justevthings

[justevthings]

hi hiiii 🫶 how are you doing?

i just watched a new episode that featured San (Narae?) and the entire time i watched it literally couldn't help but feel bulldozed by affection for san and i do consider myself to be more of a hard to please woman but dear god. i fell victim to the Men Crying Apocalypse because the second he mentioned he cried a lot on a specific day, i almost punched myself in the face.

Either way, IF you're watching it, i'd be curious about your thoughts on San during the episode.

sending love!

This was a really interesting episode because of what it looks to me like San is trying to do with his Idol persona. I've said before that he's pulled ahead at least on instagram stats as well as recognizability among all of Ateez.

TLDR: Choi San Wants Your Father To Approve His Seeking Your Hand (This is probably going to be yet another The Magic of San post).

Long Read Warning. This got away from me. I clearly love San too much.

San is the Ateez member who mostly deliberately has remade himself, in a very transparent and public way. He went from being a country boy to a celebrity who gets invited to major fashion shows as a featured guest. He went from being a fey skinny little thing to what he is now, Mr Body Beautiful. (I mean, Mingi is body beautiful also but he just doesn't get as naked for their content which... WHY? SHOW ME THE LEGGGS WE TALKED ABOUT THIS) He went from a kid who was constantly given to malapropisms in Korean and in a South Gyeongsangdo accent at that, such that his irritable and clever-tongued best friend brusquely corrected him on air several times, to someone who makes a (successful!) concerted effort to become quadrilingual (I'm counting the Seoul and Gyeongsangdo dialects as 1.5 languages rounded up to 2), and with a native accent (in his case, American), which is especially difficult for Korean speakers.

His performance on this particular show felt like a very clever, multi-dimensional rebuttal to the thing he really dislikes when applied to himself: The 상견레프리빠꾸상 moniker. (Literally: Face that Gets Rejected on Sight by Parents at the Formal Meeting Between the Parents and Couple to Give Mutual Assent to the Engagement). He pouts every time it comes up, and it doesn't ever not come up. He wants to be thought of as being the Ideal Son in Law Type. The type that the in laws love on sight. All of his behavior is geared towards being that type of boy. And I always felt like that whole Nightmare Son in Law Face being applied to San in particular had to do with a lack of self acceptance by Koreans, whereas his being a star at all is immensely hopeful for our overall self esteem.

Narae Park is someone that I kind of knew on sight as a comedian, but I don't actually know anything about her otherwise because I don't like her genre of performance. Comedians and comic actors in Korea have the role of something like a court jester in Korean pop culture. Our society is so formal, so rigid, so obsessed with dignity and correctness, that we apparently need these people who throw all manner and dignity to the wind, and behave in the crudest way possible, using the coarsest expressions, in the public arena. As a stuck up, snobby, stick in the mud nerd from a privileged family, I was raised to find this sort of thing abhorrent, so I find it extremely aggravating, rather than cathartic. I also happen to believe, as an anti-confucian who was raised to observe all the 19th century confucian rules, that having these 'safety valve' type of clowns (which always existed in our culture) is part of keeping the shitty things about Confucianism alive.

But, for a celebrity interview, the interviewer themselves taking the 'low' road is very useful. It allows her guests to take the 'upper' position, to present themselves as their aspirational 'best' selves.

Below are the traits of the 'best self' that Choi San wanted to present to this older-sister type woman and her almost entirely female staff. -

a) Choi San is (trying very hard to be) erudite and eloquent.

Those of you who are students of Korean might have picked up on this already, but San speaks in a textbook perfect manner in this episode. He used such precise, elevated vocabulary in all of his answers, taking care to speak in complete sentences, using as pure a Korean as possible (rather than incorporating English and other foreign words). He says things like:

선배님을 동경합니다. I admire you, Sunbaenim. The sentiment is quite common, and because people in entertainment are still generally considered to be people beyond the bounds of propriety, they usually are very forceful about this whole sunbae-hoobae business when most globalized businesses and Korean conglomerates are going in the exact opposite direction. (Everybody at the chaebol Samsung goes by '프로님' (Pro-nim) because they got rid of all titles, so you can't tell anymore who outranks who). But it's the whole, grammatical completeness of this spoken statement that is unusual in Korean daily speech.

The elevated word here is 동경 rather than 좋아한다 (like) or the even more casual, English-polluted sentence, 선배님 팬이에요 (I'm your Fan sunbaenim). He does this throughout, using the most wholesome Korean imaginable, in complete sentences, that would look wonderful on a court transcript.

경험해봐도 좋을 거 같아요. 한번만 더 마셔봐도 괜찮을까요? It would be good to try it out, for the experience. Would it be all right with you if I take just one more sip?

남해에 대해서 해박하게 알고 계신 분 처음 뵈어요. I have never met a person who was so knowledgeable about Namhae before. The unusual word choice here is 해박하게 (knowledge with depth) rather than the more common and casual 잘 (well) or 많이 (a lot).

우선적으로, 타인이 사투리를 하면 저도 사투리를 쓰는 거 같아요. As an initial matter, when someone else uses dialect, I find myself using dialect in response. Two word choices here: 우선적으로 (initial matter) rather than 일단 (for instance) or 그냥 (like/ just) and 타인 (technically it is third party) rather than 다른 사람 (someone else).

'직관적인 맛'이라고 하고. About the blue cocktail with coconut, he says "It's an intuitive taste" which I think is a new way to use the word 직관 (intuition). It basically means, It tastes howyou'd expect it to, but it's very elevated, to specifically use intuitive rather than 예상 (expectation) or 생긴 것 (appearance).

Narae the host, whose role as I say is to play the fool, at one point breaks character for a second to tell him, You speak so well. And she's right. As a language-obsessed nerd I kept wanting to pet San on the head, kind of like how I feel about Hongjoong for his ultra-clever wordplay and puns in his rap compositions. I also wondered why San and Mingi aren't closer friends, because the way San talks is that of an introvert who reads literature, and Mingi is one too.

b) Choi San is going to do manners by both The Book and according to the rather oddball fantasizing shown in K-Dramas.

In the same vein as my recognition that the way San speaks is highly influenced by reading rather than experiencing things, the way he enacts having good manners (tm) seems to be from third party sources.

For example, without explaining what he's doing nor asking if she wants such a thing done, San cuts the food he is served into smaller bites and then hands it to Narae as hers. By my way of thinking, this is not actually good manners. Do not do stuff to my food that I didn't ask for, for one thing. I may not want to cut the meat that way. I may want to cut small bites as I go, you know? But I've seen this sort of behavior modeled before in K-dramas by the Lead Boy, because the assumption (and sad reality) is that a lot of Korean men used to just scarf down their food and not really wait for you to start eating. But it's also weirdly old fashioned, this behavior, because as I've said, manners have moved on since the time of women being bowled over because a guy didn't entirely forget you were sitting there because he got his food.

So in some ways, San's behavior looks outdated to me, especially given the fact that during the Namhae episode, Seonghwa and then San did a drag-king burlesque of the "Gyeongsangdo boyfriend" which consisted of shoveling a big mouthful of whatever at you and almost grunting, EAT. I grew up with Gyeongsangdo men and they've never been like this. I mean, someone must've been at some time for the stereotype to hold sway so hard, but my experience of Gyeongsangdo family members isn't this at all.

In any case, the point of this demonstration was to show that he thinks of others first, specifically women first, when faced with food.

The thing is - the thing isssss - and this is the whole, Male Loneliness Because Bitches Have Standards That Are Too High stupidity - if he was really going to break out of the mold into Amazing Manners Boy, he should've at least asked to go help in the kitchen. But he doesn't. I know that's not the set up of the show, but I'm just saying - there's a traditional gendered element in here. If I was a girl Idol and I went on Narae's show, and she was rolling up her sleeves to make food for me, I would, automatically without thinking, asked how I could help, and stand hovering at her elbow. I've been programmed to behave like this, and San hasn't.

The other point to make about food, that would make him a Good Son In Law candidate is that San is not fussy or vain about food. That's kind of the other side of the Man Who Forcibly Precuts Your Food For You thing - he himself is not vain about food, is not weird about taste, eats well, and does not diet. A man who eats heartily is a major plus point. A man who doesn't complain is also important.

The most extreme example I've seen about this, that I thought was ridiculous at the time, was some K Drama where the girl takes the guy home to dinner with her parents (they aren't engaged yet, just dating long term) and her mother makes him something with shellfish that he's mildly allergic to. Instead of admitting to the allergy, he proceeds to eat it, and then have a reaction, which is to turn lobster red all over. Everyone freaks out, and he keeps saying, stoically calmly, that he's fine, it was delicious etc. (This is one of the last K dramas I ever watched, because I was so offended by the stupidity of this sort of set up). But you get my point right, about what makes 'good young man' behavior?

There's things that he does because he was taught that sophisticated or urbane gentlemen are supposed to do them, but this is like trying to learning how to date from a K-drama or how to have fun sex from porn. (DO NOT DO EITHER).

c) Choi San has aggression and fierceness inside of him, but it is only and purely channeled into his work.

The question about why he did the performance bit with the lighter and the invisible cigarette must have been a pre-set one, because San's answer is a little bit too perfect. I just assumed that it was because Ateez's whole aesthetic is to try on different kinds of masculinities that young men find cool. San with his slicked back hair, long coat, and glasses, moodily lighting a cigarrette is very Godfather-cool, Yakuza-in-a-Fedora, Alain Delon in L'Assassin coded. It just looks cool and retro, and you get to see San looking super pretty doing it.

There is no reason, in short, other than it's showbiz and a bid to go viral by doing something borderline daring for a kpop Idol.

But San's explanation is that he was angry that day, because the preparations for what was supposed to happen on stage did not happen, and he saved the day by coming up with a borderline risque idea that would be memorable. He was channeling his anger as a professional who wasn't being properly supported by unnamed third parties into a creative output. And of course, San behaved perfectly by checking with the proper authorities first about whether or not his idea was permissible. He's an artist, you see, and a responsible young man to boot.

His description of Ateez as a team and his career within it has all the markers of an underdog Hollywood movie. In fact I think that's where he's getting this narrative from. Every time they try to make a big leap, they get blocked! He refers to the terrible timing of being ready to give a big concert in Spain just when Covid hit that country. That there was heartbreak and difficult times before the turnaround they experienced with the Kingdom appearance.

If you're deadset on finding Idols (and basically, men who appeal to women in the field of show business) ridiculous and effete, which a lot of Korean male commentators don't hesitate to do, this will not change minds, but his description of Ateez, trying to hype themselves up by cursing and punching themselves (?) to put on a SHOW about fighting a Kraken through the power of BB Trippin' choreography and Edenary's compositions is so cute. If you've ever tried to do anything with your life, even stuff that sounds so miniscule on paper has to be treated with due care to get anywhere. He's serious about this job, and he approaches it sincerely, is the point of this. And what may look - horror - like an effeminate job still requires this high-testosterone build up back stage!

San also takes aim at a common critique (often career- ending) for Idols, that they're arrogant and given to self-importance. He himself (and the rest of his team) would never ever do that, because they've climbed up to their present position one difficult step at a time, and so they fully appreciate everything they're able to enjoy in the spirit of humility. "Every opportunity to perform is precious to us, still," he says, after he intones that "All eight of us have been able to get to where we are with a healthy mentality int act because of the slow, step by step path we had to take."

d) Choi San has deep professional ambitions, and thinks in healthily ambitious way about his career. He has big dreams.

San says that there is not a single member of Ateez who is satisfied with where they are right now. And Narae Park, because she's there to hype them up and make them a big deal, acts like Ateez is some sort of really important band. "What more could you want to accomplish?"

Choi San wants, for himself and for his team, to be really famous, because they aren't, but he doesn't say it like that. He wants to be known for quality. "When someone asks, Who's the most impressive band? I want someone to say, Oh it's Ateez."

And the reason he wants that to happen is because of what Narae tells him -that she's derived a lot of comfort from a difficult period in her life from his performances (specifically, lusting after him, but they both are Confucian so they skip this part). He says that he does what he does because of that kind of benefit his work can provide to others. "Of all the different aspects of what I do, I think [providing solace to people] is the most worthwhile aspect." (제가 하는 업 중에서 가장 보람찬 일이지 않을까 싶어요. 이것 때문에 일을 계속 합니다.)

There's a whole spiritual and life purpose reason for his being ... a Kpop idol.

e) Choi San is romantically available and is looking for a girlfriend in a heterosexual, heteronormative way.

The yaoi shipping fans might take offense, but that's not what I'm trying to do.

There's an understandable reason why San tells the story about the way he plays, by himself, as much as possible, and this is the most logical explanation in context. All the stuff he does - he goes to very wholesome play parks, by himself. He goes to movies. He goes to affordable family restaurants. All by himself. Meaning, it's without managers and minders and servants, so he's a man of the common people. Meaning, he doesn't play with other celebrities or show business folks, because he is still a down home normal boy. When you get a Choi San, you just get him, and not a bunch of tag-along come-withs (not even Wooyoung!).

And what does he do there? Why does he do this? He wants to focus on the experience - of the movie, of the food, of the amusement park. There's a lot of space in his life. He's very alone. And he's capable of being very devoted.

What doesn't he do? Go clubbing. Go out drinking. Develop expensive hobbies (like, say, golf or going to ski resorts in Japan or whatever).

He plays in a way that would be really nice for the young women and teenager girls who dream about him can dream about realistically playing in Seoul. It's perfect.

f) Choi San is ready for the big time, because he was raised right, has suffered for his art, and is a lovely man, besides.

The story of how he got into show business is also Perfect Son in Law Coded. He was introduced to it by a student of his father, who is in the Trot genre, which is a little bit less sexual and a lot more geared at older adults than Idol music. A Hyung he grew up with took him by the hand to this production company to say, Please take a look at my talented little brother, basically.

"I was lucky," San says. "I'm very lucky about the people in my life."

San also is someone who comes from a very tightly knit family of a type that only very conservative (not politically, but culturally) families have - very involved grandparents. He calls his own parents three times a week. He visits his grandparents, one of whom is in a care facility, at least once a quarter, even though one of them no longer has the capacity to remember him. He weeps with Confucian filial guilt (which looks and sounds a lot like Catholic guilt, minus God and Jesus etc) when he realizes that he only misses his grandparents when things are diffiult for him personally. When life is fun and easy, he doesn't think of them as often.

I am of two minds about this. First, relatable, because I also had an intense relationship with my grandmother. (My grandfather died when my father was a baby). I also visited her (in my case, weekly) past the point when she really remembered me or knew who I was, because there was, like San says, a physical sense that some part of her other than her cognition did know me. But second, aaahhhh this is why Gyeongsangdo men make really exhausting husbands. They don't ever fully leave their families of origin. When you marry one, you marry the whole bloodline. It's bloody exhausting and the costs that Korean Confucianism still demands of women is so terrible and unfair, that this much devotion to family is kind of offputting in a guy.

Sorry San. But also I get you. (Complicated feelings).

g) The country boy underneath keeps peeking out, breaking my heart in the best way.

It's so unusual for a guy in Showbiz, especially Idol Showbiz, which is the slickest of the slick, to have a country boy identity and actually make the most of it. Being called provincial was such a pain point for someone like my mother, Busan born and raised, that she still uses it as an insult long after the general culture has moved on.

And the moving on has not entirely been completed, because Narae, who was born what, 1985?, says of San and his successful transition into a (mostly) Seoul accent, 신분세탁 다 했네요! You've completed your identity laundering process! Because being a country bumpkin that sounds like one is a dirty, smudged identity that needs cleaning. So that assumption is still there.

That expression he's making, scrunching up his face while waving his hands frantically, is an extremely Gyeongsangdo man move, when they get overwhelmed from cringe or disagreement or, other times, too much flattering and become mute. My dad does that. My uncles do that. I didn't expect San the Kpop Idol to exhibit that exact body language. It stopped me in my tracks.

The two women in Narae's production crew from Daego and Busan say that San had bits of his original dialect poking out, and he does, but they were wrong about when it happened.

The first was when he said, 외국 형아 (Foreign Hyung-a) for the mood he thinks Lemon Drop's visual imagery had - leather jacket, no shirt inside leather jacket, boots ete. It's the Hyung-a part, where he doesn't say 외국 사람( foreign person) or 외국 남자 (foreign man) or even, 외국형 (foreign brother). His adding 형-아 is a way to make himself diminutive, because only only very small boys call an older brother Hyung-Ah.

(The second time is when he tells Narae Park that he doesn't think he will forget this day. He pronounces it as: 저는 오늘 몬잊을거 같아요 rather than 못 잊을거 같아요. Pronouncing that word, not (one of the variations) as mon rahter than mot is one of the key Gyeongsango tells, and one of the hardest ones to lose.

Even though he isn't my bias (ISN'T HE? He's not my bias but he's my most beloved, don't you think? What is happening??), I think I'd react kind of the same as Narae does below, if he were to deploy all of this right in my face.

In case it's of interest, here are the other essays in my The Magic of San series.

The Magic of San Ep 1. The Magic of San Ep 2: Men Crying, and the Gyeongsangdo Accent. Magic of San Part 3: The Marilyn Monroe sidebar 1. Magic of San Part 4: Marilyn Monroe Sidebar 2 Dumb? Magic of San Part 5: Marilyn Monroe Sidebar 3: Performance Intelligence & Humor. Magic of San Part 6: Marilyn Monroe Sidebar 4: On/Off and Studiousness,

[justevthings]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: ATEEZ (Band) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ), Choi San (ATEEZ)/Original Female Character(s), Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ)/Original Female Character(s), Choi San/Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ)/Reader Characters: Choi San (ATEEZ), Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ), Original Female Character named Yoon Haeun Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alpha/Alpha, Alpha Choi San (ATEEZ), Alpha Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ), Omega Yoon Haeun, Knotting, Masturbation, Vaginal Fingering, Teasing, Possessive Behavior, sex toys in general cause haeun is one horny omega, Established Choi San/Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ), Choi San Loves Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ), Jung Wooyoung is a Little Shit (ATEEZ), Protective Choi San (ATEEZ), Soft Dom Choi San (ATEEZ), Bratty Dom Jung Wooyoung, there should be tag for bratty dom wooyoung, haeun thinks she can outbrat him but he is the final boss of brattiness, Jung Wooyoung is a Tease (ATEEZ), Switch Choi San/Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ), Yoon Haeun is on the chubby author might be projecting, Face-Sitting, Licking, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, Pregnant Sex, her ex is an asshole, toxic relationship ( not between san wooyoung and haeun Summary:

Yoon Haeun , 25 years old ,omega and pregnant . Starts a new life. Join Haeun on navigating her new life as an six months old single omega ,a new apartment and the alpha couple next door

[justevthings]

Demigods Series - Enhypen

🗡 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

These will be a series of drabbles in Percy Jackson’s universe about reader x member, all of them include smut and different plots, i will be uploading according to which i finish first, but i don’t know how much will it take me to finish them. Also, keep in mind that obviously i changed a few things from the original series just for acomodation since clearly i'm not a fantasy writer, just took inspo from the universe!

(coming soon)

Just for the glory - Jake sim 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

Synopsis: Jake Sim, son of Hermes and captain of cabin 11 at the camp halfblood, is known as the best swordsman of his generation. With his swordsmanship and unshakable confidence, his life seems perfectly under control, until you, challenge him to a sword duel. In front of the entire community, Jake accepts the challenge, confident in his victory. However, he soon discovers that you are not just a beautiful face, but a formidable warrior with skills that surprise him. Amid the fierce competition and growing tension, you two are caught by an unexpected spark. As your hearts begin to intertwine, Jake will have to face a new kind of battle: the duel between pride and love.

Content: +18MDNI fem! reader x jake, pjo au, hermes! son jake x aphrodites! daugther reader, jake is a little cocky i based his character on my man luke castellan ok, violence (sword duel), cursing, sexual tension, dirty talk, explicit sex.

READ HERE.

Side quest - Lee Heeseung 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

Synopsis: Lee Heeseung, son of Ares, is known for his violence and cruelty at the halfblood camp. He mocks the newcomers and enjoys tormenting those he deems weak. His attitude sparks your hatred, you not only despise his aggressive nature but also see him as a threat to the peace of the camp. You both deeply loathe each other. However, when you two are sent together on a dangerous quest, your relationship begins to change.

Content: +18MDNI fem! reader x heeseung, pjo au! ares' son! heeseung x aphrodites daughter! reader, enemies! to lovers, jungwon is a side character in this, violence (hs and y/n fight a lot phsyically) cursing, dirty talk, hard dom! heeseung, rough, angry sex.

Brighter days - Park Sunghoon 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

Synopsis: Park Sunghoon, the forbidden son of Zeus, is admired and respected by everyone at halfblood camp, but he prefers to keep to himself and avoid the crowds. With his reserved and somewhat grumpy attitude, his peace is constantly interrupted by your relentless energy, the daughter of Apollo. Outgoing, cheerful, and full of life, you never miss an opportunity to approach Sunghoon, who knows you have a crush on him. However, his temper and desire to maintain his distance lead him to reject you time and time again. Despite his attempts to avoid you, Sunghoon begins to notice that, behind your spark and laughter, there is more than just a girl chasing him. As he struggles to maintain his wall of coldness, you, with your boundless light, are determined to break it, proving that even the coldest heart can be touched by the warmth of the sun.

