, and your family had already known that you didn’t know how to swim, so it had been Sungho who had jumped after you. He was already an excellent swimmer, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t been shaken by that experience. You remembered how he had stayed by your bedside for the whole night afterwards, afraid that nightmares would haunt you.

“Will you stay by my side for the night this time, too?” You elevated an eyebrow challengingly, and he let out a bewildered huff in relief.

“Do you think I don’t know that you wouldn’t let me?”

“Fair point,” you agreed wholeheartedly, but let him pat your head a few more times before there was a knock on the door. You both turned towards the visitor when he opened the door, and when it turned out to be Prince Donghyun, Sungho gave you a knowing look before telling the boy that he should come in, he was about to leave anyway. It didn’t slip your attention that on his way out, he squeezed the younger prince’s shoulder in an affectionate manner, and even though you didn’t see it from that angle, you had a feeling that he said thank you to the prince, and that’s why he seemed so coy all of a sudden.

His hair was extremely fluffy (now that it was freshly washed like yours), the locks curling elegantly around his ears and neck like soft little tendrils, his doe eyes shining in the dim lights of the room, all bright and fond. He was wearing more casual attire than at the party, so you deemed that him jumping into the water after you meant that he had no desire to go back to his birthday celebration that was soon coming to its end either way.

You felt awfully exposed with your hair still wet at the ends, lack of concealing touches and make-up on your face, and being tucked into bed in a nightgown was not at all how you wanted Prince Donghyun to see you, but he didn’t seem fazed by your appearance. Nor did he make a comment on it when you beckoned him closer, and he could see for himself that you were fine.

You wouldn’t admit it for the world, but it warmed your heart how worried he was, and when it was the fifth time you had to reassure him that you were fine, you had a feeling that it was more out of guilt than anything else, hence, you felt the need to emphasise:

“It wasn’t your fault that I fell into the water, so don’t be sorry. What’s more, you saved my life, so I couldn’t be more thankful for you,” you admitted genuinely, and the blush that crept onto his cheeks was adorable. You had to bite down on your tongue to hold yourself back from smiling at his shy state.

“Still, I’m sorry that you had to experience it.”

“It wasn’t the first time, actually,” you justified, and continued telling him about that time at the pond Sungho had just talked about, and one time when one of the royal teachers had tried to teach you how to swim, but you had nearly drowned. It hadn’t been a super important requirement for a princess to learn how to swim, but since you travelled by ships to both the Air Kingdom and the Earth Kingdom, it was a weakness that possible enemies could take advantage of if things went south. So they had tried to teach you, but to no avail. Your panic always kicked in as soon as water surrounded you.

The prince stayed quiet, and you couldn’t tell whether it was because he didn’t know if he was allowed to ask questions, or he didn’t have any. On the other hand, you had questions, so you inquired if he knew how to create bubbles underwater, and his eyes immediately lit up when he started talking about his power. He did know how to create bubbles both outside of water and underwater, so he could breathe in there without oxygen, and he shared that sometimes he used these bubbles to watch the fish and crabs underwater because he had always been fascinated by them.

His whole demeanour changed when he was talking about the sea and the creatures living there, sharing both stories of his childhood days when he had been collecting shells alongside the shore, and interesting facts about sea life that he read books on. At one point, he was so into talking about his favourite type of fish that he didn’t even notice a servant coming into your room and placing some food and another mug of tea on your bedside table. He only realised that the lady was in the room when she pushed a chair beside your bed, so he could sit down on it while talking. Then, he giggled, a heartwarming mixture of excited and embarrassed, and thanked her for the gesture.

“May I?” He asked before he would have sat down on the chair, and you nodded immediately. It’s not like you weren’t the visitor here, but you appreciated the gesture.

The prince was definitely interrupted because now he didn’t know where to continue or where to start, and he just looked around, his eyes darting between different parts of the room until they settled on the steaming bowl of food and the mug of tea on your bedside table.

“Oh, you should have it while it’s still hot,” he suggested as he pointed at the steaming bowl. “Since there was mostly heavy food for the celebration, I’ve asked a chef to prepare something more nutritious to prevent you from coming down with something,” he explained as he averted his eyes from the food to you.

You blinked rapidly at him, your suspicion kicking in, but then you remembered what he had said just a few hours before:

“But I want to be good enough for you, too.”

And it all made sense now. Not just his kind actions, going above and beyond to make sure that your stay at the palace was comfortable from offering to help with anything to checking up on you the first night you had that awful dinner with his parents, but also the way he was different to you than with other girls. Even if you wanted to deny it, you could see that the prince didn’t dance with anyone else at his birthday party other than you, and Prince Woonhak and Prince Jaehyun also said that he had been harbouring feelings for you, and now it made sense. He had even learned how to dance properly because of you, and he had created a water bubble, so you could cross the wharf with you.

“What’s wrong?” Prince Donghyun’s concerned voice brought you back to the here and now, and you just shook your head with a smile. You weren’t sure that you could ever look at him the same way after knowing that he liked you.

“Nothing. I’m just thankful,” you admitted, and reached for the bowl of steaming soup. You could feel the boy’s eyes on you when you took the first spoonful of the soup, but it was delightful, and when the prince asked about it, you said so. He seemed very happy to know that you enjoyed it, and went over what was in the soup, or at least, what he remembered the chef telling him.

