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blu3ming-hoon · 2 months ago

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TAMED DASH ୨ৎ 박성훈

pairing idol 박성훈 x reader

୨ৎ Your boyfriend returns from Coachella, exhausted, and snaps at you, quickly regretting it 💌 wc. 2043 - genre, fluff, slight angst

📝 what the fuck was enchella. I’m not sane after that shit

The airport was still buzzing, flashes from camera phones and the hum of tired conversations fading behind him as Sunghoon gave one last wave to his members.

“Text us when you’re settled,” Heeseung called out, already sliding into a black van.

Sunghoon just nodded, slinging his bag higher on his shoulder. His limbs ached from the flight, his hoodie felt suffocating in the spring heat, and his head throbbed with every sound. He didn’t even have the energy to pull out his mask as he stepped into the quiet car waiting for him. His driver asked if he wanted anything to eat. He just shook his head, eyes already fluttering closed against the window.

The drive home was a blur. Familiar city lights painted the sky, but Sunghoon could only think about the bed that had been calling his name for days. That, and you. He hadn’t seen you since before they left for California. The two of you had barely gotten used to living together—boxes still shoved in corners, bookshelves half-filled, your toothbrush resting beside his like it had always been there.

He missed you. He did. But right now, exhaustion gnawed at his bones, and the Coachella high had long since crashed into post-tour burnout.

The elevator dinged softly, and he stepped into the hallway of your apartment. The familiar scent of laundry detergent and that vanilla candle you were obsessed with welcomed him home more than anything else. His keys jangled as he pushed open the door quietly.

The living room was dark except for the flicker of the TV playing some random drama rerun. You were curled up on the couch, the oversized hoodie you wore practically swallowing you whole. Your mouth was slightly open, breaths even and soft.

Sunghoon sighed. You’d waited up.

He toed off his shoes with difficulty and set his bag down beside the door, stretching once before padding quietly into the kitchen for a glass of water. But before he could even fill it, a rustle from the couch caught his attention.

You shot up like a zombie resurrected by caffeine, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. “You’re home!”

He blinked. “Yeah…”

“I missed you so much.” You launched yourself off the couch before he could even process it, arms wrapping tightly around his middle. You buried your face in his chest, breathing him in like you were trying to memorize the scent of airport air and whatever cologne he’d used during the trip.

He stood there, frozen. His arms hung awkwardly at his sides, muscles stiff. But then, he relaxed, trying to push down the exhaustion and irritability that had built up over the past two weeks. He knew how sensitive you were, how you could feel the tiniest hint of his frustration. So, despite his body practically begging for rest, he smiled softly.

“I missed you too,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. His hands hesitated for a moment before settling gently around your back, just enough to hold you without feeling overwhelmed. “It’s just… it’s been a long trip.”

You smiled against him, clearly not noticing the slight tension in his shoulders. “I’ve been watching all the fan edits. You looked so good, Sunghoon. Seriously.”

His smile faltered just a little as you continued talking, your words pouring out in a rush—how much you missed him, how great he looked in the videos, how the edits had made you wish you were there, and how you’d barely been able to sleep without him next to you.

“I—” Sunghoon’s words got caught in his throat for a second. He didn’t want to come off as rude. He didn’t want to hurt you. So, he just nodded, trying to keep his patience. His thumb gently traced circles on the back of your hoodie as he focused on keeping his emotions in check.

“Yeah, I know,” he said, his voice quieter now. He was smiling, but the exhaustion in his eyes was becoming harder to hide.

You pulled back slightly, still talking about how you couldn’t wait to catch up on everything, but Sunghoon’s head felt heavy, his body sluggish with the kind of tiredness that was almost painful. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to keep calm as your voice bubbled on, not realizing the way he was barely holding himself together.

It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate how much you cared, it was just… right now, it felt like too much. But he didn’t want to snap. Not when he knew how much you valued the little moments like this.

So, he smiled again, faintly, despite everything. “Let’s talk later, okay? I just… I really need to rest.”

And with that, he gently pulled away, walking past you toward the bedroom, trying to ignore the weight that pressed down on his chest.

You didn’t hear what Sunghoon had said, your excitement still buzzing in your chest as you bounced on your toes, waiting for him to react more to your rambling. When he moved past you toward the bedroom, you were still talking, eager to close the distance between you and him.

“Sunghoon, wait! I swear you looked so—”

You followed him into the room, heart racing with anticipation. “Hey, are you still tired? I just missed you so much. We can go get food or I can make something—whatever you want, I don’t care, I just want to be with you.”

You tried to sit next to him, but he was already sitting on the bed, rubbing his temples like he was trying to hold it all together. He hadn’t even taken off his jacket yet. You could feel the tension in the room—the kind of tension that made you nervous but also desperate to make everything right. You missed him, and you just wanted him to talk to you.

“Sunghoon?” you asked again, your voice softer this time as you sat beside him, nudging his arm with your elbow. “Are you okay?”

He didn’t look at you. He just stared at the floor, his lips pressed together in a thin line. You could tell he was holding something back, probably frustration from the long flight, but you couldn’t help yourself. You needed to talk to him. Needed him to see you.

“Sunghoon, are you mad at me? You’ve barely said anything, and—”

That was when he finally snapped.

“God, can you stop?!” he growled, his voice sharp, like a sudden burst of anger he could no longer contain. He jerked away from you, swearing under his breath. “I’m fucking tired. Why can’t you just give me a second to breathe?!”

His words hit you like a slap, and for a moment, all you could do was freeze, mouth open in shock. Sunghoon had never talked to you like that, never let his anger spill so suddenly.

He sat up straighter, hands gripping the bed, his knuckles white. His eyes, though tired, flashed with frustration.

“I just got off a plane after two weeks, and you won’t stop talking. It’s too much!” he spat, his voice cold and harsh, every word laced with irritation. “I don’t need this right now.”

You pulled back, confusion and hurt twisting in your stomach. You’d never seen him so on edge with you before. His words hung in the air, sharp and cutting, and for a moment, you wondered if you’d said something wrong. If you’d pushed him too far.

But Sunghoon didn’t apologize. Not yet. He just stared at you, waiting for your reaction, chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to collect himself, his gaze hard.

It felt like the room was holding its breath, and you didn’t know whether to keep talking or give him space.

You sat there in stunned silence, your heart pounding in your chest. The air in the room suddenly felt thick, like there was no room left to breathe. Sunghoon hadn’t moved, his gaze still fixed on you, but he wasn’t looking at you like he usually did—not with warmth, not with that soft affection you were so used to. No, right now, his eyes were filled with something else.

Frustration.

You swallowed, trying to steady your breath, but the weight of his words hung heavy in the air between you. It was clear he was tired, but his snap… it hurt. It wasn’t like him.

“Sunghoon…” You whispered, your voice smaller than you intended. “I didn’t mean to—”

“I don’t care if you didn’t mean to,” he interrupted, his tone still biting. “I just want a damn break, okay? I haven’t had a moment to myself in weeks, and now you’re here, talking my ear off and acting like everything’s fine. It’s not. I’m not fine.”

You flinched. His words felt like a punch to the gut, and you could feel the sting of them deep in your chest. The part of you that wanted to defend yourself, to explain that you just missed him, was overwhelmed by the sudden rush of guilt. You hadn’t meant to make him snap, but you had.

He sighed, rubbing his face in frustration as he slumped back against the headboard, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

“Just… just give me a minute. Please,” he said, voice softer now but still tinged with irritation. “I don’t want to yell at you, I don’t. But I need you to understand. I’m so fucking exhausted, and I don’t know how to say it without sounding like an asshole.”

You nodded slowly, biting the inside of your lip as you tried to fight back the tears that suddenly stung at the corners of your eyes. You didn’t want to cry. Not in front of him, not like this. But everything inside you felt… heavy. Overwhelmed. All you wanted was to be with him, to make up for the time lost while he was gone.

Instead, you felt like you were pushing him further away.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, your voice barely audible now. “I just… I missed you so much. I was excited you were finally home, but I guess I didn’t realize how tired you were.”

Sunghoon didn’t say anything for a long moment. He just sat there, eyes staring ahead as if he was lost in his thoughts. You felt the space between you both growing with every second that passed. His silence was suffocating, but you didn’t want to make it worse by saying the wrong thing.

Finally, he let out another sigh. This one wasn’t as harsh, though it was still filled with exhaustion.

“I know,” he muttered, rubbing his temples. “I know you missed me. I get it. But I didn’t have time to miss you. I was too busy being run into the ground. You know how it is.” His voice softened again, just barely, as he looked over at you. “I don’t want to make you feel bad. I’m just… I just need a minute to breathe. Can you give me that?”

You nodded again, this time more understanding, though your chest still ached.

“Okay,” you said quietly. “I’ll give you space. I’m sorry for… pushing you.”

Sunghoon leaned back against the bed, eyes closed, and you could hear the faint sound of his breath, a little steadier now.

“I’m sorry, too,” he muttered after a beat, his voice still rough but with a touch of sincerity. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I know you’re not the reason I’m so tired. It’s just… I didn’t know how else to handle it.”

You didn’t respond right away. You simply sat there, letting the tension simmer between you both, but it wasn’t as sharp as it had been a few moments ago. You still felt the sting of his words, but the soft apology was enough to ease the weight, even just a little.

After a long moment of silence, Sunghoon finally shifted in the bed, sitting up straighter. He hesitated before reaching over and pulling you gently toward him. He didn’t say anything, but his arms wrapped around you, pulling you close in a quiet, almost apologetic hug.

