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SION, RIKU, YUSHI for ARENA HOMME+ CHINA (2025)

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did I just get shot?

Tokuno, Yushi

𝖤𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖨𝖿 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖲𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖤𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝖳𝗈𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗈𝗐

(𝘈𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘢, 𝘒𝘰𝘯𝘰 𝘜𝘵𝘢 𝘨𝘢 𝘖𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘰)

yushi x reader addressed as shimizu taeko | wc : 11.6k

genre : soft angst, youth, coming of age, mild romance themes

tag : love blooms between you and the new mysterious boy from your school. you wrote a song, knowing it may never be heard. in the face of endings, some things stay forever. playlist : even if you leave / hanroro , musubizama / indigo la end , hananiblue / indigo la end , furarete mitandayo / indigo la end , let me love my youth / hanroro , panic / beomgyu , the poetry of august / lamp , a hill of the moon / ichiko aoba

you snatched your coat off the rack and slammed the door shut behind you. the early spring morning air bit at your skin, sending goosebumps up your arms as you hastily swung the coat over your shoulders. you didn't know where you were going—just that you had to move. to be anywhere but home.

eventually, you found yourself walking towards your school, just minutes away from your house. the gates stood tall and quiet, only a few stragglers entering through the side. you had no intentions of attending classes today, but here you are.

you headed to the vending machine tucked beside the main hallway. you slipped in a few coins with a cold, metallic clink and grabbed a soda from the bottom slot, the can cool against your fingertips. then you made your way up the rooftop.

the rooftop was nearly deserted. a breeze tugged at your skirt and swayed loose strands of your hair. you sat onto one of the benches, tossing your school and guitar bag on the wall, then pulling out a small, worn pocket notebook from your skirt pocket and placing it beside you. for a moment, you just stared at it. then, slowly, you opened it and flipped through the pages.

every stanza of the song you wrote whispered back at you with a haunting question: was it all still worth it? all those years of ditching responsibilities, skipping lessons, and trading grades for guitar strings—was your dream of music still worth chasing?

your father didn't think so. to him, music was nothing more than an "ill's career," a fool's errand. a futureless fantasy.

you never hated studying. you weren't a genius, but you managed. enough to hope. enough to dream about getting into that music college. but when your parents, especially your father, dropped the bomb: medical school, not music, your reason to try burned down to ashes.

junior high to second year senior: failing to low-passing grades. now in your final year, it feels like every ounce of hope, every expectation your parents once had in you, had burned alongside your dreams. still, they never stopped reminding you of what you were supposed to become.

"if i can't have my dreams, they shouldn't get theirs either."

the thought echoed in your mind as you clenched the notebook tightly in your fist. the tendons in your hand strained, as you stepped toward the edge of the rooftop, raising your arm to toss it away.

"don't."

you froze at the sound of a voice behind you.

you turned your head and saw a boy approaching from the rooftop door, his footsteps casual, a hopeful smile on his lips—one that irritated you for reasons you couldn't explain. his fair skin glowed under the soft morning sunlight.

"you're wasting paper," he said with a smile. "and someone's gonna have to clean your mess. probably the school janitor. doesn't seem fair, right?"

he came to stand beside you. you blinked at him, unimpressed, then turned your gaze to the school field below. after a moment, you lowered your arm and shoved the crumpled notebook back into your pocket with a scoff.

"how is that your business?"

the boy only shrugged. "this is my school too. and i care about the environment."

his answer made the corner of your mouth twitch. you fought it but a smirk formed before you could stop it.

"you must be one of those teacher's pets," you muttered.

he then smiled again, and something about the easy way his lips curved gave you the urge to ask what's so whimsical about everything? but of course, not everyone was as aloof as you.

"no," he spoke after a moment. "no one knows me here yet. i'm new here."

you studied his face more closely this time. his eyes had a kind of calm brightness to them, something warm yet indescribable. after a brief silence, you gave a small nod.

"you don't seem familiar. makes sense."

"i'm tokuno yushi," he said, turning fully toward you now.

you smirked, suppressing a smile that wanted to show. "why do i have to know that?"

yushi sighed playfully, his shoulders relaxing as he looked away. a soft giggle escaped him, light and effortless, and for some reason, it made you smile in return.

"shimizu taeko."

"huh?" yushi turned back to you with a blink.

"i'm taeko," you repeated, a bit slower this time.

"now that i do have to know," he said, grinning before straightening his posture, smoothing out the wrinkles on his blazer with a few quick pats. "okay, taeko. i'll get going now. i've got classes to catch up on. you?"

you mimicked his posture, lifting yourself from your lean off the edge of the rooftop. "no. i'll be around later."

"okay then. see you around." yushi gave a small nod, bowing lightly before walking off. the door clicked behind him with a soft creak.

your eyes followed yushi's retreating back until it disappeared from view. then, quietly, you leaned back against the edge of the rooftop, your gaze drifting out across the wide expanse of the school field and the sky above. for a while, the world felt muted. but then your thoughts snapped back.

you remembered your notebook—the one you were supposed to throw off. you took it out from your pocket, the crumpled paper still slightly warm from your hand. you stared at it again, fingers swiping along the bent cover. you glanced at the edge again, contemplating. now that the annoying boy was gone, you could do it.

but instead, you sighed. you turned and walked toward the rooftop door, the sun casting long shadows across the concrete. unceremoniously, you tossed the notebook into the bin beside the door.

────────────♪

you eventually entered your classroom during break time. the halls were loud and busy, but everything felt distant, like a scene playing behind glass. you had already skipped three classes, but you couldn't care less. neither did your classmates, who were more than used to your absence.

you slid into your seat—the one in the farthest back, right beside the window. the sunlight streamed lazily in, highlighting the dust motes floating in the air. you leaned your head against the cool surface of the sliding window, letting the outside world blur behind the glass. the, the voices and footsteps around the room silenced into mumbles.

"shimizu-san."

a deep voice cut through the room. you didn't turn around. you knew exactly what it was. you shut your eyes and let out a breath through your nose, tired already of what was to come.

now you're standing in the middle of the faculty office, fluorescent lights buzzing above, surrounded by cubicles and shelves stacked with folders and dusty trophies. in front of you sat your advisory teacher, his desk cluttered with papers, half-drunk coffee, and a nameplate slightly askew. you kept your head low as he spoke, tone firm but worn.

"shimizu taeko," he said, voice low as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. he glanced down at your report card and attendance sheet, reading silently for a moment before folding them closed. he then removed his glasses and clasped his hands in front of him.

"attendance: barely two days in a week. projects submitted: three out of ten, estimated." he tilted his head slightly, his tone less stern now. "do you still want to continue?"

"please just tell me whether i need to bring my parents here or not," you replied, your voice respectful despite the weariness behind it.

he frowned. his expression not angry, but tired. pity softened his features. "shimizu-san, we can't even count how many times we've already had your parents here. we see them more often than we see you here." he sighed, a long, exasperated breath. "that's why i'm asking you. not your parents. you. do you still want to continue?"

you stared at a chipped corner of his desk. "is there anything i can do if i say no?"

"we can draft your dropout letter sooner—"

"with my parents' consent," you cut in.

he paused. the look of surrender crept into his expression. "yes," he replied. "with your parents' consent."

your discussion ended with you agreeing to ask your parents and update him later. though deep down, you knew you wouldn't.

you went straight to the music room, your steps heavy, echoing faintly down the quiet hallway. the school had begun to hush. that strange in-between hour where students milled around lazily, tired from class, waiting for the final bell. but you weren’t waiting for anything.

your hand reached behind to unhook the gig bag strapped to your back. you gripped it tightly by the neck and swung it off with a little too much force. the weight of your frustration almost made you slam it down. but instead, you caught yourself. with a sigh, you lowered it gently beside the backmost chair in the room, the one you always claimed as yours.

you sank into the seat with a slump, the old metal chair creaking beneath you. for a moment, you just stared ahead. the pale sunlight streaming in through the windowpanes painted gold streaks across the wooden floor, catching on the instruments propped in corners and mounted on walls. a drum kit, untouched. a keyboard, slightly out of tune.

unzipping the white gig bag, you slowly pulled out your guitar by the neck. the body of it was smooth, except for a hairline crack near the edge. you ran your thumb gently over it, almost apologetically. then you brought your hand down to strum the strings once, softly. the sound floated through the empty room.

you adjusted your posture, rolled your shoulders back, then brought your fingers to the fretboard. you took a breath, then strummed again. this time playing a melody you knew by heart.

your eyes fluttered closed. your head moved subtly with the rhythm, chin lifting with the rise and fall of the chords. you began to hum, then sing. not loudly, not with performance in mind, but with honesty. one of your own songs that's never been heard by anyone else.

when the last chord faded, you opened your eyes slowly, grounding yourself again. but your attention was caught when you saw yushi standing by the doorway. his figure was outlined by the light from the hallway, and he looked like he had been there for a while.

"didn’t know you were a great singer," he said, smiling as he stepped inside, weaving past stands and instruments. his voice was light, like he didn’t want to ruin the peace. "are you in the music club?"

you let out a slow exhale through your nose, placing your guitar carefully beside your seat. "no. but this room’s kind of a free zone, as long as you own an instrument, you’re welcome here."

he looked around as he walked closer, nodding in quiet admiration. "you should join. seriously. you’re really good."

you gave him a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach your eyes. "too many sweats," you replied dully.

his suggestion dug up a bitter memory. your father barging into the clubroom without warning, scolding you in front of the whole class for "wasting time" and humiliating not just you but the other members too. you remembered the way he pointed, the way he talked over your teacher, the heat in your ears as everyone watched. after that day, you never showed up to practice again. but the room still remained open to you.

yushi didn’t push. he just nodded, as if he sensed there was more to your answer than you let on.

"why are you here?" you asked, shifting in your seat.

he reached into his backpack and pulled out something you didn’t expect—a black notebook, slightly bent at the corners.

"i believe this is yours," he said, holding it out.

you stared at it, brows furrowing. "yeah, that’s… how did you—"

"i saw it in the bin earlier, near the rooftop door," he said, half-chuckling. "you’re lucky no one dumped a mountain of trash on it. i figured someone like you wouldn’t throw away something like this unless… well, unless they needed to."

you crossed your arms and tilted your head, still not taking the notebook from his outstretched hand. "i threw that away for a reason."

yushi looked at you for a second, then let out a soft ironic sigh. he pulled out the chair across from you and spun it around to sit facing you, resting his arms on the backrest.

