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sunjinie · 2 months ago

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──“EXTRA SWEET, NO CREAM”

➤PAIR: roommate!kim chaewon x female!reader

➤SYPNOSIS: you didn't ask for a new roommate, especially not the campus sweetheart. but chaewon remembers you from a quiet coffee shop moment long ago. now you're roommates and she's determined to mean something to you too.

➤CONTAINS: fluff, reader is referred to as 'you' & 'y/n', reader dislikes chaewon at first, kms jokes, rushed ending

➤WC: 9.5k

I apologize for any typos and/or grammatical errors. happy pride month! :)

you weren't in university for the parties, the cliques or the constant social climbing. you didn't care about who was popular, who dated who, and who hosted parties every friday night with loud music and unnecessary decorations.

you didn't pay the hefty tuition just to waste your time engaging in all that nonsense, for crying out loud.

you were here to simply study, pass, and leave. quietly.

so it made sense that your contact list was nearly empty, just your family and a childhood friend. you wouldn't talk to someone unless they'd talk to you first, and even then, most conversations didn't go past a stiff ‘...thanks.’

your old roommate had been the same—she was quiet, rarely around, and respectful of your space. at times, it didn’t even feel like you had a roommate. then without any warning, she transferred to another university.

that had been fine too.

you figured it'd take some time for housing to find you a new roommate. but what you didn't expect was for them to toss someone in the next day. especially not one with three different colored suitcases, a blinding smile, and two cups of coffee. but here she was, already half way done with unpacking in your dorm.

you blinked.

she didn't disappear.

and you didn't scream, but it was close.

standing there, a few feet away, she noticed you, and her face lit up like the morning sun breaking through a cloudy sky.

“hi, you're y/n, right?” she asked, her voice bright and melodic. she was genuinely hopeful, clearly worried she might’ve gotten your name wrong.

you knew exactly who she was, everyone did. kim chaewon, the campus sweetheart, the cheer captain, the business major everyone seemed to drool over. you've seen her around, once in the library, two times in the hallway, and too many times in the university's Instagram. she was sweet. the kind of sweet that would give you cavities if you let it sit for too long. people swarmed her like bees around honey; both guys and girls were constantly flirting with her, and you could see them practically begging for her friendship.

you didn't get the hype.

“I am.”

“nice to see you again!” she beamed, extending her hand to offer a cup of iced coffee “extra sweet, no cream, iced coffee. your usual.”

‘again’?

‘your usual’?

how in the world did she know that?

huh???

you tried to recount if you've spoken to her before, trying to trace back any moment where you might have actually spoken to her—but you were 99% sure that this was the first interaction between you two.

you scanned the cup in her hand, brow furrowing slightly. was it really your usual? it looked the way you liked it…

you hesitantly took it from her, “thanks…?” the words slipped from your lips, laced with a mix of hesitation and confusion.

she hummed in acknowledgement, her attention turning back to the tasks at hand, unpacking her belongings.

you stood there, staring at the cup of coffee.

‘is she some sort of stalker or something?’ you thought. how could she know your usual when you’ve never even spoken to her until now?

you stepped around her and her suitcases which seemed to take up half of your room, before plopping down on your bed.

your gaze flickered between the cold cup of iced coffee resting in your hands and chaewon, who was busy organizing her things with an ease that made it look so effortless.

you thought about drinking it. I mean, she wouldn't poison you, right? right?

after a moment’s hesitation, you raised the cup to your lips, the chilled surface cool against your skin.

with a cautious sip, you braced yourself for something unusual. fortunately for you, it tasted just as you expected—no strange flavors. it was sweet, cold, and perfectly balanced. just how you liked it.

your gaze landed back on chaewon, watching her as she unpacked her things. she had a look of pure concentration on her face. as she dug through her bag, you noticed some colorful trinkets and carefully folded clothes spilling out. there were cute stickers, a couple of tiny plush toys, and a vibrant notebook covered in doodles.

it was in that moment you realized she had a lot more than clothes in there. she had too much stuff. way too much.

“is this a dorm or a lifestyle shoot?” you muttered under your breath, not really expecting her to hear you.

but of course, she did.

“let me know if you want me to take out the fairy lights,” she said with a playful wink.

you rolled your eyes.

you quietly sat on your desk, minding your business as you flipped through today’s lesson notes, your headphones snugly rested over your ears. in the corner, chaewon had long finished unpacking her things and was scrolling through her phone, her thumb flicking up and down the screen aimlessly.

though the peaceful silence didn’t last long.

“hey, y/n?” chaewon called out, lifting her gaze from her phone. she waited for a response, maybe a small hum—but all she got was:

…

silence.

“heyyy,” she slightly raised her voice, wanting to catch your attention. but you remained focused on your notes.

just as she was about to give it another go and shout louder(not that she was annoyed or anything), it dawned on her that you were wearing headphones.

woops!

getting up from her bed, she padded over to you and gently tapped your shoulder.

‘jeez, what does she want now?’ you huffed, pulling your headphones down around your neck but not bothering to turn around just yet.

she smiled, a bright, cheery expression that didn’t fit your mood at all “so… any dorm boundaries? like, lights off time or music stuff?”

this was what she bothered you for? really?

despite your annoyance, you shrugged, trying to keep your tone light. “just don't bother me before coffee in the morning.”

“ohh, okay! gotchu.” she paused for a brief moment, her hands clasped in front of her. “by the way, can you turn the lights off before going to sleep? I prefer it that way.”

“yeah, okay.”

“thanks!” she backed away, humming to herself as if she’d just accomplished a great feat.

after a while, you finally tore yourself away from your cluttered desk, the papers and books that seemed to mock your procrastination. chaewon was already cuddled up in her bed, the blanket pulled up to her chin. you tried to see if she was already asleep or just pretending, but it was hard to tell for sure.

still, you turned the lights off, just as she requested. you plopped down onto your bed, feeling the weight of tiredness pressing down on you.