You rested your head against his chest, and for the first time since he’d come home, the ache in your chest eased, just a little.

want to read my long fanfics? Check out @shy9-29

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blu3ming-hoon · 5 months ago

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﹙ 🎬 ﹚ ────TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE.

SYPNOSiS. you and park sunghoon were close friends until high school changed things. when your best friend began dating him, you realized your feelings for sunghoon ran deeper than friendship—a letter you wrote a long time ago makes its way to park sunghoon, what will happen when he asks you to fake date him? could you ignore your past feelings or will this go horribly wrong.. INSPIRED BY TATBILB.

୨୧ PAiRING. ex-bestfriend’s ex boyfriend! park sunghoon x fem! reader, jock! sunghoon x academic! reader.

୨୧ GENRE. highschool romance, fake dating, mostly fluff, very minimal angst. non!idol au. she fell first, he fell harder, happy ending!!

୨୧ WARNiNGS. profanities, kissing, karina being annoying ngl.. yn being indecisive, overthinking, not proofread.

୨୧ WORD COUNT. 10,456 / 10.4K

𝓟𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗟i𝗦𝗧 ﹕ i like me better, lauv, goodnight n go, ariana grande, boyfriend, ariana grande, new romantics, taylor swift, somebody to you, the vamps, fine line, harry styles, japanese denim, daniel caesar.

NOTE. thank u guys sm for all the support on the teaser!! i’m not too happy with this but i hope u guys enjoy reading this ^^ i literally love the movies sm so i HAD to write smt for tatbilb ☝️🤓 i strongly recommend reading the teaser before this!!

IT’S JUST AN ORDINARY AFTERNOON, OR SO YOU THINK.

you’re in your room, organizing the clutter on your desk that’s been piling up for years—old notebooks, random receipts, ticket stubs from movies you don’t even remember watching.

a wave of nostalgia hits as you sift through bits and pieces of your past—buried beneath a pile of loose papers, you find it: the letter. that letter.

the one you wrote to park sunghoon all those years ago.

your breath catches in your throat as you stare at the crinkled envelope, your heart beating faster as memories rush back. you’d almost forgotten about it—almost.

with your hands trembling, you pick up the letter, reading the words scribbled across the front.

his name, written in your messy handwriting, brings back a flood of feelings you thought you’d buried for good.

this letter holds all the emotions you couldn’t say out loud. it’s a part of you—a vulnerable, painful part that you’ve kept locked away for years.

you’re tempted to rip it apart, to destroy it like you should have back then.

but before you can make a decision, your phone buzzes on the desk beside you.

a message notification from your younger sibling—who’s supposed to be helping with errands—pulls your attention away.

“hey, can you drop off the mail for me? i left a bunch of letters on the kitchen counter. thanks!”

you groan, glancing at the clock—you don’t really have the time to run errands right now, but you suppose it won’t take long.

tossing the letter back into the pile, you get up, grab the stack of letters from the kitchen, and head to the mailbox.

the evening air is cool, and you take a deep breath, trying to clear your head.

it’s just a letter, you remind yourself. it’s in the past—sunghoon is in the past. he and karina are in the past.

you drop the letters into the mailbox without a second thought.

it isn’t until much later—when you’re getting ready for bed—that the realization hits you like a punch to the gut.

the letter—sunghoon’s letter.

panic floods your chest as you bolt upright, your heart pounding in your ears.

you scramble to your desk, frantically shuffling through the papers, looking for the envelope. but it’s not there. it’s gone.

you feel sick.

“no, no, no…” you whisper to yourself, your mind racing in denial.

you couldn’t have misplaced it could you?

you had placed it in the pile, the pile you just dropped into the mailbox. the letter—the one meant for no one—is on its way to park sunghoon.

the next morning, you’re a mess.

you hardly slept, your mind replaying every worst-case scenario over and over.

what’s going to happen when sunghoon reads the letter? will he think you’re some weirdo still pining after him? will he laugh at how pathetic you must seem?

you can’t stop the panic from rising, no matter how much you try to calm yourself down.

by the time you’re at school, you feel like a bundle of nerves, anxiety if it were a physical form.

you avoid everyone, keeping your head low as you rush to your first class, hoping to make it through the day unnoticed.

but fate doesn’t seem to care about your plans.

you’re at your locker, rifling through your books, when you feel someone approach you from behind.

the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. slowly, you turn around, and your stomach drops— park sunghoon is standing right there.

his tall figure leans casually against the lockers, his eyes locked on yours, unreadable.

you’ve seen that cool, calm expression a million times before, but now it makes your palms sweat.

“hey,” he says, his voice smooth and silky, just like always.

you blink, trying to keep your expression neutral. “oh…hey, sunghoon.”

he’s quiet for a moment, and the tension in the air thickens—you can tell he’s holding something back.

finally, he reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out the letter. your letter.

“so—uh..i got this in the mail yesterday.”

your blood runs cold as your eyes lock onto the familiar envelope in his hand. the world feels like it’s tilting, and all you can think is, this isn’t happening. this can’t be happening.

“i wasn’t expecting something like this,” he says, raising an eyebrow, his voice laced with a mix of amusement and curiosity. “you wanna explain?”

you open your mouth, but no words come out.

what are you even supposed to say? that it was a mistake? that you didn’t mean to send it? that the feelings you wrote about years ago were just a phase, long since forgotten?

sunghoon waits, watching you with that calm, intense gaze that makes your pulse race.

he’s not giving anything away, not yet. you can’t tell if he’s mad or confused or if he’s just messing with you.

but you know one thing: he’s not letting this go.

finally, you manage to speak. “i… i didn’t mean for you to see that.”

sunghoon tilts his head, looking intrigued. “no?”

“no,” you say quickly, feeling your cheeks heat up. “it was a long time ago. i wrote it…a while back. i never meant to send it.”

there’s a flicker of something in his eyes—surprise, maybe?—but he doesn’t let it show for long. “so…you don’t feel this way anymore?”

you freeze.

how do you even answer that? the truth is…complicated—you hadn’t thought about those feelings for a long time, at least not consciously.

you thought you were over it—over him. but now, standing here with him holding your deepest secrets in his hands, all those old emotions are bubbling up to the surface, making you second-guess everything.

“i…” you start, but the words stick in your throat.

sunghoon watches you closely, his gaze sharp and focused. it’s the same look he used to give you when you were younger, the look that said he could see right through you.

he always knew when something was bothering you. he always knew you.

“you don’t have to answer right now,” he says, his voice softer than before. “but…we need to talk about this. you can’t just drop something like this on me and expect me to ignore it.”

you nod, feeling your stomach churn—you don’t trust yourself to speak, so you stay silent, hoping the ground will open up and swallow you whole.

but sunghoon doesn’t move. he just keeps standing there, holding the letter between his fingers, as if waiting for something.

then, as if sensing your discomfort, he sighs and folds the letter, tucking it back into his jacket.

“look, y/n,” he says, his tone more relaxed now, “i’m not mad or anything. it’s just…unexpected.”

you nod again, your throat dry.

sunghoon pushes off the lockers, taking a step closer, his presence is overwhelming, making your heart race.

“we’ll figure this out,” he says, his voice low and steady. “but for now, let’s just…talk later. after school?”

you swallow hard, nodding once more. “yeah. after school.”

he gives you a small, reassuring smile before turning and walking down the hallway, leaving you standing there, dazed and overwhelmed.

your mind is spinning, replaying everything that just happened, and all you can think is: what now?

the day feels like a blur after your confrontation with sunghoon.

every class drags on as your mind races through every possible outcome of that letter being in his hands.

when you get called on during your calculus class, you barely manage a coherent answer, your usual sharpness dulled by the storm in your head.

normally, being the top student in your class—the one everyone goes to for homework help or notes—gives you some confidence.

but right now, nothing seems to calm your nerves—not even acing the quiz that’s handed back to you.

all you can think about is what sunghoon wants to “talk about” after school.

you’re already dreading it when the final bell rings.

as you head toward the meeting spot—outside the gym, where you know sunghoon will be after practice—you can’t stop the tight knot forming in your stomach.

the hallway buzzes with activity, people passing by in crowds—athletes are huddled in groups, chatting loudly about the upcoming game, and among them is sunghoon—blending in perfectly.

he’s talking to his friends, tall and confident in his varsity jacket, his hair slightly messy from practice.

the sight of him makes your chest tighten—he’s the type of guy who seems to have it all: popularity, athletic skill, and that natural charm that draws people in.

you, on the other hand, are the complete opposite—known for your academics rather than your social life.

the two of you haven’t even spoken in years, not since that rift grew between you after his breakup with karina.

and now, you’re about to dive into a conversation that could make things a hundred times more awkward.

you stand a few feet away, hesitating, until sunghoon notices you.

he gives you a small, almost secret smile, and breaks away from his group, leaving his teammates behind.

“hey,” he says casually, as if the two of you talk every day.

you manage a shaky smile. “hey.”

sunghoon gestures for you to follow him around the corner, where it’s quieter, away from the lingering crowd.

the tension between you is thick, and the air feels charged with unspoken things.

you hug your books closer to your chest, trying to find the right words, but it’s sunghoon who speaks first.

“i thought about what you said earlier,” he starts, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

his expression is serious, but not in an intimidating way—more like he’s trying to work through something in his head.

“and i get that the letter was from a long time ago, but…i think there’s something we could both get out of this.”

your brows knit in confusion. “what do you mean?” sunghoon sighs, running a hand through his hair.

