#how obvious is it that this was supposed to be a countdown to valentine's day?

[sunbrights]

fic: somewhere surely lived (1/14)

fandom: danganronpa characters/pairings: fuyuhiko & peko are the main POV characters, and kuzupeko is the main endgame ship, but this sumbitch is a smorgasborg of characters and ships. there are 6 additional secondary ships that'll be ~special surprises~. side pairings won't be tagged, but the "relationship of the day" character will. rating: e (not all chapters have smut, but a fair number of them do) summary: Hope's Peak is not just a dating program; it's a guarantee. With the right compatible partner, the benefits are endless: boosted life expectancy, improved self-esteem, increased productivity, new opportunities, better overall work and life satisfaction. For society's elite, Hope's Peak makes finding that partner straightforward, if not easy.

It provides an Ultimate Match-- provided the participants are willing to go through its paces.

(AU based on the Black Mirror episode, "Hang the DJ.")

notes: Happy Valentine's week, friends! This fic is (almost) done and will (hopefully) be updated 3x a week between now and White Day (3/14) as a special lovey-dovey season gift from me to you!

read on AO3

2 WEEKS

“What?” she says. “That can’t be right. That’s barely any time at all.”

He taps the round, black face of his device again, but the number doesn’t change. Two weeks.

The server brings by pre-selected menu choices: poached salmon for him and parmesan risotto for her. He knew going in that the system was designed to automate as much as possible. (“Optimizing everyday decisions allows participants to focus their energy on developing their relationships,” his device had told him, after he booted it up the first time.) That doesn’t stop it from being fucking weird, having a plate slid in front of him without preamble.

He can’t find room to be pissed about it, though. The fish is cooked perfectly, exactly to his tastes. He can’t say he wouldn’t have picked it himself, if he’d been given the option; it just might’ve taken him longer to get there.

The girl is still focused on her device. She has it cupped in one hand, and is swiping through the different menu options. She’s pretty, he guesses; she has a narrow face and dark eyes, but also a short bob haircut that keeps her from looking too severe. He’s never really thought much about red hair on women... but apparently the system didn’t think much of it, either, if this is all the time it gave them.

“Usami,” she says, and it lights up to acknowledge her, “is it really only two weeks?”

“That’s right!”

“What the fuck are we supposed to do with that?” he snaps around his mouthful. The girl gives him a sour look.

“I’m sorry,” his device chirps from his elbow, “that question is too broad. Being specific helps me understand!”

“I think what he means,” she says, every word dripping with so much pointed disapproval that it makes him roll his eyes, “is why is it only two weeks?”

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“... Right.” She gives up, apparently; she sighs, and lets her wrist hang. He takes another bite.

“It’s rude to start eating before everyone else at the table, you know,” she tells him.

“You’ve got your food,” he says.

“That’s not the point! It’s…” She sighs again, and shoves the device back into her purse. “Nevermind. Let’s just start over, okay? I want to make the most of this. Two weeks or not.”

The main theme of all the literature surrounding Hope’s Peak had been that the system works if you let it. Nothing is superfluous, even if it seems like it is. Everything happens for a reason.

He swallows his bite, and leans back in the booth.

“... Fine.”

*

Mahiru is an amateur photographer following in her mother’s footsteps. It’s her first time in the system, too, and she’s about as sold on it as he is— which is to say, not quite. She offers him some of her risotto, and laughs when he refuses. “Big no to cheese, then,” she says, mixing the breadcrumbs into the rice. “Heard that one loud and clear.”

There’s a little, driverless cart waiting for them outside the restaurant when they’re finished. It pings both their devices when they get in, sets a navigation on its own, and takes them out into the sprawling grounds around the central hub.

They ride in silence, cold winter air whipping in from under the plastic shields. He puts his feet on the dash, and she sighs, loud enough that it barely even counts as passive-aggressive. He doesn’t put them back down.

The route delivers them to an isolated cottage on the western side of the grounds. It’s on the small side, just a main living area separated from what he assumes is a bedroom by a half-divider. There’s a nook of a kitchen tucked into the southeastern corner, and an automated fireplace in the middle. It’s clean and nicely furnished, inviting while still managing to stay practical.

Mahiru turns the corner into the bedroom. She stops short. “... Oh.”

He understands when he gets there. There’s only a single bed, made up in plush pillows and fluffy blankets. The bathroom hangs off the northern wall, separated by wide panes of lightly frosted glass.

The implication isn’t exactly fucking subtle.

“... I guess it’s understandable,” she says. “I mean, we are meant to be in a relationship. It’s just a little...”

“For two weeks?” he says. “Fuck that.” He plucks the squat extra blanket off the end of the bed and steps back down into the main living area. “Take it. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Don’t you know any other words?” she complains. “If you talk like that all the time, people are going to assume you have a bad attitude.”

“Let people think whatever they want,” he answers. “I don’t give a shit.”

“So you do have a bad attitude, is what you’re saying.”

He turns on his heel. “What difference does it make to you? Do you want to share the bed?”

She flushes, and glares at her feet. “Of- Of course not! Not… Not right away, at least. I appreciate you being a gentleman about it, but you could try actually acting like a gentleman.”

“It’s only two weeks,” he tells her. He pulls out the back cushions of the couch and lines them up neatly behind it. “Don’t get so worked up over it.”

That shuts her up. She watches him make up the rest of it, her arms folded over her stomach. “You know,” she says, once he’s sat down, “you could try being a little more positive.”

“Whatever.” He kicks the decorative throw pillows off the end of the couch so that he can pull his legs up on it. Even for him, it’s a tight fit. “Let’s just go to sleep.”

*

Two weeks, it turns out, is a long, long fucking time.

*

They argue, constantly. She hassles him about his manners, his posture, the way he holds his fork. They never agree on what to do or where to go or when, and she absolutely refuses to give any ground, ever. She’s fucking insufferable.

“You’re not my goddamn mother!” he shouts across the kitchen. “I don’t need you riding my ass all the time!”

“Yeah, well, maybe if you actually pulled yourself together for once, I wouldn’t have to!” He slams the mini-fridge shut, and she tosses her hands in the air. “See? This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re such a child, you know that?”

“Usami,” he barks at the counter.

The device lights up. “Yes, Fuyuhiko?”

“What are our options for ending a relationship?”

“Oh, that’s your solution?” Mahiru demands. “You want to run away instead of acknowledging that maybe, maybe you have some issues you should be working through?”

“The relationship will end when time is up!” the device responds, cheerful.

He ignores her, and focuses on it. “Yeah, I’m not an idiot, I know that. I mean before that.”

“All expiration dates are carefully calibrated in order to generate an accurate partner profile, which helps in selecting your Ultimate Match,” it answers. “Participants are not allowed to terminate a relationship before the expiration date has passed. Doing so would compromise the quality of the data provided to the system.”

He freezes. Across the room, so does Mahiru. “What?” she says.

“Ever?”

“That’s right!”

“We’re stuck here for another fucking week?”

“That’s right!”

It waits for more input. After it goes a few long, excruciatingly silent minutes without getting any, it dims into standby.

“Look,” Mahiru starts, and that’s how it always starts, her same bullshit speech about having an open mind and trusting the system and, if you really listen, letting her drive their whole fucking relationship. He can’t listen to it again.

“Don’t,” he snaps. He shoulders past her, and grabs his coat from the hook. “I need some goddamn air.”

*

Natsumi agrees to give him an out, on the condition that he brings her a smoothie and walks around the park with her. He does it, because if he spends one more second in that tiny-ass cottage, he’s going to lose his fucking mind, and no amount of Natsumi squeaking her straw in her plastic lid is going to measure up ever again.

Her advice is, “Have you had sex yet? You should have sex,” and he gulps down way, way too much of his coffee. He manages not to spit it all down his front, and it scalds the back of his throat instead.

“God— fucking dammit, Natsumi! Did you not listen to a word I said?”

“Yeah,” she drawls, “I listened to all of it. She tells you to pick up your shoes sometimes and you’re a little bitch about it, I get it. If it’s such a lost cause, you might as well get something out of it before time’s up.”

“I’m not gonna sleep with someone I hate!”

“Who cares about that? You said two weeks, right? I doubt the system was gunning for you guys to settle into gross domestic bliss anyway.” She slurps her smoothie. “Hatesex is a thing.”

“You’re fucking full of shit.”

“Be miserable, then! What else do you want me to say?”

He doesn’t have the chance to answer. There’s a shout behind them, and some girl skids past, nearly clipping Natsumi’s elbow. She fumbles her smoothie, and it sloshes purple all down her front.

“Hey!” she shrieks. “Watch where you’re going, bitch!”

“I’m sorry!” the girl shouts over her shoulder. She keeps running. “I’ve got a really important mission! No time to explain!”

He feels better after that.

*

“Yo, Usami,” he asks, when it’s just him in the cottage, two nights before the expiration. He sprawls out on the couch, and lets his head hang off the edge.

“Yes, Fuyuhiko?”

“What’s the fucking point of this?”

“The system evaluates your reactions to each of your relationships in order to build a complex—”

“No, I mean this. Me and her. Why put us together in the first place?”

“Everything happens for a reason.”

Could’ve seen that one coming.

She gets back not long after him. She walks right past him without looking at him, straight back into the kitchen. They’ve gone three days without saying a damn word to each other, and maybe that should feel like an improvement over the constant screaming, but it doesn’t.

It feels pointless.

He sits up on the couch. “Hey.” She barely even reacts, just tilts her head enough that he knows she heard him. “Can I kiss you?”

She looks then. She glares, right over the curve of her shoulder. “Excuse me?”

“For fuck’s sake, don’t make me say it again.”

“Is that supposed to be some kind of joke?” she snaps. “Are you seriously this petty?”

“No! That’s not it. Just—” He gestures at his device, and hopes that gets the message across. “I’m fucking trying here, okay?”

She turns her glare down at the device, and then back up at him. Her jaw works. “... Fine,” she says, and then holds up a finger before he can get a word in. “One time. Understand?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

She drops onto the couch beside him, except that she’s still too far away for him to do anything. He has to scoot to close the distance, and that makes her even more tense, shoulders drawn up and spine rigid. She stares back at him with that same, resolute glare she always wears, only now her face is a little pink, high on her cheekbones. It’d be cute, maybe, on literally anyone else.

