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flowerui · 2 months

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♫ we both like apple cider, pgw

fluff & light angst, 4.1k words ୨୧ first fic on this blog! feedback is appreciated!! ^_^ i've had awful writer's block for MONTHS so i hope i havent gotten too rusty,,,

wherein dancing is your favorite way to destress, until a certain gunwook park goes and spoils it all.

꒰ requested. gender neutral reader (no pronouns or gendered terms used), reader is a year older than gw, dancer reader, bff hanbin, one-sided enemies to friends to lovers, college au, misunderstandings, set in the us, does this count as forced proximity? light angst, fluff (it gets so cheesy idk what happened to me), drinking/underage drinking ꒱

Dancing had always been your favorite way to unwind. After a long day of classes, practice is like a treat; the mental toll of having to listen to your professors drone on all day, and procrastinating assignments until the night they’re due is easily unraveled by dancing until you can’t feel your limbs—it’s unmatched.

That’s why, despite it being Wednesday (the second worst day of the week), you walk out of your last class with a skip in your step, like nothing could ruin your day.

Nothing except a man named Hanbin, that is.

After changing, you enter the practice room, ready to forget your worries. But before you can begin, you see a paper stuck on the wall beside the door—Hanbin must’ve finally put together the choreo for the solo and duet performances for an upcoming recital for some event on campus (truthfully, you can't be bothered to remember all the details, that's Hanbin's job), and decided on who’d best fit the roles. You’re a little late, so it’s just you who curiously shuffles over to take a look.

Seeing your name under Duet makes you smile until you read your counterpart's name. Gunwook Park.

You find a spot to sink to the floor in the back of the room. Suddenly, you’ve changed your perspective on dancing; it’s the worst thing to happen to you. You regret ever discovering this useless passion of yours, who even needs passions in this economy?!

Hanbin would tell you otherwise, but you believe that you have pretty good ideas.

You’d tried to take an easier route and complain to Hanbin that you absolutely could not work with Gunwook for a duet. But he was adamant about not making any alterations at this point, at least not just because you don’t like Gunwook—what a traitor, what happened to friendship?

Since complaining about your unfair working conditions did fuck all, you came up with a wonderful solution. You get paired with the number one person on your shit list? Just don’t show up to rehearsals. Boom, problem solved. Though it’s easier said than done; you’re a creature of habit, and the disappointment of remembering you can’t destress with dance is depressing.

And, of course, avoiding both Hanbin and Gunwook is a chore.

It’s on day four that you consider, maybe Hanbin is right sometimes. You were only successful in avoiding everything except schoolwork because college kicks everyone’s ass, and finding free time starts to feel like finding a needle in a haystack. But, maybe ditching practice when you live with the leader of your dance team wasn’t your best idea. On Sundays, both you and Hanbin usually end up being home at the same time.

And like an idiot, you forget this detail and trudge out of your room at two in the afternoon (no, you certainly did not just wake up, thank you very much) to find something acceptable to eat.

As you’re rummaging through the pantry, you hear your name called in that tone. The one where Hanbin’s voice sounds mildly shrill and a bit patronizing, the one that lets you know you’re in trouble.

Yeah, not your brightest idea—it might take over the number two spot of your top three worst ideas, followed by trying to gaslight a random group of people into believing that Play-doh is edible after you’d had a drink too many at your first college party at number one. (To be fair, you did not expect a twenty-something-year-old man to have Play-Doh on hand and tell you to prove it. Yes, you tried. You vomited on the guy’s shoes.)

Rigidly, you slowly turn to face Hanbin, who has a terse smile on his face.

“...Yes?”

“I thought maybe you hadn’t shown up to rehearsals because you weren’t feeling well, but yesterday, Gunwook told me every time he spotted you on campus, you naruto-ran away.”

“Uh,” you fake cough into your elbow, “Must’ve been someone that looks like me? ‘Cause I have been feeling kind of under the we—”

You shriek and make a run for it when Hanbin stomps over with that creepy hamster puppet you’d given him as a gag gift last year in hand. Eventually, you get cornered and get a creepy hamster puppet thrown in your face. “You can’t just ditch practice because you have some petty one-sided rivalry—or whatever it is—with Gunwook. You’re risking embarrassing the whole team! What are you planning to do, just not learn the choreography?”

“You know it's not a rivalry...” You grumble.

“You’re being childish,” Hanbin sighs, “I’ve already told you that whatever your deal is with Gunwook is some misunderstanding, he’s a sweet guy.”

“Yeah, whatever.” You huff, probably not helping the childish accusation. You’re tired of hearing that about what a good guy Gunwook appears to be because you know what you heard.

Without another word, you stomp off to your room.

If you had any hopes of getting out of going to rehearsal again, they’re promptly stomped on by Hanbin waiting outside of your class when you trudge out.

“Really?” You groan, and walk over to your supposed friend, “You don’t need to escort me.”

“I think I do,” Hanbin crosses his arms, fixing you with a look, like he knows you better than yourself… okay, he does ninety percent of the time, but that doesn’t mean he can act like it. “I’m pretty sure I saw you ready to head in the wrong direction before you saw me.” He says before grabbing your arm and pulling you down the hall.

“I don’t even get what your deal is with Gunwook,” Hanbin finally says when you’re about halfway to the studio, “I know you said you heard him say something… unsavory, but that just doesn’t sound like him at all. I think you should talk to him, I’m sure it’s a misunderstanding.”

“I know what I heard, Bin…”

“I’m not saying you didn’t hear what you heard, but maybe there’s some missing context.”

You try to consider Hanbin’s words, even as you absentmindedly head into the changing rooms, and reluctantly shuffle into the practice room afterward, you truly do.

But all the rational thinking and breathing techniques in the world cannot quell your ire when you see Gunwook. Calmly walking over and refraining from saying anything uncouth is a true test of mental strength—one that you are quite afraid of failing.

“Hey—” Gunwook rises from his spot in the corner of the practice room to greet you.

“Let’s get started.” You blurt out, aware of how cold and biting your dismissal comes off. To be fair, Hanbin didn’t tell you to be particularly nice, he just insisted you show up.

“Oh, right,” Gunwook’s expression wilts, but he clears his throat and plasters a polite smile on his face. “I’m sure Hanbin already let you know he wouldn’t be here to help us out today—he’s helping Natty with her solo. I’ve got the choreo down, so I should be able to guide you if needed.”

“I practiced at home.” You did. A little bit, it wasn’t easy with the limited space in your cramped—ahem, homey apartment. But practicing a duet by yourself, then giving up after stubbing your toe on every fucking piece of furniture in your home, and practicing it with your duet partner are two different things.

“Oh, that’s good… um, I’ll start the music.”

Your name is followed by an exasperated sigh. With reluctance—because your phone’s home screen is just that interesting—you glance up from your phone, to see Gunwook eyeing you through the mirror.

“Could we try to get through the routine? Maybe without you scratching me this time?” Gunwook gnaws at his bottom lip, sweat beading at his temple. He’s actually been hard at work, practicing while you sat in the corner of the room—essentially sentenced to a time-out after accidentally scratching Gunwook every time you tried to run through the routine with him. Accidentally.

You can’t help the frown that sets on your lips. Only to you, it seems, Gunwook Park is an enigma. When he first joined the team, he seemed nice, and he wasn’t much younger than you, you just never got the chance to properly talk to him. However, now you never want to speak to him, the fact that you have to work so closely with him is nauseating.

Tampering down all the ugly word vomit bubbling in your throat, you mentally repeat Hanbin’s words from yesterday to yourself, ‘You’re risking embarrassing the whole team’. Not only do you find most of your teammates to be more than bearable, but you also you can’t bomb a performance because you were too petty to practice the choreography, so, even though the thought of being so close to Gunwook—having to touch him makes you full body cringe, you suck it up.

“Sure.”

Begrudgingly, you get into position and wait for your cue. As the music starts up for what feels like the billionth time that evening, you miss the many nervous glances cast your way.

Succeedingly, you manage to not cause any more bodily harm, even when you have no choice but to get close enough to Gunwook to the point you cannot look anywhere but into his eyes. The urge to flee strikes, as unease among other odd emotions you will not address churn in your gut, but you deal with it (read: ignore it).

You manage to run through the routine once, then again, and again, and again, until your limbs feel like gelatin and you have no option but to sprawl out on the floor. It occurs to you how much you missed this feeling, you can barely believe you let your pettiness get in the way of it.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

Turning your head to the side, there’s Gunwook, also sprawled out beside you. Huh, you don’t even have the negative energy within you to loathe his presence in the moment.

“You just did. But you can ask one more thing.”

A goofy grin splits Gunwook’s lips before he turns his head back to face the ceiling, expression shifting a little more seriously. “Did I… was there something that I like did? Or said to upset you?”

Oh. Right. So, you haven’t forgotten your distaste for Gunwook. You feel your good mood sour, as you scoff, and force yourself to finally sit up—your limbs are very much protesting, screaming at you, matter of fact, but fuck them. And fuck Gunwook Park. “Seriously?”

You glance over your shoulder, Gunwook, who sat up shortly after you, only blinks at you curiously, as though he hasn’t got a clue.

“You really don’t know? Do you just talk shit about everyone and that’s why you can’t seem to remember me?”

“What…?” Gunwook’s brows furrow, “What are you talking about?”

“I heard you." You push yourself up off the ground, fixing Gunwook with an exasperated look, "After our performance at orientation in August, you had a lot to say about my skill, and how ridiculous I looked.”

“I don't…?” You watch as the confusion and then the recognition passes over Gunwook’s features, “No, I—shit,” he hangs his head with a groan, which doesn’t serve to dissipate any of your arising confusion. “That wasn’t about you.”

“I heard you say my name, don’t bullshit me.”

“I—okay, I definitely said your name, but it seriously wasn’t about you. There was this, um, character in a film my roommate watched for some project; they were supposed to be a dancer, but they were godawful. I was talking about the character, and I didn’t even think about how they had the same name as you, or about how loudly I was talking about that.”

“Oh,” you say, rather intelligently. You consider the thought that he could be lying, but he looks at you with such earnestness, remorse practically pooling in his eyes, you can’t even entertain the thought for more than a moment.

“Yeah, oh. I’m sorry you thought I was talking about you…”

“No, I’m sorry,” you quietly sit back down, anger gone as quick as it arose, and flop back on the floor with a sigh. Having your entire view of Gunwook Park debunked in a mere minute was not on tonight’s bingo card.