“goodnight.” you heard chaewon say, her voice soft and quiet.

you didn't answer, your eyes already fluttering shut.

the next morning, you slid out of bed, groggy and still feeling the heaviness of sleep clinging to you, even after a whole night of rest.

you stretched a little, and tried to go through your usual morning routine, but you still felt like a zombie. meanwhile your new roommate was out… somewhere.

as you brushed your teeth, your mind flickered to the coffee you'd order later. the thought of that cold, rich drink woke you up a bit. you really wished it would just magically appear in your hands every morning. like a caffeine fairy was in charge of your mornings.

just as you were about to grab your things and head out of the dorm, the door swung open, and lo and behold it was chaewon with a smile lighting up her face and a cup of coffee in her hand.

“...thanks?” you looked up. the door was already swinging shut behind her, no explanation, no good morning, just a cup of coffee.

you took a sip.

prefect. again.

which made it worse.

you sat on a wooden bench, your finger lazily scrolling through reddit, looking for something interesting to read before classes started. you were just about to lose yourself in a post about ‘butter vs cooking oil’ when a shadow fell over your screen.

you looked up, and of course…

chaewon.

“hi!” she greeted before dropping down to sit next to you like it was the most natural thing in the world. “thought I saw you over here.”

“uhuh.” you mumbled, trying to focus on your phone despite the energy radiating from her.

“I have a roommate radar, yknow?” she tapped her temple, playfully wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

“that's not a—” you began, but were quickly interrupted when someone called out.

“chaee! hey!” it was a girl from the cheerleading squad, one of chaewon's friends with a bright smile and a bounce in her step. “who's your friend?”

chaewon's face lit up even more, practically glowing with enthusiasm, while yours looked defeated with a hint of dread.

“this is y/n—my new roommate. she's really cool!” chaewon declared, voice brimming with pride.

“nice to meet you!” the cheerleader chimed, shooting you a wide grin. all you could manage was a nod, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

the girl started bombarding you with compliments. something about your hair being nice, your eyes looking pretty, and a bunch of other things you didn't understand.

does she not have anything else to do or what?

just when you thought you might start to melt into the bench from embarrassment, fortunately, the girl’s boyfriend walked by and plucked her away, throwing you an apologetic glance as if he understood how perplexed you were.

you let out a sigh of relief as they disappeared into the crowd.

“hey,” chaewon started again, her voice calm but full of that same bubbly excitement.

if this was another compliment you were really gonna lose it.

she continued, “cats or dogs?”

“...what?”

“cats or dogs?”

how random…

“both.”

“fair enough.” she shrugged. you were about to ask why she cared so much about pet preferences when she suddenly stood up, dusting off her pants like she was ready for a whole new adventure.

“c'mon, let's get you to class.” in a swift motion, she wrapped her fingers around your wrist.

her grip was not tight, not loose, just right. just enough. enough to pull you off the bench and drag you along with her. a small giggle escaped her lips, and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes at her enthusiasm.

gosh, she was annoying.

suddenly, she stopped in her tracks—pausing like she had forgotten something important.

“uhh, what's your first class?” she asked with a sheepish smile.

“physics,” you replied.

you sat with your friend, minjeong, on the empty bleachers. it was lunchtime, and rarely anybody went there as most of them preferred the crowded dining hall or the grassy spots outside.

you and minjeong had been friends for so long that you couldn’t even remember a time when you hadn’t known her. you practically grew up together, childhood friends who made silly promises and swapped lunch items like it was the most important trade deal in the world. just like now.

“so, I heard you got a new roommate and a new friend. shocking, really.” minjeong said with a dramatic flair as she took a bite of your burger.

friend? that's a bit of a reach.

“roommate, yes. friend? I don't know about that. where'd you even get that from?”

“word gets around fast. especially if it involves chaewon. did you even know that she knows almost every single person in the campus? the girl’s so social it’s starting to scare me.”

“yeah, but I just don't get the hype. she's sweet, so what?”

as you scanned minjeong's food, your gaze landed on something that instantly piqued your interest. “wait, is that a cookie?”

she quickly covered it with her hand, “nuh uh.” she shook her head, a playful grin stretching across her face.

“yuh uh! sharee.” you reached out, trying to snag the cookie, but minjeong was faster than you, stretching her arm high above her head, the cookie just out of reach.

“you're the worst,” you whined before letting out a small laugh.

minjeong laughed too, “I know right.” she finally relented and split the cookie in half, offering you one piece. “here, consider it a peace offering.”

you took the half she offered, holding it up like a trophy. “accepted.” you smiled, a genuine one.

later that night, you found yourself back at your desk, piles of homework stacked in front of you, accompanied by pens, crumpled papers, and textbooks. at the same time, chaewon lounged on her bed across the room, surrounded by her own collection of study materials.

she was staring down at her textbook with a furrowed brow, deep in thought. what the hell was ‘ignominious’ and who thought it’d be a good idea to put such a ridiculous word in her textbook?

she glanced up, looked at you, her textbook, then back to you before deciding you looked smart enough and had a few brain cells to spare.

after a moment of deliberation, she hopped off her bed and tiptoed over to your desk, tapping you lightly on the shoulder.

you pulled your headphones off. “what is it?” you asked.

with an air of seriousness that was oddly comical, she pointed at her textbook and said, “what does ig-no-mi-ni-ous mean?” she sounded it carefully, like she was trying to decode an ancient language.

your mind went blank.

…ignomiwhatnow?

you didn't even know that word existed! “honestly, I don’t know,” you admitted, scratching your head. “maybe just ask google or something?”

“google and I are on a break. last time I asked a question I got diagnosed with three weird diseases and brain damage.”

she's got a funny way with words.

“google it,” you shrugged, clearly unhelpful.

“fineee,” she groaned dramatically, turning on her heel and making her way back to her bed.

the entire night she kept bothering you.

“hey, do you understand this?”

“no”

“how do you think they did it without technology?”

“ask your grandparents.”

“do you—”

“nope.”

“how do you spell nauseous?”