“look, ever since the breakup with karina, i’ve been getting a lot of…questions. people keep assuming things, especially with you being involved, since you were friends with her. it’s getting annoying.”

you frown, not liking where this is going. “what kind of things?”

he shrugs, but his eyes lock onto yours with an intensity that makes your stomach flip. “people think you’re the reason we broke up.”

your heart skips a beat. “what—me?”

“yeah,” he says, his tone casual, but you can see the weight behind his words. “there’s this rumor that i broke up with her because of you. that we had this…thing going on behind her back.”

you can’t believe what you’re hearing. “that’s ridiculous. i barely even talked to you after you guys got together.”

“i know,” he says, his eyes softening. “but you know how high school is. people talk.”

you groan, rubbing your temple. this is exactly the kind of drama you’ve always tried to avoid, keeping your head down and focusing on school.

“so…what does this have to do with the letter?”

sunghoon straightens up, his gaze sharp. “i think we can use this to our advantage.”

“use…what?” you ask, your voice wary.

he gestures between the two of you. “the rumors. the letter. look, if people already think there was something between us, then why not just lean into it? we could pretend to date for a while. it’d shut people up, and i wouldn’t have to keep explaining myself to every person who asks about karina. and maybe it’ll get people off your back too.”

you blink at him, processing his words. “you want to pretend to date? like…fake dating?”

he nods like an excited puppy, as if it’s the most logical solution in the world. “exactly. it’d be easier for both of us. we’d keep it simple—just enough to make people believe it.”

your mind reels at the suggestion—you’ve seen this happen in movies, read about it in books, but this is real life.

and the idea of pretending to date sunghoon feels…absurd. sure, it might get people to stop talking about karina and his breakup, but what about you?

you’ve spent years keeping your feelings buried, and now he wants to parade around as if you’re together? that sounds like a recipe for disaster.

“sunghoon,” you start, your voice cautious, “i don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“why not?” he asks, looking genuinely confused.

“because it’s…weird,” you say, struggling to find the right words. “we haven’t even been friends for years. what makes you think anyone would believe we’re suddenly dating?”

he smirks, leaning in slightly. “because we used to be close. people know that. it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch.”

you bite your lip, still unconvinced. “but…what’s the point? i mean, won’t it just make things worse when people find out it’s fake?”

he shrugs again, that easygoing confidence still radiating from him. “maybe. but by then, it won’t matter. they’ll have moved on to the next piece of gossip. besides, it’s not like we’d have to keep it up forever. just long enough for things to blow over.”

you hesitate, your mind spinning with possibilities.

on one hand, the thought of faking a relationship with sunghoon makes your stomach churn with anxiety.

but on the other hand…it could solve a lot of problems—maybe it would keep people from asking about karina.

maybe it would give you a chance to finally move past all the old feelings that have been resurfacing ever since the letter.

but it’s risky. too risky.

“i don’t know,” you say, your voice uncertain.

sunghoon watches you for a moment, then steps closer, lowering his voice.

“look, i know it’s a lot to ask, but think about it. this could be good for both of us. you wouldn’t have to keep dodging questions about karina, and i wouldn’t have to deal with everyone assuming things about us. plus,” he adds with a slight smirk, “it might even be fun.”

you give him a skeptical look as you scoff in disbelief. “fun?”

he grins, that playful glint in his eyes you remember so well from years ago.

“yeah. i mean, we used to be friends, right? it’s not like we don’t know how to get along. we can make it believable.”

there’s something in the way he’s looking at you, that spark of the old sunghoon—the boy who used to make you laugh, who used to confide in you late at night during sleepovers, before everything got complicated.

for a moment, you’re reminded of how easy things used to be between you two. how natural it felt.

maybe…just maybe, this could work.

you take a deep breath, weighing your options—it’s crazy. it’s beyond risky, but it might be the only way to fix this mess.

and if it’s just pretending, then what’s the harm? you’ll just have to keep your real feelings locked away—like you always have.

“okay,” you say finally, your voice steady. “let’s do it.”

sunghoon’s smile widens, and for a brief moment, you feel like you’ve made the right choice. he holds out his hand. “deal?”

you hesitate for just a second before shaking his hand. “deal.”

the next few days pass in a whirlwind of rumors, whispers, and carefully orchestrated moments.

word spreads fast that you and sunghoon are dating, and the school is buzzing with curiosity.

everyone seems to have their eyes on you—especially since you’re not exactly part of his social circle.

the jock and the ‘nerd’, the golden boy and the brainiac—it’s a combination that no one saw coming.

but you and sunghoon play the part well, you walk together in the hallways, sit next to each other during lunch, and even hang out after school for the occasional “study session.” to everyone else, it looks like the real deal.

you’re careful to keep things light and casual, just like sunghoon said.

no hand-holding or public displays of affection—just enough closeness to make it believable.

but as the days go by, you start to notice little things—the way sunghoon looks at you sometimes, his eyes lingering a bit too long.

the way he laughs at your jokes, even the ones that aren’t particularly funny. and the way your heart skips a beat whenever he smiles at you.

it’s all pretend, of course. it has to be—but sometimes…it feels too real.

as the days turn into weeks, the fake dating plan takes on a life of its own.

you and sunghoon settle into a routine of sorts—walking to class together, sharing lunch, and spending time after school.

it’s strange at first, pretending to be something you’re not, but soon it becomes almost second nature.

you’re surprised at how easy it is to fall into this rhythm with him, despite everything that’s happened between you, there’s a familiarity that lingers, reminding you of how things used to be when you were best friends.

sometimes, when you’re alone with him, it almost feels like no time has passed at all.

but that’s the problem, isn’t it? it’s too easy. too comfortable. and that’s when the lines start to blur.

it starts with the small things. like how he goes out of his way to find you in the mornings before school.

at first, it’s just part of the plan—he says you need to be seen together—but then it becomes something more.

his texts in the evenings aren’t just about “keeping up appearances” anymore; they’re full of little comments about your day, things that make you smile when you’re lying in bed at night, staring at your phone.

and then there are the moments when he touches you.

it’s never anything big or obvious—just his hand brushing against yours as you walk, or his arm slung casually around your shoulder when you’re sitting together during lunch.

each touch sends sparks through your skin, leaving you wondering if he feels it too.

but the biggest change comes one afternoon after school.

you’re sitting in the library, books spread out in front of you as you try to focus on an upcoming exam.

you’ve always been good at studying—quiet places like this are your sanctuary—but today, your mind is elsewhere.

you’re thinking about sunghoon, about the sparkle in his eyes when he looks at you, and how it’s making it harder to remember that this is all just pretend.

the sound of footsteps approaching snaps you out of your thoughts.

you glance up to see sunghoon walking toward you, that familiar soft smile on his face.

“hey,” he says, sliding into the seat across from you.

you raise an eyebrow. “you do realize this is the library, right? i thought jocks weren’t allowed in here.”

he chuckles, leaning back in his chair. “i’m full of surprises. besides, i thought you might need a break.”

you roll your eyes, but you can’t help the small smile that creeps onto your face. “i’m studying, hoon. you know, that thing people do when they want to pass their classes?”

he shrugs, clearly unconcerned. “yeah, but you’re already the smartest person in school. you can afford to take a break.”

you sigh, closing your book. “i can’t believe i’m saying this, but fine. what do you want?”

he leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. there’s something different in his eyes today—something softer.

“i was thinking we should go to the movies this weekend.”

you blink in surprise. “the movies?”

“yeah. you know, that place where people go to sit in the dark and pretend they’re not awkwardly sitting next to strangers?”

you narrow your eyes at him in suspicion. “why?”

he shrugs again, but there’s a playful glint in his eye. “why not? we’re supposed to be dating, right? might as well go on an actual date.”

you hesitate, your heart racing. “sunghoon, this was supposed to be lowkey. we agreed we wouldn’t do anything that would make it seem… too real.”

he raises an eyebrow. “it’s just a movie. we’re not getting married or anything.”

you bite your lip, feeling a strange feeling of excitement and anxiety building in your chest.

the idea of going on a date with sunghoon—even a fake one—makes your stomach do flips.

but you remind yourself that this is all part of the plan. it’s not real. it can’t be.

“okay,” you say finally. “but don’t expect me to share my popcorn.”

he grins, his smile lighting up his face. “deal.”

the weekend comes faster than you expected, and before you know it, you’re standing in front of the movie theater, feeling more nervous than you’ve felt in a long time.

you can’t figure out why—this is just a fake date, after all.

but there’s something about the way sunghoon looks when he arrives, wearing a casual jacket and that effortless smile, that makes your heart skip a beat.

“you ready?” he asks, his eyes glinting with amusement.

you nod, trying to calm the butterflies in your stomach. “yeah. let’s get this over with.”

sunghoon laughs and leads you inside, where you buy tickets and snacks.

you’re still trying to act nonchalant when you sit down in the theater, but the darkness and the closeness between you make it harder to ignore the way your body reacts to his presence.

his arm brushes against yours as he settles into his seat, and you can feel the heat radiating from him.

the movie starts, but you barely pay attention.

your mind is too busy racing through thoughts of sunghoon—how close he is, how easy it would be to just lean into him—your heart pounds in your chest, and you silently curse yourself for letting things get this far.

and then, halfway through the movie, it happens.

sunghoon shifts in his seat, and without thinking, his hand finds yours in the darkness.

his fingers curl around yours, gentle and warm, and for a moment, you freeze—your heart feels like it’s about to burst out of your chest.

you glance at him, but his eyes are focused on the screen, as if this is the most natural thing in the world.

as if holding your hand wasn’t something that would send your mind spiraling.

you tell yourself to pull away, to remind him that this is fake—that this can’t mean anything—but you don’t.

you let your hand stay in his, feeling the warmth of his skin against yours, and for the rest of the movie, you don’t move.

the walk home is quieter than usual, you and sunghoon walk side by side, but there’s a new kind of tension between you.

neither of you mention the hand-holding, and you’re not sure if it’s because you’re both trying to pretend it didn’t happen, or if you’re both too afraid to bring it up.

when you reach your house, you stop at the front door, turning to face him. “thanks for the movie,” you say, your voice soft.

sunghoon smiles, but there’s something different in his eyes—something you can’t quite read. “anytime.”

for a moment, you just stand there, unsure of what to do next—there’s a beat of silence, and then, before you can stop yourself, you speak.

