Belladaises - Belle - Tumblr Blog

the urge to get your laptop is strong now. the only thing stronger is seungcheol’s arms around you, keeping you in bed. somehow, you think he knows you too well despite the fact he’s been asleep for an hour and has no way of knowing that you’re—

“write it down and look it up tomorrow,” he mumbles, curling his arms tighter around you. “you’re not getting back up.”

okay. maybe this man does know you too well considering he’s awake enough to know exactly what’s going through your head. “but cheollie—”

he’s not fooled by your pouting. “you can research tomorrow,” he tugs you closer. “we’re cuddling tonight.”

okay. fine. you do grab your phone and jot everything you need to know down in your notes app. then you turn over after he loosens his grasp on you enough for you to do so. “happy?”

he smiles at you, snuggling into your arms. “very. i love your big brain,” he presses a chaste kiss against your neck. “but one of us has to keep our sleep schedules from getting messed up again.”

and it has to be him. you’d get carried away with another thing to research thoroughly otherwise. “yeah, yeah… thank you, cheollie.”

“tell me about it in the morning.” and he means it as a promise to listen. seungcheol could listen to you talk about different cereal brands if it meant he could see the way your eyes light up when you get passionate. you love the way he doesn’t stop you unless he has to. your passions are safe with him, another little thing he can use to dig himself deeper in love with you.

so you just kiss the crown of his head. “i will. thank you, cheollie.”

and he just chuckles, squeezing you once. “i love you, too.”

A Bouquet of Breakdowns

Choi Seungcheol x reader

Sometimes, life is a bride that just gives a whole ass bouquet of problems in one throw.

TW: breakdowns, stressed reader

a/n: hi so this is more of a self-indulgent fic. I've been so stressed lately and I may have inserted my own situation in this fic in a very detailed way too much, so sorry bout that. But other than that, hopefully everything's good at your end of the screen but if not, hopefully this fic will help you in any way possible. Enjoy reading caratdeuls!

~Main Masterlist~

I’ve got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine

I got a love and I know that its all mine, oh oh

Do what you want but yo—

Seungcheol groaned, trying to reach out for his phone on his nightstand in his sleepy state. Letting you change his ringtone to this song may be a mutual decision for the sake of comedic timing but right now, all he wants is to just throw his phone out the window.

“Whoever decided that 2 o’clock in the morning was a good time to call was definitely gonna taste the wrath of a sleep deprived Cheo—”

“Oh thank God you answered!”

He paused for a second, his brain trying to comprehend the urgency in your brother’s voice. Once his brain caught up to the moment, he sat up immediately.

“What do you mean, Chan?”

“I’ve been trying to call noona for 30 minutes now and she’s still not answering her phone. I’m panicking right now hyung. I don’t know what to do!” Cheol can already hear Chan’s pacing from his end of the line and knew that he was already at the brink of a panic attack.

“Hey, hey, hey calm down for a bit. What do you mean you’ve been calling your sister for a while now? Isn’t she in her room probably sleeping right now?”

“That’s the thing! She isn’t! I went in her room to borrow something from her but when I entered, she wasn’t there! Oh god, this can’t be happening right now.”

“Okay, breathe Chan. I’ll go help find her. Do you have any idea where she might have gone to?”

He heard Chan take a deep breath before answering slightly more calmly than before, “Try the park behind the church. I do remember her telling me something about the garden there and how she goes there sometimes.”

“Okay, thanks Chan.” Cheol stood up, immediately searching the vicinity for a shirt and his wallet and keys.

“Wait, I’m coming with you.” He can already hear a door slam shut before Chan even finished his sentence.

“No, stay there in case she comes back. I’ve got this.” The call went silent for a bit and Cheol can feel his hesitance to follow his instructions. But even then, Chan knew he was right and can only sigh in agreement.

“Okay, fine. Just call me back once you find her, please.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

“Thank you, hyung. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“No worries, Chan. I’ll do anything for the both of you.”

Once the call ended, Cheol rushed to his car, praying to every single higher being he can remember at the moment that you were alright. He wasn’t really shocked with how your brother reacted to your sudden disappearance. Ever since you were children, all he could remember was how you took care of your little brother all by yourself. Your parents were always too busy for the both of you thus, you were left with all the responsibilities in your home including being a parent for your own brother. Because of this, Chan decided that he was gonna be your protector in any way that he can be. So it was no shock that he would react this way.

It took him around 15 minutes before he reached the town’s church. He parked the car by the sidewalk before walking towards the back of the church where the park is found. Chan didn’t really specify the garden that you mentioned but he had a slight clue as to what it might have been. You were always fond of the hydrangeas that bloomed at this time of the year. He can remember how pretty you looked under the light of the sunset as you explained how hydrangeas can grow in groups but still retain a unique beauty for each flower. He then remembered how you further sprouted random facts about them and all he’s thinking about is how much he loves your nerdy side.

Walking through the park, he tries calling out your name but there were no response. As he neared the garden hidden at the very end of the park, he can slightly hear a melody being played from a phone. Once he got closer to the sound, he sighed in relief when he clearly heard the lyrics to your favorite song. It was only then that he realized how stiff his whole body was from panic, only reaxing when he sees your form lying on the grass and watching the stars above. He sent a text to your brother to let him know you’re safe. As soon as he received a text back, he walked towards your direction, careful not to spook you too much.

“You do know that phones are made primarily for texting and calling, right?” You immediately turned to the direction of the sound, scared for your life. But once you see your boyfriend’s face, you relaxed your hold on your pepper spray and took a deep breath to calm your nerves down.

“What the hell, Choi? You scared the shit out of me.”

“Well to be fair, you scared me first what with you disappearing in the middle of the night and not even telling anyone about it.”

“Okay, fair. I’m sorry about that.” You sheepishly smiled at him in an attempt to look apologetic as he lies down next to you.

“Apology accepted.” Cheol stretched out his arm to you, letting you cuddle up to him, “but i can’t promise any forgiveness from your brother any time soon. He was about to burn the whole house down in panic trying to find you.”

“Oh god.” Cheol chuckled at your response. He can already hear the gears in your head running and trying to find an acceptable peace offering for your brother. For a few minutes he let you dwell in your thoughts, knowing all too well that you’ve already moved past that and now deciding on whether or not you would share the whole reason why you’re out here at this time of night.

“So,” Cheol started, “want to talk about it?”

You hummed. Biting your lips, you said the first thing that came into your mind, “I don’t really know where to start.”

“That’s okay. Take your time. We’ve got all night.” His hold on you tightened for a bit, letting you know that he’s there for you no matter what. You don’t know what you did to deserve him but you thank God so much that he let you two meet because you don’t know how you will ever survive this world without him in your life.

“I’m overwhelmed,” you sighed shakily, “everything is too much and I can’t even relax properly. I…”

Cheol scrunched his eyebrows in confusion when you didn’t continue your train of thought only to hear you sniffling and feel your body shake a bit from trying not to cry.

“Its okay, love. Let it out.”

And then the dam broke.

You told him how your work was piling up and everything was just so stressful. You also told him about the disappointment you felt when your workmates left you all alone while struggling to meet a deadline on time when they promised you that they will help. In short, you have vomited every single slight inconvenience and big event in your life that happened in the course of a few days to your boyfriend. Your sweet and caring boyfriend who’s listening intently to every single word you’re saying.

By the time you were done, the sun was beginning to rise. You can hear the sounds of the nature around you waking up as Seungcheol wipes your tears and hug you tightly. You can feel him kiss your hair, stroking it in an attempt to ground you. You both stayed like that for a few more minutes before Cheol made you both sit up to face each other.

“You do know you can share anything with me, right?” He cupped your face with his hands, forcing you to look into his sincere eyes.

“Yeah, I know.”

“So the next time you feel like this, will you please go straight to me?”

You felt your lips quiver due to the intense sincerity that you felt from his words. You observed his face, memorizing every detail and imprinting them into your brain.

“I will.”

Seuncheol smiled in relief before hugging you once again, pulling your head to rest on his chest as he enveloped you with his arms. Maybe you’ll have a hard time letting him be a shoulder for you to cry on but he vows to you and to himself that he will be there to catch you whenever you fall.

Taglist: @moonwonuu @belladaises

17 IS RIGHT HERE (2024) / insp.

passenger princess(es)

𝜗𝜚 fluff, established relationship 𝜗𝜚 idol!seungcheol x fem!reader 𝜗𝜚 wc: 894

・ ❥ ・ there is nothing that could stop cheol from taking care of his passenger princess(es)

„hey baby, can you pass me the water bottle?” seungcheol let go of the wheel, so he could grab the bottle from you, not tearing his eyes from the road for a second. 

cheol was a great driver, excellent even in his humble opinion - he has never gotten a ticket in his life, and people told him on multiple occasions how safe they felt with him behind the wheel. he was also very much aware of how hot he looked driving, something he often used against you. with the sleeves of his black shirt rolled up (which accentuated his yummy biceps even more), the expensive watch around his wrist and, for dessert, his other hand resting on your thigh - you had no other way out than to totally thirst over your unfairly sexy boyfriend.

there were times when you found yourself staring at him with no shame, he was that hot. not that seungcheol cared, if he did he wouldn’t flex his biceps on purpose while grabbing the wheel. 

but while he was (obviously) very careful while driving, it seemed that his protective instincts kicked in on a higher level when you were sitting next to him. 

that’s why when you didn’t answer him, or gave him the bottle, he made sure to grab the wheel with both of his hands before throwing a glance at you. 

„my love, did you h-,” words stuck in his throat when he saw your closed eyes and your head resting against the window. cheol knew that sooner or later you would fall asleep anyway, no matter how hard you insisted on not sleeping. “i want to keep you company,” you pouted angrily, and grabbed the AUX, “don’t want you to feel lonely.” it was on the tip of cheol's tongue that there was no chance he would feel lonely, even if you were sleeping. not to mention your little white fluff ball in the backseat that always kept him company. 

„you see, told you mommy would fall asleep,” he laughed, looking at your precious baby in the rearview mirror. kkuma seemed to have the best time looking at the passing cars, barking at some of them, and wagging her tail at others. 

seungcheol sighed with a smile, as he grabbed your hand that was resting on your tummy. „ah, what am i going to do with you, my silly girls.” 

to be honest - he couldn't have been more content. you spent the whole day together on the beach, with kkuma running into the waves (she ended up looking like a wet mop), eating food from the seaside food stalls, walking along the shore, and finally ending the day with a swim together. days off were the best. 

suddenly, his daydream was cut short when he felt you shiver. cheol wouldn’t have been that worried (you sometimes got those shivers in your sleep, which he always found really cute), but you grabbed his hand tighter, as if you were searching for more body heat. he frowned as he ran his hand over your arm, feeling the goosebumps on your skin. 

„why didn’t you just tell me you were cold,” he muttered, half annoyed, and half worried. your hair was still wet, and your clothes damp after you put them over your swimsuit, so if the AC was too low you could get sick - something seungcheol wouldn’t let happen, even if it meant he’d have to fight the illness himself. 

fortunately, there was a gas station a few kilometers away.

he parked right next to a small field of grass so he could also let kkuma out for a moment, and opened the trunk in search of a blanket he could cover you with. cheol also found his sweater and decided that two layers wouldn’t hurt. 

to avoid any neck or back cramps, seungcheol gently repositioned you in your seat so as not to wake you up, but still let you sleep peacefully without straining any muscles. technically he could just turn the heating on, but he just let you freeze for the past god knows how many minutes - he had to bundle you up. „my pretty girl,” he stroked your cheek, leaning in to kiss your nose, before covering you with the sweater. 

„c-cheollie?” you suddenly mumbled, and raised your hand to rub your eyes. your boyfriend couldn’t help but laugh at your slightly confused expression.  

„i pulled over, baby,” he said softly. „you were sleeping and you were clearly freezing, which by the way, please let me know next time if you're cold, so i stopped to cover you up.” 

you looked at him with big, sleepy eyes like you were still trying to figure out which planet you were on - you were clearly still too tired to understand. „’s okay, go back to sleep.” 

some people were afraid of sleeping in cars, after all, there were so many situations that could lead to a catastrophe - what if the driver fell asleep or did not notice the approaching vehicle? 

but you were not scared at all, not in the slightest. if you had to pick one person on earth that made you feel the safest, you’d pick choi seungcheol without a hesitation. in a car or not - you knew he’d protect you no matter what. 

that's why, without thinking, you nodded and closed your eyes, falling back asleep.

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PLOT TWIST OF THE YEAR?????

Sweet Truth | C.Sc

Pairing: gangster!Seungcheol x reader (ft. detective!Mingyu)

Genre: angst, fluff, action

Summary: The relationship become unstable and lot of things happened. It's time for truth to be revealed

Read Sweets Macaroons for the reference.

Seungcheol's head spun with dizziness as he tried to process the sudden turn of events. The revelation that one of his trusted people was actually a cop, spying on his every move, sent shockwaves through his organization. Now, they were forced to retreat and hide in a secretive location, while the authorities scoured Seoul in search of him.

Amidst the chaos and danger, Seungcheol's thoughts were torn. On one hand, he had to ensure the safety of his people, protect his organization from crumbling under the weight of betrayal. On the other hand, tonight was his anniversary with his girlfriend, you. He had promised to be there, to celebrate your love together.

But as the pressure mounted and the stakes grew higher, he realized that fulfilling both promises seemed impossible. His heart ached with the weight of responsibility, torn between loyalty to his people and love for you. He wanted nothing more than to be by your side, to hold you close and forget about the dangers lurking in the shadows. Yet, the reality of their situation loomed large, forcing him to make difficult decisions.

Seungcheol found himself holed up in their secret sanctuary with Jeonghan and a handful of trusted allies, their presence providing a thin veil of security in the midst of uncertainty. With only a burner phone in hand, he refrained from reaching out to you, knowing the danger it could pose if the authorities traced any connection between you and him. His heart weighed heavy with concern for your safety, yet he couldn't risk putting you in harm's way.

He trusted Jun to check on you, knowing that you would likely still be at your bakery, preparing to close for the night. Jun, once a trusted member of your staff, had been tasked with a different mission—keeping you safe without your knowledge. After you discovered this, Seungcheol had swiftly ordered him to cease all surveillance on you and resign from his position. It was a bitter pill to swallow, realizing that he couldn't get any updates anymore about your daily activities.

For four agonizing months, Seungcheol had been living in the shadows, cut off from any information about you except what you shared directly with him. The void of not knowing gnawed at him day and night, tormenting him with thoughts of your safety and well-being. His life had become a constant dance with danger, ever since the fateful transaction with the Chinese drug seller that had put him squarely in the crosshairs of the law.

The constant threat of being hunted by the authorities cast a dark shadow over every aspect of his existence, tainting even his most cherished moments with you. Gone were the days of carefree meetings and stolen kisses. Now, every interaction was tinged with the heavy weight of survival, as Seungcheol remained on high alert, vigilant against any sign of danger that might threaten both himself and you.

The once vibrant connection between you now felt strained, suffocated by the secrecy and paranoia that enveloped his world. Seungcheol longed to hold you close, to share in the simple joys of your love without the looming specter of his illicit industry hanging over them. But deep down, he knew that exposing you to his dangerous world was a risk he could never justify. The thought of putting you in harm's way was unbearable, and so he kept you at arm's length, shielding you from the darkness that consumed him, even as it tore him apart inside.

"Hyung, Jun has sent an update about Y/n," Jeonghan said, passing Seungcheol his tablet so he could read the message for himself. Seungcheol's breath caught in his throat as he scanned Jun's message. It hinted that you might be returning home earlier than usual, prompting Jun to head to your apartment. Frustration twisted his features as he absorbed the information, a knot of anxiety forming in his chest.

The thought of you potentially arriving home earlier, expecting to find him waiting there, sent a pang of guilt coursing through Seungcheol. He cursed under his breath, torn between the desire to see you and the fear of putting you in harm's way. With each passing moment, the weight of his double life pressed down on him, suffocating him with the knowledge that his actions could endanger the person he loved most.

As he awaited further updates from Jun, Seungcheol couldn't shake the gnawing sense of unease that gripped him, knowing that every decision he made could have devastating consequences for both himself and you. As Seungcheol and Jeonghan calmly discussed their next strategy, a sudden interruption shattered the peace—a phone call from Jun. Seungcheol's heart leaped into his throat as he swiftly abandoned the conversation and answered the call.

His eyes widened in shock as he listened intently to Jun's words, every syllable sending a jolt of adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Kim Mingyu took her," Jun's voice crackled over the line, each word striking Seungcheol like a physical blow. He felt his muscles tense involuntarily as the gravity of the situation sank in. Mingyu, a rival in their world, was not to be underestimated, and the thought of him having you in his grasp sent a chill down Seungcheol's spine.

With a sense of urgency gripping him, Seungcheol rose from his seat, his mind racing as he processed Jun's report. Mingyu's actions threatened not only you but also the delicate balance of power within their underworld. As he listened to Jun's account of the events unfolding, Seungcheol's emotions roiled within him—a potent mix of fear, anger, and determination.

In that moment, everything else faded into the background as Seungcheol's sole focus became the safety of the person he loved. With a steely resolve hardening his features, he knew that he would stop at nothing to ensure your return, even if it meant facing off against his most dangerous adversaries.

"Kim Mingyu, the stupid cop!" Seungcheol's voice seethed with anger, his fists clenching at the mention of his rival's name. The audacity of Mingyu's actions, resorting to kidnapping to further his agenda, ignited a fierce determination within Seungcheol. "So this is how he wants to play the game? By kidnapping her?" Seungcheol's words dripped with disdain, his mind already calculating his next move. Mingyu had chosen the wrong opponent, Seungcheol vowed silently to himself, his resolve hardening with each passing second.

Seungcheol's heart plummeted as Jeonghan's phone rang, the sudden intrusion breaking the tense silence that hung in the air. With a sense of foreboding, he watched as Jeonghan's expression shifted from confusion to alarm upon seeing the caller ID.

"It's Mingyu," Jeonghan announced, his voice tight with apprehension as he answered the call. Seungcheol's grip tightened on the edge of the table, his knuckles white with tension as he waited for Jeonghan to relay the message.

The air seemed to grow heavy as Jeonghan's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line. Seungcheol's heart pounded in his chest, the anticipation of Mingyu's words gnawing at him like a relentless predator.

"What does he want?" Seungcheol demanded, his voice edged with thinly veiled hostility as he leaned in closer, desperate for any shred of information.

Jeonghan's hand trembled slightly as he held the phone to his ear, his brow furrowed in concentration as he strained to make out the words. Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror as he held the phone out for Seungcheol to see.

"It's a picture," Jeonghan whispered, his voice barely above a whisper as he turned the screen to face Seungcheol. The color drained from Seungcheol's face as he stared at the image displayed on the screen—a chilling snapshot of you, lying unconscious in the back of a car, your face pale and lifeless.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis as Seungcheol processed the sight before him. Mingyu's sinister message was clear—your safety hung in the balance, a pawn in his twisted game of cat and mouse.

A surge of fury coursed through Seungcheol's veins as he clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms with barely restrained rage. Mingyu had crossed a line, and there would be hell to pay for his audacity.

"Where is he?" Seungcheol's voice was low and dangerous, his eyes blazing with a fiery intensity as he fixed his gaze on Jeonghan. Every fiber of his being screamed for retribution, for swift and merciless justice to be served.

Jeonghan swallowed hard, his own expression mirroring Seungcheol's steely resolve. "He didn't say," he replied, his voice tinged with frustration as he relayed Mingyu's cryptic message.

Seungcheol's jaw clenched as he processed the information, his mind racing with possibilities. Mingyu may have thought he held the upper hand, but Seungcheol was not one to be underestimated. He would stop at nothing to ensure your safe return, even if it meant facing off against his most formidable adversary yet.

With a sense of grim determination, Seungcheol knew that the time for waiting and hesitation was over. Mingyu had made his move, and now it was Seungcheol's turn to play the game. And this time, he would play to win, no matter the cost.

*

You are innocent, that's what Seungcheol needed Mingyu to know. As his mind divided into two, his people and you, Jeonghan approached him with urgent news – Mingyu was on the line. Seungcheol wasted no time, seizing the phone and pressing it to his ear, the weight of impending danger bearing down on him.

A scream, muffled yet unmistakable, pierced through the phone, seizing Seungcheol's heart in a vise-like grip. Mingyu's laughter followed, chilling and sinister, as he issued his ultimatum: "Come to me or I kill her."

Seungcheol's eyes squeezed shut in anguish as he uttered his defiant response, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and resolve. "No police should harm an innocent citizen."

Mingyu's laughter grew more derisive, his taunts cutting deeper with each cruel word. "She dated you, Seungcheol. How can you be so sure she's innocent?"

Seungcheol's jaw clenched, his resolve hardening as he fired back, "She doesn't know anything about my job."

But Mingyu's retort was swift and cutting, a cold reminder of the tangled web of deceit they were ensnared in. "Oh, she may not know now," Mingyu sneered, "but she'll lead you straight to me soon enough."

A desperate cry tore through the phone, your voice echoing with terror and pleading. "No! Don't come find me!"

Seungcheol's heart clenched at the sound, a swell of guilt and anguish washing over him. What had Mingyu told you about him? Had he already poisoned your mind against him with his lies?

As doubt gnawed at his resolve, Seungcheol knew one thing for certain – he would stop at nothing to protect you, even if it meant confronting the darkest shadows of his past.

"Can I talk to her?" Seungcheol pleaded with Mingyu, desperation lacing his tone. Jeonghan, who watched the whole scene unfold, gasped in surprise. For the first time, he witnessed his formidable superior pleading to someone else.

"Seungcheol..." he heard you whimper his name breathlessly. "Don't you dare come to me..."

Seungcheol sighed heavily, his heart twisting with worry. "How can I not come to you? You're in danger, baby."

"I'll be fine," you said, but Seungcheol didn't buy it. He could hear the tremor in your voice, the underlying fear that threatened to consume you.

"Kim Mingyu..." Seungcheol's words were cut off as the phone call abruptly ended. Kim Mingyu was a menace, a ruthless cop who stopped at nothing to achieve his goals. Seungcheol knew that all too well.

Mingyu's vendetta against Seungcheol stemmed from one simple fact – Seungcheol held a crucial piece of evidence, a file that exposed Mingyu's ties to the Russian organization, Klinok. This organization was notorious for its involvement in drug trafficking and human exploitation, and Mingyu would go to any lengths to protect his secrets.

Seungcheol clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath the surface. Mingyu's interference threatened not only his own safety but also yours, dragging you into a dangerous game neither of you asked to play.

As Seungcheol paced the room, his mind raced with thoughts of how to outmaneuver Mingyu and protect you from harm. But with Mingyu holding all the cards, Seungcheol knew he had to tread carefully.

Jeonghan watched his superior with a mixture of concern and admiration. Despite the dire circumstances, Seungcheol remained steadfast in his determination to keep you safe. It was a side of Seungcheol that few had seen – vulnerable yet resolute, willing to risk everything for the person he loved.

With Mingyu's threat looming over them, Seungcheol knew that time was running out. He needed to find a way to outsmart Mingyu and rescue you from harm's way before it was too late. But as the minutes ticked by, the weight of uncertainty pressed down on him, threatening to crush his resolve.

"Jeonghan," Seungcheol called out, his voice tinged with urgency, "I need you to help me with a big favor."

Jeonghan turned to face Seungcheol, his expression reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern as he awaited further instruction. "What should I do?" he asked, ready to lend his support in whatever way necessary.

"I need you to handle everything," Seungcheol began, his tone grave and serious. "I need you to choose your assistants carefully."

Jeonghan's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?" he mumbled, struggling to comprehend the gravity of Seungcheol's request.

"I need you to cover for me," Seungcheol clarified, turning to face Jeonghan directly. "I can't do this anymore."

As the weight of Seungcheol's words settled over them, Jeonghan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Seungcheol, the formidable leader of their organization, was entrusting him with the responsibility of leading in his absence. It was a momentous decision, one that Jeonghan never anticipated.

"Seungcheol, are you sure about this?" Jeonghan asked, his voice filled with uncertainty. "I mean, I'm honored, but..."

Seungcheol placed a reassuring hand on Jeonghan's shoulder, his expression grave yet resolute. "I trust you, Jeonghan," he said firmly. "You have the strength and the wisdom to lead in my stead. I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't believe in you."

Jeonghan felt a surge of emotion welling up inside him. To be entrusted with such a significant responsibility by someone he respected and admired meant more to him than words could express. He nodded, determination shining in his eyes.

"I won't let you down, Seungcheol," Jeonghan vowed, his voice filled with conviction. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect our organization and keep our people safe."

Seungcheol nodded, a small yet appreciative smile gracing his lips. "I know you will, Jeonghan," he said, his tone filled with confidence. "Now, go. Our people need you."

With a final nod of acknowledgment, Jeonghan turned and set off to fulfill the daunting task that lay ahead. As he stepped into his new role, he knew that he had big shoes to fill. But with Seungcheol's faith in him as his guiding light, Jeonghan was ready to rise to the challenge and lead their organization into a new era.

*

Seungcheol drove to the address Mingyu had sent him, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. He couldn't believe that a police officer could stoop to such despicable acts. Not that Seungcheol hadn't done his fair share of questionable deeds, but he had never crossed certain lines. Yet, here he was, forced to confront the dark reality of Mingyu's actions.

As he navigated the streets of Seoul, memories of his past deeds weighed heavily on Seungcheol's mind. He had never claimed to be a good person – far from it. But seeing you, with your unwavering love and adoration, had stirred something deep within him. It had made him question the path he had chosen, and whether he could ever truly leave behind the life of crime he had embraced for so long.

Before the chaos ensued, Seungcheol had been meticulously planning the organization's future, laying the groundwork for a smooth transition before he announced his retirement. It was a decision fueled not only by his desire to settle down with you but also by a newfound sense of responsibility and a longing for redemption.

As he neared the address Mingyu had provided, Seungcheol's heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and dread. He knew that confronting Mingyu would be dangerous, but he was willing to risk it all for the chance to rescue you from harm's way. With each passing moment, the weight of his decisions pressed down on him, threatening to consume him with doubt and uncertainty.

But as he pulled up to the designated location, determination hardened in Seungcheol's eyes. No matter the outcome, he would stop at nothing to ensure your safety and bring an end to Mingyu's reign of terror. With a deep breath, he stepped out of the car and prepared to face whatever lay ahead.

Seungcheol entered the old building, his senses on high alert as he scanned his surroundings. The dimly lit corridors were eerily quiet, save for the occasional creaking of floorboards beneath his feet. His heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight of several unconscious bodies strewn across the floor, a chilling reminder of the danger that lurked within.

With each step he took, Seungcheol's worry for your safety intensified. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to you, not when you were so close, yet so far from his reach. Determination flared within him as he pushed forward, his mind focused solely on finding you and bringing you back to safety.

As he ascended the staircase to the floor above, the sound of voices grew louder, mingling with the unmistakable echoes of struggle and conflict. Seungcheol's instincts kicked into overdrive as he hastened his pace, his muscles tense with anticipation.

Seungcheol froze in his tracks, the sound of the gunshot echoing through the corridors like a thunderclap. Dread washed over him, threatening to paralyze him with fear as he contemplated the possibility of Mingyu harming you. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a painful reminder of the stakes at hand.

For a moment, Seungcheol's mind raced with a million possibilities, each one more terrifying than the last. His breath caught in his throat as he braced himself for what he might find on the other side of that door. But amidst the chaos of his thoughts, one thing remained clear – he couldn't afford to hesitate. Not when your life hung in the balance.

With a steely resolve, Seungcheol pushed open the door, bracing himself for the unknown. But what greeted him was far from the worst nightmare he had imagined. Mingyu lay on the floor, wounded, while you stood beside him, gun in hand, your eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and urgency.

Beside you stood Seungkwan, your baker, his expression mirroring yours as he held his own weapon tightly. Seungcheol's mind reeled at the sight, trying to process the unexpected turn of events unfolding before him.

As your eyes met his, you wasted no time in rushing to his side, gripping his hand firmly and gesturing for him to follow. Seungcheol's confusion gave way to a deep sense of trust in you, and he followed your lead without hesitation, his instincts telling him that you knew what needed to be done.

"We're just gonna leave Seungkwan?" Seungcheol's voice trembled with uncertainty as he glanced back at the injured baker.

You nodded reassuringly, motioning for him to get into the car while you took the driver's seat. Seungcheol's mind was spinning with questions as he settled into the passenger seat. Since when could you drive? It was just one of the many revelations that tonight had brought.

As you drove with determination, Seungcheol's thoughts raced, trying to make sense of the whirlwind of events. How had you survived? How had you managed to shoot Mingyu? And why was Seungkwan there?

Lost in his thoughts, Seungcheol barely registered your voice as you spoke beside him. He turned to you, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and concern. "You okay, baby?" you asked, your words cutting through the chaos in his mind.

Seungcheol was taken aback. Wasn't it supposed to be his line, reassuring you that everything would be okay now that he had saved you from Mingyu? But the roles seemed to have reversed, leaving him bewildered and uncertain.

You guided Seungcheol to a building, and he followed you inside, his senses on high alert. Once you were safely indoors, Seungcheol pulled you into his embrace, relief flooding through him as he held you close.

"I'm glad you're fine," he whispered, his voice barely above a murmur, feeling the tension drain from his body.

You chuckled softly, your breath warm against his chest. "Didn't I say it on the phone call that I'll be fine?" you murmured, tightening the hug as if to reassure him once more.

Seungcheol couldn't help but smile at your words, but his curiosity gnawed at him. "What happened?" he asked, his tone gentle yet demanding, a silent plea for the truth.

And as you began to explain, Seungcheol realized that he wasn't the only one with secrets.

*

"Welcome to Sweetie..." Your cheerful voice faded once you realized who had entered your shop. Your former superior, Hong Jisoo, and your colleague Seungkwan stood there, exuding an air of calm and collected confidence. It was clear from their composed demeanor that they had expected to find you here.

"It's been a long time, Agent Sweet," Director Hong said, smiling as he took a seat at one of the tables.

You were relieved that the shop was empty, with Jun out on an errand to the market, getting your weekly stock filled. The timing, at least, was fortunate.

You sighed, maintaining a polite smile. "Is there any sweet that you prefer? We have the viral Cromboloni here," you said, trying to keep up the pretense of normalcy, as if he wasn’t someone you had worked with for half of your life.

Seungkwan walked to the door and flipped the open sign to closed. You opened the drawer under the cashier machine, reaching for the box inside where your gun was stored. Jisoo cleared his throat and signaled Seungkwan to join him.

"Can we have two Americanos and two of those Cromboloni, please?" Jisoo asked, his tone deceptively casual.

You silently took your gun and tucked it into your apron pocket. Noting their order, you began to prepare the coffees and desserts. As you placed the desserts in the microwave, the reflection in the microwave's door showed Seungkwan moving towards you. Reacting instantly, you dropped the dessert, pulled out your gun, and pointed it directly at his forehead.

The sight made Jisoo smile with satisfaction. "Still got those instincts, Y/n," he remarked, standing up from his seat. He gently lowered your gun from Seungkwan's forehead. "Let's not make a mess. Your boyfriend wouldn't like it."

Your gaze shifted to Jisoo, eyes narrowing. "You've been tracking my boyfriend?"

Jisoo shrugged nonchalantly. "He's not exactly hard to find. A bit popular, isn't he?"

There was a pregnant silence before Jisoo finally confessed the true reason for their visit. "We want you to come back," he started. "Our team needs you. We’ve been in a state of emergency since you left."

You put your gun back into your pocket, then bent down to clean up the dessert you had dropped. "You’re the only person who knows why I’m not coming back, Director Hong," you said, your voice laced with frustration.

Jisoo sighed and gestured for Seungkwan to sit back at the table while he spoke to you. "Listen, Y/n, we all need you. The country needs you. You were in the field for 15 years. You’re the only one who can do this."

"Why? Why am I the only one?" you demanded, standing up and looking Jisoo directly in the eyes.

"Because you’re S.Coups's lover," Jisoo reasoned.

You sighed, "That's the exact reason I left this job," you whispered, ensuring Seungkwan couldn't overhear your conversation.