“n-a-u-s-e-o-u-s.”

“wait, you lost me at the first ‘u’. can you repeat it?”

“no.”

“did you hear? one of the boys on the soccer team got kicked out and suspended because he got all violent with the coach.”

“that's… something.”

that night you stopped wearing headphones whenever she was around.

you woke up feeling completely drained, like you had just ran a marathon in your sleep. sitting up in your bed, you squinted over at chaewon’s side.

she wasn't there again.

‘what time does she even wake up?’ you wondered, half amused and half exasperated.

with a sigh, you swung your legs over the side of the bed and stretched, your muscles complaining a bit. as you glanced around your room, something caught your eye on your desk.

it was a cup of iced coffee with a small note.

you shuffled over and picked up the note, curious. the note read:

“thanks for tolerating me last night! :D”

you let out an amused huff.

chaewon was supposed to be talking to her friends, laughing with them, but her mind was elsewhere.

“hellooo, earth to chaewon?” yunjin suddenly clapped her hands right next to chaewon’s ear, her voice exaggeratedly loud.

chaewon jumped in her seat, letting out a small yelp. “holy— what?” she exclaimed.

“you've been staring at an empty bench for like, five minutes,” kazuha pointed out, her tone teasing. “are you seeing something we aren't?”

sakura lightly smacked kazuha's arm, “don't bully her.”

chaewon sighed and looked away, “I'm just waiting for someone,” her gaze flickered back to that empty bench.

yunjin gasped dramatically and pressed her hand against her chest as if she had just heard the juiciest gossip. “woah, woah, woah… kim chaewon finally has a crush? I have to go tell eunchae!” she pulled her phone out of her pocket, ready to spill the beans.

chaewon quickly snatched the phone away from her..

“gosh, no! I'm just trying to get closer to someone. that's it!” she waved her hands, trying to brush off the assumptions.

yunjin shook her head in mock disappointment, giving chaewon a thumbs down before snatching her phone back, “boo, boring.” she teased, earning a glare from chaewon.

as her friends went back to bickering and making jokes, chaewon stayed quiet.

still waiting.

until you appeared.

with someone else. a girl chaewon instantly recognized.

minjeong—yeah, that was her name wasn’t it?

chaewon watched from a distance. there was something special about the way you interacted with the girl beside you. chaewon couldn’t help but feel a tinge of longing. she wished she could be that close to you.

she shot up from her seat, her feet carrying her over to you with a determined smile plastered on her face. “y/n! hi!” she called out.

you froze in place, caught off guard.

minjeong stood beside you, barely holding back a laugh as she leaned closer. “y/n,” she whispered. “you didn't tell me your bestie was going to drop in.”

“she's not—” you tried to protest but chaewon was already there, her arm wrapping around yours naturally as if it was meant to be. “hey, sorry if I interrupted.”

you grumbled, “you kind of did, yeah.”

minjeong gave you a slight nudge with her elbow as if to tell you to drop your attitude before she flashed a smile, “I'll give you two a moment.” and just like that, she vanished into the crowd, leaving you alone with chaewon.

“so,” you said stiffly, adjusting the bag that hung heavily on your shoulder. “what's up?”

chaewon pulled her arm back and turned to face you fully, an easy grin on her face, “nothing much, just saw you and thought I'd say hi.”

“you didn't have to come over,” you replied, a hint of disbelief in your tone.

“yeah, sorry about that…” her smiled wavered for just a moment.

there was a beat of silence.

then a quiet: “I didn't know you had friends.”

you raised a brow. was she trying to make fun of you or something? should you be offended? “...what?”

chaewon's eyes went wide, instantly flustered. “no! wait, sorry, I didn't mean it like that! I just uh—” she laughed awkwardly. “you're just… kind of hard to read sometimes.”

“I get that a lot,” you muttered.

her smile returned, bright and genuine, “it's okay. I like reading.”

chaewon came back to the dorm with a visible limp. it wasn’t dramatic, not enough for most people to notice, but it was enough to catch your eye.

you didn't say anything right away, just glanced up from your desk, eyes flickering to chaewon's knee before looking back at your laptop, pretending to be absorbed in your work.

“you should get an ice pack.” you said flatly, not bothering to sugarcoat it.

chaewon froze, glancing at you like you had just spoken a foreign language. “what?”

“your knee. it's swelling.” you didn’t even look up, still typing away as if her injury was just a minor technical issue.

“oh. it's fine it's just—”

“no.” you rolled your eyes dramatically, “you were limping yesterday too. you walked funny this morning and you kept touching your leg like it hurts. so do something about it.”

chaewon opened her mouth, clearly at a loss for words.

with an exasperated sigh, you stood up from your desk and made your way over to the minifridge, rummaging through it. a moment later, you returned with an ice pack wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.

you tossed it on chaewon's lap. “apply that to your knee and elevate your leg.”

“...and rest. tell your coach.” you added.

chaewon just blinked at the ice pack on her lap, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

she watched as you went back to your desk like it meant nothing.

but it did.

it meant everything.

because no one else noticed. not her friends, her coach, not even the girls on her squad.

but you did.

you noticed the little things, the way she winced when she thought no one was looking, or how her smile seemed a bit forced.

and somehow, that made all the difference.

after chaewon's knee had gotten better, the first thing she did was stop leaving coffee on your desk like a forgetful barista. instead, she upgraded to a more personal delivery system. now, every morning, she'd waltz over to you with your usual drink in hand, looking far too pleased with herself.

you still had no clue how she managed to memorize your usual order. was she secretly a coffee psychic? you didn't dare question it. you'd just take the cup with a simple, 'thanks'.

oddly enough, she never launched into her usual non-stop chatter right away, which was a real shocker. she'd walk beside you and wait until you finished drinking. only then did chaewon start bombarding you with her ramblings or whatever random thought had popped into her head.

sometimes she'd linger by your side a little too long outside the dorm. next thing you knew, she was sitting with you during meals, walking you to class like you were some sort of vip needing escort. not that you minded it that much.

