Dandelions | Xu Minghao
Synopsis: Choi Hyerin keeps receiving these sweet letters from her secret admirer. The only problem? She already has a boyfriend.
Pairings: Xu Minghao x OC Choi Hyerin x Joshua Hong
Genre and Tags: fluff / unrequited love / non-idol!minghao / highschool au / sweet letters / crush / first love / secret admirer
Author's Note: Just a small inventive outcome— inspired by one of my favourite songs, Dandelions by Ruth B. Not all stories have happy endings. Please leave your thoughts in the comments~
Rating: 13+
Word Count: 3.5K+
AFTER THE TEACHER DISMISSED the class, Hyerin hurried to the classroom opposite hers, clutching a sheet of paper as she scanned the crowd for someone special. A brilliant smile lit up her face, celebrating her perfect score in Chemistry, a subject she typically disliked.
While her dedication played a significant role, her achievement owed much to someone dear to her heart—her boyfriend, Joshua Hong.
As Joshua exited the classroom, his bag slung over one shoulder, he ran his hand through his hair, oblivious to Hyerin's eager gaze. Finally spotting him, she dashed over, calling out his name. Startled, Joshua turned, only to be enveloped in a tight hug from Hyerin.
"Shua!" she exclaimed. He grinned as he embraced her in return, his eyes reflecting her excitement.
Breathless with enthusiasm, Hyerin shared her news. "Guess what? I, Choi Hyerin, just got a perfect score in Chemistry!" She handed him the paper, her eyes shining with pride.
Surprised but elated, Joshua scanned the paper, his smile widening. "I always knew you had it in you. I'm so proud of you," he said, gently pinching her cheeks.
Moved by his words, Hyerin hugged him tightly. "It's all thanks to having the best boyfriend," she murmured.
Joshua kissed her forehead. "No, I merely helped with the basics. The rest was all you. I'm truly proud, my love."
Hyerin's heart swelled with affection. "Really?" she whispered.
"Mhm," Joshua confirmed, holding her close. "And your mom will be thrilled. Show her as soon as she gets home."
Hyerin cherished the way Joshua looked at her—as though she were everything. And to him, she truly was. He was utterly captivated by her, and nothing else mattered in comparison. He was completely and breathtakingly fascinated.
Joshua had always been a man of few words, but since their paths intertwined, it seemed like there were a million unspoken sentiments between them. His eyes spoke volumes, effortlessly conveying his deep love for her. Their affection was palpable to anyone who observed them, revealing Joshua's complete adoration for her. Whether it was the sparkle in her eyes when he was near or the warmth of his affectionate smile, their relationship radiated pure love.
Even under a starry sky, their gaze remained locked on each other.
Lost in each other's embrace, they were oblivious to another pair of eyes fixated on them.
The onlooker's stare wasn't born of jealousy, anger, or resentment, but rather a bittersweet blend of pain and acceptance. Unintentionally, tears welled in their eyes as they continued to watch the couple from a distance.
"Hao, you shouldn't keep watching them. It'll only hurt you more," a voice spoke from behind, a hand resting on the observer's shoulder with concern.
"I know, Mingyu, but I can't help it. It's not that I resent seeing Shua with her. It's just hard not to imagine what it would be like if it were me instead of him," Minghao confessed, his longing evident in his voice as his gaze remained fixed on her radiant smile.
It always tormented him.
Her smile.
Minghao couldn't quite articulate why, but her smile brought him joy. He harbored just one wish — to be the reason behind her happiness. Yet, the realization that this dream would never materialize shattered him each time.
It remained his cherished fantasy, one he fervently wished would someday come true.
He often pondered if he could whisk her away, but did she harbor any desire to be with him?
However, Minghao could never betray his best friend, the one who stood by him from the start. He recognized that Hyerin meant the world to Joshua. Despite being the first to love her, Minghao knew he could never treat her as magnificently as Joshua did.
Joshua was incomparable, perhaps that was why she chose him. No one could dispute their compatibility, not even Minghao himself. Yet, witnessing her affection towards Joshua pierced him deeply. His only solace lay in his dreams, where she belonged to him and he to her.
Despite his unrequited love for his best friend's girlfriend, Minghao harbored no resentment towards Joshua; their friendship meant too much to him. He refused to jeopardize it for the sake of love.
"Perhaps confessing could aid your healing, Hao," Mingyu suggested.
"No, I couldn't do that to Shua. Maybe these feelings will fade with time. Until then, I'll find solace in merely witnessing her smile from afar," Minghao replied, a genuine smile gracing his lips as he watched them once more.
