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chimivx · 2 months ago

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‘after all the boys and girls that we’ve been through, could you give it all up if i promise to you, that i’ll never talk again, and i’ll never love again’

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➳ college!teez x fem!reader (oc) - nice for what cast ➳ 7.6k (part three of ???) ➳ 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, angst, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW! *pay attention to time stamps <3 *

monday ~ september 15th ~ 6:37 pm

ITZ hadn’t been this busy in years. In your four years of experiencing this day, these tours, this month, you’d never seen the foyer so crowded, full of excitement, happy, smiling girls with the brightest eyes. Standing on the bottom stair to get a couple more inches on you to look out above everyone, you folded your hands over your middle and pressed your lips into the smallest smile.

Tori, in her flared jeans that hugged her hips just right, and her ITZ recruitment shirt, she beamed at the recruits, the absolute babies walking by her, yapping it up with the ones who lingered by her side. Bracelets jingled on her wrist whenever she twisted her arms around to show off her tattoos to the recruits who asked about them. Some sororities didn’t allow tattoos, or piercings, except yours. Tori’s been loud and proud about them since day one, and for the new girls she intended to keep it that way.

Chaewon kept close to her, her chestnut hair swishing over her shoulders as she directed girls around the house with a point of her finger or a wave of her hand. Since she’d been appointed Tori’s former position she’d become somewhat of a shadow of your best friend. Keeping her chin held high, her shoulders on straight, when she wasn’t answering questions or giving directions she was peeking over at Tori, for only a second, either to make sure she’d been doing enough, or to monitor how to act.

In a fit of giggles, Yuna and her group of five she’d been wandering around the first floor with, they rounded the staircase and greeted you with smiles and tiny waves, some afraid to look up at you. Their nervousness made you smile. Giving them space to move upstairs, you greeted each of them individually, extending a hand to shake, one they took tentatively.

Visions of Yeji flashed through your mind as the night progressed, how effortlessly she’d danced over the floor on this very night, how she captured the energy and made it her own, took the attention for herself. She’d allowed the girls to wander by themselves, letting Mina handle some walk throughs, but ultimately, she’d treated this night as some sort of publicity stunt for herself. She micromanaged. This had been but one night in her plot to turn ITZ into Yeji-TZ.

Standing on the stairs, overlooking them all, the variety, the passion, the drive to do something for themselves… You couldn’t imagine what it felt like to want to take that away. If anything it blew open a wound within you. A fear.

You were their president. Soon they’d look to you for direction, some already doing so.

You were in charge.

Sakura and Eunchae brushed by you, snapping you out of your thoughts. Two girls who were recruited last year, the pair you met sitting on the counter at the ATZ party you sneaked out of the house for. These were two girls Yeji could’ve burnt out, and she wanted to. Written on her face, you could see it. Sakura and Eunchae, they walked into the house and she shifted into defense mode, profiling them before she had the chance to speak to them.

Luckily you got to Tori and Yuna before decisions were made, and the freshmen, now sophomore pair were safe. In fact, they were the most active two of the recruits from last year, and tonight proved that further. Saying hello to you, landing playful fists on your shoulder, they trekked up the stairs with a few new girls behind them, touring groups without being told it was something they needed to do.

The sight of it all, from Tori, to Chaewon, to Yunjin at the door greeting girls who’s profiles you’ve sifted through thoroughly, it warmed your heart as much as it weighed down on you.

It worsened the cloud hanging over your head, the dread looming over your shoulders, the darkness that could take you any second.

The voicemail in your phone.

You’d deleted it after you called your father, forcing Keeho awake into a three way call, telling them both at once what had happened between hurried breaths and a pounding heart. Unable to focus in class, the roars of your angry father lingering in every thought, you could still hear them now. Him absolutely freaking out worried you more than the voicemail that you called him before you even stepped out of the classroom at dismissal, to make sure he was still on his feet.

Keeho left you with messages full of plots and plans that made you smile, but not enough to relieve the urgent panic of ‘how the fuck did she get my phone number?’

You’ve never spoken one word to the woman.

You’ve never once seen her face.

The stories kids tell, ones from movies and television shows, of dreaming of their mother, yearning for her or someone of the sort- the thoughts never crossed your mind.

Maybe once, when you were young, too young to understand how mothers and fathers and birthing children worked, but other than that, nothing. Yeonjun had been honest, you think, about their love story, of how you came to be, how he acquired you and what it’d done to him, and for you it had been enough. You had your dad, what more could you need?

It’d been an uncanny sort of way of thinking. For a few years in high school you and Keeho would joke that Yeonjun made you himself, you came from him and only him, and you were content believing that.

You couldn’t pick apart these feelings, nor the reason why they felt so heavy. It shouldn’t bother you. The messages could be deleted, numbers could be blocked, and you’d move on. You supposed what it’s done to your father could be the reason why, but even then, he could delete the messages, block the number, and move on.

A tiny thought lingered just beneath the surface. One you weren’t ready to open up or even consider. It worsened the anxiety induced nausea.

What if he wants her back?

As much as he said he wouldn’t entertain it, there were a lot of things he said he wouldn’t do that he ended up doing anyway.

Taking a deep breath, scanning over the floor once more, you meet Tori’s eyes. She gave you a soft smile, and before you knew it she was grabbing your hand, pulling you out onto the front porch. Planting you in a white wicker chair, she relaxed into the one beside you and let out a sigh, crossing one of her legs over the other.

Sitting on the edge of the seat, your nails picking at each other, she reached over and nudged your shoulder, easing you backward.

“Take it easy,” she said softly, watching you rest against the cushion on the back of the chair. Sliding her hands over her thighs, the dark denim she wore, she breathed in the fresh September air that seemed to clear up from this morning. “It’s going really well in there,” she nodded, “Better than I imagined, honestly.”

Clenching your jaw, you focused out on the lawn, the plush green of the grass, the leaves of the trees lining the street bustling in the light breeze that melted over your skin. The quiet of the street, the noise that echoed over from the heart of the city, the life in Delo that never ceased. Voices that carried from a few blocks down at ATZ where the boys hosted their own tours for their new brothers joining the fraternity.

Yunho was down there. Probably standing tall in a nice shirt with his hair all tidy wearing that charismatic smile that would guarantee all the new recruits would stay, rambling on and on about all the good ATZ had brought him, all the success he’d acquired.

He wouldn’t include your name. He didn’t have to. You didn’t want him to.

But you hope you’re in his head. A mere thought lingering behind it all, that if the two of you never joined these organizations you’d probably not be where you are now. Not speaking. But, then again, if you never went through recruitment, you aren’t sure if the two of you would’ve ever escalated past classmates freshman year.

Whatever people say about blessings and curses.

Tori broke the silence. “What are you thinking about?”

“Yunho,” you whispered without hesitancy.

She shifted in her seat, letting her head shake her brown layers about. “At this point, I don’t get it.”

Looking over at her, you asked, “What?”

She turned her head and softened her expression. “You want him,” she shrugged, “He wants you.”

Averting your eyes to the porch, you kicked your feet about and murmured, “It’s more than that.”

Dipping her head backward, she groaned. “It’s always more than that with you two.”

Wooyoung’s words came back to bite. You smiled, and said, “Can’t have us without the drama, can we?”

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” she said. “You don’t need to keep having these tragic things happen, you can have peace.”

Pressing your lips together, you laughed to yourself and shot her a look. “The entire time we were hooking up, all summer, up until he told me he loved me,” you narrowed your eyes and she sighed, “He was hooking up with her.” Tori lowered her gaze, letting you speak. “I want him, I wanna be with him, but how can I trust him? I know I’m not innocent, I said it to my dad, there are some things I’ve done too, the reasons he’s not speaking to me and maybe more, but…”

“I get it,” she whispered.

Throat tightening, fists clenching, you whispered, “I love him. And as much as I think not talking to him hurts worse than what he did…”

“Then, talk to him,” she said, and you smirked.

Giving her a look, you both shared the same thought at once, but you spoke it alive. “I’m scared he won’t talk to me if I do.”

She sucked in a breath. “So, then you’re stuck living in this in between. This limbo.”

“Doesn’t hurt as much as the thought of him turning me down.”

Tori reacted physically, her chin turning, her eyes squeezing shut. “Damn.” Quiet fell for a moment, until she turned to you and asked, “You really think he would?”

“I don’t know,” you said, tone flat, face expressionless.

She leaned forward to catch your eyes. She wore worry in hers. “Are you okay?”

Her words processed in your brain, and you gulped. Fixing yourself, sitting up straight, rolling your shoulders back, lifting your brows, livening your lips, you nodded.

She made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. “Yeah, okay. He’s got you fucked up.” She didn’t know anything. Your phone burned a hole in the back pocket of your jeans.

“My mom called me, Tor.”

“I just think…” She’d begun to pop off, but reeled herself in. From her hands shooting out at her sides, to the way they took sanctuary on her chest as she lurched forward in her seat, her eyes bore into yours. “What?”

Her reaction had been much like Keeho’s. Disbelief, utter shock, disgust.

“Yeah,” you shrugged again, “And she’s been calling my dad since, like, July.”

Her parted lips widened. “Aurora, I don’t… What?”

It wasn’t easy to render her speechless, but this got her.

From behind her the front door opened. Kazuha stepped outside onto the porch with a curious Yuna behind her. Once your friend spotted where you sat, she broke out in one of her infamous flashy grins.

“Hi cuties,” she sang, then nodded toward Kaz, “Ror, Miss Nakamura’s been looking for you.”

“Thanks, Yuna!” Tori beamed, leaping to her feet. The senior’s chocolate brown curls disappeared behind the door. Giving you a glance, Tori said, “I’ll let you guys talk,” she smiled toward Kaz, then gently touched your shoulder, “We’re finishing this later.”

Sending her off with a nod, you watched as she waltzed effortlessly around the freshman with the sweetest greeting, and whisked herself away inside the house.

Taking careful steps toward you, dressed in ripped baggy jeans and a cropped black tee hanging off her shoulder, Kazuha held up her hand to wave.

“Come, sit,” you said, nodding toward the chair Tori had been in. “How are you?”

With a breath and a smile she hurried to take the space beside you, and said, “I’m good, how are you? I’m sorry about this morning.”

Laughing, you waved the matter off. “Don’t worry about it, I’m fine.” Setting your chin in your hand and your elbow on the arm of the chair, you took her in and put on your best presidential face. “Where were you headed?”

Kaz sat backward, stretching her legs in front of her. Her wispy black hair danced over her cheeks in the breeze. “The library,” she popped her brows, “I’ve been rushing to get my stuff together, like my books and stuff like that. I still don’t have them all.”

Knitting your brows together, you asked, “Did you get the rest of them today?”

Kaz cringed. “No?” Thinking to herself, her gaze traveled out to the lawn. “It was hard for me to find things, that library is huge.”

Sharing a knowing laugh, you cocked your head and sat backward like her. “It really is, it took me a while my first year too. One of my classes, I didn’t have a textbook for two weeks.”

Kaz grinned. “What’d you do, then?”

Warmth spread over your chest, filling in some of the cracks your conversation with Tori left behind. “I shared with a friend. We did our homework together at Blend, you been there yet?” She shook her head and you clicked your tongue. “We’ll get you there soon. He and I… We’d spend hours there. And then, one day I came to class and his textbook was waiting for me at my chair.”

Kaz asked, “What’d he do about his?”

Shaking your head, you said, “He bought one for himself.” She smiled and bobbed her head. “I got to keep the one with our scribbles in it. I swear half the time we weren’t even doing homework.”

Sliding her feet under where she sat, she lowered her chin. “Sounds like more than a friend, Aurora.”

Squinting at her, you whispered, “You have no idea.”

She giggled. “Did you guys date or something? Who is this friend?”

With a hard swallow, you half rolled your eyes. “Yunho, he’s in ATZ.”

She sat forward and narrowed her eyes. “The history major?”

A pit formed in your stomach, forcing you to whisper, “Yeah. Why?”

“I didn’t take him as your type,” she said. “That’s all.”

“How do you know him?”

Kaz smiled, and you studied it. Maintaining your composure, you analyzed hers. She smiled, and spoke, and moved in a way that attempted to impress you.

She said, “I made a friend in ATZ, we have a class together, I’ve been getting to know him. Jongseob? You know him?” You grit your teeth together and she noticed, letting out a laugh. “Of course you know him, that was stupid of me, you’re the president, I just mean… He’s… Yeah! He’s how I got more info on joining here and stuff, he said it’s a really great experience.”

Keeping your rage under wraps, you made yourself smile. “I’ll have to thank him for sending you our way.”

You hoped to never speak two words to the spawn of Satan ever again. His adversary, however, he you still longed for, but whenever you got too close, Jongseob snatched him away. You’ve had a few short text conversations with Soul, but they never amounted to much. Twenty year old apologies that didn’t surface in person, only lived within the thread between you and him on your phone. No matter how much you proclaimed your worry for him, he found a way around it.

Even Wooyoung has tried. Texting him, calling him, trying to catch up to him around campus these past few weeks… Nothing.

Not even Seonghwa could get a grip on the sophomore.

Kazuha blushed, and your curiosity piqued.

“Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush on him, Kaz,” you tried to joke.

She laughed and shook her head, glancing down to her lap. “No, no, not Jongseob. I actually, uh, I met them this summer. My sister and I went on vacation with a group of friends from back home, and we met them in a bar. Major coincidence they went to school here and I’d be heading here just after we got home-”

“Them?” you questioned, raising a brow.

She blushed again, the girl incapable of hiding emotion. “Jongseob and his friends.”

“His friends,” you said without realizing how snarky it came out. You were leaning forward over your legs now, your elbows living on your knees.

“You know them, I think, right?” Kaz asked.

“I know them.”

“Intak, Jiung,” her voice softened, you aren’t even sure if she noticed, “Soul.”

“You like him,” you breathed, leaning closer to her.

A smile broke onto her cheeks, a cheesy one, and her shoulders lifted to her ears. “I don’t know, we… We had fun this summer, and I guess I… I guess I do.” She lifted her gaze to meet yours. You wiped away any emotion you wore and tried to smile.

She wasn’t horrible, Kaz. An eighteen year old, age appropriate, style sharing freshman. Their personalities were similar enough, both of them chill, but for some reason none of it sat right within you. Behind his need to rebel, his need to follow his friends along in what he thinks is right or cool, Soul was pure. He’d be innocent if he never got caught up with Jongseob, Intak, or Jiung. If the right people had gotten ahold of him sooner, his life would be much different.

If Kaz was the girl for him, you’d need to get to know her better, and not just through conversation. This was one you had to watch.

“Does he like you back?” you asked, and she pouted her lips in thought.

“I’m not sure,” she said, then pushed her hair from her face, “It’s still early, I think I plan to get closer to him, and then I’ll find out.” Her eyes drew sideways, looking at you through her peripheral. “Is it true?”

Nerves shot through you. “Is what true?”

Kaz turned her chin to flash you a smirk. Taking in your body language, you caught her right as she finished and changed how you were sitting, but you weren’t quick enough. “It is.”

Crossing your legs, you shook your head. “Kaz, what?”

“You guys used to fuck,” her sudden language made me stifle a laugh, “You don’t have to pretend you didn’t, they all still talk about it.”

Rolling your head backwards, you groaned. “Of course they do,” another laugh came out of you, “Kaz, it’s not what you think, that was a… weird time. For a lot of us.”

She rested her lips in a gentle smile, her head hanging to the side. “So, what they say, it’s true?”

Through another groan mixed with a sigh, you said, “I don’t know what they say, and I don’t think I want to, but probably. I’ve hooked up with Soul, and me and… I guess, boyfriend, you could call him at the time, we… did it together.”

Kaz blew a laugh through her lips. “I’m not a kid, Aurora, you can say threesome.”

A chill shot down your spine. Her smile vanished.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” she said quickly within a whisper.

“It’s fine,” you nodded, “Those days’ll be rewritten eventually.” Relaxing back, letting your legs uncross, you grabbed the arms of the chair and sighed. Kaz watched you, waited for you to speak. “Nakamura Kazuha,” you said and she straightened out. Turning your head, you smiled at her. “Majoring in graphic design, minoring in business, you want to join ITZ to…”

Catching on to how you trailed off, she cleared her throat and finished your sentence. “Change.” Her answer filled you with intrigue. Tilting her head around, she continued, “Myself, my life, my past, my future… My family’s reputation.” You both looked at each other with some sort of know. “Not to trauma dump…”

Holding out a hand with a sly smile, acknowledging all that's been shared between you thus far, you whispered, “Please.”

Kaz gave you a soft laugh. She shoved her hands between her thighs and popped her shoulders. “I”m the first one to go to college,” she said, a hint of pride glistening out of her, “My mom didn’t go, my dad didn’t go. My sister wants to go, but she doesn’t think she’ll get the grades. I got here on my own. I worked really hard through school, I kept my grades up, I had two jobs- One on the weekend and the other after school four days a week… I did this myself. For myself.”

Giving you a look, you smiled at her, encouraged her to keep going.

“My parents were never married,” her voice lowered immensely, “They lived together, they coexisted, but they never got married. I was two when my mom got pregnant with my little sister, and if you can take a guess,” she shot you a wink, “We have different dads.”

You pressed your lips together. “Doesn’t make her any less your sister.”

Kaz’s smile perked up. “It doesn’t, she’s my best friend. I keep trying to get her to stay on track with school, with her job, but she’s too much our mother, yanno?”

With a roll of your eyes, you breathed out a laugh. Resting your chin back in your hand, you blinked toward her. “I’m too much my father.”

“Me too,” she said, her spirits lifting at the sound of your words. “I don’t wanna blame it on the fact that her dad is awol, but our mom and my dad is all she knows, and even then my dad has some sort of animosity towards her. He swears he doesn’t, they fight about it all the time, but it’s obvious he does. That happens when your wife’s a cheater, I guess, right?”

Nodding along as she spoke, understanding her story all too well, you affirmed her words and gave her insight of your own. “I never knew my mom,” you said, and she settled back in her chair. “She,” pausing, you huffed, surprising yourself with how this story was about to come out to a partial stranger, “She dropped me off at my dads when I was two months old. We haven't seen her since. It’s been me and Junie since the start, downtown Tamoe is home.” You took a deep breath, glancing down at the porch. “Was home.”

“We live down in Contramano,” Kaz muttered, and you nearly broke your neck to look at her. She met your eyes and laughed. “Yeah, I know.”

“What in the hell is that like?” You didn’t mean to highlight the awfulness of the town, but you couldn’t help it.

That place took too much from you.

“Kinda nice if you… close your eyes,” she said, and you shared a laugh. “Not many people get out of ‘Mano, yanno? I think that’s why I’m so hard on myself and my sister. I don’t want us to be stuck there.”

Lips melting into a smile, you held out a hand for her to take, which she did tentatively. Giving her palm a squeeze, you whispered, “My dad did.” She shared in your smile, glancing between you and how you held her hand. “It’s possible. You can do it, you did do it, you’re here. I’m sure your sister can do it too.” A shaky breath ripped through her, the topic clearly a hard one for her. “You’re gonna be at this dinner on Saturday, Kaz. You’re a guaranteed in.”

tuesday ~ september 16th ~ 11:10 am

[choi asshole #1]: What do you mean it shows up as a new number?????

[you]: i don’t know, if i knew i’d be able to keep her blocked. she called again and it’s a new number

[choi asshole #1]: Fuckin hell. She left a message???

[you]: yessir.

[choi asshole #1]: Send it to me. Let me hear it. Did you listen to it?

[you]: * 1 Attachment *

[you]: i don’t wanna listen to this. any of it. any of her. you can.

You didn’t listen to it, but you did read it.

‘Hi, Aurora, it’s Seori, again. I know what you both are probably thinking, I know what you both are probably saying, and I do not blame either one of you. I couldn’t get much out in the message I left you yesterday, I was hoping you would pick up this time, but then it wouldn’t go through, and I guess you, uh, you blocked me, which I’m not surprised by. Your father hasn’t blocked me yet, I figured he’d be the first one to do it! You don’t know me, I thought we’d be able to get to know one another, after all this time, I want to know you. And I know, god, I know how it all sounds, how it all seems, but Aurora, you’re my girl, you changed my life, you taught me so much, I just want to see you, want to talk to you, even if only for a minute. You can call me back at this number. I’ll answer. If I don’t, it’s my partner Johnny. Just say it’s you, he’ll give me the phone. Aurora, I know it’s been too long. Trust me. I know.’

Clutching your phone in your hand, letting your father assess the damage, you stepped up to the front door of Blend and pulled it open. Theo slaved away behind the counter with an effortless precision, charming his guests, his regulars who didn’t even need to speak their orders into existence. It’s only the third week of school and he’s gotten the schedule of his people memorized. A master of his craft.

The line extended toward the back of the shop, students like you looking for their next caffeine fix before trudging away to another class or a dorm room for hours of studies. Adjusting your bag on your shoulder you smiled at a few faces that glanced your way. Eyes lingered, and mouths whispered to their friends beside them.

You wore your title on your forehead.

Your many titles.

It depended on who it was that determined what they read. What they saw.

This started last semester, the spring of junior year after Yeji’s cancelled era. In true social media fashion, the views were split. Some hated you, some applauded you. Yeji and her family tried to run stories to ruin Nasara, to ruin the sorority, to ruin you and your friends, but with great success your friends and their families, with their own ties, they’d been able to protect you all. Seonghwa’s uncle stepped up, the city listened. The students, your peers, remained split.

[choi asshole #1]: I didn’t block her so she wouldn’t go to you!!! You understand that right??? Shes crazy!

[you]: don’t start with the women are crazy agenda

Bubbles appeared, then disappeared, then they appeared again.

[choi asshole #1]: Aurora you know what i mean i don’t mean that

You breathed out a laugh.

[you]: chill junie, i know. i’m not answering her and i’m blocking this number too. whether it’s her ‘partners’ or not. who even says that still.

[choi asshole #1]: Johnny. Some partner.

[you]: you know him???

[choi asshole #1]: I met him briefly. He’s alright.

Scrunching your brows, your smile deepend.

[you]: feeling jealous???

[choi asshole #1]: Fuck no. Don’t ever say that again.

[you]: take your meds <3

[choi asshole #1]: Done >3

[choi asshole #1]: Fuck

[choi asshole #1]: <3

Theo, behind the counter with his newest barista partner, one you knew you’d approach without a greeting, but would receive one, they worked quickly. You didn’t stand in the back of Blend for too long, your fathers texts keeping you occupied in the time it took for them to whip out a dozen coffees, lattes, and teas. The tables filled with some of the students in front of you, their books littering the tops, their bags living on chairs or the booths beside them. Glancing about, finding some sort of comfort in it, you stepped up to the counter and met Theo’s sideways smile with a wink.

“‘Sup sugar.”

Your sarcastic flirt made him laugh. Behind him, wiping down counters and blenders, Soul peeked over his shoulder. Giving him a smile, he stopped what he was doing. Theo followed your eyes with a heavy exhale. He and his step brother exchanged a glance.

“She wasn’t talking to me,” he said to Theo who nodded toward you. Soul took in a gulp of air and waved his hand. “Hey, Aurora.” Without a word back to him, he snatched his rag off the counter and hurried through the double swinging doors to the kitchen in the back of the shop.

Theo turned back to you, a snicker on his lips. “That’ll never get old.”

“He’s got a little girlfriend yanno,” you said, wiggling your brows.

“One that isn’t you?”

You gave his laugh a glare. “Let it go.”

He slapped his hands on the counter between you and shook his head, his smile still bright. “Eventually,” he rolled his eyes, “Changing it up on me today, or what?”

Squinting to look behind him at the handwritten menu in light blue chalk marker, you smushed your lips together and hummed. “Probably.”

Theo waited patiently. “Kee and I are going to that farm in Sicuro this weekend, they’ve got apple trees and stuff, we wanna go pick some,” he leaned over the counter and picked at his nails, “Do you wanna come with?” Looking up at you from the marble, his big eyes almost got you.

“I have the dinner this Saturday,” you said, and he twisted his lips in disappointment. “Recruitment shit, you know how it goes.”

“I do,” he sighed, then stood up straight. “Fine, we’ll go by ourselves.”

A smirk danced at the corners of your lips. “How’d you convince Keeho to go to a farm, Tae?”

He poked the tip of his tongue out and narrowed his eyes. “You really wanna know?”

“Not anymore,” you giggled, leaning forward, then you whispered, “Tell me later.”

He grinned, flashing you dazzling teeth. “What do you want, Choi? You have class in an hour, I can do whatever you want.”

The last of your management classes, you couldn’t believe it. This entire year would be full of them, the last tier, the highest level of class you worked three long years to get to.

“Coffee,” you said. “Black.”

He looked at you like you insulted his grandmother.

Laughing, you shot him a, “What!”

“No, you know what,” he said, fluttering his eyes shut, his long lashes splaying over his cheekbones. Holding up a hand, he said, “You’re going through something, I won’t say nothing. Coffee, black, coming right up.”

“I got another call today,” you said, leaning against the counter, watching him hurry away to make your fix. Eyes going wild, he groaned aloud. “I know, it’s ridiculous. I don’t know what she thinks is going to come of any of this.”

Pouring the, you noticed, espresso into an adorable cup with Blend written across the side, Theo said, “This is all Keeho can talk about by the way.” Your laugh tore through the angst sitting on your chest. “I know. He’s putting it all on me ‘cause he doesn’t wanna drive you crazy.” Slapping a lid on the cup, he hurried in front of you and handed it over.

“Sorry,” you whispered.

He shrugged. “I’d rather get the crazy. You don’t need it right now.”

Pressing the spout to your lips, letting the steam waft over your cheeks, you pouted. “Thanks.”

“Of course,” he nodded once, “Just know that he’s got your back. Even if he won’t speak on it much. The move and everything, it… It’s all been hard on him. He loves you.”

A lump lodged in your throat. “Damn, Tae, gonna make me cry on a Tuesday morning.”

Batting his lashes with utmost sarcasm, he whispered, “You’re welcome.”

Taking a sip of your coffee, you watched his eyes and how they looked at you with a purpose, then darted to the booth behind you to your left. He looked at you once more, smiled, then moved on to another guest who had walked in just moments ago. Stepping aside from the counter, you turned around slowly, your gaze flickering everywhere like it had when you walked in.

You sipped from the steaming cup once more and let your eyes move over to the booth Theo pointed out. The coffee almost shot out between your lips.

Head hanging over a book with both of his hands knitted in his dusty brown hair, Yunho focused on the pages. His glasses nearly slid off his nose with how downturned his head hung. Moving to flip the page, he pushed them up with his knuckles and sighed. He leaned backward against the booth and swiped both of his hands over his face, rubbing at his eyelids vigorously.

Tired again.

With how far into the book he’d read you can only assume he’s been losing sleep to finish it, and already knew that not a soul in ATZ would hold him accountable for his sleep habits. Yunho established very early on that he moved how he wanted, did what he wanted, and no matter what anyone said, or told him, he’d do what Yunho wanted to do. Even if it meant exhausting himself for the sake of good literature.

Licking his lips, he sat with his eyes closed for a few seconds.

When he popped them open your heart sank to your knees.

He looked at you.

And he definitely wasn’t expecting you to be already looking at him.

Flustered, he snapped his head to look down at his book, but then after half a second his eyes flickered back up, but not for long.

He knew you walked in, he’d scoped you out the second you walked in the door.

And here he sat, afraid to look at you.

Sending a soft thank you to Theo over your shoulder, you started for the door. Yunho’s head hung back over his book, but his eyes kept track of your every move. You could feel it. You took careful steps, slow steps, sipping your coffee as you strolled by his table, making sure your eyes were glued to him, just in case he happened to make eye contact again.

You wanted to sit down. Slide across from him, grab his book, flip through a few pages, nudge his knees with your own.

With how he caged himself within his arms, that wasn’t a table you belonged at anymore.

wednesday ~ september 17th ~ 4:55 pm

“I don’t think he fucking loved me at all!”

Groans sounded from the floor and the sofa.

“Don’t do that to yourself…” Wooyoung.

“Aura, stop!” Keeho.

“He looked like he did yesterday.” Theo.

Pacing in front of them, a beer can half crushed in your hand, in the dim light of Wooyoung's apartment, you’d been monologuing for fifteen minutes, dishing out to them the events of the last three days. Your mothers calls, Tori’s updates of the dinner, how the girls in the house have been asking you questions you didn’t know the answer to, and now, Yunho.

Wooyoung’s last class ended at three thirty. When he stepped off the elevator and rounded the corner of his floor, the three of you were waiting by his door with devious smiling faces that he greeted with a snicker. Within the hour food had been ordered and devoured, music had been turned on, beers had been slammed, and voicemails had been listened to.

Keeho, on the couch, with his third beer in his hands, shook his head around like mad. “First of all, this is insane to hear considering, like, four days ago y’all were together.”

Jumping on your two feet, you pointed at him and laughed. “We haven’t been together since July.”

Your best friend almost leapt off the ouch, but Theo held him back by the collar of his shirt.

“And you said nothing!” he shouted, falling back into his boyfriend's lap.

Gulping the beer you held, you waved a hand. “I didn’t talk to anyone this summer.”

Wooyoung, from the floor, mid bite into his pizza, raised a finger. “I can vouch for her, she didn’t.”

Keeho rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He shared a look with Theo, settling into his arms. “I can’t believe we’re back on this Yunho bullshit.”

“Me either,” you scoffed, slapping your hand against your thigh. Knocking back the rest of the beer in your hand, you sat the can on the table Wooyoung sat on the floor in front of and went back to pacing across his hardwood floor. “He sees me, pretends not to, doesn’t say anything, which I know!” Whipping yourself around to their open mouths with an argument ready, you swatted the air toward each of them. “Don’t start.”

Keeho giggled, nudging against Theo. “I know what you could dooo!”

Hardening your glare, you shot it toward him. “I said, don’t start.”

“Look, Ror,” Theo sighed, sitting himself up as best as he could with a tipsy Keeho latched to his side, “I saw him yesterday, I spoke to him yesterday. Not only is he also going through something, but the entire time we spoke,” he paused for an emphasis you did not need, “He couldn’t not look at you.”

“And didn’t you say that Tori said he was a mess at the party,” Wooyoung said mid chew, leaning against the couch. Standing before them, all their gazes locked upon you, you felt as though you stood before a council. “Crying about you and shit? That doesn’t sound like he doesn’t love you, Ro.” Keeho bobbed his head, his glassy eyes focusing down on the top of Wooyoung's head. “It sounds like he does.”

“All this time passed,” Theo said. “And he’s still down bad crying at the gym over you.”

Keeho eyed him. “You are so gay.”

Theo nearly broke his neck with how fast he looked at his boyfriend. “Say that to me again next time I’m pushing you headfirst-”

“Okay!” Your shout brought them back, both Wooyoung and Theo laughing at how Keeho’s face went pink.

Wooyoung gestured toward Theo. “Did you try that little trick I told you about?”

Theo nodded, smiled, and went to speak, but Keeho cut him off before he could start.

Lunging forward, eyes shooting open wide, he gaped at Wooyoung. “That came from you!?”

Pride wasn’t a strong enough word to describe what Wooyoung wore on his face. Holding up his hands in defense, he bit his bottom lip and feigned innocence. The way Keeho looked at you turned your stomach.

“Not surprised you didn’t talk to anyone all summer,” he said, and the boys fell into fits of laughter.

Standing equally on your feet, you folded your arms over the hoodie you wore and looked at him in a way only he’d be able to decipher. He sat up and set his beer down. Sliding away from Theo on the couch, he opened up his arms and you tiptoed toward him, falling into his hold, his lap.

Wooyoung smiled. Theo relaxed the other way and sipped his beer.

Keeho slid his hand over your arm, taking the other around your waist to hold you close to him. He took a deep breath, and in how you rose and fell with his chest he somehow telepathically let you know that you were going to be okay. That it all sucked, he knew that, but in time things tend to work out. They have in the past, and they will again.

“What in the twin brain is going on over there?” Theo asked after a few minutes of revelling in the quiet thump of the music.

Wooyoung looked up from his phone that he scrolled through and tapped his knee. “You’ll never know,” he said quietly, “Don’t even try to understand it. They speak a different language.”

“They aren’t even speaking!”

Wooyoung winked. “Exactly.”

“I am team Aurora talk to Yunho,” Theo said between sighs when no one seemed to move.

Keeho nodded in agreement. “I am too.”

They both looked at Wooyoung who looked at you, then Keeho, then Theo. He held up both his hands again.

“I am team Aurora do what you’re comfortable with.”

Keeho pursed his lips. “Of course you are.”

Wooyoung flattened his brows and tipped his gorgeous nose down toward him. “Yanno, you and Tori are the same person.”

“That’s a compliment,” Keeho smized.

Wooyoung smiled. “Yes, it is.” He glanced down at you. “It makes sense.”

From beside your empty plate your phone buzzed. Not once, not twice, it kept going. Moving off of Keeho’s lap, his arms hesitant to let go of you, Wooyoung reached over for your phone first, glaring at the screen.

“Who is it?”

Sitting down next to him, his face softened as he handed it over.

“Tori.”

“Hah!” Keeho cracked, crawling over the leather to curl back up in his boyfriend's lap. Theo’s fingers threaded through his hair as his face buried in his neck.

Answering the phone you clicked it on speaker.

“You’re in the room with Wooyoung, Kee, and Tae. Hi honey bunny,” you teased, gentle giggles leaving them all except Tori.

“I knew it,” she groaned. “Okay, well-“

“What’s wrong?” you asked, furrowing your brows, turning on the floor to face your friends. You laid your phone on Theo’s shin.

“It’s fine, I can ask Chaewon, she’s here.” Her exasperated tone brought back that dreaded cloud over your head. Wooyoung pressed his lips together and glanced away.

“Tori, what is it, I can-“

“Don’t worry about it. Enjoy the boys.”

She hung up.

Mouth wide open with more words to say, she silenced you with three beeps.

Staring at the screen of call logs, you didn’t know what to do.

“Come on,” Wooyoung said, voice hushed. Wiping his hands on a napkin he got on his feet and moved to slip into his shoes by his front door.

“Where are we going?” Standing, you followed him and did the same, put yourself in your shoes.

He almost rolled his eyes. “Taking you back to the house,” he said above a whisper, then turned to the boys on the couch, “Stay here, I’ll be back.”

Keeho sat up, blowing you a kiss.

“Bye, Ror!” Theo called out as Wooyoung had you half pushed out the door.

You haven’t been one to wish for silence as of late, but for the fifteen minute car ride you prayed for him to shut up. Unable to process a word, you sat utterly still with your hands shoved between your thighs.

“You can always come over, but not when you have stuff to do,” Wooyoung went on and on, “Your responsibility is huge, I get that, and it’s a lot, but that’s why you have Tori and Yuna, even Seonghwa and Hongjoong…”

They would be waiting there with papers. This happened the first week. You had dinner at Wooyoung’s, Tori called you home to sign off on recruitment stuff.

Her, Chaewon, Yunjin, Yuna… They would all be in that room, standing around the desk, or sitting around it, talking, discussing, flipping through books, filing through sheets and packets of paper, and you were going to show up late.

It wasn’t an official meeting. You weren’t missing anything.

But, that’s not what mattered.

“Stop running away from it,” Wooyoung said as turned down the street where both houses resided.

“I’m not running from it,” you spat, and he shook his head.

“Yes, you are, and for no good reason,” he mumbled. “Over a boy who- oh god,” he grumbled, and you wanted to be sick.

Passing by ATZ a few boys hung out around the porch that wrapped around the house entirely. Some shirtless, they were all sweaty, back from a run. Yunho included. He stood at the bottom of the stairs with a smile on his face, laughing at Jongho who ran his mouth, both of them wiping their foreheads with the tees they held in their hands.

Fixating on the car, Jongho lifted a hand to point at it and wave. You could make out Wooyoung on his lips, the car incapable of incognito. Yunho shook his sweaty hair and looked out onto the street, meeting your eyes for the few seconds it took for you to drive by.

He didn’t smile.

Peering into the side view mirror once you got too far, you watched as he fisted up his t-shirt, threw it to the concrete, drug his hands through his wet hair, and vanished into the house.

“Yeah, this pissed him off,” Wooyoung muttered, watching through the rear view mirror. He gave you a look and popped his brows. “Still think he doesn’t love you?”

thursday ~ september 18th ~ 1:03 am

[soulie]: was nice to see you when we’re not drunk

[you]: hello???? are you really talking to me right now????

[soulie]: i am. did u delete my number its soul

[you]: i know, i didn’t delete it. just shocked you’re texting me

[soulie]: …

[soulie]: i don’t know how to ask this

[you]: you can tell me anything soul

[soulie]: …

[soulie]: can i see u, can we talk

[soulie]: i get it if u dont want to but i need to

[you]: yes, please, i’d love to.

NU home ✧ speechless masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ ao3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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chimivx · 2 months ago

Text

‘after all the boys and girls that we’ve been through, could you give it all up if i promise to you, that i’ll never talk again, and i’ll never love again’

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➳ college!teez x fem!reader (oc) - nice for what cast ➳ 6.2 (part four of ???) ➳ 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, angst, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW! *pay attention to time stamps <3 *

thursday ~ september 18th ~ 1:05 am

You dropped your phone to your chest. Staring up at the dark ceiling, watching the lights and shadows flicker through the curtains pulled over the windows on the living room wall, a body scooted closer to you and pushed their nose into your shoulder. Turning your chin, you met his curious brown eyes and breathed through a laugh, dancing your gaze back up toward the ceiling.

“It was your brother,” you whispered.

Theo hummed. “Finally, right?” He kept his voice quiet.

Keeho slept on the couch behind the two of you. He’d been half passed out there by the time you returned back to them after crying to Wooyoung in the car, begging him to wait there for you, that you’d be done so fast, he can bring you back. Your stomach had been squeezed, pushed, pulled, flipped upside down and thrown to the ground.

You didn’t want to walk inside ITZ, not after that kind of phone call.

You didn’t want to face the girls. Tori made it known more than once that she’s got this. The dinner, she can handle it, she wants to handle it, it was her playground, her dream to have utmost control over an event she’d be known for. For years to come.

Song Tori.

Tori Song.

ITZ Legend.

Remembered for her excellence, her promptness, her style, her poise, her attention and love and care for her sisters. Her love for parties and nights out never once cramped her exquisitely high GPA, her work life balance, one to envy. A networking queen, Ms. Song over the years set her sorority, her sisters up for success and endless notoriety.

You could see it now.

And as much as it made you smile, her own happiness would be yours as well, you could vomit.

Lurching forward, veins buzzing with an electricity you’ve felt only a few times in your life, you slid a hand over your chest and reached for your shoulder. Moving it back and forth, soothing the pounding trapped between your lungs, Theo scooched himself closer to you, sitting up beside you. Placing a hand between your shoulder blades he only applied a pressure, his fingers scrunching before they stretched out again. He followed your breaths, taking deeper ones to encourage you to do the same.

He asked, after a few minutes, “Want me to wake him?”

Your eyes darted to the short hallway Wooyoung’s room lived at the end of. “No,” you pushed from your lips.

Wooyoung would come out here and talk you through it. He’d ask questions, he’d pick it apart, he’d get you to unravel so he could wind you back up. Countless times he’d cause the weight to grow, and grow, and grow- until it went away. Necessary. Something you appreciated.

This time you knew what you were feeling. You knew where it lived in your body. You knew what you needed to do to get it to stop. Balls were necessary, and right now you had none. They were impossible to grow while your insides were made of vibrating goo and your ass couldn’t feel the floor anymore.

Lectures weren’t needed.

You wanted to be buried in the arms of someone else. Someone who didn’t need you to ramble about everything racing through your head to understand what was happening. Someone who wouldn’t ask questions until the feeling passed, until you could feel your fingers again.

“What did Soul say?” Theo asked, and you whipped your head to look at him, your eyes wide. He scrunched up his fingers over your back, then took his time stretching them back out. He smiled. “What’d he want? Guess I’m not surprised he’s up, are they having a party?”

“I- I don’t… I dunno,” you breathed, “He said he wanted to talk, he didn’t say anything about a party.”

Theo bobbed his head. “Okay,” he whispered. “I’m glad he said something,” he met your eyes at the same time the smallest frown tugged at his lips, “He was happier when he was your friend.”

“We drove him crazy, Tae.”

He shook his head. “He loved you guys. Don’t listen to his little dipshit, asshole friends he thinks are good for him. You were good for him, you all were.” Glancing down to his lap, he leaned against you. “I’m worried about what happens when this year is over. When you guys leave, when I move… He’ll be here,” he looked at you with some sort of fear in his eyes, “With them.” Taking your hand from your chest, you slid it over his knee. “When you guys had him, it was… It was the first time I felt hope for him. Like, he would be okay, he could make something of himself.”

“He still can,” you whispered.

He tried to smile. Taking your hand in his, he squeezed it and took a deep breath. “You helped him a lot.” Lacing your fingers together, he nudged you with his shoulder. “I know this president shit is tough. I know you’re having a hard time with it. But, you are a leader, Ror.”

The buzzing in your veins had since ceased. He’d successfully distracted you enough to loop back around and pull you back into conversation about it.

Through a breath, you whispered, “I don’t wanna do it.”

Theo drew his thumb over your palm. “Hermione Granger,” he whispered.

You both froze, then broke into giggles.

“What?” your whisper was harsh, stuck in your laugh.

Theo, who rocked forward, tipped his head back and said it again. “Hermione Granger,” he raised his voice slightly, “Padme Amidala, Black Widow-” “What are you-”

“Women that are leaders, that the story isn’t about, but without them, the story wouldn’t exist.”

“Black Widow got her own movie,” you huffed, and he narrowed his eyes.

“After how many years,” he countered.

Keeho stirred on the couch. “You are so gay!”

Scoffing, Theo leapt to his feet. “This is bi erasure, Keeho,” he nearly shouted, taking two steps toward the couch before leaping on top of his boyfriend. Giggles erupted from the two, your best friend throwing his arms around Theo, pulling him in. Through the laughter and short spouts of bickering, Keeho quieted him with a kiss.

Your cue to leave.

Quietly, you grabbed the pillow from the floor and tiptoed down the hall, pushing Wooyoung's door open. He stirred in his bed, the room too dark you couldn’t even see if his eyes opened. Turning the handle to close the door in silence, you padded around to the side he wasn’t strewn across and slipped under the covers, tossing the pillow against the headboard.

“What were they yelling about?” he mumbled, sliding his legs together to free up some space.

Releasing a breath, you kept some distance between you. “Something about bi erasure.”

Wooyoung rolled over to face you, his eyes closed and his hair rumpled. “Sounds like Kee.”

“Was Tae, actually,” you whispered, and he smirked.

“The man fights back,” he muttered.

Silence fell. You prayed to anything that the two in the living room would remember they were in an apartment, with very thin walls. Though if you or Wooyoung said anything they’d have plenty about the two of you to argue back with.

Not anymore.

Blinking, eyes adjusting to the darkness of his bedroom, you made out the curve of his nose. His natural, messy waves brushing over his long lashes splayed over his cheekbones. His lips that pursed as he slept. His cheek squished into his pillow.

Two weeks ago you’d have been able to reach over and run your fingers through his hair, over his cheek, dancing finger down his nose, pressing a kiss to the tip. Depending on his mood, he’d nip at your finger, catching it between his teeth before he wrapped his lips around it, spitting it free to shove his tongue into your cheek. He’d roll on top of you, slide his hands up your arms and trap your wrists in his hold above your head. Taking his time he’d trail his lips down your neck, your chest, over every curve until his waves and wicked smile made their home between your thighs…

“Aurora,” he whispered.

Opening your eyes, you sighed. The space you put between you didn’t exist, you had moved closer, against him.

“Off limits,” he whispered.

Letting out the tiniest groan, you flipped onto your back and clasped your hands over your belly. “I can’t sleep.”

You could hear the smile pulling at his lips. “Do it yourself.”

Clicking your tongue, you shot him a harsh, “Pervert,” and tried to swallow your grin as he snickered.

He rolled over to his other side, back facing you, and said, “I’m not kidding though. It’ll help.”

With a sigh, you made sure to grumble once more just to make him laugh again.

He was serious that night. Off limits. He’d implemented San rules, as if you were some sort of animal.

San rules.

San.

Peeking to the side, at his bare back you ached to press your lips to, you reached for your phone and swiped open to your messages. San was already pinned to the top, right beside Tori who was pinned right beside… Yunho.

The buzzing in your veins came back. The air began to thin.

Fuck it.

[you]: i’m coming tomorrow

He responded immediately, exactly on your wavelength, giving you the response you expected.

[sannie]: three times. i promise.

thursday ~ september 18th ~ 11:59 pm

Spinning around in San’s arms, falling backward onto his chest clad with a t-shirt that stuck to him, one you’re shocked he could breathe in, his hands slid down your hips, his own body swaying with you as you moved to the music. In the middle of the crowd in ATZ’s dark living room you were both several drinks deep, ignoring looks and dodging advances, which came as a surprise to most of San’s suitors, but not to San.

Grinding against your ass, he pressed you into him and latched his lips to your neck after pulling your hair back, letting his warm breath fan over your skin before he pressed his open mouth on you.

When San had you, he only had you.

He’d usually be on the hunt for seconds at this point without even devouring his first quite yet. Each night he had them stacked, had them waiting, and with how many dirty looks you were on the receiving end of tonight, it’s very clear he’d been booked and busy, but he’s blowing them all off for you.

Half hard, gyrating into you, both of his hands, his fingers digging into the curve of your hip covered by a minidress, he almost missed the junior that came up behind him, shouting for his attention. It took her grabbing him by the shoulder and yanking him backward for him to break his gaze off of you. Turning toward her, bringing you with him, the two of you stumbling as you moved, the junior took one look at you and her face went sour.

“Course,” she huffed, rolling her eyes.

Dropping your hands to your side, resting them over his, you smiled at her. She was pretty. Short dark hair curved beneath her chin, pearl earrings accented her ears, a dainty necklace hung around her neck, she wore… a pink sweater and a denim skirt.

Your stomach flipped. You struggled to stand up straight, trying to push off of San to get a better look at her.

