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pairing: werewolf! mingi x hunter! reader (fem)

genre: fluff, romance, smut

summary: you seemingly end up biting off more than you can chew upon discovering that the beast you hunted down for dinner is not what it seems.

w.c: 4.5k (more plot than smut this time hehe)

warnings: needy soft dom! mingi, sub! reader, pet names + praise only (shocking ik), pheromones mentioned, possessiveness, kissing, groping, tit play, spit + drool bc wolf mingi is a messy boy <3, mingi eats out reader like she’s his last meal 🫶🏼, SIZE KINK,,, feral unprotected sex, knotting <333, bulge kink/cum inflation, breeding kink ofc

a/n: IT’S FICTOBER TIME BITCH LETS FUCKING GOOO 🗣️ i am fashionably late ~ but i have come here to humbly offer you lovestruck werewolf mingi 🐺 <3 this is the softest my fictober stories will get btw lol it’s gonna be depravity from here on out ^^ oh and i’m sorry if this fic seems disjointed in any way,, i have a lot on my mind these days but regardless i hope you enjoy ~~

pssst: thank you so, so much for 5.5k followers !! it’s honestly insane to me and i still can’t fathom it hehe but the support and love means so very much to me <333

song rec: say - keshi

fictober 2024

You knew better than to hunt at night, but your rumbling stomach begged to differ. The evening air was frigid, sitting heavily inside your lungs each time you regrettably breathed it in, your hefty pelt only doing so much to keep you safe from the powerful winds that continually blew through the vast forest around you. You pulled the hood of your pelt down for a moment, the familiar sounds of wildlife finally making their way to your now exposed ears, though a freezing breeze made its mark on the soft flesh of your rosy cheeks and nose. You bit into your chapped bottom lip, surveying your surroundings for something you’d be able to feast on once you were back inside the safety of your cabin, thanking the gods for the decent visibility you had from the full moon above. 

The longer you sat there in silence, your body never growing acclimated to the fierce winter temperatures, you began to fall susceptible to exhaustion, the kind that had sunk its way deep into your bones in the same way your loneliness had for years at a time, feeling so heavy you retired from your once rigid stance and slumped down against the oak tree behind you. A few winks of sleep couldn’t possibly hurt you, not when you were quick to rise and fight if need be, your trusty bow and arrow at your side, as well as a pocket knife always sitting in its holster at your hip. You would be up as soon as you had the strength to open up your eyes and go on. 

You eventually woke up to the sound of howling. It had been so distinctly powerful that it was most likely produced by a large wolf, perhaps the leader of a pack. It was then that the culprit of the noise stalked past a few nearby trees and bushes, its dark shaggy coat leaving it virtually impossible to see due to the way it blended in so seamlessly. Leaving abnormally big paw prints behind in the ground below, it slowly paced back and forth in front of you, still quite a distance away from you, but getting closer and closer with each step it made, its large brown eyes piercing right through yours and seemingly gazing upon your soul, deeply fixated on your presence. 

It was much larger than any wolf you had seen in your entire lifetime, more akin to a dire wolf, which you had only seen in books, as it had been extinct for hundreds of years before, yet it was…so familiar. Still trapped inside the limbo of the dream you were initially having and your reality, you weren’t completely sure if what was happening before you was actually real. Not only that, but you had the sudden urge to be at the mercy of the wolf, even if it meant that you’d end up with your throat between the beautiful creature’s ragged teeth. However, you weren’t going to roll the dice with death, not when you’ve seen past loved ones get their lives snuffed out by a predator half the size of the one that was suddenly eagerly making its way towards you. 

Just before the wolf could reach you, your bow was drawn, the feathered arrow slicing into the cold skin of your cheek as it sailed through the air and lodged itself into the creature’s shoulder, your eyes shut tight all the while. What you expected to hear were the familiar pained whines of a canine but you instead were exposed to the lower pitched groans of a man, causing you to freeze, your eyes opening back up, now widened like marbles. The last thing you were expecting to see was another human, not when you lived alone in the woods for so long, and especially not a man that was stark naked and cowering in pain, with tears in his glistening eyes, looking at you as though you had betrayed him. 

You dropped your bow in favor of being at the strange man’s side, surveying his wound, realizing you were so exhausted and hungry, you must’ve simply imagined the wolf. “I-i thought…” you whispered, mostly to yourself, your voice trailing off, almost surprised to hear it after not using it for so long.

“Is that your way of saying hello?” The man hissed in pain when you touched the site of his wound, pushing your hand away from the broken shard of wood that was still lodged inside his bare shoulder. 

“I thought you were…going to kill me…” You reached down and tore off a portion of your thick linen blouse, about to wrap it around the man’s wound when you blocked you with his forearm. “I saw a wolf…” 

“Do I look like a wolf?” he pouted, reaching over to hold his shoulder in pain. 

“I’m sorry, I–…Please, let me help you. I need to apply pressure,” you reasoned, your face contorted with growing regret and concern. 

Studying your body language, the man cautiously let go of his arm and allowed you to wrap the torn linen around the wound site, biting into his lip all the while, letting out a few pained grunts. “Hurts…” 

“I know, I’m almost done, I promise…” you whispered softly near him, taking a second to share a look with the man, apologizing once again with your softened gaze and upturned brows. 

Once you were done, he leaned forward slightly into your personal space to study you, his eyes widened once again, this time with curiosity and admiration, already trusting you despite remnants of your arrow still left inside him. 

You bit into your lip, letting out a small breath, which turned into condensation as soon as it left your mouth. “I didn’t think anyone else lived in this forest…Where did you come from?”

Afraid that you would find his true identity to be far too much for you to handle, he thought it would be better to hide it. “Some would call me a nomad…I’m here, there, everywhere, really.” 

You nodded at his words, noticing once again that he lacked clothes when you were finally able to pull your attention away from his hypnotizing likeness, never having been drawn to someone like this before. It was then that you averted your eyes with diligence, your once cold cheeks growing warmer the more he stared at you. It took all your strength to return his gaze for just a moment. “Do nomads usually wander around the woods without proper clothing?” 

“Well–” The werewolf’s vision went dark for a second, as your pelt was thrown onto him. He pulled it down just enough to continue admiring the human he had been watching from a distance for so long, blowing a few strands of dark shaggy hair out of his sight. “I’m Mingi, by the way. What’s your name?” 

“Y-Y/N,” you answered sheepishly, not sure why the strange man was so keenly interested in you, especially after you just shot him with an arrow. 

“Y/N,” he repeated lovingly, enjoying the way it sounded, slowly sitting up until little white dots began to dance around his vision. “I don’t feel so good.” When Mingi fell forward into your arms, he couldn’t help but smile. You smelled so pretty, just like he had imagined. Warm like cinnamon, smoky like the fire you always kept burning inside your cabin, sweet like flowers in a garden he would roll around in when no one was around. You smelled like home. 

-

It took most of your strength helping the injured man back to your cabin, immediately laying him down in your bed and pulling your warm blankets up over him. To beat the freezing temperature inside your cabin, you quickly tossed a few pieces of wood in the fireplace and lit it up. You stayed crouched near the controlled flames for a little while to make sure the fire stayed alive, until your company let out a soft groan of pain. Now at his side, you pulled the pelt from his shoulders and frowned at the extent of the damage you caused, tears pricking at your eyes. “You’re still bleeding, Mingi…I’m so sorry…I need to stitch you up.”

Just as you stood up, Mingi reached up to hold onto the corner of your torn blouse, blinking hazily up at you, a few beads of sweat cascading along his straining neck. “Please, don’t worry about me, love. You’re the one who needs rest.” 

“Nonsense.” You shook your head, pulling away to find your sewing kit, your cheeks hot to the touch. Once you found it inside one of your drawers, along with a sleep shirt that had belonged to a previous loved one, you returned to Mingi’s side. “Now, stay still, okay?” 

“I’ll do whatever you need from me.” Mingi slowly sat up and rested his back against the headboard, watching with interest as you expertly sewed his wound closed, quite fond of the way you took care of him, and of how close you were to him, your hand resting on his chest for stability as you worked. Before you could pull your hand away from his body, he placed his over yours, unintentionally allowing you to feel his rapid heartbeat. “Thank you for this. Anyone else would’ve left me for the wolves.”

Biting into your lip, you couldn’t help but take into account the way his hand completely enveloped yours, truly forgetting just how important physical touch and connection with others was until this very moment, now that his warm skin was pressing into yours. “I-it’s nothing, really…”

“No, it’s not just nothing,” Mingi pouted, slowly bringing your hand up against his cheek to gently nuzzle into it. He couldn’t believe he had gotten this close to you, the special human he had been head over paws for ever since he had seen you for the first time. “It’s everything. You saved me.” 

It was almost as if this stranger had escaped one of the novels you read over and over, seeming too good to be true. “It was the least I could do after I hurt you…” 

It was when Mingi began to look at you for too long, with that unwavering longing in his eyes, that you cleared your throat and stood up, announcing, “I think I’ll make us some nice, warm soup. How does that sound?” 

It took everything in Mingi not to let out a few celebratory howls, instead nodding his head eagerly, his shaggy brown hair bouncing. “I’ve always wanted to try your food. I can smell it from outside sometimes and it always makes my stomach rumble.” 

You began to expertly chop up vegetables, stopping mid slice when you digested Mingi’s interesting choice of words. “So you know of me?” 

“I-i do,” he nodded shyly, despite your back being turned away from him.

“Have you been watching me, Mingi?” you asked after a few more minutes of silence, your knife now slicing into the last few potatoes you had pulled from your garden before winter began. 

“….Admiring you,” he gently corrected, knowing his big fluffy ears would be splayed out in embarrassment if they were there. 

Just as you began to pour the cut up vegetables into the pot of boiling broth, you blushed and jolted suddenly from the implications of the handsome stranger’s words. Your elbow knocked into the side of your cleaver, causing it to slip off the edge of the wood counter. Before you could blink, Mingi had already caught the handle of the cleaver, slowly standing up by your side, officially displaying the sheer size difference between the two of you. 

“I didn’t mean to scare you, love…” Mingi set the cleaver back down onto the counter, reaching over to touch your hand with a gentleness you hadn’t experienced before. 

The speed and quickness of Mingi’s reaction was incomprehensible; you were still reeling from it. Now he stood beside you, his size and stature more akin to a beast in human form than a simple man. Not only that, but the hand that was overlapping yours felt hot to the touch, like Mingi had a furnace burning away inside of him. You had heard stories of shapeshifters that lived in dense forests much like the one you called home. They had been around for centuries, living amongst themselves, never interacting with humans, able to take the form of beasts at will. You glanced out your window, peering up at the bright orb looming over you. It was a full moon, after all — but did myths like that really exist in the real world? 

“Mingi…are you…?” Your words began to die inside your mouth as soon as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place inside your mind. You couldn’t deny the connection you felt with Mingi, knowing that your total isolation played a part in your desire to let him in. It clouded your mind. You were growing so tired, you almost didn’t seem to mind if he wasn’t strictly human. 

Mingi smiled softly down at you, one of his canine teeth poking out past his plump lips, leaning himself down a bit to shorten the distance between you. He waited eagerly for you to finish your question, tilting his head to the side, having to blow his hair out of the way. 

“Are you hungry?” you finally asked, lowering the flame on the stove so that the soup could settle now that it was ready to serve. 

Mingi’s lips formed a silent ‘o’, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He thought you might’ve been on the same page about your mutual attraction, but he was beginning to suspect that his obsession with you was one sided. It’s not like you had imprinted on him; it was the other way around. Silly wolf. 

Before Mingi could cry about it, he tasted something so delicious, he couldn’t help but let out an enthusiastic ‘mmm!’. You had slipped a soup spoon into his open mouth, allowing him to try the first homemade meal he’s ever had in his life, one that you had made for the both of you to share together within the sanctity of your cabin, away from the bitter isolation of the forest. He was a silly wolf, after all, because this, this was love. 

“Good?” you gauged softly, your eyebrows upturned with sheepish anticipation. 

“Good! Ahhh~” Mingi licked his lips and opened up again, savoring the warm, comforting feeling inside his stomach once you fed him another bite. “I’ve never had something this delicious before.” 

“Oh, stop,” you blushed, pouring some soup into a bowl and handing it to Mingi, shocked to see him bring it up to his mouth and gulp it down. “Oh, you weren’t lying…were you?” 

Mingi’s brown eyes were round, shiny like marbles, filled with unwavering sincerity. “Everything tastes better when you’re with the one you love…” 

You almost choked on your own soup, finding it hard to breathe all of a sudden. “D-did I hear that right…?” 

Mingi was a romantic at heart. He couldn’t help it, especially when the moon was so big and bright, glowing with everlasting light. She was reminding him to be brave. “Y/N, do you believe in love at first sight?” 

Your heart thumped away inside your chest, a steady reminder that you were alive, and not alone for the first time in a long time. “I think I might…Is that crazy?” 

Mingi brought his hand up to his face to hide the way it scrunched up with pure joy, his cheeks rosy and full of warmth. “If it is, then I must be too.” 

“Where…have you been all this time? I’ve been waiting…for someone like you…” You slowly reached up to pull his hand down, bringing it to your own face, pressing your cold cheek into his large palm. “For someone to keep me warm.” 

He had been there all this time; you just hadn’t seen him yet. But now, you would see all of him. Without thinking, Mingi brought his other hand to your face, gently cupping your cheeks and bringing himself down so that he could press his lips onto yours. It took everything in him to pull away just enough to whisper, “I’m here now. Is that…better?” 

For the first time, you felt like you could let your guard down, not be the lonely, hardened hunter you had to be. Now that you were safe, you could take a rest. “Better,” you whispered back, wrapping your arms around Mingi’s neck just in time to lay against his chest, losing the strength to stay awake. 

-

You woke up to the sensation of something intensely warm wrapped around you from behind, someone’s lips idly pressed to the nape of your neck, what felt like fluffy ears twitching near your hair, the soft fur tickling your exposed skin. The air around you was hot and heavy like you were stuck inside an oven, an enticing aroma of spiced cinnamon and woody musk clouding your senses. Your eyelids fluttered open, first noticing two strong arms locked around your middle, realizing Mingi was holding you close to him, his heated chest pressing into your back. 

Overcome by the memories of earlier, the forgotten intimacy of being touched and held by someone, the intense pheromones you were practically doused in, and the want, the need to be truly seen by Mingi, despite having just met a few hours ago, you attempted to turn around to face him, only to have him tighten his grip just enough to keep you still. “M-mingi, I want to look at you…I’m not mad, I just–”

“Do you know what you’re getting into, love?” he whispered in a gravelly voice into your ear, sounding like he had just woken up out of a deep sleep, sending a rush of goosebumps across your skin with just his words. “I’m not…what you think I am.” 

You sheepishly pushed back against Mingi, hearing him let out a soft groan, knowing he was just as satisfied with the way your body felt against his. “I already know, Mingi…I trust you. I’m not scared.” You felt his grip loosen up around your waist, opting to cement his hands around your waist.

His lips were now pressing directly onto the shell of your ear, making you shiver. “Do you know what I am, Y/N? Do you wish to see?” 

“I do…” 

It was then that Mingi climbed on top of you, his broad naked body keeping the glowing orange light of the fire from reaching you, the pelt you had offered him earlier falling into a pile on the side of the bed. Filled with a sense of lustful wonder, you studied Mingi, your half-closed eyes trailing along his tan skin, noticing how his wound had already healed completely, unable to ignore the arousing addition of his elongated canine teeth and the way his tongue ran across them. “You’re a…werewolf…”

Mingi’s fluffy wolf ears twitched slightly, listening closely to the way your breath hitched. “Most would be scared of me, but you…you like this.” 

You swallowed harshly, still finding it very difficult to breathe in the air around you, Mingi’s dominating presence further encouraging you to submit. “Will you eat me?” 

Mingi let out a small puff of air through his nose, the corners of his mouth curling up into an amused smile, lowering himself further onto you, knowing his heavy cock was pressing into your heat through your linen trousers. His lips ghosted along your jaw, the bushy end of his tail gliding back and forth along one of your ankles, replicating the light strokes of a paintbrush. “Only in the way that would have you begging for more.” The small moan that escaped your throat didn’t go unnoticed by Mingi. He nosed at your neck, resisting the urge to lick and bite at it. “Though, i won’t do anything without your permission, love.”

You cupped your hands around his heated face, your insides feeling as if they had been set ablaze. “Do with me what you will, Mingi. I insist.” 

When Mingi’s lips parted, you pressed yours onto them with a fervor you didn’t realize you possessed. The kiss grew more and more intense, the two of you holding onto one another as though you were afraid it all would end too soon, taking turns licking into each other’s willing mouths, breathing in each other’s air when you grew dizzy. 

Growing frustrated with the lack of skin on skin contact, Mingi pushed his large hands up past the hem of your woolen top and slid it off of you, admiring the soft curves of your exposed breasts, before his desperation kicked in and he nuzzled his face against them, sighing onto your skin. “Beautiful…” He dragged his tongue up in between your tits, grabbing one while he sucked desperately on the other, a low growl erupting from his throat. 

“Mingi,” you moaned out, your back arching, only encouraging him to see what other pretty noises he could get you to make, gasping when his sharp teeth teased your sensitive nipples. 

He licked over them to ease the sudden bout of pain, unable to keep himself from sucking one of them into his mouth, apologizing with his upturned eyebrows and his big, round eyes. 

You simply couldn’t take it anymore. You needed him to make a mess of your aching cunt, feeling your wetness stick to the thin linen material of your pants as you kicked them off. “Mingi, more, please, need more…” 

The werewolf knew what you needed when your fingers slid into his soft hair, leaving kisses along your bare body as he moved down south, getting himself comfortable between your spread thighs. “You want me to eat you up, yeah?” He spread your pussy open with his thumbs, nosing at it to inhale your flowery scent, quite aware that it bumped into your clit when he gave your slit an experimental lick, just enough to collect your essence on his tongue. “My beloved needs me to ravage her?” 

“Yes, plea–oh, my god,” you reacted whinily, your thighs involuntarily pressing into the sides of his head just as he dove in, which he grabbed onto, pushing them up and out of his way, his lips and tongue already working in tandem to drive you to a place of pleasure you’ve never been before. 

Mingi devoured your cunt in true animalistic fashion, licking and slurping up your juices as soon as it spilled out of you, just to spit it it back onto your slit and drink it all down, eventually plugging you up with his large tongue to feel you throb, unable to keep himself from fucking you with it until you began to cry out his name in between unintelligible words, your fingers tugging on his hair.

So good, it’s so good, nnnghh, i’m–” You cut yourself off once your impending orgasm took over your body, barely able to register Mingi rubbing soft circles into your shaking thighs and leaving kisses across your inner thigh and on your sensitive clit. You were finally brought back to earth when Mingi’s arousal coated tongue slipped into your mouth, his heated body pressing heavily into yours, gasping into his mouth as soon as Mingi began to desperately rut against you, doing your best to swallow his drool. It was when he whimpered that you broke the desperate kiss, asking softly, “What is it, dear? Tell me what you need.” 

“Need you, need to be inside you,” Mingi exhaled against your jaw, letting out a few shaky breaths, unable to keep himself from sinking his claws into your sheets, clearly at his limit. “Can I…? Please?” 

“Have your way with me, Mingi,” you granted his wish, welcoming him with open arms, just as he folded you up into a mating press and began to pound himself into you.

Mingi knew that such an intimate position would almost guarantee that you would home his pups after the very first knot. It drove him crazy. He couldn’t help but fuck into you as hard and fast as he could, emitting a animalistic grunt or growl with each thrust he made into your dripping cunt, a few drops of drool escaping past his plump lips and landing on your flushed, sweat-ridden face. “You’re mine now, love. My mate. I’m going to breed you.” 

“Y–ours…!” you could barely enunciate, not when he kept punching the air out of your petite body when his oversized one came in contact with yours, his heavy cock continually slipping back into your willing hole with so much ease, it was clear that you were made for him.

“Mine. My pretty little mate, all for me.” It was then that Mingi bit down into your neck, hard enough that he could leave his mark on you, a white hot streak of pleasure shooting through your spine as he did so. 

It felt so good, you could’ve swore you were already cumming, dragging your nails down his broad back, your eyes disappearing underneath your fluttering eyelashes. The werewolf didn’t seem to get tired, no matter how many times you came undone, his large hands still tugging on your hips, forcefully guiding you back onto his cock as though you were a simple doll, at least until you felt a new sensation, something stretching you open even further. “Haaah, it’s so big…”  

“That’s my knot, love. Will you take it, Y/N?” he panted into your ear, licking and nibbling at it as his husky voice finally penetrated your hazy mind.

“Yes, give it to me, please, Min…”

He hummed against your skin, running his hands along the soft edges of your heated body. “I’ll breed you full…so full of my cum, you’ll be carrying my pups by the next full moon.” 

Something about what Mingi said altered the state of your mind on a primal level, your thighs automatically hooking around the werewolf’s waist, your arms around his neck to hold him impossibly close. You wouldn’t be alone anymore. You had a “mate,” like Mingi had lovingly coined the phrase. You would be his, and he was yours, and something so simple made you feel safe. 

“Yes, please.” 

It wasn’t the heavy knot that stretched you wide and locked you in that brought tears to your eyes, but the sudden, hot, seemingly endless rush of cum that flooded your womb that made you cry. Mingi rubbed gentle circles over the small pouch that joined the prominent bulge his cock made inside your abdomen. “You did so well, love, so good for me,” he cooed at you, giving your cheek a few loving licks. “You were made for me.” 

“I was just thinking that,” you sighed softly, running your fingers through his matted, sweaty hair, loving how it felt to have him still stay inside you, keeping all his love from pouring out. It just felt right. Being here with Mingi felt right, like you had always been waiting for him to fall into your life. 

“That’s because you’re my other half.” He pressed a kiss to your forehead, before resting his against yours. “It was destined.” 

“For me to shoot you with an arrow?” you joked, reaching up to gently play with one of his furry ears. 

Mingi nuzzled into your touch, wanting to stay with you in that moment, that warm bed, that cozy little cabin that kept you both safe for as long as he could. “I would get shot a million times over, if it meant that I could meet you again.” 

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fictober taglist: @littlefireball @crazylittlebisexual @luvbit3z @hwasbbyg @ane102 @linearities @hoe4yunho @tearfulsparks78 @sunkislove @binniesbabe @peelingpaint-heavyheart @prodsh00ky @dawn-iscozy @peachyy-jooniee @sunwoosbaby @screaming4san @cowgirlkller @markleecankickme @comicnerd557 @stay-thing-things @Alexxbear69 @kpopandthings @dekyepunn @m4m4-s4m4

© kitten4sannie, 2024.

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Lay Your Hands On Me x Mingi x Reader x Yunho

When you’re left alone over easter break, your two hot neighbors convince you to join them for their lake house getaway. Only, you didn’t realize the topic of conversation would be surrounding your dry sex life on the very first night. After a tense encounter at 3am, you decide to try and see how long it will be until they break.

Pairing: Yunho x fem!reader x Mingi.

Genre: Smut. basically pwp ish. i'm not entirely sure if there even is a plot to this anymore. not proof read

wc: 6.5k woops?

Warnings: NO member shipping, threesome, poorly written smut, best friends yungi, yungi are your neighbors, reader gets left out by her friends, mingi and yunho are horndogs, big dick!Yunho, Rough mingi, i feel like Mingi was kinda soft Dom, there's a thigh spank or two, unprotected (wrap it up!), cream pie, talks about readers sex life, overstimulation, multiple orgasms ( f receiving ), pussy eating, slight stomach bulge, the reader is a tease. Mingi calls reader Dollface, and Yunho calls her Angel.

note: Hey! I haven't written a full-fledged fic in a while. I feel like I've repeated so many words in this. I hope you still enjoy it, though! these two men have been WRECKING me. Did anyone catch the coachella live stream? I literally died

ps. I wrote this whilst listening to if u think I'm pretty by artemas

Any feedback is greatly appreciated! What was your favorite part?

I do not permit for my work to be copied, published on other websites and blogs or translated.

Your shoulders slumped once your roommate’s car finally left your peripheral vision. All of your friends had found something to do, somewhere to go and have fun, over the Easter break. It left you sitting in an empty apartment, listening to the sounds of the heating and water pipes creaking or even your upstairs neighbour's loud exhilarating activities.

You were excited at first, the prospect of having the place to yourself.. but the fear of missing out finally set deep into your bones when your friends had decided to meet up with each other during their trips whilst you sat at home alone with nothing but the walls to talk to.

With a dejected sigh, you pulled your thin cardigan further around you and turned to head back inside. You knew you probably looked miserable to any passerby, but you couldn't find it in you to care.

You startled when a pair of firm hands settled on your shoulders, halting your mopey shuffling down the hallway. “____?”

Your eyes rose from the floor, settling on the worried features of your neighbor. The corners of your lips twitched into a sorry excuse of a smile, hand lifting to wave at him. You didn't trust your voice. You always made a fool out of yourself around Yunho and his roommate.

“What are you still doing here? I just saw your friends leave from the window, shouldn't you be with them?” His brows were creased, his expression drawn in confusion.

Yunho’s fingers were absentmindedly pressing your shoulders as he bent his head to read your face. You knew the sting of your eyes meant tears, but you blinked them away and shook your head.

“I'm.. “ You swallowed thickly. “I'm by myself this break.” Your chest hurts just admitting it. “I wasn't invited.”

You weren't sure that Yunho's expression could even be sour, being the sweet and polite man he is, but it did. A flash of irritation crossed his brown eyes. Your heart leapt into your mouth when his hands moved from your shoulders to cup your face, your own wide eyes staring back at him. “and you're gonna be okay?”

You knew Yunho meant nothing by it, but his touch was warm and safe. You fought the flutter of your eyelids, willing yourself not to lean into his touch. Your head bobbed in a slightly restricted nod, Yunho pulling his hands away.

“I guess. I'll just… clean, I guess.. laundry...” You weren't hiding how low you felt over the whole situation. Your voice held no enthusiasm, no life.

Yunho pursed his lips in thought, giving a quiet nod and letting you be on your way. He watched with a frown, your shoulders slumped and head hung low. Your eyes had lost the spark today that Yunho found one of his favourite things about you.

Instead of making his way down to the car to check if they had everything, Yunho went back into the apartment he shared with Mingi. The younger male looked up at him in confusion from the couch.

“What did you forget? Yunho, I swear if you just walked to the car and back again I–” Mingi was swiftly cut off by Yunho perching on the coffee table in front of him.

“What if ____ joined us at the lake house?”

It’d been half an hour since you were left to your own devices. Half an hour of mindlessly flicking through the TV channels with disinterest. You were almost grateful for the continuous knocking on your door… until you weren't, and it wasn't seeming to go away.

Opening the door only a slither, you came face to face with your other neighbor. Mingi. His dark hair is messy and damp as if he'd just showered. Judging by the enticing scent of spiced apples coming from him, he had. “Yes?” You raised an eyebrow at him, his expression locked in a grin.

“Pack a bag. Bring a swimsuit.” He said simply, causing you to stand solid in front of him for at least a good thirty seconds as he looked at you expectantly.

“Mingi wha–” Mingi cut you off, his hand cupping your shoulders to turn your body back into your apartment.

“Yunho wants to get there before midnight. Hurry up.”

That was exactly how you found yourself sitting in front of a warm fire a little before midnight with a marshmallow on a stick, your neighbors both sipping beers as they too toasted their treats.

“I did not look that miserable!”

“You did! You looked like someone kicked your puppy!” Yunho laughed, recalling your wounded look in the hallway just a mere three hours ago.

Mingi reached over, his ringed hand patting your knee. “You're cute when you sulk, ____.” His hand retracted all too soon, fingers curling back around the beer bottle to lift it to his lips again.

You'd long finished your beer. You all were only having one tonight anyway. You'd discovered after you had gotten here that the duo planned on staying a week at least.

After your complaints and confusion were worn off, you were grateful. Anything was better than listening to your thoughts for two weeks whilst you had the apartment to yourself. You were also glad that none of the perishable food you had stocked would go to waste. It would save the three of you having to live off gas station sandwiches before you could get groceries for the week.

You had never realized how relaxed the two best friends were away from the university. Around the campus, Mingi's expression was always pulled into a stressful pout. The crease between his brows was always begging for your thumb to just gently smooth it out. Yunho's shoulders were permanently tense. In fact, his whole body was. There were many times you felt like you'd run into a literal brick wall, but it had just been Yunho in the halls.

To see them both lounged back in the plastic outdoor chairs, beers in hand, and smiles on their faces was nice to see. Your soft spot for the two handsome best friends only grew tenfold.

“So,” Mingi set his beer bottle down, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Why were you alone?” he peered at you in curiosity.

“Didn't we go through this?” Your head tilted to the side, eyes moving to the side to send a puzzled look into Yunho's way.

Mingi shakes his head, pausing a moment. His tongue swiped over his bottom lip as he thought about how to voice his curiosity.

Mingi cleared his throat. “No, I mean…You had the whole apartment to yourself..” He trailed off.

He sighed, seeing your brows crinkled further in confusion. “Okay?...”

“He's asking why you didn't have anyone over.” Yunho cut in, his tone slightly exasperated with Mingi's cryptic questions.

“Oh.” The statement had your shoulders straightening in surprise, a deep blush spreading across your cheeks. “Uhm.. I don't have anyone.” Your gaze tore away from his own, glueing to the marshmallow you’d plucked from the bag next to you.

You busied yourself with stabbing it with the stick as a prolonged silence carried across the warm fire. It wasn’t that you detested the idea of having company. It was more a case of…well. Most men gave you the biggest ick. Nearly all men you’d ever come across had given you the ick, and it only took you until now to realize that Yunho and Mingi had never given you that feeling.

You would be blind to miss how handsome they both are and the fact that both of them were genuinely nice guys. That just made the icing on the cake. The cake that you wanted, you’d wanted for a long while. You hadn’t made it obvious. You’d never made a move on either of them. Why would you? You knew who good guys like them go for. They go for bad girls they think they can fix. They didn’t go for girls like you. Little did you know, you couldn’t be more wrong.

When you did look up, both Yunho and Mingi’s concentration was fixed on you. Mingi’s left eyebrow raised as if to challenge your answer. “What?” Your tone grew slightly defensive.

“____, The walls between our apartments are very thin.” Yunho trailed off, looking sideways at his best friend when your clueless expression grew.

“So…?”

“So, we hear things. Everything. Specifically, I hear things... Through my bedroom wall on the other side of yours.” Mingi continued on, relief flooding him when your face broke out into a laugh, a cute red hueing your complexion.

“That isn’t my room, Mingi.” You covered your mouth to try and keep your humorous spurt of laughter at bay. “My room is on the other side of Yunho’s.” You took a bite of marshmallow.

“Wait…” Yunho murmured, his expression thoughtful. “So, you’re the culprit of the fake moaning after your roommate's birthday party last month?” His revelation had you choking on the sweet treat, Mingi had the courtesy to thump on your back to dislodge it.

“Oh my- Yunho!” You spluttered, hiding your face behind your palms. “The one time I tried to get with someone and you were listening?!” a heavy groan of shame left your lips, your body sulking back into the camping chair you were sitting in. “That’s so unfair!”

As much of a gentleman Yunho was, he found the whole situation hilarious. “A really rare occurrence.” He grinned, reaching into the cooler for another beer. “Seriously though, I felt bad for you.” You knew what Yunho meant.

Yunho was referring to how fake your noises were, how the guy didn't even pick up on it. Not that Mulgyeol from the campus soccer team would have time to notice. The guy was out in 5 strokes. You also knew for a fact that Yunho was probably referring to the sad little fact of you having to finish yourself after he left. You weren’t proud of that but you have needs and whilst the vast population of men give you the undeniable cringe factor, every six months or so you would attempt to divulge your urges - just to see if it would be different that time. News flash, it wasn’t.

“H-How did we get onto the subject of my dry sex life?” You nervously chuckle, looking back and forth between the two men with vibrant cheeks.

A chuckle rumbled in Yunho’s throat, dying off to a comfortable silence. The conversation topic would have felt very intrusive had it been with anyone else, but somehow, the two still hadn't weirded you out. You were still sitting comfortably content in your camping chair around the fire with them.

Mingi fidgeted in his seat, fingers threading through his platinum blonde hair… he hadn't said much else for the next 15 minutes. the three of you sitting in comfortable silence.

“I’m off to bed, guys.” You mumbled tiredly as you stood. You began to fold up your chair to take inside, but Yunho waved you off, claiming he would take it when they went to bed.

You weren't far from them, certainly not out of earshot when Mingi spoke again.

“We'd never do that.” it didn't take a genius to know what he meant, and the mere thought of his words made your skin alight. “Goodnight, ____.”

Mingi's parting words at the campfire the previous night had lit a fire within you. Your skin prickled with the curiosity of what else he could have meant. Your dreams hadn’t been favourable to you either, your body jolting you awake with the lingerings of a breathy plea hushing into the silence. Your skin was littered with goosebumps, and your mouth felt dry.

One thing about being in this lakehouse is the chill of a night, but you didn’t plan on being out of bed long. Especially in your pyjamas that were only white shorts and a blush pink camisole with white lace trim to match. A shiver shuddered through you as your feet hit the cold wooden floorboards. You didn’t bother with a cover-up. It was 3 AM. Who would be up at this hour anyway?

Mingi was. Nearly choking on air as he rounded the open doorway to the kitchen to find you reaching up on your tiptoes for a glass from the top shelf. You had one knee resting on the grey marble of the counter for leverage but it only had Mingi’s eyes zeroing in on the shortest pair of shorts he had ever seen, your cheeks almost shyly peeking out the hem.

He sucked in a breath, brain finally kicking into gear when he saw your balance wobble and your fingertips only pushed the glass further away on the shelf. He heard you grumbling to yourself, cursing whoever decided to put the glasses on the top shelf. Your rambling had an endeared smile whispering the corners of his mouth, his head shaking slightly as he approached.

Mingi knew he was testing the waters here but as he closed in on you, his left hand splaying its fingers on your hip to steady you, his chest to your back, the right arm reached past your own to grab a glass. He felt the jolt of surprise your body made against his own.

Mingi cleared his throat. “You didn’t look like you were winning.” His voice was thick and gravelly from sleep, fingers tightening their hold on you as you moved back instinctively.

The glass made a muted sound as he set it on the counter, Mingi’s brown eyes nearly rolled back into his head at the view of your neck arched back to angle your head toward him, staring at him with surprised doe-like eyes.

You seemed to be rendered speechless, a blush on your cheeks that almost matched your top. The male was having heart palpitations when he finally got the front view of you, the teasing view of your navel between the hem of your camisole and the waistband of those pesky shorts he just wanted to remove drove him crazy.

Needing a distraction from the way your nipples perked beneath the material stretched over your breasts, his touch on you ceased. His fingertips tingled from the buzzing feeling of grazing your bare skin. Clearing his throat, he swiftly picked up the glass to fill it.

You felt like your soul was trembling, calling out for him to touch you once more. You felt wound tight, words catching in your throat. “U-Uhm, no.” Your attempt to recover had your voice sounding slightly strained. “Who’s bright idea was it to put cups on the top shelf?” You laughed it off quietly.

“That’d be me.” He hummed, “Yunho’s grandmother left us this place in her will, we renovated it a little.” Mingi leaned back against the counter, his black sleep shirt pulling taught across his torso. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, our families are close.”

You nodded quietly, acknowledging him. Mingi lifted the glass of water to his lips, your eyes locking on how his throat moved when he swallowed the cool liquid. Your gaze trailed up to his face, heated gazes locking as he pulled the glass away. Your breathing elevated, Mingi was looking at you as if he wanted to eat you… The corners of his mouth tilted up as he held out the half-full glass of water to you.

You couldn’t look away. The intensity behind his eyes locked you in place, your fingers brushing his own as they curled around the cool glass. Mingi couldn’t look away, couldn’t stave off the stirring in his shorts as he watched you turn the glass and drink.. His mouth prints are being covered by your own.

Mingi’s brain couldn't help it. To him, you’d just indirectly kissed him. He could see the range of emotions in your eyes. The eye contact finally broke when Mingi caught sight of a droplet of water cascading its way past the rim of the glass and making a path down your jaw and neck… he watched it disappear under the almost sheer camisole.

“Fuck, ____… You don’t make it easy.” He groaned throatily, prompting you to set the now-empty glass on the counter once more.

“What do you mean?” Your head tilted, eyebrows drawing in confusion.

An amused chuckle sounded between you, Mingi shaking his head in slight disbelief. “You seriously don't know how much we want you, do you?” He moved away from the counter, towering above you. Your chin was tilted up toward him by his index and middle finger, Mingi’s hot breath dusting your face. “You’ve got to know how fucking crazy you make us.”

“U-Us?” You echoed in confusion. You sounded breathy and distracted.

“Mhm. He’s right.” You jumped at the sound of the new voice. Yunho.

Mingi’s fingers curled around your jaw, tilting your head to Yunho’s tall figure casually leaning against the doorway. “Look at Yunho when he’s talking to you, Dollface, hm?” Mingi’s lips sounded against your ear, teeth grazing against the shell.

Yunho made it no secret that he was checking you out. Not when his bottom lip pulled into his teeth when his dark eyes roamed your figure. “We could give you everything you need and more, Angel.” His tone is soft, and you nearly find it harder to focus when Mingi’s face is pressed to your own, his hands sliding around your waist after finding no resistance.

“If you let us.” Mingi finished for him, ghosting his lips against the corner of your jaw. “But you ought to think about it…decide what you want.” His words left you confused, your eyebrows furrowing when they cut through the haze.

“Why?” You looked to Yunho, the male grinning at the desperation in your eyes.

He tutted, shuffling closer. Yunho’s long fingers slid into your hair, palm cupping your cheek. He almost cooed fondly at how you arched into his touch, your eyes fluttering shut. “Because this wouldn’t be just a one-time thing,” he murmured. “If we have you, we aren’t letting you go. You’re ours.”

Your breathing stilled, mind dizzying. A sound escaped your throat, both Mingi and Yunho’s touch seizing from your body. “Think about it, We won’t make a move until you do.”

And with that, both men left the kitchen with sick grins, leaving you standing there breathless and wanting.

You hadn’t slept for the rest of the night. How could you? With a proposition like that, your mind only raced. You’d come to the same conclusion. Nothing they said last night had scared you away. You still very much wanted them both, and actually, you liked the idea of being ruined for anyone else. Being theirs… well.. You guessed your thoughts of good guys only wanting bad girls were wrong.

You were already showered and dressed for the day by the time Yunho emerged from his room. Mingi was still sleeping, his door firmly shut opposite the room you were staying in.

You sat at the round four-seater table at the far end of the kitchen, a cup of coffee in one hand as you scrolled on your phone. Yunho liked the blue colour of the blouse you wore, your cotton shorts complimenting it nicely.

He fixed his cup, sitting silently across from you. Yunho wondered if he and Mingi crossed a line with you yesterday. He’d worried about it all night after the kitchen encounter. All worries were soon washed away when he caught your eyes shyly glancing up at him.

“Was last night okay?” He blurted, almost wincing at how rushed he sounded.

You seemed to pause, taking a long sip of your coffee before you answered him. Almost as if you were making him wait. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable.” You voiced, prompting his shoulders to relax.

The both of you sat in a comfortable silence until you’d finished your drink. “It’s so sunny out, I’m gonna catch some sun.” You washed your coffee mug up, then turned to Yunho just before you left the room. “Wanna join?”

Yunho nodded, claiming he would meet you out on the deck. What he didn't expect was to find you in a pastel peach string bikini, the front of your body shiny and glistening with tanning oil. He can see where you had missed spreading the liquid on your back.

He inwardly groaned. Surely, you were doing this to him on purpose at this point. Yunho readjusted the sunglasses on his face, setting his phone and book down on the small table between the two sun loungers. He leaned back in his lounger, picking up his book to flick through.

From the corner of his eye, he watched you lie your lounger flat, adjusting the head cushion to lie on your front. The sun bounced off your skin beautifully, and Yunho was about to compliment as such but stopped short when your hands reached behind you to untie your bikini top.

“You don’t mind, do you? I hate tan lines.” He couldn’t see the mischief behind your eyes with your sunglasses in place, but he for sure caught the twitch of your mouth. “Did I miss any of my back?” Your question was loaded with faux innocence.

Yunho slowly folded his book back, slipping in his bookmark in the process. He set it down, wordlessly grabbing the tanning oil and standing from his lounger. Yunho perched himself on the edge of yours. “You missed a bit. Can I?”

You hummed your consent, propping your head on your forearms. “Mhm, please.”

Your stomach fluttered at the feeling of Yunho’s big hands on your bare back. The tingles returned, just like from Mingi’s touch in the kitchen. His hands slowly rubbed the oil into your skin, fingertips adding pressure at your shoulder blades.

“You’re tense.” He mumbled, thumbs working at the knots of muscle easing the ache away only to make the ache in your core yearn for him further. His hands firmly pushed up from the bottom of your back, thumbs caressing your spine and his fingertips brushing the sides of your breasts.

The sounds he pulled from you had Yunho smirking to himself. An almost pained moan had his fingers pausing. “There.” You sounded so breathy... Yunho wondered if you’d sound like that if he found your sweet spot too…

“God..” You groaned, “You got magic hands or something?” You mumbled against your arm.

Yunho laughed softly, dragging his hands down toward the base of your spine. He thought for a moment, eventually speaking up. “You don't like tan lines, right?” He waited for your hum of affirmation. “Then what about these?” His fingers tugged at the waist of your bikini bottoms.

Your eyes sprang open, neck twisting to look back at him. Whatever he had expected you to say or do was not indeed what you said and did for certain… Yunho watched on in stunned fascination as you swiftly untied the strings on both sides of your bikini bottoms. “You’ve got a point. Mind helping me out again?”

Yunho had never agreed to something so fast, pulling your bikini bottoms back from behind. He swore under his breath, mouth parted as he watched the drizzles of the tanning oil hit your skin from the bottle in his hand. His hands moulded to your body again, smearing the shimmery tanning oil over the globes of your ass. He was entranced, locked on the way they rippled under his touch. Yunho allowed his fingers to testingly dip close between your legs, rewarded with a soft moan of his name. Your breathing was getting shallow, your body responding to his touch like a magnet. His fingers brushed so close, one arch of your hips and-

Yunho withdrew his hands, once again leaving you to sit on his lounger once again. You were a mess, body trembling as you attempted to recover. “There. All done.” The amusement behind his voice was clear to you.

Fuck.

After Mingi had woken up, he’d ventured out to the deck to join you. His chest was exposed, a pair of black swimming trunks sitting low on his hips. He sat in the lounger you previously occupied. “Where is she?” He asked Yunho, arms stretched above his head in a yawn.

Yunho nodded toward the lake where you were, sitting on the small jetty with your legs dangling in the water. As if you’d sensed him, you looked up from the ripples of the lake water and caught Mingi’s gaze. He grinned fondly at the beaming smile on your face as you lifted your arm to wave. “Cute.” He murmured to his friend.

Yunho nodded in agreement. “The sun suits her.” He looked up from his book. “Makes her eyes shine.”

Mingi tilted his head, smile broadening as you slid off the jetty and into the water. “She caught a tan today?” He didn’t look away from you once as you swam over, climbing up the ladder to the dock and brushing your wet hair away from your face.

“Yep...oiled up and everything.” Yunho thought back to how you’d just let his hands trail your body like that. Once again, he shut his book as you approached.

“Mings! Sleep well?” You asked, grabbing one of the towels you’d brought out with you that morning. You took no notice of the trance he was stuck in, too focused on the water droplets dripping down your body just like last night.

Well... a little like last night, he could see more of your body. Peach suited you. Yunho nudged Mingi with his foot, snapping him from his staring. “Huh? Oh! Yeah, slept great.” He sat back in the lounger. “Always do out here.”

After drying as much of your body as you could, you disappeared inside. It wasn’t long before you reappeared, a cherry popsicle in your hand. Mingi’s arm encircled around your waist when he noticed you were about to sit on the floor. Instead, he let you sit between his legs on the lounger.

“Better than the floor,” you joked. You lifted the end of the popsicle to your mouth with your left hand, and your right beginning to mindlessly scroll through your phone.

Your body relaxed against Mingi’s chest as his fingers mindlessly played in your hair. “Is the water warm?” He asked, raising an eyebrow of amusement as you moved the popsicle away from yourself with a grimace. The iced treat had melted, the sticky substance making a mess of your hand and chin. You didn’t even want it anymore. The Cherry taste was more sour than expected.

“A little chilly to begin with,” You answered, slotting the half-eaten treat back into the wrapper, Yunho taking it from your sticky fingers to put it in the bag they were using as a bin for their snack wrappers.

Mingi didn’t say anything more. Instead, he grasped your wrist in his hold and brought your hand to his mouth. With a startled gasp, you tilted your head to watch as he lapped up the remnants of the melted liquid from your skin. Once he was satisfied, he let your arm go to shift his attention to your neck and collarbones. His mouth was warm and soft, wet tongue lapping at the mess on your skin. Your arms raised behind you to curl your fingers into his hair, sighing out in contentment.

Mingi moaned against your skin. He was addicted now he finally had his lips on you. Just like he knew he would be. Mingi’s teeth nipped gently at the juncture of your neck, his tongue swirling over the skin to soothe it. You didn’t have it in you to scold him for marking you up… not when your mind was a dizzy spell of fire.

Your dazed, addled mind didn't even see Yunho move from his lounger. You hadn’t a clue until his strong hands grasped your ankles, fingertips ghosting their touch up your legs to part your thighs. “So pretty.” His honeyed voice reached your ears through the haze. “But, sweet as she looks…” He began, his tone sharpening. “I made a discovery earlier, Mingi.”

The younger hummed against your skin, mouth still worshipping your skin. “Mh? What’s that?” His words muffled with his wet kisses across the tops of your breasts above your bikini.

“Our Angel, here.” Yunho toyed with the strings of your bikini bottoms. “Already knew what she wanted the moment she came on this trip with us, didn’t you?”

You didn’t answer. You couldn’t think of a coherent thought right now… a sharp swat of Mingi’s hand across the top of your thigh drew out a whimpered gasp. “Yunho asked you a question, Dollface.”

“Yes! Yes, I knew.” You cried out, Mingi’s teeth biting at your skin once more.

“Thought so.” Yunho mused. “That stunt you pulled earlier really didn’t work in your favour, did it?” You hadn’t ever heard his mocking tone before, but you weren't about to complain… It sent shocks through your core.

“No, It didn’t.” You admitted. You were hoping to wind him up, determined to see how far he would go before he snapped… but instead, he’d left you practically naked and wanting on the lounger next to his.

Yunho tutted, shaking his head. He tugged the ties of your bikini free, letting the strings hand down. “I’m going to enjoy this.” He spoke raucously, shuffling down to lie at the foot of the lounger on his stomach.

Yunho's soft lips made contact with the inside of your knee, traipsing kisses up until he met the crease of your leg. He wasn't worried about anyone seeing you. The lake house was in the middle of a wooded area, two miles from the road or any neighbouring cabins.

Mingi held you still as your body began to writhe, the product of Yunho's lips blowing cool air over your throbbing centre. “Stay still, Pretty girl.” Mingi said gruffly, mouthing at your breast over your bikini.

His mouth worked at the bud of your left boob, lips suctioning around the nipple. Your whines fell on deaf ears, Mingi just wanted to kiss every inch of you. He struggled with the knot at the centre of your back that kept you partly clothed. Frustrated grunts, making him lift his mouth off of you to attempt to untie it. He settled with wrapping part of the string around each fist and tugging, effectively snapping the material.

Your head was too fuzzy to care, especially when you felt the flat of Yunho’s tongue lick straight up the middle of your core. “Yunho!” One of your hands flew down, from being draped around Mingi’s neck behind you, to clutch Yunho's hair. His mouth was relentless, muscular hands holding your thighs over his shoulders. You never knew a man could moan like that from eating pussy but here he was, his noises creating vibrations against you.

You didn't quite know where to pay attention to, Mingi’s mouth and fingers abusing your nipples or Yunho's onslaught of licks and sucks on your clit.

You slumped against Mingi again when Yunho prodded two fingers at your entrance, your hips cantering in acceptance. “You're so wet, Angel. Bet I could just easily…” Yunho trailed off as his middle and index finger finally pushed in. They dug deep within your walls, a long moan echoing around the deck. “Knew it.” He curled his digits, the pads of his fingertips tapping against the spongey wall he was looking for.

It elicited a sharp cry from you, Yunho mumbling a small ‘found it.’ before his mouth latched onto your clit again, tongue flicking in tandem with the thrusts of his fingers hitting your sweet spot.

By now, your sounds of ecstasy were no secret, pleas of their names desperately calling out as you writhed in their grasp. “Please!” You begged, Mingi lifting his head to watch your expression.

Mingi made a sound of disappointment as he was met with the sight of your head thrown back and your eyes closed. “Watch him, ____.” it wasn't a request. His tone held no room for debate, and so you peeled your glazed eyes open, tilting your head down to watch as Yunho devoured you.

You felt your orgasm building the faster Yunho's fingers abused your g-spot. Your moans rising in pitch. You didn't even give him a warning when your lower abdomen tensed, toes curling as the sound you let out was almost animalistic. Your thighs shook around Yunho's head, attempting to close, the fingers in his hair tightened to pull at the roots harsher than you meant.

When Yunho's head finally lifted from between your legs, he was grinning ear to ear at you as you slumped breathlessly against his best friend. You could feel Mingi's erection against the base of your spine from where you were laid.

“We're not done with you yet, Dollface.” Mingi cooed mockingly, looking down at your fucked out figure. He pressed a kiss to your forehead when you looked up at him, shaking his head gently and guiding your eyeline back to Yunho.

Your whole body froze. Yunho's swim trunks were chucked haphazardly onto the other chair, his hand slowly jerking his cock. He was huge! Probably the biggest cock you'd ever seen… his girth was impressive alone but you worried if he would even fit.

“____, you good?” He asked encouragingly. Yunho could see the apprehension on your face give way to a determined squint.

“Mhm. Fine, m'good.” Mingi's palms rubbed your sides as you answered.

“Okay, you need to tell Yunho if it's too much.” He stated. “You can make sure to do that, can't you?” He sent you a dazzling smile when you nodded.

You will yourself to relax as the fat head of Yunho's leaky cock makes the first press against you. Just the tip was stinging from the stretch. Mingi hugged your back to his front, kissing up and down the left side of your face and neck. “Relax. Stop tensing.” he demanded softly.

Mingi continued to whisper sweet nothings into your ear. Praising you, touching you, telling you how much you drove them both crazy. It relaxed your muscles enough to accept Yunho's length, pushing into you further. His teeth harshly bit into his bottom lip, his hips rolling slowly forward to sheath the final few inches in you. The garbled moan you made was accidental, but you were thankful Yunho stayed still to give you time to adjust.

“Holy shit.. are you all the way in?” Such an odd question to ask his best friend, but Mingi was never brash about such things.

Yunho nodded, his voice strained as he answered. “Our Angel’s a good girl. Of course, she took it all.” He grunted at the squeeze of your heat at his words. “I'm so deep.” He marvelled.

Mingi, as if to test his words, pressed his hand on your lower stomach. His eyes bulged out of his head, free hand reaching for your own for you to feel the outline of Yunho's cock. You whined, trying to roll your hips as a signal.

Yunho's thrusts started gentle, light taps of his hips against your thighs. Until you get used to his size, the initial discomfort makes way for blinding pleasure. His movements grow more calculated and hard. Mingi's hand stays on your lower stomach, feeling the way Yunho’s cock nudges your insides.

“Y-Yunho.. Yuuunhooo!” Your throat was hoarse from screaming his name repeatedly. “You're s-so deep!”

His thrusts get firmer, fingers digging into your thighs harder than before. This man was literally rearranging your guts in the best way. Mingi lets his hand glide from your stomach to toy with your clit, circling it with his fingers. It hadn't been long since your last orgasm but you were fast approaching a second. Yunho wasn't much better himself, his pace quickening. He felt his skin prickling as he approached his high.

The moment you fell apart around him, Yunho lost it. His thrusts grew sloppy, hips jittering as he spilt into you. “Fuck, Angel.” he panted. “You're gonna kill me.” Yunho pulled out slowly, taking his time to watch his release leak from you. He felt hot and sweaty but nicely sated.

Mingi manoeuvred your body back to the lounger as he slipped out from under you. The noticeable tent in his trunks caught your eye briefly. “Can you take one more?” He questioned you.

Yunho planted himself back on his own chair, sitting back to watch the two of you. He watched the obedient nod you gave, messy hair falling in front of your face.

Mingi tapped your cheek gently, pushing your hair back before connecting your mouths. The kiss was full of desperation, tongues curling around each other. You protested when he pulled back all too soon. “Turn over.” He helped you roll onto your stomach.

Unlike Yunho, Mingi didn't give a warning that he was going to thrust into you. He still gave you time to adjust, though, that much you were grateful for. His thrusts were brutal from the start.

Mingi wasn't holding back anymore. He wanted you ruined for anyone else but them. You were theirs and theirs only. He had a bruising grip on your hips, guiding them as you bounced back to meet his hips. Your moans and screams for him were constant, you'd surely have a sore throat in the morning.

He was pounding into you much harder than Yunho had. You had the pillow of the lounger in a death grip, back arched. Mingi watched the way your ass cheeks rippled with every bounce against his pelvis. You started to feel overstimulated, this was the quickest in your life you'd had an orgasm build up. Though, it was aided by the previous two and the mass amounts of tension between the three of you. Your lips parted on a silent cry as you came. Your body began to violently tremble.

Mingi pulled out immediately, his hand gripping his cock to empty his come over your ass, pruning deep in his chest. “You did so good.” He praised, breathless.

Your brain felt like it wasn't working. All you could do was dazedly giggle in reply. Thoroughly fucked.

“We broke her.” Mingi laughed, using the same towel you dried yourself with earlier to wipe your ass and lower back. He was sweet enough not to drag the rough material over your sensitive pussy. You were too overstimulated for that and he picked up on it quite quickly.

Both Yunho and Mingi pulled you into the en suite bathroom in Yunho's room a few minutes later. Your legs felt like jelly, and the two were cautious with how they handled you.

After they had showered you, Mingi wrapped you in a big fluffy towel. His arms held you to his body. You still hadn't said much, but your blissed out expression meant that the two men weren't worried.

“C'mon Dollface, you need rest.” Mingi said as he stroked your damp hair behind your ear. “We've got so much more in store for you.”

---

Ours - Yunho X Reader X Mingi

Genre: Mature, Smut

Rating: 18+ Minors DO NOT Interact!

Pairing: Yunho X Implied Chubby!Fem!Reader X Mingi

Words: 1,071

Warnings: Implied established poly relationship, Dom/Sub themes, Fingering (fem. rec), Pet names (Baby, Baby Girl, Gorgeous, Precious), Daddy kink, One use of the word slut (lovingly), Voyerism, Possession kinks but it's implied all of them have them, Dirty talk galore, I think that's everything

A/n: I got smacked in the face with this idea earlier, and couldn't not write it lmaooo Just something short and sweet for you guys, which I hope you all like. I never really thought I would see myself writing something like this outside of a kinktober, and somewhat enjoying it while I'm at it, so we'll see how this goes! As always, Feedback is greatly appreciated! Please reblog, and I hope you enjoy!

“That’s it, Precious.” A deep voice rumbles out from across the room. “Look at how well your pretty pussy sucks in his fingers.”

As if to emphasize the point, the wet squelch of Mingi’s fingers sinking into your cunt echoes around the room. His movements are slow. Precise. Rubbing tenderly against that sensitive spot inside of you, and making you see stars.

You toss your head back onto Mingi’s shoulder, a low moan escaping your lips.

“Fuck- look how sexy you look all spread out for the both of us.” Yunho continues, his gaze hooded as he takes in every inch of your naked figure. His bottom lip gets caught between his teeth, a soft hiss escaping him as he drags his hand over his cock in time with Mingi’s movements over your weeping cunt. “Fucking perfect.”

Mingi hums in agreement. His hot breath fans against the skin of your neck, nose tracing over the side before he’s nipping lightly at your ear. “Our perfect cunt.”

His words have you immediately clenching around his fingers, eliciting another low groan from the male behind you. You can feel his cock twitch against the skin of your bare ass, his thighs tensing as he spreads you the slightest bit more open. Your legs are hooked around his knees, his free hand resting on your inner thigh, kneading the flesh appreciatively.

Gently, Mingi’s thumb begins to circle over your clit.

Your whole body shudders beneath his touch, lips parting in a breathless gasp.

“Gonna come for us, Baby Girl? Gonna squeeze so delicately around my fingers like they’re our cocks?” Mingi hums, his tone low and raspy right beside your ear. “Come on, Precious. We know you love soaking our thighs when we’re buried deep inside this tight little cunt.”

Your eyes flutter shut, clenching hard around Mingi’s fingers as he says this. Another whine escapes your throat, the nails of your one hand sinking into the skin of his one thigh while the other tightens its hold in his pure white locks.

“Give it to us, Baby,” Yunho’s voice rumbles out, coaxing you even closer with such a soft, yet firm demand. “Soak his thighs so you can soak mine.”

Mingi’s plush lips begin placing tender kisses along your neck, softly suckling at the skin over your pulse. His thumb presses a little firmer against your clit, the tips of his fingers continuing to massage your inner walls so skillfully.

Your thighs begin to shake, their words and actions making your head spin. All that escapes you are high pitched whines and moans, your nails scratching against Mingi’s skin as you feel that coil within you snap.

A loud moan escapes Mingi as he feels you squeezing so tenderly around his fingers. His brow furrows, fingers never once stopping their movements over you as he helps you ride out your orgasm. Watching you fall apart like this for them has his cock twitching against your ass once more, deep, pleased hums escaping his chest as he bites down against the column of your throat.

“That’s it, Gorgeous.” Yunho moans, his eyes locked on the way your body arches the slightest bit against Mingi’s hold. 

The expression of pure bliss that coats your features has his heartbeat thundering wildly inside of his chest. His hand stills over his cock, Firmly squeezing the base as he breathes heavily. There’s no way in hell that he’s going to come before getting the chance to bury himself deep within your tight little cunt.

“Fuck- you’re so fucking pretty when you come for us, Love.” Mingi’s voice growls out lowly right by your ear, his cock twitching against you.

Mingi’s lips are back to pressing against the skin of your throat, helping you come down from your high. He slows the movements of his hand, loving the way your whole body shudders in his hold as his thumb presses firmly against your clit. The wet squelch of his fingers leaving your cunt has him moaning, immediately bringing them up to press against the skin of your lips.

Without any hesitation, you part for him, sucking on his fingers eagerly. Your eyes are hooded over, watching the way Yunho tosses his head back at the sight of you with Mingi’s fingers in your mouth.

You clench around nothing, more of your arousal leaking onto the skin of Mingi’s thighs. A fact of which only makes him pull you against him tighter. A guttural groan escapes him as he feels your tongue swirl around his digits, sucking eagerly at your essence that clings to his skin.

Yunho soon lifts his free hand in the air, curling one finger to motion you towards himself. Slowly, he begins to stroke over his aching cock once more.

“Come here.” There is no room for argument in Yunho’s tone as his dark gaze locks onto you.

On shaky legs, you stand to your feet. Slowly, you begin crossing the short distance from Mingi to Yunho, the elder male looking like the complete embodiment of sin before you. 

His legs are spread, cock proudly on display as he strokes himself. Yunho’s gaze is hooded, tongue darting out to wet his lips as he watches you approach him. His chest rises and falls steadily, bare skin glinting in the dim light of the room. As you come to stand before him, his abdomen physically clenches, immediately reaching for you to join him with his free hand.

Carefully, and with practiced movements, you settle your legs on either side of him. His eyes shine with nothing but adoration and lust as he looks up at you, his one hand settling on the skin of your lower back while the other lines his cock up with your entrance.

A low moan escapes him as he drags the tip of his cock through your folds, loving the way he can already feel you dripping onto his skin.

“So wet for us, Baby.” He bumps the head of his cock over your clit a few times, twitching in his hold each time he hears you whimper. “Gonna ride this fat cock like the good little slut you are?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Your hands settle onto his shoulders, steadying yourself as you feel him press the head of his cock against your entrance.

The corner of Yunho’s lips twitches upwards as you slowly begin to sink down on his cock. “Good Girl.”

---

[2:49 AM]

"Home at last," you murmured, leaning wearily against the door after tossing your keys aside. You let out a sigh, glancing at the time on your phone. You were just now getting home after work—nearly three in the morning.

And you... you needed him, but Seonghwa wasn't here. Last you heard, he was overseas for work. With a heavy sigh, you turned your gaze to the rain-streaked windows. The world outside was drenched, the ground slick with water. You hated it. You loathed it—the rain, the dampness. It felt as if even the gods were weeping over how miserable life seemed right now.

Okay, maybe you were being a bit dramatic, but work had been a nightmare for months. You were so close to that promotion though, so you just had to push through. And you could handle it—life was never easy, after all. But on top of the stress, your growing health issues lately felt like a battle you couldn't win.

Life had been... exhausting lately.

And the one person who could make it all feel better deserved someone who could give him so much more than this. You wondered if he was asleep now, if he was dreaming of you, just as you couldn't stop thinking of him. Or maybe it was better if he wasn't.

Despite your exhaustion, the last thing you wanted was to return to the same empty bed that had been without your boyfriend's presence for so long. Sometimes, you wondered if your relationship had reached that point—where both of you had bigger, more pressing things like careers to focus on, instead of each other.

Before your thoughts could spiral any further, you set your bag down, and your gaze landed on the vacuum he had given you for your birthday last year. He'd gotten it to help ease your back issues, hoping it would make cleaning less of a strain.

Cleaning—his favourite thing.

Ironically, you hadn't even used it yet, despite it being a gift from him. Seonghwa always ended up coming over and doing the cleaning himself before you could even get the chance. Maybe now would be a good time to finally put it to use and take your mind off things. As he'd often said, cleaning could be therapeutic.

Only one way to find out.

"What the—" he jolted awake at the sudden noise from outside. Who on earth would be vacuuming at—he glanced at the digital clock beside him—three in the freaking morning?! Tossing the comforter aside, he shuffled to the door and swung it open.

"I swear to g—babe?"

You froze. Were you hearing things? Slowly, you switched off the vacuum and spun around, only to see your boyfriend standing there at your doorway in his favourite worn-out t-shirt, his hair adorably tousled.

"H-Hwa? What are you doing here?"

"They let me off a few days early, so I came home first. But what about you? You promised to stay at your parents' whenever I wasn't around. You know how much it scares me to think of you alone here."

Your lips quivered as he stepped closer, gently taking the vacuum from your hands and setting it aside before guiding you to the couch. "I... I've been needed at work a lot lately, so I've been staying here since it's closer to the office. But—wait, why did they let you off early? Are you not feeling well?" you asked, panic creeping into your voice as your hands flew to his face.

He chuckled softly, holding your hands and pressing his forehead against yours. "I guess you could say that," he murmured. "My heart hasn't been feeling too good."

Your eyes widened in alarm. "Your heart?! We need to get you checked—" You tried to pull away to grab your phone, but he gently pulled you back by the shoulders.

"It's okay," he whispered, a teasing smile on his lips. "It just... misses its owner."

You blinked, confusion clouding your gaze. "Its owner...?"

"Yes, you. It belongs to you, doesn't it?" he said, his voice tender.

You sighed, finally calming down as the worry ebbed away, replaced by overwhelming relief. When was the last time he'd said something this sweet? Tears filled your eyes as you melted into his arms. "I missed you too, Hwa," you whispered softly.

Home... at last.

It didn't take long before your body went limp in his embrace, exhaustion finally catching up to you. His heart clenched painfully as he held you close, stroking your hair gently. Truth be told, he'd found it hard to focus on work ever since he realised how much of a rough patch you'd been going through. The distance, the long hours, and the silence between texts—maybe it had all taken more of a toll on you than he'd allowed himself to see.

Perhaps if he'd been more present, more attentive, things wouldn't have gotten so overwhelming for you. Guilt gnawed at his chest, and he hoped—prayed—it wasn't too late to change that now. You deserved someone who made you feel safe and loved, not someone who put everything else before you.

Carefully, he shifted you onto the couch, laying you down gently as if you were made of porcelain. His eyes softened as he pulled the blanket draped over the back of the couch and tucked it around you snugly. You looked so fragile like this, traces of stress still etched on your sleeping face even as you finally rested.

"I'm here now," he whispered softly, brushing a thumb across your cheek. He leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead.

With a deep breath, he sank down beside you, not quite able to leave your side just yet. He reached out, his fingers tangling lightly with yours, and watched as your hand unconsciously tightened around his. A sad smile tugged at his lips.

He could see it now—all the times you'd put on a brave face, all the moments you'd said you were okay when, clearly, you weren't. And he'd been too wrapped up in his own responsibilities to realise. But no more. He'd make it right.

From now on, no matter what, he'd put you first.

With that thought, he settled in beside you, keeping a watchful eye as you slept soundly for the first time in what felt like ages. He could feel his own eyes growing heavy, but he didn't move. For now, he'd stay here, where you needed him to be. Finally, he let himself relax, his heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time. Because he was where he belonged—right by your side.

Watching your chest rise and fall with each steady breath, Seonghwa's heart ached with a mix of relief and regret. He'd almost forgotten how peaceful you looked when you were resting. When was the last time you'd fallen asleep so easily? Had you been spending these nights alone, tossing and turning, fighting your own thoughts?

Guilt twisted in his gut as he brushed a few stray strands of hair from your face. His eyes trailed over the faint shadows beneath your eyes, the stress lines that seemed so out of place on your once-bright features. What had he been doing all this time? He'd known work was tough for you, yet he'd kept pushing himself to focus on his own projects, thinking he was doing what was best for your future together.

But what good was any of it if he wasn't there when you needed him most?

A wave of self-reproach washed over him, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He'd been chasing after goals, believing it was all for you, yet somewhere along the way, he'd let you slip through his fingers. You were right here, yet you'd never seemed further away.

Drawing in a shaky breath, he tightened his hold on your hand, as if afraid you might disappear if he let go. "I'm sorry," he whispered softly, his voice trembling with emotion. "I should have been here. I should have listened better... I didn't realise how much you were hurting."

The room was quiet, save for the faint sound of rain outside and your even breathing. He watched you stir a little, brow furrowing as if sensing his distress even in your sleep. He quickly leaned forward, his lips brushing your knuckles in a feather-light kiss.

"I promise, I'll do better," he murmured, a fierce determination settling in his chest. "No more empty beds, no more lonely nights. We'll figure this out together, okay?"

It was a vow, one he intended to keep no matter what. Slowly, he shifted to sit on the floor beside the couch, resting his head near your shoulder. He didn't care if it was uncomfortable—he just needed to be close, to feel your warmth. The distance that had grown between you over the past few months felt insurmountable, but he'd rebuild it brick by brick if he had to.

He wasn't going to let you carry everything on your own anymore.

Eventually, he felt your fingers tighten around his hand, just slightly. His heart skipped a beat, a small, hopeful smile tugging at his lips.

Maybe... just maybe, this was a start.

ATEEZ MASTERLIST

Thank you, pookie, @itstheghostofmypast, for the idea! I just love how this was supposed to be a lighthearted and funny timestamp but my reality took over and here we are.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed this self-indulgent little piece. As always, let me know your thoughts! <3

General ATEEZ Tag list:

@aurasblue @marievllr-abg @itsvxlentine @minghaoslatina @huachengsbestie01 |

@evidive @weedforthoughtz @minkiflwr @cheolliehugs @ho3-for-yunho |

@the-kpop-simp @itstheghostofmypast @vantediary @green-agent @skzline |

@sharksandminhos @writingwieny @heyitsmetonid @tinyteezer @hollxe1 |

@pandabur666 @vampzity @tournesol155 @lilactangerine @oddracha |

@haven-cove @idfkeddieishot @vic0921 @vnessalau @apriecotte |

@bangtannie7 @vtyb23 @khjoongie98 @scuzmunkie @anxiousskylar |

@bunny4yungi @zl-world

All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

---

WELCOME TO THE HEARTBREAK SHOW ── jungkook

summary: you’re in love with your partner in class that everyone fears (and loves) due to his stoic facial expression and the way he rejects girls rather harshly. as you get to know him, will he be able to handle your heart that you so willingly gave him to care for or, will he break it due to his hatred for people who are in love with him?

pairing: kind-of-tsundere!jungkook x female!reader

genre: college!au, angst, fluff, strangers to friends to lovers, “she fell first, he fell harder”, very orange cat gf x black cat bf

warning: mean comments, second-hand embarrassment?, stalker, mentions of assault, mentions of cheating (not from main characters), daddy/mommy issues, puking, might be fast paced/over the place but bear with me please 🙏🏼

note: also, there will be some inspiration from the anime “romantic killer” (definitely recommend), and not my best work 🥲 also word count is 28k

“Y/n, you literally like him because he made eye contact with you once. And that was to glare at you.”

Minjee and Jimin, your best friends, stood in front of you, eyeing the way your eyes followed Jungkook’s movements toward the building where you had your upcoming class in. You were currently staring at Jungkook because your heart still beats whenever your peripheral vision sees the tattoos inked on his arm and the way he avoided any type of girl that blocked his way. Though your hands were busy at the moment holding onto some small birthday bags for another friend, you clutched your chest rather dramatically.

“You guys do not understand,” you breathed out in almost a dreamy sigh. “It’s just knowing that there’s something there. I felt goosebumps.”

“I’m pretty sure that was you being cold because it was freezing the day you two met,” Jimin chuckled, clearly amused by your awestruck expression, almost as if you were in a trance. And you probably were because as soon as Jeon Jungkook disappeared, you shook your head and looked at your friends who looked back at you, their innocent friend (who wasn’t so innocent because she had the humor of a 13-year-old boy).

“Let me be delusional,” you halted, raising a hand. Jimin and Minjee simply glanced at one another, and they walked forward to be next to you.

“Honey,” Jimin softly spoke, his arm wrapping itself around your shoulder, “do not start acting crazy for a man.”

“But you’re a man, and I’ll go crazy for you anytime,” you teased, a smile forming on your face. He stared at you and snapped his head towards Minjee.

“I’ll gladly feed on to her delusions,” he commented before nuzzling his cheek with yours, a hand of his squishing your cheeks to make you look like a fish. “Look at this innocent face. I’m sure if he gets to know her, he’ll immediately fall in love.”

Minjee snorted and nodded. “Alright, alright, I agree.” She turned to look at you once Jimin let go. “Just… don’t let him know that you’re crushing on him, okay?”

You nodded your head rapidly. “I won’t.” You eyed the almost empty hallway and checked your phone, a gasp escaping your lips. “Shit, I have 5 minutes to get to class. I won’t be able to choose a good seat now!”

“We’ll pick you up to go to Hobi’s party!”

Waving hurriedly at your friends, you sped-walked towards your class, making sure you got the class number right before going in. Thankfully, some people were also late, so you didn’t feel everyone eyeing you and just you.

Your eyes ran themselves over the crowd and quickly spotted the only seat available next to a person with their head down. You mentally cursed once you saw it was a seat in the far back, but you dismissed it because so far everyone had eyed the gifts in your hand and gave you an annoyed look. Maybe this was a sign.

As you got closer to the chair, you sighed as you came to find a backpack blocking it. You cleared your throat and shifted from one foot to another. You spoke up.

“Hey, uh, I’m sorry but I have to sit here. There’s no other seat available, and no one wants me next to them because I’m carrying birthday bags for my friend.”

The person simply grunted out in response to your ranting and got rid of the backpack. They let it flop next to them on the floor, and you sighed in relief.

Muttering a small “thank you” before sitting down, you heard the professor come into the room.

Getting out the things you use to write notes, you breathed in and out to focus on the first lesson being taught almost immediately.

Then you saw it.

You froze in your place quickly, back straightening at what you had just come across.

There, next to you, Jungkook was sitting, having raised his head to pay attention to what was being taught. You wouldn’t have exactly paid much attention until you came to see the tattoos that peaked through the sleeve of his sweater. He had raised the sleeve a bit, but only because it had been in the way of his writing.

And now it was your turn to mentally freak out. Mentally cursing and mentally freaking out because it was the first day of the second semester, and here you were, next to your crush, next to the guy you had been crushing on because he had been playing with a butterfly the first time you met with the most serious face known to man.

“Hey,” you heard a whisper, and you turned your head to see that the greeting wasn’t meant for you. A girl was whispering to Jungkook, who snapped his head to look at her. He didn’t acknowledge her greeting and just stared. “I thought you were cute, and I want to make a friend. What’s your name?”

He didn’t respond, and instead, he turned to look at you, causing you to look at the board, pretending as if you hadn’t been watching the interaction.

“Hey,” he started, making you turn your head once realizing he was now talking to you, “she wants to make a friend. Do you want to make a friend?”

You looked between him and the girl, and you sniffed, shaking your head while your pen was twirling between your fingers. “I’m okay.”

“She’s okay,” he shrugged, not looking at the girl. But he side-eyed her to glare at her. “Leave me alone.”

You could hear the girl scoff, and you cleared your throat this time to get rid of the awkwardness that consumed you three. You pursed your lips and continued writing, eyeing your letters.

“I’m guessing you get that a lot?” You mumbled, though; you weren’t exactly expecting a response, seeing how irritated he had looked. But you were proven wrong by coming to hear a hum of agreement. A sigh escaped his lips this time.

“It’s annoying,” you immediately internally winced at even thinking of the past few moments where you were staring at him. God, you were creepy. “Maybe if they took a hint, I wouldn’t have to be so harsh.”

“I mean,” you began, placing your pencil down and looking at him. You leaned back against your chair as you continued to talk lowly: “If they’re harassing you, it’s understandable for you to be mean.”

“Huh,” he let out before snorting and nodding, hands buried in his pockets. “‘Harassing’. You’re right. I never wanted to use that word, but it’s literally what they do.”

“You don’t like the attention?” You frowned, now paying attention to him, and he shook his head, placing his hands out to fiddle with the rings on his fingers. He had also leaned back against his chair, glancing at you here and there.

“It’s not very good when it attracts bad attention,” he continued, and it looked as if he wanted to say more, but he quieted down and looked at his paper. “Now, pay attention. I heard she uses questions in quizzes and exams that she uses in the lessons.”

You nodded and looked away, going back to taking your notes. You ignored the way your heart fluttered to hear his voice for the first time and the way he looked up close, but you knew now that, despite wanting to make advances, it was better not to. He hated it, and even if you wanted to get to know him more, you could do it while keeping in mind to just be his friend.

“Also,” you whispered, not looking at him, “if you want, we can change seats. It seems like you have an audience.”

At hearing your words, he turns to glance over his shoulder, only to come across a group of girls staring at him already. The way they never looked away, only waved or whispered to one another, was enough to make him nod in agreement.

“Next class.”

After that brief conversation, you stayed silent for the entire class. Thankfully, time passed by quickly, much to your relief.

“We will be doing projects in this class,” your professor said before she dismissed the class. “Because of that, you will be partnered up with the person next to you, so exchange phone numbers or social media, whatever. As long as you keep in touch. Your assignment is already posted; we will go more into it next class; it’s not due yet. You’re dismissed.”

Everyone packed up, and you could hear that, despite being told off in a dispiteous manner, the girl who had talked to Jungkook was whispering to her friends rather excitedly.

“At least he talked to me,” she giggled, standing up from her seat while swinging her bag over her shoulder. “I call that an improvement.”

“He is so hot,” you continued to hear, this time from another girl. You subtly glanced over at the man beside you who was frozen in his spot, too, hand clutching his backpack strap. “Do you think he’s good in bed?”

You and Jungkook simultaneously scrunched your noses at hearing the words. He scoffed and shook his head, looking down at the girls.

“You’ll never find out,” he stoically voiced out, lightly pursing his lips. “Sexualize me more, but do it louder so everyone can hear how low of a human being you are.”

He didn’t give them one more glance and simply walked away, clearly agitated by the way his stance was; he stood straight, chin high, and eyes hooded.

“He’s so mean!”

“You have to admit, though, that was attractive.”

With one last sigh, you walked away, your phone buzzing with notifications. You already knew who it was because only Minjee and Jimin took up all of your notifications. So, staring at your lock screen, you chuckled as you read the arguments between your best friends and then how they wanted to see you so you could back whoever up.

Looking at Jungkook’s back one more time since he was close by talking to his own best friend, you walked away, unknowingly being looked at by said person.

“So, how was class?” Minjee asked as soon as you stood in front of them. She and Jimin were looking at you so you could talk. You puffed your cheeks.

“Well, I have Jungkook in my class.” Your friends' eyes immediately widened at your words, and their mouths slightly opened. “And,” you dragged out, “he sits next to me.”

“What?” They exclaimed, trying to process the news dropped on them since they had been talking about your crush on him an hour ago.

“Yep, and we talk—”

“Hey!” Your friends looked over your figure to see that Jungkook was walking towards you, ignoring the looks thrown his way. You turned to see him, and he stopped in front of you, clearing his throat. “Um, we need to have something to keep in touch for projects.”

“Oh!” You remembered. “I’m sorry, uh, if you don’t feel comfortable with phone numbers, we can do emails or social media, whichever you’re comfortable with.”

“Here, I’ll give you my Instagram.”

You nodded, and he gave you his phone, all while eyeing your very silent friends behind you. He ignored them even when Minjee waved at him, but he looked away once he saw how they were looking at him. He knew that Jimin was close to shaking out of fear if he looked at them any longer, so he looked away.

“Shit!”

Their heads snapped towards you, and they saw that Jungkook’s phone had slipped out of your hand and had landed on the floor. It was broken, especially since it didn’t have a case, and you winced as you eyed its damages.

“Oh, God…” Jimin breathed out, cringing out of second-hand embarrassment. Minjee frowned and stepped forward, making sure to step in if things got out of hand, especially since she knew that Jungkook was very serious.

“I am so sorry!” You rushed, leaning down to grab it at the same time as Jungkook did.

He stayed quiet as he grabbed his phone, eyeing the back of it, where it was cracked. He pressed the power button and stayed quiet once he saw that it wasn’t turning on at all.

“Don’t worry about it,” he grunted, waving you off. “I’ll—”

“Let me pay for your new phone, please,” you pleaded, your face and body warm at how embarrassed you felt for entirely breaking your crush’s phone.

He looked down at you. “I’ll come to you once I get a new phone. In the meantime, I’ll give you my email next class so we can keep in touch.”

“Okay…” He gave you one curt nod, and just as he left, you uttered a small, “I’m sorry.”

Not having heard you, he walked away, his phone in his hand.

“What the fuck just happened?” Jimin exclaimed, and he and Minjee were frozen in their places with their mouths agape. “Dude, you just broke Jungkook’s phone. That’s so embarrassing!”

“Shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up.” You immediately covered your ears, moving away from your friends as best as you could since you also closed your eyes shut, trying to shake off the memory. “Oh, my God. I broke it! In my defense, though, I was trying to give it to him after I put in my username. Maybe this is a sign I should get away from him.”

“No,” Minjee huffed, nudging Jimin on the side with her elbow. “Take it as a sign that now he gets to talk to you even more.”

“She’s right,” Jimin straightened up, sniffing away the second-hand embarrassment he had felt not even a minute ago. “Maybe the phone breaking was meant to be.”

“Okay, you two are feeding my delusions way too much.” You mumbled, shaking your head while pushing them away from the building you were just in. “Now, let’s go eat while you two talk about your argument.”

“Jimin started it!”

“Yeah, blame me, the only guy! I’m starting to think maybe you’re the problem.”

Smiling at your friends’ argument, you tried not to let yourself think about what had happened. You’ll just apologize to him next class.

The next class arrived rather quickly, and Jimin and Minjee dropped you off with their thumbs up, all while giving you good luck and encouragement.

“Can I sit here?”

“No, maybe I should sit next to him!”

“I called dibs.”

You looked towards your seat, eyeing the girls who surrounded Jungkook. He was uncomfortable and annoyed. He was fidgeting in his seat as he played with his fingers, and although he tried to hide his discomfort, you were familiar with being hit on by people who didn’t take a hint, so his mannerisms stood out to you.

“Excuse me,” you softly said, pushing past the small crowd of people as nicely as you could without hurting anyone. “Sorry, you’re blocking my seat.”

“Who is she?”

The murmurs came back, but now they were all aimed at you. You gulped and set your things down, sitting on the seat from two days ago that told you your fate in this class. You nervously watched as they all grumbled under their breath, aiming their anger at you, before they eventually left.

“Good morning,” you choked out, clearing your throat. You took out your things and didn’t dare to look at Jungkook without feeling the same embarrassment for breaking his phone.

“Mmm,” he hummed in acknowledgment.

You looked straight ahead, lightly tapping the tip of your foot on the carpeted ground. Though you jumped a bit once you saw something being handed to you.

“Huh…?” You let out a blink. “Um, you got a new phone?”

He snorted. “Yes, I need my phone for school and other things.” You opened your mouth to speak, and he placed a hand up. “You didn’t have to buy me another one, Y/n. After all, I needed a new one, so you kind of did me a favor.”

“Do you still need my username?” You asked, and he shook his head, looking away from your gaze, his ears turning pink.

“I, uh, forgot my passwords for my Instagram and any other social media, so just give me your phone number,” he explained through small coughs, but he looked at you seriously shortly after, and his mouth opened again. “Listen, do not share my phone number with anyone, or I will have my friend find a way to give everyone your phone number.”

You squinted your eyes at him. “I know what friend you’re talking about. I know his mom.”

“You don’t know what friend I’m talking about,” he bickered back, now facing you. You scoffed and nodded.

“I do.” You typed out your phone number. “Taehyung is my bitch. I grew up with him.”

That sentence caught him off-guard. Taehyung was your bitch? He couldn’t help but cover the small chuckle that threatened to escape his lips, obviously not believing that his friend would be scared of you. Taehyung wasn’t even afraid of him. He was never afraid of anyone.

“Hmm, he’s never mentioned you,” Jungkook said, shrugging and playing with his pencil.

“I’ll speak to him after class,” you commented, giving him back his phone. He took it, and you smiled. “Last time we saw each other, he pulled my hair, so I’m trying to grab a fistful of his until he buys me whatever I want.”

“Now I see how you two can be friends.”

For the entirety of the class, you two were silent. He would speak once in a while to ask for some of your highlighters or ask for some parts he missed—the professor was rushing—but other than that, you two were too focused on the lesson.

After taking notes, your professor went over the assignment that involved two people, aka you and your partner, aka you and Jungkook. Thankfully, it wasn’t as awkward as you had expected it to be, judging from the fact that he looked like he hated where he was, but he easily made conversation even if he was curt with his responses.

“Again, this project will not be due until next week on Wednesday, so please stay in contact with your partner. Class dismissed.”

Everyone started packing, and the skin of your arm brushed against Jungkook’s bare skin, eliciting goosebumps to rise in their wake on your skin (and his).

“We never switched seats, by the way,” you pointed out, grabbing the highlighter he had been using previously from his hand in front of you. “Though, I’m a bit surprised they didn’t try anything this time.”

“Good,” Jungkook shortly answered, as usual, the two of you walking down the stairs of your lecture room together. “I’ll text you to meet up. I took a peek at the PDF, and we can easily separate the work between us two.”

“What is it about?” You asked, silently thanking him once he unconsciously opened the door for you, letting you through first. “All she said was to read over the article with our partner, but she never specified what we should do after or what the articles are about.”

“It’s just analyzing the articles she assigned specifically to every partner,” he replied. “I’m guessing she did it during class when she asked us to write our names on that paper, remember?”

“Oh, yeah,” you nodded, remembering how in your first class, your professor had suggested writing your name and placing the paper in front of you. You just assumed it was for attendance. “Continue.”

“Well, she assigned us an article, and she already sent it to me, so I’ll share it with you, and we have to do a presentation,” he continued, glancing down at his phone before he saw Taehyung not so far from him. You lightly groaned, and he nodded in agreement. “I know. But thankfully, we got an easy topic.” You sighed, and you watched his eyes look around the hallway, clearly looking for someone. He immediately set his eyes on someone in a nearby crowd. “Taehyung!”

Said man turned his head and smiled at coming to see his friend. Though his smile faded once he came to make eye contact with you. He let out a small screech and dashed towards Jungkook to grab his arm so he could shield him from you.

“Leave me alone!” He exclaimed, and Jungkook looked at him over his shoulder, not amused to be used as a protector, much less as a shield. “I know what you want to do to me. Back off, gremlin.”

“You pulled my hair last time, you jerk.” You moved to the side to head towards him, but he would just squeal and move Jungkook towards where you were heading. “Come here before I call your mom and cry to her.”

“That’s not fair,” he whined, furrowing his brows as he peaked over Jungkook’s shoulder. “You know she loves you.”

“What can I say?” You smiled. “It’s not my fault she’s been wanting a daughter. Now come here!”

“No.”

He dodged you, and he quickly hurried outside, where Minjee and Jimin were already waiting for you. Recognizing and knowing they were your friends, he ran towards them.

“Um, why is Taehyung heading here?” Minjee questioned, gulping once she saw the handsome man sprint behind them, his hands gripping their shoulders rather tightly. “Hello?”

“Your friend wants to kill me!” He whispered rather harshly, ducking his head so you wouldn’t see him. But you and Jungkook gave each other looks since you could see his figure over Minjee’s own considering the girl was short.

“What did you do?” Jimin asked, fully aware of your friendship with Taehyung.

“I pulled her hair last time we saw each other at my house,” he rushed out, and he flinched once he felt your hand gripping his hair. The others watched his rather tall figure being dragged away, and Jungkook just stayed still with his arms crossed over his chest, knowing that his friend deserved this. “Ow! I did not pull your hair that hard last time.”

“Yes, you did, you ass.” You squinted your eyes at him, making him look at you. You two stared at one another, conversing with your eyes, and it was hard for you to not laugh at the way his body was hunched. You let go of pity and crossed your arms, staring at him like a disappointed mother. “I’m still going to tell your mom.”

As you two then bickered like siblings and hit each other like ones, Minjee found the perfect opportunity to look at Jungkook for answers. “They know each other?”

“They’re childhood friends,” Jimin said once he saw Jungkook respond with a shrug. He didn’t like to talk. “I remember I had seen Taehyung in pictures with her mom and his mom, and I had asked her about it since I knew how his mom looked because of orientation.”

“I never expected them to be friends,” Minjee commented, giggles escaping her lips once she saw you and the boy swat each other’s arms back and forth.

Luckily for Taehyung, she and Jungkook intervened. Jungkook took him away from your grip while your best friend grabbed your hands away from him because you decided to fight him. Again. What college students you two were, acting like children, but it was his fault. He started it, and you fully blamed him. And, very college style, too, no one cared what you two were doing, so you continued to slap his arm despite being dragged away.

After dragging you and Taehyung away a second time—he went back to get his revenge and pull your hair—your groups sadly parted ways. Not before Taehyung admitted he’d get you a month's worth of free food if you didn’t snitch on him to his mother.

Eyeing Jungkook one more time over your shoulder, you smiled at his and Taehyung’s bickering and turned around to talk with your own best friends, who were holding onto your arms.

“That’s so crazy,” Minjee said after a moment of silence. You and Jimin glanced at her, giving her a look so she could continue with her sentence. She chuckled in disbelief. “You are friends with Taehyung.”

You snorted, shrugging sheepishly. “Our mothers were best friends. After my mom left, his mom helped my dad raise me, and she became like a second mother while he became a brother figure.”

“Why do you guys never talk on campus?” Minjee continued, curious about everything. You understood why. She became a close friend of yours and Jimin’s that school year, and she was getting to know you two more and more. Jimin only knew a bit after he came across picture after picture on the nightstands in your room after having moved in together. He didn’t question you as much, though.

“We do talk,” you answered. “But we have our friend group. We just prefer talking more in person with our families over dinner or just when I head to his house in general. The only time you’ll see us talk is if his mom wants him to give me something or if my dad wants me to give him something.”

“And here we were worried about you never talking to Jungkook when you could’ve just told Taehyung to talk about you to him.” Minjee rushed out rather excitedly, and you immediately shook your head, humming your disapproval.

“No,” you firmly said, as if you were determined to finish some type of mission. “Taehyung is my best friend, my brother, and it’s not fair for me to use him in a way that’s offensive towards him to get closer to his friend. After all, Jungkook should know me from me and not that butt face.”

If only that “butt-face” knew when to shut his mouth because, in the current moment, Taehyung was spewing so much shit about you to Jungkook that would have you strangling him.

“You just never told me about her,” Jungkook shrugged, and Taehyung snorted, hands buried in the front pockets of his hoodie.

“I figured she didn’t want to be associated with me,” he softly explained, as if he hadn’t revealed the fact that you used to stick your boogers on kids who liked you not even a second ago. “Y/n is, like, a sister, you know? I’m already embarrassing as it is—”

“I know.”

Taehyung ignored his comment and continued. “She’s the nicest person ever, though. She just didn’t grow up in a very nice home.”

“How so?” Jungkook asked, looking away from his friend’s face to show he wasn’t as interested as he was.

“Sorry, sister code.”

“I knew you were a girl.”

“She’s my sister, stupid!”

During the next few weeks of January, you spent your entire time finishing work with Jungkook until it was the month couples adored.

Now, despite the way your personality was, you never really enjoyed Valentine’s Day. Yes, it was nice when you would receive candy and chocolate from classmates after you had to when you were children, but now it just showcased the status of people. That was a reason, though. The other was that your parents argued more around this month, and it was hard. It led to their divorce, and much to your luck—sarcasm—after your parents tried to split their time with you, your mom was never great, hence why Taehyung’s mom came into the picture since she was your mom’s best friend and didn’t agree with her actions.

But you were happy this time. You got to befriend the guy you’ve had a crush on since orientation of the first year of college, so why wouldn’t you be happy? It may not be a big deal, but it was a big improvement on your part since you could never utter a single word to any of the guys you used to like, so being able to be friends with Jungkook made you happy.

“I brought you snacks!” You exclaimed once you reached him with a smile on your lips. You ignored the looks you received from other people and passed him a bento filled with food. “And good morning, Jungkook.”

“Good morning,” he muttered back, watching you sit down in your seat. Your hands quickly moved to take out your assignments and things you needed for class, and when you finished, you looked back at him with your hands neatly folded in front of you. He raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

“Try it,” you encouraged, gesturing towards the bento, and he sighed, opening the lid. “I made it with love.”

He looked up at you through his lashes at hearing you sing song the last word rather dramatically. He even noticed you had a little heart with your hands to emphasize it, and he could simply smile a bit, shaking his head at your antics.

“I’ll eat a bit, alright?” He mumbled out, grabbing the spoon you provided rather gently in between his ring-cladded fingers. He looked up to see you looking at him with a hopeful look and made sure to see if the professor was coming in. Seeing that she wasn’t, he ate the food you provided him and savored it.

“Well?” You bit your lower lip nervously while watching him eat. He slowly hummed, and you couldn’t even find any type of answer on his face that told you if he liked it or not.

He continued to eat with furrowed brows, and he still couldn’t give you a full answer. He was savoring it so much that he would immediately wave off any type of chocolate he would get from people coming to give it to him.

“Jungkook,” you whined, grabbing his forearm and lightly shaking him so he wouldn’t choke on his food. “How is it?”

You could hear the soft snickering he let out under his breath as he gulped down his food before turning to look at you. “It’s so fucking good. You need to make more.”

“God,” you playfully rolled your eyes at him and placed a hand over your chest by your heart, “just say you fell in love with me.”

He opened his mouth to say something once you turned away from him to cover the food, but he got cut off once your teacher came in, greeting everyone.

“Sorry for holding up the class. There was traffic.”

As she rambled on, you started writing in your notebook to calm down your heart, which was rapidly pumping. He loved your food.

“Hey,” you heard, turning your head and looking at Jungkook, who was glancing at his iPad. “Taehyung and I are going to eat at the café that you told me about. You wanna come with your friends, um, Mina, and, um, what’s his name?”

“Minjee and Jimin, Jungkook,” you corrected with humor laced in your voice. He always sees them after you two get out of class together, but that’s it; they all just look at one another and ignore each other.

“Yeah, them,” he sighed. “Anyway, do you want to come to the café?”

You nodded and smiled at his question. “Of course I will. My last class doesn’t end until 3:45, though.”

“It’s fine,” he shrugged, leaning back on his seat. He gave you a look. “Just text me. You have my number.”

You nodded with a happy hum and looked away from his gaze. But, you let his question settle in your head and hid your smile.

“You remembered I—”

“Bring it up, and I won’t take you.”

With a silent giggle, you continued to write your notes. Your hands felt clammy against your pencil, and you couldn’t process the fact that Jungkook had remembered that small moment. After all, you mentioned it once, two weeks ago or so, when you heard some girls talking about it from behind you two.

Getting out of class together, you two were stopped almost immediately by a girl handing Jungkook a letter nervously.

“Hi, Jungkook.” She placed a piece of hair behind her ear rather shyly, and you noticed her friends looking at her in the background. You stepped aside to not intervene, and although it did pain you to do so, you didn’t want to be a nuisance.

“What do you want?” He raised a brow, an annoyed expression crossing his face.

You winced at his tone and continued to watch, feeling bad for the poor girl who was shaking in her shoes. She gulped and cleared her throat.

“Um, I have been thinking of you,” the girl confessed, fidgeting with the paper as she continued her profession, “and I can’t—”

Jungkook immediately scoffed at the words spewing out of her mouth and looked away. “I don’t want it. Share it with someone else.”

“But—”

“Weren’t you one of the girls who was wondering what I was like in bed?” The girl’s face turned red in a flash, showcasing the embarrassment she felt at that moment since there were girls around her and the guy in front of her. “I don’t like girls who sexualize me.”

With one last scoff, Jungkook walked away. But he made sure you were still following behind him since he knew that the girls who liked him would blame you as quickly as they professed their love for him.

You sped away from the girl and the crowd, hearing the way she started to cry out of anger and embarrassment. You caught up to Jungkook and puffed your cheeks.

“Are you okay?” You softly asked, making sure to not overstep. He glanced down at you before eyeing your best friends and his friend together.

“I don’t want them to get the wrong idea,” he simply stated and continued walking towards your small group. You didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by questioning it even more, so you immediately smiled at seeing your friends.

You were the only one in the friend group who had one more class. It was about a 3-hour lecture, so as soon as you guys grabbed some food to eat, you were dropped off at your class by all 4.

“I’ll see you guys later!”

Your grin made three of your friends smile back, waving at you. Jungkook stood by and simply waved back before he and the others walked away.

“I miss her already,” Minjee sighed, pursing her lips. Jimin and Taehyung let out hums of agreement simultaneously, stating that they, of course, missed you as much. However, they heard a deeper tone and snapped their heads towards Jungkook, who wasn’t looking at them but rather seemed more interested in playing with his lip ring and eyeing the flowers of a nearby bush.

“Did you agree?”

“No.”

He did.

On the other hand, you weren’t having a good time.

A 3-hour lecture was not something you wanted right now because you were too excited to focus since you were going to be able to hang out with your friends. Especially Jungkook. Because of that reason, it was no surprise that you were the first person gone as soon as the teacher announced it was time to pack.

Jungkook was waiting for you at the front of the building your class was in. You noticed his stoic expression heightening when he would get approached or when he could hear people talking about him, so you took it as a sign to pull him away once someone approached him and wouldn’t leave him alone.

“Hi,” you smiled at the person before waving, your hand wrapping itself around Jungkook’s wrist. You then glanced at the person with the same sheepish smile. “Bye.”You led Jungkook away and once you made sure you were at a distance away from everyone, you looked at him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he breathed out before clearing his throat. “Come on. The others are waiting by the supermarket.”

“Let’s go!”

It wasn’t the first time walking together, of course, but it was the first time walking off campus. He kept glancing at you here and there—you were too busy talking to notice—and he debated whether he should thank you once you were done explaining to him how you had to find a partner in class.