days turned into weeks. it didn't happen overnight, but you slowly grew used to chaewon being around.

it was a massive change to your daily life.

you used to solely spend your evenings buried in textbooks, headphones on, focused on squeezing every bit of knowledge into your brain. you were practically a hermit, and you liked it that way. but suddenly, chaewon, a chatterbox, somehow squeezed herself into your life without even knocking.

at first it drove you a little nuts. you'd be deep in concentration, only to be jolted out of it by her excited voice talking about a dream she had where she was chased by a giant marshmallow.

seriously, who dreams about that?

you tried shutting her down with dry responses, hoping she'd take the hint and back off.

but she didn't.

she just kept on talking. and strangely, you found yourself waiting for it—another story about a weird dream she had, the new gossip everyone was talking about, how much she misses and loves her dog. somewhere along the way it stopped being background noise and more of a routine.

chaewon noticed.

she hadn't expected much when she started talking to you. she'd rant and you'd give her a shrug or just silence. at least that's what she usually got from people who didn't care enough to know her beyond the surface. but you? oh, you were different.

you'd listen, like actually listen.

this time wasn't any different. you sat by your desk, surrounded by scribbled notes and textbooks, reviewing and summarizing today's lesson while your favorite playlist played with music that somehow helped you concentrate. suddenly, you heard the distinct irritable sound of a chair scratching against the floor.

you turned to where the sound came from—beside you. you were ready to throw hands, but when you realized it was just chaewon scooching her chair next to yours, you relaxed. with a sigh, you turned down the music and tried to refocus your attention on your messy paper.

chaewon sat down beside you, legs crossed, clearly buzzing with excitement “you gotta really listen to what I'm about to say right now!” she exclaimed enthusiastically.

“that's the fifth time you've said that today," you pointed out.

“I knowww, but this time it's different! hear me out!”

you knew where this was headed. and just like that, your careful writing turned into mindless doodling. it always did when chaewon was around. that's why you started keeping an extra notebook at your desk every night.

“—and then, he had the audacity to call kkura ugly and tell everyone they dated! like, no y'all didn't. she even had to publicly post a tweet regarding it because people were starting to spam her dms with ‘aww, you guys looked good together, why did you break up?’” she ranted.

“just because she rejected him? wow.”

“I know, right?” chaewon slumped down in her seat, then instantly perked up again, leaning over to peek at your paper.

“you got another pencil?” she asked, despite the obvious pencil holder filled with pencils and ballpoint pens in front of you. “I wanna draw with you.”

reluctantly, you stretched your arm out, reaching for a pencil. you gave her a random one, one with some sort of disney princess pattern. you didn't even know where you got that from.

chaewon examined the pencil, a teasing grin spreading across her face. “wow, didn't know you were into beauty and the beast.”

trying to suppress a smile, you shot her a glare. “I'm not into that.”

“yeah? why do you have this then?” she nudged, clearly enjoying this.

“I don’t know. it just... showed up!”

“gee, I wonder if you also like—”

“oh my— just start drawing.”

her teasing grin softened into a warm smile before her focus shifted to your notebook. she flipped through the pages until she found a blank one, then carefully tore it out.

you gave her a confused look, “thought we were gonna draw together?”

she waved her hand dismissively. “later. I wanna draw something by myself first. no peeking.” she covered the paper with her free hand as she drew, blocking your view.

you just sat there, watching her, wondering what she was drawing. you noticed how she carefully moved the pencil across the paper, how her brows furrowed in concentration, and how the hair fell perfectly around her face. suddenly, you were struck by how cute her smile looked. was she always this pretty?

you tore your gaze away from her, internally panicking.

what in the world were you thinking?

moments later, chaewon finally slid the paper over to your side. you looked down and saw a drawing of her talking next to you while you listened, your expression captured perfectly.

a smile crept onto your face. the actual drawing might have been a bit... well, questionable, but the idea was cute. "it's good," you complimented.

chaewon noticed your smile. it was genuine—warm. something about it made her stomach flip. she stared at you.

she knew you were pretty, but had you always been this pretty?

her grip on the pencil tightened as her heart raced, feeling a strange flutter she didn't quiet understand.

just the, you suddenly clapped your hands in front of her face, startling her. “did you even hear what I said?”

“what? I mean— yeahhh, of course I did! you said… uhm.”

yeah, no, she definitely didn't hear a thing.

“I said we should head to bed now. it's getting pretty late.” you reminded her, glancing at the clock.

chaewon looked at the clock, 11:32 pm. “oh, right. it is,” she yawned, suddenly feeling drained. “guess time flies when you're having fun.”

she stood up, stretching her arms over her head before shuffling to her side of the room then to her bed.

once she slid under her blanket, she peeked at you from the corner of her eyes. you were busy tidying up your notes, your eyes a little tired. you must’ve had a long day. she waited patiently for you to turn the lights off.

when the room fell into darkness, she muttered a soft, "goodnight."

she didn’t expect you to say anything back, maybe just a hum of acknowledgement, or a small nod. so imagine how her heart skipped a beat when you said, "goodnight," back.

she was done for.

it was friday night, and instead of staying up late and binge watching netflix shows—chaewon was infront of the mirror, carefully putting on some light make-up. she wasn't wearing anything fancy, just a jacket over a sweater and a pair of loose jeans. casual but undeniably presentable. you'd be lying if you said it didn't catch your attention. she looked good in anything.

you were sitting by your desk again, one leg lazily propped up on the chair, shoving a spoonful of cup noodles into your mouth while your laptop droned on in the background. a show was playing, but your eyes weren't really glued to the screen.

your eyes kept flickering over to her.

seriously, she looked good. really good. the kind of good that made your heart do a little weird flip like it was trying to audition for a circus act. this wasn't the first time you noticed chaewon was pretty; you'd known that even before you two became roommates. but maybe you just weren't really letting yourself look back then.