“Sorry, baby,” San cooed, giving her a pursed lip smile before she stormed off, pushing through bodies that shouted after her. He swung you around, twisted you around, and slid his arm back around your waist, letting his hands slip a little lower. Pressing his forehead to yours, he was a second away from kissing you, but the vacant look on your face made him frown. “Ror?”

The floor rocked beneath you. A sort of dread settled in your gut.

San took his hands to your cheeks and tilted your chin up. Meeting his eyes, you pressed your hands to his rock hard chest and pushed at him with as much strength as you could conjure up.

“Go be with her,” you said. The words came out slower than you thought they would.

San grabbed onto your wrists and tugged you into him, wrapping his arms around your back. “No, no,” he breathed. “You’re mine tonight, pretty girl.” Nudging your nose with his own, he beckoned you to look at him, and when you did, he smiled something soft. “Did that upset you?”

Shaking your head, lowering your eyes, you made him laugh.

He pressed a finger into your chin, bringing your eyes back to his. His brow softened, and his eyes grew a bit wider. “Use your words, babe. What’d that just do to you?”

Her image popped back into your head. A vision of perfection, and grace, and power, and betrayal, and vain. Her always styled hair, and the way she dressed, how it was exactly Yunho’s type.

Your stomach flipped again. You tightened the grip you had on San and shook your head.

“Mina,” you whispered, flickering your gaze upward, finding comfort in how his lips pouted.

He sighed. “Oh, babe.” His hands caressed your hips, then took their time sliding up your side, palming your shoulders with a gentleness before he cupped below your jaw, and he offered you a smize. “We can’t have that, can we?”

His lips were on yours with a kiss so deep it rendered you thoughtless. Tongue pushing past your lips already, you grew limp in his arms, and you allowed him to take you. San cast a spell impossible to ignore, something you didn’t believe until you experienced him this summer for yourself, finally giving in to him and his advances- on your own accord. Just once you had to see what all the fuss was about, you had to have him at least once.

And once turned into a lot. More often than you would have ever expected.

You and Wooyoung both.

You literally could not help yourselves.

Everything everyone spoke of… was the complete and honest truth.

Keeping you on his hip he snaked an arm around your shoulders and pulled you through the living room, the crowd parting for the two of you. Popping occasional kisses to your temple, your forehead, your lips if he reached over to squish your cheeks, he got you to the stairs until you were stopped halfway.

You weren’t quite sure how you moved this fast, but your journey came to an end too quickly, you needed him, and at this point you didn’t care where you were. The ache between your legs fueled a frustration within you, one San had mastered himself. He simply smiled at his president while you whined and tugged at his arm to keep moving.

Seonghwa’s eyes flickered between you both as he drug a hand through his long black hair, his own skin dewy and glowy. “Where we going?” Hongjoong leaned against the wall with a smirk, one step above Seonghwa.

San eyed them both, his gaze dropping to Hongjoong’s shirt put back together one button off. Smiling, he shot them a wink and pushed through them, pulling you along. “Is it your room tonight?”

Hongjoong laughed, Seonghwa groaned, but a smile played at his full pink lips.

You weren’t staring, but he looked really good in his tighter black pants that were real snug around his waist, his crotch, and his white tee, he wore it like San’s, tighter than ever. A silver chain hung around his neck, one you’re well acquainted with.

“Yours,” he shouted up the stairs, then shot you a smug look. “Hi, Ror,” he crooned, and Hongjoong chuckled.

San wasn’t the only siren in the house.

You peeked at Hongjoong who couldn’t take his eyes off his man either.

Nor were you the only sucker who succumbed to them.

Reaching the top of the stairs, brain turned off, all of your inhibitions handed over to San, you grabbed him by his broad, solid shoulders and pressed yourself against him, ready to plant kisses on his neck, but a voice on the first floor stole your attention.

“Hey, Hwa, can we-”

The second he made it to the bottom of the steps, the president pushed him back by the chest and gestured toward the kitchen with a nod of his head. “I need a drink, come with me, ask me after.”

Yunho.

He was here.

The fuck? Of course he’s here, this is his goddamn house.

Knees going weak, you held onto San and sucked in a breath. “Fuck,” you whispered. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“I’m right here,” San whispered, keeping his hold on you a tight one. “Where are we going next?”

Looking up at him, shifting on your feet, barely feeling any sort of autonomy left, you tipped your chin backward and groaned.

What were you doing?

Yunho is downstairs, in the kitchen in fact, Seonghwa and Hongjoong are taking him that way, and you’re pretty sure it’s because you were up here on the second floor with San. San who watched you with a fire in his eyes, his grip on you saying the same exact thing.

You know he’d stop if you wanted him to. If you wanted to go back downstairs, he’d take you there.

But Yunho was there.

And Yunho wasn’t talking to you.

San was here.

And San was talking to you.

Glancing back and forth, from stairs, to San, without a coherent deep thought you pulled him closer and kissed him with a force that sent him stepping backward.

“There she is,” he muttered with a smirk, and slid his hands down your back, gripping just beneath your ass, lifting you onto his front.

Through fervent messy kisses and the way you moved against him, with you latched to his front he carried you up another flight of stairs to the third floor. You hadn’t been up here in over a year, since you opened up Hongjoongs door and Yeji and Wooyoung tumbled out of it.

San’s bedroom, that he now had to share with a junior, lived across the hall, at the top of the stairs. Releasing you, balancing you on your feet as he pushed the door open, noise behind another plank of wood had both of you acknowledging it. Sliding a hand around the back of your neck, guiding you into his room, he breathed through a laugh.

“Soul and Jongseob’s room,” he said quietly, and your heart sunk. Catching the look on your face, he took the hand around the back of your neck and slid it around to the front, backing you into his chest as he kicked his door shut. “Ignore the shit, Ror,” he grumbled, applying pressure with his hand, your head going way dizzier than it’d been all night. Taking his other hand around your front, he lifted your dress and slipped his fingers in your thong, strumming two fingers over your clit, huffing a laugh at how embarrassingly wet you were for him already. Nipping at your earlobe, voice gravelly, he muttered, “You owe me three orgasms.”

And with another push on your throat and twist of his fingers he nearly drew the first one out of you in seconds. A low groan from his chest, his soft, gentle lips pressed to the sensitive skin beneath your ear, under your jaw, the way he took calculated breaths, meticulously rolled himself against you- the tiny circles he swirled with his middle finger took you down in a minute. Sixty seconds.

Legs trembling, putty in his arms, heat spiked through you, ripped through your chest, your entire middle. Unable to make a sound, breath restricted, controlled at his hands, his delicious little hum of approval made you smile.

His lips brushed over the shell of your ear. “Good fucking girl,” he growled. Everything within you tensed, every sound he made added fuel to the fire. You tried to turn around, with your feet planted to the floor you tried to face him, but he wouldn’t let you. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

You wriggled around once more and his arms tightened tenfold. Trying to answer him, the words couldn’t come out, you couldn’t form any. Dizzy, brain cloudy, you couldn’t breathe, and the way he laughed at your struggle triggered more of an ache between your thighs.

His middle finger slid down, then back up, and your body shook. Waves of pleasure, an aftershock of sorts.

“So easy,” he muttered with another slide of his finger, twisting it as he slid it up. Sensitive, your mouth popped open, a silent moan, all a gust of air, whatever you had left within you. In one quick motion San took his hand from your throat and gripped your jaw, smirking as you gulped down a breath just before he took his fingers from between your legs and pressed them to your tongue. “Suck.”

And you listened, and he hummed with pride. Wrapping your lips around his fingers, tasting yourself, your knees shook, and he didn’t have a third hand to hold you up.

He moved quick, San wasted little time in the bedroom, he had you face down on his roommate's bed before you could even swallow. Pushing your dress up, out of the way, the fabric cinching over your middle, he grabbed you by the hips and lifted them up, higher. On his knees, his shirt hitting the floor as he pushed his clothed length against you, he sighed as you moaned, uttering a quiet, “Yes,” as his hands gripped at your bare ass.

Smoothing his palms over your skin, he admired the view, smiling down at you and how you twisted to look back at him, head pushed down into the grey duvet. His eyes drew lower, at where your bodies met, how his hard cock pressed against your thong, and his smile grew. Pushing his hips forward, arching backward a bit, he glanced down at himself and groaned.

You arched down into the bed and pushed your ass into him, your knees slipping open a little wider.

The sound outside in the hallway grew. Doors were opened and shut, more voices filled the space. Muscles tensing, San felt it. Not worried in the slightest, he slid a hand down your back and leaned over you, pressing kisses to your shoulders.

“Don’t listen,” he whispered between slow kisses, the soft smack of his lips and gentle rutting of his hips into your center grounding you, keeping you in the room with him. “You and me,” he whispered.

“You and me,” you whispered, but your words twisted with a moan. Hooking a finger in your thong he tugged it aside and had his zipper down in a flash. He wore nothing beneath his pants, because of course he didn’t.

“Shut the fuck up!”

Your body jolted.

Soul shouted in the hall, laughter following.

His dipshit asshole friends.

San, aware of it all, grabbed onto your hips and pulled you back, pushing himself into you, filling you up entirely, and then some. The sounds that left you weren’t enough to quiet the hall, the longer they stayed there the more your attention would be split.

And San couldn’t have that.

It ticked him off.

You knew it did, but there was nothing you could do about it.

Ignoring how it all made you feel, San pounding into you, your wails bouncing off the walls and into the hall, the boys out there listening to it all go down. He’d know it was you, he’s heard this before, he’s made you sound like this before, there was no mystery. Any college sophomore in their right mind would have their ear pressed to the door, and though every thought that popped into your head was being fucked right out, you couldn’t imagine him exploiting you. Letting his friends listen, as much as they longed to take his place for those many months. Your Soul wouldn’t allow it.

But, if they were… If he did…

The heat took over. Your legs spread, you melted, your nipples pebbled, your toes curled. Pushing off the bed San fucked you into, you arched backward and laid on his chest, reaching backward to tangle your fingers in his hair, giving the strands a harsh pull. He sucked air in through his teeth and punished you with a spank. Yelping at the sting, he drank up the giggles you gave him soon after.

“Yeah, you like that?” Smirking, he wrapped his other hand around your throat and spanked you again. A moaning, babbling mess, you turned your head and blinked up at him. He pressed down on your neck and pouted at how your brows flipped. “Oh, babe,” he cooed, fucking into you harder, admiring how a smile played at your lips, “Only whores make eye contact.”

You giggled.

San, turning red in the face, took his hands off of you and pushed you back down against the mattress. “You playin’ fucking games?”

Sucking air into your lungs, you grabbed fistfuls of the duvet and blinked back into reality now that his hands weren’t on you. His dick thrust into you, he drew another orgasm closer, but he wasn’t touching you.

You’ve spent nights face first on a mattress before, this wasn’t anything new. What he did to you, how he spoke to you- all things you’ve asked him to do. Over the months, the year, you couldn’t place why it didn’t satisfy you, why it wasn’t enough, why you were always missing something, always feeling like something wasn’t right when the sex was all you wanted, and sex you received.

It struck you now, blatantly straight across the face.

Whiplash.

Six months of San, Soul, Wooyoung- it didn’t compare to the six months of Yunho.

To the six months of lingering touches, lingering gazes. The six months of taking your time, learning something new about the other each time you stripped each other down to nothing. Six months of pure need, pure bliss, true curiosity, absolute care, a certain gentleness to each move no matter the circumstance.

Six months of it meaning something more than just being pushed into a mattress.

He would touch you. His hands would stay on your body. He’d never let you get so far away. He’d never make you feel so far away.

Here, on a random bed, you’ve never felt further from anyone.

San grabbed back onto your hips, pulling you right out of the spiral.

“Two more, baby,” he praised. “Come on, pretty girl.”

Pushing up onto your hands, you arched your back and flipped your hair over your shoulder, giving him a look. His devilish smile sparked that feeling within you.

He’d distract you for the next hour or so, and then, you decided, you’d be done.

friday ~ september 19th ~ 2:13 pm

“Everything's set, the schedule is scheduling, tomorrow will be perfect.”

Yuna smiled at Tori from her 1940s velvet green lounge chair. “Of course it’ll be perfect, look at everything you’ve done. No one’s gone to these extremes before, Tor, you’re already setting new standards.”

Your knees bumped the desk as you twirled your chair around for the third time. Using your hands to peddle about, your feet sat on the cushion, your legs pulled up from the floor. Gripping the wood, you dug your nails into it and brought yourself to a stop. The girls have been speaking to one another for a half hour and you haven’t said a word.

Leaning against the desk, standing in front of it, Tori, in a white bodysuit that showed off her tattoos and a denim mini skirt that hugged her hips just right, led the girls just right. Without looking at her notes once she ran over the itinerary for tomorrow, not leaving out one measly detail. With her chin high, she gave orders, she assigned duties, she ensured her day would run smoothly, that her dinner would go to plan. Chaewon and Yunjin, with stars in their eyes, listened to her, watched her, studied her, embodied her in their posture, in how they carried themselves. Yuna, with all the trust in the world, beamed at her friend, sharing some of that pride with you, a few glances here and there, but ultimately, Tori received it all.

As she should.

You listened, you paid attention, you held just as much pride for Tori as the rest of them, if not more, whether or not you were able to properly show it amongst what hung over your head. The guilt of not being present didn’t even have time to set in, your mothers several voicemails filled every void with an even bigger void, a deeper void. A void you didn’t even know was a void until Wooyoung described it that way.

He’s invited to the ATZ parties now, but unfortunately he wasn’t able to be in attendance last night to witness you self medicating, but your poison has a big mouth and he found out anyway. Waking up, in your own bed, alone, with Tori in hers, to one disappointed text message from him had been enough to set you off for the day.

You’ve been on autopilot since eight o’clock this morning, after you made yourself sick to get rid of awfulness within you, not realizing it was going to take a lot more than vomiting to clear out the shit in your head.

Yunho was at the party last night and your paths didn’t cross once. Either San did an excellent job of keeping you from him, or he’d been actively avoiding you.

A lump lodged in your throat. Pushing your hands against the desk you spun the chair around two more times, swallowing profusely, withholding your tears from slipping down your cheeks. These girls would not see you cry.

Exhausted, hungover, and heartbroken, you didn’t have much of a choice.

The chair came to a stop, your knees hitting the wood before you dropped your head and wrapped your arms around yourself, sobs pouring from you in an instant. Hushed whispers sounded around you, meaningless noise you couldn’t pick apart until there was only one voice left, speaking to you.

“Ror?”

Tori.

Her hand slid over your back, over the Nasara logo down your spine. Crouching down beside you, she pushed your hair aside, persuading you to turn to look at her. When your eyes met, she smiled, a soft one, only her lips perking up beneath her worried gaze.

Sniffling, you lifted your head and wiped your cheeks, giving your head a shake. “I have to talk to him.” Voice broken, you’re shocked she made out your whisper.

She slid her hand over your arm, tracing your fingers with her own. “Please, talk to him.”

Mustering up a deep breath, you sighed, another cry escaping you. “Why hasn’t he said anything? I was there last night, we crossed paths this week so many times, and… nothing.”

Tori nodded, her brown waves dancing over her bare shoulders. “I really don’t wanna be in the middle of this anymore, you know that, but what I told you is true. He does,” she paused, then gestured toward you, “This, over you. He’s just as much of a mess, Ror. You guys are still playing whatever game you set into place last year.”

The game.

Yunho not speaking to you unless you speak to him first.

“I slept with San last night,” you muttered, and her eyes bugged out of her head.

“What the fuck? I thought you were cut off!”

A smile pulled at your lips. “By Wooyoung,” you reached out to poke the tip of her nose with your pinky. She jutted her chin backward and thinned her lips. “Not San. I found a loophole.”

“You shouldn’t be doing anything in regards to loops or holes,” she curled her lips and stood up to her feet.

“Wait,” you whispered, reaching for both of her wrists.

Her being tensed. It was as if she was waiting for something, or expecting something. You could take this moment to tell her, that you were ready to give it all up, that you couldn’t stand being in this position, having accidentally become important at work- you didn’t want any of it. Between grades, your mother, Yunho, your father, you’d much rather be doing anything else.

As a member of the sorority your only duty had been to show up for your sisters, support your leaders, attend events, pay your dues, and keep your grades up. Now, you were responsible for your sisters, you had to support the leaders beside you and all of the chapter members, you were responsible for every event, your dues had gone up exponentially, and you haven’t had a lick of time to even once think about your grades, your schoolwork.

You still needed, and were required to have an internship before graduation. It was a requirement. Without one there would be no cap and gown in your future, within the next eight months.

Tori had plans. Tori knew where she wanted to end up. Tori and Mingi would move to Iloa next summer, together, they’d jump headfirst into full time positions, the both of them interning for the same marketing company her sisters management team uses. The opportunity fell into their laps the night of Sitara’s movie premiere, and without question, they gobbled it up.

As they should.

You were in the same major. You’ve taken all the classes. You’ve seen what you can do after graduation.

Not one bit of it interested you.

In the start, sure, it seemed cool. Social media used to be fun for you, you could build that into something bigger. You were good at editing photos, at editing bodies of words people needed proofread, you could throw together a presentation and sell your ass off. Moving to Iloa, working in a corporate office, sitting in meetings such as these you’ve been subjected to for almost a full four years, listening to people brainstorm and shovel out ideas to be shot down, leaders berating their members, taking away their autonomy…

Shit like that, power in that sense, it all sat at your fingertips now.

You wanted no part of it.

No one should have all that power.

Whether it was yours, or Tori’s, or Yeji’s…

You couldn’t handle it.

Too many girls looked to you now for answers, for structure, for stability. All your life you’ve never had answers, or structure, or stability. You were clueless as to what any of that felt like, what any of that looked like, how in the hell were you supposed to rule over them for a year if you didn’t have within you the very thing they needed.

Wooyoung says you’re running. Your father would be disappointed. Your friends, they’d think you were a coward. Yunho, what would he say?

Around this time last year you were handed this position. It should’ve been yours from the start, this was supposed to be your second full year of presidency. You took it without a thought. So much had been taken, stolen from you, you felt as though you had no other choice.

Maybe you were running.

“Tori,” you whispered, brows flipping over as you stared up at her. She gulped, shaking her head the tiniest bit. “You know how grateful I am for you, right?”

“Course,” she breathed, her eyes narrowing.

“Everything we’ve been through, we did it together,” you said, and she nodded. “This past summer-”

She closed her eyes and shook her head faster. “We don’t have to get into it, I don’t wanna even remember-”

“Tori,” you gave her hands a shake and smiled at her when she opened her eyes, “I…”

She blinked. “You, what?”

Pursing your lips, you glanced about the room and let out some sort of laugh that made her face screw up. “I don’t want to be the president anymore.”

“What?” she spat, pushing your hands away.

Looking back up at her, your smile deepened, and you shrugged your shoulders. “I don’t wanna be it. I don’t wanna do it.”

“Aurora,” she sighed, dropping down to her knees, nearly eye level with you from the floor. “Do you know what you’re saying? I know you, and I know there’s a shit ton of truth behind this. You don’t wanna be the president anymore?” Through her whispers, her half gasps, her frantic gaze scattered about the room, she sucked in a breath and sighed yet again. “I know things have been… hard.”

Fluttering your eyes shut, you smized, sarcasm dripping from your expression.

“But, you can’t just… This is something you’ve…”

Her voice trailed off. Opening your eyes, you found her in thought, the gears grinding behind her bright eyes. Blinking three times, she parted her lips with a smack, cocked her head aside and gaped at you.

“You… never wanted this,” she whispered.

“It was never a thought,” you said. Reaching out, you placed a finger beneath her chin and closed her mouth for her. She shied away just as she did before. “This wasn’t a goal I wanted to achieve. I didn’t even have time to think about it before I accepted, or… before I… let it happen.”

Steadying herself with one hand on the desk and the other on the chair, she took a deep breath and stood to her feet, her head bobbing. “Okay,” she said, voice hushed. “Okay, we can… we can talk about this.” Looking at you she held out a hand for you to take, and she pulled you out of the chair. “Let’s go eat.”

“Let’s go eat,” you whispered, and she nodded, shock still living upon her face.

Taking a hand to your shoulder she guided you from the room. “Yeah, and maybe get a couple drinks, too.”

NU home ✧ speechless masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ ao3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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chimivx · 10 months ago

Text

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?

👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 10.5k (part EIGHT of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

{ there are names & faces in here that come from NMWID <3 }

october 4th ~ friday ~ 8:45 p.m.

A pop song from decades past hummed through the speakers, the sound at volume incredibly tolerable. You were thanking the girl behind the bar with your mind for not blaring it when there was barely anybody in the place. A couple older guys with baseball caps sat around the bar, the tv’s hanging up on the wall behind the curly blonde working hard played a baseball game. The playoffs had started for the season, these were important games now, there’d be a champion in a month or so.

DK’s team didn’t make it through, but they came close. Thinking of Isla while you watched the men in striped jerseys throw the ball around, guilt weighed on your chest. It’d been over a week and still, no one had heard from her. Not even Vernon.

Turning your glass in circles where it collected condensation on the wooden table you sat at, you leaned forward and took a sip, letting the vodka cool the pressure building within you from the inside out. It wasn’t too strong, not like the drinks at ATZ, but it was enough to ease the anxieties that had made their home within your nervous system.

For a week you’ve been a nauseous wreck.

Last Saturday, the recruitment dinner, where it felt like your life had crumbled overnight, haunted you. Everything you thought you knew, everybody you thought you could trust, it was all a lie. Not only a lie, but a lie that had been brewing for a year. Since last semester, since Yeji walked out of that bedroom with that smug grin on her face, since Wooyoung threw away what the two of you had, since Yunho became your saving grace… A lie. All of it.

Wooyoung and Yeji never slept together. Were you supposed to believe that? He was pretty convincing Saturday night, pulling you out of the house once the two groups of authorities dispersed, Yeji running off somewhere before you had a second to confront her.

And, oh lord, you longed to confront her.

ITZ had been paid off. Yeji gave them copious amounts of money so that she could be president. At least, that’s what Wooyoung had told you. It was your name, you were written down, Choi Aurora, you were supposed to be the president of ITZ for the last two years of your time here at Nasara, and you couldn’t figure out why.

Yeji has the money, Yeji has the face, Yeji has the fame. You have no money, you lived in a two bedroom rancher with your single, drug dealing father, and you have not the slightest idea what it takes to be a leader of a group of girls in dire need of somebody to look up to, somebody to place their blame on.

President Aurora? Yeah, okay.

Lighting up on the table, your phone took your attention from the TV though you longed to watch. The fans in the stands were on their feet, waving their rally towels in the air, shouting to their favorite players on the field. It was exciting, invigorating, no wonder Vernons dedicated his life to the sport. You’d have to get out to a game next season. Maybe if you could track down Isla, get them to make up somehow, you’d be able to go to games together.

You’d choose Tori first, always, but unfortunately you weren’t speaking at the moment.

She was the one lighting up your phone. Blowing it up, actually. Texts, phone calls, attempts to get through to you since she woke up on Sunday and you were nowhere to be found. Not answering her hurt you, because she was the only person you’d respond to straight away no matter the situation, no matter what you were doing. If you had a Tori notification, you were answering it. To go almost a week without speaking to her, it pained you. But, at this point, who knew what and didn’t tell you?

You needed time. You needed space. You still attended your classes for the week, ensuring your grades didn’t slip amidst this chaos, you just didn’t live at ITZ.

“I’ll buy you another if you need it, you don’t have to worry about nursing that one,” your father said, sitting beside you, leaning back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest. Sipping your drink again, taking a much longer sip than before, you shifted your eyes over to him and he laughed. “You get to relax this weekend, okay? We can turn off your phone and hang out, just me and you.”

Almost laughing at his use of hang out, you smirked and swallowed your drink. “What about Seulgi?”

Yeonjun smiled, shaking his head. “Just me and you.” Taking in his twisted brows, the most animated part of his face, something you wonder if you’ve acquired from him, you took a breath. The door to the bar swung open, your father laughing as the tall, short black haired, thirty years younger, beefier version of himself walked through the door. “And Keeho, apparently.”

His feline eyes scanned around the bar, not taking long to spot you and your father. When he did, his resting bitch face erupted into the warmest smile, one you’ve missed. Ignoring the girl at the bar who greeted him, he held out his arms and hurried toward the table, catching you as you jumped to your feet to get swallowed by his hug.

“Oh my god,” he sang, the twang of his voice comforting you tenfold. “What the hell are you doing home? I missed you.”

Squeezing him hard, you groaned. “I missed you, too.”

“We just saw each other last month.” Yeonjun snickered.

Keeho shot him a look over your head, one of his hands smoothing over your hair. “It was a month too long, Yeonjun.” Unraveling yourself from his grasp, you laughed and sat back down beside your father, pulling your feet up onto the chair.

Yeonjun closed his eyes for all of three seconds, took a deep breath and let it out with a headshake, turning his attention toward the TV. Keeho was the only person he’d allow to snap at him like that, it’s been that way for years. He’s one of your homegrown friends, the two of you growing up together in the forgotten parts of Tamoe, where the rich people didn’t linger. Your houses were on the same street, right along the town's border of Soro, the main reason why the rich people didn’t stray too far south.

Sharing an age with you, Keeho still lived at home with his parents and his younger brother. Attending all the same schools at the same time, not wanting to mess with the other kids who were tougher than you, the two of you linked up. Keeho, a bisexual muscle mass of pure boy, and you, the girl who wouldn’t see her dad for weeks at a time, but when she did it’s because she had to go to a random police station with her Uncle Yoongi to bail him out of his holding cell.

Yeonjun knew how to make a scene, he could draw a crowd, which made it really hard to keep friends, or make any for that matter. Keeho was the right amount of different, the right amount of crazy, the perfect amount of understanding all wrapped into a judgement free, couldn’t care less human being. Even when he met your father, at the ripe age of eleven years old, he wasn’t afraid. At the time Yeonjun towered over him, but now, Keeho was only an inch shorter. The difference unnoticeable.

Seated around the wooden slab, Keeho stretched his arms across it and watched you wide eyed as you told him how you've been living your week.

“Father of the year, Yeonjun,” he said to your dad, making him crack the smallest smile, his eyes not leaving the TV. All week he’d been driving you into Delo, onto Nasara’s campus, taking you to and from classes, waiting for you outside the buildings. He’d often mumble his disappointment toward the students who’d let their glares linger on you as you walked in and out. Most had a dirty look in their eye, but a few watched in sympathy.

“I don’t want her in that house anymore,” he mumbled, scoffing as something happened within the game. “Not unless those social media posting bitches grow up.”

Keeho furrowed his brows, turning to you. “You’re gonna drop out of the sorority?”

“I don’t know,” you muttered, ignoring your dad as he shot you a look.

“Tell him what that girl did,” he said. “The president of that stupid hierarchy shit.”

“Wait, Yeji?” Keeho asked, sitting up. After you nodded, he laughed. “You’re kidding me, what the hell happened? I know we weren’t looking forward to her being head of this hierarchy shit, not after…” His eyes insinuated what your father didn’t know. “What’d she do?”

Sighing, you dropped your gaze to the table and shrugged. “It sounds literally crazy, Kee. Like, those movies we used to watch, where the shit that goes down is unfathomable.”

“Unfathomable,” he huffed a laugh, “You’re talking like Yunho.”

Letting your eyes close, the sting of your heart overwhelming, you glanced at your dad when he snatched his empty glass off the table.

“Fuck that dickwad, too,” he said, lifting the glass toward Keeho before he strutted toward the bar. He watched Yeonjun walk away, then whipped his head to look at you wide eyed and confused as hell.

“Fuck that dickwad too,” you whispered.

Scooting his chair somewhat closer, Keeho leaned toward you. “I thought we liked him,” he said quietly, keeping the words between you. “At least, I thought you liked him, I could see it, Aura. When we hung out with him this summer, good lord, the two of you were insufferable.”

Everyone could see it but you, apparently.

Tangling your fingers together over your knees, you smushed your lips together and blew a stream of air through them. “I don’t even know if he ever really liked me.”

Keeho threw his head backward. “What the fuck, start from the beginning, what the hell happened?”

So, you did.

Starting from the beginning, restating the story of Wooyoung, who Keeho had strong opinions about. From the Yeji hook up, to falling into Yunho, to the ATZ ban, to finding out about him and Mina, to hooking up with Seonghwa, to then hooking up with Yunho, to him telling you he loved you (where Keeho just about leapt out of his seat), to the Soul situation, to keeping it all a secret from the outside, to Isla disappearing, to the recruitment dinner…

“You said all of that to her?!” Keeho’s tone was harsh through his teeth, his whisper sharp. When you shrugged he cackled. “Aura, what?!”

“I don’t know if that’s really all of it, it’s blurry,” you said. “But, I think I went in on her. It just kept coming out. I think I was tired of keeping it all a secret.”

“You said she didn’t react?” Keeho asked, and took your nod for an answer. “Aura,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “Looking at… all of that,” he spoke slowly, thinking at the same time, “Do you think there’s a chance she, like, knew about you guys already?”

The words should shock you, but they don't. You’ve thought about it already. The way they all huddled up together, aside from Tori and Yuna, making everything seem like one big ploy. Seonghwa sleeping with you, Yunho not getting rid of Mina when he should’ve the second he started harboring feelings for you… If he was even harboring feelings for you.

“And what about Mingi? If Tori knew, and she’s likely to tell her boyfriend everything, did Mingi spill shit to ATZ? But, if ATZ and ITZ were in cahoots this whole time it seems, and Mina already knew, it could’ve been her spilling shit to everyone?”

None of it made sense, even Keeho, who was smarter than Yunho, couldn’t figure it out. All week you’ve been trying to string it together, trying to understand why any of this had to happen. If Yeji wanted to be president so badly, and she had the money to do so, why in the world would she need to ruin your life in the process?

“Have you talked to Tori at all?”

Her name made your stomach start to hurt.

“No,” you said, taking in his understanding gaze full of sorrow. “I can’t talk to any of them, I’m so sick about it. Which makes me want to drop out of the house and run away. They’re… monsters. All of them. She looked at me like she had no idea, Kee, I can say that. It seemed like she and Yuna weren’t in on it, which I can only hope.” Mingi pops into your mind, the way he tried to reach out for Tori before you left, but she swatted him away, pushing him back. You had no reason to not trust Tori, even though she did get really close with Mina fast, and she was dating Mingi who seemed like he was in on it.

If Tori did know, if Tori was in on all of it, it would hurt the most out of everything that's happened to you thus far.

“I don’t know what I want to do,” you said, looking at your father who carried three glasses back to the table. “Dropping out of the house seems ideal, not having to be around all of those girls who don’t want me there anyway.”

“Exactly,” Yeonjun cheered, a smile making its way onto his face. Sliding the glasses onto the table, one for each of you, he sat down and let out a groan as he did. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard you say all week, Aura.” Keeho grabbed his glass and sipped it, thanking your father with a wink, one that Yeonjun returned.

“Yeah, well, it makes sense, doesn’t it?” Taking your second glass, you drink from it and screw your face up. It was stronger than the first. “Jesus, Dad, what’d you tell her to put in here?”

Yeonjun laughed, sitting backward like he was. “I asked for something that’ll make you feel better.”

“Haven doesn’t make drinks like this,” you said, coughing after another sip. “How much did you pay her?”

“Enough,” Yeonjun nodded once, then pointed his eyes at Keeho. “How’s life, Kee? You know, since I saw you last month?”

Laughing, Keeho sipped his drink. “A lot better now that I broke up with my boyfriend.”

Yeonjun’s lips parted in shock. “And this happened when?”

“Two months ago,” you said, looking at your dad who gaped back at you.

Keeho shrugged. “I didn’t want to talk about it when you asked me about him last time.”

Yeonjun moved his chair beneath the table and rested his elbows on the wood, leaning toward your friend who sat across from him. “Well,” your father bobbed his head, “Tell me now.”

The two fell into a deep discussion quickly, Yeonjuns focus on him completely, hanging onto every word of every story Keeho was telling him. He had broken up with his boyfriend of two years, a boy who was holding him back from being a better version of himself. A boy who wouldn’t speak nicely to him or others, a boy who snuck about and would beat around the bush whenever Keeho asked him about anything. It was toxic, and you’re surprised Keeho dealt with him for so long, but he was free now.

Fifteen minutes later, all three drinks gone, they were finally on the break up story when the door to Haven opened and slammed shut. Two boys walked in, possibly around your age, one taller than the other. The tallest had a curly brown mop on his head, the other with longer, shaggier hair tucked beneath a baseball cap. His face was hidden by the shadows, but his body told you that regardless of what his features were he was good looking.

In a black t-shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, three silver necklaces hung over his chest, one of them a dog tag. His shoulders were wide, his arms rippling with muscle as he walked and said hello to some of the men at the bar. The boy beside him, tall and lanky, had eyes as big as the moon and a smile so welcoming you couldn’t tear your eyes from it. Their energy was captivating, walking into the place like they owned it, the short one’s hips swaying in his walk, a confidence oozing out of his being.

They took to the end of the bar where no one sat, both of them situating themselves on the wooden stools, ordering drinks from the bartender who gave them a friendly smile. They clearly came here often, they spoke to her like they knew her, and when she walked away, they spoke to one another like they were closer than friends, like they knew each other better than that.

The taller one with the curls, he was familiar, that smile like one you’ve seen before, but couldn’t place from where.

It wasn’t until the shorter one took his hat off and pushed his hair back that it all made sense. Your heart skipped a beat. He was good looking, he was gorgeous. A jaw pointed and sharp was home to a charismatic smile living below the sweetest nose and the most beguiling eyes. A beautiful face. A face you and Tori had to zoom in on.

Chan.

Chan and his cousin, Minho, or so you believe. Tori had told you that.

They were closer than friends, they were family.

Mina’s family.

“Aura kinda convinced me that it was time,” Keeho said to your dad who nodded. “Even though I knew it, she gave me the confidence to finally let go of something I was holding onto that was hurting me.” He looked at you with a smile. “Right?”

Nodding, not taking your eyes off of Chan, you rubbed Keeho’s arms and stood up. “Yeah, I’m proud of you,” you mumbled. “I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go get another drink.”

“Can you get me a-”

You didn’t hear the rest of your fathers question, your feet were on a mission, they had a mind of their own. Bounding for the bar, keeping yourself as calm as possible, though your blood threatened to boil over, you perched yourself on the corner closest to Chan and Minho, the two speaking to one another like they were keeping a secret. The bartender returned, a girl with a name tag that read Hope. Her hair was hanging at her shoulders, naturally curly blonde hair that turned different colors when she walked beneath the different neon colored lights. Your father told you all about this place, the history, apparently it’s always looked the same.

A time capsule of sorts.

“What can I get you?” Hope asked after she brought drinks to the boys. “You’re with him, right?” Her nod toward your father made you smile.

“Yeah,” you said. “Can I have whatever he got me before? Tasted like vodka, I think? I don’t even know what it was.”

Hope laughed. “Of course, give me a minute, I’ll be right back.” She took your glass and whisked herself down the bar, getting to work. Glancing up to the TV, the ballgame nearly over now, you took a deep breath and watched as it cut to the announcers talking about other teams and players. DK appeared on the screen, a photo of him from this past season on the pitcher's mound, his eyes pointed and focused on the batter in front of him. The words along the bottom read like a news story, that he was disappointed his team didn’t make it into the playoffs, but that he was getting much needed family time now, so it was worthwhile.

“Worthwhile,” you muttered, looking away.

So it seemed Isla really was with DK. A part of you longed to stay angry at Yeji for not sharing it with the house, and part of you still felt insanely guilty for not speaking up after Yeji had told you, and apparently only you, that she was leaving.

It didn’t make sense, much like everything else.

But, if Isla was safe, if Isla was happy… it was worthwhile.

“Hey,” a voice so cheerful called out, to you, you think. Glancing to your left, toward the boys where the voice came from, you find them both looking at you.

Jesus, they were prettier than any of the boys in ATZ.

“You go there?” Chan asked, looking at your crewneck. Following his gaze, rolling your eyes at the big Nasara letters across your chest, you shot him a solemn glare and scoffed.

“Unfortunately,” you said, and he started to smile, the corners of his lips perking up into something that would easily persuade you to your knees. It was lazy, yet so effective. “You?” Even though you knew the answer, you asked anyway.

Chan swallowed his smile and shook his head. “Nah, but my sister does,” he said. His eyes you’ve seen before, he wore them like Yeji wore hers, trying to pierce through your own, trying to see through you. Chan’s were less confronting though, he just seemed like he was trying to figure you out. “She’s in a sorority or something.” The boys sipped their beers and acted like they weren’t honed into you, glancing away when neither was speaking.

“ITZ?” you asked, keeping your voice steady, and Chan nodded.

Minho scrunched his nose. “My sister went through them,” he said, and Chan elbowed his bicep. “What?” he snickered, elbowing him back.

“You make it sound like a bad thing, bro,” Chan said, flickering his eyes to you. “You know it? ITZ?”

Settling your lips into a smile, one that made Chan look away for a second, you nodded. “I know of it.” Turning to Minho, you asked, “Why’s it so bad?”

The boy shrugged. “I dunno, forget I said anything,” he mumbled. “I didn’t go to college, so what do I know?”

“Probably plenty,” you said, gaining his attention back. Shocked, his eyes were wide as he looked at you. “People make college out to be something that’s necessary, but I don't really think it is. If you wanna do it, you do it. If you don’t, who cares?”

Minho shared a snicker with Chan. “My mother,” he sneered, then dropped the smile when he turned back to you. “Excellent perspective for someone who’s able to go to Nasara.”

Chan elbowed his cousin again, this time tossing his hands out to the side. “Dude, my dad went to Nasara, what are you getting at?”

Minho simply smirked, then leaned toward you a bit. His eyes were captivating, galaxy filled. “How is it? ITZ?”

Raising a brow, you asked, “How’d you know I’m a part of them?”

Minho narrowed his eyes. “I do now.” Straightening out where you sat, Hope popped back around and brought you your drink. Giving her a small thank you, you peeked at Minho’s smug face and clenched your jaw. “How is it? A dream, I’m sure.”

Wrapping a hand around your cold glass, you found Chan studying you, every inch. “It’s a dream,” you muttered, taking the straw out of the cup, drinking straight from the glass.

“Yeah, I’m sure it is,” Minho said.

Chan waved a hand, confused. “Okay, I don’t get it,” he said, making both of you look at him and his twisted brows. “Mina’s having a great time there, what am I missing? Do I need to be worried?” Your stomach flipped. “Last time I spoke to her, she was fine.”

Minho shrugged, sipping his beer, pointing his attention to the TV.

Chan looked to you for help. “I’m not really good at picking subtle shit up, so you’re gonna have to give it to me straight.”

Taking another gulp from your glass, you set it down with a bang and ran your tongue over your teeth. “Listen, Ch-” His name almost tumbled from your lips, right as you realized that he never told you his name. These boys had no idea who you were, and you were to act like you had no idea who they were. “Mina’s your sister?” He nodded, waiting with an unhuman like patience.

You had two options.

Give it to him straight, like he said, which would out his sister, or you could lie to him, and make it seem like ITZ was a dream, when in reality it was a nightmare. With another gulp of your glass, the liquor seemed to decide for you.

No more lies.

“Okay,” you sighed, Minho now watching you, too. “I kinda lied to you both, in a way. I know you. Mina’s my Vice President.” Chan didn’t move. Minho, though, held back a smile. “Last year, when she was a freshman, she was really quiet. Super sweet, but quiet.” Minho shot his cousin a look and received another elbow to the bicep. “Even when this year started, she was so… nice.”

“Now you’re lying,” Chan muttered, breaking his eyes away to sip his beer. “Mina’s not nice.”

“Chan,” you said steadily, making him look at you with the surprise that you knew his name already. Minho’s smile grew. “No, she’s not. Mina’s not nice.”

“Here we go,” Minho whispered, taking his beer to his full, pink lips. Chan had frozen in place, and though it left you a little uncertain whether or not you should continue, not knowing what would happen, with knowing what you know about this boy…

You kept talking, and it wouldn’t stop.

The words kept coming, the information spewing faster and faster with each gulp of liquor. You left out details they didn’t need to know, details you told Keeho, but they got everything they needed to know.

Everything Chan needed to know.

And, after many, many minutes of him barely blinking as you told him all about his darling little sister and how she’d been acting, what she’d been a part of, you took a long, deep breath, feeling lighter than ever.

Minho nodded once you had finished, the tiniest smirk gracing his lips, like you had reiterated a story he’d heard plenty of times prior to tonight. He uttered the quietest, “Sounds like Mina.”

But, it wasn’t until Chan’s lips parted, to intake a breath, that you finally felt any sort of pure, euphoric satisfaction.

“Why would she lie about me?”

The last two weeks caught up to you, you could’ve broken down in tears, absolute joyful tears, but he spoke again, so you kept it together.

“You’re Aurora,” he said quietly, putting his own puzzle pieces together. “I’ve heard your name before. A few times actually. When she’d talk on the phone to her sorority girls, or whatever, and then when that boy would come over.”

That boy.

“Yeah, that’s me,” you said with a sheepish shrug.

“She hates you,” Chan said, filterless.

Rolling your eyes while Minho laughed, you couldn’t help but crack one yourself. “Figures, she’s an accomplice in trying to ruin my life.”

“Aside from the boy thing, I can’t see why she’d try so hard to ruin…” His voice trailed off as he stared at you. “Aurora,” he said, quieter this time. Squishing his brows in the center of his forehead he glances behind you, lifting his chin to peek at where you had come from, back toward Keeho, and your father.

“What?” you questioned, following his line of sight to Keeho and Yeonjun, your dad glancing over at the same time, catching a glimpse of the boys, then quickly turning away. He leaned forward on the table, placing his chin in his hand, hiding part of his face.

“Holy shit,” Chan mumbled. Minho looked back and forth, then landed on you with an unreadable pout of his lips. “That’s your dad, isn’t it?” Gulping, electricity buzzed beneath your skin. Anytime someone brought up your dad, you had to prepare for the worst.

“Yeah,” you said just above a whisper.

Chan tightened his jaw, then settled his gaze on you. “Do you… know who my parents are? I mean, Mina’s parents? I guess mine work too, but, hers make more sense, you’re dealing with her, but, I mean mine make more sense in this situation, ‘cause my dad kicked your dads ass, and-”

“What?” you gasped.

“Our parents know each other,” he said. “You’ve never heard of this before, have you?”

Sitting forward, leaning toward them, you shake your head wildly and laugh aloud. “Do I look I fucking know any of this?”

Minho averted his eyes to the bar. Chan stacked his arms on top of one another and rested them on the bar.

“I think, if I remember it right, your dad was a real jackass,” he said.

Making a face, you got a laugh out of Minho. “Tell me something I don’t know, Chan.” “My parents, Beomgyu and Faden, and his dad, Taehyun,” he paused, hoping a name would trigger something, but alas, you’ve never heard these names a day in your life. “They were all friends, your dad included. Yeonjun, right?” You answered with a meek nod. “Yeah, they were all really close, like through high school and all that, but one day when they were, like, twenty, your dad was an asshole to my mom, so they wrote him off.”

Taking a minute, processing what he’s told you, that you have more history than you think with these boys, with Mina, you rub your eyes and slide your hands down your cheeks with a groan. “So, she’s doing this to me because my dad was an asshole to your mom? What the hell did he do?”

Chan shrugged. “I wish I could tell you, I didn’t hear any details. I just know the vague version. Mina and our mom are pretty close though, you might be able to get it out of her.”

A harsh laugh came from your chest. “Yeah, okay,” you widened your eyes and shook your head. “That bitch won’t be hearing from me ever again.”

“Hey,” Chan lowered his brows. “That bitch is still my sister.”

With a breath, you asked, “You’re gonna tell her all this aren’t you? That I told you?”

“Probably,” he said immediately, and Minho laughed. “But, as much as she’s my sister, I stand by what I said, Mina’s not nice. And, since she had no problem using my disability for her own gain, I can tell you this, to help you.”

“You wouldn’t,” Minho whispered, the sneaky smile appearing on his lips again.

Chan raised his brows and shot his cousin a smirk. “Oh, I would.” He looked at you. “Plus, you’d find this out anyway if you looked for it yourself, but I could give you a headstart, Choi.”

“I don’t wanna hurt anyone, Chan,” you said, which was the whole truth. Revenge was cute, but you don’t think you could stomach anymore drama.

“It won’t hurt her, but I know somebody who’s really good at putting her in her place. Our mom can get so wishy-washy with her, ‘cause we’re girls,” he said in a silly voice, pretending to flip his hair, getting you and Minho to laugh, “But, her dad? Soobin? As much as he is wrapped around her finger, yanno, ‘cause that’s his daughter? He doesn’t let her get away with shit.”

Her dad. The tall one with the glasses in that photo from her high school graduation. The one she said reminded her of Yunho.

“Chan, that’s wonderful and all,” you said and he smiled. “But, in no way am I just going to be able to walk into his home and accuse his daughter of being shitty.”

He shared a look with Minho, then said, “He holds a lecture at Nasara every Monday.”

A chill ran down your spine. “You’re lying.”

He shook his head and cracked a laugh. “I’m so serious,” he said. “Every Monday, sometime in the afternoon, on the law side of the school. He has a friend on the board or something, so either way, no matter which one you go to, you’ll get something done.”

Sliding off the stool, a newfound energy in your veins, you grabbed your almost empty glass and smiled. “Thanks.”

Chan shrugged. “She deserves it after what she did. To you and me. Damn.” Your smile went crooked, and he shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. Sorry you had to hear all about my fucked up brain.” Minho gave him a gentle elbow to the bicep as if to tell him the opposite.

“No, I’m sorry,” you said, and he attempted to smile. “You don’t deserve that. Your own sister should be there to support you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he sighed, twisting so he was in line with the bar. He looked away from you and you took that and Minho’s hand planting on his shoulder as a sign to part ways. Your eyes fell to the dog tag around his neck, like they had when they walked in.

Curious, you said, “Your tag,” and he looked over at you, “What’s it for?”

Chan took it between his fingers and held it up. It was covered in writing you couldn’t read from where you stood. “My dad,” he said, reading what was engraved on it. “He got them when he hit ten years of sobriety. It came with two. He gave one to me and my brother.”