It was nerve-wracking; to be surrounded by a bunch of people who were obsessed with wanting to be with you. Jungkook didn’t mind it, but once he felt the hands and remembered the face of someone he once knew in his life that negatively impacted his life, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by some people fighting to be with him. He stood up for himself as best as he could, but they just wouldn’t listen.

“Finally.”

He snapped out of his thoughts once he came to hear another voice, a familiar one, and even heard sounds of agreement coming from your friends.

“Sorry,” you winced. “We came as fast as we could. We can go now.”

“Be thankful it’s right around the corner,” Taehyung squinted his eyes playfully as he spoke, obviously just wanting to tease you. You rolled your eyes and smacked the back of his head once you passed by him to hang out with Minjee. The other three stayed behind to keep a close eye on you two, all while also talking to each other. Since Jungkook wasn’t a big talker and liked admiring instead, Taehyung and Jimin spoke the most and even added comments that allowed Jungkook to answer with a hum.

“Woah,” Minjee let out once you 5 arrived at the café.

It was already halfway packed and there were so many college students there that it started to make Jungkook anxious at the idea of someone hitting on him when he was with his friends. Thankfully, you and Taehyung noticed his change of demeanor and made him sit between you two.

“It looks so pretty,” Jimin said, his eyes looking around the place to eye the decorations that caught his attention. “Wait, I need to take pictures!”

You snorted under your breath and watched your friend immediately take out his phone, snapping away.

You made sure they all knew what to order first before you went back to the digital menu on your phone to see what you wanted.

“Jungkook,” you whispered since the others were talking with a waiter. Said man turned to look at you and he saw your brows furrowed in concentration. “Which one sounds good?”

You pointed your phone towards him, allowing him to see the options. He hummed and eyed the options meticulously before choosing.

“The first one.”

“Okay, okay.”

Once you all ordered, you were too distracted to notice that Jungkook had taken out his bento and continued to eat it, savoring each drop. He stayed quiet, like always, and the scenery in front of you was funny considering that this intimidating man wearing all black was in a place with rather bright colors. It was simply amusing.

“How was Y/n as a child?” Minjee asked, throwing a teasing smile your way once she saw that your smile had faded and a groan had escaped them instead.

“Do not tell them, Taehyung.”

He simply smirked and leaned closer. “She was an annoying crybaby.”

You scoffed at his words and leaned over Jungkook’s figure to smack his arm. “No, I wasn’t you ass.”

“Yes, you were!” He exclaimed back at you, smacking you back. He then turned to look back at your friends all while Minjee and Jimin listened with amusement and Jungkook continued eating—he was listening, though. “There was this one time she was chasing me and next thing you know, I heard crying, and my mom went to go check… she had merely tripped on a pair of shoes and fell.”

“I was bleeding from my nose?” You give him an incredulous that has hid him snickering. “He was laughing the entire time and his poor mom was wiping my nose. He got in trouble, though.”

“Yeah, and then you punched me in the nose,” Taehyung spoke in a loud tone, emphasizing every word. He rolled his eyes. “I’m never forgiving you for that one.”

“You punched him?” Jungkook side-glanced you and you cleared your throat, looking away from his gaze. You light shrugged.

“Maybe.”

You heard him snort and stared at him now. Jungkook had a small smirk on his face, shaking his head.

“It’s a good thing then,” he said, making eye contact with you. You hid your smile as best as you could and nodded.

“He deserves it once in a while,” you chuckled and he hummed in agreement with you as he chewed on his food. “Wait, you’re eating it?”

“I told you it’s good, did I not?” He arched his pierced brow at you and you gulped at how attractive he looked doing that. Nervously nodding, he looked away. “Just say you don’t listen to me.”

“I-” Shocked at his teasing tone, your eyes slightly widened. “Are you teasing me?”

“I don’t know, am I?” While swallowing his food, he spared you one more look before looking away again. “Close your mouth, you’ll catch flies.”

“Woah!” You and Jungkook eyed Taehyung who spoke, his eyes and the others on you two. “I’ve never heard you talk like that, Kook.”

“Because you’re annoying,” Jungkook rolled his eyes, pushing his face away from his since he was about to rest his head on his shoulder.

“I’m just surprised because this is the longest I’ve heard you talk,” Minjee commented with Jimin agreeing with her. Jungkook shrugged.

“I don’t feel like talking half of the time,” he simply explained, closing the bento once he finished with his food. He gave you your tupperware back, a small “thank you” escaping the lips he kept licking to savor any leftover sauce.

“Here are your drinks.” Your waiter arrived—thanks to Jungkook’s relief—to give you all the things you ordered, and you fidgeted in your seat once you had noticed a phone number on the sleeve of the cup that was given to you.

“Um, I think this phone number is for you,” you said, giving the cup to Minjee. She frowned and grabbed it from you before she rolled her eyes with a smile playing on her lips.

“Honey, that’s for you,” she chuckled. You pursed your lips and eyed it. You looked around for the waiter and your eyes met with his because he was currently looking at you.

“Uh, but what I don’t want to call him…?” You studied the paper and you heard Jungkook from beside you sigh.

“Here,” he grabbed the cup and stood up, ignoring the looks he received as he walked towards the boy behind the counter.

You could see him talking and the waiter peaked at you, his mouth moving to talk back to Jungkook. You saw Jungkook curtly nod before he walked away with a new sleeve on your cup and he propped it in front of you.

“He won’t bother you.”

Minjee, Jimin, and Taehyung gave each other looks while containing their giggles at the way he said those words to you.

“What’d you tell him?” You questioned and he shrugged.

“Just that you felt uncomfortable,” he replied, taking a sip of his smoothie.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Hiding your smile while taking a sip of your drink, your eyes met your friends who were wiggling their eyebrows at you. You subtly threw them the middle finger but you couldn’t help but feel that familiar tingling coursing through your body. Unknowingly, the new events would bring you and Jungkook closer.

Jungkook surprised you the next day.

Before class, you had texted him that you’ll be in class earlier so you’ll get him some treats, considering that he had told you he had been getting headaches during class because he doesn’t eat.

Taehyung had told you to get him some banana milk and you got him other snacks that you’d hope he’d enjoy.

Walking to class, you were stopped, though, by a girl and a guy, their smiles so fake you could spot it a mile away. You frowned, not knowing who they were, and smiled confusedly.

“Hi?” You questioned.

“You’re Jungkook’s friend, right?” The girl spoke first and you hummed, not giving them a clear answer. “Well, he changed his phone number and we wanted to contact him because we wanted to interview him.”

“Uhuh,” you mused, clearly not believing in their lies. You had crossed your arms over your chest, an amused expression on your face. “Sorry, I advise you to talk to him about it first because I don’t give his phone number out to anyone.”

“Yeah, but he won’t know it came from you,” the guy said next, staring at you up and down. You ignored the way he was giving you an attitude and you rolled your eyes.

“He’s my friend and that’s why I won’t give you his phone number,” you threw them a fake smile, too. “Now, if you allow me, I have class.”

They stepped in front of you, blocking your way. The girl spoke again. “You have class with him, right?”

“Why?”

“We can drop you off!” The girl enthusiastically exclaimed, clapping her hands as if what they were about to do was so amazing. You scoffed.

“Sorry?” You made sure you heard them right. And just as they grabbed your arms to drag you to your class, you kept your feet planted on the ground to keep you in place. “This is creepy to another level. Leave him alone.”

“What are you talking about?” The guy snickered. “We’re just going to drop off our friend.”

“You don’t even know my name,” you pointed out, crossing your arms and staring them down.

As they opened their mouths to speak, they shut them close as soon as a figure emerged from behind you, a glare set on his face.

“What the hell are you doing?” You sighed in relief at hearing Jungkook’s voice from behind you. You felt his fingers grab your forearm and place you right beside him. “I told you two to leave me alone and now you’re harassing my friend?”

The girl gulped at listening to his tone and waved her hand, dismissing his words. “We just wanted—”

“Wanted what, huh?” Jungkook got closer to her to stare her down even more. He leaned a bit closer to whisper to them both. “Do not put your hands on her ever again. If you want to ask me something, ask it to me face to face. Do not speak to her.”

At not hearing a single word or sound coming out of them, he angrily scoffed and turned to look at you. His eyes shifted to the way your brows were furrowed out of worry, gaze on the other two. He grabbed your hand and led you away, ignoring the whispers thrown your way, and took you to a reserved spot.

“Are you okay?” You immediately asked, noticing his figure shaking a bit. He nodded.

“I’m sorry about that,” he sighed, sitting down on a bench near your classroom. He placed his palms on his face, elbows propped on his thighs, and soft breaths leaving his mouth and nose. “Listen, if you don’t want to be my friend—”

“Jungkook shut up,” you smiled at him and sat on his side. “Just because a few people beg me to give them your phone number, it’s not going to make me stop being your friend. I wouldn’t be a real friend if I ran away.”

“Really?” He asked and you nodded.

“Don’t worry,” you reassured. “I’m just there you got there in time. Nice to know you’ll protect me against people like that.”

“Of course,” he mumbled, looking back at his lap. He played with his lip ring. “Thank you for what you said by the way. Thank you for having my back.”

“Of course, you’re my best friend,” you childishly grinned at him, passing him his snacks and drink. “Here ya go!”

“You texted Tae, I’m guessing,” he chuckled as he noticed the banana milk. You nodded. “Thank you.”

“And thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” he waved you off. “I’ll always be there for whatever you need.”

And he stood by his word.

A couple of days later, you were heading towards the place a peer of yours had told you to go to. You were a bit lost as you never discovered more of your college campus, but you tried your hardest to navigate around without looking too lost.

“Where are you going?”

You turned your head and smiled once you came to see Jungkook standing not so far from you, hands inside the pockets of his sweater.

“Do you know who,” you glanced at your phone, “Do-yun is?”

He immediately sighed, briefly closing his eyes in clear disappointment. “Are you going to meet up with a random stranger?”

You shook your head. “He’s my partner in one of my other classes. I was just telling you to see if you knew him.”

Of course, Jungkook knew him.

The guy was an asshole, and that’s saying something, considering Jungkook was the biggest asshole. But Do-yun was a cheater, and he loved playing around with people’s feelings. It didn’t matter what gender they were, as long as they had a heart and were extremely sensitive. You were a target now, considering that you were so chirpy, happy, and empathetic.

Jungkook immediately frowned.

“I’ll go with you,” he said, watching you hum and curtly nod with a smile on your face. You immediately grabbed onto his arm, dragging him towards where Do-yun was waiting for you.

You struggled a bit, but Jungkook guided you towards the place Do-yun requested you to go. At noticing the place, Jungkook was happy he saw you because where you were heading was a pretty quiet spot with no one around unless one came across it.

“Do-yun?” You called out once you reached your destination. Said man turned around at hearing his name being called and smiled.

“Hey-Oh…” His smile faded once he came to find the tall, stoic, tattooed man next to you, glares being thrown at him. He rapidly shook his head to wave off his shock and you eyed the way a smile started forming on his face again. “Hey, I was just expecting you and not,” he glanced at Jungkook, “anyone else.”

You smiled and patted Jungkook’s arm softly. “Jungkook is my friend, and he just wanted to come with me.”

“Hmm,” Do-yun hummed, a fake smile spreading on his lips because he and Jungkook did not get along. Jungkook did not take his shit, and Do-yun just wanted to punch that stupid face of his 24/7. “Anyway, are you okay with coming to my house to work on the project?”

“Why can’t we just meet up at the library?” You frowned, and Jungkook praised you in his head for being smart about the situation. Knowing the man in front of you, he knows he has other plans in mind. “I don’t feel safe going to someone’s house, especially someone I don’t know.”

“That’s reasonable,” Do-yun said, and Jungkook almost laughed at the way he tried to charm you. It was obvious what he was trying to do with you, and Jungkook hated it. He just wanted to punch the shit out of him for even daring to look at you with those nasty eyes of his. “We can just meet up in the library then.”

“Um, is it okay if Jungkook can join us?” You questioned, and though Jungkook might think you’re naive, you’re not. You can see the way Do-yun looked at you, and it was uncomfortable, so you hoped Jungkook would say “yes” to your request.

Upon noticing both of you had turned to look at him, Jungkook didn’t waste a second mentally agreeing to be there.

“Um, isn’t it supposed to be partners only?” Do-Yun questioned, glaring back at Jungkook once you looked away to look at your phone. “I don’t think we need another person there that isn’t in our class.”

“I’ll be there.”

You smiled at hearing Jungkook’s words and grinned at the guy in front of you, who immediately waved off the glare he was sending toward Jungkook. “Don’t worry. He won’t bother us. He’s just there so he can take me home.”

Do-Yun hummed and slowly nodded, still not up to having Jungkook ruin his plans. After all, you were so pretty, he had to get to you. Being Jimin’s best friend—he liked playing around with everyone—and Minjee’s—she just loved making friends—you were sought out, too. They were popular, and you were popular by association. You didn’t like it, as you liked your little group of friends, but it was a title that followed you. You didn’t need the popularity. But you were more popular now that you were associated with the guy everyone tries to go after and are even friends with his best friend—no one knows you and Taehyung are childhood friends—who was the most popular guy on campus because of his looks. Of course, he’d want you. To finally snag the girl everyone wants to befriend because of her friends? Yeah, you piqued his interest.

“I also don’t trust you,” Jungkook stated, continuing to burn holes into Do-yun’s head.

“You don’t trust me?” Do-yun scoffed.

“I don’t trust you.”

Jungkook made sure to empathize his words before he left with you, eyes not straying away from the guy now glaring back at him since your back was facing towards him.

“He’s such a creep,” you sighed as soon as Do-yun was out of earshot. “He tried pulling some moves on Minjee, too, so I know all about his dumb little game.”

“And that is?”

“And that is to get in my pants,” you answered, shivering out of cringe. You couldn’t ignore the way the blonde-haired guy tried pulling a move on you in class. That’s why you ended up as partners.

“You’re not as dumb as other people are,” Jungkook hummed and you snorted at his comment. With his hands in the pockets of his jacket and his hair swaying with the wind, you eyed the way he looked as he said that comment because one thing Jungkook is good at is insulting you and complimenting you at the same time.

“Well, you’re not an asshole like other people are.”

“Shut up, you think I am.”

You giggled at his comment and continued walking side by side, arm brushing against the leather material of his jacket.

After class was finished, Minjee came to pick you up so you two could go out and eat. It had been a while since you two hung out, just you two girls, so while Jimin was out making friends with Taehyung, you two went to the music store that she liked going to.

“He likes you.”

You snorted at Minjee’s comment as you eyed the objects in the store.

“He’s just being friendly,” you waved off, briefly smiling at some people who passed and you awkwardly made eye contact with him. “He rejects everyone who confesses to him. He’ll reject me and he’ll stop being friends with me.”

“Have you thought about the fact that he, I don’t know,” Minjee said, her voice dropping a bit while her hands held some albums, “maybe rejects them because he doesn’t know them? Random people are throwing themselves at him and he doesn’t know them at all.”

“That’s true,” you mumbled. “But, it doesn’t mean anything. We’re friends, best friends in my head. That might be how he is with Taehyung, too.”

Minjee thought about it and nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” You two continued to walk around and you waved at the store owner, Yoongi, aka Minjee’s cousin, as soon as you came to see him looking at the door rather miserably. “Ah, he gets passed down my grandparents' store and he hates it. What a boob.”

“Shut up, Minjee, before I make your parents make you work.”

“I’ll gladly work here.”

You eyed their banter and walked away to let them be because much like how Minjee was with Jimin and Jimin was with her, they’ll bring you into their arguments and make you choose a side, which you don’t mind but it was hard to choose when they were both wrong.

You eyed some t-shirts here and there that fit Jungkook’s style, and snapped pictures to send to him. You even made sure to snap pictures of jewelry that screamed him.

Looking around once more while Minjee caught up with her cousin, you looked back at the pictures. However, something caught your eye in one of them once you sent it. There, in the background, Do-Yun stood with the two people he always hung out with, his back facing you. Thankfully he hadn’t noticed you and sighed in relief, but you felt like you jinxed it once you heard him calling your name.

Turning around, a smile that didn’t reach your eyes came to be, and you stayed in your place.

“Hi, Do-Yun,” you greeted.

“Hi, Y/n,” he grinned. He looked over his shoulders, hands sticking out. “Guys, this is Y/n, the girl I told you about.”

“Oh, the hot one,” a friend of his commented and you mentally groaned because, of course, it would be a moment like this. “You are hot, you know that?”

“Ah, yes, because I was seeking a compliment,” you sweetly stated, hoping that they would notice your attitude and take a hint. “Anyway, I’m heading out.”

“Wait.”

You felt a hand on your arm and you immediately pulled away. “Don’t touch me, Do-yun.”

“Damn, why are you so fucking angry?” He chuckled as if your attitude was the funniest thing ever. You rolled your eyes and ignored him. “Wow, are you riding Jeon’s dick this hard you can’t even talk to me?”

“Leave him out of this.” You gave him a look. “I’m simply telling you to leave me alone but that small ass brain of yours isn’t working, is it?” His friends chuckled at your words and Do-yun was not laughing anymore. “I was nice letting you be my partner, but seeing you now after school, I want nothing to do with you, so please look for another person.”

“Come on, Y/n,” Do-yun grabbed your wrist. You closed your eyes at his actions and looked around to make eye contact with Minjee. Luckily she had been looking around for you, too, and her eyes widened at your situation. “This attitude of yours can simply be fixed if you hang out with me.”

“Are you that desperate to sleep with someone?” You commented. “Like, are you? I’m telling you no and I’m showing you that I don’t want to be your partner anymore, and you still talk about wanting to take me out?”

The silence was deafening, but you thanked your best friend for immediately walking to you.

“Leave her alone, Do-Yun,” she sternly stated, her hand wrapping itself around his own. She took your hand away from his and pushed him away. “You’re so fucking annoying. Take a hint.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Jee,” Do-Yun sneered, getting closer. “Leave us the fuck alone.”

“No, no, no,” Minjee waved a finger in front of his face and you gulped down your chuckle. “You leave me the fuck alone and you leave her the fuck alone because your desperation is showing. You really can’t bag anyone if this is how far you have to go.”

“How about you shut the f—”

“Alright, buddy,” your heads snapped towards the voice and you all made eye contact with Yoongi’s glare, “get out of my damn store.”

“But—”

“No, don’t disrespect my family like that and expect to be welcome nicely here,” Yoongi raised his eyebrows as if to tell them to test him and he gestured towards the door. “Get out before I let Minjee get the pepper spray.”

Do-Yun exhaled loudly and walked away, clearly embarrassed at the situation he was in. He was more embarrassed that he was talking like that in front of his friends, but you and Minjee did not care. You were tired of his actions and you knew you shouldn’t have partnered with him.

Yoongi was paranoid about the situation and your guys’ safety, so he closed down the shop early to drop you two off at your apartment.

Saying goodbye and thanking him, you walked home, and your mouth couldn’t stop spewing curse words directed towards Do-yun.

“What an asshole,” you scoffed, opening your door with your key. “He tried putting his hands on me and said my “attitude” would be fixed if I hung out with him?” You opened your door and walked in, ignoring the voices in the background. “I mean, he’s such a piece of shit. I’m gonna punch him tomorrow, I’m not kidding. No, I’m going to do worse because how dare you touch me.”

“Y/n.”

“No,” you waved off, placing your bag on the table harshly. You placed your keys on the bowl nearby and took off your sweater. “Like, how entitled do you have to be?”

“What happened?” Jimin whispered. Minjee sighed, plopping next to him.

“Do-Yun,” Minjee made sure he knew who she was talking about before continuing, “was at the store we went to today, and he didn’t let Y/n go because he held her wrist.”

“What?”

You turned around and froze in your steps, because right across from Jimin was Taehyung and Jungkook who had gotten up at the revelation.

“What did he do?” Taehyung asked, eyebrows furrowing out of anger.

“That asshole was just annoying me,” you waved it off, though, you were seething. A second incident of someone grabbing you irritated you because of the nerve some people have. “I told him to find another partner because it’s not going to be me.”

“He grabbed you?” Taehyung asked, stepping forward to make sure you were okay. You nodded. “I’m going to kill him.”

“I’m just so angry,” you groaned, and Jungkook watched your actions because he had never seen this side of you. You were annoyed and irritated and furious all at once, and your hands were fidgeting with your fidget rings he never saw you play with.

“Don’t stress about it too much,” Jimin frowned, petting your head. “He’s not worth thinking about.”

“I’m more pissed he was talking back to Minjee,” you said, wrapping your arms around your friend. Minjee smiled and hugged you back, rubbing your back because she could feel your heart pounding against your chest from adrenaline.

“We’ll deal with it.”

You didn’t think they’d deal with it. Well, you did because both Jimin and Taehyung are fighters once their friends are harmed. You never doubted Jungkook, but you honestly didn’t expect him and the others to go by their own words. You don’t know why, but the three would do anything for you and Minjee, so if you two get harassed by an obvious asshole, they needed to step in.

The next day after the incident, Jungkook, Jimin, and Taehyung looked for Do-yun. Jimin followed him on Instagram and he immediately alerted them of where he was since Do-yun had taken a video and posted it on his story. So, the three of them sauntered off towards where Do-yun was, and they made sure to be away from any type of crowd.

“Hey, Do-yun!”

Said man looked over his shoulder and saw that the three were walking towards him, obviously pissed.

“What the hell is wrong with you harassing Minjee and Y/n, huh?” Taehyung asked. “Are you that much of a pussy you have to say shit to them?”

“Oh, what saviors you are,” Do-Yun rolled his eyes. He looked over his shoulder to make sure his friends were there, but his shoulders sagged once he saw that they had backed away. “Look, it’s not my fault that Y/n has to be saved or whatever and brought Minjee into it. If anything, it’s her fault.”

“Oh, yeah just blame Y/n and not your stupid ass self, huh?” Jimin laughed sarcastically, not liking the way this doofus in front of him was talking about his friends. He eyed, Jungkook, though once he saw that he was quiet and observing.

“Y/n was exaggerating my actions, dude,” Do-Yun rolled his eyes before setting themselves on Jungkook. “If she wasn’t dick-riding you so hard, she wouldn’t have made it a big deal.”

“I dare you to fucking talk about her again, asshole,” Jungkook said, a scoff escaping his lips.

“You're just jealous that I took a chance to talk to her about feelings,” Do-yun spat out. “Let’s not forget how you can’t have a single girl talk to you without you suddenly shaking.”

“At least he has girls talking to him,” Jimin commented, snorting at his comment. Do-yun glared at Jimin and he turned to look back at Jungkook.

“Just admit it, Jeon, if I wanted to, I could fuck her—”

Jungkook didn’t even let him finish his sentence before punching him across the face, making his bleed from his nose. Do-yun, though, didn’t want to look like a fool in front of his friends, so he struck back, though, his fist landed on Jungkook’s mouth instead. Hard but not too hard. Just hard enough that Jungkook started bleeding. It didn’t stop from there because Jungkook swung back at him sbd punched him hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

Watching him fall, Jungkook took a step back, wiping away some blood with the back of his inked hand.

“Stay away from her, you fucking idiot.”

Walking away, Jimin and Taehyung looked between the body on the floor groaning and then at their friend leaving. They laughed simultaneously at Do-yin’s face and followed behind Jungkook like children.

“oh, my god,” Jimin laughed. “His face was funny.”

“I hope you know that Y/n is going to be mad at you,” Taehyung smiled, snickering at the way Jungkook sighed.

“I know.”

And you were.

“So you decide to fight him?”

Jungkook winced at your scolding as you wiped away the wound on his lip. The others stood by and snickered at the scolding he was receiving and Minjee was secretly recording.

“Y/n—”

“No, Jungkook,” you glared at him, “you could’ve gotten hurt. No, not even that, if a staff member had seen you two, you would’ve gotten punished. What he did isn’t worth you fighting for and getting in trouble for.”

“He grabbed you!” Jungkook spoke in a louder tone than usual. “I told you I would be there if you need anything.”

Noticing that this was a moment you two needed, just you two, you made sure to give Minjee a look that had her pushing away your friends outside.

At the silence, your gaze softened as you eyed Jungkook.

“Look,” you started, eyes meeting his, “I appreciate you punching him, okay? I do.” He nodded. “I just don’t want you to regret doing that if you get in trouble.”

“I don’t regret it,” he reassured. “I promise.”

“But I’m still mad,” you pointed a finger at him. “I was supposed to punch him.”

Jungkook lowly chuckled at your words and eyed your concentrated face. “You can still do that tomorrow.”

You giggled. “Okay.”

And Jungkook, of course, didn’t think you’d try something, because when he found you the next day, you were scolding Do-yun.

“You better be thankful that Jungkook already hit you hard enough or else I would’ve broken your nose,” you sneered, shaking your head in disappointment.

“Yeah, what my friend said,” Minjee commented from beside you. Do-Yun was just silent, his friends holding in their laughs that these two girls were threatening him.

“Yeah, so come at me,” you got closer to him. However, a hand stopped you from doing so, and you looked over your shoulder to see that Jungkook was holding onto your backpack. “No, let go of me, I will jump him.”

You heard him sigh and he continued dragging you away while you continued to spew threats at Do-yun.

“You should be lucky Jungkook came here or else I would’ve knocked your ass out for hitting his pretty face!”

But Jungkook couldn’t do anything other than smile at himself.

“Idiot…”

It was midterm week and that meant so many students stressing. However, what Jungkook didn’t expect is you missing.

He was currently looking for you in class, his head snapping side to side to see if you would appear out of thin air but nothing.

He was feeling fidgety, and your presence alone comforts him every day since you always distract him by talking to him about your day or gossip you’ve heard about from others. And now here he was, alone, and he would glare at whoever would try to sit on your seat. That’s your seat. Even though you weren’t there next to him, he doesn’t want someone else to talk his ear off.

“Where is she?” He mumbled under his breath, frowning. His phone was in his hand, nervously playing with it as he waited for your response, but nothing happened. He looked at the time, and all he could do was write down the notes of the lesson because, knowing you, he’d know that you’d be very dramatic about knowing you missed a lesson.

It was a while later that Jimin texted him. He didn’t expect it, but he knew your best friend wouldn’t have texted him out of nowhere, considering that Jimin was scared of him. So, as he was packing his bag, he opened the message, his eyes running over the words.

Jaemin ( y/n friend ) : Y/n is sick. I just wanted to tell you so you can do her a favor in doing her notes, pls 🙏🏼

That’s why, Jungkook sighed and put away his phone.

He hummed and looked at the time, knowing that he had his last class in a bit, but he needed to make sure you were okay. Not that he cared, but he needed to make sure you were okay.

Walking towards where your apartment was, he softly knocked, holding onto his backpack strap. He still held his serious expression, and it didn’t change once Jimin opened the door with a shocked expression.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, his mouth slightly agape at eyeing the broad-shouldered, tattooed man. “Um, Y/n is sick.”

“Where is she?” Jungkook asked and Jimin moved aside to let him in. The latter simply hummed and went into their home, briefly looking around the place since it was a bit messy, and looked at Jimin with a raised eyebrow.

“She’s in her room,” Jimin replied, pointing towards the door that had your name in cursive. Jungkook nodded and headed towards it, but Jimin’s voice was heard again. “Just letting you know, she will most likely kick you out. She doesn’t like anyone caring for her.”

Jungkook hesitated, his hand hovering above your doorknob, but he just shrugged and walked in, met with a smell so nice and comforting.

He looked around and heard coughing from the bathroom. He made his way towards it and knocked, catching your attention.

“I’m okay, Jimin,” he heard you croak out before you went back to coughing. He rolled his eyes and knocked again, not wanting to let you know it was him because you’d most likely not open the door. “Oh, my God. I’m going, ‘m going.”

You opened the door, and there he was.

Jungkook eyed your face and the way your nose crinkled since it was stuffy. You were holding a wet towel with some droplets dripping out of it, and he ignored how shocked you were when he just gave you a look.

“You should be resting,” he stoically commented, taking away the towel from your hand. He dropped his backpack on the floor and took off his jacket, going into the bathroom to get rid of any excessive water left behind. “Jimin told me you didn’t like anyone caring for you.”

You softly groaned and leaned on the door frame, croaking out, “I’m just used to taking care of myself, so you can leave.”

“No,” the man simply stated, keeping his eyes on you through the mirror. “Either way, help would be nice to be considered considering your state right now.”

“I’m fine,” you sniffed, giving him a smile that would maybe convince him you were. But he saw the way you slightly swayed, holding onto the side of your head.

He sighed out of annoyance and walked towards you, grabbing onto your waist. You didn’t even process what he was doing and instead winced at the pain flashing in your head, almost as if the pain was traveling like thunderstorms.

“Fine my ass,” he retorted, leading you towards your bed. He felt your warmth even through the layers you had on, and he felt your forehead once you laid down. “You feel extremely warm. I’ll go make you some tea, okay?”

“No!” you whined, shaking your head. You held onto his hand. “Please stay. I’m very sleepy.”

He watched you silently. He placed the wet towel on your forehead and sighed, looking around your room with his hands on his hips. He looked at the slight mess and immediately sauntered towards the spare chair you had, grabbing it so he could place it by your side.

“I’ll stay, but once you wake up,” he pointed a finger at you threateningly, “you’re drinking it. Got it?”

You hummed and cuddled into your pillow. But you started to fidget and stuck out your hand.

“Give me.”

“Give you what?” He asked, brushing away some strands of hair landing on the towel. “Hmm?”

“Your hand,” you frowned. “It was very cold, and I feel like my entire body is burning, so it felt nice to hold your hand.”

Without a word, he gave you his hand and fingers dressed in rings, and he got comfortable once you placed his hand on your cheek, cuddling it. He softly groaned as he felt uncomfortable in the position he was in. So he glared at the bed and made you scoot over, his hand still placed on your face. You didn’t seem to mind his intrusion, scooting even more until you were close to your wall.

“Now, sleep,” he muttered, fixing the wet towel one more time before he heard you hum in satisfaction. His hand felt cold against your warm cheek, and he looked at the way your breathing slowed. Though he could tell you weren’t sleeping yet. “Why didn’t you let Jimin take care of you?”

Your eyes fluttered open, but you closed them again once you felt your headache pulse due to the light. You shrugged and sniffed, cheeks smushed against his hand bigger than your entire face.

“My parents were never home and always worked, whether I got sick or not,” you started, clearing your throat. “So, I just started taking care of myself without needing the help of anyone.”

“So you were neglected as a child?” He asked, unsure if he sounded too mean. He didn’t want to hurt your feelings.

“I mean, you could say that.” You smiled a bit. Though he could sense the lack of genuineness behind it, and then did he note that you do that a lot? Almost as if dismissing your pain. “I never minded it. After all, I was happy I had a roof over my head.”

He frowned at hearing that. “Were your parents ever there when you got awards or anything other than not being there?”

You slowly shook your head. “They were busy. Again, I knew they were, so I couldn’t complain. It’s why I stopped looking forward to ceremonies or birthdays.”

He stayed quiet, and you opened an eye to make sure he didn’t fall asleep. You saw him stare at the ceiling quietly, chewing on his bottom lip.

“I’m sorry…” He mumbled, and you softly chuckled.

“It’s okay,” you said, closing your eyes. “It just makes my friends' birthdays much more special and their achievements. You know I will always be in the crowd or be there next to you. I know what it feels like to not be seen, so it’s up to me to make sure others don’t feel that way.”

He looked down at you as soon as he heard a yawn escaping your lips. Your words were slightly slurred due to exhaustion, and before he could utter a word, soft snores escaped your mouth. He frowned, and he now thought about the times he had seen you.

The first day you two met, it was during class. You had bags with you, and he was annoyed, but he remembered you telling him it was your friend’s birthday and how, after class, you would be heading towards him to give them to him.

God, you were such an amazing friend. You even took care of him although he was cold towards you, but it was necessary. He couldn’t bear another situation like last time. He couldn’t. But he could see how genuine you were with him.

With one last look towards you, he just looks up at the ceiling, eyeing the glow-in-the-dark stars. And his heart clenched because he knew somewhere in you, your inner child was wounded by not having parents there for you.

After taking care of you the entire day, Jungkook stayed until the next day. Thankfully, he hadn’t gotten sick, and he simply told you (once you had asked how he couldn’t have), “I work out.”

He was relieved once you felt better and came to class, feeling less anxious that now half of the girls could see that they didn’t have a chance to sit next to him. He would’ve lost it if you hadn’t been there.

“The test is next week, so this entire week will be filled with an overview of the lessons.” Your professor spoke out loud, and you pursed your lips, eyes set on the notes you had taken. “Again, there are resources if you’re struggling. Come to my office hours or go to some clubs that will help you even more with this subject. If not, partner up with someone and—”

You and Jungkook immediately turned to look at one another, curtly nodding as unsaid words were told by the stare. He immediately wrote something on a piece of paper, and you even complimented his handwriting for now becoming neater after he started to take notes as neat as yours. The two of you ignored the stares you felt on you both.

“So, when—” You jumped back at feeling something on your forehead, your vision blocked by something white. You took it off and came to find a sticky note with “Jungkook’s partner. Back off” in all caps. You gave Jungkook a look before chuckling. “Okay, okay, I’ll put it back.”

He watched as you placed the sign back on your forehead, and he helped you pack up your things once he saw it was difficult for you to see. Thankfully, all the girls who had come up to him left as soon as they saw what you had on. It was pretty obvious that Jungkook had written it.

“Let’s go to the library,” Jungkook instructed, taking off the paper as soon as you two walked out. You hummed with a determined look on your face, turning to grab onto the backpack he was carrying so you two could snatch a decent seat. But he moved away from your hands. “You’re small, and you won’t be able to carry this, so let me carry it. I’m taller.”

You gave him a deadpan expression. “Jungkook, I can carry it.”

“I’m stronger.”

“And I don’t care!”

As you two bickered while continuing to walk towards the library, your best friends, Jimin, Taehyung, and Minjee, stood not so far from you two, obviously entertained.

“So,” Taehyung hummed, leaning against the wall, “how long do you think it’ll be until Jungkook notices Y/n likes him?”

“Never,” Minjee stated, shaking her head at their total obliviousness. “I think the question here is when is Jungkook going to notice that he likes Y/n?”

“Our friends are stupid.”

In the meantime, you and Jungkook thankfully found a table that no one was using, so while he stuck out the chair for you to sit on, you checked your phone.

“When are you free?” You questioned him, hearing him plop your backpack on the floor. You eyed him, and he stayed quiet, sitting next to you.

“I’m free every day,” he shrugged, sticking his hands inside his sweater. “Though, I do go to the gym, like, around 6-ish.”

“I’m going to make a calendar for us, so download the app I’m going to send you,” you instructed, and he pretended like he wasn’t listening, even though you knew full well who he was by the way he subtly took out his phone.

“Hey, Jungkook.”

“Fuck off,” he said before the guy on the side of him could continue speaking. The guy gave him a look of disbelief because he barely spoke. Why would Jungkook cut him off without hearing him?

“You didn’t even—”

“What then?”

The guy cleared his throat, his cheeks turning a dark pink that then traveled up to his ears, showing off his embarrassment.

“Do you want to be my part—”

“I already have one,” Jungkook cut him off again, gesturing your way without his eyes wavering from his phone. “I made it clear in class.”

“Sorry,” the guy squeaked out and when he left, you turned to slap Jungkook on the arm. He barely flinched and just gave you a look as if he was asking why you would do that.

“Stop being so mean,” you commented, a small scoff escaping your lips. He rolled his eyes and showed you his screen on the calendar app he downloaded, all while not caring about your words.

“They need to start taking hints.”

Understanding his reasoning, you dropped it, and you two continued to blend your schedules to meet up for your new project.

It didn’t take long—you wished it had—and he walked you towards your apartment to make sure you made it home safe. When you had teased him about it, all he said was: “Mention it and this will be the last time I’ll do this.”

You walked inside and smiled once you came to find Jimin, Taehyung, and Taehyung’s mom there, conversing.

“Mom!” You excitedly exclaimed, rushing towards your mother figure. You heard her laugh by your ear and her arms tightened around you. “I missed you!”

“Oh, honey, I missed you,” she smushed her cheek against yours and you smiled at her affection, relishing in the warmth. “I’m happy we made these plans beforehand because guess what I got you?”

“My strawberry milk?” You grinned and you felt her nod. “You’re a goddess!”

“I've been told before,” Taehyung’s mom giggled at your words and she watched as Taehyung took out your drink and passed it to you.

Sitting down, Jimin eyed you three. He knew your situation with your parents, and he was just happy you had people who cared about you. He didn’t expect to see Taehyung, the guy everyone was crushing on, in his house, with his mom, talking with him as if they’d known each other for so long, but everything was worth it once he saw your smile conversing with the older lady.

“So, how’s life been?”

Before you could answer, Taehyung opened his mouth, a smirk spreading on his face like usual. “Yeah, Y/n, tell Mom how you have a thing with Jungkook.”

Taehyung’s mom gasped. “Jeon Jungkook?” Her son nodded and she turned to look at you. “Spill everything.”

“We’re friends,” you groaned, hiding your face away from them.

“Yeah, who have intense feelings,” Taehyung continued and you glared at him, kicking his leg. He kicked yours back and Jimin chuckled.

“Let’s just say Y/n’s feelings may not be one-sided,” he stated and the older woman looked at him with wide eyes.

“Really?”

“He defended her and beat up someone for her,” Jimin named off, his hands sticking out to name events. “He was flirting with her when we went to the café and then went and told the waiter who had given her his phone number something to have him change the cup, and then he threatened some people to leave her alone and not to touch her.”

“Shut up,” you waved off.

“Y/n, he likes you!” Taehyung’s mom giggled excitedly, wanting to hear more. “I met him before so it’s nice to see you two getting along.”

“He’s such a nice person.”

You spent an hour or two talking with Taehyung’s mom, and she spent the night over so you two could privately talk more without Taehyung or Jimin intervening. She also stayed over once you had mentioned that you might throw Jimin a small party for his birthday coming up, stating that she’ll make some food before she leaves because she can’t handle leaving her kids by themselves without their stomachs full and without leftovers. You couldn’t even say no to that because you always liked eating whatever she made.

You threw Jimin a small get-together with your friend group 2 days later.

He was very happy about it and was extremely thankful to you for preparing it. He had heard you fixing everything before he woke up and you had brought him breakfast in bed at 9 am to surprise him. He was happy knowing that he had a friend like you, but he also knew he wasn’t a good friend for going out on your birthday. He always assumed you truly didn’t want anything, and now he notes your fallen expression.

“Smile!”

You were squatting here and there to get the right angles for Jimin’s pictures. He was laughing at your antics and he posed and smiled, holding on to the gifts you had given him. Taehyung stood in the background, shining a flashlight over you two to help with the photo shoot, and Minjee and Jungkook stood back and watched their friends.

Minjee smiled at you three and she saw you, your soft little smile once you saw how the pictures came out. Along with your expression, she noted your outfit and Jungkook’s own correlated in some way because you two

were wearing black shirts, blue jeans, and those damn Doc Martens you two wore. It was as if you planned but you two just looked at one another up and down confusedly and waved it off.

“She looks pretty, huh?” Minjee smirked behind the red cup she was drinking from, eyeing Jungkook’s expression from the corner of her eye.

He cleared his throat. “I mean, yeah…”

The two quieted down and the only thing loud enough was your guys’ laughter and the music playing in the background.

Minjee continued looking at you.

“You know,” she began, “she’s always so thoughtful.”

“She is,” Jungkook agreed, glancing down at his drink. He could see her cheeks flushed because the alcohol was getting to her, so he hoped she wouldn’t reveal anything too much.

“And she’s so nice,” her eyes started to water as she expressed her gratitude for you. Very funny she was doing so when it was Jimin’s party. “You know, she deserves so much and here she is at a party she prepared all while she’s never celebrated her birthday.”

Jungkook looked back at you and watched you take pictures of Jimin very excitedly. He was holding onto your big gifts, and a grin was spread on his lips, clearly excited about what he had received from you.

“Why doesn’t she?” Jungkook questioned, his eyebrows starting to furrow. He eyed your friend before he turned to look at your shaking figure, clearly out of excitement. “But… she looks—”

“Y/n pretends to hate her birthday or even say that she doesn’t care,” Minjee cut him off, a sigh escaping her lips. “Her parents are assholes, and they slowly forgot about her birthday so she assumed it wasn’t as important, and she has never celebrated it. I feel bad, though, because we’re not good friends for throwing her something but we thought she didn’t want us to intervene.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Jungkook muttered in almost a hush, continuing to look at you with such an intense expression.

“You like her,” Minjee simply stated. He immediately went to open his mouth, but she rolled her eyes and raised her hand, shutting him. “Dude, I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

“I don’t look at her in any type of way.”

“Whether you admit it or not,” Minjee rolled her eyes, “you like my best friend, and as much as I hate to admit it, I’m sure you’ll make her happy. I only hate to admit it because you’re very… kept off, and you sometimes say hurtful things. She’s like my sister, and I don’t want her hurt.”

“You know I’ll never hurt her.”

“You better not, please.”

He eyed the way Minjee looked at you with tears in her eyes, smiling at the way you smothered Jimin with hugs. And then he looked at you, and the way your smile was so bright that it lit up the entire room more than the fairy lights you had hung up.

How could something as big as your birthday not be celebrated? You just wanted to be celebrated without asking for it, yet you got let down repeatedly and stopped celebrating the day you were born.

He could see the way your smile didn’t reach your eyes, and then did he stop and focus on you. You were sad, but you were happy because it was your best friend’s birthday. And you got ready, and you were beautiful, but you got ready for a party that wasn’t yours and a party you wished someone threw for you.

He remembered when you got sick and the way you held yourself. You didn’t like being taken care of because you taught yourself to do so since your parents were busy. A beautiful soul like you who did everything for her friends and loved as her life depended on it, but, again, you were simply a girl with her inner child hurt.

He could sense your emotions now. And he wished you could see how loved you are. You had him, and he had you, so knowing your birthday, he got to work.

It wasn’t hard to get everything ready.

He got you everything you liked, and Taehyung, Jimin, Minjee, and Taehyung’s mom helped get everything ready.

He knew to bring in your friends, Hobi and Jin, who were older than you but were like older brothers. He was sure to get the cake from a guy named Namjoon and his grandmother, who worked at the bakery you liked going to, and he knew you liked going to it because a music store was next to it that someone by the name of Yoongi—he found out it was Minjee’s cousin when they argued as soon as they saw each other—took care of.

Through it all, he made sure you didn’t know a single thing about your birthday party. And it wasn’t hard because you were very nonchalant about the days getting closer to your birthday, almost as if you’d forgotten it, too.

“Kook!” You gasped as you looked at the café you loved going to. He noted the nickname but you have been hanging out with him and Taehyung much more recently and Taehyung called him that so he didn’t think much of it—yes he did. “Look! They remodeled it.”

He eyed the small, cozy place and nodded. “They changed the sign, right? Or was it the lights?”

“It’s both,” you said, and he sighed in relief that his plan worked at getting you distracted.

He already knew the café had been remodeled a bit. It was enough, though, to keep you distracted a bit until your friends and Tae’s mom were finished.

“I heard they also added some new drinks to the menu,” Jungkook commented, smiling to himself at the way your face lit up at the mention of new drinks. He eyed the way you walked inside and grabbed his phone.

jungkook 😘: almost done?

tae: we’re ready! >:)

Jungkook walked towards you, and he saw you taking pictures of the new menu. Not letting out a word, he dragged you away so that it had you whining out of protest.

“Jungkook, I wanted to get one,” you dragged out. When he didn’t budge, you let out a huff and crossed your arms, well, you tried crossing your arms. “It’s my birthday, so I demand that you let me go so I can get myself one.”

“We’ll invite our friends. Come on.”

At the suggestion, you nodded happily and hummed, letting him drag you away to, you’re guessing, your house.

“Hold on.”

You nodded and stood behind him with your hands clasped together as if your house wasn’t yours and it was his instead. You frowned with a confused smile tilted on your lips.

“Jungkook, we can go inside.”

jungkook 😘: here

tae: we’re ready!

Jungkook moved aside.

“You’re right, sorry,” he stoically stated, and you eyed him. “What?”

“Why are you acting weird?” You questioned him, looking at him over your shoulder now that you had opened the door.

He looked over your head and smiled. Curious, you did so, too, and gasped at the sight.

Taehyung stood in between Minjee and Jimin with his mom on the side recording. He was holding a cake with your name on it. Candles lit up the house, which was mostly lit up by fairy lights forming hearts on the walls.

“Happy birthday, gremlin,” Taehyung grinned, his eyes tearing up at the way your own eyes were.

You stayed still, frozen in your spot, and your eyes were watering at the scenery. “Is that for me?”

“Duh, dummy,” Minjee sniffed, her chin resting on her clasped hands.

“Come on, blow your candles.”

With a nudge, you walked towards your family.

Your chest hurts, and soft, short pants escaped your mouth because you were close to sobbing. Your fingers shook, and you remembered the way your parents, together, celebrated you. When their issues began and more arguments became normal in your household, you did not remind them of your birthday so as not to be a burden.

Remembering it all, you eyed the people in front of you. They loved you so much, and they made you happy because this was all you wanted. And it healed something inside of you.

You remember being a child. You remembered sitting at the table, staring between your parents in the early morning, having hope they remembered. But they never said anything.

The more years went by, the more you realized you weren’t as important in their lives as you were. So while learning to take care of yourself when you were sick, eating alone, celebrating your achievements, and being alone during senior graduation, you gave up on thinking your parents would be there. Taehyung and his mom were there, but they celebrated together, and you just wanted your parents.

“You have us now.” You turned your head to the side and saw Jungkook staring at you, his eyes showing everything. He grabbed your hand tightly against his and sighed as the others started to sing. “You’ll never be alone during moments like these, okay? I know you were alone and you went through stuff, but we’ll always show up for you.”

You felt his fingers wipe away the tears escaping your waterline and smiled at him. “Thank you.”

He smiled back, and you could see the way he blinked away his tears. He felt empathy because here you were, letting your inner child be happy and healed.

“Happy birthday.”

At the end of the night, everyone was hammered, and who knew that Jungkook would get along with Jin and Hobi? Because in the current moment, he had to get rid of their arms around him holding him tight.

“Oh, my God,” Jungkook groaned. “Let go of me, old man.”

“Excuse me?” Jin gasped rather dramatically. “How dare you?”

“Let go of me and I’ll give you a better name,” Jungkook rolled his eyes, making sure you were nowhere in sight so he could continue pushing Jin away from him. “I’m gonna punch you.”

“And I’ll slap you, so I dare you.”

Jungkook groaned one last time before he succeeded in getting out of Jin’s hold. He watched him stumble a bit in his steps and noticed Minjee and Hobi on the floor, drunkenly speaking to one another about nonsense.

He ran a hand through his hair, hands landing to rest on his hips, and looked around for you. Taehyung’s mom had gone home, Taehyung was sprawled out on the couch watching the TV, and Jimin was next to him, sleeping. For people who claimed to handle their alcohol very well, they sure got drunk very quickly.

Noticing that the front door was unlocked, Jungkook made sure your friends weren’t doing anything stupid before walking out. There, he saw you on the stairs of your front porch, a piece of cake on a plastic plate, and your strawberry milk on your side.

“Hey.”

You turned your head and smiled at coming to see Jungkook there. He sat down next to you as you greeted him. “Hi.”

“What are you doing here by yourself, hmm?” He asked, nudging his shoulder with yours. You quietly chuckled and shrugged.

“Nothing, I’m just very happy about today so I wanted to come out here to reflect, I guess,” you answered. He nodded along and you looked at his side profile before clearing your throat. “Thank you for this.”

“I didn’t do anything,” he dismissed, but you had noticed the signs.

“Uhuh, so distracting me wasn’t part of the plan, or what?” You raised a brow and he didn’t look at you because he knew you knew. “After all, Taehyung told me.”

“He has such a big mouth,” Jungkook sighed, dropping his head. He turned to look at your very amused face and rolled his eyes. “Shut up.”

“I just didn’t expect you to be a softy,” you teased, a grin on your lips. He snorted and pushed you away as soft as he could. “Again, thank you, though.”

“It’s nothing,” he whispered back. He looked down at yours and his shoes with a sullen expression. “Um, Minjee told me something on Jimin’s birthday.”

“Ah, when she gets tipsy she tends to reveal—not secrets but just private things, which explains why we’re always so cautious with her,” you explained. “Why? What did she tell you?”

“She was telling me about how you never celebrated your birthday, parents were assholes,” he replied and he saw you freezing in your spot. You shook your head and he heard you laughing a bit.

“That girl,” you commented. “She’s lucky I love her and know that she didn’t mean any harm.” You placed your plate on the floor and rubbed your thighs with your palms. “It’s true. Like I told you when I got sick, I never celebrated my birthday. During that time, my dad had found out about my mom having an affair, so to burden them… I just never said anything about my birthday or brought it up. It was better for me to stay quiet and mind my own business.”

“Where are your parents now?” Jungkook asked, leaning back on his hands.

“My mom, I have no idea,” you shrugged. “She didn’t want anything to do with me after their divorce so she gave full custody to my dad and left.” Jungkook could see that you weren’t entirely phased by it. “As for my dad… He tried his hardest taking care of me and he didn’t do it alone. Taehyung’s mom taught me things I needed to be taught by a mother figure, and my dad didn't worry. He helps me pay for school but other than that, we only message one another during holidays.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” You chuckled and you reassuringly smiled at him. You looked at his shoulder and back at his eyes, asking for permission, and he nodded. Leaning your head on his shoulder, you sighed. “It’s kind of bad when you think about the fact that my entire life, the one thing I’ve ever wanted was a birthday.”

“It’s not bad,” Jungkook explained, tongue running itself over his lips to soothe the dryness that came to slap him on the face. “You just had a rough childhood and though you may have had a roof over your head, it’s not bad to want things.”

You smiled at his words and waved off the tears welling up in your eyes. “What about you? You never talk about your parents, either.”

“Eh, I get too angry talking about my dad,” Jungkook shook his head at even imagining his father. “How do I say it? He’s an asshole.”

“Really?”

“Yep,” he nodded in confirmation. “He’s the type of person that doesn’t like it when men cry. Toxic masculinity, if you will. He slapped me once when I did so and my mom left him. But, I'm not too entirely phased since I have a stepdad who is more like a father.”

“That’s very good you have a support system,” you smiled at him and he chuckled at your actions. “Is that why it’s hard for you to open up to people?”

He hummed at your question. “It’s partly a reason.” He debated whether he should tell you the real reason for his actions, but being next to you, warmth radiating off of your body to his own, and watching the stars littered on the sky, he didn't want you to leave. Call him selfish but he wanted you in his life. “He just-After an event happened, he blamed it on me so, I thought it was my fault for everything that had happened and I just closed off, I guess.”

“I’ll fight your dad,” you grumbled out. He could feel your fingers subconsciously playing with his fidget rings, hearing the swishing sound of the ring being played with. The background music that Taehyung had suggested you guys play was still playing in the background. Your heart couldn’t help but skip a beat at the moment you two were sharing. “All I know is that you just needed your dad and I'm sorry you had to go through that. No one deserves it.”

He gave you a ghost of a smile on his lips and gulped down his feelings. “Thank you.” He looked off, a sense of relief overcoming his body at being able to share his emotions. Well, some of them. “Just for never judging me and for being understanding.”

“Of course,” you smiled. “You’ve been there for me, so just see me repaying you.”

“Hmm, how about you repay me tomorrow by making me that one dish you sent me?” You looked up at his face and he had raised a brow at you. “Taehyung and I were talking about it and we started craving it.”

You snorted. “I’ll make it. Especially since Taehyung will be having a major headache tomorrow.”

“We told him not to drink,” Jungkook recounted, remembering that Taehyung had told two friends he was a “beast” at handling his alcohol. You two just couldn’t wait to make fun of him. “He’s an idiot.”

“Sadly, he’s our friend,” you chuckled, shaking your head at how you could hear him talking now that he woke up. “Bet you $20 he’s going to cry once he pukes.”

“Deal.”

“Honey,” you two turned to look at the source of the voice and you came to find Hobi hiccuping. He pointed to the back with his thumb. “Your friend is crying in the bathroom because he threw up.”

“Ha!” You giggled rather enthusiastically. “You owe me $20, Kook.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll give it to you tomorrow,” Jungkook playfully rolled his eyes, following behind you to head toward the bathroom. There, Taehyung sat by the toilet, sobbing, as if he had just received the worst news in the world.

“Aw, Tae,” you pouted, leaning down to sit next to him. Jungkook flushed the toilet immediately sprayed some of the perfume you had nearby, and made sure that Hobi was okay. “What’s wrong?”

“I threw up,” he sobbed. “I want my mom.”

As soon as those words escaped Tae’s mouth, Jungkook snickered. “I am so totally recording this and blackmailing him with it.”

At seeing his newfound humor, you grinned to yourself while consoling Taehyung at the same time, placing a headband on his head to push away his hair from his face.

You and Jungkook took care of him, making sure to get rid of his jewelry and his oversized sweater. You also cleaned his face, too, since Taehyung had always been a big skincare person. He would immediately come at you if he knew you didn’t at least help him clean his face. After all, he bought you a majority of your skincare just for situations like these.

“What if I smack him?” Jungkook harshly whispered to you from across the room. Since Taehyung had been knocked out after you cleaned his face, you two did not want to wake him up.

“You will take care of him,” you whispered back just as harshly, slapping his hand away from Taehyung’s face. “Leave him alone. It was hard getting him to stay still while taking off his sweater, I don’t want to deal with him.”

“At least we’ve got one drunk to sleep.”

“Yeah, at least.”

You two didn't even make it out of the room without halting in your steps because right in front of you, all of your friends were knocked out. You two sighed.

“I’ll get the blankets.”

“I’ll get the pillows.”

It seemed as if you and Jungkook had gotten closer after that night.

You weren’t able to see each other the following day because he was so busy taking care of Taehyung and you were too busy taking care of your friends who swore alcohol off.

y/n :) : guess what

kook 🩷: what?

y/n :) : I just baked the best brownies ever

kook 🩷 : im omw to steal u away

You snorted at his message and gave some brownies to Jimin and Hobi who, after talking at your party, became closer and started to talk. It had only been 3 days after your party, but it seemed as if they had known one another for years. Not only that but you had been introduced to Jim’s best friend, Namjoon, who you have met since his store was next to Yoongi’s.

“And then our dear friend over here is so head over heels for Jungkook,” Jimin smirked at you, he and Hobi finding amusement in you smiling down at your phone.

“Shut up, you two,” you dismissed your friend’s comment, placing the small plate in their hands. “I’ll probably make some banana bread later.”

“What did Jungkook say that’s got you smiling like that?” Hobi asked, taking a bite of the brownie as his gaze set on you. You knew they weren’t going to drop the subject, so you stood by your counter and leaned against it.

“I just told him I baked some brownies and he said he was on his way to steal me away,” you replied, shrugging it off as no big deal. But, they looked over at one another as if they were able to see you were internally freaking out, and you were.

“I mean, he and Tsehyung do not live far away so I won’t be surprised if he shows up in like 3 minutes,” Jimin said, glancing at his phone to eye the time. “I’m just wondering when you’re going to tell him you like him.”

“Oh, God, probably never,” you shivered out because just thinking about telling him your feelings made you want to throw up. “He and I are at a good place right now and it’s nice.”

“Does he know he likes you, too?” Hobi continued to question, clearly interested in your love life.

“I honestly do not think he likes me,” you said as you eyed your brownies as if they were the most interesting things in the world. “He finally opened up to me, guys. He has trusted me and even if I don’t get to confess my feelings for him, I don’t care. Being his friend is the best thing ever.”

Both your friends eyed your expression and the way your eyes twinkled underneath the light of the kitchen you stood under, and they could feel the respect you had for Jungkook. And who knew life would be like this? Because months had passed since you and Jungkook got paired up and now here you were, being one of his best friends if anything.

Before they could utter a word after the moment of silence that consumed you three, a knock was heard on the front door. It didn’t take long, though, for Jungkook to come inside, eyes looking around the room for you.

“You need to keep the door closed,” he commented before he could even greet any of you. “What if something happens? Jimin is too much of a deep sleeper to notice.”

“Kook, I’m pretty sure someone won’t break into our house mid-day when they both know how to fight and me of course,” you mused.

Your eyes then trailed toward his outfit and noted that he had a casual look today compared to the outfits he usually wore, which usually consisted of all-black clothing. Now, here he was, looking all comfy. He was wearing an oversized shirt you had bought him after you went back to the music store with Minjee and he was wearing baggy jeans. He was also wearing some Convers, but he looked so comfortable yet intimidating and you just wanted to hug him.

“Still, I can be worried about you,” he shook his head rather disappointingly. “You better be taking care of her, Park.”

“I am, I am, geez,” Jimin said, his hands going up. Jungkook rolled his eyes at his actions and walked closer to you. “Also, Jeon, love the new look.”

“I don’t always wear skinny jeans, Jimin,” Jungkook retorted, a small smile forming on his face once your hand hovered to give him a piece. He bit into it and his brows furrowed. “That’s good.”

“I started to think you wore skinny jeans to sleep,” Jimin continued to tease, receiving a contagious laugh from Hobi. “I dig this look. Don’t you do, too, Y/n?”

You froze in place and gulped down the dryness forming in your throat. You slowly looked up and you wanted to slap the smirks off of Jimin and Hobi’s faces because they did this on purpose. Jungkook looked down at you while continuing to eat the dessert and tentatively waited.

“I like it,” you commented after a half-second silence. “But, I just like your tattoos so I’m a bit sad I won’t be able to see those.”

Jungkook nodded along and all he could do was take off his sweater. There, underneath it, was a tight-fitted shirt that showcased every muscle he had. His inked arm flexed and suddenly, the room became warm once you could see the veins running up and down his forearm to his hands. You gulped and looked away.

“Also,” Jungkook started. “I’m taking your friend,” he then grabbed a mitten, “and the brownies, so bye. Don’t wait for us.”

Thankfully, he gave you some time to put on your slippers, but he then grabbed your arm and dragged you off.

When you found out he and Taehyung didn’t live that far from your house, you had let him know you’d walk by yourself there. Jungkook did not like that idea.

Getting to know each other a bit more, he has gotten a bit more… protective of you, some may say. He made sure that every window in your apartment was safe and didn’t open very easily, he gave you a little knife just in case, pepper spray, and he doesn’t let you get home unless you’re walking next to him. You didn’t mind it, of course. You loved spending time with him.

“We look dumb just carrying a tray of brownies,” you chuckled, quickly taking out your phone to snap pictures of the situation. “Also, are you simply taking me because you want me to do that dish I told you about?”

“Um, maybe?” He lightly laughed sheepishly. “Look, we’ll pass by the supermarket and I’ll buy you whatever you need. How does that sound?”

You hummed and smiled. “That sounds like a pretty good deal.”

“Good, let’s go.”

Walking towards the supermarket, a security guard looked at you two weirdly before glaring at the tray of brownies as if it were a target.

“Sorry, you can’t come in with that.”

You two figured this would happen so you turned to look at one another.

“Just head to my house,” Jungkook instructed. “It's the only one with a mailbox that is colorful because Taehyung wanted it to be so.”

You nodded. “Sounds like Taehyung alright. But, I’ll wait for you there, okay? Be safe.”

“You, too. Call me if anything happens.”

You nodded at his request but you couldn’t help but find his worry cute. His apartment was literally around the corner and you spotted the mailbox he had been talking about.

Walking there with a tray in your hand, your footsteps slowed down once you noticed a figure standing by, looking around. You frowned but ignored her as hard as you could considering she looked lost.

“Hi, Y/n,” you jumped at hearing the voice and turned to look at the girl who spoke to you. Your gut immediately alerted you something was off, but you let her continue so she could say something other than a greeting and your name. “I’m Jia.”

“Um, I’m sorry do I know you?” You asked, fidgeting around.

“Oh!” She smiled. “I just wanted to know if Jungkook lives here.” You didn’t say anything and simply stared at her. “Oh, didn’t he tell you? I’m his girlfriend!”

“Oh,” you could feel your chest hurting at the revelation and cleared your throat. “I’m sorry. We can wait for him but I just still don’t feel comfortable disclosing any type of information of his to people I don’t know.”

“Aw, I wanted to surprise him,” the girl dramatically pouted, crossing her arms.

You nervously chuckled. “Maybe I should go.”

You turned around to leave and you heard the girl scurry over to prevent you from walking any further.

“No, no, it’s okay,” she continued to smile, though, you swore her eye twitched just by being close to you. “Please, whoever Jungkook is friends with is a friend of mine.”

“Yeah, it was nice to meet you, again,” you nervously began, trying to move away from her. But, she simply would follow your move. “Look, I just want to leave.”

“No, it’s okay,” the girl waved you off. “Tell me all about how you know Jungkook. Though, don’t tell me too much, or else I will go crazy.”

She later laughed as if it was the funniest thing and you laughed uncomfortably.

“Maybe he’ll explain it to you,” you continued to repeat, but it was as if your words went from one ear to another. “I just find it weird he didn’t tell you where he lived if you’re his girlfriend…”

“Oh, don’t worry about it, okay?”

“I will worry about it considering he’s someone I know,” you replied, slightly glaring at her. She walked closer to you but she stayed in her place once she felt someone.

“Leave her the fuck alone, Jia.”

You immediately felt comfort at hearing the voice and Jungkook placed you behind him, shielding you away from the girl's gaze.

“Jungkook, my love, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Jia gasped, reaching forward to touch him. But, he pushed her aside.

“How did you find me?”

“I was scrolling on my social media and I recognized this guy,” she took out her phone as she spoke, “and I saw that you were in the background.”

Jungkook looked closer at the pic and noted that Jin had posted on his public account a picture of you and he noticed that there was a picture of him in the background talking with you. She must’ve found you first and later tracked him down.

“Leave me alone.”

“No, Jungkook,” Jis continued to cry out. “Please, I love you.”

“I helped you get your books off the floor and I just told you you’re welcome,” Jungkook hissed, body shaking with nerves and anxiety. You grabbed his hand and gripped it tight, allowing him to take a hint you were there. “You’re fucking delusional.”

“No, no, Jungkook,” the girl nervously giggled, getting closer to him. “You can’t leave me.”

Jungkook was close to exploding. But he saw that you stepped in and protected him from the girl in front of you two, staring at you with a crazed look.

“Jungkook told you to leave him, so leave him alone,” you clarified, hoping to prove your point. “I-I will call the police so please leave.” You turned around and grabbed Jungkook. “Let’s go.”

You grabbed his hand and walked the opposite way of his apartment so Jia wouldn’t see which apartment he lived in.

“Let’s go to your apartment. I’ll let Taehyung know.”

You heard the shaky pants he was letting out in between words and his hands shook as he carried the bag that contained the things you needed for the food you were going to make.

“Here, I’ll make you some tea, okay?” You frowned, walking inside your house as soon as you reached it. He nodded and you curtly waved at Jimin and Hobi who were still there. They became concerned noticing Jungkook’s current state, but you placed a hand in front of you to let them know not to question anything. “jimin can you put water for tea?”

He nodded without hesitation and stood up to do so. You led Jungkook towards your room, fixing the pillows and fluffing it up so he could sit down. But as soon as the door closed behind you, he fell to the floor, chest rising up and down.

“Jungkook,” you gasped, following after him but keeping your distance so as to not overwhelm him. “You’re okay. You’re okay. She’s gone now.”

Jungkook tightened his hand and formed it into a fist. “How did she even approach you? How did she find you here?”

The last question he asked seemed like it was directed more toward him, so you answered the first one.

“She called me by my name so I just looked at her thinking she was someone I knew,” you answered. “Then, she wanted to know where you lived but I told her I didn’t feel comfortable just sharing your LG Ouse with anyone, so she said she was your girlfriend.”

Jungkook looked like he wanted to throw up just at the mention of that. He continued to shake and you stuck out your hands so he wouldn’t dig his nails into his skin.

“Did you believe her?” Jungkook questioned, glancing at you through his lashes. You rapidly shook your head.

“No,” you said, rubbing your thumb on the space between his thumb and forefinger. “Something about her… I felt something was off once I saw her just looking around.”

“She’s the reason I'm closed off,” Jungkook mumbled, fixing his posture. He leaned back to rest his back on the wall, glancing at his hands. “She started stalking me during high school.”

“What?” You breathed out, backing up a bit as you processed the news.

You noted his response to other people’s actions and the way he was always so alert. Every time he would walk with you, he would usually look over his shoulder every few minutes. You had assumed it might’ve been because of the fact lousy people would be behind you the majority of the time.

“I thought I got rid of her, I did,” he sighed, running a hand over his face. “That’s why I came here because it was far away from home but, it’s not a coincidence she randomly found Jin’s account unless she was looking for universities and student accounts.”

“But Jin isn’t a student here,” you pointed out. “Though he is a mentor here and well-known… and has been in newspapers for his achievements, but still, it’s just extremely creepy.”

“Well, that’s how Jia is,” Jungkook gulped down his feelings. He breathed in and out to calm down and you made sure he knew he was safe. “I just… need to calm down before I tell you, okay?”

“That's okay,” you reassured him, softly patting his head. “I’ll go make you your tea, okay? Be right back.”

You stood up to leave but a hand enclosing around your wrist stopped you from walking any further. You looked down and Jungkook wasn’t staring at you, his gaze on his legs, but his grip on your hand was so soft.

“Don’t go please,” he muttered under his breath. “Just be here with me for a bit longer.”

You couldn’t help but feel your heart clench at the way he looked so defeated. You sat next to him and you two just stayed seated by one another.

“Are you going to be okay, Kook?” You asked, frowning at the idea of the girl coming back. He sighed and shrugged.

“I just need you right now,” he said in a quiet tone. He briefly looked up to look at the stars littered on your ceiling. “*I simply helped her pick up her books off the floor after I got out of school. She tripped in front of my friends and me and they ignored her, but I felt bad so I stepped in to help her. That’s all I did. I just gave her the books!”

He couldn’t help but freak out more as he recounted the events that led to moving away. “Then she started sending me stuff. Starting sending me more clothes, money, and letters, and it became so overwhelming.” He sighed yet again, just like he had been doing. “When my parents found out, my mom called the police, and my dad blamed me.”

“What?” You were close to exclaiming. You had stared at him with wide eyes and an agape mouth. “Why?”

“He thought I led her on but I just gave her the damn books,” he repeated, shaking his head, and trying to dismiss those memories. “My mom divorced him after he slapped me. I had stood up to him and here he was hitting me all because I said I didn’t lead her on. He wanted me to apologize.”

“Did you?” You asked, almost afraid of his answer.

“Fuck no,” he grumbled out. “I didn’t do anything. Whenever I would start talking to girls, they’d randomly break it off. I asked a girl once why and she said a woman threatened her. Shortly after, Jia tried breaking into my house when we were all gone. I noticed because I had installed a camera in my room and I saw her. She kept repeating that she just wanted to check up on her boyfriend.”

“Did the police believe you?” You continued to ask, making sure you weren’t coming off too strong.

“Thankfully, they did,” he said. He then looked at you. “They got a restraining order but a temporary one. It was enough for me to live a bit peacefully. Knowing her, though, it wouldn’t have lasted long.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” you frowned. You couldn’t even imagine being in his shoes. For your last year of high school, the Worst thing that had happened to you was not having classes with your friends. You couldn’t even imagine having a stalker, someone who watched your every move rather obsessively.

“After all those years, you know,” Jungkook began again, a shaky breath escaping his lips, “I looked over my shoulder. I always imagined she was there and I always saw her face in every girl's face whenever they came up to me. That’s why I was always… mean to them all. I couldn’t bear dealing with another situation like I dealt with Jia.”

“Yeah, I always wondered why you did such a thing,” you said, glancing between his eyes and his clammy hands, “but now I understand.”

“Thank you, though. You noticed it. You felt that something was wrong and thank you for that.”

You let out a small chuckle and waved him off. “It’s okay, Jungkook. You know I’d do anything to protect you as much as you protect me. You have us.”

You immediately panicked once you saw his eyes glistening with tears. He dropped his head against the wall, gulping down the lump in his throat.

“You have made me feel so safe,” Jungkook croaked out, licking his lips. “From the beginning. You have stood up for me when I couldn’t defend myself, defended me because you wanted to, and you were just there. I hope you know how much of a safe space you’ve been to me and I hope you understand the reason why I was always so quiet.”

He wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and you felt your own eyes stinging with tears at watching him cry for the first time.

“I’m going to hug the shit out of you if that’s okay,” you sniffed and he looked at you while wiping away the tears dropping. He nodded and you took that as your sign.

You tightly hugged him around his shoulders, bringing him closer to you. His arms wrapped back around your torso just as tight, and for the first time since you’ve met, he sobbed.

He felt relief. Taehyung knew about the situation, and he just couldn’t ask him for a hug without feeling embarrassed. So, he relished in the warmth of your body and the scent he always deciphered to you, and took in how safe you felt. If he could, he’d stay there.

“Is it okay if I can stay here?” He whispered in your ear. You smiled a bit and nodded against his shoulder.

“Of course,” you whispered back, almost as if you two were sharing secrets. “Sleep here in the meantime and I’ll be back with your tea, okay?” He nodded. “Is it okay if I can summarize the situation with Hobi and Jimin? I think they can help.”

He nodded. “That’ll be fine, please. I don’t want to say it all again.”

“Okay,” you said in a small tone. “I’ll call Taehyung, too, and let him know to come here. I’ll call Minjee and Jin for some things. They’ll help, too.”

“Thank you, Y/n.”

“That’s horrible…”

“I know,” you lowly said, trying to be quiet since Jungkook was sleeping in your bed. You looked at Minjee. “Hey, I know you have connections, especially with your status, and just in case—”

“I know, I know,” Minjee smiled. “I’ll call my grandpa, and make sure he finds out more about Jia. There’s no way she could’ve gotten away with this.”

“Status?” You two turned to look at Taehyung who was staring at you two with a confused expression. Hobi, Jin, and Jimin were there, too, looking for an answer.

You snorted. “Minjee is rich.”

“Huh?” Taehyung let out.

“My grandparents own one of the biggest, influential companies here,” Minjee stated as if it were nothing. “I’ve been waiting for you guys to find out. They’re always trending.”

“Oh, my God,” Jimin gaped at his best friend. “I didn’t know!”

“Jimin,” you patted his shoulder, “she gave you the newest phone, a laptop, front seat tickets to your favorite concert, rented out a whole store for us to shop in, and you didn’t question it?”

“No!”

“This all happened within a week,” you chuckled at how slow your friend was sometimes. “I always make jokes about her wealth!”

“Listen, leave me alone,” he playfully scoffed. However, he was still processing the news he just received.

“Now, Jin,” you looked at your friend. “You’re a lawyer. Will you help us if we need to?”

“Of course,” he nodded. “Anything for Jungkook.”

“Hobi, your brother-in-law is a police officer,” you then looked at your other friend. “Can’t you find out what we can do?”

“I’ll ask.”

“Thank you.”

As they all fell into their conversations, you sighed as you stared at your cup. Taehyung, from the other side of you, nudged you.

“Hey,” he greeted and you repeated it. “Listen, Jungkook will lash out. Not a lot but he will get annoyed easily due to being paranoid. Whatever happens, just… talk to me, okay? I’ll stay here.”

You nodded.

“Mhm, thank you, Taehyung.”

And Taehyung was not kidding.

Jungkook didn’t lash out at you, though. He never did. He was always seeet to you and he was always thankful for taking care of him.

He would bicker with Taehyung, but it was the norm. The one thing they did argue about the longest was how Taehyung ate Jungkook’s cookie, the one you had made for him.

As for Jia, there was nothing. She did show up, though, and it was at your house that she did show up. Because Jimin had installed cameras, you all saw her just staring at the camera from afar, and glancing at the windows. It brought shivers.

Jungkook had gone back to therapy. He came back home and you two reflected on everything that has occurred in your life. After all, you dealt with people who wanted him, Do-yun, and he helped heal a piece of you that was always forgotten. It was just crazy as to what you dealt with together, but that’s why you two were close now.

It was Saturday. Finals were soon and still, no sight of Jia. At that point, Taehyung and Jungkook had moved in and you and Jimin didn’t mind because they weren’t entirely messy, and Jungkook liked cooking and Yaehyung liked cleaning. You didn’t mind having them at all.

You would usually head to Jungkook as soon as you came from classes and would tell him about your day considering he listened to you. He had also told you he didn’t mind how talkative you were after you apologized because he liked listening to you speak more than just listening to his thoughts. You liked the little schedule you two had and you liked knowing how well he treated you. In Minjee’s words, he treated you like a “princess.”

“Jungkook,” you sang as soon as you walked inside of your house, a smile on your face.

Though, you noticed the tension coming off between Taehyung and Jungkook because they were glaring at each other and not doing anything else. You gulped and much like what you used to do as a child, you would try to distract your parents from one another by telling them about things that happened in your life.

“Hey, guys,” you waved, giving them both a smile and a wave. They didn’t reciprocate it. Taehyung simply gave you a small smile and Jungkook kept his gaze on his best friend. “Did you guys see that the neighbor brought her baby home? I think I might do her some food considering she’s a single mom.”

“That’s nice of you, Y/n,” Yaehyung commented. “Remember that Mom left some things so, take them with you, okay?”

“Mhm,” you hummed enthusiastically. “Also, the man from next door was asking when you guys would come over. Said his grandson loved you guys and was bragging to everyone about having cool neighbors.”

“We’ll probably go tomorrow because he told us his grandson visits during the weekend,” Taehyung continued to answer, eyeing Jungkook who was still very annoyed. They had gotten over a stupid argument he didn’t even remember what about, but it got bad to the point they started insulting each other.

“Oh, Jungkook,” he didn't turn to look at you which you didn’t mind as much, “I got you some of your favorite snacks and I even got you that new one you wanted.”

Silence.

“I’m sure he’ll like it, Y/n,” Taehyung reassured, glancing at his quiet friend who was distracted by his thoughts.

“Oh, you guys are having the house by yourselves tomorrow,” you continued, remembering you had somewhere to be. “I’m going out and Jimin is going to go out with Hobi to a concert, I think? I’m not entirely sure but, just keep in mind to keep all the doors closed and be safe—”

“Y/n shut up, please.”

There it was.

Taehyung’a head immediately snapped towards Jungkook’s way, a stoic expression etched on his face now. You frowned and turned to look back at your friend, too, confused.

“Excuse me?” You asked, making sure you heard right.

“Just stay quiet for a sec,” Jungkook exasperatedly stressed. “It is not the time to fucking yap when you can see that we are not in the mood.”

“Look, Jungkook,” you breathed in, “I get it you’re going through things, I do, but it’s not an excuse to be rude to us. We are your friends. We are looking out for you and you’re pushing us away because you’re scared.” You sighed. “You don't need to apologize to me, but apologize to Taehyung because he’s been handling all of the insults you’ve thrown at him, and he’s been there.”

“Y/n…” Taehyung started but you raised a hand to stop him.

“Talk to me when you realize that you have people who care about you,” you gave him a pleasing pleading look. “Again, your feelings are valid. It’s okay to be scared, paranoid, and anxious, but how will we be able to help you when you’re constantly belittling those closer to you?” You closed the fridge you had opened. “Don’t be an ass.”

Walking away, Jungkook was left in silence at your words. Taehyung didn’t know if he felt relief because of your words or was completely worried about how it affected Jungkook. But, he knew you were right.

Jungkook was going through something, and he tended to lash out when he would get anxious in a sense of protection. That’s the way he learned to communicate whenever his dad yelled at him.

“Why have you been insulting me, Kookie?” Taehyung softly asked, using the nickname Jungkook didn’t like without wrinkling his nose.

Jungkook sighed, dropping the act. He pulled out his phone and opened a message where message after message was sent.

“Jia always finds a way to send threats,” he mumbled out. “She knows where Y/n lives and she’s been knowing. She knows her age, her parents, grandparents, and she even knows where she’s from. She knows who you are, knows what happened with your dad, and why you and Y/n are close. She knows Jimin, Jimin’s parents, and Jimin’s whole schedule. It’s terrifying. I know I should’ve come to you guys but, Jia’s uncle is a police officer, too, and is a reason why she doesn’t go to jail.”

“Ah, the system is corrupt,” Taehyung commented, shaking his head, and Jungkook gave him a look that told him it wansny the time. “It doesn’t excuse your rude words. I hope you know that.”

“It’s better for you guys to be tired of me and drop me as a friend,” Jungkook frowned, slumping in his chair, “than know you guys were in danger. I was already looking for places to move to as soon as you guys kicked me out.”

“Jungkook, you’re fucking crazy,” Taehyung shook his head, rubbing the skin of his forehead. “A big dummy. I forgive you but, you hurt Y/n’s feelings.”

“I know,” he winced at just watching your facial expressions. “I know how much she likes to talk so I figured it would be something I can insult in a way.”

“Yeah, you’re sleeping on the couch,” the other man chuckled, shaking his head. “My poor sister bought you snacks, and here you are insulting her because you’re scared of us getting hurt. We’re not like your high school friends, Kook. We won’t leave you that quickly.”

“I’m sorry for being an asshole.”

“Call yourself a fart head and I’ll forgive you.”

“You already told me you forgive me, idiot.”

“Shit.”

Not talking to you was utter hell.

It had only been a day but still, it was utter hell.

Taehyunf was right, though. He did have to sleep on the couch. And it was funny how you let him know without saying anything because you had blankets and a pillow and you simply let them plop on the couch. Jimin and Taehyung were just watching between you two, almost as if it was a drama come to life.

Jungkook wasn’t impressed with their teasing, but he let them do so since he hurt them with his idiocy.

Days passed after the incident and Jungkook hated it. He would try talking to you, but you would quickly avoid him and go back to your room, only coming out once the others were there, too. He had gotten so used to your ranting and you spewing out a small little summary as to what you did during the entire day, and he loved it. He knew you loved talking. He knew because you did it to him every day, and he did not mind one bit.

“Where’s Y/n?” Jungkook asked once he got out of the shower, a white shirt clinging onto his skin that caused the boys there to whistle at him. He rolled his eyes as he rubbed his towel over his wet hair, eyes wanting to meet yours but nothing. He frowned. “Where’d she go?”

“She went to Namjoon’s bakery,” Jimin answered and Jungkook nodded, heading towards the kitchen to grab a banana milk from the fridge. But, he groaned once he noticed something. “What is it?”

“He finally noticed that the reason why there was always banana milk was because Y/n always repacked it,” Taehyung snorted and he raised his hands in mock surrender once Jungkook turned to glare at him to shut up. “What? The consequences of your actions.”

“I just didn’t want her to go out considering Jia was seen on camera in the morning,” Jungkook stressed, sitting on a nearby chair. “I just hope she’s safe because she walks back here and it’s getting late.”

“She’ll come back safe, don’t worry.”

And they shouldn’t have worried because you were minding your own business talking to Namjoon’s girlfriend and his grandma.

“He said that?” Namjoon’s girlfriend gasped and you nodded, taking a sip of your drink. “What an asshole!”

“Don’t get me wrong,” you started, leaning back on your chair, “but he’s just going through something. And it’s not an excuse but, he tends to insult so he could protect his feelings.”

“Yeah, but that’s so dumb,” she continued to say, though, she calmed down a bit. “I hope he apologizes and learns from his stupid mistake. I’ll beat him up for you, Y/n. Me and Grandma, right Grandma?”

You two turned to look at Namjoon’s grandma who was listening to every word you two said and nodded. “Honey, he better respect you.”

“He does, Grandma don’t worry,” you smiled at her, tapping her hand before sticking your wrist out. You lightly gasped. “It’s late! I have to walk home.”

“I would’ve given you a ride but Namjoon took my car,” you snickered at the idea of seeing the giant driving, “I know, I know, bad idea. But, I’m sorry, babe. Call me, though, if anything happens, and you already know I’ll be there before you can blink.”

You smiled. “Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow, though. I’ll come back.”

“Okay, see you!”

“Bye!” She waved at you. “Bye, Grandma!”

Smiling at the way she smiled at you, you walked off and walked towards Yoongi’s store. Opening it, you also said your goodbyes and received a curt wave from him since he was busy with customers.

You looked ahead at the sidewalk and groaned at how long it seemed, and you made sure you had your phone in one hand and your taser was neatly kept in your pocket.

You saw that you didn’t have any messages before you left, and continued your journey home. You took it as a time to start thinking about everything and you sighed. Because you just wanted to talk to Jungkook, and you couldn’t. You couldn’t stop thinking about his words and they echoed in your head like a mantra.

Did he find you that annoying? Is that bothersome? But he had told you he liked it when you would just talk and that it soothed him. Did he lie about that, too? And if he did, what else has he lied about?

You shook your head at your overthinking.

“Asshole,” you grumbled under your breath.

You continued walking and the hairs on your arm immediately went up once you sensed something. You looked over your shoulder at heard hushed whispers and quiet footsteps, and your heart started beating faster once you saw two guys standing there.

“Hey!” One of them yelled and you pretended to ignore it. Though, their footsteps got heavier and closer and before you knew it, they stood in front of you. “We were talking to you.”

You gulped. “Who are you?”

“I'm sorry, girl,” one of the guys said with an empty tone, “but someone told us that a stupid rich girl would be coming out today to this restaurant, gave us exactly what you are wearing.”

“Who told you?” You frowned, maintaining your face neutral once one of the guys got closer to you to grab your wrist. “Oh, my God. Not again.”

“Now, is that who you are, huh?” The man pushed you to a nearby wall. “You’re a stupid rich girl?” He grabbed your purse. “Let’s see how much you have on you if you are.”

You loudly sighed. “I’m not rich. At all. I’m a college student, geniuses.” You regretted those words as they came out of your mouth, and then did you remember how your mom had said you talking back would get you in trouble? You didn’t believe her considering you had just talked back when she said she didn’t want to see you. “Let go of me.”

“She’s right,” the talker guy said, showing off your wallet where only a few bills stood out. “There’s nothing.”

“Let’s see your jewel—” Someone snatched the closest man to you and threw him on the ground.

With hope vibrating in you, you simply sighed with relief once you had noticed that Namjoon was standing there. His car was messily parked on the side of the sidewalk, telling you he immediately got out to get you.

Not only that, but Yoongi was there, too, since he had been with him to get some food.

“You okay?” Yoongi asked once he reached you, taking you away from the scene. You nodded in confirmation, shaking in his hands. “Get in the car. I already alerted my brothers to come get them.”

“Thank you, Yoongi.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Namjoon spat out, punching both of the guys until they landed on the floor. “Who do you think you are to attack a defenseless person at this time of day when nobody is around?”

“Someone paid us,” the taller man explained. “She told us to do this and she even paid us a sum, too, that was enough.”

You frowned. “Did she have, like, long, dark blue hair?” The man nodded and you groaned. “I know who it is.” You turned to look at Namjoon. “Is it okay if we can leave? I don’t want to be here.”

“Yeah,” Namjoon nodded, passing Yoongi his keys. “Take her home. I’ll take care of these idiots. Your brothers were in my bakery when you called them so they’ll be here shortly.”

Yoongi nodded and helped you get inside the car before closing your door. He got in the driver's seat and made sure Namjoon was okay before driving off.

God, was it always like this with Jungkook? Because this is the third incident where someone grabbed you on your arm and tried threatening you.

You were silent the whole ride but everything hit you all at once. You never process any type of event and now, you allowed yourself to feel and understand what you were feeling. So far, you just wanted a hug.

“Here, I’ll take you to your house,” Yoongi said and you nodded, not saying a word, and got out. He followed behind and knocked on the door once he saw you were a bit distracted with your thoughts.

He looked up at hearing the door open and came to find Jimin. “Hi, Jimin.”

“Yoongi?” Jimin questioned. “What are you—” His eyes trailed towards you. “Y/n?”

Everyone’s ears perked at the mention of your name and Jungkook was the first one to stand next to Himin to see if you were okay. But, once you saw him, you simply jutted out your bottom lip and wrapped your arms around his torso.

Confused, Jungkook glanced up at Yoongi’s face before wrapping his arm around your shoulders and the other arm went around your head so his inked hand intertwined itself with your hair.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. “What happened?”

“She was close to getting jumped,” Yoongi started to explain. “Two guys stopped her and wanted to steal money from her.”

“What?” Both Jimin and Jungkook exclaimed. The others, Taehyung and Minjee, perked up at the sound and walked towards them to see what was happening. It was now Minjee’s turn to frown.

“Yoongi, what are you doing here?”

“Look, your friend almost got jumped,” he simply summed up. “Namjoon and I stepped in, and I have to hurry back because I left him to watch over the guys since he punched them.”

“Why did they do that?” Taehyung asked, eyes on his phone since he was calling up Hobi and Jin, having an inkling as to who it was.

“They said they got told by someone that a stupid rich girl would be in Namjoon’s bakery,” you mumbled as best as you could because your face was buried in Jungkook’s chest.

“Jia,” Jungkook sighed. He looked back at Yoongi. “Thank you for saving her. I’ll grab my jacket and I’ll go with you to—”

“No, Jungkook, stay here,” Taehyung instructed, spreading putting on his sweater. “Stay with Y/n. We’ll go talk with the police and Jin is going to come here to talk to you about Jia and what you can do. Minjee already dealt with paying Jin to represent you because although he would’ve done so for free, Minjee wanted to repay him, so don’t worry.”

“Okay, I’ll stay here,” Jungkook nodded. The others nodded and quickly put on their shoes. They all dismissed themselves and rapidly got inside the car where Yoongi drove off as soon as the doors closed.

You and Jungkook were left alone in silence and he could even hear your heartbeat from having you in his arms.

“Don’t let go,” you muttered. He sadly smiled and nodded, continuing to scratch your head.

“Let’s go to your room, okay?” He asked. “We need to talk after all.”

He felt you nod and you now stood by his side to walk towards your room. He closed the door and he watched you plop onto your bed, obviously comforting yourself. He walked towards you and you made space to let him in, moving aside until your back was on the wall.

“Are you okay?” Jungkook softly asked, his thumb rubbing the spot by your cheekbone to soothe you. You sighed. “I know, Y/n. I’m sorry for what you went through, I-I am. I’m sorry.”

“It was just scary, Kook,” you let out a shaky breath. “I mean, no one was around. No one was there. What if Namjoon and Yoongi hadn’t seen me? What would’ve happened?”

“You can’t think things like that,” he continued to speak softly. His brows were furrowed together and they depicted the stress and worry he felt. He sighed and leaned his face against your pillow, staring at you. “Listen, I’m sorry. For what I said… I wanted you to be away from me so something like this could’ve been prevented. You could’ve been hurt.”

“You only hurt me so I could get away from you?” You questioned with humor lacing your voice. You squinted your eyes before you started hitting his arm. “Fuckinf idiot! What a stupid idea, I swear. A good one, but a stupid idea.” You placed your hands on each side of his, squishing it so his lips could slightly pucker. “Do you think a woman who is obsessed with you scares me? Well, she does scare me, but it won’t make me leave you.”

“Really?” He frowned.

You nodded. “Just try some shit like that again, I will give you a wedgie while you’re sleeping and get a sharpie and just draw glasses around your eyes.”

“I-” He let out, staring at you with a perplexed look. “Yeah, remind me to never piss you off.”

You snorted and closed your eyes. But, you could feel him staring at you, his gaze burning holes in the places he looked at.

“I can feel you staring,” you whispered.

“I can beat them up if you want,” Jungkook said with the same hushed tone. “For scaring you. Did you get your purse back?”

“No,” you shook your head, keeping your eyes closed as the events brought some type of exhaustion to you. “They quickly took me out of there. I couldn’t blink before they just came and Yoongi told me he’d take me home.”

“I’ll have to repay them for getting to you,” Jungkook thought out loud. He looked at you. “From now on, I’ll be your ride, okay? I’ll drop you off and pick you up, okay?”

“Okay,” you sleepily nodded. “Also, just scare the guys. Don’t hurt them. Now, give me your hand.” Jungkook did so and you guided it towards the back of your head. “I got slammed on the wall so rub my head.”

“Y/n!” He exclaimed, sitting up. “We need to take you to the hospital.”

“They didn’t slam me hard,” you reassured him, guiding him back to lie down. “It was more, like, if you bump against the wall.”

“We’re going to the hospital tomorrow,” Jungkook waved a finger to you threateningly. You nodded and you couldn’t help but just look at him the way he was looking at you. His head was fluffy, resting on his forehead since he had taken a shower. And he looked so soft with his fitted shirt and sweatpants that displayed the size of his waist, something Minjee had teased him about. He was looking at you and he was looking. His eyes kept glancing between your eyes and your lips, and he kept rubbing your cheek with the pad of his thumb. You softly traced his tattoos. “Now, rest well, okay? I’ll stay h—”

“Can I sleep with you?” Your abrupt question caught him off guard. He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. You chuckled. “Not like that, geez.”

Jungkook smiled. “Take me on a date first.” He nodded shortly after, though laughter spilled his lips. “Yes, I’ll sleep with you. It’ll help me, too. Are you going to take a nap right now?”

You nodded. “The events tired me out.”

“Okay then,” he smiled, tilting his head to the side as he was now propping himself on his elbow. “Rest, okay?” He kissed your forehead and you gulped down the squeal that wanted to escape. “I’ll be here.”

He wasn’t kidding.

jungkook stayed by your side until Minjee, Jimin, and Taehyung came back with Jin, Hobi, and Hobi’s brother-in-law. He just didn’t expect to see that Hobi’s brother was not only a police officer but a sergeant.

“Is she sleeping?” Minjee asked, frowning at the thought of her best friend hurt. Jungkook nodded in his response.

“Yeah, the events tired her out,” Jungkook repeated after you. He looked at Them all. “What happened?”

“We found Jia close to where the events happened,” Hobi explained, frowning at the way he saw the girl's face. “Even confirmed that she planned to have Y/n injured in hopes of teaching her a lesson: stay away from you.”

“We found that this isn’t the first time she’s done this… whole stalking thing,” Minjee explained after, catching everyone’s attention. “My dad called and said her uncle tried hiding her records so she would have more job opportunities. Stalked two guys and had to move away from city to city because everyone knew about her tendencies.”

“Right now,” Hobi’s brother-in-law began to say, “She’ll be arrested. We’ll have a chat with her uncle, too.”

“Just warning you, though,” Jin winced, “she might not get time in prison. She might plead not guilty for reason of insanity. If not then, she will get 3 years in state prison and may pay a heavy fine.”

“Look, I don’t care,” Jungkook sighed. “I just… want to stop being paranoid I have to look over my shoulder. I don’t want to see her ever again.”

Jin nodded in understanding. “I’ll try to talk to her lawyer.”

“Thank you,” Jungkook bowed his head before he glanced back to look at your door. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to sleep.”

Everyone bid their goodnights and didn’t mind it when he went into your room since he was staying there before he got kicked out to the couch. Though they didn’t expect to see you two cuddled up, they only found out because Minjee dropped off some things in your room and saw the two heads peaking from your blanket.

“Guys!” Minjee harshly whispered, closing your door a bit. “They’re cuddling!”

“What? No way!”

“Let me see!”

“Move out of the way, Jimin.”

No events happened shortly after.

Well, Jia did end up going to a hospital to stay in. But that’s all you and Jungkook wanted to know. However, her mom was left to pay some fines for the way Jia tried to harass Jungkook when he was a minor, and Jia’s uncle was suspended for using his work as a way to do personal things.

You and Jungkook went back to being the same as before. Well, except he went back to live in his apartment with Taehyung. Not only that, he was getting nervous each day because he wanted to confess.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Jungkook began, hands buried in the pockets of his hoodie as you two walked off the college campus, “my mom requested to meet you.”

You gasped and pointed at yourself. “Me?”

“Yes, you, dummy,” he smiled. He looked ahead and let his smile fade to glare at people glancing at him. “Wants to thank you for just doing everything you could.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” you waved your hand off as a way to show you dismissing his words. “You’re an important person to me, of course, I would want to help.”

“Just let her take you out, okay?” He raised an eyebrow and you couldn’t help but nod along with his words. “You’ll love her, and don’t let her serious face scare you. I swear she is a big teddy bear.”

You snorted. “So she’s you?”

A scoff escaped Jungkook’s lips. “Not even. I’m going to tell her you said that.”

“No,” you whined, grabbing onto his arm and shaking him. “Ugh, I need to talk to your mom about you either way. The attitude you give me… despicable, I’m telling you.”

“My attitude is the one thing you like about me shut up,” he softly pushed you away by bumping into you. “Anyway, let’s go out on a walk.”

“I mean,” you gestured towards your surroundings, “we are walking.” He gave you an incredulous look by the way you said it so seriously. “I’m kidding, I'm kidding. Where do you want to go?”

“Let’s go to that one park near here,” he answered, grabbing onto your hand to prevent you from bumping into someone since you had been so distracted checking your phone to see if it was going to rain. “I think we both deserve just finally having some peace.”

“Oh, yeah,” you nodded. “It was a mess. But let’s get snacks first!”

“Okay, okay,” Jungkook chuckled, your hands still clasped together. You dragged him towards the nearest convenience store and by the end of it, you two had a bagful of goods—that he paid for—that made your mouth salivate.

“Kook, I want to marry this strawberry milk,” you spoke in awe as you held the can of milk close to you. “Thank you for buying it, even though I offered but you pushed me aside.”

He smiled at your sarcastic remark. “Can’t I spoil you?”

“Sheesh, just say you love me,” you teased, budging his shoulder repeatedly until he was doing it back to you.

As you sauntered off towards the park, you noticed the difference between the way Jungkook acted now to before. He seemed more protective of you in a way, pushing you away from a group of people who wouldn’t move or pushing them away, making sure you stayed on the inside of the sidewalk, and even glared at people who looked at you wrongly for even being him. Not only that, but he had a different personality with you—Minjee and Taehyung had let you know about this, too—where he glared at everyone, but he couldn’t stop smiling with you. Well, he had his moments where he seemed that way but Jungkook was just quieter compared to you. It was nice in some type of way.

“Let’s sit on the swings.”

You nodded and walked side by side. You looked at him out of the corner of your eye, admiring him. He was looking around and the hood of his hoodie was on. Since it was cold, he had worn an oversized sweater that he put on with some black jeans. To add more to his height, he wore his usual boots, and he liked teasing you more for being taller. His fingers were clothed with rings and he even had some of the jewelry you had gotten him which consisted of a necklace, earrings, and rings. He looked very cute and you just wanted to squish his cheeks together and coddle him to death. Liking him will never go away.

“Kook, why don’t you give me a nickname?” You had asked him as soon as you two sat in the empty swings. Considering it was not good weather to be playing around, the playground was rather empty and it was just you two.

jungkook pondered over your question. “Usually, your friends don’t call you that. They mostly call you honey.”

“Ah,” you simply let out. “I didn’t even notice they did that a lot.”

“And your name,” he looked down at his shoes, “I love it. It’s beautiful on its own.”

Your body heated up at his comment. You couldn’t help but try to hide your smile, making sure he wouldn’t see that his comment affected you.

You were entirely wrong, however, because he was laughing to himself while drinking his milk. You eyed him weirdly.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me,” you softly kicked his foot and he continued to laugh.

“You look away so I won’t notice that my words affect you,” he pointed out. He looked at you, a small smirk hidden behind his stoic face. “It’s cute.”

“Shut up, your words don’t have an effect on me,” you cleared your throat, hoping he wouldn’t notice the lie. But, you mentally facepalmed when you even noticed how it was very obvious you were lying.

“Oh, yeah?” He raised his pierced brow, clearly testing you. You nodded and held onto your milk rather tightly once he got closer to your house. You noticed he did the triangle technique, glancing from one eye to your lips and then to your other eye. It had you holding your breath. “If I kiss you right now would you stop me?” You shook your head rather slowly, almost as if you were in a daze. “I need words, Y/n.”

The way he said your name in a demanding tone made you drop everything and kiss the fuck out of him but, you just gulped again.

“I wouldn’t stop you,” you muttered, glancing at his own lips before looking up into his eyes.

his gaze burnt and the way he looked at you made you want to see yourself in his point of view because Jungkook was shy and quiet, and here he was looking like he wanted to devour you and savor you all at once.