They sit in silence. He tries to psyche himself up.

“... Well?” she demands. “How- How long are you just going to sit there? If you lost your nerve, just admit it so I can at least—”

He mutters, “Fuck, shut up,” and crushes his mouth over hers.

And yeah, he was right all along: Natsumi is full of shit.

It’s a bad kiss, and no weeks-old flare of physical attraction is enough to save it. Technically speaking, it’s fine, and contrary to what he expected Mahiru doesn’t just sit there like a dead fish; she tries maybe more than him, cupping his face in her hands and tilting him into a more comfortable angle. There’s just nothing there. It’s a wet, uncomfortable mess of lips with someone he hates.

It only lasts a few seconds before she groans and pushes him off.

“That was terrible,” she says.

It’s the first and only time he’s ever agreed with her. She slides away from him, and he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Yeah, well. Now we know, huh? This whole thing was a fucking waste of time.”

She wraps her arms around her middle. “Yeah,” she says. “I guess it was.”

She stands up from the couch and goes to bed.

*

Two of the automated carts are sent out to pick them up on the last day. When the timer breaks five minutes, they separate into their individual rides, and wait for it to run out.

END

[erasethedarkness]

If you are taking requests, "y'know your roof might not be the safest place to stargaze" with aizawa? Your Christmas countdown was very cute and well written! Thank you for all the hard work you put into your writing💜💜💜💜

Ahhh, Starry Anon, you’re so sweet! Thank you for taking the time to read my works and make a request! Interactions like this are just so reassuring and validating, and certainly make me want to write and share so much more. ^^ I hope you enjoy this mashup between your prompt and the “Secret Admirer” prompt for my Valentine’s Day Countdown! 

In the Stars -Day 5 | Secret Admirer- 

Summary: You were going to do it- you were determined to ask Aizawa out. At least, you intended to, except he didn’t make it back to his office before classes started and you ran late to your first meeting, which set you back clear through lunch. By then, a rumor was in full bloom that he had a secret admirer. Despite your efforts, it was fated for you to remain anonymous that day, so you decided to roll with it and play into being a secret admirer. At the end of the week, you left a simple message for him to find and meet you. With high hopes, you waited beneath the stars. 

Theme Song: Waiting for Love - Avicii

Reader: Gender Neutral

Words: 1963

'Where there’s a will, there’s a way' kind of beautiful…

Monday morning. This was it- this was going to be the year you finally did it. You were going to ask Aizawa out even though you’ve never seen the man express romantic interest towards anyone. It was a shot in absolute darkness, but after pining for so long, it would have been worse to let the crush start to fester.

Before heading to your office, you stopped by the teachers’ area, hoping to see Aizawa seated at his desk next to Yamada’s. No one was there. Coats hung on the back of chairs, coffee cups sat on a few desks, but all the teachers were out. Maybe they all had a meeting before classes started? You hung around for a few minutes and leaned against his cleared off desk, looking at the rose and rolling it by the stem between your index finger and thumb before placing it down. Beginning to second guess yourself, you held the edge of the desk as you sighed, closing your eyes as the excitement turned to anxiety.

A glance at the clock alarmed you, and you immediately stood up and half ran out, seeing that you stayed a full 5 minutes longer than you intended to and were now late to your first meeting. You finally slowed to a walk and composed yourself before rounding the corner of the hallway to your office, a student waiting outside for your one-on-one.

By the time lunch came around, five minutes late turned into twenty, and to make up for it, you decided to eat in your office while completing the paperwork that accompanied each student evaluation you did. As you carried your meal past the teachers, you overheard Aizawa getting teased in their gossip.

“He just stood there, staring at and then started working around it because he didn’t want to move it!” Present Mic laughed, making Midnight giggle.

“Really, Eraser? It was just a rose,” she snickered. “Honestly, it’s so surprising that you’ve got a secret admirer. Out of all the single teachers here, someone’s longing for you.” Midnight clicked her tongue with a playful roll of her eyes. “It’s about time.”

“It was probably meant for someone else. I’ll leave it alone so the person can find it where they left it.”

You’d forgotten about that rose when you checked the time, and didn’t have a moment to think of it again until you were reminded. Before giving yourself the chance to step into that conversation, you quickly returned to your office. Being a secret admirer never crossed your mind- you were much more direct than that. If you didn’t have to catch up on work, you would have interjected or spoken with Aizawa when you saw him, but if you wanted your afternoon to run on schedule, that would have to wait.

At the end of the day, you stopped by classroom 1-A to see if he was in, but once again found an empty room. You scoffed at your luck, amused for thinking that it must have been a sign that you shouldn’t confess your feelings. Sign or no sign, you were stubborn, and once you decided this was going to happen, there was no stopping you. As you left U.A., you began to think about what you overheard during lunch. Hell, why not?

Over the course of the week, you had masterfully avoided Aizawa. You were caught by some of the staff members, but it didn’t take much to convince them to keep quiet and let this secret admirer business play out. In fact, they thought it was kind of cute and even helped you out. At one point, Kayama texted you that Class 1-A was on the training grounds so you could stop by and place a cheesy card at the podium. Yamada actually gave him one of the gifts for you and teased his friend a bit with the knowledge he withheld. Fortunately for you, that withholding only went one way.

“I never thought I’d see the day Aizawa had a secret admirer, much less the day that he actually expressed interest and curiosity about it,” he casually mused, reclining on the chaise in your office. “You’ve got him looking over his shoulder, and it’s precious.”

“Looking over his shoulder? You make it sound like I’m scaring the man,” you chuckled.

“Well, you probably are a little bit. He’s never been courted like this. The last person who sought his affections ended up repelling him more than enticing. But at least he’s not running away from the thought of having a secret admirer.”

The words struck a bit of a chord with you. It never occured to you that you could end up pushing him away in playing into the accidental role you embraced.

“When do you plan on revealing yourself anyway, (Y/N)?”

“I was thinking tomorrow, but I haven’t exactly thought of how to yet. None of this was actually planned at first,” you laughed as you confessed that. Yamada sat up and looked at you with raised brows and obvious curiosity, prompting you to explain. “I never intended to be a secret admirer. I just forgot the rose on his desk because I lost track of time and was late for my first student. I nearly interjected at lunch when you and Kayama teased him but didn’t have the time, and when I went to tell him after school, he wasn’t where I looked. All signs pointed to not telling him, but you know the saying, right? Where there’s a will, there’s a way? Well, the secret admirer way seemed like fun.”

Yamada listened as you explained the chain of events for the first day, a smirk pressing onto his lips at the end. “It’s certainly been fun for the rest of us. You’ve caught his attention more than anyone else who’s tried. He’s started anticipating things and tries to get Midnight and me to give you away,” he laughed, standing up. “Shouta’s kinda cute when he’s like this. I almost don’t want you to own up to it, but he deserves the pleasant surprise. I’m sure you’ll think of something good for the big reveal.”

You spent the night thinking of how best to come clean, and by the time it came for your delivery, it was incredibly simple. At the end of the day, Aizawa returned to his desk with a single rose on top of a folded note. Actually, it was a map that highlighted a neighborhood. Giving him your address would be far too easy, and even though he could probably look up which staff members lived in that area, you simply hoped he wouldn’t. Accompanying the map was a crisply penned poem:

Roses are red, and stars shine bright. With the roof, my bed- will you find me tonight?

All that was left for you to do was wait. That’s how secret admirer stories always ended, right? With waiting, high hopes, and a rendezvous?

As night settled, you climbed onto your roof, watching the last of the sunlight disappear. Stargazing was one of your favorite ways to unwind- and you had one of the best spots. Despite Tokyo being incredibly polluted with light, from your little section of the world it seemed like the citylights were just a bit dimmer so you could see the stars. You laid back with a large blanket spread out beneath you, pillow cushioning your hands as they cradled your head. If he didn’t come and everything ended tonight, at least you would be here- one of your favorite places to be, enjoying one of your favorite things to do.

Losing yourself in the constellations, you could have sworn you saw otherworldly dashes of light from one star to another. The longer you stared, the more tricks your mind played. Maybe that was why you enjoyed laying out here so much. At any other time, you fully trusted your head, but in the quiet stillness beneath the stars, you occasionally doubted it. You could afford to doubt it in a time and place like this.

“Y’know, your roof might not be the safest place to stargaze.”

You blinked and turned your head to face the voice, meeting the hero perched on the telephone pole next to your home. With parted lips, you stared at him for a moment. He brought your head back down from the clouds, yet you felt like the reality you returned to was surreal. Aizawa actually came to find you- and what’s more, he bothered to let you know that he did.

“Yeah, and powerlines aren’t the safest surface to run on,” you smirked at him, coming to terms with the moment. After all, this is what you hoped for. “You might actually be safer over here with me. What’dya say?” You sat up and scooted from the middle of your blanket to the side, patting the open space after inviting him to join you.

“I suppose having a hero join you would make the scenario safer,” he agreed, hopping over the gap from the roof and post effortlessly. You swore this man knew how to fly, or at least got damn close to it without having a quirk that made flying a possibility. As he settled into the blanket, you offered him the pillow you were using, helping him get a little more comfortable.

“Just so you know, because you’re over here… you’ve basically accepted the fact that I’m going to cuddle you.”

“I’d hope so, after a week of dropping hints.”

Your cheeks warmed with a blush at his words. His answer sounded so casual, like it wasn’t a big deal at all. Turning his dark eyes to you, he gave you a gentle smile that the moonlight made even softer. He placed one hand under his head on the pillow, and outstretched the arm of his other, inviting you to his body. Without hesitance or making him wait, you laid on your back beside him, using his bicep as a pillow. As you got comfortable, he wrapped his arm around your shoulder, letting you rest your head on his muscles.