"whatever the reason is," he said, voice gentler now, "don’t let it stop you from doing this. you seem like someone who really loves music. i mean, i saw it on your face when you were playing just now. you weren’t just strumming chords… you were somewhere else."

he paused, then glanced down at the notebook, tapping the edge of it with his fingers.

"and… i’m sorry. i kind of peeked at what’s inside," he admitted, eyes flicking up to yours. "you make good songs. really good."

his words weren’t just flattery, there was something earnest in them. you didn’t feel judged or exposed. just seen.

for some reason, it made you feel lighter. like the tight knot in your chest had loosened. yushi’s smile wasn’t loud or flashy. it was peaceful, filled with something like hope, or maybe belief. and right now, that felt enough to quiet the storm inside you.

you finally brought yourself to lift your hand, taking the notebook gently from his outstretched fingers. "thank you," you murmured, your voice soft as your eyes fell on the cover. it was still dented at the edges, but no longer crumpled. yushi's effort to smooth it out was clear in the way the pages sat flatter than before. you brushed your thumb across it, almost like an absentminded gesture of gratitude.

"don't mention it," he sighed, standing from his seat with a casual stretch. he pushed the chair back into its place with a quiet scrape, then stood in the middle of the room, hands tucked into his pockets as his eyes wandered across the music room. "so," he started. "you're skipping school, aren't you?"

you gave a sneer, rising from your seat and crouching down to pack your guitar back into its gig bag. the zipper rasped as you closed it carefully. "looks like i'm not alone," you said, glancing up at him just as he turned to meet your eyes.

"well, yeah." yushi nodded with a grin. "you're in luck. i skip classes too."

"you're so weird," you laughed, swinging the gig bag over your shoulder before grabbing your school bag and slinging it across the other.

yushi chuckled and walked over to his own bag resting on the table, slinging it on with a shrug. "leaving already?"

you pursed your lips in thought, glancing toward the window where the sun was beginning to lean westward. "i'll just… loiter around the garden until dismissal. i've got enough skips tallied in the guardhouse record already."

yushi let out a light laugh, his smile tilting. "tag me along then," he said, stepping eagerly to your side without waiting for permission.

you rolled your eyes in mock annoyance, but the smirk tugging at your lips betrayed you. "fine."

the two of you strolled through the school garden, the grassy path crunching softly beneath your feet. the air was filled with a gentle rustle of leaves. petals drifted down lazily from the trees above, catching the light like tiny stars in freefall. the neatly trimmed grass shimmered under the sun, and the benches, weathered but clean, lined the pavement beside rows of mini meadows brimming with life—marigolds, baby's breath, sunflowers turning slightly toward the afternoon light.

"the gardening club members are amazing for keeping this place this pretty," you sighed, brushing fallen petals off a bench before sitting down.

yushi paused, hands still in his pockets, and turned slowly in place to take in the scene. "this school's really well kept," he admitted, eyes scanning the trimmed hedges and careful landscaping. "and yet you were planning to litter a notebook around." he laughed, shaking his head as he walked toward the bench.

"at least i threw it properly the second time, you see?" you snorted, scooting over slightly as yushi sat beside you, brushing a few leaves away first.

"throwing something that valuable is still wasting," he said, his gaze resting now on the open space in front of you. the golden field bathed in light, the breeze dancing through the flowers. "why did you throw it?"

you hesitated, looking down at your lap, then at the notebook again. the wind caught the edges of the pages, flipping one open briefly before settling. "it's a secret," you said at last, tilting your head toward him with a faint smile. you wanted to tell him—something about his presence made you feel safe, like a warm pocket of sunlight in a cold place. but the words stuck in your throat. it wasn't that easy. "and i don't wanna talk about it," you added quietly.

yushi didn't press. he just nodded, understanding in the quiet between you. "i see, then…" he shifted in his seat and turned toward you slightly, his eyes glinting with something playful. "sing a song for me."

your brows shot up. you stared at him with an exaggerated look of disbelief. "what?" you snorted. "i don't want to."

"come on!" he leaned in a little, voice light and teasing. "i'll be your first fan when you become a famous musician."

you rolled your eyes with a groan, turning your head away. "i. don't. want."

"damn, fine." he leaned back in mock defeat, hands raised. "for now, i'll just be your pre-debut fan. the first one to convince you to keep writing and singing again."

you smiled faintly, though you tried to hide it. "i never sang to begin with."

"but you wrote," he replied, his tone soft but assured. "and they're all top-notch too."

he stood then, walking a few steps ahead toward the open view. his figure was outlined against the glow of the late sun, casting long shadows across the grass. then he turned back to face you, grinning. "write a song for me. and sing it."

you snorted, shaking your head. "why would i want to do that? what am i supposed to write about—an annoying whimsical transferee?"

he burst into laughter, slightly slipping in a few coughs before covering his mouth with his fist. he paused for a secomnd before speaking. "anything you want," he cleared his throat, arms crossing playfully.

you stared at him for a moment, then looked away again, lost in a thought you didn't voice. the idea of writing something real—about someone real, lingered at the edge of your mind. but then you shrugged it off with a sigh, standing up and swinging both bags back onto your shoulders.

"you're too demanding."

yushi only smiled, trailing behind you as you began walking. "come on," you said over your shoulder. "dismissal's in three minutes. might as well start the walk toward the gate."

yushi's pace slowed as he let you lead the way, watching your back as the light hit your figure, turning your hair into threads of gold dancing in the breeze.

"leaving your friend behind? that's not nice!" he called out, breaking into a jog to catch up with you.

you didn't look back, but your small smile said enough.

you and yushi parted ways at the main road. he waited at the bus stop while you walked your way home alone. if you were being honest, and you hated to admit it, it was only because of yushi that you even bothered heading back today. without him lifting your mood earlier, you probably would've disappeared for days. you already knew what was waiting for you at home: a chorus of sermons from your father and your mother in the background, not caring less even if you and your father were one breath away from killing each other.

and as expected, that's exactly what happened.

the first thing that greeted you when you stepped inside was your father's voice—loud and bassy, echoing from the living room.

"shimizu taeko!"

you rolled your eyes, tugging your shoe off by the doorway, not even glancing in his direction.

"i got a call from your teacher again," he barked, slamming a hand against the wall. he leaned on it, cornering you by the door. "didn't show up to a single class, but you were seen wandering around school?!"

you said nothing. just stood there, unamused.

"do you plan on being a failure forever?! you're humiliating me and your mother!"

you shot him a glare. the first time you did that, you got slapped. but you've been through this too many times now. he only clenched his jaw this time, hands twitching like they wanted to hit something.

you let out a sharp breath, stomping your socked foot against the wooden floor as you brushed past him. your door slammed behind you and you locked it without a second thought.

your father lingered outside for a moment before pounding his fist against your door. the wood shook, but you didn't flinch. you hung your coat, sat down at your desk, and turned on your computer like it was just another night.

"if i get one more call saying you've been seen in that goddamn music room," he shouted through the door, "expect to come home with every one of your useless instruments burned!"

your eyes narrowed. that one ticked off a nerve. the idea of your instruments, the things you poured your soul and own money into being taken from you like that, it made something inside you clench. something ugly and furious.

"so many eyes... might as well install a camera around the school," you muttered under your breath.

seventeen. still under your parents' roof. still helpless. you couldn't wait to turn legal and leave. you didn't care how. you just needed out.

but somewhere along the path of relentless disappointment and pain, there was yushi. a strange little light in the dark. you didn’t ask for him to appear in your life, and yet he did. uninvited, persistent, annoyingly warm. a presence that neither demanded nor offered much, but somehow stayed.

day by day, he somehow made you want to step into school again—even if just for a moment.

he had no friends before you. you rolled your eyes whenever he brought that up, as if saying it out loud made him sound more pitiful than he really was. "thank god you were the one up on the roof that day," he’d say with a lazy smile. "and not someone else. i probably would've just left if it wasn’t you."

you always scoffed at that, brushing it off. "tch. don’t say weird stuff."

"why? it's true," he’d shrug. "you looked like someone who'd get it."

he didn’t know you had stopped writing music. that your notebooks had been collecting dust. that your hands hadn’t strummed a single chord in weeks. but somehow, he nudged the gears back into motion without even trying.

he’d hum random melodies under his breath. off-key, sometimes, but always catchy. you pretended not to hear them at first, but they stuck with you. one day, you found yourself writing a harmony to something he’d hummed. just a fragment. but it was something.

he started bringing you lyrics, scribbled messily on scratch paper. "these are terrible," you said once, laughing.

"i know," he smirked. "but you’d make them sound less terrible."

you never said thank you, but you kept the papers anyway.

he didn’t push you to play. he never even asked about the club. but on some days, he’d casually bring up old artists you mentioned once, or leave a wrapped throat candy on your desk.

"just in case you sing again."

somehow, he made you smile in a way you thought you’d forgotten how. not the forced grin for your classmates or the grimace at your dad’s outbursts, but a real one. there were no grand gestures. just constant reminders that you were still someone who created. that your voice still mattered.

you’d roll your eyes and say he was annoying. you’d scoff when he waited for you outside the clubroom. but when he said, "you’ll write something again soon," you believed him. because a part of you wanted to.

and somewhere along the line, you stopped correcting him when he called you his friend.

────────────♪

it was the weekend. school only opened for students with club activities. you snuck out through your window, then reached back in to grab your gig bag, slinging it over your shoulder.

the old music room wasn't locked. a few of your former clubmates still hosted sessions there. despite being scolded by your father back then just for hanging out with them, they never turned their backs on you. they welcomed you without question.

only one student is in the room when you arrived. the rest were probably grabbing snacks before practice. you bowed politely. she then smiled and bowed back.

"it's been three weekends without you," the girl teased as you made your way to the rear corner of the room, where it was quiet and wide. "we missed you."

"it was getting boring," you said with a smirk, setting your gig bag down.

"we all know you haven't been motivated lately, so don't feed us that," she rolled her eyes and shifted in her seat to face you. "we actually thought you were done. what brought you back? i could use a little motivation myself."

you scoffed softly, shaking your head as you bent to unzip your bag and pull out your chord book. but her question lingered.

what did bring you back?

you tried to find the answer. some solid, conscious reason. you felt like you knew, but it wouldn't come out in words.

and then, like a sunbeam slipping through blinds, riku stepped into the room. dressed in a uniform, only his blazer swapped for a black cotton cardigan. he spotted you and waved.

you blinked up at him. your clubmate perked up. "oh, hey! you're back again," she said, then turned to you. "taeko, this is—"

"yushi," you said, the corner of your lips tugging into a smirk as you stood. "why are you here?"

your clubmate looked mildly surprised. "you know each other? he's always dropping by."