Two years ago, you were assigned to investigate Yoon Jeonghan, a man rumored to be running the largest illegal weapons industry. This bakery was a front, strategically placed near their operations. During your investigation, you discovered that Yoon Jeonghan was just a right-hand man. Then you met Seungcheol, who frequented your bakery a little too often. He asked for your number and managed to distract you from your mission. Soon, you learned that Yoon Jeonghan worked for Choi Seungcheol, the real S.Coups.

You were assigned to capture them, but you refused and left the job before officially dating Seungcheol. Despite leaving the agency, you sensed someone was still spying on you. Boo Seungkwan, your junior, had been watching you under Jisoo’s orders..

"We don't want S.Coups," Jisoo exclaimed. "We need Klinok." He began to explain, his voice grave. "Klinok has been taking over the industry for years, and if they get their hands on weapons, we'll be in big trouble."

"Klinok has been targeting S.Coups since earlier this year. We need to save him; he has the critical data we need to bring Klinok down."

You were baffled by the revelation. "Are you serious?" you asked Jisoo, your mind racing.

Jisoo nodded solemnly. "That's why I said you're the only one who can do this."

"Seungkwan will help you. He'll apply as a baker here. He's quite good at it," Jisoo added, glancing at Seungkwan.

Seungkwan scoffed, "Excuse me, I'm not 'quite good.' I'm very good at baking."

Jisoo chuckled before turning his focus back to you. "It's your choice, Y/n."

You stood there, weighing your options. The peaceful life you had carved out was slipping away, replaced by the dangerous world you had tried to leave behind. But if Seungcheol was in danger and you had the power to help, how could you refuse?

Taking a deep breath, you looked Jisoo in the eye. "Alright, I'll do it. But remember, Seungcheol's safety is my top priority."

Jisoo nodded, a look of relief washing over his face. "Understood. We'll do everything we can to protect him."

You glanced at Seungkwan, who gave you a reassuring nod. "Guess we're in this together, then," you said, a determined glint in your eye.

*

"Baby..." Seungcheol brushed a strand of hair away from your face as he listened to your explanation, his voice barely above a whisper. He struggled to process all the revelations. "So you knew I was hiding my work from you?" he asked, feeling a pang of guilt.

You nodded, reaching for his hand. "It's not like I wasn't hiding something either. So we're even," you said with a gentle smile, trying to ease his heavy heart.

He pulled you into his embrace again, rubbing your back and whispering, "I'm just glad you're okay. That could have been so dangerous, baby..."

You chuckled softly. "I've been doing this for half of my life, love. Danger is nothing new to me."

"Still," he insisted, "what if Mingyu had done something to you?"

You smiled at his concern and pecked his lips. "It was anticipated. Kim Mingyu has been working with Klinok for a long time, and he's been seen around my bakery this month. He was definitely trying to get to you by using me."

Seungcheol cupped your cheeks, rubbing them softly. He kissed your forehead with so much affection before pulling you into another embrace. "Thank you for saving me," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "And I'm sorry that I've been hiding all of this."

You held him tightly, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. "We're in this together now," you whispered. "No more secrets."

He nodded, resting his chin on your head. "No more secrets," he echoed, his voice resolute.

In that moment, despite the chaos and uncertainty, you both felt a sense of peace. You had each other, and that was all that mattered. Together, you could face anything.

Ring

"That must be Seungkwan," Seungcheol said, pulling away and ending the make-out session you were enjoying before the night could end.

You groaned and picked up the call. "Agent Sweet speaking," you answered, your tone clearly upset. Seungkwan could easily detect your annoyance.

"Klinok is on his way to the harbor. He expects Kim Mingyu in an hour. Let's catch him," Seungkwan informed you, and you immediately ended the call.

"I'm sorry, baby. But work is calling," you mumbled while buttoning up your shirt and ensuring you had your weapon and necessary gear.

Seungcheol watched you from the couch, a smile playing on his lips. "You look hot like this," he remarked.

You smiled back, "Baby," you called him, "I look hot whether I'm wearing an apron or carrying a gun." You leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

"I'll be back. Wait for me, okay?" you said, your voice filled with determination and affection.

Seungcheol nodded, his eyes filled with pride and concern. "Be careful," he whispered, knowing that you were about to step into a dangerous situation, but also knowing that there was no one more capable than you.

Smokin' hot and born to stand out ‼️MR. CHOI SEUNGCHEOL EVERYONE🥵

into the night | jeon wonwoo

SUMMARY: when you call wonwoo late at night telling him you're stranded, he drops everything to make his way to you (and bring you home safe)

PAIRING: biker!wonwoo x reader

THEMES: biker au, established relationship, terms of endearment, comfort fluff

WARNINGS: speed, fluff, kissing, a little suggestive (only at the end)

WORDCOUNT: 3.1k

A/N: just another very self-indulgent fic

the cool wind blows in your hair as you stand next to your car on the verge of tears. you really don't know how you ended up here - well you do actually. you were upset, overwhelmed from work and exhausted. you just wanted to run away for a bit, get away from life. but right now it seemed like life had caught up and was showing you the reality of your situation.

you pull out your phone from your sling bag and unlock it, your hands opening your contacts, your finger hovering over wonwoo's number. it was late, almost going to be midnight and here you were in the middle of nowhere because your car decided to break down. you wonder whether you should bother wonwoo tonight, having second thoughts, but your finger taps on his contact anyway, dialling his number. you don't think he is going to pick up after a few rings and you move your phone from your ear. that's when you hear the line pick up on the other end, wonwoo's voice floating in your ear.

"yn?", he asks, his voice tinged with a little sleepiness. "i-sorry did i wake you up?", you ask softly, looking down at your feet.

"no, i was up. are you okay?", he asks you, and that question gets you. you bite your lip in an attempt to not cry, feeling overwhelmed all over again.

"wonwoo", you say softly, feeling like an idiot for getting yourself in this situation.

"my love, what's wrong?", his voice comes through, concern laced in his voice and you can hear the sound of some shuffle on the other side.

"can you come get me?", you finally manage to choke out, your voice cracking, betraying your composure. "where are you?", he asks, his tone more alert now.

"i'm kind of stranded", you confess softly, and wonwoo catches onto the tremor in your voice, getting worried. "i don't know where i am, i was just driving and the car broke down", you try to explain softly, a lone tear rolling down your cheek.

"driving? why were you driving so late", he presses, to which you don't respond. you bite your lip in hesitation, unsure whether you want to tell wonwoo the truth or not.

you can hear him sigh softly on the other end before he speaks again. "send me your location and wait in the car, okay. i'm on the way", he says before hanging up.

after sending wonwoo your location, you settled into the quiet of the car, exhaustion weighing heavily upon your eyelids. despite your best efforts to stay awake, you unintentionally dozed off, unaware of the passing time and wonwoo's frantic attempts to reach you, the phone on silent.

in wonwoo's mind, each unanswered call heightens his worry, his imagination conjuring the worst-case scenarios, thinking something might have happened to you. it was unlike you to not respond to his calls. you'd usually reassure him with a quick call or text, but right now you were unreachable and panic ignited in his chest, propelling him to rush towards your location on his bike, each passing moment feeling like an eternity.

he finally reaches your location, finding your car on the side of the road with the blinkers flashing. with wonwoo's heart pounding with every step he takes, he approaches your car, his knuckles knocking against the window, startling you awake.

jumping up at the sudden noise, you blinked groggily, confusion clouding your senses. a figure stood outside, casting a silhouette against the darkness. fear momentarily gripped you until clarity dawned, and you recognised the familiar leather jacket that belonged to wonwoo.

with a shaky exhale, you reached for the door handle. as you stepped out into the cool night air you heard wonwoo say something like "thank god" under his breath as you stepped out.

"are you okay?", he asks, worried, his hair a touseled mess, falling over his forehead and eyes, blowing gently with the breeze. he looks you up and down, looking for any signs of injury.

"i'm okay, i just dozed off", you tell and relief seems to flood in his eyes. "you got me worried there, i called you but you weren't picking up", he says, looking at you, relieved to see you safe and sound.

a gush of wind passes, making you shiver. you cross your arms over your chest to offer some sort of warmth to your body. you stand there in front of wonwoo, avoiding wonwoo's gaze, dreading the question he might ask you about why you were driving out so late in the middle of nowhere. but the question never comes.

"let's go home", he says softly, reassuring in a way, holding out his hand for you to take, making you finally look up at him. you take his hand, walking along with him. he holds your hand gently but there's something comforting about his touch.

that's when you finally spot the bike - wonwoo's sports bike parked on the side of the road, making you turn your head to him.

"it's gonna get cold", he remarks, his voice gentle as he retrieves another jacket from his bike. he holds it out to you and waits patiently as you slip your arms into the sleeves, his touch tender as he settles the jacket over your shoulders. though it was slightly oversized, the garment seemed to embrace you in its warmth, a comforting shield against the biting night air. wonwoo's heart swelled with pride at the sight of you wearing his jacket.

"we're going home on this?", you question, apprehension evident in your voice as wonwoo zips up the jacket around you.

"why? are you scared?" he teases lightly. he knew all too well of your unease with riding on his bike, a fear you had yet to conquer since the beginning of your relationship. the whole thing seemed so intimidating to you, but wonwoo never pushed you to overcome it, understanding you and respecting your space. but tonight, it seemed like you were finally going to face your fear.

"it was the fastest way to get to you", he adds softly, brushing a stray strand of hair away from your face, tucking it behind your ear as your eyes dart around nervously, still grappling with the idea of riding on his bike.

"do you trust me?", he asks, his eyes searching yours for reassurance. you lift your eyes to meet his, and nod slowly. "then let's go home".

wonwoo sits on the bike, manoeuvring it into position. he extends his hand, helping you to get on the bike and take a seat. once you're settled in the seat, you can't help but notice its height and weight, a realisation sinking on what you were about to embark on.

wonwoo hands you the spare helmet he brought along with him, and you accept it, your fingers tracing the smooth surface nervously.

"okay, some ground rules," he began, his gaze turning serious as he turns back to look at you.

"hold onto me no matter what or else you're gonna fall off", he says, his gaze turning amused when he sees the flash of panic in your eyes.

"woah not like that, i mean, it's better to hold onto me you know", he adds, chuckling softly and you make a face, smacking him lightly.

"tap me once to tell me you're comfortable, tap twice if you want me to slow down and tap thrice if you want me to stop or you don't feel okay", he instructs carefully. you nod at his intrusions.

"okay?", he asks again and you nod again.

"words, i need words my love", he prompts and you finally speak, squeaking out a small yes, still scared about being on the bike and the corners of his mouth tug up in a small smile.

you watch as he puts on his big biker gloves before taking the helmet from your hands and placing it on your head, adjusting as needed. he puts on his helmet too and waits. you're confused and hold onto his jacket to brace yourself. he opens the visor on his helmet before speaking.

"love, you gotta hold onto me", he says, startling you for a second. "i-i-am", you stutter out in surprise.

"that's not going to work", he says and wordlessly reaches out his hands to yours, guiding them around his waist and you hold onto him now. "that's much better", he remarks, satisfied before telling you he was going to start, putting down his visor.

the bike starts and wonwoo pushes off, riding in the direction home. and fuck, you had underestimated the speed that you'd be going at. your grip around wonwoo tightens and he smiles to himself. wonwoo's grateful for the helmet because gosh, he was melting under your touch truly. he finds you cute, so so cute and all his.

he still remembers the day he first met you. it was at the convenience store where he found you feeding a few of the stray cats that he usually feeds. he'd just gone in to buy some food for them and when he came out walking around to the back, he saw you. you were crouched down as you handed the cats some food and watched them eat with a tender smile on your face. it's was only a few seconds later that you had finally noticed his presence, standing up in a rush.

seeing the strange man in front of you all of a sudden, you panicked, taking a step back until wonwoo spoke.

"you feed them too?", he inquired, tilting his head to the side with geunine curiosity. he remembers the way you nodded your head shyly and the way you took him in, your gaze lingering at his tattoed arm that was exposed, the sleeves rolled up a bit.

from that moment on, your paths seemed to cross more frequently. wonwoo found himself drawn to your presence, often finding excuses to linger around the convenience store in hopes of encountering you once more. you'd get so nervous and shy every time he'd come around on that big bike of his, wearing that leather jacket that made him look so cool and his hair that had grown into a mullet that was a little long and shaggy and fell over his forehead and eyes, making him look hot, paired with the tattoos that covered his one arm, he looked irresistible. and not to forget his towering height - oh he was hot.

it had been almost six months into dating and you'd still never ridden on his bike before, until now. wonwoo gestures his hand in a thumbs up, asking you if you are okay and you tap his chest once. he smiles, glad, but really, you were scared, hanging onto wonwoo for dear life. you feel his hand gently intertwine in yours to reassure you as he slows down at a signal. you sit up a little straighter now, allowing your grip around his waist to loosen just a little.

he starts up again, accelerating again. you clutch onto him a little tighter than last time, closing your eyes. the rush of speed and nerves overwhelming you. you tap him twice, indicating you want him to slow down a little and he does, slowing down at a manageable speed for you but still going at a steady pace. as the minutes pass, you find the courage to open your eyes, lifting your head to take in your surroundings. to your surprise, you realized that you were in familiar territory—the neighbourhood where wonwoo lived. with his home now just a mere ten minutes away, a sense of relief washed over you, tempered with a newfound sense of accomplishment for conquering your fears, if only for a moment.

the rest of the ride is smooth. once wonwoo reaches his home, he parks the bike, turns off the engine, mountings his legs on the ground. your arms are still around his waist, gripping him tighter than ever because the bike was now leaning towards the left since he'd put it on the stand. you were somehow convinced that you were going to fall off if you didn't hold onto wonwoo. he takes off his helmet and sets it down in front of him on the gas tank.

"you okay love?", he asks when you haven't let go of him yet. "yeah i'm okay", you manage out softly, your voice muffled through the helmet.

you reluctantly take your hands off wonwoo and move your hands up to take off your helmet. wonwoo gets down first, his height and long legs making it easier for him than for you. he takes both helmets, placing them on the small bench in his yard.

as you remained perched on the bike, a hesitation rushed through you, with the sudden reluctance to dismount the bike. gazing down at the ground beneath you, you tried to steady yourself, despite knowing there was no real risk of falling. with a nervous gulp, you raised your eyes to meet wonwoo's, finding him regarding you with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

wonwoo shakes his head a little, letting out a soft exhale, letting his hair breathe finally. he runs a hand through his dishevelled hair, the strands falling in an adorable mess around his face. he continues to look at you, wondering why you haven't gotten off yet.

"need help?", he prompts. "how am i supposed to-", you trail off, feeling embarrassed. you manage to swing your one leg to the other side and now you're settled in a sideways position, holding onto the bike so you don't slide off entirely. wonwoo walks forward and wordlessly holds onto you, his hands finding your waist to steady you as you peer up at him.

"i'll pick you up, just wrap your legs around my waist," he says calmly, and you furrow your brows for a second before nodding in understanding. wonwoo lifts you up effortlessly and you instinctively encircle your legs around his torso as your arms wrap around his neck for support. his one arm supported you, securely wrapped around your waist as he held you up. the proximity made your heart rate rush and you lean more into him so you don't fall off.

he grabs the bike keys before heading to the door, unlocking the door with ease and walking inside with you, holding onto you securely. you admire wonwoo up close and gosh, he was so handsome and pretty.

wonwoo sets you down on the kitchen island countertop, his hands lingering on your waist for a moment as you look at him. as you meet his eyes, you can't help but notice how your height almost matches his towering height now. he gives you a small but comforting smile before his hands move off your waist. he unzips his jacket, taking it off, only to expose his tattoed arm as he slides the jacket off, making you gasp ever so softly at the sight. you'd seen wonwoo's tattoos plenty of times before, but they never failed to leave you in awe every time you saw them. despite wonwoo's intimidating appearance - for someone who looked cold, badass and was so buff, he was so soft, sweet and gentle. it was a contrast that never failed to captivate you, drawing you closer to the enigma that was wonwoo.

wonwoo's wearing a sleeveless compression shirt and as you look at him, it's slowly turning your brain to mush with the way it was hugging his body perfectly at all the right places, showing off his build and muscles. the way the fabric hugged and accentuated every sculpted muscle of his sent your thoughts spiralling in a whirlwind. you have to tear your eyes away, opting to look at your lap instead, feeling the rush of heat flood your cheeks. wonwoo smirks to himself when he catches you checking him out and stealing glances at him, a little boost to his ego.

he takes off the gloves, placing them on the counter and finally, his attention is back on you. he looks at you, stepping forward so that he was closer, standing between your legs as he lifts your chin up so that you can meet his gaze.

"what's going on?", he asks softly, his hand caressing your cheek as he looks at you sweetly. your eyes dart to the side before returning to his unwavering gaze.

"i-i don't know", you confess as you look at him. "i just needed some space i guess, everything got too much", you tell and his gaze softens as he looks at you.

"next time you want to escape, at least call me, i can take you", he murmurs, his words carrying a sense of reassurance and comfort. you gulp at the closeness and his words as he stares into your soul.

"yeah-okay", you mumbled softly, blinking at him, getting nervous again. the way wonwoo could render you a shy nervous mess in mere seconds was something that needed to be studied.

before you can dwell on your response more , wonwoo closes the gap between you, his lips meeting yours in a tender and gentle kiss. a rush of warmth floods your body and in that moment, everything seems to stop. he pulls away and you hope he can't hear how loud and fast your heart is beating.

you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him forward as you bury your face in his chest, engulfing him in a hug. wonwoo's arms instantly wrap around your waist, pulling you a little closer to him, letting you bask in his embrace, the comforting weight of his presence grounding you as he hugs you back, burying his face in the crook of your neck. at that moment, amidst the warmth of his embrace, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you suspended in a moment of quiet intimacy.

bonus: the intrusive thoughts really won here

you riding the bike with wonwoo again, the wind is refreshing as he glides on the roads. after that day, you'd gotten a little more confident and okay with riding on wonwoo's bike. but now, it was like second nature to you. your hands are around wonwoo's waist before you have a little mischievous thought and you smile to yourself. your hands slowly creep up to his chest, your fingers finding the buttons of his shirt as you slowly undo them. wonwoo has no idea what's happening until he glances dow n at the feeling of your hands on his chest, seeing what you are doing.

"what are you doing?", he asks, his voice filling your helmet and you suppress the urge to laugh.

"i'm showing the world how sexy my boyfriend is, though i should be gatekeeping you actually", you tease, undoing another button as wonwoo's shirt now hangs on for dear life. your hands creep up under his shirt and you hear the soft groan he lets out as your hands caress his abs and you grin, satisfied knowing the effect you were having on him.

"oh love, you are so in for it when we get home", he says making you chuckle as you hug him tighter.

taglist: @biboramp3 @naaaaafla @weird-bookworm @icyminghao @kyeomyun @lvlystars @blue-jisungs @wootify @ihrtboo @idubiluv @n4mj00nvq

@joshuaahong @fallingforshua29 @itsveronicaxxx @frankenstein852 @mirxzii @wheeboo @writingmeraki @wqnwoos

ten reasons to avoid italy

pairing kim mingyu x fem! reader genre fluff | 11.5k words | exes to lovers summary when your ex joins you and your friends on a week long vacation to cancun, you have no choice but to avoid and make the best of it… so how is he always next to you? warnings mentions of alcohol consumption, fear of heights, flashbacks, being seasick, taking pills for medicine (seasickness), eating seafood, and floating away in the ocean (not far). use of y/n and seventeen member's korean names. also jeonghan and seungcheol being parents.

HEAVILY INSPIRED by the nana tour with seventeen show. please watch if you haven't, it's so fun. IF YOU HAVE WATCHED, there are many inside jokes and scenes from the show that are in this writing, so hope you can pick it out!

P.S. i included seungcheol to join the trip!

italics are flashbacks! this is not proofread, please don't mind any mistakes.

The Korean barbecue restaurant was filled with the delicious scent of grilled meat and spices. With you were Seungkwan, Seokmin, and Soonyoung for dinner in honor of Seokmin's birthday.

“Speaking of,” Soonyoung pours you a shot of soju from across the table, his face red from the alcohol, “We’re going to Italy with the other members in the summer if you want to join?”

Seungkwan and Seokmin study your face silently, anticipating your reaction. They knew mentioning a group vacation was a delicate subject.

“Won’t Mingyu be there?” You drink the shot of alcohol before continuing, “I don’t think I’m ready to see him yet.”

You had met all of SEVENTEEN through Seungkwan, your long-time family friend, and had grown close with every member. Your relationship with Mingyu blossomed from this friendship, leading to three years of dating.

Mingyu was the love of your life, but soon it became increasingly difficult to see him due to his hectic comebacks and schedules. He stopped putting effort into the relationship first, so after two weeks of fighting every night and both of you being too stubborn to apologize first, feelings were hurt, and eventually, he broke up with you.

You were heartbroken, crying for a month, and since then, you hadn't been attending the monthly group dinners or events, trying to give yourself space to heal. However, after Seungkwan spent more time with Seokmin and Soonyoung for their BSS group, the four of you started hanging out.

The three never talked about Mingyu in front of you, that was, until now.

Seokmin nudges your side, his expression playful as he tries to lift the mood. “Everyone but him. He's not available to come because he's going to Paris for a fashion show.”

Seungkwan shakes his head, focusing on the grill. "We'll get busy after summer for our comeback preparations."

You sigh, looking at the hopeful faces of your friends. You know what Seungkwan is doing; you definitely wouldn’t want to pass up a chance to relax and have fun with all your close friends, especially if it would get hard to see their faces.

Soonyoung tilts his head with a smile, his eyes twinkling with excitement. “Come on, it’s also our first time in Europe! We have to experience that together,” he says, his voice filled with anticipation.

Seungkwan finally looks up, his expression softening. “And Jeonghan is planning the entire trip so there's no need to worry,” he reassures, his gaze meeting yours with warmth.

You let out a reluctant sigh, they were making it hard to say no. “Fine. Text me the details tomorrow.”

“Okay, it’s going to be so much fun!” Seokmin cheered, raising his glass in a toast.

"Salute!" [Cheers!]

"Flight to Rome is now boarding,"

“Finally,” you mumble, rising up from the uncomfortable chair and making sure you didn’t leave anything behind.

Seungkwan informs you, gesturing towards the boarding sign. “Looks like first class is boarding now. Let’s go,” he says, urging you to follow him.

At the announcement, all of your friends make their way to Jeonghan to grab their boarding tickets. Jeonghan had organized the entire trip and booked first-class tickets for everyone, claiming it was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. You were surprised he knew someone who could help him book first-class, but you weren't complaining.

“Thanks, Jeonghan,” you say, holding the ticket in your hand and turning back to Soonyoung. "So, like I was saying..."

You walk away with him and Seungkwan to line up with everyone else, too busy explaining the plot of a new show you started.

Behind you, a curious Hansol received his ticket last. “Jeonghan, why do you have another ticket left?”

Jeonghan informs Hansol, "That's because Mingyu’s coming soon. I have to wait for him, so we’ll board later.”

Hansol tilts his head in confusion. "Isn't he supposed to go to France today? He was packing excitedly and even looking for places to eat there."

Jeonghan shrugs, "He informed me that the show was canceled in advance because it's expected to rain the entire week in Paris."

“What does rain have to do with a fashion show?”

Jeonghan’s face looks unsure, but he tells Hansol what Mingyu told him. “It was an outdoor show. All I know is that Mingyu’s ticket is bought and he’s coming with us.”

“Uh, okay, I'll see you both on the plane then.” Hansol places his headphones on before lining up behind Seungcheol and Junhui.

“Is anyone sitting in the same row as me?” Chan asks, and immediately everyone looks down at their tickets.

“I’m sitting in row two,” Wonwoo answers, waiting for someone to speak out.

Seungcheol grins. “Wonwoo, I’m sitting in the same row as you!” He cheers, and the two walk next to each other.

You study your own ticket.

“Does no one have row four?” you speak out loud, hoping you aren’t next to a complete stranger.

Everyone starts finding their seat buddy while you stand alone.

On the plane, the seats were isolated, but the seats were in pairs, so two people had their own space but still sat next to each other.

“Last time I checked, I’m with Jeonghan,” Jisoo announces, showing everyone his boarding ticket.

“I guess I’m the only one in my row,”

You hand your head low, realizing that since the group was an odd number of thirteen, someone was bound to sit alone if there were pairs of two. It was just weird because you were in one of the middle rows, being row four, and you assumed a later row would be a single person.

“It’s okay,” Seokmin reassures you. “If it’s a stranger, you can just sleep the whole time.”

You board the plane with your friends, the luxurious first-class cabin welcoming you with spacious seats and attentive flight attendants. The atmosphere is a mix of excited chatter and the soft hum of the airplane engines.

In front of you, your friends start to find their seats and settle down.

"This feels great," you say, finding your cubby, immediately sitting down and leaning back in the comfortable space.

Jihoon and Minghao walk down the aisle and spot your relaxed state, laughing at how quickly you settled into your seat.

You look for the sleeping mask that is given to everyone, planning to get a blanket later and fall asleep.

It was a habit of yours to sleep on the plane, and plus, you had been working until last night, so you needed to rest now before landing.

"Are you looking for a sleeping mask?" A voice asks from beside you. You remain busy rummaging through the gift bag to turn your head.

"Yes, I think it's in this bag, thank you," you answer, assuming it is a flight attendant.

To your luck, the sleeping mask was not inside the bag; instead, there was a toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairbrush.

"Here," the person says again. You freeze, staring at the sleeping mask.

"Wait, that's mine..." you trail off, staring at your old sleeping mask.

It was the one that you used when traveling with Mingyu.

Your eyes slowly look up to the owner of the voice.

"What are you doing here?" was the first thing Kim Mingyu heard from you after exactly six months of not talking.

His hand is still out, the sleeping mask you used to wear during vacations with him in his hand.

Mingyu's expression is calm, “This is my seat,” he motions at the empty cubicle next to yours.

You don't have anything to say as your mind races, anger bubbling up inside you.

Mingyu sighs, glancing at the sleeping mask. “I brought this because I know you like to sleep on planes. I thought it might help you.”

"Everyone said that you're not availab-" You stop mid-sentence, deciding it is not a priority to interrogate him.

You glance around, desperately wanting to change seats with one of your friends.

When you catch the stewardess’ eye, she smiles and announces to the plane, "Everyone, please remain in their seats for takeoff."

Frustrated, you comply and turn back, determined to ignore Mingyu.

He quietly sits down, a frown on his lips.

He hoped to be on talking terms with you, but he expected too much.

You place your headphones on and look out the window, ignoring his presence as the plane taxis down the runway and ascends into the clouds.

You close your eyes, trying to block out the thoughts of Mingyu. You take a deep breath, trying to focus on the soothing hum of the airplane engines.

‘You were not going to get any second of sleep now.’

1. YOUR EX IS ALSO GOING TO ITALY

“We swear, we had no idea Mingyu was coming!” Seungkwan's voice is frantic, trying to prove his innocence. His eyes remain wide since the moment he witnessed Mingyu walking behind you out of the plane.

“Seungkwan, then tell me why my ex,” you point behind Seungkwan's head to where Mingyu is standing, talking to Wonwoo and Minghao, “is here, in Rome, with us right now.”

You kept your cool on the plane, although seeing Mingyu would have made you emotional, and tried to fall asleep to express your anger after getting off the plane.

It was night when you arrived, and Jeonghan was trying to call the arranged transportation to take you all to the villa he booked.

All your friends stood around waiting for Jeonghan to finish talking to the airport receptionist while you pulled your three friends to a secluded corner, away from earshot.

"I still can't believe he's here though," Soonyoung spoke, taking a peek at Mingyu.

Seokmin nodded along with a slight grin, thinking of all the chances for Mingyu to sit with you, "And that Y/n had to sit next to him the entire eleven-hour plane ride."

Soonyoung, noticing your irritated state, chimes in, “Before we asked you to join us on the trip, we checked the group's schedule. Mingyu was supposed to be the only one not available to come because of his event.”

Seokmin steps in, his expression earnest. “We seriously don’t know why he’s here, either!”

Maybe your best friends are telling the truth.

They have been going out of their way to prevent you and Mingyu from crossing paths, but still, how did this happen?

“Wait,” Seungkwan mumbles, his eyes looking behind you. "It must have been Jeong-"

“Hey,” Jeonghan approaches your group first, causing Seungkwan to bite his tongue. "Time to head to our villa now," Jeonghan points to the exit of the airport, where the rest of your friends are socializing.

You glance back at Mingyu, who is laughing at something Wonwoo said.

You take a deep breath, this vacation is supposed to be about relaxation and fun, not dealing with feelings from the past.

“This is not going to be fun,” you say while all of you trail behind Jeonghan to leave.

“Okay, the transportation is sorted,” Jeonghan briefs, glancing at each of you. “Let’s head to the villa and settle in for the night.”

The group was split into four cars, so obviously you chose to ride with your close friends.

You sit in the passenger seat, placing on your seatbelt, while Soonyoung gets in the driver's seat. You place the villa's address into your phone for directions while Seungkwan and Seokmin place the luggage into the trunk of the car.

"Do you have space for me?" You spot Hansol outside your window with his suitcase.

"Oh, hey Hansol, we have one more seat, you can drive with us." You offer and point to his suitcase, "You should give that to Seungkwan and Seokmin now before they finish loading the trunk."

"Okay, thanks," Hansol walks behind the car so you and Soonyoung can set up the navigation once again.

"Are we ready to go?" Soonyoung asks once Seungkwan, Seokmin, and Hansol place their seatbelt on.

After hearing the choruses of yes, Soonyoung starts the car out of the airport's parking lot, leading the rest of the cars to the villa.

You stare out the window at the passing city lights, until Seokmin turns on songs to sing along to.

"I'm excited for this vacation," Seungkwan sighs while looking out the window at the streets of Rome.

Hansol agrees, "Yeah since all of our friends are here,"

You sigh from the front row, "I hope this vacation gets better,"

Hansol reads the room quickly, "Oh, is it because of Mingyu?"

"Yeah, we all thought he wasn't coming so I wasn't mentally prepared to see him." You turn your head to face Hansol and offer him a smile, "But I'm still glad I came because I haven't seen everyone in so long."

Hansol drums his fingers on his knee, "Jeonghan told me that Mingyu's fashion show got canceled so he joined us."

Seungkwan's eyes widen, "It got canceled? Wow, he really looked forward to that trip."

Hansol replies, "Yeah, that's what I thought when I heard. I guess no one really expected it either."

Suddenly, Seokmin gets excited over the next song from his playlist, singing along to the lyrics. The burst of energy causes Soonyoung to chuckle from the driver's seat, while you and Seungkwan try to record a video of this moment.

The way your friends know how to make you laugh in a situation like this, made you feel hopeful for the vacation.

"Y/n, wake up!"

Soonyoung steps into your room and walks over to open the window curtains, hoping that the sunlight will wake you up. Your first instinct is to cover your entire body with the white blanket, snuggling your head deeper into the fluffy pillow.

"Soonyoung, let me sleep in."

You hear another voice entering the room, "Y/n, get up!"

This time you let out a loud groan, "Guys," You peek an eye open and move the covers, "Why are we going to a sandwich shop in the morning?"

Seokmin stands near the door, holding a toothbrush with toothpaste on it.

"It's actually lunchtime," Soonyoung stares out to admire the view from your room, comparing it with his.

Jeonghan had found a villa with a lot of bedrooms, so a lot of people were able to get single rooms, including yourself.

"Everyone woke up late from traveling last night," Soonyoung informs you.

"You have twenty minutes before we head out." Seokimin starts brushing his teeth in your room while Soonyoung walks past to leave, "Come on, they're all waiting," His voice is muffled by the toothpaste, but nonetheless, you can make out his words.

After a sigh, you turn to rise from your bed and decide to join them.

‘Wait a minute.’

"Seokmin," He turns around by your door, the white toothpaste threatening to spill from his lips.

"Who's they?"

Seokmin smiles sheepishly, before running to the bathroom down the hall.

2. YOUR FRIENDS WILL DRAG YOU TO FIVE-STAR SANDWICH SHOPS

"Okay, let me pay, you can all wait outside," Chan announces, waving the group off as he nears the counter.

You allow Joshua, Mingyu, Jun, and Jihoon to walk out of the sandwich shop near your villa, leaving yourself with Soonyoung and Seokmin inside the store, while Chan attempts to pay for the sandwiches in Italian.