You smiled, something soft. “That’s amazing.”

“It is,” Chan breathed, still studying the necklace. Dropping it to his chest, he looked at you. “He’s almost at twenty.” Then, he looked at his beer with only a few sips missing and pushed it away. Minho huffed a laugh and switched their cups, putting his empty one in front of Chan.

“You finished it,” he joked, then drank from his cousin's cup, focusing his eyes on the TV.

“Bye guys,” you said, and Minho gave you a wave with a couple fingers from the hand with the glass in it.

Chan watched you start to walk away, then shouted your name to make you turn. “I’m sorry, too. Good luck.”

“Thanks,” you said. “Maybe I’ll see you again.”

He worked his face into a questionable smile. “How?”

Gesturing around the building, you shrugged. “I have my ways, Choi.”

october 5th ~ saturday ~ 12:15 a.m.

“He said, answer me, Rory, please, let me explain, I can explain,” Keeho read your messages out loud, laying on your bed with his long legs stretched out along your mattress. Using funny voices for each person, he had you laughing from the floor where you were digging through drawers looking for something to wear to bed since everything was in your drawers over at Nasara.

“I should just block him,” you said, and Keeho threw a fist in the air.

“I second that,” he said. “Let’s do that!”

Nearly breaking your neck to look at him, you threw out a hand. “No!”

The look he gave you made you giggle. “And, why not?”

“I dunno,” you shrugged, “I wanna see how much he begs.”

Keeho’s eyes widened as he flipped to his stomach on your baby blue comforter. “Aura, you take your men submissive.”

With a huff you turned back to the beige drawers you’ve had since birth. “Not in the slightest.” It was give and take for you, unless you were with Seonghwa apparently, and mother of god, you’re lucky he didn’t ruin you for life.

Your beaten up white wooden door creaked open and Yeonjun poked his head inside. He glanced from Keeho on your bed pushed in the corner, to you on the floor a few feet away from him. The ceiling fan spun on a low speed, making the yellow light from the old bulbs flash in a way that would keep you busy as a baby as your dad would say.

“Yes?” you questioned, and he popped a smile on his face.

“You staying?” he asked Keeho.

“I think so,” he mumbled, looking up from your phone only once. “We’ve got a lot to work through here.”

“Okay,” Yeonjun said, making a face to signify his understanding, letting Keeho get back to your messages. Looking back at you he said, “No funny business in here.”

“Dad, it’s Keeho, he sleeps here all the time,” you deadpanned, and he laughed.

“I know, I know,” he said, stepping into the room for a moment. “Had to tease, I miss having you guys here.”

“I second that,” Keeho said, his tone flat, though you know he meant it with all of his being. Yeonjun glanced at him and laughed to himself. The boy didn’t even look up from your phone.

“Goodnight,” he said, then smiled at you. “I love you.”

A comfort washed over you. “I love you, too.” He went to pull the door shut, stepping out into the hall, but then you called him back. “Dad?”

“Yes, Aura,” he said, looking down at you.

Swallowing, suddenly feeling like your throat had closed and you wouldn’t be able to get the words out, you whispered, “Did you know those boys at the bar? Chan and Minho?” He was silent. Thinking. “Do you know who Beomgyu is?” A breath corrupted his lungs. “Taehyun?” Blinking a mile a minute, he averted his eyes to your carpeted floor. “Faden?”

It took him a second, but he managed to say, “Yes, I did. I knew them. Not the boys at the bar, but I assumed they… belonged to some of them, the names you said. They look just like them.” You wondered if it were true for you too, if you looked anything like your father. Or, your mother.

“Mina,” you said, and he looked at you, his eyes now wider than they normally would be. “She’s Faden’s daughter. Faden and Soobin’s daughter.” “Soobin,” he whispered. He looked as if he’d seen a ghost.

“When’s the last time you saw any of them?”

He stuttered a bit before he said, “It’s been a really long time, Aura.” Things went quiet for a second, then he asked, “The boys tonight, who do they belong to?”

“Chan, the one with dark hair, he’s Beomgyu and Faden’s son. He’s a twin,” you said, and Yeonjun tipped his chin upward, his lips curling into some type of smile, like he knew something you didn’t, and shouldn’t know. “Minho, the other one, some guy Taehyun is his dad.”

Your father met your eyes with a fierceness. “Who’s his mom?” he asked, and when you shrugged he laughed aloud.

“Holy shit,” he sighed, taking a long breath after his laughter subsided. “Those motherfuckers.” Letting him mumble to himself, you gave him another goodnight as he circled around and went to pull your door shut. “Those crazy ass motherfuckers.”

“Aura,” Keeho said, wanting your attention. Pulling sweatpants from high school out of your drawer, you stood up and took two steps to your bed, dropping the pants on Keeho’s lap. There was little space to put them elsewhere. “Who is ‘ignore this jerk’?”

Shimmying out of your jeans, you breathe through a laugh and jump into the sweats you brought over. “Wooyoung, why?” Reaching up a hand to pull on the string hanging from the light on your ceiling, the room falls dark. Climbing over Keeho, wedging yourself between him and the wall you pop your chin on his chest to look at your phone with him. “Guess I should change his name now, huh?”

“He said, and I quote, ‘hi’,” Keeho said, then gave you a funny look. Snatching the phone from him you groaned and started typing back to him. “Who says hi anymore? Who does he think he is?”

“We’ve been talking, Kee, since Saturday night,” you mumbled and Keeho flipped to his side dramatically, facing you. Tucking his hands beneath his cheek on your pillows he exhaled heavily.

“Enlighten me,” he said.

“There’s nothing,” you said, shrugging with your hands, the light from your phone screen bouncing off his sharp features. “We just check in on each other. I’ve seen him in passing. Nothing more. He’s been living with his cousin in Delo, I think.”

[ignore this jerk]: hi

[you]: hi

[ignore this jerk]: how was your day

[you]: it was alright, had something interesting happen, how was yours

[ignore this jerk]: same here, had something interesting happen

[ignore this jerk]: you go first

[you]: it’s a lot, are you sure

[ignore this jerk]: …

The bubbles vanished as quickly as they’d popped up. Then, ‘Incoming Call: ignore this jerk’ was lighting up your phone screen. Keeho almost screeched.

“Answer it, answer it, answer it.” He said it about seventy more times.

“I’m in bed,” you sneered.

Keeho rolled his eyes, “Yeah, with me, answer it.“

“No! I will not do this to myself right now, I can’t handle anymore-“

Keeho took it upon himself to slide his finger over the green answer button, cutting you right off. Your heart lodged up into your throat as Wooyoung appeared on the screen, lit up by warm, dim light. He wasn’t looking when you appeared, his side profile on display. His nose on display. Tanned skin, dark hair in waves exposing his forehead, he wore a black cutoff tee and silver studs in his ears.

“Oh my god,” Keeho muttered out of sheer gay panic. Slapping a hand over his mouth, Wooyoung turned to his phone and gave you a small smile.

“Who was that?” he asked, walking himself around whatever room he was in. Glaring at Keeho, you turned the phone to put your friend in the little box, and Wooyoung laughed. “Am I interrupting something?”

“God, no,” you said, and Keeho let out his own laugh. “This is Keeho, he lives down the street. We’ve known each other since we were eleven.”

“That’s cool,” Wooyoung said, looking at the screen, finally finding a spot to settle. “Hi, Keeho.” Your friend uttered the smallest hi, and you wanted to lose your shit. Who says hi anymore? “So, you’re home, then?”

“I am,” you said. “I haven’t been in the house since Sunday.”

Wooyoung popped his brows. “What’s Tori have to say about that?”

“No idea,” you mumbled. “Keeho’s been reading through my messages I haven’t opened all week. We haven’t gotten to Tori’s yet.”

“I’m sure it’ll be crazy when you do,” Wooyoung pushed his lips to the side.

You didn’t even want to think about it. “What’s so interesting that happened to you today?” Changing the subject, Wooyoung didn’t seem to care. He glanced up and around the space he was in, and smiled.

“I, uh, got an apartment,” he said, smiling at you.

“Holy shit?” you gasped, sitting up, leaving Keeho behind on your pillows. Pushing your hair from your face, you twisted so you could place your back against the dark blue wall. “Where at? Delo?”

Wooyoung nodded, looking around the room. “Yeah,” he said, proud as ever. ��It’s ten minutes from school, a few blocks from my cousin. He helped me find it, we’ve been looking for a day or so, and this place just fell into my lap. He says I got lucky.” The smile that couldn’t leave his lips was triggering your own.

“You got lucky,” you said. “I’m happy for you, that’s really great. You deserve it after what’s happened.”

“Thanks, Ro,” he said. “You should come see it. I kinda wanna talk to you anyways. Just you.” Shifting your gaze to Keeho, he placed a hand playfully beneath his chin and smirked.

“I think we definitely need to talk,” you said, looking at the screen, trying to ease the way your heart was beating. “Sort this mess out.”

“Yeah,” he sighed.

It was quiet for a few seconds, you and Wooyoung just gazing at one another through the phone screen until Keeho tapped his foot to your thigh, pulling you from your thoughtless daydream.

“I, uh, I gathered some, um, interesting information tonight,” you said, and Wooyoung adjusted himself in his seat like he pulled himself out of the same thoughtless daze at the sound of your voice.

“Yeah?” he questioned, glancing away for a moment. “Like what?”

You told him what you found out through Chan. Really, you rambled, the buzz still evident in your body, and it was like he could tell with the way he giggled at some of the things you would say, or the words you would use. You spilled it all, and by the end of it all, he was leaning into the screen, his eyes unable to look elsewhere.

“Keeho, you were here for all of this?” Wooyoung asked.

Turning the phone to show your friend, he shot the phone a thumbs up and Wooyoung sighed. “Don’t believe me, Wooyo?” You turned the phone back to your face and found him surprised. “What?”

“You… Uh, I haven’t heard you say that in a long time, that’s all,” he said, his volume dropping astronomically. You couldn’t remember the last time you called him that, the nickname rolled off your tongue with such ease you didn’t even see it coming yourself. “So, what are we gonna do? We gonna go talk to this Soobin dude, or what?”

“Do it!” Keeho shouted, making you and Wooyoung laugh.

“Ro?” Wooyoung asked, one of his brows perking up.

Glancing between Keeho and your phone, you took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Let’s do it.”

october 7th ~ monday ~ 8:03 a.m.

It happened like a movie, like the rest of your life had been apparently. One shoe on, you hopped on one foot toward the front door slipping the other on your foot, almost tripping and face planting onto the floor. He texted you that he was here, waiting outside in a car you’ve been in only a few times before when he’d driven you around for a date here or there. You weren’t sure why you were nervous, or why the feeling was so large within you.

It was Wooyoung. You’ve done this before. He wasn’t anything to you at the moment, if anything, he was a friend. Or, trying to be, you think.

Slinging your bag over your shoulder you grabbed onto the doorknob to the front door and yanked it open, spotting him down by the curb in the blacked out BMW. All four windows were tinted, you couldn’t see him in the driver's seat which only worsened the feeling in your gut. You felt like a teenager getting a ride from her high school crush, it was somewhat humiliating.

Even more so when your dad appeared around the corner by the kitchen.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you?” he asked, leaning against the edge of the wall where the kitchen met the hallway to the bedrooms. Turning toward him, you smushed your lips together and let out a sigh.

“I’m sure,” you whispered. “We’re going to go talk to Soobin today.”

Yeonjun curled his lip, pushing himself off the wall. Taking slow strides toward you, he folded his arms over his chest. “Enjoy him. Last I heard of him he’s a stuck up son of a bitch.”

You wanted to laugh, and you did a bit, but you frowned. “Dad, you don’t know him, don’t talk about him like that.”

Yeonjun furrowed his brows, looking you up and down. “His daughter is terrorizing my daughter.” He narrowed his eyes. “My very smart daughter who doesn’t let anybody treat her like this.”

With a breath, you said, “That’s why we’re going to talk to him.”

Darting his eyes to the glass door behind you, eyes gobbling up the BMW, Yeonjun looked back at you. “That’s Wooyoung? The guy who started this entire thing?”

“He didn’t start it,” you said. “Well, I mean, he kinda did, but he didn’t mean to. Yunho, remember?”

Yeonjun twisted his brows and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can’t keep track, Aura, what did I say about getting involved with the boys?”

Breathing through a laugh, you groaned soon after. “It’s over, all of it, I promise. No more boys.” Dropping his hands, he gave you a curious look, glanced to the car once more, then smirked.

“Sure,” he said. “Be careful.”

“I will,” you nodded. “We will.” Turning toward the door, you looked back over your shoulder at his smile. “Don’t get arrested again.”

“Aura!” he shouted while you laughed, following you out of the front door and onto the porch. “That was one time! You were ten!”

Walking down the lawn backwards, you held out your arms and grinned. “One time too many!”

Swatting your words away with his hand, he watched you as you spun around and yanked on the door handle, pulling the door open to the leather interior and a boy sitting in the driver's seat, waiting for you with a small smile. Looking past you, to your dad on the porch, Wooyoung held up a hand to wave, and thankfully, thankfully, Yeonjun gave him one back.

Saying your last goodbye, you pulled the door shut and sank down into your seat, feeling entirely out of place in the incredibly neat car. It smelled like cherries, and every crevice of the dash was sparkling. You knew the boy driving would look even better, you felt too nervous to even sneak a peek at him.

“What’s the matter?” he asked with a small laugh.

“Nothing,” you breathed. Your dad took himself back inside, leaving the two of you to go off on your endeavors. “I think I feel nervous to do this.”

Wooyoung settled his lips into a smile and faced the steering wheel, grasping the shifter with his right hand. “You’re allowed to be nervous. This stuff is wild.”

Pulling out of your neighborhood, one he’s definitely not used to though he wouldn’t show it, he took you out onto the main road and started for Nasara. From the southside of Tamoe to Delo, it took about an hour, and then once you were into Delo it took another half hour to get onto campus. Settling back in your seat, getting yourself comfortable, your lungs tighten in your chest at the realization that you were going to be stuck here with him for an hour and a half. The longest you’d have spent with him, sober, since last semester.

As if he could hear your thoughts, he looked over at you. “Ro, what’s up?”

Rubbing your hands over your thighs, you took a breath and shrugged, keeping your focus forward. “Nothing, just thinking about what I’m gonna tell him.”

Wooyoung curved his brows upward, focusing back on the road. When it got quiet, it was suffocating. He was here next to you. He drove an hour or so to your house, to pick you up, to bring you to school when your dad could’ve done it for you. The last time you’d seen him in person, maybe Thursday, in passing while walking to a business lecture where he told you he’d been passing you every Thursday since the semester started, you just never noticed. You’ve never had so much time to say so much, and it was overwhelming.

“Ro,” Wooyoung said again after a minute or so of silence aside from the radio.

“Fine,” you gritted your teeth and twisted in your seat, pulling your legs up onto the leather seat, fighting with the seatbelt in the process. Adjusting accordingly, frustratingly so, you tossed your hair backward once you were situated and groaned, finally looking at him and his amused little smile.

“Better?” he questioned with a subtle laugh.

Expressing your annoyance with an audible sigh, you clasped your hands together and placed them in your lap. “You want me to go off? I’ll go off.” With both hands, you shoved his shoulder and he gasped, grasping the wheel with both hands. “Fuck you. I cannot fucking believe that you’d do that to me. Do you know how embarrassing it was? Me and Tori walking into that bedroom to that?!” He shot you a confused look, bracing himself for impact again as he slowed at a red light.

“You and Yeji? After everything we shared all year, this is how you treat me? Sleeping with her? For what, Wooyoung, for what!” He hid his smile amidst your shouts, catching on quickly. Keeping quiet, he let you go off. “You piece of shit, you know everyone warned me, right? I should’ve fucking listened, that Jung Wooyoung doesn’t have a loyal bone in his body. I didn’t believe them, but guess who fucking does now?”

Taking a breath, a laugh threatened to sneak through, and it almost did. It wasn’t until Wooyoung laughed first that yours boiled over and you lost it. Leaning against the seat, covering your face with your hands, you let out a sound of relief and looked up at him, baring his teeth, his laugh echoing within the tight space.

“How- How long have you been waiting to say that?” Catching his breath, he calmed himself the best he could as the traffic in front of him pulled away.

“Too long,” you said, shaking your head. “Months. Can you tell I had it rehearsed?” Wooyoung laughed again, loud, bobbing his head. “You really hurt me, yanno?”

He looked at you for as long as could while he drove, his smile wiping away in an instant. “I know,” he said. “And, I’m sorry. I’ll always be sorry, I don’t even know what to do to fix it all, but I promise you I’m gonna try.”

Glancing at the road, then finally allowing yourself to take in his appearance, the boy dripping in black and silver, you solemnly smiled. “Last Saturday was a huge help.”

He huffed, shaking his head. “You can’t forgive me that fast, Ro. It was all so shitty, who the fuck does something like that?”

“Somebody who’s also hurting,” you said just above a whisper, shutting him up. He pulled his lips between his teeth and attempted to hide his sigh, but it was heard. “I’m sorry. You deserved better.”

“Whoa,” he said, screwing his face up. “No, don’t say that, are you kidding?” He met your eyes, another red light. The power within him was staggering. “I had the best. You understand that?” The small shake of your head could’ve physically pained him. “God, I could kill them all,” he muttered, facing the road to move with the other cars. “Ro, don’t let them make you feel like that. You used to be so carefree, you couldn’t give two shits about what someone said about you.”

“I don’t know who that is.”

Wooyoung glanced at you, his eyes pointed. “It’s you. That’s what made me fall for you in the first place, are you kidding? You’re so different from any of those girls in that house.”

“I’m not like other girls,” you said, and his laugh made you laugh.

“You know what I mean,” he said.

Letting your eyes drag over his body, you said, “I don’t think I do. We never talked like this.”

“That’s the problem,” Wooyoung snapped a finger and let it fall onto the shifter. “We never talked like this, no one there does, we were doing what everyone else was doing, we were following a socially constructed system that does nothing for true connection.” Your silence made him look at you, and when he found your parted, surprised lips he smiled.

“You are smart,” you joked, and he shrugged, smug. “I knew you were smart, I hope you know that.”

“I do know,” he whispered, giving you a look.

“You sociology major, you,” you whispered back, smiling. He shared it with you for a second only.

“Ugh,” he groaned, looking at the road. “That’s also why I feel all the more shitty for doing what I did, because I knew what it would do to your brain, scientifically. And, I feel even worse for standing by, watching it happen. I could’ve ended it all so much faster, but I had faith that you’d figure it out, but it only got worse each time I saw you.”

Rolling your eyes, you tried to laugh. “Yeah, I fell into Seonghwa.”

Wooyoung tried to laugh with you. “Shoulda stepped in then, that’s how you know it’s going downhill.” Reaching out a hand, you put it over his where he worked the shifter, changing gears as he drove through Soro now. His breath hitched in his chest at your touch. “Ro, I know I said something Saturday night, but you were drunk, and I don’t know how much of that night you fully processed.”

Dragging your thumb over his olive skin, you felt the corner of your lips prick up. “That I may have gotten over you, but you’re not over me?” He released a breath like he’d been holding it in since you sat down. “Wooyo,” you whispered, and he turned his chin quickly, his eyes full of hope. “I’m not over you.”

His hand beneath yours flipped over, his fingers lacing between yours as he took the slowest deep breath. The car came to a stop and he laid his head back on his seat, closing his eyes for a few seconds.

“I feel so silly,” he whispered. Giggling, he opened his eyes to shoot you a glare. “Don’t laugh at me.” Holding up your hand he was holding, you smiled behind your hands and got him to laugh. “You did this to me, I have never felt this, ever.”

“Like a teenager?” you offered, and his eyes went wide.

“Yes!” he shouted, throwing his head back with a groan. “Since I first saw you, Ro. When we were at the recruitment dinner, three years ago. We were freshmen.” He moved your hands toward you, “You were a pretty freshman,” he moved your hands toward himself, “I was a horny freshman.” Your giggle made him smirk. “We were at ATZ, somehow, and the moment I saw you in the group I just… You know which way my brain went first.”

“Of course,” you whispered, dancing your thumb over his skin. “I can tell you I was thinking the same things.”

He gave you that wide eyed look. “You were a horny freshman, too?!”

You laughed together. “‘Course I was, Wooyo, we were eighteen years old and let loose in a house full of boys like yourself, what do you think we’d be thinking about?”

Thinking to himself, he shrugged. “I dunno, innocent things, I guess.”

“Oh, honey,” you cooed, grinning wide. “What Tori and Mingi did that night was far from innocent.” The mention of your best friend pulled at your heart.

“I know, I know,” Wooyoung brushed it off. “That entire year though, I couldn’t figure it out. Girls don’t make me nervous, they make me the opposite, actually.”

“We know,” you whispered, and he tried to wiggle his fingers out of yours, but you held him captive.

“You,” he said through his teeth. “You scared me.” He glanced at you and cringed. “Still kinda do.” This time you did get your hand free, and you shoved him like you did that first time. “Stop! I’m on the road, Ro!” You both laughed. Taking your hands back to yourself, he placed his over the shifter and sighed. “Want me to pull over? Then you can beat me to your heart's content?”

“I wouldn’t ever do that,” you said, touching his hand again. “Keep talking.”

“It was easy to be your friend at first. You already knew Yunho and Seonghwa, so that made it easier to approach you, when you were already talking to them, or hanging around them. I had a buffer, I could bounce off of them.”

“And you bounced,” you scoffed, and a cocky look spread about his face. “Do you know how crazy you would act? Freshman year? Even into our sophomore year, until we were a thing?”

“It’s ‘cause I liked you,” he said, nodding. “I wanted to impress you, I guess. Wanted your attention.”

“Well, it worked.”

“It did,” he said. “For a little bit.” Your lips formed a pout, one he took his fingers to to mess it up, to make it go away. “Stop,” he whispered. “You didn’t even know.”

“That’s the thing, Wooyoung,” you said. “How did I not know? How did I not see… any of it. You, him, anything?”

The car came to a stop and he faced you. His hand slipped over your cheek, his thumb dragging along your cheekbone. “Socially constructed system. You were wound up in the fun of it all, you weren’t really paying attention, and that’s okay. I, unfortunately, have been blessed with a very emotionally intelligent mother, so I can… see it all. I’m aware.”

Your throat tightened. Begging yourself not to cry, not now, you gulped it away and asked, “How the hell do you have the reputation that you do?”

Blinking, he studied your face. “People see what they want to see. Look at San,” you both giggled, “Worlds biggest slut, and he knows it, but what do people see? The, probably hundreds now, body count? Or, the big, adorable, ditzy baby that is San?” He was right.

“I see the slut,” you whispered, and he smirked. “But, I get it, I also see the ditzy baby.”

You both realized he was touching you at the same time. Intaking a breath, you froze, and so did he. His fingers, soft, gentle on your skin, came to a stop. The air around you caved in, everything about this moment becoming so increasingly overwhelming, and heavy, like there was only one thing to do to get rid of that awful itch beneath your skin whenever he looked at you. You knew he could feel it too, you could see it in the way he clenched his jaw. God, you could jump on him, and you wanted to, and you knew he wanted you to.

A car behind you honked, pulling you both from that, now one thought, daze. Jumping a mile, you both twisted forward, Wooyoung moving along with the traffic around you. It took a couple seconds, but you both started to laugh.

After a few minutes of regaining your composures, Wooyoung asked, “Do you still believe them?”

Turning your chin, you looked at him and raised a brow. “What?”

“That I’m a piece of shit who doesn’t have a loyal bone in his body,” he whispered. “You said you believed them, then, I mean. What about now?” He gave you that hopeful look. “Do you still believe them?”

Reaching a hand over to mess with a few of his waves, smiling at the way it affected him, you toyed with his hoop earrings and shook your head. “I don’t,” you whispered, and his smile warmed your heart. “I believe you, I think, for now. Which is scaring me, just ‘cause of all that’s happened. So, please?”

He tilted his head. “Please?”

“Please be telling the truth.”

Taking your hand in his, he pressed his lips to the back of yours before he started to drive, whispering over your skin, “I promise.”

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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chimivx · 10 months ago

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👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 7.5k (part FIVE of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

{ there are names & faces in here that come from NMWID <3 }

september 14th ~ saturday ~ 12:02 p.m.

[you]: i’m sorry i left so fast i didn’t mean to run

[you]: i just woke up can we talk

september 14th ~ saturday ~ 4:57 p.m.

[you]: hey just checking in, are you okay

september 15th ~ sunday ~ 10:17 p.m

A book has lived on your lap for two days now. Since you woke up Saturday late morning after your night at ATZ, you’ve been situated in the center of your bed getting a head start on assignments, setting your planner up for the semester, making sure everything was in absolute order. This was the most important part of being here.

Not the boys, not the parties, not the sisterhood drama… The grades.

Nasara offered you a spectacular scholarship because you were actually pretty booksmart. And thank god for it too, you knew your dad would never be able to send you here on his own. He had money to spend, but it didn’t necessarily go to you without a good motive.

The grades had to stick. The grades had to be almost perfect.

Or, you weren’t getting that degree.

Being in a sorority without a doubt took a toll on your wallet, and your fathers. When there were fundraisers you were working your ass off to make sure you raised enough money to both keep the place going as well as hand some of it over to the charity you were doing it for. That’s partially why coming into this year has been so nerve wracking. There were nine of you in the house. You were not prepared to see the cost come the beginning of next month.

Your dad paid for September. He took a couple jobs and was able to give it to you in full. The rest of the year was up to you. Not one part of you wanted to have to ask him for help. You were capable. You were able to do it. The rest of these girls had money, they had the fame… You’d been hustling for two years, you could make it two more.

There was always the option to move into the dorms, or better yet, move into an apartment off campus somewhere in Delo which sparked your fancy. The only issue is there would be no one to take with you, and the only acceptable way to go about it would be to do it with a roommate. Tori was off the table, she was obsessed with the ITZ house, plus it was a couple minutes away from her boyfriend. Why would she ever want to move further from that?

Flipping a page in your notebook, the door to your bedroom swung open and a flustered Tori stormed in, her brows scrunched, her eyes pointed to the floor. She bounced about the room, tossing her blankets around, dropping to her knees to file through her things under her bed, jumping to her feet to scour her drawers.

A sleepy eyed Yuna popped her head in the doorway looking equally as stressed as your roommate. “Hey, Ror,” she mumbled, her eyes darting around the floor and the shelves. “Tor, I don’t think you brought it in here.”

“Hey,” you said to her. “What are you looking for?” Focusing on Tori, you closed your notebook. The two of you haven’t discussed Friday night. Nothing’s been unpacked. She’s been busy with sorority things and hanging out with Mina and Yuna.

It sometimes fell that way this time of year, at least it did your sophomore year. The three of them were on the board, they were more important than you and your other friends. Though, last year it was only Tori and Yuna taking some time to themselves, overwhelmed by the sudden responsibility. Now she was in on it.

“My ITZ planner,” Tori sighed, her vision tunneled on her surroundings, speaking hushed, but with power. “I had it at the meeting on Friday, I left it in the house, it didn’t come out with me. That has stuff in it that Yeji didn’t write down, if I don’t find it…”

“You’ll find it,” Yuna nodded. “I’ll go check out my room just in case I grabbed it, then I’ll check Yeji’s desk.” She was gone in a flash.

Tori drug a hand through her waves, her hair falling naturally down her back. With no makeup on, her tan skin still had the ability to glow. “Ror,” she muttered, spinning around in a circle to face you. Meeting her eyes, you tried to smile, but it didn’t come through as such. She was so frustrated anyhow, she probably didn't even notice. “Can I check your stuff?”

Hesitating, you shrugged. “You think I took it?”

Tori groaned, her hands digging through her hair once more. “God, no,” she said. “Just in case, I don’t think you took anything, I just have to check everywhere…” Her hands started flying, her brown eyes manic and panicked.

“Okay, okay,” you said, waving her along with a hand toward your bed and your things below it. “Whatever you gotta do, go for it.” She dropped to the floor and you turned back to your book, opening your notebook to copy down notes from your classes this past week.

Tori pulled baskets of clothes out, rifling through them, then she moved on when she didn’t find what she was looking for. Searching through some extra bags you had stored under there, she moved through every bin, every basket, every bag. Nothing. Then, she moved to the other side where you had more recent things shoved without any rhyme or reason. Shoes you’ve worn recently, your textbooks for class, the bag you’d use for classes- she opened that and searched through it.

She popped her head up, looking at you, you could feel it. Turning your head slowly, you found her confused.

“What?” you asked.

“Ror,” she said quietly, holding up an opened light purple package with words on the front that made you want to be sick. She was shocked, her lips parted ever so slightly. “Is this yours?”

Swallowing hard, feeling your stomach in your throat, you couldn’t lie your way out of this one. “I… Yeah, guess I forgot to throw that out.”

Tori flipped it toward her to read it, then she shot you another crazed look. “Why the fuck did you take a Plan B?”

Hm, now this was interesting.

You could lie.

But, at this point now there was no sense in lying.

“Seonghwa?” she whispered.

Yep, no reason to lie.

“Seonghwa,” you breathed, and she leapt to her feet, the box flying from her fingers onto the floor. She jumped onto your bed, the mattress moving beneath you.

“Aurora, what?” She almost gasped. Her knees bumped into yours as she tucked her knees up on the blankets. “When, what?”

You closed your book for good, setting it aside. Taking a breath, you looked up at her and cringed. “Last Friday?”

“Last Friday!” she shouted. Shushing her, she clamped her hands over her mouth at the same time. “I’m not sorry, what the fuck?! That’s why we lost you? You were upstairs with Seonghwa?”

“I was,” you whispered, glancing down at your lap. “We were both drunk, it happened, like, so fast.”

Tori snapped her jaw shut and sat up straight. The way she looked at you made you feel about sixteen years old. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Leaning back, you shrugged, then grabbed onto your ankles and sighed. “You got Mina,” you whispered, and she squinted.

“What?”

You cleared your throat. “You got Mi-”

Tori slapped a hand to your wrist. “No, yeah, I heard you, Ror,” she scoffed. “I mean, what?” She leaned into you, dipping her chin down to meet your eyes. After another shrug as answer from you, she shook her head and laughed. “No, no, unacceptable. I won’t take that. What do you mean that’s why you didn’t tell me you fucked Seonghwa?”

“Don’t say it,” you sneered, eyeing your open bedroom door. Tori flipped her hair back and let another laugh of disbelief. “I didn’t tell you ‘cause you’ve been so close with her, and clearly you’ve told her plenty about me. This isn’t a big deal, I didn’t want it to become a thing.”

She rolled her eyes and settled her hands into her own lap. “Fine, you’re right, I told her too much.”

“Thank you,” you said within a breath, blinking away the obnoxiousity.

“It wasn’t right,” Tori reached a hand toward you, one you took, “I’m sorry. You’re my friend first, my best friend. I shouldn’t have said what I said. She should’ve found it all out naturally.”

Squeezing her hand, you tightened your lips. “She shouldn’t have found out about it at all.”

Tori raised a brow every so slightly, the one with the piercing in it. “Do you like Mina?” Your nervous system sparked fight or flight, but in a way that made you groan aloud and half out yourself when you wanted to keep all feelings about it inside. “Wait, what’s happened, I thought everything was chill, we were helping her get Yunho, and taking her to the parties, breaking her out…”

“Yeah,” you said. “Helping her with all that.” Letting yourself collect your thoughts, Tori waiting patiently, you really didn’t know what to say.

For starters, you haven’t spoken to Yunho since you left his house Friday night. Acquiring your phone from Seonghwa after fleeing the boys bedroom, you walked home, teetering to the side most of the way. Getting yourself up onto your balcony, sloppily, you fell onto your bed and rolled off of it, putting yourself together for bed before Tori made it back into the house.

She appeared later on. The girls told you they came in Ryujin and Isla’s window instead, not wanting to disturb you if you were asleep. Which you were.

None of them know you were there two nights ago.

“Mina’s… Alright,” you said, shrugging. “I like that she’s getting more comfortable, I want her to be comfortable… I hate what I said at dinner, no one deserves that, especially where she is in life, that’s nothing to be ashamed about.” Looking at Tori, both of your lips were pouted. They started to turn into smiles, then eventually giggles.

“Don’t ever not tell me things again,” Tori said through her grin. “Okay?”

Nodding, calming your smile, you said, “Okay.”

Lying straight to her face.

“Now,” she said, scooting closer to you if it were possible. She wanted to occupy the same space. “Tell me everything, I need to know, you slept with the Vice President of ATZ… Is it true?”

You tilted your head. “Is what true?”

Tori made a face, jutting her chin forward like she couldn’t believe you didn’t get it. “The… the thing. Did he…”

Waiting for her to finish, she didn’t. “Tori, the what?”

“He didn’t do it? I guess not if I haven’t seen it.” She dropped her eyes to your neck and you immediately slapped your hand there, your eyes going wide. “He did.” She grabbed onto your elbows and shook you. “Aurora, you have to go to the Sweethearts Formal with him.”

“What? Why?” You’d much rather go with someone else. Shaking your head you pulled the collar of your sweatshirt down and showed her the dulling spot on the base of your neck. Tori started to smile.

“A little birdie told me that he does that,” she said, her voice suddenly acquiring the ability to quiet down.

“Mingi,” you said, flat as ever.

“Course,” she said without a beat. “But, here’s the kicker, Ror. This means no one else can touch you. Did anyone see you with it? I can’t believe I didn’t notice, I think I was so worried about Mina.”

Dropping your hands to your lap, you took a slow breath and let your eyes shut for a few seconds. “Tori, what do you mean? That no one else can touch me?”

She sat up and glanced toward the open door, then back to you. Whispering, she said, “You’re his. He’s, like, claimed you.”

“What?!” you shouted, and she shushed you, giggling as she did.

Latching onto your hands, she said, “The boys are serious about this, too. No one’s ever broken it. Mingi told me that if any of them get close then they’re forced to absolutely humiliate themselves, or something. I’m not really sure, ‘cause I don’t think any of them have even tried. You’re Seonghwa’s, and if any ATZ boys try anything with you then they’ll be kicked out of the frat.”

Your heart sunk into your stomach.

“Oh,” you said, nodding your head. Tori narrowed her eyes and rolled her shoulders back, inspecting you.

“Didn’t Yunho say Hwa was dating somebody?”

Gulping at the mention of his name, you shook your head. “He lied.”

Tori froze. “Why would he lie?”

“I dunno,” you spewed quickly, flipping open to a random page in your book, hoping to end this conversation before it drew on any longer. “He’s been weird this whole time we’ve been back.”

Tori glanced down at your work and pursed her lips. Sliding off your bed she spun around and clasped her hands behind her back. “It’s probably just what Mina said, yanno? Coming back, feeling overwhelmed? Did you guys…” Her pause made you look at her. “Oh,” she breathed. “Right.”

Rolling your eyes you took back to your book, you said, “No, we didn’t go to Blend.”

Tori nodded, looking around your shared room. “Right,” she muttered. “We’re banned. You guys have been talking though, right? Maybe you just have to pull him out of his head, you know how he gets sometimes.” She puttered about the room, looking through more things for her planner. “When he loves something he gets crazy. Remember his report on medieval Europe, or whatever he was hyper focused on?” You lifted your chin, watching her walk around. “That boy is kind, I’ll tell you that, but Mingi’s told me he’s been a little brain fried, I think.”

“What do you mean?” you whispered, watching her flip one of her empty designer purses upside down like something would miraculously fall out of it. She sighed and slumped over, then looked at you.

“You guys really haven’t talked?” She tossed the purse to the floor and took your head shake as an answer. Resorting to your shared closet she started pushing hanging clothes aside, dropping to her knees again so her hands could skim the floor full of shoes. “I guess he and I really haven’t either, with the ban, whenever we’re there I’m all over Mingi.” She giggled. An obscure fact, of course. “But, you know Yunho, Ror. When he has his brain set on something, a project, a report, a lesson… If it’s something he loves he’s gonna be scatterbrained.”

“Classes just started,” you said, voice tiny.

Tori flipped her hair over her shoulder and groaned. “Then, I dunno, Ror, maybe he’s in love with Mina or something, it’s a person then, not his schoolwork.” She shot out of the closet, shouting loud enough to wake up the house. “I FOUND IT!” Her ITZ planner covered in cute little stickers was in her hand as she jumped to her feet. Footsteps bound into the room, Yuna whipping around the corner at lighting speed. The two voiced their relief and started out of the room. Tori stopped before she left, looking back at you staring at the floor. “You good, Ror?”

Trying to take a breath, you attempted a smile, one she believed.

“Yeah, yeah,” you said even though you couldn’t feel your legs.

With a smile, she was gone, closing the door behind her.

Blinking, you took the shakiest breath, releasing it with a sigh, you whispered, “Fuck.”

september 15th ~ sunday ~ 11:15 p.m.

[starhwa]: Thinking about you, don’t work too hard this week, need my girl to be happy.

[you]: don’t worry, she’s not freaking out about her classes

[starhwa]: But she’s freaking out?

[you]: slightly

[starhwa]: Do you want to talk about it?

[you]: not yet, i’m sorry

[starhwa]: Don’t apologize to me, when you want to tell me you will.

september 16th ~ monday ~ 8:02 a.m.

[you]: you’re making me nervous, yo

[you]: i need to talk to you, please

september 16th ~ monday ~ 11:23 a.m.

“Small iced coffee, please, with cream and a shot of caramel.”

The cafe was empty for a Monday mid-morning, Blend usually buzzing and alive around seven when students would flood the concrete floor like feins, jonesing for a sniff of the freshly roasted coffee, allowing themselves to be late because they waited in the long lines that’d pour out the door. This semester you’d be avoiding those lines on a Monday, your first class didn’t start until noon.

“Small?” The barista teased, using his ring covered fingers to push his dark hair from his eyes. It fell towards his lanky shoulders, his smaller frame swallowed by the brown apron he had to wear over his jeans and t-shirt. Turning to get started on your coffee, he raised a brow. “You’ve gone weak.” His eyes drew over your outfit, a hoodie and jeans. “Junior year means you’re watching your caffeine?” He mimicked a British accent and you both laughed.

“No,” you smiled, adjusting your bag on your shoulder, “Maybe just watching the anxiety?” Your accent was terrible, and he was quick to call you out on it.

“Darling,” he widened his eyes and crossed behind the bar, fixing your cup. “That was awful,” you both laughed, “Why are we anxious, the year has just started?”

Shrugging, you weren’t sure what to say to him.

Taeyang, with Theo written on his nametag, lowered his brows and rolled his eyes. “I don’t like that answer.” He pumped an extra shot of caramel in your cup, his subtle way of showing you that you were one of his favorites. “Choi Aurora,” he said, setting his eyes on you. Popping a lid and a purple straw into your cup, he came back toward the register and almost handed you your cup, taking it back before you could grab it. “Where’ve you and your friend been?”

“Tori?” you asked, and he shook his head.

“The boy, Yunho,” he said, stone faced. “You’re usually all up in here. Last semester I had to kick you guys out ‘cause we were closing and you two wouldn’t shut up.”

Averting your eyes to the counter, you shrugged again. “There’s been house drama, I guess,” you said. When you found his eyes, his deep, off putting, mystery filled eyes, you said, “We’ve been banned from seeing them.”

The accent was back and he lost it, sliding you your coffee, punching in numbers on the register. “Sorry to hear that, sweetums,” he said, shooting you a smile. The door to the cafe swung open behind you, the little bell that hung above it sung a little song. “Three seventy five.” Setting his hands on the counter, Theo nodded his head to whoever was behind you while you rifled through your bag for the cash. “What can I get started for you?”

“Iced Americano, large,” the familiar voice said, coming a bit closer to you.

Theo shot you a look. “One large coming up.”

“Shut up, Tae,” you grumbled. Your wallet was gone, and you couldn’t even fumble together random cash from the bottom of your bag. Tori must’ve dropped it on the floor when she was looking for her planner, but thank god she put the empty Plan B box back in here, because that was important. “Can I still send it to your number? Is that a thing?” Fumbling for your phone you slid it open and sent an urgent message to your father.

[you]: can i please have five dollars quick, just trying to buy a coffee

[choi asshole #1]: I sent you fifty last week so you’d have it for coffee. Where the fuck did that go already?

[you]: coffee

The empty box in your bag.

“Yeah, Ror, that’s fine,” Theo said with a brow scrunch, already serving the boy behind you. “Six fifty.”

“Ror?” The boy behind you stepped up the counter, leaning his elbows on it. “I got this, put us together.” Whipping your head to the right you’re greeted with blonde hair and black eyes, the tall boy giving you the smallest smile. “What’s up?”

Glancing to the coffees, you said, “You don’t have to do that.”

Soul shrugged, taking a sip of his. “It’s my pleasure.”

Theo laughed, sending you a look. “It’s his pleasure,” he whispered in the accent, making you smile. Soul’s gaze traveled from him to you, and he stood up straight, towering over you.

“Where are you headed?” he asked, slapping a twenty on the counter. Grabbing his drink he started to walk away, taking you with him.

“This is too much, Shota,” Theo said, voice low, studying him through his lashes. The freshman turned back and waved him off.

“Keep it,” he said without a thought. “Thanks, bro.”

Theo rolled his eyes and popped the cash in his drawer. “Anytime, bro.”

“Thanks, Tae,” you said, waving as you walked beside Soul, taking a sip of your coffee. “This is the best, thank you.” He didn’t look up, he only bobbed his head.

Soul held the door for you, the two of you stepping out into the September breeze. Delo stayed fairly warm until the fall months, but not like Sicuro, or Contramano. Those areas stayed hot for long. Delo was comfortable, it was perfect. Hoodies in September, sweaters in November, sundresses in March and April… You adored every bit of it.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Soul said, looking down at you. Sipping your coffee you scrunched your brow. “Where are you headed?” His hair was clean, hanging over his forehead, touching his shoulders. He wore something similar to what he was in the other night, ripped black jeans and a random t-shirt that fit his aesthetic.

“I have business statistics at twelve,” you said. He started to smile, his lips pressed together, then his eyes scanned your being like yours did to his.

Way to be subtle, Ror.

“Business statistics,” he curled his lip. “You smart people. What’s your major?”

“Marketing,” you said, and he stared at you, not computing. “It’s basically business.”

“Coulda started with that,” he huffed a laugh, then pointed around for directions. “Lead the way.”

Raising your brows, you asked, “You’re gonna walk me there?”

Soul sipped his coffee and gave you a look of surprise. “What kind of gentlemen would I be if I bought you a coffee and made you walk to class all alone on this beautiful day and this…” he glanced around, “...very safe, very clean, very put together college campus.”

He took note of the smile that had found your lips at some point standing here with him. “Alright,” you said, starting down the street to the left, “This way, Soul.”

Falling in step with you, he seemed to find you more interesting than the commotion of other students around him. Asking you questions about when you started at Nasara, how you got into ITZ, how you became friends with the members of ATZ… He got a brief history lesson while he guzzled down his coffee.

“You’re going to join, right?” His eyes went wide while he sipped from his straw, answer enough. “You and your friends? That I met at the house?”

“Yeah,” he smiled, proud. “Me, Seob, Intak… We’ve been friends since high school, we’ve been waiting for this for three years.”

Taking a right down a street corner, Soul kept himself in time with you, though you're certain he would walk much faster if you were the one following him. His legs could stretch for miles.

“Three years? You’ve wanted to go to Nasara since you were a sophomore in high school?”

Soul tossed his empty cup into a trash can on the street and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You know Taeyang was in ATZ, right? Theo?” Pausing at a green light while the cars passed by, you looked up at him curiously. “Tae?”

“Yes, I know who you’re talking about,” you half laughed, shaking your head.

“He’s my brother,” he said nonchalantly, moving his focus to the traffic.

Popping your jaw open, you said, “Oh my god, wait, he graduated last year. He’s your brother?”

Soul shrugged. “Step-brother,” he mumbled as if the words tasted bad. He turned to you. “My dad married his mom right before he graduated high school.”

“Interesting,” you said, grabbing his arm when the light turned red and the crosswalk sign lit up. Soul moved into you, a crowd of people coming from the opposite way forcing you together. “He’s never said anything about a brother.”

“‘Cause he hates me,” Soul scrunched his nose, again with some sort of pride, some sort of confidence. Landing on the other side of the street you both took your hands to yourselves and headed toward the end of the street where a massive building waited for you.

“Why would he hate you, he’s a grown adult who-”

“I fucked his girlfriend.”

Stopping dead in your tracks he didn’t catch on until a couple steps later. Taking in the shock on your face as he turned around, the grin that lit him up was entirely adorable, a word that shouldn't be used after what he’s just told you. Walking backwards, willing you to follow him, he laughed.

“You’re not serious,” you said.

Soul nibbled his bottom lip. “I’m so serious.” Expertly threading his feet behind him, he cocked his chin up and asked, “Am I ATZ material?”

Rolling your eyes, you said, “This year I think you fit right in.”

He allowed you to catch up to his side, then he spun around and continued forward, eyeing the building you were approaching. “Theo’s mom doesn’t think I’m smart enough,” he mumbled, a secret he didn’t seem to want to say. Either that, or he hasn’t had anyone to say it to. Giving him a look, he hung his head back, the confidence still pouring from him despite his sudden lament. “My dad could pay them off though,” he shrugged, meeting your eyes. “Another reason for Taeyang to hate me.”

“Well,” you began, pausing at the bench on the street in front of the double doors you were meant to go inside. Dropping your bag to the seat you searched for a lipgloss and pulled it out, twisting it open. “That’s not very fair.”

Sliding the brush over your lips, Soul watched. “It’s not?” he asked, his voice almost whispering. Rubbing your lips together you shook your head.

“Not really, I mean most of those guys work really hard,” you said. Applying another layer of gloss, Soul poked the tip of his tongue between his lips. Rubbing your lips together with a smack this time, he snapped his eyes back to yours. “I think if you just applied yourself and worked hard to get your grades up this first semester, they’d consider you without the money.” He bobbed his head, hanging onto every word. Taking the last sip of your coffee, the straw sticking to your fresh gloss, Soul held out his hand.