“So…” You cleared your throat after the first few bites, feeling silly for wanting to bring up the topic, but also feeling silly for not wanting to bring it up. In the end, you thought better of it, and just blurted it out. “Did you have a say in the wedding proposal you sent me?”

“Yours was the only one I had a say in. My father sent out two inquiry letters to other kingdoms, and he was the one who chose the possible brides in those cases,” he answered immediately, and you saw heat returning to his cheeks when it dawned on him that he basically confessed that he was the one who had chosen you.

“Oh,” you found yourself saying, but the boy’s expression was quizzical upon your reaction.

“Oh? Oh as in ‘oh, I’m so disappointed’, or oh as in ‘oh, I didn’t expect that’ or… ‘oh, I’m so happy to hear that’?” He listed out the options, and furrowed his eyebrows, totally clueless. It was a cute look on him, you had to admit, especially in comparison to his usual confidence demeanour.

“Oh as in ‘oh, I didn’t expect that’, but it makes me feel kind of… good?”

The moment the last word rolled off your tongue, you knew that you were done for. Yet, the boy’s smug smile just confirmed that he wouldn’t let you live down afterwards, so you braced yourself for his teasing. Instead, his proud smile softened, his big doe eyes turning to little crescents as he watched you eat, and didn’t say a word. You found yourself smiling back at him, letting the silence embrace you, and it was so crazy that a day before, you would have done everything to change his mind about you, and now, you just admitted that you were glad that he was the one who had chosen you. Now, you had a better idea why he would have done so, and it made you feel fizzy and warm and a bit enchanted.

You were the only guests who stayed for two nights, but it was the Water Kingdom’s request, so nobody could blame you for it. However, staying for the night after having a heart-to-heart conversation with Prince Donghyun in your room felt odd, as if it was an invitation for something more even though you were perfectly aware of the fact that the King of the Water Kingdom would most probably do anything in his power to choose someone over you when it came to his second-born son’s marriage. The fact that the prince had been the one to choose you as a potential bride - and you had been the only one he had a say in - made you feel somewhat special, but it also made you feel slightly competitive.

It was laughable, really. You had come here to destroy Prince Donghyun’s plans to marry you, and now, you wanted to destroy his father’s plans to outrule you. You weren’t a petty loser, you knew how to lose, but still… with the way the prince cared for you and went above and beyond to assist you and keep you company during these days made you feel almost compelled to make a better impression on his parents. Not to mention the fact that he had also saved you from drowning.

However, nothing was certain for now, especially not with Prince Donghee’s upcoming marriage that would take the spotlight either way, so you didn’t want to pry about the matter on the day of your departure. On the other hand, you managed to bump into Prince Woonhak and Prince Jaehyun - also having stayed for the night after they had eaten through the whole menu for the celebration - when you left your suite, and they insisted that they wanted you to come back again.

“That isn’t my choice to make, I’m afraid,” you broke it down to them with a friendly smile, and Prince Woonhak pouted as if he would never ever see you again. You had seemed to make a good impression on them, and it warmed your heart since you had only had one conversation. Though that was a very important conversation given that they had spilled the beans on Prince Donghyun having a crush on you for years.

“You should invite us to your birthday celebration then. When is it?” Prince Jaehyun suggested with a wide grin, and when you let them know about the date and that you would keep his words in mind before organising it, he looked like an overzealous kid, all smiles and bright eyes. Gosh, they were so cute, it made you miss your ever-so-bright little sister even more.

“We’re rooting for you two, you know,” Woonhak beamed, not letting silence fall over the three of you, his unruly locks falling into his eyes.

“For who?”

“You and Donghyun. It’s obvious that you like him, too,” he continued with a smug grin, and you were about to open your mouth to decline him, but you were unable to form words. That just seemed to confirm everything in their eyes because their smirks grew even wider, their eyes even brighter.

Thankfully, you were interrupted by a servant who notified you that your carriage was ready, so after a few bubbly words and wishes from the two boys, you were guided outside. Sungho was already there, talking to the Queen of the Water Kingdom by the carriage while you caught sight of both Prince Donghee and Prince Donghyun bidding farewell to other guests. When you halted beside your brother, the Queen inquired if you had a good night’s sleep, and apologised for the inconvenience the day before. You reassured her that you weren’t inconvenienced, you were rather grateful for Prince Donghyun’s assistance, and she smiled a genuine smile, one that made your erratic thoughts calm down a little bit. The King might have been hostile towards you, but the Queen had never been openly critical of you, so you hoped that it could stay that way.

“Excuse me, I have to bid farewell to the other guests,” the woman announced after having a few words with you and Sungho, then, she reached out to squeeze your hands. The gesture took you by surprise, but only in a positive way. “Please, make sure to visit us again. Donghyun might not say it out loud, but I could see how happy your presence made him,” she shared with a secretive smile, and despite your bewilderment, you reciprocated it, squeezing her hands once before she let go.