"So," You turn to Soonyoung and Seokmin, who suddenly decide to help out Chan. To them, the prices on the menu seem more interesting right now.

Chan's eyes slightly widen in surprise at your state, before he takes a few steps back to listen to his Google Translate for Italian.

"Okay, in our opinion," Seokmin starts, scratching the back of his head.

"This sandwich shop shouldn't be passed up just because Mingyu is coming."

"How do you even know this place is good? You've never been to Europe before." You start waving your hands around, hopefully not scaring the store owner who is making eight sandwiches behind the counter.

Soonyoung opens his phone, showing his screen with a grin, "Look here, the Yelp rating says five stars."

"Seriously?"

"But, it's five stars!"

Your mouth thins into a line, "You know what, okay," you pinch the bridge of your nose, "I know I can't just avoid him forever. But next time, please let me know in advance so I'm aware."

Before they agree, an alert voice interrupts your conversation.

"Hai appena detto che sono cento euro?" [Did you just say it’s a hundred euros?]

After the delicious lunch and a new five-star Yelp review from a satisfied Soonyoung, you were joined by everyone else to head to the Arco di Constantino.

A giant bus stood in front of you, one that Jeonghan had rented for the rest of the trip for easier travel, so you went in with Seungkwan and sat in one of the two-seat rows in the middle.

The rest of your friends trail in loudly, most of them walking past you to sit in the back row.

To your surprise, Mingyu plops down on the seat in the row next to you.

When Seokmin comes to sit next to Mingyu, he stands up for Seokmin to sit in the window seat.

After Seokmin sits down, Mingyu sits to place his seatbelt on and meets your eyes, "What? I like the aisle seat."

‘That's a lie.’

You shrug, turning your head away from Mingyu.

It wasn't your business where he sat down although right now, it was right next to you.

"After a war ends, Constantino walks under it to celebrate his victory."

"No way, that's correct!"

"How did you know that, Mingyu?" You hear a curious Seungcheol behind you.

"I guessed, I can't even believe I got that right," Mingyu admits, stunned at his own response.

Wonwoo is next to them, asking another question to entertain the two.

The bus arrived at the Arch of Constantine and everyone was walking closer to see the building.

The Arch of Constantine was breathtaking, its ancient structure standing tall against the bright blue sky. As you walked through the historic site, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.

"There are detailed carvings on the gate," Soonyoung points out while walking down the gray stone path. "How do you think they made it?"

Jihoon stares up at the gate next to you, "They probably placed a stone down and carved it, then added more stones on top."

You tilt your head, "The details are insane though,"

"It's next to the coliseum," Minghao says, taking out his phone to take photos. The group splits up to take photos of the arch and the coliseum.

While walking back to the bus, Junhui suddenly says, "I'm kind of craving gelato right now."

"You want some?" Jeonghan asks Junhui from beside you.

"Yeah, I want some," Soonyoung responds, spotting the little stand in front of you.

"Can we agree on a flavor?" Seungcheol asks while staring back at the entire group.

"Is lemon good?" You suggest while staring back at the flavors.

It was easier to agree on a flavor when getting food with a big friend group.

"Yeah, I'll order." Jisoo offers, so you step back from the stand to wait for a cone with Seungkwan.

You see Seokmin and Hansol walk over to Minghao to ask for a bite, both of them complimenting the gelato.

Wonwoo joins the two of you with a cone, licking the gelato, "I feel so happy while eating this,"

Mingyu and Junhui join your circle, both holding lemon gelatos in hand.

"I feel like I can travel the world with just a camera," Wonwoo adds, engaging in the conversation with Seungkwan.

Mingyu taps your shoulder quietly, handing you his gelato.

Your mouth is open in surprise, "What about you?"

Mingyu shrugs, following after Junhui, Wonwoo, and Seungkwan who start walking to the bus.

"Thanks," you tell him before hurrying to the group.

When you were busy talking to Wonwoo and Junhui about your hopes to travel in the future, you hear Seungkwan scolding in the back, "Mingyu, why didn't you get your own, stop talking mine!"

3. YOU WILL HAVE TO BE CIVIL WITH YOUR EX

"We're back!" You hear Chan from downstairs.

Seungkwan, Chan, and Mingyu went to get groceries at a nearby market for dinner, while the rest of you returned to the villa.

"Can we make kimchi stew?" You hear Soonyoung ask from the kitchen when you reach the end of the staircase. As you enter the first floor, you see Mingyu and Chan unloading the groceries into the refrigerator while Soonyoung, Wonwoo, and Seungcheol open the other non-perishable items.

"Ask Seokmin when he comes down, but I think we can," You answer, studying the packages of food that peeked out of the boxes.

"This is egg," Mingyu says to Chan, handing over a carton of eggs. "Be careful."

"This is ice cream," Mingyu takes out a box of ice cream this time, "It's melting!"

Chan hurries to place the ice cream inside the freezer, matching Mingyu's energy, "Emergency!"

You smile for a second at their behavior, before snapping out it.

If Soonyoung notices from beside you, he doesn't say anything.

"Okay, I'll cook the meat," Mingyu suggests after everyone forms a circle around the kitchen island.

"I'll work on the stew," Seokmin adds, walking over to grab some pork.

You stand across Seokimin, with Soonyoung and Wonwoo by your side, watching as Seokmin cuts up the pork.

"Honestly, we have to leave the cooking to the professionals," Wonwoo says next to you, staring at the rest of your friends who are in the kitchen.

Minghao stirs up eggs to include it with the fried rice, Jihoon adds kimchi and pork into the pan, and Jisoo goes to help wash the vegetables.

"You're right," You decide to sit on the table away from the kitchen and watch the rest of your friends with Hansol and Seungcheol instead.

Eventually, the food is prepared and everyone walks outside to the backyard, where Chan and Wonwoo had already set up the chairs.

"Food coming through!" Seokmin yells as you take a seat in the middle area. You laugh at Seokmin's actions, swerving by a surprised Junhui who was also on the way out to sit.

"Is everything done?" Jeonghan asks, taking a seat next to you.

You nod, "I think so, I'm starving!"

As you guessed, other friends started coming outside, some with the food that they made.

"This looks so good," Wonwoo says across from you, staring at the fried rice and eggs placed on a white plate.

"This tastes good!" Soonyoung compliments the fried rice, after taking a bite.

When Mingyu walks outside with the plate of meat, the only seat open happens to be next to you.

‘Why is a seat no one sitting in the middle?’

You open your chopsticks, gazing around at the table.

All your friends have sat down around, somehow leaving the only empty seat next to you.

"Hey," You nudge Mingyu quietly, "Can we talk?"

Mingyu meets your eyes, placing down his shot glass, "Here?"

You shake your head, scanning the situation around you. The meal had made everyone happy, resulting in more drinking games.

Thankfully, you and Mingyu had not drunk too much, and no one seemed to notice you and Mingyu talking in the first place, everyone being too drunk already.

"Inside, I'll go first."

You rise from your seat, taking the chance of Seokmin and Seungcheol singing a karaoke song as the perfect distraction to go inside.

Two minutes later, Mingyu finds you leaning on the kitchen island, pouring yourself a cup of water.

"Hey," He approaches you while playing with his fingers, "What did you want to talk about?"

When you look up from the glass cup, Mingyu's standing on the other side of the island, waiting for you to answer.

"Oh, hey, I just wanted to talk about us..." You trail off, tracing over the top of the cup.

"Listen. I know it's awkward between us." Mingyu has a frown on his lips, allowing you to continue.

"But I also care about our friends, and I want to be civil, so we don't make our friends feel uncomfortable."

Mingyu nods slowly, "Okay, so what are you implying?"

"We stay on talking terms for the remainder of the vacation, just until we get back.."

You run a hand through your hair, "So, friends?"

You place a hand out, waiting for Mingyu to shake it.

"Yeah, friends," Mingyu finishes, shaking your hand.

‘Well isn't this situation awkward...’

"I'm going to go head back out first," You take your glass cup and walk past him.

"It's time for Yoon-zino!"

4. YOU WILL CARE FOR YOUR EX

“I can’t wait for this hot air balloon,” Minghao says before yawning.

It was the third day of the vacation. The plan was to wake up early and enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the Italian countryside.

Although the bus ride was silent, with everyone sleeping, the group was loud in excitement about the activity.

As you approach the balloon, you overhear Wonwoo and Seungcheol talking enthusiastically. “This is going to be amazing,” Wonwoo says, his camera ready to capture every moment.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Seungcheol adds with a grin.

Mingyu stands with them, nodding in agreement, but you can see the fear in his eyes. “Yeah, definitely,” he says, trying to sound convincing.

The balloon ascends, and the view of the Italian countryside is breathtaking. The rolling hills and vineyards spread out below, bathed in the golden light of dawn.

Mingyu is gripping the edge tightly, his knuckles white. He tries to mask his fear with a tight-lipped smile, but it is clear to anyone paying attention that he is struggling. His eyes dart around nervously, avoiding looking directly down.

You notice Mingyu’s discomfort immediately. You want to reach out and hold his hand, to comfort him like you used to, but you hesitate. Mingyu notices, his eyes meeting yours for a brief moment and pleading silently for some form of reassurance.

“Y/n, look at this view!” Seungcheol calls out, snapping you out of your thoughts.

“It’s beautiful,” you say, forcing a smile as you turn your attention back to the scenery. You can still see Mingyu from the corner of your eye, his grip on the edge not loosening.

Hansol is taking pictures with his phone, while Wonwoo quietly admires the scenery through his camera lens. You watch as Mingyu’s discomfort grows. His breaths are shallow, and he keeps shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“I’m going to take some pictures too,” Seungcheol says, moving around the basket and giving you a clearer view of Mingyu. He glances at you, his eyes silently begging for support.

You almost reach out, almost say something comforting, but you stop yourself. It isn’t your place anymore. You have decided to stay friends, nothing more. But seeing his clear distress, you can't ignore it any longer.

Carefully, you inch closer to Mingyu, making sure none of the others are watching. You reach out and take his hand, squeezing it gently and trying to hide the gesture from the others.

Mingyu looks at you in surprise, a mixture of relief and gratitude flooding his eyes. He squeezes back, his grip tight, finding solace in your touch.

“Thanks,” he whispers, barely audible over the sound of the wind.

You nod, offering a small, reassuring smile. For the remainder of the ride, you stay close, your hands intertwined and hidden, providing the comfort he needs away from the others' eyes. Gradually, you notice Mingyu relaxing, his grip on the edge loosening as he starts to enjoy the view.

“Wow, it’s really something,” he says, his voice steadier.

“It is,” you agree, feeling a warmth spread through you at his newfound ease.

Wonwoo continues taking photos with his camera, capturing the beautiful landscape and candid moments of the group. Hansol leans over the edge, enjoying the view with a wide grin on his face.

Later, Hansol bursts into laughter, pointing across to the second hot air balloon where Seungkwan and Seokmin are making exaggerated faces and gestures.

“Look at those two,” Hansol chuckles. “They’re having the time of their lives.”

You look over and can’t help but smile at Seungkwan and Seokmin’s antics, their laughter carrying across the distance between the balloons. The group is split into three hot air balloons, and you can see the others waving and enjoying the ride just as much.

The balloon ride finally ends, and as soon as the basket touches the ground, you gently pull your hand away. Mingyu lets go reluctantly, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face, but he understands.

You both have agreed to keep things civil, nothing more.

As the group gathers for a photo, you find yourself standing next to Mingyu. He looks at you, a small, tired smile on his lips.

“Thanks for sticking close,” he says softly, though you know he means more than just the balloon ride.

“Of course,” you reply, equally softly. “What are friends for?”

For a moment, you catch a glimpse of Mingyu's smile falling, before you turn to walk away. Maybe you're both struggling to define the boundaries of your relationship.

“You guys ready to explore more?” Minghao asks his camera in hand.

“Yes!” Jisoo replies enthusiastically.

Jihoon, who has been quietly enjoying the ride, chimes in with a rare joke. “Wow, that was fun. I should leave the house more often,” he says, making everyone laugh.

You walk away, mingling with the others, but the memory of Mingyu’s fear and your shared moment stays with you. Maybe, just maybe, there is still something worth salvaging between you two.

5. YOU WILL STILL HAVE FEELINGS FOR YOUR EX

As the group returns from their hot air balloon adventure, the energy is still high as they gather in the backyard to enjoy the karaoke machine set up outside the villa. Wonwoo and Seokmin finish singing the final line of their song, and the karaoke machine score comes out with a neat 100 points on the television screen, prompting cheers and applause from everyone.

Seungkwan and Seungcheol take charge of choosing the next song, and Seungcheol suggests, "Let's do an old song!" He looks over the song choices from their discography, while Hansol points from the couch next to you, "What about 'Run to You'?"

Soonyoung eagerly agrees, asking for a microphone from Seokmin to sing. The familiar intro starts, and Seungcheol decides to sing Jisoo's part in the beginning, causing the group to laugh before they all join in singing.

As the song plays, you find yourself laughing along with the others, but as the lyrics fill the atmosphere, a sense of melancholy washes over you. The words hit close to home, reminding you of the past and the promises made.

"지금 난 너와 똑같은 무엇이든 필요해 하지만 나에겐 있지 않으니까 우리 다시 만나자 내가 도착하기 전까지 잘 지내고 있어야 해 지금 널 찾아가고 있어"

[Right now, you and I, we both need the same thing But I don't have it so let's meet again later Please be well until I get there I'm going to you right now]

Soonyoung finishes his line and Junhui excitedly calls from the kitchen, announcing that dinner is ready and to go outside to the people inside. As everyone comes out to the backyard for dinner, you can't shake the bittersweet feeling that lingers from the past conversation with Mingyu.

You get up from the lounge chair, making your way over to take a seat between Soonyoung and Mingyu, the latter observing quietly as you and Soonyoung engage in light-hearted conversation.

As the meal progresses, you find yourself feeling increasingly nostalgic and sad, the memories of your past relationship with Mingyu weighing heavily on your mind. To distract yourself, you accept the drink offered by Soonyoung, the liquid warmth soothing your troubled thoughts.

"Will you always come back to me?" you hear Mingyu ask, his tone serious, pulling you from your thoughts.

You turn your head to Mingyu, currently cuddling in bed together, and his sudden change in mood surprises you. "Baby, that's such a dumb question. Where would I go?"

But Mingyu's face remains serious, causing you to pull him closer to you, seeking reassurance. "No seriously, Mingyu. I'm not going anywhere."

Mingyu sighs, resting his head on top of yours, your bodies tangled under the covers. "If we were to ever stay apart, can you promise me that you'll come back to me?"

Confused, you pull slightly away, trying to meet Mingyu's eyes. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Mingyu shakes his head, his expression pained. "No, never, but if anything were to happen between us, can you promise me that you won't stop loving me?"

Your heart aches at his words, realizing the depth of his fears. You trace over his facial features, feeling a pang of sadness. "Baby, you're seriously scaring me. Why would I stop loving you?"

But Mingyu pouts, his worries still evident. "Just in case, if we were to ever have anything come between us, promise that you will always come right back to me."

You smile softly, understanding his fears. "Yes, I promise that if anything were to happen between us, I will always come back to you."

“What if you don’t?” Mingyu presses on, “What if you don’t come back?”

You think for a second, before answering him, “If you keep loving me, I will always go back to you.”

As the evening progresses and the drinks flow freely, you find yourself drinking more than usual, seeking solace in the numbness alcohol brings.

Mingyu notices your increasing intoxication and leans over, his voice low with concern. "Hey, maybe you should slow down on the drinking," he suggests gently, but you brush off his concern, insisting you're fine.

Seeing that you're not listening to Mingyu, he calls out to Seungkwan, who is engaged in conversation with Jeonghan a few seats away.

"Seungkwan, could you help Y/n out? I think she's had enough," Mingyu says, taking away the glass full of alcohol before you take a shot with Soonyoung.

Seungkwan nods and quickly comes to your side, gently taking your arm. "Come on, let's get you back to your room," he says softly, guiding you away from the table.

As you walk back to your room with Seungkwan, the alcohol clouding your thoughts, you can't help but open up to him about your feelings for Mingyu. "I think I like him again," you confess, your voice tinged with uncertainty. "I don't know what to do."

Seungkwan listens intently, offering comfort and support as you grapple with your emotions.

6. YOUR EX ALSO CARES FOR YOU

The next day, you visited a wine festival nearby. Today was the last day of the festival, so there were going to be a lot of people.

The group was split off, Junhui far ahead first like a curious child, sampling different wines and enjoying the picturesque surroundings. Mingyu stayed close by, though you spent most of your time with Seungkwan and Soonyoung.

“Try this one, Y/n,” Seungkwan hands you his glass of red wine after the vendor stops pourng into his glass.

“Thanks,” you said, taking a sip. You could feel Mingyu’s eyes on you, but you refused to look his way.

After a few more sips of wine, your trio was walking in different directions and giggling after every word.

"Soonyoung, you know you're a great friend, right?" You hear Seungkwan say next to you.

Soonyoung finishes his nth cup of wine before flashing a grin, "Aw, you're a great friend too, Seungkwan."

"What about me?"

As the wine tour continued, Mingyu found himself unable to tear his gaze away from you. He hovered nearby, subtly keeping an eye on you as you laughed and chatted with Seungkwan and Soonyoung.

Meanwhile, you were thoroughly enjoying yourself, the effects of the wine starting to take hold as you giggled and stumbled your way through the booths. Seungkwan handed you another glass of red wine, and you accepted it with a grin, taking a sip and savoring the rich flavor.

"Thanks, Seungkwan," you say, feeling the warmth of the wine spreading through your body. "This is delicious."

Soonyoung, equally intoxicated, chimes in with a laugh, "Seungkwan's our wine connoisseur today!"

The three of you continued to wander down the path, sampling different wines and enjoying the picturesque surroundings. Mingyu stayed close by, though he kept his distance, watching over you from afar.

But as the tour progressed, Mingyu couldn't help but feel a pang of concern as he watched you grow more and more tipsy.

Eventually, as the group make their way back to the bus, you stumble, nearly tripping over your own feet.

Mingyu quickly moves to steady you, his hands gripping your shoulders to keep you upright.

"Careful there," he says softly.

You blink up at him, a playful grin on your lips. "I'm fine, Mingyu," you insist, though your words are slightly slurred.

Mingyu sighed, knowing there was no reasoning with you in your current state. Instead, he simply nodded, guiding you back to the bus with a gentle hand on your back.

Once on board, you quickly found a seat and slumped against the window, exhaustion starting to set in. Mingyu sat down beside you, watching over you protectively as you drifted off to sleep.

As the bus rumbled back towards the villa, Mingyu took you back to your bedroom, tucking you in and closing the door behind him.

He already knew you wouldn't remember anything tomorrow.

7. YOUR EX WILL HELP YOU

You do not recall anything from yesterday, except that you had a lot of fun with Soonyoung and Seungkwan in the beginning.

When you went downstairs, Hansol told you that Mingyu took care of you the entire time, and you couldn't help but stand in shock.

The rest of your friends came downstairs to eat a quick breakfast before departing.

The plan was to travel to Port de Marlei and ride a big yacht, that Jeonghan had pulled some strings for, before having a nice seafood dinner to end the night.

"Has anyone seen my volleyball?" Seungkwan asks while looking around the boat, hoping it miraculously jumped from the port to the yacht.

Including you, everyone shakes their head no.

Seokmin is right behind Seungkwan, attempting to help him find the volleyball. The two head towards the front of the boat, while the rest of you remain sitting around the lounge area.

While Seungkwan left his tote bag on a bench at the port, the ball rolled away, leaving a very sad Seungkwan, as he had grown attached to the volleyball during the vacation, taking it everywhere with him.

"I'm going to feel seasick," Wonwoo says, trying to prepare himself for the ride.

Jeonghan also agrees with Wonwoo, "Me too, I didn't bring any medicine."

Mingyu, who had disappeared earlier, returns to the group, standing in front of you with a small bottle.

"Here," he opens his hand to give you medicine for sea sickness, "I asked the boat crew and they had some."

Everyone stares, except Chan who is busy trying to connect to the Bluetooth speaker. "Oh, thanks," you say, surprised at Mingyu's thoughtfulness.

‘It's like he remembered that you have seasickness.’

"Wow, Mingyu, what about us?" Jeonghan teases and you take out a pill before giving the medicine to Jeonghan and Wonwoo.

"There's enough to go around," you roll your eyes, taking the medicine with water, before giving the water to the two.

Your heart warms from the caring gesture, but you don't want it to show.

"It's time to depart," the captain of the boat informs everyone, and Seungkwan and Seokmin return from the front, Seungkwan still frowning.

Chan starts playing 'Holiday', and everyone starts singing along, especially Seungkwan.

Everyone laughs as your best friend starts to sing loudly as if he wasn't upset over losing his volleyball moments ago, and soon others join in to sing.

"Is that a jellyfish?" Seungkwan questions while holding his volleyball.

Everyone had already hopped into the ocean to swim, so it was only you, Seungkwan, and the boat crew left on the yacht.

You stop placing on the snorkeling equipment, turning over to the ocean surface that he was gazing at.

"Wow, that is a jellyfish. Do you think it's safe?" you ask, before tapping the shoulder of a nice lady who was part of the boat crew.

Earlier, she helped Seungkwan find his missing volleyball. Apparently, after the volleyball rolled out of Seungkwan's tote bag at Port de Marlei, the captain of the boat happened to pick it up and throw it onto the front of the yacht.

When the boat crew members finally realized that Seungkwan was looking for a volleyball, the nice lady went to retrieve it from the front, giving it to a now-happy Seungkwan.

You and Seungkwan had taken a liking to her ever since.

She stopped talking to the other crew workers, eyes following where Seungkwan was pointing.

"That is safe," she explains politely, "Not poisonous."

With a sigh of relief, you and Seungkwan decide to hop into the ocean.

"Water taxi coming through." You come up to the surface, still swimming, only to see Soonyoung and Chan sitting on top of a paddle board and using the paddle sticks to move around the ocean.

Jisoo laughs and asks to get on the board, which results in the entire board flipping over.

You shake your head while laughing, then go back into swimming in the deep waters.

Jihoon is near you, with snorkeling gear on and exploring the water too.

After about an hour in the water, and many explanations from Seungkwan to others that the jellyfish is safe, you notice Hansol leaving the floatie to hop back on the yacht.

You swim toward the floatie, deciding to tan a bit on top of it.

What you didn't realize, is that swimming had worn you out, resulting in you taking a slight nap.

"Where's Y/n?" Mingyu hears as he climbs back on the yacht.

"She's not on the boat," Jisoo replies to Seungcheol, and now the three of them are turning their heads from the boat, trying to identify you.

"Wait, actually though, where is she?" Seungcheol and Jisoo see Mingyu on alert and realize you are nowhere to be found from the group of people still in the water.

"Is anyone next to Y/n?" Mingyu yells from the yacht to the people in the water, hoping you were just swimming under the water for a solid two minutes and someone saw you go down.

"Wait, don't tell me that's her," Jisoo points from the edge of the boat to a floatie that seems to get further by the second. "How did she get so far?"

Soonyoung and Seungkwan climb on the yacht to look for you too.

"Oh my god, I think she's napping. Does she have a life jacket on?"

Seungkwan recalls you before the two of you went into the water, "I don't think she does."

"We have to tell the boat crew," Soonyoung says, staring at how you were closer to the rocks than the yacht now.

However, before anyone can get to the captain, Mingyu has a life jacket on, and a spare one in his hand, and jumps into the water.

"Don't tell me he's swimming to her." Seungkwan puts a hand over his mouth in surprise.

Seungcheol shakes his head at Mingyu's actions, a smile still ghosting his lips, "Kim Mingyu, I guess that's what love does to you," He jokes while Soonyoung walks past to still inform the crew.

"Y/n!" You groan, opening your eyes and coming to your senses. There's sunlight directly on your eyes, making you squint your eyes.

"What?" You yell, before realizing that you had fallen asleep, on a floatie.

"Oh my god," You say, before sitting up and realizing that you were far from the yacht.

Among the big gap of water from the boat, you spot someone swimming to you.

"Mingyu? Why are we so far from the boat?"

Mingyu's life jacket prevents him from drowning, and he swims to reach your floatie.

"Hey, it's okay, here," he hands you a spare life jacket that he took with him, which makes him thankful to bring because you weren't wearing one.

Mingyu holds onto your floatie while you place the life jacket on.

"So, are we swimming back to the boat or," you smile slightly, feeling embarrassed that this situation happened.

"I think the boat is coming closer, then we can go swim to it," Mingyu explains, watching how your friends had started to leave the ocean waters and a few were staring at all of you from the edge of the boat.

"Thanks," You say quietly, still sitting on top of the floatie. Mingyu remains in the water, running a hand through his hair.

"Be more careful next time, what if Seungcheol and Jisoo didn't realize you went missing? What if something serious happened to you?"

You remain quiet at Mingyu's lecture, staring down at your fingers.

"I'm sorry, I was just so tired that I fell asleep on the floatie." Before Mingyu can answer, you hear the yacht coming closer to you two.

"Guys, swim over now. You can leave the floatie there!" Jeonghan yells from the edge of the boat.

You laugh at him, before sending Mingyu a smile and swimming back with him.

"The menu looks so cute," Seokmin says loudly, passing on the extra menu pamphlets down the row.

It was time for dinner, at a nearby seafood restaurant.

"I can't read what it says," Junhui says from in front of you, handing Mingyu a menu next to him.

Hansol and Soonyoung sit on either side of you and you receive a menu too.

"What food do you want?" You ask Junhui, trying to read the menu. The menu is filled with Italian, hence why it would be difficult for someone to order.

"I want a lobster with butter," Junhui answers, and you look down the menu for anything that seems to match what he wants.

"I want grilled lobster, too." You say out loud, closing the menu because you can't find the lobster selection on the menu.

"We should just ask," Mingyu suggests, placing his menu down.

"Do you guys have lobster?" Mingyu asks the nice waitress, "Grilled lobster?"

The woman looks confused, answering "We have pasta,"

Hansol, Soonyoung, Junhui, and you burst out laughing at the conversation going on.

"Pasta?" Mingyu repeats what she said, "Yes," the waitress replies.

Mingyu holds out his hands, imitating lobster claws, "No, lobster,"

Again, you and Hansol laugh at his actions, and you realize how determined Mingyu looks to help you and Junhui out.

The waitress seems to understand what Mingyu asks, nodding her head with a smile, "Oh, lobster, okay."

From next to you, Soonyoung decides to joke around, "We are superstar," He adds, "He is popstar,"

You and Hansol stop mid-laugh, trying to shush Soonyoung so that he won't expose the group's identities.

"Grazi" [Thanks] Seokmin says when he receives his seafood pasta.

You stare down at the table, as your food hasn't arrived yet, trying to see what your friends ordered.

The waitress places a plate of oysters on the table for your group and Soonyoung immediately digs in to eat.

Eventually, all of your food arrives, including yours and Junhui's grilled lobster with butter, and Seokmin decides to hold a toast.

"Everyone, salute!" [Cheers]

"I'm so full," you hear Seungcheol pat his stomach after walking out of the seafood restaurant. The sky above is a canvas of deep blues and purples, as the sun has just set, casting a warm glow over the streets of Port di Marlee.

"We should stroll around before going back on the bus," Jeonghan suggests, and everyone agrees.

The group splits into three, all walking down the cobblestone streets, which are bathed in the soft light of street lamps. The air is filled with the scent of the sea and distant music from street performers.

As you walk, you find yourself in a group with Mingyu, Jihoon, Junhui, and Jisoo. The streets are quieter now, with fewer tourists, making the area peaceful.

"I'm kind of craving gelato," Junhui says suddenly, his eyes lighting up at the sight of a small gelato stand up ahead.

"Let's get some," Jisoo agrees, leading the way. The stand is quaint, set up on the street with colorful displays of gelato flavors visible through the glass counter. The ground beneath is paved with grey tiles, worn smooth by years of footsteps.

Jihoon, Junhui, and Jisoo step up to order first. They chat animatedly with the vendor, a jovial man with a thick Italian accent. You and Mingyu take a moment to decide on your flavors.

"What flavor would you like?" The owner asks you and Mingyu after your three friends have ordered their flavors.

"Can I get one mint chocolate and one vanilla?" you ask and the owner nods, starting to scoop all five gelatos.

Mingyu looks at you, surprised. "You remember my favorite flavor?"

You nod with a smile.

The three overhear this exchange and share mischievous glances.

As soon as they get their gelato cones first Jisoo quickly pays for all five gelatos, before the three run laughing down the street, leaving you and Mingyu behind just as the vendor starts scooping your orders.

You and Mingyu exchange amused looks but decide to ignore their antics, waiting patiently for your gelato cones. The vendor works efficiently, handing over your gelatos.

Mingyu takes the mint chocolate cone and hands you your vanilla one. "Here you go," he says with a smile.

"Thanks," you reply, savoring the creamy sweetness. After a moment, you look at him. "Do you want a bite?"

Mingyu's eyes light up. "Sure," he says, taking a small bite of your vanilla gelato. He then offers his cone to you, and you take a taste of the refreshing mint chocolate.

"Thanks for going out of your way to save me earlier," you say, genuinely grateful.

"It was nothing," Mingyu responds, but there's a softness in his voice. "Really, I couldn't just leave you out there."

"I really appreciate it," you insist, feeling the warmth of the moment. The two of you fall into a comfortable silence, walking side by side down the quiet street.

Mingyu wants to hold your hand but hesitates, remembering that you're not dating anymore. Still, the closeness feels right.

Meanwhile, Jihoon, Jisoo, and Junhui catch up with Soonyoung, Seungkwan, Chan, and Wonwoo, who are further up the street, sharing their gelatos and talking animatedly.

"Did you leave them behind?" Seungkwan asks with a grin, noticing that the three were out of breath.

"Yeah, we gave them some space," Jihoon replies, laughing.

"I wonder if they'll get back together," Chan muses, looking back down the street.

"I hope so," Junhui says, taking a big bite of his gelato. "They were so good together."

"I've never seen Mingyu swim that fast," Jisoo adds, shaking his head. "The moment Y/n started floating away, he was in the water like a rocket."

The group laughs, their voices blending with the distant music and the gentle lapping of the waves against the port.

As you and Mingyu continue your walk, sharing bites of each other's gelatos and exchanging quiet smiles, you can't help but wonder if he still has feelings for you, too.

8. YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR EX, AGAIN

"Y/n! Drink up!" Your group of friends roars around you while you close your eyes in defeat.

"Not again," you whine, but across from you, Soonyoung starts to pour you a shot. "Come on, that was a practice round!"

Nonetheless, the filled shot glass is placed in front of you on the wooden table.

It was the last night of the vacation, and the group stayed in during the morning to pack their luggage for tomorrow's afternoon flight. Now, it was time for the traditional drinking night.

You take a deep breath, picking up the shot glass, preparing yourself to drink for the nth time tonight.

"Wait," a hand reaches out to grab the shot glass out of your grasp.

"Woah, is Kim Mingyu drinking for Y/n?" Seungcheol yells from the edge of the table. He and Seokmin get up from their seats to clap in excitement.

Without a reply, Mingyu gulps down the shot, finishing off with a big grin. You stare in shock at Mingyu, ignoring the choruses of teasing from your friends.

Mingyu smiles, feeling satisfied. "For her? Anytime."

"Simp," Jeonghan comments beside you, clapping his hands at the unexpected action.

"Okay, time for Jisoo's favorite game, game start!" Chan sings, moving on to another game.

Thankfully, the next game was one you were good at, so this time Jihoon lost.

"Okay, since you lost," Seungkwan points across to the Bluetooth karaoke machine placed in the backyard of the villa. "Sing us a song, please."

Jihoon laughs. "Any requests?" He stands up from his seat and makes his way to grab the microphone.

Seokmin yells from his spot, "Can you sing 'Don't Wanna Cry' please?"

Seungkwan nods, although Jihoon is busy turning on the machine and finding the song. "Yes, karaoke break!"

Everyone turns their head to watch Jihoon sing, and soon Seungkwan and Seokmin have joined Jihoon, all singing perfectly despite their drunk states.

"I'm going to go grab a glass of water," you announce to the table, rising to head inside the kitchen.