“sunghoon…this is all still pretend, right?”

he looks at you, his expression unreadable. “of course.”

you nod, forcing a smile. “good. just wanted to make sure.”

but as you turn to go inside, you can’t shake the feeling that something has changed. something you might not be able to control.

the next week is filled with more of the same tension.

every time you and sunghoon are together, it feels like the air is charged with something you can’t quite define.

the lines between what’s real and what’s fake are starting to blur, and you can’t stop thinking about the way his hand felt in yours.

you know you shouldn’t be thinking like this.

this was all supposed to be an act—a way to get people off your backs—but now, with every passing day, it’s becoming harder to keep up the facade.

you’re starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, there’s something more going on here, maybe he feels the same way.

and then, one afternoon after school, everything changes.

you’re at your locker, packing up your things, when you hear footsteps approaching.

you glance up to see karina standing a few feet away, her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on you.

your heart sinks.

it’s the first time you’ve seen her in months, and the look on her face is anything but friendly.

“we need to talk,” she says, her voice cold.

you swallow hard, nodding slowly. “okay.”

karina steps closer, her eyes narrowing. “what the hell is going on between you and sunghoon?”

you freeze, your mind racing—you’ve been so caught up in your fake relationship that you haven’t even thought about how this might look to karina.

she’s your ex-best friend, after all—and sunghoon is her ex.

“i…i don’t know what you mean,” you stammer, but karina isn’t buying it.

“don’t play dumb,” she snaps. “i know something’s going on. you’re always together now. you’re even going on dates.”

you open your mouth to deny it, to explain that it’s all just pretend, but the words die in your throat.

how are you supposed to explain something like this? that you’re fake dating her ex to get people to stop talking about the breakup? that it’s all just a lie?

but before you can say anything, karina cuts you off.

“just…tell me the truth,” she says, her voice softer now. “are you in love with him?”

the question hits you like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, you can’t breathe.

the answer should be simple—no, it’s all fake. but as you stand there, looking into karina’s eyes, you realize that you don’t know the answer anymore.

and that terrifies you.

karina’s question hangs in the air, heavy and suffocating, the hallway suddenly feels too small, the walls closing in around you.

your mind races, trying to figure out how to respond.

you’ve spent so long convincing yourself—and everyone else—that this relationship with sunghoon is fake, but now you’re not so sure.

you’re not in love with him… right? you can’t be. this is just pretend. it has to be.

but when you look at karina, her eyes full of hurt and suspicion, something twists in your chest.

you didn’t want to hurt her—yes, it was her who cut you off, but you still cared for her deeply.

you didn’t want to make things complicated, but now, everything feels like it’s spinning out of control.

“i…” your voice cracks, and you bite your lip, struggling to find the words. “karina, it’s not like that.”

she narrows her eyes, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. “then what is it like? because from where i’m standing, it looks like you’ve been sneaking around with sunghoon behind my back.”

you shake your head quickly. “no, no. it’s not like that at all. we’re not—” you stop, realizing that you can’t just blurt out the truth.

that it’s all fake. it would make everything worse, wouldn’t it? how could karina understand that this whole thing started as a way to avoid drama? you know you need to tread carefully.

“we’re not sneaking around,” you say finally, choosing your words carefully. “it just kind of…happened. but it’s not what you think.”

karina’s expression softens for a moment, and she looks at you with a mix of confusion and hurt.

“then what is it? were you planning this while we were friends? i thought we were friends back then. best friends.”

you flinch at her words, the guilt hitting you hard—there was a time when you and karina were inseparable, when she was the one you confided in about everything—except your feelings for sunghoon.

and that’s what ruined everything, isn’t it? you never told her how you felt about him. you kept it buried, hoping it would disappear, but it didn’t.

“i didn’t want to hurt you,” you say quietly. “i never meant for any of this to happen. after you and sunghoon broke up, i thought… i thought it wouldn’t matter anymore.”

karina lets out a bitter laugh, shaking her head.

“well, it does matter. and now i’m stuck watching my ex-boyfriend and my ex-best friend play house together like none of it ever meant anything.”

her words sting, and for a moment, you don’t know how to respond.

part of you wants to explain everything—to tell her that this was all just fake, that none of it is real.

but there’s another part of you, a part that’s starting to realize that maybe, there’s more truth to this fake relationship than you want to admit.

before you can say anything else, karina steps back, her face hardening. “just…do me a favor, okay? be honest with yourself. if you’re in love with him, own it. don’t pretend it’s all some game. because it’s not.”

with that, she turns on her heel and walks away, leaving you standing there, your heart pounding in your chest.

you spend the rest of the day in a daze, karina’s words echoing in your mind.

be honest with yourself—how are you supposed to do that when you don’t even know what’s real anymore?

sunghoon hasn’t said anything about the way things have been between you lately, but you can feel it—the shift.

the way he looks at you differently, the way his touches linger just a little too long, the way he seems to genuinely care about what’s going on in your life.

it’s more than just pretending now—at least for you.

but the big question for you is: does he feel the same way? or is this all in your head?

later that evening, you’re sitting in your room, staring blankly at your textbooks, when your phone buzzes on the desk—it’s a message from sunghoon.

“wanna grab ice cream? need a break from all this studying.”

you hesitate, staring at the screen, the last thing you want is to spend time with him right now, not when everything feels so confusing.

but part of you knows that avoiding him won’t solve anything—if anything, you need to confront this head-on.

you need to figure out what’s going on between you, whether it’s real or not.

“sure,” you text back, your heart thudding in your chest.

the ice cream parlor is quiet when you arrive, the soft buzzing of the freezer and the scent of sugar filling the air.

sunghoon is already there, sitting at a booth in the corner with two cones in front of him.

he grins when he sees you, waving you over.

“i got your favorite,” he says, pushing a cone of double scooped strawberry ice-cream towards you.

you smile, sliding into the booth across from him. “thanks.”

for a moment, everything feels normal again. the two of you sit there, eating ice cream and talking about nothing in particular—school, classes, his upcoming game.

it’s easy, comfortable, just like it used to be—but underneath the surface, there’s something simmering, something that’s been building for weeks.

you decide to break the silence, you couldn’t avoid this conversation any longer.

“sunghoon,” you say, setting your cone down. “we need to talk.”

he raises an eyebrow, but there’s no surprise in his eyes. it’s like he’s been expecting this.

“about what?” he asks, though you can tell he already knows what you’re going to say.

you take a deep breath, your fingers fiddling with the napkin in front of you. “about… us.”

sunghoon leans back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

his expression is unreadable, but there’s a stiffness in his posture that wasn’t there before.

“what about us?” he asks, his voice quiet.

you hesitate, trying to find the right words. “this whole fake dating thing… it’s starting to feel like more than just a game.”

his eyes flicker with something—surprise? amusement? you can’t tell.

“go on,” he says, his voice softer now.

you bite your lip, the words catching in your throat. “i guess what i’m trying to say is… i don’t know if i can keep pretending. it’s getting harder to tell what’s real and what’s not.”

there. you’ve said it. you’ve put everything out in the open, and now all you can do is wait for his response.

for a moment, sunghoon is silent, his eyes locked on yours—the tension between you is almost unbearable, the air thick with unspoken words.

finally, he lets out a soft sigh, leaning forward.

“i’ve been thinking the same thing,” he admits, his voice barely above a whisper.

your heart skips a beat, and for a moment, you think you’ve misheard him. “you have?”

he nods, his eyes searching yours. “yeah. at first, this was just supposed to be for show, but… i don’t know. it doesn’t feel fake anymore. not to me, at least.”

your breath catches in your throat. “so… what does that mean?”

sunghoon reaches across the table, taking your hand in his. his touch is warm, steady, and it sends a jolt of electricity through you.

“i think it means that maybe we should stop pretending,” he says softly. “and figure out what this really is.”

you stare at him, your mind racing. is this really happening? is sunghoon—your fake boyfriend, your old best friend, karina’s ex—actually saying that he wants something real?

“are you sure?” you ask, your voice barely above a whisper.

he smiles, that familiar playful glint in his eyes. “yeah, pretty. i’m sure.”

the rest of the evening passes in a blur.—you and sunghoon talk—really talk—for the first time in weeks, peeling back the layers of your fake relationship and exposing the real feelings that have been hiding underneath.

it feels strange, scary even, to admit that you’ve both developed feelings for each other. but it also feels…right.

when he walks you home later that night, the air between you is light, free of the tension that’s been building for so long.

as you stand on your front porch, there’s a moment of hesitation—an awkward pause where neither of you knows what to do next.

but then, without saying a word, sunghoon steps closer, his hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind your ear with a soft glint in his eyes.

your breath hitches, your heart pounding in your chest as his fingers linger against your skin.

and then, before you can stop yourself, you close the distance between you, pressing your lips to his.

the kiss is soft, hesitant at first, but it quickly deepens, his arms wrapping around your waist as he pulls you closer.

it’s like everything you’ve been holding back—the tension, the uncertainty, the feelings you’ve been too afraid to admit—finally breaks free.

when you finally pull away, you’re both breathless, your foreheads resting against each other.