“hey, I'm going out.” chaewon suddenly announced, breaking the silence.

you looked away, acting like you were just now realizing that she was dressed up. “date?” you asked, trying to sound nonchalant but failing a bit.

“no, just going to a friend's birthday party off campus.”

you simply nodded, like it didn't matter at all. “cool, have fun.”

chaewon paused at the door, throwing you a bit of a motherly vibe. “don't stay up too late,” she said as if she was giving a lecture. it was ironic, considering she was usually the one pulling late nights.

“I won't.” you replied, dismissive, trying to sound like you meant it. it was the kind of tone a kid might use when they're caught sneaking cookies for the fifth time.

once chaewon left, you slumped back in your chair, staring blankly at the screen, you had stopped eating—suddenly deep in thought. then a realization hit you. you had gotten used to it, hadn’t you? her usual chatter, her loud voice, the coffee she'd give you every morning.

you glanced at the door.

how long would she be gone?

and why did it matter?

frustrated at your own train of thought, you decided to text minjeong.

y/n [7:03 PM]:

—min, can i come over im DYINGGG RN

minjeong [7:03 PM]:

—no

—my roommate’s studying for a quiz, she'd kill me if u did

—what's up? 🤧

y/n [7:04 PM]:

—u come over then

minjeong [7:04 PM]:

—??? i need a reason 🙄

—if u wanna bang im down.

y/n [7:04 PM]:

—I DONT WANT TO?!$(#9_(!**

—eugh where'd you even get that idea

—i wanna talk about something 💔

minjeong [7:05 PM]:

—hang*

—SORRY

—is it serious

y/n [7:05 PM]:

—i js want someone to talk to bro??

minjeong [7:06 PM]:

—isn't chaewon there? go hug ur gf or something

—im not walking allat

y/n [7:08]:

—bro sybau she's not my gf

—plus, she went out

minjeong [7:08 PM]:

—¯\_(ツ)_/¯

—omw

minjeong sat on your bed beside you, her expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. “let me get this straight. you made me come over because you just wanted to yap about your crush on your roommate?” she spoke carefully, making sure she got the facts straight.

you pinched the bridge of your nose, exasperated. “I do not have a crush on her.”

“uhuh, and you totally didn’t just say you couldn't stop looking at her earlier?” minjeong said, a teasing glint in her eyes.

"I did not."

“oh, yes you did.”

“not.”

“did.”

“not.”

“did.”

“not.”

“did— oh, for the love of—” you gave minjeong a light punch on her arm, feeling a mix of irritation and laughter rising in you.

“so, do you like her?” minjeong leaned in, her voice dripping with playful curiosity.

“maybe? I don't know!” you hid you face in your hands wishing desperately for the floor to swallow you whole. “does she even like girls?”

“...I didn't think about that.” minjeong looked as devastated as you, even though she wasn't even the one questioning everything right now. “wait, let me check her insta.”

you pried your hands off your face, scooting closer to see minjeong's screen.

minjeong searched high and low. she checked chaewon’s bio, peeked at her story highlights, and scrolled through her comments—which mostly consisted of yunjin asking for photo credits and random fans showering her with compliments. not a single clue about chaewon’s romantic interests.

you wanted to bang your head on the wall.

“girl, I give up.” minjeong tossed her phone into the empty space on the bed. “just ask her or something.”

“are you kidding? no way. I'm not doing anything about it.” you flopped back onto your bed, burying your face into a pillow like it would somehow save you.

minjeong stood up and gave you a judgemental look, “seriously? you're just gonna ignore it like that?”

“yeah.” you said, giving her a thumbs up, your voice muffled by the pillow.

minjeong, done with your nonsense, reached for her phone, ready to head out. “I should get going, it's already ten.”

you turned your head to the side, peeking at her. “we should totally have a sleepover sometime, just to... you know, binge watch that one cartoon with the sponge guy.” you muttered.

“summer break,” she replied, giving you a quick pat on the back, "good luck with chaewon, I guess. bye!" she shrugged, making her way to the door.

as the door clicked shut behind minjeong, she unexpectedly bumped into chaewon, who was doing her best to balance a box of donuts, her purse, her phone, and a tumbler that seemed like it might topple over at any second.

“oh, hi!” chaewon greeted her with a small smile, her free hand waving like it was trying to keep everything balanced.

“...heyy,” minjeong greeted back. awkwardly. she didn't expect to run into chaewon, the girl she just stalked a few minutes ago on instagram. “do you need any help?” she gestured at the items chaewon was carrying.

“no, no, I'm fine," chaewon laughed, but it was the kind of laugh that suggested she might not be fine at all.

they exchanged a small nod before minjeong started to walk past her, but suddenly stopped, a thought popping into her head. "uh, wait."

chaewon tilted her head slightly, “yeah?”

“do you like girls?”

“...what?”

“like, romantically?” minjeong blurted out, immediately regretting her choice of words.

“...yes?” chaewon answered, taking a step back as if she was trying to physically distance herself from the awkwardness.

“okay, great, thanks, bye!” minjeong said quickly before bolting down the hallway as if she'd just asked if there were aliens among them.

chaewon watched minjeong dissapear into the distance, her brain still trying to process what just happened.

what in the world was that even about?

she shook her head in disbelief. chaewon finally entered the dorm, and there you were, sprawled out on your bed, scrolling through your phone.

“hey, I got donuts!” chaewon announced cheerfully as she took her shoes off with the help of her free hand.

you looked up from your phone, and for a moment, you swore you almost jumped off your bed to run and hug her, but you restrained yourself. instead, you put your phone aside and got off your bed before padding over to her.

“how was the birthday party?” you asked, reaching out to take the box from her hands, making it easier for her to put the rest of her things down.

she murmured a grateful ‘thanks’ looking a little flustered, “it went great! I had a really fun time. people were nice.”

“by the way,” she continued, setting her purse and tumbler down on a nearby table, “bumped into your friend a minute ago.”

“minjeong? oh, she just wanted to hang out. hope you didn't mind her in here.” you were about to set the box down on her desk when she stopped you.