Mingyu couldn't help but feel sorry for his best friend. Though he couldn't change the situation, Mingyu always ensured he was there for Minghao, offering support whenever and wherever needed.
"I'm just going to stash this in my locker. Be right back, okay? Meet you in the cafeteria," Joshua said, kissing Hyerin's temple before she headed off.
Joshua couldn't help but marvel, 'How did I ever deserve this angel?'
Turning around, he spotted his best friends and hurried over. Minghao swiftly wiped his tears at Joshua's approach.
"Hey, guys! What's going on?" Joshua beamed, earning fond smiles from both Mingyu and Minghao.
"Not much. We both aced Chemistry," Mingyu exclaimed excitedly.
"That's fantastic! I'm proud of you both," Joshua replied warmly.
Mingyu glanced at Minghao, then back at Joshua. "Hey, Shua, can I ask for your advice?" Joshua nodded, prompting Mingyu to continue. "I have a friend who's head over heels for this girl..."
Minghao shot Mingyu a warning glare, but Mingyu persisted, ignoring his friend's silent protests. "So, he's deeply in love with her, but she's in a relationship with his best friend."
"How did he develop feelings for his best friend's girlfriend?" Joshua inquired.
"Wel—"
"He didn't plan it. It just happened," Minghao interjected, defending his friend. "Besides, he loved her long before his best friend did."
Joshua arched a brow, puzzled by Minghao's defensive stance. "Well, if that's the case, why didn't he confess before his best friend did?" he asked.
Minghao faltered, unsure of how to respond. Joshua had a point. Why hadn't he confessed earlier? Was it fear, or a belief that he wasn't good enough for her?
He didn't know. Sensing the tension, Mingyu intervened, "Well, for whatever reason, he didn't. But now he can't shake his feelings and it hurts to see them together. How can he move on?"
Joshua pondered for a moment. "If he truly loves her—"
"He does. Very much," Minghao interjected again.
"Okay, then it won't be easy for him to let go," Joshua continued. "And since she's his best friend's girlfriend, he'll likely see her often, making it even harder."
"So there's no way for him to move on?" Mingyu pressed.
"There is," Joshua replied, catching Minghao's curious gaze. "Rejection."
Minghao looked puzzled, while Mingyu shot him a knowing glance.
"If he doesn't express his feelings, he might hold onto hope. But if he confesses and she rejects him, it'll shatter those hopes, allowing him to move forward," Joshua explained. "But since she's his best friend's girlfriend, a face-to-face confession might be awkward and could jeopardize their friendship."
"Way to burst the bubble, Shua," Mingyu remarked, rolling his eyes.
"You didn't let me finish, you goofball," Joshua retorted. "He could write her a letter, confessing his love as a secret admirer. That way, she won't know it's him, and he can move on when she rejects him, without risking their friendship." Joshua grinned, pleased with his solution.
"But what if she tells her boyfriend about the letters? That would ruin his friendship," Minghao asked.
"She wouldn't. She would probably refrain from bringing this up to him," Joshua reassured with a smile.
"Thank you so much, Shua. You're the best!" Minghao exclaimed.
"You're welcome, I guess. Are you going to go tell him now or...?" Joshua queried.
"Yes! Joshua, we have to go. We'll see you later. Thanks again!" Mingyu exclaimed, grabbing Minghao's hand as they began to move away from Joshua.
Joshua shook his head, smiling as he saw his two best friends head inside the cafeteria.
'I might be the only boyfriend who would give his best friend permission to write love letters to his girlfriend,' Joshua thought with a sigh.
He knew.
Of course he knew. Joshua wasn't that naïve or ignorant to not notice the sparkles in Minghao's eyes whenever they landed on Hyerin. It would be impossible to miss the lovely smile on his face each time she would smile. But Joshua never said anything. Knowing this made Joshua value Minghao even more than he already did. He was surprised by how Minghao never once showed his anger or hatred toward him. No matter how hurt Minghao was, he always proved that his friendship with Joshua meant so much more than anything else. Even now, Joshua noticed how Minghao was keen and focused on not ruining their friendship.
Joshua was certainly scared.
Scared of losing her—his everything. But if being with Minghao is what she would want, Joshua would definitely give her up happily, knowing that she would be with someone who loved her deeply. Probably even more than Joshua himself. What mattered to him was her happiness. Nothing else. If she would be happier without him, Joshua wouldn't hesitate to let her go. His mother always used to tell him, "If you love someone, the best thing you can do for them is letting them go. If they are yours, they would always find their way back to you and if they don't, they weren't ever yours."
'I hope you get to tell her everything you wished to say, Hao. I hope it would help you move on. If you end up winning her too, I would be very happy for you.'