“I’ve been thinking about you for months,” he started, his lips brushing against yours, clearly teasing you. “Not even months, years. I’ve been thinking about you since the day we met 2 years ago during the first year of college. I always hated being stared at, but when I looked at you, you were more interested in the butterfly I was looking at. When you did look at me, though, I always hoped you continued to stare at me.”

“I always did,” you whispered. “I could never keep my eyes away from you.”

He gave you a tight-lipped smile. “I’m supposed to be affecting you, not you affecting me, idiot.” You smiled at the name, knowing he didn’t mean anything eitj that name. “Damn it… Look away.”

“Why?”

“You know why,” he rolled his eyes, covering your eyes with the palm of his hand. You tried peaking over the top of his hands but he immediately followed your eyesight.

“I don’t think I know why,” you said and you weren’t lying. You were a bit clueless when it came to hints but you were just stating the obvious.

“I have liked you ever since I saw you being yourself around Taehyung,” he admitted, lowering his hand a bit. You perked up at his words and let your eyes find his own. But, he rapidly put his hand over your eyes again. “Don’t look at me, please. I won’t be able to handle my emotions and I will kiss you.”

“you will?” You breathed out.

“Yes, so please don’t look at me or I’ll forget about what I’m trying to confess,” he admitted. You looked at his palm and licked your lips. “I have liked you ever since I saw you being yourself around Taehyung, so when you tell me I’m the one you’ve been looking at, my heart feels like it’s about to escape my chest.”

“But it has been you,” you confessed, frowning a bit. You slowly raise your head and let your eyes meet his doe ones. It was a little awkward at first considering you were both on swings and your bodies needed to situate themselves right, but you ignored the ache and looked. “I’ve liked you since the first year of college when I saw this boy just playing around with a butterfly. You looked so cute so, I left. I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

He let the corner of his lips slowly raise. “When I first saw you with Taehyung, fighting him, it reassured me knowing that you had good intentions getting to know me. You weren't faking it and I loved that about you, especially when I saw you being the nicest person in the world to other people when they didn’t deserve it.”

“Are you talking about the time when the girls were debating who should sit next to you?” You snorted at his idea of nice.

“You said “excuse me”, which, by the way, I would not be able to do.” Of course, he found amusement in that situation. “I would’ve been punching my way through that crowd because they decided to fight over the empty seat in the morning.”

“Ah, those days,” you dramatically sighed at the thought, considering that nowadays you two were in your final month of school. “But, you liked me since that day?” He nodded. “Wait, what did you tell the waiter when went to the cafe?”

He seemed taken aback by the question once he processed what you said. Scratching the back of his head, he looked away from you again.

“I told him that if he could change it because you had someone,” he winced saying it out loud. You simply watched him as he fidgeted under your gaze. “In my defense…”

“Uhuh.”

“You felt uncomfortable so it made him back off,” he shrugged and you could almost cackle at the way he was dismissing the obvious jealousy. “Hey, you probably like the fact that I got jealous so shut up.”

“I’m not saying anything,” you said between chuckles. hearing your laughter, he couldn’t help but join in, too. He smiled at a thought of his before he shared it with you.

“You know,” he started, “the reason I was never upset with you when you broke my phone was because you unknowingly saved my life. I hope you know.”

“How so?” You questioned, tilting your head to the side to look at him.

“When we met first year, you had been late which is why you were looking at me,” he went to explain. “Well, because you did that, I guess some girl thought we were dating because she said we looked like a cute couple. Not only that but, just as you came to class this semester, the girls behind me were playing rock, paper, scissors. Whoever won would sit next to me. When you broke my phone, someone had leaked my phone number before that, and the stress I felt… But, you broke it and it was the most freeing thing. So, Y/n, thank you. For saving me. You have saved me so many times and it’s been you since the beginning.”

You could cry at the way he mentioned the events. Thinking back, you were always around Jungkook. He was always there and you always would mention you were lucky. But you could see now it was more than that.

“I’m happy I got to save you in some sense,” you smiled reassuringly. He did, too.

“I’m happy, too.”

“And I’m very happy to know you reciprocate my feelings, you know?” He nodded. “It feels great. Total confidence boost.”

He snorted, taking a sip of his milk while you two continued to face one another. “I’m happy I get to be liked by you. I’d rather no one love me and fan over me if they’re not you.”

You smiled and you lightly pouted at the way he looked at you and expressed his emotions. “Kook.”

You then maintained contact, just staring at one another, because for the first time in months, you two felt at ease and at peace. Here you are confessing your feelings in a playground with tiny droplets of rain dropping on you two. So, you two admired one another.

“Fuck it,” he mumbled under his breath, and you looked at him confusedly at hearing his words. Jumping back a bit, he stood in front of you, leaned down, grabbed your face between his cold hands, and dipped his head.

Jungkook kissed you, and he kissed you as if you were going to disappear. One of his hands lowered to rest itself by your throat, gripping it a bit to bring you closer to him if possible. The other grabbed onto your hip, fingers dipping into the fabric of your sweater. With the emotion of it all, you two wanted more.

You could feel the way your knees felt weak, and if you were standing, you might’ve probably fell to the ground because of the way his hand just stayed to rest on your throat. His thumb was rubbing the base of your jaw and his lips fit so well with yours.

At needing air, you two backed away but not too far from each other. Your lips brushed against the others and they were itching to kiss again.

“I’m craving you more than ever,” he whispered in a low tone, continuously pecking your lips. “Can I show you?”

“Yes.”

“Yours or mine?”

“Mine. Taehyung had texted me to keep you away because he was bringing a girl.”

“He’ll be fine. He has commitment issues so he doesn’t get girls.”

EXTRA,

Minjee and Jimin looked up from their studies at hearing the door open. They glanced at one another once they saw you and Jungkook coming inside, your hands intertwined together. You were giggling and he had that soft smile on his face that he usually wore around you. But, there was something different about you two.

“Hello,” Jimin greeted, giving you two a smile.

You giggled and waved before clearing your throat. “Um, we have to study so, we’ll be in my room.”

Minjee slowly nodded her head. “Okay…”

“Bye.”

Jungkook curtly waved, following after your hurried steps.

Once the door closed and the two heard it lock behind Jungkook, they simply stared at the door with an amused expression.

“I’m guessing they told each other,” Minjee suggested and Jimin agreed with her without no hesitation. “And they’re about to fuck.”

“Yep,” Jimin pursed his lips. The two friends looked at each other again rather comically. “So, should we go bother Taehyung?”

“Yeah, we both know he does not have a girl over.”

“Ah, commitment issues.”

---

hybrid biology

f!reader x yunho x san x yunho

smut | mdni

4.6k

Y/N adopts three hybrids—Jongho (a bear), San (a cat), and Yunho (a dog). One night, they request to suck on her breasts to help them sleep, citing their hybrid biology. Though surprised, Y/N agrees, leading to an intense and intimate encounter that ends in smut with all three hybrids

nsfw tags under

f/m/m/m, 3some, hybrids, oral fixation, breast sucking, dom/sub dynamics, rough sex, vaginal sex, soft dom, handjob, oral sex, penetration, praise kink, dirty talk, aftercare, begging, deep throat, hair pulling and moooore

When you woke up that morning with the simple intention to adopt a hybrid, you had no idea you'd leave the shelter with three—Jongho, the brown bear, San, the black cat, and Yunho, the golden retriever. Initially, you had imagined adopting just one companion, someone to keep you company, but the moment you met these three, something just clicked.

Jongho had stood stoically by the shelter gate, his brown fur gleaming in the sunlight as his eyes scanned you with quiet curiosity. He hadn’t been overly affectionate or eager to please like the others, but something about his calm presence grounded you. The caretaker had warned you that bear hybrids were more independent and liked their space, but that didn’t dissuade you.

San, on the other hand, was immediately drawn to you. He had padded over with fluid grace, his tail swishing behind him as he flashed you a grin so full of warmth that it melted your heart instantly. His black ears twitched as he circled you, brushing his shoulder against your legs. "You seem nice," he had purred, glancing up at you with gleaming eyes. "I wouldn’t mind going home with you." That statement was sealed with a playful wink that left your cheeks burning.

And then there was Yunho. The shy, golden retriever hybrid had peeked at you from behind the caretaker's leg, his floppy ears nearly hiding his face as his tail wagged nervously. He barely spoke a word at first, and it took you kneeling down to his level and offering your hand for him to even come forward. When he finally did, though, the way his eyes lit up made it clear he was the one who needed you the most.

Against all logic, you couldn’t choose between them. Somehow, all three fit together, balancing each other’s energies in ways that left you intrigued. They complemented each other’s personalities so well, you figured, why not? So you left the shelter with not one, but three hybrids trailing behind you.

Life with them quickly became a whirlwind of discovery. Each day revealed new facets of their personalities. Jongho preferred to lounge around the house, occasionally grumbling when San’s playful antics got in the way of his naps. His deep, rumbling voice made it clear that he was the one to set the pace in the household. “You don’t always have to be so hyper, you know,” he would murmur from his spot on the couch, barely lifting his head to meet San’s mischievous grin.

San, of course, would simply roll his eyes. "You’re such a grump, Jongho! Loosen up a little. She likes it when we play with her." Then he would dart off, his black tail flicking behind him as he padded toward you, demanding cuddles.

Yunho was always the quiet observer, watching the interactions between his friends with wide, thoughtful eyes. He rarely initiated conversation, but you always felt his presence nearby. Whether you were cooking, cleaning, or simply sitting on the couch, you’d feel the soft brush of his golden fur or hear his gentle footsteps approaching. He never asked for anything, but his proximity said it all—he found comfort in being near you.

The day had been good, long but fulfilling. You had shown the boys to their new room, helping them settle in, and they seemed content with their new surroundings. The bond between the four of you was growing, but you hadn’t realized how much until later that night.

Fatigue began to weigh you down, and after a quick goodnight, you excused yourself to your room. "Alright, guys. I’m heading to bed. You can stay up, but don’t forget to turn off the TV when you’re done," you said, giving them a tired smile.

Jongho gave a slow nod from his spot on the floor, where he lay sprawled out comfortably, while San stretched lazily on the couch, tail flicking lazily. Yunho, as usual, hovered in the background, his ears twitching but saying nothing.

Sleep came easily once you curled up under your blanket. But sometime in the dead of night, a soft knock at your door pulled you from the depths of slumber. Groggily, you sat up, rubbing your eyes as your door creaked open. All three hybrids stood there, framed by the dim light from the hallway. Jongho, as usual, was unreadable, his face betraying nothing but his brown ears twitching slightly. San fidgeted, his tail wrapped around his leg as if he was debating whether or not to speak, while Yunho, poor shy Yunho, was hiding half his face behind his floppy ears.

“Is something wrong?” you asked, voice still thick with sleep.

Jongho said nothing, his eyes glancing away as if he wasn’t quite sure how to approach the topic. San was the first to break the awkward silence. “N-No! Not really, but…” He trailed off, shifting nervously on his feet, his fingers playing with the hem of his shirt.

“There’s something we need to tell you,” Yunho finally whispered, his voice barely audible as he stared at the floor.

Your brows furrowed in concern, a pit forming in your stomach. What was going on? Had you done something wrong? Were they unhappy? “What is it?” you asked again, your voice soft but firm, not wanting to pressure them but needing answers.

Silence followed, the weight of it pressing down on you as the boys exchanged awkward glances. Jongho, who normally radiated confidence, was uncharacteristically still. His tail, which usually swayed lazily behind him, had stopped entirely, and his eyes were glued to the ground. He looked like a statue except for his twitching ears. Yunho was practically cowering behind him, and you could see San’s tail swishing nervously.

“Oh my God, just say it,” San finally muttered under his breath, looking frustrated with the stalemate. He took a deep breath, his cheeks flushing slightly as he forced the words out. “We need your help… to fall asleep.”

Your brain stalled for a moment. That was it? You had been expecting something much worse, given how tense the air had felt. “That’s it?” You chuckled softly, relieved that it wasn’t something more serious. “Okay, how can I help?”

But your question seemed to make things worse. Jongho rolled his eyes, and Yunho looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. San, however, continued, his words fumbling awkwardly, “W-We need to…”

“S-Suck on y-your…” Jongho continued, still unable to meet your eyes.

“Your boobs,” San finished, sounding almost bored with the situation, though the flush of his cheeks betrayed his embarrassment. His eyes darted away as he scratched behind one ear nervously.

“You what?” The words left your mouth before you could stop them. Your voice was a higher pitch than normal, and your eyes widened in shock. Surely, they were joking, right?

San’s shoulders slumped as your stunned reaction lingered. He mumbled, “Told you she’d freak out…”

Yunho, who had been silent for most of the interaction, shifted uncomfortably, pulling at his ears out of nervousness. “I knew it,” he muttered softly. “I told you she wouldn’t like it.”

“Wait.” You blinked, finally coming to your senses as they turned to leave the room. Curiosity now mixed with confusion. “Can you explain what you mean?”

The three hybrids exchanged surprised glances, clearly not expecting your willingness to listen. After a moment, Jongho sighed, taking the lead with a straightforward explanation. “Our biology is… different from humans. For some reason, we need to suck on…” he gestured vaguely toward your chest, avoiding eye contact again. “Tits. It helps us sleep. We don’t understand it either, so don’t ask. It’s just how we’re wired.”

The more you listened, the more bizarre it seemed, but part of you couldn’t ignore that it made a strange kind of sense. Jongho had tried to nap several times throughout the day but had seemed restless, tossing and turning. San had been unusually clingy, more than usual, while Yunho… well, he had always hovered, but it seemed more intense lately.

You would have to admit, they were all incredibly attractive, and the thought of being intimate with them sent a shiver down your spine. You weren’t sure if you were ready to be vulnerable with them like this, especially since you hadn’t known them for very long.

Yunho’s soft voice broke the silence again. “You don’t have to do anything. We’ll figure something else out.”

“Sorry to bother—” San started, but you interrupted him, surprising even yourself.

“I’ll do it.”

All three hybrids looked utterly flabbergasted, their eyes wide as they processed what you’d just said.

“Really?” San asked, voice filled with disbelief.

You swallowed, your heart pounding in your chest. You had made your decision. “Really.” With a small movement, you pulled your shirt over your head, exposing your bare chest to them.

For a moment, none of them moved, their eyes locked onto your exposed skin as if they couldn’t believe it. Then, with barely contained excitement, San and Yunho practically shoved each other, both eager to be the first to reach you. Jongho hung back, watching with a mixture of amusement and something else you couldn’t quite place.

San was the first to touch you, his warm hands cupping your breasts gently, his eyes half-lidded as he leaned in closer. His usually playful demeanor had softened, replaced by a kind of reverence that caught you off guard. "You're really okay with this?" he asked, his voice low, almost uncertain. His fingers brushed across your skin, sending a shiver through you.

You nodded, your breath hitching. "I am. Just… go slow."

San’s lips quirked into a small, relieved smile. “Of course.”

Yunho, who had been lingering in the background, hesitated before moving forward. His eyes were filled with nervousness, but there was something deeper—longing, maybe? He knelt beside you, his large golden ears twitching as he leaned closer. His hand trembled slightly as he touched your other breast, his touch featherlight, almost as if he was afraid to hurt you.

"Is this okay?" Yunho whispered, his eyes darting up to meet yours, wide and innocent.

You gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Yunho. You're doing great."

Jongho, meanwhile, stood back, watching the scene unfold with his arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, but his dark eyes flicked between San, Yunho, and you with a hint of something… possessive? You weren’t sure. Finally, with a sigh, he walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down, leaning in close. His presence, though not as immediate as the other two, was commanding. He didn’t rush to touch you, instead resting his hand on your thigh, waiting patiently.

“Don’t think we’re letting them have all the fun,” Jongho said quietly, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. His thumb rubbed slow circles against your skin, his eyes finally locking with yours.

You felt your pulse quicken at the intensity of his gaze, but before you could respond, San had begun trailing kisses along your collarbone, his breath warm against your skin. “You taste as good as I imagined,” he murmured against your skin, his lips grazing your neck before moving lower.

At the same time, Yunho’s shy demeanor melted into focus as he mirrored San’s movements, his lips brushing your other breast. His breath was shaky as he parted his lips, finally taking your nipple into his mouth. The warmth of his mouth, combined with his soft, hesitant sucks, sent waves of pleasure coursing through you.

San was a little more confident, his tongue swirling around your nipple before he took it between his lips. His playful nature was still there, but it was tempered with care as he nipped gently, his eyes flicking up to watch your reactions. “Is this good?” he asked, voice husky as he sucked gently, his ears twitching in satisfaction when he heard you moan.

Your back arched slightly, pressing yourself into their mouths as soft moans escaped your lips. The sensation of their mouths on you, one gentle and unsure, the other teasing and confident, had you reeling. You were acutely aware of every touch, every flick of their tongues, and the tension building low in your belly.

Jongho watched, his expression hard to read, but there was an unmistakable gleam in his eyes. He squeezed your thigh lightly, leaning in to whisper in your ear. “You’re doing good. Just relax.” His voice was a soothing contrast to the intensity building between you and the other two hybrids, and you found yourself sinking deeper into the moment.

San pulled away slightly, his lips glistening as he gave a playful tug on your nipple. “You’re so sensitive. I could do this all night,” he purred, nipping gently before sucking again, harder this time.

Yunho, still a little hesitant, began to follow his lead, his mouth moving more confidently now. He sucked gently, then licked, then sucked again, his ears flicking with every little sound you made. He wasn’t as bold as San, but his focus was intense, like he was determined to make you feel good.

Your moans grew louder, your body reacting to their ministrations as your thighs rubbed together, desperate for friction. The pleasure was building steadily, each flick of their tongues sending sparks of electricity through you. Your head tilted back, eyes closing as the sensation overwhelmed you.

Jongho’s hand slid from your thigh up to your waist, his thumb brushing over your skin in slow, deliberate circles. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against your ear. “You want more, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice low and knowing.

You nodded, unable to form words as San’s lips pulled away, a smirk playing on his face as he watched your reaction. “Of course she does,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement. He gave your nipple one last playful nip before sitting back, his eyes dark with desire.

Yunho, however, lingered a little longer, his mouth still latched to your breast, his soft golden ears pressed flat against his head as he sucked gently, his focus entirely on you. His hand, which had been resting on your waist, slid down to your stomach, hesitating just above your waistband.

Jongho finally stood, his presence looming as he moved closer, his hand still resting on your waist as he gently pulled Yunho back. “Let’s not overwhelm her all at once,” he said softly, though there was a clear command in his tone. His eyes met yours, dark and intense. “You ready for more?”

You swallowed hard, your heart racing. The anticipation had your body trembling, and the way Jongho looked at you made your knees weak. “Yes,” you whispered, barely able to speak through the haze of pleasure clouding your mind.

Jongho smiled—a slow, predatory grin—as he guided you to lie back fully on the bed. “Good.”

With careful precision, Jongho climbed onto the bed, his large hands easily lifting your legs over his shoulders as he positioned himself between them. His breath was hot against your thighs as he spread soft kisses along your skin, teasing you, while his fingers lightly traced your inner thigh, sending shivers up your spine.

San, now sitting beside you, chuckled as he watched. “Lucky Jongho. He always gets what he wants,” he said, a teasing lilt to his voice.

Yunho, still kneeling by the bed, watched with wide eyes, his expression torn between awe and nervousness. His hands fidgeted in his lap, but he didn’t say anything, his gaze locked onto the scene in front of him.

“Shut up, San,” Jongho grumbled, but his focus remained on you, his lips trailing up to your inner thigh. He pressed a kiss dangerously close to your center, his breath hot and teasing. “You’re already so wet,” he murmured, his voice low and rough, as if the sight of you was affecting him as much as it was affecting you.

Your breath hitched as you felt his fingers slide down to your entrance, teasingly brushing against you. “Jongho—” you gasped, your hands instinctively gripping the sheets as the anticipation mounted.

Without another word, Jongho’s mouth descended onto you, his tongue licking a slow, deliberate stripe over your slit before settling on your clit. The shock of pleasure that shot through you made you cry out, your back arching off the bed as his tongue worked circles over your sensitive flesh.

San smirked, his fingers reaching out to gently tug at one of your nipples, earning a whimper from you. “Looks like someone’s enjoying herself,” he teased, his voice low and husky. His eyes gleamed with amusement, but there was an unmistakable hunger in them.

Yunho, quiet as always, watched intently, his eyes wide with awe as he took in the sight of you writhing under Jongho’s ministrations. His lips parted slightly, and for the first time, you noticed the bulge straining against his pants. He shifted uncomfortably but didn’t say a word.

Jongho, meanwhile, had no intention of stopping. His tongue flicked expertly over your clit, sending wave after wave of pleasure crashing over you. His fingers slid inside you easily, curling in just the right way that had you gasping, your hands flying to his hair as you pulled him closer.

“I-I’m close,” you gasped, your body trembling as you felt the climax building inside you, threatening to snap at any moment.

But just as you reached the peak of your pleasure, Jongho pulled away, his mouth and fingers leaving you empty and aching. You let out a desperate whine, your body shaking with need. “No, please—” you begged, tears prickling at the corners of your eyes as the denial of release hit you like a freight train.

Jongho smirked, his eyes dark with satisfaction as he watched your desperate reaction. “Not yet,” he said simply, his voice thick with lust. “We’re not done with you.”

Behind him, San and Yunho were already moving. San had stripped off his shirt, revealing his lean, muscular torso, his cat ears twitching in excitement. “On your knees, sweetheart,” he purred, his voice dripping with seduction as he guided you up onto all fours. “Time to give you what you really want.” San’s hands were firm yet gentle as he guided you onto your hands and knees, his movements deliberate and slow. You could feel the heat radiating from his body as he positioned himself in front of you, his eyes dark and filled with anticipation. His cock stood hard and ready, twitching slightly as he stroked himself a few times while watching you.

“You’re gonna be a good girl for us, aren’t you?” San purred, his voice smooth and teasing. His words sent a jolt of arousal straight to your core, your body reacting to his authoritative tone.

Behind you, Yunho’s presence was quieter, but just as intense. His hands trembled slightly as he moved into position, his soft golden retriever ears drooping as he knelt behind you. There was a noticeable tension in him—nervousness mixed with an overwhelming desire to please. His hand rested on your hip, his touch featherlight.

San gripped the back of your head gently, his thumb stroking your cheek as he positioned his cock near your mouth. “Open up, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice soft yet commanding.

You did as he asked, parting your lips and allowing San to slide his length into your mouth. He let out a groan as he pushed deeper, his hand threading through your hair to guide you at a steady pace. His cock filled your mouth, the weight of him heavy on your tongue as you sucked, your cheeks hollowing as you tried to take him deeper.

“Good girl,” San moaned, his hips starting to move in slow, shallow thrusts. He didn’t push too hard, letting you adjust to him at your own pace, but the satisfied growl that escaped him let you know he was enjoying every second.

Yunho, still behind you, hesitated for a moment longer. His large, warm hands slid from your hips down to your thighs, his touch shaky but reverent. “I-I’ll be gentle,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of San’s soft groans.

You moaned around San’s cock, your body trembling in anticipation of Yunho’s next move. His hand guided the tip of his length to your entrance, his breath shaky as he slowly, carefully pushed inside you. The stretch was delicious, and you couldn’t help but whimper at the feeling of being filled by him. He was gentle, almost too gentle, his hands gripping your hips tightly as he buried himself to the hilt.

Yunho let out a soft gasp, his forehead resting against your back for a moment as he adjusted to the sensation of being inside you. “You feel… so good,” he mumbled, his voice tinged with awe and disbelief.

The combination of San’s cock in your mouth and Yunho’s inside you was overwhelming in the best way possible. You tried to focus on sucking San, your tongue swirling around his length as he moved in and out of your mouth, but the way Yunho was slowly thrusting into you made it hard to concentrate. Every thrust sent a jolt of pleasure through you, building steadily with each movement.

San’s grip on your hair tightened slightly as he thrust deeper, his pace picking up as he got more comfortable. “That’s it, baby,” he groaned, his voice thick with arousal. “You look so good with your mouth full of me.”

Behind you, Yunho was picking up his pace too, his nervousness fading as he got lost in the pleasure of being inside you. His thrusts were slow but deep, each one hitting just the right spot, making you moan around San’s cock. Your body trembled, caught between the pleasure of being taken from both ends.

Jongho, who had been watching from the side with a hungry, possessive gaze, finally moved forward. His presence was commanding, his dark eyes locked on you as he stood beside the bed, stroking himself slowly. He hadn’t touched you yet, but the way his gaze roamed over your body made you shiver with anticipation.

“You’re taking them so well,” Jongho rumbled, his voice low and rough. His eyes flicked to San, then Yunho, before settling back on you. “But you’re not finished yet.”

San groaned, his hips thrusting faster as he neared his peak. His fingers dug into your hair, holding you in place as he fucked your mouth harder. “Shit, you’re amazing,” he gasped, his breath ragged as he felt himself getting closer to release.

Yunho’s thrusts grew more frantic behind you, his hands gripping your hips tighter as he lost himself in the feeling of being buried inside you. He was quiet, but the way his breath hitched and the soft gasps that escaped him let you know he was just as close to the edge.

You moaned around San’s cock, your body trembling as the pleasure built up inside you, threatening to overwhelm you. The sensation of Yunho thrusting into you, combined with San’s cock filling your mouth, had you teetering on the edge of release.

“I-I’m close,” Yunho whispered, his voice trembling with the effort to hold back.

San was right there with him, his hips stuttering as he thrust deep into your mouth one last time, groaning loudly as he came. His release spilled down your throat, and you swallowed it eagerly, moaning around him as your own orgasm built to its peak.

Yunho’s grip on your hips tightened as he thrust into you one last time, a soft cry escaping his lips as he came, filling you with his warmth. The feeling of him releasing inside you, combined with San’s release in your mouth, was enough to push you over the edge. You moaned loudly, your body trembling as your orgasm crashed over you, leaving you breathless and spent.

San pulled out of your mouth with a satisfied groan, his thumb brushing over your lips as he smirked down at you. “You did so good, sweetheart.”

Yunho, still behind you, pulled out slowly, his hands shaking slightly as he sat back on his heels, his face flushed with both arousal and embarrassment. “I-I’m sorry if I was too rough,” he mumbled, his golden ears drooping slightly.

You shook your head, still catching your breath. “No, Yunho… you were perfect.”

Jongho, who had been watching the entire time, finally moved forward, his expression dark and hungry as he climbed onto the bed. “Now it’s my turn,” he growled, his large hands gripping your waist as he positioned himself behind you.

You barely had time to catch your breath before Jongho thrust into you, his cock filling you completely in one swift motion. You cried out, your body jolting from the force of his thrust. He was rougher than Yunho, his hands gripping your waist tightly as he pounded into you with a relentless rhythm.

“God, you’re so tight,” Jongho groaned, his voice deep and guttural as he buried himself inside you again and again. His thrusts were hard and fast, each one pushing you closer to the edge once more. The sensation of being filled so completely by him was overwhelming, your body trembling with pleasure.

San and Yunho watched, their eyes dark with lust as they sat back, their chests heaving as they recovered from their own releases. San’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, while Yunho’s face was still flushed with embarrassment, though there was a hint of desire in his gaze as he watched Jongho take you.

Jongho’s thrusts grew more frantic, his breath ragged as he neared his release. His hands gripped your waist so tightly you were sure there would be bruises, but the pleasure he was giving you outweighed any pain. You could feel yourself nearing the edge again, your body shaking as the pleasure built to an almost unbearable level.

“I’m gonna fill you up so good,” Jongho growled, his voice rough with lust. His hips slammed into you one last time, burying himself deep inside you as he came, his release spilling inside you. The feeling of him filling you was enough to push you over the edge again, and you cried out, your body trembling as your second orgasm washed over you.

Jongho stayed buried inside you for a moment longer, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. Finally, he pulled out slowly, his hands releasing their grip on your waist as he sat back, a satisfied smirk on his face.

You collapsed onto the bed, completely spent, your body trembling from the intensity of everything that had just happened. Your mind was hazy, your breaths coming in shallow gasps as you struggled to stay conscious.

San chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from your face as he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Yunho, still flushed and shy, reached out to pull the covers over you, his hands gentle as he tucked you in. “You should rest now. We’ll take care of everything else.”

Jongho lay down beside you, his large body enveloping you as he pulled you into his arms. “Sleep,” he murmured, his voice soft and soothing now that the heat of the moment had passed.

You didn’t need to be told twice. Exhaustion overtook you, and before long, you drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and content in the arms of your hybrids.

---

8th Grade : s.mg & j.yh

⇢ Synopsis: They’ve always just been your best friends. But Covid quarantine is making you all way too horny.  ⇢ Pairing: Yunho & Mingi x reader ⇢ Genre: smut, fluff.  ⇢ Warnings: extremely cute best friends to lovers, mutual pining, love, oral (f receiving), sex without protection, Big Dick Boys, threesome, hand job, fingering, thigh riding, semi-sub Mingi, dom Yunho, sleepy sex, mentions of covid, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, cock warming, spitting, pet name “Tiny”, Mingi is “pretty boy”, Yunho fucks her STUPID, etc… ⇢ Word Count: 8.9k ⇢ Tropes/AU’s: Best friends to lovers, mutual pining, slow burn, uni!Ateez, frat boy ateez, covid-19 ateez, non-idol au, uni au, 

It’s cold outside, and you can’t believe you have to be the one trekking through the weather when they’re the ones with a car. Well, you suppose calling Mingi’s shit hand me down 2001 Honda Civic a “car” is a little too nice. But here you are, walking up the steps to their apartment building, cold, and bundled in a jacket, simply because Yunho declared three weeks ago while drunk that he would no longer ‘lower himself to the level of that shit piece of crap Honda fucking Civic’.

His words had made Mingi cry a little, and you’d had to fight Yunho about it afterwards. He’d won of course, easily pinning you down, but your struggle had been enough to cheer Mingi up. You’d tried at least.

You don’t even have to hit the button to call up to their apartment, the door clicks, signalling the unlock. You bet Mingi’s been watching the street from the window again. You head up to the third floor where Mingi and Yunho have an apartment. Mingi throws the door open before you even knock, a huge grin on his face.

He’s dressed in an oversized light pink crew neck and some grey sweatpants that still have your high school crest on them. You’re wearing your matching ones. Movie night is sacred, and you all have to look the part. His glasses are round, and they show off his dazzling eyes, which always seem to sparkle in wonder at the world around him.

He pulls you into a warm Mingi hug, lifting you off the ground to bring you inside. His shirt smells like lavender, and you’re shocked the two of them have finally started using the detergent Mingi’s mom had dropped off months ago when he’d first moved. The lavender is nice, and it makes you smile as you burry your face against the soft fabric, breathing in the warmth and aura of your best friend.

“You’re cold!” Mingi says when he lets you go, looking at you with wide eyes.

“It’s cold outside.” you note.

“It looks cold.” Mingi agrees, nodding and his lip pouting out a little in sympathy. He hates being cold, and is always bundled up in more than is ever necessary. 

Keep reading

---

Morning Head

Pairing: f!reader x Mingi x Yunho

Genre: smut 18+

Summary: you wake up your roommates with the best blowjobs they’ve ever had

Notes: roommates, slight dom!reader, kinda sub!yungi, both have dom! tendensies, reader is very horny & so is the boys, big dick yungi, threesome, blowjobs, handjob, deep throating, morning wood, slight somnophilia, swearing, nipple play, dirty talk, swallowing, lots of cum, kissing, stripping, seduction. may have forgot something!

a/n: ovulating is the pits if you ask me, can’t go a single day without thinking all kinds of dirty stuff, so I had to write it down cause this scenario has been in my mind day and night!

Words: 890

Imagine waking up both Yunho and Mingi with a blowjob..

The boys were still asleep in your king size/shared bed when you came back from doing your daily morning routine.

As you approached the bed you couldn't help but admire the sleeping forms of Mingi and Yunho. Mingis duvet had gotten pulled down which exposed his bare chest and toned stomach, his happy trail was well visible (damn). Yunho on the other hand was almost entirely covered from head to toe, only his head popped out. It just did something to you watching them sleep so peacefully, they looked pretty, dreamy. Yunho shifted in his sleep, he pulled down his duvet exposing his chest. The sight in front of you right now was mouth watering, a tingling feeling spread through your entire body like a stream.

You slowly climbed up on the bed and placed yourself between their feet, a tent forming under Mingis cover didn’t go unnoticed by your eyes and it made your pussy clench. With a mischievous grin you slowly lifted the covers, exposing the two men's naked bodies. The sight was breathtaking (not to talk about pussytaking). Mingi's thick, big veiny cock, already full erect and Yunho's long, massive dick rested on his stomach glistening with precum. Your heart raced as you admired the beauty of these two enormous cocks, knowing you were about to pleasure them both.

Without wasting a moment, you leaned over and wrapped your lips around Mingi's shaft, taking him deep into your mouth. Mingi stirred in his sleep, his cock twitching as it felt the warm, wet suction. You moaned softly, vibrating your throat around Mingi's length, waking him up with a jolt.

"Mmm... fuck," Mingi groaned, his eyes blinking open as he realized what was happening. He looked down to see your head bobbing up and down on his dick with your lips stretched wide to take his girth. "Aah fuck" he whispered, his voice was hoarse. Hearing Mingi's words, Yunho stirred awake, his brown eyes widening as he took in the scene. He watched with a mix of surprise and arousal as you deep throated Mingi, your hands gently caressing Mingi's balls.

"Morning boys" you said in a seductive tone, pulling off Mingi's cock with a wet pop. "I'm going to make you both cum so hard." Yunho's breath quickened, his dick throbbing as he felt a mix of excitement and embarrassment. "Such a tease" he managed to say, his voice trembling. "Oh, I'm a tease, am I?" You smirked, reaching over to stroke Yunho's length. "Then watch me work, boys."

With that, you leaned over and took Yunho's cock into you mouth, swirling your tongue around the sensitive head. Yunho arched his back, his hands gripping the sheets as he let out a low moan. Mingi, still aroused from the initial blowjob, couldn't help but reach over and pinch your nipples, enjoying the sight of your mouth working on Yunho's dick.

You alternated between the two cocks, sucking and licking with expertise. You deep throated Mingi, taking his entire length down your throat, while also paying attention to Yunho's sensitive spots, flicking your tongue over his sweet spot. The room filled with the sounds of wet sucking, moans, and dirty talk.

"Fuck, you're good at this," Mingi grunted, his hand moving to grip the back of your head. He thrusted his hips gently fucking your mouth as you sucked him dry.

Yunho, unable to hold back any longer reached down and grabbed your hair guiding you to take his cock even deeper. "Suck me... suck me harder, ah fuck" he panted with a raspy voice. You complied, increasing your pace moving from one cock to the other, sucking and slurping eagerly. You played with Mingi's balls, rolling them in your palm while also stroking Yunho's length with your free hand. The pleasure was overwhelming, and both men could feel their orgasms build up.

"I'm gonna cum" Yunho gasped, his body tensing. "Me too" Mingi added, his breath ragged.

You quickened your pace, determined to milk every drop of cum from their cocks. you deep throated Mingi one last time swallowing his length as he exploded in your mouth filling it with his hot, creamy load. At the same time you stroked Yunho's cock with urgency, your hand moving in a blur as he shot his cum all over your face and chest.

Both men collapsed back onto the bed, spent and satisfied. You sat back and watched them with a satisfied grin, you licked your lips savouring the taste of Mingi's cum. You leaned over and kissed Mingi, sharing the taste of his release with him.

"That was fucking amazing," Mingi panted, his eyes sparkling with pleasure. "you dirty girl" Yunho said, his voice filled with admiration. "I never knew you had it in you." You laughed with a mischievous glint in your eyes. "I have many more tricks up my sleeve, boys. This was just the beginning." You wiped off some of Yunhos cum off your face and sucked your fingers clean. You slowly took of your pyjamas top, revealing your round tits and pulled off your shorts too exposing your wet bare pussy. You climbed up between them, their eyes targeted on your naked parts, their cocks aching with hormones.

“Who should I ride first”

---

10 Things I Hate About You ── jungkook.

summary ── y/n and hanni’s mom stood by one rule and one rule only: no dating during high school and college. It wasn't until she set another rule—no dating until y/n dates— that hanni unintentionally pulls some strings to have her sister date none other than, jeon jungkook, the man who every girl f*cks and all the boys fight with.

genre ── bet au, college!au

pairing ── f*ckboy!jungkook x (fem) reader

note ── taehyung will be basically the bad guy here… this is fictional work so please don’t think this is how i see taehyung either. this does not showcase how taehyung is in real life THIS WORK IS FICTION

(also, word count is 20k+ 🥲)

You were a killer.

You killed someone. Well, you killed something to be more specific.

You looked down at your foot at hearing the nasty crunch of what seemed to be a snail, tears starting to well up in your eyes once you noticed you had killed an animal. Such a slimy and very slow animal.

You tentatively grabbed a leaf from a tree not so far from you, grabbing the snail with it before moving it away. God, you killed nature! Well, a part of nature. But it was still nature!

“Stupid,” you mumbled, wiping your tears away with the palm of your hand as you glared at the squished corpse. “I have to hurry to school now.”

Placing the snail on the dirt, you headed towards your car, sighing as you remembered you were heading to school… your obnoxious, annoying school. You would’ve chosen to drop out but you also wanted to have a degree and then move out of your house to get away from your mom and sister. They didn’t need you and you didn’t need them if they didn’t try to talk to you.

You drove to school, bumping loud music to get rid of the tiredness consuming your body. You ignored the looks you had received from the group of girl’s—they stopped next to your car—your sister, Hanni, hung out with, their music—which was much more different than yours—playing in the radio.

“Brought you coffee,” your close friend, Nali, greeted you as soon as she spotted your car driving ahead, having heard someone cursing you out for almost running them over. In your defense, they didn’t want to move out of the way. “Figured you’d need it.”

“Thank you,” you sighed in relief, your cold hands meeting the warmth of the cup. You locked your car behind you once your feet landed on the cement floor, a sigh of relief escaping your lips as the warmth coursed through your body. “You’re a lifesaver. My day was not starting well.”

“Don’t tell me,” Nali started, a ghost of a smile spread on her lips, “you helped an old lady cross the street and she cursed you out.”

“I stepped on a snail,” you mumbled, looking away from your dear friend who was taken aback at your words. “It was horrible. I should’ve been able to see it!”

“I love you so much,” Nali chuckled at your reaction before placing a hand on your arm, leading you away from the people starting to head your way. “Your fans would freak out if they saw you this way. Such a softy and very, very sensitive.”

“Pfft, they’ll love me regardless,” you rolled your eyes, though a smile was on your face. You continued to smile and wave at the girl’s who waved at you. “I’m more surprised at the fact that they admire me. I didn’t even do anything.”

“I guess punching a creep and calling the school out for not doing anything about him gains you a reputation,” Nali shrugged as it was the most obvious thing. You hummed. “Come on, these girls,” she walked backwards, her hands raising up dramatically to showcase how serious she was, “they need a role model like you. It’s no surprise they look up to you.”

“Hmm, I’ll gladly take the small fame,” you said before staring over your shoulder at the girls not so far from you, “if they stop following me everywhere I go. I have my writing class coming up.”

“Ah, your favorite class,” your raven-haired friend teased you, shoulder nudging yours as she now stood in front of you, feeling embarrassed once she came to find her crush nearby. You couldn’t help but let a chuckle escape your lips. “I’m telling you, though, Mr. Kim is out to get you because he literally kicked you out for participating too much.”

“He expects everyone to just keep their mouths shut and not speak at all at this point,” you shook your head, sighing in an annoyed matter at coming to think of the 28-year-old professor, Kim Namjoon. “I breathe and he’ll kick me out.”

As you walked towards your class, you eyed your sister close to a face you knew so well and despised with your entire being. You pretended not to have seen them, but Taehyung knew you had so he wrapped an arm around your poor sister’s shoulder, bringing her closer to him as he gave you a smug smirk. You rolled your eyes, ignoring him.

You sat down on a desk close to Mr. Kim, who always wore a stern look. He wasn’t always like this, but the students from the year before failed him and he had to be stricter so everyone could learn. You didn’t care much about how he taught, but you hated when he made you guys do presentations without warning and would pair you with other students you didn’t get along with. He did a bad thing pairing you up with Taehyung because you two couldn’t stop bickering in class, which resulted in him never pairing you two again.

You just couldn’t understand why now, when you didn’t associate with him, he had to be everywhere you turned. Everywhere. You hated it and you hated him.

It wasn’t long before you headed home, reading the book assigned to you by Mr. Kim. You found it a bit boring, but you knew you would eventually come to a good part that would leave you a bit starstruck at the plot. You continued reading.

“I’m surprised you’re not out there making boys cry.”

You snickered out of amusement at your mother’s words. You glanced at your phone. “I’ll got outside in a bit. It’s barely 5 in the afternoon.”

Your mom shook her head at your words before going through her phone, answering emails. You two heard the door opening and then did Hanni come towards you two, kissing your mom on the cheek as a greeting.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, Han,” your mom greeted, feeling happy at knowing that her two daughters were now home. You sighed and eyed your sister’s rather happy expression.

“Where have you been?” You softly asked, arching an eyebrow. Hanni glared at you because of that, cursing you in her head.

“Nowhere,” she easily lied.

“I don’t know why you hang out with Taehyung when he’s clearly targeting you because you’re naive,” you stated, crossing your arms over your chest since you knew full well as to what he was doing.

“Taehyung? Who is that?” Your mom now asked, interested in the conversation between you two.

“It’s just some boy, Mom,” Hanni groaned, knowing at the lecture that was coming ahead. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It’s not big deal until he’s asking you to sleep with him,” your mom placed her hands on either side of Hanni’s arms, making her sit on the couch. “We have talked about this. Number one, no dating till you graduate both high school and college. Number two, no dating until you get your degrees.”

“Yeah, but that’s an unfair rule, Mom,” Hanni whined, groaning as she slumped on the couch beside you. “It’s not fair for me.”

“Yeah, well, you know what’s unfair?” Your mom questioned, sitting in the chair beside the couch you two were sitting on. “I delivered twin babies to a 16-year-old girl. I don’t shame teen pregnancy nor do I encourage it, but the poor girl had no support from neither of her parents. A child was with children and the poor girl didn’t know what to do. That’s unfair. I’m giving you two the chance to get your degree all while I’m supporting you financially.”

“Yeah, and we appreciate what you’re doing,” Hanni said, “but we both need to experience things out there that doesn’t involve you freaking out because you’re scared we’re going to get pregnant. We’re both smart enough not to do that. But, I’m the only girl in school that is not dating or seeing anyone.”

“No, you’re not,” your mom waved her worries off. “Your sister doesn’t date.”

“And I don’t intend to,” you shrugged her words off. “And it’s not true about you being the only girl. There are so many people that haven’t been asked out or dated anyone.”

“And why is that?”

“All the guys at school are missing braincells that prevent them from understanding girl’s feelings or human beings in general,” you started to rant, “or, or, they are such assholes that think they can get anyone but actually can’t.”

“Who even are you?” Hanni turned to look at you, frowning as she processed your words. “At this point, you were found under a bridge.”

“It’s better than thinking that everything is about me,” you retorted back, a scoff escaping your lips. Your mom cleared her throat to stop you two from arguing any further, and you two eyed the way she lit up with an idea.

“Here’s how we can resolve this issue,” she started, glancing between the two of you. “We’re dropping the old rule and we’re creating a new one. New rule, Hanni, you can date,” your sister lit up next, “when,” her mood dropped at the word as your mom gestured to you, “she does.”

You snorted at the words and the way your mom seemed impressed at herself for coming up with that rule. Hanni didn’t seem to like that idea, but you didn’t really care as you started to walk towards your room.

“She’s never going to date!” Hanni exclaimed.

“Good, then you can stay single,” your mom smiled sarcastically at her youngest daughter as you now minded your business, closing your bedroom door behind you. After all, you didn’t want to deal with Hanni’s arguing.

The day after the next, you were at school, eating lunch with Nali at the cafeteria your uni had. You two sat by a table with other students, but you couldn’t help but feel curious once you saw that someone you knew went to go talk to Taehyung who was sitting on a separate table away from everyone.

“We need to talk.”

“Jimin, we haven’t talked in so long, and I still don’t want to,” Taehyung told his old friend, not daring to look at him. He was too entranced on the dating app he was going through, swiping left and right. “What do you want?”

“We need to talk money wise,” Jimin shrugged and Taehyung gave him a confused look.

“I’m sorry but don’t you have money?” He questioned, remembering full well how Jimin had his own mansion not so far from the school, having inherited it from his grandfather.

“This is not about me,” Jimin placed a hand on his chest. “This is about you and I know you will most likely agree to what I have to say so just give me a chance to do so.”

Taehyung hummed. “Talk then.”

“You want Hanni, right?” Jimin questioned, playing with the cards Taehyung had discarded next to his hands. “Well, I just found out that Hanni can’t date until Y/n does, but no one wants to go out with her, right?”

“Yeah, I agree. What does that have to do with anything?”

“I think you need to find someone suitable for Y/n so you can be able to get the girl of your dreams,” Jimin continued, twisting his rings around his fingers. “Hire a guy. Hire a guy who knows girls very well.”

Jimin gestured towards the table Jungkook sat by, a girl on his lap while other girls talked go him. Thankfully, you were farther from him so you didn’t get to see the type of guy he actually was (you knew, though).

“Jeon Jungkook?” Taehyung questioned. “I heard he got multiple girls pregnant.”

“Hey, that’s what they all say, though, right?” Jimin nudged him, raising his brows to display he was obviously serious about everything else. “Clearly, though, he’s the guy you need.”

“What’s in it for you?” Taehyung asked.

“You let me host the party this year all while I set up a room for you and whoever you want to bring,” Jimin shrugged as if it was nothing and Taehyung curtly hummed, clearing his throat.

“I’ll think about it and I’ll let you know what I decide.”

Jimin nodded and walked away, heading towards his own table where Yujun, his younger brother and the guy in love with Hanni, patiently waited.

“Don’t get him involved,” Yujun hissed out, glaring at Taehyung’s side profile.

“Calm down, Yujun,” Jimin raised a hand, grabbing a fry he needed to desperately eat. “We let Taehyung pretend he’s the one in charge of all of this so while he’s doing all the work, you’re getting closer to Hanni.”

The youngest hummed.

“Hyung, I never underestimated you,” he commented, giving his brother a thumbs up before walking away with his drink, leaving his brother alone.

And Jimin watched with satisfaction as Taehyung texted him not even a day later with news he agreed on the plan. He and Yujun patiently watched as he ran towards Jungkook who was just finished making out with a girl on his lap.

“Hey,” Taehyung greeted, eyeing the tattooed guy. “How you doing?” Jungkook didn’t answer. “Um, I saw an amazing documentary about babies?”

“What?” Jungkook asked with a baffled expression. “What are you talking about?”

“Um, nothing,” Taehyung shook his head before sitting down next to him on the chair. He gestured towards you talking with Nali. “See the one reading?”

Jungkook nodded confusedly. “Yeah?”

“That’s Kim Y/n,” Taehyung continued on. “I want you to go out with her.”

Jungkook immediately laughed, not taking him serious until he realized that the handsome man was in fact not laughing. “Really?”

“Look, there’s this whole thing about me dating her sister and—”

“Whatever touching story you’re about to say,” Jungkook breathed out, “I don’t care. It’s none of my business.”

“I’m going to pay you.”

Jungkook was chuckling at this point. Was this really real? Or was he dreaming? Because not so long ago his lips were on another person’s own. He couldn’t even think about taking some girl out and actually being with her

“You’re going to pay me to take out someone I do not have a single clue about?” He mused out and Taehyung hummed childishly. “Hmm, how much?”

“$100,” Taehyung said. “I can give you more if you want.”

The two of them, though, heard a groan and they turned to look your way where a guy was holding onto his stomach, your eyes glaring through his head. Your best friend next to you was simply laughing, dramatically clapping at what you did.

“Hmm…” Jungkook hummed, frowning at the sight and Taehyung winced, sighing.

“Fine, $150,” he recanted his statement, having felt bad for the guy since—if he agreed—he will be dealing with you.

“Don’t I have to take her on dates?” Jungkook suggested, coughing a little as he sat up straight and Taehyung eyed his tattooed arm, noticing that he flexed his arm on purpose. “Shouldn’t it be more?”

“Take it or leave it, Jeon.”

Jungkook lightly groaned. “Fine. Give me the money.”

“First we need to see your performance,” Taehyung said, moving aside to let Jungkook pass through. He sighed and walked forward, heading your way while he ignored some of the girls he had hooked up with. He saw your raven-haired friend stand up to go throw her trash away and he took it as his perfect opportunity once he saw you stand up.

“Hey.”

You looked up at the source of sound and frowned as you saw someone you don’t talk to but knew of. “Hi?”

“How are you doing?” He sheepishly smiled, leaning against the table. You looked around, almost as if looking for some explanation and shrugged.

“Sweating like I just ran a thousand miles, this heat is not it,” you honestly responded, ignoring the way your body felt warm under his gaze. But you were pretty sure it was from the heat.

You heard him let out a quiet snort. “Way to make an impression,” he teased. But you looked at him through hooded eyes, still confused as to why he was talking to you. You looked over your shoulder and saw Nali frozen in her spot as she eyed you talking to a guy.

“Well, I definitely made a good impression if you’re talking to me,” you gave him a fake smile, one that you hoped he noticed so he could take a hint you didn’t want to talk to him.

Jungkook slightly chuckled at your words, walking along with you as you walked. “I’ll pick you up Friday, then?”

“Oh, yeah, me, going out on a Friday,” you sarcastically commented, shaking your head as your chest moved up and down from the fact you found it funny being seen out on a Friday since it was your lazy day.

“Or, you know,” Jungkook looked at the floor, hands in his pockets, “I can show you special places you’ve never seen and been in.”

“Oh, like how you show every other girl you hook up with?” You gave him a pointed look and he stayed quiet at the call out. No one said that to his face, just behind his back. “Listen, Jeon, you’re not gonna get inside my pants. Give up, okay?”

“Mmm, I don’t think so, pretty, and don’t believe everything you hear. I have no intentions on sleeping with you.”

“Alright, what’s my name then?” You crossed your arms as you now stood closer to him, shoes bumping against each other.

“I know a lot more than you think I do,” he smirked, leaning his face slightly closer to yours. You stood in your place, not wavering and huffed.

“Give up. Do not try to talk to me again.”

You walked away and left him behind you, ignoring the way you could still feel his gaze on the back of your head. Nali spared him a look and he waved at her, turning around to leave himself.

“Now, why was Jeon Jungkook talking to you?” She asked.

“I don’t know and I don’t want to know.”

It was still questionable as to why he chose to talk to you out of every other girl he knew. The frustration of not knowing caused you to get into some petty argument with Hanni and in your defense, she was being such a bitch at aiming her attacks at your mom because your dad left. You berated her for such thinking but you knew despite anything you shared or stated, she and your mom would turn on you.

Because of the new changes in your life, you started getting stressed. It wasn’t a good idea, but you decided to get rid of that feeling by buying books you have heard about and wanted to give it a read.

“Interesting car.”

You didn’t even have to look up from the book you were inspecting to know that it was Jungkook.

“Are you following me?” You asked, raising an eyebrow before going back to reading the plot of the book. He gestured towards the supermarket across the book store and then gestured towards some nearby apartments.

“No, I was in the store and when I was heading home, I saw you,” he responded, raising the bag in his hand to show you he was speaking the truth. You nodded and he leaned against your car, taking note of your cute outfit. “You look pretty.”

“Do I not do so every day?” He could hear the slight teasing tone in your voice. When you looked at him, he couldn’t help but swipe his tongue over his lips, slightly starting to nibble on them. He eyed your glossy lips and God did they look so soft.

“You’re not attracted to me, are you?” He asked and you almost laughed in his face.

“No, why should I?” You shrugged, making him move aside so you could put your things inside. You eyed the building and then at him. “Do you want a little ride…?”

He gasped dramatically and placed his hand on his chest. “Little ol’ me?”

You rolled your eyes. “Never mind and to think I wanted to be a bit nice to you.”

“I’m kidding, dummy,” he said, throwing you a grin. “Thank you for offering. I’m sure it was so, so hard for you.”

“Shut u—Wait!” He automatically froze at your sudden outburst and your hands were hovering in front of you, preventing him from walking. “Geez, you almost stepped on a roly-poly.”

Jungkook was pretty much left speechless at the sudden act of yours, watching your crouched figure with wide eyes. He didn’t think he’d be able to see this soft side of yours for animals rather quickly. He assumed it would take a while to bring down that hard exterior.

“How did you even notice that?” He asked him and you could only sigh rather loudly at his words. “I’m sorry for almost stepping on it.”

“You better,” you said, standing up and gesturing for him to get inside. “Come on. Let’s go.”

Jungkook headed inside and as soon as you were heading inside, too, a car parked right next to yours. You turned to look since they were close to hitting you and groaned at coming to see Taehyung.

“What the hell?” You cursed, turning to face him. “You almost hit me, you shitface.”

“Good.”

Taehyung got out of his car and went around, coming face to face with you. He was smug and you were glaring at him like you normally do.

“Leave me the fuck alone, Taehyung,” you spat out, opening your car door but he shook his head, finding your reaction funny.

“No, I’m okay,” he chuckled before turning to look at Jungkook who pretended not to notice him. “So, you’re becoming Jeon’s new toy, huh?”

“Yeah, Taehyung, totally,” you put a foot inside, ignoring him at this point since you knew you would just get angry at every nonsense he spewed.

“Good, maybe he can do something about that uptight personal—”

He didn’t get a word out before you punched him in the stomach, taking away his breath—literally. He groaned, leaning down to clutch onto his stomach, and you shook your head, getting inside the car. You started the car and ignored Jungkook simply laughing a little.

“We never talk about this.”

And he indeed did talk about it. But not with girls or anyone but rather with Jimin and Yujun, who immediately went out of their way to help him… considering they’re the ones who planned everything.

“We can help you out,” Yujun firmly stated, though the hard exterior he tried to show diminished once Jungkook gave him one simple look.

“Why should I receive your help?” Jungkook asked, sketching out the painting his art teacher assigned.

“Well, my brother here,” Jimin leaned, patting his younger brother’s chest, “is in love with her sister, Hanni.”

“Is everyone in love with her or something?” Jungkook scoffed, letting out a laugh. “It’s crazy as to how far you’re going for this chick.”

“Unlike Taehyung, Yujun is actually in love with Hanni,” Jimin continued, ignoring the way his brother tried adding some commentary. “Taehyung just wants to sleep with her.”

“I don’t care,” Jungkook breathed out, hearing the two follow him as he moved away to grab more utensils. “Look, I’m in it for the cash. I don’t entirely care who Taehyung fucks.”

“As if,” Yujun retorted sarcastically, hating the picture Jungkook basically depicted.

“Jungkook, we set up the whole entire thing so Yujun can get Hanni,” Jimin explained. “Taehyung is just a side character in all of this, we just made him think he has the upper hand.”

“You two actually created the plan?” Jungkook raised an eyebrow, stopping in his tracks as he stared at the two in shock. The siblings nodded enthusiastically and Jungkook let out his usual snort. “As long as you two help me with her. She hates my guts.”

“We will, we will,” Jimin nodded, sticking out his hand to grip Jungkook’s. Although, he simply grabbed it and Jungkook gripped it rather tightly until he winced in pain. “We’ll do the research and we’ll just found out what she likes so you have an idea on what you can do to win her. We’re basically your computer guys.”

“Don’t make us hack into things please,” Yujun softly pleaded, gulping nervously and Jungkook simply threw him a confused look.

“We have a perfect place where you can take her,” Jimin immediately piped in, showing Jungkook the story of the Instagram account that planned parties. “Jung Mihi is having a party. You can take her there. It will be perfect.”

“For?”

“For you to actually go out with her?” Jimin frowned, wondering if it was not obvious as to what he was hinting. He flicked Jungkook’s forehead out of bravery. “Get your head in the game, Jeon. This is serious.”

“I’m paying attention, oh, my God.”

“You need to take her to this.”

“Alright, alright, I will. Now leave me alone until you give me something useful.”

“Do we have to be here?”

Yujun was glancing around the small house party with a disgusted look, Jimin leading him towards where he heard Jungkook was by.

“He’s here!” Jimin yelled at his little brother over his shoulder, who simply groaned but still followed after him.

People greeted Jimin here and there but Yujun was too focused on just talking to Jungkook and getting out of there. After all, he was too eager to make sure he was studying for the language Hanni needed help in.

“He’s over there,” someone gestured towards a couple making out and Yujun spotted the inked arm. Yeah, this was a bad idea. He wouldn’t be too surprised if you denied the idea of dating him because he slept with half of the girls from uni.

“Thanks, man,” Jimin patted the guy on the back and he and Yujun walked towards Jungkook who had a girl on his lap, heads moving side to side to keep up with one another.

Yujun cleared his throat and Jungkook simply held a finger up, signaling the two to wait. But Jimin tapped the girl on the shoulder and then did that make her stop.

“What?” She snapped. Jimin simply gave her a sarcastic smile, his thumb being thrown over his shoulder to gesture his next words.

“Leave,” she raised an eyebrow, “or else I will literally shave your hair right now, I am not kidding.” She seemed to take his threat to heart because Jungkook started glaring at him when the girl stood up. He continued keeping his stare on Jimin while the girl left towards where Jimin was previously gesturing. “Yeah, walk away. Walk away.”

Jungkook sighed and stood up, heading towards the kitchen. He ignored the brothers because he knew why they were there. After all, they wouldn’t stop leaving him alone and followed him everywhere to remind him of the plan that they had created.

“What do you got?” He questioned them as they indeed followed him. He turned around to face them, placing the brim of the cup on his lips to savor the taste of the drink. Yujun lightly gulped at the way he was so cool and stoic.

“Well, he got insight into a very cool girl who is definitely way out of your league,” Jimin simply shrugged as if the words he just said were definitely not going to get him punched. Jungkook could only snort at the bluntness, though. “Also, should you be drinking when you have someone at home?”

“What?” Jungkook gave him a confused expression, brows furrowed. Jimin simply waved him off, shaking his head.

“Nothing, nothing.”

Yujun gave his older brother a look before he, too, shook his head, taking out his phone to look at the notes he had written down. “Alright, well first,” Yujun grabbed Jungkook’s cigarette out of his hand, “Y/n hates smokers.”

“So, you’re telling me I’m a non-smoker?” He questioned and the two nodded. He hummed and continued drinking. “That’s fine.”

Jimin nodded. “Just for now.”

“And here’s another problem,” Yujun started, glancing at his older brother before looking at Jungkook, his fingers slightly shaking. “Hanni said that Y/n likes pretty guys.”

There was a moment of silence and Jungkook jerked his head to look towards him, a perplexed look on his face. He looked at Jimin, almost as if he was making sure he heard the youngest right.

“Are you telling me I’m not a pretty guy?” He asked, a bit hurt by the choice of words.

“You’re very pretty!” Jimin nervously chuckled because although Jungkook was two years younger than him, he knew that the boy boxed almost everyday in the gym close to his house. “This is a gorgeous guy.”

“Yeah, I just—” Yujun immediately spluttered out words defending himself. “I just wasn’t sure. I didn’t know.”

Jungkook squinted his eyes, drinking from the cup he had in his hand. “Continue.”

“Alright,” Yujun rapidly nodded, wanting to get out of the situation. “Here’s this.” He then took out a piece of paper. “She likes milkshakes and hot dogs, feminist prose and angry girl music of the indie rock persuasion—I don’t know what that means—and here’s a list of vinyl records she has in her room.”

Jungkook sniffed and got the paper handed to him, eyeing the words written down. “You know… you have a phone. You could’ve taken pictures or searched up their music.”

“Well, that’s your job now!” Yujun grinned, sending him a thumbs up.

“Is that all she likes?” Jungkook asked, frowning confusedly. “She doesn’t like more?”

“She likes going to concerts,” Jimin replied, glancing at the paper. “She’s going to Moon 7 tomorrow night, her favorite band is playing there.”

“I can’t be seen at Moon 7, alright?” Jungkook curtly chuckled nervously, shaking his head. “I’ve slept with half of the girls there and they’re all pretty mad at me for sleeping around.”

“But y/n will be there,” Yujun urged. “She’s got tickets.”

“Ignore your girl issues and actually hang out with a girl who doesn’t want to have sex with you, you jerk,” Jimin raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. Though, his shoulders slumped when Jungkook gave him a deadpan look.

“Fine, fine!” Jungkook groaned. “I’ll fucking go tomorrow. But if anything happens, I’m coming to your house and placing a pillow over your head until you die.”

Jimin stared at his brother, gulping at the threat. Jungkook left but Jimin was nervously laughing, calling out to him, “You’re not going to actually do that, right?”

Jungkook simply waved because now he has to find a way to get into the club. It was a prestigious club so for you to get tickets, it would’ve cost a fortune. But he sighed, he needed to get inside and he thought back on his flings, remembering someone who had access to that.

It didn’t take Jungkook long to go through his contacts to find the number he was looking for. He called and was a a bit shaken up when he immediately got yelled at by the woman over the phone.

“Now you call me?” She yelled and he sighed, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been waiting for a stupid call of yours after you left me.”

“I told you it was a no strings attached,” he said as if it was the most obvious thing and it was, because one thing about Jungkook is he never gets attached to any girl. “Anyway, I need a favor.”

“No.”

“Come on,” he whined childishly. “This is urgent.”

“Why should I?”

“Ugh, I fell for this girl and I want to go inside Moon 7 to see her because I’m trying to impress her,” Jungkook half lied through his gritted teeth. The girl on the other end stayed quiet and she groaned after a few seconds.

“I wanted to say no but it’s cute,” she breathed out and Jungkook crossed his fingers, hoping she would agree. “Fine. I’ll get you on the list but after this, erase my number.”

“Got it.”

And that’s how Jungkook ended up in a club filled with girls. He eyed the banner on the side of the entrance, reading it in his head; Girls Night with free food, drinks, and music. He sighed and hoped there would be at least some partners that were men or identified as such, knowing that if he was alone there, either he would get teased or the women he slept with would secretly kill him.

He passed by the long, narrow hallway leading to the place where music was bouncing off the walls, shaking the floor. He could see a couple of girls surprised to see him there but other than that, no other girl noticed his presence—he was thankful for that.

He walked inside even more and he looked around, trying to find you among the crowd of people dancing to the music being played. He almost gave up but he quickly found you with the friend you were always with, slightly swaying to the band before banging your head up and down rather dramatically. He knew you were playing around by the fact you started laughing after your actions and he found himself smiling, too, at seeing the way you looked much more free and having the time of your life.

“Hmm, pretty,” he mumbled to himself.

He chuckled one more time before he looked around and walked towards the side bar, making sure the girls he had hooked up with a couple of months ago were nowhere to be found. He sighed in relief once he couldn’t find the familiar faces and smiled when he saw the worker there.

“What are you doing here?”

“Come on, hyung, just start with saying you missed me,” Jungkook grinned, making sure to give him a side hug as best as he could. “I didn’t know you still worked here.”

“Well, judging from the fact that half of the workers here quit, I have finally found peace,” Yoongi stated and Jungkook felt even more relaxed at his words. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know,” he cleared his throat, looking around, “hanging around.”

“Yeah, right,” Yoongi scoffed, serving him a drink Jungkook usually got. “Which girl?” Jungkook raised his eyebrows in question. “Which girl is in your radar?”

The tattooed man briefly gestured your way with his chin, drinking. “Just… someone.”

“Well, she must be special if you came back to this club after you slept with half the workers and they all threatened to cut your dick off if you ever showed your face,” Yoongi lightly chuckled, clearly finding the previous situation amusing. Jungkook sarcastically laughed along, rolling his eyes.

“Be quiet, get back to working.”

Yoongi did so but he couldn’t walk off further when he heard a girl yelling over the music.

“Two waters please,” she said and Yoongi nodded, quickly passing them to her and taking the money she gave him. Though, he knew it was the girl Jungkook was referring to since she was giving him a look.

“I didn’t perceive you as the stalking type,” you teased him, voice raising a bit so he could hear you. He hid his smile behind the cup in his hand.

“I’m not,” a small smirk was on his lips as he looked at you, eyes dropping to eye the outfit you wore. “Now, shoo! Your doubt is ruining this for me.”

You couldn’t help but snicker at his words. But you also couldn’t help but notice something else. “You’re not smoking like you usually do.”

“I quit,” he looked at you under his lashes, shrugging as if his words were nothing. “I had to, they’re bad for you.”

“Yeah, you think?” You tilted your head to the side and he huffed, a smile still on his lips. Silence consumed you both but he remembered he needed to woo you so he continued the conversation.

“They aren’t bad!” He commented about the music playing, turning around in his seat and leaving you behind to process his words. You chased after him, confused.

“I did not perceive you as the type to listen to this type of music,” you honestly said, staring up at him. You two watched the crowd and the band playing and he hid the satisfaction at knowing that he caught your attention.

He continued drinking from his cup, ignoring your statement and continued to watch. “I was watching you in the crowd. I’ve never seen you look so beautiful.”

His words were heard by the crowd of girls that surrounded you both, the song having ended at the same time as he was saying his compliments. You giggled at the reactions he received—the girls laughed and some awed—and he coughed to cover his light embarrassment.

He smiled at seeing the way you grinned at his words.

“Come to the party with me,” he leaned down to say, making sure this time that his words were now heard between the two of you.

“You never give up, do you?” You questioned, a fond look on your face as you turned to look at Nali who called out for you.

“I can’t help it when you look at me with those pretty eyes,” he shrugged, a smirk still spread on his lips. He looked at the stage at hearing the music playing again and he had to lean even closer to make sure you were heard. “So, yes?”

“Here,” you passed him your phone. “Write down your number.” He smiled and took it, typing it down. He called it and you took your phone away from his grasp at seeing he didn’t lie. “Send me a convincing paragraph and we’ll see.”

You threw him a smile over your shoulder, walking away. You could feel his stare and his voice was heard. “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

“Nope!”

“Okay, I’ll see you Friday!”

That night, you received a message. Just one simple message in the middle of the night as soon as you were going to head to sleep.

xxx-xxx-xxxx: I know you like to read, tell me any name of a book and I’ll buy it for you and I’ll listen to your explanations as soon as you’re finished. I’d rather spend a day listening to your pretty voice and hearing you rant about certain characters or plot. I’ll be waiting 🩵

“Should’ve used the window.”

You frowned as you heard your mom in the living room, standing up from your comfortable position on the beanbag in your room. You headed towards the voices and saw that Hanni and her friend, Yoona, were dressed up, staring at your mother rather guiltily.

“Hi, Mom,” Hanni smiled innocently, though she was shifting from one foot to another.

“Where are you going?” Your mom asked, folding her arms over her chest, staring down at your sister who cleared her throat.

“A, uh, small study group of friends,” Hanni lied through her teeth, gulping down the nerves that were clearly showing.

“It might as well be you going to an orgy if you’re trying to hide,” your mom raised an eyebrow, squinting her eyes as she looked between the two. “I would’ve let you go if you just told me.”

“It’s just a party,” Hanni breathed out.

“Yeah, exactly, a party,” your mom punched the bridge of her nose before turning to look at you. “You know anything about a party?”

You shrugged, not wanting to say “yes” because you knew that you’d have to give your younger sister a ride if it came to it. You turned around to walk away in order to continue to read, wanting to take the last few minutes to yourself, before Jungkook, came to read the interesting part of the book you were coming across.

“I’m supposed to show up,” Hanni continued to argue, irritating you to an extreme since you didn’t like how she spoke to your mom sometimes and got away with it. “My friends expect me to be there.”

“If your sister’s not going, you’re not going,” your mom fought back, ignoring Hanni splutter out disagreements at her words. Your mom stopped, though, once Hanni targeted you next. You simply gave your sister a deadpan expression.

“Why can’t you be a normal person for once and go out?” Hanni exclaimed, trying to get you to go so she can go, not knowing that you were going to the party already. Just not with her.

“There’s literally no reason for you to get close to my face,” you glared at her, hovering a hand in front of her face, “or to yell at me and mom. It’s just a stupid party, you can miss one, it’s not the end of the world.”

“For you it might not be, but for me it is,” Hanni snapped back, shaking her head before turning to look at Yoona who looked uncomfortable being there. Your sister sighed and dragged you away. “Just… I’m sorry, okay? But can you please go, just for one night. Please. I just want to be able to experience first time things without Mom being worried.”

“I never said I wasn’t not going,” you chuckled at your sister’s words, her hand dropping from your arm. “You got on my face before I could say anything.”

“Oh, God,” your mom shakily let out, staring at her two daughters with shock. “It’s starting.”

“Mom, I love you, but you’re talking to girls who are in college,” you said, finding humor in how she reacted. “I’ll take care of her, okay?”

“You’re wearing the belly, though,” your mom pointed at Hanni whose excited expression morphed into one of horror as she had heard from you about the ‘belly’. Yoona gasped dramatically and you made a face, looking away as you put on your shoes.

“Mom, please don’t,” Hanni started to beg, anxiety consuming her body as your mom went to reach for the fake pregnancy belly. You had gone through it at the age of 16 and never again did you want to do the things you wanted to do if it meant wearing that. “This is way too much.”

“I don’t want my daughters to have children at this age because of this stupid party,” your mom shook her head as your head jerked towards the door after hearing knocks.

You reached forward to open the door and there Jungkook stood with a black jacket on, a white, tight t-shirt tucked into this black pants that showcased his waist—you tried not to notice the tattoos on his arm that were see through when he was fixing the jacket—and his combat boots that added more to his height.

“Hey,” he smiled at you, his lip ring glistening under the porch light.

“Hi,” you smiled back before wincing at hearing your mom and sister continuing to bicker behind you based on your mom’s actions.

“Mom, this is not necessary,” Hanni nervously chuckled, feeling the weight of the fake belly being placed on her. She placed a hand on her hip, shaking her head.

You glanced over your shoulder and cowered in embarrassment. You cleared your throat, trying your hardest to hide the sight of your now fake pregnant sister. Though, Jungkook’s towering figure saw her over your head, and he breathlessly chuckled.

“Is your sister knocked up or…?” Jungkook questioned, frowning confusedly. You snorted and Hanni turned to look at him.

“I’m not,” she cleared it up but she was more in disbelief that Jeon Jungkook was standing on the front porch of her house, talking to her sister. “What are you doing here?”

“Your sister’s coming with me,” he simply said, shrugging his shoulders. You gave him a smile before turning to look at your mom.

“Every time you even think about kissing a boy,” your mom started again, getting closer to your sister and fixing the belly, “I want you to think back to this, okay?”

“Mom, leave her alone, she doesn’t need to wear that,” you sighed, defending your sister. Your mom looked your way before she noticed the figure next to you. “And we are leaving.”

“I can say hi to your mom,” Jungkook said and your mom hummed in agreement, softly pushing you to the side. Jungkook grabbed you by the waist and brought you closer to his side before letting go. But, he did grab your hand to make you stay put. “Hi, Ms. Kim.”

“Hi,” your mom slightly squinted her eyes to kind of intimidate him. “Who are you?”

“He’s a friend mom,” you said and she waved you off, shaking his hand.

“What’s your name?” She asked again.

“Jungkook,” he smiled a little and your mom hummed yet again. Hanni, who took off the belly after a minute, and Yoona headed towards you three. “Uh, I have my car if you guys want to get inside already.”

“We’ll take my car,” you told him, raising your keys. “I’m not drinking so you can drink and I can give you a ride if you do drink.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jungkook waved you off. He turned to look at your mom. “I’ll drop them off safe and sound. I know you just met me but I don’t want to leave them behind.”

“Hmm, as long as you all come back in one piece, please,” your mom looked at you and your sister and you nodded. “Okay, then. Have fun and Jungkook,” he received a small smile, “come over for dinner soon. I’ll like to get to know you better.”

“Of course,” Jungkook nodded. He smiled one more time and then did you four walked towards the car. Jungkook didn’t let you drive your own car so you and him bickered for a bit before you let him drive it, not wanting to give him the keys. He took them from you and Hanni and Yoona just watched you two, confused as to when you two started talking.

“So,” Hanni started as soon as Jungkook drove off, “you two are friends?”

The two of you glanced at one another and hummed simultaneously, not wanting to give away too much. After all, your sister was known to have a mouth on her so if she knew that Jungkook wanted to basically take you out, every girl he hooked up with would come for your throat. You have heard from them that he didn’t like committing to people and they didn’t like hearing that from him. So, to say you were afraid and anxious was an understatement.

When you got to the party, you immediately went to go look for a place you can hide because although you agreed to come, you never said “yes” to actually partying. You were way too tired to enjoy the music and dance with everyone else. You couldn’t even tried to hide because Jungkook was right behind you.

“Jungkook, kiss me!”

A girl immediately latched herself on Jungkook and you rolled your eyes. Maybe you did make a mistake in giving him a chance. You walked even further and heard him chuckle.

“You’re way too drunk, maybe you should go home already,” he said, making sure the girl was okay. He led her to a chair where she automatically placed her head on a drawer nearby, eyes closing as she muttered incoherent words. Jungkook still followed behind you.

A few minutes passed and girls after girls tried kissing Jungkook. He just laughed and passed girls to their girlfriends nearby, chasing after you. Of course, the girls he hooked up with were confused because at this point he would be kissing—making out—with someone in a room, bathroom, or on the corner of the room. Here he was, though, chasing after a girl who didn’t even spare him a look. Then, he lost you after one final girl put up a fight after he tried getting her off of him.

You walked through a crowd of people and found yourself looking around to make sure you weren’t going to head in the same direction again.

“Nice to see you’re out of your cave,” you sighed as you heard Taehyung’s voice next to you, cursing yourself for not remembering he was going to show up, of course. “You look good.”

“Leave me alone, Taehyung,” you groaned, rolling your eyes as he appeared in front of you. “Focus more on the obvious booger coming out of your nose right now.”

You walked away as he placed his hand on his nose self-consciously, though he chased after you almost immediately.

“Where are you going?” He asked, hand gripping your arm. You wished Jungkook was now close to you. You’ve heard that he once beat the shit out of someone who started a fight with him and you’d like to see that happen at this moment.

“Away, your bad breath is giving me a headache,” you retorted, moving to one side and another since Taehyung followed your movements.

“Where’s Hanni?” You immediately turned to look at him, eyes burning themselves in that smug face of his.

“Stay away from my sister, you creep,” you spat out, continuing to glare at him.

“Believe me, I can stay away from her,” he raised his hands up in mock surrender, a smirk tilting on his lips, “but, we both know she can’t stay away from me.”

“Shut the fuck up, Kim,” you scoffed, hands being formed into fists as you were so close to punching him. But, before you could do so, a group of people started running near you two, glass breaking and huge thuds being heard. At hearing that there was a fight, Taehyung followed shortly after.

You looked around the mansion in curiosity at this point. There was too much to look at and there were objects you wanted to touch but knew you shouldn’t. You had a home, a nice one, but this house was on another level.

You were about to head outside when a voice called you over.

“I guess she couldn’t stay away from me,” you shook your head as you eyed your sister. She was happy just being by his side that told everyone she was with him.

You knew you couldn’t stop her even if you wanted. She would just shake you off like she usually did so you watched with anger as Taehyung pulled your sister away.

“You want me to beat the shit out of him?” You glanced over your shoulder and shrugged sadly, a sigh escaping your lips again. Jungkook stood not so far, hands in the pockets of his jacket, hair disheveled, and lips pink from biting them so much. “Come on, let’s go. I found a cute swing outside.”

“Let’s go.”

Jungkook grabbed your hand and your fingers intertwined almost immediately. His large and intimidating figure pushed through everyone, making sure you were okay right behind him. He made sure to ignore the girls waving at him because he knew that wouldn’t do a great impression.

He led you away, feeling confident in being able to woo you since Taehyung gave him extra money on being able to take you out to a party, something you haven’t done. But, should he feel such guilt for something he agreed on doing?

“I swear I’m going to get a concussion by the amount of people pushing me very hard,” he heard you grumble. He chuckled and instead led you to be in front of him, hands placed on your hips. He steered you away and pushed guys who bumped into you a bit too hard, and when they would try to see the person who pushed them, they all cowered at meeting his gaze.

You two managed to get outside and you sighed in relief at being able to breathe properly. Before you could continue walking, a boy stopped you two from doing so.

“Can we talk?” He asked, his gaze on Jungkook who glanced at him and then at you.

“Um, I’m a little busy,” he said, but you shook your head.

“Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.”

Jungkook thanked you and he and Yujun walked off not so far from you but far to the point you couldn’t hear what they were saying.

“What?” Jungkook asked, raising his brows.

“The whole thing is off,” Yujun said, clearly exasperated with the situation that occurred not so long ago with Hanni and Taehyung. “I don’t care anymore so you can just… drop her off at home.”

“Dude, we did not go through all of this just for you to back out of it,” Jungkook gave him a look and he glanced your way when a guy sat next to you, his hand sticking out for you to shake it.

“Well, that was before I found out she never wanted me,” Yujun argued, a defeated look on his face as he remembered the times he and Hanni hung out. “She wanted Taehyung and that stupid face of his.”

“Do you love her?” Jungkook simply asked, raising his brows again as he waited for the boy to answer. Yujun nodded. “She’s clearly worth all this trouble you caused so why are you giving up so easily, huh? Just because Taehyung was with her? You can make her fall in love with you by being you. There’s no point in giving up so easily.”

“I thought she was but, Taehyung—”

“You need to stop focusing on Taehyung, Yujun,” Jungkook reassured him, placing a hand while making sure you were safe. “Taehyung is not half the man you are. He wouldn’t have thought about this whole plan so he can get the girl. You did that. Stop letting Taehyung win. Don’t let him make you feel like you don’t deserve what you want, okay? Be yourself.”

Yujun processed his words and before he could utter a word, Jungkook immediately went to your aid when you slapped the guy who was talking to you.

“What a fucking creep you are,” you shook your head, glaring at the man who held his cheek. Jungkook looked at you. “He groped me.”

Now it was Jungkook’s turn to glare at the man who already looked scared staring at you. The man now shrunk in fear once he met Jungkook’s eyes.

“Sorry, man, I didn’t know she was your girl,” the man stuttered out as best as he could, gulping down his nerves that Jungkook saw through.

“Do that shit again, I dare you,” Jungkook calmly said, scaring him even more. The man shook his head. “Touch her, again, and I will beat the fuck out of you. Do not start.” The man ran away in fear and you angrily sighed, walking away.

The tattooed man followed after and he guided you towards the swings on top of a little hill. You two walked and he helped you when you almost fell—you burst out into little giggles at the fact you were so close to embarrassing yourself—going up.

You two sat down on the swings and enjoyed the silence, legs moving up and down to create a stable movement. The music from inside was barely heard outside, so you two enjoyed the comfortable silence that consumed you two.

“Why do you let Taehyung get to you?”

You looked at Jungkook as soon as those words escaped his lips and shrugged, hands holding onto the rope on each side of you, slightly moving.

“Taehyung has that affect after you know the type of person he is,” you replied, sniffing as you looked away from his face.

“What type of person is he?”

“The narcissistic one,” you answered with a humorous smile tilting at the end of your mouth. “He’s egotistical and completely selfish. He thinks he’s either a victim or the savior.”

“Judging from how you talk about him,” Jungkook started, “I’m guessing you knew him very well.”

“We dated,” you shrugged as if the news were nothing. “But then getting to know him, the real him, opened my eyes in a way. I was always the problem, never him. So, I ignored him. I tried to break it off and he got mad at me, told a couple of his friends I slept with him and shared private moments between us.”

Now Jungkook felt even worse. He should stop all of this before it got way out of hand and before you found out.

“What about you?” Your question broke him out of his own thoughts. “Why did you decide to chase after me?—If you can say that.”

Jungkook smiled at your question and his shoulders went up and down. “I didn’t know about you at first but then, I heard your name once, and then another, and then another, and then another. It was almost like everywhere I turned, your name was being shared between two people or a whole group.”

“Ah, so the rumors spread caught your attention,” you teased, a grin on your face.

Jungkook snorted and shook his head. “No, no. I don’t care about what rumors are spread about you or your sister. It’s none of my business. I did hear, though, that you did hit a guy and gave another guy more than a slap. Did you really break his nose?”

“Oh, my God,” you facepalmed and you could hear Jungkook laugh at your expression. “Shut up. I can neither confirm or deny.”

“Mmm, I think you did beat him up,” Jungkook bumped his shoulder against yours and you smiled, ignoring his words.

You two stayed quiet after a few and he eyed you. He noticed the goosebumps on your arms and he knew full well you were cold. You didn’t shiver or anything, so he just read your body language that showed him he was right.

Taking off his jacket, he placed it over your shoulders, catching you off-guard. You jumped, startled by the sudden action and looked down at the sleeves.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, your hands going through the sleeves as you couldn’t bare the coldness anymore. “Oh, my God. This thing is huge on me, look!”

You stood up and Jungkook let out a low chuckle as he eyed the way his jacket almost overtook your frame, swallowing you.

“You look cute,” Jungkook complimented, placing the side of his head on the rope of the swing.

“I better,” you playfully retorted back, laughing to yourself as you closed the jacket and opened it almost like you would a blanket.

Jungkook simply watched you with hooded eyes, a smile on his face. He didn’t know you’d be this cute and it’s crazy to him how he could tell the difference between the first time you two met to now. Under that hard exterior you show at first is this silly girl who loved joking around and teasing, and he loved knowing you feel safe enough to show him that side.

“Come on, pretty,” he continued to keep the smile plastered on his face as he watched you. “I’ll take you home, it’s getting late.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

You grabbed his hand and immediately took his away, leading him towards your car. He already had your keys in his back pocket so he grabbed them, opening your car door. But, you didn’t go inside, yet, and instead grabbed your phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“I think you forgot that we came with two other girls,” you snickered at his question, watching a look of realization cross his face. “Hey, Hanni, we’re leaving. Where are you?” You looked over the crowd of people coming out and Jungkook helped you look. “Oh, you’re going with Yujun? I don’t know—”

“He’s the kid that talked to me,” Jungkook cut you off and your mouth made an ‘o’ shape as you remembered.

“Never mind, Jungkook knows him,” you said on the phone. “Well, just be careful, okay? Turn on your location so I can see where you are so I can know you’re safe… Yes, or else Mom is never going to let me go out if she knew I let you go with a boy she doesn’t know about. Then, you can say bye to your social life… Yeah, yeah, okay then. Tell him to drive safe or I’m kicking him in the balls… Yeah, alright, bye.”

Jungkook watched you and you watched your phone as your sister shared her location. You looked up and confusedly smiled when you saw Jungkook staring at you.

“What is it?” You questioned, looking behind you but there was no one there.

“You threatening someone is very hot,” Jungkook breathed out and you playfully rolled your eyes, pushing him away as you got inside the car. He grinned and closed the door, heading towards the driver’s seat.

You two drove to your house and you hummed along to whatever song you knew played on the radio. You two were silent but, whenever there was something interesting, you two would make the other look and talk about it.

“Why don’t you go out a lot?” Jungkook asked after a while, causing your head to snap towards him. You shrugged.

“I was tired of asking my mom and having her become way overprotective. Every time, I had to wear that damn fake belly so she can know I know not to do stupid things, so I just isolated myself.”

Jungkook processed your words as he parked close to your house, shutting the car off.

“You don’t strike me as the type of girl to be asking her mom for permission,” he said, eyes running themselves over you, eyeing the way you twirled with a ring on your finger.

“Now you think you know me?” You arched a brow, but he knew you didn’t mean it in any ill way.

“I’m starting to,” he smiled a little and you did, too.

“It’s crazy to me how you even want to get to know me,” you started, eyeing the way the lamppost above you two flickered. “People are too scared to get to do so.”

“I don’t mind,” Jungkook ran a hand through his hair and you sniffed as you ignored the way he flexed his tattooed arm by looking away again. “I’m not… as innocent either.”

You looked at him and you two looked into the other’s eyes intensely. His gaze went from watching how your eyes fluttered to your mouth, lips slightly glossed as you kept putting a lip oil on them to prevent them from splitting.

He snapped out of the daze you put him in and softly cleared his throat, eyeing the steering wheel. “What’s up with your mom, by the way? Why does she make you wear these bellies?”

“She delivers babies,” you put it in a simple matter. “She got pregnant with me at a young age so she wants us not to go through what she went through. My dad left her heartbroken and that’s why she doesn’t want us to date when we’re studying for our degree. That’s why she wants me to be more like… Hanni because she thinks Hanni is this perfect person who listens to every word she says.”

Jungkook nodded along to your words. “Does she?” You gave him a look and he snorted as he remembered. “Right, she follows Taehyung around.”

“Yep. I don’t want to be somebody I’m not and I’m not Hanni in any way.” You pushed hair away from your face, leaning your head against the head seat.

“Well,” Jungkook started making you turn to look at him, “I know your sister is, like, loved by everyone but, she’s not as cool and funny as you. She especially doesn’t dance like you do.”

You pushed his shoulder, shaking your head with an embarrassed smile started to make its way to your lips. “Shut up.”

“I’m just being honest, Y/n.”

You breathed in and exhaled, his words circling your brain. You stretched your hands out on your thighs, caressing the material of your pants and pursed your lips, giving him a side glance.

“You’re not as jerk-y as I thought you were,” you stated honestly, chewing on your bottom lip as sudden nerves invaded your body. He let out a breathless chuckle and he looked at you when you looked at him.

You could simply admire his features under the lights, watching the way his tongue ran itself over his lips to his lip ring. You looked at him from under your lashes and he let out a curt breath.

“I really want to kiss you,” he muttered, staring at your own lips. “But I-I can’t. I don’t want to.”

“You don’t want to…?” You breathed out, frowning as you repeated his words. He internally cursed himself at his sudden harsh words but he couldn’t. Not right now.

“No, I didn’t mean it in a rude way,” he immediately defended himself. “I just can’t kiss you, Y/n. I don’t want to because I am disgusted by that or anything I just don’t…” He sighed, slumping his shoulders. “Never mind.”

You slowly nodded, ignoring the way his words hurt you. You gulped your feelings down. “Can I have my keys? It’s getting late and I’m feeling tired.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jungkook passed you the keys and you two went outside.

Locking the door behind you two, you waved him off awkwardly before heading inside your house. It felt like the walk of shame and it might as well be that way because of the fact you felt ashamed that the guy who kissed and got with every girl at uni didn’t even want you.

But, you didn’t care right now. You’ll try to sleep it off.

And sleeping it off did not happen.

You didn’t know why his sudden presence and actions were making you overthink. You never cared about anyone’s actions or thoughts about you. You never did so why was he any different?

That is the question that went through your mind even on Monday when you walked into your first class. Nali was by your side helping you understand, but she even felt helpless for not being able to help you properly. Though, she did come to a conclusion on her own that you were developing feelings and you didn’t want to admit that to yourself. Of course, she wouldn’t tell you. You would get scared so she kept her theory—which she knew wasn’t—to herself.

You kept yourself in the library, away from everyone. You were currently reading the pages of the book Mr. Kim assigned, but you couldn’t even read the words without thinking back on what happened two days ago.

You were dozing off, the quietness of your surroundings making you do so. As you drifted off, you felt someone stand by you.

“Um, hey.”

You looked up and came to find Jimin, a popular senior who had been in some of your classes and even helped you once when you had way too many books. He was also the guy Nali was in love with. “Oh, hi. What can I help you with?”

“I actually came here because of someone,” Jimin winced as he heard the words come out of his mouth. He heard you sigh and knew that you knew who it was. “Um, are you guys okay? He seemed down today.”

“He seemed down?” You were taken aback at the revelation and shook your head. “No, no, no. His words hurt and he knows what those words are. So, tell him he has my number and he can text or call me, not bring his friend to talk for him.”

You rolled your eyes, standing up and heading towards the bathroom because you weren’t going to leave the damn library at all.

Jimin snickered as he heard your words and quickly scurried off to tell Jungkook who was not so patiently waiting with Yujun. He was biting his nails and he ignored the girls who wanted to talk to him, his own thoughts being the only thing he needed to worry about

“So, what did she say?” He asked as soon as Jimin stood in the front of the two. He placed his hands on his hips, shaking his head.

“You’re fucked,” he simply stated and Jungkook groaned. “She said that you have her phone number and that you can talk to her instead of sending me to talk to her for you. I told you, didn’t I? And guess what? You didn’t listen to me.”

“Whatever,” Jungkook breathed out, rolling his eyes as he sat on a nearby bench. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

“You can make her something or do something that will show her you’re intensely sorry,” Jimin suggested, shrugging his shoulders as he sat next to the tattooed man, waving at some seniors who waved at him. “Do you sing?”

“I mean, yeah,” Jungkook nodded. Jimin squinted his eyes.

“Sing right now.” Jungkook did so and Jimin hummed in satisfaction, nodding his head. “Okay, then. Make her a song or something. Let her know that you’re genuinely sorry and it’s not just some stupid ass excuse.”

“Alright, alright,” Jungkook groaned, standing up. He glanced at the two and he looked around the campus. “Come on. I know what we can do.”

Shortly after, Jungkook was seen panting, out of breath as he tried looking for you everywhere. He had finished what he had been doing with Jimin and Yujun and 4 hours had passed since Jimin last saw you.

Jungkook knew your schedule by heart at this point since Hanni had given Yujun your schedule who then passed it to him. He was losing it and he was desperate to look for you, already planning what to say to you and give to you.

He received looks from girls he hooked up with as he ran from building to building, eyes running themselves on the faces he was met with, holding onto his phone rather tightly with the thing he wants to show you.

He remembered from Jimin recalling his previous events about you being in the library, but he didn’t think you’d still be in there since Jimin said you had left. Though, he was tired and he wasn’t giving up any time soon, so he jogged towards the library, a place he didn’t go to.

He looked everywhere for you. He checked the first floor, the second, and then he reached the 3rd floor. He eyed the desks by the shelves of books, making sure he wasn’t missing your figure.

He stopped in his footsteps, though, once he saw you reading something so intensely, furiously flipping page after page as you frowned at what you were reading.

Thankfully, because of how into the book you were, you didn’t hear his footsteps nor his panting. He watched you and the way you gasped at some type of event that occurred in the book and he even heard you muttering words to yourself about what you were reading. He smiled, but he remembered he had something to do.

Coming from behind you, he grabbed his headphones and placed them over your ears, watching you jump. You didn’t scream—he considered himself lucky—but he almost did when he felt you hitting him out of self-defense.

“Ow!” He whispered, ignoring the looks you two received from students studying. He gave you a perplexed expression. “Listen to the music instead of hitting me!”

You glared at him before doing so, noticing that he turned it up until you raised a hand to tell him to stop. You didn’t recognize the song at first, but then you recognized the lyrics and the music and then the voice.

“Is this you singing?” You whispered as quietly as you could, knowing that you couldn’t hear yourself. Jungkook nodded and he watched your facial expressions morphed into a happy one to one of disbelief to one of excitement and then back to the happy expression. He continued observing nervously until you took the headphones off, fixing your messy hair. You eyed him. “So, what was that for?”

“I’m sorry for what happened after I dropped you off at your house,” he said almost as if it was difficult for him, and it was. He never apologized. If anything, he was always the one breaking things off with a girl and then dropping her to be with another girl. And here he was, close to losing it. “You didn’t deserve the way I handled things and you didn’t deserve having one of my friend’s come up to you and talk to you for me when I could’ve done that. I’m sorry for the fact I said words that made you misunderstand me when I could’ve been clearer. I’m sorry.”

You looked at his pleading figure and sighed. You gave him one more glance before nodding. “I forgive you. But next time, be clear about what you want instead of actually hurting my feelings.”

He grinned and grabbed your hands in his, his rings causing goosebumps to rise in your arms due to the coldness of them.

“Let’s get out of here, yeah?” He asked and you looked down at your book before turning to look at him with a sad face.

“But, I was getting in the interesting part.”

He chuckled and grabbed a chair, sitting next to you, and he placed the side of his head to rest on his propped up hand.

“Mhm, tell me about it.”

You gave him one last look and he nodded, reassuring you he didn’t mind if you ranted about the book. You did so after making sure he was comfortable and tried your hardest to stay quiet. It was almost impossible since the book had you quite heated, but Jungkook kept his hands still clasped with yours.

“And it pisses me off,” you scoffed.

“Yeah?” He looked at your lips as you licked them, a smile still plastered on his face as he tilts his head to the side, a smirk now replacing the smile. “Tell me more. I’m listening, pretty.”

You didn’t know how you ended up in this position with the perfect guy not so far from you, his eyes closed as he relished in the sound of the waves and the laughter of children.

You were currently with Jungkook, missing your next few classes to be with him on this secluded part of the beach. Thankfully, there had been grass not so far from the sand and water, so you two sat on the grass by a tree.

It was quiet between you two. A comfortable silence. But, you knew he wanted to ask something so you looked at him.

“Yes?”

“What?” He seemed taken aback by your sudden words, but he regained his composure once you looked his way.

“You have something to say, so say it.”

He frowned, eyes running around as if he was debating whether he should ask what he wanted to. He blurted it out, “What’s your excuse?”

“For?”

“For acting the way we do?” He continued. “For being this person who gets feared, loved, and hated.”

You sighed and leaned your head back. “I don’t like to do what people expect me to do.” He nodded along. “I don’t understand why I have to live up to other people’s expectations rather than my own.”

“So that’s why you’re blunt in the beginning to display the real you and see if people stay or not?” Jungkook asked and you hid the smile on your lips at the way he read you.

“Something like that.”

He breathlessly chuckled. “Then you’re doing a shitty job.”

“How so?”

“Because your attitude made me want to stay and see who you really are,” he nudged his shoulder against yours. “You intrigued me simply by telling me off.”

You lightly laughed. “I just have that type of vibe.”

He playfully rolled his eyes before he quieted down along with you. You could sense he had more to ask and you were right when he took a deep breath in and asked his next question.

“Did that stem from your mother’s attitude?” He questioned and you inhaled and exhaled at his very abrupt question. You glanced at him before looking away.

“My dad left me, my sister, and my mom,” you shrugged as if it was nothing. “I couldn’t grieve him, in a way, you know? And it sucks that you have to grieve a person very much alive but had changed throughout the years.”

“I get that,” Jungkook commented, looking down at his hands before glancing back at you, knowing that you were going somewhere with your story.

“My mom was hurt by it,” you continued, looking off to the beach in front of you. “Hanni, too, so I dismissed my feelings to take care of them. I got myself ready for school very early, made them breakfast, and woke them up. I made sure my mom went to work and I made sure Hanni was ready for school. It would be the same later when I had to make dinner and I had to make sure my mom ate because she fell into a hole that she couldn’t get out of. After all, she was sure she and my dad would last forever.”

“Did you even have time to process his leave?” Jungkook questioned, eyeing your expression and movements. You shook your head, clearing your throat to get rid of the pain in your throat since you were keeping your tears in. You fidgeted with your hands.

“I was too busy making sure my family was okay.”

“But you were a child,” Jungkook softly told you. “You didn’t have to act like an adult and dismiss your feelings to take care of someone who’s supposed to take care of you and your sister. That wasn’t your job.”

“If I didn’t do what I did,” you started, giving him a sad smile as he continued watching you. You looked away, “I don’t think my mom would’ve made it.”

You two stayed silent shortly after your words. He was processing your words and understood that you were the way you were—which wasn’t a bad thing—because of the fact you had to grow up way too quickly. You knew that you had to step in because otherwise, you and your sister wouldn’t have had a parent.

“I became someone people looked up to,” you softly mumbled out, tongue running itself over your lips. You internally sighed, though, when you remembered you had put on gloss. “I help them realize the wrongs and rights in relationships because I don’t want nobody else to suffer through what my mom suffered because of someone who berated them until they became a walking corpse. After my mom got out of the hole, she… realized what I had been doing but she didn’t exactly acknowledge it at the same time so, she put pressure on me and tries to control me a lot because she couldn’t control my dad leaving, you know?”