“With pleasure, Your Majesty,” you bowed respectfully as both an answer and both a farewell. You watched her leave before turning back to your brother who had that amused half-smile playing on his lips that told you that he really wanted to call you out on something, but he tried to hold it in. Sighing, you raised an eyebrow in question.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing, really. I’m just amused by the fact that you came here, set on not wanting to come here ever again in your whole entire life, and now, you just got invited again,” he blabbered as if his words weren’t teasing at all, but you didn’t want to admit anything, so you merely pointed out, trying to keep your voice as confident as possible:

“She meant ‘us’, not just me.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Your Water Prince is likely walking towards us because he also wants to meet me again,” Sungho gestured towards Prince Donghyun who was indeed coming up to you, elegance radiating off him while he was taking one step after another. It was unfair how vividly he stood out, and how perfectly the morning sunlight bathed him in its glory, drawing a halo around his chestnut-brown hair. It was also unfair how much your heartbeat picked up its speed when he halted beside your brother, and how much you had to try to sniffle a smile when your eyes landed on his ethereal features.

“I truly hope you enjoyed your stay with us,” he started politely, probably as a matter of courtesy, and he was about to continue when Sungho spoke up.

“Oh, I certainly enjoyed my stay,” he said as he gave you a not at all subtle side glance, and you felt the need to roll your eyes at his antics. Gosh, did he have to call you out like that?

“Thank you again for the invitation, Prince Donghyun,” you spoke up as if nothing happened, and the boy beamed, a smile blooming on his lips at your words. Unbeknownst to you, your lips also curled upwards. Staring at him felt both so wrong and so right at the same time, and seconds passed by with the cacophony of the surrounding noises fading into the background.

At least, until your brother decided to clear his throat and announce that he would let you two proceed while he would check on the insides of the carriage. A lame excuse, you could tell, but you appreciated his gesture because while you wouldn’t do anything inappropriate with the prince that he should not be a witness of, you felt like you could say a proper goodbye to the prince if it was just the two of you.

“I hope you also enjoyed your stay despite my father’s words on the first day,” Prince Donghyun mused out loud, his eyes searching for yours, something akin to concern flashing across them. You bobbed your head, reassuring him that you were doing better than on that first day.

“I’m glad to hear that,” he noted, letting a small smile invade his lips as he looked down at his intertwined fingers for a few seconds. You had never really mastered the art of saying goodbye to someone, let alone someone like him… someone who made you feel so many things in such a short span of time.

Maybe he was the same for the silence stretched a bit too long, but before you could get discouraged again, you spoke up.

“Thank you for everything. My stay was more enjoyable… thanks to you,” you blurted out, your voice cracking a bit by the end. The prince looked up right in that moment, and his cheeks flushed, tinting his pale skin in the shade of cherry blossom-pink. You could also feel your cheeks heating up, and it was so unlike you that you felt like running away and throwing yourself into the carriage right away.

“Thank you so much for coming, and if it’s up to me, it won’t be the last time we see each other. If you let me, of course…”

The prince let his words trail off by the end, curious and contemplative, while his eyes never left yours. You felt another rush of heat going through your body at the implication behind his words, but even if you wanted to deny it, even if you didn’t, there was only one right answer.

“I’d love to see you again,” you confessed feebly, but in the next moment, you pointed a finger at him warningly to mask up your anxiety. “But only if you keep practising your dancing.”

Laughter bubbled up the prince’s throat - airy and carefree - before he promised you that he would keep practising, so that he could continue dancing like a man. Then, he flashed one of those boyish grins of his that made princesses’ knees go weak, and now you kind of understood why that was the case.

“See you again, Prince Donghyun!”

“See you soon, Princess!” He bid his farewell when the coachman came up to the two of you, letting you know that you could leave whenever you wanted to. You smiled back at the waving prince as you made your way to the carriage, and the coachman helped you inside.

Once you took a seat and looked up at your brother who was sitting in front of you, you warned him:

“Not a word, Sungho.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“That’s your luck,” you stated playfully before looking out of the window and watching Prince Donghyun’s waving figure getting smaller and smaller until he was out of sight.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this story of mine! Let me know what you think!

If you want to read more stories of mine, let it be for BOYNEXTDOOR or for other artists, consider signing up for my taglist here.

Hope you have a lovely day/night! Take care! ❤️

crush into you // myung jaehyun

When you literally crush into Jaehyun on your way to an interview, the boy manages to spill iced coffee on your blouse. That's how you end up wearing his own blazer to the interview to cover up the spot, and the rest is history.

➳ Characters: uni student!Jaehyun x uni student!female reader/you

➳ Genre: meet cute, slice of life, uni au, fluff

➳ Words: 3k

➳ Warning: mentions of foods

➳ A/N: This story had the second most votes in my recent poll, so here it is. I'm really enjoying their comeback, so it was very easy to write a story about Jaehyun. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! ❤️

➳ Taglist: @s00buwu, @dat-town

Your days were carefully planned out with written to-do lists, calendar apps filling up your phone, and multiple scenarios made up with every plan that you might have. Just like today when you were about to go to an assessment centre as part of a job interview: a 3-hour selection process with an hour of group work, an hour of one-on-one interview with the hiring manager alongside an HR specialist and an hour for individual tests. You planned out when to leave the flat, when to get on the bus, which bus to take in case you didn’t manage to get on the exact bus you wanted and when you could possibly leave your neighbourhood the latest in order to still get to the company in time.

Myung Jaehyun’s days, on the other hand, were a hot mess. He was frequently running late from classes, group work meet-ups and dance practices, high on adrenaline and energy drinks. No one blamed him because the moment he flashed a smile, it was game over for them. Taesan might have given him a bombastic side eye for such a comment, but it was rare that anyone really reprimanded Jaehyun for being a bit too hyper, a bit too all over the place and a bit of a kid at times.