“I should’ve—Hanbin kept telling me it was probably a misunderstanding and to confront you, but I just stewed in my misguided hatred. God, Hanbin’s going to be insufferable once I tell him he was right all along.”

Gunwook huffs a laugh, “I’m glad we sorted this out, finally. Um, I guess we should wrap up for tonight since it’s getting late. Can I walk you home?”

“Don’t you live on campus? You don’t have to walk me home if you just have to walk back here…”

“It’s fine!” Gunwook smiles, oddly enthusiastic. Weird, personally, you dread having to walk home after practice. “I want to, and I guess now we can get to know each other? Now that you don’t hate me.”

“Yeah… okay, I’ll grab my stuff.” You sit back up again, as much as you’d like to become one with the floor.

“Okay, cool.”

“Cool.” you can’t help but smile, seeing the wide grin on Gunwook’s face. You’re going to choose to believe the warmth in your cheeks is because you’re still cooling off from rehearsing.

The idea of rehearsing is a lot more palatable now that you don’t despise your duet partner. The actual rehearsals aren’t too bad either… they’re actually kind of enjoyable.

Hanbin was, in fact, very insufferable when you spilled everything that’d happened that day to him. He’d been waiting up for you, sitting on the armchair in your living room, and nearly gave you a heart attack when he flicked on the lamp beside him; like he was your mother and he’d caught you sneaking back in the house.

“Hey, how was class?” Gunwook has taken to waiting for you outside your classes on rehearsal days, you even say hi to each other when you see the other on campus, and maybe talk if you’re not busy.

“Don’t get me started…” you groan, “I have no idea what my professor was on about today, but I thought his jaw was going to unhinge before he finally stopped talking.”

Gunwook chuckles, and grabs your bag from you, cradling it to his chest. “I thought I told you I could carry my bag myself?”

“And I told you that you could try to take it back.”

You did try, and you decided you do not like freakishly strong guys. “Whatever… what about you? How was your class?”

“Didn’t go today…” Gunwook trails off, glancing down at your linked arms. A habit after losing Hanbin in crowds one too many times. It feels nice with Gunwook, though. “Um, my roommate—” he clears his throat before he continues looking forward, revealing his red ears. Oh, that’s cute.

“He kept me up late ‘cause he needed help with his film project that he’s been procrastinating. I ended up waking up at like one-thirty…”

“Really? So, you just came straight here after waking up?” You tsk, choosing to look away from his pouted lips for your sake. “Did you even eat? Let’s stop by this café a few blocks away before we rehearse. It opened last month, Hanbin and I were supposed to check it out, but I think he forgot.”

You’re not blind, of course, Gunwook is, well, objectively attractive (subjectively as well, perchance). With much coaxing, you might’ve been able to admit it a week ago when you hated him. But, his attractiveness is far too illuminated when you’re a mere inches from his face; faced with his distractingly pretty brown eyes, and rosy cheeks. Oh God, he’s cute. He’s so fucking cute, and you are so fucking screwed.

Before you can say something so embarrassing you’d have to migrate to another country and assume another identity, you take the initiative to part from Gunwook, carefully backing away, and clearing your throat, “Should we take a break?”

Except that doesn’t even help, because when you sink to the floor to watch YouTube, Gunwook is beside you, smushed at your side to watch whatever you’re watching. You can’t even remember what video you tapped on, but apparently, you’re seven minutes into a video when Gunwook reaches over to pause it.

“Hey, um, one of my friends—his name’s Junhyeon, his frat, Zeta Rho Xi is having a party this weekend. He kinda roped me into going, and I was just wondering if you were free…? I would, um, it’d be cool if you could stop by.”

Parties haven’t been your thing for a long time; you tried to party freshman year, since people seemed to go on about the college parties. You just couldn’t get super into it, plus only things like the Play-Doh incident came from parties… and that’s why you’re not sure why you say, “Yeah, no, I should be free. I’ll check it out.”

You aren't even free, you have an essay you’ve written approximately two sentences for that happens to be due Monday. But the smile on Gunwook’s face makes agreeing feel like the right choice.

Immediately upon stepping inside, you remember why you hate parties. One, you lose Hanbin instantly. Two, trying to push through a bunch of sweaty, drunk people (who are surprisingly sturdy) is a pain in the ass. And three, it’s loud, you already feel like you need a drink. Or maybe three.

You manage to make it to a mostly empty kitchen, and at that point, you’ve lost any motivation to go search for Hanbin or even Gunwook. For the most part, you��ve given up caring about being ‘lame’, so, you’re perfectly content sitting in the kitchen on your phone at a party while sipping on possibly the worst quality beer you’ve tasted in your twenty years of life.

It’s maybe thirty minutes until you finally look up from your phone at the call of your name over the ear-damaging volume of music.

Hanbin stumbles into the kitchen, using Gunwook as support. You can make out your friend’s flushed cheeks, even in the dim lighting, you have no idea how he’s gotten drunk so fast. “There you are! I found Gunwookie, it looked like he was waitin’ around for you, ‘cause he was just in a corner lookin’ around… didn’t you guys exchange numbers?”

“I already told you I forgot to ask…” Gunwook mumbles.

“Oh,” Hanbin lets go of Gunwook to slide up beside you, “Hey, did you know that, um—” Gunwook rushes over to slap a hand over Hanbin’s mouth, are they both drunk? It’s more difficult to tell with Gunwook, his cheeks always look pink…

Hanbin removes Gunwook’s hand with a glare, “Don’t interrupt me,” he chides, as sternly as he can while drunk. “Anyway, ‘m so glad you two figured things out. I hope Gunwook tells you about his massive heart boner for you.”

Hanbin makes it probably ten times worse by continuing, “He’s—he’s had such a big crush on you since like, um, since like the millisecond he joined the team. But this whole time you thought he was mean to you, isn’t that silly?”

What isn’t silly is the look on Gunwook’s face, he looks positively mortified.

“...Okay, Bin, I think you’re ready to go home already,” you smile tersely, side-stepping the topic for now, maybe forever actually. “Gunwook, can you help me with him?” You ignore Hanbin’s slurred protests. It must take a moment for Gunwook to recoup before he’s at Hanbin’s other side, helping you pull the drunkard up.

You avoid looking in Gunwook’s direction, despite the fact you can feel him burning holes into the side of your head. Of course, there’s no avoiding the conversation—inevitably, you’re going to have to talk to Gunwook about what Hanbin said, but maybe you can get out of it tonight…?

It’s not that you’re particularly afraid… okay, well, you are, except it’s just unnecessary anxiety. Now you feel better about admitting to yourself that you’re interested in Gunwook. But what if Hanbin’s drunk rambling was just drunk rambling, and it was all nonsense? Well, Gunwook probably wouldn’t seem so nervous if that were the case, but maybe he’s nervous because he just doesn’t want you to be under the impression that he—

“Oh, hey, I’ve been looking everywhere for Hanbin…”

“Oh, Hao, hey.” you mentally thank Hao for unknowingly rescuing you from spiraling into your annoyingly irrational train of thought.

“Do you want me to take him off your hands? We were planning to ditch before he disappeared.”

Okay, time to put on your big person pants and be an adult. “Yeah, thanks.” Handing Hanbin off is pretty easy, the man completely unbothered that he’s thrown two of his protégés for a loop (he’ll probably feel a lot worse about it tomorrow, especially when he’s hungover). What’s less easy, is being left with Gunwook.

“Well, since Hanbin aired everything out…”

“Right, yeah. We should talk, maybe outside?”

Gunwook nods, leading the way to the back door, you follow closely behind him. As not to lose him in the clusters of people, and maybe just because you want to, you grab onto his arm.

Outside, your eardrums thank you for finally getting out of there, though your nervous heart is another story, rattling against your ribcage incessantly. Warily, you avoid looking at Gunwook, distancing yourself a good few feet away from him, “So…”

“I like you,” Gunwook blurts as if he won’t get another chance to say so, “like a lot. I initially joined the team ‘cause of you actually, I hadn’t even danced since middle school. But you were so—watching you on stage at orientation felt so… enchanting.”

Heat rushes to your cheeks at Gunwook’s flattery, and he only continues, “I thought you were perfect, so obviously I immediately signed up for the dance team, even though I wasn’t even sure if I was any good at it anymore, just so I could have an excuse to see you. Only for me to never gain the courage to even talk to you…” Staring at the wooden planks of the porch beneath your feet, you see Gunwook’s beaten-up Converse come into view, urging you to look up again.

“Gunwook, I—”

“It’s okay if you don’t feel anything like that for me, I just can’t let the what-ifs get in the way of me trying anymore.” Oh, how could you not feel something for him? Surely anyone could fall for him just by staring into his pretty brown eyes.

The weird feeling in your gut, which must be those butterflies people talk about, amplifies, you think you’d have to be a fool if you didn’t feel something for Gunwook Park. “I don’t… not feel something,” you hastily avert your gaze, “I guess I’m not entirely sure what it is, but I am interested in you. I, um, would be open to exploring that.”

“I understand—wait, you… really?”

You look up in time to see the overjoyed grin split Gunwook’s lips. It’s infectious, you can’t help but mirror his smile, laugh tumbling past your lips, “Yes, you dork. You better sweep me off my feet.” You playfully shove at his shoulder.

“I will,” Gunwook grabs your wrist before you drop your arm, thumbing at the inside of it, “are you free tomorrow?”

“I…” You aren’t free, remember that pesky essay of yours? “Yeah, I am.” Oh, well, you suppose it can wait; likely until tomorrow night, when you finally open your laptop at eleven-thirty at night, when it happens to be due at midnight. You happen to work great under pressure!

“Perfect, can I pick you up at your place at two?”

“Sure, are you gonna remember to ask for my number this time, though?” You tease, making a ‘give me’ motion with your free hand.

Gunwook’s cheeks somehow get pinker, as he finally lets go of your wrist and retrieves his phone from his pocket, handing it over with the new contact screen open. Quickly, you type in your number and then your name, cheekily adding a heart beside it.

“Can I walk you home? Or, uh, if you wanted to go back to the party, that’s fine too…”

“Nah,” you’d rather do just about anything else than go back into that mess, you’ve had enough parties for the rest of your college life, “I’m pretty tired, and I have a super important date with a great guy tomorrow.”

With a coy smile to match Gunwook’s shy one, you cozy up to his side and link arms with him, “Let’s go?”

You’d still consider dancing to be a great way to unwind—still one of your favorites, it's just been demoted to second place.