“that didn’t feel fake,” he murmurs, his voice low and teasing.

you laugh softly, your hands still resting against his chest. “no. it didn’t.”

the next morning, you wake up with a strange sense of peace.

for the first time in weeks, you don’t feel like you’re pretending—you don’t have to put on a show anymore, don’t have to act like your feelings for sunghoon are anything less than real.

but as you get ready for school, there’s still a small voice in the back of your mind—a nagging worry about what happens next.

how will people react when they find out that your “fake” relationship has turned real? and more importantly…how will karina take it?

you push those thoughts aside as you walk into school, determined not to let anything ruin the fragile happiness you’ve found with sunghoon.

but as soon as you step into the hallway, you realize that avoiding the truth isn’t going to be that easy.

because standing by your locker, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, is karina yet again.

the moment you see karina standing at your locker, your heart drops.

her arms are crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes narrowed in a way that tells you she knows.

she knows that whatever you had with sunghoon, fake or not, is no longer just a game.

there’s no avoiding this confrontation now—you’ve already crossed the line, and karina is here to make you deal with the fallout.

you brace yourself for what’s to come, walking toward her with your head held high.

inside, though, your stomach twists into knots—you’ve always hated confrontation, and this one feels worse than any argument you’ve ever had before.

“hi,” you say cautiously when you reach her, trying to sound calm.

but karina’s face is unreadable, her eyes cold as they lock onto yours.

“so are you two serious now?” she asks, her voice flat, devoid of emotion.

you flinch, feeling the weight of her words hit you—you expected her to be angry, maybe even furious, but this—this quiet, detached version of karina—is worse.

it’s like she’s shutting down, not giving you a chance to explain or apologize.

you take a deep breath, trying to keep your voice steady. “karina, i didn’t plan for any of this to happen. it just—”

“it just what?” she cuts you off, her voice rising slightly. “it just happened? you didn’t plan on falling for him, but you did anyway?”

you bite your lip, unsure of what to say—she’s right. you didn’t plan for any of this, but that doesn’t make it any less painful for her.

and it doesn’t make you feel any less guilty.

“i really didn’t want to hurt you,” you say softly, but the words feel empty, even to you.

karina lets out a bitter laugh, shaking her head.“you know, for a long time, i thought we could go back to how things used to be. that we could just…move past everything. but i guess i was wrong.”

she looks at you, her eyes filled with disappointment. “i thought you were my best friend. but you’ve been hiding this the whole time, you didn’t even have the decency to tell me that you saw him that way.”

your heart clenches painfully in your chest. “karina, i wasn’t lying. i didn’t know—”

“didn’t know what?” she snaps. “that you had feelings for sunghoon? that you were using him to make me jealous? or did you just not care about how i’d feel once you finally admitted the truth?”

tears sting the corners of your eyes, but you blink them back, refusing to break down here, in the middle of the hallway.

“please—it wasn’t like that, i swear.”

karina stares at you for a long moment, her expression softening slightly. “maybe it wasn’t. but it doesn’t matter anymore. you made your choice.”

with that, she turns and walks away, leaving you standing there, a hollow ache settling in your chest.

you want to run after her, to fix things, but you know deep down that this isn’t something that can be fixed with an apology.

you’ve lost her for good now—your best friend—and you don’t know if you’ll ever get her back.

later that day, you’re sitting with sunghoon at lunch, but the usual lightness between you is gone.

you’re distracted, your mind still replaying the conversation with karina over and over—you can’t stop thinking about what she said, about how badly you’ve hurt her.

sunghoon notices. he always does.

“you okay?” he asks, leaning closer to you, his voice low and concerned.

you nod, but it’s a lie. “yeah, i’m fine.”

he doesn’t believe you, of course. “come on, don’t lie to me. i can tell something’s bothering you.”

you let out a sigh, pushing your food around on your tray without eating. “i talked to karina this morning. she’s…not okay with us. with what’s happening.”

sunghoon frowns, his expression turning serious. “what did she say?”

you shake your head, trying to brush it off. “she’s just…hurt. i don’t blame her. i’d feel the same way if i were in her shoes.”

sunghoon is quiet for a moment, his eyes flickering with something you can’t quite place.

“so what does that mean? do you want to stop? end this?”

the question takes you by surprise, and for a moment, you don’t know how to answer.

do you want to stop? would that make things better with karina? or would it just make everything worse?

“i don’t know,” you admit, your voice small. “i just don’t want to hurt her anymore.”

sunghoon’s jaw tightens, and you can see the tension building in his posture.

he’s frustrated, but he’s holding it back—for now. “so you want to throw everything away because karina’s upset? what about us?”

the words hang in the air, and you feel a lump form in your throat—he’s right. it’s not just about karina anymore.

it’s about you and him—and whatever this thing between you has become.

but how do you choose between someone you loved as a friend and someone you might be falling for?

“i don’t want to throw anything away,” you say quietly. “but i don’t know how to fix this.”

sunghoon runs a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. “look, i get that karina’s your friend, or at least she was, but we can’t keep pretending like we owe her something. we didn’t do anything wrong. she broke up with me, not the other way around.”

his words make sense, but they don’t take away the guilt gnawing at you. “i know, but—”

“but what?” he snaps, cutting you off. “are you going to let her decide how we live our lives? is that what this is about?”

you flinch at his tone, the sudden harshness in his voice catching you off guard. “no, of course not. i just…i didn’t think things would get this complicated.”

sunghoon lets out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “well, guess what? things are complicated. that’s life. but you can’t just run away every time something gets difficult.”

his words sting, and you feel a surge of defensiveness rise in your chest.

“i’m not running away,” you snap, your voice sharper than you intended. “i’m just trying to figure out how to do the right thing.”

“and what’s the right thing, huh?” sunghoon challenges, his eyes flashing with frustration.

“because from where i’m standing, it seems like you’re more worried about what karina thinks than what we have.”

you open your mouth to respond, but the words catch in your throat.

you don’t know how to explain it—how torn you feel between your loyalty to karina and your growing feelings for sunghoon.

it feels like no matter what you do, someone is going to get hurt.

“maybe we rushed into this,” you say softly, the words barely audible.

sunghoon’s expression hardens. “so what are you saying? you want to call it quits? pretend like none of this ever happened?”

you bite your lip, hating the way his words cut into you. “i don’t know, sunghoon. i just need time to think.”

there’s a long pause, and you can feel the weight of his disappointment pressing down on you. finally, he stands up, grabbing his bag from the floor.

“take all the time you need,” he says coldly. “but don’t expect me to wait around forever.”

and with that, he walks away, leaving you sitting there alone, the ache in your chest growing deeper by the second.

the next few days are torture—sunghoon barely speaks to you, and when he does, it’s short and distant, like he’s putting up a wall between you.

it’s painful, watching the person you’ve grown so close to suddenly shut you out.

and as much as you want to talk to him, to apologize, you’re not sure if you even know how to fix things.

karina’s words still haunt you, and the guilt you feel for hurting her hasn’t gone away.

but now, there’s something else—something worse. the fear that you’ve lost sunghoon, too.

it’s late one evening, after another day of tense silences and awkward interactions, that you decide you can’t take it anymore.

you grab your phone, your fingers hovering over sunghoon’s contact—for a moment, you hesitate, your heart pounding in your chest.

what if he doesn’t want to talk? what if he’s already decided that it’s over?

but you can’t keep avoiding this, you need to confront it head-on, like he said.

taking a deep breath, you type out a message.

“can we talk? please.”

you don’t expect him to respond right away, but to your surprise, your phone buzzes just a few seconds later.

“meet me at the park.”

your heart races as you grab your jacket and head out, the cool night air biting at your skin as you walk to the park where you and sunghoon used to hang out.

it’s quiet when you arrive, the dim streetlights casting long shadows across the grass.

and there, sitting on a bench near the playground, is sunghoon.

he looks up when he sees you, his expression unreadable. you walk over slowly, your heart pounding in your chest.

“hey,” you say softly, sitting down next to him.

“hey,” he replies, his voice flat.

for a moment, neither of you says anything—the silence stretches between you, heavy with everything that’s been left unsaid. finally, you break the tension.

“i’m really sorry, hoon,” you say quietly, your voice trembling. “i didn’t mean to hurt you.”

sunghoon lets out a sigh, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees.

“it’s not about hurting me. it’s about whether or not you actually want this with me.”

you swallow hard, your chest tightening. “i do. i really do.”

he looks at you then, his eyes searching yours for something—truth, maybe. “then what’s the problem? why are you so afraid of just…being with me?”

you bite your lip, struggling to put your feelings into words. “it’s not that i don’t want to be with you. it’s just…everything with karina, and the rumors, and—”

“forget the rumors,” he says firmly, cutting you off. “forget karina for a second. this is about you and me. no one else. so what do you want?”

the question hits you like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, you can’t breathe.

what do you want? the answer is so simple, yet so terrifying at the same time.

“i want you,” you whisper, the words spilling out before you can stop them.

sunghoon’s eyes soften, and for the first time in days, his expression relaxes.

he reaches out, gently taking your hand in his. “then have me—stop pushing me away.”

tears prick the corners of your eyes, and you nod, squeezing his hand tightly.