So when you literally crushed into him as you turned a corner towards the company and he was running around with his iced coffee in hand, trying not to be late from a class, on his part, the collision wasn’t that unexpected.

On your part though, it totally was.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so so sorry,” the boy exclaimed first things first just at the same time as you started apologising to him, but when you felt an odd cold sensation around your abdominal area, you immediately looked down at your white blouse, your lips parting in disbelief.

“Oh nooo,” you pouted, looking at the brownish spot on your white blouse caused by his coffee, multiple scenarios crossing your head as to how to fix this. You didn’t have enough time to go back to your flat to change, you weren’t familiar with the area, so you didn’t know whether they had a clothes shop around, and you didn’t know whether trying to get the stain out would only make it worse and the spot more noticeable or not.

“Oh. My. Gosh. I’m so… very… sorry,” the stranger reacted more dramatically than you would have thought so, all wide eyes and exasperated expression tinting his otherwise boyish features, messy jet-black locks falling into his eyes. As opposed to your business casual style - white blouse with black cotton pants and high-heeled sandals -, he looked more like a sophisticated yet fashionable guy around campus with his burgundy sports shoes, leather pants, a simple white tee, a black blazer and multiple accessories crowning the look from rings on his fingers to necklaces gracing his skin. You couldn’t have looked any different at that moment.

“I’ll make it up, I promise. Are you in a hurry, are you heading somewhere?” He asked nevertheless, his puppy eyes also in contrast to his whole appearance.

“Well, yeah, I’m going for a job interview. I’ll have to be there in 15 minutes, and it’s still like a 5-minute walk from here.”

“Oh no, that’s not good,” he shook his head, and with the hand that didn’t hold the half-empty cup of the rest of his coffee, he scratched the back of his neck. He bit down on his lower lip, clearly in deep contemplation, and you were about to end this whole conversation when his actions made you freeze on the spot. In a whirlwind moment of events, he threw his cup into a nearby trash can, got a tissue out of his pocket to clean his hand that the coffee also spilled onto and slid the blazer off himself to reach it out to you. “Here, take this. It might be a bit big on you, but it will cover up the spot nicely, and I think it will go well with your outfit.”

“But…”

“Please, take it. I don’t really know what else to do right now, and you have a job interview in 15 minutes, and I’m terribly sorry, and I don’t want you to mess it up because of me. So it might be worth a try? I don’t know, I just…” The boy kept talking on and on, his voice cheery yet also filled with guilt, and seeing his puppy eyes shining with genuine care, you didn’t have the heart to say no. What could possibly go wrong about trying it on either way?

“I was about to say that it’s actually a pretty smart idea,” you pointed out as you reached out for the blazer, and the boy’s face lit up fully when you complimented him. He flashed you a wide, toothy grin, his smile pushing his lips closer to his eyes, so much that his eyes almost disappeared while he was smiling at you.

The boy even offered to hold your bag while you put the blazer on, and since it had two buttons on the bottom, it allowed you to fully cover up the spot as if it had never been there. He was right though, it was big on you, but oversized was in fashion these days, right?

“Oh my gosh, it really does fit you,” he pointed it out in a similarly excited manner as before, and you smiled back at him, forgetting for a moment why you had even been wearing his clothes. Just for a moment though, you were back to your planning self within a second.

“Thanks for your help, but I really need to go now. Would you give me your number, so I can give it back to you later on?”

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” he said as he fished his phone out of his pocket to exchange contacts with you. As you locked your screen after saving his number, you looked up at him, into his shining jet-black orbs, and for a moment, you didn’t know what to say. Gosh, your days were always so planned out, plan Bs and Cs tucked into your mind with every scenario that you could imagine, yet this, this was exactly the kind of thing you could not prepare yourself for. No wonder you were awfully unprepared for what to say.

Luckily, he was the one who woke up from his stupor first as he announced:

“Let me know how the interview goes. Good luck! You’ve got this!” He cheered you on as he threw his balled fists into the air, and off he went, the picture of his wide, toothy smile and his shining eyes difficult to forget even if you had more important things to concentrate on.

You agreed on meeting at a café a few days later. Those few days were enough for you to wash and dry clean the blazer, and to get a gift bag, so you could give it back to the boy (Jaehyun based on his KKT ID) in a presentable manner. You were supposed to be early for your agreed meet-up as you made your way to the café 10 minutes earlier, but you already found Jaehyun sitting at a corner table, scrolling through his phone and occasionally laughing out loud at whatever he was watching.

Jaehyun was not supposed to be early for your agreed meet-up, but given your well-prepared state the last time you had met, he started wondering where you could be at 15:15 when he had thrown himself into the café, totally panicked that you must have already been sitting there. Only to realise upon checking your messages with you that you had actually agreed on meeting at 15:30, meaning that he was actually 15 minutes early, not 15 minutes late. Not too bad for someone like him though.

So when you walked up to him and your voice dragged him out of his mindless scrolling, he flashed a wide smile at you, the one that had been engraved into your memories since your first encounter.

“Hey! Have you been waiting for a long time?” You inquired curiously as you hopped down on the chair on the opposite side of the table. Jaehyun let out a semi-embarrassed chuckle, one that made you furrow your eyebrows in question, although the smile was still playing on your lips.