“I’ll take care of it,” he breathed, his eyes flickering to your lips again. Slipping the cup into his hand you slung your bag over your shoulder and smiled.

“Thanks,” you said, and he nodded. “For the coffee and the walk.”

“Anytime.” His face was so pure, so seemingly innocent that one would never be able to believe he fucked his older brothers girlfriend. “Thanks for the advice.”

“Of course.” Ignoring the way he ogled your lips again, you headed toward the double glass doors, not going inside until you threw him a, “Work hard, Soul,” over your shoulder.

september 17th ~ tuesday ~ 3:30 p.m.

[choi asshole #1]: I’ll be in Contramano until Saturday Aura.

[you]: wonderful, enjoy, bring home the big bucks

[choi asshole #1]: Don’t talk like that, come on.

[you]: what else do you do in Mano

The phone screen lit up, choi asshole #1 in bright white letters across the top of it.

“Who’s calling you?” Tori asked from the seat at the table next to you. She leaned on your shoulder and gasped, the sound startling you. “Answer it, answer it, answer it.”

Disgust bled onto your face as you looked at her. “Don’t have a crush on my dad, Tor.”

“How can I not?” she whispered, staring at the bouncing text on the screen. His photo was a funny one of you two from when you were a toddler, sitting on his lap, the two of you with matching pigtails in your hair. Releasing a breath, you gave her a small headshake, then drug the arrow across the screen, answering the video call.

“Hi, Dad,” you said, not the least bit excited to listen to what he had to say. Tori grabbed the back of your hand and twisted the phone so you were both in the frame.

“Hi, Mr. Choi,” she crooned, sitting her chin in her hand.

He appeared, his black hair parted to the side over his forehead, cut short, but long enough to reach his brows. “Tori, how many times do I have to tell you, call me Yeonjun, I don’t like the honorifics.”

She smiled and giggled. “It’s respect, Mr. Choi, I can’t not call you anything but that.”

Your father clicked his tongue and glanced over his phone, a woman's laugh sounding off camera. “Fine,” he said, then looked back at you. “Aura, I wanna be able to give you enough for next month, that’s why I’m going.”

“Okay,” you said, hardening your glare.

Yeonjun glanced over the phone once more, seeming to share a sigh with whoever was behind the screen. “It’s fast,” he said, trying to reason with you. “Your uncle’s coming with me, we’re gonna be fine.”

“And Seulgi? Or is that Lisa?” You swallowed your laugh as Tori launched herself out of the frame to lose her composure. Yeonjun laughed, letting his head bob.

“It’s Haru, but thank you for that.”

You smiled. “Of course.”

“How was your first week of classes? The second starting out okay?”

Ignoring the way Tori tapped your arm, you leaned over the table and focused on the phone. “They were just great, Dad. Same old shit.”

“And the sorority? Everything going okay?”

Now you shared a look with Tori, one that told her to keep her mouth shut.

“It’s all good,” you said, looking down at your phone. He was walking around now, the woman he was with mumbling things to him as his brows twisted. The two spoke to one another for a second before he focused on you.

“Glad to hear it, Aura,” he finally said. “You staying away from the boys down the street?”

A knife to the gut. “As much as you’re staying away from the women in Contramano.”

Yeonjun shot a glare toward the camera, the woman laughing aloud near him. “Really hope you’re not serious, Aurora. Remember what I told you, they’re trouble. They might look all nice from the outside, but they’re only thinking about one thing.”

“What if we are, too?” Tori whispered, and a laugh shot through you. Thankfully, your father didn’t hear.

“I don’t want or need any grandkids yet, okay?”

“Yeah, and I don’t want or need any siblings, okay? Wrap it before you tap it, Junie.”

Tori just about lost her shit.

Yeonjun shook his head and glanced upward, seeking some sort of help from the heavens. “You’re my child. Think I made you myself. Did your mother help at all?”

Running your tongue over your teeth you tilted your head. “If you ever find her, ask her.”

Yeonjun sighed, exasperated. “These phone calls exhaust me as much as they exhaust you, Aura. Trust me.” He paused whatever it was that he could possibly be doing at this hour on a Tuesday, and he gave you his full attention. “You are my everything. Please, be safe. You and Tori, don’t leave each other alone at those parties, okay?”

“Okay,” you said.

Tori peeped her head into the frame. “Okay, Yeonjun.”

His face lit up, his smile wide as he looked at her. “Yes! Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, her cheeks flushing pink. You kicked her ankle with yours.

“Aura, I love you,” your father said, raising both his brows. “I’ll let you know when I’m there, okay?”

“Okay,” you whispered. “I love you, too. Be safe.”

He gave you a soft smile. “I will.”

Before he hung up you tossed in a, “Don’t get arrested again,” that made him grin and equally groan as the screen went black. Laying your phone on the table you drug your hands through your hair and took a long breath, turning towards Tori in your chair, laughing quietly at the way she eyed you.

“Go ahead,” you muttered.

She wasted little time. “Hottest drug dealer ever.”

september 18th ~ wednesday ~ 6:47 p.m.

[you]: this is the last time i’m messaging you yunho

[you]: did i sit on your dick wrong or something, just let me know whats going on

september 20th ~ friday ~ 9:19 p.m.

Yeji, Tori, Mina, Yuna, Chaeryeong… The three of them holed up in a meeting the second all of their last classes for the day were over. In two days you’d all be meeting the freshmen recruits out of the applicants your trustworthy sisters ran background checks on now.

ITZ had applicants. The chapter would grow, the costs would go down, the drama would lessen, and life would move on.

Neither you and Tori nor any of the other girls have attempted to sneak out of the house this week. With classes in full swing the attention had shifted and now the priority was homework and good grades. In order to be examples for the future of ITZ none of you could afford a slip in GPA.

This past week has been a strange one. Anytime you set foot into Blend for a coffee you were reminded that Theo and Soul were step brothers, though you never brought it up to your favorite barista who also in turn had been one of the safest guys you knew in ATZ last year. Seonghwa hadn’t left you alone, he asked you about your day everyday, allowing you to rant about your classes or bitch about a professor. And Soul, well, he always seemed to find you on campus day after day since Monday.

Much like right now.

The soft knock at the door seemed to embody his exact energy. Soft at first, but the second the door was opened he was entirely unpredictable.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

After unlocking the several locks on the front door you tugged it open to his smug little smile and his blonde hair pulled back in a tie. Wisps hung at his neck and his forehead.

“Come to ATZ,” he said, and you hushed him, turning backward to see if anyone was around. They’d been in the meeting for over an hour now, who knew when it’d be over.

“You’re lucky I answered the door,” you said. “If it were anyone else you’d be done for. You’re not allowed to be here.”

He perked a single brow. “The ban?”

“The rules, Soul,” you hissed, stepping out onto the porch with him, closing the door behind you. He stepped aside and folded his arms over his chest. “That’s always been an ITZ thing, it’s a sorority thing, no boys allowed without permission.”

He checked you out without shame. Taking your hands to your black shorts you tugged the cotton down a smidge. “Come for a little?”

“Look, Soul,” you sighed, stepping closer to him. He pouted his lips the slightest, his black eyes shining and wide. “I like this friendship we’re starting, and I admire your persistence.”

“But?” he asked, adding in the word himself like he knew it was coming. Dropping his chin he looked down at his feet, a frown forming on his pink lips.

“But,” you said, watching him as he slipped his phone out of his pocket, tapped a few things, then shoved it back into his jeans. Laughing quietly, you gestured toward it. “You’re young.”

“I’m nineteen.” He screwed his face up.

“You’re a freshman, you’ve got a lot on your plate right now, especially with ATZ, I’m dealing with a lot, especially with ATZ,” you paused for a moment, feeling half your heart crumble as he gazed at you. “If I’m picking up what I think you’re putting down… Soul, I have feelings for somebody else. What you want won’t work, it won’t happen.”

He nodded, his expression falling solemn. “Seonghwa?” he asked, looking up at you.

Your lungs contracted in on themselves. “Yes,” you whispered, and he nodded, glancing down with his brows pulled together. “I’m sorry, Soul. You’re cool, you’ve got a lot going for you.” Taking another step closer to him, you pushed some wisps of hair from his eyes. “And you’re adorable.”

He blinked a few times, his black eyes lighting up. “I am?” He spoke in a whisper.

Smiling, you nodded once, then leaned into him, pressing your lips to his cheek. His shoulders rose and a quiet gasp shot through him. When you pulled back, he was wearing the tiniest smile.

“If you liked that Monday walk I wouldn’t mind if it became a thing,” you said. “Y’know, occasionally. Grab a coffee, walk to class?”

“I skipped my ten o’clock for you,” he whispered, then he giggled at the look you gave him.

“Soul, didn’t I say to work hard?” You nudged his shoulder and he played it up like you shot him, his hand latching on top of yours to keep it on him. “How did you even know where I was?”

He shrugged, squeezed your hand, then let it go. “Lucky guess?”

Sighing, you stepped back and waved him off the porch. “Go to your classes, Soul. Go back to ATZ, or wherever you came from.” You both shared a smile, and he obeyed, leaping off the porch with a single jump. “Don’t ruin your chance,” you shouted as he walked backward, his eyes eating you up. “You can do it here,” you pointed to your head, then moved them to where your pockets would be if you had any. “Not from here.”

“Thanks, Aurora,” he said, and when he hit the sidewalk after passing through the gate, he was gone, thankfully, because the moment you had the door locked the meeting was adjourned and Tori had a wicked grin on her face when she grabbed your arm and hauled you upstairs.

september 20th ~ friday ~ 9:49 p.m.

On the leather couch in the back of the ATZ living room, Seonghwa sat with his legs stretched out, his entire being taking up the space of three people. With his head laid back on the armrest, he scrolled his phone, mainly Instagram, taking note of the follower counts, the comments on posts, and what people were saying about either house.

Yeji was trending, she posted her outfit of the day this morning with the hashtag #presidentialvibes on her story. Her groupies were buzzing, dissecting the clothes, breaking down the hair, curious if it were her same routine or if she had changed it because of the new color.

Wooyoung’s name popped up somewhere, he was always posting. This time it was of the view from the window of his education and society class, the sociology major keeping up with his followers, commenting back to them whenever they’d leave him something of interest. San was actively under his posts, the boy was next in line in the amount of followers he had, but only because every single post was of him half naked. Thank god he was smart otherwise there’d be an issue there, even though he was usually the one to pull people into the house and get them hooked.

Mingi posted about his homework confusing him, saying he needed help, Jongho, like Yeji, posted a fit check, and Yeosang had a photo up in the last two days of him and this girl he’d started seeing. She wasn’t a part of ITZ, something he was keen on. They shared a major, that medical shit. Her profile was quiet, just as the other ITZ girls were.

As was Yunho.

In fact, he’d been keeping a low profile in the house since last week. The guys would see him leave for class, and then he’d come back and camp out in his bedroom.

Last Friday was curious. Seonghwa had Aurora by his side, as he should, and then she was gone. And then, Yunho was gone. The house, entirely too crowded, made it impossible to track them down anyway, until Aurora appeared and asked for her phone back. Tentative to hand it over, intrigued by how fast she was moving, Seonghwa reluctantly handed it back to her and mumbled, “You need to put a passcode on that.”

But, she didn’t hear him.

She was flustered, overwhelmed, and all the more flushed.

Seonghwa knew that face.

Seonghwa knew why Yunho was avoiding everybody.

“Hey,” Soul said, out of breath, rushing into the living room with his phone out. There was little movement around the house this evening, Hongjoong was working on plans for the recruitment dinner with Mingi, and the others were hunched over their homework scattered around the property. Yeosang was on the couch through the archway, nose deep in a textbook with the occasional break to send a text message with a smile.

“You’re back quick,” Seonghwa said, sitting up, dropping his feet to the floor. Soul, grinning wide, shoved his phone into the vice president's hand. “No way you made it happen.”

The freshman took two steps back and propped his hands on his hips, finally able to take a breath to steady his racing heart. “I did, watch that, listen to that.”

Seonghwa eyed him, then tapped the play button on the video.

Aurora’s voice filled the air.

“If I’m picking up what I think you’re putting down… Soul, I have feelings for somebody else. What you want won’t work, it won’t happen.”

“Seonghwa?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, Soul. You’re cool, you’ve got a lot going for you. And you’re adorable.”

“I am?”

Seonghwa’s eyes bugged out of his head as he stared up at Soul, the freshman laughing to himself. “She did it herself.”

Soul threw a hand toward the phone. “You were right, she’s easy.”

“Watch it,” Seonghwa sneered, and Soul planted his hands behind his back.

“She kissed my cheek,” he said. “It wasn’t an actual one, but it still counts, right?”

Seonghwa paused the video halfway through Aurora telling Soul how to live his life, like the boy would actually listen. “I’ll count it.”

“Thank you,” Soul sighed, tipping his head back, squeezing his eyes shut. Seonghwa looked him up and down.

“You tell me she’s shown interest?”

Soul looked at his domineer and nodded. “Not in her words, but…”

“In her eyes?” Seonghwa asked, and Soul continued to bob his head. “Yeah, she does that,” he breathed, handing the freshman his phone. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind ending up in bed with you.” The corners of his lips perked up, and Seonghwa glared at him. “Wipe that look off your face, are you stupid? She’s mine, you heard her say it.”

“Right,” Soul shook his face clean. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Seonghwa clenched his jaw before he said, “Go home, Soul. Come back tomorrow, I’ll have something else for you.”

“This clears senior year though, right?” Soul asked, anxiously awaiting the answer.

“Just about,” Seonghwa said, and the boy sighed in relief. “You’ve passed with San, and you’re almost through with me. Gonna need you to keep up this act with her, okay?” Soul smiled. “An act, Shota. Don’t get ballsy, do you remember what you said? She’s easy.”

“Yeah,” Soul said, quietly. “I got it.”

“Go back to the dorms. I’ll send you her location tomorrow if she goes out.”

Seonghwa watched him hurry from the house, giving Yeosang a sly goodbye as he passed him. An act. One Seonghwa knew Aurora and the freshman who moved with his dick instead of his brain wouldn’t be able to hold themselves back from.

Picking his own phone back up, he opened his messages and smirked.

[seonghwa]: Soul’s in her head now. Can’t confirm if last Friday is true or not still. Will let you know when I find out.

[hbic]: You need to recruit him.

[seonghwa]: He’s proving himself. If he can get her here, he’s an automatic in. His GPA sucks.

[hbic]: Keep her hooked. Have they been talking?

[seonghwa]: No proof. Haven’t seen Yunho in days.

[hbic]: Get Soul to find out. Otherwise we find out at the recruitment dinner.

[seonghwa]: Yes ma’am.

[hbic]: I’ll update Yeji.

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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chimivx · 10 months ago

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👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 16k exact. (part SEVEN of ten) good luck. ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

{ there are names & faces in here that come from NMWID <3 }

september 23rd ~ monday ~ 11:20 a.m.

“I’ll take a shot of vodka, or something else, whatever you’ve got.”

Theo smiled, then shook his head, leaning over the counter toward you.

“You can get that later down the street,” he said. “Want me to surprise you if you aren’t gonna make a decision?”

Clasping your hand over your hoodie you shrugged. “Please.”

Getting to work, he sent the occasional glance over his shoulder. “You’re in a weird mood, what happened?” He wrapped his hand around a large sized cup and took it to the espresso machine. “What’s happened since Friday, I should say.”

A lot, you wanted to say. You’ve realized you’ve fallen in love with a boy who was your best friend, said boy has snuck onto your roof and confessed his love for you, you’re both set to ‘break up’ with people you aren’t even together with, and all the meanwhile the boys girl has started a lie that has now spread throughout the ITZ house.

Nothing has been said to Yunho or Tori as of yet, you were meeting Tori for lunch after your noon classes so you would tell her there. The video had to still be up on Chan's profile, those things lasted for twenty four hours. She was a liar, Mina was. Though you can’t piece together at the moment why she would lie about something like this. Chan is her brother, and he’s apparently been through many struggles in his lifetime.

Your father has been through many struggles in his lifetime, never once do you ever use his shit as an excuse for your behavior, nor would you ever use his shit as a way to warp people’s minds, their feelings. The beings in both houses knew little of your dad, aside from Yunho, Tori and unfortunately Wooyoung. You’re sure Mingi knew a little something, he’s dating Tori, but you don’t care what he knew. If he’s trustworthy enough to date Tori, he’s trustworthy to know who and what your father is.

Mina’s pretty, she’s smart, she comes from a good family. Why would she lie?

Pulling out your phone you open a thread of messages and type away.

[you]: we have to talk about something questionable

It took him three seconds to respond.

[youknow everythin]: This is how you answer my good morning text? What did you just wake up?

[you]: i’m at blend i have a class in thirty

[you]: i’m sorry i didn’t answer, i read it before i got in the shower

[youknow everythin]: Take me in the shower with you, duh

[you]: you are such a boy

[you]: any mina updates

[youknow everythin]: She’s hurting. I told you last night what she was saying, her brother and all that. I got the full run down. She was keeping a lot from me this summer.

You tried real hard to not let those words tug at your heart.

[youknow everythin]: You know what it made me think of? That psych thing or whatever it is, the invisible child thing? Where one childs needs are so great that the other kid kind of goes unnoticed? But… Not totally unnoticed, they’re just more self sufficient? I feel like that’s Mina. She just needs someone to see her.

That made your stomach feel weird.

And not because of his last sentence.

Because you understood.

You didn’t have any siblings, but you had to grow up pretty self-sufficient.

[you]: damn i didn’t think of it like that

[you]: makes me feel like a bitch for what i’m about to say

[youknow everythin]: Tell me

“You are so out of it,” Theo said, handing the beautifully decorated coffee over to you. With whipped cream on the top he swirled caramel around it. Looking up at him, he gave you a smile and stepped away from the counter to take care of another customer who had appeared beside you while you were focused on your screen.

“I’m sorry,” you sighed.

[you]: i think she’s lying about her brother

“The drama never ends,” you whispered, picking up the coffee to take a sip of it. It was equally sweet as it was caffeinated. “Oh my god,” you groaned after a swallow. Theo smirked over his shoulder. “I’ll text you the money,” you said, tapping away to open his messages, but he stopped you.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, flipping the other person's coffee over to shake it. “Someone left you an allowance. I think you’re good for the rest of the semester to be honest.” He chuckled as your brows rose. “You have another friend down at ATZ, and I assume he’s told you all about me.”

“Soul,” you mumbled, and Theo shot you a look that did little to warm your heart. “Yeah, he, uh, he told me.”

Popping a lid on the small sized cup in his hand, he slid it over the counter to the person next to you and muttered, “Three eighty seven,” and took the cash as they handed it over. “I don’t want to tell you to stay away from him,” Theo said to you, giving the person their change, “He’s really not that bad of a guy.” Shifting back over to your side of the counter, he leaned over on his elbows and looked up at you. “He’s just been through some shit.”

Rolling your eyes, you sipped your drink and tried not to laugh. “Seems to be the theme of the day.” Theo flattened his lips into some sort of smile. “What was her name?”

He closed his eyes and released a breath. “Soojin.” When his eyes met yours he laughed at your pout. “Don’t, it’s okay. She was a year below me in school, they had another year of high school together, I was here, it wasn’t a big deal.”

With another sip, you tried to hide behind your straw when you asked, “When did it happen?”

Theo smirked, assessed his surroundings and the little people that were inside his cafe. “She was a senior, he was a sophomore, I was a freshman trying to get into the prestigious ATZ. I was upset when it happened of course, she and I were still dating, but, when you really look at it, what kind of senior in high school takes an interest in a sophomore…”

“Oh my god,” you sighed, your eyes going wide. Theo grinned.

“Yeah, so I ended that quick,” he nodded once, standing up to clean up behind his counter. “And, I made sure Shota was okay, even though he was all smug about it. He was sixteen, he had every right to think he was hot shit for sleeping with a senior, but brotha’ was a victim.”

Soul’s dark eyes that never seemed to have a thought behind them came to mind, and you were gutted. “Tae, oh my god,” you said and he shrugged, wiping down his machines. “He told me that you hate him for it.”

Theo huffed a laugh, then hung his head for a few seconds. “If that’s what he wants to believe, I’ll take it. I don’t hate him,” he turned to give you a look. “He’s impressionable. Don’t take this the wrong way, but he’s not… all there,” he came closer to you. “His parents are… were… kinda messed up. You can’t tell him I said any of this,” Theo pointed at you, his eyes going stern.

“Promise,” you whispered, holding up a hand.

Theo tapped his fingers on the counter, watching them for a moment. “He was in therapy for a while.”

“Weren’t we all?” you attempted to lighten the air, smiling, and he laughed.

“I guess at some point,” he breathed. “I mean, I was after my parents got divorced, so… No, but, Shota, he’s been into a lot of things kids shouldn’t get into. This ability for him to… attract… that kind of attention, like with Soojin, I don’t know, it’s…”

“His eyes,” you whispered, and Theo never looked at you faster. Sheepishly smiling, you said, “He’s been following me around for a little bit now, Tae. He showed up to ITZ one night.” Theo’s eyes shot open wide. You nodded. “Yeah, he’s persistent. I can kinda see why he’d so easily coerce someone… Not saying that’s what he did, or has done, but… Yanno?”

Theo thought about it, then asked, “So, you were catchin’ a crush?”

“No,” you said, hushed and rushed. “I have way too much happening to have a crush on a freshman. That makes me Soojin, just many years later.” He smiled, popping his brows. “And, now that I know he’s your little brother? That’d be weird. You and I were dates at Date Night last winter, my allegiance is to you, Taeyang.”

“I’ll never forget Wooyoung's face when we got picked,” he said, and you both shared a smile. “He was pissed.”

Names were chosen at random between the sorority and the fraternity, pairs made for the night. Date Night, one of the more exciting events thrown between the houses, kicked off with a bang though neither house raised enough to put toward this current year. Still, it was fun, and you were paired with Theo who drank your required liquor when you couldn’t stomach anymore. The two of you danced, you laughed, you hung out with Tori and Yeosang, her randomly chosen date, and you partied until the next morning.

The kicker… You were strapped together at the wrist. You physically could not leave your date alone, and if someone else wanted to talk to you, you had to talk to their date, too.

Vernon was paired with Isla.

Yuna and Jongho were matched up.

Ryujin and San.

Chaeryeong was paired with a senior, as well as Mingi, like you and Theo.

Hongjoong had a senior from ITZ on his wrist.

Seonghwa and Lia both had freshman recruits.

Yunho got lucky enough to have Mina follow him around.

And, Wooyoung had Yeji.

You could say that was the start of the downfall, that Yeji and Wooyung were paired up together, so who knows if that night they hooked up as well, but you’ve stopped letting the thought bother you.

“It was fun,” you gave him a small smile.

“It was.” He returned it. “Are you guys gonna do that again? I know that one’s like tradition, right?”

“Tori has it on the schedule,” you said. “She’s stuck it sometime in October now, I think around Halloween? It might land on her birthday, I’m not so sure.”

“Well,” he stood up straight, having leaned over the counter again, and slapped his hands on the vinyl. “If you get paired with Shota, keep an eye on him.”

“Think I might do that regardless now, Tae,” you said, lifting your drink a bit to signal your exit. “Thanks again.”

Theo smirked and watched you leave the cafe. “Thank my brother.”

september 23rd ~ monday ~ 1:47 p.m.

[youknow everythin]: Rory there’s nothing there though, we can’t just assume, can we?

“It was here yesterday!”

Sitting forward, you laid your phone on the table beside your plate and groaned in frustration. Tori, cross legged with her waves over her shoulders, watched you with a raised brow.

“He deleted it, he had to have deleted it,” you whispered, refreshing Chan's profile three times before giving Tori a look of dismay. “When we were at the library, he posted it.”

“It’s been a day, it’s not going to be there anymore,” she said, picking up her fork. “I want to believe you, though.”

Eyes bugging out of your head, you attempted to refresh the page again. “You don’t believe me? How?” When you met her eyes again the taste in your mouth went sour. “Tori, I’m not lying to you, I swear to God, she is lying to us.”

“What person would lie about their brother like that?”

“That’s what I’m saying!” you shouted, and many heads turned your way. The two of you were at a small table toward the front of the sushi restaurant you stormed out of over a week ago. “Yunho thinks she’s got that invisible child thing. You know, where they pry for attention, or something.”

Tori, sipping her water, rolled her eyes. “Listen, I want to believe you, Ror, but now that you’ve got this thing with Yunho, it looks like you’re trying to make her the bad guy.”

Right, she was still miffed about the whole situation.

“I know what it looks like, okay?” You squeezed your eyes shut. “I’m not trying to… Win the boy, or whatever it is you think I’m doing. I have the boy. It’s not about that.”

Tori sat back in her chair and folded her arms. “You do, do you?” You nodded and she pursed her lips. “Then, what is it about? If she is lying like you say she is, what’s the point of calling her out for it? Just let it go, all shit comes out eventually.”

She was right.

Letting her go back to her sushi, you swiped back to your messages.

[youknow everythin]: She has been giving me specific updates, Rory

[youknow everythin]: I don’t think she’s lying

september 24th ~ tuesday ~ 2:44 p.m.

In four days you and your sisters would be walking through the doors of ATZ with your recruits. The two houses would come together for dinner, an introduction of sorts, a welcome to the life type of night. There have been freshmen in and out of the house since yesterday morning, touring the property, meeting the board, sucking up to Yeji who spoke to them all with the fakest smile you’ve ever seen.

Standing in the foyer now, your new dark blue ITZ t-shirt on and tucked into the waist of your jeans, two girls walking through the door in sundresses caught your eye. Wide eyed and excited, they gasped to themselves as they gaped up at the ceiling, the two of them arm in arm, linked together. It reminded you of you and Tori. They joined the few girls already walking the first floor, taking in the photos on the wall, reading every description, every story that lived on the white paint.

Ryujin, in the same t-shirt, stood beside you. Nudging her side, you gestured toward the girls.

“Those are the two I met at ATZ,” you whispered. Ryujin scanned the group, then found them and squinted. “They’re freshmen, and I think they come as a pair. Can’t buy them separately.”

“Like you and Tor,” Ryujin mumbled, and you smiled. “My gaydar is going off looking at the shorter one, I can probably make some magic happen.” Fluffing her shaggy hair, she adjusted her shirt to be a bit more frumpy, letting it hang over the waist of her wide legged jeans. She was gone in seconds, flashing a sideways smile to both girls who shook Ryujin’s hand with caution. Sure enough, the shorter one let her eyes slip up and down the seniors frame, but that could mean anything. Ryujin was walking sex appeal, if you swung that way you’d be sneaking out of her room every morning instead of an ATZ bedroom.

Taking a quiet moment for yourself, not being bothered by freshman looking to kiss ass, you pulled out your phone and checked your messages.

[youknow everythin]: How's it going over there? These freshman are ridiculous

Smiling, you worked your fingers on the keys.

[you]: at least you don’t have to listen to a trillion female empowerment stories

[you]: think every girl in this house right now has told the same story

[you]: i think i love it though, they all have something to prove, it’s admirable

[youknow everythin]: Does it remind you of your recruitment?

[you]: totally, i was coming from a single father who lived paycheck to paycheck, i had to be obnoxious and prove myself. i’m seeing a lot of yeji’s and chaeryeong’s in this crowd. money money money

[youknow everythin]: Same over here, lots of guys flashing their bank accounts. And why is everyone a business major?

[you]: hey, don’t diss

[youknow everythin]: Not what I meant <3 <3 <3

[youknow everythin]: Have you talked to Seonghwa about anything yet? I assume not because he’s been nice to me all day

[you]: no, we should just wait a little bit. shit isn’t hitting the fan right now, we’ll be better off later. you haven’t said anything to mina yet?

[youknow everythin]: Not with this brother thing happening. Plus, she's VP so she’s got a lot on her plate at the moment.

Glancing up at her now, the Vice President, it was written on her t-shirt that she tucked into her denim skirt. Jeans were the dress code for this day, but apparently any denim was acceptable. She was smiling ear to ear while she spoke to a group of girls that gazed up at her with starry eyes. Admitting to yourself that it was impressive she was Vice President already, a sophomore, it didn’t make the feeling in your gut lessen.

Something was off.

It made you wonder if she heard your conversation with Tori the other day.

[you]: understood. keeping shit undercover

[youknow everythin]: It’s been hard to keep Mingi quiet. He’s so nosey. He wants to talk about us all the time.

[you]: us

[youknow everythin]: Us

[youknow everythin]: <3

“Great turn out today, don’t you think?”

Chills ran down your spine. Shoving your phone into your pocket, you turned over your shoulder and plastered a smile onto your face.

“So great,” you said. “I was just thinking about how there are so many like minded girls in here that have something to prove.”

Yeji pierced you with her fox-like gaze, attempting to look through you, into you. In all of the past weeks you’ve never had to be one on one with her, you’ve only had to deal with her in meetings. Her ombre hair curled perfectly laid over her shoulders, tucked behind one ear, showed off the diamonds she was wearing in her lobes. In her t-shirt and skinny jeans, she topped off the fit with strappy black heels and thin silver and gold bracelets on her wrists.

“Like minded?” Yeji asked, letting her eyes leave you for only a second to take in the group. “Explain.”

Swallowing, your mouth had gone dry, you nodded. “Their grades are fantastic, first of all, which you know to me is the most important of all.” Yeji narrowed her eyes. “But, the stories they’re telling us, what they’ve gone through to get here, some being told they’ll never make it to this school, that they’ll never get far… And, they’re here.” She bobbed her head, and smiled once you said, “It makes me think of Mina.”

“Does it?” she questioned, taking a peek at her second speaking with the girls.

“It does,” you whispered. “Everything with her family, yanno? She’s here, at Nasara, and she did that for herself. It’s incredible. I mean, even Isla, she wanted to do something for herself and she’s-”

“Leaving us in a day or two,” Yeji muttered, and your heart stopped. Taking in the shock on your face, she nodded, her stone cold expression never changing. “Don’t worry, she’s not being kicked out. Her brother has been in contact with us. He’s going to come get her, she needs his help. I’ll be sharing the news with Ryujin tonight, so if you could do me a solid and not tell anybody?”

Looking for the senior, the unsuspecting girl laughing it up with the two girls you met at the party, the walls seemed to tighten around you a smidge. She had no idea she was losing her roommate of the last three years. The two met on this day, Ryujin a sophomore, Isla a freshman. They clicked, they understood one another, they became best friends. Ryujin has done so much for Isla within the last year, and now she’d have to go through her most important year alone.

“She’s withdrawing?” you asked Yeji.

“She’s done,” the president nodded. “Withdrawn from classes, from the sorority, from Nasara entirely.”

“Where will she go?”

“With DK,” Yeji shrugged. “We don’t have the ability to help her here. She needs her family. That’s important, you know that, right? Family?” The look she gave you before she scampered away to greet some more freshmen wandering into the house was unreadable.

february 14th ~ thursday ~ last semester ~ 11:21 p.m.

The ball hit the edge of the cup and bounced onto the floor, a choir of groans echoing throughout the crowded living room. Bumping into Tori, your pong partner, you grabbed onto her arm and voiced your own disappointment. Across the table, the two boys you were playing simply laughed.

“Leave us alone!” Tori shouted playfully. “She’s not good at this, okay, we know this!”

Blushing, you laughed aloud, too drunk to care that she had half roasted you while trying to defend you. “I suck!”

“You do, is that the best you’ve got?” Yunho grilled, wearing a devious smirk on his lips. Poking his tongue out the corner when you looked at him, he raised his brows and motioned toward himself with his fingers.

Mingi elbowed him, smiling at his girl from across the table doused in beer and liquor. The room was dark, people in the crowd around you were using their flashlights on their phones to light up the table for you four. You were both down to the last three ups on either side.

“She doesn’t seem so bad, you guys are tied.” A voice that wrapped around your heart made you smile. Turning around you bump into Wooyoung who wrapped an arm around your shoulders, tucking you into his chest. Bringing his lips to your ear he said, “Stand up straight, keep your elbows to yourself and throw without thinking too hard.”

Pulling away from him, he kept a hand on your back, he smiled at you and pressed a quick kiss to your cheek. Following his instructions, standing up straight, you made eye contact with Yunho who now wore a scowl. Music flooded your ears, peoples shouts from everywhere in the house threatened to pull your liquor fueled brain elsewhere. Wooyoung took his hand around your waist and gave you a squeeze.

“Breathe,” he said, and you listened. “Look at the cup… Good.” You turned your chin to look at him and he laughed, using his other hand to maneuver your focus back to the table. “Look at the cup, baby, you can do this, prove them wrong, I know you can.”

“Don’t think someone’s allowed to touch the player while they throw,” Yunho called out, and Mingi laughed. Tori shut him up with a glare.

Wooyoung curled his lip. “Shut up.” Moving behind you, putting both hands on your waist, he cradled his chin into your neck. “Throw it. Show them.” His lips ghosted your skin and you longed to drop the ball and spin around in his arms, but the way Yunho was glaring at you made you want to throw the ball at his head instead of the red cups waiting for you.

“Any day now,” Yunho complained, tipping his chin backward.

“Ro, shut this guy up,” Wooyoung said loud enough for him to hear. Smiling, feeling his hands press into your waist, you pulled your hand back and released the ball. It went into a cup and swirled around in circles, and the three of you on your end of the table cheered for half a second.

Yunho dipped his fingers inside and flicked it out, both him and Mingi laughing together. The crowd was impartial, no one knew who to be happy for.

“Are you kidding me?” Wooyoung spat, pulling you away from the table, planting his hands on the edge. Yunho raised a brow, a shiteating smirk on his lips.

“That’s the game,” he said.

“You’re a piece of shit, just let her have it,” Wooyoung said, throwing a hand toward the cups left in front of the boy many inches taller than him. “It’s one cup.”

Yunho glanced down, then scoffed. “Yeah, it’s one cup,” he parroted, and Wooyoung rolled his eyes. “She’ll get it again, though she’s missed the last ten shots.”

Tori circled the table and ended up somewhere around Mingi, her boyfriend craning his neck down to press kisses to her cheek. Waiting behind Wooyoung, not knowing what the hell was going to happen, you turned around and found San making his way through the crowd. Raising your hands in the air, you shouted for him.

“Sannie!”

His face lit up. “Ror!” Elbowing past bodies, he found your side and groaned. “Oh no,” he slung himself over your back when you turned around to face the table. “What happened? Why’s he mad?”

Pointing at Yunho, your best friend giving you two ounces of attention, scrunching his nose at San, you said, “He was talkin’ shit, I threw the ball like Wooyoung said, I made it in, but Yo knocked it out.”

San shook his head. “No, you’re kidding, shit move, Yunho!” He looked back at you and San at the sound of his name. “You always play girls like that?”

Wooyoung smiled at San and held up a hand. “Hang on.” Pointing at Yunho, he said, “Own up to it. Or, you give me the balls, and if I make it in the other two cups, the girls win and you both forfeit for the night. I’m tired of seeing you both standing over here.”

Yunho and Mingi shared a look. From beneath his arm Tori said, “You don’t have to be a jerk, Wooyoung.”

Giving your roommate a look, he quirked a brow. “You wanna take their side over your own sisters? Damn, Tori, that says a lot about you doesn’t it?” San snickered behind you, his hands tangling over your chest. Wooyoung turned back to Yunho. “Balls,” he wiggled his fingers, and the boy obeyed, rolling them across the table. Clutching them both, Wooyoung rolled them in his hands and smirked. “I make it in those two, the ones she didn’t touch, they win. You’re done.”

Yunho crossed his arms and tilted his head back, the smug look in his face doing something to you. “Do it,” he scoffed. “If you don’t make it you have to leave for the rest of the night, how about that?”

Wooyoung threw both balls, one right after the other. They landed in both cups, the ones you didn’t touch, with a splash. The room lost their minds. Yunho and Mingi dropped their arms in shock.

Wrapping an arm around you, acquiring you from San, Wooyoung flashed them a sweet smile. “I was planning on leaving anyway.” And he whisked you out of the living room, leaving the boys dumbfounded behind you.

Barreling through people, both of you laughing, you babbling on about how crazy of a shot that was, you were seconds away from telling him he got lucky when he pressed you against the wall in the hallway, just short of the stairs.

Almost nose to nose, he placed a hand on the wallpaper and the other to your cheek, dragging his thumb over your skin. He wore a smile, his lips closed hiding his perfect teeth. His hair hung over his forehead, the waves having been pushed side to side all night.

“Did you like the way he was talking to you?” he asked, letting his fingers dance into your hair, pushing it gently off your shoulders that were bare in Tori’s strapless top you borrowed.

Blinking, getting lost in the depths of almond eyes, you took a breath. “Who, Yunho?” Wooyoung nodded, the smallest gesture. “Not really, but it’s Yunho, he never really means what he says. He could talk all the shit in the world and then seconds later his mood changed.”

“It wasn’t cool, Ro,” he said, his hand taking to your shoulder, not dropping any further. “I didn’t like it.” His lips formed a pout. “He was talking about my girl.” Your cheeks warmed, and he smiled, flashing you his perfect teeth. His beauty was indescribable, you couldn’t put words to it. So unique, so undeniably gorgeous. He was a wanted man, and he was here in your arms.

“Your girl,” you whispered, eyes flickering down to his lips. “Since when am I your girl?”

Laughing to himself, he brought both of his hands over your neck, his hands taking to your chin, tilting you upward. His grip was gentle, everything about how he dealt with you was gentle. “I want you to be my girl,” he whispered. “But you get hung up on jackasses, just pay attention to me, Ro, these other guys don’t matter.”

Blinking a few times, you muttered, “Wooyo, I’m drunk.” Exhaling heavily, you wiggled in his grip and he let you go. “I pay attention to you, what’re you talking about?”

Having taken a step backward, his hands were to himself. “You do,” he said. “I just mean… Nevermind.”

This time you came closer to him, sliding your arms around his neck, pulling him in. He walked backward so he could lean against the wall. Taking his arms around your back, he gazed down at you, studying you, taking in every little piece of you.

“We can talk when you’re not drunk,” he whispered, dipping his chin down to brush his nose against your own. Whispering your agreement, he smiled, then tilted his chin and pressed his lips to yours. In mere seconds your hands were in his hair, holding onto him like he’d soon run away. You yearned to melt into him, to stay here forever with his lips on yours, taking your time as if it was the first time you’ve found yourself here.

He treated each kiss like it was fragile, like if he moved too fast the moment would end. Soft lips pulling you under, his tongue meeting yours to deepen it further. There was no rush, no hurriedness about it. By now one would figure you’d be pulled upstairs and stripped to nothing, but, not with Wooyoung. Not now.

Neither of you crossed that line. Neither of you wanted to, not yet. Though many, many make outs, like this one, have ended with sweaty skin and the need to change your pants, both of you, the drive to go further always pulled you both back. Wooyoung had always been quicker to stop it, to stop you if your hand fell to the button of his pants, or if you seemed to fall into some sort of conditioned way of moving about him.

At first it was strange, him wanting to take his time, but for a couple months now you’ve both been reeling in the build up, in the excitement of what’s to come, the two of you unspokenly going about this thing like it were your first time ever.

“Aurora,” Wooyoung whispered, touching his forehead to yours. Looking up at him through your lashes you smiled. “So beautiful,” he kept his voice low, just for you. “Promise me,” he said, and you lowered your brows. “Promise me you’ll stay away from them.”

“Away from who?”

“Don’t let them pull you into their games,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s how this shit works, this life. They won’t stop until they win.” His hands slipped into your hair, pushing it away. Pausing, he studied you once more and kissed you. “They’ll snuff out anything standing in their way.”

september 25th ~ wednesday ~ 7:15 p.m.

[you]: hey, hope its okay tae gave me your number… you didnt have to do this, but thank you. i’ll blame you for the caffeine addiction next semester

[soul]: come to atz to thank me in person

[you]: too much to do, sorry friend. i’ll see you on saturday, right?? you used your brain instead of your wallet, yeah?

[soul]: yeah…… something like that.

[you]: good. keep it up.

[you]: do me a solid?

[soul]: anything for you

[you]: tell yunho to answer his phone if you can find him, he’s supposed to meet me somewhere and i think he’s drowning in books right now

[you]: hope those boys arent giving you too much of a hard time

[soul]: not at all :)

He was fifteen minutes late. That’s extremely unlike him. Yunho was a cluster fuck, but he was a punctual cluster fuck.

The two of you were finally meeting at Blend. You had secured a booth in the farthest corner, not that the place was buzzing with life anyway. Away from the windows, away from the door. You weren’t looking to create any problems. All of your board members were busy situating girls to rooms anyways, all of the details needing to be mapped out by Friday morning when all of the new recruits would arrive.

Tori let you in on the secret, there were maybe ten at max that made it through all the way. There were only a couple set aside for now, needing a couple more details set in stone before they could move forward.

Not needed around the house, actually trying to stay out of everybody's way, you were able to corral Yunho to agree to come out this evening. Unfortunately it looks like homework may win again, however. You wanted to unpack this month with him, unpack what had happened on the roof, discuss Mina when you both weren’t delirious and half asleep.

Sending him the second ‘where are you’ text, you locked your phone and tossed it to the table as the door to Blend swung open. Heart hoping it was Yunho waltzing inside with a hilarious apology, you’re surprised to see Seonghwa, in all black of course. He had his hair pulled back in a tie, hanging low on his neck. It took him three seconds to find you, his eyes scanning the room as if he smelled you the second he walked in.

“Ror,” he said, his voice and his smile giving you some sort of comfort.

“Hey,” you said quietly, toying with the straw in your cup. Seonghwa gave the smallest wave, if you could call it that, to Theo, then he changed his course and came over to you, leaving the barista dumbfounded as his eyes followed him over to you. “What are you doing here?”

“I don’t know,” Seonghwa half laughed, sliding into the booth across from you, leaving his legs dangling out the side, his feet touching the floor. He slid his hand across the table and brushed his fingers over yours. “I’ve been feeling a little off, think I wanted something warm to drink.”

Raising a finger, letting him slip one beneath yours, you tilted your head. “Feeling sick?”

He shifted in his seat, swinging his legs underneath the table, his knees bumping into yours. His height was unreal. “No, not sick,” he muttered. “Just… off.”

Hooking your finger onto his, you pouted. “Is there anything I can do to help?” Nodding toward the counter where Theo worked behind it without a sound, Seonghwa glanced over there. “Get a drink,” you smiled. “It’s on me.”

Blinking once, he moved his eyes to you, then he released a laugh. “Now that I can’t do.”

“Why not?” you asked, watching him lace his fingers within yours.

“Because,” he whispered, his lashes fluttering as he spoke.

Leaning over the table, you lowered your voice and flipped your brows. “You helped me, now let me help you.”

Seonghwa mainted face. “Did I?” His voice was a whisper. Eyes sharp, the sudden vulnerability swallowed you. A lot has happened since you slept with him.

At least it felt like a lot.

“I mean, yeah,” you said with a small shrug. Clenching his jaw he glanced at your hands.

“Then you won’t be upset if I tell you he went to see Mina tonight?”

You yanked your hand back, tucking it into your lap with the other. Nausea filled your gut, you could get sick in front of him right here.

“She’s been having a hard time, I've heard, they talk everyday.”

Gulping away the lump in your throat you dropped your eyes to the table and sucked in a shaky breath.

He told you he’d be here.

He promised you that you would talk, about everything.

He hasn’t said that word since he snuck onto your roof.

“Ror?” Seonghwa tapped one of his fingers on the table, pulling you from your thoughts that didn’t circle as much as you thought they would. It was simple. “You okay?”

Rolling your shoulders back, sitting up straight, you sighed and smiled at him. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Seonghwa tried to smile, but his lips could only crinkle as the corners lifted.

“You sure?” he whispered.

The space between your lungs tightened. “No,” you breathed, lifting your hand back onto the table, touching your finger tip to his. Seonghwa looked down at them for half a second. “I thought…”

He bit the bullet and folded his hand within yours again. “Tell me.”

The rub of his thumb over the back of your hand soothed the hurt. “Just thought I really had him this time.”

His brows lowered ever so slightly. “What do you mean?”

Tightening your grip on his hand, his thumb stopped moving. “Hwa, you can’t get mad,” you whispered, poking out your bottom lip a bit, praying your shining eyes would persuade him enough.

“Why would I be mad?” he questioned, his voice going deep.

“Because,” you said, and he narrowed his eyes. “Tori told me you do this… thing. Well, really, Mingi told her.” Seonghwa blew air out his lips and let his eyes close for a second. “I’m serious. You gave me a crazy ass hickey, Hwa. Apparently that means I belong to you.” Ignoring how his eyes darkened, you smiled when he did.

“A man can’t just do it ‘cause he likes it?” he snickered, shaking his head. Shrugging your shoulders, his thumb resumed its dance over your skin. “Ror, you don’t belong to me. Did I love our night together, fuck yes, you know how to ride a dick.”

“Hwa!” you giggled, glancing around the cafe, taking a peek at Theo making a drink behind the counter for a customer not present. He didn’t hear him.

“You're cute when your cheeks go all pink,” he mumbled, bringing your attention back to him. “When did you guys happen? At the next one?”

“Jesus, Seonghwa, I’m not an animal.”

“I am,” he smirked, getting the exact reaction out of you he was hoping.

Calming your smile, you squeezed your eyes shut and shook your head vigorously. “Stop,” you laughed, “I think it was like a week after, or something. You picked me up and brought me to the party where it all… went to shit, I guess.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“No, it’s not your fault, come on.” Wiggling your hand in his you forced his eyes to yours and you smiled what you could. “I should’ve listened to you.”

Seonghwa took a breath and adjusted himself in his seat. “I mean,” he smirked, “Technicaly you did, I said fuck him.”

Laughing with him, you groaned. “Bad idea. Bad idea.”

“It was?” he asked, leaning forward. “I thought you really liked him.”

“Unfortunately I think I do,” you said. “But, at the same time, and I said this to Tori… I don’t know what that feels like.” Seonghwa zoned in his focus and slowly nodded. “I’m… attracted and all that, but I don’t know what it feels like to… be in love with somebody.”

“Love, sheesh,” he muttered. “Who uses that word anymore?”