“i’m sorry. i won’t do it again. i promise.”

he gives you a small, reassuring smile. “we’ll figure this out. together.”

and just like that, the weight that’s been pressing down on you for days lifts, and you feel a sense of relief wash over you.

things aren’t perfect, and you still have a lot to work through, but for the first time, you feel like you’re on the same page.

like maybe, this thing between you is real—and worth fighting for.

in the days that follow, things between you and sunghoon slowly begin to settle back into place, but there’s still a lingering sense of tension, like the calm before a storm.

you’re relieved that the two of you have talked things through, but the issues with karina—and your own guilt—haven’t magically disappeared.

you and sunghoon are careful around each other, more hesitant than before.

there’s still that spark, that undeniable chemistry, but the shadow of karina’s disappointment and the strain from the confrontation hang over everything.

and although sunghoon seems more open, there’s a subtle distance between you—like he’s holding something back, unsure if you’re really committed this time—protecting himself from a possible heartbreak.

it’s not until the night of the big game that things come to a head.

sunghoon has been talking about this game for weeks.

it’s the biggest one of the season, and the entire school is buzzing with excitement—you’ve never been much for sports, but you know how important it is to him, and even though part of you is still unsure about everything that’s happened, you want to be there for him.

you arrive at the stadium just as the game is about to start, the stands packed with students, teachers, and parents.

the energy in the air is buzzing with excitement, and you feel your nerves start to buzz as you scan the field for sunghoon.

he’s already out there, warming up with his team, looking confident and focused, like the whole world revolves around him in that moment.

a part of you can’t help but admire him.

he’s always been effortlessly good at everything—popular, athletic, the guy everyone wants to be.

and yet, despite that, he’s always been more than just the “jock” to you, he’s sunghoon—your friend, your fake boyfriend, and now…something more. something real.

but as you sit down in the bleachers, pulling your jacket tighter around you, you can’t shake the uneasy feeling in your chest.

you haven’t spoken to karina since that day in the hallway, and the thought of her finding out about you and sunghoon—about how things between you have changed—makes your stomach churn.

you’re still deep in thought when the game starts, the crowd erupting into cheers as the teams take the field.

you try to focus, but your mind keeps wandering back to karina, back to the conversation you had with her, and back to the guilt that’s been gnawing at you ever since.

the game is intense, and sunghoon is in his element, moving across the field with a kind of grace and power that’s impossible to ignore.

every time he scores, the crowd erupts in cheers, and you find yourself clapping along with everyone else, despite the turmoil in your heart.

but then, with just a few minutes left in the game, something happens.

one of the opposing players slams into sunghoon hard, sending him crashing to the ground.

the crowd gasps, and your heart leaps into your throat as you watch him lie there, unmoving.

for a moment, everything around you goes silent, and all you can focus on is sunghoon, lying on the field in pain.

you don’t even realize you’ve stood up until someone grabs your arm, pulling you back down.

“he’s fine,” a voice says from beside you. “he’ll get up.”

but you can’t relax—your mind races with fear and worry as you watch the coach and the team trainer rush out to help him.

sunghoon slowly sits up, wincing as he moves, and you let out a breath you didn’t even realize you were holding. he’s hurt, but he’s okay.

still, watching him in pain stirs something inside you—something more than just concern for ‘a crush’.

it’s the realization that you care about him more deeply than you’ve allowed yourself to admit.

you’ve been holding back, too scared to fully commit, but now, seeing him like this, you know that you don’t want to lose him—not over karina, not over anything.

after the game, you wait for sunghoon outside the locker rooms, pacing nervously.

you’re still shaken from watching him get hurt, but there’s something else weighing on you now—something more urgent.

when sunghoon finally emerges from the locker room, he looks tired and a little worse for wear, but when he sees you standing there, a smile breaks across his face.

“hey,” he says, walking over to you with a slight limp. “you waited.”

“of course i did,” you say, trying to smile, but the worry in your voice betrays you. “are you okay?”

he shrugs, trying to play it off. “i’ll be fine. just a bad hit.”

you bite your lip, your eyes searching his face. “sunghoon… i’ve been thinking.”

he raises an eyebrow, looking slightly confused. “about what?”

“about us. about…everything.” you take a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. “i know i’ve been all over the place lately, and i know i’ve hurt you by not being clear about what i want. but i’ve realized something tonight.”

sunghoon watches you closely, his eyes narrowing slightly. “and what’s that?”

you step closer to him, your heart pounding in your chest.

“i don’t want to keep pretending that this doesn’t matter—you matter to me, sunghoon. i always have—more than i’ve let myself admit. and i know things are complicated with karina, and the rumors, and everything else, but… i want to be with you. for real.”

there’s a long pause, and for a moment, you’re terrified that you’ve said too much, that maybe you’ve pushed him away for good this time.

but then, slowly, a smile spreads across sunghoon’s face.

“you mean that?” he asks, his voice soft.

you nod, your eyes locked on his. “yeah. i do.”

sunghoon lets out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “you know, i’ve been waiting for you to say that for weeks now.”

before you can respond, he steps forward, pulling you into his arms—his hands are warm against your back, and you can feel his heart beating against your chest as he holds you tightly, like he’s afraid to let go.

“i’m not going anywhere,” he murmurs into your hair. “not unless you want me to.”

you close your eyes, burying your face in his shoulder as relief washes over you. “i don’t want you to.”

the next day, you wake up feeling lighter than a feather, light— the same lightness you’d feel after binge watching all the harry potter movies with sunghoon back in the day, the same lightness after you two swore to stay best friends forever—the same lightness you felt as sunghoon and you went back-to-school shopping together for the first day of highschool—the lightness of sitting in the ice-cream booth together—like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

for the first time in weeks, you’re not filled with anxiety or doubt.

you’ve made your decision, and now you’re ready to move forward—with sunghoon, with whatever this relationship might bring.

but that doesn’t mean everything is resolved.

later that afternoon, you receive a text from karina.

“we need to talk.”

your stomach tightens as you read the message—you knew this conversation was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

you’ve been dreading it, but at the same time, you know it’s necessary.

you can’t keep avoiding her, and you can’t keep pretending like everything is fine.

you meet karina at a quiet café on the edge of town, your heart pounding as you walk through the door.

she’s already there, sitting at a table near the window, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee.

when she sees you, she gives you a small nod, but there’s no warmth in her eyes.

you sit down across from her, your nerves jangling. “hey.”

“hey,” she replies, her voice unreadable.

for a moment, neither of you says anything, the silence between you heavy and uncomfortable.

you can tell that karina is still hurt, and you don’t blame her.

you’ve been avoiding her, too afraid to face the truth of what’s happened between you.

finally, karina breaks the silence.

“i saw you and sunghoon together last night. after the game.”

your heart skips a beat. “karina, i—”

“i’m not mad,” she interrupts, surprising you. “at least, not anymore. i’ve had time to think about it, and i’ve realized that… i can’t control what happens between you and him. it sucks, and it hurts, but i can’t keep holding onto something that’s already gone.”

you blink, taken aback by her honesty. “you’re not mad?”

she sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly. “i mean, yeah, it hurts seeing you two together, but… i can’t keep being angry. it’s not fair to either of us.”

you stare at her, unsure of what to say—you’ve been bracing yourself for an argument, for karina to lash out at you, but instead, she’s…letting go. she’s accepting it.

“i’m sorry,” you say softly, your voice thick with emotion. “i really never wanted to hurt you.”

karina gives you a small, sad smile. “i know. and i believe you.”

for the first time in weeks, you feel a sense of relief.

maybe things between you and karina will never go back to how they were, but at least you’re not leaving things unresolved—at least now, there’s a chance to heal.

the days that follow feel like a fresh start.

you and sunghoon grow closer, your relationship deepening as you finally let go of the doubts and fears that have been holding you back.

there are no more rumors, no more pretending. it’s just the two of you, and for the first time, that’s enough.

you still see karina from time to time, and though things are awkward at first, there’s a sense of understanding between you now.

she’s moving on, too, in her own way, and while your friendship may never be the same, you two are still trying your best to make the most out of it—to forgive and heal together.

one afternoon, as you and sunghoon sit together on the bleachers, watching the sunset after his practice, he turns to you with a grin.

“so,” he says, nudging you playfully. “are you ready to stop pretending we’re just fake dating?”

you laugh, leaning against his shoulder. “i think we’ve been past that point for a while now, hoon.”

he smiles, his eyes soft as he looks down at you “good. because i don’t plan on letting you go anytime soon.”

you smile back, feeling a warmth spread through your chest as you rest your head against him.

for the first time in a long time, you feel like you’re exactly where you’re meant to be—no more pretending, no more doubts.

just you and sunghoon, and the future ahead of you.

a few days later, it’s the championship game, and the energy in the stadium is like nothing you’ve ever experienced.

the stands are packed with students, parents, and teachers, all buzzing with excitement as they watch the final moments of the game unfold.

the score is tied, and there’s only one minute left on the clock.

you’re sitting on the edge of your seat, next to karina your heart pounding in your chest as you watch sunghoon move across the field with lightning speed.

his eyes are locked on the ball, his focus razor-sharp, and you know—this is his moment.

this is what he’s been working toward all season.