For a while, you two gazed at the stars and talked constellations, pointing out new ones and revisiting the stories of old. Gradually, you turned more and more into him, your head slowly moving from his arm to his shoulder, and then from his shoulder to his chest until you were hugging him on your roof and being held in return. Starry words turned dreamy, and in the hours you two laid together, confessions of adoration and budding infatuation surfaced.

Aizawa saw to it that you made it inside safely, watching as you climbed down and through your window. Once inside, you leaned out to look at him, only to watch him lower himself upside down to you. A smile pressed onto your lips seeing him like this, his hair hanging completely out of his handsome face. Looking tired wasn’t something people typically found attractive, but he didn’t look tired even with dark circles under his eyes. Despite being sleep deprived, his mind was sharply awake, and that carried his fatigue with graceful strength. His scarf only slightly drooped down over his mouth, a good deal of the length used to harness him safely. With one hand, he pulled the scarf back, revealing a smile beneath it. You leaned forward, your hands preceding you and carefully taking hold of his face. Gently you kissed him, the angle foreign but the feeling welcome. Just barely, you felt his lips purse back against yours as he returned your affection.

“Goodnight, my starry-eyed admirer.”

…and if there’s love in this life, there’s no obstacle.

[pandawritesthings210]

The Countdown

It’s early in the morning when I pet my dog before heading downstairs from my apartment into my flower shop. The sun hasn’t quite risen yet, seeing as it’s 5:30 in the morning. I sigh happily as I unlock the shop so Lexi, my best friend, can get in. I flip the sign on the door to open as well. I put together a few bouquets before Lexi gets in. By the time lunch comes around, we’ve sold a few and made a ton.

When we get back from lunch I look down at the timer on my wrist and sigh as I arrange what feels like the millionth bouquet I’ve done today, I still have over a year until I meet my soulmate. I’ve had the timer since I was born, but I’m so ready for it to beep and fall off. I just want to meet my soulmate. I’m tired of the pitiful looks I get when people see my timer still on my wrist. I’m 25. You usually meet your soulmate by 20.

“Emma, Sweetie, you need to stop worrying about the time left on that stupid timer. It’s not healthy to keep worrying about it like that,” my best friend says as we sit at work.

“Easy for you to say. You have your soulmate, Lex,” I tell her with an exaggerated eye roll and brushing a strand of raven-colored hair out of my face.

“Yes, I do, but I didn’t have him for a very long time. I met him 2 years after you’re supposed to,” she points out.

“Mine is 5 years late, Lex. Plus, it still says I have a whole-” I stop and look down at my timer. It’s changed from over a year to a few days.

“Oh my gosh, Lex! It changed! It went from over a year to 3 days! I wonder what they did to change it so drastically,” I exclaim in excitement.

“Oh my gosh! I have no idea, but I’m excited for you!” she squeals.

I almost snap one of the hydrangeas in the bouquet as I squeal with her in excitement.

I have 3 days, 3 hours, 48 minutes, and 24 seconds left until I meet my soulmate. At least I work in a floral shop in Dallas and it’s the Saturday before Valentine’s day, which is on Wednesday, so I’ll be busy enough to not just sit there staring at my watch all the time.

The bouquet I was working on before our fangirl attack needs a little fixing, so I fix it and put it in the cooler. I start another bouquet that’s going to have red and white roses mixed with some baby’s breath after putting that one away.  It takes about 10 or 15 minutes before I’m satisfied with the way it looks, but that’s usual. I’m a perfectionist when it comes to the arrangements.

The shop’s kind of slow today. It’s a small shop called Bambi’s Flowers that’s set up next to Angel’s tattoo shop, but it’s cute and homey inside. We have the regular jobs like teenage boys coming in for a small bouquet for their girlfriend, or a husband looking for just a normal bouquet for their wife, but sometimes we get orders for giant bouquets. I love the giant bouquets, because they’re so much fun to put together.

Another boy, about 17 or 18 comes in looking for a single rose to give his mom for Valentine’s Day, and my heart melts at the sweetness of the gesture. I point him in the direction of our small section that has some singular roses for $5. He thanks me before walking over to the section and looking around for a bit as I go back to my task of putting another bouquet together. I hum a small French song that I learned back in high school as I pluck another bit of baby’s breath from the stem to pass the time.  

“You have a beautiful singing voice,” I hear the boy say, and I look up and stop singing quickly, a light blush staining my cheeks.

“Thank you. Did you find what you were looking for?” I ask as I look at the rose in his hand- white, which is a nice change.

“Yup. I love your shop. It feels very homey,” he says.

“Thanks. It’s kind of my pride and joy,” I reply with a smile.

“So you own the shop then?” he asks.

“Yup. I’ve had this shop for about 5 years, now. I live in the apartment upstairs. I love it here,” I say as he hands me the rose to ring up.

“I can see why. I imagine the smell of fresh flowers never grows old,” he says thoughtfully.

“Oh, it never does. I love the smell of flowers,” I tell him.

“Me, too. I know that’s not typical for a guy in high school, but I love them,” he admits.

“Well, if you ever want to work here, I’d be happy to interview you,” I smile as I finish ringing the rose up.

“Seriously? That’d be amazing! Do you have an application for me to fill out first?” he asks excitedly.

“Yeah, sure thing. Why don’t we say interview time’s Monday at 1:30?” I ask him, handing him the application.

“Sounds great! I’m so excited!” he grins widely.

“I’m glad. It’s nice to see someone else this excited about my shop,”  I smile.

“I’m Nicholas, by the way,” he smiles back.

“Emma. I hate formalities like making you call me by my last name when I’m like 7 years older than you- if that,” I reply.

“Okay.  Emma, it is, then. I’m so excited for Monday! I’m gonna go tell my mom and give her her rose now!” He exclaims, running out of the shop.

I smile as I watch him run off. It’s nice to see someone else as excited about the shop as I am. I get started on another bouquet until someone else comes into the shop. Lex is working on one as well. She’s humming some song from the radio that I don’t know the name of.

After I put the final touches on my bouquet, a man about my age comes in looking for a bouquet for his anniversary today. He proceeds to tell me all about why today is his anniversary and all about his fiancée. He tells me about how they’d been together since high school when he was a sophomore and she was a junior. He shows me a picture of her, and she’s really pretty.

He gets a bouquet of white roses with a single pink one in the middle. He thanks me excitedly and walks out the door after paying. I think about how lucky he is to have met his soulmate so early. Lex sees me space out a bit and gives me a hug to bring me back to reality.

“Thanks, Lex. I needed that. Got a little lost inside my head again,” I tell her as I hug her back.

“Yeah, I kinda noticed,” she laughs.

“It’s just hard when I see people meet theirs so early when mine is 5 years late,” I say.

“I know, Sweetheart, but they’ll be here soon. It’s okay,” she says lightly scratching my back.

“Yeah, but that’s 3 days away from now,” I whine.

“But those 3 days will be nothing when you have your soulmate for the rest of your life,” she points out.

“That’s True. I know I’m just being impatient,” I admit.

“Yeah, you are, and you really don’t need to be. The 3 days you have now are better than the over a year you had before,” she reminds me.

“You’re not wrong,” I tell her.

We go about putting more bouquets together and when a young girl, she’s maybe 14 or so, walks through the door.

“Hi, um, I’m looking for a bouquet for my mom for Valentine’s day,” she says in a small voice.

“Of course, Sweetheart. Now, what kind of flowers does your mom like?” I ask her, stopping my work.

“She likes Tulips, Roses, and Chrysanthemums,” she tells me.

“I have the perfect bouquet for her. I’ll be right back,” I smile. She smiles back excitedly.

I turn around and walk into the big cooler I have for bouquets. I grab the bouquet and walk back out. The girl smiles excitedly and squeals a bit.

“It’s beautiful! She’ll love it!” She finally manages to exclaim.

“Yay! Okay, so that’ll be $21.69,” I tell her after I ring it up.

“Here you go, and you can keep the change,” she smiles at me.

“Thank you! Here’s your bouquet. Have a nice day!” I tell her, handing over her bouquet.

“You, too!” She yells over her shoulder as she leaves.

I sigh with contentment and look around my shop. I think I finally have enough bouquets for Valentine’s Day. The rest of the day goes by super quick, and I’m off the next day. When Monday rolls around I wake up and get breakfast while attempting to keep my French Bulldog, Marie, out of my food.

I get dressed, grab my keys, and head downstairs to walk Marie before I open the shop up. I’m so glad that the leash is long enough for me to put both of my hands in the front pocket of my hoodie, since it’s 5:45 in the morning 3 days before Valentine’s Day. We go our normal morning route, just around the block, and I clean the shop a bit before I officially open up.

Lexi comes in around 6:30 exhausted from her 3-month-old son, Bobby, waking her up every 2 hours in the night. I feel bad for her right now, but I know it’ll get easier on her when he’s a bit older. During her lunch break she just eats a protein bar and crashes in the break room for a well-deserved nap.

Nicholas, the kid from Saturday, comes back for his interview. He’s 30 minutes early, which I applaud. He has on nice jeans and a light blue button-down shirt on.  It’s obvious he’s trying to make a good impression. His interview goes really well, so he’s going to start tomorrow.

We start getting really busy after lunch, which helps me keep my mind off of my watch which still has 1 day 9 hours 13 minutes and 30 seconds left. I’m hoping my soulmate doesn’t do something to make it longer again.

All of the next morning is pretty quiet for a Tuesday until after lunch when Nicholas comes in, and started his training. He’s a very quick learner, and by the end of the day, he’s checked out a few people and is super excited to help tomorrow.

I wake up and start the same routine as normal but with a lot more butterflies in my stomach. I have 9 hours 12 minutes and 17 seconds until I meet my soulmate. I’m so excited, but I’m also terrified. What if they don’t like the way I look, or my personality, or my accent? Lex laughs at me when I tell her my concerns after she makes her way in.

“If they don’t like any of that stuff about you, they’re an absolute idiot. You’re amazing, Em. Babies love you, people love you, animals love you, freaking plants love you. If they don’t love you too, then they’re the ones who are messed up,” She tells me, grabbing both of my shoulders to make me look her in the eyes.

“Thanks, Lex,” I say as I wrap my arms around her and pull her into a tight hug.