Joshua smiled tenderly, walking towards the cafeteria.
"I don't know if I should do it. It feels wrong," Minghao sighed, his hands fumbling with the piece of paper in his hands.
"Hao, even Joshua himself gave you permission to write to his girlfriend. What more do you need?" Mingyu reasoned.
"But he didn't know that it was about me and Hyerin," Minghao frowned.
"But it's not like you're doing anything wrong, Hao. It's okay to be a little selfish at times like this, you know? As Shua said, the only way you can move on is if you get rejected." Mingyu placed his hands on Minghao's shoulders. "You might never get a better opportunity other than this."
Minghao sighed, his heart heavy at the thought of betraying his best friend. "I don't know if I can betray him like this. It's hard."
Joshua hid in a corner next to them, eavesdropping on their conversation. He sighed, feeling somehow happy that Minghao felt hesitant. Of course Joshua wanted him to be a little selfish and do it, but he felt very grateful to have someone as unique and special as Minghao in his life. Nonetheless, Joshua definitely wanted him to do it. Joshua never felt guilty for being with Hyerin; he just couldn't bear to see his best friend get hurt because of him.
Minghao took a deep breath, knowing that he had to do it either way. He inserted the paper slowly in between the small gap of Hyerin's locker. Joshua felt relieved and proud of Minghao for doing it.
"I'm sorry, Shua," Minghao whispered, his head against the locker.
Joshua smiled fondly at his best friend. 'It's okay, Hao. I'm happy you did it.'
"Let's leave before she comes, Hao," Mingyu suggested, earning a nod from Minghao.
After a long and eventful evening, Hyerin was certainly exhausted but was still very cheerful because of her huge achievement. She happily skipped to her locker.
Minghao watched with a small smile on his face. He knew it was wrong to feel this way but his heart couldn't help but palpitate wildly for what was coming next. He was both nervous and excited. Minghao had already made different assumptions as to how she might react to the letter, and he was prepared to get his heart broken.
Hyerin opened her locker, only to find a small piece of paper. Confused, she grabbed it delicately as if she might ruin the paper. Noticing many words written neatly, she started reading it.
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I couldn't stop my eyes from searching for every trace of you. I'm in love, alone.
I'm in love with the impossibility of me and you.
With a heart like that, you deserve the world, darling.
If only I had been a bit earlier, I might've been treasuring you in my arms now.
Maybe we were meant to meet but not to be.
- MH ♡
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Hyerin looked around, hoping to find the writer of the letter.
'MH?'
She wondered, her mind recalling anyone and everyone she knew with the initials 'MH'. But to her dismay, no one as such crossed her mind. Hyerin wouldn't lie, the way her admirer worded his feelings definitely made her feel butterflies. If she weren't already in a relationship with someone she loved with all her heart, she might have been swayed.
She sighed, grabbing the paper before closing her locker. Scrunching her nose, she headed to her class. Though she was physically present, her mind was captivated by thoughts of who could have written her the letter.
"Hey, my love," Joshua hugged her from behind, kissing her head. "How was dinner yesterday?"
"Oh, yeah, it was great. Mom felt really proud," she replied nonchalantly. "She invited you over for dinner today. Can you make it, Joshie?" Joshua chuckled at the nickname, pinching her cheeks.
"I'll try, sweetheart. Do thank her for inviting me, though." Hyerin nodded, cuddling closer to him.
"Shua, there's something bothering my mind," she whispered.
"Really? You wanna talk about it?" he asked gently, rubbing her back.
"Never mind. It's nothing." She shrugged as he frowned.
"If you still want to talk about it, I'm always here, okay?" She nodded, pecking his lips. "I love you, Shua."
He smiled. "I love you more."
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These are the words I never thought I'd be able to let out.
Maybe it's the way you say my name, but it's so good. I've never known anybody like you. I've heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime and I'm pretty sure that you are that love of mine.
Though I'm a coward for not saying this to you face to face, I simply just cannot bring myself to do it as you make my mind go blank every time I see you. Perhaps, that was the reason I couldn't confess sooner than he did.
I'm in a field of Dandelions, wishing on every one that you'd be mine. I see forever in your eyes, I feel okay when I see you smile. Wishing on Dandelions all of the time, I pray to God that one day, you'd be mine.
However, I'm happy you're with the best possible guy for you. Even if I had confessed earlier, I wouldn't have been able to love you as half as he does.
I hope you stay happy with him always. I love seeing you smile.