Nothing ebbs away your stress like Gunwook popping into your room with your favorite food after you’ve been staring at your laptop screen for hours as if you were hoping your assignments would finish themselves. Or his hugs—always so warm, it’s like hugging an oversized stuffed bear. Or just… him.

Unrivaled after several years, dancing has finally met its match: Gunwook Park.

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dreamandback · 9 days

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HE'S KINDA HOT THOUGH (huang renjun)

HE WON'T GET OUT OF MY HEAD

synopsis: although your late-night shifts were boring, the alone time was nice. but once renjun starts working them with you... well, that changes things, doesn't it?

genre: fluff, coworkers to lovers, non idol!au

warnings: renjun x gn!reader, coworker/wingman!haechan, mentions manager!taeil, mentions food/drinks, convenience store setting, reader is down bad, brief misunderstandings and insecurity, a kiss, a little sappy lol

word count: 1,797

author's note: this was barely proofread and was written in like 3 hours, pls excuse any typos 🙏 comments and reblogs are heavily appreciated and encouraged!

the corner store you worked at wasn’t well known, it was a hole in the wall that only a few people went to at night. it was mostly people buying snacks for midnight study sessions, or the occasional third shift worker picking up something for the ride home. you were often the only one there. your manager taeil, bless his sweet heart, hated that you were alone.

when your boss said he was holding interviews, you didn’t think much of it. probably just some high schoolers who needed pocket money, or struggling college students. either way, you didn’t think they’d stay long once they realized how empty the store always was. however, you didn’t mind if it was slow. it gave you time to yourself, and you took the time to daydream.

the week after taeil held the interviews was stressful, as you didn’t want to work with anyone new. but with no one new joining the night shifts, you relaxed a little. but the next week, haechan, the shift before yours, was talking to someone as you entered the back. at first, you thought maybe taeil was checking on you both and the store. but as you got to the employee room, and the voices became clearer, you knew that wasn’t the case.

pushing the cracked door open, your eyes were immediately drawn to the owner of the new voice. he was pretty. too pretty to be working in this rundown corner store. his hair was two-toned, the top layer black with the beneath bleached blonde. he had the prettiest boba eyes, his pale pink lips pouted as he asked a question. when he moved his hands to hips, you realized he made the ugly uniform vest look good, somehow.

you let the door close behind you, the sound of the metal frame rattling in the wall made the guy jump. his honey eyes darted to you, soft lips splitting into a grin when he met your gaze. you forced down the heat rising in your cheeks when haechan looked over to you, smiling brightly as he beckoned you over. you did so reluctantly, shrinking in on yourself when the brunette wrapped his arm around your waist.

“this is y/n, they’re the usual night shift worker! y/n, this is renjun, you’ll be working the night shift together from now on.” haechan said warmly, though his eyes held a mischievous glint to them when he caught bashfulness of your own. you ignored the jab of his finger in your side, instead sticking your hand out with a nervous smile. “it’s nice to meet you, renjun.” you said, trying to be pleasant.

renjun’s grin grew wider, smushing his eyes into his cheeks and turning them into crescents. he took your hand, shaking it twice. “it’s nice to meet you too, y/n. i hope you’ll take care of me.” he said back, his voice filling your head like the softest of clouds. when your hands dropped, and haechan took his arm away from your waist to show renjun around, you watched them go.

dumbly, you moved to stare at your hand as their voices faded slightly. you felt that lingering heat rise in your face, again. his hands were so soft.

it had been almost a month since renjun started working late shifts with you, and every night, you felt your heart race a little faster for him. whether it be from the sweet smile he’d send you over crates of snacks he was putting away, or how he’d hold the back room’s door open for you so you didn’t drop what you were carrying.

maybe it was the way he’d hang by the entrance, waiting for you to lock up so he could walk you home. or how he’d bring you coffee, telling you he stopped along the way when you knew for a fact there wasn’t a coffee place on the way there. it could’ve been the way he let his fingers linger a little too long when handing you something, or the way he’d let his hands hover over your waist when you stumbled.

maybe it was everything all at once. but whatever it was, whenever it started, you couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment you started to fall for huang renjun. the alone time you used to use for daydreaming, planning activities you knew you’d never start, or winning fake arguments in your head slowly evolved into thinking about renjun. they turned into thoughts of what it would be like to hold his hand just once, just for a moment.

they turned into thoughts of what it would be like to get coffee with him on a rainy night after your shifts ended, tucked into a corner booth while you snuck glances at each other. you thought about him while lying in bed at night, the city alive outside your window. you thought about how nice it’d be, to be snuggled up against his chest, listening to his heartbeat while moonlight streamed in through the curtains.

you thought about bringing him to your secret place, the rooftop garden of your building. you thought about how pretty he’d look with the glowing seoul lights against his skin, how pretty he’d look in casual clothes as you basked in each other’s presence. how pretty he’d look while you watched the world turn beneath you, all the people moving below at the speed of light while your lives blended, walking together in slow motion.

you thought about all that could be, whether he was there with you in the store or not. haechan could only watch as you opened your mouth to blurt out your feelings, only to shut down again and close in on yourself. he sighed at the confusion on renjun’s face when you shook your head, saying a halfhearted never mind when he questioned you.

eventually, when you had arrived early for a shift, haechan pulled into the stock room. when you shot him a frazzled look, he sighed. “y/n… you know i love you, right?” haechan said earnestly as he gripped your shoulders and you only nodded, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“do you need me to kill someone with you or something?” you asked seriously, concern increasing on your face. haechan raised a brow at you. “what?” he blinked at you before shaking his head. “no, no. what i do need you to do, is confess to renjun before i do it for you.” the brunette stated, shaking you gently.

you stared at him, blinking once, twice, before your eyes widened. “what?!” you blanched, voice cracking as you gripped his forearms. “what do mean, confess to him?” you hissed, eyes darting between haechan and the door to the front of the store. “i can’t do that! look at me!” haechan frowned at your panicked tone, moving his hands to grip your steadily heating cheeks.

“hey,” he spoke gently, smiling softly when your wide eyes met his. “you’re great. you’re sweet, you’re kind, you have so much to give. you’re my best friend, remember? would i ever lie to you?” haechan soothed you, letting you ponder. when you gave him a pointed look, he rolled his eyes. “okay, that was one time, and it was funny!” the brunette said, moving one of his hands to point at you accusingly.

“my point is,” haechan started. “if he doesn’t like you back, then that’s his loss, alright?” he forced you to meet his gaze. when you pouted at him, he knew he had won. “okay… you win.” you admitted, sighing defeatedly. haechan grinned triumphantly, squeezing your face in his hands. “i always do.” he chirped smugly, laughing when you punched him.

“anyway,” he continued. “if he does reject you, not that he would, we can order takeout. on me.” he grinned, making a show of crossing his heart. you nudged him, a thankful smile pulling at your lips. after hugging him, you walked back into the front together. when you saw renjun manning the register, you froze while haechan continued forward.

he waved to renjun as he walked out the front door, the little bell the only sound in the store beside the refrigerator hum. clearing your throat, you walked behind the counter, grabbing your vest from beneath it. renjun gave you a timid smile when you caught his eye, and you wondered why he was acting differently.

“you okay?” you asked quietly, even though it was only the two of you in the store. he jumped a little, shoulders rising to his ears. he looked at you before darting his eyes away quickly. “yeah, i’m okay. you?” he said, clearing his throat. “i’m good.” you replied, eyeing him suspiciously. renjun cringed at your expression, before turning to you.

he opened his mouth before hesitating, nervously licking his lips. “i, uh, i heard you and haechan talking.” he winced when you raised an eyebrow at him. “i didn’t hear all of it if that’s what you’re worried about!” he rushed out, his cheeks flushing red. “i just wanted to say congratulations… i didn’t know you and haechan were a thing.” renjun said, offering you a weak smile.

you stared blankly at him for a minute or two, oblivious to the fact that he was sweating bullets the longer your silence continued. “renjun.” you finally said, hiding your amusement when he looked at you like he was a child being scolded. “me and haechan aren’t together.” your words were laced with a poorly hidden laugh, watching his face bloom with scarlet.

“you… you’re not?” he asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion. “no, silly.” you said, allowing yourself to let out a chuckle. “we were talking about the guy i like.” you said with an impish smile, watching his eyes sadden. “oh! well, i-i hope it all goes well.” he said, smiling to cover up the way his heart tightened.

“mhm,” you hummed, stepping closer to him. “he’s this guy i work with,” you said, biting back your smile when his head whipped up. “he’s cute, has a sweet voice, always brings me coffee and refuses to let me pay him back.” you rolled your eyes with a smile, watching his eyes brighten as a smile grew on his lips.

“and i was hoping to ask him out today… do you think he’ll say yes?” you teased, taking his hands into yours, and swinging them gently. renjun’s smile was the biggest you’d ever seen it, face rosy with happiness as his grip tightened around your fingers. “i think he’ll definitely say yes. and if he doesn’t, he’s the biggest idiot in the world.” renjun breathed out airily, breath stuttering in his chest when you leaned in to press a sweet kiss to his lips.

dreamandback 2024. do not rewrite, repost, modify, or translate.

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kssyivo · 27 days

Text

sides || boynextdoor guitarist!taesan x president!reader

disclaimer: this is a gender neutral fic!! they/them pronouns are used, and the author is rusty lmao

now playing: west coast love by emotional oranges

for others it was an ordinary week of school, but for yn's party, it was preparation week. the day of the campaign was approaching and everyone in yn's party was brainstorming ideas on how to promote themselves.

"we finished with the posters already, right?" the secretary of their party, winter, asked "yeah, the design for the flyer and our presentation are ready, too." wonbin, their vice president, added "any other ways we could promote ourselves?" yn asked for suggestions "i have one" yoon announced

"how about, during the campaigning at theatre room, the school band's gonna play songs for audience impact, we could ask them!" yoon excitedly suggested

yn grimaced at yoon's idea "what, pres? you don't want to, do you? is it cause of taesan?" yoon teased to which yn rolled their eyes "it's a good idea but, are we sure they'd accept? i mean, there's nothing in for them." yn reasoned

winter giggled "i'm pretty sure taesan would convice his friends to do so if you asked, yn, we all saw how he looks at you." yn hung his head low in embarassment as his friends laughed. "in all seriousness, yn. i think that you should really ask, you're the president and taesan's pretty nice." wonbin said.