"really?" you frowned slightly, turning back to yushi. "why?"

he shrugged, one hand buried in his pocket. "come on," he said, tilting his head toward the hallway. "they restocked the vendo."

the corridor was quiet. dust motes in the light, devoid of students. you walked beside him in silence for a few seconds before asking, "do you play too?"

"no," he replied simply, glancing at you. "i was just kinda hoping you'd show up on weekends."

you let out a small, awkward laugh. "that's a waste of time. you're really that persistent in trying to get me to play again?"

"i guess so." he nodded.

"i bet you leave immediately every time you see i'm not in the room."

"mhm," yushi nodded again without hesitation. "i do. but hey, at least you came now."

you narrowed your eyes, then shifted your gaze toward the floor as you walked, silent in thought. "do you really have nothing to do on weekends?" you asked, not looking at him. "you just hang around here even though you’re not in any club?"

yushi chuckled. "of course not." he paused, then admitted, "well… yeah, i don’t really do anything on weekends. but i don’t just loiter here all day. i just check if you’re around. since i don’t know where you live."

you smirked a little and gave him a playful nudge on the shoulder. "am i really your only friend?"

he stumbled slightly from the nudge and smiled. "i mean, why?" you continued. "you could, i don’t know, join clubs or make more friends or something."

that’s when you noticed yushi stop smiling. his face changed. not completely blank, but quiet. like he was thinking about something, and didn’t know how to say it.

"...what?" your smirk faded.

he shook his head a little and pointed ahead. "vending machine. what do you want?"

you followed his finger and saw the big red machine by the stairs. "just a cream soda," you said, giving a quick smile. you decided not to push him for an answer again, and he didn’t say anything else either.

he bought two cans and handed one to you. the soda was cold in your hand.

back in the clubroom, other members were back. chatting, fixing their instruments, and getting ready. but when you and yushi walked in, it felt like the rest of the room faded. the noise became background. like the two of you had your own space, just the two of you.

you went to your usual spot and took out your guitar. yushi sat down next to you, cross-legged on the floor. "remember that song i showed you?" you asked while tuning. "the one i wrote a long time ago but never finished?"

he nodded. "the one about being invisible?"

you gave a small nod. "i think i want to try working on it again."

his eyes lit up. "for real?"

"yeah. don’t make a big deal about it."

he didn’t say anything, but the way yushi’s face lit up when you said you were finally repracticing again, when you showed up to the club for the first time in weeks, it made something stir inside you. that brightness in his eyes was real. and strangely enough, you felt fulfilled too.

you had found a friend. a companion who somehow pulled you out from the world your parents, and even you had locked yourself in.

you showed him how to play some basic chords. he messed up a lot, but you helped guide his fingers. your hand brushed against his, and for a second, you froze, but kept going.

"like this," you said quietly.

"here?" he asked, trying again.

you nodded. "not bad. still sounds like a dying duck, but better."

he laughed. "wow. thanks, teacher."

you rolled your eyes. "you get what you pay for."

time passed quickly. you practiced, talked, and laughed. your voice came out a little stronger each time you sang. for the first time in a long while, you felt like you were where you were meant to be. and yushi just being there made it even better.

you looked at him again. the sunlight through the window hit his face in a soft way. his eyes were focused on your guitar, his lips moving a little as he counted the strings under his breath. he looked calm, and peaceful. and just for a moment, you forgot everything else.

"...what?" yushi turned to you, blinking.

you quickly looked away and sat up straighter. "you look kinda ugly," you muttered, fiddling with your guitar’s tuning pegs.

yushi laughed. "was that supposed to be a fun fact?" he nodded toward your hand. "and your guitar’s gonna go out of tune if you keep messing with it like that."

you looked down, realizing you’d been turning the peg without thinking. quickly, you tuned it back to its place.

"i was just… fixing it," you said defensively. "what do you know about guitar anyway?"

yushi smirked. "you literally just taught me how to tune it earlier."

you grinned along with him, giving his shoulder a light shove as the two of you walked into the rest of the morning. the sun was warm, and the breeze felt soft on your skin. for once, the weekend didn’t feel heavy.

when the club gathering ended, you glanced at your phone. 1:03 p.m. it was still early.

"hey," you said, slipping your phone into your pocket. "wanna grab lunch somewhere?"

yushi blinked, then glanced away. his expression shifted slightly, like something just tugged at him from inside. his smile faded into something uncertain.

"i... i don’t think i can," he said, not looking at you.

you noticed how his shoulders tensed. he didn’t say it in a rude way, but something about his tone made you curious. still, you didn’t push. "alright," you said with a small nod.

like always, you went your separate ways once you reached the corner of the road. you watched his figure disappear into the bus stop shed, wondering for the first time where he really goes when he’s not around. home? somewhere?

later that afternoon, you climbed back through your window, careful not to bang your guitar on the frame. you stepped lightly across your room, then dropped down on your bed with a sigh, staring at the ceiling.

you couldn’t stop thinking about him. about how he smiled when you sang. about how he sat beside you in the music room like it was the only place he ever wanted to be. you didn’t know much about his life outside school—what he did, where he went, or even who he lived with. but you wanted to.

a small smile crept onto your lips as you sat up. you walked over to your desk, pulled open the drawer, and grabbed a fresh, small notebook. you flipped it open, clicked your pen, and started jotting down a few lines.

you never thought you’d actually write the song about yushi. but writing about someone who helped you feel like you mattered, someone who clapped for your dreams when you were ready to throw them away didn’t feel like a bad idea at all.

────────────♪

monday.

you came to school early. a few teachers double-taked when they saw you in your seat before the bell rang. one of them even paused at the door, as if they thought you were a ghost.

you slipped out of your classroom before homeroom started, walking past yushi’s class. as you neared the door, you slowed down and tilted your head like a curious meerkat, peeking inside.

just as you were stretching your neck to check if he was there—

thump.

you bumped straight into a wall—or, rather, someone who felt like a wall. a pair of hands grabbed your shoulders, steadying you before you could fall.

"whoa, whoa. watch where you’re going, tardy warrior," came the sarcastic voice.

you looked up and instantly sighed. "shut up, sion."

your old classmate grinned, hands still resting on your shoulders before he let go. "fancy seeing you this early. what happened? guilt finally caught up?"

"god forbid a student be redemptive," you muttered with a smirk, brushing him off. "where’s—"

"yushi?" he cut in knowingly. "not here yet. might be late. you’re, like, thirty minutes early anyway."

you tapped his shoulder and walked off without replying. the early morning air was still crisp as you made your way toward the school gates. you figured you’d wait there, maybe catch him coming in.

but 30 minutes passed. then 40.

still no sign of yushi.

eventually, you gave up and returned to your classroom. you pulled out your phone and opened your messages. saturday’s text, the one you sent when you got home from club classes still hadn’t been read. a small knot of worry formed in your stomach.

still, you typed:

where are you?

you didn’t expect an instant reply, but the silence made the day feel heavier. you leaned your head against the cool glass of the window and stared out at the courtyard three floors down. students crossed from hallway to hallway. birds landed near the trees and flew off again.

everything felt still. the first three subjects dragged. you barely paid attention, just doodled in your notebook or stared into space.

when break time finally came, you didn’t wait. you stood up before the bell finished ringing and made a beeline for the music room, holding your notebook close.

you settled your things on the desk. a notebook, a pen, your green capo, and your guitar. the music room was quiet except for the faint sound of your chair scraping the floor and the breeze coming in from the open window. you picked up your pen and flipped to the page where your unfinished lyrics were waiting.

you started scribbling again. a few lines, crossed out one, hummed a melody softly to yourself.

just then, a small knock echoed from the door. you looked up immediately, heart skipping. and there he was. yushi stood in the doorway, hair slightly messy, school bag slung over one shoulder. he looked tired and pale, like he had been running or maybe just got off a long class. his eyes searched the room before landing on you.

if someone had taken a photo of your face right then, they would've seen a glow. "thought you weren't coming today," you said, trying not to sound too happy as you sat up straighter.

yushi stepped in, dragging a chair in front of you and sitting with the backrest facing you, arms folded on top. "just late," he replied, then raised a brow at you. "and you're early? that's weird. sion told me."

you let out a small laugh. "yeah, well... i wanted to show you something."

he leaned in a little, his expression lifting. curious and expecting something important. you paused. your eyes flicked to your notebook. you were about to tell him about the song.

but instead, you reached for your guitar and lifted it slightly. "it's my new capo," you said quickly, placing it on the fretboard. "got a green one."

riku chuckled. "that's what you were excited about?"

you shrugged, pretending it wasn't a cover-up. "it's a cool green."

he nodded, still smiling. but you noticed the tiredness in his eyes didn't go away.

────────────♪

after classes ended, you caught up with him again just outside the school gates.

"hey," you said, matching his pace. "want to go to the park?"

he blinked, surprised. "the one near the station?"

you nodded. "just for a bit."

he hesitated, but then agreed. "alright."

the sun was beginning to set as you both walked down the curved pavement of the park. the sky was orange fading into purple, and warm lights from the lampposts blinked on. the air was cooler now, with a soft breeze brushing your face. a few joggers passed by. a kid ran after a soccer ball. the scent of grilled snacks floated from the nearby food stalls.

neither of you said much at first. just walking, side by side, the sound of your footsteps tapping lightly against the path.

eventually, yushi stopped and sat down on a wooden bench under one of the lamps. you followed and sat beside him, placing your bag between your feet.

he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and let out a quiet cough into his fist.

"you okay?" you asked, turning your head to him.

"yeah," he said after a second, forcing a smile. "just tired."

you reached into your bag without waiting. "want some water?" you pulled out your tumbler and handed it over.

yushi looked at it, then at you, and gave a small smirk. "you always got everything in that bag?"

"maybe."

he took it and drank, not rushing. then he handed it back to you. "thanks."

"you okay now?" you asked again, eyes narrowing just a little as you studied his face.

"better," he nodded.

you leaned back on the bench, staring ahead. the park looked peaceful. there was something warm about it. maybe the streetlights, or yushi's company.

"yushi?" you said, not looking at him.

he let out a hum as a response. you smiled, just a bit. "thank you."

he then glanced at you sideways. "for what?"

"i’ve never been this inspired and motivated to make music," you finally said, voice quiet as you stared at the lit path ahead of you. yushi shifted on the bench, adjusting his posture to face you better. he didn’t say anything yet, just waited patiently, like he knew there was more you were holding in.

you took a deep breath, eyes falling to your hands as you clasped them tightly together. they were damp with sweat. you rubbed your palms slowly against your skirt.