“No problem, Em. Now, we still have to tag some more bouquets before lunch, right?”

“Yeah, we do. We have a lot of them to do, but it goes quickly,” I tell her as I go grab the roll of barcode stickers from the back.

It takes us maybe an hour to tag all of the bouquets, and by that time we have a little boy- maybe 6 or 7 come in to buy a single pink rose for his mom. He’s really sweet about it and uses ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. His mom is doing a good job with him. He leaves with a huge smile on his face as he runs out the door to, more than likely, school.

    As the morning goes on, it starts to pick up a little bit. We have a few guys about my age come in to get a bouquet for their girlfriend or their wife. Some tell me about their significant other,and others choose not to tell me.

    I’m panicking the entire time I’m working while I think about what my soulmate will be like. I don’t really care if it’s a guy or a girl. I’ve been over having preferences for a long time. I just want them to accept me. I hope I live up to their expectations after having to wait for so long.

Our lunch break comes quickly, and I kind of fix my makeup and brush my hair out again before taking Marie on a small walk with Lexi. I eat my lunch when we get back, and wait for Nicholas -Nick, he prefers- to show up so we can finish up inventory. He comes in at exactly 1:30 like always. We have a few more customers come in to buy flowers in advance for tomorrow.

    An hour or so of inventory goes by, and I stop to look at my timer. I see 1 hour 12 minutes and 7 seconds left. I’m so excited, but I’m also terrified that they won’t like me. I’m all shaky, and I’m not focused. Nick looks at me concerned when I space out for the third time in ten minutes.

“Emma? You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine- just a little nervous. I’m meeting my soulmate in about an hour,” I tell him.

“Oh, goodness. No wonder you’re so spacey. Are you excited?” He says.

“Of course, but I’m also really nervous. What if they don’t want me?” I ask in a small voice.

“Then they’re an absolute idiot. If they don’t want you, they don’t deserve you anyway,” He says in a fierce tone. We’ve become somewhat friends in the little bit he’s been working at Bambi’s for me.

“Thanks, Nick,” I say with a small squeeze to his shoulder.

“Nothing to thank me for. I’m just telling you the truth,” he replies, giving me a one-armed hug.

We get a few more bouquets done between the three of us, and I have a minute left on my timer before I even realize that that much time has passed. I’m fangirling with Nick and Lexi when the bell of the shop jingles and a tall man with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes walks in, and I hear the sound of two timers go off and two small thuds as our timers fall to the floor.

“So this is where ya’ve been hidin’ for so long. I was startin’ to wonder what I’d done wrong once I looked all over at home,” He says as he reaches toward me and brushes a piece of hair behind my ear.  

“I thought the same thing. You’re a long way from home now, aren’t you?” I ask him.

“Yeah, I flew here to visit a friend, and your shop looks to have some pretty flowers, so I was gonna have a look ‘round. Now, though, I just wanna take you and geht to know ya,” He admits.

“Well, my name’s Emma Wilson, for starters,” I tell him.

“Davin O’Connor,” he smiles wide.

“I’m Lexi, her best friend, and that’s Nick- also a friend,” Lexi pipes up.

“Nice tah meet the both of ya’s as well,” Davin says, reaching to shake both of their hands.

“So would it be too much trouble tah steal ya ‘way for a bit?” Davin asks me. I look at Lexi and Nick to make sure they’ll be okay without me.

“Go. We can manage the shop for the rest of the day. It’s only a couple hours till closing time anyway,” she says.

“Thanks, Lex. You too, Nick. I’ll call you later,” I say as Davin and I walk out of the shop.

“Is this okay?” Davin asks as he hesitantly reaches for my hand and interlocks our fingers as we walk.

“Of course it’s okay. You’re my soulmate, Davin. I’ve waited entirely too long for you to hold my hand,” I tell him as I look up at him. He’s quite a bit taller than my 5’ 3” self.

“I can say the same. It’s been a long 5 years, indeed. I wish I would’ve come to visit Crevan a lot sooner.” He says, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand.

“Me, too,” I say with a small laugh, swinging our hands slightly as we walk.

“So, you know what I do for a living, but what do you do?” I ask him after a while.

“I’m a journalist, which is also part of the reason I came to America. I have to cover a story on a big corporation here,” He answers with a smile, taking a bit longer to form the word ‘ corporation’ with his thick accent.

“So is it safe to say you enjoy what you do as well?”

“Oh, yes. I love my job. I’ll definitely have to see if we have a branch of the company here,” He tells me with a squeeze to my hand.

“You’d move here? Why? You love your job,” I say with wide eyes.

“Because you’re my soulmate, Emma. My soulmate’s more important than my job. Plus, you can be a journalist anywhere. You’re shop’s here. You can’t really bring that with you,” He says as we stop walking for a second.

“You’re already so sweet to me, and we just met,” I tell him, playfully bumping into him as we start walking again.

“I do want you to come with me and visit my family when I leave to get my stuff from my flat,” He says as a thought.

“I would love to go meet your family, but I’ve never left the country, so I’m a little nervous,” I tell him.

“Don’t be nervous, Love. You’ll be fine. My family will love you, and I’ll show you around a little,” He reassures me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

“I’ve always heard it’s pretty, but I’ve never been able to go. I think Lex and Nick could handle the shop and Marie for a few days, though,” I say, leaning into him.

“Marie?” He asks.

“Oh, yeah. She’s my French Bulldog puppy,” I tell him.

“Aww. Well, I’d love to see her later,” He says with a smile.

“She’ll love you. She pretty much loves everybody,”

“Well that’s good. I’d hate to have your dog not like me,”

We eventually end up in a little hamburger place in town, and we both get a double bacon cheeseburger and fries- just happily eating and talking occasionally about our lives.  When dinner’s done, Davin comes back to my apartment with me. It’s the first night that I sleep well in a long time. My heart swells when Davin rolls over in his sleep, wraps both arms around my waist, and buries his face in my hair with a small, content sigh. Getting to kiss his lips first thing in the morning makes the extra 5 years without him so worth it.

[green-eyeddragonfanfiction]

Valentine’s Day Countdown: Day 9

Valentine’s Day Countdown Collection

Day 9 of my Valentine’s Day Fanfic Countdown. If you’re interested in seeing your story/ship get written by me, found out more here!

Without any further ado, here are the requests that made today���s cut:

1) Dad!Sam (x Reader) 2) Dad!Bucky x Reader

Anonymous said to green-eyeddragonfanfiction: Sam Wilson taking his daughter (his and the readers child) out for a Valentine’s Day Date because Reader has to work? I’ve seen a lot of cute posts lately about good dads being their child’s first love and how it sets a good example and I can totally see Sam doing this

Pairing: Dad!Sam (x Reader) Warnings: Mentions of PTSD Word Count: ~1,941 A/N: AU where EVERYONE LIVES THROUGH INFINITY WAR AND IS HAPPY Bunckle = Uncle Bucky

“Dad!”

Sam looked up from his mission debriefing as his daughter ran into the room with a bright smile on her face.

When (Y/N) had stated she wanted kids, Sam had been hesitant at first. He didn’t lead a normal life, exactly. Even without all the Avengers stuff, he was ex-military. There was stuff you brought back with you from war, and while Sam constantly tried to work through it, there were still some days where it kicked his ass.

But their daughter- a precocious, mischievous five year old by the name of Sara- turned out to be the light of his life (well, the other light of his life, after you, of course). He loved her from the moment he laid eyes on her tiny form swaddled up in soft blanket in the hospital.

“Hey, sparrow! How’s my favorite girl in the whole wide world?” he said as he scooped her up into his arms.

“It’s Valentine’s Day!” she said with a huge smile.

“It is Valentine’s Day! Did you ask someone at the preschool to be your Valentine?” Sam asked with a smile. He didn’t have to worry about handsy boys or manipulative girls until puberty, at least. Until then, he could let her give chocolates and candies to boys or girls she thought were cute.

Sara giggled. “It’s you, silly!” she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Oh, am I now?” Sam said with a laugh. Kids said the darndest things.

“Mhm!” she hummed.

“Alright, well what do you suppose we do today, then? Zoo? Aquarium? Smithsonian?” he asked playfully, knowing her answer already.

She gasped at the last option. “Smi-son-yan! I wanna see Uncle Steve and Uncle Bucky!” she cheered excitedly.

Sam rolled his eye at the second name, but nodded along anyway. “And then we can pick up mom from work?”

She nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I love picking mommy up from work!” she said excitedly.

Sam chuckled and put her back on the ground. “Alright, sparrow. Go get your coat and then we’ll go.”

She ran up stairs, her laughter ringing out through the halls as she went. Sam chuckled at her exuberance. He gathered up his keys, wallet, and his two phones; one for his personal life and one for the Avengers.

“Daaaaad!” Sara called from upstairs. It didn’t sound urgent. Sam raised an eyebrow in question but hiked up the stairs and went into her room.

He saw the problem immediately. Her head was stuck in the confines of her sweater. She’d somehow managed to begin to shove her head in the sleeve, but couldn’t move anymore to get it out.

He bit back a laugh and walked over to her. “I got it, Sara,” he said reassuringly. With a gentle tug her head popped free. Sam tugged it down over her tiny frame and soothed her now-messy hair. “Ready to go?” he asked with a smile.

“Smi-son-yan!” she yelled in lieu of an answer.

Sam laughed and picked her up. He carried her down the stairs and out the door and locked it securely behind him. “Am I carryin’ you the whole way or are you gonna walk?” he asked with a smirk.

“Carry! Shoulders!” she said excitedly. She liked riding on his shoulders. It made her feel tall and let her see a lot more. She was a regular little bird, always wanting to be high up, just like her dad.

With a huff he hoisted her on top of his shoulders. She didn’t weight much, but she squirmed like the devil. “You know the rules. Hold on, now,” Sam said, trying to sound serious and failing because of the huge smile on his face. His huge hands wrapped securely around her ankles so that, in the event she lost her balance, she wouldn’t go crashing to the ground.