Content: +18MDNI fem!reader x sunghoon, pjo au! zeus' son! sunghoon x apollos daughter! reader, grumpy x sunshine plot, smut, kind of enemies to lovers but not really, fluffy ending, explicit sex.

Forbidden fruit - Yang Jungwon 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

Synopsis: At the halfblood camp, there exists an unwritten but unbreakable rule: no romance between demigods. You, daughter of Athena, are known for your intelligence and wisdom, always following the rules to the letter. However, your life takes an unexpected turn when you fall in love with Yang Jungwon, son of Poseidon. Though your feelings are deeper than ever, you know this relationship is dangerous. Not only because of the rule that separates you, but because any discovery could put your lives at risk. As you struggle to keep your love a secret, you must use all your cunning to hide what is growing between you two, but how long can you conceal what you truly feel before everything falls apart?

Content: +18MDNI fem!reader x jungwon, pjo au! poseidon's son! jungwon x athena's daughter! reader, percabeth based story but a twist, smut, fluff vanilla sex, kind of emotional.

Wounded - Park Jay 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

Synopsis: Park Jay, son of Hephaestus, is a genius at the forge, but has always been more reserved than other demigods. Despite his introverted nature, he has found an unwavering friend in you, the daughter of Poseidon. Together, you’ve shared laughter, adventures, and secrets, but your relationship has always been purely friendship. However, everything changes when Jay returns gravely injured from a quest. Worried about him, you decide to take care of him, giving him your time and attention as the good friend you’ve always been. As you tend to his physical wounds, you begin to discover the depths of your own heart, realizing that your feelings for Jay go beyond friendship.

Content: +18MDNI fem!reader x jay, pjo au! hephaeustus son! jay x poseidon's daughter! reader, friends! to lovers, fire x water, violence (wounds), fluff, sexual tension, smut.

Lost Ego - Kim Sunoo 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

Synopsis: Kim Sunoo, son of the goddess Aphrodite, is the epitome of perfection: handsome, charismatic, and charming. His presence lights up the halfblood camp, but not everyone sees him that way. You, daughter of Ares, detest him for no apparent reason, although your feelings towards him are more complicated than you would like to admit. Your aversion to Sunoo goes beyond the natural rivalry between the children of Ares and Aphrodite, and you don’t quite understand why you feel this way. Everything changes one night, during a party around the campfire, when you are challenged to do something that will turn your world upside down.

Content: +18MDNI fem!reader x sunoo, pjo au! aprhodite's son! sunoo x ares daughter! reader, kind of enemies to lovers, sexual tension, smut, explicit sex, kind of sub sunoo but not really.

Deadly - Nishimura Riki 𓈒ིུ ❤︎ ˖ ݁

Synopsis: Nishimura Riki, son of Hades, is an enigma at halfblood camp. Quiet, mysterious, and surrounded by an aura of darkness, he is the outcast boy, feared by everyone because of his lineage with the god of the dead. What few know is that, beyond his shadowy nature, Riki carries deep emotional and physical scars, remnants of his own past. No one dares to approach him, and he prefers to keep his distance. However, there is one exception: You, the daughter of Apollo, known as the "golden girl" for your skill as an archer and your bright personality. Though Riki keeps his secret affection for you, what no one sees is the gentle glow you bring to his life.

Content: +18MDNI fem!reader x ni-ki, pjo au! hades' son! ni-ki x apollo's daughter! reader, emo ni-ki agenda, ni-ki has a crush on y/n and thinks she doesn't like him back, emotional, mentions of death (hades, duh) soft vanilla sex, smut.

i’ll make a taglist for this so comment/send ask if you would like to be tagged when i post these!!🥹💗

[justevthings]

gimme gimme gimme -> mingtor ~ 'smarteez on sand' (2)

Friends have graduated, board positions have changed, relationships are brand new and ever changing, but you and Mingi… You don’t change. Which to some should be a comfort, peace of mind knowing your partner is right by your side, always there for you especially in your times of need… You can’t figure out why you don’t feel the same.

highly rec'd to read Nice for What first, this is a continuation of that story <3

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ the playlist

one: stuck.

two: who?!

three: cheers!

four: soulmate.

five: wave.

six: awakening.

seven: dare.

eight: awake.

...up next: speechless ➳ 'nice for what' 2 ~ the finale

read it on ao3 | talk to me | my masterlist

[justevthings]

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°°••.. Application Status: In Progress ..••°°

➳ Please complete the following to submit completed application to Nasara's Registration Administration: 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .

○ nice for what - That one fucked you over last year, this one is fucking you over this year, you had no idea she was involved with him, someone over here has been lying to you, you didn't mean to end up in that ones bed, he told you he loved you... Does anyone even trust anyone anymore?

○ rush - a peek into sans world.

○ under the influence - yunho and aurora in part four of nice for what.

○ home;run - So, the college thing didn’t really work out, did it? People talk about having a plan B, a plan C. Luckily, you have a DK, your older brother who wants nothing more than to whip his party loving little sister into shape. You’ve always loved his teammates, they’ve always loved you, surely Plan DK will go exactly as planned… Right?

○ daughter - He can do this. No, really, he can do this. Expect the unexpected, right?

○ gimme gimme gimme - Friends have graduated, board positions have changed, relationships are brand new and ever changing, but you and Mingi… You don’t change. Which to some should be a comfort, peace of mind knowing your partner is right by your side, always there for you especially in your times of need… You can’t figure out why you don’t feel the same.

○ speechless - You're their president now, you have to show up. Why does it matter your dad is sick, or that your absent mother is weaseling her way into your lives, or that the boy you love hasn't spoken a word to you in months, or that your grades are slipping and you could lose your scholarship right before you graduate, or that your struggling with maintaining your friendships? You're their president, you have to show up for them.

ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ!

Nasara University has recieved your application. Thank you!

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[justevthings]

nice for what -> 'smarteez'

the playlist ⭒❃.✮:▹ masterlist ⭒❃.✮:▹ NU Home Page

That one fucked you over last year, this one is fucking you over this year, you had no idea she was involved with him, someone over here has been lying to you, you didn't mean to end up in that ones bed, he told you he loved you... Does anyone even trust anyone anymore?

[one] - 'i can do it with a broken heart' ~ taylor swift

[two] - 'we can't be friends (wait for your love)' ~ ariana grande

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ [san] - 'rush' ~ troye sivan

[three] - 'tell ur girlfriend' ~ lay bankz

[four] - 'nonsense' ~ sabrina carpenter

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ [yunho] - 'under the influence' ~ chris brown

[five] - ‘teenage dirtbag’ ~ wheatus

[six] - 'because i liked a boy' ~ sabrina carpenter

[seven] - ‘no church in the wild’ ~ jay-z/ye

[eight] - 'call it what you want' ~ taylor swift

[nine] - 'move along' ~ all american rejects

[ten] ~ 'hot to go!' ~ chappell roan

...up next: home;run ➳ isla & vernons story

read it on ao3 ✧ talk to me ✧ my masterlist ✧ plumverse

[justevthings]

NU Home Page - Nasara University

" Dear Students, we are delighted to welcome you to Nasara University, where your energy and excitement enrich our campus life.

Located in the center of Delo, a suburban city bustling with life, Nasara University has stood for centuries. Built in 1942, the schools primary focus law and politics, the campus has since expanded and welcomes students looking to study various subjects and matters, excelling them forward to obtain distinguished degrees.

Home to the notorious sibling fraternity and sorority, ATZ and ITZ, new and existing students have the opportunity to join current members through recruitment, setting themselves up for utmost success with the support of their housemates. Every student apart of these organizations are guaranteed a step ahead of their peers.

Whether you are beginning or continuing your educational journey with us, we look forward to learning, exploring, and growing together. "

Meet ITZ! ~ Meet ATZ!

Are you ready to enroll?

Submit Application

Within the same universe/world as Haven and NMWID for further context.

Check out Plumverse for more!

read it on ao3 ✧ talk to me ✧ my masterlist

[justevthings]

↞ back to nav.

☼ AO3 | wattpad | support | share with me ☼

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟplumverse masterlist

bts

quick fix/drabbles:

☽ the bias room ~ jjk. thv. myg. ~ When you start to stan a group you think you'll acquire one bias... That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Oh, and in case you didn't know? They're all self aware.

series:

☽ the 'vegas, baby.' collection ~ myg. ~ A peek into the life of an Idol and his soulmate tackling the obstacles that come with having a surprise in the whirlwind of a world they live in.

☽ yellow ~ myg. ~ Fresh out of college, when you think your life has hit a standstill, that you'll be stuck behind a desk for eternity, the universe decides to play a joke. A hilariously wonderful, beautiful joke that hurls you into your future without any time to think it through. You're dating an... Idol?!

stray kids

quick fix/drabbles:

☽ a secret ~ hyunlix. ~ The in-between, after the live ends moments that Stay never gets to see.

☽ CHEESE ~ felix & han. ~ Your best friends are about to have their next comeback! The boys ask you for help with some finishing touches on their album…. Just not in the way you’d expect.

☽ worries ~ chan when your anxiety is acting up...

series:

☽ haven. & taste. ~ lk. hj. ~ Like magnets, the push and pull of an addictively toxic relationship is relentless, never ending. It doesn't help that the men you're involved with are both equally good at their game... And apparently, so are you.

☽ me and the devil. ~ minsung. ~ Jisung’s dreams are an arms length away, lying in the hands of his superior who gives him a test, one that challenges everything he’s ever known, a taste of a life so intriguing. It’s only a matter of time before he’s faced with a choice�� Who’s hands does he take?

tomorrow x together

quick fix/drabbles:

☽ sweet desire ~ beomgyu. ~ A makeup artist for one of BigHits biggest groups, you've created memorable friendships with four members... and a secret with another. On set for their newest, sexiest comeback, it's impossible to keep it hidden.

☽ daughter ~ yeonjun ~ He can do this. No, really, he can do this. Expect the unexpected, right?

series:

☽ no matter what i do ~ love triangles. the blurriest lines. broken hearts. pure, raw, lust fueled passion.

seventeen

quick fix/drabbles:

☽ daylight ~ vernon. ~ '...back and forth, from new york, sneakin' in your bed...'

☽ i think he knows ~ mingyu. ~ "...i want you, bless my soul..."

series:

☽ HOME;RUN ~ College didn't work out, so you're stuck with the next best thing. Living with your superstar brother, traveling with his championship winning team, haunted by your past and heavily influenced by your present.

ATEEZ

quick fix/drabbles:

☽ rush ~ a peek into san's world - nice for what

☽ under the influence ~ yunho ~ continues straight from part four of nice for what.

series:

☽ nice for what ~ That one fucked you over last year, this one is fucking you over this year, you had no idea she was involved with him, someone over here has been lying to you, you didn't mean to end up in that ones bed, he told you he loved you... Does anyone even trust anyone anymore?

☽ gimme gimme gimme ~ the aftermath of nice for what ~ Friends have graduated, board positions have changed, relationships are brand new and ever changing, but you and Mingi… You don’t change. Which to some should be a comfort, peace of mind knowing your partner is right by your side, always there for you especially in your times of need… You can’t figure out why you don’t feel the same.

☽ speechless ~ the finale. senior year ~ You're their president now, you have to show up. Why does it matter your dad is sick, or that your absent mother is weaseling her way into your lives, or that the boy you love hasn't spoken a word to you in months, or that your grades are slipping and you could lose your scholarship right before you graduate, or that your struggling with maintaining your friendships? You're their president, you have to show up for them.

! incomplete/wips/archived !

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please do not repost/translate my works anywhere without my permission.

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[justevthings]

HeartBeat Sync Master List

My first ATEEZ fanfiction. Enjoy!

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT! SMUTTY SCENES ARE INCLUDED!

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22

Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27

Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33

Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39

Part 40 Part 41 Part 42

[justevthings]

. ₊˚ෆ xoxo, sincerely yours ♡₊˚ \\ Jung Wooyoung : Valentine's Special SMAU

Pairing jung wooyoung x fem reader

Genre smau! f2lvrs w crack, drama, slow burning?? mid cursing

Synopsis “Finally confessing your feelings to the guy you’ve had a crush on since middle school. Only one problem… your ex best friend has a crush on him too. In the end, who gets the guy??”

A/N: Happy Valentine’s Day/ Month!! Ik that I’ve been gone for a while but that’s only bc I’ve been working on this project in my free time 🥲 so I'm hoping you all enjoy! And thank you for bearing w me! I really do appreciate it.

I also want to add this !DISCLAIMER! this is pure fiction and in no way is any true representation to any of the characters involved. FICTION FICTION FICTION! Mkay?? Okay 😙 I’m super excited as this is my first attempt at a series smau!! Your feedback is always much appreciated and helps me as the writer.

dates/timestamps are all irrelevant to the story btw

start date 25.27.1

end date undetermined

Masterlist ♡₊˚

Profiles:

—. main girlies

—. the boyzzz

—. the barbz

Chapters:

1.0 first of the month shenanigans

1.1 it's platonic...right

2.0 the case of bubbly

2.2 now my stomach is all bubbly

3.0 try my luck

3.3 parties connect

4.0 and the drama begins

4.4 web of lies

5.0 houston! we have a "misunderstanding"??

5.5 memory lane is actually this way

6.0 high school all over again

6.6 ay ay captain

7.0 different places, same shit

7.7 stick to the plan

8.0 what now...

8.8 so I gotta let it go

9.0 the war is over

9.9 prep game

10.0 valentine's day

Tags 🏷️: @miniature-tragedy @istansquirrels @marvolos @domfikeluva @santineez @ateezswonderland @zzenkha @bellybellasblog

[justevthings]

i am the first one to advocate for seonghwa short hair but it looks so strage rn jsjsj

it looks like his long hair was the regular one and he got a pixie cut

[justevthings]

“ like a cat in a sunny spot ” ♡ iv: teaser ♡

SERIES PLAYLIST: “ swim ” - chase atlantic ♡ “ honey (are u coming?) ” - maneskin ♡ “ the summoning  ” - sleep token ♡ “ soft spot ” - keshi ♡ “ fallin’ for you ” - colbie caillat ♡ " kiss me " - ed sheeran ♡

SUMMARY: rora wasn't sure how she ended up in this situation - a spicy, sweet relationship with 8 wonderful men, one of them being a coworker, all of them being friends with each other. one night, it was just her and her cat. one night it was her being coerced by her co-workers to go out with them after work. one night, it was them abandoning her at the door and two very attractive men walking up to her at the bar. one night, it was her going home with them, having the best sex of her life. and next thing she knew, one night turned into two, into a whole weekend, into her meeting and consequently falling for the rest of their friend group.

all she did know, though, was that she was loving it. loving them, how she feels with them. and she wouldn't change a single thing about it.

SERIES WARNINGS: poly, eventual ot8, named oc - “Rora”, derived from “Aurora” (soooooo original, I know), who is basically a self-insert (i'm still on the brink of denial about it). implied queer oc. loooots of nicknames/pet names, and even more as the fic progresses. things move pretty quickly in this, and it may stray vaguely into soulmate au territory but like, I'm a sucker for these men and for the way I've written them and I just can't stop.

apologies in advance if the timeline doesn't make any sense, I'm going purely on vibes and my affection for these 8 men. idk if it deserves a warning, but scents are mentioned a lot in this part and kinda littered through the rest of the fic, too (using scent profiles from a perfume/fragrance site that has a line of scents called “Smells Like a Hug From Ateez” and very limited knowledge of fragrances the members may have previously used/just the vibes they give off).

TEASER WORD COUNT: 670/6.5k

CHAPTER WARNINGS: wooyoung + walking through the city vibes + cats + brief cafe + coffee and rain; this is really random and obvious filler and just meant to explore the characters and their one on one dynamics for a change; there was much debate on whether this should actually be san or not, but changed it to wooyoung cause i feel it matches with him better

♡ 18+ - no smut, but still MDNI ♡

iv: even in the falling rain

“It’s cozy,” he remarked.

She grinned, stepping immediately over to the window by her bed, pulling the blinds to allow her plants to have some sunlight and swinging it open to air the place out a little. “Do you want something to drink?” she asked, stepping back over to the kitchen area, where Wooyoung was lingering, still glancing around her small apartment. He shook his head, and she nodded. “You can sit on the sofa or look around. I’m going to shower really quick.” 

He simply nodded, walking over to examine the things she had hung up on the wall beside her bed. Leaving him to it, she stumbled into the bathroom and swung the door shut before commencing what had to be the quickest shower she had ever taken in her life. She barely waited for the water to warm up, and went through only the essentials of her usual shower routine. Toweling herself off a mere ten to fifteen minutes later and searching for some clothes. She settled on her comfiest pair of ripped black jeans and threw a new hoodie back on, mourning the loss of San’s, but it unfortunately needed a wash after her romp with Woo and Yunho and a long night of sleep. 

Rora held her towel around her shoulders, hopping from foot to foot to slide socks on as she came out of the bathroom. The sight of Wooyoung still examining the things on her wall, now perched on her bed, brought her to a pause in her frantic movements. He looked good in her space, especially with his hair still messy and his obviously well-worn sweatshirt drooping down in the front to reveal a tempting bit of the tan skin stretched over his collarbones. He blended right into the warm creams and earthy sages and splashes of black of her apartment, looking just as fluffy as her numerous blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. Just about as lively as the plants lining her window sills. 

She wondered how the others would look in her home, and she figured they would all fit the space well in their own ways. Her cheeks warmed, and she shook her head. She literally just met three of these four men - it’s a bit too early in knowing them to be feeling any kind of attachment. Right? 

Rora blinked, head tilting as she shifted from one foot to the other, paused in any coming thoughts when she saw her cat at Wooyoung’s feet, his tail swaying from side to side in the way it does before he jumps up onto something. A giggle bubbled up when he did just that, Wooyoung startling with a brief shout. She watched as he grinned down at the now purring kitty kneading at his lap. “Oh, hello,” he murmured, petting the patch of white between his brown ears. His eyes glanced up, and he smiled at her. “Who’s this?” he asked. 

“That,” she said, walking over to settle on the bed beside Wooyoung, “is Teddy.” 

“Hello, Teddy,” Wooyoung said, leaning down so that the cat, now pawing at his chest, could nuzzle at his chin. “He’s an affectionate little guy, hmm?”

“He’s usually a bit more reserved around new people, but I guess he likes you.” she mused. “Do you have a cat of your own?” 

He shook his head but started fishing his phone from his pocket, one hand still stroking down Teddy’s back. “San has one. Byeol,” he said with a proud little look on his face, turning his screen toward her to show a picture of the cat looking up at the camera. “She stays with his family, though.”

“She’s pretty,” she said, absentmindedly reaching out to stroke down Teddy’s face, happiness trilling through her when he nuzzled his cold little nose against her hand, sharp little teeth nibbling at her skin. “Of course not prettier than you, baby,” she cooed, leaving a kiss on his soft head. 

She laughed when he meowed at her. “Are you hungry, Teddy baby?”

[justevthings]

⭑I Can See You⭑

TWO: cosmic rush

Warnings: angst, arguing, fighting (one physical push between 2 members), name calling, swearing Word count: 8.5k

⭑2016⭑

“Hello stranger!” Yunho greets her as Yeonghwa walks into the classroom

“Hey Yunho!” she laughs taking off her backpack

Yeonghwa hadn’t been at school for the past 3 days as she was in Japan working with Moonlight. They had a performance there plus were filming the MV for their new song ‘Cosmic Rush’.

“How was Japan?” he asks as she sits down

“Busy!” she simply answers. “How was school?”

“Boring! Mr Nams satellite ears weren’t as funny without you here!” he replies. He looks at her as she sets up her school stuff on the desk, “There is something different about you!” he says, not sure what it is

“Probably my hair!” she says not batting an eyelid

“Did you get a hair cut?” he asks looking at it more closely

“Not quite.” she laughs looking at him, “I am wearing a wig, Yunho!”

"A wig?" Yunho's eyes widen comically as he leans closer to inspect her hair. "No way! It looks so real!"

"Well yeah, that's kinda the point," Yeonghwa snorts, swatting his hand away as he reaches out to touch it. "And don't pull on it, I spent forever getting it to sit right this morning."

"But why are you wearing a wig?"

“New hair for the comeback, I have to hide. So wigs are a must when I am at school.” she sighs, “Personally I hate them as they are itchy and make my head sweat but it is strictly forbidden to reveal new hair styles and colours beforehand.”