You have to admit, looking for a glass cup, or any new cup for that matter, is quite a quest, as it is placed in a random cabinet.

You hear a new voice while sliding the backdoor closed; it's Mingyu and Wonwoo singing "To You," and some of your friends recording the duo. You stand still in front of the sliding doors, deciding to quietly admire Mingyu's vocals.

You sober up, feeling as if someone had poured a bucket of ice over your head. The shock on your face isn't because the vocals are incredible while drunk; it's because Mingyu stared at you the entire time while singing.

"Wow, I caught that on video!" Minghao happily shares from the table.

He stares at his phone. "Wow, Mingyu, you're great at singing without the lyrics." He laughs, and everyone else is silent, gazing between you and Mingyu.

"Um, I'm going to head to bed. We have a long flight tomorrow." You don't meet Mingyu's eyes and quickly walk by to grab your phone to go to bed.

The others break the awkward moment, complimenting the two before deciding to stop drinking and start a karaoke session instead.

"Who wants to sing with me?" Chan's question is the last thing you hear while you go upstairs.

You let out a breath, closing your eyes when you make it inside your room.

"So, what's your favorite song so far?" Mingyu asks, sitting next to you on the couch.

You were watching Mingyu record in Jihoon's studio for the new album, Attacca, since Mingyu had told you that there were great tracks for this comeback.

Your eyes light up, staring up at your boyfriend. "Definitely, 'To You'. I love the message of the song. It feels like someone singing to their lover."

Mingyu chuckles, staring at you in awe. "You know, I imagine I'm talking to you when I sing my lyrics," he admits before pressing a kiss on your forehead.

You smile widely. "I'm your person?"

Mingyu reaches out to hold you. "Yes, and you've placed all of the smiles in the world in my hands."

"Hey," Seungkwan opens your door, walks into your room, and sits on the edge of your bed.

"How do you feel?"

You place your head in your hands. "Seungkwan, it just hurts, you know? I came here and was reminded of my past relationship, but in reality, after the vacation ends, Mingyu and I will go back to being strangers."

Seungkwan frowns. He was internally thankful that the two of you didn't drink that much tonight.

"Would you consider confessing to him again?"

You stare at Seungkwan wide-eyed. "No! I can't. I think it's best if we leave whatever happened here, here. If we were to get back together, we may break up because of the same reason."

You wanted to give Mingyu and your relationship another try but remind yourself that Seventeen will have another comeback after this trip, and the reason you broke up with Mingyu was because he stopped putting in the effort, you didn't want to go through that again.

"I don't know what to do," you feel overwhelmed, tears welling up in your eyes. Seungkwan grabs a box of napkins from the bathroom counter and walks back to you, sitting closer.

"I just don't want to be hurt again, Seungkwan."

Seungkwan sighs while handing you napkins. "Listen, I really want you to talk to him. But if you don't want to, we can always just go back home tonight."

You take a shaky breath. "Tonight?"

Seungkwan shrugs. "You packed, right? We're both pretty sober, so let's tell Jeonghan and buy some tickets back home."

You nod slowly. "I think that's what I need. I know I'm running from this, but I really don't know how to act in front of him anymore. I want to get back together so bad, but at the same time, I know our relationship won't work out."

Seungkwan understands. "Okay, I'll tell Jeonghan. You book the tickets right now. We can call a cab and go back to the airport."

Seungkwan gives you comforting pats on the back. "Just promise me, in the future, if Mingyu were to ever try and make it work, you will accept it."

You stare up at Seungkwan, laughing. "Oh, Seungkwan, I know he won't... He's too busy to make the effort, but it was great to spend time with him again."

Seungkwan shakes his head. "No, promise me, please."

You nod. "Okay, I promise. Now go tell Jeonghan while I book us tickets."

Seungkwan gives you a supportive squeeze on your shoulder before heading out to find Jeonghan, leaving you alone with your thoughts as you quickly search for flights on your phone.

It was déjà vu.

"Please, Y/n, okay this time Mingyu's there, obviously, but can you please come?" Soonyoung begs with pleading eyes.

His voice is loud enough for nearby tables to stare at, so you shush him to lower his voice.

"I agree," Seungkwan says, assembling rice on lettuce. "You haven't attended our concerts in so long!"

"It's our first concert for the tour after our comeback!" Seokmin adds. "Don't you want to support your best friends?"

You shake your head at their eagerness. "God, this is peer pressure."

"You're coming, and it's final," Seungkwan concludes, waving you off so you agree.

"Fine, one concert." You decide it couldn't hurt.

"But," you raise your finger, "I don't want anyone to know I'm there, especially Mingyu."

Seokmin looks at you confused. "Why Mingyu?"

You didn't want to admit that you couldn't face Mingyu. Since the vacation, your buried feelings had opened up, but you knew everything would return to the way it was after the week. It was asking too much to expect anything to change after the trip.

"To be honest, I hoped something would happen for you and Mingyu after the vacation," Seokmin says. "I haven't seen him be himself, cheerful, until I saw him on the vacation, always smiling when he was near you."

You grow annoyed. "Guys, it's not that simple. We broke up because he was too busy and we both stopped putting in the effort. What changed?"

"He's changed. You know, eight months is enough for someone to change," Soonyoung insists.

Seokmin stares between you and Soonyoung, making sure he's not stepping over any boundaries. "We watched you both after the breakup. But we can assure you Mingyu's changed. Just talk to him once about it, instead of thinking of the 'what ifs'. That's all we ask."

Soonyoung takes your shot glass from your hold, gulping that down, too.

Seokmin and Soonyoung excuse themselves to the bathroom, leaving you and Seungkwan at the table.

Seungkwan turns to you, his voice gentle. "Y/n, you owe me one, remember?"

You nod, curious about what he wants.

"Come to our concert," he says softly. "I know it's hard, but you owe me, and I think it will help."

"Seungkwan, I don't know if I can face Mingyu," you admit.

"I know, but I also know that if you show up, Mingyu will try to make things right between you two. Just think about it, okay?"

You take a deep breath, contemplating his words. When Soonyoung and Seokmin return to the table, you make your decision.

"Fine, I'll go," you say, looking at them. "But I'm going to support you guys, not for Mingyu."

"Here's the VIP pass, by the way," Soonyoung pulls out a single pass from Seungkwan's bag pocket, sliding it across the table.

"How did you even know I would agree?"

9. YOUR EX WILL STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU, TOO

The concert was about to start, and you were heading to the VIP seats with Seungcheol because he wasn't performing due to his injury. Seungcheol was walking with you, chatting about the upcoming performance.

Suddenly, Mingyu runs over, a look of urgency on his face.

"Y/n, can we talk for a moment?" he asks, breathless.

Seungcheol nods, understanding the situation. "Go ahead, Mingyu. We'll catch up later."

Mingyu takes your hand and leads you to a quieter area backstage.

"Y/n," he begins, his voice trembling slightly. "I've been thinking a lot lately, and I realized how much I miss you. I miss us."

Your heart skips a beat as you listen to his words.

"Mingyu, I..." you start, unsure of how to respond.

"Please, Y/n, give me another chance," he pleads, his eyes searching yours.

You feel a rush of emotions flood over you, memories of your time together flashing through your mind.

"I don't know, Mingyu," you say softly, torn between your heart and your head.

Mingyu takes a step closer to you, his gaze intense. "I understand if you need time to think about it. But just know that I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between us."

Before you can respond, Mingyu presses a gentle kiss to your lips, sending a jolt of electricity through your body.

"I have to go," he says reluctantly, pulling away. "The concert is starting soon. But I'll see you later, okay?"

You nod, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside you.

Mingyu gives your hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go and heading off towards the stage.

As the concert approached its climax, the energy in the arena surged, filling the air with excitement and anticipation. You stood beside Seungcheol in the VIP section, caught up in the electrifying atmosphere of the event. The pounding bass reverberated through the stadium, matching the rhythm of your racing heart.

But amidst the exhilaration of the concert, your mind drifted back to the hallway encounter with Mingyu. His heartfelt confession lingered in your thoughts, leaving you torn between the past and the present.

"Y/n," Seungcheol suddenly began, his voice carrying a weight of solemnity. "There's something I need to tell you, something I need to say for the sake of you and Mingyu."

Your eyes widen in surprise sensing the gravity of the moment.

Taking a deep breath, Seungcheol continues, "After the breakup, I saw Mingyu at his lowest point. He wasn't himself during our comeback, but in Italy, he was different. Happier. And... I was the one who told him that you were coming. He dropped the fashion show, even though it wasn't canceled, and told Jeonghan to book his ticket."

With Seungcheol's secret laid bare before you, you felt a surge of emotions wash over you. Mingyu's heartfelt confession before echoed in your mind and you realized that despite the pain of the past, he was truly making efforts for your relationship.

“He did that for me?” You ask, and Seungcheol nods, staring down at his twelve friends on stage.

"Y/n," You suddenly hear from the stage, it is Mingyu's voice. The crowd quiets down, sensing the situation.

"Will you come back to me now?"

The question hangs in the air, suspend between you and Mingyu as the stadium erupts into cheers.

The jumbotron focuses on you and Seungcheol, trying to capture your answer to his question.

At that moment, surrounded by the energy of the crowd and the pulsing rhythm of the music, you knew what your answer was.

With a nod and a resounding "Yes!" that echoed through the arena, you made your decision.

As the notes for 'Aju Nice' fill the air, you feel a sense of happiness wash over you, knowing that you are finally back with Mingyu again.

The crowd erupted into cheers once more, their excitement echoing off the walls of the stadium.

Seungcheol is beside you, a knowing look in his eyes.

"I knew you two would always end up together," he says with a smile, the two of you staring at Mingyu who jumps around with Seungkwan, Soonyoung, and Seokmin on the stage.

As you settle into your seat, surrounded by the sounds of the crowd and the anticipation of the performance, you can't help but wonder what would have happened if Mingyu had never gone to Italy. But for now, you're content to enjoy the music and the company of your friends, knowing that you have Mingyu, again.

10. YOU WILL GO BACK TO YOUR EX

new title: ten reasons to avoid go to italy.

taglist @christinewithluv @kokoiinuts @kimingyuslover @hobiiimingyu @gyuwoosbabie @btsvt-bar @hyuckcrush @junniesoleilkth @gaslysainz @callmemadhatter @tootheiass @softrnjn @chaoticstrawberryland @1010-oclock @writingbarnes @roguesthetic @tacosandbitch @minmangyu @iarayara @chaoticqueen18 @chuuubornpink @lolawlolawlol @ziyaexe @jaaannaaaaa @rarawrwonulover @kars-in-space13 @weirdoome @playgirlfabi <3

9 Years of SEVENTEEN 💎 2015 — #세븐틴과_함께한청춘_벌써_9주년 #SVT_Shinin9_Diamonds

🏥 Seventeen Med Series [Masterpost]

… a new series consisting of 13 individual fics brought to you by Kari @brownsugarbaybee and Shu @welcometomyoasis in honour of seventeen's anniversary...

--⌃⌄-💎-⌃⌄– You know without you i’m so lonely, when you’re not here 911 calling, into your heat again i’m diving, darling you, darling you, baby --⌃⌄-💎-⌃⌄–

Synopsis: When the previous director of Seventeen Medical Center retired, his grandson, Lee Jihoon, was promoted as his successor. Jihoon made many changes to the hospital, but the most important change of all? He hired 11 new medical staff members and 1 medical student, all of whom he knew from his days as a medical student. As these new changes occur, you bet chaos (and 13 different romance stories) ensue. 

Pairing: seventeen x fem! reader 

Genre: medical au, fluff, angst (thanks to shu), hurt/ comfort, smut (only in Kari’s fics, so MDNI with those), others tbd.  

Warnings: blood, injury, illness, medical procedures (needles, operations), patient death, others tbd.

Status: ongoing… 

Update frequency: whenever we can. Don’t worry though! Each fic can be read as a standalone!! 

Disclaimer 1: Please note we are both not in the medical field, we don’t claim to know anything about medicine. Our fics will contain incorrect medical information and are supposed to be taken as works of fiction.

Disclaimer 2: Please note Shu’s account is sfw, and Kari does write nsfw content. Since we are each writing different fics for different members, we will post the fics separately on our respective accounts. For minors, everything on Shu’s account will not contain any nsfw, but MDNI with the fics linked here that contain nsfw content. We will be careful in putting warnings in this masterlist and on fics with nsfw content. We understand this is confusing so please send us an ask or dm if you wish to clarify anything!

Authors’ Note: this series is inspired by our conversations and Shu’s obsession with Doctor Conner Rhodes from Chicago Med. We will be opening a taglist for this series, if you’re not on our permanent taglists and wish to be tagged, please send either one of us an ask if you would like to be added!! Note that minors will only be tagged for sfw fics!!

✧ Without further ado… cueing the opening song! 

✧ Introducing our characters!

⚕️Dr. Choi Seungcheol, Trauma Surgeon ⚕️Dr. Yoon Jeonghan, Neurosurgeon ⚕️Dr. Joshua Hong, Pediatric Surgeon ⚕️Dr. Wen Junhui, Radiologist ⚕️Kwon Soonyoung, RN, Emergency Department Nurse in Charge ⚕️Dr. Jeon Wonwoo, Pathology ⚕️Dr. Lee Jihoon, Director of Seventeen Medical Center (Current position), Cardiologist (Previously) ⚕️Dr. Lee Dokyeom, Psychiatrist ⚕️Dr. Kim Mingyu (PhD), Physiotherapist  ⚕️Xu Minghao, Head of Patient Services ⚕️Boo Seungkwan, RN, Emergency Department Nurse ⚕️Dr. Vernon Chwe, Orthopedic Surgeon ⚕️Lee Jung Chan (Dino), 4th Year Med Student

✧ Masterlist:

⚕️Prologue (sfw, written by Shu, launching 1st June 2024)  ⚕️…

--⌃⌄-💎-⌃⌄– ‘Cause I’m your home, home, home, home, a place you can come to, a place you can come to --⌃⌄-💎-⌃⌄–

shu's taglist:

@weird-bookworm @wonijinjin @babyleostuff @wishing-fieshes @kwanienies

@mayashu @megseungmin @porridgesblog @haecien @mirxzii

@scoupsofcherries @eightlightstar @brownsugarbaybee @zaggprincess2 @nonononranghaee

@hrts4hanniehae @treehouse-mouse @vcutparis @heavenfilm @bananabubble

@hyneyedfiz @abibliolife @isabellah29

kari's taglist: @phattyboo90 @welcometomyoasis svt med taglist (open) sfw fics: all fics: @eightlightstar @iamawkwardandshy @foxinnie8 @shuabby1994 @black-swan-blog27

@xuimhao @junniesoleilkth @justsomekpopstuff @jenowithjaem

five minutes | c.sc

- he has never seen such a picturesque sight draped in morning light

oneshot | 1.3k | domestic!au | fluff

if choi seungcheol could choose one memory to keep after death, it would be the ones like this. the ones where he rises slightly early and gets to watch as you wake up to the world. for him it’s the little things: sunshine falling atop his sheets, your limbs intertwined, the pout in your voice begging him to come back to bed. though seungcheol knows for a fact, he would always hit snooze if it meant five more minutes with you.

~ pairing . choi seungcheol x gn!reader

~ content . non idol!au, early mornings with choi seungcheol, oddly sentimental moments lmaoo, fluffiest of domestic fluff, brief banter

~ tw/cw . one slightly suggestive allusion to hickeys but apart from that none at all!

~ song rec . come to me - seventeen

~ author’s note . here’s the surprise i was talking about! apologies for being so inactive, life just had to take priority for once. but i had some free time so i wrote this as a little writing exercise. also i just imagine seungcheol to be the best to wake up to lmaoo. sorry for once again proving i don’t know how to write anything that isn’t pure unfiltered yearning 😭 hope you guys enjoy anyways!

FOR ONCE, IT IS NOT THE DRONING SOUND OF AN ALARM THAT WAKES HIM

but instead the light of the morning - rousing him with its golden-honey rays. Slithers of sunlight burn against his droopy eyelids and he curses himself for forgetting to close his curtains in the evening. He wonders what the time is. With the advent of summer, guessing the time has been harder than a blinded game of Russian roulette. It could be anywhere between 5:30 (he could afford to sleep for a couple more hours) or 11:25 (he might as well not bother showing up to work).

Seungcheol rolls onto his back and cradles his skull with his palm. He drifts his eyes up towards the cream-coloured ceiling, feeling an inexplicable lightness in his chest as it rises with his every breath: ocean waves at high tide. Even though the future stresses of the working day loom at the forefront of his mind, they aren’t tormenting him like they usually do. He isn’t dreading the ring of the alarm. There’s something in his mind and soul that’s scarily at peace, a calmness he only thought he would feel in his dying hours. A sharp snore cuts his train of thought short. Feeling the warmth pressing taut against his side, he realises what the feather-weight feeling in his chest was for.

He flips over to look at you, out like a candlelight. Seungcheol swears he has never seen such a picturesque sight draped in morning light. No painting in a museum could ever come close to this sight of you. Your legs are curled into your torso and hands loosely gripping the sheets. Seungcheol’s eyes are drawn immediately towards your lips, your pillow-soft sighs drift onto the pillow where a tiny pool of salvia is. A thin sheen of sweat, illuminated by golden rays, wraps around your body like a second skin, causing you to glisten like the sun during dawnbreak.

In this moment, you are so peaceful, so calm, so vulnerable. You’re like a god to him, a statue chiselled painstakingly out of marble. Seungcheol has to hold himself back from caressing your puffy cheeks, terrified he’d wake you. You’ve been working long hours recently and today’s your only day of rest. Apart from that, something about watching you catch up on some well-deserved rest burns his heart white-hot with passion.

‘I must have been a saint in my last life to deserve this,’ Seungcheol thinks. As clearly and effortlessly as the chime of a bell of a small bookstore, you entered his life, taking him by surprise. You were like a whirlwind and Seungcheol was enraptured in the eye of your storm. Each day he was falling deeper and deeper, closer and closer to the point of no return. The way your smile and sense of humour makes him float above the clouds, almost as if is high on your presence. If he is, then you’re his favourite drug, that itch that you can never scratch enough, that song that no matter what he does cannot get out of his head.

He thinks about how much he loves you. How much he longs for you when you are not near - how much he wants to worship you until marks, the same colour as pink lemonade, pepper your chest. It almost brings him to tears: the intensity of his feelings in contrast to the softness of the morning light. You’re the most beautiful person to him - mind, body and soul.

Right now, Seungcheol feels content, not in the way you do when finishing a task or lying down with a stomach full of your favourite food. This is different. A contentedness he knows he may never be able to feel again, but the moment is so perfect that he doesn’t need to feel this way again. This morning is already more than enough.

RING-RING

Seungcheol rolls his eyes as the sound of his alarm vibrates deep through his ears. He checks the time. Fuck. He only has 35 minutes to get ready (he could have sworn he set it for earlier). He tries his best to move cautiously, trying not to wake you. But as he sees your body start to shift, he knows his attempts are in vain.

“Sorry sleepyhead,” Seungcheol coos his voice so sweet that it almost fully distracts you from the alarm's monotonous cries. You reply with a quiet 'morning' but you’re not sure if he hears: the sound being muffled by the sheets. He traces mindless patterns across your exposed skin. His fingertips leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. You squirm slightly at the ticklish feeling, trying to curl away from his touch. Seungcheol can only laugh.

“What?” He knows he’s teasing, the grin on his face ever-wide.

“Shut up…” You turn your body to face him as he sits up, a yawn escaping from the depths of his chest. “How long have you been awake for?”

“A while.” He stretches over your body to hit snooze and you hear the light crackling of his bones as he moves.

“So you’ve just been watching me drool in my sleep this entire time, weirdo.” You say mimicking his previous teasing tone. Seungcheol rolls his eyes but still helps you rub off a small string of dried salvia sitting on the corner of your lip.

“Maybe, maybe not. Though, you are a wonderful sight to behold in the morning.”

“You’re mad.”

“Madly in love with you.” You snort at his words and playfully smack his bare chest as whiny ‘it’s true’s' fall from his pink coral lips. He smiles so wide, that you catch a glimpse of it through the blinding sunlight - a look at his sweet gummy smile. So wide that you can’t help but smile as well.

If Seungcheol were to describe his personality in one word, it would be a realist, maybe a cynic at times. But when it comes to you, he’s a dreamer. You’re the painter who colours over his grey corporate days, the person that keeps him going when his 9–5 starts to feel like a 24-hour shift and it’s your smile he thinks of at the neon red stoplight when he’s racing back home (he hopes you feel the same). He realises that he would do anything for you and it doesn’t anger him in the slightest.

“After you’re off from work, we should do something. Take advantage of the good weather and longer days.” You muse, still looking up at him. With the way tiredness pulls at your eyes you resemble a baby deer. Seungcheol doesn’t even let you finish your sentence before he’s humming in agreement.

“That would be lovely. Hmm, a walk around the city seems nice, there’s this pop-up museum that I think you’d like. We could also-“

RING-RING

You both groan at the cursed sound. Reluctantly, Seungcheol attempts to rub whatever remnants of sleep are left in his eyes (it doesn’t work, he feels more tired afterwards). With a chaste kiss on your forehead, he tries to free himself from the hold of the duvet and many blankets intertwined with his limbs. If he eats breakfast quickly, he may be able to get to work on time. However, as his legs hang over the side of the bed, Seungcheol feels a vice-like grip tighten around his wrist.

“Don’t go.” Your voice sounds so tired yet commanding, as if you were a witch, forcing him into a trance.

“But lovely, work-“

“If you can shower quickly, you can spare five more minutes with me.” You whine. To Seungcheol, there is no point trying to fight it, you’ve already won.

“I suppose I could."

The light giggle that escapes your mouth seals the deal as you drag him back down to drown in the sheets. He throws an arm around your middle and pulls you impossibly closer. Seungcheol knows his alarm is going to go off again in the next five minutes, but as you melt into his embrace like candle wax and press kisses along the base of his neck, he couldn’t care less about hitting snooze again.

For you, he could spare five more minutes.

For you, he would do anything.

—⟡ covert desires | kim mingyu

summary:  the mission is simple - infiltrate a high-stakes auction that the top leaders, businessmen, women, and politicians of the world attend every year and steal one of the most highly guarded and hidden-away paintings from the target’s collection. the only downside, you had to work with kim mingyu, whom you absolutely hated. and to make it even worse, you had to pretend to be his wife for this mission to work.

pairing: spy!mingyu x assasin!reader (fem!reader)

themes: spy au, mafia, enemies to lovers, fake marriage, mutual pining, spies, angst, fluff, killing

warnings: suggestive, kissing, use of curse words, weapons, guns, knives, violence, use of drugs/painkillers, blood, gore, killing, death

wordcount: 19.5k

a/n: i had so much fun writing this! thank you so much to @fairyhaos to listening to my random ideas and helping me with the title and just being really helpful, ily. and tysm to @gyuswhore for beta-reading this and giving me valuable feedback, lifesaver honestly. tysm! i'd love to know your thoughts on this ^^

full fic under the cut!

— character guide

seungcheol - underground mafia leader

jeonghan - manipulator, gets things fabricated like documents, ids etc.

joshua - keeps a log on the accounts/transactions and assets

jun - spy

hoshi - spy

wonwoo - in house doctor

woozi - in charge of gadgets and other necessary equipment

the8 - in charge of weapons

mingyu - spy and your partner for the mission

seokmin - gathers informations and intel

seungkwan - negotiator and works behind the scenes

vernon - hacker

dino - spy

you wipe the last of the blood off your hands and carefully move the body, manipulating the crime scene to make it look like it was a suicide. with a carefully crafted suicide scene, the police wouldn’t even blink an eye and just close the case as a suicide, not wanting to bother investigating further. you just had to leave around the right clues and bait them. once they’d find it, they’d conclude the case without thinking any further and your job was done. you were sure no one would even miss the bastard that you had just sent to hell anyways. after scanning the room, you make sure everything is in place before exiting quietly and disappearing into the shadows. 

when you reach home to your apartment, you swiftly change out of you soiled and bloody clothes. that idiot decided to put up a fight, making things harder for himself really. you planned on killing him quietly, but the fight he put up was unnecessary and he wasn’t going to stand a chance against you regardless. you would have finished earlier and your clothes would have been significantly less bloody. sighing, you peel off your clothes and they fall to the floor in a heap as you step into the shower. the hot water offers some sort of relief and relaxation, your muscles relaxing under the hot water. wrapping a towel around yourself, you step out and hear the faint ring of your burner phone fill the room.

“hello?”, you say as you put the phone to your ear.

“did you get the job done?”, the voice on the other side asks.

“yes, you didn’t hire the best for no reason, did you?”, you scoff back, offended he’d even have a sliver of doubt in your skills. 

“good. we have another urgent matter on hand and it has to be discussed in person. you know where to meet me”, the voice adds.

“i swear if it’s another-“

“you’ll love this one, trust me”, the voice says, cutting you short and hanging up as you begin to say something. you curse under your breath; that idiot never had manners. you huff,  throwing the phone on the bed and changing into something comfortable before you crash into bed, too tired to complain or think about anything else. 

you were an assassin or a hired killer you could say. but you liked to call yourself an assassin - because let’s be real, it sounds cooler. you were trained, skilled, and good at what you did – which was killing people, bad people specifically. when you weren'’t out hunting people down, you were working as a barista at a local cafe. it was somewhat therapeutic compared to your other occupation. but you had to if you wanted to survive in this world. if you wanted your life to have some semblance of normalcy. the world was a cruel place and somehow you ended up doing this for a living but hey, at least it paid well.

the next morning you’re sitting in the hall of seungcheol’s fancy office, or what you liked to call the safehouse.

“you’re here! let me tell seungcheol”, dino says upon seeing you, flashing you a friendly smile. you give him a small smile as he retreats, making his way to look for seungcheol.

seungcheol walks in a few moments later, and his presence can be felt in the room immediately. no one messes with him – everyone knew that. he was the most feared man in the underground mafia and a threat to the government as well. his connections and dirt on powerful people ran too deep with secrets only he knew and used as leverage. hell, even the government would hire him to do their dirty work so he was practically untouchable.

“what’s this urgent matter that needs to be discussed in person?”, you ask, once he sits down opposite you.

“no hi?”, he prompts, raising his a brow as he looks at you.

“no thank you for yesterday?”, you prod back, challenging him. you were really the only person seungcheol let speak to him like that. he’d pretty much raised you and he didn’t seem to mind, especially since you did most of his dirty work. 

“we seem to have gotten ourselves another lucrative mission”, he starts off, treading carefuly with his words. “it’s something worth millions if not billions, so this is a really high-stakes operation”, he tells, observing you. “and we’re getting paid handsomely for it and so will you if it goes well”, he completes.

“alright, that seems like a piece of cake. what are we stealing?”, you ask.

“a painting”, he tells, as he takes a sip of his bitter black coffee in front of him.

“it’s going to be displayed in the national museum of culture and arts”, he says as he continues briefing you. “but that’s not all. the annual auction takes place in three weeks. many if not all the influential, powerful people, businessmen and politicians are going to be at this event, so it’s expected that the security is going to be very tight and advanced. they’ll be bidding for art and plenty of other stuff there but not this painting. this painting is special because it’s not for sale, it’s only on display and it’s the first time it’s being shown to the public in twenty years. the mission is to steal this painting, while also making sure no one finds out – so we place a knock-off”. he explains.

“all right, that doesn’t sound too hard”, you say, calculating everything in your mind.

“oh, don’t underestimate this. this painting is going to be highly guarded and anyone can’t just enter the auction either. you need to be specially invited to the auction otherwise you cannot enter, and you can’t go alone, it’ll be suspicious”, he adds.

“what do you mean i can’t go alone? how else am i going to do this?”, you ask, confused.

“mingyu’s going to be your partner for this mission and the only way it’s going to work is that you pretend that you both are a married couple”, seungcheol completes, making you whip your head up. your jaw drops to the floor upon hearing the words that came from seungcheol’s mouth, absolutely appalled.

“did i hear that right? i need to be mingyu’s wife?”, you repeat, leaning forward and seungcheol doesn’t say anything, only looks at you with a knowing smile.

mingyu and you don’t exactly get along together. he was always somehow getting on your nerves and you hated him.

“seungcheol, you know i don’t like him”, you say, annoyed already. “and i work alone”, you add, glaring at him.

“it’s for the mission and we don’t have any other option. everyone else is busy with other missions and mingyu was the only one who’s free at the moment, and i trust him on this one”, seungcheol explains. you can’t really argue with seungcheol because, at the end of the day he was your still your boss and he called the shots.

“i suggest you get friendly with mingyu because we don’t have a lot of time on hand. the auction is in three weeks and you and mingyu need to play a convincing husband and wife role starting today”

“today?”, i repeat. that was really short notice.

“mingyu has it sorted out”, he says, and your burner phone pings. “that must be him”, seungcheols says.

“please try to get along with him”, is the last thing seungcheol tells you before he stands up to leave. he emphasizes his words with the look he gives. it was a ‘don’t mess this up’ look and you sighed. he gives you a small ‘good luck’ before turning around and walking out, getting busy with something else.

you stand up to leave, opening your phone and reading mingyu’s text.

“meet me at the fountain park at 11am”.

you grumble as you make your way to the park and see mingyu sitting on one of the benches. there aren’t many people, but the sun shines warm and the sky is blue - a complete contrast to your mood right now. you’d very much like to walk away but you can’t. you drag you feet and will yourself to walk towards mingyu, who smiles when he spots you. you don’t reciprocate the smile, giving him a stern looking, already annoyed at the sight of him.

"you know, most people don’t scowl when they see a handsome face”, he says when you’re close enough. you roll your eyes and mentally flip him off, crossing your arms across your chest as you glare at him. “handsome my ass”, you mumble under your breath.

“long time no see”, he greets. you don’t sit. “i’ve been busy”, you tell him.

“you look good”, he adds, gesturing for you to sit.

“seungcheol briefed me on the mission, so what’s next”, you ask, getting back on the topic, not wanting to indulge in small talk with mingyu.

“i found us a house to move into until the mission is over and-“,

“wait, why do we have to move in together?”, you ask in horror and he just looks at you like the answer is obvious.

“because we’re husband and wife? and i don’t think i can come by your apartment and suddenly tell all the neighbours that the poor girl they thought was lonely and single is actually married, now can i”, he says.

you scowl again. “they won’t even care!”

“it’ll be a problem if they become suspicious. it’s better to move in elsewhere and you can move back to your apartment when it’s all done and they won’t even blink an eye about what happened. you can also avoid questions about your husband who mysteriously appeared and disappeared”, he explains. “unless you want to explain why you kept such a handsome man a secret and-“

“shut up”, you cut him off and he chuckles.

you weigh out all the options in your head and mingyu’s idea was the best and most promising, even though you didn’t like it very much. you hated the idea in fact. but sometimes desperate times called for desperate measures.

“fine”, you huff, gritting your teeth. “what else?”, you ask.

“jeonghan’s working on getting us the invitation to the auction. we can start by moving in. pack only your essentials. i’ll pick you up by 2 pm tomorrow so you can move your stuff into the new place”, mingyu tells.

you stack the last box with all you stuff and things that you’d need in the new place, dusting your hands on your shorts. if your neighbors asked, you were away, traveling back to meet family who lived in another state. you’d be back soon so you were sure you could get away with that excuse.

mingyu arrives at 2pm on the dot as promised. you start to carry the boxes out. he carries the other two effortlessly and follows behind you. the elevator ride is quiet, with neither of you saying anything. you’re sitting in his car as he drives you to the new house. you look around, all the houses looking more fancy, manicured and elite. that’s when you realize you’re entering the richer part of the neighborhood.

“how’d you manage to get a house here?”, you ask mingyu, knowing the rent or prices would not have been cheap.

“i invested in some land here and once they announced that they’re going to develop this area, the prices skyrocketed and i got rich. i own the house now and i thought it would be nice to finally use it.”, he explains.

“cool”, is all you can say as you look around at all the villas and large houses occupying this space. if anybody lived here, they definitely came from the wealthy and posh side. in hindsight, it was a good cover for you and it would make it easier for you to blend in if you had to pretend to be from a wealthy background.

you finish unloading and unpacking your stuff in the room when mingyu knocks on the door. you both thankfully had separate rooms because there was no way in hell that you were going to share a bed with him. you’d rather sleep on hot coal than do that.