“Yunho,” you whispered, giving him a sheepish look, one he raised his brows at. “Yeah,” you sighed. “Don’t spill that to anybody. I trust you.”

Seonghwa smiled. “I know you do, that’s why you let me-“

“Stop,” you cut him off with a wide smile, your tone singing a song. Laying your other hand on top of his, you took a deep breath. “We’re not gonna talk about that, okay?”

“Okay,” he said with a bow of his head.

The door to Blend opened, not nearly as confident as when Seonghwa came in. Turning a bit to peek at who it was, your nerves shook themselves awake.

He didn’t see you until he was at the counter, grabbing onto the small white cup that Theo slid over to him.

“Wooyoung,” Seonghwa said loud enough to get the boy to turn. He wore a leather jacket, one hand shoved inside a pocket, and dark blue denim jeans. The shirt on the inside was black.

Kicking your foot into his shin, you shot Seonghwa a glare. Wooyoung turned, confused as hell, but once he processed it was the two of you, you swore he rolled his eyes.

“Since when did you come here?” Seonghwa asked, sharing an equally confused look with his brother.

Wooyoung sipped his drink and lifted the cup in answer. “I’m here every Wednesday night. Last semester I was here every Tuesday night.”

“And the semester before that?” you questioned, slightly teasing him. He moved his eyes over to you and you felt the earth shake beneath you. Both of you were sober, facing one another for the first time since the end of last year.

“I was here every Monday night.” His gaze hardened.

“Why?” Seonghwa twisted his brows, looking the boy up and down. Wooyoung took two steps closer to the table.

“‘Cause,” he started, lowering his chin, balancing his cup in his hand against his bottom lip.

“Chai tea,” you mumbled, and both Seonghwa and Wooyoung looked at you. The boy across from you raised an eyebrow. “And Blend has the honey your mom uses at home.” Glancing at Wooyoung, he watched you. Subtle shock lived in his face, but he wouldn’t show it.

“You remember that?” he asked quietly.

Nodding with a shrug, you said, “Yeah, you told me about it when she called you to yell at you about your psych grade last year.” Seonghwa, in awe, released your hand. Wooyoung took notice.

“Why these specific days though?” Seonghwa shook his head.

You spoke before either of them could. “It means his hardest classes are today…”

It took you a couple seconds to work up the courage to look at Wooyoung again, but you did, and you found him thinking, his brows pointed and his eyes somewhat soft. Parting his lips as if to speak, he bit down on his bottom one instead and turned to walk out the door, telling Theo, “Thanks, Tae, I sent the money.”

Seonghwa’s eyes were on you, hot. The moment the door was closed and Wooyoung was gone, he started to laugh.

“Don’t start,” you whispered, looking up at him.

“How can I not?” He shook his hair and sat backward. “That was entirely too adorable, Ror. Remembering his order? Remembering why he came here? You’re a real lover girl, aren’t you?”

Averting your eyes to the table, you pushed your drink aside, feeling too sick to drink anymore. “I just remember,” you shrugged. “It’s important to me. Remembering. Especially things like that.” You looked at him. “If you care about somebody, you tend to remember those things.”

At the word care he scrunched his nose.

Your phone buzzed on the table, both of you glancing at the screen that lit up with Tori’s name. Beneath her message was one from Yunho. Picking it up, you opened his first.

[youknow everythin]: Oh my god, I forgot. Rory. I’m so sorry, holy shit.

You flickered your eyes up at Seonghwa momentarily.

“What happened?” he asked.

He went to see Mina tonight.

“Nothing,” you whispered, focusing back on your screen.

[honey sweetie light of my life (no she didn’t make this her own name in your phone)]: get to the house NOW

[honey sweetie light of my life (no she didn’t make this her own name in your phone)]: ryujin losing her shit hurry hurry i cant get her to stop yelling at yeji

[honey sweetie light of my life (no she didn’t make this her own name in your phone)]: isla is gone, no one knows when she left, her stuff is gone

“Seonghwa, I gotta go,” you mumbled, barely giving him another look, leaving him at the table. Not a word was spoken elsewise. He let you go.

It took ten minutes to walk back to ITZ. Placing a hand over your racing heart, you barreled up the stairs and paused. Through the door, through the walls, Ryujins voice echoed into the outside. It sounded like things were being thrown, there were voices on voices and bangs on bangs.

Pushing the door open you’re greeted by a shoe falling to the floor in front of you from the second floor. Shutting the door with your back, you snapped your neck up and found the back of Yeji, standing against the railing with her arms folded over her chest. The shouting was coming from up there, Ryujin.

“YOU NEVER SAID SHIT YEJI! She’s GONE, where the FUCK did she GO!?”

Bending to pick her shoe up, finding many more littered about the floor, a hand grabbed your wrist and stood you up. Tori, eyes wide and brows high, shook her head and gestured toward the upstairs. “Don’t bother, she launches them back down. Yeji’s dodged almost every sneaker she owns, if we bring them back we’re only supplying her ammo.” She pulled you toward the stairs, out of the way of unidentified flying objects.

“What the hell is happening?” you asked, keeping your voice low. Ryujin still screamed, every profanity possible. Turning to Tori, she cringed. She had been crying, her eyes were glassy. Glancing upstairs, the other girls were either in their doorways or on the other side of the staircase, out of the way of Ryujin’s rage.

“Isla’s gone,” Tori whispered, the tears welling up in her eyes. “All of her things are gone, all of her belongings, her furniture, it’s gone. There isn’t a trace of her in that room. Ryujin came home from class and lost her shit.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” you muttered. “No one’s tried to stop her?”

Tori gave you a look. “That’s her best friend, Ror. If this happened to you, and I suddenly disappeared, wouldn’t you freak the fuck out?”

Your heart sank. “Suddenly? What do you mean suddenly?”

She shrugged, a few tears falling down her cheeks. “No one knew, she didn’t tell anybody.”

“Who?” you whispered. Tori gave you another look, her brows meeting in the middle of her forehead.

“Isla,” she sighed. “She didn’t say anything, she just… left. Quietly, too, no one knows how she did it.”

Gritting your teeth you took a breath and turned your attention to the senior on the second floor telling Yeji exactly what she thinks about her, and the president was unmoving. Still, not frozen, but still, Yeji watched her. Watched her scream, watched her sob, watched her throw whatever she could at her, and she didn’t say a word.

Now you could be sick. Now you could fall to the floor, your knees weak. Grabbing onto Tori, your best friend wrapped a hand around your back, laying her chin on top of your head, sniffling.

Yeji knew how she did it. Yeji knew how she left. She knew when she left.

And so did you.

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 6:00 p.m.

Twenty five boys stood on the front steps of the ATZ house. Most of them wore smiles, and neatly buttoned shirts and pants, their hair styled to perfection, standing tall as you and your sisters approached the porch. Whispers moved through their group, the boys excited, and hungry. They had outdone you. ITZ was only bringing ten more girls.

Nineteen of you. There would’ve been more, but those girls you met at the party, and some others, didn’t make it past the cut. Turned down, Yeji signed five letters telling them they weren’t eligible for advancement into the sorority. You weren’t even able to protest without exposing to Yeji what you’d done, having attended the party, and met them in the kitchen when you were plastered. As much as you’d love to have those girls here with you, have them add a little more muscle to your sisterhood, this past month has been too much. You couldn’t risk anything at this point.

Tori, beside you in a little white dress, she slid her arm beneath one of yours and smiled. Her boyfriend was on the porch, standing in front with the original nine of ATZ. He’d already spotted her, the way he teetered back and forth on his feet shifting his weight while he waited patiently for her to find him entirely too adorable. They hadn’t seen one another in a few days, none of you have been here for a few days, both houses have been too busy preparing for this moment, and thankfully so.

Yunho stood next to Mingi, his shirt buttoned in totality, unlike his best friend who left the to one undone. The corners of his lips were turned up. A smile of sorts, but he seemed nervous. His eyes gave him away. The text he sent you Wednesday night, before rushing home to calm Ryujin- which you did- you never answered. He’s sent you a message everyday since, only two, you didn’t get one today, but it didn’t matter.

He forgot to meet you, or he was lying like his stupid girlfriend and he went out with her instead, comforting her and her allegedly real situation. For days she’s moped around the house, taking longer to talk on the phone, hanging around Yeji more than she’s ever had. She’s even taken Tori from you on a few occasions, and your roommate would come back in twenty minutes with some sort of update, telling you that Mina wasn’t feeling any better about the situation.

If she was telling the truth, she had every right to be upset. You understood that more than anybody. You’d go days without hearing from your dad sometimes, it was scary, even if you knew they were coming back. Some days it felt like they never were. Since he’s been back from his work trip in Contramano you’ve heard from him twice. A text when he returned, and then the shortest video call so he could see your smiling face.

Some days you wished you could tell him everything, that he’d be the kind of dad who would listen, and understand. Maybe he’d even give you some advice, tell you how to handle the shitshow you were swept inside of, but no. He’s taught you how to wear false emotion on your face and gave you the skill of juggling multiple situationships at once. Like you, your father didn’t know what love was. You like to think he gave you the best he could, that whenever he told you he loved you, that you were his everything, that he was telling the truth.

Maybe that was enough. The two of you trying your best to be the best people you could be for one another, knowing that at the end of the day it was just you and him. He didn’t want anything to happen to you, and though you longed for him to be detained maybe just one more time so he’d change his life, you didn’t want anything to happen to him either. He did try his hardest to be the best dad, and you could admit you gave him too much shit, but he couldn’t blame you for that. Your father has been through hell and back, a hell that he’s somewhat protected you from, a hell that he’s been learning from. Almost.

Old habits die hard.

Hongjoong stepped down from the porch with his head held high, extending a hand toward Yeji who stood at the front of your group. Smiling, his confidence exuding him, he took her hand and shook it, bowing his head as he did. Yeji returned his smile, matching his energy, and smiled. They exchanged a few words between themselves, the presidents moving with poise and juxtaposition. Hongjoong in a dark suit, his jacket buttoned with no shirt beneath it, and Yeji in a baby blue dress, her hair curled and her skin covered properly. Two halves of a whole, their knowing eyes reading one another with a careful tenacity. No one could deny their power, their own energy almost too much for themselves.

Up on the porch on the other side of the stairs stood Seonghwa, a being most of the girls behind you whispered about. A being that could have any girl in this group. All he’d have to do is point to one, and he’d have them crawling up the stairs. But, his eyes were on you, gentle and soft. When you met them he smiled. Trying to return it, your eyes fell to Vernon standing in front of him.

Brows low, his eyes were sharp, on alert, scanning your group from left to right, and back again. He tilted slightly side to side to get a glimpse of some of the girls hiding behind others. He was looking for something. Someone. When he met your eyes he questioned you with a raise of his brows, the action so small it’d go unnoticed by someone out of the know. Shaking your head, pulling your lips into a frown, you could feel the hurt that cracked his usual stoic expression in half.

Quickly composing himself, he glanced away, focusing on Hongjoong who turned back to his house, but then he narrowed his glare and shot it toward Yeji. Beside him, Wooyoung put a hand on his arm and whispered something to him. The boys spoke back and forth for a second while Hongjoong introduced himself to your sisters and new recruits, Wooyoung taking a peek at you every now and again while Vernon whispered to him.

Yeji introduced herself to the boys on the porch, the majority of the newbies visibly drooling over her. Some took their time with each face, marking their prey before it even stepped through their door. Soul was up there, leaning over the railing to the left of Seonghwa, his two freshman friends with him. The cocky one, Jongseob with his eyes set on Tori, and the shy one, Intak, who wore a smirk, eyes set on a girl somewhere behind you.

Soul had his eyes on you. Smiling at him, his smirk deepend and he stood up straight, ripping his eyes from you to look at your president.

Both houses recited their mission statements for one another, whipping you into shape quickly, pulling your attention off the boys, and then, you were in the house.

Dinner for the most part went smooth, to plan, as it should have. The boys let you and your sisters into the house first, their greetings respectful and kind, likely the doing of Hongjoong and Seonghwa. It was how they all moved through dinner as well, respectful and kind, treating the nineteen of you like important guests in their home, serving you, proving themselves. Soul had been the one to bring you a drink, something without alcohol in it.

That was for later.

This was all an act.

The recruits with you expressed their shock, their surprise that the frat house wasn’t a mess, not dirty in the slightest, and you wanted to let them in on a secret, but figured they’d see it soon enough. As soon as the clock struck ten the house flipped over.

For the majority of dinner Yunho kept to himself, hanging around Yeosang who gave you nothing more than a smile, though he hugged Tori. The first of many questionable things to happen within the hours before the party started.

Yunho didn’t say hello, he was actively trying to keep his eyes off of you. Finding something else to occupy him if the two of you got too close, usually another boy or a plate to clean up or a drink to fill.

Seonghwa checked in with you, noticing how Yunho avoided any interaction with you. In front of a group of his freshmen following him around, Soul included, he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and smiled. Soul made sure to touch your shoulder, giving you a shake before they walked away.

Vernon hovered in a corner focused on his phone for most of the dinner, his nails finding themselves between his teeth as he tried to listen to people speak, the higher ups giving tours and sharing makeshift speeches with anyone who’d listen. He couldn’t even entertain the ATZ freshmen when they’d ask him about baseball, he was totally disconnected, and he hadn’t been able to get you alone to ask you what had happened, at least not yet.

Tori and Mingi hung onto one another with class, answering the freshmen’s questions of ‘Are you together?’ with smiles and happy nods. Mina found herself beside them often, Mingi now involved in the comfort Mina project.

Wooyoung hung around the outskirts of the dinner, like he would at any of his parties this semester it seemed. A complete change from how he’d act in the past, outgoing, loud, the center of attention. It didn’t click with you until you heard your friends speak about not being able to find him when they’d come here, that he’d hide. Hide, or just know how to not be seen. Even on social media he’s gone quiet, only the occasional post going up to his story, nothing big, not since that first party when he got you in trouble.

Hongjoong walked around with Jongho, the two of them seemingly becoming partners in crime this semester more so than Hongjoong and Seonghwa. The pair were almost comical, the muscle behind the beauty, like a bodyguard, stopping anybody if they got too close to his president. The sophomore did find himself with Yuna at some point, her chocolate brown curls melting his hardened exterior in seconds. Sharing a job, Yuna would often argue, since last year, that they spoke mainly about work, but the eyes never lie. There was something there.

San, well, he was San. A polite dinner party would not stop him from waltzing around the house without a care, taking after his president, wearing no shirt beneath his suit jacket that he unbuttoned as the night drew on and on. Shamelessly flirting with anybody who’d entertain him, not even knowing he was flirting, he accidentally collected a following, boys and girls alike who some would fall victim to later on.

Somehow you collected your own following. A few of the ITZ recruits found it comfortable at your side, asking you questions about the house, about the boys whenever one would pass by you and shoot you a wink. Ryujin accompanied you, lingering close by with a scowl on her face, and rightfully so. She didn’t want to come tonight, but contractually she had too. Avoiding Vernon for now, she unspokenly clung to you.

When the clock did strike ten, however, everybody changed. The entire house flipped over, and it happened fast.

Red cups littered the place within the hour of the party starting. The lights were shut off, the music had been turned up to a volume one had to shout over, and boys jackets and girls sweaters were draped over any furniture in the vicinity. Pong tables were going in the back of the living room, shouts coming from there, Mingi and Tori’s included. Both you and Ryujin didn’t know what to do, sipping your first drinks of the night, gathering some of the girl's belongings that had been strewn about, you weren’t sure whether to chaperone or drink away your sorrows.

As the first hour progressed, Ryujin decided on the latter. Flopping onto a couch amongst the brothers and sisters chattering away, dancing around the living room, she requested a full cup from an ATZ recruit and he obliged. At least you’d know where to find her, but now this meant you were on your own.

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 11:23 p.m.

“How is Yeji okay with any of this?” Vernon said, walking with you toward the living room, dodging drunk recruits wandering to the kitchen latched to one another's arms. Glancing over your shoulder at the boy and the girl laughing, you sighed.

“It’s tradition,” you suggested, giving him a shrug. “But, it’s funny though, right? She can ban us, but then allow everybody to run free tonight. It’s a tease to these new girls, they’re gonna be so disappointed.”

Taking up a spot on the vacant stairs the two of you sat side by side, Vernon sipping from his cup, his first and only of the night. You were on your second, taking your time, not wanting to be delirious for the whirlwind that already was this night.

“You know,” Vernon started, looking over into the archway of the living room.

San was on the back of the couch, shirtless, with his tongue down an ITZ recruits throat. You believed she was a sophomore so you didn’t feel the need to run in there and put an end to the way her hands ran over his muscled chest without a care. Even if she was, you weren’t Yeji. The fun would commence, but you’d still keep a watchful eye over your sisters, old and new.

Vernon shook his head. “I don’t even remember what I was gonna say,” he turned to you, “I thought this night was gonna go one way, but it’s gone the exact opposite since you guys got here.”

Twisting your cup around in your hands, you took a breath. “I know,” you said. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault,” he mumbled, knocking back what was left in his cup. “I just don’t know why she wouldn’t tell me she was leaving.”

Thinking about that night and Ryujins freak out, you circle back to the day before, when Yeji told you that Isla was withdrawing from Nasara and leaving with her brother. It was supposed to make sense, it should make sense, but for some reason, like the rest of the vague bullshit that occurred around here, it didn’t.

“She didn’t tell you anything at all?” you asked, and he shook his head, his brown curls dancing on his forehead.

“Nothing,” he nearly whispered. “I mean, I get it, she doesn’t owe me anything, we only hooked up once and she leaned on me for help, even though I genuinely wanted to help her…”

Letting him vent, you smiled once it was over. “She was still your friend, Vernon. That stuff hurts, and her not telling you that she was leaving should hurt.” He bobbed his head, letting it hang. “When did you guys… If you don’t mind me asking? I didn’t know you guys were like that.”

“Me either,” he admitted with a huff. “She, uh, showed up at my practice Monday night, and you know my coach keeps me late because of the scouting and wants to make sure I’m ready before I go up to triple A. She stayed and watched me hit, watched me work first base, bullying me the entire time- though she has no right ‘cause her brother is a pitcher and I am not, but whatever,” you both laughed, “It was really late, she helped me get my stuff together, followed me into the locker room which she’s done before, but… Something about this time she just… She got me.”

“I’m going to ask you something, please don’t take it the wrong way, okay?” you said, and he nodded. “Was she sober?”

“Completely,” he spoke fast. “Trust me, Ror. Wouldn’t have let her undress me if she wasn’t.”

“You two were really out there living every high schoolers fantasy,” you said with a giggle. “Sex in the locker rooms after baseball practice.”

He shared in your laugh for only a second. “Yeah, and now she’s gone.”

“You can always track her down,” you offered, bumping him with your elbow. “Instagram? Text? She’s with her brother, work your baseball magic and get her.”

He looked at you, his eyebrows lowering over his big brown eyes. “She’s with her brother?” A tiny spark of nerves ignited in your chest. “How do you know that, you’ve heard from her?”

“No, she hasn’t talked to any of us.”

His tone was slowly turning sharp. “Then how do you know she’s with her brother?”

“Yeji,” you whispered, unable to lie to his pretty face. “No, Vernon, wait!”

Leaping from the stairs, Vernon dropped his cup to the ground and barreled into the living room, ignoring your shouts for him to come back. Following him, jumping onto your feet, a hand landed on your shoulder before you could cross under the archway.

“Let me go,” you spat, turning around in haste. “Oh,” you sighed, and the spark of nerves turned into a flame. “What do you want?”

Yunho parted his lips as you tugged your shoulder from his grip. “Can I talk to you?”

“I don’t think so,” you said, and he scrunched up his face. “Go talk to Mina.” Spinning around to follow after Vernon, Yunho yanked you back again. “Let me go, Yo!” Facing him, he tried to put both hands on your shoulders but you swatted him away.

“Rory, can I just-”

“She said to let her go.”

Shooting a glare over your shoulder, Yunho dropped his hands to his sides and said, “You think you really have room to speak here?” Backing up from between them, you glanced at Wooyoung who glanced at you at the same time before piercing Yunho with his glare.

“A girl just told you to take your hands off of her twice, Yunho,” he said. “You think Hongjoong would be pleased to hear that?”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you Wooyoung, you really think he’ll listen to you?”

Wooyoung smiled. “Regardless of what my supposed reputation says about me, what all these people will say about me, never once have I ever been involved in a situation like the one you’re presuming I’ve been.” Yunho clenched his jaw. He caught a glimpse of you, but you were locked in on the boy speaking. “Maybe I’ve done some shitty things, but I know basic respect and consent.”

“Wooyoung, it was only this once,” you muttered, and he looked at you, his eyes swallowing you whole.

“It doesn’t matter, Ro,” he said, his tone calm as he spoke to you. “This is how it starts.” Gesturing behind him with his head, telling you to move along, you listened, and heard Yunho protest as you wandered off into the living room.

“Aurora! Aurora!” San shouted at you from the couch he was on, the sophomore in his lap now, waving for you to join them. There were bodies around them, everyone talking over everyone, taking shots they’d pour with any of the multiple bottles of liquor on the table in the center of the furniture, offering you one as you stepped over their bare legs and sweaty bodies.

“How the fuck did this turn into this so fast?” you breathed, taking the cup from an ATZ recruit, flopping onto the sofa beside San who slung an arm around you. Pressing the cup to your lips you gulped down the, you think, vodka, with a cringe.

“You’re not drunk enough,” San said, grabbing the sophomore by the waist, lifting her with him as he reached for the bottle on the table. She yelped and giggled, grabbing onto him in some way to stay on his front. In the extremely dim light you could make out her pretty face and the several purple marks on her neck from San already. “Why are you not drunk enough? There’s no rules tonight, Ror. Look at what’s happening.”

“I’ve seen what’s happening, Sannie, half of our recruits are being corrupted by yours,” you smirked and he laughed, pouring straight vodka into the cup you held out for him. “You’ve taught them well.”

“I haven’t taught them a thing,” he said, giving you a look. “They came that way. It’s not our fault every single one of you is fuckable.” Twisting the cap on the bottle he tossed it to the other side of the couch and settled his hands on his girl's hips, digging his fingers into her curves. “You know, your girls aren’t totally innocent, they know what they’re doing. They want it too.”

Sipping the liquor, you licked your lips and leaned into him, your noses centimeters apart. His breath hitched in his throat, his eyes darting down to watch your tongue. “It’s not our fault every single one of you is fuckable.” With parted lips, he sighed.

“Wanna join us?” he whispered, poking his tongue out to wet his lips. Honestly weighing the possibilities, the liquor doing nothing to keep you logical, it was possible. “Holy fuck, Aurora,” he muttered. San had an unnatural ability to figure you out, to figure anyone out. It’s how he always got what he wanted, most of the time. That and his physical appearance alone.

“Find me after I finish another drink,” you whispered, and he started to smile. Reading your mind, he met you in the middle and kissed you, your tongues moving in between it all. You’ve kissed him before, once on a dare, and then again on your own. It was all purely platonic, a fact he knew as well.

Ryujin, still planted on the couch across from the other with a girl on her lap now, she watched the three of you.

“Wait, are you serious?” he asked, calling after you as you parted from him and rose from the couch.

Sipping from the cup, you shrugged and said, “Don’t know yet, just come find.” Winking at the girl on his lap smiling at you, you spun around and continued your venture through the house, almost tripping over feet and shoes thrown about, giving them their moment back. If tonight went to shit, if you ended up with nobody, which you were somewhat hoping for now that you were on drink number three, you could possibly want to end up with San. For nothing more than just pure fun.

Tonight was a night for that, for fun. Legal, allowed to be having, type of fun.

Approaching the archway into the second half of the living room, you almost froze. Yeji was coming toward you, her eyes on watch, patrolling the property. As you passed one another her smile grew, and it was anything but comforting like your president's smile should be. It was menacing, the liquor twisting it into something to be afraid of.

“There she is, Ror!”

That was Soul’s voice. Escaping from Yeji you turned to follow the freshmans call, finding him holed up in a corner with a few others, his friends included.

“Come here,” he said, waving you forward with his hand not holding a can. Wandering toward him slightly sideways, he laughed and shook his head, holding open an arm for you to tumble into. “Where’ve you been?”

“Around,” you said, sipping your drink. Soul gave a look to Jongseob to his left and smiled.

“What are you drinking, babe?” he asked, taking the cup from you easily, tipping his chin back to take a sip. “Jesus,” he groaned. “Straight?”

“No, gay,” you said, narrowing your eyes and the boys around you laughed. Soul smirked, pressing you into his chest for a few seconds. “Here’s your fuel.” Handing the cup back to you, he watched you take a bigger sip this time around. “Where are you on your way to? Seonghwa?” Two of the boys snickered, Jongseob and Intak. Turning in Souls arms you gave a look to Jongseob, but then took your time with Intak, watching him clam up beneath your interrogation.

He wore a suit tonight like the rest of the boys, his hair styled neatly on top of his head. His white button up beneath the black jacket was slightly disheveled, a few buttons undone from the top, not like it was hours ago. Holding a drink, he sipped it and blinked feverishly, his cheeks flushing as you pushed yourself out of Souls arms and wobbled over to him.

“Intak, catch her,” Jongseob muttered, and the boy listened, holding open his arms. Latching onto him, you smiled up at his brown eyes.

“Is this the chick you were telling us about?” An unknown voice said from behind you. One of the boys they were standing here with. Twisting in Intaks arms, pressing your back to his front, giggling at how he tensed, you found the stranger's face and audibly sighed, expressing your contentment with his appearance. Curly ginger hair shamelessly let his eyes roam about your body.

“Who are you?” you asked. “I’ve never seen you before.”

The boy looked into your eyes and smiled, his even more charming than Jongseobs. “Jiung,” he said, and the name flowed off his tongue with grace. His suit was tailored perfectly to his form, showing off exactly what you’d get beneath it.

“Damn,” you breathed, laying your head onto Intak’s chest. “Why are you all hot?”

The boys broke out in laughter, making you smile. Intak slid an arm around your waist, keeping you close to him.

“Yeah, this is the chick you were telling me about,” Jiung said to Soul.

Looking at him, you asked, “What’s that mean?”

Soul faced you, put a hand on your cheek and pinched your skin. “Don’t worry about it.” Sharing a look with his friend that you pushed your ass against, he raised a brow. “Remember what you said about Intak?”

“I do,” you said. “How could I forget, Soul, he’s so cute.”

“He is, isn’t he?”

“Yeah,” you said quietly, with a smirk, “So are you.” Soul’s smile was satisfied. Looking at Jongseob you said, “And so are you, and you.” You added a glance to Jiung as well.

“Aurora, where’s your friend?” Jongseob asked, ignoring your compliment. “The tall one, brown hair, big eyes… Boyfriend.”

Your brows shot up. “Tori?” you snickered, putting your hand over Intaks, sliding it higher on your torso. Soul and Jiung watched it move, both shocked and disappointed you stopped before it reached your chest.

“Yeah, Tori,” Seob’s eyes flashed with something dark.

“Me?” Her voice was heard before she was seen, and in a flash she was glaring around at the boys and snatching onto your wrist, pulling you off of Intak. “What’s going on here?”

“We’re just talking,” Soul said, tucking his hands behind his back. Intak shoved a hand into his pocket quickly. Tori looked him up and down and scoffed.

“You guys are disgusting,” she sneered. “Welcome to ATZ, you fit right in.” Her eyes found Jongseob last, and when he winked at her her entire body reacted, shivering as she held onto you. “I can have Mingi over here in seconds.”

“Do it,” Jongseob challenged, and Tori’s eyes shot open wide.

“Leave me alone, Seob,” she said, her tone packing a punch. “Come on,” she said to you. “How are you messed up already, who’s making you drinks?”

Watching her while the two of you walked toward the back of the living room, rather, while Tori supported your body weight as she walked toward the other room, she didn’t seem all that drunk. She could hold her drinks better than you could, that was a fact, but at this point in the night she’d be a giggling mess under Mingi’s arm.

“Are you drinking?” you asked.

“Of course I am,” she said. “I’m just not drinking fast,” she glanced down at you. “I didn’t think you wanted to get drunk tonight.” Moving around the crowd around the tables focused on the dual games going on, Mingi towering over the crowd around one end, Tori maneuvered you onto one of the leather couches pushed against a wall. A couple of other girls sat close by.

“Not drunk,” you mumbled, and Tori sat next to you with a laugh.

“Okay, then what are you?” Her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Horny now,” you said, laughing and she slapped a hand to her mouth, holding back her own laugh. “Have you seen all of these boys?”

“I have,” she said. “Jongseob has been flirting with me all night, and unfortunately he’s really good at it. I’m seconds away from telling Mingi to stand in front of me for the rest of the night.”

“Where have you been? In here?” you asked, taking a bigger gulp from your cup, almost finishing the liquor in it. Tori nodded, her eyes scanning the room.

“Me and Mina were playing over here not too long ago,” she said and your stomach sunk. “She’s still upset, I’m trying to keep it fun for her tonight.”

The light feeling your drunkenness was giving you fell flat, like you just crashed through several floors of a building. “She’s a liar.”

Groaning, Tori tipped her chin back. “Don’t start with this, Ror.”

“No,” you said, a little louder. “I think I will start with this, ‘cause it’s all… screwy, Tor.”

“How?” Your best friend pressed her lips together and put her hands in her lap.

Holding up a finger, you said, “First of all, I saw that video, her brother is at home.”

“Okay?” Tori shrugged. “Maybe he was missing that morning, and then he came back home. She can still be upset.”

“For this long, though?” you questioned, twisting on the couch to face her entirely. “Get over it already, man, it’s been a week. I once didn’t hear from my dad for a month, you think I let that hang over me once he came back? No!”

Tori tilted her head, sliding a hand over your leg. Not picking up on her attempt to comfort you, you continued.

“And, not for nothing, but it really seems like she’s milking the whole thing. Her brother had problems, we know this, don’t we all have problems?”

Tori glanced up behind you, behind the end of the couch and sat up straight. “Ror, hang on, Ror.” Grabbing onto a hand she held out to you, you shook your head. “No! She’s, like, using it for attention. Who in their right, conscience mind would use their own brother for their own personal gain? He has problems, Tor, and she’s using them to her advantage. My god, she’s already Vice President, what, does she want to take Yeji’s job? No one wants Yeji’s job. Either way, she’s lying!”

“Aurora,” Tori whispered, her eyes wide. “Stop talking.”

“Everyone wants to shut me up,” you grumbled, messily slipping out of her grip. “Can’t do anything, or anyone in this place without being burned at the stake for it.” Standing to your feet you turned to walk out of the room, but froze in place.

Her eyes were as wide as Tori’s, but not as full of shock. Instead they were pointed, and angry.

“You think I’m lying?” Mina spoke through her teeth.

Downing the rest of the contents in your cup, you dropped it to the floor and started to smile. “I don’t think you’re lying, I know you’re lying.”

“Aurora,” she said. “You think I would do that?” Nodding without a care, you crossed your arms. “Why?” Breathless, she spared Tori a glance who stood up behind you.

“Because,” you started, then laughed when Yunho conveniently appeared behind her. “Of course,” you threw a hand toward him, “Thanks for showing up.” Looking at Mina you pointed at Yunho. “That’s why.”

Mina looked at him, her brows screwing up on her forehead. “What!?” She whipped her head back to you, her bob swinging beneath her chin. “You think I would lie for Yunho? He has nothing to do with this.” The boy's eyes shot open, catching on.

“Not for him, Mina, to have him,” you said, speaking slowly, chopping up your words like she was a child. “You need his attention so bad that you’ll lie to keep it, ‘cause you have some sixth sense that tells you that he’s been-” “Aurora!” Tori shouted, taking your wrist, tugging you backward.

Mina grit her teeth. “You’ve been jealous since last year, Aurora.” She threw a hand behind her to touch Yunho’s chest. “He would tell me all about it.”

You met his eyes, his worried, anxious gaze.

“The complaints, ugh,” Mina rolled her eyes, looking up at him. “Don’t deny it, Yo. Remember in the summer?” She looked at you, her glare hot. “You wouldn’t leave him alone, Ror, it was pretty desperate.”

You felt like you’d been kicked in the gut. Yunho couldn’t say a word, he could only watch his world burn in front of him.

“I’d have left him alone if he told me he was with you,” you spat, testing your limits in Tori’s grasp, attempting to lunge forward. “Your boyfriend didn’t tell me a thing.” Mina shared a look with him.

“Aurora, don’t you dare say anything you’re gonna regret,” Tori whispered to you. Some people had their heads turned toward you and Mina’s shouting, watching the scene take place. “Don’t be stupid.”

“You know he complained about you too, Mina,” you said, cocking your head to the side. Grinning, you laughed aloud. “Is she why you always needed two rounds, Yo?” Something flashed across her face, but you couldn’t read what. Yunho, though, looked like he’d been shot. “He’s been fucking me since May, Mina,” you curled your lip. Her face went unchanged. Gasps were heard around you. Lunging in Tori’s hold again, you laughed. “He kisses you but he’s inside of me.”

Tori attempted to walk away with you, but your feet dug into the floor. This was entirely too much fun, better than joining San and his latest conquest into his bedroom. She spoke to someone behind you, but your ears were ringing, you could hear your blood pumping.

“Just wait till you get him like that,” you said. “If you ever get over yourself and let a boy touch you.” Stumbling over your feet you headed toward the archway with Tori. “Ask him to get on top, you’ll love the face he makes!”

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 1:10 a.m.

[hbic]: She confessed. Straight up. Word for word.

[seonghwa]: What the fuck, now what? If she outed herself, no sense in us doing it all over again.

[hbic]: Yeji is expecting it from us. I’ll tell her what happened. Will let you know what we’re doing.

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 1:13 a.m.

“Stay here.” Tori’s tone was stern, her hands firm on your shoulders as she propped you in the corner of the empty kitchen. Everybody danced about the living room, or the hallway, even the upstairs. There wasn’t much for them here except for a quiet space. “You’re insane, Ror, insane.” She hurried from the corner, your voice stopping her for a few seconds.

“Where are you going?” you asked, peeking at her from around the fridge. Her hair flipped over her shoulder, her eyes ablaze.

“To clean up your mess.”

Laughing as she walked away toward Mingi waiting in the doorway glaring at you, you attempted to run through what had just happened, what you threw in Mina’s face, what you had done to you and Yunho’s relationship, and you couldn’t comprehend it. You couldn’t figure out why you did it, why you said what you said, but it felt really good to say it to her face. To finally be rid of a secret that was becoming too heavy to carry. Last you heard, he was with her anyway. He could comfort her if she was upset, if she was hurt. Though, she didn’t show much of that.

She didn’t show much of anything.

Sliding down to the tiled floor, your smile dropped, and you took in the quiet. A sound so loud, even with the bumping of the music across the house. Alone with the room spinning, you took a shaky breath and felt the familiar lump in your throat.

“Why am I gonna cry?” you mumbled to yourself, attempting to blink away the tears welling up in your eyes.

Don’t cry, you thought. She deserved it.

You suppose Yunho deserved it, too. This whole time, bouncing back and forth between the two of you, even if he made the whole thing out to be him not so interested in Mina, and very much interested in you. Your closest friend of almost three years now, playing you like a fool. Confused, because it didn’t seem like he wanted to be playing you, you’re reminded of what you thought of when Mina was telling you about how good Yunho was that first week back.

Yes, him.

Yes, Yunho.

You should’ve taken your own advice.

Tears fell steadily now, staining your cheeks, falling onto the sundress you wore. You could’ve stopped it, you had all the power in the world to put an end to you and Yunho, but something kept you going, and you’re not sure if it was him or if it was your own fucked up perception of love. He spoke empty words, and you took it like he was giving you the stars from the sky. Depth didn’t exist. He didn’t remember. He never remembered.

You took his crumbs and were content with starving. For what?

“Ro?”

Lifting your head, going dizzy, you tried to wipe your cheeks but it was no use, the tears were replaced in seconds. Blinking, you found Wooyoung making his way through the kitchen, a certain hurriedness in his walk.

“You’re gonna make this worse,” you cried, squeezing your eyes shut.

He paused in front of you, squatting down. “Ro, I don’t want to make it worse, I want to help.” His voice mimicked the way he was just walking, quick and rushed, all while trying to stay calm.

“Why do you want to help me?” Opening your eyes, he wore that face he’d give you months ago.

“Because you’re really drunk,” he said carefully. Reaching out a hand, two of his fingers touched the hem of your dress and tugged it over your legs where your knees were pulled into your chest. “You don’t have to like me, you can hate me all you want right now, but please, just trust me. Let’s go outside.”

Sliding your legs out straight, your feet touched his ankles. Sighing, you shook your head and let out a cry. “It’s because of you.” Wooyoung raised a brow. “You did this.”

He held back his smile. “I got you trashed and on the floor of the kitchen?”

Holding back your own smile, you sniffled and whined. “It started with you, all of this, you’re why it’s a mess, you’re why this is happening. I was trying to get over you, and I made a mess.”

Glancing away for a second, Wooyoung held out a hand and released a breath. “Okay, let me make it up to you then, please. Come outside with me.”

“Why?” Giving him a look, he returned it.

“Because,” he said, looking toward the entrance of the kitchen. “There’s people who aren’t nice in this house.”

“And you are nice?”

Wooyoung sighed, shaking his outstretched hand he wanted you to take. “I’m trying to be nice.”

Scoffing, you shook your head. “Nice for what?”

He took a breath and looked you dead in the eyes. “Because you may have gotten over me, but I am not over you.”

He may as well have sucker punched you in the chest. You couldn’t feel your body. You were drunk, but you were not expecting those words to come out of him.

“I don’t believe you,” you whispered, and he cringed.

“I don’t expect you too, not after what you’ve been through,” he muttered, shaking his hand for the last time. “Not after what they’ve put you through.”

What?

“I told you, Ro,” he said, his voice tiny. “These people will snuff out anything standing in their way of what they want. They will get what they want, that’s why we need to leave.”

“What are you talking about?” Finally taking his hand, he sighed in relief and helped you to your feet, but it was too late.

“Oh, good,” Yeji said, turning into the kitchen with Mina and the rest of the board, from both houses, behind her. Even Tori. Even Yunho, and Mingi. “You’ve got her, good work, Wooyoung.”

He shook his head and moved in front of you. “No, I didn’t get her, I didn’t find her. We’re leaving.”

Hongjoong, with his hands folded in front of him, laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“Aurora,” Yeji took the attention back. Peeking at her from over Wooyoung's shoulder, you stepped to his side and tightened your grip on his hand. Tori’s tear filled eyes glanced at them, then let out a quiet cry. “Something has been brought to my attention.”

Taking in the other girls, Yuna was in shock, her hands planted to her chest. Chaeryeong and Mina though, they were smiling. Tori clamped a hand over her mouth and looked at Mingi for help. Her boyfriend could only shake his head. In disappointment? In disapproval? You weren’t sure.

“What has?” you asked, hoping to play dumb, but these girls were smarter than that. Yeji was smarter than that.

Towering in the archway, Seonghwa hung his head low, piercing you with his gaze. Jongho stood behind Hongjoong as usual, wearing some form of shock like Yuna. Then Yunho, jaw tight, eyes glassy, he couldn’t look at you.

“Not only have you broken a brand new rule that’s been set into place, you’ve also broken the trust of several members of both houses,” she took a few steps into the kitchen. “Not only that, but it’s been going on for a while. Since we’ve been back, is that right Mina?” She glanced over her shoulder and the sleek brown bob gave her a nod.

“I didn’t mean to,” you whispered, throat tightening. Grabbing onto Wooyoung's arms with your other hand, you pressed your fingers into his skin. A few recruits wandered up behind the board members, curious. “I promise, I didn’t mean to.”

“That doesn’t matter, unfortunately,” Yeji said, a ghost of a smile haunting her lips. “There are consequences.” She shifted her eyes over to Wooyoung and batted her lashes. “Wooyoung, you’re not needed any longer, you can leave.”

Your heart burst into pieces. Tears thickened, you let go of him, but he didn’t let go of you. Looking at you, Wooyoung gulped, then shook his head.

“No,” he said, and Yeji’s demeanor faltered.

“Wooyoung,” she said, her voice dripping with venom. He shot her a look and fully laced his fingers with yours.

Shaking his head again, he said, “No.” Taking a few steps forward with you, he said, “Let us through. We’re leaving.” Jongho stepped around Hongjoong, coming closer to the two of you. Wooyoung looked up at him and snickered. “Come on, man, let us through. I don’t feel like making a mess of anyone's kitchen tonight.”

“Wooyoung,” Yeji snapped. “Let her go, and leave the room.”

He half listened to her. Taking his hands off of you, he clenched his jaw and walked up to her. Entirely vulnerable before all of them, you wrapped your arms around yourself and dug your nails into your skin.

“Good job,” Yeji smiled at him. She lifted a hand to touch the bottom of his chin. “Your work here is done.”

Smacking her hand away before it could touch him, Chaeryeong gasped and Mina narrowed her eyes as Wooyoung opened his mouth. “It is, Yeji. My work here is done. I’m done playing your game. I’m done being a puppet.”

“Wooyoung,” Yeji whispered, her fists clenching at her sides. “Watch it, you know what’s going to happen.”

Looking back at you, Wooyoung shrugged. “I think it’s pretty worth it.”

“You don’t even know if she’ll want you,” Yeji said, her voice never breaking. “You’ll lose all of this,” she gestured to everyone behind her. “You could make it out of this with nothing, or, you could walk out of here with us on your side. You take your pick.”

He smiled at her. Looking at his brothers, he nodded. Hongjoong stared him down, his eyes flickering to Yeji for a few seconds. When Wooyoung turned to come back to your side, you let him take your hand. He was wearing that face again. That I care about you face.

“Wooyoung,” Hongjoong almost shouted.

“You have several other pawns to play with,” Wooyoung snapped at him. Then he looked at you. He made sure you were looking at him when he nodded. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, and you couldn’t feel your knees. “I want you to believe me, but I understand if you don’t, okay?”

“Okay,” you whispered.

“Last semester,” he started, and the nausea must’ve been apparent on your face because he slid a hand over your cheek as tears fell. “What you thought happened? What you think we did? Me and Yeji?” You took a shaky breath and he brushed away tears beneath your lashes. “It didn’t happen. It never happened.”

The boys in the archway whispered to one another, turning into a circle while Yeji, Chaeryeong and Mina watched them, waiting for something.

“What?” you gasped, eyes shooting open wide.

Wooyoung nodded. “It wasn’t real. It was made up, it was a lie. I never slept with her, she made it seem like we did.” Making sure you kept your eyes on him, he squeezed your hand. “Aurora, I was hurting. You were clearly in love with him, and I was watching it happen. I wanted to give you… everything. I’ve never felt like this about somebody, ever, and I barely even had you.”

There weren’t any words you could piece together to give him any sort of answer. Beside yourself, you could only coach yourself to take deep breaths.

“I fell into their game, and it was easy to do, you know what everybody thinks of me,” he said, and that hurt your heart more than it should. “I don’t understand how I’m sluttier than San, but that’s besides the point.”

“What’s the point?” you whispered.

Wooyoung took a breath. “You were supposed to be the president, Ro.” Your legs almost gave out. Moving his arms to your waist, he held onto you. “She paid them off. They wanted you. The others wanted you. When the houses came together to decide who’d move up, who’d get the spot, your name was on the list.” He gestured his head toward the archway. “They still have the fucking papers, I’ve seen them.”

“Tori,” you whispered, and Wooyoung listened. “Tori knew? Yuna?” You both lifted your heads to look their way. Chaeryeong, Mina and Yeji joined the group of boys. Tori and Yuna were against the wall, holding onto each other. They didn’t know. Your best friend pleaded with you with her eyes to believe her. Mingi moved from the group, his own eyes wide, joining his girlfriend who pushed him away.

“Ro, they wanted to get you out,” Wooyoung whispered. “I’ve been watching all of this happen since last semester. I know that makes me not a great person right now, I could’ve told you, but there was a lot at stake. A lot that I’m not afraid to risk right now, because this is ridiculous.”

“What is it? What’s going to happen?”

“He’s done, Aurora,” Hongjoong said, loud enough to cut into the bubble you and Wooyoung were creating around yourselves. “He’s out. No more ATZ for Wooyoung.”

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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chimivx · 11 months ago

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👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 6k (part THREE of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

march 9th ~ saturday ~ last semester ~ 2:39 p.m.

“Do it like this instead.”

Tori’s quiet voice filled the air in the corner of the library you occupied. Around one of the black metal tables on the second floor of the Conoscenza you were surrounded by open books, notes, loose sheets of random paper blowing around, and a plethora of pencils and highlighters. Smack in the middle of the semester, with spring break less than two weeks away, it was crunch time. Grades needed to be high, you were about to be the upperclassmen of ITZ, and you needed to impress the current upperclassmen of ITZ.

Leaning over the blonde boy slouched over the table to her left, Tori laid an arm over his back for reassurance and took his pencil from him, marking some things on his paper that made his pout disappear. He stared at what she did, blinked a number of times, and sat up with a sense of shock. Gulping, he reached out his hands and grabbed her face, pulling her close for an abrupt kiss before he let her go to finish his work.

Tori, with a giggle, wiped the corner of her lips and shoved his shoulder, though he wasn’t paying attention any longer. “You’re crazy.”

Mingi turned his head from where he had it hanging over his book and shot her wicked smile. “You’re hot.” She had to slap her hand over her mouth to keep her laughter from echoing against the walls throughout the space.

Shaking your head while you marked your paper, you kept your smile to yourself. Their relationship had been the best thing to come out of Nasara thus far in the almost two years you’ve been here. In fact, joining ITZ and meeting the ATZ boys from the brother fraternity down the street from the sorority had been the best thing to come out of Nasara.

The classes were great, sure, and the campus was stunning, yes, but those boys… They were something else.

Yunho joined the fraternity this year, he and Seonghwa were freshman recruits last year just like you and Tori were. Mingi was as well, but he and Tori didn’t meet until recruitment was over and the sibling houses had the annual dinner. The look on their faces when they both realized they had the same last name… Priceless. They were close in an instant.