“Am I allowed to know?” he grins playfully

“Absolutely not!” she laughs swatting his hand away again

“Oh come on, where are my best friend perks?!” he pouts

Yeonghwa freezes slightly at him saying ‘best friend’ and he notices her reaction. Since Yunho started at SOPA 3 weeks before they had gotten more friendly with one another, spending their time exchanging notes, talking during breaks and Yeonghwa was enjoying having a friend at school now but she hadn’t realised he saw her that way. She decides not to say anything about it but Yunho can see she is a little weirded out as she brushes it off.

"Well..." she drags out the word, pretending to think hard about it. "I guess since you did help me with that chemistry homework last week..."

"Yes? Yes?" Yunho leans forward in his chair, practically bouncing.

"It's white with these really pretty pastel pink and lilac streaks," she finally whispers into his ear covering her mouth so only he could hear. The sensation of her breath on his ear and the low tone of her voice makes his stomach flip a little. "But if you tell anyone, I swear-" she leans back

"My lips are sealed!" he mimes zipping his mouth shut. "But that sounds sick actually. Can't wait to see the big reveal."

“You will see it on comeback day if you watch the music video or our comeback stage.” she says, “I won’t be in school for a few days again.” she adds with a small sigh

“Of course I’ll be watching both and all performances afterwards! Just you try and stop me!!” he smiles, “When are the teasers dropping?” he asks

“First one is in 2 days so you’ll see my hair in its full glory then!” she answers, “And I can take this fucking wig off!”

“And don’t worry about schoolwork. I made you a copy of all our work this week and I will do the same next week too.” he says handing her a semi-thick folder

“Wow!” she gasps looking at it, “You really didn’t need to do all this! Thanks you Yunho!” she is grateful for his help in keeping up with her studies.

Previously, when she missed classes because of her schedule, no students gave her notes; she only received a small packet of assignments from the school to complete during her absence.

“It was nothing!” he shrugs nonchalantly

As Yeonghwa flips through the folder with a grateful smile, she notices a small piece of paper tucked inside. Curious, she pulls it out and unfolds it to reveal a simple doodle of a hamster which was her animal representative in the band with a phone number underneath it and faded heart at the end. It looks like he had drawn it and then erased it but the paper was still showing it faintly. It made her smile a little.

Yunho rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, "I know it's cheesy, but I wanted to give you my number so if you had any questions about school work you had a way of contacting me," he says with a shy grin.

Yeonghwa glances up from the drawing, her cheeks turning a bit pink at Yunho's gesture. "Are you sure this isn't just a trick to get my number?" she teases.

"What? No, definitely not! You don't have to give it to me if you don't want to!" he replies, flustered.

"Yun! I'm just kidding!" she laughs, "That's really thoughtful of you," she adds, placing the paper securely into her folder with a gentle smile.

“Oh!” he sighs in relief as he scratches his head awkwardly, a bashful grin on his face. "I just want to make sure you're all set for your comeback without falling behind in schoolwork," he says earnestly.

Yeonghwa nods appreciatively. "I really appreciate it, Yunho. It means a lot to me," she says softly. “But you may end up regretting it as I could end up blowing up your phone when I am on schedules!”

"Feel free to send me as many messages as you want!" he laughs. "Oh, and keep it a secret that I have a phone. We're not supposed to have them until after debut, but we all secretly do. Hongjoong would be so annoyed if he found out, but I'm pretty sure he has one too!"

"A secret phone? How scandalous!" Yeonghwa teases, lowering her voice dramatically. "And here I thought you were such a good boy."

"Hey, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do," Yunho says, puffing up his chest before breaking into a smile.

They sit in a comfortable silence for a moment before Yunho clears his throat. "So, um, are you up for a ninja picnic lunch today? My treat, I’ll buy you whatever you want!" he offers with a hopeful expression. “I’m not going to see Mingi today as he has a dental appointment.”

"I can't today," she explains. "My manager reserved one of the private halls for me to rehearse. We're filming the dance practice video for the song tonight, so I need to get ready."

"Oh, that's cool!" he responds with a nod, but she notices the disappointment in his expression.

"But I'll be alone, so i-if you'd like, you could join me," she stammers nervously, her fingers playing with the bottom of her skirt. "As long as you promise to keep the song a secret!"

"Really?" he responds, brightening.

“Of course!!” she breaks into a wide smile “Maybe I can finally see some of these awesome dance skills you say you have too!”

“My dancing is totally awesome!” he grins

"Oh yeah? Prove it then!" Yeonghwa challenges, raising an eyebrow. "Show me what you've got during practice!"

"Challenge accepted!" Yunho announces with a theatrical puff of his chest. "Just don't hold it against me if my awesome moves leave you feeling jealous."

"Pfft, please," she rolls her eyes, trying not to laugh. "I've been dancing since I was like, 4 years old."

"Well, I've been dancing since I was in the womb," he replies with a cheeky grin.

"That's not even possible, you goof," she laughs, giving him a playful shove. "If that were true, I really pity your mom for dealing with that while you were in her belly—and considering you're a giant too!"

"I'll have you know, I was just as small as you when I was born! I only shot up in height over the past two years!" he says with a grin.

“I find that hard believe!” she laughs, “Scary part is you are still growing too! I stopped when I was 13 years old!”

Yunho looks at her fondly. He had missed her presence in school the past 3 days. Although he did get more work done in class as he wasn’t messing around with Yeonghwa, it wasn’t as fun and he missed her.

As the rest of their fellow classmates begin to fill the classroom and the teacher walks in, they got themselves prepared for the day ahead. They spent break time together as usual, going over the folder of notes Yunho had made for her, telling her what assignments had been set etc and before they knew it lunch time had arrived.

“You get yourself something to eat and come to room 107 when you are ready.” Yeonghwa says as they make their way down the stairs

“Do you want me to get you anything?” he asks, hoping she’ll be eating something but she shakes her head.

“I’ve got a protein shake and a banana with me today.” she answers, “Misty handed it to me as I was leaving this morning. Said she’d hit me over the head with the banana if I don’t have them!” she giggles

“Good! I’m glad someone is taking care of you!” he smiles at hearing she is actually going to be consuming something for lunch. “Want a bottle of water?”

“Yeah I do actually!” she says pulling her purse from her pocket to give him money

“Oh hell no, put that away! This is my treat!” he smiles, “and after your promotions are over I will take you out for a lovely meal to celebrate!”

“I highly doubt my company would allow me to do that, they control every aspect of my life,” she responds. Yunho feels a pang in his chest at her words, not because she said she couldn't do it, but because her company has so much control over her. It doesn't seem fair. "But I wouldn't say no to having a ninja lunch with you after everything is done," she adds with a mischievous smile.

“Really?” he breaks into a smile

“Absolutely! If it is okay with Mingi, that is!” she replies

“I am positive he would. He is pretty cool. I think you two would really get along!” Yunho replies

“Its a deal then! Once my promotions are over, we do the great escape!” Yeonghwa nods with a happy grin on her face.

As they reach the bottom of the stairs, Yeonghwa make her way to the private dance hall, her footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. The familiar scent of polished wood and sweat greets her as she pushes open the heavy door. Sunlight streams through the high windows, casting long shadows across the gleaming floor causing her to smile. She loved being in practice rooms, it was her place of sanctuary, somewhere she can be free. She sets down her bag and pulls out her protein shake and banana, placing them carefully on a nearby bench.

Meanwhile, Yunho navigates the bustling cafeteria, the cacophony of voices and clattering trays filling the air. He quickly selects a sandwich and an apple, his mind already racing ahead to the dance hall. As he paid for his food, he grabs two bottles of ice cold water, one for himself and one for Yeonghwa.

Back in the dance hall, Yeonghwa has changed into her practice clothes - a loose tank top and form-fitting leggings with a pair of sneakers. The choreo she was about to perform would be impossible in her stiff and restrictive school uniform. She stands before the wall of mirrors, taking deep breaths as she centres herself. With practised movements, she begins to stretch, her lithe body bending and twisting to get rid of the stiffness from sitting at her desk for so long.

Yunho arrives just as Yeonghwa was finishing her warm-up routine. He slips inside quietly, not wanting to disturb her concentration. Knowing himself how important it is to get into the zone before dancing. He finds a spot against the far wall and he settles down to watch, his lunch momentarily forgotten.

He notices that her black wig has been tossed aside and her freshly dyed white hair, which is now shorter and falls a few inches below her shoulders, hangs in loose natural waves with pastel streaks that are barely noticeable from afar.

Yeonghwa pulls out her phone and set it on a small speaker. She sets up her ipad infront of the mirror, ready to play the group rehearsal video if she needed any reminders. A moment later, the opening notes of Moonlight's new song filled the room. The beat was infectious, a pulsing rhythm that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards. Yunho can’t help but nod to his head to beat as his eyes focus on her.

Yeonghwa begin to move. Her body becomes a living instrument, every gesture precise and purposeful. She flows across the floor, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground. Her arms carved graceful arcs through the air, fingers splayed in delicate formations.

As the song reaches its climax, Yeonghwa launches into a breathtaking series of spins, her body a blur of motion. She ends with a dramatic pose, chest heaving, one hand on her hip. For a moment, the room was silent save for her ragged breathing.

Then, catching sight of Yunho in the mirror's reflection, Yeonghwa's serious expression melted into a wide grin. She turned to face him, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

"So," she pants, eyes sparkling with mischief, "what did you think?"

Yunho sits there, mouth agape, still processing the incredible performance he'd just witnessed. He struggles to find words that could adequately express his admiration.

"That was... wow," he finally manages, shaking his head in disbelief. "I knew you were good, but that was... incredible. Seriously, Yeonghwa, you're amazing."

“I know it looks strange dancing solo to a group performance but trust me it looks a lot better when we do it together, I promise!” she laughs as he hands the bottle of water to her

“Not at all! I practice alone too so I get it. I can’t wait to see the comeback stage!” he smiles

"Time to show me those moves you were bragging about earlier," Yeonghwa says, taking a long drink from her water bottle. "Unless you were all talk?"

"Oh, I'll show you my moves alright," Yunho grins, shrugging off his blazer, rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt and untucking it from his trousers to give him more freedom. "Just don't get jealous when I outshine you."

"I'm shaking in my sneakers," she deadpans, but can't help smiling as she watches him do some exaggerated stretches while she sits infront of the mirror to look at him head on.

"Okay, play that track again. I've got this," he says confidently, moving to the centre of the room.

Yeonghwa hits play and watches with growing amusement as Yunho starts to dance. Her amused smile is soon replaced with wonderment as he hits the majority of the moves - his movements are sharp and he has picked up the steps from that one performance she did. But when it comes to one particularly complex sequence that Yeonghwa does in the dance break which includes a backwards handstand and a landing into the splits, he gets his legs tangled and nearly face-plants.

"Shit!" he yelps, stumbling sideways. "How the hell do you make that look so easy?"

"Years of practice and one very scary choreographer," she laughs, walking over to help him. "Here, it's more like this-" She demonstrates the move slowly.

"My legs don't bend that way!" he protests, trying to copy her. "I think you might actually be made of rubber."

"Says the guy who's basically a human giraffe," she teases, adjusting his arm position. "Less flailing, more control."

"I am graceful as fuck, I'll have you know," he declares, promptly tripping over his own feet again.

“It is a hard move so don’t over do it, I don’t want you to hurt yourself. I fear your leader may hunt me down if I get one of his fellow trainees injured!” she says

“I can do it!” he nods

They spend the next few minutes going through the steps very slowly, Yunho's determination to get it right making Yeonghwa smile. Despite his jokes, she can tell he's actually trying hard to learn the complex move properly.

“Okay, you are getting it!” she claps when he nails the backwards handstand and nearly does a full splits

"That's not a move guys are supposed to attempt!" he chuckles as he stands, trying to resist the urge to massage his sore groin in her presence.

"You did great," she says with a smile. "But can you do it in sync with the music?" she adds with a playful grin.

“Is that a challenge?” he quips as she nods, “From the top!” he adds as she begins the track from the beginning

They both stand side by side facing the mirror as the music begins over the speaker, the bass vibrating through the floor they begin to dance in complete sync with one another. Yunho nailing every single move. Yeonghwas eyes are on him in the mirror as she dances beside him and she is seriously impressed.

As the dance break begins, Yunho smashes the quick movements, the backwards handstand and even the splits before getting up quickly to finish the routine off. As the music ends they are both breathing heavily standing in the ending pose.

“Holy shit!” Yunho groans flopping to the floor exhausted as Yeonghwa holds onto her hips and squats down beside him laughing.

“Yunho, that was awesome!” she says as she looks at him sprawled on the floor

“They didn’t give me the main dancer position for nothing you know!” he replies opening some of the buttons of his shirt to get some air, maybe a bit too many as the top part of his chest is on show.

Yeonghwa awkwardly looks away as she sees the skin of his chest before standing up and going over to her bag to get the banana. As Yunho sits upright he sees in the mirror how much of his chest he just exposed accidentally, quickly covering himself again.

"So uh, that was fun!" Yeonghwa says a bit too quickly, focusing intently on peeling her banana.

"Yeah!" Yunho agrees, still slightly out of breath as he fumbles with his shirt buttons.

An awkward silence falls between them as Yeonghwa takes small bites of her banana, very deliberately staring at the wall. Yunho clears his throat. "I think I’ve pulled muscles I didn't even know I had."

"You'll definitely feel it tomorrow," she snorts, still not quite looking at him. "Maybe I should've warned you about that part."

"Nah, totally worth it," he groans, rolling his shoulders. "Even if I have to crawl to dance practice tonight."

“Oh shit, you should have said you had dance practice! I would have gone easier on you!!” she says with wide eyes

"Please, I could do this choreo in my sleep," Yunho scoffs, though the way he's wincing as he stretches tells a different story.

"Oh yeah? Is that why you're moving like my grandpa right now?" Yeonghwa takes another bite of her banana, finally able to fully look at him now that he's buttoned up.

"Your grandpa probably has better flexibility than me right now," he groans, attempting to stand. "Shit, I think my legs are actually broken."

"Drama queen," she rolls her eyes, but offers him a hand up anyway.

Yunho eagerly accepts, forgetting her small stature as he pulls a bit too forcefully, almost causing her to topple over. He quickly steadies her by placing his hands on her hips as she clutches his shoulders for support. Even though he was seated on the floor, his height and her petite 153cm frame meant their faces were closer now than when standing. It was the first time she truly observed his facial features, and her stomach fluttered at how handsome he was, especially with the gentle way he gazed at her while her fingers softly held onto his shirt.

The moment stretches between them, neither moving. Yeonghwa can feel the warmth of his hands through her practice clothes, and she's suddenly very aware of how sweaty she probably is from dancing.

A loud bang from somewhere in the hallway makes them both jump. Yeonghwa stumbles backward, nearly tripping over her own feet this time.

"Shit, sorry!" Yunho says, hands hovering awkwardly in the air where her waist had been. His ears are turning pink. "I didn't mean to, uh..."

"No, it's fine! I mean, You did save me from face-planting so… thanks!" Yeonghwa says quickly

They both move at the same time to gather their things, nearly bumping into each other again. Yunho takes an exaggerated step back, almost tripping over his own feet.

"So uh, when exactly is the comeback?" he asks, trying to break the weird tension. "You know, so I can mark my calendar and everything."

"Thursday," she answers, grateful for the change in subject.

“You must be really exhausted with the preparations and school on top.” he says

“I think my body's running purely on energy drinks and bananas at this point." she laughs

“I wonder what Misty would say if she knew!” he smirks

"What Misty doesn't know won't hurt her," Yeonghwa says with a guilty grin. "Though she has this weird sixth sense about these things. Last time she caught me with a Red Bull she literally appeared out of nowhere like some kind of health-conscious ninja with shoving one of her disgusting kale smoothies into my hand."

"That's terrifying," Yunho laughs as he stretches his legs. "Fuck, I think my legs are actually dead."

"Aww poor baby," Yeonghwa teases. "And here I thought you said you were graceful as fuck?"

"I am! I'm just... gracefully sore."

“Well get used to it with being your groups main dancer! You’ll be pushed past your limits a lot… but it gets easier.” she says as they sit on the wooden bench beside the wall, “Hows things with your group anyway?”

“The same. Late night practices for all of us after school. Monthly reviews.”

“Ah I don’t miss those!” she nods taking a sip of her water, “They scared me every time!”

"I heard you were the top trainee every month, though!" Yunho remarks.

“Oh I was because I worked my ass off but also feared for my life too.” Yeonghwa confesses, as Yunho listens intently. "The company constantly threatened to terminate our contracts and give us bus tickets home if we didn't meet certain targets. I didn't want to go back to Yeosu! Don't get me wrong, I love my little hometown on the south coast, but I wanted this opportunity too much.”

Yunho nods, absorbing everything she's sharing, catching a rare glimpse of the real young woman behind the image of 'Korea's princess' that most people see.

“So hows your companies trainee search going? Last I heard there was someone you’s were trying to steal from another company!” she says

"We're meeting him next week, so fingers crossed he chooses us! We do have a new person who started this week, and you'll never guess his name!" Yunho responds excitedly.

“What is it?!” she giggles

"His name, Yeonghwa, is..." he pauses for a dramatic effect, emphasising her name, "Seonghwa!"

"Yeonghwa and Seonghwa!" she exclaims, eyes wide. "You have no excuse for forgetting my name now, mister!"

"As if I ever could!" he replies. "He seems nice though, older than the rest of us, and he's also from the south coast. I think he and San will have a lot to talk about."

"Where is San from?" Yeonghwa asks as she tosses her banana peel into a small trash bag.

“Namhae.” he answers

"That's right next to Yeosu! My family and I went to Namhae for vacation a few times. It’s really beautiful! My aunt actually moved there because she loved it so much." she says, her eyes lighting up. “And Seonghwa?"

“Just below Jinju, I don’t know exactly where but I heard him say he lived by the ocean so must be at the coast.” he answers, “Good news is the company will be giving us a dorm soon! Living together will help us bond more I think.”

“That is so cool! Dorm life can interesting but mostly fun! Do you know how many members your company is looking to have in your group yet?” she asks pulling her legs up to sit crossed legged

“At the moment they’ve said 7.” he replies, “Though the CEO just can’t make up his mind. Last week he wanted 5 members, the week before we said 11! Next week he’ll probably want 25!”

"God, can you imagine?" Yeonghwa snorts. "Just an entire army of idols on stage. The poor stylists would have a mental breakdown."

"The choreographer would quit on the spot," Yunho grins. "Though at least the fanchants would be epic. Might take fans three hours just to get through all the names."

"Your lightstick would need its own battery pack," she giggles, then grimaces as she shifts position. "Ugh, I think my legs are starting to cramp up too."

"I swear that backwards handstand into splits thing is actually torture disguised as choreography." Yunho groans

They both laugh, and Yeonghwa checks the time on her phone. "Shit, we should probably head back soon. Mr. Nam will have an aneurysm if we're late."

"His satellite ears might actually explode," Yunho agrees, attempting to stand up and immediately regretting it. "Fuck, I think I'm stuck. You might have to wheel me to class in a desk chair."

"Some main dancer you are," Yeonghwa teases, getting up with a similar feeling to Yunho. "Need me to carry you?"

"On your back?" he asks hopefully.

"In your dreams, giraffe boy." she says

“It was worth a shot!” he shrugs, “I’ll take our rubbish to the bins and wait for you outside as you get changed.” he adds

Yunho heads to the bins outside, clutching a bag of trash. After tossing it in, he leans against the wall, savoring a quiet moment alone. A smile spreads across his face as he reflects on spending his lunch break with Yeonghwa, watching her dance and learning from her. He had admired her dancing for a long time.

Yeonghwa emerges from the dance room, her wig slightly askew and her uniform slightly rumpled from changing quickly. She fidgets with her blazer as she spots Yunho waiting, her mind unhelpfully flashing back to the accidental chest reveal and the feeling his hands on her waist, the way he looked at her.

"Ready?" Yunho asks, pushing off from the wall.

"Yeah," she mumbles, looking down at her feet as they start walking.

They walk in awkward silence for a few steps before Yunho trips going up the stairs.

"Need me to call you an ambulance?" she teases, walking backwards up the steps to face him. "Or maybe a crane to lift you?"

"You're evil," he declares, dragging himself up dramatically. "Pure evil disguised as a tiny person."

She's about to retort when she notices her wig slipping slightly. She quickly adjusts it, glancing around to make sure no one saw.

"Your disguise is slipping, Spiderman," Yunho whispers conspiratorially.

“I hate this thing!” she grumbles “The quicker this comeback happens so I can stop hiding my hair the better.”

“Well if it makes you feel any better, I think your new hair looks really good.” he smiles as they reach the top of the stairs. “And the new song is amazing too. You ladies are going to smash the comeback.”

“Thanks Yun!” she says feeling a bit flustered at his compliments

Yunho notices her flushed cheeks and shy smile, and in all honestly it makes him feel good seeing her react to him like that. However he knows the reality of their situation. They are friends only.

⭑2020⭑

Yunho sees that same flushed cheeks and shy smile on her face now all these years later. It still gives him butterflies. As much as he wished it wouldn’t. Seeing her again after so long during the award season had been difficult for him. A mixture of emotions he hadn’t realised he’d been keeping inside were coming out now.