“I know,” Jungkook quietly coughed out as he thought about your words. He sighed, head looking up before he laid on the grass, fingers running themselves over the blades of it, closing his eyes. “I’m not proud of sleeping around with girls.”

“Then why do you do it?” You genuinely questioned, watching his lips parting to let out words was slowly forming in his head.

“I don’t exactly know,” he continued, answering your question with a tone that supported his words. “But, it was always… a fear of commitment, I guess. If I sleep around, it’s most likely that I will regain a reputation that will protect me in a sense. No one will want to commit.”

“What’s so bad about committing to someone?” You asked, looking at him from under your lashes. He hummed and moved to his side, arm supporting his weight.

“My mother cheated on my dad,” he replied. “I had gone through her phone to play some video games because at that point I was 14 and I had my phone taken away.” He laughed a little as he recounted the memory. “I was playing and I remembered I saw a message and somebody had sent her red hearts, but it wasn’t my dad. I didn’t think much of it until she received more messages. I was left with the guilt of knowing and not sharing.”

“Did you ever tell your dad?”

Jungkook snorted and nodded. “I told him. I was tired of her pretending everything was okay when it wasn’t. She was telling me that my dad was cheating, wanting me to picture him in a different light so I told my dad. He heard me, understood my view of the situation because he had noticed her acting suspicious, but he still stayed so I stayed quiet, too. But, the arguments started and my dad brought the guy up—the one she was cheating on him with—every chance he could get to make a point. I had to step in, stop them, but I gave up once again when I realized it was a never ending cycle. So, my dad started cheating, too, and they separated shortly after.”

“Do you ever regret telling your dad?” You raised an eyebrow and he shrugged, playing with a leaf in his hands.

“Nope,” he simply said, popping the word loud enough for his words to be insinuated as one of relief. “I would feel more guilt if I didn’t tell him. After all, that separation made him get a decent girlfriend but it made him and my mom shitty parents. Neglected me a lot as a teenager so, I eventually stopped caring, and hung out with my grandparents.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he smiled at your genuine words, sitting up. “You didn’t have to go through that at a young age.”

“I have always been afraid of committing to someone,” he said, scooting closer to you. You watched him and now it was his turn to look at you from underneath his lashes. A small smile was on his lips while he glanced between you and the leaf in his hand. “For the days we have been talking and getting to know one another, being with you, getting to know you—as cheesy as it sounds—I have fallen in love with who you are. Commitment doesn’t sound as scary as it used to that if anything were to happen—and I hope not—I am not afraid of you breaking my heart.”

“You love me?” You breathed out as if not believing those words were coming out of your lips. You seemed taken aback and he brought his face closer to yours, eyes running themselves over your face. His hand went up, placing itself on your right cheek, forehead meeting yours. His eyes closed, letting out a small sigh that touched your own lips.

“I love the me I am whenever I’m with you,” your heart hammered against your chest and you wondered if he could hear it since he was so close to you. “You make me feel safe and you feel like home, baby. I love knowing that I have someone like you by my side.”

“I fell in love with you since you denied my kiss,” you shakily admitted, hand going up to be placed on top of his. You closed your eyes as his lips moved towards your face, kissing your cheeks, your nose, your forehead, to the middle of your eyebrows, and to your neck. “Promise me you won’t hurt me?”

He stayed quiet and your eyes opened, gulping down your nerves. He hummed, looking up at you. “I promise. You won’t hurt me?”

“I would never.”

Shortly afterward, he took you home, night overcoming you two. His jacket was placed over your shoulders and his hand was intertwined with yours as he led you towards your front door.

“So,” he started, his other hand in his front pocket, “Jimin is throwing a farewell party.”

“Oh, yeah, huh?” You clicked your tongue as you shook your head. “It’s his last year…”

“And Taehyung’s, too,” Jungkook slightly teased, knowing your intense dislike towards the man. You rolled your eyes.

“Thank goodness,” you dramatically breathed out while your free hand placed itself on your chest. “But, what about Jimin’s party?”

“Come with me,” Jungkook suggested. “I want to show you off.”

“I very much feel like arm candy.”

Jungkook snorted. “I want to reassure you in a way that I’m moving past my immature ways of sleeping around by showing I’m officially committed to you.”

“So, I’m your girlfriend now?” You wiggled your eyebrows teasingly, chuckling when he smiled.

“I’m going to prepare something for you,” he answered. “I want you to be my girlfriend but you deserve so much than me asking you here. Trust me, okay?”

“Okay,” you smiled, kissing him.

“So you’re coming with me?”

“I will if,” he raised his brows, “you buy me a milkshake.”

He snorted and rapidly nodded. “You know I will. I like spoiling my girl.”

He gave you a big kiss on the lips, letting out a loud “mwah” over the sound of crickets nearby. You slightly giggled at his antics and looked towards your house.

“Stop, you’re going to wake up my mom.”

“Eh, she can wake up, I want to kiss you.” He continued doing so, peppering your face with either small or big kisses. You took them all happily. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Sound good?”

“No, don’t leave me,” you dragged out the last few words, holding on tightly to his inked arm. He grinned at your actions and kissed your head.

“We’ll see each other tomorrow, pretty,” he leaned down again to kiss you and you responded back. “Yeah? That sound good?”

“Mhm, sounds good.”

“See you tomorrow, baby. We’ll call tonight after I take a shower.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Bye, Mom,” you waved her off as you headed towards the door with Nali, a small smile tilted on her lips. “I’m going to a party with Nali.”

You closed the door behind you just in time to hear your mother’s voice, her tone telling you she clearly didn’t believe you. “That’s a funny joke!”

“How long is it going to take for her to know that you’re not joking?” Nali questioned with a breathy chuckle escaping her red lips, smiling widely once she came to find Jimin getting out of the backseat, waving at him. Your eyes were on the bracelets you adorned, fixing some tangled ones.

“Honestly, right about now,” you snickered along with her, already knowing how your mom processes news that catch her off guard. After all, her secluded daughter is going on her second house party and she didn’t even have to make her go.

You smiled next once Jungkook came out of the driver’s seat, trying so hard not to ogle at the way his clothes looked on him. He was wearing a black button-up with a few buttons undone that exposed his collarbones and chest, and black jeans that hugged his legs well. He was wearing his usual combat boots, gaining a bit more height like he always does when he wears them.

“Before I compliment how beautiful you look,” he started as soon as he stood in front of you, his hands clasped behind his back. “I got you,” he stuck out his hand, a necklace dangling from his finger, “a necklace.”

You softly gasped at the dainty silver necklace, a small blue pendant glistening under the lampposts surrounding your neighborhood. He cleared his throat and gestured towards his neck, making you aware that he, too, was wearing an identical one, letting you know that you two were going to match.

“They’re so pretty!” You fawned over them, your smile widening at the gift. You looked at the other hand behind his back and squinted your eyes. “What do you have in your other hand?”

“I was going to take you out to eat first on a little date,” he chuckled before his eyes turned to glare at Jimin, “but someone here offered to be picked up to see his girlfriend. Even though the party is hosted by him!”

He yelled the last few words over his shoulder, obviously wanting Jimin to know he was talking about him.

“Shut up, asshole!” The man yelled back.

You and Nali glanced at each other. Of course, as best friends, your boyfriends would bicker. It was exactly how you two would get along, too.

“Anyway,” Jungkook sighed, waving him off before continuing to smile at you and showcasing the thing behind his back. “Obviously, you forgot that you wanted a milkshake.”

You gasped, immediately grasping it. “Gimme!”

Jungkook lowly chuckled and watched as you sipped it, relief displaying on your face at coming to feel the coolness settle in your stomach.

“Good?” He questioned you, and you nodded enthusiastically, very happy and excited that he really bought you a milkshake. He dipped his head down, capturing your lips and mumbling words between kisses. “I’m happy you like it. Now turn around for me.”

You did so; his cold hands, having been holding onto the milkshake, placed themselves on your hips to guide you. He tentatively placed the necklace on your neck, his fingers slightly grazing the exposed skin as he made sure the object wasn’t pulling on your hair.

After putting it on, you two made sure that Jimin and Nali were distracted enough so they wouldn’t ruin the intimate moment you two were sharing with one another. Thankfully, they were still holding onto each other, laughing and whispering in each other’s ear.

You and Jungkook gave each other sideways glances, weirded out.

“Are we going to turn out like that?” You asked, raising an eyebrow as he went to go stand behind you again. You two mindlessly stared at the couple, scrunching your noses when they shamelessly made out like starving people.

He snorted. “Hopefully not.” He kissed your temple, turning you around while wrapping an arm around your waist as he brought you closer. “But knowing how we both are with one another, we’re going to be exactly like that, and I don’t mind it.”

You slightly giggled at his words, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing him closer. “We’re going to be late.”

“I don’t mind if it means I get to continue kissing you.” A humorous look was etched on his face before his lips met yours as soon as you were about to speak. The affect of his lip ring grazing your lips caused the usual shiver you always get when it does so. You hit his arm, though, once you felt him smiling in the kiss. He chuckled. “Your reaction is cute.”

“Shut up.” You playfully pushed him away from you, his hand gripping your arm to bring you closer again. You smiled up at him before turning to look at the other two, who were now laughing very loudly. “Are you two done?”

“Yep.” Nali sheepishly grinned at you. She glanced between you and Jungkook, wiggling her brows. “Are you two done making out?”

“I-” You pursed your lips and squinted at her. “Get in the car, you big dummies.”

The three laughed at your words but they got in. You sat on the passenger seat, the other two sat on the back, and Jungkook was on the driver’s seat, making sure you were wearing your seatbelt.

Nali and Jimin continued to make out, and you and Jungkook grimaced at hearing them kiss. The man quickly gave you his phone in hopes you could find a song—any song—that would help drown out the sounds.

“Also,” you spoke, your thumb hovering over your choice of song, “why did you make Jimin sit in the back?”

Jimin scoffed as he separated from Nali. “Your boyfriend here made me sit in the back because he said the passenger seat was just for you.”

“I don’t want you as my passenger princess,” Jungkook rolled his eyes, driving off from the parking lot of your home, his hand immediately meeting yours.

“Okay, but what if I wanted to be one?” Jimin continued to ask. “What if I also like to be spoiled, hmm?”

“Jimin, shut up.” Jungkook glanced at him through his rear view mirror, glaring at him. Jimin could only wave him off, paying attention to Nali again. Jungkook looked at you. “Can you believe him?”

“I can totally see Jimin as a passenger princess,” you hummed, imagining a perfect picture of Jimin. Jungkook hummed along with you, also painting that picture in his head. You two shivered. “Never mind.”

“Stop thinking about me, you weirdos.”

It wasn’t long before you all arrived at Jimin’s home. It still came as a shock to every one of you—except Jimin, of course—once you remembered that Jimin, along with Taehyung, had money. The mansion (clearly not his, as he had stated before that he lived in a penthouse) was now overcome with colors and bodies coming in and out of the house, red cups being sorted on their hands.

Your hand was intertwined with Jungkook’s as soon as you all got out of the car, twirling around the anxiety ring he had bought for you since you liked twirling his other rings even though they did not twirl.

You looked around. “I forgot you’re rich as hell.”

“I forgot, too.” Jungkook shook his head, almost as if he were dazed at the sight in front of him, and you wouldn’t have blamed him if he was. You were too entranced by the house to even hear Jimin’s words.

“I want to go in every room and jump in the bed.”

The trio laughed at your words, and it wasn’t long before Jimin and Nali left to go inside, leaving you and Jungkook outside to enjoy each other’s company.

“So,” he glanced at you, eyes withholding amusement as you scrunched your nose at a person coming to throw up in the beautiful garden, “stay by my side and hold my hand, please?”

You smiled and nodded, doing so. “As long as you don’t leave me, either. Don’t lose me in the crowd, and don’t let Taehyung talk to me.”

He snorted, his hands meeting your waist again as if they were magnets. “I won’t let him do that. I’ll beat the shit out of him if I have to, okay?”

“For me?” You looked at him through your lashes, and he lightly groaned, placing his forehead on yours as the palm of his inked hand placed itself on the left side of your face.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he mumbled, his breath hitting your lips.

“Looking at you like what?” You questioned him, your hand coming to meet the back of his head, your nails running themselves over his scalp, trailing down towards the nape of his neck.

“Looking at me with those eyes,” he answered, softly kissing you as yours, and his eyes closed at the feeling. “You affect me so much, I’ll do anything you ask me to if you simply look at me like that, baby.”

You grinned at your words, and he did, too. You two kissed outside of the shaking house.

“Let’s go inside so we can enjoy tonight,” you muttered against his lips, feeling him nod. You glanced over his shoulder and then down at your dress. “I have to fix my dress, but there are people coming outside.”

“Just fix it; I’ll cover you, okay?” You nodded at his words, smiling a bit shyly as he kissed you again.

He stood in front of you, glaring at whoever looked your way, hands crossed over his chest. Since he had raised his sleeves up so they could rest by his elbows, his tattoos were on full display, intimidating those who looked at him or you. You almost laughed, though, at seeing how serious he was about making sure you were out of people’s eyesight. He was like your personal bodyguard, but one you kissed here and there.

“There,” you smiled at him, watching you over his shoulder to make sure you were okay and to make sure a creep wasn’t trying to stare at you from behind. “I’m pretty sure you scared everyone away, so I’m okay.”

“Good.”

You two walked inside the house, hands intertwined, to showcase your relationship. Half of the girls that Jungkook had hooked up with didn’t hide their distaste for you, but you didn’t care as the other half came to greet you.

Jungkook could simply stand back, smiling as he watched girl’s swoon over you and the way you looked in your dress. He couldn’t help but mentally agree with their compliments.

“Jungkook!” Jungkook turned around to find two familiar faces.

“Hyung!” He exclaimed excitedly, hugging the man. How have you been? I haven’t seen you in a year!”

Hoseok chuckled at the boy’s enthusiasm, and he shrugged a bit. “I’ve been good! I opened up the dance studio I’ve been talking to you about. I’ve been focusing my time on that.”

“Are you here alone?”

“Yoongi finally agreed to come,” Hoseok answered, gesturing towards the said figure who was talking to Jimin and Nali. “You know the dude is an old man at heart. I had to tell him about you and the girl, and then did he want to see for himself.”

“He’s so nosy, he literally saw her when he was working at Moon 7,” Jungkook chuckled, shaking his head at the revelation. He glanced at you. “I would introduce you to my girl, but her friends are keeping her busy.”

Hoseok looked at where you stood, and you were in fact being kept busy. The girls seemed to be talking to you about something, and they all listened intently to every word you spilled. He eyed Jungkook’s starstruck expression and patted him on the shoulder.

“You did good, kid,” he smiled. “Yoongi and I were afraid you’d get a girl pregnant or just end up doing something stupid.”

Jungkook snorted. “I wouldn’t stoop that low, you know that.” He looked at you once more and saw that you had gestured towards him. “But, I did do something stupid.”

“Whatever you did,” Hoseok started, “I’m sure it will all get resolved. Except cheating, then you’re by yourself there, bud.”

“Alright, alright,” Jungkook snorted before his palm met Hoseok’s face, pushing him away. “Go away. She’s coming here.”

“I’ll come back later, you brat, and you better introduce me then. Got it?”

“Yes, hyung, now go,” Jungkook pushed him away by his shoulders, dragging out the last word until Hoseok was out of eye shot. You came towards him and smiled confusedly, staring at the figure who had previously been seen with him. “Hey, sorry, that was my old friend, Hobi. I was going to introduce him but, he needed to meet another friend.”

“Aw, I would’ve loved to say hi,” you admitted, frowning before staring back at him, hands holding his. “So, are we going to eat?”

“Baby, there’s alcohol and you want to eat?” He questioned in a surprise manner, though, it wasn’t meant in a mean way. You nodded with a small smile on your face, your stomach grumbling. He chuckled. “Come on. Let’s go see what we can find. If we can’t find anything, we’ll get out of here and go eat, okay?”

“You wouldn’t mind?”

He shook his head, eyes slightly closing while he pursed his lips. “No. Being with you is much more important than just hanging out in a place where I could barely hear you.”

“You just want to get out of here,” you teased and he grinned, nodding.

“Let’s go find you some food.”

You two walked off and pushed through the body of college students who blocked your pathway. You even came across your sister and her boyfriend who now noticed you and Jungkook.

You briefly waved at them and they waved back, and with one last glance, you turned to look at the man in front of you, his eyes darting around the room.

He hummed to himself as he came to find the kitchen and he turned to look back at you, noting the way your eyes lit up at the fancy snacks. A crowd of people stood near you two, drinking, their conversation going through one ear to another as you ate here and there. Jungkook ate with you.

“Their conversation is very intense,” he whispered and you, being just as nosy as him, nodded in full agreement.

As you listened, he caught you in surprise when he wrapped an arm around your torso and lifted you so you could sit on the kitchen island. He immediately stood in between your legs, hands holding, while you continued to listen.

You softly gasped in his ear. “He cheated on her with her own brother!”

“That is so low,” he lowly whistled, shaking his head. “Impressive and good for him for coming out but, with his girlfriend’s brother? And, while in a relationship ? That has got to hurt.”

“Wow, I’m still in shock.”

“I’m more in shock in the fact that we are that couple,” Jungkook snickered, starting to pepper your neck with kisses. “I wouldn’t want to be nosy with no one else other than you.”

“Mhm, you better.”

You two relished in being in each other’s arms, ignoring everything in the background. It seemed surreal to both of you that not so long you didn’t even know of each other’s existence, of the other’s presence, but now here you were, totally and utterly in love with him just like he was with you.

He bit his lower lip and with his head placed in your shoulder, he lightly gripped your waist before his hands traveled to rub your thighs up and down. He brought you even closer to him. “You really look beautiful by the way.”

“We look like we’re going to a funeral,” you tantalized him in a soft tone, to give him the idea you were playing around. Your own hands went to hold onto his biceps. “I love it, though.”

“I’m just happy you came with me,” he said, leaning down to kiss you. “Though,” he muttered against your lips, “a simple little date where we stay home and watch movies sounds so good.”

“Those boots are going to kill you since they have a small heel,” you commented, glancing at his boots. He clicked his tongue and shrugged, slightly swaying you two to the beat of the music you noticed playing. “I don’t know, it makes you look very attractive. Even more attractive.”

“Mhm, yeah, correct yourself,” he lightly pinched the skin of your waist, nudging his nose with yours. “You shouldn’t be talking when you look so gorgeous. So beautiful.”

“Keep complimenting me and I’ll assume you’ll get on your knees for me.”

“I mean,” he dragged out the words, leaning back a bit before he started to lean down. Your mouth opened a bit and you immediately swatted his arm, urging him to stand up. He laughed, doing so. “Hey, I’m just trying to basically worship you and the ground you’re walking on.”

You tried hiding the fact that his words affected you, your body feeling warmth and sudden nervousness out of nowhere. You avoided eye contact.

“Shut up.”

You two continued slight swaying compared to how the others danced, foreheads leaning against one another as you two continued finding the comfort of the other’s presence.

As he felt you slightly fidgeting due to the fact that your butt was slightly starting to hurt, he picked you up again, and let you place your feet on the ground.

It wasn’t long before the song on the playlist—most likely Jimin’s playlist—finished bouncing off the walls, the chattering and adrenaline of every person there finally felt. A happy smile found its way to your lips as you felt Jungkook keep his hands glued to your waist, not daring to let you go. But, he watched your facial expression morph into one of shock and surprise when a new song started playing, one you knew too well. And he did, too.

“I-” You could muster to let out. “Why is my favorite song playing?”

“I called in a favor!” Jungkook now yelled over the loud music. He gestured towards your dear friend’s figure who was dancing along with Jimin’s. “She told Jimin to add it to the list for you after we talked and wanted to make this the best experience for you.”

“Thank you,” you breathed out, wrapping your arms around his neck to show how much it meant to you. He smiled and hugged you back, arms wrapping themselves tightly around your waist and bringing you closer to him again.

As you two swayed to the music, his lips were close to your ear. “I hope you’re enjoying this!”

“I am,” you said, feeling bad at having to yell in his ear because of the loud music. “Though, I don’t think us swaying to this type of music is appropriate since it’s very up-beat!”

“I think us being this close is perfectly fine,” he chuckled, staring down at you. You glanced at his lips, his tongue running itself over his lip ring. “Unless you think I have cooties and want to get away from me.”

He took his hands away from your waist, chuckling again when you whined that he needed to put them back. So he did, arms wrapping themselves back in their place around your waist while the side of his face was slightly lean against your head.

“You know,” he started, keeping you close to him, “I… I wasn’t sleeping around with half of these girls or having to take care of a girl I got pregnant.” You two laughed at the rumor that was spread. “I wasn’t skipping classes, too, because I was out doing drugs. My dad was struggling with paying bills and so I started to help, I was working. I was dealing with it well because of the counselor’s help, though, she’s a bit weird.”

“Ah, yes, she is,” a breathy chuckle escaped your lips at his words as your head rose up to look at him. “But, does it not bother you how they spread these false rumors?”

“I never cared,” Jungkook replied, shrugging. “I know the truth and my family knows the truth. As long as those close to me never believe them, I don’t entirely care about those who don’t know me and believe the rumors.”

A ghost of a smile spread on your lips. “I believe that, too.”

You two grinned at one another, but as soon as you opened your mouth to speak, your date was now being led away by Taehyung. You frowned and stood not so far from them, glancing at Nali who started to slow down her dance movements as soon as she saw Taehyung with Jungkook.

“Hey,” Taehyung scoffed. “What’s Hanni doing here with that asshead?” Jungkook rolled his eyes and sighed as he listened to him. “I didn’t pay you to take out Y/n so some little punk could take out Hanni.”

You froze in your steps at coming to hear those words, eyes meeting those of Jungkook’s who looked over Taehyung’s frame to look at you. His lips were parted, unsaid words not daring to cross them. His chest painfully twisted as soon as he saw your eyes glaze under the lights of the room, knowing fully well that it’s because of him.

“I was just a bet…?” You questioned, a frown now etched on your face.

Jungkook doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t. For the first time, he has nothing to say, and it hurts you even more. “Y/n, it doesn’t…”

You shook your head, a sigh escaping your lips. You simply walked away, pushing past the couples who now seemed like they were laughing straight at your face, embarrassment flooding your body and feelings. You heard Jungkook right behind you, your name being shouted out through the loud music. But now, you don’t want to hear a single thing coming out of the lips you enjoyed kissing and eyeing. Not a single word.

Your amazing best friend, Nali, watches your departed figure with Jungkook chasing after you. She frowned and she looked at Jimin who also noticed. He walked towards Yujun, his brother talking to someone while he waited for Hanni to come back from the restroom, tapping him on the shoulder.

“Hey,” Jimin finally caught his attention, gesturing towards your retreating figures and towards Taehyung, “shit has happened.”

Yujun glared at Taehyung’s own figure because although everything started so he could date Hanni, it wasn’t fair for Taehyung to go and hurt people.

“Yujun, don’t do anything stupid,” Nali called out, sighing as she knew her words fell to deaf ears. She and Jimin followed after his brother, hearing him call after Taehyung. They glanced at one another, knowing it wasn’t going to end well and someone would end up hurt. They knew that Yujun was most likely going to end up hurt.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Yujun eyed Taehyung as soon as the man turned to look at him.

“No, what the hell is wrong with you?” Taehyung pushed him, Yujun continuing to glare at the man, standing his ground. “You’re gonna pay. You and that bitch.”

“Just say you’re a jealous little shit,” Yujun spat out, pushing him back with the same force Taehyung had used.

Taehyung let out a sarcastic chuckle before he raised his fist, punching Yujun. The boy groaned, landing on his older brother who grabbed him to make sure he wasn’t entirely hurt, bleeding—he was indeed bleeding—or had something broken.

“Get up, you were all talk just now, get up!” Taehyung went to take a step forward to the boy leaning against his brother, but a tap on his shoulder made him turn, eyes glaring at the girl he was insulting not so long ago. “What?”

But before he could receive a proper answer, Hanni punched him straight in the nose, a grunt escaping his lips as soon as he felt the pain traveling around his face.

“Hanni, don’t,” Nali tried preventing the girl from being harmed, knowing full well that you would have her ass if you watched her sister in the hands of danger.

“No, he hurt my sister,” Hanni pushed her arm away from her sister’s friend’s grip. “You made my date bleed. I know you tried hurting me, but you’re just an egotistical piece of shit.”

Hanni watched him fall on the ground on his knees, clutching his nose. Everyone who had surrounded them all seemed to disperse, getting back to dancing while some girls and boys went to help Taehyung.

“Are you okay?” Hanni immediately headed towards Yujun who nodded his head, wrapping his arms around her. He brought her closer to his body, just thankful she wasn’t hurt in any way. Though, when he exhaled through his mouth, his breath hit the wound now on his lip.

“Go with Nali and make sure your sister is okay,” Yujun breathed out. Hanni frowned at him, already moving, but she still wanted to make sure he was okay. “I’m okay. Go.”

Hanni and Nali wouldn’t be able to do much as you kept running away from Jungkook who was still following after you, apologies spilling out of his mouth.

“Please, just give me a chance to—”

“You were paid to take me out not just by a random guy, but by the one person I truly hate,” you said, your frown deepening as you fully processed everything, memories now running through your mind. “I believed you, Jungkook. I truly believed you wanted me.”

His parted lips were twitching, wanting to yell at you that he thought of you from the moment he woke up to the moment he would go to sleep. Then, would he dream of you and him and what you two could’ve been in the future. He was infatuated with you. “Y/n, it wasn’t like that.”

“Then tell me how it was like,” you breathed out and he watched the way your facial expression morphed into one of hurt. “I fell for you. Hard. You’re someone everyone wants and despite everything, I was happy I got you, but everything was just a lie and it hurts. It hurts knowing that you started to talk to me because you got paid to do so and it hurts knowing you stayed, getting me to open up to you, to be vulnerable in front of you. Were you going to get a bonus because you slept with me?”

“No, no!” Jungkook shook his head. “I didn’t care about the money. I cared about you! I started caring for you.“

“Don’t give me that bullshit, Jungkook. It doesn’t excuse the fact that you used me,” your chest was heaving up and down as you tried to calm down your breathing. It hurt you, so much, and there was a pang of pain that traveled down your throat to your chest. Your lips slightly quivered as you shook your head. “I thought you loved me.“

“Baby, I do,” he tried reaching for you but you took a step back. You shook your head, waving him off as you didn’t dare meet his eyes, not wanting to see every moment you spent with him, laughing and crying, flash in front of them. You didn’t want to see the good memories that made you fall for him inside the eyes that withheld the guilt of using you to get money. “I do. I love you. I-I just…“

You looked at his face as he shut his eyes tightly, brain looking for the right words. His hand was already pinching the skin of his forehead, rings glistening under the lights much like your eyes were.

You sighed and he looked at you.

“If you truly loved me, you wouldn’t have continued taking that money,” you breathed out before pointing at his chest, “you wouldn’t have hurt me like this.” You let out a shaky breath and gulped, stepping away. “I don’t want to see you ever again.”

His hand immediately went to reach for you, but you continued taking steps back. “Y/n—”

“Just tell me something,” you said, meeting his gaze. He couldn’t bear look at your crestfallen look, one he knew he caused because of his stupid actions. “Did you mean anything you said? All those days we hung out together and we talked and we talked?”

But although he wanted to yell so loud “yes”, he knew that you wouldn’t take that as an answer and you wouldn’t listen to him. He was wrong, though, because you wanted to hear confirmation that at least everything you spoke about was real, that everything you spoke about came from him and not the money talking.

He didn’t speak, so you scoffed a little and turned around. “You promised not to hurt me, Jungkook.” You dropped your arms to your side. “Do not try to talk to me.”

His parted lips let out a shaky breath, chest tightening in pain at your words and retreating figure. He should follow after you. He should. But he was frozen, shoes glued to the floor and words getting stuck in his throat.

He hit the railing of the stairs he was standing by, palm stinging at the contact. He let out a deep sigh as his hands clutched the metal, continuing to stare at the back of your head with unsaid words not daring to leave his mouth.

He turned around to rest his back against a wall, fingers now pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel the way his eyes stung with tears, blinking them away almost immediately when he heard footsteps heading his way.

“Hey,” he looked up and came to find Jimin and Yujun, their dates having followed after you, leaving them to find one another. “We’re sorry at how things went.”

Jungkook tried to muster up courage to smile at them reassuringly, but much like his feet, his lips stayed in place and he didn’t dare try to move them.

“It was going to happen eventually,” he muttered, tongue running itself over his lips starting to dry from the amount of breaths he was letting in. “I couldn’t have hidden it from her even if I tried.”

“Yeah, but it shouldn’t have been revealed that way,” Jimin said, receiving a nod of agreement from Yujun.

Jungkook looked down at his hand, running his fingers over the tattoos on it, feeling the slight trace of your fingers over them.

“She had the right to know,” he looked at them and he could only look away once he saw their pitiful expressions. “It just should’ve been exposed in a less crowded place and not now… in front of everyone.”

“Did you really love her?” Jimin questioned, his voice above a whisper. Jungkook sighed.

“Everything about her,” he muttered, gulping his feelings away to get rid of the lump in his throat. The two men went to stand by her. “Where’s Taehyung?”

“With a broken nose,” Yujun chuckled, humor laced in his voice. Jungkook hummed in satisfaction at the answer. “Hanni punched him.”

It was Jungkook’s turn to chuckle. “Where is he, though?”

“I’m pretty sure he has enough injuries, Jungkook,” Jimin said, eyebrows raised at the boy while his hand placed itself on his firm chest—he felt— as he tried to leave. “Let’s just go, okay? You don’t need him suing you for hitting him.”

“I’ll handle it,” Jungkook hummed, walking past the two and heading towards the room with loud music playing. He looked around and spotted Taehyung almost immediately through the crowd forming around him. He bumped against people, pushing through all of them before grabbing the boy by the back of his neck. “Come on.”

“Listen, man, your girl’s stupid sister already dealt with me,” Taehyung tried to get away from his grip but Jungkook rolled his eyes, ignoring his words. “This is harassment. I will sue you.”

“Do it but I’ll still beat the shit out of you,” Jungkook hummed, glancing at him. Jimin and Yujun sped towards the two as soon as Jungkook push Taehyung against the wall. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“What?” Taehyung smirked, though he looked silly since he had tissue paper stuck on his nose to prevent the bleeding. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Why did you need to embarrass Y/n like that?” Jungkook gave him an expressionless look, eyebrows slightly raised as his hand still held onto the boy’s collar. “You could’ve told me later.”

Jungkook’s doe eyes, the ones who always looked around curiously and always used to make you wither in your seat out of nerves, now glared daggers into Taehyung’s face.

“You just didn’t want to tell her you got paid to take her out,” Taehyung said as he shrugged, clearly smug about how Jungkook was acting. “And hey, if I wasn’t going to have what I wanted, you weren’t going to get what you wanted either.”

The latter groaned, though, when Jungkook landed a punch on his stomach, air being taken out of his body. He landed in the floor, continuing to groan, as Jungkook scoffed at his figure, turning around to leave.

He glanced at the Park brothers and sighed.

“He deserved it.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Hanni asked as she stood in front of your seated figure on the stairs of the front of your house. “You’ll have fun with me and Yujun.”

“I’m okay,” you said, trying your hardest to reassure her with a smile. But the smile didn’t reach your eyes and it alerted her of your pain. Of course, you were still in pain. Everything that had happened, happened yesterday. “Enjoy your time at the carnival, okay?”

“We will.”

Yujun curtly waved at you as soon as he arrived to pick up your sister, and you did the same back. He and Hanni walked away, leaving you to stare down at your hands.

“So,” you looked up at coming to hear someone speak. You tightly smiled as you saw your mom, looking away to glance at the scenery in front of you, “where’s your sister going?”

“She’s going to go meet up with some bikers, big ones, full of sperm,” you sarcastically responded, watching her face morph into one of disgust. You snickered at her reaction. “She’s just going out with Yujun.”

“You’re very funny,” your mom snorted, shaking her head as she came to sit next to you. She watched as you stared down at your hands, eyes puffy from all the crying you have done. She nudged her shoulder against yours. “I’m guessing the party didn’t end well?”

“It just wasn’t what I was expecting,” you sadly smiled at her, trying your hardest to showcase you were okay.

“What happened?”

“The guy I was seeing just wasn’t the type of guy I thought he was,” you breathed out, pursing your lips. “He was so nice to me. Very. He made me feel… complete in a way.”

“I was always afraid of this,” your mom sighed, her shoulders dropping as she propped her legs towards her chest. “I was strict on things like this because I didn’t want you to go through whatever pain you’re going through right now.” You didn’t respond and your mom looked off. “I know it wasn’t easy when your dad left. Especially for you.”

“It wasn’t,” you admitted, shaking your head.

“I knew I failed as a mother when I saw you acting more like an adult than me.” You eyed her actions, noticing that admitting what she said wasn’t easy for her. “You were just 14 and here you were making sure I was ready for work while you got yourself and Hanni ready for school. You didn’t have to bear the burden of your father leaving.”

“I knew that it hurt you even more as much as it hurt us,” you muttered, frowning at the memories of you even having to cook so Hanni wouldn’t starve.

“I had lost him after I loved him for 20 years,” your mom shrugged as if it was nothing. “I was just wondering what I did wrong that made him leave.”

“You didn’t do anything. Dad just wasn’t… him anymore and yes, he left, but it’s important for us to move on from his stupid actions.”

“And what stupid actions did he do to you?” Your mom raised an eyebrow, her emphasis on the word “he” suggesting she was talking about Jungkook.

“I’m guessing Hanni mentioned to someone about your rule,” you breathed out, rolling your eyes at your sister’s actions. “Well, that person told the guy I was seeing and paid him to take me out, hence why he started seeing me in the first place.”

“Did you love him?”

“So much,” you snorted as if those words were the funniest thing ever. But you could only blink away the tears that threatened to spill again. “Why do boys suck?”

Your mom looked at you before wrapping an arm around your shoulders, placing her head on top of yours. “I don’t know, honey. But I’m here if you need anything. If you get with him or not, it’s not my business. I’ll just be here for you.”

“Thanks, Mom. Love you.”

“Love you.”

“Y/n!”

You looked up from your book, a gasp immediately escaping your lips once you came to see a figure walking your way. He was jogging towards you and you packed up your things, cursing yourself for even thinking of journaling and reading outside your home.

You heard the sound of a horn, Jungkook cursing at the driver before his footsteps were heard behind you. You sped up.

“Leave me alone, Jungkook,” you pleaded, short pants leaving your mouth when you tried hurrying to your door.

“I love you,” Jungkook loudly said, making you stop in your footsteps. “I’m not going to stop until you listen to me, okay? I’m not going to stop chasing after you, but if you actually want me to leave you alone, tell me right now, please.”

You glanced at him with furrowed brows before a sigh came out of you. You cleared your throat. “I’m not going to ask you to stop, but don’t think it will be easy for me go forgive you. You hurt me and you need to understand that.”

“So, can I like, bother you every day?” You gave him a deadpan expression and he sheepishly smiled, scratching the back of his head. “Not every day, got it.”

“Bye, Jungkook.”

Jungkook stuck to his word. So far, he has been chasing you. Well, not chasing you, but he does show up when you get out of the house. You always sat in the front by the porch and he always unexpectedly shows up. You already had an idea that Hanni and Yujun would let him know considering the fact that whenever Yujun was over—you would pop out of the house to not hear the couple kiss—he would show up.

Jungkook didn’t give up. He would apologize on the days you were out, on some days, though, he would just drop a letter and a flower in front of you and leave. You would open them and read them, feeling your heart hammer against your chest at the words. For example, one said, “I yearn for the warmth and the comfort of your words that made me feel safe. I won’t stop begging for forgiveness for something idiotic I allowed to happen. Even if it takes years.” Safe to say, you made sure to open them in your room so he won’t be able to see how his words impacted you.

It was Saturday and you were in bed, eyeing the flowers he had given you that you placed in a small vase your mom bought. Some were drying up while the new ones he had given you brightened up even under the lights of your room.

This wasn’t your first relationship. But this was the first relationship that allowed you an insight of being loved properly in a way. Yes, Jungkook started off lying about everything, but through it all he spoiled you with words and sometimes gifts, expensive or handmade. You still had the necklace he gifted you around your neck and the pendant was between your fingers, being played with unconsciously.

“Hey,” you lifted your head and eyed Hanni, who was dressed up. “I’m going out. Mom is working late again and she said to let you know.”

“Alright, be safe,” you smiled a bit, waving at her retreating figure as she yelled some words over her shoulder that you couldn’t make of since she had already closed the door.

You were left alone and you sighed, again, dropping your head back on your pillows as you cursed the silence you were left surrounded with.

You were going to head to sleep after a couple of minutes and you were already being lulled to sleep by the scenarios made up in your head. Though, knocking snapped you out of your thoughts and it alerted you, making you frown at the sound and look around confusedly.

You were taken aback, though, once you saw a figure by your balcony, knocking, and you knew who it was. You taught him that rhythm he did and you started freaking out, not knowing what to do, so you stood up and rubbed your eyes, making sure you weren’t entirely dreaming.

“Jungkook?” You said out loud and he waved as he heard you. You slowly opened the doors, staring up at him. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m tired of having you on the tip of my fingertips, knowing I’m losing you every day,” he blurted out in one single breath, his chest heaving up and down from the adrenaline. “I’m fucking sorry for everything. I’m sorry for hurting you, for making stupid decisions, but never, ever, think that every kiss and every deep conversation we had was not real because it happened and I loved every moment of it. I loved speaking with you and getting to know a you only I got to know about. I love you and I’m sorry.”

Your breathing and his meshed together and you moved aside to let him in, head dropping to look at the floor (and the clothing you wore). You closed the doors in front of you and turned to look at him, watching him look around before he looked at you, too, his eyes staring intensely into you.

“Why should I trust you now?” You muttered, not daring to look at him, back against the doors you just closed.

“Because I love you,” he went on, at this point trying to beg you to pay attention to him. He would stand in front of you as soon as you would move to the side, trying to walk away towards your bed. He continued blocking your path, though. “I didn’t lie about that. I didn’t lie about every kiss given to you, every conversation with you. I fell for you and I fell in love with you.”

“You accepted money, Jungkook,” you breathed out, a sigh escaping your lips while your arms flailed around rather dramatically. Jungkook pursed his lips, not wanting the chuckle to escape them as he found your antics amusing. “Now, I don’t want to speak to you because you make me nervous.”

Jungkook followed after you, again, standing in front of you, his hands now clutching the sides of your head. He leaned in and kissed you, lip ring slightly bumping into your lower lip, receiving slight goosebumps from the sudden coldness you gained from it.

“Shut up, let me talk,” he breathed as he pulled away, forehead placed on yours while his breath fanned over your lips. “I’m fucking sorry. For everything.”

You sighed and shook your head, not wanting to fall for it. You didn’t want to look like an idiot if you accepted his apology, not knowing if he was receiving money just by apologizing to you.

“Are you getting paid?” You asked and he shook his head. “After all that, why don’t you leave me alone? Genuinely?”

Jungkook just scoffed. “I’m not letting you go. Not again. I’m not fucking up the good thing that has come to my life after everything.”

“You messed up,” you commented, not daring to look into his eyes just like last time you two spoke. “I don’t have to speak to you.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t care,” he scoffed and you looked at the matching necklace adorning his neck instead, his sweater hiding the skin exposed because of the white tank top he wore. You could only eye his chest, not wanting to meet his gaze. You didn’t have much of a choice when he lifted your chin with his inked hand, though, continuing to hold your head in place so you wouldn’t go back to avoiding his eyes. “I want you to look at me when I’m apologizing to you, okay? That’s all I want.”

You looked at him and he looked at you, lips parted as if words were about to spew from them. You nodded.

“Okay…”

“When this all started,” Jungkook began, hands now moving to grab your own, “I didn’t even know who you and your sister were. Taehyung came to me, told me he’d pay me if I made you fall for me so we could eventually start dating. He said it would be easier to take out your sister if you were dating because… someone had told him about your mom setting a new rule that stated Hanni would be able to date if you did.”

“Oh, God,” you breathed out, your fingertips holding onto your forehead as you closed your eyes. “Hanni must’ve told someone.”

“After all that, I didn’t think I’d fall for you,” Jungkook continued, his doe eyes doing all its pleading. “I didn’t think I would be so obsessed with you and in love with you that I can’t help but think of you when love songs play in the radio. I can’t help but think of you so I could fall asleep. I love you, Y/n. I have.”

“Then why did you continue accepting the money he gave you?” You frowned upon at him, eyes now glazing with tears. “It wasn’t right for you to continue accepting it. You gave Taehyung the idea you were still in on it.”

“I only got the money to use it and take you out with it,” Jungkook went on, his eyes running themselves over your face, thumbs now rubbing your hands. “I… I have a job but I waste my money helping my parents pay rent. I thought I would be able to impress you if I had that money. That’s why I continued taking it. I had the right idea but it was shitty how I benefited from it and Taehyung, too.”

“I don’t care if you have money or not, Jungkook,” you breathed out, staring up at him. You let out a curt sigh. “Without it, when it was just me and you at my house, talking, I learned so much from you and we formed a connection. Me and you. I’m fine just being with you because you’re all I need.”

“I didn’t think you’d want to deal with someone like me,” Jungkook softly groaned out, pinching the bridge of his nose with two of his fingers. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for using you, hurting you, and basically causing trust issues. I fell for you. I did. At the end of the day, it was just you and me. I’m in love with you and I’m sorry for making you hate me.”

“I was so mad at you,” you muttered, looking away as you tightly shut your eyes, keeping the tears in. “I was so mad that I hated you. You and the stupid way you talked to me and how you kept your hair like that because I liked playing with it.” He continued watching as you went on, a frown etched on your face. “Or how you would drive my car and drive with one hand because Hanni told you I found it attractive. I hated it even more when you would stare at me with those big, dummy eyes that I started to adore.”

“Or, or, the way your big combat boots made you taller than me and that way you knew so you continued to wear them,” you ignored the way he looked at you as he listened intently to every word you let out, “or how you would always know what I was thinking even when I tried to hide anything that would tell you. I hated it when you were always right, never sugarcoating anything, but I hated the fact that despite being right, you lied.”

He let out a small, sad sigh at your revelation, fingers intertwining with the strands of hair on the back of your head. He slightly raised your head, making you look at him again as he watched your chest heave and up down, knowing fully well you were going to start crying. And he was right, your eyes were glazing with unshed tears that were threatening to escape as soon as you blinked.

“I hated the fact that you could make me laugh without trying, even when I didn’t feel like doing so,” you continued and Jungkook’s thumb rubbed your quivering chin, your bottom lip jutted out as tears slid down your face. He wiped the tears away without hesitation, kissing your forehead as he continued to let you take it all out, “but I hate that you can make me cry just as easily. I hated not having you around and even when you didn’t call or visited me to explain what happened in the beginning. But… I hate that I can’t hate you, you dummy, and I don’t hate you. Not even one bit.”

“Oh, baby,” Jungkook sighed, his eyebrows now furrowing as he brought your head to his chest, a hand placed behind it while the other was wrapped around your body, holding you close. Your sniffles were heard and he brought you closer if that was possible. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry. Everything that I did, I did it because I loved you. The money… that was the most stupidest thing I have done and it was fucked up.”

“I want to continue doing all of that with you,” he said, pulling your head away so he could rest his forehead against yours, again. “To drive with one hand because I know you’re staring, wear my boots so I could be even taller than you, and continue reading your mind because I can tell when you’re trying to hide things from me.” He softly chuckled as he remembered your facial expressions. The cute ones that you tried to hide. You could never try to hide them from him. He’ll know. “I love you. I genuinely do. But, if you don’t forgive me, I will wait until you’re ready even if takes years. I’ll be fine with whatever decision you make, okay?”

“Do you really love me?” You breathed out, lips slightly brushing against one another. He nodded.

“I love you, more than anything,” he mumbled in a low voice, his lip ring nudging your lips as he wanted to kiss you. “I know what I have done isn’t excusable, but I will show you that I genuinely fell for you because of you and not because of money.”

“I forgive you,” you softly smiled at him, your own hands traveling towards the sides of his face while his own went to rest on your waist. “I want you to show me more of you, okay? I want to see that you want me for me.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” he grinned, fingers slightly gripping the flesh of your waist, faint prints being left behind in their wake. “I love you. I love you so much.”

“I love you, Jungkook.”

“Just to be clear, you don’t hate me anymore, right?”

“I’m sure, or else I wouldn’t have told you I loved you. But just so you know, if you hurt me again, I will have my own fans kicking you in the balls and you will take it.”

“I don’t know if I should be scared or very attracted to how scary you can sound.”

BONUS

“Jungkook you literally didn’t have to buy a new phone!”

You and Jungkook were at the store and he was currently purchasing a new phone in order to show you he was committed to you and only you. After all, he just had random numbers in his old phone so he wasn’t losing anything major.

“Yes, I do,” he snickered, watching the employee do his work. “I’m officially committed to you. I don’t need to be having a phone number that girls from my past know about when you should be the only one to know it.”

You smiled at his words and his actions and slightly leaned onto his towering figure. His arm swiftly moved to rest around your waist and he was talking here and there with the employee who had asked him about his tattoos.

You looked around and you stopped midway from letting your gaze travel any sooner when a girl was looking at Jungkook.

You softly cleared your throat, starting to get uncomfortable and wished for this entire process to go by fast.

“What’s wrong, baby?” He whispered in your ear and you looked at him, giving him a fake smile so he couldn’t worry.

“Nothing.”

He gently gave you a pointed look. “I can feel you fidgeting and you’re quieter than usual. At this point, you would be telling me all about your new book.”

“There’s this girl staring at you and glaring at me,” you muttered, pretending to look around so you could see if she was still there. She was.

Jungkook groaned and turned around, head snapping back to look at her and glared at her like she was doing to you.

“I seriously wish that you don’t let girls like that look at you that way,” your boyfriend hummed, watching her scurry away. “Punch ‘em and I’ll take the blame if you get caught.”

“No, Jungkook.”

“I think it’s a great idea.”

---

I HAVE A THOUGHT SBJABSKR

Note: this fic is pillow princess! Reader

Imagine Wooyoung makes you lay on your back, your legs up in the air with your pussy in his reach, all open for him while hes driving. And then he gently orders you to finger yourself, knowing how inexperienced you are at pleasuring yourself. He guides you to slowly push one finger inside your dripping cunt, groaning at the sloppy noises that are mixed with your whines.

"Fuck, daddy, I can't, i can't, want your fingers please."

Wooyoung almost moans at the way your whiny voice called out to him, trying to keep his eyes on the road. You almost squeal when his veiny fingers finally reach out to your pussy, slapping your clit twice before adding two of his long fingers inside you along with your own pumping fingers. "Don't pull out your fingers, baby." Your moans were almost audible to passing cars as his fingers are almost knuckles deep when he thrusts his fingers back into you.

"Rub your clit for daddy, princess." Your hand immediately comes down at his command, to meekly rub at your clit as your legs twitch up in the air.

Feeling you clench around his fingers, Wooyoung fastens his pace, roughly slamming his fingers inside you as your slick drips down to his black seats. A faint 'daddy' from you was enough for him to know you were close to cumming, "Go on, baby, cum for daddy."

A loud yelp leaves you as your cum squirts around his fingers, which still pace inside you at the same pace. Your hands coming down to hold his wrist for balance as your hips twitch from the orgasm.

Pulling his fingers out once you were a bit composed, Wooyoung pats your pussy which could be mistaken for slaps. "Good girl."

[IM ASCENDING RN SAWFGBRAEHHBDE]

---

ATEEZ as Disney Princes

Pairing(s): disney prince!ateez x disney princess!reader

Word Count: 14.4k

A/N: The title says it all. I thought it'd be fun to do something like this for the first time, deviating from my usual one member per story format teehee. Special thanks to my one and only, my pookie, @itstheghostofmypast, for helping me decide which Disney princes San, Mingi, and Wooyoung should be💘

ATEEZ MASTERLIST

Hongjoong ↠ Li Shang (Mulan)

• Leadership • Discipline • Protector •

"The Huns have struck here, here, and here," the senior General Kim pointed to the map, his voice steady and commanding. "I will lead the main troops to the Tung Shao Pass and stop Shan-Yu before he destroys this village. You will stay behind and train the new recruits. When Chi Fu believes you're ready, you will join us, Captain."

"Captain?" Hongjoong repeated, his voice filled with disbelief. This was the moment he had been dreaming of for as long as he could remember. He had trained the hardest and longest among his batch, fighting tirelessly to prove his worth to his commanding officer. It was finally his time to shine and demonstrate his capabilities.

"I believe you will do an excellent job," General Kim affirmed.

"Oh, I will. I won't let you down, sir," the younger man replied with determination.

It was during the Imperial dynasty in China that, as the Huns attempted to invade, the nation plunged into war. Yet, not all hope was lost. The young and fiery Captain Hongjoong was assigned to take charge of the new recruits. He would motivate them and push them to reach their full potential. His ability to inspire and lead by example would soon become evident as he transformed a group of untrained soldiers into a disciplined unit.

⁞

Throughout the training, Hongjoong enforces strict discipline among his soldiers. He sets high standards and expectations, ensuring that the recruits develop the necessary skills and physical conditioning through rigorous exercises. His disciplined approach is crucial in preparing them for the challenges ahead.

You would know this firsthand. Despite your best efforts, you had lost hope, feeling out of place because, at the end of the day, you were not a man. But Hongjoong didn't know that. No one in the camp knew.

"You're unsuited for the rage of war. So pack up and go home," he had said, shaking his head in disappointment as he stalked off.

There was something about him that made you want to fight harder, to prove that you could do what the other soldiers could. To his pleasant surprise, he emerged from his tent the following morning to see your fellow soldiers applauding you for successfully completing the toughest task in the camp.

This was exactly what he wanted to see.

You used to fear him for his harsh and uncompromising behaviour, but now you understand. In the face of war, no one would show you kindness or consideration. Captain Hongjoong was doing exactly what he needed to prepare everyone for that reality.

⁞

"You think your troops are ready to fight?" Chi Fu scoffed. "They wouldn't last a minute against the Huns!"

Hongjoong scowled, clenching his fists. "They completed their training."

"Those boys are no more fit to be soldiers than you are to be a captain. Once the general reads my report, your troops will never see battle," Chi Fu sneered, gesturing for the younger man to leave.

"We're not finished!" Hongjoong called out, grabbing the man's arm.

"Be careful, Captain. The general may be your father, but I am the Emperor's counsel. And I got that job on my own. You're dismissed," Chi Fu said snarkily, pulling open the flap of his tent.

There it was—the comment Hongjoong hated most. Being called the son of General Kim. He had heard enough whispers of nepotism, undermining his hard-earned success. He didn't want to be seen as just the general's son; he had worked tirelessly to earn his position.

He stormed out of the tent, surprised to see you standing there. "Hey, I'll hold him, and you punch," you joked nervously, but he frowned and continued walking. "Or not." You bit your lip as he walked away. "For what it's worth, I think you're a great captain."

His steps faltered for a moment, and he turned to meet your eyes briefly. In that fleeting glance, his eyes seemed to show what looked like a hint of appreciation before he continued on his way.

At least someone still believed in him.

⁞

And that someone was… a girl.

Hongjoong discovered this during the mountain battle when the Huns ambushed and you saved him. You had lied, fooling everyone, even him. How dare you? How dare you… try to save your father's life by volunteering to fight in the war? After the initial feelings of disappointment and betrayal, he realised just how brave you were—a quality that put cowardly men to shame.

Not only that, your perseverance had ended up saving China, something he couldn't have done without you.

Guilt overwhelmed him after leaving you behind, injured and alone on the snowy mountain, after you had risked your life to save his. The image of you lying vulnerable and exposed in the small tent haunted him—your hair finally let down, revealing your true identity; your petite frame contrasting with the fabric tightly wrapped around your chest to hide your gender. In his emotional turmoil at the time, he had abandoned you. But if he could do it over, he knew he would have done everything differently to protect you.

That's why he was determined to make up for his mistake by protecting you now, even though he knew deep down that he would have protected you regardless.

"Where is she?! Now she's done it! What a mess! Stand aside! That creature's not worth protecting," the Emperor's counsel screeched, trying to push past Hongjoong, who was shielding you. He gestured toward the destroyed portion of the palace from your earlier battle with Shan-Yu and his men.

The captain stood his ground. "She's a hero."

"She's a woman. She'll never be worth anything."

"Listen, you pompous..." Hongjoong growled, grabbing Chi Fu by the collar.

"That's enough!" the Emperor roared, breaking the two apart. The focus shifted to what was truly important: the fact that the war was finally over, thanks to a certain female warrior.

⁞

While Hongjoong possessed exceptional leadership skills, discipline, and a protective nature, he still had moments of foolishness.

"You, uhh... you fight good."

Was that all he could muster? After everything you had been through together, perhaps you were overthinking it. Maybe he didn't see you in that way at all. Maybe you were just another good soldier to him.

"Oh. Thank you."

Like an idiot, he watched you depart, a sense of longing tugging at his heart. Unbeknownst to him, the Emperor appeared beside him, clearing his throat before speaking, "The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all."

"Sir?" Hongjoong blinked in confusion.

"You don't meet a girl like that in every dynasty," the Emperor remarked, indirectly calling the captain a fool, shaking his head in disbelief before returning to the palace.

Finally grasping the meaning behind His Excellency's words, Captain Hongjoong hastily mounted the nearest horse and rode swiftly to your family estate. He should have recognised the affection he felt for you sooner. Gosh, he truly had been clueless.

He arrived just in time to interrupt your tearful reunion with your father. "Uhh… you forgot your helmet!" he stuttered, turning awkwardly to the elderly man beside you, the one you had gone to war for. "W-well, actually, it's your helmet, isn't it? I mean…"

You suppressed a smile, feeling your heart flutter as you understood his obvious reason for visiting. Stepping closer to him, you reached out to accept the helmet. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

He blushed. "Dinner would be great."

Seonghwa ↠ Prince Charming (Cinderella)

• Gentlemanly • Graceful • Loyal •

"Miss! Are you alright?" the prince called out after helping you rein in your horse, which had been racing out of control. You huffed in frustration. "I'm fine, but you nearly scared the life out of him."

He frowned, confused. "Who?"

"The stag," you replied incredulously. How could he act so innocent when he and his group had been hunting down a poor creature? "What did he ever do to you to deserve being chased like that?"

His Highness struggled to suppress the smile tugging at his lips. The way you spoke of the animal as if it were a dear friend was endearing, and he could see that you genuinely cared for the animal. Not many girls your age, at least those he had met, would show such compassion. "Miss, what do they call you?"

Your smile faltered, memories of the cruel names your stepmother and stepsisters used flashing in your mind. "It doesn't matter what they call me."

"You shouldn't be this deep in the forest alone," he pointed out.

"I'm not alone. I'm with you, Mister...?" you said lightly, before pausing and glancing at him curiously. "What do they call you?"

Realising you had no clue who he was, he chuckled. "You don't know who I am?" His expression softened when he saw that you truly didn't recognise him. "Well... they call me Seonghwa. At least, my father does when he's in a good mood."

There was something refreshing about meeting someone who didn't know his royal identity, and he felt strangely free at this moment. Determined to keep it that way, he quickly came up with white lies to conceal the truth. Just then, you noticed the group of men who had been hunting with him gallop by, and you swallowed nervously. "You'll leave the stag alone, won't you?"

He paused, captivated by your sincerity and beauty—both inside and out—before nodding slowly. "I will."

⁞

"If I must marry, why not a good, honest country girl?" Seonghwa slyly suggested, posing for his portrait as part of the preparations for the royal ball, where he was expected to find a bride. Ever since meeting you that day in the woods, you hadn't left his thoughts.

The Grand Duke barely held back a chuckle. "And how many strong alliances will this 'good, honest country girl' provide us? How will she strengthen the kingdom? We are a small nation surrounded by powerful states, Your Royal Highness, and it's a dangerous world."

His Majesty sighed at the man's sarcastic tone and approached his son. "Listen, boy. I want to see you safe—and the kingdom secure."

Seonghwa's expression darkened at the gentle rejection. "Alright, Father, but on one condition. Let the invitations go to everyone, not just the nobility. The wars have brought grief to all of us."

That was all it took to set things in motion. "A ball for the people, a princess for the prince," the advisor muttered, unaware of how determined His Highness truly was. His plan to see you again was falling into place.

Days later, as you wandered through the town market, you heard the town crier make the announcement. "Know that in two weeks, a Royal Ball will be held at the palace. At said ball, in accordance with ancient custom, the prince shall choose a bride. Furthermore, by the prince's request, it is hereby declared that every maiden in the kingdom, be she noble or commoner, is invited to attend. Such is the command of our most noble king."

Eager to see the apprentice—at least, that's what he claimed to be—whom you'd met in the forest just the other day, you rushed home to share the news with your stepmother and stepsisters, brimming with excitement. But, of course, things were not going to unfold the way you had hoped.

⁞

"You shall not go to the ball!" were your stepmother's cruel words after she ripped apart your mother's old gown.

Yet here you stood, in front of everyone in the grand hall, now adorned in a magical gown and sparkling glass slippers, thanks to your fairy godmother. The prince's face lit up the moment he saw you, gazing at you like you were the most beautiful girl in the world—and to him, you were. No one could ever compare.

"Mr. Seonghwa," you called softly as the crowd parted, allowing you to approach him. His heart melted at the sound of his name on your lips. "It's you, isn't it?" he asked, smiling. "It is," you replied with a smile of your own.

Gathering his courage, he swallowed nervously. "If I may—it would be the greatest honour if you'd allow me to lead you in this first dance."

Your heart fluttered, and you nodded. With your permission, he wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you close. The proximity made your breath hitch as your hand rested on his shoulder. He spun you around, and for a moment, you caught the eyes of the crowd. "They're all looking at you," you whispered, turning to face him again.

He smiled softly, shaking his head. "Trust me, they're all looking at you." In that moment, nothing else mattered to him but you. Holding you close, he couldn't tear his eyes away, not even for a second. He could stay like this forever.

⁞

"So, you're the prince!" you exclaimed as he led you away from the crowd into a secluded room, offering you both a moment of peace and quiet.

"Not the prince, exactly," he replied with a playful grin. "There are plenty of princes in the world. I'm just a prince."

You chuckled softly. "But your name's not really Seonghwa, is it?"

He laughed. "Oh, it is. My father still calls me that—especially when he's not too irritated with me."

As you both shared a laugh, your eyes landed on a portrait hanging on the wall. "Is that you?" you asked curiously, moving toward it.

He sighed. "Ugh, I hate how I look in paintings. Don't you?"

You shrugged. "No one's ever painted my portrait."

He paused, his gaze softening as he looked at you. "No? Well, they should."

For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still as you stared at one another, neither wanting the moment to end. Reluctant to part from you, Seonghwa led you out into the palace garden.

"What's bothering you?" you asked, noticing the flicker of concern in his eyes as you strolled down the grassy paths.

He forced a smile. "When I go back, they'll try to marry me off to a lady of their choosing. I'm expected to marry for political advantage."

You gave him a gentle smile. "But surely you have a right to follow your own heart."

He sighed, wishing that were true. Not wanting the evening to end just yet, he guided you to a hidden spot. "A secret garden," you murmured in awe, stepping into the beautiful, secluded space. In the centre stood a swing, and at his insistence, he pushed you gently, laughing together until one of your glass slippers slipped off.

Like the gentleman he was, Seonghwa immediately knelt down to help you put it back on. Once it was secure, you found yourself sitting close to him, your breaths catching as he remained on his knees, gazing up at you.

"Won't you tell me who you really are?" he asked softly, a hint of desperation in his voice.

You swallowed nervously. "If I do, everything might change."

His expression tugged at your heart. "I don't understand... Can you at least tell me your name?"

You hesitated, then whispered, "My name is—"

The loud chime of the clock rang out, striking midnight. Panic surged through you. "I have to go! It's... hard to explain. Thank you for a wonderful evening. I've loved every moment!" were your final words as you hurried away.

⁞

"Miss, you are requested and required to present yourself before your king," said the captain of the royal guard, as your cruel stepmother finally unlocked the door to your attic room.

The king...?

That could only mean Seonghwa, with his father having recently passed. Despite your stepmother's desperate attempts to stop you, she could no longer keep you from meeting him. With nervous breaths, you made your way down to the living hall where he waited. Would you be enough? There was no magic to help you now.

"Who are you?" he asked, holding the single glass slipper in his hand.

With a deep breath, you finally spoke your truth. "Your Majesty, I'm no princess. I have no carriage, no parents, and no dowry. I don't even know if that beautiful slipper will fit. But if it does, will you take me as I am? An honest country girl who loves you."

A soft smile spread across his face. His loyalty has only ever been to you and only you from the very beginning. "Of course I will. But only if you will take me as I am."

In that final moment of truth, you sat before him just like that night, and without hesitation, Seonghwa gently slipped the shoe onto your foot. It fit perfectly. After searching the entire kingdom to find you, you were finally here, his at last.

A few days later, you stood beside him in a wedding gown, facing the people as their queen. "My Queen," he whispered, cupping your face amidst the cheers of the crowd.

"My Hwa," you murmured, just before he pressed his lips firmly against yours.

Yunho ↠ Prince Phillip (Sleeping Beauty)

• Brave • Romantic • Strong-willed •

"We want you to go pick some berries! Lots of berries! But take your time, dear. Don't wander too far, and remember—no talking to strangers! Goodbye, dear," your three godmothers chimed in unison as you waved them off. They were so charmingly silly, and though you knew they were up to something for your 16th birthday, you played along and agreed to leave the cosy little cottage you'd grown up in.

What you didn't know was that your godmothers were feeling bittersweet. After the celebration, they would be returning you to your true parents—the king and queen. They had kept you hidden all these years from Maleficent's curse, and now, believing it was finally safe, they prepared to send you home. Or so they thought.

Completely unaware of this, you happily made your way to the forest where you often spent your days, swinging the empty basket in your hand and singing a familiar tune.

Not far off, Yunho caught the sound of your voice—the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He pulled his horse to a stop, biting his lip in wonder. "What is that? It's... beautiful." Turning toward the source of the melody, he couldn't resist. "Come on, let's go find out."

In his haste to reach you, his horse galloped ahead, easily leaping over a low log—unfortunately, not quite low enough for the prince. Yunho yelped as he was thrown into a shallow pond, landing with a splash. He groaned, unamused, as his horse sheepishly returned, having noticed his rider was no longer on board.

So much for chasing the magical voice. Now he was stuck with wet clothes, needing to dry off before he could continue his search.

⁞

"Why do they still treat me like a child? They never let me meet anyone..." you sighed, speaking to the animals gathered around you. "But guess what? I tricked them. I have met someone—a prince. He's tall, handsome, and... so romantic. We walk together, talk together, and just before we say goodbye, he takes me in his arms, and then..." you teased with a playful smile. "I wake up."

"Yes, it's only in my dreams."

Pushing aside your wistful thoughts, you continued to sing softly while gathering berries. But to your surprise, another voice joined in—a deep, masculine voice. Before you knew it, a pair of arms gently mirrored the way yours had been swaying in your daydream.

"Oh. Oh!" you gasped, pulling away as you realised this wasn't a dream. A man was standing before you, real and not imagined. Not wanting to frighten you, he kept his distance and bowed politely. "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

You blinked, trying to calm your racing heart as you took in his features—he looked exactly like the man you had seen in your dreams. "Oh, it's not that... it's just that you're a..."

As you instinctively stepped back, he gently reached for your hand. "A stranger?" he finished for you, and you nodded. Before you could pull away, he smiled and held on softly. "But don't you remember? We've met before."

"We... have?" you whispered, your voice faltering.

He nodded, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. "Of course. You said so yourself. Once upon a dream."

You couldn't help the smile tugging at your lips as you turned away, amused by how he cleverly quoted your song. At first, you resisted, but soon you found yourself in his arms, dancing to the tune you had been singing. Except this time, you were no longer alone—you were dancing with him.

As if caught in a dream, you eventually leaned into him, resting your head on his shoulder as the two of you stood beneath a tree, gazing out at the beautiful view. His voice was soft when he asked, "Who are you? What's your name?"

"My name..." you started, staring up into his eyes, momentarily mesmerised by them. You almost gave him your name, but then reality hit you—you didn't even know him. With a gasp, you pulled away from his hold. "No, no, I can't. I—I have to go! Goodbye!"

Yunho panicked, not ready to let you slip away. Call it love at first sight, but he knew, deep down, you were the one. "But when will I see you again?" he called out, his eyes filled with longing as he watched you retreat into the forest.

"Tonight! At the cottage in the glen!" you blurted out, against your better judgement. Deep down, you couldn't bear the thought of leaving and never seeing him again either.

⁞

"This is the happiest day of my life!" you exclaimed, admiring the beautiful dress and the delicious cake your godmothers had made for you. "Everything is so perfect. Just wait until you meet him!"

"Him? Y-you've met a stranger?" one of the fairies asked, concerned.

You smiled dreamily. "Oh, he's not a stranger. We've met before—once upon a dream."

The fairies exchanged worried glances, their hearts breaking as they realised... you were in love. "Oh no, this is terrible. You're already betrothed."

"Betrothed?" Your heart sank.

"Since the day you were born, dear. To Prince Yunho."

You frowned in disbelief. "But that's impossible! How could I marry a prince? I'd have to be..."

"A princess," they finished for you. "And you are, dear. Tonight, we're taking you back to your father, King Stefan."

Shaking your head, you struggled to process the sudden revelation. "But... I can't! He's coming here tonight. I promised to meet him."

"We're sorry, child, but you must never see that young man again," one of them said softly.

It felt like a cruel joke. Just when you had finally met the man of your dreams, it all crumbled. That night, you cried yourself to sleep, your 16th birthday turning into something far from the magical day you had hoped for. And it was only going to get worse.

With a curse of eternal sleep.

⁞

"Oh, come now, Prince Yunho. Why so melancholy?" Maleficent's sinister voice echoed through the dungeon as he lifted his head, his hands shackled in heavy chains. She had trapped him during his visit to your vacant cottage and now kept him imprisoned on her Forbidden Mountain. "A wondrous future lies before you," she mocked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You, the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true."

With a wave of her hand over the glowing crystal ball atop her staff, she smirked. "Behold, King Stefan's castle." A vision slowly materialised in the crystal, and his heart sank.

"In the highest tower, dreaming of her true love, lies the princess," Maleficent sneered. "But in a cruel twist of fate, this sleeping beauty is none other than the peasant girl who won your heart just yesterday." Her grin widened as the image shifted. "In an ageless sleep, she rests, untouched by time. A hundred years will pass in the blink of an eye for a steadfast heart."

The crystal revealed an older, wearier version of His Highness. "And now, the gates of the dungeon open, and our valiant prince rides forth, tall and noble, to wake his love with a kiss—proving that true love conquers all!"

Her wicked laughter filled the air as the prince surged to his feet, straining against the chains. The revelation hit him hard—you were his betrothed all along. His heart shattered at the sight of you, cursed to an endless sleep. But he refused to wait idly for a century. No matter the cost, even if it took his life, nothing would stop him from reaching you and breaking the spell.

⁞

Through trials that nearly cost him his life more than once, Yunho pressed on, driven by a love that burned stronger than fear. Every step, every swing of his sword, had been for you. Now, as he climbed the winding staircase of the tower where you lay, his heart pounded louder than it ever had. Strangely, facing you was far more terrifying than battling a dragon or plummeting from a cliff.

What if his kiss didn't wake you? What if he wasn't the one you dreamed of all this time? His mind raced with doubts, but all of them vanished the moment he laid eyes on you.

There you were, peacefully resting, untouched by the passage of time. His breath caught in his throat as he knelt beside you, his hands trembling slightly, almost afraid that if he reached out, you might disappear like a fading dream. Gently, he lifted a hand to brush your hair away from your face, his fingers lingering as they drifted down to caress your cheek. The softness of your skin beneath his touch made his heart clench. God, you were beautiful. Even in this endless sleep, you were breathtaking, and the thought that you were his—the one his heart had longed for—was almost too much to believe.

Ignoring the wild rhythm of his heartbeat, he leaned in closer. He hesitated, his lips hovering above yours, terrified and hopeful. Slowly, he closed the distance, pressing his lips tenderly against yours, his touch as gentle as a whisper. Time seemed to stand still. His entire world narrowed down to that single, precious moment.

Then, something incredible happened. He felt you stir, your lips moving ever so softly in response to his. Tears welled up in his eyes as he pulled back slightly, his gaze searching your face, desperate to see the miracle of your awakening. "Please," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, "come back to me."

A soft smile played on your lips as your eyes fluttered open. "I'm here, stranger," you murmured. Yunho let out a tearful laugh, pure joy flooding his heart as you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him in for another kiss. Nothing had ever felt so perfect.

Yeosang ↠ Hercules (Hercules)

• Strength • Determination • Humility •

A scream pierced the air, and without a second thought, Yeosang urged Pegasus to dive down past the clouds toward the waterfall, where a damsel was clearly in distress. This was it—his first real chance to prove himself as a true hero. Soon enough, he'd restore his godhood and join his parents back in Olympus.

"I swear, Nessus, put me down or I'll—" you growled, struggling in the grasp of the River Guardian, a centaur who was supposed to be an ally on your mission for Hades, but he was proving to be more trouble than he was worth.

"Ooh, I like 'em fiery," the creature sneered, pulling you closer as you tried in vain to wriggle free.

The hero-in-training gasped, his blood boiling at the sight of you being manhandled. Not on his watch. Ignoring his trainer's advice to assess the situation, he charged forward recklessly. Phil groaned. "This kid is losing hero points fast!"

"Halt!" Yeosang called out, though his voice wavered when Nessus towered over him. "Excuse me, sir," he continued, much to the centaur's surprise. Who was this polite little pest? "I'll have to ask you to release that young la—"

You shot him a frustrated look. "Keep walking, junior."

He blinked, confused. "But... aren't you a damsel in distress?"

"I'm a damsel, I'm in distress," you snapped. "I can handle it. Have a nice day." Despite your sarcastic smile, you were still stuck in the centaur's grip, struggling to break free.

Yeosang, however, wasn't one to give up so easily. A bit flustered by your brush-off, he unsheathed his sword. "Ma'am, I think you might be too close to the situation to—" Before he could finish, Nessus sent him flying across the field.

After several clumsy attempts and a lot of trial and error, he finally managed to free you from the River Guardian's hold, though you both ended up soaked in the river. Quickly, he lifted you out of the water as if you weighed nothing and set you gently on a nearby log. "Oh, gosh, miss, I'm really sorry. That was... kind of dumb."

"Yeah," you replied with a crooked smile, wringing out your hair. Before you could say anything more, he dashed back into the fray. You smirked, amused by his naive determination and innocent sense of righteousness. It had been a while since you'd seen such a genuine do-gooder. "Is Wonderboy here for real?"

⁞

"So, did they give you a name to go with all those rippling pectorals?" you teased, bending over to adjust the skirt of your dress.

The hero's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as he stared at you, now bathed in the golden light of the sunset. You were a sight for sore eyes—more beautiful than Aphrodite herself, he dared to think.

He chuckled nervously, stammering like a shy schoolboy. "Uh, I'm—I… uh…"

You smirked, standing back up and retrieving the shoes he had been awkwardly holding for you. "Are you always this articulate?"

"Yeosang!" he blurted out, watching you walk away. "My... my name's Yeosang!"

Making your way to a nearby log to sit down, you glanced up at him with a playful grin. "Yeosang, huh? I think I prefer Wonderboy."

He bit his lip, completely unaware of how poorly he was hiding his emotions. It was obvious to anyone that he was completely mesmerised by you. "So, how'd you get tangled up with that..."

"Pinhead with hooves? Oh, you know how men are. They think 'no' means 'yes' and 'get lost' means 'take me, I'm yours,'" you quipped, your voice dripping with sarcasm. He blinked, clearly confused by your response. You rolled your eyes and gestured toward his trainer. "Don't worry, shorty here will explain it to you later."

Phil shot you an irritated glare, but you just waved him off. "Well, thanks for everything, Yeo. It's been a real slice."

You had barely taken a few steps when the hero called after you again, his voice full of determination. "Wait! Can we give you a ride?"

You glanced at Pegasus and Phil, both clearly unimpressed with you, and smirked. "Nah, I'll be fine. I'm a big, tough girl. I tie my own sandals and everything."

Leaning in, you gave him a quick boop on the nose, chuckling as he stood there with that dreamy smile still plastered on his face. "Bye-bye, Wonderboy."

⁞

You hadn't expected to see him again so soon, but there he was, and you had to act fast. Running up to him, you let out a false cry. "Please! Help! There's been a terrible accident!" You hated dragging him into this, but with Hades holding your freedom hostage, you had no choice. You had to lure him into the trap.

The hero's face brightened the moment he saw you, your name escaping his lips with excitement. After his earlier failure in Thebes, seeing you lifted his spirits. He needed this—he needed you.

"Wonderboy! Yeosang! Thank goodness!" you exclaimed, stumbling into his arms with an air of desperation. His grip on you tightened protectively, his eyes wide with concern. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of worry.

Sniffling, you wiped your fake tears away. "Outside of town... two little boys. They were playing in the gorge. There was a terrible rockslide. They're trapped!"

"Kids? Trapped? This is my chance! Come on!" Before you could object, he had already hoisted you onto Pegasus despite your protests. "No, wait! I... I have a terrible fear of heights!" But it was too late—you were already in the sky, holding on tightly as the wind whipped past.

When you finally arrived, he noticed how shaken you seemed. His brow furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

You nodded weakly. "I'll be fine." But even then, he gently pulled you close, helping you down. The flutter in your chest was unwelcome—you shouldn't feel this way. You stayed back, watching as he rushed forward, unaware of the Hydra waiting to destroy him. Hades had set it up perfectly, and this was Yeosang's end. You should have focused on your own survival, but you couldn't help whispering under your breath, "Get out of here while you still can..."

Despite everything, he wasn't deterred. Time and again, he fought against what seemed like a certain defeat, his determination unshakable. Even after facing near death, he refused to give up, ultimately defeating the monster.

As much as you hated to admit it, seeing him fight with such bravery and resolve stirred something inside you. His courage, his power—it only deepened your admiration for him.

⁞

"Wow, what a day," Yeosang said with a wide grin, descending the stairs into the picturesque garden. "First, that restaurant by the bay, and then the play!" His voice was animated, clearly still buzzing from the events of your date. Meanwhile, you struggled to maintain your smile, Hades' voice echoing in your mind with his latest demand. His patience was thinning after so many failed attempts. Now, he wanted you to find the hero's weakness.

When he turned to you, thanking you for such a wonderful time, you winced inwardly. "Don't thank me just yet," you muttered, setting your plan into motion. You deliberately tripped on the stairs, conveniently falling into his strong arms.

"Oops! Weak ankles," you murmured, biting your lip as you savoured the feeling of being so close to him. His grip was firm yet gentle.

"Yeah? Maybe you should sit down for a bit," he suggested like the gentleman he always was, carrying you over to a bench and setting you down with care. But how long would he stay a gentleman?

You shrugged, letting one of your dress straps slide down your shoulder, flashing him a seductive smile. "So, do you have any problems like this?" you asked, testing the waters as you slowly lifted one leg onto his lap. "Weak ankles, I mean."

His eyes widened, and he cleared his throat, gently but firmly pushing your leg back down. "Oh, no. Not really..." he stammered, inching away while you leaned in closer.

"No weaknesses at all?" you teased, pressing against his chest. "No trick knee? Ruptured discs?"

Yeosang just chuckled nervously, his face reddening. Instead of falling for your flirtation, he reached over and pulled your strap back over your shoulder. "Nope. I'm... fit as a fiddle," he said, quickly moving away toward the fountain, where he clumsily tossed a coin and knocked over a statue.

You sighed, walking over to him. "Wonderboy, you're perfect," you muttered with a teasing laugh. Time seemed to freeze as your eyes met his, a flicker of something different passing between you. Biting your lip, you quickly looked away. Maybe, just maybe, he really was different from the men who had hurt you before.

⁞

"You know, when I was a kid, I would've given anything to be just like everyone else," Yeosang said softly, his eyes tracing the path of a shooting star across the night sky.

You scoffed, crossing your arms as you moved away to sit by the water, staring at your reflection with a bitter frown. "You wanted to be petty and dishonest?" You knew what people were like—you were one of them.

His smile faltered. "Not everyone's like that."

"Yes, they are," you whispered, more to yourself than to him.

"You're not like that," he said gently, appearing behind you. You smirked, feeling a tightness in your throat as you tried to keep your emotions in check. "How do you know what I'm like?" you croaked, wishing he'd stop making it so hard for you.

"All I know is you're the most amazing person with weak ankles I've ever met," he teased, his voice full of warmth. You chuckled until he continued, "When I'm with you, I don't feel so alone."

You avoided his gaze, your heart aching. "Sometimes it's better to be alone."

His smile faltered again. "What do you mean?"

You swallowed hard, your voice barely a whisper. "Nobody can hurt you."

He sat down beside you, reaching out to take your hands in his. "I would never, ever hurt you."

If only he knew...

Before you could say anything, he was already leaning in. Against your better judgement, your eyes fluttered closed, anticipation hanging between you. But just as your lips were about to meet, Pegasus and Phil appeared, breaking the moment and pulling Yeosang back to his training.

"I'm sorry for getting you in trouble," you murmured, feeling conflicted.

He just smiled, shaking his head, and handed you a small flower, gently pressing a kiss to your cheek. As he walked away, you were left behind—completely a mess.

⁞

"Wonderboy, why did you…?" you croaked, your voice weak after returning from death—literally. Yeosang had been crushed when he learned of your betrayal, discovering you had been working for Hades all along. But as you sacrificed yourself to save him, he realised none of that mattered anymore. Why hadn't he thought deeper about your reasons? If only he had understood that maybe you didn't have a choice.

In his selfless determination to exchange his life for yours, he had finally become a true hero. Tears welled up in his eyes as he helped you to your feet, pulling you gently back into his loving arms. "People always do crazy things when they're in love," he whispered—the same words you had said to him before your death.

So, he had felt the same all along.

"Now, at last, my son, you can come home," Zeus said, resting a proud hand on Yeosang's shoulder as he gestured to the now-open gates of Mount Olympus. The hero, now a god, beamed as the other gods swarmed him, celebrating his return.

From afar, you watched with a fading smile. Of course, he belonged to a different world. You were foolish to think you could ever truly be with him. "Congratulations, Wonderboy. You'll make one heck of a god," you whispered to yourself, turning to walk away.

But while the heavens rejoiced, Yeosang only had eyes for one person. His heart sank when he saw you leaving. "Father, this is the moment I've dreamed of my whole life, but…" He trailed off, racing after you and catching your hand. "A life without her, even an immortal life, would be empty. I… I wish to stay on Earth with her. I finally know where I belong."

And with that, he pulled you into his arms, the divine glow fading as he leaned in, his lips meeting yours at last.

San ↠ Kristoff (Frozen)

• Down-to-earth • Hardworking • Quirky •

"I was just wondering... has another young woman, maybe the queen, passed through here?" you asked, trying to sound casual, even though the bitter cold from Elsa's winter had you shivering uncontrollably. You were gathering what supplies you could from Wandering Oaken's Trading Post on your journey to find your sister. You needed to fix this, and to do that, she had to return to Arendelle.

"The only one crazy enough to be out in this storm is you, dear," the store owner chuckled, and you offered him an awkward smile. Before you could respond, the door suddenly swung open and slammed shut just as quickly. A man, completely covered in snow—literally—stepped in with a weary sigh, shaking off the frost by the entrance.

"You and this fellow," Oaken added, gesturing to the newcomer.

Without a word, the man walked straight to the counter, forcing you to step aside awkwardly. "Carrots," he muttered, stepping closer.

"Huh?" you blinked, confused by how close he was.

"Behind you," he clarified, and you realised you were blocking the carrots he was reaching for. Feeling a bit foolish, you quickly moved aside. "Oh! Right, sorry."

Through his conversation with the store owner, you caught a crucial piece of information. "The North Mountain..." you murmured to yourself, eyes narrowing in thought. That must be where Elsa had gone. At least now you had a lead—north it was.

"That'll be forty," Oaken said, ringing up the man's items.

"Forty? No, ten," the man countered, clearly unimpressed.

Deep in thought, you barely registered the tense negotiation between the two, both stubborn and unwilling to compromise. You only snapped back when you heard the man explain his dilemma—he sold ice for a living, and in this weather, he wasn't making any money. "Look, ten is all I've got. Help me out."

Before Oaken could respond, you jumped in. "Wait, just tell me one thing. What's happening on the North Mountain? Did it seem… magical?" There was desperation in your voice.

With an exasperated sigh, the man pulled down his scarf, revealing, to your surprise, a strikingly handsome face. For a second, you had thought him a brute. "Yes! Now back off while I deal with this crook."

Big mistake. The store owner stood up from his seat, towering over the both of you like a giant. "What did you call me?" And before the man knew it, he was tossed out of the shop—minus his carrots.

⁞

"Nice duet," you quipped, pushing open the door to the shack where you heard the man from earlier, now singing and impersonating his reindeer, Sven.

Startled, San jumped up defensively, only to relax with a sigh when he saw it was just you. "It's you again. What do you want?"

Taking a deep breath, you stepped forward with determination. "I want you to take me up the North Mountain."

He remained unimpressed, sinking back down to resume his sleep. "I don't take people places."

You should've known it wouldn't be that easy. "Let me rephrase," you said, tossing a bag at him. He jolted up, wheezing from the impact. "Take me up the North Mountain," you repeated more firmly, though you softened a little as he raised a brow. "Please?"

Sven started sniffing the bag, drawing his attention. San opened it to find the tools he'd been after. You bit your lip. "Look, I know how to stop this winter."

With a sigh, he pulled his beanie over his face. "Ugh, we leave at dawn." Just as you were about to celebrate, he added, "And you forgot the carrots for Sven."

Frustrated but undeterred, you hurled another bag at him, this time hitting him square in the face. He grunted in pain, sitting up again. Your eyes widened in panic. "Oops! Sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean—" you stammered before regaining your composure. Clearing your throat, you declared firmly, "We leave now. Right now." You turned and marched out, letting out a breath of relief the moment you were out of sight. He really was intimidating.

Unbeknownst to you, he watched you leave, eyebrows narrowed. Not out of anger, but something else—a mix of mild annoyance and, oddly enough, admiration. You were quite the character.

⁞

"So, uhh, tell me—what made the queen go all ice-crazy?" San asked, trying to pry some information as the two of you sat on his sled, the cold winter night biting at your skin.

You gulped, unsure where to begin. "Well... it was kinda my fault. I got engaged, and she freaked out because I'd just met him that day, you know? She refused to bless the marriage and..." You trailed off, noticing the way he was staring at you.

"Wait, hold on—you got engaged to someone you just met that day?" he asked, his face a mix of disbelief and judgement.

You nodded, waving it off like it was no big deal. "Yeah, anyway, I got mad, she got mad, she tried to leave, and I grabbed her glove..."

He blinked and turned fully towards you. "Hang on! You're telling me you got engaged to a guy you just met that day?"

"Yes," you sighed in frustration. "Pay attention. The point is, she always wore gloves, so I figured maybe she has a thing about dirt or something."

San couldn't believe what he was hearing. You'd agreed to marry someone you'd only met that very day? Even if that someone was a prince, at the end of the day, he was just another man. The idea of it baffled him to no end. He couldn't help the surge of protectiveness that welled up in him. Sure, you seemed a little silly and unhinged compared to the girls he'd met, but you were still an innocent young woman—too trusting for your own good. And that could get you in serious trouble.

If judgemental had a face, it was sitting right next to you. "Didn't your parents ever warn you about strangers?"

You paused, the comment sinking in, and shifted uncomfortably, inching away from him. "Yes, they did. But Hans isn't a stranger."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. That led to a back-and-forth about how much you really knew the Prince of the Southern Isles. The more you talked, the more San found himself silently shaking his head at your naivety, though he couldn't help but feel a small, growing fondness for you, as crazy as your story was.

Suddenly, he stiffened. "Stop talking."

You scoffed, still mid-argument. "No, no—"

Before you could finish, he slapped a hand over your mouth. "No, I mean it," his voice tense, eyes scanning the dark forest ahead.

⁞

"Wolves?" you asked anxiously, your heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of your chest. "What do we do?"

"I got this," he said, busy moving around like he knew exactly what he was doing. But your nerves wouldn’t let you sit still. "Just… don't fall off and don't get eaten."

You frowned, stepping up beside him. "But I want to help!"

"No!" he barked, pulling you back.

"Why not?!"

"Because I don't trust your judgement!"

Your jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"Who marries a guy she just met?!" he shouted as he pushed you behind him and kicked away a wolf that had nearly pounced on you.

"It's true love!" you yelled back, swinging his guitar wildly. Startling him, but you managed to knock another wolf away. "Woah!"

Slightly impressed, he froze for a second, but in that moment of distraction, a wolf sank its teeth into his jacket, pulling him off the sled. You gasped, screaming, "Santiago!"

He grunted, grabbing onto the sled's rope, and glaring up at you. "It's San!"

"Ow!" he yelped as the wolves bit into his back. Despite barely knowing him, your heart dropped, hoping he wasn't seriously hurt. In a burst of quick thinking, you grabbed a bundle of cloth, lit it on fire, and threw it at the wolves, scaring them off.

As you regained control, you realised the sled was speeding toward the edge of a mountain. Your breath caught in your throat—the only way to make it across was if the reindeer jumped. "Get ready to jump, Sven!"

San shot you a look. "You don't tell him what to do. I do!" He shoved a bag into your arms before tossing you onto Sven's back. As you neared the cliff's edge, he shouted and cut the rope tying the reindeer to the sled. "Jump, Sven!"

After landing dangerously close to the mountain's edge, San's sled lay in ruins below, and he muttered something about just having paid it off. The narrow escape from death weighed heavily on you, especially when you saw him lying on the ground, an arm thrown over his eyes in sheer exhaustion. He was so done.

"I-I'll replace your sled and everything in it," you mumbled, guilt creeping into your voice. "And... I get it if you don't want to help me anymore." With a heavy sigh, you turned and started walking away, your heart sinking. Of course, he wouldn't want to stick around now. You'd caused him nothing but trouble, and he hadn't even volunteered to come with you—it was all your fault.

San groaned in frustration, his reindeer nudging him persistently, nodding toward your retreating, disheartened figure. "Of course, I don't want to help her anymore," he grumbled, sitting up. "This whole mess has cured me of ever helping anyone again."

"She'll die out there on her own," Sven's eyes seemed to say.

"I can live with that," San muttered, though his voice lacked confidence.

"But no new sled if she's dead!" The silent reasoning gnawed at him.

He slumped, casting an irritated glare at Sven. "Sometimes, I really don't like you." But as he heard you stumbling and fumbling your way through the snow, likely still trying to reach your sister, he rolled his eyes in dramatic defeat before shouting, "Hold up! We're coming!"

You turned around, your face lighting up before playing it off coolly. "You are? I mean... sure, you can tag along."

He chuckled, shaking his head, though he couldn't quite hide the smile tugging at his lips. Maybe, just maybe, he found you... kind of adorable. In fact, you were probably the most adorable person he'd ever met, if he were being honest. Not that you needed to know that. Hans was a lucky guy... maybe.

⁞

As the journey dragged on, San found himself increasingly drawn to you in ways he hadn't anticipated. He had written you off as reckless, even naïve. But the more time he spent by your side, the more he found himself softening.

It began with the small things—your silly jokes, the way you smiled at him even in the direst of situations, and the surprising concern you showed for his struggling ice business, despite the weight of your own problems. A part of him tried to deny it, chalking up his protectiveness to simply being a decent person. Yet, as the days went on, the truth became harder to ignore, especially as you started to weaken.

The first time he truly noticed was when you faltered, clutching your chest as the icy curse gripped you. His heart clenched painfully at the sight of you, pale and fragile in a way that scared him. At first, he didn't understand what was happening—until he saw the streaks of white creeping into your hair. His stomach twisted in fear as he watched you shiver uncontrollably.

San tried to fight it at first, keeping his feelings hidden behind casual smiles and forced reassurances. He'd wrap you in his cloak, telling himself that he was just looking out for you like anyone else would. But inside, he was terrified. Each time you winced or stumbled, the protective instinct inside him flared, and it became harder to ignore. He wanted to hold you, to keep you safe, but he told himself that keeping his distance was for the best.

Until it wasn't.

After watching you grow weaker, he couldn't stand it any longer. You were so cold, so frail, barely able to keep yourself upright. Your hair had turned almost entirely white, and the violent shivering never stopped. When you could no longer walk on your own, San didn't care anymore. He scooped you into his arms without hesitation, cradling your fragile body against his chest. Your icy fingers clung weakly to his sleeve, barely able to hold on.

Perhaps the trolls had been right. Maybe what you needed was true love's kiss. The thought sent a wave of fear through him, not because he doubted it, but because he wanted it to be him. Holding you close, trembling as he tried to keep you warm, he swallowed hard, fighting back the lump in his throat.

"We've got to get you back to Hans," he whispered, though the name felt like a sharp blade twisting in his chest.

"A-are you g-gonna be okay?" you asked, voice weak and trembling as you struggled to stay conscious. Your eyes fluttered open, full of worry, and San's heart ached even more.

He forced a smile, though the pain in his chest was undeniable. "Don't worry about me," he said, though the crack in his voice betrayed him. He couldn't tell you the truth—that the very thought of giving you to Hans was tearing him apart.

⁞

As he left the castle gates, his arms now empty without your fragile form, the weight of his feelings bore down on him, suffocating. Even Sven could sense it. His reindeer nudged him softly, as if to say, you can't let her go.

San clenched his jaw, shaking his head at the reindeer's knowing gaze. "No, Sven! We're not going back! She's with her true love."

But none of that mattered the moment he noticed the fierce snowstorm suddenly engulfing Arendelle. His eyes widened with panic as he realised something was terribly wrong. Without a second thought, he sprinted back toward the castle, his heart racing, your name ripping from his throat as he shouted through the howling winds.

Snow and ice whipped through the air, blinding San as he fought against the wind, desperately searching for you. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat louder than the roar of the storm. Then, through the blizzard, he saw you—a frail figure swaying weakly amidst the violent storm.

His breath hitched, a strangled cry escaping him as he realised how dire your condition was. Your hair was completely white, and your skin had started to turn into a translucent blue, as if turning to ice. Panic surged through him, and without hesitation, he dashed toward you, every muscle in his body straining against the storm.

You took tiny, shaky steps towards him, your voice barely audible above the howling wind. "San..." The way you uttered his name sent a jolt through him, a painful reminder of just how close he was to losing you. He pushed himself harder, the distance between you seeming to stretch endlessly.

"Hold on!" he shouted, though he wasn't sure if you could hear him over the storm. He could see the effort it took for you to move, each step a struggle against the encroaching ice.

Just when he thought he might finally reach you, you changed direction abruptly. His heart stopped as he watched you rush towards your sister, trying to protect her from Hans. The realisation hit him like a thunderclap: in your attempt to shield your sister, you were sacrificing yourself.

He watched in horror as you turned completely into ice, your form crystallising before his eyes. The storm seemed to quiet for a moment, a heavy silence descending as you stood there, frozen.

Desperation clawed at him, and he fought through the storm to reach you. When you returned to your normal state, he was already there, cradling you in his arms. He refused to be a coward again, not after everything you had been through. The fear of losing you was unbearable, and he was determined not to let go.

Holding you close, he buried his face in your hair, breathing in your warmth, feeling your heartbeat against his chest. "I'm not letting you go," he whispered fiercely, his voice breaking with emotion. "Not now, not ever. If you'll let me, I'll hold you close forever."

His heart ached as he clung to you, the world around him fading into insignificance. The storm may have raged on, but in that moment, all that mattered was you.

Mingi ↠ Flynn Rider (Tangled)

• Charm • Wit • Adventurous •

"Is this… hair?" Mingi croaked in confusion as his eyes fluttered open to the unexpected realisation that he was tied up. The last thing he remembered was climbing up a tower hidden in the forest to escape from the royal guards and the Stabbington brothers.

"Struggling…" came a feminine voice from somewhere in the shadows. "Struggling is pointless."

He furrowed his brows. "Huh?"

"I know why you're here, and I'm not afraid of you," you said, gripping your frying pan tightly as you slowly emerged from your corner and finally stepped into the light.

Oh me, oh my. What do we have here?

The intruder looked genuinely confused as he took a moment to register your appearance. You were a sight to behold, that much was undeniable, but you were also threatening him with a kitchen tool, and truthfully, he wasn't very into that.

"Who are you and how did you find me?" you asked, glaring at him.

But man, were you beautiful.

"Uh huh…" was all he could muster.

Frustrated, you repeated yourself, raising your weapon higher. "Who are you and how did you find me?"

Clearing his throat, he began his rehearsed speech for situations like this. He had yet to meet any lady who wouldn't fall for his charms. As much as he would love to hang around, he had more important things to do. "I know not who you are nor how I came to find you, but may I just say…" He looked down momentarily, then met your gaze again with a rather... questionable expression. "Hi. How you doin'? The name's Flynn Rider. How's your day goin', huh?"

To his surprise, your hostility persisted. "Who else knows my location?" you demanded, aiming the pan at him.

Man, how did the smoulder not work?

⁞

Mingi let out a long sigh, staring ahead in exasperation as you ran circles around him with boundless enthusiasm. Lord, how did he get himself into this? He was stuck in this ridiculous situation because he needed the crown he had just stolen from the palace. The deal was simple: he would take you to see the lanterns and bring you back.

But he had no time for that.

Determined to avoid the whole ordeal, he hatched a foolproof plan. He would take you to the Snuggly Duckling, a tavern with a motley crew of thugs and ruffians. Surely that would scare you off.

As you twirled around, he muttered under his breath, "This is going to work. It has to work."

You paused mid-spin. "Did you say something?"

"Nothing!" he replied, forcing a smile. "Just… thinking about how much fun we're going to have."

He let out a sigh of relief as the Snuggly Duckling came into view. He couldn't help but grin at the look of horror that flashed across your face when you saw the rowdy tavern. This was going perfectly.

"You don't look so good, blondie. Maybe we should get you home, call it a day. This is a five-star joint, after all. If you can't handle this place, maybe you should be back in your tower," he said, trying to sound sympathetic while suppressing a smirk.

Just as he thought his plan was working, Mingi cursed under his breath as the main door slammed shut, and a burly man pressed a "Wanted" poster of him against it.

"Is this you?" the man growled, squinting at the poster.

Crap, crap, crap. This is not good.

The thief's eyes widened in dread as he moved the man's finger off the painting of his nose. His heart sank even further. They had gotten his nose wrong... again.

"Now they're just being mean," he muttered to himself, more upset about the artistic injustice than the actual danger he was in.

⁞

The last thing Mingi expected happened. As the thugs closed in, you suddenly began to sing a silly little song about having a dream. At first, he stared at you in disbelief, but then something miraculous happened. The roughest and toughest of the bunch started to join in, swayed by your infectious innocence and charm.

A reluctant smile soon spread across his face. As impractical as it seemed, your innocence had saved you both. "I can't believe that worked," he muttered, watching the formerly hostile crowd now swaying together harmoniously.

But the relief was short-lived.

The doors burst open, and royal guards flooded the tavern. "There he is!" one of the guards shouted.

"Time to go!" He grabbed your hand, pulling you towards a hidden exit. The chase led you to a dangerous cave, the sound of the guards echoing behind you.

The thief's adventurous spirit shone brightly as he led you through perilous situations, always thinking on his feet and embracing the thrill. He expertly navigated the cave, his confidence never wavering even as the path grew treacherous.

But things took a dire turn when the cave began to collapse. Rocks tumbled down, trapping you both under the debris. Water started to fill the cave, and panic set in. Despite his fear, he remained focused. He pulled you out of the water when you dipped back under, refusing to let you drown.

"Hey, there's no point. It's pitch-black down there," he said, gently moving some hair out of your face, his eyes filled with a rare vulnerability.