"my parents… they weren’t exactly happy when i told them i wanted to do music," you muttered. "back in first year, when i just got into high school."

you paused. the words were heavy in your chest, but they were finally coming out. "they were angry. i mean really angry. they did everything they could to stop me. i actually joined the music club back then. but…"

you swallowed hard. the memory felt fresh even now. "my dad found out. and he stormed in one day. yelled at me in front of everyone. humiliated me. not just me, everyone else in the club too. i never went back after that."

yushi stayed quiet. but he wasn’t just hearing you, he was listening completely. his gaze didn’t drift. his body was still and focused. there was no judgment in his expression. only understanding in the way he watched you speak.

you slowly turned your head to meet his eyes, and for a second, you were stunned. his eyes were like stars reflecting in dark water. like he saw through you, but didn’t look away.

"i understand," he finally said, giving a small nod as he looked away, resting his back against the bench. "i’m happy you went back to loving music again. even if it’s just because i helped a little."

you shook your head, slowly sitting up straighter, planting your palms on either side of you against the bench for support. the wooden seat creaked slightly. the breeze rustled through your blouse.

"not just because of your help," you spoke. "it’s because of y—"

"thank you."

he cut you off gently, almost like he didn’t want to hear it. like hearing it might make him fall apart.

"thank you… for making me feel like i’m worth something."

you blinked. then turned to face him completely. your heart ached a little at the way he said it. like someone who hadn’t been told that in a long time.

"of course you are," you said, voice trembling just slightly.

he didn’t look at you right away. just kept his eyes ahead. but you saw the way his hands fidgeted in his lap.

you didn’t say anything else. instead, the two of you sat there under the golden streetlight. the night breeze had grown cooler. leaves rustled gently above as the warm park lights cast soft shadows across the pavement. you and yushi sat side by side on the bench, silence lingering between you, but not unkindly.

"i hope things go well for you," yushi broke through the silence, eyes fixed on the path ahead. "with the music, i mean."

you glanced at him, eyebrows slightly raised. "that’s... out of nowhere."

he gave a small shrug, like it didn’t mean much. "i just think you’ve got something special. it’d be a waste if you didn’t go after it."

"thanks," you replied, but your fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the bench. his words were kind, but felt distant, like he was waving from behind a glass wall.

"you’ve become really important to me, you know," he said after a moment. "more than i expected."

you smiled, but it was hesitant. "you’re making it sound like we’re not going to see each other soon."

he let out a breath of a laugh. "that’s not what i meant."

"then what did you mean?" you asked softly.

yushi tilted his head back, looking up at the leaves shifting gently overhead. "just, sometimes you meet people who make things feel less heavy. you did that for me. you made me feel like i was more than just… here."

your chest tightened at that, and you tried to keep your voice light. "you better not disappear or move houses or school somewhere."

he turned to you, puzzled by your sudden shift in tone.

"i mean it," you added, flashing a faint smile. "you wanted me to make you a song, right? if you move, i’m not making it anymore."

that made yushi actually smile, and for a second the heaviness around him seemed to lift. "that’s your way of threatening me now?"

you shrugged. "i’m serious."

"i’m not going anywhere," he said quietly. but he didn’t meet your eyes when he said it. you caught the subtle crack in his voice, the way his fingers twitched like he was holding back something bigger than both of you.

────────────♪

after that evening, you couldn't shake the weird feeling in your stomach. you sat in your room, strumming mindlessly on your guitar, thinking of everything. you worked on the song you were writing, trying to drown out the silence until your head eventually slumped over your desk and you drifted off.

when you woke up, sunlight was already pouring through your window. you wiped your cheek and rushed to get ready, barely brushing your hair as you slung your bag over your shoulder and whipped your way to school.

but when you walked past riku's classroom again, he wasn’t there. you paused. you thought maybe it was just like yesterday. maybe he was just running late again.

but the hour turned into a day. a day turned into days. days turned into a week. and a week turned into three.

you messaged him, called him, still nothing. you didn’t know where he lived, didn’t know any way to reach him except hoping that he’d just show up again like he always did.

"riku... you idiot. show up like you always do."

but he never did.

it was during class when your phone buzzed. you glanced down beneath your desk and read the caller id.

father.

you rolled your eyes and clicked your tongue, already disappointed.

you had hoped, just for a second, that maybe it was him. still, you answered, lazily pressing the phone to your ear. "what?"

but your expression dropped the moment you heard the flat and tense tone of his voice.

you stood up, letting out a long sigh as you slung your bag over your shoulder. you walked to the front and mumbled to the teacher, "i need to go. my mom’s in the hospital."

────────────♪

the sterile halls felt colder than usual as you walked through them, nurses gliding in and out of rooms. you kept your head down until you found the number. your mom’s room.

you reached the door and slowly pushed it open.

she lay there, unconscious, pale, and still. a tube fed into her mouth, a breathing mask over her face. machines beeped by her side, blinking with green lights.

your dad sat next to her, hunched over, his hands wrapped tightly around hers. "taeko…" he whispered, his voice cracking as he sniffled.

you froze by the door, staring. this was the first time you'd seen him cry. the first time he looked human.

you quietly leaned against a nearby table, then made your way to the chair across from him. the chair creaked faintly as you sat. neither of you said anything for a moment.

"your mother might get surgery," he finally spoke. "and it can be fatal."

you listened. he didn’t look at you, his eyes were fixed on her. then he added, "do something for her. just once. make her proud. become a good doctor, like she always wanted. like i wanted."

there it was. even now, he couldn’t help himself. you stared down at your hands, your throat getting tight as a laugh threatened to break out—not from humor, but from disbelief.

he kept going, oblivious.

"just imagine how many people like your mom you could save. isn’t that what you want—"

"it’s what you want!"

you cut him off, standing up so fast your chair screeched back across the floor. your voice cracked with emotion.

"look where we are! mom’s fighting for her life and you’re still talking about that stupid dream of yours! why am i the one who has to carry the burden of your regrets?!"

your lips trembled, your shoulders rising and falling. tears streamed down your cheeks uncontrollably.

"you never ask what i want! you don’t even see me as your daughter, just some extension of yourself. just a vessel to finish what you couldn’t!"

your voice cracked again, louder and sharper. "it's—" your throat hitched as you sniffled. "it's not my fault that you had me early, that you never got to finish your damn degree!" you wiped your tears roughly with your sleeve, your nose turning red from crying.

your father stayed silent. his grip on your mother’s hand tightened, his eyes still not meeting yours. for once, he didn’t yell back. he didn’t lecture. he just listened.

the silence made it feel heavier. like you were finally being heard, but it was too late. you reached for your bag, slinging it over your shoulder in a rush. your back turned to him as you walked toward the door.

just before stepping out, you paused.

"you doomed this family," you muttered, barely loud enough, but loud enough for him to hear as you shut the door close.

your footsteps echoed as you jogged through the hall, past nurses and orderlies, ignoring the stares. you rushed up the stairs until you reached the rooftop, pushing the door open and stepping into the open air, instantly blowing off your loose hair.

you ran toward the edge, your shoes skidding slightly against the ground. you gripped the cold metal railing with both hands, leaning forward, your breath shallow and fast.

then—you broke. you sobbed hard, the kind that came from deep in your gut. tears streamed down as your body shook. you clutched the railing tighter, as if it was the only thing keeping you standing. everything came pouring out. the anger, the fear, the guilt, the pain. all of it.

then you felt a hand on your back. warm, steady, and comforting. you froze. the touch was familiar. so familiar it made your heart stop.

you slowly lifted your head, wiping your tears with the back of your sleeve as you turned around. and there he was,

yushi, like an angel standing in front of you. his face lit up by the soft morning sun. the sky behind him was a pale, gentle blue. the breeze ruffled his hair slightly, and his eyes sparkled like stars even under the cloudy morning light.

he looked at you the same way he always did. like everything would be okay.

"yushi?" you sniffled, blinking through the blur of tears as they spilled down your cheeks.

"taeko..." he murmured, his voice trembling with concern and something unspoken. grief, maybe, or guilt. his eyes were filled with worry as he stepped forward, holding your shoulders gently before pulling you into his arms.

you didn’t ask questions. you didn’t scream at him, or demand an explanation yet. your body moved on instinct, collapsing into his chest, eyes shut tight as your sobs grew louder. for the first time in what felt like forever, you felt safe.

his hand ran softly through your hair, his chin resting lightly against your head. he said nothing for a moment, just held you, letting the wind fill the spaces between heartbeats. and his heartbeat—you could feel it through his shirt.

"i’m sorry." he whispered at last, voice cracking as the first tear slid down his cheek.

you heard him. but you didn’t respond. you just cried harder, clutching the fabric of his clothes, clinging to him like a lifeline in the middle of the storm.

time felt irrelevant. maybe minutes passed. maybe longer. but eventually, your crying softened into quiet sniffles, and yushi gently took your hand in his.

"come," he said softly, guiding you to the small bench under the rooftop shed.

it was only then that you really saw him. your eyes widened, panic blooming in your chest. you reached for his arm, your fingers wrapping around it tightly. there was a tube. a medical line trailing from underneath his jacket.

"yushi... why are—"

"why are you crying?" he interrupted, voice low. "why are you here?"

but you ignored his question, your worry overpowering everything else. "you’re hospitalized? and you didn’t tell me? are you okay? are you hurt? sick?"

yushi let out a long, tired sigh. his expression resigned and defeated. "i’m not just sick." he said quietly, looking down at the floor between you.

"what are you-" your voice broke. you couldn't finish the question. you're afraid of any answer that might come. you tried to meet his eyes, but he stepped back, avoiding your gaze.

"i’ll be alright," he said.

"don’t lie to me."

"no more questions," he added, almost pleading.

you stared at him, your chest tightening again. "my mom’s in the hospital too. and now you’re... hiding this from me? what’s going on?" your lips shook. "why didn’t you tell me?"

"i didn’t tell you..." he said, voice barely above a whisper, "because there’s nothing i can do."

he paused.

"i’m dying."

your world stopped.

you wished—hoped—this was just a nightmare. that you'd wake up tomorrow to the sound of your alarm, the morning sun pouring into your room, and yushi waiting at school. healthy. energetic. smiling that ridiculous smile and cheering you on like always.

not this. not the yushi in front of you, pale, weak, and fading.

everything you felt earlier came crashing back down, but now with the weight of knowing he's dying. it was too much, too heavy. your instincts screamed at you to run somewhere, anywhere. maybe back to your room. maybe back to a version of life that made sense.