“put it on my bed instead.”

“and yeah, it's fine I don't mind her here.” she flashed you a smile as you followed her instruction, gently laying the box down. you couldn't help but smile back, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

chaewon settled on her bed and opened the box, patting the empty space beside her, “come sit.”

you plopped down next to her, the soft mattress beneath you sinking down a little. chaewon handed you a chocolate donut, “you like chocolate, right?”

“you remembered?” you took it from her, your fingers lightly brushing against hers ever so slightly.

you took a small bite. and holy moly you felt like you were taking a tour of donut paradise… it was airy and fluffy on the inside, it was slightly chewy but not dense or heavy, the flavors were balanced, it was perfect, to say the least. your eyes lit up like you'd just discovered treasure.

chaewon grinned, clearly pleased with herself. “of course I did.”

“you and minjeong… you guys go way back right?” she asked you.

you looked at her, curiosity buzzing in your mind. “mhm, childhood friends. we were neighbors. anyway, what’s up with the sudden question?”

“eh, nothing, she just asked me a random question earlier so I decided to ask about her.”

you raised a brow, but you didn’t question it. you could always poke around later.

meanwhile, chaewon was still contemplating why minjeong had asked her if she liked girls. was minjeong, of all people, into her?

the moment was interrupted as your phone buzzed. a notification. you turned your phone on,

minjeong [1m ago]

—chaewon likes girls, happy pride 🏳️‍🌈

you almost choked on the donut as you read it, your cheeks burning hotter than ever.

you sat beside minjeong in class, the professor’s voice droned on in the background like a distant lawnmower. your mind, however, was miles away, spiraling into thoughts of chaewon. not like you wanted to, everything just reminds you of her for some reason.

“min, I’m gonna kill myself everything reminds me of chaewon!” you whispered, trying your best not to be obvious.

“just admit it, you like her.” minejong rolled her eyes, not even bothering to hide her smirk, “you were like this the last time you had a two year crush on our class president in high school.”

“never mention yeji ever again. and so, what if I do like chaewon? not like anything's gonna happen anyway,” you grumbled. frustration, bubbling up inside you. you were just about to try and focus on the lecture again when you suddenly heard a hushed: “wait, you liked me?”

you turned your head slowly, feeling the dread creep in. and boomshakalaka, there she was, hwang yeji... this time you really wanted to bang your head on the table. you immediately faced forward again, pretending like you were paying attention to whatever the professor was talking about.

“wowww, so suddenly the lecture seems so interesting now, huh?” minjeong snickered, leaning back in her seat.

absolutely.

when class finally ended, you found yourself walking alone with yeji. she suddenly tagged along before you could run away. and minjeong… minjeong had abandoned you long ago, such a true friend in times of need, 10/10, five stars, would recommend.

as soon as you both stepped outside, the sky decided it'd be a good time to mess with you today. it was pouring rain.

“wow, lucky me.” you muttered, reaching a hand out towards the rain. you quickly pulled it back and glanced at yeji.

“you got an umbrella? ‘cause I don't.” she laughed, then smiled, looking back at you. “wanna make a run for it?”

you quickly averted your gaze, feeling your cheeks warm up. it wasn't like you liked her anymore, no, she just had this uncanny ability to make you nervous for no good reason. “no, we'll catch a cold. let's wait it out.”

“okay, mom.” yeji said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, earning an eye roll from you.

“about earlier…” she trailed off, leaning casually against a pillar. oh dear, here comes the big question. “did you actually like me?”

standing awkwardly next to her, you began fidgeting with the keychain on your bag. “yeah, I did.”

“I did too, senior year.” she admitted.

“really? I thought you had a thing for guy with the weird hair or something.” you were genuinely surprised.

"who? oh him..." she waved it off, chuckling. "and yes, really. I don't like you anymore though," she clarified with a grin.

you nodded, “neither do I.”

“then tell me this," she paused for a second. "what did you like about me? just curious, you know? gotta fill the time somehow."

“unbelievable.” you sighed out.

and just like that, the two of you fell into a casual conversation. for the next ten minutes you chatted about the silly things you admired in each other, the ups and downs of life, and the odd little things that made you both laugh. slowly but surely, you warmed up, and before you knew it, you were joking around with her like old pals. you even found the courage to spill your thoughts about chaewon, trying to hide the smile tugging at your lips as you did.

chaewon stepped out of the building, umbrella in hand. she scanned the small crowd, eyes flickering from one group to another.

where were you?

she had wrapped up her cheer practice early, all for you. knowing you never brought an umbrella with you, she had set out to find you, hoping you weren't getting soaked out there.

and then she saw you.

you were just a few feet across from her, laughing at something yeji said. the sound was the same warm, easy laugh you usually gave her, and it was like a punch to the gut. chaewon slowed her steps, her heart doing a little flip.

her smile faded.

who was she?

her grip tightened around the umbrella's handle, fingers curling a little too hard. she didn't even realize she had stopped walking.

it wasn't like she hadn't seen you talk to other people before. but this felt different, too familiar, too close, like you were sharing a private joke.

it shouldn't have bothered her.

but it did.

without thinking, chaewon forced a smile and called out. “y/n!”

your head turned, and the spark in your eyes was instant recognition. you spotted her immediately, jogging over to you with that trademark grin on her face.

she stopped once she was right beside you, trying to play it cool. “I was looking everywhere for you.” she glanced at yeji then back at you. “who's your friend?”

“I'm yeji, hwang yeji. we were just catching up with some stuff.” yeji introduced herself. just as she finished, her eyes suddenly darted to her her watch. “oh no, would you look at the time? I gotta go!” she sent you a wink, giving you a knowing look before going back into the building.

you regretted telling her about chaewon.

chaewon watched yeji leave, brows furrowed like she had been told that her dog was ugly. and that wink? it didn't sit well with chaewon.

chaewon opened the umbrella before intertwining her free hand with yours. “let's go,” she said, pulling you towards the dorms.

the two of you shared the space under the umbrella, shoulders frequently brushing against each other that felt both cozy and awkward. “your shoulder's getting wet.” you moved a little to the side, trying to give her some more space

she shook her head and pulled you closer, “it's okay.”

you hated how sweet she was, really, it was like trying to resist a cupcake when you were already full. it wasn't fair how she made your heart beat faster everytime she smiled.