You felt a pang of guilt as you saw the hopelessness in his expression. "This is all my fault," you whimpered. "Mother was right. I never should have done this. I'm so sorry, Flynn," you cried.

He sighed, gazing at you sobbing pitifully before whispering, "Mingi."

"What?" you turned to look at him, confused.

"My real name is Song Mingi. Someone might as well know."

You smiled softly through your tears. "I have magical hair that glows when I sing."

His eyes widened in exasperation. "What?"

⁞

Just as he thought he couldn't possibly be more amazed, his admiration and affection for you only grew. He watched in awe as you healed his injury with your glowing hair, the pain ebbing away under your touch. Listening to your story, he saw the depth of your courage and determination, traits he deeply admired.

For the first time in his life, Mingi felt comfortable enough to open up about himself. He let down all the walls he had built over the years, sharing his dreams, fears, and the loneliness that had always shadowed him. Something had changed since then, and neither of you had been more certain about your feelings for each other than on the night of your birthday.

He had kept his promise and taken you to see the lanterns. As you both floated on the water, surrounded by the magical glow of thousands of lanterns, he realised that seeing you happy meant more to him than the riches he had dreamed about for so long. This moment, this connection, you—mattered more than anything.

The thief realised that none of the money or recognition would ever mean anything if it meant being without you. Perhaps Flynn Rider was so much more than just a witty and adventurous prince; he was also a romantic at heart. This truth became painfully clear as he prepared to sacrifice his own life to free you, the love of his life, from the clutches of your kidnapper.

On the verge of his own death, he made a heartbreaking decision. He would rather cut your hair, stripping it of its magical properties before you could save him, than allow Mother Gothel to use you any further. With a swift motion, he severed your once-blonde hair, watching as it returned to its original colour.

"Mingi!" you cried, watching in despair as the magic faded. You pulled him into your arms, cradling his face. "No, no, no. Mingi," you pleaded desperately. "Look at me. I'm right here. Don't go. Stay with me."

He smiled weakly, his strength fading. He cupped your face with a trembling hand. "You were my new dream."

Your heart shattered as tears streamed down your cheeks. His hand fell limp beside him, his eyes closing as his life slipped away.

"And you were mine," you whispered, your voice breaking as you held him close, the pain of losing him overwhelming.

⁞

But things took a miraculous turn. Your magic, which had always been tied to your hair, still remained in the essence of your tears. As you cried over him, a single tear fell onto his face, glowing brightly before seeping into his skin.

Suddenly, his breath hitched, and his eyes fluttered open. Life returned to him as the magic worked its way through his body. You gasped, pulling him closer, barely able to believe what was happening.

"Mingi!" you exclaimed, joy and relief flooding your heart.

He looked at you, his eyes filled with wonder and gratitude. "You're magic," he whispered, holding you tightly. Without another word, he pressed his lips firmly against yours, pouring all his love and thankfulness into the kiss.

As he held you close, he silently thanked the heavens for granting him a second chance at life. He vowed to start over and be a better person for his princess. At that moment, everything felt right, and he knew that his new life with you would be the greatest adventure of all.

Wooyoung ↠ Aladdin (Aladdin)

• Energetic • Street-smart • Charismatic •

"Hey! You there, stealing from my brother!" the merchant barked through the bustling market as you handed two starving children the bread you had taken.

You blinked, caught off guard. "Stealing? No, I—"

"You either pay, or I take the bracelet," he sneered, his hand reaching for your mother's bracelet clasped around your wrist. "Let go of me!" you cried, struggling in his grip.

Before the situation could escalate, someone swooped in and pulled you free, placing you protectively behind him. "Easy, Jamal," the young man said calmly, trying to diffuse the situation. But the merchant only glared at you. "Kalil turns his back for a moment, and this one," he jabbed a finger toward you, "steals the bread!"

You huffed in frustration. "Those children were starving!"

The young man sighed, turning to you and lowering his voice. "Do you have any money?" You shook your head. He smiled softly, then gripped your bracelet. "Okay, trust me." Something in his gaze made you feel secure, so you did—against all odds, you trusted him.

You watched in disbelief as he removed your bracelet and handed it over to the merchant. "Here, this is what you wanted, right?"

The merchant grinned, satisfied. "Yeah, thank you!"

"And here's an apple, for your troubles," the young man added with a grin, tossing the merchant a fruit before quickly pulling you away, ignoring your protests. "Hey! I'm not leaving without my bracelet!"

He pulled you closer as you hurried through the market. "You mean this bracelet?" he murmured, revealing the very same bracelet in his hand. Instantly, your worry melted. "Come on."

As you both moved, you suddenly heard the merchant shout behind you, "Wooyoung! Jung Wooyoung! Thief!"

You turned, your breath catching. "Are we in trouble?" you asked. He smirked, his confidence unwavering.

"Only if we get caught."

⁞

"I can't believe..." you trailed off, staring at the breathtaking view from his balcony. "I can't believe we actually did that. That I did that. That we made it out alive!" you exclaimed, still reeling from the intense chase that had led you here. You couldn't shake the memory of him holding your hands, guiding you to safety.

"Thank you... for getting me out of there. Wooyoung, right?" you smiled bashfully, and he rubbed the back of his neck, a little shy. "You're welcome..." he gestured toward you, waiting for your name.

You froze for a split second. "I... I'm Dalia," you blurted out, using your handmaid's name as a cover. No one could know your true identity—not even him.

"Dalia... from the palace," he said, his tone more knowing than surprised. You stayed silent, your back to him. How did he— "Only someone from the palace could afford a bracelet like that," he continued. "And that silk? It's imported, comes straight to the palace from the merchant ships. But not for most servants, which means... you're the handmaid to the princess."

You sighed, finally turning to meet his eyes, a small smile on your lips. "Impressive."

"If you think that's impressive, you should see the city from up there," he said, pointing to the second floor of his humble home. You didn't need to be told twice and eagerly headed up. "Agrabah... it's beautiful. I really should get out more."

He chuckled. "You should tell the princess that." Your smile faded slowly. "The people haven't seen her in years."

Your fists clenched slightly. "They won't let her. Ever since... the queen was killed, the sultan's been terrified. She's kept locked away."

He looked down, a touch of sadness in his voice. "Seems like everyone's been living in fear since then. But the people of Agrabah loved her. The queen."

Your heart warmed at his words. "They did, didn't they?"

As the conversation shifted to his past, you were saddened to learn of the hardships he had endured. He sighed deeply. "Every day I hope things will change, but it never seems to. Sometimes, I feel like I'm just..."

"Trapped," you finished for him, your voice soft. "Like you can't escape what you were born into?" He nodded, meeting your gaze. For a moment, you thought you could trust him. But that hope wavered when he struggled to return your bracelet at your departure.

"So you are a thief," you said, your voice tinged with disappointment. "I'm so naive."

⁞

"But Dalia, I was born for more than just marrying some useless prince!" you argued after meeting yet another potential suitor from Skanland that afternoon.

Your handmaid sighed. "If you had to marry a useless prince, you could certainly do worse than this one. He's tall, handsome, and yes, a bit dim, but it's just a marriage. Although, I suspect you'd rather marry that boy from the market," she finished, and you scoffed.

As she went off to prepare your bath, there was a knock at your door. With a frown, you opened it. "Can I help you?" you asked, and the person turned around. Your eyes widened in shock. "You? You! What are you doing here? Get in here!"

Wooyoung smirked. "I came to return your bracelet."

"My bracelet? Where is it?"

"On your wrist," he replied, and you gasped, glancing down to see it securely in place. "Wait, how did you get past the guards?" you asked in disbelief.

He grinned mischievously. "That was tricky, but I have my ways. While the princess is out, how about a stroll? We can chat."

You crossed your arms, half-irritated, half-amused. "You are unbelievable," you muttered, annoyed at his audacity but even more so at how attractive he was. "You can't just break into the palace and act like you own the place!"

"If you don't have anything, you've got to act like you own everything," he shrugged, flashing a grin. You stared at him, realising you'd never met anyone like him—because no one was like him. "So, what do you say?"

"No! You need to leave, now!" you insisted, pushing him toward the door.

"Fine, but I'm coming back tomorrow," he said confidently. "Meet me in the courtyard by the fountain when the moon is above the minaret." He gestured behind him, and before you could react, he removed your hair clip, waving it teasingly. "To return this."

Your breath caught when he leaned closer, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. His voice was a whisper. "I promise." Perhaps you were a fool; you should have known better than to believe him.

⁞

The next time you saw him, you barely recognised him, thanks to the Genie's magic. He was now Prince Young of Wonderland—a clumsy prince who seemed to be trying to "buy" you with his riches, or at least that was what he said, as he awkwardly stumbled over his words. His first impression was far from impressive, and despite his best efforts, nothing he did seemed to win you over.

After countless failed attempts, he finally realised what he needed to do: just be himself. "There's a whole world beyond these books and maps. You should see it."

"How? Every door is guarded," you replied, a bit wistful.

"Who said anything about a door? Sometimes, princess, you just have to take a risk," he said with a grin before climbing over your balcony and leaping off. You gasped, your hands flying to your mouth, heart in your throat. "What just happened?"

Moments later, he reappeared on a floating carpet. You sighed in relief. "Is this…?"

"A magic carpet? Yes," he smirked, offering his hand. "Do you trust me?" Your heart skipped a beat as those words echoed something familiar. "What did you say?" you croaked. He repeated, his eyes steady on yours. "Do you trust me?"

You hesitated before nodding and placing your hand in his. "Yes."

As the carpet soared over a village, you watched the people below celebrating around a fire. You smiled as the prince draped his coat around your shoulders. "Of all the places you've shown me, this is the most beautiful."

"Sometimes, you just have to see it from a different perspective," he replied. You shook your head gently. "No, it's them—the people. They make it beautiful. And they deserve a leader who understands that. I don't know why I think it could be me."

He turned to you, his expression sincere. "Because it should be you."

"Do you really think so?" you asked softly. He reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, and for a moment, you froze. Only one other person had done that before—

"Does it matter what I think?" he asked, breaking the spell.

By the end of the night, you learned he was who you had suspected all along, though you were now convinced he had been a prince from the start. Wooyoung, caught up in the joy of the moment, kissed you goodnight, only to later drown in constant guilt and worry that the lie he was still hiding could ruin everything.

⁞

But none of that mattered when you discovered it had all been a lie. Even caught up in the battle against Jafar, Wooyoung was still the one you trusted most. And you knew you were right to trust him because, despite the difficult situation, he chose to return to your side and protect you. His actions proved his genuine care for you.

Your feelings for him deepened when he made his third and final wish. Instead of using it to abolish the law that required the princess to marry royalty, he selflessly used it to free the Genie.

"You shall be the next sultan," your father said. "As sultan, you can change the law." He gestured to where Wooyoung had stood moments earlier, but now he was gone. Your heart sank, and your father gently nudged you. "Go after him before it's too late."

And you did just that.

Breathless, you found him only a few steps outside the palace, your hair clip still in his hands. "Stop, thief! Your sultan commands it!" you called after him, your tone teasing.

He turned, biting his lip and holding up the clip. "Sultan? Does that mean I'm in trouble?"

Your heart fluttered at those familiar words. With a smile, you approached him. "Only because you got caught," you whispered before kissing him. The crowd around you erupted in cheers as he pulled you close, returning your kiss with equal passion. At that moment, he realised his wish had come true after all.

Jongho ↠ Prince Eric (Little Mermaid)

• Kind-hearted • Brave • Dependable •

"Max! Come here, boy," the man on board called out to his dog, who had momentarily been distracted by your presence near the side of the ship. Your eyes widened as you took in his striking features—he was human. You'd never seen one this closely before.

Carefully staying hidden, you continued to watch as an elderly man stepped forward to quiet the crew. "Silence, silence. It is now my honour and privilege to present our esteemed Prince Jongho with a very special, very expensive, and very large birthday present," he announced, gesturing toward a massive object draped in cloth at the center of the ship.

"Ah, Grimsby, you old beanpole, you shouldn't have," said the handsome man, whose name you now know to be Jongho and that he was... a prince.

The old man smiled bashfully. "I know. Happy birthday, Jongho." With that, the cloth was pulled away to reveal a heroic statue of the prince. Instead of reacting as Grimsby had likely hoped, the prince grimaced slightly. "Uh, gee, Grim..." he cleared his throat awkwardly. "It's, uh... really something..."

"Yes, I commissioned it myself. I had hoped it would be a wedding gift." Grimsby's tone was hopeful, but Jongho just chuckled. "Come on, Grim. Don't start. You're not still upset that I didn't fall for the Princess of Glowerhaven, are you?"

"Oh my, it's not just me. The entire kingdom wants to see you happily settled down with the right girl."

Jongho smiled, leaning against the railing. "Well, she's out there somewhere. I just... haven't found her yet. But trust me, Grim, when I do, I'll know. It'll hit me, like lightning—no question about it."

Your heart fluttered as you listened from just below. You'd never felt this way about any merman, but you wanted to be that girl for him. He seemed so near, yet impossibly far at the same time.

⁞

Perhaps he shouldn't have said those words—maybe he jinxed it. What started as a cheerful celebration turned into chaos within seconds, as lightning struck and set the ship ablaze.

You watched anxiously from the sidelines, praying he'd be alright. But your heart sank when you saw him dive back into the ocean from a lifeboat, only to return to the ship to save his dog. Though he managed to rescue the pet, he put himself in grave danger, trapped as the ship exploded. Gasping, you swam toward him, just in time to see him weakly cling to a plank before slipping into the water.

Without hesitation, you dove in, gripping his larger frame and fighting through the waves to bring him to the surface. With sheer determination, you swam to shore, finally laying him on the sand as the sun began to rise.

"Thank goodness, he's still breathing. He's... beautiful," you whispered, gently brushing his wet hair and caressing his cheek. As you sang softly, a familiar tune you'd often hum when dreaming of life on land and now... of him, you saw his eyes flutter open. He smiled at you, placing his hand over yours.

Before you could say a word, you heard Grimsby's voice echo along the beach. In a flash, you were gone before Jongho could fully grasp what had happened.

"Jongho! Oh, Jongho! You really enjoy testing my poor heart, don't you?" the old man grumbled, helping him up.

"A girl... she saved me. She was singing... with the most beautiful voice," the prince murmured dreamily, his eyes still scanning the horizon. Grimsby chuckled. "Ah, Jongho, I believe you've swallowed a bit too much seawater."

You watched from afar, your heart aching as they walked away. Did he feel the same way you did? Was this... love? Because you missed him already.

⁞

Humming the melody that had lingered in his mind ever since you rescued him, Jongho was interrupted by the sudden arrival of his dog. Max sprinted across the sandy beach, barking and leaping excitedly at his owner. "What's up, boy?"

The dog darted forward, and without hesitation, he chased after him. You gasped when Max ran up to you, quickly scooting back onto a rock to keep your distance from the unfamiliar animal.

"Max? What's gotten into you?" the prince's voice called out as he appeared, just in time to see his dog circling you. His breath caught when his eyes landed on you. "Oh... I see."

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked softly, stepping closer. "I'm sorry if this troublemaker scared you. He's harmless, I swear..." His voice trailed off as he looked from his dog to meet your eyes. "You look... familiar. Have we met before?"

You nodded immediately, a beaming smile lighting up your face.

"It's you, isn't it? The one I've been searching for," he murmured, gently taking your hands in his. "What's your name?"

But when you opened your mouth to speak, no sound came out. That's when it hit you—you had given your voice to Ursula in exchange for legs, and now had only three days for Jongho to kiss you with true love's kiss, or else you'd belong to the sea witch for an eternity.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. You pointed to your throat, shaking your head. "You can't speak? Oh..." His expression fell. "Then you can't be the girl I thought..."

Frustrated, you frantically waved your hands, trying to show him that you were the one. In your desperate movements, you lost your balance and stumbled forward—right into his strong arms.

"Woah, careful!" he said, holding you close to steady you.

For a moment, the world seemed to freeze as the two of you stood still, his arms wrapped securely around your waist while your hands clung to his shoulders. He gazed into your eyes, his expression softening. "You've been through something, haven't you? Don't worry—I'll help you."

⁞

Despite finding your quirks a bit odd, Jongho couldn't help but be charmed by your playful nature. On top of that, you were easily one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. He had noticed it when he first met you, but after the maids had cleaned you up and dressed you like a princess, he could barely tear his eyes away. For a moment, he even forgot about the girl he had been searching for, now looking forward to spending the next day showing you around town.

Time flew by, and your second day on land seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. You wandered through the streets together, hands intertwined, sharing meals, dancing, and laughing. Each moment felt magical, filled with heart-fluttering closeness that made it feel like the two of you were already a couple. It was the best day of your life, a world apart from anything you'd ever known. It would've been perfect—if only he would just kiss you.

But there was still time, and you held on to hope. That evening, he took you on a romantic boat ride, and it felt like the moment was finally about to happen. He leaned in a few times, but each time, he hesitated, as if reminding himself you weren’t the one he thought he was looking for. Your heart sank with every pause. Still, after learning your name and feeling a deeper connection, he came so close...

Close enough for Ursula to interfere.

That night, he stood outside, looking melancholy as he hummed the same song that had haunted him since he was rescued. "Jongho, if I may," Grimsby said gently, approaching him. "Sometimes, the best match isn't a dream girl, but someone of flesh and blood—someone warm, caring, and right before your eyes," he suggested, gesturing toward your room, where you were absentmindedly brushing your hair with a fork once again.

Jongho chuckled softly, shaking his head at your antics. Perhaps Grimsby was right. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if you weren't the girl he had been searching for... after all, you made him happy. But before he could think further, a woman named Vanessa appeared, casting him under a spell that blinded him to everything—especially you.

⁞

Wiping away your tears, you knew you had to find a way to get to him. Your heart was shattered when you heard he was marrying another woman, but deep down, you should have known something was off. Of course, it was the sea witch and her wicked schemes.

Thankfully, Max, the loyal dog, seemed just as frustrated with Vanessa as you were. He aggressively tugged at her dress, refusing to leave her alone. In the chaos, her seashell necklace—the one that held your voice—fell to the ground and shattered. At last, the spell was broken, and you could speak again. The moment Jongho heard your voice, recognition filled his eyes. "You're the one. It was you... all along."

You nodded, your voice trembling with emotion. "Yes, Jongho. I've been trying to tell you."

"No! Stay away from her!" Vanessa screamed, but the prince ignored her, pulling you close and leaning in to kiss you. Before he could, you gasped, falling to the ground as your legs transformed back into a tail. Ursula's wicked laughter echoed as she returned to her true form, slithering towards you and grabbing hold. "So long, lover boy," she hissed.

His heart nearly stopped as he watched the witch drag you into the depths of the sea. But he wasn't about to lose you again. This time, he would fight with everything he had to save you.

And he did. The battle was fierce and exhausting, but he remained determined. Jongho cleverly commandeered a ship and steered it straight into Ursula, risking everything to put an end to her reign of terror.

Even in his exhaustion, he didn't rest until he found you. This time, you had legs—real, permanent ones—granted by your father after seeing the love you shared. And when he finally reached you, he pulled you close, refusing to let go. "I'm sorry I made you wait so long, but I'm yours now if you'll have me."

I'm aware the format for each story is kinda inconsistent HAHA but that's because this has been in the works for a while now, and the time taken to finish these one by one was long enough for me to develop a new style for nearly every story when I get to them.

Not sure if this was any good. While proofreading, I realised there's a chance this might not make much sense for readers who have not watched these movies. But y'all, let me know your thoughts! <3

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All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

---

𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒚 𝑵𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒃𝒐𝒓!𝒀𝒆𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔

Imagine having Yeosang as your new neighbor, he's kind of shy at first, you develop a big crush on him. Everything in him is so attractive. And yet, you don't know that he's such a pervert, and that he also likes you back.

One day, your washing machine falls out of order, and you have to do your laundry at the laundromat down your apartment building

So, you go there, and do your laundry, and luckily for you, Yeosang get in the laundromat to do his own laundry

You say hello to each other, smiling softly, you discuss quietly with each other the time that your laundry is drying.

Later, you go out of the laundromat, not knowing you accidentally forgot one of your little panties in the dryer in the process of being kind of distracted by Yeosang.

Yeosang, like the horny pervert he is, get those panties back with him, not telling you he found them, a part of him wanting you to found out, because he always wanted you in his bed.

And later that night, he's sniffing your panties while stroking his hard red veiny dick, groaning and softly moaning into them, the smell of you and your nice detergent invading his senses.

He's imagining you under him, moaning his name, while he's pounding your little tight pussy, like he always wanted.

And then he comes on his hand, stomach and chest, ropes of cum coming out while he's bucking his hips in his hand, high pitched whines coming out of his mouth, wishing he came inside of you instead.

Days passed, and you don't know why you kept losing panties almost each time you went to the laundromat

Days passed, and Yeosang still touch himself with your panties in hand, coming so hard everytime, and sometimes he even comes in them, wishing he could cover you and fill you up with his cum.

And then, one day you return to the laundromat and you accidentally takes Yeosang's laundry instead of yours, and Yeosang finds himself with your laundry.

You discover all of your lost panties in his clean clothes, and so you get to his door to confront him

At first, he doesn't know what to say to you to explain himself, as you switch your clothes with his, his face red, knowing he was caught red handed.

His tent in his pants is evident, and you somehow notice it when he tries to hide it

He got turned on from the fact that you caught him, and you were also slightly turned on, knowing he was that horny just by being caught.

And so, one thing leads to another.

You find yourself in his bed, with him under you, and you are stroking slowly his big leaky red veiny cock, as his hips buck.

Groans and moans escape him, and he even whimper and whine, begging him to have more of you, to be inside you.

And after a while, you got tired of punishing him for being such a big pervert and a slut and you finally rode him hard.

He almost came when he felt your tight walls around his cock.

You rode him until he came inside of you

After that, he was still hungry for you, so he switched your positions, him now above you, pounding into you like a horny dog, as you were moaning loudly his name

And like that, the two of you had a long evening ahead of you.

"𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠, 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙮, 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙. 𝙄'𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙪𝙢, 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡.."

A.N : Oh, I have such a big Yeosang brainrot, and earlier, i had to go to the laundromat to do my laundry, and so, it gave me inspiration. I hope your enjoy my horny content.

---

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ 박 성화 SEONGHWA ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Smut

Breeding

(Ateez)

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

I think Seonghwa would be more into breeding. He'll have you laying down on your stomach as he fidgets with your ass. He'll thrust into you slowly and passionately, like you're both making love. He'll have that passionate pace 'til he's close. He'll go faster when he feels like he'll spill any second and when he does, he'll fill you to the brim. He pulls out and fidgets with your ass as he watches his cum ooze out of you.

---

our leaves must fall before our flowers can bloom

genre: poly hockey team!ateez x coach fem!reader, enemies/strangers to lovers, athlete!au, slow burn, fluff, angst

length: 37.6k

c/w: sweaty and athletic ateez (warning well deserved), explicit profanity, themes of corruption and rocky family relationships, trauma, hurt/comfort, injuries, kissing, boys are in an established relationship, m x m interactions

synopsis: you become the new coach of the elite men's ice hockey team, the red devils. but with both yourself and the team carrying burdens of the past, you all find it difficult to see eye to eye. as you lead them to the championships in the korean ice hockey league, you discover that teamwork and trust is not as straightforward as it seems.

a/n: it has made me incredibly touched to see so many of my readers from the essence of youth come back to support this new oneshot. thank you from the bottom of my heart ♡ and as always, this fic would not have been possible without @sorryimananti-romantic and her undying support

if someone were to ask yunho–or anybody on the team–when he feels the most alive, his answer would be the same every single time: when he is on the ice, just like he is right now.

the air of the rink is already chilly, but with the added cold of emerging autumn, each rugged lungful he takes fills his chest with vigour. only his own heavy breathing can be heard as the rest of the players’ shouts become muffled into the background outside of his helmet. he tightens his grip on his stick, muscles locked and engaged with adrenaline. his vision narrows, an opening suddenly clearing itself through the tangle of sticks and jungle of skates–a golden opportunity for him to take.

“san!” he yells.

their usual goaltender glances upwards as he handles the puck rebounding off the boards. his jaw tightens and with a practised flick of his wrist, san chips the puck over an incoming stick’s attempt to block the pass. there’s a burst of explosive power as yunho speeds up along the opposite boards to receive the landing puck, hoping to break away from the opposing team’s offensive players before he passes it off.

the flash of a blue jersey appears in yunho’s vision with alarming momentum. they lower and widen their stance, shoulder positioned in front ready to knock him directly into the boards in an attempt to steal the puck, leaving yunho with no choice but to mirror their actions. he braces himself as the opponent rams into him with more force than a usual play, and in combination with their own towering height, yunho finds himself being pushed into the plexiglass panels as he loses possession of the puck.

involuntarily, he lets out a threatening growl of vexation. there is a teasing chuckle from the other player that still has him pinned against the wall despite the continuing game, which clearly tells him that the excessive body check was deliberate. yunho has half a mind to flip their positions, knowing he could easily overpower the other. but before he can adjust his stick out of the way to make good use of his hands, the opponent playfully knocks their helmets together.

“you’re hot when you get all competitive and riled up.”

all of the tension escapes yunho’s body, because he will never not find mingi’s attempts to flirt mid-game–with his mouthguard and resultant bumbling pronunciation–to be amusing. he endearingly rolls his eyes and sighs, “have you not heard of, ‘don’t poke the bear’?”

“you’re not a bear, though,” mingi squirms cheekily on the spot, still up in yunho’s personal space because he knows the older will never be truly annoyed by his antics. “you’re just a cute, harmless puppy.”

before mingi can blink, yunho grabs him by the shoulders and pins him against the wall. yunho smirks, “and they also say, ‘let sleeping dogs lie’.”

wooyoung tongues his cheek with mischief at the sight of the two, nice and cosy against the walls of the rink. he hands his stick off to seonghwa, who is starting to remove his helmet, and skates in their direction, ignoring the dull throb in his left ankle. wooyoung only bothers to slow himself down slightly, instead letting his trajectory be cushioned by something else.

mingi lets out a pathetic noise as the air is squeezed out of his chest from the impact of wooyoung and yunho’s added weight. the latter grunts out, a little breathless, “woo, please, you’re going to knock somebody out like this one day.”

it goes in one ear and out the other as wooyoung grins up at him to state, “seonghwa scored so we lost ‘cause you were too busy making out with mister mingles here.”

yunho pushes off the wall to free himself from the sandwich of bodies and pivots on his skates to jab wooyoung’s padded chest. “you and san were doing the exact same thing just five minutes ago.”

“we’re on the same team,” wooyoung shrugs, “whereas mingi is not, so you’re fraternising with the enemy. now come on losers, captain’s wrapping up practice.”

the three of them glide along the ice to rejoin the rest of the team, where they are stepping out of the rink to sit on the benches. they remove their helmets and start unlacing their skates as hongjoong gathers the attention of the team.

“great work from everybody today, especially you, jongho. your backhand wrist shots are improving–keep it up. now just a reminder to everyone that our regular games start next week so i want you all to make sure you are stretching and cooling down properly,” he emphasises. he pointedly looks at yeosang, who has already begun to wander his way off to the changerooms, at the same time that seonghwa scruffs him by the back of his jersey and gently tugs him back to the team.

jongho peels off his blue practice jersey as he scans the arena and absentmindedly asks, “is coach still not here? it’s already the end of practice.”

“he said he had something to sort out today, but would come round if everything went well,” seonghwa answers, also craning his neck to look for signs of their coach.

from where you and coach cho are watching from the designated scouting area in the arena, the team is unable to spot you two. you had come from the final negotiations of your contract with coach cho and had watched their team, the red devils, play the last period of their game. despite it only being a friendly match amongst the team’s players, you have already grasped a sense of their playing style–it is heavy on the offensive at the expense of defence, just like how you used to play. it is fast-paced, aggressive and…prone to injury.

“let’s go meet the team,” coach cho voices, making his way out of the viewing area as you follow beside him. all the players look up from their skates that they are still unlacing or from their stretches on the floor when you two near the arrangement of benches surrounding the rink. they greet coach cho enthusiastically and you can see why from the way the older man smiles at them like they are his own sons.

“y/n, this is the team, the red devils–my pride and joy. boys, this is y/n,” he introduces. “i had to miss practice to meet up with y/n and make sure she was happy to sign on as part of the red devils.”

said team gives you disinterested glances, a complete change from the receptivity with which they respond to coach cho. one of the red-jerseyed boys, who you recognise as wooyoung, utters sarcastically, “cute, but we don’t need a mascot or cheerleader.”

coach cho chuckles lightly, “she’s your new coach.”

“hold on, you were serious about–” “–are you coaching a different team–” “–you don’t want us anymore?”

some of the boys erupt into a barrage of questions, trying to make sense of the sudden announcement, whereas the others stay quiet, flickers of flashbacks stirring up from within the depths of their memories. their coach raises his hands to settle them as he apologises, “i didn’t want to say anything before i was one hundred percent sure that things would go ahead, and i wasn’t sure whether y/n would accept the offer.”

“is it because your wife is due soon?” san interrupts.

coach cho nods, “with twins, and i want to be present to help–as a husband and a father. but that just isn’t feasible as your coach, as much as i love you boys.”

training as professional athletes takes incredible perseverance, discipline and commitment. there are early mornings, late nights, weekends and public holidays. it takes sacrifices in the form of time and relationships, especially when they must travel away from home for up to weeks on end to compete in matches. and with the start of the regular season, the intensity is only going to ramp up. as hard as the athletes train, the coach works twice as hard to make it all possible.

the team needs somebody to be there for them to ensure they make it into the playoffs, and it just won’t be fair for anybody–the players and his own family–if coach cho were to keep his position. and the team gets it, they really do, but–

“she’s the new coach?” yunho frowns in confusion. “no offence, but we’re not a bunch of kids for her to practise being a soccer mum to.”

“she was the assistant coach for the grey eagles,” coach cho discloses.

“the grey eagles? the under-21 men’s championship team?” yeosang looks incredulous.

mingi sceptically comments, “the fact that we’ve never seen or heard of her before probably tells us enough.”

hongjoong’s lips purse sourly as he tries his hardest to analyse the situation with the professionalism of the team’s captain. but with the sudden change in coaches and the same critiquing doubts as mingi, hongjoong cannot help but feel his personal judgement webbing over his mind. over the team’s entire career as an elite ice hockey team thus far–five years, now well into their sixth–the red devils have only ever had two coaches. coach cho has been with them for the longest and whilst it took the team a while to eventually warm up to him, he has been with them for almost quadruple the amount of time it took to trust him.

the team’s alternate captain, seonghwa, speaks to you directly, “if you don’t mind me asking, why are you not playing as an athlete yourself? you’re clearly our age–nowhere near retiring.”

you knew from the very start that your age would make your credibility as a coach much lower, and your answer to seonghwa will not help your case either. “i stopped playing.”

“how come?”

the trigger of memories fills your nose with a sharp stinging smell. you blankly reveal, “i chose to stop playing.” you know exactly how it sounds like to somebody else, even more so to professional athletes. coach cho has also told you of the team’s hardheadedness and strong will when it comes to the passions of their career, so you are expecting the cold receptiveness that you are met with.

your response strikes the wrong chord within wooyoung. there was a point in his career not too long ago when the choice of continuing to play or not was at risk of becoming a forced decision. the way you answer so callously with those very words that had threatened to tear his world apart has his jaw grinding and eyes darkening, and he is not the only athlete in the arena who feels similarly.

“i would rather choose to die before i choose to stop playing. ice hockey is my entire life and without it, i am not living either,” hongjoong jabs and you cannot help but clench your fists because you know exactly what he means. still, you stay quiet as he continues, “sorry, but i can’t respect a ‘coach’ who chose to stop playing.”

at the captain’s words and subsequent move to leave for the changerooms, the rest of the team also gather their equipment and follow his steps. san’s feet falter in front of you, expression hesitant until he decides to voice, “our team needs a bit of time. it’s hard for us to warm up to…outsiders, and i know it might not mean much to say this but we have our reasons. don’t expect us to blindly trust you just because you’re a coach.”

the use of the word ‘outsider’ does not go unnoticed as you nod, “of course.”

san jogs off to rejoin the others and coach cho hums, “guess some things haven’t changed. they were just as prickly to me when i first became their coach.”

you raise an eyebrow, “prickly? to you?”

“yes, believe it or not,” he chuckles nostalgically. “we’ve come a long way because i’ve been their coach for years now. but it took me a while before i was able to break down their walls.”

you briefly mull over the information, then ask out of curiosity, “what would you have done if i didn’t sign the contract?”

“begged you to rethink your decision,” he jokes with a pleased chortle. “i would have to start looking for a different coach, i suppose. you were my only pick.”

“but why me, of all people? there are so many other experienced coaches that you can choose from.”

he looks at you, eyes glinting with intuition and confidence as he simply says, “you’re familiar with their playing style. they play just like you used to.” at your silent processing, coach cho probes, “why didn’t you tell them the real reason?”

you smile wistfully, “i didn't tell them because i’m not here to gain their pity.”

some of the boys’ voices grow louder as they emerge from the changerooms, changed into fresh clothes and their kit bags slung over their shoulders. you hear one of them ask, “captain, is she really going to be our new coach?”

they step out from the facility’s corridor and you accidentally make eye contact with hongjoong, yet neither of you look away. maintaining a steady gaze directly at you, he responds with a slight glower, “maybe, but she’s only the coach by title. i’m still the captain of the team, so let’s see who everyone listens to.”

as they exit the rink’s arena, you feel a fire of determination growing inside of you. you have won over your own demons and you have won the championships before–this is nothing in comparison. whether your next words are for coach cho or for yourself to hear, it does not matter.

“i may not play anymore but i was still once an athlete, and no athlete has ever, in their career, wanted pity. i’m here to earn the team’s respect and i will win over them, especially their captain.”

you watch the swing of the glass door as it shuts behind the players, catching a brief glimpse of the trees lining the arena’s perimeter. it is the first day of autumn when you meet the red devils for the first time and outside, the leaves are beginning to change their colours.

autumn, 2018: pre-season

hongjoong believes all coaches are to be respected. it does not matter what kind of team they coach, how many years of experience they have, or whether they have built up a reputation for themselves. to hongjoong, respect for coaches is not something earned nor negotiable–it is something well-deserved and expected, as is for anybody in a position that is higher in the chain of command.

he may be the captain of their unofficial team, but hongjoong knows that the way a team can place their blind trust in the coach is irreplaceable, regardless of how much the other players rely on him too.

hongjoong watches as his boys carry out the practice drill he has set up for them. yeosang handles the puck around the cones before passing it to wooyoung, primed offensively near the goal to make a quick shot, who groans when his shot rebounds off the post. as he retrieves the disc, yeosang takes over wooyoung’s position near the goal ready to receive yunho’s pass as he starts to work his way through the cones next.

they are limited in the type of drills they can practise because hongjoong was only able to rent half of the community rink for a measly two hours. the boys are not even in proper uniform, wearing only their shin guards under their sweatpants and gloves on their hands to prevent any injuries when the centre had stated very firmly they would not be allowed in with their bulky equipment.

and yet, none of this has dampened the boys’ spirits. san teasingly brags that it is his chance to show off his skills other than goaltending, and jongho thanks hongjoong quietly for renting the rink in the first place. their understanding nods and comforting hugs make hongjoong’s heart clench, even more so as the team eagerly and diligently practise the drills in mediocre conditions but with fiery determination to prove their worth as newly-signed athletes under the kq blue birds.

this is exactly why hongjoong is driven to find them a coach–any coach: to give his boys a solid pillar they can rely on, because he himself lacks the resources and strings to pull in order to fulfil their shared dreams. he needs to keep his boys as one team, instead of scattered into other teams as extra players like a gracious opportunity for the leftovers, since kq does not yet have a coach available for the eight of them.

“captain!”

the excitement in seonghwa’s voice startles hongjoong more than the speed at which the alternate captain skates towards him. seonghwa digs his skates into the ice at the last second, stopping himself just shy of knocking the other over as he exclaims, “he emailed back!”

“the coach you reached out to?” hongjoong clarifies, eyes growing wide.

having caught wind of his signed contract as a professional athlete, an acquaintance of seonghwa’s had reached out offering to pass on the contact of their acquaintance, who apparently knew somebody with coaching experience. it was rare for a coach to take on a rookie team unless there were incredible benefits, so he and hongjoong had drafted and sent an email with little to no expectations for a reply. but seonghwa’s furious nodding is telling otherwise, and his eyes sparkle as he shoves his phone in hongjoong’s face to show him the email.

dear mr park, thank you for your interest and for reaching out with your proposal. i have looked at your athlete profiles and it appears that you all have big dreams and extremely promising futures. it would be my utmost pleasure to help you all reach your true potential by coaching your team. if you would like to arrange a meeting in person to discuss expectations and conditions regarding training, competitions and future championships prior to finalising the contracts with your company, please let me know what times and dates best suit yourself and your team captain, mr kim. i look forward to working with you all. kind regards, coach yeon

“holy shit,” hongjoong steadies seonghwa’s giddy hand to read the email again. when he reaches the last line, he starts once more from the beginning to make sure his eyes are not lying to him. then he breathes out with finality, “holy shit. am i reading this right?”

“yeah, joong. you’re reading it right.”

hongjoong is not often one to be affectionate with the others, but yanking seonghwa into a bone-crushing hug as he repeats holy shit like a mantra is the only response he is able to muster. the older laughs wetly, throat constricting with overwhelming joy and he holds onto his captain until the other pulls back.

“you tell them, okay?” seonghwa does not wait for a response before he is raising his voice to gather the others, “boys! hongjoong has good news for us!”

like puppies responding to the call of food, their heads immediately perk up and they abandon the puck and the drill to speed towards their two captains. there is a clamour of questions as they enthusiastically predict what is going to be said.

“are they letting us use the rink for longer?”

wooyoung squeezes himself in between yunho and mingi to ask, “are we getting the whole rink?!”

“no way,” san gasps, “or did our practice jerseys arrive?”

hongjoong’s eyes soften at their guesses. his boys demand so little from him when he wants to give them everything they could never even think of asking for. he glances at seonghwa, who looks just about ready to burst from his own excitement, then reveals, “we’ve found a coach willing to take on our team.”

dead silence. yeosang blinks and wooyoung’s jaw drops. jongho, who had been lazily circling around the group, comically slows to a stop, joining the rest of the boys in frozen stupor. it is only broken when yunho dares to confirm, “does this mean we won’t be rostered as extras for other teams?”

everyone’s hopeful eyes look at hongjoong. he nods, “we’re staying together and playing as our own team.”

it is obvious the moment the information registers in their minds and the implications of what it means for the team’s future starts to sink in. they explode into a flurry of movement and hongjoong and seonghwa find themselves swept up into the middle of a clumsy group huddle as shouts are exchanged, uncaring of who is listening or talking.

“are we finally playing in championships with the big dogs?”

“we’re going to play interstate?”

“oh my god, what if we get into nationals?”

“nah, fuck that boys, let’s go international! we’re going to represent korea one day and become the best team in the world.”

the amount of voices overlapping one another are overwhelming, but it is overwhelming in the way that it makes hongjoong soar up into the clouds, wings stretched to their full span and carried by the hollers and cheers surrounding him in every direction. his cheeks hurt from smiling because these are the boys that he knows and loves.

they may only be a small team of eight, but they have dreams that are big enough to fill the entire universe.

“what’s the coaches name–” “–know if they’re a good coach–” “–teams have they coached before–”

seonghwa chuckles as the boys hound them with question after question and hongjoong appeases their curiosity dotingly, “we’ll find out when we meet him–coach yeon.”

but it does not matter what qualifications coach yeon has or does not have, and it does not matter what teams he has coached or has not coached before. what matters is that he is a coach and he is willing to be their coach, because it means that hongjoong and his boys are finally taking the next step towards their big dreams. 

and most importantly, they will be in this together…as the red devils.

autumn, present: regular season

“again.”

hongjoong grits his teeth, taking up his position as centre again in the marked circle for the practice drill. even during defensive faceoff plays, he and the team are accustomed to taking on an aggressive approach. when he wins possession of the puck, the wingers–usually yeosang and wooyoung, or jongho when substituted on–quickly breakaway and move forward with him into the offensive zone.

obviously, they have other strategic plays too to switch up the predictability of their tactics, such as moving the puck towards the board whilst yeosang covers him, or by passing the puck back to the mingi in defence. but overall, their team is capable of rapidly flipping from defensive to offensive play using the aggressive setup.

the practice drill you are currently running emphasises heavily on the defence–the reverse setup play. hongjoong is to pass backwards but in the direction of the boards whilst yeosang supports and wooyoung covers the area directly between the circle and san. mingi moves towards the boards to receive the puck, and their other defenceman, yunho, assists with covering the goal.

hongjoong does admit that this play is much safer and stabler, but it is also much slower and…cowardly. his team is called the red devils for a reason and their reputation as demons on ice is not something that he is going to throw away–not following years of blood, sweat and tears to stand back up after falling during their rookie year.

when he assumes his stance once again inside the faceoff circle opposite seonghwa, who is playing the centre position as the mock opponent, you drop the puck onto the centre dot. the moment it hits the ice, hongjoong clears it with his stick towards the right boards. it doesn’t go back far enough for mingi to receive though, so yeosang makes the split decision to burst sideways to retrieve the puck, all three forwards moving aggressively in synchronisation to advance offensively once he gains possession.

you stop them, shaking your head. “again.”

it has been a week since your first meeting with the team, and with the start of the regular season, training has focused on refining their strategies. the red devils are playing in the korean ice hockey league for the second time, an annual national championship with a singular men’s division.

teams from all over korea gather in seoul to compete in regular-season games at the gangneung ice arena against the other teams in rotation. depending on the number of participants, the red devils will need to play an average of three games a week for the next five to six months. then based on the outcome of the games, if your team scores within the top thirty two, they will be able to enter the playoffs.

last year, the red devils were only able to make it to the quarterfinals before they were knocked out. but considering it was their first time competing in a proper championship–as opposed to the rookie leagues and interstate competitions they competed in during the first four years of their career–making it into the top eight teams out of over a hundred or so teams was already impressive enough.

your team’s first regular-season game starts tomorrow, so it does not matter that this is the sixth time in a row that you have stopped them during this drill. you will make them restart until they perfect the play. with that in mind, you release the puck onto the centre dot of the circle once more, but this time seonghwa wins the faceoff, clearing it to the side where jongho is waiting as his left wing. seonghwa looks at you guiltily and anticipates the word that will come out of your mouth.

you bite your tongue, having sensed the rising tension amongst the team an hour ago, but now they are almost at their boiling point. closing your eyes briefly, you try reminding yourself to think about the situation from your players’ perspectives.

their career progression rides on this championship, and with their grit and determination, they will not settle for simply beating their own record in ranking. no, they vie for first place. only the top team secures a position in the international ice hockey league, the most coveted opportunity to represent korea in the championship between the world’s best teams.

and it is during this vital time–when the stress levels and stakes are as high as they can get–that the boys have suddenly had to change coaches. not only have they lost their most trusted support and guide, they have only had one week to adjust to their new one–you. in the grand scheme of things, one week is nowhere near enough time to develop any sort of meaningful relationship where they are able to listen to and rely on you.

taking a breath, you explain, “being so focused on offence leaves your team vulnerable if the opposing team also has aggressive forwards that you can’t break through. the faceoff play needs to be adjusted for those situations, otherwise it’ll be too difficult to control the puck and it will more than likely end up in chaos. it won’t be a game of professional skill anymore, but a circus of dirty play.”

your defence-focused coaching style has worked well for all the past teams you have taught, both men’s and women’s teams. you know that the boys play an offence-focused style; you are reminded too closely of your past self every time they rush head-on into every situation. and it is exactly because of that–because you know the dangers that come with their aggressive style–that you are making them adjust their play. their career comes first and if they suffer an injury, there may not be a career left.

so you will play the bad cop if you have to. they will come to understand you one day.

san bites down on his mouthguard as he listens from his position in the goal. he is able to see each and every play unfold, better than any other of his teammates, so he knows where you are coming from. whilst he has become used to the pressures that come with goaltending, no amount of training or competitions will ever fully eliminate the sudden spike in fear and anticipation the moment the opposing team’s forwards break past yunho and mingi.

san is the team’s last line of defence and the best outcome is that a game never comes down to just him, the opponent’s stick, and his goal. it is true that his team needs to work on their defensive plays, so when the others huff in defiance and reluctantly reset their positions, san simply lowers his centre of gravity in wait for your cue to restart the drill.

“again.”

outside the arena, the echo of sticks and scraping of skates sound faintly as the first leaf of autumn begins to fall to the ground. as time passes, the rest of the leaves will also succumb to a similar fate, only differing in how. some will fall in a slow and graceful descent, whilst others…

…a rapid and spiralling whirlwind downwards.

counting the heads and finding all eight of your players seated in the bus, you nod to the driver to close the door and start driving. most of the boys have chosen to sit on a two-seater by themselves, only yunho and mingi choosing to sit together. they share a set of wired earphones, eyebrows furrowed in concentration at one of their phones, likely monitoring one of their own matches or one of another team’s.

the rest of the boys sit alone, faces grim and tight as they stare out the window. they look exactly like you used to and it hits you with a wave of bittersweet nostalgia.

the ride to the competition venue–much less for the very first game of the season–is always the quietest, air strung tight with nerves as everyone prepares themselves psychologically for the inevitable pressures that the game will bring. being able to compose and centre one’s mindset is already half the battle won, and whilst nobody says it out loud, you all know that today’s results, despite it only being day one, will set the tone for the next four to five months as they fight to qualify for the playoffs.

as you make one final sweep from the back of the bus to the front whilst it pulls away from the curb, you accidentally make eye contact with yeosang. you give him a polite smile and he opens his mouth, closes it on second thought, then decides to ask anyway, “do you want to sit here?”

it is a lie to say that you are not surprised by the question, so you stumble over your response as you stammer, “oh, okay. thanks.”

yeosang reciprocates your noise of disorientation and when he fumbles to move his bag aside that had been occupying the space beside him, you belatedly realise he was only asking out of courtesy. but backtracking now and rejecting his offer would be a million times worse and you can only try to hide the flaming heat behind your cheeks as best as you can as you sit down in the seat.

he fiddles with the straps of his bag and you can feel his discomfort reeking off his hands. in an attempt to break the ice, you glance at him, “are you nervous for the game?”

he nods, “don’t think it gets any less nerve-wracking no matter how many games you play.”

“well this is a pretty big championship. you have every reason to feel nervous,” you hum.

yeosang levels you with a look. “are you trying to make me feel better or worse?”

you do not know him well enough to be able to discern whether he is joking with you or not. opting to clear your throat instead, you point out, “you have your teammates who you can trust.”

“yeah…teammates.”

and you have me, too, as your coach, you want to say.

the hopeful glimpse in the dark of your eyes is enough for yeosang to pick up on your thoughts. he swallows uncomfortably and looks away.

we don’t know that yet.

you bite the inside of your cheek, trying once more to extend the conversation after a pregnant pause. “did you guys have a coach before cho?” either you have a shitty sense of appropriate conversation starters or yeosang wants absolutely nothing to do with you (it is likely both, but one can be optimistic), because his shoulders tense almost immediately.

“we did…just one,” he starts off carefully. you think that that is going to be the end of it, but then he adds on, “we don’t really talk about him though.”

and there it is–the end of the conversation. it is his nice way of telling you that there is no more to be said, so you sit the rest of the ride in silence next to yeosang, pretending not to let the sheer awkwardness suffocate you.

when the bus arrives at the gangneung ice arena, you hurry to alight and only then do you feel like you are able to breathe again. you plaster on a smile and notify the boys, “your first game is in two hours against the panthers. you’ve been allocated locker room 3B.”

they make their way into the centre and you trail behind in wait as they find their designated space. warm-ups will be first so they will not be needing their full gear just yet, which means it should not take long for them to change.

inside the locker room, the red devils shrug off their bulky duffle bags and change into their game jerseys, lacing and relacing their skates to ensure the snuggest fits. hongjoong alerts, “boys, time to go out and start warming up,” receiving a chorus of acknowledgement as everyone grabs the rest of the gear that they need.

before jongho places his phone into his assigned locker, he habitually taps on the screen one last time to check for any notifications and finds a single text from his younger brother, jonghyuk. he knows he should not read it, much less right before his first game, but the smaller part inside him that yearns for his family’s recognition dares to hope for something. dragging the preview down to avoid opening it, jongho reads the text.

are you just going to keep pretending you haven’t read our messages?

jongho clenches his jaw and swipes the notification away as if that will also erase it from his mind. tossing his phone into the locker, he shuts it with a harsh swing, resting his forehead against the cool metal as he closes his eyes and breathes out shakily. this game–this championship–jongho has to win; he cannot afford to lose.

“captain.”

hongjoong turns around to see jongho striding up towards him, brows furrowed and voice troubled as he questions, “are we really not going to tell coach what our game plan is? shouldn’t we work together with her?”

“jongho,” the captain sighs, “we got lucky with coach cho, but we know better than anyone else that not all coaches are like him.”

from where he has been listening in on the conversation at the doors leading out of the locker room, seonghwa’s shoulders stiffen. there is a moment of silence; the rest of the team have already made their way to the ice rink.

“what if we lose?”

it is the way that his voice grows small and timid that hongjoong realises it is not his captain that jongho needs right now. hongjoong’s gaze softens as he searches the younger’s eyes, “did your family say something again?”

he receives no answer but it tells him more than enough. “you trust me?”

jongho’s almost imperceptible nod does not escape hongjoong’s observations, so he continues to reassure, “we’ll win. my boys are the best players, you included, and we already have experience playing in this competition.” he ducks down slightly to meet jongho’s gaze, “and even if we do lose? we lose because of our own skills–not because of anybody else.”

his words tug a small smile out of the corner of the youngest’s lips, and hongjoong returns it with a relieved smile. with a nudge, he sends jongho in the direction of the door, where seonghwa pretends to ruffle his hair affectionately knowing that it will be dodged. seonghwa chuckles lightly and watches him walk off, unbeknownst to his captain watching him.

“hey,” hongjoong calls out gently, “i know what you’re thinking, but that wasn’t what i meant.”

seonghwa looks back and winces, “i can’t help it.”

“and that’s why i will keep telling you no matter how many times you need to hear it. it is not your fault–never was, and never will be,” hongjoong cocks his head playfully as he raises an eyebrow.

“same goes to you then, captain,” seonghwa returns the banter, shoulders relaxing and head shaking, “not your fault either.”

“you’re right, so let’s get the fuck out there and smash our game, yeah?” hongjoong slings his arm around the other and leads them both out of the locker room to join the rest of the boys.

what he does not say, though, is that seonghwa is wrong. seonghwa may have been the one to reach out to coach yeon, but hongjoong was the one who made the executive decision to accept and trust coach yeon.

he is not going to make the same mistake twice this time, because it is not just about protecting his dreams, his career, or those of his teammates–it is about protecting the people he loves.

hongjoong will not let them fall…not again.

winter, 2018: regular season

jongho twirls his phone in his hand, intermittently turning the screen on and off. he sits in the corner of the locker room, away from the rest of the boys as they wait for coach yeon to return from checking in and filling out their required paperwork. only several competitions later will they realise that their locker room is small, cramped and dim, but to their fresh, bright-eyed excitement at competing in a professional league for the first time, they hardly have time to critique the assigned space.

the phone comes to a stop. making up his mind, jongho taps on the screen and navigates to the keypad. dialling his mother’s number, he brings the phone up to his ear and waits with bated breath as it is left to ring.

“what do you want,” comes her curt response when she finally picks up.

jongho’s words falter, “oh, nothing…i just wanted to tell you that we’re playing our first game today.”

“game? your little team doesn’t even have a coach,” his mother patronises.

shoulders curling in on themselves, jongho hesitantly voices, “i told you last month that we got a coach.”

“i forgot,” she brushes him off, “and it must not be a very important competition then, seeing as it isn’t worth remembering.”

“there’s prize money,” he reveals. maybe if he can bring some of it home for his parents, they will recognise his efforts.

she sceptically probes, “is it national? international?”

“no…regionals.”

“is it ranked at least?”

“it’s just an entry-level competition for rookie teams,” jongho trails off, discouraged and confidence in shambles.

his mother scoffs at his answers, none of which are the ones she wants to hear. “you have no excuse not to win this competition, then. this is child’s play. just look at jonghyuk. he’s two years younger than you, yet already has his eyes on the olympics. if you lose, i don’t want to hear about it–don’t bring shame to our family.”

“okay,” jongho mumbles, but his answer is only heard by the beeping dial of the ended call…and the rest of the boys it seems, if not apparent by the sombre hush that has settled over the room and the worried lips that he sees when he looks up.

yeosang’s mouth parts, the younger’s name on the tip of his tongue, but then coach yeon enters the locker room and calls for their attention. jongho gives them a reassuring smile before setting his phone beside him on the bench and directing his gaze to their coach, grateful for the distraction. it leaves yeosang and the others with no choice but to drop it for now.

coach yeon erases the old scribbles on the room’s whiteboard and replaces it with rough markings of the hockey rink. he drags the magnets into the different zones, each one representative of a player, as he goes over the final lineup and their respective positions based on the opposing team they have been pooled against.

“stay strong on the offensive and maintain a 2-1-2 formation where possible–yeosang, i want you up there with hongjoong and put pressure on the other team. if they gain puck possession, both of you fall back to where wooyoung is and maintain 3-2.”

the three forwards nod and coach yeon touches one of the magnets positioned on the player’s bench. “jongho, you’ll come on for your shift during the second period. whoever you replace will come back in later to sub the other wing. yeosang and wooyoung, you should both be playing again during the third period.”

“yes, coach,” jongho acknowledges.

coach yeon continues on to review their game plan and hongjoong steps up to assist with detailing their different strategic plays. to jongho though, their words sound like he is listening from underwater as his mind involuntary drifts off. it is a small saving grace that his parents do not care for his match, because it means that they will not see that he is not part of the starting lineup.

for seven of the people in the locker room, winning the competition is an aspiration, but for one of them it is an expectation. and for the remaining individual, the competition in itself is an opportunity, but for an entirely different reason.

winter, present: regular season

inevitably, you find out. when discrepancies start to occur between training, pre-game meetings and the actual games, it is only a matter of time before you start to notice them.

it starts off with the uncommon plays that are simply a response to the game situation–ones that are dire and not often brought up prior to them actually occurring. during their fourth regular game of the season, the red devils are behind by two goals. the last period is almost over when they miraculously gain the power advantage after two of the opposing players are sent to the penalty box in quick succession.

before you realise what is happening, hongjoong gives his team a signal and both yunho and mingi on defence and san in the goal all rush forward to attack with the wings. you can only watch with wide eyes as they risk an empty net in the hopes of scoring two much-needed goals to even the playing field.

wooyoung manages to score one with a quick shot, but with the release of the opponents from the penalty box, their advantage is put to an end and they ultimately finish the match with a loss. you do not dwell too much on their sudden change in tactics despite the lack of communication with you, because you understand that every single game requires a different approach. sometimes, there is no time to strategise, only time to act.

but one occurrence turns into two, and two turns into several. and when, during one of their matches the week prior, jongho and wooyoung swap positions on the left and right sides of the rink as soon as the youngest replaces yeosang’s shift, it becomes quite conclusive that they are deliberately withholding information from you.

the boys are not brainless. it is not a coincidence for you and the team to discuss one game plan in the locker room only for it to completely change the moment they step onto the hockey rink.

you silently watch as the boys prepare for a faceoff in their defensive zone. they are currently playing against the incheon bears and the timing of the penalty puts you all on edge; the score is currently tied four to four and only twelve seconds are left on the clock. you had requested a time-out right as the referee made the call in hopes of stopping the momentum of the opposing team and to tell the boys to play defensively for this faceoff.

“play it safe. stall for the last twelve seconds and drag the game into overtime,” you had ordered.

the incheon bears have made a shift change with their player number four coming on for the faceoff, their right wing who has low stamina but terrifyingly accurate shots. he is responsible for most of his team’s goals and several other scoring attempts that san had only just managed to block. you are also almost certain that they will be aggressively body checking your players to make this faceoff count for them. your forwards have to play safely–not just for the sake of the game’s score.

at your defensive suggestion, san had nodded in agreement with you, “forwards need to make passes with sure lanes–nothing that can risk getting intercepted. go for the reverse setup play if you guys can.”

“we don’t need to take this into overtime,” hongjoong had started to argue, “other than number four, the rest of their offence is weak. as long as we break past him, we have an opportunity to score.”

“captain–”

the whistle blows before mingi can give his two cents, the mere thirty seconds for the time-out far too short, and the boys hurry to enter the rink again. hongjoong leans in quickly to say something to them before they disperse into their positions and mingi glances at you, almost guiltily.

you do not have the confidence that your team will listen. san may have seen the advantages in favouring a defensive play, but he is not the one who will decide which direction the puck will go when the referee drops it onto the ice. hongjoong is.

the hand of the referee raises to signal the start of the faceoff and both team’s centre forwards lower their stance. then the puck hits the ice. hongjoong’s nimble reflexes help him to snap his wrist and twist the puck away from the incheon bear’s player, wooyoung already surging ahead with explosive strides towards the other end of the rink. but just as you fear, the opponent’s left wing thunders at hongjoong with horrifying speed, intention solely to bowl him over onto the ice–not to steal the puck.

“fuck, captain!” you yell, heart leaping up into your throat as it cuts off your breath.

hongjoong’s eyes snap upwards and darken, jaws aching from the force with which he grinds his teeth together despite his mouthguard. he suddenly pivots on the edges of his skates and shifts his weight to only just narrowly miss the body check, then flicks the puck away before another player can knock him down.

he does not need to look before passing to where he knows wooyoung will be, years of synergy allowing their plays to connect seamlessly. except incheon bear’s number four has predicted their exact play, having been watching from the benches and noting your forwards’ preference for aggressive attacks.

“shit,” yunho curses under his breath, ice shaving under his skates from the accelerating force of his strides towards the puck. he is not going to make it in time. “mingi!”

seonghwa jolts up to his feet from the player’s bench, chest mid-inhale with apprehension at the captain’s pass. the puck is intercepted within the blink of an eye and with a well-timed punch turn around yunho’s attempt to regain possession, the rival team’s number four makes a shot for the goal.

it is too fast for mingi’s stick to block–arm still stretching out with desperation–and although san drops down to his knees in hopes of barricading the goal with his leg pads, the trajectory of the puck arcs higher than he had predicted.

as the puck soars past san and hits the netting of the goal, the buzzer sounds in tandem with the eruption of cheers around the rink. all around, the incheon bears swarm towards their number four in joyous celebration. mingi leans over to rest his hands on his knees from both exhaustion and defeat, and the other boys stand in similar stances as the outcome of the game registers in their tired minds.

in an attempt to cheer them up despite his own disappointment, seonghwa half-heartedly smiles at his boys as they slowly start to trudge their way off the rink. “we played well, boys. it was unlucky that our pass got intercepted, but we can do better next time.”

“good thing it isn’t the playoffs yet,” yunho tries to joke, “so we’re still in the competition.”

nobody cracks a smile and wooyoung’s face is dark, hand grabbing the walls in support to favour his left foot whilst lifting his skates over the slight ledge of the bench door. noting his slight limp, san quietly murmurs in worry, “did you tape your ankle?”

wooyoung shakes his head. “i ran out. forgot to buy some yesterday.”

“make sure you ice it tonight then, okay?” san gently supports him by the elbow to the benches so they can loosen the laces of their skates and grab their things before heading to the locker room.

you look away to flip through the notebook in your hand instead, trying to calm the shaking of your hands. ice hockey is a contact sport and you cannot protect the players from every single collision, but that last body check that hongjoong had been unprepared for still has acid pooling into your mouth. you scratch the score ‘4-5’ onto a page filled with their scores from this season thus far. a quick calculation tells you that the red devils have just as many losses as they have wins, which in all honesty, is not looking good.

this…conflict needs to be cleared with the team–with hongjoong. you cannot let this concealment of tactics and blatant changing of strategies right in your face continue any longer, because at the rate they are going, they may not even make it into the playoffs. and as you make eye contact with san, who has been staring despondently at the puck that still lies in his goal, you know that you must clear the air for the team, too. the last thing you need is for their own teamwork to fall apart because their differing opinions on your coaching starts to drive a wedge between them.

san stills when you break your gaze and glance away to pivot on your heels in the direction of the changerooms. from the way your mouth thins and neck becomes rigid, he is quite certain you are not happy—and rightfully so, san must admit. he stalls time by slipping off his bulky gloves and freeing his hands up to remove his helmet and mouthguard too.

noting that the other boys have grabbed most of their belongings, san heads off first to meet you, knowing that they will follow him soon after. he walks down the corridor easily balancing on his skates and rounds the corner to their locker room. except the sight that greets him has his feet halting and taking a step back behind the doorway.

your hand is deep in one of their bags. san is unsure whose bag it is, but the brief glimpse of the black canvas bag he caught is enough to tell him that it is one of theirs. although he is not making any accusations, he also cannot think of a reason as to why you would be rummaging through their bags.

“why are you just standing there?”

jongho’s voice startles him and he mumbles, “nothing,” before stepping through the door with the rest of his team. you are sitting on a bench in front of an empty locker now and if he did not know better, san would think that he had imagined the last minute. he glances discreetly at the bag you had been poking through and recognises it as wooyoung’s.

gingerly seating himself in front of his own locker, san waits on edge as mingi also grasps the atmosphere and sits too. gradually, the boys read the room with tactful glances and linger on their feet or on the benches. all except for one.

“what was that?” you cut through the silence with a directed question at hongjoong.

the captain continues to toss his gloves into his unzipped bag at the bottom of his locker before proceeding to unlace his skates, not once turning to look at you.

“what was what?”

you know fully well that he is aware of what you are talking about but you decide to humour him as you elaborate, “that last faceoff. i clearly told you to play defensively, but you went against it to try for a goal. and let me guess, you told the others to ignore what i said.”

“and so what if i did?” hongjoong challenges. yeosang’s wide eyes dart from side to side and yunho watches on uneasily as his captain finally turns to glare at you. “in that moment–as a player on the rink–i saw the opportunity and took it. if there is a chance to attack, then my team takes it. we don’t run away like cowards.”

the successive jabs at your athletic retirement cause a lick of phantom heat to wrap around your shoulder. your jaw grinds as you hold yourself back from biting the bait. “then i’m curious as to what opportunity you saw every time you decided to withhold game tactics from me, or every time you changed the strategy the moment you and your team stepped foot onto the rink.”

“maybe we would respect and listen to your coaching if it actually suited the playing style of our team. heavy defence may have worked for the grey eagles, but i think you need to reevaluate your abilities as a coach because it seems like you are forgetting that we are not them. forcing us to play defensively like your past team is not going to work for shit, coach,” hongjoong mocks.

you scoff to the side, questioning your own ears. it borders on a laugh, because that is his reason? you have been adjusting their playing style not only based on the situation that arises each game, but in general for their own good. earning his respect be damned, you will not stand for this.

you return the same scornful tone, “well then, captain, considering you just lost the fucking match because you were too arrogant to defend for twelve fucking seconds, i think you should also reevaluate yourself. are you acting in the best interest of your team, or are you acting in the way that best strokes your own ego? and let me remind you–if you suffer an injury, your whole team suffers with you.

“if you do not have the decency to at least tell me what you have discussed with the boys so that i can adjust the plays accordingly, then i think the shit results of your games so far speak for themselves. teams have a coach for a reason whether you like it or not…or maybe i should say, whether you trust them or not,” you snap.

running your stressed fingers through your hair, you tear your eyes away from hongjoong’s defiant eyes. the two youngest avoid your gaze, whereas yunho and yeosang simply stare at you with their jaws slack at a loss for words. the fire within you almost quenches when your eyes skim over san, mingi and even seonghwa, who are fiddling with their jerseys with guilt.

the room suddenly feels too small and too stuffy. “change. the bus will be waiting outside,” you mumble, then you leave without a further word.

nobody in the room moves in the wake of the argument, not even hongjoong, who continues to bore holes in the doorway that you have just disappeared through. yunho’s eyes awkwardly dart back and forth between hongjoong and the other boys before they land on the bench you had been sitting on.

the notebook you are always holding is still there, left behind in your haste to leave. he stands up to grab it, turning on his heels to chase after you when the open pages catch his eye. “woah,” yunho breathes out, double-taking and bringing the notebook closer towards him to read the contents. “this is insane.”

you have marked down not only their score for every single game they have played this season, but you have also tracked the statistics of who has scored, assisted, or successfully defended a shot. yunho flips back through the pages as the other boys come to crowd around him. there are logs of their major games from the past five years, diagrams of their faceoff plays and formations, analyses of their strengths in games won and similarly, analyses of their weaknesses in games they have lost.

“oh, fuck,” mingi curses when yunho flips to the more recent pages and they see that you have compiled the same details and information, only more concisely, for every single opponent team the red devils have played against this season. there is no way of seeing this–hours upon hours of hard work–and still questioning your intentions as their coach. “i think we owe coach a huge fuckin’ apology.”

hongjoong immediately furrows his eyebrows with displeasure. “are you taking her side, mingi?”

“captain,” mingi deliberately calls. it is at times like this where being the only logical thinker in the team has its merits. it may be harsh, but mingi must draw the line between their professional and personal life. this dispute must stay strictly within the bounds of their career without blurring the lines over into their romantic involvement with one another, otherwise things could get messy real fast.

mingi stares at the captain as he reasons, “this isn’t about taking sides. from a solely rational point of view, i think it may have been better for us to play safe and defend like coach had suggested.”

from beside him, san nods in agreement. mingi continues, “and i’m not just talking about today–there were a lot of times when coach’s plays might have worked out better than bulldozing ahead with offence. yeah, we’ve won a few games but we’ve also lost just as many. how many of those could we have won if we had trusted coach?”

yunho backs him up whilst gesturing vaguely between the both of them and san, “it’s easier for the three of us to see from defence, but their forwards were already close to intercepting our faceoffs quite a few times that game.”

hongjoong’s immediate thought is to defend himself, because he is their captain and their centre forward; the one who leads them into opportunities to score and win. he knows that every single time he chooses an aggressive play, it is at the risk of weaker defence. the odds have never deterred him, though, because he has always been confident in his abilities–in his team’s abilities.

but if, even now with the palpable experience of losing because of his own decision, it still does not deter him from taking risks in a situation where offence may be his downfall, then is he confident…or overconfident?

it is quiet for a moment. hongjoong swallows the urge to justify against their opinions–against your opinions–instead looking around at his team. he meets jongho’s round eyes and he remembers one of the very reasons why he is so committed to leading the red devils to the gold trophy. why, if he is becoming a hurdle instead to their victory, then he needs to change. “what does everybody else think? seonghwa?”

“we’ve been wary of y/n all this time, but the more games we play and especially after…” the alternate captain vaguely gestures in the air, “...today, we should really work with her instead of relying on ourselves. we’ve seen her notebook, too, and i think that’s more than enough for us to see that the effort and resolve she places in our team is genuine. we need to acknowledge that and apologise.”

“not even coach cho went to these lengths, and most definitely not coach yeon,” yeosang shrugs as he offhandedly comments.

spurred on by everybody else, san carefully voices the thought that has been lingering on his mind, “i think it’s time to tell her the truth. we owe her that much.”

the truth. the wounds that not even coach cho knows of.

hongjoong’s distrust in you may have initially been true to his desire to protect his boys from something like that from happening again. but he is now realising that you may have seen right through him. perhaps at some point in time, it became unwillingness to trust you, blinded by his prideful title as the demon king of the ice rink but at the expense of his team under the guise of wanting to safeguard them.

exhaling shakily, voice thick with regret, hongjoong accepts, “i’ve let you all down, haven’t i?”

“no,” yunho gently rebukes. “letting us down would be refusing to listen to us. we trust you for a reason, hongjoong.”

not just as a captain, but as everything else too.

seonghwa wraps an arm comfortingly around him. with hongjoong’s demonic presence on the ice once he is in the zone, it is easy to forget that he actually has a shorter stature than all of them. “that’s right, we trust you,” seonghwa affirms. “the next step is for us to trust our coach as well. we’re a team, but it isn’t complete without our coach.”

“and this apology isn’t yours alone to bear,” yunho reminds. “like seonghwa said, we’re a team and we all have fault in our behaviour towards y/n. if i’m honest, i had a shitty attitude and gave her a hard time at the start too,” he admits, wincing at the memory.

yunho is not the only one who grimaces as they reflect on their own actions–whether they happened when you were first introduced to the team, during your first training together, or even up until today’s game. but wooyoung, who has been quiet throughout the entire ordeal, still has a niggling doubt: one that is most personal to him in comparison to the rest of the team.

wooyoung reveals his thoughts, “but what about her choice to stop playing? i still can’t think of a good reason that i can respect her for having retired.”

“then we ask her,” mingi proposes.

jongho nods, also curious to know whether there is more to your decision than you have let on. “today, though? we don’t really want to come off as accusatory or anything. it might be good to give her some space today.”

“what’s our schedule looking like tomorrow? training?”

everyone looks at seonghwa, the most likely person to know their schedule off by heart. he does, and he scratches his head as he recalls, “no, recovery day. low-intensity cardio in the morning and…a team meeting with coach in the afternoon.”

“tomorrow it is, then,” hongjoong concludes. there are hums of agreement and the decision appears to appease wooyoung enough for the boys to start dispersing, heading to their lockers to finally start changing out of their gear.

wooyoung tosses his helmet and gloves onto the bench in front of his locker before sitting with a sharp but discreet inhale. he carefully loosens the laces on his skates, easing the left one off his foot slowly. the relief is immediate and his fingertips gingerly touch the throbbing area around his ankle. it is not too swollen, but he will need to ice it when they get back to their apartment and he will definitely need to buy more tape.

he sheds off the rest of his gear and uniform, leaving them on the bench too to air out while he takes a quick shower. as he roughly towels his wet hair afterwards, he drags his kit bag further out to make it easier to toss everything in.

“huh?” wooyoung makes a noise of confusion when he unzips the bag, hand immediately reaching in to grab the item that has caught his eye. it is partially covered by his hoodie but he would be able to recognise the packaging anywhere.

“what’s wrong?” san asks, glancing over.

the younger brandishes the brand new roll of strapping tape he has found in his bag, the frown etched across his face slowly relaxing into amused exasperation as he reasons, “i must not have seen this in my bag all along.”

san is about to snort and make fun of his inattentiveness, but a sudden thought stuns the smile off his face. it was not that wooyoung had managed to miss the spare roll in his bag. it was–

“y/n,” he quietly exhales with realisation.

at wooyoung’s questioning what?, san looks at him with upturned eyebrows. “the tape–coach was the one who put it in your bag, right before we all walked in here.”

“this…she gave it to me?” wooyoung’s face drops, remorse evident in the thickness of his voice. “but why?”

san gently squeezes his shoulder with a smile, simply answering, “because she’s our coach.” he turns to zip up his own kit bag and leaves wooyoung to digest the revelation. the boy is quiet for the rest of the time, teeth gnawing at the inside of his cheek as he stares ahead and absentmindedly follows the rest of his team out of the locker room.

when they exit the ice arena, they do not expect to see you. and yet, there you stand beside their bus waiting stonily with your jacket zipped up and hands in your pockets. you mentally count them off without acknowledging them as they start to store their kit bags under the bus and board. yeosang gets on first, taking a seat near the front of the bus as usual. he watches from the window as you wait for the rest of the boys.

you follow jongho up the stairs, the last to load his kit bag, and tell the driver that you are all good to leave. yeosang sits a little straighter as he tucks his small backpack further under the seat in front of him with his feet, having left the seat beside him empty. but before he can open his mouth with an offer of a seat, you have already sat right behind the driver. yeosang leans back into the cushions of his seat, unfamiliar with the sense of disappointment he feels.

the ride back from the competition venue–much less after a lost game–is always quiet, players both physically and mentally exhausted from the strain. this time, though, it is strikingly silent, but you appreciate it–need it.

you stare out of the window as the trees flicker past like a repetitive motion film. most of their leaves have already fallen off, littering the ground in a blur of tragic glory. and with the beginning of winter, the trees will soon become completely bare, bringing about the period of time when there is nothing but bleak emptiness.

winter, 2019: regular season

‘2019 ice hockey rookie stars tournament: team standings’

hongjoong stares at the printed piece of paper with seonghwa at his side, where the results of all the team’s round-robin games have been taped up onto the walls of the stadium. hongjoong does not even bother reading from the top, eyes going straight down to the bottom of the page instead.

the red devils are dead last, having lost every single one of their matches. even the korean penguins, who had nil wins either, had managed to beat them earlier today, ranking them at the lowest of all teams. it is fucking humiliating and hongjoong hates that the sport that had brought him and his boys all together, that they had immeasurable love for, is now one that fills them with shame and indignity.

nobody else but the two captains of the team have decided to look at the rankings. they had all already known towards the end of the regular season that they would not stand a chance at making it into the playoffs. and yet, hongjoong and seonghwa need to see the results for themselves. it is almost masochistic, forcing themselves to look at the fruitless results of their hard work in their first competition that has so devastatingly crushed their morality.

seonghwa picks at his cuticles fretfully and wonders whether he made the wrong decision to give up his education in pursuit of becoming an athlete. he thinks of his parents, who had encouraged him with supportive smiles and offers of financial support the moment he brought up the idea–was it all in vain?

“are you two done looking?”

both of the boys turn at the question to find a captain with his team waiting to look at the standings.

“yeah, sorry,” hongjoong mumbles before stepping aside to yield his spot. the players swarm forwards and he is pushed further back away from the list like a physical representation of his distance from the playoffs.

somebody from the other team yells, “we made it! we’re in the playoffs!” and they simultaneously break out into cries and cheers as they celebrate together.

hongjoong watches on bitterly, wishing with every cell in his body that that was him and his boys. how is he going to walk back into the locker room as their captain when all of his boys have eyes that are rimmed red and cheeks that are blotchy from despair–when there are captains like that who have successfully led their team to at least a chance at winning the competition.

the feeling of a pinky slowly hooking around his own draws hongjoong out of his pain. “let’s go back,” seonghwa murmurs, tugging him away from the still-celebrating team. together, both of them start to walk back through the hallways to their locker room. 

“aren’t we down here?” seonghwa questions, standing at the t-intersection that hongjoong has absentmindedly walked straight past.

“oh, yeah. sorry,” hongjoong apologises and begins to backtrack. his ears suddenly perk up at the sound of a voice. “wait, doesn’t that sound like coach?”

before seonghwa can respond, hongjoong has turned around yet again towards the voice in search of their coach. seonghwa hurries to catch up and that is when he hears it too.

“have you transferred the money?”

“yes, i wired you the remaining amount the moment we won,” a deeper, unrecognisable voice reassures.

hongjoong’s footsteps falter, brows knitting together and head cocking to one side. he gestures for seonghwa to slow down, pressing a finger on his other hand to his lips. both of them creep forward silently.

the unfamiliar voice probes, “your team–you’re sure they don’t suspect anything?”

hongjoong and seonghwa do not need to see him to confirm their suspicions when they hear the unmistakable laughter of coach yeon. through the gravelly sound, he mocks, “they have no fucking clue even though they’ve lost every single one of their games. they’re dumber than fucking sheep. their captain tells me everything about their plays and strategies and they never question it when i change things around.”

seonghwa clutches the back of hongjoong’s jersey with a death grip, knowing that without it, his captain will punch coach yeon’s face into a bloody mess. but as much as their coach deserves it, it is not worth the disciplinary action that will inevitably follow, likely suspension, because–

“plus, even if they do somehow find out, what can they do about it? bullshit, that’s what. they have no evidence and they’re not going to risk blowing this up and ruining their own careers instead,” coach yeon boasts smugly. “losing like that as a rookie group in their first year out is completely normal. no one will believe them, and no coach is going to want their team after that because of their ‘shitty sportsmanship’ or out of fear of being accused in the same way if they lose again.”

at coach yeon’s words, seonghwa scrambles to put them into context with his dread-riddled mind. the echoing pounding in his ears tells him that he has just heard something that was never meant to be known. he does not even notice that the voices start to grow distant as the two men begin to walk off, but hongjoong does.

the trembling grip that is still on the back of his jersey grounds hongjoong enough not to throw everything away and sprint up to coach yeon with vile words and heated fists, but he also cannot do nothing. hongjoong peers around the corner before seonghwa can counteract his movement, desperate to identify who exactly coach yeon is talking to. except the revelation has him reeling, hands white from how hard his fingers dig into his palm–a stark contrast to the deep scarlet of flames that leap forth from his murderous eyes.

because the person who is walking beside coach yeon is the coach of the korean penguins. hongjoong and his boys have not been losing because of their skills they believed to be fucking shit–coach yeon has been fucking ensuring they lose.

for money.

winter, present: regular season

you stand on the balcony of your apartment. the sliding glass doors are shut behind you to keep the heat trapped inside, but for now you welcome the refreshing cold of the winter chill as you simply observe.

below on the streets, the miniature specks of people and cars mill around as if you are watching a game simulation. it is strangely humbling to think that each and every one of the people you see are living their own lives, completely distinct to yours with different yet very real problems of their own, but in the grand scheme of the cosmos, you are all insignificant.

you wonder what concern the people holding their coffee are plagued with right now; what problem the people crossing the street are facing. you wonder, if you were to tell them of your worries and they were to tell you of theirs, would you curse or thank the heavens?

the phone in your hand buzzes. you look to see if it is from coach cho and manage a small smile of relief when the notification is indeed from him.

apologies y/n, i was busy earlier. i can call now if you still need me?

you send an affirmative reply, then slide to answer the call that comes through. “hi coach, sorry to bother you.”

“no, you’re alright. is everything okay?”

you hesitate before revealing, “...i messed things up with the boys.”

“the team?” his voice goes gentle, fatherly nature extending to you too. “what happened?”

“hongjoong and i had an argument today after the game because he keeps changing the team’s plays without letting me know, or even after we’ve agreed on something else. it was only meant to be a talk, but then things escalated and we ended up fighting. i just–i don’t know what you saw in me, coach, because i don’t think i’m fit for the boys,” you ramble. “they’re not listening to me, they probably don’t even like me, and we’re going terribly with the season.”

you take a breath as you timidly admit, “i don’t think we’re going to make it into the playoffs and it’s going to be my fault.”

“hey,” coach cho grounds you, “making the playoffs would be great, yes, but the reality is that most teams don’t. and you’re still very young yourself–this is your, what…fifth year of coaching?”

throat too sticky to formulate a response, you simply hum.

“when i first started coaching, i was older than you and it was still a steep learning curve during my first ten years. i believed that coaches deserved the utmost respect and that my opinion was final. they’re my players, so of course i should be the one laying down the laws,” he chuckles. “but growing up was realising that whilst the respect is still there, it needs to be mutual. coaching a team is not a hierarchy of ‘i command, you listen’, but a show of leadership with the captain at the front of the team–not on top of them.”

his words strike a chord within you. coaching the boys was frustrating because they were not listening to you. but it should never have been a case of who listens to who–it should always have been a reciprocated relationship of everyone listening to one other.

as if he can physically feel the guilt that is starting to settle in the pit of your stomach, coach cho draws your attention to something else. “remember what i told you when we met the team for the first time? why i chose you specifically?”

“because of our similar playing styles?” you recall.

“exactly,” he confirms, “you know best the strategies and plays that work, and what their strengths and weaknesses are, because they were also your own. you need to be a coach to their playing style, not the other way around–they shouldn’t be a player to your coaching style.”

you cannot help but worry, “what if they get injured?”

“y/n, this is where your similarities can either be your biggest flaw or your greatest asset as a coach. no matter how safely they play, there will always be a risk of injury. that is just how the sport works and you know that the best. you can teach them to assess the risk and pull back if they really need to, but ultimately, there is no way of eliminating the risk completely.” coach cho pauses, then asks, “if you could meet your younger self, would you make yourself change your playing style?”

would you? as you imagine what you would tell your past self if you had the chance to, you find that you do not have an answer. perhaps for the sake of a prolonged career, you would. but then would it be your passion and skills that are playing the game, or your fears and worries?

if you cannot come to a decision even for yourself, then it is completely unfair for you to restrain the boys within the cages of what you view as safety for their own good. harnessing the defensive skills may have been functional for the grey eagles, but like hongjoong said, you are coaching the red devils now and it is not working for them. you must come to terms that you cannot protect the boys at every opportunity–consciously or unconsciously–you need to be a coach to them.

coach cho, aware that you have come to a conclusion, asks you one final question, “have you told the boys why you retired?”

“no, not yet,” you shake your head. you already have an idea of what he is going to say to you next.

“i think it’s time for you to tell them,” he advises. “remember, y/n, sometimes you need to be vulnerable with them first before you can make things right.”

after coach cho ends the call, you do not make a move to go back inside the apartment. you stay standing on your balcony, arms folded as you lean against the handrail listening to the faint rumble of traffic and hustle of busy activity. life goes on, and so will yours; you just have to make it count.

the trees on the streets may be stripped bare and lonely throughout winter, but eventually you learn to appreciate its nothingness. it is a necessity in order to start afresh.

mingi stares at the blinking cursor that sits in the open search bar. it has been empty for the last twenty minutes since he started up his laptop, wondering whether it would be an invasion of privacy for him to look you up on the internet.

he makes up his mind. he knows that he was the one to tell wooyoung only mere hours ago that they would ask you about your decision to retire tomorrow at the meeting, but mingi supposes it would not hurt to simply see what sort of athlete you were like before.

typing your full name into the search engine, mingi hits ‘enter’ and waits for the results to appear. he combs through the first several links quickly. they all have the same information; ice hockey databases and websites that detail your age, nationality, physical stats and position, but the sections that usually list your team and agency are now blank.

mingi is surprised to learn you were also a centre forward. he scrolls down to your game logs and match statistics that span from 2014 to 2019. you have won an impressive number of championships, most notably the under-18 and under-21 women’s ice hockey league. they are both international competitions and mingi is not sure how your reputation has flown under all of their radars.

frowning, he goes back to the search engine and clicks on the next page in an attempt to find more information. it is not until he clicks yet again to the next page that he finds a low-reputed news article from almost eight years ago where you are the main subject.

‘y/n l/n, youngest player of ‘black cats’, wins ice hockey championship at the age of sixteen’ the headline reads. there is not much to the article, but it outlines your admirable achievement at your young age as a rising prodigy in the ice hockey scene. mingi agrees, since he knows that you also go on to win another international competition a few years after that. just as he is about to close the tab, there is a recommended link that catches his eye.

he hovers his cursor over it. the hyperlinked headline does not explicitly say your name, but the phrasing really only alludes to one athlete considering it is a recommended link on your article. mingi does not know whether he wants to click on it, though, because he is afraid of confirming it is you.

and if it is…then the others will also need to see this too.

“hongjoong, guys, come look at this,” mingi calls out, balancing his laptop on his forearm as he walks out into the open living room. the others look up from where they are sitting or emerge from out of their rooms at his summon.

“what’s this?” hongjoong reaches out to receive the laptop and places it on the table. his eyes skim the screen, trying to make sense of what mingi is showing them.

mingi points to the hyperlink he had been mulling over. “i think we need to look at this.”

solemnity washes over the boys as their curious gazes dull and darken, realisation of what exactly they are reading dawning upon them. all at once, their hearts clench in solidarity. hongjoong clicks on the link. the only sound that permeates the silence is the rhythmic tick of the clock on the wall. nobody talks. nobody moves.

ice hockey star announces retirement following shoulder injury june 18, 2019 star player y/n l/n, centre forward of the ‘black cats’, has announced her retirement from professional ice hockey today. her decision follows lingering issues after suffering from a rotator cuff tear during the grand finals of this year’s under-21 women’s ice hockey league. l/n has been under the ice hockey spotlight ever since her win in the under-18’s league as the youngest player on her team. she is well-known for her offensive threat to the opponents, bold playing style and unparalleled skill breaking through the lines of defence.  during the grand finals in april, l/n was body checked from the side by ‘polar bears’’ kim hyejin. although full-body checking is illegal in women’s hockey, it is not uncommon during the heat of competitions. l/n suffered a severe right rotator cuff tear and is reported to have received open surgery last month. l/n did not provide further details about her recovery, however stated that she plans to focus on her physical rehabilitation in the meantime.

the glare of the screen stares back at the boys as they finally understand exactly why you had retired and why you had come back as a coach–you were unable to fully step away from the sport you so loved with your entire life.

“coach wasn’t telling us to play defensively at all the crucial times just for the sake of the game strategy…” seonghwa grasps.

“...but because she didn’t want the same thing to happen to us,” hongjoong finishes. one of your heated remarks during your argument with him suddenly resounds in his mind: and let me remind you–if you suffer an injury, your whole team suffers with you. you had been reliving your own demons every single time hongjoong and his boys were playing aggressively on the ice. “fuck,” he mutters.

mingi leans down a little. “wait, see if there are any other articles about this.”

fingers dancing across the keyboard, hongjoong opens up a new tab. another quick search of your name with the keywords ‘injury’ and ‘retirement’ yields no further articles. mingi is certain you would have had more media coverage considering you had suffered an injury at the rising peak of your prodigious career, so he finds it strange that there is close to no information about this.

“it almost looks as if somebody had the articles purged from the internet,” mingi observes.

jongho nods with furrowed brows, “maybe y/n? but why would she go to the length to remove them?”

“i mean, wooyoung didn’t exactly go around flaunting off his injury to the media. maybe she didn’t want the attention anymore,” yeosang guesses.

yunho nudges wooyoung playfully as he comments, “no offence to you, but none of us are exactly famous enough for the media to take interest in our injuries.”

“i think the real question is why coach didn’t tell us that her injury was the reason why she stopped playing,” seonghwa wonders, “it was never really a choice like she made it out to be.”

none of them know the answer. hongjoong slowly closes the laptop, exhaling deeply, “we’ve got a lot of things to clear up tomorrow…and a lot of apologising. i’m going to sleep early. you all should too.”

with that, he gets out of his seat and disappears into his bedroom. hongjoong’s mind is heavy and crowded and he knows he is going to be awake for a while.

nobody sleeps well that night. especially wooyoung.

spring, 2023: playoffs

“what do you mean i can’t compete in the playoffs?”

“you have a fractured ankle, wooyoung. the playoffs are honestly the least of your concerns and if you keep straining yourself like this, it won’t just be the playoffs that you can’t compete in–it’ll be the rest of your life,” coach cho admonishes.

“but this is our first proper championship, coach,” wooyoung begs, “you have to let me play.”

coach cho hates that he has to say no and if he could swap ankles with his player, he would do so in a heartbeat. “this isn’t a choice. you physically cannot play. what are you going to do out there on the ice? crawl?”

“fuck, coach, you don’t understand. it was so hard for us to get to this point. this means everything to me, fuck, please,” wooyoung pleads between heaving breaths.

“i’m sorry, wooyoung,” coach cho apologises, leaving no further room for argument as the other boys divert their gazes to the floor.

hongjoong gently squeezes wooyoung’s shoulder. “the doctor said that your cast can come off in about eight weeks and if it’s looking good, you can gradually join in on any light training when it’s off-season.”

wooyoung does not care because in eight week’s time the playoffs will already be over. he knows he is being unreasonable and that there is no chance he will be able to set foot in an ice rink within the next two months. but his heart and mind are operating separately and the only thing his heart can see is the opportunity of playing in the championships slipping right out of his grasp.

he is already angry at himself for getting injured in the first place but it is not enough to quell wooyoung’s raging inferno. so he does the only thing he can think of in the moment–he spits out his anger with a venomous, “i hate you all.”

it hurts the boys more to see wooyoung hurting and coach cho speaks up on their behalf, “i would rather you hate us now than for you to hate yourself in the future because you traded decades of your career for this one playoff.”

wooyoung jerks his head away defiantly, but they know he is only trying to hide his tears. unable to watch any longer, san moves in closer and pulls the younger into his arms.

“fuck off, san. i don’t need you.”

san swallows the hurt in his chest because he knows there is no truth behind wooyoung’s words. “i know you don’t,” he offers, “but i need you. so just let me stay.”

wooyoung’s body sags as all of the fight slips out of him in the form of shuddering sobs. san embraces him tightly, as if he has picked up all the pieces of the other and only a hug can make him whole again.

“i’m sorry,” wooyoung chokes out.

san shakes his head with reassuring hushes, “don’t be. you focus on recovering and we’ll take it from here.”

like that, wooyoung’s anger is quenched and the team goes on to compete in the playoffs without him. but in the absence of anger comes other emotions, jealousy and insecurity the ugliest of them all. wooyoung despises the bitter taste in his mouth as he sits on the player’s bench outside of the rink each game, only able to helplessly watch his team advance further in the playoffs without him.

and as much as wooyoung wants them to win, he also does not want them to win, because if they can win the championships without him playing as their left wing, then do they really need him at all? he never gets to find out the answer though. they lose in the quarter finals.

wooyoung does not tell anybody about the ill relief he feels…and he vows to take that secret with him to the grave.

winter, present: regular season

the moment you walk into kq’s meeting room, a rehearsed apology for the team on the tip of your tongue, you realise that something is off. not necessarily wrong, per se; just off.

all the boys are sitting around the table as usual, though the overhead projector that is routinely already set up with video footage of their recent games has been put on standby mode. but the thing that unconsciously makes your hackles rise is the expression they all nurse on their faces, strangely familiar yet foreign at the same time. it is familiar in the sense that people have looked at you this way in the past, but it is foreign in the sense that it has never come from the boys before.

“hi, coach,” hongjoong clears his throat awkwardly, opting to look at the wall behind you instead of your eyes as if even he knows this is the first time he has ever addressed you as such. “we had a…talk last night and thought we should probably clear up a few things before we discuss the actual games.”

although you share the same sentiment as they do, hongjoong’s words put you on guard. gingerly, you lower yourself into an empty seat across from him. “i also have a couple of things to say, but you guys start,” you cue.

hongjoong glances at seonghwa beside him, who in turn gives him a miniscule shrug. neither of them know how to bring it up with you as they are afraid of saying the wrong thing. thankfully, mingi steps in, not one to beat around the bush.

“why didn’t you tell us about your injury?” he asks directly.

with mingi’s question, you are suddenly able to place their expression. the boys look at you warily as if you are a wounded animal they are afraid will run away. you loathed the expression years ago when it was from your coach, your teammates and your family–the constant treading on eggshells around you with pitying eyes–and you still loathe it just as much as you do now.

your prickles emerge and your instinctive reaction is to deny it. you have kept your injury a secret up until now for a reason and the unexpected confrontation has all of your sirens blaring to keep it a secret. but then you remember coach cho’s advice–you remember the apology you had mulled over all night–and you force your prickles to retract.

you take a breath. coach cho would not have told them about your injury, so there is only one way the boys could have found out about it. “you read the articles, didn’t you?”

mingi at least has the decency to look sheepish as he admits, “one…but there weren’t any others.”

“i thought as much,” you mumble to yourself, smiling tightly. you choose not to think about how they came across the article. “i wanted them all removed and my agency managed to pull enough connections to sweep the articles under the rug, but i should have known that in this day and age it would be impossible to get rid of any media completely.”

the question remains as to why you have chosen to keep this hidden and also–

“why did you want them removed, though?” hongjoong furrows his brows.

you have faced countless demons in the last six years. the injury itself, the abrupt end to your golden days, and the forced reconciliation with the fact that you will never be able to play again. and yet, the demon that continues to haunt you to this day is the media spotlight that chases after you as if you are a circus animal.

you are unable to look at any of them in the eye as you finally bare yourself open to the boys. “the articles felt belittling and shameful–they still do. they made me feel less as an athlete then and they make me feel less as a coach now. i worked my heart and soul to get to where i was with the skills that i had, but you don’t understand just how crippling it is for all of that to be overshadowed by an injury. it was no longer a celebration of my achievements, simply because nobody cared anymore. it just became a fucking broken record of, ‘how does it feel to have fallen at the peak of your career?’

“then when i became a coach, it didn’t matter how well my team performed or how hard they worked to win the championships. the question became, ‘how does it feel to coach after being forced to retire because of your injury?’ no matter how hard i tried, i just could not escape the hellhole of my injury.”

guilt settles in the pit of mingi’s stomach as it also does for the others. they may not have written the article, but by consuming it and searching for more, they had unknowingly joined the faceless masses of those who had hurt you.

you dig your thumbs into the flesh of your thighs to stop your voice from shaking as you continue, “the media will not care for the achievements that myself or my players accomplish when there is something even better–a sob story. but i do not need that kind of pity. not from athletes, not from other coaches, and most definitely not from strangers silently pitying my life from behind their newspaper or screen when i did not ask for any of it. i made people forget and i kept this all hidden because my career, be it as a coach or a former athlete, does not deserve to be reduced to that kind of shit.”

the raw honesty behind your words strikes the boys silent. what they thought they had started to understand about you, they are now realising was barely the tip of the iceberg. seonghwa wonders for just how long you have left this wound bleeding and untreated. he calls out for you sadly, “coach, you should’ve told us.”

when you look up, you are surprised to find wetness brimming his eyes. you feel the hot rush of emotions build up behind your own eyes but from anger, because why is he upset? what reason does he have to cry when you are the one who has suffered all this time?

your voice is biting when you respond, “and have you look down on me like everybody else? i just said, i do not need your pity–”

“it’s not pity,” a voice interrupts firmly. of all people, you least expected it to come from wooyoung. his tone stays unyielding as he holds your gaze. “we’re athletes too, y/n.”

the way he includes you in the collective–as an athlete–has your glare softening immediately, replaced by the dangerous quivering of your bottom lip while he elaborates, albeit voice gentler now, “we are hurting for you–with you. it is not pity; it is standing by your side in hopes that we can help you up if you ever fall again.”

because it is okay to fall, and you will fall; wooyoung knows that the best.

you tilt your head upwards as you desperately blink back the tears that suddenly threaten to spill. the swell of emotions that had churned in your chest had not been anger but fatigue, you realise. wooyoung’s words give you sudden clarity that you are tired–of suffering alone and in silence. you want help.

“i’m tired of hurting,” you confess quietly.

“then let us share the hurt with you.”

the dam breaks and your tears fall freely down your cheeks. it starts off with a nod so miniscule that the boys think they have imagined it, but then slowly and surely, your head moves up and down with more conviction. “okay,” you whisper.

you had always thought that you had come to terms with your injury and the end of your career, but perhaps you are still mourning your loss…and perhaps that is okay. like looking into a time-warped mirror, wooyoung sees the fight slip out of your body with a sob as you apologise, “i’m sorry.”

san wants to cross the room and wrap his arms around you if it can take away even just a fraction of your hurt. but he knows that he cannot cross the boundaries of professionalism despite the intimate nature of the conversation right now, especially when you and the team are only just starting to patch things up. so instead, he opts to rub his thumb over the knuckles of wooyoung’s hand from under the table, which has slipped into his, hoping that one day he will be able to do the same for you.

“we understand,” hongjoong answers on their behalf, “you were doing what you needed to do in order to protect yourself.”

and if you do not realise that he says those words for himself and his team to hear too, then you will by the end of the conversation as you walk away with a newfound understanding of them.

“no, not just for that,” you shake your head, roughly swiping at your tears with the back of your hand. “it ended up negatively influencing the way i coached you guys, even if it was subconscious. i let my own trauma dictate how i wanted you to play: defensively all the time whether it was needed or not. hongjoong, you were right about me not coaching your team as your team.”

you try your damned hardest to keep your voice steady so that you can look at them properly to apologise, “i’m sorry i made it so hard to trust me as your coach.”

“okay, let me stop you right there,” yunho smiles gently, sliding a tissue box in your direction. “we were pricks too, so half the apology is ours.”

“don’t call her a prick,” seonghwa whispers. his horrified expression relaxes when you break out into a wet chuckle.

hongjoong is glad that you are able to find something to laugh about even with your cheeks still damp and blotchy, and he finds his mouth curling into a bittersweet smile. you have been honest and vulnerable with them and now it is their turn.