────────────♪

three weeks passed. spring faded. summer break arrived.

you refused to see him. you couldn't.

it felt like the world had turned its back on you, and you didn't have the strength to face it head-on. your guitar collected dust in the corner. your notebooks lay untouched. you floated through school like a ghost, sitting through hours that dragged with unbearable silence, only to return home and fall into bed like nothing mattered.

but no matter how much you tried to numb yourself, one thing that refused to be buried is that you miss yushi.

one evening, while rummaging through your bag for a paper your teacher had asked for, a small, black forgotten notebook tumbled out. it landed on your bed, its pages fluttering open.

and there, on the half-creased page, was the song you started for yushi. still unfinished, still untitled.

you stared at it for a long moment before picking it up. then, you smiled.

the memory hit like sunlight through a cracked window. clear, warm, and a little bittersweet. that spring afternoon. the petals falling like snow. yushi standing in front of you, hands in his pocket, grinning like a fool.

"write me a song," he said. "and sing it."

that was the day you began to love music again. because of him. because he believed in you when you didn't. because he saw something in you that you couldn't.

you sat down at your desk with the notebook in hand, the mess of your bag forgotten. and then, you began to write the final stanzas.

────────────♪

it was already 11 pm when you left the house, wearing only your hoodie and pajamas. but you didn't care. the last bus was almost leaving. you caught it with a breathless heart and notebook clutched in your hands.

you rehearsed what you wanted to say over and over as the elevator climbed. your steps were quiet down the hallway, eyes scanning every door.

1st door—not him. 3rd—not him. 10th—tokuno yushi. you took a deep breath as you halted.

just as your hand was about to knock, the door creaked open. a maintenance nurse stepped out, holding a handy bin of trash full of paper. she bowed politely and you bowed back. she said nothing. just moved on.

you opened the door and stepped inside. the room was dim, lit only by the warm glow of a lamp and the blue haze of the city lights streaming through the window.

you looked toward the bed, and there he was, sleeping. tubes ran from his nose and chest, blinking monitors beside him. his skin looked thinner, his hair messier. and yet... he was still yushi.

you covered your mouth, choking on a sob. then quietly moved to the chair beside him, sitting down. you placed your hand gently on the bed. "yushi…" you whispered. "i miss you."

silence.

you waited for his eyes to flutter open. for him to greet you like always. but nothing.

"remember during the first weeks of spring?" you continued, voice trembling with warmth and memory. "you were the late transferee. when i first met you, it was on the rooftop… i was about to throw my notebook over the edge."

a faint smile tugged at your lips, as if speaking to someone who could still hear everything.

"you told me not to," you went on, chuckling gently under your breath. "you didn’t even know what i was writing, but you told me it mattered. you told me to keep going even if the world was against me."

you glanced down, brushing your fingertips against his hand.

"it was like you swept all the mess away just to make space for someone like me."

your hand finally reached for his, gently wrapping your fingers around his. his were cold, but you held them anyway, like you were trying to give his warmth back that he gave you.

"at first i thought you were stupid," you whispered, "asking me to write a song for you. but now… you’re worth more than every song i’ll ever write."

you blinked as your chest ached, the lump in your throat pressing harder. smiling faintly, you reached for the notebook on your lap. you stared at it for a second, thumb brushing the worn spine, then carefully placed it on the clean bedside table. no trace of mess around.

"here it is," you said. "read it when you wake up."

your smile trembled. "i won’t sing it yet. you need to get better. when you do, i’ll come back. i’ll bring my guitar and play it just for you."

your voice cracked as your eyes shimmered, glassy from tears you refused to let fall.

"let’s graduate together," you whispered. "okay?"

you gave his hand one last squeeze, then gently let go.

you stood, bowing your head low toward him in a quiet show of love and hope. then you turned, footsteps soft, leaving behind the song, the promise, and a part of your heart in that room.

────────────♪

you walked yourself home that night. the streets were quiet, the wind brushing against your skin. when you got home, you finally let yourself cry. you didn’t hold it in anymore.

the next morning, you put on your uniform like always. you slung your guitar over your back, but this time, you didn’t go straight to school. instead, you headed to the bus stop. there was only one place you wanted to be that day—back at the hospital, hoping yushi would be awake.

as you got off the bus, you passed a flower shop just beside the hospital gate. you picked up a single white lily and held it carefully, your steps a little lighter, a nervous smile twitching at the corner of your lips. hope buzzed in your chest as you made your way down the hallway.

but when you reached the room you swore you entered last night, the nameplate was gone.

you hesitated, then slowly twisted the knob, heart pacing. the room was empty—stripped clean. no signs of anyone ever being there. fresh sheets were folded neatly on the bed. the air was too still.

maybe he just got discharged, you thought. maybe he’s finally home and resting. so you turned around, walked back out of the hospital, the lily still clutched in your hand, and made your way to school instead—though you were already minutes late.

and again, you waited.

you told yourself he was still recovering, that he needed more time. a week passed. then another. the days blurred into months. summer came and went. the first fall of snow melted before your eyes. new year’s lights lit up the streets—and still, no sign of yushi.

during the new year’s party, you decided to visit sion, hoping for something. anything.

"i wish i could help you," he said with a faint shake of his head. "but yushi’s… closed off. we’re not that close either."

that was all he could give you.

time kept moving, even if a part of you stayed behind.

your loneliness didn’t disappear—but it softened, buried somewhere beneath the routine of each passing day. you carried yushi’s warmth in your heart, and it became your light.

you kept writing music, singing at school events, getting back into the club. you met new people, made more friends. and somewhere along the way, your dad started listening. he stopped pushing, stopped forcing. after months of silence, he began to see you for who you were. your mom had her surgery, and she recovered too.

little by little, your life began to find its rhythm.

but you still wished, every single day, that yushi was there to see it. that he was still beside you, laughing, listening, asking for more songs. you held onto that hope.

and so, you waited.

until graduation came.

the hallway echoed with the shuffle of students in their uniforms and gowns. bright smiles, tears, the flash of cameras. you stood among the last years on the first row, the ribbon of your award catching the light. one by one, each of you took the stage, giving your speeches.

the whole ceremony, you hoped you'd see any signs of yushi—but again, you never did.

the ceremony ended, and all students gathered and scattered around the school grounds. many girls had already started asking their crushes for their second buttons—some getting politely rejected, others handed buttons with shy smiles, earning cheers from nearby friends. the air was light, full of confessions, gifts, and snapshots of memories being made. and you stood with your clubmates, smiling for pictures, sharing lighthearted goodbyes and promises to meet again before everyone parts ways for college.

as the goodbyes faded into the distance, and students started to walk off in groups or pairs, you still stood there. still waiting. still hoping yushi would show up.

eventually, you made your way to the school garden.

you found yourself standing before the same bench you and riku sat on last year. same month. same season. same cherry blossoms dancing gently in the wind, falling like snow.

you sat down and stared at the field of blossoming flowers, letting your tears fall as the memories swept in. the ache in your chest returned, deep and wordless. you placed the flowers and gifts you received beside you, then slowly unzipped your gig bag. taking your guitar out, you rested it on your lap.

you gently tapped the wood of the guitar, like a habit formed in his presence, then began strumming the first few chords of the song you wrote—for yushi.

your voice broke the peaceful silence of the garden. soft, heartfelt. the melody of your guitar and your voice blended with the rustling leaves and petals. your eyes closed as you pictured yushi's bright smile beside you, listening quietly, just like he always did. just like he asked you to.

but when you finally finished your song and opened your eyes, there was no smile beside you. no sign of the boy you grew to love.

you sighed quietly, looking down, then set your guitar beside the bench. that's when you heard it—the rustling of grass behind you. someone was there.

eyes bright with sudden hope, you stood up immediately, turning around with your hair flying from the motion. but standing there was a girl, wearing a pink scarf and a soft dress.

she smiled, then glanced at your nameplate stitched on your uniform. "shimizu taeko?" she asked.

the light in your face dimmed as you nodded. "yes?"

"i heard you sing. yushi was absolutely right about you," she said, smiling as she walked closer. she stood right in front of you.

"yushi?" your eyebrows lifted. a spark of hope flickered again. "you know him?"

she nodded. "i'm tokuno hana."

by her name, you immediately assumed that she's his sister. you swallowed, before asking hesitantly. "where's... yushi?"

hana looked down. her silence answered for her. she reached into her bag, pulling out something you instantly recognized—your notebook. the one you left for him that night in the hospital.

"here." she held it out gently. "this might belong to you."

you didn't say anything. you just took it from her hand, staring at the cover. your lips started to tremble in realization that made you dizzy.

your knees gave out as you collapsed to the ground, curling your arms around your legs, face hidden between your sleeves as tears spilled freely.

hana knelt beside you, her hand gently patting your arm. "thank you for... making my brother happy," she said softly. "and, for being there for him when we couldn't. i'm sorry."

then, slowly, she stood and walked away, leaving you there—alone with your grief.

you sat in silence for minutes, holding the notebook tightly to your chest, until finally, you stood. the garden still whispered in the wind, blossoms still falling.

you turned to face the field, letting the breeze brush your face.

"thank you, yushi," you mumbled to the wind, eyes shutting gently. and in that darkness behind your eyelids—you saw his smile.

you smiled back, despite the tears. the world didn't end.

"i love you."

you whispered one last time before turning back. you swung your guitar over your shoulder, picked up your things, and gently placed the notebook down flat on the bench.

then, you began walking home.

all that was left in this school were your memories of yushi—memories you'll never return to, but ones that will never leave you.

the bench sat quietly beneath the cherry blossoms, petals gently raining down over it. a breeze rolled by, flipping open the notebook's cover, its pages fluttering until it stopped right on the one that held the song you wrote for him.

there, tucked between the pages—is yushi's second button. you never saw it.

YUSHI

"give this to her, please," i muttered, eyes downcast as i fidgeted with the button of my uniform i cut. "it was never my intention to lie to her, hana. i failed her." my voice cracked as tears fell freely, my hands trembling as i sat by my hospital bed. my sister sat beside me, holding back her own tears.

"it's not your fault," she said softly. "get some rest. i'm sure she'll pay you a visit soon."

"it's better this way," i whispered. "i can't let her remember me, only to be burdened forever by my death."

the remaining weeks of my life, i spent them grieving—grieving what could’ve been, and hating how everything turned out.

but eventually, i found peace in the little things. i began to spend those fleeting days remembering the light she gave me—the comfort, the hope. she made it all bearable as i grew weaker each day.

now, all i can do is stare out the large window by my hospital room as the sun sinks below the horizon. my breathing has grown shallow; i can feel the machine breathing for me, my lungs slowly giving out.

i reached for the pen on my bedside table, surrounded by scattered, messy papers. i picked up a clean sheet and placed it gently on my lap.

then, with all the strength i had left, i began to write.

when i finished, i folded the letter carefully and placed it atop the stack of papers beside my bed.