"at least let me hold the umbrella," you suggested.

she shot you a look that clearly said she wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but she eventually gave in, handing it over with a sigh.

as you took the umbrella, you subtly shifted it over to her side, not bothering to care if your own shoulder got drenched.

chaewon lounged on the couch in the dorm shared by yunjin and kazuha, the smell of freshly baked pizza hanging in the air. sakura was seated beside her, pizza slice in hand, while the other two were debating over which color of nintendo joy-con was superior—kazuha was on team green, while yunjin was defending the pink one.

“so,” sakura took a big bite of her pizza, her eyes narrowing in on chaewon, “you and that girl…”

chaewon raised a brow, “what girl?”

“the girl you wait for every morning. you know, your roommate.”

chaewon made a small ‘o’ with her mouth when she realized who sakura was talking about. “oh! y/n? what about her?”

“you’ve been spending alot of time with her lately. got something to tell us?” sakura asked, her tone suspicious.

“no? I don't think so.” chaewon was confused, she didn't get it.

sakura rolled her eyes dramatically like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “come on! are you guys, like, together? in a romantic way?

“no, we aren't...” chaewon didn't know why sakura was asking her these questions. was she too obvious? what if you had also noticed?

sakura thought about it for a second. you aren't in a relationship, but chaewon wouldn't shut up about you and bought you coffee every morning?

then it clicked.

“you like her!” sakura exclaimed, her voice rising like she had uncovered a groundbreaking secret which caught the attention of yunjin and kazuha.

they stared at her, waiting for an answer.

chaewon tried to play it cool, trying to suppress the heat from rising up to her cheeks. “pssh— y/n? nooo, why would I?” she waved her hands dismissivey, but the blush was betraying her.

“oh please, you totally give her heart eyes every time you look at her.” yunjin chimed in, pointing and laughing a little.

chaewon grabbed a random pillow beside her, using it to cover her face. “I don't,” she mumbled, muffled by the cushion.

“you won't mind if I ask for her number then?” yunjin teased, her phone already in her hand.

then yunjin felt something hit her face.

“oomph—!”

chaewon threw the pillow at her.

“fine, I like her. but only a little bit…” she whispered, “actually, a lot.”

the trio erupted into a fit of giggles, practically bouncing in their seats. "when's the confession? kazuha chirped.

“never.”

“oh come onnnn, let me help you!”

“me too!" sakura added.

“me three! wait—eunchae might want in.” yunjin said, already tapping out a message on her phone.

chaewon slumped down in her seat, letting out a melodramatic sigh. “no.”

yunjin plopped down beside her, a moment of realization hitting her “wait, wait was she the y/n you asked about months ago?”

she hesitated, “uh, well…” she trailed off, sounding like someone's mom getting ready to tell one of those classic ‘back in my days…’ stories.

chaewon stepped into the newly opened café sakura had told her about. the moment she stepped inside, a soft breeze of cold air hit her, a contrast to the blazing heat that had been practically cooking her outside.

she glanced around, taking in the cozy decor, the warm yellow lighting, and the light chatter of customers. she made her way towards the counter, eyes landing on the chalkboard menu. she should've asked sakura for a recommendation, because now, she was left wondering what to pick.

she stopped once she was in front of the counter, eyes dropping down to the barista in front of her.

“hi, uh…” her eyes darted to the barista's name tag. “y/n? hi.”

you raised a brow, taken aback that she had greeted you first instead of the other way around. “yeah, hi, what can I get for you?”

chaewon blinked, her mind racing. what on earth should she order? before she could think, she blurted out the words: “just— what's your usual?” panic started to set in.

“my usual? as in what I usually order?” you asked, trying to wrap your head around her odd question.

“yes. I'm just trying out new things, you get it, right? haha…” chaewon masked her nervousness, trying to act casual and confident, but inside she felt like a flustered mess.

‘you're lowkey kinda weird.’

‘zuha, let her continue the story.’

“extra sweet, no cream, iced coffee.”

“huh?”

“...my usual,” you clarified.

“oh! right, right… yeah, I'll get that one. 16oz.” she said, feeling a bit more reassured as she nodded. it didn't sound awful, but definitely not something chaewon would order on a daily basis.

you scanned the cups beside you found the right one, then looked back at her, “kim chaewon, right?” you took the marker from your pocket and holding it at the ready, waiting for her confirmation.

chaewon’s eyes widened in surprise, “that's… right. how'd you know?”

“same university.” you wrote her name down with practiced ease.

instantly, chaewon's face lit up like a christmas tree, a smile spreading across her face, “really? why haven't I seen you around? what do you major in?” her curiosity was piqued, and she couldn't help but lean towards you a little more, her chin resting in the palm of her hand.

“engineering,” you muttered, turning away to prepare her order. she didn't move just yet, not really wanting to leave. after all, there was no one waiting behind her and it felt oddly nice to chat.

you didn't fangirl or do anything awkward you just treated her like a regular person, and that felt like a breath of fresh air. she hoped she could be friends with you.

‘y/n’, ‘engineering’, and your usual order. she took note of that.

a moment later, you came back with her order. you slid the cup across the counter towards her, “₩3,500.”

chaewon quickly fished some money from her pocket, paying you with a grin, “I'll see you around,”.

as she stepped outside, she checked the cup for a note, your number, maybe? but all she saw was her name and her order in neat handwriting.

“bummer,” she muttered to herself with a hint of disappointment.

‘you know you could've just went back, right?’

‘shut up, yunjin.’

chaewon laid down on her bed, phone in hand.