“jeonghan’s finished gathering some documents so i’ll just go over and pick them up. do you wanna come along?”, he asks.

“sure”, you say, because you really didn’t know what you’d do here alone, plus it had been a while since you last saw jeonghan and oh he was a real menace.

“jeonghan!!”, you say upon seeing him, going up to give him a hug. “y/n! it’s been a while huh, you look great”, he says, a small smile on his face.

“that’s not fair, you didn’t give me a hug when you saw me now did you, baby”, mingyu complains.

“what did you just call me?”, you ask, not sure if you’d heard that right.

“baby”, he repeats casually.

“don’t call me that”,

“i have to if we’re going to play a lovely doting husband and wife couple”, he says and you give him a glare, lasers practically shooting out from your eyes.

“we’re not playing husband and wife right now so watch your mouth, mingyu”, you warn and he just shrugs as you fix your attention back on jeonghan.

“it hasn’t even been 24 hours and you guys are already arguing? i just hope you survive the mission and don’t rip each other’s throats by the end of this”, jeonghan says, amused.

“speaking about that, here’s your marriage certificate. i made it so you’ve both been married for a year and a half, less suspicious that way”, jeonghan explains. “oh, and i also sneaked you both an invite to a party hosted by yeonjun. it’ll be a good opportunity to gather connections and intel. it’s tomorrow night”, jeonghan adds as he hands you the invitations.

“damn how’d you manage that?”, you ask. “i have my ways, you should know that by now y/n.  i'm the man who can get away with anything”, he replies giving you a wink. you chuckle at his words. “how could i forget, you’re called a menace for a reason”, you tease, laughing along with him.

“and i’m still working on getting the invite for the auction, it should be done in a few days”. jeonghan later says and you both leave after chatting a bit more.

that night you lay in bed, barely managing to fall sleep. the hours fly by and you check your appearance in the mirror one last time before stepping out of the room. you’d worn a simple black dress and just lightly styled your hair. you didn’t want to go overboard since this wasn’t the actual mission, so you kept it pretty but to a minimum, but still enough to make it look like you were wealthy and could blend into the crowd at tonight’s party.

“are you ready? we’ll be late”, you say, calling out to mingyu who was in his room.

you hear the shuffle of his shoes as you do a quick check of your small handbag – tissues, lip gloss, phone and most importantly, a pocket knife. when you look back up, mingyu is staring at you.

“what? hurry up, we haven’t got all day”, you add, walking to the front as you slip into a pair of matching black heels. you know our cover when we’re out yeah?”, mingyu asks as he comes up to you.

“yup, we just moved in the neighborhood, you’re an ER doctor, and i’m a lovely housewife who spends her time shopping, relaxing and spending your money”, you say with a fake smile.

“but do you even know anything about being a doctor, you better not mess up if someone asks you medical terms and shit”, you say, pointing a finger at him.

“don’t go underestimating my skills y/n, i’ve got it covered”

“you better”, you snap back, walking ahead of him towards the door.

the party is high in security but you make it through without a hassle. you had gone through the files seokmin had sent on the people attending and memorized everyone’s name, face, job, and even what they eat for dinner. you had to know everything in order to blend in. you step out of the car and mingyu offers you his hand to hold onto. you smile and take it because you do have to act. you put on your friendly face and enter the party, your eyes scanning the crowd. you spot a few people you recognise from the files you’d read last night, the connections forming in your head. just then mingyu sees someone and whispers that’ll he’ll be back, parting ways with you and you’re left alone.

you take this chance to mingle with the other women that you spot in a corner – who were all your new neighbors. this was a good time to introduce yourself, so you walk towards them and smile.

“hello!”, you say brightly and they turn around to look at you. one of them seems to recognize you and smiles.

“hi! you’re new to the area, right? i saw you moving in the other say”, she says.

“yes, i just moved here with my husband”, you explain as a waiter comes by, offering you drinks on a shiny tray. you take one and so do they.

“where’s your husband?”, one of them asks.

“oh, he’s just talking so an acquaintance over there”, you say, looking back as you nudge your head in mingyu's direction.

“what does he do?”, another one asks excitedly upon spotting mingyu in the crowd. you already knew what they were thinking at the way they were looking at him.

“he’s a doctor, he works in the ER”, you tell.

“oh you poor thing. he must be working late often”, she adds and just then you feel a hand wrap around your waist and the whiff of cologne in the air.

“hello ladies, i don’t think i’ve introduced myself. i’m mingyu, nice to meet you”, he says and all the ladies smiles, shamelessly checking him out. but like you cared.

“your wife was just telling us that you work at the ER, it must be tiring, coming home late every day. i’d hate if my husband came late every day”, one of the women says in mock pity.

but mingyu only smirks. “i may come home late, but i always make it up to you in bed, don’t i baby”, he says, looking at you and you almost choke on your drink.

you clear your throat, changing the topic, and all the ladies giggle. after you finally manage to separate from them, you walk around, assessing the situation.

“i can see a lot of people from soyeon’s side”, you say and mingyu agrees. ”jihyo’s here too”, he adds. she was the it woman in business right now and she was rising up the ranks quickly. “jihyo is definitely going to be at the auction”, you add. “should i get friendly with her?”, you ask and mingyu thinks for a few seconds before answering.

“be careful, if you approach her suddenly she might be wary”, he says softly. “you’re not drinking?” you ask, noticing how his glass has gone untouched. “gotta drive us back, so no, i won’t be drinking tonight”. of course, you had forgotten about that. at least he had some manners, unlike seungcheol.

after managing to gather enough intel and make some connections, you and mingyu decide to retire for the night. you both walk out hand in hand and just then your stomach growls. you were hungry, you hadn’t eaten anything there, not wanting to get distracted and also maybe drinking that glass of champagne on an empty stomach wasn’t such a good idea.

“hungry? we can grab something on the way”, mingyu prompts.

you see a mcdonalds’ drive-thru on the way back and tell mingyu to stop by there. “you don’t want real food?”, mingyu asks. “what do you mean, this is real food”, you declare.

“do you eat this often?”, he asks.

“that is none of your business, just get me some nuggets, fries, and a mcflurry”, you say.

he doesn’t get anything, saying he’ll make himself something at home and you don’t complain. you offer him a nugget and some fries but he declines, just driving as he tells you to not spill anything as you munch on the nuggets.

“i’m sure i can make better nuggets than that”, mingyu finally speaks.

“good for you mingyu, i don’t care”, you say, plopping the last bite of nugget into your mouth.

“yeah i’m sure you’ll start caring when i make you breakfast tomorrow and then you’ll never want to eat anything else, only something i’ve cooked”, he boasts.

“is that so? you’re going to spoil me, looking forward to it”,you add, going back to your mcflurry.

the next morning, mingyu does in fact get up early and makes breakfast for the both of you. it would be a lie to say that it wasn’t good, it was actually the best thing you had eaten in a while. over the course of the next week and the days building up to the auction, you attend a few more events together, getting to know more people and making connections. you make yourself friendly with the neighboring women and go shopping together. with all the new intel gathered each time, you pass it over to seokmin.

mingyu and you stop by the safehouse again to collect the invitation to the auction that jeonghan finally got and to update seungcheol on the mission’s progress. you both had somewhat managed to get along…well, almost. if mingyu didn’t make some snarky comment or say something to get on your nerves once in a while it would be better, but he should just be grateful he was alive right now. the urge to strangle mingyu was immense.

“what’s the progress?”, seungcheol asks.

“it’s good. we know for a fact that jihyo is attending the auction and maybe some people from soyeon’s team might attend on her behalf”, mingyu tells.

“im glad you guys seem to be getting along”, seungcheol tells, surprised.

“barely, i need to tell him to shut up and not spew stupid stuff, it really gets on my nerves. and please tell him to stop walking around the house shirtless. it’s damaging to my eyes ”, you complain.

“i didn’t even do anything, i’m just looking out for her well-being, she has some really peculiar habits and also it’s hot? and it’s literally my house? i can do whatever i want”, mingyu defends.

“excuse me?”, you cut him

“you heard her mingyu”, seungcheol directs your words to him. and just then seokmin and jeonghan enter.

“here’s the auction invitation, keep it safe”, he says, handing it to mingyu.

“here’s how the painting looks. it’s called the great fields done by the 18th-century artist lily lee. it’s been hidden away from the public eye for twenty eyes and it’s supposed to be one of her best paintings. it’s worth billions from what i know”, seokmin explains as he shows us a picture of the painting. it was pretty indeed but it was weird why it had been hidden away for so long.

“i already have someone working on the knock-off for the painting”, he adds.

“it better be a damn good knock-off”, seungcheol warns, raising his eyebrows.

“it will be. the guy i asked will get it down to every detail and even mimic each brushstroke. the historians wouldn’t even be able to tell a difference”, seokmin assures.

“good. now y/n, i have a small task for you, it would be great if you can complete it by tonight. it’s for a high-priority client and i’ll pay you extra”, seungcheol says.

“sure, what do i need to do?”

and that’s how you were now on the balcony of a 7th-floor apartment, trying to break in by unlocking the window. the guy you had to kill was a traitor. he took money from innocent people and then threatened them. he was getting in the way of business for the client so he had to go…forever. you opened the window and jumped in, landing soundlessly on your feet as you crouched down, scanning the room. you didn’t like to drag things out so you were going to make this quick.

you hear the hiss of a shallow breath and you quickly realize you’re not alone. someone else is here. you turn around and hide in the corner, peeking out and that’s when a man comes lunging at you with a knife. you dodge and grab his arm, twisting it as you push him against the wall, the knife falling from his hands as you bang his head against the wall. he grunts in pain and falls to the floor and you quickly move to locate the target, who’s heard all the commotion and is coming downstairs. he sees you and his eyes widen as he turns around and starts to run back upstairs. you run after him, placing your foot in the door before he can close and lock it. you push the door with all your strength, willing it to open and he stumbles backward. you waste no time in getting out your gun and shooting him in the chest. the silencer on your gun made sure no sound was heard as he fell to the ground with a thud, clutching his chest and gasping for air as blood oozed out of the wound, staining the wooden floor crimson red.

but just then, something hits you on the back of your head with a sudden force and you clutch your head in pain, falling to your knees as you try to look up. you grit your teeth and get up, dodging the other attack but your head is still ringing from the hit. you see how the man grabs the near-empty wine bottle and smashes it against the wall, creating a sharp glass shard, almost like a dagger. you get up as he attacks, swiftly trying to move out of the way. unfortunately, you end up tripping on the carpet that folded over and you miss the way his other hand lunges out, and the sharp glass shard pierces into your skin, just over your waist as it drags along your lower abdomen, digging into your flesh. you hiss in pain and raise your gun, aiming at his leg as you shoot him and he yells out in pain and falls down. after you torture him a little and find intel on him and who sent him before putting a bullet straight through his head.

fifteen minutes later, you kick his body, adjusting the position and plant information in the room and his phone to look like this was done by his employees who were tired of his threats and doing all the dirty work for him. you climb out the window and use the window ledges to climb down. you discard your coat in your bag and cover yourself with another coat, adjusting your outfit before walking out of the alleyway and onto the sidewalk. you walk straight ahead, not looking back. the dull pain of the stab starting to sting as you walk as you clutch your coat tightly around you.

you reach back home, ignoring mingyu in the kitchen as you go straight to your room, the door slamming unintentionally behind you.

“y/n?”, mingyu calls out. you ignore him and go to the bathroom and locking the door, sitting down against the bathtub as you lift your shirt up to access the wound. it was a deep cut no doubt, thankfully no vital organs had been hit. you don’t know if you should say that you were lucky or if the bastard just had terrible aim. but the cut was messy and well bloody.

“are you ignoring me now?”, you hear mingyu shout out. he knocks on the bathroom door.

“y/n what happened?”, he asks, a sudden shift in his tone.

“nothing i’m fine mingyu, i can’t use the bathroom in peace?”, you counter.

“stop lying, i saw the drops of blood trailing to your room. open the door now”, he demands.

you sigh. why did he have to be so aware of his surroundings. talk about occupational hazards.

“i’m fine mingyu, stop overreacting”, you say, not hearing a reply, thinking he must’ve left.

after a minute, you hear the door lock rattle and unlock, mingyu pushing the door open and once his eyes land on you they darken.

“what the fuck, mingyu? i could have been naked, you can’t just barge in like that”, you say, annoyed and shocked.

“i can if it’s an emergency and did you forget i have the keys baby, this is my house so my rules”, he counters as he walks over to you and sees you cover the wound with your hand. not that it helps because your hand is all bloody too.

“shit baby, you’re bleeding bad”, he tells, kneeling down so he could match your height so he can acess the wound, seeing the blood ooze out from the side of your palm as you pressed against the cut, trying to put some pressure on it.

you glare at him at the mention of that stupid nickname. “i told you not to call me that and i don’t need your help”, you grit out, pushing his hand away when he moves to help you.

“you either take my help like a good girl or you can shut up, your choice sweetheart”, he says, staring you down.

and before you can even protest or say anything, he’s lifting you off the edge of the bathtub and sitting you down on the countertop beside the sink.

“are you deaf? i said i can manage on my own, i don’t need your help mingyu”, you say, trying to move but the movement causes pain to shoot up through your left side, making you let out a soft whimper of pain.

mingyu wastes no time in fetching the medical kit and his hand is already moving to lift you shirt so he can see the wound. you side-eye him as you lift the shirt, bunching it at your ribs.

“you’re so annoying”, you mumble as he assesses the wound.

“you should look at yourself in the mirror”, he says, making you lean back a bit so he could see the cut fully. you hiss in pain when the disinfectant comes in contact with your skin, biting your lip as it burns. this was the one thing you could never get used to.

“ow, just make sure there are no tiny glass pieces”, you mumble and he snaps his head up. “glass?”, he asks and your nod confirms his suspicions. he takes his time, making sure no tiny shards of glass are left as he cleans your wound. you close your eyes as he cleans the cut and wipes away all the blood, but your heavy breathing wasn’t helping, making a little blood seep out every time you took a breath in and out.

“relax baby”, he coos, his hands resting on your thighs as he looks at you, standing between your legs as he discards another piece of bloody cotton to the side.

“i would if you just left me alone”, you snap out.

he rolls his eyes. “you’re so stubborn, it’s infuriating”, he says, leaning closer

“i could say the same thing about you, you’re so fucking irritating”, you answer back.

“i really don’t know why you’re acting like an idiot when i’m trying to help you”

“i never asked for your help did i, mingyu?”

“so what? i’m doing a favor and being nice”

“by helping me when i said i didn’t want your help”, you emphasise, as you move up to sit up straighter, not realizing how close you had ended up getting to him.

“just stay still”, he demands and you don’t bother talking back this time as he cleans up the cut.

“whoever did this, i’ll kill him”, he mutters as he wraps a gauze around your waist to cover the cut.

“already did”, you confirm and wince a little as he tightens the gauze.

“there, you’re all set”, he says once he’s done, looking at you, and he’s still so close. your gaze flickers down to his lips before flickering to the side. maybe a part of you hated him because of how attractive you found him…god. you didn’t want to make things unnecessarily complicated. it was easier to hate him than admit he had an effect on you.

you’re walking back home after just killing someone (yet another side assingment seungcheol put you on) when you notice a car following you from behind. shit. did they place someone to guard the house? you had to think quickly and shake off the tail otherwise things would get complicated. but then the car speeds up and honks, the window opening, and to your horror, it’s mingyu. what the hell was he doing here?

“what are you doing here?”, you nearly shout. “were you stalking me?” 

“i’ll explain later, but get in”, mingyu says.

“i can get home myself thank you. i need to stop by somewhere too”, you say, which was a lie. you just didn’t want to listen to him given you weren’t playing house right now.

“it’s going to rain”, he adds, as you start walking and he follows you with the car.

“it’s not going to rain mingyu”, you say, walking ahead, ignoring him.

and not even a minute later, you feel the first few drops of rain fall on you. dammit.

“see, i told you it was going to rain”, he says.

“i have an umbrella, i’ll manage, just go”, you tell, annoyed that he was right.

you pretend to look in your bag because, of course, you don’t have a fucking umbrella. the rain starts to pour down heavier and if you don’t make a choice now, you were going to get drenched.

“i know you don’t have an umbrella, y/n, so stop being stubborn and get in the fucking car”, he yells louder, getting impatient.

you stop and look at him. “did you just yell at me?”, you ask, narrowing your eyes at him.

he rolls his eyes and sighs. “you’re so stubborn god, what are you going to lose by getting in the damn car. you’re already getting soaked,” he adds.

“ask me nicely”, is all you say as you stare back at him, challenging him.

“y/n get in the car because it’s raining”, he says giving you a fake smile too.

“you didn’t say please”, you add and he sighs, gripping the steering wheel harder.

“y/n please get in the car”, he repeats and you shoot him a small satisfied smile as you open the door and get in the car.

“okay now care to explain why you were following me?”, you tell.

“care to explain why you’re so damn stubborn?”, he counters.

“i am not stubborn, stop being an ass and just tell me why you were following me”, you say.

“i’m the ass? like you weren’t acting like one by not getting in the car”, he says making you scoff.

“fuck you, mingyu”, you sneer, looking out the window as the rain poured harder. the rest of the car ride is silent but you’re glad. if you had to talk to him for another minute right now you’d end up strangling him on the spot.

the rest of the few weeks goes by with you going to a few more events to socialize and familiarize yourselves with the environment, the people and also gather valuable information and intel. mingyu and you seem to play the husband-wife role pretty convincingly. you both come back home late that night but you barely manage to sleep. since you were up early, you decide to hit the gym. one of the perks of this house was that it had a fully equipped gym room, courtesy of mingyu of course. 

when you enter the room, you quickly realise you’re not alone and mingyu was there too. great. you were almost going to exit but you catch yourself. you didn’t do anything wrong, so why run? you walk in to see mingyu doing some pull-ups. his back was to you but you’re sure he noticed your presence - of course he did. you watch as he does a few more pull-ups, the muscles on his back and arms flexing with each move.

“stop ogling me”, mingyu’s voice floats in the room, breaking the silence.

“im not ogling you, gross”, you scoff, disgusted. “i thought seungcheol told you to stop walking around shirtless”, you add, giving him a look.

“relax, baby, i’ll put on a shirt later, i know you’re enjoying the view”, he smiles back as he jumps down and turns to face you. asshole.

“yeah, right”

“you were literally ogling me right now”, he deadpans.

“I WAS NOT! stop calling it that. i was just assessing where i need to strike first in order to kill you, you know, for research purposes”, you snap back, only for him to smirk back at you.

“yeah? i’ll choose to believe that little lie for now but i’d like to see you try”, he provokes, walking closer to you.

“oh yeah? i’d love to. the moment this operation is done, i’ll be coming for you, so you better watch your back”, you tell, playing along as you cross your arms across your chest.

“hm, whatever you say, baby”, he says, stepping closer until he’s towering over you. you look up at him and stare back. not that pet name again. you told him countless times not to call you that, it was infuriating, but he just didn’t get it, did he? he needed to be taught a lesson. in a blink of an eye, you grab your knife which you kept concealed and grab mingyu’s arm, swinging him so his back hits the wall with a thud, the cold metal of the knife to his neck.

“if you call me baby one more time, i swear i will actually strangle and kill you”, you threaten, staring right up at mingyu. mingyu’s surprised and amused. it would be a lie to say he didn’t find you hot right now.

“always carry a knife around with you?”, he prompts, raising his eyebrow.

you smile, leaning closer to him as you whisper in his ear. “it’s my favorite one, it’ll slice your neck and you wouldn’t even know it until you’re choking and gasping on the floor”, you tell.

“yeah, baby? i can’t wait to see you try”, he whispers back, his hands grabbing your waist, spinning you, his other hand reaching up to hold both your hands up by the wrist, pinning you to the wall. you try to move but his grip was solid.

“so, how are you going to kill me now?”, he mocks, pushing you against the wall, his body pressing against yours. he looks at you, his nose almost brushing against yours.

“i could maybe snap your neck right now or still slice your neck, your choice”, you say, blinking up at him innocently.

“yeah? care to show me how?”, and so you do, bringing your leg up to knee him in the shin, swiftly wrapping your arm around his shoulder as you kick his feet, making him lose his balance. you push him down and knock him to the ground and he falls on his back. he’s lucky he lands on the foam mattress that was on the side and you waste no time in bending down and straddling him, holding your knife to his neck, and adding a little pressure this time for fun.

“any last words?”, you ask and he just smiles up at you.

“i’ll spare you for now because we have a mission to complete”, you add, getting up as you push off him but he grabs you, flipping you over in the blink of an eye so that he’s hovering over you now.

“i take it you want me to stab you anyway?”, you ask, the knife still strong in your grip.

“why do you hate me so much?”, he asks, looking down at you, his body caging yours.

“you really want to know?”,

“im so curious”, he tells lowly. 

“because you’re so fucking cocky about everything and too full of yourself”, you tell, looking up at him. “and you’re an idiot who only thinks he’s handsome and just everything about you is infuriating”, you spit.

“really? i think you forgot to add the part where you have a small crush on me?”, he adds with a smirk and you’ve had enough. you place your hands on his chest and push him off you, sitting up.

“that’s the biggest lie i’ve ever heard”, you say.

“i just know it baby…oops i mean, y/n”, he says, getting up to fetch his bottle of water as he walks to the side.

“but you did just call me handsome”, he points out as he takes a sip of water.

“i did not”, you grit out. “and i do not have a crush on you. if you were the last man on earth i would gladly die single”, you grit out.

“lies, you spew such lies, y/n”, he says, laughing.

the next morning you see mingyu in the kitchen and he smiles, fucking smiles at you.

“i was expecting you to sneak into my room last night and-“ “slit your throat? oh yeah i was so tempted but i thought that would be too painful”, you tell innocently.

“or you’re just scared to do it”, he says.

“i think you forget i’m a trained assassin. i know more than 20 ways to kill a man so you should be careful. you should start by hoping i didn’t poison the coffee you’re drinking right now”, you say before turning and walking away.

you hear him chuckle but it fades away after a few seconds. “wait…you didn’t really spike my coffee right…y/n…”, mingyu asks and you smirk to yourself, not giving him an answer as you make your way back to your room. 1 for y/n, 0 for mingyu.

things are starting to get serious now. it’s two days before the big event and you have a meeting at the safehouse with seungcheol, dokyeom, dino and vernon, who are all going to help you in pulling this off by working behind the scenes. seokmin told you that he’ll get you the knock-off painting in a van that evening and dino would help assist you while vernon be there to hack the security systems and cameras when needed.

the plan was that you’d leave to the auction and watch around. you’d have to make a few bids too, so you’d blend in and seungcheol had given you the money so you were free to bid on anything you liked. then there was a 45-minute break between and it was in that break that you had to steal the painting without getting caught. dino would be waiting down in a van, pretending he was a driver and he’d take off with the painting. the only thing left was pulling this off. with the level of security that this event was going to have, you needed to do everything right to pull this off. you were excited.

it's finally d-day. you’re getting ready in your room, due to leave in 15 minutes. you spent the entire day figuring out what to wear. it was a posh event, so you had to wear something pretty, something that would make heads turn, something that would make me look like you fit in there - something exquisite. you decided to go buy a dress earlier because you didn’t have anything fancy to wear with you, since you’d left most of those types of dresses back home, only bringing essentials along when you moved in with mingyu for the time being. you ended up buying a pretty sweet and head turning dress, something fancy in your favourite color too. it was a maroon, satin dress, which went all the way down to the floor. there was a slit for the leg that stopped just short of your thigh. the highlight of the dress was the back – it was backless, with a criss-cross strap that had to be tied. the only problem, you couldn’t seem to reach back to tie it tight enough that it wouldn't unravel during the night. 

you wore your heels - white glitter ones to contrast the red dress. you checked your makeup in the mirror one last time and tried to tie the strings on your back again but you couldn’t seem to get the crisscross pattern right and you were struggling to tie it up. just then you hear a knock on your door.

“y/n are you ready? we have to leave in five minutes”, mingyu says from outside.

“okay!”

and five minutes later, you’ve given up, groaning as you bring your arms down, knocking your arm on the table in the process. “ouch”, you say in frustration and mingyu knocks on your door again.

“y/n? are you okay?”, he asks again, opening the door slightly. you get up to open the door and mingyu looks at you. you watch as his eyes rake all over your body as checks you out. you stare back at his face and he’s still staring at you, his eyes moving over every part of your body. you ask him something but he doesn’t reply, still staring, devouring you with his eyes as he takes you in. 

“finished eye fucking me?”, you ask, annoyed, bringing his attention back to you. he looks at you and smirks. “i wasn’t done but i can continue later”, he teases.

“whatever, can you help me tie my dress in the back? i just can’t seem to reach it”, you ask him and he stands up straighter and you realize this wasn’t the sort of question or help he was expecting you to ask.

“sure”, is all he says and you turn around, holding your hair up so mingyu could tie your dress.

“you have to crisscross it and then tie it”, you explain, looking at his reflection in the mirror in front of you.

as he ties your dress, his fingers rub your bare back occasionally, sending sparks all over you body. he pulls back the threads to make them tight. you watch from the mirror as he tries his best to carefully tie it. he looked…so fucking good tonight. the suit was tailor made for him, making him look crisp and sharp. you’d have to painfully admit that he did indeed look hot tonight but you catch yourself and swat those thoughts and any other intruding thoughts away immediately. you’re about to move a bit forward when he pulls back again, securing the knot, and then his eyes find yours in the mirror reflection.

“you look gorgeous”, he whispers against your ear, making a shiver run down your spine.

“i know, thanks for the confirmation though”, you say, not willing to be swayed by his comment and how much he seemed to be affecting you right now.

“let’s go steal a painting”, you say with a smirk.

you drive to the event, and somehow mingyu managed to snag a limo to the event. don’t ask how, it was probably seungcheol’s doing but now you’re driving there. you put your in-ears on for further communication with mingyu and the others on the mission. woozi had designed it so it look like an ear cuff, making it look less suspicious on you. mingyu’s was transparent in the front, so it blended in.

“relax”, mingyu says after a few minutes of silence in the car as he sits opposite you.

“i am relaxed”

“you look tense”

“i’ve stolen plenty of stuff before so this is a piece of cake”, you tell.

“we got this”, he assures.

you reach the venue and get down, mingyu offering you his hand as you step out of the car. you take it and you automatically wrap your arm around his as you both walk in together. you stand behind a few people, all waiting to move inside and everyone is holding the same invitation you are holding. when it’s finally your turn, mingyu shows the person your invites and after scanning it for a few seconds he hands it back to us, telling us to enjoy our time here. you’re handed a number picket from the counter the moment you enter, for you to make bids.

the auction starts in an hour since people are still coming. most of the vvip and vip guests coming later for security reasons. you walk to the hall and scan the crowd for anyone you know or can recognize. mingyu does too. you agree to split up and scan the hall so it would be faster, mingyu going left while you go right. after you’ve confirmed who’s coming and who’s yet to come, cross checking with the guest list that you’ve memorized that jeonghan managed to get his hands on. there were still a few guests and vips left to arrive. all the vvips or vips who did arrive were on the other side of the hall, with higher security. jihyo hadn’t arrived yet and you couldn't see anyone from soyeon’s team either. but you did spot hwasa; she had multiple businesses and was a trendsetter. anything she touched, ate or wore was sold out, she was that good, and everyone loved her. it was going to be interesting to see what she bids for here.

after gathering all the information you needed, you’re turning around when a man bumps into you. 

“oh, im so sorry”, he says, turning around.

“it’s no problem”, you say, putting your hand up. he looks at you again, shamelessly checking you out and you roll your eyes as you turn to walk away again, but he grabs your hand.

“wait, i don’t think i’ve seen you around, are you new here?”, he asks, hopeful, but you had no interest in entertaining him.

“yeah, i just moved here”, you say, quickly, pulling you hand out of his grip. “i have to go”, you add.

“see you at the auction? which number are you, i’ll try to sit at your table”, he asks, getting desperate.

“that’s all right, im fine”, you say again, trying your best to be nice. 

“come on, don’t be shy”, he adds with a chuckle. “girls are usually falling all over me”, he adds, maybe not liking how you were not falling for his tricks.

“can’t let beautiful women like yourself be alone at an event like this, can i? which table will you be seated at? i can show you around if you like”, he asks again and now you’re really starting to get irritated. you would have knocked him out by now if this was any other circumstance but you hold back, not wanting to cause a scene or mess anything up.

you’re about to say something when you feel a warm hand encircle your waist and from the smell of the cologne, you already know who it is – mingyu.

“there you are baby, i was looking for you”, he says sweetly, kissing your cheek as he pulls you closer to him. there’s a hint of possessiveness in his voice as he looks at the man who was talking to you.

“who’s this?”, mingyu asks, looking at you, his grip getting tighter around your waist.

“oh i’m sorry i just bumped into her and was apologizing”, the man fills in.

“i see. next time i suggest you watch where you’re going”, mingyu tells, glaring at the guy as he pulls you away, telling you that he wanted you to meet someone.

as you walk, you notice a few heads turn and people look at you but you just ignore it and walk like you belong there. you hear mingyu faintly curse under his breath.

“what?”, you ask

“you shouldn’t have worn that baby, everyone is staring at you”, he grits out lowly, jealousy evident in his voice.

“excuse me? are you sure you’re not the one staring? it doesn’t matter to me, as long as we steal the painting and get the job done”, you say, lifting your dress up slightly as you walk up the stairs to the auction hall.

“that idiot is following us”, he adds, spotting him from his peripheral vision.

“well, that’s annoying, we don’t need him tailing us. should i knock him out and throw him somewhere?”, you ask as you walk, smiling at a few people who welcome us at the top of the stairs.

“i’d have knocked him out myself if i had to but that’s a risky move for now”, he says. we reach the upper floor and mingyu holds your hand as he leads me to the left side of the hall, where there are fewer people. mingyu’s back faces the people as you look ahead.

“is he still looking at us?”, mingyu asks, his back facing the man who was still following you.

 “yeah but what do we-“, you’re cut off by mingyu’s hand tilting your chin as he leans in to kiss you, his lips pressed against yours. he pulls away ever so slightly as he looks at you.

“mingyu-", he kisses you again, this time moving his lips against yours and your move my lips too, kissing him back. he pulls away a few seconds later.

“what are you doing?”, you finish your sentence, shocked.

“now look, he’ll be trying to find a new target to woo”, he tells and you look, seeing the man already talking to another group of women, hoping to find a different date.

“worked like a charm”, he says, with a satisfied smirk. and that’s when the action of what mingyu just did hits you, but you decide not to say anything, not wanting to yell at him or draw any more attention to yourself. you’d give him hell about this later.

the auction is about to begin and you find a table to the front, and sit down. you mentally make a note of where a few other vips are sitting and scan the crowd. you spot jihyo in the front, surrounded by a few bodyguards who are off to the side.

“good evening ladies and gentlemen! welcome to the annual auction hosted by the national museum of culture and arts. we are pleased to have you all here. we will be starting the auction and the rules are simple – the highest bidder wins, so have fun. we would also like to mention that part of the funds collected from the auction will be put aside to aid in cultural growth and in preserving national treasures and artifacts. we will also be partnering with Vision to offer scholarships to five students. your contributions will be deeply appreciated.", the host welcomes and explains.

"and the most anticipated part of the night, the beautiful painting ‘the great fields of sorrow’  by lily lee will be unveiled to the public after 20 years. you do not want to miss this, it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we are so glad you are all here to witness history in the making. now, let us begin”, the host announces, gleefully.

the auction begins and the first few bids go by fast, people bidding left, right, and center. but it’s towards the end that the most valuable artifacts and paintings start coming out. you have your eye on this one painting, you’d seen it in the auction catalog earlier and you were determined to get it. the moment the painting comes up to be bid, you grab the picket from mingyu and raise you hand, making a bid.

“what are you doing?”, mingyu asks.

“bidding?”, you tell like it wasn’t obvious to mingyu right now.

a few more people bid on the painting but you bid again, raising the bid higher and higher each time. but some women keeps bidding along as well and you weren’t going to lose this. you raise you hand, making the bid higher and now it’s just you and the other woman raising hands as you both try to outbid each other.