"what made you hate taesan that much anyway?" yoon asked. "hate is a strong word!" yn interjected "fine! what made you not like him? or whatever"

yn knew they had no way out of yoon's question, their friends are also waiting for the answer. yn sighed, "i used to date taesan. i can't say that it ended well, he took it maturely and i– i wasn't in my best mental state at that time." silence was present as yn's friends processed the information.

"say something" yn whispered

"so, when you look at him– or interact with him in general, your mental state from when you broke up surfaces?" wonbin asked nonchalantly "i hate you." yn joked.

"but yes, i guess." winter and yoon yelled in giddiness "you aren't over him are you?" winter asked while laughing with yoon "hey!" yn embarassedly replied, face turning beet red while stifling their laughter.

wonbin also couldn't hold in his laughter as the girls continued to laugh, clap, and yell.

"you HAVE to be the one to ask." yoon insisted as yn could only sigh in defeat "fine, fine."

🎸🎸🎸

yn made their way over to the music room where the school band practices, as he neared the door, someone exited and almost bumped into them. "oh i'm sorry!" the girl exclaimed

"hey violet!" yn greeted "what were you doing in there?" violet, the president from an opposing party smiled "campaign stuff, you get it." yn chuckled "okay, good luck!" yn said as they entered the music room.

the light chatter among the band members settled as they recognized the person who entered. "look who's here." taesan smiled as he approached yn who braced themselves.

"play nice, taesan. i'm here to ask for a favor." yn avoids the taller's eyes, meanwhile taesan doesn't shy away from eye contact.

"and that is...?" yn sighed and mustered up their courage to look at taesan in the eye. "i want the band to play during our campaign." taesan smiled at the shorter.

"is that how you ask for favors?" taesan teased to which he received an eye roll from the shorter.

"c– can you please play during our campaign? it would really help my party."

taesan smiled "i'd love to, boss." yn tried to hide their excitement but their eyes betrayed them. taesan chuckled at the younger as yn hurriedly left the room "i owe you one!" yn smiled at him.

jaehyun immediately cleared his throat as soon as yn left and caught taesan's attention "what's between you two?" jaehyun asked, suspicious of their actions

"yeah, why does yn act so flustered when you approach them? that's the only time i see them get so... folded"

woonhak added as sungho could only chuckle, being the only one to know about their past.

"let's just say... we have history." taesan looked down as he walked back to the boys "what about violet? didn't she also ask for us to play during her campaign?" riwoo asked "drop that, i think taesan would rather play for yn, and i don't mind playing for yn." jaehyun answered for taesan, which were followed by 'me too's.

🎸🎸🎸

it is now time for their campaign, violet is finishing up her time on the stage and it is time for yn's party to come up on stage.

cheers and claps were heard throughout the auditorium as yn, wonbin, winter, and yoon make their way up to the stage.

"good morning everyone! we are the younique party!"

everything went by like a breeze, everyone had fun during the campaign and the audience seemed to accept them well. "now, please help me welcome our very own, boynextdoor!" yn announced as their party left the stage as taesan and the rest of the band made their way backstage

"i dedicate the next few songs for yn and their party." taesan said before the band started their small session.

yn only watched from backstage as taesan enjoyed himself onstage. their eyes met a couple of times which didn't fail to make yn flustered.

as boynextdoor finished their session after 3 songs, yn and their party made their way back to the stage and thanked everyone for the successful campaign.

the party alongside boynextdoor went backstage as it was the next party's turn to campaign.

as they arrived backstage, yn immediately pulled taesan somewhere private. "hey, thank you for– uh– preparing 3 songs for our campaign, it might not mean much to you but it does for me." yn said in gratitude, avoiding eye contact once more.

"it means a lot to me performing for you, yn." taesan answered genuinely.

yn pushed him lightly, feelings giddy, unable to hide their smile. yn grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a deep kiss. taesan quickly recovered from his shock and held yn's waist, deepening their kiss.

tongue was involved as they kept kissing each other, breaking away to catch their breaths "god, i missed you." taesan breathed out, kissing yn's neck, "i miss you so much." he whispered onto the shorter's neck.

"i missed you too."

they were interrupted by a knock as yn quickly got off taesan "pres, shouldn't we go back to our classroom?"

wonbin voiced out.

"yes– yes you guys can go first, i'll follow!" yn said in a rush, fixing their shirt. "tonight, 8pm, pick me up." yn said in a jokingly stern voice to taesan. the taller approached yn and landed a peck on his lips.

"yes, boss."

🎸🎸🎸

#boynextdoor #bnd x reader #bnd #bnd imagines #bnd x male reader #kpop x you #kpop x reader #kpop x male!reader #kpop x male reader #kpop x gender neutral reader #kpop imagines #taesan #taesan x reader #taesan x male reader #taesan x gender neutral reader #kssyfics

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oddent · 10 months

Text

[8:15 AM] h.jisung x gn!latin@!reader [idol au]

“y/n.”

“¿que paso amor?” you ask groggily.

he makes a bewildered face. you know he’s confused without having to glance but you’re too tired to try and look at him. instead, you keep your eyes closed and snuggle into your pillow once more.

“y/n,” he tries again.

“¿que?” you ask again, maybe a little frustrated.

he frowns, basically pouting, “i don’t know what that means!”

“i’m saying what,” you translate, hoping he gets on with what he wants because you really want to sleep and you have a heavy schedule in a few hours.

“oh,” he stares at your messy hair, “i’m hungry!”

“well order something,” you grunt.

“but i wanted to make breakfast!”

“then make it.”

“with you!”

“ai Dios,” you groan, rolling over to finally squint at his sitting figure.

he looks adorable, cheeks puffy from a nights sleep and hair all ruffled up. you know he’s trying to spend quality time with you, as much as he can before the two of you part ways for weeks. it’s been amazing, these past two days. a peaceful, chill routine that neither of you really want to get out of.

but today is the last day for that. half day, really.

you sigh, knowing you would regret not giving in.

“vamos pues,” you say as you sit up as well.

“i’m going to guess that’s a yes,” he says as he watches you get up and walk about with stars in his eyes.

“yup,” you grab your phone from the night stand, frowning at the hour before leaning in to give him a peck on the lips.

he giggles silently, grinning at how well you read him. he quickly follows you to the restroom, ready to spend whatever time the two of you have.

as he leans into your shoulder while brushing his teeth, you know you would risk anything to see him smile as well as him by your side for as long as possible.

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shoverse · 1 year

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skz! hyung line x gn! reader ft. kisses (i hate this with a burning passion.)

一.

let's be honest, bangchan is a sucker for pda. only a little kiss, though, but just enough to show you how much he loves you. all in all, cute and wholesome. that is, until you're in private. he's a very...passionate boy. he'll grab onto the small of your back and pull you onto him, lock eyes with you and kiss you until your lips are bruised. you're all for it though, more often then not it escalates into something...else.

二.

三.

lee know is too embarrassed to kiss you in public. luckily, you're not. if you give him a little peck, he'll turn red and look away. but alone, he's a little more eager. away from prying eyes, he sneaks them in whenever he can. just small ones, when you're cooking. he'll wrap his arms around your waist and bury his head in the crook of your neck, peppering little kisses all over. those moments, although so common, are just heavenly to you.

四.

seo changbin, this cocky motherfucker. he'll have a goddamn makeout session in an alleyway with you if you wanted. that attitude doesn't last for long, though. really, he craves soft and sweet moments with you. when he just looks at you and you know, you know, he loves you. when you lock lips, there's something in him that just falls so much harder for you. such a romantic.

sweetheart of the century, hwang hyunjin is so proud to be your boyfriend. he'll hold your hand, give you his sweater, even proclaim his love by yelling it at the top of his lungs if you wanted. of course, he's an amazing kisser. cherry cola fills your mouth when he wraps you in his ever-loving embrace. a warmth rushes around your body when his lips touch yours.

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neomujinjja · 1 month

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My Boy

Pairing: Seunghan x reader

Genre: fluff, drabble

Synopsis: After time apart, you have your boyfriend for the night. It's not through a videocall but in person, and you can't help staring at him as he sleeps.

Warnings: none

── ⋆⋅ಇ ⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ಇ ⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ಇ⋅⋆ ──

You stared at your sleeping boyfriend's face, mentally etching the image of him into your mind. He seemed so cute to you even when he was unconscious. Seunghan was turned facing you on his stomach, his cheek being flatten by the pillow causing his lips to jut out slightly. The male had his closest arm reaching out to where you laid. You knew it was only a matter until his arm made contact and he pulled you into cuddle. And you should probably let him, judging by the few whines he'd let out when his hand didn't find you, but you wanted to take in all that you could have him. If it wasn't at the cost of waking him up then you'd give him a million kisses due to his cuteness.

•

Seunghan opened his right eye, his face still tucked into the pillow he was resting on. He looked at Y/N in sleepy curiosity with his eyebrow furrowing at them. "What 'r you doin?" the male mumbled, his voice had a little husk to it, as his hand finally grab onto his significant other. Seunghan pulled Y/N's body toward him; the couple ending up in the middle of the bed. The two meshed together perfectly, despite time apart they were made for the other. Seunghan's head was stuck under Y/N's while the majority of him laid on top of them and legs intertwined.

"Looking at you" Y/N whispered as their right hand began to absentmindedly trace shapes onto the male's back. Seunghan had closed his eyes again, content now that he had his partner where he wanted them. 3 months of not being able to hold Y/N and he was not going to do that for a minute longer.

"Do it in the morn'" he grumbles while snuggling further into Y/N. "Sleep" Seunghan continues, his word coming out airy and mumbled. Y/N smiled and kissed the top of his head before getting comfortable.

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antonsbf · 5 days

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Harmonies of Love (anton) pt.1

gender neutral x anton

summary:In the trails of Korean university life, amidst the flow of lectures, friendships, and ambitions, fate orchestrates a encounter between you a foreign student navigating the maze of academic life, and Anton, a soulful music major whose melodies seem to dance in the air. As they traverse the corridors of learning, their worlds collide, igniting a spark that blossoms into harmonies of love.

As the sun streamed through your window, you blinked away the remnants of sleep, only to be greeted by the insistent buzz of your alarm clock. With a groan, you silenced it, the sound reverberating in the quiet room. Today marked your first day at Yonsei University in Korea, a dream realized through your hard work and dedication.

Excitement bubbled within you as you contemplated the journey ahead. "I can't believe I'm really here," you murmured, a smile tugging at your lips. Yet, amidst the thrill, a familiar feeling of doubt crept into your thoughts. "What if they don't accept me?" "Will I be able to find my place?" Pushing aside these uncertainties, you rose from your bed, feeling the chill of the wooden floor beneath your feet.