“Well, that’s a funny story,” he started with a scratch on his neck before he continued with the story. “I thought… no, I was convinced that we were supposed to meet at 15:00, and so, I was fashionably late as usual. You know how I said that I’m usually late, but I’ll try my best to come on time. When I didn’t see you here at 15:15 when I got here, I checked our conversation on KKT, and it turns out we were supposed to meet at 15:30, so I was 15 minutes early.”

“Oh my gosh,” you couldn’t hold back your laughter as you were listening to his explanation, and the way he told the story made everything ten times funnier. He used wide hand gestures while speaking, and he played with his tone to deliver the parts of the story even more clearly. The boy laughed at himself too, so it didn’t feel weird laughing at his antics, something so unlike yours.

After pulling yourself together, you gave him the bag with the clean blazer, yet, he insisted that you shouldn’t have cleaned it yourself and bought a gift bag for him in which you delivered it. Hearing that, you insisted that crushing into him was partly your fault, and he did save you from having to sit though the 3-hour selection process with a visible coffee-stain on your blouse, so this was the least you could do. Plus, even though you didn’t say it out loud, you found it cute how he had asked about your interview afterwards on KKT (what position it was for, what company it was and how it went), and how delighted he had been when you had told him that you think you had done well. He had sent some encouraging memes in return (like the kid with his balled fists and a determined face), and just the thought that pretty much a stranger like him could be so happy and cheer you on eased your frazzled nerves post-interview.

You ordered your drinks while he was asking about your days and how you had been since you had last met. That’s when your phone buzzed, and seeing the company’s name on the screen that you had interviewed for, you immediately reached for it. Swiftly, you unlocked your screen and opened the message, only to let out a little bit of a squeal when you saw that you had gotten in.

“Oh my god, what is it?” Jaehyun asked, and his confusion was written all over his features when you looked up from your phone.

“I’ve got the internship! I’ve got in!”

Immediately, the boy’s features softened, and his lips pulled into a genuine, wide smile that could outdo the sun, his jet-black orbs twinkling with joy.

“Wow, congrats! That’s so cool!” He beamed, practically as excited as you, and clapped his hands enthusiastically. You could see from the corner of your eyes that you got some stares from the people nearby, but you couldn’t care less in your state. Finally, you landed an internship offer! “It’s totally the blazer’s doing though,” Jaehyun added cheekily, his smile turning into a crooked, almost cocky one.

“Yeah, totally, me and your emotional support blazer against the world,” you replied in a similarly teasing tone, and let out a laugh at the same time as the boy did. Gosh, who would have thought that you would meet him for the first time on the day you interviewed for the company, and you would meet him again when you were notified of your result?

Maybe he was really your lucky charm.

“You gotta celebrate though. Let’s order cake! I think I saw some cakes on the menu, and before you object, it’s on me,” the boy announced matter-of-factly, and grabbed a menu from a nearby empty table. You shook your head, seeing his pumped up state, since you couldn’t believe that he was so supportive of you. After all, you had barely met a week ago, and still, he acted as if you had always known each other, and it warmed your heart.

In the end, you did order some cakes (and you let Jaehyun pay for them), and while you were munching on them, you talked… and talked… and talked some more since it seemed that you could never run out of things to share. First and foremost, Jaehyun always had a story to share - mostly chaotic, yet partly cute ones -, and even if he didn’t, he always asked about your side, and it was just so easy to talk to him. Usually, you needed some time to open up to people, but he made talking to him feel so easy, so light, so comfortable.

Your favourite was when he insisted that he looked like a wolf, and pouted when you agreed with all his friends who said that he looked more like a puppy. When you added that if not a puppy, you saw him as a bunny, he perked up because that was the first time he heard about it. Never have you ever thought that a boy like him could get so specific about the animal he resembled, but you let him talk about it all he wanted to see those eyes shining so bright, to see that smile stretching so wide.

You packed up only when the waitress came by to tell you that you were nearing closing hours, and if that wasn’t a sign that you did lose track of time beside him, you had no idea what could indicate it more that beside him, you wanted to stop time, not wait for it to go by faster.

You had one crush in your whole life, and that had been when you had been 12, and the new kid had entered your class, and he had sat beside you. Said kid had turned out to be a total nutcase when he had opened his mouth, and you had officially dropped your crush 3 weeks into the new school year, and ever since then, you had never felt butterflies in your stomach, let alone declare your love for someone.

Until him.

Jaehyun had too many crushes in his life to count. His heart was just as erratic as his life, and it’s not that he was playing with others’ feelings, it’s more like he had too much love and joy to give others, but they didn’t always appreciate it. He fell in love easily, only to have his heart broken even more easily because his crushes had never liked him back.

Until you.

At first, you didn’t know if he felt the same way because he seemed so casual, you found it hard to believe that he could see you as more than a friend.

At first, he didn’t know if you felt the same way because you seemed so cool, so put together, he found it hard to believe that you could see him as more than a friend with his very different (and very chaotic) self.

Then, you started picking up on the signs: the way he showed you his dance practice routines to ask for your opinion when it was just the two of you at the dance studio he attended; the way he was ever so oblivious to the barista girl at a café because he only had eyes for you; the way he always asked about your day on KKT and sent memes to match your mood; the way he remembered every little thing - the date of your first 1-on-1 with your manager during your internship or when you would go to the dentist - despite telling you that his memory was terrible, and when he sent you photos of clothes that he thought you would like when he was shopping.