────────────♪

taeko,

i'm sorry i lied to you.

from the very beginning, i never intended to become close to you. i didn't want to drag anyone into my life knowing that my time's limited, especially not someone like you. but each day i spent with you, it was like you were giving my life a purpose, just as i was trying to give yours a little hope.

and that's what led me to lie.

i didn't want you to know i was dying. i didn't want our time to be filled with pity or fear. but now, i regret it. i should've told you. i should've lived every moment with you honestly, without hiding.

have you written the song for me? will you sing it someday? i may never know. but either way—thank you. thank you for being in my life. thank you for letting me be a part of yours, even if just as a friend even for a few months.

when i thought my world was ending, i met you on that rooftop. i thought i was the one giving you hope, but it turns out, you were the one who saved me. you made me feel like my world didn't have to end just yet, and until now, it still hasn't ended. it will never.

i won't be able to say this with my voice anymore, but i hope this letter reaches you.

i love you, taeko. so much.

────────────♪

after that, i closed my eyes. and within the next few hours, i could no longer wake up. the last thing i felt in my sleep was my heart, and her warm hand gently letting go of mine.

[svpercvte]

who you? [idol!yushi x dancer!fem!reader]

synopsis: you got noticed on tiktok for your backup dancing gig with the wishies and yushi found you cute

themes & warnings: smau, stalker-ish, cursing, stranger online, stranger to friends

this series has only 4 parts <acc m.list>

bread guy

irl bias

hoodie

see you soon

taglist(open): @ttjisung @the-phantomss @kukkurookkoo @yushiela @riahh1bae @bananinhazz

~~ please like if i should post more nct wish content

~~ please ask in the comments to be part of the taglist for this series only

[svpercvte]

LETS GOOOO

SUNBURNS & SUNKISS — smau

spending your summer away from the buzzing city life you were used to and instead in your aunt and uncle’s rural town wasn’t something you saw coming, let alone looked forward to. yet here you were. and after getting a taste of what the wild farm life has to offer, which turns out to be 4 months with oh sion, the attractive local farm boy, you realise that maybe it isn’t so bad after all.

or in which you fall head over heels for sion, quite literally, multiple times too. a summer filled with mud stains, farm chores, and one singular motive: get the farm boy by the end of the summer.

farm boy!sion x city girl!reader

genres : strangers to lovers, summer au, opposite attracts, love at first sight-ish, she fell first he fell harder, technically coworkers? humour, fluff.

extras : written portions | profanity and death jokes (the usual) | sion is a LOSER who has no experience in romance. | mc just down bad for sion (and he is too) | probably inaccurate farm stuff i’m just going based on what feels right | hopefully not slowburn

notes : HAPPY SION DAY!!! surprise 😂😂 yes we back on the smau bandwagon wdgaf.. this was originally gonna be a written fic but knowing me it would never get finished let alone posted </3…. i’m lowk just gonna wing this and hope for the best, WE ARE HERE TO HAVE SILLY FUN.

💿 : skate , nct wish. right now , njz.

status : starting soon!

profiles 01 | 02

#01

#02

TBA . . .

TAGLIST open

[svpercvte]

giggling, twirling my hair and kicking my feet hehe

HERE FOR YOUR YOUTH LOVE SOME DRABBLE EVENT!!! I thought yushi + supercute would be a boring pairing but I love them both too much to not request it... supercute is just so yushi!!!!

͙͘͡★ ducking around with u !

song prompt. “you make fun of me for carrying around a keychain that looks like me, but i caught you buying the matching one, and now we’re in a silent stand-off about it”

pairing. highschool bff!yushi x reader

tags. mutual pining, fluffy fluff, i wrote this with a fem!reader but there aren’t any details explicitly stating so, ducks, both of them are a bit petty lmao (but its all fun and games), that's mostly it!

wc. 1.2k words

notes. THANK U FOR REQUESTING YUSHI WITH SUPERCUTE CAUSE I WAS WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT TO HAPPEN 😭😭 i hope u enjoy reading this as much as i loved writing this one rinaa <3 likes, reblogs, and feedback are very much welcome!

꒰ m.list | event m.list ꒱

it started, of all things, with a duck.

a soft, round, yellow duck, wearing a pretty, lilac bonnet that looked a little too big for its head. it sat by the bookstore’s counter, flopped over like it had given up on life, and somehow your friends decided it was you. “look at it!” they laughed, tugging at your sleeve, pushing the tiny plush into your hands. “it’s you. it’s literally you.” you rolled your eyes, but the longer you stared, the more you saw it—the same sleepy expression, the stubborn tilt of its head. 

maybe it was you. 

maybe you didn’t mind.

maybe that’s why you bought it on a whim and tucked it against your bag where it swung with every step you took. you thought no one would notice from the amount of keychains that were already dangling from the sole zipper of your bag that was hanging on for dear life, but you should’ve known better.

“you seriously paid money for that?” yushi’s voice drawled behind you the moment you slid into your seat beside him after class, casual like he had been waiting for an excuse to comment all afternoon. you glanced over, only to find him flicking the duck’s plump body so it spun dizzily in the air. his expression was unreadable, save for the slight curve of his mouth—mild amusement mixed with something smug. “looks kinda stupid.” he paused, eyes glinting as they flicked to you. “kinda like you.”

you gasped, grabbing your poor duck like it needed protection. “you’re unbelievable,” you muttered, though there wasn’t any real bite behind it. you were used to yushi’s teasing, the way he always looked a little too bored with everything, even while poking fun at you. 

you didn’t expect him to actually like the duck. you didn’t expect him to understand.

so you let it go, shaking your head as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head, looking far too satisfied with himself.

you didn’t expect anything else either—until a few days later, when you wandered into the same bookstore after school. the scent of old paper and worn wood wrapped around you, warm and familiar, and you moved lazily between the aisles, half-looking for a new notebook, half just wasting time. yet the moment you turned a corner, there he was.

yushi, standing stiffly by the keychain rack like he had been caught doing something illegal. you ducked behind a display, heart leaping into your throat. through a gap in the shelves, you watched as he stared at the keychains—the same ridiculous ducks. you watched as he reached out, hesitated, then plucked one off the rack.

it wasn’t the same duck you had. not exactly. this one wore a tiny blue cap instead of a bonnet, slightly crooked, but still carried that slightly stupid-looking expression he once criticized. yushi stared at it for a beat longer than necessary, his face impassive, unreadable as always. then, with the smallest sigh—as if he were giving in to something deeply inconvenient—he tossed it into his basket and turned away.

you stood frozen for a good minute after he disappeared behind the shelves, blinking like you had imagined the whole thing. 

but you hadn’t. 

yushi had bought the matching duck.

for the next few days, you said nothing. you waited, pretending not to notice how a flash of yellow sometimes peeked from the side pocket of his backpack, how he adjusted it carelessly when it got caught on the zipper. he didn’t say a word about it, and neither did you, but the knowledge burned under your skin every time you saw him.

it became a quiet standoff: two keychains swinging in silent defiance, two people pretending not to notice what the other was hiding. well… it was a standoff until the afternoon you finally cracked.

the library was bathed in late sunlight, the windows casting soft gold across the floor. yushi was already there when you arrived, sprawled in his chair like he had nothing better to do, flipping lazily through a manga with one hand. you sat down across from him with a dramatic thud, letting your bag fall onto the table so the duck bounced visibly against the wood.

yushi barely glanced up. his cap duck swung in lazy circles from his bag, taunting you.

you pressed the attack, chin propped stubbornly on your palm. "i thought the duck looked stupid. 'kinda like me,' wasn't it?"

across the table, yushi stretched with a lazy sort of grace, arms reaching high above his head until his hoodie tugged slightly at his waist. he looked completely unbothered by your accusation, like he barely even remembered saying it. his mouth pulled into a half-smile as he shrugged.

"it is stupid," he said simply, as if that was the end of it.

you narrowed your eyes, about to fire back something smart, but he moved before you could—reaching out with one hand to flick your forehead with a sharp snap. the touch was light but enough to make you scowl, swatting his hand away as heat prickled embarrassingly at your skin.

before you could gather yourself, he leaned in, elbow perched lazily on the desk, so close you could see the slow, amused tilt of his eyes. the sunlight hit the side of his face, softening the sharper lines of him, making him look almost unreal.

"but..." he added, and this time his voice dropped lower—softer, almost conspiratorial, like a secret tucked between syllables, "sometimes stupid things are cute."

your heart stumbled. you felt it like a skipped beat, a jolt that traveled all the way to your fingertips.

he didn’t move away. if anything, he tilted even closer, the small distance between you folding into nothing but breath and the soft hum of the library around you. his eyes found yours and held them there, like he was waiting for you to understand.

"like you," he added, easy as anything, a lazy grin ghosting his lips.

the words hit you like a pebble to still water, ripples spreading wide across your chest. you could barely think past the roaring in your ears—past the warmth blooming under your skin, threading through your ribs like light.

the tiny ducks on your bags swung gently with the breeze from the open windows, casting little dancing shadows over the table. everything—the gold of the afternoon, the slow sway of the library shelves, the creased paper of forgotten notebooks—seemed to hush around you, pressing this moment into something soft and real.

"idiot," you muttered under your breath, your voice cracking in the middle, more fond than furious.

you tried to hit him, a half-hearted swat at his shoulder, but he caught your hand with ridiculous ease, his fingers wrapping loosely around yours. his skin was warm where it touched yours, his grip relaxed, as if this, too, was no big deal. as if holding your hand was just another natural thing in a day full of natural things.

he didn’t let go right away.

and you didn’t pull back.

for a heartbeat, the world seemed to narrow down to just that—your tangled fingers, the heavy sunlight, the two stupid matching ducks swinging between you.

and just like that, the silent standoff ended.

neither of you won.

or maybe, somehow, you both did.

after all, it wasn’t really about the ducks, was it?