With a determined shake of your head, you dismissed the negative thoughts, focusing instead on the adventure awaiting you. Stretching, you welcomed the new day with renewed resolve, ready to embrace every opportunity that awaited you in this vibrant new chapter of your life.

As you walked into the dorm washroom, the morning light filtered through, casting a soft glow over the space. you caught sight of your roommate Shotaro standing in front of the mirror, his reflection staring back at him.

"Good morning, y/n," he greeted, his voice carrying a hint of excitement for the day ahead. His golden hair was slightly tousled, evidence of just having woken up, but his eyes were bright with anticipation. Shotaro adjusted his shirt collar, smoothing out any wrinkles with ease, his reflection mimicking his movements perfectly. "Do you think this outfit is good y/n?", you could see a frown start to form in his face. "Absolutely, Shotaro! That outfit is so cute!" You saw how his eyes fill up with excitement, the compliment give him confidence he needed. "Thank you, y/n" he said smiling softly. " I will prepare us breakfast" Shotaro said, moving past you and heading to the small kitchen.

As you began your morning routine, the memory of Shotaro's words echoed in your mind like a comforting refrain. Shotaro, the Japanese exchange student, had quickly become a familiar face in your "new life". His warm smile and eagerness to connect had made him a natural beacon for friendship.

During orientation, he had excitedly recounted his encounter with a fellow foreigner, a boy from the States just like you. you remembered the way Shotaro had described their conversation, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Though you couldn't recall if the boy was from New York or New Jersey, Shotaro sentiment of sticking together as foreign students resonated deeply with you.

As you put the finishing touches on your outfit, smoothing out any lingering wrinkles and adjusting your hair, the clinking of plates against the table and Shotaro's gentle voice calling out snapped you back to reality.

"y/n, breakfast is ready. Come and eat while it's hot," he called out, his voice floated through the room, the tone infused with warmth.

You glanced at yourself in the mirror one last time, nodding in satisfaction before making your way to the table, a smile already forming on your lips.

"Wow it smells amazing in here" you said as you approached a chair in the table "Right!", exclaimed Shotaro excitedly. "I can't believe i was able to make this" said with a smuggled look. "Well, it looks great!", you said staring at the rolled omelette served with a small portion of steamed rice. "I hope you enjoy it!, it's a traditional meal in Japan, called Tamagoyaki" said Shotaro, you could feel the eagerness in his tone, as he took a sit next to you. "Wow.. really you said!" you exclaimed excitedly. "Next time is my turn to cook, okay?". Shotaro just smiled and shook his head in agreement.

As you and Shotaro finished the meal, the anticipation of the day ahead filled the air, as you stepped out of the dormitories, you were greeted by a gentle breeze. The university being a short walk away. You and Shotaro walked side by side, strolling along the path adorned with white and pink cherry blossom trees, their petals danced in the wind so dedicatedly, and you and Shotaro's laughter, which was caused by your conversation, intertwined with the gentle breeze, creating a melody of a flourishing friendship.

But as you nearred the bustling crowd of students, form on the path, a wave of nerves washed over you, causing your steps to falter. Sensing this sudden change in demeanor, Shotaro, ever perceptive, offered a reassuring smile and a comforting word, "We got each other! , so don't worry." ,his presence was calming. With Shotaro's support, you found the courage to face the day ahead, knowing that no matter the challenges that lay ahead, you had a friend by your side.

You and Shotaro resumed your steps, the weight of anticipation gradually lifted, replaced by a sense of reassurance washed over. Shotaro's voice, filled with gentle encouragement, broke the silence. "There is nothing to worry about," he said, his words laced with a comforting warmth. "We have almost all classes together," he continued, punctuating his assurance with a sweet smile that mirrored the friendship they shared.

You, a major in fine arts had a deep appreciation for all forms of artistic expression: music, art, dance—it mattered not. As Shotaro, a dance major, spoke, you offered a supportive nod, understanding each others feelings.

Your steps quickened with anticipation as y'all approached the university gates, a grand entrance adorned with the institution's emblem, standing as a beacon of knowledge and possibility. Beyond the gates, a panorama of lush greenery and modern buildings unfolded, painting a breathtaking backdrop against the canvas of the Seoul skyline.

As you and Shotaro crossed the threshold into the heart of the campus, a sense of excitement and belonging enveloped y’all.

As your shoes glided across the polished, reflective floor, Shotaro launched into a rambled about the injustice of having to attend a Korean class in the early morning. He expressed a unachievable desire to effortlessly absorb the language through some kind of magical intervention. Fortunately, attending the orientation had equipped you with the knowledge of the maze leading to y'all lecture hall.

As you step into the lecture hall, you notice how spacious the room is, with rows of desks arranged neatly facing the large whiteboard at the front. The hum of conversation fills the air as students chatter excitedly, exchanging greetings and sharing their own nervousness about the upcoming semester. You whisper to Shotaro, "This all so nerve wrecking right?" He nodded in agreeance, "It hasn't really settled in until now", Shotaro said while giggling. You couldn't help but giggle with him. " You're are so RIGHT!", you responded. "We should find a sit, somewhere in the middle?", Shotaro only nodded quickly.

You find yourself a seat near the middle of the room, feeling a bit self-conscious as you glance around at your classmates. Some faces are familiar, perhaps from orientation, while others are completely new to you. The atmosphere crackles with a sense of curiosity and eagerness. "Are you ready, Shotaro?", you said as you pulled your textbook and laptop. "As ready as anyone can be.. right?", He said almost looking anxious. You chuckled at his respondes, which in returned he began to laugh as well.

As the minutes tick by, the room gradually quiets down as the professor enters, commanding attention with a warm smile and a welcoming demeanor. She introduce herself in Korean, her voice melodic and soothing, instantly putting you at ease despite your initial nerves.

"We will all take turns introducing ourselves in Korean," she announces, her voice firm yet inviting. You sense a ripple of excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness coursing through the room. With a reassuring smile, the professor adds, "To get to know each other. Please don't be afraid to make mistakes, that's why I'm here." Her words offer a comforting embrace.

Just as the moment begins to settle, the door creaks open, drawing all eyes to the newcomer. A boy saunters in, His outfit, almost like being straight from a Pinterest board, gives a sense of effortless style. Headphones dangle around his neck, a subtle statement of his individuality.

Jet-black hair, tousled yet purposeful, frames his face, the faintest hint of haste lingering in its tousled locks. But it's his hazel eyes that captivate, holding a depth that belies his shy demeanor.

As he tries to slip into a seat unnoticed, the professor's voice halts his movement. "Since you were late, how about we start with you," she says, her tone gentle yet firm. The color drains from his face, embarrassment washing over him like a wave. You can sense his discomfort, amplified by the spotlight suddenly thrust upon him.

With a hesitant nod, he accepts the professor's request, his voice barely above a whisper. Each syllable he utters feels like a delicate melody floating across the quiet lecture hall. It's flawless, leaving you momentarily stunned. You find yourself wondering why someone so adept at the language would be in a Korean class.

"Wow, Great job Anton" the professor praises, "You may take a seat now. Thank you." With a relieved exhale, he retreats to an empty spot, the tension in his shoulders visibly easing.

As the professor turns her attention to the rest of the class, he gives a shy nod of gratitude before swiftly finding a seat. Fate seems to guide him to the spot next to you, and as he settles in beside you, you catch a fleeting glimpse of curiosity in his eyes, sparking the beginning of an unexpected connection.

i hope you enjoyed <3. it's been a labor of love, and i've worked hard to bring this story to life. my name is eli and would appreciate your support as i'm new to publishing fanfics, i will continue to grow and would appreciate your support. Thank you <333

p.s: sorry for any grammar mistakes.

#kpop #riize x reader #riize #university #anton x reader #anton x y/n #riize anton #kpop bg #shotaro #lee anton #kpop idol #kpop x y/n #kpop x male reader #kpop x fem reader #kpop x gender neutral reader #kpop icons #bias #kpopidol

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mlm-writer · 5 months

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The Mountain God (Choi Soobin x GN!Reader)

Pairing: Choi Soobin x Gender Neutral Reader Rating: Mature Words: 1998 POV: Second Summary: The Big Tober Day 31 - Folklore Note: Inspired by this song (open after reading if you don't want any spoilers). Reader is an adult and is mentioned to have dating experience. Check out this cover of the song btw. Tags: horror(?), maybe more of a thriller?, some action, first meeting, kissing and dancing under the moonlight<3, fluff and mentioned character death

The dry leaves crunched under your foot as you found your way into another clearing. Cold air hurt your throat as you struggled breathing from your hike. Once again your tent and your friends were nowhere to be found. “It was somewhere around here…” You mumbled to yourself. You moved your torch around, the bright white light only showing you more and more trees. “Taehyun-ah! Yeojun-ah!” You called out for your friends. No one answered your call under the tall trees and light of the full moon. A puff of air visualised itself in front of your mouth. You trudged on to the closest path. It was supposed to be just a quick piss, so you didn’t bring your phone. Kakao maps would’ve been great by now.

In the distance your light reflected off white strips of fabric hanging from the low-hanging tree branches. You squinted your eyes, double-checking their presence. Then, a large blob of white seemed to move under one of the trees. You cautiously slowed your pace, narrowing your eyes in the dark in the hope of acquiring a clearer vision. When you discerned a vaguely human shape, you felt relieved. Surely the other guy would have a phone. Who nowadays did not have one?

You quickened your pace. “Excuse me? I’m lost, can you help me?” The figure, which sat on his knees by a large tree, turned towards you as you approached. His handsome and innocent face greeted you with a big smile. White teeth that matched the strips of fabric around him welcomed you on this cold night. Though the smile was such a stark white, it warmed your chest.

His beauty was so unexpected, you slowed to a still. “Lost? This late? You are really fearless,” he commented. He let out a chuckle and grabbed a wooden cup from next to him. “Come have a drink, how long have you been lost for?” You frowned at his odd behaviour, but you slowly walked closer nonetheless, your grip on your torch tight. If he turned out to be a creep, you could whack him across the head with it. At least that was the plan you had cooked up in those few seconds you had to come up with one.