Then, he started picking up on the signs: the way you always gave him a detailed feedback on his choreographies when he asked you to even though you said you didn’t know anything about dance; the way you totally didn’t want to acknowledge that a guy was trying to flirt with you when you went to the cinema together and said that you were with Jaehyun as if to signal that there was no room for anyone else (his heart did a thing there, he couldn’t lie); the way you always knew what to say when he doubted himself or he was under the weather and sent him songs to make him feel better; the way you remembered every little thing - his favourite colour, the brand of his favourite snack and the plushies he wanted to win in the arcade game -, and how you kept bringing up his emotional support blazer because this was your little joke, this was your little thing.

No wonder this was how he confessed: buying you the exact same blazer in your size, and saying that you could think of it as your own emotional support blazer from now on or a couple item, you could choose.

And you would be foolish not to choose the latter.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this story of mine! Let me know what you think!

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i just swooned reading this... i believe in love i really do !!!!!!! this was so soft and sweet!

but I like you ! ౨ৎ ˚ ⟡ ˖ (bnd)

₊˚୨୧𓂃 boynextdoor crush headcanons! genre: fluff. word count: 3k. warnings: none. requested: yes! ♡ note: I've been super burnt out lately so not sure how this turned out.. I tried to proofread but there might be mistakes that slipped so sorry abt that! pls let me know your thoughts, hope you like it! likes & reblogs are v much appreciated! — with love, cream <3 . . . @onedoornet

sungho

𓏵 idk why, but I think sungho is the type to fall for someone after the other person shows interest in him. don't ask me ok.. I just get this vibe. he strikes me as someone who doesn't get crushes a lot and usually wouldn't bother with things like this. but if you show him you really care for him and that you're serious abt your feelings for him, it won't take long for him to warm up to u. his heart would flutter at your tiniest actions, at the minimal touches and subtlest of sentences.. if you full on flirt with him, be prepared to have him in a puddle at ur feet. he's just so shy when it comes to stuff like this (,,> <,,)♡ so, in conclusion: make him blush and his heart is yours <3 hehe

𓏵 I think this tendency of his would most likely stem from the fact that he doesn't want to date casually, especially if there's no long-term commitment involved. he doesn't wanna waste his time on someone, if he knows they don't take this relationship as seriously as he does! if they don't love him to their heart's content, just like he would. he wants his partner to be sure about him and he wants a relationship with equal love, effort and loyalty from both sides. basically, he wants forever, or nothing. what a dream he is.. gosh ꒰ ᐢ ◞‸◟ᐢ꒱

𓏵 if you do manage to somehow strike his interest and make his heart flutter, he won't have much of a choice but to catch feelings for you hehe. he's so adorable actually, bcuz just imagine how cute sungho would be in love.. I'm actually melting at the thought pls. he'll go home that day all dazed and floaty and he'll stay up all night thinking abt you. (with a silly lovesick smile on his pretty face ʕ´-ﻌก̀ʔ) I'm devastated at the mere thought u guys :’(

𓏵 if you're close friends, he'll take care of you so so diligently, but silently. like if you fall asleep during movie night he'll cover you with a blanket and turn down the volume, so you can rest in peace. he'll never let you walk on the outside of the sidewalk, and will always always remind you to eat well! <3

𓏵 imagine having sleepovers w sungho :( you guys would make a little late night snack together, laughing among yourselves the whole time. then you'll cozy up on the couch to watch a film (that only you wanna watch, but he'll agree bcuz he wants to make you happy <3) you would probably pause the movie at times to discuss the scenes. but instead of becoming frustrated, he'll listen to all your yapping </3 eventually you'd both drift off, and you'll somehow end up waking up wrapped in his arms the next morning.. ૮ / / / ⍝ა ♡ (I need to experience a friends 2 lovers with sungho rn!!! (╥﹏╥)..)

riwoo

𓏵 I feel like riwoo is the type of person who requires deep emotional connection, before there is any possibility of developing a romantic attraction toward someone. this would mean that he doesn't get crushes as often, but when he does have one, it's super intense, and so important to him! like he is probably already in love with you before you can even clock his crush on u lol. I think he's just someone who loves in secret, in the safe premises of his own mind, where anything is possible and nothing could go wrong. he constantly daydreams about the idea of being with you and thinks up uncountable scenarios.. in them he can hold your hand or kiss your cheek, while in reality he settles for gazing at you from afar with utter longing.. ( ˊᵕˋ ♡) he's a real hopeless romantic </3

𓏵 he will probably be the type to become friends with someone before catching feelings for them! on the one hand, for him this would mean knowing you so so well, that he's very comfortable with you, trusts you with all his secrets and fears, and thinks of you as one of, if not the most precious person in his life. <3

𓏵 but on the other hand.. this type of connection also creates ground for casual intimacy that only the best of friends share among each other. meaning you're just so so close to him sometimes that he could count each eyelash and freckle/beauty mark of yours ⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄ his breathing would come to a halt each time, as if he's afraid you'd notice the drumming beat of his nervous heart, or that if he let even a puff of air escape his mouth, this moment would break and shatter into tiny pieces..