“we have something to tell you about our past coach,” he starts, drawing your gaze to him. “not coach cho–our very first coach. we’re not trying to justify that what we did as a result was okay, but…”

“but hopefully i can understand,” you finish when hongjoong hesitates. he nods and you mirror his action with a reassuring smile to encourage him to talk.

but irregardless of what they tell you, you already know that you want to understand them, because understanding is the first step to forgiving, and you want that too.

so with intermittent comments from the other boys, hongjoong reveals to you the hidden wounds they have been nursing. and as they tell you about coach yeon, how their trust in him had been misplaced, how he had betrayed it for money at the expense of their championship, and how they had then let that become mistrust in you and your reason for retiring, wooyoung finds himself quiet so that he can steal glances at you.

he can see it now. the untameable beast within you of passion for ice hockey that has been forcibly chained down to the ground with the weight of the earth. the devastating torment that must incessantly surge through you in the most debilitating waves, tenfold any anguish he felt when he was unable to compete in the playoffs. the blemished canvas of dark and ghastly emotions that you do not let see the light of day, yet continue to coexist in hidden silence.

it is there and then that wooyoung realises you and him may be more similar than he thought–that you may actually understand him better than any of his seven boys.

you stop the drill.

yeosang gracefully turns in an arc whilst keeping the puck close to his stick as hongjoong and seonghwa dig their skates into the ice to brake before their momentum takes out the younger.

“let’s have jongho try using the perimeter of the rink instead of passing to yeosang this time. start the faceoff again,” you instruct.

the chorus of responses that you receive are zealous, even slightly teasing as the boys lower their voices with a, “yes, coach!” and give you small salutes with their gloved hands. you cannot help but snort and shake your head, waving at them to retake their positions.

practice is short today, since your team has a game tomorrow. the first half an hour consisted of running through offensive formations for power plays and you are now focusing on defensive penalty kills. your two captains and wooyoung are playing as the mock opponents, preparing your remaining wings and defenseman for a situation where they are down a player.

hongjoong seems to mull over a thought as he looks at the formation of his boys. “you mentioned the team we’re playing against has a tendency to position their forwards higher up, didn’t you?” he asks and  when you nod, he suggests, “what do you think about trying the diamond formation instead? might help close some of their shooting lanes.”

with the captain’s input, you reposition yeosang further up to form the tip of the diamond, and yunho too to cover the right point whilst jongho covers the left. mingi moves in a little closer to the goal to cover the bottom of the diamond and you make sure to point out the importance of his position.

“if the opportunity arises, we can transition into a counterattack instead with 3-1. but we’ll need to make sure we still cover the goal in case they turn it back over again–mingi, this will probably be you. support whoever has the puck from behind, but make sure you don’t go too far forward.”

mingi answers with an affirmative and yeosang passes the puck to hongjoong for him to commence the penalty kill. at your whistle, the rink explodes into action. wooyoung and seonghwa immediately split down the perimeters to open up shooting lanes for their captain, who passes the puck off to wooyoung the moment he has cleared half the rink. with a brief adjustment of the puck’s angle, he attempts a cross-ice pass to where seonghwa is free on the other side.

with astonishing speed, jongho intercepts the puck and yells, “3-1!” he continues to barrel forward with the momentum of his explosive acceleration towards the goal as yeosang anticipates a pass and yunho joins the counterattack rush to his right. the three of your players charge forwards with adrenaline as mingi covers them from behind. jongho chips the puck over hongjoong’s stick, which is immediately taken up by yeosang. without a goaltender, he finishes it off with an easy shot into the net.

the tempo and execution of the rush surprises not just you, but the boys themselves too, who are tapping their sticks together with elated excitement at the success of the play. it may only be a simulated practice drill, but you still share in the same pride and contentment that hongjoong’s face glows at you with.

he cocks his head to the side with a paired smile and you return the same nonverbal acknowledgement. corners of your lips still lifted up, you gather the boys, “let’s have a drink break.”

as the boys make their way over to the benches, removing their gloves and helmets, you eye the water bottles and make sure you have enough–five in the cooler and three on the bench beside it. san bounds up to you after grabbing one from the cooler, bragging, “coach! did you see the way jongho intercepted that puck?”

from beside him, wooyoung reenacts the moment with wild flails of his limbs and airy whooshes from his mouth, jongho watching with bashful giggles. you indulge in their animated recount and listen intently. “he was amazingly fast,” you agree.

yeosang passes an opened bottle to wooyoung before untwisting the lid to his own, commenting, “the ankle weights on top of all the training must be working.”

the boys are not currently wearing any, but you had slowly implemented the use of vests, ankle or wrist weights during specific drills. now that they have taken them off and are playing without the burden of the additional mass, you are all starting to see the gains of their hard work.

you smirk with satisfaction, “of course. if my players are going to bulldoze across the ice, may as well make them fast enough to avoid all the opponents.”

“don’t encourage her,” wooyoung elbows yeosang scandalously. “she’s going to make us wear heavier weights next practice.”

“you don’t get to complain if you don’t even wear the weights,” you quip.

he knows his injury means that he cannot wear the weights in case it places stress on his ankle, so he curses at you with no real heat just for the sake of cursing, “fuck you.”

you wink, “love you too.”

wooyoung shuts his mouth and scrunches the bridge of his nose with faux displeasure, and jongho laughs at his inability to faze you. you glance down and open your notebook to mention, “on that note, though, how do we feel about going up a few hundred grams next week?”

“i’m fine with that,” yeosang says at the same time jongho confirms, “sounds good.” most of the other boys also nod that they are fine with increasing their weights, save for seonghwa who notifies you that he is still adjusting so he will keep his as it is for now.

you jot down ticks and crosses next to their names corresponding to their answers whilst suggesting, “yunho and mingi, you can both probably try half a kilogram since your body masses are higher.”

said boys peer over your shoulder to see what their new weights would be, then yunho makes a noise of intriguement. “coach, did you write these?”

you look to where his finger is pointing to–sticky notes upon sticky notes of unorganised observations and reminders to yourself. starting to feel self-conscious, you deny, “...no,” only for yunho to swipe the notebook from out of your grasp. “hey!”

he holds it up and open above him, voice gleeful as he reads one out, “‘jongho, wooyoung and yeosang prefer water at room temperature when training–take bottles out of cooler!’”

“aw, coach,” wooyoung coos, “did you deliberately leave three bottles in room temperature for us on the bench?”

feeling your ears heat up from being exposed, you swipe at the notebook. your skates give you added height, but so do yunho’s skates, so your attempts to jump for it are futile.

“‘boys want to eat abura soba after their win’,” he continues to read, pausing to let out a dramatic gasp, “are you going to treat us, coach?” his question is met with enthusiasm.

when another wild swipe sends a sharp sting down your shoulder from the movement, reminding you of the pain that had flared up a few days ago, you decide to change tactics. you grab the back and front of his jersey with your hands, completely ready to commit to scaling him like a literal tree. but then a different set of hands easily takes the notebook out of yunho’s and of course it would be mingi. you insult, “give it back, you tall buffoon!”

mingi is hardly fazed as you switch targets to him, your fingertips nowhere near reaching the notebook as he snickers and reads, “‘trial jongho as starting forward–wait.” he lowers his hands with sobriety and you are finally able to snatch the notebook back, shutting it before they can read any more of your sticky notes. it is not like there is anything they cannot know, but it is sort of embarrassing for them to see how much attention you pay to them.

“you want jongho on the starting lineup?” mingi confirms that he has not read it wrong, eyes as wide as all the other boys as they look at you.

jongho is almost certain that you must have meant somebody else, or something else, because there is no way that he would be given the opportunity to start for the team–not when they have yeosang and wooyoung as their wings, and the choice of hongjoong or seonghwa as their centres. he is used to being the player who momentarily relieves others of their shift on the ice, or as his parents so like to remind him, option b.

“why do you all look so surprised?” you frown. beckoning at jongho with your chin, you ask, “you’ve been practising hard to make your right hand just as good as your left hand, haven’t you? so let’s take advantage of your versatility and unpredictability on ice and throw the opponents off. what do you think?”

jongho’s mouth opens and shuts, struggling to formulate an answer through his wide beam other than, “i–of course, if you’d let me–if everyone else is happy.”

the pleased smile on hongjoong’s face is enough to make his cheeks sore and he wraps his arm around the youngest’s shoulders. he praises, “look at you, our wild card and our hidden ace,” as seonghwa declares, “i know he’ll do us so proud.”

both yeosang and wooyoung simultaneously offer their positions in the starting lineup and the rest of the boys watch on with fond expressions. they are grateful that you have recognised the talents and hard work of their youngest. although you are not aware, this opportunity holds significance not just in regards to his career.

you conclude, “we’ve been on a good streak with our games. let’s ride the momentum and show the other teams what jongho is capable of–what we’re all capable of.”

“yes, coach!” they shout, the loud echo of their voices reverberating and filling the rink with buzzing energy for the remainder of the training session.

spirits still high by the time you call it a wrap, you let them change as you grab your own belongings. there is a team meeting in the afternoon so you and the boys will be going back to kq to eat at the cafeteria and use the booked room. you pause when you see wooyoung loitering by your bag. he still has not changed out of his practice clothes.

“i’m not letting you on the bus if you’re planning on staying in those clothes,” you joke.

“i’m going to change!” he scowls indignantly, then avoids eye contact as he thrusts something out in your direction. he mumbles, “had some spares. didn’t want them. just dumping them with you so you can stash them or use them or whatever, i don’t care.”

you grab the small bag, brows creased with confusion, but wooyoung dashes away to change before you can ask what it is. you peer inside and to your pleasant surprise, there are two packs of pain relief patches. your shoulder protests at the lack of attention you have given it in the last few days. the pain is chronic and never really goes away, but it has been bothering you more than usual recently, so it is all in good timing that you now have some patches.

you make a mental note to stick one on when you get to the company and grab your bag after ensuring your notebook is stored inside. as you head towards the change rooms to wait for the boys, you spot a piece of paper on the floor. it looks like rubbish that you must have missed on your way in earlier so you pick it up to throw away. but when your fingertips touch the familiar sheen of the wax-like paper, you realise wooyoung must have dropped it.

it is confirmed when you unfold it to read the text and see that it is from yesterday evening, at the pharmacy that is just across the street from the company; in your hands you hold wooyoung’s receipt for two packs of pain relief patches.

spring marks the start of the playoffs. in synchronisation with the burst of life that blooms with the season, your boys, too, flourish in the league.

the unpredictability of your team’s strategies that entail a mix of both yours and hongjoong’s prowess helps to secure wins over the remainder of the regular season. despite the unsteady start to the season, it allows your team to scrape into the round of sixteen near the bottom of the standings.

the red devils are seeded against the team that is third in the rankings, and then against the sixth-standing team in the quarterfinals. in upsets that knock out two of the most anticipated teams in the league, your boys advance into the semifinals, their reputation as the demons of the ice rink that had laid low now rapidly spreading.

where none of the other competitors had paid you and your players any mind before, barely even noticing your presence, the opponents now glance and watch your team walk past with an air of confidence through the arena. their tense jaws and hard gazes size up your athletes–formidable rivals who have suddenly barrelled up the ranks from out of nowhere and now pose perhaps the biggest threat as a team that has somehow slipped under their radars.

you know; your team may be small in numbers. but with yunho and mingi flanking the sides of the boys, and even with hongjoong’s charismatic aura alone leading the front, which extends around him like a dark cloud of terror and envelops the rest of the group too, your team is a pack of predators at the tip of the apex.

other players part to make a path for your boys, whose heads are held high and eyes are set only on their captain and you, their coach, as you all walk to your assigned changeroom. the nerves have long dissipated because the ice rink is your territory and the other teams are your prey.

the moment you shut the door behind the last of them into the room though, the icy stare in wooyoung’s eyes melt and he exclaims, “holy shit, did you see the way everybody was looking at us? we must have looked so fucking hot, i wish i could ask for my own signature.”

from their glowing faces alone, you can tell that they are all basking in the feeling of finally being recognised and reckoned with. yunho bats his eyelids and pinches his voice higher into a falsetto, “oh wooyoung! you’re so handsome and cool, could i please have your signature?”

mingi imitates him and pounces on wooyoung, begging for a photo together as he clings onto his elbow. it sets off the rest of the boys to crowd around like mock fans with faux exhilaration. you snort at their antics, leaving wooyoung to sign imaginary sheets of paper with his imaginary pen in favour of ensuring all of their backup equipment and gear is correctly located outside or in the storage area.

you allow the boys adequate time to change into their full gear for their warm-up prior to the actual semifinal game before you walk back into the locker room. your ears perk up when you catch the end of san’s question, “that’s good for us, isn’t it?”

“what is?” you ask out of curiosity, flipping open the provided cooler and adding several sports drinks into the ice.

“i overheard someone on the white tigers team say that their head coach happened to fall sick, so they have their assistant coach today,” jongho mentions.

the surge of brazen smiles and reassured glints in their eyes at the reveal of information makes you falter to a degree. you lightly chastise, “don’t let that get to your heads and start being cocky–play as you usually do and do not underestimate them just because their head coach is off.”

you pull your notebook out of your bag, the familiar cover and weight of the book providing you with a sense of security as you remind the boys, “the white tigers have a very similar playing style as us. we may have worked hard on our defensive strategies, but with similar strengths and weaknesses overall, it won’t hurt for us to still be cautious.”

“yes, coach,” they chorus.

hongjoong nods, “let’s go warm up, then finalise our starting lineup for the game.”

your team’s allocated time on the rink passes by quickly and it is followed by the last adjustments to the discussed strategies and game plan, thorough checks of their gear, and the remaining boys who are still wearing their practice jerseys change out of the blue into their red game uniform. in full gear, there your boys stand, presence intimidating and demoniac. the boys do not live up to their team name; their team name lives up to them.

they stride through the hallway for their semifinal game against the white tigers. right at the end before it leads to the ice rink, yunho yells, “pep talk, captain!”

hongjoong groans, rolling his eyes, but places the blade of his stick onto the rubber flooring nonetheless. the rest of the boys huddle around, their sticks meeting in the centre of the circle and standing close together so that their helmets and shoulders knock against one another. you are also swept into the circle with yeosang and san by your sides.

“boys…and girl,” hongjoong snickers to himself before recollecting his very inspirational train of thought, “we’ve fought hard to make it this far–this is the first time we’ve made it into the semis, so let’s keep running until the very end, yeah?”

to the team’s increasingly loud cheers, hongjoong yells, “let’s fuck it up out there!”

their sticks hit the ground in unison and despite the muted sound of the cushioned flooring, their shouts of fighting resolve and unwavering determination drown out everything else. together, you emerge from the hallway and your starting players take their positions on the ice, ready to fuck it up.

only, it happens literally.

the moment the puck hits the ice and the white tigers’ centre forward, byun, wrestles it away with his blade, hongjoong immediately knows it is going to be one of those games. the ones where his competitive grit is fueling his mind ablaze but his body is leaden-footed as if he is wading through quicksand; where his body is just unable to keep up and move the way he wants it to. it is one of those days where his condition is just inexplicably off and there is nothing he can do about it except hope that his years of training and sheer aptitude for the sport will be enough.

“fuck,” you curse under your breath at hongjoong’s slip as jongho and yeosang rush to fall back and support those in defence. “he wasn’t like that during the warm-ups.”

byun is not only agile and swift, but is almost an identical reflection of hongjoong’s own bold and assertive offence. the centre forward powers through with evasive turns around yunho’s attempt to body check him, unafraid and confident. passing the blue line into your team’s defensive zone, byun flicks the puck at the goal.

the point shot is an unexceptional attempt to score, nothing that san’s reflexive goaltending cannot take care of. he extends his left foot and blocks the low shot with his leg pad, where the puck then slides in yunho’s direction. you did not doubt for a moment that san would not be able to save the shot, but it is still a close call that is far too early in the game to be a good sign.

your team’s greatest strength is their unspoken synergy and seamless unity, but it is also their greatest weakness. when one player stumbles, particularly when it is their captain–the very roots of the team–their bond runs so deeply that it throws their teamwork out of harmony and ultimately impacts the entire team.

with san’s save, yunho regains possession and handles the puck around the back of their net to shake off the pressure that the white tigers’ forwards are placing on him, as well as to buy his own team some time to reassemble in their formation.

you know that this is not going to work for long; you have to change the momentum of the game, and fast. “seonghwa, get ready,” you alert. “you’re going on for hongjoong.”

the alternate captain stands, alarmed at the unexpected line change so early into the game. he grips his stick with white knuckles and watches his team as he waits for your cue. yunho hits the puck against the boards where yeosang successfully receives the rebound.

“breakout!” yeosang yells and rushes forward with the chasing skates of the opponents nipping at his heels. jongho clears the centre line into the offensive zone at the same time hongjoong screens and blocks the view of the white tigers’ goaltender, setting up for an opportunity to score.

when the opponent’s left defence and wing advance on yeosang rapidly, he fakes a deceptive pass towards the boards before twisting the blade of his stick and flicking the puck between their skates instead in hongjoong’s direction. but like an eagle honing in on a small rodent, byun swoops in to snatch the puck, flipping the possession again.

the tides turn and all the athletes on the rink race towards your team’s net, a cutthroat competition between triumph and desperation to chase the puck. byun passes to the player on his left as they both dash closer, the left forward immediately returning the puck the moment he receives it to break past mingi’s defence.

you are able to see the white tigers’ right wing following closely behind ready for a drop pass, but in your team’s frenzied minds, they are unable to read the play. yunho approaches byun, who is expecting the defence and leaves the puck behind whilst skating on, knowing that it will be received by his trailing teammate. with the momentary confusion that is enough to disrupt both yunho and san’s gaze on the puck, the opponent’s right wing winds his stick back just enough to build power without sacrificing speed, then slaps the puck into the corner of the goal–

–and scores. within the first three minutes of the game.

“seonghwa,” you call out again with urgency as the whistle blows. you turn to look at him, “you’re up. you have to break the flow of the team. not just the white tigers, but ours too–the boys are panicking and you need to help anchor them.”

he nods, steadying his hand on the board in preparation to hop over it, and you yell out for the captain, “change!”

hongjoong sees the gesture of your hand pointing at the bench, and although his chest tightens with frustration at himself, he speeds towards the edge of the rink to change. once the captain is close enough, seonghwa pushes his skate off the benches to launch himself over the top of the boards onto the ice then propels himself forward to take the centre faceoff.

the captain sits down heavily on the bench, defeat already broiling off of his slumped body in smothering swells. you really cannot afford to take your eyes off the game; it waits for nobody and the whistle has already blown, the rink erupting into commotion. but whilst you need to watch the game unfold, you need hongjoong just as much, and his team needs him.

you turn him slightly to face you so that he can see your face of resolution. “you are the captain, so be the captain–for the team…and for yourself,” you invigorate, voice raised so that he can hear you over the noise of the stadium. 

you give his shoulder a hard squeeze, certain he will not be able to even feel it from under the pads of his uniform. regardless, he understands your intentions and nods grimly, the fog in his eyes clearing. wooyoung taps the back of his helmet in a show of encouragement and hongjoong returns the gesture with appreciation. 

a particularly loud thump draws the attention of all three of you back to the game. from the grimace on yeosang’s face and his hand steadying himself on the boards, it is obvious he has just been body checked into the wall. seonghwa pursues the puck with graceful yet powerful speed before he digs both skates perpendicular into the ice to suddenly change direction. pushing off, he accelerates back towards the white tigers’ defensive zone when mingi manages to disrupt the opponent’s stickhandling enough for yunho to sweep the puck and skate it up the perimeter of the rink away from their net.

wooyoung also goes on for yeosang but as the left wing, so jongho switches position to play as the right forward. he skates past the benches when an opportunity arises and he hands off his stick whilst grabbing his right-handed stick from you with practised ease.

with the line change of forwards and with seonghwa on as your centre, your team stabilises to an extent. the red devils are no longer being pushed back but they are also unable to push forward. the game is at a stalemate, although the tides remain in favour of the white tigers with both their positional and psychological advantage of the first goal.

you can see the pressure weighing down on your boys; passes that yunho and mingi would be capable of executing blindfolded are miscalculated; predictable manoeuvres still mislead wooyoung in the wrong direction; seonghwa and jongho fail to notice the opportunities for clear passing and shooting lanes; and the openings appear far too wide and innumerable for san to cover the goal from. the relentless offensive pressure that the white tigers places on your team, strikingly similar to how the boys played when you first started coaching them, does not give any breathing room either.

so that is how the first period comes to an end–losing zero to one with none of your players performing at their best condition. their steps are heavy and burdened as they walk back to the locker room for the intermission, helmets removed the moment they come off the ice to reveal hardened expressions. in the privacy of your assigned room, most of the boys adjust the pads in their gear and yunho peels off his shin guards to let them air out.

you pass around their iced bottles and as exhausted as they are, they make sure to voice their gratitude. san grabs wooyoung’s bottle for him, since the younger is bent over loosening the laces of his left skate. “here,” san murmurs, twisting open the cap and passing it to wooyoung once he straightens his back.

similarly, seonghwa hands over an opened bottle to yeosang before taking a swig of his own. “you’re okay?” he checks, the particularly rough body check that yeosang had copped earlier in the game still at the forefront of his mind.

yeosang gives the alternate captain a reassuring smile, “i’m okay.”

appeased by the answer, seonghwa turns to look at hongjoong, who is re-taping the blade of his stick. “what about you?” seonghwa softly asks, “you’re feeling okay?”

hongjoong glances up briefly at the back of your figure. you are busy shifting the red magnets around on the whiteboard and erasing the markings you had made prior to the start of the semifinals. when you turn around to gather their attention, you accidentally make eye contact with him and break out into a small smile.

“yeah,” hongjoong replies, “i’m feeling okay.”

“alright, listen up boys, that was just the first period. we’re not even halfway into this game and we’ve started to even up the playing field now that we’ve found our footing,” you encourage. “we just have to make sure we keep our heads cool and read their plays instead of simply reacting to their movements.”

you look at each of them as you direct, “their centre forward, byun, has been on for almost all of first period, so there’s probably going to be a shift change, if not a complete line change of forwards. they have the leniency to swap out their top players since they’re in the lead, which means if we want to break their momentum, we need to break it then.”

shifting yourself slightly out of the way, the boys are able to see the new arrangement of positions you have marked out on the whiteboard. “we’re starting the second period by sharpening our offence in the 2-2-1 formation,” you explain. you beckon your head at the captain, “hongjoong, you’re back on. you and wooyoung are to position yourselves up high between the neutral and offensive zones–try to screen their goaltender when our boys have possession. yunho, i want you to move up to our blue line with jongho and open up as many passing lanes as you two can. mingi will stay in defence and help cover the goal with san in case the white tigers makes a counterattack.

“use this opportunity to make as many scoring chances as you can. if there isn’t a clear shot but there’s a chance it can be continued on by another one of us, then go for it anyway–any sort of pressure we can put on their team is better than none.”

your forwards nod with understanding, so you continue to the most important point, “but the moment byun and the wings–kim and song, i think they are–come back on, we’re reversing the formation.” you reposition half of the magnets into a 1-2-2 formation. “only hongjoong will stay up high; wooyoung will fall back and join jongho in the neutral zone; put pressure on their forwards from there. yunho and mingi, you’ll play left and right defence as usual.”

san listens intently when you start moving the black magnets that represent the opposing players and call out to him directly. you warn, “san, be careful of their drop passes. kim and song have been skating forward but leaving the puck behind for byun to score multiple times throughout the first period. they have you primed to predict it now, so they’re probably going to change their tactic and pass directly in front of the goal instead.”

“yes, coach,” san acknowledges.

a glance at the screen on the wall of the locker room tells you that there are only a few minutes left of the intermission. “gear up and get ready to go back on,” you instruct the boys.

they make final adjustments to their pads and yunho tapes his shin guards back into place under his socks. you make sure they all have their helmets and sticks when they start to file out of the locker room once they are ready and you grab wooyoung’s gloves for him while he ties the laces of his skates again.

“thanks,” he reaches out for them as he stands up. except he stumbles slightly when he puts weight on his left ankle and your hand instinctively grabs his to steady him.

your eyes grow wide with concern. you know that wooyoung is the type to keep quiet about his pain, even if you ask, “does your ankle hurt?”

“no, my legs just fell asleep on me from sitting,” he reassures, conscious of your hand that still holds his. he smiles through his lie and hopes that you are unable to pick up on it. the buzzer sounds before you can, though, warning you both that there is only one minute remaining until the game resumes.

hurriedly you tell him, “let me know if you need to come off.”

somebody yells out your names, forcing you both to rush off to join the rest of the team in the hallway. wooyoung knows that he should admit to you right there and then that his ankle does hurt, but he will not–he cannot…because he owes it to his team.

they do not know and they will never know, but there is not a day that goes past where wooyoung does not feel guilty for having desired for their loss last year. he has to play and win this championship for his team because only then can he start to forgive himself. but until he wins, he deserves to suffer.

those in the lineup rapidly glide across the ice to take their positions, wooyoung included. a short buzzer sounds, the puck is dropped, and the second period starts. immediately you can see that your boys have the advantage. the white tigers had not expected you to take such an aggressive approach of offence considering that you are losing.

and sure enough, just as you had predicted, their coach has changed their entire line of forwards. the players are still undeniably skilled, but they visibly struggle to match the pace at which hongjoong and wooyoung are now leading your team to attack.

the rink is under the boys’ control; the neutral zone has become a stronghold with the resistance of both jongho and yunho’s combined strength and mingi’s reinforcement from behind. wooyoung weaves through the players with polished agility as he creates passing opportunities around the offensive zone, whilst hongjoong makes his own path with imposing might, his devilish wings spread. and even if the white tigers somehow manage to gain possession of the puck and break past your defence, san looks impossibly larger than the goal itself, leaving no openings for their forwards to score.

it is well into the second period when the perfect play sets itself up. with mingi blocking any possible rebounds off the boards, yunho’s attempt to body check the white tigers’ right wing forces the player to pass the puck across the ice. before their centre forward is able to receive it, jongho has already intercepted and is thundering ahead with his stick controlling the puck.

“high!” he shouts, ploughing through the neutral zone as wooyoung and hongjoong immediately respond to his call and skate up towards the goal.

jongho deliberately looks at his captain but flicks the puck with a forehand pass in the other direction, too fast for the defenders to react to. wooyoung easily receives the anticipated pass, thighs burning and his left ankle stinging as he rushes towards the goal from the left with powerful acceleration. the white tigers’ goaltender immediately lowers his stance and raises his arms in preparation to block his shot.

in the corner of his eye, wooyoung sees hongjoong matching his lightning pace on his right, the captain’s eyes narrowed with concentration and body weight tilted forward as he hurtles past the defenders. wooyoung pretends to wind up his stick for a slap shot into the net, only to twist the angle of his arms at the last second to send the puck skittering across the ice directly parallel to the goal. the goaltender drops down to his knees, having anticipated a scoring attempt, except the puck is now nearing hongjoong.

hongjoong sees it clearly–the trajectory that the puck is taking and the perfect point where it needs to meet his stick. without breaking its momentum, his arms contract to swing his stick and the blade collides with the puck with forceful precision, sending it hurtling through the air. the goaltender desperately scrabbles back onto his skates to defend the other side of the goal, but it is too late.

the puck flies past the posts and hits the netting.

the horn blares and echoing cheers erupt throughout the stadium as the lights flick on to shine across the net and your forward players. hongjoong yells with fierce triumph, stick raised into the air as wooyoung excitedly collides into him. the duo disappear amongst the bodies of your boys as they swarm around them feverish exuberance.

“that’s our fucking captain–” “–woo’s assist was insane!”

hongjoong cannot even tell who is who as he is jostled around in overjoyed laughter and beaming smiles, numerous hands reaching out to tap his and wooyoung’s helmets and shoulders. from outside the rink, you, seonghwa and yeosang have long stopped sitting on the benches, bodies too strung tight with hopeful tension to stay seated, so you are immediately swept up into a hug as the three of you celebrate the goal with identical exhilaration.

the game is still far from over but the morale has just skyrocketed through the roof as if the red devils have scored the winning goal. combined with the team’s fans electrifying the atmosphere of the stadium, it definitely feels like it, and you are starting to see hope that the ones advancing to the finals after today will be your boys.

“line change!” you faintly hear, so you still to watch all three of the white tigers’ forwards skate towards the boards. byun, kim and song jump onto the rink, back on offence in the wake of your goal.

hongjoong makes eye contact with you when you search for him amongst the team huddle and in unison, you both nod, pride and determination unspoken in your gazes–the real game is about to start now. the boys start to disperse and take up their positions around the marked circle for the centre faceoff, and hongjoong and byun meet head-to-head once again in the middle of the rink.

the white tigers’ centre forward smirks condescendingly, “cute goal.”

hongjoong’s face thunders over but he will not let himself resort to dirty sportsmanship. he bites his tongue and lowers his stance, focusing his attention on the game instead.

“ready,” the referee signals, then the puck is released.

byun manages to steal it and sends it backwards to his defensemen to open up more passing lanes, but as discussed, your boys mutually move into the 1-2-2 formation to fortify against their offensive plays. despite the pressure of the white tigers’ top forwards back in play, your team is riding on the momentum of your goal; although you had been treading to keep your heads above the water during the first period, there is now an air of confidence that permeates the ambience of the rink in favour of your boys. 

an angled pass from their defence rebounds off the boards and kim receives it high in the neutral zone. he attempts an immediate pass across the ice to song, except the safety net of your player’s defensive formation allows mingi to thrust out with his stick to intercept the pass. he signals, “breakout!” before deflecting it to wooyoung.

the turnover of possession immediately triggers a switch in defence to offence as wooyoung handles the puck back the other way. his wrists twist the stick with measured coordination, controlling the blade and puck as an extension of his own hands while approaching the offensive zone. wooyoung sees the white tigers’ defensemen racing towards him so he abruptly pivots towards the left to drag the black disc around their extended sticks.

suddenly, a sharp pain engulfs his ankle that has his legs crumbling as he staggers off balance. wooyoung manages to stay upright, using his stick to steady himself, but the momentary stumble is more than enough of an opening for byun to steal possession from behind him.

the rival centre forward swerves around jongho then stays close to the perimeter to avoid mingi’s resistant defence. behind mingi, san splays his legs out as he prepares to block the left side of the goal, but byun continues blazing on and wraps around the back of the net. san follows his movement and swiftly shifts over to the right instead while byun cradles the puck with his blade to lift it into the air the moment he approaches.

yunho cannot risk a penalty by raising his own stick to block its trajectory, so he shifts his body in hopes of deflecting the shot before it reaches san. but byun’s wrists snap and tuck the airborne puck at a sharp angle right past the red goalpost…and the horn blows to mark the scoring of a goal.

your jaw plummets at the same time that your heart does. not even your lungs work, your body frozen stock-still. once more, the white tigers are back in the lead only mere minutes after the score had been painstakingly tied by your team.

“fuck!” wooyoung curses and slams his gloved fist against the ice, having dropped to his knees in enraged denial.

seonghwa looks on with despondence from beside you as hongjoong drags wooyoung back up to his feet. the captain’s jaws are clenched in frustration but only because of the score itself–never because of his boys. when mingi and yunho try to comfort san with firm squeezes and uttered reassurances, he can only return a tight smile, all three of their breaths heavy and irregular from exertion and dismay.

for the boys to have climbed so arduously and persistently to even the scores, only to be knocked off and their momentum obliterated so mercilessly soon, it is even more demoralising than the white tigers’ first goal. after all, the higher the climb, the harder the fall.

through the deep ache in your heart, you mutedly say to yeosang, “go on for wooyoung, and tell jongho to change sticks and play as left wing.”

“yes, coach,” he replies, voice delicate. yeosang waits as you gesture for wooyoung to come off before he hops over the boards and skates in jongho’s direction.

“woo,” you murmur as your left wing makes his way back to the benches, but he avoids your gaze and keeps his head down. you bite your lips and decide not to push it for now. instead, you press an opened bottle into his gloved hand.

wooyoung is thankful that the bottle is half empty, because his hand unconsciously clenches around it with quivering shame and he would have spilled the water were it full. he makes no move to bring the bottle up to his lips; he doubts the water would go down his constricted throat anyway. the penetrative guilt of his tears hurts immeasurably more than the piercing throb of his ankle because he may have just cost his team the win…again.

even when the buzzer signals the end of the second period, wooyoung dares not to look up. the score is one to two and it is his fault. the intermission passes by in a haze of dissociation, his body robotically moving on autopilot into the locker room and back to the ice rink. wooyoung does not even know whether there are line changes to the positions or whether the game strategy has been altered.

but it does not matter because it does not concern him–as if any coach would put him on after his grave mistake. what wooyoung fails to notice though is the glances of worry in his direction, and they do not come solely from his boys.

the stakes run at their highest in the third and final period. tension suffocates the entire stadium, invisible hands that snake around your throats with a hangman’s loose and make you break out into cold sweats. all the players on the ice rink put everything that they have on the line because by the end of the next twenty minutes, only one team will be advancing to the finals.

from the moment the puck is dropped into play and the timer resumes, the rink is a torrential battlefield of contesting skates and grappling sticks. dramatic passes and unforeseen interceptions lead to rapid turnovers that force both teams to hastily switch back and forth between offence and defence.

but everyone learns of the juxtapositions of the world early on in life. there is no light without dark, there is no happiness without sadness, there is no spring without autumn…and there is no victory without defeat. for every scoring attempt that the red devils make, the white tigers make three, steadily and gradually pushing your boys back in the final stretch of the game. and while most of your forwards’ goals are blocked in the nick of time, most of theirs are not.

as a last resort in the face of the crisis, you calculate the risks then add seonghwa onto the field. “yunho, change!” you yell, pulling him off defence.

“behind you,” byun alerts song as seonghwa powers across the ice right into the cutthroat action, before cursing when the white tigers nearly lose possession of the puck.

your two captains unrelentingly pursue the black disc at the forefront of your team, their complementary synergy and unity a whirlwind of prowess to be reckoned with as they try not to let the burden of scoring weigh them down. despite the overwhelming pressure as the team’s last line of defence, even more so now that you have sacrificed stability to capitalise on having two centre forwards, san’s cat-like eyes do not cloud over, only intensely scanning the field and the opponent’s plays.

you glance at the clock. there are only two minutes left and even the combined efforts of your forwards is not working. you never thought that you would ever have to do this as a coach, but now you are afraid there is no choice. “yunho,” you urge.

his head turns to you and you see the ashen pallor of your own face reflected on his as the very probable outcome of the game dawns across your minds. you make your decision. “you’re going back on. for san.”

yunho’s eyes widen. “for san? i can’t play as goaltender–”

“no,” you shake your head, “we’re playing without a goaltender.”

sixty seconds.

save for wooyoung, all of your defenders, wings and centre forwards make a last-minute spurt to attack, not letting their bodies recover for even a split second as they strain their burning legs and gasping lungs.

thirty seconds.

they desperately break past the physical boundaries of their own stamina into their last reserves of pure grit and will, draining every last drop that their mental resilience has to offer.

ten seconds.

they do not give up. they try again and again to score. but against all of your prayers, all of your tears and sweat and against all of your hopes, the gap does not close. the final buzzer blares throughout the entire stadium, marking the red devil’s loss.

two to six.

your players stand motionless, ghosts of denial and despair amongst the crazed jumps and bounds of celebration as the white tigers flock across the rink towards one another. hongjoong tilts his head upwards to stop the rush of tears from falling down his face, both yunho and seonghwa mirrors of his pain as sweat and tears drip down in salty trails. san grasps the edge of the board in front of him, his head hung low and shoulders quaking from how hard he tries to stifle his sobs so that wooyoung does not hear him.

not one of your boys are able to accept the results of the match. not even you can bring yourself to utter a single word of consolation, be it for yourself or for them. and as you watch the wretched image of your heartbroken boys, choking back tears of your own that you are unaware still manage to escape the corners of your eyes, the only sounds in your ears their stricken cries, you are reminded that the path of an athlete and coach is nothing like its portrayal in movies and stories; where hard work triumphs and leads to sure success.

the harsh reality is that there is no dramatic comeback. there is no underdog victory. there is no miracle and there is no final to advance to. you and your boys lose by triple the amount of your own goals and just like that, the journey has come to an end at the semifinals.

it is an anticlimactic defeat, the gap so far that your team could not even see the light at the end of the tunnel. and somehow…that feels far worse than losing by just a marginal difference.

the locker room is mostly quiet, the silence punctuated only by the closing of zippers and rustling of canvas as the boys who have finished showering and changing pack the rest of their gear for the final time. there are no more intermittent sniffles, leaving behind a miserable hush of emptiness instead. even the dying flicker of the light in the far corner of the ceiling thrums with more energy than the boys combined.

you sit on one of the benches and absentmindedly thumb through your notebook. seonghwa sits to your right, his kit bag already long organised and tidied to preoccupy his mind. the warmth from the close proximity of your thighs and elbows is a gracious comfort to the both of you. it no longer makes your backs straighten with uptightness, conscious of the boundaries between coach and athlete–not after your hearts and bodies melded together in hugs of solace after the final buzzer of the semifinals and melted away those lines.

seonghwa places his hand soothingly on your knee and murmurs, “stop looking at that. we’ll think about it later all together.”

none of the words or diagrams had been registering in your head, but you nod and close your notebook anyway. he probably does not want to see it either. you rest your head back against the wall behind you with a small exhale, blankly watching your team instead until your eyes travel around the room. 

you count, then count again, before calling out, “captain, is wooyoung still showering?”

hongjoong cranes his neck around at the same time that everybody else does as well. “don’t think so,” he frowns, “i’m pretty sure he was one of the first ones out.”

wooyoung’s kit bag is still unpacked in his locker, so he is definitely not already waiting for the bus outside. before his absence can raise any alarms–the last thing the boys need on their plate right now–you stand and announce, “i’ll go find him. he probably just lost track of time.”

“do you need me to come with you?” yeosang rises to his feet.

you shake your head and reassure, “keep packing your bag.” then you turn to make your way out of the locker room when somebody calls out for you.

“coach, wait.”

it’s san, who skitters in front of you to press something into your hands. “give this to him when you see him?”

the item crinkles and a glance downwards reveals that it is an instant ice pack. you smile softly, stuffing it into the pocket of your jacket and hoping that nobody notices the ice pack that is already in there. “of course,” you gently touch his forearm. “i’ll be back.”

this time you make it out to the corridor but you do not get further than four steps before another voice stops you.

“coach!”

when you turn around, hongjoong emerges from the doorway. he slows down as he catches up to stand in front of you. “i…” his voice falters. “i’m sorry.”

i’m sorry i didn’t realise wooyoung was gone. i’m sorry i didn’t do my job as captain…and i’m sorry for losing. 

“no,” you shake your head. “don’t be.” because you tried your best…and you did not give up. beckoning in the direction of the locker room, you tell him, “take care of the boys, okay? i’ll be back with wooyoung.”

the rigidity in hongjoong’s shoulders dissipates. “thank you…y/n.”

you smile, “anytime, hongjoong.” you wait for him to walk back inside before you finally turn to find wooyoung.

the arena is massive but apart from the locker room–which you already know wooyoung is not in–there are limited places that offer privacy from the multitude of people who mill around, be it other athletes, staff or spectators. you know from personal experience, so you head to the one place that is usually guaranteed to be somewhat out of the public eye.

“oh, fuck me,” wooyoung startles when you sit yourself down heavily on the same step as him, his curse echoing around the both of you. “how the fuck did you know i would be here?”

you snort, bumping his shoulder with yours. “i hate to burst your bubble, but this isn’t exactly an original experience. i’m pretty sure every athlete has hidden here to cry at one point in their career.”

the slight spark of light that had ignited within wooyoung at your appearance suddenly flickers out, reminded of why exactly he is hiding in the emergency stairwell in the first place. shame tears his eyes away from you, unable to meet your gaze any longer.

“i want to be left alone,” he murmurs.

although you respect his request, that is the opposite of what he needs. left to his own thoughts and devices, you know that wooyoung will spiral dangerously in guilt and self-reproach, even if the red devil’s loss is not his fault–is not anybody’s fault.

the two of you sit in silence, wooyoung intermittently swiping at a lone tear that threatens to drip off his chin, and you mulling over the words that you hold close to your heart. eventually, you break the quietude with a soft chuckle.

“the first game i ever played i was actually on left defence. our team was losing by two goals and i suddenly had the puck. i still remember seeing an opening in the goal and feeling the surge of confidence that i did when i hit the puck…but you know what?”

wooyoung does not answer, does not look up from where he is picking at his cuticles, but you can feel his curiosity so you continue, “it was an own goal. i scored into my own team’s net and it wasn’t until i scored another goal before i finally realised which way i was meant to go. obviously, my team wasn’t very happy with me, but then i ended up winning the game for them anyway and that’s how i started playing as centre forward.

“there was also a time during internationals where i argued against the ref’s call and got myself put into the penalty box. it cost our team a goal–the tiebreaker, too. i learnt my lesson and never did that again. and then there was the first couple of years i started to coached. i thought i had enough experience as a player to be a perfect coach. it wasn’t until one of my teams told me to pull my head out of my ass that i realised i was anything but.”

that gets a small snicker from out of him. you deliberate, “i’d like to think that we make the best team now, though.”

he scowls disgruntledly, “we’re your only team.”

“and my favourite team, too,” you laugh softly, gauging his expression. “my point is, wooyoung, we all make mistakes. but the reason why we make them in the first place is because we love playing. we do what our heart wants to in the moment and we play for ourselves because otherwise, there would be nothing left of us without ice hockey. what matters is that we stand up again and learn from the experience.”

wooyoung feels the weight of your words settling heavily in his chest because they are only half true to him. his passion and love for the sport indeed burns eternally as a blazing inferno inside of him, but his persistence to play today was due to ulterior motives. to acknowledge that aloud is a different story, though.

your voice takes on a lighter tone, “although i guess in this case, you should be sitting down with that ankle of yours. you know you should not be gambling with your injuries.”

he finally looks at you; a former athlete who did not even have the luxury to gamble your injury. it suddenly scares him to imagine just an ounce of the conflicting anguish that must course through you at his continuous decisions to endanger his own career–the anguish that you have made sure to never show, lest it affect them.

“do you ever feel angry?” wooyoung abruptly asks, voice laced with hesitation.

it is your turn to look away. you know that the question is not directed at himself but your entire career. with a bittersweet chuckle, you allow yourself to admit, “every day. i still get angry and i still get upset. i wake up in the morning wondering why it had to be me and i go to bed at night wondering why i didn’t deserve a second chance.

“but i’m okay; it gets easier to be okay. coaching means that i still get to go on the ice, i still get to experience the adrenaline of games and i still get to play through you guys. and most of all…i still have a team. i don’t know if i will ever stop feeling angry, but it’s better than it used to be.”

at your admission, wooyoung is reminded of how you are possibly the only one who would be able to truly understand him. he musters his courage and confesses, “i wanted us to lose last year…and we did end up losing.”

it catches you off guard, the direction of the conversation not what you had expected, but you neutralise your expression and tone so as to not make him feel defensive. “how come?”

he swallows. “my ankle–i fractured it last year just before we made it into the playoffs, so i wasn’t able to compete. i had been so angry at first; angry at myself for getting injured, angry at my coach for not letting me play, angry at my team because they could play. then when it became clear that i wasn’t going to be able to compete regardless of how angry i was, i became jealous, insecure and…afraid. jongho and i share the same position, and i mean, look at him now–he’s able to play both left and right wing. if they had won the playoffs without me, then would the team really need me?

“they did end up losing, just like i had wanted them to, but that made me feel so much worse–made me realise just how terrible i am of a person. the guilt eats me alive every single day and i tell myself that i will make it up to them this time, that i will risk everything to win for them…” wooyoung scoffs pathetically at himself, “only for me to fuck things up because of my fucking ankle again.”

you get it. the slow gnawing of yourself from the endless feelings that you ‘should not have’ until you become no more than an empty husk. ever since your own injury, you have spent nights on end trying to reconcile with your emotions in your own confusing and formidable journey, but for the first time ever, you are grateful that you did–because you can keep wooyoung company on his. 

you carefully voice, “i think it was okay for you to have felt the way that you did. they’re your feelings and nobody can invalidate them nor your experience. what i came to realise was that all of those ‘ugly’ feelings do not make us ugly for having them–they simply make us human. it is only a problem when those feelings end up hurting other people, but i think the person you hurt the most…was yourself, wooyoung.”

at your words, he looks at you with wide eyes, a fresh swell of wetness gathering in them. wooyoung is kind and loving to everybody, yet has never once thought about deserving that kindness and love for himself. you smile gently, trying to hide the slight quiver in your own lips as your heart clenches with a desire to be loved in his stead.

“you know, woo, i’ve watched basically all of your past games including the quarterfinals from last year. but if i were to compare it to today’s game, it was as if two completely different teams were playing. your team was alive today–a truly united team where every member is the driving force behind each other’s passion for the game. i am pretty confident when i say that a huge part of it was because you were playing with them–because the team was finally whole again.

“yes, the trophy and the championship title is coveted but it is not what truly matters to them and neither to you. it wasn’t the actual win itself that you wanted today, but being able to win for them. and if your boys were to pick between winning without you and losing with you, i’m pretty sure you know better than i do what their immediate choice would be.”

should the other boys be here right now, they would instantly berate your ears off for even suggesting the first option. the thought flickers through wooyoung’s mind too and the corners of his lips tug upwards slightly.

still, he apprehensively confirms, “...no one is angry at me?”

“no,” you reply, voice soft, “not at all. but we are worried.”

you are reminded of the weight in the pocket of your jacket. pulling it out, you present the ice pack to wooyoung. “look, san told me to give this to you.”

his fingertips brush against your palm when he reaches out, hand hovering over the ice pack as if he does not dare to touch it. “san did?” he whispers.

when you nod, the final confirmation that he needs that nobody–you included–harbours ill feelings for him and his actions, he allows himself to take the ice pack. allows himself to love himself.

“you need to take care of your body,” you fondly chastise, lightening the atmosphere. “did coach cho not drill into you that as an athlete, your body is your most valuable asset? if you thought he was bad, he’s going to seem like an angel when i’m through with you. you won’t just be banned from playing, i’ll tie you to the bed to make sure you don’t walk on that ankle.”

wooyoung laughs through the few tears that are left, mood lifted enough to suggestively lift his eyebrows and quip, “kinky.” his laughter grows when you punch his arm in response.

no longer does he have to carry this burden alone because you are there for him now. but you know that you are not the only one who can be there for wooyoung. the dynamic between the boys runs past mere teammates and from what you have noticed, quite possibly even friends.

tentatively, you suggest, “maybe this is something you should tell the others about. that way you can truly let things go.”

his gaze wavers at the idea as he looks at you. yet, the miniscule smile and encouraging nod you give him fills him with tranquillity. perhaps it is time to let go, but the only way he can truly do that is if he is honest to the boys about his feelings–if he is honest to himself.

“okay,” he breathes out softly.

you grace him with another beat of silence before you stand up, extending your hand out to him. “let’s go.”

wooyoung takes your offered hand and lets you pull him up to his feet. he does not know if it is intentional, but the slight squeeze you give him right before your hand lets go of his fills him with warmth. the feeling stays with him even when he activates the ice pack as you two walk back to the locker room.

right at the doorway where the rest of the team is behind, you stop. you place your hand on wooyoung’s back, whose brows are starting to furrow in confusion. “i’ll be waiting out here. take your time,” you tell him.

“thank you, coach,” wooyoung returns your soft smile.

before you can think better of it, you reply, “i wasn’t talking to you as your coach…but as your friend.” then you nudge him towards the doorway with tender encouragement, waiting for him to walk through the threshold before you close the door behind him.

the first few months you had coached the red devils, mistrust had been in the shape of private conversations that deliberately excluded you. but now, trust is in the conversations that you know you do not need to be a part of. so you simply lean against the wall and wait.

and when they emerge from the locker room half an hour later, you know you have made the right decision upon seeing their eased expressions and relaxed shoulders. the air is still sombre, their defeat in the semifinals still fresh at the forefront of everybody’s minds, but what matters now is that they will face the loss together–the eight of them and you.

“here you go.”

hongjoong hands you your bag so that you do not have to go back in to grab it. you take it graciously from him, then with him by your side, you two lead the group through the arena–past the gazes and whispers that follow your group–and out to the team’s bus.

first to load his kit bag, yeosang takes his usual seat towards the front and waits. he has long developed the habit of placing his backpack under the seat in front of him instead of beside him. as the bus starts to pull away once all the bags are properly stored, you wordlessly take the seat next to him. your knees intermittently brush up against each other with the slight sway of the bus, but neither one of you make a move to shift your legs away.

you and yeosang watch the outside world whirl by the window, just like you always do. except the flowers that have bloomed among the trees–that had been bursts of positivity and vibrancy only just this morning–are now bittersweet reminders of the fall that you and the boys have just experienced.

a brief movement below your line of vision causes you to glance down. it is yeosang’s hand, palm upturned with a silent invitation of solace. you slide your fingers into his, an extension of the comfort you wish to give to them, and them to you.

what you and the boys do not realise, though, is that your flowers have simply bloomed elsewhere.

your jaw drops in sync with the last of the heavy suitcases that seonghwa rests on the floor outside their apartment complex. the amount of his luggage is easily equivalent to at least half the team’s.

“these are all yours?” you confirm.

seonghwa looks at you strangely, “of course. why?”

you look at him strangely. “are you planning on moving? why did you pack enough for a trip around the world?”

“well somebody didn’t want to tell us where we were going, so i had to make sure i was prepared for wherever our destination would be.”

“it’s called a surprise for a reason,” you shake your head, “and i did tell you to pack for cold weather, didn’t i?”

seonghwa fakes offence, scoffing, “can i remind you that it is still spring here, so my apologies for assuming that it might potentially mean we are travelling overseas.”

“you’re such a worrywart, you old fart,” wooyoung teases, circling around the older on his rideable suitcase.

seonghwa yelps when the wheels nearly run over his toes and he threatens, “next time you wet through your entire pack of underwear, don’t come crawling and begging for my spares.”

the suitcase halts indignantly to a stop with its rider. “that was one time,” wooyoung complains, “and it wasn’t even my fault!”

“it wasn’t even my fault,” seonghwa mocks. “i told you not to put your shampoo in a ziplock bag but no, you said that it would be fine.”

wooyoung sticks his index finger up. “correction, hongjoong said that it would be fine.”

“what the fuck, wooyoung,” hongjoong blanches at the sudden disclosure.

“and that’s exactly where you are at fault,” seonghwa cocks his eyebrow at wooyoung. “why would you listen to him?”

“what the fuck, seonghwa. i’m your captain,” hongjoong scowls.

“only during games.”

when you make eye contact with san, the two of you can only sigh with amused resignation. the rest of the boys shake their heads and proceed to load their luggage onto the bus, leaving the trio to feud it out in the background.

as mingi stacks his luggage beside yunho’s, he turns to ask, “are you sure we don’t need our kits?”

“you all brought your skates and sticks with you?” you question in return. when mingi and yunho nod, you reassure them, “then that’s all you need.”

jongho pipes up from beside you, “but what about training?”

“mental training,” you simply grin before hopping up the stairs to sit beside yeosang.

the boys gradually take their seats, even wooyoung and the two oldest despite their continued bickering. somebody yells out over the commotion, “coach! are you going to tell us where we’re going now?”

you peer backwards over the top of your seat to find everyone’s eager eyes on you. “nope,” you snicker, “you’ll find out when we get there. we are going on a holiday though, i’ll tell you that much.”

there is a surge of excitement at your confirmation and a similar fluttering eagerness flits through you, except yours is because you cannot wait to see their reactions. you really hope that the next two weeks will help to reset the team’s morale and give them a much-needed break.

“kq let us go on holiday?” yeosang asks with an impressed look as you settle back in your seat.

you give him a proud smirk. “i’m pretty convincing when i want to be. plus, we just had playoffs and we would all benefit from the rest. what better time to do that than at the start of the off-season?”

“there is no better time.”

“exactly.”

and so the bus starts the four-hour drive towards what the boys will soon come to realise is a team retreat. mingi connects his phone to the bluetooth, in charge of shuffling the music that blasts through the speakers, turning the atmosphere of the bus into a lively concert once it becomes obvious that it is going to be a long trip.

you have to yell over their deafening singing–which you have to admit actually sounds quite impressive–numerous times for them to sit their asses down, their enthusiasm uncontainable by the seat belts and law regulations. but they look their age, free and untroubled; just a group of boys up to their silly antics with one another, so you cannot bring yourself to truly regulate them.

the bus drives on, making a rest stop at one of the service areas along the highway so that you can stretch your legs in fresh air, use the restrooms and most importantly–

“food!”

their hollers resound before the doors of the bus even open. the second that the gap is large enough to fit one of them through, most of the boys go sprinting off like a stampede of toddlers in the direction of the food court.

wooyoung stays back and slips his arm through the crook of your elbow when you step off the bus too. he grins mischievously, “i’m sticking with you so you can pay for my food.”

“oh, stop it,” yunho tugs him away, pulling even harder when it only serves to make wooyoung’s grasp tighten around your arm. “i’ll pay for your food. leave her wallet alone.”

you laugh brightly as you are jostled around and you pull a card out of your back pocket, holding it up like a golden ticket. you waggle your brows playfully, “it’s on the company card.”

both wooyoung and yunho freeze. their eyes instantaneously start to glimmer, faces radiating when they slowly look at each other. then before you can react, they pounce on you, linking their arm through yours on either side of you and dragging you along to catch up with the rest of the team.

“buy whatever you want!” wooyoung brags and waves the card that he has seized off of you, “it’s on me!”

the service area itself is a field trip as the eight boys cause carnage throughout, except the destruction is in the number of times they swipe the company card. their hands quickly fill with rice cakes and fish skewers, corn dogs and grilled squid, more bags of walnut pastries and roasted potatoes tucked safely under their elbows. they demolish the snacks at the same rate it takes for the next ones to be prepared and the card is tossed around to keep up with their purchases.

they do not forget about the drinks either, getting iced americanos and barley tea to go along with their snacks, and banana milk and soda for the next leg of the trip. whatever catches their eyes–basically everything they lay their eyes upon–they buy. you do have to draw the line at daytime drinking though, narrowing your eyes at the cases of beer jongho and yunho try to pick up until they sheepishly put them back.

(you also end up having to purchase motion sickness tablets because seonghwa and mingi gorge themselves so full on snacks that they are queasy before they even make it back on the bus. kq’s president sends you a text too, asking just what exactly you and the boys have bought to rack up almost forty consecutive purchases at a service area. but the subsequent message asking if they are enjoying themselves tells you that his question is all in good fun.)

their energy mellows out during the last hour of the trip, both from tiring themselves out and from the gradual change in the scenery outside the windows. no longer can you see an endless mirage of highway road and open fields.

as the miles build up the further you travel, it leads deeper into a mountainous woodland with the trees growing denser and thicker around you. the narrower road winds around the base of hills and the bus driver carefully navigates the undisturbed peace of the forest. it starts to get colder and when the branches of the trees gradually dress themselves in dappled layers of snow, more of you shoulder on the thick coats and puffer jackets you had told them to bring.

the bus eventually arrives at a clearing amongst the pine trees, revealing a large but welcoming cottage pension. its wooden exterior and sloped roof gives it a distinctly cosy and rustic look, with large glass doors spanning the entire height of the walls that will let you admire the surrounding mountainous beauty from inside. off to the side of the cottage, there is a sizeable lake that has frozen over and immediately, you know that this was the perfect place to choose.

the boys press their faces against the window to get a better look as the bus pulls up beside the accommodation. “woah,” they breathe out, their exhales fogging up the glass.

they follow you off the bus in a trance, mouths open and unable to peel their eyes away lest they waste even a second to drink up the sight before them. here, in the heart of the taebaek mountains, it is still a winter wonderland despite the spring blossoms that cover the rest of seoul.

you turn to face them, walking backwards slowly and spreading your arms out with fond tenderness. “welcome to your home for the next two weeks, boys.”

even though it is simply an illusion created by taebaek’s geographical location and mountainous terrain, this time you find yourself appreciating the coldness and bareness of the winter-like ambience that cocoons you and your boys. it is as if time has stopped and there are no worries…only time to heal and start afresh.

living together, even if just for a holiday, is different.

you are used to only seeing the team in their training clothes, practice jerseys or bulked up in their padded gear and uniform. but here, the boys wear lounging sweatpants and worn hoodies, hair soft and poking into their eyes, bodies and expressions unguarded as they laze around. and where you are used to only seeing them at training, meetings and games, all rigorously scheduled and planned, there are no expectations to follow and no limits as to when you see them here.

the boys have their own organised chaoticness to their daily routines, having been living together for almost seven years now, and it seamlessly integrates into the space of the cottage too. but what truly surprises you and them is how you naturally blend into it.

when you rented the pension, you had ensured there were at least three bathrooms to accommodate all nine of you. however, you quickly discover that numbers mean nothing because the boys are incapable of staggering their morning and nightly bathroom routines one by one like you had assumed they would. you also realise that it is not that they are incapable, but that they like and want to do everything together.

space within a room holds no meaning to them and they are perfectly content to stand pressed up against each other’s sides, expertly dodging elbows and leaning over one another to reach for their toothbrushes or skincare. after that first night, you wake up in the morning and patter off in search for the least cramped bathroom to wriggle yourself into, up to three of you sharing the large sink and mirror that now looks comparatively tiny as you brush your teeth together.

more often than not, you find yourself sandwiched between yunho and mingi. it is moreso a matter of neither boy letting you escape from their clutches if you happen to peer into whichever bathroom they have crammed themselves into.

“we make the perfect ratio as the two tallest plus you as the shortest,” mingi likes to rationalise, “so it averages out perfectly with three boys in each of the other bathrooms.”

“but san’s shoulders are basically the equivalent of two grown men, so your point is invalid no matter how we divide ourselves up,” you like to argue back.

except they refuse to see reason. instead, yunho raises the volume of the speaker he has set on the sink’s counter that blasts out music to playfully drown you out. you relent every time and it turns into goofy dancing from the three of you as you pull silly expressions at one another in the mirror. when you rinse your mouth, mingi will start a gargling competition without fail, but none of you have lasted for more than three seconds before you begin to choke with laughter.

(when you are with people you like, everything is funny.)

seonghwa shakes his head whenever he passes the bathroom, insisting, “the only thing you guys are missing is a disco ball.” he is definitely not jealous of the fun you three are having. not at all.

the eldest has his own routine though, visible in the way he prepares everybody’s cups of coffee in the morning. they are all made differently according to individual preferences; no sugar, double shots, a dash of milk, brown sugar, matcha powder or decaf. and despite the fact that yeosang is usually up the earliest, seonghwa does not allow him to make his own coffee.

seonghwa claims it is because nobody knows how to properly use the drip brewer, but yeosang sits next to you and murmurs into your ear, “he just won’t admit that he likes to make them for us.” it must be the chill of the morning, but yeosang’s warm, whispery voice always sends goosebumps over your arms.

by the second morning, seonghwa finds himself naturally grabbing an extra cup and the hot surprise greets you with one and a half teaspoons of sugar in it, just how you like it. hongjoong emerges from the bathroom moments later to grab his cup and as he takes a careful sip, his eyes flit over the remaining cups on the table. seonghwa can practically hear the numbers ticking up in his head.

“y/n already took hers,” he verbalises, beckoning with his chin.

hongjoong turns around in the same direction to see you curled up on the sofa next to jongho and yeosang, your feet tucked comfortably underneath you as you lean forward out of curiosity to take a sip of jongho’s americano. when your expression scrunches up from the shock of bitterness, jongho giggles brightly and steadies your hand that is holding your own cup of sweetened coffee. his eyes melt at your reaction.

“oh, i know that expression,” hongjoong chortles. “he’s a goner.”

seonghwa sees the honey in hongjoong’s own eyes and he smiles knowingly, “i don’t think he’s the only one.”

hongjoong does not peel his gaze away from the three of you all cosied up on the couch. “you’re right, they’re both goners,” he hums absentmindedly, not at all registering who exactly it is who is being referred to.

(the true answer is that there are more than three of them.)

you discover that wooyoung is usually in charge of cooking, but in return, everybody else gets up to clear and wash the dishes the moment the last pair of chopsticks is placed down on the table. that is the only time they are allowed into the kitchen because they are apparently all walking hazards.

but when wooyoung realises you can actually handle a knife without giving him grey hairs from watching, the two of you easily divide the roles and tasks between yourselves. like a waltzing dance, you move together in the kitchen to prepare the meals. he passes you the spices in the overhead cabinets before you ask and you close the fridge when he takes out a pack of meat or vegetables.

cooking with wooyoung is never without bickering. he does not let you hear the end of the time you bump your head on the edge of the counter when you try to grab a saucepan from underneath, or the time you squeal after the oil starts to splatter from the onions. but if that is the reason why he starts to subtly move his hand to cushion the edges of the counters when you bend down to find something, or why he chooses to do the stirring and frying while you slice, then he pretends it is merely coincidence.

san never strays far away from the kitchen whenever you and wooyoung are cooking. you have noticed that they do not really ever stray apart–none of the boys do, though. wooyoung talks as you and san listen and the latter does not stop smiling as he watches wooyoung multitask. what you do not realise is the countless times you have forgotten to keep cooking because you are watching him too with the same expression that san wears.

(the rest of the boys realise and they also see the way san and wooyoung will pause to gaze at you.)

when you two have mostly finished cooking and it is simply a matter of waiting for the sauce to simmer or the soup to boil, you find that wooyoung will take his seat next to san on the barstools at the island, knees and thighs touching as he continues the conversation. you gravitate towards them the first time before catching yourself, cautious that you may be intruding, but then san gives you a dimpled smile and beckons for you to come and sit by his other side.

san likes to keep a gentle hand resting on wooyoung’s knee as he talks. when he does the same thing to you without even looking, your lungs stop working for a minute. the only thought that consumes your mind is the warm sensation of san’s thumb soothingly running back and forth across your skin. you do not want him to stop, so you stay still in hopes that he continues. you are pretty sure san does not even consciously realise he is doing it.

(san does, and he is glad you do not move away.)

in the hours after dinner and before you all head off to sleep, you pile the thick blankets into the open living room and squish yourselves on the least number of couches as possible. again, space holds no meaning when you are with the boys and you find the press of yeosang and hongjoong’s skin against your own more natural there than not.

sometimes you watch movies together, other times talking with low voices as the hours tick by, and other times where you are all doing your own things but in the presence of one another. regardless, the nine of you stay cuddled in front of the fireplace with the warm glow of the fire and the light dreamy flutter of snow outside the windows.

yeosang tenderly tucks the blankets up around mingi’s shoulders when he falls asleep before turning to you on his other side. “are you warm enough?” he softly asks. and even though you say you are, he still tucks the edges of your blanket under your chin, nestling you safely within the blanket, hongjoong’s side and his own body.

the boys are naturally affectionate with one another and seeing the close dynamic of their…friendship so intimately in the environment of the retreat reminds you once more of the possibility that their relationship may run deeper than they let on.

(but when that affection extends to you, you wonder what exactly that may mean for your own relationship with the boys.)

and so living together, even if just for a holiday, is different. it is different when they are the first sight to greet you when you wake up, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes and voice still husky from fatigue as they murmur good mornings to you, and your cheeks start to glow with rosiness.

it is different when the decisions you make together are not about a change in formation or a defensive power play, but what to make for dinner and what movie you want to watch afterwards, and it makes you begin to wonder what other mundane decisions you want to make with them. it is different when they wrap you in their embrace–eight consecutive hugs–to bid you goodnight, and it takes you longer to fall asleep because you toss restlessly in your bed as their smiles replay in your head.

being on the retreat together is strangely domestic and homelike. but it has been almost nine months since you have started coaching the boys and thus seeing them every day for countless hours on end. so really, this trip should not change anything.

and yet, it feels like everything is changing.

jongho pays no mind to the conversation that is happening around him. last he heard, half of you are wanting to go out to skate on the lake before the sun sets and the other half are wanting to finish the halli galli championship you had started the night prior.

he is happy to do either but his mind is distracted by something else. as the screen of his phone lights up, jongho’s eyes flicker down and he puts his hand over the glowing display before anybody can see the caller id. you glance at him when you catch the movement in the corner of your peripheral vision, only to look away when yunho calls out your name to see which of the two options you would prefer.

the screen goes black as the call goes unanswered. seconds later, it lights up briefly with a notification.

pick up.

then the caller id shows up again. jongho grabs his phone and mumbles to nobody in particular, “going to grab something from my room.”

closing the door to the room that he is sharing with hongjoong in the pension, jongho sits down heavily on the edge of his bed, phone clutched tightly in his hand. whilst he has no qualms ignoring their messages now, he still finds it difficult to do the same to their phone calls. he finds his resolve weakening as he watches his phone ring for the third time within minutes.

so jongho picks up. “mother,” he greets stiffly.

she scoffs scathingly, “you finally decided to pick up.”

“i’ve been busy with the playoffs.” a half lie.

“busy? busy losing, you mean,” his mother ridicules. jongho is taken aback by the fact that she is aware, since he did not tell his family. it makes sense when she berates, “do you know how embarrassing it was for me to find out from your aunt? she told me to congratulate you for making it into the semifinals–the semifinals, jongho.”

he feels a heat of shame at what she is insinuating. jongho defends, “that’s still the top four out of seventy six teams.”

“nobody cares,” she turns her nose up. “it does not matter if you came fourth, second or last–unless you win first place, the result is not worth anything. our entire family has a legacy of achievements and your younger brother even has an olympic gold medal now. but what have you done? this is a mere national competition and yet you are incapable of making it into the finals.”

“jong–” his name dies on the tip of your tongue and your hand stops before you can knock on the door when you hear jongho’s muffled voice.

the boys had finally decided to grab their skates so you had come to get jongho to join everybody outside. realising he is talking to somebody, you are about to turn away and give him some privacy, but the words you hear make you freeze. 

it is not the conversation itself that you overhear; it is the wounded tone of jongho’s voice that makes it impossible for you to walk away. your feet stay rooted to the spot, in fact, wanting to enter the room. you have not heard jongho in such great affliction before, not even when he was consoling the boys with tears in his own eyes after their crushing defeat in the playoffs. 

“when are you going to celebrate my achievements for what they are, instead of telling me to do better?” jongho appeals.

he has lived his entire life being told that he is not good enough–constantly compared to the accomplishments of his family, particularly those of his younger brother. what he does not understand is why he cannot just be recognised for the athlete that he is, void of any other person.

his mother is silent and for a brief moment, jongho thinks that she may finally see some sense in his words…only for her to unfeelingly state, “when they are worth celebrating.” with a simple, “do better,” she hangs up on him.

jongho’s hand falls limply into his lap, phone slipping out of his lax fingers with a dull thud to the ground. he wants to swear. he wants to cry. he wants to throw his phone against the wall until the screen shatters. but jongho simply leans forward, elbows on his knees and head in his hands, the crushing weight of dejection forcing his lungs to exhale shakily.

there is a faint, timid knock on the door. he knows who it is immediately–only one person would knock so softly. “come in,” he answers listlessly, because he could never bring himself to ignore you no matter his own feelings.

the door cracks open to reveal your tentative figure and you slip through the opening. from the way your lips are pulled down, eyes rounded with concern, jongho knows that you have connected enough dots to understand the context of the phone call.

you approach the bed and try to ignore how small the boy in front of you looks with his shoulders hunched inwards on themselves. jongho has always appeared as the most collected and composed, even more so than the captain, and it makes your chest tight to realise he has simply been hiding this whole time.

jongho is not a man of many words so you do the next best thing that feels right in the moment. you simply open your arms. when his hands slowly come up in silent acceptance, you step forward to engulf him in your embrace.

he presses his face into the soft warmth of your stomach. the darkness welcomes him with safety and comfort and he lets out a stuttering breath that racks his entire body. you wrap one arm around his shoulders and cradle the back of his head with your other, your fingers tenderly caressing his hair in soothing motions.

although silence is what he needs, you allow yourself to say one thing to him. you murmur, “i’m proud of you, jongho…so, so proud of you.”

and they are the words he has been wanting to hear his entire life. unable to keep it together any longer, jongho breaks down in your arms with tearful sobs and allows himself to grieve for the acknowledgement he has yearned his entire life and never received. however, it will only be for tonight because he has realised that it is futile to chase after recognition from a person who refuses to see his worth, even if that person is his own family.

there will always be other people who can see his actual worth; the same people who will still love him even if he does not have a gold trophy to call his. for him, those people are his seven boys and you.

so he stays in your arms with you wrapped around him, time lost to the two of you. he cries until he has no tears left and you tilt your head upwards to stop the flow of your own tears before they can drip down onto the crown of his head. and outside the bedroom, hongjoong quietly eases the door shut to give you both some privacy.

you do not know how much time has passed when you finally step out. jongho has fallen asleep after you tucked him under his covers, exhausted. heading towards your room to change out of your shirt, you are startled by the sight of hongjoong lingering near the door.

“you didn’t go out with the boys?

he shakes his head, then conscious of where you two are standing, he gestures inside your room and follows you in. “is jongho okay?” hongjoong asks.

“i think so…he’s sleeping now but probably just needs a bit more time,” you sigh, “i just wish i could do more for him.”

hongjoong reassures, “you are already doing so much more than you realise.”

for jongho. for wooyoung. for all of them. comfort has never been about the words or actions, but the person who is by their side, and for the boys, having you there is already enough.

“really?” you worry.

“yes, really.”

before he realises what he is doing, hongjoong reaches out to gingerly cup the side of your face to thumb away the worry in your brows. “y/n, you take care of us all the time…but who takes care of you?” he whispers.

“i’m your coach, of course i–”

“no,” he interrupts. “you aren’t just our coach and from what i have seen, you aren’t just our friend either. unless…” hongjoong hesitates, “unless i’ve been reading everything wrong, then in which case, tell me and i’ll move away.”

you do not reply. your eyes flicker back and forth between his, your heart racing and mind blank. it is true–they are not just your players and they are not just your friends either, but you are unsure about taking such a huge leap of faith and acting upon the feelings you have only just started to understand.

hongjoong takes your silence as encouragement to step even closer until he is right in front of you. he keeps his hand on your cheek, his other coming up to delicately cradle your waist. you are standing intimately enough for his warm breath to span across your cheeks as he tenderly pleads, “let us take care of you as more than what we are right now.

“if you do not want to put a label on it then that’s fine, we won’t. we’ll still be your team and you’ll still be our coach. but please, let us take care of you when you are hurt, when you’re upset or angry, and when you are happy, too. let us love you as one of ours.”

as one of theirs.

you swallow and confirm, “are you all together?”

“yes, we’re dating each other,” hongjoong nods.

“but then why…” your voice trials off. why me, too?

hongjoong taps the tip of your nose and jokes lightly, “is there a capped limit as to how many people we are allowed to love?”

it pulls a giggle out of you and he smiles fondly as he reiterates, “we don’t need to put a label on this and we can go entirely at your pace. just let us into your heart, please?”

for a moment you wonder what will happen to your professional relationship with the boys–what will happen if things do not work out or worse, if other people find out and report you all for it. but when you really think about it, you realise that the professionalism between you and the boys has long since blurred. 

you do not know if you can go back to seoul after this retreat and act like you do not want to continue living with them. most importantly, you do not want to know if you can. so you take the leap of faith and nod–you want to be theirs.

when you first met the red devils in autumn last year, you were resolved to win over them. never would you have expected that you would win them over in more ways than one…and be won over yourself.

“hi, girlfriend.”

seonghwa smacks the back of wooyoung’s head. “stop pressuring her,” he hisses as the younger cackles delightfully and strides away through the snow impressively fast considering he is wearing his skates.

“ignore him,” seonghwa turns to you, where you are sitting on the porch steps to the cottage. he squats down and takes the laces out of your hands to start doing up your own skates.

“i can do it myself,” you start.

“i know you can,” seonghwa hums, gazing up lovingly, “but i want to do it for you.”

you press your lips together in an attempt to hide the shy smile that blooms across your face and when that fails, you duck your head down instead. ever since your talk with hongjoong the other day, the boys have been significantly more obvious and proactive with their displays of affection for you. however, you are pretty sure they had their own conversation when you were asleep or in the shower, because not one of them pressures you into something you are not ready for, even if that includes making your relationship official.

“there you go. is it too tight? too loose?” seonghwa taps your skates and you tell him they are perfect. taking his offered hand with an appreciative smile, he pulls you up to your feet and you go to join the rest of the boys on the frozen lake.

you are sure it feels the same for every single one of your boys–nothing can compare to that moment when you first step onto the ice. it is where you become a completely different person; a fish back in water, in control and at home.

it had been a gamble renting the cottage pension as you were unable to know whether the lake would be frozen over enough to allow for skating. but it is as if the heavens know not to separate you and your boys from the love and passion that your entire lives revolve around, because you are blessed to see them scrambling out to play on the frozen lake almost every single day, just like they are right now.

san spots you and seonghwa and beckons for you two to join. “hongjoong’s the tagger,” he calls out.

the captain stands at the other end of the lake, back facing everybody as he drawls, “green light…”

before hongjoong even starts to enunciate the first word, yunho, wooyoung and jongho have already pushed off their skates to advance. it sets off an immediate chorus of indignant shouts and desperate acceleration amongst everybody else to catch up. you laugh and seonghwa drags you along with him urgently, unable to stand your apparent nonchalance and uncompetitiveness.

but oh, how wrong he is. very quickly, you join the majority of the boys in a game of who can be the most sneaky with dirty play. wooyoung and mingi tussle with one another right as hongjoong turns around with his yell of ‘red light!’, trying to topple the other over so they get caught. jongho yanks on the back of seonghwa’s jacket whilst yeosang giggles and joins in to yank on jongho’s, effectively preventing all three of them from advancing forward.

“let go of me, you brats!” seonghwa flails forward against the combined weight of the two boys but to no avail.

you use yunho’s height to your advantage and hide behind him, steadily creeping forward even when hongjoong has turned around to face you all. yunho quickly catches on and extends his hands backwards for you to latch onto. you are more than happy to let him do all the hard work skating you both towards the captain and you grin cheekily at the trio–still caught up in their self-induced tug-of-war–as you overtake them easily.

“y/n’s cheating!” san hollers, the only one who is actually playing by the rules.

“life’s not fair!” you holler back gleefully at the same time that hongjoong sniggers, “san, you moved your mouth! go back.”

san gives an indignant cry, “favouritism, i say!” but, bless his heart, moves back to the starting line regardless. 

when yunho is almost towering over hongjoong, he cues you to get ready to escape by letting go of your hands. you pivot around and without waiting for anything else, you start to run away.

“gree–”

yunho tags hongjoong’s right shoulder before pushing off to the left so that he escapes the other’s immediate line of vision. except it means that the first person that hongjoong sees when he turns around is you.

an involuntary squeal escapes you when you hear the terrifying crispness of skates on ice right behind you followed by the captain’s arms snaking around your waist. “caught you, babe” he beams. hongjoong lifts you up with shit-eating smugness at your reaction–both at his close proximity and the pet name–spins you around for good measure, then sets you back down to chase after the others.

wooyoung skates in a wide arc to dodge the captain’s frenzied rampage, only to suddenly appear right beside you with the most telling glint in his sparkling eyes that he is up to mischief. he grins.

“wooyoung, no,” you warn.

he grabs you by the waist. “wooyoung, yes.”

wooyoung pushes off his skates with you in front of him at breakneck speed across the ice, bellowing at the top of his voice, “make way for the cripples!”

you scream the entire way to the end of the lake, hands clutching onto his like a lifeline as a colourful string of words flies out of your mouth. you think you black out for a second because when you open your eyes again, you are in a heaving tangle of arms and legs on the cushiony surface of powdery snow.

“oh, shit,” hongjoong winces.

the boys speed towards you and wooyoung, and yunho peers down at you on the ground with panicked concern in his eyes. “are you two okay?” he asks but when he sees that you are laughing, unrestrained and radiating joy, yunho relaxes and joins in with relief.

they–mainly seonghwa–fuss over you both enough to reassure themselves that there is not so much as a scratch or bruise, before mingi suggests playing a casual hockey game of five versus four. there are to be no goaltenders and san fashions makeshift goalposts by poking sticks into the snow on either ends of the lake.

the team splits into their usual arrangement when they are required to be in two groups; hongjoong, yunho, san and wooyoung; seonghwa, yeosang, mingi and jongho. normally, you would offer to be the honorary referee…but the boys have never been rough with you and you have confidence that you will not get hurt. so for the first time in years, you play.

it is far from a proper league game and it will never be enough to quench your thirst as a former athlete, but for now, gripping your stick on the ice in tandem with the others, you are content–you are alive.

like red light, green light, the game starts off fair and proper for a grand total of two minutes. then it becomes a circus of foul plays and increasingly creative methods of cheating as all sense of order is tossed out the window. yunho and san stand in front of you, leaving just enough space for you to handle the puck, whilst hongjoong and wooyoung flank your sides and use their sticks to block any attempts to steal the puck. as a shielded group of five, you all move up towards the goalposts like a formidable army tank.

in retaliation, jongho physically manhandles hongjoong out of the way, hugging him from behind with a vice grip that he swears not to let go. seonghwa, mingi and yeosang imitate him with similar displays of strength, turning the entire match into a childish scuffle of chaos and hysterics.

there are no proper rules, no proper gear and no proper stadium–only the bare minimum, yourselves and uncontainable laughter. it feels like you are kids again, little souls harbouring colossal dreams, running around on the fields with long branches and a pine cone you had found when you could not afford to go to a real rink.

it is like you have gone back in time to when all you knew about ice hockey from watching it on your television screen was that you had to get the puck into the goal. you and the boys are fresh, blank slates without a care in the world for the countless strategies and tactical plays that you have learned over the length of your careers.

without the pressures and routines of strict training regimes, you all reignite the very roots of your ardour and fervour for ice hockey. no longer is it about the scores and making it into the playoffs. no longer is it about winning the championships to gain the acknowledgement of other people. no longer is it about the trauma of betrayal, injury and defeat you have experienced.

playing is simply the thrill of skating liberally with no burdens across the ice. it is the feeling of thriving when your blade connects with the puck and sends vibrations up your arms. it is the rush of adrenaline as everyone moves in tandem with the same singular thought in your hearts–that you love ice hockey with your entire lives. and that in itself is already more than enough, even without a gold trophy and championship title to prove it to yourselves.

for the last five years, the boys have had the leaves of their trees forcibly plucked and removed–by family, by coaches, and by injuries…but now?

it is time for their flowers to bloom.

spring, 2025: playoffs

standing off to the side, you watch your boys listening attentively to the reporter who is conducting an interview with them. you have continued to stay out of the media spotlight where possible, not yet entirely comfortable standing in front of the cameras again, but your boys have quickly grown accustomed to media coverage ever since their popularity gained traction thanks to their undefeated streak in the regular season.

the interviewer glances down at her prompt card before asking, “so tell me, what has been a major contribution to your success this season? your team has made a name for yourselves as the undefeated champions so far–quite a contrast to how you started off last season.”

seonghwa laughs cordially with her. “we were getting used to a lot of changes last year so our teamwork and mentality wasn’t the best,” he admits. “our agency gave us some time off to recalibrate, which really helped us to focus on building ourselves–as individuals and as a team. i think we learnt to place our unconditional trust in one another and our coach. we still play with a dominantly offensive approach, but we’ve been adopting different playing styles and experimenting with them, so this relies heavily on believing in each other.”

yunho nods, gesturing for the microphone to add, “as cliche as it may sound, a huge part of our growth was also learning how to accept loss. this wasn’t just in the context of being defeated in the semifinals but in the wider lens of our past mistakes, relationships, and even situations that we could not change.

“it has been a tough journey for a lot of us over the last year, but we were lucky enough to have each other’s support,” yunho’s nostalgic smile reflects your own as you realise just how far both you and all of your boys have come. “once we were able to let go, it meant that we could enjoy our career for what it truly is–playing the sport of our dreams together, every day.”

the reporter’s ears perk up in interest at the segway to probe and she jumps on the opportunity to ask, “i am sure many of your fans have been curious for a long time. is there a special somebody who has supported you–or any of you–throughout your journey?”

yunho passes the microphone to the hand that has extended out to reach for it. it’s san this time, who has a charmingly confident persona that he takes on whenever he answers questions during interviews. good thing too, because their fans are going to need something to distract them from understanding the confession he is about to make.

“there is. we all do, actually,” his deep voice rolls off his tongue like butter. the way he smoothly talks with a flirtatious smirk never fails to make you swoon. “funnily enough, we all met our girlfriend at about the same time.”

off to the side, wooyoung sends a wink in your direction and you have to muffle a snort with your hand and divert your glance away. the structural framework of the stadium ceiling suddenly looks very interesting. san stands there incredibly smug at his joke that he knows nobody but you and the boys will pick up on.

by the time you tune back into the conversation, the reporter has moved onto the next question. “last year, you lost to the white tigers in the semifinals. how do you feel about facing them again later today?”

due to a spike in popularity, the korean ice hockey league had to divide its teams into two separate groups for the regular season matches this year. both the red devils and the white tigers had been placed in different groups and by some twist of fate, had ranked at the top and then seeded accordingly on either ends of the tournament brackets. now, your team faces theirs in the very last game of the season.

the finals.

“we’re quite excited, actually,” jongho responds. “we have been wanting to play against the white tigers again some day and i don’t think it gets any more fitting than meeting them in the finals. they have some incredible players but like seonghwa mentioned before, we’ve been working hard to adjust our playing style to suit the situation. our coach has put in a lot of effort to hone in on our strengths and weaknesses, so no matter what today’s outcome is, we’re confident that it won’t be an easy win for either team.”

“i am sure the finals is going to be a thrilling match. now, speaking of coaches,” the interviewer starts and you can see hongjoong’s hand twitching subtly at his side, ready to step in and deflect the question need be should it pertain to you.

she continues, “how does it feel to play against your former coach?”

yeosang and mingi frown, unable to neutralise the confusion on their faces. hongjoong smiles calmly, ultimately taking over the microphone as he apologises, “sorry, could you please elaborate your question?”

it is the interviewer’s turn to fluster slightly but she nods quickly, “you must not be aware, then.”

your eyes dart back and forth as you try to recall whether there is a crucial piece of information you have somehow missed or forgotten to tell the boys. the tone of her voice foreshadows something that makes the pit of your stomach churn.

“last year, the white tigers had a stand-in coach, so you probably did not know.” she says her next words carefully and despite the bustling movement that fills the entire stadium, you can hear the exact moment all of your hearts drop.

“the coach of the white tigers is coach yeon, your team’s former coach in 2018…and he’s here today.”

you are the first to rush back into their locker room. frantically, you grab the official guide that had been given to you by the ice hockey league prior to the start of the regular season from out of your bag. you flip through it, team profiles upon team profiles blending into a hazy blur of faces as you find the one you are trying to look for.

“y/n,” somebody gently murmurs from behind you but you do not register their call. you continue to flick through the pages and when you find the profile for the white tigers, you scan the top of the page for a certain name with a shaky finger.

head coach: yeon ha joon

“oh my god,” you breathe out, hands lowering to your sides and gaze wavering. how the fuck had you managed to miss it this entire time?

you are not the only one affected by the revelation. the change room is pervaded by unease and restlessness, and wooyoung paces back and forth despite hongjoong’s attempts to get him to sit down. hongjoong himself cannot even remember how he answered the question about coach yeon, only that he had somehow excused themselves not long after to cut the interview short.

“how is he still a coach?” seonghwa furrows his brows.

wooyoung stops pacing and your eyes are drawn to him when he suddenly blanches, “what if coach yeon is doing the opposite now and paying other teams to let his own team win?”

“no way–” “–i wouldn’t put it past him–” “–surely not?” the boys’ voices overlap at the speculation.

it is a valid speculation based on what they have told you in the past about coach yeon. however, you stay quiet, suddenly aware of the fact that it is not something that would favour you should it be true. you gnaw the inside of your cheek because as much as you know that your boys would not suspect you, you still worry that doubt may cross their minds at one point, even if only briefly.

“unless the money he offered every single time was equivalent to the prize money, it’s highly unlikely the teams would have all accepted, right?” jongho points out.

yunho shrugs nonchalantly, “but even if they did, we all know that coach yeon would never be able to bribe our girl.”

the way everybody immediately agrees expels some of the anxiety within you, filling you with reassurance and security that starts to relax your chest instead. wooyoung chooses that moment to finally sit down on the bench beside you. he adds, “we’re too whipped for you, so even if you were bribed, we would probably ask whether the money was enough and if you wanted more.”

san chucks a water bottle at him. despite yourself, you laugh and admit, “that is…strangely comforting.”

“see,” wooyoung triumphantly boots the bottle back at the older. “she gets it.”

seonghwa intercepts the pitiful bottle before it becomes weaponised and sets it down next to him. “she wouldn’t accept the money in the first place.”

“exactly, so why does any of this matter?” mingi suddenly questions.

yeosang knits his brows together as he states the obvious, “it’s coach yeon.”

“and?” mingi mirrors his expression with genuine confusion.

it is quiet in the locker room. the coach of the white tigers is indeed coach yeon…and so what? what exactly about the revelation has pushed you all to the edge of the cliff?

mingi cocks his head. “what i’m trying to say is, does it make any difference whether he is their coach or not? think about it–regardless of how he got his team to the finals, he has no unfair advantage over us. there’s no way that he has bribed a fixed win in the finals, and he has no access to any insider knowledge that could jeopardise our tactics and plays.

“the only leverage that he ‘has’ is a psychological advantage–if we can even call it that. but we’re not the same boys who were too naive and powerless to do anything about it six years ago. if anything, we can easily turn this to work in our favour because i don’t know about you guys, but i’m ready to drag his ass through the mud. what we said earlier about not caring for today’s outcome? nah, fuck that. we’re going to fuck him up and show him that he messed with the wrong people.”

he takes everybody’s silence as misunderstanding of his last statement and he hurriedly clarifies there is no violent intent, “by winning. fairly.”

“damn,” jongho whistles. “you’re onto something for once.”

mingi clambers over seonghwa’s legs to grab the forgotten bottle and it goes flying across the room with violent intent. “dude, what the fuck,” mingi grouses.

the dull thud that resounds when jongho holds san’s leg pad up to block the projectile is enough to shift the mood in the room entirely. you finally relax into hongjoong’s side and he moulds you closer to him with the arm that he snakes around your waist as you both watch the locker room erupt into familiar pre-game mayhem.

yunho immediately scoops up the bottle and pitches it again. san stands to the side worrying over his poor leg pads as jongho uses them to bat the makeshift ball. his impressive accuracy makes you wonder whether they would have made it just as big as they are now had they formed a baseball team instead, but then yeosang narrowly dodges the bottle before it gives him a black eye, wooyoung cackles in the background, and you think better of it.

seonghwa joins you both on the bench and amongst all of the mischievous chaos and raucous laughter, you feel at peace, your hands clasped tenderly in the hands of your two captains–in unity, trust and love. you affectionately squeeze their hands with unspoken conviction.

you know your boys are going to play well; you just have a good feeling.

the energy in the room spikes exponentially as you huddle together one final time before you walk out of the locker room, through the hallways and to the arena–one final time before you step out to the ice rink as the red devils, playing in the final match.

you and your boys stand in a circle as close as it is physically possible with their bulky pads and game jerseys that they wear so proudly. it is indiscernible where one of you starts and where another ends from how intimately you all press together. your huddle is a woven nexus of arms and your hearts pound as one entity.

everyone learns of the juxtapositions of the world early on in life. there is no light without dark, there is no happiness without sadness, there is no spring without autumn…and there is no victory without defeat. not a single one of your boys has made it this far without falling at least once, and the conscious thought makes your heart swell and your throat constrict with overwhelming emotion.

somehow, you manage to choke out, “i am so, so proud of all of you.”

yunho and seonghwa’s own eyes start to heat up with wetness. from your side, san kisses your temple with feather-like tenderness, “and we’re so proud of you. y/n, you have grown just as much as we have.”

“thank you for being our coach,” hongjoong murmurs into your ear from your other side, the tip of his nose softly nuzzling you.

wooyoung reaches out to thumb the round of your cheek, “and thank you for loving us when we found it difficult to love ourselves.”

you had always viewed your injury and career with anger, bitterness and anguish…but you have finally come to terms with it. in the process of healing, you have learnt to love yourself, love eight other people, and to be loved. you have had your golden days as an athlete and you are now living your golden days as a coach–

–the very coach of the red devils, your team of boys who are living through their golden days as athletes, and you are going to lead them to victory in the finals.

swiping at a tear that slips down your cheeks, you grin. “boys, let’s win this match and then,” you pause as you meet their determined gazes, their smiles wide with uncontainable excitement, the tension in the room electrifying and palpable.

“let’s go international.”

you may have all fallen before–as athletes, as coaches, as a team–but you will always stand back up together, because at the end of the day your dream is theirs and their dream is yours. and like autumn, the leaves fall for a reason; they must fall before the spring flowers can bloom to their full beauty.

and bloom your flowers have.

---

3:00 am

☆Genre: Smut 18+ MDNI

☆Pairing: roommate!Seonghwa x fem!reader

☆Word Count: 4.1k

☆Warning: pwp (?), gentle/soft Seonghwa, unprotected sex (be safe horny ppl), needy reader, fingering (f receiving), pet names (princess, baby), some dirty talk, praise, fucked from behind, (lmk if I missed anything) if you see any typos no you don’t

☆Summary: It’s late and you’re too horny to sleep. Luckily you find your roommate up late as well. Come to your surprise he’s willing to help you.

—————————————————————————

You let out an exaggerated sigh of annoyance, shifting on your back after tossing and turning for a while. You stare up at the dark ceiling, admitting defeat after trying to fall asleep and failing miserably. You checked the time, looking over at the clock on your bedside table.

 3:04 am

It was late at night, and here you are laying restless on the bed, aching between your legs. You didn’t know why, but you just felt so horny. Earlier you tried to do something about it, but your fingers weren’t enough to get you close. You tried to ignore the feeling between your legs, but every time you shut your eyes images of dirty scenarios pop into your head.

You kick the covers off you, the cold night air biting into the flesh of your bare legs. You slowly pull yourself off the bed, well if you couldn’t sleep might as well get yourself a little snack. You stepped out the room and into the hallway, quietly walking past your roommate, Seonghwa’s room.

 You cocked your head to the side when you noticed a small light emanating from underneath his door. Oh, Seonghwa is awake, why is he up so late? You knock on the door and slowly turn the knob when you hear a low “Come in”, from the other side. 

Seonghwa sat at his desk, lamp shining brightly beside him. He was wearing his black, silk pajamas, back facing you as he focused on the legos in his hands. You roll your eyes, entering his room and sitting on his bed. 

“Are you really building legos at 3 am?”

 “Yup,” he says popping the ‘p’ sound. 

“Why?” 

“Can’t sleep,” he shrugs.

“That makes two of us,” you mumble.

You plop backwards on his mattress, arms sprawled out on the covers and you hear Seonghwa chuckle deeply. 

“Why can’t you sleep?”

You pause for a moment, well you certainly can’t tell him the real reason. ‘Oh well I’m so horny, it’s preventing me from sleeping.’ Seonghwa doesn’t need to know that.

“Just… restless.”

You hear a small scoff coming from Seonghwa, he still doesn’t turn your direction. He was too fixated on attaching one of the Lego pieces together in the correct spot. 

“I don’t believe you.”

You propped yourself on your elbows to look at Seonghwa, shooting him a confused look.

“What?”

“You’re a horrible liar.”

He puts the legos down and finally turns around in his chair to face you. 

“What’s wrong? You know you can tell me anything.”

You seriously debate if you should tell the truth or not. I mean, you and Seonghwa have talked about personal stuff before. You guys have lived with each other for while now so you know each other like the back of your hands. Seonghwa raises his brows at you, watching you intently as you pondered.

You let out a sigh and sit up straight. Seonghwa turned his chair around so he could face you better.

“Well… ugh, don’t laugh okay.”

“I’m not gonna laugh, what’s up?”

You take a deep breath, cheeks started to feel warmer from what you were about to say.

“I’m just… horny. So I can’t sleep.”

Seonghwa blinked at you, a little taken aback by your words.

“Oh.”

You let out a groan, falling back on the bed and grabbing a pillow to hide your face in. You heard Seonghwa chuckle a little and you kicked him. 

“I said don’t laugh.”

“I’m not laughing at you. You have me worried for a second, I thought it was gonna be something serious.”

“This is serious!”

Your voice was muffled from the pillow, Seonghwa couldn’t help but find your embarrassment endearing. 

“Just go masturbate or something.”

“I tried, but I couldn’t get close.”

You finally sit up, throwing the pillow back on the bed. Your body slumped forward as you frowned.

“Don’t you have some sort of vibrator or something?”

“It’s dead and I lost the charger,” your mumbled.

Seonghwa laughs softly again, he reached up to ruffle your hair and you glared at him.

“Seonghwa, stop that.”

You shoo’s his hand away and he smiles.

“Well I don’t know what to tell you. Just try to ignore it.”

He sits back in his chair crossing his arms. You glare at him again, not enjoying the smug look on his face. 

“You want me dead.”

“So dramatic,” he rolls his eyes. 

Seonghwa thinks for a moment while you sulk on his bed. He bit his lip, taking in a breath before speaking.

“Well… I have an idea, but i don’t know how you’ll feel about it.”

Your head perks up, at his words. You felt like you were so desperate for release that you would do anything so you could sleep.

“What is it? I’ll do anything at this point.”

“Well… maybe you need a helping hand.”

You cock your brow up, what did he mean by that? 

“Helping hand?” You ask slowly.

“Yeah, a second person…”

Your heart started to race a bit faster. What did Seonghwa mean by that? And why was his request only making the ache between your legs grow stronger.

Seonghwa stared blankly at you, waiting for your reply. He rolls his eyes when you remain silent, he can see you weren’t fully grasping his words.

“I’m saying you need to be fucked.”

“I mean… yeah I do but I don’t necessarily have anyone. Especially since it’s 3 in the morning.”

“I can do it.”

Now it was your turn to stare blankly at him. You body froze and your eyes wide, but on the inside you were screaming ‘WHAT THE FUCK SEONGHWA? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’LL DO IT? WAIT, WHY DO I WANT TO SAY YES?’

Seonghwa snaps his fingers at you while calling your name. You snap back to reality, not realizing that you just short circuited. 

“Sorry for a second there I thought you said you would fuck me.”

“I did.”

“Seonghwa!”

“What?! I’m just trying to help. Look if you don’t want to that’s perfectly fine.”

Seonghwa waves his hands in defense, feeling a little embarrassed for suggesting such a thing. He was ready to just pretend like nothing happened and shrug off your rejection, but then you spoke.

“I never say I didn’t want to.”

Seonghwa looked back at you, feeling his heart race faster at your words. He clears his throat and stands up off the chair. You look up at him, suddenly feeling small while he towered over your sitting form.

“Then, let’s get started. The faster we finish the faster you get to sleep.”

Seonghwa sat on the bed, back pressed against the head board as he gestured you to come sit in his lap. Your body moved on auto pilot, crawling over to him and straddling his lap.

“Are you sure this is okay, Seonghwa?”

“It’s okay, I’m just trying to help my friend. If you don’t want this.. just tell me and I’ll stop.”

You felt his fingers graze your cheek as he cupped your jaw. You were already so needy that the gentle touch sent electricity through your body.

“No… I want this. I need this.”

“Alright then.”

Seonghwa smiles feeling relieved at your words. He looked down at your body, admiring how you looked in your oversized shirt and small shorts. His hands ran up your bare thighs, he chuckled when he sees the goosebumps rising up on your skin.

“You look very pretty like this. I always love it when you wear these small shorts.”

His hands reach up to grip your hips. The small touches make you feel more needy, and you couldn’t help it when a whine escaped your lips.

“Seonghwa, please I need you now. Don’t tease me.”

Seonghwa pouts at you, brushing your hair out of your face. He shows mercy, after all you’ve been needy for so long (he also couldn’t wait any longer, he needed to feel you.)