[svpercvte]

just cried my eyes out to this, good night I guess

A THOUSAND TIMES ACROSS A THOUSAND LIVES

across parallel lives, love takes three forms, each one stitched together by a single red thread.

pairing tokuno yushi x fem!reader genre fluff, soulmate au, red string theory warnings not proofread orz notes completed my life goal of writing yushi as everything hes ever wanted to be

UNIVERSE 544 : THE DANCER

in this universe, the red string winds around your pinky like a ribbon of fate—gentle, but undeniable. you don’t see it, but you feel it. a tug in your chest, soft and persistent, guiding your feet toward something you can’t name.

you feel it when you pass the old dance studio tucked between a bakery and a barbershop on your way home from school. the windows are fogged with breath and motion, but through the condensation, you can just barely make out the silhouette of someone moving like he was born to the rhythm.

he dances like the music was made for him. or maybe he was made for the music.

the first time you see him, he’s in loose grey sweatpants and a light denim jacket, hair damp with sweat, soft curls falling into his eyes. you only meant to glance for a second, but the way he moves is magnetic—like the world outside doesn’t exist, and time itself folds in half just to watch him.

you find yourself slowing down a little more each time you pass the studio. hesitant at first, then hopeful, until eventually, you just stop altogether.

he’s always there, like a lighthouse in the fog, often dancing with headphones in. but you can still hear the music in the way his body moves—fluid, fearless, full of something wordless.

one night, as if he's been waiting, he opens the studio door before you can disappear. the little bell above the door startles you.

“you’ve been watching me,” he says—not accusing, just curious.

you don’t know what to say. so you don’t say anything at all.

he tilts his head, the warmth in his eyes like sunlight through syrup. “do you want to come in?”

your throat tightens. “i’m not a dancer.”

he shrugs. “you don’t have to be.”

you hesitate at the threshold like it might burn. but the string in your chest tugs again. so you follow him in.

he introduces himself as yushi. his voice is calm, like the first warm wind of spring. he moves with gentleness, but his mischief seeps through whenever he catches you staring.

you don’t dance that night. he doesn’t push.

but he still teaches you how to feel the beat. you share one earbud, swaying in place. his fingers graze yours ever so slightly—brief but grounding—and it feels like something sacred.

like you’ve done this before, a thousand times across a thousand lives.

UNIVERSE 8123 : THE FOOTBALL PLAYER

in this universe, the red string tugs with more urgency. not like a pull—more like a nudge. like someone’s gently guiding your shoulders forward.

you feel it in the grass-stained air of early autumn, in the late sun that lingers just a little longer after class. in the way your steps veer toward the school’s old football field, even though you never used to go that way.

he’s always there—on the field. running, calling, laughing. a blur of blue and garnet cleats.

he moves like the game is a language only he speaks. not just playing it. breathing it.

you don’t know his name at first—only that he wears jersey number 45, and that he smiles with his whole face when he scores. only that the red string seems to hum louder when he’s near.

you sit on the bleachers, pretending to scroll through your phone. but your eyes are always drawn to him.

“you come here a lot,” he says, jogging over, wiping sweat from his brow. his voice is a little breathless, but easy. open. friendly. “you watch football?”

you blink. “not really.”

he laughs. “that’s honest.”

you shrug. “i just like the air here.”

he grins, head tilted. “air’s even better on the field. wanna try?”

your heart stumbles. “i’ve never played before.”

“you don’t have to be good,” he says, tossing you the ball in a soft spiral. “just gotta try.”

he teaches you how to dribble, how to pass, how to run sideways without tripping over your own feet. he cheers when you kick the ball—though it barely goes three feet. you nearly fall over from the momentum, and he catches you, laughing all the while.

it’s only when you part that day that he tells you his name. yushi. there’s something familiar in the way he says it—too gentle to be new.

he keeps inviting you back. not just to play. sometimes to sit in the grass and talk until the sky blushes pink. sometimes just to exist beside him, sun-warmed and content.

you stop keeping track of the days spent with yushi. and the red string feels quieter now. less like a tug. more like a home.

one evening, you run across the field just to meet him halfway. he opens his arms without thinking, hands warm as they find your waist, and his touch feels like something sacred.

like you’ve done this before, a thousand times across a thousand lives.

UNIVERSE 2823 : THE FISHERMAN

in this universe, the red string smells like salt. like low tide mornings and seafoam breath. it hums under your skin like waves do in your ears—constant, quiet, a rhythm you never learned but have somehow always known.

you feel it strongest when the town is still sleeping. when the sky is periwinkle and the harbour yawns in fog. you walk the docks before the sun fully rises, coffee in hand, boots laced tight to keep out the chill.

you’re not sure why you come. only that something keeps pulling you back.

the fisherman is always there before you. a silhouette against the pale light, tall and calm. he hums while he untangles nets. whistles while tying knots, tossing rope, and counting crates of fish.

you don’t speak, but every morning, he nods at you like you're an old friend.

one day, your coffee slips from your hand, and he’s already moving—catching the cup before it tips completely. his hands are calloused but gentle, and his laugh is soft, like wind against canvas sails.

“early riser?” he asks.

“more like… accidentally awake,” you admit.

he grins, tugging his beanie lower over his ears. “same thing.”

he tells you his name is yushi. his voice like driftwood—weathered, warm. he offers you a seat on a crate and half his sandwich.

you start coming earlier after that.

he teaches you the names of fish he’s caught, the knots that hold lives together. he lets you sit beside him in calm silence while the sea breathes in and out.

then one morning, he hands you a rod.

you blink. “i don’t know how to fish.”

he shrugs. “you don’t have to. just gotta hold it.”

so you do.

the sun rises slow, gold spilling like paint across the water. you feel something tug on the line—then nothing. you glance at yushi, expecting instruction, but he’s just watching you with a quiet smile.

“did i catch something?”

“maybe,” he says, eyes glinting. “but sometimes, it’s enough just to feel the pull.”

you sit in silence again, line drifting, string humming. and when the boat sways a little too much, he reaches out immediately—steadying you instinctively.

his hand brushes your shoulder, fleeting but familiar, and it feels like something sacred.

like you’ve done this before, a thousand times across a thousand lives.

SOMEWHERE IN THE SPACE BETWEEN UNIVERSES,

the red string glows.

it glows with memory—woven through dance studios, football fields, and fog-drenched docks. it remembers every laugh, every stumble, every breath you forgot to count.

and somewhere—beyond twilight and turf, beyond sea spray, and music spun in quiet rooms—yushi remembers too.

the hands that always find yours. the voice that always knows your name. the gravity that always finds you and pulls you close, again and again, no matter the sky.

in every universe, yushi turns toward something he doesn’t yet have a word for and smiles.

“found you.”

perm. taglist ♡ @renjunsversion @ddolbyong @f6llsun @egojo1st @sungbites @nonverdolly @strwberie @blondemrk @chenlezip @markkiatocafe @stqrgr7 @jisungji @taroddori @haeriaes @kukkurookkoo @polarisjisung @dudekiss3r @dejundesign @uncasings @sweetpinkblueberry @spacejip @yushiela @insbread @t-102 @haelvrty @pl4netx1a @haeivie @natakgae @fae-renjun

[svpercvte]

SCREAMING

this was so beautiful in ways i can't explain

chapter 1 ! fated (written, 2.3k words)

content warning — lots of cussing, this is set in a bar so alcohol/getting drunk/drinking is all mentioned, once again taesan is an asshole ex, i lowkey suck at writing so this might be hot garbage, timestamps are irrelevant

this was a horrible idea.

you knew it as soon as you walked into club rocko’s only to spot your ex, taesan, on the dance floor with the girl he cheated on you with.

ningning reassured you that it wasn’t a big deal, but the sight made your vision go red. you needed to escape. you made your way through the sea of sweaty bodies towards the bar, collapsing onto an empty stool next to a guy with black, disheveled hair, sporting a denim jacket and grey sweats.

you slammed your card down onto the bar top, catching the bartender’s attention. “2 shots of vodka please.”

the bartender nodded and left to grab your drinks. as you waited, your gaze fell to the boy right next to you. in his hand, a neon green drink.

“excuse me, what are you drinking?”

he whipped his head to look at you, startled. without saying a word, he pointed at the menu in front of you. your eyes followed suit of his finger, eyes scanning the name of the drink.

“two shots of vodka for you,” the bartender returned and announced, setting down the shot cups in front of you.

“thanks,” you said, forcing a smile. “and can i get what he’s drinking too?”

concerned, the bartender glanced at the boy, as if asking for approval. the boy just shrugged, and the bartender nodded.

when he left to make you your new drink, you immediately downed one of the shots. you reached for the second one, but before you could properly grab it, the boy beside you spoke.

“i think you should slow down.” his voice was quiet, a soft murmur underneath the club’s blaring music. you could barely hear him, only properly making out his words by reading his lips.

“i understand the concern, but i have no intentions of remembering tonight.” you remarked, the burn of the last shot still stinging in your throat.

“bad day?” he asked. tokuno yushi wasn’t known to talk much. perhaps it was the alcohol.

you scoffed, downing another shot. “no, bad life.”

yushi only hummed in response, not knowing what else to say. his attention quickly shifted back to his drink, his finger idly tapping the side of his almost empty glass. your index finger reached out to tap his shoulder, wanting to continue the conversation.

“not that you asked but, do you see that guy over there?” you turned around to point at taesan and the girl, “that’s my ex, and that’s the girl he cheated on me with.”

yushi followed your gaze, only looking at taesan for a moment “oh,” he frowned, “i’m sorry.”

“it’s whatever.”

the bartender returned with your blue drink. you paid, and without wasting any time, you took your first sip.

“so tell me, why are you alone here sitting all cute and pretty?” you asked.

“my stupid friends dragged me here.”

“don’t call them stupid,” you laughed, taking another sip. “at least they wanted you here.”

he didn’t say anything to that. the silence felt heavy as your words hung in the air. you regretted what you said—why did you say that? why isn’t he saying anything? he probably doesn’t even want to talk to you anymore. just as you reached for your drink again, almost sure that the conversation was dead this time, he was the one to continue.

“you’re right,” he nodded, “i guess this is just not my scene. as corny as that sounds.”

“what?” you scoffed. “let me guess, you’d rather be home right now, but your friends dragged you out here to beat the lame loser allegations.”

his jaw dropped slightly as he turned to look at you, “read me like a book.”

“no way, really?” you grinned, face lit up in excitement.

you both took another sip of your drinks when you spotted a familiar silhouette getting closer to you from the corner of your eyes. sensing the lurking evil that was your ex-boyfriend, you quickly leaned down to whisper something in yushi’s ear, “weird ask, but my ex is walking towards us right now, can you cause a diversion?”

“definitely not a weird ask.” without hesitation, he grabbed your hand and pulled you out of your stool. you let him lead the way to the crowd on the dance floor, losing taesan somewhere behind you. but he didn’t stop there. he kept going, guiding you into a stairwell in the corner of the bar. your heart pounded—pretty boy? secluded staircase?

the two of you reached the top of the staircase, and the door opened to reveal the club’s empty rooftop patio. the city skyline stretched before you, the night sky littered with stars.

he let go of your hand and stared at you with admiration as you took it all in.