Their last conversation had replayed in his head over and over again despite not thinking of it in over a year. The hurt in his heart resurfacing once more. The words she said. It had come out of nowhere as well and he couldn’t wrap his head around why. He had just came home from a month long training trip to LA with the other members, they had spoken every single day on the phone in secret when camera, managers and Hongjoong wasn’t around. Nothing had changed until they met up, Hongjoong allowing her to visit the dorm for a bit since Yunho hadn’t seen her in so long, and as far as he knew barely spoken to her while away. Yunho had been so excited to see her, he cleaned up the entire dorm himself, set up his shared room with San with blankets and pillows to watch a movie (the door was to be left wide open at all times Hongjoong demanded), bought her favourite flowers and had presents from LA for her. He had been so excited to see her again, hold her close in his arms once more.

But the moment she stepped into the dorm, he sensed that something was amiss. After some time, Yunho broke Hongjoong's rule about keeping the bedroom door open, closing it when Yeonghwa repeatedly pulled away from his attempts to hug her or hold her hand—something she hadn't done since they'd become more than friends. That's when she uttered the words he never imagined he'd hear: ‘I don’t love you.’

She walked out and disappeared from his life, until award season arrived two years later. By then, Ateez had debuted and, though still considered 'rookies,' they were gaining popularity, meaning Yunho and Yeonghwa were bound to cross paths again.

His band members had silently rallied around him during each award show that Moonlight was in attendance at, trying to be subtle about keeping an eye on him but he could see through them. He truly appreciated their care but he didn’t want a fuss.

He takes one more glance at her and feels his heart skip a beat as she smiles at the fans in the audience waving to her. Her new hair colour - cherry red catching the lights perfectly. As a member of staff approaches the band, her focus turns to them and they all stand up. Clearly it’s time for them to get ready for their performance and it would be a lie if he said he wasn’t looking forward to it.

As the five women hurriedly passed by the group, Yunho attempted to focus ahead, but his gaze lingered on Yeonghwa as her subtle perfume enveloped him. He caught Mingi's eyes on him, and Yunho understood exactly what Mingi was thinking. Yunho had been open about his feelings for Yeonghwa since she ended things with him two years ago. Mingi detested her and was never shy about expressing it.

"For fuck's sake, stop staring," Mingi mutters under his breath, barely moving his lips as he maintains his camera-ready smile.

"I wasn't," Yunho whispers back, though they both know it's a lie.

"Stop making moon eyes at the person who-" Mingi cuts himself off as a staff member approaches with fresh bottles of water for them all, his expression shifting seamlessly into his usual cheerful demeanour. "Thanks noona!" he says brightly, before immediately dropping his voice again. "Who literally broke your fucking heart."

"I know, okay?" Yunho mutters, grabbing a bottle. "Trust me I was there, I know."

“And so were all of us!” Mingi grumbles, “Don’t let her suck you back in! She’s like siren - pretty and luring but evil inside!”

"I'm not getting dragged back into this," Yunho says, rolling his eyes, though Mingi's words tug at his heart. "And she's not evil! You never truly understood her."

"I know enough!" Mingi retorts, turning sharply to face Yunho.

"We're on camera, so both of you need to stop!" Hongjoong warns with a tense smile. "You can talk about this later when we're in private!"

Yunho takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension that had built up between him and Mingi. He knew his friend meant well, but sometimes his protective nature could be a bit overwhelming.

As Moonlights opening VT plays on the screen in preparation of their performance, Mingi leans in close to Yunho, lowering his voice. "I just don't want to see you hurt again, man. You deserve so much better than what she put you through."

Yunho nods, grateful for Mingi's concern. "I appreciate it, really. But I've come to terms with everything. It's water under the bridge now."

Mingi gives him a sceptical look, but doesn't press further as they all focus on the stage.

The lights dim, and a hush falls over the audience as Moonlight appear on a raised platform in the middle of the stage. They had changed into colourful sequin outfits that suited each of their styles. An ominous song plays as the camera does close ups of each of the members faces on the screen with the crowd cheering loudly and as Yeonghwa appears the noise appears the double in volume.

The opening notes of their latest song fill the arena, and the group burst into flawless synchronisation, their dance moves sharp and crisp. Yeonghwa was a blur of silver sequins and flowing red hair, her body twisting and leaping with astonishing grace.

As the song shifts into ‘Cosmic Rush’, Yunho's heart skips a beat. Moonlight launch into the energetic choreography for it - the same one Yeonghwa taught him years ago, back when they were just two innocent kids in school. Happy memories flood back to him - Yeonghwa giggling as he stumbled through the routine for the first time, her patient encouragement as he slowly got it right. The way she clapped, cheered and encouraged him when he nailed the complex moves.

As the song reaches its climax, Yeonghwa delivers the fast paced dance break moves with ease, her body seeming to hang suspended in mid-air for a breathless moment before crashing back to earth in a perfect landing. The crowd erupts into cheers, but Yunho barely registers them. His eyes are still locked on Yeonghwa, his heart pounding in time with the driving beat of the music.

“Aria is amazing!” Yunho hears Wooyoung say to San

San nods in agreement. “She always delivers every time! That’s why she is one of the best dancers in the business!”

“Shame about her personality!” Mingi says causing Yunho to glare at him

Hongjoong swiftly rises and guides Yunho to move to his seat, asking San to switch seats with Mingi positioning himself and San between Yunho and Mingi. Sensing that the situation was escalating, Hongjoong realised he needed to take action now.

On stage, Yeonghwa dances with dizzying speed and precision. Yunho can't help but grin - she was always destined for greatness on that stage. Watching her continuing to soar fills him with joy, even as a twinge of wistfulness tugs at his heartstrings. If only things could have been different between them...

As the final notes fade away and Moonlight take their bows to thunderous applause, Yunho feels a strange sense of peace wash over him. No matter what had happened between them in the past, he knew that Yeonghwa would always be an important part of his life.

As Moonlight make their way back to their seats, all their fellow idols standing to bow at them including Ateez, Yunho becomes intensely fascinated with his water bottle label, picking at it with his thumbnail while trying desperately not to look in their direction.

The award show drags on for what feels like eternities, with Yunho's leg bouncing so much that Hongjoong eventually places a hand on his knee to stop it. As the final award is announced and the closing ceremony begins, Yunho feels an overwhelming urge to find Yeonghwa backstage. He needs to talk to her, even if he has no idea what he'll actually say.

"Don't even think about it," Mingi hisses as they file off stage, clearly reading Yunho's mind. "I swear to god, I will literally sit on you."

"You're not my mom," Yunho responds, scanning the crowded backstage area.

"No, but I am your voice of reason, and right now your reason is telling you to get your ass to our waiting room before you make a big mistake."

"Mingi, I swear-" Yunho starts, but freezes as he spots a familiar figure in a silver sequin dress with long red hair disappearing around a corner. Without thinking, he yanks his arm free and darts away, ignoring Mingi's colourful cursing behind him.

Yunho weaves through the crowded backstage area, dodging staff members and other idols with his long legs while trying not to knock anyone over. He spots Yeonghwa again, this time talking to one of her members near the vending machines.

He hesitates for a moment, suddenly realising he has absolutely no plan. What the fuck is he even going to say? 'Hey, remember that time you completely shattered my heart? Good times!'

Before he can chicken out, Yeonghwa turns and spots him. Her eyes widen slightly, and for a moment they just stare at each other like a pair of deer caught in headlights.

"Uh, hi," he manages eloquently, internally cringing at himself.

"Hi," she responds, equally awkward. Her member Areum glances between them before making some excuse about needing to get her make up touched up. Yeonghwa nods grateful at her for giving her and Yunho space to speak.

"So..." Yunho starts, then trails off. Fuck, he really should have planned this better.

"So..." Yeonghwa echoes, fiddling with the sequins on her dress. "Your performance was amazing. As always!"

"Thanks. Yours too. That, uh, that backwards handstand gave me war flashbacks!"

She lets out a surprised laugh. "You remember that?"

"Kind of hard to forget when my groin still twinges every time it rains," he says without thinking, then immediately wants to die of embarrassment.

Yeonghwa snorts, covering her mouth quickly. "Still as graceful as fuck, I see?"

"You know me," he grins, relaxing slightly.

Yeonghwa can feel her heart racing in her chest at Yunho standing infront of her, actually talking to her! She never thought this would ever happen after she hurt him so much.

"Anyway, you are one to talk! Your moves are pretty insane!" Yeonghwa says, tucking some of her cherry red hair behind her ear. "The one where you practically fold yourself in half backwards. That looked painful as shit."

"Oh god, don't even remind me," Yunho groans. "My spine basically files for divorce every time we perform it. Pretty sure our choreographer is secretly a contortionist who enjoys watching us suffer."

"At least you're tall enough that when you do it, it looks cool. When I try anything like that I look like a garden gnome having a tantrum!"

Yunho snorts at her garden gnome comment. "Hey, at least you can do aegyo without looking like a sleep paralysis demon. I try to be cute and fans think I'm having a stroke."

"Oh god, remember that time you tried aegyo in the hallway during break and scared that poor freshman?" Yeonghwa laughs loudly, the memory hitting her suddenly. "Pretty sure she transferred schools after that."

"Listen, I was trying my best back then!" Yunho protests, though he's grinning. "And she only screamed a little bit."

"A little bit? The entire hallway thought someone was being murdered! Mr Nam came flying out the teachers lounge with a bat ready to attack someone!"

"Yeah well, not all of us can be naturally tiny and adorable," he says, gesturing vaguely at her whole... everything. "Some of us are cursed with being basically a tree."

"Please, you love being tall," she rolls her eyes. "How many times did you make me get stuff from the top shelf in the library or at the store just so you could watch me struggle?"

"It was quality entertainment!" he defends. "Like watching a very determined hamster trying to climb Mount Everest."

Yeonghwa gasps in mock offence. "I will climb you like a tree and fight you right now!"

"What, and risk messing up your fancy dress?" Yunho grins, nodding at her sparkly outfit. "Also I'm pretty sure if you tried to climb me in those heels, we'd both die."

"Worth it though," she smirks.

They both laugh, and for a moment it feels just like old times. Her laughter causing a flutter of butterflies to erupt in his stomach at hearing it once more. He has missed her a lot more than he realised. Then they hear Mingi's voice calling for Yunho from somewhere nearby, and reality crashes back in. "Ah shit."

"Still getting into trouble?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Some things never change," he shrugs. "I should probably-"

"Go," Yeonghwa finishes for him, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Yeah," he says, but doesn't move. "It was... it was good to see you, Yeonghwa."

"You too, Yun," she says softly, and something in his chest tightens at the old nickname. He swallows hard, suddenly feeling like there's a whole fucking field of landmines between them.

"Are you... would you be interested in meeting up at some point? Maybe we could grab a coffee or something." The words come out in a rush before he can second guess himself. "Just as friends though! No pressure!"

Yeonghwa blinks at him in surprise, processing his sudden invitation. A part of her screams yes immediately, desperate to spend more time with him, but another part hesitates.

"That sounds nice," she says slowly, carefully weighing her words. "But I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Oh," Yunho nods quickly, trying not to let his disappointment show on his face. "Right, no worries! Totally understand."

"It's not that I don't want to-" Yeonghwa starts hurriedly, but stops herself. What is she doing? She can't do this to him again.

"It's fine," Yunho says again, forcing a small smile he doesn't feel. "We're both busy people with hectic schedules anyway. It was a dumb idea."

"No it wasn't-" Yeonghwa reaches for him instinctively grabbing his hand.

The sudden physical contact between causes both their hearts to leap. Without thinking Yunhos free hand cups her cheek as she nuzzles into it, finding comfort in his touch.

The moment stretches between them, charged with unspoken words and memories. Yunho's thumb brushes gently across her cheek as he leans down, drawn to her like a magnet. Their faces inches apart, he stops himself just before their lips meet, instead resting his forehead against hers. They stay like that for a heartbeat, sharing the same air.

"One coffee," Yeonghwa whispers, barely audible.

Yunho lets out a shaky breath of relief. "One coffee," he repeats softly.

"But if Mingi tries to murder me, I'm using you as a human shield," she adds with a weak attempt at humour.

"He'd have to catch you first," Yunho murmurs, still not moving away. "And you're basically pocket-sized, so you could probably just hide behind a plant pot."

"I will literally bite your kneecaps," she threatens without heat.

"See? Tiny but vicious. Like an angry chihuahua."

"Keep talking like that and that coffee's gonna end up in your lap," she warns, but her fingers tighten slightly in his hand as Yunho lets out a breathy laugh

"YUNHO!" Mingi's voice echoes closer, making them both jump apart like startled cats.

"Quick, go before he has an aneurysm," Yeonghwa says, taking a step back. "I'll text you about the coffee."

"You don't have my number anymore," he points out.

“I can easily get it,” She grins at him, tightening her fingers once more “I have my connections!”

Just then, Mingi rounds the corner looking annoyed, his long legs eating up the distance between them quickly. His eyes narrow when he spots Yeonghwa before he sees them holding hands. Yeonghwa immediately drops it and takes a step back, nervously fiddling with the ends of her long hair.

"There you are!" he exclaims, grabbing Yunho's arm. "We need to go. Now."

"Mingi-" Yunho starts, but Mingi's already dragging him away.

"Nice seeing you again, Aria!" Mingi calls over his shoulder, his voice dripping with fake sweetness with extra emphasis on her stage name, which Mingi also knew she hated being called. "Love what you've done with your hair. Really brings out the snake-"

"For fuck's sake," Yunho mutters, yanking his arm free. He shoots an apologetic look at Yeonghwa, who's watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. “I was just being polite!” he looks back at Mingi

"Just being polite? Are you fucking kidding me? You are standing there holding her hand like teenagers!!" Mingi's voice rises an octave. "What happened to 'I'm not getting dragged back into this' and ‘water under the bridge’?"

"We were literally just talking about dancing!" Yunho protests, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Oh sure, because that's how it starts! First it's 'oh hey, nice backwards handstand' and next thing you know you're sneaking out to hotels with her then crying into your pillow when she throws you to the side again."

Yunho catches Yeonghwa shifting uncomfortably in his peripheral vision, her eyes fixed on the floor. The awkwardness is practically radiating off her in waves.

"Can we not do this here?" Yunho hisses, although the corridor is practically empty now, anyone could hear Mingis loud voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is this inconvenient for you?" Mingi's voice drips with sarcasm. "You know what else was inconvenient? Having to watch you mope around like a kicked puppy for months!"

"For fuck's sake, that was two years ago-"

"Yeah, and I'm not watching you go through round two of the Great Depression because you can't keep your distance from that bitch!" he points towards a startled looking Yeonghwa as Yunho pushes him. Mingis entire body language changes as he straightens up, somehow looking taller than Yunho.

"Song Mingi!" Hongjoong's sharp voice cuts through their bickering like a knife. Their leader stands at the end of the hallway, arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Both of you, waiting room. Now."

"But hyung-" Mingi starts.

"Did I fucking stutter?" Hongjoong says making his way towards the three of them

Mingi throws his hands up in frustration. "Fine. Fucking fine." He shoots one last venomous look at Yeonghwa before storming off, muttering under his breath.

"I'm so sorry, Yeong!" Yunho says moving back to Yeonghwa, who's hugging herself and looking like she wants the ground to swallow her whole. "He had no right to-"

"Yunho," Hongjoong cuts in firmly. "Say goodbye."

Yunho's jaw clenches, clearly wanting to say more, but one look at Hongjoong's expression tells him it's not up for debate. He turns back to Yeonghwa, his eyes softening. "I'll see you soon."

She manages a small nod, still looking shaken. Yunho hesitates for a moment before following the path Mingi took, his shoulders tense with barely contained anger.

Once Yunho's out of earshot, Hongjoong turns to Yeonghwa. His expression isn't unkind, but there's steel in his voice, there was no denying his intentions with his words. "You need to stay away from him. You once told him to leave you alone - do the same!"

"I didn't- he came to talk to me," Yeonghwa protests

"Yeah, because he's Yunho and he can't help himself," Hongjoong sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Look, you know how he is. He sees the best in everyone, even when they've hurt him."

"I never meant to-"

"Doesn't matter what you meant to do," Hongjoong cuts her off. "What matters is what happened and what you did to him! And it nearly broke him." He takes a step closer, lowering his voice. "I know that you genuinely once cared for him… so I'm asking you, for his sake and mental wellbeing - keep your distance."

Yeonghwa swallows hard, nodding slightly. She opens her mouth to respond but is cut off by her manager calling her name from down the hall.

"Good," Hongjoong says simply, already turning away. "See you around, Aria sunbaenim." he adds with a respectful bow but his tone of his voice was anything but.

Hearing her stage name feels like a sharp blow. The message is unmistakable. She observes Hongjoong walking away, then turns to face her manager, who is watching from a distance. Taking a deep breath, she heads back to her dressing room.

"Are you alright?" she inquires, wrapping a comforting arm around Yeonghwa's waist as she joins her.

Yeonghwa can only nod as they walk back to Moonlights waiting room.

As Hongjoong returns to his own waiting room, the air is heavy and silent. Mingi and Yunho are sitting on opposite sides of the room, the space between them crackling with unspoken words. Mingi’s arms are crossed, his jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might shatter at any moment. Yunho, on the other hand, is slouched in a chair, his eyes fixed on the floor.

The rest of the group is scattered around the room, their usual chatter replaced by an uncomfortable silence. Seonghwa is leaning against the counter between Yunho and Mingi as if waiting to play referee, his brow furrowed in concern

“Hey,” Seonghwa says softly, pushing off from the counter and walking over to Hongjoong. “What happened? Mingi stormed in not saying a word and Yunho came in a few minutes afterwards and.. I’ve never seen him look this way before!”

Hongjoong sighs, running a hand through his hair as he shut the door behind him. “They were… ” he says quietly, tipping his head toward the two. “I don’t even know how to describe it. They looked like they were about to go at each other’s throats.”

Seonghwa’s eyes widen. “What? What happened?”

Hongjoong shook his head. “I don’t know the whole story, but I walked in on the tail end of it. Yunho was talking to Yeonghwa, and… I don’t know what they were discussing, but Mingi clearly didn’t like it. When I found them, they were standing in the hallway, it was like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.”

“Damn,” Seonghwa mutters, crossing his arms over his chest. “And then what?”

Hongjoong hesitates, replaying the scene in his mind. “Yunho… he pushed Mingi. Actually pushed him. I’ve never seen him like that before. He’s always the calm one, the peacemaker. But… he just snapped.”

“Yunho p-pushed him?!” Seonghwa asks shocked

“Mingi called Yeonghwa a bitch.”

Seonghwa’s expression turns grim. “Yeah well, that is like a red flag to a bull. We all know by now not to badmouth her infront of Yunho.”

“Yeah, well this was not only infront of Yunho but Yeonghwa too! And in a corridor!” Hongjoong sighs, “We are just lucky the corridor had cleared out by this point and no one saw or heard any of this!”

“Ah shit!” Seonghwa rubs his head, “This is bad. Really bad. We need to nip this in the bud, now!”

“I know,” Hongjoong sighs, his voice laced with worry.

"You know how Yunho becomes when it involves Yeonghwa. His judgment gets clouded, and Mingi... Mingi's just trying to look out for him, but he's handling it the wrong way!"

Mingi suddenly stands up causing everyone except Yunho who is still staring at the floor, to look at him. “Yunho… you are my oldest friend,” he says taking a step forward, “And I’m sorry that I upset you but… I can’t stand by and watch her hurt you again.”

Yunho lifts his gaze from the floor, his face reflecting both surprise and defiance. "Mingi, I get it," he starts, his voice unsteady, "and I know why you all have issues with her," he glances around at everyone else, "but you've only ever seen one side of my relationship with Yeonghwa, and unfortunately, it was the worst moment. None of you witnessed us when we were alone, those times when her guard down, and she wasn't Aria from Moonlight, but just Yeonghwa from Yeosu! You never saw her!"

"No one's saying those moments weren't real," Seonghwa cuts in gently. "But-"

"But what?" Yunho says. "She's evil? A snake? A heartless bitch? I’ve heard it all and worse, from each of you! You may not have said it to my face, but I could always hear you badmouthing her when you thought I couldn’t."

"Dude, she literally told you she never loved you while wearing your fucking hoodie," Yeosang points out. "Like, who does that?"

Yunho’s jaw tightens as he processes Yeosangs words. His fists clench at his sides, his eyes flickering with a mixture of hurt and anger. “I know what she said,” he grits out through clenched teeth. “But you don’t understand everything. You weren’t there for the whole story.”

Mingi steps closer, his expression softening. “Yunho, we just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

Seonghwa nods in agreement, his gaze sympathetic. “It’s not about doubting your feelings, Yunho. It’s about looking out for you because we care about you.”