Two small hands placed themselves securely on his head. “Yes, papa.” A pause, then, “Uncle Bucky had more hair to hang on to,” she said. He could practically see the tiny frown on her face as she thought about it.

“Yeah, well, Bunckle needs a haircut,” Sam said dismissively.

“I like Bunckle’s hair! He lets me braid it!” Sara said excitedly.

Sam’s competitive streak flared up, but he tried to fight it. He and Bucky had worked past the worst of their rivalry. Bucky even babysat Sara whenever he and you had date nights. “But does he braid your hair as pretty as I do?” Sam asked playfully.

She thought about it for a moment before shaking her head to hard Sam could feel her entire body shake. “Nope!”

“Didn’t think so,” Sam said with a smirk.

The Smithsonian wasn’t that far from the house, so the walk wasn’t that bad. Driving would have been way more stressful, and Sam wasn’t an Avenger for nothing. Sara might have gotten tired by it if she had walked it, so Sam was almost glad he’d carried her on his shoulder the entire way there. Grumpy kids were the worst.

When she spotted the fountain and the huge grey face of the National Museum of American History, she squealed in excitement. “Put me down! Down down down! Please!” she said eagerly.

Sam laughed. “You gonna run off?” 

“No! Promise!” she said, though Sam was sure she’d forget that promise immediately.

He carefully picked her up off of his shoulders and set her down on the ground. Like he thought, she ran off towards the entrance immediately. As he jogged after her he reminisced fondly about the days when she couldn’t run.

He snatched her right as she was bout to go in the door and pulled her up into his arms.

“Wah! Daaad!” she said with a pout.

Sam ignored the accusing look and took a pamphlet from the greeter at the door. When the woman realized who she was looking at, her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open in shock.

“Y-you- Um- Thank you for- for everything,” she stuttered out. Sara looked from the greeter to Sam in confusion.

Sara didn’t know about Sam’s job yet. You said it’d give her a big head, just like her dad. Sam had tried to argue that second part, but ultimately he saw you were right.

“Just doin’ what I had to,” Sam said humbly, giving the greeter a small smile as he passed through the entrance with Sara in his arms. “Alright, sparrow. Where to first? Captain America exhibit or the First Ladies?” he asked.

“Uncle Steve!” she said excitedly. Sam smiled and set her down and she  raced off towards the Cap exhibit. She had a great sense of direction normally, but she’d been here to many times she knew the museum better than she probably knew their house. 

Sam walked languidly after her, always sure to keep her in sight. He turned the corner and was shocked to see the exhibit had expanded. The classic exhibit was still there, but it had been added to. Another room sported modern Captain America/Nomad facts and items. Bucky’s Memorial had been taken down and was replaced with a video screen, playing stories from Steve, Peggy, and the Barnes family about Bucky both before and after his “death” in the 40′s.

What shocked him the most, though, was the addition of a replica of his suit... as well as the painting of him behind it.

“Dad! Dad, that’s you!” Sara said excitedly and just a little too loudly as she pointed at the huge mural... because every head in the room turned to look at him. Everyone stopped talking, hissing in hushed whispers until, one by one, they broke out into applause.

Sam held a hand up in acknowledgement, mumbling thank you’s to the crowd, but all he could look at was his little girl, who looked so proud and excited he wanted to cry. She ran to him and he crouched down so he could catch her in his arms. The room aww’d as Sara crashed into him “I have the best dad in the world!” she declared proudly and loudly to the room, drawing laughs and smiles from everyone. Sam chuckled and lifted her up, throwing her in the air once before catching her again. She squealing in delight and the crowd laughed along with the two of them.

“C’mon, sparrow. We still got a lot of exhibits to see,” he said with a smile.

They walked out of the Smithsonian’s gift shop with kid-sized plastic Falcon wings (there had been a very large warning tag that said they wouldn’t actually let you fly, which made Sam laugh). She wore them the entire journey to your office building, making jet noises and pretending to fly through the air from on top of Sam’s shoulders as he ran down the street.

“Mission control to Falcon! Landing zone ahead!” Sam said, pretending to talk through an old school radio, making the static noises and everything.

“I hear ya, mizzin control! Comin’ in for a landing!” she said gleefully as Sam picked her up off of his shoulders and placed her dramatically on the ground.

“Mission control to Falcon! Destination reached successfully!” he said with a smile and held out his fist. Sara tapped it with her own tiny fist, giggling happily.

“What are you two doing?” came a voice from a few feet away.

Sam and Sara looked up to see you standing there, grinning at the two of them and weighed down by a huge briefcase.

“Mommy!” Sara squealed and ran to you, nearly knocking your feet out from under you as she wrapped her tiny arms around your legs with a surprising amount of strength.

“Hey, sparrow,” you said with a smile as you ran your brushed your fingers over her hair. When you noticed the tiny Falcon toy wings attached to her arms, you turned your glare on your husband, but he was already defusing the situation by ducking in to give you a kiss. He took the huge brief case from you and hefted it onto his shoulder.

You smiled into the kiss, but quickly remembered you were supposed to be mad. You broke away and glared at him. “Samuel Thomas Wilson. What are those?” you asked, pointing to the wings.

“Oh, we’re using the whole name, huh? That’s how it’s gonna be?” he asked playfully.

“Oooh, that’s how it’s gonna be,” you said as you crossed your arms. Sara was already distracted by running around, flapping her wings wildly as she waited for the adults to finish their conversation.

Sam laughed and pecked you on the cheek and your hard expression melted a bit. “They updated the Captain America exhibit... Guess who’s immortalized in wax, paint, and detailed costume recreations?” he said, waggling his eyebrows.

“Oh god, there’ll be no living with you now,” you joked good-naturedly.

Sam pretended to pout for a moment before smiling and leaning in to give you a loving, passionate kiss.

“Ewww, gross,” Sara said, dragging your attention from each other. You looked from Sara, then back at each other. You shared a knowing look and Sara seemed to sense she’d made a mistake because she giggle and turned to run away, but you and Sam scooped her up between you and placed a bunch of noisy, messy kisses to her face and head. “Nooo! Mommy! Papa!” she squealed happily, giggling loudly. Eventually the two of you let up, though Sara was still giggling happily.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, my most favorite girls in the whole world,” Sam said, making both you and Sara smile.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Papa!”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Sam.”

Anonymous said to green-eyeddragonfanfiction: Bucky x Reader where he lets you and your baby girl paint his arm and decorate it for Valentine’s Day because he knows how happy it’ll make you guys. ❤️❤️

Pairing: Dad!Bucky x Reader Warnings: Swearing Word Count: ~541 A/N: soft!boi. AU where EVERYONE IS HAPPY AND ALIVE AFTER IW

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

You’d gotten used to living with an ex-assassin, but as soon as you’d had a daughter together, you’d had to a make an adjustment in the opposite direction. Where silence once meant safety, it now meant danger.

You got up from your spot on the couch and began prowling the house. 

“Bucky...?” you asked warily, starting to get worried the longer it was quiet.

“In here,” came Bucky’s soft voice from your daughter Rebecca’s room.

You breathed out a sigh of relief and meandered your way to the doorway, freezing at the sight before you.

Rebecca was practically covered head-to-toe in paint splotches and Bucky’s left arm was pink.

Like, no really. Pink. Hot pink, rose, magenta, fuscia, bubblegum. Little hearts were painted all over in white (although it had mixed with the pink in some places). You were pretty sure you spotted a drawing of what was supposed to be the three of you together holding hands. Not a single inch was left of the shiny black metal you were used to seeing.

“What... what are you two doing?” you asked with a smile. You should be upset that they’d gotten paint everywhere, but it was just too damn adorable for the frown to stick. At least Bucky had had the foresight to tie their hair up.

“Well, it was supposed to be a surprise...” Bucky said guiltily, as though he knew exactly what was going through your mind.

“No looking, mama!” Rebecca said, waving a paintbrush at you angrily. You nearly winced as a huge drop of paint hit your nice wood floor.

Bucky saw the look and gave you a reassuring smile. “Washables, Doll. I may be 101 soon, but I still don’t feel like kicking the bucket yet,” he said with a wink, knowing full well you’d chew his ass out of they got real paint on your floors. “We’ll clean it up.”

You smiled at him and walked over and kneeled down next to them. “I’m just sad you two didn’t invite me! I’ve never painted your Papa’s arm before,” you said mischievously as you sent Rebecca a wink, which sent her into a fit of giggles. “Can I join you?” you asked Rebecca sweetly. Bucky beamed at the two of you.

“Yeah! You can start painting the flowers!” Rebecca said as she handed you a brush and a small tub of washable hot pink paint. 

You smiled and talked happily as the two of you painted away until Bucky’s arm was up to Rebecca’s exacting standards. You couldn’t help but acknowledge how far Bucky had come from when you first met him. Although you always saw the good man under the frosty shell, you were sure he couldn’t ever have imaged being where he was now back then. A wife, a kid, his arm painted pink with hearts, flowers, and vague stick people on Valentine’s Day.

“I love you,” he said to the two of you, making you both pause and look up at him. The tender look in his eyes made your heart flutter in your chest.

“Love you too, Da!” Rebecca said happily.

You leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his forehead. “Love you too, Buck.”

[greekowl87]

Too many to choose from so I almost wrote you a story with the prompts: 109: “ Why are you naked? ” 56: “ Are you flirting with me? ” and 168: “ You’re in trouble now. ” Set wherever the inspiration hits you. Thanks precious.

*I’d been saving this prompt. I wanted to post it for Valentine’s Day but school and work got in the way. Then add the fact I really am not that great at smut but I wanted to try a little something. Well, another attempt at it anyway. Sorry if it sucks. I tried. No beta.

NSFW. Smut.

Tagging @today-in-fic*

Scully was tired. Dead on her feet tired. Quite literally. After the previous weekend of Mulder crashing at her apartment, he had talked grand ideas about Valentine’s all weekend. Something different. Something out of the ordinary. The sex had been particularly amazing. But a late night phone call from Quantico had canceled any-would-be-plans Mulder had. Autopsy. Lots and lots of autopsies. All day, starting at 7 a. m. promptly. Instead, Scully opted for cuddling with Mulder in lieu of sex before a wonderous sleep.