“what are you doing? drop it”, mingyu says next to you.

“no, that painting’s mine”, you grit out, raising your hand again to raise the bid. anyone could be able to feel the tension in the room right now.

“y/n, we don’t have that much money to spend, are you crazy?”, he asks, turning towards me.

"i don’t care, i want that”, you tell, raising your hand to make another bid, raising the price impossibly high. people who were bored and had no interest in the auction were suddenly watching us carefully, eager to see who would finally win the bid.

the lady falters, wondering if she should raise the bid and no one else raises their hand to make another bid. you smile to yourself.

“going once”, the man says, hoping the lady would change her mind and raise the bid.

“going twice….and sold”, he declares, the wooden hammer hitting the wooden plate and you’re smiling in victory.

“i won”, you tell mingyu.

“yeah and you better be explaining to seungcheol why his assets suddenly depleted” mingyu tells.

“at least seungcheol would let me have it, unlike you, sitting here and complaining, it’s so annoying”, you add, clicking your tongue.

“you’re the annoying one”, he says without missing a beat and you kick his leg from under the table, giving him a fake smile. “shut up and don’t get on my nerves”, you tell through gritted teeth, making a few heads turn. you clear your throat and sip on your champagne, smiling at the few people who turn to look at you.

that was the last bid and the auction had now ended. people start getting up to either grab a drink and talk or to go make arrangements to collect their paintings or artifacts that they just bought. this was indeed a good way you could sneak the real painting out. you quickly intercom with dino and you coordinate with him, vernon listening in too so he’d know which cameras to hack and take down.

“we should go, we have only 45 minutes before the painting is revealed”, you tell, getting up and walking out to the outer hall. there is music playing and someone is singing. the host announces that people can dance if they like and a few people do, couples peppered across the floor as they dance and sway together. you steer right away from the crowd and start moving downstairs when mingyu grabs your hand, blocking your path.

“care to dance?”, he asks.

“no i don’t dance”, you tell but mingyu ignores you and holds your hand as he guides you to the hall where the crowd was, choosing a quiet corner and pulling you closer to him, his hand resting on your waist as his other hand is intertwined in yours.

“mingyu i said i don’t want to dance”, you tell, slightly annoyed.

“i know, but i do”, he says and you find yourself moving closer to him as your rest your other hand on his shoulder, trying not to bump into the person behind you. you both sway to the soft music that plays and mingyu locks eyes with you, a small smile playing on his face and you don't realise how close you've gravitated towards him.

“we’re wasting time, let’s go”, you tell after two minutes.

“a little fun never hurt, you need to learn to let loose a little, sweetheart”, he tells, looking at you and you don’t miss the way his gaze flickers down to your lips.

“but you really should have worn something else”, he whispers near your ear. “i’m starting to get jealous at the way all the other guys are starting at you."

"it's a pretty sweet outfit isn't it”, you say softly and the the corner of his mouth lifts into a faint smile.

“hm let’s go”, he says, pecking your cheek as he intertwines his hand in yours. you walk down together and walk towards the restrooms. when the path looks clear, you take a detour to the staff room, which would give you access to the basement and other private areas of the building. jeonghan had given you copies of the access key too, so you could now slip into any room you liked without having to break any alarms.

you’d already memorized the layout of the room and knew exactly where the safe room would be located.

“you brought a gun right?”, you ask.

“what do you think baby, of course, i did”, he answers raising his brow. it was hidden using a chip that emitted waves and would not be picked up by any electronic scanner, which is how it got sneaked in successfully. another one of woozi’s genius creations. you reach the safe room but there were two guards up ahead.

“vernon, can you hack the walkie-talkies? tell the guards to move to the upper level”, you ask.

“on it”, vernon responds immediately and in two minutes the guards start walking away and turning around the corner.

you run up and unlock the door using the key card, opening the door and quickly shutting it behind you. you unlock another door and finally head inside the safe room, where the painting and other treasures were stored.

the painting is easy to find, it’s kept in a bulletproof glass box but that’s when you realise something is wrong.

the painting is bigger. it’s not the same size seokmin had told you. you panic because this would now hold you back and you had to think on your feet to figure something out quickly.

“what the fuck?”, you tell. “how are we supposed to discreetly steal this huge painting?”, you almost yell at mingyu who’s looking at you, confused as well.

“i don’t know, we just take it and walk out”,

“and let everyone know we stole it, mingyu? that’s just genius. why don’t we just announce it to the whole world then”, you yell back, annoyed.

“i thought seokmin told us it was going to be smaller? this isn’t the same size he mentioned”, you tell, running a hand through your hair.

“i think he forgot to add one digit in the dimensions”, mingyu tells and you mentally face-palm yourself.

“so now what do you want me to do?”

“i don’t know just take it and we place the decoy and leave”

“the decoy isn’t even the same fucking size mingyu”, you yell, getting impatient.

“fuck”, he curses under his breath. “let’s just take the painting and go”,

“how do i just take it, mingyu? do you want me to shove this painting up my ass and leave? how the hell are we going to walk out with it? didn’t you tell dino was waiting down in the van? how can we possibly walk with this huge painting all the way to the basement and give it to dino without anyone seeing us and not put the knock-off.”, you tell, getting more and more impatient with each passing second.

“jesus, y/n im trying to figure it out so please calm down”, mingyu snaps back.

“is everything okay?”, vernon’s voice fills your ear.

“wait guys, seokmin just told me that he has the proper decoy size in the van downstairs”, vernon tells after a few minutes of silence.

“wait what do you mean?”, you ask.

“he just told me saying he put the correct decoy painting size in the van, and that he realized he’d messed up the dimensions and got it remade. he said his printer had ran out of ink and missed printing one digit”, vernon explains calmly.

“then send it in, we have like 20 minutes before the painting gets showcased!”, you yell at vernon.

“dino’s on his way with it, just hold on”, vernon assures, going back to intercom with dino.

meanwhile, you and mingyu try to figure out how to unlock the box. the box had a passcode and three wrong tries and it would alarm the security, so you had to be careful. woozi had given you a decoder which mingyu had hidden outside and you grabbed on the way to the safe room. mingyu attaches the decoder and you watch as the numbers scramble, trying to decode the pin and unlock the box.

“what’s taking so long”, you groan, clicking your tongue.

“y/n calm down. we’re fine”, mingyu says as he locks eyes with you.

“if seokmin hadn’t realized we’d have been fucked over big time mingyu, do you understand? we could have gotten caught. do you understand how big of a fucking problem that could have been? and you’re acting all high and mighty asking me to just take this painting and go like it won’t be so fucking obvious that it’s not the same painting. and dino needs to hurry up because there are only ten minutes left, and we need to take this and transport it all before they come in to take the painting out to display, so we’re short on-", you’re cut off by mingyu’s hands cupping your cheek as you feel his soft lips on yours, again.

“you really need to shut up sometimes”, he mumbles against your lips. maybe it was because you were in the heat of the moment, but you kiss mingyu back, grabbing him by his tie to pull him closer, closing the gap between you both.

“guys?”, vernon’s voice fills my ear through the in the ear but you both ignore him. “dino’s almost there”, he adds but none of you bother to reply, too busy kissing each other.

the safe door opens and closes in silence and dino steps into the room. (it had a anti slam and quiet door so it would be discreet and safe) 

“i hope i’m not interrupting something?”, dino asks, making you break away from the kiss and the look on dino’s face is mischievous.

“n-no"." shit.

"did you get the proper knock off? hurry up we have to be out of here in ten minutes”, you tell, pushing mingyu off you and walking up to the box, which had successfully unlocked.

dino handles the real painting carefully, wearing a pair of cloth gloves before taking out the painting from the box with care and placing it on the wearable rack, and replacing it with the knockoff that he streathly managed to bring here; courtesy to vernon for hacking the camera footage and security walkie talkies. if you were asked to play spot the difference between the real painting and the fake one, you wouldn’t have been able to guess shit, the fake one was just that good. dino quickly covers the real painting in a satin white cloth and you quickly walk out. dino disguised as one of the staff and security members, so it would look like he was just taking the painting you had just bought to your car so you could take it home. thankfully the painting you bid on and bought was around the same size too and you bring it along as you leave. no one gives you any suspicious looks as you leave and you walk out with confidence, your arms locked in mingyu's as you both walk together.

you make it back up to the upper level and back to the hall before you take the elevator to the basement. dino loads the painting into the van and he and vernon take off. mingyu and you bounce as well, getting in the limo and telling your driver to take you back home, making the excuse that you weren't feeling to well when someone approached you, asking why you weren’t staying back to see the painting that was going to be revealed shortly.

as soon as you get in the car, you kick off your heels, relief flooding through your feet as you sit. you let out a big sigh and take the chance to open the bottle of champagne that’s in the car, pouring yourself a glass and mingyu one too, offering him the glass.

“to successfully stealing a painting”, you say, raising the glass to make a toast and he smiles. you down the glass in one shot, the adrenaline still pumping in your veins. placing the glass down, you look at mingyu, who’s still watching you. 

“what?”, you ask mingyu, who looking at you like he wants something.

“nothing, you’re just…gorgeous”, he says.

“you flatter me too much, mingyu”, you say, getting up to move, picking up your dress slightly as you move to sit on his lap, straddling him. his hands find your waist immediately, pulling you closer against him as your hands rest on his shoulders. his hand cups your cheek as he leans forward to kiss you, moving his lips against yours, slow and long, kissing you like he’s been craving this all along. he deepens the kiss, biting your lower lip teasingly, making you let out a soft moan, your mind too fuzzy to care about what you were doing right now.

“fuck, you’ve been wanting this, haven’t you?”, he groans, kissing your jawline.

“i know you wore this dress on purpose baby, to rile me up”, he says and you kiss him in response and he kisses you back, this time with more vigor and passion.

“maybe”, is all you can say as mingyu’s lips are on yours again.

“i’ve been dreaming about this for so long, to kiss you, to have you”, he groans as he kisses your neck, your eyes fluttering shut at the sensation. your hands busy themselves with loosening his tie and undoing the first few buttons of his shirt.

“look at you, i thought you hated me baby”, he mumbles against your neck.

“i still do”, you tell, your voice coming out breathy and soft as he leaves a trail of kisses along your collarbone, his hands roaming your body, his touch sending shivers and sparks throughout your body.

“what if dino tells on us”, you realise, whispering softly as he continues to leave soft kisses on your neck. 

“you’re worried about that baby? worried he’ll run his mouth and tell everyone you were kissing me? the person you claimed you hated?”, he teases, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth.

he kisses you again, trailing more kisses to your jawline before his hand reaches over to cup your cheek as he pulls you in, capturing your lips with his again, making butterflies erupt in your stomach. you kiss him back, and somehow you couldn’t seem to get enough, getting dizzy on how he feels and tastes. he was driving you crazy. he pulls you closer against him, his grip on your waist tightening with each kiss and you start to lose track of how long you’ve been at it, making out. thank god for the partition between the driver and you was tinted. the car finally comes to a halt in and mingyu breaks away. “we’re home”.

and just like that, mingyu guides you home and wastes no time in kissing you again once you’re behind closed doors, guiding you to his room while he never breaks away, kissing you breathlessly.

the next morning, you wake up tangled in mingyu’s arms and the events of last night come crashing onto you. you turn around to face mingyu and he lazily pulls you closer to him, nuzzling his face in the crook of your neck.

“go back to sleep”, he mumbles and you push away a few stray hairs from his face.

“you’re so lazy”, you say, as you move to get out of his arms, but he tightens his grip, not letting you leave.

“don’t make me slit your throat mingyu, let me go”. you say teasingly, poking his arm and he finally loosens up. just then the doorbell rings. you get up and take a peek, seeing seungkwan standing outside. you open the door but the expression on his face tells you that something is wrong.

“what’s wrong?”, you ask, as he steps in.

“dino- he- the painting…dino is…”, seungkwans stutters out, making no sense.

“what happened?” you ask again, putting your hands on seungkwan’s shoulders to try and calm him down.

“dino, he got intercepted by another gang and they’re holding the painting and dino hostage”, seungkwan spills out.

fuck.

after hearing that you waste no time in going back to the safe house with mingyu.

“how’d they contact you? how did they know we were going to be there”, you ask seungcheol. with him are joshua, vernon, seokmin, and hoshi.

“we’re not sure”, seokmin says.

“but what i’m sure of is either they had a tail on you or you told them our location”, seungcheol says, looking at you straight in the eye.

“what the fuck are you implying?”, mingyu defends immediately.

“no i would never do that seungcheol and you know that”, you tell, staring him down.

“how can you even say that”, mingyu adds.

“because they want you in exchange for returning the painting and dino back safely y/n”, seungcheol tells and you pause, trying to process what he just said.

“what?”, is all you can say after a few seconds of silence.

“that’s what they negotiated with seungkwan”, seungcheol tells. “and if you two had responded to vernon then we could have maybe sorted this out earlier. there was no response from the both of you after last night”, seungcheol adds, looking between you and mingyu. you gulp, hoping he can’t possibly guess what you and mingyu were up to last night.

“here are the terms of negotiation”, seungkwan adds, sliding over a piece of paper to you.

if you want to get back your precious painting and friend, do the following. tell anyone or try to pull anything funny, otherwise the only thing you’ll be getting in return is your friend’s dead limp body and a police raid. so, follow the instructions carefully

1)    we want the girl in exchange for the painting and your friend

2)    come to the abandoned warehouse by the paddy fields tonight at 8:00pm

3)    the girl comes alone and that’s it. once she comes, we’ll have the painting and your friend released.

4)    no guns, or weapons, and don’t try or even think to act smart in any way unless you want to be responsible for your friend’s death.

the letter was signed off with a stamp of the gang seal, which you faintly recognized for some reason.

“i’ll go”, is all you say because it doesn’t look like you have any other option right now. you didn’t care about the painting but you did care about dino and you had to make sure he’d come back safe.

“there’s no way in hell she’s going alone”, mingyu interjects, cleary upset.

“mingyu, stop it”, you yell at him. who was he to tell you what to do?

“mingyu stop putting your emotions into the mission, we have a problem, and i’m going to deal with it accordingly, or else im putting you out”, seungcheol says.

“what is wrong with you? you’re just going to let them have y/n?”, mingyu asks, getting up, frustrated, running a hard through his already messy hair.

after a few more arguments, things start getting heated between seungcheol and mingyu, seokmin pulls him away from the room and you manage to finish the rest of the conversation with seungcheol. back home, mingyu’s still tense and he hits the gym to try and take off some of his anger and frustration.

you don’t know why he was acting like this to be honest. you could manage perfectly well on your own, it wasn’t like you were going to die or anything. he seemed to be making a big deal about this and it was getting on your nerves. you’re in your room and you can hear the sound and impact of mingyu’s punches on the boxing bag through the walls. what the fuck was he so worked up for? you try ignore the sound and get back to getting ready for tonight.

you know they said no weapons but you weren’t going to go in blind. your pants had a secret pocket where you could hide my small knife easily and it was undetectable. you decide to carry a few more, concealing them in secret pockets so no one would even know. you had everything planned and you weren't going to let the person who took dino off so easily. just then you hear mingyu’s footsteps as he leans against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. you ignore him, getting up and checking the time. you had to leave in five minutes if you were going to make it there in time. you look at mingyu’s who’s studying you closely.

“what mingyu? stop staring it’s annoying”, you tell, breaking the silence, walking towards the door so you can leave, but he blocks your path.

“you’re not fucking going anywhere y/n”, he grits out.

“what the fuck? who are you to tell me what to do? i know what i’m doing okay and you need to chill out”, you say, trying to push past him but he doesn’t let you.

“mingyu move, im getting late”, you say in a stern voice.

“i’m coming with you then”, he hisses, grabbing you as he pushes you against the wall.

“no you’re fucking not, stay out of this mingyu, it’s none of your business”

“it is because it involves you”, he says, without missing a beat, leaning closer.

“mingyu, don’t let what happened last night make you all soft for me okay, whatever happened just happened. don’t try to use that to determine what our relationship is now”, you say, trying to sound stern but your voice falters a bit when his hands dig into your waist tighter. he crashes his lips into yours, and the kiss is hot and heavy and angry. your lips move on their own, kissing him back, grabbing his arms for support.

“just promise me you’ll come back to me…alive”, mingyu mumbles against your lips.

“are you doubting me?", you scoff but he ignores the threat.

“and the first thing you’re going to do when you come back and see me is that you’re going to kiss me”, he demands.

“that’s so cheesy and cliché”, you tell, rolling your eyes.

“i’m not taking no for an answer”

“fine oh my god, you’re so stupid”, you mumble, kissing him one last time as he lets you go.

you reach the abandoned warehouse on time, with two minutes to spare. you look around but see no one around, the place dark and deserted. you decide to wait and stand outside to see if anyone shows up. after two minutes of waiting, you hear a rustle in the grass, standing alert, only to see a stray dog appear, but it had something in its mouth. the dog drops the things it was holding in front of your and runs off without warning. you carefully bend down to pick up the things, seeing a piece of paper and a black face cover that was meant to cover you entire face.

put on the mask on and be a good girl and wait

you crush the paper and scan your surroundings one more time before putting the mask on. after a few seconds, you realize the mask is laced with something, something strong and it’s too late because you’re already getting dizzy. your hand slips down as you fail to remove the mask and your knees give in as you fall to the ground, unconscious.

you wake up with the mask still over your head and groan, shaking your head, trying to get rid of the dizziness that’s was still lingering.

“she’s awake”, you hear someone say, immediately getting alert. 

“call boss”, another voice adds.

you try to move but your hands are bound together tightly with a rope that’s painfully cutting into your wrists. you can faintly make out the light in the room, it must have been dimly lit. you hear a door open and footsteps, as they come closer to you and suddenly, the mask over your face is harshly yanked out. you close your eyes shut at the sudden intrusion of light and look around, trying to gather your surroundings as your eyes adjust to the light. you manage to look up, seeing a figure looming over you. 

“hi there pretty girl, remember me?”, he asks menacingly. you blink your eyes as you scan his face, trying to remember who but you don’t.

“who the fuck are you?”, you lash out.

he clicks his tongue in response. “i’m disappointed, i thought you’d remember me after what you did, that’s a shame. but no worries, we still have time”, he says, one of his men dragging a chair and he takes a seat in front of you, leaning forward to get a better look at you, at your state.

“look at you. you’re supposed to be highly skilled right? but here you are, tied up for me to play with. i’m excited”, he tells laughing, a grin forming on his face.

“fuck off, where’s dino”, you spit out and you see the flash of anger that courses through him.

he grabs your face harshly, making you look at him, his hand gripping your jaw.

“behave or else i’ll get angry and slice up your friend. you don’t want that do you?”, he warns, putting pressure on your jaw as he squeezes your cheeks tighter. you squirm in his grip and he finally lets you go, your head hitting the wall in the process.

“where is he?”, you ask again, breathing hard. “i kept up my end of the deal”, you grit out.

“oh i will tell you where he is, but i just want to have a little fun with you before that happens”, he says, a glint in his eyes. he gets up and walks away, saying something to the other men in the room which you don’t quite catch.

that night, you’re alone, only with one guy, whom you assume was supposed to keep an eye on you. you try wriggle out of the rope, and even though it burns, you brush the pain away as the rope digs into your wrist. you smile to yourself once your wrists are free. people really had to learn how to tie secure knots really. you stealthily get up while the guard is pathetically snoring. you roll your eyes and get up, stretching and grabbing a stone from the floor as you walk towards him. he opens his eyes just as you stand in front of him and he doesn’t get the chance to speak as you crash the stone into his skull and he falls to the ground, unconscious. you knocked him hard enough to knock him out but not kill him. you’re eyes have been trained to see in the dark and you make your way across the room, putting your ear to the door to hear for any voices or signs of life. your hands encloses on the doorknob and you slowly turn it, opening it and peeking out. the coast is clear and you step out and, your footsteps silent as you make your way to the end of the hall. the place abandoned so debris and dust was everywhere. after a few steps you faint voices coming towards you and you still against the wall, peeking your ear out to pick up on the conversation.

“how much do you think seungcheol would pay to have her back? i think he’s her most valuable asset”, the voice says, which you recognise as the boss’s voice. “hm let’s see if he wants the painting or her”, another voice chimes in and you furrow your brows. first of all you didn’t need seungcheol protecting you and secondly you were getting pissed at these thugs. you move your foot and knock into something on the floor. 

“what was that?”, you hear the voice ask. you mentally curse and get ready to strike, coming out of the shadows and landing a kick right in the chest of one of the thugs. he falls to the ground with a grunt and loud thud. 

“oh my, i see you seem to have escaped”, the boss man tells, looking at you, chuckling. 

“where’s dino”, you ask, gripping the broken pipe you picked up on your way.

“I think it would be wise to drop that and not do anything stupid, unless you want your friend chopped up in pieces, i’ll glady do it and you know it”, he says, raisng a brow at you. 

you study his face and you can tell he would. you’d dealt with enough people in the years you’d taken up this job to be able to read people like a book and this guy was not fooling around when he said he would indeed chop up dino. you grit your teeth as you drop the pipe and it rattles as it hits the ground, echoing in the empty hallway.

“good girl”, he tells condescendingly, smirking, satisfied. “now let’s get you back”, he adds, and this time you’re cuffed in chains, but you’d figure a way to get out. 

two days go by and this boss guy is nowhere to be seen. you can tell he’s trying to weaken you by starving you but you could handle this. you’ve been through worse honestly. it’s the third night now and you’re getting impatient and a little tired of this waiting game.

“where the hell is your boss? did i scare him off? ask him to come here right now”, you demand

“he’s busy”, the guard tells, not even bothering to look at you, dismissing you completely.

“busy doing what? chickening out? tell him to come here right now”, you yell and probably because you kept belittling his ‘boss’, you hear him send another man to give the message. and sure enough, a few hours later the boss man comes walking in.

“i hear you were causing a ruckus”, he tells.

“where’s dino”, you demand.

“don’t worry about him. i’d worry about you because”, he says, getting down on one knee to come at eye level with me. “i’m going to take my time killing you slowly”, he says.

“yeah i’d rather enjoy killing you first”, you say.

“you really don’t recognize me, do you? stupid girl”, he spits out.

“uncuff her”, he says, getting up.

“boss but-“

“DO IT”, he shouts, the men cowering and one of them immediately scrambles down to undo the chain on you. as soon as you get free, you leap up, swaying your foot as you kick him down.

“why the fuck should i know who you are”, you say, reaching in your concealed pocket for a knife, but only feeling an empty space instead. there was no knife.

the boss chuckles and looks at you, laughing as he gets up, dusting himself off.

“looking for your precious knives? i thought i said not to bring anything. you thought you could fool me? i think not” he tells, smirking.

“how”, you whisper.

“you’re not the only one who has tricks up their sleeve”, he says in sing song voice, making you narrow your eyes at him.

“i’ve dedicated my whole life to this moment, to seeing you and killing you and you have the audacity to not even remember me”, he sneers, coming closer.

“cloud 9 enterprises, does that name ring a bell?”, he asks, stalking closer to you.

you wrack your brain. cloud 9 enterprises. that name was familiar and that case was famous too. the owner was supposedly making drugs, and disguising them as medication to sell, making people addicted and in plenty of bad ways too. lots of people died, innocent children and adults died because of those drugs he had disguised as a harmless medication. and you remember because you were the one sent to kill him. you look at the man’s face, looking at his features that somehow resemble the man you killed and it hits you.

“you’re his son”, you say.

“bingo”, he says smiling before landing a punch to your gut, making you fall down. “did you know i watched you kill him. i was hiding under his desk as i saw you slit his throat. can you imagine what that does to a child?”, he spits out. “after that day i’ve sworn i would get my revenge and now that i have you, it feels good”, he explains. he kicks you again but you dodge, swinging your leg and tripping him. you kick him again but his men come forward, grabbing you by the arms, holding you back. you thrash in their hold as he gets up. you knee one of the men and get loose but a few more men come forward and hold you down as, pushing you to your knees. he holds his hand out and someone gives him something – a syringe.

“this is a special concoction i made, just for you. i can’t wait to see how long you can last”, he chuckles coming forward and stabbing the syringe in your arm. the stab of the needle is sharp as he pushes the contents of the syringe inside your arm. you thrash even more, angry and they finally let you go. you yell out in frustration and try to land a punch but you miss.

“fuck you, i’ll kill you with my own hands”, you snap out, getting up and looking at him but your vision was playing tricks on you. you shake your head in an attempt to regain yourself and grab a metal stick that was thrown off to the side and jump to hit him, but you miss again. you groan in frustration.

“what did you do”, you shout as you get up, regaining you balance.

“you’ll die a slow painful death, as your organs and body start shutting down. you’ll probably last 36 hours or 48 hours if you manage to pull through”, he tells with a smile, stepping forward and you move to grab his arm, but before you can do anything you feel a sharp piecring pain in your abdomen and he looks at you and smiles as he pushes the knife furthur into you, stabbing you. you whine and yelp as he roughly pulls the knife out.

“how does it feel?”, he asks as you headbut him, not giving up yet. he groans as he pushes you off him, your back hitting the wall as you slump against it. he looks at you angry but chuckles as he looks at your state as he wipes his bloody nose with a cloth. you vaguely hear him say something like “dispose of the body where nobody can find it” and you hear dino’s name too but he’s already out the door.

you try to sit up and stop the bleeding, covering the torn flesh with your palms, and applying pressure to stop the bleeding. you’d managed to tear a part of your long sleeve shirt and use that to tie up the wound, putting the knot tight to somehow slow down the bleeding. you try to move and locate an escape route. there is a window but it’s too high up with no way for you to get to it unless you managed to move the stack of old wooden boxes. but in your state, you don’t think you could.

you don’t know when you fell asleep, it was probably the effect of whatever the drug he had injected you with. you sit awake, pain shooting through your abdomen in the process. the cloth you tied around is now soaked in blood and it’s starting to pool next to you. your hand is heavy as your try to lift it up and tear off your other sleeve to wrap it around the area.

in the far distance, gunshots can be heard and an angry and determined man is making his way into the hideout. “where the hell is she?”, mingyu shouts, the gun digging into the skull of a man who’s on his knees, his hands cuffed behind his back. his henchmen are all knocked out and scattered on the floor.

“she’s probably half dead by now”, he says, smiling, showing no remorse. this riles up mingyu even more and he pulls the man up and smashes him against the wall, his hand closing around his neck.

“what did you do?”, he asks, putting pressure on the man’s neck as dino stands behind him with jun.

he only half laughs as he starts to choke. “go find out yourself”, he mumbles and mingyu throws him to the ground and points his gun at him, shooting him point blank in the head, twice.

“mingyu! seungcheol wanted him alive”, jun rasps out, seeing his limp body.

“he was going to kill him any way i just did him a favor”, mingyu tells, only earning a look of disapproval from jun. “i’ll explain it to him”, mingyu adds.

mingyu searches the entire building, looking for you, until he stumbles across a room that’s been locked from the outside, and something familiar glints in the corner – knives, your knives. mingyu grabs a broken-off stone from the side and uses it to break open the lock, hammering down on it till it breaks. the door swings open and he spots you slumped on the floor in the far corner of the room.

“y/n”, he shouts as he rushes towards you and kneels down in front of you.  “fuck fuck fuck”, he mumbles as he sees the blood pooling on the side.

your body stirs awake again at the familiar scent of cologne and you open your eyes. mingyu? were you hallucinating? was this a side effect of the drug?

“mingyu?”, you ask, not sure if this was real.

“y/n, hey, it’s okay, im here now”, he says hurridely, pulling you onto his lap and you yelp in pain.

“shit sorry, but we need to get you out of here”, he explains.

“what are you doing here?”, you ask stupidly.

“i’m here for you, y/n. you didn’t come back and we got another threat and i knew something was wrong. fuck, i should have come earlier”, he explains.

“w-what about dino?”, you muster out with whatever strength you had.

“he’s here and he’s okay. we have the painting too. the van is down, i just need to get you out”, he says.

he tries to carefully scoop you in his arms but you whimper in pain again.

“i’m sorry but we’re almost there okay”, he assures, carrying you out. the jerks from the way he was running caused pain and you whined as he kept saying we were almost there. you hear dino’s faint voice as he opens the back of the van and mingyu rushes inside, gently laying you down on his lap.

“drive drive go!”, mingyu shouts, getting anxious.

“she’s hurt. badly”, dino adds.

“we should’ve brought wonwoo along, dammit. call him and ask him what to do to stop the bleeding”, mingyu commands.

“he-he injected something in me, some drug. said it would stop my organs and body functions within 36 hours”, you mumble out and mingyu’s face pales.

“how long as it been?”

“i don’t-maybe 24 hours”, you mumblr out, your memory hazy.

“here, wonwoo’s on the line”, dino says, holding out the phone so mingyu can speak on speakerphone.

“wonwoo, she’s bleeding out, she’s already lost a lot of blood, what do i do”, mingyu asks helplessly.

“just apply pressure to the wound and get her here”, he says, stern.

“fuck and he injected something in her, supposed to stop a person’s organs and body functions within 36 hours”, mingyu adds. “you can stop that right”, mingyu asks desperately and the line is silent for a few seconds.

“i don’t know it depends on how long it’s been-“

“24 hours”

“get her here, i’ll see what i can do”, wonwoo says, and the line drops.

he keeps talking to you so you can be conscious but after a ten minutes, you eyes start to close, and your body falters. your head starts to spiral and you get dizzy, seeing two mingyu’s above you.

“why are there two of you”, you ask no one in particular, starting to get delirious.

migyu’s pressure on your wound falters and you shrivel up in pain, the burning pain getting too much.

“it hurts, everything h-hurts”, you cry out softly and mingyu wishes he could do something to help ease the pain.

“i know baby you’re going to be okay, it’s going to be okay”, he says, panic evident in his eyes.

“hey hey y/n, don’t-“ mingyu pleads looking at you.

“mingyu”, dino says but he ignores him.

“y/n look at me”, he pleads, pulling you into him. your grip on his shirt loosens slowly and mingyu notices the way your hand falls down.

“fuck no no no, stay with me baby, i’m right here”, he pleads, almost crying but all you see is black as you lose consciousness.

(you were recovering in mingyu’s house since you couldn’t risk going to the hospital with an unknown drug in your system, it would cause a red siren everywhere and bring unwanted attention)

wonwoo tried his best to help save you but you were still lying unconscious after ten days. most of the drug had been flushed out of your system but it was taking some time for your body to recover from its effects.

“go get some rest mingyu”, wonwoo says as he walks in, seeing mingyu beside your bed.

“i need to be here when she wakes up”, mingyu says, his eyes red and his face tired from the lack of sleep.

“she’ll wake up, right?”, he asks for the tenth time today, hope reflecting in his tired eyes.

“i can’t make promises like that mingyu, it depends on the way her body is recovering”, wonwoo tells.

“this is all seungcheol’s fault”, mingyu declares, suddenly seeing red.

“where the fuck is he, he didn’t even come to see her once.”, mingyu adds, getting up.

“mingyu, you need to calm down.”

mingyu ignores wonwoo and shoves him to the side as he leaves for the safehouse in search of seungcheol.

“WHERE’S SEUNGCHEOL”, mingyu yells as he enters, causing seungkwan and vernon to jump and turn around.

“mingyu-"

“where the fuck is seungcheol?”, mingyu asks again, angry.

mingyu stalks ahead and bursts open the door to seungcheol’s office.

“this is all your fault”, mingyu says as seungcheol stands up from his desk and walks out a few steps before mingyu grabs seungcheol by the collar of his shirt.

“if you hadn’t sent y/n alone like i said, she’d be okay, she’d be okay”, mingyu spits out, seething in anger. “did you even go see her, do you know what he did?”, he adds.

“i know what happened and it’s unfortunate”, is all seungcheol says, making mingyu even more upset. in blinding anger, mingyu brings his hand up and lands a punch to seungcheol.

jeonghan runs in. “what-“, he asks but stops upon seeing the scene in front of him.

“im only letting this off because we got the painting”, seungcheol says, wiping his busted lip.

“fuck you, i bet you don’t even care if she dies”, mingyu spits stepping front again but jeonghan blocks him.