“And we are sorry you heard us speaking badly about her.” Wooyoung says

Yunho appreciates the support from his friends, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He nods gratefully, the sincerity in his eyes reflecting his gratitude. "Thank you, guys. I know you all mean well, and I'm grateful to have you looking out for me." He takes a deep breath, “But if you really do care about me, I need you all to back off when it comes to her.”

“What do you mean ‘back off’?” Jongho asks

Yunho looks around at his friends, his expression firm yet pleading. "I mean back off from talking about her, from trying to intervene with Yeonghwa. I need to figure things out on my own without all the negativity and interference. She’s agreed to meet me for a coffee… just the one!" he adds quickly as San groans.

Hongjoong frowns, concern etched on his face. "But Yunho, we just want what's best for you. We don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I know," he starts, his voice filled with gratitude. "But I need to handle this in my own way. I don’t know what is going to happen, we might never speak again after the coffee or we could slowly become friends once more…"

Mingi lets out a silent sigh at this that Yunho thankfully does not hear.

“But I can’t bear to have any of you disparage her anymore, regardless of what happens.” Yunho finishes. “You all say you don’t want me to be hurt, but hearing you speak that way about the girl I lov… once loved - THAT hurts me too!”

Seonghwa places a comforting hand on Yunho's shoulder. "We hear you, Yunho. We'll respect your wishes and try our best to support you in the way you need," he reassures him, his gaze filled with understanding.

Mingi, who had been listening quietly, finally speaks up. "Yunho, we've got your back. Just remember that we care about you and want the best for you," he says with a reassuring smile, his eyes reflecting his sincerity.

“That is all I am asking for.” Yunho replies

Wooyoung chimes in, his tone serious. "Yeah, we'll respect your boundaries. Just know that we're here for you no matter what."

Jongho nods in agreement. "We just want you to be happy, Yunho. We'll trust that you know what's best for yourself."

San can’t help but hug Yunho. "Just remember, we're here for you through whatever comes next."

“Don’t shut us out either!” Yeosang says

Mingi smiles at Yunho. "And I promise to keep my opinions about her to myself from now on. I didn’t realise I was hurting you whenever I spoke of her. Your happiness is what matters most to me.. to us."

With a collective nod, the group stands in solidarity with Yunho as he prepares to face the uncertainties of his meeting with Yeonghwa, knowing that they will be there for him every step of the way.

[justevthings]

uh where is that fic of idol yunho x idol oc who are friends and they meet each other at high school when she was an idol and he was a trainee and they stopped being freinds bc oc tell him she doesnt love him and all the members are mad esp mingi and they meet again at some awards

its pretty new and has two chapters so far but i cant find it

[justevthings]

Kiss of Chaos - Masterpost - Seonghwa x Reader (NSFW)

PART ONE -  In a world where witches and other magick users are increasingly being targeted, you have carved a spot for yourself in the city running a small magick shop. When a spell goes wrong and you are blocked off from your magick, you track down the most powerful witch in the city - Seonghwa - to try to fix it. As Seonghwa asks his coven for help, the two of you find yourselves increasingly attracted to one another. But will it be impossible for both Seonghwa and yourself to allow the walls that have been up for so long to come down and let each other inside?

PART TWO - Seonghwa takes you to meet fellow coven members, San and Wooyoung. But admitting the extent of your failed spell could end things with Seonghwa before they ever have a chance to truly begin.

PART THREE -  As things grow more complicated with the extent of your magick blockage, things also intensify with Seonghwa. A trip to the bookstore that Yunho and Mingi run offers hope but at the risk of extreme danger that would impact both you and Seonghwa.

PART FOUR -  As Seonghwa and you dance closer to the edge in regards to your blossoming feelings for one another, a trip to the potion shop means you are all set to attempt the ritual to get your magick back.

PART FIVE -  The ritual to break the blockage on your magick is finally here but will it go as planned?

FINAL PART -  With the ritual complete, the only lingering questions are in regards to your blossoming relationship with Seonghwa.

💜 Check out 3D renders based off this fic here!

[justevthings]

The Leaders | Chapter V

"this is the underworld that no one escapes from."

masterlist

ot8!ateez x f!reader, mafia au

chapter warnings: drinking, smoking, illegal businesses, mentions of shooting, war/military and drugs, wholesome maknaes interactions, san is a little flirty, hongjoong's subtle attempt to woo you, seonghwa's failed attempt, and yunho's very successful attempt! kissing.

chapter wc: 10.5k

chapter synopsis: you accompany hongjoong to his meeting with assemblyman wi, where you direct him to investigate secretary park with the keyword of ‘strictland’. while you recover from the meeting with san, yeosang learns that you are not the rv spies’ target. rather, you are being protected from a threat they refuse to reveal. you practise shooting with the warehouse boys but learn of a bet placed on your shooting skills and you go to confirm the culprit, yunho. things take an unexpected, intimate turn.

prev chapter recap: you accompany hongjoong to the station and he tells you about his past connection with general wi. you point inspector gong to secretary park’s direction and suggest using general wi. afterwards, you accompany hongjoong to lunch with san and yeosang where yeosang confirms if the actions of that drunken night did mean something. seonghwa prepares you to become secretary and you’re doubtful but hongjoong assures that you’re fit for the job. you go to meet the warehouse boys with seonghwa and learn about the illegal weapons manufacturing. on your way to practise shooting with the boys, you get attacked by secretary park’s men which leaves you questioning if staying with the crescents is worth the danger you bring with yourself. the boys assure you that you don’t have to worry about a thing because they have your back now. the night ends on a suggestive note with yunho.

Fate was a strange thing. 

Never did you think you would find yourself working for the biggest criminal organisation turned business. When you first got a job at the Crescent Bar, you were convinced that it had to be fate that led you here– these things were not in your control. You had been pushed around, going from place to place until you found yourself at the bar. 

However… it must be the hands of destiny that personally guided you to the Crescent Office to work alongside the bosses. Destiny must have whispered in your ears, a hand on your back to keep you steady. You finally felt as if you were at the right place and were doing the right thing after a whole life of unease and struggle. 

Not that the struggle or unease had gotten any easier– just that its nature had shifted into something that was familiar to you, like the game of chess you used to play with Secretary Park back when you lived together. He didn’t teach you how to play– he taught you how to win. There was a big difference between the two. He said that life was easier when you could splay the elements out on an imaginative chessboard and make a move accordingly. It was something that stuck with you.

It was also probably why your input regarding Assemblyman General Wi was being taken into consideration after you made your moves and cornered him. Assemblyman Wi was suspecting that the Crescents were trying to involve him in something darker than he initially thought. Hongjoong didn’t give him much in their phone call conversation that took place after Inspector Gong involved him in the drug investigation. Hongjoong only shared how valuable his information could be to his political career and the Assemblyman seemed to have caught the bait. 

He requested a personal meeting, and the boss was still adamant that you accompany him. After all, you were ‘his little secretary’ now. His assistant, a part of the inner circle, whatever label you wished to give it. The boys were doing their best to make you adjust to your new position. You were more involved in the business now, overseeing both the legal and the illegal side with Seonghwa. 

At the end of your night shift, you and Yunho would wrap things up before closing the office. Sometimes, he would walk you home under the pretence of discussing work. He always listened intently and responded well to your worries. Most of the time, it was clear that he was just using that opportunity to simply talk with you and get to know you better. 

Whatever it was, you weren’t one to complain– you were starting to get used to this little routine and if you were honest with yourself and your feelings for once, you would admit that you quite liked this. You quite liked him. It was hard not to warm up to him. 

Especially when he relaxed and let his work persona behind at the office. It was unbelievable that this was the same person whose presence had overwhelmed you an incredible amount before you joined the office– not that he wasn’t scary and overwhelming when he wanted to be. It was just that you understood his role as the consigliere of this business and how he had to maintain an image. 

Despite all of that, he made you feel safe now. You were starting to view Jeong Yunho in a new light and see him for who he really was as a person, not just as a Crescent.

He was still a bit reserved and for all the right reasons. You supposed as the consigliere, he must still have his qualms about you. He wouldn’t be good at his job if not. As far as work was concerned, he never indulged you in something new, only discussing the things you had already gone over with Seonghwa and Hongjoong. 

As did Seonghwa, though you didn’t even need to talk for him to hear you. It was a bit surreal how he had you all figured out. You would take a second to think something over and he would know that you were harbouring doubts. You would look at him a certain way and he would understand that you needed some assuring that everything would work out smoothly. 

And these were just his words– his touch provided you with a level of comfort you didn’t know was possible through just a simple brush of fingers against yours or a tap to your shoulder. You weren’t sure he realised what effect he had on you. It would be better if he didn’t.

And the boss… well. 

“I said what I said. You’re accompanying me to the meeting, whether you like it or not.”

You were back at square one with the argument concerning a certain politician.

“He’s Assemblyman Wi Ha Jun,” you almost sobbed. “You may know him from war as a Major General but I know him as a scary politician who has a knack for getting rid of people and burying all evidence.”

“He can’t touch you and you know that, Luna,” Hongjoong plopped on his chair and clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. “I thought you realised that by now.”

“I know,” you sighed deeply. “But you have to understand that knowing that changes nothing. I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake and say too much.”

“You won’t,” he assured you, suppressing a laugh. “Wasn’t I the scary boss once?”

“You still are?” You shrugged. “You’re taking me to the meeting at gunpoint. It can’t get any scarier than this.”

You both looked at the revolver that was previously lying still on the table but was now being carelessly spun between his fingers. He finally let out a dark cackle, tossing the revolver almost casually on top of the documents yet still making you flinch.

“Wish I could shoot some sense into you. And maybe a little self-confidence,” Hongjoong commented.

“Wish I could muster the self-confidence I had when I traded my life for secrets,” you retorted and he laughed in a low manner, still waiting for a response. You let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine, I’ll accompany you– on one condition.”

Hongjoong raised a brow. “You seem to forget that I’m the boss and you’re in no position to make such demands, but okay, carry on.”

You clutched your chest, feigning hurt. “I thought I was part of your ‘inner circle’ or whatever. Clearly not. Anyways, I would prefer it if I’m just introduced as Luna and not Jeon y/n. In fact, I think I’d like to keep going with Luna in the future too.”

That was how it was with the boss. An endless battle of retorts and jabs but it was mostly unserious, even though to an observer it would look like a quarrel. Perhaps, that was just what your dynamic had to be, and it wasn’t bad. You could really speak your mind when you were with him and that was saying something. He had a knack for making people open up and be honest with him.

Hongjoong passed you a challenging look but decided to ignore the jab. “Alright. We’ll try to keep your identity a secret for as long as possible, but you can’t blame us if he finds out anyway. He has quite the network himself.”

“Deal,” you nodded grimly, preparing yourself mentally for the meeting that was scheduled in two hours at the Crescent Bar right before your night shift. 

While you both worked in your respective spaces– him in his office, alone, and you outside at your usual spot, you noticed a familiar name while checking tomorrow’s schedule.

Seonghwa was meeting with a person called ‘Winter’. You thought you had heard the name before but you couldn’t recall where. You made a mental note to get a peek at the person when she would visit. Maybe her face would rock your memory.

Just as you were wrapping up and taking a break to freshen up (which included taking a walk around the block and gathering your wits for the meeting), Seonghwa arrived upstairs and noticed how you were so distracted cracking your knuckles that you didn’t hear him until he was right in front of your desk. 

“Nervous?” He asked.

“Very,” you admitted. No point hiding it because you weren’t good at that anyway, and the worst in front of him. “But it’s okay. I’m probably making it a big deal because it feels like I’m back to the Edenary days when my father was trying to make sure I wouldn’t come across these influential figures. Now the boss is trying to make sure I’m present.”

Seonghwa chuckled. “You understand why though, don’t you?”

“I do,” you smiled, holding the daily report in the air. Seonghwa motioned for you to follow him and you went to unlock his office, getting inside with him. 

“You don’t need to present it– I’ll take a look later,” Seonghwa said and you nodded, relieved. You set the report on the table then, standing awkwardly and pursing your lips. “Would you like some chamomile tea?”

“Thank you, but I’m okay. It looks like we’ll be drinking, so,” you shrugged. Seonghwa was taking off his coat and hanging it on the hatstand. It looked like he had more to say so you waited for him, his presence slowly washing a wave of calmness over you. 

And it seemed like he was aware of that because he stepped in front of you, this time a little closer. He placed both of his hands on your shoulders, caressing your collarbones with the pad of his thumbs, separated by the black net that made the neckline of your dress. 

“You’ll do alright, Luna. You don’t have to worry too much. Just be yourself and you’ll be fine. Besides, Hongjoong will be there with you. You can count on him.”

“I know. It’s just a bit daunting, but that’s just nerves. Thank you, Mr. Park.”

Seonghwa nodded and patted your head once before drawing away. “Are you okay?”

“Nervous? Yes–”

“No, I mean, are you okay?” Seonghwa asked, scanning your face with concentration. “With everything that’s been going on with Secretary Park, and now this meeting… You don’t have to be a part of this if you don’t wish to. You know that, right?”

This was what was so special about Park Seonghwa and why the rest of the Crescents always leaned on him. You felt your heart swoop anxiously but you nodded, mustering a steel gaze. 

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine. It’s just something that’s bound to happen one day or another.”

Seonghwa wasn’t satisfied with your answer though, and that was obvious by the warning look on his face. You let out a short laugh. “Really, thank you for asking, Mr. Park. You’re too kind to me.”

“I’m not,” he shook his head in amusement. 

“Yeah. You’re just kind to everyone in general, I know that,” you said. “I should be leaving now. Have a good rest of the night, Mr. Park.”

Just when you were about to exit, Seonghwa’s voice called. “Do you really think I’m kind to just anybody?”

You turned to look at him, hand on the door knob. He was right– he wasn’t kind to just anybody. He hadn’t been kind to you when you first met. 

“Are you claiming that I’m someone special to you?” You asked teasingly but when he nodded in all seriousness, you froze for just a moment. And then you took a deep breath, nodding. 

“Thank you for letting me know that I’m someone you care about now.”

Seonghwa looked just a little disappointed to hear that, but he remained silent. You shut the door behind you, pausing to process what he had said.

It was confusing you. Seonghwa’s kindness, Yunho’s antics, and whatever the hell was going on between you and Yeosang. And whatever the hell Wooyoung had said about them. You wished you could ask them but it wasn’t your place to. And you weren’t sure what they really wanted from you. If it was merely information, they could have very well tortured it out of you if they wished to.

So you went towards the Captain’s room– the one person you could be honest with, and the one person who was honest with you, no matter how ugly or bitter the truth might sound. You were just boss and secretary. He didn’t talk in circles like the rest.

“Ready?” He asked, grabbing his coat and cane from the corner.

“Ready,” you nodded and he came to stand in front of you, scanning you once.

“Do you have your gun with you?” He asked and you blinked in surprise but nodded. Hongjoong’s eyes went to the purse resting on your hip, hanging by your shoulder. “I hope you won’t have to use it, but we can never be too cautious. You know how susceptible the bar is to attacks.”

“I really need to learn how to properly use it though,” you admitted, about to open the door for him so you both could leave but he held his hand in the air, pausing you. He produced a narrow box out of the pocket of his coat and opened it, revealing an intricately carved silver cuff bracelet with an infinity sign at the clasp. 

Your mouth curved into an ‘o’ in surprise when you saw the brand– Maddox and Co. The famous jewellery shop in Sector 1. Its diamonds were a staple of Eden and people from all over the continent would visit Eden just to shop there.

He smirked at your expressions. “Like it?”

“So you plan to woo General Wi with… this?” 

Hongjoong rolled his eyes, waiting for you to give you his hand and when you did, albeit hesitantly, he shot you a disapproving look though you knew he was just teasing you. He helped you wear it on your left wrist and you admired the way it rested there.

“Just a little something for your… promotion, you could say.”

“Is this really for me?” You asked in disbelief and he nodded. “Shall I return it after the meeting?”

“Luna,” Hongjoong groaned, tossing the box on the sofa.

“Do you give out gifts to all your employees who get promoted?” You continued with the questions and Hongjoong chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

“Think of it as a bribe,” he said, chuckling at your expressions because you were annoyed that he was teasing you. “Let’s go, we’re getting late.”

“But–” you started, faltering when he left the room. You glanced at the cuff before following him, rushing to match his pace as he descended down the stairs. Even during the short car ride, you kept sending pleading looks in his direction in between admiring the beautiful jewellery. He continued to ignore you but you silently promised him that you would wring the answers out of him. 

Taeyong opened the door for you and led the way inside the bar, making sure everything was okay and having a word with General Wi’s men who were stationed outside Room no. 1 where the Crescents usually conducted their meetings. You looked around, relaxing a bit when you spotted Yeosang making his way towards the two of you.

“Just on time,” Yeosang patted your back. His hand stayed there for just a moment longer before he moved between you and Hongjoong to open the door. “San was keeping him company.”

“Let me know if you hear something, and have San signal me if anything seems amiss,” Hongjoong instructed and Yeosang nodded before knocking and opening the door.

“Ah, here comes the Captain,” San clapped before he got up. You couldn’t see the Assemblyman properly yet but he got up and Hongjoong straightened, saluting. Assemblyman General Wi saluted back before the two shared a warm handshake, exchanging greetings.

Assemblyman Wi caught you looking at him with curiosity and he thought that you looked familiar, though he couldn’t quite remember how. Hongjoong extended his hand towards you, prompting you to come forward to greet his superior and you shook hands.

“This is Luna. Currently my assistant and partner.”

“How do you do?” Assemblyman Wi asked, urging you to take a seat and you sat next to Hongjoong. The Assemblyman looked at Hongjoong. “Currently?”

“I’m trying to make her a Leader,” Hongjoong admitted and you slowly turned towards the boss. 

A Leader? 

“That’s the first I’m hearing of it, by the way,” you told the Assemblyman the truth and he laughed. Hongjoong sent an approving look in your direction. “I heard that you were Mr. Kim’s boss in the army. I’ve heard only the highest praise about you.”

“Oh, he likes me too much,” Assemblyman Wi waved his hand in dismissal, crossing his legs. Hongjoong poured him a drink and filled your glass as well. The burgundy colour of the liquid matched with the colour of his tie over the grey three-piece suit that the Assemblyman wore. 

“Did he tell you about our first meeting? I was sure we were going to be sworn enemies, Hongjoong and I– even though I was his superior.”

You looked at Hongjoong with a raised brow and he shook his head in amusement. “It wasn’t that serious, General.”

“Yeah, you only thought I was an incompetent asshole who was incapable of making decisions. Nothing serious,” Assemblyman Wi laughed and you pursed your lips to stifle a smile. “He had the audacity to say that out loud. Didn’t end up well for him.”

“Yeah, it didn’t, because we’re here now,” Hongjoong scoffed and the Assemblyman grinned. “How’s business?”

“Booming,” he said. “Especially after I got the Textile Export Amendment Bill passed in the parliament recently.”

“Ah, so you’re allowed to resume trade now?”

“With lower taxes, yes,” General Wi confirmed.

“I guess being a presidential candidate certainly has its pros,” Hongjoong concluded, raising his glass. The sound of clinks momentarily filled the room as you all drank. “And how’s politics going for you?”

Assemblyman Wi looked at his military subordinate for a moment too long. “You would know all about that, wouldn’t you?”

Hongjoong leaned back into the sofa with the familiarity of someone who had played this game too many times. You, though, sat straight in your seat, eyes fixated on the two and your hand busy fiddling with the cuff around your wrist.

“You must have asked to meet me for a reason,” Hongjoong clasped his hands together. “Coming here all the way from Edenary must have been tiring.”

The Assemblyman scoffed loudly. “You got my boys landed in the nick, you know?”

Hongjoong hummed, feigning ignorance. “I don’t keep tabs on every person in this Sector, General.”

“But you’ve been keeping tabs on me,” Assemblyman Wi said, unbothered by that fact probably because he kept tabs on the Crescents too. “You led me here, didn’t you?”

“If you want your boys out, you just have to ask,” Hongjoong assured him and the Assemblyman leaned back to extract a box of cigarettes out of his pocket, offering the two of you some. Both of you denied. He lit one, looking back and forth between you two while he smoked.

“I can get them out myself, but that’s not why I’m here,” Assemblyman Wi leaned forward, resting his arm on the table. “The drug my boys were smoking this time was new– I’m unable to trace the dealer which is why I’m sure it’s you, but the drugs are a byproduct of Park Pharmas.”

“Quite the opportunity for you then, isn’t it, Assemblyman Wi?” Hongjoong smiled and the man smirked in answer. He couldn’t deny that it was. “Maybe you should look into Park Pharmaceuticals after all.”

“I’m always looking into Park Pharmas. Secretary Park acts as a shield to President Lee and you know that I need to take him down to win the elections.”

Whoa, you thought. He was pretty confident in himself. You supposed that was not a bad trait and he needed that in order to take the presidential title one day. Hongjoong looked at you and you cleared your throat.

“You can trace the drugs back to Park Sunghoon– the Secretary’s son,” you told him and he raised his brow in surprise.