Turns out Yunho and Mingi were inseparable as well. Those two met freshman year, sharing a requirement class like you and Yunho had. Mingi was majoring in marketing like you and Tori, which made total sense for his involvement in the fraternity, quickly acquiring his role as Social Chair like Tori. The two had the brain power and the creative ideas on hand, they could whip them out of thin air, the roles were made for them.

Yunho was majoring in history, the type of major that’d have girls nodding off on the ATZ couches if he started yapping about it. Not you though, you quite enjoyed listening to the gorey details of why the world is the way that it is today, he had a specific way of telling it like a story, his own passion for the subject evident in his honey brown eyes. Some nights he’d call you if his homework sparked the verbal throw up, apologizing for the two o’clock wake up call, but I have to tell somebody about this or I’ll freak the fuck out!

He was at the ATZ house right now, having turned down the study and homework sesh invite Tori sent out to the group chat the four of you have. Something had come up with Mina, one of the ITZ freshmen recruits. They were getting coffee after her afternoon class, or something like that. It seemed like an excuse to ditch another hang out you girls orchestrated, he’d always show up to one, then wiggle his way right out of another.

Within the last couple of months since everyone’s been back from winter break the two of them have been closer than they were at the start of the year. Granted, they didn’t know each other until Mina attended the dinner after being recruited, so it’s plausible they’ve just grown toward one another since she’s been working with the sorority. It’s been great having Mina around, she was exceptionally smart and always on time. Always dressed nicely, she was cute too, you guessed. Her hair was always done, her nails were never chipped, and she was never caught lacking.

This is the third time he’s used her as an excuse to ditch you guys.

“Do you think Yunho likes Mina?” you asked, scribbling words at the very bottom of the page of your notebook, flipping it over to start fresh on the back of the sheet. Looking up at them, Tori and Mingi having gone very quiet, they were both looking back at you with squinted eyes. “What?”

“The freshman who always wears skirts?” Tori raised a brow, her eyebrow piercing catching the light from the large windows to your left. You nodded and Mingi let out a laugh.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” he said, catching a glimpse of Tori. “She’s exactly his type.”

“She is?” You scrunched your nose and Mingi rolled his eyes with a dramatic nod.

“Duh, hello,” he said, his raspy voice springing off the walls. “Have you seen her?” Exchanging glances with Tori who waited for an explanation as well, Mingi sighed. “She’s studying pre-law, she’s eighteen, she’s always in a skirt, she’s got that good girl look about her, and she works like he does.”

Tori was speechless, her lips parting without a sound. Narrowing her eyes in thought, her gaze traveled to the table. “I get it,” she whispered.

“Okay?” you sneered, shrugging your shoulders. Leaning onto the table, slapping your pencil down, you said, “I study marketing, I’m twenty, and I work like he does.”

Mingi shook his head, eyes going wild. “Do you want a date with Yunho!?”

“No!”

Several heads turned toward your table shutting you and Mingi up.

Taking a breath, you laughed within it and shrugged again. “He’s always ditching us for her,” you muttered.

Tori frowned, tapping your foot with one of hers. “He’ll come around,” she said, trying to ease the obvious upsetness you were trying your absolute hardest to hide. “Let him have a crush,” her eyes flickered to behind you, “You know what that’s like.”

Hands covered your eyes, the world going dark for all of three seconds.

“Guess who?” That soft voice could lull you to sleep any night.

Taking his hands into yours, pulling them from your face you whipped your head over your shoulder and smiled up at the dark haired boy nibbling his bottom lip. When you met his gaze, his slender upturned eyes sparkling toward you, he laughed that wonderful laugh that fed your smile.

“What are you doing here?”

Wooyoung laced his fingers with one of your hands and slid into the empty chair beside you. Scooting it closer he rested an elbow on the table and let his cheek melt into his fist.

“I wanted to see you,” he said, pouting his lips, toying with the fingers he held. His soft skin sent a chill down your spine, his thumb tracing yours with a careful tenacity. “And I knew you’d be here with these two.” Nodding his head toward Tori and Mingi both focused on their work. Wooyoung pointed his gaze to your fingers before they popped back up with a question. “No Yunho?”

Sighing, you shook your head. “Mina.”

Wooyoung tilted his head the other way and his other hand slid over your thigh, his body leaning over yours. “Awh, I’m sorry,” he breathed, his voice so low neither of your friends would be able to make it out. His honey colored skin, smooth to the touch, was unbearable this close. The curve of his nose, his full, round lips, insatiable.

“It’s okay,” you whispered, and he furrowed his brows.

“Not okay,” he mimicked your tone. “You want me to say something to him?”

“No, God, please don’t.”

Wooyoung shifted his jaw. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” you squeezed your eyes shut for a second, “Don’t make me one of those girls, please.”

One of his fingers touched beneath your chin. Opening your eyes to look at him, he smiled once he had your focus, and he whispered, “You’re my girl, Ro.”

september 6th ~ saturday ~ 2:41 a.m

Pulling the door closed ever so quietly, not making a single peep, a single squeak, you exhaled through your nose and twirled on your wobbly toes to start down the staircase. The mission was to find Tori, acquire Mina, wherever the hell she may have ended up, and then bolt the fuck out of ATZ until further notice. You’d make it down the stairs, gather your friends, and nobody would ever know that you were ever here!

Except Seonghwa.

Still drunk, you felt great. Really, really great. Like, you’d need to thank Seonghwa for the full body factory reset. Later on when nobody would hear you, of course. Vice President Seonghwa made you feel things you couldn’t make yourself feel. Your chest warmed at the thought of it like you hadn’t just had it for an hour.

Pushing air from your lips as you turned, an electric jolt went through every vein your body possessed, freezing you in place in seconds. Wooyoung was standing at the top of the stairs.

It looked like he was heading down, his body was partially turned around the post where the railing began and the stairs went down. He had a hand on the post, the other hanging by his side. He looked good, and it sparked that dreadful feeling in your gut, the I like this boy feeling. Dressed in all black, head to toe, black baggy t-shirt, big black acid washed denim jeans, black sneakers… His hair was awful, hanging loose in waves around his face, parted in the center, framing his insane profile.

He was devastating, and he took you by absolute surprise. Usually one would hear him before they saw him.

Judging by the way he was looking at you, you took him by surprise too.

He definitely wasn’t expecting to catch you sneaking out of Seonghwa’s bedroom tonight, much like you weren’t expecting anyone to be there to catch you sneaking out of Seonghwa’s bedroom tonight.

Taking the smallest breath, putting your hands by your side, you grabbed fistfuls of blue fabric. Wooyoung let his eyes drift down your body. When they came back up your cheeks were flushed, your heart beating a mile a minute. He was unreadable as usual. The way his eyes were always pointed made it hard to assume what was going on in his brain even if being under his gaze typically made you blush.

This time, you did not like how it felt.

He didn’t move, and neither did you.

Standing in the hallway for what felt like an eternity, it wasn’t until you heard noise from the bedroom behind you that you knew you had to leave. You needed to walk away, to get the fuck out of the house.

But, he’s caught you. The boy with the biggest mouth at ATZ.

You knew what you had done. Now that you’ve sweated out some of the drunkenness, you were fully aware of what had happened. You had sex with Seonghwa. Just this afternoon you were kissing Yunho. And, all week you’ve been indirectly lying to every one of your sisters you’ve spoken too, especially Tori.

Yunho was a secret, and he always will be. How hard could it be to keep another?

Parting your lips, you took a breath and swore Wooyoung’s eyes widened.

“Please don’t say anything,” you whispered.

It took him a few seconds to process. He seemed to retreat inside himself for a moment, his eyes glued to yours. Taking in your appearance once more, he gave you the smallest nod, and waved you down the stairs with the hand at his side.

Exhaling heavily you hurried past him, gripping the railing with a vengeance, attempting to barrel down the stairs as fast as humanly possibly.

Halfway down, his voice shoved a knife into your gut. “Hey, Ro?” You paused and turned your chin, finding him leaning over the bannister, watching you. Without a change to his stoic expression, he sighed. “You look good.”

Oh, god. Oh god.

He didn’t deserve an answer. Whipping the other way you continued your pursuit down the stairs, ignoring the crinkling of your chin or the welling up of tears in your eyes. He wouldn’t get the satisfaction of seeing you cry.

Though, you’re unsure if these tears were really for him.

The bottom of the stairs had a few boys sitting on them, a couple standing in front of them. They were laughing, a red cup or a can in all of their hands. None were recognizable, so you plowed through them, using the shoulder of a boy with dark cropped hair and a beautiful jaw to guide you through. A noise was shared between two of them, the one you grabbed and the blonde one he sat next to. You didn’t bother to look back.

Dozens more people must’ve arrived in your absence. Pushing down the hallway toward the kitchen you were chest to chest or chest to face with most, the eyes following you as you brushed past the sweaty bodies. The air was hazy now, and getting hazier the closer you got to the kitchen, and the smell grew stronger as well, which only meant one thing.

Turning into the kitchen you dodged a sophomore with a cup in his hand, his entire body turning to watch you rush to the back of the room. A couple girls were sitting on the island, a boy leaning against the counter across from them, his arms folded over his chest and he spoke arrogantly loud. Both girls seemed into him for the time being.

As you passed through the space between them you heard him mention he was a part of the fraternity, clearly lying to the girls twirling their hair around their fingers. When they showered him with praises of admiration, you paused and backtracked. The girls, definitely freshmen, looked down at you from where they sat, their eyes lighting up. They exchanged whispers of your name, and the boy two feet away from them shot you a scowl.

“He’s lying,” you said, complete deadpan. Looking at the boy, he could pass for a member, he had the muscles, the face, the aura… But, he’s failed to get through. He’s tried twice. Yunho warned you about this boy before. “He can’t get in.” If looks could kill he’d have you on the floor. You smiled, then turned to the girls who hadn’t looked away from you. Putting a hand to the side of your mouth, you said loud enough for everyone around you to hear, “Think his dick is too small.”

Together the girls giggled, and the way they fell into one another reminded you of you and Tori. They were adorable, and they seemed nice. Clearly they already knew who you were, so you took two steps closer to them and put on your best sorority sister face.

“Will I be seeing you two soon?” you asked. Sitting up straight, they both composed themselves and nodded. You made it a point to scope out what they were wearing, making sure they noticed, not that you cared. It was for the bit. The bait. Pull the freshmen in, make them want to stay. On the outside of it all it’s a mystery, but that’s the ploy. “Good,” you looked them in the eye and smiled. Taking note that the boy had hurried off elsewhere, you cocked your head toward where he was standing and cringed. “Do yourselves a favor… From experience, stay away from the boys.”

The girl with shorter black hair and the cutest button nose lifted her hand for a quick second, catching your attention for a few moments longer before you rushed away. “Is there anyone else from ITZ here?” Her eyes were full of hope, as were her friends. “We’ve been coming here almost all week hoping to see you guys.”

You popped your bottom lip, expressing your regrets. “We haven’t been around,” you said. Because our president banned us from coming here. “We’ve been… busy.” That wasn’t a lie.

The girl nodded. “Oh, okay,” she said, sharing a look with her friend. “We’ll see you soon, then!” Both girls put on their best face, one you returned.

“See you soon,” you said, and then you were off, weaving through the kitchen toward the table where the nightmare of this night began.

“Vernon left, I told you already, listen dipshit.”

If you could hear him before you saw him that meant he was pissed.

Hongjoong stood behind a chair, his eyes flashing wildly around at the brothers and other boys sitting around the table. He looked nice, he typically did. He and Seonghwa were the two members to always show up and show out. Button downs, sexy slacks, impossible shoes and accessories to flash their money… He looked expensive, especially with his caramel hair pushed backward.

Grabbing onto the shoulders of ATZ’s Treasurer, Jongho, a massive boy in a denim jacket, Hongjoong shook him and leaned down to whisper something in his ear, his eyes pointed across the table at a junior who liked to hang around at these parties. The crappiest rolled joint you’ve ever seen was being passed around from boy to boy, from mouth to mouth.

“He left because he wanted to,” Jongho said, hitting his president with a side eye. He was a sophomore like Mina, but with much, much bigger balls. No one messed with Jongho, he was ATZ’s main muscle. Kid didn’t fuck around.

“He left because he can’t fail a drug test, smartass,” Hongjoong hissed.

When it came to Hongjoong though, Jongho obeyed.

Stretching across the table, half standing, he snatched the joint from between the juniors lips and jammed it on the table, putting it out. The moans, groans and protests from the crowd around them were agitating, and Hongjoong felt it too. It took one snap of his head around the circle for everyone to shut up. Jongho smirked and sat back in his chair, turning his head your way as you approached their side.

“Get up,” Jongho muttered to the boy in the chair beside him, nudging his shoulder and waving him away. “Up, go.” A warning filled his tone, one he only showed once before things took a physical turn. Most knew, and if they didn’t, they were gonna learn.

“Jongho, it’s okay,” you said, attempting to give him and his president a smile. Hongjoong tipped his chin backward and narrowed his eyes.

“The hell are you doing here?” He had a way of making someone feel so incredibly small without even trying.

The boy in the chair disappeared in seconds, but was sure to take a look at you before he stumbled elsewhere, flinching as Jongho nearly jumped out of his chair with a fist clenched.

“Sit,” the sophomore said, nodding to the chair.

“I can’t,” you breathed, “I need to find Tori.”

Hongjoong remained unchanged. “Go find Mingi, she’s sure to be there,” he said, a curiosity pooling in his sharpened eyes. “What the hell are you guys doing here?” It was a genuine question.

“We… snuck out of the house,” you mumbled, and Jongho snickered.

“Is Yuna here?” Jongho asked, his straightened brows softening with his question. You answered him with a head shake and a tilted frown.

“Me, Tori and… Mina.” Her name came out of you in a whisper. Both boys snickered, their hands connecting to one another in some way. “I know,” you sighed.

“Yunho’s girl,” Hongjoong nodded, looking at you with a sharp turn of his head.

The words made your heart squeeze. “Yeah,” you pushed from your lips, flustered. “Yunho’s girl.” Jongho smirked.

“So, you’re here, and Yeji doesn’t know you’re here, and you’re not supposed to be here,” Hongjoong said, slapping a hand back to Jongho’s shoulder. The sophomore shot him his smirk, then it found you again. “I like this,” he said, matching his brother's face. “Where are you coming from right now?” Hongjoong nodded his head around, questioning your route.

“Why?” you asked, flickering your eyes from him to Jongho and back.

Hongjoong’s gaze traveled down your body some. His smile was small, then he shook his head. “Just wondering,” he said. “Tori’s in the living room with Mingi, Yunho and Mina.”

“Thanks,” you sighed, spinning around to exit the kitchen, missing the way Hongjoong looked at Jongho and tapped his neck, the amusement on their faces sparking laughter.

By the archway to the kitchen San stumbled inside completely shirtless with a boy beneath his arm equally as trashed as him. The two were mumbling to each other, smiling and giggling. Passing by, you grabbed Sans arm and gave it a squeeze. He looked up from his toy with his lip between his teeth, the knockout’s eyes drunk and utterly fucked.

“Aurora,” he slurred, facing you, bringing the boy with him. Taking a hand softly to your jaw he grinned, his head shaking, “I love you, I love you!”

Taking his hand in yours you returned it to him and smiled. “I love you,” you teased, leaning toward him. Glancing to the boy beneath his arm, the cutest blonde thing, definitely a freshman, you winked and started away from them. “Have fun.”

Yeosang was in the dark hallway just outside the kitchen, a girl inches shorter than him attached to his front with her hands on his arms. They were speaking things to each other only they could hear without a care that chaos ensued around them. The gentlest smile rested on his lips, the boy just as pretty as the one San was currently dragging around. One of his fingers pushed the girl's long brown hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He was so entranced, he didn’t even see you pass by.

There was no time to say hi, you had to leave. Seonghwa probably made it back downstairs now, you were not sticking around to say goodbye.

ATZ’s living room was huge, much like the rest of the house. Through the archway to the right when one came in through the front door, it stretched all the way toward the back of the house in relation to the kitchen, separated by the hallway. Couches lived in the first section, crowded with bodies, male and female, either on top of one another or trying to get into whatever was happening on the inside.

This was the room the music blasted from. The boys got the speakers on the walls within the last two or so years, changing the game for every party to come. Lights dimmed in this room, everyone was lit up by the softest orange glow, making one squint to make someone out. Faces were blurry to you, and it’s partially because you were still drunk.

The air was sticky, hotter than the rest of the house, and everything smelled like beer or liquor. Making your way past the couches and hordes of bodies on them, you sunk through the more open archway into the second side of the living room where the tables of games were set up and the leather couches were pushed to the walls. Pushing through two guys who were moving opposite you, you clipped a shoulder on accident and whipped around to apologize, the tiny smile familiar.

“You’re good,” Vernon bobbed his head. His curly brown hair framed his forehead, his rich brown eyes peeking beneath it. “Tori’s in there, she was looking for you.”

“Thanks,” you said, then furrowed your brow. “Hongjoong said you left.”

Vernon rolled his eyes, huffing a laugh. “I’m going to my room. No one told me they’d be smoking. Just wanted Yunho to know where I was.”

Pouting your lips a bit, you said, “It was good to see you.”

His smile was charming, the most adorable smile of all ATZ. “You too, Ror. Tell Isla I’m thinking about her, okay?”

“Sure,” you nodded, and he was off.

“Aurora!”

A wave of comfort washed over you. Tori’s voice. Finally one you were fine with hearing.

Following the sound you found her beside Mingi in front of a table with red cups littered all over it, bottles laying on the floor around it. She had one in her hand and lifted it in the air as you hurried to her side. Bumping into Mingi’s chest, you latched your arms onto Tori’s and yanked her away from the table, her face screwing up in confusion.

“We need to leave,” you spoke over the music, both you and Tori nearly shouting at one another with how loud the chatter and music was.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, sipping her cup. Her hair was flipped to the side, the waves looser, fluffier. “Where have you been? Me and Mina have been looking for you for like an hour!”

Mina.

“Where is she?” Avoiding her questions you picked your head up to search over her shoulder. Her boyfriend was at the table flipping cups, knocking drinks back like it was nothing, shouting at his friends and banging his fists on the flat top when his side of the table won. Behind the table Mingi commanded there was a couch, the leather one you were stuck to a few nights prior. Through the mass of people you could make out a little brown bob. “Come on,” you mumbled, grabbing Tori’s hand.

She was throwing the questions at you again, telling you all about what she and Mingi have been doing and how much fun she was having, how happy she was to be back here. Pushing through a group of girls hovering by the end of the table, Tori made sure to let them know that Mingi was hers, passing by him with a kiss, grabbing a fistful of his hair, yanking him lower so he’d reach her lips. He parted from her with a whoop, pointing at her as she threw him a smile over her shoulder.

“When we came back down we found Yunho and Mina in here, and they said you left them,” Tori said, stumbling into your back as you redirected your path around the living room, avoiding the pong players.

Huffing, you shook your head and said, “This is Yunho’s house, I didn’t leave him anywhere.”

“What happened?” she asked, trying to turn you around. Pushing her hands away you shook your head again. “Aurora, you’re not okay.”

Whirling around, your hair falling into your face, you pushed it away with both hands and shot her a glare. “I saw Wooyoung.”

It was the first thing you could think of that was safe enough to get her off your case. Everybody knew about Wooyoung. He made the perfect alibi. No one would find out about Seonghwa. If people found out about Seonghwa, then Yunho would find out about Seonghwa. Sobering up now, none of this should have ever happened in the first place, and you regretted every second.

Somewhat.

“Oh,” Tori frowned, her brows softening above her big eyes. “I’m sorry. Did he say anything to you?” Clenching your jaw, you averted your eyes from hers for a moment, and opted for a headshake. “Did he see you?”

“Yeah,” you said, gulping, feeling a lump forming in your throat. “Tori, we…” She nodded, reaching for your hand, encouraging you to keep speaking. “We haven’t even been here a week and I feel like so much is fucked up.”

She tilted her head. “What do you mean? Wooyoung? Or, with the house?”

“Both,” you breathed, shrugging your shoulders a few times. “I'm so overwhelmed.”

Tori straightened out and held your hand tighter. “Okay,” she said, setting her gaze over to Mina on the couch next to Yunho. “Let’s go, we’ll leave. I’ll grab the kid, do you wanna head outside?”

“No,” you said, voice quiet. She glanced to the grip you had on her and then set off to the other side of the room, keeping you close by.

The sight of Mina hanging off of Yunho's lap was nauseating at best, you’re certain you turned green. Her hands were to herself, but he had one of his around her back, his fingers grazing the softness of her pink sweater. She leaned into him, but not too much.

It totally gave prude. Sorry, Mina.

Yunho, wedged on the edge, angled toward her, had his other arm along the couch, moving it as he spoke. His lips were moving a mile a minute, and his eyes were darting about. He was talking about school. He was telling her a story, and she was listening, eyes full of stars as he made her laugh.

Those were your stories.

Everyone hated Yunho’s stories, they called him boring. You were the only one who liked them.

She wasn’t supposed to like them.

“Hey, Mina,” Tori said, catching both of their focuses, Yunho stopping mid sentence. They looked up at her with smiles, Yunho’s faltering when he found you cowering behind your best friend. “We’re leaving.”

“Oh, sure,” she said, glancing over to her boy who had his eyes stuck on you.

Sitting forward, taking his arm from Mina he stood up with her and came closer to you. “Are you okay?” he asked, his brows worried. “What happened?”

“Do I look that horrible?” You tried to laugh, but he wasn’t having it.

“No, it’s just,” he paused, his eyes traveling down some of your body, eyeing the bare skin you were showing off tonight. All at once his energy shifted. His lips tightened ever so slightly, and his eyes flickered up to yours like you had slapped him across the face but Tori and Mina weren’t supposed to know. It was a quiet anger. “Nevermind,” he muttered, turning around.

“I’ll see you soon, I guess,” Mina said to him, having to tip her chin all the way up to look at him. “I don’t know when-”

He grabbed her face and kissed her.

Taking her by complete surprise, he cupped her cheeks, pressed his fingers up into her hair, and engulfed her lips with his own. Not once, not even twice. She melted into it, her entire body forming to his, her hands slipping around his back. You knew what these kisses felt like. You knew every thought going through her pure, little genius brain right now. He’s got her wrapped around his finger.

Just like you.

Tearing your hand from Tori’s you disappeared into the crowd, bumping into the pong table taking out a few cups. Pushing past people, physically pushing them, you bit down so hard on your bottom lip to keep from crying that you’re certain you drew blood. Flying past Mingi, he called after you, but you kept moving. Nothing was going to be able to stop you.

Through to the first half of the living room, you kicked cans with your feet, dodging bodies like it was your job. People who recognized you tried to stop you, tried to ask you what was wrong. The rage made you blind, made you deaf to anything other than your rampant mind, the thoughts that wouldn’t cease.

Why the fuck did he do that?

In front of you? What the fuck happened?

Bolting out of the living room into the hall, you bumped face first into the chest of what happened. His arms caught you, and once he realized it was you, he dropped his hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I… Ror?” Seonghwa put his hands to your shoulders tentatively, dropping his chin to catch a glimpse of the tears streaming down your face. “What… What happened?”

“Hwa,” your words were jumbled, broken, a mess. “I don’t even know, I can’t think about it, he was in there with her, and he just, I don’t know…” You shoved your arms beneath his, wrapping them tight around his back. He slid his around your neck, one in your hair and the other over your shoulder. He let you cry.

Feeling him take a breath, he brought his lips to your ear and whispered, “Fuck him, Ror. He’s not worth it.”

Turning your head to the side, you sucked down a breath and shook your head. “I can’t, I can’t… I like him. I like him a lot.”

Seonghwa sighed, his fingers dragging through your hair calming you down. “I know,” he whispered. “They’re coming this way, Tori and Mina.” Letting him go in an instant with a step backward, you looked up at him and he pouted his lips. His hair, slightly disheveled, was pushed to the side. God, he was gorgeous.

“I’ll see you,” you muttered, gesturing to the door behind him.

His eyes did the thing that Hongjoong’s did. The thing that Yunho’s did. And, he smiled. “Call me, okay?”

“Aurora?” Tori shouted from behind you, the two girls closing in on you.

Returning his smile, you nodded and wiped your cheeks. “Thanks, Hwa.”

He stepped aside for you to pass by, bowing his head as he did. “Anytime.”

september 6th ~ saturday ~ 5:13 a.m

Seonghwa sat on the edge of his bed, pulling his shirt over his head, kicking his shoes off. Shaking his hair out as he threw the button down on the floor, his eye caught on the piece of fabric it fell on top of. Taking himself over to it, unbuttoning his pants as he did, he lifted his shirt and picked up the piece of lace with one finger.

Aurora’s.

His door opened without warning.

Closing his hand over the lace, the entire thing fitting in his palm, he lifted his head and shot the intruder a wild look. Yunho, shutting the door behind him, gave Seonghwa the nastiest look. Clearly there was a fire burning within him, the smoke pouring out of his ears as he took wide strides toward him.

Seonghwa didn’t flinch. Instead, he simply laughed at his question.

“Did you fuck her?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Yunho grit his teeth. “Rory,” he said. “Did you fuck her?”

Seonghwa, amusement in his eyes, wet his lips. “Why do you care if I did?”

“So you did,” he snapped. “You’re sick, Seonghwa, I saw her neck, you gave her that nasty ass hickey.” Seonghwa smirked, his teeth poking out from his lips.

He left his mark. That was his thing.

Messing with the panties in his hand, he shifted his jaw and thought to himself for a moment, then said, “I didn’t take you as a two timing jackass, Yunho.”

Incapable of holding his own in a match like this, Yunho blew air out his lips and shook his head. “What are you talking about? Rory’s a friend, I’m checking on her.”

“Are you?” Seonghwa raised a brow.

“I am,” Yunho nodded, taking one step closer. “She’s not gonna be one of your girls, Seonghwa, she won’t do that. You’re… weird, man. Putting that mark on them like they belong to you now, that’s sick.”

“Sounds like you’re a two timing jackass, Jeong,” Seonghwa said, voice so low it boiled Yunho’s blood.

“I am not,” he sneered. “She’s a friend.”

“Is she?” Seonghwa lifted his hands, taking the little lacey thong from his palm, hooking it on a finger. The way Yunho’s face shifted into a fit of blind rage made Seonghwa snicker. “Two timing jackass.”

He let him take it. Yunho snatched the lace from his hand and took three steps backward. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he exchanged a look with his higher up and sighed.

“What’d she tell you,” he said, quiet as ever.

Seonghwa started back for his bed, pushing his pants to his ankles as he did. “Enough,” he said, kicking his feet free. Rolling onto his bed he pulled himself beneath the blanket and searched for his phone. “She loves you, bro.”

He started to tap away at his screen, leaving Yunho to wallow in the shock himself.

“No, she doesn’t,” he breathed, tiptoeing to the door, toying with the fabric in his hand. Seonghwa hit him with a side eye and scoffed.

“You’re an idiot,” he said. “She’s been in love with you for a long ass time, Yunho. That’s why Wooyoung dropped her, he couldn’t get through to her. Aurora was the first girl he’s felt something for, and he had to hurt her. You know, I’m not even sure she knows she’s in love with you. This makes you a two timing jackass. How long have you two been fucking?”

Yunho glanced at his feet. “May,” he admitted, and Seonghwa rolled his eyes.

“Well, congratulations, she’s spectacular,” he released a breath and focused back on his phone. “I can see why half of you are obsessed with her.”

With a hand on the doorknob, Yunho shook his head and pulled the door open. “Don’t ever talk about it.”

Seonghwa looked at him. “What, you and Aurora’s affair, or me nutting in her?” The smile that pulled at his lips made Yunho curl his.

“Both,” he snapped, and flew from his room, the door slamming behind him, leaving Seonghwa in pleasantly satisfied laughter.

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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chimivx · 10 months ago

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👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 7.7k (part SIX of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

{ there are names & faces in here that come from NMWID <3 }

january 14th ~ monday ~ last semester ~ 1:52 p.m

Sitting on the floor of your bedroom with your back against the post of your bed, Tori and Yuna sat across from you, their legs stretched out as they scrolled your roommates phone together. Isla was beside you, her long shining hair pulled up into a bun on the top of her head. It was the first day back from winter break, three of you went back home to spend it with family, but Isla stayed here. Not entirely alone, some of the other girls stayed put as well, not wanting to travel long distances because of costs.

Everyone knew Isla could afford it, though. She stayed put because of her parents. Her brother, Dokyeom, or DK as he’s now called, was across the country anyhow, their parents were going to spend the holidays with him, and although they offered to fly Isla out to join, she stayed here in the ITZ house getting into who knows what.

“I have people asking me to make videos about sorority life,” Tori giggled with Yuna, glancing up at you and Isla from her phone. You were editing her Instagram caption for her.

Isla rubbed one of her eyes. “You should,” she said to Tori. “You’re good at speaking… and persuading.”

Tori perked a brow putting her focus on her phone screen. “Thank you, I think?”

“You’re welcome,” Isla said, laying her head on your mattress. She pointed her eyes to you typing away and took a breath. “Damn, it was that bad?”

“No,” you said quickly for reassurance. “Not bad at all, just… Missing some words and spelling errors.” Finishing up, you handed her phone back to her with a smile.

“Thanks, Ror,” she whispered, reading over what you’d done. “Idiot Isla over here.”

“Don’t do that,” you said. “You’re smart.”

She shot you a funny look. “Science smart,” she rolled her eyes, “Brain can name every bone in your body but can’t spell definitely.”

Yuna’s head shot up. “To be fair, that one is hard.”

Sharing a laugh with them both, Tori was the only one to keep quiet. Her brows had lowered over her eyes, the energy within them going dim.

“What happened?” you asked, the attention turning over to her.

Shaking her head, slowly, she parted her lips and released a breath. “Mingi just told me their Vice President is going to be President next year, once their current one graduates.”

“Hongjoong?” Isla questioned, and Tori nodded. “Damn, it should be Seonghwa instead.”

Widening your eyes you nudged her side to agree with her. “Seonghwa is really smart.”

“They all are,” Yuna said, and you tilted your head from side to side.

“Of course they all are,” you said. “But, I’ve known Seonghwa since we started here. He’s different, he’s calculated, yanno?”

Tori watched you for a few seconds, then offered, “Why not Yunho?”

“What about him? He’s been working side by side with their secretary all year, he’s definitely getting that spot.”

She shrugged. “You don’t think he’s presidential material? You’d choose Seonghwa over him?”

Now Yuna and Isla were watching you. “I mean,” you paused, thinking to yourself, then smiled, “Yunho’s the smartest over there schoolwise, right? It makes sense for him to be in charge of keeping their records straight, making sure everything falls into the plan accordingly, he’s the right amount of mad man for the job, but he has too much heart. Seonghwa would make a good president ‘cause he can separate himself feelings-wise.”

Yuna and Isla ‘awe’d’ in response. Tori simply eyed you, cooking up something in her brain to counteract you, always playing devil's advocate.

“But, if Seonghwa separates himself feelings-wise, how will he relate to his brothers and be able to lead them with some sort of compassion. A president should be empathetic all while still strong minded enough to put their foot down when needed.”

Yuna and Isla were looking at her, then snapped their necks back to you.

“Then it makes all the more sense it’d be Hongjoong then, right?” Your smile made her nod.

“Yeah, it makes sense,” she said.

Isla, focused on you, narrowed her bright eyes slightly. “I like your opinions, Aurora.”

“Me too,” Yuna said, quietly. She and Tori went back to her phone.

“I do, too,” Tori said soon after.

Isla picked her phone back up, getting ready to post her photos for her thousand of followers. “You should be our next president,” she mumbled, and Tori shot you a smile.

september 21st ~ saturday ~ 3:33 a.m.

Your phone buzzed incessantly, waking you up, pulling you from a much needed slumber that would bring you into a day off. Whoever was waking you up right now better have a good enough reason. Nasara was only finishing its second week of classes and everyone was already exhausted, falling straight back into the student mindset like no one had left for summer.

Lifting your phone, the light of the screen blinding you in the pitch black of your bedroom, you blinked hard, squinted your eyes, and lurched forward. Yunho was calling you. The second you sat up the call stopped, taking you to the home screen showing off the messages waiting for you.

[youknow everythin]: I’m sorry

[youknow everythin]: I’m so fucking sorry

[youknow everythin]: Rory

[youknow everythin]: Forgive me

Stomach sinking, you opened your phone to the thread and saw him typing. Then, the bubbles disappeared.

[you]: yunho are you okay

[youknow everythin]: Yes

[youknow everythin]: …

[youknow everythin]: No

[youknow everythin]: Don’t freak out

[you]: what are you talking about you’re scaring me

[youknow everythin]: Open your window

[youknow everythin]: Please

Dropping your phone to the blankets you twisted to your right and pushed the curtains aside, moving to your knees. Pitch black outside, you could barely see anything out of the window. Nerves sparked inside of you, traveling through your veins, your hands shaky as they worked at the locks on the wood.

Was he here? On the roof? Was he on the ground? Did he want you to come down? Tori was asleep in the bed mere feet over, not far enough to allow him in if he was here. No one could see him. If he was caught here you were both in trouble. You with Mina, Yunho with Seonghwa.

That thought terrified you. It made you sick. The idea that something would happen to Yunho because he was affiliated with you. Because you two were together after you and Seonghwa… Fuck, you never should’ve did it in the first place.

Seonghwa.

Now you were lying to other boys, using him as a pawn in this game you and Yunho were playing, if you could even call it that. Not speaking for a week after he made you cum twice had been taking its toll. You missed him, you wanted him. As much as it hurts to admit it to yourself, you missed him. Even if you meant it as a friend, it still hurt, because how were you two supposed to go back to friends after all of this?

Finding the edge of the window in the dark, you hooked your fingers beneath it and slowly pushed it open, trying to be as quiet as this ancient house would allow you to be. Past every whisper of a creak, every sigh of the slide, you finally opened it all the way, and without another second to think a pair of arms were thrown around your neck, Yunho pressing his lips to yours, his hands slipping into your sleep rumpled hair.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered between kisses, pressing you flush against his chest where he knelt on the shingles, hanging halfway into your window. He kissed you with a ferocity, one you figured came from that place of borderline instability, the part of him that’d make him go crazy over something he was passionate about. Something he loved.

“Yo,” you whispered in the shared air, putting a hand on his chest to push him back. He took a hand to your chin, placing a thumb over your lips.

“Rory,” he kept his voice low, knowing your roommate occupied the room. “I’m sorry.”

“You keep saying that.”

“I know,” his eyes squeezed shut, “But, I am. I’m sorry for not talking to you, for not answering you.” His words began to tighten the space between your lungs. “It’s been weird over there, at the house, with the guys, and I just… I don’t know how to handle this.”

You waited, for him to say anything else. “Handle what, Yo?”

“You.” He kissed your cheek. “You, Rory, this. Us. I don’t want anything else.”

Grabbing his wrists you tugged them away and put space between you. Eyes adjusting to the dark, you were able to make him out now. Fluffy hair, sleepy eyes, puffy cheeks. He had either just woken up, or he hadn’t slept. In a long time.

“Yunho, hang on,” you whispered, taking a breath. “There isn’t… Us.”

“Yes, there is.” He came closer to you. “Rory, come on.”

Moving your hands to his you opened your fingers and he snatched them right up, holding onto yours tight. “What do you think is going to happen? You’re gonna date me? You’re gonna be my boyfriend? After all of this? Yunho we’re not even barely into the semester yet and…” Releasing a sigh, you felt your throat tighten, like you were going to cry.

“Tell me,” he whispered. “Tell me everything, please.”

You wanted to. A part of you, most of you, wanted to tell him everything. From Seonghwa, to Tori and Mina’s friendship, to your dad… But, if you got into any of it you’d be airing out a lot of shit you’ve done to try to move past him. Sleeping with Seonghwa, putting your focus on him, toying with the idea of Soul, keeping the freshman in your back pocket just in case…

“Rory.” His whisper held a bout of sorrow, and when you looked up into his brown eyes, he nodded the smallest he’s ever had. “I know.”

Now you were crying. Tears slid from your eyes without your permission. “When?”

“The night it happened.” He drug his thumb over your cheek, brushing a tear away. “He makes it kinda obvious.”

“Fuck,” you sighed, taking your hands to your face, wiping it clean. Yunho sat back some, still halfway through your window. “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged slightly, and shook his head. “I can’t be mad at you.”

“Yes, you can.” You glared up at him, then closed your eyes.

Taking a deep breath, letting it out with a sigh, he said, “Okay. I am. That’s why I stuck to Mina after… And that's why I haven’t answered you.” He glanced away, but when you opened your eyes to watch him, his attention was back over your being. “But, that still isn’t right, Rory, we hooked up last week. I should’ve answered you, and I’m sorry.”

“Did we?” you asked, and he raised his brows in question. “Hooked up? That’s what we did?”

Yunho ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his eyes blinking like crazy. “I mean,” he breathed, “What do… What do you think?”

You waited to answer him. Letting the question marinate in the air, in the tension between the two of you that was so thick it could only be cut by him smothering you with his body weight on your sheets, you shrugged. “Yunho, it’s more than that.”

“Yeah,” he answered quickly, taking you by surprise.

“Yeah?”

“It’s been more than that, Rory,” he said. “For a while.”

“It has been,” you whispered.

His sideways smile melted on to his face, charming you, pulling you toward him. Outstretching your arms he let you fall into him, his own arms wrapping around your back, holding you close as you beckoned his lips closer with your own, and you kissed him. Slow, eating away time like you had nothing to lose, Yunho was seconds away from pulling you onto the roof, or rolling on top of your bed inside the window, but you pulled away from him.

“Wait,” you said, and he looked at you wide eyed, his lips still half pursed. “Not to… Talk about it… But, Tori told me something.” He thinned his lips and nodded. “About Seonghwa.”

Yunho sighed, his eyes falling shut for half a second. “Yeah,” he grumbled. “I know what you’re going to say.” Parting your lips to speak, he was quick to kiss you, swallowing your words. “Don’t apologize.”

“How can I not, I’m gonna get you kicked out of your frat,” you said, furrowing your brows. Keeping his lips moving over yours, his tongue slipping out to meet yours, he sighed and held you tighter.

“You’re not,” he whispered. “I’m not going to get kicked out.”

Clamping your jaw shut, withholding the whine that yearned to slip out, Yunho’s lips slid down your neck. “But, Tori said that Mingi said-“

His teeth pressed into your skin, gently, cutting you off. A breath corrupted your lungs. Wrapping his lips around where he bit, he released a breath, the warm air erupting goosebumps over your skin.

“Can we not listen to other people?” Lifting his head, taking his hands to your cheeks, he drew circles over your skin and left a kiss on the tip of your nose. “That’s how so many of these messes get started, by listening to other people.”

Gazing up at him, longing to pull him into your bed, to fall asleep beside him, you gave him a small smile. “How?” He was quiet, you could see the gears turning behind his eyes. “How does this work, because I see it all going to shit if we do anything.”

“Me too,” he answered honestly, letting out a quiet laugh with you. “The reality is that I have to break things off with Mina, even though we aren’t dating.”

“You’re gonna break her heart,” you whispered, and Yunho expressed his distress on his face. “Do you feel things for her, Yo? Be honest with me.”

He shook his head, then hesitated, then continued to shake it. “She’s… cute. I’m attracted to her, but I don’t… I don’t know. She doesn’t get me like you do, Rory, she thinks I’m… silly.”

You caught your laugh before it echoed into your bedroom. “Silly?”

Yunho creased his brow. “Silly,” he said. “And, she has no opinions on Mesoamerican civilizations.”

Gasping, slightly sarcastic, you whispered, “You’re kidding. Does she even care that your favorite period is postclassic?”

Holding back his laugh, you could tell he wanted to, he forced a frown on his face and shook his head. “She doesn’t.”

“Oh, honey,” you crooned, cupping his cheeks. “Just know that I still stand by what I said, they were superstitious bastards, and weak, abandoning all their land?”

His eyes bugged out of his head. “Rory, you know they had to move. How can you even say that? We’ve discussed this!”

Shushing him, you giggled and fell into him. Catching you, not finding it very funny, Yunho glanced away in shock. “I know, I know,” you said, catching your breath. “Listen to me,” you looked up at him, his face solemn, “You’re not silly. You’re intelligent, and you love what you do.”

“I think I love you,” he whispered.

“You have people around you who get you, Mingi, Tori, me, yanno? You don’t need that validation from elsewhere, you can get all you need from us. Okay?”

“Rory?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you hear what I said?” he whispered.

Gulping, you tilted your head. “I did.”

He searched your eyes for an answer. “And?”

Thinking for a moment, you sighed. “Yo, I don’t know what that feels like.”

The whole truth. Love? What was that? You’re not sure you’ve ever felt that for another human being, at least on this level. Sure you loved Tori, you loved Mingi and Yunho, as your friends. But, to love somebody? To be in love with somebody?

“I understand,” he said. “It’s okay.”

Toying with his hair at the nape of his neck, you pressed your lips together and frowned. “I like you, I have feelings for you, you have the ability to do things that hurt me in that way… So, I mean, maybe I do?”

Yunho’s eyes flickered to your lips. “Don’t force yourself, Rory, don’t overthink it. Don’t look into it.”

“But, I have to,” you whispered. “I’ve been jealous of Mina since last semester.”

He raised his brows. “You have?”

“I have,” you admitted, curling your lip. “Unfortunately, I still am.”

His hands pressed into you. “Don’t be.”

“Yo,” you started with a smirk, “Everyone throws in my face daily that she’s your type, that she’s perfect for you.” He narrowed his eyes. “And, looking at her, she kinda is.”

“Just by her looks?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. “Everybody mentions her clothes, her style, the way she puts herself together. She’s perfect for you.”

Yunho lowered his eyes, thinking again. Then, he lifted his gaze to meet yours. “Do they not know she’s a bitch?” Gasping aloud, you both started to laugh, covering each other's mouths with your shoulders. “I’m serious,” he snickered, moving a hand through your hair. “We have to do what she wants to do, we have to say what Mina wants to say, we have to act how Mina wants to act. She pretends to listen to me, but then won’t remember a thing. It’s like she’s not even into me, at least since we’ve been back. She’s worried about her image.”

Taking everything he said, knowing you would save it and hold onto it later, you scoffed. “Damn, started to think I was the only one who was starting to not like her.” Yunho smiled sideways, then shook his head. “What do we do?”

His smile faltered. “Exactly what you know we need to do.”

“Don’t make me.”

He thinned his lips and bowed his head. “Rory, if I’m breaking it with Mina, I need you to break up with Seonghwa.”

september 21st ~ saturday ~ 10:17 a.m.

Somebody was crying.

Sitting up in bed, awoken by the sobs and harsh breaths, you rubbed your eyes and pushed your hair from your face. Somebody was crying and it was coming from the hallway. Your door was cracked open, Tori gone, having gotten up at some point without waking you.

Throwing the covers from your legs you slid from your bed and poked your head out of your door. The hall was empty, but the crying was louder. Stepping out into the vacant hall, closing your door behind you, you tiptoed around the floor, pressing your ear to Ryujin and Isla’s door. It wasn’t coming from there. Circling around, moving toward the common bathroom on this floor, the door was cracked like yours was, and the crying was coming from inside.

“You can call him,” Tori’s voice said from behind the door. “That’ll help won’t it?”

Shit. Shit. Did it happen already? Did Yunho even sleep at all? He left your roof soon after he told you to break things off with Seonghwa, when it was nearing quarter after four. Did he already do his part?

“I can’t, when he gets like this he doesn’t answer his phone,” Mina sniffled. “So high and mighty,” she muttered with a cry. “It’s scary, you know. You can’t pull him out of it, you can’t bring him back, he has to do it himself.”

“No one can help?” Tori asked.

Mina sniffled. “No,” she said. “His dad usually can, he said he’d get like this too sometimes, but… Chan is way worse. At least that’s what doctors like to say. He’s got the combination. His dad only has one.”

It’s not about Yunho.

Thank god, it’s not about Yunho.

But, damn, it’s about her family.

Backing away toward the staircase, not wanting to interrupt the two or insert yourself into that situation, you leaned against the bannister and waited for someone, anyone, to come out. It took a couple minutes, but Tori was first, after telling Mina to take all the time she needs, and that if she needs any help she shouldn’t hesitate to let her know.

Your roommate stepped out of the bathroom in her pajamas, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Pulling the door shut, she turned around and caught a glimpse at you, her eyes shifting into a hardened glare, her eyebrows going flat. Folding your hands over your front, you gestured toward the bathroom as Tori bounded forward toward you.

“Is she gonna be okay, should we-”

She grabbed onto your wrist, not worried whether or not she hurt you. Pulling you into your shared bedroom, she flung you inside, releasing you, and shut the door. Slamming it, really. Ryujin would be complaining later on.

“Tori!” you giggled, stumbling over clothes that laid on the floor. Catching your balance, turning to her and her, you think, anger, you sat on the edge of your mattress and shook your head. “What’s going on? Is it Mina?” She came closer to you, slowly, her mind at work. Or, rather, her mind settled, the venom ready to pierce you.

“Tell me everything,” she snapped, her volume low. She stepped in front of you, keeping you trapped where you sat on your bed. Looking up at her and her pointed brown eyes, there wasn’t as much honey in them as there normally would be. She was angry.

Electricity sparked in your veins, shooting throughout every limb. “What are you talking about? What did Mina say?”

“Mina is having family troubles right now, Aurora, this isn’t about her, this is about you.” She jutted her chin toward the window behind you. Your stomach sunk through the floor. “Tell me why I woke up to you and Jeong Yunho swapping spit on our roof last night.”

Oh, fuck.

Well, here we go.

“Tori, listen, there isn’t anything-”

“Bullshit, Aurora,” she sneered, taking a step backward. Her piercing glare didn’t once leave you. “He told you he loved you. What the fuck is that?”

Lungs tightening in your chest, you tried to take a deep breath to ease the tension but it didn’t work. “I don’t know, Tori, you gotta believe me. I just… We’ve been hooking up for a while, it was only so I could get over what happened with Wooyoung, it wasn’t supposed to turn into anything crazy.”

“Your ‘hooking up’ that’s ‘more than that’?” she whispered behind her teeth. Damn, she really did hear everything. “When did this start? You said it was to get over Wooyoung, are you telling me you’ve been fucking him since last semester? While he’s been dating Mina?”