“sorry, did i scare you?” he asked.

“a little,” you remarked, eyes still glued to the sky, “but no—this is great, thank you.”

he sat down at a bench near the edge, a place that seemed familiar to him. this was where he found solace whenever his friends dragged him to the club. he was never one to actually participate in the festivities. you noticed this and followed suit, taking a seat next to him.

your eyes that were once admiring the sky were now admiring him—the random boy from the bar. then, seemingly out of nowhere, the world began to spin ever so slightly.

you let out a groan as you rubbed your temples. “those drinks are getting to me.”

“to be fair, i did try to stop you.”

“well you didn’t try hard enough,” you chuckled, slurring your words ever so slightly.

he reached over, gently guiding your head to rest against his shoulder. a kind gesture, one that made your heart flutter despite all the alcohol scrambling your thoughts. it reminded you of taesan, how he took care of you when you were drunk. how, the last time you were drunk, he snuck off to meet her. this revelation made your throat tighten up and eyes water. scared of what yushi’s reaction may be, your hands reached up to cover your face.

he hummed, “hey, you okay?” his voice was gentle, like the warm embrace of a hug.

you hesitated in answering the question, thinking your answer might be too forward, but you continued anyways. “be honest with me, am i stupid for still missing my ex?” the alcohol was obviously turning your thoughts into mush, but there was no stopping it now.

“i mean,” you continued, not even giving the boy a chance to speak, “we were together for four years and we broke up months ago. my friends brought me here to forget about him but since i have the worst luck in the world of course he’s here too! then i saw you at the bar and i thought—holy shit he’s cute—but then he started walking towards us and everything came rushing back and now i’m a complete emotional wreck!” your words spilled out one after the other, “i mean, he said he was sorry for cheating on me so i should just text him and forgive him, right?” everything came out a jumbled, drunken mess that yushi could barely process. the tears came after, your vision blurring as they spilled out.

after giving you some time to recollect, yushi replied. “but he cheated on you! don’t text him back.”

“he was sorry!”

he scoffed, “he’s sorry he got caught. he’s not sorry he cheated on you.” yushi wiped a tear from your cheek, his touch warm against your skin. “you deserve better than that asshole. you’re beautiful and any guy would be lucky to have you.”

the air shifted as the words hung in between the two of you. he didn’t mean to say that, but in the heat of the moment it spilled out. he was hoping that you hadn’t noticed, but you did. his voice laced with rage, the pounding of his heartbeat picking up. it made your heart race too.

you pulled your head away from his shoulder, letting out a deep sigh. you nod your head ever so slightly and avoid his eyes. you couldn’t look at him—you were too embarassed, too vulnerable.

“let’s change the topic. can we talk about you?” you said, the words tumbling out in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

“we don’t have to.”

“no, please. i want to,” you pleaded. “let’s talk about why you, the most handsome guy ive ever seen in my life, is talking to me—some no life loser who cant stop crying over her ex.”

yushi just chuckled, flattered yet flustered by your words. his cheeks turned various rosy hues, and his lips curved upwards into a proud smile. you looked at him with a playful side eye, wondering why he hadn’t replied yet. “flustered?” you asked, eyes still shimmering from the tears before.

“i think you’re speaking too highly of me,” he stammered, trying to hide his nervousness.

“lies.” you nudged him playfully, causing him to sway slightly. “people are lined up to get you, but you don’t want them. why?”

“no they are not,” he scoffed, “i just… haven’t found the one yet.”

you hummed in response, but before you could say anything else, your phone began to buzz.

you fumbled through your purse, but when the buzzing finally stopped, you gave up and turned to yushi with a soft smile. “that was probably my friends trying to find out where i am. but before i leave, can you promise me this?” you held up your pinky. “when you find ‘the one,’ you go for her. you don’t hesitate and you let her know that you want to be with her.”

he chuckled, interlocking his pinky with yours. “promise me this too. don’t settle for anything less. find someone who will never hurt you, someone who will treat you like a princess.”

you both nodded, pinkies intertwined—a vow shared between two strangers.

you stood up, your headache eased slightly. you turned to yushi and reached your hand out with a playful smile, “walk me down please?”

he took your hand, guiding you towards the stairs. as you reached the doorway, you stopped. you let go of his hand and turned his whole body to face you.

“can i kiss you?”

his breath hitched, his mind shutting down at your sudden request. wide eyes stared back at you. his cheeks were flushed with a burning red, and his lips parted as he struggled to form any proper response.

“you’re drunk,” he whispered.

“not drunk, just tipsy. definitely conscious enough to want to kiss you.”

“but.. your ex?” his voice was hesitant. he didn’t want to mention it, worried that you might retract the offer. his gaze flickered—your eyes, your lips, back to your eyes.

“oh fuck him!” you snapped. “you said to find someone who will treat me like a princess,” you took a step closer to him, your bodies only centimetres apart now. “right?”

“w-well, yeah—“

“can it be you? can i kiss you?”

a shaky exhale escaped his lips. struggling to breathe as his chest tightened with every passing moment. he felt every nerve in his body screaming at him to do something—to say something—but all he could do was stand there, like a deer caught in the headlights.

“i— i don’t know.” yushi mumbled, the butterflies in his stomach eating away at him.

“you can say no,” you smiled, watching him carefully. you wanted to make sure he felt comfortable too.

“no—“ he blurted firmly. “as in no, i want you to.” his words were laced with desperation.

you reached up to cup his rosy cheeks, his face fitting almost perfectly in the palms of your hands. drawing him in, the space between you shrank with every heartbeat. then, your lips pressed together.

fireworks. a rush of something that felt perfect. the world paused, everything that had troubled the two of you fading away into nothingness. as if the universe had destined for this to happen—you, yushi, this empty rooftop, this exact moment.

when you pulled away, yushi’s head snapped away from you, desperate to hide the pink painted all over his face. his heart still racing, his lips tingling at the feeling, the last thing he wanted was for you to see how badly he wanted this moment to last.

then, your phone rang.

“fuck,” you grumbled, rummaging through your purse for your phone. “way to ruin the moment,” you groaned when you spotted it, immediately rejecting the call.

“im sorry was that too forward?” you asked, glancing at yushi, who’s eyes were still glued to the imaginary things he was ‘paying attention to.’

he just shook his head, still in shock. he looked at you, unable to read your mind. why weren’t you flustered? what he didn’t know, was that you were a mess, your head racing with thoughts of the most perfect kiss you just shared. you were just better at hiding it.

you grabbed his hand again, like it was second nature, leading him down the stairs. when you stepped back into the club, your friends immediately spotted you. wonbin was the first to approach.

“hey! we need to go… yuna is drunk out of her mind,” wonbin said, grabbing your wrist and pulling you to the rest of the group, not even giving you or yushi a chance to properly say goodbye to each other.

at the same time you were being pulled away, sion slung an arm over yushi’s shoulder, but he barely noticed. his gaze was still locked onto you, heart pounding, and the feeling of your fingers still lingering.

sion spoke up, breaking yushi’s daze, “who was that?”

wonbin’s grip released from your wrist as soon as you arrived to ningning and yuna. “who was that?”

the night’s entire interaction replayed through both of your minds once more—every glance, every word, and every touch—and your hearts dropped at the realization:

“i don’t know.”

navigation ! masterlist | prev | next

synopsis — fresh out of a horrific break up, yn gets invited out to the club by her friends. on the other hand, tokuno yushi, the quietest in his group of friends, is dragged to the same one. after spending a night filled with a whirlwind of emotions together, they both make the mistake of never formally introducing themselves. they are both determined to find each other again. after all, if they were really soulmates, fate would take over again. right?

authors note — HAYY FIRST REAL CHAPTER IS OUT AND ITS A LONG ONE ! as mentioned earlier i havent written in YEARSS so this might actually suck balls but i hope yall enjoyed the read anyways <33 ngl i started tweaking out halfway through like… me and who when !

taglist (open!) — @dudekiss3r @suzayaaa @jaellymint @sillyyuz @spacejip @ditsydeer101 @holyhaech @buns-inhiding @sibwol @ant-onie @yvshi @taroddori @ttjisung @kyubing @yushiela

© odaengz 2025

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he KNOWS

Bus or Truck - Oh Sion

summary: in which the thirst message that you wrote about your classmate accidentally gets sent to his best friend instead of yours

part i

nct masterlist - next

taglist: open

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NEW FIC LET'S GOOOO

TAKE A CHANCE WITH ME

fresh out of a horrific break up, yn gets invited out to the club by her friends. on the other hand, tokuno yushi, the quietest in his group of friends, is dragged to the same one.

after spending a night filled with a whirlwind of emotions together, they both make the mistake of never formally introducing themselves. they are both determined to find each other again. after all, if they were really soulmates, fate would take over again, right?

yushi x fem!reader

genre. half smau/half written, angst, fluff, lowkey crack, set in college/university

featuring. sion, riku, ningning, yuna (itzy), rei, wonbin, sohee, gyuvin, jungwon, jaehyun (bnd), leehan, taesan, & more!

content warning — LOTS of cussing (sorry im a potty mouth 😭), maybe bad grammar/lack of punctuation, very very mild suggestive language, kys/kms jokes, i tried making all the idols around the same age so i picked some that im not too familiar with- taesan is an asshole and i make the introverts into extroverts in this story so sorry </3

a/n — hii i have no expectations of this popping off i’m honestly just writing this because i dont see a lot of wish on this app </3 i haven’t written an actual story in like 4 years so it might be hot garbage .. but i hope yall enjoy anyways <3 if you want to be in the taglist lmk !

navigation !

too many cats | sion’s minions

started — 032625

© odaengz 2025

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how do i even explain this to a non-

nctzen?

250302 CHENLE Douyin Update

"i'm a drummer. drum set practice one-take (butt version)

performers: 🐬🐻

#dailylifeinpracticeroom #nowordsforthosewhodontgetit #whosepelvisisthemostaligned #formersoninlaw"

Translated by ZCLFEED

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what do you mean we almost lost sion to a fucking toothbrush?!😭😭

(NEW!) sion running while brushing his teeth then getting his toothbrush stuck in his throat, ending up in the ER lore

(🔻) doyoung getting ice cream and got hit by a car, got to the hospital still holding on to his melting ice cream lore

(🔻) haechan breaking his pinky finger trying to run around a sharp corner to go to his cousin's house to play games lore