When you stood next to him, you saw the cup held some liquid with leaves floating on top. They did not seem like tea leaves to you, but rather like the leaves that scattered the ground as well. There was no steam coming from the liquid either. “No thanks, I’ve only been walking around for a few minutes. Can I use your phone to send my location to my friends?” You looked him over. His white clothes looked like that of a buddhist. The red beads around his wrist confirmed it. The clothes were a little dirty, indicating he had been a while in the mountains as well.

The man kept that same sun-blessed smile on his face as he put the cup down. “My phone? Sorry, I left it at the temple, since I just came out to pray.” He gestured to the stone statues that sat by the large tree. He had indeed been kneeling right in front of them.

“Oh sorry, I interrupted your prayer,” you quickly apologised with a polite bow. You took a step back and gestured for him to continue. You didn’t know there was a temple on this mountain that was still in use. Most of them were historic sites that were just used to attract tourists. Mostly artists came to them nowadays to draw and paint the well-preserved temples of the mountain god.

The man shook his hand and stood up. “Don’t worry about it. A traveller in need is more important. Not helping you would be more against my beliefs.” Now he was standing, you realised he was really tall. His lips were stretched in a smaller, but no less kind smile. “I’m Choi Soobin. If you come to the temple, I can lend you my phone.” You bowed to him and gave him your name. He repeated it with his gentle voice. Your name had never sounded this heavenly.

“So what did you come to do here? Just camping with your friends?” Soobin asked after a minute of silent walking. He was holding no torch. You assumed he was used to walking the path to the temple and needed no visual aide aside from the moonlight that reached the ground with ease during this season.

“We came to see the total lunar eclipse. The best view is away from the city. You live in the temple?” Soobin hummed, confirming your assumption. He then asked about your friends, your life. It was easy to talk to him. He did not share much about himself, other than his age and the first time he went to the mountain. They said the mountain god guarded the mountain, but even a god got hungry. Soobin’s friends dared him to spend the night, but he left his tent halfway through when he heard a growling in the distance. When he got you on the proverbial edge of your seat with his scary story, he gave you a jumpscare. You hit him and laughed.

You almost forgot you were not on a beautiful and romantic night stroll when the old wooden gates appeared at the end of the small mountain path. This place was long due some renovation, but you didn’t mention it. “Here we are,” Soobin stated as you stood before the closed doors. He seemed almost sad that you had arrived.

“Are you a priest?” You asked out of nowhere, the look on his face all too familiar to you. You had your fair share of dates and that was the face of a man who wanted to kiss you.

Soobin shook his head, his fluffy black hair flopping around with the movement. “No, just… a pilgri-” You did not let him finish. You found the way to the back of his neck; you pulled him down, your lips meeting his. He was cold, extremely so. Not surprising, since his white clothes seemed to not be all that thick. You were happy to warm this poor pilgrim up. When you pulled back, your eyes met his wide-spread ones. “Traveller-nim, let me dance with you.”

You laughed as you took a step back. “With what music?” You questioned him. He seemed to clearly have no answer to that. “Besides, you’re ice cold. You should go inside to warm up.”

Soobin swallowed thickly. Then his frigid hand took yours. He started singing, swaying you around on the small path. You turned your torch off, letting the moonlight show you his captivating eyes and alluring lips. Soobin’s voice could be deep and intimate or light like a fairy. Your heart swayed along with each step taken. It was when the night got a little darker, that you remembered your friends. “Oh! The eclipse will start soon.” You stopped to look up at the sky. Soobin quickly opened the temple doors and gestured for you to enter. He seemed to remember your friends waiting on you too.

You followed him inside, but when the gates closed behind you, something seemed off. There was only light from the fires that surrounded a large courtyard. Two glistening red lights seemed to watch you from the darkness inside a building. “Is everyone else sleeping?” You inquired, turning around to face Soobin. He was leaning against the doors, his head hung low and his black bangs covering his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Soobin whispered, voice quivering. The moonlight drained away and was replaced with the red light of the total lunar eclipse. In the light of the blood moon, everything was different. Soobin looked up, but his face was no longer what it was. Those captivating eyes that looked at you like he wanted to kiss you forever under the moonlight were now glowing red, the sclerae all black. His deep-sunken eyes stared directly into your soul. A second pair of slightly smaller eyes appeared underneath the first pair, just beside his nostrils. They all stared down at you as a smile forced itself onto his ghastly face. You had seen many smiles from him, but nothing like this. It turned your own blood cold, all heat draining from your body. You took a step back in fear, but froze when there was a voice behind you.

“Well done, Soobin-ah. It seems you finally will be able to move on to the next life,” came the growling voice from the building where you had seen the red lights. You dared to glance around. From the darkness stepped a monstrously huge tiger into the red light. Its great fangs were bared for you to witness. You backed away, your back eventually hitting Soobin’s cold, rigid body.

“Soobin-sshi, what’s going on?” His ghoulishly icy hands grabbed you by the shoulders. He whispered another apology, before pushing you towards the tiger. The beast circled you, a deep, mocking chuckle coming from its hungry mouth.

“You had me concerned there for a moment, Soobin-ah. You have backed out so many times. You really want to pass on, don’t you?” You were hugging your torch to your chest, trembling in fear as the tiger spoke. “And such a nice, young prey you have chosen for me too… I can see your long life thread and I will delight in snapping it.” You repeated your earlier question, screaming it now with more panic in your voice. The tiger laughed at you derisively. “Let me explain it to you, traveller.” Every word coming from the mountain god gave you the shivers. “Soobin was once like you, unafraid of me and my lands. He died that night he told you about.” You swallowed thickly, casting glances at the ghost that you kissed. “Those that find their end in my stomach must serve me for eternity. The only way for them to pass on to the next life is to bring me a prey that will replace them.” The tiger took a deep sniff of you, like you were a steaming pot of stew on the fire. “Do you get it now?”

The terror forced the tears from your eyes. Your voice trembled in your last plea. “Please, spare me.” You forced the words past your trembling lips, each word strained and vibrating with dread. It was the last Soobin could handle. He suddenly dashed forward, slamming his body into that of the tiger. It was taken off guard, the beast sliding away from you across the courtyard. In that small window of opportunity, the ghost took your hand and dragged you through the doors, back onto the small path you took to get here. His footsteps were inhumanly quick and you struggled to keep up. However, the growling and roaring of a tiger behind you was great motivation.

“Listen to me, go back to the tree where we met. Climb as far as you can. Amitābha protects that tree and will protect you. Stay there until sunrise.” Though he still looked like a demon, you saw the angelic man you met earlier that night in those devilish eyes. You could only nod at his instructions. He sent you ahead with a gust of wind and before you realised how, you found yourself in that tree, awaiting sunrise.

When your friends found you the next day, you did not have the words to explain what happened last night, nor why you were in the tree. You chose to say nothing, fearing that sharing the story as truth would end with you in a psych ward. You would wonder if it was all just a nightmare or hallucination, were it not for the beads that had appeared on your wrist. Sometimes, when you glanced at them and the light hit it just right, a familiar smile reflected off the red wood that adorned your wrist.

—————

REBLOG TO SUPPORT YOUR FANFIC WRITERS

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flowerui · 1 month

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♫ three little words (dedicate them to me), cyj

fluff, 4.8k words ୨୧ oh my god they were roommates :0 sorry to any academic weapons reading, im projecting a bit as an academic failure lol

wherein it only takes you about twenty-nine years to realize you're in love with your best friend... at least you got there!

꒰ requested. gender neutral reader (no pronouns or gendered terms used), reader is younger, unspecified age difference (but its implied that theyre very close in age), childhood friends to lovers, nonidol au, roommates, idiots in love, time skips, aging up, alcohol/drinking, a bit dialogue heavy, vomit is mentioned a few times, friend group ot4 ꒱

It’s hard to recall a time without Yeonjun; he appeared one day and stuck to you, almost as if he were a stubborn thorn in your side (said endearingly, of course).

It must’ve been when you were still in kindergarten—right, Yeonjun and his parents had moved in next door, and your moms both became friends and arranged a play date. Yeonjun had brought his PlayStation over and let you play it with him, so, obviously, to five-year-old you, that made the two of you best friends right away.

“Are you almost done?” Yeonjun bemoans from your bedroom floor, urging you to look up from your piles of textbooks and worksheets finally.

“No, I told you I needed to study and that you should go to your own house, you bum. Just ‘cause you don’t give a shit about your education doesn't mean I don’t.”

“You almost flunked last year. And you’re only studying because your mom saw you got a three out of a hundred on your algebra test,” Yeonjun deadpans, “how do you even score that bad?” Ugh, lucky, naturally academically gifted asshole. You roll your eyes and toss a pencil at his stupid face.

“Whatever,” you grumble, it’s not your fault you can’t be an academic weapon, and that school is whooping your ass instead with academics as a weapon. “I feel like my brain is about to start leaking out of my ears anyway, wanna go to yours?”

Yeonjun grins, sitting up from your floor with a start, finally regaining some of his earlier excitement before he had to wait nearly four hours (all of which were spent pestering you) while you attempted to study. “I ditched school yesterday to get a copy of Resident Evil 4 from GameStop.”

“What the hell—and you didn’t invite me?” you whine, “That’s cold, you better let me try it first.”

It’s hours later into the evening when you’re watching Yeonjun attempt to get through the wretched cabin section that you died approximately… thirteen times trying to get through, that he says, “You remember that guy, Taehyun, right? In my AP History class.”

“Mhm,” you hum, blinking your bleary eyes at Yeonjun’s TV screen from your very comfortable spot on his couch.

“He doesn’t usually talk a whole lot to me, but today, I couldn’t get him to shut up,” Yeonjun huffs a laugh as he maneuvers the character, Leon, up the stairs on screen, seemingly making it farther than you could. “He was complaining though, ‘cause he was partnered with this person who was into me. He couldn’t get any work done, they were just bugging him about me.”

You tear your focus from the TV to look at the side of Yeonjun’s face, you can see part of his furrowed brow and pursed lips. “Oh.”

It doesn’t surprise you that a lot of people seem to be interested in Yeonjun at school. In middle school, people started coming up to you, asking if you’d put in a good word for them with Yeonjun, because they ‘like-liked’ him, and you were his best friend. Then, it was at the end of eighth grade that you started telling those people to grow a pair and talk to him themselves.

You suppose you kind of understand. Yeonjun’s nice when he’s not being a little shit… and he’s not horrible to look at, one might even say he’s good-looking.

“Are you into them?” The question seems to roll off your tongue easily, but you’re not even sure why you asked, you don’t think you want to know. For some reason, thinking about it churns your stomach a bit.