“What?” you sighed, eyes going wide. “Dating Mina?”

Tori glanced around the room like you were stupid. “Hello, Aurora, where have you been? Even if the words aren’t said it’s clear that the two are for one another. You’re telling me you’ve been sleeping with him this whole time?”

“Hang on,” you breathed, standing to your feet, making her back up. “Tori, hang on.” Reaching out for your best friend's shoulders, your heart sunk as she swatted you away. “Okay,” you whispered, putting your hands to your chest instead. “Yunho and I, it’s been since May.”

“May?!” Tori nearly shouted.

“Yes,” you said. “It was right after the year ended. I was at his place, I was helping him unpack because you know he is not good at that. If I didn’t go there he would probably to this day still not be unpacked.”

She rolled her eyes. “Where was his brother, is he not capable of helping him?”

“Tori, we’re friends, me and Yunho, I’ve been to his house before, it wasn’t weird,” you said, tilting your head aside, questioning her with your eyes. “It took us probably two hours to get him unpacked and comfortable, it was only him and I there, we got to talking, we opened a couple drinks.”

“Talking about what?” she asked, her tone never changing, dripping with frustration. “Don’t you dare beat around the fucking bush, tell me it all, I am so pissed off right now.”

“Wooyoung,” you sighed, speaking with your hands as if it would calm her down. Her emotion radiated off of her, her energy filling the room with the ability to suffocate you. “We were talking about Wooyoung and what had happened, how he slept with Yeji, or how Yeji slept with him. My feelings were hurt, you know this, and Yunho asked me how I was feeling. I was honest with him, it sucked. I thought Wooyoung actually liked me, and he didn’t. I thought I would get to have what you and Mingi had, and I wanted it with him.”

Tori grit her teeth. “Wooyoung or Yunho?”

Taking a breath you shook your head. “What?”

“Wooyoung or Yunho, Aurora,” she said. “Because now a whole bunch of shit is adding up.”

“Like what?” you asked quietly, tucking your hands over your front, clutching your t-shirt for some sort of comfort.

“For starters, last semester you were obsessed with him,” she scoffed, “And you made it pretty damn obvious, but I just thought it was because you guys were friends, and you were upset he was pulling away because of Mina.” She lowered her voice even more. “Now I know it’s because you liked him. Did you even know you liked him?”

“No,” you breathed, your throat tightening. “I didn’t. Not then.”

“From that, to this summer and you and Yunho spending so much time together, to how you guys were at that first party,” she paused and smirked. “You know, Mingi said that Yunho said the same exact thing when he asked him where he went. Outside? You know how upset he is right now?”

You flushed of all color, your blood running cold. “You told Mingi?”

“Of course I told Mingi, Aurora,” she laughed aloud, shaking her ponytail. “What do you think? I’m going to find this out about his best friend and not ask him about it? I had to make sure at least one person in my life was telling me the truth.” Sucking in air like your life depended on it, the tears welled up in your eyes, but you forced them back. “What did I say when you told me about Seonghwa? Don’t keep things from me? And you lied to my face?”

“I’m sorry,” you whispered.

“That’s not going to cut it, Aurora,” she said, her own voice cracking. Knowing her, you were surprised she wasn’t already crying. It wasn’t in weakness either, that was just how she expressed her feelings. “Apologies aren’t going to mean anything anymore if you don’t change how you’re acting.”

“Right,” you whispered. “You’re right.”

“Was Seonghwa a lie? It’s been Yunho this whole time?”

“Seonghwa was not a lie,” you said, holding up your hands. “I slept with Seonghwa, that was real. It was me… Angry that Yunho was giving his attention to Mina instead of me.”

Her brows squished to the center of her forehead. “Sleeping with other guys is not going to heal what happened with another, and that’s coming from me.”

“I know,” you glanced down at the floor, then back at Tori. “Last week I was with Yunho, at the party.”

She huffed a laugh. “What party, you weren’t there.”

“Yes I was,” you whispered, and she spun in a circle, pressing her hands to her cheeks. “I left dinner. Seonghwa picked me up, he brought me to ATZ, and when you guys showed up was when Yunho took me upstairs, when I… followed him upstairs. We were only gonna talk, but… we were really drunk, and, I guess…”

“In love with each other,” Tori mumbled, her icy glare back over your trembling form. “Admit it, Ror.”

Swallowing hard, you clutched your hands together and shrugged. “Tori, I don’t think I can.” Her eyes softened the slightest, her knowing eyes. “I said it to him last night, I don’t know… what that feels like.”

She nodded and whispered, “I know.”

A tear slid down your cheek. “This is all a mess. I promise to you, I swear, that I did not know about Yunho and Mina. All summer, I had no clue. He told me nothing. Not until we were with her after that morning meeting and she told us about it.” She was quiet, letting you speak your truth. “Tori, after what happened to me, you really think that I would go and do that to another girl? One of our sisters?”

“When’s the last time you fucked him?” she raised a single brow, the pierced one. “Last night was pretty shitty enough. Was it last week? At the party nobody saw you at?” You nodded and she sighed. “You’re still doing what Yeji did to you, Aurora. You know she likes him.”

“I know, I know.” Taking your hands to your hair, you tugged them through the strands and gripped the ends. “It’s fucked up, and I hate it, and I don’t wanna do it.”

“Then, break it off,” Tori said.

Looking up at her, lips parted in some sort of shock, you whispered, “What?”

She shrugged. “With Yunho, break it off.”

The words struck you like a bolt of lightning. You couldn’t feel the floor beneath you, your stomach was sick, your head going dizzy. You couldn’t feel the tears on your cheeks, but you knew they were falling.

“I- I can’t do that, Tori,” you babbled, looking everywhere else but at her. “He’s the closest person I have, besides you. He’s one of my best friends, he knows so much, he cares about me. I care about him, how can I just break it off with him. He gets me, I get him, yanno, it’s like, when you talk about Mingi, and how he just fits with you, he’s your other half. That’s how it feels with Yunho, he just fits with me. He laughs at my jokes, he makes sure I’m alright, and I do the same for him, yanno, I love him, I can’t just…”

The corners of Tori’s lips perked up. She stepped closer to you and wiped your cheeks clean of tears. Squishing your cheeks together, she leaned over you and pressed a quick kiss to your forehead. She let you process what you had said, what you admitted in your blind rambles.

“It’s still shitty, Ror,” she said, her tone gentle. Making sure you were looking at her, she whispered, “And I’m really mad you didn’t tell me. As much as I love us loving those best friends, the four of us, I’m upset. So is Mingi. I don’t even want to know what’s going down at ATZ right now, especially since you’re Seonghwas. Yunho knew his consequences, he knew what would happen… So, I guess he really does love you if he doesn’t care about losing his brothers.”

“Please don’t tell Mina,” you whispered, and Tori brushed your cheeks clean again.

Pursing her lips, she sighed. “That puts me in a really awful place, Ror.” Pleading with her, your eyes wide and shiny, she took a breath and shook her head. “Figure this out, and tell me when you do.” Taking her hands back, she crossed her arms over her chest. “And, I’ll tell you when I’m not so mad anymore… I wanna know what it is about this boy's dick that’s made you like this.”

Cracking a smile, you raised your shoulders. “Okay, let me know.”

Bobbing her head, Tori glanced about the room. “We’ve got girls coming around this week, we need to clean up.”

“Let me do it, please,” you said. “I owe you this. I can take care of it all, I’ll do your laundry.”

She smiled. “I’ll help you, Ror. Don’t be silly.” Smiling back at her, she accepted it. “Recruitment dinner’s a week from now. We’ll be at ATZ. Do you think you’ll have things figured out by then? Sorted out?”

With a breath you shrugged. “I can’t tell you that. Yunho gives me whiplash.”

“Valid,” she popped her brows and turned to make her bed. “Maybe you guys are meant for one another.” Watching her pull at her blankets, you couldn’t help but giggle. She threw you a look over her shoulder, shutting you up.

“Right, mad at me, probably shouldn’t be giddy over a boy telling me he loves me,” you said, narrowing your eyes, and she lost her mind, collapsing onto her bed, laughing. “I’m so serious, too.”

Tori flipped over and tossed a hand your way. “Ror, you’re never serious.”

Sighing, you propped your hands on your hips. “You know, I could give you one fun fact to hold you over until you’re not mad at me, about Yunho.” She started to arrange her pillows, her head shaking, her smile still evident. “You want a spoiler, angry pants?”

“Ror!” she laughed, throwing a plushie at you, one gifted to her from Mingi. Shoving her hands into her lap, she squeezed her eyes shut, her entire face screwing up before she nodded really fast. “Tell me,” she forced from her mouth.

Smirking, you whispered, “He’s huge.”

Her eyes shot open, her extremities flying every which way beside her. “Compared to Seonghwa?”

“Bigger,” you whispered, and she flopped backward, kicking her feet.

“Shut the fuck UP!” Launching forward, she tucked her knees beneath her and slapped a hand over her mouth. “I wouldn’t even think that, ever, Hwa gives off such big-”

Your bedroom door opened, slowly, pulling you and Tori’s attention toward it. A red eyed, tear stained cheeked Mina poked her head inside. Mouth going dry, you watched as she took you in, then turned to Tori.

“Hey,” your roommate said, her tone hushed. You actively watched as she took everything you told her within the last ten to fifteen minutes and sat it in the backseat of her mind. “You okay?”

Mina pouted, a tear slipping down her cheek as she shook her head. “Can I talk to you?”

Tori glanced at you, and you nodded, something small so Mina wouldn’t think too much into anything. “Sure,” she said to the sophomore, moving off of her bed. Mina disappeared behind the door that Tori tugged closed, giving you a look before it latched shut.

Tori would have your back. She wouldn’t tell Mina anything, that much you knew. You could trust her, though it killed you to know that you had broken hers. It was all aired out now, all of your shit. Someone other than you and Yunho knew your history. Tori, and Mingi. Seonghwa had guessed it was Yunho, but the two of you didn’t go into details. He was still someone you could trust, though this whole belonging to him thing made you sick.

Yunho had to break things off with Mina, and you had to find a way to break things off with Seonghwa while still keeping him on your good side.

september 21st ~ saturday ~ 5:02 p.m.

[youknow everythin]: Thinking about you. What else would I be doing.

[youknow everythin]: I want to see you. I want to show you what page I’m on in this textbook right now, you’ll freak out. It’s for my history of gender class, we’re reviewing the protests of women, the suffrage movements. They’re so badass. Makes me think of you. I don’t know.

[youknow everythin]: I haven’t talked to Mina yet. She’s been texting me about something with her brother. What’s going on over there?

[you]: you already know i’d be one of those girls in the streets with the signs, petticoats and everything

[youknow everythin]: You’d look good in one of those.

[you]: thanks <3

[youknow everythin]: What did you say about those hearts?

[you]: i can send it, you can’t

[youknow everythin]: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

[you]: you’re insufferable, how’s your thumbs after that???

[youknow everythin]: They hurt

[youknow everythin]: See what I put myself through for you, Rory

[you]: my knight in shining armor, woe is me

[you]: mina is not okay, she’s been kinda crying all day, tori has been hanging with her. it is her brother, but i can’t tell what’s going on. he’s either missing, or he ran away, or something else, i dunno. i hope he’s okay, i know he struggles

[you]: let me know when you talk to her, then i’ll talk to seonghwa

[youknow everythin]: I will. I’m going to go back to my women now.

[youknow everythin]: …

[youknow everythin]: <3

[you]: …

[you]: <3

september 22nd ~ sunday ~ 12:14 p.m.

Getting out of the house, spending some time at the Conoscenza, claiming a table on the second floor with Tori, the two of you had been sitting in front of textbooks and notebooks for the last hour. It was incredibly unfortunate you weren’t able to tell Mingi or Yunho to meet you here, there were too many eyes around, and Yeji was off doing god knows what for the day. The two of you were better off getting homework done on your own, and a small part of you kind of loved that. It’d been chaos since move in day, you and Tori hadn’t had much time to just be you and Tori.

Sharing laughs, helping one another with tricky questions, taking time to scroll on your phones and show each other meme’s you knew the other would like, it felt it should, everything was good. Everything was going to be okay.

That is until now, when Tori caught your attention by tapping the end of her gel pen on your book, gesturing behind you with her eyes. Turning over your shoulder, Yunho was sliding into a chair at another table on the other side of the library. Tori smiled as she watched your eyes light up.

“Do you think I can go talk to him?” you whispered, looking at her. She shrugged, and went to speak, but then snapped her jaw shut, her eyes widening the slightest. “What?” Turning back around, you released a breath.

Mina was sitting down across from him in a pleated skirt and the sweetest sweater. She wore a pout on her lips, and when she was seated she stretched her hands across the table toward him, ones he took tentatively. Was this happening now?

“Tori, did she tell you they were coming here?” you asked, facing your best friend who had her eyes locked on the pair.

“No, I swear,” she whispered. “I had no idea they would be here. She did tell me she wanted to talk to him about her family, though. She told me they still don’t know where Chan is, one of the twins, you know about them right?”

Nodding, you sighed. You knew about all of your sisters' families, all of their siblings. Mina was quick to drop all of her information to you the second you two were alone. “I know about them. They’re a good family, she comes from a good one, I feel bad for her.”

Tori frowned. “I do, too. She shouldn’t have to worry about this while she’s here.”

Turning to catch a glimpse of her, Mina was crying, her mouth running a mile a minute. Yunho was nodding his head, his hands not having moved an inch since he originally took them.

“Do you think they look anything like her?” you asked out of pure curiosity, facing Tori who gave you a questionable look. “Have you seen them before, I mean?”

“Are you asking that because they have a different dad?” she asked, eyeing you as you pulled out your phone.

Ignoring the text from Seonghwa, who was asking to see you, you opened Instagram. “No, not because of that. You don’t get intrigued? She has three brothers, don’t you wanna know what they look like? We know what Isla’s brother looks like.”

“Everyone knows what DK looks like, Ror, he’s the most pined after baseball player in the fuckin’ MLB,” she laughed, then thought to herself. “Though, if Vernon gets there, that might change,” she mumbled, and you snickered.

“You have a secret crush?”

Tori deadpanned. “Don’t we all?”

Shrugging, you typed away at your phone and leaned forward onto the table. “Touché.”

Opening up Mina’s profile, her follower count just under six thousand, though it went up everyday, you scrolled until you found a photo of several people standing together on a football field. Her high school graduation.

A man, taller than Yunho, stood beside a woman, his arm wrapped around her back, hooking around her waist. They were a beautiful couple, and they looked genuinely happy. The man, who you assumed was Mina’s father, was gorgeous. So gorgeous you had to keep scrolling through the photos or else you’d have to tell Tori you understood her when she spoke about your own father. The couple stood with Mina, her hair long and past her shoulders like her mothers. She was her father, they shared the same smile, their eyes would scrunch up the same.

In the next photo Mina was standing with another man, he was tall too, but not as tall as her dad. He had shorter dark hair that hung over his forehead, and he wore darker clothes. She was in the middle of the photo, the skinny guy on one side and someone who looked just like him stood on the other. He was tagged as @kaangmiinhoo, but neither the name nor neither of their faces rang any bells.

The third photo is what made you smile. Finally, Mina and her three brothers. Two were nearly identical, tagged as @chan_1007 and @choiisunoo. Speechless, you turned the phone to show Tori.

“Oh my god,” she whispered, zooming in on Chan and Sunoo. “Oh my god.”

“Who’s the dad?” you asked, and you both shared a quiet laugh. “If it’s not the first hot guy, is it the second hot guy?” Scrolling back to the photo with the Minho tag, Tori audibly expressed her disagreement.

“That’s her uncle and her cousin,” she said.

“Damn,” you said. “Is everyone hot?” Swiping back to the brother photo, Tori zoomed in on the boy to Mina’s left. The twins were behind her, smug, their chins tipped backward, but the boy to her left simply smiled, his other hand not behind his sister's back tucked behind his own. He was tagged as @everyone_woo. Wonwoo was his name.

“He’s her actual sibling,” Tori said. “He’s younger than her, and believe it or not, he plays baseball, too.”

“What do the twins do?” you asked, zooming back in on Chan, finding it hard to fathom that he was real. Tori shrugged.

“They’re older, I don’t know, she’s never spoken much of them until now,” she said.

“Hm, interesting,” you mumbled. Tori went back to her books. Sitting back in your chair you tapped on Chan's profile that was thankfully public. There were numerous photos of cars, a few of him and some friends thrown in the midst. With a whopping total of twenty photos, typical man, towards the bottom there were party pictures, probably from high school or college, if he went. The very first post was of him and another guy taller than him by a few inches. They almost shared a face. Tapping on it, the caption read ‘my dad is cooler than your dad’.

His dad was, dare you say, hotter than Mina’s. You couldn’t blame her mom. He was posed with an arm slung around Chan's shoulder, the other hand pressed to his own head, messing with his long, shaggy hair. Chan was leaning into him, his arms crossed over his chest, looking about fifteen or sixteen years old. Below it, the Minho who was tagged in one of Mina’s photos had left multiple comments, the boys going back and forth about the clothes he was wearing, and when they were going to hang out again.

Swiping away from it, scrolling up to the top of his profile, it accidentally refreshed, and when it loaded, there was a colorful ring around his profile photo. A new story update. Furrowing your brow, you contemplated tapping on it. If this guy was… missing, why would he be posting to his Instagram story?

You clicked it.

A video started to play, on silent. Chan was walking through a house, showing off the sneakers on his feet, and then the camera lifted to Sunoo, his twin brother who had a baby on his hip. He was bouncing the little one, a baby girl with a bow in her hair. When Chan shoved the camera in his face, Sunoo flashed him a smile behind the phone and then pushed him away with his free hand. You couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the words on the screen were ‘dad on duty’, and Sunoo was tagged.

The video ended.

He wasn’t missing, he was at home.

“Tor,” you whispered. She gave you a hum, but didn’t look up from her work. Locking your phone, you stared down at the table and didn’t answer her. Not that she was paying attention anyway. You’d tell her later. Hopefully Chan didn’t take the video down.

Moving slowly, you turned over your shoulder to peek at Mina and Yunho. They were standing, he was hugging her. Arms thrown around his neck, she was looking at you sending your stomach into a tizzy. Her cheek was laying on his shoulder, and you swore she wore some type of dominance in her gaze.

When they pulled apart from one another it vanished, and she blinked big, sad eyes up at him, nodding as he spoke to her. His hands took to her hair, maneuvering her chin upward, and he kissed her cheek. Trying to not let it bother you, you told yourself that everything would be okay. Everything was going to be fine.

He was yours, he told you he loved you.

Things would be settled soon, and everyone would have peace, though you’re not so sure Mina deserved any.

If you were lucky enough to be blessed with siblings, loving, caring siblings… You certainly wouldn’t use them or their struggles for your own personal gain.

What the fuck was going on?

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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chimivx · 5 months ago

Text

gimme gimme gimme 3 -> mingi x fem!reader -> nice for what

wc: 8.4k warnings: 18+, sexual content and alcohol consumption in every part, infidelity themes... if i missed anything please let me know! posted: 1/19/25 12:22 pm est.

masterlist ~ <- previous part - next part ->

“I’m deadass, look at this,” Yuna said from the end of the blue sofa, extending her wrist over Aurora’s lap. Mouth popping open, no words to be spoken, Aurora takes her hand and lifts it higher, bringing the diamonds closer to her face.

“How much was it?” Aurora mumbled, glancing at Yuna and her natural chocolate waves flowing down her back. “Did he tell you? I guess he didn’t, right? That’s not a thing.” Shouts flooded out of the doorway of the gameroom, all of the boys but one holed up in there, crinkling cans and busting each other's asses over the simplest of losses.

Yuna shook her head blinking her round eyes toward both of you, though you weren’t paying attention. “He didn’t, but Ryujin and I tried to look it up, ‘cause it’s an Olivietta, and it must be custom or something, because we can’t find it anywhere, but all of Olivietta’s shit like this is like five thousand dollars.”

Aurora’s jaw dropped further than before, her entire being in shock. “You’re lying,” she whispered, her voice still audible over the music playing. Yuna, proud as ever, smiled and shook her head. Your best friend whirled herself around to look at you, Yuna’s hand still in hers, but you were focused on your phone, typing away, a mile a minute. “Are you seeing this, Tor? Jongho bought her this.” You hummed in response, not lifting your eyes from your screen. “For an end of year gift.”

“It’s so pretty,” you muttered, hitting send on a message, missing the way your friends' faces fell before they turned back to speak to one another.

“What have you guys been doing, you’ve got three days on us now, how’s the beach?” Yuna’s smile met her eyes, her and Aurora sitting backward on the couch, falling into a conversation that seemed to exclude you.

It didn’t matter, you were busy.

For three days this number hasn’t left you alone. The messages came in at random, at random times, there wasn’t a strategy to the way this person moved making it increasingly impossible to figure out who they could be, where they could be, and what their motive was. For three days you’ve ignored Jongseob, whether it be at the beach while him and his friends hung out with yours, sat close by, drank with them- You ignored him.

He did very little to get your attention much to your surprise, he didn’t act like he did if he were within the walls of ATZ. You did have more freedom around the frat, around your own sorority, without Mingi, that is. Oftentimes Jongseob nagged you when he wasn’t around, and ultimately while lying on a beach beside him, he didn’t have the means to get under your skin. At least not while your boyfriend lounged next you, knowing that little leech would swoop in if he left you alone.

But, that could be why he’s texting you like this. Secretively. So he could talk to you around the boyfriend, like one of his messages had said.

If it was him. The person wouldn’t give it up.

[you]: but you still won’t give me a name.

You’ve gotten sneaky. The day after the notification settings were changed, you added a name to the contact, one that would go unnoticed by Mingi if he were to glance over while you were texting. It would protect you from anyone questioning actually, you felt like a proper genius.

[ITZ]: its more fun this way

[ITZ]: wyd right now

[you]: sitting around with my girls.

[ITZ]: oooooh. which girls

[ITZ]: told them abt me yet?

[you]: why the fuck would i tell anyone about you???

“Hwa!”

Both Yuna and Aurora cheered aloud, their voices echoing up into the stretch of a ceiling pulling you away from your screen. He was tipping sideways, Seonghwa was, with a bottle in his hand. Baggy jeans hung low on his hips and the cropped t-shirt he wore exposed a strip of golden skin above the Calvin Klein strap around his waist. Drunk, eyes glazed over, a silly smile on his perfectly full lips, your friends gushed over him to make him blush, and he did.

Cheeks going pink, he squatted down in front of the table in the center of the couches, wobbling as he did, and he poured liquor into stray shot glasses littering the wooden table top. His hair laid naturally over his head, messy, wavy, longer than ever. Dragging his slender, knobby fingers through it, as if to flash you all a delicious look of his face, he gave you all a lazy smile.

“How are the games?” Yuna asked, animating her voice to make him laugh. She leaned forward over her lap, and Seonghwa beamed.

Slapping his hands to the table, he said, “So much fun.”

She tossed her hair around as she spoke. “Enjoy them,” she grinned.

“Thank you,” Seonghwa’s cheeks grew squishy as his smile deepened.

“No, Hwa,” Aurora cooed, holding up one of the shot glasses, “Thank you.”

The three of them took their shots together, Seonghwa and Aurora watching one another as they did. He stood after smacking the glass onto the table and left her with a wink, Yuna gasping the moment he was out of earshot.

She jumped in her place, grabbing onto Aurora any way she could. “You know what I constantly think about?”

You leaned forward and grabbed the glass Seonghwa poured for you.

Aurora groaned with a grin, tipping her head backward, letting Yuna shake her around. “Please, don’t.”

“Actually, it’s what I think about whenever I see you two interact,” she said, lowering her voice, bringing her nose close to Aurora’s cheek. Your best friend gave her a look. “You guys lowkey have chemistry, Ror.”

You pressed the glass to your lips and took your shot.

“It’ll never happen again,” Aurora widened her eyes, “We’ve said it. We’re friends. Besides, I'm with Wooyoung.”

Sliding the empty glass onto the table, you reached for another that Seonghwa had filled. All the glasses on the table got filled actually, the boy was entirely too drunk he couldn’t put together who was sitting around here and who wasn’t.

“With Wooyoung,” you mumbled with a smirk, knocking the shot back. That was awfully rich. Words such as those hadn’t been spoken… ever. Placing the glass down you glanced to your right and found them both looking at you, their eyes unreadable.

Yuna slid her hand over Aurora’s, taking her attention back. “Where’s Soul?” she asked with a tilt of her head, nonchalant, calm, collected. Like she didn’t know.

“Ah,” Aurora sighed, “He’s upstairs, in his room. He needed a minute, he’ll be back down though, he was excited you guys were coming.”

Soul went up to his bedroom when you all came back from the beach. He and Aurora spent a lot of time sitting on the sand, many feet away from the group, whispering to one another. They weren’t whispering, they were talking, but it felt like whispering, like they were keeping something a secret. Wooyoung didn’t care, just like he didn’t care that first beach day, letting the two of them spend that kind of time together.

The twenty year old went up to his room, and he didn’t come back.

“Is he okay?” Yuna flipped her brows over.

“Totally, sometimes he just-”

“Then let’s go get him,” you said, pushing yourself off of the couch. Aurora let go of Yuna and turned toward you, both of her hands planting to the cushions beneath her as she looked up at you with worry in her eyes.

“No, he’ll come back when-”

“If you go get him certainly he’ll come down, right?” you questioned, throwing a hand toward Aurora. Shifting your eyes over to Yuna, she reacted as every other being had when you shoved them in the middle of this situation. Unmoving. She watched you with a discomfort bleeding onto her perfect complexion.

“I mean, yeah,” Aurora breathed. “But, he’ll come down when he’s ready, Tor, leave him alone.”

You propped a hand on your hip. “I don’t understand.”

Her brows screwed up above her eyes, squishing into the center of her forehead. “Tori, he literally said he wanted to sleep. It’s been four days of us going, going, going- let him rest. What don’t you understand?”

Amidst her words you tipped your head backward and groaned. “The babying, the way you treat him,” you shook your hands about to emphasize what she’d just said to you, “I mean, we all see it.”

She froze. For a few seconds, her face wiped of all feeling, her body straightened out, and she didn’t move an inch. Then, she looked at Yuna, only turning her head to find her staring down at her lap, her nimble fingers twisting the bracelet around on her wrist. When she looked back up at you her eyes felt like daggers.

She grit her teeth. “I can’t believe you right now.”

Leaping from the couch, barely catching herself on her feet as she fumbled over Yuna without a care if she bumped into her or not, she stormed off, straight into the gameroom where the guys were still shouting, laughing, and having fun. In minutes you knew she’d be shouting, laughing, and having fun, too.

Flopping back down on the cushions, you exchanged a look with Yuna and rolled your eyes. She scooted closer to you.

“I’m not supposed to know anything, am I?” she asked.

Letting your eyes shift down to the gorgeous bracelet she wore around her dainty wrist, you took a breath. “No,” you grumbled.

She studied you. Her lashes fluttered as she took you in, and grabbed onto your hand. “Come on,” she said, tugging you off the couch. Pulling you out of the living room and into the kitchen. Passing by the doorway to the game room, the noise amplifying, you caught a glimpse of Aurora beneath Wooyoung’s arm, her head on his shoulder.

Yuna posted you up at the island counter and slid shot glasses toward you, four of them.

“What are we doing?” you asked, watching her search for a bottle she was happy with.

“What we’d do at ATZ to forget about shit,” she smiled as she spun around, vodka in hand.

“More shots,” you said, and she gleamed, screwing the top off the liquor. Moving back to your side, wanting to crawl under your arm in true Yuna fashion, the stage five clinger, she filled all of the glasses.

“Duh,” she said in response to you, then lifted a glass for you to take. “Here.”

It burned, but it went down easily. Just as the second one did.

“Hell yeah!” Yuna cheered, filling the glasses up again. “You know, I was thinking about Isla.”

Sliding your phone out of your pocket, you shot her a look. “What? Why? I was thinking about her the other day, too.”

Taking a shot, Yuna shrugged, popping her brows. “Just how things happen for a reason, I guess.”

Laying your phone on the counter you swiped open to your messages and found one waiting for you. You took a shot and opened the thread. “You mean her not being here, don’t you.” Picking up the second glass at the same time she did, you looked at one another, paused a second, then clinked them together.

“It wouldn’t be good,” Yuna muttered, taking the shot as fast as she could, making a face as it burned through her.

The thought of her not coming, not being here with everyone else almost hurt as much as thinking about Mingi being here without Yunho. Though Isla not being here was a good thing, and much better for her, it was another major difference, another point on the list telling you what’s changed, and what is not the same.

“She belongs where she is,” Yuna said, refilling the glasses again. Waiting for you to pick one up, to clink them together again, she whispered, “Everything happens for a reason.” Flashing you a smile, her words echoed in your ears. Even as she turned away from you to take her last shot, it took you a couple seconds to follow suit, to let the liquor push you further into a state you weren’t sure you should be in at the moment.

Blurry, wobbly, lighter, like you could start laughing and never stop.

Before you know it, whether it’d been ten minutes or an hour, you weren’t sure, you and Yuna ventured into the gameroom with the rest of the party. Just as gone as you, you and Yuna attempted the pool sticks, missing every single hit that Mingi or Jongho tried to school you on. Laughter rang in the room, hanging in the air above everyone, even Wooyoung and Aurora who’d taken up space together on a leather chair in one of the corners lost in one another. The only time they’d come up for air or give attention to anyone else is if their name was thrown out with a sarcastic insult, or a comment made by someone else just as drunk.

Jongho let his hands live on Yuna’s waist all night, the two still within those months of ooey gooey goodness, testing waters, figuring each other out. They seemed to be going about it the right way, unlike the pair in the corner, a traditionalness about them. No one expected anything less from Jongho, that’s why his bracelet didn’t come as much of a surprise to you. The boy was classy, he went about relationships with a purpose, playing the long game that wasn’t much of a game at all.

Soul came back at some point, you didn’t even realize his blonde head was in the room until you brushed by him to get to Mingi’s side. The boy stood by Seonghwa, following his lead, shadowing him, asking him questions, letting him tell him what to do when it came to the game. He gave you a sideways smile as you passed him, one you tried your hardest to return.

“Hi,” Mingi said to you as you bumped into his shoulder. Looking down at you through his glasses, a thin rimmed pair you adored, he settled his smile and watched you wrap yourself around his arm. “Thought you forgot I was here. Having fun with Yuna?”

“You thought I forgot you were here?” you asked, raising a brow. Stepping back from him, one hand holding onto his bicep, you looked him up and down and scoffed. His shirt quite literally stuck to him, everything beneath it entirely visible. Tucked into his jeans that laid low on his hips, his form was on display, for you, for everyone else. The slight arch in his back as he stood, the broad stretch of his wide shoulders, how could you not want to drink up every bit of him?

Mingi tipped his chin backward. “Tori,” he said with every care in the world, with caution.

“Mingi,” you sang back, closing the space between your bodies, letting one of your hands sweep over his torso. Shaking his head his smirk grew as you whined. “Why? It’s been three days.” He was content watching you. You pulled at his shirt, you tried to kiss his jaw but had to settle for his collarbone, you threw yourself against him. “Please?” He blinked, and you groaned. “Please, please, please.”

“I dunno,” he said. “Have you kept your promise?”

“I did,” you said, hushed and rushed, keeping your eyes locked on his that grew darker by the second. “I really did.”

“You’re so drunk,” he mumbled.

You tapped a hand to his chest, your brows furrowing. “So are you.”

He cracked a laugh. “I am.”

“Then let’s go,” you whined, bouncing on your knees. “Please, I miss you, I need you.”

Something washed over him. It looked like shock, yet excitement, but ultimately looked like complete shock.

“You do?” he asked, and you rolled your eyes.

“Of course I do, Mingi, I haven’t had you in three days, I miss you,” you whispered.

The magic words apparently. In no time, with his hands on you, he ushered you out of the room, bid his friends goodnight, hurried you up two flights of stairs and nudged you into your bedroom so he could close the door behind you. His hands slid around your neck in an instant, his large frame pushing you backward towards the bed, stopping just before you could fall onto it. Rising to your tiptoes you brushed your lips over his before parting them for a kiss, one so deep you could feel it in your chest.

He seemed to take his time, reveling in this moment, one you haven’t shared in a period of time too long for either of you. He’d withheld it, kept it from you, it’s not like you didn’t try, how could you not when you crawled into bed beside him every night? Lips working against your own, his tongue slipping between them gently, ever so slightly, like he’d scare you away, he took his hands down your body, over your hips, letting a soft groan spill into your mouth.

“You’re so hot,” he whispered, undressing you faster than he let himself kiss you. Designer pants to the floor, he unhooked the half corset top you struggled to get into and threw it behind him, taking his hands to your shoulders to push you backward onto the mattress.

Falling over top of you his lips took to your neck, one of his hands hooking beneath your jaw to keep it lifted for him to mark your skin as he pleased. With a whine you pulled your knees back, wrapping your legs around his waist, somehow wiggling your hands between your bodies to work at his jeans, pushing them off of him with your feet. Teeth pressing into your neck, he reached a hand backward to grab onto his form fitting shirt, but you were quick to snatch his wrist away. Pulling back to look down at you and smirk, eyes glassy and hooded, you smirked up at him.

“Shirt and glasses,” you said breathlessly, “Stay on.”

“Mm,” he hummed, brushing his lips over your skin, taking his teeth to your earlobe, giving it a harsh tug to make you squirm. “You like them, huh?”

“Yes,” you sighed, sliding your arms around his back, fingers gripping onto the fabric of his shirt, pulling it tighter around his chest. “So sexy.”

“You want me when you’re drinking,” he whispered, trailing kisses down your jaw to your chin. Slipping a hand down your body, his fingers dancing over your belly, making you giggle, he slipped only his middle finger between your legs, teasing your clit before he pushed it into you. He smiled while you gasped. “So sensitive, baby, you need me that bad?” He pulled out his finger and watched as disappointment clouded over you. “You little slut. What, you can’t wait this long?” He pushed two of his fingers into you and relished in how you sang for him, how tight you squeezed him.

“Move,” you managed to choke out, eyes squeezed shut, head thrown backward into the sheets. Wiggling your hips for any friction, Mingi let out a single laugh and lowered his body weight over top of you.

“Sit fucking still, Torilynn,” he spat. Shifting over top of you, his other hand moving back to your neck, fingers gripping the sides, he pushed down and smiled as you whined. “Listen for once, and do as you’re fucking told.”

Heat coursed through you, rushed through your veins. You were trapped beneath him, and for the first time in a long time, you couldn’t think about anything else. You couldn’t move, couldn’t even try to move, and it brought you right to the edge. Mingi hadn’t even moved his fingers, hadn’t teased you anymore, and you clenched around him like he’s had you up here for hours.

Panting, chest heaving, you looked up at him and his glare through his frames, one mixed with frustration, pleasure, and all the more satisfied. Jaw clenched, he studied you, brows pointed, angry eyes focused. Scissoring his fingers within you, feeling you tremble, watching your face screw up and your moans grow louder, he pumped into you twice, brushed his thumb over your clit at the same time, and just as he felt the muscles in your stomach tighten, he stopped.

He stopped.

He pushed himself off of the bed and staggered backward a few times, dragging a hand through his hair, pushing it off of his dewey forehead. Sitting up to your elbows in disbelief, eyes wide, you took him in and shook your head, catching your breath. He was hard, he wanted you, he needed you, but he stopped.

“Wh- What?” you stammered. There weren’t any words you could throw together to make any sense. “Mingi,” you whispered, “I was gonna…”

Eyes dragging down your body, your spread legs, he palmed himself and tilted his head. Looking up at you, he narrowed his eyes and asked, “You sure you were about to?”

Your body stripped itself of its heat, your blood running ice cold. He could read it all over your face no matter if you tried to hide it from him or not. He knew what you did.

He knew you faked it.

That’s why it’s taken him three days to accept you.

“Mingi,” you breathed, sitting up. He snickered to himself and stepped toward you. “Babe, I just-”

His hands took to your shoulders again. Cutting you off with no time to explain yourself, he spread your knees with his own and held you like he did before, one hand beneath your jaw, the other between your legs.

“Shut up, Tori,” he growled, and pushed into you without warning, the stretch equally delicious as it was uncomfortable. He gave you little time to adjust, but your body knew him, even as he pistoled into you, having to hold you down because he pushed you away with every thrust. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you,” he seethed behind his teeth, pressing his nose to your cheek. Clinging to him, useless beneath him, all you could do was thank god there was still music playing downstairs. “Don’t you ever fucking lie to me again.”

It happened twice.

And you both knew it happened twice because he pulled out every trick, every stunt to ensure you weren’t lying, or pretending.

He kept you on your back, his eyes locked in on yours, not stopping until you were shaking, legs trembling, body tensing, nearly screaming for him. After the first, seeing stars, you weren’t quite sure he’d be able to pull out another, but oh, sweet Jesus, did he surprise you.

You couldn’t shower on your own, couldn’t stand without his help, that’s just how much he wrecked you. Even now, laying over the white blankets neatly made like they weren’t thrown to the floor last night, you were sore, you could still feel him folding you in half.

He wandered the bedroom, back and forth from suitcases to drawers to the bathroom. The smell of his cologne hung in the air, a comfort to you and your subconscious, though unanswered questions sat between the two of you, taunting you, nagging you. With his hair styled backward off of his face, he opted for contacts tonight instead of his glasses, all of his sharp, striking features on display. Dark denim baggy jeans and a loose fitted button down hung off of his frame and little golden accessories accented his wrists, his lobes, his neck.

Stunning, you wanted to tell him, but he hadn’t spoken a word to you since he helped you shower last night.

Everyone would be meeting at a bar tonight, the rest of your friends arriving shortly, more people to deal with. To slip up around. Cheers was supposed to be fun, it had a pretty good reputation, and they were the only ones on that street that didn’t kick anybody out, no matter what went down.

“You should get dressed,” Mingi muttered, breaking the silence. Sitting up to your elbows you gave him a look and he met it for only a second. “What are you thinking about?”

“You.” A sigh fell out of you without meaning to.

Straightening up his mess, pushing drawers shut, folding clothes he tried on but decided not to wear, his face was stone cold. “What, did I fix you last night?”

Sitting up completely, your hips roaring with soreness, you pouted after he shot you a glare. “Mingi,” you whispered, face softening.

“Did I do something right finally?” he asked, slipping into a pair of custom sneakers Vernon gifted to him when he got his first brand deal. “You’ve got, like, brand new buttons to push or something, Tori?”

Moving on the bed, closer to the edge toward him, you shook your head. “Mingi, listen, I-”

“Nah,” he said definitively, looking at you. Adjusting the sleeves of his shirt, he pulled his lips together. “You don’t have to explain yourself, Tor. Don’t need you to try to prove other things you’ve been faking with me.”

“Mingi,” you said for the third time, moving onto your knees, barely matching his height, but he didn’t wait around to hear what you had to say. If you had anything to say. He had known since you’d done it, and he didn’t say anything about it. Worse, you didn’t say anything about it. And now, you didn’t even have the chance to.

Falling backward, landing on the duvet with a humph, you reached for your phone and swiped it open. Retreating to your messages, you took a breath, hesitating your thumb over the green app, then decided to bite the bullet and just do it.

[you]: you’re a guy right?

[ITZ]: texting me first now what a surprise

[you]: answer the question.

[ITZ]: yes i’m a guy

[you]: can i ask you something guy related

[ITZ]: sure

[you]: before i do… will you tell me who you are

[ITZ]: still can’t figure it out?

[you]: ugh whatever.

[ITZ]: whts going on? trouble in paradise?

[you]: i guess so.

[ITZ]: ask me.

[you]: have you ever had a girl fake it before?

[ITZ]: fake it? as in like an orgasm?

[you]: yeah…

[ITZ]: that would make me feel like utter dog shit, tori.

[you]: of course it would

[ITZ]: tori, are you faking it with the boyfriend?

[you]: you don’t need to know that.

[ITZ]: tell me :)

[you]: once. recently.

[ITZ]: did he suck or what

[ITZ]: what was it

[you]: no, he didn’t. he’s always good i just…

[you]: it was me. i didn’t feel right

[ITZ]: you didn’t want to have sex with him that night? did you feel pressured to do so?

[you]: omg no, never, it’s not like that

[ITZ]: okay good.

[ITZ]: wdym u didnt feel right

[you]: i don’t know but i wanna figure it out

[ITZ]: what else bothers you?

[you]: everything.

[ITZ]: yeah i can sense that.

Sighing, sucking in a deep breath, letting it out within another sigh, you waited patiently for him to say anything else. Gulping, you started typing, and you couldn’t stop.

[you]: i just wish she could be here with yunho. i know she’s happy now, and i know yunho sucks, but we had it so good for so long. everything has changed and everybody was able to move on, but i can’t. i don’t want to. ryujin and yeosang have left, isla’s gone, i have a big ass job to do, half of these motherfuckers destroyed aurora, but also destroyed me. i was on the outside of it all, and does anyone care that i was blindsided too????!

Minutes pass. Long, ticking minutes.

And then, a reply. One that sends a glimmer through your chest.

[ITZ]: i care, tori. that’s not fair to you.

[ITZ]: you can tell me more, to get it off your chest.

There was nothing left to say. At least for now.

Locking your phone you tossed it aside and sat up, eyeing your suitcases. Feeling oddly lighter, like spewing out those words got rid of them within your brain, you leapt to your feet and got yourself ready to party at Cheers.

“Isla landed!” Ryujin shouted over the music and people chatter, crashing in between you and Yuna where you sat at the bar. Showing off her phone screen and the messages from her best friend, a selfie was sent from across the country, both Isla and Vernon in hoodies and sunglasses throwing up a middle finger for the camera. “She’s good, no one worry.”

Laughing with Yuna, watching Ryujin tap away at her screen to send a message back, she opened the camera and threw an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer. Yuna laid her head over her shoulder, all three of your heads fitting in the frame. Pouting your lips, Ryujin winked, and Yuna smiled.

“You were the only one worried, Ryujin,” Yuna said, watching her send the picture. The eldest of you all shot her a glare, one that didn’t pack much of a punch.

“You need another drink,” she sneered sarcastically, stepping up onto the ledge beneath the bar to lean over it. Waving the bartender down, she ordered three drinks and jumped onto her feet. “When that comes, find me.” And her and her shaggy hair was gone in a flash, disappearing into the crowd packing the dance floor.

Air hot and sweaty, the energy in the place riled everyone up the moment the door was pulled open. Walking here, the six of you, Jongho and Yuna were already waiting inside, the crowds growing tenfold after your first round of drinks, and it only seemed to grow as the night wore on. Ryujin and her girlfriend, Jeongyeon, showed face after an hour, the two of them staying in a hotel nearby. Showing up half drunk, Ryujin squeezed you all like she hadn’t seen you a few days ago, Jeongyeon, sober, watching over her from behind where she wobbled off to.

“Is she okay?” Yuna asked you, turning back to the bar after she vanished.

With a frown, you shook your head. “She misses Isla. Her last semester was hell for her.”

“Seems like it was hell for a lot of us,” Yuna said. Gaping at her and her side eye, you fell into a groan and rolled your head backward. “Tori, you already know what I’m going to say, ‘cause I know Ror has already tried.” The bartender slid drinks in front of you. Grabbing onto it you sucked it down, half listening to Yuna. “She tells me you’re worrying her.”

“Who?” you snapped, eyebrows plummeting above your fresh lashes.

Yuna rolled her eyes. “Aurora,” she breathed.

“I’m worrying her,” you laughed, “Hysterical. She can come say that to my face, why is she talking to you about me?”

“Because you aren’t talking to her about you.” The way she looked at you made you feel funny. “She doesn’t know what to do.”

Tilting your head after a gulp of your drink, you twirled on the stool toward the dance floor and propped an elbow up on the bar. “Seems no one does.”

Yuna scoffed. “See, and then you say shit like that, like you don’t have anyone looking out for you.”

“Who is?” you said, glaring at her.

Her glossed lips popped open. “We’re all trying, Tori.”

Laughing, you sipped from your glass. “Funny, doesn’t feel like it.”

The song on the speakers swiftly changed into one that’s been blared within the walls of the fraternity, and possibly many others, half of the dance floor threw their hands in the air with a shout. People of all ages filled the space, but your generation reigned majority.

Yuna stared you down, giving you time and the chance to backtrack on what you’ve said, because even you know it isn’t true. They’ve all tried, it’s you.

“I’m gonna go dance and give this to Rio,” she said with all of the patience in the world. Jumping from the stool, adjusting her mini skirt, she tried to smile at you, reaching for the glass on the bar behind you. “We’ll listen to you. You know we will. No matter what it is. She will listen to you. After what they put her through, put us through… Don’t do this.”

She walked off, her and her beautiful waves and stretch of toned legs accented by her chunky platform sandals.

Damn, where’d she get those.

You’d ask her later when she wasn’t pissed at you, maybe after she’s forgotten what she just said to you.

Sipping your fruity drink you let your gaze fall on the crowd, kids like you dancing too close to one another, drinking the night away, singing along to the music. That should be you. It could be you. Everyone had a dance partner though, and you knew yours was in a corner with his friends somewhere. Last time you saw him he was wedged between Seonghwa and Wooyoung, the three of them waiting for Yeosang to step in the building.

Your phone buzzed in the baby purse slung over your shoulder, enough room in there for the block, a tube of lipgloss, and your credit card. Digging it out reluctantly, the song changed and another roar rolled throughout the room making you smile. Just as you tapped on your screen, your eyes locked with another’s, he and his friends shoved into a booth on the other side of the room, the three of them with a few others who were new to ATZ last year.

He simply watched you, eyes not prying.

You opened the message.

[ITZ]: having fun?

Looking up at Jongseob, only after meeting his eyes for the second time did his smile grow. You spun around to face the bar.

[you]: so it’s you then. you’re here. you know i’m here. it’s you.

[ITZ]: figured it out?