“she’ll live, she’s a fighter”, seungcheol tells before seungkwan comes along and he and jeonghan guide mingyu out.

that night mingyu is back home, laying next to your bed as wonwoo administers another round of IV.

“her wound is healing but slowly. it’s still a good sign that her body is functioning and working. otherwise, she would have gotten another infection if the drug had really affected her”, wonwoo says, hoping to bring some sort of relief to mingyu.

“you really love her don’t you”, wonwoo adds as he observes the way mingyu holds your hand.

“i should’ve insisted she doesn’t go alone, but she said she’d come back”, mingyu says defeated.

“if she doesn’t respond in another week, we’ll have to really do something then”, wonwoo tells, and by the way mingyu’s jaw clenches, he doesn’t like the sound of that.

mingyu stays by your bed that night, falling asleep and holding your hand.

you’re dreaming, someone is chasing you. you’ve been running for so long and you’re getting tired. you don’t even know where you’re running, you’re just running and running, hoping to find something.

mingyu stirs awake when he senses your grip on his hand tightening and he’s super alert.

“y/n?”, he asks softly.

someone is calling out to you. you can’t figure out where it’s coming from but you hear the sweet voice calling out my name again. you run towards the voice.

“y/n”, mingyu calls out again as he looks at you, trying to see if you can hear or understand him.

you’re running and running, trying to follow the voice and you vaguely make out a figure standing in front of you. the man stands out with his arms open as he calls out your name one last time and your eyes flutter open.

mingyu lets out a small gasp.

“mingyu”, you try to say, but no voice follows and you close your eyes again.

mingyu wastes no time in calling wonwoo, telling him the news and soon wonwoo is at the house.

“just keep an eye on her”, wonwoo explains saying he'll be back in the morning for a checkup.

in the morning, you wake up, a bit hazy but conscious. what woke you up was the pain and something cold and when you look down you realize your bandage had bled out, probably from sleeping on your side. you try to sit up but your arms give out, and your eyes close. you hear the faint steps of mingyu walking in and he says your name, rushing up to you. he gently sits down next to you, the bed dipping. 

“you’re awake, you’re awake”, he says, his hands fumlbing for his phone as he dials wonwoo. you slowly manage to turn and face him, blinking up at him in a daze. he looks down and see’s your bandage that’s bled out.

“im just going to change your bandage okay y/n”, he says to you and you weakly nod. he helps you sit up, lifting your shirt up ever so slightly so he can take off the soiled bandage and replace it. he gently cleans the wound with a wet cloth and you slightly hiss at the pain, your hands clawing at the bedsheet. you take a moment to look at mingyu as he carefully tends to my wound. the way his hair falls over his face, the way the light bounces off him, the way his brows are furrowed in concentration, the way his hands are gentle so that he doesn’t hurt you.

“mingyu”, you say softly and he looks up worried and surprised. this is the first time you talked.

“do you want something? water? or are you hungry? i made some rice porridge earlier i can just-“

“thank you”, you weakly say and try to smile at him, and at this, he crumbles. he gently moves his hands to envelope you as he slowly pulls you into him for a hug.

“i thought i’d lost you there”, mingyu admits softly and you can hear the fear in his voice.

“i’m a fighter”, you mumble out and he laughs.

“‘im just glad you’re awake now. i thought- i was really preparing myself for the worst”, he says, pulling away to look at you. his hand cups you cheek, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. you lean into his touch and rest your head on his chest.

over the next few days, mingyu makes sure you’re comfortable and okay. he’s always checking up on you and you start to feel better. you’re able to get up and walk a little and your wound is healing too. you’re in less pain and wonwoo is impressed and satisfied with the way you’ve been healing. 

“where’s dino? i hope he’s okay, i never got to see him afterward”, you say later one night. “do you want me to call them over?”, mingyu asks and you nod eagerly. 

you walk over to mingyu and sit down next to him on the couch, looking up at him as you lean against his arm and suddenly you remember - you owed him a kiss when you came back. you sit up a bit and mingyu seems to have caught you staring.

“what?”, he asks, looking at you lovingly. “did you want something?”, he adds.

you simply move so that you’re straddling his lap and before mingyu can say anything, you’re kissing him. he kisses you back a few seconds later and his hands rest on your waist. he moves his lips against yours and his hand tilts your jaw closer to him. your hands wrap around his neck as you tangle your fingers in his hair and mingyu lets out a soft groan as he pulls away.

“fuck. i missed that. i missed you”, he mumbles against your lips.

“i promised you a kiss when i came back right”. you say and he smiles.

“you remembered”

“a little too late if i have to say”

“i’m glad you’re back baby, i missed you so much”, he says again, leaning forward to kiss you again, chasing after your lips. his lips are soft against yours, but the way he’s kissing you is like he hasn’t seen you in years. he kisses you with yearning and emotion, with a sort of urgency. his hand grips your waist tighter but you let out a small yelp since the pain is still there as the wound was still healing and his grip softens.

“shit sorry”, he says, looking to make sure you was okay, only to kiss him back, wanting to get lost in the feeling of his lips on yours. you’re too busy to notice that wonwoo opened the door and the rest of the boys walked in on you both kissing.

“y/n i got your favorite-“ seungkwan starts but stops dead in his tracks upon catching you both.

you pull away and turn your head around to see seungkwan’s mouth hanging open before he smacks a hand over his mouth in shock. dino just gives you a small shy smile and smiles when you smile back at him. you’re about to move off when mingyu pulls you in for one last kiss, just to tease you as you whack his arm and he pulls away chuckling.

wonwoo looks at us as he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “i thought i said no strenuous activities for y/n”, he says, looking straight at mingyu.

“she started it”, mingyu says, throwing you in the fire as he gently slides you off him.

“what no! i–“, you start but falter, the words crumbling.

hoshi is immediately by your side, asking you if you’re okay and what happened before he starts pestering you for more details about how mingyu and you started liking each other because in his knowlege you hated him so now he need to know all the gossip and details.

after a few more months, you’re all healed but wonwoo still makes you do a checkup once every month, to make sure you were healing okay and that there were no leftover effects of the drug in your body.

2 years later

“baby i told you not to wear that fuck”, mingyu groans in your ear as he pulls you into a tiny room to hide from the security guards looking for you both.

“concentrate, we still need to get the gold bars”, you say, adjusting his tie as he pushes you into the wall.

“you look so fucking hot i told you that you’d get in trouble if you wore that”, he says, whispering against your ear.

after you healed and got back in the field, you and mingyu had been on countless missions together. this time you had to steal some gold bars from a corrupt politician, and once again to build connections and friends, you had to pose as a married couple. so here you were.

“my wife likes to be a brat sometimes”, he mumbles before pecking your lips.

“watch it, im not your wife”, you say, poking his arm.

“not yet, but i can change that”, he says, giving you a wink.

you stare up at him tilting your head to the side. “are you proposing to me, mingyu?”, you ask.

“maybe”, he says with a goofy smile as he leans in to close the gap between you with a kiss.

and yes, you did successfully steal the gold bars and you maybe tortured the corrupt politician a little, but everyone needs to have a little fun right?

— taglist

@daisycheols @naaaaafla @slytherinshua @weird-bookworm @idubiluv @qaramu @n4mj00nvq @itsveronicaxxx @joshuaahong @fallingforshua29 @frankenstein852 @lvlystars @fairyhaos @rubywonu @aaniag @junniesoleilkth @m1ngyuc0re @wheeboo @hyunyin @minhui896 @fancypoisonapple @raggedypansexual @k-ajla12 @asyre @ilovesungjun @jyiiscool @tis-niki @foxinnie8 @nobraincellmode @ne0c0r3 @nishloves

seventeens pet name for you

seungcheol

baby

loves to be a caretaker so having you be his baby is natural.

he’s always holding you in his arms, almost like he’s trying to protect you from the world and keep you to himself.

when you’re tired you actually get into baby mode and he loves doting on you, knowing that you won’t fight him on it.

“baby, don’t worry i’ll do that for you”

“baby, come give me a kiss”

“baby, i missed you so much”

“baby, you know i’d do anything for you”

jeonghan

angel

sure, he’s the angel of seventeen but you’re his angel.

always says that you were sent from heaven just for him because of how perfect you are, hence an angel.

when he sees a new picture of you he’ll screenshot it and draw a halo over your head and send it back to you with a text that says ‘your halo is shining so bright, my angel’ (love makes him cheesy)

“angel, let’s stay in bed today”

“angel, can you do my hair?”

“angel, i hope you know im obsessed with you”

“angel, you’re the only one for me”

joshua

love

such a classic and gentle name, just like joshua.

he loves you so much the only word that he can think of when it comes to you is love.

if anyone calls him a simp he will gladly own that title because, duh, you’re his partner! of course he’s gonna simp over you!

will do whatever you want at the drop of a hat. he’ll even suggest cancelling his schedules if you want him to stay home, you decline but quite literally have to push him out the door to leave.

“love, come cuddle with me”

“love, i hate every second that i’m away from you”

“love, let’s get matching outfits”

“my love, you’re so perfect”

jun

sweetheart

actually spent a lot of time contemplating what your pet name should be. he didn’t want to get it wrong!

tested way too many names over multiple weeks, seeing if they rolled off the tongue, but none of them did.

finally lands on sweetheart, when he says it for the first time he knows he’s found the perfect name.

now he barely says your name, saying that sweetheart encapsulates your entire being.

“sweetheart, want me to do the dishes?”

“sweetheart, can you read me a story?”

“sweetheart, do you know how much i love you?”

“sweetheart, you’re my favorite person of all time”

soonyoung

honey

soonyoung thinks you’re sweet like honey, so he just has to call you that!

you have the same nickname for him which results in all your friends pretending to gag when you both start calling each other honey. they say it’s sickening, sickeningly sweet

likes to dote on you, would wait on hand and foot if you told him to.

“honey, do you need anything before i leave?”

“honey, i’m home!” (his favorite phrase)

“honey, let’s go on a date tonight”

“honey, you’re the sweetest person in the world”

wonwoo

babe

has always thought that pet names were cringe but when you started calling him every sweet name under the sun he knew he had to come up with one for you.

landed on the classic ‘babe’, he says it flows well, its natural when he’s talking to you now.

doesn’t want anyone else to hear him call you it, so he usually sticks to saying it at home or whispering it to you.

“babe, stay by my side, i don’t want anything happening to you”

“babe, don’t get up yet it’s too early”

“babe, you wanna see my new game?”

“babe, i adore you”

jihoon

baby

another natural caretaker, loves to be the big strong man in the relationship so naturally you’re his baby.

gets salty when you try to dote on him since he knows he should be doing it to you instead.

landed on it because you were pouting once and he said the resemblance to a baby was uncanny.

“baby, you don’t have to stay at the studio with me”

“baby, get some sleep”

“baby, let’s stay in tonight”

“baby, i know i don’t show it as much as i should, but i’m eternally grateful for you”

minghao

darling

claims that their song ‘darling’ is about you to try and make it special (it was just a coincidence but you’ll take it)

says you’re like a sparkling jewel, so perfect, so enchanting, and so darling

always talks to you in the most endearing tone, he can never be mad at you.

“darling, what do you want to have for dinner?”

“darling, let me take a picture of you”

“darling, don’t forget to call me on your break”

“darling, you’re so precious to me”

mingyu

sweetie

loves to bake you desserts and say something like ‘a sweet for my sweetie’.

thinks you’re so sweet and lovely that sweetie is a given name for you.

food is his love language so he’s always making you meals and sweet desserts.

“sweetie, try this new dish i made”

“sweetie, give me a kiss before you go”

“sweetie, give me a bite of that”

“sweetie, you’re it for me”

seokmin

love/lovie

this man is simply obsessed with, so so utterly in love, hence the name love.

everyone swears they can see hearts in his eyes when he looks at you or talks about you.

couldn’t think of a good name for you so he went to his friends being like ‘i’m so in love with them but i can’t think of a pet name! wait… love!’

“lovie, don’t forget about me :(” (you’re just going to work for the day)

“love, do you want to come to karaoke night?”

“lovie, i’m your favorite guy, right?”

“my love~, i wrote this song for you, wanna hear it?”

seungkwan

boo

yes, his nickname for you is his last name. no, it’s not weird! he’ll call you mrs./mr. boo because he can’t wait until you have his last name.

when some calls for ‘boo’ you both turn around, thinking it was for you. this just makes you both laugh and look at each other like you had a little inside secret that no one else understood.

he’ll always say it with literal hearts in his eyes.

“boo, have a good day at work”

“my boo~, i miss you”

“boo, do you want to go have a spa night?”

“my boo~, i love you to the ends of the earth”

vernon

babe

also thinks pet names are cringe so he settled on the most obvious and classic one.

but then actually he starts to like it (to his horror), and starts to call you it all the time.

only ever calls you babe now, and will be salty if you call him by his first or middle name.

“babe, get ready i’m taking you on a date”

“babe, i got you a present you’re gonna love it”

“babe, we should get a cat to be the ring bearer at our wedding”

“babe, you know i love you, right?”

chan

honey

you originally started calling chan ‘honey’ first.

he always got so giddy whenever you said it that he decided he was gonna start calling you that too, to make you feel as special as he did.

thinks it the most special name in the world and if anyone makes fun of it he’ll go to war over it.

“honey, let me show you the new dance i learned”

“honey, did you get a haircut? you look beautiful as ever”

“honey, let’s stay in bed today”

“honey, you’re my everything”

97Z 🕯️ Light a Flame CARATLAND 2022

[ 💿 ] . . . TAPE 6

모두 함께 노래 부르자 / 힘찬 노랫소리 슬픔 가려지도록 / 괜찮을 거야 시계의 바늘처럼 / 다시 돌고 돌아 제자리로 오겠지

☁️ "circles" by seventeen

being loved by jeon wonwoo means having someone who will look at you as if you hung stars in the sky. he is rather shy and introverted, he doesn’t like grand and loud gestures when he wants to convey his love, he doesn’t see the appeal in buying expensive gifts for every date. that being said - they way he looks at you is something no words could ever describe. not only do his eyes hold the unconditional and utter love he has for you, but you can see how fucking proud he is of you, how you keep on fighting, even on your bad days. appreciation for how smart and beautiful you are. gratitude for appearing in his life. his eyes hold a palette of emotions, and you’d have to be blind not to notice how much you mean to wonwoo. the whole room could be filled with thousands of people, and he'd still be looking at you, as if his only thoughts were where are they where are they where are they.

being loved by jeon wonwoo means inner peace. maybe it's just his aura, maybe it's the fact that he is a (rather) calm person, but when you are around him you just feel peace. the paralysing pounding of your heart, the nagging thoughts that more often than not make you want to cry, the helplessness that you sometimes feel when coming home - all of that does not exist when wonwoo is next to you. maybe it's because you know that he will always be next to you when you fall to help you get up and keep going, maybe it's because you simply feel safe with him. but with him you just feel at peace. beautiful, blissful peace.

being loved by jeon wonwoo means that from now on you have a fan nr. 1. honestly, it’s kind of alarming how obsessed he is with you - others could try to argue that they know you better than he does, but no one can beat wonwoo, nah. oh, so you think you know them better than me? okay, cool, sure - and then he proceeds to take out a notebook with at least a hundred pages written down, explaining why you are the most talented, smart, brilliant and beautiful person in the world like it’s the most normal thing ever. moreover, no matter what your interests are, wonwoo always wants to be a part of them. he truly loves indulging in your hobbies, for him the greatest gift the universe could give him is watching you do something you love - how you radiate with happiness - that’s something wonwoo could watch for ages. he's the biggest loser when it comes to you, there's nothing he wouldn't do for you - he'd happily twirl if you asked him to.

being loved by jeon wonwoo feels like the smell of a new book, like the air after rain, like a hug when you’re too tired to say anything, like a single tear falling down your cheek, like a soft smile and gentle eyes, like a quiet promise of forever.

“we loved with a love that was more than love.” - edgar allan poe, annabel lee

taglist (if you want to be added, check my masterlist): @jeonghansshitester @weird-bookworm @sea-moon-star @hanniehaee @wonwooz1 @byprettymar @edgaralienpoe @staranghae @itza-meee @eightlightstar @immabecreepin @whatsgyud @hyneyedfiz @honestlydopetree @vicehectic @dkswife @uniq-tastic @marisblogg @aaniag @daegutowns @carlesscat-thinklogic23 @embrace-themagic @ohmyhuenings @nidda13 @hrts4hanniehae @k-drama-adict @isabellah29 @f4iryjjosh @bangantokchy @mrswonwooo @bangtancultsposts @lllucere @athanasiasakura @chillseo @onlyyjeonghan @haecien @caramyisabitchforsvtandbts @hannahhbahng @valgracia @ohmygodwhyareallusernamestaken @mirxzii @hhusbuds @wonranghaeee @rosiesauriostuff @gyuguys @aaasia111 @tomodachiii @veryfabday @lilmochiandsuga @asasilentreader @mrsnervous @bewoyewo @sharonxdevi @wondipity @gyuguys @raginghellfire @treehouse-mouse @waldau @wonootnoot @hellodefthings @dokyeomkyeom @sourkimchi @bbysnw @haneulparadx @zozojella @hoichi02

cake crumbles

pairing: non-idol!woozi x fem!reader

genre: fluff. established relationship au. some slight comfort.

warnings: anxious jihoon who just wants everything to go well. proposal mentions. food.

word count: 1.3k~

daisy's notes: he :( <3

“Okay. We can fix this. It’s not too late.” 

The only things holding Jihoon together right now was both Soonyoung and Vernon’s presence right now. But he hadn’t stopped staring at where your birthday cake had been dropped onto the floor, smashed into a mess of blue and white icing. Even now, he couldn’t bring himself to clean up the mess in Soonyoung’s apartment. Soonyoung was on his knees now, tossing it into a bag to be disposed of properly once it was all done. It had all happened too quickly. One minute he’d been moving it to a different space on the counter, and the next he’d been lying on the floor, body aching from his slip, and the cake was destroyed. The little party he’d planned was hours away, and he’d ordered this cake specifically for you…

“I think grocery stores do plain buttercream cakes,” Vernon said, fingers covered in blue as he dropped another chunk of cake into the trash. “It’s not as special, but we can get them to write her name on it.”

“She likes those cakes,” Soonyoung nodded. “That’s what we did for my birthday last year.” 

Right, but those weren’t made for you. Jihoon had gone out of his way to slowly figure out what you’d love the most. He sighed, and moved to get paper towels to wet and clean up the remaining icing. “I don’t know. I wanted to get her something special…”

Vernon looked up. “It’s just her birthday. I know she’s special, but—”

Immediately, Soonyoung started to smack his arm. He shook his head, and Vernon slowly connected the dots.

“Oh.” Then his eyes widened. “Oh! Dude—Today?”

Jihoon quietly nodded, then stopped. “I mean—Not technically?” He sighed, leaning back. “I was going to ask her when we went home. It’ll be after midnight, so it’d be tomorrow, and—”

Vernon nodded. “Alright. Look,” he pushed himself off the floor. “I know some people. Maybe one of ‘em could help do us a favor.” 

Something inside of him seemed to crumple like tissue paper at how easily Vernon seemed to take charge right now.  That should be what he was doing. You were his girlfriend, his love, and yet he couldn’t seem to drag himself out of the spiralling thoughts that he’d fucked this all up. He knew what you would say now, though: that it was fine. That you didn’t need a birthday cake to be happy. But today needed to be perfect for you. You treated him with so much kindness, always so gentle but clear with how much you loved him. Jihoon wasn’t always the loudest with how much he loved the people in his life, but he hoped that his love was clear, too. This was supposed to be part of his big gesture, the thing that screamed to the skyline that he loved you wholeheartedly. The other part was the box still tucked away in his pants pocket, even now. He carried it with him most days, just in case he ever felt the inclination to forego his plans…

Maybe he should have. Then he wouldn’t be so stressed right now making sure everything went right. 

Vernon had already stepped away, calling someone to see what they could do on such short notice. Soonyoung, on the other hand, had helped him wipe up the remaining icing. The floor needed to be mopped soon anyway, and then the scene of the crime would be entirely taken care of. By the time it was all taken care of, Vernon already had a name and a place to go—which led to Soonyoung pushing Jihoon toward him, saying he could handle setting up the rest. 

He’d described as basic a cake as he could: vanilla, decorated with buttercream in blue and white, with maybe some flowers on it if the baker could swing it. All it needed to say was ‘Happy birthday’ and your name. The easiest thing that they could make, he would accept as long as it tasted good. With the order placed and a time given to pick it up, Jihoon stepped back out onto the street with Vernon at his heels.

“So…” He’d soon fallen into step beside him. “It’s not just about the cake, is it?”

Jihoon slowly nodded, tucking his hands into his pockets. Anything to look more casual instead of the nervous storm he was inside. “If I don’t make it right… Then I’m going to feel like I failed her.”

“You could literally show up with just a thing of Oreos and she’ll love you.” Vernon looked over. “It’s fine to be nervous, but I don’t think there’s anything you could do that could upset her.” 

“I know, but…”

Vernon bumped into him, just to get his attention back on him. “You two love each other a lot, dude. It’s gonna be alright.” 

Jihoon could only hope that it would be.

Hours passed quicker than Jihoon expected them to. He and Vernon had returned to Soonyoung’s apartment and helped him set up for your little birthday party. Seungcheol had thankfully agreed to drive the cake over, careful as he could be, while Jihoon had to return home to you. He’d fed you this plan to go out for a movie and then dinner, hand hovering over his pocket. The box was right there. Maybe it’d be better for him to leave it somewhere safe here, but he felt better carrying it on him. 

“Jihoony?” You had turned from where you were putting on an earring—one of the ones he bought you last year for Christmas. There’s a playful lift to your voice, smiling at him. “Everything okay?”

He nodded, making his way over to you. “Everything’s perfect,” he said. Yet the pit in his stomach didn’t seem to shrink at all. He had hoped that saying it aloud would do something, and yet…

You fastened the earring into place, and then reached forward to cup his face. “Jihoony.” You let out a long sigh. “I know.”

“You… know?”

“One,” you said, “Cheol accidentally let the party secret slip when I asked him if he wanted to join us for dinner. And two…” You shut your eyes for a moment. “Remember the other week when you came home exhausted from work? You changed, ate dinner, and then went straight to bed…”

Oh no. Oh no. He swore he had tucked the ring box into his bag after he drove home. “So, you…”

With a soft kiss against his lips, you leaned back. Your chapstick tasted like birthday cake, all too fitting for today. “Whenever you ask, I’m going to say yes.” 

Jihoon met your eyes. “Even if it’s tonight?”

“Maybe wait until we’re alone,” you said, as if he hadn’t always planned for that. “But yes,” you giggled. “Tonight included.”

Jihoon reached for your hands, taking them into his own. The words already started to pour out of him before he could even think twice, “I dropped your birthday cake earlier. We got a replacement, but it isn’t the one I ordered for you. I hope that’s okay.” 

Instead of saying anything else, all you did was step back as you laughed. He’d fallen in love with your laugh long ago, but hearing it now he swore he was falling in love with the sound all over again. When you faced him again, you were smiling harder than before, even more radiant this time.

“As long as I get to enjoy it with you,” you said, “I’m going to be happy.” 

All at once, his anxieties disappeared. He leaned in, lips brushing against yours for just a few seconds. He knew he would kiss you properly once the two of you were home again. But for now, he’d leave you with something fleeting, just to leave both of you wanting more. “Happy birthday,” he said for the second time today, hands resting at your waist. “I love you so much.”

taglist: @twancingyunhao @wonuziex @synthetickitsune @staranghae @porridgesblog @weird-bookworm @bangchansbae @laylasbunbunny @bewoyewo

TAKE MEEEEEEE 🥹

he takes that shit personally

Things I have learnt from Seventeen...(a thread)

Choi Seungcheol (S.Coups): Luck does not exist. At all. Wherever you are, you've gotten there only and only because of your hard work.

Yoon Jeonghan: You should always try to look at life in a different way. Just because something's obvious doesn't mean it's the best.

Hong Jisoo (Joshua): Just because you've been hurt doesn't give you the right to hurt others. Making someone smile is, sometimes, the best healing.

Wen Junhui (Jun): You should never get rid of the childlike side to you. Never let anyone make you feel bad for having fun.

Kwon Soonyoung (Hoshi): Never let anyone break your confidence. Because in the end, you're the only one who knows how far you've come.

Jeon Wonwoo: Just because you're quiet doesn't mean you have nothing to say. Sometimes, the quiet ones are the most powerful.

Lee Jihoon (Woozi): Always follow your passion in life. Because passion isn't something given by birth, rather it's found.

Lee Seokmin (Dk): Try to be the nicest person for someone else. Someday, you'll find someone who'll put in the effort for you, too.

Kim Mingyu: Live your life right now like how your future self, who's achieved all your dreams, would. And one day, you will get there.

Xu Minghao (The8): The perfect life isn't about just seeing things. It's about feeling things.

Boo Seungkwan: If you put in the effort every single day and stick to your goals, one day you'll look back and see that you've lived a perfect life.

Hansol Vernon Chwe: Never lose your thirst for knowledge. Learning, in the end, is what keeps you alive.

Lee Chan (Dino): Never do anything halfway. Ever. Give your 100% in absolutely everything that comes your way because progress will always be better than perfection.

And because of Seventeen, I've discovered my life motto, "I strive for the best, always."

BROOOOO-

"someone called me cute today", vernon says, unwrapping a piece of chocolate while lazily sitting on the couch.

"understandable", you comment

"no, it's not?", he looks at you, not realizing there's a bit of melted chocolate on the corner of his mouth. "i love carats and all, but you're the only one i want to call me cute."

"and your members?"

"...okay, maybe only you and seungkwan", vernon turns his attention to the wrap paper on his hands. "point is: i'm not cute."

with a chuckle, you clean the corner of his mouth with your thumb, making him look up at you with cute, confused baby eyes.

"sure, bro. sure."

inspired by this tweet because he just couldn't react, could he?

#insert cheols "YOU GIVE ME PURPOSE"

Ready To Love

Author: orshii

Pairing: Kwon Soonyoung x female reader

Word count: 5,1 k

Summary: Soonyoung, your best friend and soulmate, lived and breathed football until a devastating injury shattered his dreams. Unable to cope with the loss, he pushed everyone away, including you. Now, faced with the challenge of bringing back the friend you once knew, you must navigate through his pain and rediscover the bond that once held you together. Will you succeed in resurrecting the old Soonyoung, or will his journey lead him down a different path?

A/N: This is my first Seventeen ff lol. Well...yesterday as soon as I woke up, I just needed to write something with Hoshi LMAO. Cause recently he killed me, I love this hair on him sooo much. And his style?? Let's not talk about that...It's just a little drabble I needed to write out of myself, it's not a big deal tho. The story was inspired by Seventeen's Ready To Love ofc, cause I'm in love with that song istg. Okaay bye. (divider)

Life's journey resembles a roller-coaster ride, filled with unexpected twists and turns, but we shall never lose ourselves along the way, if you do, you remain alone with your toxic thoughts, that slowly eat the remaining life out of you. 

When the most important person in your life becomes the strangest person on Earth. My best friend couldn't stop the venom from spreading through his brain, poisoning it and making him believe he was nothing but a breeze of the dark autumn night. Soonyoung was a maximalist, football was his life it made him believe he was perfect, and that nothing could come his way.

But on a rainy game day, that promised a good future for him, he slipped on the wet green field and fell on the ground. Soonyoung's knee buckled beneath him as he slipped on the rain-soaked field, a sharp pain shooting through his leg, rendering him immobile amidst the downpour. Rain fell on his face in slow motion as he was screaming from the pain. That day was the end of the beginning of his career.

Since then, Soonyoung pushed everyone away from him who tried to approach him. Well, the ones he knew his whole life. His parents and me, I was his best friend. In past tense, because since the day of his injury, he did not want to talk to me. And the times when I tried to talk to him, he treated me like he didn't even know me. He looked down on me in front of his new troublemaker friends, making me feel like I was a clown trying to entertain them, whenever I tried to approach him at lunch breaks.

He has been my best friend since we were little. My parents introduced us when we were little to each other as Soonyoung's family lived opposite our house. Since that day we have been inseparable, we did everything together, even though we had different interests, him finding football as his lifesaver and me finding photography that helped me through difficult times of my life. We always adored each other's passion; he supported me whenever I wasn't sure if my photos were good enough. And I always attended his games to support and cheer for him, just be the first to congratulate him whenever they won.

Now that football wasn't there for him, he buried his cheerful past self deep down into his soul and a new careless Soonyoung came to the surface. He got into a new friend group, they were bad guys, and they always partied and got drunk whenever they had time. I couldn't recognize this Soonyoung, as neither did anyone who knew him before. He turned from a harmless hamster to a merciless tiger.

Our university’s football team had the last game of the year, everyone was excited and everyone attended to support their team. Except for one person and it was Soonyoung. The accident happened half a year ago and since Soonyoung isn't part of the team, they are bad, like really bad. They couldn't win a game; the team was falling apart without him. He was their fully trusted captain, who held the team together with his eagerness and his confident aura. Deep down I knew he was glad the team couldn't win without him, if he couldn't play then they deserved not to win.

The game was again a disaster as I watched it with my good friend, she was in the same major as me and we quickly became friends, photography connecting us. Watching the game everyone started to get bored, as winning the match was hopeless, they couldn't win, no matter how hard they tried.

They lost but that did not mean they couldn't throw a party for the sake of keeping the traditions. Everyone was invited, and it was held in a rich guy's house called Hongjoong, who was the new captain of the team, trying desperately to put the broken team's pieces together again. I kind of pitied him, because it was a very hard task breathing life to people who already lost hope. But he was known as a determined leader who would never disappoint his team, and it really seemed he was trying with his whole heart.

When we arrived at the party, my friend already got lost in the crowd as she was a real social butterfly, while I on the other side, liked the quieter places and fewer people. The living room was already full of students, most of them drunk, as they were dancing along to the loud music. Some random lights lighted the living room from time to time, for the sake of this seeming like a club. Through the sweating dancing bodies, I navigated myself to the kitchen to pour myself a drink. The furniture was all white and luxurious, I looked around as I searched for something to drink. I needed to relax a little, as recently I felt overwhelmed with everything I needed to do for the classes, project after project. I stayed up for nights, and on the days coffee was my only savior.

It was unhealthy, but Soonyoung wasn't the only one who got injured that day. Well, just theoretically, because my heart broke every time, I saw Soonyoung fall deeper into the dark and not let me in. It hurt because he was the only person in my life that understood me wholly. I tried to live without him, but it was hard. And seeing him laughing with his new friends made my heart fade into the dark.

"Woah, woah what did that whiskey do to you?" A strange voice brought me back to reality as I didn’t even realize I was pouring out the drink into a glass while I wandered off. I looked up just to meet with Hongjoong's sharp glaze, holding my wrist to stop me from pouring the drink that had already flown down to the kitchen counter.

"Oh—sorry, I got lost in my thoughts." I blushed in embarrassment, trying to find something I could clean the mess.

"It's okay, let me help you." He smiled at me and opened a cabinet to pull out a dry cloth to wipe the whiskey off.

I looked at him frowning. "How did you—", I hit my forehead as I realized this was his house.

He chuckled. "Yes, this is my house, I should know where my things are." He looked so adorable with his blonde hair falling into his eyes as he tilted his head down to clean up the mess I made. He looked so decent, as he was wearing a casual beige pullover paired with blue jeans with cuts on its knees, a lot of accessories in his ears, and on his fingers. When he was on the football field on match days, he always yelled at his team like a lion, trying to keep together his team, but now he looked nothing like that he was just a sweet guy.

"I'm so sorry again for making a mess." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"It's okay it happens." He finished the cleaning and took my glass to pour half of it into an empty glass.

He reached my glass towards me and took the other to his hands. "Let's drink then."

I chuckled at the fact of how casual he was, after all, I was just a stranger to him. "Cheers!" we clinked our glasses together and downed the whole drink in one go. The both of us were making a face when we finished the drink, from the bitter taste and the burning feeling it left behind. We both started to giggle looking at each other's faces. 