But she was bone dead tired. 12 hours of constant standing and leaning over dead bodies. Her back hurt. Her knees hurt. Her ankles hurt. She regretted wearing her heeled boots. Everything hurt. All she wanted was to soak in the tub and drink some wine (and maybe call Mulder for some sleep time aid).

She sighed, rolled her neck, hearing her vertebra crack, and jammed her house key into the deadbolt. Her key wouldn’t budge. Groaning, Scully chalked it up to some odd coldness issue, the metal of the lock reacting, so she pulled the door forward and forced the deadbolt again. This time, she found her door blocked by some unmovable weight and familiar chuckling.

“Mulder,” she sighed, resting her head against the door. “Are you flirting with me? If so, you’re failing. Let me in.”

“Try again.”

“Mulder, I’m tired. I hurt all over. I have been doing autopsies all day. You know better to push my buttons when I am like this.”Scully sighed and pushed the door open with her shoulder, giving it a bit more force. Surprised, the door opened easily and she spied Mulder behind her kitchen table.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Mulder! Why are you naked???”

His face immediately fell as he read her fatigue and anger. Quickly, he wrapped a towel around his waist before she had a chance to appreciate the sight in front of her. “Scully, I thought you’d…never mind. Sit down. I’ll get you a glass of wine.”

“It’s Monday!”

“I’m not letting this bottle go to waste. You forget what today is. I thought I dropped enough hints.”

Before she could even protest or comprehend what was going on, Mulder was already taking charge. He had already taken off her coat, peppered her with kisses in the process, taken off her boots, forced a glass of very good and expensive wine into her hands. “Mulder, what are you doing?” She rubbed her eyes. Mulder playing houseboy while wrapped in nothing but a towel was distracting. Very distracting. Not that she was complaining much.

“Mulder.”

“Don’t you remember anything I talked about this weekend?”

“You talked about something romantic, not being naked in my apartment,” she groaned, sipping the wine.

“Don’t the two usually go hand and hand? Sexy times? It’s Valentine’s Day. Remember?”

The wine was good. Very good. His lingering kisses reassured her and only added to the effects of the wine. She opened her eyes sleepily, the day’s stress and her lust mixing together. Mulder was in her apartment. Naked. Pretty much naked with a towel around his waist strolling about her kitchen with one of her bath towels. Shit. How obvious could you get? Not that she was complaining.

Setting the wine glass down, she drew in a deep breath and sighed, “You’re in so much trouble.”

Mulder turned around in surprise. “Really? Now, Scully?”

“You invaded my home, naked,” she began. Her fingers traced around the rim of the wine glass suggestively. “what am I supposed to do?”

“Defend yourself.”

“That’s the best you can come up with, Mulder?”

He shrugged and smirked playfully.

She licked her lips, set the wine glass on the wine table, stood up, and repeated, “You’re in so much trouble.”

Mulder had no issue with her empty threats. “And what do you propose we do, Agent Scully?”

“Well,” she grinned, “the handcuffs are always an option.”

“Tonight isn’t about the roleplaying.”

“It isn’t then?”

“No.”

Oh, he had her attention. He can tell the way her pupils had dilated and how quickly she had gone from grouchy Scully to aroused Scully.

“What am I going to do? There is a naked crazed man who believes in aliens who is propositioning me.”

“Should we call the police?” he asked.

“And ruin our fun?” She licked her lips again, her memory teasing her with thoughts of his skin beneath her lips. “You’re in trouble now.”

He was taken aback as she toed off her boots a little clumsily and making their height difference much more obvious. He grinned playfully at her. “Are you expecting me to say something about your short little legs?”

“No.” She rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Mulder stop teasing me.”

“It was supposed to a late Valentine’s Day early birthday gift,” he replied, walking towards her. Discreetly he unbuttoned the first buttons on her blouse. “You know, something in between.”

Feeling emboldened, Mulder pushed against Scully slightly so she could feel his hardness between them and she giggled. “You are turning this into a really bad porno, Mulder.”“But you’re still blushing,” he nodded. He bent down, gently nipping at her neck as he hands continued to make quick work in getting off her blouse. She kept giggling and would not stop as her arms came around his neck and hair nails raked through his hair. “Scully, I’m trying to be romantic here. You’re not helping.”

“I’m sorry,” she chuckled, nuzzling his check so he would kiss her. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to keep a straight face for now on but I’d never pegged you for doing something like this.”

“So, you don’t want me to peg you in the future?”

She slapped his bicep in response while he took off her bra and flung it to the side. She cupped his face thoughtfully and undid the bath towel from his waist, hissing as his flesh made contact with hers. “Still at a disadvantage here, Scully.”

“Well, you better fix that, don’t you agree?”

Mulder grinned and slowed kneeled down and front of her, kissing a trail from her sternum down her admen, lingering on the edge of her skirt, the only barrier standing in his ways. With practiced ease and his lips never leaving her skin as he unzipped her and pulled down the woolen material. “Oh, you’ve been naughty, Dana Scully.”

“How so, Agent Mulder?” She closed her eyes, biting her lip to keep the moan threatening to erupt from her, lest he gains self-satisfaction. “Doesn’t going commando imply being ready at a moment notice?”

He chuckled deeply and she winced, her nails digging into the skin of his back as nuzzled lower and she could feel the hot air from his breath. Then he went to work, that tongue of his which was an x-file itself, working untold magic as she fought the urge to scream his name and let her wobbling knees give out. Mulder’s hands gripped her hips, keeping her standing upright. His insistent ministrations kept her building, like a rocket’s countdown to leave this world behind. Then she felt it coming; it had been building slowly, gaining steady momentum but it hit her all at once as she cried his name and gripped his shoulders to keep herself upright. Mulder stayed on his knees a moment longer, kissing her stomach as her breathing eased slightly. He looked up and rested his chin on her abdomen expectantly as his fingers traced her back, drawing light patterns where her spine met her back muscles. “Well, was my worshipping at the altar of Scully satisfying?”

“I was thinking of something more Bacchanalian in nature, peasant,” she chuckled. She pulled him to his feet and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the length of him against her inflamed skin. “It was a good start though.”

He grinned wickedly. “Where shall we continue our religious festival, ma’am?”

“Shower or bed,” she declared, waving her hand dramatically. “Lead on, peasant.”

He laughed and gathered her close for a deep kiss. “Happy early birthday, Scully,” he murmured.

“Happy late Valentine’s Day, Mulder,” she murmured affectionately, caressing his cheek. “Now, I believe we were about do something?”

“Of course!” Dramatically he scooped her lithe body up into her arms and carried her towards the bedroom. “Let the bacchanalian festival commence!” He shut the door with his foot as her laughter continued to echo on the other side.

[citious]

CHAPTER 1

Characters

Main: Song Jiwon, Yoon Jinmyung, Jung Yeeun, Yoo Eunjae, Jo Eun, Kang Yina, Im Sungmin, Kwon Hochang, Jo Chungwon, Seo Janghoon

Supporting: Lawyer - Jo Eunhee, Prosecutor - Jung Jaechan, Han Gwanyoung, Wife - Kim Haesook

In a nutshell: A follow up from the open-ending stories of Belle Epoque girls. Has Eunjae moved on from her first breakup? How will Teacher Han’s case unravel? and last but not least, is it the beginning of the end in regards to Ssongsungmin’s friendship?

Rating: T

9th February 2018

Though Kang-eonni isn’t exactly a member of the Belle Epoque anymore, she often comes over. She and Jo Eun are now familiar with each other, so the 6 girls are very cose now. On some occasions, the girls would have a feast party every month or so, and Kang-eonni would stay overnight, occupying the sofa until the next morning. Belle Epoque has practically become her second home.

During one of the gatherings, the Belle Epoque girls swarmed the living room and had a feast of chicken, beers, and decided to play truth or dare. It was a no-guy meet-up, so the girls could be comfortable playing. Using spin-the-can-of-beer method, the girls decided whose turn it would be.

Eunjae got picked. The girls waited for her choice to either answer a question truthfully, or do a dare as requested.

Eunjae: Uh… this is a hard choice

Yina: Ya, come on. This is just a game, and it’s just between us anyway.

Hearing Kang-eonni’s explanation, Eunjae made her choice.

Eunjae: Truth.

The girls got excited to hear Eunjae’s choice as there are many things to dig out from one of the maknaes in the house. Without further ado, Yeeun swiftly raised the question.

Yeeun: Have you ‘done that’ with Chungwon?

(Oh wait. If you don’t know what happened yet, Eunjae and Chungwon finally got together in the end.)

Flashback

20th December 2017

Up until the end of 2017, Eunjae still couldn’t move on from her first love, Jongyeol. It was her first love and boyfriend at the same time, so it’s super hard to forget about him.

Chungwon knew all these because every time he fetched Eunjae after class outside her lecture room, she always didn’t listen to his greetings and instead tried to find Jongyeol, obvious by her eyes that followed where Jongyeol was going complete with her habitual sulk. At first, Chungwon is cool with that as he understood her feelings and how bad she must’ve tried to move on. But this time, he couldn’t hold it anymore.

The two headed for lunch at a restaurant near the campus. While eating, Chungwon decided to talk to Eunjae.

Chungwon: Eunjae-ya… you still haven’t moved on from him?

Eunjae being Eunjae, her eyes expanded in shock.

Eunjae: …what?

Chungwon: The guy who’s in your class. Your ex. You haven’t moved on from him?

After much hesitation, Eunjae continued.

Eunjae: Yes… I’m so sorry… I’m not supposed to do this, but I just can’t seem to forget about him :’(

Chungwon: No… it’s okay. We all go through that process. To be honest, I also experienced the similar things as you are now.

Hearing that, Eunjae’s expression turned curious.

Chungwon: I met her during uni orientation and from there, we dated. But it only lasted for 7 months. She felt that her feelings for me was simply an infatuation from the start, so she dumped me. To be honest, even though I might seem tough, as a guy, I was hurt too. I did so many memorable things with her, and for one month since the breakup, I couldn’t concentrate at all, I even get scolded by Sungmin-hyung countless times because I lost focus. But you know what?