[ITZ]: come get me then

That electricity shot through you. The excited one, the one that felt like it shouldn’t do this, but ultimately needed to do this. Slipping your phone back into your bag, you swapped it for the gloss and laid it on thick. Zipping your purse shut, you stepped off the stool and started across the floor, pushing through people, throwing your perfectly flipped hair over your shoulder. His gaze followed you the entire time, soft eyes locked on yours, dropping lower to admire the curve of your hips and how the dress you wore hugged you in all the right places.

You wore it to entice your boyfriend, but, this would do.

Warm blonde hair and smooth honey colored skin smiled up at you, moving over on the bench to make some room for you to sit. Heart pounding in your chest, you could smell him, the right amount of musk mixed with anxiety. Normally you’d be putting him in his place, telling him off, yelling at him to leave you alone. In the halls of ATZ, in dark corners of that house, you’d done it many times, as had Mingi, and eventually Jongseob did leave you alone.

But it was evident he still didn’t give a fuck.

“Well,” you said, breathlessly, “Here I am.”

Sitting backward, head resting on the cushion behind him, his smile grew. “Here you are,” he repeated, his voice deep, gravelly, so unique, one that took you by surprise each time you heard it. “Didn’t think I’d ever get to sit next to you again, Tori.” The way his gaze traveled about your face, it warmed your cheeks, you were lucky it was too dim for him to notice. “What brings you over here?”

Glancing at Jiung and Intak, both boys looking out at the dance floor but so obviously listening in, you smiled at Jongseob. You were playing the secret game.

“How long have you been here?” you asked.

“As long as you,” he nodded once, keeping his chin tipped up in the same way Mingi would. Cocky. An attempt to seem bigger than he was, older. “Having a good time?”

“Totes,” you said, narrowing your eyes. “Where are you guys staying?”

“A few houses down from you, actually,” he said, his lips settling into a smirk.

“Interesting,” you said just above a whisper. Jongseob bobbed his head, his eyes dropping lower for a few seconds. You’re reminded of the M necklace you’ve been wearing. “We’ll have to have you guys come by one of these nights, how long are you staying?”

“As long as we want, my parents own the house,” he said, popping his tongue out his lips to wet them. He didn’t miss how you watched. “We’d love to party. Our boy has VIP access, we’re very curious.”

Soul.

“Mm, he does, doesn’t he,” you said, tone going flat as you glanced down to the table and the boys across from you still acting as if they weren’t paying attention. Jongseob reached a hand underneath the table, his fingers grazing your knee for a moment, forcing your focus back over to him.

“That bothers you,” he said, brows lowering over his golden brown eyes. You kept your faces to yourself. “If you want, we’ll take him back,” he shrugged. “He’s spent summers at this house with us before, it’s not like it’s a big deal. If he’s bothering you, just tell him. He’ll disappear before you know he’s gone.”

It was that easy. Just literally say the words, and the weird, annoying thing between your best friend and Soul, gone.

“Won’t that upset him?” you asked, voice going quiet. “If I say that to him, that seems kind of mean.”

Jongseob twisted his brows, then he laughed. “It’s not that deep, Tori, he’s infiltrating your vacation.”

You looked at your lap, at Jongseobs hand on the cushion of the booth, inches from your thigh. “I dunno, Aurora gets worried about him.” Intak’s head turned at the mention of her name. “She like… watches over him, or something, I don’t know, I don’t get it.”

He shared a look with his friends, his smile growing into one that stirred your stomach. “How adorable,” he sighed, facing you, “Funny how Soul was the one to get in there, right? After what he did? It’s like she’s got Stockholm Syndrome or something.”

That was a funny way to think about it.

For all of them.

Even more funny how she could drop Yunho in a second, someone who didn’t have the in, but someone who tried to look out for her. Sure, he hurt her in other ways, but he didn’t want to ruin her life. Wooyoung, Soul, hell, even Seonghwa… She held the three of them as close as she could, in the obvious, most Aurora way possible.

Was she even happy about that?

Was she doing this on purpose?

Or, was he fucking with you.

“What do you want with me, Jongseob?” you asked. Jiung broke his neck to look at you, him and Intak in utmost shock.

The twenty year old lowered his brows, but his smile refused to fade away. “Heavy question, Tori.”

“Answer it,” you said through grit teeth. He deflected like the messages earlier in the day.

“Honestly, or in a way that your boyfriend wouldn’t want to kill me if he overheard?”

Clenching your jaw, you twisted to face him, and said, “Honestly.”

“I want you everywhere,” he said without hesitation. Looking you up and down, he huffed. “Naked, preferably. I’d make a mess out of you, and I want that lip gloss leftover on my dick when I’m finished with you.” He never broke eye contact, but he didn’t miss the way you pressed your legs together. “You think I haven’t ever thought about how you’d look bent over every surface in every room I’ve seen you in?” The way his eyes narrowed, the way he stifled his laughter, it spurred you on. He leaned into you, inches between your bodies. “You think I’ve never heard what you sound like when he’s fucking you? I live in that house with him, Tori.”

Gulping, you took a breath to ease your racing heart, but nothing would calm it.

“I like this game,” he said, smug as ever. “We’ve never played this before. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” you whispered. “I think I need another drink.”

Sliding from the booth, he gave you a wink before you ventured back over to the bar, posting up beside a being that appeared to stretch taller than your boyfriend. Bumping into his shoulder on accident, you adjusted your purse and shot him a smile, just as he gave one to you. Focusing back on the bar, both of you, at once you snapped your necks to gawk at one another.

“Tori.”

“Yunho.” Scrambling for something to say after ordering another drink from the woman behind the bar, you shook your head and asked, “What are you doing here?”

He looked everywhere but directly at you. “Uh, I’m with Yeosang and Keni, we, uh, just got here. Like, ten minutes ago.”

“Right,” you said, glancing around for the other two, Yeosang and his girlfriend, but they must’ve been in the corner with everyone else. Somewhere Yunho was most definitely not welcome. Just standing next to him felt wrong, even if it happened by accident. “Uh, how have you been?” you asked, unsure of how to continue on talking to him. This bartender was taking her sweet, sweet time.

“I’ve been alright,” he said with a shrug of his broad shoulders, but his tone told you he has not been alright. “You?” he asked, hitting with the subtlest of side eyes.

You answered him reluctantly. “I’ve… been alright.”

He laughed, you couldn’t hear it, but you could see it in his shoulders. “You too, huh?”

“What do you mean?” Looking up at him, he looked back, his dusty colored hair overgrown over his eyes, his ears. Grabbing the beer from in front of him, the bartender having slid his and yours down at the same time, he sipped it and shrugged.

“Doesn’t feel good, does it?”

You sipped your drink, feeling your stomach lurch.

Yunho sighed, sitting down on a stool, shrinking down to your height. “Makes you feel like… utter dog shit,” he mumbled, giving you a glance before he drank from his beer.

Utter dog shit.

that would make me feel like utter dog shit, tori.

Looking over your shoulder to Jongseob and his friends, not one of them paid any attention to you, they talked amongst themselves, shoved over the table like a bunch of high schoolers keeping a secret. Without thinking, you sat down next to him. In the tipsy blurriness it was easy to forget things for the time being, like you could rewind the months, go back to when he was still one of your best friends and he hadn’t broken your sister's heart.

There never was a proper goodbye with Yunho, proper closure. A part of you didn’t need it, your loyalty was to Aurora, to Mingi, and Yunho had hurt them both. As one of your friends, he hurt you too. After that night though, when Aurora spilled it all to him, and Mina dished shit back, the respect you held for this adorable human being had been sucked out of you.

“I never got to say anything to you,” you said gently, making him look at you, his eyes on alert. “You were a real jackass, you know that?”

He sighed. “Yes, I know that. I have to live with that.”

“She loved you.”

He shook his head, letting it hang. “I loved her.”

“No, you didn’t,” you snapped.

He whipped his head toward you. “Yes, I did. Don’t tell me how I felt. I know what I did was fucked, but that didn’t mean I didn’t love her.”

Sipping your drink, you rolled your shoulders backward to try to sit taller than him. “How’s Mina?”

The laugh he cracked told you plenty. “There’s no Mina.”

“No?”

“No,” he sneered, cringing. “Do you know how bad I regret letting it get that far? There never should’ve been a Mina, I should’ve been honest with Rory from the start, but I know you know how hard that is to do.”

“How hard what is, Yo?” you asked, voice hushed.

“Please, Tor, you’re dating my best friend,” he said. “You and I were friends for a long time, too. You learn about people. You and I, we’re the same, we don’t speak, and then things go to shit.”

“Like, if you say something, they won’t get it. Or, they’ll take it and run with it, turning it into something it never was.”

Yunho shrugged. “Not really, but also… yes.” He tapped his glass with a single finger. “Rory, she was getting over Wooyoung, if I said anything back then, I’d be the jackass, and she wouldn’t be about it. I’d ruin whatever we had before it even started.”

“Weren’t you involved with Mina then?”

He pursed his lips and shook his head. “No, Rory had me first.”

“Damn,” you breathed, and he gave you a look.

“Damn,” he repeated, smiling with you. He looked down at his beer, took a breath, then blinked over at you. “How’s Mingi?”

Those words falling from his lips drove a knife straight into your heart.

Starting with a hesitance, you barely got two words out before something flashed in his eyes. “He’s, uh… He’s good. We’re good.”

He tilted his head. “Is he,” he muttered, looking at you like he knew something. “That’s good,” he tried to smile, grabbing onto his beer, taking a swig.

You could tell him how Mingi and Wooyoung have grown closer, how the four of you were turning into a proper foursome- if you’d ever allow it. You could tell him that Mingi says Wooyoung is a good friend, that the two talk more than they ever have, that they share things with one another, things that Mingi and Yunho would share with each other. You could rub it in, that his spot was being filled, that he was being replaced with each passing second, but you couldn’t.

Because you knew at the end of the day, no matter who’s shit went where, that Mingi would choose Yunho.

He could come back to him after months, years, asking him to hide a fucking body, and Mingi would, without question.

“I know things have gone wrong,” Yunho said, nodding. “I know I’ve done things that are so messed up.” He turned to face you, his knees nearly bumping into your own. “But, I still care, Tori.” Your blood ran cold, like it had the night before. “What we all had, it’s not just something I can forget, or pretend like it didn’t happen.”

Sucking in a deep breath, you turned to face the bar and resisted the urge to ask him if he was the one you were texting, which sounded absolutely ridiculous when you said it to yourself. You had his goddamn number, why would it be him?

“How long have you been here?” you asked, sipping your now empty drink. “In Haos?”

“We came down right after you guys,” he said, and you froze. “Me, Yeosang and Keni. San and Hongjoong are staying with us, but they won’t be here till tomorrow. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised you didn’t know that?” You shook your head. “Right, who would wanna keep tabs on me anymore,” he muttered with a laugh.

“Tori?”

The voice from behind you sent a chill down your spine, and you know it happened to the boy beside you as well. Spinning around in time with him, both wide eyed and nervous, you faced Aurora who couldn’t bring herself to even look at Yunho. She stood before you in strappy sandals and a dress that almost matched the one you wore.

“Ror,” you forced from your lips, giving Yunho one last glance before you abandoned him at the bar. The look on his face as he stared at her pained you. Taking your hands to her shoulders you walked her backwards onto the dance floor, hoping to get lost in the midst of the crowd to explain yourself before she caught Wooyoung’s ear.

“Why were you talking to him?” she asked you, pulling her hands over her middle.

Digging your fingers into her shoulders, you shook your head fast. “I found him by total accident, Aurora, I didn’t mean to end up there.”

“You could’ve walked away,” she said. She was the face of patience, no emotion other than calm coming out of her.

“I know,” you breathed, taking your hands down her arms. “I just… had to get my Yunho closure.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you need Yunho closure? No one else has Yunho closure.”

“I guess… I dunno,” you said, fumbling over your words, “Maybe it wasn’t closure, I just… I could’ve walked away.”

“That was weird,” she said.

Dropping your hands, taking all but a step backward, you questioned, “But, was it?”

“What does that mean?” she asked, confusion washing over her. The way she looked at you, the same way Yuna looked at you earlier, like they didn’t know you.

Pressing your hands to your cheeks, you clenched your jaw and shook your head. “I don’t know… Aurora, I don’t… I don’t know.”

She moved around as tipsy dancers bumped into her back. Holding out a hand, she gripped one of your wrists. “That’s okay,” she said. “Should we go talk to Mingi?”

Mingi.

“No,” you answered fast, making her brows raise. “I mean, not yet,” you corrected, “I’ll talk to him later, can we just dance, Tor and Ror, come on.” Tugging at her hands, trying to spin her around, you got nothing but half a smile from her.

“I don’t… No,” she said, shaking her head, pulling her hands away from you. “I need a minute after… After that,” she mumbled, gesturing toward the bar, toward Yunho, where you were just sitting with him. “I’ll tell Ryujin you wanna dance, she’ll come out here, so will Seonghwa.”

She left you in the middle of the dance floor, weaving herself through the crowd to get back to your friends, probably doing shots in the corner, talking about who knows what. In your purse, your phone went off.

Pressing your lips together, ignoring the lump in your throat, you opened up the message and felt a tear slide down your cheek.

[ITZ]: do what feels right, pretty girl

read it on ao3 | talk to me | my masterlist

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

#all of the teezers will be here too dw #nice for what #ggg #ateez x reader #mingi x reader #mingi smut #mingi angst #ateez angst #ateez smut #mingi x you #mingi x y/n #ateez x y/n #ateez x you #ateez x female reader #plumverse #pwon is here too hehe #piwon be here

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chimivx · 10 months ago

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👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 7k (part FOUR of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

september 13th ~ friday ~ 6:30 p.m

A week had passed. Seven days had come and gone, and everything was running as smoothly as humanly possible. The first week of classes went well, every one of your sisters in the house upbeat and smiling about their endeavors. There wasn’t much to complain about, within your schedule you had plenty of time during the week to get assignments done, to work on projects and any essays that were due… The academic year would be as close to perfect as it could get.

After a few days of chaos, you were looking forward to moving on. Looking forward to putting your focus on your work, on the job you had in this house, your duty as a member of ITZ. Recruitment breathed down your necks, the jitters growing with every passing day, the uncertainty that ITZ would turn back into what it once was.

At her desk now, Yeji felt the most pressure. It was evident in her creased brow and her pinstraight posture, her shoulders rolled back toward the leather of her chair. For a half hour the nine of you had been sitting in this room, discussing classes, throwing out ideas for recruitment, giving one another updates of the first official week back at Nasara… A conversation you didn’t have much to add to.

Your phone vibrated in your pocket.

You had nothing to add.

“Then, it’s settled,” Yeji sighed, signaling Chaeryeong to write down what she was about to say. “Photos will be taken, Tori will get the announcements together, Mina and I will make sure the services are scheduled to stop by and set up,” she paused, reading down a list, her breath releasing heavily as she said, “After recruitment dinner will be held at ATZ.”

Yuna swallowed a smile, sitting in the velvet chair she typically claimed. Her eyes traveled toward the back of the room, where the other four of you sat wedged on the couch together. You and Tori were on either end of Ryujin who held Isla half on her lap. Your roommate sent the girl a sly wink, the dinner location of her and Mingi’s doing. Mina, attentive beside her president, let her gaze find Tori. The two share something of a small smile.

Since last week they’ve been buddy-buddy. Adorable, really, the way Mina has suddenly started sitting closer to her, closer to you and your friends when you’d hang about the house, inserting herself into the dynamic like she didn’t fit in perfectly with the other half of the house. Tori took her in like it was nothing. Mina fit right under her wing so perfectly that the two have snuck out of the house three more times since last Friday.

Choosing to stay cooped up in your room, spending your time on your classes, hanging around Ryujin, Isla and Yuna, you weren’t into the idea of sweating in the living room of ATZ anymore. Not after the last party. Watching Mina and Yunho swap spit on the couches didn’t appeal to you like it might to some.

The rest of your friends couldn’t get enough.

With Mina around, you didn’t have to watch the Yunho stuff happen, you just had to hear about it. And, good god the girl wouldn’t shut up.

Yunho let me sip his drink, it was disgusting, how do you guys do it!?

Yunho taught me how to play beer pong, I’m actually pretty good, I wish you guys would come so we could play!

Of course Yunho kissed me! He does every time I see him now, it’s like nothing was ever weird between us.

On, and on, and on.

At least the attention was off of you. Not a soul has brought up Wooyoung, and not a soul has mentioned anything about Seonghwa. Not that they would, no one knew.

Your phone vibrated in your pocket again. Reaching a hand back you slipped it out and peeked at the screen before Yeji could catch you. Both messages on your screen made your nerves spark.

[starhwa]: Party tonight. I know you’re fulfilling your sisterhood duties by following the rules now, but if you came I promise I’d make it worth your time.

His message came first. The one received twenty minutes ago.

The second, the newest, made you want to snap your phone in half.

[youknow everythin]: I miss you I hate everything about what’s happening right now Rory

He hasn’t spoken to you since the party, the one you stormed out of because he decided to swallow Mina’s tongue in front of you.

The following morning you woke up before Tori. Shuffling to the bathroom to wash up before anyone figured out where you were the night before, you found a purple mark in the shape of a heart on the base of your neck. Reminded of everything that had happened, the blurry words you said to him, you didn’t expect to smile.

Make me forget.

You covered the hickey, and have had to all week because that shit was dark, and sent Seonghwa a mortifying text message because you remembered what Yunho had told you a few days prior to you ending up in his sheets. Seonghwa was apparently with somebody, dating somebody, and was unavailable.

A lie.

A Yunho lie.

So you’ve been talking to him everyday, all week. Yunho was content with Mina, he had his hands full with all that shit. Seonghwa was funny, he was chill. Sure, he didn’t let you rant about life like Yunho used to, listening to everything you would say, keeping mental notes for the future, listening like he was trying to memorize every word… Seonghwa didn’t do that, but he was still an alright friend.

You did miss the daily debrief about your day, about your classes… About his day, about his classes… The end of the first week of classes is when you two would hang at the party, drink yourselves silly and break down your professors and syllabuses. Judging by his message he was thinking and feeling the same thing.

[you]: promised the girls i’d do dinner tonight and i like to keep my promises.. i’ll try to come by after.. hopefully you keep yours 🤞

It was a nice distraction. There were no strings with Seonghwa. For a week it’s been silly banter and jokes. He wasn’t a guy who dated, and if he did you knew you wouldn’t be his long term type. Part of you is shocked that you’re possibly his short term type, never once in the past did Seonghwa ever make any sort of advancement on you. San on the other hand, he’s one of the only boys who’s tried unprompted by you, but, then again San went after anything that sparked his fancy.

Yeji exchanged words with Mina, then expressed something to Yuna. The higher ups spoke cohortly, the rest of you on the outside of whatever it was they were discussing. Something about… uniform? Dress code?

Your phone vibrated.

[youknow everythin]: What???

Whoops.

[youknow everythin]: Oh, that wasn’t meant for me, was it.

You started to type something smart, trying to be witty somehow, but you deleted everything you came up with. The bubbles appeared on the other side and you sighed.

[youknow everythin]: You’re talking to someone else in the house now??

Eye roll.

[youknow everythin]: Don’t ignore me, Rory, I really hate this. I feel like you’re angry at me, we don’t do this.

A notification popped up at the top of your screen.

[starhwa]: What did you dooo Ror

Withholding your smile you took a screenshot of you and Yunho’s conversation and made sure to send it in the right thread, to Seonghwa. It took him a few seconds to ‘love’ the message.

[starhwa]: What a whiny bitch

[starhwa]: ‘We don’t do this’ sounds like something a liar says hmmm

[starhwa]: Come tonight, let’s piss him off

The corners of your lips perked up. Now that sounded like a good time. It would certainly make up for the time spent this week listening to Mina describe every single detail of every single kiss she and Yunho shared.

[you]: i have dinner tonight with the girls, i’ll sneak away and see you after, hwa :)

[starhwa]: You bad girl… I’ll see you later.

“Who are you talking to?” Tori’s quiet voice startled you. “Smiling at your phone like that, who is it?” Slapping the screen flat to your thigh you wiped your face clean and looked at her. The smirk she wore paired with her curious brows made your heart stop for a second. “No, no,” she giggled. The meeting was over, you missed whatever was decided and Yeji’s send off. The girls were rushing out of the room. “Are you talking to somebody?”

“Seonghwa,” you whispered. Ryujin and Isla were gone, Tori had scooted all the way over to your side of the couch. In her sleeveless denim jumpsuit she crossed her legs, leaning into you. At the mention of ATZ’s Vice President her jaw fell open. “Don’t make it a big deal, we aren’t talking.”

“But, you’re texting,” she said, shifting her eyes over to Yeji and Mina, still at the wooden desk. “How did this happen? When did this happen?”

“You know we’ve been friends,” you said, following the shift of her eyes, finding Mina smiling at her. “He’s friends with Yunho too, so…”

“Right,” Tori said, narrowing her gaze. “I’ve just never seen you two talk, that’s all.”

With a breath, you smiled. “Are we doing dinner, or what? I’m starving.”

Tori eyed you for a moment, then nodded. “We are, but we have to wait for Mina.”

Of course you did.

“Are the others waiting?” you asked, glancing over your shoulder to see if Ryujin, Isla or Yuna were still hanging around.

Tori inspected her acrylic nails and shook her head. “We told them they could go.”

Your brows plummeted. “You and Mina told them they could go?” Tori nodded, picking at her cuticles. “Was I going to be a part of that decision?” She held her hands in front of her, judging her choice of polish.

“I shouldn’t have done teal, Mingi hates teal.”

“Tori,” you said, catching her attention. “Did you hear me?”

“Yeah, me and Mina said they could leave,” she said. “She’ll be done soon anyways, then we’ll catch up with them. What’s the big deal?”

Did this happen while you were texting Seonghwa, or was this orchestrated before like some sort of secret?

“Okay,” was all you could push out of your mouth.

Twenty minutes later you were finally on the move.

Plenty of time to leave Tori on the couch and scurry off to your bedroom to change your clothes and fluff up your hair. Taking your Nasara hoodie off you slipped into a dress similar to the one you wore last week, except this one was black with thin straps over your shoulders. Tight around your chest, it hung loose around your hips, swinging over the curves with every step taken. Tori exclaimed when you met her and Mina at the bottom of the stairs.

The sophomore took you in and smiled, her eyes falling to your thighs every so often throughout the night. She wore a striped crop top and high rise jeans, her hair styled perfectly beneath her chin, her accessories complimenting her perfectly. Always put together.

It made you sick.

But, that was his type, right?

Put together, hard working, pays attention to details, good girl.

Fuck it. If you were the opposite, which it so seemed, otherwise you’d be the one with him, you’d prove him right.

Tori drove and Mina insisted you sit in the front seat though the two yapped the entire ride over to the restaurant. Situated in downtown Delo, a ten minute drive away from the ATZ house, you sent Seonghwa your location as Tori pulled into the parking lot.

[starhwa]: You’re not far, had me thinking you wouldn’t be here till midnight again

[starhwa]: You’re not walking all that, Ror. I’ll pick you up.

“You’re quiet,” Mina said to you, leaning over the leather of Tori’s seats. Slapping your phone to your thigh, a recurring habit now, Mina watched it, eyed your skin, then smiled at you. “Everything okay?” Tori had gotten out of the car moments prior, pressing her own cell phone to her ear to give Mingi her every ten minute update of where she was and what she was doing.

Dragging your eyes from your roommate to the sophomore, you sighed. “Yeah, I’m fine. Really hungry, I wanted to eat a half hour ago.”

Mina pursed her lips. “I’m sorry,” she breathed. “Yeji’s so stressed, I didn’t think she’d keep me for so long after. I hope you know I’m really happy to be here with you guys.”

Sitting forward, pulling off your seatbelt, you let it hit the window as you reached for the handle. “Happy to have you, Mina,” you grumbled, slipping out of the car onto the asphalt.

This street was cute. One of the better ones in downtown Delo that’s been built up, heavy work going into it to make it a thriving city instead of one that people would shake their heads at if it were brought up in conversation. You were at one of many restaurants, a sushi place Isla was obsessed with. A sushi place Isla has drawn mad attention to, essentially helping with the flip of reputation, because of her and her brother.

Along the street lively people hung around, good crowds of smiling people and people playing music on the corners or inside some of the bars. There was a club a few minutes down the street, one that was closed for ages, but had recently reopened. This street was the first to flip people’s idea of Delo, that and the outstanding rep Nasara provided the city.

[you]: I’ll tell you when… are you sure you’re okay with that

[starhwa]: …

[starhwa]: Anything for you.

“There’s that smile again,” Tori teased, following you into the restaurant with Mina on her tail. Shooting her a look, you made her laugh.

“What smile?” Mina asked, her happy-go-lucky grin glowing as she stepped into the dimly lit lobby. Tori nudged her with an elbow and wiggled her brows.

“Her boy smile,” she said.

Mina’s smile faltered. Looking over at you, she seemed to force a laugh out of herself. “What boy?” she asked. “Don’t tell me you’re talking to Wooyoung again?”

Since when did she know so much about that?

You looked at Tori who went unaffected by her bestie’s words.

“Why would you care if I am?” you questioned.

Tori decided to feel affected now.

“She’s just worried, Ror,” she said, wrapping a hand around your bicep. Guiding you toward the back of the restaurant, dodging tables and waiters, she said, “None of us want you to go back to him.”

Peering back to catch a glimpse of Mina, she gave you a smile. “Do you even know the full story?”

She nodded, her hair swinging below her chin. “Tori and I spoke about it a few days ago. She was giving me the group debrief so I’d be prepared for a night like tonight.” Stepping up to your side as you approached the table your friends were at, Mina took your other arm in her hand and tilted her head. “There are so many guys better than him, trust me.”

“Better than who?” Yuna asked, brows pulled tight in the center of her forehead. Her chocolate hair was pulled back into a bun, her bangs dusting her eyelashes. Glancing down at her and your friends, a laugh sparked at Ryujin with a salmon roll between her lips, frozen, staring up at you with widened eyes. Isla was focused on her plate, a wine glass on the table next to it.

“Wooyoung,” Mina said, and the two paying attention groaned.

“Nothing is going on,” you stated, taking note of how Tori sat beside Yuna, Mina taking the empty chair beside her. The last empty seat was next to Isla, her and her gorgeous hair not giving you the time of day when you slipped onto the wood beside her, across from Yuna. “We haven’t spoken at all.”

“You did at the party, right?” Mina asked innocently, studying the menu in front of her. Piercing her with your glare, Tori kicked your shin under the table, pleading with you with her own eyes to not freak out.

Ryujin, with her mouth full, asked, “You talked to Wooyoung and didn’t tell us?” She leaned forward to get a glimpse of you past Isla.

Yuna stared at you, eyes big and wider than they normally are. “What the hell did he say? What the hell did you say?” Now, Mina picked up her head.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” you breathed, holding up your hands to feign your innocence. “We passed by each other, he told me I looked good, I didn’t say anything back, and that was it.” Tori had dropped her chin, she looked at you through her lashes. Mina, curious as ever, raised an eyebrow.

“Where did you find him, ‘cause…” she shared a look with Tori, “We didn’t see him all night.”

Probably because you were wedged so far up Yunho’s asshole to pay attention to anything or anyone else.

“I hung out with Seonghwa and Yeosang in the kitchen,” you said, keeping your gaze fixated on her to prove your lie was the truth. “I met some girls who are planning to come to recruitment, by the way,” you said to the table, Yuna’s eyes lighting up. “But, I ran into him on the second floor, leaving the bathroom. First floor was taken, so I had to go upstairs. You ever been upstairs, Mina?” The sophomores expression fell.

“Aurora,” Tori said, hushed, like she was disappointed.

“The fuck does that mean?” Ryujin asked genuinely, shoving another piece of sushi into her mouth.

Isla, reaching for her wine glass, flipped her hair backward and sniffled. “I think she means sex,” she said without concern for how loud she was speaking. Licking her lips, she took a gulp of her glass and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “She’s implying that Mina’s never gone upstairs at ATZ.”

“Okay,” Ryujin muttered, helping Isla place the glass down safely.

“Damn,” Yuna snickered, putting her focus on her plate.

Tori scoffed. “You guys are sick,” she started. “That’s not what we go there for.”

“It’s what you go there for,” Ryujin smirked, assisting Isla in picking up her sushi for her. Tori shot her eyes back and forth from the two, and clenched her jaw.

“That doesn’t matter,” Tori snapped. “Besides, we’ve been dating for a while, it’s totally different.”

Ryujin perked a brow. “Is it?”

“Doesn’t matter!” Tori nearly shouted. Mina put a hand on her arm, the two sharing a look. “Ror, that wasn’t nice,” she said to you, her big brown eyes now asking you to apologize. As you glanced to Mina, the girl who shared personal secrets with you about going upstairs, the look on her face made your heart twist.

Did she deserve an apology? Probably.

Did you want to give her one? No.

First she’s taken Yunho, now she’s taken Tori. She’s sitting here at dinner with you and your friends, winning them over with her good girl attitude, her good girl outlook on life. She was going to make a difference here, she was going to do some good, she was going to help Isla and be the best Vice President, and help Yeji get ITZ into good shape so more girls like herself would join.

It’s no wonder he wouldn’t want you. What do you have to give?

Sex on the side because he wasn’t getting it from her?

A fuck when he wanted it because his good girl was being a good girl?

A wise man once told you, fuck him. He’s not worth it.

So, fuck him.

Pushing your chair out from under you with force, startling Isla and Yuna, you grip the back and shove it back under the table, muttering the quickest I’m sorry to either of the girls before hurrying off toward the lobby of the restaurant.

“Ror!” Tori called after you.

Mina’s voice boiled your blood. “Let her go, Tor, it’s okay.”

Tor. That was your Tor.

[you]: come get me now

[starhwa]: Babe, you just got there

[you]: yeah, well i’m pissed off. come get me.

september 13th ~ friday ~ 9:12 p.m

With his hand wrapped around the back of your neck, beneath your hair, Seonghwa kept you close to him while he spoke to potential members of his fraternity. All night since he came back with you he’s kept you by his side, replacing your drinks when needed, checking in on you when you got too quiet, and most importantly, keeping you away from Yunho.

Throughout the first hour of you being here you had your eyes glued to your phone, waiting for any one of your sisters to message you, or call you. You figured Tori would be the first, you’d have a text before you even walked out into the parking lot. But, it was radio silence. After your first two drinks with Seonghwa, who could easily outdrink you, he got fed up and snatched your phone from you, telling you you could have it back if it was an emergency, or if Tori was calling. It lived in the back pocket of his tightly tailored slacks now.

“Remind me your name again?” Seonghwa smiled at the boy in front of him, the freshman with bright eyes that occasionally lingered over to you while they spoke.

The blonde was familiar, you’d seen him before.

“Jongseob,” he said, a cocky smile growing on his face as he tipped his chin up. “Thank you for your time tonight.” He extended a hand to Seonghwa, one which he took and shook. “Your girlfriend is beautiful,” Jongseob turned his chin and extended a hand toward you. Swapping your red cup into the other, you placed it in his hold and he brought it to his lips, pressing the tiniest kiss to your knuckles. Lips parting in shock, he gave you a soft laugh. “I hear great things about ITZ, as well. If all goes well within the next few weeks, I’ll see you at dinner.” His charm was infatuating.

“See you at dinner,” you breathed, voice going shaky as he flashed Seonghwa another grin and turned away. Looking up at Seonghwa, he was already watching you.

“He just called you my girlfriend,” he said through a laugh.

Blinking, you smiled, shaking your head. “You are holding onto me like I’m yours.”

His eyes flashed with something dark, and he asked, “Is that a problem?”

Poking your tongue between your lips, making sure he watched, you smized up at him, knowing you were both thinking about the same thing. “I don’t think it is.”

“Perfect,” Seonghwa raised his eyebrows, shifting both hands to your shoulders, “Then, let’s go dance.”

Letting him guide you down the hall, you were tipsy enough to the point of not noticing anyone if they were watching you. You didn’t want to pay attention to anybody anyway, you were here to forget, you were here to have fun. The other people didn’t matter. Your friends didn’t matter right now. Yunho didn’t matter. All of the bullshit from before, from last semester, from last week… It didn’t matter.

“I wish we weren’t banned,” you said. “You get to have fun with all the interested freshmen. I think Yeji fucked us by banning us, we can’t be here to mingle.”

Seonghwa huffed a laugh. “Yeah, she royally screwed you guys.”

“Hey,” you tried to pause your walk, but he kept you going without missing a beat. “That’s not nice.”

He pressed his lips to your ear. “I’m not nice.”

Chills erupted down your spine.

“Oh my god, just take me upstairs,” you said, shaking your head, and he laughed.

“Not yet,” he mumbled, turning you into the living room full of people. An obnoxious club song from ages ago blasted through the speakers. “First we fuck shit up.”

“Gladly,” you sighed, letting him slip his arms around your waist, pulling you further into the mass of students of every age, the two of you getting lost in the pulse of the music.

Taking your hand to his shoulder you slide it around his neck, hooking it in your elbow, forcing him to lean over you. You danced into him, his hands guiding you against him again and again, his hold slipping lower with every twist of your hips. Sipping from your cup, you eyed him, then downed the rest of the contents. Seonghwa took the red plastic from your hand and threw it to the floor behind him, finally free to cage you against him, both of your hands finding sanctuary in his long hair. He pressed his forehead to yours, the sudden closeness knocking your breath from your lungs, Seonghwa pulling you under his spell within seconds.

“What do you want?” he asked, both hands gripping the round of your ass, pushing your hips into his.

Forced to your tiptoes, you pushed a breath from your lips. “What do you mean?”

Seonghwa’s eyes flickered to your lips. “Out of tonight. What do you want to get out of tonight?” He studied your face, every bit of it. “Last time you told me to make you forget. What do you want to do now?”

“I- I- I don’t…”

“Tell me,” he said, softening his gaze. “Let me help.”

“What’s in it for you?”

That devilish smirk found his lips. “I get you, Ror.”

“What are you talking about?”

“All these assholes want you,” he said. “And none of them like each other.” The Greek life facade. “Help me piss them off, and I’ll help you piss them off.”

Now that sounded nice. Only, it wasn’t your goal. Pissing off Yunho sounded nice, maybe even pissing off Wooyoung a little bit, but in doing so that would mean your sisters would find out what you’re doing, and if they found out what you were doing you’d have to either tell them it’s fake and risk exposing your truth to the ATZ boys, or play it up that it was real and be forced to keep another thing from them…

“No,” you said, and he wasn’t the least bit shocked. “We shouldn’t even be doing this right now.”

“Why?” He tipped his head back to shake it. “Worried he’ll stop giving a fuck? Because you shouldn’t be.” Gazing up at him, his perfect honey skin dripping with utter lust, his words almost convinced you.

“Seonghwa!”

His voice punched a hole in your gut.

The vice president followed it, looking up, keeping you flush against him. Dusty brown hair and glasses pushed through the crowded living room, ending up at your side. Seonghwa took one look at you, begging for an answer before anything else happened. The smallest shake of your head made him let go of you, the loss of his warmth incredibly disappointing.

Yunho took you in, from what you were wearing down to how you reacted when Seonghwa took his hands off of you. “Hongjoong is looking for you,” he said to his advisor. His higher up. His boss. The two shared something between their eyes, something you couldn’t figure out.

“Is he?” Seonghwa asked, rolling his shoulders back.

Yunho grit his teeth. “He is.”

You were out of there.

Getting lost in the heaps of people you made your way back into the kitchen, weaving through couples making out on the walls of the hallway. Wobbling to a fridge, you yanked it open, the heavy door swinging toward a group of guys standing against the other side of it.

“Whoa!” A hand caught the door before it hit him. “Hey, you’re Seonghwa’s girl.” That was a voice you knew. Taking a can of fruity bubbles from the shelf, you cracked it open and let the boy close the door for you.

Jongseob, you think.

“Jongseob,” Jongseob said.

Right.

Sipping your drink, you smiled and stepped closer to him. He was dressed in black and grey, his blonde hair brushing his shoulders contrasting against the dark colors in a weirdly pretty way.

“Jongseob,” you repeated, and he smiled. “I’m not Seonghwa’s girl.”

Twisting his lips curiously, he nodded and glanced at his friends. “This is Intak,” he motioned to a boy with black cropped hair in a white button down and jeans, the top three buttons undone, “And this is Shota.” The third boy had blonde hair like Jongseob, only it was lighter, near white. His eyes were dark, almost void of all color, and the way he dressed reflected his age. An old band tee and ripped jeans with bracelets on his wrists.

“Call me Soul,” Shota said, splaying a hand over his chest. He was tall, all three of them were, but the other two had muscle to them. Soul was wide, but gangly, slimmer than his friends.

“Soul,” you whispered, and he smiled, his pink lips curving upward. “I’ve seen you before, Soul.”

He quirked a brow, his smile growing. “Have you, Aurora?”

You matched his smile. “Sannie’s fun, isn’t he?”

The boy who was attached to San’s hip last week laughed. “When you want a spot in the house he is.”

“Ooo,” you sang, stepping closer to the three of them. Intak, who couldn’t stop staring at your legs, took a step backward. Jongseob and Soul didn’t move. Both were eating you alive with their eyes, the intensity had potential to make your knees buckle. “Seems you already fit in just fine,” you said to Soul. Turning to look at Intak, the boy's brown eyes met yours, and he took a breath. “If I wasn’t in the middle of something I’d take you upstairs first.”

Spinning on your heels, missing the way Intak grabbed hold of Soul to steady himself, you sauntered out to the hall sipping your drink. You weren’t sure what number you were on, but you didn’t care. Everything that weighed you down before suddenly didn’t seem so heavy. These parties really were an outlet, Yeji’s a monster for taking it away.

Crossing the threshold into the living room, ready to find Seonghwa and get on with the night, the front door to the house opened. Tori, Mingi, Mina, Yuna, Ryujin and Isla filed inside.

“Oh, great,” you mumbled, and hurried deeper into the living room, hoping to go undetected. If Wooyoung could do it in this house, at his own party, you could do it too. How hard could it be?

You passed by Yeosang and the girl he was with the other night on the couch, the two sharing a drink, talking to one another in their own world, like there wasn’t a party happening around them. When people stumbled into them, they didn’t even react. He had his arm slung around her back, listening to her as she talked, nodding along, actually listening to her. Wanting to ruffle his waves, you decided to leave him alone. It’d been a week and he was still attached to this girl. That meant something.

Heading back toward the tables set up on the other side of the living room, a hand latched onto your wrist, tugging you backward. Whipping yourself around, wide eyed and ready to unload on the jerk who touched you without permission, when you met Yunho’s frustrated expression, you groaned.

“What’s going on?” he asked, letting you go, taking note of the drink you were holding. “Why are you hanging around Seonghwa?”

“Why not?” you questioned, folding your arms after a gulp from your can. “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah,” he answered without hesitation, his tone dripping in disbelief, like he couldn't believe you weren’t in agreement with him. “I know how he is, you shouldn’t get involved.” The song changed over the speakers and everyone shouted, another old song pumping through the air. Yunho cringed, sparing a glance at the crowd over his shoulder.

“Are you not drinking?” you asked, looking him up and down for signs of drunkenness. He was really good at hiding it.

“I am,” he said.

“What are you on?”

He shrugged. “I don’t remember.”

“Me either,” you said, shaking the can around.

It fell quiet between the two of you. Staring at one another, you couldn’t feel anything bad as you looked at him. For a second his eyes dropped down your body, so you let yours do the same. He wore ripped jeans and a white long sleeved shirt. Two necklaces hung around his neck over his shirt. The chain was gone.

He looked good.

“I need another,” he said, breaking the silence. Crinkling the can in your hand, you took the last sip and crushed it completely.

“So do I,” you mumbled.

Yunho rubbed his hands on his legs and took a breath. “Wanna go get one?”

Gazing up at him, you bobbed your head. “Sure,” you said, and he nodded with you. “I saw… I saw, uh, Tori come in… And Mina… And I think everyone else.”

He couldn’t look away from you. “Mingi told me they were coming.”

“Oh.” You pressed your lips together tight and sucked in a breath.

Yunho tore his eyes away for all of three seconds before they were on you again. “We can make it to drinks and back without seeing them.”

“You don’t wanna see them?”

He shook his head. “Do you?”

“No,” you whispered.

“Why?” he asked.

Your turn to shake your head. “Why don’t you?”

“Christ,” he muttered, grabbing onto your wrist. He pulled you out of the living room, his head darting back and forth searching for unsuspecting eyes. The only ones you passed on the way to the kitchen were the three freshmen. Intak, Soul and Jongseob, all taking account of who you were with and where you were going. You were goddamn lucky this house stretched on for miles.

He left you outside of the kitchen, planting you by the archway, in the small corner you found Yeosang in last week, just outside of the bathroom door. Disappearing into the kitchen, telling you that he would be right back and not to move, he left you.

The door to your right opened, and a very sloshed Isla tumbled out of it. She shoved it closed and looked up at you, both of you confused, both of you squinting at one another in the dim light.

“Hey,” she said, pushing her messy hair from her face. “When did you get here, Ror, I was worried about you.” She came close and put a hand around your shoulders.

Taking her hand in yours, you laid your head against her arm. “You were worried about me?”

She nodded, leaning into you. “I was, me. These other fake bitches weren’t.”

Your stomach rolled. “What?”

Coming closer to your ear, she said, “These other fake bitches weren’t.” Pulling away, she raised her brows and shot you a look. “They didn’t care where you went, they just kept… Blah, blah, blah, boys. Blah, blah, blah, we look hot. Blah, blah, blah, Mina’s so adorable. Blah, blah, blah… Yunho.” She looked up beside you, and started to smile. “Funny, they were talking about you almost the whole time.”

He had two drinks in his hand, in red cups. “Who was?” he asked, his eyes going slightly wild. Isla stepped toward him and slapped a hand onto his chest.

“Mi-na,” she sounded out the girl's name, then laughed at herself.

Suddenly, Vernon appeared around the corner and sighed, wrapping an arm around her back. “What did I say about wandering?”

Isla screwed her face up and immediately fell into him. “I had to pee, Nonie.” You giggled. “Unless you wanted to come with me…”

Vernon sighed, his eyes closing for a moment. “Definitely not, Isla, let’s go.” He sent his goodbyes to you and Yunho with a nod, then the two were gone.

Looking up at the giant beside you, you took the cup with a tiny thank you, then said, “I didn’t wander.”

Pressing the rim of his cup to his lips, he hid a smile. “Thank god.”

Drinking what he gave you, you could’ve gagged. Pulling the cup from your lips, you voiced your disapproval and he laughed.

He laughed.

He laughed and it sounded beautiful.

“Too strong?” he asked, and you scoffed.

“You think!?”

He took a step closer to you with his grin. “M’sorry, I didn’t think I did that, I can’t really… Couldn’t really tell.”

The dimples imprinted on his cheeks warmed your heart. “Yunho, you’re drunk.”

His eyes went crazy. Dropping his jaw, he said, “Rory, you’re drunk.”

Rory.

“I am,” you said, drinking his concoction, maintaining face, though you both laughed when the aftertaste smacked you across the face. “Fuck, Yo, what did you do?”

Yunho tilted his head, his smile softening. “I miss hearing you say that.”

Blinking, losing all joy in your face, you pulled your lips into a pout. “I miss saying that.”

Sipping from your cups, both of you, drinking a little faster, Yunho came closer to you and took your hand in his. “Come on,” he mumbled, taking you down the hall.

“Where are we going?” You glanced around you as you walked, not that you were vigilant in the slightest right now. Yunho took you around the stairs, pushing through a few girls crowded there.

“Somewhere where I can talk to you without feeling like I’ll get in trouble,” he said, his voice hushed, speaking only to you.

“Have you been getting in trouble?” you asked, landing on the vacant second floor. The girls on the stairs had their eyes on your back before you disappeared into Yunho’s bedroom.

“Not necessarily,” he said, locking the door behind him. Looking around his room you were torn. You sipped from your cup, almost at the bottom, and contemplated walking out. You were just here almost two weeks ago, mere hours before the earth shook beneath your feet.

“Then what do you mean,” you whispered, turning to face him.

He walked over to his bed, his messy bed. Yunho was smart and intelligent, but he wasn’t organized in the slightest. He was a genius in the mad scientist way, his room was a mess. Clothes were strewn on the floor, his blankets were rumpled, books were scattered about the rug he’s always put down on the floor, and his walls were littered with polaroid photos and scraps of paper that meant something to him.

It was endearing.

“I mean…” he sighed, knocked back the rest of his cup, and threw it to the floor. Sitting on the edge of his bed he put his elbows on his knees and drug his hands through his hair. “It’s obvious, we both know it,” he said, looking up at you. “You said it to me, I pursued her, and here I am, losing my mind over you.” Coming to his side, you sat next to him and finished your drink. He took it from you and threw it to the ground, letting it roll over to his.

“Yo,” you whispered, and he shook his head.

“No,” he said. “Don’t say what you’re gonna say, because I know it. What I don’t know is how to fix it, Rory. I miss you. This week is supposed to be ours.”

Dropping your eyes to his bed, you exhaled and whispered, “Now it’s yours and hers.”

Yunho moved closer to you, taking your chin in his hands, tilting your head up to look him in the eyes. “Stop, no it’s not.” He spoke in a whisper, you both did.

“Yes, it is, Yo. The week is over, and I haven’t spoken to you since last Friday.”

Last Friday when he kissed Mina in front of you.

Last Friday when you decided it’d be a good idea to roll around his friends sheets.

“Why’d you have to talk to her?” Your half broken whisper wrecked his composure.

Shaking his head, he parted his lips and released a breath before he kissed you. A kiss that felt like no other. A kiss that felt right. A kiss you wanted over any other kiss. It was warm, and heavy, and all the more insatiable. You could drown in it, and you wanted to. If you never took another breath again, so be it.

It happened fast, Yunho’s shirt hitting the floor. Between lips on skin and hands drawing everywhere, you were both barely undressed and he was inside of you.

And it was right.

It was how it should be.

On top of him, hands in his hair, straddling his jeans while he pressed kisses to your skin, tugging the straps of your dress down your shoulders so hard that one almost snapped… It felt right, and his strong hands pressing into your hips told you that you would be here all night.

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

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