-THE CLICK (not clique)-

pupu [9:37 PM]:

—does anyb know a girl named y/n

yunjinie [9:37 PM]:

—IK A KINDERGARTNER NAMED Y/N

—SHE'S IN THE US THOUGHHH RAHHHHH🦅🦅

manchae [9:38 PM]:

—WHY ARE WE SHOUTING

yunjinie [9:38 PM]:

—I DON'T KNOW

pupu [9:38 PM]:

—@ kkura, @ zuha?

kkura [9:39 PM]:

—no lol 😅

zuha [9:39 PM]:

—idk

—anyone want a cupcake tmrw?

yunjinie [9:39 PM]:

—me PLSSS

—ZUHA PSLSLLSLSLS

zuha [9:40 PM]:

—no one? okay.

pupu [9:40 PM]:

—y'all useless af bruh

chaewon let out a long sigh before burying her face in her pillow.

“ohh, why didn't you just come back to the café the next day though?” kazuha asked.

chaewon paused, her eyes wide and blinking as if trying to process the thought. then, in a moment of fluster she hid her face in her hands. the sight was so comical that yunjin could hardly contain herself; she erupted into laughter. she laughed so hard that she felt tears prickling the corners of her eyes, clutching her stomach as if it might burst with how much she's laughing.

“...I didn't think of that.” chaewon sheepishly admitted.

weeks passed and instead of fading away, the feeling grew more every second. chaewon felt like she was being eaten alive by the urge to tell you everything and spill her heart out.

but neither of you said anything.

not when you caught each other staring. not when she brought you your favorite snack after a long day, mumbling that she “just happened to pass by the store.”

and definitely not when you found yourself grinning like a little kid at your phone when her name lit up the screen.

then came that morning. you were just walking through the dormitory hallway, making your way outside. when chaewon suddenly appeared out of nowhere with a cup of iced coffee in her hands and handed it over without saying a single word. nothing out of the ordinary.

but instead of walking with you like usual, she took off at full speed, making you feel like a deer caught in headlights, left standing there with your mouth slightly agape and a puzzled expression.

that's when you noticed the small note taped to the side. nothing new. she sometimes left silly doodles or passive-aggressive reminders to eat, but something about today felt different.

you peeled it open.

‘I like you, a lot. maybe you don't feel the same and that’s okay, but I really wanted to tell you so here’s this note. hopefully this doesn't ruin anything between us.

–chaewon𖹭’

you stared at the note.

your chest felt tight, your ears were ringing, and the coffee in your hand suddenly felt warm even though it was iced.

chaewon didn’t stop running until she was halfway across campus, ducking behind a vending machine like she was being hunted.

what was she thinking?

chaewon could feel her heart pounding. not from the sprint, but from you. from the way her fingers brushed against yours, the way you looked at her, the fact that the note she reread ten times was now in your possession...

she buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. “I’m so stupid,” she whispered to herself. “why did I run?”

if she had stayed, she might've exploded waiting for your reaction. because part of her was terrified you'd read the note and never look at her the same again.

but another part of her, an annoyingly hopeful one, was already imagining you showing up. finding her. saying something. anything.

so she waited.

she stood in front of the vending machine, pretending to look at snack options she didn't even want.

then you found her. just fifteen minutes before classes start.

“chae!” you called out. it wasn't a generic ‘hey’, it wasn't a formal ‘chaewon’, it was ‘chae’. that made her heart flutter. just a little too much for a normal morning.

chaewon froze halfway through opening a bag of chips. she slowly turned around, the moment almost theatrical.

“did you uh…” she paused for a second to keep herself calm. “did you see the note?”

in response, you held it up like evidence, “I did.”

she opened her mouth ready to say something, but instead, closed it again, feeling hesitant. “okay…”

a beat of silence passed.

“you ran really fast,” you broke the silence.

“embarrassment fuels speed,” she muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. “I didn't know how you were gonna react. I panicked.”

“you could've waited, you know.” you replied, voice softer this time. “I was going to say something.”

she stared at you, a mix of hope and nervousness in her eyes. “yeah?”

you nodded, a small smile creeping onto your face. ‘‘I like you too.”

chaewon’s face heated up like a boiled potato, and despite her efforts to maintain her composure, her lips curled up to a smile that could light up the whole campus. “like, like like?”

you laughed lightly, the sound melting away the last bit of tension “yes, like like.”

“cool cool cool cool cool cool…” she repeated, trying to keep her cool and not burst into pieces out of happiness right then and there.

“weirdo,” you mumbled affectionately.

just like that walked to your classes together, her hand naturally finding yours, like it had always belonged there. you didn't need many words this time; it felt easy.

chaewon would occasionally swing your joined hands as you walked, grinning at you like an idiot. even with so many eyes watching you didn't let go.

she glanced over at you, and you were already looking at her.

this time, neither of you looked away.

ᯓ★BONUS

you sat across from chaewon, the cold breeze from the café's ac sending a shiver down your spine. you wrapped your hands around the warm cup of chocolate milk, hoping to keep some heat as you tried to shake off the chill.

“so,” you started, taking a sip of your drink before continuing. “how'd you know what my usual was?”

chaewon raised her brows, surprised with the question. “you don't remember?”

you gave her a confused look. “remember what?”

“when you worked here for the summer. I asked what your usual was because I didn't know what to order.”

you blinked, “that was you?”

“who did you think it was? oh my gosh, were you thinking about another girl?” chaewon feigned a hurt and offended expression, dropping her fork to put her hand over her chest.

the way she exaggerated her offense made you burst into laughter. you could feel the eyes of the other customers on you, but honestly, you didn't care. the owner was used to your antics anyway.

you wiped the tears that formed from laughing so hard, “you're so dramatic.” you managed to say.

chaewon gave you a cheeky grin, eyes sparkling with mischief, “and you love that about me.”

you did. undeniably so.

#sunjinie #fluff #kim chaewon #chaewon #female reader #fem reader #le sserafim #chaewon x reader #chaewon x fem reader #wlw

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