“He seems like a distinguished gentleman,” General Wi commented, eyes narrowed in thought.

“Yeah, well, apparently the distinguished can’t resist a little smoke,” you shook your head. “Once you get to Park Sunghoon, you don’t have to expose him right away– I suggest using him as bait to get some answers out of Secretary Park.”

“Answers to what?”

“You’d know when you get there,” you told him and he looked at Hongjoong who nodded. “Maybe pass a keyword around for your boys– Strictland.”

“Strictland?” Assemblyman Wi frowned. “What’s that dump of land got to do with any of this?”

“That’s for you to find out,” Hongjoong answered, nodding at you. “Just make sure that nobody traces this tip back to us.”

“I don’t like this,” Assemblyman Wi settled back in resignation. “I could have traced that source to Secretary Park anyway. I would have made up something. What do you want in return?”

“We only want to hear what you hear,” Hongjoong insisted. “Information. That’s it.”

“And what makes you think I’ll agree to share that information with you? Must be pretty valuable if you’re not directly investigating.”

Hongjoong smiled in answer and Assemblyman Wi looked at you, finding you pointing at the antique porcelain vase that had saved your life that night and got you involved in this dark web with the Crescents. The vase from his money laundering hustles. It took a moment for the Assemblyman to realise what was going on but when you spotted a flush creep up his neck, you knew that you got him.

Assemblyman Wi let Hongjoong refill his glass and he downed it in one gulp, chuckling afterwards. He looked at you with interest and you suddenly felt nervous but you matched his gaze.

“Now where did he find you? Who are you?”

“She’s just my secretary,” Hongjoong shrugged jokingly.

“She’s full of information, isn’t she? Look at her eyes,” Assemblyman Wi said, addressing Hongjoong. “You saw the potential, huh?” 

You had a feeling that they weren’t talking about your capabilities anymore and you started to feel a bitter taste on your tongue but Hongjoong, whether intentionally or unintentionally, let his hand fall to the side, brushing yours in the process. He didn’t move his hand.

“Looks like someone’s secretary hasn’t been doing a good job,” Hongjoong commented.

“Yeah, I might look for a replacement soon,” Assemblyman Wi smiled at you.

“She’s my secretary. I’m sure you can find plenty of options in Edenary. Maybe you can steal the President’s secretary.” Hongjoong said, referring to your father.

Assemblyman Wi laughed, shaking his head. “That man isn’t someone I can tame. I wonder why he didn’t run for presidency himself– he doesn’t need to be the president’s mere lackey.”

You didn’t miss how Hongjoong’s finger had momentarily curled against yours when he announced that you were his. His secretary. Before your mind could go elsewhere, though, Assemblyman Wi’s observation piqued your interest.

If someone of Assemblyman General Wi’s status thought that Secretary Park was potential presidential candidate material… why did your father never pursue it? He was an ambitious man, but he always seemed to be held back, sticking alongside the president and remaining in the shadows most of the time. Did he not desire that post, or did President Lee have something over him, something that bound them?

The rest of the small talk went by but you were too distracted with the ghost of the boss’ fingertips around yours. You had not expected him to provide you with moral support like this, if it could be called that. Somehow, even the mere thought of it was strangely comforting. 

Assemblyman Wi left with a promise to share whatever information he would come upon if you shared more about President Lee and Secretary Park in case you heard something amiss in the underground network. As soon as his figure disappeared, you slumped back on the seat, a wave of relief washing over you.

“Good job today, Luna,” Hongjoong patted your hand. “Really got him speechless without uttering a word. Impressive.”

“Yeah, I knew I was going to do that the moment we stepped in this room,” you laughed, massaging your temples. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Hongjoong asked nonchalantly, popping a few nuts in his mouth before checking the time. You only smiled in answer.

San and Yeosang entered the room after making sure the Assemblyman was gone and San clapped for you. “You did well.”

“Ah, you’re there,” Yeosang jumped a little when he spotted you and you supposed you were blending in pretty well with the seat right now. “Almost missed you.”

“How did it go?” San asked Hongjoong.

“Well. She’ll explain. I have to go back now. Get her to eat something– she looks pale.” Hongjoong ordered.

“Geez, thanks,” you slumped down even further and the boys snickered. Hongjoong left with a goodbye and the boys ordered some food for you. You admitted that now that the meeting was done with, your appetite was returning. You had been too nervous to eat properly the entire day.

Yeosang kept you company until the food arrived. You had just finished briefing the two on the meeting with General Wi– you told them that it looked like he really was going to start investigating the connection between Secretary Park and Strictland. Yeosang praised you for doing a good job and told you that he would catch up with you later, leaving to attend to business. 

That left San, and you smiled at the man who had once been your boss but was now the closest thing to a friend that you had in the Crescents. “It’s been a while, huh?”

“Just you and me? Yeah,” San said, passing you the sandwiches that were on today’s menu and for some reason, your heart did a little flip at his words. “So, how has it been at the office?”

“Well, I heard something funny,” you folded a napkin, dabbing at your mouth. “The boss told me that someone speaks very highly of me.”

“Oh? Who might that be?” San pretended to think but laughed in submission when you glared at him. “Yeah, well. Didn’t that work out for the better. You’ve warmed up to us quite a lot.”

You had to agree. Everything had changed. It was getting harder to recall a time when you were scared and concealed your identity from them, but now it served as a weapon and you were able to stand beside them, though you could still argue that you were better left in the background. “It’s hard not to.”

San smiled. “What do you think about the boss?”

“He’s… definitely something,” you let out a laugh. “He’s extraordinary, San. I see why he's called the Captain.”

“Oh, where did you hear that?” San leaned forward in curiosity.

“Jaemin,” you said and he shook his head. “It suits him. I’m really starting to admire him. I’m seeing you Crescents in a new light.”

“What do you really think of us, though?” San narrowed his eyes.

“That you’re all too much,” you whispered teasingly, taking a deep sigh. “You all are… too much.”

San was aware of why you might be feeling like that. “You’re not thinking of something stupid like how you shouldn’t be here right now, are you?” You gave him a look and he continued. “You belong here. With us. Do you feel that?”

“Sometimes,” you admitted. “Sometimes I think I’m being led to the altar–”

“We would never do that to you–”

“Not you,” you interrupted, calming him down. “It’s not you. I feel like we’re getting involved in something dangerous, and now that I’m here, I want to be able to protect you instead of leading you to the said danger. While I’m relieved that Assemblyman Wi will be doing the dirty work for us, it’s only a matter of time before things blow up.”

“Well, it’s not our first time dealing with something like this, so rest assured, you can count on us to control the damage.”

“I have a feeling that this Strictland business is beyond anything you could have imagined.”

San knew that you were right and that this was a possibility. He had discussed it with the boys and they were already taking appropriate measures by making new allies and setting traps in case things went south. 

“It’ll be okay, Luna,” San assured you. “If anything seems off, I’ll let you know, okay?”

“Thank you,” you gave him an earnest smile. “How have you been? Still whining about the workload?”

And that sparked a heated argument as you both compared your workload with a newfound competitive streak in you. The conversation shifted to San updating you on the recent gossip he’d heard at the bar, some of which you verified as credible. You finished your lunch while he talked and you checked the time.

“Well, it was wonderful catching up with you but I need to get some rest before I have to go to work again. Maybe you should have warned me about the long hours before I signed up to be Mr. Kim’s secretary.”

“Oops,” San grinned. “Do you like where you are now?”

You smiled at his question. He had asked you the same thing that drunken night at the bar when you had opened up to him– a little too much than you should have, though you didn’t regret it. “I do. I like them– the boss, Mr. Park… Yunho.”

San smiled knowingly at the way you called the consigliere’s name. “I told you– Yunho is the best person you can have by your side.”

“Yeah, well, it took us a lot of trial and error to get here, but we’re good,” you told him. “I met the warehouse boys formally too– I’m seeing them more often now that I’m accompanying the boss around.”

“Do you like them?”

“I mean… it’s Wooyoung. You can’t not like him,” you said and he laughed out loud. “He won’t allow that, and I honestly appreciate that he’s so laid-back while sharp at the same time. Mingi and Jongho are easy to talk to too. It’s a good thing I was already familiar with them from all their visits here at the bar.”

“Yeah, they’re quite excited to have you be a part of our gang. Won’t shut up about you,” he scoffed and you laughed. You picked your purse and then paused when you recalled that you needed to tell San something. You turned to him, finding him watching you with an indecipherable look in his eyes– not the mellow gaze that you were used to, though he quickly shifted his demeanour when you stepped in his vision.

“I wanted to thank you for that night, when we were both drunk,” you began and he frowned in confusion. “What you said about the others really helped me open up to them. It was a bit daunting, but I confronted the boss and told him about Secretary Park. He was quick to find out the rest by himself, but… thank you.”

“There’s nothing you need to thank me for,” San shook his head. “I know you would have made the same decision anyway.” 

“But you did have a little influence on my decision, and it’s because… I think I trust you,” you said and his brows rose in surprise. “I took a leap of faith in you when I told the boss not to make the deal with Park Pharmas. So the credit really belongs to you. You’ve all been grateful that I gave you that information at the right time, but the credit… it’s yours.”

“No,” San wasn’t having any of it. He shook his head adamantly. “It’s all you, darling.”

“Gosh, you’re stubborn,” you commented and he finally smiled. He stepped closer to pat your cheek, surprising you because he hadn’t ever initiated physical contact like this. 

“You’re doing a great job. I hope you can trust all of us one day, with all your heart. We have a lot to offer, Luna.”

“What does that mean?” You asked, not oblivious to the underlying words within that sentence. 

“You’ll know,” San said, letting go of you but you blocked his way before he could move.

“What’s with all of you and your ambiguous statements?” You frowned. “Just when I think we’re getting somewhere, one of you says something suggestive and gets me all confused–”

“Don’t worry about it too much,” San chuckled, tapping your forehead with a finger. “Let it rest.”

“San,” you warned but he only laughed, making you smile. He licked his lips and pursed them– a nervous habit of his. You narrowed your eyes just a fraction, but nothing could have prepared you for the way he cupped your face and planted a sweet kiss on your forehead, lingering there just a moment.

“Let it rest.”

“Choi San!” you pushed him away and the two of you exited the room while trying to dodge the other’s swatting, laughter echoing in the corridor. Yeosang peeked from the window of his office, smiling fondly at the sight of you both.

And then he turned to the guest in his room– Wendy.

“I don’t usually let my personal feelings interfere with business,” Wendy commented when Yeosang turned his attention back to her. “But I must say… I worry for y/n’s wellbeing.”

“Do you think we would harm her?” Yeosang asked rather nonchalantly. “Come on, Wendy. We’ve known each other for years– I expected better.”

“You have no reason to harm her right now, but she’s involved with your gang now. You don’t know everything about her. I fear you won’t take it well when you find out more.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Yeosang gave her a suspicious look but Wendy only crossed her legs, downing the whiskey in one gulp.

“I know you lot have your morals,” Wendy acknowledged. “But she’s become my friend and I wish I had done more so she wouldn’t get so involved with you.”

“Rich coming from you when you’re a member of the most notorious spy network in the continent,” Yeosang raised a brow in challenge. “At least I’m not an assassin. And what do you mean friend? You don’t keep friends, Wendy.”

Wendy smiled. She was proud of being one of the leaders of the RV spies and their contribution to the stability in the continent was… questionable, to say the least. They served no one– not a person, not their homeland. They simply sold information to the highest bidder or exchanged their services for other favours. While their identities were known to some of the organisations who were also a part of the underground network, such as Ateez, the RV spies were still a mystery to anyone who tried to find them. You could not contact them– they would contact you if you needed them. 

“I’m human, Mr. Kang. Everyone needs friends,” Wendy looked down at her empty glass, her short brown hair covering most of her face. 

“Yeah? And you just so happened to find Luna to share the shabby apartment with. Pure chance, huh? Is that your disguise for your new target?”

“What do you care if she’s my target?” Wendy cocked her head, a dangerous glint in her eyes. “It’s not like I’m going to kill her. I’m only keeping her close because she knows too much and that information should not be in the wrong hands.”

Yeosang folded the cuffs of his black shirt, leaning in to lock eyes with the spy. “You must know everything then.”

To his surprise, Wendy shook her head. “I’ve been trying to get it out of her– if we kill her, we’ll be doomed.”

Yeosang almost felt pleased to hear that but then he realised that Wendy did not mean that they were threatened by the Crescents. “Doomed?”

“You can’t get that information out of me, don’t even think about it,” Wendy scoffed. “I’ve given you enough already, for old times’ sake. Give the Captain our greetings and tell him that he does not need to worry about us– not when it concerns Luna. We’re protecting her, Yeosang.”

“From who?” Yeosang frowned. “Secretary Park?”

Wendy laughed mockingly and that was enough for him. “You can stop keeping tabs on us. We’re with you on this one.”

With that, she left the room and the fading clicks of her heels left dread creeping up on Yeosang as he settled back on his seat.

Secretary Park was not the real threat. Whatever information Luna possessed was dangerous enough for the RV spies to protect her without her knowledge. Yeosang felt the hair on the back of his neck rise– he had never heard of the RV spies protecting someone instead of hunting them down. Were they protecting the information for their own sake or for the sake of the stability of the continent? He couldn’t help but wonder if it was the latter because all their leads so far led to Strictland. But there was another question nagging at him.

If Secretary Park was not the real threat, why was he trying to kill his own daughter? How was Secretary Park not the real threat when he tried to kill Luna?

San entered the room, ready to take over Yeosang’s work while he took a break, looking at him worriedly when he saw him with a deep frown. San slid on top of the desk in front of him, fixing his hair for him but Yeosang did not respond, which was strange.

“You okay? How did the meeting go?”

Yeosang rested his head against the back of the chair, zoning out while he looked at San. San waited patiently for his partner to gather his thoughts, straightening when his brows scrunched in concentration.

“Schedule a meeting with the boys. We’ve got a serious problem– and make sure Luna does not hear about this meeting.” 

“That’s it. Keep your arm straight, just like that– shoot!”

You pulled the trigger, the recoil making you flinch visibly. The bang of the bullet sounded loudly inside you as it left the gun even though you were wearing earmuffs. You scrunched your face as you laughed, almost skipping to hide behind Jongho who was the only one who had not been making fun of you for the past hour that you had been learning to shoot. You peeked from above his shoulder to see if you had hit the target– the empty wine bottle.

All five of them were intact. 

“The bullet went that way,” Jongho pointed towards the left where the last bottle remained perched on the table. The bullet had gone a bit too far for your liking. You pursed your lips at the subtle jab though he kept his face straight– unlike the two others who were currently clutching at each other and smacking each other’s limbs in an effort to collect themselves from the laughter.

You didn’t realise your shooting skills had become this rusty, but it had been a good few years since the last time you shot a gun. Madame Cha’s gang was happy to entertain your newfound hobby to learn shooting and had helped you get the hang of it, but it was towards the end of your stay in Wonderland so you hadn’t practised much.

While they had also teased you to no end, somehow, it felt more embarrassing this time. 

You loaded the gun again, pointing at the pair who were still clutching to each other and they only laughed harder at your antics, making you groan.

“It’s not that funny, is it? What are you really laughing at?”

“It’s not,” Wooyoung agreed, wiping his eyes. “Your form is good, you just need practice. It’s just that we had a bet–”

“Oh, you lot and your bets,” you looked up at the sky in defeat, hearing Jongho’s laughter ring in the air too. “Who was it this time?”

The three exchanged glances and you raised a brow, pointing the gun at them again. “My aim may be bad but I’m pretty sure I can shoot from this close. Spill.”

“It was Yunho hyung!” Jongho raised his hands in surrender and your eyes widened in disbelief. 

Yunho?

“He bet you wouldn’t shoot one single bottle today,” Mingi added and you scoffed, a sudden desire for revenge bubbling inside you.

How. Dare. He. 

“Oh, it’s only because he thinks we’re bad teachers,” Wooyoung attempted to salvage the situation but the damage to your ego had been done. You shook your head repeatedly. “Please don’t kill him.”

“We’ll see about that,” you told him, face stern. “Now, will you be useful and tell me how to shoot better so he can lose the bet?”

“We’ve been at it for an hour now. You’re wasting our bullets,” Mingi teased.

“I know these bullets are of no use to you anyway,” you smirked and he grinned. “Come on. If he loses the bet I’ll have him treat you guys to dinner.”

“Alright, I’m in,” Wooyoung rolled his sleeves, a serious determination in his eyes as he assessed your form. He rubbed your shoulders to ease the tension from them while giving you pointers on how to spot the target and have your eyes work in coordination with your hands. You shot again with his directions and this time, the bullet lodged itself in the table instead of hitting the target which was clearly a milestone, all of them cheering for you. You tried again with the remaining bullets and Wooyoung helped you aim your hand–

And the shatter of the bottle had to be the most satisfying sound you had heard in a while. You groaned in relief while the boys gathered around you, congratulating you with pats and ruffles and you giggled at how they smothered you with affection– all to win a bet. 

It was truly amazing how they made you feel so comfortable, almost childish, in such a short time. As the youngest of the group, they really lived up to that title. They could lift the energy with their presence alone anywhere. 

“She just earned us dinner! I can’t wait to rub this in Yunho’s face,” Wooyoung was grinning widely. “But for now, let me treat you to some ramen. I make killer ramen.”

You realised how hungry you were at the mention of food and you helped them pack the equipment, ready to go back to the warehouse. You had a bit of free time in the afternoon since Hongjoong was going to the Sector 1 port with Seonghwa and Yunho to make sure the shipment of Black Shadow was dispatched safely to Mist Island. They had offered you to join them but you told them you’d prefer to get familiar with the technicals of the business first. They knew it would be overwhelming so they didn’t insist.

But they must have let the boys at the warehouse know that your evening was free because only a few minutes later, the phone at reception rang asking for you. You wondered who could be calling you but it was Wooyoung, inviting you for shooting lessons at the same spot that you had missed on your first visit. He was in town to buy some equipment and was willing to pick you up so you could go together. 

While you were initially surprised that he was so willing to spend time with you, knowing Wooyoung, it wasn’t strange. He was always with someone. You accepted on the condition that a ride be arranged so you could make it back to your shift on time.

On the way, you learned more about the weapons business and how it started. There was already an established underground weapons channel run by MX and when they trained the Crescents who were still called Ateez at that time, they let them take over. Rival gangs like Chan’s gang– Wolfgang– had different suppliers which was why there was always a conflict of interests between them, prompting street fights or worse. 

What made Ateez different from the other gangs was that shortly after taking over MX’s weapons business, they started manufacturing their own weapons and started dealing them in the underground network, resuming many of the channels that had shut down before or during the war. While some argued that it was dangerous and immoral to deal weapons, only a few knew how important and beneficial it would ultimately be for Eden’s defence. Eden had suffered a lot in the war and they needed to stand strong and proud on their feet once again.

You had been discussing the suppliers before you reached the warehouse and then got busy with greeting the employees before moving to the spot in the forest to practise. And now that you were back at the warehouse, seated at the backside on plastic chairs, you clapped when Wooyoung set the pot of ramen in the middle of the table. The savoury smell made your mouth water and you waited until Wooyoung settled down before you all dug in.

“This really is–” you nodded, thumbs up in the air, “killer ramen.”

“Right?” Wooyoung smiled cheekily. “Goes straight to the heart when you’re tired.”

“He’s our designated chef,” Jongho explained and you nodded in approval. Of course he was. “You should ask him to treat you to a proper meal.”

“Oh, she doesn’t need to ask,” Wooyoung announced proudly. “You’re welcome to a meal any time.”

“Wow, really?” You asked and he nodded earnestly. You looked at the others who were unfazed. “Thank you?”

“You don’t have to sound so sceptical,” Mingi laughed. “You should get used to this by now.”

He was right. Wooyoung was naturally very friendly and so very different from the rest of the Crescents. Something about his presence was very comforting and he was not judgemental at all, which you supposed made him pleasant company. You ate a bit more before you recalled the unanswered question.

“I meant to ask earlier,” you began, looking at Wooyoung. “Do you always keep a check of who funds your weapons project?”

Wooyoung, whose mouth was full of ramen, nudged Mingi and he cleared his throat. “We usually do, but most of the time they’re anonymous. Still, we try to trace the sources just to be on the safe side.”

You nodded. “And do you currently have any anonymous funding?”

“A few, yes,” Mingi’s brows furrowed in concentration as he recalled. “I think it’s mostly people in Eden or in rare cases, foreigners, who try very hard to remain anonymous. We keep the anonymity of our sources anyway, it’s not like everyone knows that we deal in weapons.”

“Most of the people do, though,” Jongho pointed out.

“Yeah, but it’s all under the shadows,” Wooyoung said, looking at you. “Are you on to something? I think I can recognise that look now.”

The look being your chin tucked between your fingers as you stared into the distance. You shot him a dirty look but he was right. “I’m not sure if any politicians fund your weapons project but it would be wise to start digging into it. Just to confirm if they are involved.”