𓏵 in all honesty, he himself is confused by these conflicting feelings, wanting to have you close (maybe even closer than this ><) but being unable to calm his heartbeat. you could imagine he'd be a blushing mess regardless of what happens hehe, his heart flutters even when you call his name or simply acknowledge his presence. he just adores you, okay? <3

𓏵 sweet boy would stay up with you when you have to revise for an exam, and bring you hot cocoa to drink as you study <3 he'll be so extra quiet. when your eyelids start drooping and he notices your head getting heavy, he'll slip his hand under it so it doesn't hit the table. at first he thinks of waking you, but he'll just lay his head next to yours as he admires your peaceful, sleeping face. staring at u with stars in his eyes (っ ॑꒳ ॑c) ₊⊹

𓏵 bonus: he'll love to communicate w you in lil written notes! <3 he'd leave you a snack, or a book you wanted to borrow or sth, with a tiny sticky note attached to it, that says “enjoy” or “I hope you like it!!” he'll always add smiley faces too :( cutie. x

jaehyun

𓏵 I think jaehyun would become an inseparable part of your life so so quickly and smoothly, you wouldn't even notice that you guys are best friends. hehe (⑉> ᴗ <⑉)ゞ it's so fascinating how seamlessly he slots himself to fit every aspect of your life.. almost entirely naturally integrating within your friend group, your classes and even your free time!

𓏵 he's someone who'd, I feel like, take each and every slight chance to chime into the conversation just to say something useless, as long as it means he can talk to you. ( ´. .̫ .`) </3 if he sees you on the street, he'll always try to catch your attention somehow, and if you let him, he's more than happy to treat you to a snack! and in classes that you both share, he'll be rushing over to secure the seat beside yours, smiling at you with sparkly eyes when he reaches the desk (﹡ˆ﹀ˆ﹡)♡ so basically he's like a puppy that won't leave you alone, because of how much he loves you :(

𓏵 he is so overly energetic and enthusiastic when he's with you! (well just in general too, but especially w u ><) he's going to pester the heck out of you, to hang out w him, bcuz he wants to spend all his time w you :( lovely boy <3

𓏵 prepare to laugh to your heart's content when you're with him! cuz he'd always end up making an absolute fool of himself when trying to cheer u up, but it's just the cutest thing :(

𓏵 it's his favorite thing whenever he gets to be with you, no matter what you're doing.. as long as you're spending some time together, he's fine with whatever. he'd settle for simply admiring you as you do your work, finding you so lovely and cute in any and every situation :(

𓏵 he's soo the type to impulsively blurt out how cute he thinks you are, but he doesn't really care if you know that he thinks ur cute. he'll only get shy if it's you complimenting him.. and if he gets shy, he'll be so shy, like. he'll start furiously blushing and hiding his reddened cheeks ໒꒰ྀི∩˃ ᵕ ˂∩꒱ྀི১ gosh he's so so adorable :( </3

𓏵 he'll tell you to find him whenever you struggle with your work, that he'll be more than happy to help out!! and he will always always keep his word and show up for you. he'll be available any time you need him, and he'll make time for you even if he's swamped with work himself.. ૮ ◞ ﻌ ◟ ა ♡ he's more than willing to do this much, (and more) not bcuz he wants you to like him (well maybe just a little bit) but because it just comes naturally to him, to care for you and to be there for you, no matter what it is you're dealing with.. he's always so so happy to help! <3 (I'm gonna go cry now if you'll excuse me) T_T

taesan

𓏵 this baby.. I'd actually name him as the shyest one among everyone. he strikes me as someone who'd love just so gently, putting meaning into the most subtle actions/words and only hoping you'd catch on.. what a darling boy.. <3 I can picture just how his beautiful eyes would shift to you the second you appear in his view.. never once leaving your face ૮ / / / / ა shyly looking over at you from a distance, admiring you with the tiniest of smiles on his lips. or even when he hears your name being called, he immediately perks up, searching for you in the crowd <3

𓏵 he'd be so head over heels for you, gosh.. to him you're simply perfect. in his eyes no one compares to you, and he likes and admires everything about you.. if taesan loves you, he'll love you with all your strengths and flaws. and once you enter his heart, he won't let u go ｡ ˚. ૮Ꮚ ´͈ ⁄⁄`͈꒱ა you'll be in his thoughts 24/7, he'd hand over his heart to you if you only asked.. he's simply so so deeply in love that everything and everyone becomes a blur when he sees you. you're his biggest weakness and his most treasured person <3

𓏵 he's that quiet, mysterious but interesting boy that never talks to anyone unless it's necessary. it'd seem impossible for him to even strike up a conversation with u as there's no adequate situation. he'll be sad, maybe even a bit envious of people who can just go up to you like it's nothing, and to call out your name like it's just a word, and not his most favorite one.