I always thought it was impossible for a person to have a smile much more beautiful than all of the wonders of the world but you proved me wrong, so never give it up for anyone. I'm so inspired with you; how special your heart is, how your mind works, how you live and especially how you love.
Please don't search for me. I really do wish I could tell you who I am but I'm afraid I can't.
Such a coward I am, aren't I? I already know what your reply would be but hearing it out loud would help me move on. Please come to the rooftop after lunch, though you won't be able to see me, I'll be there, listening to you.
I hope you'll come.
- MH ♡
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Quickly checking her watch, she widened her eyebrows. Shutting her locker, she ran to the rooftop. Hyerin hadn't been to her locker since morning and only checked just now after eating lunch.
Feeling guilty, she ran as fast as she could, hoping the mystery person wouldn't misunderstand the reason for her absence on the rooftop.
Catching her breath, she shouted, "I'm here!" hoping her secret admirer was still present.
Taking a deep breath, she started, "Hi, you already know that I have a boyfriend and that I love him a lot. I'm guessing the reason you're not revealing yourself to me is because I already know who you are. I just wanted to say, I'm sorry that I was blind to see how you felt about me. It must've hurt you a lot to see me and Joshua together. And you're not a coward; confessing to someone who is your friend isn't easy, there's a lot to take under consideration, so I understand. I just wanted to know why you decided to tell me now. I'm really sorry I can't reciprocate your feelings, as you already know, I love Joshua with all my heart and I can't even imagine being with someone who is not him. I'm really sorry. I hope we still stay friends. Thank you for all your beautiful words. If I hadn't already loved Shua, I would've definitely been swept off my feet. I hope you find someone better than me, someone who actually deserves you and loves you a lot. I just wanted to say this. Thank you for being my friend and for revealing your feelings to me instead of bottling it up forever. I wish nothing but the best for you."
She let out a sigh, hoping someone actually heard her words and that she wasn't just talking to herself. She slowly stepped out, heading to her class.
All the while, Minghao could do nothing but cry as he felt his heart break. He knew what she would say, but he was grateful that she tried her best to let him down politely. He kept crying until it satisfied his heart. Suddenly, someone embraced him, softly patting his head.
"It’s okay, Hao," Joshua whispered, his voice gentle and soothing. "I’m here for you."
Minghao looked up, surprised to see Joshua. "Shua, why are you here? You- you knew?"
Joshua smiled softly. "Yes, Hao. That's why I told you to do this and I wanted to make sure you were okay. I know this was hard for you, but I’m proud of you for telling her how you feel."
Minghao wiped his tears, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude. "Thank you, Shua. I don’t know what I’d do without you."
Joshua hugged him tighter. "We’ll get through this together, Hao. You’re not alone."
As they stood there, Minghao felt a sense of comfort knowing that despite everything, his friendship with Joshua remained unshaken.
The saddest word in the world is almost.
He almost had her, she almost fell for him.
They almost made it. And now, their 'almost' would always haunt him forever.
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This is my last letter to you. I just wanted to tell you everything I wanted to because I wanted to have no regrets and what ifs. It's going to be a bit long so I'm sorry for that. One, I heard you yesterday, thank you for coming and telling me how you feel, I really appreciate it. Second, thank you for coming into my life and making me feel things I myself couldn't explain. It hurts like hell to have to forget you but now, I at least had my dreams and fantasies killed, it'll help me move on.
You are the love that came without a single warning and you stole my heart before I could even say no. It's very pathetic really, how much I hope it's you and me in the end. You and I, we were always just an almost—never something, never nothing but just an almost. It was hell realizing you only loved me in my dreams and I always woke up alone. At least now, I won't have regrets that I couldn't express just how much you mean to me.
Your happiness has become such an important part of my life now that it kills me to see you sad. Always keep smiling, you deserve it more than anyone. And, don't let him go, he's one of a kind. Just like you.
Goodbye, my almost first love.
- MH ♡
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Hyerin softly smiled as she read the letter.
"Bubs, I missed you." A voice cooed in her ears, hugging her from behind as she giggled.
"Really? Should we go on a date today then? I already finished studying for my tests." She replied, turning around and wrapping her hands around Joshua's waist.
"Sounds perfect." He pecked her lips.
Heyy!! This is the first oneshot! I hope you all like it and that the ending didn't disappoint you. Sometimes, the person you love may not be destined to be yours and that's okay. I would be very pleased if you all could leave comments sharing your thoughts, I'd love to read them and analyze the ways I can improve with my writing! Please let me know how you all felt~
The second oneshot is upcoming and my masterlist will be updated after I've published 5 oneshots!
Thank you all so much for taking your time to read this! I love you! See you soon~
-Hera 🤍
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