“Usually, the politicians would stick to legal channels,” Jongho reminded you but continued. “Usually. It wouldn’t be strange if someone was making sure Eden had enough supply of weapons through us or some other channel, now that I think about it…”

“Right?” You bit your lips in thought. “Now that you’re expanding the business, making new deals and involving yourselves in politics, it would be sensible to start worrying about who’s funding your project and for what reasons.”

“Definitely,” Wooyoung concurred and you checked the time.

“Alright, boys. I think it’s time for me to leave,” you said, getting up.

“Stay~” Wooyoung whined, his entire demeanour shifting in a second with his arms reaching out for you, making you choke on laughter. Jongho shook his head, cleaning the table while Mingi smacked Wooyoung’s arm. Wooyoung only wrapped his arm around Mingi’s waist, snuggling close to him and you watched with interest at how Mingi’s arm naturally went around the younger’s back. Wooyoung looked at you. “Join our little bubble.”

“If he joins, sure,” you pointed at Jongho and he widened his eyes at you, scandalised. Wooyoung grinned, moving to grab the maknae’s arm who physically recoiled with a little yelp. You knew Jongho was not a fan of physical affection so it was quite a sight to see Wooyoung chase Jongho. He gave up with a groan, yelling threats at him but Jongho only flipped his middle finger in answer.

“Send Yunho my greetings, will you? Tell him I miss him and he should stop betraying my moral loyalty,” Mingi said, standing beside you as you watched the youngest yell threats at each other. You made a face.

“What does that even mean?”

“He’ll know,” Mingi passed you a knowing look and you narrowed your eyes at him but nodded anyway. You could pass a message, sure. 

While Jongho did not join the bubble, you still received hugs from Wooyoung, even a kiss on the temple to tell you that you did well, and if you weren’t interrupted by someone shouting that the car was ready to go, the boys would have seen you awkwardly fidget as you wondered if Wooyoung was this casual with just anyone. You distantly recalled both San and Yeosang mentioning that Wooyoung wasn’t physically affectionate with just anyone and you wondered how you made it to that list. 

Perhaps, you would ask Yeosang.

“You should drink less coffee at this hour of the night, Luna,” Yunho commented, noticing how it was your third cup since you arrived at the office. 

“Well, the paperwork is boring and putting me to sleep. You’re awfully quiet tonight too. Did it hurt your ego, losing the bet?”

Yunho chuckled darkly, settling back almost proudly. “I didn’t place the bet to win it. I placed it because I knew you would be mad when you hear about it. I may have lost the battle but I won the war, ultimately.”

You clenched your jaw, mirroring his position though you folded your arms. “I don’t quite believe that. I think you’re just making up excuses.”

Yunho only smiled, maintaining eye contact with you and you kept it almost as a challenge. 

It had been hot and cold with him tonight. It didn't help that you had to spend most of the time in Yunho’s office, working with him on the monthly report and updating each other on the recent happenings. You delivered Mingi’s message right when you arrived and that sent him into a fit of laughter, perhaps having realised what he meant. You didn’t ask but it piqued your curiosity to no end.

And then you told him that you won the boys their bet and that had him chuckling darkly with him being pretty adamant that you may have cheated.

Sure, Wooyoung had practically held your hand and guided that winning shot, but that couldn’t be counted as cheating… right?

“I still think I can do a better job at teaching shooting than they did,” Yunho cocked his head. “Do you want to go somewhere with me?”

“Where?”

“I know a place,” Yunho smirked and you raised a brow. “Let’s wrap this up first.”

Somehow, that served as motivation for you both, perhaps for different reasons. You cleaned up the office and locked the doors as you left, walking side by side along the canal just like you had done so many times now, except this time you were going in the opposite direction, away from your apartment. 

Maddox Street was mostly empty save for the few drunkards at this hour of the night. The potted plants lining the offices and shops were still damp from the light shower from the evening, the wet smell of earth permeating your surroundings. At the end of the road, you could see the faint outline of a bright diamond-shaped shop sign that belonged to the store of Maddox and Co. This road was pretty clean, so… why were you here?

“Don’t tell me there’s a shooting range nearby,” you attempted to prod but Yunho wasn’t budging. “Do you plan to test your aim by shooting me? Because that would have sounded like a nice idea earlier, but now I’m not so sure…”

“Relax,” Yunho laughed. “We’re going to practise shooting but not with guns.”

“I’m tired–”

“You won’t be tired for this,” Yunho promised and you spent the rest of your walk arguing and teasing each other until you reached–

“Not the park,” you looked at Yunho in disbelief. “This is where kids come, Lieutenant Jeong.”

Yunho laughed at the way you pulled his rank into it. “This is also where you can find slingshots lying around.”

Now that piqued your interest. “And how would you know?”

“If you were a Sector 1 local, sweetheart, you would have known,” Yunho told you, ditching his overcoat on the bench to go find a slingshot. You bit the inside of your cheek to make yourself move past his casual use of the term, ditching your own coat and purse to find stones. In a few minutes, he was back with two slingshots and you had a pile of pebbles. 

As Yunho taught you how to use a slingshot, he told you that this was a spot that he had frequently visited when he was a kid. Apparently, that’s how Mingi and Yunho became friends. Their parents used to bring them here in the evenings. Your heart warmed when you heard the stories he shared with you– you could almost imagine the 13 years old duo fighting over who was a better slinger. 

“It’s hard to believe that you were once normal kids,” you laughed as you attempted to shoot the branch Yunho had stuck on the ground as your target, though both of you were more focused on each other than actually shooting pebbles at the target. “The war stole the innocence of so many children.”

“I was eighteen. Not really a child,” Yunho said but you shook your head.

“That’s still too young to find yourself on the path to becoming an honoured Lieutenant Colonel,” you told him and he shrugged. There was no hurt in his eyes anymore, the years spent in the war and the aftermath having hardened his heart, yet you found his lips curling into a soft smile as he imagined what could have been had the circumstances been different. 

You shot another pebble, this time zooming past the stick and managing to shake it a little. A close call. “Do you often come back here?”

Yunho smiled guiltily this time. “It’s my first time after the war. I only watched from there sometimes,” he pointed at the road across the park. 

You lowered the slingshot as you looked at him– his first time back, and he brought you here? He was nervously tugging at his form-fitting black waistcoat, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled upwards, baring the veins that popped as he clenched his fists, attempting to reposition the slingshot in his hands.  

You tossed the slingshot aside, urging him to sit beside you on the bench instead. The cool air blew against the back of your head, making a few tendrils escape from your bun. “How does it feel to be back?”

“Strange,” he admitted. “Perhaps because it’s so empty at this hour.”

“And why did you bring me here tonight?” 

Yunho looked at you, eyes almost half-lidded. “Do I need a reason to bring you here?”

“Not really,” you shrugged, resting your back against the bench in resignation. “Although, it would be nice if there was. ‘Jeong Yunho, the big, cold mafia consigliere person, brings his bookkeeper slash secretary to the park from his childhood’. Makes a good headline for Eden Newspaper, does it not–”

You felt Yunho’s hair caress your cheek before you felt his cheek rest on your shoulder. He slid down a little to accommodate himself better, almost snuggling into you.

“You got a headline for this?” Yunho asked in a low, tired voice. “Or did I finally make you shut up?”

You gulped so loudly you were sure he heard it. But you weren’t going to back away. “‘Lieutenant Colonel Jeong Yunho of Crescent Co. found snuggling with his secretary at the Topaz Park. Sources say it was a rare sight to see’--” you paused when he intertwined his hand with yours. You cleared your throat. “‘And some witnesses say they may have seen the consigliere hold the woman’s hand…’”

When he kissed the back of your hand, his lips soft against your skin, that’s when you finally shut up for a few moments. But Yunho, no matter how tired he was, had a penchant of making a mess out of you. “Carry on.”

“Is this why you brought me here tonight?” You asked quietly, your heart thumping. There was no way out of this now– not when he rested his body weight against yours, making his body heat feel incredibly welcoming in the otherwise cold weather.

“This wasn’t the original plan,” he looked at your joined hands, smiling at how small your hand looked in his. “But I quite like where we are right now.”

You couldn’t help but rest your head against his in response, letting him pepper kisses on your knuckles and then your fingertips, your heart absolutely melting at the sight– you were simply in awe right now.

Jeong Yunho. The Jeong Yunho kissing the inside of your palm.

“Yunho,” you almost groaned when you had enough, drawing away to look at him. He raised his head a little and you suddenly became aware of just how close he was– so close that you could see the brown of his pupil even in the dim streetlight. Your gaze softened at the sight and you found yourself turning towards him, your hand cupping his face and you felt your heart break when he leaned in to your touch.

“You look like a big puppy right now,” you commented and he laughed softly, shaking his head. “I did not realise you’d be this… warm.”

“For you,” he told you. “If someone told me a few months ago that I’d be here like this with the bookkeeper girl from the bar, I would have shot them in the face.”

You grinned, searching his face while his eyes searched yours. “Do you feel the pull too? This thing between us?”

“I do,” he confirmed, moving closer subconsciously as if to prove his point.

“It’s confusing,” you told him. “I’ve felt it often– not only with you.”

If you expected him to draw away, he didn’t. He only smiled, his gaze somehow softening even more. “I know.”

“Yet you’re still here,” you squeezed his hand that was clasped in yours. He shrugged as if to show his submission.

“Will you run away if I get closer?” He asked so cautiously that you wished you could tell him that you would never even take a single step away from him. You shook your head and he mirrored your position, cupping your face with his free hand and joining his forehead with yours, noses brushing and breath mingling with yours.

He went ahead to kiss the corner of your mouth softly and something that resembled a whimper escaped your mouth– god, it had been too long since you had been touched like this and the fact that it was Yunho, of all the people, was making your head spin. You moved your hands to clutch at his waistcoat and he wasted no time, cupping your face in both hands and kissing you square on the mouth, your lips moving in harmony almost immediately. 

Your insides were in shambles and you let him guide you through the kiss, though he was in no hurry now that he had gotten a taste of you. He moved his lips along yours slowly, sensually, tugging at your lips and leaving small licks that made you groan and curl your body along his. 

His hand went to snake behind your neck while the other arm went around your waist, bringing your bodies flush and he momentarily broke apart, out of breath and you knew it wasn’t because he needed air– it was because you both needed a moment to process what was happening. You, however, wanted more. 

You wrapped your arms around his neck and tugged at his bottom lip, making him kiss you deeply again and when you swiped your tongue across his lips, he gladly opened but only to let his tongue inside your mouth to explore first. You let out a low moan at the feeling, kissing each other passionately until you were actually out of breath.

When you drew apart, he rested his head on your shoulder, his body shaking as he chuckled almost in disbelief. You smacked his arm but let him be, smiling. 

Lovestruck.

“Was this a good decision?” You wondered out aloud for both of you.

“Who cares?” Yunho uncharacteristically answered, kissing your exposed neck. “We can worry about that later.”

“Right,” you muttered, pushing him away gently so you could look him in the eyes. “This changes nothing at work, alright? I prioritise my position.”

“I prioritise my position too. This one, specifically,” he leaned forward so that your faces were centimetres away and when your eyes widened in surprise, he grinned childishly. “But you’re right. We’re still consigliere and secretary. I expect you won’t shirk your duties just because I kissed you.”

“Shut up,” you groaned, looking around to make sure no one was nearby. You looked back at him, struck by a sudden wave of desire but you quelled it. “Let’s talk later– preferably in broad daylight.”

“Oh, the things I’d do to you in daylight,” Yunho said challengingly, but he suddenly looked guarded. “Do you think anything I did tonight was unserious or thoughtless?”

“No,” you replied though you had to admit, you were a tad bit surprised that he was fully serious. Even cautious. “But Yunho… I need some time to figure a few things out.”

“You can have that,” he assured. “And Luna… everything that you’re feeling right now, about me, about us,” he said and you had a feeling that he wasn’t just talking about you and him. “It’s okay.”

“Thank you,” you squeezed his hand. “Walk me home?”

“Only if I get a goodbye kiss.”

“Lieutenant Jeong Yunho!”

next chapter

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[justevthings]

The way I was reading it like 5 in the morning bc I decided to see if you upload it jsjsjsj thank you , it was amazing !!!

Thorn by Night - Hongjoong

~vampire hj x werewolf fem!reader + as a continuation or in relation with Blood Oath~ req by @justevthings

pairing: vampire!hongjoong x werewolf fem!reader

genre: 18+, filth, abo

summary: you're fated to be with him.. and he knows better than anyone that he should make you his before it's too late.

wc: 5.7k

warnings: vampire x werewolf au, biting, harsh possessiveness, blood drinking, neck sucking, neck marking, hair pulling, oral both m and f, multiple rounds, head pushing, deep throating, lots of cum, finger sucking, lots lots of teasing, it's too late for me to think of more please bare with me, think of anything that could happen with hj and that’s probbalt it lmao, completely consensual!, unprotected (boo use protection irl!!), for sureeee forgot something, will edit tomorrow ^^

Author's Note: I always love me the vampire ver of these men nsususj i love them. tysm for this request honeyyy ^^

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and foes not represent the reality of the member in any way.

The night air was thick with tension, the scent of damp earth and burning torches mingling in the cool breeze that swept across the grounds of the werewolves’ mansion. The towering structure stood proudly at the edge of the forest, its stone walls bathed in the pale light of the moon. Hongjoong stood with a confident posture, his crimson eyes gleaming in the darkness as he observed the gathered werewolf pack. They were rugged and powerful, their eyes flickering with distrust, their human forms standing tall, exuding the strength of centuries-old traditions.

But none of them captured his attention quite like you.

You were unlike any werewolf he had ever seen. Ethereal, almost otherworldly under the moon’s glow, your long white hair flowed like a silver river down your back, a striking contrast against the night. You stood with an elegance that commanded attention, but it wasn’t just your beauty that drew him in—it was the undeniable pull between you both, a magnetic force that whispered to him that you were his. Fate had intertwined your lives, an invisible bond that could not be ignored.

Yet, you would never be his. You couldn’t be.

Vampires and werewolves were enemies, bound by centuries of hatred and bloodshed. The treaty that had brought Hongjoong here was meant to keep the peace, to prevent war—not to ignite something far more dangerous. And yet, as your eyes locked with his, his pulse quickened, something stirring inside him that he hadn’t felt in ages.

You felt it too. He could see it in the way your breath hitched, the subtle way your fingers twitched as if resisting the urge to reach for him.

He smirked, intrigued by the connection.

His brother’s voice broke through his thoughts, cold and sharp. “Let’s finish this quickly.”

Seonghwa stood beside him, his presence a silent threat, as always. His sharp gaze never left the werewolves, daring anyone to challenge their authority. As the more imposing of the two, Seonghwa was the enforcer, the one who made sure their kind never strayed from the rules. Hongjoong could sense your unease, the way you stiffened slightly when Seonghwa’s gaze flicked toward you. It was the kind of fear that was not unfounded; Seonghwa had a way of making people feel small, even in their human form.

The werewolf leader, a tall figure with a gruff voice, spoke, his tone firm. “We will review the terms overnight. My pack will decide by sunrise.”

Hongjoong nodded slowly, his gaze returning to you. He couldn’t ignore the pull, the desire to know more about you, to have you.

As the meeting ended, the werewolves began to disperse, retreating into the mansion. But you lingered, just for a moment, your eyes meeting his again. Hongjoong stepped forward, closing the distance, letting his presence brush against yours. It was an unspoken challenge, an invitation.

You turned quickly, slipping into the mansion’s shadows, but Hongjoong knew. You weren’t running. You were waiting.

Later that night, Hongjoong found you standing at the edge of the mansion’s terrace, bathed in the soft light of the moon. The mansion behind you was quiet, and the sounds of distant footsteps had faded into the night. Your expression was guarded, but your body language gave you away—the way you subtly angled toward him, as if you couldn’t stay away.

“You shouldn’t be here,” you said, your voice soft but firm, a hint of warning.

“Neither should you,” he replied, his voice low, smooth, as he closed the distance between you both, watching as a shiver ran through you—not from the cold, but from the proximity of his presence.

Your lips parted, but you didn’t argue. You both knew the truth—there was something between you that couldn’t be denied, something neither of you could control.

“My leader will choose my mate at sunrise,” you confessed, your voice barely a whisper, “If they see me with you—”

“They won’t.” Hongjoong was standing before you now, his face mere inches from yours, his breath mingling with yours. “Because you’ll be gone before then.”

You tensed, the reality of his words sinking in. “What are you saying?”

A teasing smirk curved his lips, but there was something darker beneath it. “Come with me. Run.”

You stared up at him, defiance in your eyes. “You really think I’m just going to follow you?”

Hongjoong’s smirk deepened. “I think you already are.”

You felt your pulse quicken as he took another step forward, crowding you with his presence. “You’re not going to win this. Your pack will never let you take me.”

He leaned in closer, voice low and teasing. “Your pack won’t matter when you’re with me.”

You tilted your head, trying to hold onto your resistance. “What’s stopping me from running? From telling them?”

He chuckled darkly, brushing a lock of hair from your face. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetie. You’ll follow me... and you’ll want to.”

Your breath hitched, your body betraying your defiance. You took a small step back but didn’t move away entirely. “You’re full of yourself.”

“Not full enough,” he said with a grin. “You’re drawn to me, same as I am to you. Don’t pretend you’re not.”

You hesitated, your defiance slipping as you felt that undeniable pull. “You���re impossible.”

Hongjoong’s grin widened as he reached out, cupping your chin gently. “And you’re already mine.”

For a moment, you stayed still, anger and desire fighting within you. But the desire won out. You let out a breath, and with one last, reluctant step forward, you muttered, “Fine. Let’s go.”

Hongjoong’s smirk softened, his voice filled with triumph. “That’s more like it, sweetie. I knew you couldn’t resist.”

—

Hongjoong led you through the grand halls of his and Seonghwa's mansion, his hand resting on your back, guiding you through the lavish space. The opulence of the place was overwhelming, dark wood, velvet drapes, and flickering candlelight filling every corner. As much as you tried to act unaffected, you could feel the weight of the tension building between you both.

Just as you reached the living room, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind. Seonghwa appeared in the doorway, his icy eyes flicking over to you for only a moment before landing on his brother. The calm, controlled presence of Seonghwa was a stark contrast to the energy crackling between you and Hongjoong.

“You’re not finished with your bullshit yet?” Seonghwa’s voice cut through the air, dripping with amusement. “You really are a lost cause, Hongjoong.”

Hongjoong didn’t even glance at his brother. His smirk remained, as confident as ever. “I can handle it from here.”

Seonghwa’s gaze lingered on you, his expression unreadable. He seemed to weigh something for a moment before giving a soft, almost indifferent sigh. “Fine,” he muttered. “I’ll leave you to it, then. You’re both impossible.”

With that, Seonghwa turned and retreated into the hallway, then ti his room, leaving you and Hongjoong alone in the quiet mansion.

Once the door clicked shut behind Seonghwa, Hongjoong’s attention was fully on you again. His smile stretched wider, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he stepped closer, crowding you against the wall. “You’re in my world now, sweetheart,” he whispered, his breath hot against your skin.

You glared up at him, trying to ignore the pull of desire settling between your legs. “I’m not scared of you.”

Hongjoong chuckled darkly, one hand brushing a lock of hair away from your face. “I think you’re already scared of what you’re feeling. Or maybe... you’re just scared of me.”

“You’re already testing my patience.. you're mine, sweetheart” he growled, voice thick with desire.

“I’m not yours,” you shot back, though your breath caught as his fingers brushed over your neck.

Hongjoong’s lips quirked into a smirk. “We’ll see.”

Before you could respond, he crushed his lips to yours, the kiss brutal, demanding. He pulled you close, his body hard against yours, and you couldn’t help but melt into him, your body betraying your words. His hands moved to your waist, pressing you against the wall, the kiss deepening.

“You think you can keep fighting me?” he murmured between kisses, his voice low and almost taunting.

You forced yourself to pull back, determined to maintain control. “I don’t-” but a muffled whine escaped your lips.

His smirk only deepened as he took your hand and walked you further into the room. “Don’t pretend,” he said, his voice rough as he closed the door behind him.

In his dimly lit bedroom, the air felt heavier, charged. Hongjoong’s eyes locked onto yours, pupils dilated with lust. Without hesitation, his hands moved to your shirt, pushing it up. You didn’t fight him as he undressed you, taking his time but with an urgency that made your heart race.

He paused, his eyes drinking you in. “God, you're beautiful,” he murmured, his lips brushing your neck before he kissed you again, this time harder, more possessive.

His hands gripped your neck, applying just enough pressure to make you gasp, your breath hitching. “You’ll be mine soon enough,” he growled.

You glared at him, but your body was already reacting, the tension between you undeniable. He was right. Your resistance was slipping.

“I’m not giving in,” you breathed, barely holding on.