𓏵 you two would probably only get to talk in the most unlikely situation, like maybe you'll bump into each other by chance somewhere. hmm.. a record store?.. ooh! or maybe an art supplies store! (cuz you know how he's super into customizing his clothes with paint!) in any case, it'll be a bit awkward, sure, but I feel like this encounter would break the ice for your friendship and give him courage to actually start speaking to you. (which he will, as much as he can, if he gets a chance and if he's brave enough <3) I can imagine him replaying the whole encounter over and over in his mind after, smiling at the memory of you complimenting his music taste/clothes.. so giddy at the thought that you, his favorite person, find him cool. how cute, shy little kitty </3

𓏵 he'll be so enthusiastic to talk you abt different shared interests of yours! you'll get to see different sides of him as you guys get closer. the initially shy, quiet boy will turn into the most adorable, excitable kitty when he's with you <3

𓏵 I can definitely see him being a little clingy too hehe (◠ﾵ ◠υ) he'll want to tag along with you wherever you go, and will send you random videos/memes he comes across that he knows you'll like :( when you spend time w other friends of yours, he always finds himself subconsciously wishing that he's your favorite one.. he just wants all your love :( guys he's so precious I'll cry.

leehan

𓏵 I wholeheartedly believe leehan will be the most adorable while crushing akdhskslksdjd I have solid reasoning behind this btw! just looking at how closely he holds all and everything he likes/loves, I can tell he's someone who loves so effortlessly! idk how to describe it, but his love just comes so naturally.. he fully indulges in the thing/person. ig you could say he's very thorough with how he loves. like idk (this might be a bad example lol but) if we consider his love for his fishies, or the way he cares abt his members.. I just firmly believe he'll carry you in his heart always and gaze at you with a permanent sparkle in his eyes, if he likes you even just a bit.. he's so lovely :(

𓏵 for him being in love would be kinda overwhelming, because his thoughts would always revolve around you, making it hard for him to focus and concentrate. but at the same time he finds it so fascinating how everything reminds him of you, when he's doing his work or shopping or taking a walk or even as he begins his day, you're always there w him! it makes him so happy! ⁄(⁄ ⁄>⁄-⁄<⁄ ⁄)⁄ also kinda shy and nervous, but super super excited as well! <3

𓏵 you know, it's great, bcuz now when he wakes up you're right there in his mind along w his fish friends first thing in the morning! (៸៸᳐>⩊<៸៸᳐)~♡ and he can't help but just bask in the feeling. his heart warms and speeds whenever he thinks of you and he likes the fact that you're the one who has this effect on him. he's so in love u guys, omg…

𓏵 imagine ihan all wrapped up in these mushy lovey dovey thoughts abt you as he feeds his fishies, and he accidentally spills too much fish food.. but he's like all giggly abt it when usually he'd be annoyed at himself.（๑ ᷇ 𖥦 ᷆๑)♡ I'm losing my mind. he'd be so adorable gosh

𓏵 idk why, but I think he's the type of friend that would just randomly get you lil snacks sometimes. like he doesn't know how to express his feelings so he'll try and take care of you in his own way <3 if he knows you're studying, especially. you go to find sth in your bag for a second, and when you look back at the table there's a chocolate bar resting next to ur books. (with leehan across the table is just smiling to himself, as if he doesn't know what's going on.. silly baby <3)

𓏵 very big on acts of service w this guy.. especially when it comes to making sure you eat well <3 he loves loves a 1000x adores watching you enjoy your food, and always makes sure he brings along some kind of snack when he's meeting you, just in case u get hungry .°ʚ(〃ω〃)ɞ°. gosh I could d*e from how much he hurts my heart.. precious baby <3

woonhak

𓏵 I've got a feeling that he'd be trying so hard to impress you if he has a crush on you.. ૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა baby will do anything to get your attention and to make you smile/laugh! ⊹₊˚✩ he'll go as far as doing the silliest things and spurting the most random jokes to get you to look at him. he'll never let the conversation fall silent, or the mood to go sour. he's the energetic, lively friend in the group, who's (unofficially) been assigned the role of the moodmaker! <3

𓏵 when he makes a joke in a group setting, he's usually doing it to make you smile, so the first thing he does after, is looking toward you to see your reaction.. ૮ ˶´ ᵕˋ ˶აˎˊ˗ if you're smiling he'll be so happy :( butterflies in his tummy and all <3 what a cutie.

𓏵 on the flip side though, he'll try to leave a good impression on you, he wants to look the best in your eyes! he'll tell you all abt his interests and ask about your interests as well, so he can have something to talk abt with you! he'll probably exaggerate on his part a bit, but it's all because he wants you to think he's cool :( <3 if there's something that you share in common, he'll use it as an excuse to talk to you more often. hehe.

𓏵 he might just ask for your number and when you ask why does he need it, he'll explain it's so that you guys can talk about this interest of yours over text.. he's trying so so hard not to let his excitement show when you agree. (but oh my gosh you actually agreed!!!! ໒꒰ฅ́ ˘ ฅ̀꒱১ᦂ) he's probably totally the happiest he's ever been, with your number in his phone now, having the ability to text you whenever he wants.. (ृ´͈ ᵕ `͈ ृ ) he can't believe you actually gave it to him :( what a baby. (dw tho, he won't abuse this fact too much, he'll only text you when he really wants to talk to you, but he'll also make sure to give you plenty of space! <3)

𓏵 I think woonie would be so annoying when it comes to compliments lol. when you become close friends especially, he gives little compliments any chance he gets. he will always mean them too! (﹡ˆ﹀ˆ﹡)♡ (no matter how random they are) like when he tells you that you're the strongest person he's ever met while playing some game together, or when he takes notice of your new shoes, saying how much they suit you, and when he sees your incredibly inaccurate doodle of some character, telling you how cute it is.. he means it all! ⸜( ˶'ᵕ'˶)⸝♡ secretly finding everything about you adorable. he'll compliment you endlessly, bcuz he just wants you to know how awesome you are and how much he likes/admires you! cutest cutest boy <3 <3