“Aww baby, don’t fret.”

He leans forward, placing soft kisses on your neck. You reach up, gripping at the silk material of his pajama shirt. You let out a sigh, enjoying the feeling of his plump lips on your hot skin. He gripped your hips to pull you closer and you let out a small yelp. 

Your pussy ached, Seonghwa swore he could feel you throbbing through the thin material of your clothes. That made him feral, he didn’t know what took over him when he gripped your shorts and pulled them down your hips.

You gasped, shifting slightly so Seonghwa could slide the shorts off your legs. You let out another whine when his long, cold fingers slid through your wet folds. Seonghwa groaned against your neck. 

“Fuck you’re so wet baby.”

“I told you I’m horny.”

“You’re so cute.”

His praises only make you feel even needier. His voice was so soft when he spoke to you and his warm breath against your neck sent shivers down your spine. You gently pulled at the hair on the nape of his neck when he licked a warm strip on your jaw.

You felt Seonghwa slowly rub circles on your clit with ease. You couldn’t help it when your hips started to grind down against his fingers, his digits sliding against your folds in the best way possible.

“Oh you’re such a needy girl grinding on my fingers like that.”

You nod and hummed in agreement. Never in a million years did you think your roommate would be touching you this way, but right now you didn’t care. All you cared about was Seonghwa and his gentle touches. The whole time you were enjoying yourself Seonghwa  was admiring you, you’re so beautiful it’s mesmerizing.

“Why don’t you say it for me princess?”

“Hm?”

“Tell me you’re my needy girl.”

You felt your core ache with need at his words. Subconsciously, you began to grind harder on his fingers, your hips moving faster the more you grew desperate. Seonghwa smiles to himself at the sight, feeling his own arousal building up in his pants.

“I’m your… needy girl Seonghwa. Please take care of me.”

Seonghwa groaned at the sound of your voice. He pulled his fingers away, grabbing your hips and gently moving you on the bed. Your body felt like putty at this point that you moved without resistance, letting Seonghwa control your body however he wanted. 

“You sound so pretty, I’m gonna take real good care of you okay? Then you can sleep so well.” 

The only response you could muster was a small whine and a nod. Seonghwa didn’t mind though, he knew you were probably already too lost to even form words.

Seonghwa had you laying on your stomach, you cheek pressed against the pillow and your legs spread wide. His hands slid down your body, cupping your ass while he placed a soft kiss on your shoulder blade.

“Can you move your hips up darling?”

You nod, moving your hips while Seonghwa pulled you up simultaneously. You were now ass up, legs spread wide and pussy on full display. What a sight for sore eyes. Seonghwa couldn’t feel his dick twitching in his pants just by looking at you.

He noticed the way your folds glistened with arousal, he moaned at the sight, taking two fingers and sliding them in with ease. 

You whine in the pillow, rocking your hips on his fingers. He slowly started to pump them in and out, holding your hips to keep your still.

“You’re so wet… and warm. What got you this horny in the first place?”

You shrug, turning your head to speak clearer.

“I don’t know…. I just started to feel this way.  But once you began to touch me…”

You let out whines between your word and Seonghwa watched you endearingly. He smiled at you softly as he continued to thrust his fingers as deep as they can go. 

“Did my touch make you more needy?”

You let out a long whine, nodding against the pillow. Seonghwa felt his whole body ignite with desire at your reaction. He needed you, badly. And the fact that you felt the same was doing something to Seonghwa. 

He wanted to keep touching you, and give you all the pleasure you deserve. But the more he looked at you and the more he played with you, he just grew too needy. And by the way your hips were desperately trying to fuck back against his fingers, he’s confident to say you were feeling the same.

“Oh god. I’m gonna fuck you now. Is that okay?”

You nodded eagerly, gripping tightly to the bedsheets beneath you.

“Yes yes please. I can’t wait any longer.”

Seonghwa chuckled at your neediness. He slowly pulled his fingers out, groaning when he saw the slick of your arousal glisten on them.

“I got you princess, I won’t make you wait.”

He pulled the waistband off his pajama pants down to his mid thigh. He grabbed hold of the base, his dick literally throbbing in his hand. He rubbed his red tip against your hole making him moan and you whimper at the feeling. 

“I can’t wait to feel you baby. I’m gonna put it in,” he warned.

Once he saw you nod against the pillow he was ready to go. Seonghwa placed his hand flat on the small of your back, the head of his cock prodded at your hole before he slowly pushed it in.

You let out a gasp, finally feeling what you’ve been yearning for all night. Seonghwa took in a sharp breath, head falling back as he slowly pushed his dick inside you. You were both letting out long moans, and you felt you legs start to tremble already. 

Seonghwa wasn’t the biggest in the world, but god did he feel amazing. He was the perfect size just for you, and when he fully bottoms out and you feel his pelvis pressed against your ass, you were filled just right. No pain, no discomfort, just bliss. 

“Oh my god,”you whispered. 

You both stayed that way for a moment, Seonghwa leaned forward with his chest flushed against your back. His arm wrapped around your waist as he pulled you impossibly closer and you can feel his warm breath on the nape of your neck.

“You have the most perfect pussy. Feels so good,” he mumbled. 

You were going to reply, but your words got caught in your throat when you felt Seonghwa  start to rock his hips back and forth. Your whole body was filled with pleasure and you felt your mind start to cloud. Seonghwa rested his hands on either side of your head, hovering over you. He chuckled when he saw your expression change from desperate needy, to a blissed out face. 

He was so close you could feel his long hair tickling your cheek. He leaned down to kiss your head, whispering praises in your ear. His room was filled with lewd moans, the bed squeaking and hitting the wall. But his favorite, was the sound of his cock pounding deep inside your wet pussy. He tried to keep his own moans down, wanting to only hear yours, but it was hard when you started to clench around him.

You gripped at the pillow beneath you, hiding your face in it and letting out muffled moans. Seonghwa was fucking you just right, hitting all the spots you could never reach on your own. Seonghwa tsked at you, watching the way you hide away into the pillow.

“No no baby let me hear your pretty moans.”

You whine, turning your head to the side to let out clearer moans. Seonghwa pulled away, you felt a rush of air hit your skin. You already missed his touch. You turned to look over your shoulder, ready to let out a protest. But before you could Seonghwa gripped tightly to your hips and drilled into you. 

You let out a yelp and you head fell back on the pillow. The bed squeaked louder beneath you, it wouldn’t be a shock if you hear a complaint from the neighbors the next morning. You reached behind you to grip Seonghwa’s hip, pulling him against you to feel him even deeper. 

Seonghwa groaned, he was mesmerized at the sight of you sucking up his length with ease. He watched intently, grabbing the flesh of your ass and spreading them apart to give him a better view. 

“That’s it baby take my dick, you deserve it. You deserve to get fucked.”

“Seonghwa you fuck me so good. I love it… please don’t stop.”

“I’m not gonna stop princess. Not when you look this good…fuck and feel this good.”

Your legs trembled uncontrollably and Seonghwa noticed. He cooed at the sight rubbing his hand against your back.

“Aw baby are you getting tired?”

You whine, nodding with a small pout. You felt so weak your legs would give out in any moment. He chuckled, pushing you down on the mattress.

“Lay down pretty girl, you did so good just lay there and take it.”

You whimpered, your body fell fully on the bed but Seonghwa didn’t stop. He repositioned himself she could fuck you at the new angle. He hovered over you again, resting his weight on his hands beside you head, You whined and cried into the pillow, you couldn’t control any of the sounds leaving your lips. At this point you didn’t care that it was near 4 am, and neither did Seonghwa. 

With the new position you felt impossible tighter around Seonghwa’s dick. He wasn’t gonna last very long, he grunted loudly cursing in your ear. You felt your own orgasm creep up, you have never came from another man fucking you. Seonghwa just felt so good, he filled you up just right it was like his dick was made for you. 

You reach up behind you, cupping the back of Seonghwa’s neck. Seonghwa leaned in to kiss your cheek, jaw, neck any place he could reach.

“Seonghwa baby I’m close. Please don’t stop please I’m gonna cum for you.”

Seonghwa groaned at your words, his own orgasm dangerously close as well.

“Yeah? You gonna cum for me? Cum on my dick.”

You moaned louder, nodding your head. You turned you head back to the best of you abilities. You and Seonghwa stared into each others eyes, you don’t know what came over you, but the way his lips parted while he panted and his brows furrowed with pleasure. You couldn’t stop yourself when you pulled him down to connect your lips together. 

Seonghwa moaned in the kiss, gripping your jaw with one hand. He snakes it down to wrap around your neck. He didn’t apply pressure, he just wanted to hold it there. A small reminder that right now you were his. The moment you felt Seonghwa slide his tongue in your mouth you were ready to be pushed off the edge. 

Seonghwa whimpered when you tightened around him, he knew your were close. He needed to see it, needed to see you unwind on his cock. He whispered against your lips in a low seductive voice.

“Cum for me baby, you deserve it.”

And with that, your body let go. You pulled away to fall against the mattress, hiding in the pillow as you moaned loudly in it. Your body felt like it was on fire, and your eyes rolled in the back of you head. Seonghwa gripped tightly to your hip when he felt you cum on his cock. His own hips faltered, and he pulled out to release hot cum all over your ass and lower back. His moans were so beautiful, so soft yet sexy. 

You felt like you were on cloud nine, panting against the pillow with your body feeling weak. Seonghwa stared at you, fucked out and limp on his bed. He chuckled breathlessly, leaning in to kiss your shoulder.

“Good girl.”

You let out a weak whine, the sound being muffled by the pillow. He pushed your hair to the side, leaning in to kiss the back of your neck. He caressed your body in a soothing manner, that was probably the best sex he’s ever had and little did he know you were thinking the same thing. 

Seonghwa reached to his bedside drawer to pull out some baby wipes. You shivered when the cold, wet wipes made contact to your skin while Seonghwa cleaned you up. You giggle against the pillow, turning back to look at Seonghwa.

“Thank you.”

Seonghwa smiled back at you, throwing the soiled wet wipe in the trash. He adjusted your shirt so it could cover your body again, giving your some decency. You giggle at the action and shift around so you were on your back. Seonghwa pushed his hair behind his ear, trying not to look at you body (even though he just fucked you against the mattress). You noticed him suddenly get shy, and you reached up to hold his hand.

“I enjoyed it, thank you Seonghwa.”

“Me too.”

Seonghwa smiled brightly at you. He grips your hand tightly, holding it in his lap. You both suddenly felt a weird tension in the air. Did that really just happen? You sit up, scooting closer to Seonghwa. 

Seonghwa stared into you eyes, he wanted to reach up and kiss you again but he didn’t want to possibly make you uncomfortable (again, he was just thrusting his dick in you a few seconds ago). You both stared at each other for a moment, having a new revelation about one another. 

“So… that was new.” Seonghwa spoke.

You giggled and nodded. You could see Seonghwa relax a bit at the sound of your laugh. 

“Very new.”

Seonghwa looked down at your hand in his. You followed his gaze and gripped his hand tighter.

“It was a good new,” you assured. 

“Good.”

You both stare at each other again and you clear your throat when you notice the tension creep up again. 

“Well, I’m actually really tired now. So thank you for helping me.”

Seonghwa nodded, almost forgetting the whole reason why this started in the first place. He felt a small pang of disappointment when you pulled your hand away and he felt you shift on the bed, ready to get up and go.

“Wait… you’re leaving?”

You looked back at Seonghwa’s, your heart ached when you saw the disappointment glint in his eyes.

“I just thought maybe you would want me to sleep in my room.”

“No, stay here. Sleep with me.”

He gripped your hand again to pull you closer. You felt relief at his words, glad he didn’t want you to go. You stood in front of him, wrapping your arms around his neck. 

“If you’re okay with it then… I will.”

Seonghwa chuckled, pulling you back in bed. You squealed at the sudden action and you felt the fluffy pillow beneath your head.

“Obviously I’m okay with it. Don’t treat me like one of your one night stands.”

You giggle at his words, you pulled him down so he could hover over you. You cup his cheek and hold him close.

“No I would never do that. Besides I live with you I have to see you.”

Seonghwa chuckles. He glanced at your lips, wanting to kiss them again. He pushed your hair out of you eyes, his touch was so gentle it made your stomach flip. You could tell he was getting shy again, damn he’s so cute.

“Seonghwa you don’t need to act bashful. You just fucked me so deep and now you’re too shy to kiss me.”

Seonghwa bursted out laughing at your remark, hiding his face in your neck. He felt his ears burn in embarrassment.

“Leave me alone,” he whined.

You chuckled, pulling him up and placing a soft kiss on his lips. He kissed you back immediately, cupping your cheek gently. How could he be so caring and soft when a few minutes ago he was passionately thrusting into you. Now that’s a man of diversity.

“Let’s go to bed, it’s really late.” Seonghwa mutters against your lips. 

You nod, pulling Seonghwa in for one last kiss. 

“Okay.”

————————————————————————

The next morning you woke up in bed, but it wasn’t your bed. Deliriously, you examined Seonghwa’s room, it was dim due to the curtains shutting out the bright morning sun. You were a little sad when you felt the bed was empty with only you in it. You picked up the phone to read the time but you were met with a text from Seonghwa.

Nerd (Seonghwa): Sorry I had to leave for dance practice :( I had fun last night though, I’ll see you when I get home <3

You smile after reading the text, plopping back down on Seonghwa’s bed with a content sigh. 

“Damn it Seonghwa. What did you just start?”

~

a/n: I’m writing a new fic and I’m really excited about it >_< (ofc it’s another Mingi one Oop- who should I write about next?)

---

CIY CH 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

📍Pairing: detective ateez ot8 x detective afab reader 📍Summary: "Made for you" 📍WC: 3.1k 📍AU: detective/mafia 📍Genre: action, dark themes, poly romance 📍Warning(s): 18+ rating, some angst, suggestive 📍Nets: @pirateeznet | @mirohs-aurora-society 📍Beta readers (and sole motivation): @flurrys-creativity , @candypop1611 , @yourfatherlucifer , @skteezcursed and edited(usually) by the amazing: @daemour 📍dividers made by: @cafekitsune

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The two of you shared a moment before you pulled away, finding the spark of tenderness in his eyes alarming. Despite the trust you just spoke of, it was still hard to lean into it without anxiety.

Others had shown you tenderness.

“So, you said you wanted to know my feelings right? Now that everything is on the table.” You glanced down at your drink, only for your eyes to flicker up when you thought he flinched- but his expression was the same, just a new tilt to his head.

“Right right. Though I think I understand already, Angel. We're growing on you aren't we? But you're scared? After the way your last unit handled things, I can understand that-”

You sighed when he trailed off. “But not entirely huh?” At his nod, you know it's your turn to indulge some personal information. “It was more than just a betrayal of comrades. I was close with them, considered them family. Mingi didn't… he didn't tell you all?”

He shook his head, his undivided attention on you now, listening with encouragement that was making this talk a bit easier. “He said a few choice things about Captain Chan but otherwise didn't go into details why his negative feelings were so strong. We assumed he just felt that strongly about you, considering he admitted to punching him and pretending to be your boyfriend during an altercation.” The corners of his lips turned up vaguely, which you assumed was due to your own flustered expression.

You were touched by Mingi's feelings, remembering his many attempts to prove he did like you and wanted you. As well as the fact that he hadn’t seemed to give up details about your harsh rejection, just how he had stepped in and played the rough hero you hadn't wanted but needed. “I see… I owe him an apology then. I assumed he had told you all about what happened.”

“Camera in the hall. We have Mingi bring women there because we can get surveillance footage of it all up to when He takes them inside. So… Yeosang indulged a bit and we didn't give Mingi a choice. Though he didn't go into details…”

You sighed, somewhat appeased. “Yunho made a comment… So I assumed.”

“Ah, Yunho is a different story. Those two tell each other everything. They grew up together. Would you be comfortable telling me?” It was the fact he was asking, putting your comfort first, that eased your nerves enough.

So you told him, recounting the story with a detached tone to make it easier on yourself. You told him of how you confessed to Chan supposedly, how the next time you saw him he served you with the transfer papers. You told him of your outburst immediately after, demanding the others to tell you who agreed you should transfer since Chan said it was a team decision. Minho, you're best friend had agreed and he hasn't contacted you. And then there was Felix.

That's how you were banned from contact because of the hell you raised. Changbin had to remove you from the office with some uniforms, an ugly sight. The man had no doubt sported a bruise or two on his face afterwards.

You told him about Felix, how you were sure you had loved him, and that you couldn't have faulted him for it. He thought he was looking out for you. Always sweet intentions.

You ended the story with the altercation in front of your apartment, playing with the empty beverage cup and unable to keep the emotion in your tone as you told him of Chan's confession before Mingi stepped in.

Silence followed, the air heavy and weighing down on your shoulders. The longer it lasted, the more anxious you became until you finally sparred a glance at him. After pouring your heart out, figuratively, pure undiluted anger was not what you expected to see on his face.

“Angel… I-” He started off, gaping like a fish as he seemed to struggle with what to say. The way his expression hardened like cold steel, eyes still burning with that ire as he glanced behind you, had you shifting to turn. “Don't turn around. You have some bad luck it seems.”

You were quite confused until you heard it, heard them. “Chan, that's not what I'm saying at all.”

“Then what are you implying Minho?” The sound of chairs scraping behind you slid up your spine like nails on a chalkboard. “First her, then Hyunjin, now Felix. I'm losing the hold on the unit.” The familiar gruff voice told you just how stressed he was, and you knew he hadn't been sleeping again.

Guilt grabbed at you as if this was your fault, hands bracing on the table to stand up and leave because like hell you wanted to stick around and listen to this. To let them hurt you even more.

Yet Seonghwa's hand reached out and grabbed your wrist, shaking your head and bringing a finger to his lips. Whatever game he wanted to play, while it confused you, your hands relaxed and you stayed silent.

“Hyunjin will come around, he always does, he cares for Felix and the rest. He made it no secret he was unhappy about the transfer. And Felix… he'll listen to you. You just have to talk to him- properly this time.” Minho urged, his voice closest to you.

“Because I do that so fucking well. You told me everything would work out if I put in the transfer request, Min. But why haven't you talked to her either?” A beat of silence. “Yes I'm aware you haven't reached out. Hyunjin was loud about that when I pushed Felix for answers. You're her best friend, why are you silent? Did you fuck this up on purpose? I trusted you when you said I could have her this way.”

Panic surged through you at this revelation; is this why Minho hadn't talked to you? Your whole transfer was his idea? Why? You had believed he had known you best, that he would have been on your side. That, just maybe, he hadn't talked to you because he was just giving you space?

This betrayal hit harder than Chan's.

“I thought she would understand. You received enough warnings about her, they were going to take action against the whole unit at that rate.” Minho sneered out, the edge in his tone snapping you out of the dizzying spell the pain had you under.

Chan scoffed. “Please, you didn't want her to get in the way of your career. I know the higher ups talk down on you, even when they are bad mouthing her they still recognize her drive. You were in her shadow and-”

Seonghwa slammed his hands on the table, standing up now. He glared at the two behind you with such a menacing fury it snapped you out of the spiral in your mind and gave him all of your undivided attention. Especially when he growled out your name. 

He moved around the table and pulled you up by your waist. You were captivated by the wrath radiating off of him when you realized it was entirely on your behalf. “Vi-”

He shut you up with a harsh kiss, pulling you fully onto your feet with the motion. The sounds Chan and Minho made noticing your presence were distant noises to your own thoughts at Seonghwa's kiss. You could feel his anger, but also his desire for you with every harsh stroke of his lips. Heat flooded your body, drowning out the cold betrayal that had settled in the pit of your stomach a moment ago.

The groan he let out when you kissed back went right to your core. For a quick moment he deepened it, grip on your waist tightening enough to pull a moan out of your lips. It was that sound that had him pulling away, but only his lips to glare back at the other two. “Your trash, our treasure.”

It left you spinning, the emotion ringing in those words as he dragged you out of the cafe. You hadn't even bothered to look back at them, staring up at Seonghwa instead with a plethora of emotions on your open expression.

Seonghwa chuckled as he pulled you over to his motorbike; it was a dark and unhinged sound that added to the growing cotton in your head. He had just shown you how caring and sweet he could be: respectful even. And then the anger- you couldn't really untangle the mess of emotions that had you feeling, just that you didn't dislike it.

And there was a touch of horniness there. Well… that's interesting.

Seonghwa once more jostled you out of your thoughts as he lifted you up onto the bike facing him, stepping closer to slot himself between your open legs. You glanced up at him, once more with your thoughts and emotions worn on your features as you were still figuratively reeling. “Vice?”

“Call me by my name- no my nickname Angel.” He said as he leaned forward, pressing his lips to the apples of your cheeks, then the tip of your nose, forehead, and finally lips. “And tell me not to go in there and get violent.”

You couldn't help the gasp that left your lips, immediately getting swallowed by him in what felt like a desperate kiss. He had just told you he was a peacekeeper, a negotiator of sorts, so for him to say he wanted to be violent?

“Hwa-” It fell from your lips like a soft caress, your arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer against you, “-Don't go in there and get violent.”

Despite doing what he said, he protested with a pout, lips trailing along your jaw to your neck. “Why not? They hurt you. Absolute scum. Treated you like trash when you're so… so much more than them. They lost a good fucking thing.” His angry words were paired with little bites and nibbles, grip tight on your ass now As he pressed the length of his torso against yours.

It warmed your heart, and turned you on even more. “Th-they deserve your anger, Hwa. Would rather- ah fuck- rather have you like this.” He had found your sweet spot, melting you further against him as his lips attacked it once more with a soft bite. “Hwa~ please I-”

Tugging at his hair to pull away, you tugged on it harder when you heard those two familiar voices calling out to you. He delatched himself from you, quickly turning you on the bike and pulling the helmet on. “Time to go.” Voice still gruff as he pulled his own helmet on.

He started up the bike just as the two reached you, this time you allowed yourself to look. Chan looked pale, distraught, tears in his eyes you weren't going to acknowledge. But Minho- it was the first time you saw him in nearly two months and he too looked ragged… and angry. But he always looked angry when he was upset about something, even if it wasn't you, so you didn't think about that either.

Instead, as the bike beneath you roared to life drowning their words, you gave them the bird as you latched onto Seonghwa’s waist with your other arm. He drove off in the next second, speeding through the streets to leave them both behind. Both literally and figuratively.

They weren't your unit anymore, especially those two. 

Seonghwa dropped you off at the club soon enough, the bike still running as you got off and handed him the helmet. You used the ride to really think about what had happened, what Seonghwa proved to you. 

You tapped on his helmet, asking him in a roundabout way to take it off. He shook his head in reply. So with a bit of a pout, you kissed the visor where you guessed his cheek would be. “Thank you for today Hwa. I appreciate it. You'll be picking me up?”

He nodded.

Smiling, you fixed your hair. “Then I'd like to continue later if we can.” With a wink you turned and headed inside.

Minho's betrayal felt like a distant memory now, wrapping yourself into work and looking forward to seeing the Vice-Captain again. 

You had loved Chan, loved Felix, but neither of them, or anyone else you knew, made you feel like this.

Seen. Respected. Cared for. Supported. Wanted. All of that and genuinely. 

Well, no one before this unit. Wooyoung popped up in your head. So did Hongjoong. San, Yeosang, and Mingi too, to an extent. There were moments with them all that had you feeling like this.

As if you weren't fully alone. In those moments you had felt like you could let your walls down, let them in, and feel loved and accepted as a whole.

Seonghwa had you feeling like that again when he picked you up, quiet on the ride back but once he was parked in front of your apartment again, he was a gentleman. He took your helmet off first, then his, and immediately pressed a kiss to your forehead. “Were you okay today Angel?”

You knew he wasn't talking about the work, but what happened. “Surprisingly… yeah. And I think that's because of you.”

His eyes went wide as he cupped your face, pupils shining in the lowlight from the street lamp. “What do you mean?”

Suddenly flustered, you tried to look away. Ah, feelings and admitting them: two things you struggled with. “I mean… the way you reacted, to what I told you and to them, was uh… oddly comforting? I didn't feel… well it's kinda like-”

He chuckled softly, placing a hand on the small of your back. “Take a moment to think about that but I think I know what you mean.”

“You do?” You looked up at him as he lead you inside, letting you put in the code before stepping in. 

“Yeah. I uh, don't get along with my parents. Didn't follow in the family footsteps. It's a choice I made alone and it was scary, I didn't really have anyone who would understand my situation either… until I met Hongjoong. I told him about it, when I found out they are setting my sister up to be married off to, well, one of the underworld. He got angry, but not at me. It was the first time I saw him so furious as well.” He sighed, walking you up the stairs, taking his time to just talk with you.

You caught on to the vital piece of information he dropped, realizing that while Seonghwa’s parents had Golden Circle connections, he was working hard to take them down. He had something at stake here, making him the fourth- no fifth one in the unit who had some tie to the underworld. 

Your vendetta against Taejin Hwon felt so small in comparison.

But you also noticed the fondness that settled over his features at the memories he brought up, an adorable curve to his lips and a soft light in his eyes at the mention of Hongjoong's anger specifically.

He cared for Hongjoong deeply, and you admired that about them; felt a bit jealous even.

“He was angry for me, because it hurt me, and it was the first time in a while I didn't feel so alone. It was comforting, and the weight on my shoulders was a little less debilitating.” Stopping in front of your door, he turned to you fully. “And it seems this was that moment for you… am I right?”

“Y-yeah. I mean I've had people get angry for me before, to an extent but this felt… different.” You couldn't meet his eyes, feeling unnaturally shy for once. Perhaps it was due to the amount of vulnerable moments you've had with him today; opening up in a way that took even Hyunjin a while to get out of you. 

You couldn't forget Han and Felix, he'll even Changbin and the two younger ones- they all had moments you knew they genuinely cared. But this was different. Seonghwa, and this unit was different. You just couldn't put your finger on it.

“Talk with San tonight, maybe tell him what you told me?” Seonghwa offered, lifting your chin so you would meet his eyes again. “Can I have your permission to confide today with Hongjoong? Only the details you want told of course, I wouldn't-”

“You can tell him everything.” You blurted out, grasping onto the bravery and courage you usually had and pulling it to the surface. “I trust you Seonghwa, more than I'd like to admit right now but… if you trust Hongjoong enough you get all doe eyed when you talk about him, then I trust he is as trustworthy of this information as you are.” 

Seonghwa blushed at that, a beautiful sight to behold, before he buried his reddening cheeks against your shoulder. “You are… truly a treasure.”

Now it was your turn to get flustered. “Hwa… will you come inside?”

“Want to… but can't.”

“Why not?” Your fingers carded through his hair, pout in your tone.

He hummed softly, leaning in closer. “Because if I come in right now I won't leave so easily. And I have somewhere to be before the sun rises.” When you whined again, he pressed a soft kiss to your collarbone before stepping back. “Sorry Angel.”

He left a moment later, and nearly an hour later you were calling up San while laying in bed, freshly showered.

“Finally! I thought you forgot about me sweetcheeks.” His voice in your ear had you flustered. 

“I just needed a little extra courage to call. Are you doing okay?”

“I'm fine… Why the extra courage?”

“No reason in particular, just, wasn't ready to talk about what happened in the gym. Especially since I know they know.”

You heard him hiss, picturing him physically flinching at your words. “I'm sorry about that I-”

“It’s alright. I know it was Yeosang. I'll be talking to him later about it. For now. I miss you. Is it okay to just talk?”

And you did. You told him, surprisingly, everything. About Wooyoung, the job, Seonghwa, and of your old unit. He listened, even reacted much like Seonghwa did.

You felt it again. That sense you were loved, that you weren't alone… but this time you figured it out.

It felt like you were finally home. 

And as San said, once again, you were perfect for them- You thought it went both ways. They were made for you.

Taglist (Capped): @mingsolo | @wowie-hockey | @crispybaguettes | @tiny-apocalypse

| @philijack | @lelaleleb | @isiloiale | @vannabanana1995  | @piratequeen-queenofgames

| @starstruckforyou | @minheeskitten | @amphiroxx  | @cloudysannie | @sugarnspice630

| @sanhwalvr | @plutoneu |  @sousydive |  @fatalt | @iwishiwasrichasfuck

| @bitchwhytho | @st4rhwa | @thesafecafe | @alextheweeb7 | @ddaeing

Taglist will be continued in a reblog!!

---

Our Dirty Little Secret

Part 2 to my fic Dirty Little Secret, check out part 1 is you haven’t already. Thank you for reading <3

☆Genre: Smut 18+ MDNI

☆Pairing: sex worker!Mingi x fem!reader

☆Word Count: 6.9k

☆Warnings: Mingi is a bit submissive in this, unprotected sex, recording while having sex, praise, sending nudes, hand job, fwb, mention of porn (lmk if I missed anything)

☆Summary: After finding out about your best friend Mingi’s secret porn account, you grew to accept his decision in his line of work. You actually start to feel very curious about it yourself, and Mingi is more than happy to fulfill your curiosity.

☆a/n: This took so long and I don’t really like it that much but I hope you do lol :,)

—————————————————————————

You throw your head back laughing, holding your stomach after your friend said something to make you laugh. You were sitting in a small cafe, matcha in hand, while you chatted with your friend from work. 

“I’m serious, it fell and spilled all over me,” he says, taking a sip of his latte.

“San, you’re such a clutz. How many times has that happened now?”

“Three,” he says quietly, and you laugh harder. 

”Is Mingi coming or what?” San says, rolling his eyes at you.

"Yes, I’m sure he is.”

You hear a ping come from your phone; oh, that must be Mingi. You pick it up and open the message without a second thought, not realizing it was an image he sent.

Loser (Mingi): Should I post this? :))

(attached image)

You choke on your drink, staring at the photo of Mingi holding his hard dick in his hand. San looked at you confused, and you try to compose yourself, trying not to act like a fool in front of your coworker.

“What?” He asks.

“Um… he’s uh stuck in traffic.”

"Bro, you scared me; you’re acting like you saw something you shouldn’t have.”

You felt your ears heat up. Damn Mingi, he did this on purpose. Ever since that night at his house, he started to send you nude videos and pictures of himself; you loved it at first. But then he started doing it to tease you, sending stuff when you were at work or in times when he knew you couldn’t be alone to touch yourself. He’s a menace, that damn Mingi.

You set your drink down to text Mingi back. 

You: WHAT THE HECK?!? 

Loser (Mingi): what? 

You: YOU KNOW IM WITH SAN RIGHT NOW, YOU CANT JUST RANDOMLY SEND ME YOUR DICK LIKE THAT!!

Loser (Mingi): Aww, you don’t like my dick anymore? :(

You internally palm your forehead. In this moment, you thank whatever god there is that you can pull off a pretty good poker face. You glance at San before looking back at your phone, thumbs dancing against the keyboard as you typed back at Mingi.

You: Shut up, where are you? Me and San are waiting.

Loser (Mingi): I’m coming. I’m coming. No need to get your panties in a twist.

You roll your eyes, setting your phone down to look back at San, who was waiting patiently to have your attention back on him.

“He’s on his way,” you huff.

“Great. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.”

San smiles softly, showing off his dimples, and he takes another sip of his latte. You hear another ding from your phone, and you glance down at the screen in your lap.

Loser (Mingi): So you don’t like the photo? </3

You: Of course I like it. Now hurry up and get over here.

Mingi smiles down at the phone after reading your response. He turns off the car, stepping out and walking toward the door of the cafe. He can see you and San through the window; he was there the whole time watching. He just wanted to see your reaction to his teasing, that little prick. 

————————————————————————

You, San, and Mingi all caught up with each other, updating one another about your lives, telling stories, and cracking jokes. It was now getting darker, the sun started to set, and the cafe became emptier. You check the time on your phone before speaking.

"Oh, they’re going to close soon. We should probably head out.” 

San checks the time as well, looking down at his watch and letting out a sigh. He looked up, glancing at you and Mingi, who sat together in front of him. 

“Yeah, I should probably head home now. I have to study for my upcoming exam.” 

You all agree to end the night here, getting up out of your seats and picking up your trash. Mingi takes your empty cup and drapes your jacket over his shoulder. 

“That’s alright, man. Good luck on your exam.”

“Thanks Mingi.”

Mingi and San shake hands, patting each other back. You pull San in for a hug, and Mingi tries to ignore the small pang of jealousy he felt when he noticed San’s arms wrapping around your waist. 

"Bye, Sannie; see you next time.”

“Oh, did you need a ride back home?”

You pull away from the hug, and Mingi steps in, wrapping his arm over your shoulder. 

“It’s okay, I can take her.” 

San glances at the two of you, smiling softly. There was a hint of suspicion in his eyes, but he shrugged it off and waved goodbye.

“Alright, well, I’ll get going. Good night.”

You and Mingi both wish him a good night and watch him walk off. Once San was out of sight, you pulled yourself from Mingi’s hold. You look up at him with an annoyed face, causing Mingi to put his hands up in defense.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I told you to stop sending those things to me when I’m out in public.”

You playfully smack his chest, making Mingi chuckle quietly. You turn on your heels, walking out the cafe and toward Mingi’s car in the parking lot.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He follows behind you, catching up fairly easily due to his long legs. He beats you to the passenger seat, opening the car door for you. You huff, climbing in and sitting back with your arms crossed. Mingi couldn’t help the sly smirk plastered on his face as he walks around the car and climbs in the driver seat.

“Wipe that smug look off your face.”

“Or what?”

Mingi leans closer, glancing at your lips, then back at your eyes. He looked so pretty under the dim lighting. You fight every urge to smash your lips against his, but you didn’t give him that satisfactory. 

Instead, you turned your head, looking out the window. Mingi frowned a bit when you didn’t give him what he wanted. He turned the car on, faint music playing quietly in the background.

“Don’t give me that treatment. You loved the photo; I know you did.”

He drove out of the parking lot, and you watched the darkened trees pass by. You scoffed at his words, not bothering to look back at his face. Obviously you liked the photo; you couldn’t stop thinking about it the whole time you were out. You caught yourself staring at Mingi a little longer than you should have, admiring his pretty lips and hands (and all the things they can do to you). 

Your silence only makes Mingi smirk wider, already knowing what’s on your mind. He glanced at you for a second, then back on the road, one of his hands reached down to grip your thigh.

“Aw, don’t be mad at me, baby. I noticed how you were staring at me back at the cafe.”

Your body tensed, and the feeling of his large hand grabbing the flesh of your thigh made you feel a stir at the pit of your stomach. Of all days, why did you decide today was the day to wear a dress? He gripped your thigh, massaging it in his hand, running his fingers higher up under your dress.

“You look so pretty in this dress. It took every ounce in me not to rip it off and pound you in front of San.”

Images of Mingi’s words flashed in your head, causing your breath to grow more shallow. You subconsciously pressed your thighs together; that didn’t go unnoticed by Mingi. He let out a low chuckle, squeezing your thigh harder. God, you hated how easily he can rile you up. He knew exactly what he was doing; his ego was seriously too big for his own good. 

You take his hand and guide it back to the steering wheel. Mingi cocked his brow up, feeling a sense of amusement when you play hard to get.

“Two hands on the wheel, Mingi.” You teased.

“Fine, but later tonight I’ll have two hands on you.”

After a few minutes of shooting each other glances and bantering with a bit of flirting, you finally arrive at your place. You reach for your belongings, but Mingi already grabbed them for you, your jacket and purse in his hand as he steps out of the car. You rolled your eyes at him and watched as he ran around the car to open the door for you. 

“I’m perfectly capable of opening the door,” you snickered.

“Hey, let me be the gentleman I am.” 

“You just want pussy.” 

Mingi fights back a little; he wasn’t expecting you to say something so straightforward. He closed the door, feeling heat creep up on his cheeks. Thank God it was dark out so you couldn’t see him blush.

“That’s not...” he says quietly. 

He was brought back to his senses when you walked past him. There was a sly smirk on your face; shy Mingi was always so cute; you just don’t get to see it often. Mingi catches up to you when you stop at the front door, keys jingling as you turn the lock. 

You both step in, placing your belongings down and slipping off your shoes. Almost immediately, you felt Mingi’s hands on your waist, pulling you close to him. You let out a small yelp, smiling up at Mingi, who towered over your figure.

“Hey, let me breathe first. I just got home,” you chuckle.

“Can’t wait.”

He leans down to place kisses on your neck. You couldn’t help but chuckle at his eagerness, and you push him away slightly. He shoots you a small pout when you reject him, and you coo internally at his expression, reaching up to pinch his cheek. 

“Down boy,” you joke. 

Mingi reluctantly pulls his arms off you with a huff. He walks over to the couch and plops down on it, sulking like a puppy who just got scolded. You laugh at his behavior, walking to him and cupping his jaw.

“I’m going to go shower, then you can have all my attention.”

His head perks up at your words, and a smirk widens on his face. 

“Can I join?” 

“No Mingi. Just be good and wait okay.”

His body slumps at your words. A strange feeling crashed over him when you told him to be good; he had no choice but to give in. 

“Don’t keep me waiting too long then.” 

“I’ll be quick; don’t worry.”

You ruffle his hair before walking away, swaying your hips more than usual. Mingi watched you intently, admiring your figure. Once you were out of sight, he let out a sigh, falling back on the couch. 

“Damn tease,” he whispered to himself. 

He picked up his phone in an attempt to find some kind of entertainment. He opened the Twitter app and was immediately met with porn videos. He forgot to switch back to his regular account again; he really needed to get out of that habit. He looked through his DM's  and noticed an unopened message from the buyer of the video you helped Mingi film. He smiled at the message after reading it.

“This was hotttt😍 correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks like someone helped you film this?? If that’s the case, I think you should film more with them; I’m sure others would love to see it (I know I will).💋”

Film more with them? Mingi likes the sound of that. He’s always fantasized about recording you while you both fucked, maybe even posting it if you allowed it. But he was always too nervous to ask, afraid that might scare you away.

After a few minutes, you finally get out of the shower. When you walked back in the living room now wearing sleep shorts and a black spaghetti strap top, Mingi (unashamedly) checked you out. He couldn’t help the smirk that grew on his face when he saw you. 

“I’m back, did you miss me?”

“Yes, very much,” he says without taking his eyes off your hips. 

You walk past Mingi, sitting on the couch next to him while his eyes stayed glued to you the whole time. You kick your feet up on the couch, getting comfortable and trying to ignore Mingi’s hard gaze. You reach forward to grab the remote and turn the TV on. 

“You know you never answered my question from earlier,” Mingi said.

“What question?”

“If I should post the picture or not.”

You think back at the nude. Mingi sent you when you were out with San. You glared at him, crossing your arms in front of your chest.

“Oh my bad for not answering when you sent me a dick picture in public.” 

Mingi smiled, feeling pleased with himself. He leans back, hands resting behind his head.

“You’re not giving me feedback.”

You roll your eyes at him, fighting back a smile. God, you wanted to shove him down on the couch and sit on his face; that way he wouldn’t be able to give you that smug look. 

"Yes, post it. it’s really hot.” 

You turn back to the TV, scrolling through to pick something to watch. Mingi’s smirk widens; he looks down at you, admiring your pretty thighs. 

“Hot? Did it turn you on?”

He reached down, grazing the soft, supple skin. You allowed Mingi to touch you, still scrolling the TV and failing to find something to watch. You give up, setting the remote down and turning to Mingi. 

“What are you going to do if I say yes?”

He leans in closer, hiding his face in your neck as he takes in your scent. He always loved the smell of your body wash; it drove him crazy. He grazed his teeth against your earlobe, sucking it gently. 

“Whatever you want me to do,” he whispers. 

You giggle softly, pulling his face up to place a soft kiss on his lips. Ever since you and Mingi slept together that one night, you both have been thirsty for each other every second of the day. Don’t get it twisted, you were the same friends you were before… just friends that flirt...and  kiss... and fuck. (That’s normal though, right? Haha…)

You told yourself you wouldn’t think much of it and just go with the flow. You and Mingi both kind of agreed to do that. Neither of you wanted to possibly make each other uncomfortable, so you guys just let things happen without looking into it too deeply.

Mingi hummed in the kiss, moving his hand up to grip your waist. He pulls you closer, the kiss deepening and becoming more passionate. You push him away when you feel Mingi try to pull you on his lap, leaving him wanting more. His eyes flutter open, letting out a small sigh. 

“So how is your porn stuff going?”

You stay close to Mingi, resting your head on your hand while studying his features. Mingi leans back on the couch, though his hands never leave your body. He pushed his hair back, trying to control the rapid beating of his heart before speaking. 

“It’s pretty good. Honestly, I’ve been getting more recognition recently.”

“Oh yeah? That’s great.”

You gently nudge Mingi’s shoulder, proud to hear the good news. 

“I’m not surprised; your videos are so hot, and I’m not just saying that because I’m your friend.”

Mingi smirked at your words, his arm wrapping around your shoulder and playing with a lock of your hair. 

“Yeah? Which video have you been touching yourself too?”

You shoot him a playful glare, making Mingi laugh to himself.

“Don’t make me take back my compliment.” 

“I’m just messing with you. I hope you know your opinion is very valid to me.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his words. You fiddle with the necklace resting around Mingi’s neck before replying.

“I really like the video of you humping the pillow.”

Mingi bites his lip; the thought of you touching yourself to his videos makes his stomach churn. He honestly fantasizes about it a lot; he always comes the fastest when thinking about it. 

“Really? Well, I’ll make sure to film more of those.” 

You roll your eyes, leaning closer and resting your head on Mingi’s shoulder. He runs his fingers through your hair, pushing the strands behind your ear. 

“Do other people hit you up asking to “collaborate” or whatever? I don’t know what you call it.” 

Mingi chuckles, shaking his head.

“I mean, yeah, there are a few mutuals of mine who DM me. But I don’t like the thought of fucking just anyone. I don’t care if other people do it because it is for work, but I don’t know... I prefer to do it with people I care about. Like you.”

You felt your heart flutter at his words. A strange wave of relief courses through your body at his response. You decide to brush off the feeling, looking up at Mingi and poking his chest.

"Awww, you care about me.” 

“Of course I do you idiot.”

Mingi smiles, resting his cheek on top of your head. You hum, feeling a sense of warmth at his actions and mindlessly drawing shapes on his chest. Mingi suddenly remembered something he wanted to show you, then pulls away a bit as he speaks up.

“Oh, look at this message I got.” 

He pulls out his phone, showing you the message from the buyer. You smile, raising your brows while reading it. 

“Film more with me? What an interesting request.” 

"Yeah, right,” he chuckled nervously.

“I’m glad they liked it. I’ve watched the video myself, and it was so hot. Even though I’m the one in it, it’s hot knowing that you’re holding the camera.” 

He shoved his phone back in his pocket after you handed it to him. You weren’t going to lie; you have previously thought about what it would be like to be in one of Mingi’s videos. Of course you never mentioned it to him; you were just nervous. But the more you scrolled through Mingi’s and other people’s accounts, your curiosity grew stronger. Maybe this was a sign?

Mingi noticed the way you started to get lost in thought. He leaned down, curiously trying to meet your gaze. 

“What are you thinking about?” 

You snapped your attention back at Mingi. You stared into his brown eyes; in this moment, you decided to speak up. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? 

“Just thinking… I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea.”

Mingi raised his brows, his eyes widening a bit. He shifted in his seat, moving his body to fully face yours.

“Wait really? Like, you want to film with me?” 

Mingi felt his heart racing in his chest, and you smiled at how excited he looked. If he had a tail, it would be wagging like crazy right now. You nod your head, placing your hand on top of Mingi’s.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind. It sounds… fun.” 

Mingi breaks into a huge smile, pulling you in for a hug. You laugh at his reaction; he’s acting as if he won a prize. But to Mingi, that’s exactly what it felt like.

“Okay! When? Where? What do you want to do?”

“Mingi, calm.” 

You couldn’t help but giggle at his reaction. He shut his mouth in a closed lip smile, showing off his cute dimples. You couldn’t help yourself when you reached up to poke his cheek.

“We can do it whenever. Today even, if you don’t mind.”

"Oh, I don’t mind at all.”

You felt a strange wave of relief wash over your body. You didn’t notice how anxious you were feeling till you heard Mingi’s encouragement. He stands up off the couch, reaching his hand out for you to grab. You looked at him with a questioning expression, warily taking his hand in yours.

“What are you doing?”

He pulled you up off the couch, leading you through the house.

“We’re going to your room.”

He smiles wide, prancing through the hall and into your bedroom. You shake your head at him, finding his excitement endearing. He pushed the door open, leading you in and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

He looked up at you, eyes sparking with eagerness. You step in between his legs, running your hand through his hair. You feel Mingi wrap his arms around your waist, pulling you closer.

“Someone is eager,” you tease.

“You can’t blame me; do you know how many times I’ve fantasized about fucking you for content?”

You cock your head to the side, cupping his jaw and holding his face still. The act was weirdly dominant, Mingi likey. You raise a brow to give him a questioning glance. 

“Just for content?” 

Mingi’s breath hitched at your change of tone, his mouth opening and closing like a fish trying to find words. 

“Well, of course, not just for content. What I meant was... you know what I mean,” he whined. 

You giggle, leaning down to kiss his lips.

“I’m just messing with you, Mingi.”

He felt his heart swell at your soft touch. He couldn’t help but get lost in your eyes; you just looked so pretty. He wanted you to keep kissing him; he needed to taste more of your lips. 

“Alright, I think you’ve been waiting long enough. Let’s get started.” You chimed.

Mingi nods eagerly, smirking wide.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

He pulls you down, causing you to let out a surprise squeal, then giggle as you settle yourself on his lap. You straddle his thighs, wrapping your arms around his neck as he smashes his lips on yours. You both kiss each other hungrily, his hands on your waist as you grip at his hair.

You hear him groan in the kiss when you pull at the strands; god, you loved that sound. You couldn’t help yourself when you did it again, only harder this time. Mingi let out a moan, the sound shooting straight to your core. 

You pulled his shirt, tugging the hem as a silent way of saying you wanted it off. Mingi chuckled at your actions, knowing exactly what you wanted. He pulled away for a second so he could pull his shirt off in one swift motion.

With no time to waste, he was back on you, pressing hot kisses down your neck. You let out a sigh, basking in the feeling of his lips, and guided your hands down his bare chest. He continued to lick and suck at your skin, making you let out small moans. 

“Baby, let’s lay down on the bed,” you breathed out.

Mingi nodded, reluctantly pulling himself off you and giving you one last kiss on the lips. Mingi moved up on the bed, and you followed closely behind. Crawling back on top of his body, smiling prettily down at him. His hands instinctively rest on your waist when you straddle him.

“Can I have your phone?”

“Yeah, yes,” he breathed out. 

Mingi pulled his phone out of his pocket, handing it to you. You grabbed it, leaning down to kiss his lips. He entangled his hand in your hair, moaning softly when you trailed kisses down his neck. You looked up at him through your lashes when you moved further down. You pressed warm kisses down his bare chest to his stomach, slowly licking back up. 

“Fuck, I need you so bad,” he moaned breathlessly. 

You chuckled, sitting up and pulling at the buckle of his pants. 

“You’ll have me, baby, don’t worry.” 

Mingi’s hands fumbled to help you unbuckle his pants. He pulls them down for you and throws them on the floor. You turn on his phone, opening the camera app. 

“Mmm, look at you,” you say.

Mingi lay there, breath-grown, labored, and dick hard in his boxers. You can see a slight wet patch on the front. Holy fuck, you were going to devour this man.

Mingi’s dick twitched in his boxer briefs when he saw you point the camera at him. He heard the ding on the phone, your eyes fixated on Mingi’s pretty body through the screen. You reached down, your finger lightly grazing the bulge in his underwear. Mingi’s hips buck up slightly, and shiver runs down his spine.

“Look at you, such a pretty boy.”

Your voice took a tone Mingi never really heard before. It was soft yet dark; he wanted to hear more. He chuckles softly at your words, feeling a wave of desire crash over him at your praise. You run your hand up his body, making sure everything was in frame. 

“I’m pretty?” Mingi asks in a dark, seductive tone. 

You nod, humming in agreement. You slowly trace your finger down his torso, almost as though you were teasing both Mingi and the viewer. You hook your finger on the waistband of his boxers, tugging it at an agonizingly slow pace. 

Mingi huffed at your teasing hands. He knew you were putting on a show for the video, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit impatient. You felt him squirm slightly and chuckled at his behavior.

“Needy aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Mingi says softly, with a hint of a whine. 

The sound shot straight to your core, turning the ache in your pants into a throb. God, you needed to hear Mingi whine; you needed to hear him beg. Finally, you pulled the underwear all the way down; his hard length springs up. You giggle softly, cooing at the sight. 

You don’t know what came over you, but you couldn’t help but want to tease Mingi. Although Mingi didn’t seem to mind much. His dick twitch at your condescending tone, making his face flush in embarrassment. 

“Don’t worry, baby, I’ll take care of you.”

You grasp his length, letting a wad of spit fall down onto the tip. Slowly, you envelope his dick in your hand, pumping him up and down. Mingi moans softly, watching the way you held the phone close to your face as you recorded yourself jerking him off. The whole scene was so hot, Mingi couldn’t help but feel turned on by the thought of you recording him in such a vulnerable state.

The wet noises of your hand moving up and down on his dick filled the room. You moved your hand faster, watching Mingi’s expression this time. He was already looking at you, and you smiled at him. He whimpered when you locked eyes, his brows furrowing as a small pout threatened to grow on his lips. 

He reached down to grip your thigh, needing to feel you in any way he could. Subconsciously, Mingi started to slowly buck his hand up into your fist. You hum at the sight, biting your lip.

“You’re such a needy boy. You want more?”

“Yes,” Mingi whimpered.

“Yes what?” 

Mingi threw his head back against the pillow, shutting his eyes closed as he felt his face grow hot. He knew what you were asking from him, but he was too shy to say it. You gripped his length tighter, stopping the movement of your hand.

Mingi whimpers loudly at the pain, body jerking and dick twitching with pleasure. 

“Yes, what?” You asked again, this time in a darker tone.

“Yes please. Please, I need more,” he whined, covering his face in embarrassment. 

You smiled wide at him, loosening the grip on his cock and jerking him faster. 

“That’s a good boy.”

Mingi moans at your praise, hips bucking up faster than before and dick twitching excitedly. You watched, feeling slightly surprised by his reaction.

“Oh? Does the big boy like to get praised?”

“Yesss,” Mingi whines. 

He gripped your thigh harder, continuing to fuck up into your hand. It was all so embarrassing yet so hot to him. Having you toy with him while you recorded. He felt like he was under your control, and fuck he loved it more than he ever thought he would. 

“Thats right, baby, fuck my hand.”

You completely still the movement of your fist, encouraging Mingi to continue to thrust into your hand. He does just that, bouncing up and down on the bed as he fucked your fist. He continued to let out whimpers and whines, feeling both ashamed and aroused by how pathetic he looked. 

You hummed in delight, making sure you got the best angle of Mingi fucking himself. You moaned softly when you saw a drip of pre-cum ooze out the tip. You pulled your hand off, making Mingi whine desperately, his hips still fucking the air looking for friction. 

You giggle softly, watching the way his dick bounced pathetically. Your fingers find their way on his slit, pulling away and watching a string of pre-cum connect to your finger and his tip.

“So wet, baby.”

You move the camera closer to his length, showing off the pretty cum dripping down his cock.

“It’s all for you,” he says quietly. 

That was your breaking point. You needed Mingi; you couldn’t wait any longer. Your pussy throbbed so much, and you felt your slick stick to the fabric of your shorts. You stopped the recording, setting the phone on the mattress and leaning down to kiss Mingi. He pushed away slightly, looking at you confused.

“Why’d you stop recording?” He breathed out.

“I can’t take it. I need to fuck you, Mingi.”

Mingi whimpered, pulling you down by the nape of your neck to smash your lips together. Your tongues danced against each other, yours exploring his mouth as he lay limp and let you use him however you like.

“Oh god, yes, please do,” he whined. 

You chuckled, pulling away to rip your shirt off. Your beautiful breast was on display for Mingi; he was mesmerized by the sight. He reached up and squeezed them; you smiled at the way his large palms enveloped your breast. 

“You’re so sexy.”

You couldn’t help but giggle at his words. Mingi smiled up at you, finding your giggling cute. His hands roam down your body, sliding over your waist to your hips. You felt his large hands grip your ass through your shorts, making you bite your lip in anticipation.

“Take them off for me, Mingi.” 

Mingi smirks wide, wordlessly pulling your shorts off and down your legs. He moans softly at the sight of you; you had no underwear on, which left you completely naked sitting on top of Mingi.

"God, I need to be inside you, baby. I can’t wait any longer.”

You completely sit down on him, your warm, wet pussy pressed against the underside of his cock. Mingi furrows his brows and grips your hips tightly. You began to rock your hips back and forth, your wetness leaving a glistening trail on Mingi, and he moans softly.

"Why are you teasing me?” he whine. 

You giggle, enjoying the feeling of your swollen clit rubbing against the head of his cock. You couldn’t help but smile at him mischievously; your hands rested on his pecks, and you grabbed the flesh beneath your palms. 

“You just look so cute... whining for me,” you say breathlessly. 

Mingi pushes his head back against the pillow; he was so turned on he needed to feel you already. You glance at Mingi’s phone laying on the bed beside him. He followed your gaze and smirked; he knew exactly what you wanted. He picked it up, opened the camera app, and pressed record. 

You lifted your hips a bit, taking his hard length and aligning it with your sopping hole. Mingi watched through the phone, moaning loudly when you sunk down on his cock. Your hands rested on his stomach, clawing at the skin beneath. 

“Fuckkk,” he moans. 

You moan breathlessly, moving your hips up and down slowly. You already felt your legs start to tremble at the feeling of Mingi filling you up. 

“You fill me up perfectly, baby. Show them how pretty your dick looks sliding inside me.”

Mingi groans at your words, moving the camera closer to you pussy sucking up Mingi’s dick effortlessly. You kept a slow, steady pace; you were so wet you could hear the squelching noises coming from your pussy. Mingi bites his lip, pulling the camera away to show off your pretty body while grabbing your hip with his free hand. 

“Baby,” you said breathlessly.

“Yeah?”

“Fuck me.”

Mingi moans at your words, you didn’t have to tell him twice. He planted his feet flat on the bed and thrust up into you at a fast pace. You let out a yelp as intense pleasure coursed through your entire body. Skin slapping against skin as Mingi bucked up into your pussy, he was mesmerized by the way your thighs jiggled when coming contact to his pelvis. 

He held the phone in his hand tighter, groaning loudly as he fucked into you. You couldn’t help the high-pitched moans that escaped your lips; you were in pure ecstasy. And based on the way Mingi’s eyes were glued to your face, brows furrowing, and mouth agape, you could tell he felt the same way. 

“Fuck…so good. Your pussy is so good.”

You moan at his praise, looking down at the phone that was pointed toward you. You felt so vulnerable, and the thought that other people will be watching this video, jacking off to Mingi fucking you, drove you crazy. 

Mingi’s hips stopped when the burn in his abdomen became too much to bear and he panted heavily trying to catch his breath. You decided to give Mingi some time to rest and reached behind you. You planted your hands on Mingi’s thighs and lifted your knees up till your feet rested on the mattress.

“You did so good. I’m gonna fuck you now, okay, baby.”

Mingi whined when he watched you change positions and nodded eagerly. 

“Okay.” 

With the new position you put yourself in, your pussy was on full display for Mingi and the camera. You rocked your hips up and down, your tits bouncing with your movements. Mingi moans louder, watching intently at the way his dick disappeared in your hole. He was trying so hard not to drop the phone in his hand, wanting to capture this moment forever. 

With the new view, Mingi found himself getting closer to his release. Watching you bounce on his cock was just too intoxicating.

“I’m close, baby.”

“Just a little longer, okay? I’m almost there.”

Mingi’s hand gripped tightly to your thigh, sliding up till his thumb pressed against your clit. You whined at the feeling, legs trembling when he rubbed circles on the sensitive nub.

“Yes yes. Keep doing that, baby. Fuck, I’m close.”

“Cum on my cock, please. I need it.”

Your nails dug into Mingi’s thighs, legs almost giving out when you came on his dick. You clenched so hard around him as your hips stuttered. Mingi’s eyes rolled in the back of his head as he tried with all his might not to cum inside. Now that's a good boy.

You pulled off him, his dick slipping out and hot streams of cum shot out to cover his stomach. You watched with a sly smirk, reaching down to jerk him off. 

“Fuck!”

Mingi’s body trembled from his intense orgasm, some even landing on his chest and neck. You giggle, and when you notice him coming down from his high, you slow the pace of your hand, not wanting to overstimulate him. You grab the phone from him (surprised he didn’t drop it at this point) and point the camera closer to his cum-covered body.

"Mmm, you see that. What a messy boy.” 

You both pant heavily. Mingi chuckled breathlessly at your words, looking down at his body. You stopped the recording, setting the phone down on the bed. You both smiled at each other, Mingi reaching up to cup your face. 

“Can’t wait to watch that later,” you smirk. 

Mingi rolls his eyes, laughing breathlessly. He pulled you closer and pressed a soft kiss on your nose. You rested your elbows on either side of his head while staring into his pretty brown eyes.

“That was so fucking hot. I didn’t know I was the submissive type, but damn, we need to explore that more.” 

You laugh heartily, kissing Mingi’s cheek before speaking. 

"Yes, we do. I swear I almost started running laps whenever you begged for me.” 

“I folded when you called me a good boy.” 

You and Mingi couldn’t help the funny comments. Maybe it was weird that you were cracking jokes after getting dicked down by your best friend, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You pull away, sighing and looking down at the cum that smeared on your body. 

“Now I have to take another shower.”

Mingi laughs at your words, running his hands up and down your sides. He looks up at you with pleading eyes before asking in a hopeful tone.

“Can I join you this time?” 

You decide to throw him a bone, smiling down at him and nodding.

“Yes Mingi. Come on.”

Mingi exclaimed in excitement, picking you up effortlessly and taking you to the bathroom. You squeal when he throws you over his shoulder, and you smack the small of his back.

“Hey, warning next time you decide to manhandle me.”

“No time, must take you to the shower.”

“How do you still have this much energy after what we did?”

————————————————————————

“Ugh, dammit.” 

You lean back in your chair when you see the red letter pop up on your computer screen. 

‘You died’

“Why is this level so hard?” 

Your mumble to yourself. You hear your phone notification go off and light up next to your keyboard. You pick it up and smile to see a message from Mingi. 

Princess Mingi: HELLO!? LOOK AT HOW MANY LIKES OUR VIDEO HAS 

(attached image)

Your eyes bulge out of your head after seeing the screenshot Mingi sent you. 

You: 72k?!? WHAT??

Princess Mingi: This is literally my most liked video. People love you, they think you're hot and want to know if you have an account. 

You couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride at the thought of people wanting to see more of you. Maybe you should dabble into this kind of work. You were pulled out of your thoughts when another ping rang from your phone. 

Princess Mingi: You should say fuck it and join the sex work community. I think you will do very well.

Princess Mingi: I’ll be your first subscriber ;)

You: I’ll block you before you can find my account 

Princess Mingi: Hey :( you wouldn’t do that to your good boy, would you? :(((

You: Yes.

You giggle to yourself after teasing Mingi. It was just so fun. He sent another message, and your giggles immediately die down when you see the image.

Princess Mingi: (attached image)

What about now? :)

You: WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT SENDING ME YOUR DICK

Princess Mingi: YOU SAID NOT TO DO IT WHEN YOURE IN PUBLIC. I KNOW YOURE NOT 

You: WELL NOW IM HORNY AND ALL ALONE

Mingi doesn’t reply back and you see the little ‘read’ text under your message. You furrow your brow in confusion, that bitch, leaving you on read. You set you phone down and turn your attention back to your game on the screen.

After a few minutes, Mingi never replied back. Thats weird. You decide to text him again, he never leaves you on read. 

You: Hey, are you alive?

You were surprised when you saw the three dots appear pretty quickly. 

Princess Mingi: I’m here. Open your door :)

You stare blankly at the phone screen, sitting there dumbfounded. You’re brought back to reality when you hear a honk outside your house. You peak through your window and see Mingi walking out the car and up to your front door. That little shit. 

You: No, stay outside and freeze. 

Princess Mingi: Please let me in :(

You: Why should I? 

Princess Mingi: So I can fuck you good again :) 

You dropped your phone and ran to the front door. Well, it was too cold for him to stay out there all alone. 

————————————————————————

You bite your lip while holding your phone in your hand. 

"Ugh, fuck it.” 

You posted your first nude photo; it was a simple mirror picture of you were in your underwear sitting on your bed topless. You throw your phone on the mattress, feeling nervous yet excited at the same time. You finally did it, you made your own Twitter account. 

After looking at the video you and Mingi recorded for his account, you decided to give in and give the people what they wanted. After a few minutes of pacing around, you pick up your phone to check if anyone has liked your photo yet. You already started getting some likes and a few comments.

You get a notification and press on it immediately. 

‘Sir Min started following you’

You smile to yourself when you read the notification. Of course, Mingi was the first to follow you. You had already told him you were doing it, but you didn’t take into account that he was waiting for you to make your first post this whole time. You get a DM from Mingi, smirking to yourself when reading it.

Sir Min: You look hot, baby. Can’t wait to fuck you more “for content” ;)

~

Tags: @chicksmoothie @wisejudgedragonhairdo @autieofthevalley @breadpuddingboys @pancake-freckle @nanicjj @yunhofingers @cherr-heekisses

---

Lonely Breeze

group : ateez

pairing : poly!yungi × reader

genre : angst, hurt/comfort

wc : 3.1 k

tw : angst, poly relationship, heavy stuff maybe; relationship issues, psychological issues, mentions of blood (injury), mentions of anxiety, ngl I'm just rambling at this point so if this is not your thing, pls skip lol.

a/n : this is why i don't listen to anything produced by mingi. I'm textbook kubler-ross every single time and idk how to feel about it. and yea i wrote this in 2 hours

buy me coffee ?

It had been three days since you ran away.

Can it be counted as running away? You're a full-grown adult with intact mental faculties and 'running away' sounds rather juvenile.

Life had gotten too hard and you were overwhelmed. Despite having wonderful boyfriends like Yunho and Mingi, this time you truly didn't know what to do but you knew that you had to get out of there before you completely exploded.

To be honest, Yunho and Mingi were one of the reasons you had to run away.

It was nothing against them per se but you felt bad for having to always rely on them all the time.

The three of you met on the cusp of adulthood, at a dance academy workshop. The three of you didn't mean to join that joint workshop because each of you was from different area branches of the academy but you all just clicked. From then, you and they planned your lives together even down to which university you three will attend. But it wasn't until nearing the senior year that you three decided to pursue a romantic relationship. You still remembered it like it was yesterday. How you, Mingi, and Yunho join your other friends on a countryside trip to celebrate the end of the 6th semester only to find out that the cabin was at maxed capacity so you three had to rent a small, dusty place on your own. Little did you know, you, Yunho and Mingi had each planned separately to come clean about your feelings. You were the first to confess after having a particularly tiring clean-up session (just so you won't inhale the dust that had accumulated in the cabin), accidentally telling them how you could see the three of you in your 30s cleaning the apartment you will share together. You remembered the dread that washed down on you when Mingi asked what you meant. Like the reliable pillar he is, Yunho was the one who helped you calm yourself down and told you that he could see the same thing, how he felt the same way about you and Mingi. Then Mingi confessed his own feelings and from then on, you three were even more inseparable than you had ever been before.

While it surprised people that the three of you decided to commit to a relationship that was far from orthodox, no one was really fazed. Everyone who knew the three of you had at least assumed you three were sleeping together which was why no one approached either one of you romantically all through university.

Some called it fate, some called it dedication.

You believed in the former more than the latter.

But recently?

You feared that you had trapped them.

Maybe it was a quarter-life crisis but you suddenly felt nauseous at the thought of your life. It wasn't like things were falling apart. On the contrary, the pieces of your life were finally falling into place; you were starting to really shine at work, and you were finally able to start saving whilst resolving some of your financial issues. Your relationship with your boyfriends was even at its peak, there was more love than the three of you ever needed and you three were beyond happy.

Then one day, one day a week ago, things crashed down on you.

You didn't know what it was, you didn't know what caused it, but you suddenly couldn't breathe. You remembered holding onto the bathroom sink while your body trembled, tears streaming down your face like a busted faucet and you couldn't move. The cool bathroom suddenly felt suffocating and the sound of your boyfriends laughing just on the other side of the door felt deafening. It took you a long while to break free from that state and you only managed to do so because Mingi had knocked on the bathroom door asking for you to let him in because he needed to use the bathroom. That night, you found yourself unable to sleep and even finding their presence too much for you to handle even after switching position with Mingi so you could be at the edge. You had slipped away and cried yourself to sleep on the couch, sobbing silently until fatigue took over.

That whole week you were distant until three days ago when you came home from work to see a note on the table from Yunho who let you know that they were out for a bit to get something special for you.

One second you were pouring yourself a glass of water to calm your trembling hands and the next, you were in a train with a duffle bag heading to the countryside, cradling your hand that had a gash and fresh dried blood.

When you arrived at the dark and lonely cabin, you finally broke down, wailing into the emptiness as you hugged yourself in the middle of the room.

Neither of them was aware of what happened.

Or so you thought.

The first person who noticed how distant you became was Yunho. He had sensed that something was wrong since that day in the bathroom. He could never forget the look on your face as you stepped out. Your usually lively eyes were empty and you didn't even react when Mingi pressed a kiss on your forehead. At first, he thought that you might have had a bad day and that you were just not in the mood but as the days passed, you seemed more silent and distant. Yunho wanted to ask what was wrong but he didn't want to make it seem like he was prying so he tried to let you know that he was there for you in different ways; soft touches, words of affirmation, little presents in the form of your favourite drink or plans of going on a trip. He wanted you to have all the space you needed.

Mingi on the other hand immediately jumped into worrying about you. Suddenly he kept texting about your whereabouts and your feelings. He had even asked if he should pick you up early from work and even showed that he was already in front of your building. Mingi knew what it felt like to be all alone stuck in a headspace and it had taken him so long and finally relent, letting you and Yunho pull him out and believing you two that you were there for him. So he wanted to repay all that especially since you were the one who gently washed his tear-stained face and slowly fed him until he regained his own strength. He remembered the pit and he didn't like the idea of you being there.

So when they were met with an empty apartment the day you left, they went into panic mode. The sight of a couple droplets of blood near the broken glass and your work bag thrown carelessly on the couch was enough to send them into a frenzy and sadly, they even turned on each other.

Yunho wanted to calm himself and Mingi down first because neither of them even knew what happened and where you had gone to while Mingi, pointing that out, stated that they both needed to catch you before you could even go far. Then they fought over the fact that they were fighting when they should be looking for you and it ended with Mingi leaving the apartment when Yunho ran into your shared room, trying to charge his phone to see if you had contacted either of them.

Essentially, the three of you were alone at that moment in time. Nothing made sense and none of you had any ways of getting an answer.

You were alone in the cabin, crying your eyes out about... Nothing. You felt stupid for feeling bad over your life that was going rather well and you felt bad for leaving your boyfriends without an explanation. It was simple, you could've simply grabbed the phone and texted either one of them to let them know... Something. You could tell them that you needed time alone. But do you really? You could tell them that you were sorry. But were you really? You could tell them that you were overwhelmed and that they were not making your situation any better by being so supportive. But were they really? You felt like you were not worthy to even send them a text because who the fuck were you to be acting like that and then asking for understanding?

Mingi was running around aimlessly with worry sitting deep in the pit of his stomach. He had gone to several of your friends' places, friends you trusted who wouldn't blab about your disappearance. He hated being in a state of not knowing because he felt helpless. He hated being helpless. Mingi was not a helpless person so he didn't want to be associated with the feeling. First things first, he had to find you. But where could you be? Why had he never taken the time to ask you places you wanted to go to, thinking that you had gone alone because he was too busy with himself. Seeds of doubt planted by the negativity of the situation started sprouting its ugliness. Was your leaving his fault? Was he too self-involved to not have taken the time to dedicate his attention to you once in a while? Was he taking too much of Yunho and your attention? His head hurts.

Yunho, in defeat, slumped against the bed you three shared. Your pillar, your rock finally broke down and with each sob, his mind found it even harder to make sense of things. All the decision in his life was made on a strong foundation, Yunho was a sure man, and he didn't regret the choices he made and the path he took. But was he too sure of himself this time? Out of the three of you, Yunho was always the tie-breaker because he makes his decisions carefully and with logic. He never found any reason to resent that part of him until you left. Did he miss something? Were there signs that you had needed a different kind of treatment? Had he gotten too overconfident this time? Had his so-called level-headedness cost him something important?

Whatever it was you hoped could happen or appear by running away alone never came. Each hour you spent trying to make sense of things or finding a way to calm yourself only made it clear that you were all alone.

Dark thoughts started plaguing your brain, skewing your happy memories into something that was far from reality. The memories you had of banding together into a trio with Yunho and Mingi turned into fear that maybe you had inserted yourself into their friendship. After all, they found themselves together first before you bumped into Yunho and told him how you were alone, effectively guilt-tripping him. The thought of how they have always had your back turned into anxiety that maybe you had leaned on them too much. You relied on them more than you should and now you were a burden to them. The things you told them, should you have told them? Especially the dark ones, the ones that stemmed from your bad mental state. Were you manipulating them without realizing it? Were your promises of the future even really promises? How could you be sure that it wasn't you pressuring your expectations to them?

It had been three days. Were you still alone because they thought you were better off alone? That they too, needed time away from you? Maybe you never needed your own space, maybe it was your subconscious telling you that you needed to give them space from you.

Loud bangs broke the train of thought and the more you came back to reality, the more you recognized the voices.

"Mingi?" you inhaled sharply, seeing the face of one of your lovers on the window as he banged the wall.

Thinking that you were hallucinating, you turned your head away and stood up. There was no way he could be there.

More bangs were heard and when you turned around again, you saw both Mingi who was now with Yunho staring at you from the window.

"(y/n), open up!" Yunho called out.

Normally, you would register his voice as is but your brain, in its unstable state, thought that he was demanding you to let him in. Mingi too, though he was only standing there looking at you, sending knocks on the window as he wanted to hold you once again, your brain took that as him glaring at you and being in fury.

Anxiety shot up and your head shook violently. "N-no..." you whimpered, bottom lip trembling as you took a step back only to trip on a carpet and fall.

The sight of you on the floor caused Mingi and Yunho to abandon all reasons and logic and all they wanted to do was to help you. They started banging and trying to pry the door open, needing to get inside to be there for you but all it did was send you into a deeper spiral without them realizing. Your body curled into a ball while they were yelling for you to open the door. The more you heard them, the worse you felt and before you knew it, you were yelling for them to leave you be, leave you alone, you didn't deserve them.

It wasn't until you started yelling at how you should have never burdened yourself on them that they stopped banging on the door. Their eyes welled with tears hearing the things, untrue things, you hurled at yourself. It hurt them to hear you think so low of yourself like that. You were everything to them, you were something so precious and special and to think that you believe they would be better without you, it was like a serrated knife had been plunged into their hearts multiple times.

"That's not true (y/n), please..." Mingi rested his forehead on the door as his eyes closed slowly, letting tears wet his cheeks, "Please let me in, I... We... (y/n), please," he whimpered.

Looking around, Yunho remembered that the owner of the cabin had told him about a spare key a long time ago. Thinking that it was worth a shot, Yunho was glad to see that there was still a key hidden under the cushion of the porch lounger.

You were too busy bawling to realize that Yunho had opened the door successfully which was a good thing because had you realized, you would have done something stupid like run out into the field in the cold January breeze.

Mingi tried to rush inside only for Yunho to stop him, holding onto his arm as he watched you cry with a broken heart.

"Yunho, wha-"

Wordlessly, Yunho pulled Mingi down to sit in the doorway while maintaining his gaze on you.

Though confused, Mingi followed along, sitting down and looking between Yunho and you.

"We should go in there. She needs us," Mingi said, voice cracking as he shook Yunho slightly, trying to convince him to go inside. He knew he could definitely go inside himself, but for some reason, he felt like he shouldn't.

For once, Yunho didn't give any explanation and just shook his head one more time. Soon, however, his hand took one of Mingi's and they sat there with you with hands linked, waiting for you to... Well, they weren't sure what they were waiting for but they were sure they would understand soon.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You must have passed out from crying because you remembered feeling cold and alone but the moment you came to again, you realized that this time, you were... Warm.

Sitting up, you noticed that the skies outside were dark and when you turned your body around, you saw Yunho and Mingi attending to the fireplace. The cabin was dark save for the illumination provided by the warm fire.

It took a bit of time for your eyes to adjust but when your eyes really focused, you noticed that Mingi was holding onto your favourite blanket that you forgot to bring. How did they even got inside?

For a moment, you only watched them do their thing, comfortably sitting in silence as if enjoying conversation done by the soft crackles of the fireplace.

Mingi felt something on the back of his neck and when he turned his body slightly, he saw that you were staring at him with puffy eyes. His instinct told him to run to you and envelop you in a hug and tell you how worried he was and how much he regretted things that he thought he did. But his better judgement stopped him from making a move forward. Instead, he cracked a gentle smile and ducked his head down, carefully opening your folded blanket as a silent invitation.

Your body moved automatically towards him and before you knew it, you were suddenly sat in between Mingi and Yunho.

While Mingi draped you with your blanket, Yunho made final adjustments on the firewood before he sat down close to you and even moved so that you and he were shoulder-to-shoulder.

You were sure that they were going to ask what happened, what was wrong with you, why you ran away. But minutes passed and all there was was... Silence. You were sure that when you saw them again you'd be anxious because you had to explain yourself but all you felt was a sense of calm. It was rather ridiculous but you could feel the anxiety melting off of your body.

"I'm tired," finally you opened up even though your voice cracked due to how hoarse your throat felt. "I'm so tired," you exhaled as you closed your eyes, your bottom lip trembling once again.

This time, Yunho moved to sidle even closer to you so he could guide your head gently to rest on his chest. "You... Can you find it in your heart... To rest in mine?" Yunho spoke up finally, voice cracking as well. Mingi then moved closer until he was able to wrap his hands around your waist whilst leaning his head on Yunho's strong shoulder, effectively caging you securely between them. "You can rest in our hearts, love," he added, ducking to press a gentle kiss on your shoulder.

Nothing else needed to be said because nothing else should. The three of you had been through so much together in your youth that it felt like you were all alone. But, with the stars as your witness and the fire as your companion, you realized something that was always true. Even lonely, you were always together and your inadequacies made you whole. While pain exists and will always find its way back to remind you of your faults, it allows you to remember who and what you are, but most importantly, what you now have from that.

network :

@cultofdionysusnet @sandsofire @kflixnet @pirateeznet

taglist :

@kodzukein @phenomenalgirl9 @skzatzloveismonsterous @memorymonster @surveilenceysystem @dreamlesswonder86 @maddiebabyxoxo @imababywolf @do-you-actually-care @marievllr-abg @ilsedingsx @wasteitonserendipity @bbymatz @noonaishere @honeyhwaaa @ateezourstars @yoonjunshi @yoongiigolden @camillelafaye @charreddonuts @kpopnightingale @starryunho @atinct @mirror-juliet @hyuckilstan @jayb17 @kpoplover718 @haatohwa @x-bluee @erinaimeexx @blackb3ll @mingiholic @angelicyeo @vampcharxter @meowmeowminnie @marvelous-llama @kawennote09 @hongjoong-lovebot @stopeatread

---

Missing Out

group : ateez

pairing : dilf!mingi × reader

genre : smut

wc : 4.1 k

tw : mdni, explicit smut; daddy kink, teasing, dirty talk, age gap (mingi's like mayhaps at least a decade older, but both are still within legal limits), thigh riding, spitting, alcohol consumption (not to the point of being drunk, it's just for vibes and... spitting lmao),

a/n : frfr i hope he doesn't see this fic because God i would not be able to defend myself. tbh i planned on posting this on mingi's bitthday but i got shit happening to me. shit without my consent and I'm just trying to ride the stress like gandalf hopped up on cocaine riding smaug. so ykw i decided to post this on my birthday instead lmao. special thanks to @kitten4sannie for listening to me drop some ideas while i was on a road trip, i did some adjustments but it's still sexually frustrated dilf!mingi this fic is finally out so i hope you and everyone enjoy it <3

a/n/n : i take no responsibilities for any calf cramp that may or may not happen but alyssa, i still blame you for the great leg cramp at ass o'clock

a/n/n/n : my birthday sucks because it felt more like public service than anything but i got ticket to go to singapore again so i'll be reunited with my little brother and little sisters soon✌️ i'm raising money for my mental wellbeing which is so totally code for i'm trying to find a way to make my shituation better by making myself just the slightest bit happier after today's shenanadoodles

buy me coffee ?

After the day Mingi had, the cold drink in his hand felt like the reward he deserved. It was only then that Mingi realized why people always say that the Family Court is rough. Still, of course, it was extra rough for him because his ex-wife, the horned creature incarnate (a goat, not the devil), had dragged his name through the mud just to get the maximum alimony because she was a narcissistic bum with no life skill to fall back to as if Mingi was the one who told her to quit her job as a dental hygienist when they first got married.

During the mediation meetings and court proceedings, she took all of the potshots she could While no one took her seriously, it still pained Mingi because the more she and her lawyer attacked him, calling out all of his insecurities and questioning his character, the more obvious it was that Mingi had wasted 9 years of his life on this loser and he missed out on all of the marital milestones. The main sore spot was having kids. She argued that putting her body through pregnancy was out of the question because there were risks that could cause her body to look weird in the future and it's inhumane how a woman's body had to contort in such a way to accommodate another living being. But when her breast implant popped when she slammed the car door too hard, it was 'a normal occurrence'.

As much as his friend Yunho told him not to, Mingi couldn't help but wallow in the time he absolutely WASTED on the bitch only to be screwed over. The only good thing that came out of the divorce was the fact that he got out of it without having to pay alimony because his ex-wife had become too cocky with her cards. But still, Mingi had to give her the car, the savings account (that wasn't much compared to anything considering she had drained it to accommodate her filler addiction and alcohol dependency), and Tony Son, their personal trainer, the one thing Mingi could credit her because she had been the one who introduced him to the man who was able to sculpt his body to perfection.

"Is this seat taken?"

Mingi snapped his head to the side to see a woman younger than he, dressed in a tight-bodiced red sparkly dress that showed just enough cleavage for it to be classy rather than trashy and the A-line satin skirt stopped just three fingers width atop her knees. Slowly, Mingi nodded and gestured to the seat on his right side wordlessly. It wasn't until the woman flagged down the bartender and ordered her drink did Mingi questioned why she sat next to him when there were other seats in the bar.

"So, are you alone?" she asked, striking up a conversation with Mingi which honestly caught him by surprise because he had been told that he had a resting bitch face that doubled in intensity when he wasn't in the mood and he was doubling in his bad mood. "Yeah... I am, so..." his words allude to him wanting to be alone, but there was something about the person next to him that intrigued him so much so that his eyes seemed to be glued to her. Just the sight of her drinking her vodka cranberry made Mingi's eyes travel from her face down to her lap, watching the way she moved so gracefully. "So... You don't mind my asking why a man as handsome as you are would be sitting alone with a scowl on his face," she pointed out, forcing Mingi to consciously unfurrow his eyebrows and fake taking a sip of his drink, "I'm not scowling, I'm just tired and pissed off for wasting 9 years on a selfish bitch that deprived me of anything I want in life," he spat venomously, even the slight mention of his ex sent a really unpleasant taste in his mouth. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Anything I can do to help?" She pouted, inching closer to Mingi as somewhat of a signal. Noticing this, Mingi scoffed and shook his head but he still entertained the woman, "Got a time machine to help me undo the past 9 years?" "No, but maybe I can give you what your ex couldn't."

You couldn't help but bite your bottom lip when the look of shock on Mingi's face melted into intrigue. You had been watching him for an hour, sitting all alone, nursing his one drink as he toyed with his ring before chucking it into his breast pocket. Thank God he did because you were not about to approach a potentially spoken-for man. It took you a while to get substantial evidence of his status and it wasn't just because you were distracted by his plump ass in those slacks and the matching suit jacket and slightly unbuttoned black dress shirt didn't help your case.

"Little girl, I think I'm a bit too... Far for your reach," Mingi pointed out, raising an eyebrow at you as he wasn't sure that you knew what you were offering him. Mirroring him, you raised your eyebrow and shifted so that you faced him fully as you raised one leg and cross it over the other, successfully inviting Mingi to get a glimpse of more skin. "You don't know me or what I can do, sir," you smirked challengingly, now openly inviting him to poke you further.

You were delighted when you saw Mingi's jaw clench and throat bob after you called him sir. It was proof to you that Mingi had some sort of inclination of being in control and his little confession about not getting what he wanted from his ex-wife might be a glimpse of the kind of fun you could get from him. So without hesitation, you decided that you were going home with him.

Surprisingly, Mingi responded positively by leaning in to cup your chin and pull you close, just a wispy breath away from having your lips meet and you so desperately wanted to taste his because they just looked so damn juicy and plump. "You don't want to know all the things I've been deprived of... Baby." Your eyes darken and your legs crossed tighter to suppress the sudden arousal washing over your core, excited at the confirmation that Mingi was playing into your games just as you had wanted. All you needed to do was lock this down. So you let your hand lay on his thigh, squeezing it suggestively and enjoying the feeling of his muscle tensing underneath you each time your hand slid closer to his crotch to the point that your nail was scratching the inner side of his thigh just right. Despite being physically affected by you, Mingi still maintained eye-contact, daring you to poke his button just right.

"Yes, I do... Daddy."

In the blink of an eye, Mingi smashed his lips on you and all of the oxygen was knocked out of your lungs in one go. His lips were soft but the way he used them was rough yet calculated. You could taste the smoky whiskey on his tongue as he slipped it inside your mouth. Little did you know, he too, was enjoying the way you tasted. Your lip gloss had a sweetness to it that made him wonder if you're the type to plan things or if it was just a happy coincidence. He also took note of how you allowed him to lead you and the more he asserted himself onto you with every nibble of his lip and every caress of his tongue, showing that you're more on the submissive side and he likes it. A lot. The more you felt pleasure, the more you pleasured him back as evidenced by your hand rubbing against his raging boner.

Mingi smirked at the way you whimpered when he finally pulled away from you to slap a couple bills on the counter before he got off the stool, pulling you along with him. You wobbled slightly but Mingi immediately pulled you flush on his chest and despite having just made out with him, you found the gesture very hot. "Wanna go see if you can keep up with the list of things I missed out on?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Mingi must be some kind of a business owner because no way he would have had a rather impressive office where you found yourself in. Well, on top of him on his couch, grinding your panty-less core against his thigh with your top down, allowing the older man to ogle at your tits as you tried to make yourself cum.

"Is that the best you can do?" Mingi taunted, circling his crystal glass which produced a tinkling sound from the ice in the drink he poured as soon as you reached his home. "Daddy, I want you to touch me," you whined but your hip was still relentlessly moving after making a big deal of how his thighs were so strong and you wanted to sit on them like a throne. So instead of just sitting, Mingi told you to make yourself useful and prep your pussy without his help and he wanted you to do it by riding his thigh. His thick, glorious thigh. "Don't you want to touch me, daddy?" you teased, cupping your boobs and tweaking your own nipples whilst throwing your head back, making a show out of it just to get Mingi to touch you. Sure, Mingi was intrigued, but he knew damn well that he was holding the reigns and he had to hold himself back from jumping at the opportunity to completely ravish you too soon. "I do, baby, but you're being a brat right now and refusing to listen to me. Had I wanted that, I would've stayed with my ex-wife." Your head snapped back up at the mention of his ex-wife and you glared at his smug smirking face, "You have me half naked on your lap and you still mentioned your ex-wife?" you gathered your skirt in your hand, exposing your cunt to Mingi's eyes and slowed your pace to a prolonged drag that left long, dark stain courtesy of your arousal.

Finding your petulance adorable, Mingi chuckled and pulled you in for a searing kiss with one hand cupping your chin and the other slapping you on the ass as if telling you to speed up your movement. "You're an adorable little doll and I'm gonna break you," he muttered against your lips before you could reply to him, Mingi tugged your hair back as he casually took a sip from his drink. The action made you yelp and Mingi swiftly leaned over and spit the drink into your mouth and clamped your jaw shut. "Swallow," he commanded and as you came down from being surprised, you stared into Mingi's eyes. At first, you only stared at him, feigning defiance just for fun and Mingi found that both intriguing and annoying. His grip moved to tightly grasp your jaw and he growled, "Swallow. It." He demanded in a stern voice that made your panties more damp as your cunt clench, leaving you unable to do anything more than whine and swallow the burning liquid. Mingi found you very mesmerizing even on an act as simple as you taking heed of his words. The stray spit and alcohol that trickled from the corners of your lips enhanced the glimmer of your smudged lipstick and lipgloss combo, turning Mingi on with how effortlessly sultry you looked. He was down and he was down bad. He wasn't even sure if he was down because Once the liquid was no longer there, you rolled out your tongue to proudly show your obedience and Mingi let out a shuddered breath seeing you just blindly following his orders like the good puppet you are.

"Fuck, you're gonna be the death of me."

In a flash, Mingi flipped you both around so that you were trapped underneath him with your head strategically on the armrest. The elevation allowed you to watch as Mingi dragged a hand down your body as if you were a work of art. "All this time... I was missing a lot all this time, that bitch took nine years out of me and gave me nothing," Mingi shuddered both in anger and in arousal. The contrasting thoughts between being so angry at his former partner and the excitement of being rewarded by being able to ravish you felt like waves crashing inside him. It was thrilling. It was exciting. It got his adrenaline pumping and God, he felt alive. "Poor baby," you purred all the while slowly popping the buttons of his dress shirt off to reveal the soft skin underneath, "You're so frustrated, It's a good thing I'm here now huh?"

You swung your leg up and used the tip of your toe to tilt Mingi's chin upwards maintaining a somewhat neutral expression but the twinkle in your eyes indicated clear intrigue. "Tell me all the things you want to do. What do you want most?" the question made Mingi roll his eyes back and he grabbed your leg by your ankle. "You nasty slut, you want to have an older cock so bad you're enticing me with empty promises, huh?" He mumbled against the skin of your leg, trailing his lips down from the heel and lower to your calf as his body followed down until he eventually stopped at the mid-section of your inner thigh. You helped him by flipping your skirt up, exposing your cunt wholly to him and slotting the leg you lifted on his shoulder, "Empty promises? I want to give you whatever you want daddy, and in order for me to be able to do that, I need to know what it is."

Thinking that he had nothing to lose anyway, Mingi smirked and decided to test you. "I want a baby," he stated, "I want to put my baby in you," he said oh so casually as if he hadn't had his fingers poking and prodding your cunt like they just belonged there. Truthfully speaking, Mingi was expecting you to push him off and ran away screaming because what kind of a hookup just casually dropped a bomb as big as he did?

But it seemed like Mingi's luck was turning around for the better because you replied by reaching forward to free his cock from his pants, trying as best as you could to suppress the surprise at Mingi's size (but failing as evidenced by the way your eyes bulged slightly and your tongue peeking out to lick your bottom lip in hunger) before you leaned back and opened your legs widely as an invitation for him. "Then do it, fuck me so hard and dumb and deep that I'd have no other choice but to have your baby," you smiled up at him. Mingi could only stare at you in shock initially, not really knowing what you meant until you whined and pulled him closer using the leg that was hooked on his shoulder. "Daddy, don't make me wait too long. Come on, put a baby in me!" you pleaded, cunt throbbing with eagerness to feel Mingi's cock stretching you now that you already caught a glimpse.

The shock melted away from Mingi's face and even as he was guiding his cock to your core, he was still carefully watching your face, not wanting to waste any twitch or shift in your face from feeling him but also he was trying to be careful in case you showed him any indication of regret or if you changed your mind. But the way you whined and rolled your hips so your wet cunt could meet his cock more gave him the green light.

"You dirty slut," Mingi grunted before he shoved his length inside you in one fluid movement. The accumulating arousal from you riding his thigh provided proper lubrication but his sheer size was not something you're used to so your body tensed up at the impact. "F-fuck, daddy, y-you-" "Am I tearing you apart, baby? Are you being split into two on daddy's fat cock?" he asked in faux worry that was just him being condescending towards you. But you don't care, you found it hot even when he talked down to you as if you were nothing but his plaything. "Yes, yes, daddy, I'm being split open on your cock but I love it! I love it so much!" you moaned, hands clawing at his skin, causing red streaks to appear from the pressure of your nails, "Fuck, I want more!"

With that, Mingi pushed your legs up by your thighs, exposing more of your lower half to him. "Be daddy's good girl and hold these open, I wanna see your pussy taking my cock raw," he hissed, eyes zeroing on the way your puffy lips split open to accommodate his size. Carefully, as if assessing a great piece of art, Mingi watched attentively The view almost brought tears to his eyes but he channeled the somewhat endearing moment into fucking you stupid into the mattress.

Each drag of Mingi's cock felt like fire against your inner walls. Although there was a slight discomfort with each movement, the added pleasure of being filled like you had never before made you addicted.

If you thought you were enjoying yourself, Mingi was very close to combusting and he was trying his best to not cum too soon as he didn't wanna be branded as the geezer who came too early. But he couldn't help it, not with the way both his ego and his cock were stroked. It was as if you were made for him and he felt that the moment he entered your sopping cunt. So Mingi shifted his focus to you instead, working to get you to cum first.

"Come on baby, cum for daddy. I need you to cum first so you'd be ripe and open for me to fill you up," Mingi huffed, pressing his pointy nose against the junction of your neck that sent tingles down your spine, "We need to do our best to make sure that you'd be good and pregnant, right?" The weight of his words caused your head to spin as the thought of him filling you full for his own pleasure filled your mind. "Yes, yes daddy, make me cum please," you whined into his ears, your body reacting almost automatically by rolling your hips against his own to match his speed and desire. Mingi growled hungrily and his pace quickened significantly as the impact got harder. You were sure that after this your ass would be different shades of red and blue but you couldn't care less. Especially if Mingi wanted to do more rounds with you, you'd gladly wear the bruises like a badge of honor.

"Fuck, you're so hot like this, you're so hot when you're willing and submissive for me," Mingi grunted, even verging on whining into your ears because you just felt so good to him but he held firm, "Are you close, baby? Are you cumming soon?" Lucky for him, you nodded hurriedly, confirming that you were close. Your brain had been marinating in the dizzying arousal that it was embarrassingly quick for you to nearly reach your climax in a rather short time. However, your response was deemed lacking to Mingi who wanted to hear a verbal response from you. Mingi was quick to slap you hard on your left tit as a punishment, feeling the need to chastise you for simplifying your response.

The words died on Mingi's tongue and his hips sharply halted to a stop when he saw you yelp and shudder before coming completely undone underneath him, writhing pathetically as your nails grazed his skin, leaving red streaks for Mingi to show off for days on end. His eyes darken when he saw tears pooled in your own eyes before dropping, creating the illusion of your eyes sparkling which served a rather complex combination of innocence and sinful. "M-M- Daddy," you whimpered in almost a hushed tone, barely comprehensible but to Mingi the sound was thunderous in Mingi's ears, ringing, because his baby girl needed him. His baby girl wanted him. His baby girl who's willing to give him anything he could ask for was longing for him. So who is he to deny you?

Seeing you in such a vulnerable state seemed to unlock something primal in Mingi because while you were reeling down from your orgasm, Mingi was instead put into some sort of a trance. His tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip, slightly hoping that he could taste your sweetness in the air, and his hips restarted with a pace so hard and quick, for a moment you forgot that Mingi was a human.

The pleasure from your orgasm tripled with the additional friction continuously given by Mingi whose head was flooded with the thought of truly possibly getting you pregnant from this first time. Not that he was planning on only fucking you once, not after he felt how good you made him feel both emotionally and physically. He was planning to pamper you to death and maybe that was the sexually frustrated side in him but he didn't care, he didn't care how crazy he was because you were the one who made him crazy.

The sound of hips snapping together in a rhythm accompanied by your drunk-like moans sounded like a symphony in Mingi's ears. "F-fuck baby, I'm gonna fill you up now," Mingi grunted, his eyes closing and his forehead dropping to your shoulder, "I'm gonna fill you up with my seed to the brim and you're gonna be a good girl and keep it all in so my baby can grow safely inside of you, okay?" He whispered so intimately against your shoulder that both your lips and cunt wept. You wouldn't be surprised if there was a pool underneath you after you were done and you won't hesitate to ask for more. "Cum, daddy. Cum inside me. Fill me up so hard and full like you promised me!" You whined, your hands snaking around his shoulders to hold tight as the overstimulation caused a tingling pain that made your toes curl while Mingi was getting such a high from his ego being fed.

"Fuck, baby girl, this is it, I'm gonna put my baby in you!" Mingi grunted and thrusted, once, twice, thrice, before his hips stuttered and you felt a gush of warmth spilling deep inside your cunt. The physical feeling of being filled up made your eyes roll into your head and the realization of what just happened made you blush as if you weren't whoring for his cock not 10 minutes ago.

As Mingi slowly came down from his high, his mind cleared up and he was able to pepper kisses from your shoulders, up your neck, along your jawline, and then gently all over your face. The contrast of the sweetness of the older man and the nasty act you both just did made you suddenly turn all giggly and shy. "Aww, come on, are you trying to get away from me?" Mingi smirked, trying to chase another kiss from your lips but you kept dodging him, "That's pretty absurd considering I still have my cock inside of you, plugging you full." Your eyes widened at the vulgarity of his chosen words and you couldn't help but smack him on the shoulder but fail to hold back a giggle, "Don't say it like that!" "Like what? Like the way it is?" Mingi teased, pushing himself up to trail a finger on your stomach which made your breath hitch and your muscle to tense, "I need to make sure you really do get pregnant so you can give me my baby just like I wanted," his voice trailed as his fingers drew patterns on your skin almost lovingly and the nonsensical side of you wanted to believe that he was showing his affection to you. You figured that there was only one way to find out.

Without missing a beat, you took his finger that was tracing your skin into your mouth and start licking around as if it was a lollipop, effectively causing Mingi's attention to shift to your face and his cock to twitch inside you. "Who said we're only gonna try this once, daddy? You're gonna fuck me as much as you like until I'm good and pregnant."

The smirk that bloomed on Mingi's face was devilish and almost menacing, showing his genuine intention to get wamhat he wanted.

"I hope you'd never ask. I'm gonna fuck you all night long and you're gonna be a good girl and take it all with no complaint."

As if you'd say no.

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---

Baby Baby

group : ateez

pairing : alpha!san × human mate!reader

genre : smut

wc : 3.4 k

warning : mature, mdni, explicit smut; restraints, cumming untouched, rut, breeding kink (breeding need more like), lactation kink, slight cum play and cum eating, both san and mc are being degenerate pain slut mayhaps ?, unprotected sex, alpha sex, rut sex, knotting, degradation ??, don't read if you don't like or can't stand this genre

a/n : this fic is brought to you by @kitten4sannie GOADING me. I wholeheartedly blame you alyssa. whatever happens after this, blame alyssa

buy me coffee ?

You came rushing to the pack house with your baby tucked in her little blanket, sleeping so soundly like an angel which was an utter contrast to the situation that you were facing. You had been rushing so much that you changed into a flimsy shirt and a long boho-esque skirt. You were barely at the front door and yet you could hear the sound of your husband's screams, filling the silence in the air, and making the whole area seem haunted.

Upon entry, you were greeted by Seonghwa who immediately took your little princess in his arms and Yeosang who welcomed you. "How bad is it?" you asked, taking your coat before handing it over along with your bag to Yeosang. Hongjoong came rounding from the kitchen upon hearing you and from the look on his face, you knew this was a bad one. "(y/n), are you sure you want to handle him?" Hongjoong asked, worriedly looking between you and your sleeping daughter, whose fluffy wolf ears twitched at the sound of the commotion but remained in her slumber. You simply shrugged, "He's my husband, this is nothing I haven't experienced before," you said as you tried to push past Hongjoong to go to the basement. Before you could go past him, he held you back and made you look at him, "This is unlike his previous ruts, (y/n). He's... He's going over the rails and it's triggered by you giving birth," he explained. You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion, "But I gave birth like a long time ago. For fuck's sake, we're close to Hyemi's first birthday." With arms raised, Hongjoong could only shrug, "All I know is that the doctor told us that this is like an anti-postpartum depression. He's more aggressive, more needy, and frankly his sexual stamina is beyond anything I've ever seen and he was already a nutjob in that department."