“come on, sunghoon,” you whisper under your breath, your hands clenched into fists as you lean forward.

the crowd is on their feet, everyone holding their breath as sunghoon makes his move.

he dodges one defender, then another, running through the opposing team with ease—and then, with just seconds to spare, he takes the shot.

the ball soars through the air, and for a moment, it feels like time has stopped.

everyone watches in stunned silence as the ball flies toward the goal…and lands perfectly in the back of the net.

the crowd erupts into cheers, the sound so loud it shakes the stadium, and you jump to your feet, screaming in excitement.

sunghoon has done it—he’s won the game.

on the field, his teammates rush toward him, lifting him up onto their shoulders as they celebrate their victory.

sunghoon is laughing, his face lit up with pure joy as he’s carried around the field—but even in the middle of all the chaos, his eyes are searching for something—or someone.

then, you see it—his gaze locks onto yours from across the field, and in that moment, it’s like no one else exists.

the cheers, the noise, the celebration—it all fades away as sunghoon looks at you, a wide smile spreading across his face.

you felt a soft nudge beside you, making you turn to face the girl who you’d been spending time with recently.

“babe—what are you waiting for? go!” she shouts excitedly making you run down the stands to congratulate sunghoon.

without a second thought, he jumps down from his teammates’ shoulders, running toward you with a determination that makes your heart race.

before you can even process what’s happening, he’s in front of you, sweeping you into his arms and lifting you off the ground.

you let out a startled laugh as he spins you around, your feet dangling in the air. “sunghoon, what are you doing?”

but he doesn’t answer. instead, he pulls you close and kisses you, his lips warm and soft against yours.

the world around you melts away, and all you can feel is him—his arms wrapped tightly around you, his breath mingling with yours, the sheer joy radiating from him.

when you finally pull back, you’re both breathless, and you can’t help but laugh.

“you’re supposed to be celebrating with your team, you know.”

sunghoon grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “i’d rather celebrate with you.”

you roll your eyes, but the smile on your face is impossible to hide. “you’re impossible, you know that?”

“yeah, but you love me anyway,” he teases, setting you back down on the ground.

you playfully slap his arm, shaking your head. “go celebrate with your teammates. you earned this.”

but sunghoon just shrugs, pulling you closer. “they can wait. right now, i just want to be with my girlfriend.”

your heart swells at his words, and for a moment, you’re overwhelmed by how much you care about him.

this is real—so much more than the fake relationship you started with.

you’re no longer the girl from the beginning of highschool, locked in her room writing letters heartbroken at night.

now, standing here in the middle of a roaring crowd with sunghoon holding you like you’re the only person in the world, you realize just how far you’ve come together.

you smile, leaning in to kiss him again, your lips brushing softly against his. “okay,” you whisper against his mouth. “but you better go back to them soon, or they’re going to start wondering where their star player went.”

sunghoon laughs, the sound warm and full of happiness. “fine. but don’t go anywhere. i’m not done celebrating with you yet.”

you laugh too, your heart light as you watch him jog back toward his teammates, the smile on his face never fading.

the crowd is still cheering, the excitement still there, but all you can focus on is the way sunghoon keeps glancing back at you, like you’re the only person in the world who matters.

and in that moment, you know—you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

no more pretending, no more doubts. just you, sunghoon, and the love you’ve both fought so hard to find.

❝ PLEASE REBLoG AND LiKE .ᐟㅤ 💌

୨୧ TAGLIST OPEN ‹𝟹 @mioons @nshmuras @suneng @pnghoon @shawnyle @laylasbunbunny @privareum @briefsaladfun @shawnyle @cyjzzl @sol3chu @txtlyn @d-dilemma @deezbin @pockyyasii @iluvnikism @wonsprincess @rikibwn @niawonn @nineooooo @onlyjjong @isa942572 @jiryunie @ikeulove @bunnihhoon @lucycarlisleswife @whateverhoon @coqhee @rkivesfilm @aanniikkaa @moon3verland @moon368 @httpenhoon @mimismenu @enhastolemyheart @wrongbathroom : COMMENT OR SEND AN ASK TBA.

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blu3ming-hoon · 8 months ago

Text

DANCING WITH YOUR GHOST

PAIRING‧₊˚ JJ Maybank x Fem!Reader

SYNOPSIS‧₊˚ [2.3k] After a violent run in with Rafe and his guys, the group of Pogues is left with one less member, leaving a void in the heart of a certain blonde

WARNING(S)‧₊˚ swearing, death/murder, mentions of blood, mild violence, mentions of hallucinating, grief, mentions of a funeral, general angst

PROMPT‧₊˚ " 'cause our love is a ghost that the others can't see, it's a danger."

A/N‧₊˚ part of my angstober event!

˗ˏˋ jj masterlist ˎˊ˗

YOU FELT THE PAIN BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. You felt the pain in your abdomen before you felt the familiar warmth of JJ’s hands on your waist as he caught you before you hit the ground. You felt the blood coating the lower half of your body before you heard Kie’s earth-shattering scream. You heard yourself make a gurgling sound as a metallic, repulsive taste filled your mouth. You tried to speak, your big and pleading eyes drifting to your five friends above you. You couldn’t understand why they all looked so sad, so worried.

Their voices were like distant chatter in your ears, barely there. It sounded like they were underwater but you felt like you were the one drowning. Your vision was going in and out, the act of making out their faces getting harder by the second.

Kiara was crying hysterically, hands over her mouth as tears cascaded freely from her eyes. She looked like she was struggling to catch her breath between cries. John B looked dumbstruck, standing so still you questioned if he was even a living thing at that moment. Pope was clearly discomposed but there was an undertone of anger in his stance, tears in his eyes but his fists balled so tightly. Sarah sported a quivering lip, muttering what sounded like ‘sorry’ over and over.

JJ was closest to you, on his knees as you finally registered the feeling of his hands pressing on your torso. He was sobbing, talking a mile a minute and you had not even a small clue as to what he may have been saying.

The drama between Rafe, his crew, and your friends had come to a head tonight when the two groups came across one another in the woods — harsh words exchanged, insults thrown. It just kept escalating. You had a gut feeling something would go wrong.

Rafe threw the first punch, clocking John B in the jaw. Everything after was a blur — punches thrown, knuckles split, and then the cocking of a gun rang out. No one knew why none of you expected Rafe Cameron to pull out a gun.

And why no one expected him to use it.

All you could really recall was Topper, the loyal lap-dog he is, trying to calm the erratic blonde down as he waved the firearm recklessly. He failed, nevertheless, Rafe falling into a spiral while wielding the gun as if it was a toy.

Everyone flinched when it went off, ducking beneath their own arms.

You don't know exactly what happened or how it happened. You just knew that, suddenly, you were hot. You felt frozen in time and a fire seemed to spread from the center of your being and you felt everyone’s eyes turn to you. You caught Rafe’s eye, watching as Topper and Kelce pulled him away and the three of them disappeared into the thick of the woods.

When your mind had finally caught up to your body, only then did you realize the stray bullet had found its home in you. You went into a panic at the realization, attempting to sit up, only to be met with a harsh, burning pain that had you shrieking. Somehow, that pain cleared your senses — allowing you to hear the voices of your friends and see them clearly now. The downside being that you were now all too aware of your wound and the blood spilling from your mouth.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” It was JJ talking, your eyes slowly drifting towards him. “Don’t try to talk o-or move, okay? W-we’re gonna get an ambulance and you’re gonna be fine.” He spoke nervously, tears trailing down his chin. “You’re going to be fine.”

Unable to speak, you nodded unsteadily, trying to focus on breathing. Everything felt so hard to do, things that should've come naturally. Your whole body hurt and ached. Your airways felt congested and you had no way to clear them. Your hands were fisting the dirt in reaction to the searing pain you felt.

The blood pooling in your throat became too much at some point, you began to cough mercilessly, the crimson substance splattering from your lips, coating JJ’s shirt.

“No, no, no...” The blonde began to panic. “Sarah! Where’s the ambulance?!” He yelled, startling the petrified girl who clutched her phone in her hands.

“I don’t know, I-”

“You don’t know?!”

“I don’t know! There’s no service, no one is answering-” She panicked, shoulders stuck in an upwards position showing just how uncomfortable she was. A part of her felt guilty, as she always did for the actions of her brother.

“You didn’t think to say anything five minutes ago?!” Pope roared at her.

“We’re all scared, guys! Give her a break-” John B tried to defend.

“My girlfriend is bleeding out because of her psycho brother, John B! I don’t give a shit about how scared she is!” You were still hacking up blood clots as the group argued, doing nothing to remedy the situation. You felt like your chest was caving in on itself. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I'm trying.” JJ apologized, voice wavering under the self-imposed pressure to keep you alive.

“I got it! Someone answered- hi, hello?” Kie announced, still distraught but more level-headed as moments passed, allowing the fog in her mind to clear.

JJ cooed, trying to calm your coughing fit. “I can’t turn her on her side without taking my hands off of the wound but she’s coughing, guys, I don’t think she can breathe.” JJ rambled and ranted as Kie remained on the phone. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do! Guys!” His voice then went underwater again and your vision clouded over once more.

You didn’t know if you were still regurgitating blood, you didn’t know anything. All you knew was that your eyelids were forcing themselves shut and the pain you once felt started to dissipate into nothing as everything fell behind a blanket of warmth and darkness.

You felt everything until you felt nothing.

By the time the ambulance had arrived, you'd gone still. Paler than anyone had ever seen you with blood coating every inch of your frame. The pogues had to hold JJ to let the EMT’s load your body onto the stretcher and into the truck.

Dead on arrival, was what they told the pogues. They'd managed to regain your pulse on the drive to the hospital but it was lost again just two minutes before you were barrelled the doors and handed off to the doctors.