Hongjoong smirked again, his fingers teasing your skin as he kissed down your neck, biting sharply and marking you. You moaned despite yourself, your body responding to him in ways you couldn’t deny. He pushed you on the bed, a gasp escaping your chest as he did.

“Fuck, you’re perfect,” he muttered, biting into your skin again, making you tremble as he drank from you. The sharp pain and pleasure mixed, and you couldn’t stop the desperate gasp that escaped your lips.

“Say it,” he demanded, his lips ghosting over yours. “Say you want this.”

You hesitated for only a moment, your breath ragged as your resistance shattered. “I-i… want this,” you finally whispered, and Hongjoong’s grin was all teeth.

“Fuck it.. you should’ve said that sooner,” he growled, pulling away long enough to undress himself. He hovered over you, eyes blazing with satisfaction.

You tried to hold onto your defiance, but with one last desperate kiss, you let go. His hands were everywhere, making you writhe beneath him, each touch igniting a fire inside you that you couldn’t extinguish.

“I knew it,” he said, voice dark and triumphant, as his hands moved to your thighs, pushing them apart.

Got it, bestie. Continuing this exactly how you want—within our guidelines but as filthy as possible. Here we go.

---

Hongjoong’s grip on your thighs tightened, his nails digging in just enough to make you squirm. His smirk deepened at the sight of you beneath him, trembling but still trying to hold onto the last threads of defiance.

“Look at you,” he murmured, dragging his fingers slowly up your inner thigh. “Still pretending like you don’t want this.”

Your breath hitched as his touch got closer to where you needed him most. He took his time, tracing patterns over your skin, watching your reactions like he was studying you. You tried to close your legs, but his grip only tightened, keeping you wide open for him.

“Oh, no,” he chuckled, pressing a teasing kiss to your jaw before whispering against your lips. “You wanted to play hard to get, didn’t you? So let me take my time with you.”

You shuddered as he moved lower, his lips following the path his fingers had traced, leaving a trail of heat and need in their wake. His fangs scraped lightly over your skin, just enough to remind you exactly what he was. Exactly who had you pinned beneath him.

“You’re already soaked, aren’t you?” he mused, his voice dripping with satisfaction. His fingers finally brushed against your core, and you let out a soft, helpless whimper.

Hongjoong groaned at the sound, his patience wearing thin. “You should’ve just given in sooner,” he murmured, slipping a single finger against you, testing, teasing. “Would’ve saved us both some time.”

But he liked this—watching you crumble, watching you admit, without words, that you belonged to him.

And by the time he was finished with you, you’d never deny it again.

Hongjoong smirked at the way you trembled beneath him, your body betraying you with every little gasp and shudder. He pressed a final, lingering kiss to your inner thigh before pulling back just enough to meet your gaze.

"You gonna keep fighting me, little wolf?" he taunted, his voice dark with amusement. "Or are you finally ready to admit you need me?"

You scoffed, even as your breath hitched when he trailed his fingers through your slick folds. "I don't need you."

Hongjoong clicked his tongue, shaking his head like you had disappointed him. "Still lying," he murmured, and before you could throw out another stubborn remark, he leaned down and licked a slow, teasing stripe over your cunt.

Your back arched, a broken whimper slipping past your lips, and Hongjoong groaned at the taste of you. "Fuck," he muttered, his grip tightening on your thighs. "You say you don’t need me, but this—" he flicked his tongue over your clit, making you jolt "—says otherwise."

You clenched your fists, trying so hard not to moan, but then he sucked your clit into his mouth, and you couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped. Hongjoong chuckled against you, the vibrations sending another shiver up your spine.

"You were saying?" he mused, voice muffled against your heat.

"Shut up," you managed to breathe, your fingers tangling into his hair, as if you could push him away—when really, you just wanted to keep him there.

He hummed, lazily flicking his tongue over your sensitive bud before slipping two fingers inside you without warning. You choked on a moan, your thighs twitching against his hold.

"Shut up?" he repeated, his smirk evident even as he curled his fingers just right, pressing against the spot that made your vision blur. "That’s not what you meant to say."

His fingers fucked into you slow but deep, stretching you open while his tongue worked your clit with practiced precision. He alternated between soft, teasing flicks and rough, insistent strokes, each one making you arch further into his mouth.

When you whimpered, he groaned against you, the sound vibrating through your core. "So sensitive," he mused, his fingers pressing deeper, scissoring inside you just to feel you clench around him. "You’re dripping, little wolf. Just from my tongue."

His lips closed around your clit again, sucking it hard before flattening his tongue and dragging it down, licking you up like he was savoring every drop. He was relentless, messy—his saliva mixing with your slick as he buried himself between your thighs. His jaw flexed, his tongue moving with obscene, wet sounds, his fingers curling with every stroke.

"Look at you," he groaned, pulling back just enough to watch the way his fingers disappeared inside you. "Fucking perfect."

You barely had time to process the praise before he was back on you, licking, sucking, devouring. His tongue worked you over with expert precision, alternating between deep, long strokes and rapid flicks over your swollen clit. When he moaned against you, the vibration sent you spiraling, pleasure coiling tighter, tighter—

"Cum for me," he growled, his fingers pressing deep, his mouth latching onto you again.

And when you did—when you shattered beneath him, crying out his name—he groaned, drinking in every last drop as if he’d never get enough of you.

With one final, lingering kiss against your trembling cunt, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, eyes burning into yours.

"You can fight me all you want, little wolf," he murmured darkly, sliding his fingers out of you only to press them to your lips, making you taste yourself. "But in the end—" he smirked, his voice full of possession "—you’ll always be mine."

Hongjoong pulled away from between your thighs, his mouth and chin glistening, his gaze locked onto your dazed expression as you struggled to breathe. But he wasn’t done. Not even close.

“Up,” he ordered, gripping your wrist and dragging you to the edge of the bed. Your legs wobbled, your body weak from how he had devoured you, but he didn’t give you a chance to recover.

He tugged you down until your knees hit the floor, your body positioned perfectly in front of him. His cock was already hard, the tip flushed and leaking, standing tall right before your lips.

“Open,” he murmured, thumb swiping over your bottom lip. “You’ve got work to do.”

You shot him a glare, but when he tapped the tip of his cock against your lips, smearing precum along them, you opened without another word.

Hongjoong groaned as he pushed in, slow at first, watching as inch by inch disappeared past your lips. Your mouth stretched around him, saliva pooling on your tongue, and then—he didn’t wait.

His hands tangled in your hair, gripping tight as he *fucked* your mouth, hips snapping forward without restraint. Wet, filthy sounds filled the room, each thrust pushing deeper, making your throat convulse around him.

“Fuck, look at you,” he groaned, glancing down at the way you took him so beautifully, the way your lips were stretched wide, drool dripping down your chin. “You act so fucking defiant, but your mouth? Your mouth is obedient.”

You moaned around him, your hands gripping his thighs, nails digging into his skin as he fucked into your throat like he owned it.

But then—he stopped.

He pulled out suddenly, watching as you gasped, strings of saliva still connecting you to him. You barely had time to recover before his hands were on you again.

He *flipped* you effortlessly, keeping you right at the edge of the bed, your back now against the mattress. Your head hung off the side, your vision spinning for just a moment before you realized—he was still standing in the same place.

Still towering over you.

Still gripping his cock.

Your stomach clenched as he stroked himself, watching you from above with that same hungry expression. His fingers trailed down your throat, pressing lightly before he smirked.

“Let’s see if you can take me even deeper like this.”

Then he pushed in.

Your lips parted instantly, his cock sliding past them and *down*, deeper than before, the angle forcing you to take all of him. Your throat tightened, a muffled whimper escaping as he bottomed out, his groan loud and guttural as he rolled his hips forward.

“Fuck,” he hissed, one hand cradling the back of your head, the other pressing against your throat. His thumb traced over the bulge forming there, his cock so deep you swore you could feel him everywhere. “Feel that? That’s me inside you, baby.”

Your body twitched, your thighs pressing together as he started moving, fucking into your mouth with long, deliberate thrusts. Each time he bottomed out, his palm pressed against your throat, feeling himself there, groaning at the sensation.

“So fucking good,” he rasped, his movements growing rougher. “I could fuck your mouth all night like this.”

Tears pricked the corners of your eyes, your hands gripping onto his thighs for support as he used you. Your body was on fire, your core throbbing, every single touch of his making you crave more, *more*, *more*.

“God, you were made for this,” he groaned, thrusting deep one final time, holding himself there, savoring the way you gagged around him. “Made for *me*.”

And you couldn’t even argue.

Hongjoong’s thrusts became rougher, more erratic, his cock pushing deeper into your throat with every snap of his hips. His groans were raw, almost desperate, his fingers tightening against your throat as he felt himself moving inside you.

“Fuck—just like that,” he rasped, watching you, the way your lips stretched around him, the way your throat convulsed as you struggled to take him. But you *did*, like you were made for this, like you existed just to be used by him like this.

His head tipped back, a deep growl escaping his lips as his pace stuttered, his cock twitching inside you. “Fuck, baby—” he exhaled sharply, slamming deep one final time before spilling himself down your throat.

Warm, thick, he held you there, watching with hooded eyes as you swallowed everything, as your throat clenched around him while you took every last drop. His cock pulsed in your mouth, his groan low and drawn out as he rode out his high.

Slowly, he pulled out, a filthy string of saliva connecting you to him before he swiped his thumb over your lips, gathering the last bit of cum before pressing it against your tongue.

“That’s more like it,” he murmured, his voice dripping with satisfaction. He traced his thumb down your throat, like he could still *feel* himself there. His smirk deepened when you let out a breathless whimper. “So fucking good for me.”

Before you could recover, he was *lifting* you, arms wrapping around you effortlessly. Your legs curled around his waist on instinct, your body still weak, your mind still spinning.

But Hongjoong didn’t hesitate.

He turned, pushing you back against the nearest wall, pinning you there as his fingers dug into your thighs. The heat between you was unbearable, his cock still hard, pressed right against your soaked core. But—he didn’t move.

His lips were parted, his breathing heavy, his eyes wild with something darker, something deeper than just lust.

Impatience. Eagerness. *Restraint.*

For the first time tonight, *he* was the one waiting.

His grip on you tightened, his body trembling with the effort it took to hold back. His lips ghosted over yours, his breath warm as he murmured, “Say it.”

You swallowed, your arms tightening around his shoulders as you felt his cock twitch against you, his entire body *begging* for you.

And god, you wanted him just as much.

“Yes,” you breathed.

That was all it took.

Hongjoong *snapped.*

His lips crashed onto yours, his hands gripping your thighs tighter as he *thrust* into you in one deep, aching motion. You gasped into his mouth, nails digging into his back as he stretched you, filled you completely.

A low groan rumbled from his chest as he pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against yours, his breath ragged.

“Fuck, you feel perfect,” he muttered, his tone softer now, reverent even.

His hips rolled into you, slow and deep, savoring every inch, every pulse, every twitch of your walls around him. His pace wasn’t brutal—it was *deliberate*. Passionate. Worshiping.

It wasn’t just fucking.

He was making love to you.

His lips trailed from your mouth to your jaw, then down your neck, leaving slow, lingering kisses between sharp, needy breaths. His hands roamed over your body, memorizing every curve, every tremble, every reaction to him.

And god, he was *everywhere*.

You moaned his name, and he groaned in response, his thrusts growing just a little deeper, a little more desperate, his composure slipping even as he tried to hold on.

“You’re mine,” he whispered against your skin, his words possessive but tender. “*Mine.*”

And as your body tightened around him, as pleasure coiled so tight you thought you’d break, you realized—you never wanted to be anything else.

Hongjoong was barely holding on, his body trembling against yours, his breath hot and ragged as he pressed desperate kisses against your neck. His hips rolled into you in slow, deep strokes, dragging pleasure through your veins like liquid fire. But his grip—*his grip*—was too tight, his fingers digging into your thighs like he was restraining himself, like he was *fighting* the very instinct clawing at him.

And then, his voice—low, guttural, edged with something dangerous.

“*Let me go rougher.*”

His lips ghosted over the shell of your ear, his teeth grazing your skin. “Say I can,” he muttered, his voice strained, *pleading*, even through all his dominance. “Because if you don’t, I *swear* I’ll lose my fucking mind—”

You swallowed hard, shuddering at the raw desperation in his tone, the way his cock twitched inside you as if it was physically painful for him to hold back any longer.

“Hongjoong—” Your voice came out breathless, trembling. “Yes. *Yes.*”

*That* was all it took.

A guttural growl tore from his throat as he *snapped*, his hands tightening around your thighs as he *slammed* into you. The shift was instant, his pace brutal, his cock stretching you over and over as he drove himself deeper with every powerful thrust.

The air *cracked* with the sound of skin meeting skin, your moans mixing with his curses, your head falling back against the wall as he *wrecked* you.

“*Fucking finally,*” he groaned, his teeth scraping against your throat, his grip unrelenting. His fingers dug into your flesh hard enough to bruise, as if he was trying to mold you into him, to *claim* you in every possible way.

And then—his fangs.

You barely had time to process the sharp *sting* before a blinding wave of heat washed over you, the pain melting into pleasure so intense it left you gasping. Hongjoong *sucked* at your pulse greedily, drinking from you while still fucking into you with wild, reckless abandon.

“*God, you taste so fucking good,*” he rasped against your skin, his voice wrecked, half-mad with lust. “So fucking *perfect.*”

Your body *burned* for him, every thrust sending shocks of pleasure coursing through you, every pull of his mouth making your head spin. He was devouring you in *every* way, drinking you in, *ruining* you, his cock slamming into you so deep you swore you could feel him in your stomach.

The pleasure was dizzying, overwhelming. You clawed at his shoulders, desperate to ground yourself, but he wasn’t slowing down. *If anything*, he was fucking you even *harder*, his hands gripping your ass now, angling your hips so he could bury himself deeper, *deeper—*

“Taking me so fucking well,” he growled, his lips brushing against the mark he left on your throat. His voice was rough, dark, dripping with satisfaction. “You love this, don’t you? *Being mine.*”

You barely managed a strangled moan, your nails raking down his back, but it only spurred him on. His thrusts became erratic, desperate, his need clawing at the surface, his groans mixing with your breathless cries.

His forehead pressed against yours, his lips brushing against yours as he whispered, voice raw and shaking, “I’m gonna keep fucking you until you can’t *breathe.*”

And god, you wanted that.

You *needed* that.

And he *wasn’t stopping.

Hongjoong was unraveling, his body trembling with need, but it wasn’t enough. *It would never be enough.* Not until he had you *completely*. Not until you were ruined, marked, and utterly his.

His lips, still stained with your blood, curled into a dark smirk. He lifted you effortlessly, his strength undeniable, before carrying you to the bed and dropping you onto the soft sheets.

“Face down,” he murmured, his voice a deep, velvety command. “Ass up.”

You obeyed, barely able to think, still dazed from the pleasure and blood loss, but he wasn’t gentle when he *dragged* you into position. His hands roamed down your back, fingers teasing, tracing along your spine before pressing between your shoulder blades, arching you just how he wanted.

“*Look at you,*” he groaned, his fingers kneading the flesh of your ass before gripping your hips, positioning you exactly how he wanted. “A fucking *dream.*”

His hand slid into your hair, fisting it gently before yanking your head back slightly. His lips ghosted against your ear, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Do you know what this means for a vampire?” he rasped, his breath hot against your skin. “Taking you like this—*marking* you like this?” His fangs dragged along your shoulder, teasing, threatening. “It means you’re mine. *Forever.*”

You whimpered, your body betraying you completely, but you knew he could *hear* the way your heartbeat stuttered, how your arousal only grew at his words.

He chuckled darkly. “That’s right, *love*.”

Then, without another word, he *thrust* into you again, knocking the breath from your lungs as he filled you completely, the stretch making your back arch even *deeper*. His fingers dug into your waist as he set a brutal, unrelenting pace, each movement deliberate, *possessive*.

“*Mine,*” he growled, snapping his hips into yours, his cock hitting *so* deep you swore you could feel him in your soul.

He *owned* you in every possible way. And there was no escaping him.

Hongjoong didn’t even *pretend* to be satisfied. Even after he had you trembling beneath him, after he had claimed you in every possible way, he wasn’t done. Not yet.

He pulled out slowly, watching the way you clenched around nothing, the obscene sight making his cock twitch with renewed hunger. His hands trailed up your back, his touch surprisingly gentle despite the brutality he had just unleashed on you.

But you weren’t going anywhere. Not when he *still* needed more.

“You can take one more, can’t you?” he murmured, his voice velvety smooth, dark, tempting. His fingers slipped between your thighs, gathering the dripping mess between them before teasing your clit, sending a sharp jolt through your overstimulated body. “*Look at you,* already shaking.”

You whimpered, but your body betrayed you, your back arching as you leaned into his touch.

“Such a good girl for me,” he cooed, though there was a sharp edge to it—something almost mocking. “So fucking *greedy* for my cock.”

Before you could protest, he flipped you onto your back, his strength effortless as he manhandled you into the perfect position—your legs tossed over his shoulders, folded nearly in half beneath him.

“Fuck, *that’s it*,” he groaned, gripping the backs of your thighs as he lined himself up again. He didn’t wait, didn’t hesitate—he *slammed* into you in one deep thrust, forcing the air from your lungs. Your back arched off the mattress, your nails digging into his arms as he *wrecked* you all over again, his pace fast, *ruthless*.

His hand wrapped around your throat, tilting your head back just enough for him to bare his fangs. He licked a slow, teasing stripe over the mark he had already left on your skin, before sinking his teeth in *again*.

The pain, the pleasure—it was too much, your entire body tightening as you let out a choked sob.

“That’s right, *take it*,” he growled against your throat, his hips snapping against yours mercilessly. “Fucking *mine.*”

You were already so close—too close. Your entire body felt like it was on fire, pleasure building to unbearable heights as his pace became *filthy*, deep and rough, hitting that devastating spot inside you over and over until you were nothing more than a shaking mess beneath him.

“H-Hongjoong—”

“Oh, I know, *love*,” he cooed, his grip tightening as he *pounded* into you. “You’re gonna cum for me again, aren’t you? Gonna make a *fucking mess* all over me?”

You *tried* to hold on, but it was useless. The moment his fingers found your clit again, circling it with cruel precision, your body *snapped*.

The orgasm tore through you like fire, your vision going white as you *screamed*, your entire body shaking as waves of pleasure crashed over you. You barely even realized what happened until Hongjoong let out a low, dark chuckle, his thrusts slowing just enough for you to catch your breath.

“*Fuck,*” he groaned, voice thick with amusement. “You *really* couldn’t hold back, huh?”

You barely had the energy to glare at him, your body still trembling as he pulled back slightly, glancing down between you.

“Look at this fucking *mess,*” he purred, his fingers dragging through the wetness that had soaked the sheets. He lifted them to your lips, tapping them against your tongue. “Didn’t know you could do that, love.”

Before you could respond, he thrust into you one last time, his own release finally hitting him. He groaned against your skin, his body tensing as he spilled deep inside you, claiming you fully. His fangs scraped against your shoulder one final time before he collapsed against you, his breath heavy, satisfied.

For a long moment, the only sound in the room was your ragged breathing, the heat between you still unbearable. Then, Hongjoong lifted his head, his lips brushing against your temple as he chuckled.

“Messy little thing,” he murmured. “I *love* it.”

Hongjoong exhaled deeply, his weight pressing into you as he slowly came down from his high. His lips brushed against your temple, his fangs barely grazing your skin now, no longer filled with hunger but with something softer. His hands roamed over your body, rubbing slow, soothing circles into your trembling thighs, your hips, your stomach—anywhere he had been rough with.

“You okay?” he murmured, his voice low, intimate.

You let out a breathy hum, still dazed, still floating. He smirked, pressing a lingering kiss against your jaw before pulling out slowly, making you shudder. His eyes darkened again as he glanced down at the mess between your thighs, but he only chuckled, shaking his head.

“Look at you,” he mused, swiping a thumb over your swollen lips. “So fucked out.”

You rolled your eyes, too tired to sass him back, and he only grinned, kissing you again, this time slow, lazy—filled with a tenderness that contradicted everything he had just done to you.

“Wait here,” he said, reluctantly pulling himself up. “I’ll get us cleaned up.”

You barely registered him slipping on his pants before he tiptoed out of the room, padding down the hall in search of some towels. He knew Seonghwa had them stocked in his room, but what he *didn’t* expect was the very *obvious* panting on the other side of the door.

Hongjoong froze, lips curling in amusement. He heard Seonghwa’s voice, low and breathless.

“Let’s take a shower,” he murmured, his tone laced with exhaustion—and something else.

Hongjoong smirked. *So that divine woman got to him, too, huh?*

Unable to help himself, he knocked lightly on the door before calling out with a teasing lilt, “*Only* a shower?”

There was a beat of silence. Then, all at once, laughter erupted from both rooms—yours, Seonghwa’s, and *hers.*

Hongjoong just shook his head, chuckling as he grabbed a few towels. “What a night,” he muttered to himself, grinning as he made his way back to you.

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