Chungwon’s question made Eunjae even more curious.

Chungwon: I finally learnt that it’s impossible for me and her to start all over again, because we’re just not meant to be anymore. When Jiwon-sunbae told me to go on a blind date with you that time, I was actually still recovering from the breakup. I wanted to meet other people and do normal things again.

This statement made Eunjae a little surprised.

Eunjae: Gosh, so that’s what happened? I was moving on from my ex too at the time. I’m sorry if I was being rude or weird at any point.

Chungwon: Oh, it’s fine. You didn’t do anything wrong. I actually found you cute. I never met anyone who’s as honest as you were. So when you suddenly appeared at the university newspaper office, I was surprised and happy that you came.

At that moment, Eunjae’s mind suddenly stopped thinking about Jongyeol, and realized just how patient and nice Chungwon is for the past few months. She thought, maybe it’s God’s will that Chungwon is there for her.

Long story short, Eunjae and Chungwon got together in the end. On New Year day. And yeah, she got her New Year’s kiss with Chungwon. He’s always there for her and he’s been the best companion in many things. He’s not pushy about fulfilling his sexual desires. From Eunjae’s experience, she thought that’s the best a guy can assure her about.

Eunjae’s New Year’s first kiss ended with Chungwon as the mass countdown event and the fireworks ended. Chungwon held Eunjae’s small hand, and took her away.

Eunjae was already in front of an open door to an apartment. She stepped in, guided by Chungwon who walked backwards, gazing at Eunjae’s charming eyes.

Flashforward - Truth or Dare

Eunjae: Well… (She grinned). I’d say… almost?

Everyone (Jiwon’s voice was the loudest): MWOYA!!! I thought you said you picked truth. So tell us the truth!

Flashback - New Year’s

The door behind Eunjae automatically closed and locked itself, while the two headed towards the double bed that’s positioned at the end of the small studio apartment, making out. The kiss got deeper and rougher, but as they reached the climax, Eunjae suddenly pulled herself back, trying to catch her breath while she sat on Chungwon.

Chungwon: Are you okay?

Eunjae hesitated for a while…

Eunjae: I’m okay, but…

Before she could finish her words, Chungwon continued-

Chungwon: It’s okay, Eunjae-ya… We don’t have to go that far if you don’t want to. Take your time. It’s not your body that I want. I truly love you for who you are.

Eunjae: Oppa…

Right at that moment, the two gazed at each other for 5 seconds, before Eunjae moved to cuddle beside him and kissed him once more. This time, as softly as she could, fully expressing her gratitude and affection for her boyfriend, whom she promised to grow together with. The two slept soundly on the same bed as the time read: 3 a.m.

Flashforward - Truth or Dare

Jiwon: Ya! It was so close! How did you hold it in???

Yina: Sshhh! It’s just her. Not everyone can do it easily for the first time.

Jiwon: Aish, it’s so nice that you all have had boyfriends, what about me? I haven’t even kissed anyone ever… If I did, I think that’s with my golden retriever who already died when I was in 6th grade.

Jinmyung, being the oldest of the girls, contributed her two-cents.

Jinmyung: Jiwon-ah, the time will come. Just be a bit more patient. I’m sure God has set a soulmate out there for you.

Eun: ayyyy, It’s so obvious that you and Chef Park are having so much fun together ;D

Just like that, the girls kept laughing and teased each other until as the time ticked and the night became darker.

11th February 2018 – Belle Epoque (2 days later)

It’s Sunday morning and everyone was starting their day lazily.

Jiwon walked outside her room while yawning and stretching her arms, finding Yeeun who’s already sitting down on the dining table holding her pink phone on her right ear, smiling cheek to cheek.

On the phone…

Yeeun: So, what are we planning to do on Valentine’s day this year? Ah, really? You don’t want to tell me? Is it a surprise?

Yeeun kept smiling. This time, she curled the strands of her long hair with her fingers.

Yeeun: Arasseo, I’ll wait. Eung… Love you. See you later!

Seeing how happy Yeeun looked made Jiwon feel empty.

Jiwon: It’s nice that you have a boyfriend. You have so many fun things to do. Meanwhile, I’m single and have to go back and forth to meet with Teacher Han’s victims to discuss the case.

Jiwon walked past Yeeun towards the bathroom.

Jiwon: I’ll do my morning business first!

Yeeun: Ya! There’s no need to tell me that!

Just then, the toilet door closed. Eunjae then came out of her room.

Eunjae: Yeeun-sunbae, are you excited for today?

Yeeun: Of course! It’s my first time having a double-date XD. So how? Did Chungwon say he can go?

Eunjae: Of course, he just called me.

Yeeun: Arasseo, Let’s get ready!

Eunjae: Ok ^.^

Eun then came out of her room, with a gloomy face. She headed straight to the sofa, staring blankly at her phone. Noticing what’s happening, Yeeun initiated to ask what’s happening.

Yeeun: Eun-ah, what’s with your mood? Did something happen?

Eun just stayed still, still looking at her locked screen phone. Yeeun and Eunjae approached her and tried to get something out of her. Suddenly, Eun burst out crying. Jiwon and Yoon-sunbae simultaneously came out from the bathroom and bedroom to approach the girls.

Jinmyung: Eun-ah, what happened?

Jinmyung gave the others the look – trying to ask if anyone had any idea of what happened. Yeeun and Eunjae shook their heads lightly as a response that they don’t know. Being clueless as she always had been,

Jiwon blurted: Is it because of your man who’s in the army? Why? He hasn’t called you yet? How long has it been?

As soon as Jiwon finished her bombardment of questions, the other girls finally grasped the situation. Eun finally opened her mouth.

Eun: A week. He hasn’t called me for a week. I miss him so much. I really don’t know how to handle this. It’s been almost 5 months since we dated and since he enlisted. We haven’t even spent that much time together, but he left me here to serve the military. I know he can’t always have the privilege to call. I even heard some soldiers had to prove themselves every week to make a single phone call. It’s been a week now, and I’m so worried that something might have happened :’(

Hearing Eun’s story while she sobbed made the hearts of the girls sink deep. They gave Eun a group hug.

Jinmyung: It’s alright… he should be okay.

11th February 2018 – Military Training Ground

A group of soldiers gathered at a field. A few soldiers were lined up in front.

Janghoon: PRIVATE SEO-JANG-HOON

Army Senior: Private Seo Janghoon, you’ve shown an incredible result in the military training. As a result, you will be promoted as an assistant sergeant of the platoon and will be granted a 5-day off holiday period. During that period of time, you can go back home and spend time outside the base, but be reminded that you have to report back no later than 15.00 hrs on 18 February. If you fail to do so, you will see what happens.

Janghoon: PRIVATE SEO-JANG-HOON ACCEPTS THE COMMAND GIVEN! SALUTE! *smiles cheek to cheek*, looking excited and happy.

11th February – Seoul Café

Back in Seoul, Chungwon and Hochang apparently have arrived at the café where they’re supposed to meet at for the double date. The atmosphere between the two guys were so awkward, but Chungwon opened the conversation first.

Chungwon: Which year and major are you in?

Hochang: I enrolled in 2015, this is my 2nd year. I’m majoring in Software engineering. You?

Chungwon: oh, you’re a year ahead of me. I’m a 2016 student, majoring in journalism.

Hochang: Ah, arasseo. So you’re my junior?

Chungwon: Yes…

Just when their conversion was about to turn awkward all over again, Yeeyun and Eunjae arrived. Both boys raised from their seats as they smiled to welcome their girlfriends. The boys sat next to each other, facing the girls.

Yeeun: Have you guys waited a long time?

Hochang: No, we came not long ago too.

Eunjae: Ah Yeeun-sunbae, this is Chungwon, oppa, this is Yeeun-sunbae.

Both Yeeun and Chungwon exchanged their greetings. To break the silence, the boys asked what they wanted to order at the same time, and the four people laughed the scene. In the end, the boys went to order together. Those two couples looked happy as their first double date with an awkward start turned out to be a fun date after all.

12th February 2018 – University Newspaper Office

Jiwon is back, investigating Teacher Han’s sexual assault case. Since her hoobaes are helping her out to find information for the past 5 months, she felt more relieved. But she couldn’t help the fact that the case still scared her to death.

As Jiwon sat in the meeting room, Sungmin who just arrived at the venue walked towards Jiwon and tapped her shoulder.

Sungmin: Let’s go.

Jiwon who was zoning out, worrying about the case, switched her expression instantly and replied:

Jiwon: let’s go let’s go!’

In the car, Sungmin looked at Jiwon who was zoning out on the passenger’s seat.

Sungmin: Are you okay?

Jiwon: *sighs* No, I’m not okay. I’ve been dealing with this case for over 5 months now, and even if more and more victims have emerged, which increases the chance of conviction, I feel even more scared. But it’s going to go well, won’t it?

Sungmin: We’ve got a lawyer and a team of prosecutor who are helpful towards this case, and don’t you realize the kids back at the uni are all helping us to find all relevant information? You don’t need to worry, because there are so many people backing us up. Where’s the Song Jiwon who’s always full of spirit?

Jiwon: You’re right. I don’t have to be scared.

At the lawyer’s office…

Lawyer Jo Eunhee: Oh, you two came together again… 

Eunhee tried to confirm whether Jiwon and Sungmin are dating or not

Jiwon: ahh HAHAHAH of course we came together, he’s my servant.

As Jiwon uttered the word ‘servant’, Sungmin stared at Jiwon in disbelief and stayed quiet as he always does.

The meeting started and the lawyer, Jiwon and Sungmin discussed about the case.

Jo Eunhee: Compared to our first trial in October, I think we can be 99% sure that Mr. Han will be convicted at tomorrow’s hearing.

Those words of assurance coming from the lawyer’s mouth made Jiwon’s expression full of hope and light again.

Jiwon: really? O.O

Eunhee: Yes, you know I never bluff to my clients. From the meetings that I previously had with the witnesses, I can really assure you that we now have enough evidence to charge Mr. Han as a sexual assault offender. Jiwon-ah, the reason why I called you here is because we just got a lead from the prosecutor’s office.