Suddenly people streamed into the kitchen as we were laughing, one familiar guy in front looking straight into my eyes. I saw nothing from my past best friend. He looked completely different. His blonde hair which almost seemed like ash was hidden beneath a black cap that was turned backward. His ears were pierced, just as his eyebrows. He was wearing a black sweater, that was oversized, hiding his well-defined body, white crosses on its sleeves, that matched with his blue jeans, with black and white crosses on it. He was the total opposite of the old Soonyoung. He was glaring at me with sharp eyes, I saw a hint of disappointment evident. But I felt more of it, I just hated him with my whole heart.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Soonyoung clapped as he came closer to us in the kitchen.

"What are you doing here? You were not invited." Hongjoong stepped in front of me, hiding me from Soonyoung, preventing me from hunting me down.

Soonyoung laughed out loudly that sounded fake. "I thought everyone was invited to this party, Captain." He leaned down to Hongjoong, to be on the same height level as him. Their height difference was barely visible from the outside, but Soonyoung looked so intimidating it made the Captain look small. But he did not let it happen. He straightened up and stepped closer to Soonyoung grabbing his collar.

"Everyone is invited. Except you." Hongjoong hissed through his teeth. "Get the fuck out of here!" He raised his voice.

Soonyoung laughed again, sounding the same as before, there was no life in it. His eyes met with mine as he looked behind Hongjoong. His eyes on me made me freeze as if almost to death, it was so intimidating I just couldn't move. I wanted to scream at him, to hit him, to beg for his old self to come back. But all I could do was look back at him with no emotions on my face. Slowly, I turned away, mirroring his detachment. I buried my emotions deep alongside his old self.

"What if I don't want to?" Soonyoung stepped even closer to Hongjoong and pushed him on the chest, Hongjoong's back hitting the fridge.

"Enough! Get the fuck out of here Soonyoung, you are not welcome here." I yelled at him suddenly, surprising him with my sudden impact.

His eyes rounded for a slight second in surprise, probably because I never called him Soonyoung, since we were kids, I always called him Hoshi, he asked me to call him like that when he found out what it meant, since he was obsessed with stars, he always adored them. For a second, I thought that's it, that is my Hoshi, he is still there. But his sharp glare was back in the blink of an eye.

"Are you in search of a new emotional support to replace me?" His question sounded full with disgust. I just couldn't believe this person was my best friend.

After half a year, he couldn't tell me anything else other than to humiliate me and I felt sick, I just never wanted to see him again.

I stepped closer to him, our faces inches apart, I tilted my head up to glare at him with zero emotions.

"There's nothing to replace." I said to him as I pushed him on the chest and fought my way through the crowd that assembled in the kitchen, people were always in for the drama.

Every year our neighborhood gathers together as we are close to the end of the year. We just celebrate the year at the end of autumn so we can say goodbye together to the year. This is the reason I am sitting in the house of our neighbor next to us, watching as the adults talk with each other, not like I am not an adult, but I just hate the shallow conversations where they ask about my life and what I want to do in the future. They had nothing to do with my life then why did they ask the same questions every year?

In the past, it was fun. At least Hoshi made it fun, as we always hid in the corners to judge the people and gossip about them. Now, I was sitting here all day on the couch with a glass of fine wine in my hand, and judging the people around me alone. I didn't see Hoshi all day, but I knew he was here somewhere hiding in the corners or who knows where. His parents were here and I knew they made him come along not accepting no as an answer, they were very strict if I may say.

The sun was already down and I felt so bored all day, I couldn't wait for the moment when they were distracted enough so I could slip out to be free. And that moment came quickly as I saw my parents were talking with a man and I quickly slipped outside through the backdoor.

When I closed the door and turned around, I froze. Hoshi was sitting on the top of the stairs leaning forward on his knees a glass of wine in his hands. He was staring up at the sky looking for the stars that were hidden between the dark clouds. I hesitated, I just wanted to get out of there, but seeing Hoshi like this…He seemed so—vulnerable in this moment and I kind of wanted to take advantage of it.

So, I slowly approached him and sat next to him on the cold stairs. As he felt my presence, he didn't even look at me, he just looked down at the glass in his hands, his features seemed full of regret and shame. I didn't want to be the first to say something. I tried to imply that I was there if he wanted to tell me something because I really deserved that. I took him in, while he was deep in his thoughts, he was wearing the same black cap turned backward, his ashy hair that grew down to his nape lolling out from the cap. He was dressed up in full black clothes, a sweater with black writings on its chest, and its sleeves decorated with white flowers, paired with black oversized pants and black sneakers. A cross was hanging from his neck that swung between him and the glass he was holding.

"Why are you here?" He breaks the silence, his voice unstable.

"Just wanted to escape from inside, it's boring." I hated him, but seeing him like this I couldn't be mean to him.

Hoshi just nodded still analyzing the glass in his hands.

"And you?" I asked looking at his sharp side profile, his cheekbones puffy like a hamster.

He shrugged. "My parents won't let me go home and it's boring without—" He stopped when he realized what he was about to say. He seemed angry at himself at that as I was observing him. He was drunk and, in this state, it felt like the old Hoshi was screaming at this person next to me to let him out of the prison he made. I knew my Hoshi was still there I just needed to somehow fight with this poisoned Hoshi.

"You know this shit is very boring without you. There's no one I could gossip with about Uncle Chanyeol's third wife." I said what he didn't finish and tried to lessen the sour mood a bit.

At that, he snapped his head up to look at me with surprised eyes. There he was, the Hoshi I loved so much. Many emotions went through his face as he took me in, finally looking into my eyes, finally seeing me after half a year.

"Well, the second was much uglier not gonna lie." He said looking back at the glass as he downed it until the last drops.

I hummed. "Not to be a bad person but he looks like a witch, who would curse you the second you stay alone with her."

And Hoshi laughed out wholeheartedly, that made my heart whole again. The sound of his laughter puzzled the pieces of my heart together. It made me realize how important he was in my life, and how much of an influence he was in my life. Everything he did affected me, even if it was good or bad, I felt the same way as him. I felt like he was my soulmate and if he was hurt I was hurt as well. It made me realize that I loved him so much not just as my best friend but as my soulmate. But after he pushed me, it faded. And I hoped it'd be gone in seconds, but as I heard him laugh again, made me realize it was never going to fade.

I smiled, hearing him laugh sincerely again, knowing it wasn't fake. Then as he realized what he was doing, his laughter faded into a smile and his smile faded into a thin line.

"You shouldn't speak to me." The sour Hoshi from moments ago had returned.

"Yeah…I shouldn't." I looked down at my hands fiddling with my rings taking in the sour emotions Hoshi was feeling.

"You know…" He broke the silence that fell on us, looking up at the sky. "…I always wanted to be perfect, and I truly believed I was, just until…" He looked down at his hands again as he tried to hold his tears back. I just listened to him, letting him speak whatever he wanted out of his heart.

"I'm so tired, I'm so tired of pretending everything is fine, Y/N." He buried his face into his hands, sobbing.

Tears started to appear immediately in my eyes seeing him like this. I scooted closer to him and hugged him, pulling him to my chest as he was still sobbing. "It fucked up everything— a-and I don't know what to do with my life anymore." He mumbled into the crock of my neck, wetting it with sour tears that made my heart break again.

"I know, I know it's hard Hoshi." I caressed his back up and down as I leaned my head on top of his, staring into the dark and chilly night. "There's life outside of football too. You can't just push away everyone you love, because some shit happened to your life. It's not fair and you know that."

He was quiet for a few moments, to take my words in and slowly lifted his head to look into my eyes. His eyes were red and puffy, his eyes barely visible, as the tears were still flowing down his puffy cheekbone, his lips trembling a little from the flow of emotions. "I-I know I fucked up and you have no idea how much I regret it. Pushing away my real friends and my parents. But mostly you, Y/N." One tear flew down his face again.

I slowly reached my hand towards his cheeks and cupped it just to wipe the sour tears away from his face. "I'm sorry for pushing you away…I really miss you, you being by my side all the time…" His eyes still stared deeply into mine.

I sighed, detaching my hands from his face, and letting it fall onto my lap. "I miss you too, Hoshi. But…you really treated me like shit, it hurt you know." I tried to blink away the tears that tried to escape.

"I know, I know, I was such an asshole, please forgive me.” He turned towards me.  “You really deserve better than that…" He said reaching for my hands, but along the way, he knocked over the glass that was between us. It made me realize he was just drunk and who knows tomorrow he is going to be the asshole Hoshi again.

I smiled at him sadly. "Go home Hoshi and sleep." I stood up and left him there without waiting for an answer.

Days later, it was already late at night when my phone rang just as I arrived home and parked my car, after a tiring day, as I was at classes all day and learning for the exams at the library. I sighed as I turned the engine off to pick up my phone, where the name of Hoshi's mother showed. I frowned as I picked it up.

"Y/N, darling, I'm glad you picked it up." Her voice seemed hurried and full of concern.

"Hi, what happened?" I asked her, leaving the formalities behind ages ago, as she treated me like I was her other daughter.

"I just wanted to ask, if you saw Hoshi today. We've been looking for him all day, but his phone is off and we don't know where he is." I heard as her voice got a little weaker.

"I saw him last night, but that's all, I'm sorry," I said looking down at my hands, running through the maze of my thoughts.

"Oh, okay, maybe it's better if I call the police, I am very concerned." Her voice deepened as she was thinking. "Anyways, thank you Y/N, I hope you are okay, we miss you." She wanted to hang up but I stopped her.

"Wait—, I might— I might know where he is, give me an hour and I'll find him," I said a little hurriedly as a place appeared in my head.

"Okay, thank you so much, Y/N." She seemed a little relieved at that.

I hung up the phone and quickly started the engine of my car, just to drive through the town to a place no one would search for Hoshi. And it was the football field. It sounds ridiculous but, why would anyone search for him there? When he didn’t step on that field since his injury happened?

When I arrived there, I still had doubts about him being at the field. But all my doubts disappeared when I saw him on the barely lit field, the moon above him shining at his presence. I approached the fence that separated us and just observed him as he was facing me, but he couldn't see me as the darkness hugged me around.

He was standing in the middle of the field the ball in his hands; he was wearing black shorts and a beige sweater on top the black cap never leaving his head. He squeezed it like he wanted to drown it like it could've helped make his misery better. Then he lifted his right hand in the air and threw the ball into the chilly air, his first intuition was to run after the ball, and he tried, but his knees buckled and he fell on the ground. My heart broke at the image of him breaking on the field of his dreams, I couldn't watch him suffer anymore. I stepped on the field slowly; he was still lying down with his face down and his shoulders were shaking. I walked towards the ball and took it in my hands. Then I walked towards him soundlessly.

"Hey!" I yelled at him while I was walking towards him. He snapped his head up at the sound. "Catch the ball!" I said not leaving him to think as I threw the ball towards him.

He quickly stood up, wincing from the pain, that his still unhealed, injury caused, and caught the ball.

"What are you doing here?" He tried to turn away from me, so I wouldn't see his face that screamed he was crying.

"The question is mine." I folded my arms together frowning at him.

He shrugged. "Needed to clear my head." He looked down at the ball and picked at some strings on it, not daring to look into my eyes.

"Your family is searching for you."

"I know." He spoke. "But I just wanted to get away from home."

"Why?"

"Because they want to control my life, and I can't stand it anymore." He turned away from me, looking up at the sky.

"Well, at least they are doing it, instead of you." I said stepping closer to him.

He suddenly threw the ball to the green grass with a wave of anger the ball almost bounced back to his hands.

"Hoshi, what is going on with you? It's not you." I said trying to stay calm.

"Well, you have to live with this, because this is me." He yelled at me turning towards me and pointing at himself.

My heart started to race, he kind of scared me. "No, it isn’t you, you changed." My voice got quieter as I stared down at the ground. Now I was the one not daring to look into his eyes.

"People change, and then what?" He lifted his arms in the air frowning.

"You act ridiculous, you know? You lost football and now you think you are a nobody?" I scoffed at him in disbelief.

"Football was the only thing that made me feel alive." He lifted his hands and turned around showing the field. "You can't fucking understand what am I going through." He pointed at me raising his voice.

I scoffed. "No, I really can't understand Hoshi." I looked deep into his eyes. "But I really tried to be by your side after your injury but you just threw me away just like that fucking ball.

 “I pointed at the ball in his hands. "I get it, I get that football was your life, but life sometimes sucks and you have to live with it, it can't be perfect…" My voice cracked as the emotions flew through me. "…nothing can be perfect Hoshi, neither can you…"

Tears started to appear in my eyes and I turned around. "You are on your own now." As soon as I turned tears flew down my face, and my heart broke into a million pieces again, but it was worse than everything beforehand because hope left my soul as well leaving nothing behind but dust.

I was near the fence where the exit was when I heard him.

"Y/N, wait!" He yelled after me, but I just closed him out.

All of a sudden all I could feel was that I was being pushed against the fence, which made a loud noise, as it echoed around us like bird chirping. His face was close to mine, his hands on both sides of my waist as he pushed me against the fence.

"Please listen to me." His voice was barely a whisper, that I felt on my lips.

I didn't say anything as I was too stunned being this close to him, his dark peachy scent hugged me around, making me feel woozy.

"I'm confused, okay?" His hands left my waist and he supported himself on the fence on both sides of my head. "It's…" He sighed and took off his cap with his right hand to run his fingers through his silver hair. This hair color fitted him so well, he changed but it was still him. He threw his cap on the ground now his hair falling into his eyes as he looked at me. "It's not just about football. It's about you Y/N."

My heart started to race quickly as I just looked at him with wide eyes.

He leaned closer. "The reason I pushed you away was because I wanted to be more than friends. And I knew you didn't want that." He leaned his forehead against mine. “I couldn't be friends with you anymore so I pushed you away before I fell in love with you more." His voice was low as he closed his eyes. "I was not ready for love, not when I knew you weren't as well." He whispered it and I barely could hear what he said.

"But," he continued not letting me say a word. "I realized I can’t live without you, because you are my escape from this fucked-up world and you are my purpose on this earth. I know that my life won't suck if you are by my side and that with your help, I can put my life together again." His voice crackled as tears formed in his eyes when he opened them again.

I was stunned to speak; I never could've imagined that Hoshi was thinking of me like that. But at the same, I was waiting for this moment my whole life.

"You are so stupid, Hoshi," I said the first thing that came to my mind after I gathered my thoughts. I reached my hands towards his swollen face and cupped it.

"I was in love with you my whole life," I said to him honestly.

His barely visible eyes rounded his mouth fell open, he looked so adorable. "Are you joking?"

"No, I'm not. Well, I'm sure it wasn't that deep when we were kids, but…since we grew up and started university together I fell in love with you deeper as the days passed Hoshi, and I couldn't help it." I looked down on the ground feeling shy as I just put my heart out in front of him. "My heart broke when you pushed me away…"

He slowly reached his hands towards my waist, squeezing it reassuringly, and leaned his forehead against mine. "I am so sorry, Y/n, for being so stupid, I won't ever forgive myself for treating you like that." He whispered onto my lips, his cold breath against mine, our cold breaths mixed just to melt into each other.

"You deserve the whole world, Y/N. And please let me give you the world, forgive me." He whispered the last few words, coming out like forgotten promises.

I smiled at him as if my eyes were sparkling from the happiness I felt. "Are you ready for love?"

He smiled fondly and looked at me like I was his whole world. "I'm ready for love. Can we stay together forever? I will give—"

"Just kiss me already you idiot." I interrupted him impatiently.

He chuckled and cupped my face, just to push me more into the fence that hurt my back, but not until one of his hands reached behind my back to pull me off the fence, body flesh against his. My lips curved into a sincere smile. I couldn't believe my soulmate had just confessed to me and promised me the world.

"You give me purpose." He whispered onto my lips like sweet promises and closed the distance between our parted lips. When his lisp met mine, the world stopped spinning, everything slowed down, the clocks stopped ticking, and the rivers stopped flowing. Everything stopped. It was just the two of us in this world, as he promised me the world, and with this kiss, he gave it to me. His lips moved against mine slowly, passionately, like he wanted to carve this moment into the history books, where two best friends went through ups and downs just like a roller-coaster, so in the end, they were finally ready to love each other wholeheartedly, staying together forever.

*Ateez masterlist*

I HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF MAFIA CONTENTS FOR SO LONG I DIDN'T KNEW I NEEDED ONE

𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝙸'𝚖 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ᴍᴀꜰɪᴀ!ᴡᴏɴᴡᴏᴏ x ꜰᴇᴍ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: ᴍᴀꜰɪᴀ ᴀᴜ, ᴇꜱᴛᴀʙʟɪꜱʜᴇᴅ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱʜɪᴘ

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: ɢᴜɴꜱ, ᴋɪᴅɴᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ (ᴏꜰ ꜱᴏʀᴛꜱ), ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ, DEATH, ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ᴍᴀꜰɪᴀ ᴏʀᴅᴇᴀʟ.

ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ: 1572

ᴀ/ɴ: ᴡᴇʟʟ- ꜱᴏ ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴀꜰɪᴀ ᴀᴜꜱ. ɪ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ, ɪ'ᴍ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ɪᴛ ʙᴜᴜᴜᴜᴜᴜᴜᴜᴜᴜᴛ ɪɴ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅᴀʏꜱ ɪꜱ @ᴛᴀᴛᴛʏᴡᴏᴏᴅ 'ꜱ ʙᴅᴀʏ ꜱᴏ ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ɪ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴀ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ ɢɪꜰᴛ ɪɴ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ꜱʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴏʀ ᴀᴛᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɪꜰ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴀꜰɪᴀ ꜱᴛᴜꜰꜰ… ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ɪᴛ, ʟᴏᴠᴇ!

Seventeen masterlist

Loving Wonwoo proved to be a difficult task, but you were stubborn. 

Finding out about what he did, about the illegal business, and about the dangerous world he lived in shook you to the core in more ways than you wanted to admit. He was ready to walk away from your life, not wanting to put you in any danger, but after many tears, arguments, some yelling, and whispered promises that you both knew were impossible to keep, he decided to stay. 

There were rules, though. He claimed that questions regarding his lifestyle were off limits. The less you knew, the better. 

You begged him to never kill anyone. Unless it was to save someone. 

“I don’t want you to be a monster, Wonwoo,” you whispered under your breath, feeling his hard embrace surrounding your body. 

“I’m a monster, love. You would never forgive me if you knew the things I’ve done.” 

“Have you ever hurt a child?” 

“No. I’ve never harmed a kid.” 

“An innocent woman?” 

“No. I know my limits.” 

“Are you in the drug business?” You kept asking, wanting to rule out all the possible worst scenarios that kept running through your head. 

“I don’t want to feed people’s addictions,” he said quickly, as if he had someone in his life who had suffered from such a nightmare. 

“So you don’t hurt kids, women, or do drugs. Unless you are a serial killer or something, I do not understand how you are so bad."

“I won’t tell you what I do. But I promise you, I won’t hurt anyone unless it’s absolutely necessary,” he whispered, pressing his lips against your forehead with his eyes closed, ready to slip into sleepland.

That was months ago, and while his world was still the same, your relationship grew stronger. 

After a long afternoon of meetings, Wonwoo waited for you outside your building office, checking on his phone while sitting on the hood of his car. He unbuttoned the top buttons of his white silk shirt and observed your fellow workmates leaving the building, some of them saluting him on their way out. He tried to be subtle about his love life, but he soon understood that he had to be involved in your world, meet your colleagues, your friends, your family, and even your neighbors. 

Lucky for him, his illegal businesses were so well hidden that no one would ever link him to them. So he was safe to run around the city with his hand around yours. 

For now, at least. 

Half an hour passed, and there was no sign of you. He became anxious. So, before going inside the building, guns ablaze (quite literally), he texted you. 

Among all the rules that were established that day when everything was about to end, there was a very important one. One word. A safe word that you would use in case you were compromised or held against your will. Something that wouldn’t raise alarms for whoever was putting you in danger. 

Your safe word was “baby boy”. He hated to be called that. It was the perfect safe word. 

He turned around, looking for the black car that always drove closeby, and made eye contact with Mingyu, his best friend and underboss of his organization. He was always ready to jump to protect Wonwoo or his friend’s girl. 

“What’s wrong?” Mingyu asked while getting off the car, grabbing his gun from underneath his leather jacket. Wonwoo didn’t like to use guns, which was a bit ironic because he sold them around the world. That was his business.

“She used her safe word.” 

Mingyu didn’t need another word. You were in danger, and that was all that mattered. 

“If anything happens to her...” 

“Wonwoo, don’t. We’ll get to her.” 

And Wonwoo knew that was true. Even if that was the last thing he did. 

Another slap. You had lost count of how many times his hand had hit your face. There was a red mark with the shape of his hand on your cheek at that point. He just kept hitting you. 

“Turn it on!” 

The guy, whose name you didn’t manage to remember, was forcing you to turn on your phone. After you heard some people screaming and running down the halls, you hid under the table, sent a message to Wonwoo with your safe word, and hoped that he remembered. 

You didn’t know if the people terrorizing your mates were coming for you, but something inside told you it was the moment you and your partner had feared so much: they had found who you were. 

They found Wonwoo’s weakness. 

“Turn this fucking thing on so I can call your stupid boyfriend,” he spat, throwing the phone in your lap. 

He wanted the phone to either call Wonwoo and threaten him to kill his partner or to get his phone number and track his location. One way or another, you were not going to give it to him. 

In a brave, or rather reckless, move, you got up from where you had been sitting, on a corner against the wall, and ran to the nearest window, opened it, and threw the phone all the way to the floor. 

The next thing you knew, your face collided with the cold glass of the window, breaking it. A few drops of blood splashed on the smashed surface, leaving you a bit dizzy. 

“Wrong move, bitch. Now you’ll have to come with me,” the criminal said, grabbing your neck with a strong grip and whispering in your ear. “And I bet we can have a sweet time together before that stupid boyfriend of yours shows up. He doesn’t seem to care about you, huh?”

“I beg to differ, Sangwoo.”

A wave of relief washed over your entire body when you heard Wonwoo’s voice. He was mad; there was no doubt about it. But he was here, and he was going to save you. 

“Look what the cat dragged in!” The man started to sweat, and he was so close to your body you could actually hear his heartbeat increasing. He was scared. 

Good. He should. 

"Stop touching my girl, and I will think about letting you live to see another day." 

Wonwoo’s words were calm, direct, and scary. Sangwoo, the man who kept you hostage, turned both of you around without losing his grip on you. He wasn’t letting you go without a fight. 

“You think you can come here and tell me what to do? Mr. Jeon, look at the position you’re in. You’re standing there, and I’m here with your lovely girl.” 

You felt the muzzle press against your temple, and while you were really sure that Wonwoo would get you two out of this, your tears ran freely down your face, mixing themselves with the blood that kept oozing from your forehead. 

“Let her go. Last warning.” 

“See, that's your problem. You think the world revolves around you. But you see her? She's mine now. She's gonna be my nice little who-”

The last word died on his lips as Wonwoo's bullet went through Sangwoo’s head, ending his miserable life. He moved closer to the lifeless body, emptying the magazine of his gun while shooting at his head. 

Nobody would be able to tell who Sangwoo was. At least, not by looking at his face. 

“Nobody touches what's mine.” 

Two seconds after hearing the gunshot, Mingyu came running into the room, relieved to see the two of you okay. 

Wonwoo dropped to the floor next to you. You didn’t realize it, but you fell to the floor as soon as Sangwoo’s life ceased. You just sat there, thinking how close it had been. What if Wonwoo’s bullet moved a little to the left? 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay; I’m here. I’m here; it’s okay.” 

He kept repeating those words over and over. You didn’t know if it was to calm you down or to calm himself. You were shaking, but you didn’t feel scared. It was a weird feeling. 

“You killed him.” 

“I’ve told you I’m a monster, y/n. You didn’t believe me.” 

You stared at him, knowing that behind that hard, cold demeanor, he was scared of all the possible outcomes that went through his head on the way up to your office floor. He was scared of your reaction, too. 

Would you run away now? 

Your soft hand caressing his cheek made him relax a bit. “You are not a monster. You killed him to save me. You’re my hero.” 

He chuckled dryly. “Heroes don’t kill people.” 

“Let me decide what to consider a hero,” you said, with a hint of pain in your voice that sent him into overdrive. 

He pulled you up from the ground, checking your forehead. “Let’s get you to my medic. You need to get patched up.” 

“What about... him?” 

Wonwoo didn’t spare him a glance. He didn’t deserve it. 

“My guys will take care of it. You’re my main priority right now.” 

And when you walked into the room two days later, because Wonwoo forced you to call in sick, it really was like nothing happened. Not a trace or blood. The broken window had been replaced. Even your chair, which was very uncomfortable, had been changed to a shiny, ergonomic new one. 

Nobody would ever know that Jeon Wonwoo killed a man in that same spot to save the woman he loved. 

#even a highfive from him will do #sigh

That's...He's just everyting i ever wanted

Moving Out | ljh x reader

Rating: sfw (still 18+) | WC: ~1.7k | Pairing: ljh x reader | Genre: fluff

Warnings: allusions to sex, mention of birth control, unplanned pregnancy, allusion to possible abortion

Reader Notes: can get pregnant

You’ve always loved Jihoon’s apartment. 

It’s spacious yet homey, flooded with natural light from the south-facing windows, and it has the most beautiful original hardwood floors you’ve ever seen. The building doesn’t have many amenities but the elevator works and the owners are a kind older couple who practically adopted Jihoon as their own. 

You met them the first time he ever invited you over and you could tell they were being intentionally embarrassing, but his red cheeks and fond cringes only made him more endearing to you. They visited often, genuinely happy to see the both of you and often bringing some kind of food or baked goods for you to share. 

You spent more time at his place than you did your own, and they always teased you about it, always asked you when you’d be putting your name on the lease, and you always laughed it off. You didn’t want Jihoon to feel pressured; you knew he appreciated having his own space and you appreciated having yours, but you also knew that you would love it if those two spaces became one. 

You weren’t sure if he felt the same until they stopped by about a year into the relationship. They asked you that familiar question and he took the opportunity to answer it, not even looking at you as he said, “When I finally ask.” 

Their smiles were too big to be contained and you found yours was the same, your heart skipping in your chest as he glanced over at you and grinned softly, his arm coming up to wrap around your waist and his hand squeezing your hip. They seemed to sense the shift in the air and excused themselves, citing a trip to the farmers’ market and disappearing down the hallway hiding giggles behind their hands. 

He gently closed the door behind them and turned to you, his ears flushed and his eyes nervous as his hand migrated to your back and pulled you closer to him.

“I was going to ask you next week, but… Move in with me?” 

You didn’t think about it for long. You hadn’t resigned your lease yet and you wanted to wake up with Jihoon every day and fall asleep next to him every night. It was the easiest yes of your life. 

He made space for you in both big and small ways. His closet wasn’t full to begin with because he wears much of the same clothes and many of them can be folded instead of hung, so your wardrobe fit without issue. His skincare routine was spartan, just cleanser, toner, and moisturizer, so he didn’t need to clear off the vanity for you to lay out your products, the left side becoming yours and the right side becoming his. 

He did have some art up on the walls but he rearranged his pieces to look more cohesive with yours, your styles blending together effortlessly. He wasn’t as attached to his furniture as you were, having bought it new instead of scouting second hand like you did, so he sold the couch and armchair to make room for yours without you even asking. 

The biggest change was in his home studio. You told him your desk could fit in the bedroom, that you didn’t mind spending your work from home days in there, especially with the big window and cozy feel. He respected your wish in the beginning, but after one too many times waking up to you typing away at your computer in the midnight hours, he moved his keyboard to the second level of his desk and hauled yours into the studio. He said that if he wasn’t allowed to work in the night, neither were you, that your bedroom was a place for rest and relaxation, and you couldn’t disagree with him. 

That change brought you closer together than ever. For some, the repetitive sounds of him creating music could be distracting, but for you, it was music in and of itself. The beats settled into your brain and you found yourself typing in time with them, humming along to the tunes that he sang, knowing he couldn’t hear you with his noise canceling headphones on. Getting to be privy to his process was a privilege, an honor, and even though you didn’t speak much in the time you spent working in the same room, you still felt connected. 

Then there were the nights spent cooking together in the chef’s kitchen he barely made use of before you. Jihoon enjoyed cooking, but he didn’t often have time for it, and he didn’t see a reason to put in so much effort if he was just feeding himself. When you moved in, you created a shared pinterest board for recipes and a shared note for meal planning. He was surprisingly enthusiastic about it, pinning more recipes than you and constantly suggesting things in the note. Soon enough, you had an arsenal of tried and true dishes that you could rotate throughout the month, adding in some new ones just for variety, just to keep things fresh. 

You think you kissed more in that kitchen than anywhere else in the apartment. Lazy makeouts while the pasta was boiling away, quick kisses between chopping veggies, pecks as you passed each other ingredients, smooches as you stirred sauces. You kissed a lot in the bedroom too, of course, but those kisses almost always led to more. The ones exchanged in the kitchen were kisses just for the sake of kissing, just to enjoy each other and show your love. 

You shouldn’t discount the kisses in your bedroom, though. Heated, messy, loving, with wandering hands and pounding hearts, Jihoon’s weight on you, your hands in his hair, his tongue in your mouth. Every kiss was different yet somehow the same, overwhelming to the senses but soothing to the soul. And when they would evolve into more, into flashes of heat and his skin against yours and his arms cradling you while your body cradled him, it was raw, it was passionate, it was perfect. 

Maybe a little too raw, you think as you tape up the last box with a sigh, your hand coming down to cover your belly where a little foot or elbow just thumped. 

You didn’t plan on getting pregnant. But birth control isn’t foolproof, and you can’t exactly take emergency contraceptives when you don’t remember that you forgot a pill or two in the first place. 

You figured it out early enough to be able to pursue not having this baby, but you knew that wasn’t an option when the both of you teared up just discussing it. It wasn’t long before you and Jihoon were fully on board, ecstatic about every development and already aching to meet your child. 

Which is why you’re here now, feeling that familiar burning behind your eyes as you reminisce on all the days and nights spent in this apartment, the one that started out as Jihoon’s then became yours too. You’ve loved this place for the past three years, but it’s not big enough for your soon to be growing family, and you’ve already put a down payment on a townhouse with rooms to spare in a great school district. 

You hear Jihoon’s footsteps down the hall and swiftly blink away the saltwater welling up in your eyes, sniffling slightly and trying to keep your bottom lip from wobbling. He doesn’t ever mind when you cry, but you told him you were done and you refuse to become a liar. 

The hormones don’t care, unfortunately. 

One more memory puts you over the edge - the first time Jihoon ever told you he loved you. It was in this apartment, about five months after you made things official, and he walked in on you singing one of his songs while you were washing your face. You had suds all over, a fluffy headband holding your hair back, and were wearing the rattiest, comfiest pajamas you owned. He stopped short in the doorway, shook his head, and murmured, “I fuckin’ love you,” through a smile. 

You froze in place, your eyes wide and filled with tears, and you asked, “Do you mean that?” 

He just said, “Yeah, baby, I do,” before reaching around you to grab his toothbrush and begin his own nighttime routine. The suds were swiftly cascading towards your watery eyes so you had to rinse before you answered him, but as soon as your face was clean and relatively dry, you wrapped your arms around his waist from behind and smushed your cheek to his shoulder. Your voice was wobbly when you said, “I love you too,” and you don’t know what his face looked like but you can still remember how all the tension in his body flooded out, his muscles relaxed upon hearing that you felt the same way. 

You hiccup in a sob, your hand pressed to your stomach as you think about how far you’ve come, how many memories you’ve made here. 

“Baby, you alright?” Jihoon asks from the doorway, coming closer when you can’t hide the shaking of your shoulders or the hitching of your breath. 

“Yeah,” you sound just as wobbly now as you did then, and it’s not a surprise when he settles behind you and tugs you into his arms. You go easily, sighing with relief when his hands slide beneath your belly to hold the weight for you, his toned chest warm against your back and his heart beating next to yours. “I’ll just miss this place.”

“I know you will, and I will too, but think about everything we’ll do in the new house. We’ll get to decorate the nursery and bring our baby home, watch her grow up, maybe give her some siblings. We’ll make that place our own just like we did this one, okay?” 

“Okay,” you sniffle softly. “But let’s see how having this kid goes before we start thinking about having more.” 

You feel his chest rise and fall as he laughs, and the kiss he presses to your temple has your lips quirking in a small smile. 

“Deal.”

AN: i'm not officially back but i'm getting there!