“...No, I mean, they’re pretty, but,” Yeonjun sighs, tossing his controller to the side as he dies a second time. “they seem kinda… much. I dunno, Taehyun said they literally wouldn’t talk to him about anything besides me the entire class. It kinda weirded me out.”

“Hm, yeah.” You hum, a weird feeling of… relief washing over you. Yeonjun’s mom comes in to ask if you’re staying for dinner before you can think about it too hard.

Later that night, when you’re stuck staring blankly at your ceiling, you decide you were just relieved that Yeonjun wasn’t going to end up with some overly possessive weirdo. It’d suck to lose your best friend that way.

“Please do not throw up, because if you throw up, then I’m gonna throw up.”

“I’m not gonna throw up,” Yeonjun insists, but it doesn’t sound all too credible with the way he slurs his words, maybe you’ve also had too much to drink, but you swear he looks a little green. “I… am perfectly fine, thank you very much.”

“Uhuh.”

“Don’t ‘uhuh’ me,” Yeonjun grumbles with an attempted glare, you find that you can’t take him all too seriously, though; the flush on his cheeks, his inability to keep his eyes open for more than five seconds, and his perpetual pout make it all too difficult. “Oh, I—I think I’m gonna hurl.” He braces himself against the bar, eyes suddenly more awake.

That would be the reason you end up in a grimy bathroom on your twenty-first, making sure your best friend’s hair is out of the way as he empties the contents of his stomach into a toilet bowl.

“Why’d you drink so much, you know you’re a lightweight.” You ask when Yeonjun seems to be done, frowning as you wipe off his mouth with a paper towel.

“Am not,” he protests petulantly. “I was just—I just felt like it ‘cause I thought it’d make me feel better ‘nd I could stop thinking about other shit.”

“Did something happen?”

“...I stopped seeing that person I told you about.”

“Why? I thought it was going well?” ‘Well’ might be a bit of an overstatement. Like most of Yeonjun’s partners, you didn’t hear a whole lot about this new one, met them once for a brief moment, then didn’t hear of them again. It seems to be a common theme in Yeonjun’s relationships—his fleeting interest, you haven’t figured out if you should say anything about it.

“It was just, um. ‘M not over someone…. I didn’t feel right staying in a relationship knowing I’m still not over someone else.”

Oddly enough, that felt rather sobering to hear. You hum, stomach feeling a little off—you hope you aren’t going to throw up next… “You haven’t told me about that, wanna talk about it? It might feel better than drinking too much and throwing up in a disgusting bathroom. Don’t quote me on that, though.”

Yeonjun blinks slowly, then chuckles, “I’ll tell you about it some other time, I just really want to be in bed right now.”

Instead of getting an Uber or something, you trudge down the sidewalk with a clingier-than-usual Yeonjun, who barely manages to walk in a straight line. You internally celebrate when your apartment building comes into view; one of you seriously needs to get a car.

You have to convince Yeonjun to shower before you, almost like a petulant child.

And apparently, wanting to be in bed means taking up most of your mattress and hogging your blankets for the night, because when you finish showering, you return to your room to find your bed occupied. You could just steal Yeonjun’s bed for the night… but you end up just crawling into bed beside him, listlessly trying to reclaim your covers.

He never ended up telling you about this mystery person he’s not over.

“I just don’t think it’s going to work out.” You sigh.

“But why? I thought things between us were going great, I—”

“I’m sorry, I just don’t see this relationship progressing any further.”

“But, I—I told my mom about you! You can’t leave me, I love you!”

“Ugh, you asshole,” you cry out as Yeonjun pretends to cry hysterically and shakes you by your shoulders, “You’re supposed to be taking this seriously and helping me!”

Yeonjun cackles as you shove him away, “I mean he could react like that, couldn’t he?” Then, he sighs and places his hands on your shoulders—not shaking you this time. “Okay, seriously, it’s going to be fine, you’ll be in a public space, so worst case scenario, he embarrasses himself.”

“You’re right… ugh, I’m gonna be late.”

“You’re the one who wanted to rehearse the conversation again.”

Before sending you off, Yeonjun smushes your face, cooing, “Okay, go dump your boyfriend, my duckling, I’ll be waiting here with takeout and beer.”

“You are a grown-ass man.” You deadpan before you’re finally off.

It’s been a good few months since you started seeing this new guy—his name’s Mark, you realized you liked him enough to make things more official after several good dates. But, you’ve already been considering breaking things off with him for a while now; you seem to have this recurring issue when it comes to relationships… You just can’t seem to envision a future that includes your partner, even when it’s going well you ultimately lose interest.

Mark seems like a good guy, too, which makes you feel worse, but it’d be even worse to just lead him on, right? That’s what you continue reminding yourself as you trudge into a nice café that will be tainted by the memory of you dumping a nice guy for the rest of your life. You’ll never be able to enjoy the sweet treats of ‘Arcadia’ ever again.

“Hey, there you are,” Mark smiles as you take the seat across from him.

“Yeah, uh, sorry, I had to help my roommate out.” A fib, even though your mother tells you honesty is the best policy. Well, she lied about Santa and the tooth fairy; besides, your fib sounds nicer than ‘I was rehearsing how to break up with you with my best friend’.

“No worries.”

“Um,” it’s better to just get it over with, you remind yourself, just rip the bandaid off, “so, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Uh oh, that doesn’t sound too good,” Mark chuckles, then clears his throat and continues when you don’t laugh, “What’s up?”

With a deep breath, you let it spill out all at once, “I don’t think this is going to work out, I just don’t see us—this relationship going any further. I’m sorry and I hope you can understand.” Okay, that wasn’t too scary, if you’re ignoring your shaky, clammy palms against your knees.

Mark nods, then looks down at his lap, then back at you, “I guess I should’ve seen it coming, I mean, I’ve seen the way you and your roommate look at each other.”

“Uh… you what?”

“You don’t have to play dumb about it, it’s obvious the both of you are in love. Guess I just liked you so much I hoped I could change your mind.” Mark sighs, “I think I’m gonna… go, sorry.” He says, then leaves you to spiral.

‘Obvious the both of you are in love’? You and Yeonjun? That’s ridiculous, right?

Leaving what was once your favorite café in a daze, you’re suddenly glad that you’d decided to walk instead of drive; you barely register entering your apartment complex, and unlocking your door.

“Hey,” Yeonjun is on the couch, takeout and a pack of beer spread on the coffee table as promised, “how’d it go?”

“It went fine,” you say with a smile that doesn’t quite make its way to your eyes, “he took it as well as he could have.” It’s weird, that you don’t just word vomit out every small detail, like you tend to with Yeonjun. But somehow, something about divulging everything feels weirder, so in a rare twist of events, you keep quiet.

Seemingly taking the hint that that’s going to be all you say for the time being, Yeonjun changes the topic, “Go change so we can eat, the new episode of The Vampire Diaries is literally about to start in like two seconds.”

“What the hell! I didn’t think I was gone for that long!” You shriek and make a run for it to your room to change out of your outside clothes.

Yeonjun snorts when you return, plopping onto the couch while trying to catch your breath. “I lied, there’s still like half an hour.”

“You’re such an asshole,” you hiss, and pummel him with the nearest throw pillow.

“I’m starting to think I’m gonna end up alone,” with a grunt, you tug your blanket up higher, “why’re we both so bad at relationships?”

“Rude,” Yeonjun flicks your forehead, and if you weren’t so cozy, full of food, and three cans of beer drunker, you might’ve sat up to take your revenge. But alas, moving even a mere inch feels like a herculean effort.

“You’re rude,” you stick your tongue out at him childishly. “Y’know I didn’t mean it like that, though, right?”

“I know.”

“Mm. Maybe…” You focus your bleary eyes on Yeonjun’s face above you. Even from this unfortunate angle, from where your head rests on his lap, he looks so… “If we’re not… If we’re still single by the time we’re thirty-four, I think we should just marry each other.”

Yeonjun laughs, “Okay, I think it’s bedtime, don’t you have work in the morning?”

If you hadn’t fallen asleep right then, you might’ve clapped back with a witty response, or you might’ve sat up, and looked at Yeonjun dead in the eyes and told him that you were serious.

“No, Mom, I am still not in a relationship,” you pause, then sigh, “Yes, I know I’m not getting any younger. And, no, I’m not gonna—wait, what?”

“You heard me, I asked when you’re going to give in and just marry Yeonjun. I like him, he’d be a nice son-in-law, he practically already is at this point!”

Only mothers would have the audacity. You have to pull your phone away from your ear to stare at the outgoing call screen in astonishment. “What… are you talking about?” You ask when you bring your phone back to your ear.

“Oh, c’mon. You’ve been living together since you were what, nineteen? Neither of you dates anymore, you spend all your free time together…You may as well get hitched at this point, instead of denying your poor mother the opportunity of watching her child get married any longer.”

You perk up at the call of your name, seeing two of your coworkers rush over, “Hey—random question—how early do you think is too early to get engaged? Lia’s only been with her partner for like three months, and they’re already engaged! You’ve been with your boyfriend for years, right? And neither of you has proposed?”

“Uh? My… boyfriend?”

“Yeah? Your boyfriend, his name’s Yeonjun, right?”

“Oh, he’s not my… He’s just my best friend.” You’re not sure what’s more embarrassing, the fact that all this time, it seemed like you and Yeonjun were dating, or having to tell two of your coworkers that you are actually painfully single. It doesn’t make it any better that the majority of your coworkers, while nice, are known for gossiping—all mostly harmless.

You expect your mother to make you feel bad about your relationship status (out of love), but not your coworkers.

“It’s weird, lately, I’ve realized that people think me and Yeonjun are together…? My mom even told me to just go and marry him, like?”

“Oh, you poor sweet summer child…”

“Have you still seriously not realized?” Taehyun pipes up beside Kai who regards you with a pitiful look. What’s up with everyone lately? You’re starting to feel like you’re the only one missing something.

“Realized what?”

“Oh, you’re hopeless.” Taehyun laments, looking as if he’s about ready to tear his hair out or reach across the dining table to knock some sense into you.

Ideally, you’d like to think you’re not at all oblivious. But, after many strange occurrences, you can’t help but consider: that you’ve never properly thought of Yeonjun that way—in a romantic sense. He’s always just been Yeonjun; the only person who you know for a fact you can trust with anything, and the only person who will stick with you despite all of your bullshit, like a stubborn thorn you can’t seem to be rid of (not that that’s an issue). He’s your everything, really.