Your friends were crowded into a far corner in the waiting room when the doctor came out, a solemn yet professional look plastered on the man’s face as he explained that there was nothing they could do, that you’d lost too much blood. It was quiet for a few beats, then Kiara broke down, Sarah following. John’s B face fell into his hands and Pope cried silently. JJ had stormed off, angry and heartbroken. He was emotional beyond belief and the only thing he could think as he marched out of the Kildare County Hospital was that he couldn’t be the one to face your parents knowing he couldn’t do anything to save their daughter.

YOUR FUNERAL ONLY MADE JJ ANGRIER. It was held not too long after you passed, only a couple weeks after the incident that had taken your life in the first place. Rafe went MIA but no one outside of the people there that night knew he was the one who’d killed you, anyway. Topper and Kelce’s lips were sealed and the pogues were too stuck in their own bubbles of grief to even want revenge against him just yet.

But that wasn’t why JJ stood with a stormy expression as a semi-circle was formed around your coffin. He was angry because none of this was what you would’ve wanted. There were dozens of people there — kids from school who never even knew you, local shop owners who’d only seen you a handful of times. Sure, they should be able to give their condolences but you wouldn’t have wanted them here, feeding your parents empty apologies and whispering about how ‘such a nice girl could’ve met such an untimely end’.

Needless to say, he didn’t stay long. Your mother and father had tried to talk to him, see how he was doing but it’d been weeks and he still couldn’t face them. In his mind, he’d failed to protect their child.

JJ’S ROOM AT THE CHATEAU WAS CROWDED AND STUFFY. He hadn’t left the space much in the last couple weeks and John B was beginning to worry. Through the locked door, he could hear JJ rewatching old videos of you both, listening to your voicemails on repeat, and he was fairly sure that the boy still texted your phone and looked through your social media. The accounts that your parents hadn't known about and taken down anyway. John B had to slide food under his door just to make sure he ate.

But what worried him the most were the late nights that he’d hear mumbling and realized at some point that JJ was talking to you, or at least what he thought was you.

It was close to midnight and JJ sat on his bed, a plate with a sandwich still sitting in front of his bedroom door. It was probably warm by now.

“You have to eat something.” The all too familiar voice of your ghost, or whatever it was, rang out in the staleness of JJ's room.

“I will.” He spoke. His face was red and raw from crying.

“You should probably shower, too.”

“I will.”

“You can’t go on like this, JJ-”

“I know that!” The blonde shouted. “You think I don’t know that, Y/N?” He scoffed, pushing himself up off of his bed harshly and pacing around the small space. He’d been 'talking to you' for the last couple of days now. His brain not allowing him to process your death properly, wanting you alive and back in his arms so badly that he’d started seeing you — hallucinating you. He was scared at first, then he was relieved but now he just wanted you to go away because he knew you weren’t real.

The shadow of you that appeared in the same corner of his room every night was not you. It was the memory of you that his mind had conjured up. You looked like a person, like yourself. You looked so real, like if he reached his hand out to touch you he'd feel skin but he wouldn't. He tried the first time you appeared. He didn't care that you looked exactly the same way you did the night you died, blood stains and all. It sounded like you and looked like you. It talked like you, it made the same facial expressions as you and at first that was enough. But he knew that it wasn’t you.

“I’m not trying to upset you.”

JJ ran his hands down his face. “Why can’t you just go away?” He asked despondently. He didn’t know if he meant it. Sometimes, your phantom presence could be comforting. Other times, it was just another haunting realization of the fact that he’d never be able to hold you again. “You make me feel like I’m losing my mind. I already let you die and I have to live with that. Do I have to live with your ghost lingering in the corner of my room now, too?”

“You didn’t let me die.”

“I did.”

“No, you didn’t, JJ. I was shot. You did everything you could.”

“I didn’t do enough-” He claimed angrily.

“You did your best. You all did your best-”

“Then my best was not enough! We didn’t do enough!” He yelled, kicking the plate with the uneaten sandwich against the wall, watching as the plate shattered. He was breathing heavily as he fell to his knees, sliding against the wall. “Two minutes…” He mumbled. “All you had to do was hold on for two more minutes and they could’ve saved you.”

“You don't know that. I was in pain, JJ.” He hated how unreal your voice sounded. It was yours, the pitch and all, but it echoed and reverberated through the room as if you were in a chapel. “I was dead the minute that bullet went through me. Those were two minutes I never had.”

“You don’t know that.” He sobbed, curling up on himself. “I needed you. I still need you. And you left me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn't want to.”

“You're always sorry- will you stop apologizing?!” He shouted tearfully. “It’s not your fault.”

“But you blame me.”

“I blame myself. I don’t blame you, I could never blame you.”

“But you said-”

“I know what I said! But I don’t know what I’m saying, okay?!” He bellowed. “Please, please, just go away. I want to be alone. So, go away.” When he was met with no ghost-like response, he looked up to find your corner of his room empty. He let his head fall to his knees, his arms wrapped around them.

He sat like that, crying into his own arms until he fell asleep.

“YOU CAN’T KEEP DOING THIS!” John B’s voice bellowed in the living room of The Chateau as he trailed behind JJ who’d come out of hiding. The shaggy-haired boy hadn’t gotten any real sleep with JJ incessantly arguing with your ghost every night. He understood his friend was grieving but clearly his gentle approach was only encouraging his best friend’s delusions.

“What do you want me to do?” JJ barked back, the two boys now inches apart but still speaking at boisterous volumes.

JJ was well aware that John B knew of his odd and off-putting coping mechanism. He felt bad that his friend, more like brother, had to endure his grief on top of his own. He truly did. Everyone was still grieving you in their own way.

Kie had created a memorial table for you at The Wreck with her father's permission, a table that guest would never sit or eat at. Purely there to collect gifts and memorabilia.

Pope has become hyper-focused on repairing his academic profile, knowing you wanted nothing more than for him to gain back the scholarships he'd lost over the summer. You were his motivation.

Sarah had been distant. She felt partially guilty for what happened, despite the constant reassurance that she and Rafe were two different people. She visited your grave the most, a product of her deep-rooted guilt.

John B had carved your initials into the tree in his backyard, along with the signature 'P4L' to end it off. He'd even moved everything you'd ever left at his house - sweaters, blankets, socks, into the room where he kept all of his father's things. He figured you could both rest in peace together. Big John did always like you.

So, JJ was truly sorry that he couldn't pull himself together but he figured John B would be more understanding. He didn't know that John B had been as understanding as possible.

“You’re feeding into it! I get that you’re grieving, okay? But this has gone too far, man.”

“You don’t get it.”

“No, JJ, you don’t get it. She’s gone. She’s been gone.”

That struck a hard nerve in JJ. He knew you were gone. But he didn't like to hear it. He hated every variation of it. Gone. Passed Away. Dead. Deceased. Resting. He hated them all.

“Shut up.” JJ gritted through his teeth, but tears were brimming in his eyes.

“She’s dead. She’s been dead for almost two months-”

“Shut up!” The blonde yelled, pinning the brunette to the nearest wall. John B knew this was probably good for him, so he put up no fight.

In JJ's mind, John B just didn't get it and he never would. JJ loved your ghostly presence when he was crying so hard that he couldn't breathe and your voice would ring out, reminding him that you loved him and that you'd see again some day. But he didn't like it so much when that same voice was encouraging him to get up and take care of himself, or reminding him that the day he pulled himself together was when you would be gone for good, ghost and all. Because then he wouldn't need you anymore.

“You need to let her go.” Was the last thing John B said before JJ stared him down like a sad but feral dog. It was seconds that felt like minutes then the blonde released his friend and stormed back into his room, slamming the door behind himself.

He was sick of John B. He was sick of everyone. JJ knew he wasn’t grieving well but he didn’t know how he was supposed to.

He didn’t want to visit your grave, declining when the rest of the pogues extended the invite. They went weekly, replacing the flowers and plush animals each time.

He didn’t want to face your parents who’d been requesting his presence at the house he’d frequented plenty of times.

He didn't want to go to school. The pitiful looks he'd receive from classmates who previously saw him as nothing but trouble. Your locker had been bombarded with cards, stuffed animals, and pictures. God, he hated the pictures. They were all pictures of you with other people, usually the person who hung them up. 'Hey, look! I was sort of friends with the dead girl!' To him it was all false grief, people using your death as some kind of sick icebreaker.

'Did you hear about what happened to that girl? It's so sad.'

'She was so young. It could've been any one of us, y'know?'

He'd burn that locker to ashes if he could.

But the final crack in the glass came when he laid himself out on his bed, still heated and furious, typing out a text message to you about how much of an asshole John B was. Unexpectedly, when he pressed send on this message...

The bubble turned green.

It was a harsh realization, the boy freezing in place for a moment and before he knew it, JJ hurled his phone at the wall. Conveniently, in the same corner you always appeared in.

Through his rage, however, he noticed something on the floor in the corner that he hadn't before in all the times he'd conversed with you. Swiftly walking towards it and snatching up the object, he was brought down from his anger when he realized it was a photo of you and him that he thought he'd lost months ago. He'd planned to frame it but never got around to doing so.

It had him balling violently in seconds, John B coming in hesitantly at the sound of his borderline horrific cries and rubbing his best friends back as he sobbed, clutching the photo to his chest.

You were gone.

And he had to let you go. He didn't know how to and he didn't want to. But he knew he had to.

General taglist; @livlaughquinn

JJ Maybank Taglist; @ronnieissupermegafoxyawesomehot @maybankslover

Event Taglist; @timmytime17

feedback is appreciated! thanks for reading.

©loveharlow

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