Jiwon and Sungmin looked at each other in reflex, with their eyes goggling like never before.

Jiwon: What kind of evidence?

Eunhee: A voice recording.

Jiwon and Sungmin who were already taken aback by the fact that there’s a substantial evidence found, were even more startled upon hearing the emergence of a voice recording evidence.

Eunhee: So, after a thorough investigation, the prosecutors found out that Mr. Han actually has a wife, but she’s in the hospital now. Dementia. You can probably guess what happened.

13th February 2018 – Court

This time, Jiwon is not going in as a plaintiff, but rather as a spectator in the court room, as the charges are now coming from the prosecutors.

The time read 9.53 a.m., at 10 a.m. sharp, the final trial will start, where the verdict will be announced by the judge at the end. The Belle Epoque girls including Kang-eonni is there. Yoon-sunbae also took a leave from the office, so she could join the final hearing as well. 

Of course, we can’t leave out Sungmin who’s apparently always beside Jiwon at every important occasion.

Sungmin stood at the side while the girls gathered to give the final support to Jiwon. They’re all aware of how hard she had been working for the case. Sungmin knew all the girls already, but he’s not very familiar with Kang-eonni as it’s his first time meeting her.

Yina: Jiwon-ah, he’s your friend?

Jiwon: Yeah, he’s from the same newspaper club

Yina: ani, that’s not what I meant. Why didn’t you tell me you have a guy friend like that?

When Kang-eonni blurted that question out, the other girls stayed quiet but at the same time curious because Jiwon clearly always complained about not having a single guy in her life, while in reality, she does. A loyal one at that.

Jiwon: Well, I don’t see why I have to talk about him. showing her straight out ignorance.

Upon hearing her answer, the girls sighed all at the same time. Suddenly, Sungmin poked Jiwon’s shoulders with his two fingers.

Sungmin: Hey, it’s time….

As the squad entered the court room, Sungmin sat beside Jiwon and stared at her, who looked as worried as ever. He really wanted to hug and assure her that it will be alright, but he held it in. 

Kang-eonni who’s known for her quick-wittedness on relationships, caught on the situation right away.

The audience, prosecutor as well as Mr. Han and his lawyer were seated on the designated spaces. The court room door behind the audience closed as the judges proceeded to the Bench. The hearing started right after the attendees raised to respect the judges.

Judge: Prosecutor-in-charge, you may read out the opening statement.

Prosecutor Jung Jaechan:

Today, on 13th February 2018, we’re holding the final hearing on Mr. Han Gwanyoung’s case.

His crime is having committed repeated sexual assault towards his female students when he worked as an Art Teacher in several institutions à primary school, junior high school, and senior high school.

A total of 4 victims have come up to the prosecutors’ office and they all have suffered from long-term depressions as a result of sexual trauma caused by the offense initiated by the defendant.

At the time when the sexual violence took place, the victims’ age varied. They were 9, 13, 15 and 17 years old. Therefore, the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes as well as the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse will constitute the charges pressed upon the defendant.

Continuing from that, the prosecution will be charging the defendant for life-imprisonment. In addition, he will be liable to pay a total of ₩30 Million in compensation towards the victims’ rehabilitation programs.

That’s all.

As the judge acknowledged the opening statement, witnesses (victims) came out one by one to provide their accounts. Despite constant denial and objections raised by the defendant’s spokesperson, the court seemed to lean more towards the prosecutors.

All 4 witnesses are done with their testimonies, and several evidences have been presented to the Judge.

Judge: Prosecutor-in-charge, is there any final evidence you would like to submit?

Jaechan: Yes, your honor. There is.

Judge: What is it?

Jaechan: It’s a voice recording containing the defendant’s voice at the time his crime was committed.

The crowd showed their disbelief and disgust as Jaechan explain what the recording was about, until the judge had to hit the gavel multiple times on the sound block to maintain the court’s order.

Judge: and how exactly was the evidence obtained?

Flashback

Jaechan went through a background check on Han Gwanyoung. He noticed something off. Han Gwanyoung’s wife is clearly listed on the family registry, and there’s no record of her death, but how come she has never been spotted anywhere near Han Gwanyoung?

Having the curiosity to dig more into the information, Jaechan finally found Mr. Han’s wife. She’s apparently been admitted to a local hospital to receive treatment there for dementia.

With a special warrant, Jaechan’s able to get access to personally question the wife.

As he stepped into a VIP-room with a name slot that read ‘Kim Haesook’, he saw an old lady with greyish-white hair resting just over her shoulder. She seemed like she’s in her late 60s.

While the lady sat down on her bed while looking outside the room’s window, Jaechan sat on a chair next to the patient’s bed.

Jaechan: Kim Haesook-ssi?

There was no reply, so Jaechan tried one more time.

Jaechan: Kim Haesook-ssi, do you know that your husband is being investigated for sexual assault on the underage?

As Jaechan went straight to the point, Kim Haesook finally gave him some attention.

Haesook: Jerk.

Jaechan: I’m sorry, what did you say?

Haesook: That scumbag deserves that.

Jaechan: Kim-Haesook-ssi can you explain what you meant by that?

Without saying a single word, Haesook reached out to her old-fashhioned phone on the side of her hospital bed. She clicked some buttons on it and handed the phone over to Jaechan.

When Jaechan saw the screen, it showed ‘Voice_Recording_002’ with the date and time stamp ’08 June 2009, 15:54 p.m.’

Jaechan played the file, and closed his eyes as he couldn’t stand hearing the cries of a girl who pleaded Mr. Han to ‘stop’. The recording continued as Mr. Han repeatedly said ‘it’s okay, it’s not gonna hurt’ to the young girl. However, a few moments later, a helpless scream echoed from the recording, and Jaechan who couldn’t stand hearing it, pushed the stop button right away.

Flashforward - Court’s room

Judge: ‘The court is adjourned.’ as the judge hit the gavel thrice on the sound block.

Jiwon and the squad exited the premise. She was quiet the whole time until she arrived at the lobby. Sungmin was beside her while the Belle Epoque girls followed the two behind.

Jiwon stopped, and suddenly covered her face. Sungmin thought to himself ‘Is she crying?’ Looking at Jiwon’s gesture made his suppressed feeling burst. For the first time ever, he reached out both his arms to hug Jiwon tightly, Cupping Jiwon’s tiny frame on his chest, while Jiwon released her tears.

Jiwon is thankful that her debt towards Moon Hyojin has now been paid in full.

The Belle Epoque girls felt both sympathetic and happy at the same time. Sympathetic because Jiwon rarely cried in front of them, and happy because of the sight they’re seeing now – Jiwon being hugged by her loyal ‘servant’. The girls looked at each other smiling, as they admired the two human beings in front of them.

Jiwon has been crying for a while, and she finally let herself out of Sungmin’s embrace and turned back to convey her gratitude to the housemates.

Jiwon: Girls, thank you so much for being here with me today. I know you all are actually busy with college and work, but the fact that you came here just to accompany me to the trial is something I never imagined.

Hearing Jiwon said those heart-felt statement for the first time, the housemates approached Jiwon to give her an affectionate group hug.

Yina: Jiwon-ah, we’ll go first, okay?

Jiwon: Sungmin-ah, how many people-

Yina: aay, stop iti! I have a car and I’ll take care of it. Guys, let’s go! Uhm… Sungmin-ssi, please take care of Jiwon, okay?

Sungmin who couldn’t say no, slightly bowed his head in acceptance of Kang-eonni’s request. He and Jiwon watched as the girls left the lobby.

Sungmin: Let’s go.

Jiwon: Hmm…

Just like that, the two went back together, while the girls rode on Kang-eonnis car, in fear.

In the basement as the  Belle Epoque squad headed towards Yina’s car.

Eunjae: You saw it right? Jiwon-sunbae and her friend.

Everyone nodded.

Yina: I saw it. The guy totally likes her. I mean, how can Jiwon not notice? Don’t you guys think it’s obvious?

Jinmyung: That’s actually true. From my point of view, I think Jiwon is the only one who’s not aware of this situation. What should we do?

Yina: What do you mean what should we do? Don’t worry, Kang Yina is always available for LOVE-911.

Yeeun: Wah, I really can’t wait until they get together. Will my joke come true? Remember when I said your servant will be your bae and your bae will be your hubby? What if it comes true?

Eun: If It comes true, I think Jiwon-sunbae will be the happiest person ever.

Eunjae: By the way, where are we going?

Yeeun: Kang-eonni, did you forget where you park the car?!

Jinmyung: Yina-ya, do you know how to drive????

Eun: What’s happening? What’s wrong with Kang-eonni’s driving?

As a response to all the girls’ questions, Kang-eonni could only grin.

Jiwon broke the silence between her and Sungmin.

‘Finally, it’s all over.’ Jiwon let go a huge sigh, symbolizing freedom and relief.

Seeing Jiwon who has regained her beautiful smile on her face, Sungmin smiled in disguise while focusing on the road ahead.

Unexpectedly, this time Jiwon realized Sungmin’s subtle smile and teased him.

Jiwon: ayyy, did you just smile?

Sungmin: What? No! are you hallucinating now?!

Jiwon: don’t lie! I saw it! I saw you smiling!

Sungmin: Ah, I don’t know! Be quiet! I wish I can have the quiet Jiwon back just before the trial.

Jiwon: Aigoo… what a lie. You said you wanted to see the cheerful me, didn’t you?

*Red Light*

Sungmin hit the brake upon seeing the red traffic light, and gulped as Jiwon caught him this time.

Jiwon: Sungmin-ah… Thank you.

Sungmin, who was focusing on what’s in front of him diverted his attention to Jiwon, as they both caught each other’s eyes.

*Green Light*

…

…

…

…

…

Sungmin got back to his senses as he heard the cars behind him honking, and realized that the traffic light had turned green for don’t know how long. He stepped on the car’s pedal and continued driving. This time, with his heart pounding like crazy.

Thanks for reading.

Read the next Chapter:

Chapter 2