When you imagine your future, you always see him fit in there somehow—but it occurs to you that as someone who’s never had a complete interest in marriage, or any romantic relationships for a long time for that matter, you could imagine walking down the aisle with Yeonjun, and more. Not only that, but you like imagining it.

Oh.

How dense can one be to fail to realize they’ve been in love with their best friend all this time? After nearly three decades of friendship, it’s seriously taken you this long to get to this conclusion? All those failed relationships you tried so hard to make work, it was all for nothing, because you couldn’t realize what you felt for what you already had! So much time wasted…

“Are you feeling okay?” Yeonjun apparates beside you, a palm carefully tracing circles over your upper back.

You feel bad for how you jolt away from him, seeing the surprise and mild hurt pass over his features in a split second. If you didn’t know Yeonjun like the back of your hand, you might’ve missed it. “...Sorry, I dunno—I’ve been kind of out of it lately, I think I just need to relax.”

“You haven’t been overworking yourself again, have you?”

“No…”

Yeonjun gives you a look as though he doesn’t quite believe you, but drops it. This time, you don’t jump away like frightened prey when he touches you—wraps around your side. “Let’s watch something tonight? I’ve been hearing about this new Kdrama called ‘My Demon’.”

“That sounds straight out of Wattpad… I’ll order the food.”

“Happy birthday,” Yeonjun sings as he saunters into your bedroom at… way too early in the morning. But all’s forgiven with the realization he comes bearing gifts—food. “What’s that, thirty-four punches I’m gonna have to give you, now? Fuck, you’re old,” he says as he sets down a delectable-looking plate of your favorite breakfast on your nightstand.

“Shut up, you’re older than me.” You narrow your eyes, sitting up to reach for your birthday breakfast.

“And if you punch me thirty-four times, you will not live to see another day, Choi.”

Getting older has meant that your birthdays have become a lot less eventful, but you haven’t quite minded it. They’re spent with your favorite person, anyway, so no complaints on your end.

Yet, somehow, you end up on a beach on the night of your birthday, sitting on a beach towel Yeonjun had neatly spread out and admiring the night sky. You’d had a simple plan to laze around at home all day, eat something good for dinner, drink a little more than you should, and then sleep like the dead. However, Yeonjun had other plans when he’d announced the night before that he was taking you on a day trip the next morning. ‘It’s only a six-hour drive’, he’d said, because he’s insane.

You suppose you had a little more to your original plan… you guess you also intended to profess your newly realized love for your best friend, and potentially ruin about twenty-nine years of friendship if things happened to go wayward. Well, you still intend on getting that over with.

“Happy birthday,” Yeonjun says once more, as he returns from the car with an unopened bottle of wine and two wine glasses. Huh, you guess that’s why he took so long to grab something to drink from the ‘cooler’, actually... do either of you even own a cooler? “Better appreciate this wine, it was pricey.”

“I distinctly recall telling you not to spend much on me this year,” you sigh, but you’re staring down the bottle, “and you already arranged this impromptu trip.”

“Well, I wanted to, it’s not every day you turn thirty-four.” Yeonjun doesn’t add anything else, as he hands you the bottle of wine; you decide not to call out how he can’t meet your eyes properly.

Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, the bottle reads. You don’t know much about wine—you’re not that old yet—just that it usually tastes good. “Is it good? I don’t think I’ve tried Cabernet Sauvignon, have I?”

“You haven’t, I think you’ll like it. It would’ve gone well with dinner.”

You hum, taking a corkscrew handed to you, as Yeonjun takes a seat beside you.

A couple of glasses later, you blurt, “Thanks. For this—the trip, dinner. And the wine. I like it a lot.” It’s not quite what you’d meant to say, in such a stilted manner. You guess you need a little more liquid courage, as you pour yourself another glass.

“I can tell, that’s like your third glass.”

“Shut up,” you grumble, as Yeonjun snorts into his glass. Cheeks warming, you start internally motivating yourself—if being alive for thirty-four years has taught you anything, it’s that everything’s worth a shot. You miss a hundred of the shots you don’t take… or whatever the saying is. “Do you remember that time I said we should just marry each other if we’re still single by thirty-four?”

After a pause, Yeonjun raises a brow, “Yes?”

“I’m surprised you remember that, considering you passed out right after… Are you saying we should get married, then?” Something passes over his features before he turns to you, and laughs something that isn’t exactly humorous, “I think that might be enough wine for you.”

“I’ve only had two glasses.”

“Two-and-a-half,” you correct after glancing down at your half-full glass. “I’m not drunk, maybe a teensy bit tipsy, but—fuck, that’s not the point.”

“What is the point you’re trying to make then? Yeonjun laughs, it almost looks like that familiar glint has returned to his eyes. You’d appreciate it if you weren’t about to implode.

“I, uh,” you clear your throat. Yeonjun continues to regard you with amusement; you vaguely wonder if he’ll still be amused once you manage to get the words—your confession out, or if you’ll go and ruin everything because of some stupid feelings. “Fuck, this is kinda difficult.”

“Okay, um,” maintaining eye contact is a test of your mental strength, which is why you avert your gaze even though you’ve turned to face Yeonjun, as you utter your next sentence, “So, it’s taken me an embarrassingly long time to realize that I’ve, uh, sort of, kind of been in love with you for probably forever. No, I—”

“I’m in love with you,” you rephrase more confidently, yet you end up shrinking in on yourself when the only response you receive is Yeonjun blinking blankly at you. “So, um, you could say something… right about now. Like, you hate me and are kicking me out? Well, ideally, you could say that you feel the same and—”

“Breathe,” Yeonjun reaches over to squeeze your clammy hand. Taking a breath as instructed, you realize you have not been breathing properly since you began speaking. “I was just—you’re being serious? You aren’t just drunk, and you aren’t fucking with me?”

“Two-and-a-half glasses, I’m tipsy at worst,” you reiterate, “and I’m not fucking with you either.”

“Oh.” Yeonjun breathes, which does nothing to assuage the anxiety that feels like it might have colored your face pallid, as it incessantly knocks against your ribcage.

“Oh? C’mon man, I just confessed my love to you, give me a little more than ‘Oh’, I’m nervous as shit right now.”

“Sorry, I was just…” Yeonjun laughs, the asshole laughs. “We really are best friends, huh? I spent all week trying to figure out how to make your birthday special, and confess my love to you at the end of the night. And here you are, beating me to it.”

“You… oh.”

“C’mon man, give me a little more than ‘Oh’, I just told you your love is reciprocated,” Yeonjun laughs as he repeats your previous words, teasing, “I’m nervous as shit, too.”

So, you down the rest of your glass before setting it aside and scooting too close for comfort, and ask, “Can I kiss you?” Because if thirty-four years of life has taught you anything, it’s to not waste any more time.

“Uh… yes.” Yeonjun’s widened eyes dart from both of your eyes, to your lips, and back.

And, so, you close the distance to kiss him.

Maybe it’s not magical, maybe you don’t feel any supposed sparks or fireworks. But it feels right, like it’s meant to be as you cup Yeonjun’s cheek and shift to curl your hand around his nape. It feels like caressing the petals of a burgundy rose.

(“Have you just always known you loved me? Even when I threw up on you the first time we got drunk?” You ask, a few hours, and a couple more glasses of wine later.

“Ew, but yes, I knew I loved you even then.”

“...Huh. Would you still love me if a witch cursed me and I turned into a worm tomorrow?”

Yeonjun snorts, “A worm?” then he hums in thought, “I would buy the biggest terrarium, and the nicest dirt I can find, and take care of you. I’d find the witch and make her turn you back into a lovely human, too.”

“Good answer,” you smile, leaning over to kiss Yeonjun again, he tastes a little like remnants of Cabernet Sauvignon, deep and red, urging you to kiss him a little deeper. “I love you,” you whisper against his lips when you part.)

Upon thinking about it, not much changes between you and Yeonjun; apart from the kissing, consistently sharing a bed, sober I love you’s, and the other ‘unnecessary PDA’, as Taehyun so kindly put it, while Soobin had fixed the two of you with a disgusted look (you know that deep down somewhere, he’s happy for you both), and Beomgyu shot a thumbs up before going back to hogging the cookies Soobin baked—Kai was more focused on trying to steal some cookies, which he managed.

Your mother had practically wept out of joy when you told her the news, ‘I’m going to see my baby get married! I thought the day would never come!’ she’d cried out, and rushed to tell anyone that would listen to her. Overdramatic, and a little hurtful, by the way… You didn’t even say anything about marriage, either!

“Hm?” You reluctantly blink your eyes open at the call of your name, to see Yeonjun looking at you with a suspicious grin on his face.

“I love you.”

“...What did you do? I love you too, though, even if I have to become an accomplice.”

“I didn’t do anything bad, I just love you.”

“Mm, you loser. I love you more.”

“Hm, are you sure about that?” Yeonjun hums, your eyes follow him as he sits up and reaches for something from his nightstand, “‘Cause I think I love you more? So much that I’m asking if you’d do me the honor of marrying me.” He says so casually, contrasting how he carefully opens a small, velvety box. It gives a quiet creak as it pops open, revealing a simple silver band. A ring. An engagement ring.

After blinking the fatigue out of your eyes, and confirming that you’re not seeing or hearing things, you sit up with a start, “You—

“You dick, why would you propose to me while I’m half-asleep?!”

“Well, if you said no, I could’ve just written it off as you being tired and mishearing me… I’ll get you a nicer wedding ring, too, if you say yes, that is. Well, I already have one—”

Yeonjun grunts as you throw yourself onto him, “You’re such an idiot, I love you. Yes, I’ll marry you, there’s no question about it.”

You can’t recall the moment you started loving Yeonjun; maybe it was the day you met and he let you play his PlayStation. Maybe it was in middle school when more people started to see him, or maybe it was in high school…

Maybe you can’t pinpoint the exact moment, maybe you’ve just always loved Yeonjun. It’d be hard not to love him; he’s as beautiful as a white rose—inside and out—one that you’d pluck from the dirt with your bare hands, thorns and all, just to keep to yourself, even if for a little while. Maybe that’s selfish, but you think that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

You part from Yeonjun as your friends and family cheering fills your ears. Feeling like words can’t do your feelings in that moment justice, you kiss him once more, in hopes to convey them a little better.

“I know. I love you,” he says, because he knows you best.

Grinning so happily that your cheeks begin to ache, you properly part from Yeonjun this time, and walk hand-in-hand down the aisle.

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