Hearing Hongjoong's explanation made your heartbeat increase both from worry but also from... excitement? You knew what San is capable of and you knew the others knew as well. So for Hongjoong to be so concerned, you could only imagine what the extent of San's state is like.

After kissing your daughter on the forehead and allowing Seonghwa to take her over to the hunting cabin so she would be away from all the noise, you marched down to the basement only to see a sight that made you gasp.

Under the moonlight and a single lightbulb near the door, San, your dear husband, was shirtless and his limbs were restrained by metal chains that ran from the corners of one side of the wall. You wanted to ask why he was put in such a state but when you closed the door, you had seen how the small window that allows people to peek in was shattered on the ground and the handle on the door was bent, flattened even. You couldn't explain why that made you wet and you felt like you couldn't fixate on that considering the situation. But the sight of the shambled surrounding was not as surprising as seeing San staring, or glaring, at you, straining against the chains so hard that his veins were popping.

"Honey, I knew that was you. I could smell you from the moment you stepped out of the car," San shuddered, eyes glazing and his fists clenching, "Have you come for me, pretty? You came for your alpha didn't you?" he chuckled darkly. You swallowed nervously but San knew that you were aroused seeing him with his shirtless, glistening chest and very very tight jeans, especially with a VERY distracting protrusion in the dark patch in his crotch. No matter how much you had been with San, the sight of him half naked and so animalistic always made you blush. "Honey, I'm so thirsty," San whimpered and as if it was an automatic trigger, you abandoned your position and rushed to San, cupping his face gently only to gasp at how feverish he felt, "Oh sweetie, you're burning up! I'll go get you some water." You were about to detach away from him but he growled and dropped his head on your shoulder, making you stand still in your spot. "I am thirsty but not for that, my love. I'm thirsty for you."

Slowly, you felt San's head turn and he let out a shaky exhale that made tingles ran down your spine. Your eyes fluttered close when San's tongue joined in to lick your skin around your neck almost strategically pressing into your weak points which made your knees buckled and since San didn't have his freedom, you had to cling onto his body. The proximity made San smirk against your skin because now he was able to grind into your core, allowing you to feel how wet and hard he had become. "F-fuck, Sannie-" "Can you feel that? Can you feel how hard I am? I've been waiting for you mama and I can't take it anymore. Do you know how many times I've cum in my pants? Do you know how many times my cum has been wasted? I could've been breeding you over and over, make you a mommy again because fuck, we did such a great job with the first one," San panted heavily into your ear as he winced from pain and need, "Love, I need to put another baby in you, I want to put a baby in you."

Your mind was in such a hazy state because his body's warmth was luring you in like a faux safety net but the way he was humping your leg with his cock that seemed to be engorged due to both arousal and his heat. "Sannie, baby, y-your cock-" "It's asking for you, mama. It wants you. Please, please, please, let it bury itself inside your sweet sweet cunt and breed it with another pup. It's been so long and it hurts, it hurts so good," His words were like melted butter in your ears, absolutely making you weak and you were sure that your panties were effectively ruined with your slick but also from the way San was rubbing his jeans-clad crotch onto you. You couldn't deny the increasing need- no, want for him. It HAD been some time since you got intimate all thanks to your baby girl. You and he had been so focused on taking care of her and letting your body heal that the most you two have done was letting San suck on your tits while dry-humping you. So you two were stuck in a hard situation. Literally.

In your state of utter oblivion, you somehow managed to refocus yourself enough to look at the way San was straining. He had been whispering pleas and sweet nothings, buttering you up to let him relieve his rut on you, you missed the way he was straining so hard that you swore he was so close to breaking the restraints like they were made of popsicle sticks.

"Poor baby," San's mouth stopped its work on your skin the moment you replied coherently, "You've been waiting for me for so long, haven't you? Settling for minuscule action while I got better, you took such good care of me... Alpha." You had to suppress a moan when you felt San's cock twitch as his hip ground harder into your crotch, accidentally stimulating your clit against the barrier. "Yes, yes, yes, baby, I will take such good care of you. You saw how much of a great husband I could be with our first, imagine me with our second. So please, please let me out of this misery and let me fuck another baby into you."

Cursing, you pushed away from San slightly and took off your shirt before dropping down to kneel in front of his crotch. San watched you with keen eyes as your hands deftly moved to release him from his confines. The moment his cock was freed, you saw it bob before it stood straight up, slapping him right on his stomach, his residual cum smearing and splattering from the impact, some even landed on your cheek but you couldn't care. How could you care when your husband's cock was staring at you almost tauntingly? You swore his cock was larger than you remembered. The tip, a shade of angry red, and his balls seemed full of cum.

"Fuck, alpha, you're going to break me," you breathed.

Though unintentional, your breath hit his stiff cock and before you could react, San came untouched. Spurts of his cum hit you on your face making you gasp in surprise. "Fuck!" San grunted as he rode off his high, allowing his balls to empty out yet again. The amount of cum that San let out was astonishing as it seem almost endless. It made you imagine San shooting that much cum when he finished inside you. Just from the looks of it, you knew that that climax you and San will soon share would be sloppy and messy and you can't wait. Your cunt clenching with anticipation.

"Fuck, baby, why did you have to tease me like that, you slut? You just had to goad your alpha knowing that he's in restraints, huh? You really think you could take advantage of the situation I'm in huh?" San growled, snapping his hips forward so that his cock slapped you in the mouth, smearing his fresh cum around as if to mark and humiliate you. "Sorry alpha, I didn't mean to. I was just so... Amazed with your cock, I just wanna..." You trailed off as your lips slowly enveloped the hard appendage. The moment your wam mouth made contact with San's cock, he immediately almost lost control. Your tongue was caressing his cock all around so good that his hips started moving, grounding itself against your mouth as if it was addicted to you just as much as you were addicted to tasting San again. It was hard, and it wasn't just the stiffness of the cock, but his engorged size trying to stuff itself inside your mouth was almost too much. Your jaw was hurting but the pain was too delicious, you were struggling but you wanted more of it, you wanted it wholly and you wanted it so bad. San's hips made it hard for you to lick the cum clean from his dick but you made do with what you can. "Look at my mate. My pretty, pretty mate, so fucking beautiful and so fucking needy for her alpha," San's tongue darted out to lick his chapped bottom lip and as he did, he could almost taste you in the air, "And look at you being so needy," he chuckled darkly, seeing the way your hips sway back and forth and then around as if to look for friction for your very empty cunt. "Can't wait to fill you up, baby. Can't wait to pound that sweet pussy once again," he moaned.

Hearing him so needy for you, you couldn't help but let out a whimper and immediately scrambled up. "You want to fill me up, alpha? I'll give you what you want," you grabbed the edges of your skirt and hiked it up so you could easily took your panties off and fling it across the room. With his senses heightened, the smell of your free cunt made San's eyes roll to the back of his head and his hips gyrate in your direction. "Come on, come on, come on mama, stop torturing me and let me fuck you so good and so deep, your tummy would bulge out. I'm gonna make sure you'll get good and pregnant"

You couldn't even get properly and wholly naked as you were just that desperate and needy for San. So with one edge of your skirt still hiked, you hooked your left leg around his strong right thigh and your right hand reached under to slip his tip right at your entrance. "I'm ready alpha, I'm ready for you to take me and fill me up," you panted, pressing your forehead against his while you prepared yourself mentally to take his cock inside you. San rolled his hip once and his bulbous tip slipped inside you so easily thanks to your arousal, his residual cum, and your spit, mixing together creating the perfect lubricant. "Oh fuck," you whimpered, your arms circling around San's neck so tightly, catching him in a vice grip, "You're s-so big, t-too big!" you gasped the more it slipped inside you.

San was faring no better. Having gone through the first night of his rut by himself and flooding his mind with the thought and memories of your cunt, he was going through 10 emotions all at once because he finally got to feel the real deal. Being chest-to-chest with San allowed you to feel his heart beating so hard and quick you were afraid that it would break out of his ribcage. However, your worry about him breaking something was misplaced because while you were trying to slowly get yourself ready to take him whole inch by inch, San's patience snapped. His wolf was crying out to breed you and he deemed that he needed more and he needed it right then and there.

"San! Oh my- Fuck!!" You screeched when San bottomed out inside you with one smooth move. Your arms held onto him tighter while his thighs trembled, the pleasure was overwhelming him, almost sending his head to an empty state. "Baby, my love, my mate, thank you for giving your body to me."

You weren't even accustomed to him just yet but he had started fucking you with such fervor that it took everything in you to keep your mental faculties intact and held onto him for dear life. For the life of you, you couldn't even begin to think about how San managed to fuck you even with his limbs restrained but even such thought easily slipped from your mind as all other coherent mental processes were getting fucked out of you. "A-alpha please!" you weren't sure what you were pleading for because while it hurt, the pain was too pleasurable and you truly believed that you would have gone insane had he pulled back. Not that you think he could. When you pulled away slightly, you saw the way San was staring at you with dilated pupils, his eyes even seemingly turned into a shade of gold though you were not so sure due to the dimness of the room and your body being shaken up and down like a shaker. You could feel it, you could feel his cock deep inside you. The movement allowed him to go deeper and deeper, and you were sure that his tip was coaxing your cervix to open ever so slowly as evidenced by the dull probing feeling in your lower belly area. Even the thought of his cock prying you open to accommodate his agenda made your head feel like it was swimming.

Pleasure coursed through your body almost to the maximum extent within minutes but you held on, you wanted to hold on for your husband. "Fuck, I miss this," San growled, chuckling darkly, "How did I manage to not fuck you every night? It was wrong of me to let you experience even one day without being my little cumdump, my fleshlight, my most precious little doll toy." The way he reduced you to nothing but a plaything made your cunt clench, causing San's movement to halt and his breath hitch. "Honey, don't do that, I might cum too soon," he said through gritted teeth. You moaned and dropped your head back, exposing your neck to your husband, "And is that such a bad thing, love? Come on, cum in me, you promised to fill me up so full, right?"

The encouragement effectively pushed San's inner wolf to completely take over because the next thing you know, San ripped the right cup of your bra off, exposing your breast and your perked nipple before latching his mouth on it and he resumed his fucking. Not many words were exchanged between the two of you, all sorts of communication was in the form of moans, groans, and grunts. Especially you, who was up on cloud 9 from both penetrating and sucking stimulation. San was fucking you stupid while his mouth was feasting on your breastmilk. You took a peek down to see white dribbling down San's chin a bit too calmly while his hips never stopped their work on your cunt. The intensity of the pleasure sent you reeling and you could feel you were teetering on the edge of a climax. Your limbs contorted around San even tighter so much so that you were practically floating, two bodies being supported by one and at this moment you were very much glad that San's animalistic side had taken over perhaps completely.

"F-fuck, San! Sannie! Alpha! I-I-" You wanted to tell him that you were cumming but the words were stuck in your throat. San, too preoccupied with the taste of you on his tongue, didn't bother answering but he simply bit down on your breast. The sharp pain caused you to let your control slip and then and there you came undone. Your body shook as you climaxed, your jaw unhinged and you let out a loud cry while your cunt unknowingly let out spurts of clear liquid.

San always loved it when you climaxed because your scent became more powerful and your body writhed about that sent his animalistic side into a frenzy as it paralleled his high when he caught a prey; so pliant, so submissive, so... helpless. Your orgasm served to only goad San even more as he never stopped his movement, never even faltering for a single beat. "Yes, we're so close, baby, so close," San smirked after gulping down your milk. His sharp canine dragged on your sternum in a menacing way that made it even hotter for some reason. You were already so spent and to be frank, the constant friction was becoming almost too much. Your legs were starting to cramp and your arms were slowly going numb. As glad as you were for cumming, knew you couldn't handle another one so soon, especially when you felt his knot forming.

"Alpha, alpha! Cum in me p-please! I- I can't take it anymore!" you whined, gripping him so hard that his back bore the red streaks of your nails that dug into his skin. "Yes, mama, yes. I'll cum in you, I'm cumming in you, fuck! I'm gonna get you nice and pregnant!" San announced loudly before his hips stuttered once more and his mouth latched back onto your breast. Along with his teeth digging into your soft flesh, you felt warm liquid being spurted out directly into your womb, filling you rather quickly and your mind floated back to the amount of cum San had let out not even too long ago. San's cum and knot were filling you up so stupidly good that you didn't even have any more energy to scream so you simply dropped your head onto his shoulder. Your senses were filled with San experiencing his true release after holding back for so long.

San happily sucked more of your milk, ensuring that your breast would be drained and very darkly marked, while he happily let his knot rest inside you.

Although you were still being stimulated, your body was slowly calming down and it was then did your muscles felt the after effect. Soreness started to settle in your joints and parts of your limbs but your husband's warmth was making things up for you, like a very large heating pad.

"Alpha, I'm so full," you croaked, closing your eyes when you felt San also calming down even if it was temporary. "You were so good, my mate. I'm so proud of my little mama being able to take all of that," he praised, letting his lips trail kisses from your chest, up your neck, to your cheeks, and settle to nibble on your earlobe. "But you know that this night had just begun."

Your eyes snapped open when you heard loud clanking sounds and you immediately took notice of the way the chains that were holding San's limbs were so easily broken and in a flash, you were put on the floor with San hovering over you.

"How about we try for twins this time?"

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Bittersweet Neighbors

💝 Pairing/AU: Single dad Seonghwa x afab neighbor

💝 Genre: Angst, some fluff, single dad au, smut, Rate M for mature audiences

💝 Word Count: 14.1k

💝 Warnings: Mentions and implications of abuse, threats, baby trapping, alcohol consumption, smut warnings under cut, Seonghwa is aged up (roughly early 30s) so slight age gap (5-8 years-ish)

💝 In collab with @daemour Fluff/Angst Dilf Hwa-

💝 Their half of the collab, Fluffy Dilf Hwa, is "I Can See You"

💝 Network: @pirateeznet

💝 Smut warnings: oral (m & f receiving), unprotected sex, slightly intoxicated sex, big dick Hwa, long tongue hwa, pussy drunk hwa

Kids weren’t your thing- single dad’s with young kids were most definitely not your thing- but something about this one had you pause.

Your new neighbor: Park Seonghwa. 

He looked far too pretty to be moving into the somewhat rundown apartment building you were in, but the young girl with him was probably the reason why. She had to be about seven almost? Maybe eight? The first time meeting them was brief as he just knocked on your door and introduced himself and his daughter Eun-byeol as your new neighbors, then moved on to the apartment across from his.

They were both polite and quiet, almost meek. He wore dull clothes while she was dressed in new and bright clothes, clearly more cared for than her father. Something about that had your heart melting a bit for them.

It was the second time you interacted where you really got curious about them; about him. You caught sight of them at the diner just down the street from your apartment, he was giving her all of his attention and smiling in such a loving way your own heart reacted. You had debated on asking to join them, but didn't want to ruin the cute daddy-daughter date that was going on. 

Instead you sat at the bar and just watched, only to get caught staring when he had leaned over to wipe some sauce off Eun-byeol's cheek. His smile seemed a little more closed off but still friendly, sending you a wave before he turned his attention back to his daughter.

Soft guys like that also weren't your type but it took some time to get your cheeks to stop burning. It was obvious he was a good dad who adored and cared for his daughter with his entire wellbeing, even if this was the second time you encountered him.

But the third time you were just down right concerned. The young girl had knocked on your door, alone, which made you several levels of uncomfortable and confused. 

She pointed at her apartment, where you could now make out yelling from the cracked door: a female yelling. The young girl looked up at you with eyes that matched her father's, filled with innocent worry. “Can you help Daddy?”

You didn't get a chance to ask what she meant, the man in question calling out for her and stepping out. He swept her up in his arms, relief heavy in his tone. “Don't do that Eun-byeol… I was worried.” He checked her over, relief visibly settling his features before he turned to you for an apology. “I'm sorry for the disturbance, I'll talk to Eun-byeol about it.”

“It's no problem- really.” You somehow managed to get out naturally despite your sudden rigid posture. It was blazingly obvious why the little girl had said what she did, a marked cheek and busted lip marred his pretty features. The need to know what was going on was overwhelming, urging your next words. “May I ask what she is concerned about?” 

Seonghwa looked taken aback, glancing down at his daughter who was clearly worried, but neither got a chance to reply before someone else was stepping out of the apartment. “Seonghwa I wasn’t fucking done talking to you- oh.” 

All eyes moved to the woman standing there, head to toe in designer clothes, looking as if she just stepped out of a runway show. She narrowed her eyes on you, looking you over and clearly sneering at your outfit; you weren’t dressed to accept company after all. “Did you really run off mid conversation to bother this?”

“N-no Soojin, Eunbyeol had a question for her.” The panic in his eyes squeezed your heart but not as much as the protective hold he had on the little girl.

You stepped forward, forcing a friendly smile as so much made sense suddenly. “She was just asking me if I was still going to bake some treats for her. I told her to remind me before the weekend.” The lie fell off your lips with ease, and thankfully Seonghwa didn’t let his shock show. “Right Eunbyeol? That's what you were coming over for? I’m sure you wanted to know if I was going to make enough to share right?”

Eunbyeol did look confused, glancing over at the woman before nodding. “Y-yes. Wanted to give some to Mommy.”

Soojin seemed to relax a bit at that, smiling at the girl. “Aw baby, you were just thinking about me?” She stepped over, reaching for the girl who, even to your eyes, seemed a little hesitant to climb into the woman’s arms. “Mmm then I would definitely like some. But you’re coming to Mommy’s house tonight right?”

“I can have them ready for when you get back. Although I wasn’t told when?”

“Sunday. Eunbyeol goes with her mother every other weekend.” Seonghwa didn’t tear his eyes off the girl in question and you could see the sadness in them. “Soojin came to pick her up today.”

You nodded, watching the woman fret over Eunbyeol’s appearance while murmuring about getting her some new things and about shopping. “Daddy is giving Mommy some extra money to get you some more school clothes- and a little for Mommy too. Are you excited?” She giggled, turning on her heel to head back inside. When she looked up at Seonghwa she sneered again. “You are, right?”

“Y-yes. Just tell me how much.” He mumbled, pulling out his tattered wallet. He opened it to quite a lot of cash there, which once more had you wondering why he was living in this shit end apartment.

“All of it.” Soojin held her perfectly manicured hand out. “Nothing less for our Princess right?”

As he handed over every bill, you didn’t think much of that was going towards Eunbyeol at all. Never before had you disliked a person so fast. In fact, your blood boiled and you decided you hated this woman.

She counted the bills in her hands after setting Eunbyeol down, seemingly not that satisfied with the amount. “You think this is enough?”

“I’m sorry, her school fees came out this week.” He muttered, not looking at the angry woman’s face. 

She scoffed, grabbed Eunbyeol’s hand and pulled her into the apartment. “Then find a way to make enough. Deadbeat fucking man.” 

Once she disappeared into the apartment you turned your full attention to Seonghwa, heart shattering at the worn out saddened expression on his face. “H-Hey, Seonghwa? What kind of cookies do you and Eunbyeol like?”

“They like Mint chocolate and Eunbyeol isn’t picky otherwise.” He muttered, avoiding your gaze.

You scoffed, leaning down to capture his gaze. “I asked what cookies you and your daughter like, not her and her… mother.” You could hardly call her that with a straight face.

“I…” He seemed genuinely surprised by your interest, lifting his head to reply when he was called by Soojin. “Strawberry treats… We both love those.” He whispered like it was a secret before rushing into his apartment with a quick wave, saying goodbye to you.

Stepping back into your apartment, you started a google search for easy strawberry baked treats. Now you didn’t bake much, but that was now your plan for the weekend. 

You were going to bake by yourself, but something had been nagging at you. It kept you up all night almost, leaving you a bit restless the next day. One thing was for certain, if Eunbyeol was gone what was Seonghwa doing?

It was obvious the life he had now, the struggle on his shoulders, and you could not turn your head away and ignore him. Not when he looked at Eunbyeol like she was his entire world. Not when that little girl was clearly worried about her father, who definitely needed help. But who were you to tell him what to do? 

You were just the neighbor. 

Instead of being disheartened by that, the next morning you knocked on his door, tapping your foot impatiently. He looked a bit perplexed when he opened up, but offered you a friendly small smile. “Yes?”

“Are you free today?” You blurted out, taking in the baggy sweater he wore before meeting his gaze. “I have to go to the store to get some things, and then I’m gonna bake. Was thinking if you are free, you could come with?”

It seemed to take him a moment to realize you were asking him to accompany you, but when it hit he was smiling with such pure happiness your heart fluttered. “I’d love to.”

Seonghwa was even sweeter and softer than you had thought, so shy at first but by the end of the day he seemed plenty comfortable in your presence: all it took was offering Eunbyeol up as a topic and he had an awful lot to say. He was animated, happy, and just down right adorable talking about his daughter. The only time it dampened was when the subject of her mother came into the picture.

You found out he and Soojin had been college sweethearts and separated for about a year now. He didn’t disclose why the two of you split up, but you didn’t need him to answer it: the way the two interacted yesterday spoke volumes on why.

You hadn’t wanted the day to end with just shopping so you convinced him to help you bake, informing him you really didn’t know how. The laugh he gave was music to your ears, and you spent the better part of the evening messing up your kitchen to try and hear it again.

Not wanting it to end, you offered to do this again. “I work from home so I don’t really have a social life, so whenever Eunbyeol is away maybe we can make something for her? Together?”

He seemed genuinely happy, nodding without a second of hesitation. “Please?” The beady eyes he sent your way made it hard to believe he was in his early thirties.

The next day Eun-byeol was back in the morning, knocking on your door with her mother and some of the treats in hand. You had a feeling Soojin wasn't going to let Seonghwa have any, so you had made sure he had his fill last night. You were glad you did now that the entire leftover batch was in the hands of the two before you. “I see you got the treats?”

“Mm yes, Eun-byeol wanted to thank you. Didn't you Princess? You wanted to have a nice conversation with the nice lady? Maybe watch something with her?” Soojin not-so-gently pushed her forehead, which had you frowning a bit. Her attempt of panning the child off was obvious, and if you didn't like the father of said child you would decline.

But you didn't want to send the wrathful woman onto him and the young girl, so you opened your door wider. “I actually wanted to show you something Eun-byeol, so come on in. I'm sure your father won't mind if I steal you for a bit?” You smiled down sweetly, hoping to ease the young girl's worries.

Eun-byeol relaxed and nodded, stepping into your apartment and waving at her mother. “Bye mom.”

“Mm bye sweetie. Daddy will come get you shortly.” She didn't say anything else as she headed into the apartment next door, and you hoped Seonghwa wasn't going to have another bruise on his face.

Shutting the door you glanced down at the once more awkward girl. Sighing, you bent down to her eye level and held out a hand. “Say Eun-byeol, what do you like to watch?”

“Animal crossing or Lego videos. Daddy likes to watch them when he's sad.” She admitted, playing with the bag of cookies in her hand. “B-but I want to watch those with him.”

You nodded sympathetically, thinking it over. Eun-byeol was Seonghwa's whole world, but you had a feeling that was mutual for the little girl before you. “I understand, and I'm sure your dad can come join us when your Mom leaves. Why don't we get everything set up, maybe find some snacks, and surprise him with it?”

She lit up at the idea, the same way Seonghwa lit up when talking about her. It was endearing how much the two were alike, and under other circumstances you might tease them for it. “Yes please!” Just like with her father, it was easy to get her to open up when talking about the other person. 

Eun-byeol helped you set up your couch with extra blankets and some of the plushies you had- which for the eight-year-old (she had clarified) the plushies had been a very serious decision. The pink bunny you had was ultimately her favorite and she had gotten cozy on the couch while you started prepping snacks. The atmosphere was pretty nice between the two of you, kind of cozy, until there was a slight bang on your apartment wall that drew your attention. 

It was of course the wall connecting you to Seonghwa's apartment. Frowning, you stepped over to the wall, telling Eun-byeol not to worry and instead look at the YouTube videos and find a nice one. Your TV was on the opposite end of your living room, the wall that was connected to your bedroom, so the sound helped the young girl from hearing the next noises that you heard.

Moans.

You had to press your ear to the wall to hear it a little better, but it was mostly a woman. Your eyes went wide, making out something she said that had your blood heating up and running cold at once. 

“You'll really do anything to keep her won't you? Pathetic.”

Stepping away quickly you went back to grabbing snacks- which really was just your usual assortment that you brought to the coffee table and sat them down. With the video playing you couldn't hear what was going on in the apartment besides the occasional bang. And when you heard that- you tried not to think about the matter.

It wasn't your place, even if you were watching their child.

The bangs didn't last for long and you easily got sucked into the videos, snacking away with Eunbyeol right next to you, mimicking some of the sounds from the animal crossing characters. When there was a knock on your door you went to grab it, not wanting to disturb the young girl. You already knew it was Seonghwa.

He stood there freshly showered and damp hair still sticking to his forehead, looking away as soon as he saw you. “I'm here to get Eunbyeol… I'm sorry you were asked to watch her so suddenly.”

With an easygoing smile you opened the door wider. “It's not an issue, really, she's quite nice to be around. Though I did promise her we would all enjoy some snacks and videos and I would hate to disappoint. So come in?”

Hesitantly he did, shoes pulled off as he stuck his head in and spotted his daughter looking over the back of the couch like a meerkat. Watching their faces both light up the same way at seeing each other you couldn't help but smile fondly. 

Eunbyeol did a good job convincing him to get comfortable and enjoy the snacks, playing another video she had found and then asking you to sit down with her. You gave the two space, and as the video continued you found yourself watching them more than the video. They were in their own world almost, though they would pull you in occasionally to point out something on the screen.

Despite your concerns over awkwardness, there was none. A few hours past and you ordered take out on your dime. The three of you ate and they stayed until Eunbyeol was falling asleep on his lap.

“Thank you for this. It really means a lot that you did.” Seonghwa was picking up the sleeping girl in his arms, her small arms loosely wrapped around his neck as she drooled on his shoulder.

“Again, it was nice having some company. I told you I work from home so I don't go out much. Can I ask you something though Seonghwa?” You were picking up the blankets, your plush forever glued to the little girl's hands so you made no effort to take it.

He nodded, attempting to help you with cleaning up but you gently swatted at his hand. “Ask me anything I can answer.”

“Is this normal for you? Your ex-wife dropping your daughter off and sending her away so she can have adult time with you?” It came out easier than you expected, but you couldn't look him in the eye either. So instead you focused on picking up the snacks.

Seonghwa had gone rigid, his hand halting on Eunbyeol’s back. “Did Eunbyeol-”

“No she didn't hear anything, I kept her by the TV when I first heard it.” You explained, taking the snacks to the kitchen. “Does it happen often?”

When he didn't reply right away you glanced up, heart sinking as you realized he had tears in her eyes. “N-not every time, but whenever she isn't dating anyone or I don't give her enough money. Usually Eunbyeol is sent to her room and told to listen to music or something. I ask her to be quiet but-”

“You don't have to go into details.” You could tell it upset him just to think about it. “She doesn't like that it happens, she can tell that you are sad after. It was her suggestion for the videos.” You made your way over, eyes on the little girl. “I know it's not my place but… the next time, let's do this again.”

He softened at your proposal, nodding. “Thank you, I'd like that.” 

And like that it became routine. Every other weekend would be the same. Eunbyeol would stop by your apartment Friday afternoon and tell you what treat she would like as an excuse to say goodbye. Saturday you and Seonghwa would go shopping, and then bake together. Sunday morning Eunbyeol would knock on your door and the two of you would prepare the living area for video time until Seonghwa would arrive freshly showered and with fresh hickies on his neck. You would order dinner and they would leave once Eunbyeol fell asleep.

It happened for about four more months before Seonghwa's work had him take on overtime, in which you were kindly asked to pick up from school and watch Eunbyeol three days a week. You didn't mind, the two of you had gotten rather close with how sweet she was.

You didn't think it would get old comparing the two of them, the many ways Eun-byeol was like her father, and you did get comfortable enough with them to tease them for it. It had made Seonghwa incredibly proud but also flustered and it was the first time you saw him blush so cutesy. You couldn't tell him you suspected that Eun-byeol mimicked him on purpose just to make him happy, there was perhaps a chance he knew that already.

Soojin never got likable but you hadn't seen another bruise on Seonghwa's face since that first Friday. So you didn't try and butt in. Seonghwa and Eunbyeol were not happy with the woman but it was only every other weekend right? And you did your best to make them smile in your free time.

It wasn't until Seonghwa invited you out onto one of their Saturday daddy-daughter dates that you realized how close you had gotten with them. It meant a lot to you, the three of you sitting at that diner you saw him before, each eating the usual you had separately but this time together.

You both laughed as Eun-byeol got sauce on her cheek, and before Seonghwa could do so, you were wiping it off with your thumb much like a mother would. You hadn't even realized you did it until you were sitting back and caught Seonghwa's bewildered expression. “Oops, I took your favorite part huh?” You teased, only to watch him soften.

With a fond smile, he shook his head. “You just made it better is all.”

His simple admission had heat rushing to both your cheeks, eyes now downcast as you thought of the implications of that statement… and how they made you feel.

You buried those feelings until the next Saturday when you two were attempting to make homemade frosting for a cake. You held out the spatula to him, demanding he get the first taste. In his struggle to refuse some of it got on his cheek and you laughed, pulling the same move again and swiping off the frosting. “Just like your Princess.” You teased, bringing your thumb to your mouth to taste it.

But he grabbed your hand and pulled you forward, locking eyes with you as he wrapped his lips around your thumb, licking the frosting off. There was a heat in his gaze you had never seen before that had lust pooling in the pit of your stomach and halting your breath in your throat. When he pulled away his tongue darted out, your eyes following the motion and realizing he had quite a long tongue… shaking off the direction those thoughts were headed you pulled away.

The air sparked between you two with heavy tension, but neither of you said anything, just stared for a moment. It was the oven going off that broke the spell and you turned quickly, grabbing the mitts and getting the cake out of the oven. You turned all your focus onto that, and when he realized you did, his focus followed.

You dreaded the next day, not because Eunbyeol would come home but because you knew what he would do when she did; and for the first time the thought made you sick to your stomach.

You were distracted as you sat with the young girl, volume up higher than normal so you wouldn't hear the bangs. But you still did, practically flinching with each one as it rammed the realization into you over and over: you were in love with Park Seonghwa.

Being in love with him didn’t mean you wanted to step up and be more than what you were now, not with the relationship he had with his ex-wife. And even without Soojin in the picture, you knew you weren’t going to be a priority to him: His whole world was sitting right next to you on the couch, you didn’t want to take from that.

That didn’t exactly make it easy to look at him. When you heard the knock on the door you paused the tv, forcing a smile down at the confused Eunbyeol. “I’m not feeling too good so I’m going to lay down. You want to head home and watch it with your Daddy alone today?”

The concern on her features tugged at your heartstrings but you didn’t want to get any more attached. She nodded after a moment of watching you, slipping off the sofa and rushing to the door. You could hear her passing your message on to Seonghwa, his concern evident in his tone but he took Eunbyeol and left. That was the first night you cried over him.

You made an effort to avoid Seonghwa since then, declining his offer to join them at the diner the next Saturday, but kept picking up Eunbyeol from school and letting you stay with her. You found yourself dreading the next weekend, no sooner to having your feelings sorted out than the day you discovered them. 

So of course, you broke some hearts. The saddened look on Eunbyeol’s face when you told her you didn’t have the time to bake anything this weekend once more pulled your heartstrings and you wanted to give in right then and there- but if you were going to bake, Seonghwa was going to join you on that endeavor and you couldn’t handle being alone with him. Not right now.

Maybe not ever.

Seonghwa had a different plan, ushering Eunbyeol back to their apartment but not moving from your doorway. When she was out of sight, the question tumbled from his lips. “What sort of plans do you have this weekend?”

You shrugged. “Got some things I got to catch up on work wise and friends to hang out with. Things like that.” Well now you couldn’t just hold yourself up in your apartment all weekend like you had hoped, although being out Sunday morning was beginning to seem like a wonderful idea. “I’ll be out Saturday night, not sure when I’ll be back Sunday so just a heads up on that too.”

“Oh…” Dejectedly he looked away, guilt slamming into your chest because you didn’t think he could make that sort of expression.

Angry more so at yourself, you bristled. “What? I do have other people I see and talk to, you know.” 

Gosh did you have to be so harsh? He literally flinched at your words. “R-right, of course. Well, have fun then.”

You shut the door and relaxed against it, panic beginning to well up. Should you go and apologize? Say it was all a lie? But then you would have to admit why and that was something you most certainly couldn't do. So make the lie the truth then? Who did you know who would be welcoming to your sudden interest in making plans?

There really was just one person, and you dialed their number before much of a thought. He of course picked up, albeit voice thick with sleep. “Hey Wooyoung, can we uh, hang out this weekend?”

“Uh… I have plans to go clubbing tomorrow… I know that's not your thing Cousin.” You could hear another voice grumbling in the background, which had you feeling even more awkward. Was he dating someone?

God, could you be any more alone? “That's fine, I'll go with you. I've been cooped up too much, it feels like I'm going insane. Some chaotic fun and maybe a hookup sounds nice.” If it got your neighbor off your mind then yes, you'd gladly hook up with a stranger.

Wooyoung was just happy you wanted to hang out. “Sure! Want me to pick you up or send you the address? No, I'm coming over and helping you pick a fit. I'm bringing my friends too, including that one I told you is so your type!” He was giddy. “Sannie, my cousin finally agreed to come join us!”

Oh, how could you forget San? His long term best friend and makeshift lover? And of course the friend in question: Jeong Yunho.

Maybe this wasn’t going to be a good idea. “Fine, what time should I expect you?”

“Eight should be good, we’ll head out clubbing about 10. Need food? We can make a stop and knowing you, you live off instant ramen and quick cooking meals.” He huffed out, more shuffling on his side. “Might have some leftovers.”

You knew he was right, at least he had been. One look at your kitchen cabinets and you knew you would find more than that now: meals for Eunbyeol, healthier snacks and your fridge had quite a bit of leftovers from Seonghwa that he often dropped by after noticing the same predicament.

What would Wooyoung say if he knew that? You didn’t want to find out. “Sure whatever you want Wooyo. I’ll see you tomorrow at eight.” You hung up before he got to reply, you had things to do.

And by things: wallowing in guilt and self-pity for a night. You could keep yourself busy tomorrow, drag yourself out to- to what? Were your weekends, your life, really so bland before Seonghwa came along? Just more reason to sulk it seemed. Get it out of your system before you try to think of a solution.

Things just had to change.

Eight rolled around rather quickly the next day, spending most of it like a spa day- you were attempting to get laid tonight after all. As usual, your cousin arrived and didn’t give you time to really think about anything else. It had been months since you last talked to him but he didn’t let it show at all, talking about his life and catching you up as he had you try on half your closet before settling on a dress he had gotten you before that you had never worn. He made sure you had the leftovers he brought, letting you finish before San took over for makeup and he did your hair.

Shortly after nine, you were freshly dolled up and the two were beaming over you. “May I present the lovely centerpiece of our entourage tonight!” Wooyoung happily announced, pulling you out of your room and encouraging you to model the fit for the other two friends they had brought: Yunho and Mingi. Two tall and seemingly intimidating men that Wooyoung assured you were sweethearts.

Now they were the ones that were your typical type. And the lack of pitter patter of your heart at the sight of them was heavily disappointing. Both were only a little older than you, single, no kids, and pretty chill but gave the vibe they could rock your world and take care of you if you let them.

Yet Seonghwa was the one you were thinking about. Damn, you really had it bad. “Well! No more wasting time yeah? Show me what I’m missing in my life dear cousin and company.” You winked over at the two giants, still determined to banish Seonghwa out of your mind.

Once more, easier said than done. Stepping out of your apartment, making such a racket, he was right there. Right there looking like he was ready for bed in cute pjs and messy hair and bare face, holding some garbage away from his body. He was a stark contrast to your party of 5, ready to dance the night away.

His expression did nothing to help the guilt that still sat in the pit of your stomach, almost like a wounded puppy. He muttered your name, drawing the attention of Wooyoung who was fiddling with your hair. 

“Oh who is this? When did you get a hottie in your complex?” Wooyoung wiggled his brows but you gently hit him. “What? He is!”

Scoffing, you entwined your arm with his and pulled him along. “He's got a kid Wooyo, be nice.”

“That was me being nice.” He whined, waving at Seonghwa. “Hi I'm Wooyoung-”

“And we don't have time for this. Come on, I want some fun.” You tugged a little harder, causing him to stumble into you a bit and San to laugh.

“He looks fun-”

“He's just a neighbor San, now let's go.” You cut off the other man, harsher with your words as the five of you did leave. You didn't look back, you couldn't handle it if you did and saw the hurt clear as day on his features.

Wooyoung whistled as the five of you climbed into the car, he and San on either side of you while the two taller sat up front; Yunho in the driver seat. “Well, that was mighty rude of you Darling, what beef do you have with that neighbor?”

You rolled your eyes at him, crossing your arms as he flung his over the seat behind you. “There is no beef.”

San lifted a brow, holding Wooyoung’s hand behind your head. “Oh then a crush?”

“There is no crush!”

“Sure sounds like it. Guess she’s off the market, Yun.” Mingi chuckled, gently tapping the other on his shoulder as he pulled the car away from the curve and into traffic

“No I’m not! He has a kid and an ex wife, like hell I want to get involved with that.” You continued to protest but Wooyoung couldn't miss the flustered way you whined.

“It’s okay, we can all still have a good time here.” Yunho shrugged off the insinuations, smiling at you in the mirror and calling your name. “Right?”

“Right!” They thankfully dropped the subject for the night and to your surprise did make it a fun night for you.

They learned that you were quite the chaotic drunk as well, and quite the dancer, spending most of the time with a drink in your hand or dancing with one of the four. All just to forget the very domesticated routine you had with Seonghwa and your feelings for him. 

This was fun, a part of your life you missed and opted out of after college as your friends had gotten married or focused so wholly on their careers you decided to do the latter as well. But working from home? That didn’t really give you a social life did it?

Besides, Wooyoung and his boyfriend were cute, his friends were easy going and had you feeling included: part of their group. They genuinely seemed to care, enough that even in your deliriously drunken state you vaguely remember Yunho carrying you to his car and having a conversation with Wooyoung about getting you home safely.

You weren’t aware of what had fully happened until the next morning, slipping out of bed with a bit of a headache (okay a big bit) and still in the dress from last night. At least your face was clean and shoes were off, but you had no recollection of getting home or to bed. It was the sound of muffled voices and your front door that had you stumbling out of your bedroom.

Finding Eunbyeol staring up at Yunho was perhaps the last thing you expected, but there she was, looking as confused as you felt. “Wha-?”

Eunbyeol cried out your name and rushed over to you, wrapping her small arms around your waist while Yunho watched with his brows pushed up. “The strange man said you weren’t here though…”

“Uh…” Gently patting Eunbyeol’s back, you tilted your head in confusion towards Yunho. “Can you… explain please? I don’t even remember getting home.”

Clearing his throat, Yunho headed for your kitchen. “Well, you didn’t want to. Said some interesting things as I carried you up here, some of it makes sense now.” The pained smile he turned towards Eunbyeol had you questioning just what you did say. “I hope you don’t mind that I stayed over, you were pretty wasted last night. As for the kid- well, I tried to tell her mother no but she was rather… insistent.”

So Soojin brought her over? And what, didn’t even listen to Yunho about your whereabouts? Just forced Eunbyeol onto him? Your blood boiled, glancing down at Eunbyeol only for your heart to lodge in your throat. “Oh honey- don’t cry.” Kneeling down, you brought your hands to her cheeks, quickly wiping away the tears that were falling freely from her face.

“I-I know it’s mean of me but I… I hate my mommy! She’s always yelling at Daddy and taking his money and making him so sad! I don’t like it when she hits him, Daddy tries to hide it from me but I’m not stupid. I’m eight now and I'm plenty smart! I don’t need Mommy but he says I do, that all kids need both their parents but I don’t want that kind of Mommy!” She threw her arms around your neck and sobbed into your shoulder. “She yelled at your friend too, so much, I didn’t want to cry in front of her-”

“H-hey Eunbyeol, it’s okay. It’ll be okay.” You pulled her against you, trying to comfort the child as best you could. She’s never cried in front of you before, not even when she would fall and scrape her knee she would fight off the tears and say she was a big girl. But here she was, so fed up with her own mother she couldn’t stop crying. She was so upset for her father, and ashamed of the way Yunho was treated.

The little girl was taking on far too much in the battle between her parents, and it wasn’t even a battle, Seonghwa was just trying to keep Eunbyeol as happy as he could. He was doing everything he thought he could for her and that was one of the reasons you had fallen for him- but it was also one of the reasons why you didn’t want to act on these feelings.

However, Eunbyeol had other ideas. “Why can’t you be my mommy? We’re happier with you.”

That was one way to have your heart absolutely crushed. “That’s not how things work sweetie.” This was not something you wanted Yunho to be witness to either. “Um Yunho, I’m going to take her to my room and calm her down for a second. Don’t go anywhere, I still want to know what happened.” Standing up you took the girl’s small hand in yours and brought her back to your room.

Once there, you freshened up and let her choose out your clothes as a way to comfort her. Her words had shaken you to your core but you did your best not to let it show. She was just a child, a very hurt and lost child and was seeking comfort in you; you didn’t want to take that from her by letting her see your own turmoil.

She calmed down rather quickly, quite emotionally mature for her age and that just hurt your heart even more. She shouldn’t have to go through this. Was Seonghwa even aware?

Of course he was, she was his world and he was constantly attuned to her.

When the two of you stepped out again, Yunho looked rather pale, glancing at the wall furthest from your room. You didn’t need a verbal explanation to know what he heard. “Yeah, I’m surprised I didn’t tell you about that.” You mumbled in his direction before setting up Youtube on your tv for the young girl and turning the volume up to drown out the sounds for her, “Yunho and I have to talk for a second in the other room, will you be okay out here sweetie?”

Only after Eunbyoel nodded did you lead Yunho to your room and shut the door with a heavy sign. “So um, sorry… that you got dragged into this first of all.”

“Did you get dragged into it?” He didn’t seem the least bit annoyed, instead features twisted with concern as he watched you. Damn, why couldn’t you have fallen for this guy?

You shrugged, sitting down on your bed and holding a hand to your temple, the whole situation just adding to the constant throbbing. “Yes and no? They certainly didn’t try and hide their dynamic and I didn’t want the kid to get into trouble. I just kept offering my time and company and it just… it escalated I guess?”

“Do you have any idea why he puts up with it? Like I just met the woman and kid- it’s clearly not a healthy situation.”

Once more you shrugged, watching as he sat down next to you. “I never asked, didn’t think it was my place to know. He never indulged either and Eunbyeol doesn’t like talking about her mother. She clams up if she is mentioned or when her dad has a fresh bruise.”

“She really hits him? And he still… fucks her? Holy shit, that doesn’t sit right with me.” Yunho was just as perplexed by the whole situation. “I’m sorry, this must be difficult for you to talk about as well.”

“It’s- yeah, just a bit. But what can I do? Don’t answer that actually. How about you enlighten me to what the hell happened last night.” Changing the subject you stared him down with as much menacing aura as you could muster. 

The soft puppy smile told you it definitely didn’t work. “Well, Wooyoung and San caught an uber and I dropped Mingi off. Was going to just drop you off but I had to carry you upstairs here and you begged me to stay. Told me you didn’t want to hear it, and were crying. I couldn’t just leave you like that could I?”

Rolling your eyes you fought off the heat rising to your cheeks. “Wow, such a gentleman.”

The two of you shared a light laugh. “Mm, I would be if I didn’t have my own intentions. Was hoping to win a pretty damsel over, but you really are taken.”

“There isn’t anything between the two of us, I told you all that last night.”  You protested, gently slapping his forearm.

Now he rolled his eyes. “But you want there to be. I saw the way you teared up when that little girl wanted you to be her mom. It honestly seems like you’re in too deep to back away.”

“Okay fine, then what am I supposed to do about the crazy abusive mother and ex-wife?” Deflating at your words, you got up and headed to your bathroom for some aspirin.

“You don’t do anything.” Yunho followed you. “That’s on him. If you are as important to him as you are to that little girl, then he either needs to step up and do something about her, or risk what he has with you.”

“I can’t ask him to make that choice.” Not only because you were scared of him choosing Soojin just because she was Eunbyeol’s mother, but also if he did choose you: It would feel like you manipulated him, even if you didn’t.

After you swallowed the pills, Yunho stepped closer. “You don’t have to ask him, just show him. I can show you, if you’ll trust me?”

Trust him? You had only met him last night… Yet here you were asking him for advice on your extremely complicated love life. Taking a moment to think it over, you nodded. “Fine, but this stays between me and you okay? Don’t tell Wooyoung about it. Love him to pieces but he will try and meddle.”

He chuckled, nodding in agreement. “Oh I know. I can thank him for a lot of meddlesome situations.”

The two of you shared another laugh before you led him out to the living room. He went over to Eunbyeol and asked to join her. She allowed it while you went about your usual task of getting her a snack. You couldn’t hear anything from the other side of the wall so you assumed Seonghwa would be stopping by soon enough. Would he be taking Eunbyeol right away? Or would he ask to stay and continue your usual routine? Would that even work with Yunho here?

You glanced over at the two on the couch, smiling softly as the tall man made himself small next to her, asking all sorts of questions about the characters on the tv, getting her animated and lively. He too was good with kids, and would make a good father.

Apparently that was your type: Good Dad. You just never dated an actual father before. You couldn’t decide if that thought was comforting or worrying, and you didn’t need to: the knock at the door drew your attention. 

Of course Seonghwa was standing there, freshly showered and wearing a turtleneck that seemed awfully suspicious. You tried to force a smile, instead wincing at a sudden throb in your temple. “Eunbyeol is in her usual spot.”

“Thank you… I’m sorry Soojin bothered you with this again, I tried to tell her that you probably weren’t here today- oh…” He had taken a few steps in, only to freeze up at the sight of Yunho on the sofa, lifting his smile from Eunbyeol over to him. “You have… company.”

Yunho got up from the couch with a friendly smile. “Sorry we didn’t get properly introduced last night, I’m Jeung Yunho.” He made his way over as Eunbyeol watched from the couch, a mixture of emotions from fear to curiosity on her face. You could relate, worried about how this situation was going to go. When Yunho winked in your direction, that just doubled your growing anxiety.

“I’m uh, Park Seonghwa. I hope Eunbyeol didn’t give you any trouble?” He was wide eyed as he stared up at the taller man, but glanced at his daughter when mentioned.

Yunho shook his head. “Oh no, she was an absolute sweetheart, and she got so excited when she saw her too, so cute.” He chuckled, motioning towards you. “Really, I don’t want to pull them apart, so I probably should get going. Just wanted to stick around to see how my girl was doing anyway.” He hummed out, making his way over to you and wrapping his arm suddenly around your waist. “Get some rest, you had it a little too rough last night.” He lowered his voice so the young girl couldn’t hear before dipping his head and whispering in your ear. “Don’t fight me on this Damsel, and I’m apologizing in advance. I just want to be a little selfish with this.”

You had no idea what he would be apologizing for, not until his lips were on yours and he was turning you out of sight from Eunbyeol. Oh he could kiss, your knees weak from the combined hangover and feel of him. He pulled away quickly, leaving you stunned as he said bye to Eunbyeol, hoping to see her again, then he was gone.

The only sound for several moments as you fought your heated cheeks was the tv, both Seonghwa and Eunbyeol watching you with anxious expressions. When you locked eyes with Seonghwa, the kiss with Yunho was already forgotten: he looked devastated, even broken, and you wanted nothing more than to comfort him.

But why did you have to? Why would he be hurt by your kiss with Yunho? Maybe for the same reason you were hurt when you heard him fucking his ex-wife? The idea gave you too much hope.

Eunbyeol thankfully came in with the save, calling out for her father. “Should we go home? Miss needs her sleep right? Mister Yunho said she had a rough night, they were up really late.”

Or she didn’t help at all. Clearing his throat, Seonghwa nodded. “Uh yeah, we’ll get out of your hair. Come on sweetie.” They left almost as fast as Yunho did.

Was this the right play? Hurting him like that?

You would just have to see… the damage was already done.

Things were definitely tense between you two, but you were making no efforts to avoid him. He never asked for clarification on you and the tall man Yunho, but Yunho was definitely brought up: by Eunbyeol. She would ask when you picked her up from school, wondering if the tall man was going to be there. After the first no, she didn’t ask until the weekend, boldly asking if you were going to spend time with him again… this time in front of her father as they were heading out to the diner. 

You shook your head, offering a smile. “Not until next weekend Sweetie.” You had already messaged Wooyoung for Yunho’s number, the two of you planning a so-called date. You only agreed because he offered to pay for food, and at a nice restaurant as well, while also stressing that you two were just going to talk game plan further.

It still shook you to your core to think he was so eager to help you out with your forlorn love when he had made it known he liked you. The kiss had been proof of that. Though you were still waiting for some proof that this would actually work, considering now Seonghwa didn’t want to be alone with you.

“Is he going to stay the night again?” Eunbyeol asked, ignoring her father who was trying to coax her down the apartment hall.

You shook your head again, bending down to her level. “No, we’re going out to eat, like a date.”

She frowned, looking down at your hands for a moment. “So you like him better than Daddy?”

Locking eyes with Seonghwa, you both seemed equally shocked by the statement. “Eunbyeol- that’s not a nice thing to ask.”

“The answer is no.” You got out, standing up and offering her a small smile. “We are going on a date to see how much we do like each other and see where it goes. If it works out, you’ll see him more.” You glanced up at Seonghwa. “Um, is it okay to have her around him? Or anyone I have over? I don’t mind, and I don’t think they would, but she is your daughter.”

Seonghwa gaped like a fish out of water for a moment before nodding and looking away. “That’s fine, she said he was really nice. And if you trust him… then I trust him with Eunbyeol. Now love, aren’t you hungry? We gotta get there soon if we want our usual booth.”

Apparently appeased with the conversation, Eunbyeol turned and rushed over to her father and took his awaiting hand. She waved goodbye before the two started talking about what to eat. You didn’t need to go with them to know exactly what they would order; and that, as usual, Seonghwa would have to wipe some sauce off the young girl’s face. 

You knew she purposely made a mess to have him dote on her like that, as she was much more careful when eating with you: and told you her little secret. She did a lot to garner the attention from her father, things she knew would bring a smile to his face or make him laugh or call her cute.

Part of you knew you would do the same to be on the receiving end of his affection like that.

For the nth time that week, you really hoped whatever Yunho had planned would work. Otherwise, this was going to backfire immensely.

Your anxiety was spiking about that as throughout the week, Seonghwa wouldn’t look at you. Whenever you opened the door when he came to grab Eunbyeol- and you weren’t disturbed Friday or Saturday, didn’t hear a peep from him. So when Yunho came to pick you up, you spent the entire time ranting to him about how stupid he was and that this totally wasn’t working; all while he helped you pick out an outfit and get ready for your makeshift date. 

He made it up with the food, leaving you to question if he was doing this entirely to try and win you over.

“Oh no, I’m not going to be a dick like that. I wouldn’t be opposed to trying this out for real, but you love someone else and while you continue to love that person, it would be unfair of us both to try and make this work.” He had told you while paying for the meal: which he insisted on doing himself and wouldn’t let you see.

He had purposely dragged the dinner out late, nearly three hours as you arrived back shortly after ten. Because it was late, he insisted on walking you to your door, chuckling as you grumbled even more that you didn’t think the food was going to cover the emotional turmoil of your stomach until this was resolved. Only for him to stop you at the end of the hall, a smirk on his lips. “See?”

“See what? Yunho- oh.”

“Told you it would work little Damsel. If this works out, you pay for dinner next time.” He whispered by your ear before turning back to the stairs. “I’ll leave you two to it.”

He was gone seconds later, leaving you to stare down the hall at the lump that was Seonghwa sitting at your door. Your hands felt like shaking as you exhaled slowly, preparing yourself as much as you could. If he was sitting there, this couldn’t be good. At all.

Yunho was so sure this was going to work out, and your own hope was getting the better of you. Why you trusted Yunho when he was practically a stranger was beyond you but it was too late to question that. One more deep inhale and you headed down the hall, heels clicking on the floor.

You cleared your throat to try and get the lump’s attention. “Seonghwa? Is everything alright?” You asked when he didn’t lift his head at first.

When he did, the bottle of soju in his hand told you plenty of the situation. Softening, and feeling quite guilty, you knelt down next to him, tucking your dress under you. “Seonghwa, how much did you drink?”

He lifted the bottle, one of the larger ones, to show it was half empty. “Just this. I don’t remember being a light weight though.” His speech had only the slightest slur to it, yet you couldn’t tell if that was from the alcohol or the tears in his eyes. “Just needed a little courage, that’s all.”

You frowned, pulling the bottle out of his hands. “For what?”

He stared up at you, eyes glistening with tears and emotions as he searched your face for something. “To make it through the night alone.” He whispered it so softly, his voice shaking and hitting your heart with a big impact.

Fuck, this whole thing had been a bad idea. He looked wounded, and you felt like it was your fault. “Come on, I’ll keep you company for a bit then?”

“What about your date?” He asked, letting you haul him onto his feet just to tower over you even hunched as he was. “Did he-?”

“He went home, the date was a bust anyways.” Taking your keys out you helped him stumble into your apartment a bit, taking the soju away from him as he kicked his shoes off with better motor movement than you expected.

“I’m sorry, he seemed nice.”

“He is, and it’s not like we don’t plan to try again eventually… Just want to be friends first.” You called back, giving some honesty to the situation should this really not work out- had to keep your options open, even if that was years down the line.

If Seonghwa didn’t give closure in one form or another, you had a feeling you might be stuck catering to him and his daughter for years to come just as you were. You couldn’t just leave them like this, not after Eunbyeol’s confession and now this?

It of course worried you that might be the way things turned out, weighing on your mind as you made your way to the kitchen to get him some water. In which you nearly dropped the glass when you felt arms around your waist and a firm chest pressed against your back. “Wha-”

“Don’t try.” He buried his face against your shoulder, squeezing tightly. “Don’t… don’t leave me, please.”

The glass clattered into the sink, splashing water around but thankfully not breaking. Your mind though, definitely short circuiting. Seconds turned into a minute as you stayed frozen, and when he finally realized you weren’t answering, he murmured your name like a plea. Then again, and when you still didn’t respond, again but filled with such desperation it had you moving.

Letting out the breath you were holding you turned off the water, turning your head just a bit to get a better look at him. “Seonghwa, if I date someone that doesn’t mean I’m leaving you.” You tried to comfort him, trying not to admit your feelings for him when you were still lacking context for his own.

He turned you in his arms, pressing his forehead against yours as he locked eyes. “I need you.”

Breath catching in your throat, you could only meet his gaze, floundering for any thought that made sense of what he said. Your mind barely caught up when you noticed his eyes flicker down to your lips, his hand cupping just under your jaw before he was taking away your breath quite literally.

The kiss pushed any doubts you had away, bringing forth a whole slew of emotions you tried to keep buried, and you kissed back without hesitation. The groan that rumbled deep in his throat as he pulled your body closer just had you giving into him even more.

Park Seonghwa, the single father next door that had won your heart so easily, was kissing you with such a fiery passion you wouldn’t mind if it burned you alive. In fact, you were welcoming it as all reason seemed to leave you the longer your lips stayed locked.

You couldn't mistake his intentions now, even if you wanted to hear it. That meant pulling away, and you were afraid if you did that this moment would be shattered. So instead you wrapped your arms around his neck, fingers threading in his soft hair as you pressed closer. 

Seonghwa sighed against your lips as he began pushing your skirt up, breathing out your name. The taste had been easy to ignore but the smell of soju wasn't. Unsure just how intoxicated he was, you tugged at his hair to pull him away, turning your head just for his lips to trail across your jaw.

“-Hwa… hold on.” Stumbling out part of his name, you attempted to push away again.

This time he listened, beady lust filled eyes meeting yours as he hummed softly. “Hwa? Call me that more Angel.” He kept his hands just under your skirt, thumbs running over your flesh and making no indication he was going to give you more space.

Inhaling deeply, you brought your hands to his chest as heat ran up your neck at the nickname. “B-before we do anything more I need you to have some water and relax first. I want… I don't want any doubts that this is a completely conscious decision.” You wanted to be sure he could fully consent and yes… talk.

Understanding flashed across his face as he dropped his hands and stepped back. You couldn't help but notice the overwhelming awe in his eyes, which wasn't helping your own flustered state. “Alright, we'll do this your way.”

Something about the way he said it irked you, but for now you shrugged it off and turned back to the sink to attempt a class of water. “I have some Advil in my bathroom cabinet, go grab some alright? Then we'll sit and discuss what this is.”

“Discuss? Angel… it's whatever you want it to be.” Seonghwa hesitated behind you, and now you realized why his previous statement irked you: he was approaching this as if he didn't have much of a say. Was that how he expected relationships to go? Well, probably, if his only one was Soojin and it might explain why he continued to let her walk all over him to this extent.

“No, it doesn't work like that Hwa.” You turned and handed him the water, then gently pushed him towards the sofa. “Sit, I'll get the Advil, and then we are going to have a very serious discussion about what we both want and how we both want to move forward.”

He nodded slowly, clearly a bit flustered as he ducked his head and mumbled about how sweet you were being. Your heart stung for him a bit if he thought basic human respect was being sweet. 

You didn't say anything about it, heading for your bathroom and taking your time to calm down. Trying not to overthink, because what good would that do right now, you focused on taking care of him first.

Returning with Advil, you set it down in front of him before sitting on the sofa next to him, looking him over as he had his head in his hands. “Hwa… here.” He looked up when you nudged him, first at you then the pills. You didn’t say anything as he took them, encouraging him to drink most of the water before you sat back with a little more distance.

You weren’t entirely sure where to start, or how to go about this, but whatever was blossoming between you couldn’t do so properly until the two of you talked. He had a child, one you adored, and an ex that he was still technically fucking, and both left a lot to address. The longer you sat there trying to piece it together, the more anxious he seemed to become, finishing off the water and staring at your hands that fidgeted on your lap.

“Angel… do you not want-”

“I do want you Hwa, don’t even doubt that. But I just, your relationship with Eunbyeol’s mother makes things very complicated. I know what you do with her on Sundays, when Eunbyeol comes over. I heard you both.” The words fell from your lips like a weight off your chest… but right onto his.

His eyes went round, cheeks pale as it dawned on him just what you meant. “You heard- fuck I’m sorry, I don’t feel that way about her I just-”

“Does she blackmail you into it?”

“What? Why would you think..”

“I can tell you’re scared of her Seonghwa, so I can’t imagine you willing to do that with her every Sunday when she brings Eunbyeol back. So why else?” No matter how much you mulled it over, you couldn’t imagine Seonghwa having those feelings towards Soojin; and after what you had heard, it just made sense to think she was using Eunbyeol against him.

When he averted his guilt ridden eyes, you were sure you were right. “She… she threatens to file for full custody. Says that she would win. I don’t want to take that chance. And I want her to have a mother.”

You could understand that, knowing he would do anything for Eunbyeol, however that left little room for you. “And what about you? Eunbyeol needs her father too, and she is aware of what Soojin does to you. She’s eight Seonghwa, she knows that those bruises aren’t right. What are you going to do if she realizes you put up with it for her?”

His shoulders slumped, tears forming in his eyes. “I know that… fuck I know that but what else am I supposed to do? I just pushed through it, didn’t think about it, not until you came along.” He inhaled shakingly, staring at your hand as you took his hands into yours. “To be honest, I never thought about marrying her, we were young and stupid and when she showed me the pregnancy test, I just thought of the baby.”

Of course he did it for Eunbyeol, which just had your dislike growing for Soojin and hurting even more for Seonghwa. You didn’t butt in though, letting him say what he needed to.

“We got married quickly, and I was so excited for the baby. I took her to all the appointments, took up a side job while balancing university, had her stay home with my parents and just rest for the pregnancy. They were happy for me but also concerned… I ignored their concerns, I took her side more and more through the pregnancy. And then… he was born.”

“He?” You gently prompted when he trailed off, seemingly more depressed by the second. Which, to be fair, you didn’t like where he was going with this.

“He was premature and there were some complications. I didn’t… I didn’t even get to hold him while he was breathing.” When his body started to shake with sobs you pulled him into your arms, resting his head on your shoulder. “I just threw myself into schooling and work after that, going through the motions. Things got worse at home, my parents constantly argued with her, to the point they got us a house just to have her out of theirs. She didn’t work, didn’t go to school, and just kept spending the free money I had. I got… tired of it, I was ready to leave, and I think she knew that. Things got better for a bit, and then Eunbyeol was announced.

“I don’t think I loved her, but I loved Eunbyeol from the moment I saw her. She’s everything to me, being a father is everything I could wish for. I’ll do anything for her.” He let out a shaky breath, pressing himself closer to you.

This just confirmed your suspicions, especially knowing all you did about Soojin. You could confidently say you hated her. It sounded like she baby-trapped him not once, but twice.

“Why did you end up leaving then?” You hesitantly asked, wondering what had been the breaking point.

“Caught her cheating. When I blew up about it, she told me she had always done this. How would I know if Eunbyeol was mine? According to her, our firstborn wasn’t; the baby I married her for. I got a dna test and confirmed Eunbyeol is mine, and then I filed for divorce. My parents happily paid, but I haven’t had much contact with them since we moved out. They only saw Eunbyeol on holidays, and I’ve been too afraid to bring Eunbyeol around them more. They don’t say nice things about Soojin and I didn’t want Eunbyeol to hate her mother.”

“Hwa… she doesn’t need to hear bad things about her mother, she can see it.” Taking a deep breath you cupped his jaw and lifted his head to meet his gaze. “You know that day I first offered cookies? She came over not for anything like that, but her exact words were: Can you help Daddy?”

The emotion that washed over his face tugged at your heart, thumbs wiping away the tears that sprung forth. “She said that?”

“Mhmm. She loves you Hwa, and she wants to take care of you just as much as you want to take care of her. And that means you have to do something about Soojin.”

“But-” You cut him off, thumb against his lips.

“I’m not going to pursue anything with you Seonghwa if she’s in the picture to that extent. It’s not fair to me if I have to listen to the man I care about screwing his ex every other Sunday and then coming over to play pretend family with me and his daughter. And it’s not fair to Eunbyeol to pursue anything with me if her mother is still actively sleeping with you and taking advantage of you.” You pointed out, trying to keep your voice calm though it felt like you were giving him an ultimatum, yet it was a boundary you were putting into place for your own mental and emotional health.

You would not continue this if he kept things the same with Soojin, no matter how much it hurts.

He understood, shifting so his hands were flat on the sofa next to you as he moved closer, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek. “I can do that, I promise. I want… Angel, I don't want to lose you. As selfish as it is, I don’t want Eunbyeol to lose you either.”

“It’s not selfish… you’re both important to me. I hope you know that.” You turned your head to press your lips to his. “And I want to stay with you both.”

Another kiss as he nodded, moving closer to you. “So you won’t leave? Won’t do anything with that other guy?”

As he pressed closer, you lifted your arms around his shoulders, kissing him back as you nodded. “I just want you Hwa.”

Like a switch he was pressing against you with such an intense need his lips took your breath away. You returned his fervent kisses, leaned into his touches and got lost in him. You couldn’t deny his feelings with these actions, nor did you want to. His hands on your skin as he pushed your dress up around your waist, then on your thighs as he wrapped your legs around his hips.

Now lying beneath him your skin felt like it was on fire with need, while he touched you with an intensity that matched that need. Kiss after kiss, touch after touch, minute after minute. “You taste so sweet, can I have more?” He murmured against your swollen lips when he finally pulled away enough to let you breathe.

Not that you could, chasing his lips for more of him with no regards for your lungs, so you nodded as an answer. A whine left you as he put more distance between you, just to shriek as he yanked your underwear off and jostled you in the process. “Hwa?”

“Just want a taste.” His head between your legs in seconds was not what you had expected from his words, but any protest died with the fat stripe of his tongue over your cunt.

Pushing yourself up on your elbows and looking down, further protest and breath died on your lips when eye contact was made. The heat in his gaze completely transformed his features and twisted your stomach with arousal. You hadn’t even been aware he could make such a face, let alone at you.

You couldn’t look away, not even as his lips latched onto your clit, or when his unbelievably long tongue pushed inside. You watched his eyes roll back, felt the moan in the deepest parts of you and listened to the sounds of your slick against his face as he continued to devour you.

Tugging your legs around his head you could no longer watch him; not only did the angle not permit it, but it just felt so good. He definitely knew how to use his tongue, pulling moans out of you that just seemed to encourage him more and more. He wasn’t without his own sounds, and not just the slurping and slick of you on his lips, but deep moans that had your brain short-circuiting further.

There wasn’t a single thought in your mind when your climax hit, soaking his mouth. He pressed impossibly close for every drop, his nose rubbing against your overstimulated clit and driving the high longer until it was almost painful. “H-Hwa! W-Wait!” Tugging on his hair you pulled him off, attempting to catch your breath. He wore a fucked out expression, your slick on his nose and chin while his tongue flicked around to lick up every drop. Oh it was long and pointed and you could vividly remember how it felt in your cunt, causing you to clench around nothing in its absence.

He was panting just as heavily as you were, pressing soft kisses to your inner thighs. “Can I go again?”

“W-What? No Hwa-” You paused, biting your lip at his dejected expression, “I want to make you feel good too.”

His shock was evident, only furthering your desire to please him. You could only imagine the number of times his pleasure had even been considered over the years, which was something you wanted to change drastically. Taking advantage of his shock you freed yourself and climbed onto your knees on the floor, situating him as well.

“Wait, Angel, your knees will hurt-” He grabbed your wrists to stop you.

“You’re worried about my knees?” Of course he was. “Give me a pillow then, I’ll be fine. And no more protests.”

He hesitated for just a moment before handing you a pillow with a shy expression. The duality of this man was going to give you whiplash considering how moments ago he had your legs shaking while he licked your cum off his face without an ounce of shame. He didn’t relax as you adjusted the pillow beneath you, in fact he tensed up once you diverted all your attention to his pants. 

The shame on his features deepened as you pulled his pants down, freeing his cock that had been bulging the fabric out for some time. “I know it’s small but I promise to make you feel good anyway I can.”

“Small?” You shrieked out, glancing up at him with wide eyes. “Oh my God Hwa, did she tell you it was small? Did she really make you focus on her pleasure alone?”

The apples of his cheeks darkened considerably, his soft eyes averted from yours. “Was she wrong?”

“Fuck yes. It’s going to be a challenge to fit you.” All your attention was on his dick standing proud and free inches from your face. Definitely above average, thankfully not a monster cock you would worry about hurting you, but there was a chance he was going to ruin you for anyone else. “Your pleasure matters too, and to me.”

He was clearly flustered by your words, but made no further protest. What he did do was nod shyly, clearly flustered, and gripped the couch at his sides. Wrapping a hand around his base, you placed soft kisses to his tip, looking up at him to soak in his expression. His brows furrowed up in concentration, staring down at you with a soft part of his lips.

You just knew he was going to look so beautiful when he came undone by your lips.

You kept your eyes on him as much as you could, taking in every subtle change of his expression and breathing as you lowered your mouth, stroking what you couldn’t fit. Your cunt dripped at the thought of him inside you, hitting all the right places as easily as he hit the back of your throat.

The whiney moan he let out of your name just added to the growing mess between your legs. His reactions just fueled you to ignore the stretch of your throat and the burn behind your eyes, bopping your head a bit faster and pressing your tongue up against the sensitive flesh. He writhed beneath you, heavy pants mingling with soft whines as he was torn between rolling his eyes back and watching you with such a beautiful expression of contorted pleasure.

“Angel please-” His voice was raw, rolling into a deep groan as his head fell back again as you pushed down further, gagging around the majority of his cock in your mouth and squeezing the base. You could taste him, could tell how close he was to exploding his load down your throat and you were debating just where you wanted it when he decided for you.

His hands slipped into your hair and he pulled you away, cock throbbing but he didn’t cum yet. You whined, just to be pulled up onto his lap and his lips crashing onto yours again. You mumbled some protests, but he swallowed them all up in his frenzy. Each kiss was as heated as the last as he worked off your dress. “Hwa please-”

“Don’t want to cum in your pretty mouth. Not right now. Need you too much.” He whispered against your lips as he tossed the dress aside. You held onto his shoulders as he jostled you closer, his pants being kicked off the next second. Any questions you had were answered when he had you pulled down around his cock, stretching you out. You cried out, looking down between you two to watch him push the rest of the way in. “Fuck Angel- Feel so fucking good.”

You marveled at how deep you felt him, as well as how full, shifting a bit just for you to both tense up. Oh he was hitting all the right places, and he was loving how you felt if his heavy pants were any indication. His grip on your hips were tight, the two of you taking a moment to adjust, just marveling at the other.

He switched it up just as quickly as if catching a second wind, flipping you onto the couch and pushing your leg up and onto his shoulder, kissing you again as he dragged his cock out, hitting all the right spots to have you almost instant putty in his hands.

“Fuck you look so beautiful like this Angel- feel so good too.” He moved his lips to your neck as he thrust his full length back in, dragging out and doing so again until he had a steady rhythm. “Didn’t know it could feel so good- ah- please keep making those sounds.” 

You hadn’t even been aware of the whiny moans leaving your lips with each thrust, so lost in how it felt and his own little sounds that nothing else had registered. You were well away now, back arching as a thumb of his began to rub at your clit, his lips against your calf as he had leaned up enough just to watch you.

It hit you that he was still focusing on your pleasure, from his thumb on your clit to the way he shifted to make sure each thrust hit your sweet spot. It almost upset you, if not for the little mumbles he made accompanied by a light blush on his cheeks. “Feels so good, could watch you like this for hours. Angel- my sweet Angel.”

Even as he brought you to a climax, his strokes slowed to a lazy but deep pace to keep you at your high longer but without overwhelming you, even as you made a mess on both of you and the couch.

He practically halted to let you catch your breath, in which you whined and protested, cupping his face in your hands and staring him down. “H-Hwa please… fuck me like you want too. I’ll enjoy it. Promise.”

He seemed hesitant, brows pushed together as if he didn’t understand what you were saying. “Angel-” You cut him off by rolling your hips up, whatever he was going to say devolving into a groan. “O-Okay.”

The force he was suddenly thrusting into you stole your breath away, brows scrunched up in pure ecstasy as you cried out for him. He arched forward, bringing his head to your chest and you immediately latched on. Oh he was making such sweet sounds, almost shy, his balls slapping against your ass with each harsh and quick thrust while he held onto you where he could.

Your nails dug into his back as you held on, crying from the intense pleasure and loving every second of it. You had been right, he was ruining other cocks for you, nothing could compared to how well he was fucking you right now. No toy or previous partner. And no porn could compare to the porngraphic whines he mumbled against your chest either.

Even without his thumb on your clit he quickly had your legs tightening around him in a climax, back arching again as you cried out for him, head spinning from the force of your orgasm. It was clear he wasn’t used to fucking for his enjoyment, as soon as you came around him you could hear him cry out, the sound mixing with your own as his cum was pushed into you with each stuttering thrust until you both were left trembling in each’s others arms with the aftershocks of pleasure coursing through you.

Pure fucked out bliss the two of you were, taking several moments to catch your breath and come down from the high. He scattered like kisses along your chest and collarbone, up your neck and to your lips. “Can I stay the night?”

“Yes… I’d like that Hwa.”

He spent quite a bit of time cleaning you up and taking care of you after that, not letting you do anything but answer his questions about clothes. You told him it was fine to sleep naked, and the two of you ended up laying in your bed naked and clean just staring at each other with soft smiles.

You were the first asleep, curled against him.

You awoke to banging on the door, several muffled shouts and a warm body against you. You couldn’t possibly fathom who it was until Seonghwa sleepily muttered “Eunbyeol-” and rushed out of bed. He scrambled for his clothes while you sat up, listening more intently once the bedroom was open.

It was Soojin yelling for someone to open up.

In a panic yourself, you got out of bed and grabbed your house robe while Seonghwa was rushing around looking for his shirt. You made it to the door before him, calling out for her to stop banging before you swung the door open. Soojin’s familiar face on the other side was twisted with obvious displeasure.

“The good-for-nothing isn’t opening his door. Is he here?” She instantly spat, pushing past you without a care just to scoff a few feet in at the sight of Seonghwa awkwardly pushing the shirt on. “Well I wish I could say I’m surprised but not really. Come on, I spent far too much time trying to find you.” She turned as if to leave, sneering at your neck which you assumed had hickies from last night. “You don’t mind watching the Princess for a bit right? Couple hours?”

Your eyes shot wide open, unable to believe the audacity of the woman. It was clear that you and Seonghwa had slept together and yet she was asking you to babysit so that she could get fucked by him? Anger surged through you, scoffing and narrowing your eyes ready to go off.

“We aren’t doing that any more Soojin.” Seonghwa blurted out, smiling at Eunbyeol who was awkwardly standing in the doorway behind you. “Hey Princess, can you go sit in the next room for a minute? Put on our usual cartoons?”

The girl nodded, moving to rush past her mother who snatched her arm and yanked her back roughly. Both you and Seonghwa acted quickly, but as you were closer, you yanked Soojin’s arm off her and turned her to face you quickly. “You will not lay a hand on her like that.” You hissed out, holding her still while Eunbyeol ran to her father. You knew it was the first time Eunbyeol had been grabbed so roughly by her mother, but if how she treated Seonghwa was any indication, it was only going to get worse from there.

“How dare you! I’m her mother! A fucking skank like you has no right to tell me what to do with my child!” Soojin ripped her hand out of your grip, swinging back to slap you but it never came. Seonghwa grabbed her arm from behind, holding her up and perhaps standing to his full height in her presence for once. “Seonghwa?!”

“Don’t talk to her like that, she’s a far better mother to Eunbyeol than you have ever been! You’re going to leave, with no benefits or money or anything. And don’t even threaten to try and take Eunbyeol from me, as I will already be seeing you in court to not only fight for full custody but a restraining order. Do you understand me Soojin?”

You could tell she was scared of him, nodding quickly and whimpering. You couldn’t believe you saw Seonghwa taking action with your own eyes, expecting it to take more effort, to be a longer battle.

Surprisingly Soojin left, slamming the door behind her and leaving the three of you frozen from the tension.

Eunbyeol broke first, bursting out in tears as she ran to her father. “Daddy! I was so scared!” She cried as he swooped her up out of habit, latching onto him like a koala.

“I’m sorry Princess, I know I was mean to Mommy-”

‘No! Mommy was mean! She’s always mean! She leaves me all alone when I’m at her house, brings over strange men that look at me funny and I just- I hate Mommy! I want her to be my Mommy-” She pointed in your direction, angrily wiping away her tears. “Please don’t make me go back to her. I want to stay with you two, always. Please Daddy.”

He ended up having a very long discussion with Eunbyeol, one you made hot chocolate for the three of you for and joined in because otherwise Seonghwa looked like he was going to faint. Eunbyeol had been strong, keeping a lot of her mother’s actions a secret but she spilled them all. Each one had Seonghwa gripping your hand tighter, his knuckles white and not an ounce of color in his face as she spoke. He managed to keep his expression just one of concern, the horrors Eunbyeol said not reflected even in his eyes. But you knew, you felt your own parental horror over the things she said.

So started what would be a long trial, not only for custody, but criminal charges against Soojin and a few of her boyfriends that had exposed Eunbyeol to questionable things started. He had a damned good lawyer, his parents got involved… and you were by his side at every hearing, every lawyer meeting.

You had friends that questioned why you were going through so much for a guy and his kid? After all, kids weren’t your thing, Dad’s definitely weren’t either… But Seonghwa and Eunbyeol were family. Simple as that.

Taglist (Form): @candypop1611 | @vannabanana1995  | @piratequeen-queenofgames | @starstruckforyou

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Needy Nerd

🍑Pairing: fashion major Hongjoong x college student afab reader

🍑Summary: When you volunteered to model for the fashion department of your university, you never expected to be paired with an adorable nerdy guy... who just so happened to be quite needy in a way you sort of enjoyed

🍑WC: 3.4k

🍑AU: college au

🍑Genre: smut, pwp

🍑Warning(s): 18+ rating, degradation, 'Mommy' Kink, dacryphilia, cum-eating, penetration with no barrier. names like "fuck toy, naughty boy" and others used on Hongjoong. Pervert bottom Hongjoong, some impact play, dom reader

🍑Nets: @pirateeznet | @mirohs-aurora-society

🍑 dividers by: @cafekitsune

🍑One of eight of the Pervert Ateez collab with other members of pirateeznet. (Will link the others when they're released!)

@bunnliix :Seonghwa: || @skteezcursed :Yunho: || @desirehorizon :Yeosang: "Debilitate" || @flurrys-creativity :San: "Limerence" || @mingsolo :Mingi: || @daddyfordaeddy :Wooyoung: "Décolletage" || @sanjoongie :Jongho: "Bad Pup"

🍑 Special thanks to: @callmeghostly, @bunnliix and @yourlocaljonghoe for brainstorming <3 And uh, this is also now my favorite piece. fr altered my brain chemistry ^^'

“You’re Hongjoong right? Kim Hongjoong?”

The black haired man, or boy, looked up at you through big glass frames that dwarfed his face much like everything else he wore. From the thick brown wool of his old fashioned sweater, to the large worn out leather bag slung across his body; the way he was sitting on the cafeteria bench did not help at all, legs pulled to his chest with one of the course books open on his thighs. The book he had been reading before you walked up to him and called out.

“That’s me, who’s asking?” He stretched his legs out and put the bookmark in the pages before shutting it.

You gave your name, cocking your hip and placing your hand on the curve. “I’m your model for your fashion project it seems.” When you had signed up on a whim for some extra credit, you didn’t expect to be paired with someone who dressed with clothes from your grandpa’s closet, hoping whatever fit he put you in wouldn’t make you the laughing stock of your friends.

His face lit up, breaking into a wide grin where the corners of his lips dimpled in. “Oh right! I kept meaning to find you.” He sat up more, legs thrown to the ground as he patted the bench next to him. “Sit. We can talk about planning and exchange contact information?” He was much more confident than you initially gave him credit for, and cuter.

You sat down, setting your bag next to you and watching him as he pulled out a hefty binder from his bag and set it on the table. He was quiet as he flipped through the pages, but you were still watching. The longer your eyes were on him though, the more flustered he got, almost squirming by the time he got to whatever he was looking for. “H-here.” He pushed it in your direction, showing off a very poorly drawn clothing design.

You frowned, brow scrutinizing the page as if it would make it make sense. “What am I looking at?”

He huffed, pulling it back. “My design for this project! It’s just a rough sketch but-”

“Rough sketch? Buddy that looks like a two year old drew a shirt on a stick figure.” You retorted without thought, immediately feeling guilty when his cheeks burned darker. “Sorry that was harsh.”

He shrugged, shutting the book. “You aren’t wrong though. The design is part of the grade unfortunately and I don’t do the best there, so I have to come up with a design that passes with flying colors to make up for it.”

You leaned forward, offering a smile and placing your hand over his. You didn’t know why but you wanted him to be successful, maybe it was the cuteness aggression since he looked like a small pouty squirrel? “It’s okay Hongjoong, I’ll be the best model I can for you! We’ll get you the best grade we can.”

He seemed even more flustered now, but encouraged by your words based on his smile. He was just a cute little nerd, you thought.

Boy were you wrong.

The project was for his final, the fashion department working together to put on a large fashion show for the end of the year festival, but they had been short models and were offering a little cash and a little extra credit for anyone else in the university that wanted to participate. How did you manage with perhaps the biggest perv in the department?

At first you thought you were just misinterpreting words and touches, but they kept happening. He’d adjust your clothes constantly, always make sure he was behind you when walking, offer to go to your apartment to work on the clothes, and go so far as to walk with you to and from work. You thought he was just being a gentleman.

Then you noticed it. The way his touch would linger if he touched your skin, seeming flustered. The way his breath would hitch when he walked behind you, especially if you wore a skirt. The few times you swore he moved something in your apartment or something went missing when he left like a dirty shirt you left out, or your water bottle had been moved or he spent far too much time in your bathroom.

Any excuse he could conjure up to touch you. To be around you. To especially come into your apartment and better yet: your room. He would get flustered, grinning as if out of breath, and a glossy look in his eyes.

What really gave it away was the fittings. He’d have you model for him often in the two outfits he was building, even making a third “just in case”, all revealing and requiring you to stand in your bra and underwear. You weren’t shy about your body, so you hadn’t minded, not at first anyways… not until things got, well intense.

He’d run his hands over your bare skin, fix your bra and underwear and cup your tits and ass, admiring them with that look on his face. He’d quickly say he was just adjusting them for the outfit, but you knew better.

Yet you never once called him out on it. You wish he would ask, admit it, maybe then you’d let him play with you a bit because damn his small hands felt so good on your body. His attention had your stomach knotting up, underwear wet, and daydreams full of his pervert expression.

Your final straw? Spotting a pair of your dirty underwear in his bag as he started packing up for perhaps the last time. The clothes were done, all that was left was picking out shoes and the actual show so he had no reason to come over multiple days of the week.

Scoffing, you adjusted your tee shirt you just threw on and strode over, reaching into his bag while calling his name. “What the fuck Joong?” You held up the fabric, turning to him and taking in his pale, bug eyed expression.

“I-I can explain.”

“If it’s some stupid excuse other than the truth I don’t want to hear it.” You stepped closer, watching the fabrics fall to the ground as he scrambled back. You huffed again, reaching out and pushing him onto the bed. “Pervert. Admit it. You’re a fucking pervert and want nothing more than for me to ride your sorry excuse for a cock?”

He whined, whined, at your degradation, gripping the bed sheets to keep from touching you. “I- that’s not-” He couldn’t look at you.

You scoffed again, bringing the underwear to his face. “You know, I got off in these. Rubbed myself on a dildo just to soak them.” You climbed onto his lap, underwear the only thing covering your bottom as you pressed down on his slacks, pleased to feel him growing hard under you. “Just-” You grinded up against the bulge “-like-” then down, “-this.” He moaned out as you repeated the motion, now grabbing your hips.

“Y-You did?” He gasped out, torn between staring at the underwear and watching the way you grinded down on him.

Your hips were still moving, but you lifted yourself just enough to take some of the pressure off his cock, smirking as he whined in protest. “Mmm I did. Almost thought about recording it for you.” You tease, laughing breathlessly when he bucked his hips up.

It was cute how he looked beneath you, pupils blown wide and pretty lips parted as he panted. His tongue ran over his lips, slicking them and giving you a wonderful idea. When he opened his mouth to reply, you shoved the panties between his teeth, stomach flipping at the pure pornographic moan he let out around the fabric. His eyes rolled back as he desperately bucked again, painted nails digging into your hips as he tried to pull you down on his cock.

“You like the taste of soiled panties that much? Disgusting.” You spat out, pleased when he squirmed more beneath you. He was enjoying the shame, so willing beneath you without question or complaint. You wondered how far you could go with him, how much could you push him?

He nodded, lifting his eyes to yours, the desire in them taking your breath away as it was the only potent emotion you could make out in his otherwise hazy vision. You were sure that same desire reflected in your own eyes. He spoke around the cloth, or well tried to, just to moan around them.

He was sucking on them the next second, the sound going right to your core. You wanted to use him, but instead your body reacted differently, palm hitting the side of his cheek just for him to moan louder. “I didn’t say you could suck on them.” You chastised, taking them out just to scoff as he chased them. You slapped him again, this time with the panties. “Behave, bad boys don’t get good things.”

“But- I- please. You taste so good.” He stammered out, releasing your his to grab at the underwear, his desperation just making you throb more.

Spurred on by his actions, you grabbed his wrists and began to tie them together with the panties, hiding a smile at how compliant he became the second he realized what you were doing. “Oh now you want to listen? Filthy pervert, you are just begging for me to use you aren’t you?”

“Yes, yes please use me. Fuck I want you to use me so badly Mommy, please please.” He rasped out in broken cries, bringing the panties to his pretty lips to lick at them more while rolling his hips up against your core.

Every sound he made, every word, was a chill up your spine and sparking your brain in all the right ways. You had been a bit put off by his pervertedness when you first realized it, but now… well you were apparently just as big a pervert because you loved it.

Loved the whiny, begging man under you even more. “Since you asked so nicely, Mommy can't help herself. But I won’t if you keep touching those panties. Even filthy little toys like you know how to obey yeah?”

He nodded fervently, letting his hands sit on his chest as he clasped them to keep from playing with them. His glasses were skewed, hair a mess, and drool coated his lips and chin already; some of your filth too probably.

Smirking proudly, you climbed down him, leaning forward to press a kiss to the bulge in his slacks just to tease him. Your hand had pressed down on his thigh to keep him from chasing your lips but he still whined.

“So fucking pathetic how needy you are.” You chastised, unbuttoning his pants and pulling them down roughly. He lifted his hips to help, watching as you tossed aside his pants, breath lodging in his throat as you stared unashamedly at the wet patch in his underwear. “So much… did the little pervert cum already?”

He shook his head, knuckles white from how tightly he was gripping them together. “N-no. But close. Still so close Mommy. Do you want me to come? I will. I’ll cum as many times as Mommy wants me to. Any way Mommy wants me to.”

You had no doubt in your mind he would, once again tempted to test how far you could take that knowledge. But you were also so fucking turned on, so desperate for him in turn despite your cool, detached tone as you continued to degrade him. 

You pulled his underwear off roughly, yanking down his cock in the process and earning a cry from him as his back arched, cock slapping back onto his stomach and leaking even more. Oh it was so pretty, you wanted a taste. Maybe next time.

He was whimpering as he shut his eyes, trembling to the point you could see his thighs clenching with the effort to stay still. Which he did manage to stay still. It was almost disappointing that he did.

So you scoffed, finger running up his cock before you gripped it harshly, scoffing. “Your dick is just as pathetic as you are. Do you really think this will satisfy me? You think you can make Mommy cum with this?” He was maybe average in size, a little bigger, but that you just couldn't pass up the opportunity to insult him; not when it had him whining louder and leaking on your hand.

“I promise it will Mommy. Promise. Use me any way you want, promise you’ll love it.” He whined out with broken pleas as his fucked out gaze followed your movements when you pulled away. Protests died the second your shirt came off, bare tits on display for him. He licked his lips, hands reaching up just to be slapped back down. “Please Mommy, wanna suck on them.”

“You have to earn that by proving you aren't as pathetic as you seem.” You moved so he could watch you pull your underwear off, now holding up the freshly soil underwear on display so he could see that despite your words, you were enjoying this so much: enjoying him so much. “Look at what you made me do. I ruined another pair because of you. You’re going to have to clean these.” You demanded, bringing them to his very eager lips. He lifted up to pull the wet fabric between his teeth, moaning at the fresh taste of your arousal.

It was so fucking hot how pathetic and desperate he was for you, but the scene wasn’t perfect. He continued to suck and moan around your panties while you swung your legs over his, pushing his shirt up and over his head until the fabric was to his elbows, his arms outstretched and torso now bare to you.

This was the first time you got to see him so exposed, his pretty waist and slightly toned stomach, but his tits, particularly the fact they weren’t just flat chest bone like you expected, was a pleasant surprise. You kept his glasses on him, you wanted him to see this after all, and leaned down to take one of his pretty pink nipples in between your mouth.

His reaction had your head spinning. He cried out around your underwear, back arching to put more of him in your mouth. You pushed his hips back down, feeling how taunt his muscles were beneath your hands as you flattened your tongue against his pebbled nipple. Biting down had him writhing beneath you, moaning louder around the fabric until only one word could be deciphered.

You pulled away in time to watch ropes of white splurt out of his cock and onto his stomach, your breath hitching at the sight he was. His head had fallen back, drool running out of the corner of his mouth and pants loud despite the fabric muffling him. He was tugging at the sheets above his head, his thighs flexing again and again under you as his climax coursed through him.

He was so fucking pretty like this, that you wanted to see it again and again. In fact you were upset with yourself for not feeling it inside you.

You wanted to cum so badly that you waited only long enough for his cock to stop leaking cum before you were grabbing it and lining it up with your entrance. Before you pushed down, you pulled the underwear out of his mouth just so you would be able to hear him. 

His head snapped up when he felt your slick lips on his tip, his neck veins prominent as he literally held his breath to watch you sink down on him. You took it slow, your own mouth falling open at the sensation while he moaned out deeply.

Only when you bottomed out did his head fall back, becoming a begging babble for you. “Mommy feels so good. So tight. Fuck please use me. Use me so good. Mommy please. Milk me, fuck me so good I can only think of Mommy.”

As much as you wanted to hear it, there was still that side of you that wanted to degrade him, so you used the wet panties to swipe up his cum and then shoved it back in his mouth with a pleased hum. “Mommy’s turn to cum so be a good toy and just take it. That’s all a disgusting pervert like you is good for yeah? Being used as a fucking toy for Mommy.”

He was sucking on the underwear again, moaning around the fabric as he stared up at you with half lidded hazy eyes. It only took one roll of your hips before he was pliant and fucked dumb beneath you. It was astonishing how close you were already to cumming, all the teasing and toying having riled you up just as much as him.

So you used him, the second your walls were used to him you were rolling your hips and slamming down on him with reckless abandon. His cock was still sensitive, the fabric muffling his moans but they were still loud. You reached for his nipples again, pinching and pulling at them both until he was squirming under you again.

“Such a sensitive perv, so disgusting and filthy and you fucking love it don’t you? You’re so glad I caught you. You wanted to get caught. Wanted Mommy to find you disgusting and punish you.” You spat out but it lacked the cool tone from before, your own pleasure slipping into each word as you were slamming down hard enough on his cock the sound was echoing in the room.

He nodded, but didn’t respond. You reached for his hair, yanking the strands and resulting in his glasses falling from his face even more. “Didn’t you?”

He could only nod again, but his muffled words were understandable enough. As well as the word ‘cum’ again. Eager to feel him pulsing and filling up your pussy, you kept your pace and tugged harder on both his hair and his nipple.

His cry was exquisite, so was the feeling of his hot cum filling you up while his cock was twitching between your tight walls. You clenched down to milk him for all he was worth, now noticing tears pooling in his lashes.

You came the second the first drop slid down his temple and into his hair, hips rolling to a slow space to ride out your high as you moaned for him, getting close to his ear and feeling him shiver at your breath against his skin.

Shutting your eyes for a moment, you took the underwear out of his mouth and just listened to his heavy breaths and whines; the incoherent words that sounded like praises and thanks.

Once you regained your own senses enough, you sat back up, staring down at him as he blinked away the remaining tears to refocus on you as well. With a wicked grin, you pointed down, waiting until his head was lifted before slipping off his cock. You leaned back on his knee, using your free hand to spread your pussy lips for him, feeling his cum and your arousal immediately slip out and onto his softening dick. “Take a good look at how well Mommy used you, naughty boy. Was it everything you ever dreamed of?”

He swallowed hard, Adam's apple bobbing and veins more prominent as he clenched his jaw. “A-almost.” When you quirked a brow, he rushed on. “Would be better if my cum was dripping out of you while you walk the runway in my designs. Please Mommy? I’ll do anything for that.”

Your eyes went wide at his fantasy, imagining it yourself. Your tongue darted out as the image lit a fire in your core again. “Anything baby?” He nodded. “Mm… I think Mommy can do that. For her favorite little pervert.”

He beamed at your words, and you smiled right back.

It ended up being quite thrilling to have so many eyes on you while you wore his designs with his cum packed in your pussy and ruining your underwear. The same underwear you shoved in his mouth after the show, just to pack your cunt full of him all over again.

Taglist (Form): @candypop1611 | @vannabanana1995  | @piratequeen-queenofgames | @starstruckforyou

| @minheeskitten | @sousydive | @alextheweeb7 | @thesafecafe | @euphoricem

| @meepsters-world | @mysticfire0435 | @yejisuu | @apriecotte | @amphiroxx 

| @cloudysannie | @sugarnspice630 | @isiloiale | @plutoneu | @venn-ie

| @therealcuppicake | @lavishloving | @pearltinyy | @vampiregirl215

| @heihaneul | @gugggu6gvai | @oddinaryxfever | @smally97 | @pandagirl-016

| @hecateslittlewitchling | @arinyyy | @lovelgirl22 | @stayatinykatsy | @noone356097 |

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Yeosang twitter links — Dom ver.

pairing: yeosang x fem!reader

a/n: thank you all for your support, i'm really glad you all are enjoying this series so far! I saw many of you were eager for a yeosang version so i have come to deliver hehe. enjoy ✨

jongho ver. | wooyoung ver. | san ver. | hongjoong ver. |

warnings + links below the cut.

mdni 18+ contend ahead.

warnings/tags: twt links, making out, fingering, strength kink, manhandling, slight choking, rough sex, free use, cum play, punishments, fingering, edging, slight overstimulation, shower sex, morning sex

making out on yeosang's lap as he plays with your sensitive pussy. he loves the way you grind back onto his hard cock, pushing you both towards sweet ecstasy. link.

yeosang loves being able to use his strength and pin you to any wall and his way with his pretty girl. all you can do is moan and whine as he does as he pleases, fucking you into orgasm after orgasm. link.

whenever you'd tease yeosang, he'd never have any adverse reactions like anyone else. instead however, he'd show it physically as he roughly manhandles you onto the bed before fucking you deep into the mattress. link.

yeosang with his hand around your throat, forcing you to look at him as he fucks you from behind. he'd be hitting all the right spots as you're fighting to keep your eyes open and on him. link.

manhandling again + free use... the way he picks you up and sets you on any surface, easily slipping his cock into your pulsating cunt whenever he likes. he loves the small surprised squeals and moans you let out as he fucks you like a little toy. link.

punishments with yeosang usually consisted of this, one of his hands holding your arms together as the other fucks your pussy fast and hard. each time you'd near your high he'd pull away abruptly, smirking as you cry out and beg for forgiveness. link.

after finishing in you, he loves smearing his cum covered cock all over your ass and pussy as a way to mark you as his, before pushing himself back in and fucking his cum your overstimulated and spent pussy. link.

after a heavy session, yeosang would take you to shower, only to drop to his knees and finger you open once more. nonstop praises would flow from his mouth as he showed you just how good you are for him. link.

slow morning sex with yeosang. deep calculated strokes as he watches each of your sleepy but pleasured facial expressions, cooing softly as he rocks you into a slow but strong orgasm. link.

bonus:

being on his lap with his hands all over you >> link.

he knows all the right ways to have you come undone under him. link.

letting yeosang take out his frustrations of the day out on you. link.

© 2024 Yun-Fangz All Rights Reserved.

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You were half awake when you felt San crawl out of bed. He always tried to be careful to not wake you, but you woke up the moment he left the bed anyways. You quickly fall back asleep, knowing he’s only leaving for the gym.

You awaken again when you feel your side of the bed dip and smell his aftershave. Opening your eyes to see San a few inches away, you blink at him.

“Good morning, pretty,” San smiles, dimple appearing. You reach up to gently poke it.

“Hi.” Your voice is heavy with sleep. “Are you leaving now?”

“Mhmm.” He hums, leaning down to kiss you. His lips taste like his toothpaste; the minty scent mixed in with his aftershave was heavenly and you wished you could breathe it in forever. “I’ll be back after lunch.”

San leans away, but you grab his arms and pull him back down. You wrap your arms around his neck and kiss the top of his hair, still damp from his shower. His strong arms squeeze your torso as he kisses you one last time.

“I gotta go, princess.” You can hear the pout in his voice as he pulls away. San lovingly pats your leg as you lift your arms out to stretch. “I’ll miss you every second.”

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